The soules exaltation A treatise containing the soules union with Christ, on I Cor. 6. 17. The soules benefit from vnion with Christ, on I Cor. 1. 30. The soules justification, on 2 Cor. 5. 21. By T.H.

THE SOVLES EXALTATION .

A TREATISE containing The Soules Vnion with Christ , on 1 Cor. 6.17 . The Soules Benefit from Vnion with Christ , on 1 Cor. 1.30 . The Soules Justification , on 2 Cor. 5.21 .

By T. H.

ROM. 8.30 .

And whom he called , them he also Iustified ; and whom hee Iustified , them he also glorified .

LONDON , Printed by Iohn Haviland , for Andrew Crooke , and are to bee sold at the black Beare in S. Pauls Church-yard , 1638.

A TABLE OF THE Soules union with CHRIST , out of these words : 1 COR. 6.17 . He that is joyned to the Lord , is one Spirit . Doctrine 1. EVery true beleever is joyned unto Christ . page 3 This knitting of a beleever to Christ , consists in three Particulars . Particular 1. A true beleever doth gather up all the faculties of his soule , and doth imploy them upon Christ . p. 5 Partic. 2. The beleever is satisfied with Christ , and the riches of his grace . ibid. Partic. 3. Is th● : that the beleever doth binde the heart to the exercising of both these . p. 6 The manner of this union doth discover it selfe in three Particulars . Partic. 1. It is a reall union , though spirituall . p. 7 Partic. 2. This union it is a totall union . ibid. Partic. 3. This union it is an unseparable union . p. 8 Use 1. Information to instruct us of the happy privilege of the poore Saints of God ; though despised of the world , yet they are received into covenant and union with Christ . p. 9 Use 2. It is an use of terrour to all opposites against Christ . p. 10 Use 3. It is an use of examination and triall , from hence may bee knowne whether the soule doth rightly cleave to Christ , or whether it doth only dissemble with Christ . p. 16 Use 4. It is a ground of comfort for the Saints against all contempt , and disgrace , against all troubles , miseries , and persecutions that the world can cast upon them . p. 20. Secondly , against all temptations of Satan . p. 22 Doctrine 2. The faithfull doe enjoy such an union with Christ , that they are one Spirit with him . p. 25 For the opening of this Doctrine , two particulars are to bee discovered . Partic. 1. The first Particular is the manner how the soule comes to bee one spirit with Christ . p. 25 and this doth consist in three conclusions . p. 26 Conclusion 1. The first conclusion is this , that the Spirit of God doth really accompany the whole Word , but in a more speciall manner he doth accompany the pretious promises of the Gospell . p. 27 Conclusion 2. The second conclusion is this , that the Spirit of grace doth leave a supernaturall dint and power , and a spirituall and overpowring vertue upon the soule , and thereby doth bring it unto Christ . p. 28 Conclusion 3 The third conclusion is this , that the Spirit of grace in the promise working thus upon the heart , it causeth the heart to close with it in the promise . p. 33 Part. 2. The second particular is the order of this union , whether the beleever is knit to the humane nature of Christ first , or to the Divine . p. 39 Use 1. Instruction to informe us , that the sinnes of the faithfull are marvellous hainous in Gods account , because of their union . p. 45 Use 2. It is an use of triall , whereby a man may see , what spirit most men of the world are of : as their soules close with Christ , and receive him , so they are . p. 49 Use 3 It is a word of exhortation to close with such , as Christ himselfe doth close withall . p. 52

A TABLE OF THE communion that the Soule hath with Christ from the union with him , out of these words : 1 COR. 1.30 . But of him are ye in Christ Jesus , who is made unto us wisedome , righteousnesse , sanctification , and redemption . Doctrine 1. THe Doctrine from these words is this , that there is a conveyance of all spirituall grace from Christ , to all those that beleeve in him . p. 63 The Tenure of this conveyance discovereth it selfe in those particulars . Partic. 1. The first particular is this , that there is fully enough in the Lord Iesus Christ for every faithfull soule . p. 66 Partic. 2. As there is enough in Christ to supply all the manes of this Saints , so Christ doth supply unto them whatsoever is ●st fit to the need of every poore Saint . p. 68. Partic. 3. Is this , as the Lord Christ doth communicate what is fit , so he doth preserve what he doth bestow and communicate to the beleeving soule . p. 73 Partic. 4. Is this : the Lord doth not onely preserve what grace , he doth give , but he quickens the grace he maintaines . p. 76 Partic. 5. Is this : As he quickneth what he maintaines , so he perfects what he quickens . p. 77 Partic. 6. Is this : the Lord at last doth crowne all the grace , he hath perfected . p. 79 Use 1. It is a word of lamentation , and terrour to every unbeleeving creature under Heaven ; here they may see the misery of their condition . p. 81 Use 2. It is a ground of comfort to all the Saints of God , that have interest in all the riches of this goodnesse . p. 84 Use . 3. It is a word of instruction to teach every Saint to lie downe in the dust , that they all might glory in the Lord. p. 91 Use 4. It is an use of exhortation , or direction , to teach the Saints , whither to goe to fetch succour and supply , of what ever grace they want : Christ is made all in all ; why then away to the Lord Iesus Christ . p. 99 Question . But you will say , what course or means shall we use to get these things at Christs hands ? Answer . The meanes are two : First , eye the promise dayly , keep it within view . p. 104 Secondly , you must labour to yeeld to the Soule , to the power of the Spirit , and to the vertue of grace which is in Christ . p. 109 Now this particular conveyance of grace from Christ , it is done two wayes ; partly by imputing , partly by imparting . p. 113. and they are both in the Text : Christ is made righteousnesse , or justice , that is , he doth justifie a sinner by imputation , and Christ is made sanctification , and redemption ; that is , hee doth redeeme and sanctifie a sinner by communication . ibid. Doctrine . God doth justifie a beleeving soule , not for what he hath or doth , but onely for what Christ hath done for him . p. 116 In the opening of the point , two things are to be cleered : First , what it is to justifie : Secondly , what is mean that God doth not justifie any one , for what he hath or doth . p. 116 To justifie it is a word of judiciall proceeding , when in a legall manner , the judge doth pronounce a man free , and doth acquit him . p. 116 Secondly , God doth justifie a poore sinner , not for any thing he hath or doth . The meaning is this , no grace that a man hath , no duty that hee can perform , for which as the material and formall cause of our justification , God doth pronounce any man to bee righteous . p. 117 Reason 1. That which in no measure is answerable to Gods justice , and agreeable to the exactnesse of the Law , and for which a man may be condemned , that cannot justifie a man : but it is so here ; therefore they cannot be justified . p. 119 Use 1. It is a ground of confutation of the Church of Rome , that holds the formall cause of the justication of a sinner , it is the frame of holinesse wrought in him , not imputed to him . p. 122 Use 2. It is a word of consolation , and it is a Cordiall to cheere up a mans heart , and to carry him through all troubles whatsoever can betide him , or shall befall him . ibid. Use 3. It is an use of exhortation : will nothing doe the deed , but a Christ ? why then above all , labour for a Christ more than all , labour to prize a Christ . p. 127

A TABLE OF THE Soules Iustification , out of these words : 2 COR. 5.22 . For hee hath made him to be sinne for us , which knew no sinne , that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him . OVt of these words , two things are to bee opened : First , the discription of justification : Secondly , opening of the discription . p. 132 Iustification , it is an act of God the Father upon the beleever , whereby the debt and sinnes of the beleever are charged upon the Lord Iesus Christ , and by the merits and satisfaction of Christ imputed to the beleever , hee is accounted just , and so is acquitted before God as righteous . ibid. Doctrine 1. Iustification , is an act of God the Father , upon the beleever . p. 133 For the clearing of the doctrine , 2. particulars are to be opened . Particular 1. The first particular is this , why is it called an act of God the Father ? Answ. First , because the Father was the party that was properly offended . p. 135. Secondly , because the Father is the Fountaine in the Deitie . p. 137 Particular 2. Why it is an act of God the Father upon the beleever ? Answer . Because it is a transient action that passeth from God upon the creature , and so doth worke thereby a change and alteration upon the creature . p. 139 The charge that is wrought upon the creatures , is two wayes . Particular 1. The Lord is said to passe a worke or an action upon the creature , when hee puts some kinde of abilitie upon the creature , either spirituall , or naturall : as when the Lord makes a wicked man , a good man : an adulterous man , a chaste man : and this wee call a naturall change , because there is a gratious frame put into the heart . p. 140 Secondly , the Lord is said to make a change upon the creature , when he takes off some relations , and respects , which the creature had , and puts upon it other respects : and this is called a morall change . p. 140 Use 1. It is a ground of admirable comfort to beare up the heart of a poore sinner , above all the accusations of sinne , Satan , or the envy of the world . p. 143 Use 2. It is a word of direction to all the Saints , to appeale to the Iudge of the Court in their judgement . p. 148 Use 3. It is a groung of terrour to the wicked , and to all unbeleevers , that they have no share in this point of justification . p. 154 Doctrine . Christ Iesus never yeelded the least improvement of heart to sinne , neither did he ever commit the least sinne in his life . p. 159 Reason 1. Looke into the nature of our Saviour , and it was pure . p. 159 Reason 2. Looke into the Office of our Saviour , and hee was without sinne . p. 160 Use 1. It is a word of exhortation to the faithfull to conforme their hearts and conversations answerable to Christ . p. 161 Doctrine . God the Father did impute all the sinnes of all the world to the charge of our Saviour . p. 166 When God the Father doth charge the sinnes of the faithfull upon Christ , it doth appeare in these three particular acts . Particular . 1. God the Father , and the Lord Iesus Christ , made a mutuall decree , and purpose , that so many as should beleeve , should be saved : and this was left to the care of Christ , that he should make them beleeve . p. 170 Particular 2. Our Saviour having undertaken to keepe these , he therefore put himselfe into the roome , and place of all those lost sheepe . p. 173 Particular 3. Our Saviour having put himselfe into the room of a sinner , the Law now proceeds with full scope against him . p. 175 Reason 1. That which the Lord Iesus Christ did willingly submit himselfe to without sinne , that God the Father might justly charge upon him . p. 176 Reason 2. Because the justice of God requireth this at the hands of Iesus Christ , that hee should take the guilt of sinners upon himselfe . p. 177 Reason 3. Because herein is abundantly magnified the love and mercy of Christ . p. 179 Use 1. It is a word of instruction to the Saints : if God the Father hath laid thy sinnes upon Christ , then doe not thou take them from him to thy selfe . p. 180 How farre a beleever may charge himselfe with his sinne , doth appeare in these foure conclusions . Conclusion 1. Every beleever is bound to see and examine the sinfull carriage of his soule , and to judge that it hath power to make him guiltie , and also to condemne him . p. 182 Conclusion 2. Every beleeving soule justified , ought to acknowledge that it were righteous with the Lord to let out his wrath against him , though not to condemne him , yet to distract him . p. 185 Conclusion 3. Every beleever accepted , and justified , in and through Christ by the Father , yet hee is thus farre bound to charge his sins upon himselfe , as to maintain in his owne heart a sense of the need that he hath of Christ , as well to continue his respect and acceptation with God , as to bring him at first into the love and favour of God . p. 187 Conclusion 4. Thus farre the Saints of God ought to goe in charging their owne soules with their sinnes , so far to see them , and to bee affected with them , as to bring their hearts to be truly carried with hatred against them , and with resolution to get power and strength against them . p. 189 How farre a beleever may not charge himselfe with his sin , may bee conceived in these two conclusions . Conclusion 1. A beleever should not in his judgement conceive , nor in his heart be perswaded , that any sinne , nor all his sinnes shall ever bee able to fasten the guilt of sinne upon him , so as to cause revenging justice to proceed against him , to his condemnation . p. 192 Use 2. It is a word of terrour to all unbeleevers , they are destitute of all hope of the pardon of their sinnes . p. 197 Use 3. It is a word of exhortation to the Saints : was Christ made sin for thee ? then be thou content to bee made shame for him . p. 200 Use 4. It is a word of comfort to all the faithfull : learne to cast all thy sins on the Lord Iesus Christ . Doctrine 4. The Lord Iesus Christ suffered fully , whatsoever punishments divine justice required , or were deserved by the sinnes of the faithfull . p. 202 For the opening of the Doctrine , three questions are to bee answered . Question 1. What were the kindes of punishments which Christ did suffer , and how farre did bee suffer them ? Answer . First , Christ did suffer death naturall , that is , the dissolution of soule and body . p. 210 How far our Saviour did suffer death naturall , appeareth in three conclusions : Conclusion 1. Whatsoever did appertaine to the substance and essentials of the first death , that Christ did suffer , p. 210 Conclusion 2. Christ did undertake to die the death of the crosse , a most shamefull and base death ; only appropriated to the basest malefactors , that hee might thereby shew the hainousnesse of sinne , which deserveth the worst death of all . p. 211 Conclusion 3. Those dishonorable infirmities which befell men , because of the infirmitie of the flesh , as the having the body to rot in the grave , to be torne in peeces : our Saviour would not undergoe these , because hee had no need to suffer these . p. 206 Use 1. It is a sweet cordiall to all the Saints of God , upon their death beds : for the death of Christ hath taken away the evill of death . p. 207 Secondly , Christ did also suffer in his soule , in that there was a reall withdrawing of the mercy and compassion of God . p. 213 Secondly , there was a reall inflicting of the indignation of the Lord ; and that fils the soule of a poore creature . p. 214 Question 2. How farre our Saviour suffered these paines ? Answer . This is to bee knowne in these five conclusions . Conclusion 1. It is possile that some paines of hell may be suffered in this life , therefore the living of our Saviour in this life is no hinderance , but that he might undergoe them . p. 215 Conclusion 2. Some paines of Hell were endured by Christ , and yet the union of the Manhood , with the Godhead , might still be untouched , p. 216 Conclusion 3. Our Saviour suffered paine in his soule , as hee was our Mediatour in our roome , and in our stead . p. 218 Conclusion 4. Whatsoever punishment proceeded from the Father , our Saviour tooke it upon himselfe yet so , as that he neither had personal sin to deserve it , neither did he sin in bearing of it , as the wicked doe , which are damned . p. 220. Conclusion 5. The desperation of a damned soule in hell , and the eternity of torments : they are no essentials of the second death , and therefore they could not , nor ought not to be suffered by our Saviour . p. 227 Use 1. It is a word of information : labour from hence to see the hainousnesse of sinne , and to hate it , because it hath brought all this evill upon thy Saviour , and would have brought the same upon thee , had not the Lord Iesus stepped in between thee , and the wrath of the Father . p. 234 Use 2. Did our Saviour suffer these paines ? then see here the strictnesse of Gods justice . p. 241 Question 3. When did our Saviour beginne these sufferings ? Answer . Our Sauiour did beginne the paines of the naturall death from his cradle , to his grave ; he began to die , as soone as hee began to live . p. 245 Secondly , our Saviour did suffer these paines in his soule ; partly in the garden , partly upon the crosse . p. 247 Question 3. Whether our Saviour did suffer in body alone or in soule alone , or in both . Answer . Christ did properly and immediately suffer the wrath of God in his soule , as well as hee did the paines of death in his body . p. 249 Use 1. Is it so ; was the Lord Iesus driven to this astonishment , and to all this misery ? then let every soule learne from hence what will be the fruit of sinne , and what hee may expect from sinne . p. 260 Reason 1. Is taken from the divine justice of God , which required this by way of satisfaction , as being onely sutable , and agreeable , to the divine justice of God , by reason of sinne . p. 283 Reason 2. Is taken from the office of Christ , because our Saviour was our suretie , and so he was bound to it by faithfulnesse . p. 287 Use 1. It is a word of confutation , and it directly meets with Popish Purgatory . p. 288 Use 2. It teacheth us that all the troubles , miseries , afflictions , either inward , or outward , they cannot properly bee called punishments inflicted upon the faithfull , but chastisements . p. 289 Use 3. It is a word of comfort to all you that are beleevers : you have heard the treasures of mercy , and the death of our Lord Iesus Christ laid open : view them , and take them all for your comfort . p. 293

FINIS .

Severall Treatises of this AUTHOUR . 1 THE unbeleevers preparing for Christ , out of Revelations 22.17 . 1 Corinth. 2.14 . Ezekiel 11.19 . Luke 19.42 . Matthew 20.3 , 4 , 5 , 6. Iohn 6.44 . 2 The soules preparation for Christ , or a Treatise of Contrition , on Acts 2.37 . 3 The Soules humiliation , on Luke 15. verses 15 , 16 , 17 , 18. 4 The Soules vocation , or effectuall calling to Christ , on Iohn 6.45 . 5 The Soules union with Christ , 1 Corin. 6.17 . 6 The Soules benefit from union with Christ , on 1 Cor. 1.30 . 7 The Soules justification , eleven Sermons on 2 Corin. 5.21 . 8 Sermons on Iudges 10.23 . Sermons on Psalme 119.29 . Sermons on Proverbs 1.28 , 29. Sermons on 2 Tim. 3.5 .

THE SOVLES union with CHRIST . 1 CORIN . 6.17 .

He that is joyned to the Lord , is one Spirit .

WE told you that the application of the merits of Christ , consists especially in two things :

First , the preparation of the soule for Christ .

Secondly , the ingrafting or the knitting of the soule to the Lord Jesus Christ .

Of this preparation wee have heretofore largely treated : partly in contrition , where the soule is cut off from sinne : partly in humiliation , whereby the soule is cut off from it selfe ; whereby the Lord rases the foundation of all carnall confidence , whereby a man rests upon his owne privileges and performances , and makes his services his Saviour ; either the soule seeth no need to depart from sinne , or else it thinke it can helpe it selfe out of sinne : when both these are removed from the soule , then it is fitted to receive the Lord Jesus Christ .

Secondly , the soule comes to be ingrafted into Christ : and that hath two parts :

First , the calling of the sinner ; or the putting of the soule into Christ .

Secondly , the growing of the soule with Christ : these two take up the nature of ingrafting a sinner into the stock :

First , it is put into the stock .

Secondly , being put into the stock , it growes together with the stock : these two things are answerable in the soule . The former of these two wee have largely treated of , and fully finished in the great worke of vocation , when the Lord brings the sinner to himselfe by the call of mercie , and the voice of the Gospell : we are now to proceed ; and we have made some entrance into the second ; and that is the growing of the soule together with Christ : for though the graft be in the stock , yet it cannot be fruitfull , unlesse it grow together with the stock : now this growing together is accomplished by two meanes :

The first is the union which the soule hath with Christ .

The second is a conveyance of sap , or sweetnesse , or a communion with Christ , and all the treasures of grace and happinesse that is in him : then to make up the growing together of the graft and the stock ; First , the graft is put into the stock . Secondly , there must bee a communicating of the moisture that is in the stock , to the graft , and so they grow together ; otherwayes it growes not at all , but withers away : now wee are first to describe the nature of the worke in generall , and then we will descend to particulars , and the severall parts of it : now wee will define this union so farre as it concernes our purpose , not int●enching into particulars .

It is such a joyning of the faithfull soule in such a meanes to Christ , that it becomes one spirit : these are not by way of collection to be gathered , but they are plainly expressed in the text : and two points of doctrine I meane to prosecute : the first point is from the first part of the text .

Doctr. 1 Every true beleever is joyned unto Christs the word in the originall is , glued ; he is glued , he is waxed , he is firmly and neerly combined and knit to the Lord Jesus Christ .

The second part of the description , is the second point in hand .

Doctr. 2 He is so joyned unto the Lord , that he becomes one spirit : as the adulterer and the adulteresse is one flesh ; so he that beleeves in Christ , is so neerly joyned to him , that he becomes one spirit : so we see the verse offers two doctrines :

First , that a faithfull soule is firmly and neerly knit unto Christ .

Secondly , hee is so knit that he becomes one spirit .

But first of the first doctrine .

What ever by way of comparison can be alleaged , concerning the neere combination of one thing with another , they are all tyed to this knitting of the soule to Christ : looke what a friend is to a friend ; looke what a father is to a childe ; what a husband to a wife ; looke what a graft is to a tree ; and that is neerer than a husband to a wife : nay , goe yet farther , Galat. 2.20 . what the soule is to the body ; the soule is not only knit to the body , as one member to another , as the hand is knit to the arme , and the arme to the shoulder ; but the soule doth communicate it selfe universally thorow the least part of the body : so the Apostle saith , Christ is the very soule of a beleever , I live , yet not I , but the Lord Iesus liveth in mee ; so that looke as the body liveth by the soule , the soule closing , and communicating , and quickning of the same , so Christ is in a Christian , and speaks in a Christian , and enableth a Christian to the performance of that he doth ; hence the body of the faithfull is called Christ , 1 Corin. 12.12 . but we will open this a little further in two passages :

First , the carriage of the soule in this closing .

Secondly , the manner how it doth close .

The carriage wee shall desire to discover in three particulars , which may bee expressed in a graft , when it is put into the stock : and I say , therein observe three particulars :

First , there is an exercise of the elements that are in the graft upon the stock , and are so farre mingled one with another , and doe so farre close one with another , that they become one .

Secondly , the graft joynes to the stock , and none other .

Thirdly , they doe not onely act thus , but are bound one to another : and this makes them act answerably to these three particulars . There is also an expression of the knitting of the soule to Christ in three particulars :

First , the soule gathers up it selfe , and all its spirits , its faculties , that doth exercise in the worke thereof upon Christ , and that makes the soule to grow unto the Lord : when the soule turnes the promise into good bloud , it doth not only chew the meat , but disgest it , and it becomes good bloud : a true beleever gathers up all the faculties of his soule , and imployes them upon Christ : hope expects Christ , and desire longs for Christ , and love and joy imbrace Christ , and the will closeth Christ ; thus the soule settles it selfe upon Christ , hoping , expecting , longing , desiring , loving , embracing : looke as it is with a woman that kneads dowgh , if there be two parts of it , the moulding and the kneading knits them together , and makes them one lump : so there is the moulding of the soule to the promise , hoping , and desiring , and longing , and chusing ; faith kneads all these together , and knits them unto God , and drawes the soule to him .

Secondly , the soule is satisfied with Christ , and the riches of his grace ; the beleever doth repose his confidence wholly thereupon : Prov. 5.19 . that which makes the love of a husband increase towards his wife , is this , Hee is satisfied with her breasts at all times , and then hee comes to bee ravished with her love : if a husband hath a loose heart , and will not content himselfe with the wife of his youth , but hath his back doores , and his goings out ; this makes a breach in matrimoniall affection ; but when he is satisfied with her brests , he is ravished with her love : so hope hath an expectation of mercy , and is satisfied therewith ; desire longs for mercy , and is satisfied therewith ; the will closeth Christ , and it is fully satisfied with him ; and if it were to chuse againe , it would chuse none but Christ : thus suck thou up the consolations in the promise , and be satisfied therewith , and then thou wilt grow there upon ; but if you will bee resting here , and staying upon the contentments of the world , this is weake confidence , and drawes the soule from God .

Thirdly , the last thing is the binding of the heart upon both these , viz. the keeping of the heart to the exercise of the promise , and to bee satisfied with the promise ; 1 Coloss. 23. If yee continue in the faith ; being grounded and setled , so that a man doth stake downe his heart to the promise , and holds hope , and desire , and love , and joy , and the will unto it : it receives all Christ , and none but Christ , and stayes here , and continues here for ever : this same covenant that bindes the soule to Christ , is that which makes the union betweene Christ and the soule : thus we see how the soule carries it selfe in this union .

The second thing considerable , is the manner how it is done , and the qualitie of this union : and this we will discover in three particulars ;

First , it is a reall union , but it is spirituall , you must not conceive it grosly , as if my body were joyned to Christ ; but there is a reall union which is spirituall : there is a union betweene the nature of Christ , God and man , and a true beleever : that which I desire to declare is upon this ground , to difference this union from that which Divines are deceived in ; viz. that it is an union more than it bare notion and apprehension of the minde ; for what ever a man conceives , his understanding closeth with it ; as whatever I apprehend , I close with that ; there is a conveyance of the thing into my minde , and I close with it : now the union of a beleevers soule with Christ is more than this : it is not a bare apprehension , a wicked man will goe farre in the apprehension of Christ ; but this union is somewhat more , and I call it a reall union , because there is a knitting and a closing , not onely of the apprehension with a Saviour , but a closing of a soule with a Saviour .

Secondly , I say this is a totall union , the whole nature of a Saviour , and the whole nature of a beleever are knit together : first , that it is a reall union , all the places of Scripture doe intimate as much : what the branch is to the vine , the soule is to Christ : now they are more than imagination ; so what the husband is to the wife , the soule is to Christ . Now they are more than in understanding ; for a man may conceive of another woman , as well as of his wife ; but this is another union , whereby the person of the one is knit unto another : the bond of matrimony knits these two together . This is the frame and guise of knitting the soule to Christ , it is no bare apprehension but wee feed upon Christ , and grow upon Christ , and are married to Christ : Hosea 2.20 . I have married thee to my selfe , in truth , in judgement , and in righteousnesse .

Secondly , I say it is totall in so much that Christ is the head , and a beleever , a member ; in both these regards they are joyned : Christ is the head of the Church , not onely according as he is God , but as hee is God and man ; and a beleever is a member not onely according to his body , but according to his body and soule : now whole Christ being the head , and the whole beleever being a member , therefore a whole Christ , and a whole beleever must be joyned together .

The third is this , this union is inseparable : Ieremie 32.40 . The Lord promiseth to make an everlasting covenant with the house of Israel , and I will never part away from them to doe them good : so Psalme 89.33.34 . It is spoken there concerning Salomon as I conceive the Psalmist saith , If he sinne against mee , I will scourge him , and I will visit him with stripes ; neverthelesse , my loving kindnesse I will not take away from him , nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile my covenant ; I will not breake , nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth : marke that the Lord out of faithfulnesse doth establish thee to him in vocation , the Lord hath made a covenant with the soule in vocation , the hand of the Lord layes hold upon the soule , and brings it home ; now though the Lord correct the soule sharply , yet will be not leave it totally and finally ; it is inseparably knit to Christ ; what can it be , what shall it be , that can separate a poore sinner from Christ ? if Satan could have hindered him from comming to a Saviour , hee would have then hindered him from comming to a Christ , when he had his greatest dominion over him : if sinne could have let him when a man had nothing else but sin , he would not have forsaken that and have beene brought home to Christ . If the world could have prevailed , Christ should never have pluckt him from it ; but when Satan had his greatest power over him , when a man was nothing else but sinne by nature , when the world most prevailed , yet then God by his good Spirit pluckt thy heart from sinne and selfe : that soule is mine , saith Christ , Satan must give way , and shall not hinder it : that soule is mine , saith Christ , sinne shall not let it from comming to mee : that soule is mine , saith Christ , and the world shall not stop the worke of a Saviour ; and if Satan in the height of his malice , and the world in the top of its force , could not prevaile to keepe the soule from Christ ; then much lesse shall these be able to pluck us from a Saviour : the point then is undeniable , that the soule is really , totally and inseparably knit to the Lord Jesus Christ .

Vse 1 We may here take notice of the high and happy privilege of poore creatures ; how ever the poore Saints of God are despised and contemned of the world , yet they are received into covenant with the Lord ; they are made one with Christ , and are of the blood royall : and this is the greatest privilege that can bee ; this should beare up the hearts of poore Christians ; yee are now in the very gate of Heaven , nay let mee say as the Apostle speakes ; and I see no reason why a man may not say that hee is in Heaven in truth , though not in that measure and largenesse of glory he shall be afterwards . 1 Thess. 1.17 . The happinesse that a Christian shall have in Heaven , is this , Hee shall be ever with the Lord Iesus ; Heaven were not Heaven , unlesse a man might bee with Christ there : the place doth not make a man happy , but the union with a Saviour that makes him happy , and to be joyned to Father , Sonne , and holy Ghost , that makes him happy , and the beleever is now knit to them , and therefore must needs be happy ; Deut. 33. the last verse , as he said of the people of Israel , so may I say of all faithfull soules , Happy are thou , oh Israel , saith the text , who is like unto thee , saved by the Lord , the shield of thy helpe , and the sword of thy excellency ; so may I say , Happy are ye , oh beleeving soules , who is like unto you ? yee are saved by God , and are married to the Lord Jesus Christ , and are the spouses of the Saviour of the world ; and he that is the Judge of the world , is your Husband , your beloved , and you are his : let nothing therefore dismay your hearts .

Vse 2 The second use is that of terrour , and it is like a thunder-bolt , able to breake the hearts of all those that are opposite to them that beleeve in Christ : that which I would have all consider on is this , that the persecution of the Saints is a sin of a high nature , it is a most hainous abominable sinne in the sight of God , how ever the world thinkes not so of it , yet they shall bee sure one day to finde : I know men thinke not then , because haply the law of man provides not in this case to punish those that oppose the Lord Iesus Christ , and the power of his grace , because haply the Magistrate doth not , or haply cannot smite those that set themselves against those that feare God and trample upon them : therefore wicked men make the Saints of God the marke of their malice , and the aime of their rage , and all these indignation is bent that way , they glory in what they have done , and threaten what they will doe ; they will hang and draw , and quarter within themselves : this is that which the proud spirits of the world make their maine prize , and they thinke thereby to procure praise unto themselves , and great preferment in their owne eyes this way : let me speake a little to these , you that are guilty of this sinne , see the compasse of it , take notice of the reach how farre this rebellion goeth : I would wish these men that persecute the Saints , I would have them underst & the compasse of their course , how farre their wicked practice extendeth , it is not against a despised Christian ; no , let them know it , their rage and malice ascends up to Heaven , and offers violence to the Lord Iesus Christ , and the labour what they can to plucke Christ from the right hand of his Father , and they endevour what in them lies to shed his blood , and take away his life : let all know that have beene professed opposers and dead haters of the Saints of God , let them know they are melted of light treason , and that in a most hainous manner against the Lord of Heaven and Earth , against the Lord Iesus Christ , the Redeemer of the world : I would that these men would not cozen themselves , for God will not bee mocked : they professe they love Christ with all their hearts , and they will doe any thing for him , but those nice fellowes , those spruce fellowes , it is those that they hate to the death : doe you so indeed ? thou hast said enough then , for thou hatest Christ in hating them , and thou persecutest Christ in persecuting them : Esay 37.23.28 . Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed , saith the text , and against whom hast thou exalted thy voyce , and lifted up thine eyes on high ? even against the Holy one of Israel : and in the 28. verse , I know thy abode , and thy going out , and thy comming in , and thy rage against me ; so that how ever Senacherib aymed at Hezekia onely , and those that professe the truth , yet the Lord takes it at done to himselfe : he that knew their hearts and their malice , hee saith , I know thy rage against me , it was against the holy One of Israel that they rayled . Wicked men persecute the lives of beleevers ; now Christ lives in them , and thou hatest the life of Christ , and persecutest the life of Christ : Acts 9. Paul had gotten letters from the Synagogue , and hee would have haled to prison all the Saints of God that professed the Name of Christ ; now if a man had come to Paul , and asked him , Paul why doe you persecute Christ ; hee would have beene in great indignation ; what , reverenced Paul , learned Paul , zealous Paul ; what , hee persecute the Lord of life ? why , Christ proclaimes it , he doth so , and hee puts it to an upshot , and ends the controversie , and puts the question out of doubt , I am Iesus , saith he , whom thou persecutest : as if he had said , Poore foole ; thou knowest not , and I perceive thou thinkest it not , but I receive the wound ; the foot is prickt , and the head complaines . I would have a man make the case his owne , and be his owne Judge : If any man should pretend friendship to you , and professe hee loves you , and tells you hee tenders your person , but yet hee will torment your body ; and hee loves your head , but yet he will cut off your arme : there is no man so weake , but he would loath such cursed kinde of dissimulation : a man cannot love the head and hate the member ; love the person and torment the body : just so these men deale with the Lord Iesus Christ ; Gods faithfull beleeving servants are his eyes : Zacharie 2.8 . He that toucheth you , toucheth the apple of mine eye ; they are flesh of his flesh , and bone of his bone : thou that pretendest to love Christ , and to tender the head , and in the mean time loathest his members , and his poore Saints ; know that thou dost not persecute the Saints so much , but thou persecutest Christ much more : but haply thou wilt say ; I am no drunkard , nor no whore-monger ; I tell thee this sinne is worse than drunkennesse , or whoredome : the text saith , Luke 13. that Herod was an incestuous person , and married his brother Philips wife ; but he added this sinne above all the rest , hee put Iohn in prison ; therefore all that heare the Word of God : if a man did see an incestuous wretch in the congregation , whom humanity , and reason , and nature doth loath , we would abhorre and detest him , nay every man knowes that it deserves death . Looke upon thy owne soule , and lay thy hand upon thy heart , thou that persecutest the Saints : thy sinne is greater , and thy condemnation shall be farre sorer than such a mans : hence it is that God threatens such men with the heaviest judgements : Psalme 82.5 . it is spoken there concerning Doeg ; we may see the story : 1 Samuel 22. When Abimelech gave David shew-bread and Goliahs sword , Doeg saw it and told Saul , and afterwards slew eighty five persons of the Priests ; now this Psalmist made this Psalme against this man : and he saith , Thy tongue deviseth mischiefe lik a sharp razor working deceitfully , and God shall likewise destroy thee for ever ; He shal take thee away , and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place , and out of the land of the living ; because he did oppose himselfe against Abimelech ; therefore the Lord would not let him go without a punishment : nay as God threatens the sorest punishment against such person ; so the Saints of God by their prayers set themselves most against them : Psalme 129.5 . Let them all he confounded and turned backe that have ill will at Sion , neither doe they that goe by say , The blessing of the Lord bee upon you : the poorest man that lives , that is in the meanest place , if he walkes in an honest calling , the Saints wish a blessing to him ; but they that oppose the Saints of God , the Saints curse them in the name of the Lord : it is true , I confesse , wee must bee wary and wise , but being wise and wary , it is a thing wee may and should doe ; David by way of Revelation knew who were implacable and obdurate ; though wee know not this , yet aiming at none in particular , but onely in the generall , at those who bee incorragible ; the Saints of God curse them , and that bitterly in all their desires that they put up to God ; nay the greatest indirement at the day of judgement proceeds against sinners because of the persecution of his Saints , because in them they persecute Christ himselfe ; they teare out the very eyes of Christ , and rend his heart in peeces : Iud. 14. The Lord commeth with thousands of his Angels to execute judgement upon all , and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed , and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him : Matthew 25. the latter end , Depart from mee , ye cursed , I know ye not ; I was in prison , and ye visited mee not ; I was naked , and ye cloathed me not : why , Jesus Christ is gone to Heaven , and haply they never saw him : b●● faith hee , in that you did it not to one of these , yee did it not to mee . Now Divines reason thus , that all the doome that shall passe upon the wicked at the day of judgement , shall goe in this tenure : because ye have not done this and that ; and if those shall bee condemned that did not visit the Saints when they were in prison : if those shall be damned that did not cover the naked , what shall become of those that 〈…〉 hearts , and rend the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 the Lord hath not onely torments for them here , but he hath devils in hel to torment them for evermore : Therefore let me speake a word of advice to those that are guilty of this great sinne of persecuting the Lord of life ; goe aside and reason with your soules , and parley with your hearts , and think with your selves , Oh poore foole that I was , it was not any poore Christian , any poore Saint that I hated , but it was the Lord Jesus Christ , the Lord of life , and of glory , that I persecuted , that I would have pluckt out of his Throne ; I would have tore his flesh off his body , and rent his members asunder ; and alas , I never knew it ; it was not the Saints I opposed , but the Lord Jesus Christ . I speake not this to countenance faction , my aime is at those that persecute religion and sanctity of life .

Vse 3 For examination and triall ; we may hence see who are those that cleave unto Christ , as also those that are false and dissemble with Christ , which pretend great love , and professe great kindnesse unto our Saviour , and how much they respect him , and how neere Christ is to them . From the former Doctrine , you may discover whether this be true or false : hee that is a true beleever , and knit so to Christ as never more to bee separated and parted , he takes up the whole strength of his soule , and bottoms it upon a Saviour ; hee is sanctified with the freenesse of his grace , and is resolved for ever to cleave unto him , and bestow himselfe upon him : he that truly beleeves , is thus knit , thus joyned to the Lord Iesus Christ : looke as it is sometimes with a mightie branch of a tree , ●r with the arme of a mans body , however the bough of the tree may be rent sometimes , and haled aside by the violence of the tempest , or by the pulling of a mans hand , yet it will hold by the body , and when the hand is gone , it will goe up againe : so it is with a faithfull soule , he so cleaves to Christ , that he will never be parted from him , he will never be separated , what ever provocation or opposition comes to the contrarie : the beleeving soule is sometimes rent and strained by the weight of persecution and temptation , and with the violence of corruptions ; but as soone as the temptation and the weight is gone , it clings to Christ againe ; and as the bough , take away the hand , and it will rise up againe : so whatsoever temptations come , or corruptions come , or oppositions betide , yet it will not be pluckt off from the Lord , and though it may be swayed aside , yet it growes to the Lord : therefore the first of Samuel 10.26 . it is said , The hearts that God touched did cleave unto Saul ; so it is with a beleever , those that are famous in the eyes of the world , and have professed great kindnesse to him , in the time of persecution they will flye off ; but those whose hearts God hath fully touched , they will follow Christ , notwithstanding all opposition ; as it is with the needle of a diall , it may be stirred and moved , but it will never r●● till it come to the right place againe : so it is with the soule that is ●uit to Christ by faith , though he may be 〈◊〉 ●ering and doubting , yet he will never bee 〈…〉 till he come to be fastned the right way to Christ ; but others there are that cleave fainedly to Christ , and herein it will appeare ; either they will off when occasion serves , or else wither in the very worke of the profession of the Gospell , though they continue therein : some there be that fall away wholly from their profession ; of this sort are thousands of your common protestants , that are only knit unto Christ by peace and prosperity : there are millions , if the day of trouble should come , and fire and sword should come , and make them make profession of their faith , they would flie off from their profession , and they would leave the Lord , and the Gospell , and all in the lurch , because they are not knit unto Christ by saving faith . In the second place there are others , who though they doe not fall away totally , yet notwithstanding they wither , and die , and come to nothing : and these are your cunning and close hearted hypocrites , those that are knit to Christ , and grow to him by some helpe , and succour , and assistance , which they have from him , by which they flourish , grow greene in the profession of the Lord : there is a generation of cunning dissemblers , and close false dealers with the Gospell , that grow to Christ by some helpe they receive from him , and that makes them make a glorious shew in the profession of the Gospel ; but yet if God take away his assistance , they wither , and die , and fade , and vanish : looke as it is with the haires of a mans head , or with the leaves of a tree , the leaves grow to the tree , and the haires to the head , but they grow not so much upon the substance of the body , nor the leaves upon the substance of the tree , as the arme and the branch doth , but they grow onely by the moisture that comes from the body , and the moisture that comes from the root : or looke as it is with a wen in a mans body , it is no part of the body , but it growes out of the superabundant humors of the body , and that feeds the wen , and increaseth it ; but if the body grow weake and feeble , and that humour be taken away , it withers and comes to a drie skin : just so it is with these cursed close hearted hypocrites , as the haires and leaves grow , so they grow to the Lord Jesus , namely , the Lord vouchsafeth some sap and moisture , and some assistance to the performance of some services , but they never grow to the substance of a Saviour , they never grew to the holinesse of Christ , they never had the Spirit of Christ powerfully prevailing with them : as it is with the wen , so it is with these glorious hypocrites , that can vent themselves very gloriously , they are wens in the profession of the Gospell , they looke full bigly , and stare every man in the face , and to the appearance of the world , are men of great account ▪ but if once the Lord take away his assistance from heaven , they are like leaves upon the tree , if they fall not , yet they wither away : I have oserved sometimes , you shall have drie leaves stay upon an oake tree , till new ones come againe : so these haughtie hearted hypocrites , they will take up a kinde of a dying course of profession in the way of life and salvation , but they never come to bee opposers and resisters of God and his grace , till there comes some to bee wiser and stricter in a Christian course than they , and then hee fals away .

Vse . 4 Is it so that the faithfull soule is thus neerly knitted to Christ , as the member to the body , or the branch to the vine ? then all you that beleeve in Christ , observe from hence a ground of strong consolation , against all the contempt of the world , and the misery that can betide , and against all the temptations that Sathan can lay against you , to cause you to fall finally , or totally .

First , it is a ground of great comfort and consolation to carry up the soule , and lift up the heart against all the contempt and disgrace , against all the troubles , and miseries , and persecutions , that can betide or befall you , or can be cast upon you , in this wandring pilgrimage of yours : when a Christian begins to turne his face heaven-ward , and goe home to the Lord , then all his friends flie away , and depart from him : David complaines , that his honours stood afarre off , and hee was a mocking to the enemie , and a contempt to those that were before neere unto him ; so it will bee with you , nay , it is so with most that live in the bosome of the Church : how often can many of you speake of it , when the Lord hath given you a heart to walke with him , and depend upon him ? how often are you made the off-scouring of the world ? your carnall friends detest your persons , and scorne your societies ; why ? raise up your hearts with the consideration of the former truth ; yee that doe endure it , or may feare it , comfort your selves : doth man cast you off ? doth man cast you out ? Christ will receive you , why then are you discouraged ? what though the servant frowne , if the Master welcome ? what though we be not with the wicked , if we be with Christ , and Christ with us ; why are we then discontented ? it is that which comforts a party that matcheth against her parents minde , when her parents frowne , this comforts her heart , though she hath not their love and society , yet she hath the love and company of her husband , and that contents her : so it is with every beleeving soule , you have matched against the minde of your carnall friends , they would not have you take that course ; Oh then they tell you , Woe and beggerie will befall you ; well , though you have matched contrarie to the mindes of your carnall friends , or master , or husband , yet comfort thy selfe , though thou hast the ill will of an earthly husband , yet now God will be a husband in heaven , thou maist sing care away , and bee for ever comforted and refreshed : it was that which God himselfe gave for a cordiall to cheare up Iacob , in that long and tedious journey of his , when hee was going into a farre countrie , Genes. 28.14 , 15. when he was going from his owne countrie , and had no friends to succour him , the Lord met him , and said , I will goe with thee , and keepe thee in all places whither thou goest , and I will bring thee back into this land , and I will never leave thee , untill I have done that , which I spake unto thee of ; this was that which lifted and bare up the heart of the good man , though hee could not but expect hard dealing ; why yet saith the Lord , I will goe with thee , and never leave thee ; thinke of it , and consider of it seriously , what a ground of consolation may it be , when we shall wander up and downe , and goe into caves , and holes , and dens of the earth ; when wee shall goe into prison or banishment , and friends may not , nor will not goe with us , yet Christ will goe ; Esay 43.2 . When thou passest thorow the waters , I will be with thee ; and thorow the rivers , they shall not overflow thee ; when thou walkest thorow the fire , thou shalt not be burnt , neither shall the flame kindle upon thee ; a man cannot save his wife sometimes in the water , though shee bee ready to be drowned ; a man cannot goe into the fire to helpe her , though she be ready to be burnt ; but Christ will be with thee in the water , and in the fire , that is , in the heaviest trials and forest troubles : what can come to us , if Christ be with us ? if miserie , and sorrow , and trouble bee with us , if Christ our husband be with us , what matter ? he is the husband of his spouse , and the Saviour of his people , why should wee then bee discouraged or disquieted ?

Secondly , as it is a ground of comfort against all opposition and troubles of the world , so it is a ground of comfort to stay our soules against the fiercenesse of all temptations , whereby Satan labours to plucke us from the Lord Iesus Christ ; and our hearts sinke within us , and we shall ( wee say ) one day perish by the hands of Saul , by the hand of the enemy attempting , and corruptions prevailing ; cleare your hearts and know , though temptations may outbid your weaknesses , and corruptions may outbid your abilities , and when you would doe good , evill is present with you , and sinne cleaves and sticks close to you : why cheare your hearts with this consideration , that you have Christ that sticks closer to you than your sinnes ; and this should cheere up weake and feeble ones : I know what troubles you , were I as strong as such a christian , had I such parts , and such strength of faith ; and shall such a poore little one as I am , beare the brunt of persecution , and indure in the time of perplexitie : Why consider though thou canst not helpe thy selfe , yet Christ can : and know this that Christ will not lose the least member , he is a perfect Saviour : the Lord will not suffer Satan to take thee away from him , nor suffer his love to bee taken from thee : Rom. 8. the two last verses , it was the triumph of the holy Apostle Paul ; I am perswaded ( saith he ) that neither death nor life , nor Angels , nor Principalities , nor powers , nor things present , nor things to come ; nor height , nor depth , nor any other creature , shall be able to separate us from the love of God which it in Christ Iesus our Lord : when health is separated from thy body , and light from thy eyes , and strength from thy feeble nature , yet remember , that when thy body is separated from thy soule , the Lord will not separated his love from thee , neither from thy body in the grave , nor from thy 〈…〉 it is departed out of thy body , he will love thy body in the grave , he loves the dust of his Saints , and he will take thy soule up into heaven ; therefore cheare up thy heart , and comfort thy soule in the consideration of Gods goodnesse .

Vse . 5 Lastly , are the Saints knit to Christ thus firmly ? then it shews us our dutie ; we ought to take notice of the goodnesse of the Lord vouchsafed unto us ; hath the Lord advanced you thus highly ? then walke worthy of this advancement , it is the use that the Apostle makes , Walke worthie of the calling whereunto the Lord hath called you ; are ye the members of Christ ? why then behave your selves as the members of Christ ; are you joyned thou neerly to Christ ? then carrie your selves as beseemes you ; let the dog returne to his vomit , and the sow to the wallowing in the mire ; but let the Saints that are knit unto a Saviour , walke worthy of that mercie , and union , and prerogative that God hath vouchsafed unto them ; it is a shame to see , that servants of Christs family , and the plants of his vineyard doe walke after the conversation of the world : what manner of persons ought wee to bee in all manner of holinesse of conversation ? we are knit unto Christ , and therefore ought to be holy , as he is holy ; pure , as he is pure : wee ought to doe nothing , but that which may beseeme and content a Saviour ; but ye will say , the world will hold up their hands at us , and their mouths will bee open against us ; why God hates the world , and ye are redeemed from the world , yee are called out of the world , therefore live not as if ye were in the world , but as God hath called you to live with himselfe in heaven , your conversation should be such , as if yee were in heaven : I would not have a Saint of God tamper with the least distemper , or be addicted to any base course , but walke exactly before the Lord .

Thus wee see a faithfull soule is knit unto Christ : now that which followes is this ; it is so knit , that it is made one Spirit .

The point we named before , it is this :

Doct. 2 The faithfull injoy such a union with our Saviour , that they are one Spirit with him .

The point is difficult , and the mysterie great , and beyond the reach and roome of that little light I injoy , onely wee shall bee desirous with sobrietie and modestie to communicate what shall be most sutable to the minde of God ; not being unwilling , but desirous to heare any advice from another concerning the same : the doctrine then is ; a beleever is so knit to Christ , that he becomes one Spirit : for the opening whereof , because it is a deepe mysterie , suffer mee to deale plainly and punctually , and that I may expresse my thoughts , and communicate what I conceive , suffer mee to discover two particulars :

First , the manner how the soule comes to be one Spirit with Christ .

Secondly , the order thereof .

These two we will labour to cleare so farre as we are able :

First for the former : the manner how the soule● com 〈…〉 be one Spirit with Christ , it is an undeniable principle , and confessed by Divines on all parts , that the soule comes to be one Spirit , by the power of the Spirit on Gods part , and by the power of faith on the beleevers part ; they confesse that the Spirit of God workes upon a beleever , and the beleever goes out againe to God by faith : but wee have now onely the termes in the generall , if we come to the particular examining of these and aske a weake soule how the soule comes to be one Spirt , by the Spirit on Gods part , and by faith on our part , wee are as far to seeke as wee were before , and most of the congregation can understand little of it . This is our misery , we content our selves with termes in the generall , and never cracke the shell that wee may see the kernell : wee never dive into the truth , that wee may see the intent of the Spirit therein ; therefore for the opening of the point , viz. the manner how the soule coms so to be knit to Christ , as to be made one Spirit : ( not denying any thing of the former truth , but holding thereto ) wee will open it so far as our light serves us .

Quest. If the question then be , how the soule by the spirit on Gods part , and faith on the soules part , comes to be one spirit .

Answ. That which I intend to speake , I will cast into three particulars , or three conclusions :

Conclus . 1 The first conclusion is this , know that the spirit of God , the holy Ghost , the third Person in the glorious Trinitie , he doth really , and inseparably accompany the whole word : ( that is the generall ) but he doth more specially accompany the pretious promises of the Gospell : the Spirit of the Lord is in these in a more speciall manner , though he be a God every where in regard of his providence , yet hee is in a more speciall manner going with , and accompanying of his Word ; and in a more speciall and particular fort hee is in the promises , the soule comes to bee one with Christ , and to bee knit unto him principally by the promise ; the law prepares the soule , and the promise that calls the soule , and knits it unto Christ ; God hath appointed his Word , and specially the promise for the converting of a sinner ; and therefore the Spirit of God goes therewith , and workes thereby , and gives a blessing thereunto , according as hee in his wisedome thinkes fit : for he is a voluntary agent , and therefore may use the word as he will , and when hee will ; the Spirit doth alwayes worke in the word , but not alwayes after the same manner . You make nothing of the Gospell , and of the Scripture ; I tell you the Spirit of the Lord God , blessed for ever , is there after an extraordinary manner , and hardens the hearts of the reprobates , and humbles , and converts and comforts the soules of his servants : and when ? not when I will , or you will , but when the Spirit of the Lord will . This is that I take to be the best expression of it ; looke as it was with the brasen Serpent set up in the wildernesse , there was an healing vertue inseperably accompanying of that brazen Serpent ; and it was as possible that hardnes should be separated from the brasse , as his healing vertue : for whosoever lookt upon it , healing vertue did undoubtedly and inseparably goe with it , because God had appointed this ; therefore hee did blesse this , and undoubtedly worke by this : Just so it is with the good Word of the Lord ; the Spirit of the Lord , though he be God every where , yet hee doth blesse this Word especially , and goes with it , and hath appointed it for the salvation of his servants : therefore when the sound comes to the eare , and the sense to the minde , the Spirit goes with the Word when thou hearest it , either to convert thee , or to confound thee : therefore the text saith , ye stiffe necked and hard hearted , ye have resisted the Spirit of the Lord : they would have pluckt Christ out of Heaven , and the Spirit and all . Now that this is a case undeniable , I prove it thus : that word which is able to discover the thoughts of the heart , and to raise the dead to life , and can comfort a distressed soule , and perswade the soule of Gods everlasting favour , that word must needs have a supernaturall power goe with it , for no created power can doe the former things : the Word tels the deepe things of God , the Word saith , I am sanctified , therefore I am justified , therefore called , therefore elected : the Word reveals these deepe things of God , therefore the spirit must needs goe inseparably with it : this is an undoubted conclusion .

