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CHRIST ALONE EXALTED,
PERFECTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE SAINTS,
NOTWITHSTANDING SINS AND TRIALS ;
BEING THE
COMPLETE WORKS
TOBIAS CRISP, D.D.
lOMETIME MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL, AT BRINKWORTH, IN WILTSHIRE;
CONTAININO
.ifift^^iDO Sermons,
ON SEVERAL SELECT TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE.
*VI WMlCil AkA A.i>Lt.L
NOTES EXPLANATORY OP SEVERAL PASSAGES IN THEM,
WITH MEMOIRS OP THE DOCTOR'* LIFE, &C.
BY JOHN GILL, D.D.
A NEW EDITION, BEING THE SEVENTH.
Jtfr. Cole, In his Treatise on Regeneration, «ays, " This Work favours of a true Grtspel Spirit i
tliey who carp at it, I fear, will be found wider from the Gospel in their Principles, than lhi$
Author (ac they vainly imagine) was in his."
Sv'-n so then at this present time also there is a remnant accordinjr to the Election of Grace. And
J? by Grace, ttien is it no - ore of Works: otherwise Grace is no more Grace. But if it he of
Works, then it is no more Grace : otherwise Work is no more Work. — Romans xi. 5,0,
VOL. IT.
ILontioii •
PUINTED FOR JOHN BENNETT,
<t, THREE-TUN PASSAGE, IVY LANE, PATERNOSTER ROW,
MDCCCXXXII.
THE EDITOR TO THE READER
The following Sermons were preached near a hundred and
twenty 3'ears ago; which will account for the stile and manner
in which they were composed and delivered by the worthy
Author of tlrem: they were all published after his death, being
taken from liim, whiUt preaching theui, in short-hand-writing,
and compared with his notes, or taken from them. And as they
were not designed nor prepared for the press by the Author,
they, no doubt, appeared with less acciu-acy than otherwise they
would, had they been revised by liini ; who, very probably,
would have left out some things delivered from the pulpit, at
least have altered the phraseology and diction, if not some
passages that needed explanation, and have been since matter of
controversy, and for which reason, they must now be continued.
Forty- two of these discourses were published quickly after the
death of the author, in the years 1643, 44, 46, in three volumes
12mo., with recommendatory prefaces by Mr. Robert Lancaster,
Mr. George Cockayn, and Mr. Henry Pinnel. In 1690, a new
edition of these Sermons was printed with an addition of ten
more taken from the Author's notes, by his son Samuel Crisp,
Esq. ; this edition is in quarto, and is very incorrect, as well as
imperfect, and occasioned a warm controversy among some
worthy good men about some points herein advanced; on
account of which the learned Witsius, professor of divinity at
Utrecht, a writer often mentioned in the following notes, wrote
an Irenicura, worthy to be read by both parties. The repub-
lication of thes*^ discourses is not designed to revive the
IT THE EniTOR TO THE READER.
coTif roversy ; and the Editor flatters himself that he has, by his
notes, explained such phrases and expressions as have been
objected to, and set them in such a light as to prevent any
captious person that might be inclined to engage in such work
from doing it. In sliort. the sole view in republishing there
excellent Sermons, which were wanted, being scarce and not
easy to come at, is the same with the pious Author's in prcach-
'ngthem; namely, the relief of distressed minds and consciences
nurdened with a sense of sin, and seeking for deliverance from
it ; for which these discourses are most admirably calculated, as
has been experienced by thousands of souls ; and it may ^e
hoped under a divine blessing, that this will be the case of" every
one that reads thera with such a view ; and for which purpose,
thev are sincerely and heartily recommended by
SHH EDITOR.
Vt H solo GI GKhJ/
SERMON XXtV;
HEI r LAID ON CHRIST, MIGHTY TO 6\\L.
ISAIAH liii. 6.
AND THE I-ORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL,
KvERY word in this text, as I have shewed before, carries a
special emphasis in it, and contains a peculiar privilege of evan-
gelic glory. We have observed already out of it, 1. That it is
iniquity itself, that is charged upon Christ, as well as the punish-
ment of it; Christ did not bear only indignation, but was clad
with sin: " He was made sin for us," said the apostle; and
thore is no possible way in the world for persons to be discharged
of their sins, but by Christ, bearing sin itself.
2. This iniquity was really laid upon him ; Christ was as
really the bearer of the sins of God's people, as a surety is really
the debtor, when he willingly puts himself in the room of the
principal ; insomuch, that God cannot expect the debt any where,
but of him. Christ gives his bond, and by that, makes himself
the debtor: God accepts of this, and upon it discharges the poor
sinners themselves ; and if he will have payment, he must have
it, where he himself hath laid the debt: see 2 Cor. v. 19, 20, 21.
3. It is the Lord that hath laid iniquity on him ; which is the
greatest burthen in the world, and might have sunk us for ever in
the gulph of misery, if Christ had not put his slioulders under it.
4. None can dispose of iniquity to the comfort and safety oi
the people of the Lord, but he himself. Beloved, do not mistake
yourselves any longer ; you do but beat the air, whilst you think
your prayers, tears, mournings, and fasting can lay it on Christ,
it is the Lord alone. Your duties, indeed, are appointed for
excellent uses, but never for this, to lay iniquity upon Christ
it is the Lord that does it.
VOI,. 11. •' -- ■
9 HELP LAID ON CHRIST, MIGHTY TO SAVE.
5. The Lord hath laid iniquity upon Christ : this is one of the
comfortablest truths you can hear, or have published unto you ;
the transaction of sin from you to Christ, is not a business now to
be done, as if God were upon terms and conditions with you : I
will lay your iniquities upon Christ, if you will do thus and thus.
The text saith not, that the Lord will lay upon him, and yet if it
did, it imports not, that he requires conditions and performances
of you ; but it saith, he hath laid iniquity, it is done already ;
your pardon is not only enacted in heaven, but it is also sealed
upon earth. It is worth your observation, that which the apostle
speaks in Rom. x. 6, 7, 8. In the beginning of the chapter, he
taxeth those froward Jews, enemies to their own peace, with the
establishing of their own i-ighteousness, or rather going about to
do it, and submitted not to the righteousness of God : and what
is that righteousness? " The righteousness which is of faith,
which speaks on this wise, say not in thine heart, who shall ascend
up into heaven 1 that is, to bring Christ from thence ; or, who
shall descend into the deep ? that is, to raise Christ from the
dead ; but the word is nigh thee, in thy heart, and in thy mouth :"
the meaning is, the gospel is not now so remote from us, that we
must mount up to heaven, to fetch it down, or go down into the
bottom to fetch it up, but it is within thy heart, and in thy mouth ;
it is come down from heaven to thee ; it is not reserved there for
thy fetching of it ; he hath done it.
I have mentioned this again to you, that you may see what
comfort is in this, namely, that the Lord hath done it. It was
said to the king of Syria, " Let not him rejoice that putteth on
the harness, as he that puts it off:" it is the day of victory, that
is the day of comfort, joy, and gladness ; the days before it comes,
are days of fear and doubting ; but when it is attained there is
rejoicing. When a prisoner is condemned to die, and a friend
gone to court to get his pardon, all the while it is agitating, his
heart is full of tremblings, fears, and achings ; but when his friend
hath brought a pardon, under hand and seal, and delivered it
into his hand, then he leaps and rejoices : so all the fear and
bitterness of your spirits proceed from hence, namely, oh it is
yet to be done ! I am afraid it may miscarry : nay, it is nigh
you, in your hearts, and in your mouths; it is come to you, the
Lord hath done it to your hand.
But, when did the Lord do this 1 From eternity, in respect of
HELP LAID ON CHRIST, MIOHTY TO SAVE. 3
obligation ; but in respect of execution, when Christ was upon
the cross ; in respect of applying of it to particular persons,
while children are in the womb, before ever they bave done good
or evil. There is great diversity of judgment about this : God
applies pardon of sin, say some, at the time of conversion, and
persons remain in a state of wrath until then. Others rise hiu-her ;
God applies it in baptism, say they ; but, beloved, the Lord loves
his people with everlasting love ; there is not a moment of time
in which iniquity is transacted back again from Christ, and
remains upon a particular person. Take one unbaptized, sup-
posing him elect, and a child of God, for whom Christ died,
where are his sins ? In sin he was conceived and brouojit into
the world; where are these sins? are they upon Christ, or upon
himself, before baptism ? if they were laid upon Christ, when he
suffered for them; how came they back again from him? who
was the scape-goat that carried away the sins laid upon him, into
a land of forgetfulness ; how came tliey back again ? if they came
not back again, being laid upon Christ, then, even before
baptism, the elect are discharged from sin, as other persons
whose sins Christ took away.
I pass to a sixth consideration in the text, and indeed it is the
jasis that bears up the whole structure and frame of the gospel,
putting the emphasis on the word (Him;) " The Lord hath laid
on Him, the iniquity of us all." It is of infinite concern, as
much as life and salvation is worth, that he, who bore the
iniquities of men, should have a back strong, and broad enough
to stand upright, and not be sunk under them. While the pillars
stood firm upon which the house stood, where the princes of the
Philistines met to make sport with Sampson, they were all safe ;
but wh€n they sunk, the house fell, and great was the fall of it,
and they all perished in it : this discharge of sin, is the security
of persons from wrath; if the pillars that bear it should possibly
sink, all were utterly lost and come to nothing. The apostle
Paul, pleading concerning the resurrection of Christ, in 1 Cor.
XV. 15, saith, " If Christ be not risen, your faith is vain, you are
yet in your sins:" so if it be not Christ, on whom iniquity was
laid, you are yet in your sins, and your faith is vain. Sureties
are the comfort of imprisoned debtors, and, yet not all, but able
ones : let a person bring twenty to be surety for him, to his
creditor, if they be all as very beggars himself, he is but where
B 2
4 HELP LAID ON CHRIST MIGIITV TO SAVE.
he was before ; he is not a jot the better ; let him bring one able
surety, that the creditor can trust, that will pay the debt, then
hath he joy and comfort. Beloved, if you had ten thousand
sureties to stand for you, before God, if thc-y be beggars, like
yourselves, there is no comfort in them: " Wherewith shall I
come before the Lord," saith one, Micah vi. 7, " Shall I give a
thousand rams, or ten thousand rivers of oil? shall 1 give the
fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ?" No, they are not able
to make satisfaction. So, beloved, they are all beggars that we
can bring : shall I bring one man to stand for another, or for
myself? No man can make an agreement for his brother, nor
redeem his soul; it will cost more to redeem it, and, therefore,
he must leave it for ever. But, saith the text, " The Lord hath
laid it on him ;" here is a word of comfort. " Thou spakest to
thy holy one in vision, thou hast laid help upon one that is
mighty," Psal. Ixxxix. 19. But, who is this Him^ on whom
iniquity is laid ? Every one will suppose, the prophet takes it
for granted it is Christ ; and so it is ; but, beloved, in truths of
such concern as this, it is not good to go altogether upon trust,
and to receive things, because every one receives them, but to
have a sure foundation for them. Strength of consolation, hath
not the voice of the people, but the word of life, for its security ;
and, therefore, it is good to see for certain, that this Him here,
is Christ, and no other. The prophet speaks darkly, while he
speaks of him that bears iniquity ; the clearest expression he
hath, is in ver. 2, he calls him a root out of a dry ground ; and
all along through the rest of the chapter, it is but He, and Him,
ana His. And, indeed, it is usual with the prophets, personally
to point out Christ darkly ; insomuch, that the weak-sighted, or
rather the envious or malignant Rabbins, as much as possibly
they could, cast a mist before every truth that spake of Christ;
applying them still to this, or that worthy man, among those
people, as to David, or Solomon, or Hezekiah, or such hke. But
the prophet, or rather the Lord, by the prophet, in this place,
fj^ives such lively characters of Christ, that they themselves were
conipellea to yield to the truth, that he meant him alone in this
rhapter. But we need not the testimony of man, (much less fear
any opposition of theirs) to testify that it is Christ, whom the
Holy Ghost means by him, that is here spoken of: observe the
in of your bibles, and you shall find in all the evangelical
HELP LAID ON CHRIST, MIGHTY TO SAVE. 5
passages of the prophets, none come near this chapter in being
apphed to Christ, nor so many quotations by Christ, and his
apostles, taken out of any other: to give you a hint in one or
two places ; iniquity was laid upon him that was '• despised
and rejected of men ; we esteemed him not :" but who is this,
that was thus rejected of men, and not esteemed ? Christ applies
this passage himself in Mark ix. 12. The margin of my text
refers you to that place, and that refers you to this again:
" he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for
our iniquities," &c. Who was this ? Of all the prophets, I
find Daniel most privileged to speak most plainly concerning
him that bears our iniquities: the Lord meant to tell Daniel
a secret, that shall be an intimation of the exceedingf laro^e-
ness of his love to him : the secret is this, " Yet seventy weeks
are determined upon thy people, and holy city, to finish
transgression, and to make an end of sin, and to make recon-
ciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteous-
ness:'*' and afterwards he tells us, that at the end of so many
weeks the " Messlas shall be cut off, but not for himself:" here
you may see plainly who it is that was wounded to death for
transgression, it was the Messiah, that is, Christ; look in 1 Pet.
li. 21, 22, 23, 24, the apostle runs over the most material
passages of this very chapter, applying them by name to Christ ;
Christ also suffered, saith he ; this answers to that " He was
wounded for our transgressions: when he was reviled, he reviled
not again ;" this answers to that, '• He was as a sheep before the
shearer, dumb, who opened not his mouth :" and ver. 24, " He
himself bare our sins in his own body on the tree;" here " The
Lord laid the iniquities of us all on him;" naming Christ in
particular, as the person who in his own body bare our sins.
Christ then, it is clear, is he on whom the Lord laid our iniqui-
ties ; Christ, who is that ? a man would think it strange, that in
a christian congregation there needs this A. B. C. to be taught to
people, who Christ is; Moses, unveiled, say some; and if that
be true, I am sure Moses's veil will obscure Christ : and I doubt
there is so much of Moses in the minds and preachings of men,
that Christ is quite forgotten among them. It is worth the while
beloved, to know what this Christ is that was to bear iniquity ; he
must be something else than the common apprehension of men is
of hnn, to do this. The prophet tells us, he is Immanuel, and the
6 HELP LAID ON CIIUlST. MIGHTY TO SAVE.
Holy Ghost in Matt. 1. 23, expounds it, " God with us:" Christ
is such a [//irVw] who is God and man ; nay more, he is God and
man so united, that both make but one person ; and this one is
he that bears our iniquities : he is so one, as that the several
properties of each nature do not reserve themselves solely to
themselves, but communicate them to the whole. ITie divine
properties of Christ's godhead" are not so inseparable to it, but
the virtue thereof is communicated unto his human nature ; and
the virtue of the divine nature of Christ, is that which makes
Christ of steel, as I may so speak; not to bow or bend under the
heaviest weight that can possibly be laid upon him.
The godhead, it is true, is incapable to bear iniquity, and
the human nature is as incapable of bearing it to any purpose.
Should iniquity be laid upon the human nature, and the divine
nature not support it, it would; have sunk under sin, as a mere
human creature : " He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh ;'*
in respect of flesh it was the same, in respect of sin he was like
it: he did not sin, yet he bore it, by the imputation of it, upon
him ; what now could this mere creature do ? and how could it
be strengthened enough to bear that weight that would crush a
mere creature to dust and powder? But now, if the humanity
bear sin, and the divinity bears it up in suffering, this gives such
infinite validity to the obedience of Christ, both active and'
passive, that it becomes effectual to the purging away of sin :
take a dark illustration of it. The body of a man bears a burthen,
the soul is incapable of it, but it keep up the body from sinking
undisr it : set a dead man on his legs, and lay a small weight upon
his shoulders, he sinks under the burthen and that falls upon him.
What makes the living man stand to it, and carry it away? It
is the soul in him that strengthens the body, and bears it up to
stand under it, and bear it away. So the divine nature is a kind
of soul to the humanity, consisting^ of soul and body, and is the
f6rm and strength of both ; for the soul of Christ's human nature
IS not as the soul in man, giving being to the man, as is well
observed ; that is, as a form giving being and strength to the
person of Christ : for in us the reasonable soul gives life and
being to us, but in Christ the Godhead gives life to the reasonable
soul of Christ ; for, as the philosophers say, there are three souls,
the vegetative in plants, the sensitive in brutes, and the rea-
sonable soul in man ; yet in man the reasonable soul is the form.
HELP LAID ON CHRIST, MIGHTY TO SAVE. 7
and hath the other two virtually in itself; thus the soul gives
-ife to us ; the Godhead gives life to Christ, and so all the
sufficiency to bear iniquity proceeds from that. Now, beloved,
when we consider Christ, we are not to conceive as if he were in
all respects distinct from God, as usually we are apt to imagine ;
we conceive otherwise when we hear Christ did such a thing,
than we do when we hear God did such a thing ; but Christ is
the one God assuming human nature ; and God in it manages
those things that concern the welfare of his people.
The main thing I drive at, at this time, concerning this point
of laying iniquity upon Christ, is to shew what special ends and
purposes the Lord hath in singling out him alone to bear iniquity.
Though the Lord is pleased at all times to work strange wonders
yet never did God do such a wonderful thing, to the amazement
of the creature, as this one thing, to lay iniquity upon Christ.
