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J PRESENTED TO THE LIBRARY
^J. 2-
OF
PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
n
Professor ^K^nr^y van Dyke, D.D., IiIi.D
THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
O F T H E
Rev. RALPH ERSKINE, AM,
CONSISTING OF HIS
SERMONS AND POEMS.
IN TEN LARGE VOLUMES OCTAVO,
VOLUME THE SECOND,
C> The Editors o£ the prefcnt handfome Edition 6f the Rev. Mr, Ralph Erskine's Fra6fical Works ^ in Odavo, purchafed, fome time ago, from the Heirs of Mr. Newlands, the original Proprietor of thefe Works, the fole right of Printing, Publilhing, and Vending them : and judge it proper to notify this to the Pub- lic, that none may imagine they are invading the late Proprietor's right j and to afTure all others, that if any prefume to incroach upon theirs, in any refpeft^ they will fubject themfclves to a profecution»
THE
SERMONS.
AND OTHER
Practical Works,
Of the Late Reverend and Learned
Mr. R A L P H E R S K I N E,
Minifter of the Gofpel in Dunfermline,
CONSISTING OF
Above One Hundred and Fifty Sermons, befides his Poetical Pieces.
In Ten Large Volumes OcTxWo.
To which is prefixed,
An Account of the Author's Life and Writings, with an Elagiac Poem and large Contents.
Mark the ferfeB Man^ and heboid the upright ; for the End of that Man is Feace^ Psalm xxxvii. 37.
VOL. IL ^iuer£t! Ill Stationers %M-
GLASGOW:
Printed by John Bryce. Sold by J. Bryce and W. Smith, Bookfellers, Salt mercat,
MDCCLXXVII.
THE
CONTENTS
P
2
S E R M O N XVIIL
REVENTING Love; or, God's Love to us, the Caufe of our Love to him, Page i
I John iv. 19. We love hinit becaiife hejirfi loved us»
After an introduction to, an analizatidn an explication of the words, and their fenfe given in a dt>6liioal obfervation, the following topics are difcourfed, viz,
I. God*s love to his people evinced, 4
The faint's love to God opened, ' 18
The influence his love hath upon ours, as the caufe of ic, illuftrated, 30
4. The application of the whole in fundry ufes, 33
SERMON XIX,
The Militant's Song ; or, the BeUever's Exercife while here below, 59
Psalm ci» i. I will fmg of mercy and jiidgmmt ; unto th.g, 0 Lord, luill ifing\
Here, after an introduflion unto the fubje^V, and an anal'za- tion of the text, four general topics are handled, viz.
1. What mercies the people of God meet with, and what it is in thefe that afford matter of a fong, 61
2. What judgments the people of God meet with, and what it is in them that may be matter of a fong of praife, 74
3. What this finging imports j and how we are to fing of mercy and judgment, 92
4. The reafons why it is fo ordered by the Lord, that his people fliould have ground to fing both of mercy and judg- ment, ' i 00
5. The application of the whole, in a variety of inferences,
104
SERMON
vi T H E C ^ N T E N T^S.
SERMON XX.
The Harmony of the Divine Attributes difplayed, in the Redemption and Salvation of », Sinners, by Jefus Chrift, J2I
Psalm Ixxxv. lo. Mercy and fndh are met together, righted ott/ne/s and peace have kiffed each other.
After the introduftion and explanation of the words, four general heads of method are profecuted, viz.
t. Who are members of the meeting ; or, what are thefe at- tributes of God which do h^rmonioufly confpire together, propofing their various claims, 128
2. When and wher^ did thefe parties meet together, 133
3. How, and after what manner, they meet togethe^r and ksfs each other, 142
4. W^hy, or for what reafons, they have met togetlier, and embraced each other, 148
5. The application pf.the fubje6V, in fuH^dry inferences, 160
SERMON XXI, XXm
Carnal Confultation unfolded ; or, the great Evil of being aiSluatcd, by Carnal Principles, in the Mat- ters of God, evinced, 180
G A L . i. 16. Immediately I conferred not with jlejh and
blood.
The connection being traced, the fcope of the apoftle con- fulted, his principal intention viewed, the words themfelves confidered, feveral propofitions natively deduced from them, a comprehenfive one laid down for profecution, the follow- ing general heads are illuftratcd, viz.
I. What is to be underftood by flefli and blood, and confer- ing therewith, 183
%. The truth of the do<Sl:rine confirmed by fcriptural exam- ples, 186
3. The reafons ailigned why we ought not to confult with flefli ana blood, 188
4. The application of the fubje(^, in fundry ufes, 190
SERMON
T H E C O N T E N T S- an
SERMON XXIIl,— XXVIL
Law-Death, Gofpel-Life , or, the Death of Legal Righteoufnefs, the Life of Gofpel Holinefs, 131
G^L.ii. 19. / through the law, am dead to the law, that I might live unto Gqi^,
The fcope of the apoftle being obferved, the words Jinalized and explained, and a compendious propofition laid dowir^ the following topics of difcourfe are illuftrated, viz»
1. The doiHirine cleared and confirmed, 251
2. The believer's mortification, or death to the law, opened up, 256
3* The believer's vivificatloo, or living to God, enquired in- to, 275
4. Theneceility of this death, in order to this life ; or, ths influence that our being dead to the law, hath upon our living to God, 289
5. The application of the fubje<5t^in fourdiftini^ ufes, 304
SERMON XXVIIL
The Beft Bond ; or, the furefl Engagement, 358
Je R. XXX. 21. for^ who is this that engaged his heart to ap- proach ttnto me, faith the. Lord,
The fcope of the prophet being noticed, and the words view- ed in their connexion, analized, and explained, the doc- trine laid down and confirmed, the following general heads are difcourfed, viz.
1. Who this wonderful perfon is that engaged his heart to approach unto God, 364
2. The nature of the work he engages himfelfin, confidered,
368
3. The Angularity of the fa£t pointed out, 380
4. The reaions of the do£lrine affigned, viz. why Chrift came under this eng.igeraent, 6"^. 388
5. Some inferences deduced for the application of the doc- tfiue, 394
SERMON
^iii T H E C O N T E N T S-
SERMON XXIX,— XXXIK.
The Saving Sight 5 or, a View of God in Chrift, 420
John xiv. 6. — He that hath fe en me, hathfcen the Father, — ■
The words being viewed in their connexion, analized, ex- plained, and rummed up in a do^rinal propofition, the following general heads of method are handled, viz.
1. The onenefs betwixt the Father and the Son, opened up,
426
2. Some remarks offered concerning a faving fight of Chrifl-,
3. In what rerpe(S):s they who fee Chrift fee the Father, 443
4. In what manner the Father is feen in Chrift, 455
5. The reafons why thefe who lee Chrift, fee the Father, 460
6. The application of the whole, in an ufe of information, examination, convi(^tion, confolation, and exhortation, 465
SERMON
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SERMON XVIir.
PRRVENTih'G Love; or, God's Love to us the Cau/e of our Love to him*
I John iv. 19. We love him^ hecaufe he firjl loved us.
f^l^HE great defign of the gofpel, gofpel-ordinan- \_ ces, and facraments, is to commend the love of God in Chrifl. The facrament of the fupper is a love-feafl ; and they that have their fenfes fpiritually cxercifed thercjin, vvill find readily all their fenfes fil- led with love, Vi'^hat do they hcar^ but love I What do they fee^ but love J What do they tafte^ but love f What do they feel^ but love ! V/hat do they fmcU^ but love I — It is a fweet account we have of God, ver. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God ^ hecaufe he laid down his life for us, O happy they that have fa learned the gofpel-catechifm, from their experience, as to be able to anfwer to that queflion, JVhat is Godf And to fay, God is love ! He is effential, boundlef:, bottomlefs, infinite love. It is true, if VvC look tohi-vi in the glafs of the law^ we will fee him to be air ivrath ; a confiiming fire out of Chrifl ; but look to him in the glafs of the gofpel^ and you will fee him
* This fer-Tion wa5 preached after the acImlniilratJon of ihe facra- ment of" the Lord's fiipper ar PorimoAk, June sd, 1723. ar.d hath now undergone five ijnprsffior.s.
Vol. II. A ^^
1 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIIL
all love ; a God in Chr'tjl recoJicillng the ivorld to him- felf : and the fight thereof produces love: for we love hhn^ becaufe be jirjl loved us.
The text gives us a Ihort account of the whole bu- finefs betwixt God and a behever : they love one a- nother. Here is love defcending, God in Chriil lov- ing his faints ; and here is love afcending, the faints in Chrift loving God ; and the former begetting the latter. When love hath defcended from heaven to earth, it hath finillied the half of its courfe ; but when it afcends from earth to heaven again, then the circle is completed.
Here is, i. A defcription of God^s love\ he loved us firjl, 2. A defcription of our love to God ; we love him for this caufe. And,
1. We have God's love defer ibed ; He first loved us. If we were to make a critical divifion, we might notice hov/ it is defcribed. i. In the acf^ loved.
0 wonder that ever the heart of God fliould have ad:ed that way towards any nnner of Adam's race. 1. The fubjed loving ; He loved : O ! a glorious i^V, the infinitely holy and jufl God. 3. The objeci lov- ed ; He loved Us ^ poor wretched apoflate us, 4. The quality of this love, he loved us, and j^rji loved us ; intimating, both that it is an ancient love, for it is in the preterite time, he loved ; yea, loved from eter- nity ; and alfo that it is antecedent love ^ he first loved us^ before we had a being, before we were capable to love him j yea, while we were yet ene^ mies.
2. We have ihe faints love defcribed ; we loved hinij becaufe he loved us ; which is alfo defcribed in thefe four : i. The acl, love ; and indeed this love of ours is but a drop of the ocean of his love. 2. The fubjed loving, we ; we believers, \^t that got a tafte of his love. 3. The objeci beloved, /}/;// ; we love him^ v/ho defervcs our love above ail things in heaven and earth. 4. The rife 2ind four ce of this love of ours,
. We love hiniy becaufe he first loved us; his love is the incentive and productive caufe of our love. But
1 rcifcr the further explication of the text to the prc-
fecution
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 3
fecution of a dodrine. Many things might here be obferved : As,
i/^, Notie can truly love Gcdj but fiich as are belov- ed of him ^ Many fpeak of the love of God, as if it were natural to them : but as true love is a fpark of heavenly fire : fo the^*e is no love natural to man but the love of fm.
2<//)', That God hath a people in the world that love him^ becanfe they are loved of him. There is in God a common love, v^hereby he loved the whole world ; and a fpecial love, whereby he loves the faints : and fo there is in the faints a common love, by which they love all God's creatures; and a peculiar love that belongs to God only, v/hom they prize above all other things.
3<i/)', That divine love works freely. God does not trade with us upon any terms, conditions, or valuable confiderations in and about us. We can neither buy heaven nor beg it ; it muft be given. Let not the greateft civilian prefume ; let not the greateft prodi- gal defpair : God's love is frrfh on the held.
4//j/}/, That as God and his faints love one another^ | fo the reafon of faints loving God, is God's loving thein : \ there is no reafon of God^s love, but becaufe he loves. \ But there is reafon enough for our love, becaufe he \ loved us. The believer loves God upon God's ac- i count, and for good reaibn ; God loves us without \ any reafon, or any caufe from without himfclf ; but we have all the reafon in the world, why we f]"iould I love God. Many fay, they love Chriit, but they j have not any reafon for it ; they that love him know | why they do fo. There are three things create love, I viz. Beauty y inter eft, love, i. Beauty ; and O, but | Chrifl is white and ruddy, and altogether lovely. 2. In- \ tereft ; the more a man fees Chrifl to be his own, the more he loves him. 3. Love ; the love of God is the great parent of love ; it begets love ; We love
him, becaufe he firfl' loved us. But having taken
this fhort view of the text, the doctrine I fix upon is this,
A 2 Observ.
4 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIIL
Observ. God's love to his people is the fource of their love to him. Their love is influenced by the faith of his love ; his love is the caufe of theirs ; We love hijiiy becaufe he jirjl loved us.
Now the general method that feems mod native is.
I. To fpeak of God^s love to his people.
II. Of \S\^ faints love to God.
III. The influence his love hath upon theirs as the caufe of it.
IV. Apply the Vv^hole in fundry ifes,
I. To fpeak of Code's love to his people : and indeed to fpeak of it is to fpeak of that v/hich is unfpeaka- ble and inconceivable, for // paffeth knowledge ; only we may notice a few things that the fcripture fays of this love. I v/ould offer fome remarks concerning this love of God ; and then fhev/ more particularly, the import of this expreffion, Hefrfl loved us,
\fl^ I v/ould offer iom.^ remarks concerning the love of God.
Remark i. That the fountain of this love is God the Father^ Love begins in order of nature with the Fa- ther ; hence, fays Chrifl, / will not fay,, that I ivill I pray the Father for you^ for the Father himfelf loveth I you,, Jo^n xvi. 26. Chrift prays for ail the fruits and I /emanations of the Father's love to his people ; but " not for the Father's love itfelf. You miilake greatly, Sirs, if you do think that Chrift doth .purchafe and pray for the Father's love to his people ; nay, it was the Father's love that fent Chrift to purchafe all the ^ fruits and communications of his love. God fo loved the world ^ that he gave his only begotten Son, The love 'of God cannot be purchafed ; there is no need of any mediation here ; / will not fay ^ that I will pray the Father^ in this refpeft, for the Father loves you. Here is the fountain of the love. But,
Remark 1, That the channel through which the love of God does run,, from this fountain^ is the Lord Jesus Christ. God's love does not vent itfelf towards any finner, to the difparagement of his infinite holinefs and
juftice ;
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 5
juflice ; and therefore it vents and flovi^s in and thro' Chrirt, Wbom God hath fit forth to he a propitiation \ through faith in his bloody to declare his right c 01 fnefs^ for the rcmijfton of fins that are paft^ llomans iii. 2^. God hath taken a marvellous way to nianifeft his iove : when he would ihew \\\% power ^ he makes a ^ world ; when he would fliew his vjifdom^ he puts it in a frame and form that difcovered vaft wifdom ; when he would manifeft \k\^ grandeur and glory of his name more, he makes a heaven, and puts angels, arch-angels, principalities, and powers therein ; and when he will maniferu lo-ve^ what will he not do ? It is a pity we iliould deny this love ; becaufe God hath taken fuch a great and myflerious way of manifefting it in Chrift ; his dcath^ his bloody his righteoufnefs j here is the channel.
F^eiiiark 3. I^he dreams of divine lo-ve that fiovjfr era this fjiintain^ in this channel^ are vail ly great ; ^7"z, , Pardon, peace, lafety, adoption, juflihcation, fandi- I fication, audience of prayer, a blelling on ail provi- dences, and everlafting triumph in heaven. I cannot enlarge upon thefc, or any other of the ftreams that flow from this love of God ; the ftreams are fo many, , fo great, that we fnould lofe ourfeives there, as well' as in the fountain, if we were to dive thereinto ; on-. ly we are hlejfed in Chj'ijl with all ftiritual blejfings ; ' and this love of God, and all the fruits of it, is to be , enjoyed in i\\c fellowjhip of the Spirit^ 2 Cor. xili. 13.;' where we read of the grace of the Loi'd Jefiis Chrift^ the love of God ^ and the conrnninion of the Spirit ; where Chriff is frrit mentioned, becaufe he is next to uS, as being the channel through which the love of God is vented ; and this love of God, and grace of Chriil, h enjoyed in the communion and fellowlhip of the Holy Ghoft ; and that this love is from the Father, as th^ fountain ; in the Son, as the channel ; by the Holy Ghoft, as the immediate conveyance.
Remark 4. The vefTels into which thefe Jlreams are vented^ or this love is poured^ are Tinners ; even to them it is declared that he is the Lord, The Lord God juerciful^ and gracious^ pardoning iniquity^ tranfgrejfwn ^
and
6 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
e^nd Jin\ 2XvdL\k\2X God is love. This ;72o//<?, that Go^/ is iove^ is infcribed on the gates of heaven ; and none will think ilrange of that, becaufe the love of God, in bringing any fmner of Adam's race there, is mani- fefted to the higheft. But we would think ftrange, if onefhould fay, that this is even the infcription written upon the gates of hell^ that God is love ; why ? his love to hiinfelf, and his own juftice, is manifefled there ; yea, not only fo, but millions are damned, becaufe they flight redeeming-love ; and their con- fcience galls them, for contemning all the offers of Jove. But that which concerns us efpecially, is, that we may read this infcription daily upon the beautiful gate of the temfe ; I mean, in gofpel-ordinances, thaj: God is love ; for therein he manifefls his love to fm- ners, even to fmners of Adam's family, in the gene- ral difpenfation of the gofpel ; and particularly to the vefTels of mercy, in the fpeclal operation of the Spirit upon them in the fulnefs of time ; wherein he hath defigned to pour out his Spirit, and fo to pour in his love. But to omit m.any things here, I come,
2flVj, To fnew the particular inipori of this expref- fion. He firfi loved us. And,
I. It fays, That his love is eternal \o\c^ and from everlailing : He firji loved us, I have loved thee with an everlajling love^ Jer. xiii. 3.; as it is to everlaft- ing, fo it is from everlafling ; as it will never have an end, fo it never had a beginning, but it is as an- tient as the eternal God is. O ! v;hat an amazing thought is this, that God fhould have had thoughts of love towards any poor fmners, like you and me, from the beginning of his heing^ which is without a
beginning ! But, to prevent miflakes, you would
know that the love of God is twofold ; his love of dejlination^ and his love of approbation :■ his love of deflination and purpofe, whereby he is faid to have cbofen us in Chrijl^ before t he foundation cf the worlds that vue fhould be holy ; having predejiinate us to the a- doption of children^ Eph. i. 4, 5. ; and this love he is faid to manifeil even before a man's converfion, I John iv. 19. In this ivas manifefled the lave cf God
towards
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 7
towards us^ becaufe Godfent his only begotten Son into the worlds that we ?nigbt live through him. Herein Is love J not that we loved him^ but that he loved iis^ mid
fent his Son to be a propitiation for our fin. Again,
there is his love of approbation and friendfliip : luch as that fpoken of, John xiv. 23, If a man love me^ and keep my words ^ my Father will love him ; and we will come to him^ and make our abode with him. Now, the objeft of the former love, to wit^ the love of defiirm- tion^ is every eleEl foul^ and that from all eternity, as well as in time, even before their converfion and 11- nion to Chrift ; the object of the latter, to wit^ his love of approbation and friendfliip, is every believer united to Chrift, to whom he begins to manifeft his everlafting love perfonally ; for, though he loved and approved of them from eternity in Chrift, yet they cannot be faid to be adually loved and approved in their own perfons, till once their perfons are united to Chrift. Though God's love be everlafting and immu- table as himfelf is, yet there is a time wherein he be- gins to manifeft his love : there is no variation orjha- dow of turning in God's love -^ all the change is in the perfon beloved, not in God. It is m.ere blafpiiemy to fay, that God begins to love them whom before he hated, in a proper and ftrid: fenfe. It is true, the elect are children of wrath ^ even as others^ by nature, whatever they are by divine deftination, being ever the objed: of God's love in this fenfe ; yet in fome fenfe, he begins to love them, in refpect of the ma" 7iifefUng of his love to them, and the outletting of his love upon them ; when his love is taken, not fo much for his immanent ad, as for his tranfient ad, not for any thing in himfelf, but for what flowfi from him to them ; the love that is in himfelf is ftlil the fame, but the ads of love that flow forth to them, thefe be- gin to appear, wdien he manifefts himfelf to them^ as he does not to the world-, when he comes to tlieni for their falvation, and reveals his Son in them : and here alfo he is ftill before-hand with them ; lie ftrfi loved us,
2. Hefirfi loved us ; it fays, that his love is ante- cedent
si
S Preventing Love. Serm. XVilL
cedent love ; as it is iirft in point of time, yea, from ail eternity, fo it is firft in point of order of time. We cannot manifefl our love to him, till firil he ma- nifeft his love to us. Men may feign love to God and Chrift, before they know any thing of God's love in Chrift tov/ards them, but they truly have no love to him ; even the eleft themfelves have no love to him by nature, they are enemies^ and without God^ and without Chrift in the world ; buried in the grave of fm and corruption even as others ; dead in trefpaf- fes andjins^ and Haves to divers lujis ; the devil dwel- ling in them, working in them, reigning in them, as a man dwells in his houfe, or works in his fliop, or reigns upon his throne ; they have no more acquaint- ance with him, or love to him, than others, till by grace they be regenerated, and made to come to God in Chrift, and be raifed up to a nev/ and lively hope. Common favours indeed, they may have, and God is always fare to notice his elecl, and to have a care of them ; and m.any remarkable deliverances will they meet with, even while unconverted. You will find few gracious perfons but they will have even good things to tell of the Lord's kindnefs to them in their youth ; but yet love and hatred cannot be known by thefe things that are feen ; for bad men have had the like deliverances, and manifold common mercies, and common grace perhaps alfo ; but all this while they are fcrangcrs to true love to God, till once fome rays of his everlafring love go before them, and make way for the breaking of their enmiiy, and engaging them to love him.
3. He jirji loved us ; il fays, that his love is abfo- lutely free love. If he firji loved z/j, before we have any love to him, or lovelinefs in us, O how free is it ! His love is free in feveral refped:s. It is free love in that it is without y^rr^ or conjiralnt ; we muft even put ourfelves in his reverence, and not think to com- pel God, as if he could be obliged to do it ; nay, if we get any thing, we muft be in grace's debt, and ly at grace's door, as poor beggars, for an alms for
Chrift's fake it is free love in that it is without
veluc-
Serm, XVIIL Preventing Love* g
reluclancj ; it is with all his heart. Tiierc are fonie objects come to our door, and though we give them alms, yet it is with feme reluch\ncy ; wc are not fo free-hearted towards them as toothers whom we have a kindneis for ; tliefe we will give to, with all our heart ; we give them with as rnuch pleafure as it we were getting to ourfelves ; fo God's fpecial gifts are given with all his heart ; he takes plealure in giving \ he delights in Jhew'uig mercy, — It is free love, in that it is without merit and motive ; his love is neither de- fired nor deferved, and yet he loves : / zvill love them freely : I will do it undefervedly, even while they de- fer ve to be thrufl down to the iowefl hell ; AW for your fakes do I this^ he it bwzvn unto you.— It is free love, in that it is without price ; he feeks nothing for what he gives, he takes nothing for it ; nay, he deals with us as poor beggars that have nothing to offer for what he gives, and nothing wherev/ith to recompence his kindncfs, after he hath given. — It is free in oppo- fition to all proper terms and conditions, Papifts tell us of the mml 01 congridty^ and the merit o^ condign: ty ; and many ignorant proteftants think they do enough when they exclude the word merits but in the room of merit thev brine in a world of conditions ; and tell us, upon condition you do fo and fo, then God will do this and that to you ; telling us, God hath made a cove- nant with us, not like the covenant of works, but upon eafier terms, requiring only fome httle things accom- modated to our weaknefs : " It cannot be called 7ncrit^ " fay they, for there is no proportion betwixt what we " do, and v/hat we ge:t ; it is, fay they, but as if one " Ihould hold out a penny, and g^i a kingdom lor it." Many fuch fubtile leafonings of men there are, tliat tend to exalt felf, and ielf-righteouihefs, v.hich would all evanifli before the light of this very text, if view- ed in a fpiritual and evangelical manner. Hefrfl lov- ed us,
4. Hefrfl loved us ; it Hiys, that his love is a pre- venting love ; it prevents our Icve, and all the good that can be about us ; for he prevents with the blef- fmgs of his <5-oodnefs. 1 might here ill uii rate this by
Vol. 11. " ' B ihcw-
10 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIIL
fliewing, 1. The ohjecl of his love, whom he prevents. 2. The t'rme of his love, when he prevents them. 3. The dawning of his love upon them, whereby he prevents them. 4. The fruits and effecls of his love in them, wherein he prevents them.
(i.) The objecl of his love, whom he prevents. If we view whom he loves, we cannot but fee it to be preventing love. The love of God lighted upon fal- len men, not fallen angels, though much more noble and fpiritual beings ; and why I even becaufe be bath mercy on whom be will have mercy : his love falleth upon the poor, foolifh, weak nothings of this world for ordinary ; not upon the wife, noble, and mighty ; 22ot many fiich are called \ he reveals thefe things to bahes^ not to the wife and prudent of the world. We muil not think, that outward things, fuch as wifdom, and learning, and worldly advantages, move God to fet his love upon any ; Eveji fo Father^ for it feemed good in thy fight : yea, his love vents ordinarily upon the mod ilubborn and rebellious fmners in the world, more than upon the mod civil and moral perfons, that had led a better life than the generality of their neigh- bours ; who have had more of the righteoufnefs of the law than other people ; who have been better-natured, in refped: of their pleafant natural difpofition, than o- thers ; and who have had a liberal education, fo as to be trained up, not only in manifold arts and fciences, but in manifold religious duties from their childhood. Grace many times palTes by fuch perfons as thefe, and falls upon more knobby, rugged perfons. The young man in the gofpel may be put ta fay, All thefe things have I done froju my youth iip^ and yet go away from Chrift, when a bloody ManaiTes, and perfecuting Paul are received into favour and mercy. In a word, whom- foever he makes the objed of his manifeded love in time, they are perfons unworthy of his love ; they are full of enmity againd him, and bent to backfliding from him, and wofully averfe from returning to him. That God fliould love fmners, and great finners, O what preventing love is it!
(2.) The
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Lo\'e. ir
(2.) The time of his love, "U'hen he prevents them, does alfo illuftrate this. Many a time he makes his grace to reach them, not when they are in tlieir befc frame or mood ; but behold a Paul going to Darnaf- cus, with the knife in his hand, ready to cut the throats of the faints j grace out-runs him, feizes him, lays hold upon him, and the love of a God in Chrift overcom.es him ; he is made Chrift's prifoner, vanquidied, and brought to fubjeftion. I do not fay, that it always holds, that a perfon gets the revelation of grace, when going on in fm ; but the firfl efflux of grace towards them is many times, when in a very bad cafe : the Lord arrefls them, many times, when they have been about fome wicked a6l of fm ; the Lord will fall in at fuch a time upon their confcience, fill them with terror, and humble them under his mighty hand ; and never leave them till he hath quickened them, and m.ade them live ; IVhen thou zvafl in thy bloody Ifaid unto thec^ Live. But what need we fay more concerning the time of his love, to fliow the preventing nature of it, than what God himfelf fays, Rom. ix. 11. Jacob have I loved, and Efau have I hated ; the children being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the pur- pofe of God according to eleflion might Jl and, not of works, but of him that calleth f Before the man was born, or had done either good or evil, behold he is an objet:!: of divine love ; Jacob have I loved,
(3.) The dawning of his love upon them, w^hereby he prevents them, may further illuilrate tliis, That he frji loved u:. By this dawning of his love, I under- Itand, not only the love and grace tiiat is objectively difplayed in the glorious gofpel ; but efpecially in the firil ghmmering o^thefubjedive light, or the dawming of the day of power, wherein the perfon is made willing when the gofpel comes. Not in word only, but in power ; when he girds his fword upon his thigh, even his gJorv and his majejiy, as that word may be read, Ffal. xlv. 3. for the difplay of the glory of his grace and love, is the fword whereby he fubdues and conquers his enemies : and till this will-conqucrir.g day of power take place, what is in the w^ill but impotence and infufTicicncy,
B 2 iQ
T2 Preventing Love. ' Serm. XVIII.
io think any ibing as of oitrfches f and not only inipo- tency, but averfion from every thing that is good ; and not only averfion, but oppofition and contrariety to tlie holy nature and will of God ; The carnal m'md \s ennfity againft God^ for It is not fhbjtd to the law of Gody neither indeed can be. This dawning then of the xiay of power, to make them wiUing, muff take place before there can be any gracious motion in the foul towards God j for all the legal convidion and humili- ation that goes before this, works only from a princi- ple ol f elf -hove. c\nd felfprefervation^ till this great maf- ter-faculty of the foul, the zuill being conquered, car- ry the red: of tiie faculties of the foul towards God.
(4.) The fruits and cjfecls of his love in them, wherein he prevents them. And here I will tell you fome of thefe things that his love prevents, in regard that tiiey zxt: fruits of his love. And,
I. Ii.>s love prevents our holinefs ; for that is a fruit of his love. I hope you know that fandification and holinefs is a v/ork of God's free grace, and fo an ef- ieTt of his free love ; and yet, I fear, you bewray your . ignorance of the gofpel in thinking, O muft I not be holy before ever Gcd love me? Mud: not a man be fomevv'hat holy, and therefore God will love him, and give him m.ore? O great ignorance to think fo ; What hafl thou but what thou hafc received? Is not th^e very iiril beginning of holinefs from God ? Is it not he that ini'ufes the habit of grace, and takes azvaj the heart of fi07iey and gives the heart ffep ; and fo his love pre- vents our habitual holinefs, and alfo our a(!D:ual holi- neis, and all our good Vv'orks ? Surely you may know tins ; for you have learned to fay, that as it is by his free grace, that we are reviewed in the %uhole man^ af- ter the image of God^ fo it is by the fame free gr^ice that we are enabled more and more to die untofin^ and live unto right eoifnefs. If any good v/ork, truly good, be wrought by you, is it not the fruit of God's creat- ing power ? For we are his zvorbnanfhip^ created in Chrift Jefusy unto good works.
1. His love prevents our faith ; for that is a fruit cf his love. You will fay, it is true, he muH make
ws
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. ij
us holy, but mud we not come to him for it ? Is it not upon condition that we believe, that he loves us, raid faves us ? My dear friends, wdience is it that we get faiih ? If ever we have any true faith, is it upon the account of forefeen faith that God loves any man ? that is rank Arminianifm. Is it becaufe we had faitli before ? O ! does faith come out of our own fliop ? Or, is it fpun out of our own bowels, and forged u- pon our own anvil ? Can we bring faith out of our own head or heart ? Can dry hones Ihe^ or raife them- felves out of the grave ? Nay, it is as impoilible for us to believe, and raife ourfelves up to the life of faith, as it is for a carcafe of clay to put life in itfelf ; nay, is not faith the gift of God f Is not Chrifl the author and fnifoer of faith f Who fays, IV hen I am lifted up^ I z^'ill draiu all men to me f It requires the fame power that raifed Chriil from the dead. O then 1 Let not your imagination in this matter crofs the very hrfl principles of religion, fo as to tliink that your faith, if you have any, is the caufe of God^s love^ while his love is the caufe of your faith ; He jirjl loved its,
3. His love prevents our repentance ; for that is a fruit of his Icvc : Why, fay you, mull we not repent and reform, before God fet his love upon us ? And ought we not, by the exercife of our common gifts and. abilities that God hath given us, to work up ourfelves to fometiiing of this, in order to our obtaining the favour of God ? Alas, for fuch ignorance, and fuch a gofpel-darkening religion, as is like to come in fa- fliion in this generation ! O ! is not repentance as much the gift of God ^ and fruit of his love, as any o- ther graces and fruits of the Spirit ? A6lS v. 31. Chrifl is exalted a Frince and a Saviour^ by the right-hand of God J to give repentance to Ifrael^ as well as rcmif- fion of fin. We have a great deal of noife made a- bout the necefiity of gofpel-repentance before, zccA in order to juftification, and that even as a condition and qualification ; here is indeed a newfcheme of divinity, of which there is no foundation in our ftandards of dodrine. It is true, repentance is fo necciTary, tliat n6ne can expecl pardon without it j and fo fay I, ho-
linefs
14 PreventinCx Love. Serm. XVIIT.
Hnefs and fandlification are fo neceiTary, that none can expect pardon without them : but is therefore IioUnels and ilmctlfication neceffary in order to juf- tificatlon ? I think it is hard to maintain this without running to Ptome, and maidng fandification before -Nullification, and in order to it : for if adual gofpel- repentance be not a part ot fandification, I know not what it is ; yea, as defcribed in our Catechifm, it comprehends the whole of fanclification. But to re- turn y why, may one fay, may we not repent of our fins, in fome meafure, and reform our hves, and hum- ble ourfelves, and mourn ? At lead, can we not flied s tear ? Can we not leave off our tippling, and quit our iufts, and think upon death, judgment, and eter- nity, fo as by the meditation of thefe wx fliall get our- felves wrought up to a ftrong and frrange mortification to all things in the world ; yea, become as eminent in this as any faint in all the country, for all their fcoafiing ? Well, much good may your repentance do you ; and would to God that you were doing more than you do. But I would have you fufpecl: your re- pentance , yea, I tell you alTuredly, that even by the iitmoil ufe of the highetl common gifts and graces, you cannot repent ; and when you have brought your- ielt' by thefe means to the greateft meafure of legal repentance, yet there is no promife in all the Bible to that repentance ; For all the promifes are yea^ and amen^ in thrill Jefiu ; and till you ^^t\. in to Chrift, by a faith of his operation^ your common legal re- pentance is a finful repentance ; For wbatfoe-ver is not of filthy is fn ; and fo it is a God-difpleafmg repent- ance : For without faith ^ it is impojfihle to pleafe God. In a word, your repentance, which you fo much magnify in your heart, for I fuppofe you are not fo deflitute of fenfe, as to fpeak thus before the world ; this repentance, I fay, is fo far from difpofmg you for Chrift, that it tends effedually to make you oppofe Chrifl ; why ? you find heart-melting and mourning, tears and forrows, great fiafhes and love-fioods of ai:- feclion, and then you think all is. right; you fee no more need of Chriil, and come fliort of him, inilead of being drawn into him. '^ A man in this cafe, as
^' one
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. i ;;
" one fitly exprefles it, is like one that comes to court '' a lady ; but having got a light of the handmaid, he " falls in love with her, courts her, and marries lier^ " who yet was but the perfon that Ihould have led him " to the lady, he was propofmg to match with : fo " here, Chrift is the match, the lavv^ and the duties '' thereof are the handmaid ; well, thou falls to duties, '• forrowing for fm, and the like ; you have fallen m " love with that, and feek no further." Why, you iSvill fay, by this means you would have no prepara- tory work at all. It feems by this do61:rine, fay yoii, a man mull come to Chrift at the firll leap, reeking out of his fms, before his life be reformed ; nay. Sirs, I mufl tell you, in the Lord's name, that the defign of a right preparatory work, is to force you out of your feigned repentance and reformation, and out of your falfe hopes and confidence, and to fweep away your re- fuge of lies : and if ever God prepare you for Chrirr, he will bring you to fay, " O, I cannot repent, I C2.n- " not reform, I cannot mourn ; and give me a Vvorlil " I cannot command a hearty ngh, or a fob for fm ; '' I can do nothing ; I arn hard like a (lone, and black " like a devil ; and unlefs Chrift help, I am utterly *' and eternally undone." And this tends to give the foul a great demonftration of the freedom of his love^ that it prevents our repentance : He jirjl loved us.
4. His love prevents our prayers ; for that is tilfo a fruit of his love. You will fay, though we cannot at- tain to be holy, and cannot believe and repent, yet we muft pray, and feek, or elfe we cannot get his fa- vour and love. Wo is me that people fliould have fuch dark and dangerous notions of the method of fal- vation ! Pray, v/hence comes your prayers, if they be worth the nam.e of prayers ? Do they not come from heaven, and from the Sph'it of grace and fupplkaflm ? If you have any defires that are worth the naming, they come from above : and if they come wholly out of your heart, or head, they are not worth ; yea, what- ever defireyou have out of Chrift, and whatever prayer is not put up on this altar, the name of Chrift Jefus^ and by the help of the Spirit of Chrift, there is no pro- mife made to it : for, however fcveral promifes are
made
i6 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIIL
made to God's ordinances and inflitutions, which o- bhge you to be about his hand in the ufe of means : yet no promife is made to your performance out of Chrift. Exped then no favour for, or upon the ac- count of your duties ; for if that be your way of do- ing, you need to pray that God may force you out of your prayers. Let none think now that 1 am dif- couraging any from the ufe of means, and the perfor- mance of duties ; nay, 1 take witnefs, that, in God's name, I call you to the ufe thereof; and declare you are obliged thereto by the command and authority of Father, Son, and Holy Ghoff. But, in the fame name, I call you to the right ufe of the means, the gofpel-ufe of the means ; for that legal notion of praying and leeking, that I find for ordinary among people, as if their feeking would prevent God's love, and procure his favour, is derogatory to the goodnefs of God ; and hath a tendency to make a Chrifl of their prayers, yea, more than a Chrift ; in regard it would be afcribing a caufality to our prayers, which is not even done to the merits of Chrift in this matter : for, as 1 faid before, the love of God in itfelf, cannot be procured ; Chrift. himfelf did not procure it ; for God's love prevented Chrift's niillion, and fent him to procure all that he did procure and purchafe : and tlierefore, if you think. your prayers will purchafe God's love, you make more than a Chrift of your prayers ; and they are ofFenfive to God, diftionouring to Chrift, and prejudicial to your own fouls. The faints themfelves know that it is not by their duties that they obtain his love ; but in duty fometimes they get a fenfe of his love. Why, may fome fay, we need pray none at all, if we get no good by our prayers. Pically, man, thefe prayers of yours, which you make your righteoufnefs, and for which you expect to be loved, and juftified, and faved, they are the moft abominable to God, and unprofitable to you, in the v/orld. To what purpofe is the multitude of your facrifices f Therefore briiig no more vain oblation : your inccnfe is abomination to him ; he cannot away with it^ it is iniquity^ even your folemn 7neeti?ig^ Ifa. i. n, i3' See Ifaiah jxvi. 3. Therefore you have need to pray,
that
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. ijr
that God would learn you the myflery of prayer ; for you will never find it a pleafant, comfortable, and pro- fitable exercife, while you fet it before his love, as a caufe of it ; whereas it follows after his love as a fruit of it. Hence all that ever prayed to purpoie, or wrcf- tled with him for the bleliing, have found tliat they could not pray, more than they could move the earth from its center, until his grace prevented their prayers; and they can all fet their feal to that word, Ifa. Ixv. i* / atn found of them that fought me 7iot. None ever fought him aright, till free grace fought them out, and found them in fome refped.
Shiefl, But is it not faid, Ezek. xxxvi. 37. For thefe things iviil I be eyiqiiired of by the hoife of Ifrael f True, betwixt gracious feeking and finding, there is a certain connexion ; for gracious and fpiritual feeking prefcp- pofes grace to feek, and that his love hath already pre- vented our prayers ; and when he gives grace to feek, to be fure he will give more and more, not for our feeking, but for the fake of his promife in Chrift Je- fus, and upon his account. But if we underftand that word as an encouragement to all, whether gracious or gracelefs perfons. For this will I be enquired of by the hoife of Ifrael^ then the meaning is not, I will give you none of thefe things ^ to wit, the new hearty the new fpi- rit^ there promiled, and the Spirit to be put within you ; I fay, the meaning is not, I will give you none of thefe things, but for the fake of your prayers, and till your prayers produce them ; nay, that expohtio.n w^ould be crofs to the very context, wliich fays, Not for your fake do I this^ 0 houfe of Jfrael ; be it known to you, and bt afbamed^ and confounded for your own ways ; you may be afhamed of your prayers and -duties, as well as your fms and iniquities ; and therefore it is not for the fake of your perfons or prayers either, be it known unto you ; and therefore the meaning of the word is, that as all Ifrael hath a right cf accefs to thefe promifes ; and all poor fmners that hear tell of them^, may come to a throne of grace, and plead for the ac- comphfhment of them to themf elves, in a way of Iree grace ; fo in the diligent vSz of Jl thefe meaiis ar.d
Vol. II. C
Old.'
1 8 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
ordinances of my appointment, they fhall find, that I will yield myfelf exorable and eafy to be entreated ; and ib it is an encouragement to prayer, in expeftation that God will confer the promifed bleflings, and not that our prayers will obtain them ; and therefore the more that a man turns fuch a fcripture to a covenant of works, as if he were upon terms with God, that upon condition that he pray and feek, God will give him the promifed blellings ; the more he does fo, I fay, the further is he from all thefe bleffings *, where- as the lefs hope and expedation that a poor foul hath from his prayers, he will always find, that he will come the more fpeed.
In a word, the prayer you fpeak of, man, is either a natural or a fpiritual prayer ; if it be a natural prayer, then, as the natural man is bound to pray, and yet hath nothing to expert, but of fovereign free grace ; fo there is no connexion betwixt his prayer and the promife, unlefs v/e turn rank Arminians : If it be a fpiritual prayer, then to be fure, the promife hath pre- vented his prayer ; for to fay that none of thefe pro- mifes are given, till a man pray in the Spirit for them, is crofs to the whole current of fcripture, and fpiritual reafon ; for, how can a man pray in the Spirit till that promife be accomplifhed in fome meafure upon him, / Will put my Spirit within you f Thus his love prevents our prayers, it prevents our defires and endeavours :
He Jirji loved us. And fo much fliall fuffice for
the firfh general head.
II. Tht fecond thing propofed was, to fpeak o^ be- lievers love to God and Chrifl ; We love him : This is but a fmall fliream that flows iVom, and runs again to the ocean of his love. We may take up this love of the faints towards God in the following confide- rations.
I. We may confider this love in its nature. It is not a fpark of natural kindling ; it is not from natu- tural reafon or common grace, no ; it is from the fav- ing operation of the Holy Ghoft, circumcifing the heart to love God J the fruits of the Spirit are faith ^ love,
and
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 19
and the reft of the graces : it is altogether fuper-na- tural ; for the natural mind is en?nity againjl God : ^ve naturally hate God. Sirs, though the worft perfon in the world will fay they do not hate God, yet they really do it ; and their hatred appears in their avcrfion from him and his ways, their oppofition to his com- mands and counfels, their contempt of his promifes, and negle6l of his falvation, and his Chrift ; for they will ndt come to him^ that they 7nigbt have life. It is God's prerogative to turn the htd^rt from enmity to lo-ve^ from darkncfs to lights and from, the power of Satan imio God : no man can turn himfelf more than the Ethio- pian can change Ins fJun^ or the leopard his f pots ^ Jer. xiii. 23. Men, by their improvement of their natural faculties, and by common grace, which mod part of men have fomething of, come to a fermon, and go to . their knees, carry fouiewhat of morality and modefiy, but they are not able to command themfelvcs to love God ; nay, duty is a burden ; the word is a weari- nefs to them ; they are mad upon idols ; they make the Lord to fer-oe with their fin ; and their duties to ferve as a covering to their lufts ; and make ufe of duty for this, that they may be looked upon as good men, and not Atheifts : but let them do their bed, they cannot expel that curfed habit of enmity, nor introduce the contrary habit of love, till the power of God come along difcovering the bounty and glory of Chrift, and transforming the foul after the fame iniage ; for this love imports a laving knowledge of this glori- ous objecl beloved, a high eftcem of the object thus known, a hearty choice of him whom v/e thus efleem, and a fweet recumbency in this choice. The under- ftanding is made to fee, the judgment to efteem, the will to chufe, and the foul to acquicfce in him. — — But thefe things I cannot enlarge upon.
2. We may confider this love in the kinds of it. And here I would fpeak only of two kinds in general, ;2^;72^/v, a more common^ and a morey^>fr/W love.
(i.) There is a more common love^ which even hy-- pocrites may have, and may have it as a fruit of God's Spirit in this common operation, ^vhile yc^t they are
C 2 not
20 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
not renewed in the whole man. As they may have a temporary faith, fo they may have a love propor- tioned to this. The feed of the word falls into the heart, as into (lony ground, and it quickly fprings up in fome flafhes of affedion, and fair liourillies of a a profeffion, fo as they may feem, to themfelves and others, to be among the bell of Chriilians, while yet it is not any fpeciai work of God's Spirit, but a com- mon gift and grace. The Lord defigns to tame and civilize fome, as v/ell as to fave and convert others. Now, this love, however great and vehem.ent it may be in appearance, yet it is but a land-flood : at the befl it hath not a fpring ; it is nouriihed as a pool of wa- ter, not as a well of water ; the water which the Lord, gives to his people, it is in them as a well of water ^ j-pringing up to everlajiing life^ John iv. 14. But the' hypocrite's love is a returning to the Lord^ but not with the vjhole heart. It is a love as is defcribed in the Jews, They ferved the Lord^ and they ferved AJhtaroth : to pacify their confciences, they will ferve the Lord; but to fatisfy their affections, they will ferve their iufts : they never fell their all for the pearl of great price ; they never refi: upon him as their prefent, only, and greatefl good, nor find full fatisfaclion in him. They never come to that with it. Whom have I in heaven but thee f and there is none in all the earth that I defre hefides thee, Th^re is fomething befide Chriil that they defire ; they have fome efteem of him, when he fmiles on them in his providences, when they get eafe to their confciences ; and, by their falfe hopes of hea- ven, apprehend matters to be well-enough with them. But v/hen the Lord begins to frown, and the courfe of his providence is turned, then their love is turned into hatred ; and the hatred wherewith they hate him, is greater than the love wherewith they loved him. As John's hearers rejoice in his light for afeajon, and but tor -Sifcafon; and Chrifl's hearers cry this day, Hcfanna, and the next day. Crucify him ; and, as 7nany people followed Chrift for the haves ^ becaufe he fed them ; fo many flUJ follow Chrifl, fome for outward things, and
becaufe
Serm. XVIII. Pre^tenting Love. 21
becaufe of his general merciful difpenfatlons ; yea, foine for inward things : O, fay they, ordinances are pleafant ; it is a fweet thing to get a tear at a fermon, and to be ravifhed with fomething of the glory of hea- ven, and privileges of the faints : no doubt the joy with which the ftony-ground hearers received the word, had its fvveetnefs and pleafure, and thereupon their hearts are aloft, and they think they love Chriil above all things ; but yet their root is rottennefs ; they never truly come to Chrifl, to get reft to their hearts and confciences from the filth and guilt of fin. But,
(2.) There is 2i fpccial love^ whereby the whole foul is carried out towards the Lord, as the chief, prefent, and only good, and whereby tlie foul fees nothing in heaven or earth defirable in comparifon of him ; and that acts towards a prefent Chrift, in rejoicing in him ; and tovv^ards an abfent Chrift, by lamenting after him : it acts by cleaving to him, when they have the greateft temptations to go away, and it appears moft when Chrift threatens to depart ; and it cleaves moft to him, when many are departing from him ; To whom JJoall we gOy thou haji the words of eternal life. It counts all but lofs and dung for him : Chrift gets the throne of their hearts, the cream of their aiTeclions, the very foul of their fouls, their moft vehement love .; what- ever other things they love, it is but in a fubordina- tion to him ; whatever other things they rejoice in, he is their chief joy ; / will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy ; Pfalm xliii. 4. Their joy in him exceeds the joy that they have in any thing ^A^ in a world.
3. We may confider this love in the degrees of it. I would not be for the breaking a hruifed reed, or quenching a fmoaking flax ; my heart's defire is, that all that love Chrift, even in the weakeft degree, if it be a fpecial love, may go away rejoicing in him ; therefore I tell you of thefe four degrees of this love.
(i.) There is a love of defii'e after Chrift, that is
not yet arrived at a full complacency in him ; ne de^
fire of our foul is to thy name^ fays the Church. A poor
creature
22 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
creature may have a rooted defire after Chrift, that is not yet come the length of a rooted dehght in him ; becaufe through unbehef they queftion their fpecial intereil in him : but bkjfed are they that hunger and thirjl after righteoufnefs ; for they jhall be filled. If a gracious defne after Chrifl be rooted in the foul, there is true love. Yea, further, this defire hathfeveral de- grees alfo : fometimes the defire is like 2ifmoakingflax^ hardly can one difcern the fpark of red fire, only they
fee fmoke as a fign of fire ; 2.fmoakingflax, This
delire may be flirangely chocked^ fometimes through the prevalence of unbelief: even the children of God, that have found and faving defires, may become fo heartlefs, as that they have no boldnefs to come to the Lord, and exprefs their defires ; all they can fay is, that there is fomething about the bottom of their heart of an earned wifh, that the Lord would come to them, when they cannot come to him : all they can fay is, 0, when will he come to me ! Or, when will he give me a viftt ! 0, there is ^ none in the world needs a mfitfo jnuch I ! — Sometimes their defires are more vivid and lively^ more bright and fliining, and break forth in ardent prayers and pantings of foul after him ; Js th&fhart pants after the water brooks^ fo pants my foul after thee^ 0 God : my foul thirfts for God^ for the liv- ing God, With my foul have I defired thee in the nighty and with my fpirit within 7iie^ will Ifeek thee early, — Sometimes again their defires become {oflro7ig^ as that the perfon is made to put on a refolution, as David did, / will neither givejleep to mine eyes^ nor Jlumber to mine eye-lids^ till I f?2d out a place for the Lord^ ayi habitation for tlfe mighty God of Jacob, Lo^ we heard of it at Ephrata^ we found it in the fields of the wood^ Pfalin cxxxii. 4, 5, 6.~ — Their defires may be fuch as to make them refllefs^ till they get their hearts made a ht habitation for him ; they may be fuch as to carry their fouls aloft above all temporary enjoy- ments, and make them mount up on wings as eagles ;. and to look down upon all the enjoyments of time, and fublunary comforts, as altogether contemptible. But then,
(2.) As
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love, ^-f
(2.) As there is a love of defire, fo of delight and complacency^ whereby they take up their reft and fatif- fadion in him, faying, Tho* the Jig-tree jhould 7iot biof- fom^ nor fruit jhould be found in the 'vine, he, ; yet zvill I rejoice in the Lord ; I will joy in the God of my f aha- tion. Indeed, they that have found faving defires af- ter the Lord, are unfatisfied till their defire be turned to delight, and till they attain this. Whom having not feen we love ; in whom^ though 7iow we fee him not^ yel believing^ we rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory. When the Lord manifefts himfelf to them, as recon- ciled in Chrift, when he manifefts his love to then- fouls, and opens the flood-gates of his Spirit's influen- ces, O then they cannot but delight in him, and be fa^ tiijied as with marrow and fainefs ; for then they have 2ifeafi of fat things^ and of wines on the lees^ well re- fined. O fenfualifts, that never had a more pleafant hour all your days, than when you fat down to a hear- ty meal of meat or drink, you are but a miferabic creature ; There is meat to eat that you know not cf, and joy that you intermeddle not with, O the joy and triumph that there is in the enjoyment of a God in Chrift ; Thanks be to God^ which always caufes us t^j triumph in Chrijl ; always causes to triumph! It is true, the. fouls of believers may fometimes wander from the Lord, even after they have experienced this enjoyment ; and never more readily than on the back of a fweet communion : their deftres may wander af- ter other things ; they may fall afleep ; they are not yet perfe<S:, nor delivered from a body of death ; and therefore after that, they may come under doubts, and great fears ; and thefe may bring them very low, and may much alienate their hearts from the Lord ; yea, but they are as the needle in the compafs, that can never reft or fettle till it comes to the right point- They can never reft till they get into his bofom again : they find their cafe a wildernefs cafe, wherein they are wandering from mountain to hill, and therefore they fay. Return unto thy reji^ 0 my foul : they are made again to return to him, and take more delight in
him
24 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
him than ever ; and, by dehghting in him get an ear- nefl-penny of heaven.
(3.) There is a love o{ benevolence diud good-will to- wards Chrill, and his interefl: in the world, that all his concerns in the v/orld may go right, and /te ?2o wea- pon formed againji Zion may pro/per. By this love, all thefe things, whereby God makes himlelf known, his word, his ordinances, his people, his precepts, his truths, are precious. And to this we may join,
(4.) The love of beneficence^ whereby they do all they can for the honour of Chrift, the good of his church, the credit of his truths, and for bearing down
every intereft oppofite to his. But thefe things may
perhaps fall under another head.
4. V/e may confider this love in the dimenfions of it : as God's love towards his people hath height^ and depths and leyigth^ and breadth^ jfo there is fomething like di- menfions of that fort in their love to him.
(i.) Their love is a high love, it hath a height ; it is a tranfcendent love ; they love him above all things ; they love him more than father or mother^ fifi^f or brother^ profit or pleafure^ credit or preferment ; yea^ doiibtlefs^ they count all thi?igs but lofs and dung in com- parifon of him. The language of their foul is. None but Chrf/i : in all things he hath the pre-eminence.
(2.) Their love hath a depth ; for it is rooted in the heart, and does not float in the fancy. The love of many is but like a thaw, that will fometimes be on the face of the ground, by the heat of the fun, while there is a hard froll below in the earth ; fo their love is but fuperficial, upon the furface of the foul ; there is fome thaw, but the heart is hard ; true love hath a deep root.
(3.) Their love hath a breadth : they not only love his mercy and grace, but his faithfulneis, juftice, and holinefs : they love not only his covenant promifes, but his kindly threatnings ; not only his favourable providences, but alfo his fatherly chaftifements : they love every thing that hath any thing of God in it ; his people, becaufe they are his image ; his ordinances, becaufe they are his galleries 5 they love the place
where
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 2^
where his honour dzvells ; and every thing that hath a divine flamp and fuperfcription.
(4.) Their love hath a length in it, as well as a height, and depth, and breadih. It is not like the hope of the hypocrite that perijhcth. Their hope and love, who are hypocrites, is built upon an airy fancy and empty imagination ; it is built upon fand, and fo it falls to the ground ; but the believer's love is built upon the faith of the promife, and the faith of the love of God ; it is built upon the rock of ages, and fo the building ftands. Some will have a love to a thing to- day, and quit it to-morrow ; but love to Chrift will never go quite out« It is true, their love is not al- ways exercifed, or always equal in its exercife ; for fometimes it is like a coal below the alhes, yet all the power of hell cannot quench it ; for many waters can- not quench love : it may be over-toped with the weeds of corruption, and out of view ; for the ficfh lufteth after the Spirit ; and the flefh may be ftrong, and the vSpirit or grace weak, but iliil the root remains, and fhall grow up to perfection,
5. We may conlider this love in the properties of it. Some of them have been touched in the preceed- ing heads, therefore, in Ihort,
(i.) True love to God in Chriil is a free and volun" tary love. Some people force tbemfelves up, as it were, to an efteem for Chrifi, by uhng manifold ar- guments ; and after all, it is but imaginary and mer- cenary love ; they are not under the conflraint of gofpel-grace, but the conilralnt of legal hope ; expec- ting fome reward for their love and fervlee : but here the perfon loves the Lord for hlmfeif, and ferves him v/ithout legal compulhon or co-a6tion ; or by legal fears of hell, or legal hope of heaven. As he loves them freely, in oppofition to merit, fo they love him freely in oppofition to legal compulfion.
(2.) True love is a fnicere love ; Grace he with all
them that love our Lord jefus Chrijl infincerity. It is a
loving the Lord with all the hearty foid^ mind and
Jirenph ; it is hearty, and hath its abode in the inner
chambers of the heart, it does not ly in the toi^gue
Vol. II. D or
26 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIIL
or lip, or the outward profeilion only, biit in the heart, •and afFedion, and foul of man.
(3.) True love is an ardent love : it is compared to fire that hath a mod vehement flame : it is like fire for light ; it is the difcovery of Chrill that makes the foul to love him, and it makes the man's light fojhine be- fore men^ fo as his heavenly Father is glorified. It is like fire for heat ; it heats the breaft, and warms the aftedions, and flames , towards Chrifl when he is feen. It is like the fire for its confuming quality ; it con- ■fumes lufts and corruptions : Many waters cannot quench it : no water of fm, of aiflidion, of defertion, or temp- tation.
(4.) True love is a^li've love ; it makes the foul to
ad for God, and for Chrifl, faying, O what fliall I
■ do for him ? What jh all I render to the Lord for all his
benefits f It conffrains to fervices and fufFerings for
Chrifl.
(5.) True love is an uniting love : it carries out the foul towards union and communion with God in Chrifl; he aflefls comm.union with him in his thoughts and
meditations 3 My meditation of him fhall be fweet,
Communion with him in his ordinances, communion with him in his grace, and communion with him in glory.
(6.) True love is ?i folicitous and careful love : it is careful to avoid w^hatever is offending to God, care- ful to provide whatever is pleafmg to him ; careful and folicitous left it fliould lofe his company ; careful and iblicitous to recover a fight of him when he abfents himfelf.
(7.) True love is a bold and venturing love ; it will adventure upon reproaches, perfecutions, dangers, dif- ficulties, yea, and death itfelf, for the fake of the Lord Jefus. When there are greatefl difficulties, true love will cleave mod to Chriit : when there is a general apoflacy, true love will appear mofl for Chrifl, as the two vvitnefles, R.evel. xi. 3. When men make breaches upon the truth of God, the true lover of Chrifl will cafl himfelf into the breach, as Pergamus did, Fiev. ii. 13. In a word, when love cannot fland
in
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 27
in the breach, it will mourn for the diflionoiir done to Chrifl, and weep in fecret places lor it. Ail theie proceed from the invincible valour of love.
(8.) True love is a perfevering love : when faitli and hope, in fome refpe6l, will carry us no further than the grave, love will go over the border of time, and remain in heaven for ever.
(9.) True love is a conjugal love, a marriage love : and as conjugal love is a loyal love ; fo is true love to Chrift : It calls Jefus Lord and King : Be is thy Lord and worjhip thou him^ Pfal. xlv. 11. As conjugal love is a chajle love ; fo true love to Chrift cannot endure a rival : it allows no mate, no lufl, no Delilah, to come in Chrift's room, without the utmofl abhorrence. As conjugal love is a 7-e-veremid love ; fo true love to Chrift carries towards him with holy fear and reve- rence, and filial regard. And as a conjugal love is a fruitful dcXidi fruit-bearing love ; fo true love to Chrift IS a love that bears fruit to him ; T> are dead to the law by the body of Chrifl^ and married to another^ e-ven
to Chrift^ that ye might bring forth fruit unto God. —
Again,
(ic.) True love is an affimilating love ; it changes the perfon in whom it is, into the image of the glori- ous and beloved obje*^, and make him dehre, above all things, to be like unto Chrift ; faying, O, to be holy 1 O, to be free of fm ! O, to be full of God ! O, to be conform to the image of Chrift ! yea, tlie more love, the more likencfs.
(11.) In a word, fometimes it is an exiaiieallovt^ as if the man were befide himfelf, and out of himfeU : hence that proverb, Amante?^ Amantes ; like that of the apoftle, If we be befide ourfehes^ it is to God^ 2 Cor. V. 13. It carries the foul out of itfelf, faying with the church. The voice of my beloved^ behold he comes ; it is an abrupt kind of fpeech, like that of a perfon tranf- ported, raviflied, and in a rapture : The voice of my beloved, behold he cometh : fometimes there is a ray of glory, a bright glance of the Sun of rightcouihcfs.
6. We mav confider this love in the eifecls of it.
D 2 ^ {^'^ 'I>^is
25 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII
(i.) This love vents itfelf in prayer 2X\^ fiipplication ; 0 God^ thou art rn:j God, early will I feck thee^ Pfaim ixiii. I.
(2.) It vents itfelf in pra'ife and cGmmcndation ; My beloved is zvbite and ?~uddyy the chief among ten tboifand^ Cant. V. 10.
(3.) It vents itfeif in wonder and admiration ; Be- hold what raanner of love the Father hath heftoived upon us^ that we fhould he called the fojis of God.
(4.) It vents itfelf in obedience and obfervatiou of his law ; If you love me^ keep my coJiimandments.
(5.) It vents itfelf in hatred of ftn, and every falfe way ; 7^e that love the Lord^ hate evil,
(6.) It vents itfelf in loving every thing that belongs to God. And this might lead me to iliew hoAV,
7. We may condder this love in tht objed of it, and in the e:<fent of its objeft : why, the true lover of Chriil, he loves a whole Chrift.
(i.) He loves him in \{\% perfon^ as he is the bright^ nefs of the Father'' s glory ^ and the exprefs image of his perfon^ Heb. i. 3.
(2.) lie loves him in his natures^ as he is God-man \
Im MANUEL, God with US,
(3.) He loves him in his offices ; as he is a Prophet, to take avv^ay his darknefs ; a Pried, to take away his guilt ; and a King, to take away his hn, and to fubdue his lufts.
(4.) Pie loves him in his rclaficns ; as he ftands re- lated to God, being his eternal Son ; as he ftands re- lated to the covenant, being the Mediator, Witnefs, Surety, and Teftator, and all of it ; and as he (lands related to his church, being their Head and Hufoand, and all relations to them. You fee what a large field I might here go through.
(5.) He loves him in his righfcoufnefs, both aftive and paiTive, as having fulfilled the law, and fatished the judice of God in our room.
(6.) He loves him in his 7nerit and purchafe ; he loves him in his Spirit and grace ; he loves him in his commands, promifes, and comforts ; lie loves him in his work and wages ; he loves him his miniders and
people ;
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 29
people ; he loves him in his gofpel and ordinances ; he loves him in his crown, honour, and glory ; he loves him in his crofs, his reproach, and fullering ; he loves him in every thing about him, and efpecially in liimfelf, as being altogether lovely. And this leads to another confideration.
8. We may coniider this love in the grounds of it. Indeed it is a God in Chrifl they love : more particu- larly, if you afk, what are the grounds of the faints love to Chrifl ? Why,
(i.) Their love to him is grounded upon his worthy beauty ^ and excellency ; the foul loves him, becaufe of his ov/n amiable excellency. When the foul gets a view of Chrift's own beauty, and of the glory of God in him, his pov/er, wifdom, holinefs, grace, mercy, and other properties, his heart is ravifhed with love within him. O the thoughts of his worth, and his fulnefs of grace and good-will is overcoming ? Becaufe of the favour of thy good ointments^ thy name is as oi?it' ment poured forth ^ therefore do the virgins love thee^ Song i. 3. ^
(2.) Their love to him is grounded upon his under-^ taking for them, and accompli filing that undertaking : they love him becaufe of what he did undertake from eternity, and perform in time ; V/ho loved me^ and gave himfclf for me ! They love him, becaufe he put himfelf in their nature, for their good : they love him, be- caufe he put his name in their debt-bonds and bills : they love him, becaufe he put their names in his b.ff- v/ill, and in the book of life : they love him, becaufe he put his Spirit, his nature, and his Father's image into them.
(3.) Their love to him is grounded upon his Fa- ther''s love to him, and fatisfaftion in him ; The Lord is well plea fed for his righteoufnefs fake^ faying, This is my beloved Son^ in whom I am well pleafcd^ And, Q but Chrifl be defervedly the objecl of the faints love, becaufe he is the objecl of the Father's love, who loves him, both as he is his Son, and as he is our Surety j jind therefore as the fum of all,
(4.) Their
30 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
(4.) Their love to him is grounded upon his love to them ; We love h'wi^ hecaufe he jirft loved us. This leads me to
III. The third general head, vi%. The influence that his love hath upon theirs as the caufe of it. And here I would, I. Clear and demonitrate it, that his loving us is the caufe of our loving him. 2. Enquire what influence his iovx hath upon ours.
I. As to the firfl of thefe, to clear this point, v/e v/ould offer the following confiderations.
(i.) Co'nfideration is. That a natural man, that looks upon God, can never have a heart-love to him, what- ever he pretends. It is true, many fancy God loves them, and pretend they have a love to him, like fome in the church at Ephefus, who faid, they were apof- ties, and were not, but were found liars ; fo many pre- tend they know God, and love him, who yet in works deny him ; and by their practice are found liars ; and the vifion of their heads is like to end in utter darknefs. It is true alfo, that all that have a love to God, have not the full aiTurance of God's love to them : fome may live under his frowns, who are yet in a Hate of favour : there may be fome true love, where yet there is but little joyful aiTurance ; yet, I fay, thefe who have no faith at all of God's love in Chrill, but look upon God as an im.placable enemy, they can have no hearty love to him ; nay, confcience of guilt, and fear of wrath make them run away from God as an ene- my ; the fpirit of flavifii fear, which all awakened fmners are naturally polTeft of, till God fhew them his love and favour in ChriPc, will rather harden men in their enmity, than melt them into love. If there were nothing but the terror of the Lord to be known, con- verfion v/ould be impoflible.
(2.) Confideration is. That the greater the fenfe of God's love in CRriil is, the flronger will our love to him be. Hence there are fuch different degrees of love to God among- the faints, and even in the fame faints, or believers, at feveralfeafons, according as they have, more or lefs of the comfortable apprehenfion of the
love '
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 31
love of God in Chrift : for, although the love of God be not variable, yet our views and tipprehenfions of it are. Every believer hath his dark and gloomy days, as well as his bright and pleafant days ; and the lefs fenfible views he hath of God's love and favour, the more fenfible deadnefs in duty, and decay of love to God takes place. When the believer wants the faith of God's love, his wings are dipt ; but when his heart is fraughted with a large meafure of the faith of God's love, then he mounts up on wings as an eagle : then the love of Chrift conjirains him ; and his heart is en- larged to run the way of God's comniandinents.
(3.) Confideration, That the love of God difco- vered, breaks the pov/er of all thefe things that hin- der our love to him. Is felf-love a fnare to keep us from the love of God ? Well, a difplay of God's love breaks the powers oi felf-love. When Job got a dif- covery of the glory of God's grace, then he abhors him^ feJf, When we know that God is pacified towards z/x, it makes us loath and abhor ouf elves ^ Ezek. xvi. 63. A fmner is never fo odious in his own fight, as when he is perfuaded of his being precious in God's fight. Does the flattery of the world allure men from the love of God ? Well, but the difplays of God's love make the world to be crucified to us^ and us to the world,— - Chriil's love difcovered obfcures all the feeming glory of the v/orld, as the fun darkens the leiTer lights, and as the works of nature fpoil the reputation of the works of art. Do the frowns of the world fear us from the love of God and his v/ay ? Well, but the difplay of God's love to us is a noble fecurity againft this tciup- tation ; for little matter, who be againil us, if God be for us ; His loving-kindnefsi^ better than life : there- fore, though the rage of men fhould reach our lives, yet v/hat comparifon is betwixt the breath of our nof- trils, and the favour of an eternal God ? We do not love God in Chrift, becaufe we do not know him ; but when his love is difplayed, then he is known in the light of tiie Spirit, As a Spirit of wifdom and reve- lation in the knowledge of Chrift ; the Spirit comes as
a Spirit
32 Preventing Love. .Serm. XVin,
a Spirit of light ; and thus the love of God \%JJjed a- broad upon the heart by the Holy Ghqft.
(4.) Confi deration, When God difplays his love, he at the fame time transforms the foul to whom he difcovers himfelf, and makes it a new creature. Now, the new nature is a grateful and loving nature ; de- praved nature may reward evil for good, and hatred for, love ; but it is not fo with the new nature, it natively renders love for love ; it is native to the foul upon the difcovery of God's love, his everlafting love, to be conilrained to his fervice and obedience ; If you love me^ keep my commandments. Now, this love, that is the produd of God's love, is virtually all obedience ; and therefore love is faid to be the fulfilling of the law : and whtn loves takes place, his commandjiients are not grievous^ but pleafant ; yea, when the love of God is in the heart, then the law of God is in the heart, — But then,
2. To enquire more particularly what influence God's love hath upon ours : We love him^ becaife he firft lov- ed m : our love is juft the reflex of his, as the fun ihining upon a glafs. Why, hov/ does his love to us influence our love to him ? (i.) It hath a ?noral in- fluence, in point of motive. (2.) A phyfcal in^ucnce, in point of power,
(i.) It hath a 7noral influence , in point of ?]iotive ; and fo it is the moral caufe of our love ; the incentive, the argument. What will move us to love, if the dif- play of this infinite love does it not ? We cannot but love fach a good God, v/ho was firfl: in the ad: and work of love ; that loved us when we were both un- loving and unlovely ; that loved us at fuch a rate, as to feek and folicite our love at the expence of his Son's blood. O amazing love 1 Is there any motive can be flronger to engage us to love him again ? Shall not the love of Chrifl: cOnHrain us to love him apain ? What in
o
all the world will endear a foul to God, if the love of God do it not ? — —So much as we fee of the love of God, fo much we love him, and delight in him, and no more. Every other difcovery of God without this, will but make the foul to flee from him. If the faith
and
Serm. XVlII. Preventing Love. ^^
and apprehenfion of his free love, or his ancient love, his antecedent love, his preventing love, fuch as 1 have fpoken of, be no motive or argument to influence us to love him, there is no argument in the world will prevail.
2. It hath a phyfical influence^ in point of pow^er ; and fo it is not only the moral, but the produd'.ve caufe. There is a power in his love that conquers, captivates, and overpov/ers the man, fo that he cannot but love : God's love hath a generative power : our love is brought forth by his love, James i. 18. Of his own i-vill he begat us ; that is, of his own free love and good-wilL Divine love makes fuch an impreffion, that it inftamps love upon the foul. As his love hath a generating power, fo it hath a creating pov/er ; his love infufes and creates love in the peribn. Beloved, it works good in the man, that is the objei^: of it : his power and will are commenfurate ; what he w^ills, he works \ and when the time of love or of manifeiling love comes, the time of powder comes ; Thy people Jhail be willing in the day of thy power. His love hath a conftraining power ; ^he love of Chriji conjirains us ; and his love hath a drawing power ; I have loved thee with an everlajiing love ; therefore with loving kindnefs will I draw thee. He draws with the cords of love ^ and thereby draw's the heart tov/ards hum in love : and ]\ence never a foul tailed the fwxetnefs of his everiaf- ting love, but at the fame time he felt the power of it warming the heart, and kindling afire of love there. O how does his miglity love break the power of their mighty enmity i Was ever pardoning mercy and love intimated, but the pardoned foul behoved to read the pardon with tears of joy ; and to love much when much %vas forgiven f Can they chufe but love him, Who are the called accordiyig to his purpofe of love f Rom. viii. 20. — We love him^ hecaufe he flrjl kved us,
IV. The foui-th general head, w^as triz application. Is It fo, that God's love to his people is the fource and caufe of their love to him ? Then we may apply it for li formation ; and.
Vol. 11. E i. Hence
34 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIIL
I. Hence fee the difference betwixt God^s love to the faints y and the faints love to God* It is true, their loves agree in feveral things : his love to them is a love of complacency, he deUghts in them ; and their love to him is a love of complacency, they delight in him : he loves them in Chrifl, and they love him in Chrift ; but yet vallly great is the difference betwixt his love and theirs, i. His love is eternal^ their love is but of yeferday^s date. 2. His love is the original canfe^ their love is the native effect of his. 3. His love is an antecedent love^ it goes before theirs, as the fa- ther loves the child v/hen the child knows not tlie fa- ther, much lefs loves him ; yea, they are by nature haters of God. And furely all mufi: begin on his fide ; Herein is love^ not that we loved God^ hut that God lov- ed us : yea, his love not only goes before our love, but before every thing that is lovely in us ; God coin- 7ne7ids his love tozuards us^ in that while we were yet finners^ Chrift died for us, -Sin imports all unlovelinefs and undefirablenefs that can be in a creature ;» yet he loves: but then our love is a cojfequentialloYC, 4. His love being free and eternal is always equal and U7t- changeable ; for. The Strength of Ifrael is not a man that hejhould repent ; but our love to him is unequal and changeable^ up and down : his love is like the fun, al- ways the fame in its light, though a cloud may fome- times interpofe ; our love is like the moon, hath its waxings and weanings : his love, I fay, is like the fun, always the fame in its light. It is true, as the fun is fometimes under a cloud ; fo the fruits and ma- nifellations of God's love may chnnge ; now^ he fnines, now he hides his face, as it may be moll for our profit ; but ftill his love in itfelf is the fame.— — Whatever changes affecl the faints, whether as to fm or fulFcr- ing, yet God's love to them is unchangeable. Why, were it not blafphcmy to, fay, that God loves his peo- ple in their fmning, as wefi as in their llricfeil obedi- ence ? If fo, who wdll care to ferve him more ? To whiVh it might be replied. The love of God in itfelf is no more changeable than Godhimfeif; and what then ? Loves he his people in their linning ? by no
means;
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 35
means ; he loves his people^ not thciv finning. Alters he his love to them ? No ; not his love, but the dif- coveries of his love : he fmites them, rebukes them, and hlls them with a fenfe of indignation. But wo would be to us if he changed in his love : nay, He is Gody and changes not ; therefore the fons of Jacob arc not confmned, Thefe very things which feem to be de- monltrations of the change of his afleftion, do as clear- ly proceed from love to them, even his chaflifements, as any other difpenfations. Well, but will not this encourage to fm ? " O fure he never tafted, as one ^' fays, of the love of God, that can ferioully make ^' this objedion." The dodrineoi grace may be turn- ed into 'wanfonnefs^ but the principle of grace cannot. His love, I fay, being free, eternal, and preventing love, is in itfelf always equal and unchangeable ; but our love to God is an ebbing and fiov/ing love. We are fcarce a day at a fland. This hour we may be at this, Though all men forfake thee^ yet 'ujill not I ! and the next hour at this, / know not the man. When was ever the time that our love was eciual one day to an end ?
2. Hence fee the difference htt\iu<.t juflif cation and fanctification\ and the prioj^ity of j unification to fancli- fication : We may here notice the difference betwixt the one and the other. Many are the differences be- twixt them, but I confine myfelf to what the text im- ports. I. In juflification, God loves us^ and fnews his love in Chrifl ; in fanditication, ive love God ^ andfliew our love to him : for the comprehenfive fum of aclive holinefs is love, which is the fulfilling of the law. 2. In j unification, we have \\\z favour of God \ in fanclifi- cation, we have the image cf God ; and the fpecial part of his image is love. 3. In juflification, we divcpq//ive^ as v/hen God fet his love upon us ; but in fan6:iiica- tion, we are adive^ while his love caufes us to adt in loving him. .4. Juftiiication is God's act oi love with- out us^ in and through the merit and righteoufnefs of Chrifl imputed to us ; fandification is God's work of grace within us^ by the Spirit of Chrifl imparted to us as a Spirit of love, as v/ell as of other graces. 5. juT-
E 2? tili:ation
'36 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
tification is perfe5t^ equals and always the fame, like the love of God, the original caufe, and the righteouf- nefs of Chrift the meritorious caufe of it ; but fan£lifi- cation is tmperfcB^ unequal^ and changeable ; for the love of the faints, as 1 faid, is up and down 6. Juf- tiiicatlon is the caufe ; fanftification the effect ; even as God's love is the caufe of our love. 7. Faith m iuflincatlon is an bijlrument receiving Chrift, as the Lord our right eon fnefs^ and apprehending the love and mercy of God in him ; but faith in fanclification is an agcnt^ employing Chrifl as the Lord our Jirength^ to enable us to manifeil our love to him. Thus we fee the priority of divine love and favour, and acceptation and juftification before any w^ork of ours ; andfo, how any can maintain, that adual gofpel-repentance (which nuul be a work of our^J, and apiece of fandlificatiou at Icaft) doth go before, and is neceiTary in order to juftification, let the judicious conftder, without reced- ing from our ftandards, and binding their faith to the belt of any fallible creatures, councils, or ads. That legal repsfitance^ or humiliation and convidion, and fenfe of fm, does go before juftification, in order of dhlne operation^ is plain ; and that habitual fan£tifica- tion, or regeneration, and the infuftng of all grace into the foul, is alfo precious, is not denied : But that go fp el-repentance^ or any part of a£lual fandification, IS neceilary in order lo juftification and pardon, I do not fee how it is poihble to maintain that, v/ithout running into the Roman camp, and fighting wdth po- pllli weapons, and inverting the order of our text, making any part of our love to God neceiTary y^r/? in order to God's loving us, .But fure God's method of doing W'ill ftand in fpite of hell and earth : We love hlni^ he caufe he firft locoed us.
3, Hence we may fee, that as the perfuafion that is in the nature of faith lies in the apprehenfion of the love and mercy of God in Chrift to a man's felf in par- ticular ; fo this doctrine of faith doss not jiiake void. the law^ but c/lablifh and fulfil it^ if we confider love eis ike fulfilling of the law j for the language of this
text.
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 37
text, when read in the fingular number is, I love bim^ becaufe he firft loved me ; He jirjl loved me^ there is faith's apprchcnfion of the mercy of God in Chrift. It is true, a believer may fay, I know not whether he loved me or not ; but fure I am it is not his faith that l^iys fo, but unbeUef ; but the ftronger that his faith is, to be fure the more will he be able to fay, He loved me ; and the more he can fay this, the more can he fay the other alfo, / love h'wi : and there is obedi- ence, gofpel-obedience, the obedience of faith, which is a loving obedience ; for the law of Chrifl is a law of love : it is blafphemy againit the io^e of God to re- proach it, as a mother of licentioufnefs, and a nurfe of carnal fecurity. They that have the love of God in their eye, can take no encouragement from thence to fm ; for fm tends to cloud that light wherein they re- joice. If it were polhble for a believer to think that God loves him, and thereupon fliould take encourage- ment to fm, then I am bold to fay, it is not the faith of God's operation takes place at that time with him, but only a fancy, and a flrong temptation of Satan, working upon that fancy : for a true faith of God's love, brings holinefs, love, and obedience along with it, as natively as the riling-fun brings light. God's love of bounty difplayed, does as natively bring in our love of duty, as it is natural for the hre to bring heat. Is it pollible that God's communicating his thoughts of peace to a child will embolden him to nev/ afts of treafon ? No ; if the fenfe of God's love did not v/ear off, and fecurity and unwatchfulnefs Vvcar on, the believer's love would always be flaming in the fire of God's love. They have no experience of the love of God, who think that the difcovery thereof wouk} give them a licenfe to tranfgrefs.
4. Hence we fee, that as the believer is perfc^llv free from vindictive wrath, from the curfe and penal fan6lion of the law, fo his gofpel-obedience is not influ- enced by ^flavijl) fear of hell^ but by the love of God. How can -Jie man that is a^lually juilified, and accepted in the Beloved.^ and fo the a<ll:iial obje^: of God's e^' lafling, unchangeable love, ever fall under his. 'Sec
/
^8 Preventing Love. Sep.m. XVIIL
tive wrath 5 which is the threatning and fentence of .the law as a covenant of works ? And, how can the beUever that is obhged to beheve this love, be ever obHged to ferve from a fear of hell and vindictive wrath ? . That he may, through unbelief, apprehend God's vindictive v^Tath, and fear to be thrown into hell, is plain from common experience; but that the /^^r of hell ^iOmIA be either a gofpel-gracCy or a believer^ s duty^ is fome of the 7iezu divinity of our day. Filial child-like fear, wdiich is the believer's duty at all times, is every way confulent with love, yea, fuppofes and imports the faith of God's fatherly love ; but flavifli fear of hell, and vindictive wrath, excludes and oppofes it. See the context, verfe i8.- There is no fear in lo-ve^ but ppfed love cajleth out (llavilh and tormenting) /^<?r.
5. Hence we may fee, the difference betwixt the covenant of vjorks and the covenant of grace. The or- der of the covenant of works is, in fome refpeft, quite crofs to the order here fet down in our text ; for, in the covenant of works, our love of duty was hril to take place ; and after that God's love of boun- ty, as the reward of our perfect love and obedience, according to the old covenant paction ; whereas, in the covenpnt of grace, God's fhew^s firft his love of bounty, and then follows our love of duty. Never does the foul turn his affections tov/ards God, if the heart of God be iiot firft fet upon him. Herein dif- fer works in the new covenant, (for love, as I faid be- fore, is the fum of all work and obedience) from works in the old covenant. In the legal covenant, our love and work is iirft, and then God's favour and juf- tlfication ; but in the gofpel-covenant, God's love and favour in juftification is firft, and then our love and obedience follows. As the fame day that the vva« ters went off from the earth, and were gathered into the fea, the earth was adorned with grafs and flowers, and was fruitful ; fo when the deluge of w^rath goes off from the confcience, and the favour of God appears in juftification, then it is prefently adorned with the graces of the Spirit, and love among the chief of them,
fpringing
Serm. XVIIL Preventing Love. 39
fpringing up : whatever other motives engages to o- bedience here, yet love is the mod prevalent motive ; and here gratitude influences to obedience. In a word, the covenant of works was properly conditional to us, but the covenant of grace, however conditional to Chrid , who hath performed the whole condition in his obedience to the death, yet to us it is abfolutely free and unconditional. Upon v/hat condition have we God's love and favour?- Does not his love prevent all conditions ? He jirft loved us : his love prevents the true proper condition itfelf, namely, Chrilt's obe- dience ; for his love fent him to perform the fame, much more does it prevent all that men call conditions. O ! how far is our obedience, even the obedience of faith, from having any caufality, or proper federal conditionality in obtaining falvation, feeing our imper- fed love and obedience here is not the caufe, but the effect of God's love and favour partly difplayed, and our perfedjove and obedience in heaven will be the efl'ed; of the full vifion of his glorious grace in hea- ven, Where zve Jhall be like h'lm^ hecmife zve jhall fee him as he is f
6. Hence w^e may fee the blafphemy of thefe who fay, they are believers in Chriji^ and yet are not lovas cfGod; and who pretend to believe the grace of God, and yet turn his grace to lajcivioiifnefs ^ by continuing in enmity againfl him, and difcover their enmity by their ungodly practices ; T^he grace of God ^ that bring? falvation^ teaches us quite the contrary ; w^hat the law teaches preceptively, the gofpel teaches efieclively^ viz. To deny ungodUnefs and worldly hfis^ and to live foberly^ righteoiijly^ and godly ^ Titus ii. 11, 12. She 13 not the fpoufe of Chriil, but an adulterefs, that impu- dently abufes his love. They can have no true evi- dence of God's love to them, who have no love to him ; for our love to him is the native refult of his love to' us ; V\'e love hini^ becaufe he firji loved us, I'he love of God difcovered, knocks down the n:aural en- mity, which is the root of all difobedience ; and in- fluences to love, which is the fum of all obedience.
40 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
7. See hence the eminent privilege o^ the faints^ what- ever low thoughts the world may have of them. It is an honour to Hand in the prelence of princes, though but as fervants ; what honour then have all the faints to ftand with boldnefs in the prefence of God, and enjoy his bofom-love ? The queen of Sheba pronounc- ed a bleffing on the fervants of Solomon, v/ho flood before him and heard his wifdom ; how much more blelTed are they who ftand continually before the God of Solomon, hearing his wifdom and enjoying his love ? As they are happy, fo they are fafe. Here is a fare and fweet retreat to the faints in all the trials, re- proaches, and miireprefentations they undergo in the world. When a child is abufed in the flreet by llran- gers, he runs with fpeed to the bofom of his father ; there he makes his complaint, and is comforted. In all the hard cenfures and tongiie-perfecutioris Vv^hich the faints meet withal in the fhreets of the world, they may run to their Father, and be comforted ; his love can counter-balance all the world's frowns. O ! how are they privileged beyond all the hypocritical world ! — Hypocrites, for {\\t mod part, cannot be known or diif'erenced from faints, in regard of their external duty and enjoyment ; but while they are living in the love of their luds, the faints are fweetly wrapt up in the bofom of God's love ; they have this meat to eat, and refrefhment in the banqueting-houfe, wherein others have no fliare.
8. Hence fee where it is we may get our enmity killed^ and our love quickened ; it is even in the love of God. VvT'hat is the reafon that the world have no love to God ? Vv^hy, they cannot believe his love and good-will through Chrift ; and fo they live in enmity. What is the reafon that believers have fo little love to God ? Even becaufe :heir faith of his love is fo weak. It is by faith we know that God is in Chrijl reconciling the 'world to himfelf ; it is by faith we fee the King in his beauty^ and fo cannot but love him ; it is by faith that we hear his voice^ and untie i (land his words of grace, and fay. It is the voice of my Beloved : it is hj faith v/e embrace the promifes, which are fo many ir)ef-
iage5
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 4.1
fages of love : it is by faith we receive out of Chriffs fidnefs, and grace for grace ; or, as the word may be rendered. Love for love. Faith breaks the flicll of the promife, and then eats the kernel of God's love arid grace that is there. Faith is the bucket wherewith Vv-e draw, Chrift is the well, God is the fountain, and love is the water that we draw : O ! what get you in Chriil, poor foul, whenever you go to hini ? Can you not fay, O, I get more love to God than I had ! I never approached near him but I got a large draught and ample hil of love to God ; Out of his fulnef^ ^^e receive grace for grace, and love for love. In a word, by faith we behold the glory of the Lord as in a glafs, and are changed into the fame image ; and the image of God is love. O then, the little faith that takes place in our day, makes little love to God and his people ; faith and love are like twins that are born together, and live and die together. Go to the root of all our backflidings, and you will find it unbelief ; An evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God,
Ufe of e>:a?mnation. Try your flate by this doclrine, whether or not you be in a Hate 01 favour with God, and the objects of his love in a fpecial manner. How fnall I know, if he hath loved me ? You may know" it by that fruit and evidence of it in the text : if he hath manifeded his love favinQ-ly to you, then vou will love him, becaufe he hath loved you.
Quest. Hozv floall I knoiv, if I have that love to him, that is the fruit and effed of his firjl loving 'me f
Jnfiu. 1/?, If your love to him be luch as is the fruit of his love to you, then you have been conv/nic- ed of your natural enmity^ and that you never had any love, nor could have it, unleis the Lord*in love had, in fomc meafure, manifeUed himfelf in his grace. Many fpeak of their loving God ah their days, as if it were natural for them to love God ; poor creatures, they never faw or confidered, tiiat they Vvere born with a dagger of cnrnity in their hearts iigalnft God. Thefe that truly love him have fcen their want oi love, and fomething of the power and flrcngthuGf. their en-
Vol. IL F ^ mlty \
4^^ PREVENTiNb Love. Serm. XVIII.
mity ; and got it, in fome meafure, broken in a day of power..
2dly^ If you have fuch love to him, as is the fruit of his love to you, then you have feen his glory ^ and particularly the glory of his grace, and love to draw out your love towards him : Shew me thy glory^ fays Mofes to God ; yea, fays God, / will make all my goodnefs pafs before thee. His goodnefs and his love i? his glory. If you have feen his glory, furely you count oil things hut lofs and dung^ in comparifon of him.
'^dly^ If you have fuch love, as is the fruit of his love, then his lovelinefs and excellency hath engaged you to chufe\-\\m ; to chufe himfelf, for your God ; his Chrift, for your hufband ; his covenant, for your char« ter ; his precepts, for your rule ; his people, for your companions ; his purchafe, for your jointure ; his Spirit, for your guide ; his promife, for your cordial j his glory, for your aim.. If you have chofen him thus, and refolve to abide by your choice, it is a fruit of his cluifmg you from eternity: Ton have not . chofen me firll, but I have chofen you.
^thly^ If you have fuch love to him, as is the fruit of his loving you, then it is the faith of his love, that, in a fpecial manner, will influence you to obedience, in all the duties of religion ; If you love me^ keep my commandments : yea, the faith of his love will influence you to fuch a love to him, as will bring forth all the fruits of true love. And here I will tell you of fome of the fruits of true love to God, by v.:hich you may try your love to him.
r- I. One fruit of true love is this ; true love will make you love to be with him on earthy and long to be with him in heavm^ A (i.) On the one hand, true love w^ill make you love to be with him on earth ; and this love will make you rejoice when he is prefent, faying, 0/ my foul JImll re- joice in God my Saviour : and it will make you lament when he is abfent, faying, 0 / that I knew where I 7night find him ! You will love to be wdth him in your defre^ faying. He is the defire of all nations^ and tlic defire of my fouU You will love to be with him in
your
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 43
your delight^ laying, A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me^ be jhall ly alt night betwixt my breafts. You will .love to be with him in your walk and ccn-verfation, defiring to have your converfation in heaven^ and to walk with him. You will love to be with him in your ef- iee?n, faying, Who?n have I in heaven but thec^ and there is- none in earth that I dcfire beftde thee. You will love to be with him in your thoughts and 7iieditations^ fay- ing, My meditation of him Jhall be fweet. You will love to be with him in your duties ^wd perforinances^ in reading and hearing, and fmging, in communicat- ing, in praying. You will love to be with him, and to have him with you : particularly to be with him in prayer, is the moll frequent thing with tlie believer : how does he love to embofom himfelf to his God ! The Legalift may do the duty, but to be with Chrift in it, is what he is not much taken up with ; the believer is taken up with prayer, as a mean of communion with God. O 1 I cannot flay away from him, though he fliut the door upon me, and cover hinf elf with a cloudy that my -prayer cannot pafs through ; I cannot be ab- fent from him. It is one of the main things that makes earth tolerable to the believer, that he hath fometimes accefs to God, in Chrift, by the Spirit in prayer. If it were not for fome fweet meetines that he hath with the Lord this way, he would even be crying, O what a weary pjace is this earth ! O let me out of it 1 1 ■fay, the true lover loves to be vv'ith God, and to have *God with him. How does he» love to have God with him, by his fandifying grace, by his enlightening, en- largiag, enlivening, and comforting grace ? True lovers love one anothers company. And,
(2.) As the true lover of Chrifi: loves to be with him here, fo on the other hand, he longs to be with him hereafter, O to be in the place of perfed love, where there will be an eternal emanation of the k)ve of God ! O to be in the place of perfed likenefs to Chrift 1 For when he JJ^all appear^ we JJjall be like him ; for we jhall fee him as he is, Tho' they are reconciled to his v/ill, and made content to abide here, while he pleafcs, yet they are even longing for that day, when tbcy fliall
F 2 ha\'c
44 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIIL
have the immediate fruition of him, and be delivered from all fm : they defwe to be diffolvcd^ and to be with Cb-nji^ which is bcji of all, A carnal man may fay, O to be out of an evil world ! but the heart of the true lover fay, 0 to be with Chri/i f It is true, when the belie- ver'^s love is in frefh exercife, he will even fometimes be v/illing to abide in this world, notwithftanding of all the troubles and trials that are in it, if fo be he may glorify God in it ; whether by fuffering for him, or giving a teltimony againil: fm, and for the truth and honour of the Lord Jefus. O ! if 1 may be of e to any of thine ; if I may be of any fervice
,v u
.r.
to thy Majefty, and glorify thee by doing or fuffering , if thou wilt help me to ferve and honour thee in m.y life, let me even beg from door to door in the wilder- nefs ; through grace I v/ill chearfully endure any trou- ble, 2j\dL glory in ?iiy infirmities^ that the power of Ch rift may reft upon me. This fubmilhon is not inconfiftent
\i\x\i his longing to be v/ith the Lord. —Thus, I fay,
true lovers of God, they love to be with him on earth, and long to be with him in heaven. / 2. True love will make you long to be like him^ / faying, 0 to he boh^ as God is holy ! 0 to be conform to \ the image of his So?? ! 0 to he like unto Chriji ! In- deed, the man that hath mod of the im.age of God, will readily fee himfelf the mod unlike to him ; and look upon himftlFas the mod unholy perfpn on earth. O ! my underdanding is like a dark dungeon, my v/ill is like a devil, and my heart like a hell ; and yet fomething of the light of God it is that thus difcovers ]/im to hiinfelf, fo unlike to God : and fomething of the love of God it is that makes him love to be like him, and defire above all things to be quit of fm, which is the devil's image, and to be endued with ho- Unefs, which is God's image.
3. True love will make you love to live upon him :
you will iove to live upon God the fountain of living
j water ; and love to live upon Chrid, y^jr zvifdom^ righ-
\ ieoufnefs., fanci if cation^ and redemption. The lover of
\ Cod is one that loves to live by faith on the Son of God ;
' Tt/ him to live is Cl^ri/l : Chrid is the Alpha and Omego
of
/:
Serm. XVIIi. Preventing Lovj^. 45
of his life ; the food and medicine of his life 5 the Autlior and Rcftorer of his hfe ; and the whole bu- nefs of his life. Many have little bufinefs with Chrilt; but the true believer, the true lover, Chrill is the whole bufinefs of life : like the woman that, they fay, took the body of her dead hufband and grind it to powder, and drank the powder in her daily drink, and fo made her body a living tomb for her dead huf- band. The believer is to live iliil upon a dead and /-crucified hufband.
/ 4. True lore to God will make you love to reve- \ rence him : godly fear is a true mark of love ; you \ will have a holy fear of difpleafmg him ; you will have a jealous fear, left your deceitful heart lead you afide from him : We receiving a kingdom that cannot he ihot- ed^ let us have grace^ [or, let us hold fajl grace^ vuhere- by ii:e may ferve God acceptably^ with reverence and godly fear : for our God is a confumlngfire^ Heb. xii. 28, 29. All this is inconnftent vv^ith the flavifli fear of hell : for the faith of receiving the kingdom, that can- not be moved^ and the fear of hell, which is a being excluded from that kingdom, are contradictory ; but let us fear our God in Chrift, who hath difcovered himfelf in Chrift to be even a c on fuming fire ; for this fire of infinite juftice took hold of the man Chrift Je- fus. AVhen God dwelled in the bufli of our nature, the bufh jpurned in the flame of divine wrath, and juitlcc was fatisfied this vv^ay : herein God gave a more awful inftance of his being a confumlng fire, in taking vengeance upon ftn in the Surety, than can be given by all the flames of hell, in which the wicked burn for eternity. But here God being in the bulh, the bufh burnt, but was not confumed ; He that was dead, is alive ; and behold he livethfor evermore. But we may turn afide, and fee this great fight, the bufn burnings Chrift fatisfying divine juftice : and what in the world fliould more influence to a holy fear than this ?
5. True love will make you to think well of him, and think 7io evil of him : Love thlnketh no evil, fay^ the apoftle. You will entertain good thoughts of God -/
and
46 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIIL
and conflrud all he does in the befl fenfe : though in aiHidion a faint may have harfh thoughts of God, and under a fit of temptation, yet habitually he enter- tains good thoughts of all God's dealings towards him. This or that difpenfation or afflidlion, however fevere, is either to mortify fome lull, or to exercife Ibme grace, or to difcover fome corruption, and re- move it. " O 1 how good is he that will not let me " alone in my fins, noif let me go with my faults, nor *' ceafe to he a Pveprover ! Love thinks no evil."
6. True love will make you love what he loves^ and haie what he hates ; and alfo love as he loves, and hate as he hates.
[1.3 True love will make you love what he loves ^ and hate what he hates ; and particularly to love his friends, and hate his enemies.
I/?, To love \\\^ friends ; his friends m office^ and his friends in heari,
(i.) His friends in office ; his miniflers, whofe of- fice it is to commend Chriil : furely they that love God, will love his friends ; they that love Chriil the Bridegroom, will love the friends of the Bridegroom, whofe work it is to fet them forth : How beautiful u- fort the mountains are the feet of them that preach the gof- pel of peace^ that bring glad tidings of good things^ that publifio fahation ! Ifa. lii. 15. Rom. x. 15. The rea- fon why they love fuch is, becaufe it is thqir work to open Chriil's love-letter that is fent to his bride, and to read it, and explain it to the bride ; and becaufe they love the fweet dodrine of the gofpel. Sorwe pre- tend a great love to the precepts of the hiw, but for the dodrine of the gofpel, and free juftification without the works of the law, they fufpect that as Antinomian fluff, oppofite to the law ; they will mock at Chrift's melTengers when they preach the dodrine of grace. But I feek no further evidence of an enemy to Chrifl than that. Some love all preachers, and all preach- ing alike ; they cannot difcern betwixt the one and the other : if you preach the dodrine of the gofpel to ^ them, they love that ; if you preach the covenant of Vr'Orks to them, and defire them to do fo and fo, and
there^
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 47
thereupon they fhall be juftified before God, they love that too ; all is fifli that comes in the net with them : but the flieep of Chrift know his voice ; and the voice of the Ihepherds, that convey his voice and mind to them, is fweet, and beautiful, and lovely to them.
(2.) They love his friends in hearty as well as his friends in office; the faints^ the excellent ones of fja earthy are thefe in whom is all their delight. He that loves him that begat ^ loves him that is begotten, Tlit^y love the brethreii^ as in the verfe following the text ; How can you fay that he loves God^ whom he hath mi feen^ when he loveth not his brother^ whom he hath feen? 'He that loves the parent, will love the child : they that love God, will love his childreji, that have his image, as a man will love the very pi6lure of the perfon whom he loves : they love the faints, though poor, as a mau will love gold, though in a rag ; and alfo will love them, though afiii^led, even as mettal in a furnace may be loved.
2^/y, As the true lovers of God will love his friends, fo they will hate his foes and enemies^ whether it be his open enemies without, or his fecret enemies with- in.
(i.) His open enemies without ^ even all the wicked and ungodly world ; Do not I hate them that hate t'Jyee, and am grieved with them that rife up againfl thee ? They that can delight in fellowfliip with thefe that are drunkards, fwearers, and blafphemers of the name of God, furely they cannot have the love of God at lead in exercife : the true lover of God hates the wic- ked as fuch. It is true, as they are the children of Adam, Bone of their bone^ and fief n of their fief d ; as they are poor miferable creatures like thtmfelves, they love them with a love of pity ; but as enemies to God, and in rebellion againft him, they can have no delight in them ; their company is a burthen to them.
(2.) As they hate his open enemies without, fo they hate W^fecret enemies within ; and thefe are their own lulls and corruptions, fhey hatefin^ who love God -y afid are engaged in a w^arfare againft fm, and hate their own lufts. He that loves God hates fm, whe- ther
4S Preventing Love. Serm. XVIIL
ther in hinifelfox others : he hates fin as God's enemy, and as that which is difpleafmg and dilhonouring to him ; and as that which mars communion v/ith God, that provokes him to anger, and unfits them for his fervice. O that loathfome, ugly thing fm ! that evil of evils, and devil of devils ! The man purfues it to death, and cannot reft till he gets his hands embrued, as it were, in its heart's blood : they li?ive taken up arms againft it, in the name of the Lord, and refolv- ed never to lay them down, till it be mortified and killed. They find indeed fometimes fin very lively and flrong in them, and themfelves led captive by the law of fin ; but this animates them fo much the more to purfue it to death. And as they hate fin in themfel- ves, fo alfo in others ; / beheld tranfgrcfors^ and was grie'ued, I would not give much for your pretenfi.ons to love, if you have no zeal againft fin ; love is the fire, zeal is the flame : they that love the Lord will
fliew forth indignation againft fin.> Thus, I fay,
true lovers of God will love what he loves, and hate what he hates.
[2.] True love will not only hate what he hates, and love what he loves, but hate as he hates, and love as he loves.
ly?, They will hate as he hates ; they will hate fin, as God hates it ; I fpeak not of degrees, but of fimilitude.
(i.) God hates fin with a natural h^trtdi^ as oppo- fite to his nature, will, and law, and diftionouring to him ; fo the true lovers of God vf]\\ hate fin with a natural hatf^d ; 1 mean, by virtue of his new nature, he will hate it as oppofite to God's nature and wlil, and diftionouring to his God.
(2.) God hates fin with 2iperfed hatred, andfo does the true lover of God ; they fay of God's enemies within them, as David, Pfalm cxxxix. 21. I hate them with aperfecl hatred ; their hatred is going on to per- fection.
(3.) God hates fin with an everloftlng hatred ; he -^vill never be reconciled with it : fo the true lover of
God
Serm. XVill. Preventing Love. ^q
God hates Tin with an enjerJoJling hatred ; a durable hatred ; they will never be friends Avith it,
(4.) God hates fm with wgrie-voys hatred ; fin grieve.^ his Spirit ; and is, as it were, a burden to liini : lie is preffed under it as a cart under Jheaves : fo the true lover is grieved with the body of Jin aiid deaib^ and pref- fed under it.
(;.) God hates fmv/ith ?i partings feparating hatred; he caits it away with loathing and abhorrence, being of purer eyes than that he can behold iniquity : fo the true lover hates hn fo as X.o part ivith it^ ?ind feparate from it : and while he cannot get himfelf rid of it, he loaths himfelf for it.
(6.) God hates fm with an avenging hatred ; he takes vengeance upon it where-ever it is ; even when it was found but impit'atively in Chrift, he took ven- geance upon it in the Surety : fo the true lover of God hates fm w^ith an avenging hatred ; yea, whdt re- venge does he meditate againfl it! 2 Cor. vii. 11. He would fometimes be at Sampfon's work, to pull down the houfe of that tabernacle upon the Philiflines to be avenged upon it, and cannot reft till it be deftroyed : be looks upon himfelf as wretched, fo long as it re- mains with him : 0 wretched man that I am I who jhall deliver mc from the body of this fin and death f — Thus he hates as God hates.
2<://}', They love as God loves. It is true God's love to them is infinite, their love is but finite ; his love to them is the love or a God, their love to him is but the love of creatures ; yet their love bears fome re- femblance of his love.
(i.) God's love to his creatures is a remembering love : he never forgets them ; Can a woman forget her fucking child ^ that fne jhoidd not have cornpajjicn on the fon of her wcmb f Tea, f^e may ; yet will I not for- get the^j faith the Lord. So, true love to God is ^ reme?nbering love : they cannot forget God ; they re- member his love more than wine, I will never forget thy precepts, for by them thou haft quicke?icd me. I can ne- ver forget fuch a word, fuch a glance, fuch a vifit, fuch
Vol. II. G a day,
5® Preventing L(>ve. Serm. XVIII^
a day, fuch a fermon, fuch a bank, fuch a valley, fuch a chamber, where God manifefted himfelf.
(2.) God's love to his people is a hearty and cordial
lore ; /?^ /o-x'^j /Z?^;/; w///j all his heart ; fo, where true
love is, it wall he with all the hearty foiil^ mind^ and
Jirength : as with the heart man believes^ fo with the
heart the believer loves.
(3.) God's love to his people is a manifejled love ; he does not conceal his love, but difcovers it : fo true love to God will be a manifejled love ; it will mani- feft itfelf, and vent itfelf in prayer, in praifes, in zeal, in obedience ; If you love me keep viy commandments* The true lover will vent his love by defiring to keep Chrift's words, keeping them in the heart ; ny word have I hid in my hearty that I may not offend thee ; keeping them in the pradice, by ordering the converfa- tion aright.
(4.) God's love to his people is an uniting love; it brings them to union with himfelf ; fo true love to God is uniting ; defires union, and cleaves to the Lord ;. it affefts nearnefs ; more and more nearnefs ; and ftill more and more nearnefs.
(5.) God's love to his people is a prevailing love ; it had many hinderances in its way ; mountains of guilt, mountains of fm, mountains of provocation, yet he did not call back his love again : even fo, true love to God, notwithftanding of hinderances and oppofition from earth and hell, and corruption within, yet is not drawn back, but labours to prevail ; and will, thro' grace, fight its way through all difficulties ; for love isfirong as death.
(6.) God's love to his people is a rejoicing love ; he rejoiceth in his love ; fo where true love to God is^ the man w^ill rejoice in his love ; delight in God and Chrifl, and be joyful in the God of his falvation.
(7.) God's love to his people is a rejling love ; Zeph. V. 17. He rcfis in his love; when it comes, it never thinks of removing any more ; "This is my rejl^ here will I flay ; fo where true love to God is, it is a refii?7g\ovc; it fays. Return to thy refi, 0 my foul. The true lover of God hath no other refting place but a God in Chrift.
(8.) God's
Serm. XVIII. Preventing Love. 51
(8.) God's love to his people is a communicative love ; his love inclines him and engages him to make over himfelf, and all that he hath, for the good of his people : fo, where true love to God is, it is fuch a co?nm7i7iicative love, that it makes the foul to give him- felf, and all that he is, and hath, to the Lord ; he commits his foul, body, and all the concerns of his fai- vation to him.
(9.) God's love to his people is a dijlinguijhing love ; he loves them above all others ; Since thou waft pre- cious in my fight ^ thou haft been honourable ; and I have loved thee^ Ifa. xliii. 3, 4. So their love to him i^fu- perlative love ; they love him above all things ; and in all things he hath the pre-eminence.
(10.) God's love to his people is in Chrift ; they arc accepted in the Beloved ; fo, true love to God is a love to God in Chriji ; out of Chrift they cannot love him, but fear and flee from him : but in Chrift
he is amiable and lovely to them. ^Now, by thefe
things you may try whether you love God, fo as your love is a fruit of his firft loving you.
Ufe of exhortation. Is God's love to his people the caufe of their love to him ? then be exhorted, i. To fcek the view of God's love to you. 2. To render him love for love*
I. Seek a view of God's love to you ; fay not in your heart, Alas ! all are not loved of God, and it may be not you ; but rather fay. Many are the ob- jects of his love, and why not me ? Why, fay you, the firft object of faith cannot be to believe that God hath loved me. Indeed you cannot know God's love to you till he manifeft the fame ; and he does not mani- feft his love but in Chrift, in whom is proclaimed ^^^r^ on earthy and good-will towards men^ becaufe Cbrift hath brought in glory to God in the highefi ; and there- fore the way to know the love of God to you, is to be- lieve his love and good-will in him ; and in coming to him, the love of God is known and believed. How do the faints get to know the love of God to tl 1111? It is even by believing his love in Chrift, 1 John iv. 1 6. We have knozvn^ and believed the love that God hath tc us,
G 2 If
52 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
If you look to God out of Clirift, yoli never fee his love to you, or any fniner like you, but wrath and vengeance illued out aganift you ; but if you look to God in Chrift, then you may fee good-will towards men ; for, God is in Chrijl rcconciUrig the world to him-
felf. Why, fay you, 1 cannot find any love in my
heart towards God ; and therefore, how can I believe his love, or heart to be tov^ards me ? Indeed, man, you will never love God till you take up fomething of his love and good-Vv'ill towards you ; your way of doing is a prcpofterous courfe, and a way to rob God of his glory, to think you mud love him firft, and then exped that he will love you : lay down your carnal reafoninr, and feek grace to apprehend the mercy of God in Chrill, and that will open your foul to let out your love towards him. — —Why, fay you, I fee no ground why he fliould love me I there is no caufe, no reafon in the v\'orld5 but all the reafon in the world, why he fliould not love me ; and therefore, how can I be perfuaded of his thoughts of love towards me ? To this we might reply. That God fpeaks love, mer- cy, and good-v^ill towards you man, you woman, by this gofpel, as particularly as ever he did to any elect foul, the day before he met with the day of power ; for the general tenders of grace in the gofpel are to ail : and as for a caufe of love, he hath as much caufe to iix his love on you as ever lie had upon any of the chil- dren of men ; that is, he had no caufe at all without himfelf : and if you can attain to believe his grace and good-vv'iil tov/ards you, and that by a faith of his own operation, you (hall not be deceived. When I call you to believe thus, I am not calling you to fancy that God loves you, or to perfuade yourfelves in a natural v/ay ; nay, I call you to 2. faving faith ^ which 1 know you can never attain unto without a pull of omnipo- tency : and if that power accom.pany the call, then the duty called to vv'ill be put in pradice, and not other- wise : therefore, O feek the pov/er of God to perfuade you of the good-will of God in Chrift. All that hear me are obhged to receive Chrift, as a token of God's
love j
Serm. XVIII. Prevknting Love. 5j
love ; For God fo loved the tvorld^ that he gave his only begotten Son^ that ivhofoever bclieveth on him^ and recelveth him^ might not perijh^ but have evcrhyiing life. He that believcth^ Jlmll be faved : he that believeih not^ pall be damned. If tlierc be iiifiiperable difHcultics and objedions in your way, I cannot help it ; the God who calls you, can remove them ; but it is at your peril, if you rejed his call : you fliall never have it to fay in hell, that the good-will and favour of God was never proclaimed to you ; for I take the moun- tains and hills that are in your view, to witnefs, that I proclaim, through Chrift, Peace on earthy and good- will towards men ; and that God is in Chriji reconciling the world to himfclf. Why, would we have the greatelt hnner, and vileft debauchee among us all, to believe the love and good-will of God towards them ? To this w^e reply, Vvniilft you are in a fmful flate, you are indeed under the wrath and curfe of God ; and if you continue therein, you will be damned for ever, as fure as God lives ; and you will continue there for ever, unlefs you come to get the apprehenfion of the mer- cy of God in Chrift ; but whenever you get this ap- prehenfion of God's love, then 1 defy you to conti- nue in a ftate of fm, or in a courfe of fm and enmity. Will a man receive Chrift, and believe the love of God in him, and yet keep faft hold of his lufts ? No, I defy him, it is not poflible ; and therefore it is to kill your enmity and deftroy your fm that God would have you to believe his good-will in Chrifl:. I re- member that ftory of a godly man, that faid to a witch, when nothing elfe could foften her heart, " I do. Cays ^' he^ in the name of the Lord Jefus, charge you to '• come to Chrift for falvation ; to come to him for '^ faith, repentance, and remiffion of fm, and you fliall '' have acceptance, and be received into the favour- " of God in him.'* The poor witch was made to fay, " O, Sir, ihall I believe your word ? My life for you, ^^ fays he^ if you rely upon Chrift." Immediately her bands were loofed ; and the Lord brought her to a deep humiliation for fm, and fenfe of the favour of God, fo as ftie gave evidence, by the teftimony of
difceru-
54 Preventing Love. Serm. XVIH.
difcernlng perfons, that the Lewd had fhewn mercy to her. O if you knew how the Lord is faying to his fervants, O fy upon you ! will you not compel thofe people to come in and clofe with Chrift, as the great pledge of God's love ? O ! go to God, when you can get an opportunity to be alone, and fay, Lord, 1 have been called to believe, but my heart is hard, and thou only can break it : O ! come and fave the chiefefl of fuiners, whereby thou wilt get more glory than ever thou had by any of Adam's pofterity : cry to him, Lord^ I believe^ help thou my unbelief,
1, I would exhort you to render him love for love : jmd this exhortation concerns believers particularly. O, love him, becaufe he Jirjl loved you. What a fliame is it for you, believer, if you do not love him who firft loved you i And to engage you, confider,
(i.) Whofe love it is ; it is the love of him, who in himfelf is allfiifficientj who hath no need to go forth with his love to others ; the love of a God^ O what a vaft confideration is it !
(2.) Confider who you are that are the objeds of of his love ; fo wicked, fo wretched, fo unworthy of his love. That God fhould love the glorious angels is no wonder ; for they are mejfengers and minijlers exe- cuting his pleafure : that he fnould love inanimate crea- tures is not iirange ; for hail^ fnow^ vapour^ andflor^ 7ny wi7id fulfil his word : but to love you is a wonder y and to love you while enemies,
(3.) Confider what fort of love it is. It is eternal love ; before the foundatioyi of the worlds his delights were with the fons of rnen^ from eternity : the very thoughts of this is enough to make all that is within you, like the babe in the womb of Elizabeth, to leap for joy, that you lay in the bofom of his love from eternity : and will you not love him ! — His love is a free love ; if you deferved his love, his love would be of lefs value ; but that which is eternally antecedent, mud be abfolutely free. — His love is unchangeable love : though you change every day, his love is unchange- able. Could any provocation turn away his love, it had ceafed long fmce j but as he fet his love upon you,
ROt-
Serm. XVIII. PpvEventino Love. ^^
notwithftanding all the faults you were, and he knew you would be, guilty of, fo it continues notwithftand- ing all. — His love is a dijlijiguijhing love ; why Ihould he have fixed on you, and pafled by millions from whom you differ not by nature ? Why hath he paffed by your father, mother, brother, fifter, and fet his love upon you ? And, O 1 will you not love him ? — His love is a bountiful love ; with his love he gives himfeif, his Chrift, his Spirit, his grace, his glory, and all. See how the pfahnift extols this love, Pfalm ciii. I. Blefs the Lord^ 0 ?7iyfoul, who pai^dons all thine iniquities^ who healeth all thy difeafes^ &c. Who par- dons all thine iniquities ! O, it is no fmall thing to for- give or to pardon three or four fins, but it is yet more to pardon three or four thoufand fins : Who can con- ceive of that love 1 but to forgive many millions of faults ; O what love is here ! And fo he deals with thefe whom he loves ; He multiplies to pardon ; yea, more, he heals all your difeafes, O poor finner, have you not many plagues, many difeafes, yea, more than you are aware of? If you knew the plagues of your own heart, you will be crying out, O the plague of my mind, the plague of my will, the plague of my all'ediions ! O my atheifm, unbelief, hardnefs, blind- nefs ! &c, O what innumerable evils compafs me a- bout; fay you ! O what horrible evils 1 yea, why do I call them evils, they are fo many devils within me ; yea, but for as many as they are. He heals all thy di^ feafes ; and for as grievous as they are. He fuppUes all your wants : fuch alfo is his bountiful love. My GodJJoall fupply all your wants. Are you not made up of wants ? Do you not want light, life, love, faith, repentance, joy, affurance, peace, communion with God? Yea, but fome- times even on earth he fupplies all wants, fo as to make you fay, / have enough, O does not this bountiful love, call for love ?
(i.) Confider the channel in which this love runs :
Chriil is the means of the communication of the love
of God ; you have the love of God the Father, in the
Son, by the Holy Ghoft : Chrift is the channel. Love
i the Father ii? like the honey flower ; it muft be in
the
5^ Preventing Love. Serm. XVlIl.
the comb, before it be for our ufc : Clirift muO: ex- trad and prepare this honey for us. And^ O how fweet is that love, that runs through fuch a glorious channel !
In a word, confider the excellency of the grace of love. Love to God is \\\t fulfilling of the law ; all that it requires is love ; love is the great qualification of the faints above ; the more love you have, the more like heaven you will be ; and the more love, the more meetnefs for heaven : heaven would be a burden, and a wearinefs to you without love ; if you had not love, you would throw yourfelf out of heaven into hell. If you have love, you will find it make every duty plea- fant ; the obedience of love is fweet obedience. Yea, love will make all your crolTes to be comforts ; where there is little or no love, the crofs is infuppdrtable ; the man cries, O a bitter crofs ! 0 the gall and worm- wood I yea, but love would be like the tree cad into the waters of Marah, to make them become fweet. If you have much love, it will make you fay of af- fliction, O this is the cup that my kind Father hath put in my hand ! And Jh all I not drink it f Welcome whatever he fends.
0 love the Lord^ ye his faints^ and manifefl your love by your obedience : will you render him hatred for love ? O let his love to you warm your heart with love to him ; and in order thereto,
1. O do not doubt of or queftion his love to you ; beware of renouncing that which engages you to love him : it is the devil's great aim to have you miftruf- ting God's love, that fo you may not love God again.
2. Attend ail his love vlfits^ and thankfully receive them ; think not little of his ordinary vifits, when in any meafure he manifefls his love through the lattices of ordinances ; ^^fp'f^ ^^^ i^^^ ^^f-J of f mall thi?2gs ; and efpeciaily, O make much of his extraordinary love -vifits, when he mounts you up at any time into the chariot paved with love I
3. Take heed oi abiifing\\\s love: beware ol fpot^ ting your garments with the flcfli^ after God has fprcad ]ois Jlilrt over you. To fm againfl: love is a dreadfully
aggra-
SeRM. XVIII. PRX VENTING LoVE. ^y
aggravated fin. It v/as a fad blot upon Solomon, tlrdt his heart was turned from the Lord, After that the Lord God of Ifrael had appeared to him tivice^ i Kings xi. 9.
4. Beware of confidence in the fiefb^ and expcfting that your love fhould influence God to do you good ; the love of Chr'ijl mufi conjlrain you ; think not that your duties and obedience lliould conflrain him : O beware of inverting the gofpel at this rate, and turn- ing it upfide down ! If his love excite you to love ard obedience, then your love and obedience does not excite him to love you. We inight fear every day, that the heart of God would be turned to hate us, if our hopes of abiding in his favour v/ere built upon our bed: love and obedience.
I would fend away the haters of God with a word oi terror. Know that if you cannot be perfuaded to the love of God, if his love does not break you in time, his vengeance will break you to eternity : ''The enemies of the Lord pall be like the fat of raws ^ they jh all con- funic ; into f moke fl^ all they confume away. If you love not C'lirifr, know what the apoftle fays. If a man love not our Lord Jefus Chrift^ let him he Anathema. I will tell you what is fad, the day Is coming, wherein you Ihall fay to the rocks and mountains ^ fall on us, and hide us from the face cf him that f diet h on the throne^ and from the Lamb ; for the great day of his wrath is come ; and who fl^ all he able to Jhrndf You will ly for ever under the fiery mountain of divine vengeance. I will tell you what is yet fadder, and you will think ftrange what that can be ; in Ihort it is fad, that before this day eight days, all that I am faying; will be for- gotten ; yea, before the morrow at this time, the im- preliion of ail will be gone.
I would fend away the lovers of Chrift, x}at lovers of God with a word of comfort. You love God, and God loves you, and God's love to you is ground of com.fort. — Comfort in what you have ; what you have, in polfelhon, you have it with a hkffn'i ; what you have in expetlation in the promife, is in love ; and therefore the promife is free, becaufe of God's love m it \ the proniife is firm, becaufe of his love in it. —
Vol. W, H Com-
^S Preventing Love. Serm. XVIII.
Comfort in what you want ; fihce you have God's love, youJJoall not want. — Comfort in what -^oufear ; Tou need fear no evil, — Comfort in what you do ; All your ferviccs will be accepted ; all your fms pardoned, tho' he fhould take vengeance on your inventions, — Comfort in what ^ovi fuffer ; you fliall be fuftained and fupport- ed ; and though you may fufferthe lofs of gifts, goods, liberty, life, yet you cannot lofe God, Chrift, the Spi- rit, grace, heaven, or God's everlafting love. O go
away with the comfortable fenfe of his diflinguifliing love !
In a word. Are you lovers of God ? O go away rejoicing in it, that he firjl loved you ; he is not behind hand with you ; He loved you before you loved hinu You were eledled by the grace of God from eternity ; you were redeemed by the blood of Chrift, you arc cer- tainly effe6lually called ; For they that love him are the called according to his purpofe ; and the day comes, when you fliall enjoy the objed of your love in a full manner. If you be true lovers of Chrift, I certify you, the time is coming, when you ftiall fee Chj'ijl as he is, and be for ever with the Lord, and enjoy him for e- vermore ; and love without decay, and love Vv-ithout wearying fhall be your everlafting exercife : you ftiall rejoice in an immediate enjoyment of him. You v/ere upon his heart from eternity ; you are upon his heart this day in heaven, for you his eternal Son came to the world ; for you he lived, for you he died ; your love to Chrift is a reflex of his and his Father's love to you ; and there is not a true lover of Chrift here, but hath as good ground to fay as ever Paul had, He loved me,, and gave himfelf for me. Your love to him is an infallible pledge of his ancient love to you, a pledge of his pre- fent love to you, and a pledge of the future enjoyment of him. O let your heart, and life, and tongue, and all that is within you, and about you, vent love to him, and fay. We love him^ becaufe hefrfi loved us !
SEPvMON
L, 59 J
SERMON XIX^
The Militant's Song; or, the Belie- ver's Exercise while here below.
Psalm ci. i.
Iwillfing of mercy and judgment : unto thee ^ 0 Lord, will I fing.
HOPE, the fubjed I am here in providence di- recled to, will natively lead us, if the Lord blefs it, to a fuitable exercife upon a thankfgiving-day after a communion ; even v/ith gratitude of foul to ling the praifes of a God in Chrift, and that whether we have met with a fmile or a frown from heaven, or both, at this occafion. If any here have got a fmile,' or found him to be a fmiling and a prefent God, they may Ihig of incrcy ; if any here have got a frown, or found him to be a hiding God, they may fmg of Judgweut ; or, if any here have got both a fmile and a frown, they may fmg of both, and fay, / il-iH fing cf mercy and judgment : unto thee, 0 Lord, zvili IJtng.
The words contain the pfalmiil's holy refolutkn to praife and glorify God for all his difpenfations towards him, now that he v;as advanced to the kingdom of Ifrael : and in them you may fliortly notice, i . The fweet work that is refolved upon, namely, tofing. 2. The iwcti finger that thus refolves, namely, David ;
* This fermon was preached at Carnock, on Mondsy, July — , 1723^ being a thankfgivmg day, immediately aftT the celebration cf the Tacrament ot the Lo.d's Tiipper iheic ; and haih already under- gone fix imprelTions.
II 2 1 ^icill
6o The Militant's Song ; cr^ Serm. XIX.
I iviil ftng. 3. T\\Q {\MCCtfuhjecl of tlie fong, namely, jiiercy ?,\\d judgment. 4. The Iweet objed of this praife, ar.d the manner in which he would fmg it ) Unto thee, 0 Lord, ^^'ill Ifing,
1. The fweet work that is refolved upon, namely, to fing. It is the work of heaven, and a very fit work after a communion, to fmg a fong of praife to God, in the manner w^iich we may afterwards explain.
2. The vNttct fmgcr ; I will fing. The title of the pfalm {hews it was David's, the man after God's own heart ; the man anointed by the God of Jacob, and the fweet pfalmill of Ifrael ; for fo he is called, 2 Sam, xxiii. I-
3. The fweet fubjed of the fong, or the matter of it, namely, rnercy 2.\\d jifdgment. God's work tow^ards his people is chequered work ; a mixture of mercy and judgment : and when he exercifes us with both, it is our duty to fing of both, and to be fuitably ati^eded v/ith both ; whether our circumfiances be joyful or forrowful, ftiii we muff give glory to God ; and, in e- very thing give thanks : neither the laughter of a prof- perous condition, nor the tears of an aitiided condi- tion mufl put us out of tune for the facred fongs of praife.
4. The fweet object of this praife, and the manner in which he refolves to fmg it, Unto thee, 0 Lord, will I ftng. It is in the moff folemn manner that he addrefies the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, and dedicates his fong to the praife of a God in Chrift ; U72io thee, 0 Lord, will I fmg. But I refer tlie further explication to the profecution of a do^lrine from the words,
Osserv. T/W, as the people of God hath both mercy and judgment in their lot in this world ; fo^ from both they may have matter of a fong of praife unto God,
They have occafion in this world to fing both of mercy and judgment. We find the pfalmill frequently (inging both of mercy and judgment ; as Pfalm xxx. 6j — 9» Pfalm xlii, 7, n. Ypu have an elegant de-
fcription
the Bei.ievfr's Exercise while here helo^ju, Gi
fcriptlon of the lot of God's people, while here, as confiftiiig both of mercy and judgment, and fo afford- ing occafion to fmg of both, 2 Corinth, vi. 8, 9, 10. ; where you will fee the blink and the fliower ; the mer- cies and judgments that are in their lot ; how God hathfet the one over agalvjl the other ; By honour and dijhonour^ by evil report and good report^ &c. Thus they have occafion to iing both of mercies and croffe^, while they hnd the Lord fupporting them under trials, and remembring mercy in the midil of wrath, and making all things work together for good to them ; I will ftng of mercy and judg?ncnt ; unto thce^ 0 Lord, will I ftng. The Chaldee paraphrafe of this text is remark- able, and fuitable to the doctrine I have raifed from it, namely, it is as if the pfalmift had laid, ' If thou ' bedowed mercies upon me : or if thou bringefl any ' judgment upon me ; before thee, O Lord, will I fmg ' my hynm for all.'
The method I propofe, for profecuting this do<^rine, through divine aid, is the following,
L I would fpeak a little of the mercies that the peo- ple of God meet with ; and what it is />2. thefe that affords them matter of a fong of praife.
IL I would fpeak a little of tht judg?nents they are triRed with ; and what it is /'« judgment that may be matter of a fong of praife to God.
in. What this finging imports ; and hew we are to fmg of mercy ^nd judgment \ where we may no- tice what is imported in the pfalmiu's rcfclution, and the manner of exprefling it ; / will fing of mercy and judgment ; unto thee, 0 Lord, will I fing,
IV. Why it is fo ordered of the Lord, that his peo- ple are made to ling, both of mercy, and of judg- ment.
V. Draw fome inferences for the application,
I. I Timfirji to fpeak a little of mercy, of which they ought to fmg ; and here I would fliew, i. What this mercy is ; and, 2. Wliat it is in mercy that may be matter of a fong, or afford ground of fmging.
Ill, What
62 The Militant's Song ; or^ Serm. XIX.
ijlj What this mercy is, Mercy, in God, fignifies a propenfity or readmefs of mind to help and fuccour fuch as are in milery : and it carries in it an inward commotion and moving of bowels, as God fays of Ephraim, Mj bowels are troubled for him ; I willfurely have mercy upon him^ Jer. xxxi. 20. God, to acco- modate hiriLleif 10 our capacity, fpeaks after the man- ner of man, afcribmg human aifeftions to himfelf. I might here fpeak of the general mercy of God towards all, both jufi: and unjull : for, He is good to all, aiid his tender inercies are over all his works, Pfal. cxlv. 9. He makes \n% fun to ftnne, and his rt'in to fall upon good and bad : and all fhould nng of his mercy, if it were no more but for life, and health, and ftrength from him. There are fome common gifts that all men have from him, and fome common graces that fome have more than others ; but I fpeak efpecialiy of fpe- cial mercies ; and indeed there are of thefe, that the vifible church hath, befides the reft of the world, even the wi(^ked among them ; and, if they could, they ihould fmg of thefe mercies ; fuch as, their hearing the gofpel, and the joyful found ; their getting the offer of Chrifl, and falvation through him : but I fpeak mainly of the fpecial mercies, that bear the ftamp of his everlafting love tov/ards his chofen and hidden ones : mercy bred in God's bread from all eternity, wdiereby he made choice of fome of the fallen mafs of mankind in Chrifl, who is the channel wherein this mercy does flow in various flreams : and I fnall men- tion a few of thefe, for there would be no end of fpeaking, to mention all that might be faid, or yet to enlarge upon all that may be mentioned.
I. There is the mercy of God, in fending Chrifl iQ be the Saviour, We fmd the angels fmging of this mer- cy, Luke ii. 11, 14. faying. To you is born in the city of David, a Saviour ; Glory to God in the highefi, on earth peace, and good-will tozuards men. Good-will and mercy towards man, becaufe there is peace on earth, and reconciliation through Chrifl, who brings in glory to God in the high ft ; Godfo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that zv hole ever believeth in him.,
Pould
the Believer's Exercise while here below, 63
jlmild not perijh^ but ha^e everlajiing life, John iii. 1 6. It is indeed 2.fo without 'd.fuch; a love without a pa- rallel : here mercy Ihines.
2. There is mercy in the death of Chrijl ; fee how the four and twenty elders fmg of this mercy ; T^bou wofl flain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of, every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation ; and hajl made us to our God kings and priefls : and the angels join iflue with them, to the number of ten thoufand times ten thoifand, and thoufands of thoifands, faying, with a loud voice. Worthy is the Lamb that was
flain, to receive power, and riches, and wifdom, and Jlrength, and honour, and glory, and blejjlng. Rev. v,
0,-12.
3. There is a mercy that he fhews, in raifing if Chrijl from death, and in raifing and quickening us to^ gether with him. We find the apoflle finging of this mercy ; But God, who is rich in 7nercy, for his great love wherewith he hath loved us, even when we zucre dead in fins, hath quickened us together with Chri/i, and hath raifed us up together, and made us ft together in heavenly places in Chrijl Jefus, Eph. ii. 4, 5. If Chrift mufl die, he mufl conquer death, that his people may be 7nore than conquerors in him over death ; bothy^/- ritual death, whereby we were under the power of fin ; and legal death, whereby we were under the guilt of fin, and fentence of the law. In oppofition to both thefe, the life of regeneration, and the life of juilification is conneiSled with this merciful quickening- together witli Chriu ; as you fee. Col. ii. 13. Tou, being dead in your fins and the uncircumcifion ofyourfejh, hath he quickened together with hlni ; having forgiven you all trejpajjes, O how does the pfalmift fing of this mercy ! BleJ^s the Lord, 0 my foul, — who forglveth all thy fins, and healeth all thy difeafes, Pfalm ciii. 2, 3.
4. There is mercy that he fliews, in cleanfng the foul from the filth of fin, as well as the guilt thereof, till it be waOied and made quite clean at lall. Sec how the faints do fvveetly fing of this mercy, Rev. i. 7. where I tliinx they fing both of pardoning and puri-
fvinsf
64 I'he Militant's Song 5 <?r Serm. XIX.
fying mercy ; 'To J)i?n that loved us^ and waJJoed Ksfrom OUT Jins in his own bloody to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever^ Amen.
5. There is mercy that he flievvs, in adopting fuch heirs of hell by nature, to be the children of God by grace : and you may fee how believers fmg of this mercy; Behold ^ what 7nanncr of love the Father hath heftowed upon us^ that we fljoidd be called the fons of God! I John iii. i. He makes them his children, and gives them the Spirit of adoption ; Becaife ye are fons ^ he hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts^ crying^ Abba, Father. He gives them the mark and feal of his children, even the Spirit as a Spirit of prayer, and as a Spirit of faith, and a Spirit of love, working the love of God in our hearts, who are by nature enemies : and, O what mercy is here !
6. There is mercy that he lliews, in conferring the high dignity oi priefthood and royalty upon them ; fee how they fmg of this mercy ; To him that loved iis^ — and hath made us kings and priejls unto Godj and his Father [or, to God, even his Father ;] to hi?n be glory ^ Rev. i. 5, 6. Kings unto God, hov/ ? Even to fight for him againit fm, Satan, and the world, and conquer all our enemies in his name. Friejls unto God, how ? Even to offer fpiritual facrifices, acceptable to God by Jefus Chrifl ; to offer our prayers and praifes, fouls and bodies to him, on our altar, Jefus Chrift. Thus they are made kings and pri efts ; and therefore called •^ royal priefthood : a prieilhood of kings, or a king- dom of priefis.
7. There is mercy that he iliews his people, in a- hiding 2Xid.ftanding hy them in all diftlcidties, fo as no- thing fhall ever be able to fepar ate them from the favour of their God. See how fweetly the apoflle Paul fmgs of this mercy ; Whoftjallfcparate us from the love of Chrift f Shall iribidation, or diftreffes, or perfecution, or famine, jor nakednefs, or peril, orfwordf — Nay, I am perfuad- ed, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor princi- palities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to CG7ne, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, Jhall be able to feparatc us from the love of God which is in
Chrift
the Believer's Exercise zvLile here bchzv. 65
Chrijl J ejus our Lord^ Rom. viii. 2,S^ — 39* ^^^ ^^^^' neither deaths nor rtft\ nor angels do it, yet may not fin feparate me from the mercy and love of God ? In- deed it may feparate, fo as to make a fearful defertion, but never fo as to make a final fcparation ; for, Hh mercy endures for ever : and he hath faid, I will never leave thee^ nor for fake thee, tie will vifit their iniquity with the rod^ — but his loving-kindnefs will he not take away. My mercy will I keep with him for evermore^ and my covenant jhall ftand f aft with him^ Pfal. Ixxxix.
28, 3^' ZZ^
8. There is mercy that he fliews, in giving many merciful experiences of his goodnefs and mercy following them all the days of their life ; fuch as the pfalmifl fmgs of, Pfahn xxiii. 6. It is true, the leading mercy of all, is God himfelf, Chrift himfelf, the Spirit himfelf ; one God in three Perfons, is their God ; made over to them in that word, / will he your God, Here is the fountain-mercy of all niercies, of which they may fmg, faying, nis God is our God for ever and ever,, and will bs our guide, even unto death. And indeed to fing of mercy, is to fmg of a merciful God : but as we knov/ the nature of the fountain by the fweetnefs of the fireams, fo we may take a view of fome more of thefe flreams, under the notion of n^.erciful experiences ; and I name thefe following, by which a long ot mercy may be excited.
(i.) There are merciful intimations and communica* fwns^ that they foinetinies g<di^ to miake them ling of mercy. Sometimes he imtimates his love, faying, / have loved thee with an cverlafing love : Sometimes he intimates pardon, faying, /, even I am he, that blot- teth out thy tranfgrcffions, and will remember thy fins no more : Sometimes he intimates acceptance, faying, O man, greatly beloved ; and the intimation fets them a wondering and praifmg : Sometimes he communicates his mind and \i\% fecrets to them, Thefecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will foezv unto them his covenant : Sometimes the fecrets of his providence ; he will tell them what he hath a-m.ind to do with them- felves, and v;hat he hath a-mind to do with Inch a
Vol. 11. 1 friend.
66 T/je Militant's Song ; or, Serm. XIX.
friend, and fuch a child, and fuch a land or church ; Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do f Some- times he communicates himfelf to them, faying, / am ihy God, I am thy jhield ; Fear not, for I am with thee : Sometimes fuch intimations and communications are given, as make all their bones to fay. Who is like un- to thee ?