Conclus . 2 The second is this , and I take it to bee somewhat difficult ; the Spirit of grace , the holy Ghost , the third Person in Trinitie , working with and accompanying of the promise of grace and salvation ; it doth therein and thereby leave a supernaturall dint and power , and a spirituall and overpowring vertue upon the soule , and thereby carries it , and brings it unto Christ , and there lieth a great weight , and observe it : The principall and efficient cause in the worke of the soule , to bring it to beleeving , it is not so much any thing in the soule , as a spirituall assisting , and moving , and working upon the soule ; by vertue of which working and motion it is moved and carried to the Lord Iesus Christ , as thus : the spirit let in a power to stirre hope , and it is stirred and moved ; it lets in a power to quicken desire , and it goes ; it lets in a power to kindle love , and it flames ; it lets in a power to perswade the will , and it takes and chuses : the Spirit moves upon these faculties , and by vertue thereof they are moved , and carried to the Lord : therefore I conceive the maine principall cause of faith is rather an assisting power working upon , than any inward principall put into the soule to worke of it selfe , but the worke is upon the soule : the soule by that power and assistance is conveyed and carried home to Christ : observe it , I will expresse it in severall passages , because here lies the difficulty of the point .

Then know that the Spirit of God doth in the first stroke of faith , as the Spirit of God did upon the waters : Gen. 1.2 . the text saith , there 〈◊〉 confused lumpe , and the Spirit moved upon the 〈◊〉 and set upon that confused lumpe , fas●●● 〈…〉 the creature out thereof : so it is with the Siprit , ( and when I speake of the Spirit , I intend the promise too ) the Spirit in the promise meeting with an humbled soule now abased , and staggering and quarrelling with himselfe , he is in a confused estate , hee knowes not what to make of himselfe , nor of his confused condition : now the good Spirit of the Lord moves upon the soule , and leaves a spirituall dint and supernaturall work upon it ; and the soule by vertue thereof is carried , and fitted , and fashioned to goe to Christ : this I take to bee the meaning of that place , Acts 26 , 18. Saint Paul was sent to turne men from darknesse to light : Now it is a confession amongst all Protestant Divines , that the first stroke of the Spirit is upon the soule : there is nothing in the soule that can drive sinne from the soule , and plucke the soule from sinne ; but the Spirit works this , and the soule takes this blow , and by vertue of that Spirit , the soule is pulled from corruption , and turned from sinne : this is a confessed truth , that the first stroke in conversion is not from any thing within the soule , but it is from the Spirit ; nay the same stroke doth two things ; it turnes from darknesse to light : the same hand , and the same stroke doth both these ; as for example , when you teare one thing from another , as you reare it from the other , you pull it to your selfe : he that puls a bough from a tree , as he pulls it from the tree , hee pluckes it to himselfe : so the same Spirit that workes upon the soule in calling it from sinne , it doth worke upon the soule in drawing it to Christ : it pulls off hope from the world , and makes it expect a Christ ; it pulls off desire from the world , and makes it long for Christ ; it pulls off love from the world , and makes it entertaine a Christ ; it pulls off the will from the world , and makes it chuse a Christ ; so that one stroke doth both , and it is plaine , therefore the worke of the Spirit upon the soule must bring it unto Christ . The like phrase wee have , Iohn 15.19 . I have called you out of the world , therefore the world hates you : so that it is there the same voyce , the same spirit that calls a man from sin ; as that is not the way , thou poore sinner , the way of pride and idlenesse , &c. that is not the way to Heaven . Now that call as it pulls the soule from sinne , so that motion and moving , and supernaturall worke that it leaves upon the soule , the soule thereby being moved and drawne , it is comming to the Lord : the soule hath not so much the worke of the Spirit of grane in him , as the work of the spirit of grace working upon him , to draw him from evill , and to turne him to the Lord ; and by vertue of the same worke hee is drawne from the one , and brought to the other : this I conceive to be the great difference between the union that Adam had with God , and that which the faithfull have . Adam had a stocke in his owne hand , God made him wise , and holy , and righteous ; this was his stocke , he had a principle within himselfe , either to hang upon God , and so to bee sustained , or to slide and withdraw himselfe from God : he had power either to hold , or to let goe : he had the staffe in his owne hand , he might turne unto God , and close with the command if he would , or he might depart from God , and withdraw himselfe from the assistance which hee lent him as he did : but now here is a maine difference in the bringing of the heart home to Christ in this union , because the first stroke that drawes the soule , and brings the soule to Christ , is not from any thing within , so much as from the spirit without : the hand of Christ it layes hold upon the heart , and workes upon the heart , and brings him home to himselfe ; this first stroke is from without , wee doe beleeve being framed thereunto , and drawne by the Spirit of the Father ; the everlasting arme of the Lord that appeares in the Gospell , hee lets it downe , and workes upon the soule , and brings the heart to himselfe , and so the heart is brought to Christ , not from any Principle first in it selfe , but by the Spirit that workes upon it : when the Word of God comes to the soule , the Spirit of God accompanies that Word , and puls the earthly minde from earthlinesse , and the uncleane heart from his lusts , and saith , Come out , thou poore soule , this is the way to a Christ that will pardon thee , this is the way to a Christ that will purge thee ; so that my soule moves , but it is because it is moved ; my will closeth , but it is because it is perswaded : so that the first stroke of this union is not from my selfe , but it comes from Christ ; the hand of the Spirit layes hold on me , and drawes me to him : hence in the third place , the union drawes somewhat neerer ; so that wee see , first there is a holy Ghost in the promise , and secondly , wee see that the Holy Ghost leaves a supernaturall worke upon the soule , and brings it home to Christ .

Conclus . 3 The third conclusion is this , the Spirit of grace in the promise working thus upon the heart , it causeth the heart to close with it selfe in the promise : the Spirit of God by the promise so works upon the soule , that it makes the soule close with the promise , and with it selfe in the promise : and this is to be one Spirit , and this I take to bee the meaning of that place , Philippians 3.12 . Paul saith , that he was apprehended of Christ , as if he should say , I was not so much apprehending , as apprehended : not so much that he did it , but Christ in him , and upon him , and by him ; for I told you the worke of the Lord in the worke of conversion , is upon us , by us , to bring us to himselfe . The Spirit of the Lord is in heaven , and it is in the promise , and that Spirit in the promise comes to the soule of a beleever , and leaves a spirituall worke upon the soule of a beleever , and the soule is moved by vertue of that Spirit , to close with that promise , and with that Spirit that is in the promise : I would expresse my selfe by these two comparisons ; looke as it is with the moone , the naturall Philosopher observes , that the ebbing and flowing of the sea , is by vertue of the moone , she flings her beames into the sea , and not being able to exhale as the sunne doth , shee leaves them there , and goes away , and that drawes them , and when they grow wet , they returne backe againe ; now the sea ebs and flowes not from any principle in it selfe , but by vertue of the moone , being moved , it goes , being drawne , it comes ; the moone casting her beames upon the waters , it moves the sea , and so drawes it selfe unto it selfe , and the sea with it : so the heart of a poore creature , is like the water , unable to move towards heaven , but the Spirit of the Lord doth bring in its beames , and leaves a supernaturall vertue by them upon the soule , and thereby drawes it to it selfe : or looke as it is with a claspe and a keeper ; take a great claspe , put it thorow the keeper , and being brought thorow , it closeth with it selfe : so it is with an humble broken heart , it is like this keeper , the good Spirit of the Lord is like this claspe , the Spirit workes upon the soule , and leaves a supernaturall vertue upon the soule , and goeth with that vertue , and puls the soule by the power of it selfe , and knits it to its selfe , it workes upon the heart in this manner , and clasps the humbled sinner , and brings him home , and holds him to the promise , and to it selfe in the promise .

Now I would contract these three conclusions , in the former sermons , into three questions , to make them so familiar , that weake ones , which have any spirituall grace , may be able to come to aprehend and understand them :

Quest. 1 I aske therefore , what is there in the promise of the Gospell , or what is there in the Word of God , is there nothing but letters , and sillables , and sentences ?

Answ. I answer , Yes , humane Authours have words and sentences , but oh the glorious God , the third person of the Trinitie , the blessed Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ is inseparably present with , and accompanying of the promises of God ; the words are but the shell , but the substance is the Spirit of grace ; how were your hearts comforted in the time of trouble ? and how were your hearts broken , and brought out from your lusts ? Oh , it was the Spirit , for man was never able to doe it , but Lord thy almighty hand came downe from heaven , and broke this heart of mine , and if Christ that Lion of the tribe of Judah , had not come downe from heaven , this lion-like heart of mine would never have yeelded nor come downe : this is the answer to the first question .

Quest. 2 What doth the beleever doe ? aske your owne hearts , doe your hearts close and meet with the good Word of the Lord ? and doe you say , Oh it is the good Word of the Lord , my heart consented to it , and closed with it thus ?

Answ. Oh yes , saith the soule , me thought I was even knit to the Word : then I aske againe , was thy heart knit to the Word onely , and the sillable only ? and did thy heart close with the sentences only ? the soule answers , No , the truth is , my eare did receive the sound , and my minde the sense , but my soule received the Lord Jesus Christ : To as many as received him , to them he gave power to become the sonnes of God , 1 Iohn 12. the words are but only as the conduit to convey the water of life , and the Spirit of grace , but they lay hold upon Christ there , and that it is so , I prove it thus , did not you finde your hearts comforted at such a time ? Oh yes , saith the soule , me thinks I see the Ministers face still , and when he came to such a point and such a passage , good Lord , mee thought I was in heaven ; could words , and reasons , and sentences have done it ? No surely , the Spirit of grace was there , and my heart did close with the same : the stomack receives not meat , as the dish or vessell doth , but the stomack doth receive it , and is fastned to it , and hath the sweetnesse of it , and is made one with it : Iohn 6.63 . The words that I speake , they are Spirit and life ; and this is the excellencie of the Word , when all the learned Doctors and Schoolemasters shall have the tongues , but shall never humble one soule , nor purge nor convert one heart , yet the Word and the Spirit in it , will doe that which is usefull and helpfull for thee in this kinde ; the Words that I speake , they are Spirit , and they are life , saith our Saviour ; so then you see , you that are ignorant and weake , you say to your selfe , how shall I come to be knit to the Lord Jesus Christ , seeing hee is in heaven , and I am on earth ? Oh but quiet thy selfe in this , he is in a most speciall manner in the preaching of the Word , and if thou cleavest to the Word aright , then thou cleavest to the Spirit of Christ .

Quest. 3 In the third place I aske , how doth the Spirit of man come to close and to be one with the Spirit of Christ in the promise ?

Answ. I answer , are your owne hearts able to doe this ? or is nature , or your wits , or parts able to doe this for you ? No , the good Spirit of the Lord wrought upon , and fitted , and framed the hear● hereunto , and put this temper upon it , as the workman gives a temper to the knife , and another makes iron draw iron ; and he doth it thus , he drawes the magnet or load-stone over the iron , and the vertue thereof makes it able to draw iron to it selfe ; so the soule saith , Alas , I doe it not , it was the Lord that wrought this heart in mee , I have seene the day , when I could have beene as well content to heare the Minister preach plainly , as to have a knife run to my heart , but the Lord wrought my heart to it , therefore the Spirit puts that magnet stone of the mercie and grace of Christ upon my heart , hee puts this temper upon my heart , and makes it able to close with it selfe in the promise : in 2 Corin. 5.5 . when Paul there had disputed of his desire to lay downe his life for the Gospell , and to put his body upon suffering for the Gospels sake , he was even weary of the world , and would faine have beene gone , how gat he this temper ? why ? the text saith , Now he that hath wrought us for the same thing if God , who also hath given us the earnest of his Spirit ; it is a great while before wee can bee brought to this temper , when all the Ministers tongues are even worne to the stumps , and the wicked will bee wicked still , yet the Lord doth worke it : so then you see , that the Spirit of God by the promise works upon the soule , and leaves a dint upon the heart , and so brings the soule by the Spirit to close with it selfe in the promise , and hence you may collect two things for your information in this kinde :

Colect . 1 First , that the beleever , being moved by the stroke of the Spirit of the Father , is made able to close with the Father and the Sonne , because the Spirit of the Lord doth fasten , fit , and frame the heart hereunto in this manner ; and hence it is , that the soule can close with the Father , and the Sonne too ; why ? because the Spirit which proceeds and comes from the Father and the Sonne , is able to frame the soule to close with both ; for the Spirit hath something of the Father , and something of the Sonne , and therefore is able to make the soule to close with both : 1 Iohn 1.3 . These things have I written unto you , that you may have fellowship with us ; holy Iohn was a spirituall father unto them , and hee writes to them , that thereby they might have fellowship with the Saints , and he saith , Truly our fellowship is with the Father , and with his Sonne Iesus Christ ; why doth he not say , our fellowship is with the Father , as well , as to say , our fellowship is with the Father and the Sonne ? because it is presumed before hand , that a man must have fellowship with the Spirit , before hee can have fellowship with the Father and the Sonne ; because it is the Spirit that hath fitted the heart , and framed it , to close with both .

Colect . 2 Secondly , hence it comes to passe , that the person of the beleever may bee knit to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ : the foot is knit to the head by the continuance of the order of the body , and the members thereof , as the foot is knit to the leg , and the leg to the thigh , and the thigh to the body , and so to the head , this is the ( meaning of that phrase , Iohn 6.56 . our Saviour presseth this hard upon the Disciples , and saith , My flesh is meat indeed , and my bloud is drinke indeed , hee that eateth my flesh , and drinketh my bloud , dwelleth in me , and in him ; then they begun to wonder at it , and to say , How can this be ? and yet Christ saith , what if you see the the Sonne of man carrying the body of his flesh into heaven , you will thinke it more hard to eat my flesh then , yet you must eat my flesh then too ; how ? it is the Spirit that quickneth , the flesh profiteth nothing , the words that I speak , they are Spirit and life ; as if he had said , my good Spirit is in the word and promise , close you with my Spirit , and then you draw my Spirit , my flesh and my blood downe into your whole natures ; the words that I speake , they are Spirit and Life ; that is , my Spirit is in the Word of the promise , though my body be gone up into heaven ; therefore close you with my Spirit in the promise , and then you close with my flesh spiritually . Thus much for the manner of the union .

Now for the order of this union how this is done , and there the question will be this .

Whether the beleever is knit first to the humane nature of Christ , or to the Divine nature . Quest. 2 I am not greatly willing to meddle with this point in this popular congregation , because there are many wise and orthodox Divines , and godly too , which are of contrary opinion ; they confesse both , but they differ about the order : but that I may bring no prejudice to the judgement of any , I will shortly shew you the summe of those arguments , Answ. which either side hold , and will shew to which I doe incline , and so leave the point to the judgement of those that heare it , to incline to which side they thinke best , and thus I shall wrong none at all .

First , some Divines , wise , holy , and orthodox , and many too , doe goe that way ; all of them have it from that root : they that hold that the soule is knit to the humane nature of Christ first , have two reasons for it .

First , say they , as the Scripture reveales Christ to us , so also our hearts embrace him , and close with him , but the Scripture reveales the Lord Christ more often and frequently , in regard of his Manhood , than in regard of his Godhead ; as in that place , The seed of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head , and such like : therefore the understanding first closeth with this , and the heart first receives it : the second reason why they hold this is thus much .

If , say they , all the great works of our redemption , both sanctification , and justification , and redemption , were wrought in the humane nature of Christ , and as by a channell conveyed to us by his humane nature , then it is reason that the soule should first close with the humane nature ; but it is so that all the great workes of justification , sanctification , &c. were all accomplished in the humane nature of Christ : for as the text saith , He died for our sins , and triumphed over sin , and hell , and death : therefore , say they , it is fit that the soule should first close with the humane nature of Christ ; and this is the life and pith of all their arguments .

Againe , other Divines , and they are wise and orthodox , they hold this ; and though all hold the maine substantiall truths of eternall life , yet they differ in this , they say the beleever is first knit to the Deity , and they have also two arguments , and the first is this :

That which is the maine and the proper object of faith , to that the soule first lookes , and to that the soule is first united : for all union comes by operation in this kinde , but the Godhead is the first object of faith in beleeving ; the Godhead , and the third person of Trinity , they are the first objects of faith ; therefore , say they , in the whole course of Scripture , faith is cast upon the Godhead , as Esay 50.10 . Who so is wise amongst you , that feareth the Lord , that obeyeth the voyce of his servant ; he that walketh in darknesse and hath no light , let him trust in the Name of the Lord , and stay himselfe upon his God ; all the phrase of Scripture runs thus : Trust , and hope , and rely upon the Lord . So Iohn 14.1 , 2. vers . Let not your hearts be troubled , yee beleeve in God , beleeve also in mee : marke this Now did a man beleeve upon the Father , as Father onely , then hee did not beleeve upon the Sonne ; or did he beleeve onely upon the Sonne , as Sonne , then he did not beleeve upon the Father , but in that hee beleeves upon the Father and the Sonne : It is therefore plaine that he fals first upon the Godhead ; and seeing it is so that wee must beleeve upon the Father , Sonne and Holy Ghost ; therefore we are not to beleeve upon one of them only , but upon the whole Deity and the divine nature , and all the three Persons in the divine nature : for as the Schoolemen say , that which doth appertaine to this , as this , belongs to this and to none other . Now we beleeve in all the whole Trinitie , and therefore wee close with all three , the Father , Sonne , and holy Ghost : and hence it is that these Divines observe , that when we are said to beleeve in the Scriptures , and in the promise ( not that any doe it properly ) but so farre as the promise that God in Christ , revealing , and promising , and communicating himselfe : so farre we beleeve in the promise , that is , in his faithfulnesse , truth and mercy , revealed in the promise .

The second reason which they alleage is this : say they , that which in reason must stay & satisfie the soule of a beleever , it is that in reason to which the soule must first betake it selfe , and upon which it most first stay it selfe ; for faith goes out for succour , and for good : therefore , that which only can satisfie faith , to that onely it must first goe : the beleever is dead in sinnes , because of the commission of them , but there is life in God : therefore to an infinite God the soule comes to worke an infinite satisfaction for him , which all creatures cannot doe in this case , the Godhead prepares the humane nature , and workes by the humane nature , and gives power to the humane nature , and makes it able to suffer and to satisfie , faith sees that he hath offended an infinite God , and deserved punishment of an infinite value ; therefore hee must repaire to him that can onely repaire in mercy to his soule : therefore saith the Prophet David , Psalme 130.7 . verse , Hope in the Lord for ever , for with the Lord is plenteous redemption : and in Esay 26.4 . Trust in the Lord for ever , for in the Lord Iehovah , is everlasting strength ; wee have everlasting miseries , and troubles , and distempers , but with the Lord Iehovah is everlasting strength , therefore trust in him for ever : nay hence it is that our Saviour saith , Iohn 17.3 . This is life eternall , that they know thee to bee the very God , and whom thou hast sent even Iesou Christ .

Now if you aske me which of these judgements I follow ; I answer , because I love not to bee as a man that is here , and there , and no where in truth , but I love to bee as a man that dwels at home , for I am not ignorant that many Divines wise and learned , whose parts and gifts I reverence , they follow the former opinions ; and for my part I leave a judicious hearer to take which side he will ; but in truth the two last arguments have prevailed with me , that the heart of a poor : sinner beleeves , and stayes it selfe , firstly , upon the Godhead , and Deity , and afterwards upon the Humanitie : and mee thinkes the two former arguments seeme not to compell any mans understanding : for bee it granted , that the former Scriptures doe reveale the Lord Jesus Christ , and mention him often as man , yet it is as true they reveale him to bee God , and mention his Godhead , not mentioning at all his humanitie ; but whensoever they doe mention his humanitie , firstly , it is for good reason , partly by way of prophecie to foretell of Christ , what hee should be , and partly by way of story and relation to relate of Christ what he was ; yet this reason inferres not that faith must therefore firstly lay hold upon the humanitie before the deitie ; but when the Lord is pleased to reveale Jesus Christ to the soule in the way of conversion , then wee must apprehend Christ , as God and Man in the point of conversion , and then let the question be this : whither the soule shall goe for that which it wants ? Now I see no reason why the soule should firstly goe to the humanity for what it wants and seekes : hence it is that when the Scripture comes to speake in the way of conversion , the Godhead is set first : as in the 2 Cor. 5.19 . God was in Christ , reconciling the world unto himselfe ; as God in Christ reconciles the world unto himselfe ; so God reveales himselfe to his faithfull Ministers , and so they reveale him to the people ; it was the Godhead that was offended , and must first of all be pleased , and unto that God we must first goe for what we want ; so Ieremy 33.16 . In those dayes Iudah shall be saved , and Israel shall bee saved , and this is the Name whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnesse : so said the Angell , they shall call his Name Emanuel , which is by interpretation , God with us : this is to the first reason ; now to the second argument I answer thus ; If it bee good in reason that wee must first goe to the humane nature for these reasons propounded , and if this be sufficient to call my faith that way ; because all the great workes are wrought that way ; then much more seeing the humane nature was inabled to the worke by the divine nature ; therefore my faith must first looke that way , because the weight of the worke lies upon the Deitie ; the humane nature cannot assume to take to it selfe this glory , not bee any way available to satisfie divine justice , but that the Deitie enabled it , and therefore faith must first of all looke unto that . Thus it is confessed that the soule of a beleever is advanced to a marvellous high privilege ; now the use of it is referred to these three heads .

Vse 1 First , are the soules of the faithfull come thus neere to Christ , not onely to beleeve in him , and to embrace him , but to bee one Spirit with him ? then this may bee a use of instruction , and it shewes to us that the sinnes of the faithfull are marvellous hainous in Gods account , and exceeding grievous to his blessed Spirit that hath come so neere to us , and brought us so neere unto himselfe ; every sinne is as a mountaine , or as a wall of separation , but the sinnes of the faithfull are no lesse than rebellion , not onely because of mercies , bonds and engagements , which the beleever hath received , but because a man is come so neere to Christ , and now to commit sinne and vex him , it must needs bee a marvellous provocation to the Lord Jesus Christ , and to his good Spirit : he that should entertaine a friend into his family , or the King into his house , or a woman to entertaine a loving husband in matrimony with her , all base dealing by any of these a man can hardly brooke it ; It was one of my own subjects , saith the King ; it was my wife , saith the husband , and it was my friend , as David saith , that did eat at my table ; but now to entertaine a profest enemy , or a traytor into the bed-chamber with the King , and to lodge them both in one bed , this were abominable ; and so the wife not onely to entertaine a whoremonger into the house , but also to lodge him in the same bed , this were not to be endured : Oh how his blood would rise against it , as the King said of Haman , Hester 7.8 . What , will hee force the Queene before my face ? Now therefore , brethren , goe home to your owne soules and behaviours in particular : dost thou through Gods grace and mercy receive this favour at the hands of God , that thou art become one Spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ , and wilt thou then receive a company of base lusts , and that in the very face and sight of the Lord Iesus Christ , and lodge an uncleane spirit , with the cleane Spirit of the Lord ? the holy God cannot endure this , nay , he will not beare it at the hands of those that belong to the election of grace : 1 Sam. 2.17 . The sonnes of Ely were great sinners before the Lord , saith the text , and why ? because they waited upon the Lord , to doe the worke of the Sanctuarie ; for where the ordinances of the Lord are , there is God himselfe : therefore Cain in the apprehension hereof , said , I am cast out from the presence of the Lord , that is , from the powerfull beautie of the Lord in his ordinances . Now because they were the Priests and Leaders , and they were greater sinners , they would out-brave the Lord with their sinnes , and commit them in the sight of God , therefore their sin was the greater : as in Ezechiel 8.3 . The Lord brought the Prophet to behold the abominations of the Elders of Israel , he brought him into a secret place , and shewed him the image of jealousie , which provoked to jealousie , they did it in the sight of the Sun to provoke him to anger , therefore it is called the image of jealousie ; as if he had said , Let your idols goe to the land of Vrre , but will you dare to set up idols in the sight of God , to provoke him to jealousie . I beseech you apply this to your selves ; are not wee Priests , and the very Spouse of Christ , and not onely the outward Sanctuary , but the Temple of the Lord it selfe is with us ; as the Apostle saith , Ye are the temples of the living God : Now wilt thou set up an idol lust , and an idolatrous selfe seeking heart , and set it up by the Lord Iesus Christ ● this is a horrible crying sin , and it provokes the Lord marvellous fiercely : it was the collection which the Apostle made a little before the text , in 1 Cor. ● . where he saith , speaking concerning adultery and fornication , he comes with a glr● and a gall to the hearts of beleevers , saying , What , shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot ? God forbid , that s carefull : Doe you not know that he which coupleth himselfe to an harlot , is one body ; shall I doe thus ? no , the Lord forbid ; I am neere to Christ , let the members of Satan bee made the members of a harlot , if they will , but you that are the members of Christ , will you doe so ? Consider it , wilt thou take the head of Christ , and contrive wickednesse with it ? and wilt thou take the heart of Christ , and make it a cage of uncleane lusts ? and wilt thou take the tongue of Christ , and make it speake wickedly ? and wilt thou take the foot of Christ , and make it run to all wickednesse ? what a fearfull thing is this ? shall the uncleane spirit be put to the cleane spirit ? shall the motions of the Devill be here , and the motions of the good Spirit of the Lord too ? the Lord in mercy keepe you off from this : Ephes. 4.29 . Let no filthy communication come out of your mouth , why , what if there doe ? If there were no greater sinnes than these , I hope I should doe well enough : What saith the Apostle ; A Christian , and a lier ; a Christian , and a swearer ; a Christian , and a base vile wretch ; Oh grieve not the good Spirit of God : why ? because by it yee are sealed up unto the day of redemption : the good Spirit of the Lord hath sealed you up unto redemption , and knit you unto him , and will you rend your selves from him , and grieve him ? if you were not sealed up , and if you had none of the Spirit of Christ , it were no great matter : but now , Oh grieve not the holy Spirit , if you doe , you have no salvation by it ; away to hell if you will grieve the good Spirit of the Lord ; if the Lord doe bestow his Spirit upon thee , wilt thou then grieve his good Spirit ? how canst thou , or how darest thou doe thus , and dishonour the Name of God , looke that place , Matthew 12.44 . When the uncleane spirit returnes againe to his rest , hee findeth it empty , swept and garnished ; then hee taketh to himselfe seven other spirits worse than himselfe , and they enter in and dwell there ; the end of that man is worse than the beginning . It is well observed by one , that pride and idlenesse sweeps the house for the devill ; a proud heart which stayes it selfe up upon its owne abilities , and so growes idle , and lazie , and secure ; if it be a Minister , or Magistrate , this makes cleane worke for the Devill , you cannot doe this , but you will grieve the good Spirit of the Lord : Now looke to this , when a man stayes himselfe upon his parts , and gifts , he doth little good : you sweep the house for the Devill , whereas a watchfull painfull heart doth wonderfully please God ; it is a good , and a pure , meeke , and holy Spirit , which God accepts of , therefore be thou so too : now you that are Christians , doe not goe away , and thinke that you have warrant to be idle , and carelesse , take heed of such cursed distempers of heart ; if thou art a Christian , thou darest not doe or say , as others dare , for the sinne of a Christian is abominable in the eyes of God , because he is so neerly united to his blessed Spirit : this is the first use of the point .

Vse . 2 Againe in the second place , here is a word of examination and triall , here a man may see of what spirit the most men of the world are ; You know not of what Spirit you are , saith Christ ; looke how the soule closeth with , and receives those that are most exact in a Christian course : if thy heart be estranged from such as doe walke exactly before God , either because he hath given them parts and gifts , or because he hath made them humble and faithfull : if the Spirit of the Lord be in the Saints , then the Spirit of malice and of the Devill is in thee ; Gods Spirit closeth with all the faithfull ones , but thy Spirit cannot close with them ; when they are made one Spirit with Christ , wilt thou be of two Spirits with them ? then either Christ is to bee blamed , or else thou art to be condemned for this basenesse of thine ; either Christ knowes not how to chuse a good Spirit , or else thou art a base vilde spirit ; this is the great sinne of this last age of the world , men are lovers of themselves , and not lovers of God , nor his grace nor Spirit : it is admirable to see how every one that is wicked , findes favours in the world , but only those that are holy , and gracious , and one spirit with Christ : a drunkard is no mans enemie but his owne ; and with adulterers you can make matches , and if they were murtherers or theeves , wee have a kinde of lamentation for them ; but when it comes to a sincere soule , their hearts rise up against him , with a desperate spleene , and they say , these are the holy brethren , why what are they ? Oh , saith the Father , he is quite spoild , I had a sonne which I had some hopes of , but now he is gone downe the winde , and he will never be good for any thing ; and then saith the drunkard , hee was as good a companion as ever lived , and had ●s brave jests to make us merrie withall , but now he is quite spoild , then thy meaning is , that when hee had an uncleane spirit , thou didst love him , but now because he is come to have a neere union with the Lord Jesus Christ , therefore thou art estranged from him ; then cursed be thy wrath , for it is fierce , and thy rage , for it is cruell ; if the Spirit of God be holy and good , to which hee is united , then thou art a vilde unholy wretch : I hope now you may know what will become of such and such in the townes and places where you live , such I meane as are holy and gracious , and yet are hated and despised ; even those poore creatures are glued to the Lord Christ , nay , they are holy spirited men , which the Spirit of God delights in , therefore thy spirit is of Sathan , that thou doest thus malice him ; I confesse a godly heart will have his sits and excursions now and then , like an unruly colt , and may run wildly into sinne ; this may befall a godly gracious heart , but all this while this is poison , and the soule of a godly man sees this , and is wearie of it , and is marvellously burthened with it , and saith , Oh vilde wretch that I am , what would I have ? and what is he that I cannot love him ? is it because the good Spirit of the Lord is there ● shall I resist the good Spirit of the Lord ? and so commit the sinne against the holy Ghost ? away thou vilde wretched heart , I will love him ; thus the soule labours and strives for that exactnesse , and would faine have that goodnesse which hee sees in other : it is in this thing , as it is in a mans meat , he that hath an unwholesome stomack , and seeth that the meat is good , and knowne not but that he may eat it , he will not blame the meat , if hee be ill after it , but his stomack ; but there are some that love to bee cating lome wals , and such trash as is naught for them , for the stomack is vilde within , and would have as bad as himselfe : so out of the pride of nature and self-confidence these distempers will bee rising in us , but a gracious soule is even sick at the heart , and weary of his life , and he is never well , untill he hath gotten a purge ; but he that hath the disease , and is sick of hatred and malice , looke how his heart is , so is his tongue , and as his heart is , so is his carriage : Oh poore wretched creature , what God may doe for him , I know not , but for the present he hath the spirit of the Devill in him ; he is no man but a toad that can live of poison , and make a meale of it , and yet his heart never be affected with it .

Vse . 3 In the third place ; is man a sociable creature , and must he have some to keepe company with him ? then in the next place be exhorted to close with such as Christ himselfe doth close withall , chuse such companions as the good Spirit of the Lord doth meet withall : doest thou see a gracious sincere hearted Christian , that is one spirit with the Lord ? love him , and let thy heart be one Spirit with him too , and not only the rich , but the poore too , it is that which we have in nature , every man desires to have one that is of a faire nature and a loving disposition , he is a ●● man to make a friend of , and these things are not discommendable ; it is strange to see when God hath cut the 〈◊〉 of these wolves , how ta●● and quiet they are ; but would you have a man of a good nature indeed ? for as one saith , hee that hath no more than restraining grace , is no more than a tame Devill , but would you have a friend of a good nature indeed ? for this is the maine of all , then chuse such as are one with Christ , and remember that place , in 2 Peter 1.4 . Wee are partakers of the divine nature ; he that is one Spirit with Christ , he is partaker of the divine nature , even the nature of God himselfe , the Spirit of God , and the Spirit of meeknesse , and self-deniall is in him ; therefore let thy heart be inlarged towards him , and joyne thou side with him which is joyned so neerely to the Lord : it was the old practice of those in Zach. 8.22 . when God shall honour the Jewes , and make them glorious in sanctification and holinesse , and they shall goe to market , and buy and doe all things holily , then shall ten men take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew , and shall say , We will goe with you , for wee have heard that God is with you ; would you not goe with the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ ? Yes , Oh then get you to the Saints of God , and get them to your houses , and lay hold upon gracious Christians , and say , I will live and converse with you , for the Spirit of Christ is with you .

THE SOVLES BENEFIT FROM VNION WITH CHRIST .

By T. H.

LONDON , Printed by Iohn Haviland , for Andrew Crooke , and are to be sold at the Black Beare in S. Pauls Church-yard . 1638.

THE SOVLES BENEFIT from Vnion with CHRIST . 1 CORIN . 1.30 .

But of him are yee in Christ Jesus , who is made unto us wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification , and redemption .

HOw the soule of a sinner should be prepared for our Saviour , and how also it should bee implanted into him , being called by the Spirit of God in vocation , wee have heretofore fully and largely discussed and concluded that point : then wee came to the second thing , which is the second part of this implanting or ingrafting a sinner into the Lord Jesus Christ , and it is the growing to of a sinner with our Saviour , and that is accomplished and fully brought about by two workes : there are two parts of it , for it is not enough for the graft to be put into the stock , but it must grow together with it , if ever there be any conveyance of any sap , or any helpe and strength , which it may receive from the same : so it is with the beleeving soule , faith doth not onely bring us unto Christ , but it makes us grow together with Christ : and this growing is discovered in two particulars ;

The first is a spirituall union of the soule with our Saviour , when the soule comes to be united to , and made one with the Lord of life ; that wee have also handled and concluded in the two last lectures .

Againe , the second part that accomplisheth and makes up this growing together with Christ , it is that heavenly communion that the soule doth get with our Saviour , when the stock of the merits of our Saviour , and the vertue of his grace is communicated to the soule ; for this we must remember , that these two things make up the growing of the stock and the graft together :

First , there must be an union of the graft with the stock .

Secondly , there must be an intercourse or a communication of the sap in the stock to the graft : so it is with Christ , what ever he hath , he hath for his Church and people , and what ever he doth , he doth for his Church and servants ; so that there is a kinde of conveyance of the vertue of his merits , and power of his grace , unto the soules of those that beleeve in him , and are knit unto him by a true and a lively faith : wee have done with the 〈◊〉 that the soule hath with Christ : we are now to speake of the heavenly and spirituall communion , the intercourse betweene the Lord and the soule , when the soule is married unto him ; and this is that wee aime at , this is that wee looke at at this time ; and this I must tell you by the way , that our purpose is not to meddle with the particulars at this time , but onely with the generall nature of the communion of the soule with Christ : now for the discovery of this worke , wee have chosen the words of the text now read unto you , and the scope of the words it is mainly this ; to discover unto us the dowrie and feofment of all that spirituall grace that is conveyed and made sure to the beleeving soule , being made one with the Lord Jesus : that looke as it is with a man that hath a faire estate to himselfe , it is only his owne , but when the wife is wooed , and brought home , & married , he gives over the right of himselfe unto her , and if hee make over his estate unto her , shee hath title thereunto : this now is the dowry of a Christian , the Lord Jesus Christ is no bad match , you must not thinke you could have done better ; it is a wonder , that ever our Saviour would take us to himselfe , or shew favour to us , but the case is cleare , if a beleever be called , and brought home to Christ , Christ is made to us wisdome , and righteousnesse , and sanctification , and redemption ; Christ hath all , and whatsoever Christ hath , it is all yours , you have title thereunto , and shall receive sap and benefit therefrom , if you have hearts to take that good God offers , and you may receive : wee will not now meddle with the severals in the verse , but these two things must be specially attended to in the words , that we may make way for our selves in the point we have to trade withall ;

First , take notice of the compasse of that happinesse and spirituall grace which God vouchsafeth unto his , and it is ranged into foure heads : the text saith , Christ is made unto us wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification , and redemption ; all that Christ hath or can communicate , all that the beleeving soule can desire or want , may be referred to these foure :

First , Wisdome , that is , the declaration of the way of God , and eternall happinesse , in and through the Lord Jesus Christ , which all the policie of all cunning men , and all subtill pates in the world could never pry into , that wisdome which revealed the secret things , and the deepe things of God ; the Lord Jesus is made that wisdome to the beleeving soule .

Secondly , Christ is made unto us righteousnesse , that is , whatsoever guilt lieth upon us , whatsoever sinne hath beene committed by us , what ever punishment wee have deserved , Christ is made unto us righteousnesse , to acquit us of all .

Thirdly , Christ is made unto us sanctification ; the soule of a poore sinner is defiled with many corruptions , and polluted with many distempers , now Christ is made unto him sanctification , to purge and purifie him from all those sinnes and distempers .

Lastly , because while we wander up and downe this vale of teares , and in this pilgrimage of ours , wee shall bee oppressed with many evils , that will lye upon us , and death it selfe , which is the last enemy , will seize upon us , and captivate our bodies in the grave , therefore Christ is made unto us redemption , he will take away all trouble , and wipe all teares from our eyes , nay , hee will breake open the grave , and deliver his Saints from thence . The Heathen to make the Saints of God sure in time of persecution , they first slew them , and then they burnt their bodies to ashes , and then threw them into the water , and then they said , Let us now see how they will rise againe ; alas , poore creatures , why , the Lord loves the very dust , the very ashes of his Saints in the grave , and the Lord will redeeme our bodies from the grave , and our names from dishonour , and our lives from trouble , and our soules from sinne , and will set us free from all miseries and inconveniences at the great day of account ; these are the foure things , wherein the dowry and feofment of a beleeving soule consists : I will not now trade in the particulars , but only in the generall , and shew how that every beleeving soule , that rests upon Christ by faith , hath an interest in these .

The second thing considerable is this , to whom all these things belong , and the text tels us , Christ is made all this to us ; and the truth is , it is made over to all beleevers , there is not one man exempted , not one man excluded , every beleeving creature hath a part and portion herein : however the holy Apostle crowds in for a share , and if wee looke into the 26 , 27 , 28. verses , wee shall see to whom this belongs , Ye know your calling , brethren , how that not many wise men after the flesh , not many mightie , not many noble are called , but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world , to confound the wise , and God hath chosen the weake things of the world , to confound the things that are mightie ; why then to you fooles , why then to you weake things , Christ is made wisdome , and righteousnesse , and sanctification , and redemption ; to you poore ones , to you weake ones Christ is made all this ; nay , looke into the 28. verse , God hath chosen the base things of the world , and the things that are despised ; nay , and the things that are not , to bring to nought the things that are ; that is to say , the off-scouring of the world , the scrapings , as I may so say : looke as a man flings away the scrapings of things as nothing worth , why so the parings of the world , you that are nothing in the esteeme of the world , a company of poore base simplicians ; Christ is made wisdome , and righteousnesse , and sanctification , and redemption to them ; in a word then bee it knowne to every beleeving creature , though he have not a strong faith , yet if he have but a true faith , to you Christ is made all that mercie and grace , that the word discovers , and the Lord hath purchased , and you need .

Now adde the last thing , the text saith , Christ is made all this ; the meaning is , Christ is appointed , and set apart , and fitted by God the Father to this purpose , to be wisdome and righteousnesse , and to the poore , and the base , and despised , and to the things that are not , God hath set him apart to this purpose ; as for the wise , and honourable , and mighty , they must shift for themselves , and trust to their owne strength and sufficiencie ; but you that are poore and base , you that beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ , hee is made unto you , all that the soule can want , or the heart desire ; so that now then we have done with the meaning of the words , and the opening thereof , so farre as serveth our purpose , intending only to trade in the generall , concerning the communion of the graft with the stock ; wee have shewed you , how the soule is made one with the Lord Jesus , and how the soule is contracted to Christ ; and now wee shall come to shew the feofment that God hath promised , and wee shall receive at his Majesties hand .

Doctrine . The doctrine is , that there is a conveyance of all spirituall grace , from Christ , to all those that beleeve in him , I doubt not , but every man would be content , if he had a faire estate , to see his evidences , and every woman that matcheth with a man , would see what she might hold her selfe to ; what if the man dye ? and what if his meanes decay , what will hee estate her in ? now see your dowrie , and the point is this , that there is a conveyance of all spirituall grace from Christ to all faithfull beleevers in the world ; well then , you see the point ; we will adde a little by way of confirmation , and you shall see the consent of the Scriptures , how they agree together herein , and we will adde somewhat also by way of explication , to unfold the nature thereof , that wee may see what these invaluable treasures are : for the proofe of the point , one or two places will be sufficient to cast the case ; Ephes. 1.3 . there Paul blesseth God in Jesus Christ , that hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ ; so that there are blessings of three sorts , all blessings , all spirituall blessings , all spirituall blessings in heavenly places , and all given freely , but it is in Christ , hee is the conduit that conveyeth this , and wherein the streames of life and grace flow amaine , to make glad the city of God , to make glad the Saints of God , and the soules of those that beleeve in him ; hence ( it is remarkable Iude 2. ) it is called , Common salvation by Christ ; and so Christ is said to be a common Saviour consequently , not common to all the world , that every beast may brouse upon him , and sinne , and have a Saviour to save him , but he is common to all the faithfull , common to all beleevers : that looke as it is in a common or forrest , every dweller , and every inhabitant upon the common hath a share therein , no man can challenge any part of the common peculiar to himselfe , and say , This part is mine , and no man shall put any cattell here but I , but the common is every mans that dwels thereupon , and the poorest man may put on his cattell without controll , and drive his cattell whither he list , on to the best part thereof , and improve it to his best benefit , without contradiction : so Christ is a common Saviour , and the richest mercies , and the preciousest promises , and the greatest grace and salvation that is in Christ Iesus , every poore beleeving soule , thou art a commoner , and a borderer , and it is a common salvation , there is a fountaine set open for Iudah and Ierusalem to wash in , thou maist take any , and receive benefit from the greatest and preciousest promises that the word reveales , or thou standest in need of ; 1 Pet. 1.3 . hee then saith , that God through his divine power hath given unto us all things belonging to life and godlinesse , through the acknowledgement of him that hath called us to glory and vertue , what ever it is a man would have or can need , belonging to life or godlinesse , hee hath given unto us all things through the acknowledgement of him that hath called us to glory and vertue ; if thou canst rest upon Christ in beleeving , then God will give unto thee all things through Christ , belonging to life and godlinesse ; so then we have the proofe of the point , by the joynt consent of severall Scriptures : now wee will adde a word or two by way of explication , that we may see the value of this dowry , that God hath promised , and will bestow upon those that love and feare his name : now for the explication of the point , wee will doe these two things ;

First , we will shew you the tenure of this covenant , and how Christ conveyeth these spirituall graces unto us .

Secondly , the reason why Christ is made so unto us , and why he will communicate thus unto us .

We will first begin with the former , wherein lieth the marrow and pith of the point : we have said , that all blessings belonging to life and godlinesse , the common salvation of Christ , belongs to all beleevers , but how shall wee perceive this ? how is this conveyed to those that beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ ? now the tenure of this conveyance discovers it selfe in severall particulars , there are five or six of them in number :

The first is this , there is fully enough in the Lord Jesus for every faithfull soule , that whatever grace , or whatever mercie hee shall stand in need of or want , there is no scarcity , there is no kinde of scantnesse in the Lord Christ this way ; in all other graces in this world , in all temporall things , when any estate is to be imparted , it is but in some particulars , either money must bee paid such a day , or land must be possessed when such a partie dies , but there was never any man could make such tenure , as if a man should make a feofment to his wife , of long life , and peace , and grace , and salvation , it is in no mans power to doe this ; some men have a great deale of good things in this world , and many have little besides ; and againe , all men have not an all-sufficiencie to supply and succour a man according to all his necessities ; but here is the excellencie of this dowry , that whatever it is the soule wants or stands in need of , the Lord hath it in himselfe , and will communicate it to the soule for his good ; Colos. 2.3 . this is that the Apostle implies , In whom , saith he , are all the treasures of wisdome and holinesse ; and marke the value and worth of the phrase ; hee doth not say , great su●mes of holinesse , and wisdome , and mercie , and the like , but the treasures , and not some treasures , but all : the richest men in the world , that have the greatest estates and treasures , one mans estate lieth in lands , another mans lieth in goods , another mans lieth in money , but no man hath all treasures , but in Christ are all the treasures of all mercy , and all compassion , of all grace and salvation , whatever is needfull for us , and may be beneficiall to those that beleeve in him , and rest upon him by a true and a lively faith ; and however the soule may thinke this treasure may be spent , and this fountaine of mercy , and compassion drawne dry , and can my sinnes be pardoned ? and my corruptions subdued ? Christ doth prevent this also ; we may spend what we will , there is still enough to spend upon ; Ephes. 3.8 . There are insearchable riches in Christ ; as who should say , Thou knowest no end , thou findest no bottome of the vilenesse of thy heart , that doth pollute thee and defile thee , why there is no end of the riches of Christ , no bottome of the Ocean sea of Gods mercy , that may comfort thee and releeve thee upon all occasions ; Iohn 3.34 . the text saith , Christ received the Spirit above measure , as if Christ would prevent the cavils of a poore creature , and pluck up a discouraged heart ; when the sinner thinks , my sinnes are out of measure sinfull , and my heart is out of measure hard ; why thinke and remember , that in Christ there is mercy out of measure mercifull , and grace out of measure powerfull , there thou shalt see bloudy Manasses , idolatrous Manasses , abominable Manasses , in the Lord Jesus he hath received the pardon of all his sinnes , and yet there is pardon enough for thee too : there thou shalt see Paul a persecutor , and the bloudy jaylor ; there is that power in the Lord Iesus , that crushed the pride of the heart of Paul , and that brake the heart of the bloudy jaylor , that stood it out a long time , the earth shooke , and the prison shooke , and the doores flew open , hee stood still all this while , at last the Lord made him shake and all , as well as the earth ; why , and yet there is power enough for thee too ; in Christ there is fulnesse without measure , take you may what you will , there is enough still for all ; Ephes. 1 last verse , the text saith , that Christ is the head of all his church , and the church is his body , and what followeth ? even The fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things , that is , he fils all his servants with all that grace , and mercie , and compassion they need , so that there is a fulnesse in the Lord Jesus , and there is enough to supply all the wants of a beleeving creature , and to releeve him in regard of all those necessities , that lye upon him ; that is the first .

Secondly , as there is enough in Christ to supply all the wants of his Saints , so in the second place Christ doth supply unto them whatever is fitting for them , there is enough for every Saint of God , and the Lord doth supply whatever is most fit for every man , whatever is most proportionable to the need of a poore soule , and to the place and condition wherein God hath set him ; this is the limits of Gods bounty , whatever may supply my need or fit my place , that God hath see me in and called me to , that God supplies and gives sufficient grace and mercie , ans●erable thereunto ; I will open the point at large , because it is somewhat difficult ; looke as it is with a wise father that hath a faire estate , and hath enough for his children , and those that depend upon him , and is willing also to bestow abundantly upon them according to their occasions ; this is the wisdome of a wise father , he will stock his childe according to the calling wherein he is ; so many hundreds will doe no more than serve one man in that place whereunto hee is called , whereas so many scores haply will serve another man ; if one man hath lesse , hee cannot trade ; if another man hath more , hee cannot use it , hee hath more stock than he can employ ; the merchant that ventures farre , hath great employments , many thousands will scarce furnish him : but a poore man , as a weaver , or a shoomaker , or the like , many thousands are more than hee can use in his trade : againe , the wise father considers , if the childe bee a spend-thrift and in debt , there is more required to set up him , than him that is but now going into the world , or haply aforehand : so Christ as a wise father deals with his faithfull servants , there are many of Gods faithfull servants , which are advanced , some to greater places in the Church , some in the commonwealth , some godly Magistrates , and religious Ministers ; now there is a great deale of wisdome required for a Magistrate that stands in the face of the world , and in the mouth of the canon , to accomplish great things for the glory of God , and the good of his Church ; so a Minister , a little grace which is sufficient to save a mans soule , is not enough for him to trade withall ; some againe are leaders and commanders , as masters of families ; some againe are able Christians , which are fit to bee helpfull unto others ; againe , some are cast behinde hand in a Christian course , who , before God opened their eyes , and discovered their sinnes , and brought them home , they lived a riotous course , those old arrerages of pride and loosnesse many yeares together , a man is wonderfull in debt in this manner ; now to bring home such a sinner , and to pardon such a sinner , and to sanctifie such a soule , there is a great deale of mercy required , and a great deale of grace required , there are many proud-hearted , and many stout-hearted , as Beelzebub himselfe , that take up armes against God himselfe , and stand in defiance against the Lord of hosts : now answerable to their conditions and corruptions , answerable to their debts and base courses , when God will bring such a creature home unto himselfe , hee hath answerably strange blowes for him ; as it is said of Nebuchadnezer , the Lord humbled him mightily ; so when the Lord comes to meet with an old loose adulterer , and an old base drunkard , and a sturdy persecutor as Paul was , an ordinary stroke will not doe the worke , therefore as he had a great deale of mercy for Paul , so hee had a great deale to doe before hee could humble Paul , hee flung him off his horse , as he was posting to Damascus , and might have broken his neck : againe , men sometimes are driven to great trials and straights , as when God cals men to great trials and sufferings ; now God doth apply to every man , according to his estate and condition ; he that God hath set as a commander in his Church , as a Minister to teach , and a Magistrate to rule , and a master of a family , Gods fits graces unto them , according to their estates , the Lord takes measure of a mans estate as it were , and suits him proportionably with all graces necessary for his condition : againe , they that are meaner and poorer , they shall have wisdome , and sanctification , and redemption , but answerable to their conditions ; that is observable , Ephes. 4.16 . Paul there calling our Saviour Christ the head of the Church , and his faithfull servants the members of this head , hee saith , By whom all the members being knit together , according to their effectuall working in their measure they receive increase ; as for example , in the body so much life and spirit , as belongs to the finger is in the finger , but there is more in the arme than in the finger , and more in the bulk of the body than in the arme , that which suits with such a part , it hath it , and that which suits with such a part , nature bestowes it , there is not so much in the finger , as in the hand , nor so much in the hand , as in the arme , nor so much in the arme , as in the body , because it is not sutable and proportionable ; nature will not doe it , God will not suffer it : so some Christians are armes in the body of the Church , some fingers , some legs ; some are strong Christians , that beare up a great weight in profession , stout , and strong , and resolute , and the like : now the Lord communicates all grace and mercy sutable for every mans place and condition ; thou that art a finger , shalt have so much grace as befits a finger ; and thou that art an hand , thou shalt have so much grace as shall save thee , and is fit for thy place ; but another is an arme , and hee shall have more , but all shall have that which is fitting ; therefore the text saith , Christ is made unto us wisdome , righteousnesse , sanctification , and redemption ; that looke as a man that makes a garment , hee takes measure of the man for whom he makes it , and fits every part according to the part of the body , the arme of the doublet is sutable to the arme of the body , and so Christ is made righteousnesse and sanctification to all poore beleeving creatures ; thou art an arme in the body of Christ , hee is made so much wisdome and sanctification to thee , as will serve thy turne ; thou hast had a great many sinnes , and hast beene a rioter and a roister before God opened thine eyes , and brought thee home to himselfe : why , there is great mercy in Christ sutable to thy sinnes , there is mercy in Christ to justifie thee , if thou hast never so few sinnes , and there is mercy enough in Christ to justifie the greatest sinner , if hee can but beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ ; and this is the second passage in this article of agreement , in the tenure of the conveyance of grace from Christ to the soule : the Lord hath enough for all , and he doth communicate what is fit and proportionable to every mans estate and condition .