Sin is the hatefuUest thing in the world to God; where it is
found, a toad is not so odious unto man, as that person is in the
sight of God : for though the Lord professeth he doth not afflict
willingly, yet it agrees with his nature ; but sin is most horrible
and abominable; nay, the only abhorred thing in the world to
God ; that God should make Christ a beggar in the world, and
the scorn of it, and make him suffer the most shameful, nay, the
most accursed death, the death of the cross, is much ; yet all this
may agree with the nature of God ; but that he should make
Christ to be sin, is out of the reach of all the creatures in the
world to apprehend how he should do it, and yet retain his love
and respect to him.
Surely, beloved, a work of such extraordinary nature as this
is, to lay iniquity upon Christ, must needs have suitable ends.
You will laugh at that man, that will build a famous structure to
keep a kennel of dogs in ; to be at such cost for base ends. The
end of things is always the rule and line by which they are
measured : the end is always first in intention, though last in
execution ; and being first in intention, is that which all things
conduce unto. A man makes a mould to cast a vessel, or a
piece of ordnance ; he hath the form of it in his head, and
according to that he casts it, and fits his moulds, and suits
all his materials. God hath special ends in his heart, for
which he lays iniquity upon Christ ; and certainly the thing
itself must answer the end, and the end must be answerable
e HELP LAID 0\ CHRIST, MIGHTY TO SAVE
to tlwit. God floth all tliinixs in wcisht and measnre. and
proportion.
And the truth is, beloved, there are admirable ends, every
way answering that miraculous work of the Lord's laying ini-
quity upon Christ ; I shall instance in particulars, and therein
shew how marvellously the Lord sets himself out to the world by
it ; in nothing did he ever shew himself, as in this thing. The
ends are many, I shall sliew you some of the chief, by God's
assistance.
1. The Lord laid iniquity upon Christ, that so he may " lay
help upon one that is mighty."
2. That Christ might satisfy his great longings which he had
lost, if iniquity had not been laid upon him.
3. That he himself might he fully satisfied to his own content,
and be at rest. God himself, if I may so speak, had not beea
at rest within himself, if iniquity had not been laid upon Christ;
nothing else could have satisfied him, that he might sit down in
the enjoyment of himself as he woidd.
4. That he might shew to the Avorld, especially to his own
people, the exceeding horrid loathsomeness of sin, and the out of
measure sinfulness that is in it : there is nothing that ever the
Lord did, or the wit of man can do, could set out the abomina-
bleness of sin, as this one thing, the laying of iniquity upon
Christ.
5. That he might commend that unsearchable love of his to the som
of men; with a witness, as I may say, God herein declares his love
to man ; many and sundry ways indeed he manifests it : " H«
causeth it to rain upon the just, and upon the unjust; he causeth
the sun to shine upon all men, good and bad:" but all other ways
of manifestation of the love of God to men, come infinitely short
of this expression of his, laying iniquity upon Christ; " Greater
love hath no man tban this, to lay down his life for his friends;
but herein God commends his love to us, when we were enemies,
Christ died for us:" but if this were a commendation of his
love, what a commendation of it is here expressed, that he
should not only die for enemies, but bear that very enmity itself
upon him / That Ciirist should bear our sins, is more by far than
the former.
G. That he might make a clean iieople ; a people clean
and fair enough fjr himself, to take pleasure in. There is no
HELP LAID ON CHRIST, MIGHTY TO SAVE. .^
way in the world to make them so, that God might delight in
them, but the laying iniquity upon Christ; this was the way
to make them all fair and lovely, without any spot or
wrinkle.
7. That the people of Christ might have strong consolation ;
there is but weak consolation in any thing in the world, but in
this one truth \ihe Lord hath laid iniquity xi'pon Christy that
people can shed tears, pray, fast, and mourn, affords but weak
consolation to this ; for here is the fulness of it.
8. That his people might serve him the more freely, less
interruptedly, and more zealously. There are many promises,
as encouragements, to call out the people of God to serve him ;
but there is none takes off the soul from all kind of terror, and
slavish fear, but this, " The Lord hath laid our iniquity upon
Christ."
9. That, at the appointed time of the Father, his people
might enjoy the purchased inheritance, and the promised pos-
session. There is no possession of the glory laid up for the
saints in light, but by laying iniquity upon Christ ; no unclean
thing can enter into the kingdom of heaven. When we attain
to the height of sanctification, we remain yet unclean, for there
is pollution in the best of it : when we die, suppose we are more
holy in life than any that went before us ; yet there is not so
much holiness of life in us, but that there remains still some
uncleanness, and unmortification of life in thoughts and practice,
some deadness and indisposition in our hearts and affections to
holiness ; and, with this unholiness, we lie down in the dust, if
ail our uncleanness were not laid upon Christ, that so we might
enter into rest, as perfect and complete in hitn.
These are admirable ends! all the joys and comfort of be-
lievers, have their basis in these jointly, nay, in these severally
and apart, being all of them full of sweetness, and " wine refined
upon the lees."
1. The Lord laid the iniquities of men upon Christ, to the
end to lay help upon one that is mighty. You know, beloved, what
our Saviour taxeth that foolish man with, that began to build,
but could not finish ; and, for the prevention of such folly,
adviseth them to whom he spake, first, to sit down and consider
what it would cost them ; not like a forward person that goes
out to war with an enemv, not considering his own, or the
10 HELP LAID ON CHRIST, MIGHTY TO SAVE.
strength of his enemy ; that is like the man that began to build,
and could not finish : God is more wise than to begin thus, and
let the work sink under his hands ; his full purpose was, and is,
to save that which was lost, and gather together the dispersed r
now had !ie gone any other way to work, as it appears to us, he
had miscarried. Had not the Lord prepared Christ a body, and
fitted it to suffer for us, we had lain still in our sins ; it lay,
therefore, upon his honour and credit, that seeing he would save
sinners, he should go that way wherein he might go through his
plan, and that was to lay iniquity upon Christ. And, that that
was the only way, you shall find expressly, in Isa. xxviii. 16, a
notable prophecy concerning Christ ; there the Lord is mani-
festing that his main purpose was, in the great business of saving
men from their sins, to find out such a one that there might be
some rest to him, and that he might not fail in it : " Behold,
(saith he) I lay in Sion, for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone,
a precious corner stone, a sure foundation," Mark how the
Lord presses, as I may so speak, by gradations, the stability of
th© way found out for the saving of men from sin ; " I lay in
Sion, for a foundation ;" a foundation, what is that ? Founda-
tions, you know, are the bottoms of buildings, that must bear
up the weight of the whole structure, though never so heavy ;
that is the property of a foundation : now, saith he, " For a
foundation, I lay in Sion a stone." You know what our Saviour
saith, in Matt. vii. 26, 27. " He that heareth my sayings, and
doth them not, shall be like unto a foolish man, that built his
house upon the sand, and the rain descended, and ihe floods
came, and the wind blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell,
and great was the fall of it." Here was a sinking foundation ;
and so all sinks, because the foundation falls : but mark, saith
God, " I will lay in Sion, for a foundation, a stone;" a rock
that will not sink, nor yield, but stand firm. So that you see
the foundation upon which our sins, the heaviest things in the
world, are laid, is a stone ; that is, Christ that will not sink :
but, he saith, not only he is a sione^ but he is also a tned
stone. You know that probatum est, written to a thing, gives
abundance of worth to it. Armoiu" of proof is precious, and is
highly esteemed : that armour that is shot against, and yet not
]iierced, is tried, and hath j)rohatum est upon it ; so Christ is
made of the Lord the foundation to bear all our iniquities, as he
HELP LAID ON CHRIST, MIGHTY TO SAVE. 11
vas proved and tried: he was tried by God, by man, by devils,
6y the godly, and in all he proved a tried stone that will not
fail. He was tried by God, by his council in heaven, and with
the weight of his Avrath upon him on earth, when he suffered ;
you see that the Lord not only set men upon him, but planted
his own cannons against him ; " My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me V Yet Christ stands fast, " It is finished,'*
saith he ; " Father, I have done the work that thou hast given
me to do." You see that the cannons of God's wrath could not
beat through him ; " Who is he that condemneth 1 It is Christ
that died, naj rather that is risen again, who sits at the right
hand of God : who shall lay any thing to our charge ?" These
could not break through this rock ; he stands sure in all their
batteries : he is a tried stone. He was tried by man too; and
when ail men tried, yet still he was a stone, and a tried stone.
The godly tried him, he never fails, nor forsakes them ; " He is
my foundation, my rock, and my tower," saith David, he found
hun so,^ and in Psalm xlvi. 2, 3, " Though the earth be removed,
and the mountains carried into the midst of the seas, 1 will not
be moved, I will lie down in rest and quiet :" again, " Thou art
my shield, and my buckler, and my rock."
You that are oppressed in your spirits, in respect of the weight
of sin, you apply to yourselves ; if you would but try Christ,
and acknowledge him the bearer of your transgressions, you
should have sweet rest,, and settlement to your spirits : " Son, be
of good cheer," saith Christ, " thy sins are forgiven thee."
They that try Christ, shall find themselves of good cheer ; for
they find l)y his bearing their iniquities, that nothing can pierce
them. He that hath a shield of steel, and a proved one too, ah
the darts that come upon it, do not any more offend, pierce, or
wound that person's breast, than if there were no darts in the
world shot against it. Just such a shield is Christ, and, because
of this, was he singled out to bear iniquity ; and to this purpose,
that he might bear off all the violence, that all the wicked men
in the world can do, put them together ; all the forces they can
use, or raise against Christ, to trample down his honour, and lay
it with the ground, what becomes of it all? " No weapon formed
against thee, shall prosper." We have had experience of it ;
there is not one weapon this day, to your knowledge, that hath
prospered against Christ, nor shall any hereafter. Christ is all
12 HELP LA'iD on CHRIST, MIGHTY TO SAVE.
steel, all marLle : and if there be a stone that cannot be pierced^^
he is that. It is Christ that bears thy iniquities, that is such a
one ; and if he had not been such a one, God had been disap-
pointed in his purpose. God's people are called sheep, the
devil is too subtle for them : the world is cunning, and they
would soon be ensnared ; but God hath chosen out a mighty one,
one infinitely wise, to find out all the plots of his enemies, and
to turn all their cunning into folly.
Tiie devil, and the world, have tried him, all the elect have
tried him, and death too; and all that could be clone against him
came to nothing ; that all might see, what a mighty champion God
had, to save poor sinners, that trust in, and rest upon him. The
Lord laid iniquity on such a mighty one, that every one that
lifts up the heel, may dash against the stones, and kick against
the pricks, rather to hurt themselves, than the people of God,
Oh, beloved, that you could but behold the firmness of this
rock, upon whom your iniquities are laid; it is not the storm of
a temptation against you, shall make you fall ; nor the blustering
of divine wrath breaking Ibrth ; for the ungodliness of the world,
that shall make you shake and tremble : the house that is built
upon the sand indeed, shall be beaten down, when these storms
beat and blow; but the house built upon the rock, stands as firm,
as if there never were a blast at all.
We should consider, the other particular ends and purposes
of God's laying iniquity upon Christ; and they are all of them
so full of marrow and fatness, that it is pity to cast them aside,
and not taste and eat abundantly of them : I should therefore
pTOceed to the opening of the rest of them ; some of which I shall
speak of in the afternoon.
13
SERMON XXV.
THE JUSTICE OF GOD SATISFIED BY CHRIST ALONR,
ISAIAH liii. 6.
AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL,
Every word in this text, as I have often told you, hath special
weight. It is iniquity that is laid on Christ, as well as the
punishment of iniquity; " He was made sin for us," Sin is a
debt, he is a surety; the debt of sin, as he is a surety, is as
really his, though not his own contracted, as if he had really
contracted it himself; his own by imputation ; so far his own, that
God " in him, hath reconciled the world to himself, and will not
impute their trespasses unto them," 2 Cor. v. 19.
And it is the Lord, that laid our iniquities upon him ; it is too
much presumption to give the glory of it unto any creature ; it is
God's glory alone; nothing of man, in man, from man does it,
hut the Lord himself.
And the Lord hath done it ; it is not now to be done ; it is
past, he hath laid iniquity. Also, observe out of the words, this,
that we are now to come unto ; " That the Lord hath laid 07»
Jiim the iniquity of us all." Had our sins been disposed of any
where else, but on him, they had recoiled back upon us again;
none can bear iniquity, to carry it into the land of forgetfulness,
but the scape-goat, Christ. It is Christ alone, on whom the
iniquities of believers are laid for their discharge.
This proposition, that our iniquities are laid on Christ, is the
basis, that upholds all the consolation revealed in this chapter.
The main thing, I shall insist upon, will be to consider, what
answerable ends the Lord might have in this most admirable work,
of laying iniquity upon Christ; there is no work that administers
matter of astonishment, and puts the reason and judgments of
tmen so nuich to a nonplus, as this one work of laying men's
14 THE JUSTICE OF GOD
Bins upon Christ ; it must needs then have suitable ends : being
but a means to conduce to higher purposes.
1. One great end of laying iniquity upon Christ, is, that the
" Lord might lay help upon one that is mighty ;" that so seeing
he hath undertaken to discharge the poor believer from iniquity,
he might go through the work, and not leave it by halves. Had
iniquity been laid any where, but on Christ, the work of taking it
away, had been left unfinished, so far as it appeais to us; it is
not conceivable to any man under heaven, how iniquity should
be carried away, but by the " Lamb of God that takes away the
sin of the world."
But I will proceed : there are many other remarkable uses and
ends, for which the Lord laid iniquity upon Christ. As,
2. That he might have full satisfaction and reparation of the
injury done unto him, to his full content. It cannot be imagined,
by all the wits in the world, how the justice of God violated,
should be so satisfied, as in laying iniquity upon Christ. When
Adam sinned, and by that act involved himself, and his whole
posterity, into a state of transgression ; nay, into a constant
course of enmity and rebellion against God ; by which justice
was extremely violated, and the Divine Majesty insuiferably
affronted; it concerned God, for the maintenance of the honor of
justice, to take order for the reparation of the violation, and
affront of it: God could as soon cease to be, as not to take
order, that justice violated, should be satisfied: You have an
ordinary rule, " Whatever is in God, is God himself." Let
justice be once torn from the Divine Nature, and it ceases to be :
in this regard, I say, it concerns God, to repair his justice in the
largest way of satisfaction, that might answer it to the full : and
yet, nevertheless, though the Lord was resolved, that justice
should not be violated ; for it is a certain position with God,
" Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not one jot nor tittle of
God's word shall fall to the ground :" much less a jot or tittle
(if I may so speak) of his essence shall fall ; yet, I say, though
the Lord would have justice, even to the utmost satisfied; it was
at the same instant, and everlastingly in his thoughts, that some
few * of those creatures that had thus violated it, should not sink
under that reparation that it stood upon. Now here comes in a
business, that no wisdom, but the infinite wisdom of God, could
• Rom. ix. 27
FULLY SATISFIED BY CHRIST ALONE. 15
possibly either conceive, or contrive, to wit, a way of reconcilia-
tion of his justice and mercy; in the saving of such creatures,
justice should be fully repaired, and yet the creature, violating
justice, be saved, is a riddle that none but God himself could
ever untie. These two things therefore being jointly settled in
the thoughts of God himself, he casts about with himself, how he
might maintain and manifest both, without the prejudice of
either.
The Psalmist saith, " Mercy and truth are met together,
righteousness and peace have kissed each other ;" here is the
agreement between both. The Lord knew well, that if the
creatures violating justice, were themselves to make satisfaction
to it, they must sink and perish, and be undone for ever; there
was like to be nothing but ruin, and that eternal ; and this
payment would be very slow, and destructive to the creature,
therefore God liked it not.
Tlie prophet Ezekiel speaks expressly from the Lord, " As I
live, I desire not the death of a sinner." I will not stand to
discourse nicely, as if there were any diflference between the
desire and will in God ; I know there is none ; but in respect of
the manifestation of the mind of God to us, we may conceive,
that the Lord, for the satisfying of justice, will rather have the
creature destroyed, than the continual violation of it should be
without reparation ; yet this cannot be called pleasure or delight,
that he hath in this thing ; but for the prevention of the violation
of his justice, he is contented, the creatures should some of them
perish * ; " I desire not the death of a sinner ;" it is not the
delight I have, I take no pleasure in the thing.
I say, therefore, seeing it is the pleasure of God, some of his
creatures should not perish, and yet justice violated should be
repayed too ; he casts about with himself, how these two things
might stand together, and not one jar against the other ; for this
purpose, it pleased the Lord at the first, to propound to himself,
and so to publish his mind to his people, concerning a way of
reparation, by some present payment, in the blood of bulls and
goats, and other sacrifices; upon the heads of which, as you have
it in Levit. i. 4, those that oflfer the sacrifices, were to lay their
hands, and so there was a manifestation of atonement; in this,
God had some content, for that time ; but the full pleasure of
• 2 Thes. ii. 10.
16 THR -lSi;«JE OF GOO
the Jjord, was not answered in this way of reparation ; no, not
though Jesus Christ himself, was shadowed out under tliose sa-
crifices ; yet the Lord saw Tiot that fulness of content to himself
in this obscure way : and therefore, he findeth out a better, and a
more contenting way to himself; and what was that, you will say ?
look into Heb. x. 5, you shall there find, how the apostle fully
shews, that the Lord was not to the utmost so satisfied, as he
would be, in that first way ; and, also, what way he sets up to give
himself full content, and that gives direct answer to the thing in
hand ; " Burnt offerings and sacrifices thou wouldest not, (saith
Christ) in burnt offerings and sacrifices thou hadst no pleasure :"
mark but this phrase and expression well ; which plainly sheweth
the way that God then took, to repay his own justice in the blood
of bulls and goats ; though for the time it gave him some, yet not
that full content, such as he could take full pleasure in.