(2.) There are merciful vifits after defertion, and after backfliding, that they fometimes get to make them fmg of mercy, when they have been heaping up moun- tains of fm and provocation betwixt him and them ; yet, after all, he hath come and given them occahon to fay, "The njoice of my Beloved, behold he cometh fJcip- ping upon the mountains, and leaping upon the hills. Cant, ii. 8. The voice of my Beloved ! O an exceeding fweet and powerful voice ! It had a found of heaven ; I thought the mountains would have kept him away, but I heard the found of his feet upon the mountains, that made my heart warm toward him again ; I had departed from him by an evil heart of unbelief, and I thought he would never return ; but, O he reflored my foul, and helped me anew to wreflle with him : We found him in Bethel, and there he f pake %uith us.
(3.) There are merciful acco?nplif])?nents of promifes, that they fometim.es get, to make them fmg of mercy. The Lord fometimes lets in a promife with life and power, and gives them a word on which he caufes them to hope. It may be he will give them a promife for themfelves, and it may be a promife for their children ; fuch as that, / will be thy God, and the God of thy feed ; and fometimes a promife for the church ; fuch as that, UpQii all the glory there Jhall be a defence : and fome- times he gives a wonderful accomplifl)?nent of promifes, like that of Hezekiah ; What jhall I fay ? he hath both fpoken, and himfelf hath done it : lie hath come to my foul, and made me fee that he is as goo~d as his word j and t\\2i\. faithful nefs is the girdle of his loins,
(4.) There is a merciful grarit of all their defires, that they fometimes get, to make them fmg of mer- cy. As the define of their foul is towards him, and the reme-mbrancs of his name ; fo he fatisfcs the longing foul,
and
the Believer's Exercise ivhik here below. €y
and fJIs the hungry iv'iih good things ; and gives tliem fdmetimes a Chrilt in their arms, who is all their faU vation^ and all their deftre : Delight thy f elf in the Lord^ and he ivill give thee the deftre of thy heart. Some have got their defires fatisfied abundantly, now and then ; they have got all that they could defire with refpe^l to temporal mercies ; all that they could defire with re- fpe<^t to fpiritual mercies ; yea, all that they could de- fire within time, till they get an armful of him before the throne.
(5,) There is merciful injlriiclion and illumination^ th;;t'they fometimes get, to make them fing of mercy ; T^he path of the juji is as the f fining light ^fmiing more and m.ore unto the pefeSl day. And therefore he gives them to learn fome lefibn more and more ; fome gof- pel-leffon, and gofpel-myftery, that they were in the dark about : and one great lefTon that he teaches them is, even the difference betv/ixt the law and the gofpel ; he teaches, them, that the law is holy^juft^ and good \ and how the gofpel crowns the law in all thefe refpeds : he teaches, that the law is holy in its eom- mands^ commanding perfect holinefs, perfcft obedi- ence ; and how the gofpel ihev/s where this per- feft obedience is to be had, even in Chrift, in whom they have not only ftrength to anfwer it as a rule of duty in part, but perfed righteoufnefs to anfwer it as a covenant of works completely : he teaches them, that the law is jcfi in its threatening^ the threatening of eternal death ; and how the gofpel fnews where this threatening hath vented lifelf, even in demanding and getting complete fatistaclion from Chrift the Surety ; and therefore may the foul fay. Well is me, for the fliower of wrath is over my head, and hath lighted u- pon the head of my Cautioner ! lie teaches them, that the law is good in its promifcs^ namely, its promifc of eternal life to perfed perfonal obedience : but withal he teaches them by the gofpel, how they hold their title to life, only in Chrifi:, to whofe perfecl obedience now all the promifes are made, and in whv?n all ihe promifes are Tea and Amen. O v/hat a mercv is it to learn thefe leffons in a faving wav ; Tc vou it is '^ii:cn
I 1 ' ' '' to
68 The Militant's Song ; or^ Serm. XIX.
to knozv the myjierics of the kingdom of God : he hath hid thefc things from the wife and prudent , and revealed them to babes ; even Jo ^ Bather^ f^^fi it feemed good in tbyjight,^
(6.) There are merciful fenfible enjoytnents^ v/hlch they ibmetimes get, to make them fmg of mercy : fouiethnes they get fenfible fights of his glory, and that in a way of beheving ; Said I not unto thee^ If thou vjouldfc believe^ thou Jhouldji fee the glory of God f
0 fays the man, 1 found faith to be the hardelt thing in the world, and yet he made me find it to be the eafieft thing in the world, when he carried me on tiie wings of the Spirit of faith ; and by faith I faw his glo- ry, and the glory of God in the face of Jefus. Vv^hen l{\)C2koi fenfible fight ^ do not miiiake me; for I know that faith and fight, or faith and fenfe, differ in feve- rai refpe6:s, which I am not now to open ; and yet faith brings in a kind of fenfe, it being the evidence of things not feen^ and the fuhjlance of things hoped for ; and therefore, by a fenfible fight ^ I mean, tht fpiritual
fcrfe of feeing by faith J znd feeing clearly ; forfometimes the man gets a fight of Chrift, as clearly as if he faw him with his bodily eyes : O, fays the man, I have fcen his fulnefs and fufhciency ; I fee his fitnefs and fuitablenefs for me ; I fee his worthinefs and excel- lency in himfelf. O none but Chrift, none but Chriil; as once a martyr, ilanding at a poft, and having mat- ches kindled upon him, and the flames about his fin- ger-ends, he clapped his hands together, and cried. Noire hut Chrifl^ none but Chrift.
Some men they get fenfible iaftes of his goodnefs ;
1 fat down under his fbadow w-iih great delight^ and his fruit was five et to my tajie, O how fweetly did I feed
upon the apple-tree, and plucked off the apples that grew upon this tree, the apple of imputed righteouf- ncfs, the apple of imparted grace, the apple of peace, the apple of pardon, the apple of aiTurance, the ap- ple of joy, the apple of contentment, the apple of love, the apple of liberty ! O the fweet fruit, the fweet apples that grow upon this tree of life ! I fat down tinder his fbadow with great delight^ &c.
Some^
/i^^ Bkliever*s Exercise while here below. 69
Sometimes they get a fcnfible hearing of his voice ; iike that in the Song, It is the voice of my Beloijed that knockcth^ Song v. 2. He knocked by his voice, lay- ing, Open to mc^ my Jt/lcr^ my fpoufe. O i'weet was his voice, when he faid to me, I %viU never leave thee^ nor forfake thee ! How fweet v/as his voice, when he faid. Be of good chear^ thy fins are forgiven thee ! when iie faid a word like that of the angel. Fear not^ Mary, for thou hq/i found favour with God! Did not my heart burn within me, when he talked with me by the way f In fuch a word, and at fuch a facrament, and fuch an ordi- nance, and fuch a duty ? Never 7nan fpake like this Man, It was the voice of a God that I heard ; for it was with fuch a glance of glory, as fet my heart all in a flame of fire.
Sometimes they get a fenfible f?ne!l of his ointments. O 1 his name had a fmell of heaven ; for, becaufe of the favour of his good ointment, his narne was as ointment poured forth, O 1 Ya% gar7nents had a fmell of heaven; all his garments fmell of aloes, myrrh, and CaJJta, out of the ivory palaces, I'he garment of his righteoufnefs had a fmell ; it is a facrifice of a fweet fmeUing favour ; and the perfume thereof puts away the ftinking fmell of fin : the garment of his graces had a fmell, when the Spirit breathed upon them, and the north and fouth-wind awakened, the fpices fent forth a pleafant fmell ; when the Spirit warmed my cold heart in du- ties, -diid, fire from heaven kindled the facrifice, then it mounted up to heaven, like a pillar offnokc, perfumed with myrrh and frankincenfe, and all the powders of the merchant.
Sometimes they get a fenfible /eWi/z^ of his power ; they have felt a fweet pov/er coming along with the word, the facrament, the prayer, the duty, that hath fet a lawful captive at liberty, and loofed their bands ; Truly I am thy fcrvant, thou hafi loofed my bands, Piau cxvi. 16. O fays the man. At fuch a time I am quit of the band of fear, I am quit of the band of unbe- lief, 1 am quit of the band of doubts, I am quit of tlie band of corruption -, a power hath come, and knocked
oif
70 The Militant's Song ; or, Serm. XIX.
ou" my fetters : I felt his hand pafiing through the hole of tiie door of my heart, and my bowels were moved for him ; he faid to me, as it were to unbe- ving Thomas, Reach hither thy hand^ and put into the hole of my fide ^ and let my wounds filence all your faithlefs fears, difcouragements, and jealoufies ; and 1 was obliged to cry out, My Lord^ and my God, I thought he took me, as it were, by the hand, as he did Peter upon the water, ready to fmk, faying, 0 why didft thou doubt f He flied abroad his love upon my heart ib fweetly, that I could doubt no more. I could have been content that the valley of vifion had been my burial-place, and that I had never gone bacic to the world again ; for his love ravilhed my heart, and (truck the bottom out of all my doubts and fears : I got all my backllidings healed ; I got all my prayers anfwered ; I got my burdens eafed ; 1 got grace to pour out my foul into his bofom ; 1 got grace to bring all my corruptions to him, to be dallied to pieces ; I got grace to creep into his heart, and hide myfelf in his wounds ; I got grace to cad all my burdens over upon him, and my heart was lightened ; and my foul was more eafed and pleafed, than if I had been a crowned emperor of all the kingdoms of the world.— Thefe are fome of the merciful experiences that fcmetimes they will gtt^ to make them fuig of mercy. I might have mentioned many more to this purpofe, both of or- dinary and extraordinary mercies ; but I go on,
idly^ To thcfecond queflion here propofed. What it is IN mercy that affords ground offinging f
I. The freenefs and undefervednefs of the mercy, makes them fmg of mercy : when the man deferves hdl, and the juft fentence of the law to be pafl againft him, mercy comes and takes hold of him. What is the caufe of mercy ? There is nothing in man to me- rit it but mifery ; which is indeed the occafion that God takes, to manifeft his mercy through Chrift ; but yet mifery cannot be the caufe of mercy ; for neither merit nor mifery can be confidered here to have any caufal influence, it is juft abfolute fovereignty ; It h ?:0i of him that ivilleth^ nor of him that runneth^ hui of
Cod
the Believer's Exercise "juhile here hclczv, yi
God that Jloeweth mercy. Sovereign mercy is a thing that can neither be obtained by any good, nor liindcrtd by any evil about us ; he gives no account oi his dea^ngs : / will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. He loves, and we fhall be loved : let all our high ima- ginations and proud reafonings ftrike fail to the Ibve- reignty of free grace. O lliall I not hng of mercy, that when I dcferved a hell, I got a heaven ! I, de- ferved eternal death, and I got a fweet view of eter- nal life ! This accents the praifes. 0 what ara /, — that thou haft brought me hitherto ?
2. The unexpedednefs of the mercy, makes them fing of mercy : O ! when I was expecting a frown, I got a fmile ; when I was expecting nothing but wrath, I got a glance of love ; inllead of a ftroak of ven- geance, 1 got a view of glory. Hczekiah got a mef- fage of death, and was looking for it,, when he got the news of life, and it made him fmg of mercy, Ifaiah xxxviii. 15. The mercy of God is furprizing mercy ; fome have gone difconfolate and cafl down to an or- dinance, and ere ever they were aw^are, their fouls have got fomething, which hath caufed them to cry,
0 / is this the manner of man^ 0 Lord f Some have gone to a clofet, or a field, or a barn, or perhaps to a dike-fide, with little or no expectation ; but behold they have been furprized with an armful of heaven ; perhaps at fuch a fermon, they have been furprized with a word of love on the back of deep hum.iliation, or defertion : a word, like a live-coal, hath been call in, and fet their breaft on hre, and their heart in a flame.
3. The feafo?iablenefs of the mercy, makes them fmg of mercy ; for, he comes with grace to help in time of need ; / was brought lozu^ and he helped me ; I was brought to the brink of ruin, and the border of defpair, when mercy flept in for my relief and comfort : when
1 was at the lowed extremity, he ftept in, and made it the fweetell time that ever I faw ; He brought me out of the horrible pit ^ and fet my feet upon a rock^ a?id put a nezv fong in my mouthy even praifes unto our God, He pitied us in cur low ejlate^for his mercy endiircth for ever,
4. The
72 The Militant's Song ; or Serm, XIX.
4, The greatnefs and riches of the mercy, makes them iing, faying, 0 /:?0'zc^ ^;t^z^ /> /i>y goodnefs^ ^ubich thou haji laid up for them that fear thee^ which thou haji wrought for the?n that truft in thee^ before t begins of men ! Pfal. xxxi. 19. We read of the riches of his mercy ; the exceeding riches of his grace ; his people fometimes meet with exceeding rich favour ; fuch as not only exceeds their worth infinitely, but even ex- ceeds their fenfe, exceeds their thoughts, exceeds their words, exceeds their defires, exceeds their pray- ers, exceeds their praifes, exceeds all that they can aflv or think ; and this makes them {\\\^, We read of his abundant raercy ; it is abundant in refpect of its fountain ; for his mercy is his nature, and muil be in- finite : it is abundant in refpe£t of \X.%ftr earns ^ as it is let out abundantly towards the objeh thereof: it is abundantly great, in refped of its 'various kinds^ tem- poral mercy, fpiritual mercy, eternal mercy ; temporal mercy makes them hng, and fay, I am lefs than the leafl of all thy mercies ; fpiritual mercy makes them fmg, and fay, He hath blejjcd us with all fpiritual blef- ftngs in heavenly places in thrift Jcfus ; eternal mercy makes them {m^ and rejoice in the hope of the glory of- God, O how abundant are they in their kinds, out- ward and inward mercies 1 Outward mercies are abun- dant : O the mercy that attended my birth, my edu- cation, the place of my fituation in the world, fo as to be brought under the drop of the gofpel ; my prefer- vation from innumerable dangers ; my protection, my provihon ; he hath fed me all my life long. Inward mercies are abundant ; the mercy that appeared in my being awakened, convinced, humbled, converted, con- firmed, comforted, called, juftified, adopted, fandili- ed. O what ground of finging of mercy 1 It is great and abundant in refpech of the qualities of it : O what matter of fmging might be gathered out of the views of mercy, as it is preventing mercy, fparing mercy, condefcending mercy, covering mercy, tender mercy, waiting mercy, conftraining mercy, reftraining mercy, reftoring mercy, following mercy 1 Even when I fled away from mercv, mercy and goodnefs followed me. ^ ' But
the Believer's Exercise ^uuhile here below, 7;^
But the bare mentioning of all would be iinpradica- ble ; O the greatnefs of the mercy of which they may fmg ! O the greatnefs of the Author of it, a great God 1 If we be faved, what does he get ? if we be damned, what does he lofe ? yet he fliews mercy. O the greatnefs of the objeci of it ! it is extended towards the chief of fmners. O the greatnefs of the effccfs of it ! Hereby great hns arc pardoned, great bkiiings are conferred, great wrath is averted, and great falvation is obtained : O 1 how can they but fmg of me xy I O the greatnefs of the attsndants and companions of it ! It makes them fmg, not only w^htn they notice the mercy, but the contents concomitants of it, and what comes along with it : bow fweetly will the foul fmg, when it can fay, I not only got fuch a mercy, but I faw God in it, and Chrift in it, and the Spirit in it^ and heaven in it, and glory in it ! O ! how fv/eet, when they connder this favour hath a neceilary con- nexion with heaven ! it is a fore-tafie of what I fliall enjoy for ever : it is connected with God's everlafL'ng love. And hence,
5. Not only the greatnefs, but the fivccfnefs of the niercy makes them fmg. And there are two things, among many others, that make it fweet to them, nam^. ly, the excellency of the mercy itfelf, and xh-^n tlieir re^ lation to it. On the one hand, the excellency of the mercy \ How excellent is thy loving kindnefsj 0 Lord / Thy favour is better than life. His moiith is niojl fweet ^ fays the church : "The words of his mouth arefweetcr than hone's}^ or the honey-comb* On the other band, tlieir relation to the mercy, contributes to the fweetnefs ot it ; the more of faith's application, the more fwect. O fays faith, there is a promife, and it is mine ; there is a pardon, and it is mine ; there is a robe ot righ- teoufnefs, and it is mine j tliere is a crown of glory, and it is mine ; there is a God, and he is mine ; all is mine, becaufe Chrill is mine. O tlien he fmgs of mercy. But,
6. To name no more, 'Tht furencfs and jlrmncfs oi tlie mercy -makes them fmg ; they are called x\\e fure
Vol. II. K mercies
74 ^^^^ Militant's Song •, or, Serm. XIX.
mercies ojDavid^ Ka. Iv. 3. The Septuagint renders it as the apoille does. Ads xili. 34. rd oa-tct AaCid'y the holy^jujl^ 'cmd faithful -\ things of David* The mercies of God in Chrift, our myllical David, are his hol)'^ jiijl^ and faithful things ; his hohnefs, juftice, and faith- fulnefs are concerned to make good and fecure his mercy to them that believe. Hence it is laid of beUev- ing penitents, i John i. 9. that God is faithful and jufi to forgive him his fins. Faithfuhiefs hath a refpeft to God's promife, and juflice a refpeO; to the price and ranfom paid by Chrift : and God hath bound him- felf ; he is bound by his ov/n faithfuhiefs, on the one hand, he will be faithful to his word of promife ; and he is bound by his own juftice on the other hand, which is fully fatisfied in Chrift : he_ is thus obliged to give out mercy, and fecure it for the believer ; this makes it indeed t\it fure tnercies of David ; and fo they are eternally fecured, and therefore everlafting mercies. In a word, the thing that makes them fmg of mercy is. When then they fee the mercy to bear in it the tokens of God's love ; when they find fuch a mercy is not only the anfwer of prayer, but the fruit of God's eleding grace ; when they fee God's ever- verlafting love to be the fountain from whence it flows, Chrift's everlafting righteoufnefs the channel in which it runs, and the powerful operation of the Spirit mak- ing the effectual conveyance and application of all. — Now, thefe are fome of the mercies, and the things in thefe mercies, both more ordinary and extraordi- nary, that are ground of fmging : Iwillfing of mercy* But to the other part of the fong.
II. The y^r<?;2<^ thing was, to fpeak of the y^<ig-w^;2/i- that the Lord's people meet with ; and what it is in judgment that may be matter of a fong of praife unto God. To ftng of mercy is what I underfland, may you fay; but how to {m^ of judgment, 1 want to know. Here then i would follow the fame method as in the former head, namely, i. To fpeak of fome of thefe jitdgvmits they may meet with. 2. What it is in
judg-
the Believer's Exercise while here below. 75
judgment that may be matter of a fong of praife to God.
I/?, Now, as to the Jirji of thefe, viz. The judg- mcnts of which they are to hng ; in order to clear this, you would know, that the word judgment hath various fanclifications in fcripture j I fliall name fome of thefe.
1. Judgment fometimes fignifies (when fpoken with relation to mail) underjlanding and equity : fometimes it fignifies underjlanding^ and a faculty of difcerriing^ in oppofition to ignorance ; I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge^ and in all judg- ment, Phillip, i. 9. Sometimes it fignihcs equify^ in oppofition to injujiice ; I know Abraham, that he will co7n??iand hiy children and his houfocld affcr him, that they keep the ways of the Lord, and do jujtice and judg- ment, Gen. xviii. 19. Now, though the doing judg- ment thus, and that with an underilanding heart, be be one of the v/ays by which we are to hng the praifcs of God, and glorify him, of which more afterwards % yet other things are here intended. Therefore,
2. Judgment (when fpoken of with relation to Gcc/) fignifies feveral other thin|>;s ; as,
(i.) It fometimes fignifies God's y://? and righteous government of the world, particularly by Chrift Jefus ; The Father judgeth no man, but hath com?nitted all ]v>i:>c-' ment to the Son, John v. 22. Right eoufnefs and judg- ment are the habitation of his throne ; and that both in the iron rod, by which he takes vengeance on his ene- mies ; and in the golden fceptre, by which lie rules his own people. And indeed, whatever be intended in the text, this government of Chrifl is matter of a fong of praife ; The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice ; the Lord reigns, let the earth be glad. But,
(2.) Judgment fometimes fignifies the rectitude of ChriJVs adminijlration, in his reforming the world, and bringing things in order, vvhich fm and Satan had put, into confufion ; fo may that word be imderilood, John ix. 34. ¥or judgment am I come into this world : and again, iVo-zx; /^ Z/?^ judgment cf this world ; now JJoall the prince of this world be cajl out. Of \}i\\^ judg-
K 2 mtnt
76 TDe Militant's Song ; or, S^rm. XIX.
vieiit alfo will the believer fing, when the Spirit is come to convince, as o{ fin and righteoufncfs^ fo alfo of judgment ; hecaufe the prince of this world is judged^
But,
(3.) Judgment fometimes fignifies the precepts of the lavj^ as ye knov/ they are frequently called, God*s tef- timonies and judgments^ efpecially, Pfal. cxix. And when a man learns thefe in a gofpel-way, they are matter of a fong of praife alio, Pfal. cxix. 7. / will praife thee with uprightnefs of hearty when I have lear-^' ned thy righteous judgments. Yea, they delight therein, and hng of thefe judgments^ Pfalm cxix. 54, Thy Jzatutes have been my fong in the houfe of my pilgri- ma^:e,
(4.) Judgment fometimes fignifies the doBrine of the gofpel ; I will put my Spirit upon him^ and he fnall brijig forth judgment to the Gentiles^ Matt. xii. 18. It is cited out of Ifaiah xlii. i. He foall Jhew judgment to the Gen-^ tiles ; that is, He will publifh the gofpel ; the way and method of falvation, which he came, as a Pro- phet, to teach and proclaim ; as a Prieft, to work cut ; and as a King, to apply ; and if we fhould take judgm.ent in this fenfe, furely all believers iirig of judg- ment, whenever faith is in exercife ; for the gofpel is the fong of the faints ; it is the joyful found, while with joy they draw ¥/ater out of this well of falvation. Pfal. Ixxxix. 15. Ifa. xii. 3.
(5.) It fometirnes fignifies the punifbment infided upon thrifts when he fubftitute him.felf in our room 5 He was taken from prif on and from judgment ; or, as it may be rendered, and as you v/ill fee in the mar- gin of fome of your Bibles, lie was taken aivay by distress and judgment ; — whHe it plea fed the Lord to. hruife hirn^ Ifa. liii. 8, 10. O but this infinitely fevere- aft of juftice and judgment againit Chrift was an in-. finite ad of mercy towards us ! And, as we had perifli- ed eternally, if we had not been thus judged and con- demned in a Surety ; fo this judgment execute upon him is noble matter of a fong. To {m^ o{ judgmenty in this {q\\{q.^ is one of the fv/eeteft hymns to tlie praife of God,
(6.) Judg.
the Bi'LiEVEk's Exercise while here below- 77
(6.) Judgment fonietimes fignifies the folemnity of the Uiji day ; Behold^ the Lord comes uuith ten thoufands of hh faints^ to execute judgment upon all^ Jude, ver. 14, 15. And though it will be a day of terrible ven- geance to the wicked Chrifllefs world, yet the faints may fmg oi joy ; for, the day of their redemption draws near ; when Chr'ifl^ who is their life Jlmll appear^ they Jhall appear with him ing^ory. Azuake and fing^ ye that dwell in the dufl,
(7.) Judgment fometimes fignifies the puniflwieyit of the wicked in a wrathful mariner ; and the heavy plagues which he pours out upon any perfon or peo- ple, whether it be fword, famine, peftilence, or any other ftroak ; Exod. vi. 6. / will redeem you from E- gypt) fays God of Ifrael) with a firetched-out hand^ and with great judgments ; that is, with great plagues and punifhments upon the Egyptians. The Lord is known by the judgments which he executeth. And fometimes the Lord gives his church and people oc- cafion to fmg of judg?nent in this fenfe, as Ifrael did at the Red-fea, after God had poured out all his plagues upon Pharoah and upon his proud hoft ; on which occafion you have the fong of Mofcs, Exod. xv. In this fenfe it is faid. The- righteous Jhall rejoice when be fees the vengeance ; not that he will love to feed hia eyes upon the blood and ruin of his fellow-creaturer., but rejoice in that God is glorified in the deftructi- on of his enemies, and the falvation of his church and people.
(8,) Judgment fometimes fignifies the chafiifcment of the godly : for, as there is a wrathful judgment^ which God exercifes towards his enemies ; fo there is a fatherly judgfiient. which he exercifes tovv'ards his friends. In this fenfe we may underiland that word m the inftitution of the facrament, even as it concerns the godly themfelves, Lie that eaieth and drinketh un^ worthily^ eateth and drinketh damnation [or, judg- ment], to himfelf as the word may be rendered, I Cor. xi. 29. And indeed, as a believer may com- municate unworthily, fo his unworthy communicating
may
78 T'be Militant's Song ; or, Serm. XIX.
may bring on him htdiWj j udgments or chaftifements from the Lord ; Tor this caufe many are weak andfickly a- mong yoii, and many Jleep, verfe 30. Judgment, I fay, fignihes ion\ti\mcs fatherly judgments ox chajlifements \ and thus it is to be underflood, i Peter iv. 17. ne time is come that judgment mufi begin at the hoiife of God ; and in this fenfe efpecially I Qonzt'wt judgment to be meant in th^ text, / will fing of mercy and of JUDGMENT : So that by judgment here we are to un- derhand all the hardjhips 2iiid for rows of a beUever's lot, whether punitive or probative, that is, whether for the punifliment of his lins, or the probation of his graces : all penal difpenlations for his correction, or whatever difpenfations make for his trial : all adverfity, fufferings, and diftrefles, of whatfoever kind.
Now, if you afk more particularly what thefe judg- ments are ? I think they may be all reduced to thefe four ordinary words, i. The judgment of afflicllon, 2. The judgment of temptation^ 3. The judgment of defertion,. 4. The judgment oiftn itfelf, which may be fo called, when a man is left to fall into it for the punifli- ment of other fins. I am not yet come to fnew how thefe, or any of thefe, may afford matter of a fong ; I am as yet telling you what are the judgments they may meet withal. And,
I. Thejudgment of <2^/<;7/(5;z. Many are the afflicli- ons of the righteous, even their outward afflidions : fometimes they are afllided in their bodies, with fick- nefs ; fometimes in their eflate, v/ith poverty ; fome- times in their name, v/ith reproach ; fometimes in their relations, either by the gracelefnefs of their rela- tions, or by their death ; if they were gracicms, then they are affli6led with grief that they have loft them ; if they were gracelefs, then they are afilided with fear left they be gone to hell ; if they know not whether they died in Chrift or not, they are afflicted v\dth perplexity, becaufe they know not what is become of them : fom^e- times they are affl'.ded in their families, with this and the other crofs, and diforder, and confufion ; fometimes in their neighbours and brethren, whether wicked or godly, from v/hom they may have trials of many forts ;
fome«
the Believer's Exercise while here helow. 79
fometitnes in their caufe tiiey maintain, and for confci- ence fake, they may be perfecuted and haralTed ; If any man will live godly in ibis zvorld^ be muji fuffer pcrfe^ cution : through much tribulation we muJl enter into the kingdom of God. There is a neceffity for it ; for the be- liever here is like the tribe of Manaffeh, half on this fide Jordan, in the land of the Amorites ; and half on the other fide, in the holy land : I mean, he hatli both corruption and grace, and hence a neceflity of affliclion and fuffering ; for if he hath any good in him, the devil will furely gnafli at him, and endeavour, if he can, to devour him ; and if he hath evil in him, he muft look that God will afflict him. But,
2. There is the judgment oi temptation^ that the chil- dren of God fometimes meet with, even the fiery darts of the devil : for the Lord fees fit fometimes to let Satan loofe on his people ; who will not be wanting to im- prove any liberty granted to him, with his utter mod power and policy, as we fee in the cafe of Job. It is ftrange to read how Chrijft was tempted of the devil, Mat. iv. 3, — 10. And after that, let none think flrange, that the followers of Chrift may be tempted to deny their fonfhip ; tempted to doubt of God's care ; temp- ted to deftroy themfelves ; yea, tempted to worfliip the devil : for. In all thefe things he was tempted like as we are ^ yet without fin ; and in that he himfelf, though he finned not, yet fuffered, being tempted^ be is able to fuc- coiir them that are tempted. The children of grace may be tempted to atheifm, and to doubt of the i3eing of a God ; tempted to blafphemy and horrible things, that they dare not tell for a world.. It is faid by thefpoufe. Song ii. 4. He brought me to the banqueting-houfe^ and his banner over me was love. Why ? v/hat is the mean- ing of a banner in a banqueting-hoiife ? A banner is rather for a battle : but indeed. Sirs, here the banquet and the banner go together : for the battle many times foHows the banquet. It may be, Satan and corruption are ileeping, as it were now ; but I allure you, they arc not dead : fo long as ye have fm, ye Ihall have temp- tations to fin \ fo long as there is a finger of the believer
out
So The Militant's Song ; cr, Serm. XIX.
out of heaven, the devil will be ftriklug at it. If temp- tations have not alfaulted you already fince the facra- ment, as I fear they have, yet be fure the Phihdines will be upon you.
3. There is the judgment of J^r/;^;:, which is yet forer than any of the former ; Thou cUdj'i hide thyface^ and I was troubled. Sometimes the believer comes under the fad lofs of the light of God's countenance, and the fenfe of his love ; and may iofe his gracious comfortable pre- fence very fuddenly, even when he is juil opening the door of his heart, as it were, to let him in ; I opened to my Beloved^ but my Beloved had withdrawn hirafelf^ and was gone. Cant. v. 6. Sometimes he lofes that com- fortable prefence very unworthily, even in a fit of drou- fmefs and fpiritual fecurity, as in that fame iitth of the Song, verfe 3. Sometimes he lofes it very long ; / fought him, but I found hint not ; I called on him, but he gave me no anfwcr. I went from duty to duty, from ordinance to ordinance, and yet not fo much as a word or a look from him. In this cafe, it cannot but be a very melancholy time with the believer, when he goes 7nQurning without the fun, faying, .0 that I knew where I might find him I 0 that it were with me as in months ■paft ! Efpecially if he knows that he hath not loll that prefence by fovereignty on the Lord's part, but fmfully on his part, and that he hath fmned him away. How ill went it v^ith Afaph, when he was forced to fay, / remembred God, and was troubled, Pfalm Ixxvii. 3. Why ? he remembred his own unkindnefs and ingra- titude, that provoked the Lord to be gone. O ! it is not eafy to comfort the foul in this cafe. This foul- defertion is ordinarily attended with the want of life and for the performance of duty ; Mine iniquities have taken hold upon rae,fo that I am not able to look up, Pfal. xl. 12. His fpiritual ftrength was fo worn away, that he was neither able to pray nor praife ; or do any duty v/ith livelinefs or aftivity. In this cafe, the foul cannot pray with life or povs^er ; it cannot hear with joy or proiit, it cannot meditate with any delight or fpiritual- ity ; it cannot act with any freedom or liberty ; it can- not fuller for God with any zeal, patience, boldnefs, or
refolution.
the Believer's Exercise while here below. 8i
refolutlon. O what a judgment is defertion ! In this cafe, the foul is filled fonietimes with fearful appre- henfions of the wrath of God, and everlailing ven- geance ; though believers be fecured againll this, by the oath of God, the blood of Ghrift, and the feal of the Spirit ; yet, under unbelief, temptation, and de- fertion, they may have fearful apprehenfions of it, and that for their correction for their fins ; for, though he -pardon their iniquity^ he ivill take vengeance on their in^ *uentims. Here the believer may be afraid of terrible judgments ; iny fiejlo trembleth for fear of thee^ and I am afraid of thy judgments, Pfal. cxix. 120. He may fometimes be afraid, left God lay open the filthinefs and wickednefs of his heart to the world, and mSike him a reproach and a fcandal to the godly and' the wicked ; tliis made the pfalmift pray, 0 ?nake me ml the reproach of the foolifh : let tione thai fear thy name be aflmmed for. my fake. Sometimes he may be afraid left God fi:rike himfuddenly with avifible andfignal judgment, and take him off the Itage in a terrible manner ; hence fays Da- vid, T^ake me not away in thy wrath. Sometimes he miay be afraid left he be the Jonas that hath raifed, or may raife the ftorm of God's wrath agalnft the family, the congregation, the church, the land v/here he lives : the apprehenfions of this nature may be grievous and perplexing, and create a multitude of thoughts within him ; yea, in this dcferted cafe, he may be filled with the terrors of God, and the arrows of the Almighty drinks eth up hisfpirii^ job vi. 4. They may be brought to that pafs, that lY^t forrows of hell compafs them about fo as they c h 00 fe fir angling and death rather than life ; and "yet all this may be in a way of fatherly judgment, ior the puniftiment of their fins ; as David's bones were broken for his murder and adultery : though fome- times he hath done it in fovereignty ; yet the terrors of the Lord may bring them the length of diftradion ; While Ifuffer thy terrors., I am diftra^ed., Pfal. Ixxxviii. 15. O what a ftorm is this ! Defertion may come to a great height, and bring along with it dreadful ftorms of fear, terror, and diftraction. It may be, your moun- tain is ftanding ftrong, believer ; but look to yourfeli. Vol. jl. L and
82 "The Militant's Song ; or Serm. XIX.
and beware of God-provoking fms^ for he may hide his face, and then be fure ye Ihall be troubled. Ma- ny, under fenfible enjoyments, are Hke a man in a meadow, the fun Ihining upon him, and, or ever he is aware, the mid comes about him, and he knows not where he is. There may come a mid about your foul, that you will hardly know where you are, or where you have been, or whether your former experi- ences have been any thing, but a dream. However, this is one of the judgments that the people of God may meet with.
3. There is the judgment oi fin^ which is word of all, and hath the nature of a judgment ; when God lets the man fall into one fm for the puniflim.ent of another, as be may do even with his own, when his fatherly anger burns hotly againlt them ; this is the faddeil judgmxcnt and fevered chadifement that, I think, a child of God can meet with : and it would feem that David's adultery was thus, in part, chadifed, by let- ting him fall into murder ; and Peter's pride and felf- confidence, by letting him faU into a threefold denial of his Lord and Mader ; and thus he may do till the time of redoring their fouls, which he- hath determin- ed, diall come. O how ill, how dreadfully ill does it go with the children of God, when they are brought to that pitiful complaint, 0 Lari, why haft thou made us to err from thy ways^ and hardened our hearts from thy fear! Ifaiah Ixiii. 17. And when led captive by fm, Satan, and an evil heart ; by the hiji of the eye,
the liijiofthefiefto^ and the pride ofUfe. Thus I have
told you foine of thefe judgments that the people of God may meet with.
2^/)', Now \.\\cfeco7id quedion upon this head, was. What it is in or about ]\jidgmtnt^ that may afford mat- ter of fmging, or of a fong of praife ? And now, fome may be thinking, O Sir, thefe judgments you have been fpeaking of, are jud the things that mar all my fmging, and it will be drange, if there be any matter of fmging, notwithdanding of thefe ; for if thefe be the judgments, what can be the fong or grO;Und of fmging, when they afford fuch ground of fighii^ and
lamen-
the Believer's Exercise ivh'ile here helow* 83
Jamentation ? I ihall endeavour to Ihew you, upon what grounds the Ibvereign Lord may even make thefe thhigs matter of a fong of pralfe. And,
I. Say you, What ground to fnig of judgment may a child of God have, when aJ/Jicfion is the judgment ? Indeed, No qfflidion of it f elf is joy om^ but grievous ; but the Lord can bring meat cut of the eater ^ and pneet cut of the ftrong ; and a fweet fong out of a Hid (troak and afflidion : Hence David fmgs of affhclion, and fays, // vjas good for me that I was affliUed^ that I might learn thy Jiatutes^ PfaL cxix. 71. Now, there is ground to fmg of judgment, when afflidion is not in wrath, but in love ; when it comes not from a wratliful, but a fatherly judge ; when it is not fatisiaclory, but cafli- gatory ; when it is not to fatisfy divine juitice, but to corred vicious habits ; when it is not expiatory, but exprobatory ; when it is not to expiate fm, but to prove grace : That the trial of your faith being much ?uore precious than of gold that perifheth^ though it be tried with fire^ might be found unto p^aife^ and honour^ and glory ^ at the appearing of Jefus Chrifl, i Pet. i. 7. That Clirifl drank out all the wrath out of the cup of afiliclion, and left nothing behind but love foi- his peo- ple to drink, O what matter of fong is here ! For, Being jufcified by his bloody %ve are freed from wrath through hini^ Kom. v. 9. — There is ground to fmg of judgment, Vv^hen afuiction is attended with infirudion^ even faving indrudion : to this purpofe the pfalmiO: fings, Bkffed is the man whom thou chaftenef}^ and teacheft out of thy law. — When, by affliction, a man comes to learn the fmfulnefs of fm, and the evil of it ; the emptinefs of the creature, and the vanity of it ; and the fuinefs of Chrill, and his ali-fufficiency. O when the God of heaven does famifh all our gods on earth, and ftarve us as to creature-comforts, to make us hunger after the fuinefs and fweetnefs of Chrift. What matter of fmging is this ! — There is ground to fmg of judgment, when affliction make us conform to the Lord Jefus Chrift^ wlio, as he fuffered for us, fo h^ left us an example that we Jhould follow his Jleps : im'c\% to be herein conform to the Son of God, Vv'ho
L 2 endured
84 The Militant's Song ; or^ Serm. XIX,
endured the contradidion of firmer s again/i hifvfeJf is ground of tinging,— Again, there is ground to fmg of judgment, when afllidion tends to the deftrucYion of lln y For by this fzall the iniquity of Jacob be purged^ and this is all the fruit to take away his fin.— V\Thcn it tends to gain the heart more to God, and wean the heart from tlie world, and all the things of the world, and lufts of the \vorld ; and is a fire to remove the drofs, and a hie to remove the ruft. — Again, there is ground to hng of judgment, when afflictions are bad-^ ges of honour ; when tl:ey are hgns of love ; For whom the Lord loves he chaftens : when they are marks of fonfhip ; for, Vie fcourges e-very fon whom he receives ; and. If you be without ch.'{/iife?ncru^ whc re f all are par- takers^ then are ye baflards^ and not fons^ Heb. xii. 8. Yea, vv'hat a badge of honour is it, when a man is helped to a patient fubmiffion to his heavenly Father ? What an honour did God put upon Job, in that hg- iial fentence, T^e have heard of the patience of Job f Alexander the conqueror is not fo renovv-ned as Job the fuller er.—^ Again, there is ground ^o hng of judg^ ment, in that afFiidion tends to make you happy and holy ; We are afjticted for eur profit^ that we may be partakers of his hoUnefs .• For though the ahlidion be grievous for the time^ yet afterwards it yields the peace* able fruits cf right cou fiefs to them that are exercifed there- by. Hebn xii. lo, ii. When the deluge of afiiidion makes us fiy as a dove to the window of the ark, and wlien by faith we make iife of the water of afHidion to make us fvv'im the fafter to Chrift ; then it is ground and matter of a foiig.—- In a word, there is ground here to fmg of judgments, in that they make prepa- ration for glory ; For our light affliclion^ which is but fjr a moriieni^ workeih for us afar mare exceeding anci c'crnal weight of glory. And fo the word that God does w^ith his children by amiclion, is but to whip
tliem home to heaven. Thus you fee Vv^hat ground
there is to fing of judgment, when alFiiction is the judg- ment.
2. What ground to {\v\^ of judgment may a child of God have, when temptation is the judgment ? In- deed,
the Believer's Exercise ^juhile here below- 85
deed, under temptation he is ready to fay. All thefe things are again/1 me^ and yet they may ail be uuorklng together for his good : and therefore, if a child of God be tempted, in the manner that 1 fpoke of before, there is here ground to hng of judgment, in that temp- tation forces him to his knees : the more furioufly Satan tempts, the more feriouily the believer cries and prays; A mefjcnger of Satan was fent to buffet me, but for this I b fought the Lord thrice, 2 Cor. xii. 7, 8. — There is here ground to fmg of judgment, in that temptation abates the mTin^s pride, ver. 7. Lefllfoould be exalted above me afire, this meifenger of Satan was fent : the temptation that humbles the foul, and makes it ly . lov/ in the duft , is matter of praife. — There is here ground to fmg of judgment, in that temptation is fometimes the opportunity of the communication of grace; I bcfought the Loj'd, and he f aid to m.e. My grace is fuf- fcient for thee, and my firength is made per fed in thy weahiefs ; hereupon the mian falls a fmging, Moft gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chrifi may reft upon me ; for when I am weak^ then am I ftrong, ver. 8, 9, 10. — There is ground to fmg of judgment here, in that many times temptation to iin, keeps from committing a fm : the more Satan tempts to blafphemy, the n^^ore the believer trembles at it, and is afraid of himfelf, while he does not fee the tempter. — There is ground to fmg of judgment, in that the temptation hath mercy in it ; mercy to others, while we are the more fitted to comfort them when they are under temptation, 2 Cor. i. 4. ; mercy to ourfelves, in that we became the objefts of the Medi- ator's fympathy ; For we have not an lligh-pricfi that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, hut was in all things tempted like as we are, yet without fn ;
therefore will fuccour them that are tempted. ^
There is here ground to fmg of judgment, in that ?,s it is 710 f^n to be tempted ; fo the temptation can do no harm, where there is no yielding : I faid, that it is no fm to be tempted, and I fay it again : though to yield to the lead temptation is a fm, yet it is no fm to
be
86 l^he Militant's Song ; cr, Serm. XIX.
be tempted to the greatefl fin ; for Chrlfi:, who could not lin, was tempted to fm : there is no fm in it, where there is no yielding to it : in that cafe, it is the lin of the tempter, but not the fm of the tempted. — But, fay you, O the temptation conquers me, and therefore how can 1 fmg of judgment in this refpecl ? Why, the prevailing of a temptation is ^a fad thing indeed ; but yet there may be ground to fing of judg- ment, if the prevailing of the temptation tend to the increafe of grace and godly forrow, as Peter's fall cofl him many a fait tear ; and if the prevailing of the temptation tend to the increafe of watchfulnefs, and make him more afraid to commit fm, and more afraid to neglecl; duty, and more careful to improve Chrift ;
in this cafe there is ground to fmg of judgment. —
Why, fay you, if the prevailing of a temptation will iiTue in a fong of praife, may not that make us carelefs whether Vv^e yield or not. Anfiver^ The prevailing of a temptation is one thing, and the yielding to a temp- tation is another thing ; the prevailing of it may iilue in joy, as 1 have told you, but the yielding to it may iilue in forrow ; and if that forrow be turned into joy, it will be a wonder of grace ; O ! Shall we thus fin^ that grace may abound? God forbid. The wind of temp- tation is crofs to the wind of the Spirit ; and if we flee before the wind of temptation, vrc flee away from God and heaven : and therefore, if we fmg of judgment fweetly and fafely, it will be by reafon of the wiHiom of God making ufe of crofs winds to blow us to hea- ven, and not of our fleeing before thefe. Thus you fee what ground there is to fmg of judgment, vv'hen, and even though temptation is the judgn:ient.
3. What ground to fmg of judgment may a child of God have, when dcfertion is the judgment ? Defertion and divine withdrawing is a very heavy cafe, whether it be a withdrawing in refped of grace, the with-hold- ing the influences of the Spirit, the quickening, grace- exciting influences thereof ; or in refpecl of comfort, the with -holding the light of his countenance, and leaving the foul in the dark : v/hen light is away, there is nothing but darknefs in the air 5 when the
Lord
the Believer's Exercise ivhllc here bdow, S7
Lord is away, nothing but darknefs, diforder, and confufion in the foul. Now, How can Ifwg one of ihe Jongs ofZion in fiicb a dark land f Nay rather, Mine eye^ mine eye weeps^ hecaiife the Comforter thatfooidd re- lieve my foul is far removed : Inilead of fmging, I Tiiuft hang my harp upon the willows. Is there any ground to fing of judgment, when d^fcrtion is the judgment, unlefs it be a heavy fong, while I cannot but mourn as a dove^ and chatter as a cran f Why, even in defer- tion, the child of God (and indeed none but a -child of heaven is capable of defertion) he may hng of judg- ment ; in regard, that as the feed of grace may be where there is not the flower of joy ; fo, though weep' iug may endure for a nighty J^^ joy comes in the morning ;' and they that fow in tears ^ [hall reap in joy : and the reaping time is hailening on, for defertion is but for a Jljort time, Ifaiah liv. 8. There the Lord gives this to be the ground of fmging, even in fuch a cafe ; For a fmall moment have Iforfaken thee^ but with everhilU iug mercy will I gather thee ; in a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment^ but with everlajiing kindnefs
will I have mercy on thee, There is ground to fmg
of judgment, when defertion tends to awaken the foul out of its drcufy dijiemper ; I Jleep^ fays the fpoufe. Song v. 2. and prcfently Chriil withdraws ; My Be^ loved had withdrawn himfelf and was gone. Why, then ihe fell 2ifeeking him whom her foul loved. It is true, it is one of the fad efiefts of defertion many times, that the foul grows carelefs, and cannot feek with any life : but yet, if a godly foul become fenhble of the Lord's departing (for feme time, the Lord naay be away, and they do not know or confider, as it is faid of Sampfon, Pie wifi ?iot that the Lord wa^ departed from him\ but I fay, when a godly foul be- com.es fenfible of it) and fees him going off, or hears him faying, Farewel : O tlien, like friends at parting,
he follows him 5 and cannot part with him. There is
ground to fmg of judgment here, when defertion tends to alienate the heart from the zvorld ; when the foul refufes to take comfort from any thing in time, be- caufe the abfence of Chriil darkens all, or makes all
things
8S The Militant's Song ; or^ Serm. XIX.
things bitter to you, becaufc his fweet prefence is away, it is matter of praife. — There is here ground to {\\\^ of judgment, in that defertion makes you prize the light of his countenance J the more, faying, 0 to fte thy poiver and glory ^ as I have feen it in the f ancillary ! When the night of defertion makes you welcome the rifmg of the Sun of righteoufnefs, it is a happy parting ; that
contributes to make a joyful meeting,— There is
here ground to frng of judgment, in that defertion makes you hate fin that caufed the fame, as a ftone in the pipe hinders the current of the water : that de- fertion is matter of praife, that makes fm odious to you, as that which robs you of your befl jewels, and that makes you lament his abfence, and the caufe of it. It is indeed matter of fighing, to want his pre- fence ; but it is matter of fmging, to lament his ab- fence. It is ground of forrow, to be vv-ithout him at any time ; but it is ground of praife, that you cannot live contentedly without him : I mean not a fmful dif- content, that frets at his abfence ; but a holy dlfcon- tent, that longs for his prefence, and laments his ab- fence 5 this I call matter of praife. There is ground
to frng of judgment, in that Chriil drank out all the wrath of God out of the cup of defertion, when he fuffered that heavy defertion himfelf, that made him cry, Eli, Eli, lamasabachthani ; My God, my Gocl^ why hafi thouforfiikenmef—^\ixt\\cr^ there is ground to fing of judgment here, in that this defer- tion makes the expedation cf heaven fwcct here, and the poifejfion of it pie af ant hereafter : when the belie- ver longs for heaven the more now, and loves it the better, then, is it not matter of praife ? O there is no hiding, no defertion, no cloud there, but a conftant vifion of glory; We fi^all be like him^ for we floall fee
him as he is. ^In a word, there is ground to {mg of
judgment, in that defertion makes room iox faith and hope^ till vifion ^.nd fruition come. It is matter of for- row indeed, when there is occafion to fay. Verily thou art a God that hideft thyfelf 0 God of Ifrael^ the Sa- viour; but it matter of praiie, when the foul is brought
to
the Believer s I^.xercise ivJ?'ile here below. Sg
to fay, / zuill wait on the Lord^ that h'ldeth his face from the houfe of Jacobs and I will look for him, liaiaH viil. 17. It may be, yc get a breathing now and tluii in the air of fenfible manifciiations, but ye nuid up to faith and hope again ; and through the cloud ye mufl look for him, and blefs him when he helps you to do fo ; for, though it were a killing defertion, or a flay- ing-) ike difpenfation, yet there is reafon to fmg, when he helps you to fay, Though he flaj mc, yet will I trujl
in him. Thus you fee what ground there is to
fmg of judgment, even when delcrtion is the judg- ment.
4. What ground to fmg of judgment may a child of God have, when yJ;/ is a part of the judgment ; when either the hns of others are the ailiiclion, or his own fms are the ailliftion ? When \\\cfins cf others are the afluc-* tion, can there be any ground to fmg of judgment ; When I fee the generation loaden with fms and abomi- nations, grievouily departing from the Lord, furely it is ground of fighing and lamentatiorv ; and it is duty to figh and cry for all the ahominations that are don?, in the midjl of J eriifalcm , Ezek. ix. 4. It is true : and yet the fong of praife mult not go down among the children of God ; for there is ground to fmg in this cafe, when ye can fay, / beheld tranfgrcffors and was grieved. For,, as it is child-like to be grieved for the injiirirs done to. your Father ; fo it is Chriftdike, for he was grieved for the hardnefs cf their hearts : Yet it is matter offing- ing, as it is a mark of love to God ; for one may vrecp for his own fms from fear of hell, but he weeps for the fms of others from love to God.—lt is matter of fmg- ing, when the more linyod fee in others, it makes you hate fin the more., and fwim againfl the ffream when the falfer they run to hell, it makes you nin the fader to heaven, and fets you a praying ; that v;hen they are hailning to the prifon, ye may haden to a palace. — It is matter of fmging, when tlie iius of others are the glafs wherein ve fee your oijUn hearts, and lee the roots of'all thatvvickednefs to be within you ; and therefore are made the more thankful, that God redrains you by his power from doing the fame ; and coiidrains ynu
Vol. II. M by
9© The Militant's Song ; or, Serm. XIX,
by his grace to do otherwife. When ye are helped to fay thankfully, what the Pharifee faid boaftingly, the Lord be thanked that I am not as other men ; and that I have not fo learned Chrifl, — It is matter of Ting- ing alfo, when their fms make you 7110 re holy ; and when their unfavourinefs makes your graces to fend forth 2ifragrantfmell: and when thereby the Lord gives you an occafion to convince and convert xhtm ; and to
be the inflruments of doing good to their fouls.
Well, fay ye, but the great queilion is, when my own fins are the affliftion, can there be any ground to fmg of judgment ? Indeed finning can be no ground of fmging ; for fm is in itfelf a damnable thing, worfe than hell : and, in God's name, I will fay, Whatever tends to difcourage holinefs, and encourage fm, let it be Anathema ; and curfed be the preaching that tends to encouragement of fm ; yea, curfed be the thought, in the preacher or hearer, that makes the doc- trine of grace an encouragement thereto. Many fuch thoughts may enter into us all ; but may vengeance from heaven come down upon them, and deftroy them in us, that we may not blafphame a holy finlefs Jefus, to make him a minifler of fm. However, fm being the word of all afflidion and judgment, it would be an everlafling damp to the fong of mercy and judgment ; if a fovereign God could not, in his infinite wifdom, b/ing a fong of praife out of the evil of fm. Why then, there is ground to hng, notv/ithftanding of fm, when God makes your fm 'd^burden to you^ and you to look upon yourfelves as wretched becaufe of it, faying, 0 wretched man that I am ! Who JJ:)all deliver me from the body of this fin and death f When the burden of fin makes you weary of this life ; faying with Rebecca, / am weary of ray life becaufe of the daughters cf Heth.— There is ground to fing notwithftanding of fin, when God makes the prevalency of fin the mean of drawing you to a Saviour, and to the blood ofChriJi that cleanfes from all fin ; when daily fin makes daily application to \\\e fountain open for fin and uncle annefs ; when the bit- ternefs of fin makes Chrifi fweet and precious to you, andthelling of fin draws out your eye to lookto the bra- zen
the Belie v£;r's Exercise uchik here beloiv, 91
zen ferpent ; andfo the man fees God get more glory, and Chrift more honour, and his righteoufnefs more renown, then he fmgs and glories in his infirmiUes^ that the power of Chrift may rejl upon him, — There is ground to fmg, notwithftanding of lin, when the fenfe of fm makes a man to judge himfelf^ and condemn himfelf, that he may not be judged and condemned of the Lord ; when it makes him examine himfelf more , flridly, faying. Search me^ 0 Gs^d, and try if there be any wicked way in me ; and obferve himfelf more clofe- ly, fo as to watch over his heart and way, fo as to find out fm, and expel it, through grace, and live more circumfpedly for the future. — There is ground to fmg notwithfcanding of fm, when fm makes a m.an to- ab- hor himfelf^ and to repent in dujl and ajljes ; when it makes him, w^ith David, to water his couch with his tears ; and with Peter, to go out and weep bitterly^ and lays him low in the duft before the Lord : ' Therefore, ' as one fays, Better is the fm that makes us humble, * than the duty that makes us proud.' The hypocrite's rifing is the mean of his fall ; but the believer's fall, is the mean of his rifmg. While the fenfe of his fm makes him holy, and fenfe of his pride makes him humble, his hypocrify fmcere, his hardncfs makes him foft, his carnality makes him fpirituai ; happy that victory of fm over a man, that iifaes in a bloody war agalnft it : yet no thanks to hn, but to a fo- vereign wife God, that turns the malady into a mcdi- chie. — If any Ihould hereupon take encouragement to fin, let them confider, if they, do fo, whether their fpot can be the fpot of God's children ; for, to fw^ that grace may abound ^ is a prefumptuous fm of the highell degree ; and true grace dare not draw^ fuch a bitter conclufion from fuch fweet promifes ; or, if a child of God ihould do fo, and make bold w^lth fm, let him confider, if this be all his kindnefs to his friend f Though God do not damn you, he may fend you to a hell in this life, and fill you with horrors, terrors, and agonies of foul, fuch as I fpake of before : let this therefore be a jail to keep you back from the burning mountain. To f.ng of judgment in refpecf of
92 The Militant's Song; or, . Serm. XIX,
fm, is not to fmg of our folly in committing it, but to Ung of God's wifdom in deftroying it : you have no caufe to fmg of lin, which of itfelf brings death, ruin, and damnation : but (lill caufe to fmg of judg- ment concerning An, or of the Lord's executing judg- jnent upon it. — —But what if hell be the judgment at lall, would you liave me to fmg in that cafe ? I fear I go to hell when ail is done ; I fear 1 never get to heaven ; and how fhouid 1 fmg ? I anfiver^ Have you not caufe to fmg, that ye are out of hell, and that it is not as yet your lot ? But 1 will tell you, if you were beginning to fmg, it would be the beginning of heaven : Blejfed are thej that dwell in thy hoiife ; they will he Jim pralfing thee.. Will you fay, as an honeft exercifed Chriflian once faid, when tempted to fear \\c]\^ and tliereupon to give over the duties of reli^ glon, ' Why, fays lie, if I ihall never praife him ir^ ^ heaven, I iliail endeavour to praife him all that I cau ' on eartiu' This would be a fweet token that you fludl ^-w.'^ in heaven for ever, among the redeemed.—^ And thus you fee, whether we view judgment with refpcft to aflliclion, temptation, defertion, or fm, in what refpeds it is that we are to fmg of judgment ; it is even to fing of the mercy that God exercifes in thefe judgments : and fo / will fing of mercy and of judgment. It comes ail to this, as if the pfalmift Ihould fay, I will fing of mercifut judgments ; for judg- ment is mercy, as it is the matter of the fong : or, to take them feparately, I will fing of mercy in mercies- ; and, I will fing of mercy in judgment : and fo I will fing of my blinks and of my Ihowers ; I will fmg both of my cloudy and my clear day ; both of my ups and downs j both of fmlles and frowns ; I will fmg both of frovv/ning and favourable-like difpenfations ; I wili fing of merry and judg?iient ;■ to thee^ 0 Lord^ will Ifin^ .So much for the fecond head.
III. TliC third general head propofed was. What this fmging imports ; and how we are to fmg of mercy and judgment to the praife of God. 1 fhall fpeak a
little to the quality and i/iiport of this fong.
I/, Tha
the Believer s Exercise ivhile here below, 93
I/?, The import of this finglng : / ivill ftng to the Lord ; that is, I will praife the Lord ; and it does not ly in the fimple found of a voice, but imports the glorilying of God with our hearts and lips, in our lives, and in our death or fuircring.
1. To fmg to the Lord, is to glorify him with our hearts ; to give him the love and adoration of our hearts. In tliis finging, there is the inward a£l of the foul ; BJcfs the Lord^ 0 my fold : and aU that is with- in me^ hlcfs his holy name^ Pfalm ciii. 1. It imports a deep impreiiion of God upon the foul, and a lively fenfe of his mercy in Chrift, and of our unworthinefs of it : and here the foul, and all that is within it, is acling and moving : the judgment moves with admi- ration and wonder at God for his glorious grace ; the memory moves with a thankful recording of his fa- vours. Forget not all his benefits ; the afiections move with joy and delight in God, and love to him for the riches of his grace in Clirid. O Ihall I not love the grcatert and beft of Beings, for the greateft and beft of benefits ! The heart is here employed : neither prayer nor pralfes, witliout the heart, are of any worth ; many fmg with their voice, when their hearts are a hundred miles off, gading here and there : but a fix- ed heart is a fmging heart ; My heart is fxed^ 0 Lord ; my heart is fixe d^ I will fing and give praife. We are called to fing with grace in our hearts^ Col. iii. 16. : we are to* fmg with faith in our heart ; He that is
Jirong in the faith glorifies God : we are to fmg vv^ith love in our hearts, with fear in our hearts, and witli joy in our hearts.
2. To fmg to the Lord, is with our lips to glorify him : we "are to give him the calves of our lips. When the heart is full of love, the tongue will be fall of praife. Our tongues fhould be as well-tuned organs, to found forth the high praifes of God, pleading his caufe, defending his truths, avouching his name, and confelhng him before the world ; T^hy loving-kin dncfs is better than life^ therefore my lips f?all praife thee^ Pfal. Ixiii. 3. Vv^hen our hearts are inditing a good matter^ (!ur tongues will be as the pen of a ready writer^ tofpcak
94 ^^^^ Militant's Song ; or^ Serm. XIX.
of the things that concern the king ; Pfalm xlv. i. when our hearts are glad, then our giory [/. e. our tongue,'] will rejoice, Pfaim xvi. 9. and xxx. 12. O! the ht- tle heavenly difcourfe argues a very fad degeneracy.
3. To fmg to the Lord, is, with our life to glorify him ; when the love of our hearts, the calves of our lips, and the fervice of our lives, are prefented unto God together, they make a harmonious fong : the praife of the life is the life of praife ; Whofo offereth praife, glorifeth ?ne, Pfalm 1. 23. When we devote all the adions of our life to his difpohng will, then we fmg a fong of praife unto God. When v/e live by faitli on the Son of God ; for no lefs is worth the name of life, but Vv^hat is derived from, him, and de- voted to him, then we may be faid to glorify him in our lives. It is a practical way of fmging the praife of God, that is here intended by the pfahnift, as appears from the reft of the pfalm.
4. To hng to the Lord, is, v/ith our death and /?//'- ferings to glorify him, as well as with our life and ac- tions : thus w^e are called to glorify the Lord in the
fires, Ifaiah xxiv. 15. Does God call you to fuffer afilidion in perfon, name, eftate, family, or concerns ; to fufi-er want of hufband, wife, brother, fifter, chil- dren, or other outward comforts ? A¥hy then, you fmg of mercy and judgment, by fuffering patiently and fubmifiively • and God is as much glorified by your paliive obedience, as by your adive. Whenever you are aiHided any way, believer, know that then God hath fome employment for your graces, and experts praife thereby ; yea, if he Ihould call you to fuller death and mavtyrdom for his name, you are to fmg his praife, by dying in and for the faith, as well as living by faith. O man, woman 1 could you die for him, that died for you ? That is a great matter. — ^' O it is a fmall matter to die once for Chrift, faid a ^^ 7nartyr ; if it might poiTibiy be, I could wifh that ^' I miglit die a thoufand deaths for him !" — Thus you fee the import of fmging to the Lord.
idiv. As to the qualities of this fong ; or how we are to fmg of mercy and judgment. And,
I. We
the Believer's Exercise while here below, 95
1. We are to fing of mercy and judgment cheer- fully. Singing is a chearful work ; we are to Jiiig
with melody in our hearts to the Lord^ and to ?)iake ^ joyful noife unto God, It is an antedating of the joy of heaven ; though you be in a hell of troubles and trials, yet you have reafon to praife him that you are not ia a hell of fire and brimftone : though you had one hell on your back, and another in your bofom, you have reafon to praife him, that you are not in the midll of hell among devils.
2. We are to fing of mercy and judgment highly and loftily^ faying with the angels, Glory to God in the highcjl. We are to praife him with the highefl efli- mation, with the highefl adoration, with the highefl admiration, with the higheft delight, the higheft ra- vifhment, the highefl wonder : for, as he is highly exalted above all things and beings, and above all bleffings and praifes ; fo his mercies are the highefl mercies, and his judgments the greatell deep ; and therefore as we. ought to fmg loud and high, fo wc ought to fmg low. Therefore,
3. We are to fmg of mercy and judgment humbly and lowly. Pride and praife are inconfiflent ; and therefore we ihould join trembling with our praife and finging ; having awful impreflions of God upon our fouls, and knowing the infinite dillance betwixt him and us. When the twenty-four elders fmg, they come down from their thrones^ and caji down their crowns and their palms ^ Revel, iv. i o. as if they would fay. We are not worthy to fit upon a throne, or to wear a crown in his prefence : they make their crowns and their thrones a footilool unto him. When we fing of mercy and judgment, we are to mind, his judgment^ are a great deep, and we ought to be deeply humbled before him, faying, 0 tl:te depth of the riches both ef the wifdom and knowledge of God! hozv un fear ch able are his judgments^ and his ways pafl finding out I Rom.
4. AVe are to fmg of mercy and judgment ccnftantly and unweariedly. Every new mercy and judgment fuo'.i'd be matter of a new fong : and O, his mercies
arc
g6 T/je Militant's Song ; <?/', Se rm. XIX.
are new every morning, new every moment ; and therefore we iTiould dill be fmging and faying, / will blefs the Lord at all times ^ bh praife fljall be continually in my mouthy Pfalm xxxiv. i. Let fuch as love thy faU 'uation^ fay continually^ The Lord be magnified^ Pfalm xi. 1 6. It is true, the faints will never fmg without intermiflion, till they reach above thefe clouds : It is true alfo, when they fee mercy, they are ready to fmg ; but when they cannot fee the fun of mercy, through the cloud of judgment, they are ready to figh and hang iheir harps upon the willow^', yet neverthelefs, as the obligation to fmg does always take place ; fo they have always matter of praife, and ground to fmg of mercy and judgment.
5. We are to fmg of mercy and judgment both con- junctly 2indi fever ally ; when you meet with a mercy, fing of mercy ; when you meet with a judgment, fmg of judgment ; when you meet with mercy and judg- ment both, then fmg of mercy and judgment both ; and improve both for matter of a fong of praife, fo as God may be glorified, both in his mercy and judg- ment.
6. We are to fmg of mercy and judgment devoutly and obedientially^ as knowing it to be a commanded duty. It would take many an hour to tell over ail the fcriptures, whereby we are called to praife the Lord r it is a good, pleafant, and comely duty ; Praife ye
' the Lord ; for it is good to fng praifes unto our God ; for it is pleafant^ and praife is comely^ Pfalm cxlvii. i. — There you fee three epithets given to this duty, to move us thereto.
(i.) It is 2. foul-inrichlng duty ; it is a good way to make a fad cafe grow better : the fpoufe, under de- fertion, fell a fmging and faying. My Beloved it white and ruddy ^ the chief among ten thoufands ; and never was fhe in a better cafe than v/hen in this praifmg tune. It is good to cry down our complaints with praifes ; it is good, in that it is all the tribute that the King of heaven can have from us ; ' and to deny him this, is the height of treafon, for it is rent due to him ; Give itnto the Lord the glory due unto his name. It is good
by
the Believer's Exercise zvhile hen below* 97
by way of eminency ; for it is a greater mark of love than other duties : felf-love may influence a man to prayer ; but love to God makes him praife. If you can draw out a long libel of complaints before God, and yet have never a word of praife for the mercies you enjoy, it is to be feared tliat fclf-love hath the pen- ning of your prayers. It is a token of enmity with your neighbour, when you receive many favours from him, and never fo much as give him thanks ; fo it is a token of enmity againft God, when notwithflanding of his mercies, yet you do not fing his praife. It is every way good.
(2.) It is 2i pleafant duty : no mufic does God de* light fo muchjn, as fmging his praifes. It is the plea- fan t w^ork of heaven, where new fcencs of glory will open, and open, and open to all eternity, and new fongs of praife will ilill be fung for ever and ever. It may be you think, when once you come to heaven^ you will praife your fill ; but now, when fo many dead weights are upon you, you cannot, and fhould not ^\i\g and praife : wxll, no thanks to you to praife him when you arc once in heaven ; but, if you glo- rify him now in the fires, and praife him now, in fpite of devils and oppofuion in your way, you do more honour to him than to praife him in heaven, where there is no trouble, no temptation, no fm or forrow to interrupt your fong. To fmg like Paul and Silas in the flocks, is more than to fin g in heaven; though not more pleafant, yet in fome refpect it is more ho- nourable, noble, and glorious. And fo,
(3.) It is a comely duty ; the garn^.ent of praif ; is a very graceful ornament. An ungrateful and unthank- ful man is an ugly ill-favoured man ; nothing more uncomely in the eyes of God and man. We are to praife him then devoutly, under a fenfc of duty.
7. In the Iq/l place, we are to fmg refoluiely^ or with holy purpofe and refolution ; faying, w^ith the pfalmifl here, Unto tbee^ 0 Lord^ zvilllfmg. And, becaufe this is a part of the text, I ihall ihew what is imported in the Pfalmift's refolution and the manner of cxprefiing it ;
Vol. II. N I -will
98 l^he Militant's Song ; or Serm. XIX.
I zvlll ftng of mcrc^ and judgment ; unto thee, 0 Lord^ %vill Iftng,
(i.) I think it imports 2i grounded xt^oXutiori^ that he had got a difcovery of the glory of God's mercy and juflice in the face of Jcfus Chrill: ; and a difcovery of the glory of God in all his merciful and afflictive dif- penfations. He had a fenfe and impreilion of the good- nefs of God, in all the favours that he met with ; and he had a fenfe and impreffion of the wifdom of God, in ordering all afflidivc providences to his foul's advantage. , Izvilljing of mercy and judgment,
(2.) It imports a ^/Y?/^z// refolution, that the fpirit of gratitude filled his foul : fo much does his refolution to fing import ; for it fays, that his fpirit was fweet- ened with a fenfe he had of the kindnefs of God ; his ineditation of him was fweet^ and that makes him re- iblve upon fuch a fweet exercife : he faw what ftrong and manifold obligations he v/as under to praife and magnify the name of the Lord.
(3.) 1 think, the manner of expreflion imports a cordial refolution ; heart and will are engaged in it : there is twice I will in the text ; I ww.i. fing of mercy and judgment ; unto thee, 0 Lord I will fing. He had a good will to the work : vv^here the underftand- ing is enlightened in the knowledge of God, in his mercy and judgment, there the will is fubdued and made willing ; willing to praife, willing to glorify God by the obedience of faith and love through grace.
(4.) The manner of expreffion imports ^Tfervent re- folution ; fo much I think lies in that word, 0 Lord, / will do it ; to thee^ 0 Lord, / will fmg. To be fervent in prayer, is a notable exercife ; but to be fer- vent in praife, is yet more notable : fervency in feeking is good ; but fervency in fmging is yet better ; To ihee^ 0 Lord^ will I fing. Perhaps this 0 imports alfo a wonder ; 0, I will hng ; for thy mercies and judg- ments are fo wonderfully great! 0, I will fmg with won- der and admiration !
(5.) The manner of exj:)refI]on imports a humble re- folution : I cannot fmg of merit ; but I will ling of mercy, and through mercy I will ling of inercy. To
the Believer's Exercise ivhile here heloxv, 99
fing of mercy mufL be a humble long ; for mercy to- wards a miferable firmer is a melting word ; and to fmg of judgment mufl be a humble fong ; for judgment in every fenfe is an awful word ; and the pfalmill breathes out his refolution in a n-ioll humble manner,
0 Lordy I wiUfing of mercy and judgment,
(6.) The manner ofexpreffion imports '<ifo!e??m rd^o- kition made in the prefence of the great Jehovah ; To tbee, 0 Lord, ivill IJing, It is not only refolved in his own mind, that he will fing to the Lord, but by way of folemn addrefs to the God of heaven, the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift ; To ibee^P Lord^ zuill I fmg : to thee will I give the glory of thy ?nercy and judgment : behold, I refolve upon it before thee, O Lord.
(7.) The manner of the exprelTion imports difh'dful harper, a dexterous mulician, even in fpi ritual fenfe ; he knew what Ihould be the fubjecf of the fong, and therefore fays, livillfing of mercy and judgment ; and he knew what fliould be the object of the fong, or to whom it fnould be fung, and therefore fays, To thee, 0 Lord-^
1 luill fing : he knew who fliould be the Singer ; and therefore fays, /will do it : he knew what fliould be the manner ; and therefore fays, I zvill sing of mercy and judgment ; to lbcc^ 0 Lord^ will I sing. It is before the Lord he refolves to fing, as lie did before the ark, which was a type of Chrifi : and fo it is a fong to the praife of God in Chrift.
(8.) The manner of the expreflion imports ayzr;;;, fixed^ and conflant refolution ; fo the redoubling of it feems to import ; Iwill ftng^ 1 luill fing. He had a mind this exercife of finging fliould not go down, but be his continual trade; I ziull fing^ I wiU fng; I will fing on earth, and I will fing in heaven ; 1 will fing in time, and Lv/iU fing through eternity. And indeed, all on whom the Spirit of praife and gratitude is pour- ed out, they refolve never to give over finging. And becaufe they know it will not lalt always in time, nor their harp be ftill in tune ; therefore they refolve, as it wxrCjto make it their great errand to heaven, to fing, to fing therefor ever ) Iwillfing^ I ivill fng. David
N 2 ' * had
loo 7he Militant's Song ; or^ Serm. XIX,
had heard once, yea tw'ice^ that mercy as well as power belongs to th^ Lord ; and therefore, not only once^ but tivice in a breath, he refolves to fing unto the Lord, The word hath a great deal of elegancy and emphafis in it ; I zvill fing of me rev ^ I ivill fing of judgment : 0, / %vill fing ; 0 Lord J I u}i!l fing ; and I will fing unto thee.
In a word, it imports , that a God in Chrifl was the ALL of the fong ; even the Alpha and Omega of it, the beginning and the end of it : it was of him ^ as the AU pha ; for the difcovery of the mercy of God in Chrifl brought him to it ; / willfirig of mercy and judgrnent : ?ind it was to him^ as the Omega ; for the fong is de- dicated to the Lord ; To thee^ 0 Lord, will Ifing,—^ Thefe things, I think, are imported in the manner of the expreiiion, and they may help to regulate our re- fo'utions in finging,
IV. Th^ fourth head propofed was. Why it is fo or- dered of the Lord, that his people fliould have ground to hng of ?nercy 2.ndjudg??2e?tt both ? why is there both mercy and judgment in their lot, to be the matter of their fong, Vv^hile in this world ?
I. ^\\t firjl reafon is. To put a difference betwixt heaven and earth ; for in heaven there v/ill be no judg^ ment, no afEi6iion, no defertion, no hn, no fong of judgm.ent prefent, but of judgment pad : The fong of heaven will be of mercy prefent, and judgment pall:^ among the triumphant company ; but the long of the militant cl\u^ch, is of mercy and judgment, both pre- fent. Now, we fee through a ghifs darkly, and there- fore fmg confufedly \ but then ihall -^^ fee face to face ^ and therefore ihall fmg diilinftiy : now we k?.iow in part, and fmg in part ; but then the perfect knowledge will make a perfeQ: fong : now we are very unlike to Chrifl, becaufe we fee but little of him, and fo the fong is but heavy, dull, and flat; but then fhall we be like him, for %ve fhall fee him as he is, and fo the fong -will be chearful and ravifning : now when a mercy raifes the fong, a judgm.ent bears it down, fome cloud ©r other interrupts the fipging ^ but then there fliall
be
the Believer's Exercise while here hcJoiv. loi
be no prefent judgment, no cloud, no night, no com- plaint to mar the fong, for there the mercy is not mixt with any judgment, nor the joy mixt with any forrow.
2. They^^^w^i reaibn is, That they may put honour upon the divine ivifdoni^ that does fo wonderfully re- concile thefe oppolites, fuch as mercy and judgment are. O the infinite wifdom of God, that can make antipods meet in a fong of pralfe, and contraries in a hymn of glory to him. O the wifdom that makes mercy and judgment meet together^ and kifs one another I O the wifdom that brings the greatefl good out of the greatefl evil, and the bed bleifrngs out of the worfl of evils ; as out of the :&rii: Adam's fm and fall, brings the fecond Adam's glory and honour, and the greateil happinefs of his feed 1 O the wifdom that brings life out of death, light out of darknefs, liberty out of bondage, love out of enmity, happinefs out of mi- fery, holinefs out of fm, joy cut of forrow, m.ercy out of judgment! O, can we look down to this great depth, without crying with the apoftle, ^q. bJ.^.^ Ua^t^ acti 'Zo;piAi n,aA Ti'c^'jia^ (?)'s'A &c. 0 the depth of the riches^ both of the wifdoin and knowledge of God I how iin-
fearchable are his judgments^ and his wap pafi finding out f Rom. xi. T^'^,
3. The third reafon is, That they may be trained up gradually for finging halelujahs in heaven. They arc not yet fit and qualified for finging of mercy without judgment ; and though judgment is turned into mer- cy to the people of God, and fo is matter of a fong : yet the prefent fenfe and feeling that they have of judg- ment, makes the manner of their finging fuitable to their imperfeft condition, wherein they are not capa- ble to fing of mercy without a mixture of judgment. They are but learning to fing ; and by judgment they are difciplined to fing gradually better and better ; when mercy does not prevail to make them fing aright, lie fends a judgment to make them fing better. They are learning the language of heaven before they go there ; but at their firft learning they are but fcho- iars, and need the correction of judgnient. If they
IC2 • TZ'^ Militant's Song ; or^ Sertv^. XIX.
abufe mercy, and do not fing aright of it, there comes a heavy judgment to make them take heed how they' fmg, and then they learn to fmg the feventy-firfl verfe of the hundred and nineteenth Pfahn, faying,
// hath been very good for me^
That I afflided was^ That I fiiight well injiruded be^
And learn thy holy laws :
And then they learn to fmg the feventy-fifth verfe ;
That very right thy judgments are,
I know and do confefs ; And that thou haft ajfided me.
In truth and fait hfidnefs.
4. The fourth reafon is, That the burden of the fong may be proportioned to their back. They cannot bear to have all mercy, and no judgment ; for then they would fwell in pride, and be exalted above meafure : they cannot bear to have ail judgment, and no mercy ; for then would they fmk into defpair, and be preil'ed above meafure. On the one hand, to fmg of nothing but mercv, would be a burden too great and heavy ; they hnd, when their hearts at fometin^ies are lifted up to a high note, they cannot get praifed ; they are ready to invite angels, faints, fun, moon, and flars, to help them to praife, for it is too great work for them alone ; they cannot get their notes raifed high enough : but when the praifmg frame is over, if nothing but a fenfe of mercy remain, then having a body of fm that abufes all mercies, fome proud thought and felf- exalting imagination, rifes in their breafLs, and would rife above meafure, if it were not keeped down with judgment. — —On the other hand, to fmg of nothing but judgment, would be a damp inftead of a fong, a melancholy fighing inllead of hnging : and therefore they are well mixed together in infinite wifdom.
5. ''Ihcffth reafon is, That their fong may be the more melodious. As in natural, or artificial mufjc,
thcie
the Believer's Exercise while here helov:, 103
there is no melody where there is but one note ; tlicre muft be different founds to make the mufic melodious^ I think the apoflle fpeaks after this manner, i Cor. xiv. 7. Even things without life giving founds whether pipe or harp^ except they give a di/iindion in the founds howJJjall it be known what is piped or harped ! So it is here in the fpiritual mufic, whether you look to the confummate fong of the redeemed above, or the ini- tial fong of the redeemed below, the fong of mercy prefent, and judgment pad, makes the fweeteil melody in heaven ; and the fong of mercy and judgment, both prefent, makes the fweeteil melody that can be attain- ed on earth. Mercy and judgment like bafs and treble, make holy melody in the fpiritual fong : here are the diiferent notes of mufic ; mercy makes a high and lofty note, and judgment makes a humble and low note, and both make the fong melodious. When a man not only fees mercy, but mercy and judgment, mercy before judgment, and mercy after judgment, and mercy in judgment, and mercy with judgment, and mercy out of judgment, and mercy backing judg- ment, and mercy blelhng judgment, and mercy order- ing and difpofmg judgment, mercy qualifying judg- ment, and mercy moderating judgment, and mercy fweetening judgment, and mercy rejoicing over judg- ment, and mercy running through judgment, and mer- cy at the root of judgment, and mercy at the top of judgment, mercy on this fide of judgment, and mercy on that fide of judgment, mercy round about judg- ment, and mercy turning judgment into mercy ; O then, how does he fmg with melody in his heart to the
Lord ! It is to make the fong melodious.
6. The fixth reafon is. That they may pri%e both their mercies and their judgments ; both their croffes and their comforts, both their rods and reliefs, as both aifording matter of a fong ; and that they may neither on the one hand fpot at his mercy, nor on the other hand fpurn at his judgments ; and that they may nei- ther abufe enlargements, nor defpife chadifcments, but that they may give both their proper place and room in their hearts and eftecm ; that they may ling
of
I04 7he MiLiTANT^s Song ; or^ Serm. XIX.
of both, and love the Lord their God in both, and fo may love a frowning as well as a fmiling God, an abfent as well as a prefent God, a hiding as well as a fhining God, a correding as well as a comforting God : and that both out of their clear and cloudy days
they may pen a fong to the praife of his name. In
a word, the Lord orders it fo, that their fong lliould be both of mercy and judgment, and puts both in their lot ; that, in the view of 7nercy^ they may not defpair ; and, in the ^view of judgment^ they may not prefume : that they may fmg hopefully, becaufe of mercy ; and humbly, becaufe of judgment : and that their fong may be full, and take in all his difpenfa- tions, like the fong of Mofes and th^ Lamb ; Great and marvellous are thy works^ Lord God Almighty ; juji and true are thy ways^ thou King of faints^ Rev. xv. 3, ——So miuch for this head.
V. The fifth head was the application^ in the fol- lowing inferences. Hence fee,
1, That there is an over-ruling and wife providence, making all things^ whether comforts or croiTes, fweet things or fad things, contribute and co-operate for the good and advantage of the hidden remnant ; We know that all things work together for good^ to them that love Gody and are the called according to his purpofe^ llom. viii. 28. Mercy and judgment, and all adverfe and profperous things, work together to be the matter of a fong : furely there is a wheel within a wheel ; there is a fecret hand that draws up and tunes all the firings of the harp of providence, to make a fweet fong of praife unto God ; there is an infinitely wife hand, like that of a cunning player upon his harp, that makes all the moft feemingly jarring notes to contribute to melody, even as he made the malice of the Jews, the treafon of Judas, and the rage of devils, to work for the falvation of an elett world.
2. See the fweetnefs of true religion^ and that wif- dom^s ways are pleafantncfs : a religious life is a fmging life, whether providence fmlle or frown. If a believer ligh and mourn at any time, and be not fmging at the
fame
the Believer's Exercise ivhile here beloiv, loc
fame time, it is when religion is at a low ebb with him. You may think religion is a melancholy iiie, man, bccauie 7na?iy are the afflictions of the righteous ^ 2ir\djudg7nent may begm at thehoiife of God ; but you do not conhder, that true religion makes a man to {\\\<g of judgment, as well as of mercy. Out of all tlie ups and downs, the viciliitudes and changes, frniles and frowns, of the heilever's lot, the Lord brings a fong of praife. Truif^ God is good to Jfrael^ wliecher Ifracl think it or not ; for even judgment will be matter of a fong. It is the language of unbelief, when they fay of judg- inent, as Jacob did of his afiliciions, All thefe things are agairfl me ; but when once the gallant grace of faith takes the field again, it will fay, Ail thcfc are for me, and I will fmo; of all.
3. See hence the difference betwixt carnal and fpi rit- ual rairth^ carnal and fpiritual fmging ; betwixt the joy of the world and the joy of the faints. The world may rejoice, if they have, and while they have fome outward mercy ; but to fmg of judgmentj wlien thefe mercies are withdrawn, is what they know nothing of; nay, take away the world, and then they will fay with Micah, They have 1aken away my gods^ and "what have J more f But fpiritual joy can fmg in the niidil of forrow, and fay, Though the fig-tree Jh all not hloffoin^ nei- ther fhall fruit be in. the -vines ^ the labour of the olive Jhall
fail^ and the fields foall yield no meat, the Jlock fl^aU be cut offfrom the fold, and there Jhall be no herd in the ft alls : yet I zvill rejoice in the Lord, I luill joy in the God of of my fahatio7i^¥i'^h, iii. 17. 18. O Sirs, down, down, down with all carnal mirth and wordly joy, in com- parifon of this : down with fmging, piping, and danc- ing ; thefe things are but folly and m.adnef?.
4. Hence fee, that the godly need not take any finful Jhift, to Jhun fvffcring, or any finful courfe to iliun the crofs ; for, come the crofs when it will, they may even fmg with the crofs on their back, as Paul and Silas in the iiocks, A6is xvi. 24, 25. Is the godly tempted to make any fmful compliance v^'ith the courfes of the time ? What need he be annoyed, as if his life of out- ward comforts in a world would be at an end, as if
Vol. IL O bond';,
io6 The Militant's Song ; o}\ Serm. XIS".
bonds and Imprifonments, the lols of worldly goods and enjoyments were abiding him, if he makes not this and the other compliance ? What need any annoy- ment ? For his fuffering time may be his fmging time ; I will fing of mercy and of judgment » Befides, all his light afflidlions bcre^ which lajl hut for a moment^ work for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory * 5. Hence fee, what a fweet placn heaven muji be^ and what finging ynuft he there : If a fong of mercy mixt with judgment here is fweet, and fometimes e- ven ravilhing, O what a fweet fong is that of the re- deemed about the throne, where there is no more judg- ment, no more for row or fm ! And little wonder that the believer long for heaven, feeing his fweeted fongs are mixt v/ith fighs, and his mercies with judgments ; his fweeteft fongs here have ilill this heavy figh in them, Ah^ and wo is me^ that wherever 1 go in this world, I am always drav/ing a body of death along with me. — O what a happy time is the day of death to a believer, when he fliall take an everlafting farewel of all his lufts and idols 1 O believer, what would you think to be faying, Farewel darknefs, and welcome everlaifing light ; farewel enmity, and welcome everlafting love ; farewel forrow, and welcome everlafting joy ; farewel all my fms, and heart-plagues, and ftrong corruptions, and welcome eternal happinefs, and uninterrupted fe- licity ? O would you not fay, Farewel, farewel, with a thoufand good-wills to all thefe evil things, and tri- umphantly fay, Glory to God that v/e ihall never meet again ? Hence fee then, I fay, what a fweet place hea- ven muft be : if even judgments, fufferings, and temp- tations to fm here be made matter of joy and fmging fometimes to the believer, what fhall glory be ? If the worft things on earth may contribute to a fong, what will the beft things in heaven do 1 If the crofs be fome- times fo fweet, v/hat will the crown be ? If the waters of Marah be made fo fweet, what will the win'e of para- dife be? If God*s rod hath honey at the end of it, what will his :^olden fceptre have ? O ! how happy are they who have got the ftart of us, and are exalted above
thefe
the Believer's Exercise while here below. 107
thefe vifible heavens already, and pafl all their fears and doubts, and are finging praifcs without weary- ing !
6. Hence fee, what a black and ivhite garment the believer wears. The garment of praife is a garment of diverfe colours ; dyed white and black with mercy and judgment ; I am black., but comely^ 0 ye daughters of Jerufalem^ as the tents of Kedar^ and yet as the cur- tains of Solomon, Cant. i. 5. Not only black in them- felves, and comely in Chrifl ; black as hnners, and comely as faints ; black with fm, and comely with grace : but fometimes black with perfecution, and comely with confolation ; black with afiliclion, dif- trefs, and judgment, but comely with the mixture ot mercy in their cup of adverhty, while they get the oil cf joy for ?nourni?ig, and the gar?ne?it of praife for the fpirit of heavinefs. Hence, with what heavinels have you gone to prayer ! fometime under the fenfe of in- ward trouble from your lufts, or fome outward trou- ble from the world ; fome particular affair about your hufband, your wife, your children, your family, that hath been diftreffmg to you : You have in heavinefs gone away to God in prayer, and come away with your foul leaping as a hart within you. O believer, you need not fliudder or be grieved at the cup of ai- iiidion, which your Father gives you to drink ; for, though it be bitter at the top, yet the fugar is at the bottom of the cup : What 1 do, thou knowcft not now, but thou fait know hereafter,
7. Hence we may fee, the happincfs of the faints, and of all believers in Chrijl : They may in every thing give thanks ; for this is the will cf Gcd in Chrijl concer- ning them ; be it profperity or adverfity, mercy or judgment, in life or in death ; he may fmg, that no- thing in a world can make him miferable, no loiTes, crofles, bonds, perfecutions, famine, cr pcdilence. If he may fmg of judgment, furely the judgment are not vindictive judgments, but fatherlv chafiifements : tor God deals not with him according to the tenor ot the law, as a covenant of works ; nay, he is not under the laAv, nor hablc to the penal fanction of it : they
O 2 arc
io8 The Militant's Song ; or^ Serm. XIX,
are judgments of a fatherly judge, not of a wrathful judge, oihcrwife he could not fing of judgment. How little caufe hath the believer to be difcontent at out- ward trials r What ! are you difcontent at that, out of wliich God is bringing a fong of praife in time, and a weii^bt o'i. p-lorv taroui^h ctcrnitv?
8. Hence fee the mifery of the wicked. Whatever matter of linging the children of God have, yet ye have matter of hghing, howling, and lamentation ; for ye are under the curfe of God, under the curfe of his law, and fo continue in a dreadful^ damnable ftate \ while ye are out of Chriil:, all the mercies that ye meet \yith are curfes to you, and all the judgments you meet w^ith are drops of divine indignation, and pieces of hell. Your temporal mercies are curfes ; The prof - ferity of fools defrojs fhein ; and fo your table is your fnare : fpiriLual mercies are curfes to you ; from all the flowers of heavenly bleffings ye fuck poifon ; the word is the faxmr of death to you ; the gofpel is a ftimibUng'hlcck to vou, over which ye fall into perdi- tion ; and as the fame wind that blows one fliip to an haven, blows another on the rock ; fo the fame breath of tiie miniiler, that blov/s feme to heaven, blows you to hell : the facrament is a curfe to you, for ye eat and drink your own damnation ; the Bible is a curie to you, for the v.'ord of the Lord is againft you, and ye are againil: it. What fnail 1 fay to you, gracelefs, Chrifl- lefs^ defperate finner ? O will you tremble and quake, led Chrifl himfelF, tlie blelling of all blcilings, and mer- cy" of all mercies, be a curie to you, and a ilone of iiumbling, over which you will break your neck ! for, he is fet up for the fallings as well as the rifing of many in ]fraeL O that this thunder would awaken fouls that are fleeping fecurely in a courfe of fin ! As all mer- cies are curfes to a reprobate world, fo judgments are judgnients indeed to you that live all your days with- Go/: Chriil ; for judgment without mercy is the portion Oi. your cup : every allliution is a judgment of wrath- ful and vindidive nature unto you. You will fay, O for patience under fuch a trouble and ficknefs ! Poor gracelefs foul, fpeaking oi patience under trouble 5
you
the Believer's Exercise while here below. 109
you are thus contending w ith God, and ftruggling like a fly under a mountain, and ftriving to be quiet un- der that which God hath fent to diilurb you. God does not aiili^t men that are out of Chrifl to exercife their patience, but to didurb their falfe peace and fe- curitv. O that God would awaken you 1 If God call for famine on the land, and make you feel the effects of this terrible drought ^, it is a judgment indeed, and a pledge of hell unto you ; if God lay you on a fick- bed, and afiiiCt you in your name, ellate, perfon, friends, ail is a piece of hell to you ; judgments to you are drops of vengeance. Again,
9. See how repro-vahle they arc, from tliis doctrine, who never fmg of mercy and judgmen}. Some never {\x\^ at all the praifes of God : there is a gentle or ra- ther deifiical fafliion among fome in our day, in public ordinances, they do not open their mouth to ling with the congregation. Oh ! will they ever fmg in heaven, that fcorn to fmg on earth ? Many indeed ling with their mouth, that know not what it is to fmg with their heart, nor fmg w^ith their life to glorify God. Many never fmg of mercy, notwithilanding of their receiving many mercies ; they pray for what they want, but never praife for wlru they have : and there is much of this ingratitude among believers themfelves. Many again, inilead of fmging of mercy, they iliglit their own mercies, and fight againft God with his own favours ; they abufe their peace to fecurity, their drink to drunkennefs, their meat to gluttony, and their mercies to prefumption". Do ye thus reqidte the Lordj 0 foolijh people and unwlfe f Many, if they fmg of mer- cv, they know not what it is to fmg of judgment ; Whe?i God's judg7nents are in the earthy the inhabitants of the world fhould learn right eoufnefs. What are ye learning out of this great drought, whereby God is
* The fummer in which this ft-rmon was preached [,viz. 17^3-3 wa^ a very remarkable feafon for drought, there bein^ icarce one drop of ram curin^i; the fummer months; on which account, nK^ny were afraid that the llafFof bread would have been cut oil from them ; though providence fo in'erpofed, that, by ilie frequent and heavy dews, there was, in the ifl^a^, abundance qf cora for man, but litiie provender for the cattle.
threat-
no TZ'^ Militant's Song ; cr, Serm. XIX.
threatening to fend a famine on the land, and break the ilaff of bread ? To fmg of judg?nent^ is to hear the rod^ and who hath appointed it ; to fmg of judgment^ is to fee the hand of God in the afflidion, to kifs the hand that fmites ; to glorify God in the fires ; to blefs hi in that remembers mercy in the midjl of wrath ; and to anfwer the call of God by fuch and fuch a difpenfa- tion. I\Iany, inflead of fmging of mercy and judg- ment, they flight both mercy and judgment ; mercy does not melt them, and judgment does not move them. O take with the reproof.
io. See how comfortable this dodrine may be to all heUe-vers and lovers of our Lord Jefus Chriji ; ye have ground to fmg,' not only of mercy, but of judgment : I know no cafe you can be in, believer, but there is room fox fmging : the faint \\\2.-^ fing of mercy in the nildft of judgment, O how can 1 hng, when I miffed my errand at this occafion ? fays one : let them give the praife that have got the profit ; but for me, I am left under heavy judgment, under affliction, tempta- tion, defertion ; yea, and the prevalency and povvcr of fm and corruption ; and therefore there is no room for my finging, but rather for my fighing, mourning, and lamenting before the Lord, and to be humbled to the dud. A¥hy, man, indeed it is not humility, but pride, that makes you refufe to praife : you underva- lue the day of fmail things^ and any little meafure of grace and mercy you enjoy, becaufe, forfooth, you have not all you would be at ; and, it may be, God is faying, I will fend trouble after trouble upon you, till you be fo humbled as to be thankful for the lead mercy, till you be thankful that you are out of hell, and thankful that you was not born in America, where people are w^orfhipping the devil. O how many mil- lions of mercies have you to blefs God for 1 And will you take offence at, or differ with your God, and deny him his due, becaufe you get not all your will ? You have ground of fmging, believer, notwithffand- ing all that you have faid.— O ! but how can I fing, when I tind fm, by which God is diflionoured, rag- ing
the Believer's Exep.cise while hers below, in
ing in my heart ; and corruptions, like fo many de- vils, roaring and domineering ? It corruption were {lain, I think I would fmg, but no otherwile. Why, poor foul, 1 tell you, that you muft even in that cafe fvig of mercy and judgment^ and fing becaufe he liatli faid. Slay them not^ leji thy people forget^ Pfahii lix. ii. If your corruptions were flain, as you would have them, you would, perhaps, forget your own weaknefs ; for- get your deliverer ; forget your dependence on him; forget prayer ; forget pity towards thefe that are af- flided and toffed as you are : it may be, you would forget the fountain open ; forget to make daily ufe of Chrill ; forget to fympathize and bear with others, when they fall or are overtaken in a fault ; forget to walk humbly ; forget the fweet experiences of his pnr^ doning and purging grace ; and forget to call yourfelf a dog^ when you go before him, faying, Tridh^ Lord^ I am a dog^ I am a devil, I am a lump of hell : And there- Ibre, though you may think it ftrange to hear of bl^'- ^iwg the Lord that corruptions are not ilain outright, yet, fmce inhnite w^ifdom fees that nothing lefs will cure yowx forgeifulnefs \n\{]\c here, even blefs him, who hath faid. Slay them not^ left my people forget, Blefs him that he hath not only faid, of affliciion, tempta- tion, defertion. Let not my people ivant the?n^ left they forget ; but even of fms, corruption, and fph'itual e- nemies, Slay them not^ left my people forget : better tiiey be not flain, than that you forget to give Chriit the glory of his faving ofFces, by employing him daily to heal all your difeafes, and fight all your bat- tles.'
II. Hence fee the ?ni2rk of a true believer, and try yourfelves by this dodrine. Do you fmg of mercy and judgment? I might tell you for marks, that if you have learned this fong of mercy and judgment, as the fong hath been introduced with forrowing, I mean with legal convidion and humiliation ; fo you will find it interrupted with fighing, becaufe all the povv'ers of hell and corruption will oppofe this fweet e^ercife ; you will find your harp muft perpetually be tuned by the hand of the Spirit, and that you are incapable to fmg,
till
112 TO^' Militant's Song ; or, Serm. XIX.
till he pen the fong ; for it is with the believer as with the Fxiarygold, it opens and iliuts as the fun rifcs and fets ; and yet even when the fun is {tt^ as it were, that you cannot open and praife, you will find praife ivaitingfor the Lord in Zion^ Pfal. Ixv. i. ; or as it may be rendered, Praife is silent for thee in Zion : Why ? the Spirit of praife is fometimes filent, but yet it is a waiting filence ; you will be waiting for the Spirit of praife to be poured out, and in the mean time acknowledging your debt of praife ; and fo, while it is not fenfibly running out, it is gather- ing a dam, as it were, till the Spirit be poured out from on high, and then it will flow amain. — But, in- ftead of all other marks that might be mentioned, I offer this ; If you be one that hath learned to fmg of mercy and judgment, then you have got a difcovery of the glory of God's mercy and judgment, as reconciled to- gether, and mutually embracing one another in Chrift Jefus. There are two letters of God's name, Exod. xxxiv. 6. 7. the one is 7nercy and^r^f^ ; The Lord, the Lord God, 7nerciful and gracious ; the other i^jufiice and judgment ; The Lord that will by no means clear the guilty : and thefe are the two firings of the harp, en vvhich the believer lings. Now, have you been taught of God, to reconcile thefe tv/o letters of God's name, and fo to play upon thefe two firings, by admiring the infinite wifdom, that hath made tliem w.eet together^ and hfs one another \n Chrift ? Pfal. Ixxxv. 10. Have you feen falvation fpringing out of both thefe, and glory arifmg to both thefe attributes of God, from Chrift's obedience to the death, ivboin God hath fet forth to be a propitia- tion ! Have you feen mercy running in- the channel of a complete fatisfaftion to juftice, and fo God by no means clearing the guilty, without a facrifice and a- tonement ? Many pretend to fmg of mercy, and fay, I hope in God's mercy ; but they know not what it is to fmg of mercy, to the highefl praife of mercy, in finding out a ranfom, whereby mercy is magnified, not to the difparagement, but to the higheft praife of in- finite juflice ; becaufe judgment was execute upon the Surety to the uttermofl, that the curfe of the
law
the Believer's Exercise while here bclowi 1 1 3
law, and the vengeance of heaven againil fin, could demand. If ever you fang to purpofe of mercy and judgment, you have feen and admired the glory tliat fliines in this mutual embracing betwixt mercy and judgment.
12. The laft inference I oiTer, is this. Hence we may fee the duty of all the people of God, namely, to Jing of mercy and judginent : As it is tlie duty of all hearing me, to feek and pray while they are out of heaven, fo to fmg and praife while they are out of hell. But whatever others do, believer, you in par- ticular are to hng of mercy and judgment : he hath done much for others, but he hath done more for you ; he hath given you himfelf to be your God, his Son to be your Ihield, his Spirit to be your guide, his covenant to be your charter, and his heaven to be your inheritance : he hath given you his v/ord and oath, that though he will viftt your iniquity with the rod^ and your tranfgrejjtcn with Jlripes^ a:id execute judgment on your lulls, and take vengeance on your inventions, yet his lovi?7g-kindnefs will he not take away^ nor alter the word that hath gone out of his mouth. Once hath he fworn by his hoUnefs^ 'That he wiH not lie unto David ; and therefore you may fing of mercy and judgment : and even at your lowed, when you are crying out^ Beheld^ I am vile ! O I am black, I am black, I am black ; yet even then he is looking upon you in Chrift, and faying. Behold^ thou art fair ^ my love ; behold^ thoit art fair^ not only by imputed rightcoufnefs, but even by implanted grace, which makes you look upon ^\-\\ as the greateft evil, and groan under it as the greatefl burden : even at your loweil, there is fomething nbout the bottom of your hearts, that fays, O ! 1 could bd content to live in a coal-pit with Chrift, rather than in a palace without him ; A day in his courts are better than a thoufand ; I had rather be a door-keeper in the houfe of my God^ than to dwell in the tents of wickednefs* O to fee his name glorified in the world, and his king- dom coming in me, and in thoufands about me ! O fmg, fmg, fmg of mercy and judgment ! you have botb to fmg of-
Vol. 11. P . Quest.
114 ?^ff Militant's Song J or^ Serm. XIX,
Quest. How Jh all I fing one of the fangs ofZion in a firange land f 1 offer fome general directions, and thea I clofe,
1 . See that your fong be fung upon a new harp ; I mean, with a new heart and a new fpirit. Ye that are gracekfs will never ling, till you get a new heart ; O go to God, and cry for it i ye that are gracious^ will never fmg aright, unlefs the new harp get a new fet, and the firings be drawn up, and the heart tuned by the hand of the Spirit ; and therefore feek the new iniiuence for every fong, and the Spirit to didate the fong, and to raife the notes. As the dial in the day- light will not fhew the hour without the fun, fo your harp of graces will not afford melody without the Spi- rit ; therefore feek the Spirit to help you, when you cannot utter his praife : and when you fmd your hearts in a praifmg frame, O continue at the exercife, fay- iiag, as David, My heart iifxt^ ?r.y heart is fxt^ I will
' Jmg and give praife.
2. If you would fing aright of mercy and judgment,. then you may fmg in your heft robes ; I mean, putting on Chrifl Jefus, and his righteoufnefs, for your gar- ment 5 this is the garment of praife ; and this garment.
fmells sf aloes ^ myrrh ^ and caffia^ and is the only thing that can perfume the praifes of the faints^ If you have Efau's garments, what though you have Jacob's voice ; fo as you want a tongue, and a heart, and a voice, ta praife him as you ought ; yet,, \y\xh your elder Bro- ther''s garment, you may get the bleifmg. Come ta God, under a fenfe of your own unvvorthinefs, and want of righteoufnefs, and yet faying. Worthy is the Lamb that was fain, O pray and praife both under the covert of blood.
3. Put a 7nark upon mercy. If you would fing of mercy, though it were never fo little, it is more than you deferve. I have heard of a Jevyifli doctor, that was called Rabbi this too, becaufe he ufed to fay, whatever befel him, "This is good too^ and this too^ and this too : you may well fay, how little foever you have,- This is more than I am worthy of, and this too, and tills too. He that fees that nothing is his but fin, can- not
the Believer's Exercise ivhile here lehiv* 115
not but wonder that any thing is his, but hell : put a mark upon mercy, faying, 0 my foul ^ forget not all his hcnefis^ Pfalra ciii. 2, — 5. Mind the vifit he gave you at fuch and fuch a place, in Rich and fuch an ordinance ; mind his words of grace, and 'emanati- ons of love : put up feme of the manna in the golden pot.
4. Put a mark upon judgments. If ycu would fing ok. judgment, as well as mercy, and lay your account with judgment, Jet not national judgments pafs without a remark, that God may get the glory of his holy and jult adminiilrations : many judgments are come upon us, and many fad tokens of judgment a-coming, be- caufe of our national apoftafy from the work of refor- mation, our covenant-breaking, our perjury, and, O the other rampant abominations of our day. Learn the language of judgment, Herrr the rocL See Ifaiah xxiv. 14. It is matter of fmg-ing, tliat Chrifl hath a greater concern for his church tlian you have ; for, the governme?it is upon his fooulders : God will take care of his own church ; and Chrifl hath more care of it than you can have ; and, t/pon nil the glory there fnall he a defence : but no thanks to a corrupt party, that would fet doctrine, difcipiine, worflilp, and govern- ment, and all, before the w^nd. God ufually brings about church-reformation with a judgment, and then will the remnant fmg of judgment, when God fcums the pot, and cads the fcum into the fire ; as you have it, Ezek. xxiv 12. She hath '■jeeeiried herfelf ijuitlj Iks. O but Scotland hath wearied herfclf with lies of carnal- policy, with the lies of court-flattery ; and there is a great fcum that covers and clouds ail our reformation- light, a great fcum of felf-juftifying pride, that will rather facrifice truth, than take with a fault, and rather let truth fuller, than her credit ; and yet her credit is cracked, ever fince her covenant with God Vvas bro- ken, and burnt, and never a hand put forth to take it out of the fire, and renew it, fmce that time ; but yet the covenant fhall be on the field, wlicn the fcum fnail be in the fire. But, what (hall we fay ? there feems to be nothing but fcum among us', nothing but filth
P 2 . and
ii6 T/)^ PvIilitant's Song; or^ Serm. XIX,
and baggage : muft all go to the fire together ? Yea, though it be fo, yet a remnayit jhall fing in the fires ^ when the fcum will be confumed therein, as you fee, Ifaiah xxiv. 13, 14, 15. If this fhall be done in the ijles of the Jca^ furely tlie ifles of Britain and Irelan4
are not excluded. Let not perfonai judgments and
iiroaks pafs vvithout a remark, but let God get thq glory of his frowning, as well as of his fmiling difpen- fations ; and lay your account with judgments, that you may fjng of judgment when it comes. Be not; furprized, though affiicflon, temptation, and defertion come upon you, on the back of a communion : God ufes to feaii: his people, to fit them for a trial : days of fweet enlargement are ufually like fun-blinks before a fliower ; as Fctcr and john were witneffes of Chrift's transfiguration on the mount, that they might next be witneffes of his agony in the garden. Lay your ac- count with trials from heaven, earth, and hell, that having laid your account with them before-hand, you may never forget to fing ; yea, lay your account that the' Phihftines will be upon you, Sampfon ; all your lufls and corruptions v/iil be upon you : therefore, V/aUh and pray J that ye enter not into tewptation ; and that your iniquity get not fuch hold upon you, that you fhali not be able to fing. And therefore,
5. If you would fing aright of mercy and judgment, let your fong be th practical fong. Here I mull tell you, that fometake the v/ords, for David's mercy and judg- ment that he was refolved to exercife in his govern^ ment, nar^ely, to be merciful and jufl ; the mercy of God fnall teach me to be merciful, and his juilice and judgment fliail teach me to be juil : I will praife thee, by exercifmg mercy and juflice in my ftation, as a king 'and a magiflrate. liis refclution here is, that the mer- cy and jufilce of God ihould be extolled in his thoughts, pxpreiTed in his words, and exemplified in his adiojis, according to that command, Hofea xii. 6. Keep mercy and judgment^ and wait on thy God continually^ If yoi\ would hng of metcy and judgment, then keep mercy and judgment : haye you fhared of the niercy of God,
the Believer's Exercise vMle here below. 1 17
and will you not be merciful, as your heavenly Father is ? Do you know the judgment of God, and will you not be juil and righteous, and equal in all your deal- ings with men, and converfation in the world ? Da- vid's fong here is a pradical fong ; and you may fee, at your feifure, the feveral n^dtes of this practical fong in the following part of the pfahn : and do you the fame according to your flation. One note of his {oii\g is, verfe 2. I ivill behave rnjfclf ivijely in a per fed way^ he. i. e. that, through grace, he will aft confcienti- oully and confiderately ; and in the mean time praying that the Lord would come and dwell with him in his houfe, 0 when wilt thou come to me f Another note of his fong is, verfe 3. where he refolves to prattife no evil himfelf, but fhuts his eyes from feeing evil. Ano- ther note of his fong, verfes 4, 5. he will not keep bad fervants, nor employ thefe about him that were vici- ous ; that he would have nothing to do with mahcious people, thefe that w^re ilanderers of their neighbours, nor thefe that are proud and haughty, nor thefe that were deceitful, and n^jade no confcience of lying and deceit. Another note of his fong, verfe 6. That he would keep company with them that feared God ; that he would keep good company, and honed fervants : You do not pradicaliy fmg to the praife oi God, if you do otherwife. Another note of his fong is, ver. 3. That he will extend his zeal to the reforming of city and country : v/e are to ft iidy the reformation of manners, 'and the fupprefilon of vice, in cur feveral Nations ; being filled with a zeal for the glory of God,
the intereil of Chriil and his truths. The gofpcrl-
church is the city of the Lord ; we are to feck the honour of God in the purity of his church.
6. And %'/7y. In order to your fmging aright tiiis practical fong, lay the burden of the fong upon the back of the chief mifician. Who is the chief Singer r Even Jefus Chrift, in whofe obedience to the death was raifed a fong of praife and glory to God in the highcd ; an^ by the breathing of whofe Spirit alone you can hng and ferve the Lord acceptably. He hath faid, Without Vie y^ can do. nothing ; and furely without him you can- not
ixB TZ7(? Militant's Song ; or Serm. XIX.
not fing ; therefore depend upon him, who only can make the tongue of the dumb to fmg. If there were more dependence on him, the tongue as well as the Hfe of profeftbrs would be more employed in fmgrng his praifes, and talking of his name, and fpeaking of his glory. What a fad matter is it, that a dumb devil hath pofleiTed the generality of profelTors as to fpirit- nal converfe ? O the idle worldly talk upon Sabbath days ; yea, on communion days ! Some will go away even from this communion, talking more of the corn and weather, or any thing elfe, than upon the word they have heard, or any foul-edifying difcourfe fuitable
to the occafion. —What faid Chrift of the polTefled
man in the gofpel ? 'fhou dumb and deaf Spirit^ I charge thee to come out of hlnu O look to him, that he would charge the dum.b devil to come out of you, that your tongues may fmg his praifes, and fpeak of his glory. Haw hardening is it to a wicked world, to fee proteiTors us carnal and worldly as themfelves ! O then employ the chief Singer to help you to fmg, and plead his promife for this end. They fhallfing in the ways of the Lord j for great is the glory of the Lord, Pfal. cxxxviii. 5. yea, he hath promifed to give fongs in the night of adverfity ; that is, a fong of mercy in the rnidft of judgment and afuiclion ; I 'uj ill give her the valley of Achor for a door of bope^ and jhe fhallfing there ^ Hof. ii. 15. O believer, v/liatever be your difcouragement and complaint, while furroundcd with judgments and trials, let not the world fee yon dampt and difcouraged, lefl they fay, You ferve a bad mafter, that does not allow you to fmg. AVhat- ever dead weights you have upon your fpirit, which God and you know, ye may tell him of it, and tell fome godly perfon that will fympathize with you in it • but let not the v/orld hear of your complaints and difcou- ragement?, let them knov/ you ferve a good mafter ; and remember how he encourages you to this, fay- ing. How great is thy loving-kindnefs thou haft laid ^fp for them that truft in thee before the fans of men ! or, as it may be explained, who carry boldly and couragioufly, under whatever diuiculties and dangers, beforethe fons of men, and fo glorify God before the world; and therefore,
thoueh
fhe Believer s Exercise while here bchw, 119
though you may weep in fecret places before the Lord^ and get to little more than a figh or fob, yet endeavour to i\n^ before the world at lealt, that they may bring up a good report of religion, and that the world may know you believe what you profefs ; that yet a httlc while, and you fliall return to Zion with fongs^ uiid evcr^ lofting joy upon your heads ^ and fighing and forrowin^ fhallfor everfy away ; and that though your body will be laid in the dufl within a little time, yet a little while, and the happy joyful morning of a glorious refurrc£tior« is haftning on, when the voice will be heard, Azcahe andfingy ye that dwell in the diift^ Ifa. xxvi. 1 9. O iin^, fmg, amidil all your forrovv's and fighing; fmg of mercy and judgment, in hopeoffmging there, where y^rr^u; and fighing fnall fiy away, O go away fmging, in fpitc of the devil and corruption ; and take Chrill the chief Singer along with you, to tune your harp, whenfoever the devil puts it out of tune ^ Go up from the zuildeniefs 7 leani?ig upon him, zvho hath engaged to work in you both to will and to do*
And now, when we are parting, alas ! is it not s fore matter, that there are many here, that will never learn to fmg on earth, nor ever be admitted to the very fird note of the fpiritual fong, which is, to believe on the Son of God ; for, without faith it is impofjible to pleafe Godj or praife him ; and, as they never get to this, fo it never cofl them an hour's care, or made them lofe an hour's deep, that they could not believe in Chrifl:. O wretched man ! are you carelefs and in- different, whether you hng in heaven among angeli:, or roar in hell among devils, to all eternity ? Yea<> there are fome here, that do not believe there is fuch a perfon as Chrift in heaven ; they have had a fancy a- bout him, by their hearing of him in the gofpel, but never had the faith of the Son of God, by the Spirit's, revealing him in the heart : and yet you are living carelefs and fecure, in the purfuit of your fms and i- dols : you are going ilraight to hell, with a cart-load of fermons on your back, and making poor miniilers fpend their breath and labour in vain, and preach you to the devil, when they would gladly preach you to
Chrin.
126 The Militant's Sokg, &c, Serm. XIX,
Chrift. O ! fhall we part, and not a foul of you be touched and turned to the Lord, or brought to learn any other fong, but to fmg yourfelves afleep in the arms of the devil and your lufts ? Some are fleeping in the arms of a black dCvil, in the purfuit of grofs and a* bominable lufls, of drunkennefs, whoredom, fabbath- breaking, &c. Others are Sleeping in the arms of a white devil, going about to eftabliili a righteoufnefs of their own, refting on their legal duties and prayers ; having 2. form ofgodlinefs^ but denying the power thereof ; expeding God will have mercy on them, becaufe they obferve feveral duties of the law, which others negle£l; and fo fmging a falfe fong of mercy, or hope of mer- cy, while they never knew the judgment of God, nor faw the wonders of God's executing all the judgments threatened in the lav^^ upon the glorious Surety Chriil Jefus, nor ever came under that covert to efcape the judgment of God : but, while you are ftrangers to Chrift, all your worlhip is but hypocrify, your zeal but madnefs, your faith but fancy, and your work a-, borhinable to God. O ! will none of you be prevailed with to cry with your heart to the Lord, faying, Lord, pluck me out of the arms of the devil, and as a brand out of the burning ? As you would not defpife the riches of his mercy, and incur the fury of his judg- ment, go to a corner, and cry to him, that he would teach you how to fmg of mercy and judgment. It may be the Lord will pity you for his name's fake. O may the Lord himfelf fliew his glory to you, and make you fee mercy and judgment meeting and embracing each other, and with joint harmony carrying on your fal- vation work, in fpite of all the oppofmg legions of hell; and bring you to put in practice the pfalmift's fweet refolution here, 1 %vill fing of mercy and judgment ; unto thee^ 0 Lord^ will Iftng*
SERMON
C 121 ]
SERMON XX^
llie II A R M o N Y of the Divine At t r i b ir t e s difplayed, in the Redemption and Salvation or Sin- ners by Jesus Chris t.
Psalm Ixxxv. lo.
Mercy and Truth are met together^ Righteoufncfs and Peace have kij/cd each other,
MY friends, at a folemn marriage-fupper, there is ufually a friendly company that meets toge- ther ; and v/hen at fuch an occaiion, all things are managed with fobriety and decency, it is very heart- fome and pleafant to the parties concerned, to fee the members of the meeting with mutual kindnefs to one another, harmonioufly gracing the folemnity : even fo at the marriage-fupper of the Lamb; I mean, the fa- crament of the Lord's fupper, which we have been ce- lebrating, there is a heartlbme company, not of men and vv^om^en, for that would make but a poor earthly meeting; nor yet of faints and angels, for that would make but at bed: a mean creature-meeting ; but it is a glorious heartfome company of divine attributes and perfeclions, in the fweeteft concord, meeting together, and embracing one another. This wonderful conjunc- tion of divine excellencies is the friendly company that meets together, to put honour upon this nuptial fo- lemnity : and to fee them thus hurmonioufiy embrac- ing one another in the falvation of (inners. is thefweet-
* This fermon was preached on the Silbath- fevering, immediately a'ter the sdminiilraiion of the facranient of the Lofd's fu >per at punFermline, Scpienibsr 29thj 1723. and haih already underg>)ne ten inipvelTioos.
Vol. IL O eil:
122 The Harmony of the Serm. XX,
eft fight, that the bride, the Lamb's wife, fnall ever fee at the marriage-fupper, whether it be at the lower or upper table.
There is a great meeting in this houfe, but an in- finitely greater in this text ; a meeting of divine ex- cellencies, to grace the alfembly of the marriage-fup- per of the Lamb : Mercy and truth are met together^ r'lghteoufnefs and peace have kiffed each other. When God made heaven and earth out of nothing, he made them by a word, without any other ceremony ; but when he made man, there was fome particular folem- nlty, a grand council;^ a& it wxrc, of the glorious Tri- nity called ; Come let us make man after cur own image. But now, man having unmade himfelf, if God hath a mind for the praife of his own glorious grace to make him up again, by a new creation in Chrifl Jefus,, there mud be a more glorious folemnity yet ; not only a council of the adorable Trinity, but a grand meeting of all the attributes of God, to confult their own glory that was marred, and reconcile their own interells, and feemingly contradictory claims \ for the fm of man had brought real confufion among all the creatures of God on earth ; yea, and a feeming war among all the attributes of God in heaven, concern- ing the execution of the fentence of the law upon man- kind, the tranfgreffor thereof. Some of thefe attri- butes, fuch as Mercy ^ faying. If the fentence of death be execute upon them, how fliall I be glorified ? 0-' thers, fuch as Truths faying, If the fentence be not executed, hov/ fliall I be gloriiied ? Is it to be ex- pected that fuch oppofites can meet together ? Or if they meet, that they will agree together cordially I Yea, though it be beyond the expectation of men and angels, yet, behold, it is here celebrated with a fong, Mercy and truth are met together^ righteoifnefs and peace have kiffed each other.
This pfalm confifts of a prayer of faith, and an an- fwer of peace. Firfi^ The church's prayer, from the beginning to the 8th verfe, where they are praying for ihe removal of many tokens of God's difpleafure they were under, notwithftanding of their return out of the
Baby.
Sbrm. XX. Divine Attributes dJfplayed* 123
Babyloniiii captivity. Secondly, The anfwcr of peace .that is made to their prayer, from verfe 8. and down- ward. We have here the pfahnifl hflening and wait- ' ing for the anfwer ; / will hear ivbat God the Lord zvillfpeak. The anfwer itfelf in general is peace ; He will fpeak peace to his people, and to his faints. If he give not outward peace, yet he will fuggeft inward peace ; fpeaking that to their hearts by his Spirit, which he had fpoken to their cars by his word, what- ever other fort of peace and profperity they enjoyed ; when at length the children of captivity, after a great deal of toil, had gained a fettlement in their own land., yet peace with God and profperity under trie Mcffiah's kingdom, was the great thing here promifed, and pro- phelied of; and that is a peace that lays the foul un- der the ftrongeft obligation to Hand aback from all fm, which is the greatell: folly, and to beware of back- fliding thereto ; but let them not return again to folly ; P'or true peace with God brings in war with hn. But this is further explained in the main leading part there- of, namely, falvation and glory, verfe 9. Surely his falvation is near to them that fear him, that glory ;;//?/ dwell in our land. Now, whatever other falvation be here imported, Chrifl: is the great falva<:ion intended ; when he is near in view, then the believer cries out with old Simeon, Noiu mine eyes have fe en thy falvation ; and whatever other glory and honour be here import- ed, Chrifl is the chief glory intended ; when he goes away from a land, then Ichabod, the glory is depart- ed ; but where he abides, glory dwells ; for he is cal- led, A light to lighten the GentUes, and the glory of his people If raeL' But now, if we would know what fort of glory it is that appears when Chrifl is revealed ; why, it is even the glorious harmony of all the divine attributes illuftriouily fliining in him, who is both our falvation and our glory : Mercy and truth are met to- gether^ righteoufnefs and peace have kifcd each other. Now, though thefe words may be applied to the hap- py meeting of graces in men, upon the revelation of Chrifl in the foul, w^iich I may afterwards notice in the fequel, and in which fenfe Ibnie interpreters under-
Q^ I iland
124 'T'he Harmony of the Serm. XX.
ftand it, yet I take it mainly to import, the happy meeting of perfetlions in God, to be glorified in the fmner's falvation by Jefas Chrift ; which is a glofs that no interpreter, I have had occafion to confuk, does neglect or omit : and if any of them Ihould mifs it, I think they would mifs the very ground-v/ork and foun- dation of ail other happy meetings ; Mercy and truth have met together^ rlghteoufnefs and peace have kiffca each other.
In the words you may notice, i. The raemhers of the meeting. 2. The manner o\ \}{\^ meeting. 3. The harmony of the meeting, zl. ^1l\\q Jlrangenejs of it.
I. Noiice, I fay, firji^ The members of the meet- iiig ; Mcrcy^ Truths Pughteoufnefs^ Feace, 1 hope, I need not caution fome in this aifembly, that they be- ware oi imagining thel'e various perfeclions of God, under the nrjnes of Mcrcy^ 'Triiih^ Rightcoufncfs^ and Peace, as if they were really didinft and different par- tics, making a formal confultation, in order to their agreement ; for God is one, and cannot be divided ; he is one infinite, eternal, and unchangeable Being : there are net diilincl and different thino-s in his nature and effence, however his perfections be thus reprefcnt- ed to our weak, finite capacities, which cannot under- ftand the perfections of God, but in feveral parts, as It v/ere. By Mercy then here we are to underftand God himfeif, as he is a merciful and gracious God. By Truth we are to underftand the fame God, as he is a true and faithful God. By Fughteoufnefs we may un- deriland his juftice, or God himfeif, as he is a juft and righteous God ; and by Feace, the fame God, as he is the God cA peace, and God reconciling the ivorld to himfef So that the whole comes to this. It is the great and eternal God himfeif, confulting with him- lelf, in a manner becoming his infinite and adorable ^perfeftions, how to glorify himfeif in all his glorious attributes, in the way of faving fmners, in and bv Je- fus ChrifL
?.. The manner of the meeting : thefe excellencies ^wCl perfcdlons of God meet together, as it were, in
pairs ;
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplayed, 125
pairs ; Mercy and Truths Righfeoufnefs and Peace^ go- ing hand in hand in to the council-chamber, to con- cert, the matters that concerned their higheft glory and honour.
3. The harmony of the meeting ; having met toge- ther, they kils and embrace each other. Mercy and Peace, as it were, exprcfs their complacency in Truth and Righteoufnefs ; and Truth and Righteoufnefs ex- prefs their complacency in Mercy and Peace, and de- light in one another's honour : for not one attribute of the divine Majefty can, or Vv'ill be glorified to the diflionour of any other attribute, but mutually em- brace each other in their everlafting arms, for fupport- ing the honour of each other's excellency, with com- plicated ineffable endearments.
4. lilit ft range nefs and remarkablenefs of this meet- ing : for, the agreement of thefe parties met together is the more remarkable, in regard of their janing and oppofite claims : for, that Mercy and Peace Ihould meet together, and agree in favour to fave us ; and that Truth and R,ighteoufuefs fiiould meet together, and agree in jufliice to deftroy us, were not fo itrange and remarkable. And if they had kept fuch a feparate meeting, and remained at variance without meeting together, man had been for ever feparate from God, and fom.e darling attributes had never been glorified in man's falvation ; our fm and rebellion having in a manner fet the attributes of God at fuch variance, as nothing elfe than infinite v/ifdom could provide a fu(- ficlent anfwer to all their contradiQory claims and in- terefts, which behoved to be done, ere the propofal concerning the £xlvation of any {inner could be gone into. Why, fays Mercy, It is my interefl that the fmner live and not perilh, that I may be magnified, fince 1 have faid. That I will have mercy en whom I will have mercy : well, but, fays Truth, It is my interefl as a God of truth, that the fmner die, fmce I have faid, 'l\\7iX the foul that finneth Jh all die : yea, and fays Righteoufnefs, I muft join with Truth, and claim the. fmner's damnation, for the advancement of my inte- refl and honour^ for I have Riid, and will not gain-
fay
12^ The Harmony of the Serm. XX.
fay it, That I will by no means clear the guilty : O ! but fays Peace, 1 mufl join in with Mercy, and claim the linner's falvation, for advancing my intereft, for I create the fruit of the lips, peace ; peace to him that is afar of\ and to him that is near. So there appears ta be a war in heaven among infinitely adorable attributes and perfedions, where Mercy and Peace are faying^ We mull: have glory in fhewing undeferved pity on the fmner, and yet Truth and Righteoufnefs are faying. We Eiull have glory in executing the deferved vengeance. And now, O men and angels ! will you tell, can thefe antipodes meet together ? Can thefe jarring-like attri- butes of the divine Majefty embrace each other, in the fcilvation of the finner, fo as to get all their demands anfwered, and their different interefts advanced ? — What fay you, children of men ? Can you devife how thefe diiferences can be compofed for your own fafety ? No, no ; human wifdom fays, It is not in me. What iay ye angels ? you that excel injirength and wifdom ; can you contrive the reconciliation of thefe irrecon- cileable demands ? No, no ; angelical wifdom fays, // is 7iot in me : well, fmce creature-wifdom fails, we may addrefs the infinite AVifdom of the Deity, and enquire at a higher hand ? Behold, navj we have taken upon us
io fpeak unto the Lord, who are but diift and ajljes,
What fayed thou ? O infinitely wife Jehovah ! can thefe oppofite claims be reconciled to the fatisfadion of all parties, and the falvation of the finner ? yea, it is done, it is done •, it is done in a crucified Chrift, whom we have been remembering at this folemnity ; and there* fore we may fing this marvellous fong. upon the back of it, faying. Glory, glory, glory to God, that mercy and truth are met together, and righteoufnefs and peace havs embraced ^ach other,
O B 3 E R V, That in the falvation of finner s by Jefu<s Chriji, the glorious attributes and perfections of God do harmonioufly confpire and embrace one another ; or thus, That in Ch'ri/i crucified, for the redemption of finner s, all the glorious attributes of the divine Majejly do harmonioufly Lonfpire, and mhracc one another^
Whea
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplayed. 127
When God is well-pleafed, no perfe6lion of God is dlfpleafed ; but God is well pleafed in Chrift, and therefore every perfe6lion of his nature is well-pleaf- ed ; none of them difpleafed or diflatisfied, but all pleaf- ed and fatisfied to the full : fee Hof. ii. 19, 20. lliis is declared by an audible voice from heaven, faying. This is my beloved Son, in ivhom I am zvell-pleafcd. Mat. iii. 17. And why, even for the reafon you have, Ilk. xlii. 21. %he Lord is zvell-pleafed for his righieoufnejs Jake, he will magnify the law, and make it honourable, — We fee he hath t3rought in a righteoufnefs anfwerii^g the demands of all that ftood in the way of our falva- tion. Did divine Truth and Righteoufnefs fay, That the threatning of the law muft be execute, fo fure as God is true, as well as its precept obtemperate cind obeyed ? Well, can a Pvighteoufnefs fatisfying both thcfe demands, do the bufmefs ? Yea, fays Juftice itfelf, in concert vv^ith Mercy, if there be one righteous man in the Sodom of this earth, that can fatisfy my broken and violated law, in its demand of complete fatisfacliori, then I will fpare all the eleft world, for the fake of that one righteous man ; and by his knowledge fh all my righ- teous fervant jujlify many. Well, fays Mercy, Here is one whofe name is Wonderful, and whom they caJI Im MANUEL, God-man, who hath brought in an ever- lading righteoufnefs, both adive and pafTive, fuitiiig the precept and penalty of the law : why then, might one attribute fay to another, We are all pleafed, and with one confent let it be proclaimed on earth. That ^he Lord is well-plea fed, for his righteoufnefs fake ; he hath magnified the law, and made it honourable. And now the great affair of man's falvation is fo w^ll con- certed and contrived, that God may have mercy upon them, and be at peace with poor fmners without any wrong to his Truth and Righteoufnefs. The attributes of God have met and agreed, and fealed their agree- ments with a kifs of infinite kindnefs, harmony, and fatisf action ; Mercy and truth are met together^ rightcouj nefs and peace have kifled each other.
Now, that I may fpeak to this purpofe a little more fully, the method I propofe i?,
I. To
128 The Harmony of the Serm. XX.
I. To touch a little at this queftion, "VVho are the ;?z^;//^^rj- of this meeting? or, what are theie at- tributes of God^ which do thus harmonioully con- fpire together, propofmg their various claims ?
K. I would enquire when and where it is that they meet together, and embrace one another.
III. liow^ and after w^hat manner it is that they meet together, and embrace one another.
IV. VVhy^ or for what reafon it is that they have met together, thus harmonioully.
V. Make fome application of the fubjeO:.
I. I would fpeak a little of the members of this meet- ing, or the attributes ofGodtlvcXt thus harmonioufiy con- fpire together. We need not aflc at whofe inifance this meeting is called ; it is at the inftance, and by the or- der of Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Gholl, one God ; his fovereign will and pleafure refoiving, in a manner like himfelf, to concert with himfelf; neither need we aik, what istheoccafion of the meeting? Why, man had fmned, and all mankind, by their fm v/as in- volved under the curfe of the law, and wrath of God ; and yet God had refolved and decreed, for the glory of his grace and mercy, to fave a world of fmners, eled ac- co7'ding to the forekno^juledge of God. And while Grace, Mercy, and Peace are upon this loving plot oi faving fmners, it was fit that Juilice, Truth, and Righteoufneis ihould be called into the fame council, to appear for their interefl ; fmce the propofal of fuch a falvation of fmners feems to encroach upon their honour, which re- quired the vengeance due to be executed upon the lin- ner. Well, the meeting being called, compare thefe glorious perfections, Mercy, Truth, Righteoufneis, and Peace ; Mercy and Peace, full of pity ; Truth and Juf- tice, full of fury ; which made a feeming controverfy in heaven. We may iuppofe Adam arraigned in the name of all mankind, and (landing as a trembling pan- nel ; yea, his very tongue chained up in filence, by rea- fon of fm and guilt, fentenced to eternal death, and rea- dy to have the fentence execute upon him, and all his poflerity.
We
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes dlfplayed. 129
We may fuppofe next, thefeveral members of the meeting opening the alTembly, by putting in their fe- veral claims : and we may notice them in the order of the text.
1. Mercy, being full of pity towards the miferable, comes walking along in the cool of the evening, and meekly craving leave to fpeak, notwithflanding that Truth and Juftice be prefent at the meeting. It is true, fays Mercy, that man hath finned, and julf that man fhould die ; but art not thou, O Lord, full of pity and compaffion, T^he Lord^ the Lord God^ pardQiiing ini" quity^ tranfgrejfion^ and fin f "What though man hath fmned, and is all over befmeared with mire and blood, yet look upon him in love, and deilroy not the work of thy own hand : he was made a child after thy own image, though now his garment be rent and all bloody: yet fee, is not this thy fon's coat ? Jofeph is gone, and wilt thou lofe Benjamin alfo ? Angels are gone, and fnall men be loft alfo ? Miriads of angels are fallen, and that irrecoverably, and fhall man periih alfo ? O fpare him ! is he not a little one ? and his foul fliall live. I fee, m/i_^ht Mercy fay, that Truth and Righ- teoufnefs, or Juilice, which have the poor finner in their chains, are here prefent, ready to fpeak in this af- fembly, for their interell and honour, againfl the cri- m.inal : but let it be marked in the minutes of this court, that Mercy craves to be magnified, and mufl have ho- nour at this meeting. Well, Mercy hav ing fpoken het mind.
2. Truth comes in, naked and with open mouth, in favours of God's Faithfulnefs, and in opofition to man's perfidy and treachery, faying, I have heard what Mercy craves in favours of this criminal ; but, O thou faithful and true God i the word is gone out of thy mouth, and there is no revoking it : thou hafl faid to Adam, In the day thou eateft thou palt fureJy die : and now he hath eaten, he hath fmned, and fhall he not die ? What ? is there yea and nay with God, who ha:h
faithfulnefs for the girdle of his loins f Mud not God's
word of threatning take effe^^ ; 2 k'/, hea-ven and earth
foall pafs away^ hut a jot of his ^lu or d fhall not fall to the
Vol. II. ii groimd.
I JO The Harmony of the' Serm. XX.
ground* And therefore, whatever be the demand of Mercy, let it be marked in the records of this meet- ing, that Truth craves to be magnified ; and that its honour be not infringed in the leaft, by any claim or ])lea that Mercy hath brought in. Well, Truth hav- ing fpoken, gives way to her filler Juftice \ and there- upon,
3. RiGHTEOUSNES.s, cr JusTiCE, comcs in and ii'npleads againfl: the rebel fmner ; Righteoufnefs, I fay, bringing her fcales in her hand, in which fiie had tried him, and found him lighter than vanity itfelf ; he is. weighed in the balances, and found v/anting ; yea, not only wanting and deilitute of all that perfec- tion and obedience that the law required, but full of all that rebellion which the law difcharged, having finned and come fhort of the glory of God : and fo is righteoufly fubjeded to the fan6tion of the law, and fentence of eternal death : and therefore, fays Righ- teoufnefs, O thou infinitely righteous and juft ]udge, Mercy can have no hearing in this court to the preju- dice of thy honour and glory, as a juil and righteous God, as Truth hath pronounced the fentence of WTath and vengeance againfl fin ; fo, if thou be a juil God, the infinite vengeance due to fuch an infinite evil mufl be execute to the full. This pannel is my prifoner, and loofed he fhall not be till I get full fatif- faftion, and my foul fliall be drunk with blood : for, 'vengeance is m'me^ and I iv'ill repay it^ faith the Lord : and I will by no means clear the guilty. And therefore, let it be regiflrate in this court, that Righteoufnefs craves to be magnified, and Juftice to be glorified in a full fatisfa£lion ; and this is claim.ed and demanded in the name of the righteous and jufl Judge of the uni- verfe : and/Zv^// not the Judge of all the earth do right ? Here is the language of Juftice. What then ? O ! ihall the demand of Mercy be utterly run down by thefe powerful oppofing pleas of Truth and Righteouf- nefs ? Is there no friend in this court to take Mercy's part ? Yea, there is : and therefore,
4% Peace immediately fleps in with an olive branch in licr hand, faying, Fury is not in me; and may I
fpeak
Serm. XX. Divine Ai tributes difplaycd. 131
fpeak a word in behalf of forlorn mankind! may I offer a meek anfwer to the claim of Truth and High- teoufnefs, which they have advanced in oppofition to the demand of Mercy ? For, A foft anpiver lurneih a- way zvratb. Well, Peace being allowed a hearing, propofes a healing overture, faying, O thou God of peace ! may not an atonement be made, a reconcilia- tion thought of betwixt thy majefly and thy creature ? May' not one be found out to (land in the gap, and bear off this wrath, to become furety for this great debtor, to acquit and lib^^rate this poor miferable pri- foner and criminal ? May not one be found out, that will make up the breach, by vindicating the honour of Truth, and fatisfying the demands of Juftice, and fo making way for the claim of Mercy ? And then all dif- ferences may be peaceably compofedjfo as we may har- monioufly agree, and kifs one another. O ! may not then a Peace-maker be found out, in whom we may hnd all our demands fatisfied at once, without. prejudging one another ? Why, if fuch an one can be found, furc- ly his name ^fliall be called, lYcnderful Couiifellor^ the Prince of Peace.
