good our benefit To which end he willingly subjected himself unto that Law whereof as God he was Lord. God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 that is subjected to it which he was as to the Moral so to the Ceremonial Law both which were fulfilled in and by him It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness Mat. 3.15 I am not come to destroy the Law but to fulfil Mat. 5.17 So he did the Ceremonial Law which had the full accomplishment in him And so he did the Moral Law which was fulfilled by him by his exact observation of it and perfect obedience to it which was done not only in reference to himself but others that so The righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us as the Apostle hath it Rom. 8.4 though not by us which it could not be being now made weak through the flesh as the verse there foregoing hath it not able to justifie man before God in as much as it could not be kept and fulfilled by him in this corrupted state yet in us through the imputation of Christs Active as well as Passive obedience unto us Thus as by one mans disobedience viz. of the first Adam many were made sinners so by the obedience of one viz. Christ the second Adam many are made righteous viz. by the Imputation as of the sin of the one so the righteousnesse of the other as we have it Rom. 5.19 Thus was he given for us in his Life 4. In his Death 4. And so in his Death He ossered up himself a sacrifice for us Of which more anon 5. In his Resurrection 5. In like manner in his Resurrection he rose again for us He dyed for all that they which henceforth live should not live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5.15 Those for whom Christ dyed he also rose again for them Being delivered for our offences he was raised again for our Iustiflcation Rom. 4. last thereby evidencing and assuring unto his people the truth of that reconciliation which by his death he had purchased and obteined for them 6. In his Ascension 6. So again in his Ascension wherein hee went before to prepare a place for us as he tells his Disciples Joh. 14.2 7. And in like manner in his Intercession 7. In his Intercession Being ascended up into heaven he there sitteth at the right hand of God his Father as our Advocate as he is called 1 Joh. 2.1 to plead our cause It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 Thus hath Christ loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour as the Apostle sets it forth Eph. 5.2 An Offering and a Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ an Offering and a Sacrifice alluding to those two kind of Altars and Offerings which were in the Temple the bloody sacrifice offered upon the Brazen Altar and the Incense offering upon the Golden Thus did Christ give himself for his people as a Sacrifice in his death so an offering in his Intercession perfuming their prayers with that sweet Incense the pretious odours of his merits as that Text is commonly expounded Rev. 8.3 All these wayes may Christ be said to have given himself for us Christs giving himself in his Death here properly intended Each of these tending to our good our benefit But there is one of them which is here principally eyed and intended in the Text viz. his giving himself a Sacrifice which he did in and by his death This is the giving of Christ which we so frequently meet with in Scripture Who gave himself for our sins Gal. 1.4 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it Eph. 5.25 All which with many the like Texts are to be understood of Christs giving himself to death And so understand we it here in the Text who gave himself for us viz. Dying for us as we have it Rom. 5.8 Christs Death fitly called a giving himself for us It being Which may well be called a Giving himself for us In as much as what Christ herein did he did it for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nostro bono nostra vice both for our good and in our stead 1. For our good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus se morti devovit nostrâ causâ Grot. in Text. The Socinians sense of the Phrase 1. For our good our benefit So much Socinians will readily yeeld us that Christ in yeelding himself to the death intended chiefly the good of mankind suffering for their sakes viz. that he might first set them an Example And secondly that he might the better know how to compassionate and succour them in all their sufferings These are the two principal if not the only ends which they assign of Christs dying And there is a truth in each of these 1. To set us an Example 1. Christ dyed to set us an Example So Saint Peter giveth it us in express words 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps which Christians are to do as in his Active obedience learning of him how to do the will of God which he taught them in his Life so in his Passive Obedience learning of him how to suffer that will which he taught them as in his Life so specially in his Death 2. He dyed and suffered what he did That he might be the more compassionate to us that having experience of such sufferings he might the better know how to pity and succour others in their sufferings This also the Apostle clearly holdeth forth in that known Text Heb. 2.18 For in that he himself suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Christ was tempted tryed So he was in his Life having experiences of many Temptations from Satan and sufferings from his Instruments Being then as the Prophet calls him Is 53.3 vir dolorum á man of sorrows But specially in his death That was to him an hour of temptation as that troublesome time is called Rev. 3.10 a time of Tryal wherein he was tempted both in Body and Soul as I shall shew you anon And having been thus tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potest anxiliari pro potest moveri ad auxiliandum as Grotius well interprets it Able that is the more readily inclined thereunto in regard of that experience which himself hath had in his own person Thus we read of every High Priest Cap. 5. v. 2. of that Epistle that he is one who being taken from among men can have eompassion on the ignorant c. for that
he himself is also compassed with infirmity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potens Beza Gr. Annot in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic rursus ad affectus pronitatem referendum est Grot. ibid. i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Beza expounds it aptus idoneus one fit and meet to take compassion And so is the Lord Jesus our great High-Priest rendered by his sufferings Having in his own person had experience of them he is made more compassionate towards others in like condition as the same Apostle hath it Heb. 4.15 We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin All this we acknowledge to be truth 2 Christ giving himself in our stead as our Surety But not the whole truth Christ as he dyed for our good so secondly in our stead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For us Even as David lamenting the death of his Son Absalom is said to have wished would God I had dyed for thee O Absalom 2 Sam. 18. last that is dyed in his stead that so by his own temporal death he might have prevented the danger of his Eternal death Thus the Lord Iesus Christ out of that wonderful love which he bare to man-kind he gave himself for them dying for them that by his death he might prevent theirs which otherwise he saw them bound over to In this sense Christ is said to have dyed for us in that Text Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were sinners Christ dyed for us that is in our stead as our surety to save and deliver us from death So the verse there foregoing explains it where it is said scarsly for a righteous man will one dye yet for a good man some would even dare to dye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a good man that is in his stead to prevent his death And thus did the Lord Jesus give himself for his people dying for them in their room and stead so to free and deliver them from death And so most fitly and properly are we to understand the word in the Text. Who gave himself for us viz. as our Surety making satisfaction to the Justice of God for our sins So the next words clearly explain it who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity from the guilt and punishment of sin of which God willing more hereafter And in this way did Christ give himself for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his whole self Thus he gave his whole self both Body and Soul as was in part shewed before Both which were partakers in his sufferings Not only his Body to which by a Synecdoche this is sometimes attributed and referred Thus our Saviour speaking to his Disciples Joh. 6.51 tels them The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world And Heb. 10.10 we are said to be sanctified through the offering of the Body of Christ Not by presenting it in heaven as Grotius would expound it but offering it upon earth upon the Altar of the Crosse Which Texts and the like we are to understand Synecdochically Not that only the Body of Christ was interested in these his sufferings but his soul also So it was before his Passion having divers conflicts specially with the apprehension of that death which he was to undergo Now is my soul troubled saith he to his Disciples Ioh. 12.27 and what shall I say Father save me from this hour And so again in the Garden he complaineth in the like manner to some of them My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Matth. 26.38 And as before so much more in his Passion where conflicting with the wrath of God being under a cloud of spiritual desertion he cryeth out in the anguish of his soul My Lord my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Thus was his soul also made a partner in this suffering as the Prophet Isai expresseth it in the three last verses of his 53. Chap. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin v. 10. He shall see of the travail of his soul v. 11. He hath powred out his soul unto death v. 12. Thus did he in his suffering give himself wholly his whole humane nature both Body and Soul The divine nature in the mean time supporting of the Humane as I said and seeming as it were to suffer with it And thus you have seen this first Particular in the Text somewhat largely opened and explained wherein hath been shewed unto you both what this Gift was and how said to be given Now adjourning the Application till afterwards not having as yet so full a rise for it as I desire proceed we to the second which acquaints us with 2. Partic. The Giver of this Gift Christ himself The Doner who it was that thus gave this gift which is Christ himself So it is the Gift and Giver here are both one who gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So we find it often elsewhere Gal. 1.4 who gave himself for our sins c. 2. v. 20. who gave himself for me Eph. 5.25 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it 1 Tim. 2.6 who gave himself a ransome for all All speaking the same thing with this in the Text. The great God even our Saviour Iesus Christ who gave himself for us Obj. Gave himself But what Obj. 1. God the Father gave his Son do we not elsewhere read that he was given by his Father God so loved the world saith that known Text Ioh. 3.16 God the Father that he gave his only begotten Son In this was manifested that love of God towards us saith the same Evangelist because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might be saved through him 1 Ioh. 4.9 And again in the verse following Herein is love not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins It was God the Father that sent his Son upon this errand Him hath God the Father Sealed Joh. 6.27 given him Commission to do what he did Yea and sending him into the world he delivered him up unto death He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all Rom. 8.32 And the Prophet Isai describing his Passion tels us Isai 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruize him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin speaking of God the Father And so much we may learn from Christs own mouth who speaking to the woman of Samaria calls himself The Gift of God Joh. 4.10 How then is he said to give himself Ans Father and Son concurring in this Donation Ans To this the Answer is obvious God the Father gave his Son yet his Son gave himself both concurring in the same Act. So it is in all