But some will be ready to say, that when the apostle spake thus
of sacrifices and burnt offerings, he meant those simply consi-
dered, without respect unto Christ whom they typified.
To this I answer. That not only in the sacrifices, simply con-
sidered in themselves, without Christ, God took no pleasure, is
his meaning, but under favour, he goeth further ; for, if yoii
mark the opposition well, you shall find it is not made between
them considered as types of Christ, and considered simply, and
abstractively from him their substance; but the opposition is
made between the whole service, as it then was, and the new
way that Christ, when he came in the flesh, brought into the
world to please God with ; therefore saith Christ, immediately
after, " Because thou tookest no pleasure in them, lo, I come :
in the volume of thy book it is written of me ; it is my delight to
do thy will, O God;" and in that he saith, " Lo, I come, he
taketh away the first, that he might establish the second:" so
that you see he makes the difference between this way that God
took to satisfy himself then, and the way in which he was satis-
fied when Christ came in person, wherein he, by once offering
up himself, perfected for ever them that are sanctified; the way
in which Christ comes to give God satisfaction, is, by his per-
.sonal offering up of himself a sacrifice ; though Christ was darkly
apprehended under those sacrifices of bulls and goats, yet God
dia not take so full pleasure in them, as he did in Christ once
offering up himself; and therefore he saith, after he had on::e
FULLY SATISFIED BY CHRIST ALONE. 17
offered up himself, " He sat down at the right hatid of God."
It is therefore Christ's personal bearing of iniquity upon the
cross, once for all, that gives unto the Lord full pleasure and
content ; and hence you shall find in the same epistle, when the
Lord had before established the priesthood, after the order of
Aaron, and that administration of service that was amono- them,
the apostle declareth that he changed it ; and the reason of this
chanjre he also sheweth in Heb. x. 1 ; because " The law having
but a shadow of good things to come, and not the very imao-e of
things, could not make the comers thereunto perfect ;" there
being a necessity of remembering sin again every year; so that
this was but a lingering payment by piece-meals, as I may so
say, I mean in respect of the manifestation of the mind of God.
Indeed such a full way of payment God hath in his secret
thoughts in Christ, as that he was then fully satisfied and con-
tented in them; but he did not manifest himself in those sacri-
fices, and in that administration, to have such complete payment
all at once, as when Christ came into the world ; therefore as the
priesthood was changed, so Christ, being made a priest, after the
order of Melchisedeck, God liked his payment so well, that he
swears, that notwithstanding Aaron's order, " Thou art a priest
for ever." I say again, the Lord took such full content in
Christ's personal bearing iniquity, that now he seeth, that there
is no way in the world to give himself satisfaction, or could be
devised, like this way ; and for this cause, the former priesthood
being changed, he saith, nay, he swears, " Thou art a priest for
4^ver, after the order of Melchisedeck ;" so that by this you may
perceive, how abundantly the Lord found himself satisfied in his
mind in this, that iniquity is laid upon his own son ; no way in
the world would have done but this.
If any man should undertake to agree for his brother he could
not give God content ; no man can redeem his brother ; it costs
so much to redeem a soul, he must leave it for ever. It is not
the fruit of the body that can answer for the sin of the soul, that
cannot give God content ; though a man could establish an in-
nocent, nay, an a-ng>elic righteousness, yet this could not satisfy
God to his content ; it is this, " Lo, I come, to do thy will O God
that gives him full content, Christ's own coming to bear iniquity.
It may be you will say, what did Christ come for, when he
saith, " Lo, I come ?"
'OL. n. c
THE JUSTICE OF OOD
I answer, It is plain he came to be in the room of those sacri-
fices that went before ; and why did he come in their room, it
may be further demanded ? God could not take full pleasure in
them, therefore he came to give satisfaction in their place.
Now, what was the office, you will say, of the priest in offering
sacrifice 1
It was, by that offering them, atonement might be pro-
nounced by the priest upon the people, they laying their hands
upon the head of the beast.
Now the business of Christ's coming for the pleasing of his
Father, was to bear the sins of his people, which those sacrifices
Dore, (Christ being typified under them) but imperfectly in re-
gard of that full satisfaction he gave ; for there is none like this.
In Prov, viii. 30, observe how Christ, under the name of Wis-
dom, declares the Lord's pleasure in him : " I was daily his de-
light ; I was before him as one brought up with him ;" as if God
could not look upon any thing as his delight but only his Son.
Yea, may some say, as he was the Son of God, he was daily
his delight ; wherefore, in verse 31, you shall see in what respect
he was so : for he saith immediately after, " My delights were
with the sons of men ;" here Christ seems to apply the delight
that his Father took in him, unto this condition, as his delight
was with the sons of men ; and wherein doth Christ express it
more than in this, in that whereas they were sunk in sin and
misery, it was his delight to recover them, and bring them to
shore with safety, that would have been drowned, except he had
laid hold of them, and took them out ; and hence in Isaiah liii.
11, 12,theLordexpresseth himself wherein he taketh his greatest
satisfaction ; " He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied ;" what was that? Certainly the bearing of the iniqui-
ties of all his elect upon himself, on his own body on the tree.
The hand of God was just, and could not but be so ; it could
not smite but where it found a fault ; the transaction of the ini-
quities of men on Christ, by way of suretyship, drew the stripes
of the Lord upon him, and so " he beheld the travail of his soul,
and was satisfied : and the pleasure of the Lord," saith the same
prophet, " shall prosper in his hands." What was in the hands
of Christ, that the Lord saith should prosper ? This was the main
thino", the taking away tlie sins of the world, as John the Ba))-
tist tes^ifieth ; for this was the very office of him, and the glory
FULLY SATISFIED BY CHRIST ALONE. ]&
of his ministry, to point out with his finger unto Christ, and say,
" Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the
world," John i. 29. This was the chief business of Christ
which " prospered in his hands ; the handy-work of Christ is
done with such effect and fruit, that the pleasure of the Lord
prospered ; so far as that prospered, the pleasure of the Lord
prospered and is fulfilled.
This is of infinite concern to us, that our iniquities be laia
upon such a back, that God may take full satisfaction to himself;
if any man conceive that the coming of Christ into the world,
proclaims a mitigation of divine justice, I think they are much
mistaken ; Christ came not to abolish the law, much less to take
any thing away of the divine essence of God himself.
That Christ should make the justice of God more remiss, is
to rob God ; and the pleasure of the Lord could not prosper in
the hands of such as should rob him of that which is so near
and dear unto him ; therefore the mitigation of divine justice
was not the business of Christ, which prospering pleased God ;
but in that the back of Christ was made stronsf and broad
enough to bear the weight of vindictive justice, therefore the
pleasure of the Lord prospered : " A body hast thou prepared
me ;" that is, the Lord fitted and steeled Christ to be able in
bearing of iniquity, that he might fetch his full stroke, and take
out the full payment that justice itself could require of him ;
and this infinitely concerns us, that Christ is the person on whom
iniquity is laid, whereby justice is satisfied to the full; for cer-
tainly, if our surety had not given to the Lord that full content
he desired, woe had been to every one of us ; for so much of
divine justice as was not satisfied upon the back of Christ, the
Lord would have looked for upon our own : this is certain, re-
paration must be had ; so that had not Christ suffered ; had it not
been that God acknowledged himself that he had all the satis-
faction he looked for, or could desire, he had come upon every
person where any thing was left behind unsatisfied. Now all the
creatures under heaven, put them together, could not give God
perfect satisfaction for sin; there would have been something
behind, that the elect could never reach unto ; and in what a
sad condition then should they have been, when God should
have come in flaming fire to take vengeance upon them, which
he might do ; nav, which he would have done> if he had not
c 2
20 THE JUSTICE OF GOD
taken full satisfaction upon Christ. Had not he worn out the
rod of vengeance to the stumps, the remainder should have been
upon our backs, and that would have pierced us with an ever-
lasting sting. Certainly there is not the least sin, but deserves
all the punishment of this, and of the world to come ; and if
Christ did not give God full satisfaction for both, he did for
neither ; and it could not have been said of him, " He beheld
the travail of his soul, and was satisfied," if there had remained
any thing to be done after Christ had done his work.
Beloved, it was the happiest day that ever came, and the
gladdest tidings ever heard, that " Mercy and truth met toge-
ther, and that righteousness and peace kissed each other ;" for if
God in his infinite wisdom had not brought it thus to pass by
the sufferings of his Son, all the world should have sunk and
perished for ever, before these glorious attributes of God should
have grated and jarred one against another,
3. As the laying of iniquity upon Christ, was that which gave
God full satisfaction, when nothing else could do it ; so he did
it, to save Christ's longing. The truth is, beloved, as Christ
studied nothing more than to give his Father content, so l.e
again desired nothing more than to give his Son content, and ts
answer him in that he most affected and desired. It is true
poor sinners are saved by Christ, but that is a subordinate thing
Christ's main aim is at giving his Father content ; " I have
finished the work that thou gavest me to do," John xvii. 4.
And in another place, " This commandment have I received
from the Father, that of all that thou hast given me, I should
lose none ;" in that Christ " took upon him the form of a servant,
and became obedient unto death, the death of the cross, there-
fore God hath highly exalted him." The eye of Christ was
upon the pleasing of his Father, and to give him consent ; as the
glory of Cod is the chiefest end of all things, the same was the
chief end in Christ's eye, in procuring the salvation of his people.
The Lord delights in his Son ; " I Avas daily his delight,"
salth Christ, Prov. viii, 30, He took delight in nothing so much
as in him ; now what is the fruit, the consequence of it 1
" Whatsoever I ask of the Father, he will give it me : Father, I
know thou hearest me always," saith he, John xi. 41, There is
iu)thing he desires, cost what it will, but the Father will give it
him, and part with for his sake : now what is it that he desires
FULLY SATISFIED BY CHRIST ALONE. 21
of the Father above all things? " All my delights were with the
sons of men," Prov, viii. 31. Observe the universality of the
expression ; he saith, not only some^ but all my delight was with
them ; I care for nothing else but that they might do well ; let
it therefore cost what it will, so that the sons of men miscarry
not, I shall have my hearths desire. Take away these from
Christ, and you take away the delight of his soul. If God
could, or would not, give Christ the sons of men, he must cross
his mind ; but now, rather than that should be crossed, Christ
must bear iniquity, forasmuch as there was no other way to save
poor lost miserable man. It is true, the bearing of iniquity
itself, simply considered, is no desirable thing ; and therefore of
itself, it could not be the object of Christ's longing, nor desirable
unto him, but as it served for a further end, and conduced to
advance that which he took most delight in ; so, for that, he
desired and longed to bear it. And, for the proof of this, you
shall find many expressions of scripture, by which it will appear
that there is nothing in the world Christ hath thirsted after so
much as to bear the sins of men, and the wrath of God that is
due to them. In Psal. xix. 5, the Psalmist speaks literally
indeed of the sun in the firmament, but mystically of Christ, that
" it goeth forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and
rejoiceth, like a strong man, to run his race." Christ is the sun of
righteousness ; the sun hastes not more to dispel the corrupt
vapours and fogs that are settled upon the earth, and to exhale
them up towards itself from it, that so it may be clear and
wholesome, than Christ hastened, nay, eagerly longed to exhale
those noxious and corrupt vapours of sinfulness and wrath due
to his own people, that they may be a peculiar people, all fair
before God, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, as in
Cant. iv. 7 ; Eph. v. 27. No strong man is more hot and eager
to a combat, wherein he hopes to work deliverance for those that
are captives, than Christ is to fight the battle of the poor captives
of the Lord, that they may be redeemed from bondage ; and
" He hath led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, even
for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them,"
Psal. Ixviii. 18. Such gifts had Christ, and that for the
rebellious, even when they were no better ; such as the leading
eaptivitij captive^ delighting as a strong man to nn his race.
There is no man more eager to run a race to win the goal, than
28 THE JU55TICE OF GOD
Christ was to obtain this one tiling, to deliver man from the
bondac^e of sin and misery. In Psal. xl. 8, the Psalmist hath
this expression, (when Christ had said, "Lo^ I come, presently he
addeth) " I delight to do thy will, O God; yea, thy law is
written in my heart ;" or, as it is in the margin, " It is written in
the midst of my bowels;" as much as ta say, the bowels of Christ
do vearn within him, to come in the room of a burnt-sacrifice, to
bear the sins of the people ; " It is written as a law in my heart ;
it is my great delight.""
In Luke xii. 50, you shall find how mightily the heart of
Christ was set upon it to bear the iniquity of his people ; " I
have a baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straitened till
it be accomplished ?" What was this baptism 1 it was nothing
else but Christ's bearing our sins upon the cross, as Peter
expresses it, in 1 Pet. ii. 24: " He himself bare our sins in his
own body on tlie tree."
This was the thing Christ so much longed for, and was so
much straitened in his Spirit about that he could not be at rest
till it was accomplished ; and, in Luke xxii. 15, you shall further
see,, how he was set upon it, " With desire have I desired to eat
this passover before I suffer." The passover, you know, was
nothino- else but the paschal lamb slain and eaten, and a type of
Christ, and his bearing and suffering for sin ; Christ is that
paschal lamb, " The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of
the world." Now, " with desire have I desired to eat it ;" what
is that he means 1 That his heart was so eager of being the
paschal lamb, to bear iniquity, that he could hardly stay, but
must be acting it in every type ; he had such a mind to bear the
sins of his people, that, for the sake of it, he desires with desire
to act the thing in the type of it. The phrase expresseth large-
ness of bowels, that he could not contain himself
Now, beloved, what thing else, in all the world, could satisfy
the longing of Christ, but having the thing his heart was set
iipon ? When women long, how do you satisfy them ? They
long for one thing, do you give them another 1 Nay, that will
not give them content; you must give them the thing they long
for. This was the longing of Christ to bear the sins of his people, to
come in the room of burnt-sacrifices. Now how could this long-
inc of his be satisfied, but by having the thing his heart desired ?
This is a thing which infinitely concetns every soul that would
FULLY S4TISF1KD BY CHRIST ALONE. HS
iiave joy unspeakable and glorious founded upon a rock that
cannot be shaken, that Christ did long for this thing. Certainly
it cost the Father such a price, to make Christ an offering for
sin, that if he himself had not had a mighty mind to it, he could
uot have pressed him, nor have yielded to give his own dear and
only Son, and deliver him up for us all. Oh! what a task was
he put unto ! it went to the heart of him (as I may so say) to do
it. What thing in heaven or earth could have ever moved him
to do it, but only the longing of Christ, his own willingness ?
You see how God advanceth the renown of Abraham, in that he
spared not his only son, but yielded him up in the integrity of his
heart, that was so dear unto him ; therefore, saith he, " In
blessing I will bless thee," &c. Certainly God could not part
with any thing in the world that went so near to his heart, as his
Son Christ, much more his forsaking of him, as he cried out,
" My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" God saith
elsewhere of him, " Thou art my beloved Son, I am well pleased
with thee," Matt. iii. 17. And yet now to forsake this beloved
Son, how near must this needs touch his heart? Now what could
move the Father to this strange, this unparalleled act of his, but
the extreme eagerness of Christ ? And what moved Christ to
this, but that he well knew, that if he had not suiFered, his poor
little flock should have been for ever drowned: he had for ever
lost that which the Father had given him, and they had perished;
this made him long to bear iniquity, and his longing made the
Father willing that he should bear it.
You, that are fathers, can apprehend what a thing it is, to
have your child's throat cut, especially you that have but one
son, how near would it go to your heart ! But to have his throat
cut, and that for the saving of a varlet that would have cut yours,
if it had been in his power, is not this example beyond your
reach? God did this for you; and this is not all, he was not
only contented to let Clirist suffer, but was himself a spectator,
and beheld him suffering, and saw the tragedy acted : and this
was not all neither, but he had his own hands in it ; there was
his determinate council upon it; nay, more, there was actually
the hand of God himself upon him ; he did not only put him
into, and leave him in the hands of miscreants and devils, to
revile and blaspheme him, but takes him up himself, and
scouro-eth him with the rod of his own indignation.
24 THE JUSTICE OP OO
Oil ! what should thus turn the bowels of God, to break out
t;o upon his dear Son Christ, to beat and bruise him as he did,
but his own longing ! Oh, it is of infinite concern unto us, that
the bowels of Christ were unto such a work : for the weight of
it would have been so heavy, and the task so great, that without
some vehement incentive, he could never have brooked it : so
tedious it, was that you know what he said, " Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from me ;" if he had not had a
longing, the bitterness of the cup would have made him flinch
from the thing ; but his heart was so set upon it, that he over-
looks all this, and will go perfectly through the work.
You know how the eagerness of a man in a business he
delights in, makes him overlook discouragem£nts ii> it, that will
make others give it over. It is said of Jacob, though he served
seven years under Laban, and that with rigour, for Rachel, " yet
he thought it but a little time ;" and Avhy was that ? Because he
loved hep. Love breaks through all difficulties : so then the
heart of Christ being so set upon the thing, that iniquity should
be laid upon him, therefore it was done, or else Christ shoul- \
have lost his longing.
4. The Lord laid iniquity upon Clirist, to the end that he
might shew to the world, especially to his own people, " The
most abominable loathsomeness and filthiness of sin." Beloved,
it is but a mistake in the minds of some people, that the preach-
ing the gospel of Christ, Christ's bearing the iniquities of his
people, is away to lessen the apprehension of the ugliness of sin.