The third thing is this , as the Lord doth communicate what is fit , so he doth preserve what hee doth bestow and communicate , and give to the beleeving soule ; hee doth not give grace to the beleeving soule , and there leave him , and let him manage his estate , but when hee hath wrought grace in the soule , he preserves it , and nourisheth his owne worke ; Psal. 16.5 . there the Prophet David saith , The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance , and he maintaineth my lot ; he doth not only give him his lot , but he maintaines his lot : it is a comparison taken from the children of Israel , when they came into the land of Canaan , it was divided to every tribe by lot ; now God did not onely bring them into the land , and give them their lot , but he maintained that lot , he defended them , and releeved them from the fury and rage of their adversaries , that went about to take away that which God had bestowed upon them ; now the Psalmist saith , The Lord is my portion , and hee maintaineth my lot ; every beleeving soule hath a lot and portion in Christ , so much grace , and holinesse , and so much assurance ; now the Lord doth not onely give this , but when you are weake and feeble , the Lord keeps your grace , and preserves your grace which hee hath bestowed upon you ; therefore Christ is said to be the preserver of his Church , Iude 1. To you that are called , and sanctified , preserved by Iesus Christ ; Christ is not only the giver of grace , but he is the preserver of his Church , and that is the meaning of that phrase , when our Saviour had implanted grace in the heart of Peter , he did not only plant it by his Spirit , but he watered it by his prayers , that it might not wither away , I have prayed , that thy faith faile not , hee did not only give him faith , that was not enough , but he watered his faith by his prayers , that it might not wither , and dye , and decay ; 1 Pet. 1.4 . hence it is said , that hee preserves us by the power of God through faith unto salvation ; and faith keeps the soule , and Christ keeps faith , faith is the hand that layes hold upon Christ , and Christ layes hold upon faith , and wee have a kingdome preserved for us , and he preserveth us for it , and this is the pith of that phrase , Psal. 1. the text saith , The righteous man is like the tree planted by the rivers side , that brings forth fruit in due season , whose leafe shall not fade ; he doth not say , his sap shall not wither , but his leafe shall not wither , not onely that gracious disposition of heart which is wrought shall never decay in the Saints of God , but a zealous profession shall never decay in conclusion ; how ever a tree be nipt with the cold and frost , yet in conclusion it will bud forth againe : so the sap of grace that Christ workes in us , and conveyeth to us , being planted by the fountaine of the Lord Jesus in the midst of persecution and fiery triall , they shall grow humble , and meeke , and holy in despight of what can befall them , for a Christian is not conquered when hee loseth his life , but when he loseth his grace ; as take a man that is led into captivitie , into Turkie , into Algeir , or the like , the aime of him that takes him , is not to take away his life , but to make him deny his colours and commander , and if hee can make him doe this , then he conquers him , but if hee dye under the hand of the tyrant , if he be more able to stand for his commander and countrie , than he is to drive him from it , if he can beare misery better than hee can inflict it , then hee is not conquered , but conquers ; so it is here , a Saint of God is never mastered , before his patience bee mastered , and his holinesse crushed ; but when a man is more able to beare misery , than the enemy to lay misery upon him , if his patience hold , and his courage hold , and his uprightnesse hold , he is not conquered in this case , but he is a conquerer : therefore the place is excellent , Esay 58.8 . see how the Lord preserves his people , hee is said to be the whole army of his servants , ( however there bee many storms , yet the rivers of water make glad the people of God ) the text saith , Thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee , and the glory of the Lord shall bee thy rearward ; ( when a man doth walke uprightly and sincerly , wee must presume , that a man is in a combat , for why doth hee speake of the rearward else ) there are two parts in a battell ; first , the vant-gard , which is the former part of the battell ; Secondly , the rear - ward , which is the hinder part of the battell ; now Christ is both these , you shall have enemies before you in the vant-gard , and you shall have enemies behinde you to smite you in the rear-ward , now righteousnesse shall goe before thee , that is the vant-gard ; and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rear-ward , that is , God is all about his servants , the vant-gard before them to succour them , and the rear-ward behinde them to releeve them ; so that he doth not onely give grace , but he maintaines and preserves that grace he gives to the soules of his servants .

The fourth part of the tenure and conveyance of grace to the faithfull soule is this ( and I speake but only in the generall ) the Lord doth not onely preserve what grace hee gives , but hee quickens that grace he maintains , he drawes forth that ability hee bestowes , hee puts life unto that strength and succour which hee vouchsafeth to worke in the hearts of his children ; hence all those places are marvellous pregnant , God giveth the will and the deed , so that it is not onely the having , but the doing , that wee have need of from God ; and Paul professeth , that hee hath not onely grace from Christ , but he lives not , but Christ liveth in him , if Christ did all in him , and this is that wee shall observe , Luke 1.74 . That hee would grant us , saith the text , that being redeemed from the hand of our enemies , we might serve him without feare ; take notice of two things here , First , that the Saints of God are redeemed and justified by Christ , and now one would thinke a man that is justified , and hath Christ , ●ght trade for himselfe , no , but that he would grant us , that being redeemed from the hand of our enemies , wee might serve him without feare , it is one grant to be redeemed , and it is a new grant to serve him without feare ; as it is a mercie for God to bestow ability before wee have it , so it is a mercy to quicken that abilitie which hee vouchsafes , that wee may honour him by it , and he may honour himselfe by us ; therefore it is a most pregnant place , Colos. 1. last verse , when Paul was there labouring what hee could , yet as though hee had nothing , as though hee did nothing , he gives all to God ; for marke the manner of the sense of the words , Whereunto , saith he , I also labour and strive ; ( the word in the originall signifies , I sweat at it , and take great paines ) according to his working , which worketh in me mightily ; Paul laboured and strived ; but how comes this about ? his striving is by the working of Christ , and by his working he works ; as who should say , It is grace I have any grace , it is hee assisting , it is he co-operating , it is he accompanying , ( I know not what to say ) it is his worke works , and hee works mightily in them that worke and strive to advance the glory of God : so then we have those foure particulars , that in reason almost might satisfie any man ; what you want , Christ hath ; what is fit , Christ will bestow ; if you cannot keepe it , hee will preserve it for you ; if you bee sluggish , hee will quicken it in you ; what would you have more ? one would thinke this were enough , but that nothing might be wanting , take a passage or two more .

Fiftly , therefore as he quickens what hee maintains , so hee perfects what hee quickens , hee doth not only inable us to doe what we should , but he makes us make worke of it , and he brings to perfection what he bestowes , Heb. 12.23 . there the text speaks of the spirits of just and perfect men , hee begins the worke , and never leaves , till hee makes the worke perfect ; it is Christ that puts a mans weapons into his hands , it is Christ that teacheth him to fight with those weapons , and it is Christ that gives him the victory in that fight ; 1 Corin. 15.55 . O death where is thy sting ? O grave where is thy victorie ? the sting of death is sinne , and the strength of sinne is the law , but blessed be God , that hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ ; the weapons are Christs , and the fight is Christs , and the victory is Christs ; he will not onely bring you into the field , and put weapons into your hands , but give you the victory and all : you Saints of God that sinke under the fiercenesse of temptations without , and corruptions within , hee will give you grace , hee will give you weapons , and you shall triumph over all your enemies ; therefore Ephes. 4.13 . it is said , Hee will bring his body to a perfect stature ; all the Saints of God are compared to members , now looke as it is in the body , every member doth increase , according to its measure , till it come to its full bignesse ; so it is in the body of Christ , all the members thereof shall increase , till they come to be perfect : hath God given thee a heart to looke towards Zion ? and hast thou any intimation of his love ? then though the word and meanes may faile , he will provide help and meanes , he will never leave thee , till thou art a perfect man and woman , till thou hast attained to bee a perfect member in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ : there is no withered bow in this stock of the Lord Jesus Christ , but as he gives grace , so he will bring it to perfection in its measure , God will never leave thee till hee hath brought thee to that perfection he hath appointed : now a man would think here were enough , but yet a little further , and then I am as farre as I can goe , my thoughts can reach no higher .

Sixtly , then when the Lord hath perfected that grace hee hath bestowed upon us , then when a man comes to the end of his dayes , he crowns all the grace he hath perfected ; it were enough , and a childes portion to give us grace , and vouchsafe us mercy , but when wee come in heaven , when he hath given us weapons , and taught us to fight , and made us conquerors , then he will crowne us , and is not this enough ? but so it is , 2 Tim. 4.6 . I have fought a good fight , I have finished my course , from henceforth is laid up for me a crowne of glory , and not for me only , but for all those that love the appearing of his comming ; he makes us worke , and he rewards us for what hee hath wrought in us ; he inables us to doe the service , and hee payes us our wages : in the second commandement , the text saith , I will shew mercie to thousands of generations , in them that love me ; one would thinke now , that they which loved God deserved mercy , no , I will shew mercy , what you doe , it is all from Gods mercy , if you love God , it is mercy , and if God crowne that mercy , it is love also ; so Paul saith , The Lord shew mercy to Onesiphorus , for hee releeved mee ; one would thinke that this would have merited everlasting life ; no , the Lord shew mercy , hee hath refreshed mee in my trouble , and done service of love to mee , and glory to God , now the Lord shew mercy to him ; so that the Lord gives us grace , and hee crowns that grace hee gives , hee makes us worke , and hee rewards the worke , hee gives us the victory , and he makes us triumph , and be more than conquerors ; thus then we have the tenure of this conveyance : and now I may read your feofment to you , you poore Saints of God , you live beggarly and basely here , yet this is the best match that ever you made in the world , you are made for ever , if you have a Saviour , it is that which will maintaine you , not onely Christianly , but triumphantly ; you shall have enough here , & too much hereafter , if too much can be conceived or received ; what you want Christ hath , you need not goe a begging to other mens doores ; Secondly , you need not thinke he is churlish and unkinde , but whatsoever you need , and is fit for you , he will give you , but you must not be malepart and sawcy with the Lord Jesus , and say , Why have not I this as well as others ? no , you shall have what is fitting ; Thirdly , he will maintaine what he gives ; and fourthly , he will quicken what hee maintains ; and fiftly , hee will perfect what hee quickens ; and lastly , he will crowne that he perfects , hee will give you an immortall crowne of glory . We have read now the feofment of a faithfull soule , and you see what you shall have from the hand of the Lord Jesus , wee should now come to the reasons of the point , but that time will prevent us , and wee have had the pith of the point already , in opening the tenure of the conveyance of grace to the beleeving soule , we will therefore passe on to the use of the point .

Vse . 1 Is it thus then ? to us , saith the text , to us ; who are those ? I pray , inquire of it ; looke into the 26. verse , You know your calling , that is , those that are called , those that beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ ; to us , those are the people mentioned , those are the persons intended ; therefore in the first place it is a matter of lamentation and complaint , which wee shall in a word intimate , to those to whom it belongs , if all this good be appointed for all the servants of God , and only the servants of God , for the called , and none but the called , then it is a thunderbolt , able to breake the heart , and sinke the soule of every unbeleeving creature under heaven , and make him shake at the misery of his condition , and the evill that shall betide him : you that are in the gall of bitternesse , and in the bond of iniquitie , that have stood it out with Christ , and he could never prevaile with you , but you would take up your owne courses , and hee hath come , and called , and knocked , will that proud heart never come ? will that drunken wretch never bee reformed ? you that are such , whatever you be , I say , know this , and know it to your sorrow , and trouble , and vexation of spirit , you are shut out from sharing in , you are cut off from partaking of the riches of the grace , and the plentifull redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ to this day , you that are unbeleevers , I say , to this day you are in darknesse , your mindes were never inlightned , to this day the guilt and curse of sinne lyes upon your consciences , and the pollution of sinne lyes upon your soules and defiles them , to this day condemnation hangeth over your heads , Iohn 3.18 . He that beleeves not , is condemned already , and he shall never see light , but the wrath of God abideth on him ; I beseech you observe it , this is that which one would thinke , should cut a mans conscience , and be a corasive to his soule , whatsoever he doth , wheresoever he is , we thinke this should crush all his delight , he that beleeves not , shall never see light ; hee may see his gold and the profits of the world , and hee may see his friends , and the comforts of this life , and then hee hath his portion ; all you drunken unbeleeving wretches , all you stubborne , prophane , malicious creatures , you have your portion , much good doe you with your sops , you have your part , but there is no medling for you with the consolation and redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ : the text saith , He is made to us ; you poore Saints of God , doe not suffer them to scramble , and take the meat off the table , he was made to us , take you your portion , and God refresh your hearts therewith , but you that are unbeleevers , have no part nor portion at all in this rich revenues and precious dowrie that God vouchsafeth to his Saints ; I know what they will bee ready to say , but they couzen themselves ; we are haply naught , and our courses are vile , but yet I hope there is mercie , and sanctification , and redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ : aye , it is true , there is enough , there is rich mercie , that is more , and there is plentifull redemption , I tell you that too ; but this is thy miserie , thou poore creature , thou hast no part nor share therein , when a man that is hungrie shall see all dainties prepared , when a man that is almost starved , shall see abundance of provision , wardrobs of clothes to cover him , and abundance of meat to refresh him , and yet one starves , and the other famisheth ; this is the greatest miserie of all , to see meat and not to eat it , to see clothes and not to put them on ; now the Lord open your eyes , and prevaile with your hearts , there are many unbeleevers , there are a world of unbeleevers , but now take notice of it , this will be thy miserie , because thou shalt see whole treasures of mercie counted out before , mercie for Manasses , and mercie for Paul , and mercie for the bloudy jaylour , and mercie for such a rebellious sinner , that humbled himselfe before God , and no mercie for thee , there is plentifull , rich , abundant redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ , but thou shalt never partake thereof ; when thou shalt see Abraham , and Isaak , and Iakob , and a companie of poore creatures goe into heaven at the day of the resurrection , when thou shalt see a companie of poore creatures goe up to Christ , and receive mercie , and great redemption , and thou shalt goe without , this will bee gall and worm-wood to thy soule , and strike thy soule into everlasting despaire , therefore the Lord open thine eyes , that thou maist come in , and receive mercie at his Majesties hand : now you have your share , now stand by , and let us set the bread before the children , that they may take their part also , and be chea●ed and comforted : then you that are beleevers in the Lord , you that are called attend to your share , and sit downe and eat , and bee refreshed , O my well-beloved receive what comes , and be happie in receiving it .

Vse . 2 The second use therefore is a ground of comfort , and that is the proper inference and collection from the former doctrine ; is it so , that the Lord Jesus Christ conveyeth all grace to all beleevers , to all his poore servants from day to day ? then you that have a share therein , and have interest to all the riches of Gods goodnesse , let this be a cordiall to cheare your drooping hearts , and stay your soules , notwithstanding temptations , notwithstanding persecution , notwithstanding opposition , notwithstanding any thing that may befall you for the present , or any thing you may feare for the future time , cheare up your drooping spirits in the consideration hereof , and be for ever comforted , for ever contented , for ever refreshed ; you have a faire portion , what would you have ? what can you desire ? what would quiet you ? what will content you ? would the wisedome of a Christ satisfie you ? would the sanctification of a Christ please you ? would the redemption of a Christ cheare you ? you complaine your hearts are hard , and your sinnes great , and your selves miserable , and many are the troubles that lie upon you : will the redemption of a Christ now satisfie you ? if this will doe it , it is all yours ; his wisedome is yours , his righteousnesse is yours , his sanctification is yours , his redemption is yours , all that he hath is yours , and I thinke this is sufficient , if you know when you are well : therefore goe away cheared , goe away comforted , Christ is yours , therefore be fully contented . I would not have the Children of God drooping and dismaid , because haply of the policy of the world , their parts are great , and they reach deepe , and in the meane time your parts are small , and your ignorance great , and your memories feeble : 1 Pet. 11. Be not thou troubled , be not thou discontented , because of that which they have thou wantest : for know , thy portion is better than theirs ; the wisedome of Christ , is better than all the policy of the world ; the sanctification of a Christ , is better than all the reformation , and all the trickes of all cunning Hypocrites under Heaven ; the redemption of a Christ , is better than all the hope and safetie the world can afford : this is thy part and portion , therefore be thou satisfied therewith : the wisdome , saith Iames , that is malicious and envious , and the like , it is earthly , carnall , sensuall , and devillish ; but the wisedome that is from above , it is first pure , then meeke , then abundant in good workes : one drop of this wisdome of a Christ , is better than all the wisdome in the world : art thou a poore creature , and knowest Christ to bee thy Saviour , and hast an intimation of the love of God to be thy Father , and the Spirit thy Comforter ? thy knowledge is more worth , than all the knowledge of all the great Cardinals , and mightie Popes , and learned Clearks , upon the face of the earth ; a dram of gold is better than a cart-load of earth , it is little , but it is precious ; so it is here , a dram of spirituall wisdome , it is golden wisdome , it is heavenly wisdome , it is able to make thee wise unto salvation ; a dram of that wisdome , though it be little , is worth a thousand cart-loads of that dung-hill , carnall wisdome , that all the machivilian Politicians in the world can have or improve ; therefore quiet thy selfe , and content thy soule , that it is sufficient , that what thou wantest , Christ will supply unto thee , dost thou want wisdome ? Christ will be thy wisdome ; dost thou want memory ? Christ will be thy remembrance ; hast thou a dead heart ? Christ will inlarge thee ; whatever is awanting on thy part , there is nothing awanting on Christs part , but he will do whatsoever is fitting for thee ; therefore let nothing hinder thee from that comfort that may beare up thy heart in the greatest triall : but I know what troubles you ; the poore soule will say , Is Christ wisdome to me ? that is a like matter , did I but thinke that , were my judgement convinced , and my heart perswaded of that , I were satisfied ; What I ? what such a base creature as I am ? let not that basenesse that hangs upon thee , nor the meanes of thy condition that troubles thee , discourage thy heart , for that cannot withdraw Gods favour from thee , nor abridge thee of that favour and mercie , that is tendered unto thee in the Lord Jesus Christ , all the basenesse of the place wherein thou art , and the meanes of thy condition cannot hinder thee of this favour ; looke upon the text , to whom is this promise made ? to whom doth the Apostle speake ? He is made to us ; to us base ones , to us foolish ones ; thou art ignorant and foolish , bee it so ; thou art base and weake , grant that ; despised in the world and made nothing of , confesse that , and all : nay , thou art not in thine owne account , nor in the account of the world , there is no regard had of thee , no value put upon thee in this nature ; why ? marke what the text saith , God hath chosen the foolish things , the weake things , the base things , the despised things , nay , the things that are not ; to whom is Christ made wisdome ? to you fooles ; to whom is Christ made strength ? to you weak ones ; to whom is Christ made honour ? to you base ; to whom is Christ made sanctification and redemption ? to you that are not in the world : thou hast nothing , thou canst doe nothing , it skils not , God the Father hath appointed it unto thee , and Christ hath brought it ; therefore be cheared herein , though thou beest a foole , Christ is able to informe thee ; though thou beest base , and weak , and miserable , Christ is able to succour and releeve thee , and sanctifie that soule of thine , therefore bee fully contented , and fully setled with strong consolation for ever : but you will confesse , it is not my basenesse that hinders mee , but my corruptions that oppose the worke of grace in my soule , and that will be my bane , I know that God is able to doe what is needfull , and Christ is willing to doe what he is able , to those that beleeve in him , and rest upon him , but this proud heart opposeth the worke of his grace , and the operation of his Spirit , my minde is so blinde , that nothing in the world takes place , my heart is still polluted , and my distempers still hang upon mee , nay , sometimes my soule is wearie of the good word of the Lord , that would pluck them from me , insomuch that I could almost bee content to pluck out my heart , and will the Lord shew mercie to mee , that oppose mercie ? and will the Lord make mee partaker of his redemption , that resists the worke of his redemption ? I answer , God hath appointed Christ for this purpose , and Christ hath undertooke this worke ; therefore if God hath appointed it , and Christ will worke it , who can hinder it ? thy ignorance cannot hinder the Lord Jesus Christ ; if hee will teach thee , hee will inlighten thy blinde minde , and convince that stubborne heart of thine ; nay , all the corruptions under heaven cannot oppose this worke of God ; hee hath appointed it , and hee hath power to pull downe a stout stomack , and bee hath power to sanctifie a polluted heart ; corruptions are many and temptations fierce but if he will redeeme , who can destroy ? if he sanctifie , who can pollute ? if he justifie , who can condemne ? this is the worke of a Saviour , if Christ will doe it , none can hinder it ; if God hath appointed it , nothing can let it ; but it is the worke of a Christ , and God hath appointed it , therefore cheare up thy heart in the consideration hereof : you that are the Saints of God , cast off all those cavils and pretences against the power of Christ and his grace , and goe out of your selves , and see the privileges that God vouchsafes unto you , and reason thus with your selves ; It is true , Lord , my heart is naught , and I have no power , my minde is blinde , and I have no wisdome , but I know that Christ is made wisdome to mee , and thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ to be made wisdome and sanctification to the soule of thy servant : though sin pollute me , yet Christ can sanctifie mee ; though the guilt be great , yet the pardon of a Christ is greater than the guilt , and where sinne abounds , grace abounds much more : therefore lift up your selves , and cheare up your hearts , and goe away comfortably , what is awanting God will give , what hee gives he will maintaine , what hee maintaines hee will quicken , what hee quickens hee will perfect , and he will crowne you , and your grace , and all in the kingdome of heaven for ever ; what would you have in this kinde ? nay , let mee speak one thing more , Hee is the redeemer of his servants , what is that ? why , the Scripture saith , the last enemy of all is death , and that is the aime of all the wicked , that is the worst they can doe ; now in Saint Matthew Christ saith , Thou art Peter , and upon this rock will I build my Church , and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it ; the gates of hell , what s that ? it was the fashion among the Jewes , as our sessions and assises are kept in the market place , so their place of meeting was at the gates , so that when he saith , The gates of hell shall not prevaile against it ; his meaning is this , when Beelzebub , and all the Devils in hell shall joyne together to destroy the Church , all the policie of all the Devils in hell shall not prevaile , the worst they can doe , is to bring them unto death , but Christ will bee redemption unto them ; art thou in captivity ? he will free thee ; art thou in persecution ? he will deliver thee● nay , when thy body shall lye downe in the grave ( though the Heathen said , when they had burnt the bodies of Gods Saints , and throwne them into the water , Let us now see how they will rise againe ; they were deceived ) thou must be contented , for Christ will redeem that dust , and say to the earth , Give up , and to the sea , Give up thy dead , deliver up the bodies of my servants , let their sinews and bones come together , and body and soule shall come together , and enjoy happinesse in heaven together for evermore : if then neither the guilt of sinne can condemne us , nor the filth of sinne pollute us , if neither misery nor persecution can hurt us , then goe away , not only comfortably , but triumphantly into persecution and prison , into holes and caves , and dens of the earth ; Christ will bee all in all unto you in grace here , and in glorie hereafter , therefore let this comfort you .

Vse . 3 In the third place , it is the use the holy Ghost here makes , Is it so that there is a conveyance of all grace from Christ to the beleever ? hee doth what he doth by him , and hath what he hath from him ? then it is a word of instruction to teach us all to lye downe in the dust ; let no man glorie in man , but let him that glories glorie in the Lord , this is the maine collection the Apostle inferres , God hath chosen the foolish and base things of the world , that no man might glorie in flesh ; as who should say , it is not my parts , but Christ ; it is not my abilities , but mercie ; it is not what I can doe , but what Christ will performe : therefore if Christ then bee Author of all wee have or can doe , let him receive all the honour and praise of all we have or doe ; doth the Lord worke all our workes in us and for us ? then let him receive the tribute due to his Name , and take nothing to your selves : away with that proud heart that bars God of his honor and praise , and of the due which indeed belongs unto him , and ought to be performed by all his servants : dost thou thinke the Lord will bestow all his favour upon thee , and worke all for thee , and thou in the meane time pranke up thy selfe , and lift up thy crest ? no , I charge you , you Saints of God , as to know your owne privileges to be thankfull for them , so to know your owne unworthinesse , and to lie downe in the dust , and be abased for ever , and to give God the honour due unto his Name : Revel. 4.8 . The foure and twentie Elders fell downe , and laid downe their crownes at the Lambes feet , and said , Thou onely art worthy to receive all honour , and glory , and praise ; If wee had a thousand crownes , never so much honour , and riches , and credit , and abilities , fling away all at the foot of Christ , let him have all the praise , thou art worthy Lord , we are unworthy thy assistance , wee have received thy comfort thou hast continued , and thou art worthy of all the honour , in that thou hast beene pleased to worke any worke in us , and by us , to the praise of thy Name . The Apostle was marvellous tender to meddle with any thing belonging to the Lord ; as Ioseph said to his mistresse in another case , when shee tempted him to folly ; My master hath given me all he hath in his house , save thee his wife ; how then shall I commit this wickednesse ? This was that which wrought upon the heart of Ioseph , and prevailed with the spirit of Ioseph , being his master was marvellous kinde , all that hee had in his house was his , save onely his wife , and that was requisite and reasonable● so it is with the soule of a Christian , all is yours ; you shall have wisedome , and righteousnesse , and sanctification , and redemption , but let God have the glory of it , that onely he reserves for himselfe : My glory I will not give to another ; my grace and mercy I will give to another , but my glory I will not give to another ; why , give it him then , and say , Not unto us Lord , not unto us , but to thy Name be the praise : When your hearts begin to thinke of some credit , and aime at some base ends , ( as it was with Herod when the people cried out , The voyce of God , and not of man , hee tooke it to himselfe , whereas he should have rebounded it to God ) hath God vouchsafed mercifully , and graciously to humble your soules , and make you seeke him ? hath hee given you any abilitie of prayer and conference ? remember when your soules begin to take any honour and credit to themselves , away with it , doe not take it ; Not to us Lord , not to us , but to thy Name be the glory : thou workest all , thou preservest all , thou art the Author of all , therefore thou shalt have the praise of all ; beat it backe againe , and rebound it to the Lord , from whence all help and assistance came ; therefore Saint Paul was marvellous shie and tender in this kinde , Hath the Lord given mee all but his glorie ? nay , I have Christ , and grace , and heaven , and happinesse , all but his glorie ; will nothing but that content me ? what haughtie high minded Devils are wee ? will nothing serve us but the crowne on Gods owne head ? if you can seeke God , and have abilitie to performe dutie , you must justle God out of his throne , and set his crowne upon your head ; what monstrous pride is this ? deale wisely therefore as Ioseph did , and as Saint Paul did , Gal. 6.14 . Now God forbid , what s that ? that I should glorie in any thing , save in the crosse of Christ , whereby the world is crucified unto me , and I to the world ; let not the wise man glory in his wisedome , let not the strong man glory in his strength , let not the Minister glory in his preaching , nor the people in their hearing , God forbid wee should glory in any thing but in Christ ; as who should say , the Lord keep us from it , and preserve us from it , Christ onely reserves the Crowne to himselfe , hee will doe any thing for us , worke any thing in us , and by us , and this is all the glory a Christian hath , that Christ will use him , and doe any service by him ; all the glory of the Lanthorne , is the candle : so let us glory in nothing but Christ , and walke so humbly , that a man may see nothing but Christ ; let your actions manifest it , and let your speeches declare it , and hold out Christ and mercy ; grace hath done this , and mercy hath done this ; that men may see not us , but Christ in us , and glorifie him for that which is done by us : It was a marvellous sweet disposition of spirit , which the holy man David had , when the Lord had inlarged him , and the people to give liberally toward the Temple , 1 Chron. 29.14 . it is a fine passage , he lifts up God , and lieth downe himselfe ; as when a man lifts another over a wall , hee that is lifted up is seene , but hee that lifts him doth not appeare : So David lies downe upon his honours , and kingdomes , and parts , and abilities , he appeared not , but the Lord appeared : marke what the Text saith , Thine is honour , and power , and praise for ever : when the Lord inlarged his heart , and the hearts of his people , to come freely , and give liberally , he gives God the praise ; But who am I , Lord , and what is this people , that thou shouldst give us hearts to offer so freely ? as who should say , thou art a blessed God , and I a poore worme ; thou art a glorious God , and wee are base creatures ; all is thine , and all is from thee ; as who should say , the gift is thine , and the action thine , the ability thine , and the worke thine , and what are we that thou shouldst worke by us , and honour thy selfe in us , and give us hearts to doe thee service ?

The heart is thine , and the worke is thine , and all is thine ; when therefore thy heart findes any succour from God , any assistance in the performance of duty , if it begins to lift up it selfe and say , aye this is somewhat , then checke thy soule with that of the Apostle , what hast thou , which thou hast not received ? what , bragge of a borrowed suit ? who did this ? let him that did it receive all the praise : dost thou doe any thing ? Christ inables thee ; dost thou increase in any holy service ? Christ inlargeth thee : thou hast all from free mercy , thou hast nothing , but that thou hast received : therefore I conclude with that of the Prophet Zacharie 4 8 , 9. speaking there of the building of the Temple , the Text saith , the same hand of Zorobabel that laid the first stone , shall lay the last stone : hee laid the first stone and began it , and hee laid the last stone and perfected it , and all the people cried grace ; not Zorobabel , but grace : so it ought to bee with us , as it was in the materiall Temple ; so in the Spirituall Temple , as in the outward : so in the inward building of the soule , from the beginning of humiliation , to the end of salvation ; from the beginning of conversion , to the end of glorification ; from the lowest stone of the one , to the top stone of the other : the same hand that layeth the first stone , layeth the last stone , it is all from Christ ; therefore when Christ gives what is wanting , and maintaines what hee gives , and quickens what hee maintaines , and perfects what hee quickens , let all say , Not I , not man , not meanes , but Christ hath done all this ; hee that is the Author of all , let him have the praise of all : in Christ , from Christ , through Christ , and by Christ , is the phrase of the Apostle : Romans 11.30 . To him bee praise for evermore : in Christ , hee is the fountaine ; from Christ , hee is the Author ; through Christ , hee is the meanes , and by Christ , hee is the assister ; it is all from Christ : therefore let us give all to him , that wee may bee no more in our selves , but that hee may bee all in all in us , and doe all by us , that he may doe all in all unto us , when wee shall bee no more .

1 COR. 1.30 .

Who of God is made unto us wisedome , and righteousnesse , and sanctification , and redemption .

Doctrine . THere is a conveyance of all spirituall graces from God unto all beleevers : for the explication of the point , wee discovered the tenure of this conveyance , and that appeared in six particulars .

The first is this , there is a fulnesse of all grace in Christ , whereby hee is able to supply whatsoever is needfull to all those that belong unto him ; it is not with Christ as it was with Isaac ; when he had blessed Iacob , Esau came and said , hast thou but one blessing my father , blesse mee , even mee also my father : no , there is enough in Christ for all beleevers : that mercy which pardoned Manasses , stubborne Manasses , idolatrous Manasses , that mercy is still with Christ ; that mercy that broke the heart of the bloody Jailor , that stood it out to the last ; the earth shooke , and the boults brake in sunder , and the prison doores flew open , and yet the heart of the bloody Jaylour stood still , was not moved one jot ; at last the Lord made him tremble too , and his heart shooke as well as the earth shooke ; why the same mercy is still in Christ to pardon thy sinnes , as well as Manasses sinnes , the same Spirit can humble thy soule , as well as it did breake the heart of the cruell Jaylour .

Secondly , as there is a fulnesse of all grace and mercy in Christ to fulfill all the wants of his poore Saints , so Christ doth supply unto them whatsoever he seeth may be most fit and convenient for them , whatsoever is most proportionable for a poore soule , and for the place which God hath called him , for the condition in which he hath set him to carry him through the discharge thereof , shall bee bestowed upon him : looke as it is in the body of a man , every member hath so much spirits and blood in it , as is fit and necessary for it , but the finger hath not so much as the arme , nor the arme so much as the leg ; just so it is here in the body of Christ ; some Christians are legs , some are hands , some againe are but fingers , in the Body of Christ : the Ministers of God , and the Magistrates they have need of a great deale of grace , abundance of mercy , abundance of sufficiencie to helpe them in the discharge of their great and weighty duty , but every one shall have what is fit for him .

Thirdly , as Christ hath grace enough for all , bestowes enough upon all , so hee maintaines the grace which he doth bestow , hee doth not onely give what we want , but maintains what he gives .

Fourthly , he quickneth what he maintaines .

Fifthly , he perfects what he quickneth .

Lastly , he crownes the grace that he hath perfected , he doth the worke in us , and then rewards us for the worke .

Vse 1 The first use is an use of mourning and lamentation , it may pierce the hearts and sinke the soules of all unbeleeving creatures under Heaven ; Christ is wisedome , but not to thee ; Christ is justification , but not to thee ; Christ is sanctification and redemption also , but not to thee ; thy horrour of heart , and thy guilt of sinne and pollution of conscience , remaine still upon thy soule to this very day ; therefore no comfort to thee .

Vse 2 Secondly , it is a ground of comfort and consolation to all the Saints of God , though you are weake and feeble , and have no wisedome to direct you , no memory , no parts , no sufficiency , why Christ is made wisedome to you fooles , Christ is made righteousnesse to you unrighteous : you know your calling ; not many wise , not many noble , but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise thereof .

Vse 3 The third use is a ground of humiliation of Spirit : Let him that glorieth , glory in the Lord ; I laboured , saith Saint Paul , not I , it was through the might of Iesus Christ that strengthened me , through the grace of Christ that enabled me to it .

Vse 4 The last use is an use of exhortation or direction , namely we hence see whither the Saints of God should goe to fetch succour and supply of what ever grace they want , and perfection and increase of what they have already , Christ is made all in all to his servants ; why then away to the Lord Jesus , if you will have any thing ; hee cals and invites , Revelation 3. I counsell thee to buy of mee eye salve , if thou bee an accursed man , buy of Christ justification ; if thou bee a polluted creature , buy of Christ sanctification : I counsell thee to buy of me eye salve : there it is onely to bee had in that shop , therefore goe thither for it . It was the resolution of the Prophet David , Psalme 31. With thee is the well-spring of life , and in thy light shall wee onely see light : it is not here to bee had in your hearts , nor in your heads , nor in your performances , nor in the means themselves , but with thee is the Well of life : yea , 't is there , 't is not here in our selves , 't is onely in a Christ to bee found , onely from a Christ to bee fetched and received ; improve all meanes , wee should doe so ; use all helps , we ought to doe so ; but seeke to a Christ in the use of all , with him is the Well of life ; but you will say , if Christ bee made unto us wisedome , and righteousnesse , and sanctification , and redemption , why have not the Saints of God that grace they stand in need of , and those inlargements , in prayer , and holy services , which they crave and desire ? they seeke and have not , they pray and obtaine not ; why the truth is , wee doe not goe to Christ for it , wee seeke for the living among the dead , wee never came where it grew , where it was made , your hand is in a wrong box , you are come to a wrong place , grace was never made here . If a man should come out of France , to buy silkes or velvets here in England , every man would tel him you are come to a wrong place for these commodities , they are not made here ; if you would have broad cloth , and saies , here you may have ; but as for silkes and velvets , they are not made here : so you would have grace out of the means of grace , why grace never grew there . The Sacrament saith , grace is not in mee ; Prayer saith , grace is not in me ; hearing saith , grace is not in me : we indeed convey grace , but it is not originally in us ; Christ is the fountaine of grace , Christ is made unto us righteousnesse , Christ is made unto us sanctification and redemption , these tell you wee have heard of the notice of grace , we have heard such a rumour , such a report , that there is wisedome , and there is grace , and there is mercy , and sanctification , and redemption ; but the truth of it is , it is not in us , it is in Christ onely to be had , hee is indeed made unto you righteousnesse , and sanctification ; goe then to him for it , and there you may receive it , this is the reason why that after the use of all meanes , after the improvement of all helps and opportunities , our mindes are still blinde , our hearts still stupid , and the means prevaile not with us , worke not upon us for our good ; we come to the Word , and returne as bad as ever , proud before , and proud still ; covetous before , and we are as covetous still , polluted and dead hearted before , wee remaine so still , and continue so still : why alas , grace originally was never made here , away to Christ , hee is the shop from whence all grace is to bee had , wisedome , and righteousnesse , and all is in him , there you must have it : but you will say , will Christ be made wisedome to me that am so ignorant , to me that am so base ? will Christ bee made sanctification to mee that am so vile and so filthy ? to mee that am so defiled and polluted ? why , let this incourage you , hee is wisedome to such as are polluted , hee hath chosen the base things of the world , and the things that are not ; hee came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance ; hee came not to call the wise , but the foolish to inlighten them ; all that thou hast to doe , is to take it , wisedome is made for thee , and sanctification is made for thee , and redemption is made for thee ; if thou wilt but receive it , it is thine owne , it was made and sit of purpose for thee : Looke as it is with a father , hee sends his childe to the taylors shop , tels him the cloth is bought , the money paid , the suit made for him , onely bids him goe fetch it , and put it on : this is our folly , and it is our misery also , wee either thinke to purchase or to coine grace out of our owne abilities ; I tell you no , you must goe to the shop , it is bought and made already , onely put on wisedome , and put on sanctification , and it is yours .

Ah , but you will say , what is the reason if Christ have so much grace , that his servants have so little , if this bee so , why is it thus ? As shee spake in another case , If the Lord be made wisedome to the soules of his servants , if the Lord Iesus bee made sanctification to the soule of a poore sinner ; why are wee then such fooles notwithstanding all the wisedome of Christ : why are wee such polluted wretches after all the meanes of sanctification vouchsafed to us : If Christ bee so rich , then what is the reason we goe so tattered , and are such beggerly bancrouts in our Christian course ; such beggerly prayers , such beggerly duties , such beggerly performances .

I answer , it is not because Christ will not vouchsafe abundance of grace to us , hee offers it freely : Oh , every man that will , let him come and take freely of the water of the Well of life ; not a spoonefull , but a whole bucket full , and that freely too , nay God hath bound himselfe by an immutable oath , Heb. 6. that we might have strong consolation ; nay the Lord commands , in joynes his servants , to abound yet more in wisedome , yet more and more in patience , yet more and more in holynesse .

Secondly , againe I say , the fault is not in Christ , where is the fault then ?

I answer , it is in thine owne selfe-wild pride , and sturdinesse of heart , and haughtinesse of spirit ; you thinke you are never well , but when you are complaining of your sinnes , and quarrelling with your owne soules , your mindes are blinde , and your hearts are hard , and dead , and untoward , and therefore you fling away the promise , and cast Gods kindnesse into his face againe . I tell you it is horrible pride , because wee cannot have what wee would in our owne power , wee will not goe to Christ for a supply of what wee want ; you complaine you want such grace , and you are pestered with such corruptions , why thanke your proud venomous heart for it ; if you have it not , if you want it still , the fault is your owne , you will not repaire thither , whereunto you may have succour and receive supply upon all occasions ; Christ would give it , but you will not bestow the fetching of it ; no matter therefore if you never obtaine it .

But you will say what course shall we take , what means shall we use to get these things at Christs hands ?

First , eye the promise dayly , and keepe it within view , within the ken of the soule ( as we use to call it ) be sure the promise of grace never goe out of sight of the soule . Looke as it is with a childe that travels to a Faire with his father , or goeth into a crowd , his eye is alwayes upon his father : he bids him doe not gaze about and lose mee , the childe is carefull to keepe his father within sight and view , and then if hee bee weake and weary , his father can take him by the hand , and lead him , or take him into his armes and carry him ; or if there be any thing hee wants , or would have , his father can buy it for him , bestow it upon him ; but if the childe bee carelesse and gazeth about this thing and that thing , and never lookes after his father ; hee is gone one way , and his father another , he cannot tell where to finde him : whose fault is it now ? it is not because his father would not be within his sight , or because hee could not keepe within the view of him , but because hee out of carelesnesse lost the sight of his father : therefore hee sure alwayes to eye the promise ; you know , as long as the game is within sight , the hounds run amaine ; so I would have the soule make a prey of the promise : for so the phrase is in the originall , that wee should seeke the Lord , and hunt after Christ , and seeke the game it selfe , the promise it selfe , from day to day . It is the advice of the Prophet Esay 50. Looke up unto me , all yee ends of the earth , looke up to mee , and your sins shall be pardoned ; looke up to mee , and your soules shall be saved ; looke up to me , and you shall bee sanctified : It is not enough for a man to have a conduit full of water , and to have the streames run abundantly , continually , but he must put his vessell under the spout , and then he shall bee sure to receive abundance of water : so it is with the promise , it is not enough to say , Christ is wisedome , and Christ is righteousnesse , but it is not thus with my soule : why , put thy vessell under the spout then , and looke up unto Christ in the promise . This is that the Prophet David resolves of , I will lift up mine eyes to the mountaines , from whence commeth my helpe : what is meant by mountains there ? you know the Temple upon the mount of Moriah ; now in the Temple in Gods ordinance is Gods presence : therefore saith the Prophet David , I will lift up mine eyes to those mountains of mercie , those everlasting mercies ; I will looke up to God in his Ordinances , from whence commeth all my help ; as who should say grace comes not from a mans parts , grace comes not from a mans abilities , but looke up to God from whence it comes , looke to those mountaines of mercy that will succour you , look up to a Lord Jesus that will supply all your wants , that will furnish you with all grace , looke onely to him for all , for he onely is the Author and giver of all ; looke as I have observed it , there is a foolish conceit that hath beene bred by some curious nice brains , that they have perswaded themselves they can make the Philosophers stone , the nature of which is to turne all metall into gold , which is utterly impossible ; for the Mines of gold are in the earth , and God continueth them by an ordinary course of his providence ; but all the men upon earth can never make gold by any Art or means in the world . To turne the nature of one metall into the nature of another , it is a kinde of creation , therefore beyond the reach of any man to doe it ; they may trie and trie , and spend their heart blood and all , but it is all but lost labour : So it is with our foolish blinde deluded hearts , and distracted spirits ; we thinke to make gold , and to coine grace out of our owne powers , and parts , and abilities , I tell you , you can never doe it while the world stands ; no , no , you doe but lose your labour : goe to the Mine of gold , the Mine of grace , goe to the God of all mercy , away to the Lord Jesus Christ , I say , he is made unto us wisedome , and hee will informe us ; hee is made unto us righteousnesse , and hee will acquit us ; hee is made unto us grace : goe to him therefore , and hee will communicate all grace unto our soules . Looke as Iacob said to his sonnes , when the famine was sore in the Land of Canaan , hee sent his sonnes into Egypt to buy corne , that they and their little ones might not famish ; and marke how hee calls upon them , Why stand you here gazing one upon another ? I doubt not but then they were laying their heads together , and plotting and conferring , saying , the famine is great , and the times dangerous , and wee are miserable now ; but oh , what will become of us afterwards , if these times last ? now the Lord help us , now the Lord bee mercifull to us and deliver us , what meanes shall wee use ? what course were wee best to take ? In the mean time Iacob calls upon them , Why stand you here gazing one upon another ? away , get you downe to Egypt presently , and buy us food ; you will never get provision to sustaine us , by plotting and talking one with another ; you will never get any come to sustaine you , by looking and gazing one upon another ; no , no , downe to Egypt with all speed , there corne is to be had , that we and those that belong unto us may live and not die ; so it is with the soules of Gods children , the poore distressed heart partly through the Devils cunning and subtiltie partly also through our owne ignorance and folly , wee stand gazing at our corruptions , and it begin to thinke and wonder what will become of us ; no means prevaile , no mercies melt , no judgements humble , no reproofs awe us , the famine growes strong , my corruptions fierce , and my case heavie , that I know not almost what course to take ; why stand you thus gazing after this fashion ? what , doe you thinke to get grace upon these termes , by discouragements and disquieting your selves , and vexing your owne hearts thus ? No , no , away to Egypt , to the promise of life , to the Lord Iesus for help and assistance , and then you shall have mercy and grace abundantly bestowed upon you , and that freely with your money in the mouth of your sacks againe , you shall have grace that you need , and sufficiently bestowed upon you : Looke as it is with Eliah , when he was to depart from Elisha , and bee taken up into Heaven , Elisha craves one thing of him , and that was this , 1 Kings 2.9 . That the Spirit of Elias might he doubled upon Elisha ; now marke how Eliah answered ; Thou hast asked a hard thing , saith hee , neverthelesse , if thou canst see mee when I am taken from thee , it shall bee granted to thee .

Now some Interpreters have observed , and that very wisely , that it was not so much the sight of Elias , as the sight of God taking up of Elias that should doe this ; as if hee had said , wouldst thou have a double portion of Gods Spirit vouchsafed unto thee , because many miseries are like to come in upon thee ; great and heavie troubles , and sore persecution is approching ; what course then is to bee taken why , see God taking up of Elias ; that God that tooke up Elias , and that God that wrought grace in the heart of Elias , see that God , and be within the view of that God , and thy request shall be granted to thee ; the collection is faire : so I say here , if thou wouldst have a double portion of grace , doe not goe to prayer onely , doe not goe to hearing onely , doe not goe to the Sacraments onely and barely ; but oh see a Christ , and looke upon a promise , and then thou shalt have a double portion of wisedome to informe thee , a double portion of sanctification to cleanse thee , a double portion of grace , and power , and strength , against thy corruptions , from Christ conveyed and communicated to thy soule : and this is the first rule .