upon a diverse account being under the power Tyrannie f many hard Masters 1. The first and chief whereof is Sin 1. Under sin under which all men are An unquestionable truth which the Apostle sets down with a Probatum est Rom. 3.9 we have before proved both Iewes and Gentiles that they are all under sin So again Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin declared them so to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as under the guilt so under the power of sin God be thanked saith the same Apostle to his Romans ye were the servants of sin Rom. 6.17 And again v. 20. When ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousnesse Such is the condition of all men before the grace of God meet with them to set them at liberty they are all servants of Corruption as Peter saith of those Saduces 2 Pet. 2.19 Serving diverse Lusts and Pleasures as Paul saith of himself and other believers before their conversion Tit. 3.3 And what greater slavery can there be in the world than this No drudgery like that of Sin If the Law of God be what it is The perfect Law of liberty as Saint Iames call it Iam. 1.25 Then the Law of sin must needs be a perfect Law of servitude and slaverie And under this slavery are all men by nature Even sold under sin So saith regenerate Paul of himself in regard of the remainders of Corruption which he found in himself Rom. 7.1 I am Carnal sold under Sin So he was so far forth as he was Carnal What are they then who are wholly such nothing but Carnal they must needs be no other but perfect slaves such as Ahab was of whom it is said that He sold himself to work wickednesse 1 King 21.22 2. And being thus under the Tyranny of sin 2. Under the power of Satan they are also under the power of Satan Paul being sent to the Gentiles he was sent upon this errand to turn them from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26.18 Such is the condition of all men by nature they are under the power of Satan that God of this world who blindeth the minds of them which believe not as Paul speaks 2 Cor. 4.4 Being in the snare of the Devil and taken Captive by him at his Will as the same Apostle saith of impenitent sinners 2 Tim. 2. last 3. To this add they are also under the Law Ye are not under the Law but under Grace saith aul to his beleeving Romans c. 6.14 3. Under the Rigorous exaction of the Law Intimating that before they were under Grace they were under the Law And so are all men before the Grace of God meet with them to put them under another Covenant they are under the Law the Law and Covenant of works Which like an Egyptian Taskmaster requireth that from them and that under the penalty of eternal condemnation which of themselves they are no ways able to perform By reason whereof they ly under the lash and Curse of the Law As many as are of the works of the Law they are under the Curse Gal. 3.10 4. And to this add 4. Under the fear of death they are also in bondage under fear of death So the Apostle sets forth their Condition Heb. 2.15 They are such as through fear of death death Temporal and Eternal are all their life time subject unto bondage Heb 2.15 Like slaves who are ever afraid of being cast into the Dungeon Such is the condition of all men by nature Q. But how cometh it so to be Quest How cometh man into this Captivity What did God make man in this estate A. Not so Man at the first was made a freeman in an honourable estate Lord over the rest of the Creatures and over himself Ans By falling from his God a servant to none but to his God whose service is perfect liberty But in this estate he continued not Man being in honour abideth not Psal 49.12 But falling from his God by his disloyalty and disobedience he fell from his state of Perfection forfeiting and losing that freedom which he had and so inslaving himself and all his Posterity who being then in his loyns and sinning in him are made justly lyable to the punishment of that his sin Thus did Man at the first sell himself and all his Posterity even as Esau did who by selling his Birth-right for a mess of Pottage made himself a servant to his younger Brother accordidg to that forenamed Prophecie Gen. 25.23 The Elder shall serve the Younger which as to spiritual privileges was made good in the person of Esau himself and as to Corporal in his Posterity who were afterwards subdued and brought into subjection by the posterity of Iacob as the story sets it forth 2 Sam. 8.14 After the same manner did our first Parent Adam sell himself and all his Posterity for an Apple by the eating whereof contrary to the command of his God he forfeited all his privileges making himself and all his posterity Servants and Slaves in such manner as you have heard Applic. All to be convinced of this Captivity and affected with it Applic. A truth which I wish it might in a right serious way be brought home to the hearts of all those whom it concerns that they might be throughly convinced of it You who are yet in your natural estates not changed and renewed by Grace know that this is your condition Such slaves are you in bondage under all these Tyrants Sin Satan the Law Death And O that you might be truly affected herewith This being the very first step to your deliverance so to see and feel this your servitude as that you may groan under it and so be brought to seek after a Redeemer Which till you do never look to be made partakers of this blessed Redemption here spoken of Especially labour to see and feel your selves to be under the Tyranny and Bondage of Sin un-the power of it servants to it sold under it A condition how miserable Even regenerate Paul though freed from the Dominion of sin yet feeling the workings of the remainders of Corruption in him he thereupon cryeth out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O miserable man that I am And did this make him look upon his present condition as wretched how wretched then must yours be in whom sin ruleth and reigneth who are not in any degree as he was freed and delivered from the power of it Most miserable is this your slaverie So you look upon the condition of the Israelites in Egypt and the Jewes in Babylon and so upon Turkish Gallie-slaves But alas what is their servitude to yours They might be may be free in the midst of their slaverie their servitude reaching only to the outward man the Body yours to the inward to the Soul your souls being hereby inslaved Their servitude is temporarie but for a time such as death will put an end to
use of them externally and Ecclesiastically pure and holy And thus are Christians now purified under the Gospel in and by the Sacrament of Baptism which is as our Apostle is conceived to call it Tit. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Laver of Regeneration wherein Christians being washed are Purified Sanctified as the same Apostle hath it Eph. 5.26 made Sacramentally and externally pure and holy such in foro Ecclesiae as to the Church into which they are thereby incorporated But to let this pass 2. The Purifying which here we meet with is an Inward and Real Purification 2 Really the thing represented and signified by those signes The Inward and Spiritual washing and purifying of the soul Which consisteth in two things Which consisteth in two things the taking away the Guilt and Power of sin the one in Iustification the other in Sanctification Both which are the works of Jesus Christ 1. The Purifying of his people in their Iustification by taking away the Guilt of sin 1. Taking away the Guilt of sin in justification Which is sometimes called a Purifying or Purging So we find it Heb. 1.3 When he had by himself purged our sins speaking of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having made a Purgation a Purification the word being the same with that in the Text that is taken away the guilt of them by making satisfaction to the justice of God for them which Christ did by the sacrifice of himself And so understand we that of St. Iohn 1 John 1.7 The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so again that of his Rev. 1.5 To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood viz. from the guilt of them This hath Christ merited by his death by shedding his Blood which being applyed to the soul through faith now it becometh effectual for this end for washing and cleansing of the soul This is that fountain of Purgation spoken of Zach. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse viz. Iesus Christ whose blood shed is as a living ever-running fountain for the washing of beleevers from sinful impurities This is the Washing the Purging which David maketh such earnest suit for Psal 51.7 Purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow In such a way were Legal Purifications some of them effected by a Bunch of Hysop dipt in a Lev. 4.4 Blood or b Num. 19.18 Water wherewith the things or persons to be purified were sprinkled And thus are spiritual Purifications the Purifying of the soul from sin effected by sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon it applying the merit of his death unto it which was the thing that David sought for But this I shall not now insist upon having dealt with it already in the former Branch which properly holdeth forth to us the Doctrine of Iustification 2. There is a second way of Purifying viz. by taking away the Filth and Contagion of sin which is done in and by Sanctification 2. Taking away the filth of sin in Sanctification And this we find frequently set forth by this word in the Text called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Purging Purfying But not more frequently than fitly Sinne being a spiritual Defilement Obs 1. Sin a spiritual defilement Pollution Filthinesse Vncleannesse So we have it often set forth under these terms As by the Prophet Ezekiel Cap. 36. v. 25. From all your Filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you And again v. 29. I will save you from all your uncleanesses So by St. Peter 2 Pet. 2.20 where speaking of such sinful wayes and courses as the men of this world are given over to he calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pollutions or defilements of the world And so St. Paul 2 Cor. 7.1 where he exhorts Christians to cleanse themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit making use of another word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ingrimamentum Defilement And St. Iames the like Iam. 1.21 Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse Where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sordes Filth Soile fitly expressing the nature of sin which defileth the soul and maketh it loathsome in the eyes of God as filth doth the Body or Garments in the eyes of Man This doth all Sin Original sin which defileth the Nature of man Actual sins which defile the Person Every one being a new blot or spot up on the soul Like as some sins are in the eyes of men so are all in the sight of God If any blot hath cleaved to my hands saith Iob cap. 31.7 any act of injustice which being a sin is a blot in the sight of God Such is all Iniquitie all sin Vncleanness Obs 2. All men by nature unclean And with this Vncleannesse are all the sons of men defiled and polluted Even Gods Elect as well as others before the grace of God meet with them they are no better than others they are Vnclean So much is plainly intimated and insinuated in this word that he might Purifie Purifying presupposeth Pollution Things which are pure already cannot be said to be Purified Purification imports a mixture of soile and filth And such is the condition even of Gods Elect before Christ cometh to purifie them they are impure creatures Such they are by nature So we have the Churches condition set forth Ezek. 16.6 When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live Yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live Such is the condition of Gods own people before the regenerating grace of God come to sanctifie them they are like a new-born Infant weltring in the blood of its Nativity impure polluted creatures defiled with Original corruption which overspreading the whole man maketh the person unclean and leaveth a taint upon the best of duties that can be performed by him Such is the Churches acknowledgement in that other obvious Text Isa 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Their Persons their actions were all contaminated with sin And so is it with all unregenerated persons there is nothing but uncleanenss in them Applic. Appli Unregenerate persons to loath themselves Which let it be brought home to you all of you who are as yet in this estate being in a state of unregeneracy having no more than what nature hath contributed to you know that you are vile loathsome creatures And being such how do you think that you shall stand before that holy God who is of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look upon iniquitie viz. without detestation and abhorrences as the Prophet Habakkuk saith of him Hab. 1.13 O that you might come to be
GOSPEL-MARROW THE Great God giving himself for the sons of Men OR The Sacred Mystery of Redemption by Jesus Christ with two of the Ends thereof Justification Sanctification Doctrinally Opened AND Practically Applied Wherein among many other useful and profitable Truths the unhappy Controversie of the Times about the Extent of Christs Death is modestly and plainly discussed and determined for the satisfaction of those who are willing to receive it To which is added Three Links of a Golden Chain As it was lately held forth to the Church of God at Great Yarmouth By JOHN BRINSLEY Minister of the Gospel there London Printed by S. Griffin for Richard Tomlins and are to be sold at the Sign of the Suu and Bible near Pye-Corner 1659. To the Redeemed of the Lord in the Town of Great Yarmouth Grace and Peace Dearly Beloved WHat the great Doctor of the Gentiles declared to his Corinthians 1 Cor. 2.2 that he determined not to know any thing among them save Jesus Christ and him crucified let me in like manner freely profess unto you that in the course of my Ministery it hath been my chief design to hold forth the Lord Jesus desiring and endeavouring according to my weak abilities that he might be in my Preaching evidently set forth before your eyes and even crucified among you as that Apostle speakes to his Galathians Gal. 3.1 looking upon no Doctrine so proper and profitable for me to Preach and you to hear as the Doctrine of that Gospel whereof as he also saith of himself I am * Eph. 3.7 Col. 1.23 made a Minister And upon this ground it is that I have purposely singled out divers choise portions of Scripture of some whereof I have given an account to the world to insist upon among you which have presented you with this subject Among which I know none that have done it more fully than this which is here now set before you A Text wherin as the Title prefixed maketh promise of you shall meet with Marrow even that Marrow wherewith the Lord promiseth to Feast his people Isa 25.6 Gospel-Marrow there being here much in a little divers precious truths of great soul concernment held forth unto you as viz. Your Redemption Justification Sanctification with your peculiar Relation to Jesus Christ and requisite Qualification viz. Zeal for good works All which having lately handled in the audience of some of you I do now here present unto you all wishing unto you what David upon another account promised to himself Psal 63.5 that your soules may be herewith satisfied as with marrow and fatness And hereof I shall not doubt if so be there be no prejudice upon your spirits to hinder the swallowing and digesting of some of them As in particular that touching the Extent of Christs death which is here asserted and contended for not to be so large as Arminius and his followers have of late represented it Concerning which what is here said let me desire you seriously to weigh consider This if you shal do I shal not doubt but you shal find that which will serve so to ballast your spirits as that they shall not be over-set with that Wind of Doctrine which hath already prevailed too much against some unstable soules among you So I am bold to call that so much by too many applauded Doctrine of Universal Redemption a Wind which however at the first breathing it may seem like the