1 dare oe bold to say, all the rhetoric in the world, setting ou
all the aofo-ravations of sin, and thundering out all the threaten-
in^s and curses of the law, with all the terrors of God's wrath
for it ; nay, the execution of the terrible wrath of God, all at
once, upon all the creatures in the world, could not, would not,
so discover the abominable loathsomeness, and filthiness of sin
in the sight of God, as this one act of God's laying iniquity upon
his Son. If all the world should sustain iniquity, and thereby
all the wrath of God at once, the Lord should lay his wrath but
upon mere creatures, when all that were done ; but when he lays
iniquity upon his Son, and spends all his wrath upon him, this
shews an extreme bitterness of the heart of God against sin. If
a man meet with a Spaniard, or any he is at open enmity with,
a.nd smite, or slay Kim, there would not hereby appear such in.-
FULLY SATISFIED BY CHRIST ALONE. 25
dignation against this enemy, as if this man should take his own
son, and go near to cut his throat, for committing some act
against his pleasure : a man will beat his servant for a fault, when
his son for the same shall go free, and there shall be no notice
taken of it ; but if at another time you shall find his spirit so
stirred up, that ho lays about him, and is ready to brain his
child, if he comes near him ; this shews the depth of indignation
that is raised in him, and the greatness of the fault in his eye,
that stirred it up. Now, beloved, when the Lord should be moved,
that he doth not only fall foul upon all the creatures, but upon
his own Son, and becomes the executioner of him, and delivers
up his soul for sin ; what an expression of wrath against sin is
here 1 a mild and meek master when he is provoked to beat his
servant, and to turn him out of doors, it signifies the fault to be
great ; but when the son cannot be spared, but must be forsaken,
this must be a fault that nothing else can take off the edge of
spirit against it : and, I say, the smarting of the Son of God*s
love, especially in such a manner as he did, certainly shews tli
extremity of the indignation of God against sin.
Therefore, beloved, if ever you would come to see the evil of
sin, that it may be a bridle to restrain you from it ; when profit
and pleasure, or any such thing come in, and would tempt you
to sin, look upon Christ, and see that God would not spare him
a stroke ; and all this for thy sake, lest thou should perish under
this vengeance ; and wilt not thou fear to commit that sin, that
cost so many blows to his dearest Son ? There are many other
admirable reasons, wherefore God laid iniquity upon his Son •
but i cannot speak farther of them now.
2b blN'S LOATHSOMENESS^ AND
SERMON XXVI.
THE LOATHSOMENESS OF SIN, AND THE IMMENSE-
NESS OF LOVE DISCOVERED.
ISAIAH liii. 6.
AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL.
We have passed through many excellent things this precious
text affords us ; we are come to consider the rock of our salva-
tion, the mighty one, upon whom the Lord hath laid this help,
who is set up as a corner stone, to bear up, without sinking, so
heavy a weight as " The iniquity of us all."
I shewed you, that it was none but Christ : the main thing I
have propounded, to be considered from the singling out of Christ
himself, to bear our iniquities, is this, namely, to find out what
the proportionable ends of the Lord may be unto such an unpa-
ralleled action as this : as it is the greatest work that ever he did,
so it hath the greatest ends that ever he aimed at. Expert work-
men level their works, frame their materials, according to the
business for which they are to serve ; they make the moulds fit
for the vessels to be cast in them. If men therefore are so wise,
as to order things in their weight and measure, how much more
the o-reat God of heaven and earth.
There are sundry admirable ends and purposes the Lord aims
at in lavin<y iniquity upon Christ ; and, as he aimed at such ends
in the thinf^, so he excellently accomplishes them, to the great
content of himself, and comfort of his people.
1. He laid iniquity upon Christ, " That he might lav help
upon one that is mighty."
2. That he might be satisfied to his own content : all the world
could ncv I have contented God; no, not the dissolution and
annihilation of it, only Christ bearing the iniquities of men :
love's tmmensenkss discovered. 2^
which otherv/ise should have brought the dissolution and destruc-
tion of themselves, and of the world ; " As I live, saith the Lord.
I desire not the death of a sinner ;" but as concerning Chris
bearing of iniquity, the pleasure of the Lord prospered in that.
3. The Lord laid our iniquities upon Christ, to give Christ
Ais own longing. " I was daily his delight, and my delights are
with the sons of men ;" take away the sons of men from Christ,
and you take away his delight; take away that from a man, in
which his delight is, and you take away all his comfort ; if God
should not give Christ the sons of men, he should cross his de-
light ; now rather than do this, seeing the sons of men cannot be
given to Christ, but he must be made sin for them ; iniquity shall
be laid upon him. Christ hath a mighty strong heart, even to
this very thing, when he saith, " Lo, I come, to do thy will, O
God :" that is, that will which burnt offerings and sacrifices could
not do, the taking away sin ; " I delight to do thy will, O God,"
saith he ; that is, to bear the sins of men ; to come in the room
of those sacrifices, and do their business. " I have a baptism to
be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you ;" that
is, the paschal lamb, which was nothing but a type of his bearing
the sins of men, being " the Lamb of God that takes av/ay the
sins of the world."
4. The Lord laid our iniquities upon Christ, that he might
represent to the life the hideousness and abominable loathsome-
ness of sin to the whole world. Of this I shall speak something
more than the last time would permit. There is no way wherein
sin will appear so out of measure hateful to God, as by laying it
upon Christ. You know, beloved, that Haman, that great
courtier, when he had received an affront from Mordecai, at once
to make his own greatness known, and the heinousness of the
crime, as he conceived in this affront, thought it was but too poor
a satisfaction to have the life of that single man ; and therefore
he devises, and accordingly proceeds in his device, to have all
the nation of the Jews cut off at once for such a fact. The g^reater
the suffering is for a crime, the more it manifests to the world
the greatness and dctestableness of it. You know there is none
in the world, nay, all the world together, is nothing so dear in
the eyes of God, as his Son ; and if it had been possible that sin
couid have been connived at, it would have been upon his Son,
28 sin's loathsomeness, and
being his only by imputation : a fond father may possibly wink
at a fault in a son, which he will not pass by in a slave ; but when
a father falls foul upon a dear child, upon whom a fault is found,
and the fire of indignation restrains his affection, this argues the
extremity of the rage of the father, and the heinousness of the
crime that incenseth it. When Jonathan had so transgi-essed the
commandment of Saul, that he said, " Though it be Jonathan my
beloved Son, he shall surely die for it;" this shewed the extreme
rage in the heart of Saul, and the apprehension of a heinous
fact not to be borne with. When the Lord will lay iniquity upon
Christ, and, when he finds it upon him, if he himself shall not
escape ; nay, if there shall not so much as be a mitigation of
wrath, though the crime be upon him, no otherwise than only as
a surety ; this shews that iniquity is of such a loathsome savour
in the nostrils of God, that it is impossible he should have any
partiality or remissness wherever it is to be found. The more
easily a crime is passed over, the less it is in the eye of him. by
whom it is passed over ; but when a fault shall not be spared, no,
not on the back of an only son, this sin is out of measure sinful.
I dare be bold to say, as I said before, that all the rhetorical
aggravations of sin, whether in respect of the filthiness of it, or
of the wrath that attends it, or the miseries that proceed from it,
come short of this one aggravation of it ; the Lord hath laid
iniquity upon his own Son.
It is true, sin is aggravated much, as you see in Isaiah i. 12;
*' To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me ?
saith the Lord; I am full of the burnt- offerings of rams, and the
fat of fed beasts : 1 delight not in the blood of bullocks, nor of
iambs, when ye appear before me ; who hath required these things
at your hands ?" &c. Here are expressions to aggravate sin in
respect of the filthiness of it, exceedingly, that it makes all our
prayers and sacrifices loathsome in his presence ; but mark it,
beloved, when all these expressions shall but only reflect upon
the person of a mere creature ; (God cannot away with it, his
soul hateth it, in me and in thee, that are but men and women)
they are notliing so much as when these shall reflect upon his own
Son; he cannot away with it in his Son, it is as abominable to
him on Christ himself; this expression ariseth higher than all the
aggravations in the world besides. Suppose that God forsakes
all the sons of men for sin, this aggravates not so much the
love's immenseness discovered. 29
hatred of God against sin, as to forsake his own Son, as he com-
plains ; " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" my
goul is heavy unto death. When God laid iniquity upon Christ,
he forsakes not the world, but his own Son, for sin ; therefore it
must be an exceeding abominable thing: the truth is, God
singled out Christ to bear the sins of men, for this purpose, be-
cause his back is strong enough to bear all the indignation of
God at once, the creature is too weak to do, and vindicate divine
justice against sin ; the creatures cannot pay God but by piece-
meal, and yet could never have made full payment ; therefore
the extremity of God's indignation against sin, cannot express
itself in the latitude of it upon them ; for it would have beat them
to dust, and yet not be satisfied. A little fire to-day, and a little
more to-morrow, burning continually, is something ; but when
all that fire, that would burn many years, should be set together
to burn in a moment of time, it must needs have more of the
fierceness of fire in it, than if it had burnt by several parts. The
fierceness of God's indignation being all at once upon the back
of Christ ; I say, all that fierceness that should have been pro-
tracted to eternity upon the offending creature, all that flame of
wrath being contracted at once upon Christ for the sins of men,
infinitely more expresses the greatness of the indignation of the
Lord, than if it had lain upon all mankind to all eternity. The
torments of hell we conceive infinite, have indeed a beginning,
but they have no end, they are lengthened out to run in a pa-
rallel line with eternity itself; but now, suppose that all this tor-
ment should be contracted, and equivalently contained in the
limits of one minute of time, and all this wrath to have broken
out at one clap ; had not there been more fierceness of wrath thus
breaking out all at once, than being protracted to eternity ?
Even such were the sufferings of Christ for the elect upon the
cross in that short time; they equivalently contained all that tor-
ment and wrath that should have lain upon them to all eternity.
If he had not suffered for them at that instant upon the cross,
they themselves had suffered for ever and ever. Oh, beloved,
this infinitely aggravates the most abominable loathsomeness and
hatefulness of sin : and therefore what the church complains of
in Lam. i. 12, is as true, nay, more true of Christ himself:
** All you that pass by, behold, and see, if there be any sorrow
like my sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afHicted me in the day
30 SiNS's LOATHSOMENESS, AND
of his fierce anger :" it was the day of his fierce anger indeed ;
never was there such fierce auger, as that when Christ " bare
our sins on his own body on the tree." Take notice therefore,
I pray you, that, as I told you before, it is a most abominable
slander that is now cast upon the gospel of free-grace, to say,
that the preaching of this doctrine extenuateth sin in the eyes of
men, and causeth such an over-cast upon the filthiness of it, that
it must needs appear less filthy to men than it otherwise would.
I say, there is no minister in the world, that is able to set out
the abominable filthiness of sin, and the bitterness of God's wrath
expressed against it ; nothing can set it out so much as this, that
our iniquities are laid upon Christ
It is true indeed, the Lord's laying of iniquity upon Christ
gives rest to the hearts of poor believers; seeing their sins are
transacted from them, and so consequently the desert of them,
that they feel none of the smart of the rod, nor the mischief of
sin, Christ bearing their sins, and thereby their punishment for
them ; yet, though sin be transacted from believers, and they
freed from that wrath it, in its own nature, deserves ; yet it doth,
and will, appear far more in its ugly shape and own nature,
upon the back of Christ, than if it remained upon the person
himself that hath committed it.
5. As God's laying of iniquity upon Christ sets forth the
filthiness oi sin, so it serves to commend to his church the most
immense and incomprehensible love that ever he shewed or
expressed in aii the world. The quintessence, as I may so
speak, of God's love is mightily set forth in it.
Indeed, the Lord hath abundantly manifested his love to
mankind in those privileges mentioned in Psah viii. 3, 4,
" What is man (saith David), that thou art mindful of him ? or
the son of man, that thou visitest him ?" Here is a love
David could not conclude how great it was, and therefore he
expresseth it by an expostulation, " What is man, that thou art
mindful of him ?" Now, wherein is this love manifested?
" Thou hast made nim a little lower than the angels, thou hast
crowned him with glory and honor, and thou hast put all things
under his feet :" here is love, to make man the Lord of the rest
of the creatures ; but yet there is a greater love than this : when
n»an had most shamefully revolted, in all equity and reason as
we ronceive, God should have singled out other creattjres, and
love's IMMENSENESS DISCOVERED. 31
not rebels, as men were, to be the objects of his love : but,
though man, and only he, deserved wrath, yet he singled him
out, and he must be his greatest delight, and more near and dear
unto him, than he was before.
Now, if you do but consider what it cost God to make man
partaker of all that goodness a creature can be made capable of;
the love of God will be exceedingly aggravated, and the excel-
lency of it shine with a more dazzling brightness. If God had
given or parted with that for man that should cost him nothing,
there had wanted that particular to aggravate his love, though
otherwise it might be exceedingly great, and our happiness no
less ; but, beloved, when he shall be at so much charge, as to
part with him that is so dear unto him, the Son of his love, in
whom his soul delighteth ; and when, to make man partaker of
all that love, he was content to pay so dear, that his only son
s^hould be made an offering for sin, and be made subject unto
death, even the most accursed death of the cross, that they that
be afar off might be made nigh ; that God, I say, should part
with his own Son, and that upon such hard terms of a bitter
and an accursed death ; this sets out his love in an inconceiv-
able manner, beyond parallel, nay, beyond the reach of finite
capacities.
The apostle, Rom. v. 7, 8, (endeavouring to set out this love
of God to men) tells us, that no man can be found that hath laid
down his life for a righteous man ; '• For a good man, (saith
he), peradventure some men may dare to die : but herein hath
God commended his love to us, that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us :" here is a commendation of love indeed,
beyond all that ever the world expressed ; " Greater love hath
no man, (John xv. 13), than this, that a man lay down his life
for his friends :" but, if you consider, what friend this is that
Christ laid down his life for, you will say indeed, no greater love
than this can there be : that friend was an enemy, till that life
was laid down; this, I say, is admirable love, upon which the
apostle, in Rom. viii. 32, speaks excellently, " He that spared
not his own Son, but delivered him u]) for us all, how shall he not
with him give us all things ?" As if he had said, what simplicity
IS it for any man to think, that any should be so precious in the
eves of God, for the manifestation of his love, as his Son ; ortliat
any tiling should be too dear to bestow upon us, seeing he did
32 sin's loathsomeness, and
not stick to give him? As otlier tilings are but to3's in com-
parison of his Son, so the gift of his Son, especially to die for
man, was a most high expression of love ; yet it is a far higher
expression of it, that Christ should bear the sins of man^ than
that he should be given to die for them ; for, for Christ to die
for them, comes far short of his bearing their sins. Affliction is
not contrary to the nature of God ; God can smile upon persons,
when they are under the greatest contempt that may be ; he can
delight, and please himself vv^ith them in that condition ; but
where he charges any sin, he abhors. And some may think it
strange, that such a poor sinful thing as man, should have such
gladness of spirit in the midst of tribulations, as Paul and Silas,
to sing for joy in prison : it is a wonderful thing that sinful men
should have such gladness of heart when under afflictions ; and
yet that the innocent Son of God should be in such distress .
what is the reason of it ? Had not Christ more power to bear
the rod, than poor weak man ? Why then was not he as joyfui
under afflictions as weak frail man? He was so faint, as to
sweat drops of blood, and to roar in the anguish of his soul, anrt
cry out in the bitterness of his spirit; whereas poor sinning man
leaps for joy, and sings for gladness of heart, as our martyrs
have done in the fire. The reason is this, they that thus sang
for joy, had the discharge of all their sins ; they saw that God
in Christ was reconciled, and imputed no transgressions unto
them : " The spirit of a man may sustain his infirmity, but a
wounded spirit who can bear?" Prov. xviii, 14. If sin lie as a
sting wounding the spirit of a man, this is insupportable ; none
can go away under it lightly and merrily; but if it be taken
away, the spirit of a man may be sustained. They that had such
joy and gladness, their sins were done away : " The ransomed
of the Lord shall return to Sion, with songs and everlasting joy
upon their heads ; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow
and sighing fly away," Isa, xxxv. 10.
But you will say, while every one that lives godly in Christ
Jesus, shall suffer persecution, how shall they obtain such joy
and gladness ?
They are the ransomed of the Lord. What is that? they are
ransomed from their sins ; a Saviour is come that saves them
from them ; so that they may be full of joy, though they meet
with tribulations ; but, as for Christ, the TiOrd is pleasert to \ay
love's IMMENSENESS msCOVERED, 33
pon him, though he take it from them. And as Christ
their iniquities, so he was fain -to stoop ; his spirit was
naed more than others, that did not suffer for sin as he did,
and had nothing like the strength that he had.
This now must needs commend the love of God to men, that
while they, who deserved wrath, are in rest and peace, Christ
not only bears their afflictions, but their very sins ; that God
should not only expose his Son to the rod, but put him into a
posture of wrath ; for putting him into a posture of bearing
sin, must needs put him into a posture of bearing wrath ; this
heightens the love. It is a great and high expression of love to
adopt a stranger, and make him co-heir with an only son. If
one that hath but one son, and that a beloved son, do this, he
shall be a mirror to the world ; if he take in a stranger, a thief
and murderer, to divide the inheritance between his son and
him. But, beloved, for God not only to take in traitors and
thieves, to be co-heirs with his own son ; but also lay the felony,
murders, and treasons of such, upon him, and execute him for
this, that they may be the sons of God ; thi&, I say, is astonish-
ing love, whereunto there is never a parallel in all the world.