Well, the overture and propofal of Peace being recorded among the reft of the archives of the glorious Court ; and it being fuch a peaceable overture, no member of the meeting could dlfprove it : but the great queilion. then is, how it could be eiTe^uate ; for if one m.an lin againil another, a man might de- termine it ; but if a man iin agaln-ft Jehovah, who fliali intreat for him ? for when an infinite Majelty is oilended, who among fniite creatures is able to fatlsfy it I or. What can countervail the King's lofs ? Where- with then fid all he come before the Lord^ or bow hlmfelf before the mojl high God f will thoiifands of rams do it^ or ten thoiifand rivers of oil^ or the fruit of the body for the fin of the foul f No, no : Sacrifice and o^ering thou wouldeft not ; for it is impofjible that the blood of hulls or of goats fjould take away fin ^ Ileb. x. 5. What then, will angels become furety for the fm of man ? No, no : though they had a will, they have not power ;
R 2 they
13^ T/^^ Harmony of ilje Serm. XX
they have but oil enough in their velTels for. their own lamps. What then fhall be done ? Why, might Peace fay, let us not (land in a demur, we have infinite Wifdorn here prcfent with us at this meeting, let us hear her judgment concerning this peaceable propofal, if it be poflible that luch a perion can be found, in whom we may harmonioufiy centre at laO:.
Then Wisdom fits down upon the privy council- bench, and being full of eyes doth gravely determine this doubtful cafe with a happy iiTue. It is expedient, lays Wifdom, That one die for the -people, that the whole nation of mankind perifn not ; but he mufl be fuch a righteous One, that can jujlify many ; yea, he that •will undertake this, mull be finite, that he may die ; and infinite, that he may conquer death, and fatisfy infinite judice : but lo ! there is none fuch to be found among all the creatures that ever God made ; neither can fuch an one be found, unlefs the Son of God himfelf, the fecond Perfon of the glorious Trinity, fnall be pleafed, by an unfpeakable myftery, to become fie ill. Made of a woman ^ made under the law^ to redeem ihem that are under the lazv^ that they may receive the adoption of fons^ Gal. iv. 4. That fo when^^ who hath no fin J fhall become fm for man; n)an, who hath no yighteoufnefs, may become the righteoufnefs of God thrcy him^ 1 Cor. v. 21. And thus Mercy may be magni- fied. Truth juftified, Righteoufnefs cleared, Juflice fa- tisned, Peace concluded ; and all contented.
AVisDOM having determined how this propofal of Peace might be efiecluate, all parties hearkened, as it were, with pleafure, and willingly fubfcribed to the happy overture, and then heaven and earth confpired together, in folemn thankfgiving, faying. Glory to God in the highefi^ on earth peace and good-will towards men.
V — Thus the jarring attributes of God are now
reconciled, and behold the mernbers of the meeting, that ieemed to be at the greatefl variance, are embrac- ing one another in their arms : Mercy and truth are met together ^ righteoufnefs and peace have k[ffed each o- iher.
IL The
SfiRM. XX. DiviNE Attributes dlfpIayecL 133
II. Th^fecofid thing was, When and zvbere did thefe blefled parties meet together ? When we fpeak of a remarkable meeting, it is ufual to enquire into the time and place of the meeting. Now, the place where, and the time when as to this wonderful meeting, are two queftions, which I put together, for they may both be anfwered at once, becaufe of their near rela- tion.
ly?. Then in general, the rncethig-place^ or the place of the meeting, is Christ ; and the time of the meet- ing, was when Chriil put himfelf in our room, or fubfti- tute himfelf in the place of the finner, to anfwer the demands of all the members of the meeting, that had any objection againll: our falvation, or any thing to lay to our charge : Where then, and ivhcn did they meet together and kifs each oiher f Why, it was even in Chriil, when he took our law-room to pay our debt, and purchafe our hberty in fuch a manner, as Mercy, and Peace might have their interefts advanced, with- out injury to Truth and Pvighteoufnefs ; that Mercy might vent, to the credit of Truth ; and Peace might be proclaimed to the honour of Righteoufnefs ; and the finner faved, to the fatisfadion of Judice. They meet together and embrace each other in him, as the Surety, The Surety of the better tejlainent^ Hebrews yii. 22.
We were debtors to the mandatory and minatory part of the law, arraigned at the initance of divine Juflice to pay the debt. Chrift fubftitutes himfelf in our room, comes under the law to pay the whole debt : it is true, the debt was perfonal, and Juftice had a demand upon the perfon that fumed, by virtue of the covenant of works \ but that covenant never excluded a furety, though it provided none. The law promifed life upon our perfonal obedience, but in cafe we fail, it revealed no furety to make out an obedience in our room. There behoved, indeed, to be a fecret referve in the covenant of works, whereby the perfect obe- dience of another was not excluded : for, if the co- venant of works, had abfolutely excluded a furety in pur room, then the covenant of grace had been ex- cluded^
?34 ^^^ Harmony of the Serm. XX.
eluded, and our falvation had been Impoffible after our fail ; but though the covenant of works did not exclude a furety, yet that covenant did neither pro- vide, nor reveal a furety. This is done in the cove- nant of grace, which is Chrifl: as Surety fulfilling for us the covenant of works, in all the articles of it.
Now, is Truth and Faithfulnefs at any lofs here ? No : the truth of the promife and threatning both, of the law of works is fulfilled. On the one hand, the promife of eternal life, made to perfed obedience, which, though we forfeited in our ov/n perfon, yet v/e recover in the perfon of Chrift ; the promife of life upon the ground and condition of perfed obedience, being fulfilled to us in him, who hath yielded that perfed obedience in our room. On the other hand, divine Truth and Faithfulnefs, in the threatening of the law, which was death is glorified in that it is ful- filled upon the Surety ; vvdiile we, who came under the fentence of death in the firfl Adam, undergo that death in the fecond.
Again, is Righteoufnefs and Juflice at any lofs by this Surety in our room ? No, no : whether we look upon it as vindictive or retributive Juftice : vindiftive Juftice is difplayed in its utmoft feverity againfl: Chrift; Awake ^ 0 fwcrd^ agahift my Shepherd^ and the man thai is ?7iy Fellow* And fo the fword is drunk in his blood to infinite fatlsfaclion. Retributive Juflice is glorioufly difplayed alfo in the finner's being rev/arded, jullified, faved, upon this ground. It is true, might Juftice fay, I could have demanded fatisfaclion upon the fin- ner himfelf, in his own perfon, but as I can fuftain no injury to my honour, by fuch a Surety as this, whom they call Immakuel, God-man; fo I find my honour and intereft, inftead of being impaired, is ad- vanced by ihis exchange of perfons : for, though I fbould damn the finner to all eternity, I will never get fuch full and complete fatisfaclion upon any finite crea- ture, as I will get by one ftroak of my avenging fword upon that Perfon of infinite dignity ; and fo // pleafed the Lord to hru'ife binis-^- — — Yv^Irv then, they meet to- gether
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difpkyed. 135
gether and embrace one another in him, as the Sure- ty ; and if Truth and Righteoufnefs be both pleafed to the full, the parties cannot but all agree, and em- brace each other. Again, they meet together and
embrace one another in him, as a Sacrifice ; Afacri^ fice and offering of a fweet-fmelHng favour unto Gddy Eph. V. 2. Why, He offered up" himfef by the eternal Spirit. O great ! Even by his eternal Godhead ; a A'ahiable facrifice indeed ! — They meet together in him as a propitiation ; Whom God hath fet forth to he a pro- pitiation^ through faith in his bloody to declare his righ- teoufnefs for the remijfion of fins that are paft^ through the forbearance of God ^ Rom. iii. 25. Behold him righte- ous in fliewing Mercy ! Here is the atonement, the propitiation : that very word which the Septuagint calls the mercy feat^ in the Old Tehament ; and it is the word that the poor pubhcan made ufe of, when he vv'as feeking Mercy, God he mercifid to me aftnner ; 0 ©so? 'lArtVSjjT; y.ot. Be thou PROPITIOUS to jiWy Luke
xviii. 13. He hath a mind of this Ihcf.^n^tov, this
Mercy feat and Propitiation. It is wot fimple mercy that he fought, but Mercy through a propitiation ; he look- ed to the blood of atonement, to the facrificed Lamb of God, faying. Give me Mercy for this ; by that fo- lemn propitiation : Be thou propitious to me. Here it is
that Mercy and Juflice meet together. They meet
together in him as a raifom : Deliver his foul from gc^ i?ig dozen to the pit ; I have found a ranfom^ Job xxxiii.
24. In a word, they have met together, and kif-
fed one another in a crucified Chrft ; whbfe death was the payment of our debt, the punifhment of our fm, the price of our redemption, and a purchafe of our life, liberty, arffd eternal falvation. — -—Here is the meeting-place then of thefc glorious perfedions of God : here is the perfon in whom they centre, that they may be all glorified to the highefi:. Mercy,
Truth, Righteoufnefs, and Peace, all are pleafed.
Mercy is gratified, and conftitute him to be the Mercy^
feat : Truth is fatisfied, and centres in him as the laav^
the truth., and the life : R.ighteoufnefs is contented, and
declares him to be the Lord our righteoufnefs : Peace
is
13^ 'The Harmiony of the Serm. XX.
is perfeded, and proclaims him to be the Prince of peace : yea, not only are aU the members of the meetino- pleafed and fatisfied for them^felves, in the advancement of their ov/n particular interefts, but they are infinitely well-pleafed in each other ; and that the intereils of their feemingiy oppofite parties are advanced, as well as their own particular claims. Mercy is pleafed, that Truth hath got all its demands ; and Truth is pleafed, that Mercy hath got all her defn-e ; and llighteoufnefs is pleafed, that Peace is proclaimed ; and Peace is pleaf- ed, that Ptighteoufnefs is honoured. Mercy and Peace rejoice that they are magnified, to the infinite glory of Truth and Righteoufnefs ; and Truth and Righteouf- nefs rejoice, that they are glorified, to the infinite piea- fure of Mercy and Peace : and hence they not only meet together^ but kifs one another. Here you fee where
they meet together.- So much for an anfwer thereto
more generally.
id!y^ More particularly, as to the meeting-time^ you may take thefe following particulars, for further clear- ing of it. Although this bleffed meeting once taking place, is flill continued, and cannot be faid prop^ly to adjourn from time to time, and from place to place ; for this affembly never diffolves ; yet, in a fuitablenefs to our weak capacity, and finite underflanding, which cannot rightly conceive of a meeting that never had a timi.e to meet, becaufe they met in eternity, and never Ihall have time to part, becaufe they meet to eternity ; vve cannot conceive of it, I fay, but by taking it, as it vvere, into io many parts, or confidering it in fo many periods ; and there are thefe eight remarkable periods, wherein Mercy and Peace meet with Truth and High* teonfnefs, and kifs each other.
I. Thehrfl remarkable period is this, They met to* gether at the council-table of the co^oenant of redemption Aromall eternity ; before z-szx\}^^ foundation of the world vjas laid^ and ere ever the morning ftars fcmg togetJyer^ Mercy and Truth met together, Righteoufnefs and Peace kiffed each other : for the council of peace did then meet, Zech. vi. 13. And all was concerted by infmite Wifdom, how Mercy ihouldbe magnified. Truth clear- ed.
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes dlfplayed. T37
ed, Righteoufnefs vindicated, and Peace concluded ; and all in Chrift, who, according to the tenor of that covenant (v/liereof the covenant of grace is but a tran- fcript) was to give his foul an offering for fin ; and then was to f'C bis fccd^ and the pleafure of the Lord to prof per in his hand. Then it was that this pleafant meetir.g was iirlt conftitutc, as you n:ay fee, Prov. viii. 3c, 31. He being fet up from everlafting, ere ever the earth was, God in ail his glorious perfetlions was delighted in him : and, in him. His delights "userc ^vjith the fons of men. This was the grand meeting, at which the time and place of all the fubfequent meetings were concerted, and all the other particulars, v/e are to mention, are by the refuit of this, and, as it were, emanations there- from ; for it is a meeting that never diflbives, though in feveral periods it appears like a new meeting unto us. Therefore,
2. Another remarkable period, is their meeting to- gether in the garden ofEden^ after man had made him- felf naked and obnoxious to the flaming fword of di- vine juftice. Mercy comes walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the guilty pannel being examin- ed in open court, behold Mercy and Truth meet to- gether in the happy fentence that v/as pronounced, The feed of the ivoman foall hriiife the head, of the ferpenty Gen. iii. 15. Behold Righteoufnefs and Peace kiffmg one another in the righteous vengeance, that was to be execute upon the devil and his works, in order to
citcduate a happy peace betwixt God and man.
This meeting was gradually cleared up under the Old Teifamcnt ; and in the legal iacrliices, pointing out the great propitiatory Sacrifice*
3. Another remarkable period, is their meeting to- gether at Bethlehem Ephratah ^w'^ovi Chriil's incarnation, Micah V. 2, 4, 5.
4. Another remarkable period, is their meeting to- gether at the banks of Jordan^ w^hen Chrifl was bapiz- ed. Mat. iii. 13, 16, 17.
5. Another remarkable period, is their meeting to- gether in the garden of Gethfemane^ when Chrift being in an agony did fweat great drops of blood under the
Vol. II. S pvef-
11% The Harmony of the Serm. XX.
preiTure of avenging Juflice ; every drop of blood was an ocean of Mercy : and while he was prelt in the wine-prefs of God's wrath, Mercy was exprelTed. No mercy to Chrill ; for, God [pared not his own Son, even when he cried, Mercy, mercy ; God's niercy, faying, Father, if it be thy will, remove this cup from me. No, no ; no mercy was fliown to him, otherwife no mercy had been fliov/n to us ; Juflice mufi: have its due from him, that mercy might vent towards us \ and fo here Mercy and Truth meet together.
6. Another remarkable period, is their meeting on mount Calvary, where Chrift was crucified. It was upon the crofs of Chrifl that Pvlercy and Truth met to- gether, that Righteoufnefs an d Peace kiffed each other ; for there it was that he paid all the eled's debt, to the leafl farthing that Truth and Righteoufnefs could de- mand ; until he cried with a loud voice, and faid. It is fnijloed. Having done ail that the law could enjoin, he fuffered all that the law could threaten, fo as it cannot crave a farthing more : // isfinifbed : All that was fti- pulated for with the Father, in that federal tranfaclion .; ail that was promifed, in that eternal compact, is finifh- ed ; every article agreed to in the council of peace was iiniflied. The bargain that he had figned with his hand, he now fealed with his blood ; and in this appearance upon the crofs, or in his obedience to the death, did all the attributes of God meet, as in a centre. And on this account was mount Calvary more glorious than mount Sinai ; for, in mount Sinai, God appeared in his terrible majedy, making the mountain to tremble, and the earth to fliake ; but here in mount Calvary, he appeared not only in his terrible majedy, but in his tender mercy, in his terrible fury againfl: im ; and in his tender favour towards the fmner ; and now, the controvcrfy betwixt Juflice and Mercy feems at a crifis ; here was the critical jundure, wherein their different demands behoved to be decided ; and it was done with fuch a folemnity as made the vvhole univerfe, as it were, to tremble and quake : for then did GodfJoake,. not the earth only, hut alfo heaven ; for v/hen Chrifl was under the mighty load of this terrible wrath, in the fmner's
room.
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplayeJ, 139
room, there was a great earthquake^ and the heavens grew blacky the fun ivas ecUpfed ; and, that at a time, contrary to the com.mon rules of nature, which m:v^c a heathen philofopher, at a diftance, cry out, " That " either the frame of nature was on the point of dif- " folution, or the God of nature was fuffcring.'' And indeed he was fufFering unto blood, and unto death. Behold the living and eternal God here, in our nature wounded to death, and bleeding out his life, to be a facrifice for fm, that juRice miglit be fatisficd, and mercy might be magnified, and all the attributes of God glorified to the higheft. O wonder ! that Gol- gotha iho. place of afnidl^ fliould be fuch a famous
meeting-place for the divine perfedions.- It was a
place of the greatefl fliame and ignominy ; but, in him who endured the crofs, and dcfpfed the Jba?ne^ it was made a place of mofL rcfplendent glory ; for, in the crofs of Chrift, Pvlercy and Truth, Righteoufnefs and Peace met, and embraced each other. God's attri- butes did harmoniouily join together, fo as the one does not blacken, but illuftrate the p;lory of the other, while they ihined glorioufiy in the face of ChriPL cru- cified, as a beautiful and bright conflellation ; for he vJ2i?, fet forth to be a propitiation^ to declare the Ilighte- oufnefs and luftice of God, toeether with his other glorious names.
7. Another remarkable period, is their meeting to- gether at the bcir of Cod's great Jujiice-cozirt in hea- ven^ within the vail., whither the Fore-runner hath for lis efitered^ even Jefus^ Heb. vi. 20. When Chrift was upon the crofs, The vail of the temple whis rent in twain, from the top to the bottom ; and a way v;as made for entering into the holy of holies : and as the priclls un- der the lavv^ were not only to offer the facrihce without the camp, but after that were to enter the holicd of all, not without blood, but with the blood of the fa- crifice, to fpr inkle the mercy- feat., I.evit. xvi. 14, 15. Even fo^ Chrift having offered himfelf a facrifice, and fuffered without the gate, lieb. xiii. 12. He is entered into the 'holy place by his own blood, Heb. ix. 12. there to appear as our ITigh-pricft in the power and virtue
S :■ ' of
X4-0 The Hap^mony of the Serm. XX,
or his blood, to make a full atonement, and fprlnkle the mercy -feat. Hence befievers are faid to be come to, J-cfus the Mediator of the new covenant^ and to the blood Qffjrinkung; and where is this ? Even in heaven, as you fee in the context, Heb. xii. 23, 24. Now, in this work, Chrifl carried the price of his blood into the very pre fence of God for iis^ Heb. ix. 24. and paid it dov/n before him : and in this ad, Juflice hath its fatisfaction brought home ; and by this aft, Mercy and Juflice actually are met ; for hereby Chrift fprinkled the very mercy-feat with blood, all over, both upon it, and before it, as the forecited, Levit. xvi. repre- fents, For the mercy-feat of old Hood fo, that it could be feen but two Vv^ays, namely, upori it^ and before ity as a table next to the wall ; and fo this points out, that whatever v/ay we look to mercy by faith, we may fee mercy and blood mixed ; mercy and juftice met together ; and all forts of mercy conveyed through the blood of Chriil ; top m.ercies, and fide miCrcies, up- per mercies, of a fpiritual nature, and lower mercies, of a temporal nature ; for the mercy-feat is ijorinkled with blood upon it, and before it, and whatever way you look to it. The facriiice was hniilied on the crofs ; ^nd all facrihces hniflied therein : but the blood of the facrifice behoved alfo to be carried within the vail in order to the full atonement, that what was vvritten in blood upon the crofs, might be fealed in the prefence <)f God at the heavenly bar i and v/e acl not our faith far enough for redemption, unlefs we follow Chrifl from the crofs to the bar of God's juftice-court in heaven, to fee all fealed and fecured there within the vailj where this blood is expofed as it were, and pled at the bar ; where lAercy and J if lice meet toge- ther^ and embrace each other.
8. Another remarkable period, is their meeting to^ gether at the bar cf corf cic nee ^ God's lower court, on the day of aftual reconciliation betwixt God and the fmner ; for then, The blood of Chrifl wh.o^ through the eternal Spirit^ did offer himfclf without fpot to God^ doth purge the confcience^ Heb. ix. 14. And the blood pf
fprinkUngy
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difpayed. 141
fprinJding^ ivhereivith the confcicnce is purged from dead works toferve the Ircing God, doth put forth its pur- gative power and virtue by a certain internal fpeech ; ?ind what doth it Ipeak to the confcience ? It /peaks better things than the blood of Abel ; that fpeaks ven- geance, but this fpeaks mercy and peace in conjunc- tion v/ith truth, righteoufnefs, and juitice : for wdiere- ever jujfticc-fatisfying blood cries for merqy and peace, Mercy and Truths Ixighteoiffnefs and Peace meet, and embrace each other. This blood is the cement where- by they are joined together ; before this blood be ap- plied, the confcience of the convinced fmner is all in a flame, like mount Sinai ; thunder, and lightening, and fmoak, and darknefs, and fear of hell and ven- geance, com-pailing the foul about, wdiilc it is arraign- ed at the infiance of the iiery law, to pay the double debt to the mandatory and minatory part of the law ; that is, perfecl obedience upon the pain of eternal death and damnation. The (inner finds himfelf lofl and undone for ever by this law ; but then, w^icnever the blood of fprinkUng comes in, and appears at the bar of confcience, it fpeaks better things , it is a better fpeaker than the law ; and what fays it ? Why, the language of it is, With your leave, O lav/, you have nothing to crave ; for Chriil the Son of God was ar- raigned at the inftance c-f divine Juftice, to pay all this debt, becaufe he was this fiUner's Surety and Subfti- tute ; and he ad:ually paid it, by obeying the conii mand, and undergoing the penalty of tiie uuv ; and for this I produce the ancient records of God ; In the- 'vohime of his book, it is written of Chrift, that when fa- crifice and ofjeririg would not, he f aid, Lo, I come, J de- light to do thy will : and that the Lord hath laid on him- the iniquity of us all : That he was made a ciirfe for vs ; yea, that he was made fin for us, even he who knew no fin, that we might become the righteoufnefs of God in hinu And tlierefore, O knv, though thou haft Truth and Righteoufnefs on thy fide, yet Truth and PJghtc- oufnefs have met with Mercy and Peace, and they iiave concerted matters, and agreed liarmonioufly, and kif- fed one another, in token of their full agrcem.ent in
Chrilh
142 The Harmony of the Serm. XX.
Chrifl ; fo that in Chritl all charges are anfwered. — And thus in the behever's confcience parties meet to- gether.
III. The third thing propofed was, how and after what manner is it, that they meet together, and kifs .each other ? We are to conceive of it after the man- ner of God ; for it is more than a meeting of faints ; it is more than a. meeting of angels ; it is a divine meeting of all the glorious attributes of God j and we may notice thefe following qualities of it.
1. It is a wonderful and myjierlous meeting : it is above our apprehenfion and conception. O ! how wonderful a meeting is this ! The very name of the Perfon, that, is made the trifting-place, the meeting- place, is called Wonderful, Ifaiah ix. 6. Becaufe the meeting is about us, his name is called, Immanuel,
God With us. O how myfherlous is this meeting !
Great is the imftery of godlbiefs^ God manfejled in the flejh^ I Tim. iii. i6. That is all the attributes of God
meeting together, and harmoniouily embracing one another in the eternal Son of God, v/no hath affumed our nature into his own perfonality : this is the mod wonderful mvilerious meeting that ever was in heaven or earth.
2. It is a jo)fid meeting : they meet with infmlte pleafure and fatisfa^lion in one another ; Behold my Servant^ whom I uphold ; mine Elect ^ in whom ray foul deUghteth^ Ifaiah xlii. i. As the perfedions of God are glorified in Chrift, fo they rejoice and are delight- ed in him ; For Jehovah is welf-pleafed for his righ- teoifnefs fake ; and therefore the -pleafure of the Lord flmll prof per in his hand ; and he fuall fee the travel of
his foul and be fatisfed. Surely, if God hath his plea- fure, and Chrifh his fatisfadion, no attribute of the divine Majeify, no member of the m>eeting is difpleaf- cd, or out of Iiumour ; no, no ; This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pkafed. My Juftice is pleafed, my Mercy is pleafed, and all my other attributes are pleafed. O it is a heartfome, pleafant, and joyful meeting ! May ail that he^r me be v/eil-pleafed to fee
it :
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes dljplayed. 143
it : no joyful meeting, but what hath a refpcd to this.
3. It is a holy meeting : fome meetings among men that are called heartfome meetings, yet are very un- holy and fmful meetings ; but here is an infinitely holy meeting ; hoUnefs to the Lord^ is the motto of it, A meeting of holy faints, and holy angels, is not fucli a holy meeting as this meeting of the holy attributes of God, to advance the great defign of infinite hoU- nefs. All the holy meetings that ever v^^ere, or ever will be, are the refult of this, and the effect of fome portion of holinefs fent from it ; for all holinefs illue3 from it. Here Mercy and Truth meet together^ in a ho- ly manner ; Righteoufnefs and Peace falute each cther^ in a holy way, and greet one another with a holy k'lfs,
4. It is a happy meeting ; all happinefs and bleilings flow from this mieeting : Chrifl the meeting-place is the centre of all fpiritual hleffings^ Eph. i. 3. Many unhappy meetings have been in the world fmce hn en- tered into it ; and fmful unholy meetings are always miferable and unhappy meetings : but this holy meet- ing, mud be a happy meeting ; and this holy idfs, mud be a happy kifs. If Mercy and Truth had not met together, we had never met with God ; if Righ- teoufnefs and Peace had never kified each other, we had never got a kifs of the fair face of the Son of God, nor ever been taken into the divine embraces.
5. It is -^ifree meeting : Mercy and Truth met to- gether freely, without being conftrained ; Righteouf- nefs and Peace kiffed each other freely, without being forced ; no rn^tive from without could ever take place to move God to call this meeting from eternity ; it was according to his own purpofe and grace^ which is given us in Chrijl Jefus^ before the world began ^ 2 Tim. 1.9. Free fovereign grace is the original of the meet- ing. It is alfo fuch a free alTembly, where every mem- ber might freely fpeak, and not one to interrupt ano- ther, as is ufual in meetings among men, where fome cry one thing, and fome another, in a confufed man- ner j like that aifembly. Ads xix. 32.'^vhere it is faid,
. . Tbs
144 ^^^ Harmony of the Serm. XX.
^he afjemhly zvas confufed^ and the greater part knew not ivherefore they were inet together ; and fonie cried one things and fome another : no, this meeting is free, in oppofition both to all conflraint and compulfion from without, and to all confufion and commotion from within : where fovereign free Grace is the mafler-con- veener, there can be no compulfion ; and where the God of order is the manager, there could be no con- fufion ; and where the God of peace was all in all, there could be no diilention. Therefore,
6. It is a har?nonmu meeting ; whatever different claims and pretenfions the members o^ the meeting may feem to have, yet they harmoniouily concur in ad- vancing one another's honour and glory ; and hence, as they mutually meet together, fo they affectionately embrace one another. There was no difcord at this af- fembiy, no proper variance or driving for ftate ; but glorioufly confpiring with joint hearts and hands, to p-lorify each other in the falvation of a company of fmners, by Jefus Chrift. The divine elTence is undivid- ed ; and as there are three that bear record in heaven^ the Father^ the Word, and the Spirit ; and thefe three are me ; fo the attributes of God, however manifold to our apprehenfion, yet there is no diviiion among them, they are all one; and their confpiring together in Chrid for our redemption, is called noAUToi,c/A^ So^U t6 g^S, The manifold wisdom of God. The manifold per- fc£llons of God meet together in one, with one confent and with one heart. Behold Mercy and Juflice in one another's arms ; and fo clofs is the embracement, that they are juft one. Though it be a full meeting, and all parties prclent, yet there is no war, no jar, no dif- fention, no divifion, but all harmony and concord, all love and affeclion : it is the mod peaceable meeting that ever was. And yet,
7. It is a Moody meeting : and never was, and never will there be fuch a bloody meeting in heaven or earth : the mercy-feat mud be fprinkled with blood ; Mercy cannot be vented without blood ; Truth cannot be cleared, without blood ; Righteoufnefs cannot be vin- dicated, without blood \ and Peace cannot be purchaf-
ed^
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplayed. 145
ed, without blood ; vjithoutJJoeddhig of blood there is 710 rcmi/Jion ; no mercy to be vented, no peace to be pro- claimed ; Chri/l hath made peace by the blood of his crofs^ Col. i. 20. A bloody husband haft thottbeen iiniome^ faid Zipporah ; but, O how much more may Chrilt fay, a bloody meeting hath this been unto me ? Who is this that comcth from Edom^ with dyed garments from Bozra f If I. Ixiii. I. Why, what is the matter that his garment is dyed v;ith blood ! Why ? when Mercy and Truth met together, they preffcd to be fo near one another in him, that they preffed the blood out of his veins ; and fo it was a bloody meeting : and wdien Righte- oufnefs and Peace kifli^d each other, it behovod to be in Chrifl:, and fo the fword of juftice behoved to pierce him through and through ; that fo thefe facred lips might meet and kifs each other in his heart ; and fo it was a bloody kifs : they kilTed each other with fuch good -will, that Chrifl was, as it were, bruifed betwixt their lips, that the blood might cement and glue them together. One would think, fuch a bloody kifs would be no pleafant kifs ; nay, but it plcafed the Father trt
bruife him : they met together on a fea of blood.
Thus it was a bloody meeting. Again,
8. It is an efficacious meeting : many meet and af- femble together, and yet do nothing for their meet- ing ; it is to no effcfl : but here Mercy and Truth meet together efficaciouily, co-operatively ; all is done at the meeting, that God propoied to be done, and all is done that concerns the glory of God and falvation of men ; their meeting together, is their working to- gether, and that to perfection ; For God the Lord is a rock^ and his work is pcrfecf. Their meeting together, is their building together ; Pfal. Ixxxix. 2, 3. / have faid^ Mercy Jhall be birJt up for ever : thy faithful nefs Jloalt thou cfhihUfh in the very heavens. There is Mer- cy and Truth both a-building, and the foundation of the building is laid in Chrift : I have made a covenant with my chofen •; / have fivorn unto David my fer-* vant,
q. It is an unexpeded meeting ; it is beyond the ex- peftation of men and angels. If friends and intimates
Vol. 1L T fliould
146 ^he Harmony cf the Serm. XX.
fliould meet, and falute cne another, it would not be furprizing ; but to lee oppolites, antipodes and antago- nifls meet together, and embrace each other, this were furprifmg and unexpeded ; fo to fee light and darknefs, love, and enmity, life and death meeting, how unexpec- ted were that ? Thus it is here, Mercy and Truth, Righ- teoufnefs and Peace, thefe attributes of God, with re- fped to us, were oppofites and antipodes. The lan- guage of Truth and Righteoufnefs, is death and dam- nation to the fmner ; the language of Mercy and Peace, is life and falvation to the fmner ; and when a hnner finds himfelf purfued to death, at the inftance of di- vine Juftice, and the truth and veracity of God en- gaged againil him, according to the threatening of the law, O how unexpeded a recounter is it ! when he finds Mercy and Peace meeting with Juftice and Truth, and ftopping the purfuit, according to the promife of the gofpel, to the credit of the oppofite parties, fay- ing, Deliver his foul from going down to the pit ; I have found a ranfoin^ and fo all differences are adjufted ; all oppofites reconciled, to the infinite furprize, and be- yond the expectation of all created beings. No won- der then, upon this meeting difcovered, the poor foul cries. Is this the manner of man ^ 0 Lordf 0, who is like unto thee ! Nay^ there is none like unto the God of Jefurun^ that rides on the heaven for their help^ and in his excellency on the fkies. »
10. It is an everlafting^ imliffolvahle meeting : other meetings will adjourn their meetings from time to time, and from place to place ; yea, other meetings mud part, and when they part,, they may never meet again *,. and we that are here met, muft part, and never all meet again in time ; even as fome others that met to- gether v/ith us the laft year, are away to eternity. — - But O ! this meeting betwixt Mercy and Truth, Righ- teoufnefs and Peace, it is a meeting where there is no parting ; the meeting is from everlafting to everlait- ing ; their meeting together, and kiffmg each other, is aa eternal and unchangeable meeting, and an eternal and unchangeable kifs : it is every way like God,
with-
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplayed, 147
without begmning, without -ending, and without fuc-
ceffion. Whatever beginning, iHue, or increafe it
hath with refped to its' manifeftation to us, yet in it- felf, it is flill the fame in Chrifh Jefus, who is the fame ycjlcrday, to-day^ and for ever ; li'it/jotit any variable- nefi or Jhadow of turnings Heb. xiii. 8. The meeting never breaks up ; it is a continued meeting, never to be diffolved ; and there they kifs one another to all eternity ; for his mercy endiireth for cver^ and his righ- te oil fiefs to all generations : and becaufe of truths meek- nefs^ and righteoifnefs^ in his rnajefiy he foall ride prof per 01 fly : and of the increafe of his government and peace there fiall be no end. I have faid^ Mercy foall be built up for ever ; and I have f aid j ^Tr nth foal I be e/tablifioed in the heavens. Why, what is the meaning of all thcje expreffions ? The language is, as if one glorious attri- bute of God, fliould fay to another, O ! the fm of man fet us all, as it were, at variance, and the whole crea- tion knows not how to reconcile God with himfeif, if he lliall fiive one fmner ; but behold wt, having met together in Chrifl the Ilighteoufnefs, the Ranfoni, the Atonement, the Propitiation : having embraced one another in behalf of thofe poor miferable fumers, our arms fliall never feparate, that are clafped toge- ther. Mercy and Truth have met together, faying. You and I Ihall never .part ; Righteoufnefs and Peace have kiffed each other, faying, You and I Ihall never funder, nor fufpcnd the embracement, neither death nor hfe, nor hell, nor devils, nor fm itfelf, ihall c- ver feparate us. It is a bargain among us, a divine match ; they have met together by an everlafling co- venant, fealed the bargain with an everlafling kifs, and faftened a knot in an everlafting Righteoufnefs, which is the band of the union, even Chrift \ for the covenant does fland faji ivith /?/;?;, Pfalm Ixxxix. 28. Where you will alfo fee how this everlafling meeting is eftablilhed in Chrifl, verfe 14. Jufiice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne ; or, the kstabitsti- MENT of thy throne^ as it may be rendered ; And mercy and truth fhajl go before thy face. And verfe 21.
T 2 ' ' With
148 n^ Hariviony of the Serm. XX,
Wtib him 7ny hand Jh all he eftahlijhed ; and 7ny faithf ni- ne fs^ and my jucrcy JJjall be zvith him. And verle 28.
My mercy will I keep for him for ever.- Thus it is
an everlading meeting.
IV. The foiu'tb thing propofed, was, Why, or for what rcafons they have met together, and kifled each other ] Why have the perfcdions of the glorious God confpired lb harmonioufly, and met together in fuch a iweet folemnity ? Surely fuch a meeting as this muft have noble deligns in view ; and I will tell you thefe four reafons of the meeting, or four things that were to be concerted at this great ailembly.
I. They met together, to concert meafures for ad- vancing the glory of God to the higheft. This parlia- ment of heaven met together upon ways and means, for bringing in the greateft revenue of praife and glo- ry to the crown of heaven, to Father, Son, and Holy Ghoit ; and all the glorious attributes of this great and eternal God. Thefe glorious attributes confpired harmonioufly to fet forth and glorify themfelvcs moft illuilrioufly : they mxt together, and kiifed one ano- ther, tliat they might glorify each other. The glory of God was the hrfl cind lafi: end of the meetingc What is the cliief end of man, but to glorify God, and enjoy him for ever ? and, O 1 what is the chief end of God ! It is even to glory himfelf in all his perfections, and to enjoy himifelf for ever. And hovv^ does God glo- rify himleif m.oft brightly ? It is even in Chrifl, the meeting-place of thefe perl^clions, with a view to our redemption, to the praife of the glory of his grace ^ where-. in he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, Eph. i. 6. And how does he enjoy himfelf moft fvveetly ? It is ^^ven in Chrilf, Behold mine Eled, in %vhom my foul de^i lighteth ; I was dai-y his delight y fays 'Chrift, while my delight was with the fons of men, Prov. viii. 70, They met together to put a crown of glory and honour upo^ each other. Adam's fin and rebellion, and your fm, man, woma^n, and my fm (O that God difhonouring $:yii fm !) it had pulled oil that crown of glory, as it
Serm, XX. DiviNK Attributes difphrjecL 14^
were, from the head of the great King, eternal and immortal, and thrown it into the mire, and flained it with filth and pollution : but behold thefe attributes of God meet together to take up the crown, to rub ofF the dufl and dung that fm had cafl upon it, and to add fome more fparkiing jewels to it than ever, and fet it upon the head of their Sovereign, to the highcfl praifcs of his Mercy, juflice, Truth, Righteoufnefs, Grace, Love, I-Iolineis, Wifdom, and all his other ex- cellencies ; that men and angels might fmg and fay, Glorx to GccI ill the h'lgbcft^ peace on earthy and good^ will icivards men ; that all the faints might fmg a con- fort in praife of the meeting betwixt Mercy and Truth, Juflice and Peace, faying, as it is Pfal. Ixxxix. 14,
Jufiice and judgment of thy throne^
Shall be the dwelling-place ; Mercy ^ accompayrfd with Truths
Shall go before thy face.
And that every faint might fmg the fifty -feventli Pfalm, and ninth and tenth verfes,
V II praife thee ^mong the people^ Lord,
'Mong nations fng will I ; For great to heaven thy mercy is^
Thy truth doth reach the fky.
They met together, to put a crown of glory upon the head of Chrift, Heb. ii. 9. in whom they m.et. This aiTembiy did conveen for the coronation of the Son of God: For, he having humbled himfelf^ and become obe- dient unto deaths even the death of the crofs ; God hath highly exalted him^ and given him a name above every name^ that at the 72a?ne ^ Jeaus every knee fnoidd bozu^ of things in heaven^ and things in earthy and things un- der the earthy and that every tongue fjould confefs that Jefus Chri/i is our Lord, to the glory of God the Fa- iher, Phil. ii. 8,-13, thrift hath glorified the Fa. ther, and theref^ore the Father glorified him. And now // the Son of man glorified. anc( God is glorified in him ;
150 TJie Harmony of the Serm. XX.
and if God be glorified in him^ God fhall alfo glorify hi?n in himfelf John xiii. 31, 32. Him that homuretb ?ne^ I will honour^ fays God, i Sam. ii. 30. And in whom does this take place to perfedion ? It is in Chrift j God is honoured moil highly by him ; and therefore he is honoured mod highly ; Amen, fo let it he^ and
fojhall it be, —And therefore it is concerted in that
meeting, that all xht faints fhall glorify him ; hence that royal edict comes forth, He is thy Lord, ivorjhip thou him, Ffalm xlv. ii. And fo we find them do- ing. Rev. V. 9. nou art worthy to take the book^ and open the feals ; for thou waft flain^ and haft redeemed lis to God by thy blood. It is concerted in that meet- ing, that all the angels fhould glorify him ; hence that edld; comes forth, Let all the angels ofGodworf)ip him^ Heb. i. 6. Andfo we find them doing, Rev. v. 11,12. I heard the voice of many angels^ and the number of them was ten thoufand times ten thoufand^ and thoufands of thoufands^ faying^ with a loud voice^ Worthy is the Lamb that was flain^ to receive power ^ and riches^ and wif dom^ andftrengthy a?2d honour, and glory, and bleffiiigs, It is concerted in this meeting, that all the crea- tures in heaven and earth, fea and land, fhall glorify him,
as we fee verfe 13. But left the finful creatures
upon earth, like you and me, diould not glorify him, or fee his glory, it is concerted in that glorious meet- ing, that the Holy Ghoft, the eternal Spirit, one God, equal in power and glory with the Father and the Son, fhall be fent down to the earth to glorify him. He Jhall glorify 7i:e, for he fnall receive cf mine, and jhezu it unto
you, John xvi. 14. O! hath the Spirit of God
been fhewing any thing of Chrid among you this day ! any thing of his grace, fulnefs, and righteoufnefs, fo as to glorify him, and make him glorious above all things to you: why then, we may reckon that you have found fomething of the faving fruits of this glorious meeting ; for the grand defign of it was to glorify God in Chrift, by the Spirit. They met to concert all things relating to the glory of the Father, in the Son, by the Holy Ghoft, They m,et to confult their
own
Serm. XX, Divine Attributes difplaycd, 151
own glory in Chrifl, that Mercy and Truth might be glorified in him.
2. They met together to concert thtvv proper zvork^ in carrying on this great end, of the glory of God, and his perfedions. They do not meet together to fit idle, and do nothing ; no, they meet together to con- cert each of them their proper bufinefs, as Chrift faid to his friends, Wherefore was it that ye fought 7ne f W'l/i ye not that I mujl he about my Father'' s bufinefs ! So may I fay here, the attributes of God met together, that they may go about God's bufmefs : what buhnefs ? what work belongs to each of them feverally ? Why^ Mercy and Truth meet together, that they may be fent upon an embalTy together ; God jhall fend forth hh mercy and his truths Pfalm Ivii. 3. ; his Mercy, to give in the promife of the gofpel ; and his Truth to make out the fame. Thus Mercy and Truth met together, that they may be fent forth upon fome gracious expe- dition, particularly both to be leaders and followers ; to the remnant w^iom God appointed unto life. On the one hand, to be leaders ; hence the pfalmiil cries, 0 fend forth thy light and thy truth ; let them kad me^ and bring me to thy holy hill^ and to thy tabernack : then will I go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy ^ Behold the wonderful bufmefs of Mercy and Truth, and the work they are fet out upon, even mercifully
to lead blind fouls to God in Chrift. On the other
hand, it is to be not only leaders, but followers ; Surely goodnefs and mercy f hall follow me all the days of my life, Pfalm xxiii. 6. If the child of God under any temptation, refufe to be led by Mercy and Truth, and give up with them as his leaders, yet for all that, he Ihaii not hinder them to be his foilowTrs : he may runt out of God*s w^ay, but Mercy will follow and bring him back ; and w^ien Mercy follows, it is always in company with Truth. And, O ! what tiiink ye of this wonder ! Mercy and Truth meet together, that they might go forth together, like two pages, to follow you, believer, through all the fteps of your wilder- nefs journey ; Goodnefs and mercy flmll follow me all the days of my life. Here is a piece of work, that Mercy
and
i^"^ The Harmony of The Serm. XX.
and Truth have met together for, even to be fent forth, as leaders and followers of poor elect fmners, till they be out of all hazard, in Immanuel's land^ zvbere glo- ry dwells : fee Pfalm Ixi. 7. But then, as Mercy and Truth have met together, to purfue their proper work ; fo, Righteoufnefs and Peace have kijfed each other ^ for purfuing of theirs. Well, fay you, what is the work of Righteoufnefs and Peace ? You have a word in the laft verfe of this pfalm, where our text lies, Righteouf- nefs Jhall go before him^ and fet us iii the zvay of his fteps* Divine Righteoufnefs difplaying itfelf in Cbrift Jefus, the Sun of righteoufnefs ^ goes before him to prepare his way, and bring us to God, and to our duty : and, to be fure, when ever Righteoufnefs goes before, Peace will follow after ; for the fruit of righteoufnefs is peace ^ whether it be imputed or implanted. Here then the work of Righteoufnefs and Peace kiffing each other, is to bring in thefe blelfed effeds in their order : we con- fider them as divine perfedions in the text, and in thefe eftecls, Righteoufnefs leads the van, and Peace comes up v/ith the rear.
3. Thefe attributes confpire harmoniouily, they meet together and kifs each other, for this reafon, that by their meeting together, they may concert the diffolv- ing of fome unhappy meetings, Thefe oppofite-like at- tributes of God meet together, that fome intimates may be feparate, and fad and fmful agreements may be broken up : there is a fad meeting, and agreement we read of, Ifa. xxviii. 15. We have made a covenant with death ^ and with hell are we at agreement. Why, is not this the cafe of all men by nature? Yea : but how is this fad and miferable meeting diffolved ? fee verfe 16. Behold-. I lay in Zion for a foundation, aftcne^ a tried ft on t^, a precious corner ftone, a fure foundation.-^ Judgment alfo will I lay to the Fme, and i^ighteoufnefs to ihe phmvmet. Well, when Judgment and Righteouf* nefs mercifully meet in Chrift, the fure Foundation^ what will be the eife£t ? It follows, verfe 17, 18. The hail fhall fweep away the refuges of lies, and your cove-- nant with death fnall be difinulkd, and your agreement with hell fiall not Jiand. Whatever fad afpecl this
fcrip-
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difpIayecL i<;'^
fcrjpture may have to the defpifers of Chri(l5yet it hath a merciful afped to all the chofen of God, and all that defire to live to the Lord jefus ; yea, there is here a ioundation of faith laid, for all that hear the joy- ful found, that whatever fmful and miferable meet- ings and agreements there are betvvixt hell and tliem, betwixt death and them, yet it cannot fland before this [glorious meeting, that was deligned to break up and diilolve the oppofite meetings, that fland in a con- trariety thereto. There are many black unions,
which this blefled union doth diiTolve ; and there is no dilfolving of them, but by this blcffcd meet- ing. There is the black union betwixt the fmner
and the law, which is the foundation of the black u- nion, beiwixt the fmner and his (in : for, when the union betwixt him and the law is diifolved, then the union betwixt him and his fin is diHTolved, accord- ing to Rom. vi. 14. Sinjhall not have do/imi'wn unto you, for ye are not under the iaiju^ hut under grace. Now, ■what is the covenant of grace ? Why, Mercy and Truth meeting together, Righteoufnefs and Peace, killing each other in Chrifl: Jefus, is the fubftance, the marrow, the kernel of the covenant of grace ; and it is this bleifed meeting, that difTolves the union betwixt the fmner and thetaw^, and fo betv/ixt the fmner and his fm. O viev/ the glorious defign of this meeting ? They m.et together that you might be feparated from your fad aiTociates. — By nature you and the devil had met together, and you was a flave to him ; and it is the virtue of this meeting in Chrifl, that dilTolves that; ^e feed of the ivoraan Jhall hrufe the head of the ferpcnt, — The luorld and you had met together, and you took pleafurein your wicked companions, or elfe was wholly drowned in worldly affairs ; O 1 it is the faith of this meeting that dilTolves that ; This is the vi8ory that overcomes the
ivorld^ even our faith, The curfe of God and you had
met together, and you lie under that curfe, till in the faith of this meeting, you flmll fee, that Chrifl hath be- come a curfe for us. Tiiis meeting is deligned for
the breaking up of allthefe, andthelike unhappy meet- ings. They met together in a glorious band, to loofe all the knots that the devil liad tied.
Vol. II. U 4- ^hcfe
1 j'4 The Harmony of dje Serm. XX.
4. Thefe glorious attributes of God do confpire har- monioully, they meet together and kifs each other, that they might concert and carry on fomc happy meet- ings^ and make up fome hie [fed matches, Theie oppo- lite-hke attributes harmonioully meet, that oppofites, and irreconileable LiAings might meet together harmo- niouily, and kifs each other, whether real or feeming oppofites.
I/?, Tliere are real oppofites that meet together har- monioully, by virtue of this glorious meeting ; par- ticularly thefe fix.
(i.) Thefe oppofite-like attributes meet together harmonioully, that oppofite yiatures might meet toge- ther, even that God and man might meet together, and embrace each other. And there are thefe two meet- ings betwixt God and man, that were concerted at this meeting \ the one is the meeting betwixt God and man, in the hypoftatkal union of the two natures of Chriil, our Immanuel, God-man, in one perfon : this is \}ii^ great myftery of godlinefs^ God 7nanfejied in theflefh; and this is the foundation of all other faving and mer- ciful meetings betwixt God and man. — 1 he other is the meeting between God and man in tlitfpiritual union betwixt Ghriil and his members, in one myflical perfon by the bond of the Spirit ; for he that is joined to the Lord is one fpirit ; and this union is the foundation of all fpiritual communion with God. We were not only at an infinite natural dillance from God, as we are creatures, but at an infinite moral diftance from him, as we are criminals and fmners : but the attributes of God met together, and kiifed each other in ChripL, that God and man might meet together, in a fpiritual union, and erKibrace each other in a fvveet fpiritual comm.union. — V7hatever fpiritual communion you have with God, be- liever, this day, it Bows from this glorious meeting of the divine attributes in Chrift : and this union and com- munion io indeed a nieeting of oppofite natures ; God became man, and took on our nature, and he makes us partakers of his nature, 2 Pet. i. 4.
(2.) Thefe oppofite-like attributes met together and kiifed each other, that oppofite %vills might meet^ and
em-
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplayed. 155
•embrace each other. God's will and ours are oppofite ; this is indeed a branch of the former ; but our wills are the great forts of corrupt nature, that ftand out againft God and his will ; we are enmity againft God^ and not fubjecf. to the law of God ^ neither indeed can be. Now, how comes the will to be reconciled to God's will ? It is only by Chrid, in whom the perfections of God meet together ) Thy people Jhall be willing [Heb. willing- nesses] in the day of thy power, Pfal. ex. 4.
(3.) Thefe oppofite-like attributes meet and kifs each other, that oppofite pcrfonsy viz. Jews and Gentiles, man and man, that were enemies and haters of one a- nother, might meet together ; that Jews and Gentiles might meet together, and men at variance with men might meet together ; hence it is faid of him, in whom the attributes of God do meet. He is our peace, who hath Tiiadc both one, [i. e. Jews and Gentiles] ajid bcfh bro- ke n down the middle wall cf partition : having abolipcd in his flejh the enmity, even the law of commandments, ecu- tained in ordinances, for to make in hinfelf of twain, one new man,fo making peace : and that he might reconcile both nnto God in one body, by the crofs, having flain the enmity thereby, Eph. ii. 14,-16. If any thing ilay the enmity to God or man, this is it.
(4.) Tliefe oppoute-like attributes of God meet and kifs each other, that oppofite climates miglit meet toge- ther ; i mca.i, that heaven and earth might meci toge- ther ; the church militant, and the church triumph:mt. Heaven and earth were at va. lance by our fm *, but BOW in Chrlit, faints in heaven, and faints on earth meet together. Hence we are faid to be csme to the general ajenibly, and church of the firft-horn, that are written in heaven, — to the fpirits of jvft men made perfect, Heb. xii. 23. All believers are faid to be thus come to mount Zion, — the heavenly Jerufalem, ver. 22. Yea, in Chrift, angels in heaven, and men on earth do m.eet to- gether : hence alfo believers are faid to be come to the innumerable company of angels : and the angel of the Lord encamps about them that fear him, Pfal. xxxiv. 7. \ ea, all things in heaven and earth do meet together, av.d
U 2 kifs
i^S T.be Har^ioi^y of tbe Serm, XX.
kits each other in Chrift, the meetmg place ; Having made peace ^ by the blood of bis crofs^ by him to reconcile all things to hlmfelf ; ichether things in heaven^ or things in earthy Col. i. 20. Eph. i. 10. See how, upon the back of this meethig in the text, heaven and earth are faid to meet together in the following verfe, Truth Jhallfpring cut of the earth ; and Fughteoufnefs Jloall look down from heaven ; which 1 infiil not upon here.
(5.) Thefe oppofite-like attributes of God meet and kifs each other, that oppofite covenants might meet and embrace each other : even the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace, in Chriil the meeting-place of the divine perfections. Thefe two covenants do, as it were, join hands and agree. Did the covenant of works command perfeft obedience ? and being broken, did it demand complete fatisfaction ? Behold Chriil's obe- dience to the death anfwers both; God's covenant of grace difpenfed to us, is juft Chrift fulhiling, for us, the covenant of works ; and fo in him they meet, and kifs each other ; For he is the end of the law for righte- oifnefs ^ to every 07ie that bcUeveth, Again.
(6.) Thefe oppofite-like attributes of God meet and kifs each other, that oppofite thoughts might meet toge- gethcr, and embrace each other ; even God's thoughts and our thoughts ; how oppofite thefe are you may fee, Ifa. Iv. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts ; nor your ways my ways ; for as the heavens are higher than the earthy fo are my ways higher than your ways^ and my thoughts than your thoughts. Some have prefumptuous thoughts, while they look only to God's mercy, and fo they think certainly God will have mercy on them, though yet "they are flrangers to Chrifl : thefe are op- pofite to God's thoughts ; he hath no thoughts of fliewing mercy that way. Others have defpairing thoughts, while they look merely or modly to God's juilice, and fo theii thought is, " O ! will God have " mercy on the like of me ! and, he cannot in juftice " fave the like of me !" Thefe thoughts are alfo op- pofite to God's thoughts ; my thoughts are not your thoughts met together: why, let a man view the mercy and judice of God met together, and harm.onioully^
kiffing
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplaycd. 157
killing each other in Chrift, fo as to fee God in Cbrijt reconciling the 'world to himfelf. If your thoughts be fpi- rituahzed, to difcern mercy venting through the fa- crifice, that fatisfies divine juflice, then God's tliouglitj and your thoughts meet together and kifs each other.
Thus the divine attributes meet together harmo-
nioully, that real oppofites may meet together harmo- niouily. This glorious meeting lays a foundation fur thefe happy meetings.
2t//y, There are feeming oppofites, that meet together harnionioully, by virtue of this glorious meeting ; as,
(i.) Thefe oppofite-like perfections of God meet together, and kifs each other harmoniouily, that op- pofite-like providences might meet together, and kifs each other. There are frov\^ning providences, and and fmiling providences ; crofTes and comforts in the behever's lot : here is a providence that favours the promife, and, there is a providence that feems to con- tradict the promife : at one time the believer is exalted, and his mountain ftandeth (Irong ; at anotlier time he is troubled, depreffed, and cafl down. Well, how fliall thefe unite and cement together ? Why, they meet and embrace each other in Chrifl, the meeting-place ; for all things work together for good to them that lo-ve him^ and are the called according to his purpofe. Hence we will find, not only light and darknefs in the belie- ver's lot, but fometirnes lio'ht and darknefs meetino; to- gether, Zech. xiv. 7. there you read of a da)'^ that is neither day nor night ; yet a day knouun to the Lord ; neither clear nor dark, but at evening time it f jail be light. There evening darknefs ufhering in the morning liglit. Hence they have occafion to fng of -mercy and ofjudg- ment ; becaufe of their meeting together, and kiiTmg- each other, and working together for good. Behold the crofs and the crown meeting together.
(2.) Thefe oppofite-like perfections of God meet to- gether, and kifs each other, that oppofite-like c/^'z/T^ may meet, and embrace each other, while Mercy defires our life and Juflice feems to demand our death ; thefe arc reconciled only in Chrifl, in whom Mercy and Truth, Ilighteoufnefs and Peace, meet and embrace each
otiier.
i5§ ^^'^ Harmony of ihe Sep.m. XX.
other. But look to our defire of God's glory, and our own fcilvation, men and angels could never have contrived bow thefe tv/o defires could be reconciled, if Mercy and Truth had not met together, and killed each other ; for the glory of God's truth and rightcouf- nef^. in the thrcatning of his lav/, feems to reft fatisfied with nothing lefs than our deftrudion ; and therefore <o defire God's glory, would have been to delire our own damnation ; and confequently in defiring our own fal- vation, we mull have def.red God's dilhonour : but now this bleifed contrivance of infinite Wifdom, let us fee how thefe tw^o are not only reconciled, but made in- feparable ; Having fet forth Chriji to he the propitiation^ through faith in his bloody to declare his righteoufnefs in the remtjfton of fins.
(3.) Thefe feemingly oppofite attributes m^eet and kifs each other, that feemingly oppofite graces might meet and embrace each other : for example, reverence '^w^ confidence ; how j(hall/^^r and reverence mttl to- gethf r with faith and confidence f Why, Truth and Right coufnefs are at the meeting ; and therefore y^/«r and reverence becomes us ; but Kurcy and Peace are aifo on the bench, therefore faith and holy confidence may boldly ftep in ; We - have ooldnefs to enter into the holicft by the blood of Jefis,
(4.) Thefe oppoiite-iike attributes m.eet and embrace each other, that oppofite-like duties may meet together ; fraj^r Tmd praife feeni oppofite duties in fome cafes ; prayer iuppofes our wants to be great, othervrife, why
fliould w^€ pray ? ^Praife fuppofes our enjoyments
to be great, otherwife, wdiy fnould we praife ?
Well, Truth and Righteoufnefs, thefe awful attributes, prefent at the meeting, fay. We have nothing in our- lelves, therefore w^e ought to pray ; but Mercy and Peace fay, we have all, we have enough in Chrift, and therefore w^e ought to praife. Humiliation and gloriafion feem oppofite duties ; but the feemingly op- pof tc attributes of God meeting together, brnig al- io thefe duties to meet and embrace each other.™
Is Truth and Paghteoufnefs in the company with Mercy and Peace? then huniillatlon is our duty : but is Mer- cy
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplayed, 1^9
cy and Peace in company with Truth and Righteouf- nefs ? Then gloriation is our duty. Let him thai glo- ries ^ glory in the Lord.
(5.) Thefe feemingly oppofite attributes of God meet and embrace each other, that feemingly oppofite experiences may meet and embrace each other, and be reconciled, though feemingly irreconcileable. There are fad experiences, and fweet experiences : O ? here is the fad experience of a guilty confcience, a power- ful corruption, and a conquering temptation : can ever that be reconciled with the experience of holy peace, pardon, and vi6lory ? Yea, here is a foundation hid for the reconciliation of thefe oppofites. If Juflice and Mercy have met together, then a guilty confcience, and a mercy-feat may meet together ; a prevalent cor- ruption, and pardoning, purifying blood may meet together ; as they did in thepfahiiift's cafe ; Iniquities prevail againfc Jiie : • but as for our tranfgreffions thou Jh alt purge them azvay^ Pfalm Ixv. 3- — The lad experi- ence of fatherly anger, or of the feeling of divine wrath, may meet with the fweet experience of felt love and favour ; for Mercy and Juftice are met together, Ifa. liv. 7, 8. — The fad experience of perplexing thioughts may meet with the fweet experience of fpiritual confo- lation, and be fwallowed up therein ; fince Truth and Juilice have vcitt with Mercy and Peace : Plence it was that thefe two met together in David ; In the miihitiide of my thoughts ivithin me^ thy comforts delight my foul^ Pfalm xcix. 19. O ! is fuch a fad experience confif- tent With an intereil: in Chriri ? Why, both terrible and amiable attributes of God meet together in Chrift; and therefore it is not flrange, that the fadded and fweeteil experiences meet together, fo as not to be In- confiflent with the (late of a believer that is in Chriil", To fee awful Juftice, and lovely Mercy meeting to- gether, in a fweet-fmelling facrihce, is a greater won- der, than to fee your faddeft and fv.eeteil experien- ces meeting in Chrift, to make up a Hallelujah, Fraife ye the Lord : and the former meeting is the rea- fon of this.
(6.) Thefe irreconcileable-iike attributes of God
meet
i6o The Harmony of the Serm. XX-
meet and embrace each other, that Irreconcileable- likefcriptures might meet together and embrace each other : How (hall Exod. xxxiv. 7. He will by no means clear the guilty^ (or, judify the fmner,) be reconciled with Horn. iv. 5. where he is {2\d.to jujlify the ungodly f
0 ! how can thefe two oppofites meet together ? — Why, Mercy and Truth have met together in Chrift, to make up a match betwixt them : a ranfom is founds -2. propitiation is Jet forth ; why then, thefe oppofite- iike fcriptures may m.eet together, and kifs each other He lijill by no means clear the guilty^ without a ranfom, a propitiation. Well, is the ranfom found, and pro- pitiation fet forth ? then he will juflify the ungodly on that ground : Deliver his foul from going dozvn to the pity
1 have found out a ranfom. Now he can juflify the iin- ner, and be jufi: in fo doing, while he draws him in to Chriil by faith, Romans iii. 25, 26.—- — Thus you fee the reafons of the meeting. In a word, they meet together upon a defign to bring the greated good out of the greatefl evil, and the highefl glory out of the deeped mufery, to the praife of all God's glorious per- fedions.
V. The fifth thing propofed, was the application^ m a few inferences. Is it fo, that in the falvation of dn- ners by Jefus Chrid, the glorious attributes and per- fedions of God do thus harmonioudy confpire, and embrace each other ? Then hence we may fe£,
I. What a dreadful evil sin is, which fets all the attributes of God, as it were, in oppodtion to one a- nother, and puts aU the world into confudon, and e- very thing out of order ; it fets heaven and earth, and aU things in them at variance, one againd another : to think light of dn, is to think light of this glorious meeting of divine attributes, th'at met together to break this rebellion, and take order with this horrid infur- reclion againd heaven. O 1 what a great matter is the falvation of a dnner ! ere that can take place, this grand meeting mud be called ; all the injured attri- butes of God mud have an honourable reparation. — Judice mud be fatisfied j Truth vindicated ; Righ-
t-eoufnefs
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes diJ}Aayed. i6'f
tcoufnefs cleared ; and in order to all this, a Surety mufl be provided, even a God in our nature : the guilt mud be Imputed to him, and the iniquity of u^ all mufl be laid upon him ; and then a bloody tragedy muft be aded upon his foul and body, till he fink to death under the weight of infinite wraths
2. Hence fee, what a wonderful F erf on our Lord Jestjs Christ is, in whom fo many wonders meet together* It is in him, that Mercy and Truth, Righteo\ifnefs and Peace, do meet together, and kifs each other ; here all the illuflrious perfections of the divine nature do glori- oufly confpire *, here is the bright cortftellation of all the divine attributes fliining forth in him ; and every (tar performs its revolution in this orb. Behold in him the bright glory and excellency of God's grace and love ; a whole Trinity in concert, to perform each Perfoa his own part, and each attribute its own work ; and Chrfi^ the image of the jnvfd)le God, fei forth to he a GLORIOUS THEATRE, ou which men and angels might fee the fplendour of the tranfadlion : He is the bright- nefs of the Father's glory, and. the exprefs image of*' his perfon : here is the great myftet-y of godlinefs, God ma- nife/led in the flefl), and all his attributes meeting toge- ther and kiifmg each other in our Immanuel, God-man, There are two things meet in Chrift, which fliould make him wonderful to us : the one is, all our fins meet together on him, that they may be condc'unedy according to that word, Ifaiah liii. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniq^ntics of us all ; (or, made them to meet on him.) The other is, all the attributes of God meet in him, that they may be glorified. And indeed there is no faving or fatisfying knowledge of any pro- perty of God, but what is to De had in Chrift : to fee God to be a merciful, juft, true, righteous, good, and holy God is neither a faving, nor a fatisfying fight ; iinlefs we fee thefe attributes meeting in Chrift for our falvation ; and to fee this, is to fee the glory of God, in the face of Chrifl ; here fee the plory of divine Mercy ! What is pardoning mercy ? " It is God's " free, gracious acceptance of a fmner, upon fatif- ^' fa£lion made to his iuftice, in the blood of Jefuc."
Vol.. II. • X Nor
i6'i. The Harmony of the Serm. XX.
Nor is any difcovery of mercy, but as relating to the fatisfaction of juftice, coniiitent with the glory of God ; mercy cannot be feen favingly, but as meeting with juitice in Chrift. Here alfo we fee the glory of di- vine truth in the exad accomplifliment of all his threa- tenings and promifes : that original threatening and commination, whence all other threatenings flow, Genefis ii. 17. In the day thou cateji thereof thou fualtfurely die, backed with a curfe, For curfed is every one that continucth not in all thiiiis vjritten in the hook of the law to do them^ is in him acconipliflied fully, and the truth of God therein cleared to our falvation, while he tajlcd death for us^ and he was made a curfe for us : fo that in every threatening his truth is made glorious. And as to the promifes, they are all Tea and Amen in Chriji J ejus ^ to the glory of God by f/j*, 2 Cor» i. 20. And fo of all the other attributes of God, they are made glorious, and exalted in Chrill to our falva- tion. Hence, when Chrift defued his Father to glo- rify his name, John xii. 28. to m.ake his name, that is, kis nature, properties, and perfedions all glorious in the work of redemption, that he had in hand ; he was inftantly anfwered from heaven, / have both glori- fied ity ami will glorify it again : I will give my attri- butes their utmoft glory in thee.
3. Hence fee the difference betwixt the law and the gofpel : one great difference betwixt them lies in this, that in the law, the fmner that hath violated the fame, may fee Truth ftanding engaged againft him, but no Mercy in company with Truth ; and Righteoufnefs in arms againft him, but no Peace in company with Righ- teoufnefs ; Juflice without mercy ^ and war without peace to the finncr^ is the motto of the law ; for therein Truth and Righteoufnefs meet together, but Mercy and Peace are not at the meeting ; and fo the language of the law, to you that are out of Chrift, and under the law, is. No mercy, no peace^ but the wrath of God, the vengeance of God, the curfe of God, upon vou ; and that fo fure, as God is a God of truth and righteoufnefs-. There is the law. But in the gofpel, Mercy and Peace come into the meeting, and make up a match betwixt all the
oppo-
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplayed, 163
oppofite-partles, to the highefl glory of God, and the greatefthappinefsof the finner ; and they feal the matcli with a kifs of infinite complacency ; fo that the fum of the gofpeL is this, Mercy and ^"riith are met together^ righteoufnefs and peace have k'ljjed each other,
4. Hence we may fee what is the fountain-head, and foundation of all 'true communion and fello-ivfl'j'rp with God and man. This glorious meeting is the foun- dation of all other happy meetings : fellowfnip with God, and an happy meeting with him, is a dream that flows from this fountain. We could never have met with God, or got a kindly kifs, or embrace, in the arms of his favour and love, if this divine meeting and em- bracement had not made way for it. Fellowfhip with man, or the communion of faints, is a rivoletthat flows from this fpring. When faints meet together for pray- er or praifes, under the influence of the Spirit, and under a gale of heaven, when their hearts are fired with love to God, and to one another in him ; what is this? It is juft a live coal caft in among them, frorm the altar, Chrid Jefus, where all the attributes of God meet together, and kifs each other ; and hence true feilowlliip Vv'ith God, and with the faints, are both declared to be in and through Chrill Jefus ;
That "which ijje ha've heard and fcen^ declare ive
unto you^ that ye may have fellozvjhip iviih us : and trnh
■ our fell ozujh'ip is with the Father^ and ivith his Son Jefhis ChriJ}^ 1 John i. 3. The harmony of the attributes of God in Chrifc, is tli^fountain of all the harmony among the fiiints. The little harmonv, that takes place amon'-' them in our day, and the ririty oi holy fellowihip- meetings, flows from the little faith of this heavenly divine meeting : for all the faints, that are under the lively views thereof, cannot but defire to meet to- gether, and embrace each other harmonioufiy, in the arms of mutual love.
5. Hence fee the malignity of the fin of imheJicf, the great employment whereof is, to fpoil the har- mony of the divine perfedions, and to do its utmad to diffolve that glorious meeting, and feparate what God hath joined, faying, in cdcct, they have not met
X 2 toge-
l54 The Harmony of the Serm. XX,
together nor kifTed each other. This we may di^ fcern in the unbelief, whether of fecure or awakened fniners ; See it in the unbelief of the fecure finner, who fets Truth and Righteoufnefs out of the meeting, faying, God is a merciful God^ and 1 Jhall have peace ^ though I 'walk in the imagmaiion of my own hearty ad- ding drunkennefs to thirJL Thus they hope in God's mercy, and fpeak peace to themfelves, while they ne- ver view the truth and righteoufnefs of God, and how the credit thereof fhall be falved, or the honoyr re* paired : and hence, as faith is faid tofet to the feal that God is irue^ or, that he is a Ggd of truth ; fo un^ belief is faid to make God a liar : to fancy that God will have mercy on their fouls, without regarding the truth of his threatenings, is to make God a liar, and fay, Mercy and Truth have not met together : to think that God will be at peace with them, while his Righteouuiefs and Juflice are not fatisfied, is to make God a liar, and fay, Righteoufnefs and Peace have not met together. Thus the unbelief of the fecure finner puts Truth and Righteoufnefs out of the meet* ing. — — Again, on the other hand, the unbelief of the ^wakened finner, puts Mercy and Peace out of the meetings hy'ing^ O 1 he is a God of truth, and how fliall he have mercy on the like of me ! He is a God of awful judice and righteoufnefs, and how v/ill he be ^t peace with mt? V7l5at is the language of this, but that Mercy and Peace h^ve not met with Truth and Righteoufnefs ? Here is a making God a liar alfo, and fepaiatlng v/hat God hath in the gofpel declared to be joined. Behold, then, the malignity of unbelief; it breaks the glorious meeting, and will not let them kifs oije another. The prefuming fmner will not let God have the glory of his truth and righteoufnefs. — The defpairing fmner will not let God have the glory of Ws mercy and grace ; both are in a concert with the devil to break the harmony of the meeting. But, O ! may virtue com.e from that glorious meeting in Chrift, to the poor fmful meeting in this houfe, fox dafhing our ynbelief to pieces, that we inay fee Mercy
Serm. XX, Divine Attributes difplayed, 165
and Truth met together, Righteoufnefs and Peace luf- fing each other.
6. Hence fee fure and noble ground, for the bold- nefs and confidence of faith in Chrill ; In whom <we have boldnefs and acccfs with confidence by the faith of hirn-i Eph. ii. 12. Here is an anfwer to all objections of unbelief and diffidence; the chief whereof lies here; O! fays unbelief, may I, fmful guilty I, lay hold on the promife of mercy and peace in the gofpel, when I fee the great ordinance of the divine threatening hard charged with the truth and righteoufnefs of God, and ready to be difchai'ged againlt me, with thunder and lightening, faying, No mercy, no peace ; He that made thee will not have mercy upon thee : And there is no peace ^ fays my God, to the wicked f Mercy and peace in the promife then, fays unbelief, cannot take place, with refpecl to me ; for truth and righteoufnefs, in the threatening, ft and in the way, like a flaming [word ^ to keep the way of the tree oflife: Nay, but fays faith. Here the promife and th^^ threatening have met toge- ther, and kifled each other in ChriO: ; mercy in the promife, and juftice in the threatening, have met and agreed in him; In whom all the promifes are Tea and Amen : and in v\4iom all the threatenings are fully exe- cuted, by drawing out his heart-blood. Thus then, we have boldnefs to enter info the holiefi by the blood of jcfus, by a new and living way, which he hath corfe- crated for its through the vail of his fiejh : therefore let draw near with a true heart, in full affurance cf
lis
faith, Heb. x. 19, 20, 22. O! what ground for the boldnefs and aifured confidence of faith, with particu- lar application, notwithilanding of the threatening ? The threatening hath nothing to fay to me, faith faitli, for Ghrift hath fpoken with it already, and fpoken it out of breath ; he hath left it fpeechlefs and breath- Jefs, not a breathing of wrath in it towards me. The believer may have a million of doubts, while his un-^ belief keeps the chair; but let gallant faith come in, and take the room, it will difpel them all : let once unbelief break the harmony of this meeting of divine attributes in Chrill, and then nothing but doubts of
^ ' Cod's
i66 The Harmony of the Serm. XX.
God's favour and mercy muft enfue ; but Jet faith view the harmony, and fee them meeting and killing each other ; and then according to the meafure of faith, fuch will be the meafure of holy boldnefs, con- fidence, and perfuafion of the favour, mercy, and good v;ill of God in Chrift, with particular apphcation to the perfon himfelf. Take away unbehef from faith, and then not a fmgle doubt will remain behind i un- behef creates ail the doubts that are in the behever.; his faith hath no part in them. The general doubtfome fpith of the Papifts, is not faith, bivt unbehef; and therefore no Vv'onder that our forefathers abjured it in oar National Covenant. Behold the fure ground and firm bottom that faith (lands upon, even the mutual meeting, and embracement among the divine perfec- tions in Chriil. If you break and feparate the meet- ing by unbelief, then your confidence is broken, and your peace with God marred ; but if you keep them together in your view, by faith in Chrift, then you have boldnefs, confidence, and affiance on this ground; yea, then God in Chrift, and you meet together, and kifs each other.
7. Hence fee what is the heft mark of a believer in Chrift. For your trial and examination, try it juft by this. What view have you gotofthis glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chrift, and of the attributes of God meeting and embracing each other in him ? Have you feen tlft glory, and felt the virtue of this happy
meeting ?
(i.) Have you feen the glory of it ? "When once in a day, you had feen the attributes of God in arms a- gainft you, becaufe of your frnful rebellion againft God ; and when you had feen the truth of God, pro- nouncing the fentence of the lav^^, and his righteouf- nefs and juftice ready to iniilcl the fentence, and exe- cute the fame with curfes and vengeance, making you defpair of mercy, and give up v/ith all hope and ex- pe6f atlon of peace with God, by the law of works j have you thereupon got a view of the harmonious meeting of thcfe attributes of God, in Chrift Jefus, as the Surety, the Sacniice, the ilanfom, the Propitia-
tlon^
S^RM. XX. Divine Attributes difplayed, iGj
tion, in whom the truth and veracity of God is ac- complillied, and the righteoufnefs and juitice of God is fatisfied, and fo mercy and peace vented gloriouily, without detriment to any other excellency or pcrfec* tion of God ? Hath nothing fatisfied your confcienc-e, but the view of this meeting betwixt Mercy and Juf- tice, in the death of Chrift, and killing each other in his mediation ? Hath God and you met together this way, and made your heart joyfully to kifs and em- brace this wonderful device, as worthy of God, and fuitable to you ? Have you feen this glory at this rate ? Then in God's name, I pronounce you a believer in Chrift : For God, who commanded light to Jhine out cf darknefs^ hath Jhined into your hearty to give yoxt the iight of the kfiozvledge of his glory ^ in the face of Chrift ; -and Chrift and you have met together, and killed each o- ther ; w4iether it was in the day of iirft believing, when you fled to him for refuge, or in the day of after manifeftation, when, upon the back of difmal hiding on God's part, or grievous backiliding on yours, thj Lord drew afide the vail, and gave you a glance of his glory ; whether it was by fome word of grace, fweetly and powerfully coming in, and opening your under- ftanding to fee this harmonious meeting, or by foms fweet droppings of the blood of fpr inkling upon your eonfcience, by which blood, the meeting is cemented together. Have you feen this glory, whether in a fe- cret corner, or public ordinance ; -whether at the mar- ket crofs of the gofpel, where this glorious meeting* is proclaimed, or at a communion table, v/here it is fealed ? It is all a matter, it was heaven becrun.
(2.) Have yovi felt the virtue^ as v/ell as feen the glo- ry of this harmonious meeting of the divine attribute;] in Chrift ? 1 Cor. iii. 18. Beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lordy ive are changed into the fvm image ^ from glory to glory ^ as by the Spirit of the Lord. Surely if you have feen this, glory, you have felt fometh:]3g of this virtue by changing you from glory to glory. It- is true, many that have got a difcovery of this glory, of the Lord, can never think that they have felt tlie fanc- tifyiiig virtue thereof, and this keeps them dov.'ii in- the
pit
i68 The Harmony of the Serm. XX- pit of dlfcoiiragement : it is true, they that are not fandi- fiedand made holy, they difcover, that they never behe}d this glory of the Lord : for this meeting of attributes, makes a meeting of graces, in the perfon that fees it favingly. But you mufl remember. That this virtue will never be perfectly felt, till this glory be perfeQly beheld in heaven, where zve jlzall be like him^ hecaufe iveftoallfee him as he is. And therefore, fmce you can- not judge and try yourfelf by a perfed fandification, try it by the beginnings of it ; this transforming virtue, this fandifying virtue is prefent with you, though you cannot difcern it. But that you may, through grace, difcern fomething of it, let me aik you what makes you wreftle in fecret fometimes againlt fm, if it be not feme fandifyiug virtue ? What makes the prevalence of fm to humble 3'^ou to the dull ? What makes you lament your own unholinefs and impurity ? What makes you long and groan for complete vidory over, and freedom from fm ? What makes you glad of any vidory over your corruption, when this glory fhines ? What makes your heart to rife againft fm ? and when fm prevails, what makes you find yourfelf uneafy, and out of your element, always till the Lord return, and imtil you get a new dip in the Jordan of the blood of the Lamb ? You hptve no mercy on your lufts, and are at no peace with them, but flill crying. Vengeance upon them ! Why, it is juft the fandifying virtue, that flows from this viev/ of the glory of God in Chrid, in whom Mercy and Peace meet with Truth and Righ- teoufnefs. If you fall and (tumble at any time, behe- ver, is it not like the {tumbling of a horfe, that makes you run the fafter ? fo as you get more good of one fail, than a natural man will get of a hundred duties, while it makes you alwavs the more humble, and watch- ful, and circumfped, and dependent. Why, by all
this, it appears (whatever be the defed of your fanc- tification) that having beheld the glory of God, you are changed into the fame image from glory to glory : you have feen the glory, and felt the virtue of this harmo- nious meeting of divine attributes in Chrift. But then again,
8, Hence,
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplaycd^ 169
8. Hence, we may fee ground of terror to all Chrifl;- lefs, unbelieving fouls, that never have feen the glory, nor felt the virtue of this harmonious meeting, and live carelefs about either of thcfe. Wliat fhall 1 fay ? jf our gofpel be hicf.j U is hid to ihem that arc loji^ in whom the god of this luorld hath blinded the minds of them that bclie've not^ lefi the light of the glorious gofpeh of Chrijlj jhould Jhine in to thcni^ 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. It may be, you are prefuming upon the mercy of God, while yet your eyes are blinded, that you do not fee the tri-ith of his threatenings Handing agalnil; you : and therefore, O blafphemer ! do you think, that he will be a God of mercy, and not a God of truth ? Nay, his n^.ercy will never be vented, unlefs the glory of hU truth be falved. Perhaps you are fpeaking peace to yourfelf, faying, I f?all have feace^ while yet your eyes are blinded, that you do not fee how God's being at peace \vith a fmncr is confillent with his righteoufnels, in takin.g vengeance upon fin. O tlien, blafphemer and prefumer 1 ^o you think, that God v/ill be a God of peace^ and not a God of righlcozfncfs f Knov/ it, then, in the Lord's name, O fmful unbelieving wretch, that as there is no mercy for you, to the diicredit of God's truth ? fo no peace, to the diflionour of his righteoufnefs. You expecl mercy and peace feparato from truth and righteoufncTs ; and therefore mercy and truth fliall be feparate from you ; and truth and righteoufnefs will meet with you in fury, and with a vengeance.-*- — Your hlic hope of mercy and peace, makes you merciful to your lulls, and at peace with your idols : but the truth and righteoufnefs of God, which you exclude from the meeting, will hide mercy and peace for ever from your eyes : Juilice infleadof mercy, w^ar inflead of peace, v/fii enfue ; for truth and righteoufnefs will exetrute judgment upon you, for the abufe of mercy and peace j while through un- belief, you do not fee, or approve their meeting toge- ther and killing each other in Chrid. While you are in this cafe, you cannot meet v/itli God, though you may meet with his people at ordinai-^.ces, or at a com- munion-table : yet God, and you never met together : V 0 L. IJ. ^ Y nav,
tyo The Harmony of the Serm- XX.
nay, you have other company ; the devil and you meet together ; and your lulls and you embrace each other ; the world and you meet together, and its va- nities and you do kils each other ; the law and you have met together, and its curfc and you do embrace each other : but becaufe you do not fee the terrible curies and threatenings, that you are under, remem- ber, that in a fl:iort while, death and you will m.eet together, and its cold arms and you muil embrace each other ; and if this gofpel be flill hid to you, then after that, hell and you will meet together, and the flames of divine wrath and you will embrace each o- olher to eternity ; and the motto written upon the door of your hell, will be, ^e 'veyigeance of Truth and Rigbteoiifuefs ^ for the ahife of Mercy and Peace. Let this word of terror fmk into your confcience, O grace- lefs, Chrifllefs, unbelieving foul, that never faw the glory, nor felt the virtue of this bleiied meeting ; and Gallio-like, care for none of thefe things. But on the other hand,
9. Hence, from this doQrine, fee ground of com- fort to all believers in Chriil, who have feen the glory, and felt the virtue of this harmonious meeting of di- vine attributes in Chrift. This dodrine is as comfort- able to you, as it is terrible to others. Can you fay before God, that thofe two marks are your experi- ences ? Then I can fay, that all the comforts, that if- fue from tkat glorious meeting in Chrift, belong to you ; and God allows you firo?ig cojifolation, who have fed for refuge^ to the hope fet before you : for that city of refuge, to which you have lied, is the centre of the meeting, and the trifling-place, where they kifs one another harmonioully. Why, fay you. What concern have I in their meetings and cmhracingeach other f O be- liever, they met together Tor your fake, and kiifed one another out of kindnefs to you : for there were no real jarring among them ; but all the apparent jarring was about you ; and how they Ihould be glorified in your falvation : and when infinite vvifdom found the ran- fom, and fo the way, how they fhould all be glorified, in your eternal happinefs, then they hugged each other
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes difplayed, 171
in their arms, as it were, in a rapture of joy, for your fake ; His delights were zviih the fons of mcn^ Prov. viii. 31. It was not one attribute only, that had 4s dehght, fatisfadion, and glory ; it is delights, in the phiral number ; for all the attributes of God had the"^- delights : and whereabout was it ? Why, the council of peace was concerning you ; For his delights ivere ivlth the sons of men. And you having fcen the ;^-^ory of this device, and felt fomething of the vir- tue thereof, Go^ and you have met together, and Chriit and you have killed each other : he hath em- braced you, and you have embraced him ; and that embracement is a pledge and earned, that he and you will meet together in heaven, and embrace each other to eternity. This meeting and embracement is found- ^ed upon the harmonious meeting and embrdcement of the divine attributes in Chrifl ; and therefore, it fhall be fure, abiding, and everlaiVmg ; and all tliefe attri- butes are engaged for your comfort and fupport : and this glory of the Lord, you fliall for ever behold ; for Chrifl, in whom all thefe glorious perfedions meet to- gether, hath prayed for it ; Father^ J ivill, that thcfe^ whom thou haft given r,ie, he with rae where I ain^ that they may behold my glory which thou hafi given me, John xvii. 24. Here then, believer, is ground of comfort to you, in every cafe. Comfort againfl defertion ; it is long hnce Chrill and you met together, and killed each other t Behold, here is the reafon ; hie will ne- ver altogether leave you, nor for fake you ; but certainly meet with you, now and then, when he fees it fit ; and give you the other kifs of his infinitely bleffed lips, and embrace of his arms ; till you come to the in- timate, immediate embracements of his love in glory : why ? becaufe, Mercy and truth are met together-, righ- teoufnefs and peace have kiffd each other. So fure as Mercy and Truth are met together, as furely will tlie
Lord meet with you Here is comfort againft the
law, when it comes in as a covenant upon your confci- ence ; faying. Pay what thou owefl, or otherwife thou art curfcd^ and muft go to hcU : and the law, fpeaking
Y 2 - in
172 ^^^^ Harmony of the Serm. XX.
in the name of Truth and llighteoufnefs, feems terri- ble. But you may foon anfwer by faith, and fay, — " O law, the demand is juil indeed, and agreeable to " Truth and Righteoufnefs ; but you miflake the per- '' fon ; for Truth and Righteoufnefs have already met ** with Mercy and Peace, in the Perfon of Chrifl, my ^'- hufband, who endured all my hell, and became a *^ curie for me ; and therefore, I have no ground to '• fear the hell thou threatens, nor the curfe thou de-
*' nounces, nor any liablenefs thereto." Here is
comfort againil Satan^ and his temptations : for this blelTed meeting in Chriil: did concert his ruin, and the bruifmg of his head ; The feed of the woman fh all briufe the head of the ferpent, Genefis iii. 15. Satan fhall be
bruifed under your feet Jhortly -Here is comfort a-
gainft church -droifions and cordinotibus ; wdien neither minifiers nor private Chriflians do meet together, or embrace one another with love and amity. Is this fad ?md afBiciing to you ? Here is a meeting, that may give you comfort in that cafe : for no member of that meeting v/ill ever dif/er among tbemfelves, or caft out
with you. -Here is comfort againil your jarring
ivith friends ; what do I know, but there is fome here, that cannot get lived in peace with fuch a friend or relation ; nor their Chriftian liberty enjoyed, becaufe of their frowns ; and perhaps, they are as aliens to you, not in fpeaking terms with you ; you cannot meet together with xh^v.Y ccrdially^ nor embrace one ano- ther amicably ; but let this be your comfort, in that cafe ; Mercy a?id truth are met together.^ righteoufnefs and peace have ki (fed each other ; and you have got a kifs by the bye, and that is better than all the friends
in the world —Here is comfort again ft public cala-
7ni'ties^ that feem to be approaching, or perfonal trials, that may be coming upon you. — —Here is a cordial, though cvplBlon and you meet together ; though in a little, death and you meet together ; yet this meeting of divine attributes in Chriil, yoMX glorious Head, fjoeaks comfort, and fafety to you in every cafe : tho' you fhould die difiracled, this meeting cannot be dif- folved J and you having feen the glory, and felt the
virtue
Serm. XX. Divine Attributes ciifplaycd 173
virtue thereof, fliall be fiire to enjoy the benefit of it. to eternity; Tea, furely goodnefs and mercy jh all follo^.o you, all the days of your life, and youfhall dwell in ihj boufe of the Lord for ever,
10. The lafl inference is, hence fee the duty of ali that hear and know this joyful found : Never was there a fweeter found in heaven, or in earth : and what is the duty of all you that hear it ? Surely the news of fuch a glorious and harmonious meeting of the divine perfections, about the falvation of fmners, in and by Chrift Jefus, ihould be joyfully received. Here is the good tidings of great joy unto all people, Luke ii. 'I o. When Elizabeth the mother of John, and Mary the mother of Jefus our Lord, met together and faint- ed each other, the babe leapt in Elizabeth^ s "juonib for jov. Behold, here is yet a more wonderful meeting, and falutation among the jarring-like attributes and perfeclions of God ; and furely if the babe of grace be in your heart, it zuill leap for joy, when you perceive fuch a bleiled meeting and falutation. O ! may it not bring our heart to our mouth, and make it fiutter within us, when we hear of fuch a falutation as this, Mercy and truth are met together, righteoufnefs and peace
have embraced each other, And again. What is your
duty, believer, who not only hears, but knozcs this joyful found ? your duty is, not only to rejoice, in this matchlefs harmonious conjunclion of divine attri- butes in- Chrifl ; but to examplify the fame, bv an harnionious conjun£lion of graces and holy virtues in you. Let Mercy and Truth meeting together, as di- vine attributes, in Chriif, be examplified by Mercy and Truth meeting together, as divine virtues in you : let Righteoufnefs and Peace kifhng each other in him, be exempliiied by Righteoufnefs and Peace kiinng c?lc1i other in you. Let the meeting of Mercy apd Truth engage you to be merciful and true : Mercinil, becaufe your heavenly Father is merciful : and true, becaufe he dcfires truth in the inward parts. Let the embraces of Righteoufnefs and Peace engage you, to be riglueous jind peaceable \ that is, to be ftudents of Purity and
Peace j
174 The Harmony of the Serm. XX.
Peace ; for the ivlfdom that Is from ahove^ is Jirjl pure^ and then peaceable^ James iii. 17. It is declared in the Yerfe following our text, that it is the defign of thefe per- fe£lions of God, looking down harmonioiifly from heaven^io make fuitable gicd.ccsjpring up from the earth : truth Jhall fpring out of the earth ^and righteoufnefsf oaUlook downfrom fjeaven. When the Sun of righteoufnefs,in whom all the excellencies of God do lliine, looks down ; then as the natural fun fhedding its influences, makes fruit to fpring up from the earth : fo the Sun of righteoufnefs looking down and ihedding abroad his influences, makes Truth, and all the reft of the fruits of the Spirit, to fpring out of the earth, out of the heart, the foil where they are fown, in regeneration, O ! does Mercy look down fi-oni heaven to you, in friendfliip with Truth ? fliall not this Mercy make you merciful to the bodies and and, fouls of others, by doing them all the temporal and fpiritual good that you can ? And fhall God mani- feft his Truth, in conjun61:ion with Mercy towards you ? and will you not be a friend to Truth, even to all the precious truths of his gofpel ? Shall not Truth in op- pofition to hypocrify, be your ftudy, and Truth in op- pofition to error, be your concern ? and this Truth, in conjundion with Mercy; for, when Truth is in any ha- zard, fliould not Mercy to your own foul, and the fouls of others, make you zealous for it ? and mercy to your children, and the generation that is to come after you, on whom we fhew no mercy, if truth be not tranfmit- ted purely to them, as it was by our fore -fathers to us, at the expence of their blood ; however now, the wa- ters of the fanctuary are puddled ?— Again, does Righ- teoufnefs and Peace look down from heaven, kindly embracing each other in your behalf, believer ? And jhall not you be a ftudent of Pvlghteoufnefs, in oppofi- tion to all unrighteous and unholy ways \ and of Peace, in oppohtion to contention and difcord : As much as pojfible^ foliow peace with all men^ and holincfs^ ivithout which 710 man Jhall fee the Lord, Does God glorify his righteoufnefs tovv^ards you ? and w^ill you fiudy no righteoufnefs in your converfaticn towards God and man ? Docs God ipeak peace to you, and
will
Serm* XX. Divine Attributes difplaycd, 175
will you be at war with him \ and love to Hve in war with any of his ? Shall that be the dilpofition of any, with whom God is at peace ? 0 tell it 7iot in Gath /— Surely there is none here, that have tafted of this fweet peace of God , but they would defire to live at peace with all men ; and particularly with all the faints. — They would defire to fee "all the honeit minifters of Scot- land, meeting together more kindly than they do, and embracing each other. Some, indeed, are at this time reproached, as enemies to peace in the church * j but the matter is, Peace mult not be ftudied feparately from Ptighteoufnefs, nor Mercy feparately from Truth ; but all as meeting, and embracing one another : for Mercy and Peace, without Truth and Ilighteoufnefs, is a cruel confpiracy againil God and man.
Now, certain things have pad concerning the Truths of God, and the Righteoafnefs of Chrifl in our day, which fom^e think will ftand infamous till the judgment of the great day ; and this Truth and Righteouihefs^ being the great miniiterial truft, fome chufed rather ro be reproached by the world, than be challenged by God and their own confcience, as betrayers of the trufl. However, O believer, ftudy you through grace, to get a match made up between Mercy and Truths Righteoufnefs and Peace in you, feeing there can be no merciful Peace to the prejudice of righteous Truth : and fludy to get all thefe attributes of God, examplified in your heart and life- and the fcal and imprefq thereof upon your foul ; you being united to Chriil, in whom all tiiele glorious excellencies of God do meet together with harmonious embracements. Out of Chrijr s fuU nefs^ do you receive^ and grace for grace : as the child receives member for member from the father, and
* See the rea.fon of this afiigned, S'^rrnon IV. intitltd, Cbrljl tl: PeopL's Covenant, in a (oot note. — The liearry friends to the doc* liire of^^race, in thofe d<iys, were very unjuftly accufeci with Anti- nomianifm ; and the llrenuous fupporters o- the doctrine of Free juf- tificaiion, through the impu'ed righteoa(ners of Chrift, wuhout the woiks oh tht 1h\v, were irjiuiouflv calumniaied ViS ene?nies to hclifjefs, and as dijiurbcn of the peace of the church. — This matrer iv, further cle.<red up, in a note, ^hout the middle of thefe Scrmcns, intiiJed, L.r::- death i a?id (J of^. el- life,
■ the
iy6 T/jl' Harmony of the SeRm. XX*
the paper letter for letter from the prefs : fo behold^ ing his glory, be you changed into the fame image, by receiving mercy for mercy, truth for truth^ righteouf- nefs for righteoufnefs, and peace for peace ; out of his fulnefs, do you receive grace for grace, holinefs for holinefs, and an holy virtue fuitable to every holy perfeftion, that is in him ; and all thefe harmoniouily meeting together and killmg each other in you. Let no heavenly grace, or holy duty be excluded out of the meetings : let faith and repentance m.eet together ; let love and new obedience kifs each other ; let know- ledge and praftice meet together, and prayer and prailes embrace each other ; yea, let oppofite-like graces meet harmoniouily in you; let humility and boldnefs micet together ; let godly forrow and holy joy embrace each other. Here is the gofpel-holineis we call you to, in a fuitablenefs to thefe harmonious attributes of God in Chriil. If the w^orld call you Jntino?mans know it is tbe zvill of God^ that by zvell-doing^ you put to Jilence the ignorance of foolljh men^ i Peter ii. 15. Let the mouth that reproaches the gofpel, be ft opt by the power of it in your w^alk. The world will furely reckon you
the greatelf flars that give the greateft light : There* fore let your light fo-jhine before rnen^ that others feeing your good works ^ may glorify God ; even the ivorks of Mercy and Truths Righteoufnefs and Peace, hand in hand together ; and thus, for the fake of the glory of God, the honour of Chriii;, and the credit of the gof- pel, let the w^orid know, that you have feen the glory, and felt the virtue of thefe perfections of God, harmo- niouily m.eeting and embracing each other in Chrift. Here is your duty and work, believer, in the wilder- nefs ; and now in all your ihortcomings therein, dill look again to God's holy temple, to Chrift the meeting- place of thefe divine perfcdions. This is the mercy- feat, of vv^hich God fays, Exod. xxv. 22. There will I meet with thee, and commune with thee from between the cheriwims : and every new meeting with God there, will bring in nev^ ilrength, for all your work and war- fare in time, till God and you meet together, and em- brace one another, in glory through eternity.
And
Serm*. XX. Divine AttRiBtrTEs di/played. 177
And now, believer, I know you would defire, that others Ihould fliare of the fame happinefs with yOu ; and therefore, pray^ that a fhort concluding word may be bleffed with power, to thoufands that hear me. — '
0 ye that are by-ftanders and hearers only, in what- ever corner of this houfe round about me, vrhethcr you be in my view or not, you are in God*s view ; and I have a word from him to you all : and as 1 liave told you, what a terrible thing it is, to live and die in unbelief, with refpe6l to this glorious device 1, fo now
1 would tell you your duty, in this matter ; and how you may fhare of the bleflings and benefits in time, and for ever, that flow from this glorious meeting and embracement ; and it is by kiPiing the Son of God, in whom all the attributes of God do kifs, and em- brace each other ; Kifs the Sc?:, Icjl he be angry ^ and ye per Ijh from the way^ when his wrath is kindled but a little : bleffed are all they that truji in hini^ PfaL ii. 12. BlelTed are all they that kifs and embrace him. Would you then fhare of the grace and glory, that iilue from this wonderful meeting, and inefiable embracement among the divine perfedions, in Chrift the Son of God ? O then ! come and kifs the Son : O down, down with carnal thoughts ! carnal kifhng, caroufmg, and cajolling ; here, here is an objcft wxnthy of the
mod endeared embraces of the immortal foiil.- O
come! and kifs the Son^ by believing in him, and ap- plying the benehts of this glorious tranfatlion, to your- felf : and be who you will, if you kifs and embrace the Son, you ihall fmd thefe glorious attributes of God, kiiling and embracing you, and hugging you in their arms, as a darling of heaven, and a favourite ia the houfe of God. Are the attributes of God, em- bracing one another in Chrld: ? O flee in to their em- braces, by fleeing in to Chrift : Say not^ Chrift is iiz heaven^ how f:) all I embrace hiraf For the word is nighy even in yaur raonth^ arid in your hearty Rom. x. S. q. d* So near is he in this word, that you may kifs him with your mouth, as it were, and embrace him in your heart : and to take in this word of grace, an .^hiid in kj is to embrace him. What do you fay ag ut Chrift,
Vol. U. Z ' m^:^.
1^8 The Harmony of the Serm. XX*
man, v/oman ? Are you afraid, that Truth and Righ- teoufnefs confpire againil you, and hinder Mercy and Peace from ever meeting with you, and embracing you? O no: Fear not ; only beheve, That Mercy and Truth are met together^ and that Righteoufnefs and Peace have kijfed each other in Chrift. Truth will not ftand in the way of Mercy ; for they have kilTed each o- thef. He is indeed an infinitely jufl God, to take ven- geance upon fin : but juftice will not hinder mercy from coming to you : only believe, that juftice and mercy are reconciled in Chrift, fo as mercy can vent towards you, to the credit of juftice. But, O 1 may fuch a black-mouth'd fmner as I, as black as hell and the devil, expe(5l a kifs of fuch an infinitely fair Je- fus ? Is that to be exped:ed, that fuch oppofites fhould meet in one another's arms? Yea, man, woman, al- low me, a black fmner like yourfelf, to be the happy, meflenger, to tell you in God's name, that be ye as black as you will, fuch a meeting and embracing be- twixt Chrift and you, is more to be expeded, than ever men or angels could have expeded, that infinite juftice and mercy ftiould have met together, and kiifed each other in a God-man : and this unexpeded meet- ing is the very ground, upon which your expectation of a meeting with, and embracement of God in Chrift, is to be founded. O then, come and kifs the Son : "Why ? but 1 cannot, fay you : I think, I would gladly do it ; but I cannot get near him, to kifs and em- brace him. Indeed this kindnefs muft begin on his fide'; and therefore, O pray, that he would come, and meet you with a kifs of infinite love. Say with the church, Song i. 2. Let him kifs me with the klffes of his mouth ; for hii love is better than wine. If that be the language of your foul ; O ! 1 cannot embrace him ; but my heart fays, O let him come, and embrace me : and draw me out of the embracements of all my former lovers and lufts, that I may never kifs any idol in the world again ; but may live, and die in the arms, and embraces of the Son of God : Is that the language of your foul before the living God ? Why, then the embracement betv/ixt Chrifi; and you is begun, that
Ihall-
SpRM. XX. Divine x^ttributes difplaycd. 179
fliall never have an end ; for it is a pledge, that he and you fhall meet together in heaven, and embrace each other to eternity.
Now, though I hope, that this glorious meeting of divine perfedions in Chrift, hath put forth fome vir- tue, to draw in fome poor foul, to the match : yet I fear, that the moil part are but dill as idle hearers and fped;ators, as if they were not concerned. But, O man, woman, young or old, unconcerned foul, be what you will, O yet, will you come, and fee this great fight ? O come, and fee the greateft fight, that ever was, or will be in heaven or earth, A bupo btirnin?^ and^ not confumed : all the burning and fliining attributes of God, meeting with infinite harmony, in the bufh of our nature ; and yet, the bufli able io hear the glory ^ Zech. vi. 13. O come, and wonder ! Here is the wonder of men and angels ! For, this is a wonderftil meeting to them. And the name of the meeting-place is juftly called, Wonderful 1 O come, and par- take ; for the meeting is concerning your falvation, in Chrift ; His delights were with the fons of men, O come, and fmg to the praife and glory of this wonder- ful harmonious embracement of divine perfedions in Chrift ; efpecially, you that partake ; fo as to fee the glory, and feel the virtue thereof. O will you fmg with your hearts, and lips, and lives, faying, Glory to God^ that his attributes have met together, and kiifcd each other in Chriif ; and that ever the like of me, got a kifs by the bye ? Glory to God, that there is no breaking of this meeting, nor parting of thefe embraces, by fm, Satan, earth, or hell ; but that they meet and embrace each other to eternity. And though you can- not mind to fmg all that hath been faid ; yet I hope, the weakeft memory may mind, to fmg the beft note of all the fermon, every day, faying. Glory, glory, glo- ry to God, that Mercy and Truth are met together, Righ- tcoufnefs and Peace ha-ve kijfed each other,
Z 2 SERMON
C iSo 3
SERMON XXI, XXIL
Carnal Consultation unfolded ; or, the Greai Evil of being actuated, by Carnal Frinciples^ in the Matters of God, evinced, *
G A L A T I A N s i. 1 6,
-r^JmmediaUly I conferred not %vith flefh. ai^id bloods
"^ l^THEN I confidered the great fpring of all the Y Y motions and aftions of the mod of people, at this day ; and what feems to be the grand counfel- lors, with whom they generally corifer, I thought it was evident, from univerfal pradlce, ihdX flefh and blood are the great principle that influence the deportment and behaviour of the generation : And when I confi- dered, that not only the vncked worlds but even the moft eminent frofeffors of religion, and the tndy pdly. feem to difcover, by their walk at this day, and their finful conformiiy at this day with the world, and com- pliance with the courfe of the times, their being led by motives from ^c?v\ and bipod : I fay, when J con- fidered thefe things, I thought the 'contrary pradlice smd example of the great apoftle would, at leaft,. be fuitable for difcovering the great evil of living under the conduft and influence of fuch carnal principles ; Immediately I conferred not wlthfiejh and Mood,
The falfe teachers, who preached up the ceremonial Jaw, were doing all they could to leflen Paul's reputar
* We are not pofitivelv ccrtAtn either when or where this SennQa
SaSs preached but, from the place it hath in the Author's notes, and feme pLi0':iges and references in the difcourfe itfelf, it appears to have been lelivered in his own church at Dunfermline, fometime toward? she la:ier end of the ^^ar ^7*3. It has no)^ been twi^e |)rinted.
Serm, XXL Carnal Consultation 2/;7/o/(^^i^. i8r
tion, who preached the pure gofpel of Chrifl to the Gentiles ; and therefore, he is here fetting hiinfelf to prove the divinity of his mlflion and dodrine, which he doth feveral ways in this chapter ; particularly from verf. 11, 12, He evidences it by the manner wherein he received the gofpel ; that it was not by informaiion from mm-) but by revelation from God^ and immediate /«- fpiration of Cbrijl himfelf Here he puts them in mind.
1/?, Of his education^ ver. 13, 14. ; that he had been pot only a rcje^er of Chrillianity, but a perfecutor of it : this he doth, that they might be aiuired he was not led to this religion purely by education, fmce he had been bred up in enmity and oppoiition to it : and that it behoved to be fomcthing extraordinary that had made fuch a change upon hini^ and conquered the pre- judices of his education : and brought him not only to profefs^ but to preach that doftrine which he had be- fore fp vehemently oppofed,
2 J/y, He puts them in mind of his convcrfion^ ver. 15, 16, which is here defcribed four ways.
1. In the author of it, vi%, God, the efficient caufe; ^nd the pleafure of God, the moving caufe : It pleafed Cod, And this God is here defcribed two ways.
(i.) He is defcribed by \\\% feparating grace; He
feparated mc from, my nptherU ^ji'omb' The change that
'was wrought in Paul was in purfuance of a divine pur-
pofe concerning him, whereby he was appointed to be a
believer and an apoIUe.
(2.) God is here defcribed by his calling grace ; He called me by his grace, Paul was called in an im- mediate way and manner : there was fomething verv peculiar, and extremely hngular in his converfion. — See Ads 1%, 1,-^8.
2. Paul's converfion is defcribed in the manner of it; It pleafed God to reveal his Son in me, Chrift was not only revealed externally to him, but alfo in him.
3. It is defcribed in the end of it ; That I might preach him among the heathen. Paul was both a Chriilian and an Apoftle by revelation.
4. His converfion is defcribed in the cffecl in h'.s carriage ^ I^nmediatelj I confrred not with f^efh and bloa L
fxQir\
1 82 Carnal Consultation unfolded* Serm. XXI.
From the words 'vye might lay down and profecute feveral do6lruial obferVations ; fuch as,
(i.) That the mercy of God is -preventing mercy, towards all whom at takes hold upon ; it prevents tliem ; before ever they are born, they are feparate.
(2.) That none are called upon the account of any good work^ ox fanclity^ or hlamelejjhefs in themfel- vcs ; no : they are called of grace, and of the good pleafure of God.
(3.) That the doctrine of grace is the revelati- on of Chrift : God, in the gofpel, reveals his Son to us ; and, by his Spirit, reveals him in us, when he calls effedually.
(4.) That when the gospel is revealed, it is God that doth it ; // pleafed God to reveal bis Son in me.
(5.) That to preach the Gofpel., is to preach Christ j it is not a preaching of Mofes, but Chriil.
(6.) That in matters of religion, there ought to be no confulting or conferring wixkiflefh and blood. Here the apofiile tells us his own practice, that he did not con- fult therewith ; he did not confult man^ nor apply him- felf to any other for their advice and dlredion \ nei- ther, as in the following verfe, did he go up to Jeru- fale?n^ to thofe who were apofiles before him^ as if he need- ed to be approved by them, or receive any farther in- flrudions or authority from them : fo that it could not be pretended, that he was indebted to any other for his knowledge of the gofpel, or his autliority to preach it ; but it appeared^ that both his qualifications- ic^x^ and his call to the apoftolic office were extraordinary and divine.
But although thefe obfervations are couched in the words, and natively deduced from them, yet I choofe to confine myfelf to the confideration of this text, as it may be taken more generally, and as bearing this pro- pofition, viz.
DocT. That in the matters of God., there ought to be no confulting with flefh and blood. Immediately I
CONFERRED NOT WITH FLESH AND BLOOD.
In
Serm. XXL Carnal Consultation unfolded^ 18-5
In profecuting this fubjed:, through fupernatural al- fiftance, we fliall obferve the followmg method and order.
L We would explain what is to be underftood by jlejh and blood ; and not conferring with it.
II. We would confirm the trutJo of the dodrine by fcripture examples.
III. Give the reafons why we ought not to confult with fiefh and blood.
IV. Make application of the whole fubjecl, in feveral ufes.
I. We would explain the doBrinc^ by enquiring^
1. What we are to underftand by jlejh and blood.
2. What it is not to confer with flefh and blood.
\ft. We are to enquire what is underflood hj flefh and blood. In general, Man, who is flefh and blood, is here principally intended ; men, whether good or bad : the apoflle confulted not w^ith men, but gave himfelf up to God. More particularly, by fleih and blood we may underfland carnal eafe, carnal reafon, carnal friends, and carnal counfels of fpiritual friends.
1. By flefli and blood is meant carnal eafe and in- terefi, Mafler, fpare thyfelf ; what need all this toil and trouble ? is the language of eafy nature. Paul, being now converted, and fo in a happy fiate, hav- ing his falvation fecured, carnal eafe might fay. What need you go and efTay thefe travails, and encounter fuch hardfliips, in propagating the gofpel of Chrifl:, and ipreadingthe knowledge of his name ? Nay, but Paul, having got Chrifl revealed in hini^ he would not con- fult with carnal eafe : he would no\Y fpend and befpent
for Chrifl,
2. By flefli and blood is underflood carnal reafon, Paul was now divinely taught, as Peter was, of whom Chrifl fays, Flejh and bloodbath not revealed thefe things unto thee : So Chrifl was revealed in Paul, not hy flejh and blood ; that is, not by carnal reafon^ or natural underftanding : and therefore he would not confer with
flefli
iS4 Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXL
fleili and blood. We ought not to confult with carnal reafon in the matters of religion.
3. By fiefh and blood is meant cat nal friends : and and by thefe I underftand not only natural rslatiom^ as father, mother, brother, and fifter, who, when lov- ed and followed more than Chrift, it is a consulting with fleih and blood ; and gracelefs relations^ with whom our conference and confultation cannot but be a con- ferring with flelh and blood ; but alfo all ungodly neigh- bours and acquamtances^ whether blood-relations or not : to confult with them, or put any confidence in them is to confult with flefh and blood.
4. By fiefh and blood is meant even the carnal couU'^ fels^ and carnal arguments of fpirittial friends : for godly
and pious friends may offer ungodly and impious coun- fels ; fuch as Peter to his mafler, v/hen he would dif- fuade him from going up to Jerufalem to fiiffer : and Job's wife to her hufband, when fhe faid to him, Curfe God and die ; or, if it may be rendered, Blefs God and diey it was an impious intention wherewith It was gi- ven. They that would not confult with blood, mufl not reft in the counfel of godly flefh and friends, or truft thereunto.
5. In a word, by flefli and blood we may underftand all carnal confidence whatfoever, whether from without or from within ; in others, or in ourfelves : for, while we have any confidence in the flefh, in our own or o- thers natural wifdom, righteoufnefs, or ftrength, we fo far confult with flefh and blood. But this leads me to confider, .'
2i/y, What is to be underftood by not conferring- with flefh and blood. We friall lay down what we take to be the import thereof in the following particu- lars.
I. Not conferring with flefh and blood, imports a flmnning their company, in a manner. When we w^ould not confer with a man, then we fhun his company ; we reiufe to converfe with him : fo, when we confer not with flefli and blood, we reFufe, in a manner, the company of fuch ill guefts. The man that confers not with fiefh and blood, in the matters of God, he lets in
to
Serm. XXL Carnal Consultation unfolded, 185
to his company the wonderful Counfellor for his gucll, to converfe withal ; and Ihuts all carnal counfcllors to the door. The man that wiil not confer with flefh and blood, he avoids the falutations thereof, and Ihuny con- verfation therewith.
2. Not conferring with fle(l-i and blood, imports a not g'rcing ear thereunto. When a perfon wiil not confer with one, if he cannot get his company altoge- ther avoided, yet he will fcop his ear, tliat he may not hear what he fays : fo, if flefli and blood will be in to our company, not to confer therewith is to give a deaf ear to the fuggeflions of carnal reafon, in the matters of God, and religion, and confcience. Shut the door againii: all carnal counfel.
3. Not conferring with flefli and blood, nnports, not iak'uig their advice^ nor regarding their jWciiatio)<s^ but rejeding their motions. If flefli and blood wiil b^ in with a word, and that we cannot get our ear flopt fo faft but that we mull hear what it lays ; tl en, if it will be heard, yet it muff not be regarded. It is A^aftly dangerous to hear, and much more to join with car- nal counfellors, as Jacob of Simeon and Levi ; 0 my foid^ come not thou into their fecret ; unto their ojT€mhly^ mine honour^ be not thou united^ Gen. xlix. 6.
4. Not conferring with fiefh and blood, imports, a not following the diflales thereof. It may be, that, tlirough the prevalence of corruption, even in the god- ly, flefn and blood, and carnal counfellors, are let in to their company ; and, wiien once admitted, they are heard ; and, when heard ^ they are too much re- garded : but here, at leafl, they are to fliop ; in re^ gard they have gone too far ; for. there wants nothing, in that cafe, but a putting the carnal counfel into exe- cution : and therefore, tiiey are to go back all the fteps, by which they have gone forv^ard, in this courfe ; and to beware of walking in the counfel of flefh and blood, or pradifing according to the advice thereof. If we walk in the counfel of the ungodly^ we are in dan- ger o^ /landing in the way offmners : if we Jland in the way of fimien^^ v/e are next in danger o{ fitting in the feat of the f cor rf id ^ as you have it, Pfal. i. i. I'i
Vol. IL A a flcfii
i86 Carnal Consultation w/^/o/J^-i. SerxM. XXI.
flefli and blood will be in with its word, yet it mud not be heard ; if heard, yet it mull not be regarded ; if regarded, its advice muil not be followed, other- wife we confer with flefli and blood.
5. In a word, not to confer with flefh and blood, is not only to rejed conference and confultation there- with, but to receive other counfellors^ and embrace bet- ier counfei than flelli and blood can give ; and particu- larly, to confult with the oracles of the living God, and follow the condud of his word and Spirit.
II. We are next to confirm the truth of the dodr'me^ by a few fcripture examples, that we are not to con- fult with fleih and blood, in the matters of God and confcience. You may obferve thefe four excellent ex- amples in this matter.
I. To begin with the example of Christ, the great pattern of our imitation, in all his imitable perfections. When Peter came in with his carnal counfei, after Chrift had been fortelling his death and fufierings, Pe- ter began, forfooth, to rebuke him, faying, Be it far from thee^ Lord ; this foall not be unto thee^ Matthew xvi. 22. What ! wilt thou fuffer fuch indignity ? There was the language of flefli and blood. But, how doth Chrifh entertain it ? He turneth himfelf to Peter, faying. Get thee behind me^ Satan ; thou art an offence unto me : for thou favour efi not the things that be of God ^
but thofe that be of men. So, when flefh and blood
comes in with its folicitations, we ought to banifh the fame with a get thee behind me^ Satan,
2. We have the example of Abraham^ when he ivent out of his own country., at the co?n?nandment ofGod^ not knowing whither he zvent^ Heb. xi. 8. and fo not con- fulting with flefh and blood : yea, when God called him to offer up his fon, his only fon Ifaac, flefli and blood might have obje^led a thoufand things : that he was the child of the promife : nay, that his offering Ifaac would contradid the command of God ; noujimit vol kill : And contradiQ: the promife of God ; ''Lhat in Jfaac JJ^ould his feed be called : that it would contradift the yuIq 0^ naiura' affeclion. Yea, but Abraham con-
fulted
Serm. XXI. Carkal Consultation unfolded. 187
fulted not with flefh and blood ; but by faith offered up Ifaac^ as it is faid, Heb. xi. 17. As little did he confult with flefh and blood, when he took God's word, and trufted in him, with relation to his having Ifaac, wdien both his body and Sarah's was dead.
3. We have the example of Mofes^ of whom it is
faid, Heb. xi. 24, 27. By faith Mofes refufed to be
called the f on of Fharoah'^s daughter; chooffng rather to fuffer affliction 'with the people of God^ than to enjoy the plcafures of fin for a feafon^ &c. If he had conferred with flefh and blood, he had rather chofen to dwell at eafe in Pharoah's court, and enjoy all the pleafures and treafurcs thereof: but he had learned, not to confer with flefli and blood.
4. We have the example of Daniel^ chap. iii. 15, 16, 17. when commanded to w^orfhip Nebuchadnez- zer's gold image : if Daniel had confulted wdth flefh and blood, he would eafily have complied with the courfes of the times, and rather have worfhipped the golden image, than have been call into the fiery fur- nace : for, flefh and blood would have told hirn, that it was better to be wife than too prccife. Yea, but he and his companions could not be perfuaded to a little outward obedience ; for, they confulted not with fiefli and blood, but confulted w^ith God, faying. We are not_ careful to anfwer ihee^ 0 king^ in this matter : for^ the God luhoni ive fcrvc is able to fave lis. Yea, fo
far from confulting with flefh and blood was he and they, that they would not defJe themfelves with a por- tion of the king's meat, Dan. i. 8. ; nor with the wine which he drank. Flefli and blood w^ould have told him, that there was no harm in meat ; that it was a thing indiflTerent : but they were under another influ- ence and conduct, than that of fleih and blood. Yea, fo obftinate was Daniel from confulting with flefli and blood, that notwithftanding the confpiracy of the no- bles againfl: him, becaufe of his devotion towards his God, and their obtaining a decree of cafting all iiVo the lion's den that fliould, for thirty days, worfliip any other, or afl^ any petition of another, except of Darius, Daniel went more openly and worfhipped his God than A a 2 ever.
i88 Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXL
ever, in the viev/ of his very enemies. Flefli and
blood would have told him, that he might have dii- ])enfed with a little ceremony of opening windows, and expofmg him to danger that way ; nay, but he confuhed not with fiefli and blood.
III. We now proceed to aflign the reafom^ why we muft not confult with ilefli and blood. We fliall only condefcend'On the four foliov/ing.
1. Becaufe flelh and blood are utterly unable to give advice, in the. matters of God. Fleih ajid blood could not fo much as teli how a man might be born again ; or regenerated, unlefs he Ihould go into his mother's ^vQ/ub again ; as you fee in the initance of Nicodemus, a learned man, a ruler of the Jews, and a mafter in Ifrael, John iii. i, — ^4. Yea, when it was explained in part to him, it was impoilible for flefli and blood to underiland it, as he hinifeif confeirsd ; Hcz<; can tbefe things bcf John iii. 9. Flefli and blood are alto- gether unable to give advice in the matters of God.
•2. Becaufe liefli and blood are iinwiUing to give ad- ■vice in the matters of religion ; for, they are in a con- flant rebellion againfl God and godiinefs ; The f.tjh iujieth againji the Spirit^ and the Spirit againjl the jiejh ; and tbefe two are contrary the one to the other ^ Gal. v, 17, Yea, flelh and blood are enmity againfl God ', Becaufe the carnal mind is enmity againfi God : and is tM fubjecl to the law of God^ neither indeed can be : fa then they that are after the fief :i cannot pie afe God^ Rom, viii. 7, 8. Flence,
3. Becaufe flelh and blood are unfit for giving ad^ vice in the matters of God, and confcience, and reli- gion : if they be unable and unwilling, furely they are unfit to be confalted with. It is a folly to confult with them ; for, tlieir counfel is like that of Ahitho- phel, that will be turned tofoolifmefs, Fleili and blood will be fure to give us wrong advice, and bad counfel in the matters of God. Is it ht, in the matters of God, to confult the enemies of God ? No ; for, What fel- kwfdip hath rlghteoufnefs with unrighteo.ufnefs f And
what
Serm. XXI. Carnal Consultation unfolded, 189
what communion hath ligbi zvilh darkncfs f What concord hath Chr'ijl ^jclth Belial f Or zchat agreement hath the
temple of God with idols f 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15, 16.
Again,
4. Becaufe it is dangerous to confult with flefli and blood. It is very dangerous^ in fcveral relpecls ; par- ticularly in the four following ones.
(i.) It is dangerous, becaufe jBeih and blood will hinder us from duty, if we confer with them. What hindered thofe that were bidden to the gofpel-feaft ? Why, one confulted with his far/n, another with his mcrchdJidifc ; and fo they made //V/j/ of the invitation^ by confulting with flefli and blood, and advihng with carnal reafon, and carnal eafe, Matth. xxii. 5. Wliat hindered the rulers that believed in Chrift from con- felling him ? John xii. 42, 43. Even fear, lejl the^/ f])ou!d be put cut of the fynagogue ; for, they loved the praife of men mere than the praije of God, They con- fulted with flelh and blood.
(2.) It is dangerous, becaufe if we confult with flelli and blood, it will not only hinder us from entering u- pon a profcflion of Chriif, and [o lead us to the omiilioa of duty, but alio will make us venture upon thofc things, which God hatli exprefly dilcharged, and com- manded that we fhould not do : fo Saul, when he went to deflroy the Amalekites, he had an exprefs command to fpare nothing, i Sam. xv. 3. But Saul confulted with fleili and blood; he fpared Agag^ 7iX\d fo/ne of the befi of the cattle. Why might flelh and blood fay to Saul, O ? I may be in the like cafe ; and he that Ihews no mercy, fliall have no mercy Ihewn him ; fo lie fpar-t ed him. And he alio confulted with flelh and blood concerning the cattle, and iheep, and oxen : carnal reafon told him, they would ferve for burnt-offerings^ yer. 15. But Samuel told Saul afterwards, Tliat cbc- dience vuas better tha7ifacrifice ; and to hearken ^ than the fat of rams^ ver. 22. It was confulting with ^^{h and blood that caufed Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit : ihe law it was fair to the eye, and meat to be dciircd. Gen. iii. 6.
190 Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXL
(3.) It is dangerous, bccaufe if we coniult with flelli and blood, it will hinder us from fujferingj in the caufe of God» The apodles rejoiced in this, that they were counted worthy to fuffer Jhame for his name^ Acls v. 41. ; they counted it a great honour : it is a gift of God when it is given, not only to believe, but to fuffer for his name. Had Paul confulted with flefh and blood, he would never have been willing to die for Chrift's fake, as Ads xxi. 11, 13. What mean ye to wecp^ and fo break mine heart f I am ready, not oyily to be bound, but alfo to die at J erufalcm for the name of the Lord J ef us. Flefh and blood, inftead of fuffering for Chrifl, will tell a man to perfecute the caufe of Chrifl, and the fol- lowers of Chrifh, againfl knowledge and confcience, if he confult his own carnal eafe, intereff, credit, and ho- nour in the world.
(4.) It is dangerous, becaufe if we confult with flefli and blood, it fends a man at lafl to confult with the devil^ and to take advice of hell, as you fee in the cafe of Saul, I Sam. xxviii. 7. Seek me a woman that hath a familiar fpirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. Thus he confulted with the witch of Endor. Having fo long confulted with flefh and blood, he at lafl fought to the devil himfelf to confult with. If we flill confult with flefli and blood, who are the devil's friends and fa- vourites, we are in danger of confulting next with the devil himfelf.
IV. We come now to the application of the fubjecl, which we fiiall effay in an ufe of information, caution, reprehenfion, dehortation, and direction.
if. Let us then improve the doctrine, in an ufe of in' formation. Hence we may fee,
I. What advice it is that the wicked of the world diO follow, and what is the coiinfel that doth deftroy them, and miflead them : why, they are wholly under the conduft and counfel of ficjh and blood', they have a daily conference ftated with carnal eafe, carnal reafon : and the conference is held in the heart ; and at this council Satan prefides ; he works in the children of difc- bedicnce. And what can be expcded as the refult of
fuch
Serm. XXL Carnal Consultation unfolded, 191
fuch a black and hellifli confultation ? For, at this coun- cil, iniquity is eftablilhcd by a law ; and no acts paf- fed, but acts of rebellion and hoftility againfl heaven. Indeed, the wicked world liften to no folicltations, no arguments, but what are drawn from llclh and blood : and hence, in a fuitablenefsto the didates of the carnal inclination, fome are hotly purfuing their pleafures fome their profits, fome their honour : the voluptuous man, his pleafure, his cups, and queens ; the covetous man, his profit, his worldly gains ; the ambitious man, his honour, his credit and grandeur. — Whence is it that all manner of wickednefs, profanity, and carnality a- bound ! Why, the world are all bufy conferring with flefli and blood : this is the principle that fways them ; hence {o vvearied, in duty, fecret, private, and public.
2. See wherein it is, that the immortal foul^ and its everlafiing concerns, are fo much flighted and neglect- ed by the world, while the body, and outward things, draw avvay all tbe concern after them, why, it is be- caufe men confult \v\ih.flejh and blood ; they confult their carnal eafe and outward conveniency j but do not confult their foul's everlafiing welfare, Flelli and blood goes no higher than itfelf, and takes no notice of the foul ; or, if it doth, it provides no better for the foul than for the body, like the fool in the gofpel, who thought his foul might be happy with full barns ;
Soidy take thy reji^ thou haft goods laid I'p for many
years, Alas ! fliort-liv^ed happinefs for an immcrtal foul ; Thou fool ^ this night fall thy foul he required cf thee,
3. Hence fee the root oi f up erf itlmi and ii:iU'WQr- fyip^ it flows from conferring with fiedi and blood ; which hating the fpirituallty of wordiip, is moll taken up with carnal ordinances and human inventions, and uninflituted ceremonies : Jn vain do they worfjip me^
^ teaching for the dodrincs the comjiiandments of men. It is too remarkable, that the more carnal that the ge- neration is growing, the more is abjured ceremonies creeping in among us, and the lefs teftifying againfl the fame ; though yet it be a burden which neither ii'c nor cur fathers were able to bear, as the apoftle fays,
192 Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXI.
Ads XV. 1 o. ivby tempt yc God to put a yoke f The apoflle there fpeaks of a yoke of ceremonies^ once en- joined of God hhnfelf, that now behig abohfhed, it was a tempting of God ; much more is the yoke of ceremonies that never were enjoined. But while we confult with flelh and blood, we tamely fubmit to the yoke of carnal ordinances^ as they are called, Heb. ix. 10. ; and while the fpirituality of worfnip is neglec- ted and deteiled, and the internal glory of ordinances is out of fight.
4. See what is the fpring of all corriipticn in the doc- trine, worfhip, difcipline, and government of the houfe of God : it will be found that confulting with fiefli and blood, in the matters of religion, is at the bottom thereof.
(i.) Whence is it that the docf vines of the gofpcl have been fo much corrupted ? It is jufL from carnal reafon, and confulting with that rather than with the word ; We err^ not kno\.uing the fcriptures^ not confer- ring with the fcriptures : or, if men confer with the fcriptures, and confult the word, it is not with the ivord and the Spirit together ; but it is with the word and their own fpirit, their own carnal fentiments : — hence fo many carnal interpretations of the fcripture, and carnal gloffes upon the word, fuiting the natural apprehenfions of men concerning the law^ as if it was iiill Handing in force, as a covenant, againfl believers as well as unbelievers ; or, as if perfonal obedience thereto were the way to eternal life, while yet the fcripture teilifics of Clirill:, as the only way to life ; and our obedience nov/, when evangelical, as being only the necelTary fruit and evidence of union to him. Pride of reafon, founds Socinianifm ; pride of the v/ill, Armlnianifm ; pride of felf-righteoufnefs, Neonomian-
ifm. How is the doftrine o{ juflifi cation znd fane
tif cation confounded *, by mens conferring with flefli and blood ? Carnal reafon fuggefting, that God will not juflify us, but upon fomc worthy confideration,
* The dltTerence between juftlfication snd farnflificarion, is clearly flated by our Author. See ihe page in ilje beginning of Vol. II.
or
Sf.Rm. XXI. Carnal Consultation r/r/cA/r^/. 193
or vaIuableperformar.ee of ours, which intimates grofs ignorance of the gofpel, concerning free jullificatioii by the blood of Chriit. — It is from this root, even the conferring with flc(h and blood, that many alfo do abufe the doctrine of the gofpel to licentioufiiefs^ as if it en- couraged wickednefs, which is blafphemy again ft Chrilf, as if he was the miiiiifer of fin : nay, thofe that re- proach iully cliarge the dodrine of grace ^ as a covert to ftn ; and the preachers of it, as if they were enemies to holinefs^ do but grofly betray their ignorance of the gof- pel, and their confulting with flelli and blood, in all their carnal arguments ; for, if they confult with tlie gofpel itfeif duly, in oppoiition to legal doctrine, they would find, that the more evangelical the doftrine is, the more holy and pare it is and influential upon holi- nefs ; for, the more a man is dead to the law^ the more he lives unio God : but this will reniain a myitery to many in th'e world for ever, becaufe of their carnal thoughts and reafonings in favours of the law, as a co- venant ; lor fielh and blood cannot endure gofpcl- dodrine ; nature and carnal reafon cannot make the lav/ a rule of obedience, without making it a rule of acceptance ^.
(2.) Whence is k that the TJprJhip which God hath appointed in his houfe, is fo much abufe d ; "What is tlie x'lk. of all that deteflabie neutrality in the worfliip of God, and Vt^earinefs and lukewarmmefs in the du- ties thereoi ? Why, it is ju!l mens conferring with fiefh and blood. Spiritual worfliip, and a carnal heart, cannot comport, fuit, or agree together: That ivhicb is born of the fejh is fief h. And fielh and blood cannot endure fpiritual work and worihip : lience 7ne?i draw ■near to God with the inouih^ while the heart is remo--i:cd far from him. Hence men are careiefs what way they worfhip, or v/hat w^ay others w^orfhip God ; whether it be an idolatrous, fuperllitious, or inlfituted way, like Gallic, they care for none of thofe thirigs. Hence
- * The Resder will find thefe tcp'cs hgnd'ed to excellent pnrpofe by our Author, in Vcl. ii. Sermon XX'II. muiJedj La^-dcath, a72d Cofoel-life.
Vol. II. Bb fab-
194 Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXL
fabbaths and fermons, are a wearinels ; praying and praifmg, are a burden : flefli and blood cannot en- dure thefe things, " Take a carnal man, fays one, tye *' him to a poft, and you may kill him with praying " and preaching."
(3.) Whence is it that partiality in the exercife of church difcipline^ doth proceed ? When men do not confer with fleih and blood, then difcipline is powerful and impartial : but when, by confulting with flefh and blood, they connive at fm, over-look it in fome, and
dare not reprove it in others. Flefli and blood fays.
Such a perfon is di. friend ; we mull favour him : fuch a perfon is a great man^ a rich man ; we mud wink at a fault ; we mud not mxddle with him, left he make
us and the church uneafy. By thefe carnal reafon-
ings, the power of difcipline is broken. Alas ! how far are we, at this day, from the fpirit of Ambrofe, v/ho excomm.unicated the emperor of Theodoiius, for fom.e ralh orders of his ; while the emperor humbly fubmitted to the difcipline of the church ; and, upon his repentance was received ? But now, alas! we muft not offend this and that great man, otherwife all will go wrong. Oh ! where is powerful and impartial difcip- line ! It is funk in the mire of fmful conference with flefli and blood.
(4.) Whence again proceeds that diforder and con- fufion that takes place in the government of the church? While men confult not wich flefh and blood, the go- vernmxent is beautiful and orderly : but by carnal fea- - foning, and carnal pohcy, and carnal wifdom, it is tur- ned out of courfe : tyranny in church government over the fouls and confciences of people ; fuch as, in thruf- ting paftors upon a Chriftian flock, without their free confent and eledion, is rooted in conferring with flefli and blood : Why, fays carnal wifdom and policy, fuch a patron muft be gratified ; fuch a great man niuft be picafed; tlie church cannot fland without the fupport of fuch pillars ■', What is all this, but a conferring
witli
* That p;\trora2- is a great gr^evanc^ in the church, contraxy to the" Icsipture, and repugnant to the ads of the church in her beft
time.',
Serm.. XXI. Carnal Consultation unfolded. r95
with flefli and blood. In a word, all the degene- racy of our day, is owing to this origin.
5. Hence fee what is the root of all the divifions of our day, it flows from this confultation with Hefli and blood. See James iv. i. i Cor. iii. 3. Whciras there is among you envying^ andjlr'ifc^ and divifion ; are ye not carnal f Divilion among miniiters and people fiows from this carnal biafs ; proud flefli and blood cannot be controlled, fcorns to be corrected : Who Jhall be greatejif is (till the queflion of ficili and blood. Who Ihall be highcft ? Proud flefli and blood will put a fair face upon the fouled a6l, rather than take with a fault, or confcls a wrong, or forgive an injury.
6. Hence fee what it is, that the people of God hath to ivrcjtie againif , while here, even all the coun- fels of flelh and blood. Paul rejecls the confukation : there he plainly fuppofes that fieih and blood was rea- dy to fuggell, and folicite, and give their advice ; but Paul rejecbs the fame ; hunicdiately I conferred not ivlih flejh and blood. This is a council where Satan prcfides,
and is always at the head of the table. And hence, while they h:i\ tflcfo and. blood to wreftle againft, they hdNt principalities and powers 2\iQ^ Eph. vi. 12. Much need have they of the whole armour of God, that they may be able to flan d againft the wiles of the devil.
idli^ Tliis doctrine may be improven for caution to prevent miftakes. There are feveral things that this duty, of not confuking with flelh and blood, doth not prohibite : fuch as,
I. It doth not exclude the duty of neceffary con- vcrfation, traffic, and merchandife with the carnal men of this world, providing we do not mingle wkh their vice, and contrad no intimate fricndfliip wkh them ; for. The friendfhip of this world is enmity againjl God : but otherwife, converfation, company, trade, and trai-
time?, may be feen evificed. Vol. V. Serm. LXXXII, intitltd. The La^oftl:eHoufe\ Serm- LXXXIII- intitlcd, The Church hefiej^cd \ and Serm. LXXXV. intitled, The Stahiliiy ^f Faith. la noies at the foot of the page.
B b 2 fic
196 Carnal Consultation 2^;2/b/c/><f. Serm. XXL
fie with fuch may be neccfiary and allowable. This caution the apoltle gives us, i Cor. v. 9, 10. I wrote unto you in an epijile^ not to keep company with fornicators, ITet not altogether with the fornicators of this worlds or with the covetous^ or extortioners^ or with idolaters ; for then mufi ye needs go out of the world.
'2. It doth not exclude, impeach, or debar the duty Q.i charity toward the poor ^ and honouring the Lord with our worldly fuhfiance^ providing it be not done out of o- itentation, to be fcen of men ^ and to gratify flefh and blood. Aiid as it doth not exclude charitable deeds^ toward the fouls and bodies of all men, doing them all the good fervices we can : io neither doth it exclude charitable thoughts of them : Charity thinkethno evil^ but puts the beft conflruclion upon all the actions of others, that the nature of the thing v/ill bear, i Cor. xv. 12.