West-wind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Favonius â favendo quod ejus favore terra germinat a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Favonius pleasing and profitable and at present may make a great noise yet upon a due trial it will be found to be no wayes advantagious in carrying you on to your desired Port no wayes conducing to your comfort here or happiness hereafter For the proof whereof I shall refer you to what the Treatise will acquaint you with Which leaving in your hands I commit it and you to the blessing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ in whom I am Yarmouth M. 6. D. 1. Your servant JOHN BRINSLEY To the Reader Good Reader ALthough this Treatise needeth none of my commendations yet having read so much of it as concerneth the Doctrine of Vniversal and particular Redemption I cannot but say to thee Surge lege arise and read The Reverend and learned Author hath therein with much clearness and perspicuity a gift wherewith God hath blessed him above many delivered the truth unto thee And it is no other than that good old Gospel-truth which hath been owned and maintained in all Ages more especially in some I shall not instance in the times before Augustine because the Controversie was not then started though the truth was acknowledged In the 4th Century Augustine vigorously contended for it and for those Truths that accompany it against the Semi-Pelagians Pelagius held that none are condemned meerly for the sin of Adam in eating the forbidden fruit because he did not in that sin stand in the room of all men and ergo that all men did not fall in him but have free-will naturally unto good but the Semi-Pelagians seeing this errour did grant (a) Haec enim ipsorum definitio professio est omnem quidem hominem Adamo peccante peccasse neminem per opera sua sed per Dei gratiam regeneratione salvari Prosp Epist ad August de reliquiis Pelag. caeterum ad nullum opus vel incipiendum nedum proficiendum quenquam sibi sufficere posse consentiunt Hilar. Augustino de eâdem materia that all men sinned in Adam and that without grace a man naturally is unable to begin or perfect any good work Yet they held (b) Qui autem credituri sunt quive in eâ fide quae deinceps per dei gratiam sit juvanda mansuri sunt prescisse ante mundi constitutinem Deum eos predestinasse in regnum suum Prosper ibid. that 1. God doth predestinate men to salvation upon foresight of their believing 2. That (c) Ad hoc salutis donum omnes homines universaliter sive per naturalem sive per scriptam legem sive per Evangelicam praedicationem vocari ut qui voluerint fiant filii dei ideo plurimi non renovantur quod nec renovari velle habeant praenoscantur Prosper ibid. it is in the power of man to resist and turn aside the converting grace of God 3. That (d) Nec cuiquam talem dari perseverantiam a qua non permittitur praevaricari sed a qua possit sua voluntate deficere infirmari caeterum quicquidlibet donatum sit praedestinatis id posse amittere retinere propria voluntate contendunt Hilar. ibid. the Saints may fall from Grace and not persevere to the end 4. That (e) Haec enim ipsorum definitio ac professio est universis hominibus propitiationem quae est in Sacramento sanguinis Christi
those Acts which they call ad Extrà works which God worketh out of himself for or upon his Creature they are all indivisa common to all the three Persons all concurring in them So was it in the work of Creation In the beginning God Created the Heaven and the Earth Gen. 1.1 God essentially considered Elohim a word of the Plural number which being joyned with Barah a verb singular is commonly conceived to denote the Trinity of Persons in the unity of Essence Whether so or no sure we are all the three Persons were interested in that work Not only the Father to whom the Apostle ascribeth it 1 Cor. 8.6 Vnto us there is but one God even the Father of whom are all things But also the Son All things were made by him Joh. 1.3 seconded by Saint Paul Col. 1.16 By him were all things Created And even so is it here in this work of Redemption the repairing of the Microcosm the little world Man-kind Here was a concurrence of Persons The Father gave his Son the Son gave himself there being the same will and the same work in both The same will I can of my self do nothing I seek not mine own will but the will of the father which hath sent me c. 5. v. 30. I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me c. 6. v. 38. And as the same will so the same work Whatsoever things the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise Joh. 5.19 So he doth and that not by way of imitation but cooperation Not doing the like things but the same There being as one will so one power of working in both And so was it in this great work of Redemption Even as it was in Abrahams offering up of his Son Isaack a representation of this mystery Gods offering his Son Christ there was a concurrence betwixt the Father and the Son The one not more willing to offer than the other to be offered So was it here God the Father giveth his Son and his Son giveth himself The Father made his soul an offering for sin yet he himself poured out his soul unto death as the Prophet Isai there sets it forth Is 53.10 12. Being therein obedient to his Father Phil. 2.8 Obj. 2. Obj. 2. Christ delivered up by others But we find him delivered up by others also as viz. by Iudas who betrayed him into the hands of the High Priests and Elders and by them delivered unto Pilate and that bound So we have it recorded Matth. 27.2 When they had bound him they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate By whom he was delivered into the hands of the Iewes to be crucified as we have it v. 26. of that Chap. which was by them accordingly done He being delivered to their will as Saint Luke hath it they led him away Luke 23.25 26. Thus was he led as a Lamb to the slaughter as the Propher Isai hath it Is 53. How then can it be said that he gave himself Ans They herein but his Instruments Ans To this the Answer is as obvious as the former All these were Instrumental in bringing him to the Crosse being therein subservient to the great design of God the Father and of Christ himself concurring with them in the same Action though to different ends What God the Father and his Son Christ intended out of love to mankind they executed out of base and sinister respects Iudas out of Covetousnesse Pilate out of Fear the High-Priests and Elders out of malice the people many of them out of Ignorance In the mean time as herein they did nothing but what the Father had before decreed and determined to be done as that known Text speaks it fully Act. 4.27 Of a truth against thine holy Child Iesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy Council determined before to be done So they did nothing but what the Son was willing withall Which had he not been it was not all their power that could have compelled him to it So much he gave them to take notice of when the High-Priests Officers came to attach him in the Garden where w th a word of his mouth he strikes them to the ground as we find it Ioh. 18 6. And when Peter in a forcible way began to attempt his rescue he tels him Matth. 26.53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels viz. to be a guard about his Person So impossible was it for all the power of Men and Devils to have brought him to the Cross had he not voluntarily yeeldded up himself to it Which he expresly tells his Disciples that he did Joh. 10.17 18. I lay down my life No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down c. Obs Thus then was this Offering of Iesus Christs a freewill Offering Obs Christs Sacrifice a Free-will-Offering who gave himself saith the Text importing a voluntary Act. Such are Gifts properly things freely bestowed And such was this Offering of Christs a free will Ossering So it may be said to be upon a double account in reference both to Compulsion and Merit Where either of these two are that a man is compelled to do what he doth or that it is a thing demerited deserved at his hands it cannot properly be called a Gift But such was Christs giving himself for us a Gift a free gift 1. Free as to Compulsion 1. Free as to Compulsion What herein he did he did it not as compelled thereunto Whether by his Father to whom he was in all things obedient Obedient to death as we have it Phil. 2.8 willingly complying with his will Loe I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10.7 This was his Meat as he tels us Joh. 4.34 a thing which he desired more than his bodily food Or yet by his Enemies Which as it hath been already shewed so if need were it might be further cleared Mr. Tho. Taylor Com. in Text Christs dâ—aâ—h voluntary declared in divers particulars And indeed as one well noteth writing upon the Text it is a thing well worth the observing how the Holy Ghost throughout the whole History of our Saviours Life and Death hath set forth divers circumstances serving to confirm and make good this truth that this was in him a voluntary Act. Take we notice of some of the most obvious As 1. His going up to Jerusalem First His going up to Jerusalem notwithstanding that he knew what he should there expect So much he acquaints his Disciples with Mat. 16.21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his Disciples that he must go to Ierusalem and suffer many things of the Elders and chief Priests and
Scribes and be killed Yet he undertaketh the journey Yea though Peter as a friend took him aside and advised him to the contrary saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee as it there followeth in the next verse yet he still persisted in his resolution giving Peter a tart check for that his well-meant but ill-advised Counsel bidding him Get thee behind me Satan for thou art an offence unto me v. 23 So not induring to hear any thing that might tend to the taking him off from prosecuting of that design Secondly Being come to Ierusalem 2. His going into the Garden though he well knew that the Iewes lay in wait to apprehend him and that Iudas had made a compact with some of them to deliver him into their hands yet doth he not think of withdrawing himself Which we read that at another time he did viz. when a Crown was offered him Joh. 6.15 when he perceived that they the Jewes would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed again into a mountain himself alone And surely had he pleased he could as well have withdrawn from the Cross which he knew was intended for him Yea and this we find before he had done when the Pharisees held a Council against him how they might destroy him when Iesus knew this saith the Text he withdrew himself from them Matth. 12.15 But now the hour being come as he saith which then it was not the time appointed by his Father now he is so far from withdrawing that he goeth to meet those which were sent to apprehend him retiring into the garden his usual place of prayer whither he knew Iudas would bring his rout of Officers for that purpose Thirdly Being come into the Garden 3. Yeelding himself to the Officers had he pleased he could easily have resisted them there which he let them know by casting them down to the ground with a word as I shewed you or else have withdrawn himself from them or else have hid himself and gone through the midst of them as the story tels us that in a miraculous way he did through the midst of those who had taken up stones to cast at him Joh. 8. last But he instead thereof goeth to meet them calling unto them as Saint Iohn hath it cap. 18.4 Iesus therefore knowing all things that should come unto him went forth that is from that part of the Garden where he was towards them that came to apprehend him and said unto them whom seek ye To which when they not knowing him made answer Iesus of Nazareth he replyeth to them I am he as the next verse hath it And again v. 7. after that he had raised them up by the same power that he cast them down he propoundeth the same question to them again whom seek ye To which when they make Answer as before Iesus of Nazareth he replyeth again I have told you that I am he v. 8. All which clearly evidenceth that he did willingly offer and yeeld himself unto them 4. Making a bold Confession Fourthly to go on Being brought first before the High-Priests and then before Pilate he useth no subterfuges or evasions to decline their malice but as the Apostle saith He witnessed a good Confession 1 Tim. 6.13 acknowledging and asserting that he was a King and the true Son of God though he knew that Attestation would be capital unto him as you find it Matth. 26.64 5. Not appealing nor deprecating the sentence Fifthly Having there received his sentence he maketh use of no Appeal which Paul did in a like case who appealed from Festus to Caesar Act. 25.11 nor yet Deprecation so as to sue for favour but willingly submitted to the Judgement passed upon him Sixthly And being led to execution 6 Making no resistance he shewed no reluctancy but was led as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep that is dumb before the shearers so opened he not his mouth Isai 53.7 Seventhly 7. Not using any means to abate or shorten his sufferings And lastly in his Passion upon the Cross he was still the same not willing to use any means that might abate the sense of his Torment to which end it is conceived that stupifying potion of Vinegar and some other ingredients was offered to him which till his suffering was finished he refused to tast of as the story sets it forth Mat. 27.34 48. Thus did he willingly yeeld himself to the drinking of drinking off that bitter Cup which was given him by his Father according as he had told Peter he was resolved to do The Cup which my father hath given me shall I not drink it Joh. 18.11 Drinking even the very dregs of it Not ceasing to suffer untill he could say what he did Consummatum est it is finished viz. the work of Mans Redemption and then as the Evangelist hath it he gave up the Ghost Joh. 19.30 pouring forth his soul unto death as the Prophet expresseth it in that Text forecited Isai 58. v. last Thus then was the suffering of Christ free as to any Compulsion 2. Christs death Free as to merit 2. And so it was also as to any Merit or desert in or from those for whom he suffered So Gorrhan not amiss here expounds the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He gave himself sc gratis sine meritis nostris freely and without any merit on our parts For alas what was there in Man that could any wayes deserve such a favour at the hands of this his Creator yea or any favour Man being then an Enemy to God When we were Enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 So as we may well conclude this for an unquestionable truth that this offering was every wayes a free-will-offering Christ gave himself for us Appli Christ herein propounded as a pattern for imitation Applic. And did he so to make some Application before we proceed any further as not willing so to overcharge your heads as not to lay in fomewhat into your hearts Let him then herein be propounded as a Pattern for our Imitation This was one end as I shewed you wherefore Christ gave himself that he might be a Pattern So he was in his Life in the ordering of his Conversation Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart saith he to all that come to him Matth. 11.29 I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done unto you saith he to his Disciples when he had washed their Feet Ioh. 13.15 so teaching them to be ready to do all offices of love each to other And as in his life so in his Death He suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps as we have it in that forecited Text 1 Pet. 2.21 And this let us do all of us learning of him willingly to comply with the will of our