Had not the Lord laid iniquity upon his Son, making him, as it
were, abhorred for a time, this love of his to men, in the utmost
extent of it, had never been expressed.
The dearer the things are that a man will bestow upon his
friend, the greater is his love to him. When David would
express his love towards God, though Araunah, the Jebusite,
offered him all things gratis for sacrifice, yet he answered, *' I
will not offer that to God which «hall cost me nothing ; hence
he shewed his love to God, in that he did not stick to be at
charge for him ; so the more the Lord is at cost and charge for
his people, the more his love appears unto them : now, what
charge could he be at greater, to shew his love to them, than to
lay iniquity itself upon Christ ? If a man were able to convert
his body and soul into the nature of a toad, or any vile thing, to
save a galley-slave from hanging; ne cannot express so much
love in it, as the Lord expressed in making his Son to be sin for
ns. Every creature of God is good ; toads and poison, that
make the heart of a man to rise and loath them so much, as they
are creatures of God, are good ; but sin, as it is no creature of
God, so there is nothing ugly and loathsome but that in his
VOL. w. 9 ■
34 SIN*S LOATHSOMENESS, ETC
eyes. Now that God should cloath his Son with that which is
so abominable in his eye, to save sinners, that could not be
saved but by his being made sin for them : this commends the
love of God to be rare and admirable, that it cannot be
fathomed, the depth thereof being bottomless and unsearchable.
Tho love of God in making his Son to be sin that you may be
sons, as it is expressed to you in the word of grace, that you
may the more easily behold the riches and excellency of it ; so
he is also pleased to set it out in his feast of fat things, the
Lord's supper ; there you may see the riches of it, and behold
in this visible gospel, in breaking the bread, this Son broken for
vou, and in pouring out the wine, the shedding of his blood and
life for you ; all which is there held forth ; and the Lord himself
takes notice of such the apparent and proper excellency of his
own love in giving Christ to be sin, that in the gospel, though
there be no other feast, yet he wonld have this feast to be as a
testimony of it ; therefore he saith, " Do it in remembrance of
me :" and " it shews the death of Christ till he come," saith the
apostle : it is so great, that it never must be forgotten ; this is
the prime end of the Lord's supper : the Lord looked principally
at this, in instituting this last supper, even the keeping in
remembrance the death of his Son. You shall find it so, that
seeing it is so great a love, that there is none like it, there
Bhould be a feasting to the commemoration of it ; that so the
greatness of it may be fastened in our hearts, and we may be so
much the more to the glory of that grace that did not disdain to
lay our iniquities upon his only Son, that we might be d-3-
charged from them. To hira therefore be the praise.
m
SERMON XXVII.
TH* JfiLOOD OF CHRIST ALONE CLEANSETH OUR SINS.
ISAIAH liii. 6.
AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US AL^,
To pass by things formerly delivered, the present subject in
hand is, " The Lord hath laid our iniquities upon" [Him,"] he
hath singled out Christ above all the world, to lay them on him.
The main thing that we are to consider upon this, is to declare
what ends there may be answerable to such an unparalleled
work as this. Of all that ever the Lord did, there was never
such a marvellous work as this done by him, as to make Christ
the sin of men ; it was the greatest work he ever did, and there-
fore, certainly, hath the greatest ends.
1. He laid our iniquities upon Christ, as I have heretofore
shewed you, that so he might lay help upon one that is mighty,
2. To the end he might satisfy himself to his own content.
3. That he might satisfy Christ's great longing.
4. To shew unto the world, especially unto his own people,
the exceeding horrid loathsomeness of sin.
5. That he might commend to his people the unsearchableness
of his love. There are other remarkable and useful ends, for
which the Lord did this ; as,
6. That he might cleanse and purify his own people, in such a
manner, that they may be comely and amiable in his eye ; that
he might take pleasure in them, and shew the fondness (if I may
so speak) of his love unto them, and make them his verv fami-
liar and bosom friends.
I beseech you consider it well, it is impossible that any crea-
ture in the world, and man especially, should have such beauty
and comeliness in him, that God should take delight in him, but
D 2
36 THE BLOOD OF CHUIST AI.OXE
by laying of their iniquities upon Christ : " The heavens are
not clean in his sight ; nay, he charged the angels with folly ;
how much more filthy and abominable is man, that drinketh
iniquity like water ?" Job xv. 16.
Seeing then there is in man such filthiness, how can God take
pleasure in him whilst he is thus abominable 1 Now it is by
iniquity he is become thus filthy, loathsome, and abominable ;
till sin, therefore, be taken away, he cannot appear clean and
comely ; this is further evidenced in Ephes. v. 25. " Husbands,
love your wives, as Christ loved his church, and gave himself for
it, that he might sanctify it, and cleanse it ; that he might
present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or
wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and with-
out blemish ;" that is, he gave himself in tlie room of it, to
stand in its place and stead ; he gave himself to be sin for it, to
be that which the church was before of itself : but what was his
end, that he drove at, in all this 1 namely, this very thing, " To
present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or
wrinkle, or any such thing."
So that the end of Christ's becoming sin, and bearing sins,
was to make them, who by nature were filthy, clean and pure,
without spot or wrinkle. Had the Lord laid the iniquities of
his own people any where else, but upon Christ alone, his church
would still have remained filthy ; none else could have so
cleansed them, but still there would have remained some spot ;
they should not have been completely holy and without blame.
Beloved, it is a vain conceit, and smelleth too much of exalting
in the creature, to think that God hath laid the iniquities of his
people upon their performances, that they should take them
away from them, and wash out the filthiness they are besmeared
with, and so make them lovely in God's sight. As for such as
are of this opinion, I must tell them, that it is an accursed sin,
and exceeding derogatory to God's glory, and redemption by
Jesus Christ. Suppose a man hath committed a sin ; to get
himself cleared, say some, let him go and humble himself, fast,
pray, mourn, weep, and repent, and then he shall have a dis-
charge presently, by all this ; but let me speak freely unto you,
all your performances, fastings, prayers, and tears, are never
able to present you without spot or wrinkle before God ; but,
when all is done, there will be spots and wrinkles still ; there
CLEANSETII OUR SINS, *jJ7
Will be some sin lying upon the conscience that hath strenorth
and life in- it ; nay, if I should say, there will be more spots and
wrinkles than there were before, I should but say the truth.
Suppose a man's face were fall of spots of dirt, and this man
should go to a nasty channel to wash his face with dirty water;
will his face be cleaner, after he hath so washed, than be^fore?
will it not rather be more dirty than it was 1 surely, none can
imagine that thereby it will become altogether clean ? nay, will
it not be made altogether filthy with such filthy water.
But some will be ready to say, Why will you call the righte-
ousness of men, their performances, prayers, tears,^ fastings, and
mournings, but channel water to wash away sins ?
I answer, beloved, I may, I will call them so ; the prophet
Isaiah calls them worse, in Isa. Ixiv. 6, " All our righteousness,
nay, all our righteousnesses, are as a menstruous cloth, and as
filthy rags ;" the prophet makes no exception at all ; he doth
not say some, but all our righteousnesses : take it in the largest
extent, be it what it will, it is no matter what it is, it is no better
than a menstruous cloth : the best righteousness, meaning not
only the prayers, tears, fastings, and performances of wicked
men, men that are not renewed and sanctified, are filthy and
menstruous things ; but ow righteousness, the righteousness of
the best of us, yea, even of the prophet himself; nay, all our
righteousnesses are filthy, and full of menstruosity, the highest
kind of filthiness.
Also that which the apostle speaks in Philip, iii. 6,7, is full to
this purpose, where he saith expressly of himself, " That con-
cerning the righteousness of the law he was blameless :" mark
what follows immediately ; "^ but, (saith he) what things were
gain to me, I accounted loss for Christ."
But it may be objected by some, that he here speaks of his
blamelessness before his calling, and not of his righteousness
after it, and therefore this text serveth not the purpose.
But mark what he saith afterwaids, " Yea, doubtless, and I
account all things but loss and dung, for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord — and do account them but
dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having
mine ow n righteousness, which is by the law, but that which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
laith," ver. 8. Where he speaks of the esteem he had otf his
38 THE BLOOD OF CHRIST ALONE
own righteousness, even after his conversion ; he accounted that
to be but dung, and desired not to be found in it ; for herein he
comprehendcth every thing, save only the righteousness of God
by faith.
Mistake me not, beloved, it is not our tears and humiliation
that can fetch out one, oven the least stain in the heart of any
person ; the best tears in the world are but muddy, and full of
sinfulness ; for if there be no filthiness in your tears, then there
is no need of Christ ; but if there be filthiness in them, then
how can that which is filthy make clean from filthiness ?
Beloved,, mistake me not, I do not absolutely say, that tears,
considered in their own nature, are filthy ; but that as they are
shed by us, there is so much filthiness in them as to besmear a
clean face ; and, if so, then certainly they are not able to wash
and make clean a dirty one. Suppose thou hast sinned, and also,
hast sighed and poured out thy soul in tears before the Lord,
thereby to be cleansed of thy sin ; I ask thee this question, Is
there not more filthiness added to thy former sin ? and is there
not need of something to wash away the sinfulness of these
tears ? But suppose there might be some tears that have not
pollution in them, yet in all this thou hast done but thy duty;
herein thou deservest nothing at all at God's hands for the taking
away of former sins.
But, beloved, there is so much filthiness in the best of tears,,
that if thou wert clear from the charge of any sin before ; if
thou hadst done thy duty Avithout making any addition to former
sins, yet the very failing in thy tears is enough to undo thee for
ever, and to make thee loathsome and hateful in the eyes of
God ; so far are they from making thee clean from sin : so that
if the Lord should have laid iniquity upon performances, to be
carried away by them, instead of making the performers clean,
they would have made them but more filthy than they were
Hcfore : no, no, beloved, it is only " the blood of Jesus Christ,
.e Bon of God, which cleanseth us from all sin," as in 1 Jonn
7. I say, in the sight of God, that we might be presented;
clean and spotless before him. The Lord hath "set open a foun-
tain for all sill and nnclcanness for you to wash in, and be
purged from them, even the blood of his Son ; and there is no
other in the world but that can do it.
It was the mistake of Naaman the Syrian, when he thought
CLEANSKTII OUR SINS. 39
that the waters of Abana and Pharphar, rivers of Damascus,
were as useful, and had as much virtue in them to cleanse the
leprosy, and take it away, as the waters of Jordan had. That
which God hath given a cleansing and purifying nature unto, to
cleanse a leprous soul from sin, is nothing else but the blood of
Christ.
When a man seeth another labouring by fasting, and prayer,
and tears, one would think that that should make him clean :
out all the tears in the world are not able to do it ; God hath not
appointed our services and performances, our fasting, prayers,
and tears, to make clean the heart of any ; he hath appointed
and ordained the waters of the sanctuary, the blood of Christ
alone, to do it ; and nothing else but that can do it : " Now are
you clean," saith our Saviour to his disciples, " through the
word that I have spoken unto you," John v. 3. What word was
that which he speaking made them clean ? It was this, " I,
even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, for mine own
sake ;" this is that which must make a person perfect before the
Lord, the blood of Christ believed on : this was that the apostle
desired to be found in, namely, Christ, not having his own
righteousness upon him ; well knowing there was no other way
to become clean and accepted of God. Isa. i. 16, the Lord
proposeth this course to his people ; " Wash you, make you
clean, take away the evil of your doings from before vour eves ;
and then let us come and reason together, though your sins be
as scarlet, they shall be white as snow ; and though they be red
iWip, crimson, they shall be as white as wool." Where note,
^rst, there must be washing made, a making clean, before there
i^an be coming to God; there can be no communion with him,
till a soul be cleansed ; and whereas many are apt to think their
own performances will wash and make them clean, it is but a
vain conceit ; for saith God, " I will wash j^ou with clean water
and I will purge you thoroughly from all your filthiness, and
from all your idols," Ezek. xxxvi. 25. This is the tenor of the
new covenant, so that there shall be no more any ground of dif-
ference, nor breach between you and me for them. And ao-ain,
" I, even I, am he, that blotteth out your transgressions for my
name's sake, and will not remember your sins," Isa, xliii. 25.
Jkit how doth he this ? Only, as I said before, by the blood of
J'.>s'>s Christ, as you have it i»* that observable place, Ezck.
40 THE BLOOD OF CHRIST ALONE
x\'i. 7, " \Vlicn I saw thee polluted in thy blood, I said unto
thee, live ; and I spread my skirt over thee, and I washed thee
Avith water, yea, I thoroughly washed away all thy filthiness;" it
is therefore a high presumption for the creature to take that
upon himself, which is peculiar to Gjod only ; he only cleanseth
from sin, and that only by the blood of Christ ; it is that which
makes them clean and pure in his sight. It is a thing of infinite
concern to us, that God should lay our iniquity upon Christ, to
make us a clean people for himself; for he is of infinite purity.
That he cannot endure that person where the least spot of sin is
found ; he must for ever loath and detest him. It is the mistake
of some, that God should bear with somCj and not with other sins.;
lliis is to alter, and to destroy his justice, and so him, himself,
to maintain that he bears with the sins of infirmity, small and
trivial, but not with scandalous sins ; God abhors infirmities, as
well as enormities ; and. if Christ by his blood doth not cleanse a
man as well from the one as the other, they will cause God to
take vengeance for- ever. In Psa. v. 4, David saith, " That he
is a God that hath no pleasure in wickedness,, neither shall any
evil dwell with him ; and that he hateth all the workers of
iniquity." There cannot l)e any " communion between light and
darkness," 2 Cor. vi. 14. If there be darkness in men, there
cannot be Gomnyinion with God the Father of lights ; if there
be the least sin in men in his. sight, undischarged, there can be
no coming to him, nor thinking of him, with, comfort, till that
be taken away by Christ ; and therefore in Hos. xiv. 2, you see
what course the church talves,. that she may be delightful, in the
eyes of God,. '^ Take away all our iniquities, and receive us
graciously." mark it well,, there must be a taking away of all
iniquity, before there can be a receiving graciously. And then,,
from this occasion, is offered,, what follow, the calves of the lips ;.
that is, the praising of the name of the Lord.. The church dolh
not take upon herself the business of taking away iniquity, but
( ommits it to the Lprd ; so that cleansing of the soul from sin,.
s only his work,, and he must talce all our iniquities from us,,
before he delights in us,, that vne may. be " received graciously,,
and loved freely; Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purily
your hearts, you double-minded; and then draw near to Goil,.
and he will draw near to you," Jam. iv. 8.
'I'iiero is v.n coming near to God, wliilc sin is in llio h.carts aiu't
CLEANSETH OUR SINS. 4"/
hands of men ; there is no drawing nigh of him to us, so long as
there is any filthiness upon us : now, beloved, would you be a
clean people, that the Lord may delight in to have fellowshipj
and make his abode with ? know, that you can never be made
thus clean by your own doings ; it is the blood of Christ must
do it . it is true indeed, that doth not take away the actual * in-
habitation, and doing of sin in this life, but it takes away the
filthiness of it out of God's sight; so that, though we sin, the
filthiness of it is taken away by i«t from God's eye, that he
delights in us ; Christ's bearing iniquity carries away all the
distastefulness of sin; he hath taken away every thing in it that
might occasion discontent between God and us, and by this
means God comes to take pleasure in us : in regard of the filthi-
ness of' our sin, we should have been far from God, (as we are,
considered in our natural estate without him) had not Christ
taken and washed it away in his blood. Christ's coming into
the world would have been in vain, if not to take away sinful-
ness itself. Sin, where it is, is the most loathsome thing to the
Lord that can be, and makes the pei-son so ; but the coming of
Christ into the world, and bearing of sin, carries away all loath-
someness of it in his people, and by this means- the Lord comes
to have pleasure in them ; which he could never have done, if
there had remained any of the loathsomeness of sin in them.
Now nothing in tlie world takes it away, but the blood of Christ
alone,, that we may see herein the exceeding displeasure of God
against it. The trutii is, beloved, the breath of man stinks so
abominably in the nostrils of God, that he cannot abide him ;
wherefore our Saviour hath provided so great a quantity of in-
cense, that takes away the evil scent of sin, and the Lord'iS
displeasui-e. It is in this case with him, as it is with a mother
sometimes, when she washes the face of her children ; if the
face of the child be washed, she will kiss it; but if it be dirty,
she will not touch it: so if the heart of a believer be washed
from the guilt of sin, the Lord is well pleased with him : but if
not, there is no coming near him. In Mai. iv. 2, the prophet
tells us of the " Sun of righteousness that shall arise with heal-
ing in his wings ;" you know that it is only the sun in the firma-
ment, that makes the air, in which we live, clean, and purgeth it
from fogs, and draws up to itself those gross and noxious
* Uoni. vii 2;?.