3. It doth not exclude or debar the duty of fpiritual prudence. We are to be wife as ferpents^ and not to run upon feen hazard, without a call ; nor to neglect the duty of confulting our neceiTary fafety and fccurity in time of danger and perfecution ; providing we do not fly v/hen God bids us ifand ; or when the caufe of Chrift, or glory of God, oblige us to bear v^^itnefs for him, and for his truth : but abfh-ad: from thefe, or the like cafes, Chriitian prudence is requifite in ihunning whatever hazard we may, tiirough imprudence, cad ourfeives into : hence faith Solomon, The prudent man
forefeeth the e^oil. and hideth himfef
4. It doth not exclude or impeach the duty of <:^?/r^ tefy and 'civility towards all men ; no : religion doth not allow men to be ill-bred or any vv^ay uncivil, more than it allows them to be ill-natured toward any : fo, to he courteous^ as the apoiUe exhorts, i Pet. iii. 8. is not to be reckoned a conferring with flefh and blood. There is a way of becoming all things to all men^ by the duty ofcourtefy, civility, and hofpitality, which maybe gaining to all,
5. It doth not exclude the duty ol frugality and in-^ duflry about our worldly concerns. One is not reckon^ ed a confulter with flefh and blood, becaufe he pro* vides for his family ^ for^, he that doth not fo, faith the
apoftlc^
Serm. XXI. Carnal Consultation z/;?/c'/(/^^. 197
apoftle, hatli denied the faith ^ and is worfe than an infi^ del. One may be a Mary for piety, and a Martha tor induftry too ; providing it be managed with modera- tion, lb as not to exclude the better part,
6. It doth not exclude the duty of mercy^ pity and compafflon towards the hody^ whether our own, or that of others. It were an abule of this doctrine, if any, out of a pretence of not confulting with flefli and blood, fliould fliew no mercy to the outward man, no regard to their own health : but fliould punilli the body with immoderate failing, or pennance, or unmercifully mace- rate their flefli, as many in the popifh church, through their fuperllitious devotion, do. But, in fome cafes, mercy is better than facrijice,
7. It doth not exclude or debar the duty o{ for- bearance and tcndcrnsfs towards thofe, that are over- taken in a fault. It were an abufe of this dodtrine, of not confulting with fielli and blood, to be thereupon untender of weaklings, who are ready to flumble and fall : for, though this dodrine obligeth us not to bear with fm, where-ever it is, yet it doth not allow us to infult over the infirmities of any ; but we are to take the apodle's rule, Gal. vi. 1,3. Brethren^ if a man be overtaken in a faulty ye \vhich are fpiritual^ rcflore fuch an one in the fpirit of weeknefs ; conjidering thyfelf kfi thou alfo be te?7ipted. Bear ye one anoiher's burdens^ and fo fulfil the law GfQhfft,
8. It doth not exclude the duty of rcfped to every one, in their feveral flations and relations j particu- larly, due regard to parents, magiftrates, and mini- flers ; and fubjedion to judicatories of God's appoint- ment, providing it be in the Lord^ and in all things Lno^
ful^ is not inconfiilent with this duty, of not confer-r ring with flefh and blood : nay, it is highly confident therewith ; yea, and neceifary thereunto : for a man may confult with flefh and blood, by refufmg to give due fubjeclion ; as many obflinate ofi'enders do, that defpife all difcipline. Though, indeed, unlawful fub- je<51:ion or obedience, not in the Lord^ is but a confult- ing with iic& and blood ; while we follow the didates
of
198 Carnal Contsultation unfolded, Serm. XXL
of courts or councils, in a way difagreeable to the word of God.
9. If doth not exclude the duty of adviftng with fieighbours and Chriftiansj whether about civil or reli- gious matters, wherein any difficulty doth prefent it- fdf. The docirine, indeed, excludes the taking of /// counfel ) but doth not exclude the taking of good counfel from man, in an agreeablenefs to the word of God : nay, many times iii the multitude of counfellors there is fafety^ as Solomon faith ; who alfo teacheth us to take advice in matters of weight, faying. With good advice make war,
10. If we view this doflrine, of not confulting with flefli and blood, as it ftands in oppofition to felf-righ- teoufnefs ; or feeking to eflablifh our own credit be- fore men, or our own righteoufnefs before God ; yet k doth not exclude the duty of defiring and feeking, in a regular w^ay, to have and maintain a good name : fludying to have a righteoufnefs of profeffion before men ; and a righteoufnefs of fan-clification, both of heart and life, before God. Though we are to deny the righteoufnefs of works, and to feek juftification and acceptance elfewhere, otherwife we are of thofe t\i2X put confidence in the flejh^ and are not the true cir- cumcifion : yet we are not to forfake the works of righ- teoufnefs^ but to maintain good works : This is a faith- fid faying^ and thefe things I will that thou affirm con- fzantly, that they which have believed in God, might be
careful to maintain good works : thefe things are good and profitable unto men. They are to be maintain- ed before men, in all the duties of righteoufnefs, re- fpeding them ; and fobriety, refpe6ling ourfelves, and our deportment before them : they are to be main- tained before God, in all the parts of holinefs ; and that both internal, in the exercife of holy graces ; and external, in the performance of holy duties. Though we muff deny this righteoufnefs, in point of dependence ; yet not in point q{ performance : though we need ano- ther righteoufnefs to trufi to, yet we need this to be poffcfl of ; otherwife we would expofe the faith of Chriil to be evil fpoken of. By our light Jhining before
men
Serm. XXI. Carnal Consultation ^^;z/i?/i^J. 199
mcn^ we muil endeavour to make others confcfs^ that we are illuminate with the beams of the Sun of
Righteoufnefs. A righteoufnefs without us we
need, to give us a title to heaven ; and a righte- oufnefs within us, for fandification of heart and way, we need, to give us a mectncfs for heaven. A right of merit we have in juilification, by Chrift's righte- oufnefs ; a right of meetnefs we have in fan«5lifica- tion, by Chrili's Spirit : which latter right may be the meaning of that word, Rev. xxii. 14. Blejfed are they that do his commandments^ that . they may ha-vs right to the tree of life^ and may enier in through the gates into the city : Or, it may be underllood thus, that they may have evidence of their right, according to that word^ John XV. 14. le are my friends^ if ye do zvhatfoever £ co?mnand you.
The third ufe is of reprehenfton. This doctrine re- proves many forts of people, that may be faid to con- fer with flelli and blood : and here, by the bye, you may examine whether or not you be chargeable viith this fm, of conferring with flefh and blood : and if we fearch narrowly, 1 know few or none will be in cafe to exculpate themfelves, or plead, Not guilty. There are thofe feven or eight forts of people, thatconfult with fl elh and blood.
The firfi fort of perfons, that confer with fiefii and blood, are thofe, who, not chuhng the word of God for their rule, nor his Spirit for their guide, confult witix tradition ; yielding themfelves to be ruled and con- dueled with human tradition, and antient cuftoms of their forefathers : This Paul acknowledges was his fm, before Chrift was here revealed inhim,ver. 14. Bein^g more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers, — This is the fm of the Fapifls^ who reject the fcriptures, as fuiiicient to uphold their religion ; no wonder, for it cannot (land upon that foundation ; and therefore they build upon corrupt traditions, and fhidy to uphold the fame with fire and faggot.— Yea, this is the fm of ig- norant Frotejlants^ that Ihape their religion only in a
con-
loo Carnal Consultation unfolded, Serm. XXL
conformity to their anceflors ; they will be of their" forefathers religion, and maintain the principles of their education, like thofe, Jer. xliv. 17. VxHiat is ail this but a confulting with flefh and blood ?
TheyfcYc;2ifort of perfons, that confer with liefli and blood, are thofe that confult with man in the matters of God ; and that either in point of truft or fear.~~-Some confult with man in point of tniji^ while they put their truft in man, contrary to the command of God, Pfal. cxlvi, 3. Fut not your truft in princes^ nor in i be fans of men^ in whom there is no help. It is dangerous to repofe our truft in man : Curfed is man that trujleth in man^ and 7naketh JieJJo his arm, whofe heart departeth from the Lord, Jer. xvii. 5. If we truft in armies or allies, par- liaments or potentates, friends or favourites, we truft in lying words : // is better to trujl in the Lord, than to put confidence in princes, Pfal. cxviii. 9. Truft ye not in a friend, put no confidence in a gidde, Micah vii. 5. And Jer. ix. 4. Take ye heed, every one of his neighbour, and. iruft ye not in any brother : for every brother will utterly fupplant, and every ncighhour will w:dk with fanders. — That time is come to pafs ; there is the ordinary cha- racter of the men that are the objeCl of our falfe confi- dence, when we truft in men like ourfelves : yea, the heft of men are like a briar, faith the prophet Micah ; a7id the mofi upright fjarper than a thorn hedge, which will pierce all that lean to it. If we depend upon human powers, for the prefervation of our church or ftate ; or depend upon human policy, for the reformation of religion, we will find ourfelves fadly difappointed : It is better to truft in the Lord, than to put confidence in prin- ces. If we depend upon human laws, even for the fe- curity of our fortune ; or upon our compliance with whatever human authority enjoins, for our freedom from outward troubles and trials, we truft but in man, and fo confer with flefii and blood.-:-- Again, fome con- fult with man in point of fear : If either we truft in them, or be afraid of man thatfhall die, we confult with flefh and blood. It is an awful word to this purpofe, Ifa. X\, 12, 13. Who art thou that thoujhouldjl be afraid of a man, that Jhall die ; and of the fen of ??ian^ which
Jhall
SiRM. XXL Carnal Consultation ttnfohieJ, izi
Jhall he made as grafs P and fo7'getteJi the Lord thy Ma- ker^ that hath Jiretched forth the heavens^ and laid th^ foundatio?is ofihe earth ? Thus many dare not do their duty for fear of man : they dare not woriliip God in their families ; they dare not abflain from fwearing, drinking, tippling, or betake themfelves to ferious re- ligion, for fear of being fcoffej, and fcorned, and per- fecuted ; like the Jews, John xii. 42. that diirjl: 7. at profefs ChriJ}^ for fear cf being caft out of the fynagoguc. Thusfome even of the godly, perhaps, dare not make public appearances for the caufe and truths of the Lord Jefus, for fear of being expofed to the cenfures of the church, in a time when they are called to appear : but fee what the Lord faith, in fuch a cafe, to ihofe that fear the reproaches, and revilings of men : Hear- ken unio me^ ye that know righleoifnef^ the people in ^vhofe heart is ??iy law, fear ye not the reproach of?nen^ neither be ye afraid of their revilings : For the moth fhall eat them up I'lke a garment^ and the worm fhall eat them like w'ooL It is but the grafs of the field that oppofeth us ; Allflefl) is grafs. — — Let us not confult with fleih and blood.
The third fort of perfons, that confer with ilefli rni blood, are thefe who confult with paffion and refcnt- ment^ fo as to feek revenge upon every injury, real or conceived. Why, aik a man why he is {o hot in the purfuit of revenge, againil thofe that have wrongel him : he will anfwer. How can jBeOi and blood bear this ? If I put up with th.is wrong, they will WTong mc again ; therefore, nothing will ferve me but their blood, or fome fuitable retaliation, for the injury done me : while yet we are commanded to pray for them that perfecute us, and to love them that hate us* If we confult with fleHi and blood, v/e will devour one. ano- ther. Gal. V. 15. How often hath it happened, that thofe who have fought revenge have been the deftruc- tion of themlelves and others, wmile both parties have been killed in the field ; and while others, meditating revenge, they and their whole families have been un- done by law-pleas : yea, many times confulting with ilefii and blood, in matters of revenge, caufcth men
Vol. IL C c be
■202 Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXI.
be their own dellrudion. Saul killed himfelf, after he had long hunted David. And Judas, who was fo cruel to his Mailer, Ibid himfelf to a halter, hanged him- felf, and his bov/eis gulhed out. Proud flelh and blood is the caufe of revenge ; Only by pride comeih conten- iion^ Proverbs xiii. I o. whereas humility would keep peace. Pliny v/rites of tw^o ill-natured goats, that met both together, upon a narrow bridge, over a great llream : the bridge was fo narrow, that the one could not pafs by the other ; and if they had ftriven, and fought it out, it had been prefent danger of drowning to them both : but at lafl one of them lying down, and becoming a bridge to the other, both were faved. Indeed, tlie example of that brute beaft may tell us, it is better, to let perfons trample upon us fometimes, than by fquabbling and difcord, to endanger the drown- ing and deftroying of both ourfelves and others. A man, meditating revenge, cannot go to God and fay, as Chrift hath taught him, Forgive us ourjins^ as ive for- give the?!! that irefpafs again/i its. If you fay this pe- tition with a heart full of revenge, you do nothing but imprecate a curfe upon yourfelves ; and that God would deal with you, as you deal with your brother : if you pray not, then God's vengeance is ready to be poured out, Jer. x. 25. ; if you do pray, then your prayer is a cart-rope, to pull down vengeance upon you. Why, fay you, but fhould my neighbour abufe me at this rate ? No, indeed : but becaufe he hath broken one command, in wronging you, will you break another, in malicious revenge againft him r — Why put this lafl queftion ? That is doSrine for them that have no blood in their nails : I tell you minifler, fleili and blood cannot endure the wrong I fuftain. I tell you man, flelh and blood cannot enter into the kingdom of God : wherefore, if you come there, flefti and blood mufl be mortified, and not confulted with. Why, I would be juft reckoned a fool, a fot, an idiot, if I Ihould put up with fuch an affront ; it would be a difcredit. Why, the wifdom of God, by the moutlv of Solomon, faith, // is the glory of a man to pafs by an injury. And v/hat faith your carnal wifdom, poor fool
that
Serm. XXI. Carnal Consultai ion unfolded, 203
that you are, in oppofitlon to God^s wlfdom ? I.<;t the world judge as they pleafe, it is a greater credit for a man to overcome himlelf, and his revengeful af- fections, than to overcome his enemies, either at the bar or in the field. Well, fay you, I Ihall forgive, but I cannot forget. Indeed, it is a wonder what one re- marks in Cyprian, that though he had an excellent me- mory for ail things elfe, yet he could never remember an injury ; fo ill was his memory on that fcore, which was his excellency. But w^e may obferve as great a wonder, on the contrary, that men have fuch ill me- mories, that they forget all things elfe almofl ; yet they have fuch good memories that they will remem- ber injuries never fo long : yea, they will never for- get them, but mind to relent and revenge them, after many years. Aik many a perfon concerning a fermon: Alas ! I have the word memory in the world, 1 am io forgetful ; I would give any thing for a good memory : and yet, perhaps, they will mind an injury twenty years. Oh ! if God fo forgive our fins, as yet not to forget them, what w^ouid become of us !
Th^ fourth fort, who confer with flefli and bloody are thofe that confult with ?2umbers and midiiiudes^ in the matters of God : they will be the religion that the moil are of; they will follovv fuch a principle and opinion, becaufe the greated multitude and num.ber of great men, or good ;ncn do fo : thus, like Roman votaries, they bind their faith to tlie belt of the church ; to be- lieve as the church believes. It is not, Thus faith tha Lordj that binds them ; that were to build upon a di- vine teftimony : but, Thus faith the churchy or thus faith an aifembiy of divines, or thus faith fuch and fuch a great number of men : the greatefl multitude of the learned and eminent fay fo and fo ; therefore we follow thefe. Thus they take the gofpel upon truft, and have the faith of Chrifi: with refpccl of perfons. Can fuch a great number be all wrong, and fuch afmail number only right ? No ; wifdom mud dwell with the greated mul- titude, faith fledi and blood, without ever proving all things J and holding fafi jhat ivhich is good : or, Jike tlie C c 2 noble
2:04 Carnal Consultation^ unfolded. Serm. XXL
noble Bereans, fcarching the fcriptitres^ to fee ivhefher ihefe things befo. Perhaps this is as prevailing an evil, as any in the prefent time, with refped to matters con- troverted in the Lord's houfe. It is a carnal argument for one to fay. Lord help us, if all others be in the T\Tong but you ; yet, why muft we be fmgular ? Yea, "but when vice becomes general, Angularity becomes a virtue : when error in judgment, or principle, be- comes univerfal, Angularity becomes a necefiary duty. What though we be called nice, and proud, and Angu- lar, affecting a name above others ? We muil follow Chrijl^ hearing his reproach. Though a man Ihould happen to be on the right lide of the queflion, by fol- lowing the principles of thofe whom he takes to be the greatefl multitude of learned and eminent men ; yet his faith is but an human faith, while it is built but upon an human teflimony : and a man's embracing .only what he thinks the Rabbles of the day maintainj^ is too like that of the Pharifees, John vii. 48, 49, Have any of the rulers and Fharifees believed in him f But this people^ that know not the laii\ are accurfcd. Even fo will fledi and blood argue : The greatclt body and number of the great and learned world, if not the whole tribe of thofe that are reckoned wife and learn^ ed, believe io and \q ; and it is to be' fuppofed that it is but a pack of ignorant fools, that differ from them ; and therefore we will believe as the greateft multitude of our church guides direcf us : they know- things of that nature better than we; and therefore we muft trufr that they are in the right : thus many times the blind lead the blind^ and both fall into the ditch : for it may happen, that even thofe may be blind, whom neither tbemfelves, nor others think to be fo ; fo it was with the opinionative Pharifees, who faid. Are we blind alfo f John ix. 40.
Tht fifth fort that confer with flefh and blood, are thofe who confult with human wifdom^ in the matters of God, and whofe fear towards God is taught by the wifdoni of men ; on which account the Lord threatens, Ifa. xxix. 14. The wifdo?n of their wife men fhall perijh ; and the iinderf landing of their prudent men jhall be hid.
Many
Serm. XXI. Carnal Consultation unfolded. 205
Many are taken not with the trutb^ as it is in Jefus, but with the wifdom of fine words, or the wifdom of human literature, and carnal rcafonings ; both which the apoitle cautions againd, in the matters of religion ; And this I fay, left any man Jhould beguile you with en- iiting "words. Col. ii. 4. And the apoille^s praftice was the very reverfe of this, i Corinth ii. i, 2. Brethren^ when I came to you, 1 came not with excellency offpcecb, or of wifdo?n, declaring unto you the tcjiimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, fa^cc Jefus Chrifi, and him crucified. Inticiji^ words is the bait wherewith the credulous and fimple fort of people are taken, as the apoille obferves, Ptom. xvi. 17, 18. The fimple are they who are caught with the bait of the i?2ticing li^ords of men, who, like merchants, fet off flight and corrupt wares with the finell: words. Another caution is, Colof. ii. 8. Beware left any rnan fpoil '^ou through philofophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Chrifi. The former is a bait for the fiinple, but here is a bait for the learned world, v/hen human philofo- phy and natural rcafonings, are fet in oppofition to the
truth as it is in Jefus Chrifi;, —People confer with
flelh and blood, when they are offended at t\\t fimplicity of Chrifh's doclrine, which is a ftranger to the orna- ment of human wifdom, clothed only with tlie fimplc attire of a vulgar I'lile, free from the flourifh of lofty eloquence ; thus Auguuine, before his converfion, owns his contempt of the v^^ord, when he began to read it, becaufe he looked upon the (tile of tlie fcrip- tures as very mean, compared with the eloquence of of Cicero, to which he had accuftomed himfelf : lience it is faid, 'The Jews require a fign, and the Greeks feck after wifdom ; i. e. The Jews, v/ho were accuflom.cd to live under extraordinary difpenfations, they would have nothing but miracles and prodigies from iicaven ; but the Greeks, the Gentiles, they fought for the deptii of philofophy in the gofpel; and when thev miffed that, they laughed it to fcorn -, as you may fee in Paul's rencounter with the Epicurean philofophcrs and Stoics, Afts xvii. 18, Great reafon tlicn had the apoflle to
iay
2o6 Carnal Consultation unfolded* Serm. XXL
fay as he doth, i Cor. ii. 4, 6, 7. And my fpeech^ and my preaching was not with inticing words of Jiiaii's wif dom^ but in demonftration of the Spirit^ and of pozver. Howbeity we fpeak wifdom among them that are perfed : yet not the wifdom of this worlds nor of the princes of this %v.Qrldj that come to nought. But we fpeak the wifdom of God in a myftery^ even the hidden wifdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory. Therefore, though the preaching of the gofpel be^ to them that perifhy fooiijhnefs ; yet to them that are faved^ it is the power of God: For God hath made fooHJh the zvifdom of this VJorld ; and by the foolifmefs of preaching faveth them that belie-ve* We preach Chrifi crucified ; to the Jezus a fiumbling'blocky and to the Greeks foolifmefs ; but to them that are called^ both Jews and Greeks, Chrifi the pozuer of Gody and the wifdom of God : becaife the fool- ifmefs of God is wifer than men^ and the weaknefs of God is ftronger than men ; fo you fee the apoflle fpeaking at large, i Cor. i. 17,-29. Thefe that are only taken then, with a fine ftile of language, and turns of wit, and the flowers of rhetoric, without fearching into the myderies of the gofpel, and feekmg to have the gof- pel coming, not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghofly I Theff. i. 5. are carnal, and conferring with ^cih and blood. — — But carnal wifdom, and car- nal reafon runs fome times ill another channel, while it not only, upon the one hand, reprefents the doctrine of the gofpel as too mean, and therefore defpifes it ; but, on the other hand, reprefents the myfleries of the golpel, as too high, and therefore difcredits it. Thus the devil plays his game at both hands : fometimes fuggefting that the dodrine of the gofpel is too coarfe and plain ; at other times that it is too fublime and myllerious ; fuch as, the myflery of the Trinity, the myflery of the incarnation of Chrifi, the myflery of the fpiritual union between Chrifi and the believer, the myflery of free juflification, without vv^orks, by the rightcoufnefs of another. — — Hence a generation of a- theifts, not only call in queflion, but impudently deny the myfleries of religion, as incomprehenfible and im- poffiblc, bccaufe inconfiftent v/ith their carnal reafon,
how-
Serm. XXI. Carnal Consultation unfolded, loy
however agreeable to right reafon. But flcfli and
blood are ready to fay of gofpel-myiteries, as Nicode- mus of the wonders of regeneration, Hgvj can ihcfe
things be f We might ihew how many errors of the
day, whether Arian, Socinian, Arminian, or Pelagian, derive their origin from hence ; but I proceed.
ThQfixtb fort of perfons, who confer with fleHi and blood, are thofe that confult with the the luojid in the matters of religion. — Of this fort are thcfe that fol- low the ill example^ and ftudy the carnal politics ox the world, and join in therewith, efpecially when it tendeth to advance or fecure their worldly interells. Thus many, in point of w^orldly example, they rule their a<5lions according to the will and example of their fn- periors ; fo Ifrael followed Jeroboam. And fome, to pieafe a great man, will make bold Vvdth light and cor.- Icience, directing them another way: or, iftheyfup- pofe him to be a good man, that takes fuch and fuch a courfe, then the example of fuch will blind the eye of tiieir confcience, and fofler the argument of flefli and blood ; for, why, faith fielh and blood, may not I do as fuch a great man, or fuch a good man doth, that is wifer than I can pretend to be ? Yea, but we arc to be followers of none^ but as tliey are followers cf Chrijl ■; otherwife w^e confult only with fleih and blood. — Gf this fort alfo are thofe, that give up themfelves to the condu6l of worldly policy^ and lludy the carnal politics oF the world, even in the matters of God and con- fcience ; and hence v/ili yield a blind obedience to tlie commandments of men, as Ifrael did to the ftatutes ol: Omri, Mic. vi. 16. And Ephraim, who willingly wal- ked after the commandmcjit^ Hof. v. 11. And perhaps all this, not for confcience fake, but for intereil fake : why, faith ^elli and blood, it is better to be wife than fool hardy, and expofe ourfelves to the fury of the go- vernment, civil or ecclefiadic : Ihould we not take that courfe that will m.oll contribute to obtain fome Avorldly advantage, to fecure our worldly intereft, or to prevent worldly lolTes, croffes, and inconveniences ; and why fliould we not obey the higher powers ? Well, if it be duty you are ir.joined ^ why not obey ? We ought to
lo8 Carnal Consultation unfolded* Se km. XXL
cbcy thnn in the Lord^ and for confcience fake : but the' a man may be doing what is duty in this cafe ; yet, if he be fwayed thereto, not from confcience, but from fuch carnal v/orldly motives, in matters that concern God and religion, then he but confults with fiefii and blood ; and his fear toward God is taught at by the pre- cepts of men. But, on the other hand, if you truly doubt of its being duty, before God, that you are called to, then, %vhatfoevcr is not faith is fin ; and if thus it be fm, thtn^ %vheiher ye ought to obey God or man^ judge ye f We confult )vith flelh and blood, if we yield obedience either to civil or ecclefiaflical authority, any other way but in the Lord : or, if confcience be merely fwayed with intereft. — -in a word, all fmful fhifts to fnun the crofs^ and carnal compliances to fccure the world, is a confulting with flefh and blood : yea, when human au- thority is more regarded, for the fake of the world, than the authority of God and Chrid.
The feventh fort of perlbns, that conferreth with Beili and blood are thofe that confult outward peace and tranquility^ in the matters of God, even though they have little regard to gofpcl-truth and piety : they love to be eafy, and to live in peace, though it fhould be at the rate and expence of \x\2iVJ\x\g Jhipwreck of faith and a good confcience. But, the wifdo/n that is from a- hove is firft pure^ and then peaceable^ James iii. 17. — Firft purity and truth, and then tranquility and peace, is the due order of heavenly wildom : and hence we are commanded to love the truth and peace ; hrd the truth, and then the peace. Peace without truth is but a confpiracy againft the God of truth : therefore, in ftudying to follow peace with all men^ we are to obferve this rule, other wife it cannot be an holy peace, according to what follows. And holinefs^ without which no 7nanjhall fee the Lord, The peace of a church can never be maintained with a blelling on it, if truth be not the foundation of that peace ; for, it is a curfed
peace that (lands not upon that foundation. But of
this fort of people, that confer with fleili and blood, are thofe alfo that ftudy their own outward peace and
eafe.
Sr.RM. XXI. Carnal Consultation unfolded, 209
eafe, at any rate ; and hence will rather fin than fuf- fer : therefore, when peiiecution comes, thcv iall a- way ; fleih and, blood cannot endure the crois of Chriih They are content to follow Cluiil in a fair day ; but when foul weatlier, and a heavy crofs com^s, by and bye they are offended^ Ma!:th. xiii. 21. Our Lord hath fairly warned all his difciples what a tempefl: of trouble and trial, reproach and perfecution will blov/ in their face, faying. If any man wUl be my difciple^ let him take up his crofs ^ and follozv vie : and therefore they are not to promlfe thcmfelves peace in the world, and a con- flant flouriihlng ftate of outward profperity ; for he hath faid, hi the world ye Jhall ha-je tnbulailon : and yet when tribulation comes, hereupon Chrilt is to ma- ny, "dijione of Jhunhling and a rock of offence, Tluis
they confult with fleili and blood, who projed nothing but peace ar^d eafe in the way of duty and religion.
The eighth fort of perfons, who confer with fleih and blood, are thofe that confult \Vii\ifcrfe ^nd fe If in the matters of God, and of faith, and religion : that is, thofe who in religion put fenfe, as it were, in the roont of faith, and felf in the room of God.
[i.] Some put fenfe in the room oi faith ; and hence their faith is governed by fenfe and feeling : they do not believe the threatning, becaufe they have the fenfe and feeling of fmihng providences : they do not believe the promife, becaufe they have the fenfe and feeling of ad'/erfe and frowning providences : outward providen- ces is made the rule of their iaith, not the word of God. Hence, Hiith ifc(h and blood, that meafures the threat- ning by fenfe. Where is the promife of his coining f Fory fnce the fathers fell afheep^ all things continue as they ijeere from the beginning of the creation : not knowing. That one day is with God^ as a thou [and years ; and a thou find years^ as one day : and that the hea-'jen and earthy which are now^ are kept inftore^ referred u?ito fire^ againfi the day of judgment^ and perdition of ungodly men^ i Pet. hi. 4, — 8. But becaufe fentence againjl thefe is not fpeedily execute ; therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully fet in them to do eviU Eccl. viii. 11.: Defpifmg the riches of the goodnefs and forbearance of God ^ and his lon'^^-
VoL. II. D d fif
zio Carnal Consultation 2/?2/b/Jf^. Serm. XXI^
faff'ering ; not kftozi'ing that the goodnefs of God fljoidd lead ihem to repentance^ Horn. ii. 4. And, on the other hand, hence, faith flelh and blood, that meaiures the promife by fe^fe, Except I fee hgns and wonders I will not believe : and like Thomas, Except I fee in his hand the print of the nails ^ and thrufi ray hand into his fide ^ I will not believe. Of this fort are thofe that diflrull all pre- fent means of faith, and imagining that extraordinary difcoveries, (linking upon outward fenfe, would make fiich imprellions as would Ao the bufmefs, faying, as Luke xix. 30. Jf one came from the dead^ they ivoiild believe ; if they had oracles and miracles ; if God did fpeak to them from heaven, they would believe. But Mofes and the prophets are a fufficient ground of faith ; Jfvi)e do not believe them^ neither would we believe^ tho^ one Jhotdd rife from the dead. If we cannot believe the threatening till we feel the execution of it, it is like faying. We will not believe, till we be in hell ; or, till it be in part execute on earth upon us : why, then our belief of it would not be founded on God's vv^ord, but our own fenfe and feeling *, and fo it would not be faith properly, but fenfe. If we will not believe the promife till we feel the accompliiliment of it, this is like putting the plow before the oxen : a backward way of going to work : yea, it is impoflible to beheve this way ; for fenfe is not fatth : believing and feeling are different things. We may believe, without feel- ing ; but we cannot feel, without hrft believing.
[2.] Some, again, put felf in the room of Godj and the righteoufnefs of God ; and fo ^fvidently con- fult with lielli and blood, while we confult with our felf : and here take a view both of natural or carnal felf, and of fpiritual and religious felf.
I. When we gratify natural or carnal i^i^ we do but confult with fleih and blood ; wheu we cannot en- dure the mortification ^cnd felf denial^ which Chrift calls his difciples to, and by which they evidence them- felves to be his difciples. We are called to mortify our members that are upon the earth ; to renounce the devil^ the world, and the fu^jh ; to be denied to all the fmful plcafures of time, and carnal company in the world :
this
Serm. XXI. Carnal Consultation ///T/iz/Jt"^. 211
this grates hard upon ficfli and blood, which is ready to cry out with the Jews, "This is a hard fay 'mg^ 'ojho can hear itf Flelh and blood think it ftrano;e that Cod fhould plant denres in them, which he will not allow them to fatisfy : but as theie carnal defires of men, are of themfelves, fo it is the natural craving of ilefli and blood, that makes people dehre to live as they lifi:, and not as they ought : hence ariies a fccret dillike at the purity of the gofpel. But befide this grofs con- fultation with flefh and blood, in gratifying natural or carnal felf.
2. When we gratify fpirifual and reUgiciis felf, we do but confult with llelli and blood. And there are two fpecial ways wherein men gratify their religious felf, namely, when they feek to eftablilh their c^n credit before men^ and when they feck to eftablifn tlieir own righteoifnefs before God^ in all their religious per- formances.
(i.) When they feek to eftarblirn their cwn credit before men^ and to have a name, reputation, and ap- plaufe, v/ithout having a fmgle eye to the glory of God : thefe carnal ends and defigns, in men's fpirit- ual-like performancec and religious duties, are a con- fulting with fiefli and blood, while they love the fralfc' of men ^ more than the pjralfe of God ^ John xii. 43, Tliis is a piece of felf and carnal confultation, which, as it reigns over hypocrites, v/lio yield themfelves to the power and government of it ; fo it may prevail over true believers, v/ho, many times, may hnd themfelves under the tyranny and bondage of it. Tiiis is a thief that will ileal into tlie minillers (ludy and palpit, to rob God of his glory there, that felf may get v/hat be- longs to God. This is a robber that follov/s people from the chamber to the church, and fpoils all their duties of hearing, praying, and praifmg ; that, in- ftead of giving praife to God, they may get praife
to themfelves : Hence flefli and blood makes the
man have no pleafure in duty, which hath broupht in no applaufe to the man ; and makes him take pleafure in that performance, that brings in moil:
reputation and renovvu to the performer. -From
D d 2 this
^12 Carnal Consultation z/;?/£?/i(7j. Sep.m. XXL
this principle a minilter will /;r^^rZ/ Chri/l out of envy ^ that he may be thought as evangelical as the beft : and from this principle alio, fome people will be as throng about religious duties, as any can be ; that they may be thought as religious as the belt. Thus, for a pretence J the Pharifees made long prayers^ and did ■many things to be feen of men. This is an attempt, as it were, to fwear by the Lord, and iwear % Malcham; to ferve Chrifl and Belial, God and felf both. See how our Lord fpeaks of this, Luke xvi. 15. Tc are ibey which jifUfy vourj'elves before men ; but God know^ €ih yoitr hearts : for thai which is highly efteenied among
men^ is abomination ifi the fight of God. Thus, I fay,
men confult with flefh and blood, when, in the mat- ters of God, their great defign is to eilabliih their own credit before n:en.
(2.) When they feek to Cilablifli their ozvn righte- oufnefs before God, as the Jevv^s did, Rom,, x. 3. Thefe two parts of felf do effedlually oppofe all true religion : for, as in the former refpect, thofe that edablifli their own credit put felf in the room of God and his glory, which is the ultimate end ; fo, in the latter refped, thofe that eftabruli tlieir own rigliteoufnefs, they put felf in the room of Chrift, and his righteoufnefs, which is the mean to that end. And now, while we feek a righteoufnefs in ourfelves, and in our own duties, for juilification and acceptance with God, we do, in eife^l:, bring down Chrht, and ict up flefh and blood in his Toom, and confult therewith. Men naturally feck af- ter a righteoufnefs in themfelves, or falvation by their own perfonal obedience, according to tiie tenor of the covenant of works. Man's righteoufnefs was once in himfelf, when he remained in his primitive integrity : but, fmce the fall, the Lord has removed our righte- oufnefs from ourfelves to Chriil, who has become the Lord our righteoufnef ; yet how few are prevailed u- pon to relinquiih felf and felf-righteoufnefs * ! Many feek to edablifh their own righteoufnefs that will not take with the charge.
See this point ofdoclrine more faliy illudrated, Vol. III. Serm. XL. F/ear ihe begin.viog.
1. Thefe
Serm. XXI. Carnal Consultation wifoIdccL 213
1. Thefe do feek to eitablifli their own righteoufnefs who can hardly be brought, either doctrinaliy or prac- tically, to own, nat believers are wholly^ and altoge- ther^ delivered from the laiv^ as a covenant of works ; but ilill are lor feeking righteoufnefs^ as it wcre^ by the
works of the law^ Rom. ix. 32. This was tlie ftum-
bling itone over which the jewijQi nation Humbled and fell headlong into ruin.
2. Of this fort are thofe that only cover their legal feniiments with a gofpcl varnijh^ while they bring in
faith and repentance, and the like, as proper condi- tions of the covenant of grace, in room of the perfe61: obedience required in the covenant of works ; which is a razing of the foundation of the gofpel, and an ef- tablilhing of a righteoufnefs in our own perfon, for juftihcation before God.
3. Of this fort are thefe alfo that bring in gofpel re- 'pentance, and the like, as neceffary conditions and qua- lifications, in order to our juftification before and ac- ceptance with God *. Again,
4. Of this fort are thofe who, in principle or prac- tice, contend that it is the believer's duty to be influ- enced, in his obedience, either by thtjlavijh fears f hell^ or the legal hopes of heaven. To obey from a legal hope of heaven^ as if \ve were to obtain heaven by our obedience, as it is contrary to the apoflle's dodrinc, I Theff. v. 9. where he fays. That God hath appointed lis to obtain falvation by our Lord Jcfus Chrift^ who died
for us that we fhould live with him ; fo it affronts the obedience of Chrifl, whereby alone our title to heaven is fecured. To obey from 2.JIavif-) fear of hell, as if our obedience and duty would fecure us therefrom, is like oppofition to, and denial of the virtue of Chrifl's death, whereby alone our freedom iVom hell is fe- cured.
5. Of this fort are thofe who bring the believer, u- pon every new fni, under a Hablenefs to everlafiing death and damnation, which is the penalty of the covenant of
* See a refutat-on of this and feveral other do^rinal error;, in Vol. III. Ufez, for RcpraoJ,
works.
214 Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXL
works, and which, though his fms deferved, yet the righ- teoufnefs of ChriiL imputed to him, not only fecures him from it, but from ever being liable to it. Thofe who thus will make the believer liable to that law-fen- tence, becaufe of his fin, muft of confequence fuppofe him not liable be.caufe of his obedience ; and fo they make him to be juftified by his obedience, and con- demned by his difobedience to the law ; contrary to our received principles, in our Standards, declaring, *-' That the believer is not under the law, as a covenant, " either to be juftified or condemned ^." The belie- ver is neither juftified by his obedience to the law, nor condemned for his difobedience : but if he difobeys, his God and Father hath ether ways of chaftifing him in a fatherly manner, according to Pfal. Ixxxix. 30,-— 33. In all thefe ways men do but eftablifli their ov/n righteoufnefs, and fo confalt v/ith flefii and blood.
In a word. Of tliis fort are all thefe that fufped the doftrlnc of ihe gofpel?i% if it were an enemy io the law and holinefs. Such is the propcnfity of nature towards the law, as a covenant of works, vvhencver awakened to any thoughtfulnefs about religion, that wlien the gofpel declares that there is no juftification by the deeds of the law ; and that we are juftified by faitli, without the vvorks of the law ; and that righteoufnefs is accounted to, or juftification conferred upon them tiiat workeib not^ but belie-vetb on him that jiiflifcib the ungodly^ llom. jv. 4, 5. : Why, when this evangelical dodrineis open- ed, prefently the legal difpofition of men fufpecl this gofpel dodrine, and fay of the publiftiers of it, as the Jews did of Paul, Acts xviii. 13. This fellow pef'fuades 7nen to worfbip God^ contrary to the law. Yea, not only contrary to the ceremonial law, but even to the moral law : for, muft not men do as well as they can, in obe- dience to God's lavv ; and then expecl to be juftified and accepted. , Thus gofpel dodrine comes to be chal- lenged for Antinomianifm ; as if it allowed men a car- nal liberty for fin, and freedom to break the law. or dif*
Conftilion of I^iiith, Ch?.p, xlx. Sefl. 6.
couragcd
Serm. XXI. Cap^nal Consultation z^v^iz/J^i. 215
couraged the pradice of holinefs ; which is one of the greateit calumnies that can pe raifed againfl the gofpel of Chrill ; and betrays dreadful ignorance of the gofpel of grace : which Ihews plainly, that a man never lives unto God, in point of holinefs, till he be deaei to the lazp in point of righteoufnefs, Galatians ii. 9. : nor ever brings {qx\\\ fruit unto God, till he be dead to the lauu^ and married to Chrifi, Rom. vii. 4. ^. But we need not think ftrange of this fufpicion, nor the calumnies that iffue from thence ; for Chrift Jefus, our glorious Lord himfelf, was obliged to defend himfelf againil fuch calumnies asthefe ; and therefore faith, nink not that I am come to dej'iroytbe law : I fee, might he fay, that is your thought, that is your fufpicion ; you fufpeft my dodrine as if it was an enemy to the law and to hohnefs ; / am not come to deftroy, hut to fuJfL And the apoftles had themfelves to defend from this charge, Do ive 7imke void tlft law thro' faith f God forbid ; we eflablifj the
law f. Thus you fee in how many refpecls people
may be faid to confer with flelh and blood.
* This point of doflrine is very copioufly handled by our Autlior, in the following Sermon, imitied, Lanv-dcath, and Gofpei-life, Sie alfo Vol. III. Serm. XXXVIII. Uie 2. for Reproof,
t About the time, when this Sermon was preached, the conteil a- bout the Marroiu doftrine was upon the field, and the fupporters thereof, were accufed as Antinomians. See the affair sccounied for. Vol. I. page 138. See alfo Serm. XXIii. ar.d XXVlil. in a note at the foot on the firtt particular of the .•/pp/icano/Ji in both ScriLOos.
S E R M O N
[ ^'6 ]
SERMON XXIL
G A I. A T I A N S i. I 6.
-Immediately I conferred not with fiej}} and blood, [The fecond Sermon on this Text J
HAVING finiflied what we intended upon the doc- trinal part of the fubjetl, by explaining what is to be underftood by flefli and blood ; confirmed the truth of the doctrine, by iliewing that we are not ta confer therewith in the matters of God ; affigned the reafons therefore ; entered upon the application of the fubjecl, and have applied it in an ufe of information, caution, and reprehenfion : this do6lrine may next be applied for dehortation and direciion. And,
Tht dehortatlon is, O Sirs, conjult not with fcjh and
blood. And for moti\:es^ confider the reafons of the
dodrine, formerly ailigned. Flefh and blood are un- able to give advice in the matters of God ; and as un- able, lb they are unwilling^ and confequently unfit to confult with : yea, to confult with fleili and blood is dangerous ; for, if we confult therewith, flelh and blood will hinder us from duty ; ^i<t^i\ and blood will lead us to fin ; flefh and blood will impede our fufFering for Chriit and his caufe : yea, if we confult with flefn and blood, we will confult with the devil^ as Saul did ; and fo to confult with flelh and blood, is to confult with our own ruin : yea, the diilionour of God, and the difcredit of the gofpel. But thefe I pafs, having formerly infilled upon them.
But for dlreHion in this matter. It may be alked^ I. What are we to confult with, if we may not con- fult
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation //^2/'^J^^^. 217
fult with fiefli and blood. 2. What are the mofi: pro- per uieansy for preventing our conferring withfiefti and blood.
I. Whom or what are we to confiilt with, If we may not confult with flefli and blood ? How are we to con- fult ? To this we reply ; in the general, we ought to confult with God: with God, in Chriil, by the Spirit; or, with the Father, in the Son, by the Holy Ghoft : I mean, we ought under the condu6l of the Spirit, to confult with God, as he is the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chriil, and that in all the duties of religi- on, and ordinances oi his appointment, whether pub- lic or private ; efpecially in prayer, faying, with Da- vid, Pfalm cxliii. 10. Thy Spirit is good ; lead ?ne to
the land of upright nefs. We ought to feek, that he
would guide by his counfd^ till he bring unto glory ; and give his Spirit for our guide : for he hath given us the greateft encouragement io to do; ^f y^^-i being e-- vil^ know how to give good gifts unto our children ; how much ?norefnall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spi- rit to them that ajk himf Luke xi. 13. Every good gift Cometh from him ; and therefore, to whom fbould v/e go, for counfel and diredion, but to the Father of lights^ and to Q\\x\?i^ iht wonderful counfellor : and to the Spirit of truths who is promifed to lead his people . into all truth f If we do not acknowledge the Lord in all our ways, and confult v/ith him, we will certainly confult with {ielli and blood.
But more particularly, becaufe God hath given us counfellors under him, we are to confult fuch things, or perfons, as he allov/s us to confult v/icb, in «. ii- bordination to himfelf. If we v^ould knov/ tl: ..r:, i^a ^e particularly, how we are to confult with God, v/e ni^^y do it by confulting, i. The oracles of Gcd. 2. ^''he children of God. 3. The mefiengers of God. .u 'ihe glory of God. 5. The analogy of faith. 6. T1;c:^©r- fcience, God's deputy in our bread.
I. We are to confult the oracles of God ; I rac": ■'.* tht feripturcs of truth ^ in the matters of fnitli^ i- matters of God and confcience 5 Search li,ejc».^i^^. ^
Vol. II. E e for
2i8 Carnal Consultation w;?/b/i^i. Serm. XXII.
for in them ye think ye have eternal life ; and thofe are they which tejlify of rae^ Jo^^n v. 39. The fcripture is
the judge of controverfy. General alTemblies and
counfels may err ; fo cannot the fcripture : for, it is the more f lire zuord of prophecy^ to which zve do well to take fake heed^ as to a light Jhining in a dark place^ &c. 2 Peter i. 19, 20, 21. We are therefore exhorted to let the word of God dvjell in iis rightly^ in all wifdo?n ; and to receive with meeknefs the ingrafted word^ which is able tofave our fouls ; behig doers of the word^ and not hearers only^ deceiving our own fouls ^ James, i. 21, 22. See how Timothy is commended for his confult- ing With the fcripture, from his youth^ 2 Timothy iii. 15, 16, 17. Thus we are to confult with God in the fcripture.
2. We are to confult the children of God^ the flihits of God ; efpecially fuch of them as are mod tender, and live neareft unto God, and have moH of the mind of God ; and efpecially at fuch times when they and their God are in good terms together. Though we are not to confult with carnal friends, in the matters of God ; nor yet to follow the carnal counfel of godly friends ; yet, we do not confult with flefh and blood, when we follow the godly counfel of godly friends, and the fpiritual advice of fpiritual friends : the w^ord en- courages us to confer with fuch^ Mai. iii. 16. Then they that feared the Lord^fpake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remem- brance was written, for them that feared the Lord^ and thought upon his name. And again, lie that
wa,
fh.
eth with the %uife,J}jall be wife. It is good confulting with thofe, whom God is communicating his fecrets unto; and now, the fecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Pfalm xxv. 14.
3. We are to confult the meffengers of God ; for fo we are warranted to do, Mai. ii. 7. ^e pricffs lips fhould keep knozvledge, and they jhould feek the la-zv at his mouth ; for he is the mejfenger of the Lord of hofts. 2 Chron. xx. 20. Believe in the Lord your God, andfoye Jhall he ejlablijhed : believe his prophets , fo fl:all ye pro [per .
' But
Serm. XXIL Carnal Consultation unfolded, 219
But what if the prophets be deceived ? what if the minifler be miftaken ? Or, the priefl's hps do not keep knowledge, or hold by the truth ? Wh)^, we are to receive nothing indeed from men, by an implicite faith without laying it to the rule, Ifaiah viii. 20. To the law and to the tejiimony^ if they f peak not according to this vjord^ it is hecaufe there is 710 light in thcnu We muil prove all things^ and hold f aft that which is good: and like the noble Bereans, fearch the fcripiures daily whether thefe thi?tgs befo^ Ads xvii. 11. And if they w^ere commended for not crediting the apoflles them- felves, that were immediately infpired from heaven, without comparing their doctrine with the fcripture : how much more commendable is it for people to com- pare the doclrine of ordinary teachers with the word, and the analogy of faith ; Neglecl in this particular makes many grofly ignorant ; and hence to be carried about with every wind of doclrine, not knowing whom to truft, or what to believe : They err^ not browing
the fcripturcs. —Weil, but tjiofe that know the fcrip-
tures better than we do, explain it fo and fo, in a diiTerent manner from others. It may be fo ; but the fcripture is the bell explainer of itfelf: if we fearcheJ it dependently upon the Lord, light would arife out of darknefs ; fuch light as would darken and confound all the falfe gloffes as the devil put upon it in his de- bating with Chriil ; but our Lord Jefus did, with o- ther fcripture, refute the dcvirs corrupt gloffes which he put upon the fcriptures that he cited. However, 1 fay, the prieft's lips fjovdd p referee k}73wledge^ and tjc fhoidd feck the law from his mouth : he ought to be a good counfeilor, a faithful guide ; and VvX ought to confult and confer with him, in the matters of God ; and we ought to take the counfel that is agreeable to the word of God, and to be followers of fuch, as far as they are followers of Chriil, and no further.
4. We are to confult the glory of God in all. If we
confult our own ends, it is but Hefh and blood : bat
if, in all things, we confult the glory of God, as our
ultimate end, then we confult not with flefli and blood.
L e 2 Wbc
220 Carnal Consultation unfolded, Serm. XXII,
Whether zae eat or drmk^ cr ivhate-ver we do^ we oiigh^ to do all to the glory of God : and in all the matters of God and confcience, it is always fafeil to confult what is mofl for advancing this great end, the glory of God in Chrift ; the glory of his fovereign grace ; the glory of his infinite holinefs and other perfections. What- ever tendeth to the diflionour of God, and of his name, comes of flefh and blood ; and of deviliih carnal con- fultation. The world are fet upon pleafmg of flelli and blood, though it fliould be never fo difpleafmg to God ; they are fet upon the exalting of felf and the debafn:ig of 'Chrift \ the enthroning of felf, and the dethroning of God. But, O Sirs, if the glory of God was con^ fulted, how remote would people be from confulting with flefh and blood ? God's glory would lead people up to the hill of God : but fiedi and blood takes theni down the ftream of the world. Why are fo many car- ried down with the ftream of the times ?' Why, they do not confult God's glory.
5. We are to confult the analogy of faith ^ and turejl cniiqtitties : Thus faith the Lord^ Stand ye in th'e ways and fee, and afh for the old paths, where is the good way^ and w^lk therein, and ye fball fnui reft for your fot'.ls^ Jer. vi. 16. And, indeed, in order to the right ufe of the ciack? ef God, or the unerring rule of the fcrip- irir?3, that rale is to be uj>a in an agreeableneis to the analogy of faith, /. e. There are fome fundamental truths that are as firft principles, founded upon the ck-^reft teftimony of the word ; and whatever is not ;igre^ab!e in principle or pradice to that analogy of faith, we may be fure is not agreeable to the word of God, end confequently favours not of God, but of fieih and blood. If you aik, what thefe fundamental truths or f.rft principles are ? Why, they are fuch, v/ith fefpcd whereunto all, that know any thing expe^ rimentally about religion, are beyond doubt : fuch as, that there is a God : that he is an eternal, immutable, and independent Being ; hath ordained all things, ex- ecuting his decrees in the works of creation and pro^ vidence : that he created man after his own image : that man fell (rprn his happinefs^ and brought himfelf
into
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation unfolded, 22 r
into a Rate of fin and mifery : that God fent his Son to take on our nature, that therein he might fufter and fatisfy divine juflice, pay the price of redemption ; and that there is no remedy for us but in him and by him ; that to all the ele6l he apphes this redemption, cnlightning their minds in the knowledge of himfelf, fubduing their wills ; and that whom he thus regene- rates and converts, he juft ifies, adopts, and fandities, giving them his Spirit to quicken them, and guide them from ftep to flep, till he land them in glory, and they be eternally bleffed in and with himfelf: and that all others, being left in their fms, fhall be eternally damned, and deitroyed with e-verlajling dejlrudion^from the prefence of God. Thefe, and the like, are funda- mental truths, founded upon the cleared and ftrongcft grounds of fcripture, and linked together infeparably : and whatever dodrine or principle runs in a dired oppofitlon to any of thefe, favours not of God, but of flefli and blood. And therefore, we ought, I fay, carefully to confult the analogy of faith.
6. We are to confult with the deputy of God in our bread ; I mean, confcience^ when it is under the go- vernment and regulation of the word and Spirit of God : for, if it be not thus regulate and governed, I dare not fay it is fit to be confuited with ; nay, I am not for confcience being confuited with, and regarded in this matter, unlefs it be guided by the v/ord and Spirit of God : for many may pretend they a6l accor- ding to the light of their confcience, while yet tacy are but under the condud of a blind and m.ified con- fcience ; and if the blind lead the hlind^ bctb will fall into the ditch^ Paul pretended confcience when a Pha^ rifee ; yea, when he was perfecuting the churcli of Chriil ; Ue verily thought ivith himfelf ^ that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jefiis of Naza- reth, Acls xxvi. 9. Yea, Chrifl hath told us, that many perfccutors of his members will think, that they do God goodfervicc : and fo, following a blind confci- ence, they may be but confulting with fleili and blood. But confcience, guided by the word and Spirit of God, is to be conHUted with 5 and then is the man's walk
^ con-
222 Carnal Consultation unfolded, Serm. XXII.
a confcientious walk, living in all good confcience before God: and fludying to \i2isft z corfcic72ce void of offence tc-jjard God and toward man : and herein fhoidd we ex- ercife ourfehes : ' for, confcience reaches all relative duties between magiftrate and fubjed, minifter and people, parent and child, mader and fervant : yea, ail religious duties toward God and man ; and fo far as we crofs the light of confcience, and go over the belly thereof, we do but confult with ilefli and blood, and call an affront upon God*s deputy.
II. What are the mod proper 7i7ea??s for preventing our confen ing with flefli and blood ? I Hiall obferve two things in the text, which were the notable means for preventing Paul's conferring with flefh and blood. — The firil was his getting ^.fi-ving revelation of Chrifl: in him ; He revealed bis Son in me. The next was his fpeedy rejeding the counfel of flefli and blood ; Imme- diately I conferred not with fejlo and blood.
ift^ The firft was, his getting -ufaving revelation of Chrift in him ; It pkafed God to reveal his Son in nic. Here is the bell antidote in the world againfl carnal confultation. It is true, fome that have Chriil faving- ly revealed in them, may yet confalt too much with fleni and blood ; for true believers may mifcarry far, through unbelief : but furely, the more that Chriit is revealed in a man, the lefs will he confult with fiefli and blood, in the various ways condefcended upon in the doQrinal part of the fubjed. Here two things may be enquired into, i. What is the nature of this reve- lation of Chrift ; 2. What influence it hath to prevent and hinder our confulting with flefli and blood ?
[i-l What is \X\\% revelatioyi of Chrift ? For under- flanding this, you Vv'ould know, that the revelation of Chrift is tv/ofold, vi%, external and internal.
(i.) The external revelation of Chriil by the word. The light of nature and rcafon cannot reveal Chrift : that light hath its own ufe to guide us in the things of naturcj but not in the things of God ; The natural 7nan receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ^ 2 Cor. ii. 14. It is by the word that Chrift is revealed, and
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultatiox unfolded. 223
the gofpel notified and made known to us ; and yet, where there is no more but this external revelation, there is no faving change. Therefore,
(2.) There is the internal revelation of Chrift, by the Spirit ; when Chrift is not only revealed to us, but in us : He revealed his Son in me. Now, the quef- tion is, What is this internal^ faving revelation of Curift^ I think the bed way to underfland it, is, under the conduct of the Spirit of God, to coniider cvery^word of this emphatic defcription of the matter ; He revealed his Son in tne. And every word will afford a thought for opening up the nature of this faving work of divme illumination, in the knowledge of Chrill : and, by the nature of this light wherein Paul was here enlightened^ we may try, wliether the God who commanded light iQ Jhine out of darknefs^ hath ever jhined into cur hearts ^ t9 give us the light of the knowledge of his glory ^ in the face of Jefus Chriji : for,
I. It is a r/^^r and manifefl Y\g\\t : this is imported in the very word revelation ; He revealed his Son in me. Revelation fpeaks out clearnefs and evi- dence. As God, in creation^ and making the world, began with light, faying Let there be lights and there was light ; fo in converfon^ he begins with illumina- tion : "^hey that know thy name will put their trufc in thee. None will believe till they clearly and phiinly take up the obje^l, though they cannot know it fully and perfectly : He that feeth the Son^ mid believeih in him^ hath everlajling Uf\ John vi. 40. The revelation of Chrift dotli efledually difpel the mafly clouds of fpl- ritual darknefs and Ignorance, that fits hard and heavy upon the eyes of the underilanding : for by nature we are as ignorant and brutilh, in the things of God, as the beads that periih, till the Spirit be fent, as a Spirit of -zvifdom and revelation^ in the knowledge of Chri^fl^ and then the man fees clearly ; not like tlie man that faw with his eyes, half open, men like trees walking ; but, in God's light, he fees light clearly, and gets fome fuic- able uptakings of God's teftimony concerning his Son, teflifyin)!;, that he is a well-quahlied Saviour, able to. fave to the uttermofl : teftifvin^ that faivation is to be
had
CL24 Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXIT.
had no other way ; nat there is no other name given under heaven^ whereby we can he faved ; tefllfynig that he is ready to fave all comers ; and that who- ever will is welcome : yea, teflifying that every one who hears of him, hath a warrant to come to him, and accept of him ; and that it is not prefumption in poor fmners to come. This revelation, I fay, imports a clear light opening up the obje6l of faith, and giving the foul fome diilant uptaking of God's tedimony con- cerning Chrill ; for, whatfoevcr maketh manifefc is Ugbto Again, ^
1. It is 2i fupernatural Xv^ht ; He revealed bis Son in me : Itpleafed God to do it, faith Paul ; this light was from above, from the Father of lights ; fleili and blood revealed not this to Paul ; but his Father which is in heaven : this is given from heaven ; To you it is given to know the myfteries of the kingdom of heaven, to others it is 72ot given. Mat. xiii. ii. Pluman parts and literature could not give Paul this inhght and difcerning ; he wanted not his fliare of all the learning of that age : but the natural man, let him be never fo learned, and have never fuch a flock of natural parts, and acquired literature, yet he receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolifnnefs to him ; neither can he knew them, for they are fpirltuoMy difcerned: the man mufl be, GsocTtcTctx^T©^, taught of God, True faving light is, fpiritualand fupernatural : He that hath heard and lear* ned of the Father, cometh to the Son : and the Father re- vealeth the Son in a fovereign way and manner ; not from any regard to fome good qualifications in the fm- ner, but from his own fovereign good-Vvill and plea- fure : Itpleafed God to reveal his So7i in mc.
3. It is an evangelical light ; He revealed his Son in me. His Son : it is not an abfclute God, a God out of Chrift, as he is revealed to the fmner by the law, as a covenant of works ; but God, in his Son Jefus Chrill, according to the gofpel, which difcovers him as a God in Chrift reconciling the zvorld to hi?nfelf He revealed his Son ; the Son of his love, in who?n he is well-plea- fed> His Son, who is the S^nt a?2d Sealed of the Father :
his
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation unfolded, 225
his Son, who is the bright nefs of his glory ^ and ihe ex- prefs image of his perfon : his Son, i/i whom it pleafed the Father that allfdnejsfoould dwell ; and in whom dwells all the fuhiefs of the Godhead : and fo it is a revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrid ; He re- "vcaled his Son in me. The law, as a covenant oi life and v/orks, doth not reveal Chrifl : when God reveals himfelf, according to that difpenfation, he is a ccnfum- ing fire out of Chrift to the linner ; and at belt is re- vealed as a commanding God, and a v/rathful threaten- ing God : but when God reveals himfelf in his Son, then he is known as apromihng God, a gracious God, a re- conciled God. And this gofpel revelation, this evan- gelical light, brings in peace and quiet to the whole foul : hence Chrifl fays to his difciples, when it feems their views of God were mere dark and legal, appre- hending God in the law, without apprehending Chrifl in the gofpel, John xiv. i. Let not your heart be trou- bled ; ye believe in God, believe alfo in me. And there he Ihews them, ver. 6. that he is the way to the Father ; and that no man comet h to the Father but by him. Hence, lell any fliould imagine, that a view of the Son w^ould lead them off from a view of the Father, he adds, ver. 9. He that hath fe en me hath fe en the Father : and fo, when the Father reveals his Son, he reveals himfelf in him. How fweet is it then to confider, that firfl the Father reveals the Son, according to John vi. 45. ; and then the Son reveals the Father, according to John i. 17, 18. Where, after it is laid, that the law was gi- ven by Mofes, but grace and truth came by Jefus Chrifl^ it follows, 'No man hath feen God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in the bofom of the Father^ he hath declared him. And thus he revealed his Son in me ; i. e. he fliewed me his own glory, in the face of his Son. Here is the faving gofpel-revclation.
4. It is an internal light ; this is evident from the particle in. He revealed his Son in me : not only tome, by an external objedive revelation ; but in me, by an internal fubjeftive revelation. It is not light without, prefented to the bodily eye, fliining outwardly, like that wherewith fome poor ignorant creatures are deceiv-
VoL. II. F f ed,
226 Carnal Consultation unfolded, Serm. XXIL
ed, who fpeak of their having fc-en about them, or in fuch a part of the room, or of the bed, a flrange hght, or a pleafant reprefentation ; while yet they may be brutilhly ignorant of Chriil: : for, though 1 fnail not dif- prove all external manifeRation, as if God, in extraor- dinary cafes, might not, by the miniflry of angels, make fome outward glorious appearance to his own ; yet, as Chrid himfelf is not now to be fcen any other way, than by the eye of faith, in the light of internal faving ma- nifeilation, by tlit Spirit, fo thefe external manifefla- tions are evidently delufive, efpecially where there is nothing but grofs darknefs and ignorance in the mind. It is not light without, I fay, but light within ; and that not cnihufiajlical^ like the Quakers light, but fpi- ritual and fcriptural, fuitable to the objective revelation of Chriit in the word and in the gofpel : nor is it no- if/^;?^/ internallight, making impreilion upon the fancy, like a (Irong imagination : but it is light irradiaiing the whole foul ; For God 'who commanded the light to (bine out of darknefs^ hath Jhined itz our hearts^ to give the light of the knowledge of the glory ofGod^ in the face of J ejus Chr'ift^ 2 Corinth, iv. 6, In our hearts ; and hence cometli that heart -meltings when this Sun of righ- teoufnefs arifeth, with his warm beams. And hence alfo Cometh heart-perfuafion ; a full perfuafion of the truth of God's teftimony concerning Chriil ; the man believes, and is fure ; knoweth, and is perfuaded u- pon the teftimony of God. Hence alfo heart-approba- tion of Chrift, and the device of falvation, in him and through him. O 1 fays the foul, this way of falva- tion is worthy of all acceptation. Hence alfo heart-fatif faction : it \^ fweeter than honey or the honey -ccmh. — - — There is a favour in the name of Chrift-; it is ^7^ oint- ment poured forth : the heart and foul acquiefces in Chrift, as fully anfwering all its neceftities, and all its defires. Hence heart-purification : the more the man fees him, the more he is like him ; for it is a begun heaven ; and in heaven the faints are like him^for they fee hi7n as he is ; lb here in proportion to the fight. — xlnd, in a word, hence heart-experience : there is a
feehng
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation z/zz/o/JiTi/. 227
feeling of power and virtue in the revelation of Chritl ; a tafte of his fweetnefs and excellency. Other know- ledge and learning is merely fpeculative ; and^ hence the pavement of hell is laid with the fculls oT many great fcholars, who have had their heads freighted with notions of God and Chrift, but never their hearts irradiated with the light of life, fo as to have expe- rience of the foul-quickning and fm-killing efficacy of divine light. Thus it makes much heart- work, being internal light*
5. It is a cl'.fs apprGpf^ialJng light; this I draw from the ?nCy in the words ; He revealed b:s Son in me. The faving knowledge of Chrift is appropriating ; therefore Paul calls it, the knowledge of Chrljl J ejus my Lord^ Phillip, iii. 8. The devils have fome knowledge of Chriil ; but cannot fay he is their Saviour ; Nebuchad- nezzar could fay, "fhere is a God of power ; but he is the God of Shadrach, Meihach, and Abed-nego : Da- rius calls him the God of Daniel But this faving re- velation comes clofs home to the man himfcif ; and natively tends to the man's participation of the good that he feeth ; if Chrid be revealed favingly as a Pro- phet, it is for teaching me ; if as a Pried, it is for atoning for me ; if as a King, it is for conquering me to himfelf, and fubduing my foes under him ; if as a Saviour, it Is for faving me. There is a particular ap- plication of Chrift for wifdom, righteoufnefs, fanctifi- cation, and redemption to tlie man's fclf. It is not a general fpeculation, f^iying, Here is a full, fuitable, glorious Saviour for fmners '. but it is like a marriagv^- application and appropiation, faying, Here is a match for me ; I apprehend him and take him as given to me : He revealed his Son in m-e. According to the meafure of illumination and faith, accordingly it comes to this particular me; He loved m^^ a7id gave himfelf
for me,
6. It is a glorious and manifefi light, as may be -ga- thered from the whole context of this verfe ; which iliews, at lead, four things that contribute to make it very glorious.
Viz (I.) It
aiS Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXII.
(i.) It is glorious in the fpring and origin of it, viz. the good-will and pleafiire of God ; It pleafed God to reveal his Son in 7ne : even fo Father^ f^^ fi it feemed good in thy fight. Proud flelh and blood may difpute the fovereignty of grace : but it is beyond difpute with all the children of grace, when in their right wits, that all faving bleiTmgs are owing to, and refolve in this origin, the good pleafure of God.
(2.) It is glorious in the r,iethod2Ci\^ manner of it ; He revealed his Son in me : here is a glorious Trinity all at work ; He, namely, the Father, did reveal bis Son, by the Holy Ghoft, in me. P'or this is the work of the Spirit, as a Spirit of zvifdom and revelation in the knowledge of Chrift^ Ephef. i. 7. ; given of the Father for this end, as that verfe doth Ihew us : and promifed of the Son for this end, John xv. 26. When the Com- forter is come^ whom J will fend unto you^ from the Fa- ther^ even the Spirit of truths which proceedeth from the Father^ he Jhall tefiify of me. And again, John xvi. 14. He fhall glorify me ; for he Jhall receive of mine, and Jhall /hew it unto you. This is what is here made out in Paul : fo it is alfo made out in all that are favingly illuminated in the knowledge of Chrifl: ; the Father reveals the Son by the Holy Ghoft. This is the glory of faving light and knowledge : it is God the Father that enlightens the mind, in the knowledge of Chrifl, by the powerful irradiation and operation of the Spi-. rit.
(3.) It is glorious in the end and defgr^ of it ; lihat J might PREACH him among the Gentiles. It is true, in- deed, every real Chriltian is not enlightened for this end, to preach Chrifl among the Gentiles, as Paul was : but all that have Chrift revealed in them, are enlightened for fome fuch glorious end, namely, that they may commend Chrift unto the world, both by their words and by their walk : that they may ferve and honour him on earth ; and that they may praife and glorify him for ever in heaven ; yea, that they may preach him forth unto others, according to their call and ftation : if not in a miniflerial and authoritative •way y yet in a practical and charitative way. And
hence^
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation unfolded. 229
hence, all that are l^ivingly enlightened, according to the meafure of illumination, in the knowledge of Chrif}-, will find a fweet difpofition to proclaim him in the world, and to do all that they can to recommend him to c- thers, like the pfalmifl, Pfalm li. 12, 13. Reftore to mc the joy of thy falvation^ and uphold me with thy free Spl- rlt ; then will I teach tranfgrcjfors thy ways, ai:d /inner s fhall he converted unto thee.
(4.) It is glorious in the immediate efecl of it, as the words of the text declare; Immediately /ro;7- ferred not with fjefh and blood: inftantly a change is wrought upon the man, fo foon as Chrifi is revealed in him ; for, beholding the glory of the Lord, we are changed. It is a fair owning and confeflion, that be- fore this time he had been all along confulting with fiefli and blood ; and under the conducf of carnal rea- fon, felf, and felf-righteoufnefs : but now he is made to rejoice in Chrift Jcfus, and hath no confidence in the flcfh. The conferrence with flefli and blood is fo far broken up, as Chrifl is revealed : Immediately I con-^
f erred not with Jiejh and blood. Thus much of the
nature of this revelation of Chrifl, And now 1 am led to the other queffion, naniely,
[2.] What influence tl^is revelation of Chrifh hath upon preventing our confulting with fiefli and blood ? This queftion is of great mom.ent, as being the hinge of the do£lrine, ffating the connexion between the revelation of Chrift, and not confulting with ficfli and blood in the matters of God. For the doctrine may be thus framed.
That as there ought to he no confulting with fie [b and blood, in divine matters ; fo the heft prefervative againft this evil is, a faving internal revelation of Chrift : Or thus, nat freedom from carnal confuliafion, is a fruit of faving illumination.
Now, to give anfwer to this queflion, you w^ould know, that the influence w^iich the revelation of (thrift hath, to prevent our confultating with liefli and blooJ, is twofold,
I. Moral and argumentative. ^
^, Phyfic^l and operative.
V-) 'Hie
230 Carnal Consultation unfolded, Serm. XXII.
(i.) Tlie faving revelation of Ghrifl influenceth this Rot confalting with iieih and blood, in a inoral and ^r- ^uncntativs way, while it affords the mod powerful arguments and if rong perfuafions, not to confult with ficih and blood. For the revelation of Chrift natively leads the foul to reafon, and argues thus : " O ! hath *' God revealed his Son in me ? Is it God himfelf that *-' hath revealed Chrilf favingly to and in me ? And ^' lliall I fight againit this God, with thefe carnal wea- " pons of ReOi and blood ? Did it pleafe him to do fo '^ to me ? Was it his good pleafurc to reveal Clirill ? " And fliail I follow my carnal plcafure, to the dif- *^' pieafure of this God ? Hath he revealed fuch an one *-' as Ms Son in me ? And fiiall I hug feif in me ? — •^' Flerii and blood hath not revealed Chrifl in me ; '^ and fhall I follow the carnal conducl of fieili and ^' blood r"
But more particularly, this iuoral infdience it hath to prevent confulting with ileih and"blood will further ap- pear, if we confider, that when Chrirt is revealed, there is fuch a difplay made 0/ the glory of God in him, as tciidcth mightily to reafon the man out of all his carnal reafon. For indance,
1. The revelation of Chrift difplayeth the wifdom of God ; for, /?2 him are hid all ihe treafiires of wifdom and knowledge ; yea, herein the man fees the manfold ivfdoni of God ; and the wifdom of God in a myficry :
j^'.^d when this is difcovered, furely it fpoils all carnal "* politics ; yea, and makes carnal wifdom to hide its
face with blufhing : yea, God makes fooUfy the wfdom
of this world,
2. The revelation of Chriil difplays the power of God : for, he is Chrijl the p:.wer of God ^ as well as the wifdom cfGod^ I Cor. h 24. And nov/, fays the en- lightened foul, Avhen Chrifl: the wifdom of God, and the power of God is difplayed, '• O 1 what needltrufl ^^ to the policy of men ? Or, what need 1 fear the ^- powxr of men, that are againfl me ? Or truft in the " power and policy of men, even w^hen they feem to ^' be for me ? Here is almighty povv'er that I am called ^^ to confide in j even the pov/er of ^ God in Chr-iO; :
^' trufi
Serm. XXII. Carnal CoiNsaLTAi ION ?^'?/£?/t/c'J. 2"^i
" T^riijl ye in the Lord for ever ; for in the Lord jc- " ho'vah is everlciftingfirength : be Is ab,e to fave to I he " uttermoji:'
3. The revelation of Chrift difplays the holinefs of God : and fo this makes the unholinefs and iinluhicrs of all carnal confultation to appear fo : it Ihames the man out of his carnal counfels. " O ! is he fiich an " infinitely holy God, that he hated hn as much as " he loved his eternal Son ? And Ihall I take any un- " holy courfe ? Is this conferring with lieih and blood " agreeable to the infinite holinefs of God, in the face " of Chrift, which I Irave feen."
4. The revelation of Chrifi: difplays the jujl'ice of God ; both his vindiclive juftice, in puniihing Iln to the utmoltj upon the Surety, when it was imputed to him ; and retributive juftice, in giving all good things to Chrifi: and his feed, as a reward oi his obedience to^ the death : and in all this God hath given the moil: noble indication ; that, as he will not let lin go unpu- nifhed, wherever it is, v/hether it be in his own, by fa- therly chaflifement ; or in others, by WTathful rcient- ment : fo he will not let gofpel-obcdiencc and holinefs, where-ever it is, want its rev/ard of grace in Chrill , and therefore faith the enlightened foul, '' (3h ! this " confulting with fiein and blood, is altogether difa- '' greeable to that revelation of divine juilice in Chrilt, •' whether vindidive or remunerative, that I have got. " Shall I run upon the thick bolTes of his buckler, and " provoke him to anger ? Or, Ihall I take a courfe, " that hath nothing of that promife of the fweet rev/ard " of grace in Jefus ? Alas ! tills I mull not do."
^. The revelation of Chriic difplays the faithfulncfs and truth of God : for fo he is the truth, as he hatli fealed the truth of all the words of God, and all the promifes of the covenant. " Now, faith the enlight- '' ned foul, is God fo true to me, and fhail I befolalfe " to him ? Is his veracity engaged in the prouiife, and "his promife fealed with the blood ofChriil:? And " fliall I not take his word for my fupport I And take *' his word, as a fufficicnt fecuricy for my |^rote£lion, ^^ provifion, and direction ? A-nd what need I take
232 Carnal Consultation unfolded, Serm. XXII,
" any fmful fliift, by confulting with flefh and blood ? '' Faithful h he that haih ■prbmifed^ laying, / vj'ill never '' leave thee^ norforfake thee^'^ Heb. xiii. 5.
6. The revelation of Chrifl difplays the mercy ^ grace^ and love of God : for, when Chrill is feen, then the foul fees God in Chrill, reconcihng the world to him- felf 'y and he is feen to be well-pleafed in Chriit : when he appears, then the kindnefs and love ofGod^ towards men^ appears^ Titus iii. 4. And now, this kindnefs and love of God, is a mofl pov/erful argument, againft the confulting with flelh and blood. " What ! faith " the foul, under the difcovery of this love, iShalllthus " requite the Lord ? Is this mj kiiidnefs to my friend ? *' Shall I fight againll infinite love ? And fpurn againfl *' the bowels of divine pity and compafTion, yerningto- *^ wards me ? Shall he confult my welfare, and I con- " fult his diflionour ? 0 f tell it not in Gath. Shall I *' harbour his enemies within me, when in loving-kind- " nefs he hath revealed his Son in me ? Shall I wear *^ arms of flefh and blood to fight againft him ? And '' entertain fuch a devil of enmity againft fuch a God *' of love ?" Thefe are the reafonings of faith : and this is the moral argumentative influence, that the re- velation of Chrift hath, for preventing carnal conful- tation.
(2.) The faving revelation of Chrift hath a /Z^jy^r/^/ tperative influence upon the prevention of this conful- tation with flefli and blood : for the revelation of Chrift doth not only ftrenuoufly urge and prefs, but power- fully conquer and overcome the foul, fo as to deliver it from confulting with fieOi and blood : according to the meafure of the faving revelation of Chrift, according- ly is the foul transformed ; Beholding as in a glafs^ the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the fame i7nage^ 2 Cor. iii. 18. And furely, the more of God's image any hath, the lefs confulting with God's enemies.
Now, that this phyfical operative influence may the more evidently appear, conlider a little, in fome par- ticulars, what it is that this internal revelation of Chrift 'doth powerfully work and effeduate j for, the Spirit
of
Serm. XXII. CarnalCo.nsultation wifGldcd, z]'^
of power reveals Ghrifl in the foul, and yoii will j'ce how it cannot but natively work out ail carnal confuU tation.
1. This revelation of Chrifl: works/?///?; for they that know hisname, cannot but put their trufl: in him : they that fee the Son, tliey believe in him : He manU fejled forth bis glory ^ and. the difciples believed in him.
And iMv:^ faith pur ijies the Jjeart ; and conf^^quently, ac- cording to the meafure thereof, cleanfeth from carnali- ty: and. now the man walks by faith, and fo cannot walk by carnal reafon, which is faith's greateft oppofue and antipode. The revelation of Chrift dafhes unbe- lief quite out of countenance. Now, this unbelief is the main root of carnal confultation, the main caufe of confulting with fleih and blood. This revelation of ^ Chriit then (trikes at the root of the difeafe : for the man's eyes are opened to fee the King in his beauty ;
and fo the power of this fatal plague is checked.
While unbehef prevails, flefli and blood prevails, fay- ing, Except I fee the. print of the nails ^ andthruji viy hand into his fide^ I cannot believe : but whenever Chriil ap- pears, unbelief is put to the blufli ; and faith cries out. My Lor dy. and wy God,
2. This revelation of Chrid works love : they that fee him cannot but love him, though tliey fee him not with the. bodily eye ; Whorn having net feen we love. — - Yea, this revelation of Chriil fills the foul with ardent love to Chriil , and fucli as many waters cannot quench : and this love is Jlrong as death ; it is flronger than flefli a!^d blood. The revelation cf Chriil breaks tlie power of natural enmity ; T^he carnal mind is enmity cigainjl God, Paul goes to Damafcus, full freighted v/uh pre- judice and enmity agalnft Chrift : but getting a fight of Chriil, a revelation of Chriil in him, the arms of re- bellion dropt out of his hand ; and he is made to cry out, Lord^ '■jjhat wilt thou have me to do f Yea, it will raife the aifeclions to fuch a pitch, as will make Chrifl: preferable to all the glory of heaven and earth ; II hem have J in heaven but thee f and \here is none in all the earth that I defire befides thee, A faving fight of Chrifl doth lay him open to our view, as one /'// whom is all
Vol. IL G g the
234 Carnal Consultation unfolded, Serm. XXll.
the fidnefs of the Godhead ; and out of whofe fulnefs we 7nay receive grace for grace : and this breaks up the con- ference with fielh and blood ; for true love will ad- mit no rival, no competitor.
3. This revelation of Chriil works huniility : when the foul fees him, then^ with Job, the man abhors hini- fef^ and repents in duji and in apes, A fight of Chriil doth fmk the foul into the loweit pit of felf-annihila- tion, felf-abhorrence, and felf-deteilation : and when once the power of felf-confidence is broken, in as much as the man hath no confidence in the flelh, in his own felf-fufficiency, felf-righteoufnefs, felf-wifdom, felf-will, then one of the (Irongefl holds of flelh and blood is bro- ken down. The day of th^ revelation of Chriil, is the day wherein felf is fentenced to death, that Chriil: may live and rcign by faith in the foul ; like that, 2 Cor. i. 9. We had the fentencc of death in ourfehes^ that we Jhould not triift in ourf elves ^ hut in God^ which raifeth the dead : isuimating, that when, by whatever mean, felf-confideace is broken, then the man is brought to • confidence in the Lord. Nov/, when by the revela- tion of Chrift, felf is abafed, then confulting with flelh and blood, is turned to confidence in the Lord alone. , 4. This revelation of Chriil works %eal ; true zeal for God and his glory, for Chriil and his honour ; and true zeal againfc every falfe way. Many have a %ealfor God^ but not according to knowledge : but this revelation of Chriil, bringing in the faving knowledge of him, makes zeal regular and right, being accord- ing to knowledge : and this zeal will lead the foul to do and fuffer for Chriil, maugre all the arguments of fleili and blood to the contrary. Where there is no revelation of Chriil, there is no true zeal for him : where faint revelation, faint zeal ; where clear and full revelation, great zeal : and where great zeal takes place, fiefh and blood ^r6 burnt in the flame thereof ; for then the man takes joyf idly the fp oiling of his goods. None of thefe things move him ; neither coimis he his life dear unto himfelf fo that he may finip his courfe With joy* Hence,
5, This
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation unfolded* 235
5. This revelation of Chrift works y^py in the heart ; In whom believing ive rejoice, with joy imfpeakable, and
full of ghry. The revelation of Chrift brings gladnefs into the foul ; Then were the difciplcs glad, when they faw the Lord, O but a fight of Chrilt is a gladening joyful fight: Abraham rejoiced to fee my day afar cff\ and he faw it, and was glad, I will fee you again, faith Chrift, John xvi. 22. aiid your heart Jhall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. Now, this joy of the Lord is their fir ength, Neh. viii. 10. And furely the more flrong in the Lord that they are, the lefs confi- dence in flefh and blood will take place. A fight
of Chrift is a heart-flrengthening, gracc-flrcngthen- ing thing : and the flrongcr that the new man is, the weaker is the old man. The Dagon of ikfh and blood falls before the Ark of God.
6. This revelation of Chrift creates contempt of the world, and of all that is in the world ; The lufcs of the flejh, the lufls of the eye, and the pride of life ; and this
prevents ail confultation with fiefli and blood. The internal revelation of CLrift, will ecllpfe and darken the beauty and glory of the world, and ail things there- in. Love of the world makes men to confult v/ith liefa and blood ; and Demas-like to forfake Chrift, even after a confiderable time's profefTion of him openly : but now, when Chrift appeareth, the glory of the world difappears ; and the man is content to forfake all, and follow the Lamb ; counting ail but lofs and dung for him ; yea, felling his all to buy the pearl. The in- ternal revelation of Chrifl: doth elleftually loofe the, heart from all lufts and idols : fee Ifaiah xlix. 29..
and xlii. i. compared. It makes the man cry out,
with Ephraim, What have I any more to do with idols f As the ftars evaniih upon the appearance of the fun ; fo doth the world, and the lulls thereof, upon the riling of the Sun of righteoufnefs, and our beholding thereof : and as it difengages from idols, fo it effedually engages the heart to himfelf ; yea, the man is content to engage ten thoufand hearts, if he had them, to the Lord . — and thus he is delivered from confulting with fiefn and blocxl.
7.L1
•^36 Carnal Consultation ufifvlded, Serm. XXII.
7. In a woxd, The revelation of Chrift doth effec- tually dilpel the maffy clouds 01 fpiriiual darknefs and ignorance^ that fit hard and heavy upon the eyes of our underilanding, whereby a man is buried under the mud of fieih and blood, and prejudices againit Chrift are fomented. It is faid of the Jews, If they hadknowriy they wntld not have crucified the Lord of glory : even fo, if we knew Chrift, we would not confult with his e- jie.nies, or confer with fleih and blood. When Chrift is revealed, then the man is in the light, and fees a- bout him : the revelation of Chrift difcovers the fub- tilty of Satan, the deceitfuJnefs of the heart, and the fophiftry of carnal reafon ; and dafiies down Satan's ftrong holds ; For Chrifi is manifefied to deflroy the ii'orks of the deviL — — Thus you lee v/hat influence, both moral and phyfical, both argumentative and ope- lative, this revelation of Chrift hath, for preventing this (in of conferring with iiefh and blood ; and kovv necefxary a faving fight of Chrift is, for attaining tlris end.
idly^ The fecond mean was, his fpeedy rejecfing the counfel of flefli and blood ; hiraediately I conferred not vjolth fiejh and blood. And this immediately fcems to import thefe four things.
I. That before this time ihtfct and difpofjio:n of his heart v/as carnal : why. That which is born ofthefkjh is fiejh. While he was in a ftate of unregeneracy, he was wholly under the conduct of fleib and blood : even when he Vv'as touching the righteoufnefs of the law^ blame* kfs : and profiting in the Jews religion above many his equals^ in his czvn nation ; yet for all that time, he now fees that he was but a proud Pharifee : yea, he put himfelf among the number of thefe that wercfoolijh^ difobedient^ deceived^ ferving divers lufis and pleafures, hateful^ and hating one another^ Titus iii. 3. When converting grace took hold of him, then he underftood what a fool he had been before converfion ; and how much he had been under the conduct of carnal fenfe and reafon : but now when Chrift was revealed in him, immediately he conferred not wdth fleih and blood, as he had always done before^
2. It
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation unfolded. 237
2. It imports, that, upon the revelation of Chrill, a change was inilantly wrought, from a carnal to a fpi- ritaal difpofition ; Beholding the glory of the Loi^d^ he
'was changed immediately. No fooner doth the fun
fhine upon a man, than light and heat is conveyed with the beams thereof: and thus, no fooner is Chrid fav- ingly revealed, than the foul is enlightened, warmed, transformed, and fpiritualized : the new light and fav- ing fight brings in a new quality and difpohtion, at the fame time. — — In order of nature, the revelation of Chriit is firll ; but in order of time, no fooner is the revelation given, but the fpiritual difpofition is wrought; for, the Spirit of iviflom and revelation in the knozuledge ofChrift^ doth enter into the man, and brings grace W'ith him.
3. It imports, that this fpiritual difpofition was in- inllantly put in exercife : Immediately I conferred not ifith ficfj and blood. He got not a new difpofition to ly dormant, like a ileeping habit, without any vigour and activity : but whenever he got grace implanted, he flirred up the fame to a holy exercife. True holi- nefs is not only paffive, in the principle and habit, but adive } and that both internally, in the exercife of grace ; and externally, in the performance of duty. The apoftle was in hafte^ like David ; in that holy halle, mentioned Pfalm cxix. 60. I made hajie and de- layed not^ to keep thy commandments ; thus did the apo- ftle, upon his firft illumination : Immediately I confer- red not zvith fepo and blood,
4. It imports, that now he was in the flraight way of duty ; whereas formerly he was in a crooked way. — . For the word here in the original g-JS^fy? rendered inj- mcdiately^ comes from another that lignifies flraight ; and is fo rendered. Mat. iii. 3. Make his paths flraight. And the adverb of the fame nature, is renderedy?r^;/^Z//^ way^ Mat. iii. 16. He went up Jlraightway out of the water : and now, compare the noun, which fignifies
flraight^ and the adverb, which fignifies immediately or
ftraightivay ; comparing them, I fay, together, we may
turn the adverb into the fenfe of the noun, and fee this
leflcn in it, namely, that to ^o what is right Jlraight^
'way.
238 CA.RNAL Consultation unfolded, Serm. XXII.
loaY-i is to take xhtjiraight way of doing it ; wiiereas, to delay what is right, and what ought to be done in- Itantly, and not to do it flraightway, is fo far a going out of the llraight way. He that delays to do good, snd to do what the Lord calls him to, and doth it not ilraightway, he is not walking in the ftraight way of duty : but Paul delayed not at this rate ; hnmediaicly I canferred not with JJeJh and blood ; he inflantly and fpeedily rejeded the counfel of fledi and blood. They that would not confult with fieili and blood, had need to take care that they do not ftand to parley wnth the temptation : for, when a man enters upon fpeaking terms with carnal reafon, and doth not immediately re- jcd its foncitations, he is in danger to be drawn afide therewith. Eve parlied with the temptation ; and fo \i^zz overcome : fo did Samfon ; and w^as conquered ; fa did David ; and he was vanquillied. Peter's fall r.ifo difcovered the danger of parlying with the temp- tation ; he entered upon the confultation with ilelh and blood, when he expreifed his confidence in him- felf, faying, Though all men forjake thee^ yet will not I : next he entered into the judgment-hall ; and upon Jus being firil attacked, flelh and blood fuggefied fears of death, frojn one ftep he goes on to another, in .con- ferring with ficfh and blood : and then he is overcome fo iar, as to fway with the time, in curfmg and fwear- ing, and denying his Mafler. The fuggeftions of car- nal reafon, of fiefli and blood, are to be rejeded at their fir if appearance : the cockatrice mud be crufhed in the fliell ; and the fird motions of fleili and blood mud be abhorred, otherwife danger is at hand : thus did Paul here ; Immediately I conferred not with flejh and blood, — —Thus much for the import of this, ini- 'mediated.
Now 1 would oiTer fome corollaries from the doctrine, iii this complex view, l^hat the revelation of Chriji is. the beft prefervative^ againft confulting with flcfh and blood. Hence fee,
■ I. Whence it is, that a world of mankind are living wholly under the conduft of lieik and blood, and cor- rupt
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation unfolded. 239
rupt carnal reafon ; even becaufe they are llrangers to Chrilt : Chrift was never revealed in them. Igno- rance of Chrift is at the root of all that profanity and ungodlinefs, that bears fuch a fway in die world : wlvv doth the drunkard continue in his drunkennefs ? th^: whoremonger in his whoredom ? the hypocrite in his hypocrify ? and every wicked man in his wickednefs ? And what is the reafon of all the laxnefs, loofenefs, and lafcivioufnefs of our day ? Why, it is ignorance of Chrift : Chrift, hi liis perfonp and ofiices, hath never been revealed in them ; they are deftroyed for lac-:i of knowledge ; the god of this world hath blinded their eyes. As Chrift faid to the Sadduccees, le err^ not knowing the fcriptures : fo fay I of fuch, tiiey err in principle and praftice, not knovv'ing Chrift, nor the glory of God in him ; for, if they beheld his glory they would be changed.
2. See whence it is that people, w^ho enjoy a clear gofpel-revelation, may yet be under the conduct oi^cm and blood ; why, Chrift is revealed to them, but not in them : while people have only the external objedive revelation of Chrift to them, without the internal fub- jeclive revelation of Chrift in them, all their knowledge and common illumination, hath not fo much power and virtue, as to deliver them from tlieir carnal biafs : the gofpel comes to them in word only, not in power, and in the Holy Ghoft. Hence many live under the gofpel, and have attained a meafure of the knowledge of Chrift ; and perhaps have, through the knowledge of Chrift, efcaped many pollutions of the world's lufts ; and yet are never delivered from the power and domi- nion of this evil, of confulting with f\d\\ and blood; carnal cafe, carnal reafon, carnal intereft, carnal plea- fare reigns over them, and leads all the faculties of their foul into fubjedion : why, Chrift, who is reveal- ed to them by the word, was never revealed in them by the Spirit : they reft fatisfied without the faving knowledge of Chrift.
3. See whence it is, tliat fo many of the truly godh\ dofo much confult with flefh and blood, at this day"; and give fo much way to carnal reafon, in the matters
of
^4o Carnal Consultation unfoUecL Serm. XXII.
of God ; it flows from this, even on die one hand, partial Ignorance of Chrift, or the fmali ?neafure of the knowledge of him : though Chrifl be revealed in them, yet it is but very darkly ; and perliaps the impreffion that the firfl revelation of Chrid made upon them, much obliterated by their defedion, in leaving their iirft love, and little growth in grace, and in the know- ledge of the Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift : whereas growth therein, and clearer views of his glory, would advance their mortification of flefh and blood. It flows alfo from this, on the other hand, their not taking Paul's courfe, in rejeding fpeedily the fuggeftions of flefli and blood ; upon the back of the manifeflation of Chriii:, immediately he rejects the conference with them. Whereas, if this courfe be not followed, tho' Ti man fliould get a faving manifeftation of Chrill:, if upon the back of it, he fl:and parlying with the temp- ter, and dallying with the temptation, he is in danger, as in the cafe of Peter, who infliantly after a manifef- tation, ran info the camp of fiefli and blood ; yea, the camp of Satan, Matth. xvi. 17. compared with ver. 22, 23. Though manifeftations are of a transforming nature ; yet if a child of God give up his watch, and turn fccure, after Chrifl: is revealed to him and in him, fieili and blood may trip up his heels very quickly.
4. Hence fee, what, is God's method o{ fa?idifying an ele6: foul, and carrying on the work of fandifica- tion in the believing foul : his method is hrfl: to reveal Chrift, and fo, by difcovering his glory, to change and transform the foul : having convinced the mian of his fm and mifery, he then enlightens his mind hi the knowledge of Chrifl: : and this faving illumination car- ries the will and affedions towards the Lord \ and the man, being renewed after the image of God, is en- abled, by the means of more and more illumination, in the knowledge of Chrift, to die unto fm, to morti- fy the deeds of the body, and to live unto God ; con-
fulting with him, and not with fiefii and blood.
Many, at this day, difcover their ignorance of God's method of converting fouls, and fan<^ifying of ftnners,
by
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation unfolded, 241
by magnifying the maxims of morality ; and fuppof- ing, as if the mere preaching of moral duty was e- noiigh to make m.en holy : but to reveal Chi id for that end, and harp upon this theme, they cannot think this is adapted for fuch a puq^ofe. But my text and docbrine fliews, that it is the revelation of Chrift that works true fanctihcation : He re-vcalcd his Son in me : and then, immediately I confer red not ivitb fiefh and blood. The knowledge of the lav/ will not do it ; the know- ledge of all moral fyilems will not do it : but the in- ternal knowledge of Chrifl will effeduate it.
5. Hence fee, the excellency and nccejjity oi\\\zkno%V' ledge of Chriil, and of the gofpcl : when once Paul came to this knowledge, he counted all but hfs and dung^ in comparifon of the excellency of it. And how necelTary it is, is evident in this, that there is no fanc- tihcation Ys'ithoiit it ; no freedom from carnal courfes and confultations Vv'ithout it. The gofpel is tlie reve- lation of Chrift and his righteoufnefs ; and, c.s fuch, it is the power of God to falvation ; and the power of God to fanBifi cation^ Rom. i. 16, 17. It is the organi- cal power of God unto falvation from fin ; becaiife therein is revealed the righteoufnefs ofGod^ even Chriil:, who is the Lord our righteoufnefs, from faith to faith. No wonder that fledi and blood, or men that are in the fieih, think the gofptl needlefs, and cannot endure that Chrifl fhould be the miniller's habitual theme : for the revelation of Chrifl: is the greatell enemy to, and the Rrongelt battering-ram, to bring down the walls of it ; Ue zveapons of our warfare are not carnuly hut mighty^ through God^ to the pudlng down of firong holds ; cajling down imaguHitions^ and every high thing that exalteth itfelf againjl the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriji, 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. Fiefn and blood oppofes the gofpeland the revelation of Chriil, becaufe when Chriil is once revealed, immediately the' man conferreth not with liedi and blood.
6. Hence fee, hov/ ignorantly men fufpc^l: tlie gofpcl of God's grace, as 2i 7iurfe of licentioufnefs, and an enemy to the hoUnefs required in the la.v : for the quite con-
VoL. 11. ' H h trary
242 Carnal Consultation unfolded. Serm. XXII.
trary is the truth. That ignorance of Chrift, and his gofpel, is the root of ail carnality : and the knowledge of Chrift, and the gofpel, in a faving way, is the root upon which true holincfs and piety doth grow. The preaching of Chrill was Paul's work, as you fee in the bofom of this text ; He revealed bis Son in me, that I 7nigbt preach him among the Gentiles : he was revealed to me, that I might reveal him unto others ; and might be the inftrument of their converfion and fanclification thereby ; as 1 myfelf was fandified by this mean. — To preach duty, vv^ithout Chrift, is the w^ay to make moralifts : to preach duty, before Chrill, and more than Chrift, or in order to Chriit, and to make men Chriftians, is the way to make theni iegalifts ; and to make the work] think they can be religious without Chrift, and that a good moral life will bring them to heaven : but true gofpel preaching lies in preaching Chrift in order to duty ; it is to preach Chrift in order to hoiinefs, and fo to preach duty in preaching Chrift : for, till Chrift be revealedjn us, there is no true hoiinefs, no freedom from confulting w^ith ilcfli and blood.
7. Hence fee what it is, that contributes to make a cor- rupt minijirj in a church : why, Chrift is not revealed in all that profefs to preach him among the Gentiles ; and therefore they never ftand to confult with fledi and blood. What is it that qualifies a man for the minif- terial work? Here is the beft qualification, w^hen Chrift is revealed in him, for this end, that he may preach him among the Gentiles : whom God fends, he thus qualifies, according to the meafure of the gift of Chrift. But many^run without being fent ; and, as the Athe- nians worfliipped an unknown God_, fo they preach an unknown Chrift ; which is very melancholy w^ork, and can have little fuccefs : yea, the want of the fav- ing knowledge of Chrift in fuch, lays a foundation for doclrinal error and pradical error both, while they want the main prefervative, againft the confulting with flefti and blood. Some are wholly corrupt, becaufe wholly deftitute of the faving knowledge of Chrift ; and fo the doctrine, worftiip, difcipline, and govern- uicnt of Chrift's houfe cannot be i9ng fafe and free
from
Serm. XXII. Carnal Consultation unfolded 245
from corruption among their hands ; efpecially if the^-, by reafon of their gifts, parts, and authority in the church, bear a confidcrable fway therein. Others are tainted with corruption, though truly gracious, and carried down with the ftream of carnal confultation, while any faving knowledge of Cbirift that they have is fo fmall, that flefli and blood hath the afccndant ; or, if their knowledge of Chrift be great in one refped, yet it is defedive in other refpeds. So Peter, for ex- ample, he v/as greatly enlightened in the knowledge of Chrift, as the Son of the living God ; a mod: glorious fundamental article of faith, Matth. xvi. 16. ; but vet his knowledge of Chrift was defedive, and exceeding dark concerning Chrift as ^ facrifics^ a rar.fom : and hence he takes upon him, forfooth, to reprove Chrft, when he fpoke of his fuffering at Jerufalem, ver. 22. faying. Be it far from thee. Lord ; this pall vot be done unto thee : for which Chrift calls him a devil, faying, Get thee behind me^ Satan : for thou favourejl 7iot the things that he of God ^ but thofe that be rfjncn. Though he was extraordinarily enlightened in the knowledge Chrift, in one refped ; yet he was extremely ignorant of Chrift, in another refped : and hence in that mat- ter favoured of flefii and blood, and confulted with car- nal eafe, and carnal reafon, under colour of zeal fc^r his Mafter's fafety and honour. Plence we \yill find fuch corruptions creeping into the church of Chrift, borh a- mong good a^nd bad : fo that we may fee perfonal cre- dit, ading under the colour of zeal for God. Men will pretend zeal for God*s honour, the credit of the miniiiry, the honour of ordinances ; and vent them- felves hotly and tenaciouily, under thi^ view, while yet it is perfonal credit, reputation, and applaufe that is ac- ting under that covert, and hiding under that maik. — Thus the difciples fought to be avenged on the place, that would not receive Chrift, by fire from heaven : why, it feemed to be zeal for their Mafter's honour that fwayed them ; but perfonal credit was their mo- tive ; and they were not under the condud of God's Spirit, but of their own fiefh and blood : therefore faith H h 2 - Clirift
^44 Carnal Consultation wtfolded, Serm. XXIL
Chrlfl, Te know not what Spirit ye are of^ Luke ix. 54, See alfo ver. 59.
8. Hence fee, what is the beji antidote againft corrupt iion^ both in miniilers and people ; and the beft anti^ dote againft the power of corruption, in any particular perfon : it is even a transforming revelation of Chrift, A day of power is neceflary for this end, making a difplay of God's power and glory in the fanduary.— ^ When God builds up Zion, he will appear in his glory : ?.nd there is no hopes of getting evil amended, till the Spirit of wifdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Chrift, be poured out. And therefore we fhouid be at no reft ; yea, fliould give God no reft till he fend the Spirit, Ifaiah Ixii. 6, 7. O cry with the pfal- niift, faying, 0 fend forth thy light and thy truth,— — ^ And with Mofes, J hefecch thee Jhew me thy glory : that fo, beholding the glory of the Lord^ we may be changed into the fame image : and that each of us, for our own part, may have it to fay with Paul here. It pleafed God to reveal his Son in me ; and i?nmediately I conferred not with fefld and blood,
SERMON
[ 245 ]
SERMON XXIII,— XXVII.
Law-Death, Gospel-Life; or, the Death of Legal Ri^bteoufnefs^ the Life of Gofpel Holinefs^.
G A L A T I A N s ii. 19.
/ through the hiiv am dead to the laiu^ that I might live liiito God*
AG O D L Y life Is what we are all obliged to live, efpecially if we have been at the Lord's table ; but it is a myfliery that very few underfland in their experience, if they Vvili judge their experien- ces, by comparing them with this of Paul in our text, / through the law am dead to the law^ that I might live unfo God,
Our apoftle, in this epiftle, is vindicating himfelf from the bafe afperfions cad upon him by the falfe a- poftles ; with refped to his callings as if he had been no apoftle ; and with refpeft to his dodrine^ as if it had been falfe and erroneous. From the beginning of this chapter, to ver. 11. he tells us what he did at Jerufa- iem ; how llrenuoufly he oppofed the falfe brethren, that he might maintain the truth of the gofpel, which they fought to overturn. From the nth ver. to the X7th, the apoftle tells us what he did at Antioch j how
* This was the fubftance of four Difcourfes, the firfl two whereof were delivered upon the adniiniftratfon of the facranient of the Lord's fupper, atCarnock; the other two were an enlargement upoi) the
fame fubjeft, on an occafion of the fame nature, ai Orwel. The
precife time when thefe difcourfes were delivered, cannot bs pofiilvely afcertalned ; however, from fome paflages in ihe difcourfes ihem- lelves, it is probable ihey were preached fome lime in li.e ^;ear 1724, and the firft edition being printed that year, feems to determine it. — They have now upqergone four imprefiion?.
:2ealGufly
246 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, d-^r.
zealouily be oppofed and reproved cvtn Peter, hi mfelf, for his dilFimulation, in compelling tnc Gontilcf; to Ju- daize ; giving thereby fuch offence, that the Jev"> M^ere conhrnied in their judaifm, ver. 12 th. Other Jews dif- femhled with hlm^ and Barnabas a^fo was carried away with their diffimulation ; and hereby occaiion was giv- en both to jews and Gentiles, to defert Chrifi:,. to de- ny grace, to return to the law, and leek j unification by the works thereof. So that we may fee here, that great and good men may dilTemble, and do much hurt by their diffimulation, both among miniflers and peo- ple. We have here a wonderful example of it in the greateff: of men, and fuch as were pillars of the church ; but it would feem that Peter and Barnabas, and other Jews here, did not fee their fault and fm, but thought they did right enough ; but Paul faw it, verfe 14. When I Jaw that they walked not upniljtly according to the truth of the gofpely &c. This might feem a very bold and impudent attempt, for Paul, the youngefi: of all the apojiles^ (I m.ean, of whom Chriil was lajl feen^ as of one born out of due time^ for him to take upon him to accufe and condemn Peter as well as Barnabas, and the Jev7s for their practical error, not walking ac- cording to the truth of the gofpcL But v/e fee, that as people may have the gofpel, but not the truth of the gofpel ; fo thcfe that have the truth of the gofpel, may be guilty of not walking according to the truth of it, even as Peter, Barnabas, and others here, whofe diffimulation did not confiil with the truth of the gofpel^ which they preached, but tended to ejiablifo the law^ and fo to overturn the gofpel. But God hath fome- times very fcv/ witnelTes to iland up for the truth of the gofpel : here Paul was alone, Peter was againfl him ; and Barnabas, his own intimate ailociati?, was drawri away Vv'ith the diffimulation ; Jews and Gen- tiles were infected, and therefore Paul alone mull fight againfl them all, for the caufe of Chrift, and the doc- trine of the gofpel, which was endangered. I faid unto Peter before them alU ^c. Not by teaching of any er- roneous dodrinc did Peter err, for that is a principle v/e maintain, that the apoilles never erred in teaching.
or
Serm. XXIIl, dr'<:. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 14^
or in their do6lrine delivered to the church ; but his error was iu pradicc^ compelling the Gentiles to Ju- daize ; whereby he gave them occafion to think, that the obfervation of the law was neceiTary to jultification: whereas he adds. Vie that are Jews by natuix., ver. i^^ 16. We apoflles, might he lay, though Jews by na- ture, yet we feek not juftification by the works of the law ; and therefore we ought not to drive the Gen- tiles to the obfervation of the law, that they may feck righteoufnefs and juilification thereby. Why ? be- caufe, 1. We know that a man cannot be juflified by the works of the law, but by the f ait b ofChriJi. 2. Be- caufe therefore having renounced the law, in point of juftification, we have embraced Chrift by faith ; that through him we may be juftified. 3. Bccaufe by the deeds of the law 7iojieflo can be jujlified, .
Now, from verfe 17. and downward, the apoftle returns to the Galatians ; having told how he reproved Peter, and what he faid to him concerning jullificatioii without the works of the law, he now comes to fnew this doctrine to be no wife oppohte to the doclrine of fanclification, but of abfolute neceffity to true hollnefs, ver. 17, 18. q. d. If we Jews, who lived fornierly under the law, and now feek righteoufnefs ii^ Chriil alone, are thus accounted as fmners, when we follow- ed the law, it v/ould feem that Chrill did difappfove the law, and approve fm : God forbid^ fays the apo-
ftle , this he denies and rejects with abhorrence.—
To object thus, might he fay, againft the doftrine of free juftification, were egregious blafphemy againft the Son of God, as if he were the minifter of fin, wlio came to deftroy (in, and to deftroy the works of the devil ; and by this gofpcl which 1 preach, might he fay, Chrift is held out as the Lamb of God, that taketh away the fins of the world ; not to take away righte- oufnefs, truly fo called, unlefs it be ihat falfe vizard of legal felf-righteoulhefs, with which we formerly co- vered and maftied ourfelves : nay, he came to bring in cverJa^fiing righteoufnefs, a true and perfeft righte- oufnefs ror juftification J he came to make an end offin^
- hj
248 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c*
by the facrifxe of hlmfelf^ and thereby to purchafe the Spirit, as a Spirit of holinefs and fanftification, to de- flroy the power of fm and corruption ; and therefore it is a bafe calumny to fay, that this gcfpel-dodrine does open the door to fm and licentioufnefs : this he proves by two arguments ; i. Becaufe the faith of Chrifl does not dc^xoj itfelf verfe 18. / through the law am dead to the law^ that I might live unto God* Sin is like an old houfe, which 1 have razed and de- flroyed, by my doctrine of free j unification by faith, and not by works of the law j for by this doftrine I preached freedom from fm through Chrifl ; and there- fore, if I fliouid build up thefe old wafles of fm again, it is not Chriil, but I that would be the fmner, or mi- nlfler of fin; nay, I Vvould be a madman, to build with one hand what I deftroyed with the other. 2. Be- caufe liberty to fm is contrary lo the \txy fcope of the gofpel^ and to the defign of this doftrine of judihca- tion by faith without the works of the law : Fcr^ I ■through the law am dead to the la%v^ that I ?iiight live un- to God J verfe 19.
This is a very flrange and wonderful text, that flefh and blood can hardly hear, without fufpe£ting, that it favours too much of a ?2ew fchcrne of do£lrine : and if it were not the divinely infpired words of the apo- flle, it would hardly efcape being taxed as an Anti- nomian paradox. I remember, Luther upon the text, fays, " The falfe apoftles taught, unlefs you hve to the *' law, you cannot live to God ;" and therefore Paul here muil be the molt heretical of all heretics ; his herefy is unheard-of herefy, reafon and human wifdoni cannot receive it, that if we v>/ill live to God, wx mud be dead wholly to the law : yet fo it is here, he de- clares it of himfelf, and in the name of all believers in Chrifl, yea, as the very docf rine of faith, / through the law am dead to the law^ that I might live unto God*
In which words you may notice two remarkably dif- ferent things, death and life ; mortification and viviii- cation. i. A wonderful death ; I through the lazu am DEAD to the law* 2. A remarkable life, proceeding out of that death : ^hat I inight live unto God.
V% You
Serm. XXIII, &c, Law-Deatk, Gospel-Life. 249
ly?, You have a wonderful death, or Paul's ftrange mortification ; I through the law am dead to the law : and of this mortification we have here three things ; I. The general nature of it, it is called a death ; I am dead. 2. The ohjctf of it, the law, 3. The means of it, the lazv ; I through tlie law am dead to the laio^ all very odd things to carnal reafon.
1. The general nature of it, it is called a death; f am lyEAD, There are feveral forts of death com- monly fpoken of, viz. temporal, fpirituai, and eternal; but this is none of them. Temporal death is a fepara- tion betwixt foul and body ; but this death takes place where there is no fuch feparation : Paul was thus alive, when he faid here, I am dead. Spiritual death is a fe- paration betwixt God and the foul ; but this death is a mean of joining God and the foul together. Eternal death, is an eternal feparation betwixt God and the foul ; but the death here fpoken of, makes way for
eternal communion with God. This is a fLrange
death, a ilrange mortification ; efpecially if you cou- fider,
2. The objecl of it, the law ; I am dead to the law: not only the ceremonial law, but even the moral law itfelf, as under the form of a covenant of v/orks, and as a condition of life. 1 renounce, might he fay, the righteoufnefs of the law, feeking no falvation in the works, thereof ; nay, in this rcfj^ect it is dead to me, and I to it ; it cannot fave me, and I cannot expert falvation bv it ; nay, / am dead to the law. To be dead to fin., is a mortification that people may think they can eafily underftand ; but the myllery of it, in being dead to fm, by this mean of being dead to the law, is what cannot be fo well underRood ; for one would think, that to die to the law, were to live in (in : nay, fays the apoPile, it is quite otherwife ; that I i-iay die*to fm, / am dead to the law.
3. You have the means of this death, which is as ftirange, namely, the law-, I through the law am dod to the law. As to this mean of death to the law, viz. the law, I find fome divines underftand it a differ- ent law from the other ; as if the apodle Ihould fav.
Vol. II. I i ''I by
250 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIU, &'c.
" I by the law of Chrlft, am freed from the law of " Mofes ; or, 1 by the law of fakh am freed from the *' l^w of works.'* But I indlne to join with the cur- rent of found divines, who underltand both of the fame law, q. d, I am dead to the law^ through the la-zv : the law hath taught me that I am a fniner, that cannot be jiutilied by the law^ which curfes and con- demns finners : By the law is the knowledge of fin ; and having thus by the lav/ known inyfelf to be a guilty wretch, I am dead to all expctollon of righteoufnefs by the law. The law then, having thus killed me, and all my hope of life by it, hath been a bleil mean of drawing me cut of m.yfelf, and all my legal righteouf- nefs, to feek life and juflificaticn in Chriil, and his righteoufnefs received by faith. Thus you have a won- derful death here fpoken of.
idly^ You have a remarkable life proceeding out of that death : you may call it Paul's vivincation, which was not peculiar to him, but is common to all belie- vers : That I tnight live unto God, Where again you may notice three things.
I. The general nature of this vivification, it is called by the name of life : while a man is alive to the law, he continues dead ; but whenever he is dead to the law, then he is ahve ; the breath of life is breathed into his noftrils, and he becomes a living foul : for the Spirit of God, the fpirit of life enters into him.
'2, The objed of this life, or vivification, it is God ; a living unto God, that4s, a new life, a holy life, a divine life ; a living to God, to God's honour, to God's glory. Before this, the man lived to himfelfTis his end, as well as frG?n himfelf as his principle ; but now he lives from God as his principle, and to God as his end, v/hich only is a holy life, and wherein true fanftification lies.
3. You have the influence that this death hath upon this life, or this mortification hath upon this vivifica- tion ; or, the influence that juftification by faith alone, and not by the d'reds of the lav/, hath upon fanclifi- cation of heart and life, or living to God, in the par- ticle that : I am dead to the law^ that / might live
unt9
Serm. XXIII, 6"(:. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 251
unto God, Now, might the apoflle fay, How falfely do you charge my dodtrhie, as opening a \\ indow to liccmioufneis, while I in the nanie of all believers de- clare, that this doctrine of juftification by faith alone, or our being dead to the law in point of juftification, does open the door to true holinefs ; for none can live unto God, till they be dead to the law. / through the law am dead to the law, that I jjiigh-^ live unto God, But I jjiall endeavour further to explain the words, upon the following obfervation.
DocT. nat to he dead to the law, 'i the point ofjuf- tljication, is r.ecefjary in order to our uving unto God in point of fandif cation, 1 through thx law am dead to the law, that I might live unto Gc i
Now, upon tliis dodtine, I ilialj endeavour, through grace, to explain the feveral l^ranches of the text j and the general method mail be.
L To clear and confirm the doctrine.
IL To fpeak oftiie believer^'s death, or mortifca-
tion, here intended ; 1 through the law am dead to
the law, IlL To fpeak of the believer^ s life, or v'rcificaiion ;
his living unto God, IV. Of the nece^i]tiy o\ \}i\\'^ death in order to tiiis
life ; or the irfaience that our being dead to the
la\v hath upon our living unto God. . V. Make fome application of the fubjecl in fiindry
ifes,
L To clear and confirm the dodrine ; At the moiuh of two or three wit nc Ifes, every word f hall be efiabhjhed, _ But, to (hew that we are not ftraitened to find out wk- neffes to atteft the truth of this dodrine, I Ihall produce more than two or three.
The/r/? witnefs that I cite, is that, Rom. vii. ^ 5, 6. where you fee, that to be dead to the law, and mar- ried to Chrifi, is neceiTary in order to living unto God,
i i 2 brir:^-
©52. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c, hrmging forth frii'ii to him^ ^nd fervifig him in newnefs of
Thcfeeond witncfs I cite, is very like to this, Ifa. liv.
1,5. compared, Sing^ 0 barren, that did not bear
For more are the children of the defolate, [Gentiles,] than the 'children of the 7iiarried vAfe : Why ? ver. 5. T/jy Maker is thy hnjband. Being dead to the law, and di- vorced from it, and married to Chrifl, the barren wo- man becomes a fruitful bride. And, left you iliould think I put a v,Tong glofs upon this text, and miftake the meaning of it, you may compare it with,
A third witnefs that 1 c4te, whereby this very glofs that I give it is confirmed. Gal. iv. 27, for it is ivrit- ten^ Rejoice thcu barren that bearejl not ; break firth ayid. cry, thou that travailejl not : fir the dejolate hath many wore children than/he ivhich hath an hzifuand, Nov/, v;e would confider what is the fubject here fpoken of : the apofile is fetting forth believers freedom from the law by the gofpel, or their juftification by faith without the works of the law ; and he confirms it by an allegory, fhewing. that our liberty from the law was prefigured in the family of Abraham, that we are not children of the bond-woman, or bond-m-en to the law, but childrenof the proniife, as Jfaac ; And the apofUe ex- plains the prophet, and Ihews his allegory to be found- ed, not only on the former hiflorical, but alfo on this prophetical fcripture. The gofpel-church, including all believers among Jews -and . Gentiles, is. called the bride ^ the LamFs wife : and as this bride in general, being divorced from the la\v and married to Chrifl, ia a fruitful , bride, bearing many children, many fons and daughters to Chrifl, and more under the new dif- penfation of the covenant of grace, than under the old legal adminiflation thereof before, Chrifl's coming ; fo every particular believer, being dead to the law, and married to Chriil, is, by this means, fruitful in bring- ing forth- the fruit of holinefs and right eoufnefs, to thq glory of God ; as the apoftle in profecuttug this dif- courfe, further fnevv's, ver. 30. Caji out the bond-woman find her fon. Strange! that the law fhould.be called a bond- woman ; and then, CaJi out the bond-ivman ; this
was
Serm. XXIII, c^r. Law-Deatk, Gospel-Life. 253
was ftrange language ; nay, but in the cafe of jufti- lication, *•' Moles and his tables muft give place to ^' Chrifl/' as Luther fays : yea, he adds in this fenfe, '^ I v/ill fay to thee, O law, be gone ; and if it will not *' be gone, thruft it out by force ; Caji out the bond-ivO' " nianJ'^ Furtlier, the apoftle adds, chap. v. i. ^tand fq/lj therefore^ in the liberty wherewith Chrijl hath viade us free ^ and be not entangled again with the yoke of bon- dage. Read alfo, ver. 4, 5,6. where you fee, that the believer, being free from the law, and having the fpirit of Ufe, and the fpirit of faith, bringing forth fruit to God ; of which fruits of the Spirit of Chrift, in oppo- fition to the fruits of the flelh, you read, ver. 16, 17, and downward.
The fourth witr»efs that I cite, is, Colof. ii. 13, 14. Ton being dead in your fins^ — hath he quickened. Now, by what means docs this quickening, or being made alive to God, come about ? It is by the blotting out of the hand-writing — nailing it to his crofs ; intimating, that there is no living unto God, without being dead to the law, and having the law dead to us, by viewing it crucified with Chriil, and nailed to his crofs.
The fifth witneCs is, Colof. iii. 3, 4, 5. For ye are dead J [that is, dead to the law, as he had cleared be- fore, and fo dead to hn, felf, and the world,] and your life is hid with Chr[ft in God ; and whc7i Chrijl^ who is our life^ f^all appear J then foallyc alfo appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. The believer is faid to be dead with Chrifl^ ver. 20. of the preceeding chapter, and fo dead to the law, which was ?iai!ed to the crofs of Chrifh And' ver. 1. of this chapter, the 'believer is faid to be rifen with Chriji^ and fo he fits together with Chrifl in hea- venly places : but though his bed part is above, even his glorious Head, whom he will follow ; yet-fcehath members on ^ earth, which he is called to mortify ; which mortification of fm is, you fee, the native fruit of his being dead with Chrifi^ and rifen with him.
The Jixth witnefs that I cite, is, Rom. iii. 28, 31, We conclude that a man is juflified by faith^ without the deeds of the law^ and fo he is dead to the law. Now,
t\o^^3
254 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6^^.
does this doctrine deilroy our living to God ? Nay, Do 'ice make void the law ^ throrigb faitiof God J cr bid; .yea^ ii>e ejiablijh the law : we Ciiablifli it ^s a covenant of works ^ while we beheve in C'! trill for righteoufnefs, to be imputed for our juilificatirjp ; and we eflabhih it as a rule of life ^ and hohnefs, while we believe in Chrili: for ftrength, to be imparted for our fanftifica- tion ; and fo being dead to the lav, in point of juRifi- cation, we live unto God in fanftification.
T]xz fcventh witnefs that I cite, is. Rom. vi. 14. Sin fhall have no do?ninion over you ; for you are not under the law^ but under grace. Where you fee, that a man's being under grace^ and not under the law^ is the very means by which he comes to be delivered, and freed from the dcminlon offin^ and fo lives unto God.-— — Here is the privilege, deliverance from the dominioa Oi fin ; and the means of it is, by the grace of God in Chrili Jefus, by which we are delivered from the law ; for, as the motions offrn^ Rom. vii. 5. are faid to be by the law\ fo the law being dead to us, and we by grace, being married to another hufband, we ])ring forth fruit unto God ; l^he grace of Gc^^ that bringetb fahation, teaching us to deny ungodlmefs ^ Titus ii. 11. While the law hath power over a man, iie cannot but
be bringing forth /rz^// unto deaths Rom. vii. 5. —
There was never yet an efFeclual courfe taken for the mortifying of fin, but by the gofpcl, and the grace of Chrift, which yet fome ignorantly think leads to licen- tioufnefs, as they thought in Paul's days, Rom. vi. 15. Nay, while we are under the law, we are the fervants of fm ; But now bei?2g made free fro'ni fn., and become fervants to God^ ye have your fruit unto bolincfsy and, the end everlafiing llfe^ verfe 22.
The eighth witnefs that I cite, is, Rom. viii. 2, 3. For the law of the Spirit cf life in Chrift Jefis^ hath made me free from the law of fin ayui death. Why ? how com.es that about ? verie 3. For what the law could not do^ in that it was weak thrcvvh ihe fiefn^ Gfod fending his own Son in the Ukehefs of fitful flefh^ and for fm con- demned fin in the fiefh* Where ye fee the quality of
every
S,ERM. XXIII, 6"^. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 255
every believer ; he is one that lives to God, and ^jijalJzs not after the Jiejh^ but after the Spirit : and now, what is the foundation of this i' even freedom from the lav/, which through our weaknefs could not juflify us ; but our help was laid upon One that is mighty^ who hav- ing come under the law, did, by a facrihce for fni, ccndemnfin in theflejh^ that the right eoufnefs of the law might he fulfilled in us^ both in point of juftificatiou and fandification.
The ninth witnefs that I cite, is, 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. Tor the love of Chrifi conflrains iis^ — that he died for ull^ that they ivhich live jhoidd not henceforth live to them- fehes, but to him that died for them. There is true fandification, and living unto God ; but how came it about ? The means thereof is the death of Chrlfl:, which we have been celebrating in the facramcnt of the fupper ; this is both the means and the motive thereof. What ftronger motive than this, to live to him that died for us ; and by his death, redeemed us from the la^^o f For we are dead to the law by the body of Chrifi^ Rom. vii. 4. ; that is, by the death of Chrift, the facrifice of his human nature : and hence comes true fpiritual life, or living to him.
The tenth witnefs that I cite, is, i Cor. xv. ^6^ 57. The fling of death is fin^ the firength of fin is the law: where the law is called the firength of fin, not only be- caufe by the law is the knowledge of fin, and fm would not have pov/er to condemn us, but by virtue of the law which difcharges fin ; but alfo becaufe fm gets ftrength from the law : 6in taking occafion by the commandment^ wrought in ?ne all manner cf concupifcence ; for with- out the law fin was dead, Rom. vii. 8. Sin and cor- ruption is lb irritated by the law, that thereby the fmner becomes to be more fmful : v/hich is not the fault of the law, for it prohibites, reproves, and con- demns fin : but the fault of corrupt nature, which is lb intent in perpetrating evil, that the more any thing is forbidden, the m.ore impetuoully it follows after it ; like a mad horfe, the more he is checked with the bridle, the more mad and furious is he. Now, 'lihe lirength of fin is the lazv ; but; thanks be to God, which
g^ues
255 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6*^
•
gives us the victory^ through Jefiis Cbriji cur Lord ;— - Viclory over the law, which is the (Irength of fin ; and fo, being freed from the law, or dead to it, in this way I arn freed from fm, and put in cafe to live unto
God. Thefe are ten witneiTes, inftead of twenty
that might be adduced for the confirmation of this doctrine, ^at to be dead to the law in point of juftiji' cation^ is /lecejlary in order to our living unto God in point offandification, — —Receive this truth then in the love of it.
11. Tht fecojid \\\m^ propoied was, to fpeak of this flrange death of the believer ; I through the law am dead to the law. Now here four things are to be touch- ed at, I. What the law is, that the believer is dead to. a. What it is in the lazu. that he is dead to. 3. What it is to be dead to the law. 4. The ?)?eans of this, that through the law he is dead to the law.
I/?, What the law is, that the believer is dead to. I know^, I have need to be cautious what I fay in this captious age, efpecially upon fuch a fubjeft as this ; but it is in the fear of God, to whom I am accountable, and without regard to any man, that I delire to deli- ver the truths of the gofpel. What is the law, to
w^hich Paul faid he was dead ? I fliall not trouble you with the feveral acceptations of the lazv, nor the dif- tindions of it into judicial, cere/nonial, and 7ncraL But here though the apoftle fpeaks fometimes of the cere- 7noniai, and fometimes of the ??ioral\d.\Y in this epiftle ; yet in this text, I fuppofe, with the current of found divines, that he underftands. efpecially the ?noral law, or the law of the- ten commandments, confidered un- der the form of a covenant of works. The law is to be taken two ways. i. Materially, for its mere precep- tive and diredive part. Or, 2. The law may be id.- \L^xi formally , as it is a covenant, whether of works or grace. Now^,.the law, materially taken, is ilill the fame, whatever form it be caft into, and it is the tranfcript of the divine image, after which man was created at firft ; fo that, long before the law was v/ritten in tables of flone, it was written in the tables of man's heart ; and
mail ,
Si! RM. XXIII, 6^c. Law-Death, Gospel-Life, i^f
man was obliged to give obedience to this law, as a creature to his Creator, though there never had been any covenant made with him ; and this obligation to obedience is eternal, evcrlafling, and unchangeable. — But this law w^as afterwards cait into two dillerent forms^ namely, that of the covenant of works ^ and af- terwards that of the covenant of grace, Now here,
I fay, it is meant of the law, or covenant of works ; in which law there were three things, -a precept^ 2ipro- mfCj zwdi 2i penalty, i. The precept^ which is perfed: and perfonal obedience, by our own ftrength, and in the old covenant-form J Do; i. The promije, which is life eternal ; Do and Live, 3, The pe?iahy^ which is death temporal, fpiriiual, and eternal ; if you Do not, you ihall Z)/<f, Genefis ii. 17. The covenant of works commands good, and forbids evil, with a pro- mife of hfe in cafe of obedience, and a threatening of death in cafe of difobcdience : and fo this law ot works hath a twoiold power; a power to juftify, and a power to condemn ; to juftify, if we obey ; and to condemn, if we difobey. The command of the law, abftractly and materially confidered, is, as I faid, eternally bind- ing upon all rational creatures, fo long as they conti- nue to be creatures, and God the Creator : but the command of the law, for:naliy coufidcred, or under the form of a covenant of works particularly, binds no longer than the form continues. Now, the command- ing power of the hcuv, as a covenant of works, is a power calling us to obey, (or injoining us to do) by our ov.n flrength ; to obey, as a condition oi life ; and to obey, under pain of damnation.
idly^ As to xXicfcond thing here, what it is in the law^ the believer is dead to. Here it muft be obferv- ed, That it is only the believer that is dead to the law, all others are alive to it ; and the believer's behig dead to the law, imports, that he is wboUy fet free from it ; or, as the words of our Coifcjjion bear, " They are " not under the lav/ as a covenant of works, to be " thereby either judihed or condemned.*' Thus they are dead to tlie law. The law is compared, in our text, to a hard and cruel mailer, and we compared to
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-258 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIll, &c
ilaves, and bond-men, who, as long as they are ahve, are under dominion, and at the command of their mafters ; but when they are a^^zd^ they are free from that bondage, and their mafters have no more to do with them. Here then, to be dead to the law, is to be free from the do?ninion and po-icer of the law. Now, I think the power of the law may be confidered, either as accidental or elTential. It hath an accidental power or ftrength ; for example, by reafon of our fmful, cor- rupt, and depraved Hate, even an irritating pov/er, Avhereby, as an occafion, it provokes, and ftirs up the corruption of the heart in the unregenerate, Romans vii. 8. From this the believer is free, fo far as he is
dead to the law. But next. There is a power that
the law hath, that may be called ejjential io it, as a co- venant of works ; and that is, a juftifying and con- demning power, as I faid before; a power to juflify the obedient,' and a power to condemn the difobedi- ent : now, believers are dead to the law, fo as they are not under it, to be juftified or condemned there- by ; they are wholly, and altogether free from the law, as it is a covenant of life and death, upon doing, or not doing.
But, for the further clearing of this, I told you upon that queflion. What law is here meant ? That in the law, as a covenant of works, there are three things. I. The precept of obedience. 2. The promife of life. 3. The threatening or penalty of death \ all which the believer is dead to.
I. liht precept of obedience, as a condition of life, is one part of the covenant of works ; Da and live ; or. If thou wilt enter into life^ keep the commandments : this the believer is delivered from, and fo dead to the precepts of the law, as a covenant or condition of life. Take heed to v/hat I fay here ; I fay not, that the be- liGver is delivered from the precept of the law Jimply^ but as a condition of life : for the conuiiand of periled obedience, is not the covenant of works ; nay, man was obliged to perfeiSl obedience, and is eternally bound to obey the law, though there had never been
a CO-
Serm. XXIII, 6^f. Law-Death, GcsPEL-LiFr. 259
a covenant : but the form of the precept, or command in the covenant of works, is perfect obedience as a condition of lite. Novv^, it is the commanding power of the law, as a covenant of works, that the believer is free from ; and it hatli no commanding power, but in this Ptrain, namtrly, to command perfect obedience as the condition of life ; and, under pain of the curfe, Obey, and thou (lialt live ; otherwife thou fhalt die. Now, the ground of the believer's freedom from the precept of the law, as a covenant of works, or condi- tion of life, is juft ChrijVs pcrfcB obedience to the law, in his room, in his (lead, vv^hich is the true and proper condition of our eternal life and happinefs : B^ the obe- dience of one ^ jhall many be made righteous : — tlmt as fin hath reigned unto deaths even fo grace w.ight reign thro^ righteoufnefs^ unto eternal Iifi\ by J ejus Chrift our Lord, Rom. V. 19, 20. There is an eternal trutli in this, that life is not to be obtained, unlefs all be done that the law requires. Do this and live ; and that is lliil true. If thou wilt enter into life^ keep the commandments. They mud be kept by us., or our Surety : now the Surety's obedience being imputed to the believer, as the condition of eternal life, the behever is not obliged to obedience to the law as a condition of life : the pre- cept of the law properly is, Do ; but the precept oi the lav/ as a covenant of v/orks, is under this condi- tional form. Do, and Live, Now, if any kiy tlien, the believer is delivered from obligation to do, or lo obey the law, I deny that : for this Do is eternally binding ; but the precept of the law, as a covenant i)i v/orks, is not fimply Do. but i)^, and Live : and tills conditional form, which is properly the precept and command of the covenant of works, he is indeed deli- vered from ; for Chriil, as Surety, came under the law, as a covenant of works, or as it flood in this con- ditional Do, and Live : for he yielded perfect obedi- ence to it, to procure life by it ; and fo the believer is wholly delivered from obedience to it ; that is, to obtain life by it, or to procure everlafting life by his obedience. The precept, thus formed as the condi- tion of life, by virtue of the annexation of the prcmi'e
K k 2 of
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of life to the obedience of it, is the precept of the co- venant of works ; and from this precept he is freed' and fo is dead to the law in refpecl of the precept of it, in and through Jeius Chrift his Surety.
2. The proniife of life is another tiling in the cove- nant of works ; and this runs in the fame line with the former, being fo connected with it. The promife of life in the law, or covenant of works, was julf the pro- mife of eternal life, upon condition of perfect obedience: now, the believer's freedom from the law, in this re- fped, fiows from his freedom from it in the former re- fped : for, if he be freed from the Do^ or obedience, as required in that old covenant-form, then he is not to exped eternal life, as it is promifed in that cove- nant : nay, the law is divelted of its promife of life to the believer : that is to fay, his obedience to the law hath not the promife of eternal life, as the legal ground and title upon which he is to obtain it : he holds this title to eternal life in Jefus Chrill:, his Surety, in whom he hath a perfect obedience, to which eternal life is pro- mifed ;^ and which is now the alone fure ground upon which it is to be procured. The believer's own obe- dience to the law, or his gofpebcbedience, and confor- mity to the law, wrought in him, and done by him, through the help of the Spirit of grace ; even this obe- dience of his, i fay, hatli not tlie legal promife of eter- nal life, as if it were the legal condition of his obtain- ing eternal life : no, his gofpel-obedience hath indeed a gofpel-promife, conne6ti;ig it with eternal life, as it is an evidence of his union to Chrifc, in ivhom all the pro^ mijes are Tea and Amen ; and as it is a: walking in the way to heaven, without which none fnall ever come to the end ; For withciit holine/s it is impojfihle to fee God, — ' But the legal promife of eternal life made to obedience, and v/hich m.akes our perfonal obedience to be the caufe ^AwA matter of our juftification, and as the proper con- dition of falvation and eternal life, this is the promife of the law, or covenant of works ; and this promife it is now wholly divefled of, as to the believer in Jefus Chrid, who hath taken his law-room, and yielded that perfcd obedience, to which the prqmife of eternal life
is
Serm. XXIII, Cj?y. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 261
is now made : and the reafon why I fay, the promiie of eternal life is mzu made to Chriirs perfect obedience in our room and (lead, is, Becaufe the law, or cove- nant of works, made no promife of life properly, but to man's own perfonal obedience : it made no mention of a furety : but now, in fovereign mercy, tins law-ri- gour is abated, and the Surety is accepted, to whofe pbedience life is promifed.
3. The threatening of death, in cafe of difobediencc, is another thing in the covenant of works ; death, and wrath, and the curfe, is the penalty of the law : death is the reward of fm and difobedlence to the law ; In the day thou ftnnej} thou ftmlt die ; and this the belie- ver is alfo freed from by the death of Chrift, who died for our fms : the law faith, Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things ^written in the hook of the lazu, to do them ; but the gofpel faith, Chrift hath redeemed lis from, the curfe of the hrjj^ being made a curfe fr us. Gal. iii. 10, 13. As the law then to the believer is divefted of its promife of life, fo as it cannot juftify him for his obedience ; fo it is divefled of its threat- ninp; of death, and cannot condemn him for his difo- bedience to it as a covenant, that c(rvenant-form of it being done away in Chriii: Jcliis, with refpci^l to the believer, I think fome will, perhaps objecl, fayir.p-. That the believer is delivered from the curfe of the law, we underftand 5 but ftill we cannot fathom hov/ he is dead to the command of the law : that he is dead to the condcjnning power of the law, is plahi ; but, how is he dead to the prccepti-jc^ mandatory^ comrriand^ ing power of the law ? To which it might be replied. He is dead to, and delivered from tlie preceptive part of the law, v^Gt materially^ hut for ?nal/y ; for the com- mand of it materially^ is, Do, or yield obedience : this he can never be delivered from, fo long as he is a crca^ ture, and God his Creator: but the command of it formally, or under the form of the covenant of works, is, Doy and Live ; Do, by your own Itrcngth ; Do, as the condition of your eternal life ; and Do, under tlie pahi of eternal death and damnation : this, I fay, v/iiich
is
"^62 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c.
is the commanding part of the law, ybr;.W,^ confidered, as it is a covenant of works, he is wholly and altoge- ther delivered from. To preach the mandatory part cf the law, as a covenant of works^ is to preach the moral law, not merely as a rule of life, but as the con- dition of life eternal ; in which fenfe the believer is not at all bound to acknowledge it : and to fay, that the believer is delivered from the law, that is, only from the , curfe of the lav/, would make fome very Itrange glofles upon many fcriptures : for example. Gal. iii. lo. As many as are of the works of the law^ are under the curfe ; the meaning of it then would be. As many as are under the curfe, are under the curfe. It muil therefore be meant of the precept of the law ; As many as are under the precept, are under the pe- nalty thereof. The believer then is dead to, and de- livered from the law in its commanding and condem- jiing power, and that in, and through Chrift. And I am not afraid, nor afliamed to fay it, in the words of the famous Dr. Ov/en, " That the whole power '' and fanclion of the hril covenant was conferred u- " pon Chrift, and in him fulfilled and ended." And I think I fay no more than what the apoftle, a greater than he, faith, Romans x. 4. Chr'ift is the end of the law far righteoufnefs to every one that believeth. — Thus you fee what it is in the law, the believer died to, more generally.