The second rule is this , as we must have an eye dayly upon the promise , so wee must labour to yeeld the soule to the power of that Spirit , and to the vertue of that Grace which is in Christ , and would worke upon thee ; doe not onely eye a Saviour , and behold grace in the promise , but yeeld thy selfe and give way to the stroke of the promise , and to the power of the spirit ; that by the power thereof , thou maist bee inabled to doe what God requires . 2 Cor. 3.18 . The holy Apostle , disputing there how men should bee transformed into the glorious Image of God ; or as the word is , metamorphosed from one degree of glorious grace unto another ; more holy , and more meeke , and more patient , and more heavenly minded : Hee that was cold before , should now become more zealous ; he that was faint hearted before , should now become more couragious how is this done ? even as by the Spirit of the Lord , saith the Text , as if he had said , it is not by your spirits that this must or can be done , doe not thinke that you can master your owne corruptions , or that you can pull downe the distempers of your owne hearts , and get what grace you list ; no , no , it is not your spirits can doe this , it must bee the Spirit of Christ , as by the Spirit of the Lord , so the Apostle . The phrase of the Prophet David is sweet in his kinde , Teach me the way unto thee ; thy Spirit is good ; as who should say , O Lord , my spirit is a naughtie spirit ; my spirit is a proud spirit ; my spirit is a prophane spirit ; my spirit is a weake spirit ; my spirit is an ignorant and a blind spirit ; but oh , thy Spirit is a good Spirit , thy Spirit is a blessed Spirit : by the vertue of that Spirit , Lord , teach me the way to thee , and let it lead me into the land of uprightnesse . We know , a child that hath his hand to write , if he will not be ruled by him that teacheth him , but will take the pen into his owne hand and write after his owne scauching fashion , he will never write well , nor make a letter handsomly as he should do ; but let his hand write by the mans hand , and that will guide him , and that will teach him quickly to write well in a short time : so , wouldst thou have thy heart framed aright ? why then keep thy soule under the hand of the Spirit , and thou shalt bee guided by the vertue of that Spirit of God , and moved and inabled to accomplish the good pleasure of the Lord , and receive what ever grace thou standest in need of . I have observed it sometimes upon the Sea ; looke as it is with the mariner that is going downe the streame , if the winde bee faire , will any man pull downe his saile and set it up againe ? why no , for he doth but trouble himselfe , and turmoyle and wearieth himselfe , and troubleth the boat too with keeping such a pudder , and misseth the gale of winde and all ; therefore a wise mariner , he will set up his saile , and hold out his sail , that it may take the gale of winde fully , and so goe on speedily ; all that he hath to doe is to keep his sail spred , and to catch the winde : your only course is to set up the saile , and attend the gale of the Spirit to comfort you , attend the gale of the Spirit to assist you ; hold thy heart , and spread to the Spirit , that it may catch the gale of grace , that it may blow upon thy soule , and by the vertue and power thereof thou shalt bee transported comfortably , and carried on cheerfully to walke in that way which God chalks out before thee : as for examples sake ; Imagine thy heart begins to be pestered with vaine thoughts , or with a proud haughtie spirit , or some base lusts and privy haunts of heart , how would you bee rid of these ? why you must not set up and pull downe , and set up and pull downe , quarrell and contend , and bee discouraged : no , but eye the promise , and hold fast thereupon and say , Lord , thou hast promised all grace unto thy servants ; why therefore take this heart , and take this minde , and take these affections , and let thy Spirit frame them aright according to thine owne good will ; by that Spirit of wisedome , Lord informe mee ; by that Spirit of sanctification , Lord cleanse mee from all my corruptions ; by that Spirit of grace , Lord quicken and enable me to the discharge of every holy service , thus carry thy selfe and convey thy soule by the power of the Spirit of the Lord , and thou shalt finde thy heart strengthned and succoured by the vertue thereof upon all occasions : Rom. 8.26 . the Text saith , The Law of the Spirit of life hath freed mee from the law of sinne and death : the meaning is this , you must know that sinne is a tyrant ; now a tyrant when he wins a citie , hee swears all to his lawes : so sinne will swear thy soule to his lawes ; pride saith , I will have thee proud ; I will have thy heart unchaste , saith uncleannesse ; I will have thee intemperate , saith drunkennesse : now by the Law of the Spirit of life God will free us from the law of sinne : the Spirit of Christ in the promise , it takes away the power of the law of sinne ; the Law of the Spirit of meeknesse , takes away the law of the spirit of pride ; the Law of the Spirit of puritie , takes away the law of the spirit of uncleannesse ; the Law of the Spirit of holinesse , takes away the law of the spirit of prophanenesse ; and so in all other distempers of this nature , this onely shewes us how to run over all . Gather up now , and so conclude this passage : Eye the promise daily , yeeld thy soule to the Spirit of the Lord in the promise , let that have his full sway , resist not those good motions the holy Spirit puts into thee , and that is the way to have all grace , and help and assistance communicated unto thee : and thus much may suffice to have beene spoken in the generall touching this conveiance of grace into the heart : we come now to the scanning of the particulars .

This conveyance it is of two kindes , both in the Text : Christ conveyes his grace two wayes ; partly by imputing , partly by imparting : they are the termes of Divines , and I know not how to expresse my selfe better ; but thus if you will , partly by imputation , partly by communication : This is that I would have you to take notice of in the generall ; they are both reall , but one is habituall ; both these , both imputation and communication expresse a reall worke of God upon the soule , but the last onely leaves a frame and a spirituall abilitie and qualitie in the soule ; the conveyance by imputation doth not , it leaves a thing morall ( as we use to terme it . ) These two , imputation , communication , are both in the Text ; Christ is made righteousnesse , or justice , that is , hee doth justifie a sinner by imputation , and hee doth sanctifie and redeeme a sinner by communication ; hee conveyes and workes some Spirituall abilitie , and leaves a Physicall change ; when the Apostle saith , Christ is made Iustice , that is , hee doth justifie a sinner by imputation , when hee saith , Christ is made Sanctification , and Redemption , that is , by way of communication ; hee delivers the soule from the pollution of sinne , that is , sanctification ; hee delivers the soule from the power and dominion of sinne , that is , redemption ; This communication it is a Spirituall habit , or a spirituall power , or a spirituall qualitie or abilitie ; ( take which you will ) left upon the soule . We will begin with the former , touching the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to a soule , whereby the sinner comes to bee justified : this is a point then , which I take it , none more necessary , and yet none lesse understood , none lesse studied , none more mistaken than these two great workes of justification , and sanctification . I speake it by experience , Christians aged and experienced , yet here they faile in the very catecheticall points , and it drives many of our best Divines to a stand ; we will open it a little : this justification wee terme a conveyance of the merits of Christ , by way of imputation : but what is the meaning of this word , by way of imputation ? Thus you must conceive it , this is the main thing I would have you looke unto ; Imputation is this , when that which another hath , that which another doth , is accounted mine , is set upon my score as though I had it , as though I had done it , this is Imputation . I have it not , I doe it not , another hath it , another doth it , and it is accounted mine , and reckoned mine in course of justice . Now in the point of communication it is otherwise : because I have something , something is wrought in mee , some qualities and habits ; for it is not a morall thing , but a physicall alteration by the power of grace implanted in me , which I have , so that imputation discovers two things . First , that I have no help in my selfe in what I have , or what I doe . Secondly , it implieth that something which another hath and doth , it is in conclusion made mine , and I have the benefit thereof , as well as if I had it , as well as if I had done it . It is an old comparison that Divines use , and there cannot bee a better to expresse the full nature and the meaning of the point now in hand . Take a debtor now arrested , imprisoned , and he cannot pay the debt ; another man comes , and will be his suretie : now marke this , another man payeth the money , another man satisfieth the creditor in the behalfe of the debtor ; the creditor acquits this man , cancels all his bonds , le ts him out of prison , confesseth he hath nothing to say to him , nothing to charge him withall , he is fully satisfied , he hath given him full content : why the debtor paid no money to the creditor himselfe , but because the suretie paid it , therefore the payment is counted his , as if the debtor had paid it : this is the very nature of imputation . This I take to be the meaning of the first part of the Text , in which now a little I meane to trade : the Text saith , He is made unto is righteousnesse ; that is , God in Christ doth justifie a beleeleever by way of imputation , though hee hath nothing in himselfe , though he doth nothing of himselfe whereby to be justified in Gods account , yet God will justifie him through the Iustice of Christ imputed to him , and counted upon his score : so that imputation implieth two things . First , that a man hath nothing , can doe nothing . Secondly , that he is justified by something , Christ hath , and hath done for him , the point then is cleare , and that is this .

Doctrine . God doth justifie a beleeving soule , not for what he hath , not for what hee doth but onely for what Christ hath , and hath done for him : I say Christ is made unto us Iustice , God the Father doth justifie a beleever , onely in and through the merits of Christ .

For the opening of the point , wee must first enquire what it is to justifie . Secondly , what doe we meane when as we say hee is made justice for nothing a man hath or doth . To justifie , in the phrase of Scripture , it doth imply two things : First to justifie , is to make a man just , and this is very seldome used in Scripture : I meane thus to put some holinesse , or some gracious disposition , and some spirituall facultie and abilitie into the soule , and to make a man just : as when an ignorant man , is made a wise man ; when a prophane man , is made a pure man ; when an uncleane man , is made a righteous man , and so really changed : this I take to be the meaning of that place ; Revelation 22.11 . Hee that is just , let him be just still ; and hee that is unjust , let him bee unjust still : as who should say , when God hath bestowed all meanes upon him , and vouchsafed all mercies and encouragements to him , if yet for all this hee will be unjust , let him be unjust still , let him bee for ever unjust : There is no hope of him , but hee that is holy , let him bee more holy , let him increase in grace , but wee doe not take it so now in this Doctrine .

Secondly , to justifie , it is a word of judiciall proceeding , when in a legall manner the Iudge doth pronounce a man free , and acquit him , and proclaime it as if he were , and saith the law hath nothing to doe with him , he doth pronounce hee hath not offended the Law : now this is opposite and contrary to condemnation , and this I take to be the meaning of that place , and it is a pregnant one ; but this gives us great light and insight into the place : he that justifieth the wicked and condemns the just , they are both an abomination to the Lord : to justifie in the former sence , is to make a wicked man a good man ; and is hee an abomination to the Lord ? this were a grosse folly : no , but the meaning is this : he that acquits any man as guiltlesse that is guilty , this is an abomination to the Lord . Thus wee see the first word opened , so that when we say God doth justifie you , our meaning is not this , that God sends grace or holinesse into you , for this is the worke of sanctification ; but God doth justifie you , that is , hee doth pronounce before his Tribunall , that his Iustice and Law is fully satisfied , that hee will lay nothing upon your score , require no satisfaction at your hands , but he will fully and freely discharge you of all your sins which you have committed .

Secondly , againe , God doth justifie a poor sinner not for any thing he hath not for any thing he doth : marke that , the meaning is this ; no privilege that a man doth enjoy , no part of wit , understanding or memory , or any thing that way : nay , I say more , there is no grace that a man hath , no dutie that he can performe , for which as the materiall and formall cause of our justification , God doth pronounce any man to bee righteous . If a man could weep out his eyes in sorrow , if a man could hunger and thirst for Christ , more than for his daily bread , God would not justifie a sinner for all these things ; how doth God then justifie a man ? why he justifieth a sinner , for what Christ hath done for him , the surety hath paid it , and he accounts it ours : a man is justified by imputation onely , not by any action : those are necessary concomitants , not reall causes of our justification .

But you will say , is not a man justified by faith , and is not faith a grace , and hath not a man that ability wrought in him by God .

I answer , true the Lord doth justifie a man by his faith , but hee doth not justifie him for his faith ; that is , faith is the hand that layes hold upon the obedience and merits of Christ , and it is for his merits , not for our faith , though by our faith wee are justified : a man lives by faith , not that faith nourisheth him .

As we use to say , a man lives by his hands , not that his hands nourish him , but his hands labour , and his labour procures money , and his money provides meat , and by his meat he lives : but because his hands are the means to get it , his hands are the means to obtaine it , therefore we say hee lives by his hands : Iust so it is here , a man is justified by faith in Christ , not that faith will acquit any man under Heaven , but because Christs merits are through faith received and applied to us , and so through Christ we are justified : so then wee heare the meaning of the point : Phil. 3.9 . marke the Apostles two phrases , That I may bee found in him not having mine owne righteousnes which is of the Law , but that which is of the righteousnesse of faith in Christ , which is of God by faith : there is but these two righteousnesses in the world . First , a mans owne righteousnesse which hee hath wrought , and God hath given him , and the duties which he performes and this is the righteousnesse of the Law ; now Paul doth professe that he is not justified by this , but onely by the righteousnesse of God , that righteousnesse which is in Christ , that righteousnesse which is imputed to him from Christ , he labours to bee found in that righteousnesse , for by that he shall be justified .

The ground and reason of the point is this , that which in no measure is answerable to Gods Iustice , and agreeable to the exactnesse of the Law and for which a man may be condemned , that cannot justifie a man ; but what ever a man hath or doth , all the graces of God wrought in him , and all the performances done by him , there is that imperfection or blemish even in them , for which God may justly condemne him : therefore a man cannot bee justified thereby : this is an undenied rule of the Apostle , what ever condemnes a man , cannot justifie a man , but the Law condemnes a man for what he hath or can doe : therefore it cannot justifie a man . There is no grace in a man , no dutie to be performed by a man , but if God will looke into it according to the strictnesse and exactnesse of the Law , he may justly condemne him for it : that I prove , Gal. 5.17 . every Saint of God hath these two things , the Spirit lusting against the flesh , and the flesh lusting against the Spirit ; and these two are contrary : In the best of Gods servants there is flesh , and a lust of the flesh to hinder them from holy duties : so there are two lawes , the law of the minde , and the law of the members ; the Law of God requires that a man should bee perfectly holy without any staine of sinne , perfect in the performance of dutie without any blemish or staine therein , but every gracious man hath a staine of pollution in his soule , that is one thing ; and a staine in his performances , that is another thing ; therefore no mans dutie , no mans abilitie , or sufficiency cannot justifie him before God . It is that the Apostle Paul crieth out of , Rom. 7.13 . A law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde ; so that the case is cleare , if it were thus with holy Paul , as hee professeth of himselfe , then much more of the best Saints now , for that they have not more grace than Paul had : therefore they cannot bee justified for what they have or doe . Take a lame limme , as the lamenesse of the legge will make every motion of the leg lame , a man cannot but goe lamely : so it is with the soule of a poore sinner , when a man hath a lame heart , a corrupt sinfull heart , all his actions will bee lame , his thoughts lame , and his services lame ; so that neither heart , nor life , nor actions , are in a right frame , all are impure and weake : I appeale to your owne consciences in this case , would you be willing to appeare before Gods Tribunall with those prayers , and those performances of thine , and justifie thy selfe by them , and say , Lord thou canst not lay any thing to my charge , the Law of God can bring inditements enough against thee , to confound thee ; nay , we condemne our selves in this case : these dead hearts , and these blinde minds , and this want of faith , shall the Lord then acquit any man for that which he condemnes himselfe ? If then the best and most gracious Saint hath sin in the frame of his heart , and sinne in the best of his services , then neither soule nor service can bee answerable to the Law of God , and he cannot bee justified thereby : but the best of Gods servants not only before grace , but after grace , in the best heart a man hath , the best action hee doth , there is weaknesse in the action : therefore they cannot justifie a man , therefore we must be justified onely through the merits and obedience of Christ : thou canst not doe , Christ hath done for thee ; thou canst not suffer , Christ hath suffered for thee ; in him thou art justified , through him thou shalt be saved . So that when the soule of a poore sinner , shall appeare before the Tribunall of the Lord , and justice comes to put in a plea against him , Christ shall step in and say , Lord , for this poore soule that beleeves in me I have died : for this poore soule I tooke the nature of man upon me ; therefore let thy justice bee fully satisfied with what I have done for him : well then saith justice , goe thy way , I have nothing to say to thee : the Lord makes a proclamation , Be it knowne to all men and angels , I acquit this soule ; there is no imputation of sin he hath committed , no failing in any dutie shall condemne him , this is the way of justification .

The first use of the point is this , we have here a ground of confutation of the Church of Rome : I will not accuse them wrongfully , but lay the charge upon them according to their own words , and it shall appeare how they have wholly perverted the wisedome of the Lord , in this great point of justification , look into the 6. Session , and the 7. Chapter of the Councell of Trent ; you that are wise and have read it , observe it ; you that never did read it , I will read it to you : the words of the Councell are these , which is a confirmed doctrine , and unto which they are all bound generally to subscribe , & is taken for the doctrine of the church of Rome : the words run thus , That the alone formall cause for which a sinner is justified in the sight of God , it is justice implanted , ● a new quality of grace and holines wrought in the soule , and not the merits and obedience of Christ imputed to the soule . Imputation argueth that I have and doe nothing , but another hath , and another doth for mee , and imputes it to me● the Church of Rome profesly holds the contrary , and punctually point blanke in the force of contradiction : they are the very words of the Councell , the alone formall cause , and that which gives life and being to the justification of a sinner ; it is the change and frame of holinesse wrought in him , not impured to him , this is profes●y contrary .

Vse 1 It is a word of consolation , and it is a cordiall to cheare up a mans heart , and carry him through all troubles whatsoever can be●ide him , or shall befall him . This doctrine of Iustification it seems to me to be like Noahs Arke , when all the world was to bee drowned : God taught Noah to make an arke , and to pitch it about , that no water , nor winds , nor stormes could breake through , and so it bore up Noah above the waters , and kept him safe against wind and weather ▪ when one was on the top of a mountain crying ; Oh save me , another clambring upon the trees , all floting , and crying , and dying there ; there was no saving , but for those only that were gotten into the arke : Oh so it will be , you poore foolish beleevers , the world is like this sea , wherein are many floods of water , many troubles , much persecution : Oh get you into the arke the Lord Iesus , and when one is roring and yelling , Oh the devill , the devill ; another is ready to hang himselfe , or to cut his owne throat ; another sends for a Minister , and hee crieth , Oh there is no mercy for me , I have opposed it ; get you into Christ , I say , and you shall bee safe enough , I will warrant you , your soules shall bee transported with consolation to the end of your hopes .

This was that which comforted Saint Paul , and made him bid defiance to all the world : Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect ? as who should say , shall all the angels in Heaven , shall all the devils in Hell , shall all the men upon the earth , shall sinne within , shall actions without ? it is God onely that justifieth , not for anything we have or doe , but for Christs sake : This is that I conclude withall , this one doctrine affords supply in all wants , and courage in all trials : I know what troubleth you , will this blinde minde never bee inlightned ? I thinke I shall never be able to conceive of the truths of God aright , how can the Lord accept of mee , when I condemne my selfe ? how can the Lord shew any favour to mee , when I fall out with my selfe , and wonder that I am not in the bottomlesse pit ? such a base heart I carry about with me , and such a polluted conversation , and yet live , and not in hell : I have thought sometimes God cannot be Iust , if he doe not condemne me ; why I say art thou burthened with thy sinnes , and dost thou goe out of thy selfe for the pardon of them ? why goe away comforted , the Lord will justifie thee , not for thy workes , but for Christs merits : thou hast committed all iniquitie , Christ hath performed all righteousnesse ; thou hast nothing of thy selfe , Christ hath enough for thee ; and thou art not justified for what thou hast or dost , but for the Lord Iesus sake : looke up to him therefore , and bring him to Gods tribunall to answer for thee , that when Satan shall bring in his bils of inditement against thee , and say , what doe you hope to goe to Heaven ? doe you not consider the sinnes which you have committed ? doe you not remember the base courses which heretofore you have taken up and practized ? doe you not know that every sinner must die ? why answer Satan again , all this is true : Ay , but remember the Lord Iesus , it is true I can doe nothing , but Christ hath done all for me ; what canst thou say to the Lord Iesus ? though I have offended , hee hath never offended ; though I have sinned , yet Christ hath fully satisfied ; I have deserved the wrath of God , why Christ hath bore the wrath of God : My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken mee ? He was once forsaken of God , that I might bee for ever accepted of God : goe thy wayes therefore comforted and refreshed : the place is admirable , Isaiah 43.25 . Thou hast made mee serve with thy sinnes , and wearied mee with thy rebellions , but I , even I , am hee that blotteth out all thine iniquities , and will remember thy transgressions no more : The Lord takes notice of this ; are there any wicked ? they are as bad ; are there any vile ? they are as sinnefull ; they tired God with their wickednesse : All you poore drunkards , you trie God with your drunkennesse ; you prophaners of the Lords day , you tire God with your prophanations ; and you swearers , you trie Christ Iesus with your oaths and hidious blasphemies that you belch forth against him upon all occasions : you would wonder that God should save such as you , and truly so you may well enough ; for it is a wonder , it is a miracle indeed ; but if you can goe out of your selves , and sinnes , and goe unto Christ and rest upon him , the Lord saith , I will blot out all those abominations of yours : and Ezekiel 33.32 . compare both those places together , I will forget all your sinnes , even for mine owne names sake : as who should say , it is not for your sakes ; no , no , bee it knowne to those stout hearts of yours , it is not for your parts , or gifts , or graces , no nor it is not for all the services wee can discharge , but it is onely for mine owne Names sake that I will pardon you , and remember your sinnes no more , remember thy pride and stubbornnesse no more , remember thy prophanenesse no more , remember thy vanitie and loosenesse no more ; remember thou to bee humbled , and the Lord will never remember thy sinnes any more : Satan it may bee will come in and accuse thee , here is a Sabbath-breaker , Lord condemne him : no more of that , Satan , saith God , Christ hath suffered and satisfied for him ; no more therefore of that , let mee heare no more of those things , I have forgotten them , saith God , this will cheere a mans heart at that great day .

This also is a ground of incouragement to us , against all the trials that can befall us in the course of the world : we see that innocencie goeth to the wals , no man can stand against envie , and hatred , and backbiting : why though you finde hard dealing here at the hands of wicked men , though you be accused here with false surmises , and false accusations , and slanderous speeches , yet set one against the other , you shall never bee condemned hereafter : There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ ; there may bee persecutions , there may bee accusations , there may be oppositions here upon earth raised against thee ; why yet goe on cheerily , there is no condemnation in Heaven : if God acquit , let men condemne ; if God approve , let men disallow : nay lastly , here is consolation even in death also ; what though your bodies bee deprived of your soules , and you leave all , when you returne again it is but onely thus , Come yee blessed of my Father , you that are beleevers , you shall bee for ever blessed .

Vse 3 The third use is of exhortation : will nothing doe the deed , but a Christ ? why , Oh then above all labour for a Christ , more than all labour to prize a Christ , never let thy heart bee quieted , never let thy soule bee contented , untill thou hast obtained Christ . Take now a malefactor , sentence is passed , execution to bee administered upon him , suggest any thing to him , how to be rich , or how to bee pardoned ; how to bee honoured , or how to be pardoned : Ay , saith hee , riches are good , and honours are good , but oh a pardon or nothing : ay but then you must leave all for a pardon ; why take all , saith he , and give me a pardon that I may live , thought in povertie ; that I may live , though in misery , though in beggary ; this is the nature of such a poore creature : So it is with a poore beleeving soule , there is but one way , every man hath committed sinne , must suffer for his sinne : the sentence is passed , every man that beleeves not , is condemned already : what would you have now ? thou faint thorow couldest have a pardon , but wouldest thou not have riches , or friends ? the soule saith , Alas , what is that to me to bee rich , and a reprobate ; honoured , and damned : let me bee pardoned , though impoverished ; let mee bee justified , though debased , though I never see good day beside : why then labour for a Christ , for there is no other way under heaven : get a broken heart , get a beleeving heart , but oh above all , get a Christ to justifie thee , get a Christ in all to save thee . If I could pray like an angell , could I heare and remember all the Sermon ; could I conferre as yet never man spake , what is that to mee if I have not a Christ ? I may goe downe to hell for all that I have or doe , looke into your soules , and observe your lives and conversations : when a man hath prayed , and hee findes his minde dull , his heart awke and untoward , his thoughts wandring and roving ; why , thinke with your selves , doe wee condemne our selves for the duties wee doe performe , and judge our selves for the services we have discharged , and yet doe wee thinke to be acquitted by the Law of God : Oh , therefore above all intreat the Lord to give thee a Christ , that hee may justifie thee here , and save thee everlastingly hereafter : Phil. 3.8 . I count all things drosse and dung in comparison of a Christ : Paul was a proud Pharisee , learned Paul , reverend Paul , a man of admirable parts ; yet saith the Apostle , That I thought to bee gaine , was losse to mee , yea dung and dog smeat in comparison of a Christ ; yea doubtlesse , and I doe count all things losse , that is , not onely my parts , and credit , and privileges when I was a Pharisee , but the best dutie that ever I did , the best service that ever I performed , I account all as dung and dogsmeat in the point of justification , in respect of the Lord Iesus Christ : grace therefore is good , and duties are good , seeke for all , we should doe so ; performe all , we ought to doe so ; but oh , a Christ , a Christ , a Christ in all , above all , more than all . Thus now I have shewed you the way to the Lord Iesus , I have shewed you also how you may come to be implanted into the Lord Iesus ; and now I leave you in the hands of a Saviour , in the bowels of a Redeemer , and I think I cannot leave you better ; the worst is past , now you are come hither : Rom. 5.9 . If you be justified by his death , then much more shall you be saved through his righteousnes , and merits .

You whose eyes God hath opened , whose hearts God hath humbled , and whose soules God hath called home to himselfe , you are now in the hands of the Lord ; goe your way , and when you see hell flaming , and the devils roaring , and the damned yelling and crying out , looke backe I say and see this ditch out of which you are escaped ; looke upon the pit which you were going over : you may blesse God , and say , wee are past that , those dayes are gone , wee are past from death to life : Acts 20.32 . when Saint Paul was to goe away from them , and for ought hee knew should never see their faces more , why yet marke what hee saith to them : Brethren , I commend you to God , and the Word of his grace , that is able to build you up , and give you an inheritance among those that are sanctified : as who should say , God and his Word was the best Commandment he could put them over to : as who should say , Paul must depart , and Paul must be imprisoned , and Paul must die ; so that now he shall bee with you no longer to teach , to informe , to direct you , but the good Word of the Lord endures to comfort for ever , to cheere for ever , to assist , refresh for ever those that are weake and discouraged . I put you over therefore to a good Word , to an everlasting Word , I commend you to a blessed and a living Saviour , who will bee with you for ever , by the immutable assistance of his blessed Spirit : I leave you in the hands of your Saviour , that when the head of your Minister haply shall lie full low , or death overtake him , why yet remember I have put you over to a Saviour . Oh love this Word , and love this Christ more than all , prize this Christ above all , and he will preserve you : and this I will wish you , that you would keep yourselves close to this good Word , that will informe you , and to this blessed Saviour that will support you from day to day .

THE SOVLES Iustification . 2 COR. 5.22 .

For he hath made him to be sin for us , which knew no sinne , that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him .

FOr our more orderly proceeding herein , you may remember that I shewed you before , for what a man is not justified . Now wee come to handle for what a man is , and may bee justified ; and this I conceive , so farre as my light serves mee , to bee in the words of the Text ; for the Apostle having shewed that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe , and not imputing their sins : Now in this Text hee shewes the reason how this comes to passe , namely God ●aid their sinnes to Christs charge , and made him sinne for us , that knew no sinne . It s no wonder then though God did not justifie a poore sinner , for what hee had and did , and though hee did not expect perfect righteousnesse at their hands , for , Hee hath made him to hee sinne for 〈◊〉 , which knew no sinne , that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him . For our more orderly proceeding , I will doe two things .

First , I will discover the Doctrine of Iustification , in a description :

Secondly , I will open the description .

Quest. 1 For the first , If any man aske me what Iustification is , it is this briefly :

Answer . Iustification is an act of God the Father upon the beleever , whereby the debt and sinnes of the beleever are charged upon the Lord Iesus Christ , and by the merits and satisfaction of Christ imputed to the beleever ; hee is accounted just , and so is acquitted before God as righteous . There are foure particulars in the description .

First , it is an act of God the Father , upon the beleever .

Secondly , the debt of the beleever is charged upon our Saviour , God the Father followes ( as it were ) the suit upon the suretie , and not upon the debtor : both these are in these words of the Text , Hee hath made him sinne for us , which knew no sinne .

Thirdly , the satisfaction of Christ is put over to the beleever , and set upon his score , as in these words , That wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him .

Fourthly , by this means , the debt on our sides being laid upon the Lord Iesus Christ , and his righteousnesse being applied to us , God the Father acquits us , and pronounceth us righteous by a legall course of proceeding ; as in these words , That we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him : such a righteousnesse as God the Father will worke in us , and will accept of us . As when the wife is betrothed and married to a man , all her old debts are laid upon her husband , and the law meddles no more with her : and secondly , all his lands , at least the third part of them are made over to her . What shee hath in point of debt is put over to him : so all our sinnes and debts of corruptions are laid upon Christ , and all the rich fefments of grace and mercy in Christ , are made over to a beleever , and hence a beleever comes to be acquitted and justified before God . From the first part of this description , the point is this .

Doctrine . Iustification is an act of God the Father , upon the beleever .

It is an act that passeth from God the Father , upon the beleever . For the proofe of this point there are three verses in the same Chapter , which make it good , the 18 , 19 , 20. verses , and so on to the end of the Text ; in the 18. verse , hee saith , All things are of God , which hath reconciled us unto himselfe by Iesus Christ ; of God , that is , of God the Father , and yet more plainly in the 19. verse , God was in Christ , reconciling the world unto himselfe , not imputing their sinnes to them . Now what is meant by God in these two verses ? the old rule of Divines is this ; that wheresoever you finde the Name of God put in opposition to Iesus Christ , it must not be taken essentially , but personally , for the Father . For it were almost an absurd thing , to say that Christ were in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe : therefore the Apostle implies thus much ; God the Father was in Christ reconciling , and God the Father by Christ , reconciled the world unto himselfe : and then in the 20. and 21. verses , he saith , Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ , as though God did beseech you through us ; we pray you in Christs stead that yee be reconciled to God , that is , to God the Father ; for he hath made him sinne for us , which knew no sinne : and another proofe is in the 3. of Saint Iohn , 14.15 . and so to the end of the 18. verse : it is an observation of wise Divines , and good Interpreters , when our Saviour comes to trade with Nichodemus about eternall life , hee doth not onely content himselfe to speake of himselfe alone , as he was Christ the Redeemer of the world , but he sets him yet a little higher in the 14. verse , hee saith , As Moses lifted up the brasen Serpent in the wildernesse , so must the Sonne of Man bee lifted up , that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish , but have eternall life : A man would have thought that this had beene enough , but hee stayes not here , but he puts him one pin above all these , and saith , For God so loved the world , that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne for it , that whosoever beleeveth on him might not perish , but have everlasting life : as if hee had said , there is not only a Christ prepared and sent , but God the Father also loved the world : here is the highest staire to stay up the heart , so that the point is plaine and sure enough . Now let us make it cleare , and that I shall doe by answering two questions :

Quest. 1 First , why it is called an act of God the Father ?

Quest. 2 Secondly , why an act of the Father upon the beleever ?

Quest. 1 For the former , why doth the description say , it is an act of God the Father ?

Answer . I answer , it is an act of the Father , not excluding the Sonne , or the worke of the holy Ghost , which must both bee understood : it is an act of God the Father upon the beleever , but it is through Christ : there are these two grounds or reasons , why it is given to the Father .

Reason 1 First , because the Father was the party that was properly offended : the Father is the first person in the Trinitie , and he was directly offended by Adams sinne ; it is true , the Sonne and the holy Ghost were offended too , as being friends with the Father , and having a relation to the Father , and a sweet fellowship with the Father ; but the sinne was directly against the Father , and indirectly against the Son , and the holy Ghost . The ground of the point is this , it wronged that worke of Creation , wherein the manner of the worke of the Father appeared in a speciall manner , and the manner of the worke of the Son appeared in redemption , and the manner of the worke of the holy Ghost appeared in sanctification : so that God the Father was the first in the worke of the Creation , the Sonne second in the worke of redemption , the holy Ghost third in the worke of sanctification : Now creation being the worke wherein the power of the Father did most shew it selfe , Adam falling away from this , did principally wrong the Father , for his manner of worke appearing herein : therefore Adam did herein goe directly crosse to God . Excellent is that phrase , 1 Iohn 2.1 . Little children , these things write I unto you , that ye sinne not ; but some may say , what if we doe sinne ? why saith hee , we have an Advocate with the Father , even Iesus Christ the Iust. Now no man saith , wee have an Advocate with an advocate , no , for that were absurd : for no advocate pleads to another advocate , but he pleads to the partie offended , for the partie which hath offended : now in that the Apostle saith , We have an Advocate with the Father , even Iesus Christ : It is plaine that God the Father was the Person directly offended ; the issue then is thus much ; The Father being the Creditor , and the Person directly offended , the Lord Iesus Christ became our Suretie , and the creditor doth require the debt at the hands of our Suretie , and acquits the debtor ; the creditor requires this , but the acquittance comes mainly and properly from the Father , because the debt was due to him : so that God the Father is the Creditor , the Sonne is the Suretie , the poore sinner is the debtor , the holy Spirit is the messenger , that brings the acquittance from God the Father , and saith , loe the Father hath accepted of thee in his Sonne , the Suretie hath paid the debt for thee , and see here is the acquittance for thee ; so that though the holy Ghost doth bring the acquittance , yet the Father must give it : This is the first reason .

Reason 2 Secondly , wee say that Iustification is an act of God the Father , because the Father is the fountaine in the Deity , as Divines use to say , in all the workes that are done by the Deitie , the Father is the first : for as the Persons are in their being , so they are in their working : The Father in order workes before the Son and the holy Ghost ; the Sonne workes not before the Father hath wrought , and the holy Ghost workes not before the Father and the Son have wrought . Hence it is that actions are given especially to the Father , though not excluding the Sonne , nor the holy Ghost ; but yet howsoever they are all equall in their working , in regard of time , yet the Father is first in regard of order . A malefactor is now arraigned and condemned , and the pardon is to be begged , and none but the Kings sonne , the young Prince , can have a pardon , his abilities are onely able to carry him through the worke ; the Prince begs it , the Favorite brings it , but the King onely grants it : so it is here , the Lord Iesus Christ is the Sonne of the everlasting Father , and the Prince of peace , and hee it is that begs the pardon of his Father , hee sends it to us by the hands of the holy Ghost , but only the Father grants the pardon . When the soule hath long beene humbled and selfe denying , and said , Lord forgive the trespasses of thy servant , and yeelds , and layes downe the weapons of deflance , and falls at the footstoole of the Lord Iesus Christ , and rowles it selfe upon his merits ; then the Spirit comes and saith , thy sinnes are pardoned , thy person is accepted , I bring thee this newes from God the Father ; God is now reconciled to thee , in and by the Lord Iesus Christ : now the Father is the King that grants this pardon , the Sonne is he that begs it , and the Spirit is the messenger that brings it . Now you see how it is an act of God the Father .

Quest. 2 Secondly , I come to shew why it is an act of God the Father , upon the beleever .

Answer . The reasons of the question are these , we must understand that the actions of God are of two sorts .

First , there are some actions which doe remain in God , which are confined within the compasse of his owne Councell , and goe no further , and they are immanent actions , they stay in God and goe no further . A man may conceive in his mind what heresolves to doe in his heart ; whether hee will doe such a thing or no , and no man can tell what he intends to doe but himselfe ; but if a man will practise answerably according to his purpose , then he doth expresse the worke outwardly , which he intended inwardly , and now hee workes upon the creature , and makes it to receive some impression of that good which hee kept secretly in himselfe . There are some actions which remaine in God , as the decrees and purposes of God , before the foundation of the world , and they are confined within the high Councell table of Heaven , Father , Sonne , and holy Ghost , and these never appeared to the eye of the world .

Secondly , there are actions also which passe from God upon the creature , and doe worke a change and an alteration upon the creature ; and these wee call transient actions , or actions that passe , which are not onely in God , but passe from God , and doe frame , and order , and dispose of the creature , as God sees fit ; and of this sort are all the actions that belong to a Christian , except predestination : for the Lord doth not reveale those secrets unto any by the worke of vocation , which is wrought upon the creature , for there the Lord quickens desire , and stirres up hope , and kindles love and joy , and the Lord turnes the face of the soule God-ward , and in adoption , regeneration , and all the workes of grace and salvation , and of this kinde is justification : and this is the reason why I call it a transient action , because it passeth upon the creature , but that must be warily understood with a graine of salt , as the Proverbe is : now what change is this ? I answer , the Lord workes a change upon the creature two wayes .

First , the Lord is said to passe a worke or an action upon the creature , when he puts some kind of abilitie upon the creature , either spirituall , or naturall : as when the Lord makes a wicked man , a good man ; an adulterous man , a chaste man ; and of an envious proud malicious man , a patient meeke and holy man ; and this we call a naturall change , because there is a gracious frame put into the heart and soule which overpowers the creature , and all things are become new ; new affections , new desires : but this is not all , for here is the difficultie .

Secondly , the Lord is said to make a change upon the creature , when he takes off some relations and respects which the creature had , and puts upon it some other respects , hee doth not put them into the soule , but puts the soule into another roome , and they are not naturally qualities , but onely relations , which are imprinted upon the soule of man , and these are called morall , and of this kinde is justification , as thus : Take a Prentice that is bound by covenant and Indenture for so many yeeres , and he is now fallen into an ague , or a burning fever , hee hath two relations : First , he is an apprentice : Secondly , hee hath a weake sickly distempered body : now there may bee a double change wrought in this man , according to this double disposition : first the master burnes the Indentures , and gives him his time , and sets him free from his service , and hee that was an apprentice before , is now a freeman , this is a morall change , for all this while he is as sicke as he was before : but the former relation is quite gone , and the master cannot now command him to his service ; now the fellow servants cannot dominere over him , because he is not now a servant : but now the wise Physitian he comes , and he by good means helps the man of his disease , and brings him to a faire , sweet , and wholsome temper of body , and now there is a change in the very nature of this servant ; before he was distempered , but now he is well ordered ; before hot , but now finely coole : here is something wrought in the nature of this man . Just so it is in this change of the soule : there is a morall change in justification , a man is bound to the Law , and liable to the penaltie of it , and guiltie of the breach of it : now God the Father in Jesus Christ , acquits a man of this guilt , and delivers him from this revenging power of the Law , and that s not all , but withall hee puts holinesse into the heart , and wisedome into the minde , and puritie into the affections , & this is called a naturall change , because there are new spiritual abilities put into the heart ; not because of the nature of it , but because of the thing which it works : as to take the example of Scripture , 1 Iohn 3.14 . Wee are translated from death to life : As it is with a man taken prisoner in Turkie , or some other place , haply a Christian of England , he is accounted a Traitor there , and is condemned as a Traitor : the man being weake of himselfe , and not able to deliver himselfe , he must bee dealt by as a Traitor : but now if this man bee rescued , and finde some way of escape , and bee set upon some other shore , whereby he may be conveyed into England , then he is here accounted a good subject , and he is so far from being condemned , that hee is wonderfully advanced and honoured by the King : here is a change , in Turkie hee was condemned as a Traitor , but in England hee is counted a good subject , and is received into favour , and honoured ; here is a morall change : but now here is no naturall change , here is nothing put into this man : If he were ignorant before , he is ignorant still ; if he were wicked before , he is wicked still : but he hath a good relation as a subject , and is pardoned in England : he is in another roome and rank , this is a morall change : But now if a man were ignorant before , and since he came into England he were framed and made wise and holy , this is a spirituall change : before hee was ignorant , and now hee is learned ; before gracelesse , but now gracious : this is a naturall change , or rather a spirituall change . Just so it is with a faithfull soule , the poore sinner as hee is landed here upon the shore of sinne and corruption , take him as he is by nature , he is liable to divine justice , and a Traitor in Gods account , and as he stands liable to the Law hee is a damned man , hee is sicke of sinne . But now when the Father hath brought him home to the Lord Jesus Christ , and landed him upon another Coast , hee is now sure to partake of life , and of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ : and he that before was attached of treason , is acquitted of all in the Lord Jesus Christ , the respects of treason and condemnation are taken off , and other respects and relations are put on : this is done in justification , and afterward when hee is justified , then the Lord will honour and adorne the soule ; so that though the soule before was ignorant , the Lord will now make him wise unto salvation ; though before hee were polluted , yet now hee shall bee sanctified . And thus much of the reasons why I call it an act of God the Father upon the beleever .

Vse 1 The proper fruit of this Doctrine is this ; Is it so , that justification is an act of God the Father upon the beleever ? then it is a ground of admirable comfort to beare up the heart of a poore sinner above all the accusations , and all the power and the policies of our enemies against us , or the intendments of the wicked to hurt us : remember but this , that God the Father justifies , and this will bee a cordiall to beare up the heart against whatsoever the world , or the devill , or the wicked shall lay to the charge of a beleever : If thou art justified before Gods tribunall in Heaven , why shouldst thou care , or feare , or bee troubled or disquieted , when thou art condemned by the wicked upon the earth ? this justification on Gods part can wipe away and scatter all the clouds , and all the accusations on mans part : 1 Cor. 4.2.3 . It is required of the dispensers , that every man be found faithfull , but as for mee , I passe very little to be judged by mans judgement : the word in the originall is very excellent , I passe not to bee judged by mans day ; men have their dayes of meeting and of judging , and their dayes of rioting in the alehouse , and in the brothel-house , and there they can tosse the names of Gods Servants up and downe , and they sit upon their names , and lives , and liberties , and they raise what reports they will ; these are the drunkards dayes , and the malicious mans dayes , there they sit and give their doomes what they will doe to such a Christian , and to such a Minister , but marke what Saint Paul saith , I passe not for mans dayes , it is no more to mee than the dust of the ballance , or the drop of the bucket ; but hee alludes to another day , to the day of judgement ; when the Lord shall judge all the world , when hee that is holy , shall bee approved of and acquitted , and hee that is vilde and wicked shall bee condemned , I looke to that day . Were he not worthy to be begged for a foole , that should goe away troubled and disquieted , because a company of drunkards had condemned him upon the alebench , when the Judge had cleared him upon the bench of justice : therefore steele your faces against all the malicious accusations of the wicked : let them sit and condemne thee upon the alebench if they will , so long as thou art acquitted in heaven , herein bee for ever cheared through his mercy . It was that which made the holy Prophet so marvellously confident in Isaiah 50.8.9 . and to throw downe the gantlet saying , Hee is neer that justifies mee , who will contend with mee ? see whether you can set your foot to mine , vow for vow , and word for word : who is mine adversary , let him come neere : behold the Lord God will succour me , who will condemne me ? lo they all shall wax old as a garment , the moth shall eat them up , they shall vanish , and shall not be able to appeare at the day of accounts ; nay the moth shall eat them up , nay the wicked shall say in hell as the wise man saith , We fooles thought this mans life madnesse , and wee past our judgements upon these precise fellowes that must ever and anon bee in a corner to weepe for their sinnes ; but we finde now that wee are the fooles that have neglected grace , and salvation , and happinesse , which now they enjoy for ever . If a man had a case to bee tried in the Chancerie , if the Lord Chancellour were his friend , hee need not feare any thing , for the Lord Chancellour would suffer nothing to come in against him , but would cast them all out , and heare none of them : so you that are beleevers , and have a friend , and a Father that sits in the high Court of Chancery in Heaven , howsoever there are many which would be medling with you , yet your Father is the Judge of the Court , and he will dishonour all those that seeke to dishonour you : It is the ground of that blessed boldnesse which the Apostle concludes with himselfe , not onely that the thing should not bee carried against him , as Rom. 8.33 . but that all should be for him : Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen ? it is God that justifieth : Let the gates of Hell bee set open , and Belzebub and all the Devils come roaring out against him , and let the wicked come that beare him ill will , and let all his sinnes come and his owne conscience too , yet hee need not feare any thing : the ground is hence , because it is God that justifies ; hee doth not say , they shall never prevaile against Gods servants , but they shall not plead against them : and hee doth not say , they shall not condemne them , but they shall not accuse them : as hee said , Acts 19.38 . The Law is open , and there are Deputies , let them accuse 〈◊〉 plead one against another ; so that here shall not bee so much as pleading against a poore beleever , because God the Father hath justified him . Now the ground of this comfort lieth in three particulars , or it affords a threefold consolation .

First , because God the Father hath all things to doe with the soule of a beleever : all the suits that are to bee made against a poore soule , they come from God , and if hee will cease the suit , who can follow it ? if he will say hee is satisfied , and well apaid , then who can take any advantage against the soule ? Looke as it is with the Lord of a manour , haply hee hath an ill neighbour lives under him , and doth him much damage many wayes , and the Noble man at last is resolved to follow the law against him : therefore the poore man comes in and desires pardon of all that hee hath done amisse , and promiseth never to doe the like , and the Gentleman out of his noble disposition acquits him , and forgives all : now imagine some of the servants come in and raise clamours and complaints against him , and all the servants of the family are against him : well , the poore man makes them this answer , I have wronged none of you , therefore if your Lord bee contented to acquit me , I care not what you say , I have not wronged you , neither doe I feare you : this is that which should chear up our hearts infinitely , that God the Father is the Lord of the mannour , even the Lord of the whole world , and if there be any transgression done against thy neighbour whatsoever , hee is the Lord of the manour , it were no offence to steale , but that he hath forbidden it ; and it were no offence to be disobedient to Parents , but that hee hath said , Honour thy father and mother , &c. The goods of thy neighbour are the Lords , and the dammage that is done is against the Lord : Now if God the Father doe mercifully acquit you , and saith hee will pardon the breach of all his Commandements , if God acquit us , what need wee feare or care what the Devill sayes against us ? it may bee the Devill will come in and commence a suit against us , and say , what , you be saved ? yes , that s a likely matter , are you not guiltie of this and that ? well , brethren , we have done the Devill no wrong , against thee onely have I sinned , saith David , it was against the commands of my good God and his holy Spirit , it was against my Father and my Redeemer , and they will pardon my sinne : God saith , I will forgive all that wrong done to me , then let the Devill goe and shake his ears : looke as it is with a creditor , if he hath gotten the suretie in suit , he will acquit the debtor , and if the debtor be acquitted , all the bailiffes in the world can doe him no hurt , and hee saith , I am out of your debt and danger : so it is here , God the Father is the Creditor , wee have wronged God most infinitely , wee owe unto God all that wee have , but yet hee hath blotted out all our iniquities : therefore if the Devill follow the suit , it matters not , The Lord saith , I will remember his sinnes no more : therefore the Devill can pursue him no further .

Secondly , there can bee no court in the world can alter our justification : if a man be righted in a lower court , a higher court may call it over againe and overthrow it , but this is admirable consolation , doth God the Father acquit us in Heaven ? then let the Devill goe and appeale where he will . A man never appeals from a higher court to a lower , but from a lower court to a higher : now all your sinnes are pardoned , and you are acquitted in Heaven : therefore goe your way comforted , and let the Devill appeale where he will , no man can reverse it : The mercy of the Lord and his sentence endureth for ever : you know it was Saint Pauls plea , when hee saw that the Jewes were maliciously bent against him to have his life , he said , No man may deliver me unto them , I appeale unto Cesar : he saw hee should have hard dealing there if hee were committed to them , therefore he appeals unto Cesar : so we , we have had our case tried in Heaven , wee have Cesars judgement seat to goe unto , the first person of the Trinitie is our Father , the Creditor hath made it good unto us by the witnesse of the Spirit , that our iniquities are pardoned , and that he will heare no more of them : therefore goe away for ever cheared and comforted .

Vse 2 Again in the second place we have here a word of direction : Is God the Father the Judge of the Court ? then let me speak a word to all humble broken hearted sinners ; when you have many Judges to sit upon you in your owne heart , bee sure that you bee not judged by them , but repaire unto God the Father , and get his sentence upon them , and whatsoever hee speakes , submit unto it , and bee contented to judge your selves and your estates answerable by it . This is the great misery of many poore creatures , that as many miseries as they have , so many Judges they have : sometimes their feare sits upon them , and then they are damped : sometimes their suspition sits upon them , and then they are marvellously disquieted ; and sometimes hope sits upon them , and then they are a little comforted ▪ Oh brethren and beloved in the Lord , bee wise now for your soules , and put your case to be tried onely by the Lord , and not by every one . Wee would count him a mad man , that having a case of weight to bee tried , should commit it to an enemy that hates him , or else to an ignorant man that hath no skill at all in the businesse , no wise man will doe it : but hee appeales to the Judge of the court , and lets him cast the cause : just so it is here , there are many of you , some there are I am sure , that have a sight of your sinnes , and sometimes you thinke that God will certainly commence the suit against you : what , so many sinnes within mee , and so many corruptions to follow mee , and oppresse mee ? certainly my heart is naught , are you so ignorant to commit your cause to bee judged by them ? your carnall reason is an enemie , and your owne hearts are weake , and not able to understand : therefore go to a higher court , and say with your selves , I care not what the world saith , and what carnall reason saith , I passe not ▪ speake thou , Lord , a word of comfort to my soule , and if his word bee for you , then bee for ever comforted and quieted , and looke onely to the judgement of the Lord , and to none other ; it is in his hands onely to passe sentence , and to condemne , as hee seeth fit in his righteous judgement : therefore stand to the sentence of him , whose Word must stand , and shall stand for ever as mount Zion . If a plaintiffe have a case to be tried in the court of justice , he cares not what the dispute of the lawyers be : One man thinkes thus , & another thinkes thus , & another would be passing sentence , and saith , thus it must be ; he cares not what they say , hee knowes that they are not Judges , but hee stayes till the Judge comes , and he quakes and trembles till he heares what the sentence of the Judge will be . Now therefore be as wise for your spirituall estates , as you are for your temporall estates : Psalme 85.8 . I will hearken what the Lord will say , disputing there of the miseries and troubles which were like to befall the Church of God , and himselfe too : he lookes up to Heaven , and saith , I will hearken what the Lord will say , for hee speakes peace to his people : looke not what sense and feeling , and feare and suspition say , for they will speake killing words , and will tell you that your condition is naught and damnable : what , all this vildnesse , and basenesse , and stubbornesse , and yet goe to heaven ? that cannot be : Good brethren hearken not to these , for they are not the Judges of the court , the sentence must come from God , and remember that God will speake peace and comfort unto his people , hee will comfort your distressed consciences : and therefore let not Satan , nor your owne distempered hearts be hearkned unto , for though they speake never so much terrour to your consciences , yet God will justifie you : it is the libertie which the law allowes , and every man will take it to himselfe , if hee know the law , when a man is questioned for his life , he will not cast himselfe upon every Jurie , but hee will take the benefit of the law ; and if there comes in one that is an ignorant person , or one that is an enemy of his , he may justly except against them , and put them out , and hee will say , Good my Lord , doe not cast away a poore man for no cause at all , I except against these men of the Jurie , they are mine enemies , they have sought my blood , many yeeres , and they have informed against me , and seeke to take away my life , and I can prove it , and the rest are ignorant , and cannot understand the matter ▪ good my Lord , let me have a good Jurie : this the court of justice allowes , and every man will bee sure to take it to himselfe , as occasion serves : in Acts 28.19 . Paul was constrained to appeal into Cesar , and therefore hee saith , Chap. 2● . 10.11 . I stand a● Cesars judgement seat , where I ought to be judged . You see , beloved , how wise men are for the good and safetie of their bodies , oh be much more carefull for the good of your soules , and hazard not your soules upon every base Jurie ; stand not to the triall of temptation , feare and suspition , but appeale to the great God of Heaven , and say , Lord it is an unjust Jurie , you ●eele not these abilities ; and you feel not this assurance of Gods love , and when corruption beginnes to stirre in the heart ; then carnall reason saith , if a man had grace , could he have all these corruptions ? if I had any grace it would not , nor it could not be thus with mee : Oh complaine to the Lord that they are an unjust Jurie : looke up to the Throne of mercy , and have your cause heard there , and say , Lord , these have beene my profest enemies , the Devill , and this carnall proud froward heart of mine have beene deadly enemies both to thee , and to thy grace , and to the good of my poore soule : and as for feare and suspition , they have betrayed my comforts , and ●ut the throat of them , and many a time have taken away the hope of eternall life from me : and as for my weaknesses and infirmities , they are too ignorant , they cannot passe righteous judgement because they know not what belongs to grace here , or happinesse hereafter : therefore appeale to the Lord , and say , you stand at Gods mercy seat , let mercy doe what it will with you , and mercy will certainly save you , and let mercy be for ever honoured , and be sure to lie downe at the footstoole of mercy . If thou art content to goe to God , and depend upon mercy , and let it doe what it will with thee , then mercy shall certainly save thee ; if thou wilt come to beleeving , thou art sure to bee acquitted : let the Devill come in against thee , and plead , and say , Lord wilt thou acquit such a man that hath been a despiser of thy grace and mercy ; and the world saith , to my knowledge he hath closed with mee and hath forsaken thee ; and then saith conscience , I have told him of many sinnes , but hee would never reforme them ; therefore Lord give Justice against him : then the Lord makes answer , and saith , It skils not what he hath beene , If hee will come to me , and beleeve in me , and repent of his sinnes , I will freely acquit him of all that he hath done amisse : therefore avoid the court , Satan , take this as an everlasting rule , and you shall finde it by experience . If a man might have all the favour in the world shewed him , and have his owne friends to passe sentence against him , and have his best duties and services to plead for him , if hee should commit his case to them to be tried by them , he would be for ever condemned by them ; there is so much pride on the one side , and deadheartednesse on the other side , and so much wandring in your prayers , that they would cry to God for wrath and condemnation upon you : 1 Cor. 4.4 . I know nothing by my selfe , yet am I not thereby justified : you must appeale to the Father of mercies , or else you will never be acquitted by them : therefore stand to that judgement of God , whose judgement must and shall stand , when the sentence of sinne and Satan , and carnall reason shall be overthrowne .