42 THE BLOOD OF CHRIST ALONE
vapours, and so makes it pure and wholesome for man to take
pleasure in living in it. In the night and winter, the air is full
of thick mists and gross vapours, which ascend up out of tho
earth, but when the sun ariseth, it draweth them away : certainly,
beloved, this is true spiritually of the Sun of righteousness, and
none but ho, he exhales the impurity in which men live, and
pollute themselves, and so takes away their sins ; only Christ
can draw away the noxious vapours, the filth of sin, that men
may have communion with the Lord, and live in love and
comfort one with another, and not infect, or be noisome to, or
offend one another. None but the Sun of righteousness can
draw the corrupt vapours out of our hearts, that God himself
may not be offended with us, but come near unto us, and delight
in us ; and till then, he will not, nor have any fellow^ship with
us ; it is said, that " God knoweth the wicked afar off," PsaL
cxxxviii. 6. As it with those that are infected with the plague,
men will not come near them, be in the place where they are, or
in the air where they breathe ; so man being infected with the
plague of sin, must be purged, and made clean and pure, that so
God may not be offended with him, but may take so much
pleasure in him, as to come near unto him, as Christ said to the
spouse in Cant. iv. 7 — 9, " Thou art all fair, my love, there is
no spot in thee :" mark the fruit of it, " Thou hast ravished
my heart, my sister, my spouse, with one of thine eyes, with one
chain of thy neck."
When the people of God are all fiiir, and without spot, then
God falls in love wdth them, I mean in the expression of it ; and
the church saith, " Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,"
Cant. i. 2. All proceeds from hence, the church is all fair and
without spot, having no imperfection, or blemish at all in her ;
wliich can only come unto her by the comeliness of her husband.
Now do but consider seriously, and weigh in your thoughts,
what a privilege of privileges this is, that iniquity is laid upon
Christ. If any thing else in the world should have been set about
this work, it would have left scatterings, nay all, or more behind ;
but Christ carries it away clean, " The Lamb of God takes away
the sins of the world," John i. 29. He, as I have often told you,
is that scape-goat that carries them away into a land of forget-
fulness, insomuch that God himself shall not remember them any
more. " In those days, and at that time, (speaking of the davs
CLEANSETH OUR SINS. 43
under the gospel,) shall the iniquities of Israel be sought for,
and there shall be none, and the sins of Judah, and they shall
not be found," Jer. 1. 20. Christ carries them so away, that they
are gone, and no notice taken of them.
7. God laid our iniquities upon Christ, that his people might
have strong consolation, and their hearts might not faint, nor be
discouraged. Consider this especially, this very day, this fearful
time ; this is that which must lift up our hearts and heads in this
very day of extremity, when people are at their wit's end: what-
ever becomes- of your outward carcases, yet here is joy unspeak-
able and glorious for you, there is peace for you in Christ ; thi&
is that to which only is ascribed fulness of joy in scripture. Look
into Isaiah xxxv. 10 ; " And the ransomed of the Lord shall
return, and come to Sion with songs, and everlasting joy upon
their heads ; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and
sighing shall fly away :" I hope the Lord will in this time of ex-
tremity, fasten this truth upon your spirits. I will give you a
hint of the consolation that is hidden in this text ; it may be, you
may not apprehend it at first sight; " The ransomed of the Lord
shall return witli songs, and with joy upon their heads ;" consider
what kind of joy it is, everlasting joy ; joy that shall not fade^
nor die ; it shall have no end ; ebbing and flowing, it may have
of itself, but it shall never be abolished, nor vanish away ; con-
trary to the joy of the world, and all other joys besides. In them
there is an interruption, they are not everlasting; no other joys
are of continuance ; but the ransomed of the Lord shall have
everlasting joy, that is, joy without mixture ; sorrow there may
be, but there shall be no occasion of sorrow any more.
But it may be you will object and say. Who are these, and when
shall it be ? It will be in heaven, it cannot be here upon earth.
Nay, but mark the time when the Lord says this joy shall be ;
" The ransomed of the Lord shall return to Sion with joy." There
can be no joy, till a man be the ransomed of the Lord. Suppose
an inhabitant of this city, be taken captive in the Turks' gallies^
ho cannot return home, nor be joyful till he be ransomed, till
the money for his ransom be paid down: now the joy of God's
people flows from hence, namely, the ransom that Christ hath,
paid down for them: you know what a ransom is, it is nothing
else but this; when a person comes and lays down a sum of
money to redeem one from under bondage, (under which, he that
44 THE BLOOD OF CHRIST ALONE
is to be ransomed lives) and gives full satisfaction to him by
whom he is thus held ; and when the payment is made, and satis-
faction given, the person is set at libert3% This it is to be ran-
somed ; in this condition we were all of us slaves, and held in
bondage under sin, hell, wrath, and the justice of God for it.
Now Christ hath set us at liberty ; we are the ransomed of the
Lord, for whom Christ hath satisfied God, and given him full
content ; God holds us no longer prisoners, he having borne our
sins and carried them away : thus then are we discharged by Christ,
and redeemed from bondage, and brought unto Sion ; and there-
fore, even now, we may return with songs, and with everlasting
joy upon our heads: this Sion is not heaven, but the church of
God upon earth. The truth is, as soon as the price is paid, men
may begin to have fulness of joy ; thereby they come to be dis-
charged of all their debts ; they are set at liberty ; andthen when
God hath by his Spirit, given them to believe this, and by faith
to see this in particular concerning themselves, then they i-eturn
with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: in Luke ii. 10,
11, you shall find the Lord sendsan angel fromheaven, on purpose,
to disconsolate shepherds, upon this admirable message ; " Behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people,"
Why, what is that, that should be such ground of joy unto them?
" Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord ;'* Thus the words run, A Savioiti-, what
is that ? The Holy Ghost expounds it in Matt. i. 21, " And
thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from
their sins :" so then this is glad tidings, when people can hear
that Christ is come to save them from their sins ; therefore, when
our Saviour would cheer the poor man that came to him to be
cured by him, though he did not come for it, nor expected such
glad tidings from him ; yet Christ well knew what would most
raise his heart ; and therefore, he applies that as the best cheer
of all unto him ; he saith not, " Be of good cheer," for I will heal
the infirmities of thy body ; but " Thy sins are forgiven thee,"
Matt, ix, 2. And, indeed, this is that, that joys the hearts of the
people of God.
And so likewise in Acts xiii. 38, 39, " Be it known to you,
(saith the apostle) men and brethren, that through this man is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins ; and by him, all that
believe are justified from all things, from which they could not
CLEANSETII OUR SINS. 45
be justified by the law of Moses:" well, what was the issue and
fruit of all this ? Mark it well, beloved, though the Jews grudged
at this doctrine, and opposed it with might and power, yet in ver.
4, 5, you shall see how welcome this message was to the Gentiles ;
" But when the Gentiles heard this, thev were exceedinsf filad,
and glorified the word of the Lord : and as many as were ordained
to eternal life believed."
You see the believing Gentiles received this tidings with glad-
ness, and were filled with joy at the hearing of this doctrine ;
namely, the discharge of their sins, that they were not imputed
unto them, but fully forgiven them.
Now, brethren, look upon the present time, you may see what
sadness .fills the hearts and faces of men, even of God's own people ;
•their lives are this day, as it were, in their hands ; they are ready
to sink, their spirits are ready to fail them; they look every hour
when they shall be cut off by the sword ; what bitterness is this
wherein they are ! What now will stay up ! What, the hone
•that our lives and estates shall be spared ! No, there is no cer-
tainty of that ; but here is that which will do it, when all is lost
and gone, and the worst is come, Christ hath all mine iniquitv
tlaid upon him ; here is that that will fill 3 our hearts with joy,
•when all other joys forsake you. God, in Christ, is become mv
friend:; he is at peace with me, reconciled, and will be good unto
me ; and still you shall have ground to say, " However it be,
yet God is good to Israel, to them that are of a pure heart;"
that is, have their hearts purified by the blood of Christ. You
shall never have joy of heart, and settledness of spirit, (especially
in times of extremity as these are) but in this one truth ; that
God himself is reconciled unto you, that your sins are all blotted
out, that you are the beloved of the Lord, that he hath not one sin
to charge upon you, and that he will not deal in wrath with you.
There is no bitterness of spirit, nor cause of any, in the worst
afflictions and calamities that can come upon a person what-
soever, if sin be taken away.
It is sin, and only sin, tliat makes affliction bitter and heavy to
men : take away sin, and afflictions are flea-bitings ; you will
rejoice in them, trample on them, see the love of God embracing
you in them, and carrying you through them. liook upon the
apostles and disciples of our Lord, and consider how they under-
went their afflictions, and the carriage of their spirits in them:
40 THE BLOOD or CHRIST ALONE
when Paul and Silas were whipped, and covered with their own
blood, and ready to perish with their stripes, j^et they were filled
with joy, and sang in prison ; why did they so ? (may some object
and say :) surely, the reason was this, they eaw the Lord, he
smiled upon them, and embraced them in his arms, their sins
being taken away from between God and them : hence was their
joy, else their afflictions would have sunk and swallowed them up.
()! beloved, come life, come death, if Christ be yours, if your
iniquities be laid upon him, all is well with you ; both life and
death will be gain unto you ; even death itself shall turn to your
advantage. Observe the resolution of Paul, who being assured
of this, that Christ was his, " To me to live, is Christ, and to die
is gain," Phil. i. 21. Neither life nor death could come amiss
to him ; it is no matter which ; for whether I live or die, I am
the Lord's ; therefore, if death come, it shall be welcome, and if
life be still spared, it shall be welcome. Upon this consideration
that Christ was his, in another place he saith, " I know whom I
have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I have committed unto him ;" and, therefore, he desired to
be dissolved, and to be with Christ, that so he might have the full
fruition of him, and enjoy the nearest communion with hjm. What
is the reason that children tremble to come into the presence of
their father, but because tliey are afraid to be beaten, thinking
their father is displeased with them ? If they knew that he were
satisfied for all the faults that they had done, they would come
cheerfully into his presence ; even so a person will never come
cheerfully into the presence of the Lord, till he knows he is
pleased with him, and that his iniquities (that make variance)
are taken away and laid upon Christ. This is joy vmspeakable
and glorious !
8. The Lord hath laid the iniquities of his people upon Christ,
that they may be able to serve the Lord more sincerely and freely,
and more uninterruptedly and cheerfully.
(1.) The Lord laid our iniquities upon Christ, that we might
serve him with more sincerity : men commonly think tlu' consi-
deration of this to be the highway to make men careless in serving
God; but there is no better way in the world to draw men's
spirits forth, iinto upright, sincere, and single-hearted service,
than this. You know this principle is grounded in the hearts of
a<I men, " Charity begins at home i" every n;an seeks to serve
CLEANSETH OUR SINS. 47
himself first, and then, at leisure, he will serve another. As
long as you apprehend your own turn is not yet served, your care
shall be to serve yourselves ; there will be no service done to
God; he shall have none of you, but so far as therein you may
serve yourselves : God must wait till your own turns be served.
As for example, suppose you fast, pray, and mourn, or do any
other religious service: if you apprehend your own turns are not
yet served, there will be altogether a selfishness in the perform-
ance of these duties ; selfish ends and motives shall be the load-
stones, and they shall draw up your spirits in them ; when you
labour by fasting, prayer, and seeking the Lord, to prevail with
him to take away his displeasure and wrath, and such judgments
that are upon us, or hang over our heads, and to procure such
good unto us, do you serve God or no ? Do you not serve
yourselves ? Nay, you serve not God, but yourselves ; when
only yourselves put you upon the performance of the duty.
But you will say. My sins trouble me, I must fast and pray to
get them pardoned ; except I repent, mourn, and humble myself,
I shall die in them ; therefore I must repent, mourn, and do this
and that to put away sins " before I am gone from hence, and
be no more seen ;" that I may have my discharge from them while
I live here.
I answer, beloved, it is true, that as long as men think that
their sins are upon themselves, they cannot be at rest, but still
the consideration of them must needs draw them out on these
services, till some way be sought to clear themselves of them.
Where is now that sincerity and singleness of heart, that a man
ought to have, in the service of the Lord ? If he could but once
be resolved of this thing, that all this business is already dis-
patched to his hands, then all this selfishness would quickly die;
if he could but once receive this, that Christ hath so disposed of
all his sins, and made an end of all transgression, that there need
not be tears, prayers, fastings, and mournings, to cleanse it
away ; then the doing of duties, for this end, would quickly
end; then your end in them will be the glorifying of God; you
would serve him sincerely, and see that your prayers, tears, fast-
ings, and performances, were not appointed to rob him of his
service, by serving yourselves, and Christ of his glory, by put-
ting your services in the place of his, which only taketh away
Bin ; but only to glorify God, and to shew forth his goodness,
48 THE BLOOD OF CHRIST ALONE *
from whom we expect these things, and to make use of them only
as ordinances, wherein the Lord liath promised to manifest him-
self to lis : but while men eye themselves, and their own good,
in duties, they are their own servants ; they cannot be said to
serve God m them ; but, when a man knoweth that the Lord hath
perfectly saved him from his sins, he is for God's glory, and his
eye is upon that in all he dotli ; then he is the Lord's servant,
and not his own, as saith the apostle, " Whether we live, we live
unto the Lord, or whether Ave die, we die unto the Lord ;
whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's," Rom.
xiv. 8.
If, in duties, there be self=ends, and bye-respects, you only
live to yourselves, not to God, at all, in them. Now, you would
never live to yourselves, if you did but see all finished by Christ,
that there can be nothing added to what he hath done for your
perfect good and happiness; you would then mind nothing else,
but to set forth the glory of that grace that hath so freely saved
you ; and shew unto the world, that you are the servants of the
Lord, and at his beck, and that you are directly for him in all
you do ; it is only this that puts men upon sincere service.
(2.) The Lord laid our iniquities «pon Christ, that we might
serve him more uninterruptedly. What is it which causeth men
to make so many stops in performance of duties ? One while
the soul is upon the wing in it, another while it is like a stock.
The ground is this ; one while he is persuaded his iniquities are
forgiven him, and this makes him run on amain ; another time
he is in fears and doubts, his spirit is troubled : he fears his sins
lie still upon him, and that he shall be called to account for them ;
he looks upon God as wrathful and displeased with him for them ;
now he is ibound up, he caunot stir one foot ; but because he con-
ceives God frowns upon him, he dares not come near him. Now,
beloved, what an interruption is here in duty, while it goes thus
with him ? but, if he had this assurance, that all his iniquities
ar-e laid upon Christ, and he discharged for ever, he would go
on without let or stop at all ; then, though sin be committed
through infirmity, yet, if he be once persuaded of this, that God
will not charge it ; and though he be under afflictions yet he fears
no punishment ! nor can affliction come upon him, as the desert
of sin, seeing he knows it was all laid upon Christ; then he
goeth on constantly and cheerfully ; for he that hath Christ once,
CLEANSETII OUR SINS. 49
hath him as a buckler to bear off indignation ; though ho com-
mits such and such a sin, he lies upon Clirist as such, that can
defend off every blow, that none of this sin, or the desert of it,
wounds and hurts him ; so that he shall be as able to work, in
duties, as ever he was before sin was committed ; he is strong
•and active, and ready to all that God calls him unto, as before.
So far as he can find every stroke of God, for his sins, did light
xipon Christ, so far he shall be fresh, run, and make haste ; and
hence it comes to pass, that " they that trust in the Lord, shall
mount upon wings like eagles, shall run and not be weary, walk
and not faint;" because there is nothing now remains to tire and
weary them, to wound, and take off their spirits and their
strength.
(3.) The consideration of iniquity being laid upon Christ,
■enlarges the spirit in service ; he that hath the strength of the
Lord to serve by, can serve without fear ; he is more able, and
doth things far better than he that hath his own strength only.
If Christ be yours, God is yours, all things are yours, and his
power yours, engaged to your help. Oh! then, what a mighty
strength must you have, in comparison of those who walk in their
own, and do duty by it ! But, if you believe not that your ini-
quities are laid upon Christ, you cannot be resolved that he is
yours ; and then you cannot go forth in his strength ^ and then
how weak must you needs be in all your services, when you have
but your own strength to carry you on ! No Spirit, -God, nor
Christ to assist you ! But, when you have him, his Spirit, and
power, how mightily shall your spirits be eased in prayer*, and
in all duties of religion I how strong are you in the Lord, and
•the power of his might, to resist the devil and all temptations.'
But, if the strength of Christ be wanting, alas ! how exceedlno'
weak are we to contend against such mighty enemies we are con-
tinually exercised with ! how unable to resist the least tempta-
tion! Now, if your iniquities be laid upon Christ, then his
strength is yours, and, through that interest you have in him,
you may boldly and cheerfully go on in the power of his might.
9. The Lord laid our iniquities upon Christ, tliat at the
appointed time of the Father, the people of the Lord might enjoy
the promised inheritance. Beloved, there is no soul unde»*
heaven shall see it; there is no entrance into the heavenfv
* Rom. viii. 26.
VOL. II E
.^0 THE BLOO^:> OF CHRIST AI.ONB
Jenisalftm, the inheritance of the saints in light, but by laying
our iniquities upon Christ: this is a certain truth; heaven and
earth shall pass away, before it shall be nullified; " No unclean
thing shall enter into the kingdom of heaven," Rev. xxi. 27.