heavenly Father yeelding up our selves to him as he did to be disposed of by him according to his good will and pleasure 1. Christians to give up themselves to the Lord. So did those believing Macedonians of whom Paul giveth that Testimony to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 8.5 They first gave their own selves to the Lord. Before they gave of their goods to the poor they gave their Persons unto God dedicating themselves to his service And the like let us do every of us Give our selves to the Lord. Which do we 1. Wholly 1. Wholly So did our heavenly Pattern as you have heard our blessed Saviour he gave himself his whole self both Body and Soul And the like do we give our selves to the Lord our whole selves both Soul and Body This is the Sacrifice which the Apostle calls for Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice c. your Bodies i. e. your selves one part by a Synecdoche put for the whole Under the Law men offered up the Bodies of other creatures now they must offer their own Bodies themselves And this do we All of us dedicating and consecrating our selves wholly to the service of God to be at his command his ordering and disposing 2. And doing this wholly do we it also willingly 2. Willingly So did our blessed Saviour also as you have heard He gave himself offering up himself as a freewill offering And the like do we what ever service we do unto God or to our Brethren do it willingly So Peter exhorts Ministers in special to do their Ministerial service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not by constraint but willingly 1 Pet. 5.2 And the like let all Christians be exhorted to in general whatever service they do unto God or to their Brethren let them do it willingly 1. Not by constraint 1. Willingly not by constraint not by compulsion Such is the service of slaves who do what they do for fear Let not Christians do the like who being the servants of Christ are the Lords freemen as the Apostle calleth them 1 Cor. 7.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being by Christ set at liberty delivered out of the hands of all their spîritual Enemies And being so let their service to him be a free-service serving him without fear as Zacharias hath it Luke 1.74 that is without servile and slavish fear 2. Freely 2. And again freely not out of any by base and sinister respects not for self-ends Not for filthy lucre saith Peter there to Elders 1 Pet. 5.2 In such services men do not serve God but themselves Would we have our services accepted let them be such as this service of Christs was all freewill-offerings Giving our selves not selling which all Mercenaries may be said to do It was that which the Devill fasly charged upon Iob cap. 1. v. 9. Doth Iob fear God for nought Intimating that he did not serve God as a Child but as a Mercenary servant not out of pure love but with an eye to an ample reward Let not the like be justly charged upon any of us that we should thus serve God Only for Reward Whether Temporal because this our service may be outwardly advantageous unto us as to our estates or reputations Yea or yet Eternal Not but that Christians may have an eye at both these At those Temporal rewards How Christians may look at Reward which God hath promised to those that fear and serve him Wherefore else should David take up this as an Argument to excite and stir up Gods Saints hereunto which he doth Ps 34.9 10. O fear ye the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him The yong Lyons do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing viz. If good in it self and good for them And our Saviour himself to incourage his followers to be willing to part with any thing for him he first maketh promise to them of an ample retribution in this life Matth. 19.29 He shall receive an hundred fold viz. secular goods in this life if good for him And the Apostle exhorting Timothy to exercise himself unto Godliness 1 Tim. 4.7 he sets before him the profit and advantage of this course telling him in the next verse that Godlinesse is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is this present life Christians in serving their God may have an eye at a Temporal reward Much more Eternal So had Moses of whom the Apostle tels us He had a respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11.26 And it is said of our Saviour in the Chapter following v. 2. that for the Ioy that was set before him he indured the Cross c. But not only at these Reward as it is in it self so it both may and ought to be unto Christians an incouragement to serve their God but not the only motive No were it so that there were no such recompence to be expected whether here or hereafter yet Christians should do what they do Accounting it as their Duty so their Honour and Happinesse that they may serve such a Master Thus then let us give up our selves to the Lord every of us serving him willingly freely 2. Christians to give themselves to and for others 2. And thus also give we our selves unto others It is that which Paul there saith of those Macedonians 2 Cor. 8.5 They gave their own selves to the Lord and to us by the will of God to the Lord as their Master and to his Apostles as his Servants And the like let all Christians do Giving up themselves first to the Lord let them also give themselves to his servants as to his Ministers in special so to all other their Brethren Being ready to perform all good offices to them and for them so serving one another in or by love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Paul willeth his Galatians to do Gal. 5.13 And this let them in Imitation of Christ Do willingly and freely And thus among other things let them contribute to the necessities of the Saints Doing what they do out of a willing and ready mind This the Apostle would have Timothy put rich men in mind of whom in a special manner it concerns 1 Tim. 6.18 Charge them thaet be rich in this world that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Not doing what they do by compulsion Not only paying what they are rated and so cannot with-hold But giving freely And that as without Compulsion so without any self-ends Not out of any by and sinister respects as having an eye to Retribution or yet Reputation Thus our Saviour in some cases requires those who are able to lend unto their Brethren Luke 6.35 Do good and lend looking for nothing again Not only the use and interest but not the Principal So free so ready
he sent them forth to preach run thus Into whatsoever City or Town ye shall enter enquire who in it is worthy and there abide Matth. 10.11 And again v. 13. If the house be worthy let your peace come upon it Ans Ans Yet to preach the Gospel ro others also True such they were to enquire for there taking up their lodging where they had hopes of a curteous reception and kind entertainment for their persons and Doctrine which finding they were to abide with them preaching the Gospel of peace unto them Yet not so but that they were to preach it unto others also The Lord sending his Prophet Exekiel to the people of the Iewes he tells him aforehand what ones he should find them Ezek. 2.3 Son of man I send thee to the Children of Israel to a rebellious Nation And v. 4. They are impudent Children and stif-hearted I do send thee unto them and thou shalt say unto them Thus saith the Lord God And they whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a rebellious house yet shall they know that there hath been a Prophet among them And such did the Apostles also find that people when they were sent by their Master to preach the Gospel unto them yet they were sent to them And being so sent they were not to decline that service It was necessary saith Paul that the word of God should first have been spoken to you Act. 13.46 necessary in regard of Christs Command So then it is not the worthiness or unworthiness of a people that is the sole cause why the Gospel is preached unto some and not to others Sometimes yea oftimes where sin aboundeth grace superaboundeth Rom. 5.20 There must then be some higher cause which putteth this difference betwixt Nation and Nation And what shall that be Surely where God hath a people that do belong unto his Election of grace he will reveal and make known his Son to them some way or other Paul must continue preaching the Gospel at Corinth because the Lord had much people in that City Act. 18.10 And were it only mens own unworthiness that hinders the making known of Christ unto them and of that reconciliation which was obteined for them by him the same unworthiness should much more have hindered the obteining of that Reconciliation If it now hinder Christs making known himself to them it should much more have hindered his giving himself for them But I shall proceed no further You now see the sum of what is and may be said Pro and Con for and against this doctrine of Vniversal Redemption Which if you shall but rightly consider duly weighing the Arguments on both sides I shall not doubt of the success Which that it may be answerable to my desire give me leave to propound one Question unto you which I shall desire you seriously to consider before you give any entertainment to this Doctrine viz. Quest What is to be got by it Quest What to be got by receiving the Doctrine of Universal Redemption This do all wise traders before they bargain for any Commodity they first propound to themselves what they shall gain by it And this do you before you receive this new Doctrine see what you shall get by it what spiritual advantage is to be made of it more than of the Doctrine formerly received Repl. O yes will some say very much Here is a ground of Comfort for poor sinners Repl. A ground of Comfort for poor sinners which is not to be found in any other way For if Christ did not dye alike for all and every one how shall any be assured that he dyed for them and that they shall receive any benefit from him Yea what do they know but that coming unto him they may find the like intertainment from him that some of those who take acquaintance of him at the last day are said to meet with whom he dismisseth with a Nescio vos Depart from me I never knew you Matth. 7.23 Even so may he say unto them coming to lay claim to the merit of his Death Depart from me I never knew you never knew you for mine never intended you any benefit by my death So as it is but in vain for them to look after that which they have no right unto This is the great and plausible Argument which is most taking with honest and simple hearts Ans Ans The promise full to them that believe But to this let the Answer be returned in one word Only Believe So doing now the promise is full God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Repl. Yea but it will be said how can a poor sinner do this how can he believe on Christ unless first he believe that he dyed for him Repl. How shall a man believe on Christ unless he first believe that he dyed for him which he cannot do upon any good ground unless he first intertain this Doctrine and believe that Christ dyed for all Ans Ans To believe on Christ the direct and first Act of Faith So it is looked upon indeed and that not only by Arminians who take this for one of the best shafts in their Quiver but also by some other more moderate spirits who thus conceive of it that a man must first believe that Christ is his Saviour and that he gave himself for him dyed for him before he can believe on him resting upon him for Salvation But herein upon a more narrow search into it we shall find them unwarily mistaken As will soon appear if we do but look upon these two Acts of Faith in their right order The one of which viz. to believe on Christ to take hold of him as a Saviour is the Direct Act the other to believe that he dyed for me and that he hath obteined reconciliation for me the Reflex act an act of Assucame arising from the soules reflecting and looking back upon its own act of believing Which if rightly considered will be of great use and importance as for the clearing of this scruple so for the quieting of doubting souls who by their believing on Christ may be assured of this that he dyed for them and that the merit of his death doth belong unto them This I shall God willing speak to somewhat more fully hereafter Where I shall shew you that there is more true solid comfort to be found in the other the old way than in this For the present only take notice that you cannot assign any spiritual advantage that is to be made of this Doctrine and consequently cannot give any good Reason why you should give intertainment to it Quest Quest The Doctrine of Universal Redemption how disadvantageous Which seeing you cannot do cannot tell me what you may gain by it let me in the second place briefly on the other hand shew