The cause why many poore humbled broken selfe-denying hearts goe drooping and discouraged , it is because they have a bad Jurie goes upon them , and they dead their owne hearts , because they appeale not to that God , who is willing to acquit them through the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ .

Object . But some may object and say , how shall I know whether God will justifie me or no ?

Answer . For answer hereunto , looke what the word saith , if the word acquit thee , it shall stand ; and if the word condemne thee , though all the men in the world acquit thee , yet thou shalt be condemned ; to all that beleeve not in my Gospell , shall be confusion , saith the Apostle : and the words of Christ are , He that beleeveth not , is condemned already : therefore looke what the word saith , and cleave to that for ever .

Vse 3 In the third place from hence we have a ground of terrour to the wicked , and it is like a thunder-bolt to breake the hearts of all unbeleevers , and it is able to cut the sinewes of all their comforts , and to sinke their soules to Hell , to thinke that they are unbeleevers : I speake not to those that have some doubtings and troubles arising in their hearts , but to such as never yet beleeved in Christ , howsoever a man may have parts , and gifts , and be advanced , yet that which will be as gall and wormwood to the soule is this thou shalt never bee justified . When Simon Magus would have bought the gift of the holy Ghost with money in Acts 8.21 . Saint Peter answered him , thy money perish with thee : and furthermore , he cuts him up to the quick , and saith , Thou art still in the gall of bitternesse , thou hast no share nor portion in this matter : so you unbeleevers , you have no share in this point of justification , 1 Peter 4.17 . If judgement , that is , temporall judgement begin at the house of God , that is , at the Saints of God which beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ , then what will the end be of all that obey not the Gospell of God , and beleeve not in the Lord Iesus Christ ? for it is all one in the phrase of Scripture : If a beleever doe come to heaven with much difficultie and trouble , and perplexitie of heart , and the ship is all broken , and hee comes to heaven with much difficultie ; then what will the share of those men bee that have no part nor portion in Jesus Christ ? they can ruffle it out with the best for a while , and the men of the world doe admire at them , and acquit them many times , the people of God being deluded with their smooth carriage , and fair shewes , and having a charitable opinion of them , they do acquit them : but marke the end of it , thou maist be admired and acquitted here , but thou shalt bee for ever condemned hereafter : the sentence is gone forth , and it shall never be revoked : Heb. 3.18 . To whom sware hee that they should not enter into his rest , but unto them that obeyed not ? You must thinke the Lord is highly displeased , when hee sweareth that such a man shall never see his face with comfort , nor come to Heaven ; hee swears , and when the sentence is past , it is unchangeable , unalterable : So Hebrewes 6.17 . God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his Councell , bound himselfe by an oath : When the Lord would establish the heart of Abraham , he tooke an oath ; as it is among men , an oath puts an end to all controversies : so if the Lord once swears , it is done in Heaven , never to bee altered more , and therefore aske them this question : What are they , and what may wee thinke of them that God swears against ? certainly they are unbeleevers , God must make a new Gospell , and must forswear himselfe , or else none of these unbeleeving persons shall ever come to Heaven . Hence it is that the Apostle makes the thing almost impossible , That God cannot save an unbeleever : Rom. 11.23 . And they also if they abide not in unbeleefe , shall be grafted in ; for God is able to graft them in againe : as if he had said , the poore dispersed unbeleeving Jewes may also be saved , and receive sap and sweet from the grace of Christ , if they abide not in their unbeleefe : It is as much as to say , if they doe abide in their unbeleefe , God is not able to graft them in ; and the Apostle saith , God cannot deny himselfe , he will not crosse the course of his providence , for never an unbeleeving wretch under Heaven : Hee hath said it , and if there bee ever a Devill in hell , thou shalt be one , if thou continuest as thou art : Therefore you that are convinced in your consciences , that you obey not the Gospell , nor submit to the grace of God in Christ , consider with your selves whether it be good continuing in that estate or no : when the wrath of God hangs over your heads ready to fall upon you : see your misery therefore you poore soules , and take up that lamentation of Reuben , Gen. 37.29 . when his brother Ioseph was sold to the Ishmaelites , the childe is not yonder , and I , whither shall I goe ? so say thou , my comfort is lost , I am an unbeleever ; and therefore I , whither shall I goe ? and I poore soule , whither shall I goe ? If I goe to the Law , that condemnes me ; and if to the Gospell , that I have abused ; if I goe to God the Father of mercies , he will not acquit me : and therefore whither shall I goe ? I can goe no whither but to hell , if I remaine still in my unbeleefe , therefore bee any thing rather than unbeleever , for if thou art so , and continuest so , the Lord hath sworne thy misery and destruction : Iohn 3. the last verse , Hee that beleeveth not , the wrath of God abideth on him : If thou continuest still in thy unbeleefe , there is nothing to bee expected but the fiercenesse of Gods wrath and indignation to be powred upon thee : Thus much for the first Doctrine .

Now before I come to the maine proposition , let me take up one point by the way , to prevent all false and wicked surmizes : the Text saith , He hath made him sinne for us , that knew no found : n●w when the Apostle saith , Hee hath made him sinne for us , why , may some say , had Jesus Christ any sinne ? no , saith the Apostle , abhorre such thoughts for ever : therefore to prevent all sur●izes that may prejudice the Holinesse , Honour , and Primitie of Christ , let mee lay downe a point by the way , and the question shall be this :

Quest. What is it to know no sinne ?

Answer . Knowledge in Scripture , implyes two things .

First , a bare worke of the understanding , when wee are able to pierce into a thing that is offered to us , and are able to fathom what is offered to our view : and thus Christ did know sinne , and thus to know sinne is not evill : The Minister knowes sinne , when hee preacheth against sinne ; and thus God himselfe knowes sinne , and thus Christ knew sinne , and he was able to fathom the vildnesse and loathsomnesse of sinne , but that is not here meant .

Secondly , there is another , namely an experimentall knowledge , that is , when from some good that we have or doe receive , or any good that we doe of our selves , or some evill that we doe commit , or fearing some misery to come upon us , wee read the nature of the good and the nature of the evill : as when a man hath a sinfull distemper of wrath and passion , and hee knowes the nature of his anger and pride , because hee observes the venome of it in his owne spirit : this is experimentall knowledge , and they call it so because we read our owne dispositions , and thereby wee judge the nature of it , by judging our selves : The Physitian knowes the disease , and therefore he is able to apply medicines accordingly , but hee knowes it not experimentally ; as wee use to say , such a man never knew what povertie meant , and such a man never knew what the gowt meant , that is , he never had it ; and such a man never knew what a prison meant , that is , hee never was in prison : This is the meaning of it in this place , Christ knew no sinne , his heart never affected any , and himselfe never practised any : therefore he knew no sinne by his owne experience , yet by his infinite wisedome being God , he was able to finde out the venome and ●ildnesse of sinne : So the point which I observe by the way is this :

Doctrine . Our Saviour Christ never yeelded the least improvement of heart to sinne , neither did hee ever commit the least sinne in his life and conversation : our Saviour Christ knew no sinne at all by experience ; this is that which all the types and sacrifices of the old Law did signifie , which were all as so many severall testimonies of the holinesse and puritie of the Lord Jesus Christ : therefore he was called the Lambe without blemish : and it was prophesied of him in Esay 53.9 . That he had done no wickednesse , neither was deceit found in his mouth : and his enemy Pilate said , I finde no fault in him at all : and our Saviour himselfe saith , the Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in mee , that is , no sinne , Iohn 14.30 . The arguments are briefly these .

Reason . Looke into the Nature of our Saviour , and the Office of our Saviour , looke into his Manhood , as he was perfect Man , for the seed of the woman was overshadowed by the Holy Ghost , and was purged and sanctified , and the course of originall sinne was stayed , and when the body was framed , the Godhead dwelt bodily in Christ , and all the fulnesse of grace was in him ; then the point must needs bee cleere , that there was no evill in him , no mutabilitie to incline to any evil , nor no power could prevaile with him to draw him to any evill : Againe , looke into the Office of our Saviour , for he that came to be a sacrifice for sinne , must needs want sinne , or else he could not be a sacrifice for sinne : so the point is cleere : we come now to the application .

Vse 1 The first use is a word of exhortation , and it ought to provoke all you that are faithfull , and are beleevers , to conforme your hearts and conversations answerable to the heart and life of Christ : did not Christ give the least improvement of heart to any sinne , nor practise the least sinne in any measure ? then goe thou and doe likewise , be thou like thy Saviour , that thou mayest have some evidence that thou hast a title unto him : It is that which the Apostle makes as a speciall collection , Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse , but bee you followers of God as deare children : Ephes. 5.1 . Christ had no sinne , nor fellowship with sinne ; let his course and practice bee thy copie : But some will say , what , would you have us to bee Saints here on earth ● how can it be that we should know no sin , when we have such a body of death hanging upon us ? yes , we may know no sinne , though it doe hang about us : the Apostle doth not say , equall God in holinesse , but imitate him ; and he doth not say , follow him fully , but even as deare children : Now though the childe cannot goe so fast as the father , yet he will follow as fast as he can , and when hee hath done what he can , then he cries to his father to help him , and carrie him to the journeyes end ; and so ought we to doe , nay so we will doe , if we are true children and not bastards : the Father is infinitely full of holinesse : Follow God as deare children , doe what you can and then ●rie to him to inable you to doe what you cannot doe . It was the practice of the Prophet David , Psalme 63.1 . My soule thirsteth for thee , and my heart longeth after thee : therefore in the 119. Psalme , 4 , 5. Thou hast commanded to keepe thy Commandements diligently , oh that my heart me● so directed tha● I might doe it : as if hee had said , I know the Law requireth it , and it is my dutie to doe it : helpe Lord , and take Lord , and carry Lord thy poore servant , and lead mee into the land of righteousnesse ; it is an evidence of one that is borne of God : 1 Iohn 5.18 . Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not , and the evill one toucheth him not : so if you are such as have Christ Jesus formed in you , you will labour to keepe your selves that the wicked one touch you not hee doth not say hee will not entertaine it , but he will not keep company with it . A man must doe by sinne , as wee would do by a man whose company we shun ; if we would not have acquaintance with him , then we carry our selves strangely to him ; if he call , we will not answer ; if he knocke , we will not open ; we keep our selves close , that wee may not change a word with him : so it will bee with every one of you that are borne of God , you will have nothing to doe with your old pettish lusts , and base humours and haunts of spirits , and whomsoever it be that hath had dalliance with you heretofore , you will avoid the place and presence of them , and say , I know not those distempers , nor the place not occasions of them , I will meddle with them no more , I will not owne them , I have done it too too much already , if they come I will not yeeld ; and if they follow , I will flee . I have read an old story of a man that was carried away much by a harlot ; at last the Lord meets him , and opened his eyes , and humbled his soule , and brought him out of his sinfull condition : many a day after the harlot met him againe , and the man would not looke on her , and shee began to seft kindnesse upon him , and said , I am she , you know wee have had much sweet dalliance together : Oh , but saith he , blessed be God , I am not I ; that is , I am not the man that I was before : so should we , though wee are nothing but sinne by nature , and know nothing but corruption , yet if the old sluggishnesse and stubbornnes of heart , and haughtinesse that we have too too much received ; if they come and say , we are the darlings that have had much sweet fellowship and communion with you , make them answer and say , I am not the man , I will have no more to doe with you . Let every heart be here incouraged not to regard the base respects of sinne , or of the world , they will say it is not good to bee too holy , and too precise ; make answer and say , I cannot bee too holy , Jesus Christ knew no sinne ; the heart and life of Jesus Christ is that which wee ought to respect and imitate .

Now I come to the main proposition , and that is this ; that the debt of the sinner is charged upon our Saviour : so saith the description , and so say the words of the Text : conceive here thus much , that our Saviour had the debt of a sinner charged upon him , partly by imputation , and partly by personall performance , he did performe the payment personally , the debt was by imputation , but the payment was by reall and personall performance : and as our sinnes and debts were made his by imputation , so the payment was his really laid downe , and suffered for us : Two things I must lay downe before I can open the point :

First , what is meant by sinne .

Secondly , why Christ is said to be made sin .

First , what is meant by sinne ?

Answer . I answer , sinne so farre as it concernes our purpose , is taken two wayes .

First , the breach of the Law , as any guilt when a man is subject to the Law .

Secondly , it is sometimes taken for the sacrifice of sinne ; for so the punishment in Scripture is sometimes called by the name of sinne , as Leviticus 5.15 . If a man sinne and trespasse through ignorance , hee shall then bring unto the Lord for a trespasse offering , a ramme without blemish : If any man offer a gift for the sinne which he hath committed , for so the word is in the originall ; if hee offer a sacrifice , because of the guilt of sin which is upon him : and so Gen. 4.7 . If thou doest not well , sinne lieth at the doore ; that is , punishment lieth at the doore : now in what sense it is taken here in this place , it is a point of great difficulty amongst many Divines some that have had a new way for justification , they have had also a new way for to interpret this place : but in my judgement it is to bee taken in the first sense , though the second also must bee included , and cannot but be collected from the former , and not onely the former , but also latter Divines carry it this way : the argument here in the Text seemes to bee cleare , and the reasons out of the Text are three :

First , looke at the opposition that is here betweene sinne and righteousnesse ; God made Christ sinne for us , that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in Christ : that sinne is here meant which is opposite to that righteousnesse which is here mentioned ; but the sacrifice of sinne is not opposite to the righteousnesse here meant , but the breach of the Law that is opposite to it : therefore righteousnesse doth imply the profest opposition to sinne in this place , sinne being profestly opposite to righteousnesse .

Secondly , if wee looke at the comparison and proportion betweene the first part of the verse , and the last part , For as Christ was made righteousnes to us ; not that righteousnes which we have , but that which hee had , and which is made ours by imputation : so Christ also was made sinne for us , not that Christ had sinne , but hee tooke our sinne by imputation : so that I reason thus ; That sinne is here meant , which is so imputed to Christ , as his righteousnesse is imputed to us : but not the sufferings or punishments of sinne is imputed , but the guilt and the breach , Christ did really and personally suffer ; and therefore hee needed no such imputation for suffering , but for the breach of the Law which hee never did , that onely is imputed to him .

Thirdly , let us take what they give , and grant that Christ is our sacrifice for sinne , that very grant infers that Christ also must have sinne imputed to him ; for hee that did really pay that which was due on our parts , and which the justice of God exacted as a due payment for what we had committed , hee must also have the debt imputed to him ; for otherwise to make a man pay the debt which hee hath no relation to , and cannot be charged withall , this stands not with justice ; but God the Father exacted payments and sufferings from our Saviour for our sinne ; and therefore hee charged our Saviour with our sinnes : As for example , a creditor sues the suretie , and forceth him to pay the debt ; why ? because hee stands charged with the debt , for when hee entred bond with the creditor , hee became suretie , and a debtor to pay the debt , and the debtor was acquitted : but now he that never was bound for the money , cannot bee forced to pay the debt : so that all things considered , it is evident that our Saviour was made sinne , that is , that the sinnes of the whole world were set upon his score .

Secondly , what is it to bee made sinne ? It is not to be meant , that Christ had any sinne of his owne , no more than we had righteousnesse ; neither that God the Father did make him sinfull , these are hellish and devillish blasphemies : but we must understand it so , as may stand with Gods Justice , Holinesse , Christs puritie , &c. God the Father charged all our sinnes upon the Lord Jesus Christ by imputation : but if you aske me , why doth the Text say , that he made him sinne and not a sinner ; the reason is this , because our Saviour did not beare the sinnes of any one man in particular , but he bore the sinnes of all the world : all the evils which they had committed , were charged upon our Saviour , and God the Father followes the suit upon the suretie , and accounted him as the debte● , and as one that was guiltie of all those sinnes , because hee had taken them upon him ; so the point of Doctrine hence is this :

Doctrine . God the Father did impute all the sinnes of all the world to the charge of our Saviour .

All you that are debters to the Lord , consider of it ; if a man had forfeited his bond , and had great payments to make , if hee knew any friend that would become a debter for him and would pay the debt , oh how would he rejoyce ! Now we are all debters and stand bound to God , therefore take notice of the point , God the Father charged all the sinnes of all the faithfull upon the Lord Jesus Christ : if you aske mee why I say the faithfull ; because the Text saith , Hee was made sinne for us saith the Apostle , for us that beleeve : he would be sure to have some of that mercy , as he saith in another place , Christ came to save sinners , whereof I am chiefe : hee , ingrosseth mercy to himselfe ; therefore you hard hearted and unbeleeving wretches bee packing , for Christ was made sinne for us , that is , for us beleevers : so that none of the faithfull are exempted from the benefit of this Doctrine ; Christ was made sinne for every beleever , for every beleeving creature in the world that can but rest upon Christ , and can touch the hemme of his garment : it is not the greatnesse of your faith , but the sinceritie of your faith , that helps you to come within compasse of this point . For the proofe of this Doctrine consider thus much : this is a truth of the Scripture undeniable , and that which hath from age to age beene delivered to the people of God , all the offerings and sacrifices of the Law doe shew so much , and all the types of the Law doe testifie so much , as in Leviticus 1.4 . compare it with Leviticus 5.5 . in Chap. 1.4 . he saith , The offender shall bring the burnt offering without blemish , and hee shall put his hands upon the head of the sacrifice , and it shall bee accepted of the Lord to bee an attonement : and in Chap. 5.5 . When he hath sinned in any of these things , then he shall come and confesse that he hath sinned therein ; this was the legall ceremony : now what is the substance of it ? the sacrifices were types of Christ , hee is the sacrifice without blemish , without sinne , and the offering up of the sacrifice was the beleeving upon , and the tendering of the Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father by faith , and this must bee done at the doore of the Tabernacle : the meaning is , he is a common Saviour to all beleevers , that as it is in a common ground , every one hath a share in it , and every borderer though never so poore , may come and put on and feed his cattle as well as the best : so here every poore beleever may come and feed upon the Lord Jesus Christ : therefore the Apostle in the 3. verse of Iude cals it the common salvation ; not common to all the wicked and unbeleevers , but to all the faithfull that border upon the promises , and doe beleeve in them , it is common to them all ; and the man that offered the sacrifice was to lay his hand upon the head of the sacrifice , and there to confesse all the sinnes of the children of Israel ; this was the unburthening himselfe of his sinne , and laying it upon the head of the sacrifice the Lord Jesus Christ ; that so what wee are not able to beare , hee may beare for us , and answer divine justice for us ; and so there was another ceremony , Leviticus 16.21 . Of the scape goat , there were two sacrifices to bee offered , the one was to bee a burnt offering , and the other was to escape ; Aaron was to put his hand upon the head of the live goat , and to confesse over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel , and their trespasses , putting them upon the head of the live goat , and shall send him away by the hand of a man appointed into the wildernesse ; so the goat shall beare upon him all the iniquities to a land not inhabited : and the other was to be offered up for a burnt offering : this was the type ; now the intendment of the ceremony was this ; the goat was the Lord Jesus Christ , and when Aaron did put his hands upon the head of the goat , and confesse over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel , and did put them upon the head of the goat ; it was thus much , God the Father did charge all the sinnes of all the world upon the Lord Jesus Christ , even of all , from the beginning of the world to the end of it , and did put them all upon the Lord Christ ; and howsoever he was a sacrifice for sinne , yet hee was a scape goat , and hath escaped out of the hands of hell and death , and is now in Heaven , and with him all beleevers shall escape from hell and death , by the power of his merits . Further ye see how the Prophet expounds the Law , Esay 53.4 , 5. We thought him afflicted and buffetted for himselfe , but he was wounded for our sins , and broken for our iniquities ; hee was neglected amongst the wicked , and they judged him as smitten for his owne sins , but he was wounded for our sins imputed to him , that wee through him might bee eased thereof ; and therefore the Text saith , Hee bore our iniquities : and me thinkes it hath reference to the scape goat , and it is that which the Apostle doth peremptorily say , Heb. 7.22 . He was made a suretie of a better covenant : Now the suretie hath not onely the payment to make , but hee is accounted as the debtor ; the debt is laid to his charge , as well as the payment is required , thus the point is proved : Now for the better discovery of this Doctrine , let me doe two things :

First , I will shew after what manner God did this , and what is the behaviour of the Lord , when hee chargeth the sinnes of the faithfull upon Christ .

Secondly , I will shew the reasons of it , why God the Father did so , whereby it shall appeare , that it is reasonable , and it doth wonderfully magnifie the Justice , and mercy of God .

Quest. 1 For the first , if a man aske me what God the Father doth , when hee chargeth the sinnes of the faithfull upon Christ ;

Answer . I answer , this act carries three things in it , or God brings about the worke by a threefold act .

First , God the Father , and the Lord Jesus Christ made a mutuall decree and purpose , that so many should beleeve , they should bee saved : And they did not only purpose this , but they did make a mutuall agreement betweene themselves , that the Lord Jesus Christ should take the care of those soules to make them beleeve , and to save them by beleeving , and the Lord Jesus Christ undertooke the worke according to their compact , God the Father said , I will have these children saved , and Christ saith , I will take the care of them : Iohn 10.14 , 15 , 16. It s strange to see , how our Saviour there speakes of his Office , in the 14. verse , he saith , I am the good Shepheard and know mine , and am knowne of mine , that is , I know those that are committed to my charge and knowledge , even as the shepherd knowes his sheepe : but how doth the Lord Christ know , who God the Father will have to be saved ? looke verse 15. As the Father knoweth me , so know I the Father . and wee have agreed amongst our selves , that so many shall bee saved : The Father hath said , I will have so many soules saved , and Christ saith , those soules shall bee my care and charge : and in the 16. verse , hee saith , Other shee● I have also which are not of this sold , them also must I bring , and they shall heare my voyce : when the Father hath revealed , that so many in such a place , and so many in such a place shall bee saved , then the Lord Christ undertakes the care of them , and he calls at such a doore , and saith , I must have that poore drunken creature , and he must be humbled and broken hearted , and he must beleeve , and he calls at such a doore , and findes the adulterer in the armes of the harlot , and hee saith , I must have that unclean wretch , I must humble him for his sinnes , and I must make a separation betweene him and his sinnes : A good shepheard will have a care of his sheep , and will fetch them wheresoever they be ; as it was with David , He did fetch his prey from the mouth of the Lion : so though there were never so many baits to allure a man , yet if the Lord Christ intend to save him , hee will fetch him out of the mouth of the Lion ; and he saith , that poore soule is mine , I have taken the charge of him , and therefore I must have him , and he must heare my voice , nay he shall heare my voyce : Many times you have turned the deafe eare upon Christ , and hee calls and knocks , and yet that will not serve the turne , untill hee breakes in upon the soule by horrour of heart : therefore God the Father commits the care of all those wandring soules to the charge of Christ , and hee will have them by one means or other : As it is with a Husbandman that hath a great flocke of sheepe , and he saith to his sonne , loe , I commit the care of them to thee , loe here they are , I would have thee to be carefull of them , the number thou knowest , and the marke thou feest , then the sonne concludes with the father , and they enter into agreement , and the son saith , I will feed and keep those sheep : so it is with God the Father , and the Lord Jesus Christ ; God the Father gives all the names of all the faithfull from the beginning of the world to the end of it ▪ and saith , all these are my children , there is a poor creature in such a blinde corner of the countrie which I must have saved , and in another place there is another base drunkard which I must have saved , that I may make the world to wonder at it ; the foundation of the Lord standeth sure , and hath this seale , the Lord knoweth who are his , the Lord hath elected and called them , that s his marke ; and therefore our Saviour Christ undertakes the care of them , and God the Father looks that all those that are committed to the care of Christ , should bee saved ; as in Iohn 17.12 . Of all that thou hast given me , have I lost none , but the childe of perdition , that is , he was a wolfe , and no sheep , and a lion , and a cunning fox , and none of my charge , but of all that thou hast given mee hove I lost none : all you poore ignorant and weake Christians , little lambes , that cannot helpe your selves , Christ will not lose one of you ; but though you are never so mean and poore , the Lord will carry you in his armes , and bring you to everlasting life : 1 Cor. 15.24 . Then shall the end be , when the Lord Iesus hath delivered up the Kingdome to the Father ; and shal say , Father , thou hast given me the charge of so many in England , so many in Spain , so many in Asia , so many in the Palatinate , the Lord Jesus Christ shall deliver up the whole number to God the Father .

Secondly , our Saviour having undertaken to keepe these , he addresseth himselfe to the worke , to use those means by which hee may keepe and save them , and that he doth thus : he puts himselfe into the roome and place of all those poore lost sheepe of his , and this is the difficultie to open this to you that are weake . Now what is it to be put in the roome and place of another ? Christ doth willingly submit himselfe to the power of the revenging justice of the Father , that whatsoever the Law and Justice of God required at the hands of the faithfull , that doth Christ stand unto and will answer it all , as thus : the debter is taken and imprisoned , and they that are his friends desire some releasment for him ; how upon consultation , and conference with the creditor , it is agreed that such a man shall undertake to help him , and to free him from all the extremitie that he lies in for the debt , and hee must doe it by one of these two wayes , either hee must breake the prison , and so rescue him by strong hand , or else he must yeeld and submit to what the Law requires , and is due to the creditor ; and the creditor saith , if you will bee content to become debtor , and acquit him of the debt , if you will enter bond with me to become a pay-master of the whole debt due to me , then I am content to free him : Now the man that thus yeelds himselfe , to what the power of Law and Justice can do against the debtor , that man becomes a suretie for him , he will bee as one that owes the money , and that must pay , and the Law proceeds as fully against him , as against the debtor : the debtor did personally owe the money , and lay in prison for it , but the suretie is as one that hath forfeited and must pay ; hee submits himselfe to the power of Law , and Justice , that looke what the Law requires of a man forfeiting and owing , hee is content that the Law require it of him . Just so it is here , the sinner is this debtor , and Christ undertakes for him by a mutuall consent betweene the Father and him , and hee yeelds and submits himselfe to all the power of Justice , that looke how the Law accounts of a sinner , it should account of him : Now the Law of God accounts of this man as one that hath broken the Law , and deserved eternall death , and Christ submits himselfe to these , the Law requires doing and suffering , and Christ is contented to undergoe all these for all that shall beleeve : as Gal. 4.4 , 5. When the fulnesse of time was come , God sent forth his onely Sonne made of a woman , and made under the Law , that he might redeeme them which were under the Law : the meaning is this , looke how we were under the Law , so was Christ under the Law for us , that so he might redeeme those that were under the Law ; the Law laid guilt to our charge , and the Law did condemne us , and the Lord Christ was content to be under all that commanding , revenging authority , which the Law had over us , so that now Christ is come into the roome of all the faithfull : hence is that speech of Luther , which the Papists so much cavill at ; hee saith our Saviour was the greatest sinner of all the faithfull that ever was upon the face of the earth , not that he had any sin of his owne inherent in him , or committed by him , but because all the sins of all the world were charged upon him , and Christ put himselfe into the roome of all the world , that looke whatsoever the Law required of any , the same it required of him ; and what the Law accounted of any , it accounted the same of him .

Thirdly , our Saviour having put himselfe into the roome of a sinner , the Law now proceeds with full scope against him , and God the Father may justly proceed according to rule , and may justly expresse the power of his revenging Justice upon him : and hence it is that God the Father accounts of Jesus Christ as a sinner , and proceeds against him , and condemnes him as a sinner , and doth require of him whatsoever hee requires of a sinner , a sinner must doe or die , and so must the Lord Christ , because hee hath put himselfe into the roome of a sinner . As it is with a creditor , haply the debtor growes a bankrupt , and flies his countrie , the creditor cares not , for , saith hee , I will lay the debt upon the sureries backe , such a man was bound for him , I have him still in my chest , and it is as good to mee , as if the debtor himselfe were able to pay me : so it is here when poore sinners wrong God , and wound his Spirit , and dishonour his Name , and transgresse his Lawes , and they are not able to answer him one of a thousand , though they should goe to bell for it ; now God the Father saith , I must be righteous , I will lay all their sinnes upon the Lord Jesus Christ , he became a debtor , and undertook for them , and therefore I will require it of him , as well as of them . Thus much of the first part of the discovery of this point , that God the Father charged our sinnes upon our Saviour , and that Christ charged them upon himselfe , they both make a compact , that poore lost man shall be saved , and Christ submits , and is contented to beare their sinnes , and to have the Law proceed against him .

Now I come to the reasons why God the Father doth charge the sinnes of all the faithfull upon Christ : the reasons are three , and I reason from the explication thus :

Reason 1 First , that which the Lord Jesus Christ did willingly yeeld and subm●●imselfe to without sinne , that God the Father might lay upon him without any wrong , and might charge it upon him as due debt ; I say , what the Lord Jesus Christ did willingly submit himselfe to , without any dishonour to himselfe , that God the Father might justly charge upon him ; but our Saviour did willingly submit himselfe to the divine Justice of God the Father , to take their sinnes , and to beare their sorrowes , and to bee in the roome of a sinner , he came voluntarily in our roome , and therefore being under the Law , and being our scapegoat , the Father might justly lay and charge our debts upon him , because hee had taken them upon himselfe : he that will enter into bond with the creditor , and free the debtor , it is very equall that the creditor proceed against him , as against the debtor .

Reason 2 Secondly , the justice of God requires this at the hands of Jesus Christ to wit , that he should not onely suffer for sinners , but also take the very guilt of sinners upon himselfe by imputation , and bee in their roome . And that the justice of God doth require this at the hands of Christ , may thus be conceived :

The anger , justice , and severitie of God , were manifested in the fall of man ; for when man back sinned and fallen , then anger and justice began to worke , and now Adam saw God to bee an angry and a just God ; now the glory of those attributes appeared , and now all the complaint stands upon mercies side ; and therefore mercy appeals to the great Court in Heaven , and then it saith , wisedome , and power , and goodnesse , have all beene manifested in the Creat●on ; and anger and justice , they have beene glorified in the fall of Adam : but I have not yet beene manifested ; Oh let some poore soules bee comforted and saved , that they may know there is a mercifull God , and then the case is debated , onely justice steps in , and takes it selfe as wronged : It is true , saith justice , it is fit that mercy should bee honoured , yet it is not fit that I should bee wronged : must my glory be injured ? would you have a company of sinfull rebels pardoned and forgiven , when they have thus abused holinesse , and goodnesse , and resisted the Will of God ? nay , except they be punished , I cannot have my due : mercy must be honoured , but yet justice must not be wronged . Now God is a just God , and hee must give every one their due ; glory to whom glory belongs , and justice to whom justice belongs : justice must not be offended , but must bee appaid , and have its right : this is the controversie , therefore the Lord Jesus Christ steps in , and makes up all even on both sides ; and there is a way devised whereby justice may bee fully satisfied , and yet mercy magnified , and so much the more is mercy magnified , by how much justice was wronged : Then Christ comes in and saith , that justice shall punish all unbeleevers , and so it shall be satisfied for all the wrong done to it , and mercy shall bee magnified upon the beleeving soules , because the beleever is not able to beare divine justice himselfe : therefore Christ Jesus is contented to bee accounted guiltie , that justice may inflict punishment upon him as deserving it ; for otherwise , to punish the innocent , and to acquit the guiltie , will not stand with justice : Now therefore that justice may have his due from him , and yet doe him no wrong ; therefore he was content to be accounted guiltie ; and though hee were innocent , yet he was contented to bee accounted noce● . Now if God in justice require punishment of our Saviour , then the same justice must account our Saviour as guiltie , otherwise , hee should punish the innocent , which he cannot in justice doe : but God the Father did punish Christ Jesus , for justice is satisfied by the punishment , therefore it is requisite that he should bee under the Law : also God in justice must account him guiltie , that in justice he may be punished : so the issue is this ; If God the Father doe in iustice punish Christ , then it is required that he● should bee accounted as guiltie , and under the Law ; but the Father did doe it ; therefore he did account him as a sinner , and as guiltie , and did lay their sinnes unto his charge .

Reason 3 Thirdly , the third argument is taken from the love and mercy of Jesus Christ , which abundantly is magnified herein , in taking upon him the roome of a sinner : for whatsoever the Lord Jesus Christ could doe for a poore sinner without sinne , that he did doe , in the pardon of sinne ; but this Christ might doe without sinne ; and is doing thereof , might expresse abundance of love , not onely to lay downe his life for us , but to vaile his innocencie for us : hee was accounted a malefactor and a sinner for us , this is the highest pitch of admirable love that can bee ; for the lower the degree of his abasement was , the greater was his love : for it is one thing to die , and it is another thing to vaile his honour and holinesse , and he that was God equall with the Father , to be accounted as guilty of sin , this argues marvellous mercy and love , therefore it was fit that it should be taken .

Vse 1 The first use is a word of instruction to all the faithfull of God : they are to learne this point of wisedome . Is it so that God the Father hath laid thy sinnes upon Jesus Christ ? doth the guilt of them lie there , and hath Christ taken them , and the guilt of them upon himselfe , and the condemnation due unto the same ; then doe thou not take them from him to thy selfe . Therefore what the Jewes did with the sacrifice , so doe you with a Saviour , Leviticus 16.21 . When Aaron came to offer up the scapegoat , he laid both his hands upon him with all his might , and he put all the sinnes of Israel upon the head of the live goat . The Hebrew Writers observe three things in the words : First , hee laid on both his hands with all his might : Secondly , there was nothing betweene the hand of the offerer and the sacrifice which was made : Thirdly , he must confesse his sinnes , and the sinnes of all the Israelites over the goat , and say , Lord , I have transgressed , and have committed this and that iniquitie , but now Lord I returne to thee , and bring an offering of attonement , and I beseech thee good Lord to accept it : So let this bee the guise of the heart of every faithfull Christian , when hee would have quiet and ease , if ever you would have acceptance with Christ , then carry him with thee to the Father , and let your soules rest upon him with all your strength , and unburthen thy selfe of all thy sinnes , and the guilt of them , and put them upon the Lord Christ : commit thy soule to him , and then for ever expect grace and mercy from him , and resolve of this , that the Lord Jesus Christ which was made guilty for thee , will make thee guiltlesse ; and hee that was condemned in thy roome , hee will acquit thee in his mercy and goodnesse .

But some may here object and say , is not this a ground of comfort , and a ground of loosenesse , for drunkards and carnall libertines : for they may say , why should wee not live in our sinnes , seeing Christ hath take● the guilt of them upon him , and will deliver us from them ; they thinke they may be carelesse of whatsoever they doe , and sing care away , never to be troubled for , nor affected with the burthen of their sinnes and rebellions any more , because Christ stands charged with their sinnes , therefore they may throw away the care of them . Thus , as I may say with holy reverence , they make Christ a stale for all their sinnes : therefore let mee shew all such loose libertines of this last age of the world , what fond conceits they have : I meane the Anabaptists , but specially the Familists , who thinke it is unprofitable for a beleever to trouble himselfe for his sinnes , and to goe up and downe with his heart full of griefe , and his eyes full of teares ; and they thinke it unwarrantable and unlawfull , and therefore they grow carelesse of sinne , and fearlesse when they have committed sinne : hath Christ undertaken for sin , say they , then why should a beleever take sinne to himselfe ? This is the cursed opinion of the Familists . There is an unspeakable , and an unmeasurable measure of comfort in this Doctrine for all the people of God , and the other sucke as much poyson from it . I have borne a secret grudge against this doctrine of theirs many a day , but I could not tell how to meet with it , neither doe I love to meddle with it , till I meet at in my dish : therefore to prevent the cavils of the wicked , that a carnall heart may not presume of the mercy of God in Jesus Christ , and also that the poore sinner may not burthen himselfe with needlesse ●ea●es , nor with his sinne more than God requires , suffer me to cleare the Doctrines by laying open two things :

Quest. 1 First , how farre a sinner may and ought to charge himselfe with his sinne , and how farre hoe may goe .

Quest. 2 Secondly , how farre a sinner should not lay his sinne upon himselfe , nor charge his folly upon himselfe ; and this will touch and discover the bounds and limits of the free grace of God , and will open the way that wee may walke therein with comfort .

For the former :

Quest. 1 The question here growes how farre a beleever that hath an interest an Christ , may charge himselfe with his sinne .

Answer . I answer for the manner of it , it shall appeare in these particular rules or conclusions .

First , every beleever under heaven , both the weakest and the strongest , even hee that hath the strongest measure of grace , is bound to this , to the uttermost of his power to see and examine the sinfull carriages of his soule : whether distempers inwardly , or ungodly practices outwardly : he is bound to consider of them , and to judge of these his sinnes , and every of them , knowing that even the least of them is sufficient to make him guiltie of eternall death , and to bring condemnation upon him ; as hee must see what his sinne is , so he must judge that it hath the power to make him guiltie , and also to condemne him , should not the Lord by the power of his grace prevent it . Every sinne in his owne nature , and power , doth and will procure guilt and condemnation to the soule , by the sinne committed , unlesse the Lord in mercy doe prevent it , and Christ by the power of his merits stop the power and condemnation of sinne , as the Apostle saith , Rom. 1.31 . which men though they knew the Law of God , how that they which doe these things are worthy of death : that is , that in the least sinne which a man commits , there is a fitnesse in it to make a man guiltie , and it hath a power to condemne him , unlesse the Lord did marvellous gratiously stop the power of corruption : as the Text saith , the repenting Church shall judge themselves worthy to be condemned : every sinner may say of every sinne he commits , that there is enough in it to damne him , if God should deale with him after his owne deservings ; If I should be left to the power of my pride , and malice , & hatred , & dead heartednes , it were enough to condemne me for ever . The wife Physitian that sees his Patient is in a plurifie , will say , here is enough in this man to kill him , if I should neglect him but a few dayes , it would kill him : but now if the Physitian lets him blood , hee stops the power of it , that so the corrupted blood cannot bring death upon him : so every sinne that a man commits , both the distempers of the heart inwardly , and the abuse of the means of grace and the practice of sinne outwardly , there is enough in that plurisie of sinne to take away a mans comfort and happinesse , unlesse the Lord be pleased to hinder the condemning power of them , that they cannot hurt us : therefore the summe of all is this , as every beleever must examine his owne heart and life , so hee must judge the nature of sinne , and judge himselfe worthy to be condemned : 1 Cor. 11.31 . If we would judge our selves , we should not be judged , that is , if wee condemne our selves , and judge our selves worthy to be condemned for them : I say not that a man should say , that the Lord will condemne him , but that he is worthy to be condemned for them , and he deserves condemnation . Every fiery Serpent in the wildernesse had a killing nature in it , and if it did not kill , it was not for want of power in it , but because the vertue and power of the brasen Serpent ( which was a Type of Christ ) tooke away all the killing power of the fiery Serpents : this is the practice of the soule whom the Lord hath truly brought home to himselfe : as Ezekiel 16.36 . after they were justified in Gods sight , then shall they remember their evill wayes , saith the Text , and be ashamed , and never open their mouths more , when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done : Though God hath accepted of a poore beleever , yet hee must see his sinnes , and lay his mouth in the dust , and never pranke up his heart more , but walke humbly before the Lord ; and though hee is accepted and pardoned , yet hee shall judge himselfe worthy to bee condemned : This is the first conclusion .

Secondly , every beleeving soule justified , and having an interest in Christ , ought thus farre to acknowledge his sinnes , as that it were righteous with the Lord to execute his wrath against him , and to take all the advantages against him : and howsoever the Lord will not condemne him , yet to let out his wrath against him ; though not to condemne him , yet to distract him : This is that which Iob makes to be the ground of that bitter complaint of his , and made him sit downe in distractednesse of heart , under the heavy displeasure of the Lords wrath , that though God would not damne him , yet when the Lord takes away his loving countenance , and lets in his indignation into his soule , to his humiliation , terrour , and vexation ; this sunke him infinitely , and this God might doe to every beleever under Heaven , Iob 13.24 , 26. Why hidest thou away thy face , and takest mee for thine enemie ? God seemed to bee displeased with him , and to frowne upon him , and carried himselfe to Iob as an enemy : and in the 26. verse , Thou writest bitter things against me , and makest mee to inherit the sinnes of my youth : The old lusts , and the old bruses of his youth , whereby he had dishonoured God , though these were pardoned before , yet God renewes them , and puts in the suit against him the second time , and makes the sinnes of his youth to bee inherited by him ; that looke as the land descends to the heire , so the Lord made the sinnes and vanities of his soule to be possessed by him , and brought out all his abominations out of record , Thou writest bitter things against me , that is , the Lord tooke all the advantages against him that might be , and said , Remember the old lusts of thy heart , and the vanities of thy youth ; and this made him like a drie leafe tossed too and fro : as verse 25. Oh how easie were it for God , if hee should but report to a mans conscience any little sinne , that was committed the night before , and set it on , and seale it to the heart , it would drive the stoutest heart under heaven to despaire : Psalme 88.15 . Thy terrours have I suffered from my youth upwards , and I have beene distracted with them ; Lord , why castest thou off my soule ? I am afflicted , and ready to die . It is certaine , and I have knowne it , that the most stoutest heart , and rebellious lion-like disposition , that sets himselfe against God and his grace ; if God let him but see his sinne , and say , this is thy pride , and thy stubbornnesse and rebellion , it would drive the stoutest heart under heaven beyond it selfe ; nay , to utter distraction of minde , Psalme 40.12 . Innumerable troubles have taken hold upon me , they have so compassed me about , that I am not able to looke up : Every sinne is like a great bandog that is muzzeld , and if hee bee once let loose , he will teare all in peeces : so the Lord sometimes muzzels a mans corruptions , and keeps them under , and if the Lord doe but now and then let them loose , then they pull a man downe : and hence comes all those pale lookes , and discouragements of soule , these are they that will thus worry a man : Thus every beleever must acknowledge that it were just with the Lord to let loose his sinne , howsoever not to condemne him , yet to make him live at little peace or quiet ; and hence it is that the Prophet David praies so against it , Psalme 51.9 . when he had committed those two great sins of adultery and murther , though God after his confession had sealed to his soule the pardon of them , yet hee went with broken bones ; and therefore he saith , Hide away thy face from my sinnes , and put away all mine iniquities ; as if he had said , looke not upon my sinnes as a judge , doe not follow the Law against me , let not my sinnes , or my person bee once brought into the Court , or bee once named , but looke upon the Lord Jesus Christ for mee , and for his sake blot out all mine iniquities .

Thirdly , every beleever accepted and justified in and through Christ by the Father , yet hee is bound thus farre to charge his sinne upon his owne soule , and lay them so much upon himselfe , as to maintain in his owne heart a sense of the need that he hath of Christ , as well as to continue our respect and acceptation with God , as to bring us at first into the love and favour of God : Indeed if we could quit our selves , and cleare our hands of any sin committed by us , it were something , then we would be ready to say as the people to Ieremie , We are holy , we are lords , we will come no more at thee : No it is necessary , seeing Christ is yet in the worke of the mediatourship , that we should see a dayly need of him ; this is the reason of that great complaint of David , Psal. 51.1.2 . a man would thinke that hee would have beene comforted , and gone away cheerfully , having the pardon of his sinnes : but marke how hee cries , Have mercy upon me oh God , according to the multitude of thy compassions , wash away all my transgressons : wash mee throughly from all my transgressions , and purge mee from my sinne . Hee had not onely need of Christ before his conversion to justifie him , but he had need of Christ now to continue the assurance of his justification ; it is not a drop , but a bucket full of mercy ; not a little mercy , but a whole ocean : Lord , I have had a great deale of mercy for the sinnes of my youth , and I have need of a great deale of mercy still to wash away the guilt of my sinnes : this the Law required of every man that did offer sacrifice , as they were to offer their dayly sacrifice , so wee have dayly need of Christ , and therefore wee must have a dayly recourse to Christ : therefore the sacrificer was to lay his hands upon the head of the sacrifice : Even so doe thou lay thine hands upon the Lord Jesus Christ , and rest upon him , and thou shalt finde acceptance with him , this is that which sometimes chears up the drooping heart , and bears it up in the midst of all the waves of wickednesse , when he sees the vanitie of his mind , and the deadnesse of his heart , and frothinesse of his speech , and now sinne , and then sinne , and in every thing sinne , as you cannot but see and confesse it : this stands the poore sinner in stead when hee considers this , and saith , though I am dayly sinning , yet there is a Saviour in Heaven , and mercy and grace in him , that I may be comforted therein for ever , Hebrewes 7.25 . Hee is able to save to the uttermost , those that come to God by him : It implies these two things , not onely from all sinne , but also at all times ; not onely from the sinnes of your youth , but also to the uttermost of your dayes : the reason is , hee lives for ever to doe it ; this is the chearing of a poore sinner , and this wee should labour to maintain , and to keepe the sight and sense of our sinne , though our sinnes endure for ever , our living and sinning goe together , and we still continue to be as sinfull , and lazy , and idle , as ever ; yet see a need of a Saviour that lives for ever , and hee is able to save for ever : He hath not onely beene a Saviour in times past , but hee is still ; you may haply live many daies , and therefore goe to Christ which liveth for ever , to pardon and to intercede for the comfort of the soule . The wise man saith , Proverbs 28.13 . He that confesseth and forsaketh shall finde mercy : the originall runs thus , confessing and forsaking findeth mercy , the best of Gods people have their sinnes , their pride , and other distempers : therefore labour to see thy sinnes , and to see thy need of Christ , that thou maist finde pardon for them .

Fourthly , thus farre the Saints of God ought to goe in charging their owne soules with their sinnes ; so farre see them , and bee affected with them , as to bring thy heart to be truly carried with hatred against them , and with resolution to get power and strength against them ; lay thy burthen upon thy owne soule , that thou maist be affected with it , and be carried with a hatred to it , and a resolution to get more strength and power against it : Famous is that example of David herein , and this was the cause of his practice ; it is a conceit of the Familists , that if he had once gotten the assurance of Gods love , he might have gone away cheared , but though the Lord had pardoned his sinne , yet he would not pardon sinne in himselfe : the Lord shewed mercy to his soule , but yet he would not shew any pittie to his sinne , but shewed all the hatred and revenge against it , that possibly he could : As the Apostle said concerning the incestuous Corinth , Ye should rather have sorrowed , that the sinne might have beene removed ; had you sorrowed for your sinnes , then you would have resisted them ; And when hee had shewed them their transgressions , and convinced them of their sinnes , see what fruit it wrought in them , in 2 Cor. 7.10 . For this thing that yee have had godly sorrow , what great care it hath wrought in you ; yea , what clearing of your selves ; yea , what indignation ; yea , what feare , what zeale , what revenge , & c ? The Familists scornfully and sinfully inquire and say , why should a beleever goe drooping , and mourning under his sinnes and corruptions , and have his eyes full of tears , and his heart full of griefe , seeing Christ hath pardoned all , as though a man did become a Mediatour to himselfe ? their demand is weake , and their scorne is hellish , and therefore I answer them thus : If there be a daily need that every beleever see a necessitie of Christ , then there is a daily need to repent and sorrow for sinne ; for if he must be more sanctified , then he must bee more mortified ; therefore he must daily see his sinnes or else hee will never see a need of Christ , nor repent , nor bee more sanctified nor mortified : Againe , if every beleever must expresse his love unto God daily , then he must hate every thing that is evill . I hope you will confesse that every beleever is bound to love Jesus Christ , therefore he must hate sinne ; and if hee must hate sinne that hee may not commit it , then hee must mourne for it when it is committed . If a man have any good nature , it will worke trouble in his heart , to thinke that hee should sinne against so good a God ; thus farre a Christian ought to goe , and must goe in the charging himselfe with his sinne .

Quest. 2 Now in the second place the question is this , how far may not a beleever charge himselfe with his sinne ; this is that which hath bred all these vaine conceits in the spirits of those Familists : I say no more therefore but this , they make Christ not a King of Saints , but of sinne ; there is great weight in it , and admirable comfort , if Christians would but be perswaded to make conscience of the word of God . You that are weake not onely be perswaded to listen to the word , but also make conscience of what is revealed out of the word : now how farre hee may not charge himselfe with his sinne , may bee conceived of in these conclusions .