Beloved, you must not expect to live a moment in this world,
wherein some sin will not be committed by you; and what can
take it away, but its being laid upon Christ? Let me tell you,
that if God had not laid our iniquities upon Christ, never a soul
had entered into heaven ; none could have confidence at death,
that they should enter there ,* for there is no refuge to fly to, no
hope of drawing near to the everlasting kingdom, till the Lord
Jesus Christ cleanse you thoroughly from all sin and filthiness,
and so you appear before God perfect in holiness ; it is his white
raiment that makes persons worthy to walk with him in light ;
wherefore the Lord counsels the church of Laodicea, to buy of
him white raiment, that her nakedness might not appear in the
sight of God himself. It is true indeed, the Lord is pleased to
make mention of the good things that his people have done, at
the day of judgment; " Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive
the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world :
for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and
ye gave me drink," Mat. xxv. 34, 35. But observe, not any of
all this gives entrance into everlasting glory, no, not in any one
clause : though he makes mention of what good things the people
of God did here in the world, yet this kingdom is not attributed
unto that good, no, not so much as prepared for it; for, before
you had done any good at all, the kingdom was prepared, not for
the good you should do, but of the Father's good will and
pleasure, from the beginning; before ever thou wast born, and
couldest do any thing, he provided a mansion for thee, only out
of mere grace and loving-kindness: now, beloved, all this
considered, should stir you up to cry out as the martyr did,
" None but Christ, none but Christ."
That this may be your experience, forget every thing tliat
seems worthy in you, or done by you ; and let all your triumph-
ing and glorying be in the free grace of God, in Christ, and
look upon yourselves only in that, and nothing else; and all
things coming to you, receive as flowing from that fountain
only: and if you have more ability than others in doing, let it
not come into your thoughts as an inducement to think better oi
CLIANSETH OtTR S1N«. 51
yourselves, as if you were more accepted of God, ot pleasing in
his sight. Are you sinful, in respect of the prevalency of
corruptions ? Are the temptations of Satan mighty ? Think
not that you are vrorse, or less than others; for iniquity shall not
part* Christ and thee, if thou be once joined to him. Be not
discouraged, Christ is more ready to receive thee than thou
art to fly to him ; come to him therefore, and cast your conditions
upon him ; for the greatest of sinners, usually, are the persons
that partake of the greatest mercies : " Publicans and harlots
enter into the kingdom of heaven," while the zealots and
Pharisees are shut out. If you once be made to close with the
Lord, in the freeness of his grace, and cast your souls upon this
rock of your salvation, the Lord Christ, your are past all danger ;
cast thy soul therefore upon him; he himself shall miscarry,
when thy soul shall miscarry that is coinmitted unto him.
SERMON XXVm.
CHRIST IS OURS BEFORE WE HAVE GRACIOUE
QUALIFICATIONS.
ISAIAH liii. 6
AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL.
You have heard before, beloved, many notable evangelical
truths thrust together in a narrow room, in these few words ; the
chief mysteries of the gospel being set together as thick as
possibly they can stand in this compass.
1, It is iniquity that the Lord hath laid upon Christ. 2. Our
iniquity. 3. It was the Lord himself that did it. 4. He hath
done it already, it is not now to be done. And, 5. It was laid
• Heb. xiii. 5.
b2
52 CHRIST IS OURS BEFORE WK
upon Christ, and none other; it was the most marvellous
that ever the Lord did, that he should not only wound him
sin, but make him sin itself; and indeed, he could not well
compass his own great ends, except he had laid it upon him ; and
all the world would have sunk under it, save Christ only ; had
God laid the creature as a foundation to bear the weight of sin,
it would have been dashed to pieces under it ; and then the word
of God must have fallen to the ground; he should but have built
castles in the air, to lay the weight of sin upon the creature ;
therefore he must have a rock, a foundation of stone, that let the
weight be what it will, it may be able to bear it ; and that for all
those nine ends which we have formerly insisted upon, but shall
now foTbear to mention.
There yet remains ojie considerable, and remarkable truth, and
that whioh indeed those, whose spirits are any whit enlightened,
thirst most to be resolved and satisfied in ; and that is, whose
iniquities they are, that the Lord hath laid upon Christ.
All this while, you will say, here is but a general discourse of
the iniquities of men being laid upon Christ ; what is that to
me ? Many men's iniquities may be laid upon him, and I never
the better, if mine be not, as well as others. When a reprieve
comes to a gaol, what is this to such, or such a thief that hath
no interest in it? he dies as if there were none at all: so people's
spirits who out of self-love, hearing of a gracious grant, look
what share they have in it, are presently asking, as the disciples
in another case, " Is it I ? or, Is it I?" Are mine iniquities laid
upon Christ? Now this text will give us some hint, whereby
men may know they have a share in this matter. I know this is
commonly the greatest out-cry in the w^orld; I fear this is not my
case, that my iniquities are all laid upon Christ; therefore, be-
loved, I think it would be labour well worth the time, if it were
possible, to clear to particular persons, how they might conclude
to themselves from this text ; for here may be gathered a strong
conclusion of their own portion in this grant or grace. I observe,
beloved, that though it be the greatest query any heart (once
made sensible of its own condition) can make, how they may
know their own interest in this grace of God? Yet there is
nothing wherein persons remain so unsettled, as in this question;
how may I be assured my part lies here ? The apostle speaks of
the " Full assurance of faith," and of " coming to the throne
HAVE GRACIOUS QUALIFICATIONS. 53
of grace with boldness ;" I am afraid that gross heart-clog^lnc
doctrine, that men cannot be assured of their own salvation, is
too much to be found in the world; not one man among a
thousand can say, all my iniquities are laid upon Christ; it will
be therefore an admirable piece of work, most acceptable to the
church and children of God, and a thing bringing most glory to
God,, and comfort to his people, to undeceive them; who by
reason of mistaking the way of their owa interest, after a long
labour after it, are further to seek of the knowledge of it, than,
when they first began.
As I conceive, that whereat so many stumble, when they first
enter into this great case, whether they have interest in this
grace, or not, lieth in the trial of their estate ; they lay down a
ground work, supposing it to be undeniable, which indeed is
a deceiving of persons in their search; namelyy that there must
be found in them, who have propriety in this grace by Christ,
some previous dispositions and qualifications of spirit, as
integrity, sound repentance, conversion, and other fruits of
sanctlficatlon : now they lay it down for a position with them-
selves, that till they can find themselves sanctified, and those
graces of sanctlficatlon, by which they try themselves, in them-
selves, they conclude, none of this grace of Christ belonos to
them ; so that they fall upon some graces, such as they cull out
to themselves, and then they try whether they have them in them,
and what proportion they find of them in them ; and if their
hearts do not answer to these they have set before them, tlipy
presently conclude, that no grace of Christ belongs to them.
Now, beloved, my heart's desire is this, that in this great
business, wherein so great comfort of God's people consists,
men may be built upon clear and proper grounds : that so they
being undeceived, may find out the way which the Lord useth
whenever he giveth satisfaction to his people, of their Interest In
Christ.
You may find it out, as the Lord hath chalked it out to you ;
and this, I am sure, a man may dare to lay hold upon his own
proper i^ortion in this grace and grant of the Lord, not only when-
soever the Lord is pleased to hold it out, but also upon those
terms ne holds it oat, if you will call them so: sure, I say, as the
conaiiions are, by which they may claim interest in Christ, those
being granted and found, the soul may close with tlie a^race of
54 CHRIST IS OURS BEFORE WK
God: now all the difficulty lieth in this, whether the Lord pro-
pounds to men, that tliere shall be no part in Christ, nor grace
by him, till they find their spirits, souls, and bodies, sanctified
throughout; or whether the Lord holds out the grant of pardon
of sin, without such previous qualifications, or no ; there lieth
the greatest scruple in this very particular.
I doubt not but to ingenuous spirits, I shall make it clear,, that
the grace of laying iniquity upon Christ, is applicable by for-
giveness of sins,. to persons before ever there be the least measure
of sanctification in works at all ; and being applied by the Lord*s
own grant, there may be safety and security in applying the same
by faith, without regard, or respect to sanctification, in any
measure whatsoever.
But you will say, peradventure,.the text seems to make against
it, rather than for it ; for it saith, " The Lord hath laid on him
the iniquities of us all :" from whence you will argue thus ; us doth
take in the prophet himself, with the rest of whom he spake; and
the prophet was renewed and sanctified when he spake thus, and
so may all the rest be, of whom he spalce -y. and that, therefore^
this grace of laying iniquity upon Christ,, is applied unto persons
when they are sanctified.
For answer to this, though the prophet spealis of himself as
one interested in this ; yet it will be clear, (whether he were
sanctified, or no, it is not material) that he had no reference to
himself as a sanctified person ; namely,. that this grace was applied
to him as such.
That this may be clear to you,. note tlie foregoing words ; there
you see, that he is so far from having regard to sanctification o£
spirit, before laying of iniquities upon Christ, that he takes into
consideration no other condition in the world,, but the most
wretched, sinful, and forlorn estate, creatures can be brought
into : mark the words well, " All we (there he brings in himself)
like sheep have gone astray, we have turaed every one to his
own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.'*"
Now the question is, whose iniquities they are, that are laid
upon Christ;, the text saith, "The iniquities of us :" Who are
the us 7 It is " us, that like sheep have gone astray, and turned
every one to his own way :" now Avhat is it for sheep to go
astray ? Sheep, you know, are then straggling, when they are
from tlieir shepherd; it is not being now in one pasture, and.
HAVB GRACIOUS QUALIFICATIONS.
then in another, that argnes a sheep's going astray ;
shepherd be with them in this pasture now, and in another to-
morrow, still they are not gone astray. Sheep are then astray,
whep they are from their shepherd, and those pastures that he
hath ippointed for them : so that for men to go astray, is to go
from God their shepherd ; " The Lord is my shepherd," saith
David, in Psal. xxiii. 1. Mark now, the iniquities of these persons
are laid upon Christy who strayed in that they departed from the
living God; now what renewed qualifications can be possibly
imagined to be in a man, that is departed fi'om God ? " My
people have committed two evils, they have forsaken me the
fountain of living waters," Jer. ii. 13. There is a departing from
God, a great evil it is indeed ; and you shall see there is an
impossibility of believing when there is such a departing from the
living God: " Take heed, (saith the apostle,) lest there be in
any of you, an evil heart of unbelief, to depart from the living
God," Heb. iii. 12. It is most certainly true, there is an evil
heart of unbelief, while there is a departing from God. Faith,
you know, is the first of all gifts God bestows upon a soul, and
all other graces, as they call them, follow that faith that Christ
gives to men ; so that, if there be not a believing, there can be
no graces of sanctification at all. But while men are departing
from the living God, there remains in them an evil heart of
unbelief; and yet though there be a departing from God, and
straying like lost sheep, the iniquities of these persons, considered
as departed from God, are laid upon Christ. " We turned every
one to his own way :" here he sets out fully the- self-willedness,
and extravagancies of persons ; what is it for a man to turn to
his own way, but to proceed on, in his purpose alone, without
regard to what God saith to him ?' The Israelites, when they
lived without a king, " Every man did that which seemed good
in his own eyes." This then is the true meaning of the words,
" turned to his own way,"^ that men do what is good in their own
eyes ; and jet it is the iniquities of these men, that have thus
turned to their own ways, which the Lord hath laid upon Christ.
From whence I lay down thia conclusion, that this grace of
the Lord's laying of iniquity upon Christ, is certainly applied
unto persons, even while they are departed from the living God,
are lost sheep, are turned every one to their own ways, before
ikey Kave amended them.
f>Q CHRIST IS OURS BEFORE WE
And because this is a truth that is so hardly received in the
world, seeming to give such way to looseness, as some most
unjustly and wickedly calumniate the truth ; seeing it finds so
little favour, though it contains so many great and inestimable
comfoHs; I shall endeavour, through the Spirit of Christ, to
bring such manifest scriptures, and so undeniable, to clear the
truth of it, that he must fight against his own knowledge that
opposeth it ; namely, that the laying of iniquity of any person
upon Christ, is before they can find the least degree of
gracious qualifications, or sanctification wrought in them : and
therefore it is a most fearful injury unto a man's self, and a
forsaking a man's own mercy, directly to conclude, that there is
no grace for mc, because I cannot find such and such things in
me, as universal obedience, sanctification, and the like.
You shall plainly see when grace is applied unto persons,
and of what conditions, by that of the Psalmist, Psa. Ixviii. 18,
*' Thou hast ascended up on high, (it is spoken of Christ, for
so the apostle explains it) thou hast led captivity captive, and
hast received gifts for men, even for the rebellious ;" mark
well, " even for the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell
among them;'' who is that them? the rebellious; how comes
the Lord God to dwell amongst them? " Thou hast received
gifts for them.'* But, beloved, this you must know, that there
is no evil dwells with God; he stands fully off, and separate
from all iniquity ; " Your iniquities," saith the prophet,
" separate between you and your God :" there must be a taking
away of iniquity, before there can be a receiving graciously as
you have it in Hosea xiv. 2, 3. As long as there is iniquity to
be charged upon any person, there is no receiving graciously ;
but the Lord stands afiir off, there is no dwelling of God with
wickedness; therefore, seeing he cannot dwell with men where
iniquity is, Christ received gifts for men, that he might dwell
among the rebellious. Now this seems to be a paradox and
indeed all the doctrines of the gospel are paradoxes to carnal
men. How can these words stand together, that the Lord
dwells among rebellious persons, and yet cannot dwell with
wickedness ? Is there not wickedness in rebellion ? I answer,
beloved, there is wickedness in rebellion, in the nature of it;
but, saith the text, " Thou hast received gifts, that the Ix)rd
Gjod mav dwell amoncr such rebellious ones:" as much as to
HAVE GRACIOUS QUALIFICATIONS. 57
say, tl ough this, or that person, actually rebel from time to
time, yet for all this, Christ hath so received gifts of the Father,
that tKe loathsomeness and hatefulneso of this rebellion is laid
upon the back of Christ; he bears the sin, as well as the blame
and shame of that iniquity and rebellion : so that though this
or that person do act it, yet all the hatefulness thereof is laid
upon Christ, and God satisfied himself in him ; and that is the
only reason why it comes to pass that God can dwell with them
that act the thinfj, because all the filthiness and hatefulness of if
is transacted from them upon Christ*. But for the person
himself, you see plainly, he is considered here in no other
condition, but as an actor of rebellion itself; and the Lord is
come to dwell with him, even while he is a rebellious person.
Now I would fain know, what previous qualification, renovation,
and sanctification, can possibly be supposed, or imagined, in
persons considered only as rebels; for here persons are con-
sidered under no other notion. The Holy Ghost doth not say,
that the Lord takes rebellious persons, and fits, and prepares
them by sanctification, and then, when they are fitted, he will
cume and dwell with them; but even then, without any
intermission, even while they are rebellious, Christ hath
received gifts for them, that the Lord God may dwell among
them.
And if this be not clear enough, look into that golden
passage, never enough to be repeated and resorted unto, for the
sweetness lying in it, namely, Ezek. xvi. 7, 8, 9, 10; consider
tliere, I pray you, of what case or condition the Lord speaks of
* That the filth of sin should be transferred from men, and laid on Christ, is by
many objected to ; but is no other than what has been affirmed by divines, ancient
and modern. Gregory of Nyssa, speaking of Christ, says. Vol. I. p. 41M, " having
transferred to himself, rou tcoj* fjimv afiaprtciv pvirov, the filth of my sins, he imparted
to me his own purity." And in p. 767, " The pure and harmless one took upon
him, or leceived, rov rr]s avdpanrtvris (pviTt^ pvnov, the filth of human nature." And
apain Vol. II. p. 785, " Purity was ev rca 7]ixer{pw pvirw, in our filth, but the filth
did not touch that purity. Calvin, on John xix. 17, has these words, after havintr
observed that Christ was made sin, and a curse for us, adds, " That he was led
without the city, that he might take with him out of the way sordcs nostras qua; illi
impositm erant, our filth which ims laid upon him. — No otherwise could the guilt of
all our sins be abolished, but by the Son of God being made fiillh for us ; we see him
forced into an execrable place, quasi omni scelerum congerie pollutum, as if defiled with
the whole vinss of sins, that he might tlien appear accursed before God and men."
Piscator, on Luke ii. 21, remarks, that the law of purification was obseiTed by Mary,
to teach vis, " That, Christ, jnire and undofiled in his own nature, sortes nostrorum
peccatorum in sese rrcrpissr, took upon himself tlie filth of our sins, that he might
•wash theit» away in his own blood." So Joshua, the high priest, a type of Christ,
is represented as cloatlied with filthy garments ; nor can sin and filth be separated
Zech. iii, 3. See my Truth Defended, p. 42—53.
58 CHRIST IS OURS BEFORE WE
that people; " Thy father was an Amorlte, and thy mother was
an Hlttite, and in the day of thy nativity thy navel was not cut,
neither wast thou washed with water to supple thee," &c. " no
eye pitied thee, to do any of these things unto thee, and thou
wast in thy blood :" mark what kind of filthiness the Lord ex-
presseth this to be, namely, such as no eye could pity the person
that was defiled with it, to do any of these things to it; his filth-
iness was such that it made all the world to abhor him, as not so
much as to come near, and do any good to him. Here was his
estate ; now what did the Lord do in that condition ? " When
1 passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thy blood, I said unto
thee live:" not when I saw thee washed from thy blood, cleansed
and fitted for me by repentance, and newness of life, &c. then I
had pity on thee ; no, but when I saw thee polluted in thy blood,
then said I unto thee, live ; there was not the least distance of
time between the pollution, and the life the Lord communi-
cated.
But some will say, where the Lord gives sanctification, there
he gives life ; and then he gives Christ, and fixetli his love, doth
he not ?