Prejudicial to the Comfort and Confidence of a Believer who being hereby left to himself to stand upon his own leggs left to the liberty of his own will thus to work out his own Salvation in his own strength can have no assurance of it This being all according to this Doctrine that Christ hath merited for him that upon his believing and persevering he shall be saved not that he shall believe and persevere unto Salvation So as however he be in a state of grace for the present yet he may fall away totally and finally and so perish for ever as Millions of others have done for whom yet Christ dyed as well as for himself And if so where then is Pauls Triumph which he maketh in that forecited Text Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed But to proceed no further in this Controversal way let these considerations be seriously weighed and applyed and I hope they will serve as a preservative against the Infection of that Doctrine which some are so earnest to instill into unwary soules among you This hath been my design in this large handling of this point after this manner which otherwise I should not have spent so much time upon not being willing to trouble the Pulpit with debates of this nature unless where a pressing necessity requires it The Doctrinal part being thus Explicated and cleared by shewing you whom we are to understand by this Vs for whom Christ is here said to have given himself viz. All true Believers come we now to what I know you think long for to make some improvement hereof by way of Application Which in the first place I might direct by way of Information from hence giving you to take notice that Christ in dying did not seek himself Appli 1. Information Christ in dying did not seek himself This he did not do in his life I seek not mine own glory saith he Ioh. 8.50 No more did he in his dedth True it is there was an honour which was not only a consequent of his sufferings but it was due to him and conferred upon him upon the account of them So much is held forth unto us in those Texts which are by Papists somewhat overstrained and so abused As that of the Prophet Esai Cap. 53. v. last where God the Father maketh this promise to his Son Christ Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath powred out his soul unto death Because Christ had shewn himself so obedient unto God his Father in his sufferings therefore his Father would confer a singular honour and dignity upon him So the Apostle speaketh it more fully in those Texts formerly made use of Rom. 14.9 To this end Christ both dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus was this Dominion due unto him by his Fathers Decree who therefore suffered him to dye that he might raise him up again and raising him up give unto him eternal life with a Soveraign power over his Church and over all things for his Church Debetur ei hoc dominum ex Patris decreto qui ideò eum mori sivit ut suscitaret suscitavit ut vitam ei caelestam daret conjunctam cum regiâ potestate in Ecclesiam pro Ecclesiâ Grot. Com. in loc as Grotius well explains that Text. And so Phil. 2.8 9. He humbled himself c. wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name c. Transcendēt honour dignity as a recōpence for that his abasement And so again Heb. 2.9 We see Iesus for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour Where that particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For may be conceived to import more than that the Glory of Christ was a bare consequent of his sufferings as our Divines commonly look upon it viz. that God his Father looking upon him as worthy for so he was and that upon that account as the 24. Elders acknowledge it in their Song Rev. 5.9 Thou art worthy c. For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood conferred it upon him But in the mean time this was not Christs aim his design in giving himself thus to merit for himself So much may plainly be collected from the scope and the very words of that Text even now named which Papists make use of to a contrary sense Phil. 2. where the Apostle willing Christians not to look at their own things v. 4. Look not every man on his own things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do not make this your mark so as to aim only at your selves your own honour and profit c. but every man also look on the things of others seeking the welfare of your Brethren especially their eternal welfare though it be with some outward detriment and damage to your selves in the next verse he addes Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Iesus who being in the form of God c. made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant c. He humbled himself and became obedient to the death the death of the the Cross Thus did he humble himself not for himself that he might merit for himself True indeed as it there followeth hereupon God did exalt him crowning him with that deserved reward of his obedience Yet still this was not his design in humbling himself He did not therein seek his own things in whole or in part aim at himself Which if he had done his love which he pretended to his Church would thereby have been much obscured and diminished For now it should not have been a whole and entire love to others but a divided a half love partly to them and partly to himself Love and self-love which to imagin is no small dishonour unto Iesus Christ that he under a pretence of seeking others should seek himself dying for himself A Tenent directly contrary to what Scripture so frequently holdeth forth which is as you have heard that he layed down his life for his Sheep for his Church gave himself for us But not to dwel upō this More usefully In the second place do we hear that Christ gave himself for some amongst mankind Vse 2. Exhort Labour to make sure that Christ gave himself for us why then let it be the care and indevour of every of us to make this sure to our selves that we are of this number Not contenting our selves with that general and unsound notion that Christ dyed for all and so for us but that he dyed for us in particular that we may be able upon good grounds every of us to take up the Apostles words and say as he doth Gal. 2.20 that Christ hath loved me and given himself for me This it is and only this that will speak comfort
have trespassed against the Lord saith he yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing And so upon the like ground it is that the Prophet Ioel exhorts the people to turn unto God by Repentance For who knoweth saith he if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him Joel 2.13 14. They were not sure that upon their Reformation and Repentance the Lord would presently free them from those temporal judgements which then lay upon them Yet knowing that there was no other way for the obteining of such a mercy but this and that there was hope in this way therefore they will have them put themselves upon it So standeth it with all poor sinners be their state and condition whatever it will be yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing God hath provided a means of Salvation for such as they are And who knoweth but that he intendeth upon their coming to his Son Christ to apply it unto them So as were there nothing else yet this alone should be sufficient to put poor sinners upon this way of coming unto Christ and believing on him 3. But to this adde in the third place the All-sufficiency of this Sacrifice 3. The Al-sufficiency of his Sacrifice The death of Christ is sufficient for all Mark it Though we do not say what hath commonly but unwarily been received from the Schools and so asserted by many Orthodox Divines that Christ dyed sufficiently for all for that intimates that there was a purpose and intention in God the Father in giving his Son and in Christ giving himself that he should dye for all and so become a surety for all dying in their room and stead which will not be safe in any sense to yeeld Yet we affirm what I suppose will not be denyed or questioned that his death was and is in it self sufficient for all So it must needs be This Blood being the blood of God as the Apostle calleth it in that Text formerly made use of Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church with his own blood And so Saint Iohn 1 Joh. 3.16 God layed down his life for us that is that person who was truly God as well as Man Hence it is that the death and passion of Christ was and must needs be of an infinite value and vertue being the suffering of an infinite person Thus was it sufficient for all men for the whole world yea for thousands of worlds Now were it so that there were such a receit as would cure all diseases who is there but being sick would make tryal of it not standing to question whether it was prepared for him or no. Thus standeth the Case here All men by reason of sin are sick sick unto death Now the Blood of Iesus Christ is such a Panacea a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true Catholicon The Blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 How it is then that any poor sinners who are sensible of this spiritual aylement should make any demur about the drinking of this blood the applying of the merit of Christs death unto themselves by faith 4. The experience of all who have thus come unto Christ 4. To this in the fourth place add the experience which others have had those who have put their souls upon this way of whom never any one miscaried All have found cure who have rightly applyed this remedy And why then should not others do the like As it was with the Brazen Serpent set up in the wilderness as a cure for the stinging of the fiery Serpents there however at the first erecting of it happily some might look upon it as a meer Pageant having no such vertue in it and so would not trouble themselves to go up to it yet when once they saw by experience that all who came unto it received benefit from it now we may suppose that none should need to perswade those who felt themselves stung to repair unto it Thus standeth the case here For such an end was the Lord Iesus of whom that was a Type lifted up upon the Cross that whosoever believeth on him should not persh but have eternal life as our Saviour himself explains the mystery of it Ioh. 3.14 15. And of the vertue of this mystical Brazen Serpent the Saints in all ages have had experience Those before Christ after The one looking upon him as to come the other as already come Yet believing on him they were all saved by him Even as the Israelites which looked upon that Serpent whether it was before or behind or on which side soever we do not find but they were all cured Thus have the Ages before Christ since the Fathers under the old Testament and Saints under the New both alike found benefit by coming unto Christ and looking up unto him by faith We believe saith Peter that through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saved even as they Act. 15.11 We Iewes as they Gentiles None that ever came to Christ in a right way but have been saved by him So was it when he was here upon earth None came to him for cure of their Bodies but received it And so hath it been since his removal to heaven None ever came to him for the Cure of their souls but have found what they came for And what an incouragement then should this be to all poor sinners to take the same course to come unto him upon the same account These are all strong inducements to put Christians upon this way But behold yet more yea and stronger Arguments drawing more forcibly as viz. 5. Gods purpose in giving his Son 5. In the 5th place consider what is the Intimation which we have of God the Fathers purpose in giving his Son which we have in that Text before insisted on Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish c. Now then taking notice what is the Condition whereupon depends the benefit of Christs death and which being performed it shall undoubtedly be made effectual what remains but that without any over-curious enquiry concerning the former part of that verse what is there meant by the world which God is said to have loved or how he may be said to have loved that world you apply your selves to the latter to the performance of what is there required Which shall you through the grace of God inabling make good on your parts do not doubt but God will make good unto you what he hath engaged on his part 6. Christs serious Invitation 6. To which add the Sons Invitation Christs calling you to come unto him which you may hear him doing in that known Text Matth. 11.28 Come unto me ye that labour and are heavy laden viz. under the burden of sin seriously desiring as I said to be freed from the guilt and power of it As also in that