First , a beleever should not in his judgement conceive , nor in his heart be perswaded that any sinne , nor all his sinnes shall ever be able to fasten the guilt of sinne upon him , so as to cause revenging justice to proceed against him to his condemnation , if he seriously repent , and amend , and forsake his old wayes : for hee must not in his judgement conceive , nor in his heart thinke that ever sinne repented of shall be able to fasten guilt upon him so , as to draw out the execution of justice against him : It is one thing to be worthie of condemnation , and it is another thing to fasten guilt and condemnation upon him , as many poore creatures will say , I shall be condemned , and I shall one day perish by the hands of Saul , and these sinnes will bee my everlasting destruction : take heed what you doe ; for if you are beleevers , true penitents ; you sinne highly in so doing , and saying , walke as humbly as thou wilt , and lay thy mouth in the dust , and speake not a word more , and say , it is mercy that thou art not in hell ; yet know this also , that all thy sinnes , and all thy pride shall never bee able so to fasten guilt upon thee , as to draw out Gods justice against thee : sinne hath a power to make us guiltie , and to condemne us , but it shall never fasten its worke upon thy penitent soule : remember that story of Saint Paul , Acts 5.28 . He went and gathered up sticks with the rest of the company to make a fire , ( for hee tooke no great state upon himselfe , being but a poore tent-maker ) and there came a viper out of the heat , and leapt on his hand : by and by the Heathens they proclaimed him to be some notorious malefactor , some murtherer , whom though he had escaped the Sea , yet vengeance hath not suffered him to liue : but marke what the Text saith , Hee shooke off the viper into the fire , and had no hurt ; this viper would have slaine him , being a deadly venomous creature , but Paul had a promise before , that if he touched any poysonfull thing , it should not hurt him . This is the admirable happinesse of the Saints , and servants of God : oh that they were perswaded of it . All thy pride , and envie , and malice , and covetousnesse , all thy sinnes are of a poysonous viperous nature , but if thou art a beleever , if a true penitent and convert , thou hast the promise , that the sting of the Serpent , sinne , shall not hurt thee , it is taken off from thee , and laid upon the Lord Jesus Christ , and therefore shake off the guilt of all thy abominations , and goe on cheerfully and comfortably to Christ , and yet humbly too , and praise his Name that hee hath beene pleased to take that guilt of sinne upon him , which thou wert never able to beare : therefore , though all thy pride , thy rebellion and other sins should come in against thee ; as the sinnes of Manasses , if thou repentest and forsakest them , yet they shall never be able to fasten any guilt upon thee to condemne thee . Looke as it was with the three children , the fire in its owne nature was able to burne them ; therefore they that put them in were consumed by the flame , but the three children had no hurt : the Lord stopped the power of the flames , that it burnt onely their bonds , but not one haire of their head was sienged , nor there was no smell of fire upon them ; it was not because the fire would not , or could not , but the Lord stopt the acting of the fire . So every sinne is able to fasten guilt upon thee , and to condemne thee , but upon thy repentance , the Lord hinders it in the act ; and therefore though sinne doth send the wicked and impenitent downe to hell to frie in torments , yet it shall never send thee downe , nor fasten guilt upon thee : Thus it was likewise with Daniel , Chap. 6.22 , 23 , 24. when he was put into the Lions denne , the Princes of the king Darius had a spleene against Daniel , because he was a holy man , and had gotten some interest in the kings favour , and they could get no hold against him , but in the matter of his God ▪ now hee that loved God better than himselfe , He opens his window boldly towards Ierusalem , professing Gods truth when hee was called to it , therefore they went to the king to have him to be cast into the den of Lions , according to the decree ; now he was cast into it , and though the Lions were hungrie , yet God shut the mouth of the Lions , they had power , and were able to hurt him if they had not beene restrained , but God had shut up their mouthes that they could not hurt him ; but when the enemies of Daniel were cast into the denne , the Lions did teare them all to peeces , before they came at the bottome of the denne they rent them in peeces suddenly : what s the reason of it ? they had as much power before , and were as able and as hungry before , but the Lord stopt their mouths , that they could not devour Daniel : Just so it is with the sinnes of the penitent , and the sinnes of the impenitent ; the sinnes of the one , though they are of a killing , and a Lion-like nature , ( for the wages of every sinne is death , and there is condemnation in it ) yet the Lord stops the mouth of the Lion , hee takes off the guilt and condemning power of sinne , that though it hath power in it selfe to condemne yet it cannot doe it ; but now when it meets with an impenitent unbeleever , the malice of the malicious shall kill him , and the pride of the ambitious shall one day rend his heart ; but it is not so with the sins of the penitent beleevers , their sinnes have teeth indeed , and power to make a man worthy of condemnation , but they shall never fasten condemnation upon him ; this is the meaning of that place , Romans 8.3 . That which was impossible to the Law to doe , in as much as it was weake , because of the flesh , God sending his onely Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne , condemned sinne in the flesh : It is an excellent place , and hath much weight in it , and howsoever there are many interpretations of the place , yet I will follow that interpretation , which I now expresse , that it was impossible for the Law to acquit a man of sinne , because he cannot keepe the Law , and therefore he cannot bee justified by it : but how comes it to passe then , that the Saints of God are delivered ? The text saith , Christ tooke flesh on him , and it was sinfull flesh by similitude or imputation , not actually by commission ; the nature of our Saviour had no evill inherent in him nor committed by him , but hee was only a sinner by imputation , and then he condemned sinne in the flesh , what is that ? it is a law case , and Master Calvin hath it excellently , he damned sinne , as a man will say when he loseth the suit , hee fell from his cause , and from his plea which he made , he lost it utterly ; so Christ taking upon him our nature by imputation , he made sinne lose its claime which it would make to the soule in this case , hee that breaketh the Law of God is guiltie , and shall be condemned by it : but this man hath broken the Law of God , and therefore is guiltie of condemnation thereby : Now Christ takes off these , and saith , It is true , hee is guiltie of sinne , and worthy of condemnation , unlesse another be contented to be guilty for him , but I have undertaken the guilt for him , and have paid the debt for him ; and therefore this soule is free from sinne , thou hast nothing to doe with this soule , neither shalt thou condemne him . Observe it , when all your sinnes shall muster in upon you , and come from East to West , saying , thou art guiltie of pride , guiltie of malice , &c. and shalt be condemned for them ; make answer and say it is true , Lord , I am so , but Christ hath taken away the guilt and condemnation , and I have repented of my sinnes : therefore , sinne , thou hast nothing to doe with this soule of mine , Christ hath taken it and redeemed it , and therefore I leave it with him : This is the first conclusion .

Vse 2 In the second place wee heare what the Doctrine saith , that God the Father charged all our sinnes upon Christ , and that they shall never condemne the penitent and faithfull ; then what will become of the faithlesse and unbeleevers thinke ye ? This truth is like a thunder-bolt , and it is able to shake the hearts of all unbeleevers , and to dash them all in peeces : Hence it is evident that every obstinate unbeleever is destitute of all hope of succour and pardon of his sinne : consider of this all you that are unbeleevers ; you must pay your owne debts , and beare your owne burthens . I know your hearts cannot but testifie that the condition of such poore soules is very miserable ; it is that which sometimes comforts a man , that either hee hath good friends that will helpe him , or else hee hath means of his owne by which he is able to relieve himselfe ; but he that hath no reliefe of himselfe , nor cannot expect no● hope for any , this man sinks downe in sorrow , because hee knowes there is no way in the world to help him : This is thy condition right , thou that art an unbeleever ; what to be cast out of heaven and earth too , this is miserable , to be for saken of God and man too , that no means in heaven nor earth will stand him in steed for his good , whilest hee thus continues . Consider of this you that make nothing of the sinne of unbeleefe , though you have some care of other sinnes ; whither will you goe for succour in that great day of accounts ? will you goe to the Saint they dare not ; will you goe to the Creatures ? they cannot , will you goe to the Lord Jesus Christ ? he will not succour you : If you goe to any of the Saints to see if they will take the guilt of your sinnes upon them , they say we have too many inabilities to procure pardon for any one sinne , and never a Saint in the world dares to meddle with the guilt of anothers sinnes , and therefore they dare not meddle with them ; but they say as the wise virgins did to the foolish ones , Matth. 25.9 . When the foolish virgins said , give us of your oyle , for our lamps are gone out ; not so , said they , lest there bee not enough for you and us too , but rather goe unto them that sell , and buy for your selves : Even so , if you goe to the Saints , and say , I pray you undertake the pardon of my sinnes , and rebellions , and beare you the guilt of my sinnes , because you are holy and righteous ; no , say they , we cannot ; so all the creatures cannot succour you . If all the creatures in heaven and earth should conspire together to save you from the burthen of any one sinne , they could not doe it : nay , the creatures become your accusers ; the bed whereupon thou hast committed so many abominations , and the alehouse where thou hast beene drunke , and hast blasphemed , and the habitation where thou dwellest , and all the creatures groane against thee , under the burthen of thy abominations : as Rom. 8.22 . Therefore they wil take no more guilt upon them , than what they have already , they are too weary of the weight of what they fele already ; but though the saints dare not , and the creatures cannot save you , yet there is hope in heaven , & there is help to be had in Christ ; well were it with thee , if thou hadst any share in that Christ ; but this is that which will sinke thy heart , that there is no hope for thee there : what dost thou talke of grace and of mercy , when thou hast opposed the Gospell of grace , and of mercy , and thou continuest in unbeleefe ? this is the height and depth of the misery of all unbeleevers , that there is no hope for them in heaven : This was that which the wicked said , when they insulted against David in Psalme ● . 2 . There is no helpe for him in his God : what they said of David falsly , God saith it truly of thee , there is no help for thee in God ; there is mercy in Christ , but that s thy misery , for there is none for thee , being an unbeleever : Psalme 18.41 . David there expresseth the miserie of the wicked , Because the Lord leaves them in their troubles , they cried , but there was none to save them ; yea , even unto the Lord , but he answered them not : That s thy estate right , though thou callest to heaven , and to Christ , and to the God of mercy , and to the merits of Christ , yet they will not helpe thee : thou hast many sinnes , and thou shalt beare them every one : Now thinke what your sinnes have deserved , and how you will be able to beare them , when all flesh shall appeare before God : then the Lord will charge all thy sinnes upon thy soule , and thou must beare ; and if every sinne deserves condemnation , then how wilt thou be able to beare all those condemnations that are due to all thy sins which thou canst not number , even the dregs of vengeance , and the bottome of the cup of the Lords indignation . Christ in Iohn 17.9 . speaking of the faithfull , and how hee praies to the Father for them ; he saith , I pray not for them of the world , but for these , whom thou hast given mee out of the world : When a poore unbeleever shall come to Jesus Christ , and shall intreat him to speake a good word for him , when hee hath never regarded his person , not accepted of his gracious offers of mercy , and shall intreat Christ to pray for him , no , saith Christ , I never prayed for the obstinately wicked : now if Christ will not speake a good word for thee , dost thou thinke that hee will pardon the guilt of thy sinnes upon him ? nay , he only pardons the guilt of the sinnes of the faithfull ; but as for thee , thou must beare thy sinnes , and suffer for them for evermore .

Vse 3 The third use , is a word of exhortation , and instruction , to all the saints and faithfull of God ; if Christ were content to bee made sin for all the faithfull , then what must you be contented to doe for your Saviour ? was he made sinne for thee ? then be thou content to be made shame for him ; be thou willing to beare the shame , and disgrace , and reproach that comes unto thee for the Name of Christ ; be content to be accounted the such , and off-scouring of the earth ; bee not evill doers , but be contented to bee counted as evill doers : 1 Cor. 4.13 , Wee are persecuted , and yet wee pray ; we are reviled , and yet we blesse ; we are accounted as the off-scouring of the earth , untill this time : So doe you , bee content to beare any shame that is unjustly laid upon thee , for thy Saviour which was accounted a sinner for thee ; Acts 24.14 . S. Paul was resolute in it , and said , after the way that ye call heresie , worship I the Lord God of my Fathers ; nay , hee presseth this upon the hearts of Gods Children ; Hebrewes 13.12 , 13. speaking in the 12. verse , that Christ tooke our sinnes upon him , and went out of the citie , and was slaine without the gate ; he saith in the 13. verse , Let us therefore goe out of the Camp to him , bearing our reproach ; be not afraid to be seene in a Christian cause , nor to be disgraced for it , goe out boldly and resolutely , harden your faces , and steel your hearts against all such things , and let the dogs barke , and the winds blow , and the waves roare , goe you out of the Campe for his honour , bearing his reproach comfortably ; he hath borne sinne for thee , beare thou shame for him .

Vse 4 Fourthly , it is a word of comfort and consolation , to all the faithfull ; be thy sinnes never so many , and the guilt of them never so great , yet learne this skill to cast it all on the Lord Jesus Christ , ease thy owne soule of it , and hurle thy care on him that careth for thee : This is that which I would have all the faithfull wary of , not to make their miseries more than they should .

Now Christ not onely tooke our sinnes by imputation , but also the payment of the debt was really discharged by our Saviour ; he laid downe the payment of the debt , and suffered the punishment really : though I doe not conceive this to be directly intended , yet it may be inferred from the words of the Text , in the former point , Christ was charged with the sinnes of all the faithfull ; and now Christ did suffer their pains , and underwent the whole punishments which their sinnes required , so the point of Doctrine from hence is this :

Doctrine . The Lord Jesus Christ suffered fully whatsoever punishments divine justice required , or were deserved by the sinnes of the faithfull .

I ground this Doctrine out of the Text thus ; the text saith , Christ was made sinne , that is , he had our sinnes imputed to him , and therefore hee must bee made a sacrifice for sinne , and beare the punishment of sinne : If Christ became a debtor for us , then he must also lay downe the payment of the debt , onely here remember this ; consider the bounds and limits of this mercy of the Lord , it is limited onely to the faithfull , they onely share therein , and are partakers of that benefit that comes by the sufferings of Christ .

To prove this Doctrine , looke Hebrewes 2.17 . compare it with Hebrewes 4.15 . In chap. 2.17 . the text saith , Wherefore it behoved him to bee made like unto his brethren in all things : and in chap. 4.15 . He was tempted in all things like unto us , sinne onely excepted ; for there were no punishments excepted , as appeareth in the former place ; therefore in Esay 53.5 , 6 , 7 , 8. the whole chapter is a full description of the punishments of our Saviour , and you shall finde these three degrees of it in the afornamed verses , Hee was stricken , and so stricken that hee was wounded , and so wounded that hee was bruised for our transgressions ; and then in the 6. verse , it is very pithily laid downe , All we like sheep have gone astray , and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquitie of us all ; that is , the punishments of us all ; they were laid , that is , God made all the sorrowes , and all the punishments of all the faithfull to meet upon our Saviour . It is a terme taken from warre , when an army is levied out , every towne and countie sets out so many men , and they all meet at such a place such a day : so every faithfull soule sets out miseries , and mans out afflictions , and they all levie out an army of sorrowes , and they all meet upon our Saviour : all those sinnes and miseries of the godly from one end of the world to the other , from east to west , from north to south , they run amain upon our Saviour , and besiege the soule and body of him , and they lie heavie upon him , the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; that is , it overwhelmed him for the while , and made him cry out , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken me ? Another proofe of this point is , Gal. 3.13 . The text saith , Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law , being made a curse for us ; as it is written , cursed be every one that hangeth on a tree ; He that was made such a curse for us as the Law did require , and such a curse as wherein the Law was satisfied , even he was made a full curse for us , and bore all the punishment due to us ; but hee was made such a curse as the Law prefigured , and wherein the Law was satisfied ; and therefore he must needs beare whatsoever the Law required : and therefore I may say to the faithfull soule , as Paul said to Philemon concerning Onesimus , If he hath hurt thee , or oweth thee ought , set that upon my score ; so saith our Saviour , whatsoever punishments the faithfull have deserved by their sinnes , I will beare it and answer it : Now for the opening of the Doctrine , give mee leave to open these three questions :

Quest. 1 First , what were the kindes of punishment which Christ did suffer , and how farre did he suffer them ?

Quest. 2 Secondly , when did those sufferings begin , and when did they end ?

Quest. 3 Thirdly , whether did he suffer them in soule , or in body , or in both ?

Quest. 1 First , what were the punishments that our Saviour suffered , of what kinds were they ?

Answer . For answer hereunto , hee suffered the pains of the first death ; by the first death , I mean the death naturall , when the frame of the body and soule was taken downe , and those two old familiar friends were parted : this death our Saviour did suffer , but if you aske mee how farre he did suffer the death naturall , let me answer it in three conclusions .

First , whatsoever appertaines to the substance , and the essentials of the first death ; that is , the desolation of soule and body , that our Saviour Christ did suffer ; for that onely was threatned unto Adam by reason of his sin , therefore Christ needed not to suffer any thing , but that which was threatned in Genesis . 2.17 . The curse threatned was this , In the day that thou dost eat thereof , thou shalt die the death : the curse doth not mention many deaths , nor doth it punctually set forth any one death ; but whatsoever death it is , it is left indifferently to the choyce of our Saviour : this I speake to wipe away a carnall cavill that is cast upon this truth , by some that would diminish the sufferings of Christ . If Christ did suffer punishment for all , then why was hee not stoned with stones , as Steven was ? and why was hee not sawne in peeces , or burnt , or the like ? The force of the argument followes not , our Saviour was not bound to suffer many deaths , nay , the curse doth not intimate any one death in particular , but onely death in the generall : Now , say they , if our Saviour suffered all the punishments of the faithfull , then hee suffered so many particular deaths : the argument is false , for looke how Adam being in the root of all mankinde , and committed sinne ; looke what death he deserved , that death our Saviour was to suffer , and it was required of him , and this death our Saviour undertooke ; but when Adam had committed sinne , there were not many deaths denounced ; nay , nor any one particular death , but onely death in the generall ; and therefore death in the generall being onely threatned , death in the generall our Saviour was onely bound to suffer .

Secondly , though the curse doth not require any one particular death , and say , thou shalt bee stoned , or sawne in peeces , or the like ; yet that the Lord might shew the hainousnesse of sinne , which deserves the worst death of all , and to expresse the greatnesse of the l●●e of Christ that was contented to die in that manner , and that God the Father might shew his justice in punishing of sinne : for this end God the Father appointed it , and Christ undertooke it to die the death of the crosse , a most shamefull , and base death , onely appropriate to the basest malefactors ; now Christ did willingly submit himselfe to this , and God the Father did lay this upon Christ , that sinne might appeare to bee most hainous , and that sinne might be hated , and Christ might appeare most mercifull and gracious , and holy in loathing sinne , as Philippians 2.6 , 8. Our Saviour being equall with the Father , and thought it no robbery so to be , yet he humbled himselfe , and tooke on him the forme of a servant , and became obedient to the death , even the death of the crosse .

Thirdly , those dishonourable infirmities which befall men because of the infirmitie of the flesh , because they cannot avoid them , and those dishonourable cruelties which are laid upon some men , as to bee torne in peeces with wilde horses , our Saviour had no need to suffer these .

First , those dishonorable infirmities , as the rotting of the body in the grave , and returning to its own proper elements , the body of Christ did not so

Secondly , some againe are maliciously massacred with dishonourable cruelties , they are puld the flesh from the bones , and burnt to ashes , &c. None of all these did fall to our Saviour , these are personall things , they belong not to the nature of man , and therefore it was no way requisite that Christ should undergoe those kinds of death : marke these two passages to open it a little , Acts 2.27 . quoted out of Psalme 16.10 . Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell , neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption : Now the Saints of God doe see corruption , but this was a dishonourable infirmitie ; for Christ though he suffered for us , yet hee raised up himselfe from the vildnesse of the grave , and saw no corruption , and therefore it was no dishonour to him : Iohn 19.33 , 36. When the souldiers found our Saviour dead , they brake not his legs , that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith , not a bone of him shall bee broken : Whatsoever dishonour our Saviour Christ did submit himselfe unto , he was willing to suffer ; but what was not by Law required , and what was not fit for him to suffer , that Christ would not suffer the Jewes to doe unto him , for the Law did not require this in the curse , that his legs should bee broken , and therefore Christ would not undergoe it : this is the third conclusion .

Vse 1 From the former truth that our Saviour Christ did die this naturall death . I gather thus much ; it is a marvellous sweet cordiall to all the Saints of God upon their sicke beds ; it is a ground of strong consolation ( as the Apostle saith ) to beare up the hearts of Gods people in the day of death , that they may lift up their heads with comfort , and looke grizzeld death in the face with courage and boldnesse ; for the death of Christ hath taken away the evill of thy death : therefore be not thou troubled with it , nor dismaid by it ; there is no bitternesse in that pill , nor no venome in that cup to thee , for the poyson is gone , therefore bee not you troubled with it whensoever God sends it upon you ; for the sharpest death of a Saint of God , is like a humble Bee that hath no sting in it , which a childe may play withall , and not be hurt : and thus Saint Paul plaid with death , 1 Cor. 15.55 . Oh death , where is thy sting ? as if he should say , the wicked feare death , because the sting is in it to them ; but that sting is taken away from mee , by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ : when Christ went downe into the grave , he sugered it , and made it sweet , and easie as a bed of Downe for beleevers to rest upon . There are three privileges which every beleever may challenge upon his deathbed : the first is this :

First , every beleever may and should under the authoritie of mercy , challenge mercy , and in the vertue of the death of Christ he should boldly lay downe his life . 1 Thes. 4.16 . The dead in Christ shall rise first ; that is the value of the phrase , in the vertue of the death of Christ wee die also ; that as he died , & by his owne power rose againe : so also wee die , that wee may rise againe . The Saints of God die that they may bee like to Christ , and be raised againe , and so bee for ever happy with Christ ; this is the particular good that the death of Christ communicates to the faithfull ones , 1 Cor. 15.36 . Thou foole , that which thou somest , it is not quickned , unlesse it die ; it must first be corrupted , that it may grow againe into an eare of corne : the meaning is , a man therefore dies , that he may rise againe , the body must lie downe in the dust : 1 Cor. 15.53 . This corruption must put on incorruption ; and this mortalitie must put on immortalitie : Now corruption cannot put on incorruption , nor mortalitie cannot put on immortalitie , so long as wee are here : the body of Adam could not be made immortall of it selfe , the frame of it would not affoord so much , for Adams body needed meat , and had it ; but immortall bodies need no food , but live by the power of Gods Spirit : therefore Christ tooke downe the frame of this nature , that hee might make it a more excellent frame . It is therefore said , that a Christian dies rather in the authoritie of mercy , than justice ; that as Christ died and rose again , so Christ will have all his servants die , that hee may of a corrupt nature , and a mortall body , make an immortall body ; he will make it immortall , which nature it selfe , no not in its perfection , could not doe : this is the first privilege .

A second privilege which beleevers receive is this , the death of the beleever puts an end to all his sinnes , and miseries , and sorrowes ; that when the soule and body shall part in sunder , then sin shall depart from both ; and when they goe out of this life , they shall goe from all the miseries of this life : we shall never bee more pestered with lusts , and corruptions , we shall never bee drawne from the Lord more , Satan is now busie , but when the Saints of God die , there is a separation from all sinnes , from all sorrowes , from all temptations , never to be assaulted more : this is the meaning of that place , 2 Cor. 4.10 . Everywhere we beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus , that the life also of Iesus may be made manifest in our mortall bodies : the meaning is this , Christ by his death did subdue sinne , and now by the sorrowes and troubles he suffered , and by the power of his death , there is a totall separation made from sin in soule and body : therefore when as in the power of Christs death , we can lay downe these bodies , then are we separated from sinne ; this is to beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus : this is quite contrarie in every unbeleever , for death naturall in an unbeleever is but the very beginning of all their other plagues ; they sip of Gods vengeance now , but they shall have the full cup then : sinne in them now is restrained , but then their sinnes shall take full possession of them : Satan now doth but tempt them , but then ●e shall take possession of them ; as it is said of the rich foole in the Gospell , This night shall they fetch away thy soule , and then as they shall bee for ever plagued , so they shall be for ever sinfull : nothing but sinne shall be in them , they shall be altogether proud and for ever proud , they shall be altogether malicious , and for ever malicious , and the devils shall drag the soule of the wicked out of the body downe to hell for evermore , and there shall tyranize over it for ever : but on the contrary it is not so with the Saints , the end of their life is but the beginning of another ; they goe from a vale of teares , to a haven of happinesse .

Thirdly , the death of the beleever is a mean to bring and estate them into the full possession of all that happinesse and glory , which heretofore hath beene expected , and Christ hath promised ; now it shall be attained : the time now comes , when the Saints of God shall have no more tears in their eyes , nor sin in their soules , not sorrow in their hearts ; when they die , then their sins and sorrowes die too ; you shal never be dead harted more ; then you shal have holine● in ful possession which so long time you have longed for ; it is now only in expectation , and you hope and looke for it , when the Lord will put wisedome into your blinde mindes , and holinesse into your corrupted hearts , but when death comes it will bring you to the fruition of all that holinesse and happinesse , and this is done by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ , 1 Iohn 3.2 . Wee are now the sonnes of God , but it doth not appeare what we shall bee , and we know that when he shall be made manifest , we shall bee made like him : that is , like to him in all holinesse , and happinesse , as hee is altogether holy , and altogether happy : now you are children , but onely in nonage , now you are onely wives betrothed , and you goe up and downe in your rags of sinne , but when the solemnization of the marriage shall be in the great day of accounts , then we shall be like him ; and hee will make us altogether holy , and hee will fill our blinde mindes with knowledge , and possesse our corrupt hearts withall puritie , holinesse , and grace , so far as thy soule shall be capable of it , and shall bee needfull for thee : what , are you unwilling to goe to your husband ? the wife sometimes receives letters from her espoused husband , shee welcomes the messenger , and accepts the tokens kindly , and reads the letter gladly , and will not part with his tokens above any thing : but oh , how she longs to injoy himselfe in his owne person , this is her chiefest desire , to be possessed of him , and to have his company alwayes : so the Lord Jesus Christ is your husband , he died that ye might live ; he is ascended up into heaven ; and hath made passage for you ; you have many intimations of his mercy , and many sweet smiles from heaven , saying , well , goe thy way , thy sins are pardoned , and thy soule shall be saved ; these are his tokens , and I hope you will lay them up by you , & make much of them , but when will the time come that I may injoy my Saviour ? Now I have a little mercy , and a little holinesse , and a little pardon of sinne ; but oh that I might injoy my Saviour fully : Now it is quite contrary with the wicked ; the death of the wicked is a means to shut them out of all the hope they had of receiving mercy , for when death parts soule and body , then there is no more cards and dice , no more lusts ; the adulterer shall no more satisfie himselfe with his unclean lusts , the drunkard shall not then bee drunke , the blasphemer shall not then blaspheme so as hee was wont to doe for nothing , but he shall be and blaspheme God for something , and his soule shall bee full of Gods vengeance ; this is the death of the wicked : the death of the Saints is like a ferriman to convey them over to eternall happinesse ; but the death of the wicked is as a hangman to bereave them of life and salvation too : death to the saints is as a guide to convey them to happinesse , but to the wicked , death is as a Jailor to carry them away to the place of execution . And thus much briefly of the former part of the answer , namely that our Saviour suffered the death natural .

Now our Saviour did not onely suffer in his body , but he suffered in his soule also : you may conceive of it in two particulars :

First , there is a reall withdrawing of the sense and feeling of the mercy and compassion of God , a stoppage , as I may say , and a taking off the sweet operation of Gods love and favour from the soule , when that sensible refreshing and conveyance of the mercy and kindnesse of Gods countenance is turned away from the soule : this is a part of the second death , and this is the paine of losse , that is , the poore sinner loseth that sweet influence of that abundant mercy , and compassion , and that sweetnesse that is in all those glorious attributes which should fill the soule with satisfactory sweetnesse and content ; as thus sometimes it pleases God to discover those pain of hell unto his servants here on earth , and hee brings them by the suburbs of hell , that they may know what it is to bee in heaven , and also what it is to commit sinne so against a gracious God , Psalme 31.22 . I said in mine haste , I am cast out of sight : As if hee had said , God hath taken away the sweet smiles of his countenance from the heart of David , and 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 a part of the second death ; yet thou ●he art ●est the voyce of thy praier David was now in some distresse , by reason of the withdrawing of the favour of God from his soule : this is the first part of the second death .

Secondly , when the fierce indignation of the Lord semeth upon the soule of a poore creature , when the Lord sets open the floodgates of his anger and wrath , and fils the soule unsupportably with his vengeance : Psal. 43. ● . Why hast thou cast mee off ? and Psalme 51.11 . Cast me not away out of thy presence , &c. The Lord seemed to cast him away , and to send him packing , and hee seemed to bee cast away in his owne apprehension ; both these you shall see concluded on in Iob 13.24 . Thou r●est bitter things against mee , and hidest thy face away from me , and takest mee for thy enemy : The Lord not onely went away and hid him , but he made Iob a But , that so his arrowes might come against him pell mel , and he let all his displeasure fall upon him with might and maine : so then there is first a reall withdrawing of the sweetnesse of the mercy of God from the soule : and secondly , a reall inflicting of the indignation of the Lord , and that fils the soule of a poore creature .

Quest. 2 Now the second question is this , how far our Saviour suffered these paines : To this I answer , that so I may carry the cause with as much plainnesse and nakednesse as may be , that each poore creature may get something , give mee leave to answer the question in these conclusions , one will make way for another ▪ onely here let mee tell you thus much , that I mean onely to make declaration of the truth of the point , and the argument shall be afterwards .

First , it is possible that some paines of Hell may be suffered in this life , and therefore the living and being of our Saviour in this life , is no hindrance , but that he might undergoe them . This I say to prevent a weak plea of some that desire to tie and intail all the pains of Hell to another life , and the place to be Hell , and they thinke that no man can suffer the pains of Hell , except he bee in the very place of it ; against which cavill , this truth doth profesly ma●ch , for the time and place are but common circumstances : the main substance of it , is not in regard of time or place , but in regard of the fierce displeasure of God , which seizeth upon a creature , and the veine of vengeance which is let into his soule , if God would be present with a man by his favour , though hee were in the place of Hell , yet he should bee as it were in Heaven : as Esay 30.33 . Tophet is prepared of old , the burning thereof is fire and much wood , and the breath of the Lord as a ri●●r of brimstone doth kindle it : so that wheresoever the streame of the brimstone of Gods wrath seizeth , there is Hell : againe , the place is no part of debt , and therefore it is no part of the payment , but the paiment of the mony that makes the satisfaction : This is that which is spoken concerning Adam , Thou shalt die the death : hee doth not say , thou shalt goe to Hell : the wicked goe to Hell because they cannot pay , as the debter goes to prison , because he cannot pay the debt : all that justice requires is this , to have payment ; hee doth not say thou shalt goe to Hell , but because the wicked cannot satisfie the justice of God , and answer the Law , therefore they are imprisoned , and cooped up in hell , and it may be more plain thus ; there are many reprobates in this life , that have not onely hell in expectation , but they have it so far in fruition ; when the Lord wounds the spirit , and the terrours of the Almightie incampe a man and stab him to the very heart , and they are in the very beginnings of hell . Now because the wicked cannot beare the wrath of God , but they would breake under it ; therefore they must die , that they may ●e made immortall , and be able to suffer all the wrath of God forever : but our Saviour may as well pay the debt in mount Golgotha , as in the prison of hell .

Secondly , some paines of hell were endured , and may be endured , by our Saviour , and yet the union of the manhood with the Godhead might still be untouched , and no way in the world bee blemished , though there were a separation , and a withdrawing of the sense of the sweetnesse of the favour of God , yet this was not the separation of the union , but onely of the loving countenance of the Lord , the humane nature saw not nor felt not those gracious smiles which formerly it did , yet hee was ever united to the Godhead , and ever supported by the Godhead , and hee did ever rest upon God , this doth cut in sunder the cavils of Bellarmine , as it was with Iob , he was able to grapple with a great deale of Gods wrath by faith ; and therefore he saith , Though thou kill me , yet will I trust in thee ; Gods killing anger , and Iobs trusting stood both together in this in the measure of it : Now if a poore saint of God can doe it , and is able to beare the intimations of Gods wrath , then much more Christ , being God and Man , might doe it , and yet trust in him , and never bee separated from him in regard of the union of the soule of our Saviour ; for as it is with the death naturall in the body of our Saviour , as the body of our Saviour died , and in dying , suffered death naturall , as an effect of Gods wrath , God smote him ; howsoever the body died the death naturall , yet the Godhead was still united to the body of our Saviour in the grave , and brought soule and body together againe ; so that the union with the Godhead is still maintained ; so it is here , the soule of our Saviour might be separated from the sense and sweetnesse of Gods favour and mercy , and yet the union betweene the Godhead and the Manhood bee still maintained ; as God might leave the body to the death naturall , so he might leave the soule to a kinde of supernaturall death , and the soule might want the sense of the sweetnesse of the favour of God , and yet the union not be broken off : for why could not our Saviour beare this curse , as well as any other part of it , and not be blemished ? this brought punishment upon our Saviour , but it puld not away any grace which hee was possest withall : observe these three particulars herein :

First , the Godhead in the death of our Saviour was fastned and united inseparably to the manhood , and did sustaine and support the manhood .

Secondly , the Godhead did preserve the manhood from corruption , and did sustaine and support the Manhood .

Thirdly , the sense and sweetnesse , and the feeling operation of Gods mercy , and favour unto the soule , was restrained from both , and the wrath of God seized upon both .

Thirdly , our Saviour suffered paine in his soule as he was our Mediatour in our roome , and in our stead , and as he had our sinnes imputed to him : The Manhood bore the sufferings , and the Godhead supported him in the sufferings : this conclusion I thought good to adde , to meet with a strange dream of Bellarmine , and that is this , saith he , if the Lord Jesus Christ did suffer the wrath of God the Father , then the guiltlesse should have beene condemned , and the innocent punished ; and how can God doe this ? or how can our Saviour suffer this ? Is not God the Father unjust to punish the just ? and Christ unwise , to suffer as unjust , being just ? I answer , it is a silly weake cavill , therefore take but these two respects with you , and you shall see it will bee plaine , for as Christ was in himselfe considered , he was guiltlesse , and therefore approved of , and beloved of the Father : but as hee tooke our sinnes , and our guilt upon him , hee was accounted as a sinner , though he was not a sinner , and he tooke our sins on him by imputation ; and therefore no reason , but he should suffer them , and the punishment of them , not in regard of any sinne that hee had or did ; but because it was imputed to him ; therefore God the Father condemned him as guiltie : so runs the phrase of Scripture , Hee suffered for our sinnes , and the chastisement of our peace was upon him , and by his stripes we were healed : he suffered not for any sinnes that he had committed , but for the condition of all sinfull nature imputed to him , and these divers respects wee doe practise , for ordinarily we are bound to love a creature as God made him , and then to hate him as hee makes himselfe sinfull , the Judge goes to the triall of a Nisi prius , and his sonne comes before him in the person of the debter : now though the Judge love him as a sonne , yet he will condemne him as a suretie ; the Judge loves and pitties him in one regard , but yet hee passeth sentence against him in another regard : So it is here with the Lord Jesus Christ , when God the Father stands upon the tribunall of justice , and was pleased to follow the suit against the partie offending , our Saviour steps into our roome , and submits himselfe to the censure of the Father , and as we were accounted , so he was content to bee accounted ; and as we were to suffer , so he was content to suffer for us : God the Father loved him as he was God , and holy , and innocent ; yet he condemnes him , and lets in his wrath upon him as he was to beare our sins ; for God the Father might love Jesus Christ , and yet give his body to death naturall : so God the Father might love the soule of our Saviour , and yet give it over to paine supernaturall : all the world confesseth that it was without anger that Christ died , and yet the Father slew him : this conclusion helps us to the interpretation of that place , Matthew 27.46 . My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken mee ? He was a Father to our Saviour : and our Saviour a Son to him .

Fourthly , whatsoever punishment proceeded from the Father , our Saviour tooke it upon himselfe ; yet so , as neither his sins deserved it , neither did he sinne in bearing of it , nor yet was hee overwhelmed in bearing of it , as the wicked are which are damned , but hee wrestled with it , and overcame it ; hee first tooke upon himselfe that should have come upon a beleever ; when the wrath of God comes out like a Lion to take the sinfull sons of men from off the earth , and the sea of his indignation flowes in amain , then the Lord Jesus Christ steps in between the wrath of the Father , and the soule of a beleever , and hee bears all , Iohn 18.11 . when Peter would have rescued our Saviour from the high Priests , Our Saviour said , suffer it to bee so , put up thy sword into its place ; shall I not drinke of the cup which my Father giveth me to drinke of ? hee doth not say , shall I not sip or taste of the cup , but , shall I not drinke of it ? that is , he drinkes the cup of wrath which was prepared for poore sinners , cleane off ; therefore Esay 63.3 . hee is said to tread the wine-presse of the Fathers wrath alone , he did squeese it all out ▪ observe these explications in this kinde , and know thus much , that the want of the sense and feeling , and operation of Gods love , and the feeling of the indignation of Gods wrath in it selfe considered , it is not a sinne , but so far as our sinnes deserve this wrath of God , and deserve this separation , and so far as we out of our infidelitie dash the sweetnesse of Gods love , we sin in this kinde ; but none of all this befell our Saviour , the bare want of the one , and the sense of the other is not a sinne , but we sin in bearing it . It is a sweet observation of the Schoolmen , that our Saviour cried , my God , my God , even in the losse of the sweetnesse of Gods favour ; and when Christ complaines , and sweat water and blood , yea clods of blood , so that his heart broke within him under the fierce indignation of the Lord : this fierce indignation may be attended two wayes , or there are two things in it : I say in the separation of God from the soule , there are these two things to be attended : First , a want of that grace , and holinesse , and confidence , whereby the soule should close with God , that howsoever God goes away , yet the soule should follow him , as Iacob did after the Lord , when hee said , I will not let thee goe , unlesse thou blesse mee : Now it is one thing when God goes away , and it is another thing when we push him away : therefore that want of grace , and holinesse , and confidence , whereby the soule should cleave to , and close with God , this is one thing which causeth the separation of God from us : this is on our part .

Secondly , there is another worke on Gods part , that howsoever the soule stands Godward , and Christward , and it cleaves to him as Iob did that would trust in him , though he kild him ; yet God may withdraw the sweet refreshing operation , and the sensible conveyance of his mercy and compassion from his soule , and he frownes upon him , and plucks away the hold , and lets in his indignation upon him : the first of these two can never bee without sinne , and it is a hainous sinne when our soules sit loose from God , and when we shall separate our selves from the mercy and goodnesse of God , and are weary of Gods presence in his ordinances , as many wicked men are , and are weary of the promises , and say as those in Iob did , Depart from us , for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes : this is a cursed sinne , and this never was , nor could not be in our Saviour : but now that the Lord may plucke away the sense of his love and favour , and take away the operation and conveyance of his mercy ; this God may justly doe as he seeth good : this was not a sinne in Iob , that God did take away the sense of his love and mercy , and seemed to be his enemy , but if Iob had gone away from God , as God did from him , then he had sinned , but hee held God still : this was not a sinne in Iob , that God did thus forsake him , though haply it was through his sinne deserving it : all this did befall our Saviour Christ , and yet he was full of holinesse , and hangs upon God , and said , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken me ? And God was angry with him , because he had our sinnes upon him ; but the first of these was not in Christ , hee did not depart from God : the second was inflicted upon our Saviour , and that might be justly ; this ads much light to those passages ; those two ardent petitions of those two worthy lights , Moses and Saint Paul , Exodus 32.32 . Moses perceiving that the Lord was ready to destroy the Israelites for their sinne , he saith , Now if thou pardon this sinne , thy mercy shall appeare , but if thou will not , then rase mee out of the booke of life which thou hast written : and in Rom. 9.3 . Saint Paul foreseeing the rejection of the Jewes , and that God would throw them away for sixteen hundred yeeres together ; the good man seeing the dishonour that was like to come to God , & the utter destruction of the people of the Jewes , he saith , I could even desire to be separated from Christ , & to be cut off from the Nation of the Iewes , that they might not be forsaken of God : Now should a man pray to be removed out of Gods presence , and to be separated from God for ever , and to be cut off from God , and to be separated from Christ Jesus ? no , for this were sinfull ; either it signifies that Paul should have his heart loosened , and sit loose in his affections to God , and to Jesus Christ : this Paul did not pray for , for it is a horrible sinne , and it is an argument he hated Christ and himselfe too . Now so farre as it implies our want of love to God , and our want of depending upon God , it is a fearfull sinne , and these holy men did not desire it : but this is the meaning , they were willing to have suffered the want of the sense and feeling of Gods love and favour for the present : though they would have loved and closed with God still , yet they would have beene content to want the sense of Gods love , that Gods glory might have beene advanced , and the salvation of the Jewes furthered : so it was here with our Saviour Christ , for howsoever according to his humane nature hee did feare the death naturall , and the wrath which hee saw comming upon his nature , and therefore he said , if it be possible , let this cup passe from me ; he might doe it , and God by reason required it , that a man be sensible of misery , yet according to the holinesse of the will of the Father , hee did not pray against these , but prayed for these , and for the bea●ing of the punishment : for he was sent for this end , and it was a part of the Mediatourship : this is the meaning of that place , Iohn 12.27 . What shall I say , Father save me from this houre ? no , but therefore came I unto this houre ; that is , the houre of death ; He came into the world for this end , and therefore , he submits himselfe : Thus much for the opening of the first part of this conclusion ; that whatsoever wrath should have come forth from the Father upon the faithfull , Christ did beare it all .

Now the second part is this , Christ so bears it , that his owne sinne never deserved this wrath of God , nor hee never sinned in bearing it , neither was he overwhelmed in bearing it , but he wrestled against it , and overcame it : it implies two things , and it prevents another cavill .

First , the paine of the soule comes either from a cause without , or a cause within , or from both : If a man were to goe to hell , it came either from his owne sinne deserving it , or from Gods wrath inflicting it , or from both ; now Christ did suffer punishments in his soule , but not so farre● they came for his owne sinne ; the cause from within is sinfull and detestable , but the cause from without is holy and righteous ; therefore all that which came from Gods wrath inflicting punishment , all that Christ did suffer was so ; but the wicked have a cause of sinne within them , and that Christ having not , hee needed not to suffer , and because he had no sinne in him , he did not suffer all pains of hell ; hee suffered the displeasure of Gods wrath , but yet so much of the punishment as came from sin committed , that our Saviour did not suffer .

Secondly , a poore creature bearing Gods anger , he hath not onely Gods anger se●ing upon him , but also it overwhelms him , because hee is not able to beare it : the plague prevails against him , not onely the wrath of God lies upon a sinner in hell , but it crusheth him there , that he can never goe from it : and this Divines call the absolute damnation , such a damnation as overturn● a sinner in hell , and crusheth him there for evermore . The reason why a sinnes never comes out of hell , is this ; because his sufferings are not infinitely satisfiable , according as his sinnes have beene infinite to provoke God ; for as Adams sin was infinite and provoking because it was against his Godhead , so the sufferings must bee infinite ; now the sufferings of Christ were of infinite value , but Adams sufferings were not of an infinite nature : Christ bore the wrath of God and wrestled with it , and overcame it , and came out from under the 〈◊〉 displeasure of God , and why ? because the● were able to satisfie an infinite God , who was thus infinitely wronged by the sinne of man ; therefore the sufferings must be of an infinite satisfying nature , as you shall conceive thus : a finite sinne of Adam committed against God , was infinitely provoking , but the sufferings of Christ were infinitely satisfying , and so answerable in proportion to what divine justice required ; this was the meaning of that place i● Acts 2.24 . Whom God raised up and loosed the sorrowes of death , because it was not possible that hee should bee holden downe of death ; and it is the meaning of that place , 1 Cor. ●5 . 54 . Death is swallowed up in victorie , Christ endures 〈◊〉 and overcomes it ; and Iohn 1● . 20 . Christ will convince the world of sinne , and of righteousnesse ; why of righteousnesse ? for I goe unto the Father ; and why doth hee goe to the Father ? because hee hath paid the debt to the uttermost : hee did satisfie justice to the full , for had he not satisfied justice , he had beene kept in the gra●e till this day , and wee had beene condemned ; but now hee hath borne and satisfied all , therefore hee must come forth to immortalitie and glory . Remember these conclusions , and think thus , hath my Saviour done all this for me ? well , I will remember it , and thinke upon it , and I will lay it by mee for ever .

The fift conclusion followes , and that is this :

The desperation of a damned soule in hell , and the eternitie of torments , they are no essentials of the second death , and therefore they could not , nor ought not to be suffered by our Saviour : this I say to stop the mouths of all Popish Jesuites , and especially of Bellarmine , who thinke to east a great scandall upon Calvin and others in this kinde : let me open both he parts of it ; first , the damned in hell despaire , therefore , saith Bellarmine , if Christ suffered the pains of the second death , he did despaire , and did suffer the paines of hell for ●vermore . Oh foolish creature , who will be so wicked as to say thus ? Therefore that you may see this cursed opinion , consider two particulars in this desperation ;

First , the nature of desperation , what it is :

Secondly , I will shew that this desperation is no part of the second death .

First of all , for the nature of it , what it is : desperation as the word carries i● , is to cast away all hope and expectation of any good , this is properly to despaire : For if there be any good things with us , then we are said to have them in possession , and fruition : but if good things are absent from us , then we are said to expect them , and to hope and wait for them ; and hope saith it may be otherwise : this is that which beares up the soules in the most heavie brunt ▪ But for hope , the heart would breake , saith the Proverb : and it is true indeed , in the greatest miseries that can befall ●● , and when we feele nothing , nor finde nothing , nor have nothing in sense , ye● hope saith it may be otherwise , and though now I am sinfull and miserable , yet I may bee pardoned , and though now in the gall of bitternesse , yet I may be purged and sanctified ; and though now I am a damned creature , yet I may bee succoured and delivered . This is that which sometimes bears up the heart , and it is that also which beares up the hearts of the wicked many times here upon the earth : when the Lord lets in the horrour of heart , and fils the soule with his indignation , his heart would sinke , but that a little leane starved hope supports him , and he sees than Gods will is not yet fully revealed , but that he may be saved : and he saith , this conscience may bee quieted , and this soule may be saved , and these sins may bee pardoned ; now despaire is the quite contrary , when the soule hath no good in expectation , and that which cuts the heart strings of a mans consolation , and plucke a mans comforts up by the roots , as hee hath nothing for the present , so all means and wayes of getting any good are cut off , and then he casts off hope , and never lookes to God more , because he never lookes for mercy from God ; and then hope goes out and saith , Oh when will it once be , cannot these sinnes bee pardoned , & c ? And at last hee sees there is no way of getting any good , and therefore hee never lookes for mercy more , but expects hell and damnation , and cries out , I am damned , I am damned : This is despaire , and this is the nature of it .

Secondly , this despaire is not any part or essentiall property appertaining to the pains of the second death , whether we looke at the withdrawing of the sweetnesse of Gods love , or whether wee looke at the inflicting of the wrath of God upon the soule , this is no part of them ; for besides that which Divines will observe , namely , that all punishments are passions , and they suffer them ; but despaire is a worke of the creature , and it issues from himselfe , and the creature doth it , and therefore it cannot properly bee a punishment , nor any part of the second death ; but besides all this which they observe , this desperation so opened , it is so farre from being any part of the second death , as that it is not a consequent which nextly followes from the second death , but from the weaknesse and sinfulnesse of the creature . Desperation is not any effect flowing immediatly from the wrath of God upon the creature , but it proceeds and comes directly and immediatly from the weaknesse and sinfulnes of the creature . Imagine that yee saw the Lord Iesus Christ comming in the clouds with thousand thousands of his holy Angels , and the thrones were set up , and all flesh appeared ; the sheep on the right hand , and the goats on the left hand , and the Lord Iesus Christ passeth the doome , and the sentence against them , saying , Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire : Now when a poore damned creature seeth that the sentence is gone , and seeth the good wil of God pass'd upon him , and the power of his wrath now to bee exprest to the full against him , and he apprehends the will of God now fulfild never to be crost more , and the decree of God is now exprest never to bee altered more , and hee seeth the gates of hell now sealed upon him , and that the Lord hath cast upon him the tombstone of his wrath , and that he is buried under the power of the second death , and now he seeth the time is gone , and the justice of God can never bee satisfied more , and this power of the Lords wrath can never be removed : Oh the time was , that I had the word and the power of into quicken me , and to informe me , and the Spirit of God to strive with me , and then there was some hope ; but now the decree of God is ma●e unrevokable , and this wrath I shall never beare , nor never remove . There is now to word , no praying , no hearing , no conference , no mercy , nor salvation to bee hoped for , and so the soule lookes no more for any good , because the Lord hath so peremptorily set downe his do●me ; thus the soule breaks under the wrath of God , and is not able to satisfie , and the wrath of God can never bee removed , the fire will ever burne , and the worme will ever gnaw , and now the soule casts off all hope ; and this is the meaning of those phrases , 2 Pet. 3.7 . and in the 6. verse of the Epistle of Iude , where speaking of the devils , the text saith , They are reserved in everlasting chains under darknes , to the judgement of the great day : the devill is hopelesse , he hath no hope of good , nor shall never receive any good : but our Saviour Christ that was able by the power of his God-head to suffer this wrath of God , and to satisfie justice , and to support himselfe under this wrath , and to come out from it , he hath a certaine hope to please God the Father , and to have everlasting blisse and happinesse with him ; there is hope with our Saviour , because he can beare and satisfie , and come from under this wrath . Take a bason of water , and cast it upon a few coales of fire , and it will put them clean out , but throw the same boson full upon a great fire , and though it may damp it a little at first , yet it cannot quench it , but rather increaseth the flame , and makes it burne the faster : what s the reason of this , that it quenched the little fire , and not the great f●re ? it was not firstly and nextly because of the coldnesse and crosnesse of the water to the fire , for the same water was as cold upon the great fire , and as crosse● the nature of the great fire ; but the little fire was rob weake of it selfe to beare the coldnesse of the water , and therefore it was quenched ; but the great fire was able to beare the coldnesse of the water , and therefore it was not quenched : so it is here , the wrath of God is like this water , as David saith , All thy waves and billowes have passed over me ; that is , the waves of Gods indignation , and the ocean sea of Gods wrath : ●hen this fals upon a poore weake sinfull creature that cannot beare this , but breakes under this wrath , and cannot take off the vengeance of the Lord , but sinkes under it ; this creature despaires of all helpe , not because of the wrath of the Lord firstly , but because of the weaknesse , and the sinfulnesse of the creature that could not beare the wrath of the Lord : and hence he despaires , and the soule saith , alas , I am weake , and a poore sinne creature , and this wrath of the Lord is of an infinite vigour , I shall never be able to beare it , nor to get from under it : therefore I despair and cast away all hope of helpe ; but the Lord Jesus Christ being perfect God , and perfect man , having a great flame of holy affections kindled in him by the spirit of the Father , this did assist him hereby to beare the wrath of God in his soule , and not onely was hee able to beare it , but to overcome it ; and although hee were tossed up and downe in the sea of Gods wrath , yet he was not drowned ; and though hee sipped of the poyson , yet he was not poysoned : therefore he bore the paines of the second death , and overcame them , and did not despaire ; he expected to receive good , because he knew he should have good : thus our Saviour , Iohn 19.30 . when he had so deeply drunke of the cup of affliction , he said , now it is finished ; that is , now the fierce indignation of the Lord is over . Take a little childe or infant new borne , and lay it in a little streame , if no man come to succour it , there can be no hope that it will live , not properly because of the water , but because the childe is weake , and not able to keepe it selfe from being overpowred by the water : and therefore there is no hope to have reliefe for it ; but let a strong man come , and he will not be drowned by the streame , for hee is of height and strength either to wade thorow it , or else to save himselfe by swimming : so there is the streame of the indignation of the Lord : Now God will not help a poore sinfull creature , and he cannot help himselfe , therefore the streame will destroy him , and there is no hope , for he is never able to free himselfe , because God will not , and he himselfe cannot ; but the Lord Jesus Christ that hath skill and power , because he is God , as well as man ; therefore though he beare the wrath of God , yet because hee is able to wade thorow it , and to beare it : therefore it is that he will deliver himselfe , and all us with him . Thus ye see that desperation is a consequent that followes from the sinfulnesse and weaknes of the creature , and that it is no part of the second death . The second part of this conclusion followes , and I desire it may bee attended to by all you that are weake ones ; for this objection doth put many Divines themselves to a stand , and yet the case is very cleere so farre as my light and line serves me .