3(^Vy, The third thing here propofed was. What it is to be dead to the law^, more particularly as it comes un- der the notion of death. And here, i. I mall fnew the import of this death. 2. Some of the qualities of
iL.
(i.) To (hew the rinport of this death. The notion of death may here help us to the import ; for,
I. As in death there is no relation takes place ; it dilTolves the relation betwixt mader and fervant, huf- band and wife. Job iii. 16. The fervant is freed from his maflcr., fo licre, tlie man being dead to the law, the re- lation betwixt liim and it is difiblved, Rom. vii. i,— 4- He is now married to Chrift, and divorced from the law : while the man is alive to the law, the relation
ftands I
Serm. XXIII, 6"r. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 263
fiands ; For I tejlif^ to c-vcry one that is unclrcumc'ijcd^ that he is a debtor to do the whole law^ Gal. v. 3.
2. Ill death there is no care or t hough tfulnefs^ Eccl. ix. 10. T^here is no work^ nor device^ nor knowledge^ nor zvifdo?n in the grave ^ whither thou goeft ; intimating to us, that in death there is no care nor thoughtfijl- nefs, nor concern about doing any thing : fo the man that is dead to the law, he hath no more care, nor concern about the works of the lav/ in point of jus- tification, than a dead corps about the work in which it was occupied while living : while the man is alive to the law, all his care and concern is about the works of the law j Do, and Live,
3. In death there is no hope ; The land of the living is the land of hope, Eccl. ix. 4. : Even fo the man that is dead to the law, he hath no hope nor expeclaLion
from the law, or from his obedience thereto. Thc^
man that is alive to the law, he hath hope, that God will pardon him, and pity him ; why ? bccaufe he does fo and fo ; he is a good neighbour, he wrongs no-body, he is juft in his dealings, and careful in his duties, and touching the righteoufnefs of the law, he is hlamelefs : he hath a good heart towards God, and he hath a good hfe too ; and therefore he hopes to be jufLified and faved of God, for Chriil's fake : for he hath learned, it may be, to make fo muchufe of Chrift, as to think he cannot be faved without him ; but (llil his hope and expectation is founded upon the law. But now, the man dead to the law, he hath no hope from the law ; nay, he defpairs of falvation by the deeds of the lav/ : as he fees he cannot do any thing, without grace and ftrength from above, fo even when he does any tiling by the help of grace, he fees it fo lame and impcrfedt, that God cannot juflify or fave him, to the honour and credit of his juifice, unlefs he hath a pcriecl righ- teoufnefs. He hath no hope by the law.
4. In death there is no toil, no turbulant paflion nor affedion : natural death puts an end to natural afiedions, which take place in man's life-time ; fuch as the weary purfuit of what we love, and the weari- fome flight from what we hate, or fear : there is no
fuch
^64 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serk* XXIII, 6*^^
fuch thing in the grave ; nere the zveary are at reft^ Job ill. 19. They that are ahve to the law, znd find the life of their hands ^ they weary themfehes in the great-
nefs of their way^ as it is expteffed, Ifa. Ivii. 10.
Many a weary night and day they may have in purfuing after their lovers, m eftabliiliiing their darhng feif- rightcoufnefs. The law gives them a wearifome talk, to make brick without affording flraw ; and leads them with heavy burdens of curfes, in cafe the talk be
not performed. But when a man is dead to the
law, then the zveary are at reft : Chrift is the reft ; Come to me^ all ye that are weary and heavy laden ^ and I will give you reft. Then the man gets reft to his con- fcience, in the blood and righteoufnefs of Chrift, the end of the law : reft to his paftions and alfeaions ; he refts from his fears, legal fears of hell, and wrath threatened in the law : the behever indeed may be fil- led with them, but fo far as he is dead to the law, fo far is he at reft from thefe legal riavifli fears. He refts from his love and dehght ; the law affords its vota- ries nmch pleafure, fometimes in the performance ct their duty in a legal way : but now the believer takes no delight in that way of juftification ; he is out of conceit with himfelf, and his duties, bccaufe they are vile ; yea, though they were not fo vile as they are, but perfeec, yet he is out of conceit with that way of life, and beholding the glory of the new covenant and way of falvation, joins ilTue with Job, chap. ix. 15, 21. V/hom^ though I were righteous^ yet woidd not I anfwcr^ but I would make fupplication to my judge ; tho' I were perfed^ yet would I not know my foul^ I woidd defpife my life. In a v/ord, he reftsfrom his legal griefs and forrows, becaufe he refts from his legal labours. As it is faid of the dead in Chrift, in another fenfe, Rev. xiv. 13. Blefjed are the dead thai die in the Lord^ they reft from their labours^ and their works follow them : fo I may fay in this cafe, Blefled are the dead which die to the law, they reft from their labours, their toil- ibme, troublefome, v/earifome, legal works, and yet their works do follow them : they are now created in Chrift Jefiis unto good works. But,
5, In
Serp*!. XXIII, 6v. Law-Death, QosPEL-LiFE. 26^5
5. In death there is wo fcnfe : a dead man does not fee, nor hear, nor tafte, nor I'lnell, nor exert any natu- ral fenfe \ fo that they are dead to it, they do not now
fee the hghtenings of Sinai all in a flame, as formerly they did ; they do not hear the thunders thereof ; they do not fmell the fulphure of the burning mountain ; they do not feel the terror of vindidive vengeance, the tem.peft that furrounded the mount ; they do not tajie the gall, the bitternefs of the wrath tln-eatened in the law ; the bitternefs of death is over with them, fo far as they fee that Chrifl drank the gall for them ; yea, fo far they are dead to the lav/, they are dead to all Si- nai wrath : They are not come to the mount that might be touched^ and that burned with fire ^ nor unto blackncfs and darknefs^ and tempej}^ and the found of the trumpet^ and the voice of words ^ — ^but they are come to mount Sion,and unto the city of the living God^ Heb. xii. 18, — 24. But what ? Have the godly no fenfe of law-wrarh ? Yea, fo far as they are legal, and under the law (for they are never wholly freed from a legal temper while here) the dead ghofl of the law may rife up and fright them ; but fo far as they are dead to the law, it is not law- wrath, but fatherly-wrath that af/ecls them. Indeed, through unbelief, they may fear hell ; but they can- not do fo by faith, feeing there is no foundation for either that faith or fear, in the Bible, that a believer ihall be call iiUo hell hnce there is ?io ccndemnation to them that are in Chrijl fefus»
6. In death tL^ere is no motion ; vital motion Cw^fes when death takes place : thus, fo far as a man is dead to the lav/, fo far the motions of fm are killed ; for, ■the motions cffni are by the laiv^ Rom. vii» 5. By the lav/ cccahonally and accidentally men running the more into iin, by how much the more they are forbid- den to commit fm. Hence ?vlufculus compares the law, in this refped, to a c^aflc matron in a brothcl- houfe, which by her good advice docs prove an ccca- fion to fome impudent whores to be more bold, and impudent in their impiety ; Sin taki::g Gccafion by the law^ or commandment, faith the apollle, wrought in me all ynanner of conciiffcv.cc, Eut now, fo far as a
V 0 L. II, L 1 man
'z66 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c,
man is dead to the law, fo far are the motions of fin killed, and his foul quickened to live unto God. Of which more afterwards.
(2.) To ihew fome of the qualities of this death to the law.
I . It is an univerfal death : I do not mean that it is common to all the children of men, though it be a common death to the children of God, and to eve- ry one of them ; yet it is a rare death among the children of men : The 'vohole world lies in wickednefs^ and are dead in fins and treffafjes ; few are dead in this fenfe : but what 1 mean by its being univerfal^ is, that the man that is dead to the law in point o{ jnf- iijicaiion ; he is dead to every part of the law in its old covenant-form, to the precept of it, to the penalty of it, fo as he is not to be juitified by the one, nor condemned by the other. He is dead to every legal form of the law ; his gofpel obedience thereto, is no part of his righteoufnefs for juflification before God j if he fnould endeavour to make his gofpel-obedience to the law, as a rule of life, in the hand of a Mediator, any part of his righteoufnefs for juilification, he fo far turns the covenant of grace, and the duties required therein, into a covenant of works, and he feeks to hve unto that, to which he is^ and fliould be dead. It is true, the form of the law in the gofpel-covenant does not require obedience for juflification ; but yet this corrupt nature is prone to turn to the old byafs, and abufe the proper form of it, by turning of the rule of
obedience into a rule of acceptance. If a man make
faith itfelf an aft, or any ad: or fruit of it, the matter of his juft location, he turns it to a covenant of works : the believer is dead to faith itfelf in this refped ; yea, faith renounces itfelf, and all things elfe, but the righ- teoufnefs of Chrifl for juflification. In this fenfe, he is dead to repentance, iove, and other graces ; he is dead to every obedience to the law, as a covenant of works ; to his natural legal obedience before his con- verfion ; and to his fpiritual gofpel obedience after converfion : which, though it be a righteoufnefs that
God
Serm. XXIII, 6"r. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 267
God works, and is the Author of; yet, becaufe it is the behever that is the fubjed, and made the a^lor thereof, it is called his own righteoufnefs, or confor- mity to the law : all which he renounced in the mat- ter oF juftification, dehring to he found in Chriji^ not having his civn righteoufnefs^ that is after the law^ but the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith ^ Phil. iii. 9. — So that I fay, it is an univerfal death.
2. It is a lingering death. It is not eafy to get the law killed : fomething of a legal difpofition remains even in the believer while he is in this world : many a [troak does felf, and felf-righteoufnefs get, but ftill it revives again. If he were wholly dead to the law, he would be wholly dead to fin ; but fo far as the law lives, fo far fm lives. They that think they know the gofpel well enough, bewray their ignorance ; no man can be too evangelical ; it will take all his life-time to get a legal temper deflroyed. Though the believer be delivered wholly from the law, in its commanding and condemning power and authority, or in its rightful power that it hath over all that are under it ; yet he is not delivered wholly from its ufurped power, which takes place many times upon him, while here, through remaining unbelief.
3. It is a painful death ; it is like the cutting off the right hand, and plucking out the right-eye : The man hath no inclination to part with the law. It is as na- tural for him to exped: God's favour upon his doing fo and fo, and to expe6l life and falvation by his o\^\\ obedience, or doing as well as he can, as it is natu- ral for him to draw his breath ; If %je do our heft.^ God will accept of us, that is the natural language of every one, who is wedded to the Do and Live of the firfl: co- venant. And, O what a pain is it to be brought off from that way 1 To die to the law, is moft unnatu- ral, ftrange do£lrine ; and legal pangs, and pains of convidion, and humiliation muff be borne, before a right thought about dying to the law can be brought forth.
4. It is 2ipleafant death ; it is painfid at firft, but pleafant at lad : O how pleafant is it, to fee fclf abafed,
L. 1 2 and
^68 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c.
y.nd gr^ice exalted ; felf-righteoufnefs cried down, and Chrilt's rightooufnefs cried up in the foul 1 Wifdo?n's ivays are pieafantnefs : and this way particularly, where- in no flej]-) does glory in his prejence ; but he thai gloriethy I lor id h in the Lord : he rejoicefh in Cbri/i J ejus ^ and /jath no cojijidcnce in the jlejh : he doth j^?y in God^ thro^ J ejus Chrijij by whom he receives the atonement ; a^id grace reigning through right eoufnefs^ to eternal life by Jc- fiis Chrijl our Lord^ Rom. v. ii, 21. Tliis death is a pleaiant parting, when the man is brought to a part^ ing with all his own rags for a glorious robe, Ifaiah ixiv. 6. and Ixi. 12. and xlv. 24.
5. It is an honourable death : to be dead to the law, is a death that brings honour to God, to Chrifr, to the law, and to the befiever. It brings honouf to God's holinefs^ which is now fatisfied by Chrift's doing ; and honour to God's jufftce^ which is now fatisfied by Chrifl's dying.— -It brings honour to Chriji ; for now the man values the righteoufnefs of Chrifr, as being indeed the righteoufnefs ofGod^ and a full, fufficient, perfect righteoufnefs.— It brings honour to the law^ when, inflead of our impcrfcd obedience, we bring it to an obedience better than men or angels in their befl eftate could giye it, even the Lawgiver's obedi- ence ; which indeed doth magnify the lavj^ and make it honour able, --\l brings honour atfo to the believer him- fdf : he is honoured and beautified with a law-biding righteoufneis, truly meritorious, and every way glori- ous : T^hls is the honour cf all the faints,
6. It is 7i profitable deatli : it is a liappy death, and a holy death ; profitable botli for happinefs and holi- i^efs ; profitable both for j unification and fandiiica- tion. Our legal righteoufnefs is unprofitable ; / ivill declare thy righteoufnefs^ and thy works ; for they fhall. not profit thee^ Ifaiah Ivii. 12. It is unprofitable for juftification ; for, by the deeds of the low jhall no flejh. living be jufiified :■ it is unprofitable for fanckification ; for his filthy rags do rather pollute him than purify him. — But the righteoufnefs of Chi id is profitable e- very way : they are happy that have it ; for, they are juftifiedfrom all things^ from zvhich ibey could not be juj-
iified
Serm. XXIII, &c, Law-Death, Gosp£L-LirE. 269
lified by the law of Mofes : they are kcly that have it ; as will appear in the i'equel of our dii'courfe. Being dead to the law, is the way to live unto God.
/[.tbly^ T\\c fourth thing here propoied, is the 7neans of this death ; / through the lav am dead to the law : the mean of death to the law, is the law. But then a quefdon may be moved. How can this be, feeing the I^w is the caife of ?io good thing in us, and is the mini/if aticn of death and co7idavnatio7i f 2 Cor. iii. 7,
8, 9. In anfwcr to which, v\^e may obferve. That-
though the law is not \}\\^ caufc of this death to the law, and fo death to fm ; yet it is an occafton thereof, for it accufes, terrifies, and condemns us, and tlicre- fore occafions and urgeth us to flee to Clirifl, who is the true caufe that we die to the law, and to fm : as the needle goes before, and drav/s the thread Vvdiich fews the cloth ; fo the needle of tlie law goes before, and makes way for the grace of the gofpcl, that it may follow after, and take place in the heart. To be dead to the lawj and married to Chrift^ is all one in fcrip- ture fenfe. Now, to be dead to the law, by the law, is by means of the law, to be led to Chriil for juflifi- cation, by faith in him, without the deeds of the law ; ne laiu was our fchoolm after to lead us to Chrifl, that we might be juliified by faith. Gal. iii. 24. ; where the law may be taken cither for th<e ceremonial or moral\-:x\\\ If we take it for tlie ceremonial law, then it is true that the ceremonial law pointed out Chrifl to us truly : but then the ceremonial law was gofpel, in the fub- ftance of it, though vailed over v/ith types and flia-r dov/s, which were to continue till the body was come : but if we take it for the moral law, tlien it brings us to Chrifl only occafionally ; for to bring us to Chrijl;, is no proper wi;rk of the law, only it is the occafion thereof, infomuchas it ibrces us from itfelf, and Uiakes us to fee that by it there is no hope of life ; fo it cur- fes all fmners, and gives hope of life to none : it is the gofpel only that (liews us the falvation to be liad in Chrifl. Now, the law, by the feverity of it, is an occa- fipn to us of feeking life, where it is to be ibund : like
a child
I'jo Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6^^^
a child, knowing the tendernefs of his father's love, and finding the fchool-mafter to be very fevere and fliarp, he runs from the feverity of the mafter, to hide himfelf under his father's wings: yet not by his maf- tcr's teaching, but his feverity is the occafion of it : even fo it is through the law, and its feverity, that the believer is dead to the law : it is then by a law- work, in fome meafure, a work of legal convidion and humiliation, that a man comes to be dead to the law.
Here 1 will name to you a few pieces of law-work^ which are the occafion of the man's being dead to the law^ when the Spirit of God makes ufe of the law for that end.
1. Through the law a man gets the convidion of the holinefs ofGod^ and of the holinefs, fpirituality, and ex- tent of the law itfelf ; the Spirit of God enlightens the mind, to fee the conformity of the command unto the will of God, and to the holy nature of God ; this is called the coming of the commandment^ Rom. vii. 9. — J-or J ivas alive zuithotit the law once : I thought 1 was holy enough, I found the life of my hand, while I was touching the right eoiifnefs of the lawy blamelefs ; but when the commandment came^ fin revived^ and I died. When I faw the holinefs and fpirituality of God's law, fm re* vived, and I died ; 1 faw that 1 was a fmner indeed, and I died to the law, and to all conceit of my own works, and obedience to the law^ This conviction makes a man have a dodrinal approbation of the law as holy^jujly and ^0^^ ; holy, in its precepts ; jufl, in its threatenings ; and good, in its promifes ; I confcnt to the law, that it is good. By this convidion, a man fees not only the holinefs and fpirituality, but the ex- tent of the law ; Thy commandment is exceeding broad ; k is extended to all my thoughts, words, and adions ; to all my affedions, defigns, defires, and inclinations. Now, when a man fees this, it kills his confidence, and makes him fee he hath no righteoufnefs confor- mable to the law.
2. Through the law, the man gets tlie convidion of iin ; By the lazv is theknozvJedgeoffu:^ Rom. iii. 20.
Con<
Serm. XXIII, 6^. Law-Death, GosPEL-LiF£. 271
Convidion of fm is the confcioufnefs of our tranfgref- fing of this holy law. This convidlion makes a man fee fin in its nature^ that it is the tranfgrejjion of the h:w^ I John iii. 4. and fo a contrariety to the whole nature and will of God. This convidlion makes a man fee the kinds of fm : it may be, the Spirit of God begins with fomc actual, grievous fm ; adual fm is the fwerv- ing of our adlions, either in thought, word, or deed, from the law of God, either by omifTion or commiflion* From thence the conviction g<.es to origi^ial fm, letting the man fee, that not only is his nature deftltute of all righteoufnefs, and conformity to the law, but that it is wholly corrupt, that he is juft a hell of fm and enmity againft God ; and from thence the Spirit of Go^ by the law, convinces the man of the originafing fm, even of Adam's fm, and fays to him, as it is, Ifa. xliii. 27, Thy jirjl father hath finned^ and thou in him, — This convidion makes a man to fee alfo the aggravations of fm, how much light, and how many mercies he hatk fmned againft : and alfo the poiver and dominion of fm, what a flave he is thereto, and that the law is fo far from freeing him therefrom, that it but exafperates corruption, and fo \^ the ftrength of fm. Now, when the man comes thus to fee fm in its nature, kinds, ag- gravations, and dominion, what can more tend to kill his conceit of righteoufnefs by the law ?
3. Through the law the man gets the convidion of guilt as well as fm, that he is bound over to punifn- ment according to the law \ for guilt is properly an obligation to punifhment. As by the precept of the law, the man comes to get the knowledge of the in- trinfical evil of fm in its nature ; fo by the penalty cf the law, he comes to get the knowledge of the confe- quentialevil of fm, as binding him over to hell, death, and damnation ; that the curfe of God, the wrath of God, the vengeance of God is the retinue and train cf attendants that accompany fm : and fo the man is put in fear of hell and damnation. It may be, when he goes to bed, he fiiall never rife again ; when he goes out, he thinks he fliall never come in again ; he is a- fraid his meat choke him, or the houfc fall above his
head,
272 Law-Dsath, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6v.
head, or the earth open and fwallow hmi up : fenfe of wrath haunts him hke a ghoit ; the man is put in prifon, and concluded under fin ^ Gal. ili. 22. Sin is the prifon, the fmner is the prifoner, God is the Judge, and the curfe of the law is the bond by which the pri- foner is tied neck and heel ; and from this prifon there is no efcape, without the mercy of God in Chriii: ; who can command this prifoner to come forth ? The law cannot do it ; it is weak through the fiejh ; man cannot do it, he is by nature without Jirengtb : only he, whom God hath given to be a covenant to the peo- ple ^ can fay to the prifoner. Go forth y Ifaiah xlix. 6, 9. Now, when the man is thus convinced of guilt and wra^ by the law, this hath a tendency to make him dead to the law^ and to kill his confidence in any legal righteoufnefs of his own. O ! is there any poor pri- foner here, that finds himfelf Ihut up in prifon, under the power of fm, and under the guile of iin, and wrath of God ? O let this give you fome comfort for the prefent, till God loofe your bands, that this is the way God is taking to make you dead to the lavv^, that you may live to God.
4. Through the law, a man gets the conviction of God's €(iuhy and righteoufnefs ^ thougli he fhould pu- nifii and execute law-vengeance ; and fo is made to juftify God, though he fhould fend him to hell. I do not fay, that the fmner is made content to be dam- ned ; no : that, in fome refpeft, were to be content to be an enemy to God, and to fin againd him for tver ; for, the flate of the damned includes everlafl- ing enmity and fm, and fo it can never be the thing he is made content with ; but tbe man is brought to a convidlion of God's equity and righteoufnefs, though he fnould fend him to hell, as an everlafling punilh- ment. " To juftify God, fays an eminent divine, is '' to acknov/ledge on the one hand, that he does no *' wrong to the linner in the execution of the curfe ; *' and, on the other band, that he does no wTong to *' himfelf, or to his own juftice, when he executes the *' judgment threatened againfl lin, but that he does " that which is right.'* O, lays the linner, in this
cafe^
Serm. XXIII, 6"^. Lav/-Death, Gosrr.L-LirE. 273
cafe, God does me no wrong, though he fnould de- flroy me ; and he does not wrong his own juince, but is a jufl God in fo doing : yea, 1 cannot fee how the credit of his jullice fliould be falved, and how he fkould be glorified in his jufiice, if he do not execute judgment upon me, either in myfelf, or in a furcty for me, becaufe I have offended fuch an infinitely glo' rious Being : Agarnjl ibee^ thee only ba'vc I finvicd^ — that thou might ejl be juftified zuhcn thou ffeakejl ; and clear when then judgeji^ Pfalm li. 4. Is Gr,d unrighteous^ that takes vengeance? God forbid^ Rom. iii. 5, 6. The oftence done againft the greatefl of Beings, deferves the greatell of punilhments, even the eternal deftruc- tion of the creature. It is true, God delights not in the death of a finner ; As I live, I have no pleafure in the death of aftnner^ Ezek. xviii. 32. ; that is, as it is a deitruction of the creature, though he delights in it, as it is the execution of juftice ; even fo, the finner convinced by the law, though he cannot take pleafure in this, to think of being deilroyed, yet there is Come fecret kind of juftifying that which God takes pleafure in, namely, the execution of jiiflice. O how fit is it, that God's juftice be glorified \ And, how juft is God, in executing infinite judgment upon fuch an infinite evil as fm is ! And indeed the fmner would not fee fal- vation to be free^ if he did not fee damnation to be jiift ; but the fight of this, in the glafs of the law, and in the light of the Spirit, tends, in a manner, to re- concile the man with the device of falvation through Chrifl, whofe bloody facrifice gives juftice full fatif-
fadion. He is now content that God's juftice be
glorified by a fatisfadion m^ore glorious than that which the damned in hell can give ; and fo it tends to make him dead to the law, and to all other legal pennances, and fham fatisfadions, which thofe, w^ho are ignorant of God's equity and righteoufncfs, are ready foolifhly to invent.
5. Through the law a man gets the convidion cf his own ineKcufahler,cfs^ which is that effed of a legal work of the Spirit, whereby the fcul is kft without
Vol. IL M m excufe
274 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c.
excufe ofj or defence for itfelf ; JVhatfoever things the law fait h^ it faith to them that are under it ^ that £vcry mouth may bejiopt^ and all the world may become guilty before God, Rom. iii. 19. Now the whole foul of man cries out, Guilty, guilty ; his fig-leaves of excufes are blown away ; his former fhifts, and cavils, in defence of himfelf, do now evanifh : he hath not a word to fpeak in favours of himfelf. What faid he formerly ? Why, it may be, his heart faid, if not his mouth, O I hope there will be no fear of me, Adam's fm was not mine ; original fui is what I could not help, it came with me to the world ; as for my adual fms, I fee others guilty of greater ; as for my omillion of duties, and commiiTion of trefpaiTes, I fee none but have their faults ; and God is a merciful God, and I hope he will not be fo unjuft as to damn his ovv^n crea- tures. Thefe, and the like, ihifts and excufes for- merly took place ; but now he becomes fpeechlefs ; his mouth is Ifopt. They fee they will but deceive themfelves by thefe miferable lliifts, and that they are guilty, guilty, and fmful wretches, blacker than the very devil, and have not a mouth to open for them- felves ; and fo they die to all conceit of themfelves, and their own righteoufnefs.
6. Through the lav/ the man comes thus to get a convi£tion of his abfolute need of the gofpel, or of the Saviour revealed thereby ; being convinced of his fmful and miferable ftate by nature, and humbled un- der the ferious confideration and view of his fm and mifery, fearing the wrath of God due to him for fm, beholding the equity of God, though he fhould caff him into hell ; having his mouth flopt, and defpairing of getting out of this condition, by his own power, or the help of any other creature ; he is now convinced of the need of a Saviour : O I perifh, I perilli for e- ver, unlefs the Law-giver provide a law-biding righte- oufnefs for me 1 Nov/, the foul is ready to cry out, not in Rachel's fenfe, Give me children, or elfe I die ; but in her phrafe, 0 give 7ne Chrifl^ or elfe I die ; give me a Surety, or elfe I die. Now, he is content to be for ever indebted to the righteoufnefs of another : and
thus
Serm. XXIII, 6v. Law-Death, Gospel-Life, q^^z^
thus the law is the occafion of bringing a man to Chrifl. And 'io you fee how it is, that through the la%u^ they are dead to the law^ that they may live unto God,
III. The /Z>/r^ thing is tofpeak of theZ'-f//Vt;(rr'.f life, which is the fruit of this death ; it is a living unto God. And now, in fpeakiug hereto, 1 would, i. Enquire wliat kind of life it is ? 2. What are xho, fcriptural dc- ft^-Lacions of it ? 3. AVhat is imported in its being cal- led a living in general ? 4. What is imported in its being called a living iinio God in particular ?
ly/, What A^";; J of life is it that the believer hath in confequence of his being dead to the laiu f And,
I. It is not a natural Wfe, either in a phyhcal or mo- ral fenfe. Natural life, in Txphyfical fenfe, is tliat wliich we received from Adam by generation ; and it is the funftion of natural faculties, in living, movhig, ufing of fenfe and reafon ; that is a life that is common to all men, who yet may be dead : neither is it a natural life in a 7noral fenfe, fuch as heathens may have ; the heathens may have common notions of God, and of good and evil, fo as to render them inexcufable in their unnatural immoralities, Rom. i. 19, 20. They have a book of nature, both internal^ in the remainders of the law in their heart, ^o as they do by nature the things contained in the lazv, R.om. ii. 14, i ?;. and external^ m God's works of creation and general providence ; The heavens declare the glory of the Lord^ and the frmament JJoeiveth his handy-'ujork^ Pfal. xix. i. Now, this natural lile cannot be the living to God here fpoken of, becaufe this natural life flows only from a natural Hate, which is a flate of death : by nature we are dead, legally dead under condemnation : fpirituahy dead in fms, whollv corrupt, and the tree being bad, the fruit mud be bad alfo : a filthy fountain can bring forth nothing but fil- thy dreams. — This natural life does proceed from na- tural principles^ and thefe are corrupt ; fuch as the de- fir es of the flejh and of the mind ; the lufts of the JJefh^ tht luft of the eye., and the pride cf life. At bed their iiatu- ral life flows from felf-love, or love to its own liononr, praifes, profits, or pleafures : all nature's work are i* 1-
M m 2 ij.li.
^*jG Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c,
fif]i, however heroic they may be. This natural life is direded by a natural rule^ liich as the light of na- ture inward, or outward, accompanied with the coun- fels and examples of naturalifls ; neither does it ever come up to that fame rule of nature's light, which therefore does condemn them as guilty. This natural life h'Uh only natural defigns^ and ends : the natural man ads homfelf as his principle, to felf 2.^ his end, afcribing the glory of all his actions thereunto : thus ilerod gave not God the glory of his fine oration, but took the praife to himfelf ; but he was immediately fmitten of an angel, and eaten up of wornis.- — This na^ tural way of living, it is in a natural vianner^ after the courfs of J his ivorld^ according to the prince of the power of of the air ^ Eph. ii. 2. which is nothing but a walking in the li'Jls of the fief:} ^fulfilling the defires ofthefefh and of the mind: yea, in this natural life, nothing of Chrift , or of his gofpeL is either in the ftate, praftice, rule, end, or manner of it ; nay, they are without Chrif}^ being aliens from the common-wealth of Ifrael^ and ftr an- gers to the covenant of promt fe ; having- no hope^ and ivithout God, [or AtheistsJ /vz the worlds Eph. ii. 12, 2. It is not a legal life, either of Jewilh conformity to the ceremonial law, or of perfect conformity to the moral law : It is not that legal life of Jewifli corfor- tnlty to the ceremonial law^ or according to the Old Tellament difpenfation ; for that ceremonial law is a- brogated in Chrill:, tlie fubflance of all the old flia- dows; and fo that Jewifh life is unprofitable, and vain ; yea, it is damnable, and prohibited under the higheft penalties, Colof. iii. 20, 21, And therefore, fays the apoflle, Gah v. 2. If ye he circumcifed, [or live accord- ing to the ceremonial law, or any other law of works, fo as to expect juilification thereby,] Ch r if i fn all profit you 7iothing. Neither is this living to Gcr/that perfed life of conformity to the 7noral law, according to the old covenant of works, which required perfect, perfonal, and perpetual obedience, as the condition of hfe ; and threatened death upon the leaft failure : I fay, it is not this life either j for nian hath become guilty, and
fort
Serm. XXIII, 6^r. Law-Death, Go€PEL-LiFE. 277
forfeited life, and incurred death by Adam's firll tranf- grelfion ; By one r.ian f.n entered into the worlds and death by fin ; andfo death pajjed i^pon all 7nen^ for that all have finned^ Rom. v. 12. Thus we are for ever incapable of that life, which Adam was capable of before the fall. It is alfo impracticable, becaufe man is by nature without Jlrength^ Rom. v. 6. We have no Itrength to give that obedience which the covenant of works requires, becaufe we mud be redeemed from the curfe thereof, and reflored to the righteoufnefs thereof, before we can be capable to do what it re- quires.- And though Adam's hn and tranfgreffion
were not imputed to us, as indeed it undoubtedly is, yet feeing every adult perfon at lead \\2.i\\f7jncd after the fimUitude of Adam^s tranfgre/Jiun ; for, no man llv- eth andfinneth not ; therefore he can never perform the perfeQ obedience therein required ; and by the deeds of the law no flefo can be juftificd* Befides, there is no article of the covenant of works, that provided for a remedy in cafe of a breach ; but all that the co- venant of works doth, is, to promife life to perfect obedience in man's ovvn (Irength, and threatens death in cafe of failure, and fo leaves the tranfgrelTor there- of under its curfe. ■ In a Vv-ord, the life according to that covenant cannot be the life here meant, becaufe that covenant fpeaks nothing of Chrift, or of his gofpel, by whom, and by which, only we can now come to this living unto God ; and becaufe this living unto God prefuppofes a being dead to the law, or dead to that covenant, otherwife we can never live unto God, 3. It is not a /)Z?^r//22/r<3/ life of external, legal, but imperfect conformity to the law, and thereby endea-^ vouring to eftabliih a righteoufnefs of our own, as tlie Jews, Romans ix. 31, 32. and x. 3, Many reckon an outv/ard moral converfation to be this living unto God, whether in performing the natural duties of ci^ vility and moral honefty, or in an external performance of religious duties, fuch as prayer, praife, reading, hearing and waiting upon divine worfliip. The church of Laodicea was felf-conceited ; they thouglit they v^'ere rich and incrcafed with goods ; but, behold the
telli.
ayS Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, ^^.
teftificate that Chrift gave them, that they were net- ihcr cold nor hot^ fuch as God would fpew out of his mcuth ; yea, that they were wretched^ miferahle^ hlind^ and 72aked : that is all the teftimony that he gave them, who looked upon themfelves as rich in legal righte- oufnefs, and good v/orks. This pharifaical life may be accompanied with a glorious prokllion ; they may pro- fefs found ncfs in the faith, and difovi^n all thefe legal and unfound principles, v^hich others may have as their flated opinion: they may proFefs that righteoufnefs and j unification is not by the works of the law, but by the faith of Chriil, or by the works of Chrift received by faith alone ; they may have a found head, but no found hearty nor a good confcknce^ wox faith u?ifeigned ; for the end of the commandment is love^ proceeding from thefe, I Tim. i. 5. People may be like the toad, that hath a precious flone in his head, but hath his belly full of poifon ; they may have a head full of know- ledge, and a heart full of enmity ; a filthy mud-v/all may be garni Oied with fme arras ; a rotten fepulchre may be whitened : they may have much of the mat- ter, and external form of godlinefs, and yet want the power, and internal form thereof ; a name to live^ and be dead^ Yea, this pharifaical life may be accompanied with n^any excellent gifts, and common graces, and high attainments (as well as all vifible church-privi- leges) as we find fome apoftates may have, Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. Their iradcrflanding may be fo far enlighten ed,that they may attain to fiirange difcoveries of Chrift. Balaam was called a 7}mn ivbofe eyes were opened^ and that/^/ix; the vifions of the Almighty^ Numb. xxiv. 2, 3, 4, 15. Their wills may be fo far renewed, as to have a great many good purpofes, like thefe who refolved to ferve the Lord with all their hearty Deut. v. 27, 29. Jolh. xxiv. 18, 21. They may be almaft perfuaded to be Qhriftians, — -Their affeBions may be greatly raifed, and enlarged ; they may be raifed to f/me forrozv fir fn^ like Judas, and like Efau, who fought the blefftng with tears : to feme Joy ^ like the ftony-ground hearers, who received the wurd with joy and pleafure, yet had
Serm. XXIII, dr<:. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 279
no root ; to fome delight^ like the Jews, of whom it is faid, Ifaiah Iviii. 2. That they fought him da'ily^ and de- lighted to know his ways ; yea, lo fome fear and re'-d£' rence^ like thefe enemies that are faid io fubmit them- fehes^ Pfalm Ixvi. 3. and even to fome extraordinary raptures J like thefe who are faid to tajie of the hca^cen- ly giftf and to be partakers of the Holy Ghofi, On all which accounts their life and converfation may be changed in part. Thus many, Through the knowledge of God^ and of Chri/l^ have efiaped the pollutions cf the worlds 2 Peter ii. 20, 21, 22. The common gifts and graces of the Spirit may warm, fmooth, and wafh their outward converfation : all this will not amount to this living unto God in the text. Well, what kind of life is this ? We reply,
4. It is 2i fpiritual life, being the action, motion, and gracious faving operation of the Spirit of God m us, caii/mg Tts to walk in his fiatules^ Ezek. xxxvi. 27. It is the life of a fpiritual man. It is impollible for one to have a godly life, whatever to the world he may feem to have, till he be a godly perfon, or in a fpiritual (late. A man mufl have a (late of union to Chrift, by the faith of God's operation, fo that being married with his Hufband, he may bring firth fruit unto God. The branch of the old Adam cannot bear good fruit ; it is only the true branch, planted in Chrifl: by the fpirit of faith, that bears good fruit, John XV. 4, 5. A man mufl be in a ftate of reconciliation with God, juftified, pardoned, and indemnified, before God accept of any fervice ofF his hand ; for two can- not walk together^ or live together, iinlefs they be agreed, God accepts no action from an enemy, but his return- ing to him by faith in Chrift, and then begins all per- fonal acceptance. Men muft be in a ftate oi adoption^ before it is poffible that they can \iz followers of God as dear children; in a ftate of renovation^,rtr\^\Y^6. by the Holy Ghoft in the fpirit of our mind. The godly man, that is in cafe for a godly life, is juft a new crea- tion ; even \\\^ workmanjhip of God^ created in Chrifl Jefus unto good works^ which God before ordained that Ik pould walk in them. If the heart be not right with
God,
28o Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Ssrm. XXIII, 6'r.
God, a man cannot have a right life, or live unto God.
But I fnall go on to enquire,
2<i/y, Into thcfcriptural defignations of tliis life. To give all the names that it comes under in fcripture, were too large a taftv : I fhall only Tingle out fome of
the mod notable names it gets in fcripture. It
is fometimes defigned from God, fomctimes from Christ, fometimes from the Spirit, and fome- times from thefe names that import the other fpecial qualities and properties of it.
1. Sometimes it is defigned from God ; and it is called the ///'^ c/' G.<?(2', Eph. iv. i8. from which all na- tural men are ahenated : this is a wonderful name tliat it gets, the life of God ; who can tell what this life of God is ? God lives in himfelf, and the believer lives in God ; His life is hid 'with Chrijl in God^ Col. iii. 3. The bed we can fay of it, is, that it begins in grace, and ends in glory ; and is wliolly of God, and ^n him.
2. Sometimes it is deiigned from Christ ; andfo it is called a U-ving by faith on the Son of God ^ Gal. ii. 20. immediately following our text ; where, when the a- poftle would explain what he underilands by his liv ing unto Gody he fays, Neverthelefs I live, yet not /, but Chri/i Uveth in ?ue. Chrift, might he fay, is the Alpha and Omega of my life, the beginning and the end of it ; the author and finiflier of it ; Chrift is the princi- ple of my life, from whom I live ;. Chrift is the end of my life, to whom I live ; Chrift is the pattern of my life, according to whofe example I live ; Chrift is the giver of my life, the maintaincr of my life, the reftorer of my life ; after decays, he re/lores ??iy foul, and makes me to ivalk in the paths of rightcoufnefs, for his name'^s
fake : Chrift is the food of my lite ; 1 would die, if he did not feed me with his flelh and blood, which L> living bread and water to me : Chrift is the medicine of my hfe ; it is by renewed touches of the hem of his garment, and renewed applications to him, that my foul is healed : for, there is healing under the wings of this Sun of righteoufnefs : Chrift is the all of my life : For to me to live is Chrift ; he is my light, my ftjengtb, my righteoufnefs. It is the glory of the believer to
ac-
Serm. XXIII, 6^^. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 2.9c
acknowledge Chrift the Alpha and the Omega, and the ALL of his fpiritual Hfe.
3. Sometunes it is defigncd from the Spirit, and fo it is called a living in the spirit ; Gal. v. 25. Jfzis live in the Spirit, let lis alfo walk in the Spirit, It is a living in the light and leading of the Spirit ; Thy Spirit is good : lead me to the land cf upright nefs, — It is a liv- ing in the graces Tiudfruits of the Spirit, v;hich are dc- fcribed, Gal. v. 22. and a bringing forth thefe fruits of the Spirit. — It is a living in the Jirength and power of the Spirit, which is therefore called a law ; The lazv of the Spii^it of life ^ in Chrijl Jsfts^ hath made me free from the law of fin and death. The power of the Spirit hath the/^rrf of a law within the man, infomuch that when he walks in the Spirit, he does not fulfil the lufls of the flejh : he fcts the power of the Spirit againfl: the power of fm. — It is a living in the comforts of the Spirit, and joys of the Holy Ghuff ; and when he thus lives, the joy of the Lord is his flrength. — It is a walking in the liberty of the Spirit ; and, Where the Spirit of the Lord isy there is liberty. When a man hath this life, then he hath liberty to hear, read, pray, believe, mourn j and liberty to ferve the Lord : Truly I am thy fervanty
thou haft loofed my bonds. In a word, it is a living
in the love of the Spirit, and in a conflant dependence on the Spirit.
4. Sometimes it is defigned from thefe names that import other fpecial qualities and properties of it. And here I might bring in a multitude of fcriptures. It \% civlled a holy life ; Be ye holy as I am holy. — It is called 7x humble life ; Walk humbly with thy God. — It is defign- ed a heavenly life j Qur converfation is in heaven. The man is heavenly in his thoughts, ^xid fpir it ually -mind- ed : heavenly in his fpeech, dcfiring to edify thefe that are about him ; heavenly in his altedions, which arc ft upon things above ; his deure and delight being fet upon heavenly things : heavenly in his hope ; Looking for that bleffed hope,, and glorious appearing of the great God : heavenly in his trade, trading daily to the heavenly country by faith, prayer, and drawing bills of exchange UDon Chri[l, at: it were, for all that
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aSa Law-Death, GosPEL-LiFE. Serm-^XXIII, 6*^.
he (lands in need of. — It is called an upright life ; No good thing zvill he withhold from him that walketh up- rightly.— It is denominated a well-ordered life ; To him thai orders his cmverfation aright^ will I Jhew the falva- tion of God. — It is called a circumfpecl life ; See that ye ivalk circumfpeclly. — It is called a gofpel life ; Let your converfation be as it hecometh the gofpel ; that is, as it becomes a gofpel-flate, gofpel-principles, gofpel-rules, gofpel-patterns, gofpel-motives^ and gofpel-ends ; and, under the influence ot gofpel-grace. Adorning the doc- trine of God our Saviour. But, omitting all thefe,
I only inftance in one fcripture, wherein this Ivuing unto God is defcribed, in fuch a manner, as includes all other properties of it ; yea, and comprehends all the duties of obedience we are called to ^ The grace of God that hringeth fahation^ hath appeared to all men^ teaching us^ that denying ungodlinefs^ and worldly lufts^ we fl?ould live foberly^ righteoujly^ and godly in this pre- fent worlds Titus ii. ii, 12. ; where you fee, this liv- ing unto God comprehends all thefe duties oi piety to- ^vards God, fohriety towards ourfelves, and righteoif- nefs towards our neighbour, which we are obliged to by the law, as a rule of hfe and holinefs ; and all un- der the influence of the grace of God, revealed in the gofpel, teaching us thefe things efficacioufly : for the law teacheth them only preceptively ; but it is the gof- pel that teacheth them effedively ; workijig in us both to will^ and to do. O that we knew this life more than we do.
yily-, The third thing here, was. What is imported in its being called a life in general ? Indeed this liv- ing to God, is the only life that deferves the name of life. In vegetative life, the trees of the field do excel men ; for, from little plants, they turn to (lately oaks. \x\fenfitive\\{^^ the beafts of the field do excel man, for they go beyond him in thefe natural faculties ; as the dog in fmelling, the eagle in feeing, the hare in hearing, and other creatures in other fenfes. — In ra- tional life, many heathen philofophers may excel the Chriflian. So that it is not the vegetative life, where- by plants excel us ; nor the jhifaivc life, whereby
beafts
Serm. XXIII, 6"£:. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 28^
beafls excel us : nor the rational life which reprobates have as well as we ; but the Spiritual divine life-, that deferves the name ; without which, our life is but a death. However, this fpiritual life, or living to God, may be called life, becaufe it hath all thefe things in it fpiritually, which natural life hath in it na- turally : as,
I. Life hath motion in it; and fo here, this fpi- ritual hie imports motion; where-ever the Spirit of
life comes, there is a motion among the dry hones.
Now, there are fome duties he moves in, fuch as prayer; Behold he prayeth^ who never prayed to purpofe beiore; he moves in the duties of hearing, reading, examina^
tion and mortification. Now, there are {omt graces
that move in him; faith begins to move, faying, I be- lie-ve^y Lord, help ?ny unbelief: Hope begins to move, He is begotten to a new and lively hope : Love begins to move, may be in fighs and groans, for want of love. Now he moves, and the term he moYCS from, is, fin, Satan, the world, felf, feif-righteoufnefs ; and the term he moves to, is, God and Chrift, and heaven, and hea- venly things. So far as this divine life takes place, fo far all the faculties of the foul move towards "God ; the underftanding, to fee him ; the will, to fcrve him ; the afl'edions, to embrace him : and all the members of the body move towards God ; the eye is lift up to heaven in prayer and fupplication ; the car is open to receive inllruction ; the mouth enlarged to fiiig his praifes ; the tongue will be no more the trumpeter of idle communication ; the hand and heart v/ill be in- ftruments of devotion ; the knees will be bowed to the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrifl ; the feet will delight to carry the man to the houfe of the Lord : all is in motion for God, fo far as this life takes place. You may here fee, by the way, whether you have or want this life, which is a living to God. Though I fee an image lively reprefenting a man, having eyes, ears, mouth, nofe, hands, feet, yet I know it hath no life in it, becaufe it hath no motion ; fo, if we fee a pro- felTor without a fuitable practice, we may fiy he is an
N n 2 . idol.
^^4 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6*^,
idol, he is no Chriftian, but the image of a Chriftlan, It is true, a hypocrite may have all thefe external mo* lions, like a painted puppy, that may, by fome en- gine, be made to dance, and move up and down, but from no vital principle of life.
2. Life hath breath it in ; James ii. 26. The body 'Without BREATH IS dead^ as it may be rendered ; fo in this life there is breath : if a man's breath be held in a little wliile, the perfon cannot live ; fo the be- liever would die, if he had not breath in a fpiritual fenfe. What is the air he breathes in ? It is jufl the Spirit of God ; Awahe^ 0 norih-ivind ; conie^ thou
fouth ; blozv upon my garden^ thai the fpices thereof may Jlc-iv out. What is the breath that is put within him ? It is the Spirit of God : the Holy Ghofl is that to the believer, that breath is to the body ; yea, that the
foul is to the body.- God breathed into Adam the
breath of life ; and he breathes on the believer, fay- ing. Receive ye the Holy Ghojl : I will put my Spirit within you. What lungs does he breathe with t It is faith ; we receive the promife of the Spirit of faith. And what things does he breathe after ? Indeed the earthly man breathes after earthly things, faying, Who willjhew us any good f But the heavenly man breathes after heavenly things ; Lord^ lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me. Many perfons have a (link- ing breath ; it hath tlie fmell of earth ; yea, the fmell of hell : fome breathe out blafphemies and oaths : fome breathe out crueliy and wrath t but the man that hath this life, and lives unto God, his breath is a fweet breath ; fo far as he lives unto God, his breath fmclis of heaven, and of God, and of Chrift. But,
3. Life hath ufually growth ; even fo this life is a growing life ; this well of water fprings up to everlaft- ing life. Let a painter draw the figure of grapes never fo artificially, yet they may be feen and difcerned from natural grapes, becaufe they grow not : thus the paint- ed hypocrite may look well, but never grows. A man that hath this divine life, is ufually growing ; if not upwardly in holinefs, yet downwardly in humility j if not fenfibly in outward fruitfulnefs, yet infenfibly in
in-
Serm. XXIII, i^r. Law-Death, GosPEL-LiFE. 285
inward fighs and fobs, becaufe of his unfruitfulnefs ; and in pantings of foul towards perfection : He that hath clean hands ^ zvaxeih Jironger and Jironger, Indeed a winter time, or feafon of languifhing, may put the believer far back, and interrupt the growth ; but a fummer-reviving will make up all again.
4.. Life hath appetite and fenfe ; even fo this life im- ports fpiritual appetite and fpiritual fejife : there is ap- petite after fpiritual food. Many pamper their bodies and ftarve their fouls ; but he that thus lives, he hath a hunger and thirft after righteoufnefs ; and like 7iew- born babes ^ dejire the fincere raiik of the "jjord, that he may grow thereby* The doftrine of the gofpel is his life ; for, a man liveth 7iGt by bread alone ^ but by every word that proceedeth out of the ?nouth of God, He hath an appetite after thefe words of grace, and draws wa- ter with j^y^ out of thcfe wells of fahafion. Many are the fecret longings and pantings of the living foul, af- ter the living God, who is his life : and as life feeks its own prefcrvation continually, fo does tlie living foul in the living God, in whom only his life is hid.
There h fenfe alfo ; here life is fenfible of what-
foever is an enemy to it, and refifls it ; the more life, the more fenfe ; and the more fenfe, the more refif- tance : even fo they that live this life unto God, they feel corruption, and they fight againft it ; For the Spi- rit lufis againft the fejh^ and the fief :> againfi the Spirit : they groan under the weight of corruption, which they feel, and reckon themfelves wretched on the ac- count thereof : 0 wretched man that I am ! who f'jali deliver me from the body of this death f They that have no feeling of fm, no fighting againfi it, do look like thefe that have this life. — — They who have fpiritual fenfes, at leaft who have them exercifed, they have the feeifig eye ; they fee the evil of fm ; they fee the beauty of holinefs ; they fee the glory of God, in thd face of Jefus Chrifl; they fee God in his ordinances ; they fee an internal glory, in the external adminiflr^-- tion of ordinances, which others not feeing, they think very little of thefe things : alfo they fee God in his providences , in hh judgments, they fee a juil God ;
find
zSG Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6^^.
and in mercies, they fee a merciful God ; and them- felves kfs than the lefi of all his ;;/£rn>j-.— They have the hearing ear ; they hear the voice of God in the word, and rod ; Thcj fniell the favour of his name, which is as ointment poured forth : They tafte his good-
nefs, and feel his power. And thus you fee what
may be imported in its being called a life in general.
4//?/)/, The fourth thing was. What is imported in its being called ?Lllv'mg unto God : what is this living unto God f I have faid feveral things about it already ; but this living unto God, more particularly, may import thefe four things following,
i» The htXitYCx^s living unto God, imports, his liv- ing fultabhj to the relations that God ftands in to him, and he unto God, as being his God in Chriit Jefus ; and fo it is a living to him as our Redeemer, both by price and power ; as thefe that are not our own, hut bought with a price ; and therefore glorifying the Lord In cur fouls and bodies which are his. — It is a living to God as our Head : God, in Chriil, is the believer's Head ; and fo to live to him as our Head, is to live as members of fuch a Head, drawing fpiritual virtue, light, life, and comfort from him as the Head.- — It is a living to God as our Hufhand ; T^hy Maker is thy hufoand : and fo to live- to him in this reiatton, is to live reverently, lovingly, aiFedionately, with fubmiffion and fubjedion to our Huiband, as becomes the fpoufe of fuch a glorious Huf- band. — It is a living to God as our heavenly Father, depending on him as children on their father ; Wilt thou not frojn this time call me. My Father, thou art the gidde of my youth f Jer. iii. 4. — It is a living to God as our Judge, Law-giver, and King ; and fo it is a living as thefe that are accountable to, and as we fnall anfwer at the tribunal of this impartial Judge : it is a fitting at the feet, and receiving the law from the mouth of this righteous Law-giver : and it is a yielding the tribute of praife, obedience and fubjedion to this al- mighty King, In a word, . it is a living to God as
the object of our worfhip and adoration ; loving him as the Lord our God, with all our heart, foul, mind, a?id
firength^
Serm. XXIII, &c. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 2^7
Jirength. Thus, I fay, to live to God^ is to live
luitably to all thele relations he (lands in to us.
2. The believer's lhi72g unto God^ imports, his liv- ing fidtably to thefe privileges and favours that he re- ceives from God. Hath he enUghtened us in the
knowledge of himfelf ? Then, to live to him, is to %ualk as children of light ^ and not as thofe that are yet in darknefs and ignorance. — Plath he called us cfFec- tualiy ? Then, to live to him, is to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, — Hath he given us grace? Then, to hve to him, is to live, not as grace- lefs, but as gracious perfons ; not as thofe that arc in a ftate of nature, but in a ilate of grace. — Hath he pardoned OM'c ^\ns^ jiijiified omx: perfons, and brought us mto peace with himfelf? Then, to live to him, is tw
fcandfaji in the liberty wherewith he hath made its free. — Hath he renewed and faridifed us ? Then, to live to hhn, is to live as renewed, and fanclified perfons, whofe lulls are mortified, and whofe fouls are transfor- med into the image of God. — Hath he poured in the promife into our hearts by the Spirit .? Then, to live to him fuitably thereunto, i<s, having thefe promifes^ to cleanfe ourfelves fromthe filthlyiefs of the fiejh^ and of the
fpirit^ perfecting holinefs in the fear of God. — Hath he made us heirs of glory ? Then, to live to him, is to live as candidates for heaven; 2.$ pilgrims and fir an- gers^ abftaining from flefjly hifts ; travelHng to the o- ther world, having our affedions and converfation in heaven.
3. The believer's living unto God^ imports, his liv- ing in communion with hir.i^ and comfortable enjoyment cf him : In communion with him ; in the contemphition of him ; fanldifying the Lord in our hearts : in a conflant affedi on to him ; having his love fhed abroad in our hearts^ by the Holy Ghcfi : and in a conflant dependence on him ; receiving all from him by faith, and return- ing all to him in duty and gratitude, — It is a living in the comfortable enjoy?ne?2t of him^ as all our portion and happincfs, all our falvation and defire ; renouncing all things in heaven and earth as our portion, but a God in ChriH alone, faying, Whom have I in heaven but thee f
and
2yS Law-Death, Ggspel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6*r.
and there is none in all the earth that I defire hejides thee.
4. The believer's living unto God^ imports, his hving in conformity to God ; and indeed, fo far as we enjoy God, fo far will we be conform to him. As it will be in glory y wejhall be like hiin^ for, ive frail fee him as he is ; fo it is in grace here : the more the foul fees and enjoys him, the more is he like unto him ; Beholding his glory, we are changed into the fame linage, from glory to glory. And fo this //•!;/> o- unto God, it is a living in conformity to God's nature ; being holy as he is holy ; ferfcH as our heavenly father is perfeB, Is he a perfect God ? Then, to live to him, is to go on to perfection, Heb. vi. 1. — It is a living in conformity to his way cf living : God's way of living is a holy, jufl, good, faith- ful, merciful way ; having a general good-will to all, and a fpecial good-will to fome : and fo ought our ways to be. — It is a living in conformity to God's ends : God's great end, that he fets before himfelf, is the glo- ry of his name, the honour of his Son, the advance- ment of Chrift's kingdom, the ruin of Satan's king- dom, and in all, the praife of his rich and free grace ; and furely we live to God, when we have thefe ends alfo which are God's ends. — It is a living in confor- mity to his law, as a rule which is the tranfcript of hl« communicable nature, for our pradice ; If ye love me, keep my commandments : we do not love him, if we do not fo. They then that live to him, they do, from
love as well as confcience, obey him. Thefe things
miglit be greatly inlarged : however, thus you fee, in ihort, what it is to live unto God. We are telling, and you are hearing, what this life is ; but, O that we could live this life, as well as fpeak and hear of it ! Look to the Lord, that he may make you know it to your experience. It is called a living to God, i. Be- caufe it hath the Spirit of God for the principle of it.
2. Becaufe it hath tlie word of God for the rule of it.
3. Becaufe it hath the love of God for the motive of it. And, 4. Becaufe it hath the glory of God for the ul- timate end of it.
IV. The
Serm. X^llI, ^^. LAW-DEATEtj Gospel-Life. 289
IV. The fourth thing propofed was, to fliew the Influence that this being dead to the law^ hath u- pon living to God ; or the necessity of tb/is deaths in order to this life. Here I might fhew, i* Tliat it is neceiTary. 2. Whence it is neceflary.
ly?, That it is necejfary that we die to the law, in point of juftification, before we can live to God in point of fanclification : befides what was faid upon the jirji head, for the confirmation of the do6lrine, thefe following confiderations, or remarks, may difcover the neceffity of being dead to the law^ in order to our living to God 6
1. Remark^ That a man that is under the law, can perforin no holy aB : he may do fome things that are materially good, but nothing can he do that is formally good, or holy : and his work^ inilead of fandifying him, does ftill more and more pollute him ; To the pure all things are pure ; hut unto them that are defiled and unbelieving^ is nothing pure ; but even their mind and confidence is defiled^ Titus u 5. He then that is alive to the law, and under the covenant of works, his works can never make him holy, but rather more and more unholy.
2. Remark^ The man that is under the law, hatli no promifie ofi hcUnefis or fiandificatio?! by that law. The law only promifes H.fe, upon perfed: obediencCj in our ov/n perfon ; and if true fandification may be in one that is under the covenant of v/orks, then w^ muu: change .the articles of the covenant, ancj promifes of the covenant of grace, and m.ake fan.dificatioa no pro- mife of it : we muii: blot out thefe promifes, / idll put a ne%v Spirit ^vithin you^ and, / will 'write my la-io in your hearts : and all other promifes of the like na- ture, mufi: be razed cut of the covenant of grace : If one under the covenant of v.orks may attain to fanc- tihcation by hi^ own works, there is no need of this promife.
3. Remark^ That the man that is under the lav/, hath no principle ofi holinefs. The grand principle of trueholincfs, is the Spirit dwelling in the man : now, how does one receive the Spirit of faridification ? h It
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1^0 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm, XXIII, ci'r,
by the ivorks of the law f No ; hut by the hearing of faith^ Gal. iii. 2, It is the dodrine of grace, not of works, that makes us partake of this Spirit. It is the new teftament, or new covenant, that is the manifef- tation of the Spirit^ 2 Cor. iii. 6. Thereby the Spirit is miniftred, or conveyed to us, but not by the law. It is the gofpel that calls us effediially to fanclification^ 2 Thefl'. ii. 13, 14. We received the promife of the Spirit through faith ^ and not by the works of the law^ Gal. iii. 14.
4. Remark^ That the man that is under the law, is without Chrijl^ in whom fandihcation only is to be found : they that are faints, 2ixc faints in Chrift Jefus^ as the apoille defigns them ; and fanSiified in Chrifi : and our implantation into Chrift, is only from grace, and not from the works of the law ; and fo is our fandification only from grace, and only in Chrift, who gave himfelf for his churchy that he might fandify ity Eph. v. 25.
5. Re?narky The man that is under the law, is with" outflrength^ and cannot perform obedience to the law : the law is weak through the fiejh^ and cannot juftify him, neither can it fanclify him. In order to fandi- fication, a new creation is neceflary : the clean heart muft be created ; and the man created unto good w^orks: creating power muft be put forth: and creation is a work of God. We muft therefore make a God of our works, and edify them, and endow them with a creating power, if vv^e think, by the works of the law, to be fandlified ; or afcribe fuch efficacy to them, as to work true fandihcation in us. No man, then, that is under the law, or covenant of works, by giv- ing himfelf to all holy duties and adions, and exercif- ing himfelf in them, can come to attain true holinefs, or to be truly fandified.
6. Remark^ That the man that is under the power of the law^ is under the power of Jin. Whence is it, that the believer is freed from the power and domi- nion of fin ? It is becaufe he is under grace ^ and not un^ der the law^ Rom. vi. 14. Sliewing us, that thefe that are under the lav/, are under the power and dominion
of
Serm. XXIII, 6v. Law-Death, GosPEL-LiFF. 291
of fin. How fo ? Even upon the account of all tlie reafons already afligned ; and not only fo, but becaufe the law is the ftrength offin^ i Cor. xv. ^^. Particu- larly as it irritates corruption, ftrengthening and flirr ring it up ; Sin taking occafion by the co?ninand?ncnt^ wrought in me all mannei^ of conaipifccnce. Sin, by oc- cafion of the refifting command, brake out the more fiercely. Hence the law is only the occafion, and fui dwelling in us the caufe ; as the ihining of the fun is the occafion, why a dung-hill fends forth its filthy favour, it is the corruption and putrification therein that is the caufe ; fo here, the light of the law Ihin- ing, and difcovering fm and duty, is the occafion of fin's irritation and increafe, but corruption itfdf is the caufe. Well, fo it is, that a man being under the law, is under the power of fin : how then can he live unto God, while under the law ? or, hov/ can fan6li- fication take place while he is alive to the law, or not dead thereto ? — Thefe things may make it evident, I think, that it is neceffary that a man be dead to law, and brought from under it, before he can have true fanctihcation, or live unto God.
idly^ Whence it is neceffary, that a man be dead to the law in point of juftificatlon, in order to his liv- ing to God in point of fanftification ; Thefe particu- lars already mentioned, afford fo many reafons of the neceffity thereof: yet fome things more may be faid, for the further clearing of this point, namely, The influence^ that dying to the law^ hath upon our Uving unto God. Here two queflions occur, i. What infiu- ence living to the law^ hath upon a man's living in fin. 2. What influence a man's dying t.o the lavc^ hath upon his dying to fin^ and living unto God.
1. What influence a man's living to the laiv^ or being alive to the law, hath upon his livitig i n fui. — This is a flrange dodlrine, fome may think ; but it is as true as ftrange, that the law, and our works of o- bedience to the law, while we are under it, is. the caufe of deflruction, inflead of falvation, Romans ix. 3 1, 32. There you fee it deftroyed the whole Jewilh O 0 2 nation j
Sfeo2 Law-Death, GospEL-LiFE. Serm. XXIII, ^^»
riation ; Jfrael miffed righteoufnefs^ hecaufe ihey fought
it by the 'works of the law. Now, a man's being a-
live to the law, hath influence upon his hving in fin^ and fo upon his deftrudion, in the following ways,
1. Becaufe hereby he becomes hardened in fin and fecurity^ while he thinks he hath fome good work to bear him out, Prov. vii. 14. What made the fihhy whore there, impudent and hardened in her fms ? Why ? / have peace-offerings luifb me ; this day I have faid my- vows. Thus the Pharifecs, for a pretence, made long prayers ; and hereupon were hardened in their hnful courfes, fearlefs of wrath ; why 1 have done fo and fo.
2. Hereby they are kept from Chrift^ Vv-ho cnlyy^'u^j^ froriifm* The works of the law ftep in betwixt them
and Chrill, and the man takes Chrift's bargain off his hand, promifmg the fame that Chrift promifed, even obedience to the law : / delight to do thy will, fays Chrid: ; nay, 1 will do it myfelf, fays the man that is under the law : he makes himfelf his own faviour.-^ — What ! will not God accept of my good and honeft endeavour^? This is what he fcts up on Chrilt's thronej and if Chrift be pulled down from his throne, will it be fufficient that we fet up an honell: prince in his room? They have fome things to fay for themftlves, which, •they hope, will bring them olf before God. Thus they rejecl Chrifi:, the La??ib ofGod, which takes azvay ihefins of the world ; and how can they but live un^ to fin, whatever they may think of themfelves ?
3. liereby thtw pride 2,n^hoafVing is fcftered, Rom. iv. 4. To him thatworketh^ is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt : and the man expefts his due for his v/ork which he glories in ; for, boafiing is not excluded by the law of works, Rom. iii. 27. and therefore the man is loath to part with his own righteoufnefs, which is by the law: becaufe of his pride, he will not ftoop to live upon another, while he can fnift for himfelf. Self-love will not fuffer a riia'n to think the woril of himfelf, fo long as he is alive to the law : j\2cf, I hope I have a good heart to God, and I will do fomething that will pleafe Goii ^ and fo it is ^q ]ittle thing will
bring
Serm. XXIII, 6^^. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 293
bring him to fithmit to the righteoufnefs of God ^ Rom. X. 3. Thus the law foiiers his pride, and fure the proud man was never a holy man. , But,
4. Hereby fm h Jirengtbene'd znA encreafed^ as I faid before : the 7notiG7is of Jin arc by the law^ Rom. vii. 5. The law enteredy thai fin 7night abound^ Rom. v. 20. Not only as to the knowledge of it, which is by the law, but as to the adual out-breaking of it from the heart ; like a river being bounded and dammed up by the law, it fwells and breaks out the more violently. The wicked nature of man, being reproved, fwells and rifes like a fnake brought to the fire.
5. Hereby the man becomes defpcrate ; for the law fays, There is no hope without a perfect obedience ; and the m^an having wearied himfelf in doing nothing anfvverable to what the law requires, comes at lafl, perhaps, to .fee there is no hope, and fo . he dies in defpair ; I mean, he dies in fm, faying. There is no hope ; and therefore after idols I will go ; he flies Uway from God as Adam did.
6. Hereby he becomes f.avijh alfo ; the fear, tor^ ment, and wrath, which the law brings along with it, when the penalty of it is feen, weakens the man's hands ; and thefe lying like heavy loads upon the foul, it is thereby fettered and bound in prifon, hence faid to be held in the lazv ; that being dead zv herein lue were held^ fays the apoflle. The man is held, and fhut up in the prifon of the law, and fo out of cafe for fervice while his bands are not loofed ; or at heft his fervice isjiavijh, and not free ; the law holds him in prifon, he cannot ferve God freely. The free Spi- rit of the gofpel is what the world cannot receive,
while under the law. Thus you may fee what in*
fkience livijig to the law may have upon men's living in
fin^ fo as they cannot live unto Gcd^
(2.) What influence a man's dying to the law hath upon his living unto God^ or upon holinefs and fanc- tification ? To this we reply. It hath efpecially a two-, fold influencej both ^ phyfcal and ;;;(5/v;/ influence.-^ And,
204 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c.
[i.] It hath 2iphyfical influence upon a man's fandi- ^cation, in regard that a man that is dead to the law, is 7narried to Chrlftj Pvom. vii. 4. ; and fo neceflarily the man mud be holy, being disjoined from the law, and joined to the Lord Jefus, who hath fatisfied the pre- cept of the law by his death : and in him, not only have they thus a full discharge of all the demands and commands of the law, but alfo, by the implantation and inhabitation of his Spirit, are created to a conformity to the image of God ; and they cannot but live unto God. For,
!► In Ch rift they have life: though, while under the law, they were dead in Jin and trefpajfes ; now, in Chriit, they have lif-,^ and have it more abundantly : they are quickened by virtue of their union to this e- verlading Head ; hecaufe he livesy they live alfo, A dead perfbn can produce no living adlion, but Chrift is the life of his people : He that hath the iSon hath life ; and then, and never till then, is he in cafe for fpiritual a^ion and living unto God : He that hath not the Son ofGod^ hath not life. Vain men fancy within themfelves, that they have not loll their life, and fo they think they can do fomething that will pleafe God, and profit themfelves for juftification and fandification, even before ever they think of coming to Ghrifl ; but we may as well exped, that a dead corps will rife of itfelf, and do the natural actions of life, as to expect that you ihould rife, and a6l fpiritually, before you be in Chriit. The natural confcience indeed may be rouzed a little, and prevailed with to fet aboiit this and that duty ; but there is no hving unto God, till you get Chriit : in him the believer hath life, even in his Head ; as a man cannot live without his head ; but, being joined to this new head, and disjoined from the law, he cannot but live.
2. In Chriit, his new Headland Hufband, he hath light as well as life : as you know, the eye is in the head, fo the believer's eye is in Chrift his light, where- by he fees fin and duty ; fees to v/ork, fo as he may live to God. The mail that is under the law, he is in the dark, and cannot fee to work the works of holinefs,
which
Serm. XXIII, 6"^:. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 295
which is a living unto God. He is blinded with felf- conccit ; he fees not the vanity of his old covenant obedience ; and he fees not the way of the new cove- nant gofpel obedience, till he get the Spirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowledge of Chrifl, who is the light of the world ; a light to lighten the Gentiles : by whofe light the believer fees how to walk in a way well- pleafmg to God.
3. In Chrift, his new Head, he hath Jlrength : the man that is under the law, joined to it as his Head, he hath no Jlrength for his work, and the law gives him none ; and fo he cannot live to God : but the believer can fay, In the Lord have I righteoufnefs and Jlrength f whereas others have no flrength to produce fpirituai anions ; fm domineers over them, and they have no ability to jQiake off the yoke of fm, their flrength bcin^ but weaknefs. The believer hath flrength in his head ; all things are pojftble to them that believe : they can do ziU things through Chrjljirengthe7iijzg them : they can tjver^ leap a wall^ and break hows ofjieel in pieces, O belie- ver ! be Jirong in the grace that is in Chriji* O it is flrange, the grace that is in him, is in thee ; as the life that is in the heart, is in the toe, the foot, the ut- moft members ! There is a communication of vita! flrength and influences from the heart and head to all the members : the believer's grace is in Chrifl ; and the grace that is in Chrifl is in the believer. Here is a myilery to the world, but yet this myllery lies wrapt up in that word, Be Jirong in the grace that is in Chriji Jefiis. If the grace that is in Chrifl, were not in the believer alfo, according to the meafure of the commu- nication, how could he be ftrong in the grace that is in Chrifl ? My grace Jhallbe Jiifficient for thec.andmy Jirength fhall he perfetl in thy weakjicfs,
4. In Chrifl, his new Head, he hath liberty : under the law the man is under bondage, and fevere bondage to the command of perfe6l obedience, upon pain of death and damnation ; and fo under bondage to the curfe of the law, and fear of God's everiafling wrath ; and thereby he can do nothing ; he hath neither heart nor hand to ferve God \ he is bound neck and heel ;
but
^$$ Law-Death, GospEL-LijFE. Serm. XXIII, 6^r<
-but in .Chrift he hath liberiy ; Jf the Son make you free, you are free indeed : free from fervice ; Truly I am thy fervant^ thou hajl loofed rny bands. Now, he zvalks at liberty ; yea, runs the way of God^s commandments^ when he doth enlarge his heart* This is the glorious hberty of the children of God begun in time, whereby they are put in cafe to hve unto God. — Now, he is at hber- ty to ferve chearfully^ being dehvered from the hands of all his enemies, to ferve hirn without fear ^ in holinefs
and righteoufnefsy before God, all the days of his life, ^
Now he is at liberty to {tXNzfpiritually ; the Spirit of Chrift being put within him, and caufing him to walk in God's Jiatutes, Now he is at liberty to ferve hope^ fully ; knowing that his labour flmll not be in vain In the Lord : though, while under the law, his labour was but vain labour. — ^Nov/, he is at liberty to ferve accept tably : being accepted in the Beloved^ Eph. i. 6. ; that is, not only for his fake ; for there is much more in it he being our Head, and we members of his body ; and he, as our Head, having performed perfed obedience to the precept of the law, and given complete fatisfacVion to the penalty of the law ; the Head having done it, the whole body is reputed as having done it ; and fo wc are accepted in him ; his doing is ours, becaufe we arc in him, as our Head, accepted in the Belove^d ; our per- fons are accepted in him, and next our performances and duties. O what fweet liberty is here ! what a fweet foundation for fpiritual and acceptable fervice and liv- ing unto God 1 But this leads me next to fhew,
[2.] That it hath a ?noral influence upon fan Vilifica- tion ; a mian's being dead to the law, disjoined from it, and joined to Chrift, hath not only a phyfcal^ but alfo a ?noral influence ; in regard that hereby he is confirain- ed fweetly to live unto God ; The love of Chrift con- Jiraineth us, 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. If we have not love at the root of our actions, love to a God in Chrift, we are but empty vines, that bring forth fruit to ourfelves ; it is hMtfelflove^ which is not fruit unto God, or liv- ing unto him. The natural way of man's thinking is, we Ihculd ferve God, that he may fave us ; but the gof
pel
Serm. XXIIIj &c. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 297
pel way is, he faves us, that we may ferve him. AVhat made Paul fay, Being dead to the law^ I live unto Godf Why ? in the next verfe he enlarges on it, / Ihe to hiviy who loved me^ and gave himfclffor me. Be perfwaded, man, woman, of this ; or elfe as the Lord lives, you iliall die in a delafion ; that if you have net love to God, you have not a fpark of hoHnefs, though you fhould pray all your days, and work never fo hard ; / ivill circumcife their hearts to love me^ is the promife ; and this love is the heart and life of religious duties. — Now, you cannot have love, unlefs you fee fomewhat more or lefs of his love to you : we are naturally ene- mies to God, though we cannot get one of a thou- fand that will take with it : they think they have a love to God. God forbid, fay they, that we fhould be enemies ; nay, but I tell you, in the name of God, whether you will hear it or not, that as you are ene- mies by nature, and born with a dagger of enmity in your heart and hand againft God ; fo, till you get fomewhat of the knowledge of God, as in Chriji re^ conciling the zvorld to hhnfelf^ this enmity will never be killed. Now, I fay, it is the believer in Chrift, who, being dead to the law, and joined to the Lord, hath this love ; and this love conftrains him, fo that he brings forth fruit mito God, and lives unto him, Rom. vii. 3. ; being dead to the law, and married to Chrl/iy he brings forth fruit unto God, The believer hath fuf- ficient encouragement to make him live unto God : he fees Chrift hath fatisfied divine juflice, fulfilled all the righteoufnefs of the law, that he hath done that which is impreftible, or unperformable by us ; and when by faith he beholds this, he is encouraged to ferve God. Kence, fays the pfalmifl. There is mercy ivith thee, that thou mayeji be feared.— -Might he not: have faid. There is majejly with thee, that thou mayelt be feared ? The matter is, the majefty of God would put the finner to flee from God, as Adam did, when he heard his voice in the garden ; but his mercy makes us fear and love him, ferve and obey him ; Then they jhall fear the Lord and his goodncfs, fays the prophet, Hofea iih 5. If a man hath no faith at all of God's Vol. IL P p good-
198 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6"r.
goodtiefs, no hope of his favour in Chrift, where is his purity and holinefs ? Nay, it is be that hath this hope^ that purifies him/elf^ as he is pure, I know not what experience you have, Sirs, but fome of us know, that when our fouls are moft comforted and enlarged with the faith of God's favour through Chrift, and with the Ixppe of his goodnefs, then we have moft heart to the duties ; and when through unbelief, we have harfli thoughts of God, as an angry judge, then we have no heart to duties and religious exercifes : and I perfuade myfelf, this is the experience of the faints in all ages.
But that this moral influence, \vhich dying to the law, or covenant of works, hath upon living to God, or holinefs and fandification, may be further evident : let us confider, how the law to the believer, having now loft its legal or old covenant-form, and being put into a gofpel-form, and changed from the law of works into a covenant of grace, or the law in the hand of Chrift ; how, I fay, every part of it now conftrains the believer to obedience and fandification, in a moft loving manner. The gofpel-law, or the law of grace, that now he is under, is a chariot paved with love. The law, in the hand of Chrift, hath now another face, even a fmiling face, in all the commands, promifes, threatenings, and in the whole form thereof.
(i.) The commands of the law, in the hand of Chrift, have loft their old covenant-form, and are full of love. The command of the law of works is, Do^ and Live ; but in the hand of Chrift, it is, Live^ and Do : the command of the law of works, is, Do^ or elfe be dam- ned : but the law in the hand of Chrift, is, I have de- . livered thee from hell, therefore do : the command of the law of works is, Do in thy o'wnjirength ; but the law in the hand of Chrift is, I am thy Jirength ; My Jirength Jhall he perfeded in thy vjeahicfs^ therefore Do, The command is materially the fame, but the form is dilFerent : the command of the law of works is. Do perfeclly, that you may have eternal life ; but now, > . in the hand of Chrift, the form is, I have given thee
eternal'
Serm. XXIII, 6"r. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 299
eternal life in me, and by my doing ; and therefore do as perfe6;ly as you can, through my grace, till you come to a ilate of perfedion. The command, 1 fay, is the fame materially ; for I do not join with theie, who infmuate, as if here lefs obedience were required than under the law of works : though lefs be accept- ed in thefe who have a perfect obedience in their Head, yet no lefs is required, though not in the old covenant-form. And as the command is materially the fame, fo the authority enjoining obedience is originally the fame, yet vaflly diftincl ; in that the command of the law is the command of God out of Chrifl, an ab- folute God and Judge ; but now, under grace, it is the command of a God in Chrift, a Father in him : and fure I am, that the authority of a commanding God is notleflened, or loft, that the command is now in the hand of Chrift : Chrift is God, co-equal and co-efiential with the Father ; and as God's authority to judge is not loft, or leflened, in that alljudg?nent is committed to the Son ; fo his authority to command, is not loft or lefTened, in that the law is in the hand of Chrift : nay, it is not leiTened, but it is fweetened, and made amiable, lovely, and defirable to the belie- ver, conftraining him to obedience, in that the law is
in the hand of his Head, his Lord, and his God.
The end that he hath in commanding, and that they fliould have in obeying, is now diftind, and different from what took place under the law of works : the end that he hath in commanding, is not to lay a heavy yoke of duties on their necks, to be born by their own ft:rength ; nor, though performed by his ftrength, to be a righteoufnefs for their juftification, or a condi- tion of life ; but only to fliew his holy nature^ that lie will not have a lawlefs people ; to fliew his great grace,,' that condefcends to feek our fervice ; to grace and beautify his people, their chief happinefs confifting in a conformity to his will ; that his people m:*y ^ttgood^ which is neceffarily joined to duties, and conncclcd thereto by the promifes ; that he may have iomcthing to commend his people for ; and that he may, without a compliment, have ground to fav, Well done, good and
P p 2 ' falil^id
'300 Law-Death, Gospel-Life, Serm. XXIII, <6^r.
faithful fervants : and that by them he may have mat- ter of condemnation againil the reft of the world, who walk not in his commandments. In a word, he com- mauds, that his fovereignty may be kept up, and the fenle thereof, in the hearts of his people ; and that, by his word of command, he may, as many times he dotk, convey Ilrength to do what he calls to ; and in cafe of fliortcoming, to force them out of them- felves, under a fenfe of weaknefs and fmfulnefs, in to Jefus Chrift, the end of the law^ for ftreugth to fane- tify, as v/ell as for righteoufnefs to juftify. For thefe,
and fuch like ends, does the Lord command.^ And
then the end that they fhould have in obeying, is not to fatisfy confcience, nor to fatisfy juftice, to purchafe heaven, or the likej but to glorify God, to edify our neighbour, and to teflify our gratitude to God, and Chrift, that hath delivered us from the law, as a co* vcnant.
(2.) The promifes of the law, in the hand of Chrift, have loft their old covenant-form, and are full of love. Iht law of 'works promifes eternal life, as a reward of our doing, or obedience ; and here the reward is a reward oi debt : but the fee;, in the hand of Chrift, promifes a reward of grace to gofpel-obedience, efpe- cialiy as it is an evidence of union to him, in whom all the promifes are Tea and Amen, Eternal life was promifed in the covenant of redemption to Chrift, upon his perfed obedience, who paid that debt, when he came under the law of v/orks for us ; and now, eter- nal life being obtained to the believer in Chrift, as the reward of Chrift's obedience to the death, there is no other reward of debt that now takes place.-:— Re^ wards of grace are now come in fafhion, and this en- courages the believer to live unto God, that in the way of gofpel-obedience, there is a gracious pro- mife of fweet communion and fellowfhip with God ; He that lo\Ks me^ and keeps my commandments ; / will love him^ and manifeft myfelf to him^ and 7ny Father will love him, John xiv. 21, Here there is a fatherly pror mife of God -s favour and familiarity with him j yea, there is a promife of heaven itfelf;^ in the way of gof^
pel--
SERMiXXIlI, 6*^. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 301
pel-obedience, and fandification : a right to heaven is purchafed by the blood of Chrift, and tlie be- liever is the young heir of glory ; but his poifefTion of heaven is fufpended till he be fit for it ; till he do fomc bufinefs for his Father, and be made meet for the inheritance of the faints in light. This is fweet encou- ragement the believer hath, to live unto God.
(3.) The threatenings of the law, in the hand of Chrift, have lofl their old covenant-form, quality, and nature, and are now turned to threatenings out of love: there is no fuch threatening now to the believer, If thou do not^ thou fl: alt die^ The penalty of the law of works is condemnation and eternal death, which the believer hath no caufe to fear, being dead to the lazv ; no more than a living wife needs to fear the threaten- ing of her dead hufband : There is no condemnation to them that are in Chrifv, He that believes in hi?n,Jh all ne- ver die. Believers are under no threatening oi eternal wrath, becaufe under grace. It is a high exprefTicn that bleifed Rutherford hath to this purpofe, " The " gofpel, fays he, forbids nothing under pain of dam- " nation to a juilified believer, more than to Jefiis
" Chriil." Though the fms of believers deferve
hell, and the intrinfic demerit of fni is flill the fame ; [ yea, I think the fms of believers being againft io much los^e, and fo many mercies, they deferve a tlibufand hells, w^hcre others deferve one ;] yet, be- ing dead to the laxv^ he hath no vindictive wrath to fear, the blood of Chrift having quenched the fire of God's wrath, Rom. v. 9. While u^e were fnners^Chrif died for us ; and much more now being jufcifed by his bloody we are fived from wrath through him ; and fure he is not to fear that which God calls him to believe lie is faved from : his llavifhfear, therefore, is from unbe^ lief, and weakens his hands in duties. But now the law, in the hand of Chrift, hath threatnings and pu- nilhments, but they are fatherly and loving ; a iliort view of them you may read, Pfal. Ixxxix. 30, — ^^^,. If his children forfake my law^ and walk not in m\' judg^ Vients : if they break my ftatutes^ and keep not my com- mandments :
302 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, ^r.
mandmenti ; then will I vifit their tranfgrejjion with the rod. and their iniquities withjlripes ; neverthelefs my lov- ing'kindnefs will I not utterly take from him^ nor fuffer my faithfulnefs to fail : my covenant will 1 not break. — Once hiiue I fworn by my holinefs^ that I will not lie unto Davidy q. d. Though 1 will not fend them to hell^ nor de- prive them of heaven, no more than I will break my great oath to my eternal Son ; yet, like a father, I will chaftife them ; I will correft them for their faults ; I will fqueeze them in the mortar of afflidion, and prefs out the corrupt juice of old Adam that is in them ; yea, 1 v^^ill hide my face ; I will deny them that com- munion and fellowdiip with me that fometime8tl"tey had, and give them terror inftead of comfort, and bitternefs inftead of fweetnefs. A filial fear of thefe fatherly chaf- tjfcments will do more to influence the believer to ho- Imefs, and obedience, than all the unbelieving fears of hell and wrath can do : fear, leaft he want that fweet- nefs of God's prefence, which fometimes he hath had, will make him fay to his fms and lufts, as the fig-tree in Jotham's parable, Shall I leave my fweetnefs^ and be king ever you f O ! fhall I leave all the fweetnefs that I have enjoyed with God, and take on with bafe lulls and i- dols ! And hence, when the believer hath gone afide and backfliden, what is it that brings him back to Gi)d ? He finds the Lord breaking him many ways, and he re- flects, through grace, upon this fometimes, O ! how am 1 deprived of thefe fweet interviews that once I en- joyed ? Therefore / will go and return to viy firji Huf- band ^ for then it was better with me than now* Yea, his freedom from law-threatnings, and being only under fatherly corre£lion, when he fees this, it breaks his heart, and melts it more than all the fire of hell could do. — The flaviih fear of vindictive wrath difcourages him, weakens his hands in duties, and makes him run away from God : but the filial fear of God's fatherly wrath, which is kindly, is a motive of love that encourages liimto his duty. Which of thefe motives think you will work up the believer to mod obedience ? vi%. This legal one, 0 / my wrathful Judge will fend me to hell^ ifldofo and fo ; or this gofpel one ; 0 ! my God and
Father
Serm. XXIII, 6^^. Law-Death, GosPEL-LiFE. 303
Father in Chr'ijl Jefus will be angry at ine^ andclciiy mc bis love-tokens f 1 fuppofe the former works upon enmity, and raifes it, but this works upon love, and inflames it.
But here a queftion may be moved. Ought not the believer to live unto God, even without relpccl to the threatening of fatherly chaflifement and punilhment ? To this we anfwer.
No doubt, the more pevfed his obedience be, the bet- ter and the more like to the obedience of the faints in heaven, where no chaflifement is feared; but while he is here, he carries a body of fm about him, and needs to be ftirred up by fatherly correction. He ihould in- deed ferve God purely out of love and refpe£t to the command itfelf, and becaufe he commands it : but thus the matter flands, that as on the one hand, bcin|^ perfect in his Head, Chriil: Jefus, it is not his duty to have refpedl to what the law of v/orks either promifes, or threatens ; fo on the other hand, being imperfect in himfelf while here, it is his duty to have refpedto what the law, in the hand of Chrifl, promifes and threatens ; which indeed is a loving refpeci:, tending to advance holinefs.
(4.) The whole for?n of the law as a covenant of works, being thus altered, the lav/ in the hand of Chrifl, is all love, all grace, and fo influences the man to fandification. The man that is under the co- venant of grace, he hath a principle of grace within him, flriving againfl fm ; he hath the Spirit of grace within him, caufmg him to walk in God's flatutes ; he hath the promife of grace to be fuflicient for him : if fm prevail, and pollute him, he hath daily accefs to the fountain open for fm and for uncleannefs, to which he runs ; if his backflidings encreafe, he hath Chrifl engaged by promife to heal his backflidings : which, when he views by faith, it doth not encourage him to fm, if he be in right exercife of his fenfes, but draws him to his duty, like a cord of love, and brings him back to his kind Lord. In a word, being dead to the law^ he is married to Chrijl^ who is like a green fig-tree^
from zvhom all his fruit is found,- Thus you fee
what influence a man's being dead to the la-w^ hath u-
pou
304 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. vSerm. XXIII, 6^^
pon his livhig unto God, And fo much for the fourth head propofed.
V. TliQ Jzft/j thing in the method, was the appUca* iiofij which we fhall eifay in an ufe of information^ ex^ ami nation y lamentation^ and exhortation*
Is it fo, that being dead to the law^ in point oi juf- tification^ is neceffary^ in order to living unto God in point o^fandificationf Then for information^ hence we may fee,
I. That the do&ine of the gofpel is not a dodrine of licentioufnefs^ or carnal liberty^ however it be re- proached in the world : and if the preachers thereof, who would bring off people from the law of works, and from their felf-righteoufnefs, be reproached, as if they were enemies to holinefs, I will venture to fay it with confidence, in a place where falfehood fhould be an abomination, that it is a vile Jlandcr ; for whatever fmful weaknefs and imperfection may cleave to the preaching or practice of thefe, who defire to publiili this gofpel-doftrine, yet the Lord God of gods is wit- nefs ; yea, the Lord God of gods knows, and all If- rael may know, and all whofe eyes God enlightens fhall know, that this doctrine of dying to the law^ in point of juftification^ is a doclrine according to godlinefs^ and the very means of holinefs itfelf, and of living un- to God : if this be Antinomianifm^ I am content to be called an Antinomian *. But, we fee who are indeed
Antino7nians J
* The rife and ground of this I'njuricus accufation may be feenj In fome meafure, accounted for, Serm IV. page a38.— The Baxterian legal fchevie ofdcctrine had, by this time, fp read if felf abroad, and dtfFufcd its dangerous and pernicious irfiuence and dTefol efFeds, not only among the clergy in England, but had even crept into many or the pulpits in Scotland : This paved the way for exhibiting the c\\9iXg'^.Q^ Anthiomiantfm againft all thofe minifters who adhered to, and affiduoufly taupht the do^rhe of grace ; efpecially thofe who maintained the ahfokitc fr&cdom of the covenant of grac^ : the unti- mited grant that Cod hath made of Cbrijl^ andfalvation n.mth him to mankind ; the 7icccJJity of becoming dead to the la'xx} as a covenant y and of faith to apprehend and appropriate ChriJU <^nd Ins righteouf- fiefs for falvation. And though the Marro'VJ of Modern Divinity was defigoed to vindicate the dotlrtne of grace ^ in oppofition to An- tinomian and Neonomian extremes ; yet they who befriended this
book,
Serm. XXIII, e^r. Law-Death, Gospel-Life, t^o^
Antinomhans^ and enemies to the law and hollnefs ; c^ ven ail thofe who oppofe this doctrine, v/hereby we give the law all the honour imaginable ; Do ive make void the law through faith ; God forbid ; yea^ we_ ejla- , blijh the law : as a covenant we eftablifli it, while we preach Chrlll as our right eotifnefs {or jujlif cation : and as a rule of hoFmefs we eftablilh it, while we preach Chrift as ourfirength {ox fanclification of heart and life : and they that do not thus honour the law, do but dif- grace and dillionour it, and are truly Antinomians^ /. e. enemies to the law. And if this be called a nciO fche?ne of dodrine by way of reproach, though I confefs it is a new covenant fc heme ^ in oppofition to that of the old^ yet I will grant to no man that it is new otherwife ; feeing it is not only as old as Paul here,, but as old as the lirll publication of the covenant of grace in para- dife^ fo that we fee where it is, that the reproach of
bock, efpecially fuch who anneared in defence thereof, when attsclc- ed and condemned by the AfTembly, were accufed with being Anti' no77i:anSy enemies to the law and hoJinefs, friends to liceniioufners, and branded v;Iih introducing and ventiDg rievjfcheviss of D;vinitv. TiioDgh it is a notour taiil:, and weJl known to many yet alive, \\\^t there were not greater friends in the whole church, to evaKgelical Do^rine, than thofe who befriended the Aiarronv DoifJrir.e : They were joilly allowed to be firft-rate Divines. }< is true, indeed, they Were enenmies X.o all previo'is legal (Qualifications, to be performs d hf us, in onhr to fit and qualify us for coming to, and chf.ng nvith Chrijl, And wi h refpeft to our worthy Au'bor, it is obvicns to every intel* iigent perfcn, whoe-ther heard him preach, or hsvv: CArefuliy perufed his wfiiir.gs, that he had a peculiar talent in ftatlrig the difference between the law and the gofpcl, and put a refpeclable honour upon, and paid a dae regard to each of them 5 and tha» he conftantly urged conformity to the law, as a ruk of life : and aOKluouiiy inculcate the
pradice of hollnefs Any whoif^ciine to fee: the juunefs ofthef-e
obfervations, and have a complete view of this affair^ mav attain it, by peraliap; the Marrow itfelf, with attention, and carefully advert- ing to tiie judicious .Mr. Bollon's notes upon it; and the Hrtthren'a Anfivers to the Affembiy's Queries ; and an Afl concerning the ]J>oc« trine o\ Grzce, by the Affociate Presbytery : In which Aft, the Doc- trine of Grace, as revealed in the Htly Scriptures, and i'et forih iri oiv Standards, is sfferted and vindicated (roTn ihe errors venred a- gainll i: ; the Ma- row dodrine freed from the chtrge of Ancinomi- anifm, hid ag^iinil it by the Aifi-mblv, t^nd filevvn to be found-d on the Scrjpuues, coDi-iieni wiih our Standards, artd agreer.b'e to the jfentiments of other approved Divines ; and the A^ cf All -■.r.blv con^ denir.ing the Marrow, evinced to be injurioiis to the DovHrine or Grace, co'^trary to many parages of Scrij^ture, and diaaietnoliy op* poiite to ou; S-andards,
Vol. IL Q^ q a ricvj
306 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c^
a new fc heme ihould be lodged. 1 would have re-
proacners to mind what Paul fays of this dodrine of his, Gal. i. 8. Ifwe^ or aft angel from heaven preach another go/pel^ let him he accurfed. Here is the doom of fuch as preach another gofpel, which yet, fays the apoftle, is not another j but there are fome that trouble the Lord's people, and would pervert the gofpel of Chrifl. To be dead to the law^ is not to turn a loofe Antinomian ; it is to live unto God.
2. Hence fee the reafon why the devil oppofes the do6lrine of grace fo much, and cares not though the law, as a covenant^ be never io much preached up, becaufe it is the gofpel-dodtrine that tends only to true godlinefs, while the law and legal dodrine tends to keep men flrangers to the life of God. The devil cares not how much you be in duties, providing you keep off from Chrifl, who is the end of the law for righteoufnefs ; for then he knows you would be holy alio : but he is an unholy devil ; and therefore he oppofes the gofpel, and its dodrine. The devil knows that he hath fait hold of you, fo long as you cleave to the law ; but that he hath loft you, if once you have laid hold on Chrift : for, if once you get Chrift for jiiftijication^ as having fulfilled the righteoufnefs of the \2iW for you^ then you will alfoget him iox fan6llfication^ to fulfil the righteoufnefs of the law in you. The de- vil knows, that though in feeming holinefs, you fhould be^ransformed to an angel of fight, like himfelf, yet you ly under the heavy vengeance of God, and curfe of the law, and under the power of fin too, fo long as you are under the law. Therefore,
3. Hence fee the reafon why the moft part of the world are living to fin ^ living tofelf living to the worlds living to the devil ; Why ? becaufe they are not dead to the law. They only that are dead to the law, do live unto God ; and furely then, they that are alive to the law, and not dead to it, they archiving to the de- vil. No man that is alive to the law, can be a holy man : nay, what is the reafon of all the ungodlinefs and unrighteoufnefs, all the profanity and wickednefs of the generation ! Why I peqple are flrangers to
Chrifl,
Seru. XXlll^ &c. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 307
Chrift, and are ftill under the power, the irritating power of the law, which is the Jirength cffin. The world is crying up morality^ as if the preachers of Chrifl and his righteoufnefs were enemies to the moral law, as a rule of hohnefs ; and behold, in the righteous judgment of God, there was never a generation left to greater imnwralitks than the prefent ; a jufl punifli- ment of mens defpihng Chrift, and his law-biding righ- teoufnefs, through the faith whereof only true holi- nefs, and conformity to the law can be attained. O when the believer comes to fee by faith, that he hath nothing to do with the law as a covenant, this makes him delight in the law of God, as a rule of holi- nefs ; when he fees he hath not a farthing of debt to pay, either to the precept, or threatening of the law as a covenant, becaufe that debt was paid by Chrift's obedience to the death, this makes him find himfelf under the moll grateful obligations to ferve the Lord, in obedience to his law, as a rule ; yea, under greater obligation than ever Adam was in the flate of inno- cency : but the reft of the world, that are utter (Iran- gers to this freedom, they are in bondage to the law, and fo in bondage to their lufts.
4. Hence we may fee the neceftity of a law-ivork of co7vvidion and humiliatiGn^ and how much of it is neceffary, even as much as will render the perfon dead to the law^ that he may live unto God, So much con- viction is neceifary, as will unbottom the man from the covenant of works, and make him difclaim hij own righteoufnefs, and make him cry out, Unclean, unclean ; guilty^ guilty ; that thus his felf-confidence may be killed, and he, through the law^ may he dead to the law^ and may come under the covert of the blood of the Lamb, under the covert of the righte- oufnefs of Chrift for juftification ; that, being dead to the law^ he may live unto God. While men are with- out this law-work, rendering them dead to the law, they are at beft but eftablifliing a righteoufnefs of their own, which will keep them out of heaven, Jis much as their fins will do. And this makes the gate
Q^q 2 of
3oS Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6"^,
of Jieaven indeed to be '^ fir ait gate^ becaufe many feek to enter in^ in a legal way, and jh all not he ahle^ Luke xiii. 24. ; and this makes the way broad that leads Vinto hell, fo broad, that it lets in all that are out of Chrift, but the openly wicked, and the felf-righteous. There is but one way to heaven, and that is Chriil : but there are many ways to hell : efpecially thefe two; fome walk in a more cleanly way of felf-righteoufnefs, and others in a more dirty way of open wickednefs ; but both m.eet together at the end of the way, and that is the centre of damnation. O what need, then, is there of a law-work, to convince the wicked of their fins, and the felf-righteoufnefs of their need of a bet- ter righteoufnefs, that, being dead to the law^ they may live unto Qod*
5. Hence we may fee whence it is, that believers live fo Uitle to God^ and are yo iintender^ and unholy : it fiows from this, that they are not perfectly dead to the hiu'^ nor perfectly freed from it : much of a legal fpirit remains ; the more that takes place, the m.ore unholy they are. Tho' they have fiiaken off, in converfionjthe authority of the covenant of works as a prince, which is a great matter ; yet they are many times under the autho.'ity thereof as an uiurper, and by reafon of the ' old legal nature, which is but partly renewed in time ; and hence the voice of the lav/ fpeaks many times in the believer's confcience, and he is terrified at the voice of it ; for it prefumes to curfe him, and to defire him to do, or elfe be damned ; and fo it weakens his hands, and makes him think God is a hard mailer : whereas the voice of the gofpel in his confcience, is the fiill, calm voice, fv/eetiy intreating, and alluring the heart to its obedience, and conveying a fecret ilrength to o- bey, and making the foul to delight in the Lord's way ; Drazv me^ we will run after thee^ Song i. 3. But what ihould the believer do, when the law comes to charge him, and command him to obey upon pain of death, or to curfe him for his difobedience ? Why, he may even fay in the words of Luther, who, upon the point of juRification, was as found asanyfmce his day ; '• O ^' law, Chrid: is my righteoufnefs 3 ray treafure, and my
^« 'WPrk'i
Serm. XXIII, &c. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 309
" work ; I confcfs, O law, that I am neither godly nor ^' righteous, but yet this 1 am fure of, that he is godly ^' and righteous for me/' His obedience anfwered both the godlinefs required in the firlt table of the law, and the righteoufnefs required in the fecond table. The believer may fay to the lav/, O law, I am dead to thee, and married to another Hufband, even Jefus Chrifl ; and therefore, cannot bring forth any children, any fruit, any ad:s of obedience to thy threatening com- mands : but, behold, I run to my fweet Hufband, who hath fugared and fweetened the law, with a gofpel-drefs and form ; which, giving ftrength to obey, and fhewing the believer's freedom from the wrath of Godj " en^ '' courages the believer, as our Confefiion of Faith *' fpeaks, being free from the curfe of the moral law, ^' and delivered from everlafling damnation, to yield " obedience to God;" not out of flavilh fear, but d, child-like love, and a willing mind,
6. Hence fee how it is, that hoiinefs is necejpiry tofaU roation ; why, it is the very life of the juftified man, being dead to the lazu^ to live unto God : he is not holy that he may be judified, but juftified that he may be holy. I do not here meddle with the queftion, Whe^ ther regeneration or jiiflijication hejirjl in order of nature f For I am fpeaking mainly, not of habitual hoiinefs, or the firll habit of grace, but of adual hoiinefs ; whe- ther internal in the exercife of grace, or external in the performance of duty. Thus hoiinefs, 1 fay, is ne- ceflary to falvation, as being the native, neceffary, and infeparable fruit of juflihcation, or dying to the law : it is the juftified man's way of living, or walking to^ wards heaven. They that turn the grace of God into wantonnefs, they pervert the right end of grace, which teachetb us to deny ungodlinefs^ a?id ivorldly lujts : and they that give up with the law as a rule of hoiinefs, becaufe they are, or think they are delivered from the law, as a covenant of works, they pervert the very end of that freedom, v/hich is that they may live unto God ; and no doubt, many among believers themfelves are in danger of this fm : for I know no fm, but a believer \^ liable to it, if he be left to himfelf ) and becaufe ma-r
53^ Lawt-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm, XXIII, c^c.
ny of tbem abufe grace, therefore God keeps the hw- fpur at their fide ; for it is with many, as with dull lazy horfes, fo long as the fpur is in their fide, they ncie quickly ; but when that is removed, they become dull and heavy, and arc ready to ftand ftill : fo, while the law exaded rigid obedience, and threatened damnation and hell, they were diligent, and durft not negied a du« ty ; they were tender in their walk : but now, being delivered from this fpur, that was daily pricking their fides, and feeing that Chrifl hath fatisfied the law, which now can neither juftify, nor condemn them, they imagine they have no more to fear ; and fo they fin the more, and live fecurely, inftead of living fo- herly^ rtghteoujly^ and godly. This is a turning the grace of God into wanionnefs^ and a perverting of the very end of grace : and if any child of God here be guilty, remember, that your heavenly Father will not let you pafs unpunillied ; though he pardon your fins, yet he will take vengeance on your inventions. It is to prevent this wantonnefs in fome, that the fpur is kept long in their fide ; and they are kept many days and years, perhaps, under many legal fhakings, fears, doubts, '<Bca^ trembhngs, attaining to very little of any chear- fui gofpel-obedience ; for the law cannot work that* And this leads me to another inference,
7. Hence, from this doctrine, we may fee, that the law can neither jujiify^ v\ox fandify aftnner : it cannot jujlify him, for he muft be dead to it in point of jufti- fication ; it cd^rwiot f and if y him, for he never lives iin^ to God, till he be dead to the law. On the one hand. By the deeds of the law^ no flejl? living can he juflifed : Why ? Becaufeyou are dead in fin by nature^ and can do nothing that the law requires, in the way that it requires it ; and though you would do any thing, yet your doing is imperfedl ; but the law requires perfec- tion : yea, though you could obey the law perfedly for the time to come, that will not make amends for former faults ; there muft be fatisfadion ; yea, fup* pofe it were pofTible that you could do all this, and that from your cradle to your grave you never finned ;
and
Serm. XXIII, 6"^. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 311
and were as free from original fin, and had as good a nature as ever Pelagius thought any had, and ftrengtk to keep the law, and did aftually keep it perfedly from your youth up; yet the law of worlcs is broken in Adam ; in him we all fmned, and that one fin is ^ enough to damn the whole world, and would do fo,
if Chrift did not redeem from the guilt thereof.
On the other hand, the law cannot fanElifj any, it works wrath ; and when the commandinent comes^ fin revives : it isjhe 7nini/iration of death every way, as I faid before. But here a queftion may be moved, If the law can neither jujiify nor fan8ify^ what itfe is it for f We may anfwer. It is for many noble ufes, both to the regenerate and unregenerate. To the unregem- rate^ it is of ufe to convidion of fin ; to break up the fallow-ground of the heart ; to be ^ fchool mafier to lead to Chrijl^ by convincing him of his abfolute need of a Surety, and of his undone ftate without Chriil.— And to the regenerate^ it is of ufe to make them higiily efteem Chrift, whofe righteoufnefs anfwers the law in its commands and threatenings both ; and it ferves to give him a daily conviction of fm, that the liian may more and more prize the pardon of fm, and feek daily in to the Lord, for pardoning and fantlifying grace : alfo to let him fee the intrinfical demerit of lin, while he fees hell threatened againil it in that covenant ; and thereupon may fear to offend that God, who Is a con- fuming fire ^ but rather that- he may worjhip him with reverence and godly fear : not with a llavifh fear, that he fliall be lent to hell, which is impoflible ; that is not his duty ; he may have the over-awing fear and apprchenfion of hell, J3ut fiiould not have a flavifn fear of it : this fear of it he fliould not have, but the faith of it he ought to have, and many times needs to hav^e it, to terrify him from fm, which of its own nature, leads to deftrudion ; as a man that is bound with a great chain to a (lake on the top of a high tower, though he cannot but know, that by reafon of the chain, he is fure enough ; yet when he looks over the battlement, and fees the dreadful precipice, it fears him from going near the edge of the battlement. It
is
3il Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIlt, 6^^
is certain, that believers, when they know not that they are under grace, may unwarrantably apply to them- felves the fentence of the law ; unwarrantably, 1 fay, becaufe there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriji ; yet God may, for holy ends, fufFer his con- fcicnce to be troubled with the fear of condemnation, that being humbled, he may make the more ufe of Chrift for righteoufnefs and ftrength. In a word, the commands of the law, not formally as a covenant, but materially as a rule of life, fervc to be an adive di- rectory for his walk ; and whoever walks according ta this rule^ peace be on them^ and on all the Ifrael of God, Thus it is of manifold ufe, though it can neither juf- tify nor fandify, v/hich Oinly the grace of the gofpel can do.
8. Hence fee what a mv/lery to the world religion isy and the difference betwixt God^s judgment and man^s : man thinks, to be dead to the law^ is the way to live in fin ; but God's word tells us. That to be dead to the law^ is the way to live unto God, Why ? here is a myf- tery, a holy riddle ; and we are decrying holinefs, when we preach in this apoftoUcal ilraiii ? God forbid ; nay, we declare unto you, in the name of God, that the way to be truly holy, is to quit with your falfe legal ho- linefs ; the way to be truly righteous, is to quit your legal righteoufnefs ; yea, I tell you, man, that even in point of fanditication. Except your righteoufnefs ex^ ceed the righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Fharifees^ you fhall not enter into the kingdom of God : and you know, they made long prayers^ they fafted twice a week^ and gave alms of all that they pofeft ; and fome of them were^ touching the law^ hlamelefs^ and could fay, AUthefe things have I done from 7ny youth up ; and yet 1 fay, Unlefs your holinefs exceed their holinefs, you iliall never en- ter into the kingdom of God : and, till your unrigh- teous righteoufnefs, and unholy holinefs, be cried down in your heart, and the perfeCt righteoufnefs of Chrift cried up, true holinefs you fhall never have. Was
Chrift a friend to publicans and harlots ? or, did he approve of their ftns, when he laid, to thefe Fharifees,
Pub^
Serm. X^III, c^c Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 313
Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you! Matt. xxi. 31. O beware of fuch biafphenious thoughts of a holy Jefus ; nay, fo far from that, that we may hence gather his abhorrence of their fins ; only he would give us to know, that if fin keep them out of heaven, as much and more will felf-righteouf- nefs keep out thePharifee, who muftberid of his righ- teoufnefs, as well as his fins, before he get there.— ^ O but religion is a myilery ! to be dead to the lavj^ in order ^o live unto God*
9. Kence we may fee the mi fer able ft ate of thefe that are alive ^ and the happy ft ate of thefe that are dead to the law. Their ftate is miferable who are alive to the law ; for, though they have a name to live^ yet they are dead ; legally dead, bound over to the wrath of God, and under the curfe of the law ; fpiritually dead in fin, having no holinefs, no godlinefs, acceptable to God through Jefus Chrift. If they be any way awak- ened, and feeking life by the law, and the works thereof, what a madnefs is this to fcek the living a?nong the dead f or to feek help where it cannot be had ? God hath laid all our help upon Chrifi: ; and it ia impofiible to find jnfiiification or fanclification any
where elfe. But on the other hand, their (late is
happy who are dead to the law ; for though they be dead, yet they live ; they live a life of juftification, and a life of landification thereupon ; being dead to the laiv^ they live unto GmL O what a mercy is it, if God hath awakened your confciences, convinced you of fin and felf-righteoufnefs, and brought you off from the law ! You fee your extreme guilt, vilenefs, bafc- nefs, and wickednefs ; and it may be are groaning under the fenfe thereof: but God may have a glori- ous defign in this, to bring yon more and more oit from the law, and from any confidence in the fiefh, that you may build upon a better foundation, and be married to a better huiband, even to Jefus Chrifi:, that you may bring forth fruit unto God.
10. Hence fee the malignity of a legal fpirii : if we- mufl be dead to the lazv, that we may live unto God t then a legal fpirit and temper mud be a wicked and
Vol/ 1L H r un-
314 Law-Death, GospfiL-LiFE. Serm. XXIII, 6^r.
ungodly fplrit : it is an ignorant fpirit ; if they were not ignorant of Gotfs righteoufnefs^ they would never eftablijh a righteoufnefs of their ozvn : but they are ignorant of the perfeclion of his law, the terror of his juftice, the feverity of his tribunal, and of their own natural weaknefs and wickednefs, other wife they would not dare to make any thing a ground of their acceptance with God, except the blood and righte- oufnefs of his Son. It is a proud fpirit, that will not let grace be exalted, but puts fef in the throne of Chrift, and his righteoufnefs. It is 2i filthy and aho- viinahle fpirit, and pollutes the man more and more ; and God abhors it, as that which contradids his mofl glorious plot. And it is a damning fpirit, if it be not removed ; For the wicked Jhall be turned into hell : and this man continues v»^icked flill, even under the pre- tence of holinefs ; he is wicked and ungodly flill, for he lives to himfelf, but not to God ; for it is only thefe that are dead to the laiv^ who live unto God,
Ufe fecond^ Of examination. Try your fiate then, man, woman : you (hould try after, as well as before a communion : and there are two things you fhouM try here, i. Whether you be dead to the law in point oi jufiification f 2. Whether you be living to the law^ or living to God, in point oi fanftification f Two as ne- ceifary points as are in all div^inity, and fuch as are of the utmoll concern in time, and through eternity.
Firji, Try whether you be dead to the law in point o^ jujiification. I might here give you marks of thefe that are alive to the law, and then marks of thefe that are dead to the law ; but feeing thefe will coincide, I join them together. I fliall not multiply evidences ; but you may try by thefe following.
I. The man that is dead to the laza, hath got ^ fight of holtncfs in the glafs of the law, and of his natural legal temper. Some think they have a good heart to God, and they can do fo and fo ; but the believer dead to the law, he fees his heart, the worfl piece in or about him ; and that he cannot believe, he cannot iep:nt, he cannot mortify fm ^ corruption is like the
giants .
Serm. XXIII, 6^^. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 315
giants of Anak. The man fees he is vile, with Job : Behold I am vile J Vile in every duty; in praying, communicating ; Behold I am vile ! He fees hiiufelf, and he fees his ou^n legal temper.— — The man that is alive to the law^ never fees his legal temper^ nor his flrong inclination to felf-righteoufnefs : the believer fees and finds foniething of this, even after he is made a gofpel-faint ; but the Legalifts never fee it. What, fay they, would you have us Papids ? BlciTed be God, we are better inflruded ; we have no merit, our righteoufnefs is rags : and yet, after all, there is
a fecret truiiing in their own righteoufnefs. Hath
it ever been one exercife to you, how to be rid of your hns ? and another, how to be rid of vour rieh- teoufnefs r
2. The man that is dead to the law,^ is tired and wearied out of it. Perhaps he hath been convinced of fm ; and thereupon falling to the law, to this and the other duty ; O I deferve hell, for my Im is great ; well, he endeavours to make a mends, and to find peace ; and fo he runs to prayer and preaciiing, think- ing he will get peace ; he repents, he refolves ; and wo to the man that fmds all his peace there without
going further. But, behold, the man whom God
Ihews mercy to, he goes on in thefe duties, but finds no peace, no reft, no fatisfaftion ; he is tired out of it : his foul fmks with difcouragement, and languiihes and hangs down the head : and God thus unbottoms
the man of himfelf. Whereas, he that is alive to
the hnv^ he that takes up his reft and comfort in his duty ; he hath the fear of wrath to come, and then he runs to duty ; the duty gives him eafe ; he is re- lieved ; all is well : as a huiband comforts his diilref- fed wife, fo obedience to the law comforts him, and the law heals him : it is the law that throws him down, and it is the law that raifes him up again. But the man that is dead to the law^ though the law terrify, yet it is not the law that fatisfies him again.
3. The man that is dead to the law^ he knows Vv^liat it is to a^ from Chri/i, as his principle ; and to hi?v.^ rK
11 r 2 his
3i6 Law.Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, e^rr.,
his end : he knows what it is to perform duty from; a borrowed ilrength. The Legaliil: may indeed fpeak foundiy, and fay. He can do nothing of himfelf with^ out Chrifl: ; and y?X he reads, prays, preaches, hears, communicates, and does all, as if he had the power in his own hand. Let a man have never fuch an or- thodox head, if he be not a believer in Chrifl, he is an Arminian and Pelagian all over : he knows not his own weaknefs ; he looks not up for immediate influences. And as felf is his principle, fo to felf he acts as his end ; as he that is joined to Chrifl brings forth children, or fruit unto Chrift ; fo he that is join- ed to the law, brings forth children to the law ; he does duty, it may be, to hufh the clamours of confci- cnce, and give it eafe ; to keep himfelf out of hell, for he hath no will to be damned ; and for the like ends.- — ^— The believer being dead to the law^ cannot perform duty, but by borrowed flrength ; he can do TiOthing till a gale of the Spirit come ; he cannot bring fx)rth children, till the Spirit of God beget them in his foul : no, no ; every ad: of grace flows from a creating power : and when he afts, the love of Chrifl efpecialiy, and defire of com.munion and feilowfhip with God Gonftrains him ; and the glory of God in Chrifl is his great end.
4. The believer, that is dead to ihe law^ he hath mfifying thoughts of all he does : the Legalifl over* values his duties ; J'Vherefore have zvefafted^ and thou haji not feen f Wherefore have we prayed^ and thou haji 7iot heard ? They challenge God as he w^ere unjuft, for not giving them what they merit : God^ J thank thee^ faid the Fharifec, / ain not as other men : it was like a proud boafting of what he had done. But let the be- liever fpend days and nights in prayer, and that with much ^ liberty and enlargement, yet the iffue of the worK is, 0 viy right^oufnefs is filthy rags^ a menjiruoui doth! Wq to me. If I be not found in Chrifl, for my bed duties deferve damnation ; I find my praying, my Vv'orfnipping, my commmunicating full of atheifm, un- belief, formality, and hypocrify.-r-The Legalifl over- rates his duties ; he thinks more of what he hath
done
SfiftM. XXIII, 6*^. Law-Death, GosPEL-LiFE. 317
done, than of what Chriil hath done ; and more of his prayhig on earth than of Chrifl's pleading in hea- ven : he thinks more of his tears than of Chrifl's blood : he is proud of his humility, and never duly humbled.
5. The believer that is dead to the law^ fo far as he k dead thereto, his complaints and his comforts move in a gofpel-channeU The Legalifl; will com.plain more for want of holinefs, than for want of Chrift : feeing he hath taken up with a felf-righteoufnefs, it is his all, it is his happinefs, it is his hufband, it is his God ; and when it is wanting, he cannot but be troubled. But the language of the man dead to the law is, O for Chrifl ! O for a day of power I O to be wrapt up in the covenant cf grace, to get an omnipotent power, determining me to comply with the gofpel-of-
fcr 1 His comforts move in a gofpel-channel -But
the Legaliit finds comfort in law-vv^orks, even in all his extremities in time : In the profped of trouble, what com.forts him ? Even this, that he hath done many good duties ; he wraps up himfelf in a garment of his own weaving. Upon challenges of confcience, what comforts him, and gives him peace ? He even covers himfelf Vvith the fame robe. In the profpe6l of judgment, what comforts him, and gives him peace ? Why, he hopes God will be merciful to him. becaufe he hath had a good profcliion, and iliid many good prayers, and done many good duties. But, O forry peace-maker. Tiie only thmg that gives a believer peace and eafe, in thefe cafes, is the law-biding righ- teoufnefs of Chrift , under v/hich he defires to Ihroud himfelf; he flees to the blood of Chrift, faying, O I am undone, unlefs my foul be wrapt up in the man- tle of Chrill's perfect righteoufnefs ; / deftre to he found in him : upon this righteoufnefs of Jefus do I venture
my foul ; I have no fhift but this. The Legaiift,
I faid, comforts himfelf in all his extremities with the- law, till the extremity come, and then he finds him- felf cheated, miferably deceived : and hence, O wliat a mercy is it, that the Lord drains a man of his legal comfort, that he may unhinge him oif th? law, and oii
bis
3iB Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6^<:.
his felt-confidence ! Oft-times, when God is bringing- him his elect, he makes all the common work they had before to difappear. It may be, they had a pro- fciTion, were morally ferious, they had zeal, prayed with life, heard with afFeftion ; but behold now, all the ftreams of common influences are dried up ; the poor foul finds he cannot pray, he cannot ihed a tear, though he Ihould be call into hell : yea, he cannot think a right thought, though it fhould bring him to heaven ; yea, he finds his heart hardened like a devil, and his mind bemiflied with the darknefs of hell.— Why ? this is all in love to induce him to relinquifh himfelf, abandon the law as a covenant, and flee in unto and ernbrace the dear Son of Godr
6. The believer that is dead to the law^ is content to have his righteoufnefs tried, and compared with the per-
feci law. As Chrifl is the Lord his righteoufnefs, and this he knows is fufiicient to anfwer all the demands and commands of the law, and he is not afhamed of this righteoufnefs, but glories in it ; fo as to the works of holinefs, whatever fhortcoming he is fenfible of, yet he is content to be tried with the clearefr light. Let om- nifciency defcend, and make a critical fearch \ Search 71X, 0 God, and fee if there be any wicked way in me ; and lead me in the way evcrlafing. I do not love to die with a lie in my right-hand : let all the inward corners of my heart be laid open before me : I am fatisfied to know if I have a lawful hufband, or not ; if Chriil be Riy hufDand, or not ; he is content to be tried. — But the Legaiiil, the man that is alive to the law, a fearching fermon is uneafy to him ; a gofpel-fermon he cannot abide ; a narrow trial he cannot endure ; he thinks that the minifler is too impartial to call us all to hell ; he hath flolen goods, and therefore dreads the light. Yea,
7. The man that is dead to the law he hath got 2. foul- humblmg fight, and faving view of the glory of ChrifTs righteoufnefs, that made him quit with all his legal rags as lofs and dung ; even as the ftars evanifh out of fight when the fun arifes. O hath Chrill's glcry ever fhin-
ed
Serm. XXIII, 6^^:. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 319
ed into your heart, man, woman, and made yoa fee ^houfands of worlds to be nothing to him ; thoufands of righteoufnelTes of men and angels, to be nothing to his ? Have you feen an utter impofTibility of obtaininp- God's favour by any righteoufnefs of yours ? and fuch a fare ground of obtaining God's favour here, that your foul hath been made to renounce all other ways of ac- ceptance ; and to fee, admire, and rejoice in the glory of this way ; and to approve it, as a device worthy of God, and fuitable to you ? And have you found reft
here ? It is good. The Legalift is a itranger to fuch
faving views of the glory of Chriif, and his righteouf- nefs : having never got the Spirit of ivifdom and revela- tion in the knowledge ofChriJi,
8. The man that is dead to the law, is in love with the dodrine of the gofpel ; How beautiful upon the moun- tains j to them, are the feet of thefe that preach the glad-ild- ings of peace I Whereas he that is alive to the law, he always fufpe^ls the dodlrine of the gofpel, as if it were leading him away from the law, and away from holi- nefs. Here is a mark that may well find out a phari- faic generation ; they fufped the doctrine of Chriil, and his righteoufnefs, as if it were a dodrine tending to licentioufnefs, and oppofition to the law, a fign they never felt the power of the gofpel upon their hearts^ otherwife they would feel the revelation of the righ- teoufnefs of Chrift, from faith to fa^th, to be thepozcer tfGod to their falvation ; they would find, that never are they fo much difpofed to holy duties, as vvhen they are under the influences of the fpirit of faith, difcover- ing the glory of Chrift, and his righteoufnefs, to them. But an ignorant generation, that knows not the power and virtue of the gofpel, fliU iufpeds it as contrary to \\\v. law, this was the falfe charge againfl Chrift of old, and againft Stephen A£ls vi, 18. and againft Paul, from which therefore he many times vindicates himfelf. See A6ts xviii. 13.
9. The man that is dead to the law, can, in fome mea- furc, put a diilerence betwixt C/jr/// ajid a /ra;;;^ ;— whereas, he that is alive to the law, can never diitingulfli between Chrifl in duty, and a frame in duty. 1 fup-
po'e
/
.$2o Law-Death, GosPEL-LiPE. Serm. XXIII, ^*r«
pofe this is a hard queftion, How Jldall we know the dif^ ference betwixt Chrift in duty^ and a frame in duty f I will anfwer, in a word, The man that hath only a frame in duty, and not Chrid in it, he is only pleafed with his frame, his tears, his enlargements ; he makes that his righteoufnefs ; he is content with that, and exalted with that ; and now thinks ail is well : but he that hath Chrift in duty, and not a frame only, he is ready to cry, O I would have Chrift ! tears will not do the turn ; my own heart hath deceived me a thoufand times ; I find my tears do not wafti me, my frame does not fanc- tify me : this flowing of affedion may be but a natural thing ; it will not do ; it is Chrift I want ; nothing but his blood can M^alh me : nothing but this blood can pacify his confcience; nothing but fome views of Chrift can give him folid quiet. A fweet frame may indeed be the chariot, in which Chrift may ride towards the foul ; but the gofpel believer is not fo much taken up with the chariot, as with tliie glorious King that rides in it.
lo. The man that is dead to the law, is dead to fin .» Sin hath not dominion over him : beeaufe he is not un- der the law, but under grace* The views of Chrift are of a transforming nature ; Beholding his glory, we are changed. It is true, here the believer fears moft of all, beeaufe uf his ftiortcoming in point of fanclification, and mortification rf hn, beeaufe he finds iniquity pre- vailing againft him : and how is it true, that fm hatk not dominion over him, he not being under the lazu, but mider grace I Why, fin hath no righteous nor law- ful dominion over believers ; the firft hufband is dead, and they are married to Chrift. the fecond hufband ; and therefore they are not debtors to the flefli ; tho* ftill the flefh craves them to obey it, yet it hath no juft power fo to do. Sin's juft authority is exau£lorated ; and Chrift, by fatisfying the law, which is the Jlrength of fin, hath condemned fin in the flefh. Sin hath a fort of right to reign in v/icked men, andthefe that are under the lav/ ; but none in the behever, who is delivered from the law, which is the ftrength of fin. Though it adually exercife authority, yet it is but an ufurped au- thority :
Serm. XXllI, 6y. Law-Death, Gq5pel-Life. 321
thority : as fm hath no power nor authority to con- demn the Ibul that is in ChrKl 5 ib it hath no autho- rity to reign ; zvidf^ Jhall never reig?! unto death over them, Rom. v. 21. And the behever that hath cad off the authority of fm, as being no more his lawful king, may complain of its unjufl opprciTion, and plead with a righteous God, that the power of fm may be more and more broken, and fo it fliall be. — But the legalijl^ that is alive to the law^ in regard that he is both under the commanding and condemning power of the law ; he is alfo under the commanding and condemning power of fm. The law commands him, and he obeys it as his lord; and fm commands him alfo, and he obeys it too, and makes his legal duties a plaiffer to cure his confcience of his fm : like Lewis XL of France, who would fwear a bloody oath, and for a pardon kifs a crucifix ; and fwear again, and then kifs it over again ; and fo runs the round. However, the believer is delivered from the power of the law, and the power of (in too ; having cafl: off the law as covenant, and finding nothing to fatisfy and ftill his confcience, but the blood and righteoufnefs of Chrift, that fatisfies divine juftice ; as in this way he find*^ red from die curfe of the law, fo alfo fome reft from the rule and dominion of fm : the faith ot God's love in Chrift, does purify his heart, and kill his natural enmity, infoniuch that he can atte-fl, to his fweet experience, that the faith of the love of Gcd in Chriii:, is fo far from leading him to licentloufnefs of life, or encouraging lazinefs, that he finds it the hot- tefl: lire in the world, to melt his heart for fm ; and the (Irongefl: cord in the world, to bind him to duty,
while the love of God is fhed abroad upon him.
Try by thefe things if you : be dead to the la^\
In a word, if you be dead to the law, then you will be living .unto God ; I through the law am dead to the liizu^ thai I might live unto God, He is led Rveetly to the law as. a rule of life.
But here it may be enquired, How fliall I knoiv if J he living unto God f* This leads me to th^ odier part of the examination.
Vol. iL -S f Secondly,
3^2 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c.
Secondly^ Try if you be living unto God. Having enlarged fo much upon the preceeding head, and hav- ing offered fevcral particulars upon this head already in the doctrinal part, which may be improved by way of trial ; therefore I will offer you but thefe tv/o marks of this.
I . If you be living unto God, then the Spirit of God will be the chief principle of your life ; ^he water that 1 jl^ all give him^Jhall he in him a ivell of vjater fpringing up to everlajling life, John iv. 14. The man hath not only ^l\z water within him, the graces of the Spirit; but the well itfelf, the Spirit himfelf dwelling in him. And as we know a fpring-well, by feeing the water bullering and bubbling up ; fo a man may know he hath the Spirit, by the fpringing and flowing out of " this water now and then. None have a life unto God, but thefe that have the Spirit of Chrift in them, caufing them to walk in his fiatutes ; for, where the Spirit of life is, he is a Spirit of faith, and a Spirit of love ; a Spirit of faith, leading the man to the obedience of faith ; which fets him to duty from the authority of God, and in a dependence upon Chrift, both as his ftrength for affiftance, and as his righteoufnefs for acceptance, in the performance thereof: a Spirit of love, leading the man to the obedience of love ; and this obedience makes a man ferve like a fon, and not like a flave ; and makes the fervice fweet and pleafant ; T^his is the love cj God, that we keep his comraandmejits, and his
commandments are not grievous, i John v. 3.— This
makes the believer's obedience, while he hves unto God, a myftery to the world, that reckon it a bur- den to keep the Sabbath, a burden to wait on orJi- irances, a burden to perform duties: Wliy? on the other hand, when the believer is mounted up in the chariot of love, indeed it is a burden to him to leave off duty ; it is a burden to him to leave ordinances ; it is a burden to him' to think of going back to the world ap;ain : Why ? the matter is, he is about the obedience of love, which makes the commands of God not grievous, 'but delicious. Try your obedience, and living to God, by this principle of it, the Spirit of God
' as
S£RM« XXIII, 6v. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 325
as a Spirit of faith and love, leading to the obedience of faith and love.
2. If you be living unto God^ then the glory of God will be the chief end of your life. . But here a quedion may be propounded, How fl? all I know ^ if the glory of God be my chief end in ?ny obedience? Indeed it is a ma- terial queilion. I will jufl: ofl'er a thought upon it. If the glory of God be the chief end of your life, tlun you will have a continual comTicl with felf and how to get felf-ends mortified. O ! I fee felf creeping in upon me, in all my preaching, praying-, communicat- ing ; how ihall I get this enemy killed r Here the flejh liifts agcunft the Spirit^ and the Spirit ogainji the flejh^ and thefe t%vo are contrary the one to the other. — Tlie believer finds a war here againft felf, as- his grcat- efl enemy ; and it is his joy, and the triumph of his heart, when he ^tx.^ felf daflied to the ground, and ' debafed ; when the loftinefs thereof is brought down^ and the Lord alone fid all be exalted in hinu — = — The man that hath God's glory as his chief end, he can fome- times trample even his cuun happinefs under his feet .^ in a manner, when it comes in competition with the glory of God in Chrift : the glory of God is of more worth than ten thoufand heavens ; and therefore the felt- denied believer, before the divine glory flmuld hnk, woul4 venture his all, though he had a thoufand lives ; Blot me out of ihy book^ fays Mofes ; Let me be accurf ft/, fays Paul ; and all was, that God might b^ glo- rified, that Chrifi: might be magnified, and have a glorious name in the world. There were fome things indeed extraordinary in that meafure that Mofes and Paul attained to ; but there may be fomething like it, I think, tho' in a fmaller meafure, that believers may . know in their experience : O ! whatever (liould be- come of me, let thy name be glorified ; let Chrid have a numerous train to praife him to eternity ; let me decreafe, and him increafe ; let him be exalted, tho' I lliould be for ever abafed : and if it might contri- bute to his mounting of the throne, let me be even
the foot-flool on which he may afceiid. The man
prefers QhriJVs public interejl before his own privale
S f 2 " intereft ;
3^4 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6*^
interejl ; If I forget thee^ 0 Jerufalem^ let my right- hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee^ let viy tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth : if I prefer not Jerufalem abo-ve my chief joy ^ Pialm cxxxvii. 5, 6. In a word, the man that lives to God, as his chief end, he acls in duties, becaule God is thereby honoured and glorified ; and he hates fm in himfelf and others, be- cause God iis thereby dlllionoured.
Finally^ If you be living unto God, your life, your obedience, will be influenced by the grace of the 7iew covenant, being dead to the law, or to the old cove- nant : But of this I have fpoken at large, on the fourth general head. — • — Thus much for the triah
The third ife may be for knientaiion over, together with reproof 01, all legaliils, both dcdrinal and prac- tical
I ft, As to the doBrinal legalifts, we might bewail, «nd refute the legal fchemes that take place in the world. I name thefe two.
1. The Fopijh fcheme, denying the imputation of Chriil's righteoufnefs. The imputed righteoufnefs of Chrifl is blafpherned by the church of Rome j they call \X. an affeditious, imaginary air ; a putative righteoufnefs ; contrary to the very drain of our apoftle in his epiflles. They talk of a twofold juftification : Their/r/? juftifi* cation is that, v/nereby an unjuftlfied man becomes juflified, or a wicked man becomes godly > where they confound jufiification and fan(5lification.-r — ^The fccond is that, whereby a man, already righteous, be- comes more and more righteous, more and more holy. We know no juftification, but one juftification by faith, in the day of clofing v/ith Chrift ; laying hold upon the blood of Chrift, Whom God hath fet forth to be a pjropitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righ- teoufnefs fir the remiffton of fins that arepcft, through the forbearance of God, To declare, I fay, his ri<^htcoufn€ff : ihat he might be jufi, and the juflifier cf him which be-> licveth in Jefus, Rom. iii. 25, 26. It is a complete righteoufnefs, we have it all at once 5 and it is not,
witiiizi
Serm. XXIII, dr. LA\r -Death, Gospel-Life. 325
within usy but without us : it is in Chrifl inherently^ but in us imputatinjely. They tell us, that we are not juftihed by the worics of the ceremonial law, but by the works of the moral law : they tell us, that we are not juftified by perfe(fi: obedience, but by imperfect ; and, by an acceptilation^ it is looked on by God as perfect : and, in a word, they acquaint us, that wc are juflihed, not meritorioufly, and fnnply by works done in our own ftrength, but by works aded and done by the Itrength and alliftance of the Spirit of God. There is the Popijh fcheme.
2. The Baxter tan fcheme is alfo oppofite to this gof* pel doclrine : they tell us, that God hath made a new lazv with mankind ; and obedience to that new law ^ and to its commands, is our righteoufnefs : and this obe- dience gives us a title to heaven, and gives us a title to ChriTt's blood, and to pardon : and the ad of faith is our righteoufnefs, not as it accepts of Chri[l*s righ- teoufnefs, but as it is an obedience to that new iazu ; the very a(^ and work of faith is, according to them, the righteoufnefs itfelf : and this faith takes in all kind of works, namely, repentance, love, obedience, and ten or twelve duties of that fort ; and all thefe toge- ther are our righteoufnefs for juilification. " Really, ^' as one fays upon this very head, if the apoftle Paul ** were alive, he would excommunicate fuch mini- '' flers."
2^/y, As to pra6flcalle^aUfts ; this generation is full of thele. I know not a more reigning fm among pro- felTors : a gofpel-ftrain is almoit ioil, and a gofpcl- method is almoit forgotten. If we would go back to our reformers, we would fee a gofpel-lpirit among them ; but now the gofpelfcheme is come under re- proach, as if it were a new fcheme ; and fome preach againft ,it, write againft it, reafon againft it, as if it were Antinomianifm, and a going off from the law ; as the Papifts accufed the Proteflants of old : v.4^.y ? what is the matter ? A hellifli, unholy, legal fpirit reigns in the world. Now, in profecuting of this ufe, 0.nd that we may fee how much ground there is to la- ment over, and bewail a legal temper that takes place ;
I would
325 Law-Death, Gosfel-Life. Serm. XXIII, <b'c.
I would here, i. Shew fome evidences of a legal fpirit in tlie ungodly and unconverted. 2. Some evidences of a legal temper in believers themfelves. 3. Shew the caufe of this legal temper that is in the world. 4, Shew the evil and danger of it.
fi.] Some evidences ot a legal temper, that is natu- ral to the ungodly, who having no new nature, have no gofpel-fpirit at alL This may be evidenced in thefe four degrees of felf, and legal pride.
1. While man is jufl in the dead fleep of natural fecurity, having no fight, nor fenfe of his fm, no con- vidion of, nor contrition for fin ; even then, which is
, flrange, he may imagine many times, that he is per- fecl, that he never breaks all the commandments of God, but keeps the whole law : the young Pharifee in the gofpeUis an eminent inflance hereof ; our Lord gives him an account of the commands of the law, and he had the infolent boldnefs to fay to Chrift, All thefe things have I kept from my youth up ; and Paul, before Ills coriverfion, was ftuifed vrith the fame legal pride ; / was touching the law hlamehf. What means he by that ? Why, it is as if he had faid, I was fuch a ftanch Pharifee, and rehgious zealot, that, as 1 never thought I broke any of the ten commandments, fo I thought I had kept the whole law. Wonderful arrogance and ignorance, to imagine that a man in his fallen flats can have a perfection, and keep the whole law 1 And yet the elect of God, before their converfion, have found that they have been filled with fuch pride and infolent thoughts, as you fee in Paul': yea, and ma- ny think little lefs ; though they fay they are nnners, yet they fee not fm, and fancy they are conformable to the law : they have a good heart, they v.Tong no body, they are juft in their dealings, none can fliy, black is their eye ; and here is their righteoufnefs be- ing alive to the law.