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the hand that is by the hand which is to be referred not only to the word Sent that Moses was sent by this Angel receiving his Commission from him as Grotius looketh upon it but also to the word Redeemer or Deliverer God sent him to be a Redeemer by the hand of the Angel the Angel of the Covenant Iesus Christ in whose strength he acted and by whose power he was inabled to that great work 2. And as of Temporal 2. Spiritual so of Spiritual deliverances Wherein however others again may be Instrumental and so upon that account may be called by the name of Redeemers or Saviours as we finde the Ministers of the Gospel stiled in that Text Obad. 21. Saviours shall come upon Mount Sion which however literally as Diodate notes upon it may be understood of the Machabees who subdued the Idumeans of which we read 1 Mach. 5.3 yet spiritually it is to be reserved to the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospel who were to preach the Gospel for the salvation of Gods Elect He that converteth a sinner from the errour of his way saith Saint Iames shall save a soul from death Jam. 5. last in so doing saith Paul to Timothy viz. in taking heed to his Doctrine and Life thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 4. last But these are but Instrumental Saviours sent by Christ and working by his power The Proper and Principal Saviour and Redeemer is Iesus Christ the only Author of eternal salvation as the Apostle calleth him Heb. 5.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Principal Efficient cause of it Christ the fittest person to undertake the work of Redemption to which he had a double right of Propriety of Propinquity And who so fit to undertake this work the work of Redemption as he To which he had a double right Ius Proprietatis Propinquitatis a right of Propriety and a right of Propinquity Of Propriety as God the Sons of men being his Creatures made by him and for him as the Apostle tels us Col. 1.16 Of Propinquity as Mau being neer akin unto mankind whose nature he had taken into a personanal union with his Godhead Now such was the Law of Redemption it belonged properly to the quondam Owner or else to the nearest of kin as we find it Lev. 25.25 Which Hanameel having an eye at speaks to Ieremie after that manner when he profered him his field to sale The right of Inritance is thine saith he and the Redemption is thine Jer. 32.7 8. And with such a right was Christ invested Being near akin to the Sons of men and the Inheritance being his by his Fathers graunt I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance c. Psal 2.8 who then so fit to undertake this work of Redemption as he He gave himself that he might Redeem Redeem whom There is the second thing Redeem us that is his people his Elect. 2. The Redeemed Gods Elect Those whom he gave himself for to them he intended this benefit of his death He gave himself for us that he might Redeem us So it was Such was the condition of all the sons of men by nature they were all Captives Obs All men by nature captives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 talem liberationem significat quae captivitatem oppressionem praesupponit Chemnit Harm Luk. 1.68 So much is here plainly intimated and necessarily implied Redemption presupposeth Captivity Bondage And such was and is the state of all men by nature even of Gods Elect before the grace of God meet with them a state of Captivity Like as it was with Israel in Egypt before Moses wrought their deliverance so is it with all men Even Gods Elect people as well as others they are a Captived people So much we may learn from that Text of the Prophet Isaies Is 61.1 Where giving an account of his Commission wherefore he was sent to Preach he saith it was to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound Which Text however literally it may have an eye at the temporal freedom of the Iewes by Cyrus from their Babylonish Captivity of which we find express mention afterwards Cap. 45.13 where the Lord speaking of Cyrus saith He shall let my Captives go yet mystically and principally it is to be understood of that spiritual deliverance which is wrought by Christ for his Elect people whose condition by nature is like unto that of the Iewes in Babylon They are all Captives Prisoners So we find them called Cap. 49. of that Prophecy v. 8 9. where the Lord designing to send forth his Son Christ upon the great arrand of his Mediatorship unto the Gentiles I will saith he give thee for a Covenant of the people the Mediator of the new Covenant betwixt God and his people That thou mayest say to the Prisoners go forth both procure and proclaim a spiritual liberty for his Elect who of themselves were no better than others Captives Prisoners A Doctrine which our Saviour applies to and inculcates upon the Iewes Joh. 8.32 where he tells some of them who professed to believe on him that if they so continued If ye continue in my word saith he ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liberabit set you at liberty make you freemen Thereby giving them to take notice that of themselves what ever they thought such they were not A thing which indeed they could not digest and thereupon reply unto him in the next verse we be Abrahams seed and were never in bondage to any man How sayest thou then yee shall be made free Thus did they stand upon their native privilege looking upon themselves as the only free people in the world being descended from Abraham so from Iacob of whom it was foretold The Elder shall serve the Younger Gen. 25.23 the posterity of Esau should be subject to the posterity of Iacob Thus did they look upon themselves as the freest people upon Earth Yet our Saviour persisteth in what he had sayd inculcating it again v. 36. If the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed giving them to know that unless they were set at liberty by him and made partakers of his Redemption what ever they were in their own opinion and perswasion they were nothing less in truth than free-men they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free indeed As they were not at that time Corporally free being then vassalls to the Romans so much less spiritually And such is the conditition of all men without Christ what ever they may think of themselves or what ever their outward condition be they are no better than slaves and vassals all under a spiritual Captivity and Bondage Captives all Q. Captives to whom or How Quest Captives to whom A. Ans To this I may answer They may be said so to be
the apprehension of this unspeakable benefit obtained for us by Jesus Christ our spiritual Redemption let it affect our hearts with joy and gladnesse Rejoycing in this more than in all our other Temporal inioyments herewith drowning all our carnal fears and sorrows Fear not for I have redeemed thee Isa 43.1 2. And rejoycing in it give unto our Redeemer the Glory of this his work 2. Give unto their Redeemer the Glory hereof 1. Admiring the love 1. Admiring the love of Jesus Christ which the Lord Jesus hath herein expressed to us that he should thus engage for us giving himself to Redeem us purchasing our Redemption at so dear a rate Not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with his own pretious blood as Saint Peter there hath it 1 Pet. 1.19 O what love was this So a poor Prisoner would look upon it Should another come and freely ingage for him for the payment of his debt though it were but some small sum of ten or twenty pound which himself was no waies able to have payed he would never forget this love What cause then have we to admire and adore this love which the Lord Iesus hath herein shewed unto us in this giving himself to redeem us 2. Admiring it 2. Giving thanks to him return unto him the promise which is due unto him for it This David calleth upon himself to do for his Temporal Redemption Psal 103.1 2 4. Blesse the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Who Redeemeth thy life from destruction And was he so thankfull for a Temporal O how thankfull should we be for this Spiritual this eternal Redemption which we have obtained by Iesus Christ For this let our Souls for ever bless him giving thanks unto him O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good c. Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so saith the same Psalmist Ps 107.1 2. acknowledging his goodness in their temporal deliverances And this do we much more who are the Redeemed of the Lord Iesus give we thanks unto him for this so unspeakable a benefit 3. And giving thanks to him let it be our in devour to express this our Thankfulness 3. Express their thankfulness to him Which do we 1. 1. By loving of him By answering this love with love loving him who hath expressed such love to us This it was and only this that induced him to undertake this work for us his Love This it was that moved God to work that Redemption for his people Israel out of Egypt In his love and in his Pitty he redeemed them Is 63.9 And what else was it that moved the Lord Iesus to undertake this work of eternal Redemption for us He loved us and gave himself an offering for us Eph. 5.2 He loved the Church and gave himself for it v. 25. who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Rev. 1.5 O then let us labour to answer this love with love loving this our Redeemer who thus meerly out of his love hath given himself to Redeem us 2. And loving him Live to him 2. Living to him Let this love of Christ constrain us c. That seeing he dyed for us to Redeem us we who live do not henceforth live unto our selves but unto him who thus dyed for us as the Apostle applies it 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Living unto him according to his Prescriptions and to his Glory as you heard that phrase opened before 3. And living to him let us also Dye to him 3. Dying to him Whether we live we live unto the Lord or Whether we die we dy unto the Lord Rom. 14.8 In both dedicating our selves unto him As in life so in death As living to him so dying in him Blessed are the dead which dy in the Lord even so saith the Spirit Rev. 14 13. that is in the faith of Christ Thus dyed the Patriarch All these dyed in the faith Heb. 11.13 in the faith of the promised Messiah And so see that we Dy. Not only in the Profession of the doctrine of faith the Gospel but in the practice and exercise of it Resting and learning upon this our Redeemer Even as Iacob is said to have done upon the top of his staff Heb. 11.21 Bequeathing and commending our spirits unto him as the Martyr Stephen did who breathed out his Soul with these words Lord Iesus recieve my Spirit Acts 7.29 Thus living thus dying now doubt not but that in due time we shall be made partakers of that full and perfect Redemption which Christ is said to be made unto all Beleevers 1 Cor. 1.30 Even that Redemption of our Bodies of which the same Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.23 Our Souls being here Redeemed from the Guilt and power of sin both Souls and Bodies shall be hereafter freed from all the Consequents of it 4. Hath Christ given himself to redeem us from Iniquity Vse 4. The Redeemed of the Lord not to inslave themselves by returning unto sin O then far be it from any of us which are so Redeemed to return to this Bondage again by inslaving our selves to any base lust Which who so shall do they thereby shew themselves unworthy of such a Benefit So we would think of a Captive who being redeemed out of the hands of his Enemies by a great ransom should being in his right wits put himself under their power again returning to his former slavery who but would judge him worthy there to remain unworthy of such a second favour And truly such a Judgment hath the spirit of God passed upon wilfull Apostates whose doom we may read in those two known terrible Texts The one Heb. 6.4 ◠6. It is unpossible for those who were once enlightned with the knowledge of the truth and have tasted of the heavenly gift of Christ that gift of God and of this great benefit of Redemption by him having a general knowledge thereof and made some particular application of it to themselves not without some delight If they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame If they return to to their former estate there is little or no hope of such in as much as by this their wilfull Apostacy they offer so high an affront to him whom once they owned and acknowledged cor their Saviour and Redeemer treading him under foot As that other Text hath it Heb. 10.26 c. If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrîfice for sin but a certain fearfull looking for of Judgement and fierce indignation He that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy Of how much soarer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hathtrodden under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant
man what is good saith the Prophet Micah and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justice and to love mercie and to walk humbly with thy God Micah 6.8 Such are the works which Christians are to look upon as good works such works as God requireth to be done such works as are consonant and agreeable to his mind and will So the Apostle explains it Heb. 13.21 where he thus prayeth for those to whom he writeth That God saith he would make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight Est explicali◠ejus quod praecedit Grot. Annot. in loc Where the latter words as Grotius and some others rightly observe are Exegetical and Expositorie to the former shewing what those good works were which he desireth they should be made perfect in viz. such works as God willeth and is well pleased with And to the same purpose serveth that other Text Rom. 12.2 where Saint Paul exhorts his Romans Be ye not conformed to this World saith he but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minde that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God The will of God being in it self perfectly good it is the Rule of goodness and consequently what ever he willeth must needs be good God doth not will things because they are good but they are therefore good because he willeth them These then are those which we call good works Such works as God willeth to be done Not only permitteth for so he doth the worst of evils but requireth and injoyneth willeth Which will of his he maketh known in and by his word Which is his revealed will whereby he sheweth unto his people what is good These are Good works All these And only these As for other works which are devised by men Onely such be the pretence or intention never so specious and fayr yet having no warrant from the word they cannot be called good works much less being directly or indirectly contrarie to it That act of the Peoples which Saul pleadeth by way of excuse for himself 1 Sam. 15.21 their reserving of the spoil Sheep and Oxen the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed to sacrifice them unto the Lord in Gilgal it had a very fair and spetious pretence with it seeming to savour of a great deal of piety but what saith Samuel to it in the next verse v. 22. And Samuel said Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey it better than sacrifice God having commanded that all those things should be destroyed they transgressing of that command what ever their pretence or intention was this was a Capital sin in them and proved fatal to Saul who had the chief hand in it however he would have put it upon the people as Samuel tels him in the verse following v. 23. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee for being King Good works are only such as God willeth and requireth As for other works how promising so ever they are but vain works Such are Traditions and humane inventions in the worship and service of God In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrins the commandements of men so our Saviour citeth that Text of the Prophet Isai Math. 15.9 And Saint Peter speaking of that course and manner of living which the Jews in his time had received by tradition from their fathers he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vain conversation Good works are such all and only such as have warrant from the word Now these good works are of divers kinds Good works of diverse kinds Some Inward others Otward Inward in the Heart mind good thoughts Outward in the Tongue and Hand good words and good Actions All which are comprehended under this general Head of good works the word works being hereto be looked upon in the latitude the largest extent of it And again these good works of all these kinds they are reducible to two heads Reduced to two heads Holiness and Righteousness even those two which our Saviour himself reduceth them to Math. 22.37 39. Where he Epitomizeth giveth us the sum of the Law in those two comprehensive Commandements Thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. And thy Neighbour as thy self On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets Two general heads under which are comprehended all those respects and duties which Christians do ow and are to perform to the one and to the other First duties towards God whom they are to honour in their thoughts words Actions works of Holinesse duties of the first Table Then towards their Neighbour to whom they are to wish well and do well doing all good offices unto them as they have ability and opportunity in reference to their Lives Liberties Estates good names Bodies Souls works of Righteousnesse and mercy duties of the second Table But I shall not go about to reckon up particulars which are many So are evill works for the kinds of them they are many even all sinfull thoughts words and Actions And so is it with good work To which all which those who are Christs peculiar people Redeemed and Purified Justified and Sanctified by him are seriously devoted Not to dwell any longer upon the Doctrinal part That which I aym at being chiefly Application Which let it be directed in the 1 place by way of Conviction If this be the Qualification of those who belong unto Christ then may it hence be concluded against many that as yet they are none of this number Divers convinced not to belong to Christ none of these Peculiar ones whom Christ hath given himself for Alas the evidence is but too clear Qui non tenentur serio studio honorum operum illi hoc ipso significant se non esse in numero eorum quos Christus sua morte redemit Piscator Observ in Text. Their works testifie against them or at least do not testifie for them These are the things which our Saviour saith testified of him his good works The works which I do in my fathers name they bear witnesse of me Joh. 10.15 they shewed to whom he belonged declared him to be what he was the Son of God And so they do of every man The tree is known by his fruits saith our Saviour Math. 12.33 And so are men by their works To themselves by their thoughts the workings of their hearts To others by their words and Actions known what they are and to whom they belong whether to Christ or Satan What are you barren Trees Barren trees none of Christs planting bearing no good fruit surely you are none of Christs planting Every plant that abideth in him bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 15.5 And what have you none of this fruit have you no good
works to speak for you I mean to speak to the World and your own consciences so as to evidence the truth of your faith never reckon your selves in the number of true beleevers For this Saint James speaketh fully and expresly in that known place Jam. 2. Where he sheweth how faith without works is but a mock-faith a dead faith Faith if it have not works is dead being alone v. 17. Being alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it self not being accompanyed with good works works of Holiness and Righteousness which are the inseparable companions of a true justifying faith it cannot be a true living faith Which if it were it would be a working faith True faith a working faith So Paul describeth it Gal. 5.6 Faith working by love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word being taken Passively as it proPerly signifieth it imports a faith actuated by love thereby quickned and moved to the doing of good works or Actively as it is commonly understood it denotes an active operative faith which putteth forth and sheweth it self in the exercises of love love to God love to his Saints in doing of good works works of Piety and Charity Hereby faith sheweth it self to be a true living faith So doth the Body by the Operations of it it sheweth it self to be a living body And so doth faith shew it self to be a living faith by its works which are Indicativa fidei I will shew thee my faith by my works saith St. Iames Jam. 12.18 No such sure and certain token of a true saving justifying faith as an uniform impartial and universal obedience Which where it is not in an unfeigned desire and endeavour it is a clear evidence of a dead faith As the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also so that Apostle there closeth up that Chapter Iam. 2.26 As the body without the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not that works are to faith as the soul is to the body the form of it and giving life to it which some would from hence infer that were to stretch the similitude beyond the staple beyond the scope and intent for which it is here made use of which is onely to illustrate what before was laid down viz. that Faith without works is dead So is the body without the soul or without breath as that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred which our new Translation in the Margin mindeth us of Where there is no breathing there can be no life breath being though not a Cause yet an Indication of it And so where faith doth not breath forth and shew it self by good works the evidence is plain it is no other but a dead faith Solitary faith not to be trusted to Which in the fear of God let it be brought home to you who reckon your selves in the number of true believers putting your confidence in Christ hoping that as you are Redeemed so you shall be saved by and through faith What is this your faith fides solitaria a solitary faith faith alone having no good works to attend it do not think that Christ will ever own you for his True it is it is not for your works sake that he will own and accept you but he will not do it without them But what then shall we say to those evil workers Evil workers none of Christs people whose works testifie against them shewing to whom they belong Good works they have none to speak for them but evil ones too many to speak against them Being such as our Apostle speaketh of in the last verse of the Chapter fore-going Tit. 1.16 Such as professe that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate Such as it may be give over themselves unto all lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse as he saith of the impure Gentiles Eph. 4.19 working the works of the flesh which what they are we may learn from the same Apostle who giveth us a bedroll of them Gal. 5.19 20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication c. And are not these the works which some and too many who bear the names of Christians are given over to Evil works which they live and lie in and make a trade of A plain evidence that whatever acquaintance they may take of Jesus Christ calling him their Saviour yet they are in truth strangers to him It is that which Paul saith of his Colossians before their conversion Col. 1.21 They were then alienated and enemies in their minds by wicked works And surely so are all they who are workers of iniquity Giving themselves over unto wicked works to the practice of them whatever their profession be this their practice sheweth that they have no true acquaintance with God and Jesus Christ They are alienated from him and enemies to him So as whatever acquaintance they may take of him as I said he will take none of them Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity That is the answer which the Master of the house giveth unto some who would take acquaintance of him as you have it Luke 13.26 We have eaten say they and drank in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets they had had familiar acquaintance with him But he shall say to them as it followeth I tell you I know you not whence you are Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Workers of iniquity such as make a trade of sin living in the practice of it for such are properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not every one that falleth into sin but such as live in a course of sin they are workers of iniquity And being such whatever outward visible communion they have had with Christ in his Ordinances in his Word and Sacraments yet let not them think that he will own them for his another day No those that are Christs are such as have their Consciences purged from dead works to serve the living God as the Apostle describeth them Heb. 9.14 From dead works that is sinful works which are fitly so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in as much as they naturally proceed from a man that is spiritually dead and make him that doth them lyable unto death From such works true believers have their consciences purged being freed as from the guilt so from the habit and power of them so as henceforth they do not serve sin which sometimes they did God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin saith Paul of his believing Romans Rom. 6.17 Such they were before their conversion but not such now Now they served another Master From the time that they came to obey that form of doctrine which had been delivered unto them to receive and imbrace the doctrine of the Gospel now being freed from sinne they became the servants of righteousnesse as it there followeth v. 18. And so is it
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is good to be zealously affected saith the Apostle there Gal. 4.18 To be zealous in good works is a good thing Good 1. In as much as it is acceptable to God 1. Acceptable to God That is Pauls Argument which he maketh use of to bring Christians upon their knees to pray for Magistrates supreme and subordinate For Kings and all that are in authoritie For saith he this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2.3 And so is such a zealous performance of duties it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good acceptable in the sight of God So was Phinehas's zeal whereby he made an atonement for the people and procured to himself and his the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood as the Lord tells Moses Numb 25.11 12 13. Phinehas hath turned my wrath away from the Children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake among them Wherefore say Behold I give unto him my Covenant of peace And he shall have it and his seed after him even the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood because he was zealous for his God c. Nothing more acceptable unto God than zeal for him Which he hath such a regard unto that for the sake thereof he oft times overlooks many infirmities in his people So was it in that act of Moses of which we read Exod. 32.19 When being transported with a holy zeal for God and his glorie he cast the Tables of the Law which God had newly written with his own finger out of his hands and brake them An Act however by some excused and defended as being done by a divine Instinct and so rather out of deliberation than Passion to signifie the Breach of Covenant betwixt God and his people whom they had so highly provoked by their Idolatrie yet it is more probably looked upon as unadvisedly done His spirit being exasperated by what he saw tending so highly to the dishonour of his God as thereupon he spakes unadvisedlie with his lips which the Psalmist saith he did Psal 106.33 so he also did unadvisedly with his hands But in as much as it was a holy zeal for the glory of God that thus transported him we do not any where find that God was angry with him for it So well pleased is God with such a Zeal in his people a holy zeal a religious zeal zeal for his glory that where that is he overlooketh any imperfections and faylings in their performances And secondly as it is acceptable to God so profitable to a mans self being very advantagious to a Christian in the course of his obedience 1. Fitting him for good works 1. Fitting him for it preparing him to every good work Of such use is Natural heat in the Body it maketh fit for motion and Action which otherwise being cold it is indisposed to and unfit for And of like use is this Spiritual heat a holy fervour in the Soul it fitteth and prepareth it for well doing the doing of what ever service to God or Man 2. And secondly preparing a man for it it putteth him upon it 2. Putting him upon them causeth him not to delay but to make haste to take every opportunity that is offered for the doing of good Even as fire being in a flame now it layeth hold of whatever combustible matter commeth near it So doth Zeal which is nothing but Love in a flame it readily taketh hold of all opportunities of doing good works making men not sloathfull but diligent in the work and service which they have to do Thus it is said of Apollos Act. 18.25 that being fervent in spirit he spake taught diligently the things of the Lord. Tuhs where there is this zeal in the heart it will set the head and hands on work making men as I said not sloathfull but diligent in the service of their God So much the Apostle insinuates in the Text Rom. 12.11 where he conjoines those Precepts Not sloathfull in businesses fervent in spirit serving the Lord. 3. Carrying him through them 3. And thirdly thus putting a man upon good works it will carrie him thorow them not withstanding what ever difficulties he may meet with in his way So is it with the Traveller having as we say a good will in his way now he goeth through thick and thin through all wayes and weathers And even so is it with a Christian that is zealous in the service of God this carrieth him through whatever opposition or discouragements he may meet with Such effect it had in and upon the blessed Apostle S. Paul who notwithstanding he took notice what rubs lay in his way how that Bonds and Affliction did abide him wait for him as the Holy Ghost witnessed in every City as himself telleth the Elders at Miletum Acts 20.23 Yet saith he none of these things move me neither count I my life dear to my self that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministerie which I have received of the Lord v. 24. Being zealous for his Lord and Master Christ that carrieth him through the service which he had to do for him maugre all opposition And so will it do the Christian in whose heart it lodgeth Thus is this zeal a good thing acceptable to God and profitable to a mans self preparing him to good works putting him upon them and carrying him through them And not only good but Necessary Reas 2. Zeal necessary without which good works cannot be done well so done as that they may be acceptable to God As it was before and under the Law the Sacrifices could not be offered without fire And therefore Abraham being to offer his son he carrieth fire with him He took the fire in his hand and went Gen. 22.6 And to this end was it that the sacred fire which first came down from heaven was continually kept in upon the Altar that they might alwayes have it at hand to offer their sacrifices with upon all occasions Even of such use is zeal to the Christian who must himself be salted with fire So our Saviour expresseth it Mar. 9.49 Every one shall be salted with fire have his heart seasoned with the fire of divine love and zeal without which he cannot offer up a sacrifice unto God It was the fire which made the smoke of the Incense-offering to asscend up unto heaven And so it is the zeal of the person in doing good works that maketh them come up before God As the Angel telleth Cornelius Acts 10.4 Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God How so why he was zealous of those good works A devout man and one that feared God with all his house giving much alms to the people and praying to God alwaies as the second verse there describeth him He was a true Zelot And being so his services were accepted To proceed no further in the Doctrinal part You see that it is so and why