Secondly , the eternitie of the punishments , say they , for if Christ suffered the pains of the second death , then hee must be in hell for ever . It is a weake and a sinfull plea ; I say our Saviour might and did suffer the second death , and yet not the eternitie of it : I beseech you to take notice of two things herein .

First you must take notice of the difference betweene the death threatned , and the death denounced , and betweene the torments of hell : also betweene the eternitie of time , and the circumstances of time , that may bee altered and changed , as the debt or punishment is fully suffered or not suffered : As for example , the time of a mans lying in prison is no part of the payment , but he doth lie in prison because hee cannot pay the debt : as thus ; A man is in prison for a thousand pound , & he must lie in prison ten years , because he can pay but a hundreth pound a year ; but now let a rich man come that can discharge the payment within ten moneths , or ten dayes , or ten houres ; it is as well if he doe it in ten houres , as if he did it in ten years , nay it is better done : Just so it is here , the debt is this ; In the day that thou eatest thereof , thou shalt die the death : the punishment is death , and every poore creature must die the first and second death : Now because a poore creature cannot satisfie Gods justice 〈◊〉 this life , ( for if God should but let in the power of his wrath in this life into the soule , and fill the soule with his fierce indignation , it would kill a man even in this life ) therefore the Lord by death takes away a poore creature , and drags him downe to hell ; he doth arrest him by conscience here , and saith , Thou hast sinned and deserved wrath , and thou canst not beare my wrath here ; therefore thou shalt die and be made immortall , that thou maist beare it for evermore ; because a man cannot pay it now , therefore he is paying of it to all eternitie , for hee is never able to pay and satisfie for the whole summe : but now the Lord Jesus Christ hath cash ready at hand , and is able to lay downe the payment for all the faithfull to the full : hee layes downe the life naturall , and hee also suffers the paines of the second death : therefore hee is able to deliver himselfe , and all those that are his .

First of all , Vse 1. hath our Saviour thus suffered , and hath he stepped in betweene the wrath of God the Father and the faithfull ? Justice saith , that foule hath sinned , and must be damned , and anger saith , I must breake out against that poore soule ; then the Lord Jesus Christ steps in and saith , I will beare all , and undertake the satisfiing of all ; I will beare all those punishments due unto them : you that are beleevers and have a share in Christ , unto you I speake ; labour thou from hence to see the hainousnesse of sinne , and to hate it , because it hath brought all this evill upon thy Saviour , and would have brought the same upon thee , had not the Lord Jesus Christ stepped in betweene thee , and the wrath of the Father . Oh looke what thy sin hath done unto the Lord Jesus Christ , and see if you can love it , & take contentment in the commission of it : Let me teach you how to do it : send your thoughts afar off , and see our Saviour in the garden crying out , and saying , My soule is exceeding heavie unto the death , my soule is even beset with sorrowes ; oh watch and pray : And also when he was in that bitter agonie in the garden , And he prayed yet more earnestly , and hee stretched out his prayers , that it broke his heart almost ; behold the teares in his eyes , and the clodded blood that came from him , and his soule was almost broken within him , under the fierce indignation of the Lord : and he fell upon the ground , and yet all this would not doe the deed : follow him to the crosse , and seeing him attended with the souldiers , and pierced thorow with a speare ; see then if thou canst love thy sinnes that have done all this ; and further , when you have seene him thus nailed to the crosse , and pierced thorow with a speare , then if you have any hearts of men , ( I doe not say of Christians ) listen a while , and here those hideous cries , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken me ? Oh brethren it went very heavy with our Saviour : Now imagine that you heard those heart breaking sighes which broke the heavens , and let them breake thy heart too : Oh goe your wayes home I charge you in the Name of Jesus Christ , and answer your owne hearts , or rather answer the petitions of our Saviour , and say , Lord , why hast thou forsaken ? Oh Lord , it was for my pride , and my contempt of thy word , and my despising of holy duties , and for the rest of my sinnes , I should have beene forsaken , and thou wast contented to bee forsaken for me . Oh can you consider of this and love your sinnes still , which have brought all this misery upon a Saviour ? if you can love your sins now , doe ; and if you can harbour that pride and stubbornnesse in your hearts which would have pluckt the heart out of Christs body , and his soule from his body , then doe ; can it bee possible that men should harbour sinne in them , if they did but know what it hath done to them , can you see it and not ha●e it . Oh behold that sinne which hath caused God the Father to be angry with thy Saviour , and doe thou hate it , and let thy soule for ever loath thy sinne which hath caused Christ thus to doe , to come downe from heaven , and to bee tortured by wicked miscreants , and to cry out My God , my God ; why hast thou forsaken me ? and as sin hath caused God the Father to punish thy Saviour , so goe thou and be revenged upon thy sin , and say , Oh my pride , and my stubbornnesse , and my loosenesse , and uncleannesse , and base drunkennesse ; these were the nailes that pierced his hands a●● his feet , they pierced his sacred body , and 〈◊〉 the wrath of God the Father upon his soule ; therefore let mee bee for ever revenged of this proud stubborne and rebellious heart of mine , and let mee for ever loath my sinne , because it brought all this sorrow upon my Saviour .

To presse this use a little more , I charge you brethren , as ever you had any tender love unto Jesus Christ , or any regard of your owne comfort , goe your wayes , and bee for ever cast downe and humbled for those evill waies of yours , which have brought our Saviour to such a gulfe of misery , and to be angry with those sinnes that have made God the Father angry with the Lord Jesus Christ , and take thou revenge upon that proud stubborne heart that brought all this misery upon thy Saviour : This is the course of humanitie amongst men ; if a man knew of any one which had murthered his father or his friend , whom he highly regarded and honoured , nature shewes us thus much , that our hearts would rise against the man , and you would not bee able to brooke the sight of him , and you cannot endure to see him in your companies ; and if law and conscience did not forbid it , you could be contented to give him his deaths wound , and to bee his bane , and you would cry out against him , Oh he hath murthered my father , or my deere friend , and though you would not run upon him and kil him , yet this every one would doe , he would follow the Law to the uttermost , and if all the law in the land will do it , he will have him hanged ; and if he might have it put to his choyce what death hee should die , hee would chuse him a death as bad as hee could devise , and if he might be his Executioner , how would he mangle him , and say , thou wast the death of my father , and then hee would give him one blow for this , and another blow for that ; and say , thou wretch , thou hast taken away the life of my father , and I will have thy life : Now is a man thus inraged , and is the heart of a man carried with such violence unto him that hath murthered his father , or his friend , and that for the losse of the naturall life ; Oh then how should your hearts bee transported with infinite indignation , not against the man , but even against the sinne , which is the cause of all this , and which is wholly opposite against God ; and not onely because it hath taken away the life of the body of our Saviour , but also made him undergoe the wrath of an everlasting father ; your sinnes are they that have thus slaine the Lord Jesus Christ , the Lord of life : Therefore follow thou the law against these sins , and raise hue and crie after them , and bring them to the Sessions , and set them before the tribunall of God , and crie justice Lord , justice against these sins of mine ; these slew my Saviour , Lord slay them ; they have crucified my Saviour , Lord crucifie them ; let me have life for life , body for body , and soule for soule : these are the sins that have taken away the life from the body of our Saviour , and tooke away all comfort from his soule , Lord take away their life : thus pursue thy sins , and never leave them , untill thou seest them bleed their last : never thinke that thou hast power enough against corruption , nor never thinke that thou dost enough against them , but give thy corruptions one hacke more , and confesse thy sinnes once more , and say , Lord , his pride , and this stubbornnesse Lord , and this loosenesse of heart Lord , these are they that kild my Saviour , and I will be revenged of them , and herein consider this , when your hearts are inclining to any corruption , or to any temptation of Satan ; and when thou findest thy soule drawne aside to any sin , and when thou findest some temptings unto corruptions and stirrings of cursed lusts , it is good then to have an actuall consideration of what sin hath done to the Lord Jesus Christ , and reason thus with thy selfe and say , these sins were the death of my Saviour ; and shall they be my delight ? these sins did pierce his hands , and wounded his soule , and shall they give contentment to my soule ? the Lord forbid , did these sinnes plucke teares from his eyes , and blood from his heart , and shall I make them the delight of my heart ? the good Lord in mercy forbid it : were it so that our hearts were fully and throughly perswaded that all the vanities of our mindes , and all the lusts of our hearts , and all the distempers of our affections were those that stabd the Lord Jesus Christ , and wounded him to the heart ; it could not be that we should so delight in them , and lavish out our soules and affections thereupon , nay , not onely Christianitie will doe it , but nature and reason will even compell a man to doe the contrary , could hee but reason thus with himselfe , when corruptions tempt him , and occasions call him , and say thus with himselfe ; was it not enough , and more than enough , that the Son of God came downe from Heaven , and suffered such grievous pains , but shall I againe crucifie the Lord of life , and shall I againe pierce those blessed hands of his , and pierce that blessed side of his , and all goare his sacred body with my uncleane sins , and force him to crie out againe , by reason of my sinnes which I have committed ? this is more than brutish , and more than savage ; I beseech you in the bowels of the Lord to consider well of it : you know what Christ said when Saul persecuted the poore Saints at Damascus , Saul , Saul , why persecurest thou mee ? It pierced the Lord Christ , when any of his members were pierced , Acts 9.4 . but now for such as beleeve in Christ , and looke for mercy from Christ , consider how neerly it will touch him , and trouble him ; not onely to have his members pierced , and persecuted , but also to have his good Spirit grieved , and himselfe to be wounded . Imagine you heard the Lord speaking , as the Church did in Lamentations 1.12 . Is it nothing to you all , oh yee that passe by , is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow ? have you no compassion at all upon a Saviour ? what , will ye spit in my face ? what you ? what and to a Saviour too ? and will ye pierce my soule by the corruptions of your hearts , and by the actions of your hands ? thus the Lord Jesus Christ perswades you to see sin , and to abhorre and 〈◊〉 it upon all occasions ; and therefore let us answ●● the requests of our Saviour , and not shew our selves desperately wicked to pierce him againe , and to renew his sufferings .

Vse 2 In the second place , did our Saviour suffer these paines ? then see here the strictnesse of Gods justice : Oh that exact precise severitie of Gods proceedings without exception of any mans person ; God puts no difference , although hee were his Sonne , but hee layes punishment upon him . This is the reason of that exact dealing of God , in Rom. 2.9 . Tribulation and anguish shall bee upon the soule of every one that sinned , and why ? 〈◊〉 God is no respecter of persons ; as verse 11. that the ground of it ; and it is not onely exprest but it 〈◊〉 also proved undeniable , Rom. 11.22 . Behold therefore the bountie and severitie of God ; towards them which have fallen , severitie , but towards that bountifulnesse : remember Gods just proceeding against the Jewes , and therefore it is , that the Apostle citeth all the proceedings of Gods judgements , not onely against the heathens that never knew him , or his enemies that alwayes opposed him , but even to his friends such as he had shewed much favour and mercy to : if they sinne , they shall be destroyed for their sinne . But oh the just exactnesse of the justice of the Lord , how severely just he is ! for this exactnesse is not onely upon the wicked , and open profane , but upon his owne deare children , and they that have had his ordinances , as in Amos , the Prophet shewes what favours they had received , in regard of the means ; but yet feel how severely ; the Lord punisheth them : but he hold the miracle of justice in the Lord Jesus Christ his onely Sonne , in whom his soule delighted : our Saviour that had but the shado●s of sinne , had all punishments laid upon him in thick 〈◊〉 . Now answer me whether God the Father bee not a strict God or no , and a just and righteous God that would thus deale with his onely Sonne . A man would have thought if any thing in the world could have stopped the hand of Divine justice , that it should not proceed from God the Father , then Christ he might have done it , for her had all that ever any one in the world could have : If the excellency of the person of our Saviour could have done it , or the holinesse of the soule of our Saviour , then he might have beene exempted from punishment , yet all these were not able to doe it , because hee was a suretie ; but yet a man would have thought that those teares of blood might in some measure moderate the matter : could not those servent petitions of him , have had so much as some abatement of the punishment , when he cried out saying , Father , if it be possible , let this cup passe from me ? and then againe the second time , Father , if it bee possible , let this cup passe from mee ; nay the third time ; Father , if it bee possible , let this cup passe from me . The Son of God was now upon the racke with it , if it be possible , let this cup passe from mee ; let mee onely have a sip and away , and so let it passe from mee . Surely if any thing could have stopped the hand of divine justice , then Christ might have done it , but God would not , nor did not abate our Saviour one drop of his indignation , but God inflicts it all , and Christ suffers ● all : behold therefore if thus bee not a just God ; heare and feare all you that heare the good word of the Lord this day , you that thinke that Christ is made all of mercy , it is a God of your owne imagination , and your owne devising ; it is not that God which is the Lord of heaven and earth , it is not the God of ho●sts , the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ : Oh say poore ignorant people , he is a very mercifull God , and full of compassion ; it is true , hee is mercifull indeed , but know this also to thy terrour , that God is strict , and precisely righteous : you thinke to put off God with a few good words and lazy wishes , and with a Lord have mercy upon us ; and if you can have but an houres time before your death to cry God mercy , oh their you thinke all shall be well and God will goe away with anything ; and because you suffer a little punishments and afflictions in this life , therefore you thinke to bee freed from them altogether hereafter : no no , know thou shalt not carry it away so : indeed thou hast troubles and afflictions here , but thou shalt have eternitie of torments for ever in the life to come : if thou still continuest to bee a sinfull wretch , and an unbeleeve , there is no way with thee , but to beare thy owne plagues and miseries hereafter : when thou seest the Sonne of God himselfe corrected , dost thou thinke to goe free ? if God would not bare oils Saviour any thing of it , dost thou thinke he will abate thee any thing ? againe , our Saviour had our sins onely imputed to him ; but thy sins thou hast committed them thy selfe , and canst thou thinke to escape , that are proud , and stubborne , and malicious , and liest and livest be thy sins , and dost wallow in them , and allow of thy selfe in the commission of them ? no , surely God will not spare any blasphemer , nor unclean wretch , nor profane person under heaven ; if he did not spare his owne Son , he will not spare thee , but hee will inflict upon thee the sharpest punishments that can bee imagined : therefore now if God bee so severe against sinne , then let your affections be answerable thereunto , doe you pitie none that are sinfull , not onely slaves , but in a childe , a son , a husband ; let us labour to get a hearefull of hatred against sin in any of these , nay though shee were the wife of thy bosome , or thy childe , or thy deere friend , if thou seest sin in them , bee sure to punish it ; especially you that are in places of authoritie , into whose hands God hath committed the sword of the Magistracie for the execution of justice : You that are Gods vice-gerents upon earth , doe you as God himselfe hath done , and walke in his way , and so bee blessed in whatsoever you doe : I said ye are Gods saith David ; every Magistrate , every Justice in the countrie , and every Master of a family ; ye are Gods , that is , ye have the Image of God put into you , and therefore say thou with thy selfe in this manner ; would God suffer a swearer , or a blasphemer , or a prophane person , or a drunkard , or an adulterer , to goe unpunished ? and would God suffer a prophaner of his Sabbath , and would not reforme him ? then whatsoever is amisse in thy owne soule , or in thy wife or childe , or servant , if it be in thy place punish , if not , then hate it to the uttermost : If God doth hate sin even in his owne deare Son , though assumed onely , then let thy heart bee also carried with a hatred for evermore against it : Thus much of the first question , what the kindes of punishment were which our Saviour suffered , and how far he suffered them .

Quest. 2 Secondly , when did our Saviour begin these sufferings , and when did be end them ? To this I answer thus :

Answer . Our Saviour Christ begun the pains of the naturall death from his cradle , to his grave : I am not ignorant of the diversitie of the judgements of Divines in this point ; but that which I conceive to be most seasonable is this , hee begun to die ; as soone as hee begun to live , and that upon this ground ; looke to the curse that God hath threatned , Gen. 2.17 . In the day that thou eatest thereof , thou shalt die the death ; so that Adam began to be a debter , and must bee a sufferer from the very beginning of his sin ; and so all the sons of Adam , they have no sooner an entrance into life , but they are dying : The meaning is this , as thou eatest thereof thou shalt die ; that s the meaning of the text as it is in the originall ; die , die , die , even from the beginning of thy life . Now when our Saviour became● debter , hee must also become a paymaster , and he must keepe the 〈◊〉 of the payment : justice requires this , and they 〈◊〉 are faithfull doe and will keepe this : now 〈◊〉 Saviour was a good paymaster , therefore the day of his humiliation was the day of his dissolution ; hee had sorrowes and miseries even untill his departure out of this life : nay , not onely the curse required it , but also daily experience makes it good ; looke upon our Saviour as soone as ever he w●● borne , there was no roome to bee had for him 〈◊〉 ●nne , but bee was laid in a manger in the stable ; ●d not in a cradle neither , but in a cratch : and Herod ; he fought his life too , and in his riper years , he suffered hunger , and cold , and backbitings ; and all these were but as harbengers to make way for all that desolation and wrath which came upon him . There is never a childe of Adam , but so soone as hee is borne into the world , hee falls to crying , and so he continueth in sorrowes all the dayes of his life , and all these are but dyings : when the tyles begin to fall , and the thatch to moulder from off the house , wee use to say the house will fall shortly : so all the sorrowes and the disgraces that were cast upon our Saviour , so soone as he was persecuted , they were all preparations to his death . Againe , looke to the end why our Saviour came into the world , as in 1 Iohn 3.8 . Christ came to destroy the workes of the devill , that as Satan brought sinne into the world by Adam , and so death and condemnation by sinne ; so Christ through his sufferings , brought in life and sanctification ; so that the plaister should be applied to the place from whence the 〈◊〉 the dis●e came : As Satan brought sin into the world , 〈◊〉 punishments by sin , so the plaister must bee laid there , that all may be fully cured ,

Againe , when did our Saviour suffer paines in his soule ? To this I answer , our Saviour did suffer these paines , partly in the garden , and partly upon the crosse this will be plaine if you compare Matthew 26.37 . with Iohn 19.30 . in Saint Matthew he saith , that Christ tooke with him Peter and the two sonnes of Zabedeus , and hee began it 〈◊〉 sorrowfull , and to be grievously troubled : hee began to be sorrowfull , this sorrow and heavinesse was the paines of his soule : here he did begin it ; and in Iohn 19.30 . when Iesus had received of the vinegar , he said , now it is finished : what is that ? there are many interpretations upon it , but I will follow that which I conceive to bee most seasonable , as thus ; it is finished , that is , the cup is ●ver , the heavie indignation of the Lord that did pursue wee , and lie upon mee , is now over ; and remember this blo●d finished , doth argue that it had a beginning . There was a time when our Saviour begun to crapple with this wrath of God , and now it is finished : this is the meaning of it , for it could not bee meant of all the Prophesies that were of Christ all which were not fulfilled , and though some were fulfilled , yet some were not ; and therefore it could not be meant of them , as namely of this Prophesie : as Ionah was three dayes and three nights in the whales belly , so shall the Sonne of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth : therefore , the text saith , that he began to bee in an againe in the garden , and when he cried , now it is finished , the●● was ended : that is , now the fit is over , and the indignation of the Lord is past : this shall bee made good in the third question wherein it shall appeare that hee did suffer grievous paines in his soule : But before I come to the third question , give me leave to promise some cautions , that so you may see how the way lies ; and the cautions are three

First , that whatsoever the Scripture doth speak concerning the sufferings of Christ , it means them really ; they were not shewes nor semblances , but in substance . This I speake the rather to avoid a cavill of some which thinke that Christ did onely say so , and did not suffer them really ; this is a meere doring delusion , and for ever to be abhorred ; for unlesse we yeeld it that Christ did suffer these really , wee shake off the truth of the whole story , and so we can have no true foot-hold for our comfort .

Secondly , I say that whatsoever is exprest in the Scripture , wee must conceive of it without the least suspition of sinne in our Saviour : therefore evermore maintaine a holy reverence , and a holy regard of the actions and the nature of our Saviour Christ , that you may not charge him with the least inclination to any distemper .

Thirdly , our Saviour was not compeld properly to suffer , either out of the necessitie of nature being weake and sinfull ; for indeed sorrowes doe come properly out of our corruptions , and flow out from thence ; and as heat and fire goe together , so sin and misery goe together ; but there was no such matter in the Lord Jesus Christ ; nay , there was no outward cause in our Saviour , that could compell him to suffer miseries , whether he would or no : but hee did most willingly submit himselfe to divine justice , her tooke our place and became our suretie , and promised the payment of the debt freely ; yet aside he had done thus , it was necessary upon condition promised , and hee did also willingly make it necessary , that before he did suffer these punishments , he should undertake them ; and then having thus undertaken , and upon certaine conditions promised , it was very fit and necessary that he should make good what he had promised , and performe what hee had undertaken : these cautions I thought good to adde to stop the mouthed of all cavils that may arise in the hearts of those that are weake ; for the ground of Christs sufferings was freely and willingly according to the promise and agreement which was betweene the Father and himselfe .

Quest. 3 The third question followes , and that is this : whether our Saviour did suffer in body alone , or in soule alone , or in both :

Answer . The answer apparantly and punctually is this : Christ did properly and immediatly suffer the wrath of God in his soule , as well as hee did the paines of death in his body ; hee did not onely suffer by communion and consent betweene the soule and the body ; as namely , therefore the soule is pierced , because the body is pierced , no , but he did properly and immediately receive and suffer the wrath of God in his soule , as well as his body did death . The Scripture doth expresse it this way , and the Prophet foretold this in Esay 63.10 . God shall make his soule an offering for sin : you know every offering implies a full payment ; they did use to confesse their sinnes over the sacrifice , and then to slay it , intimating that the sacrifice was to undergoe whatsoever punishment was due unto their sinnes : and so did Christ doe in bearing our sinnes , nay Christ himselfe saith so : Matthew 26.38 . My soule is very heavie and sorrowfull , even unto the death : and that this must needs be the meaning of the text , it shall appeare by further explication , and therefore give mee leave to handle all the particulars of the sufferings of our Saviour : and for our proceeding herein , that I may be plaine , and that this doctrine may drop as the dew , and that every spire of grasse may receive some sap and sweetnesse , and spirituall moisture there from , let me doe two things , wherein I will shew you that the sufferings of our Saviour were done partly in the garden ; and partly upon the crosse ; and for his agony in the garden , let me doe two things :

First , I will shew you what the Scripture saith of that agonie in the 14. of Saint Marke , and in the 26. of Matthew .

Secondly , I will make it good that those sufferings were most grievous sufferings , which hee suffered in his soule :

For the first , what our Saviour suffered when he was in that agony in the garden , when he crieth out , Father , if it be possible let this cap passe from me . The Scripture discovers the pith of all that anguish of soule , and the whole compasse of it , what it was that did thus fill the soule of our Saviour , and that is in these two things , and you shall finde them both in Marke 13.33 . where the text saith , when our Saviour was to enter into the combate , he saith thus ; hee beganne to his amazed , and to be very heavie : let me expresse them thus : hee beganne to bee driven to an astonishment , and to have his soule fild with the indignation of the Lord . First , our Saviour Christ foreseeing the wrath of God , and the combate of God the Father comming against him , hee began to be amazed : the word in the originall is this ; That so you may see the depth of the distres , and the bottome of the cup. The word amazement comes from a word that signifies to bee in a stand , or to be astonished : such a sorrow as men use to have for the losse of some deare friend ; nay the preposition in that which is added signifies a griefe beyond astonishment : whatsoever griefe could befall a creature without sinne , that all befell our Saviour : this word carries two things with it :

First , there comes an admiration from the suddennesse of the thing .

Secondly , a stroke of errour , which smiteth upon the soule with the admiration of it , as when a sudden and an unwonted and an intolerable evil beginneth to seize upon a man , and the stroke of some terrour and fe●● strikes in and drives the soule to an amaze , and insomuch that the heart saith , good Lord what will this come to ? if this befall mee , what shall become of mee ? this is astonishment . The second part is this , and that goes further , and our translation expresseth it to the full ; My soule beginnes to be very heavie , that s our translation ; but the word goes a degree further , when this sorrow act onely strooke and shooke the heart of our Saviour with the suddennesse of it , but it entred into his soule , and fild it abundantly , and rackt it to the uttermost of the abilities of nature to beare it : shall I deale nakedly ? this word heavie , carries two things with it . First , that the soule of our Saviour was surcharged and fild , being full : with the indignation of the Lord , and that heavy vexation that lay upon him : for so the word implies , abundance of misery which doth beare downe the heart of a poore creature , but this was not in the Lord Jesus Christ : though his soule were filled brimme full of the indignation of the Lord , yet hee was not overcharged with it . Secondly , hence it followes , that all the faculties of the whole nature of the soule of our Saviour , they gathered up themselves , and they drew up all their forces , to beare up themselves against the wrath of the Lord , which was now comming upon them ; all the powers of his soule , the minde and the memory , and hope and feare , they were all gathered up : as in time of warre , the souldiers come all forth from their garrisons to close in the maine battell ; so the Lord Jesus foresaw the wrath of the Father comming against him , and hee drew forth all his abilities , and left all other imployments wholly , and brought them to fence and to fortifie themselves to beare this wrath of the Lord ; as if our Saviour had said , Come yee all hither , and help to beare up my soule against the unsupportable wrath of God ; this is the very skirt and selvedge of the word : yet observe this by the way , our Saviour was not deprived of this worke of any of his abilities , but onely they were cald off from all other imployments , and they wholly betooke themselves to beane the wrath of the Lord , as the maine worke which now did lie upon them : and this may be done , and was done by our Saviour , and yet without sinne . As it is with a clocke , a man may sto● the wheels upon force , and make them stand still , though there bee no distemper in the wheels causing it , but onely the hand which stops it : So it was with Christ , there was no infirmitie in the minde or memorie of our Saviour ; but the hand of God was so heavie upon him , and the wrath of God so seized upon him , that all other actions ceased , and hee attended to no other thing , but to this , how to beare the wrath of God ; the Evangelist in Matthew 26.38 . shewes the explication of both these , My soule is exceeding heavie , tarrie yee here and watch with mee ; my soule is heavie even unto the death : that is , my soule is besieged and beset , and beleagered with sorrowes , in every part , and I would expresse it thus : our Saviour Christ knowing Gods counsell and the hour approaching , and the thrones of justice prepared , and God as an angry Judge sitting thereon , with all the bookes brought forth , and all the sinnes of all the world there laid open , and God the Father as a Judge saith , these are the sinnes of those , for whom thou hast undertaken to die , and if thou answer not for them they must be damned ; and there he saw the sinnes of Manasses and David , and Peter and Paul , appeare before the Lord , and withall , he saw the glorious attributes of God all comming out against him ; and mercy pleads , I have beene despised ; and patience pleads and saith , I haue beene despised ; and justice pleads and saith , I have beene wronged by these men in the time of their ignorance : and therefore mercy , and patience , and goodnesse , and holinesse , and long suffering , and all these that have beene wronged , they all come to the Father for justice , and say , These have beene opposers of thy grace , and spirit , and they have wronged us , if they be saved , Christ must be punished ; and hee seeth the wrath of the Lord making a breach against him , and seizing against him , and not onely so , but even all the Devils , and all the Jewes and Gentiles ; God lets them all in upon our Saviour : now see whether hee had good cause to complaine ; if hee looked up to God , there were all his attributes crying for justice against him , and death before his face , and the Jewes and the Gentiles , Herod and Pilate and all conspired against him to bring in sorrow upon our Saviour : therefore hee cries , Oh my soule it heavie even to the death , my soule is beset with sorrowes ; the Jewes , and the sinnes of all the world will have my life ; thus he began to be astonied , and was faine to gather up all his abilities , that hee might fortifie himselfe against those evills . This is the sufferings of Christ in the garden , and yet I speake under it ; and if I had the tongues of men and of Angels , I could not expresse it ; for these words are never read of any mortall man , but that there is weaknesse in the same , onely Christ hath exprest thus much , that howsoever misery and wrath was able to overcome a poore creature , yet hee bore it , and that without sinnes . Let these two cavils of the Jesuites bee removed before wee goe any further , and the explication before spoken of will answer both .

Object . 1 First , say they , if Christ in his agonie suffered the wrath of God , and if this made him to crie out , Father , if it bee possible , let this cup passe from mee , if this bee so , then say they , our Saviour must continue in the agonie from the garden , till he came upon the crosse ; but that hee could not doe , for hee checks Iudas , and reproves Peter ; not as a man astonished , but as a man in his right wits ; and hee answered Pilate calmly , and hee prayed holily , and commended himselfe to God the Father , and he was not as a man astonished in all this : therefore hee was not now in the agonie .

Answer . To this I answer , the objection growes upon a false ground , for they conceive that because he was in the agonie , therefore it must continue untill his being upon the crosse ; I say no , that s false ; for our Saviour entred into the agonie , as into a combat , and he that enters into a combat , hath many bouts in it : as there are many stormes and tempests , but there are some beames of sun-shine betweene them , so here there is some interims . It is in this case as it is with a man in a burning fever , a man hath many intermissions betweene the fits ; so although our Saviour bore all the whole wrath of God , yet he had intermitting fits of it ; as in Matthew 26.39 , 42 , 44 , in the 39. verse , he prayed and said , Father , if it bee possible , let this cup passe from mee ; and he went away againe the second time , and prayed saying , Father , if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee ; and hee went againe the third time , and prayed yet more earnestly saying , Father , if it be possible let this cup passe from me : and as it is in Luke ●2 . 44 . Hee entred into the agonie , that is , into the fit , as we use to say of a sicke man ; now the fit is upon him , he prayed once and came againe , so one fit was over ; he prayed yet againe , so two fits were over ; then he prayed yet more earnestly , so the the third fit was over : here are three bouts which hee had , when hee wrestled with the indignation of the Lord . There were three stormes in this tempest , and betweene every little storme , he had a pleasant gale of ease and refreshing : This is the answer to the first objection .

Object . 2 Secondly , if the wrath of God seized upon the soule of our Saviour , then the cause being the same , the effect must needs be the same ; therefore he must needs be still in the agonie , when he was upon the crosse :

You must know that the sorrowes and sufferings of our Saviour issued onely from these two causes .

First , from the wrath of God comming upon him for our sinnes .

Secondly , our Saviour did willingly according to the agreement made betweene him and the Father , put himselfe under the wrath of the Father ; he laid his head upon the blocke , and upon the anvill , under the blow of divine Justice . Now it is not the wrath of God alone , nor the willingnesse of Christ alone , but from the wrath of God comming upon him , and his willingnesse in submitting to the wrath of God : for Justice saith , if these bee saved , thou must suffer ; and Christ saith , I am contented , I will , yet so farre as I see fit , and may be for my honour ; this shewes that he did it willingly : Therefore hee was a cause by counsell , and a voluntary disposer of his owne worke ; therefore he might either satisfie justice by bearing the whole wrath of God , or else he might take a breathing while as he saw fit ; so that howsoever you frame the objection , yet the answer is cleere : for when a man hath taken worke to doe by the great , hee may goe to his worke , or he may leave his worke , provided that he doe performe it according to bargaine : or a man may speake if he will , or else if he will , he may keep silence : so Christ undertooke to suffer for us , but provided when hee would , and as he would : Matthew 26.37 . He began to wax sorrowfull , that is , hee did it freely , hee entred into the combat of Gods displeasure , he undertooke it when he would , and as much at once as he would , provided that hee did pay and suffer all , for the curse doth not require that Christ should suffer all at once , but onely that he should satisfie the justice of God againe : the humane nature of Christ could not so well beare all the wrath of God at once ; therefore he tooke it at three times : as when a man cannot well drinke a great potion at one draught , he drinkes and breathes , and then drinks againe and breathes , and then drinkes the third time : so Christ was resolved to beare all the wrath of God , and because it was too grievous for the humane nature to drinke it all at once , therefore hee drinkes and breaths againe , and then drinkes the second time , and breaths againe ; and so drinkes the third time , and so our Saviour was able to suffer all , and not to bee driven to any distemper or weaknesse ; for all those distempers of affections , they arise from these three grounds : 1 Either affections prevent judgement : 2 Or else it will not yeeld to judgement : 3 Or thirdly , it disturbs judgement .

Now our Saviour tooke one draught , and then breathed , and then tooke another draught , and 〈◊〉 had againe , and so thinke it at the third time , so that none of all the sorrowes of the agonie that he undertooke troubled him , because hee undertooke it when he would , and yet bore all , and so gave full satisfaction . Thus you see what our Saviour suffered in the garden in his soule , and it was such a kinde of sorrow , that he tooke onely Peter , and Iames , and Iohn with him , and no more .

Now in the next place , I come to fasten upon the proofe of the point , to wit , that this sorrow must needs bee more than can come from the paines of death , and I shall make it good by force of argument , that this sorrow cannot come barely from the naturall death ; I shall give you grounds from Scripture , and from reason , and I reason thus :

All the sorrowes that came upon our Saviour , they came by reason in this cup , that is , from these sorrowes , and miseries that he was to beare , both in the agonie in the garden , and upon the crosse : Now that cup which brought astonishment in upon his soule , and fild it full of anguish , and drove him to an amaze , and not only to weep bitterly , but to trickle downe drops of clodded blood , that cup must needs bee more than the pains of a naturall death , but that cup which caused all this , was that which brought them in , and made him thus to be astonished , and fild his soule with anguish , and wrested clodded blood from his body ; therefore this was more than naturall death : the latter part of the argument is undeniable , namely that the agonie came from this cup ; therefore the cup was the cause of his sorrowes , and griefes , and teares ; but to thinke that naturall death should drive our Saviour to this astonishment , it is unreasonable to thinke it , that the Souldier should beare that which the Commander cannot beare , and that many a poore Christian that hath but a little grace , should beare the paine of a naturall death for a good cause , and that comfortably ; and shall not Christ the Fountain of all grace beare much more ? it is unreasonable for any man to thinke so : therefore there must be more than the paines of a naturall death , in the sufferings of our Saviour . Hee that gave his Saints grace to beare these paines of the naturall death , he hath much more grace in himselfe to beare them , and to come forth from under them .

Vse 1 Is it so that the Lord Jesus Christ was driven to this astonishment , and to all this misery ? then what use will you make of the point ? shake the ●ee , and gather the fruit : Let every soule learne from hence what will bee the fruit of sinne , and what he may expect from sinne , if he doe rightly conceive of it : wee use to judge of physicke by the working of it , especially if it be some strange kinde of physicke , then the working of it will discover the nature of it : And as it is with some great personages , as the Popes and such like , they have their tasters to taste their meat for them ; for certainly if the meat doe poyson him that tastes it , then it will doe him no good that eats i● : so see what sinne hath done in Christ , and the same it will doe in thee ; what he hath received from it , doe thou looke to partake of the same , if thou continue in sin : He onely tasted of it by way of imputation , and he had only the shadowes of sin , as I have formerly shewed : hee had onely the taste of sin by way of account , and charge , and imputation : therefore if it made him sicke even to death , then know thou shalt bee sure to feele the same : it will worke upon thee much more that hast sin not by way of imputation , but thou hast it by way of commission : and thou canst sit at thy base pleasures , and loose company , and sinfull occasions , and drawest on iniquitie as it were with cart-ropes ; it will bee thy death , if the Lord be not mercifull unto thee to save thee , and the Lord Christ gracious to pardon thee : therefore let us not judge of our sinnes according to our conceits ; it is that which cozens and deceives thousands of poore creatures ; therefore let us not value our sinnes according to the sweetnesse that our owne corrupt heart findes in them , nor according to the pleasure that wee expect from them ; they goe downe merrily now , but they kill as certainly . It is the great weaknesse of poore soules , that wee see sinne a great way off through many glasse windowes , many mediums and covers , there are many profits , and pleasures , and dalliances , that are betweene sinne and us , and we see sinne through all these , and therefore sin is welcomed and received , because it seemes pleasant : but now I would have you see sinne in the nature of it , and therefore looke upon sinne in the Lord Jesus Christ , and there see it in its colours , and see what vexation it brought on our Saviour , the same it will bring upon thee , unlesse the Lord be the more mercifull . Is is with sinners , as it is with children ; little children that know not the nature of a Beare or a Lion , if they lie sleeping , they will bee ready to play with them ; but if the Beare begin to shake himselfe , and the Lion begin to rore , it makes not onely children afraid , but even the stoutest to flie , wee dally with the hole of the Aspe : sinne hath devoured thousands at this day , and children that wee are , we play with sin , and with the pride of our owne cursed hearts , and our lusts , and our ambition , and uncleannesse , and with the neglect of Gods ordinances , and every other corruption : The drunkard playes with his drunkennesse , and the adulterer with his dalliances , and the proud man with his ambitious thoughts , and so every wretch with his wicked practices , and this ambition is now asleep : but if you could see these roring upon you , and ready to devoure you , then certainly you that now take delight in them , would flie from them : Proverbs 7.27 . It is observable what sinne will doe , the adulterous woman meets the poore deluded creature , and she inticeth him with her base lusts , and he dreams of nothing but Downe beds , and all kinde of dalliance , and hee knowes nothing but goes as an Oxe to the slaughter , untill a dart strike through his liver , and he knowes not that it is for his life , hee goes and his life goes : Her house is the way to the grave , which goeth downe to the chambers of death : the like is in Iudas , hee desired to betray Christ , and for what ? onely to get a little poore pittance of thirtie pence : his covetousnesse was now asleep , and he had a murthering heart towards the Lord Jesus Christ , and a covetous heart for himselfe : all this while sinne was asleepe ; but when Christ was attached and condemned , then Iudas began to be worried with his corruptions ; hee comes in horrour of heart and throwes downe the thirtie pence , and comes into the high Priests hall , and saith , I have sinned in betraying innocent blood : Now tell mee , Iudas , is it good to bee covetous now ? when his conscience was awake , and thus wrath of God began to seize upon it , and that Lion began to rore upon him , then his heart begun to shake within him , and hee departed and went away and hanged himselfe , his sinne made way for it : and thus it will be with every wicked man in the world . Howsoever now you have del●ons to cozen others , and you have your unjust measures , and you can carry it away bravely ; your corruptions are now asleep but that covetousnesse out of thy shop , and that adultery out of thy chamber , it will one day rore upon thee : looke upon the hands of Christ , and they will say , there hands were pierced by sinnes , and it was sinne that hath fild this soule with astonishment . Oh all you that see and heare the good word of the Lord this day , see what sin hath done with our Saviour , and expect the like effects from sinne , if you still continue in it .

Now we come to the second part , that is , his sufferings upon the crosse , where wee shall have much to doe with the Jesuites . You see what he suffered in the garden , now follow him to the crosse , for when he was in the garden , he only tasted of the cup ; but when he was upon the crosse , he drunke the cup quite off ; in the garden he only sipped the top 〈◊〉 it , but now hee drunke the dregs of it , and the bottome and all . For the opening of this , looke Mat. 27.46 . about the ninth houre , that is , about three of the clocke in the afternoone , when he was crucified , he cried out saying , Eli , Eli , lamusabactani : Now Divines say , and Interpreter conclude and 〈◊〉 professe it , and I beseech you attend to it , that in this crie & complaint of our Saviour , was discovered the dregs of the cup of the fierce indignation of the Lord ; now before I come to the 〈◊〉 and proper sense of the words , consider thus much : there are two interpretations of it ; First , there is one of the Jesuites , which we must confute and remove . Secondly , there is another interpretation of sound Divines , which we must receive and yeeld unto . For the first , Bellarmine and others make the meaning of the words to be this , that our Saviour Christ here complaines that he was left to the hands of the Jewes , and that God the Father would not deliver him from that temporal death which they would put him to ; therefore said they , our Saviour in the sense of the death natural , cries out that God had left him in the hands of those ungodly men ; therefore they say the words run thus , My God , my God , why hast thou thus forsaken me , and lost me thus in the hands of Pilate , and Herod , and the Jewes to crucifie mee : it is a sinew lesse and a weake imagination , that I may speake no worse of it , for I can hardly beare it with patience : and that this sense is false there are a reasons to beare against it . First , this meaning is taken from a false ground , and therefore the ground and bottome being brittle and weake , the building must needs fall . It is a weake thing for a man to say , that sometimes the miseries and deaths of the Saints of God , argue a forsaking of God : for I say , that though the Saints of God are sometimes delivered up to death by the wise providence of God , yet they are not said to bee forsaken of God : 2 Cor. 4.9 . Wee are persecuted , but not forsaken ; cast downe , but wee perish not : You know what the ordinarie promises are in this kinde ; I will be with thee in six troubles , 〈◊〉 the seventh I will deliver thee : marke this , the heaviest afflictions of the Saints of God , nay death it selfe is so farre from being an argument of Gods forsaking them , that it is an argument of their glorying in God ; as in 2 Cor. 12.10 . Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities and reproaches , necessities and persecutions : and in anguish for Christs sake , the Apostle rejoyceth in persecutions , and in the midst of all extremities .

A second reason why it is false is this , God is said to leave his servants two wayes , and there are no other wayes in Scripture that I know of First when God takes away his assistance in the time of trouble , and hee lends not that strength and that assistance , whereby with patience they may be●e , and with courage goe through those afflictions , but now and then hee lets them not bee soiled , by their owne infirmities , and to fall by their weaknesses , that they may learne to see their owne weaknesses , and learne not to trust in themselves , but in the Lord their God : Now this forsaking cannot , nor did not befall our Saviour in common sense , because hee prayed for assistance , and whatsoever hee prayed for , hee had ; as Hebrewes 5.7 . Hee was heard in that which he feared ; and so consequently assisted : nay , he was confident of the issue of it , Luke 23.42.43 . when the good theefe upon the crosse said , Lord , remember mee when thou commest into thy Kingdome ; the Lord answered him , this way shall thou be with 〈◊〉 in Paradise : nay , David did prophesie this of Christ , and Christ himselfe performes it , Psalme 16.8 . I have set the Lord alwayes before mine eyes , for hee is at my right hand , therefore I shall 〈◊〉 be moved : therefore God the Father did not leave our Saviour , but he did assist him , that hee was above all sorrowes , and all miseries .

Secondly , the other kinde of leaving which the Scripture speakes of , is this ; when the Lord takes away the sense and feeling of the sweetnesse of his love , and 〈◊〉 from the soule : in Psalme 27.9 . David saith , Hide not thy face away from me , neither cast away thy servants in displeasure , put not a servant 〈◊〉 of doores . Here I demand of any man , but especially of the Jesuites , whether of these two they will grant ? God did not forsake the Lord Jesus Christ the first way ; therefore he must doe it this way , or none at all ; and if any man grant this , then he grants the cause : for then there was not onely the death naturall , but the displeasure of the Lord seized upon his soule ; and unlesse they doe grant this , then this absurditie must needs follow upon it , that Christ was not at all forsaken of God : for he that was constantly assisted , and refreshed by the sense of the love and favour of God , he was no way forsaken : Ioseph was in prison , but God was with him ; and Daniel was in the Lions den , but God was with him : and in 2 Chron. 15.2 . God is with you , while yee are with him : now if Christ had assistance from God the Father to strengthen him , and the sense of the sweetnesse of Gods love to refresh him , then hee was no way forsaken , which is profesly contrary to this truth , and it is to give the good Spirit of God the lie ; therefore away with those imaginations , so that the answer is cleare , that God the Father did take away the sense and feeling of the sweetnesse of his love from our Saviour ; and this made him to crie out , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken mee ? thus much to wipe away the cavils of the Jesuits . Now I come to shew the right sense and interpretation of the words which wee ought to receive ; and here you may see the great worke of Christ , and the love of Christ , and the comfort of a Christian : the text includes two things , which containes the very dregs of the cup : First , that God tooke away the sense and feeling of his love and favour : Secondly , God the Father laid a curse upon him . There is a dereliction , and a malediction , in the words forsaking , and the curse : therefore adde to this place but Gal. 3.13 . and you shall have the full sufferings of Christ , Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law , being made a curse for us , because it is written , cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree : so that when hee was crucified and hanged on the crosse , then hee was made a curse for us , and then he was forsaken . Let mee a little open both the passages to you : First for the forsaking of our Saviour , Why hast thou forsaken mee ? when he cried thus , and rored for the very disquietnesse of his soule , there was more in it than ordinarie : I will discover the substance of this forsaking of Christ how farre it went , and that in three particulars , that you may know how far to steere your judgements in conceiving the sense of the Spirit of God in this place : this forsaking of Christ may be conceived of in three conclusions :

First , it was not a totall forsaking of our Saviour , but onely in part , and it was not a perpetuall forsaking , but for a while , and it was not a taking away the Godhead from the manhood of our Saviour ; but the Godhead was ever united to the manhood , and did evermore support it .

Secondly , this forsaking was on the Fathers part , and not on our Saviours part ; the Father forsakes Christ , but Christ went after him : God tooke away the sense of his love , but the Lord Jesus Christ cried after him , and laid hold upon him , and saith , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken me ? the Father went away , but the Lord Jesus Christ went after the Father , and would not let him goe : God the Father might justly forsake our Saviour , being made sinne for us by account and imputation : being our suretie , God the Father might justly take away and withdraw the sense of the sweetnesse of his love and favour from the Lord Jesus Christ , without any sinne ; but now the Lord Jesus Christ could not have forsaken and gone away from the Father without sinning , so that this forsaking was on the Fathers part , but our Saviour held fast , and would not be carried away , My God , my God , &c. As Iob saith , Though hee kill mee , yet will I trust in him : so that Iobs trusting , and Gods killing anger might stand together : and when the Lord wrestled with Iacob and said , Let me goe , for the day breaketh ; Iacob said , I will not let thee goe , untill thou blesse me . God may goe away from Iacob , but Iacob may not goe away from God for want of confidence , and affiance : so that this forsaking is to be apprehended wholly on the Fathers part , for our Saviour did not goe away from God by diffidence and distrust .

Thirdly , and here lies the main pith and heart blood of the point , that wee may speake tremblingly and wisely , in this great and difficult point . The conclusion is this , the soule of our Saviour , that is , the whole man was for the while deprived of the sense of Gods favour , and the feeling operation of his love and mercy that might comfort him ; I say , it was for the while , and this seemes to be the reason of those strong cries , and heart-breaking complaints of his : You know when a man cries , then there is misery , and trouble upon him ; and when he cries loud , and puts forth all his powers , it implies a marvellous weight , nay , it gives us to conceive of a kinde of admiration , and a kinde of wondering with himselfe , what the cause of it should bee : It seemes here that this was the cause of the sad complaint , because in his agonie there were some inklings of Gods mercy , and now and then a starre-light , and a little flash of lightning to cheere him : but now all the sense and feeling of Gods love was gone , and not so much as any little star-light to cheere him up ; and that drives him to a wonderment , saying , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken mee ? Is it possible that thou canst thus forsake thy Sonne ? what s the reason of it ? what , and an onely begotten Sonne ; not that the spirit of consolation was ever taken away from our Saviour , nor that the Godhead was taken away from the manhood , and so left comfortlesse , and supportlesse ; no , no , but howsoever the spirit of comfort and consolation was there , yet the sweetnesse of that consolation , wherein he had refreshed and solaced himselfe , that was quite taken await .

Object . Oh but , say the Jesuites , this seemes strange ; for if this bee so that all the sense and sweetnesse of Gods love was taken away from him , then how can he say , my God , my God ?