2. Degree is, v;hen men come to be convinced cffn and rebellion, and of their loft ftate, by reafon of their having trampled tlie divine authority under foot, of- fended his Majcfty, violated his law, provoked his an- ger 5 then, as if Chriil v;erc the mod needlefs and ufe-
lel^
Serm. XXIII, &c. Law-Death, Gospel-Life, 3:17
lefs thing in heaven or earth, they run to their repen- tance for an atonement, as Papiits to their penances^ and Pagans to their iacrifices, to atone their offended deities; as if there were no Day's-man, no Mediator betwixt God and man, to make atonement : Chrifl: the Propitiation is altogether flighted ; they hope to make atonement, and pacify God, by repenting ferioufly, and kimenting bitterly ; and fo they fall to work, praying, falling, mourning, confeffing with an abfolute negled of Chrift ; and, upon the back of all their legal fears, coii- feilions and bitter lamentations, their awakened con- fciences are pleafed and pacified. The florm that v^^as raifed there, is turned to a calm ; a falfe peace takes place, not founded upon Chriil, or his atoning blood, but upon their cpnfeffions, tears, prayers, whereby they think to difgorge and vomit up ail the fins of their life, and to fave themfelves from them, and from the wrath that follows them. To this purpofe was that faying of Auguftine (it looks like a harfli faying, but had a good meaning) namely, " That repentance damns more than " fins do. *' When people are under any fearful ap- ■^prehenfion of the wrath to come upon them for their lins, they flee to their repentance, inflead of fleeing to Chrill, and that effeclualiy deilroys and ruins them.
3. Degree is, when a man not only repents, but a- mends : he not only takes up refolutions of amendmeat of life, but acluaUy Iludies obedience, reforms his way; he is at pains to get his life changed, but not to get his (late changed : he is not taken up to get a new heart, but would have the old heart made a little bet- ter ', he thinks a little mends will do the bufinefs ; and what is all this, but, as one fays, like the gilding of a rci- tenpoji ; the pod is rotten within, but it is finely gil- ded over without ? It is but like the whitening of a fc- pulchre, that however white it may be without, yet it is full of dead mens bones within : it is like the painting of a chimney without, that is all black and footy with- ' in : it is like the adorning a dead corps with fweet
flowers. ^-The man is dead in fins and treipafles, not-
withilanding all this.
4. Degree is- beyond all this, gofpel-ligbt hath fliined
ohjeclivcly
328 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6"^.
€bje8hely upon them, and tli^y are more illuminated than to be pleafed with this ; why ? they hear of Chrift, and that there is no falvation, no juftification, without him ; and therefore, they ad faith upon him in a legal way ; they believe in him, not by a faving faith, but a temporary faith. As believers do perform gofpel-obedience to the law, fo unbelievers may have a legal faith of the gofpel, a legal faith upon Chriil: ; be- lieving in their own ftrength ; believing before ever he fees his inability to believe ; before ever he fee his un- willingnefs to believe, before he be humbled under a fenfe of his abfolute need of Chrift ; and before he feqs what right and warrant he hath from the word. How- ever, he fancies he hath clofed with Chriil:, laid hold on his covenant ; and this is the moil fubtle part of felf- righteoufnefs ; yet, after all, he is the old man, flill wedded to the law : and hence he hath no fanftiiica- tion, no new nature, no new principle of fpiritual lii^, no living unto God.
[2.1 Some evidences of a /(?^^//e;;2/>^r that remains in believers themfelves.
1. When their comfort is always up and down with their yrJ7;z^ : if their frame be up, their comfort is up ; if their frame be down, their comfort is down ; if their frame be gone, their comfort is gone, their joy is with- ered : herein the legal fpirit difcovers itfelf. Whereas a gofpel temper of foul would lead the man to rejoice, even when the changeable frame is gone, that the un- changeable covenant flill remains : and to fay, T^hough the fig-tree Jhould not biojpj?n^ — yet will I rejoice in the Lord, Though grace be at a low ebb with me, yet the ocean of grace is in Chriil: ; and herein I rejoice : tho' I be in darknefs, yet I will rejoice that there is light in him ; tho' 1 ftnd nothing but deadnefs in me, yet will I rejoice that there is life in him ; tho' 1 be empty, yet will I rejoice that there is fulnefs in him, and this is to be communicate in his time and way.
2. It is a legal temper in the believer, when his ajfur- ance is lofl: by his challenges. It may be, the man at- tained fome fweet meafure of aifurance, but behold fm prevails, confcience challenges him, and hereupon he
razes
Serm. XXIII, &c. Law^-Death, Cospel-Life. 329
razes all ; this is an evidence of a legal temper, con- trary to that gofpel fpirit v/hich we may fee ading in David, rial. Ixv. 3. Iniquity prevails a ^a'niji me ; it is againft my heart, againit my will, againll my prayers, againft my fecret groans and wreiUings, againil my re- fokitlons, againfl my inclination they prevail : Sh'dll I raze the foundation of my faith upon this account ? No : I flee to the blood of the Lamb of God, for cleaning and purging both from the guilt and power of fm ; and therefore I will maintain my afTurance and confidence in thee ; As for our iranfgrejffions^ thou wilt purge them away.
3. It is a legal temper^ when faith is marred^ either h J fins or graces ; I mean, either by the prevalence of fm, or the pride of grace. On the one hand, when the cxercife of faith is marred by the prevalence of fm; when their known fenfe and feeling of out-breakings, either make a man ftand a-back from Chrifl, or make him run away from him, by fmking difcouragement or fecret defpair : this evidences much legality. Are you convinced of fm ? Well then, you have the more need to come to Chrifl:, and believe in him, and the lefs need to ftay avv^ay from him. Peter had a prayer oiice, that looked like a fet form <)f the devil's com- pofing, Lcrd^ depart from vie ; for I am a fnful man. if it had run in a gofpel form, he would rather faid, Lord^ cG?ne to me ; for I am a fnful man. Yet many believers have learned Peter^s ioxm of prayer ; Lord, I am fuch a fmful man, I dare not come to thee, nor believe that thou wilt come to me : Why ? the more fmful thou art, the more need thou haft to come to hini, and to employ him to come to you, and fave
you. -On the other harxd, wlien the eKcrcife of faith
is marred by the pride of ^^race, this is a part of a legal temner: when believers truil more to their graces than to Chrifl, the fountain of all grace ; when they look more to the fl:rength of gracious habits, and trult more to them, than to the grace that is in Chrifl, in which they are called to be flrong ; Be f hong in the o^r ace that is ifi Chrifi : As by poring of their fms, they are many times leu off from dcpendmg on Chrifl, Ironi
V 0 L. II. T t conftant
330 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6*r»
conftant incomes of actual infiucnces. And hence, when a believer is lively, he is ready to think, he will never be dead again; when he is fpiritual, that he will never be carnal again ; when he is up in the mount, that he will never be down in the valley again, faying, By thy favour my mountain Jlands Jlrong ; he thinks it like mount Zion, that can never be Ihaken, and that he will never doubt again ; but behold, Tbou did/} bide thy face ^ and I was troubled : my good frame was changed to a bad one ; of a fudden my mount Zion was turned to a mount Sinai ; all fears, all frowns, all darknefs. Never hath a believer more need to a£t faith, and clofe dependence on the Lord, than when his graces and frames are mod lively, left felf-confi- dence creep in, and he confides more in created grace, than in the fountain ; out of whofe fulnefs he is to have grace for grace. Let your frame be never fo good, your faith never fo ftrong, your grace never fo lively, at any time, yet look up ftill for new influences ; for without momentary fupplies and breathings from hea- ven, your gracious habits cannot a£t, and will not hold out a moment.
4» It is a legal temper^ when peace is always marred by fhort-comings ; Ihort-comings in the exercife of grace, lliort-comings in the mortification of fm, fhort- comings in holinefs ; when they pore upon thefe fhort- comings ; upon the weaknefs of grace on the one hand, •and the ftrength of corruption on the other ; upon fuch a fm and luft that prevails, upon fuch a plague and diftemper that alFeds them ; infomuch that they cannot let in a word of comfort, they cannot hearken to ih^ joyful found of the gofpel ; like Ifrael, who heark- ened not to Mofcs, becaufe of the anguijh of the fpirit : they look inward to themfelves, and finding nothing there but failings, and infirmities, and plagues, in- (lead of holinefs, their peace is wholly demoliihed ; becaufe they do not, at the fame time, look upward to Chrift, to his blood and righteoufnefs, and to his
fulnefs : here is a legal temper. So alfo, to the
fame purpofe, when a man's peace and comfort refts only and always upon his fandification, as if there were
no
Serm. XXIII, cir^. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 331
no other ground of joy, but a righteoufnefs inherent: furely, when the joy of fand:ification is greater than the joy of j unification, it is an evidence of a legal tem- per ; for the joy of juftification is founded upon a law- biding righteoufnefs, the perfed obedience of the glo- rious Head, which is always the fame unchangeable ground of joy to believers ; whereas his fandiiication is imperfeft here, and cannot afford fuch peace and joy, as faith in a perfe<^; obedience will -give. The true circumcifion rejoice in Chrift , and in what they have in him, more than in what they have from him. But behold, even the believer is ready to be taken up with his fandiiication, which is inherent, and fo to be lift- ed up, when he attains to a good gale, a great mea- fure of fandification ; corruption may abufe the pri- vilege, and then he is proud and hfted up. It is true, communion with God is of a humbling nature, and natively makes a man humble, and lively, and watch- ful ; but when the good frame is wearing off, and corruption beginning to work again, if this nick of time be not noticed, and the believer on his guard, a proud thought may enter in, were it even upon a Paul wrapt up to the third heavens \\LeJl I jldQukl he exalted above meafure^ a mejeyiger of Satan ivas fcnt ; a thorn in the fiefly, O how does a legal temper run through every frame ! When a man is dead and dull, then he is in danger of murmuring ; and w.hen he is adive and lively, then he is m danger of fweUing.
5. It is a legal temper^ when a man's expectation of fuccefs is built upon the minifter that preaches : if the
minifter hath a weak gift, O they will not hear that man, at lead they exped little good of him : if ano- ther hath great gifts, and a taking way, O now they exped heaven will come down ; way ? this is an evi- dence of a legal te?nper : for a gofpel temper will exped nothing, but in a gofpel why ; even by the powerful influences of the Spirit promifed in the gofpel. The gofpel in any man's mouth is but a dead letter, without the Holy Ghoft.
6. It is a legal temper^ when t)ae believer is under excejpve difcouragcments^ on whatever ground : it is an
T t 2 evidence
'332 Law-Death, Gospel-Life, Serm. XXIII, &c.
evidence he is too much under the law ; for the law can give no encouragement, no fettlement to the con- fcience ; it is only Chrifl can give reft j Come unto mCy all ye that labour^ and are heavy laden ^ and I will ghe ^Q:i re/i. What is it that difcourages a believer, when Be is under this legal temper ? Sometimes he is diicou- iraged when he performs duty,, and cannot lind that prefcncCj that fenhble help he would have : why then
he .is quite . difoirited. --Indeed he hath ground of
mourning, when the Lord is av/ay ; he ihould be deeply humbled, for the caufes of it : but when he is fo difpirited, that he iofes his confidence, and is beaten quite away from hh faith and hope, queftions his fcal e, and gives way to ilaviih fear, that weakens his hands i-n duties, and draws his heart from duty, it is a token he is fecretiy hankering after the law ; for the language of the heart uf him is, O if I could pray with as m.uch life, and hear with as much attention, and perform duty with as much vigour as I would be at ! O then I would have a good hope ; and fo it is not Chrift, {j much as the law, the old huiband, that you delire to place your hope upon, while you are under that legal frame : the apoltie fpeaks of fome believers that de/:re to be under the law^ Gal. iv. 21. Som.etimes their difcouragements arife from this, that they dare TiOt apply the promifes-; and why f o ? becaufe they think they are not for the like of them ; fuch a pro- mife belongs to fuch and fuch a good perfon ; it is for a holy man, but not for the like of me : what is this but- a legal temper, apprehending, that if you had liich and fuch a legal righteoufnefs, then God would be fome v/ay indebted to give you the promife ! But, O is not grace to be glorified in this new and gofpel xvay ! And therefore, the more of a gofpel fpirit you have, the more chearfully will you embrace the pro- ihife-, for this end, that having thefe promifes^ you may ikanje yottrfjff^ by fucking virtue from the breafts of tile promife,
7. It is an evidence of a legal temper, when they are always flraltened in duty. Sometimes they are dif-^
couraged^
SePvM. XXIII, &c. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 2)?)%
couraged, becaufe they lire fo ftraitened in duty ; and they are Ihraitened in duty, becaufe they are lb legal in it. Their dilcouragement flows from their ftraiten- ing, and their ftraitening iiows from their legal fpirit ; for a gofpel fpirit is a fpirit of liberty, i. When a be- liever is for ordinary itraitencd without life, without liberty, it is an evidence of a legal fpirit ; for, Vihcre the Spirit of the Lord is, thct e is liberty : The law of the' fpirit of life in Chriji Jefus makes the \\i2.w free from the la-iu of fin and deaths Rom. viii. 2. When one is in- fluenced by the covenant of grace, he runs in the w^ay of God's commandments. Though you have once known w^hat it was to run fweetly in the Lord's way, yet if now you find a habitual indirpofition to duties and religious exercifes to be a heavy yoke, a grievous burden, this indiipohtion- tefliftes againft you, that though you have once known the gofpel of Chriil:, yet now you are hankering after the law. The Lord may indeed withdraw his prefcnce from his people, for necelTary ends, even from the man that hath much of the goipel-fpirit ; and fuch a man, am/idil all his trials of that fort, v/ili triumph in Chrifi", and fay, tho' I have little in hand, yet I have much in hope ; what- ever my own wants be, I have enough in Chrifl: ; how- ever weak in myfelf, lam Itrong in him; impcrfett in myfelf, but complete in him. But when, for or- dinary, the perfon does not find pleafiire in duty, hath little heart to it, and finds it not eafy and light, but grievous ; it is a token, that he is bearing the yoke of the law, or old covenant : For ChrifVs yoke is eafy and his burden is light ; but this law-yoke is heavy. The law^, the firfl hufband, requires hard, and heavy things, and does not help the linner with ilrength ; but Ghrift, the new hufband, requires the fame things, but he gives flrength to perform ; and what he re- quires of us, he works in us ; I can do all things thro^ Chrifi Jirengthening me ; were it to over-leap a wall, and fight armies of devils in my way.
8. It is a fign of a legal temper, when a poor crea- ture finds always difcouragement, except v/hen about religious duties 5 and finds no peace, when about any
other
334 I^^w-Death,Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, drr.
other work ; but is flill racked, except when upon his knees, or going about fome religious performance or other : it is a token of being knit and wedded too much to the firfl hufband ; for the law drives hard, and craves hard : but Chrifl is very tender and gentle in his commands and demands ; and a perlon, under the influences of grace, will find as much fweet- nefs, even when eating and drinking, and when he is about his lawful employment fometimes, as when a- bout religious exercifes. Millake me not here ; think not that Chrift will indulge his people in the omiflion of duty, that is not what I intend, God forbid ; 1 know and am perfuaded, that the fweetefc hours that the believer hath, is when he enjoys communion with God in the ordinances and duties of his appointment : but yet, they that have much of a gofpel-fpirit can, with peace, and freedom of mind, go about other things as the work of Chrifl ; though it be a piece of felf-denial to them, not to be always with him, they would notwithftanding incline to be every minutq with him, and are longing for uninterrupted commu- nion and fellowiliip with him : yet the thing I fay is, that their hearts are not difheartened, nor their fpirit difpirited, when called to other things ; and it favours much of a legal fpirit, when the poor exercifed crea- ture can find no peace about their other lawful duties, unlefs they be flill about duties that are properly re- ligious duties, fuch as prayer, and reading, and hear- ing, and the like ; for, in fome fenfe, other duties, fuch as plowing andfowing, and the like, may be turn- ed to religious duties, by a fpiritual-minded man, and fuch as have a gofpel-fpirit, while they carry a heavenly mind to their earthly work.
9. It is a fign of too much of a legal temper^ when a man is not faiisfied with the meafure of grace that the Lord allows him, but frets againfl heaven becaufe he hath not fo much as others. Let none miflake me here either : no man ought, in any different way, to be con- tent with any meafure of grace ; we are flill to be go- ing on to perfection ; but when we grudge and repine, and are pained at the hearty and murmur againfl God,
becaufe
Serm. XXIII, cSrr. Law-Death, Gospel-Life, 335
becaufe we have not this and that meafure as others have, it is a fymptoni of hankering after the law. A gofpel fpirit does not llrive with God, but meekly warts upon the Sovereign, who will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy^ and difpenfes freely of his gifts and graces as he pleafeth.
I o. It is a fign of a legal temper^ when a pcrfon is more taken up with the ^fts of Chrift, than with Cbrift himfelf ; more taken up with any little thing they get from him, than with himfelf. When they get any fen- fible grace, any fenfible good aft'eclions, melrlng of heart, melting of fpirit ; any inclination to what is good ; any gifts, or graces, whether more common or fpecial, they admire thefe, and are not fo much taken up with Chrift himfelf. But the perfon that is evange- lical in his adings, by what he gets he is led to the gi- ver ; if this be fweet, O he is infinitely fweeter that fent it : I embrace the token, and it draws out my heart the more after him, from whom it came-
11. It is a fign of being too much under the influ- ence of the law, when the believer is polfefTed with a
fretful fpirit^ and is not content with any thing ; for the gofpel fweetens a man's frame of fpirit. If the belie- ver go to the law, he is conftantly pained and wound- ed ; and a difeafed perfon is always a repining perfon ; and this fretfulnefs is a fign, that they are not found at the bottom ; but the gofpel is health to the heart, and medicine to all the fielh. A gofpel fpirit is a fpirit of faith ^ a fpirit of lovc^ a {^Vl\\.o{ power ^ and o{ 2. found mind^ 2 Tim. i. 7. And hence, take a believer, when he is much under the influence of the grace of the gof- pel, ten thoufand little difiiculties, that fometimes fret him and put him out of humour, will not move him then, when he is living near Chrift, ajid under the influ- ence of the covenant of grace ; but when at other times every thing frets him, it is a fign that the law hath the afcendcnt, for the law works wrath^ Rom. iv. 1 5.
12. It is a fign of a legal fpirit^ when, upon the back of religious duties, the man hath more freedom to fin ; Sinjhall not have dominlQJj over you : for you arc not un^
dcr
^^6 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 'Serm. XXIII, &c,
der the law^ hut under grace. The laws irritates corrup* tion, raifes the devil, but cannot lay him ; but the grace of God in Chrid, teaches to deny ungodlinefs^ and worldly lujls. This grace only keeps down the devil, and lays him low, as it were ; yea, bruifes the ferpcnf s head^ and deftroys the works of the deviL V/hen a man performs duty in a legal way, to quiet his confcience ; why, then, when confcience is quieted with the duty, luft gets a vent like the w^iore, of which we read, Prov. vii. 14, / have offered r,iy peace -offerings^ this day I have paid my '■cows : cGinc^ let us take our fill of love. But when a man performs duty in a gofpel way, not merely to fatisfy confcience, or pacify the judge, but to glorify God, to honour Chrift, which is the great gofpel end of perfor- ming duty ; then this glory of God and Chrift, that he hath in view^, prompts him to dehre, by the means of duty, to get the better of God's enemies in the heart ; and when he gets the victory, he defires to purfue his enemies, even to the death.
Now, my dea: friends, if there be any believer here, I am fure fomeof thefe evidences, if not all, miay find you out, to have too much of a legal temper about you, O believers, you who have fled for refuge^ to lay hold on the hope^ fet before you^ will you conlider what danger you are in from Chrift's rZ-rt?/, the lawikz a covenant, your firft hufband, and how much your following after hat doth undo you ? You, it may be, think, you are in hazard from carnal friends, or from the world ; but you cannot underftand how you crm be in hazard from the law : but you may be in the greateft hazard from that which you are leaf!: afraid of. Paul tells the belie- vers here, and elfewheie, to whom he writes, what ha- zard they W'ere in, even from thefe that pretend to preach the gofpel, who were but minifters of theold co- venant, who preffed, and knew nothing but to prefs the people to yield obedience and fubjcdion to their old hufband, the law ; pretending to the greateft holinefs and ftridnefs of life : and preihng nothing but Do, do, and live. Nay, but fays Paul, I, and all believers, have another way of living to God, and his glory, than by living on, or by the law^ as a covenant j / through the.
law
Serm. XXIII, 6^^. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 337
law am dead to the law^ that I might U--i>e vnfo God, O believer, arm yourfelf againft all proxies that the law makes ufe of; ftudy the nature, fulnefs, and freedom of the new covenant ; and pray much for the fpirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowledge of Chriil, and his gofpel. I go on to
[3. J The third thing here propofed, which was to fhew the caiifes of this legal temper. Why is the world fo let upon the law, as a covenant^ and fo little upon Chriit, as the Lord their righteoufncfs f I fum up all the reafons into this one, which 1 iliall draw out into fome particulars : and it is grofs ignorance, proud igno^ tance ; For they being ignorant of God^s righteoiifnefs^ and going about to ejiablifh their own righteoufncfs, have not fubmitted themfehes^ unto the rightcoufnefs of God, Rom. X. 3. The world is ignorant of God, ignorant of the law, ignorant of the gofpel, ignorant of Chrift, and his rightcoufnefs.
I. Ignorance of God is one caufe of this legal tem- per. People are ignorant of the perfections of God ; more particularly, they are ignorant of the holincfs of God : if men faw what an infinite holy God he is, and what an infinite hatred he bears towards the leali fm, or violation of his law ; if they knew that a proud thought were enough to damn a million of angels, and that a v;andering thought is enough to damn a million of worlds, would they entertain a fancy oi be- ing jullified and accepted upon the ground of any legal rightcoufnefs of their own, whether natural or graci- ous ? Nay, they would not imagine to be thus accep- ted, if they did not think that God is fuch an one as themfelves. — —They are ignorant alfo of the juilice of God, and the righteouFncfs of that judge, who will by no nfeans clear the guilty ; and if it were not fo, that they were ignorant of his jufiice, would any guilty fin- ner hope to be cleared, and acquitted any other *yay, than upon the account of a ranfom of infinite value? — They are ignorant of the wifdom of God, in the glori- ous plan of redemption, and ccntri\ance of falvation by the rightcoufnefs of another, even of the God-mau Chrifi: Jefus Ignorance of thefc, and the like attri-
V 0 L. IL U u butcs
33S Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, i^c,
butes and perfedions of God, is the great caufe of their being joined to the law, and aUve to it.
2. Ignorance of the law is another caufe of this le- gal temper and difpcfition : and here,
(i.) They are ignorant of the precept of the law in the extent, fpirituality, holinefs, and perfection there- of : the young man in the gofpel thought himfelf per- fed: ; why ? he did not know the law. Paul thought himfelf blamelefs, while he was alive to the law ; men think it a narrow rule, condemning only fome grofs enormities of life, and commanding only fome out- ward materials of obedience ; but they fee not the com- tnandment to be exceeding broad ; hence they imagine, they can obferve it perfedlly well.
(2.) They are ignorant of the penalty of the law, the fanclion of it : they do not believe, that there is a curfe intailed upon every difobedience ; Curfed is every one that contimietb not in all thiiigs that are writ- ten in the book of the law to do them. Hence, they are foolilhly fond of their own legal righteoufnefs, not knowing the feverity of the legal fandion.
(3.) They are ignorant of the end of the law, even of God's end and defign in giving it. God gave the law to Ifrael with fire and thunder : For what end ? even to be 2. fchool-majler to lead them to Chriji^ Gal. iii. 24. For Chriji is the end of the law for righteoufnefs^ to every one that helieveth^ Rom. x. 4. • But behold fo igno- rant was Ifrael of the end of the law, that, like the legal fpirit in our own day, they thought it was given for this end, that they might obey it as a condition of life, as it bore the image and reprefentation of a co- venant of works ; fo they turned it diredly to a co- venant of works, faying. All that the Lord hath com- vianded^ we will do^ Exod. xix. 8. If it had been pof- fible, or practicable, for them to have performed what they ignorantly promifed, there would have been no need ofChrill:, or his righteoufnefs either; Vie will do, lay they ; there is obedience ; yea, we will do all that the Lord Jehovah hath commanded us^- there is e:<aBly and perpetually perfe6l obedience : yea, we. zuill
d^
Serm. XXIII, 6y. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 339';
do all ; WE ourfelves ; there is perfect perfonal obedi- ence refolved upon : as if they had in their poflelhon, all the power and hoUnefs that Adam had in inno- cence. What fays Jofliua to them, upon fuch a
proud, ignorant, and arrogant refolution as this ? In- deed, he tells them, it was nmply impoiTible for tliCin ; Te cannot ferve the Lord, for be is a holy God^ Jofluia xxiv. 19. He is a holy God, and you are a hnful people ; it is impoiTible for you to do what you fay. The law was given them, to let them fee their utter infufFiciency and inability ; to let them fee their fms, and defcrt becaufe of fm ; that, under the fear of di- vine wrath, they might be obliged to have recourfe to the Saviour. But they being ignorant of this great end of the law, fet up an obedience of their own.
3. Ignorance of the gofpel^ is another caufe of this legal temper ; and here ignorance difcovers itfelf in manifold inftances.
(i.) They are ignorant of the promife of the gofpel ; fuch as that, Ifa. xlv. 24. Surely pall one fay^ in the Lord have I righteoufnefs andftrengih. Here is a fum of the gofpel promife ; a promife of Chrift, and ot faith in him : Surely pall one fay ; here is a promife of faith, and faith working out from the heart to the mouth ; for, With the heart men believe unto rightecuf nefsj and with the mouth confejfion is tnade unto f al vat ion. O^^ jhall fay ; What ! no more but one ? what a pity is it, that only one Ihould fay fo ? Indeed it intimates, that very few will be brought off from their legal tem- per : O^E pall fay ^ not every one; well, but what will he fay ? In the Lord have I righteoufnefs andfirength : Righteoufnefs, for juftification ; llrength for fandinca- tion : righteoufnefs, to make me happy ; flrcngth, to make me holy : righteoufnefs, to give me a title to heaven ; (Irength, to give me a meetnefs for heaven. / have all this, lliall one fay, by the appropriating aO: of faith ; applying all to himfelf in particular, with ai- fured confidence, according to the meafure ot faith : / have righteoufnefs and flrength : where hath he it ? It is in the Lord I have it : I have it not in myfclf, nor in my own natural power ; 1 have it not in my U u 2 ^wa
340 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIll, 6"^
own free-v/lU ; 1 have it not in my walk and conver- fation ; I have it not in my zeal or profeffion ; I have it not in m,y religious duties or performances ; I have it not in my heart or life ; nay, certainly I have it Dot there ; but. Surely in //?^ Lord have 1 right eouf^ ■nefs andjirength ; in the Lord only : men are igno* j-ant of this.
(2,) They are ignorant of the rnethod of the gofpel, in the application of grace promifed, particularly in the command of believing, which belongs to the dif" penfation of the gofpel ; wherein the law, in its com- mands and threatenings both, is ufed in a fubfervieu' cy, to advance the ends of the gofpel. Though the law doth not teach us to believe in Chrift, yet he be- ing revealed, it obhges us to believe in him ; though the law reveals not a Saviour, yet the gofpel reveal- ing him, the lav/ obliges us to come to him.- — -But now this method of the gofpel, and difpenfation there- of, is pot known in the world ; hence come legal un-^ dertakings of it ; men confQunding the command of believing^ with the gofpel to be believed ; the duty of falth^ with the objed o{ faith ; and fo turn the gofpel to a new law, a new covenant of works ; as if the a£t oi believing were our righteoufnefs for acceptance with God. Neither can they conceive the command of be- lieving to be the great command^ though God himfelf hath faid. This is his coramandrnent^ that ye believe In the name of his ^on ; Nay, legalids cannot underfland that ; they think it is God's great command, that feeing they have hnned by breaking the lav/, they ftouid repent by turning to i^ ; feeing they have dif- pleafed God by their fmsj they fhould pleafe him by their repentance ; feeing they have provoked him by their difobedience, they ihould pacify him with their obedience ; feeing they have drawn down the curfe by their tranfgreilions, they Ihould remove it by their re^ formation : They do not know that the great com^ mand is, to believe on the Son of God.
(3.) They are ignorant of the great end of the gof- pel, which is, to humble and abafe the creature to the iowefl, and to raifc and c^alt grace to the higheft 5
Se9.m. XXIII, &c. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 341
that No fiejh fhould glory m God's pr^fence, but that /jff that glorictb^ jhoidd glory in the Lord : In the Lordjhall all the feed of Ifrael be jiifiifted^ and Jh all glory. That is the great end and defign of the gofpel : but the bafe legal fpirit is ignorant of that defign.
(4.) They are ignorant of the gofpel-covenam : the doctrinal and praftical confounding of the two cove- nants of works and grace, is the great reafon of this legal temper. And here people difcover ignorance of the condition of the covenant ; they are ignorant of the condition of the covenant of grace and works : the condition of the covenant of works y was perfonal obedi- ence ; the MAN himfelf that does thcfe things Jhall live in them : and perfed obedience, was required ; a per- fedion of parts, a perfedion of degrees, a perfection of duration. The condition of the covenant o^ grace ^ is Chriffs perfeci obedience received by faith. There is much ignorance of this, at the root of all the legality that takes place in the world. They are ignorant of the/or;?2 of the covenant; how by the covenant of works we get flrength within ourfelves, and by our- felves we could obey it; how by the covenant of grace our flrength is without us, as well as our righteouf- nefs ; In the Lord have Ifireiigth ; and, ice are to he firong in the Lord, not in our/elves^ but in the Lord ; and, in the power cf his might ; to be ftrong in o-race not that grace that is in ourfelves ; but the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
4. Ignorance olChrifi and his right eoifnefs, is a p-rest caufe of men's eftabliihing a legal righteoufnefs ; For they being ignorant of God*s righteoufnefs , and going about to eflablifh their own right eoifnefs, have not fuhmittcd
t hen f elves unio the righteoufnefs of God , Rom. x. 3
God was about to cafl off a whole church, to reject them, and unchurch them : Why ? What is the rea- fon ? becaufe they were fuch a proud pack, they would rather be damned w^ith their own righteoufnefs, than faved by Chrift's righteoufnefs, or obliged and beholden to him for it. They would not fubmit to it ; Why ? becaufe they are ignorant of it ; diey do not lee the glory cf it, as it is the righteoufnefs of God ;
thev
342 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6^r.
they do not fee the neceffity of it, becaufe their own righteoufnefs was reckoned fufficient ; they do not fee the fulnefs of it, as anfwering all the demands and commands of the law ; they do not fee the value of it, as fufficient to procure the favour of God, and pur- chafe grace and glory ; they do not fee the accepta- blenefs of it, as being the only righteoufnefs with which God is well-pleafed, and that thereby the law is mag- nified, and made honourable : they are ignorant of all this, and therefore they go about to eftahlijld a righte- oufnefs of their own^ and will not fiibmit to this. Their Ignorance was a proud ignorance ; and fo it is with all by nature : we are filled with proud ignorance, and ignorant pride ; though our power be gone, our pride remains.
[4.] Thft fourth thing here propofed, was, the evil and danger of a legal temper, and legal obedience : Yv by ?
I. This legal way is very iinpleafant work, it is a wearifome work ; What a zuearinefs is it f fays the man. He is 'ivearied in the greatnefs of his way^ and
yet fays he not^ there is no hope^ Ifaiah Ivii. 10. It is
true, the law hath fometimes its influences of comfort to its votaries ; and ftony-ground hearers may receive the ivord with joy ; and no doubt they may pray, and do other duties alfo with joy ; but it is only a m.ood that foon evaniflies, having no root in Chrift. Can a dead man have pleafure in vital actions ? can a hea- vy ilone incline upwards ? O but the legal foul is a miferable creature ! The law drags him to duties, con- fcience preiTes him to work ; faying, Faff, pray ; pray, man ; work for your life ; repent, reform, as you would not be damned : But behold, he cannot, though they be good duties he is called to ; and the legal covenant, the legal miniiler, the legal confcience of him cries. Make brick, make brick, make brick ; but behold, he hath no fcraw, no ftraw, no flraw ; nothing to make it of. He hath no flrength, no grace, no communi- cation ; and fo he tugs, he works, he fwcats ; but it is a heartlefs and unpleafant work.
2. Legal
Serm. XXIII, ^'r. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 34^
2. Legal obedience is very unprofitable work, as well as unpieaiant ; / will declare thy right eoiifnefs and thy work ; for they jhall not profit thce^ llaiah Ivii. 12- The felf-righteous Pharilee may fail twice a-week, give alms of all that he hath ; he may make long prayers, many prayers ; he may both preach and pray frequent- ly and fervently ; yea, the poor legalifi: may work at his fecret devotion and family devotion ; he may wait on ordinances, and frequent communions, and run the whole round of duties ; and when he hath done this thirty, forty, fifty years, all the profit is, he gets hell for his pains ; To what piirpofe is the multitude of your
facrifices f Ifaiah i. 2. AH is unprofitable.
3. The legal obedience is very carnal , for it is a life wholly deititute of the Spirit ; This would I learu of you^ fays Paul ; if you would be doctors of th^ law, let me have a lelTon from you, if you can give it ; Re- ceived ye the Spirit by the works of the law\ or by the heariyig of faith f Gal. iii. 2. Was it by the works cf the law? 1 fuppofe not; nay, the Spirit is not received in that way : it is in and by the gofpel of Chriil. The legalift is deflitute of the Spirit ; whatever affeditious holinefs he may have, or real holinefs he may pretend to, he wants a fandifying work, fealing work j Sen^
fual^ not having the Spirit,
4. Legal obedience crcjfcs the moft glorious defign of heaven^ particularly God's defign in giving Chriil, and Chrift's defign in coming to the world.
(i.) It croiTes God's great defign ; What it that ? It is even the exalting of his free grace ; What is the great defign of all the great works of God, viz, elec- tion, redemption, regeneration, providence ? Why
does he choofe one, and rcje£t others ? Why does he choofe a wicked Publican, and caff a righteous Phari- fee to hell ? Why does he redeem a poor ignorant, ill- natured man or woman from their miferable (late, and let the rich and learned go to hell ? Why does he re- generate an eled foul, after he hath been twenty, thir- ty years in the devil's fervice ? and after they are re- generate, why does he in providence let them fall into ifraits, wants, fms, manifold temptations, troubles, af-
fiiclion,
p
I
I
344 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, 6v.
flidion, defertion, and heavy complaints on thefe ac- counts ? Why ? All is to exalt free grace in the ilTue* But now the legaliil crolTes this dehgn of God ; he would have felf exalted, his works exalted, inftead of Chrift, and free grace. He puts another righteouf- nefs in the room of the righteoufnefs of Chrlft, and fo takes the dung of his own righteoufnefs, as Paul calls it, and cafts it upon the face of free, rich, and fove* reign grace, to cover, and hide, and darken it.— —
0 what a deviliih dehgn is this, in oppofition to God's glorious defign of making grace (hine brightly !
(2.) It crolTes Chriji^s great defign in coming to the Ivor Id : The grand intention of the Son of God, in co- ming from heaven, was. To briiig in an everlqfting righ^ teoufnefs^ Dan. ix. 24. But behold, the iegaliit's de- fign, in eftablifning his own righteoufnefs, is, to make all Chrift's labour to be loil labour ; he endeavours to fruftratc the very end of Chrifl's death, and makes it vain ; If righteoufnefs come by the law^ Chriji is dead in *vain^ Gal. ii. 21. Inftead of Ghrifl's everlafting righ- teoufnefs, he fets up a righteoufnefs that cannot lad half a day, nor half an hour ; nay, not a moment.
5. Legal obedience hath the evil of hiafphcmy in it. It reproaches the righteoufnefs of Chrift, as if it were not fufficient, as if his atonement were not perfect, as if his fatisfaclion were not full, as if his obedience were not perfed, uniefs it be patched up with the rags of the man's own righteoufnefs. Is not Chrifl's righteoufnefs perfect without their addition ? O do not blafpheme the Son of God, and fay in effeO:, his obedience was not a divine, pcrfed obedience ; for thus you reproach his ful- nefs and fufficiency.
6. Legal obedience iffues In a terrible difappolntment ; the poor deluded man thinks, his prayers and duties, that he hath been performing for lb many years, will make an excellent robe to cover him : 1 hope, fays the man, I have fomething that will contribute to make me die in peace ; I have fomething to make me fland in judgment, that others have not ; for many a duty have
1 performed, many a prayer have I made, thefe twenty or thirty years ; and many times have I prayed with
very
iialf
Serm. XXlII, e^^. Law-Death, Gosp£L-LiFE. 34^
very much warmnefs of affedion, and livelincfs of frame, and therefore I have a good hope, that God will be pleafed, and ail will be well with me. But, () what a fearful difappointment does the man meet with 1 Death comes ; and if he die in the fame legal dream, he goes down to the grave with a lie in his right-hand ; T/jc /jy- focrite^s hope is like ihe fpidcr*s web ; Why ? What comes of it ? The fpider works it out of his own bow- th^ : it is her houfe, it is her food, it is her fence ; there flie dwells, there flie feeds, there (he fecures and fhelters herfelf for a while ; but at the clofe of the day, or the end of the week, the bciom comes along, and fvveeps her and her lodging, and all to the ground : Even fo, the legaliil, he works a web out of his own bowels, he wraps himfelf in this garment of his own fpinning ; here he dwells, here he works, here he feeds, here he Ihelters himfelf from all challenges, and appre- henfions of danger : but behold, the befom of death and deilrudion comes, and fweeps him, and his refuge of lies down to the bottomlefs pit. If his eyes be open on a death-bed to fee hell, to fee the juftice of God, to fee the fpirituality of the law, the imperfedion of his duties, the emptinefs of h^is performances, and the fan- dy foundation he hath been building his faith upon, then his confcience 'roars, his heart defpairs ; he hath no peace, no comfort ; but fmds himfelf miferably dif- appointed. If his eyes be not open; what then ? why, he dies in a delufion, as he Xwcd^ hnks into the lake of fire ; and in hell he opens his eyes, and finds himfelf eternally difappointed.— — O fee then, what ground there is to lament over this legal temper, which is in- deed a damnable temper, where it hath a full reign.
\Jic fourth viz. Oi exhortation^ both to them that are alive to the law^ and to them tliat are dead to the laiVj ct whom the text efpecially fpeaks.
ijij To unbelievers^ and all thefe that are alive to ihe law. O ! for the Lord's fake, take no reft till you get out of that damnable fbate ! O confider v»^hat you are doing, fo long as you are not dead to the law : the be-t thing that ycu are doing, in that cafe, is, that you are
V o i,. IL X X building
344 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &'e.
fli6lion, defertion, and heavy complaints on tbefe ac- counts ? Why ? All is to exalt free grace in the ifiue* But now the legaliil croiTes this dehgn of God ; he would have felf exalted, his works exalted, inilead of Chrift, and free grace. He puts another righteouf-* nefs in the room of the righteoufnefs of Chrift, and fo takes the dung of his own righteoufnefs, as Paul calls it, and cafts it upon the face of free, rich, and fove* reign grace, to cover, and hide, and darken it.— —
0 what a devili(h defign is this, in oppofition to God's glorious defign of making grace fhine brightly !
(2.) It erodes Chrift^ s great defign in coming to the world : The grand intention of the Son of God, in co- ming from heaven, was. To briiig in an e-verlajiing righ^ teoufnefs^ Dan. ix. 24. But behold, the legaliil's de- fign, in eftablifning his own righteoufnefs, is, to meike all Chriil's labour to be loll labour ; he endeavours to frudratc the very end of Chrifl's death, and makes it vain ; If righteoufnefs come by the law^ Chriji is dead in *vain^ Gal. ii. 21. Inftead of Chrifl's everiafting righ- teoufnefs, he fets up a righteoufnefs that cannot lad half a day, nor half an hour ; nay, not a moment.
5. Legal obedience hath the evil of blafphcmy in it. It reproaches the righteoufnefs of Chrift, as if it were not fufficient, as if his atonement were not perfect, as if his fatisfaclion were not full, as if his obedience were not perfeO;, unlefs it be patched up with the rags of the man's own righteoufnefs. Is not Chrifl's righteoufnefs perfed; without their addition ? O do not blafpheme the Son of God, and fay in efFeft, his obedience vv^as not a divine, perfect obedience ; for thus you reproach his ful- nefs and fufficiency.
6. Legal obedience iifues m a terrible df appointment ; the poor deluded man thinks, his prayers and duties, that he hath been performing for lb many years, will make an excellent robe to cover him : 1 hope, fays the man, I have fomething that will contribute to make me die in peace ; I have fomething to make me ftand in judgment, that others have not ; for many a duty have
1 performed, many a prayer have I made, thefe twenty or thirty years j and many times have I prayed with
very
Serm. XXIII, &c, Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 34^"
verv much warmnefs of affcdion, and livelinefs of frame, and therefore I have a good hope, that God will be pleafed, and all will be well with me. But, () what a fearful difappointnient does the man meet with ! Death comes ; and if he die in the fame legal dream, he goes down to the grave with a lie in his right-hand ; The hy- pocrite^ s hope is like the fpidcr^s web ; Why ? Wliat comes of it ? The fpider works it out of his own bow- elpv : it is her houfe, it is her food, it is her fence ; there flie dwells, there flie feeds, there (he fecures and fhelters herfelf for a while ; but at the clofe of the day, or the end of the week, the befom comes along, and fweeps her and her lodging, and all to the ground : Even fo, the legaliil, he works a web out of his own bowels, he wraps himfcif in this garment of his own fpinning ; here he dwells, here he works, here he feedfi, here he Ihelters himfelf from all challenges, and appre- henfions of danger : but behold, the befom of death and deilruciion comes, and fweeps him, and his refuge cf lies down to the bottomlefs pit. If his eyes be open on a death-bed to fee hell, to fee the juftice of God, to fee the fpirituality of the law, the imperfection of his duties, the emiptinefs of his performances, and the fan- dy foundation he hath been building his faith upon, then his confcience'roars, his heart defpau's ; he hath no peace, no comfort ; but finds himfelf miferably dif- appointed. If his eyes be not open ; what then ? why, he dies in a delufion, as he lived, finks into the lake of fire ; and in hell he opens his eyes, and finds liimfelf
eternally difappointed.— O {i:^ then, what ground
there is to lament over this legal temper, which is in- deed a danmable temper, where it hath a full reign.
\Jic fourth VIZ. Oi exhortation^ both to them that are dlive to the Icnv^ and to them tiiat are dead to the laiVj cf whom the text efpecially fpeaks.
ijij To unbelievers^ and all thcfe that are alive to the law. O ! for the Lord's fake, take no reft till you get out of that damnable fi:ate ! O confider what you are doing, fo long as you are not dead to the law : the belt thing that you ^re doing, in that cafe, is, that you are
V o t. IL X X building
34<5 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c.
building your refidence about the old rotten walls of the covenant of works. Perhaps you think you are a good proteltant, you are a good ChrifUan, you have a good heart, you perform good duties, you partake of good ordinances, and what evil fhould you fear ?
I. I aflure you, that you are under the curfe of the law of works ; Curfe d is every one that continuetb not in all things that are written in the hook of the law^to do them. And while you are under the law, and feeking to efla- blilh a law-righteouihefs of your own, all the people of God are obliged to fay, that God is in the right to curfe you ; they are obliged to fay Ainen, to all the curfes of the Bible againft you ; Curfed is he that confirmeth not all the words of this law ; and all the people fhall fay , Amen, Deut. xxvii. 26. If you will take the old cove- nant of doing for life, and juftification, then you mufl take it with a vengeance, unlefs you do perfedly, and do to purpofe, which is impolTible for you ; Curfed is every one that continuetb not in all things that are written in the hook of the law^ to do them : And all believers can fay Amen to it, in the words of Paul ; Let him that loves not our Lord Jefus Chrift^ he Anathema Marana- THA, [/. e. accurfed until the Lord come,'\ 1 Cor. xvi. 22. While you are under the law, no bleffing belongs to you, but all divine curfes ; if you will not get out of your legal righteoufnefs, and get under the gofpel co- vert of the blood of Jefus, nothing but terror belongs to you ; and nothing but terrors and curfes can I preach to you : for. As many as are of the works of the law^ are tinder the curfe.
2. I mull tell you, as you are under the curfe of the law, fo you are under the command oi\ht law ; Do^ and Live, Though by the gofpel-call, you are not obliged indeed to feek righteoufnefs in yourlelf, in order to life, but to feek it in Chrift ; yet by your unbelief, you keep yourfelf under the command of the law, ; If thou wilt enter into life^ keep the comma7idment ; keep it perfe6:ly, or elfe vengeance fliall overtake you. It is not your little endeavours that will fatisfy the law \ though you ihould read, faft, mourn, and ihed tears of blood all your days, it will not avail^ or be to any purpofe, in
fatif.
SfiRM. XXIII, e^r. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 347
fatisfying the law's demands : if you will pay any duty to the law, as a covenant, yoii are a debtor io fulfil the WHOLE la-w^ Gal. v. 3. The law, is a chain that is link- ed together, and if you take one link of it, the weight of the whole chain will be upon you ; and fo, it you will do any thing in obedience to the law, that you may be thereby favedand juftified, you are under bon- dage to the whole law ; and bound to do every thing perfectly, that you may be julllfied. O the niiferable bondage that you are under ! You will never be able to fatisfy the law ; and fo you are condemned already ; yea, let me tell you more, you are a wicked ungodly creature : whatever you feem to be to others, or think you are yourfelf ; yet, being alive to the law, you are a firanger to the life of God ; for, till you be dead to the law, you fhall never live unto God : though you look like an angel of light for holinefs, yet, be- ing alive to the law, you have no true holinefs nor godlinefs. Ye that are ftill leaning to your works, then you will meet with a fad difappointment ; for. By the
deeds of the law nofep living can he juftified, But
there are others, who feem to be upon another ex- treme ; they fay, the law is now abrogated, and we are not to feek juftihcation or falvation that way ; and therefore we are carelefs about the law, or about any
duty of obedience. Yea, but let me tell you your
doom out of the law alfo ; you are a defperate fmner : becaufe you cannot fatisfy the curfe of the law, there- fore you run away from the commands of the law, and run away to the devil, inflead of running to Chrift. ' — But I will tell you, though the law cannot judify, or fave you, yet it can condemn you : it hath power to condemn you, though it hath none to fave you ; and it will condemn, and does condemn you, and all that are out of Chrift ; and therefore, lor every fm that you are guilty of, you muil anfwer ; and every fm is enough to damn you, by virtue of the law. C) then, may this be a mean to move you all that are un- der the law, to feek in to Chrift, Who is the end of the law for righteoufnefs^ to every one that believeth ! Come, X X 2 P'^or^
■34S Law-DeAth, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c^
poor, curfed, condemned, ungodly linner, if you would live unto God here, and live with him hereaiter, come out from under the heavy yoke of the law ; Chrill hath a good and perfect law-biding righteoufnefs to give you, though you have nothing to bring to him, but fm, and guilt, and mifery, and hell about you, yet com>e to him ; and if you cannot come, Q go to him, and tell him that you cannot come ; and plead, that, by his omnipotent power, he may draw you ; and if you ^o fo in truth, it is one to a thoufand, if lie does not meet you half way. O man, you cannot be faved, to the credit of God's holinefs, unlefs you join with Ghrift's righteoufnefs, which anfwers alfo the "threatening of the law, and f^itisfies the juflice of God, In this way, mercy can take vent, to the credit and honour of all God^s perfe£lions, O man, woman, are you for this way of it ? O then fay, Farewel to the lavv' of works ior ever : here is a more noble and glo- rious way. O bleiTcd be God for ever, if that be the bargain betwixt Chriil: 's righteoufnefs and your foul !
0 may the Lord draw you to it ! But now,
2t//)', To you that are believers^ and have clofed with Chriu, and fo are dead to the lew : remxmber, you are not to live a lawlefs life for all that. My ex- hortation to you is, that, being dead to the lazu^ you live imio God. Let me offer fome motives and di?-'ec' iionsy and the rather that I have taken fome pains to gather together, and lay before you many things rela- tive to a legal temper ^ for guarding you againft the Neonomian extreme^ on the one hand ; let men bcr ware led their carnal hearts abufe this dodrine of grace to Antinomian llceyiimifnefs^ on the other hand. Sure
1 am, the gofpel dodrine of itfelf hath no fuch tenden- cy : though an ignorant world may fufpeQ: the doc^ trine of the gofpel, the do6lrine of Chrid's righteouf- nefs, as if it were againfi: a perfonal righteoufnefs or holinefs ; I declare to you, in the name of Jehovah, that the contrary is true ; and alTure you, that you will never live according to the law, as a rule of holir iiefs, til! you be dead to the law, as a covenant and condition of life. He that hath ears to hear^ let him hear.
If
Serm. XXIIIjCyr. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 349
If the light of the glorious gofpel, even the light of the gicry cf God^ in the face of Jefiis Chriji^ did once Jhine into your hearty then, beholding this glory of the Lordy you would be changed into the fame image ^ from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord ; yea, to believe the gofpei favingly, is the way to fulfil perfeftly. The true believer may be faid to fulfil the law, both as it is a covenant, and as it is a rule ; As it is a covenant^ he fulfils it pcrfe6lly and regally in his Head and Sure- ty, in whom he hath perfect, everlafling righteoufnefs : And as it is a ride^ he fulfils it perfectly alfo, with a perfe6lion of parts here, and a perfeftion of degrees hereafter : and in both thefe refpefts may that word be explained, Rom. i. 3, 4. where the righteoufnefs of the hrjj is faid to ht fulfilled in believers, whofe characr ter is, that they \i)alk not after thefejlo, but after the Spirit. Nov/, 1 would prefs you to this fpiritual walk, this holy life, which is a living unto God ; for, tho* your holinefs be not neceflary ybr your fuftifi cation, that is the damnable doctrine of Popery ; though, I fay, it be not neceifary for your jufliiication, bccaufe you are dead to the law in point of juflification ; yet it is ne- ceifary, becaufe you are dead to the law, for this very end, that you may live unto God in point of fandifica- tion, and that you may be holy.
More particularly for motives, confider the necejjity of holinefs, in thefe following particulars.
I. It is neceifary in refpect of Cod ; and here (to ufe the method of a great divine on this head) con- fider how the will of God, the love of God, the glo, ry of God, obliges you in particular, believer, to hve unto God.
(i.) The fovereign 'ic^/7/ of God obliges you to ho- linefs ; This is the will of God, even your fandification, 1 Theif. iv. 3. It is the will of God the Father, he hath ordained it ; We are his workmanfoip, created in Chrifi Jefus unto good works, which God before bcid or- dained that we fhould walk therein. It is the will of
God the Son ; I have ordained you that you fooidd bring forth fruit, and that it (l?otild remain ^ John xv. 16.-
55a TiAw-DEATHjGosPEL-LiFE. Serm. XXIII, 6"r.
It is the will of God the Holy Ghoji^ whom we grieve by our fins^ if we do not fludy holinefs. . (2.) The love of God obliges you to holinefs ; yea, this is the end of the eleding love of the Father, the purchafing love of the Son, and the operating love of the Holy Ghoft. It is the peculiar end of the eleding love of the Father, who hath chofen us that we Jhoiild be holy^ arid unblameable before him in love, Eph. i. 4. He hath chofen us to falvation, through fandification of
the Spirit, It is the peculiar end of the purchafing
love of the Son, Who gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himfelf a pecu* liar people, zealous of good works, Titus ii. 14. And who loved his church, and gave himfelf for it, that he might fandify and cleanfe it, by the wafnng of water, and pre* fent it to himfelf a glorious church, not having fpot, nor wrinkle, nor any fuch thing, but that it fhould be holy,
and without blemifh, Eph. v, 25, 26, 27. It is alfo
the peculiar end of the operating love of the Holy Ghofl ; his whole work in us, and for us, confifling in preparing us for, and enabling us to the duties of hplinefs, and bringing forth the fruit thereof in us. — Believer, if you have any regard to the fovereignty of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl: ; any regard to the love of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoil, it o^ bliges you to holinefs of heart and hfe.
(3.) The glory of God obliges you to holinefs, and jnakes it necelTary. Would you glorify the Father? then let your light fo fmne before men, that they feeing your good works, may glorify God > Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, — "Would you glorify the Son f It is the will of God, that all men honour the iion, even as they honour the Father, And how is this done ? even by believing in him, and obeying him; Te are friends, ye evidence yourfelves to be fo, if ye do whatfoever I command you.- — Would you glorify the Holy Ghojl f It is by fludying holinefs ; for we are his temple ; and holinefs becomes his houfe and temple for ever ; and he is difhonoured w^hen his temple is defil- ed. Surely, believer, when I fpeak to you, I can- not be fuppofed to fpeak to one, that neither regards
the
Serm. XXIII, &c. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 351
the fovereign will, love, nor glory of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft ; though your holinefs fhould all be loft, and never regarded, which is impoliible ; yet here is reafon enough for it.
2. Holinefs is necellary in refpe6l oS. your f elves ; you are neceflarily obliged to holinefs ; your own honour and peace is concerned here : It is gainful ; Godlinefi is great gain, having the promife of this life, and that which is to come. It is pie af ant ; for, Wifdoni!s wap are pleafantncfs, and all her paths are peace, "there is no peace, faith my God, to the wicked; but the fruit of righteoufnefs is peace, and the effed of right eoufnefs^ quietnefs and affurance for ever. Yea, it is honourable^ and the greateft honour you can be advanced unto j to be holy, is to be like unto God.
3. Holinefs is neceflary in refpe<^ of others ; you are obliged to holinefs ; it may tend to the convidion and converfion of others. On the one hand, it may tend to their conviclion, and to ftop their mouths, who are enemies of God, and that both here and hereafter, (i.) It m.ay ftop their mouths here in a prefent world, as you fee, i Pet. ii. 15. This is the will of God, that with well-doing, you may put tofilence the ignorance ffiol- ifh men. Ignorant fools may call you hypocrites ; they may call you Antinomians, and enemies to the kw : now, by well-doing, you give them an unanfv/erable dc- cument, thai though you be dead to the law, as a cove- nant, yet you put honour upon the law, as a ride of ho^ lincfs : and fo make them aihamed of their bafe calum- ny, according to that, 2 Pet. iii. 16. Having a good con- fclence, that whereas they [peak evil of you, as of evil-doers^ they may he ajhamed that faljly accufe your good converfa* tion in Chriji, And, (2.) Holinefs in you, believer, may tend to ftop the mouths of God's enemies hereaf- ter, in the day of judgment : it is faid. The faints fhall judge the world, not only as they will be affeflbrs with the Son of God, and applaud him in all his judicial pro- ceedings ; but in regard their holinefs and good works will tend to the confufion, and convidion of the wick- ed. And indeed the good works of the faints will meet one day, with a changed countenance, that they ihall
fcarce
35^ Law-Death, 6ospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &:e$
fcarce know them : they fee them now to be all black, defiled, and deformed ; but they will then be brought forth beautiful and glorious, to the fliame of the wick- ed, Matth. XXV. 34, — 40. On the otlier hand, your
holinefs may tend to the converfion of others ; Having your converfation honejl among the Gentile^^ that ivhereas they fpeak againjl you as evil-doers^ they may^ by your good works which they pall behold^ Z^^'^'^fj G(9^'//2 the day of viji- iation^ iPet. ii. 12. The hoUnefsof profeifors hathfome- times tended to the converfion of the profane, who, vviien the day of their gracious vifitation hath come, haveglo* rified God on that account, i Pet. iii. i, 2. ; and there- fore fays Paul ; lihis is a faithful faying^ and thefe things I will^ that thou affirm coyiftantly^ that they which have be* lieved in God^ be careful to maintain good works : for thefe things are good ^ and profitable unto men^ Tit. iii. 18.
4. Holinefs is neceifary in refpect of your flate : you fland obliged to holinefs. Are you in 2.ju/ii^ed ftate, accepted into friendihip with a holy Cod, Who is of pu* rer eyes than to behold iniquity f Should you not evi- dence your jullification by your faniSiification ? Is it not neceflary that you fliould be holy, it you dwell in the prefence, walk in tl^e fight, and ly in the bofom of fuch a holy God ? Are you in a fanclified ilate ? Where- fore was you regenerate ? Wherefore got you a new- heart, and a new nature, and a holy principle of grace, but that you fnould be holy ?■ — Are you in an adopted flate ? Why fo ? but that you fliould live like the chil- dren of God, and be followers of God, as dear children f O ! was you not juftified, adopted, and fandihed for this end, that you might live unto God ? If we be be- lievers, what a Ihame is it for us, to live unfuitably to our (late, as many times we do ? Is that all the thanks we give to God for his favours, that we fhould trample his ftatutes under our feet, diflionour his name, break his laws, and grieve his Spirit ? It does not become you ; it is not like you, believer : he hath loved you with an everlafting love^ and draivn you with loving-kindnefs : — will you a6l like a devil in enmity againft him, becaufe he hath aded like a God of love towards you ? O fy for
fhainej
Serm. XXIII, 6"r. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 3^3
fliame, believer ! Tell it not in Gath^ publijh it not in the flreets of AJkelon ; left the daughters of the Fhilijlines re* joice^ left the daughters of the uncircumcifcd triumph^ 2 Sam. i. 20. Have we not the hope of glory f and ihall we not, having this hope, purify ourfelves even as he is pure^ — Are wc partakers of the precious promifes ? Then Having thefe promifes^ dearly beloved^ let us cleanfe our'- fe Ives from all filth inefs oftheflejh and fpirit^ and p erf eel holinefs in the fear of the Lord, — Are we heirs of glory f and Ihall we not feek to have our right and title unto glory cleared? Rev. xxii. 14. Blejfed are they that do his co?nmandments that they may have right to the tree of life^ and may enter in through the gates to the city ; that is, either that your right may be made evident, accord- ing to that word, 7^e are my friends^ if ye do ivlmtfocvcr 1 command you ; that is, you thus evidence yourielves to be my friends : or, concerning this right, know that there is a right of merits and a right of meetnefs^ both neceffary : a right of merit ^ believer, you have not in yourfelf, but in Chrifl ; and that is eitablifhed in juf- tification through the righteoufnefs of Chrift : a right of meetnefs you muft have in yourfelf from Chrift, and that is in fandification and holinefs. — WHat fnalll fay. Are you not dead to the law^ that you may live unto God? Are you not to teflify your gratitude tov/ards him, thr.t hath provided another iaw-righteoufnefs than your own ? Are you not to dllTerence yourfelf from the world, that are walking in the broad way to hell and damnation, and under the curfe of the law, and the wrath of God r — Are you not delivered from the wrath to comey and of all men in the world under the greateft obligati- ons to be holy ? Should you not iludy to pieafe that God- that hath pitied you? Hath he waihed you in his blood ? and ought you not, through his grace, to iludy, to \tt it be known to the world, that his blood hath a vir- tue to fandify you ? — Yea, hath he not prom.ifed. Sin jhcdl not have dominion over you^ hecaufe ye are not im* der the laiu^ ,biit under grace ; fnould ye not {iudy^ through his grace, to let It be fcen, that his promife
is verified in voa ?
Ho.
554 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, &c,
5. Holinefs is neceffary in refped of the danger you are in^ if ye do not (ludy to holinefs. If you be a child of God, you are indeed freed from the curfe of the covenant of works, that penalty can never reach you ; but, is it nothing to you, that your heavenly Father fhould chaitife you, hide his face from you, de- ny an anfwer to your prayers, hide your evidences of heaven from you, give you up to the tyranny of your lufts, and then take vengeance on your inventions.
6. Holinefs is neceifary in refped of the advantage herein. You are obliged to holinefs ; why ? in this way you may come to live joyfully, and die comforta- bly : in this way your integrity may be fupported, as it was with Job ; in this way you may come to have fweet communion with God, according to Chrifl's promife, John xiv. 21. He that bath my conwiandments^ and kecpeth them^ he it is that loves me ; — and I will love hi?n, and will manifejl ?nyfelf to him. In this way you fhall be fitted for ferving him in your generation, a Tim. ii. 19. In this way you will have an evidence of your juftification, i John iii. 9. In this way you Ihall bring down the bleffing of God on every work of your hand, all that ye do Ihall profper, Pfal. i. 4. Yea, in this way you ihall become a public-good, a com- mon good, a bleffing, and a benefit to ail about you, both in communicating good to them with whom you converfe, and in diverting judgments from thefe that are about you, as ten righteous men would have pre- ferved Sodom : O what a Sodom is the prefent gene- ration ! And as it is like Sodom and Gomorrah, and perhaps a thoufand times worfe, in refpecl of fms a- gainft law and gofpel-light, which Sodom never had ; fo, if the Lord do not leave us a remnant, we fhall be like Sodom and Gommorah, in refpecl of judgments.
All thefe things, and a thoufand more that might
be adduced, ffiould prefs you mightily to the ftudy of holinefs, and living unto God : you are dead to the law^ that you may live unto God. But next,
Vox direSlion, Now, here the queilion may be pro- pounded, 0 hozv jhall I live unto God f I fliall offer you no diredions but one, which my text leads me to,
and
S«RM. XXIII, &"<:. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 355
and it is this. If you would live unto God, O fludy to be more and more dead to the law. The more you are dead to the law as a covenant, the more will you live according to the law as a rule : What ! do you not find a legal fpirit that remains with you, and weak- ens your hands in duties of hohnefs ? When you arc wreilling at duties in your own natural ftrength, it is a legal old covenant way ; and do you not find it a hard, heavy, wsarifome tafk ? I fuppofc there is little holinefs there : but when you are leaning on tlie ftrength of Chrifl:, do you not find your foul enlarged and quickened in duty? When you perform duty from a principle of ilavifli fear, that is a legal way ; and do you not find your hearts weakened, and little heart to the work ? — But on the contrary, when the love ot Chriil conftrains you, is it not then that you run with pleafure in the ways of his commandments? Yea, fin hath dominion over you, when you are, and in fo far as you are under the law ; for the 7notions of fin are by the law : the law irritates corruption, and cannot fub- due it *, for it is the grace of God, revealed in the gof- pel, that effectually teaches to deny ungodlinefs and zvorld- ly lufts. To be dead to the law, is to be married to Chrifi ; it is to be brought off from the firfl Adam, and united to the fecond Adam. And, believer, as you are in Chrifl, fo you are to abide in him, if you would be fruitful, and live unto God ; As the branch cannot bear fruit of itfelf except it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except ye abide in me, John xv. 4. Now, to abide in him, is jufl to \>^ ftrong in the grace that is in him, and to continue to be flrong in him by faith ; and this is neceffary in order to fruitfulnefs : as, though an imp be grafted into the root, if it be not fallened and take firm rooting, it does not come to fruitfulnefs ; fo the fmner is made a Chriftian, by being cut off from the law, and ingrafted into Chrifl ; but he is not a fruitful Chriftian, if he do not take a ftrong grip of Chrift, and draw virtue from him : therefore. Abide in me, and I in you, fays Chrift ; and, O but it is well faid ! for, if he do not abide in us, we cannot abide in him. We will never abide in him by the grace of y y 2 ' faith,
35^ Law-Death, Gospel-Life. Serm. XXIII, c^r*
faith, unlefs he abide in us by the Spirit of faith. If we provoke God to take away his Spirit, our faith fades, fails, and decays ; and then we depart from the
Lord by an evil heart of unbehef. Here is the way
then to live unto God, and to bring forth fruit to him, even to die more and more to the firft hufband, the law, and to live by faith upon your bleiled Hufband, Chrifl.
Quest. But^ by what outward means Jhouldwe thus live f* May we not negletl duties^ fmce we are dead to the law ? Nay, God forbid. It was the devil's temp- tation to Chriff, to caft himfelf headlong from the temple, becaufe God had promifed to preferve him in all his ways ; fo, believer, God hath promifed to pre- ferve you ; he hath .promifed \h2XfinJhall not have do- minion over you^ and that you ^^// never per-ijh ; and is the devil tempting you therefore to throw yourfelf down headlong from the temple, and from temple- means and ordinances, public and private ? O tell that abominable devil, as Chriff did, // is written^ Thou Jhali not tempt the Lord thy God. If you negled means, you tempt the Lord your God, who hath commanded you to ufe means, and made this the method of the communication of grace and ffrength, to wit, in the ufe of fuch means, as faith, prayer, reading, hearing, meditation, watchfulnefs ; therefore, O be diligent in the ufe of thefe means ; only do not confide in the means, by putting them in Chriil's room : give means their own room, and do not expect, without the grace of the new covenant, that means will do the bufmefs, Grace is the fpring from which the living water does How, and means are the channel and pipes through which the water is conveyed ; and if the fountain do not fend our flreams, ail the conduits and pipes in the world can never convey it unto us. Therefore, in the ufe of means, be flill looking to the Lord : look to him, both for grace to ufe the means, and for grace to blefs the means. If you lay any flrefs upon the means, they become unprofitable. In the ufe of thefe means, O cry, cry mightily to the Lord, that he would kill your felf- confidence ; cry for the Spirit of life, ta
quicken
Serm. XXIII, ^'r. Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 357
quicken you, that you may live unto God ; for, till the Spirit of life enter into the dry bones, there will be no flirring, no motion, no living to God : cry for the Spirit of faith, fo as you may fay with Paul in the context, I^lhe^ yet not /, but Chrijl liveth in me ; and the life I live ^ is by the faith of the Son of God ^ ivho lov^ ed me^ and gave himfelf for me, O cry for faith, and the aflurance of faith : no doubt, one may have faith, and yet want that affurance, which we commonly call fo ; but whether there be fome kind of alTurance or perfuafion in the nature of faith, is a queflion that I do not here enter upon : only, this I am fure of, from the word of God, that doubting is no part of faith; for faith and doubting are as oppofite as light and dark- nefs. Some believers indeed have many doubts, many doubts : why ? becaufe they have little faith, little faith, little faith : 0 thou of little faith ^ wherefore didji thou doubt f* And I find the believer who walks in dark* nefs^ and hath no lights he is direfted to faith, as the antidote againft his darknefs and doubting ; Let him truft in the name of the Lord^ and Jlay himfelf upon his God, Cry, 1 fay, for the Spirit of faith ; znd faith will work by love : cry for a gofpel-fpirit ; for I tedify in the Lord's name, that gofpel-holinefs will never fiourifli among us, or in the generation, till we be more free of a legal fpirit: and that we will not Hie unto God, unlefs we be dead to the law.
SERMON
C 358 3
SERMON XXVIir.
The Best Bond; or, the Surest Engagement,
Jeremiah xxx. 21.
For^ Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me f faith the Lord.
MY friends, after that the firft Adam's heart de- parted from the Lord, fo as to violate the co- venant of vi^orks, never one heart of all his poflerity could, or would have approached unto God again,- but had remained in their natural enmity againft him, had not the fecond Adam fo engaged his heart unto God, in our favours, as to draw the hearts of many after him : and if we could this day fee irfto Chrift's heart, and difcover his heart-kindnefs in this matter, fo as to unite our hearts to him, and to God in him, and get the knot fealed in the facrament with God's feal ; it would make this a day to be much remember- ed to all eternity. O then, let your hearts be looking up to the Lord, that you may fee in to the heart and bofom of this fcripture, and in to the myftery of this great queftion, Who is this that engaged his heart to ap^ proach unto me? faith the Lord.
The Lord, by the prophet Jeremiah, had been com- forting his church, by feveral excellent promifes relating
* This was an aflion fermon preached immediately beTore the ad- miniftration of the facrament of the Lord's fupper, at Dunfermline, July 19th, 1724. To which is annexed, a Drfcourfe on the fame fub- jed, delivered afrer the folemn work was ended. This fermon hath undergone five editions.
to
Serm. XXVIII. T7j^ Best Bond, (6v. 359
to their return out of the Babylonifh captivity, typical of the glorious things referved for the church in the days of the MelTias ; particularly in the preceeding verfe, it is promiied, that they fhall be bled with an ex- cellent government, 7hcir nobles jhall he of themfdves^ they Ihall not have ftrangers and enemies to be their judges, but thefe of their own nation. Their governor jhall -proceed from the midfl of thenu This hath a refe- rence to Chrift our Governor, David our King, as you may fee by comparing this with ver. 9. They jhall ferve the Lord their God, and David their King, whom I will raife up unto the?iu This Governor is of ourfelves, being in all things made like unto his brethren : I will caufe him to draw near, and he Jhall approach unto me, — It is a fmgle perfon that is fpoken of, and the perfon is the Governor, and the Governor is Christ. God the Father did caufe him, as Mediator, to draw near and approach to him ; he commanded and autho- rized him to do it ; he fandified and fealed him for this end ; he appointed and anointed him for this pur- pofe, and he accepted of him, and declared himfelf w^eil- pleafed in him *, and therefore he fpeaks of it with won- derful pleafure, Who is this that e?igaged his heart to ap» preach unto me f When God draws a perfon near to him, he is even delighted with that approach to him, whereof he himfelf is the caufe ; much more if it be fuch a perfon as here, the Governor of Ifrael ; For who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me f Here is the iffue of the excellent promifes that were made to Ifrael, by way of antii^ipation of fome objection that might be made. How fhall all this be done P Why, Chrifl the Governor hath engaged for all that either God calls for from you, or that he promjfes to you. — He is one \}^2.\. jhall not fail, nor be di [courage d, till he hath fet judgment in the earth, Ifa. xliii. 4. Thus all the promifes come to us in Chrifl ; they come from God thro' him, and fhould lead us up to him, in whom they are all Tea and Amen, They are rivulets that fweetly flow out and run forth from the ocean to the citv of d-od, to the houfe of the mourner, to the field of the
with-
^6o 7X^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
withered and decayed, to the habitation of the hungry and thirfly, yea, to the grave of the dry bones, to make t.be dry land firings of water ^ and to make ihe wildernefs to blojfom as the rofe. What thefe excellent promifes are, that thus run forth, you may fee in the preceding part of the chapter : For example, ver. 17. though the wound feem incurable, God will make a cure for it ; and though you be thrown oiFat all hands, and thruft out at every door, and none feek after thee, yet / will put honour upon thee ; yea, / will glorify thee^ and thou Jhalt not he f nail ^ as it is ver. 19. And the fum of all the promifes is, ver. 22. Te Jhall be my people^ and I will be your God : I will work in you all that you want ; and that is, Toufloall be my people : and I will be to you all that you need ; and that is, l%mU be your God, O that we could take hold of this promife ! It is as much as to fay, I will make you holy, and what I would have you to be ; for, Tefhall be my people ; and I will make you happy ; for, I will be your God. O ! but upon what confideration, or on what account will he do all this ? My text opens the ground, jPbr, who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me f faith the Lord, — Why will he do fo much kindnefs to any poor worm of Adam's houfe ? Why, becaufe Chrift, as Mediator, hath engaged his heart to approach unto God in their room, to do all that was requifite for making a vent to this kindnefs and favour of God towards man.
I know that fome take the Vv^ords to be fpoken of the people of God their drawing near by faith, and in point of duty engaging themfelves to approach to him thro' his grace. This is a confequent that follows upon the other ; and therefore I ihall not exclude it from its own toom in the application of this fubjeO:, if the Lord will. But, with the bed interpreters that I have feen, I appre- hend it is fpoken of Chrift, holding out his undertaking for an ele^l world in the covenant of redemption, or grace,and becoming our SuretyjCngaging himfelf to the Father for us, in the view of our having ruined ourfd- ves, and broken our own credit and intereft with God. The fir ft Adam, our natural and federal head, in the covenant of works, he brake the covenant, and vio- lated
Serm. XXVIII. /Z>^ Surest Engagement. 361
lated the engagement that he made of approaching to God, with his perfed, perfonal obedience ; and fo he, and we in him, loft all our power with God. But be- hold, the fecond Adam, having his heart filled and fraughtcd with love to a company of fmful miferable worms, fuch as are here prefcnt, he takes on the en- gagement that Adam brake : and he being a perfon of intire credit, it was a done bargain, and God iffues out all bleiTmgs on his account : For^ zvho is be that engag- ed his heart f
In the words you may notice thefe four things.
1. The proper work and office oi our Lord Jefus as Mediator, viz, to approach unto God, and that for us, and in our room and If ead, as the High-pricfl: of our pro- feflion. The priells are faid to draw near to God, Lev, X. 21. and xxi. 17, 18. It is faid, Exod. xx. 21. that Aiofcs drew near unto the thick darkncfs, where God was. So did Chrift, our great Mofes, draw near and approach unto God.
2. Notice, in the words, his cordial conipliarwe with his work ; He engaged his heart to it : received a com- mandment of the Father, who caufed him to approach ; he being the original caufe and fpring, as the connec- ting particle for does fhew ; For, who is this that does approach ? Could any do it without me ? No : the Fa- ther was firft at work ; but Chrifl was as willing to the work as his Father was to employ him : he engaged his heart to it ; that is, he bouud and obliged him- fclf to it ; he undertook for his heart, as fome read it ; he undertook for his foul, that in the fulnefs of time it Hiould be made an offering for fin. His own voluntary compliance with his Father's will, and his compalTiou to fallen man, engaged him : and he was hearty andre- folute, free and chearful in it, and made nothing cf the difHcukies that flood in {"ixt way.
3. You have here l\\t fingularity of this fact, and the wonderfulnefs of it, expreffed in the queflion, Viho js this that engaged his heart unto nie ? It points out the greatnefs of the perfon, the admirable nature cf the work he effays. Chrifl is in all this matter truly wonderful ; and when it is a God that exprcfTcs it i i
V 0 L. IL Z z thiS
362 T/j^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
this manner, we may well afk it with admiration, Who is this that engaged his heart to fuch an undertaking ? And then,
4. You have the divine teftimony annexed to the whole, in thefe words, faiib the Lord, Here is a no- ble ground for faith, even the teftimony of the God of truth : let the mouth of unbelief be ftopt, for the mouth of the Lord hath fpoken it. God's teftimony is our fecurity ; and we need no better than the word of a God teftifying concerning his eternal Son. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto tne f faith the Lord,
Observ. That our Lord Jefus Chrift, the eternal Son of God, cordially and willingly engaged himfelf to ap' proach unto God in the work and biiftnefs of our redemp- tion,
I ftiall endeavour to clear this doctrine, and upon it fpeak to the feveral parts of the text, in the following method : after that we have cleared the truth of the dodrine, we fhall,
I. Shew what a wonderful perfon this is, that en- gaged his heart to approach unto God ; as feems to be pointed out in this queftion. Who is this f
II. The nature of the work that he engages himfelf in, while it is an engagement to approach unto God.
III. The fngularity of the fad, included in the man- ner of the expreflion, PVho is this that engaged his heart to approach unto God f
IV. The reafons of the dodrine ; or, why Chrift came under this engagement : together with the reafons of our faith concerning it ; or, why it is, that Jehovah's teftimony is added in thefe words, faith the Lord,
V. Draw fome inferences by way of application of the doctrine, as the Lord fliall pleafe to ailift.
Now.
Serm. XXVIII. /Z?^ Surest Engagement. 363
Now, before I proceed to the method here laid down, I would offer you fome fcriptural proofs of the dodrine. That Chrill wilUngly engaged himfelf here- in, is evident,
I. From his accepting of the work and office ; When facrifice and offering zvoiild not, then [aid he, Lo I come, hz, Pfalm xl. 7, 8. compared with Hcb. x. ^,^, 7.
-2. From his reckoning it Vx^ glory 2J\di honour, that he hath taken this office upon him at his Father's call ; as is plain from that expreffion, Heb. v. 4, 5. No man takes this honour to himfelf, hut he that is called of God CIS was Aaron : So Chrijt glorified not himfelf, to be made an High'priefi: ; bid he that /aid to him. Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee : Thou art a Pricfi: for ever.
3. From his promifmg to depend on his Father for his help and ajfijlancem the work j Ifa. xlix. 5. Though Jfrael be not gathered, fays Chrifl, yet fh all I he glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God fh all he my Jlrength. liii. 1. 7. The Lord God will help me, therefore Jhall I not be co7ifounded ; therefore will Ifet my face like a flint, and I know that Ifhall not be afhamed. Hence it was, that he endured the crofs, and defpifed the frame, I will put my trufi in him, fays Chrifi:, Heb. ii. 13.
4. For his i^xomx^m^fuhjcdion to his Father's will, in bearing reproaches, and laying down his life for thofe that were given to him ; Ifaiah 1. 5, 9. / was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the f miters, and my cheeks to them that plucked of the hair: Ihidjwtmyfacefromfdameandfpitting. And John X. 17. Hay down my life ; and this commandment have I received of my Lather. And,
5. According as he promifed, fo did he accomplifh the promife : His heart was fet upon the work in the hardeft part thereof ; / have a baptifm to be baptised with, and how am I firaitened till all be accompli/hed f And never did he reft till he could fay. It is finijhed ; I have glorified thee on earth, I have finifhed the work
which thou gavefi me to do, John xvii. 4. Thus
he fulfilled the engagement he came under. And then,
Z z 2 6. He
•364 The Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
6, He expeds the glory promifed to him, and the accomplUhment of the glorious promife that was made to hhn upon his fuUilling his engagements ; / have glo- rified thee on earth : and no^ju, 0 Father, glorify thou 7rie with thine own felf, with the glory which I had from thee before the woild was, John xvii. 4, 5. Yea, he challenges it as his due every way, verfe 24. Father^ I will that thofe whom thou hafi given me, he with me 'where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hafi given me : for thou hafi loved me before the foun- dation of the world. And thus in all thefe things
you fee the truth of the doctrine cleared ; and fo we proceed to the illuilration of the general method.
I. Thtfirfi thing I promifed, was. To (liew v/hat a wonderful perfon this is, that engages his heart to ap- proach unto God ; as is pointed out by the queftion, Who is this f There are thefe following things wonder- ful in this perfon engaging.
I. V/ho is this f 1 anfwer, who but the eternal Son of the eternal Father, one God with him and the e- ternal Spirit ; even the K:?7g etcj-nal and immortal, who is faid to be over all, God hleffed for ever. Amen, Rom. ix. 5. Amen, fays the apoiile ; and Amen let your hearts fay to it, by putting the crown of abfolute di- vine Sovereignty and fupreme Deity upon the head of our Lord Jesus this day, in oppohticn to the dam- nable error of Arianifm, that is like to take deep root in Britain and Ireland, and fpread hke a gangrene, and eat like a cancer. Who is he as to his perfon ? lie is the Son of God : and who is he as to his na- ture and eiTence ? He is " the fame in fubflance, e- '" qual in power and glory with the Father and the " Holy Ghoil." He is God over all, hleffed for ever ; and curfed is the communicant that fhall not fay Am fn. Under the great feal of the facrament of the Lord*s fupper, we make the apofllc's confefhon of faith, i John V. 20. that if any a(k. Who is this f We anfwer. This h the true God, and eternal life. This glorious en- f-ager, the Lord Jefus, whofe death we commemorate, i^5 with refped to his divine nature, the true God; and
he
Serm. XXVIII. //;^ Surest Engagement. 365
he hath upon his veflure and upon his thigh written this name, K'mg cf kings, and Lord of lords. This is the eternal Word, that was made flefli ; he took upon him our nature, and became man, that he might ap- peafe God. The infinitely great quality of the perfon does highly commend his loving undertaking and en- gagement. But,
i. W/jo is this ? It is One, who, though he was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet took upon him the form of afervant, and laas made in the likenefs of man ; and being found in fa- jhion as a vuin, he humbled himfelf, and beeame obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs, Phil. ii. 6, 7, 8. It is he, who, though his generation cannot be declared^ his goings forth having been from of old, from everlafting; yet engaged to be made of a ivoman, made under the law, to redeem them that are under the law, and was cut off out of the land of the livi?7g. It is he, who, though he was the Prince of the kings of the earth, and the King of kifigs, yet engaged to become 2ifervant of fer- vants, and accordingly girds himfelf to ferve them, and wajl) their feet, John xiii. 4, 5. It is he, w^ho, though he be admirable in his fovcreignty, His kingdom being
over all, yet is matchlefs in his condefcendency.
Though he is one that could never have been known, unlefs he had made himlcU known ; yet he hath fliovvn himfelf to be one that is mighty in word and deed, faying, // is I that fpeak in righteoufnefs, mighty to fave, Ifaiah Ixiii. 1. It is he, who tho' he be the only Son, and dearly Beloved of God, yet engages to quit his Father's company, and take on his wrath and indig- nation. If it had been a fimple privation of his Father'^ countenance for a little, it had been more than all the fons of men were worth ; for he was daily from eternity his Father^s delight, rejoicing always before him^ Prov. viii. 30. But it mud be more : he engages to take on our fm and guilt, and to bear our griefs ; and, which is Hill more, to undergo his Father's wrath ; info- much, that though the Father's delight in him was never changed or altered, yet he engaged to become fuch a ftran?:e ob'ecl of his delight, as that he iliould
dc!io:uL
3^6 72*^ Best Bond; er^ Serm. XXVIII.
delight to bruife him, and take pleafure in making him a facrilice ; Ifaiah Hii. lo. It pleafed the Lord to bruife him : he took pleafure in bruifmg him in the mortar of his infmite vengeance, till he bruifed his blood out of his heart and veins, and his foul out of his body ; for, Hefwate great drops cf blood in the garden ; yea, bled to death on the crofs, and then gave up the ghoft. Who is this f Who but he who was the pleafant objed of God's infinite love ? Chriil was loved of the Father i\\ his dying, and for his dying in our room : he loves him in himfelf, and loves him as a facrifice ; for it was 2i facrifce of a fweet fmelling favour unto God, Eph. V. 2. But, O dear bought to Chrifl, was this love !
3. Who is this ? who but that glorious One, whom we have infinitely difobliged by our hn, and had dif- engaged to do us any favour, by our revolt from him, by breaking our engagements in the covenant of works, and by continual rebellion againfl him, and vexing his Holy Spirit, IFaiah Ixiii. 10. Who is this ^ Even he whom the party that he engages for on the one fide, does moil loath and defpife ; for he is defpifed and re^-
jecled of men : we hid as it were our faces from him : he was defpifed, and we efieemed him not ; and yet he en- gages for tliefe that were in a6:ual oppofition and en- mity to him : for, while we were yet enemies, he en- gages ior us ; He died for the ungodly, Romans v. 6. And God commends his love towards us, in that, while we were yetfinners, Chrlft died for us, verfe 8. And when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his 6Qn, ver. 10. He loved them, that loathed him. Again,
4. Who is this f He is one that flood in no 7ieed of us, being infinitely happy in himfelf, and had loft nothing, though all mankind had periflied for ever ; and yet, before we were not happy, he would expofe himfelf to the greatefl mifery, refoiving that he would not be })appy without us. He would rather come and endure the contraditiion offinners againft himfelf reproach, blaf- phemy, and all manner of indignities : though he was rich, yet for our fake he became poor^ and though he was
exalted
Serm. XXVIII. //j^ Surest Engagement, ^Sj
exalted to the higheft, yet he would be humbled to the lowed. Let all the excellencies of heaven and earth be put together ; let all the perfedions that ever the world heard of, and infinitely more ; let them be all gathered together, and infinity added to them, and all ihining in one perfon, and that is Chrift, O how rich ! how glorious ! And yet this perfon engages to di-e for vile worms, whom he might have trampled under his feet for ever.
5. Who is this f Why, he is one that could lay his hatid upon both parties that were at variance, God and man ; and fo lay hold on both, and bring them together in himfclf, though at an infinite diftance from one ano- ther ; He hath made peace by the blood of his crofs^ and reconciled heaven and earthy Col. i. 20, 21. He is one, that was able not only to remove the partition be- twixt Jews and Gentiles, man and man, but to take dov/n the partition-wall betwixt God and man, to bring the (inner to God, and God to the finner ; Chri/l hath once fiiffe red for fin ^ tJj^ j^fi fir the unjufi^ that he might bring us to God^ i Pet. iii. 18. God in Chrifl recon- ciling the ivorld to himfelf : and fo he is one that brings both together by his almighty arm ; 'This man fn all be the peace \ this God-man is our peace, being a friend to both parties : being God, he isfuch a friend to God, that. he would let him want nothing of his due ; he will give juftice every farthing, and retrieve the whole glory that fm defaced : and being man, he is fuch a friend to man, that he will pay all our debt, recover all our lofs, yea, and gain much more to us than ever we lofl.
6. Viho is this f He is one whofe name is called Wonderful, Ifa. ix. 6. But, who can tell the w^onders of his perfon, the wonders of his perfedion?, the wonders of his offices, relations, appearances, birth, life, death, refurrcdion, afcenfion, and interceflion ? the wonders of his righteoufnefs, the wonders of his pur- chafe, the wonders of his love, in its height and depth, length and breadth ; in its eternity, efficacy, and con- ftancy ? He is one whofe name is Wonderful, whofe followers, that bear his name, are for figns and wonders, Ifa. viii. 18. Behold I and the children ivhich
thou
3^8 T/j<? Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
thou haft given me, are for ft gns and zvonders, Zech iii. 8. Thou aiid thy fellows, that jit before thee, are men won^ dered at. And indeed the more of Chriil that they have about them, the more they do become a world's wonder, as Chrift himfelf was. What ihall 1 fay ! Time would fail to fpeak of thefe things, and to mention his wonderful ads, his wonderful counfels, his wonderful way upon the earth, and in the hearts of his people ; his wonderful works towards the children of men, both in judgment and mercy ; and his wonderful condud towards his own children. Let it fuffice that this is he, whofe name is, and Ihail be called, Wonderful.
11. T\\zfecond thing propofed, was. To fpeak of the nature of the work he engages himfelf in, while it is faid, he engaged his heart to approach unto God* The priefts under the law, their approaching unto God did but a- dumbrate and fliadow forth our High-pried his ap- proach unto God, hi our room and ftead. In order to clear this point then, in the general, I premife thefe two things.
yi. All mankind were barred out from the prcfence of God, io as they could not approach to him in their owa perfons ; and that by a threefold bar.
1 . The bar of a broken and violated law, or covenant of works. The covenant of works, you know, v^as, Do and Live, otherwife ye fhall die : in which cove- nant the precept v/as Do, and the promife v^^as Life, and the penalty was Death. Man, by his fm, hath broken the precept of doing, forfeited the promife of life, and incurred the penalty of death : now, if we were to approach God in mercy, this broken precept mufl be repaired, this forfeited life muil be redeemed, this incurred penalty muit be executed, and endured* Here is a bar that neither men nor angels can draw and take out of the way, in order to our approach un- to God.
2. The bar of God's mjured perfedlons, particularly God's infinite hoUnefs, which (lands up for the defence of the precept of the law ; infomuch that none can ap- proach to a holy God, unlefs his holinefs be vindicate
by
Serm. XXVIII. /^^ Surest Engagement. 3(39
by a pcrfcd: obedience. Again, God*s infinite jufticc^ which (lands up for the penalty, or threatening of the law ; infomuch that none can approach to a juil God, unlefs his juilice be fatisfied by a complete facrifice. — Now, as our natural want of conformity to the law makes the holinefs of God (land in the way of our ap- proach to him ; fo our natural want of ability to give fatisfadion, makes the juftice of God to be a bar a- gainft our approach. O ! who will draw this bar of God*s injured perfedions !
3. The bar of natural enmity and fin on our part ; Ka. lix. 2, Tour iniquities have feparate bstijuixt you and your God, fo as we cannot approach to him. We are jcnemies to God by wicked works. This is a bar that can- not be broken, but by an almighty arm. — Thus, 1 fay, all mankind was barred out from the prefence of God j .no approaching to him.
2(i/y, I premife. That the work of him who (liall ap- proach to God, in our room, and as our reprefentative, mud include the breaking of thefe bars. He that v/ill engage to approach unto God as our head, to bring us back to God, mufl engage to break thefe bars ; And lo,
1. To break the bar of 2, 'violated covenant of works. And accordingly, Chrill comes ; and, by his obedi- ence to the death. He 7nagnifies the law^ and makes it honourable : The precept of the law that we had broken, he mud fulfil, by obeying perfectly ; the promife of eternal life, v/liich we had forfeited, he mufl recover by redeeming the forfeiture, bringing in ever- .lafting righieoufnefs ; the threatening and penalty of e- ternal death he muft. endure, or the equivalent, by co- ming under the curfe of the law,
2. To break the bar of God's injured perfe(5Iions, by vindicating the holinefs of God, and fatisfying the juf- tice of God, that fo thefe and the like injured attri- butes of the divine Majefty m^^y not fland in the way ; or, while they do, there is no approaching unto God.
3. To break the bar of man's natural etimiiy againft God, otherways he that engages himfelf to approach unto God, cannot bring us to God with him.
Vol. II. A a a ^ Thefe
370 77^^ Best Bond ; or, Serm. XXVIII.
Thefe things being premifed, we may the more eafily fee what is the work that the Lord Jefus engaged his heart unto, in approaching unto God : he comes to God in our room, who could not approach in our own perfons. It is below the majelly of a great king, to treat and tranfad immediately with a guilty rebel and traitor ; and fo it is below the majefty of the gjeat God, to tranfad immediately with wretched fm- ners : and who then will approach ? Therefore he tranfads immediatley with Chrift, a perfon of equal dignity with himfelf, as to his divine nature ; and a perfon able to break thefe bars, and fo make an open door for himfelf as Redeemer, and then, for all the re- deemed at his back, to approach unto God as their e- ternal reft and happinefs : and all this he does, by ful- filling the broken law ; for, he came to fulfil all righ- teoufnefs^ by fatisfying God's injured perfedions ; info- much, that God is well-pleafed for his right eouftiefs -fake :■ and by deftroying man's natural enmity ; infomuch, that they are reconciled to God, by the death of his 6on.
But, more particularly, I would fliew here, i . What engagements Chrift came under. 2. What approach did he make to God, under thefe engagements. 3. Un- der what cojifiderations are we to view God to whom he engages to approach. 4. In ^\Y^\.Jiation did he en- gage to approach unto God.
i/?. What engagement did Chrift come under, when he engaged himfelf to approach unto this God ? He came under engagements about the whole work of our redemption. And,
I. He engaged to put himfelf in xhtform ofafer^ 'vant, by taking on our nature, and taking our place in law, that fo the law might reach him in the room of the guilty fmner ; otherways the law-curfe due to us could never have reached him. Now, to this en- gagement belong feveral things, which I ftiall Ihortly deliver in fa many fpiritual expreffions. — He engaged to be ?nade of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, — He engaged, even he who knew noftn, to be made fin for us, that we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in hinu And thus,
2. He
Serm, XXVIII. //j^ Surest Engagement, yjx
2. He engaged to fatisfy, not only the ia'zv, in all its commands and demands, but alio all the injured attributes of the divine Majefly, by bringing in ever- Iqfiing rigateoufnefs, — He engaged to give hniifelf a/a- crifice ; and to give his foul an offering for fin ; and to give his life a ranfom for many. — He engaged to make peace by the blood of his crofs^ and fo to repair the breach betwixt God and man, making way by his blood, to the holy of holies, that we might have boldnefs to en- ter into the hoHeft^ by the blood of Jefiis^ by a new and living way^ confecrate to us through the vail, that is to
fay, his flejh, that we might come again to God with full ajfurance of faith* And in order to this,
3. He engaged to redeem by power as well as by price, and to make a willing people in the day of his power ; and that, having bruifed the head of the ferpent, and deflroyed the works of the devil, he Jhould bring forth his prifoners out of the pit wherein there zvas no water,— He engaged to lead captivity captive, to take the prey from the mighty, that the lawful captive nught be dcli\
vered, Ifarah Ixix. 24, 25. ; and fo to reftore the loO: image of God upon man, and to make them partakers of the divine nature* And thus,
4. He engaged not only to defiroyjin, and to con- demn it in the flcfh, becaufe it tended to deftroy God's law, to darken his glory, and to ftrike at his being, as well as to ruin the fmner ; but alfo, to deftroy death, and bring life and immortality to light : — He engages to come, that we might have life, and that we might have it more immediately. — And in all thefe Chrift become^ engaged to the Father, for our debt, for our duty, and for our fafety. And as he became engaged to God for us, fo he became engaged to us for God : that having engaged to God for our debt, we fhould ht jufti/ied ; having engaged for our duty, we fhould be findified ; and that having engaged for our fafety, we ibould be glorified, and fafely brought to heaven, to be for ever with the Lord.
(i.) He engaged for our debt, that it fhould be paid
every farthing, to the uttermofl that the infinite lioli-
nefs of God could command in the precept of the law,
A a a 2 and
'372 The Best Bond; or^ Serm. XXVIIL
and to the uttermoft that the infinite juftice of God could demand in the threatening of the law ; and fo he is able tofave to the uttermoji^ becaufe he ever lives io make inter cejjion., upon the ground of that complete payment that he made by his obedience unto death. And here (lands the ground of our juftification before God ; this ground he engaged to God for us to lay down, and upon this ground he engaged to us that he fhall be juiliiied, faying, / will be merciful to their iinrighteoujnefs^ their fins and iniquities ivilj I remember no more*
(2.) He engaged not only for our debt, but for our duty : having engaged to God to make a purchafe of all grace and holinefs for us, he engages, in his pro-? mife to us, to give us the new hearty and the new fpirit io make us know the Lord ; and to put his Spirit within us^ and caufe us to walk In his ftatutes ; to put his fear in our hearts ^ thai we jhall not depart from him : and confequently that we ihall not fin the hn unto death, nor live and die under the power of hn : and xh-dXftn jhall not have a final dominion over us ; but that the law of the Spirit of life in Chrifi Jefus^ Jhall free us from the
law of fin and death.- And in confequence pf thefe
two engagements for debt and for duty,
(3.) He alfo engages for oxax fafety^ faying to his Father, I give them eternal life ^ and they Jhall never pe- rijh ; neither JIj all any pluck them out of my hand^ John X, 28. He engages to the Father, That of all that he hath given him^ he fhall lofe nothings but Jhall raife it up at the laji day ; and that 'they fJjall all be with him where he isy to behold his glory. And lience ilTue all the pro- inifcs wherein alfo he engages to us for God, fuch as, thai he willfave us from fallings and prefent us fault lefs before the pre fence of his glory with exceeding joy ; and that though we may be fometimes carried captive of our enemies by conilraint, yet that we fhall overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and fit with him on his ihrofie, even as he overcame^ and is fet down with his Father on his throne : And that no crofs fhaU come, but what fhall be for our advantage in the end, what- ever for the prefent it feem to be to our fenf? ; but th^t
all
Serm. XXVIII. /fe Surest Engagement. 37^
all things {hall work together for our good who love hlm^ and are the called according to his purpofe.
This leads me to a queftion, Why, fay you who may expecl a Jhare of this engagement ofChriJi f Dees he engage in behalf of its all ! I anfwer, in fuch a manner as concerns all that hear me, that he engaged in be- half of all that were given him of the Father ; and that none of all that hear this gofpel, may look upon themfelves as fliut out, he exprefles it thus, John xi. 37. All that the Father hath given me^ Jhall come to ?ne ; and hi?n that cornet h to 7ne^ I will in no wife caji out .• And confequently he engages in behalf of all that fliall not exclude themfelves from the benefit of this glorious en- gagement, by their final unbelief, in rejecling this Chrifl, and refufmg to be faved on thefe terms, which Chrifl engaged to fultil. And fo the door is open to you all, to put in for a full fhare of all that Chrifl; hath engaged to do ; efpccially if you think that your own perfonal bonds and engagements, vows, promifes, and covenants, are not fo good and fufficient as Chrid's perfonal engagement in your room ; think you fo, man, woman r O then, here is a good bargain for you ; you that have no money to pay your debt ; no grace to perform your duty ; no (Ircngth to fecure your fafety ; O here is a Chrifl engaging to God for your debt, your duty, and your fafety ! O let your heart fay with application, Amen, it is a good bar- gain for me ; and if fo, God hath before-hand faid x\men, f) let it be. In a word, the fum of Chrifl's en- gagement, that he came under in his approach to God, was, to fulfil God's law, to vindicate his holinefs, to fatisfy his juflice, to bear his wrath in our room, and to be niadefinfor us, and fo to be made a curfefcr us^ z Cor. V. 21. Gal. iii. 13. He engaged to be made a facrifice, a ranfom, a propitiation for us, and to be aU that the glory of God's perfeftions in the matter ofoi^r falvation required. Thus he engaged himfclf to ap- proach to God.
idly. What approach did he make to Gcd under thefe engagements ? In fhort,
I. It
574 fX^ Best Bond; (?r, Serm. XXVIIL
1. It was a near approach, by God's own allowance and appointment. See the context ; I will caufe him to draw NEAR, and he jhall approach to me. We behov- ed to have flood at an infinite diflance from God to ail eternity, had not Chrifl been allowed to come near in our room. But behold, he made a near approach under the fliadow of lawful authority ; his Father au- thorized him therein, and caufed him to approach : God the Father is the primary caufe of our falvation ; l^his commandment^ fays Chrift, have I received of my
father^ John x. 15. It is his Father's will that he
came to do, Pfalm xl. 8. And how near Chrift ap- proaches to God in our room, under this authority, allowance, and command, who can tell among men or angels ? For he came fo near, as to lay his hand upon God ; yea, to take God and all his glorious perfec- tions, all his feemingly jarring attributes in his arms, as it were, and reconcile them one to another, and bind them together with the bond of infinite amity and har- mony, to the higheft glory of each of them, in the matter of our falvation : And hence, upon this near ap- proach it was faid, Mercy and truth are met together^ right eoiifnefs and peace have kijfed each other. There- fore,
2. It was a bold approach, by God's own afTiftance ; as well as 72ear^ by his allowance. This is evident alio in the text, / will caufe him to draw near ; and Who is he that engaged his heart to approach unto me ? faith the Lord, It was a bold and couragious approach indeed ; but it was by his Father's help and alhftance ; Ifa. 1. 7. ne Lord God will help ??ie, therefore fljall I not be confoun- ded ; yea, therefore have I fet yny face like a flint. It was fuch a bold adventure, as none could have made but himfelf. And yet,
3. It was an humble approach : for. Though he was in the form of God ^ and thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet he hUxMBLEd himfelf and took upon Imn the form of afervant, Phil. ii. 8. He became his Father's hu nble fervant in the work of our redemption ; Be- hold my fervant whom I uphold. He ferved him in a ftate of humiliation, from the time of his incarnation to
the
&ERM. XXVIII. /Z?^ S U R E S T E N G A G E M E N T. 37^
the time of his exaltation. He was meek and lowly- while he offered his humble fervice to God for our fake, (looping down to wafh our feet, to walh our hearts, to walh our confciences, to walh our fouls in his own blood, faying. If I wajh thee not^ thou hajl no fart in me. His approach to God was an humble and reverential approach, with holy filial fear and regard of his Father ; therefore it is faid, Heb. v. 7. that in the days of his flefh^ he offered up prayers and fuppUcations^ with fir ong crying and tears ^ to him that was able to fa'ue him from deaths and was heard in that he feared. How humbly did he cry to his Father in the garden, when he faid. Father y if it he thy will^ let this cup pa fs from tiWj neverthelefs^ not my will^ hut thine be done : Now h my foul troubled^ and what fhall I fay : Father, fave me from this hour ; hut for this caufe came I to this hour : Father, glorify thy name. It was in the faddeft earned, and decpeft humility, that he approached to his Father in this work.
4. It was 2ifolemn approach : Who is this thai engag- ed his heart to approach unto me f It is I, fays Chrift ; and he fays it with a folemnity, Lo I come. Pfal. xl. 7. Lo I COME, in the volume of thy hook it is written ofmCy I delight to do thy will, 0 my God. LoIcomIj as if he had faid. Let heaven and earth be witneffes to this approach of mine ; let God and all the creatures of God attelf it ; for I am not afliamed of this work which the Father hath given me to do : Lo I come, Other cha- racters of this approach may fall in upon the next ge- neral head : therefore I go to the next particular here premifed, which will alfo further illuitrate the nature of this approach.
3<^/y, Under what conftderation are we to view the God to whom he approached ? Who is this that engag- ed his heart to approach unto M£ ? What me ? It is to ME, fays Jehovah. And here we would confider the God to whom he approached in our room, in thefe fol- lowing refpeds.
I. He engaged to approach unto God as an ahfoluie God. Chrift, the fecond Perfon of the adorable Trinity, perfonally coirfidered, engaged in our name to appreaca
to
$f6 7/>^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIIt.
to God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghod, eljentlally con- fidered ; to approach to the throne of infinite Majefty. We have to do with a God in Chrift, in all our ap- proaches ; and may not approach to a God out of Chriil, otherwife we would be confounded : but Chri(l had to do with a God by himfelf. Chrift is the Medi- ator betwixt God and man, but there v/as no mediator betwixt God and Chrift : Chrift muft approach, as well he could, to God himfelf immediately, that we, through his mediation, might have accefs to God.-— It was a faying of Luther's, t^olo Deum abfolutum ; ^' Lord, deliver me from an abfolute God, a God out " of Chrift ;" for as he is terrible to finners, fo, in himfelf confidered, he dwells in light to which yio man can approach^ i Tim. vi. i6. But this inacceflible Be- ing is the God to whom Chrift did approach.
2. He engaged to approach unto God as a command- ing God, commanding perfcd obedience, according to the tenor of the covenant of works ; commanding perfect obedience in man's own perfon as the condition of life ; and now, feeing, in the covenant of grace, a change of perfons is allowed, but no change of the terms or conditions, but that our holy God will ftill be a commanding God, Chrift accepts of the terms, and engages to fulfil the condition of life, be the com- mand what will : Lo, I come, to do thy will. Father, what is thy command ? I come to thee as a command- ing God, a Law-giver, to obey thy law ; yea, Thy law as within my heart ; or, as it is in the Hebrew, it is IN THE MIDST OF MY Bov/ELS. None, that had any blemifh, was to approach or come near unto God, Levit. xxi. 21. If there had been any blemifli in the perfon or righteoufnefs of Chrift, he could not have approached to an infinitely holy and commanding God; and his coming to God under this confideration, is juft his coming under the law, or under the command, in -our room.
3. Fl^ engaged to approach unto God as a threaian- •ing God, threatening death and wrath to the tranfgref:- fors of his command, and faying, as Lev. x. 3. I will be fandified by all that approach, or come nigh unto me ;
I will
Serm. XXVIII. the Surest E n g a g e ?^^ e n t. ^,^7
I will cither be fandined by them, or far.dificd upon them : and thus he had God do deal with, not only as a Commander and Law-giver, requiring obedience; but as a .'udge requiring fatisfadion when the law is broken. He approaches to God, not only as a God of infinite holinels, whofe command muft be obeyed ; but as a God of infinite juftice, whofe threatening mud be execute t and therefore, he coming to God in the room of thefe that had broken the command, and incurred the threatening, it mud follow that.
4. He engaged to approach to God as an angry God, an offended Deity, and an Avenger of blood : The Lord laid on him the i?iiqiiity of us all y and under this load of fm and guilt he approaches to the God, that ^vas to take vengeance upon (in in his own perfon, and all the vengeance that fm defer ved : He engag- ed to approach to God as a difpleafed and incenfcd God, that he might pleafe him by his obedience, and pacify him by his fatisfaclion. He engaged to approach to that God, wlio is a confuming fire to fm- ners \ and|> taking their fuis along with him, he goes in to the very midil of that devouring fire, which would have devoured and deftroyed the finner himfelf eternally, that he might quench the flame of that fire Xvith his blood ; though he was burnt to death in the caufe, that v/e might not burn for ever in hell.- — ^ What is hell, but the fire of God's wrath ? It is jufl God himfelf, as a confuming fire, that is tlie hell of hell. It was a lamentable moan of a man upon his death-bed once, " AVe have fonie in this life that will ^"^ go to a quire for us, fome that will fay mals For us, '* feme that will plow for us, and fome that will pray " for us ; but, O where is there one tha* will go to " hell for us 1*' But behold, here is one that engag- ed his heart to approach to God, as a confuming lire, and futo go hell, and quench the fire of it for us; yea, and to drink off the cup of God's red-hot boiling ven- geance to the bottom. For he engaged to approach to God as a God of terrible Majeity, being content that infinite iuflice ihould act uoou him a tragedy of
Vol. 11/ B b b ' '" blood
378 TZ'^ Best Bond ; or^ Serm. XXVIil.
blood and wounds, that our falvation might be ob- tained without any detriment to divine juftice, and to the higheil glory of all the other divine perfections. — When Chriit approached to God as an abfohiie God, he came near, as it were, to the feat of bis Majefty, to prefent himfelf in our room ; when he approached to God as a commanding God, he came near, as it were, to tke throne of his holinefs, and there he was an o- bedient fubjecl in our room ; when he approached to God as a thrsatening God, then he came near, as it were, to his beach of judgment, and there he was a condemned pannel at the bar in our room ; and when he approached to God as an angry and offended God, then he came near, as it were, to the tribunal of juftice, the fiery tribunal of his indignation, and there the fentence was execute upon him, while he gave himfelf to incenfed juftice in our room. — Now, Chrift having thus approached to God, according to his engagement, the God to whom he approached is fo well-pleafed with this approach of his, that now, by an ad paft at the fame tribunal of juftice, where he was folemnly condemned to death in our room and ftead, he is as folemnly juftified and abfolved in our room ; therefore he is faid to be juftified by the Spirit^ I Tim. iii. 16. ; and Chrift himfelf fays. He is near that juftijies me, Ifaiah 1. 8. And therefore the Lord is well-pleafed for his right eoufnefs fake : and when the Spirit of Chrift convinces of righteoifnefs ^ he will de- nionftrate this from that argument, that Qhriji hath gone to his Father^ John xvi. 10. And now the ap- proach that he makes to God, is to a God whom he hath pleafed and pacified in our behalf, whofe Majefty he hath allayed, whofe command he hath fulfilled, whofe threatening he hath fuftained, and whofe wrath he hath endured, and for whofe loving-kindnefs he hath made a vent ; and accordingly it is vented by an audible voice from heaven, faying, T7j/V is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleafed. Whatever approach now it is that Chrift makes unto God, as an Advocate at the Father's right-hand, it is in the virtue and value of that engaged approach that I have mentioned ; and
fo
Serm. XXVIII. //^^ Surest Engagement. 379
fo it is now to a God whom he hath pleafed and pacified : and whatever approach we make to God in him, it is to a God reconciled in him, Horn. v. 10. .
Thus you fee under what confiderations we are
to view the God to whom Chrifl did engage to ap- proach, and, Wbo is this that engaged bis' heart to ap- proach unto me f faith the Lord.
4thly, In \Y\ra.tJlation did he engage to approach un- to God ? Why,
1. He engaged to approach unto God in the (lation of a Surety ; therefore he is called, The Surety of a bet- ter teftameut : A Surety for God to us, that all that he hath promifed in his word fliall be made good.; for in bi??i are all the pro?nifes Tea and Amen, and he is en- gaged to fee them accomplifhed : Alfo as a Surety for us to God, having given his hand to his Father, that all our debt fhould be paid : Chrifl: fays to his Father, in a manner, as Paul faid to Philemon concerning Onefimus, Philem. ver. 18, 19. If he hath uTonged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; t Paul have written it with fnine own hand, I will repay
it, So fays Chrifl:, Since thefe poor fmners have
wronged thee, O Father, by their fin, and owe thee an infinite fum, a debt of obedience and fatisfaftion. Tut it on ?nine account ; I Jesus ha-^e written it with mine own hand, I will repay it : I give my bond lor it, fubfcribed with my own hand : Lo I come to do it ; in the volume of thy hook it is written of me. And indeed he is a Surety that gets all the debt to pay, and all the duty to perform for the debtor and bankrupt.
2. He engaged to approach to God in the fl:ation of a Mediator, therefore called, the Mediator of the new covenant. He is fent of God to negociate a peace be- twixt God and man ; and accordingly be is our peace, and travels betwixt the parties in order to their recon- ciliation. He is a repairer of breaches, and a rejiorer of that which he took not away, Pfalm xlix. 4. For, as Mediator, he refl:ores that glory to God vv'hich he took not away ; that obedience to the law which he took not away ; that holinefs to man which he took not a- way ; that beauty and order to the world which he took
B b b 2 v-o\
380 T7^^ Best Bomd; or, Serm. XXVIII,
not away ; that agreement and concord betwixt hea- ven and earth, betwixt man and man, which he took not away.
3. He engaged himfelf to approach unto God in the ftation of an Ambaflador^ to (erve him in that ft a* tlcn ; and hence he is fo frequently called the Sent of GocL Chrift mjagnifies his office as being the Sent of God, John iv. 34. My meat is to do the iiill of him that
feni me ; and iofinijb his %vork. John v. 40. Ifeek not mine giv71 will^ but the will of the Father ivhich hath fcnt me, Chrifl magnihes the faith that believes on him 23 the Sent of God ; . ^fhis is the work of God^ that ye believe on him whom he hath feni* Yea, I have ob- fervedj that Chrift is fpoken of, as the Sent of God, betwixt forty and fifty times in that one gofpel accord- ing to John. He is lent as the Father's Ambafladof, with the Father's feal appended to his commiilion 5 Him hath God the Father fealed,
4. He engaged to approach to God in the (tation of a mean Servant ; for, He made himfelf of no reputa^ iion^ and took upon him the form of a fervant ; yet, a faithful Scrv?,utj faithfd in all bis houfe ; a Servant ac- cord in f^ to God^s heart ; and as rigliteeus as God would have him to be ; By his knowledge J/: all my righ- leous Serva?itjujtify mayiy* A Servant whom God glo- ries in ; Behold my Servant^ whom I uphold ; mine £- leci^ in whom my ford delighted. I might here fliow you how he engaged to approach to God in the ftation of a Prophet., Briefly and King ; a Y\'itnef^ Leader^ and Commander^ liaiah Iv. 4. But what I have faid, is fufiicient to give us fome \ iew of the nature of the v/ork he engaged himfelf to, iu approaching to Gqd, Therefore 1 come,
III. To the third general head propofed, %vhlch was. To fpeak of \.\\cfingularity of the fad, intimated in the exprcliion. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach •anto me ? Nov/, that this was a fmgular engagement, will appear, bot^i from the ynatier and the manner.
if., C(3nr!der the matter of this engagement, and w^e will fee the iingularity cf it, efpecially if v/e notice the
m]ifi€ries
Serm. XXVIIL the SvF^EST Engagement. 381
myfteries that ly in the bofom of this engagement j par- ticularly theie iix.
I. TVitJirft myilery in tliis engagement is, that here- in we may fee the glory of the eternal God -vailed 'with jlejh^ and dwelling in a tabernacle of clay ; Without con- troverfy great is the my fiery of god line fs^ God manifefledin the jlejh. To fee the fun in the firmament converted to a clod of dud, or the higheft feraph in heaven to a crawling worm, had been but a fmall matter, if com- pared with this ; for here we have heaven and earth, time and eternity, finite and infinite together in^ne per- fon. — Here is the Antient of days becoming a young child ; To lis a Child is born. — Here is the e-verlajling fountain of joy becoming a man offorrozvs and acquain- ted with grief — Here is the greatefi beauty of heaven and earth with his vifage marred more than any man and his form than the fons of men. — Here is the Creator eft he ivorld^ to whom the earth and its fulnefs belong, yet deftitute of houfe and hold ; The foxes have holes^ and the birds of the air nefis^ but the Son of /nan hath no luhert; to lay his head.
1. The feeond myftcry wTapt up in this engagement, is, that here we may fee the glorious Law-giver^ whofe will is a lav/ to men and angels, fubjeding himfelf to his own laxv^ and that in the room of rebels, that had vio- lated his law, and contemned his authority ; for he was made of a woman^ made under the law^ to redeem them that were under the law.
3. The //6/>(i myilery here to be feen, is, that v/hich might make us faint away with wonder and amazement, that the blefjed God^ Ihould, in a manner, become a cur- fed /inner ^ that curfed iinners might be blelfed in him : behold the ever blefled God becoming a cwfe^ Gal. iii, 15. And to be 7nade a curfe, is a ftronger word yet than curfed.— — -Behold the ever holy God becoming y/zz, 2 Cor. v. 21. ; and to be inade fin^ is a ftronger word yet, than to be a /inner. He became a fmner by im- putation, even he who knew no fin ^ that we raight be the righteou/nefs of God in him. He put his name in our bond, and wrote down himfelf the /inner ^ that our
name
382 T^^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
name, might be put in his bond, and we might be righ- teous through his righteoufnefs. But for the bleiTed God to become a ciirfe^ and the holy God to become Jtn^ is more than if all the angels in heaven fhould be- come devils. Is there not fomewhat fmgular here ?
4. The fourth mydery wrapt up in this engagement, is, that here we fee the Creditor becoming Surety for the debtor^ and paying the debt that was owing to him- felf. The eternal Son of God was as much injured by our fm as the Father was, and yet he engaged to come and fatisfy his own juilice.
5. The ffth myftery here involved, is, in this en- gagement we may fee the Judge cf all the earth brought under dondemnatioft : condemned by his own Father, whom he never offended ; condemned by the law, wliich he never broke ; condemned by fmners, whom he came to fave from condemnation ; condemned to death, though he be the Lord of Ife^ and hath the keys of hell and death in his handj and at his girdle.
6. The ftxth myftery to be feen in this engagement, is, that here we may oh{tx\ q jufiice raging againft the innocent^ and abfolving the guilty^ and yet without any iniquity of injuftice ; a God of love and a compailio- nate Father forgetting, as it were, his bowels towards Iiis only Son, and taking pleafure in his death ; tor it f leafed the Lord to hruife him : and yet receiving thefe into his arms and bofom, who had violated his law, and contemned his authority, and grieved his Spirit. — And by this means : here we fee the righteoufnefs- of the law, fulfilled in thefe that had broken the law, and never o- beyed one of its precepts. — Here we may fee the poor guilty finner , that ftands condemned by the law, con- demned by juftice, condemned by confcience, yet put in cafe to challenge the whole world to lay any thing to his charge, Rom. viii. 33. — By this mean alfo we fee the debt paid and yet pardoned, the guilt of the fmner puniflied and yet forgiven. — In a word, there was this fmgular in it, that he engaged to bring the greateft good out of the greateft evil. Sin is the greateft of ail evils, and that whereby, of any thing in all the world, God. is moft dillionourcd 3 and yet there is nothing by
which
Serm. XXVII!. /Z?^ Surest Engagement. 383
which God brings greater glory to himfclf, than by the fall of man : upon thefe ruins mercy jlmll be built up for ever, fays God ; and mercy magnified to the high- cli:, in a way wherein judice is fatisfied to the utter- moil: ; fin being condemned by a facrifice ; life bought by a death ; and the gates of heaven opened by a crois. The myfleries contained in this engagement ihevv it to be fmgular. And thus the matter of the engage- ment difcovers the fmgularity of the fa6t.
idly^ Confider the manner of it, and here th-e Jingw larity thereof will further appear : how did he engage ?
1. He engaged alone, he alone ; there was none that would or could engage to do this, but himfelf ; Ifa. Ixiii. 3. I have trode the ivine-frefs alone, and ef the people there was none with mc : among all the crea- tures of God, there was none to take part with him in treading the wine-prefs of his Father's wrath : He favj that there was no man, and wondered that there was no inter ccffor ; therefore his own arm brought falvation^ and his right eoufaefs itfuftained him, Ifa. lix. 1 6,
2. He engaged /z///y to do all, to fufier all, to pur- chafe all, to apply all, and to be All in all ; he engag- ed not only to do, but to fuffer, x Pet. iii. 1 8. ChrUi hath once fuffer ed for fin, the jufi for the unjuft, that he might bring us to God : not only to fuffer, but to die, and to die for enemies, rebels, and traitors, fuch as were given him of the Father ; and not only to die, but to continue for a time under the power of death ; tho' he was life itfelf, and could, in the firfl indance of time, have rifen up from the grave that he was laid in- to.
2, lie engaged /><?^/}' ; his Father's caufmg him to approach, did not hinder the freedom of his engage- ment \ for, as God, He and his Father are one, and have but one divine will ) and, as man, his will is fweet- ly fubjed to the divine will. He engaged fo freely, that there was nothing in us, that could move him but mifery ; there was none of us could defire bim to do it ; he engaged before we had a being : there was none in heaven or earth that could compel him to it ;
and
384 7^^ Best BoNt>; or, Serm. XXVIt,
tind there was nothing that he had to expeft from us for his pains ; we could never reward him for his work : and all that we fnall do to eternity, is only^ through his grace^ to blifs him for what he hath done.
4* He engaged j^rw/y, and that both in point of con* ftancy and courage* In point oi courage ; he engaged in the work couragioufiy, though he had juftice, and Wrath, and hell, and heaven, and all on his top ; yea^ and poor man alfo, for whom he engaged ; yet, how couragioufiy did he go through with his work ! fo firm- ly, as not to be* moved with difcoilragements* He went and let his face up to Jcrufalem, jwhr^re he was to be crucified ; and you fee wherewith he encouraged himfelf^ Pfal. xvi. 8. compared with Afts ii* 25. Be- caiife the Lord is at ray right-hand^ I fhall not be jnoved : God's ha7id zvas upon the Man of his right-hand, lipcn the Son of man ivhoni he made Jlrong for hlmfef t and there" fore the right-hand of the Lord did valiantly : the rights hand of the Lord uaas exalted ; the right-hand of the Lord did valiantly, — As he engaged firmly in point of courage^ fo alfo in point of conjiancy : he never took his word again, but flood to the bargain : neither fear* of the wrath of his Father, nor fenfe of the unworthinels of the fmner, nor yet the frequent falls and relapfes of his people, could make him alter : he forefaw all their relapfes into fm, and into the fame fins, yet could it not move him to break the bargain; thcrciove. Return ye backjliding children, I will heal your hackfddings, Jer. iii. 22. ; yea, / linll heal your backfliding, and love yoii freely, Hofea xiv. 4. Your incon[i:ancy, might he fay, fhall not make me inconilant too : he hates putting a- way, and continues in his love.
5. He engaged timcoufly and fpeedily ; he did not linger, for the matter could not admit of a delay : when our neck was on the block, and the ax of divine judg- ment coming down, as it were, to give the fatal ftroak^ he cries fpeedily. Hold, hold thy hand. Vv^hat, might God fay, will you come and be a facrifice in their room ? No fooner is the motion made to him, than prefently he was on fn*e of love to be thus imployed and fubflitute in our room as a facrifice 5 Lo I come :
he
Serm. XXVIIL /Z'^ S u r e s t E n g a g e m e n t. 3 R 5
he fpeaks like one ready to run. When the plague was begun, Mofes commands Aaron to go quickly in- to the congregation to make an atonement, Num. xvi. 46. The fentence of divine wrath, which is a terrible plague, was gone out ; and therefore Chrifl does fpee- dily engage to make the atonement.
6. He engaged heartily ; he engaged his heart to ap- proach unto God. This being the main particular, with refped to the manner of the fad, or that branch o^ xhzfui^ularity oi\t^ exprelly mentioned in the text ; therefore let us efpecially take notice of this, He engage ed his heart to approach, — He engaged his heart ; that is, not only did he engage for his foul^ as fome underftand it, that \\\'$> foul jhould he made an ofjeringforjin ; but al- fo, he engaged his hearty that is, he engaged zvillingly ; and fo it was with a thoufand good-wills : Lo 1 come. Father ; thy will is my \v\\\.~He engaged his heart ; that is, he engaged cordially^ chearfully^ and affedionate- ly ; I delight to do thy will^ 0 my God! We never read that Chrifl: had a fad heart to quit, for a while, that joy and pleafure that he had in heaven : Why, what was the matter ? You fee it, Prov. viii. 3'/. ; he had fo much pleafure and fatisfaftion in the work he was engaged in, that it is faid. His delights ivere -zviih the fons of men^ rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earthy even the places where his fick patients lay. It was not for any pleafure that he took in habitable places ; nay, it was not places^ but perfmis in fuch and fuch a .place : fome of my nek patients ly in this corner of the w^orld, and fome of them in that corner ; fome of them ly araong the ifles, and uttermoft parts of the earth ; fome of them ly in yonder ifle of Britain, fome of them in Scotland ; and, may not I fay, fome of them ly in Fife, and fome of them in Dunfermline ? He rejoiced in the habitable place^> of the eartli, where he had patients to heal ; His delights ijjere with the fons of men : For his heart was engaged In his work, he heartily confented to it from all eternity. And though eternity cannot be divided into parts, yet, to ipeak af- ter the manner of our conception, he fpent the refl of that eternity in rejoicing in the thoughts of it.
Vo L. II. C c c But
386 The Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
But more particularly, that his heart was engaged, will appear, if you confider,
(i.) That not only did he give his hearty confent from ail eternity, but fo foon as ever he had created the world by his almighty arm, then prefently he falls about his work and bufmefs : for he v/2isJIainfrom the foundation of the world. It is true, he came not per- fonally for the fpace of about four thoufand years from the beginning of the world : but though he came not in perfon, yet he came hy proxy : The infinite wifdom of God thought fit to order matters fo, that many a facrifice was fent to be a fhadow of this good thing that was to come ; and many a fervant did he fend to affure them that he was a-coming.
(2.) When ihcfulnefs of time was come^ that he ap- peared on the flage of the earth, he fhewed, in the w4iole courfe of his life, how much his heart was en- gaged in his mediatorial work. When he was yet a child, and his parents loft him, and found him in the temple, and began to chide with him ; What, fays Chriil ? Luke ii. 49. How was it that you fought me f" wiji y& not that Imufi be about my Father's bufinefs f Ne- ver did a hungry man delight more in meat, than Chrift delighted in the work of our redemption : It was his meat and drink to do the will of him that fent him.
(3.) That his heart was engaged in the work appears from his zeal againfl every thing that had a tendency to hinder his going on to the hardeft and higheft part of his work. What can be more exDreilive of a heart engaged in the work, than the paiTage you have, Matt. xvi. 23. There Peter began to rebuke Chrift, when he fpake of his fufFerings ; Be it far from thee^ Lord, One would think, that Chrift would have taken this in good part, and that it was love in Peter : but we never read that Chrift took any thing fo ill : he turned about, like a man in the greateft paftion, and fays. Get -thee behind me^ Satan : Never was fuch a word heard from the mouth of Chrift, and that fpoken to a faint. It is Peter's voice, but the devil hath tuned it ; What would become of an eled world, if I fliould ftop
here?
Serm. XXVIIL />6^ Surest Engagement. 387
here ? Get thee behind me^ Satan, His heart was en- gaged to the work.
(4.) It appears from his longing to pay the debt which he had engaged to pay : / have n bapt'ifm to be bap- tized with, and how am IJiraitened until it be finijhed ? He longed to be plunged over head and ears, as it were, in the ocean of divine wrath : and when it came near to the time of his death, it is noted, Luke ix. 18. He went before afcending up to Jerufaleni ; as a child, that is going with his friends to a place where he defires to be, runs out before, as being fond to be forward ; fo Chrilt went before, and all the way talked of it to them, as we ufe to talk of what we pant after : Yea, when it came near to his fuffering, he cannot forbear telling his difciples,' that with dejire he deftred to eat that paf- fover^ wherein he faw, as in a glafs, how he was to fuffer. And when Judas went forth to betray him, he faid, What thou doeft^ do quickly^ John xiii. 37. ; and when he was gone, he rejoiced, and faid, l^ow is the Son of ?nan glorified^ and God is glorified in him: He reckoned the work done, becaufe the inflrument that fet all a- work was gone out. And, at the end of the 14th chapter of John, he brake off, as it were, in the midfl of the fermon, and fays, Arife^ let us go hence. Of all works, preaching was moil pleafant to him ; but behold he breaks off, and goes out, that he might be taken and crucified, that the occafion might not ilip. And then he does not (lay till Judas found him out ; 1^0, he goes forth to the place where Judas and his band were, and offered himfelf a willing facri- fice. When they faid. We feek Jefus of Nazareth : he anlwers, I am he, John xviii. 4, 5. : and when Peter would have refcued him, he bade him put up his fword, faying, The cup which my Father hath given me to drink^Jhall hiot drink itf Yea, v;hen he was beaten and buffeted, how did he give his back to the fmiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off' the hair f He was led as a lamb to the ^[laughter : and as a Jheep bcjore her fljcarers is dumb^fo he opened not his mouth » Yea, when hanging on a crofs, he had enough to provoke fo great C c c z ^^ fpi^it
388 r/:>^ Best Bond; er, ' Serm. XXVIIL
a fpirit to have refcued himfclf, when they cried, Conie down^ and we will believe thee : If thou canji fave thy- felf we will believe that thou canji fave others : Nay, fay they, he faved others, but himfelf he cannot fave. He might, like a Sampfon, have broken down the pillars of heaven and earth about their ears ; but he bears all patiently. And then, how his heart was en- gaged, appears in the very lafl ad ; He bowed his head^ and cried out with a joyful heart, // is finijhed : the work w^hich my Father gave me to do, is finiflied ; the Vvork which I engaged my heart unto, is finilhed ; And fo he gave up the ghoji, committing his fpirit into his Father's hand as a pledge and token that the engage- ment was fulfilled -And now, this work being ac-
compliihed, ihall we not think that his heart is as much engaged to the work of redemption hy power, as it Vv^as to the work of redemption by price f Yea, He hath entered into heaven, no-zv to appear in the prefence of God for lis, Heb. ix. 24. If, when we were yet enemies, we ivere reconciled to God by the death of his Son; how much vicrc, being reconciled, Jhall we be faved by his life f Rom. v, 10. He that was dead is alive, and lives for evermore ; and he ever lives to make intercejfton for iis. He lives to apply, by the power of his Spirit, what he purcliafed by the price of his blood. — -. — Thus you fee t^itfngularity of the fad, both to the matter and man* wtx of it ; and how his heart was engaged to approach unto God : And fo far is he from being diflatisiied with the bargain, that never a repenting thought was in his heart to this day, with refpecl to the whole of liis work.
IV. The fourth thing propofed, was, To give the reafons of the doctrine, why Chrifl did fo heartily come under the engagement; together with the reafons of ov^v faith about it ; or, why is it that Jehovah's tefli-j mony is added in thefe words, faith the Lord : Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me f Saith THE Lord.
Now, as to Xkitfirjl of thefe, vIt:,. the reafon why
■ Chrift
Serm. XXVIII. 2f/7<? Surest Engagement. 389
Chrift did fo cordially engage in this work. There are ih^[c four reafons efpeclally that I would ofi'er.
1. He engaged his heart, from obedience to bis fj- ther^s command ; I delight to do thy willy 0 my God. God the Father choofed him to this fervice ; Behold my Servant^ ivhom I have chofen ; ?nine Electa in whom my foul delight eth. And lie authorized him in it, and caul- ed him to approach : This commandment have I received of my Father,
2. He engaged his heart from zeal to his Fed her'' s glory. Though the whole creation of men and angels had been oifered up as a whole burnt-offering, it would not have repaired the honour of God for one fm where- by his honour is impaired : But Chrift's engagement is what brings more glory to God, than if all man- kind had ftood, or yet fallen a facrihce to divine juf- tice ; therefore Chrift, from a zeal to his Father's glo^ ry, did come under this engagement ; The zeal of God's houfe did eat him up. By his engagement all the attri- butes ofGodzre glorified. God had a mind to fet
out his love and mercy to the utmoft, and herein it is done more than any other way ; God fo loved the world ^ that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever be- lieveth in him fhoidd not pcrifJ?, but have cverlajiing life^ John iii, 16. We may behold here the height and depth, the length and breadth of the love of God, in taking his Son out of his bofom, where he lay from eternity, and giving him for us. He looked over all the copies of his love, grace, and mercy that he had written in ail his former works, and found them fliort gf the thing ; therefore it is his will to write his \o\'c in letters of blood, upon him who is an infinite Spnrit with himfeif : and, that this may be done, he gives him a body ; A body haji thou given me, that this body, this human nature, might be a facrifice for fin. — -God had a mind to fet forth the glory of his juftice to the utmoft, and by this engagement it is done. What though the whole world were drowned in a deluire of water, or, as Sodom, burnt to allies ! What though all the pofterity of Adam were doomed to everlafliniv burning ? What though every fpire of grafs, or atoni
of
390 5^^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVII.
of dull, were a rational creature, and for fin thrown into hell : This would be indeed an ad of excellent juftice : but what is all this to the juftice execute upon Chrifi:, when he flood in our room ? What are all o- ther judgments to his bloody fweat in the garden, and his expiring groans upon a crofs ? Here is the higheft: ad of juftice imaginable, to make the foul of his dearly beloved Son an offering for fm, when imputed to him. See Romans iii. 23. Whojii God hath Jet forth to be a propitiation^ through faith in his blood, to declare his righ- teoufnefs for the remijjton i)ffins that are pafi, through the forbearance of God, Here the awakened fword of juftice is drunk to full and complete fatisfadion with the moft noble blood that ever was or could be. — God had a mind to fet forth his holinefs to the utmoft : now the perfed obedience of men and angels might fet forth his holinefs ; but what is all this to the obedience of ths Son of God, whofe obedience does indeed mag- nify the law ? God's law was never honoured, and his holinefs never fliewed with fuch a fparkling luftre. — God had a mind to fet forth his power to the utmoft ; and now the arm of omnipotency was not fo much ma- nifefted in laying the foundation of the earth, and ftretch- ing out the heavens as a curtain, and turning the wheels of providence, as in bringing about the falvation of fmners by Chrift ; the power of God fupporting Chrift under that load of wrath, which would have crulh- ed ten ihoufand worlds : Once have I heard, yea twice, that power belongeth unto the Lord, Pfalm Ixii. 1 1 .— Once have I heard it in the work of creation and pro- vidence, but far more glorioully in the work of re- demption, wherein he fpoiled principalities and powers, bruifed the head of the ferpent, deftroyed the works of the devil, difarmed death, and knocked off" the fetters of our fpiritual captivity. — In a word, God had a mind to fet forth his wifdoni to the utmoft. Wifdom iliines every moment in the work of creation, it glitters eve- ry day in the work of providence ; but all the treafiires of %vifdom are hid in Chrift, Here is the wifdom of God in a myilery ; the manifold wifdom of God ; parti- cularly in uniting the moft divine extremes : the di- vine
Serm.XXVJII. /^^ Surest Engagement. 391
vine and human natures are united in one perfon ; the jultice and mercy of God united in one joint harmony, for the falvation of fniners, without robbing each other of their right, and fo God and man united in an eter- nal fellowihip ; ftubble is made to dwell with devour- ing fire, without being deftroyed ; and weaknefs to behold glory, without being overwhelmed ; yea, ftraw is made to dwell with everlailing burnings ; W/jo among us Jhall dwell with devouring Jire f %vho a?imig us floall dwell with everlafting burnings f Ifa. xxxiii. 14. Why, even the believer can dwell with a God of terrible ma- jeffy and infinite jufhice, and dwell there with fatisfac- tion, and without hazard of being confumed, becaufe of this engagement of Chrift, whereby juftice is infinite- ly fatisfied. Thus, I fay, God had a mind to fet
forth the glory of his perfections : now, zeal for this glory of God engaged the Mediator's heart to this w^ork.
3. He engaged his heart, from a view of his Father's reward : For the joy that was fet before him^ he endured the crofs^ defpiftng the jhame^ Heb. xii. 2. and now is fet down at the right-hand of God^ Heb. ii. 9. His Father promifed him, that, having drunk of the brook in the way^ he then fhould lift up his head ; and accordingly, he having humbled hijnfelf and become obedient unto death ^ even the death of the crofs^ therefore God hath highly ex^ alted hi?n^ Phil. ii. 8, 9. In a word, it was the Father's promife to him, that, upon his making his foul an offering for fin ^ he fhould fee his feed ^ and fee the travel cf his foul
and be fatisfied. And therefore his heart was engaged to the work.
4. He engaged his heart to this work ; why ! It was even out oi love ^.Vi^piiy to loftfinners • he faw us helplefs and hopelefs, and lying in our blood ; and then our time was a time of love. Chrift was drawn to this work ; but what was it that drew him ? even a cord of love : Love brought him out of heaven, and love nailed him to a crofs, and love laid him in a grave, and love made him rife again, and mount up to heaven to agent our caufe. On what defign came he to the world ? It was a defign of love. V/hat ficknefs died
he
392 77;^ Best Bond ; or^ Serm. XXVIII.
he of? he was even fick of love, and died in love. O ! fliall not this love beget love, and engage our hearts to him, whofe heart was engaged to this work out of love to us ? In a word, it was to engage the hearts of Tin- ners to him, and fo to make way for their approaching unto God in him.
idly^ As to the reafon of ourfaith^ in the laft word of the text ; it is built upon a Thus faith the Lord ; Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me ? saith THE Lord. There is Jehovah's teftimony j and why is this added ? Why ?