here positively and clearly held forth in this Text that Whosoever they are that come unto Jesus Christ receiving him as their Saviour and Lord they shall be received by him obtaining from him that great benefit of his death This do ye build your souls upon putting them upon this way and then my soul for yours they shall not miscarry In the mean time as for any other latitude or extent of the Fathers or Sons Intentions whether and if so in what way reaching to all or confined only to a select company leave it as safely you may to the more acute disquisition of the Schools to which there is indulged a liberty of disputing what being not so easie for vulgar heads to apprehend is not so safe for them to determine Blessed be God you have so much of Christ and of Gods gracious purpose towards all repenting and believing sinners in and through him clearly and convincingly held forth unto you as that you shall not need to trouble your heads about any such dubious intricacies as are by some who it may be would seem to be somebody presented to you and with some colour of zeal obtruded upon you under the notion of important truths Let it be my desire and earnest request to you that you would make much of old truths those Doctrines which you have received not lightly and readily receding from any of them not without clear and strong convictions And among other not from those concerning Election and Redemption which have been so fully vindicated as in former Ages so in this last by divers eminent both for learning and true pietie as that it may well be wondered at that the Bucklers should still be held up against them This that you may do among other is one end of my putting this small Treatise into your hands Which commending to the blessing of him who gave it to me I rest Great Yarmouth June 1. An. Dom. 1657. Your servant in the Lord JOHN BRINSLEY Three Links OF A GOLDEN CHAIN JOHN 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out THE words are part of a Sermon Preached by our blessed Saviour to some of the Iewes in the Synagogue Coherence the publick meeting-place for religious worship in Capernaum So much we may learn from the 59th verse of the Chapter These things said he in the Synagogue as he taught in Capernaum In this Sermon he dealeth with these his Auditors as by way of Information and Instruction shewing them who and what himself was and what their duty was in reference to him viz. to believe on him so also by way of Objurgation and Reprehension taxing and reproving them many of them for not doing what was their duty not believing not acknowledging him to be what he was notwithstanding that they had seen him and his works been eye-witnesses of the admirable effects of his divine power as in that miracle which a little before he had wrought the multiplying of loaves and fishes so in many other This he chargeth upon them in the verse next before the Text v. 36. But I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not But how came this to pass that they should be so blind so stupid as seeing what they did yet not to acknowledge him to be what he was not to believe on him For this we have a Reason subjoyned in the words which I have now pitched upon Thus it was with them Tantae contumaciae causam esse dicit quod reprobi sint Calvin in loc in as much as they were not in the number of those that were given to him by his Father Which if they had been there would have been other terms betwixt him and them than then there were They would have come unto him after another manner than now they did non tantùm pedibus sed affectibus not only with the feet of their Bodies but also of their Soules receiving and embracing him which if they had done he would have been as ready to do the like to them All that my Father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I wil in no wise cast out Quorsùm hoc dicat omnes ferè consentiunt reddi èausam cur illi quibuscum loquebatur ad se non venirent i. e. in se non crederent Maldonat Com. in loc So Expositors generally almost universally as the Jesuite Maldonate though against his will taketh notice of it conceive of the coherence and dependance of these words with and upon the former Going along with them Division take we notice in them of three particulars three things worthy the taking notice of being as it were three of the principal hinges upon which our Eternal happiness depends and hangs three Links of that Golden Chain as our Mr. Perinks calls the Order of the causes of mans Salvation The First whereof is Gods gracious Donation his giving some amongst the sons of men to his Son Christ All that the Father giveth me The Second Mans effectual vocation his bringing home to Christ All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me The Third Christs ready Acceptation his receiving and imbracing those who are thus given to him and thus come to him And him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Answerably to which Particulars we may draw forth the Text into three Doctrinal Propositions or Conclusions 1. There are some among the sons of men given by God the Father unto his Son Christ 2 All those who are so given shall come unto him 3. Those who so come he will in no wise cast out Three Doctrines of great Importance Let me crave your best attentions whilest I deal with them severally Begin with the first There are some among the sons of men given by God the Father unto his Son Christ Prop. 1. Some given unto Christ by his Father All that the Father giveth me saith the Text. So then there are some that are given to Christ by his Father Ob. Some you may say given to him by his father what were not all things his before How given to him Christ being the Son had not he an equal interest in all things with his Father Ans Yes he had so as God Upon this account we find them making claim to an universal interest in whatever his Father had John 16.15 All things that the Father hath are mine Christ being the Eternal Son of God by generation he communicateth with him as in his Essence so in all his Properties and Interests All thine are mine and mine are thine saith he to his Father John 17.10 But here in the Text we are to look upon him as Mediator as God-Man And so we shall find him in the capacity of a Receiver receiving whatever he hath from his Father Thus he is said to have received life from him Joh. 5.26 As the Father
quod non nisi corde eoque ardenti cupido geritur Musc Com. in Text. If there be an earnest desire a longing of the soul after Christ an earnest desire of Union and Communion with him an intense love to him so that the soul is enamoured with him a serious and fixed resolution in the heart to rest upon him to trust in him for the pardon of sins and eternal salvation all which accompany a true saving faith the soul cannot be ignorant of it This is a thing which upon the enquiry every one may know of his own heart whether he hath thus come to Christ thus received him How else is it that the Apostle putteth his Corinthians upon this trial 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith Prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you And once knowing this now may they conclude and that certainly that they are within the compass of Gods gracious Election that they are by him given to his Son Jesus Christ Christiās make sure their Election by coming to Christ Which let every of us I say labour in this way to make sure to our selves The world being divided into two parts one part given to Christ the other part left to Satan the Prince of this world see we to which of these it is that we belong whether to Christ or Satan Is it so that we have renounced Satan abandoned his service and given our selves to the Lord Jesus taking him for our Saviour and Lord now may we conclude that we are in the number of them whom God hath given to him appointed to salvation by and through him Only see that this our coming to him be Inward and Real See that this Coming be real Not such as the coming of these Capernaites was who came unto Christ but it was as I shewed you out of a by and sinister respect And thus surely do the greatest part of Christians at this day come unto him They make a profession of his name But wherefore is it why they do it pro formâ for fashion-sake or they expect some outward advantage by it They follow Christ Vix quaeritur Jesus propter Jesum August in Joh. 6.26 as these Capernaites did for the loaves Take heed it be not so with us If we come unto Christ see that we come with upright and sincere hearts out of an earnest desire of having Union and Communion with him So coming unto him now take this as an evidence of Gods gracious Donation that we are by him given to his Son as also of Christs gracious reception So coming unto him we shall not be rejected of him So it followeth in the last branch of the Text. And him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out There have we the third and last Proposition or Doctrine Those who come unto Christ he will in no wise cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prop. 3. Casting out what Non ejiciam for as To open the Phrase To cast out properly it imports an Ejection or Expulsion a casting out of some place or company Thus we read how the Jewes cast Stephen out of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7.58 And our Saviour out of the Synagogue John 9.34 35. They cast him out saith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. out of the Synagogue as the 22. verse explaines it Augustines Interpretation not allowed Quale est illud intus unde non exitur foras Magnum penetrale dulce secretum August Tract in loc And in such a sense do some here understand it I will in no wise cast out That is say some out of my Kingdom of Glory So Augustine here looketh upon it Hither it is that all those who are given to Christ all Gods Elect shall come they shall come unto him in his Chamber of presence his magnum penetrale as he calls it that is his Marriage-chamber and being once entred there he shall never eject never cast them out again But this Maldonate excepts against as not being so proper to this Text Cum dicit ad me venit non significat ad se in coelo ubi fides non est Maldon in Text. where Christs promise is unto those who come to him by faith Now there is no room for no use of faith in heaven where all shall live by sight We walk by faith and not by sight saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.7 intimating faith to be proper for earth and sight for heaven where faith and hope shall be swallowed up of vision and fruition And therefore let we that go though in it self a truth And not unlike is that Interpretation of Cyril Nor yet Cyrils who understands this of the last Judgment at which time all wicked and ungodly ones all unbelievers shall be cast out So our Saviour tells the unbelieving Jewes Math. 8.12 The children of the Kingdom meaning them who looked upon themselves as such being the only people then under a visible Covenant shall be cast out into outer darknesse And so shall it be with all other ungodly persons Then shall Christ say to the Goats on his left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 But so shall it not be with his Elect his Sheep whom he shall then set upon his right hand speaking to them in another language Come ye blessed of my Fathtr inherit the Kingdom prepared for you c. v. 34. Then shall not they be cast out but admitted and received into those everlasting mansions Which is also there set forth in the same Chapter under the Parable of the wise and foolish Virgins the one of which are said to be kept out the other received into the Mariage-chamber v. 11 12. fitly representing the different entertainment of believers unbelievers at the day of the general Judgment A truth also but liable to the same exception with the former which also the aforesaid Author puts in The coming which our Saviour here speaketh of is by faith Non enim illuc homines ad Christum per fidem venient de quo adventu his loquebatur Maldon in Text. But so shall not men come unto him at that day The souls of Gods Saints being once entred into their glory living by sight which they do being separated from their bodies they shall henceforth have no more use of faith Now abideth faith saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.13 viz. whilest we live here not so after death not so at the last Judgment when men shall see and feel what now they do or will not believe So then what our Saviour here saith of his not casting forth those that come to him must be understood of this life Those who here come unto him by faith believing on him he will in no wise cast out