Answer . It is a conceit for a Jesuite , and not for a Christian ; for faith and the want of feeling may goe together : Christ longed after mercy , though hee saw nothing , and hee cried , my God , my God ; though hee had no sense of Gods love , the strongest faith may stand where no sense is ; Esay 50.10 . Hee that walketh in darknesse , and hath no light , that is , he that is altogether in misery , and sorrow , and anguish , and seeth no light of comfort and consolation , what must hee doe ? must hee cast away all hope ? no , let him stay himselfe by the power of faith upon his God . So then Christ may have , and had confidence , to say , my God , my God , and yet hee was deprived of the sense of Gods love , and the feeling operation of his mercy and favour ; and : God the Father might take away the sense and sweetnesse of it , without any weaknesse on our Saviours part , because this withdrawing of the sweetnesse of : Gods love , brings onely a punishment upon the soule , and takes to grace nor holinesse from the soule of our Saviour .

Now wee are come to the bottome , now our Saviour foresaw all the mercy , goodnesse , and compassion of God the Father going away from him , and hee panted after it , saying , my God , my God , mercy is gone , and compassion is gone in regard of the sense of it . Now that you may see the weight of the sufferings of our Saviour , consider thus ●●ich ; that the 〈◊〉 away the selfe of Gods love , discovers it selfe in Scripture after this manner .

The Lord in this worke of his , and in this heavie withdrawing himselfe , he turnes away his face , and lookes another way , deprives him of the injoying of the sweetnesse of his fellowship which formerly hee had : Ionah 2.4 . Ionah was a good and a gratious man , though he was a strange man , as one observes , yet when the Lord had dealt something strangely with him , and cast him into the sea , a whale receives him ; and when hee was swallowed up of the whale , he was then swallowed up of a greater griefe ; for God had taken away the sweetnesse of his love from him : therefore saith he , I am cast out of thy sight , hee would play the runne away with God , and would goe to Tarsus ; therefore God casts him out of his sight to his owne apprehension : therefore saith hee I am cast out of thy presence this was onely in regard of the sense and sweetnesse of Gods love and favour : this you may see in the example of David , Psalme 31.22 . I said in my haste , I am cast out of thy sight ; as no question but Ionah prayed in the whales belly , and said , Lord pardon my sinne , and forgive my transgressions ; no , saith the Lord , get you downe to Tarsus : so David prayed , and cried earnestly saying , not smile of thy favour Lord ; no , saith the Lord , and hee looked another way , yet thou heardest the voyce of my prayer : and so Ionah , yet will I looke towards thy holy Temple ; hee looked to mercy whiles his eyes and his heart and all faild ; so that faith may well stand , even there where there is no sense at all .

Thus it was here in the case of our Saviour , and thus the Scripture speakes admirable pithily ; Psalme 77.9 . Hath God forgotten to bee gracious , and hath he shut up his tender mercies ? as if he had said , though I may not have mercy , yet let me see mercy : hath God in anger shut up his mercy ? the face of mercy is sweet , and the presence of mercy is comely : but hath God in anger shut up his tender mercies ? hee hath not onely sent him going out of doores , as hee did Ionah , but hee shuts himselfe up that the poore sinner cannot come within fight of him .

Oh saith the sonne , I would my father would but looke out at the window that I might see him ; but when hee will not suffer his sonne to looke upon him , this is heavie : so the Lord saith to his servants , no no , you have slighted my kindnesse , therefore I will locke it up , that you shall see him no more : In the second Booke of Samuel , the fourteenth chapter , the twentie eighth verse ; When Absolom had dwelt two yeares in Ierusalem , and saw not the Kings face , at length hee sends for Ioab to send him to the King , and said , either let me see the Kings face , or else wherefore doe I live ? It was a great favour that hee might but see the Kings face ; though hee might not injoy fellowship with him : this is a great trouble , when the Lord shuts up his mercy in anger : mercy hath come home to your hearts , and it hath besought you to take it ; but you have dealt basely with the Lord , and walked rebelliously against him , well the Lord will shut you out of his presence , and will shut up his mercy , and then you shall say that you had mercy offered to you once , and you would not accept it .

Thirdly , and this is the highest degree of all ; the Lord doth not onely shut up his mercy that he cannot be seene , but hee goes away that a man cannot tell where to seeke him : Oh , saith the sonne , that I might but see my Father , but hee is gone , and then his heart is even swalloweed up ; nay , God doth not only take away the sense and feeling of his favour beyond sight , but hee goes away from a man , that hee cannot tell where to seeke him , that if he would write letters as I may say , yet he knowes not where to send them , and if he call his father , he cannot heare him : Thus the Scripture speakes , and thus the saints of God have found it from time to time , Psalme 77.7 , 8 , 9. Will the Lord absent himselfe for ever , and will he shew no more favour ? this translation is reasonable well , but the originall runs thus ; will hee adde no more to bee favourable : as if hee had said , what will he not only not entertaine me ; but is hee gone that I cannot tell where to finde him ; and in the ● . verse , Is his mercy cleane gone for ever ? This is the last of all , and that which contains the pith of all , that our Saviour speakes expresly of himselfe , that God goes not onely out of his presence , but out of his calling too : the place is excellent , Psal. 22.1 . from whence these words were taken , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken mee ? why art thou so farre from helping mee , and from the words of my complaint ? God is gone beyond call . Now that you may see the weight of the sorrowes that lay upon our Saviour , consider thus much : our Saviour was not onely cast out of Gods favour , and God did not onely take away the sense of his love , and the feeling operation of his favour , that so he received not the sweetnesse that he had done ; but Christ tooke the place of sinners , and therefore God the Father shut him out amongst sinners , and drew his mercy out of sight , and out of hearing , and therefore he cried out , My God , my God , &c. Nay further , why art thou so farre from my helpe ? Hee cried out that hee ●ore his bowels againe , and stretched out his throat and cries , my God , my God , and hee followes the mercy of God the Father in this kinde , not that his faith did not prevaile , but he had not the sense and sweetnesse of Gods love ; and so David in all that he spake , saying , Will he be favourable no more ? hath hee in anger shut up his tender mercies ? All this while God was present with him by supportation , though he held that vision of mercy off from his soule : now at this time it seemes to me , and the text will beare it , that though Christ before had but three bouts in the garden , yet now all the sins of all his elect children , and the cloud of sins of all the faithfull did arise to a mighty great fog , and the cloud did overspread all the whole heavens as I may say , and did darken all the Sunne-shine of Gods favour : as it is with the Sun in the firmament , when a little cloud growes greater and greater untill it cover the whole heaven , then we thinke it is almost night : so all the sinnes of all the faithfull did overspread all the whole heavens , that even the star-light of Gods compassion , and the lightning of Gods love and favour appeared not .

Now I come to the reasons of our Saviours grievous sufferings in his soule , and the reasons are these .

First , from the cause .

Secondly , from the place to which our Saviour was called .

Thirdly , from the love of the Lord Jesus Christ , which makes it most plaine of all .

Reason 1 First from the cause , it cannot bee that it was the Jewes , and Herod , and Pilate , that made him crie out in this manner , but the justice of God the Father came against him , and the devill entred the combate with the Lord Jesus Christ upon the crosse : Luke 22.53 . This is your houre , and the power of darknesse ; hell gates were set open , and the devils were all let loose upon our Saviour ; and therefore as Divines doe wisely and judiciously observe in Coloss. 2.15 . Hee led captivity captive , and spoyled principalities and powers , and tooke the hand writing of ordinances that was against us , and fastned them to his crosse : hee was now in the maine combat with all the powers of sinne , hell , and death : These were they that did make the combat with the Lord of life .

Reason 2 The second reason , is taken from the place which he underwent ; he was to be a Priest , and he was to offer up himselfe for a sacrifice , not his body alone , but also his soule ; as Hebrewes 9.20.24 . Christ offered up himselfe for a sacrifice .

Reason 3 Thirdly , the love of the Lord Jesus was such , that of necessitie it must bee so , and those that thinke , that the Lord Jesus suffered nothing else but onely the death of the body , they wonderfully wrong the love of the Lord Jesus Christ : the like love was never seene , for had he suffered only the death naturall , then some of Gods people had shewed greater love than ever Christ did : as Paul , Romans 9.3 . I could bee content to want the sense of the love of Christ , for the people of the Iewes , &c. Now if our Saviour had onely suffered the death naturall , then Paul could have beene content to doe more than Christ did : Thus you see the nature of this forsaking of Christ .

Secondly , there was also a curse which befell our Saviour , which here is intimated , but is fully exprest Gal. 3.13 . Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law , why ? because he was made a curse for us ; how doth he prove that ? because it is written , cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree : He proves the truth by the Type , the curse lay in this , that Christ did suffer whatsoever was due unto us : So the Apostle reasons , that whatsoever curse was due unto us , that our Saviour did suffer : the curse was this , the Father did not only withdraw the sense and sweetnesse of his love and favour from the Lord Jesus Christ , but hee also let in his heavie indignation , and wrath into his soule , and that seized upon and fild the soule of our Saviour brim full , and this was the curses . The Scripture doth expresse it in two particulars , or there are two degrees of it .

First , the justice of God had a single combat with our Saviour in the garden , and there it had three bouts with him , the Lord dealt very roughly with him , and the blowes were very heavie that hee laid upon our Saviour there , for they went to the heart of him , and yet that was but a little skirmish : Esay 53.4 , 5. God smote him , and bruised him , insomuch that there was clodded blood seene to come dropping from him : these heavie bouts that hee had , wounded him , and went to the very heart of him , but now patience , and forbearance , and longsuffering , and mercy , and compassion , they all come into rescue our Saviour , and they afford him a little breathing , and refreshing , so that though the blowes were heavie , and the thrusts were sore , yet he did breathe and live ; and it was not the maine stroke of all , and the reason was , because patience , mercy , and goodnesse , and bountie , came in to rescue him : but then the second part was this :

Not only Gods anger had a single combat with him , but at last the justice of God gathered up all the powers of it , and the wrath of God drew up all the forces together , and they marched in furiously against Christ : and whereas before the Father smote at him , and did thrust at him , now hee slew him . When our Saviour came to the crosse , and the heat of the battle lay upon him , then all the sense and sweetnesse of Gods countenance and favour , they all left our Saviour in the open field ; for in the garden hee had some refreshings , and some breathing times , and mercy , and goodnesse did step in and say , slay him not , but let him have some refreshings : but now the sense and the feeling of all these was gone .

Vse . The use of this last branch , it is a word of terrour , and it is able to shake the hearts of the proudest wretches under heaven : they that let themselves against God and Heaven , and make nothing of the sinnes they have committed , nor of the wrath of God threatned , and when the Minister saith , Oh the end of those sins will be bitternesse : this contempt of God , and grace , and holy services , and these oaths will be bitter in the latter end : How can you beare the wrath of God , and you cannot possibly avoid it ; tus● , say they , come , let us talke of other matters , and not busie our selves with these matters ; well , saith the Minister , but the word is true , and the word saith it ; well then , saith the soule , and I will beare it as well as I can : If I sinne , I will beare it ; and if I come into hell , I shall beare it as well as another , and I shall make a shift for one ? Oh poore sinfull creature , wilt thou beare it , and make thy part good as well as another ? dost thou know what thou saist ? ler all those stouthearted men that sit in the feat of the scornfull , and make nothing of God , nor his wrath , nor of hell , nor of the sinnes that they have committed : let them know that they shall never bee able to beare the indignation of the Lord ; see here and behold a little , all you that make nothing of the withdrawing of Gods favour , Psalme 97.4 , 5. and Revelation ● . 14 , 15 , 16 , 17. The heavens departed away as a scrowle when it is rowled , and every mountaine and Isle were removed out of their places , and the kings of the earth , and the great men , and the rich men , and the chiefe captaines , and the mighty men , and every bondman , and every free man , hid themselves in the dens , and rocks , and in the mountaines , and said to the mountaines , fall on us , and to the hils , cover us from the presence of him that sitteth upon the throne , and from the wrath of the Lambe , for the great day of his wrath is come , and who shall be able to stand ? If any man could beare up himselfe , then it were the great ones of the world : now take a scantling of your owne strength ; if any were able to beare the wrath of the Lord , it were the kings and the mightie men , and the captaines , and the rich men of the world , but faith the text , The day of the Lords wrath is come , and who shall bee able to stand ? It is not the soveraigntie of the king nor the skill and courage of the captaine , or the libertie of the freeman , or the slavery of the bondman that can deliver them ; but they all crie to the rocks , fall on us , and cover us from the presence of the Lord : nay , that you may yet see the vildnesse and wretchednesse of your hearts , and the miserablenesse of your condition , when the presence of the Lord appeares , see what the text saith , Psalme 114.5 , 7. The sea fled , and the earth trembled , the hils melted at the presence of the Lord , nay , the devils themselves tremble ; as in the 6. and 8. verses of the epistle of Saint Iude , The Angels which kept not their first love , he hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse to be kept for the judgement of the last day : they have their portion for the while , but there is a great deale of wrath to come , and there are many plagues comming , and they know Gods wrath , and they shake and tremble in the apprehension of it : now when you see this , goe home to your owne soules , and let every man that would heretofore ( as his owne conscience can tell him ) flout God to his face , and make a scorn of hell , and of judgement , and condemnation : go home , I say , & lay this to your owne hearts , and say , is it so , that the mountains shak , and the sea shrinks , and the devils tremble at the wrath of the Lord : good Lord then how shall I be able to beare it , that am not able to conceive of it , nay if any man think that hee is able to undergoe the wrath of God , and to bear it off with head and shoulders , look but here upon the Lord Jesus Christ that was perfect God , and perfect man , he that created heaven and earth , and bote up the foundation of heaven and earth , yet when hee came to bea●t the wrath of God , it forced teares from his eyes , and clodded blood from his body , and made him crie out , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken mee ? Doe but now compare your selves with Christ , and say , did my Saviour buckle under the wrath of God ? then certainly it will breake you therefore say thou , if hee that was the Creator of heaven and earth could not beare it , then how shall I be able to beare it , when he comes against me for my si● and corruption committed by me therefore heart and feare all you stout hearted of the world , rather now tremble while you may be comforted , than hereafter when you shall never be eased : thinke but with your selves how dreadfull that day will be , when all the glorious attributes of God shall take their leaves of you he that before had a great deale of mercy , and patience , and the Lord hath wooed him saying Oh once at last heare and see the things that belong to thy peace : there is not one of you all in this congregation , but that you have beene compast about with mercies , and the justice of God ; it would have broken out against you , had not mercy stepped in to rescue you , how easie were it for the Lord to dash us all into the bottomlesse pit every creature of us : therefore thanke mercy , and patience , and forbearance , that still you breathe , and say , blessed bee God , that I have to deale with a gracious , mercifull , and compassionate God , that hath kept mee from judgement , that I have not ere now perished in it : Now thinke with your selves what a day it wil be when mercy shal weep over you , & take his leave of you , & say , remember thou poore creature how I met thee in thy walkes , and kneeled downe before thee , and besought thee to take mercy , and to be saved and pardoned , but thou wouldst not : adem therefore , this is the last time of asking , I will never see thy face more , and with that patience as it were buckles under the burthen , and saith , I have bond with their thus longe I have borne twenty years with some , thirtie years with some , fortie years with others , and all this which I have borne with thee in thy pride , and stubbornesse , and loosenesse , and uncleannesse ; but now adew , never more patience to beare with you , what no more mercy , nor no more goodnesse , saith the soule , and they all say no ; and stake their hands and say , adew thou rebellious heart for ever , it will make thy heart shake within thee , and thou wilt say , I shall sinke downe suddenly , there is nothing but wrath to bee expected , they are all gone to heaven , and you must be forever packing to hell . Oh feare , and feare all you whom it doth concerne this day , if so bee Christ cannot beare it , then you cannot suffer it , but you will sinke under the same for ever .

Now I come to the reasons of the point in generall , why our Saviour suffered paines both in body and in soule , then the reasons of it are three , and they are all of speciall use .

Reason 1 First , it is taken from the divine justice of God which required this by way of satisfaction , as being onely surable and agreeable to the divine justice of God by reason of sinne , whereby Adam had intrenched upon the privilege of God the Father : every breach of the Law of God intrencheth neerly upon God himselfe , and therefore every sinne is of a provoking nature , because it is committed against an infinite majestie : therefore that divine justice may not be a loser , there must be a punishment not onely corporall , but also spirituall , for justice abates not any thing of the satisfaction , God is just , and this is justice to give every one his due ; honour to whom honour belongs , and punishment to whom punishment belongs ; therefore that justice may bee preserved , she must inflict these punishments upon our Saviour being in our roome : the Jesuites have devised a cavill against this reason : say they , it needed not that Christ should suffer these , for the dignitie of the person of our Saviour may dispence with some part of the punishment , and if he beare death , it is sufficient , he may bee , freed from the other paines in his soule . Now that this conceit of theirs is a thing marvellous injurious to the justice of God the Father , and to the wisedome of the Lord Jesus Christ , and to the death of Christ , I prove it thus ; for by the same right that the dignitie of the person of our Saviour might abate of the punishment , by the same right the dignitie of his person might as well take it quite away : if one drop of the blood of Christ would save all the world , then what needed Christ to have suffered the pains of death ; for if the dignitie of the person might free him from the one , it might free him from the other also , but the Law and Justice of God required whatsoever Christ did in his wisedome suffer and the death of Christ was not superfluous , and besides the dignitie of the person is to farre from freeing him from the punishment , that it fits him to beare the punishment , it exempts him not from the punishment , but it furnisheth him with abilities to beare it : as he must be man , that hee may suffer finitely , so he must be God that must satisfie infinitely : the justice of God requires two things .

First , such a kinde of punishment as may bee sutable to the wrong of the Law , by the sinne of Adam , that is an infinite punishment .

Secondly , the person must bee such a one , as may bee regarded : therefore he must bee such a person , as must be able to beare the punishment , and to satisfie infinitely , and to come forth from under it : therefore the excellency of Christ as he was God , doth not dispence with the punishment , but enables him to suffer it , as the infinite wrath of God was express and shewed upon man by reason of sinne , in laying on this punishment both in body and soule : so the infinite sufferings of Christ underwent them both ; therefore that which divine justice required and without which it is not satisfied , that he must suffer ; but the justice of God did require it , and without it the justice of God was not satisfied : and therefore Christ did suffer both .

Object . To this argument the Jesuites reply , it needed not , say they , that that curse which Adam did deserve , should bee suffered by the second Adam , which is Christ , for , say they , God might have pardoned all the sinne of Adam without any satisfaction , or else by his infinite wisedome and power he could have provided another way , and therfore if Christ suffer but in part , it may suffices

Answer . To which I answer , it is a foolish , nice , and silly curiositie to inquire of Gods absolute power what he might have done , and what he had power to doe , when we see what he hath done : For as hee will save the humble mercifully , so hee will preserve his justice in the salvation of man , Esay 53.10 . The will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand , and Psalme 40.8 . I desire to doe thy will , oh my God : It is the will of God that Christ should come and should suffer for our sinnes ; he hath revealed what his will is , and it is folly to inquire what God might doe , when we see what he hath done : and besides , this I take to bee an everlasting truth , that none of all the attributes of God can ever enterfeere or crosse one another , it cannot be , for then God should not procure nor maintaine his owne glory , for when hee should procure the glory of his justice , hee should wrong the glory of his mercy , and when he should procure the glory of his mercy , hee should wrong the glory of his justice ; and the glory of his justice must bee preserved as well as the glory of his mercy magnified ; the mercy of God cannot wrong justice , nor the justice of God cannot overpower mercy : therefore hence I infer thus much ; if there were no means in the world whereby the justice of God ( which had received wrong ) could be satisfied , but only by the sufferings of him who was God and man ; then it was against the will of God , and against the will of Christ which was both God and man , and against their glory and dignitie to devise another way or means to pardon sinne without the satisfaction of divine justice , it is against his glory power , and wisedome , to wrong either justice or mercy , for he should either have wronged mercy in not pardoning , or else wronged justice in not punishing of Christ ; therefore if there should be no way to doe it , but only by the death of him who was both God and man , then there was no other way of redemption but this way , for an infinite justice being wronged , there is no way else to satisfie an infinite justice , but by the suffering of him who was infinite , and that was onely the Lord Jesus Christ , for there was no more infinites in the world .

I will winde it up thus , that punishment which was included in the curse , and which was deserved by the first Adam , that was suffered by Christ the second Adam ; but the punishment both of soule and body , were the punishments included in the curse , and deserved by the sinne of Adam ; therefore it is borne by the second Adam , as certainly as it was deserved by the first Adam .

Reason 3 The third reason is taken from the office of Christ , and the place which he underwent , because our Saviour Christ was our suretie , and our sinnes were charged upon him , and hee became paymaster : so that the covenant which hee had made with God the Father , bound him to it , and his faithfulnesse and truth tied him to it , nay he tooke all our sinnes upon him , and therefore he must satisfie for thee . If the Lord Christ were our suretie , and tooke all our sinnes upon him by imputation , and the debt was made his , then the payment also must be discharged by the Lord Jesus Christ , but certainly all your pride and stubbornnesse , &c. they were all charged upon our Saviour , and set upon his soore , and laid upon his backe : therefore hee must suffer for all , because hee was made sinne for all : so the issue of the point is this , unlesse the Lord Jesus Christ had suffered both in soule and body , justice had not beene so fully satisfied ; but the justice of God required both , and the curse included both , and therefore Christ suffered both , and hath fulfilled whatsoever was , or could bee required by divine justice .

Now to come to the use , something must bee said to justifie the riches of Gods free grace , the first use shall be this .

Vse 1 It shall bee a word of confutation , and it directly meets with Popish Purgatory ; a wicked errour that fals like Dagon before the Arke , and like clouds dispersed by the Sunne ; so that sottish imagination is hence condemned by this doctrine : it is a dreame devised to picke mens purses , and to delude mens consciences , and to fill the Popes coffers , they thinke that Christ frees every faithfull man from the punishments of hell , and from all that any sinne hath devised , but onely there are some veniall sinnes , and the punishments of those , a man must suffer for himselfe ; and therefore when a man dies , hee must goe downe to Purgatorie , and there bee purged and cleansed from the evill of them : this is that which they say , if they can but perswade men that they shall be in Purgatorie , and that the Pope can pardon them ; what will not a man give to bee freed from it ? this dotage is cleerly confuted with the evidence of the former truth , I will onely expresse it thus : If Christ suffered all the plagues which divine justice required , then there is neither the punishments of Hell , nor Purgatory to be suffered by the faithfull ; but our Saviour suffered whatsoever the justice of God required : and therefore neither sinne , nor hell , nor purgatorie , have any thing to lay to the charge of Gods chosen .

Secondly , it not onely meets with them , but it dasheth in sunder another conceit that seemes to finde acceptance with others ; for hence it is cleere , that all the troubles , and miseries , and afflictions ; either anguish of heart inwardly , or miseries outwardly ; they cannot properly bee called punishments inflicted upon the faithfull , be they never so sharpe and bitter in themselves : being laid upon the faithfull they lose that propertie , and they become corrections ; Christ hath suffered all punishments , and therefore God the Father will not require a double payment for one debt ; and therefore howsoever their grievances are many and great , yet they are but chasticements at the worst , and they lose that venome of plague and of punishment ; as it is with the sea water , it is salt of it selfe , and hath a brinish saltnesse , fretting wonderfully ; yet when it passeth thorow the veines of the earth , all the saltnesse is gone , and it becomes fresh , and is of a cooling nature : Just so it is with the afflictions that are sometimes inflicted upon the godly , howsoever in themselves they are sharpe , and brinish , and fretting ; yet the heaviest afflictions , though never so sharpe and bitter , yet when they passe through the merits and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ , they retaine onely their cooling , cleansing , and refreshing nature .

Object . But some will say , doe not these things befall alike to all , as David saith , Psalme 88.15 . Thy terrours have I suffered from my youth upwards , doe not these things come alike to all ? the same povertie , the same misery , the same anguish of heart ; doe not these fall alike to all , as in 1 Chron. 21.12 ; 13 , 14. was there not much misery befell David , and doe not the same plagues that befall the one , befall the other ? the holiest man , and the prophanest man partake alike in these ; wherein lies the difference then ?

Answer . I answer , the difference lies in two particulars .

First , the judgements that are laid on the wicked , they come from Gods anger , and God requires them in way of satisfaction unto divine justice ; but all the corrections , and chastisements , and terrours , and troubles that befall the godly , they come from Gods love , and from his Fatherly care . A Physitian cuts a man , and an enemy stabs a man , the knife was all alike ; but to the one , it comes from a friend , and to the other it comes from an enemy : so God doth send afflictions to the godly , and to him they come from the hand of a Father , and to the other they come as from a Judge : there are no judgements are sent upon the wicked , but they come in part of satisfaction ; and divine Justice faith , thou must to hell for all those sinnes of thine , and I will have something in part of payment , before thou come there ; but to the godly , the wrath of God is satisfied to the full , and the debt is fully paid : and therefore God never layes any thing upon the Saints so much to satisfie divine justice , as to correct and amend them .

Secondly , all the punishments and corrections that come upon the godly , the Lord so orders , and tempers , and sweetens them by his saving graces , and by the worke of his Spirit , that they all worke and turne to their good , the love of God is so farre shed abroad into their hearts by the power of Christs merits , and so shewed therein , that they procure good and comfort to their soules for ever ; but in the punishments and curses of the wicked , they come from under the crosse more hardned , and more blinded , and more fierce and rebellious against God and his grace ; but the godly come from under the crosse more holy , and more meeke , and more patient , and reformed in their lives and conversations : as it is with the poyson that is taken in hand by a skillfull Physitian , hee knowes the nature of it , and knowes how to correct it , and to take away the malignant qualitie of it , either of the cold , or of the heat : so afflictions of themselves are plagues , and judgements , and they are able to harden the heart , and to blinde the minde : this is that Ahaz , saith the text , even wicked Ahaz ; this is the punishment and poyson of the wicked ; and it bringeth punishment upon them ; it blinds their mindes , and hardens their hearts ; and therefore , whensoever a wicked man doth come forth from under the curse , he is farre worse than hee was before , his heart more dead and more fierce , and hee walkes more rebelliously against God and his grace ; but when they are laid upon the people of God , the Lord Jesus Christ takes away the malignant qualitie of them , and all the poyson of punishment and povertie , and takes away all the venome of sicknesse and disgrace , and it is now a preservative , and it is good to be afflicted , as David saith , and to have the poyson thus corrected , and to humble him , and to purge him , and to doe him good in his latter end ; they are the same in nature , that they are unto the wicked , but the difference is in the qualitie of them : therefore the conclusion is thus much ; That all afflictions come from the hand of a loving Father upon the godly , and though they come in anger to their sinnes , yet they worke for their good and salvation .

Thus much for the point of speculation , and for the information of the judgement ; now let us come home to the affections , and cheare up our hearts a little in the application of the point .

Vse 2 In the second place it is a word of comfort to all you that are beleevers : you that have heard the treasures of mercy , and the death of our Lord Jesus Christ laid open ; view them & take them all to your selves for your comfort : Are your heart● perswaded that Jesus Christ suffered all the punishments , and drank off all the cup , and hath left none for you ? then me thinkes this may make you goe away cheared : there is no death , no hell , no divine justice for you to undergoe ; goe your way cheared , and so you may , for you are delivered from wrath , hell , and punishment : this is an incomparable chearing of soule , to all the faithfull of God ; bee their condition never so meane , and their estates never so low , come all hither , and take that grace and mercy that is purchased and offered in the Lord Jesus Christ .

Object . But me thinkes I heare some beginne to cavill against this truth , and say , let them take mercy that have a right to it , and thanke God for it those that have a title to it , and that have great parts and abilities , and answerable obedience , let those take it , and blesse God that ever they saw the day : but , what I ? have I any share in the death of Christ ? and what , did Christ suffer the death of the crosse for me , my sinnes so many , and my condition so bad , and I cannot tell whether I have any faith or no , it is so weake and feeble ? are all punishments removed ? I cannot thinke it ; This is your owne fault , for this mercy is for thee , for every faithfull beleeving soule , bee his estate never so low , be thy saith never so weake : Hast thou faith but as a grain of mustard seed , that thou canst scarcely know whether thou hast faith or no , yet if it bee true faith , there is grace and mercy enough for thee in the Lord Jesus : therefore come and draw the water of life and comfort out of the wels of salvation , that is , out of the sufferings and obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ . You have heard that the heart of our Saviour was amazed , and astonished , it was for thee ; therefore bee thou cheared , Christ suffered the wrath of the Father , and came from under it , and that is thy victory , be thou for ever cheared . Our Saviour was imprisoned , that thou mightest bee delivered ; hee was accused , that thou mightest be acquitted ; he was condemned , and therefore there is no condemnation to thy soule ; he suffered death , that thou mightest live for evermore : therefore goe your way , and goe chearily , and the God of Heaven goe with you : feare not any punishment now , for why should you feare them , when you shall not feele them ? You may here have a ground of double comfort in the time of thy greatest distresse ; whether it be in horrour of heart within , or trouble without ; in both these the Lord Jesus Christ will pittie you , and will rescue you from all in his owne season : therefore lift up your heads in the middest of all troubles whatsoever .

First in all outward troubles , and in the heaviest trials , thou shalt be pittied in them : though Christ be gone up to heaven , yet hee hath his bowels of pitty and of mercy with him , and his bowels of mercy in heaven , earne over a poore dismaid creature , that is dismaid either because of thy sinnes , or because of those punishments which thou fearest for sinne : Hebrews 4.15 . Wee have not an high Priest that cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities , but was in all things tempted in like sort : wee have not an high Priest that is a stranger to crosses and troubles , neither have wee an high Priest like Gallio , that cared nothing for those things , that is , he was not troubled with the persecutions of others : as their cups are full , and they are not troubled with the poverty of others , they are at rest and ease , and they are not troubled with those that are in misery , but hee was tempted in all things like unto us : and so Hebrewes 2.13 . wherefore in all things it behoved him to bee made like unto his brethren , that he might be mercifull , and a faithfull high Priest , because he suffered and was tempted ; hee is also able to succour those that are tempted . When the poore doe crie , oh pittie and compassion for the Lords sake : oh you know not what belongs to a hungry belly , nor to a naked backe ; so I say , you know not what it is to have a distressed conscience , and therefore you have no remorse to them that are such ; but you must not think that Christ was not touched with our infirmities : though hee sit at the right hand of the Father , yet he hath not forgotten his people , but he hath left his love , and his compassion with us , and he is touched when we are troubled : Paul persecuted the Church , and Christ saith , Saul , Saul , why persecutest thou me ? the foot is pricked in earth , and the head complaineth of it in Heaven ; he felt the rage and malice of Pauls persecutions , though haply poore goodman such a one , and poore goody such a one was persecuted , yet our Saviour was touched and troubled with it : therefore let me tell you how to succour your selves , when you finde the wrath of God lie heavie upon you , and the anguish of soule lies sore upon you : I might also speake of the rage and malice of the wicked , but when the arrowes of Gods wrath seize upon the soule , and God seemes to bee displeased , and to goe away from the soule , and mercy , and love , and the sweetnesse of compassion is going ; as it was with Christ , when he cried out , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken mee ? Hee findes not that sweetnesse of mercies that formerly hee had done ; these are troubles indeed : Now learne you to looke up to Christ , and looke to bee pittied by the Lord Jesus Christ . It may be thy husband , or thy wife , or thy friends will not pittie thee , but will say , he is turned a precise fellow , and see now what good hee hath gotten by running to Sermons : thus they adde sorrow to sorrow , and persecution to persecution ; because God hath smitten thee , therefore they smite thee too , but yet notwithstanding all this , looke thou up to the Lord Jesus Christ , and know that thou shalt finde favour ; he will have a fellow-feeling with thee in all thy miseries ; therefore plead with the Lord Jesus Christ , and say , Lord in thy estate of humiliation , thou wert a man full of sorrowes , and thou sufferedst much perplexity , thou knowest what it is to suffer the wrath of a displeased Father , and thou didst crie out , Father , is mercy , and love , and goodnes , and all gone ? Oh blessed redeemer , heare those cries of them that crie to thee for mercy ; thou that didst suffer for poore sinners , doe thou succour poore sinners : and Jesus Christ will certainly pitie you , and will send his good Spirit from heaven to comfort you , and he will command loving kindnesse to comfort and refresh thee . You that groane under your burthens , hee will command loving kindnesse to come to such a mans house , and to visite such a one , and will say , such a man is troubled , I command thee to comfort him : and , salvation , I charge thee goe to such a house , and tell such a man that I love him , tell him that I suffered for him , and was forsaken , that he might not be forsaken , I was condemned , that he might be redeemed : It is a great comfort that the Lord Jesus Christ is touched , and knowes how to deliver such as are tempted . He that bore up the frame of the heavens , and never groaned under the pillars of the earth , yet when he was to beare the wrath of God , he shrunke at it and said , Father , if it be possible , let this cup passe from me : he that bore the wrath of God for thee , he will certainly pity thee .

Secondly , you shall not be pittied in outward sorrowes onely , but goe your way for ever cheared ; you shall bee free from all inward miseries and troubles , you shall bee delivered from hell and condemnation every beleeving soule of you . Do not think that God will passe by poore little ones , no he will not lose one of you , but he will in his appointed time helpe and deliver you : therfore be not troubled not dismaied , but resolve of this and say , I shall bee delivered , therefore let my soule be for ever cheared , what would you have , and what doe you feare ? Is it your sinnes ? doe you think that they beare you an old grudge ? and they will bee clamouring up to heaven against you , and complaining of you at the throne of grace , doe you feare them ? so you may justly , because of that secret sliding off from the truth : Oh saist thou , my errand is done in heaven before this time , and my sins knocke at heaven gates , and say , Justice Lord , I have taken them in their sinnes , and therefore as thou art a God of justice , execute justice upon a rebellious soule . Now therefore remember that Jesus Christ hath suffered , he hath taken thy sinnes upon him , and hath suffered the punishments of them , 1 Iohn 2.1 . Little children sinne not at all : It were to be wished that a man might be alwayes humble and poore in spirit , and doe all good against the evill done to him ; and it were to be wished that a man could walke exactly before God ; but it is not possible so long as we have this body of death it will shew it selfe , but if we doe sinne , we have an Advocate with the Father , Iesus Christ the just ; he is gone to heaven to tell the Father that all is fully answered , and he saith , Father save all those poore soules whom thou hast given mee ; I have paid all , and answered all for them ; and therefore , Father , I will that all that thou hast given mee , may be with me ; where I am , that they may behold my glory : thus he plead ; for he doth not plead as we doe , but he saith , Father I will : now if there be any crie against the soule by reason of sinne , Christ stops it ; sinne pleads , and Christ pleads , and who will prevaile thinke you ? therefore be not discouraged , we have an Advocate with the Father : the sinnes of your dreames this last night , they have done your errands in heaven before you did awake ; but let them plead what they can , wee have an Advocate with the Father in Heaven , and he pleads our cause in heaven , and he will prevail in whatsoever he pleads for ; he will be heard , & all the pleas of sin shal be fully answered : Heb. 12.22 , 23 , 24. ye are not come to the mount that might not be touched , nor unto burning fire , &c. But ye are come unto the mount Zion , & to the citie of the living God , and to the Spirits of just and perfect men , and to Iesus Christ the Mediatour of the new Testament , and to the blood of sprinkling , which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel : what did the blood of Abel speake ? see that in Gen. 3.9 , 10. where is Abel thy brother , said the Lord , and he answered , I cannot tell , am I my brothers keeper ? Oh thou wretch saith the Lord the voyce of thy brothers blood crieth to me from the earth for vengeance against thee ; thus all our sinnes doe speake : but there are some sinnes that crie and say , Lord , this soule is taken to bee a Christian , and a Professer , and one that hath some grace ; but , Lord , against knowledge , and conscience , and the directions of the Ministers , hee hath sinned thus and this : therefore good Lord execute judgement upon him ; but now here is your comfort you poore Saints ; I confesse these wretched corruptions of your hearts play the backe friends with you many times ; but we have the blood of Christ , that cries for mercy , and pardon , and refreshing , and forgivenesse : sinne pleads and saith , Lord doe me justice against such a soule , but the blood of Christ saith , I am abased and humbled , and I have answered all : Christ shall be heard , and if he plead the cause , the day is certainly yours , and hee pleads without any fees , and his blood speaketh on your behalfe , and your sinnes shall never be heard against you : but what sticks upon your stomackes ?

Object . Oh you have heard , that the Lord is a just God , hee is so , hee is holy and blessed , and of pure eyes that cannot endure to behold any polluted or uncleane thing ; and if God be strict to marke what is done amisse , who can abide it ? Oh then , say you , you have these sinnes and corruptions , and God is pure , and you are polluted , and you have many secret windings , and turnings , and devices ; and you say God knowes all the crevices of my heart , and sees all the frame of my soule ; and if the Lord marke what is done amisse , nay hee will marke what is done amisse , Who then shall be able to stand ? How shall I be able to answer it : especially considering that Satan saith , I have sinned , and why should I not be cast out as well as others have beene cast out that have sinned ; Lord execute justice upon them as they have deserved : how shall wee helpe ourselves herein ? yes admirably , for then the blood of Christ comes in , and that satisfies all , Gal. 5.22.23 . The fruits of the Spirit is love , joy , peace , long-suffering , gentlenesse , meeknesse , temperance , faith , against such there is no law : so it is here , there is no law , nor no condemnation to beleevers truly penitent for their sins , there is no punishment to them , nor no wrath to execute judgement upon them , because the debt is paid , and the Lord is just and cannot , and righteous and will not doe it : but saith the Devill thou hast sinned , and why shalt thou not bee condemned for it ? but saith justice , hold thy tongue Satan , for there is no law against them that repent : what troubles you now ?

Answer . Why , the very truth is , the thoughts of Hell astonish my heart ; me thinkes I see a little peep-hole downe into hell , and the devils roaring there , being reserved in chaines under darknesse , untill the judgement of the great day ; and me thinkes I see the damned flaming , and Iudas and all the wicked of the world , and they of Sodome and Gomorah : there they lie roaring , and damnation takes hold upon them , and the wrath of God finks them downe to hell : Now I have sinned , and therefore why should not I be damned , and why should not the wrath of God bee executed against mee ? I answer , the death of Christ acquits thee of all , and although the wrath of God be of admirable power and force , yet you shall bee acquitted by the death of the Lord Jesus : Revelations 20. ●● . Blessed and holy is he that hath a part in the first resurrection , for on such the second death shall have no power , that is , wicked men and the ruffians of the world that scorne all commands , and despise all the ordinances of God , and the lawes of men , and neither of them can take place in their hearts , they breake all bonds , and cast away all commands , and the threatnings of God can take no hold upon them ; but though they are so rebellious here , yet everlasting condemnation shall take hold of them , and shall have power over them hereafter , and will drag their soules and bodies downe to hell , and there they shall suffer intolerably , and incomprehensibly , and then hell and condemnation shall tell them thus much , seeing the commands of God could take no hold upon you , therefore we will : the mercies of God could not perswade with you , but the judgements of God shall prevaile against you . What becomes of all the great and mighty men of the world ? where is Pharaoh and Nimrod , and the rest of them ? the wrath of God hath throwne them upon their backs in hell ; but you that are true beleevers , the second death shall have no power over you ; though wrath and condemnation seeme to lay hold upon you , yet there is no power in them to condemne you , because if Christ hath taken away the paines of the second death , then it shall never oppresse such as belong to the Lord Jesus Christ : therefore goe your way comforted , there is nothing that shall ever prevaile against you .

Object . Oh , but saith the soule , could I see Heaven gates set open , if the way were open and plaine that I might see the way and walke in it , then I could be comforted : but , what I in heaven ? the Angels are all holy , and God is a holy God , and a pure redeemer , and all things there are pure , and undefiled ; can such a wretch as I am come to heaven ? certainly , the Saints will goe out of heaven if I come there .

Answer . No the blood of Christ will doe all this for you , and it will make way for thee into heaven : as Hebr. 10.19 , 20. Seeing therefore brethren , that by the blood of Iesus we may most boldly enter into the holy places by the new and the living way which hee hath prepared for us , through the vaile which is his flesh : marke two things in that place , you may have boldnesse ; you feare now that your sinnes will not bee pardoned , and that God the Father will not accept of you : well , be not proud and sawcie , but take the blood of Christ along with you , and goe on boldly , and chearfully . All you that have an interest in the great worke of God , either for brokennesse of heart , or vocation to call you to rely upon the Lord Jesus Christ , bee thou a sinner , If thou hast faith ; I speake not of the measure of faith , but hast thou faith , then why sittest thou here drooping ? Go you on cheerily , and undauntedly , and goe with comfort to everlasting happinesse : every thing gives you comfort , had you but eyes to see it , God and men , Heaven and earth , sinne , justice , hell and condemnation , gives you all comfort . If you looke up to justice that saith , you poore beleeving creatures goe your way comforted , I am setisfied to the full : If you looke to hell , and death , and condemnation , they say be comforted , you poore beleeving soules , we have no power over you , the Lord Iesus Christ hath conquered us , and if you looke to your owne sinnes , they tell you thus much , and say , be for ever comforted , for wee have pleaded against you , but wee have lost the cause : If you looke up to heaven , there you may see glory and happinesse , and blessednesse ready to entertaine every beleeving soule , and they all call after you and say , Come ye blessed of my Father , inherit the Kingdome prepared for you : therefore goe away cheerily , and get you to heaven , and when you come there , be discomforted if you can ; if Christ , and God , and Heaven , and all call you and say , come all hither , you beleeving soules , then lift up your heads with joy , and draw the waters of comfort and consolation from this truth ; onely remember this here , when you finde your sins roaring upon you , and telling your Father that you have sinned , and justice cries , and hell threatens , then take the blood of Christ , and see before your eyes all that ever Christ hath suffered , and see justice fully satisfied , and heare the blood of Christ speaking , as well as the clamours of sinne : it is the misery that we are in , that we can here the bawlings of Satan , and of corruption , crying and saying , what , you salvation , and yet have these and these corruptions ? we heare these , and we hearken not to the other ; the blood of Christ hath pardoned all , and will cleanse all : Oh heare that voyce , and you shall see and heare that it speakes admirable things : this is the second use .

Vse 3 Thirdly , hath Christ done all this ? then stand amazed at that endlesse and boundlesse love of the Lord Jesus Christ , but onely that the Scripture cannot lie , and God hath said which is faithfull and true , and cannot be deceived , and is infinite in all his workes ; otherwise , man that is sensible of his sins and wants could not beleeve it , but yet Christ hath done it , and it is worth the while to weigh it , and to consider of it in a holy admiration : although wee are not able to walke in any measure answerable thereto : had our Saviour only sent his creatures to serve us , and had we onely had some Prophets to advise us in the way to Heaven , or had hee onely sent his holy Angels from his chamber of presence to attend upon us , and minister to us , it had beene a great deale of mercy ; or had Christ come downe from the heavens to visit us : It had beene a peculiar favour , that a King will not onely send to the Prison , but goe himselfe to the lungeon , and aske , saying , is such a man here : a man would thinke himselfe strangely honoured , and the world would wonder at it , and say , the King himselfe came to the prison to day to see such a man , certainly he loves him dearly ; or had Christ himselfe come onely and wept over us , and said , Oh that you had never sinned , and oh that you had more considered of my goodnesse , and the excellency of happinesse ; oh that you had never sinned , this had beene marvellous mercy ; but that Christ himselfe should come and strive with us in mercy and patience , and we slight it ; and not onely to provide the comforts of this life , but the means of a better life , and to give us peculiar blessings ; nay , that the Lord Jesus should be so fond of a company of rebels , and hell-hounds , that he thinkes nothing good enough for them ; hee hath prepared heaven for them , and he gives them the comforts of the earth for their use too : nay he hath given them his blood and his life , and all , and yet you are not at the highest : what doe you talke of life ? hee was not onely content : to part with life , but hee was content to part with the sense and sweetnesse of Gods love , which is a thousand times better than life it selfe , as David saith , The loving kindnesse of God is better than life it selfe : He was content to be accused , that we might be blessed ; he was content to be forsaken , that we might not be forsaken ; and to bee condemned , that wee might bee acquitted . Oh all you stubborne hearts , that heretofore have made nothing of the blood of Christ and his honour , but though the judgements of God , and the hammer cannot breake your hearts , yet let this mercy breake you , and reason with thy owne heart in this manner , and say , Good Lord , is this possible ? Lord , this is too much , for reason cannot reach it , nor nature cannot doe it , to give himselfe and his life , and to bee forsaken and despised : that a rebbell and a traitor should be received to mercy , certainly I shall love him as long as I live , yes , and doe so too ; and seeke to that Jesus Christ , and honour him , and say , for ought I know I may obtaine a part in Christ , therefore I will never wrong him , nor grieve his good Spirit more . The Lord say Amen to the good desires of your hearts , that you may stand and wonder at this compassion of the Lord , that is out of measure great .

Vse 4 Hath the Lord suffered all these punishment for us ? then what shall wee doe for the Lord Jesus Christ ? returne an answer to the Lord , what course you will take to answer the kindnesse of the Lord . When David had received many kindnesses from the Lord , he lookes up to Heaven and saith , I will love thee dearly , O Lord my strength : Love is the loadstone of love ; therefore have love inlarged in this dutie , be not scantie in your love , but bestow your hearts fully , and liberally , upon the Lord Jesus Christ , and let all returne love to the Lord Jesus Christ , and love him in all things by all means , and at all times , and know that the death of Christ requires this , and will call for it : I doe not love that a man should give the Lord Iesus Christ a little scanty desire , and a few lazy wishes , but love him with all thy soule , and with all thy strength , and say , I will love thee dearly , Oh Lord my strength : when thou dost rise in the morning love Iesus Christ , and bathe thy heart in it ; and when thou art in the way , or at thy labour , love Iesus Christ that strengthens thee ; when thou feedest upon the sweetnesse of thy meat , thinke upon the sweetnesse that is in Christ , and thanke the blood of Christ for all that thou hast , in all the riches thou seest , and in all the honours thou hast , and in all thy friends and means , and whatsoever thy heart loves or esteems , in that see Christ , and in that love Christ : why , what doth that concerne Jesus Christ ? I answer , it will make it appeare that all that thou hast , is from the blood of Christ , and the blood of Christ is better than all the blessings you doe enjoy , and they are all nothing without this : for it is the death of the Lord Iesus Christ that ads a seasoning vertue to all the good things thou hast ; so that these are not good to us , neither doe they worke good to us , but that they are given to us in and by the Lord Jesus Christ ; for were they not given us in Christ , there is such venome and gall in our sinnes , and the wrath of God it selfe which slides thorow all the good things here below , that it makes all the morsels gravell in the belly : In a word , the blood of Christ takes away the venome and indignation of Gods curse , which otherwise would bring a plague upon what wee have , and what we doe enjoy : how many rich and honourable are there , if the Lord let but in a veine of vengeance into their consciences , all their riches and honours are base , and worth nothing ; what s that to me ? if I bee rich and a reprobate , honoured and damned , and the wrath of God to pursue me : therefore without the death of Christ all these things are but curses to us ; the world is a prison , and the creatures are our enemies , and every one of our actions are our witnesses to condemne us , and all our comforts are but gall and wormwood to us , nay were it not for the blood of Christ , your prosperity would be your ruine , your beds your graves , and your comforts your confusion : and therefore that they are not so , and that thou hast any comfort from these , goe blesse God for it , and say , Lord it is through thy blood that I have received any blessing , upon these blessings Lord , I might have drunke the cup of thy wrath , when I drunke this beere ; I might have eaten my bane , when I eat my meat . I blesse thy Name , blessed Redeemer , for thy love , it is thy blood that hath purchased these things for me : if you have received from any thing here below any good at all , looke up to Christ and blesse his Name for it , and say , if this meat be so sweet , then what is the blood of Christ ? therefore love Christ by all means , let all your words be words of love , and all your labour be the labour of love , and all your thoughts bee thoughts of love , and muse of love , and speake of the treasures of mercy , and let all your affections be full of love , and all your workes be love , and lift up his Name and say , all ye that see my conversation that I walke so comfortably , blesse his Name for it ; the blood of Jesus Christ hath done all this for me ; I was a wretched creature , but the blood of Christ hath overpowred this rebellious heart of mine : honour him , and lift him up and say , my heart was hard and filthy , and my soule was destitute of all good , and my sinnes many , yet now I have some evidence of the love of God , blessed bee his Name for it , the blood of Christ hath done this for me : muse of him , speake for him , worke for him , and doe all for him , in all miseries and troubles , sorrowes and vexations , temptations without , and terrours within ; love Jesus Christ therein , though these befall thee , yet the venome and poyson of them is gone , and they are sweetned unto thee : thy prison is libertie , thy contempt is advancement , in all the things thou hast , love Jesus Christ that hath procured these : and now if you will not love Jesus Christ , let mee aske you whom will you love ? nay , whom else can you love ? answer mee , will you love your friends that are deare unto you , or your Parents that doe provide for you , or your wife that is loving and mercifull to you ? you will love these , as there is good cause you should , but love Christ more than all these . If you will love a friend , or a father , then much more Christ , that is the Author of all , and the continuer and preserver of all : a friend would be an enemy , but that the blood of Christ frames his heart . A wife would rather bee a trouble , than a helpe , but that the blood of Christ orders her : therefore I say with Paul , 1 Cor. 16.22 . If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ , let him bee Anathema , Maranatha : aske your neighbours if they love not the Lord Jesus Christ ; Let that soule bee accursed untill the comming of Christ to judgement : Curse him all yee Angels in Heaven , and all yee Devils in Hell : Curse him all yee creatures , and let this curse remaine upon him untill the comming of Christ unto judgement , and let these curses bee sealed downe upon him for ever , and when you are come to the end of all , this will bee the plague and the curse of all , that you had Christ and mercy rendered to you once , and you would not receive it : therefore since Christ hath thought nothing too good for us , even his life and blood , and was content to part with the sense and feeling of the sweetnesse of the love of God the Father , thinke nothing too good for Christ , but love him in all things , and by all means ; the Lord grant wee may .

FINIS .