1. Becaufe nothing is more quieting to the confciencB of a fmner than the teftimony of a God concerning a Saviour ; God, by his holy Spirit in the word, teftify- ing of Chrill to the confcience, faying, This is my beloved Son^ in whom I am well-pleafed. True peace of confci- ence is grounded upon this teftimony.
2. Nothing h more feeuring to the foul ; for God's teftimony is our fecurity ; Pfal. xix. 7. The teftimony of the Lord is fare. It is very fur e^ Pfal. xciii. 5. Here is ground for the afiurance of faith ; the fure word and teftimony of a God that cannot lie.
3. Nothing is more rejoicing to the h^art^ Pfal. xix. 8. and Pfal. Ix. 9. God hath fpoken in his holinefs^ I will re- joice : Why ? nothing fpeaks out more love than this, when J EHovAH fays the word, as well as does the v/ork. The foul cannot but rejoice when the Lord fpeaks to it ; at leaft, here is ground of joy unfpeakable ; John XV. 1 1 . Thefe thi?igs have I fpoken to you^ that my joy tnight remain inyoii^ and that your joy might he fulL
4. Nothing is more Juencing to unbelief than this : why ? here is the very utmoft length that unbelief can go ; for, fays the unbelieving heart, if God would fay it, then I would believe it. Well, Thus faith the Lord comes in here, to rujji and (ilence your unbelief. Llere is the reafon of our faith : for you are to notice two things in the text ; the one is, the glorious objed of faith, a Chrift engaging himfelf in our room : The o- ther is the convincing reafn of faith ; it comes with a Thus faith the Lord. Now, in order to get our faith fixed, and brought to a full affurance and certainty, we
are
Serm. XXVIIL /fe Surest Engagement. 393
are not fo much to look to the objecl of faith, or the thing to be believed, as to the reafon of faith, and the ground of it, namely, God's teftimony ; he fays it : his truth and veracity is at the (lake to give us fecurity ; it is the great word of the great God. It is not the greatnefs of a promife that draws our faith, but the fi- delity of the promifcr ; nay, the greater the promife is, the more will we doubt of it, unlefs there be a ground for believing it. If a man of undoubted inte- grity come and tell you never fo great things th^the i« to do for you, and give to you, the greatnefs of the things promifed is not the reafon of your believin^^ him ; nay, the greater they are, the further will you be from believing : but the reafon of your believing is, becaufe the man is honeft and able, and a perfon of intire credit, whom you can truft. Kven fo it is here ; there is a great thing propofed to our faith, that Chrift, the Sent of Gcd, is engaged for our compleie falvation ; and upon this ground he promifes in the context, / will be your God^ and ye jhall he my people. But, the greater it is, the further are we from btiieving it ; and therefore we mud have a reafon for our faith : well, it is here, the God of truth fayls it, and we are to take it upon the tellimony of the God that cannot lie* Wheri Abraham v/ as /?rc7/?- in the fa'iih^ and agaiii/i hopcbclic'v^ ed in bopCy was it the greatnefs of the promifc tliat fiipported his faith, or the reafonablenefs of it ! No, no ; his body and Sarah's both were dead : but he confidered the veracity and ability of the God that promifed ; He was fully perfwaded that he that had pro- mlfed was able to perform^ Rom. iv^ 21. Wlien Mofe^ was fent to Ifrael in Egypt, to tell tliem. that the fet time was come that they were to be delivered from their Egyptian thraldom and bondage, and to be brought to a land flowing with m.ilk and honey : here is a great promife : but O, fays Mofes, how will they believe this ? Why, fays God. Go tell then 1 am hath fent you^ even the God oibeingSy\\\2t can give being to what I fay. I v/as known to their forefathers by the name. Lord God Almli'-ht]' ; becaufe I did miglitily for them, to wit, Abrahan:i, Ifr.ac, and Jacob : and now I V o L.. II. P d d am
394 ^^^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
nm com^ to accomplifh my promife that I made to them concerning their feed .; therefore I will be known now to them by the name, I am that I am. I have all Beings in myfelf from eternity, and can give a being to my promife. Here is a good ground for their faith. If we look not to this ground, the greatnefs of the pro- mife will overfet our faith, while the man fays, O ! it is too good news to be true ? It is too great for me ! and fo we reafon ourfelves out of our faith : But, O I fee who fays it, and that it is the word of Jeh ovah, and here is firm footing for your faith,
V. The fiftb thing propofed, was the application of this doctrine, in fome inferences. Is it fo, that Chrift, the eternal Son of God, did thus cordially engage him- felf to approach unto God in the work and bufmefs of - our redemption ! Then hence we may infer the follow- ing particulars : We may fee,
I . The greatnefs of our ruin by nature^ and the fad cafe that mankind is m ; that not one of all the pofte- rity of Adam can or dare approach unto God, or come under engagements for this end. - If we do, we engage ourfelves to what is impofTible to perform, and we ap- proach to a fiery tribunal, where we are doomed to e- ternal death, unlefs we come under the wings of this glorious Engager and Approacher to God.. This God will fhew no regard to any perfonal bond or engage- ment of ours : for our perfonal credit is cracked and broken, not only originally in Adam, by the violation of the covenant of works, but adlually in our own per- fons : we never kept a word that we promifed to God ; we never kept our engagements to God one day to an end : and therefore God will not trufl us. I am far from difallowing o{ perfonal cove?ianti?ig and engaging, when it is put in its due place ; that is, after a man hath once clofed with Chriff, as the principal Engager; and then vows, through his grace, and under the covert of his engagement, from gratitude, to ferve the Lord,. zlx\\\ walk in his ways : but for all other kinds of en- gagements, let us know, that God will take none of our bonils without a cautioner. And we are blind if
wx
Serm. XXVIII. /i?^ Surest Engagement. 395
we do not fee that our credit is cracked : look to oii^ national engagements; our Covenants, National and Solemn League ; and fure our naiional credit is cracked and broken : never a nation was more fo- lemnly engaged to God, and yet never any national en- gagement was more Iblemnly broken and buried ; the credit of our miniflers and people, of our nation and church, are. funk into the depth of defection, divifion, error, fecurity, and carnal compliances. And whereas our forefathers tranfmittcd to us their poflerity, precious truths, and pure Confcllions of Faith, worthy of the name of Reformers ; how are we like to tranfmlt to our poflerity a world of trafli and lumber, inflead of precious treafurc ? while, among other things, old Re- formation-principles and dodrines are like to be carried down to fucceeding generations after us, under the talh of wildnefs^ neuo fchcmes^ and Antinomian-cant *. And D d d 2 as
* This affair may be feen cleared up, Vol. I. Ser. IV. p. ^38. Ser. XX. p. 175 the whole of Ser. XXill,--XXVlI. particularlv p. 304, 305. Although among the many peculiarly important and fingularlv ini«refting dodrines of Chriftianity there is Icarce any that hath a greater tendency to promote holinefs, than the believer's being ficcd from the law as a covenant, in point oi juftification, in virtue of ihe meritorious obedience of Giuiit in his room ; yet, in regard this doc- trine is eminently calculated to advance t^e glory of God, in the mam- feitation of the freedom of his grace and todebafe the creature, if; le- veil-ng pride and felf confidence, there is hardly any that is more fpar- ncd at than this, in the age we live in, and by none more than the ^'Ifrufficient Leg«llft, who pride? himfelf in, and vaunts mightily cf his legal ri?hteoufne<8 : and fn ipeaks, writes, and reafons againil the l^cripture-do^rine of free jollification through the meriis oi Cliriit : \eA,io much is he in conceit with his leg..l lurfi of mind, and external Conformity to the law, that he llicks at nolhing that he thinks will Vrtng a reproach upon his opponents ; and iheretore, let their aliii- t!e8 b*" never fo great, and their charafter never fo high, he is deter- mined to calumniate their name, and depreciate their reputation : for this purpofe he htlitates at nothing he imagines will pain his end : and hence we find, that introducers of new Ichemes in D vinity, A'-v turbers of the peace of the church, enemies to holmefs, friends lo ii- centtoufnefs, advancers of Antinomianifm, and what not, are the u'u 1 epithets and apfellations we meet with conferied uport thein. But what period of the church produced more eminent divines, greater lo- vers of our Reformation-ptincipies, truer patrons of genuine piety, more (liining examples of true holinefs, greater promoters ofexcer- Dal purity, and flronger cppofers of jicentioufRefs, than the frienus to the Marrow do(ftrine, oi dying to the lanv^ in point ofjujiijicauony in order to Itvin^ unto God in point cffan^tification were, who were, and ftillarc-thu: impcachsd ;^— 13ut they bci#g lully p-sruadtd, t^'at
'39^ Trje Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
as we ought to be humbled this day for the breach of cur J^aiional Covenant and Solemn League ; fo we may fee what is necelfary, in order to the reviving of a co- venanted Work of Reformation, and of our Solemn Engagements, even that the generation be brought to acquaintance with Chriil, as the firfl and foremoif En- gager in "their room ; and then, that, under the ac- ceptable covert of his engagement, they come under obligations, through his grace to approach unto God, by returning to him and to their duty. O that the Spirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowledge of Chrift, were poured out for this end ! Hov/ever, as our national engagements are fadly broken, fo look to your baptifmal engagements, your communion engage- ments, and all your other particular engagements to dvity ; and fee, that as our national, fo our perfona! credit is cracked ; for an evil heart of unbelief caufes your departure from the living God, every hour of the day. And this is fuch an univerfal difeafe, that there is not one of Adam's race that God can now truft without a cautioner, nor allow to approach to him without a mids-man.
2. Hence fee xht glorious excellency ofChrift^ and the f'lvfficiency of this li^ondcrful Engager for his people, in that he was able to approach to an offended God, and able to Hand there in the fmner's Head, and to plead for their good ; able to fraud the trial of infinite ho- Imefs and impartial juflice, and, where nothing was to be forgiven, was able to fatisfy all that the law and juilice could demand, and to finifli every thing that was necefTary to be done, in reference to man's falva- tion, and the work of redemption, O fee his glory, fee his glory ! O glorious Engager, glorious Ap- proachcr ! Behold his glory, and the glory of God in him : If you fee any thing of this glory to captivate you, then the God^ who commanded light to Jlmie out (^f darknefs^ bath Jhined in your hearts, to give you the
■ light
iJiis is a doelirioe apreeable :o the infpjred Writings, and peculiarly «r-.icuiateti to pron>o:e tioiinefs, [Gal. ii. 19. Titus it. 11,. la ^ *'^^Y bcJre A\ this unjutt caiumnv and defamation patiently, acccuauDg 1% •ia^w gre^tcii hoaour to USit reproach ipr the truth's fake.
Serm. XXVIII. /Z^i? Sup.EST Engageiment. 397
light of the knawledge of his glory in the face of Jcfus ChrifL
3. Hence fee what is xht gofpel-way of a firmer'' s en- gaging to duty^ and approaching to God : Why, it is jufl to take on with this Engager, and fo to engage under him; and to take on with this bleffed Approacher, and to approach to God in him. In the old covenant of works, man got a (lock of created grace in his own hand j and if he mifpent his flock, and became bank- rupt, he was to anfwer for himfelf ; he had no furety or cautioner to (land up for him, or to pay his debt, or to approach to God for him : but the covenant of grace is better ordered than fo, and therefore called ci better toftament^ whereof Chrifl is the Mediator, in whofe hand the principal flock is ; and whatever fnrall meafure of grace believers have beflowed upon them, yet their flock can never be fpent, and they can never breaic, or become liable to a law-purfuit, ior the Cau- tioner keeps them and their flock both ; and he being the Engager, they may engage to do any thing, yea, all things, upon this fcore ; / can do all things^ through Chrifi Jirengthenlng rae : and he being the leading Ap- proacher to God, they may apprgach to God with bold- nefs, when he goes before them ; JVe have boldiiefs to enter into the hcdiefi^ by the blood of Jefus, Here then is a teft of right engagements ; you cannot be trufled if you engage alone ; you muil match with one that can make good your engagements. In your common affairs in the world, you know that no man will take a perfon's bond or engagement for a fum of money ; for example, if he know the perfon to be infolvent, that can never make payment, but rather is always tak- ing on more and more debt ; but if that perfon, be he never fo poor himfelf, will provide you a fufficient cautioner, that will give his bond of furetiihip for hiuij, then you will accept of the perfon's bond under this cautionry ; becaufe, though the principal, whom you have good ground to fufped, fhould break the next hour, and become utterly infolvent, yet you are fc^ cure, becaufe you can purfue the cautioner vv^hen you v/illj upon his engagement and bond of furetifliip,
'Weil,
39^ TZ^^ Best Bond; or, SeRm. XXVIII.
Well, jufl fo is it here ; poor broken bankrupt that thou art, there is no trufting of thy bond or engagement ; God will not trufl any of the race of Adam ; fince the time that he brake, when he violate his firftcovenant-en- ■ gagement* Nay, the Lord knows, you are fo far from being able to pay your debt, that you are but every mo- ment taking on more and more ; but, be you never fo poor and infolvent, if you once accept Chrifl for your Cautioner, then God will accept of any bond off your hand, that hath his name as the Engager in it ; for, if you fail, your Cautioner is liable, and he is a rich and opulent Cautioner, fponfable enough ; and God feeks no better than his bond, though you be ne- ver fo unable to pay : yea, God reckons himfelf fe- cure, and that all fhall be well enough paid, when Chrifl is the Cautioner and Engager, accepted by you. He is fecured of his honour ; obedience to his law is fecured, fatisfai^ion to his juftice is fecured, glory to all his attributes is fecured : and herein lies the tri- umph of faith, over all charges and challenges from the law or juflice of God, Horn. viii. 33, 34. What is the charge ? Why, fays the law, you owe me a debt of obedience ; yea, fays juftice, and you owe me a debt of fatisfatSlion, becaufe of your difobedicnce : nay, but fays bold faith, you may produce what charges you will, but there is a difcharge to cotmterbalance it. If you had my fmgle perfonal bond for payment, then I confefs I would be liable ; but as I can elide any law- purfuit againfl me, with the defence of my Cautioner's full payment in my room, fo if you have any thing further to fay againfl me, go to my Cautioner, who is engaged for all : he is able to anfwer all that you can fay : and therefore let all challengers and him rec- kon the matter betwixt them. In a word, right en-
gao^ement is to engage upon Chrifl's engagement.
What is that ? It is juft, as it were, to lay a wager upon Chriil's head. I will wager upon his head, that I will get to heaven, in fpite of all the deviFs in hell ; I will wager upon his head, that the head of the fer- pent fhall be bruifed ; I will wager upon his head, that fin ihall not have dominion over me \ I will v/ager u-
pou
Serm. XXVIII. //-'^Surest Engagement. 399
pon his head, that I fhall perform duty, and do all things through him flrengthening me ; 1 will wager upon his head, that my fms fhall be forgiven me ; as the Jews, you know, confeiTed their fms upon the head of the facrifice fliadowing Chrifl ; and what was the gofpel of it ? Why, when it was done in the faith of Chrift, the great facrifice, it was in efFe<5t to fay, I will wager upon the head of this facrifice, that as it is fufficient for the expiation of my fins, fo all my fins fhall be pardoned upon this ground. What fay you, man ? Will you venture all that concerns your holinefs and happinefs, grace and glory, duty and dignity; ^'ill you venture all upon Chrifi: ? Will you wager and engage upon his head ? Then in God's name you fhall gain the day. But here alfo is a tefl of right approach- ing to God in all duties and ordmances, and at a com- munion-table ; why, it is juft, as it were, a coming to the chamber of divine prefence, fo as to come in at Chrift's back, fettrng him before you as the firft i\p- proacher to ufher you in ; / a?n the i£ay^ and no ?nan cometh to the Father but by me. It is to come to God In the faith of Chrifl's having approached to him before you, and to come boldly, never fearing that his infi- nite holinefs fnall dafh fuch a filthy finner, nor that his infinite juflice fliall confound fuch a guilty finner. Why, your Ufher, that hath gone before you to the prefence of this holy and jufl God, hath gratified
his holinefs, and fatisfied his juflice both. Here, I
fay, you fee the right engaging and right approaching. 4. And lallly, PafTmg all other inferences that might be drawn from the dodrine ; hence fee the duty of all that hear this gofpel^ and what the Lord is calling you to this day : it is even this, that your heart be engag- ed to approach unto him, Vv^hofe heart was engaged to approach unto God in your room ; that fo, ap- proaching heartily to Chrifl, you may approach confi- dently to God in him ; for there is no approaching to God but by taking Chrifl by the way. O then, let your hearts be engaged to approach unto Chrifl ; this is the very defign of all that we have been faying, even to engage your hearts to the Son of God. And, O
■ Sirs
400 "The Best Bond; of^^ Serm. XXVIIL
Sirs, what in all the v/orld will engage your hearts, if the engaged heart of Chrifl do it not ? He is come here this day to court your hearts ; the very heart of a Saviour is come down to court the heart of a finner, and to court you with this argument, That his heart is fo much upon you, that he engaged his heart to ap- proach unto God in your room. Away with the devil's logic, May he It ivns not for me that Chri/i engaged, nsr for me thai he approached unto God ; for there is hut a feled number, that were elected from eternity, for whom he engaged and approached. In order to (liut this ob- jection out of the way, let me tell you, man, thaty^* cret things helong to God, hut to us the things that are revealed. Let an infinitely wife God anfwer for his own decrees, as well as he can ; but you dare not be anfwerable to God for meddling with them ; and you meddle too far, if the thoughts thereof difcourage you from coming to Chrifl this day. Will it be a good an- fwer for you, before the bar of God ? Lord, I thought, perhaps, I was not eleded, and therefore my heart could never be engaged to Chrift. What anfwer can you exped from God, but the like of this, Wretch that thou art, had you not my revealed will ta be a rule of your duty ? And did not I reveal. That upon the peril of damnation you was to clofe v/ith my Chrift? And what had you to do with my fecret decree ? How durft you attempt to be wife above what is written ? Who but the devil could fugged that to your heart, that you was not an elewl ? And he was a liar for fay- ing fo, for he told you what he did not know himfelf* How does the devil iQi herein like himfelf, while he •would carry you up to the pinnacle of the temple of eternal predeflination at the firfl inftant, that you may thence throw yourfelf down from the battlement of lieaven to the bottom of hell, which was the way him- felf went, and he would have you along with him? O 1 will you regard the ruining fuggeftions of a black devil, more than the kindly motions of a Saviour ? O ! will you rather utHioot the devil in his own bow, and draw an argument for faith from what was done from all eternity ? Titus i. 2. \¥as eternal life pro-
mifed.
Se RM. X X VlII. /.{'^ S TJ R E S T E N G A G F. M E N T . 40 1
mifed in Chrifl before the world began ? was all en- gaged for from eternity ? Tlien there is the lefs ado for nie, when this promife of eternal life comes direc- ted and offered ; lor, to you is ike word of this j ah a^ tion fent^ that Chrifl hath engaged for all tliat concerns our falvation ; and we have nothing ado, but, through grace, to confent that this Engager be ours, to do all for us. From all eternity the Mediator's heart was en- gaged to the work of our redemption ; and from this infinitely high and eternal tower there are ropes of divine promifes hanging down, for us to lay hold on with our hearts : For the promife is to us and to cur children^ and to all that are afar off. And when our hearts embrace any of thefe promifes that are fallened to Chriil's engaged heart, then our hearts are carried up in God's order to the knowledge of the divine counfels, and go up the fcripture-ftair ; while Sataa would have us begin at the top, that we may fall down head-long. Now, among thefe promifes that are let down from Chrift's engaged heart, for us to embrace Yvith our heart, there is one, Jer. xxxi. 2. I have lo^^ cd thee with an e-verlajling love^ therefore with loving- kindnefs will I draw thee, O Sirs, here is a cord of love let down, and the upper end of it is faflened to Chriii's; heart, and the lower end of it hanging dowa the length of your hearts : And, O ! (hall not Chrifl's heart and yours be knit together this day ? here is a cord to bind his heart to your heart, and your heart to his heart. O ! ftrong cord of God's making ! O ! fhall not the Saviour's heart and the finner's heart meet together this day ? Will the heart of Jefus gain no heart in this houfe to-day ? Yea, wx hope there ihall be a n-eeting of hearts betwixt him and a remnant here. O then, fmner, come into his heart, for his heart is open ; and I have a commiffion to tell you, that his heart is open to you, and opened fo wide, that you may all go in to his opened heart.— — -It Is not a hard heart like vours : No, no : If he had been a?, hardened againft you, as your he^.ts were hardened a- gainft him, he would never have engaged fo heariily to approach to Gcd for you, nor ever fent v>« to tell Vo L. 11. E c e VGU
402 72^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIIL
you his heart's love towards you. O believe it upon his word, Jercm. xxxi. 20. He is not hard-hearted ; no ; his heart is a melting heart, faying, / do earncjlly rememher youjiill ; my bowels are troubled for you ; I ivill furely have mercy upon you. From the very time that I engaged for you, which vv-as from all eternity, I do earneftly remember you (lill ; and now the time of love is come, the time of letting out my heart to- ward you : my bowels are founding for you, and my heart is melting over you, and warm drops of love are falling down from my melted heart to your hard hearts, that they may be melted and diffolved, fo as both mine and yours may be melted into one, and bein^ run to- gether with the fire of my everlafling love, they may be engaged to each other for ever. O Sinner ! fm- ner ! Imner I O enemies I enemies to God, enemies to Jefus ! O hard-hearted fmner ! Words and rod^, calls and threatenings, fermons and facraments have not melted your heart ; and if you go to hell, the flames of hell w^ill never melt your heart : but here are the flames of infinite love from the heart of a God- man ; what will this do ? A God of love is come down, and mufl not the mountains melt before him ? Yea, mountains of enmity and unbelief, and the hard flinty heart will melt like wax before him. A live coal from the flaming altar of Chrifl*s engaged heart, is come down to put fire to your cold -rife heart. O ! is the bleiled fire kindled ? Is your heart engaged to him or not ? If not, will you confider,
(i.) What 2ifadthi7:g it is, if your heart (hall not be engaged to approach unto him : It fays, the heart is engaged to fome others than to Chriit, that your heart is engaged to idols and lufts, and you cannot find in your heart to fign a bill of divorce from thefe. — But, O ! will you tell me, if your heart be engaged to the devil, engaged to the world, engaged to the ilefh, and the lulls thereof, engaged to wicked com- pany, engaged to corrupt courfes, and that you can- not be difengaged from them, nor break thefe engage- ments, nor your covenant with hell ? O ! will any of ihcfc lovers to whom your hearts are engaged, will anv
of
Serm.. XXVIII. /y^^ Surest Engagement. 403
of them engage to approach to God in your room, as Chrifl hath done ? Will any of them engage to bring you to heaven, or to keep you out of hell ? Nay, are they not engaged rather to ruin your fouls for ever, if they can ? And why Ihould your hearts be engaged to your greateft enemies, that would lead you to de- flru6lion.; and not engaged to Chrift, who engaged his heart to approach unto God for your falvation and redemption ? If your hearts be not engaged to Chrift, it fays you are, at bed, married and engaged to the Jaw ; you are going about to eftablifli a righteoufncfs of your own ; hoping to pleafe God, and procure fal- vation to yourfelvcs by your prayers and good duties : Your language is like that of the wicked fervant, that faid. Have patience with me^ and I ivillpay you all. You are not yet pleafed to have one to undertake for all in in your room ; and therefore, O fad is your ftate ! for you (land under a perfonal obligation to pay all indeed : You are a debtor to do the whole law ; and yet, becaufe of your failure, you are under obligation to bear the whole curfe of the law. O terrible 1 If you (lay there, you mud approach to the tribunal of God, in your own perfon. O ! how will you approach to God with- out him ! You w^ill find God out of Chrifl a confum- ing fire.
(2.) Confider how fweet it is to have your hearts engaged to him, whofe heart was engaged to approach to God for you : his heart v\^as engaged to you before ever yours were engaged to him ; yea, from all eter- nity ; and you may rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory. Though your debt be never fo great, he is engaged to pay it ; though your fins be never fo hei- nous, he is engaged to pardon them ; though your corruptions be never fo flrong, he is engaged to fub» due them ; though your enemies be never fo mighty, he is engaged to conquer them ; and though the pro- mifes be never fo precious in themfelves, and unlikely to be accompliflied to you, yet he is engaged to fulfil them ; only, while you are h^x, on this lide Jordan, he will accomplilh them in his own time, aiid in l>is E e e 2 own
4 04 '^^^^ Best Bond; or^ Serm, XXVIII,
own mcafure, and according as your need, your work, and his glory do call for it. Yea, he is engaged to perform all your work, in you and for you, and to perfed flrength in your weaknefs : he is engaged to guide you by his counfel, and bring you to his glory, and to lead you fafe through the valley of the fhadow of death into Immanuel's land: he is engaged for your debt, your duty, your fafety, and all. O what a load-ftone is this, to draw the heart and engage the aitedions of any rational foul, to engage with one that engages for all that you can need through time and through eternity ! Why, fay you. But muil I en- gage to do nothing ? O that old covenant, Do and Live^ flicks fail to you : in the covenant of works, man was engaged to do all ; but O, in the covenant of grace, Chriil is engaged to do all. V7hy, man, if you can do any thing without Chrift, you may try your hand ; but why will you give Chrili: the lie, who fays, ivi-lDGiit me ye can do nothing ! And if that be ^ truth. O hov/ fweet is it to have a heart engaged to him, that has engaged to do all ! You may know from your experience, how i'ad a thing it is to take any en- gagement upon yourfelf alone, and on your own head : for it never abides a touch; and when you break youip engagement, then you are quite difpirited, as if the covenant of graqe were broken ; and thus you turn your covenant of duties to God's covenant of grace, and fo the covenant of grace to a covenant of works ; and, in that cafe, no wpnder that you fmd the law a ] lard and heavy taik-mafter. But the covenant of grace k Chriil's engaging to do all ; it is not a bargain that God is making with you ; for he will not make a bar- gain v/ith the like of you ; God knows you are a bar- ^.>ain-breaker ; but it is a bargain m.ade with Chriil, wherein Chriil hath engaged to God to do all for you, becaufe you can do nothing : and now he courts your heart to fall in with this device of glorious and free grace.
(3.) Confider ivho it is that is courting your heart : It is lie to whom the heart of God is engaged ;. Be- bu-ld my 8ervcmt^ vohom I uphold : mine ElecJ^ in wbovi
my.
Serm. XXVIII. fbe S-uKt&T Engagement. 405
my foul dcUghteth, God's heart was engaged to Chrift from ail eternity, not only becaufe he was his eternal Son, but alfo becaufe he engaged his heart to approach to him on your account. God's heart is fo much engag- ed to him for that very reafon, that he declares three times, with an audible voice from^ heaven, nu is my beloved Son, in whom I am iccll-pleafed ; and all that he feeks is that you be well-pleafed too. And, Oyou are ill to pleafe, if that which pleafes God, will not pleafe you , and your heart is ill difpofed, if it be not engaged to him to whom God's heart is engaged. God the Father put him upon this work, out of good- will to you : he caufed him to approach on your ac- count ; and he is pleafed with his engagement and ap- proach ; and nothing in the world will pleafe God fo much, nor make him take fo much pleafure in you, as your being well-pleafed with Chrift and his undertak- ing, fo as to find your heart engaged to him for it ; for then you will pleafe him more than ever your fms difpleafed him ; ajid you will honour him more than ever your fms difliionoured him : Yea, then he will get full fatisfaftlon for all your fms ; becaufe that glo- rious Engager, whom you clofe with, hath fully con- tented his heart ; and fo you will fatiyfy his juftice more than your eternal damnation in hell could do. — O ! the heart of God is engaged to him, and the hearts of angels are engaged to .him, and the hearts of all j:hq redeemed are engaged to him : O ! {liall all hearts be engaged to him but yours ! O there would be joy in heaven, and it would be a day of the gladnefs of Chriil's heart, and it v/ould give a glad heart to God, angels, and faints, if your hearts were engaged to Chrift !
(4.) Confider ivhofe heart he is courting : You per- Jiaps think, furely it will be fome very good heart that will pleafe him : indeed I know none that have a good heart, by nature ; and you that think you have a goo^ heart to God, do but deceive yourfelves : But, O he is even courting the love of that heart that is full of enmity againft him ; his love is feeking to break your- ^nmity this day. What for a heart have you, man,
woman I
c
4o6 77^^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
woman ? Be what fort of a heart It will, he is feeKiiig it y My Son, give ??ie thy heart. Is it a wicked heart, and a wandering heart, an unbelieving heart, a deceit- ful heart ? Is it the heart of Manaffeh in compadl with Satan ? Is it the heart of Mary Magdalene, out of whom were cail feven devils ? Is it the word heart in all the v/orld, and the worft heart that ever was in the Vvorld ? a hard heart, a llout heart, a (tony heart, a heart full of hell, and a heart like the devil ? It is even the heart t^iat he is feeking and courting this day : he engages to give you a new heart and a new fpirit ; and if you fign his engagement with your heart, faying. Content, Lord ; he will make your heart to his mind by degrees ; and your heart fliall be according to his heart. What, fay you, is that poflible, that he is courting fuch ^ heart as mine ? Would it not be prefumption for fuch an one as me, vile, filthy, black, and ugly me, to trufl for fo much good at the hand of fuch an one as Chriil ? W^hat, man ! when God calls, is it prefump- tion in you to anfwer his call ? No ; it is the greatefl prefumption in the world to fit his call, and refufe his is-ind embraces, when he offers to take you into his very heart. When Chrifl offered to walh Peter's feet, O did it not ill become him to fay. Lord, thou jhalt never wajb my feet, John xiii. 8. Be your feet never fo dirty, and your heart never fo black, you have the more need to let Chriil wafli you.
(5.) Confider, that the prefent opportunity is ^fpecial feafon of letting out your heart upon him, when he is coming fo near to you in this work. It is a dangerous thing to mifs the tide when it is flowing : fome of your friends and neighbours are in eternity, fmce the lafl communion here ; and you may never hear another adion-fermon all your life : and though you may hear other fermons, yet it is but now and then that the wind blows, and that the Spirit breathes ; and it is dange- rous to refift the motions that blow you into the happy harbour of Chris's engaged heart : if there be a gale of heaven juff now blov/ing, yet it may be over before an hour go about. O diall not your heart be eiigar^'^d unto Chriil ! What if death approach to you, and fnap
the
Seiim.XXVIII. /Z>^ Surest Engagement. 407
the thread of your life in two ? O ! you would be more miferable than the devil to all eternity ; for he never had fuch an offer as this. Death is approaching, judgment is approaching, eternity is approaching, and your heart not approaching to Chrift : wo is me ! what will come of you !
(6.) Confider, that Chrifl: hath fulfilled his engage- meni to the bather for you^ by bringing in everhjiing righteoufnefs ; and God hath accepted it, and is well- pleafed with it as the condition of the covenant, and all the promifes thereof: and, upon this account, the promife is made to you, as follows immediately upon the text, I will he your God^ and ye fh all be my people. I WILL and YE SHALL, IS the tenor of the promife ; becaufe Chrifl hath fulfilled the condition of it, fo as you have nothing to do, but to fay with the heart, ny will be done. And if your heart be engaged to him, and made willing, the God who commends Chrift fo highly to you, in the words of the text, will turn it over to your commendation, faying, V/bo is ibis that engaged bis heart to approach unto me^ faith the Lordf Now, fay not, that you want fuch and fuch qualifications and conditions requifite in thefe that give their heart and hand to the Son of God : if your heart ftand off from him on this account, it argues a heart in league with the law as a covenant of works, which is but a black bargain now, for any of the fallen race of Adam ; but the better teftament is a better bar- gain, where Chrift hath engaged for all fully, and you are only to take all freely : and never a good qualifi- cation will you have acceptable to God, till your heart be engaged to him v;hofe heart was engaged to give all. If your heart be not thus engaged to Chrift, to be obliged and indebted to him for all, then, though you had a thoufand times more qualifications than you would be at, yet you fhall go to hell with them, and perifh eternally : and if your heart be once engaged to Chrift, then, though you had ten thoufand good qualifications, you will count them all but dung^ for the excelleticy of the knowledge ofCbrifi^ as Paul did. It is faid of the creditor, concerning his two debtors,
Luke
4o8 The Best Bond; <?r, Serm. XXVIII.
Luke vii. 42. Wbenlhey bad nothing to pay ^ he frankly forgave them all. So long as you think you have fome- thing to pay your own debt, or hope that you iliail have fomethhig to make payment with, you are not in God's way of forgivenefs ; but when you have no- thing to pay ; not a penny in your purfe, either to pay your debt of obedience and fatisfadion to the law, as a covenant ; or your debt of duty to the law, as a- I'uie, and are content to take a cautioner, then he frankly forgives all. And fo the bed qualihcation is for you to fee. that you have nothing ; no money nor money-worth, that you may be obliged to Chrift for all.
What fav you, man ? Is your heart engaged to him? I think fo, may fome fay; but it maybe only a flafli, becaufe I have a deceitful heart. Why, man, be your heart never fo deceitful, yet if there be fuch a heart w^arming in your breaft, as makes you fubfcribe to his engagement to do all for you, and to make you t>oly as well as happy ^ and to free you from fm as well as hell ; if it be fuch as makes you come out of your- lelf, faying, / dare engage for nothings but my heart goes in to Chrijl^ as engaging to God for ail ; then, in God's great name, I will fay, it is a good flafh indeed : even a flafh of heavenly fire, kindled at ChrifL's warm heart towards you, which will never cool to eternity, thouglk your live-coal Ihould come under the aihes again.
What iliall I fay ? O ! is there any here, whofe hearts are not yet engaged to Chrill ? O many, many ! but, wo is me that there fhould be any 1 O drunkard, fwearer. Sabbath-breaker, whoremonger, mocker, here is a good bargain for you, even you whom we cannot allow to come to a communion-table ; yet we allow vou, yea God allows you and commands you, and we in his awful name and authority command you to come to Chriil, and take a full pardon of all your fms, and fubfcribe to Chriil's wl^ole engagem.ent ; and you fnall have a title not only to the communion-table below, but to the communion-table above that fnall never be drawn. Away, man, away with all objedions againil Chrift ; let your objedions be ten thoufand times more and
greater
S E R M. XXVIII. the Surest Engagement. 409
great<"r than they are, there is no room for one of them here ; for ChriiPs engagement to do ail things for you, anfwers all difficulties to you : and therefore, be you never fuch a wretched fmncr, there is no ob- jeftion you can make, but it is anfwered here, if your heart be not engaged to fome other lovers. O, fay you, I have not power, I cannot get my wicked heart engaged to him. O doleful and miferable cafe 1 What is this, that infinite love and everlafting kindnefs, flam- ing out ofChriii's heart upon you, cannot engage your heart unto him ! O ! is there no power in this love ? Is not love ftrong as death, and the coals thereof coals of fire, which have a moft vehement flame ? O ! here is a ftrong flame, that is adie to melt the hardeft heart to thefweeteft compliance ; and therefore, O will you bring thefe ftrong cords of death, by which your hea^t is held, bring them to this ftre, and it will burn and burft them afander ! Do not refilt the powerful love and precious grace of God, but be content to let it in to your heart, and it will draw and engage it. And therefore, feeing no argument will do but an argum.cnt of power ; and feeing almighty Power ufes to ride in the chariot of this gofpel of grace ; O then, will you join with me, and fay, 0 powerful arm ^Jehovah, come and drazu^ come and draw ; 0 exalted Jesus, come and draw, by the pcicer of thy Spirit. Jzyake, 0 arm of the Lord, and put onjiren^th, and kt the right-hand of the Lord do ^jaliantly. Let^'all the heart-leagues with tufts and other lovers than Chrift be broken this day, and Chriii: alone have the whole heart engaged to him ; and let all the people fay, Amek, So he it. Lord. And if your heart fay. Amen, I hope your heart is engaged and made wilUngin a day of power : and Lcmg made willing to come to his Chrift, you ihall be mad^^ welcome to come to his table ; having figned his en- gagement to approach to God in ycur room to do all for you, you may approach with bcldnefs to God in him, and exped the fame welcome with your Cautio- ner that goes before you. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto Gad f faith the Lcrd.
Vol. 1L ' Fff A DI3-
C 410 ]
A
DISCOURSE
Upon the fame SUBJECT, after the SOLEMN WORK was ended. .
NOW, my friends, after the great work is over, I would aik you, (whether you have been com- municants or not) Have your hearts been engaged to Chriil this day, as the glorious Engager and Ap- proacher to God for you ? I would tell you, if your hearts have been engaged to him, then your hearts have been difengaged from all things befides him : you have been brought to forfake your father's houfe, and the, people that are yours, and to Wbat have I any more to do with idols f There hath been a mutual do- nation betwixt Chrifl and you, as man and wife give up themfelvea to one another. Ye have rendered up your love to him, inftead of all other lovers to whom your hearts were engaged before ; and ye look upon yourfelves as bound in love and gratitude, never to give a back-look to any other lover, fo long as your prefent Hulband lives; and behold/?^ lives for ever and ever : whereas your former hufband, particularly the law, is dead, and ye are dead to it, Rom. vii. 4. and are to exped: nothing from it, becaufe you have all, and more than all, in him to whom you are now engaged, and whofe heart is engaged to you. Yea, as ye have rendered up your love to him as your Huf- band, fo ye have rendered up youx arms to him as your Lord : ye have furrendered all the weapons that have been weapons of unrighteoufnefs, to be weapons of righteoufnefs unto holinefs, never to fight againfl him any more, but rather to fight under his banner againfl all his enemies, efpecially under his banner of love ; for the love of Chrift will conftra^n you both to work and war. Now,
~ Firj?,
Serm. XXVIII. The Best Bond, &c. 411
Firjl^ A word to you whofe hearts have neier yet been engaged to Chrljl, O do ye know what for a cafe ye are in ? and whence it is that your hearts are not engaged to Chrifl: ? Why, ye are even ignorant of glorious Chrift : for, ^'hey who know his name will love him^ and put their trujl in him ; but you are alienated from the life of God^ through the ignorayice that is in you; and enemies in your minds by wicked works : your car^ nal mind is enmity againft God^ and is not fubjed to the law of God ; and your darkened mind is enmity againft Chriil, and is not fubje6l to the righteoufnefs of Chrift. Thus you are enemies to the Lord of hfe, and care not for him to be your Lord ; ye ar^ enemies to the word of life, and care not for that word to be your rule ; ye are enemies to the Spirit of life, to the grace of life, the light of hfe, and the way of life : ye are dead, and under the power of death and of lin, under the power of fecurity and heart-obduration, having no favour of Chrift about you ; under the power of a fordid choice, whereby ye fet up the bafefi of objeds above our Lord and Mafter, whom yet the tongues of feraphims are not worthy to adore : behold, ye are choofmg fome bafe luds and idols in his room, or elfe infolently capitulating with him upon the mod ig- noble and ignominious terms, to engage your heart to him, and to your lufts both, to him and to the world both, to him and to other lovers to be hugged in your bofoms with him, as if he were a minifter of fin, and a Have to ferve your lufts ; or at beft, ye put him oft" with trifling delays from your heart, and let him ftand at the door and knock, without ever having your heart engaged to come to him, or to let him come to you. Well, is that the matter with you ? What is this that thou art doing, poor foul ? Shall there be no gathering of the people to Shiloh for your part ? Shall never our Lord's train and retinue be any whit the more for you ? What ! ftiall he have no train ? Glory to him, that he will have a retinue to attend him, -and no thanks to you ; there ftiall be a number to follow the Lamb to heaven, tho' ye (liould follow the devil to hell. But, Oh ! may I yet bcfpcak
F f f 2 * you
\iz ^^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIII.
you in the name of Jefas 1 And, O Jefas, may I beg thy leave to be thy fpokefman, to tell them thy words ? And now, fmce he hath fet me here, and given me leave to fpeak for him, I mufl: tell you fome of his words to vou.
And, Firft, I v/ill tell you what is his complaining word upon you ; Tc will not conic to me^ that ye might have life : A-l day long have IJlretcbed forth my hands to a difohcdient and gainfaying people.
Again, I will tell you what is his lamenting word over you; 0 Jerujalcm^ Jerufalem ; O Dunfermline, Dunfermline, ho^cu often would I have gathered you as a hen doth her chickens under her wings^ hut you would '7Wty you would not I
Again, I v/ould tell you what is his aflonijlmg word ; Be aftonifoed^ 0 heavens, at this, and be ye horribly a^ fraid : for my people have committed two great evils, they have for faken me the fountain of living waters, and hewn out to thewfclves broken cijierns that can hold no water^ They reject fulnefs itfeif, and turn to an empty world, as if it vv^ere their heaven and their happinefs.
Further, I muft tell you what is his weeping word. O fhall he weep alone, and none drop a tear with him, while he is grieved at the hardnefs of your heart ; and with the tear in his eye, weeping over the city, and faying, G if thou hadft known, in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace ! but the time approaches when they (1:1 all be hid from thine eyes \ the time of defo- lation is coming, becaufe thou knowcft not the time of thy vifjtation. Do ye expe6i: that thefe days will al^ ways lail with you, and that you will never be deprived of fermons, and miniilers, and facraments ? Nay, they fliall be hid from your eyes : Tour fathers, "-adhere are ■they f and the prophets, do they live for ever f Nay, fmce the lad communion here, one of our dear help- ers, in this prefbytery, from whofe lips you ufed to hear the joyful found, he is gone away to the commu- nion-table above ; and glory to God, that he got a full gale of heavenly wind, to drive him in with holy joy and triumph to the harbour of glory. But now, O fmnersj have ye no regard to Chrill weeping over
you,
Serm/XXVIII. //jf Surest Engagement. 413
you, and faying, O if ye knew the day of your vifi- tation, before the fhadows of the everlafting evening be drawn upon you ! And, O that ye knew the things that belong to your pe^ce, before they be hid from your eyes !
But again, I muft tell you what is his wrathful and threatening word ; If you believe not that I am he^ ye pall die in your fins ; and, How fhall ye efcape, if ye ncgleEi fo great fahation f If they efcaped not who re- fufed him that fpake On earth, much more fliall not wc efcape, if we turn away from him that fpeaketh from heaven.
And, O ! what if it come to \i\%farewel word ! I go to my vjay^ and ye fid all fee me 7io more^ till he come in the clouds of heaven^ and every eye fhall fee him ; and then you will come to that word w^ith it, who live and die with a heart never engaged to him ; you will come, I fay, to that word with it, G moitrifains and hills, fall upon us, a7:d hide us from the face of the Lamb.
And how dreadful will his7w7/? word be to you. De- part from me, ye curfed, into everlafiing fire, prepared for the devil and his angels I Ye did eat and drink in my houfe, and at my table, but I know you not ; de- part from me ; ye adventured to approach to my table, but your hearts were not engaged to approach to me; nay, your^ hearts departed from me; therefore depart with a vengeance ; Depart from me, ye curfed.
But, becaufe it is not come to that with you as yet, nay, it is yet a day of falvation ; I would tell yoii next, his expoflulating word, or his ii^ircating word ; he would gladly take his word of wrath again, that ye wl>ofe hearts are faying. Away with him, may yet take your word again : he is faying. Why will ye die, 0 houfe of Jfrael f As I live, I have no pleafure in your death ; 0 turn ye, turn ye : Come, come, the door is yet o- pen, the door of falvation is call up wide to the walls, that ye all may run in ; the draw-bridge of mercy i$ not yet taken up ; the day of mercy is prefent ; the day of judgment is but coming, and now I am look- ing to you, and ye are looking to me ; and if ye be not looking on me, yc that are behind the pillars and
lofts
414 "The Best Bond 5 or, Serm. XXVIII.
lofts there, I hope ye are hearing me : and therefore, in the view of that mod awful day, when we fhall hear and fee at another rate, before the flaming tribunal, 1 take witnefl^es here, in the prefence of the great God, and all this numerous company, that I am giving you a new offer of Chrift ; as an Engager to do all for you ; and that if you will but confent to take him, and give him employment, yea, that if you do not rejed him, you ihall have him. None here fliall have it to fay, they got nothing at this communion : for, lo, you have got an offer of Chrifh, and if ye go away without him, we fliall be witneffes againft one another at the great day of his appearance. O ! Now is the acceptable timc^ and new is the day of falvation, O ! are ye pleaf- ed? Are your hearts pleafed with one to be a Cautioner for you, to fave you both from fm and hell, and that will engage for debt, and duty, and fafety, and pave your way for approaching to God's glorious prefence for ever ? Will ye have him for your head and cap- tain ? I allude to the words of Jephthah, Judges xi. 9. ^f ^ fiz^^^ f^^ y^^ ^^^ /jr^'Ufj/V, fi)all I be your headf O yes, yes, fay they ; well, fo fays Chrifl to you, If I engage to fatisfy juftice for you, and anfwer all law- demands for you, and take away all your fins, and fight all your battles, and do all your work in you and for yoUy fiiall I be your head ? O I is your heart en- gaged to fay, yes ? O man, woman, old and young, that are here, do your hearts fay, Amen, Amen ; content to have him as a Prophet, to take away the darknefs of my mind ; content to take him as a Prieft, to take away the guilt of all my fins ; and content to have him as a King, to take away the power of all my lufls and idols, and to make me holy and happy in him* felf, that his name may be glorified in me, and his grace magnified for ever : O then, I hope, the day of lalvation is begun, that fliall be celebrated with joy to eternity. Therefore, let me clofe with a word, in the next place,
2dly^ To you whofe hearts are engaged to the Lord Jefus^ whether ye have been communicants or not ; and becaufe fome fuch may be in doubts, whether ever
they
Serm. XXVIII. /i6^ Surest Engagement. 415
they have believed in Chrift truly and favingly. Why, if your hearts be truly engaged to Chrift, never make a queftion about your believing ; for a heart engaged to him is the beft beheving in the world ; Rom. x. 10. Wilh the heart ?na?i believeth tinto right eoufnefs ; and if your doubt remain, the beft way of getting it refolved, is, to let your heart go out upon him anew, as the glo- rious Engager and Approacher to God in your room. Are you afraid you come fhort of heaven ? So ye may indeed, unlefs Chrift had engaged to bring you there ; but if he lay ftrefs upon his engagement, there is no fear. Are ye frightened you come ihort of duty ? So you may, if you be the only engager ; but will ye truft Chrift for nothing ? Where is your faith in his engage- ment, to do all for you and in you f What, may fome fay, would you have us all to turn Antinomians, to do no- thing, and engage to do nothing, but leave all to Chrift? The Lord pity a poor deluded world, that is wedded to a covenant of works. Will you tell me, nian, is that Antinomianifm, " to come out of yourfelf to " Chrift for righteoufncfs, to anfwer all the demands *' of the law as a covenant of works ; and to come out " of yourfelf to Chrift for ftrength, to anfwer all the " commands of the law as a rule of life and holinefs, *^ and fo to engage for nothing in your own perfon a- " lone, becaufe God cannot truft your perfonal bond, " but to take Chrift for your Cautioner, and to lay " ftrefs on his engagement V* — And feeing you can- not approach to a holy and juft God in yourfelf, look to Chrift as the firft Approacher for you, and then to approach to God in him. If you thus engage upon Chrift's head, according to his promife, then engage to what you v^ill ; and if you approach to God in his name, then you may approach with boldnefs.
If you think of engaging and approaching in your own name and perfon, that is the old covenant-way of engaging and approaching ; and therefore no wonder then, if that be your way, that you be overwhelmed with fears and doubts, and difcouragements.
But let gallant faith come in and fay, Chrift hath engaged, and therefore I have nothing ado but to truft
him
4i6 r/j^ Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVIIL
him for all, and in the ufe of means depend upon him : Chriil hath approached before me, and therefore upon the red carpet of his juflice-fatisfying blood, 1 will go in to the holy of holies, even into the prefence of ajufl and holy God. O have you thus approached to God at this occafion ? I know not, fay ye ; I would be glad to know. Why, if ye would judge of your approach to God in Chriil, judge of your approach, not by the riieafure of it ; for believers are only admitted fome- times as it were, to wafh his feet with their tears, like Mary, though at other times they may be privileged to ly in his boibm, like the beloved difciple. — judge not of your approach, by the matter of that w^hich he gives you ; for fometimes you may be feeking one thing, and he may give another : It may be ye were feeking a feafl of joy ; but if he hath given you a fealt of godly for^ row, thai is as good for you.— Judge not of your ap- proach by your former experiences : It may be, fome lime a-day you was like a iamb in his bofom, faying, under a fenfe of his love, Tins is my Beloved : and now, perhaps, you mud ly like a dog at his feet, faying, un- der a fenfe of fm, Ti'utb^ Lord, I am a dog : well, that is a token of m.ore a-coming. — Judge not of your approach by your own fenfe and apprebenfton ; for, Da- vid was not in a defperate cafe when he was crying, as Pfal. xiii. I. How long wilt t/jou forget ?ne, 0 Lord, for ever f how long wilt thou hide thy face from ms f When your longings are increafed, though your llrength be fmall, yet it is a notable feafl ; for, hie will fatisfy the longing foul, a7id fill the hungry with good things. Be thankful if you get as much as holds your foul in life, though you get not much. Know, that though he will be faithful to the accomplifliment of all his promi- fes, and to do all that he hath engaged for, yet the times and feafons are in his hand, and he hath his own mea- fure of communication : if fome of you received what you would be at, you would grow giddy, and be ready to cry with Peter, // is good for us to be here, and forget the other work that God hath for you in the world. — - He is engaged by piomife ; but know, moreover, that he accompliflies his promifs according to your need,
and
Serm. XXVIII. ^/;^ Surest Engagement. 417
and as it is for your good and advantage, and accord- ing as he hath work and bufinefs to put in your hand. Now, fome here, I hope, have got their hearts engaged to approacli to a God in Chrift, upon the ground of Chrid's engagement to approach to God in their room ; and I hope they can fay it with holy confidence, that their hearts have been drawn, and they have been cauf- ed to approach to God : and if fo, then, I hope, yoa can fay of the water of the well of falvation, O fwcet, fweet ! 0 how fwcet are thy words to ?ny tajie ! fwcet er than honey to my mouth I And that all other things in a world are bat empty trafli, lofs and dung^ in comparifon of him, O the gallant fops of the world would thiiik fhame of themfeives, if they knew how much contempt the poorcft faints on earth do pour upon them, and all earthly glory and gallantry, when they get near to God ! — Surely, if you have been favoured with this approach to a God in Chrift, it hath brought you to a great won- dering at the grace of God, Q what am I f And what is ?ny father's houfe f Why did hepafs by my neighbour, my hufband, my wife, my brother, my fifter, and fix his love upon me, the vileft of them all ?— It hath brought you to great humility and abafcment ; Now ?ijine eyes have feen thee^ therefore 1 abhor myfef^ and re- -pent in duji and afloes, — And alfo to a great longing af- ter more feilowfliip and communion with him ; 0 when wilt thou come unto me ! 0 when /Jjall I cojne and appear before thee ! 0 to depart in peace, for ?nine eyes have feeii thy falvation I 0 to be a?nong the four and twenty elders y that are befcre the throne ! 0 to be drinking at the foun- tain-head I Why, what means this language, poor foul ? It feems you are juft lying in his lap ; lie hath loved you with an everlafting love^ and therefore with loving'kindnefs hath he drawn you : His heart is engag- ed to you, and your heart is engaged to him ; the Spi-» rit hath been fent to faften Chrift's heart and your heart together, and the knot fliall never be loofed ; Him that co?neth^ I will in no wife cajl out.
And now, that he is engaged to do all for you, O does not equity 2ind gratitude require, that you be wholly engaged to him, and that for ever ? Let your hearts be
Vol. II. ^ ZZ moxr.
4iS The Best Bond; or, Serm. XXVHL
more engaged to him than- ever; let your aJfe^lomhQ engaged to love hiai : let your wills be engaged" to o- bey him in his preceptive and providential will ; let your thoughts be engaged to think upon him and his- loving-kindnefs ; let your tongues^ be engaged to fpcak to his praife ; In his temple Jh all every one /peak of his- glory : let your whole life be engaged to his fervice, and all fo engaged as to depend on him for all. Ke hath engaged for all, that you may depend on him. for all ;- and all the fervice you perform will be vaiii and to na purpefe, unlefs it be done in the taith. of his engage- ment to do all in you and for you. The behever hath two hands, the one a holding hand, and the other a working hand ; like a woman fpinning at the wheel,. (to ufe a homcXjftmideJ the one hand holds the thread and draws it down, and the other hand goes round and fets about the wheel ; now, if fbe do not hold the thread conflantly with the one hand ; it is to no purpofe tho' the other hand go round with the wheel ; even lb it is here, the one hand of the believer is the hand of faith, whereby he takes fad hold of Chrift, and draws grace imd virtue from him ; the other is the hand of obe- dience and fervice, which is accepted only in Ghrift, and upon the fcore of his engaging for all, and to do all our work in us and for us. Now, if the hand of faith let go the hold of Chriil^ fo as not to draw virtue from hiniy nor depend upon his engagement, it is in vaia that the other hand of obedience and fervice doth go its round ; but, when faith keeps fait hold of Chrifl's en- gagement, then there is profitable fervice and obedi- ence ; for, we are accepted in the Beloved- Let faith take a view daily of your privileges in ChriH; : O how ilrengthening for your work and warfare would it be to you, if you had the lively faith of his engagement 1 It would make you approach to God in every duty with boldnefs. Did you believe that his honour is engaged for your through -bearing, till you arrive at glory ; that his faithfulnefs is engaged, his power is engaged, his name is engaged, his truth is engaged, his credit is at the itake ; for he hath faid, / %vill never leave thee nor
for- '
Serm. XXVIIL the Surest Engagement. 419
forfake thee ; ] wiU put my Spirit ivifhin thce^ and caitfe thee to ivalk in my flatiites : Is he thus engaged ? Then let faith keep a fa:l grip of his engagement ; and when faith is Uke to Icfe the grip, remember, that he who hath engaged for evc^y thing that concerns you, hath engaged for faith too, having promifed to keep your faith that it fail noty and to keep you by his power tip^o^ faith mito fahation. Therefore, in the v/ant of faith, look to his engagement far it; and in the weaknefs of faith, look to his engagement to Itrengthen it ; and in the trial of faith, look to his engagement to fupport it. Let not your faith depend upon your faith, but your faith and dependence be wholly on Chrift, tor all that you need with refpect to work and warfare, duty or difficulty, foul or body, grace or glory, time or eter- nity ; then will God put your name and ChriU's toge- ther, faying. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach mnto me f
Ogg2 SERMON
C 420 ]
SERMON XXIX,-..XXXIII.
The Saving Sight; or, a View of God in Chris t\
John xiv. 6,
■— H^ ibdt hath feen me^ hath feen the Father*-^
MY dear friends, the great, glorious, and invifible God hath been, this day, condefcending to make himfelf vifible to us, notwithflanding of the great diilance betwixt him and us. There is a threefold dif- tance that mars our fight ; there is a natural diilance, that hinders the fight of the natural underftanding ; there is a local diftance, that mars bodily fight ; and there is a moral didance, that impedes fpiritual fight ; all thefe, in certain refpeds, take place here. — In re^ fpeft of the infinite being of God, there is an infinite na-^ iural diflance betwixt him and us, who are but finite creatures, infomuch that we cannot fee him. — In refpe£t of the manhaod of Chrifl, now afcended into heaven, there is a yaft local diflance betwixt him and us, that put him out of our view, w^ho are on the earth.— -In re- fped: of the infinite hoUnefs of God, there is an infinite moral diflance betwixt him and us, that we cannot per^ ceive him through the dark clouds of fin and corruption that over-cafl our fouls, But fuch is the condefcend- ing mercy of our God, that he is pleafed to come near to us in fuch ways as tend to remove thefe impediments
* This pjece appears to he the fubftance of four fermons. The fir ft was preached on the Sabbath-evening, immediately after the cele- bration of the Lord's Supper, at Dunfermline, May aiil, 17x7. ; an(i the re II, at the fame place, after the ib!cmnity» It hath undergone five imprtlTions.
out
SerM. XXIX, 6"r. TZ>^ Saving Sight, &c. 421
out of the way of our feeing of him ; and therefore, that the infinite natural diilance betwixt Lim and us may not impede our feeing of him, he is pleafed to come near to us in a natural way ; 1 mean, by allum- ing our n:iture, that we may fee him there j and that the vaft ^<:^/ diftance betwixt God, Chrill, and us, may not interrupt our feeing of him, he is pleafed to come near in a facramental way, that we may fee him myf- tically and facramentally there ; and that the moral dii^* tance betwixt him and us may not impede our feeing of him, he comes near in zfpiritual way, by his Spirit and grace, enlightening the eyes of finners, and fcatter- ing the clouds of fin and corruption.
My friends, it is our infinite mercy, that we have Or ther ways of feeing God than the blinded nations that want the gofpel. The way in which they may fee God, fo as to leave them inexcufable, is common to them and us both. It is now fome more than five thou- fand years fince the great and invifible God erefted the pillars of heaven, and earth, that the invifible things of him^ from the creation of the worlds ?night be clearly feen and undcrftood hj the things that are made^ even his eter- 7ial power and Godhead^ Rom. i. 20, ; but becaufe no fmner can, in this glafs, get a faving fight of God, he hath been pleafed to fet other glafies before our eyes. It is now more than feventeen hundred years fince the fame invifible God, in the perfon of the eternal Word, came down in the likenefs of flefliand blood, that his glory might be made vifible to us through the glafs and vail of our nature ; The word was juade flejlo^ and dwelt among us^ and we beheld his glory ^ John i. 14. But after his work on earth was finiflied, by his doing, dy^ ing, and rifing again, he afcended into heaven, far out of our view ; therefore, the fame invifible and eternal God, in fuch a wonderful and fi:upenduous manner, does farther obfcure his glory, to make it evident to our dull apprehenfion, and vifible even to our earthly fenfes, that he hath, this day, come down in the like^ nefs of bread and wine, that he might accommodate himfelf both to our nature and necellities ; and that be^ ing thus, though fpiritually, vet facramentally and vi-
' " fibly
JI.22 The Saving Sight ; cr^ Szrm. XXIX, &c>
fibly prefent, we might fee and apprehend his invifible gbry, love, grace, and mercy, under thefc vifible ele- ments, infomuch, that henceforth we need not be at a lofs to refolve that feeming contradiclion and won- derful rnyfLery, namely^ that the infinite mercy of God in CUriil is fo deep, that no thought can fathom it, and yet fo obvious, that every eye may fee it, nor at a lofs to read Mofes's riddle, Heb. xi.,27. for now it is eafy, efpeciaily to the believer, whofe faith is the evidence of thi?igs not feen^ to explain how one may fee him that is invifible.
This gofpel facrament, we have been celebrating, i$ a glafs-, wherein we fee Chrifl ; Chrifl is a glafs, where- in we fee God: if our eyes, therefore, have been o- pened, by the Spirit of God, we have feen a great light this day. May I afl^ you, then, where you have been, and what you have feen about this fol-emnity ? Have you been at Jerufalem, and feen the King's face? If you have feen the facramental elements, I afk, what have you feen ther^ ? If you faw no mor€ but bread and wine, Purely you have been bhnd ; for, Chrifl was there evidently fet forth crucified before you. — But, if you have feen Chrifl there, then I afk again^ What have you feen ? It may be you do not know what you have feen ; for, as you, that have got no fight of Chrifl, are at a greater lofs than you are capa- ble to know and underftand .; becaufe, having miifed a fight of Chrifl, you have miffed a fight of God^ and feen nothing v/orth the feeing : fo you that have got a faving fight of Chrifl, you have got a greater fight than readily you are aware of. Perhaps you hav€ feen ChriR, and yet, with Philip here in the text, do not knov/ that you have feen the Father. Perhaps God hath been in this place, and you knew it not : but if you have got a fight of Chrifl, and yet do not know hov/ much, and how far you have feen, or whe- ther it be the true Chrifl you have feen, then be in- formed of this matter out of his own bleffed lips. He that haih feen vie^ hath feen the Father. O ! what an happy folemnity might we fay this hath been, if it could l3e faid of a multitude here, as it was faid of th^ nobles
of
Serm. XXIX, &c. a Vie'-4; of God in Christ. 413
of Ifrael, Exod. xxiv. 11. They faw God, and did cat and drink ; or, that t/:eir .fyes have fecn the Kiug^ the Lord of hojis ! I doubt not but there are many here came to Dunfermhne, with a deiign that they mh>;h{ fee the lung in his beauty, at this lacramental ocvTafion, and to fee the glory of God. Weil, the brightcit glafs that ever God's glory was fecn in, hath been, and is yet fet before you. The great facramentai fight is, in . a fpiritual manner, as well as with bodily eyes, to fee the facramentai elements, fc) as in the elements to fee Chrift, and in Chriil to fee the Father : and though the facramentai table be drawn, yet, while C\iui\ is prefented to you in this gofpel, the glafs is iiot vet withdrawn. You have a new occafion to fee hifn ?;- gain ; and not only to fee bun, but alfo to fee v/iiethrr you have feen him formerly, yea, or not ; and to fee what you have feen in him 5 for, be that hath fecn me, hath feen the Father,
Having, before this folemnity, fpoken to the pre- ceding part of the verfe, and fo to the connexion of this text with the context, 1 have tlie leis ado this wav ; only, Chriil having, ver. 6, 7. difcovered himfclf as the only way to the Father, and as the Father's great reprcfentative, infomuch, that as there is no coming to th^ Father, but by him, nor feeing of the Father, but in him ; fo there is none that come to him, can mifs the Fa- ther, or fail of winning to the Father by him ; and none that lOok to him, can lofe a fight of the Father in him : notv/itliftanding this fweet doctrine, Philip having faid, She\v us the Father, ver. 8. the Lord Jefus here fpeaks to him both by way of reproof and inllruftion ; he meekly reproves him, faying. Have I been fa Img ivith thee, and yet haft thou not known me, Philip f that you ilicald talk fo ignorantly, after I have taught you \o plainly, that, in knowing me, you know the Father : but our Lord, who. is fuch a meek reprover, is alfo an indefatigable inftrucler ; and therefore again he kindly inflruds him in the words of the text, faying. Fie that Lath feen me, hath feen the Father, As it is an igno- rant, fo it is a needlefs petition for you, Philip, to afk of me, faying, Shew us tU Father, hnce I have told
you
424 The Saving Sight j cr, Serm. XXIX, &c.
you, that there is no way of knowing the Father fav* ingly, but by knowing me ; and if you knew me more, you would know the Father more : let me, therefore, again tell you, Philip, and, in you, all my difciples to the end of the world, He that hath fe en vie^ hath feen the Father,
In which words you have the believer's fiducial vifion^ >vhich is much the hmcfpecijically with the heatijically vifion that he will have in heaven for ever, notwith- ftanding of whatever gradual difference there will be betwixt them. Particularly,
1. You have the aB of this vifion, it is called a see- ing ; and being expreffed by fight, it imports a clear and diflind: knowledge.
2. You have the immediate o^V^of this vifion, name- ly, Christ, who is here fpeaking. He that hath feen vie ; not only Me, as God co-elTential with the Father ; Me, as the Son of God, the fecond perfon of the glo- rious Trinity ; but alfo Me, as God -man. Mediator betwixt God and man ; Me, as the brightnefs of the Fa- ther'* s glory ^ and. the exprefs image of his perfon,
3. You have the ultimate objed of this vifion, namely, the Father ; he hath feen the Father ; that is, either the Father effentially confidered, as God ; one God with the Son and the Holy Ghoft ; or perfonally con- fidered, as the firft perfon of the glorious Trinity, and ^%the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrifi, And here is the fartheft fight of faith's profped in time, the far end of faith's view, even to fee the Father in Chrift.
4. You have here the connexion betwixt the acl of feeing the immediate ohje6l^ with the act of feeing the ultimate object^ flowing from the effential onenefs betwixt the Father and the Son, notwiftanding of their perfo- nal diftindion : He that hath feen ?ne, hath feen the Fa- ther. Of this myflerious onenefs as the foundation of this connexion betwixt feeing him, and feeing the Fa- ther, the Lord Jefus infifts, ver. 10. faying, 1 a?n in the Father^ and the Father in 7ne* And again, ver. 11. Ia7n in the Father^ and the Father in me. Hence the doc- trine
Serm. XXIX, &c> a View c/God hi Christ. 425
trine I incline to treat of, for explaining this purpofe more lully, is this :
DocT. Tbatfiich is the onenefs betwixt Chrift an:] the Father^ that he that hath fccn Chrijl^ hath fi.cn the ' Father,
Though believers, who have feen, andyir hid through a glafs darkly^ may not diflindly know that tlicy have feen the Father, when they have feen Chriil, as the context clears ; yet fuch is the myflerious unity and onenefs betwixt glorious Chriil, and his glorious Father, that a faving fight ot Chrift does neceiTarily carry in it a faving fight of the Father, as Chriil declares, He that hath feen me^ hath feen the Father,
And now, my friends, fo great is the fubjeft I am propofmg to fpeak of, that frequently 1 have had thoughts of giving it over, as too fublime and glorious for m.e to handle. It is fuch, tl at if w^e could fpeak aright about it, not only eledftiiners^ but elect angels^ who pry into the gofpel m\fery^ might be edified by it. If we ihould elfay to fpeak of the heaven of heavens, and all the glory cf it, it would not be fuch a great fub- \c^ as to fpeak oi feeing Chriji^ and o{ feeing the Father in him. They are blind that do not fee the need we have of the alTiftance of the eternal Spirit, who ^rcrt^^d/^ from the Father and the Son^ w^hen Vve are thus efiaying to fpeak of feeing the Father in the Son. Tlierefoic, O endeavour, with your liearts, to lift up a prayer, for the condudl and help of the Spirk of God and of glory, that in fpeaking and hearing of fuch a fubjed, we may fee the glory of Chriil, and the glory of the Father in him.
The method I propofe to follow in clearing and illuf- trating this dodrine, as the Lord ihail be pleafed to af- fill, is this,
I, To fpeak of that oneness that is betwixt the Fa- ther and the Son.
II. To offer fome thoughts^ or remarks, concerning a favino; fight oi Chnil.
Vol. 'il. II hh III. To
426 The Saving Sight ; cr, Serm. XXIX, 6v.
III. To fliew in what ref peels it is, that they \i\\ofce CnRisT,yfd? /Z'^ Father.
IV. llovo^ and in what manner the Father is feen in Chrilt.
V. Offer feme groitnds of the dodrine, fliewlng whence it is, that they that fee Chrili:,. do fee the Father.
V^I. Draw feme inferences from the v/hole, for appli- cation thereof.
I. ^hz firji thing propofed is, to fpeak of the one- ness that is betwixt the Father and the Son. This one- njfs is declaredby our Lord Jefus ; and, indeed, it is a myilery of pure revelation, and what we could not 0- therwife know ; and it is what we cannot fully com- prehend : yet it is the objeft of our faith, ver. 10, 11. Belicvcji thou net that I am in the Father^ and the Father in me f It is what our Lord Jefus tells his difciples they ihall more fully know afterwards, ver. 20. Jt that day ycjhall knozv that lam in my Father ; and you in me^ and 1 in you. Our Lord Jefus txprclly aiferts this cnenefs^ John X. 30. J and my Father are one. He makes it the ground of all Chrlflian unity, John xvii. 21. nat they all may be one^ as thou^ Father^ art in me, and I in thee ; that they alfo may he one in us. Hence alfo our Lord Jefus, much in the fame manner as in the words of the text, John xii. 44, 45. He that believcth on me^ believcth en him thatfcnt me. He that feeth mte^ feeth him that fent 7ns, Such then is the onenefs betwixt the Father and the Son, that he who hath feen Cbri/l^ hath feen the Fa- iher. But to explain this onenefs a little more particu- larly, we muft confider,
1//, Negatively^ that we are not to underhand this onenefs in refpecl 01 perfonaUiy ; the Father and the Son are not one perfon, but two perfans : the Father is one perfon, and the Son is another perfon of the adorable Trinity. They are diftini^f in refpecl oi perfonal pro- perties, 7iamcly^ it is proper to the Father to beget the Son ; and to the Son to be begotten of the Father ; even as it is to the Holy Ghofl to proceed from the Father and the Son, from all eternitv. I hope I need not
fland
Serm. XXIX, &c, a View cf God in Christ. 427
fland to enlarge upon this to yon, that make ufe of our Catechlfms, with the fcripture proofs ; only carry dill along with you this perfonal didinction, the Fa- ther is not the Son, nor the Son the Father; the Fa- ther was not incarnate, nor did humble himfc If and die for fnincrs as Chrill did ; the Y^xthcr fe?it the Son. — >] ci- ther are you to underftand this cncrufs betwixt Chriil: jind the Father in refpeft of Chrift's humanity ; the two natures oi" Chriil mufl not be confounded ; the lui- manity of Chrill is not one with God ; the humanity is unite to Chrift the Son, not to the Father : it is Chrill: who is Mediator, God-man, in one pcrfon. Flence, when Chrift fays, John xiv. 28. My Father is grcaicr thanJ^ it niuft be underftood ofChrift's humanity, and of Chrift in ih^ form of a fcrvani ; who yet, in regard of his divine nature, is in the form of God ^ ^nd thinks it no robbery to be equal with God^ Phil. ii. 6, 7. There- fore,
idly^ And pofiti-vely^ we are to view this oncnefs be- twixt the Father and the Son in thefe following re- fpe^ls.
1. There is an oncnefs in point o^ nature ?.V{dL ejfence betwixt them ; Father, Son, atid Holy Ghoft are but one God ; Hear^ 0 Ifrael^ the Lord our God is one Je- hovah, Deut. vi. 4. There are three that bcarw'ilncfs in heaven^ the Father^ the Word, and the Spirit^ and thefe three are one, i John v. 7. Hence it is faid, hi our Lord dwells all the fulnefs of the God-head hodiiy, Col. ii. 9. The Father and the Son, then, are one in effcnce and being with the Holy Ghoft : " Thefe three are " one God, the fame in fubftance, equal in power and « glory "
2. There is an onenefs betwixt the Father and the Son in point oi effential properties, and attributes ; Chrift is, together with the Father and Holy Ghoft, one Spi- rit, '^ infinite, eternal, unchangeable, in his being, wif- *' dom, power, holinefs, juftice, goodncfs, and truth." Is the Father omnipotent f fo is the Son ; He is the migh- ty God, Ifa. ix. 6. — Is the Father omniprefent f fo is the Son ; Lo, I am with you always to the end of the worlds Matth. xxviii. 20. ; -^uAW here two or three are gathered
H h h 2 . tore-
4-^ 'T'h^ Saving Sight ; cr, Serm. XXIX, c^r*
iogethcr hi 7?iy name^ there am I in the m'ldjl of ihenu-^ Is the Yd.thti[ omnifcient f fo is the Son ; Thou that know* eft all things^ knows thai I love thee ^ John xxi. 17. Chrift faid to Nathaniel, When thou iiaji under the jig-tree^ I favo fhee^ Here was a token that none in the world knew but Nathaniel himfelf, upon which he was con- vinced of the deity of Chrift, which made him fay, Tru-^ ly thou art the Son of God ^ thou art the King of IfraeL- — Is the Father eternal ? fo is Chrift ; Before Abraham was 1 anu — Is the Father immortal^ fo is Chrift ; The King eternal and immortaL — Is the Father inunutable ? fo is Chrift ; The fame yefierday^ to-day^ and for-e-ver^ and ^joithout all variablenefs orjhadoiu of turning,
3. There is an onenefs betwixt them in point of ivork ; the works that are proper only to God are a- fcribed to Chrift. I cannot ftand upon all the fcrip- tures that are cited by orthodox divines on thefe fub- jeds. In ftiort, My Father ivorheth hitherto^ andiwork^ fays Chrift. — The work of creation is afcribed to him , Ml things zoere made by him^ John i. 3. Thou^ Lord, in the beginning hqfi laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thine hands, Heb. i. 10. — Ihe work of prefervation alfo, and the fuftentation of the world ; Upholding all things by the ivord of his power, Heb. i. 3.— -The work of redemption; Ads xx. 28. Feed the church of God, which he hath pur chafed with his own blood.— The donation of the Spirit, is his work ; When the Comforter is come, whom I zuill fnd unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceed- €th from the Father, he fhall tef.ify of me, John xv. 26, And, I will fend him unto you. — The raifing of the dead eut of their graves, is. his work, and that both in a fpiri^ tual and corporal feni^e ; The hour comes, wh^n the dead Jhall hear the voice of the Son of God^ and they that hear Jhall live, John v. 25. — The govern?nent of the world, now, and the judging of the world, at the \?A day, is his work ; Ihe Father judgeth no man, but hath cominltted (ill judgment to the Son, John v. 22. ; and he v^'\\\ judge the world in fighteoufncfs. — The inftitution of ordinances and offices in the church, is his work ; Mat. xxviii. 19, Co ye andteack all mtionu See Eph, iv. 11.
4. There
Serm. XXIX, <b'c, a View of God in Christ. 429
4. There is an onenefs betwixt the Father and the Son in point of worjhip and honour ; and therefore all men are called to honour the Son even as they honour the Father ; John v. 23. He that honours not the Son, ho- nours not the Father which fent hinu All manner of worfhip due to the Father is due to the Son ; there- fore fays Chrift, John xiv. i. TeheUc-veln God, believe alfo in me. And PfaL ih 12. Kifs the Sen leji he be an- gry. See Rev. v. 12, 13. and vii. 10, ii.
5. 1 here is an onenefs betwixt them in point oiwilL Though, as man, he hath a will diftind from his will as God, and fo diftinct from the Father's will, yet fubject to the divine will in every thing ; l^ot my will, but thine he done. But as God, his will is one and the fame with the Father's will, and therefore what the Father wills Chrift wills ; John iv. 34. My meat is to do the will of him that fent ?ne : and again, 7 delight to do thy will 0 my God ; lo, I come to ao thy wilL
6. There is an onenefs o^happinefs "seadi felicity betwixt them, Pvom. ix. 5. fpeaking of the Jews, Of whom ac^ cording to theflejh Chrifi came, who is i-ver all, God ble/Jed
for ever, Chrifi was from all eternity, and is the ever blelTed God. There was a time, indeed, when the Spn was humbled and made a curfe for us ; but his effential glory and happinefs was never diminifhed, however iit was eclipfed : as God, he was as happy on the crofs, and in the grave, as ever he was.
7. There is an onenefs betwixt them in point of ijite* refl ; John x^'ii. i o. All thine are miiie, and mine are thine, and I am glorified in them. This fays, that thev are both one in efience, and one in intereft ; there is no feparate or divided intereH: betwixt them. O hap- py fouls that are interefted in Chrifi: ! for the Father's interefl and his are one and the fame.
8. There is an onenefs of affeclion betwixt them'; the objects of the Father's love, are the objecls of Chrift's love ; and the objecls of Chrifl's love, are the objeds of the Father's lo^;e ; 2 Thefl'. ii. 16. Our Lord Jefus Chrif}, and God even our Father, which hath lov- ^d US. John 2?vi. 21, He that kvfs me Jhall be loved of
my
4^0 The Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, c^r.
my Father ; and I wiH love him* Hence Chrifl fays to his beloved friends, John xvi. 27. The leather him/elf loirs- you. Was it only Chrift's love that brought him to die ?.nd fuffer for iinnefs ? nay, it was the Fa- therms love alfo that feat him on that errand. See
I John iv. 9, 10. ^
9. There is an cnenefs o^ dignity and authority be- twixt tliem. Chrirt is the Angel of the covenant, of whom the Father fays, Exod. xxiii. 21. Beware of him ^ and obey his voice^-^for m]f name is in him ; i. e. my authority is in him. His effcntial dignity and autho- rity is the fame with the Father's 5 he thinks it no rob- bery to be equal with God : he does not rob the Father of his authority when he makes himfelf equal v/ith him; for, as God, the dignity and authority of both is one and the fame ; and as Mediator, he hath a do- native right to all the power and fovereignty ; All power in heaven and in earth is given unto me Matth. xxviii. 18.
• 10. There is an oiienefs betwixt them in point of fuprenie Deity ^ felf-exijience^ fe!f Sufficiency ^ and indepen- dency : Hence the fupreme throne is called the throne of Cod, and of the La?nb^ Revel, xxii. i. Hence fays the Father to him, Ffalm xlv. 6. compared with Heb. i. 8. T^jy throne^ 0 God^ is for ever aHd ever. And hence fays he of himfelf, Ifaiah xlv. 21, 22. There is 710 God elfe be fides ?ne^ (t j^fi God and a Saviour ; and there is none be/ide me. Look to me^ and be faved, all the ends of the eaiHh : for I am God, and there is none elfe. Hence his name is Jehovah-tsidkenu, Jerem. xxiii. 6, The Lord our right eoufnefs. Hence alfo called JEHOVAM, Malachi iii. i. and eiiewhcre. Hence Paul fays. He is God over ail., in the fore-cited Rom., ix. 5. And the apoRle John, 1 John v. 20. This is the true Gody and eternal Life. Hence alfo, thefe that get a faving manifeftation of him, cry out with Thomas, My Lord and my God^ John xx. 28. as feeing that in him dxuells all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily : though, indeed, in point of perfonality, the Father is the firft perfon ; yet in point of eiTence, or eflentially confi- dcr-ed, Chriit is the fame, fupreme .felf-exiftent, felf-
fufficicnt,
Serm. XXIX, &c, a View of Ood in Christ. 431
fafficient, independent, invifible, and eternal God with the Father and the Holy Gholt. But 1 mult not en- large upon this point, that I may overtake the reft. — Only thus much fliall iufiice for a touch at that oncncfs that' is betwixt the Father and the Son, that lays the foundation for the other part of the do(^trine of Ciuiit here, ih that hath feen me^ hathjecn the luilber.
11. The fcccnd thing propofed was, to oiTer feme ihcughis Qonccxmwgiht feeing of Chriji J efpecially a fav- ing light of him in whom the Father is fcen. What I would fay on this head, may be laid open in the fol- lowing reni.irks, for giving you a view ot this matter, namely, feeing of Chriji,
I. licniark^ "- That there 7{X^ fc-veral luays whe-rcin *' natural men may fee Chi ill: to little advantage.'^ There is a buciii)' light of Chriil, that many got wlien he was upon the earth ; they faw him who was God, though yet they did not fee God in Chriil, nor believe in him ; 2> ba^ee feen ine^ and believe noi^ Jol-n vi. ^^, — There is a mental fight of Chrift, and a rational view of God, that natural men may have when they appre- hend the invifible things of God in the ivcrks of creaiion^ Romans i. 20. They may fee it was an infinite power that made thefe viijble heavens, fun, moon, and ilars: and hence it is faid of the heathen, They knew God^yet glorified him not as God^ verfe 21, — There is 'A fpiritiml kind of fight of Chriil that natural men may liave by the common illumination of the Spirit. Thus ]3alaam had his eyes ftrangely opened, and faw the vfions of the Almighty Thus the apoftates, Heb, vi. 4, ^, 6. were enlightened, and fome are faid, through the knou-- ledge of Chrift to efeape the pollutions of the world ; yet aherw^ards are fo entangled therein, that their latter end is worfe than the beginnings 2 Peter ii. 20. — Be- fides, there is a wrathful fight of Chrift, that all the wicked world will have at the day of judgment ; for. Behold s he comes with clouds^ and every e^^e pall fee hiiHy and fhey alfo that pierced^ and all nations fh all wail be- caufe of hinu None of thefe are the fight of Chrift
here
43^ 7he Saving Sight ; or^ Serm* XXIX, &c,
here to be underftood : it is a faving fight of Chrifl we fueak of.
JL
2. Remark, " That there is a gofpel-fight of Chrifl, *' that is either more common to the vifible church, or *' more fpecial to the invifible." The iiwre common is that v/hich the whole vifible church have beyond the outfield of the heathen world, Titus ii. ii. The '^r ace of God that bi'lngeth fahation hath appeared to all men ; i. e. to all the vihble church that have thegofpel preach- ed to them ; they have fo far the objedive revelation and difcovery of Chrifl, and the glory of God's grace in him fet before them. Like Chorazin and Bethfai- da, they are lifted up to heaven, and highly exalted with gofpel-privileges, gofpel-ordinances, gofpel-offcrs, gofpel-facraments, the mifimprovement v/hereof brings them down to -hell. — The more fpecial fight of Chrifl, that is peculiar to the church invifible, is that which refults from the fubjeftive, internal, faving, and power- ful revelation of Chrifl into the heart ; he revealed his Son in me^ fays Paul, Gal. i. i6. Hence,
3. A third remark I offer is, '' That thclight whcre- *^ in Chrifl is favingly feen, is his own divine light, PfaL *' xxxvi. 9. In thy light /hall zve fee light J' As we can- not fee the natural fun, but in his own light ; fo we cannot fee the Sun of righteoufnefs, till he himfeif arife with healing under his wings : and this divine light wherein v/e favingly fee Chrifl is common to Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl. It is in the Father's light, we fee the Son ; in the Son's light v/e fee the Father ; and in the Spirit's light we fee both the Father and the Son, Hence the Father is faid to difcover Chrift. No 7?ian can come to me^ except the Father draw hinu It is writ- ten in the prophets^ they Jhall be all taught of God : every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father Cometh unto me^ John vi 4, 5. — The Father difcovers the excellency of Chrifl to the foul ; and the foul fees him fuch an excellent perfon, that it would give a world for him, not knowing all this time, that it is the Fa- ther of Chrifl that is difcovering him : It pleafed God to reveal his Son in mc^ fays Paul ; and again, God^ who eommanded light to pine out of darknefs^ hath fnined into
cur
Serm. XXIX,^"^. a View of God in Christ. 435
otir hearty to give us the light of the knowledge of the gh-
ry of God in the face of Jcfus Chrift^ 2 Cor. iv. 6.
Again, the Son is faid to dilcover the Father. As the Father comes and courts a bride for his Son, fo Vv'hen the match is drawn up, then the Bridegroom lliews to the bride her friends, and particularly the Father, of which more afterwards : iVo man hath fee rt God at any time^ the only begotten Son, that is in the bofom of the Father, he hath declared him, John i. 18. — And then further, it is the Spirit that difcovers both the Father and the Son, as he is both the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, he fliews the Father in the Son, and hence is called the Spirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowledge ofChrifi, Ephehans i. 17. He Jhall glo' rify me, fays Chrift, for he JJ:all receive of raine, and jhew it unto y oil, John xvi. 14.
4. B.e?uark, " That the eye whereby Chrift is feer, '' is the eye offaith,^^ As before faving illumination we are dark, and without light ; fo, before faving faith, we are blind and without Jtght : therefore, as Chrifl, when he difcovers himfelf, does, with the one hand, reveal his glory ; fo, with the other, he gives the eye to fee his glory. All men are born blind, and remain fo till Chrifl open their eyes, and give faith ; for, he Is the author andjini/her thereof. This faith is the only eye whereby Chriil is now feen ; he cannot be favingly feen otherwife : faith is therefore called the evideiice of things not feen, Heb. xi. i. ; and there- by w^e look not at the things that are feen, but at the things that are not feen, 1 Cor. iv. 18. Thereby we fee and behold, as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. iii. 18. It is true, the glory of Chriil did once pafs be- fore man's bodily eyes, but yet none faw it but be- hevers by faith ; 'The Word was made flejh, and we be- held his glory, John i. 14. It is true alfo, that the glo- ry of Chrift will appear gloriouily at the great day of his appearance ; but then there will be no faith either on Chrift's right or left hand, fuch as now wx fee him by. The redeemed will have no faith, nor any ufc for fuch faith as nov/ ; for then-, fight and love will put an end to faith. The damned, on the other hand, tho'
V o L. II. Iii they
434 'Tl^^ Saving Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, &c.
they fliall be no more unbelievers ; for fight and fear will put an end to their unbelief; yet their faith will be no faving faith then, but only fuch as the devils now have, that believe and tremble : but from Chrill^s afcending to heaven, till his coming again to judg- ment, faith is the only eye that can favingly fee Chrifl. Hence,
5. Remark I offer is, " That there zxt fever al periods *' wherein Chrifl hath been, and is to be feen by faith,
" particularly thefe four." Firfl period was before
his coming in the flejh : thus Abraha?nfaw him afar off ; thus Jfaiah faw his glory ; yea, and all the Old-tefta- ment faints, by faith, faw him in the promife and pro- phecy at a diftance, Heb. xi. 13. Second period
was after his comings and before his death and fuffering on the crofs ; thus old Simeon faw him by faith, Luke ii. 30. Mine eyes have feen thy falvation. It was a great blefTmg to fee Chrifl in the flefli ; but many did fo, that yet did not fee him believingly, as his true difci-
ples did, John i. 14. Third period was after his
deaths before his afcenfion ; thus all the difciples of Chrifl faw him, and were glad when they faw the Lord* Indeed, w'hile he was yet lying in the grave, their faith was like to give up the ghofl ; alfo, we triified that it had been he that jhould have redeemed Ifrael^ but now he is crucified^ dead^ and buried ; they were at a lofs to know, whether they fhould repent of their faith or of their unbelief. Indeed the eye of faith was much tried, when Chrifl, the objed of it, was brought fo low : their faith had difhculties to grapple with, which ours want now, when we fee him crowned with glory and
honour. Therefore the fourth period is after his a^
fcenjion to heaven, till his fecond coming ; and in this period we, and all other believers, to the end of the world, remain while here ; and the farther he is re- moved from the view of the eye of the body, the more properly is he the obje<El of the eye of faith, which can behold him through the clouds, though he be in hea- ven, and we on the earth.
6. Remark I offer, is, " That there are certain fea- '^ fons v/hereia Chrifl, in a fpccial manner is feen ;"
par-
Serm. XXIX3 &c. a View of GoTi in Christ. 435
particularly the day of converfion is a day wherein Chriil is firft feen : when Paul was converted, God revealed his Son in hinu If you be a believer, and would know when you was firfl converted, it was even when you had the fird view of Chrift and his glory. It is by the power of this dlfcovery of Chrift that faith is wrought, while the gofpel comes not in word only to the foul, hut in power ^ and in the Holy Ghojl, and in much affurancc. — But again, fometimes the difcovery he makes of himfelf afterwards may be more fenfible and remark- able, when, perhaps, on the back of a long defertion^ he returns, and fays, / remember the kindnefs of thy youth ^ and the love of thine efpoufals, I am the God of ^ Bethel^ whgre thou anointedfi the pillar^ and vo%vedJ} the 'VOW unto me. Sometimes to lliew his holinefs and good- nefs, as being the rewarder of them that diligently fctk him^ he is pleafed to fhew himfelf after a courfe ot fpi- ritual diligence. Thus Mofes prays and cries, faying, / hefcech thee, Jhew me thy glory ; and accordingly, the Lord makes all his goodnefs pafs before him, Exod. xxxiii, 18, 19. Indeed, if there were more of Mofes's fpi- rit, it would be better with us. We receive not, be- caufe we afk not. — -Sometimes again, to fliew his for vereignty, and the freedom of his grace, he gives a fight of himfelf to a haclfliding child, and courts him back with kindnefs, faying, ^hou haft not called on mc^ 0 Jacob ; thou hafi been weary of me, 0 Jfrael ; thou haji made me to ferve with thy fins, and wearied me with thine iniquities ; yet I, even I am he that blotieth out thy tranfgreffions for mine own fake, and will not remember thy fins, Ifaiah xliii 24, 25. It is, indeed, an amazing condefcenfion, that the Lord ihould pleafe to give a glance of himfelf, even upon the back of hainous provocations ; yet thus he is pleafed many times to give them occafion to fay, // is the voice of my Beloved ; behold, he cometh fkipping on the mountains, and leaping u- pon the hilU ; making all the hills and mountains offn, guilt andfeparaiion, to melt down before hinu And, indeed, no- thing melts their hard heart ib much as to fee him thus coming.-^Sonietimes \\-\t\x faferlngfeafon is bis time of I i i 2 fliew-
il.36 The Saying Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &c.
fliewing himfelf, and of their feeing him : Jf you be reproached for the name of Chrifi^ happy are you ; for the Spirit of God and of glory t^Jleth qji jfou^ i Peter iv. 14. — Sometimes a dying feafon is another time of their feeing him ; thus Stephen, when they were fton, ing him to death, he looked ?//>, andfaw the glory of
God^ and Jefus Jianding at the right-hand of God. *
There are, I fay, certain feafons of their feeing Chrift. But I proceed.
7. Remark I offer, is, " That there are 'various re- ^^ fpeds and ^various degrees wherein perfons may be '• faid to fee ChriR: favingly ;'* particularly when he manifefls himfelf to them, as he does not manifefl him-» felf to the world. See John xiv. 21, 22, 23. His people may be faid to fee him, when he makes them feniible of his gracious prefence with them, and fenfibls of.his fpeciai love towards them, and puts them in a condition to fay, He loved me^ and gave himfelf for me : and when, by this deep impreliion of his gracious pre- fence, and fweet perfuafion of his fpeciai love, through the powerful breathing of his Spirit upon them, he draws forth their graces to a lively exercife ; lifts up ' the light of his countenance upon them ; and makes them fit doivn under his fhadozv with great delight ; when he clears up their intereft in his love, faying, / have lovr ed thee vuiih an everlajiing love^ therefore with everlaft- ing loving-kindnefs have I drawn thee. In a word, one may be faid to have feen Chrift, when he comes with a word of grace, and v/ork of power, and opens the locked heart, and melts the hard heart, and fixes the wandering heart, and humbles the proud heart, and heals the plagued heart, and drav/s the backw^ard heart, and frees the fettered heart, fpiritualizes the carnal heart, raifes the drooping heart, helps and curbs the unbelieving heart, and comforts the dejeded heart ; and when he is pleafed to give his convincing, quick- ening, ftrengthening, fandifying, and direfting pre- fence : but thefe things I cannot enlarge upon, only there are various degrees of feeing Chrift, in whatever rcfpeci his people may be faid to lee him. Some have more, and fome lefs of this fight. Some are brought
to
Serm. XXIX, ^r, a VIezu of Gon in Christ. 437
to the banquetting-houfe, to get a full meal ; others receive but a crumb that falls from the table ; and par- ticular believers have not always, and at all times, the like meafure and degree of the outletting of his favour. Sometimes the foul may be brought to the fuburbs of glory, and get fuch a difcovery of Chrift, that he would be content the valley of vifion were his burial-place, faying, with Simeon, Noza let left thou thy fervant de- part in peace ; for ming eyes have fecn tbyfalvation. — At other times the view and difcovery is of a lower degree, when faith is not riding fo triumphantly, but fighting its way through many doubts and fears, trials and temptations, and fenfible prefence much with- drawn.
8. Remark is, " That there are ^evci'^l properties of " a faving fight of Chrilf that tend to give light con- ^' cerning it.'' For inftance, this fight of Chrift is but i?nperfect here, and partial^ in regard of what it will be hereafter, i Cor. xiii. 9. Now 'ive know in part ; and verfe 12. Nozv we fee through a glafs darkly^ hut then face to face. Indeed their fight is like a not-feeing, in comparifon to what one day it will be. — —Again, this feeing of Chrift, though imperfec!:, yet it is un- fpeakablc. Indeed, the joy that refults from a fio-ht of Chrift /is unfpeakable ; In zvhom^ though nozu we fee him not^ yet believi?7g, zve rejoice with joy unfpeakable^ and full of glory. Who then can utter or exprefs the glory of Chrift, the fight whereof raifes that unfpeak- able joy? — This fight of Chrift h fupeniatural ; How is the glory of the Lord fee n hut hy the Spirit of the Lord? n Cor. iii, 18, It is God that muft beftowthis bleiling; liefli and blood cannot reveal Chrift to a man ; The natural man receiveth 7iot the things of the Spirit of God^ for they are foolijhnefs to him ; neither can he knozv them^ for they are fpiritually difcerned ; but God hath rcvcaU ed them to us by his Spirit ^ 1 Cor. ii. 10, 14. — This fight of Chrift is an amiable fight ; for, He is altogether lovely^ This makes his tabernacles amiable, becaufe they fee the glory of God there ; and every thing in God that they fee is amiable j yea, you are not to think that the chil- dren
43S The Saving Sight ; of\ Serm. XXIX, &c.
dren of God fee only one fide of God, as it were, and not another. Tho' the Lord flie\v^ but part of himfelf at once, now a lefler and then a greater part of hhnfelf, yet it is not to be thought as if they faw but one fide of God and not another, or if he Ihewed his amiable fide and concealed his terrible fide ; no, that which is mofl ter- rible in God to wicked men, that is alfo mofl amiable and lovely in the eyes of the faints ; for a God in Chrifl is all amiable. His power, greatnefs, and juftice, which the wicked abhor, appear to them in excellent glory. — Again, the fight of Chrifl here is frequently interrupted., it is only in heaven that the faints have the tminterrupted vifion and fruition of God, without any cloud to darken their day ; but here, no fooner does the heart begin to open to Chrifl fome time, than, alas ! he is gone ; 1 opened to my Beloved^ but my Beloved had withdrawn h'vnfelf and was gone.^ — Again, this fight of Chrilt, hovv^ever fliort and inconilant, yet it is always Jweet and fatlsfying ; piveet and ravifhing ; His mouth is mofi fwcet^ fays the church : O hov/ fweet and fatlsfy- ing are the fmilesof his mouth \ it is enough to make a heaven in the foul. Hovj fweet are the words of his mouth ! fweet er than the honey and the honey comb. When he manifefls himfelf in a word of grace, the fweetnefs is fuch, that all fweetnefs is but bitternefs in compari- fon thereof. How fweet and fatisfying is it when the day fpring from on high vifits the foul, efpecially after a long dark night of temptation, defertion, and defpon- dency, wherein the foul thought that God had forgot- ten to be gracious, and would never return. When the Sun of righieoufnefs breaks out below the black clouds, even of fm and provocation, when the foul now fees the power and glory of God in the fan£tuary, hov/ \^\i fatisfied as with marraw ajid fatnefs^ and the ;;z(5«/Z> praifes him with joyful lips ! Again, this fight of Chrifl is convincing^ powerfully convincing ; it carries fo mueb evidence in it, as makes the foul cry out with Thomas, My Lord ^ and my God ; He that beUeveth hath the wit- vefs in himfelf. Surely we do not fee Chrifl lleeping ; nay, it is Vv^ith open eyes and an open face ; All w^ with open face beholding^ as in aglafs the glory of the Lord.
Ac-
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of God in Christ. 439
According to the meafure and degree of the manifcf- tation, it will have fome evidence, even as a man fee- ing the fun, carries its own evidence along with it ; though the fight be dark in comparifon of what it will be, yet it is convincing in itfelf — And as it is convince ing, fo it is affeding, O ! a fight of Chrift is mod af- fcvAing, when it is a faving fight j it afFeds v;ith reve- rence, therefore it is faid of the difciples, when they faw him they worfoipped hi?!!. It affeds with joy 5 nen were the difciples glad wheii they faw the Lord, It alfecls with holy fear ; When I faw him^ I fell at his feet as dead. It affedls with wonder, and makes the foul cry out, Rabboni, who is a God like unto thee f It af- fe&s with felf-abhorrence ; Now mine eyes fee thee wherefore I abhor myfelf It affeds with felf-abafement ; 0 what am 7, and what is my father's houfe^ that thou haft brought me hitherto ? It afteds with penitency and godly forrow ; They Jhall look on him whom they have pierced^ and mourn. It afleds with new vigour and courage ; They looked to him,, and were enlightened^ and their faces were not ajhamed,
9. Remark is, " That there are many ?neans where- " by, and glaifes wherein we may fee Chrift." — Some- times he is feen in the glafs of his outward works ^ the vifible creation fliews forth his divine glory ; the very heavens declare it, fays the pfalmift ; and the fpiritual eye will fee Chrift in the creatures, though his glory is above the earth and heaven^ Pfal. cxlviii. 13. ; yet his glory is in the earth and heaven, and in all his works, fmall and great, infomuch, that though they cannot favingly difcover him, yet thefe that have got a favin^i^ difcovery of him, may fee more and more of his glory wherefoever they caft their eyes, were it but on a creeping infect, or a grafs pile.
Again, fometimes he is feen in the glafs of his in- ward works,, more efpecially when he works efFedually, upon the heart, implanting the graces of his Spirit there, or afterwards making grace to grow, both in the root, by the increafe of a holy and fpiritual difpofition ; and in the fruit, by a fuitable gofpel walk and conver- fation. When he work? any wonderful change upon
the
440 77j^ Saving SioiiT ; cr^ Ssrm. XXIX,^r^
the foul, whether it be yourfelves or others, and that 3^ou fee he hath taken a gracious deaUiig with fuch or luch an one, why, then you fee there tlie finger of God ; and that the Lord is near, his wonderous works declare. — -Sometimes he is feen in the glafs of his/)rfl- njidences ; common providences are common glaifes, where he may be feen, whether they are judgment or mercy. As the Lord is knozvn by the judgment that he executes^ and by the mercy that he rencxvs every moment^ fo his people will fee him in a rod ; they will fee him in a deliverance ; yea, the fpiritual man will fee more of the Lord in an ordinary meal, than the hypocrite e- ver faw at a communion-table. But there are alfo fig- nal providences, wherein they get more fignal views of him. When Abraham's knife was at his fon's throat, he met with a notable providence ; behold, a ram caught in a thicket by the horns, ready for him to fa- crifice in room of Ifaac. O ! how, much of God's glo* ry did Abraham fee in that providence 1 therefore he calls the name of the place Jekovah-Jireh, In the woiint of the Lord it Jlmll he feen. The Lord will pro- vide remarkable provifion, remarkable protection ; and this or that remarkable providence hath been fometimes the vehicle of a remarkable manifeflation of the Lord's' glory. — Again, he is to be feen fometimes in the glafs of the word ; 2 Cor. 18. Rom. x. 6. John v. 39. Search ihefcrlptures^for in them ye think ye have eternal life ^ and they are they that teftify of 7iie, Here then we may fee him in the types, in the prophecies, in the promifes, in the dodrines of the word, as the Antitype of all the types, the fubflance of all the Ihadows, the truth of all the prophecies, the fulnefs oFall the promifes, the cen- tre of all the truths and hues of the word. In the pre- cept, we fee his holinefs ; in the promife, we fee his goodnefs ; his juftice, in the threatenings ; his wif- dom, in the revelations of the w^ord. Here a belie- ver will fometimes fee Chrill in a title or defigna- tion given him in the word. O the glory that is to be feen in that name Jesus, in that name I m m a n u e l,
in that name King of saints. King of kings !
Sometimes in a referahlance oxfimile ; while he is re-
fembled
Serm. XXIX, ire* a View of God in Christ. 441
fembled to a rofe, for beauty ; to a rock, for ftrength : to a treafure, for bounty ; to a rifing fun, for glory. In this glafs the foul will fee him infinitely beyond all refemblances. However, when any light from heaven is fhining, you have no more ado, as it were, but to o- pen your Bible, and there fee Chrill.' — Again, he is to be feen in the glafs of his ordinances^ whether public, or private, or fccret ; hence his people many times fee him in a duty, they fee him in meditation, they fee him in prayer ; fometimes they fee him in a fermon ; while the minifter is opening the word, the Lord is o- pening their underftanding to difcern Chrifl there ; while they are hearing a fermon ; yea, fometimes while they are reading a gofpel fermon they will have Chrifl in their hand, as it were, Chrifl in their moutli, Chrifl in their eye ; yea, Chrifl in their heart. — Finally, in the facrament Chrifl is to be feen ; for, in baptifm he is reprefented by the water, and the fpiritual eye may fee him there ; and in the augufl ordinance of the fup- per he is reprefented by the bread and wine ; there he may be feen and knov/n in the breaking of bread. All the believing views of Chrifl and fights of him here-a- way are rnediate^ through the intervention of means and ordinances ; not i?nmediate^ as they ihall be above : Now we fee through a glafs darkly ; but the time comes when the glaffes fhall be broken, and believers //W//^'^ him face to face^ and fee him as he is. Rev. xxi. 22. If aw no temple there ; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it*
The 1 0th and lafl remark is, " That Chrifl himfelf, who is the objeCl of this fight, is a mofl glorious^ fully and e^tenftve objed.'' There is m.ore to be feen in Chrifl than all the angels in heaven can tell. This is a iargci: field than we fhall be able to travel over through all e- ternity. O what glory is to be feen in his natures and perfon, as God -man in one perfon ? To fee him in his milfion and commiflion, as the Sent and Sealed of the Father ; to fee him in his offices, relat ons, and excel- lencies ; in his doing, fuffering, dying, riling, afcending, fitting at the right-hand of God, interceding, and com- ing again to judgment ; to fee him in his furniture for
Vol. II. Kkk his
44Z ^^'^ Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &c,
his work as Mediator betwixt God and man, as ftand- ing fo well affected to both parties and their intereils, namely^ his Father's honour and his people's happinefs both, and in whom both parties may confide : accor- dingly the Father trufts him with all the concerns of his glory ; and v/ell may his people trail him with all the concerns of their falvation ; yea, fo furniflied, that he is able to bring both parties together, and to decide the difference betwixt them, fach is his interefl with God, and power with man. 'Jo fee him in his fitnefs for us, as being a Prophet, to teach ; a Pried to fave ; a King, to fabdue ; a Phyfician, to heal ; a Friend, to help in all cafes : as having merit, to juflify ; Spi- rit, to fanftify ; blood, to wafh ; grace, to pardon ; tulnefs, to fupply ; fwectncfs, to endear ; and beauty, to allure. O how fweet is it to fee him fitted of infi- nite wifdom to your need 1 And, do you not need him when you are in the dark, to enlighten you ; when dead, to quicken you ; when dull, to revive you j when in doubts, to refolve you ; when in fears, to encourage you j when you ftagger, to elLablifli you ; Vv^hen you fall, to raife you ; when you are tempted, to fuccour you ; when weak, to ftrengthen you ; when wandering, to reftore you ; in duties, to affifl you ; in difEcuities, to guide you; in dangers, to guard you ; when under bondage, to loofe you ; when under bur- dens, to relieve you ! None but Chrifl can do all this, and a thoufand times more ; and if you were always looking to Chrifl, when you fland in need of him, your eyes would feldom be off him, for you are Hill neC'Jing him in thefe refpeds. But it is the fpecial de- fign of the facrament to fliew him forth in his death and fuffering; there we fee him as a crucified Chrifl," and we are to view his death and fuffering, (i.) In the <:^7z//3' thereof : X.\ic procur'wg taufe was fin; He was ivomided for our tranfgrejjlons : the i?i/irume?i1al caufe was the devil and his inflruments : the fuoving and impidfive C7i\\{c was love ; He loved me^ and gave him- felffor me : the efficient or e-ffeftive caufe was God ; // pleafid the Lord to hrwfe him : \hz final caufe, or the fruit and effect, was God's glory, and our eternal re- demption.
Serm. XXIX, 6^ a View of God hi Christ. 44^
demption. (2.) In thc/everlty thereof, while he drank the cup of the Father's wrath to the bottom. (3.) In the fufficiency thereof, for paying all the debt that was owing to the law and juftice of God. (4.) In the ac- ceptablenefs thereof, for it was Ti^acrijice of a fwcct fmel- ling favour unto God. ^In a word, the principal glo- ry to be feen in Chrift, is, that be that fees him, fees the Father, And this leads me to,
III. The third head propofed, namely, to fliew in what refpeEls they that fee Chrift fee the Father ; He that hath feen me^ hath feen the Father, I have iliewed the onenefs that is betwixt the Father and him in na- ture, properties, will, affedion, authority, fupremacy, and other ways : and therefore he that fees Chiift muft fee the Father in all thefe refpecls wherein he is one with him. There is no need of Philip's prayer here. Lord, fjjew us the Father : for, having feen Chrift we have feen the Father. It is Chrift and he alone that declares, reprefents, and makes known to us the el- fential glory of the invifible God ; and without him our underftanding could make no approach to his di- vine excellency. It is in the face of Chrift that we fee the glory of God, 2 Cor. iv. 6. And now, if any would know w^hether they have got a faving fight of Chrift, here is the great diagnoftic and infallible evi- dence thereof, namely, if you have feen the Father in him ; and, indeed, as there is no feeing of the Fa- ther, but in the Son ; fo there is no faving figlit of the Son, without feeing the Father in him : here is the excellency of the glory of Chrift that faith fees ^ here is the very foundation of our holy religion, and the ground of all our hope of life and immortality, God in Chrift reconciling the world to Jmnfelf ; here is the great myftery of godlinefs, God manifefted in the flefn : here is the fum of the gofpel, viz, the glory of God re- prefented to us in the perfon and office of Chrift as God-man, Mediator betwixt God and us. To fee this glory is faving faith ; not to fee it, is damnable unbe- lief.
K k k 2 But,
il.44 '^he Saving Sight -, ^r, Serm. XXIX, &c.
But to come more diredly to the queftion, to fhew in what refped they that fee Chrift, do fee the Father, it is needful we conhder,
iy?3 More generally in what capacity Christ is to be confidered, when we fee the Father in him ; and in what capacity the Father is to be confidered when we fee him in Chrift. ^ .
As to the former, viz. in what capacity Christ is to be confidered, when we fee the Father in him : why, in (hort, he is to be confidered,
1. As God the Son, the fecond perfon of the ever blelTed and ever adorable Trinity.
-2. As Man, or God incarnate ; God?man in one perfon, clothed with the GiHccs of Mediator, Re- deemer, Saviour, and Surety for a number of loft fin* iiers.
As to the latter, viz, in what capacity the Fathej^ is to be confidered when we fee him in Chrift,
1. When Chrift is confidered as God, then the Fa^ ther is to be confidered /^r/2?/2^//)', for the firft perfon of the glorious Trinity.
2. When Chrift is confidered as Man, then the Fa^ ther is to be confidered ejj'entially ; including Father, 3on, and Hply Ghoft, one in eflence.
In both thefe refpefts Chrift and the Father are fpo^ ken of in the text, as the context ihews ; for, in the following context, Chrift is faid to be inihe Father y ^nd the Father in him^ in the unity of the fame divine eiTence, vcrfe lo, ; in which refped, Chrift being con-* fidered as God, the Father is taken perfonally ; fo, in the preceding context, Chrift is faid to be the way tq the Father ; Te believe in God, believe alfo in me ; lam the way, no 7nan cometh to the Father but by me^ ver. i, 6, In which refped, Chrift being confidered as Man, or God-man, the Father is to be taken effe?itially : for, as God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, cftentially con-? iidesed, did conftitute Chriil perfonally confidered, and fo clothed with our flefti to be the way to God, and the reprefentative of the divine glory, namely, his own glory, as God, equally with the Father's, which are eftentially the fame } 'fo Chrift, the feconcj
perfon,
Serm. XXIX, &c. a Mew of God in Christ. 445
perfon, confidered as man, is the way to God effen- tially confidered : nor does it involve any contradidi- on, that thus he fhould be the way to hiinfelf, as well as to the Father ; feeing it is as man, that he is the way to himfelf as God ; and in him as man, we fee his elfential glory as well as the Father's : for, as per- sonally confidered, he is the eternal Son of the eternal Father; fo effentially, he is the everlafling Father, one in number with the firil perfon ; Ifaiah ix. 6. The viighty Gody the everlajiing Father ; compared with pent. vi. 4. The Lord our God is one Lord,
However, though the text allows us not to exclude the confideration of Chv'i^ perfonal/y, as God the Son ; yet it is efpecially as Man that he is to be viewed by us, or in his incarnation, for therein he becomes the
reprefentative of God to the church, 2 Cor. iv, 6. »
And without him, under this confideration, we cannot either fee him or his Father ; for Chrift's divine per-, fon, abfolutely confidered, is equally invifible and in«. acceffible to us as the Father is : in him, therefore, as man, we fee the Father ; /. e. we fee God in him, he being the image of the invifible God, and the great reprefentative of God unto us. But,
2dly, And more particularly, I proceed to fliew in what refpecls they whoy^^ Chriji do fee the Father : in the utmoft latitude that the text allows, it will import the following particulars.
1. That they who fee Chrifl will fee the Father's na- ture and ejfcnce in him ; for, when the glory of the Godhead is difcovered, then he is feen in whom dwells the fulnefs of the undivided elfence of the Godhead bo- dily. Col. ii. 9.
2. They who fee Chrift will fee the Father's />^r/^/;.'Z- lity in him ; for, when he is truly feen, he is feen to be the brightnefs of the Father's glory ^ and the exprefs i- 7nage of his perfon^ Heb. i. 3. Therefore, though the Father and the Son are not one perfon ; yet, when the Son is feen, we fee the Father's perfon in him as the /- mage thereof.
3. They who fee Chrifl fee the Father's relations in him J I mean, his relation both to Chrift, and to us in
Chrift,
44<^ The Saving Sight ; or^ 5erm. XXIX, &c,
Chriil. When Chrift is feen, then the Father's relati- ons to Cbriji are feen ; that is, not only his relation to Chriit by Jiature^ as Chriit is the only eternally begotten of the Father ; but alfo by office^ as Chrift is theyd-Tz/and f^aled of the Father to the mediatorial work. Yea, when Chrift is feen, then the Father's relations to us^ m Chrift, are feen ; particularly as he is our God and Father in Chrift : / afcend to my Father^ and your Fa- ther : to my Gcd^ and your God^ John xx. 17. They who fee Chrift, or God in Chrift, they cannot fee him any other way than a reconciled God and Father in him. To fee God out of Chrift, is to fee him as a corifumingjire^ a Judf»e, and an Avenger ; but to fee him in Chrift, is to fee him as a Friend and Father.
4. They who fee Chrift, fee the Father's /^zr^ in him ; TZ'f God who commanded light tojhine out ofdarknefs^ hath jbined into our hearts^ to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God ^ in the face of J ef us Chrift^ 1 Cor. iv. 6, Chrift is the fair face of God : and as we fee no- thing of the body of a man, that is all clothed, but his face ; fo God is clothed with fuch robes of terrible ma- jefty, that we can fee nothing of him but his face ; and happy are they who fee his face by feeing him in Chrift; for, as the beft fight of a man is to fee his face, fo the beft fight of God is in Chrift ; his brighteft beauty, and greateft glory is to be feen there. lience the faints in fcriprure, when they fought to fee God, they ft ill foughi: for a fight of his face ; as Pfal. Ixxx. 3, 7, 19. Caufe thy face tof]m2e., and wefl:>all hefafe. The feed of Jacobs are called they^^-^^rj* of his face : and where is the face and favour of God but in Chrift ?
5. They who fee Chrift, they fee the Father's heart in him. To fee a man's heart is to know his mind, and fee bis fecret thoughts that none but God and he know ; and to fee this were little worth the feeing, fince all hearts, by nature, are wicked ; and the heart of the wicked is little worth : but to fee God's heart is a vaft matter ; and yet when the believer fees Chrift's, he fees God's heart, and fome fecrets there that none know but God and the believer himfelf that is looking
to
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of Gojy in Christ. -j^.y
to Chrift ; Pfal. xxv. 14. nefecret of the Lord is with them that fear him^ and he willjhew them his covenant ; or, as it may be read, and* is accordingly tranflated in the margin, his covenant, to make them iCNow IT. You may conceive it thus ; Chrifl is given for the Covenant of the people ; this covenant is given to make them know the fecret of the Lord^ the Father's heart, mind, and will ; and his glorious cpunfels are feen when Chrift is feen. He lies in the bcfom of the Fa- iher^ John i. 18. ; therefore, they who fee Chrift, can- not but fee into his bofom : and, O they fee far that fee there ? Some look to God, but never look to his heart and bofom: fome look to his hands, in the works of creation ; fome look to his feet, in the way^ of his providence : fome look to his head, as it were, in his unfearchable decrees : but they lofe the right fight of him who do not look to his heart and bofom. This is another fort of a place than that which the angels fpake of concerning the dead and buried body of the Lord Jefus, Come fee the place where the Lord kiy^ Mat. xxviii. 6. I may, in allufion to it, fay a greater word, Come fe^ the place where the Lord lay from all eternity ; where he lies to this day ; and will dofor-ever : that is, the Fa^ ther's bofom. What ! can that be feen ? Yes ; when you fee Chriil:, you cannot mifs a fight of the place where he lies.
6. They who fee Chrift, they fee the Father's pro- perties 2.ndi perfedions in him : and here to fpeak o{ alt thefe, would be to fpeak for ever. I Ihall only name fome of thefe glorious perfe(^:ions, excellencies, and the properties of the divine majeily that are feen in Chriif, in fuch a manner as they cannot be feen any where d^Q, I pafs over the infinity, immenhty, and o- ther fuch excellencies of God, which yet are to be feea in Chriit, that I may confine myfelf to fome of thefe attributes of God, that are ordinarily more obvious to the believing eye of the foul that gets a faving fight of Chrili:.
(i.) He that hath feen Chrift, hath feen the infmitc wifdom of the Father in him, and in tlie work of re- demption by him. We do not extenuate the difplay>
that
44^ T^he Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &e»
that are made of the divine ^'ifdom in the works of creation and providence ; when taking a comparative view thereof, we fet them vaflly inferior to the difco- . veries that are made of the manifold wifdom of God^ in and through Jefus Chrift, Eph. iii. 9, 10. whofe name is, Chrifi^ the Wifdom of Gody i Cor. i. 24. ; and in whojiiare hid all the treafures of divine wifdom^ Col. ii. 3* If the queflion then be, as it is expreft, Job xxviii. 12. Where fhall ivifdom he found ? and what is the place of underfianding f The deepfays^ It is 7iot in me : the fea fays^ It is not in ?ne. But, behold, here it is, even in him who fays. He that hathfeen me^ hathfeen the Father. , As this wifdom is, in itfclf, an eternal, elf^ntial proper- ty of the divine nature, we can have no comprehenfion of it, it ftands at fuch an infinite diftance from us, but in and by Chrift, and in him alone is manifefled this 7nanifold wifdom of God. O the many foldings of wif- dom that are here ! Chrift is a vaft volume, a great book, wherein we may fee and read the wifdom of God in a myftery. This book is open to us in the gofpel, and if the Spirit of faith be allowed, we have no more ado, but to turn over the leaves, and in every page we will fee written in capital letters. Wisdom, Wis- dom, Wisdom ; infinite Wisdom. — Wifdom in contriving fuch a falvation of fmners, as fhould re- dound to the greateft glory of God. — Wifdom in choof- ing fuch a perfon to be the Saviour and Redeemer, even the fitteft perfon of all the three glorious perfon s of the adorable Trinity, the middle perfon to be Midfman and Mediator betwixt God and man,— Wifdom mfur^ 7iifhing him with all the help and afhflance In this work, that the other two glorious perfons could give him, while he is fealed by the Father, and anointed by the Spirit : Him hath God the Father fealed : and the Spirit €f the Lord God is upon him above meafure, — Wifdom in uniting the moil diitant extremes, in joining God and man in one perfon, the infinite and eternal God with a piece of clay. O wifdom, wifdorri fhines here 1 Wif- dom in puniihing the fin. and yet pardoning the finner ; taking vengeance on the crime, and yet fnewing mercy on the criminaL This wifdom of God fliines in the
face
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of Got> in Christ. 449
face pf Ghpift, the Surety of the better teftamcnt. — Wii- do.in in bringing the greatejl gooa put pf the grcateji evil and all by the mpft unlikely means ; making lin itfelf, which tends tP the greateil diflionpur pf God, tp cpn- ti'ibute to his greateil glory ; while falvation frpm it, by Jefus, brings in glory to God to the highejl ; and while in him alfo is brought life put of death, and the higheft falvation put of the dec]>',ft humiliation. — Wif- dom in counter-acViog the policy of the pld ferpent iix fuch a wonderful manner, making \.\\t feed of the woman to br-uife the head of the ferpent ; and the babe pf Beth-'
lehem tP cpnquer all the ariP.ed legions of hell But
to, turn pver ?iU the leaves pf this book will be tLe work of eternity ; however, fill this wlfdom, and iiifuiitely more, is to be feen in Ghrifl:
(2.) He that' hath feen Chrift, hath feen tht: F.ithcr in his infinite. />^wfr ; for, as he is the wifdom rf God ; fp he is the pon^^er of God, 1 Cor. i. 24. It is no dA'- paragement to> the difplay of tlie ppwer of God, in making of heaven and earth, and all things out of no- thing, tho,ugh \yp declare tp you, that the power of God does npt iliine there fo much as it does in C hriil. Divine power is glOrioU;S; in creation-vvork, but much more in felvation-v/ork.. It is. more for God to. redeem one finner, than to make a thpufand w^orlds. Our h^lp^ is laid iipon. one,, that is li^ighfy, : and, how dpes the almighty ppw.<i-^ pf Opd here ih.ine in laying fuch a weight uppn the Redeendi,Gr%ba?k, as ilipuld have brp- ken the back of all the ai;igeU in heaven ;, yea, under W'hich the creati^p^ grones^., aUjdyet fupporti.ng him un- der fp great a bur<J?n, I: What burden ?- Why, The Lord laid on him the/tniquiiies cf us, all. ;> and, together' w^ith the burden of fm,,, the. burden^ pj> all, the wrath that was due t-o it;, tha^t- h,e mig-ht. delifvcr u^:from the wrath to come^~-^^Ky^^x in uph^pldiBg hijn. in this great fervice ; heboid my_ Sei'-vqiit, whom, I iiphqlcl^ L^a. xjii. i. "—Ppwer in enabhng l^im to pyercpuie all the powers of earth and hell^ and making him tp triumph,'' over them pn the crpfs, and tp fpoiLprincipalities and powers openly. — ^Power in giving him vicbory over fm anddea.th, that we might Ihare of his triumphs, and have victory Vol. il. L 1 1 ui
450 T/^^ Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, c^r.
in him : 0 deaths where is thyjling f 0 grave, where is thy victory f Thanks be to God, which giveth us the viEiory through our Lord Jefus Chri/i, i Cor. xv. c,^, — Power in faving Tinners by the efficacy of his grace, the virtue of his Spirit, as well as by the merit of his blood, 2md in bringing them from the power of Satan unto God, which is more than to bring them from nothing to a being. In him we fee that power of God, where- by he is able tofave to the uttermoJL
(3.) He that hath fecn Chrill hath feen the Father in his infinite holinefs. He is indeed the holy One of God ; and holinefs to the Lord, is a title that pecuharly belongs to him, who was holy, harmlefs, undejiled, and feparate from finncrs. It is no difparagement to the holinefs of all the angels and inhabitants of heaven, to fay comparatively with him, that the heaveyis are not clean in his fight, and. that he chargeth his angels with folly. God hath, in Chrift, difcovered moil clearly, 'Ihat he is of purer eyes than that he can behold iniquity. Yea, in giving his Son to the death for our fms, he hath declared, that he hates fin, as much as he lofes his eternal Son : He gave himfelffor our fins, according to the will of God, Gal. i. 4. Thus God gave him, and he gave himfelf to take away fin, which is fo contrary to his holinefs. The Father put him upon thisAvork, and held him to it, till he jinil}:ied trayifgrefpon, and made an end of fin, by the facrifice of himfelf ;! there- fore when we fee Chriit, we fee infinite kolipefs vin- dicated, and may cry out. Holy, holy^ holy. Lord God of hofts ; the whole earth is full of his glory* /
(4) He that hath feen Chrift hath feen the Father in his infinite juflice and right eoufnefs, Chrifl is fet forth for this very end, to reprefent and declare this glorious attribute of the divine nature ; Who?n God hath fet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his right eoufnefs for the reinijfion of fns, Rom. iii. 25. Not only to latisfy his juflice, in punifhing of fin ; but alfo to declare his juflice, in pardoning of fin ; and both, in and through Chriit the propitiation. It is no diminution of the glory of God's juflice, that ihines in the eternal damnation of the v/icked world of
men
Serm. XXIX5 ire. a View ofGoTi hi Christ. 451
men and devils, to aflert, That the glory of his juRice, in executing judgment upon fin, appears more bright- ly in the face of Jefus, as he was a facrifice to fatisfy jufticc to the full, by one offering, which all the mil- lions of the damned that arc facrificed to incenfcd juf- tice, will never be able to do through all eternity. — God had a mind to fave a number of fmners, ElcB ac- cording to the foreknowledge of God ; but the law, that required the death of the finner, and that the foul that fins Jhould die ^ flood in the way ; therefore God, ra- ther than go contrary to his own law, will take pay- ment, according to the law, of his own Son. Chrift therefore pays all the debt that the law could crave ; and thus God is glorified in his moil exact righteouf- nefs and infinite jullice.
(5.) He that hath feen Chrift hath feen the Father in his infinite love^ mercy ^ and grace : God is love, fays the apoftle, i John iv. 8. But, where is this property of the divine nature manifefted, feeing his wrath is re- vealed from heaven againft all ungodlinefs of men, and we are compaiTed about with the evidences of his anger and difpleafure at this day ? Where then Ihall we fee that God is love ? Why, the fame apoftle tells us, verfe 9. In this was manifejled the love of God to- wards us^ hecaife God fcnt his only begotten Son into the worlds that we might live through him : herein is hvc^ not that we loved him^ hut that he loved us^ and fcnt his 8on to be tljie propitiation for our fins. Out of Chrift, we fee him a con fuming fire ; but in Chrift, we fee that God is love I O'the love of God that ftiines in his mif- fion, perfon, and offices ! Love in giving him to be a Saviour and Surety ! Love, in giving him for us and to us ! Love, in accepting the payment of our debt from him, and fubftituting him in our room 1 Love, in accepting us in him, and love in giving out to us the great bleffings promifed and purchafed by him ! O Love ! love, without a parallel 1 Mercy, without a match 1 Wonderful mercy vented through a fecri- fice ; fovereign grace and goodnefs, in fetting up fuch a fun as Chrift in the firmament of the chuicli mili-
L 1 1 2 tant
45^ TZ'^ Saving SiGftt ; or^ Serm* l^XIX, e^h
t?nt and triumphant. The natural fun runs his race, and rides his circuit from one end of the heaven to the other, and the beneht we enjoy thereby is a fruit of the goodnefs of God, as the God of providence ; but, O the glorious race that the Sun of righteoufnefs runs from everlafling to everlafting 1 His cu'cle is from one end of eternity to the other, if eternity, that is erid- lefs, may be thus confidered y for, he 'Wai fet up from everlafling in the council of peage, and to everlafting will he fliine, and iliew forth the goodnefs and mer- cy of God, as the God of grace.
(6.) He that hath feen Ghrif! hath feeh th6 Father in his mfinittf^f'/jfiibiefsy veracity, and truth ; for, as he is the way to thfe Father, fo he is the truth j Johti xiv. 6. ; in whom the fidelity of the God of truth does fnine. Here was the glory that the difciples faw, John i. 14. Full of grace and truth. To fee- the truth of God in Ghrift is a noble fight, on which our ever- lafting fafety and fecurity does depend ; and, behold, in Chriil it is to be feen moft confpicuoufly. The truth of God in all the threatefiings of the law fliines in Cbrifl, while thefe threat(^nings receive their aceom- pliihment in him, As ih& end of th& Itiwfot righteoufnefs to every one that belUnjeth^ Rom. x. 4. The truth of God in all the promiies of the gofpel fliines in Ghrifl ; for in hint they are all yea and anien, 2 Cor.- i. 2a. Ift Chrift this miracle fparkles, that- God, in faving the fmner, is true to his threatening, and trile to his pro- mife both ; true to his threatening, that fays,- T^hefoul that fins fh all die ; and yet true to his promife- alfa, that fays, / will love thee freely. How glorioufly do thefe oppofites centre in- Ghrifl ! Ai^d fo the glory of truth, of the Father's truth, appears. He is true to his threatening in Ghrifl,. who hath endured the Ihock of it ; and true to- his proniife in Ghrifl alfo, who hath fulfilled the condition of it ; and both by his obedience unto death, even the death of the crofs.
Thus the Father is feen^ in Ghrifl, in refpe<3: of all thefe, and the like divine properties and perfections, which m Ghrifl appear to be both his Father's attri- butes and his own. They are feen to be Ghrifl's di- vine
Serm. XXIX, 6"r. a View of God in Christ. 453
vine perfections, and the perfe6lions of the Father in
him ; He that hath feen me^ hath fee n the Father,
I would here fay further,
7. They that fee Chrifl:^ fee the Father's 7iame in him ; My name is in him^ fays God, Exod. xxiii. 22. God's greatefl name is his naiiie ; for example, What is his name f Exod. iii. 13. God fays unto Mofcs, I AM THAT I AM, verfe 14. This explains his name Jehovah, and fignifies that he is felf-exijient^ having his being and effence of himfelf, that he is eternal ana ttnchangeable, always the fame ; that we cannot by fearching find him out^ but that he for ever is what he ever was ; and that he is the fountain of all beings. Now, it was Chrift, the Angel of the covenant, that faid this to Mofes, when lie appeared to him in a flame ofjire Old of the hujh^ Exod. iii. 2. He difcovered hinl- felf by this name^ when he was to deliver Ifrael oiit of Egypt, which deliverance was but a figure of good things to come ; and therefore you may fee him again taking this name three times to himfelf in one chapter in the New Teftament, John viii. 58. Before Abraham was^ I AM, and ver. 24. If ye belie've not that I am he^ ye floall die in your fins. The word in the original is, or/ lyco iiyj, that I a m. And fo it is vcffe 28. When ye have lifted up the Son of man^ then fhall ye kno'Ju, ou
lycd WM, that I am. Now, Chrilt hath been lifted
up on the pole of the crofs, on the pole of the facra* ment, on the pole of the gofpel, and exalted on the Father's right-hand. Do we know by this time that the name of the man that was crucified at Jerufalem, is, I am that I am ? Do we fee his Father's name in him ? He that hath feen me^ hath feen the Father,
8. They that fee Ghrift fee the Father's ^/cry in him; not only his name, but the glory of his name : not only his attributes, but the glory of his attributes : his name and attributes are indeed hrs glory ; and when we fee thefe we fee the Father's glory. But what I further mean, is, that, in Chriil, we fee the glory of the Father's glory ; and the glory and fplehdor of all thefe things that 1 have mentioned, This liv^ht is the
454 ^^^^ Saving Sight ; <?r, Serm. XXIX, &c.
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face ofje^ fits Chriji^ who is the brightnefs of his glory ^ and the ex* frefs image of his perfon : therefore in him we fee not only the wifdom of God, but the glory of his wifdom ; not only his power, but the glory of his power ; not only his lK)linefs, but the glory of his holinefs ; not only his juftice and righteoufnefs, but the glory of his jufliee and righteoufnefs ; not only his love, mercy, and grace ; not only his faithfulnefs, veracity, and truth. When God difcovers himfelf in Chrifl, then he is feen upon his higheft throne, in his greateft glory. O Sirs, kt me tell you, that when only heaven is his throne, and the earth his fooiflool, he appears infinitely more glo- rious, when difplayed on fuch a lofty throne. O but 2. God in Chrijly which is the throne of grace ^ is alfo a throne of glory ; and Glory to God in the highefiy it is the throne of God and of the Lamb, If we fee it, we cannot choofe but fmg with the redeemed, Salvation to our God that fits upon the throne^ and to the Lamb for ever and e* *uer> What fhall I fay ? he that fees Chrifl, not only fees the Father's glory, but all the Father's glory ; for he is not only the feat of his glory, but the feat and centre of all his glory ; In him dwells not only thefidnefs
ofGod^ but allthefulnefs of the Godhead^ Col. ii. 9.
Tho' finite eyes can never fee all that infinite fulnefs ; yet all that fee Chrifl do fee that all that infinite ful- nefs, that can never be fully feen, is in him. Tho' a man cannot comprehend the whole globe of the earth in his arms, or fee it all at once, yet he may fee it all in a lively re'prefentation thereof in a map ; even fo, though we cannot fee all this fulnefs comprehenfively, fo as to comprehend it, yet w^e fee it all reprefentative- ly in Chrifl, who is the lively and living reprefentative of all the divine glory ^ and the repofitory of all the divine fidnefs ; all the dimenfions of the divine glory are to be feen in him, even the height and depth, lengtb and breadth thereof. In his humiliation we fee the depth of the Father's love reaching down to hell to lift us up ; in his exaltation we fee the height of the Father's grace, raifmg us up to fit with him in heavenly places ; in the extent of his death we fee the breadth of the Father's
love..
Serm. XXIX, c^r. a View of God in Christ. 455
love, extending, by divine deftination, to all the pro- mifed feed, and, by the method of application, to who- foever will. In the duration of his life, as a Pried for ever, we fee the length of the Father's love, which is like himfelf. From ever lofting to ever lofting ; and fo ia feeing Chrift, in all his eltates, we fee the Father in all the dimenfions of his glory. So in all ChriiVs offices wc fee all the Father's treafures ; why, all the treafures of the Father's wifdom centre in his prophetical office, and that for our illumination ; all the treafures of the Father's righteoufnefs centre in his prieftly office, and that for our juftification ; and all the treafures of the Father's power centre in his kingly office, and that for our fanftification ; yea, all the treafures of the Father's grace centre in him, as being All in all for our complete redemption. Thus he is ?nade of God unto us wifdom, righteoufnefs^ fandificaiion^ and redempion^ i Cor. i. 30. When we fee Chrift, then we fee the Father in all his glory, in all his fulnefs, in all his treafures, and, that for our eternal falvation, our everlafting confolatioii and good hope through peace*
Thus I have given you a ffiort and poor hint at the refolution of that queflion. He that hathfeen Cbrift hath feen the Father ; infomuch, that I fay again, there is no need of Philip's prayer here, Shew us the Father; for he that hath feen Chrift, hath feen the Father : and,
0 happy they, whofe eyes have feen this glory of God m Chrift^ while their ears are hearing of it ! But I come now to,
IV. Tht fourth head propofed, was to fhew, how and in what manner the Father is feen in Chrift. Befides the light that the former head may give to this queftion,
1 fliall add thefe following particulars.
I. In Chrift we fee the Father clearly and evidently^ fo much is implied in the term seeing ; lie that hath feen me^ hathfeen the Father, To know God in Chrift, is to fee God, becaufe in Chrift he is clearly and dif- tindly known : though faith and fight differ in certain refpeds, yet faith is a kind of fight ; for, // is the evi- dence of things not feen ^ Heb. xi. i. In Chrift we fee
clearly,
45^ T7;f Sx\v.iN^ Sight ; Qt, Serm. XXIX, 6"^..
clearly and evidently him ^yllo is Invifible^ ver. 27.—— Chrifl is the clearefl and brightefl glais that infinite wifdom could Contrive to reprefent the glory of the Father ; and as the difcipleSj when Ghrift was reveal- ing the Father to them, John xvi. 27, 28, 29. cried out, Lo, now fpeakej} thqu plainly.^ ati,d'not in proverh^ or parables ; lb the foul that fees the Father in Chrift, Tees him clearly and plainly, no^ in clouds and thick dark- nefs. T^ie Oid-Teftam^nt church had, in types and. facrifices, a dark reprefentation of Chrift, but now we have in Chriit, the a^ti^ype, a clear i^eprefentation of the Fatlier ; we now fee him \vith openfojce.
2. In Chrifl \ve fee the Father ^rj/;?^//. This is plain from the context, fliewing that Chrift, who is the glafs, the true and living glafs, in whom we fep. the Fa-- ther, is alfo the true and living way by whorn we come to the Father, and fq enjoy Jii,ni. as our God and Father in Chrift, verfe 6.— —My friends, to fee the glory of Chrifl, and the glory of the Father in him, is fuch a faving fight, that falvation ia infeparable from it ; nay, falvation is in it ; yea more, it is the yery thing that formally conflitutes everlafting life and falvatio;i : This is life eternal to know thee^ kc, John xyii. 3. The true and faithful witnefs who cannot lye, is faying this to his Father, and you may be fure he will not lye to him or you either. Further, fays he, Tbis is life eternal, to know thee^ the only true God^ and Jefus Gbriji whom thou haft fent ; that is, to fee Chriil,"an.d to fee the. Father in him is eternal life : to fee God out of Chrifl 5s no faving, but a confounding fight to a finner, but to fee him in Chrifl, is to fee \i\mja^cingly ; Look to me, and he faved, all the ends of the earthy for I am God, and befides me there is yiojie elfe*
3. In Chrifl we fee the Father comfortably and fa- iisfyingly : it is the befl antidote in all the world, a- gainfl all heart-trouble, therefore, fays Chrifl here, verfe i. of this chapter. Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe alfo in me. To believe in God, as a Judge and Law-giver, is neceffary for the fecure, to awaken their confcience, but this faith will, never pacify the confcience, till you believe alfo in me,,
fays
Serjwt. XXIX, is'c. a View of God in Christ. 457
fays Chrift. I have given fatisfa«Slion to the Judge, and his law both, therefore beUeve alio in me, that you may get fatisfadtion to your heart and confcience both ; Let not your heart he troubled ; ye believe in God^ believe alfo in me. God out of Chrill is the moil terrible ; but in Chrifl the mod comfortable fight that ever was feen ; and no wonder that the heart be plcafed Vvhen it fees in Chrift that God is well-pleafed ; This is ray Beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleafed. To fee God in Chrift, is to fee the Father fmiling in the Son's face; and furely they are unbelievers that have not feen God to be weW- pleafed in him. I do not love to difcouragc any poor drooping believer r and I fhall not deny, but that there are fome believers that have very little comfort, but I can hardly think, that they are believers that never had any comfort lefs or more. What ! if ever you faw God in Chrift, will you tell me, dare vou fay for your life that it w^as no comfortable fight ; If fo, then 1 truly think you never yet faw him. I afk not what comfort you feel ai prefent. It may be you are flill drooping by reafon of unbelief ; but if ever you faw him, and his Father in him, I am fure it was a joyful fight at the time, and afforded fome fatisfadion : fo much is imported in Chrift's aifertion in the text, com- pared with Philip's petition in the preceding verfc, ^hew lis the Father, and it fi[fficeth ; importing, that the fight and knovv'ledge of God is full of fatisfa<n.ion and refrelnment, tending to give full contentment, — Well, fays Chrift, He that hath feen me, hath feen the Faibcr, and there is the moft fatisfying fight of the Father that you can have. It is true, the way of fee- ing God by faith; as revealed in his Son, is a way not fatisfacfory to a cainal heart, and believers tlicmfelves have a jealoufy of it, fo far as they are carnal, and un- believing, which Vv'as^thc ground of Chrift's reproof to Philip here, upon which he alfo inftru^is him, that here is the only fatisfying f'ght to faith ; He that hath feen me, hath feen the Father.
4. In Cliriif we fee the Father appUcatively, and as near at hand. It was unbelief in Philip, that faid, Shew us the Father^ as if the Father had been ftill at
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458 The Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &c.
fuch a diflance as to be inacceflible and invifible ; nay, but fays Chrift, whatever God be in himfelf abfolute- ly, and though he remain (till in his nature invifible and incomprehenfible, yet in me, and in me alone, he comes fo near as that you may fee him, and embrace him by faith ; He that hath feen me^ hath fecn the Fa- ther. To fee God abfolutely with mortal bodily eyes is impoffible, he (lands at an infinite diflance from us. When we fee Ixim in the creation, or in any external reprefentation of his glory, we fee him at an infinite natural diflance from us as creatures ; when we fee him in the law, or covenant of works, we fee him at an infinite moral diflance from us as fmners ; yea, there we fee him compaffed about with flames of wrath, ready to devour us : but when, through the gofpel glafs, we fee him in Chrifl, then we fee him near at hand ; yea, nearly related to us as our God, Friend, and Father in Chrifl. And hence the fight of faith brings in Thomas's exclamation, John xx. 28. My Lord^ and my God,
5. In Ghrifl we fee the Father difcriminatively ; that is, fo as to difcern the perfonal diflindion betwixt the Father and the Son, notwithflanding of their effential onenefs. The very run of the text and context, both before and after it, declares the diflin6lion. O Sira I the three diflin£l perfons of the glorious Trinity, in their diflind perfonal properties, as it is an unfathom- able mydery in itfelf, fo it would have been for ever hidden and unfeen to us, if Chrifl, the Sun of righte- oufnefs, had not rifen ; and, in his light, difcovered the fame, fo as we have, in Chrifl, a difcriminative view of the Father ; for we cannot fee the Son of God in the light of the eternal Spirit, but we mufl, at the fame time, fee, that he is the eternal Son of an eternal Father. The di(l:in£l ceconomy and adminiflration of the three perfons, in the work of our redemption, gives us a clearer view of their perfonal diftindion than can be had in any other glafs ; nay, I know no other glafs that can make it known. The glafs of the creature* fays, It is not in me to (hew that : the glafs of the
law
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of God in Christ. 459
law fays. It is ruDt in me ; but the glafs of the gofpel faith, 'Ev^KA, I bave found it. And when the Spirit pro- mifed in he gofpel comes to glorify Chrift, then, in the glory of the Son, we fee the glory of the Father : He that hath feen me^ bath fe en the Father, Hence,
6. In Chrift we fee the Father truly : He that hath feen me^ hath feen the Father, It expreifes the truth of the matter out of the mouth of him that is truth itfelf. He that hath a true fight of Chrift, hath a true fight of the Father, and a fight of the true God. We know that the Son of God is co?ne, and hath given its an un- derftanding^ that we may know him that is true ; and we are in him that is true. This is the true God and e- iernal life^ i John v. 20. Ye that never yet faw Chrift, you are yet atheijis^ without God ; you never faw the true God to this day, but only a falfe god ; a god of your own devifmg^ ; an image of your own brain. But as for you, believer, when you got a true fight of Chrift, then you got a true fight of the true God. — We fee the true Father in the true Son, by the light of the Spirit of truth teftifying of Chrift.
7. Ill Chrift we fee the Father, not only truly, but glorioufly. This is plain alfo in the text, for notwith- ftanding the Lord Jefus had faid, verfe 7. If ye had known me^ ye fhould have known my Father afo : yea, and henceforth ye know him^ and have feen him ; yet Philip fays, Lord^ pew us thy Father^ as if there nad been fome other and better way of knowing the Fa- ther than by knowing and feeing Chrift ; whereupon Chrift reproves him, and lets him know, that this was the beft, the only, and the moft glorious way : Have 1 been fo long time with you^ and yet haji thou not known 7ne^ Philip f He that hath feen me^ hath feen the Father ; and how fayeji thou^ Shezv us the Father f If you would have another way of your own, might Chrift fay, where- by to fee the Father, you ftiall find, that the way you would be at, is either impoflible, or vaftly inferior to what you enjoy; for, whereas you fay. Shew us the Father ; if you defire an immediate fight of him out ot me, that is impolfible, and would confume mortal men, fo as you know not what you would be at : or, if you
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460 The Saving Sight; or, Serm. XXIX, &c.
deilre only fuch a fight of God as Mofes and others got of old, then know, that what they got, comes far fhort of what you have already when you fee me ; He thai hath feen me^ hath feca the Father's glory ; and not only fo, but the glory of the Father in the molt glorious manner that can be feen by mortal eyes.
8. In Chriii we fee the Father orderly and regularly* This is imported alfo in the text and context ; that as there is no coming to the Father^ hut by Chrift ; nor fee- vig of the Father^ but in Chr'ift : fo the gofpel-order of comhig to God, is by Chrill ; and of feeing God, ia in Chrifl. And here, indeed, is the true order and evangelical method of accefs to God, when, by the Spirit, Vv'c are led to Chrift, and by Chrift to the Fa- ther,; Through him we have accefs^ by one Spirit^ unto •the Father^ Ephef. ii. 18. Here is the true order of communion with God, the way in which God defcends unto us, is the way in which we afcend unto God, The Father fent the Son into cur nature; and the Son f.nids the Spirit into our hearts, that, by the Spirit, we might afcend to the Son ; and by the Son to the Fa-^ ther. Here is the true order of all right worllripping of God ; it is a worfliipping of God in Chrift, by the Holy Ghoft. It is the fame with the order of feeing God in the text, where the light of the Spirit being fuppoXed, wherein alone we can fee Chrift, it followSj Fie thai hath feen me^ hath feen the Father^ So much for the manner.
V. The fifth head propofed, was, to offer fome grounds or reafons of the doclrine, ftiewing whence it is, that they that fee Chrift, fee the Father. The rea* fons oi a doftrine being the great pillars which fuppart it, and the hinges on which it turns : therefore I muft: mention fome of thefe for the confirmation of faith in this matter.
I . He that hath feen Chrift hath feen th^ Father^ becaufe of the onenefs that is betwixt them ; as I (hew- ed upon the firft head. The true ground of our know- ing the Father in the Son, is his unity in effence v^ith \ki<;:. Father 3 fo that though their perfonal properties
b^
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of God in Christ. 461
be diltin^l, yet the cfTence is the fame in both, and the one is in the other ; for thus the Lord Jefus clears it in the following words, How fay eft thou, iShew us the Father f Believeji thou not that I am in the Father^ and the Father in me ?
2. He that hath feen Chr'iJ}^ hath feen the Father^
becaufe of the agreement that is betwixt them. As
they are one^ fo they agree in one ; as it is faid of the three that bear witnefs on earthy the Spirit^ the water^ and the bloody i John v. 8, ; fo much more may it be faid of the three that bear witnefs in heaven^ the Fa- ther^ the Word, and the Spirit, that are one, that they agree in one : and indeed their agreement in the work of our redemption is fuch, that though the feveral per- fons of the glorious Trinity have their diflinct w^ork, and oeconomy therein, yet it is v/ith fuch a complicat- ed harmony, that the adminiflration of one cannot be feen without feeing that of the other. He that fees, by the Spirit's fhining on the word, what the Son hath done as Mediator, in the Father's name, and as tlie Father's Ambaflador, cannot but fee, in the fame light, the Father as employing him in that ern^ baffy.
3. He that hath feen Chr{fl, hath feen the Father^ becaufe of the relation that is betwixt them. In his natural relation, as he is the Son of God, we fee the firft perfon of the glorious Trinity to be his Father by eternal generation, In his oiconomical relation, as he is the Sent of God, we fee God to be his Father by fpe^ cial eledion, un^iion, vocation, ordination, and exhi- bition unto the mediatorial work. Both thefe, I think, are joined together in that word, John i. 14. 27j<? Word was made flefh, and dwelt among us ; and we be- held his glory, as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth,
4. He that hath feen Chrijl, hath feen the Father, be- caufe of the likenefs that is betwixt them. Not only as God was he in \X\tform of God, and thought it no rob- bery to be equal with God, Phil. ii. 6. ; but alfo as man, though he came in the likenefs of ftnful fleOi, vet he
had
4^2 ne Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &c,
had alfo the likenefs of his holy Father about him, be- ing holy^ hannkfs^ imdcjiled^ and fepar ate from finners, Heb. vii. 26. The pity, mercy, and compaffion of his Father ; the love, grace, and goodnefs of his Father, did, when on earth, and does now, in heaven, fo appear in him, that whoever have a perfe6l underftanding of Chrift, v/ill have a perfed: underftanding of the Fa- ther*
5. He that hath feen Chrift^ hath fe en the father^ be- caufe of the liking that is betwixt them. Not only a likenefs but a liking. Such a liking hath Chrift to the Father, that he declares it is his heart's delight to do his Father's will,, Pfal. xl. 8. And if Chrift's love be ftamp- ed, as it were, on the Father's heart, and the Father's love ftamped on Chrift's heart, he that hath feen Chrift, muft fee the Father's love and dehght. One of the ca- pital letters of the Father's name often mentioned in fcripture, is his Love to Chrift as the Saviour of his peo- ple^ His love to him, not only as his own Son, but as our Surety. Hence Chrift, as Mediator, fo frequently fays to his Father, John xvii. ^hoii hajl loved me ; thou hajt loved me ; and again, thou ha^fi loved me. But why three times in the clofe of that chapter ? Why fo oft does he repeat this in his interceftory prayer? Why, be- caufe as the Father loved him in his undertaking, from all eternity, before the foundation of the world ; and loved him in his ftate of humiliation here, and loves him now in his ftate of exaltation, and will do fo for ever ; fo the Father's love to them for whom Chrift prays and intercede?, is founded, in all the difplays of it, upon his love to him ; and he hears him always on their behalf, becaufe he loves him ; and loves them on- ly in him. In him they were loved from eternity ; in him, they are loved in time ; and in him, they will be loved to eternity. His loving-kindnefs will he not take awayfro?n them, becaufe his loving-kindefs he will not and cannot take away from him, Pfal. Ixxxix. 33. It is a matter, therefore, of the greateft moment unto us to knov/ this great letter of the Father's name, which he re|)eats lliree times over, Thou hafi loved me. Nov»^, if Chriil bear this golden letter on the breaft-plate of his
medi-
StiRM. XXIX, &c, a View of God in Christ, 453
mediation, and fliews binajfelf thus clothed with the robes of his Father's loving-kindnels, then they that fee him, mufl fee the Father's favour to him, and to them in him, according to the meafure of faith : and this is the very thing that he does, John xvii. 26. Iha^oe declared unto them thy name^ and will declare it ; that the love wherewith thou haji loved me^ may he in theni^ and I in thenu O matchlefs myflery ! They that have Chriil in them, they have the Father's love that he bears to Chrifl: in them. But again,
6. He that hath fe en Chrijl^ hath feen the Father^ be- caufe he is the image and reprefentative of the Father. I diftinguifli this from the likenefs that is between the Father and him ; for one may hjive a likenefs to ano- ther, and yet not be fuch an one's adual reprefentative, as Chrifl: is of the Father, 1 Cor. iv. 4. Chrifl: is the /- 7nage ef the in-vifible God, Col. i. 15. ; the bright72sfs cf the Father's glory ^ and the exprefs image of his perfon^ Heb. i 3. In his divine perfon, abfokitely confidered. he is the eifential image of God, even the Father : but thus he is as invifible as the Father ; therefore, in his incarnation, he becomes the reprefentative image of God unto the church, that we may have the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of J ef lis, 1 Cor. iv. 6. It is true, the faints are faid to be the image of God, when they are renewed in a conformity to the nature and will of God ; but great is the difference betwixt the i- mage of God in ?nan, and the image of God in Chrlf. The image of God in the believer, is like Cssfar's image in his coin : but the image of God in Chrifl:, is like Ca^far's image in his fon ; his only fon and reprefenta- tive. Chriil is the image of the inviftble God, but man is the image of the viftble God ; that is, of Chrifl:, Rom. viii. 29. ; in whom is made vifible to us. Chrifl: in- deed, as God, is not only the image of God, but the in- vifible image of the invifible God ; but as man he is the vifible image of the invifible God* It is true he is out of fight now, and we cannot fee him with our bodily eyes; but as he was vifible on earth, and is vifible in heaven in our nature ; fo the only laving Tight of him that a fmr.er can have, is bv faith. Suppofe it were poliible
for
4^4 ^^ Saving Sight ; e?r, Serm. XXIX, ^c.
for a {inner on earth, to fee Chrifl in hearvxn, merely with his bodily e3''es, it would not be a faving fight ; but now, when, by faith, we fee Chrifl as the repre- fentative image of the Father, then we cannot but fee the Father in him. He bears the image of all the Fa- ther's glorious excellencies ; and, therefore, to fee his glory, is to fee his Father's glory alfo, and that for the following reafon. Further,
7. He that hath feen Chriji^ hath feen the Father^ 'becaufe he is feyit znAfealed of the Father for this very end, that he might reprefent, manifeft, and declare the Father : hence, No man hath feen God at any time, the only begotten iSon^ that is in the bofom of the Father j he hath declared him^ John i. 18. All things are deliver- ed to me of my Father^ fays Chrid, Matt. xi. 27. ; and no man knozveth the Son but the Father ^ neither knoweth any man the Father fave the Son^ aiid he to ivhomfoevcr the Son will reveal him. He was fealed and anointed for this very end : The Spirit of the Lord God ivas ii- pon him that he might bring forth judgment to the Gen- tiles. And hence, God, vjho, at fundry times, and in divers manners, fpake, in tiines paji, to the fathers by the prophets, hath, in thefe laft days, fpcken to us by his Son, who is the brightnefs of his glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon, Heb. i. i, 2. Whatever Chrift did, either by his preaching, working of miracles, or laying down his life, it was by the appointment of his Father, and- to lead us to the Father. He is the way, the new and living confecrated way to the Father. He, therefore, that fees him as the way, does fee the Father as the end to which the way leads by divine appointment.
8. Fie that hath feen Chrift, hath feen the Father, be- ^aufe the Spirit, that dif covers and tejlifes of Chri/i, is e- qually the Spirit of the Father and of the Son. The Spirit of the Son is the Spirit of the Father ; and the Spirit of the Father is the Spirit of the Son ; When the Comforter is come, ivhoni I ivill fend unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truths, which proceeds from
the Father, he fhall teftifj of me, John xv. 26. He
cannot, therefore, teftify of the Son, without teftify- ing of the Father. The Spirit of the Father teilifying
of
Serm* XXIX, &'c. a View cf Cod in Christ. 465
of the Son, cannot be without reference to the Father; nay, when he difcovers Chrift, and the things of Chrid, he difcoverS) at the fame time, in the fame fight, t\\z Father, and the things of the Father ; He Jh all glorify vie^ fays Chrid, for be Jhall receive of mine ^ and jhew it unto you ^ John xvi. 14, 15. Now, if it be aiked, what things of mine he will flievv? The anfwcr is, they are the things of the Father ; for, all things that the Fa^ iher hat'^, are 7nine. The things of Chrid are the Fa- ther's, and the things of the Father are Chrid's. The glory of Chrid is the Father's glory ; and the glory of the Father is Chrid's glory. The fulnefs of Chriit is the Father's fulnefs ; and the fulnefs of the Father is Chrid*s fulnefs. Therefore, he that is the Spirit, both of the Father and of the Son, when he glori- fies Chrid, and Ihews the things of Chrid, he glori- fies the Father, and fliews the things of the Father ; confequently. He that bath fecn Chriji^ bath feen th^ Father,
VI. T\itfixih head propofed, was, to draw fome in- ferences from the whole for application. This doftrine is fo vadly great and prolitic, that it is not pofiible for tne to overtake all the purpofes that ly in the bofoni of it, and are deducible from it. The fpecial inferen- ces I defign, are for Information^ trials reproofs comfort^ and exhortation,
Firfi^ For information, O how many truths ly in the bofom of this dodrine ! That fuch is the cmiiefs betwixt Chrid and the Father, that he that hath feen
Chriji^ hath feen the Father. There are two great
truths here that lead us into many other truths.
1. That theie is an onenefs betwixt Chrid and the Father.
2, That he that hath feen Chrid, fees the Father. 1/?, Is it fo, that there is fuch an onenefs betwixt
Chrift and the Father as I have fhewn ? Hence we may learn the following ledbns.
1. Flence learn, that the ohjcB of faith is very great ZTid glorioia, far beyond what natural reafoa, or hu- man underdanding can fathom ; therefore, our Lord
Vol. IL N n n Jcfus
466 The Saving Sight ; <?r, Serm. XXIX, &c.
Jefus here, as he makes his elTential onenefs with the Father the foundation of his aflertion, that they that fee him, fee the Father : fo he lays down this great myftery, as. abfolutely neceflary to be beheved, and apprehended by faith, though it cannot be compre- hended by reafon. Chriil's queftion to Philip here- upon, is a fundamental queftion of the gofpel cate- chifni : Believeji thou not that J am in the Father , and ihe Father in rne f Without the faith of this, there is no right worfhipping of God ; no right apprehenfion of one God in three perfons. This is no indifferent thing to be believed or not. Our eternal life depend* upon it. God hath born witnefs to it from heaven, as I have already lliewed.
2. From this onenefs we may learn, that the doc- trine of Arianifm is damnable blafphemy, that denies the fupreme Deity of our Lord Jefus, and his effential onenefs with the Father. Many affronts have been of- fered to the crown, and dignity, and royal prerogatives of our Lord in thefe lands, fmce we firfl broke, and then burnt the Covenant of our God, and were alham- cd of our glory. But the fpreading of Arianifm now, in Britain and Ireland, is like a pulling up Reforma- mation by the roots, and a faying. We will not only full off the jewels of the Mediator's crown, but we will take the crown itfelf and cajl it into the mire. If this error be fubtilly maintained among us, pray that God may difcover and deftroy it, otherwife it will dellroy the very foundation of our holy religion. That perni- cious error ftrikes direftly againft the do6frine of our Lord Jefus here ; for, if there be not an effential one- nefs betwixt him and his Father, then it is not true, that he that hath fe en Chrift, hath fe en the Father, If he be inferior to the Father in point of effence, felf- exiftence, independency, or any other effential perfec- tion, then we cannot fee all the Father^s glory in him * :
But
• When this Sermon was delivered, the Arian tenets were not on- ly i>etting up their head, and overfpreadng the nation, but there was 2 procels commenced and depending before the fupreme ecclefiaflical ccuit, .igainft Mr Simfcn, profelFor of theology in the univerfity ofGIaf- ^gsv, for teaching and propagating thefe tenets. — The kindly recep-
tiofi
Serm. XXIX, ^'r. a View of God In Christ. 467
But let Chriil, who is truth itfelf, be true, and every miin a Har. What I have faid refutes this abomina- tion.
3. From this onenefshtWvvia the Father and the Son, you may learn the danger of denying Chriji, To deny the Son is to deny the Father, i John ii. 23. And be is Antichrijl that denies the Father and the Son, verfe 22. Andi who is a iiar, bid he that denies that Jefiis is the Chriji f To deny the unity of the fame undivided ef^ fence betwixt the Father and him, is to deny him to be the true Mellias ; Immanuel, God with us, Ifaiah vii. 14. O the danger of deviating from the dodrine of Chrift ! IVhofoever tranjgrejfeth, and abideth no% in the dodrine of Chrift, hath not God ; he that abideth in the doEirine ofChrifi, he hath both the Father and ths Son, 2 John, ver. 9. Hence he that deviates from it hath neither. Why ? becaufe of their undivided ef- fence, notwithflanding of their perfonal diflindion. — It is not poiTible to deny the one and not the other.
4. Learn hence, how fearfully Chr'ft was humbled : what ! one with the Father, the Father's fellow, ancj equal, and yet a babe, 2ifervant, z fufferer, a wonn ! Pfalm xxii. Should an emperor become a fly ; yea, fhould all the glorious angels in heaven become one crawling \nicdi upon earth, it were not to be mentioned with this humihation of Chrift. Oh ! hov/ fadly was the world miflaken concerning Chriil, v/hen they took him up to be a mere man, the carpenter's fon, and did not fee him to be the eternal Sou of God, and ef- fentially one with the Father.
5. See here how glorioufly adorned Chrift is with all divine perfections, and fo how infinitely valuable and ef
Jicacious all his mediatory adings are. If he had not been God, equal with the Father, his adive and paflivc obe- dience could not have profited us ; for, they had not N n n 2 been
tion the Arian fentiments were meeting with, the m^rv friends ? his propagator of them was, at this time, like to have, and in »he iffnc really had, and the fmall number that appeared courajr»oufly aga.nft them, no doubt, inflaenced our Author, both to obferve more fre- quently, in his difcourfes, the fpreadinc of them, and to exprefs h;r>- lelf more zealoufly upon the head, jafcly dreading the difiiiAl conle- qucnces thereof.
'/jGS Vde Saving Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, &c.
been dignified with infinite merit, value, and virtue. — But now, being one with the Father, his divine na- ture is the altar that fanftifies the whole gift ; there- fore, his blood, is the blood of God ; his righteouf- nefs, xh^ right eoufnefs of God : wc may fafely depend hereupon for peace with God, and acceptance to eter* tial life.
6. Here we may learn the t7ijinite ability of Chrijl^ to apply, by his power, wdiat he purchafed by his blood. His onenefs with the Father declares, that as he was able to make all things out of nothing, and does flill uphold all things by the word of his power ; fo he 'is able tofave to the utiermoji : his arm, is the arm of God ; his power, is the pov/er of God. It is faid, ^he fon of mari:, even on earthy had power to forgive fins ^ Matth. ix 6. The Pharifees had made the objection, Who can forgive fms but God f Chrift takes their own argument to prove that he was God, becayfe he could forgive fms : and, indeed, to take aw^ay the guilt of fm requires omnipotency ; the guilt of fm hath the 1^'hole ftrength of God's law to back it ; and God's law hath the whole ftrength of his infinite juflice to maintain it ; therefore, there muff be an infinite power to take away the guilt of fm, even that power that can break the force of God's law, and fatisfy the demands of infinite juflice. The fame power and ability alfo is requifite to take away the power of fm ; for guilt and power arc the two great attributes of fm ; infinite power only can defiroy them. It is to fome a known maxim, Ejiifdem effe potcjiatis inflruere et deftriiere* ■ ' No lefs power is required to deftrpy the world th^n ^' there -was to create it." In the firil creation, there was fomething made out of nothing ; yet that nothing did not refifl : and if God ihould annihilate the frame of heaven and earth, and reduce it to nothing again^ it would fuddenly fmk ; there would be no refiilance. But to bring together things that are contrary ; to do ^way fin, and bring in grace, that are fo oppofite one to another, and meet one another with the utmoft re- finance, requires an infinite power to efied it. Sin is
not
Seum. XXIX, &c. a VJeiv sf God in Christ. 469
fiot only an enemy, but enmUy agahifl God : and as the mind muilers up miilions of objc^Slions againft Chrift, •when he eomes to deal x^ itk a finner ; fo the heart and afFcdions oppofe him, as it were, in battle array : In the lajl days pcribus times JJ:>all come ; for men Jljall be lovers ofthemfehcs^ 2 Tim. iii. i,- — 4. There goes the captain offelf-iove, after which follows the body of the army of lulls, Covetous^ hoafters^ proud^ blafphem- ous^ di/obedient, unthankful, unholy, without natural af- fedion, truce-hreakers, falfe accujers, incojitinent, fierce, defpifers of thofe that are good ; traitors, heady, high' ?jiinded, lo-vers of pleafures more than lovers of God, &c. '^hiC weapons of the warfare, that can defeat this oppo- fition, needs to be mighty through God, Thy people fhall he willing, but when ? in the day of thy power : this is faid to, and of our Lord Jefus, Pfahn ex. 3.—- Being one with the Father, fee his infinite abiHty.
7. From this onenefs betwixt the Father and the Son, we may learn, that Chriji was not alone in the work of i-edemption ; John xvi. 32. / ajn not alone, bccaufe the Father is with me. How could he fail, or be dlfcou- raged, in his work ? The power and prefence of the eternal God-head, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, was with him. O fee and admire the joint concurrence of the Father with the Son, together with the Holy Ghofl, in carrying on this great work of redemption ? It was the pleafure of the Father, the pleafure o^ the Son, the pleafure of the Holy Gholl, that this work fhould be carried on and profper.
8. Hence learn, hovf gloriotis and ineffable is the lo^cc^ of the Father in giving Chrifl, the fame in fubftance with himfelf, to alTume our nature, and die for our fins : He took not on him the nature of angels, hut the feed of Abra- ham : and the Father put the robe of our nature upon him ; A body hafl thou given me. Behold, how he loves the nature of thefe whom he hath given to Chrifl, that though he hath them not all with him in heaven, yet he loves to have their pidurc, his Son in their nature, to fee them in him, and love them in him. In the faith of this, O what ground of encouragement is there, and ^liat foundation of confidence in coming to the Father
in
47c> ne Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &c,
in him ! that our advocate is fo near to the Father fo nearly related to him, and yet fo nearly related to us, one with the Father in nature ; and yet one with us in nature alfo : Great is the myjlery of godlinefs ^ God ma- nlfefted in the fiejh ; and great is the myftery of divine love, in making him, that is one with himfelf, to be the way to himfelf. Surely, if you come to the Father by this way, you may be fure you come with the Fa- ther's allowance ; you may come boldly. Is there ac- cefs to Chrifl, and yet the Father inacceffible that way ! Nay, that is impoflible, if you believe this onenefs that Cbrijl is in the Father^ and the Father in him,
9. Hence learn the nccejjity of divine revelation^ ob- jedive and fubjedive : the neceflity oi fcriptural reve- lation ; without which we had wandered in the dark without knowing Chrifl in his onenefs with the Father. O blefs God for the Bible, and for eyes to look upon it j and fludy to improve that privilege. See alfo the ab- folute necellity o'tfpiritiial illumination and^ivine teach- ing, in order to our apprehending this divine myftery of ChriJFs onenefs with the Father, When Peter confef- fed this, by faying, Thou art Chrifl the Son of the livitig God^ Chrift anfwers, Blejjed art thou, Simon Barjona ; for flejh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, hut my
Father which is in heaven, Matth. xvi. 16, 17. Let us be humbled under a fcnfe of our ignorance of God and Chrift, and cry for the Spirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, and in this way. ^
10. Let us learn, from this onenefs betwixt Chrift and the Father, the glorious excellency of Chrift being one with the Father, Is he not a glorious objeft of adora- tion ? The Lord our Godis" one Lord, And, O believer, He is thy Lord, worfjip thou him : crying out with Tho- mas, My Lord, and my God, Being one with the Fa- ther, is he not a fit portion for your immortal fouls ? His riches are indeed unfearchable ; for they are all the
fulnefs of the Godhead, It was faid. Who can count the dufi of Jacob ? but much more, who can tell the thou- fand part of the believer's treafure, that hath a right to fay. The Lord is the portion of my foul ! O immenfe and evcrlafting portion 1 Being one v/ith the Father, is he
not
Serm. XXIX5 is'c, a View of Goiy in Christ, 471
not the fountain of living waters ; the fountain of ali grace^ as well as the channel through which it runs ? As Godht is the fountain ; as 7nan^ he is the mean of conveyance ; that out of his fulnefs we may receive grace for grace > — Being one with the Father, is he not the fountain of authority equal with the Father ? yea his law is his Father's law. They that fin againfl him, fiu agairift the Father : the original authority of the law is not annulled by being put into Chr ill's hand. Are believers under lefs obligation to obedience to the law, as a rule, than before ? No, by no means : fee what gives authority and efficacy to the words of Chrift, and what obliges us to obey him, othqrwife we difobey the Father alfo ; The word which you hear is not ?nine^ but the Father* s that fent me^ John xiv. 24. And this he grounds upon the onenefs betwixt the Father and him, in the preceding part of the chapter. Confider there- fore, man, woman, who it is that fpeaks to you in the gofpel. Why is the negled of his word fo dangerous ? It is the Father's word. Why is his voice fo efficaci- ous, and able to make the dead to hear and live ? and why fhould his word have weight with us, and be cre- dited by us ? O ! it is the Father's word. — Being one with the Father, is he not a terrible enemy ? How fad- ly are unbelievers, and enemies to Chrift, circumftatl- ate, and how dreadful will their day be, when he iliall fay, Bring forth thefe mine enemies^ that would not that I fJwidd reign over them^ and cut them in pieces before me ? 0 kifs the Son leji he he aiigry ; for, his anger is God's anger, his wrath is the Father's wrath. It is true, he does not appear now in this gofpel difpenfation, cloth- ed with ,the robes of wrath, but rather in his robes of grace and mercy ; He is not come to condemn the worlds hut that the world through him might he faved : but if this Saviour and falvation be negleded, he will put on his robes of fury, A?2d co?ne in flaming fire to take 'ven^ geance on them that know not God^ afid ohey ?iot the gof- pel : and then his wrath will be feen to be the Father's wrath. — Being one with the Father, is he not a glori- ous, blefled, and amiable friend, whofe friendfliip i;^
worth
47^ 7he Saving Sidm ; or^ Serm. XXK, &c4
-worth courting an interefl in ? How happily are they privileged that are interefted in him, and united to him ? What 1 to be his followers and favourites is a great matter ; but, believers, you are more, being the body of Chrift, and members in particular. O the dignity of union with Chrift, what a great thing is this to be one with him who is one with the Father I John xiv. 20. O believer, you little know and confider the honour of this relation : But^ fays Chrift, at that day ye foallknow that lam in the Father^ and you in me^ and I in you, O what is that to be wrapt up with Chrift in the bofom of a Trinity, Being one with the Father ! Is he not a ftrong tower, and mighty fhield ! Is it poflible that his church on earth can be totally ruined, let men and devils rage as they will ? No, no : The King ofZion is one with the Father. Is it poffible that the true be- liever can totally and finally perifh and fall away ? No, it cannot be : his perfeverance is founded upon Chrift's onenefs with the Father : There is no plucking them out of my hand^ nor my Father's : land my Father are one^ John X. 28, 29, 30. — In a word, being one with the Father, we need not think it ftrange that fuch glorious things are fpokcn of him : let this confirm our faith of all his mediatorial adings. Is it any wonder that he could fpoil prificipalities and powers, and triumph over them in his crofs, and bruife the bead oftheferpent f Could not the power and wifdom of heaven defeat and outwit the power and policy of hell I Is it any wonder that he could conquer death, and rife from the dead, being the living and eternal God ? Is it any wonder that he, who is one with the Father, could appeafe the Father's wrath, and bring in everlafting righteoufnefs, and that the Father is well-pleafed for his righteoufnefs fake ? — ■ Finally, being one with the Father, what a fit repre- fentative is he of the Father's perfon and glory ? and what a native pofition does the Lord Jefus build upon this foundation of his onenefs with the Father f name- ly. He that hathfeen me^ hath feen the Father,
idhj,, Is it fo, that he that hath feen Chrift, hath feen the Father f then, in the light of this truth we may
/^
Serm. XXIX, is'c. a Vlezv ofOoD In Christ. 47 ;J
fee light clearly y and learn many other great lelTons. — • As,
I. Do they that fee Chrift fee the Father ? Hence I infer, the grofs darkmfs of our natural Jiate^ and the grofs ignorance of God in all natural men^ fo long as they are not enlightened in the knowledge of Chrilh The mind of man is but a mafs of ignorance : l^be under^ Jlanding is darkened^ Eph. iv. 17, 18. ; Tea^ darknefs itfelf^ I John ii. 9, 11. ; Under the pozuer of darkyiefs^ Col. i. 13. Partial ignorance of Chrift in believers, is the reaibn why they know God but in -part : therefore Chrift fays to his difciples here, If ye had hiown mc^ ye would have known my Father alfo^ ver. 7. Total igno- rance of Chrift in others, is the reafon why they are wholly ignorant of God : therefore Chrift fpeaks in the fame terms to the proud Pharifees, John viii. 19. Te neither know m.e, normy Father ; if you had known mcy you pjould have known my Father alfo. They that fee not the glory of Chrift, as the Father is reprefenred in him, they neither know God nor Chrifi ; they have neither the Father nor the Son : they know not God^ becaufe they know not the holy perfections of God'^s nature in the principal way deilgned of infinite wifdom for their manifcftation : they know not Cbrijly becaufe they fee not the glory of God in him : whatever other notions men may have of God, they are utterly igno- ;r<ir\t of the heavenly my-ftery ; and k?ioz>j not the wif- dom of God in a myftery. Again,
2. Hence we may infer, both the greainefs of the glory of God y that is reprefentcd to us by fuch an one as Chrift, and the greainefs of the grace ofGody in pro- viding fuch a reprcientative, in whom v/e might fee his glorious perlefti.ons, as his eternal Son, in our nature. To fee the natural fun ihining in its ftrength, W'ould fpoil the fight of the ftrongeft eye ; but to look on it through a vail is not offenfive. If God ftiould mani- feft himfelf in his naked glory, we would be dazzled and confounded ; but to look to God in our nature, bringing down his glory to our eye, it invites us to behold it. God manifeficd in the Jiefh : O Sirs, won- der and be amazed, that God wall, in a manner, be V o L. IL Goo no
"474 '^'-'^ Saving Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, &c,
no more God, but take another nature, rather than that the brightnefs of his own glory fliould undoe us I O howwilhng is he to reveal and make hin^felf known to poor fmners that had loft ftght of him, in that he exhibites Chrift, the brightnefs of his glory^ to us, that ia him we may fee all his glory ?
3. Do they who fee Chrift, fee the Father ? Hence learn t\iQ predoufnefs cf Chrift, As in his onenefs with the Father, we may fee his infinite glorious excellency in himfelf ; fo in his reprefenting the Father to us, we may fee the infinite precioufnefs of Chrift, and the f^xcellency of the knowledge of him ; and the necef- fity of this knowledge unto us ; as he is the notable mirror, and looking-glafs, wherein God is to be feen ; f\!ch a living mirror as can difcover itfelf, and bring men to look unto it. O wonderful mirror! God in our nature reprefenting God in his nature and perfec- tions, and faying. Look to me, and be faved ; for I atn God, and there is none elfe ! O the precioufnefs of Chrift, in whom all the beams of divine glory are con- traded, that we may fee and look upon them through the vail of his fleih, becaufe we could not endure one glance of the immediate rays of divine glory ! O pre- cious Chrift, as he is thus the only way to the Father I God could get glory to his juftice in our deftruclion ; but, behold his wonderful love, in laying his Son as a bridge betwixt him and us, that we might return to God upon him : And, O the wonderful love of Chrift, that he was content to ftoop fo low ! May not all the creation of God wonder at this ? Angels are wonder- ing ; and what are we doing that are more concerned than they ? O precious Chrift, as he is the only meet- ing-place where.God meets with us, and we with him ! Jn him we fee God, and God fees us ; we cannot fee God favingly but in him ; and God cannot look on us favourably but in him ; for, he is the temple where God dwells, and manifefts his glory. Where can we meet with God, but in a place where alone we can fee Cod ? O precious Chrift, in refpecl of the glory and lionour that the Fa^lier hath given him as Mediator !
As
Serm. XXIX, &c, a View of God in Christ. 475
As he is the Son of God, i/je Father^ who hath life in himfef^ have given to him to have life in himfdf^ John V. 26, As he is the Sent of God, all power in hea- ven and earth is given unto him ; and particuhirly he is crowned with this glory and honour, ot being the vi- hie image of the invifible God^ and of all the divine glory.
0 the precioufnefs of Chrifl, when fuch beauty is in him ?^ It is a promife of the New-Tcilament days, lihine eyes Jhall fee the King in his beauty. What is this beauty of king Jesus, but that God is in him, and all his glory to be feen in him ? God is faid, under the law, to have dwelt in thick darknefs ; but now, when the Son of God hath appeared in the flefli, in the difcharge of his office, the Sun of righteoufnefs hath arifen in his ftrength and beauty. God himfell', as to his being and manner of his exiflence in three diftin^t perfons, with all the glorious properties of his nature, is iliuftrioufly manifefted to behevers. Thus Chrift is the great light of the world ; They that foHozv him fb all not walk in darknefs^ hut have the light of life^ Jolni viii. 12. O precious Chrill ! in that hereupon he is the defire of all nations^ the defire of all faints, the de- fire of all ages ! The faints of old, that did not enjoy the benefit of the New -Te (lament revelation, expreis this defire. See how David prayed for a difcovery of this glory of God in. Chrifl, though he could behold it only in types ; 0 God^ thou art my God^ early will
1 fek thee ; to fee thy power and thy glory ^ as I have feen thee in the fanduary^ Ffal. Ixiii. i, 2. There was
in the fanduary an obfcure reprefentation of the glory of God in Chrifl ; how much more fhould u^e deiirc and elleem that view% which we may now have with
openface^ though yet as in a glafs ! 2 Cor. iii. 18. .
Whence is it that a hiding Chrifl is fuch matter of la- mentation to behevers ? AVhy, the reafon is, becaufe when he hides himfelf, God is out of fight ; when he fmiles, the Father fmiles ; when he ap^:)ears5 the Fa- ther appears ; and, O 1 how can he be but precious to the believer, when fuch a precious fight is to be feen in him i
O 0 o 2 4. Do
^4y6 T/je Savinq Sicht ; or, Serm. XXIX, &c,
4. Do they who fee Chrift, fee the Father ? Hence learn the excellency of the go/pel^ for there we fee Chrift, How liighly dignified are we that enjoy gofpel ordi- nances, and facraments ? In the gofpel, Chrill is pre- fen ted to the ear ; and when we hear him, then we hear the Father. In the facraments, he is prefented to our eye ; and when we fee him there, we fee the Father. How fad is the cafe of thofe that want the gofpel ! They want the glafs where Chriil is feen, atid fo are wliboui God ; and much more fad is their cafe, that enjoy gofpel ordinances and facraments, and yet negled the great falvation, by neg]e<!^ing to look to Chriil there exhibited, and are never concerned to get la.' faving fight of Chriil there ! O how near does God- eome to them, yet they lofe a fight of him ! How great are the advantages of a clear gofpel difpenfation ? The more bright the glafs is, the more may Ciirift be feen therein ; and the more that Chrift is feen, the more is the Fatlier feen in him.— The gofpel is a revelation of Chrift ; and herein alfo the difference betwixt the law and the go/pel appears. The law, as a covenant, yields a terrible fight of God out of Chrift ; but the gofpel affords a pleafant fight of God in Chrift : He that hath feen me^ hath feen the Father.- — —Which alfo expofes the malignity of a kgal fpirlt^ and a legal Jirain of doc- trine, by the means of which Chrift is hid and kept out of ftght, and confequently the Father alfo ; or, if he be feen, it is not in Chrift, but, as it were, in the law ; and the law not being the minifiration of the SpU rit of hght, life, and ht^erty, this is the reafon why legal doctrine is fo troublefome to a gofpel believer \ Gal. i. 7. fhere are fome that trouble you, and woidd pervert' the gofpel of Chrifl, namely, by their legal doc- trine, which the apoftle there fpeaks of. Again,
5. Do they who fee Chrift, fee the Father ? Then hence learn, wherein the very nature and ejf'ence of faith lies, even in the beholding of the glory of God's wif- r«om, power, holinefs, juftice, and mercy, in the per- fon and oi^ces of Chrift, as our Saviour and Surety. In the ignorance of this lies the formal nature of unbe- hef, I Cor. i. zi^-—':.^. Not to fee the 'wifdom ofGod^
and
Serm. XXIX5 cirT. a View o/Gop in Christ. 477
and the poiver of God^ and confequeutly all the other properties qf his nature in Chrifl, is to be an unbelie- ver. But to fee the wifdom, power, and other glori- ous attributes of the divine nature in Chrift, with ap- plication, as our Saviour, and Surety, and fo to fee God glorifying his perfections thus, is to be a believer. Unbelievers are blinded, fo as the ligbt of the glorious gofpel of Chrift^ who is the i?nage of God, Jhines not into them ; but believers are feers, as the prophets of old were called ; and theyy^i? vifions, as the prophet Joel expreifes it, Joel ii. iS. What vifions ? O ! a beati- fic vifion indeed, to fee Chrift, and to fee the Father in him ! What a large field hath faith to travel thro' ; broader than heaven and earth, even all the fulnefs of God I And what a fure footing hath faith alfo ? for w^hen it fixes upon Chrift, it fixes upon Grod in him. Faith looks on Chrift as a friend and helper, and fo it cannot but fee the Father as a friend in him. What folid ground for the affurance of faith is here, while faith cannot look to Chrift, but it muft fee the love and good-will of God in him ?
6. Do they who fee Chrift fee the Father ? Hence learn, whence it is that x\i^ great deftgn of Satan, from the beginning, hath been to blind the eyes of men, and fill their minds with prejudice, that they may 7iot be- hold this glory of God in Chrift, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. And, indeed, this blindnefs and darknefs is gradually cured in believers, by no lefs means than the almighty power of God ; God, who commanded light to fhine out ofdark^ nefs^ hath Jhified into our hearts, to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift, verfe 6. And this in a conformity to that promife, Ifaiali Ix. i, 2, Arife, ftmie ; for thy li^ht is come, and the glory of the Lord is rifen upon thee : for, behold, the darknefs ftjall cover the earth, and grofs darknefs the people. But the Lord fhall arife upon thee, and his glory ft^ all be feen u-- pon thee. But, why does the devil raife fuch oppofi- tion to the gofpel ? and why is he raiftng a fmoke out of the bottomlefs pit at this day *, to darken that fun- damental
♦ ?ee the reafon of this T^^^Qnion briefly acccynted for, p. 4^6, 467,
47^ TbeSAvmc Sight; or, Serm. XXIX, <drf.
damental gofpel truth, the ejfential onenefs betwixt the Father and the Son, but that people may not fee the Father m the Son ? Think not flrange, that the devil and. his inftrumcnts are at fuch pains to cloud and darken the truths of the gofpel, wherein Chrift is ex- hibited to us.
7. Do they who fee Chrift fee the Father ? Hence learn, what a happy place heaven is, and what is the difference betwixt 2, fiducial vifion here, and a beatifical 'oinon hereafter. Heaven will be the place of the full vifion of Chrift, and of the Father in him ; but the dif- ference is ftated, I Cor. xiii, 12, ^qw we fee through a glafs darkly y ;. or as it may be rendered, by a glass, IN A RIDDLE, "n parable, or dark fayi??g ; where our prefent fight of Chrift is fpoken of with a double figu- rative limitation, namely, through a glafs in a riddle : THROUGH A GLASS ; that is, either a looking glafs yWhlicXx yields but a reprefentation of him ; the fliadow of Chrift is drawn in the gofpel, and we have but a reprefentati- on of him there : or an optic glafs, or a profpeclive, that helps the fight in beholding things at a diftance ; as men difcover the ftars through certain glaifes, while the eye itfclf is not able to difcern them : fuch a glafs is the gofpel, without which we can make no difcovery of Chrift at all. Again, the gofpel difplays of him are but,- as it were, in a riddle ; a parable, or fo many dark things, which our weak faith underftands but im- perfe<Slly. Hence, Song ii. 9. Chrift is faid to ft and be- hind our wall, to look forth at the windows, andfhew him- f elf through thelaitefs. There is a wall of mortality be- twixt him and us, that muft be demolillied before we can fee him as he is ; we fee him now, as it were, thro' a glafs window, through a lattefs ; yet when he ftands looking forth at the windows of ordinances, fliewing and fiourijhing hirvfelf, as the word is, through the lat- tefs of the promife, how unfpeakably glorious does he appear ? And if fo, O what will it be to fee \\vci\ face to face, when walls, and wdndows, and lattelTes, and all will be broken dowm, fo as there ihaii be no more need of nor ule for thefe glaftes and ordinances 1 Angels^ and faints above are fo ravilhed with his glory, and fatisfied
With
Serm. XXIX, <iyc. a Vi^w of God in Christ\ 47.9
with Ills likenefs, that they cannot look upon another objed. It is faid, Ifa. xxiv. 23. The juoonjball be con- founded^ and the fun ajhamed^ when the Lord of hofhjhall reign in mount Zion^ and in Jerufalem^ and before his an- iients glorioufly, O but precious Chrift mult have a fair face, when the fun blufhes and is ailiamed to Ihine be- fore him ! Though a child of God were in a hell of mifery and trouble all his lifetime in this world, yet the firil blink of this fair Immanuel in heaven would make amends for all. We may preach this wonderful Lord while we live, but we will never outpreach him ; we may praife him to eternity, but Ihall never outpraife him : Bleffed are they that dwell in his houfe^ they wili be ftill praifing him ; yea^ they zaill be like him, for tbej will fee him as he is,
8. Do they that fee Chrift, fee the Fatlier ? Hence learn the grand difference betwixt the wicked and the godly ; they differ like darknefs and light, blindnefs, and fight :- fometimes they wonder at one another as if they were monfters. The godly man wonders at the
wicked, to fee their carnal life and wicked temper.
Oh ! how can they laugh and be merry, when they are ready to drop into hell ! The wicked alfo wonder at the faints, and that they I'un not with them into the fame excefs cfriot: why, the one lives uponbafe, vifible, earth- ly things, the other upon invifible glory, 2iS feeing him who is invifble. Give a carnal man the world at his will, he cares not though God's face be hid ; he is iu liis element, as the filh in the water ; his language is Who will foew us any good : a good bargain, and a flou- ridiing trade ? But the faint is of another temper ; the language of his heart is, Lord^ lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us^ Pfal. iv. 6, Give him all the world, he cares not a ftraw for it, if God hide his face. Tills makes the difference alfo betwixt a faint and him- felf ; to-day he is full of joy, though he hath but a bare houfe, and bare cloaths, and a bare profped of earthly enjoyments ; yea, and be fadly haraffed with trouble and reproaches ; yet he fmgs, and rejoices, and tri- umphs. At another time he is full of heavinefs, even though it fliould be better with him in his outvv'ard
worldly
480 The Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXlX, &c.
worldly circumflances, he goes fighing and forrowlng : why ? the reafon is, one day the Lord fhnics, and then he is full of joy; another day the Lord hides hh face and then he is troubled : his heaven lies in feeing Chrift',s glory, in which he fees the Father^s glory alfo.
9. Do they that fee Chrift, fee the Father ? Hence learn, what an honour it is to be conformed to the Son of Gody as it is faid, Rom. viii. 29. Whom he did foreknow.^ iheni he didpredejiinate to be conform to the image of his So7i: Is it the honour of Chrift, as Mediator, to be the reprefentative image of God, in ivhmn the glory of God is to befeen f What an honour then is it for the faints to be conformed to the image of Chrift ? As Chrift is in the form of God, fo they are in the form of Chrift, havingChrifi formed in them. Gal. iv. 19. And being renewed after his image, as the more we fee Chrift the more we fee God ; fo the more of Chrift we fee about a man, the more of God we fee in him : This is the ho- nour of all the faints, according to the meafure of their fandity.
10. Do they that fee Chrift, fee the Father ? Hence learn, what a dangerous thing it is to flight Chrift, and con- temn him, who is the brightnefs of the Father'' s glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon. If any defpil'e the pic- ture, it is an argument of their defpiftng the perfon re- prefented by it : They that defpife Chrift, defpife the Fa- ther, And many defpife Chrift that do not confider that they are doing fo ; particularly when they defpife his fent ambafladors : He that defpifes you, fays Chrift, defpifes me f he that defpifes me, defpifes him that fent me. See John xv. 23, 24 Why, who would be fo mad, fay you, as to flight Chrift ? Even all you that flight his counfels, calls, and warnings given you by his word; that flight his people ; and flight his ordinances ; that flight his worfhip, fuch as prayer and praifes, whether fecret or focial, private or public, wherein Chrift is ho- noured and enjoyed. In flighting thefe you flight Chrift himfelf ; and in fo doing you defpife the Father : for, YOU defpife his reprefentative image ; and I will alfure you, God will retaliate this treatment, and pay you
home
Serm. XXlX^&c. a View of Gov^ in Cpirist. 481
home in your own coin : 0 Lord^ when thou awakejl^ thou /halt defpife their image^ Pfal. Ixxiii. 20.
1 1, Do they that fee Chrift, fee the Father ? Hence learn, the awfulncfs of the day of judgment that is ap' proacbing. Though Chrid: is conditute to be the judge, A6ls xvii. 31. ; yet the Father will judge the world in him, and by him ; for God is judge himfef^ Pfal. 1. 6. Then will Chrift be feen upon the throne of judgment ; Behold^ he comet h with clouds^ and e^vsry eyejhall ,'ce hlm^ Rev. i. 7. ; and when they fee him, they will lee the Father in him ; they will fee God in him It is true, he will not then be God's reprefentative in the capa- city of a Saviour to Tinners, as now he is, bur as a righteous judge of fmners and faints. A fight of God in Chrift will not then be a pleafant fight to the wicked ; for, he will appear to them, not as a Redeemer, but a revenger : for, \i^ will appear inflamivgfire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gofpel : but to believers, who look for him, and to whom he hath appeared graciouily, fo as they have now feen him, and the Father in him, and who will then be all perfed faints, he will appear glorioufly the fecond time without fin to their complete falvalion, Heb. ix. 28. How dreadfully awful will that day be to the wicked that fliall fee him, and fee God in him no other way but ag a confuming fire ! How joyfully awful alfo will it be to the faints, who fhall fee him then, and fee the Father in him, as their everlafting joy, and exceeding great re- ward f
12. Do they that fee Chrift, fee the Father ? Hence alfo learn the great reafon and foundation of many other truths ; fuch as,
(i.) Why is it that a fight of Chrift hath fuch vir- tue, and creates fuch hlejfed effeBs, as we fee in fcrip- ture fpoken of it ? Even becaufe they whoy?^ him, fee the Father. — Why is the fight of Chrift fo aflonijhing f becaufe then the zuifdom of God in a viyjiery appears. — - Why is the fight of Chrift fo himbling f why, becaufe then God is feen in his majefiy and 7nercy both. — Why, is it fuch a flrengthcning thing, even becaufe then the power of God is difcovercd. — V/hy is a figiu . Vol. II. Ppp of
482 The Savi>ig Sight ; cr, Serm. XXIX, 6y«
of Cbrid ^o faiisfying? becaufe then the grace of Gad appears. The light is quieting to the conjcience^ for- then the right eoiifnefs of God^ in the remitilon of fin, is declared and manifefied, Rom. iii. 25. — The fight is fweetly filing and fatiating^ for then the allfr{fficiency of God is difcovered. — Why is a fight of Chrift fa h e art -ch earing^ that the behever can never get his heart up, when prell with guilt, till he get a fight of Chrift* and then he gets eafe to his mind, and not till then ? why, becaufe when he fees Chrift^ he fees the Father ; and he finds God is in him reconciled and wcll-plcaf- ed. — In a word, why is a fight of Chrift ^o fandifying and transforming^ that as they that fee him perfedly in heaven are like him r becaufe theyy^^ him as he is^ I John iii. 2. So they that even fee him through a glafs darkh^ arc more and more like him, and changed into the fame image ^ from glory to glory ^ 2 Cor. iii. 18. — Well then, they fee the glory of a holy God in him, and the fight affects the heart, both with a fenfe of. their difconformity to him, and with a ftrong deiire of conformity to him ; yea, the Spirit darting in the rays of the Sun of righteoufnefs difpels the darknefs of fm, and inforces the contrary light of holinefs upon the whole man gradually and powerfully, according to the meafure of the manifeftation and communication.
(2.) Why is it that fuch honour^ ivorfhip^ and ado- ration is due to Chrift ? even becaufe he is the Father's reprefentative image as man, even as he is his eifential image as God. It is grofs idolatry to worfliip God out of this image, or by any other image, either men- ral or real. Ah ! Ihall the devil make men zvorfjip the image of the heaft f Rev. xiii. i , — 8. ; and ftiall not we- for ever honour this ever-living-, everlafting image of our God ? Why is it that v/hat honour is done to Ghrift, is done to the Father, and what diflionour is done to him, is done to the Father ? John v. 23. Be- caufe the Father hath ordered, that all menfhould ho- nour the Son^ even as they honour the Father ; and de- clares, he that honours not the Son, ho7iours not the Fa' ther. Why ? even as they that fee not Chrift, fee not the Father j and they that know not Chrift, knovv' not ■
the
S.ERM« XXIX, &c. a View of God in Christ. 483
the Father ; fo they that do not honour Chrift, do not honour the Father. They that difobey Chrift, difobey the Father ; they that dilpleafe Chrill, diipleafe the Father ; they that believe in Chrift, beheve in the Fa- ther ; therefore, fays Chrift, here in the context, Te believe in God^ believe aljo in me : whicli intimates this, among other things, that though one may beheve in Godj in fonie refped, without believing in Chrill-, yet we cannot beheve in Chrill, without believinjr in God ; for, by him zve believe in God^ i Peter i. 2 1 . Again,
(3.) Wliy is it that the Father honours ihcm ihaifcrve and follovj Chrift ? John xii. 26. If any man fcrve mc^
him will my Father honour, Why, they that fcrve
Chrift, ferve the Father. Why does the Father love them that love Chrift ? John xiv. 23. Why, the lov- ers of Chrift are the lovers of God ; and they are but haters of the Father that are not lovers of the Son.
(4.) W^hy, is the anointing [aid to tcaeh all thi?:gs f 1 John ii. 27, Why, when the Spirit makes known Chrift, he makes known the Father j and furely they know all things neceftary to be known ; they know all who know him, who is ail in all. Thus the meaneft believer knows more than the wifeft philofopher that ever was in the world, if he was ignorant of Chrift.
(5.) Why is it that the Father is employed in glori- fying Chrift in heaven^ and the Spirit fent to glorify Chrift on earth ? See how the Father glorifies him in heaven, Phil. ii. 9, 10, He became obedient unto deaths even the death of the crofs : wherefore God hath highly ■exalted him^ and given him a name that is above every name, W hat is the reafon ? fee it ver. 11, It is to the glory of God the Father : for wjien the Son of man is
glorifed^ God is glorified in him^ John xiii. 31. See
alfo how the Spirit is fent to glorify him on earth, John xvi. 14. Whyfo? even becaufe when he is glorified, the Father is glorified in him, ver. 15. All things that the Father hath are mine, O Sirs, if the Spirit hath been fent to glorify Chrift among us to day, then the Father hath been glorified in the Son,
F p p 2 (6.) Why
484 W^ Saving Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, 6^^.
(6.) \^/hy is it that the faints and children of God delire fometimes to be dijjolved^ and to be withChrlfif why, even that they may fee him there, and the Fa* ther in him gloriouily : for, if they that fee him here, fee the Father in him, how much more will all his own, and his Father's glory, then be manifefted to their everlailing contentment, and full ineffable confo* lation through the ages of eternity ! The fight of Chrifl that the believer gets is of fuch an attractive nature, that the heart alFedcd with the glory of Chrift, is jufl like the needle touched with a loadilone ; it is in con- flant motion till it fix on its proper point : fo is the believer's heart in a continual motion towards Chrift, though yet, perhaps, like the needle, in a weak tremu- lous m:mner, the foul fighs, and fobs, and pants, and grones, in reading, in hearing, in prayer, in medita" tion, yet ftill preiling forward till it come to its centre in heaven.
13. Hence learn, what reafon ministers have to preach Chrift ; what reafon people have to learn Chrift ; what reafon sinners have to receive Chrift ; and what reafon saints have to love Chriji, Why, they that preach Chrift, learn the Father ; they that come to Chrift, come to the Father in him and by him ; and they that love Chrift, love the Father. They who do not preach Chrift, let them bufk up, deck, and adorn their fermons with all the flowers of rhetoric and o- ratory in the world, and with all the expreffions of feeming refpect to God im.aginable, yet they caft a cloud upon the glory of the Father, when they do not preach Chrift. As he that honours not the Son, honours not the Father that fent him, John v. 23. : fo he that does not preach Chrift, does not preach the Father, Little wonder then, that honeft minifters are always beating upon this ftring : O ! let none blame them for preaching Chrift ; for, he is both the Alpha and Omega, the firft and laft letter and lefTon of our re- ligion ; The author and Jim/her of faith, We can- not preach the Father's mind and will, concerning any part of our falvation, without preaching Chrift. Who can learn the Father's enlightening, juftifying, fandify-
ing
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of God in Christ. 485
ing and faving grace, without learning Chrift, as ??mdf of God to us wifdo??i, rigbteoufnefs^fand'ificaiion^ and re- demotion f Who can learn repentance towards God, which is a turning from fin to God, without learning, in order of nature before it. Faith towards our Lord Jefiis Chrift^ Ads xx. 21. ? feeing there is no turning to God, but in Chrill ; no coining to the Father but by him. Repentance, then, toward God is the end ; and faith, toward our Lord Jefus Chrift, is the mean towards that end : and fo, Vv'ith refped to faith itfelf, there is no believing in God aright without believing alfo in Chrift, By whom we believe in God: nor can there be any love to God, but in Chrift ; we are not lovers of the Father, if we be not lovers of Chrift ; and good reafon have the faints to love Chrift, becaufe they fee his glory, and the Father's glory in him. He that hath feen me^ hath feen the Father*
life 2. lih^fecond ufe might be by way of trial or examination. Have you got a faving fight of Chrift at this, or any fuch occafion ? 'Why then, the great mark of it is, if you have feen Chrift^ you have fee7i the Fa- iher : if you have feen Chrift's glory, you have feen the Father's glory in him ; for, He is the hrightnefs of the Father'' s glory : if you have feen Chrift's perfon, you have feen the exprefs image of his perfon : if you have feen Chrift, you have feen the Father in all thefe and the like refpedls that I mentioned in the dodrinal part. Hath the God, who commanded light tofhine out of dark- nefs^ Jhined into your hearty to give you the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Chrift f Then you have feen Chrift indeed, if you have thus got the light of the knowledge of the Father's glory in his face. It is poflible, indeed, that you may have feen Chrift, and yet not know that you have feen the Father, even though it be impoflible to fee Chrift and not fee the Father : for, Philip here, had feen Chrift, and feen the Father in him alfo, as Chrift declares, ver. 7. Hciice- forth you know him^ and have feen him, Notwithftand- ing this declaration of Chrift, Philip's faying, Lord^ fh^w US the Father^ and itfifficeih^ intimates the weak-
ncfs
4Bd The Saving Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, &c,
nefs oi his faith, the darknefs of his view, and that he knew not that he had feen the Father ; upon which ChrKt, having reproved him for his ignorance, faying, Have [ been Jo long time ivitb you, and yet haft thou not knoivn me^ Philip f he again refumes the dodrine he had delivered, verfe 7. where he had faid. If ye had known mc^ ye would have known my Father alfo : and he refumes it here yet more clearly and exprelly, fay- ing. He that hath feen me^ hath feen the father ; how then fay eft thou^ Shew its the Father f If any believers h:re, who think they have feen Chrift, be yet at a loft to know if they have feen the Father, let them hearken to Vw'hat Chrift is here faying to them, as he did to Miilip, Have I beenfo lon^ time with thee, and yet haft ibou not known me f He that hath feen me, hath feen the Father, But are you ftill in the dark, Philip ? Do you not yet knovy, believer, that you have feen the Father in Chrilt, and would you have this queilion further opened ?
QjLJEST. How JJjall I know, if I have feen Christ in fnch a fa-viug manner as tojee the Father in him f
For helping the weak believer in this matter : if he whole prerogative it is to fliew us the Father, would fend his Spirit to fnine on a mark or two for clearing this, that in feeing Chrill, you have feen the Father, there are two ways by which you may try it, natnely, I. By reflecling on the objcfi, 2. By the offspring of this hivinc; fi^ht.
ift. Take a review of the ohjecl of this fight, namely, Christ, in whom the Father is feen. And if ever you have feen Chrill, you may know you have feen the Fa^ ther : for, there are certain relations wherein he (lands to the Father, not only as he is his eternal Son, but alfo as he is our Saviour, Fie ftands related to the Father, I fay, in thefe refpecls fo clofly, that it is impoflible to^ fee him without feeing the Father. As he that fees a"' fon cannot but know, not only that there is a father, fince the fon is a relative that mud have a father ; but alfo, if the fon be fo like him, the very pidure of the fa» tber, then he that fees the fon cannot but be faid to fee
the
Sf.rm. XXIX, &c\ a View of God in Christ 4B7
the father ; much more fo it is here ; Chrift, the Son being not only the Father's pidure, but, in refped of his Deity, beiqg clothed with the very fame eilentirjl perfedions, the fame individual attributes and excel- lencies. Such is his perfonal equality in power and glory, and eilential onenefs and famenefs in fubdance with the Father, that there is no feeing of him without feeing the Father. But more particularly, with a v^cw to the relations wherein he flands to the Father, even as he is our Saviour.
1. If you have feen Chrift, you have feen him to be the Father's Choice ; Behold mine Eled^ fays the Father of him, Ifa. xlii. i. Why, then you have 'i^zi^n the Fa- ther choofmg him from all eternity, to be a Saviour ai^J Surety for loft fmners.
2. Flave you feen him as the Father's Servant, m this work of our redemption ? Behold my Servant^ *whom I uphold. If fo, then you have feen the Father in his maichlefs love, putting his fervice in his hand, ami laying help upon One that is mighty to fave^
3. Have you feen him as the Father^s Darling and Delight t' Mine Eled, in whom my foul delight eth, fays the Father ; then you have feen the Father taking plea- fure in him, as his faithful and righteous Servant in managing this work. And I will affure you, fucli views of the Father, in Chrift, are no fmall thing — ^ Again,
4. Have you feen him as the Father's Amhajfador, and as the iSent and Sealed of the father : and that him hath God the Father fealed ! Why then, to be fure, you have feen (as imported in this) the Father fending, feaU ing, and clothing him with a commiiTion to this eiTed, Of faving fmners, of whom you are the chief There is a notable fight of the Father. Again,
5. Have you feen him as the Father's Gift : the nn- fpeakahle Gift of God, given for a Covenant of the people ^ This imports ^ fight of the Father, as giving him free- ly for that end, to be cur complete falvation ; and fo you have feen the Father in hi??i. Again,
6. Have you feen him as the Father's Trcon/rcr, In whom are bid all the trea fure s cf wifdcm and knowledge :
all
488 The Saving Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, &c.
all the treafures of divine fulnefs in him f Then you have feen the Father's fulnefs in him. And what bet- ter fight of the Father can you have, than to fee him in all His fulnefs ; to fee him in Chrifi^ tin whom dwells all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily. Again,
7. Have you feen him as the Father's Secretary^ fent to reveal the heart, and mind, and will of the Father to you ? Then you have feen the Father's council in hiniy yea, the Fathtr^s thoughts ; even though, as hea- 'ven is higher than the earthy fo his thoughts are higher than our thoughts, yet when you faw Chrift, you favv his thoughts towards you to be thoughts of good, and not of evil, to give you an- expeSied end. While unbelief pre- vailed, and a legal fpirit, you judged he had ill thoughts and defigns againft you, and a mind to deftroy you ; but when, by faith, you faw Chrift, then you faw he had better thoughts, and a mind to fave you. And did you not win far forward, and admitted very near, to fee the Father, when, in Chrift, you faw his very mind, and thoughts, and counfel concerning you ; How can you fay then, if you faw Chrift, that you did not fee the Father ? Again,
8. Have you feen him as the Father's Image and B,e- frefentative ? Then furely you have feen the Father re- prefented by him. Who is the image of the itiviftble God ; ~ the brightnefs of his glory , and the exprefs i?nage of his per ^ fin ; his effential image as God : and reprefenfative
image, as man. And hence,
9. Have you feen him as the Father's Equal f the man that is my Fellow, fays the Lord of hofts, who thinks it no robbery to be equal with God f Then you have feen the Father's power and glory in him ; for, therein they are perfonally equal, and effentially one.
10. In a word, have you feen him, and the Father's furniture about him, qualifying him as Mediator for the great work of our redemption, both by price and pow- er ? Then you have feen the Father's Spirit in him, and refting upon him, as a Spirit of wifdom and iinderfland- ing, a Spirit of counfel and ?night, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, Ifa. xi. 2. For he hath put his Spirit upon him, thai he ?night bri?2g forth judgment to
the
Serm. XXIX, ^'r. a View^of God in Christ. 489
the Gentiles^ Ifa. Ixii. i. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me^ fays Chrifl, for he hath aywinted me to preach good tidings to the meek^ to hind up the broken-hearted^ to proclaim liberty to the captives^ and to open the prifon doors to them that are bound. Got you never an apprehen- fi on of Chrifl, as being anointed ivith the oil of gladncfi above his fellozvs^ and as having a fuper-cminent unc- tion of the Spirit above meafure f If you have thus feen the Spirit of the Father in him, it is one of the greatcft fights that can be feen ; for, to fee the Father'' s Spirit in the Son, is to fee a whole Trinity Father, Son, and Holy Ghojl, with one glance of the eye of faith. — Well then, can you fay, believer, but that when ycu faw Chrifl in thefe refpeds I have mentioned, ycu alfo have
feen the Father ? Try it then by the object of this
fight.
idly. Take a view of the fruit and offspring of this fa-vingfght. As they that fee Chrifl fee the Father, and cannot but fee the Father's wifdoni in providing him, the Father's love in beflowing him, the Father's grace in accepting him as the Surety, and the Father's fatisfaftion with him and in him, for his doing and dying in our room and flead, according to the Fathcr'^j will, and council of peace that was betwixt them both ; lb this fight cannot but afietl the hearts of all that have the happinefs to enjoy it. If a prince come to a poor man's houfe, how Ihall we know whether he be flill there ^, Thouejh we fee him not, we may know by his train, and thcfe that attend ; if we fee his train, we know he is there : even fo the believer may know whether Chrifl be revealed in him, and in his heart, thouglvhe be at prefent out of fight, if his train be at- tending : Ifaiah y^ic; the Lord upon a throne,^ high and lifted up, and his train fdled the temple, Ifa. vi. i. Now, it is pofTible the train may be feen, when the Lord himfelf is not fo difcernable. There is a train oi hlcf- Rngs that attend a faving revelation of Chrifl, or a fav- ing fight of him, that you would try yonrfclvcs by. I iliall name a few of them ; for, if you have fan Chnfc, iiiid the Father In hlni^ then the fight was generative.
Vol. II. Q^c-q So
49^' '^he Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &c.
So as to regenerate you, and beget all graces and virtues in you, John i. 13, 14, 16. There believers are faid io be born, not of the will of the fiejh, nor of the will of man, but of God : not of their free will, but of God's free grace. Well, but by what means are they thus regenerate ? It follows, l^he Word was made fleJJo, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. The great mean of their being begotten anew is, their beholding the glory of the only begotten of the Father ; and, as it is by this fight they are begotten, fo by this all graces are be- gotten, as you fee, by comparing verfes 14. and 16. together, We beheld his glory,— full of grace and truth : and out of his fulnefs have we all received, and grace for grace, A faving light of Chrifl then, and of the Father in him, hath a powerful generative quality. — Would you know, believer, when you was born again, or the fir ft moment of your regeneration ? It was that moment wherein you firft got a view of the glory of the only begotten of the Father ; and if you would try it by the fruits of it, the offspring is fo numerous, that we cannot undertake to fpeak of all. I fhail mention fome of the many things that this fight begets.
I . This fight begets faith, it ufhers in believing ; ~'He that fees the Son, and believes in him, hath everlaji- ing life, John vi. 40. It is by beholding him, we be- lieve in him ; Looking unto Jefus, the Author and Fi- nijher of our faith, Heb. xii. 2. There is a looking to him by fpiritual underftanding, in order to our look- ing to him by faith ; a looking to Jefus, the objetl of faith ; and, in this way, we are made to find him the Author of faith. There is a looking to him for faith, and a looking to him by faith* Can you fay, Alas ! I could not believe, though give me a world, till he manifefted his glory tome ; and when I faw his glory, then I could not but believe that the firft ad of faith was begotten by the firft view of Chrift ; and that all the after-ads of faith depended upon the further dif- coveries of Chrift ; He mamfefled forth his glory, and his d'fclples believed on him, John ii. 11,
2, This
Serm. XXIX, &c, a View of God in Christ. 491
2. This fight begets hope^ i Peter ii. 3. It is there declared, that by the God and Father of our Lord Jcfus Chriji^ manifefiing him felf particularly in Chrift^s refur^ reBion from the dead, believers are faid to be begot tcji again to a lively hope. O believer, when once you be- held this glory of God in Chrift, was not then your languifliing dclpair turned to a lively hope ? Was not your fears of hell and wrath, which you was convinced was your natural inheritance, as a child of wrath, and an heir of hell, was not this fear of hell and wrath, I fay, in the day when you faw Chrid, turned to a hope of an inheritance incorruptible j undefled, and that fadeth not away f
3. This fight begets repentance 'indi forroiv for fin ; Zech. xii. 10 l^hey Jhall look on him zvhoni they have pierced, and mourn. Was it poffible, for you, O belie- ver, to look upon this glorious Sun of righteoufnefs without a watering eye, or a mourning penitential heart ? Did not the heart, tha,t was harder than a flint, become fofter than wax, melting before the warm fire of the love of God, manifefled in Chriil !
4. This fight begets love ; VVhoin havi?ig not feen, \yi%, by fenfe, but by faith,] we love, i Peter i. 8. — Love to his perfon, as being, the brightnefs of the Fa- therms glory ; love to his people, as the excellent ones of the earth ; love to his fiatutes, faying, 0 that my ways were direded to keep thy fiatutes ; love to his ordinan- ces, and to the place where his honour dwells. Is it poffible you could fee him, and yet not love him in all refpeds ?
3. This fight begets liberty ; for, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, [as a Spirit of revelation, difcovering the glory of Chrift,] there is liberty, 2 Cor. iii. 17.-— O Sirs, did not the fight of the glory of God, in Chrift, enlarge your heart, and loofe your bonds, and fet you at liberty from your fetters and fears ; at liberty from the law and legal bondage ? Got you not liberty to unbofom yourfelf unto the Lord ; liberty to plead, and liberty to pray, and liberty to praife, and all the doors of your prifon caft open ?
6. This fight begets joy and faiisfailicn ; In whom, O q q 2 ihou'^h
'492 The Saving Sight ; or, Serm* XXIX, &c^
tbouyb nozv ive fie him noty yet believing^ ive rejoice with joy iinf-peakable^ and full of glory ^ i Peter i. 8. Mra^ hicni ja-w my day^ and rejoiced^ fays Chrift ; ^nd then -were the difciples glad zvhcn they f aw the Lord, This is Iweetly propheficd of, Ifaiab 3^xxv. 1,2, The wildernefi and folitary places Jhall be glad, and the defert Jhall re^ joice and bloffom as the rofe : it Jhall blolfom abundantly^ and rejoice even with joy and finging / why all this ? It iollows, They jhall fee the glqry of the Lord, and thf excellency of our God, O believer, did not your heart. ]eap within you, when you law the gl^ry of the Lord ? It is true, people may hav? a kind of joy, in that "which will not give folld fatisfaftion ; but here is/w// fatisfatiton^ as well z% fulnefs of joy, A man may fay, Vv^hen he is higheft in the comforts of this world. Ah ! there is no fohd permanent fatisfaftion here 5 there is a v/ant ; there is a want ; death and judgment trip up the heels of all that comfort : but it is not fo here \ the man that hath feen the glory of the Lord, nvay fay. Now, I can trample upon all worldly joy \ nov/, I can triumph in the view of death, judgment, and eternir ty ; Thanks be to God, which always caufes us to triumph in Chr'ft, Noiv is ?ny foul fatisfed a^ with vmrro^} and fatnefs.
7. This fight begets /<J77^/«^ ; yea, longing for more, ^nd more of the knowledge ofChrift, and of the glory of God in him ; One thing have 1 defired of the Lord^ and that I will feek after, that I may dwell in the houfe of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold tb^ beauty, of the Lord, Pfalm xxvii. 4. So Paul, Phil. i. 8,--ri4, It begets a longing to be above, where the vifion will be full and uninterrupted ; and a defre to be difjolved^ and to be with Chrift^ C) to be for ever with the Lord ! Jt begets a longing to be free o^ ftn and unbelief, and every thing that hinders the immediate vifion and en-^ joyment of the Lord.
8. This fight begets hojinefs and conformity to the ob* jeft difcovered j Beholding his glory, we are changed into, the fame Image, from glory to glory ; and fo thereby he becomes all glorious within, Notwithftandmg of the re^ inainder of corruption, and the preyelepge of it j yet
S^pRM. XXIX, &c, a View of God in Christ. 493
there is fomething within that will have the lafl: word, fo as the devil cannot get his work finiflied in that heart. The devil is faid to work effeclnally in the wicked : that is, fays one, Hefnijhes his work : but in the faints he cannot get that done ; for, grace comes after, and over- throws that work fome way or other. Thus the devil fifted Peter, and foiled him ; but afterwards Peter wept out the devil's work upon Chrifl's looking upon him, and his looking to Chrift. Indeed, a new fight of Chrifl: gives always a new victory over hn, and makes the foul advance in holinefs, purity, and conformity to the Lord Jefus ; Beholding his glory ^ full of grace and truth ^ yje receive out of his fulnefs ^ grace for grace ^ as the wax receives letter for letter from the feal. This fight of God in Chrifl, is not dry, barren fpeculation, that leaves you as proud and carnal, malicious, wicked, and worldly as ever, no ; you may fufpe6l it is not a faving fight, if it did not, in fome meafure, leave an impreffion of the holinefs of God upon yoq.
9. This fight begets humility ^ f elf -loathings and abafe- vient ; other knowledge puffs up, but this preffes down the foul to nothing before the Lord, faying. Now mine eyes fee thee; wherefore I abhor ?nyfelf and repent in dufi and afloes^ Job xiii. 5. The fame light that dif^ covers the greatncfs of God, difcovers the meannefs of the creature ; the holinefs of God feen, difcovers the vilenefs of the creature ; the fulnefs of God being feen, then appears the emptinefs of the creature, an4 the bafenefs thereof: hence the holieil of men, upon the difcovery of the Lord, mull cry out. Behold^ 1 am vile, Ifaiah vi. 5. Then is the foul ajhamed and con- founded, when the Lord is difcovered zs pacified tovjards it, Ezek. xvi. G/i)* O ! did not the fight of the glory of God in Chrifl, believer, make the haughtincfs of vuin to fall, and the loftinefs of man to be laid low I The fairer that Chrifl: is feen, the viler does the believer {cc. himfelf; and then felf-wifdom, felf-righteoufnefs, felf- love, are dafhed down to the ground, and covered with ihame and blulhing.
10. This fight begets holy boldnefs and confidence,. t^ptwithftfinding the humbling nature of this view j
yet
494 T/7^ Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &c,
yet it is emboldening alfo, leading the foul to fay, Trufh^ Lordy I am a dog ; but yet, be what I will, I mud have a crumb. Now, that thou haft let n^^e know where my fupply lies, I will truft and confide in thee alone for it : They that know thy name^ will put their truji in thee ; for thou^ Lord^ hajl not forfaken them that fcek thee^ Pfalm ix. lo.
In a word, if you have feen Chrift, and the Father in him, did not the hght beget peace of confcience before God I Being j lift ifed by faith ^ we have peace with God ; and this flowing from the fight and knowledge of God ; for, by his k?20wledge fnall my righteous fervant jiift if y via- nyy fays God. According to the meafure of faith, was there never aj^v and peace in believing x\\2X you found ? —Did not the fight hcgtt patience under (:rofles that you was compaffed with ? It is faid of Mofes, He endured, as feeing him that is invifible, — Were not all worldly troubles^ trials^ and reproaches made eafy to you, when the Spirit of God, and of glory was refting on you ? —Did not the fight beget zeal for the glory of God, and for the good of the fouls of others, and make your heart cry out, O that all the world would come and fee this glory, and admire the King in his beauty ? — Did not the fight beget Jirength 2ind fortitude, fo as the joy of the Lord was your fir ength ; and you could fay, / can do all things through Chrift flrengthening me ; for now he hath ftrengthencd me with ftr ength in my foul ; and made me to fay. In the Lord have I righteoufnefs andflre?igth f — Did not the fight beget a chearful gof pel-walk, according to that word, Pfal. Ixxxix. 15, i5. Blefjed are the people that know the joyful found ; they flmll walk, 0 Lord, in the light of thy countenarice. Thou art the glory of their ftr ength ; and in thy rightcotfnefs fyall they be exalted^ — Did not the fight beget praife and adoration, faying, 0 / what jh all I render to the Lord for all his benefits f — Did it not beget woiider and admiration, faying, What am I, and what is my Father'* s houfe, that thou hafl brought me hitherto : Is this the m^an- ner of man, 0 Lord ; and what can Dan)idfay more unto thee f — Did not the fight beget contempt of the world, and a felli^tg of your all for this pearl of great price f
faying.
Serm. XXIX, ii'c, a View of Govi in Christ. 495
faying, I count all but lofs and dung^ for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrifi. Could you not trample on the world as dung, when the glory of the Lord appeared to you ? Was not Chrifi more precious to you than a thou- fand worlds of gold ? Hath the fight you got of God, in Chrifi, fuch a fair offspring as this ? Then it looks like a faving fight.
I fhall add finally. Did not this fight of the glory of God in Chrifi, O believer, beget in you an indelible im^ prejfion of that glory that time cannot utterly wear out. It is prophefied, Ifa. Ix. 19, The LordJI?all bethy cver^ lafiing light ^ and thy God thy glory. This light of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord in the face of Jefus Chrifi^ is, in fome refped, everlafling ; while the candk of the wicked is put out and the candle of the hypocrite put out. Hence, Heb. vi. 4. — Though once enlighten^ ed^ they may fall away ; the apprehenfion and impref- fion of all that common light may utterly fail : but it is not fo here with the believer ; the Lord is his ever- lafting lights even though his Lord may, for a moment, hide his face from him.
Perhaps fome believers may now be faying, What- ever be the fair offspring of this faving fight of God in Chrift, that you have been mentioning, though I fome- times think, I have got that fight you fpeak of, and at certain times have found fome of thefe fruits and offspring thereof, yet have I not now reafon to fufpecl, it is but a common light, like that of the hypocrite, and that I never got that faving fight when I find, to my experience, that all the fruit and offspring thereof is now dead and gone, dead and buried, dead and out of fight ? For I think fometimes not fo much as the leail impreiTion thereof remains.
O believer, if you have feen Chrifi, and the Father in him, examine it over again, and you will find it otherwife than you fuppofe, and that there is a living imprefTion remains, whether it be lively or not : there- fore, I charge you before God, believer, to be inge- nuous in this matter; was there not fomething in Chrill you faw, that took fuch impreflion on you, that you have never to this day forgotten ? It may be you have
forgot-
'496 ^/jeSAvt-KG Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, &c.
forgotten many friends and acquaintances, that are dead and away ; you have forgotten many fermons that you heard in your hfetime : you have forgotten many words that pad betwixt you and your neighbours fome years ago ; you have forgotten fome vifits that certain friends made to you; but there was a vifit that Chrift made to you at fuch a time, there was fome fight that you got or him, and fome word that you got from him, and that is a thing you can never forget to this day. I fpeak either of the firft fight that ever you got of him, or of fome following remarkable vifits that he made to you, in difplaying his glory : for a believer may get a thoufand views of Chrift in his life- time, but there are fome views that he gets, that if he were to live a thoufand years, he could never forget them. Have you not a frefh remembrance, believer, to this day, of fuch a fpot of ground where you faw his glory ? Was not fuch a place like a Bethel, a houfe of God ? and fuch another place like a Peniel, where you faw God in a manner face to face ? V/hatever cloudy days have intervened fince that time, yet you can never forget it ; for, fo far as you can judge in the fight of the heart-fearching God, it carried all the marks of a faving manifeilation along with it. Why then, will yoii fay, that all the fruits and impreffion of it are dead and gone ? For there is a living remem- berance of it in your heart to this day, and a living wilh and defire at the root of your heart, faying, O to fee that glory of God again! What is the reafon, that this can never wear out of your head and heart ? Even becaufe it is an eternal and incorruptible thing ; The Lord is thy evcrlafting light : and you will carry this imprefuon into eternity with you ; and heaven will perfect the vifion : We Jlmll be like hi?}i, for zee /hall fee him as he is,
life 3. The third ufe might be for conviclion to the wicked and ungodly ; that is, to all unbelievers that never yet have feen Chrift, and confequently, never faw God the Father in him ; and, like Gallio, care for none of thefe things^ and that are not concerned with
fucb
Serm. XXIX5 iyc. a View of Gov> in Christ. 497
fuch fpeculations. Why, man, have you no concern in this matter ? Is it not of everlalling momeni, whe- ther you got a faving fight of Chrilt, yea, or not ? Know you not, thai if our gofpel be hid^ it is bid io them that are lojl^ in 'whom the god of this ivorld hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, leji the light of the glorious gofpel of Chrijt, ivho is the image of God, fhould jhine unto them, f* 2 Cor, iv. 3, 4. And that it is life eternal^ to know God in Chriji^ and confequentiy eternal death to want this fight ? Will you tell me, if a phyfician iliould come into a chamber w^here there are two fick perfons, and (liould fay, the one will die of that difeafe, and the other will recover ; would they not think it their concern to enquire after this matter ? Much more is this a concern above all fuch concern. When I tell you that hear me, that one part of you are believers, that have feen the glory of God in Chrilt, and you fhall live, and live for ever ; the other part, and, alas ! the greatefl part are unbelievers, that have never {^^xi the glory of God in the face of Ch rife ; and if you live and die in that cafe, you die for ever, and will ly eternally under his revenging wrath : and is all this a matter of moon-fliine to you ? If you fee hini not now, you fliall never fee him in m.ercy hereafter. This fight of Chrift, and of his Father in him, is r.o bare empty fpeculation ; nay, it is the very root and foundation of all pradical godlinefs : there is no con- formity to his image, wichout beholding of his glory. Many fpeak of following the example of thrifts even as fomc write volumes of it, as if it were to be attained by a bare imitation of his a^iions ; but this is impof- fible, without a view and intuition of his glory, which alone is accompanied with a transforming power, to
change us into the fame image^ from glory to glory.
What makes one half of the generation fo groily wic- ked, and another fo madly fuperftitious, but the want of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Chriil ? Why is the throng of the nobility and gentry of our day, befides the commonalty, running fo fail to the devil ? And why are ceremonies, and fuper- ftitious human inventions in the worfliip of Gcd, be- VoL, II. R r r come
49^ ^/^'^ Saving Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, &c.
come fo fafhionable f ? Why, people do not fee the glory of God in Chrift, in the glafs of his own pure ordinances and inflitutions ; therefore they make ufe of painted glafles : they do not fee the internal glory, therefore they turn to external pomp and forms ; but, as the more paint is put upon the glafs window the lefs light is conveyed through it \ fo, the more peo- ple pleafc themfelves with a painted ceremonial wor- lliip, the lefs, in the righteous judgment of God, do they fee of the glory of God ; yea, the more do they run out o^ God's way, and love darhiefs rather than light. May the Lord pity a poor ignorant generation, that profefs the knowledge of Chrift, and yet know nothing of the glory of God in the face of Chri/i, But I Ihall not enlarge here.
Ufe 4. The fourth ufe might be for confolation fo believers that have feen Chrift ; for, he that hath fe en Chrijl^ hath feen the Father, O believer, you have feen much that have feen Chrift, you have feen his
glory and his Father's glory too. Here is comfort
againft the apprehenfion you have of your own igno- rance of God : Oh ! fays the man that fees God in Chrift, / am more brutifh than any man ; I have not the underftanding of a man : fo foolifti am I and ignorant j / am as a heafl before God, Indeed they that fee him beft, are under moft humbling imprefTions that they cannot fee, and of the impoflibility of feeing him, dur- ing the ftate of fm and mortality ; this keeps the be- liever's heart in awe, and caufes him to w^alk before God with holy fear and reverence, knowing how dan- gerous it is to think amifs of God, and yet how cjif- licult it is to think aright of him. However, believer, you that have got a faving fight of Chrift, you have feen farther than you are apt to think you have feen, though it is but a fmall portion of God that at beft we know ; it may be, with Philip, when you faw Chrift, you did not know that you faw the Father. There is
f Epifcopacy, though reformed from, and abjured by our Cove- rants, was, at this time, in fev^ral places, meeiing with encourage- ment : and £pi*ro7sd by many of hith rank,
more
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of God in Christ. 499
more glory in the objed of faith, than you are ready to take up ; but the Lord Jefus is ready to teach you, and make you know better what you know. There is more knowledge and perfuafion of the love and grace of God in Chrifl, in the aft of faith, than the belie- 'ver may be aware of upon reflexion, till the Lord Je- fus difcover to him anew what his faith is, and let him know what he faw and difcerned when he faw Chrifl ; he lets you know. He that bath feen ?ne, hath fee n the Father* — Again, O believers, here is comfort againft all troubles and trials you can meet with in this valley of tears : let me fay to you as Chrifl faid. Matt. xiii. t6. Bleffed are your eyes^ for they fee. You cannot be un- happy and miferable to whom the Lord hath manifef- ted his glory, though you be a poor man, a plundered man, a perfecuted man, a fick man or woman, or whatever elfe can be called mifery about you : if you believe Chrifl, who is the truth, you are a blclTed man, a bleffed woman. Though you were fick, and fliould never fee health ; though you were weak, and fliould never fee flrength ; though you were poor, and fliould never fee wealth ; though you were baniflied, and fliould never fee your own country or friends ; yea, though you were ftark blind, and fliould never fee the fun in the firmament ; yet if you have feen Chrift, and feen the Father in him, bleffed are your eyes ^ for they fee. All the bleffedncfs in the v/orld, and that ever man- kind enjoyed from the creation, put all together, is not worthy to be compared with one glance that a be- liever hath of the glory of God in Chrifl, And it may be, there are fome believers here of fuch flanding, that they have got a thoufand of thefe glances, fince the Lord began to difcover himfclf, and reveal his glo- ry to them. For fliame then, believer, be not difcou- raged with every trifle in the world ; your lines arc faU [en in pleafant places^ and you Jjavc a goodly heritage. Never look dejefted any more ; envy not the. wicked any more ; but rather pity them, and weep for them, whatever be their outward pomp and profj^erity, you have infinitely greater treafure. We have this treafurc in earthen veffels^ faith the apoflle y well, what,trea- R r r 2 fure?
500 7he Saving Sight ; <?r, Serm, XXIX, &c,
furc ? even the manifeftation of God's glory in Chrift, that is here fpoken of : therefore you may fay, behe- ver, though I have not worldly profit, nor pelf, nor money, nor honour, let the world have all, yet 1 have u good bargain. O believer, pity the world that know no better happinefs than good meat and brave clothes ; that know no better enjoyment than cabaling, eat* ing, drinking, dancing, roaring, dicing, carding, hunting, gaming. Alas 1 if they v/ere not mad they could not be merry in that cafe, being without God in the iiwrld.- — Here is comfort againft defertion ; have you feen him once, you will fee him again ; though he hide himfelf for a moment^ yet he is the God of Be* ihel^ where you anointed the pillar^ and vowed the vow tnito him. — Here is comfort againft death ; though yoii ihould die poor and mean ; yea, though you (houM xlie di{lra6led, yet having feen his glory, you fhall fee him in glory, and praife him for ever ; your eyes have feen his fahatlon ; and therefore though you know not. in what circumftances you fliali die, or how foon yoli ihall depart, yet you may well be content to die what death the Lord will, and how foon foever he pleafes, fa) lug, Now ktteft thou thy ferva^it depart in peace: for mine eyes have feen thy falvation. And whenever death clofes your bodily eyes, you fliall fee ^cixmface to face. ——Take home all the ftrong confolations that God jillows you who have feen Chrifl.
life 5, The lafi ufe fhould be in a word of exhortati- on. And our exhortation fliali confift of two branches, 1. To thofe who have never yet feen Chrift, nor the Father in him. 2. To believers, who have already feen Chrift.
y?, Our exhortation fliall firft be direcled to unbelie-! vers. Do they that fee Chrift fee the Father ? O then, you that never faw before. Come and fee ; co??ie and fee this ^reat fight J
fi.] For motives confider, i. The excellency of this fight. 2. The necejjlty of this fight.
1. Confider xht excellency of this fight. To fee all the great works of God is a great tiling, but to fee
God
Serm. XXIX, &c. a Vie'U^ of God in Christ 501
God himfelf, who is invifible, in his own image and rcprefentative, is an excellent fight. O the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift, in whom we have the knowledge of the Father! The holy properties of the divine nature are not only reprcfentcd to our faith in Chrift as to their own eflential glory, but as they are exerted for our falvation : for in him we fee inlinite wifdom, power, juiiice, holinefs, and mercy exerting themfclves, in the contrivance, conftitution and efficaci* ous accompliihment of the great work of our rcdemp. tion and falvation. This gives, as to our view, an un- fpeakabie luftre to the native amiablenefs of thefe di- vine attributes. As they are eternally refident in the divine nature, and abfolutely the fame with it, we can- not fo comprehend them as to have any endearing, fa- tiating view of their glory ; but as they are exerted to our falvation, thefe beams of glory fhine with un- fpeakable raviftment ; 0 the depths cf the riches both of the zvifdom and knowledge cf God f how tmfearchahle are his judgments^ and his ways fafi finding cut ! Rom. xi. 33. Here is a great privilege, and a great myflery both.j a privilege to be valued, as it is a dawning of heaven f and a myflery to be viewed with fpiritual v/ifdom ; wif- dom from above is abfolutely necelfary ; for, flefh and blood cannot reveal it. How blind w^ere the greatcft philofophers in comparifon with the meanefl; difciple of Jefus, that fees this great fight ? Eut then,
2. Confider tlie necejjity of this fight. There is no fee- ing of Chrift above, ii' we get not a begun fight and view of him here ; yea, you cannot fo much as dehrethe glory of God in heaven, whatever you pretend, if you never fawthe glory of Chrift here. If a man pretend he is de- lighted with, and defires greatly what he never faw, nor was ever reprefented to him, he does but dote upon his imagination. The pretended defires of many to be- liold the glory of Chrift in heaven, who have no view of it by faith while on earth, are nothing but felf-deceiv- ing imaginations. Therefore, let none deceive \ tliey that fee not Chrift here, Ihall never fee him, nor the glo, ry of God in him hereafter. Now, tliey that do not j fe^ the glory of Chrift, have no grace j for all grace I is
502 TJjc Saving Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, &c.
h begotten only by this fight, as I have Ihewed alrea- dy. He thai fees the Son^ and believes in him^ hath ever* lafling life ; but they that fee not the Son are unbelie- vers and heirs of everlafting death.
(^2.3 ^o'' diredion^ if you afk, Where fliall we fee him ? and how fliall we fee him ?
I. If you afic, Where f>all we fee him f God the Father hath given Chrift to be the glafs wherein you may fee him : Chrift hath given the gofpel to be the glafs wherein you may fee him ; fay not then, Who ivill nfend to heaven and bring Chrift down ; or defend to the deep, to bring him up that we may fee him f You may fee him in this word of faith that we preach, O fee him in that word, ver. 6. I am thevjay, the truths and the Ufe ; no man cometh to the Father but by me. If you take a view of him in that word, you will fee the Fa- ther in him. If you fee him as the way^^oM may fee the Father in liim leading you to himfelf ; if you fee him as the truih^ you may fee the Father in him, teach- ing you his mind and will ; if you fee him as the life, you may fee the Father in him quickening you that are dead in fms and trefpafles. If you fee him in that word, JVa man cometh to the Father, but by me, you may fee the Father in him, determining the neceflity of com- ing to Chrifl by faith, in order to your attaining the enjoyment of God.~0 fee him in his fweet command, lined with gofpel-grace ; Look to me, and befaved all the ends of the earth : for I am God, and there is none elfe, Ifa. xlv. 22. There he is to be feen, and his Father in him \ his call is the Father's call ; you fee it is the call and command of him that is elfentially one with the Fa- ther ; / a?n God, and there is yione elfe, — O come and fee him in his fweet promifes, all lined with love ; fuch as that, Pfal. Ixxii. 17. Men f jail be blefl in him, and all na- tions fhall call him blefjed. And again, Surely fl>all one fay. In the Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength. Men fliall be blell in him ; and furely, one Ihall fay, in the Lord 1 have all. O what encouraging promifes are here, even to them that think they cannot fee him ; they cannot look to him ! for the very (Irength to look to
him.
Serm. XXIX, 6y. a View of God in Christ. 503
him, and the eye to fee him, is put in the promife they Jhall be bkji in him ; they Ihall fay, hi the Lord have I righteoufnefs andjlrength. They jhall look vn him whom they have pierced^ and mourn. As the command makes it your duty, fo the promife gives you encouragement to look to him in both 5 and to fee him in a promife, by faith, is as fafe a way of feeing htm, as if you faw him in heaven ; and better than if you faw him with your bodily eyes in the pulpit, and heard him preachhig to you ; for many faw him thus, that never got a faving fight of him by faith. — O come and fee him in his fur- chafe that he hath made by his obedience unto death 9 a purchafe of grace and glory for you, hnncr. But, fay you, was it not for the elecl only? It may be he did not make the purchafe for me ; that was not his defign. My friends, we preach the dodrine of eledion in its own place, and declare, that the the elcci only flmll ob- tain ; and that as nwjiy as were ordained to eternal life Jhall believe : but it were impertinent to bring it ih u- pon the general call of the gofpel ; it belongs fo little to that purpofe, that we could not mention it therein any other way, than to ward it off from that point, when the devil and the wicked unbelieving heart bring it iu as an objection again{l,and an obflrudion to your feeing- Chriit with application to yourfelves. I only alk there- fore, whether is his fecret counfcl, or his open com- mand your rule ? Whether is his hidden purpofe, or revealed promife to be your encouragement ? What have you ado with his fecret ? you are not excluded in his word ; and, why then will you exclude your- felves ? As I call you, therefore, to fee him in his pur- chafe that he hath made of grace and glory to you, fmner, declared in his promife, that he is come to fave fmners : fo I would warn you to beware of a trick of the devil and unbelief here, in turning that to a dif- ccuragemeait of faith, which is really an encourage- ment thereof. Hath Chrill faid, All that the Father bath given me^ jhall come : why then, come and fee him, and then you will fee the Father giving you to him from eternity. Would you defire to get into the very heart of God, and read his eleding love ? You
may
504 7hs Saving Sight , or^ Serm. XXIX^ &c.
may do it by opening this book of the gofpel-promifej and reading it with application to yourfelf ; and there you may fee it. — O come and fee him in his robes of grace Tind falvat ion ; fee him in his garments rolled in blood : behold how be comes from Edo?n^ with dyed gar* merits from Bozrah, See him on a throne of grace in- viting you to come to him, and kindly declaring, that it is his greateft quarrel with you, that you will not come to him that you might have life^ and falvation from all your fms, and all the wrath that is entailed upon them. Are you afraid to look to him, thinking he hath a quarrel with you for your fms ? Nay, but know it, no fm that ever you was guilty of is to be mentioned as the ground of his quarrel, but only for this one, that you will not come and look to him for falvation and deliverance from all fm whatfoever. O fee him then, and welcome him in his kindly offer, arid fay no more, where fhall we fee him ? for he is here prefent dealing witli you in this golpel.
2. If you afk, \Io\n fhall we fee him^ and the Father in him f I gave many motives and diredions alfo, with reference to the knowledge of Chrift, on the do6lrine raifed from the former part of the text ; therefore, 1 need enlarge the lefs here. I fnali offer you thefe two or three advices^ with reference to your feeing of Chriil, in order to your feeing of the Father in him ; or with reference to your getting a faving fight of God in Chrift.
(i.) Be convinced, that unlefs he manifeft hitnfelf you can by no means in the world fee him. Even as* all the candles and torches in the world cannot difcover the uin to you, when under a cloud, till it come forth itfelf : fo all the means in the world cannot difcover God in Chrifl to you till he manifeft himfelf ; / will manifeft myfelf^ John xiv. 21. It is his prerogative to do it when he pleafes ; therefore, give him the glory of his fovereignty, faying, Lord I cannot fee thee ; and all the world cannot let me fee thee ; but O manifeft thyfelf to me. Be convinced that you cannot polhbly fee him, till he open your eyes and Oiew himfelf.
(2.) Be
Serm. XXIX, iyc, a View of God in Christ. 505^
(2.) Be convinced of the neccffity of a powerful rege* neratlon^ ere you can fee (^od ; Except a tnnn be born again^ he cannot fee the k'mgdo?v, of God, John iii. 3. ; and a God in Chrifl is the chief thing, if not the only thing in tliat kingdom. The eyes of flefh and blood cannot fee this great fight : thefe eyes of flefh may fee the natural fun ; but you mufl have other eyes to be- hold the Sun of righteoufnefs, otherwife though his glory be fliining about you, your blindnefs and dark- nefs comprehends him not. Therefore,
(3.) Be convinced of your own grofs darknefs and ignorance of God, A conceit of your own knowledge, and high efleem of yourfeif, and your own wifdom, will both be an evidence that you know nothing as you ought to know ; and alfo be a hinderance of your know- ing and feeing the Lord : therefore you mufl become a fool that vou may be %vife. For judgment am I come into this world, fays Chrift, that they which fee not might fee, and that they which fee might be made blind, John ix. 39.
(4.) Be convinced, that it is ^qvlX fn and mifery- both, that you do not, and cannot fee this glory of God in ChriJL — It is your fin, your leading Tin, and mother of all your other fms : for herein lies the formal na- ture of unbelief, that you do not, you cannot, you will not look to Chriil and be ftived. — And it is. your mi^ fery : for, while unbelief reigns, you are under the power of the devil, hiding tliis light from you ; Jnd^' if our gofpel be hid, it is bid, to them thai are loft, in whom the god of this world haih blinded the minds of them which believe not, left the light of the glorious gofpel of Chrift, who is the image of Cod'^ Jhouldjhine unto them\, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. This darknefs and blindnefs is the
ftrcngth of the devil's kingdom.- Vvhenevcr light
fhines into the heart, his power is broken : but dark- nefs and ignorance is the chain wherein he leads you. to the place of utter darknefs, to which you will be fentcnced with him, if that chain be not loofed in time. What will be the fentence of the great Judge ? v/ill he give one to the devil, and another to w»cked men ? Ko : he will make one to ferve them both ; Go, yow curfed, into everlaftangfre, prepared for the deiil ■ "Vou joined with the devU m loving darkneit', and thcreiorc
Vol. IL S if depart
5c6 77^^ Saving Sight ; or, Serm. XXIX, 6*^.
depart with him ! Oh ! be convinced, poor foul, that the devil is cutting your throat in the dark ; and that it is both your fin and mifery that you do not fee.
(5.) Be convinced, that there is a promife o^ divine illumination left to you to rely on ; They jhall he all taught of God, Every man^ therefore^ that hath heard and learned of the Father^ corncth unto me : no ?nan can come except the Father^ which hath fent me^ draw him^ John vi. 44. Cry, therefore, for the promifed teach- ing, the promifed drawing ; and feeing his powerful drawing is jull his eifeSual teaching, O cry for the powerful promifed illumination of his holy Spirit in the knowledge of Chriit, in whom alone you can know the Father: be refllefs in the ufe of all appointed means, tin the Spirit be fent for this end. It is his fweet coun- fel to you, that you buy of him eyefalve that you may fee. Beg his enlightening Spirit : the Spirit is both the promife of the Father and of the Son ; 1 fend the pronnfe of my Father upon you ; but tarry at Jerufalem till you he endued with power from on high^ Luke xxiv. 49. Stay about his hand, in the ufe of ordinances of his in- flitution, till the promifed Spirit be poured out ; and when he comes ^ fays Chrift, he Jhall tefiify ofme^ he f hall glorify me^ John xv. 26. and xvi. 14. Plead the pro- mife that is left to you of this powerful illumination. • (6.) Be convinced, that however unable and unfit you are for yielding to his call, yet it is both your in- difpenfihle duty to fee and behold this glorious objedt Chrift, in whom you will fee the Father ; and your prefent duty to eflay it with a view to his enabling grace. O Sirs, is not the Father calling you to look to his Son ? faying. Behold my fervant^ whom I uphold ; mine eleB^ in whom 7ny foul delight eth^ Ifa. Ixii. i. And is not the Son calling you to look to him and be fav- ed ? Behold me^ behold me ^ Ifa. Ixv. i. And does not the Spirit and the Bride fay ^ Come? Rev. xxii. 17. — Is a whole glorious Trinity crying to you. Come and fee ; come and fee the Son, and fee the Father in him ? Why then, unlefs you dare fay, it is your duty to trample under foot the authority of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, to look to Jefus is your indifpenfi- ble duty. And fmce he is dealing with you this mo- ment,
Serm. XXIX, 6v. a View of Gob i?i Christ. 50?
nient, it is your prefent duty : Now is the accepted time^ now is the day of falvation : now he is faying, Behold me, behold me. Now you may fee him in mer- cy ; and if the opportunity be flighted, you may ne- ver get another occafion to fee him, till you fee hini in wrath, coming in the clouds of heaven^ and coming in flaming fire to take vengeance 07i them that know not God^ becaufe of their not obeying the gofpel-call of feeing God now in the face of Chrift. O finner, then he will be feen upon a throne of judgment ; a dreadful fight to his enem.ies ! But now he is to be feen upon a throne of mercy and grace, calling fmners and ene- mies to be reconciled to him, and to fee the Father reconciled in him, that fo you may find your judificr ; for now, Chrift is fet forth of God to be a propitiation through faith in his bloody to declare his righteoufncfs ^ for the remiffion offtn^ that he might be juft^ and the jufi-
fier of them that believe in Jcfus^ Rom. iii. 25, 26.
O Sirs, fee and behold him then, as the propitiation and atonement; and there take reft to your guilty foul;; and fee the Father in him well-pleafed and fatisfied. O fee and behold him as the true Jacob's ladder, reaching between heaven and earth, that you may a- fcend by, and fee the Father at the top of the ladder, with open arms ready to embrace all comers, and you among the reft. O fee and behold him as the helper, fmce you cannot afcend the ladder, or get up of your- felf; and fee the Father conftituting him to be the helper, faying, / have laid help upon one that is mighty. Behold this mighty helper itanding in the Father's name, at the foot of the ladder, faying, Man, wo- man, would you gladly be up ? would you have my help ? There is my helping hand, take hold of it ; Take hold of my ftrength^ I fa. xxii. 5.
But, fay you, he muft take hold of me, and draw
me up, otherwife I cannot take hold of him. Well
faid, man ; therefore, fee him as the author and fini-
Jloer^ as well as the objefl of faith ; and fee him as tlie
all of your falvation^ and the Father making him f o ;
for, he is made of God unto its wifdom^ righteoufncf^
fanciification^ and complete redemption. If you think you
can do any thing without him, you are not worthy of
S f f 2 hiui ;
jjcS Jhe Saving SiGHT ; or^ Serm. XXIX, ire,
him ; and you go crofs to this revelation made of him. But if you can do nothing, and have nothing at all^ a!id would have one to do all for you, and to be all tQ •you ; then fee him, and take him as God all-fuffici^ cut, to do all your works in you and for ym- ; and to be your all for grace and glory : and thus to fee him, is to fee the Fatiier and all his fulnefs in him ; and thus to take him into your heart, is to take him indeed, and his Father^s bleiling^ with him.
O Sirs, ihall w^e hope he hath come and difcovered hinifelf to any foul here in this offer ? O 1 kkfed is he that conwtb in the name of the Lord, and lets himfelf be fcen ; for, be ihat hath feen Chr'i/i, hath feen the Father^
^dly, I fcould now clofe with a word of exhortation to believers that have feen Chriil. Have they that have ■feen Cbrlft, feen the Father, in regard of the onenefs be- tween the Father and him ? Have you feen this great fight ? Then 1 exhort you to prove it, and improve it,
[i.] Prove it : How do you prove, believer, that you have feen Chrifl, and the Father in him f May I ^ik you, as the Pharifees who once afked the man whofe eyes Chrifl opened, John ix. 15. Flozv did you receive your fight f Why, fays the man, he put clay upon ??iine .eyes, and I luafhed, and do fee. Can you fay in allu* fion to this, whatever was the clay veffel, the poor, contemptible, and unlikely mean the Lord made ufe of, yet he put to his invifible hand, and led me to the pool of Siloam ; I mean, to the blood of Shiloh, the Sent of God ; and no fooner did I, through grace, ef^ i'ay to wafli there, but I law ; 1 faw the Son of God us the Saviour and Surety ; I faw the face and favour of God in him : can you fay. One thing 1 know, vuhere^ 41s onie I was blind, now 1 fee? I fee a glory in him tJiat darkens the glory of fun, moon, and ftars ; I fee a beauty in him, that eclipfes the beauty of all the world, and makes it feem but trafh to me ; I fee an excellency in him, that makes me count all but lofs and dung, for the excellency of the knowledge of him. Though I fee that I am blind, and cannot fee, yet I fee v/hat fome time a day I faw not. Can you not fay, that the fight you got ox Chriil:, at lealt in the day of believing, did difpel your darknefsj and diiTipate the.grpfs mi(h
of
Serm. XXIX, i>'c. a View ofX^oD In Christ. 509
of ignorance, and make them fly away as dark clouds before the rifing fun ? Did not the fight break the power of your enmity, and make you, hkc Paul on his way to Damafcus, when he faw Chrift, drop the rebel- lious arms, and fall down before the Lord, faying, W/jat ivilt thou have we to do (' Did not the fight daih unbelief out of countenance on that day, and with holy thame for your harfli thoughts of Chrilt, and make you \vith Thomas, after his unbelieving jealoufy, to cry out, My Lord^ mui my Godf Did not the fight loofe your heart from all your lulls and idols, and make you to fay with Ephraim, IVbat have I to do any more "junth idols ? O believer, was it not a wonderful fight, and a marvellous light ? was it not a heart-piercing, a foul- humbling, a faith-ftrengthening, and joy-exciting fight ; the mod defirable fight out of heaven ?
Again, if you afk, how fhall I prove, that I have feen the Father mfec'mg Chrifi f Behdes what v/as for- merly faid, you may enquire,
I. Have you feen the Father's hlejfing in him ? We read of the Father's bleiTmg him, Pfalm Ixv. 2. Hfe hath bleffed him in all his offices as Mediator : and, as God's hlejfing makes rich ; fo, by virtue of the Father's bleffing, he is, as Mediator, enriched wnth all com- municative fulnefs, and (lore for our fupply; and ne- ver w'ould we have been bleffed, if God had not blef- fed Chrifi:, and in him blefcd us with allfpiriiual blef- fings in heavejily places^ Eph. i. 3, The queftion thea is, have you beheld Chrilt as the blelling of the Fa- ther ? Then, of confequence, you have feen tlve Fa- ther blelling him. It is a great fight of the Father, tp fee the Father's blefling on Chrift, and in Chrifi upon you. Many fpeak of God's blelTing, that never faw how his bleiling comes, and on whom it principally dci? fcends : for, Chrifi is made of God a public bleffing.
Object. How is Chrifi made a bleiling, when it is faid, God made him to he fin for iis^ 2 Corinth, v. 21. J7id made him a curfc for iiSj Gal. iii. 13. ?
Why, man, for this very end was he made yf?2 and a airfe^ that he might be made a bleffing. He was made fin by imputation ; fm was imputed to him, that it might not be imputed tq us ; and the curfe fell u-
pou
5IO The Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &c.
pan him, that it might not Ught upon us ; and God, m the very a£t of making him to be fm for us, and a' curfe for us, in doing fo, he made him a bleffing to us, and blelTed him to be a facrifice for fin, and to bear away the curfe, and bring back the bleffing. — Now, this mark exchides all who never faw themfelves to be, by nature, under the curfe of God ^ and never faw the gofpel-way, wherein the bleffing of God comes to any iinner, viz. through Chrift ; for, all that are bleffisd of God, are bleffed of him, in Chrift ; Menfhall be bleffed in him : and to be bleifed in him, fuppofes that he is firfl blell, and then men in him. However, they who have feen Chrift as the Father's bleffing, have fo far feen the Father. To fee God out of Chrilf, and in the law, is to fee him curfing us : and this is the fight all Chriftlefs fmners will get of God, fooner or or later ; either mercifully here to their awakening, that they- may flee from that curfe ; or wrathfully here- after, when they fhall ly under it for ever. But to fee . God in the gofpel-glafs, and in Chrifl, is to fee him hleffmg in with all fpiritual blejfngs, in heavenly places in Chriji ; and this is the believer's fight of God in Chrift, or of the Father in the Son : He that hath feen me^ hath feen the Father.
2. Have you feen the Father's /?ro;7z//^ in him ? 2 Cor. i. 20. All the promifes of God are in him, yea ; none of the Father's promifes are made out of him : and if we have feen Chrift as the centre of the Father's promifes, in whom they are all affirmed and confirmed by him, being in him. Yea, in point of affirmation ; and Amen in point of confirmation ; then you have feen the Fa- ther as a promifing God in him ; and that you have no right to any promife, but by virtue of union to him ; and as the the promife is firft made to him, and in him to you ; and as it comes running through the channel of his blood and righteoufnefs. Now, this mark ex- cludes and Ihuts out all who have not feen themfelves to be heirs of all the threatenings of the law., by nature, and God to be a threatening God, ready to execute the law-threatening againft them, becaufe of their fin ; and all that have not been brought to acquaintance with the promifes of the gofpel, and feen them to be the pro- mifes
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of God in Christ. 511
mifes of God in Chrift ; for they only that have feen this, have fecn God in Chrift ; He that bath feen me, hatbfeen the Father.
3. Have you feen the Father's work in his hand ? the Father's bufinefs committed to his management, ac- cording as he fays, Luke ii. 49. ; particdarly the work and bufmefs of our redemption and falvation. This imports, and carries with it a fight of the Father, as employing Chrift in that great work. They that have feen Chrift, as the Father's Agent in this affair, have feen the Father in him, which is indeed a great fight ; to fee the Father intrufting him with fuch a work, and
Chrift difcharging his truil in the Father's name.
This marl-e excludes, and cuts off, all thofe that never faw the work of falvation to be any other, but what themfelves are capable of, either by their own natural power, or fome little divine afliftance. Many declare themfelves ignorant of God, and under the law ofworh, by their grofs notions of falvation ; thinking that God ftill ftands upon the old-covenant ground with them, calling them to work for life ; and lb they reckon, if they do their beft, God will pity them ; or, though they come fliort, yet with fome of God's help and alfif- tance, their own doing will be fufticient ; not knowing that falvation work is God's work, and that God's work is put in Chrift's hand, and that there is no work, per- taining to the law as a covenant, that belongs to us now at all, nor can poffibly be perf(*:med by us ; Chrift's everlafting righteoufnefs anfwers that com- pletely. And for any other work that he works in his people, it is not for falvation, or to be faved, but a part of falvation, when he works in them both to will and to do of his own good pie a fur e : thofe whom God faves, he faves them to work, but not for them. Works ofho- linefs, are a part of the falvation to which we are fav- ed ; but we are not faved dihcv for our works, or by them, or according to them. Noty^r them ; Ezek. xxxvi. 32. Not FOR your fakes do I this ^ faith the Lord God, be it knozan unto you : be afkamed and confounded for your own ways, 0 houfe of JfraeL Nor by them ; Titus iii. 5. Not BY works of righteoufnefs which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us^ by the wajhing of
rc<^c'
512 T/6^ Saving Sight ; <?r, 8e rm. XXIX, 6"r#
regeneration^ and renewing of the Holy Ghq/t. Nor accor^ ding to them ; 2 Tim. i. 9. He haih fwced u^- and cal-- led us with an holy callings not according to our work ; but according to his own piirfofe and grace, which was given to us in Chriji Jefus before the world began, TIiq- fcripture then declares, we are not faved either by, or for, or according to our works ; for though men are to he judged according to their works, yet not faved according to their works. The rule o{ judgment, an4 the rule oifalvation are vaftly different. — The rule of judgment will be the law : and therefore men will be judged according to their work, and according as they have a law-biding righteoufnefs, yea, . or not. The wicked will not have it ; and fo will be adjudged to e- ternal death : believers will have it in Chrift, even a righteoufnefs of merit and fpirit, both for juftihcation and fanclification ; and fo will be adjudged to eternal life. Men will be thus judged according to their works. But the rule oi falvaiion is not the law, but the gofpel, and the free grace of God in Chrift ; and therefore, though men will be judged according to their work, yet let none exped to be faved according to them, or by them, or for them. The works that will be avail- able to falvation are not our works, or any thing ei- ther wrought in us, or done by us ; but the work of Chrift, his per fed obedience : As by one man^s dij obe- dience many zuere madefinners^fo by the obedience of one many fh all be ivjide righteous, Rom. v. 19. Now, have you feen Chrift's obedience to be the Father's work in his hand, and his righteoufnefs to be the righteoufnefs of God ? Then you have feen God in him ; God ful- filhng his own lav/ in him ; God fatisfying his ownjuf- tice in him ; and God bringing in everlafting righ- teoufnefs in him.
4, If you would try if you have feen the Father in Chrift, try if you have feen the Father^s %vages beftow- ed on him. Chrift, as Mediator, did not work without wages and a reward ; nay, having drunk of the brook in the way, he was to lift up his lead. Ought not Chriji to do and fuffer thefe things, and then to enter into his glory, Luke xxiv. 26. See the v^^ages and reward given him, Phii. ii. 9. Wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted him,
and
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of God in Christ. ^13
and given hi?n a name above every name. Heaven then is to Chrift, and to all that get into him, the reward ol:" ChriiVs obedience unto deaths even the death of the crofs ; fo it is alio declared, Heb. xii. 2. Now, they that have feen the Father's wages bcltowcd upon Chriu, as Me- diator, then they have feen the Father in him ; or they have feen the Father rewarding him for his fcrvice, and exalting him to his right-hand on the account of his work. Heaven is called the recompence of rezvnrd to Chrifl, it is a reward of debt ; for, it is juftly due to his obedience. But to believers in Ghriit, it is a reward of grace : becaufe to them it is the: gift ofGod^ through Chrifl. — ^Now, this mark excludes, and fliuts out all thofe that expect heaven and eternal life, as the reward of any good deed done^ or to be done by them. This declares they never faw the glory of the Father in the Son, nor the Father conferring heaven and glory on Chrift, as the reward of his everlailing righteouf- nefs. Mercenary workers, that expecl proper wages for their work from God, are yet uilder the law, and
fo under the curfc of God. In this manner many
work all their days, and may work very earnefUy at a multitude of duties, and work their (5wn ruin and damnation, and yet think they are fare, and never dream that they are under the curfe of God, notwith- itanding all they do. See Luke xiii. -24. Strive to en* itr in at the fir ait gate ; for jnany fnall fcek to enter in^ and jhall not he able. Why that t Is it not faid, Seck^ aiuiyejhallfindf Yea, but they (hall feek to enter, and Jhall not be able^ becaufe they feek in a legal way ; not by faith, but, as it were, by the vjorhs of the law^ And this is indeed one of the great things that makes the way ftrait.
5. Try if you have feen Chrift, fp as to fee the Fa- ther in him. Have you feen the Father glorified in him, as Chrift fays, John xiii. 31. ? Have you feen his wifdom glorified in contriving, his power in accom- plifhing ; and more of his wifdom and power herf^ than in the whole creation ? Hav€ you feen the holi- nefs of God, the juftice of God, and the mercy and truth of God glorifying themfelves in him, and exert- ing themfelves in Chrift unto fiilvatiorv? Do you frt"
Vol. II. Ttt ^ the
51.4 "The Saving Sight ; cr, Serm. XXIX, &c.
the \vifdoin of God more glorified and glorious in Chrift, than in contriving the fun, moon, and (lars ? His power more glorified in Chrift, than in making a world ? His holinefs more in Chrill*s obedience, than it is by all the holinefs of men and angels to eternity ? His juflice more glorified in ChriiVs fatisfadion, than in the pmiifliment of all the damned in hell for ever ? His mercy more glorified, and gloriouily difplayed in Chriit, and venting itfelf through his blood and merit, than if he had Ihewed mercy without exading the debt of Surety, while he freely provides the Surety, and thereby provides both for his own honour, and our happinefs at once ? And, do you fee his truth and faithfulnefs more glorified in Chrift than any other way? For, if Chrift had not been fet forth, God behoved to have glorified his truth, in executing the threatening
of the law upon all the finners of Adam's family.
But now he glorifies his truth, both as a threatening and promifing God, towards all w^hora he faves in Chrift, who both bears the ftiock of the threatening of the law, and fulfils the condition of the promifes of the gofpel ; and both by his obedience unto death. Have you feen this glory of God in Chrift? — Surely this mark cuts off" thoufands of bfind fouls, that cannot be- hold this glory of the Lord, whofe minds the god of this world hath blinded,
6. Have you feen the Father reconciled in him ? Here is an evidence of feeing the Father, if you have feen God reconciled in Chrift. Here is a threefold re- conciliation to be feen in Chrift, i. God reconcihng himfelf with himfelf. 2. Reconciling himfelf to the world. 3. Reconciling the world to himfelf.
(i.) In Chrift you will fee God reconciling himfelf with himfelf What do you mean by that, fay you ; I do not mean, as if God were ever at variance with him- felf; but upon man's fall, and the propofal of man's recovery and falvation again, there was, in the appre- henfion of all creatures, men and angels, a feeming inconfiftency betwixt fome things in God, that fpoke for man's falvation, and other things in God that fpokc for man's damnation ; but yet in Chrift they are recon- ciled j particularly, there are fome irreconcileable like
names,
Serm. XXIX, &c. a View of God In Christ. 515
names, attributes, words, and works of God, that are in Chrifl reconciled.
1. There are fome irreconcilcable like names of God, that in Chrifl you will fee reconciled ; for example,, thefe names, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. ^he Lord^ the Lord God, 7nerciful and gracious, long-fiiffering, and abundant in goodnefs and truth ; keeping mercy for thoufands, for- giving iniquity, and tranfgrejjlon, and fin ; and yet that will by no means clear the guilty. How will that name of merciful and gracious tofinners, agree with that name, he wiU by no means clear the guilty, fince all fmners are guilty ? Why, have you feen Chrifl: to be the propiti- ation ? then you can fee thefe names reconciled : he will not fhew mercy to the diflionour of his juftice ; but juflice hath got a fatisfaclion in Chrifl, therefore mercy will vent, not to the prejudice, but to the honour of juftice.
2. There are fome irreconcilcable like attributes of God, that in Chrifl you will fee reconciled ; Mercy and truth are met together, righteoufnefs and peace have kffed each other, Pfalm Ixxxv. 10. Men and angels could not coninvthov^ mercy and truth Jhoidd meet to- gether ; how righteoifnefs and peace Jhould kifs each o- ther in the falvation of afmner ; yet in Chrifithey har- monioufly confpire for our redemption, as I have for- merly cleared upon the text*, therefore I inhil not.
3. There are fome irreconcilcable like words of God, that in Chrifl are reconciled, fuch as Exod. xxiii. 7. where God fays, I will not juflify the wicked, and yet, Romans iv. 5. he is faid to juflify the ungodly In Chrifl you will fee thefe words of God reconciled, as you may obferve, Ifa. xlv. 25. In him foall all the feed of Ifrael be jujiified, and jh all glory ; juflified in their fms they cannot be, nor jufiified in themfelves, but in Chrifl they fliall be juflified.
4. There are fome irreconcilable like worhs of God, that in Chrifl: are reconciled ; for example, his work ol rooting the lazu out of the heart, and writing the hrjj in the hearts of his people. Do you underlland this, man ? that the law as a covenant mufl be razed out of
* See Sermt XX, intltled, The Harmony of the Divine Jtlrihuici difplajfsdt^^g. 133, (^e.
T t t 2 the
5i6 7be Saving Sight ; dr^ Serm. XXIX, &c^
the heart. Chrift is made of God to us righteoiifnefs ; and God, in this word, razes the foundation of the old covenant, and roots out all hope of life by the righ- teoufnefs of the law in our own perfons. Chrifl is alfo made of God io us fanciiJicaUon ; and, in this work, hq ivrites the law in the hearty as a rule of holinefs, an4 the tranfcript of the divine image, and fo makes the perfon coniormable to the law upon gofpel grounds, and in a gofpel manner. And this is the root of a gofpel-becoming converfation.r — -Now, have you e- •ver feen any thing of this glory of the Father in the Son, or of God in Chrift reconciling himfelf with him- filf, in all thefe things wherein he feemed to be at odds with himfelf ? If you have never feen God reconciled in Chrift, even in this fenfe, you are but a ftranger in Ifrael.
(-2.) In Chrift you will fee God reconciling hmfclf U the world, O ! have you ever feen any thing of this glory, even the great and glorious God, in the perfon of his Son aiTuming our nature ; and ui that nature have you ever beheld God fatisfying his own juftice, fulfilling his own law, appeafing his own wrath, quench^ ijig the flames of it with his own blood ? Awake^ 0 ■ fif^wrd^ Ggalnji the maJi that is ?ny fellow^ fays the Lord of hofis. And thus glorifying his own name, and lay- ing a foundation for revenues of praife to be brought in to his crown by men and angels for ever. To fee this glory by faith of divine operation, is to fee the Father in the Son : where this is not feen neither Chrift nor the Father is feen,
(3.) In Chrift you will fee God reconcilirig the worlcf to hi?nfelf ; 2 Cor. v. 19. God was in Chrift reconciling the world to himfelf^ (i^^d not imputing their treffafjes to them. This \% the w&rd of reconciliation ; and it is fur- ther explained, verfe 11, For he hath made him to he fin for us^ that we might he the righteoifnefs of God in him. How does God reconcile any finncr in the world to himfelf ? even by not imputing their trefpaftes to them, but imputing their hns to Chrift, and imputing Chrift's righteoufnefs to them, and difcovering this by the gofpel, that he does thus reconcile the heart of the finner to God? and kill the natural enmity. The
faith
Serm. XXIX, 6^. a Viezu of Gory in Christ. 517
faith of this mercy is the root of peace and reconcilia- tion ; Being jiijlijied byfaitb^ we have peace with God : when God in Chrift is feen, he is feen to be reconcil- ed in him. And when 1 fee God is reconciled to me, I cannot but be reconciled to God : his mighty love deftroys the mighty enmity that was in the heart, ; this fight of God in Chriit cannot be without fome pcrfua- fion and confidence, and particular application : for hence comes that peace and fatisfaction, upon a fight of Chrift, and of God as reconciled in him. If faith had no particular aflurance or perfuafion of divine fa- vour to the foul in it, the man could have no peace nor pleafure : but fo much hope, peace, and joy in believing that a man hath, fo much affurance is at the root of it ; I mean, the ajfiirance of faith founded u- pon the word of God. It is faid of the forgiven wo^ man, She loved much^ hecaufe ?nuch was forgiven her. They that have the faith pf the forgivenefs of their fins, and that much is forgiven them, will love much : they that have little faith of forgivenefs, or think little is forgiven them, will love but little, and are hardly re- conciled at all to • God. They that have no faith of forgivenefs, and believe not that any fin is forgiven them, they will love none at all, they are not reconciled at all to God. Indeed it is impoffible for a man that hath no faith of God's forgivenefs, to love God : for he believes that God is his enemy, iriiputing fin and guilt to him unto condemnation ; that man cannot but hate God. Indeed, many pretend to be lovers of God, that yet have no true love to him : but yet that pre-- tended love of theirs is founded upon a falfe faith and ignorant fancy, that God loves them, and will not fend them to hell for their fins. But when that refuge of lies is deflroyed, and that they fee God in arms a- gainft them, as they will fee it in hell, then will they hate him like the devil ; and their enmity will be per-. fed and at its height ; but, true faith works true love
to Qod.-^ Thus you may prove whether you have:
feen this great fight or not. And as you would prove it, fo,
[2.] Improve it. O have you feen him, and the Fa- ther in him ? 0 improve this privilege.
J, In>
51 8 The Saving Sight ; or^ Serm. XXIX, &c»
i . Improve it as an evide'nce of your intereft in him : for, you may be fure, that this God is your God for ever and ever^ and will be your gtdde even unto death. There is no better evidence of it under the fun than this, that you have feen his glory in the face of Chrift, It is a foUd mark of grace, and a fweet fpark of glory.
2. Improve it as an antidote againft all temptations. When the devil, and the world, and the vanities of time, would draw away your hearts and eyes after them, you may fay, " 0 mine eyes have feen the King^ ^' the Lord ofhofis ; I have feen Chrift, and the Father ^^ in him ; and therefore, with difdain, I turn away " mine eyes from beholding vanity." Think fhame, O believer, after this to feed your eyes with thefe bafe objeds, that a blind and fenfual world is taken up with.
3. Improve it as a cordial againft tribulations and dif fcultiesy whether temporal or fpiritual. When deep calls
unto deepy and all his zuaves ajtd billows pafs over you ; you may remember him from the land of Jordan^ and of the Hermonites^ and from the hill Mizar ; you may re- member him from the place where he fliewed you his glory,. and that he is the God of Bethel : and will be for ever the fame to you at your word times, that ever you faw him to be to you at your bed times.
4. Improve it as a confirmation of your e>cperienee^ and of his having loved you with an everlafiing love^ and drawn you with loving-kindnefs, I feek no better expe- rience than 2i fight of the glory of God in Chrift ; and eve- ry new fight is a new confirmation thereof : and when you faw him with an eye of faith, it is an argument he iaw you with an eye of love and mercy. It may be, it was in a corner that you got a remarkable fight of him, or under the fliadow of an ordinance ; but where-ever it was, now he is faying to you as to Nathanacl, When thou wafi under the fig-tree I faw thee ; when in fuch a place I gave thee a kindly blink of my beauty, and laid ray hand upon thy heart, and made it glow with holy fire from my altar. Something pad betwixt you and me that none in the world knows of ; 1 faw thee, — — Again,
5. Im-
Sf,rm. XXIX, &c. a View ofOoi^ in Christ 519
5. Improve it as difpur to all the duties cf religion. O ! have you feen his glory, and do you not love that glo- rious objedyou faw ? Shall notthen the love of Chrifl: conflrain you to duty ? This is gofpel-fervice, gofpel- holinefs, when love makes you to read, and love makes you to pray, and love makes you meditate, and love makes you to wait on ordinances, and love influences your whole practice. Hath he manifefted his glory to you? then he hath begun to glorify you ; and, O does it not well become you to glorify him ? 0 let your light fo Jhine before nien^ that others^ feeing your good ivorks^ ?nay glorify your Father that is in heaven, — Again,
6. Improve it as an encouragement to your fellow bre- thren ; you ought to meet together and encourage one another, faying. Come hither all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my fouL And as an ex- citement to your gracelefs friends and neighbours^ you may excite them, by telling them now the Lord convinced you, enlightened you, and fliewed you his glory, to the quickenining of your foul, and killing of your corrup- tion ; you may excite them not only by your talk, but by your walk: your converfation fliould be fuch as they may take notice of you, that you have been with Jefus, and that you have feen him, and the glory of God in him, fo as to change you into the fame linage. As you have feen God in Chriil, fo what an honour will it be to you, if any ihall fee God in you ; if they fee the grace of God, the love of God, the fear of God, and the image of God in you ? It may be, they will long to fee God as you have done ; and may go and feek him with you as the daughters of Jerufalem, Song vi. i. upon the back of the fpoufe's commending her Lord to them, — Again,
7. Improve it as an argument to prove thefupreme Deity of Chrifi^ and his onenefs with the Father : that when- ever you faw him, you faw the Father in him ; you faw God in him ; and all the glory of God in him ; thus you have an antidote againfl damnable Arianifm in your own bofom. Let your faith, therefore, be con- firmed in his being God over all^ bleffcd for ever ; and let your zeal for his glory be thereupon (trcngthened
and
520 The Saving Sig.ht, &c. Serm. XXIX, &cn
and inflamed ; your zeal for his precious gofpel-truths ; your zeal for his royal prerogatives. In a word,
8. And lofily^ Improve it as 2. ground of hope ^ that your {hall fee him for ever face to face, becaufe now you have feen him, though it was through a glafs darkly. Though grim death were flaring you in the face, you may fay. The fight of you, O death, fliall not trouble me, for I have got a fight of Chrifl ; I have feen his glory, and the Father's glory in him; and this being eternal hfe to know God in him, death needs not be matter of grief and trouble, but matter of joy and tri- umph to me, fmce eternal life is begun. What is hea- ven, but the everlafling vifion of the glory of God in the face of Chrifl, to he for ever with the Lord^ and to he like him^ hj feeing him as he is ; and feeing all the glorious attributes of God, in their brightefl fplendor, Ihining in his perfon ! Then fliall you have the happi- nefs of the perfe^^L knowledge of that myllerious one- nefs betwixt Chrifl and the Father, v/hich is the reafon, "why they that fee him, fee the Father ; yea fuch a elofe view, ar to found a perfed: onencfs alfo betwixt Chrifl ancLy^ii. O wonderful word, John xiv. 21. At that day youfhall know^ that J am in the Father^ and you in me^ and I in you f O ! who can exprefs the thoufand part of that happinefs which is imported in that word ? For it fays Chrifl will be in your arms, and you in Chrifl's' arms, and Chrifl in the Father's arms ; you w^ill be in Chrifl's boibm, and Chrifl in the Father's bofom, where he lay from eternity ; there will he and you h together to eternity. O the near and immediate fight and fruition of Chrift, and the Father in him, that then you will have ? O rejoice in the hope of the glory of God : it is heaven to fee him, and to fee the Father in him, this is the befl fight in all heaven, and your Lord de- clares, believer, that this heaven, this beatifical vifion is begun in you. He that hath feen me^ hath feen the Father.
The End of Volume SscoiiD.
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