No, saith the prophet, but " the time of thy blood, was the
time of my love." And what doth God do in this time ? " I
spread my skirt over thee," even then in the time of blood ; for
what need Avere there of a skirt to cover, if there were no filthi-
ness to be covered? So that you see the time of love was a
time of blood. He doth not take away this blood by sanctifica-
tion, and new qualifications and dispositions ; but he takes it
away from his own sight and charge first ; and this he calls the
spreading of a skirt over this person thus polluted. And is this
all ? No, he goeth further ; " I spread my skirt over thee, and
I sware unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee :" mark
how completely a person is possessed of all the privileges of
Christ, the very covenant itself established upon him, and God
is become his own ; and all this in the time of blood. And how
doth it appear, that he is actually and really become God*s own,
even at this time ? From these words ; " Thy time was the time
of love ;" but it may be out of doubt, if you mark what follows,
that there is no ground for men to think there should be sancti-
fication when God first enters into covenant ; " 1 swore unto thee
and thou becamest mine ; then washed I tnee with water, and^
HAVE GRACIOUS QUALIFICATIONS. 39
thoroughly washed away thy blood :" what, wnen tnere was some-
thing going before of sanctification, some previous qualification ?
No, no, but there was first entering into covenant, and God's
becoming their God, and then washing with water ; with what
water, the water of sanctification, or justification ? You will
say, it may be, (as is generally conceived) of justification ; to
me it seems to be the washing of regeneration by the blood of
Christ ; for saith the text, " I washed thee with water, yea, I
thoroughly washed away thy blood :'* now we know that the best
sanctification in the world doth not perfectly cleanse a person,
therefore it must be washing of justification ; but suppose it be
the washing of sanctification, it is most plain that this is a fruit
of a person*s interest in Christ, and follows his being actually in
him, and doth not go before : " Then washed I thee with water,
yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood,*^ and " then I put orna-
ments upon thee,*^ as it follows ; that is, after I had sworn unto
thee, and entered 'into covenant with thee.
To clear this a little further to you, look into Isaiah xlii. 6, and
you shall plainly see, that a person hath not only part in Christ,
but possession of him, and all his privileges, by imputation,
before there be the least measure of sanctification ; the words are
these ; " I will give thee for a covenant to the people, and a light
to the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, and to bring the pri-
soners out of prison :" here is a deed of gift ; Here you see Christ
is made over to be the covenant of persons, even the covenant of
God's giving over himself; and what is that covenant ? " I will
be their God, and they shall be my people ; and your sins and
your iniquities will I remember no more :" this is the substance
of the covenant; Christ is this covenant, and he himself is given
over to the elect ; as much as to say,, in Christ I will become their
God : in him I will remember their sins no more ; this have I
given in him to them : but when doth the Lord pass over this to
his people ? When they are first renewed ? When they first
believe ? Have they knowledge of God, and of themselves^
before he makes this deed of gift over to them ? Mark what fol-
lows, you shall see all the qualifications of sanctification must
not only follow Christ given, but they are the very work of
Christ himself, after he is given ; " I will give thee for a cove-
nant to open the blind eyes :" you see that the opening of the
blind eyes of sinners, and the bringing of prisoners out of prison.
60 CHRIST IS OURS BEFORE WE
IS the main end for which Christ was given by God to be a cove-
nant to the people ; and Christ himself is the means by which
that end must be compassed.
Now, you know, beloved, that though the end of things be
first in intention, yet it is the last in execution ; this being the
end for which Christ was given, to open blind e3'^es ; and he, as
the covenant, being the means by which they should be opened ;
it must follow, that the means must be existing, and present, to
do the thing, before the thing can be done by them. If a work-
man be to build a house, he must be prepared before tlie house
can be built by him ; you cannot build a house, and the workman
come afterwards ; but he comes first, and then he builds the house.
It is the Lord sanctifies people, opens their eyes, unshackles
them, and brings them out of the bonds of sin, to run and not be
weary, and to walk and not faint, in the way of God's com-
mandments ; but God doth not renew and sanctify his people,
and then give Christ to them, being sanctified; but he gives
Christ, and he being given, and present first, then he sanctifies
them.
What qualifications can you find in blind and shackled persons j
bound up under the bonds of Satan, even dead in trespasses;
seeing the first work that the Lord works upon any person, is to
open the eyes to see him, and themselves ? Now Christ must be
present, because he is given to do the thing, before it can be
done; all the world cannot do it without him, whether it be the
opening of the eye of faith, or knowledge : if it be the eye o^f
faith, Christ is said to be " the author and finisher" of it; and
he must come and open the eyes of sinners to believe, before
they can believe : if it be the eye of knowledge, we " must all
be taught of God," as we are in covenant with him, before ever
we shall come to know God; for that is one part of his covenant,
when he gives himself to be the God of his people, and when he
will remember their sins no more.
Our Saviour speaks as plainly himself as all the texts I'n
scripture can speak, when he would directly point out, to the
Jews, for whom he died and became sin ; " I came to save that
which was lost." What qualifications, I pray you, can you find
in a lost person ? He may be lost, you will say, but he may bff
renewed and sanctified for all that ? No, saith he, " I came not
to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance :'" <ije meaning
HAVE GRACIOUS QUALIFICATIONS. 6t
.s, if a man will be holy, righteous, and sanctified, and will come
to me afterwards ; I came not to call such as are righteous
already, but such as are not, even sinners. The apostle speaks
the same in the 4th, 5th, P-nd 6th chapters to the Romans;
namely, that the Lord gives Christ, and a portion in him, without
any regard in the world to any thing that a man doth. In the
jfatter end of the 3d chapter, he disputed, at large, against all
manner of works added to, or present with, a person to be
justified, and then draws to a peremptory conclusion ; " There-
fore I conclude, that a person is justified without the deeds of the
law;" whereby, he doth not only exclude any righteousness of
ours, from having any operative power to concur in the laying of
iniquity upon Christ, but excludes all manner of works men can
do, to be present, and existent in persons, when God justifies
them: he doth not mean only that he is justified without the
concurrence of them to justification, but even without the being
of them, and presence, in the person so to be justified; there is
nothing to be done by man as a preparation to his justification.
This he makes more plain in the next verse; he tells us there,
that the circumcised anduncircumcised are both one with God in
justifying them : it is no matter to him what they be, he justifieth
the unclrcumcision as well as the circumcision.
But you will say. What is it for a person to be considered as
uncircumcised 1 Circumcision, you know, was the first act of
God manifesting himself to the people of the Jews, by which he
invited them into his church ; and a person, uncircumcised, is
considered as altogether in the estate in which he was born by
nature. Now, if circumcision itself be not requisite to justifica-
tion, then, certainly, there is no foregoing work to come in, this
being the first of all that is done : but the apostle makes it more
plain in the beginning of the 4th chapter; for he tells us
expressly, " If a man be justified by works, he hath whereof to
glory, but not before God;" and again, " If it be of works, the
reward is not of grace, but of debt." You, whoever you are, that
require previous works of sanctification, or any thing else, to
come and shew itself in you, so that you may apply the justifica-
tion of Christ to you ; do you not now bring in works, as that
which must give you rest? If you bring them in to have such
efficacy in them, that they must be there, or you can have no
justification ; is not here justification by works, and must you
82 CHRIST IS OURS BEFORE WE
not account it as a debt ? When I am thus and thus qualified,
then Christ must be mine ; s not there a bringing something to
God, that you may have your interest sealed ? Is not there a
bringing of works to him, to commend you to him ?
But observe the words following, speaking more than they that
go before ; " Not to him that worketh, but to him that believeth
on him that justifieth the ungodly :" mark, this is that which the
apostle beats at so much ; namely, to shew the dispositions and
qualifications of men in their justification : God, saith he,
"justifieth the ungodly," not as they are working men, but as
they are ungodly : whoever thou art that wilt be a working
person, and, as thou art one, wilt apply thy justification, know
this, the apostle saith it is, " Not to him that worketh.'* Who-
soever it be that will apply his justification, interest in Christ,
and pardon of sin aright, must look upon himself, not as a
-working, but as an ungodly person ; then he shall apply it to
himself as God applies it: God applies it to the ungodly : and
if thou wilt apply it as he applies it, and no otherwise, thou must
apply it to a person considered as such, and no otherwise.
I will establish this truth somewhat further, for I know it is
flung at, and will find great opposition in the world. Look into
Rom. v. 6, 8, 10 ; you shall there see it expressly delivered by
the apostle, who strikes it stark dead ; namely, that holding the
contrary to this, that we are justified, considered as ungodly, is
absolutely false ; " When we were yet without strength, in due
time Christ died for the ungodly." Where are your qualifica-
tions while there is no strength? these stand in performances, in
being able to do this and that; but men are considered here, as
heing without strength, and Christ died for them as such ; and
■not only so, but as they were ungodly and sinners; " If while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us:" Christ considered us
as sinners, in the condition of sin, and m no other; and, in this
^consideration, laid down his life. Nay, in v^r. 10th, he speaks
more to the purpose : in the former but privately, being only
considered as ungodly, that is, persons void of godliness ; but
here, positively, as they were enemies ; so saith he, *' When we
were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his
Son :" mark this place, beloved, I dare be bold to say, this text
shall be able to answer all the objections of thy heart, if thou hast
but a heart given thee, so muctt as to look after Christ, to have
HAVE GRACIOUS QUALIFICATIONS. 63
him if thou mightest; even all that thy heart can raise against thee,
from the consideration of thy own vileness or wickedness of heart
and life, whatsoever it be; "While we were enemies," &c.
What qualifications can this person have, considered in no other
condition but this, namely, in a state of enmity, of fighting
against God? Whoever thou art, doth thy heart tell thee, that,
when the word of God comes home to thee, thou flyest in the
lace ol the minister, yea, of God himself, thy heart rising against
him. Yet, notwithstanding all this, here may be reconciliation
for thee. Yea, you will say, when once tamed : no, saith the
text, " While we were enemies we were actually reconciled;"
not were reconcileable, or capable of reconciliation, or when
amended, and had laid down our weapons, we should be recon-
ciled; but in the state of enmity we were reconciled.
Now put all these together, and they amount to thus much,
and that is enough. Wouldst thou know that thou art interested
in this privilege and grace, of laying iniquity upon Christ ?
What hinders thee, that thou canst not take thy share and por-
tion in it? Oh! thou sayest, thou art a wicked wretch, thou
hast no heart to any godliness in the world ; suppose this to be
true, I say, even while thou art going astray, and turnest to thy
own ways, thy iniquities are laid on Christ ; you will say, this
cannot be surely. Beloved, I answer, I would fain know what
it is that can make void the truth of it ; there is no scripture
can contradict what I have said, except it contradicts itself,
which is impossible it should.
But all this while you will say, this does not satisfy me, that I
am one of them, that shall have share in this grace, of having
my iniquities laid upon Christ ; for there are many ungodly
persons that yet never had any part in Christ, nor never shall.
Beloved, let me tell you, the secrets of the Lord are with
himself; only the names of particular persons are written in the
book of life ; but they are not written in the word, and works of
the law : but what hinders, but that thou mayest have as o-ood a
portion in him, as heart can wish, being considered in thyself
merely ungodly ? I will put this case : there comes forth an act
of a general pardon to all thieves and murderers ; it is made to
all that will come and take their share ; now I ask this question,
suppose a person be a thief, and a traitor, what need his name
in particular be mentioned in this pardon ? may he not assume
64 CHRIST IS OURS BEFORE WE, ETC.
as certainly his own particular interest in that general grant, as
if he were specified by name ? All thieves that will, may come
in, as well as if their names were written particularly in the
proclamation. Again, are not the words of Christ sufficient for
the satisfaction of any, " him that cometh to me I will in no
wise cast out," as if his name in particular were set down. If
all thieves, without exception, have a pardon tendered, and I
know I am a thief, this is enough for me ; I may know, I may
be sure, that I am therein pardoned as well as any other. Be-
loved, the Lord's grant of laying iniquity upon Christ, is as
much as a grant of a general pardon to all thieves and traitors,
and as freely exhibited as that can be ; for it runs in this tenor,
*' Every one that will, let him come, and take the Avater of life
freely," Rev. xxii. 17. Now hath the Lord given thee a heart
to come, that thou wouldst fain have Christ if thou durst, fain
thou wouldst, that all thy iniquities should be taken from thee to
be laid upon him. Beloved, the Lord saith expressly unto you,
" Every one that will, let him come :" have you but a mind to
come and take him, your coming and taking is your security;
Christ is a liar (with all reverence be it spoken) if he turn off
any that come to him ; " He that comes to me, I will in no
wise cast him off, John vi. 37. Dost thou come to Christ, and
doth he cast thee off? He denies himself then; for he saith,
" I will in no wise cast thee off:" and thus much may be suffi-
cient to assure thee, that notwithstanding any sinfulness which
thou findest in thyself, thou mayst boldly come unto Christ, and
commit thvself unto him, as to an all-sufficient Saviour
65
SERMON XXIX.
INHERENT QUALIFICATIONS ARE DOUBTFUL
EVIDENCES FOR HEAVEN.
ISAIAH liii. 6.
AND THE LORD HATH LAID XDN HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL,
The iniquity that was laid upon Christ, is the iniquity of us
all : that is the last point proposed ; there are two things mainlv
considerable in it.
1. Whose iniquities they are that the Lord laid upon Christ,
2. How particular persons may come to know whether their
iniquities, in special, are laid on him. The former were dispatched
the last day ; the iniquities that the Lord laid upon "Christ, were
not the iniquities of the righteous, but of sinners ; the iniquities
of such, " Who like sheep have gone asti-ay, and turned every
one to their own way ;" in the former part of the verse ; this I
have shewed at large, and have abundantly cleared it : there is
no sinfulness in which a person stands, can possibly be a bar to
the discharge of him, from such sins, and the charging of Christ
with them ; but I must not dwell upon things I have already
delivered,
I come to the second particular ; how particular persons may
come to know certainly concerning their own estate ; wliether or
no the grace intended, and held out in this text concerns them ;
and whether the Lord means them in special, when he said, " He
laid on Christ the iniquities of us all." If any man fall upon the
trial of a title, he must produce his evidences, that it may be
clear ; and these must be of that nature, that they are not dubious
and litigious ; that may ratlver administer more, and greater
controversies, than put an end to the question in hand.
There are many disputes in the world, and the arguments
brought to put an end to them, commonly make them greater
than before ; and it is as certainly true in the present case id
VOL. II. r
OG INHERENT QUALIFICATIONS AUE
hand. When there arise disputes in the hearts of people, to
resolve this question, whether they are discharged of their sins
or no ; they produce such and such evidences, and try the strength
of them with such eagerness, that the question is farther off from
being resolved, than before the dispute began. He that will
clear his title to the interest he hath in this grant of God, must
make use of those evidences that God hath given for that very
purpose; and they that shall make use of others, will but make
a greater controversy in their own spirits, and more doubtfulness
than there was before. I know that among tender consciences,
there is nothing in the world pursued with so much vehemency
of spirit, earnestness and zeal of affection, as to attain to this,
namely, to know certainly they have a part and portion in this
grace : oh, think they, if we could but be once satisfied of this,
that our iniquities were all done away in Christ, we have what
our hearts could desire : beloved, it is to be considered, in so
great a pursuit, and such earnestness of spirit to attain the end,
why there is so little satisfaction to the spirits of men ; scarce
one of a thousand that makes the search, whether they have an
interest in this grace, can attain to a final resolution ; but, after
they have searched, there remains some rub or other, that they
are unsatisfied for the time; some mistake certainly there must
be, either in the ground, or conclusion, or inference of the dis-
pute ; either they lay down arguments that have no strength in
them, or if they have, they do not draw right inferences and
conclusions from them. In all resolutions concerning a case of
conscience, there is always a Syllogism, a natural one I mean ;
for the case still goes thus, he that would be certain that his
portion is in this grace, must first take the argument from the
word itself ; then he must draw his assumption from what he finds
in himself, agreeing with the word, and so deduce his conclusion
from them both, after this manner : he that is thus and thus, his
sins are forgiven him ; but I am thus and thus, therefore my sins
are forgiven me.
Now, beloved, either we lay down a false foundation, or at
least one that cannot be cleared; or else we make a corrupt
assumption from thence, so that we cannot gather a certain
conclusion,
I conceive, therefore, it might be a welcome business, if it
were possible, to draw forth such evidences as are without all
DOUBTFUL EVIDENCES FOR HEAVEN, €7
exception : but before this can be done, there must be a taking
away of the common mistakes of men ; I shall therefore, beloved,
endeavour these two things :
First, To shew where the mistake lieth, that this question is
so rarely resolved ; and then shew what it is that will resolve it
satisfactorily.
When persons are eager upon the satisfaction of their own
spirits, concerning their interest in this grace of pardon and dis-
charge of sin ; I find +hat usually in the entrance on this trial,
and search, they run immediately to some qualifications in them-
selves, and fruits of sanctification ; which must make up the con-
clusion for them, or else they will not, they dare not, make their
conclusion to their own comfort. I mean briefly and plainly thus ;
the common way of people is to try themselves by signs and marks,
drawn from their sanctification and performances ; and as these
Will make up the conclusion they desire, so they sit down satis-
fied with their condition ; but nothing makes up their conclu-
sion, but premises taken from their sanctification. Hoav litigious
and doubtful a course this is to resolve th-e spirits of men, I doubt
not but 1 sliall make veiy clear to you, by and by, and therein
shew how much men are mistaken, and how far wide they are
irom the conclusion they desire; while no other premises shall
serve the turn, but what their own sanctification, qualifications
and dispositions can afford.
But to come more closely to the business, give me leave, bw
loved, to take into consideration, and so to propose to you the
weakness of "the most remarkable signs, by which people use to
t -y themselves : I shall pass by those that are of less consequence,
and instance in those that are usual, and most pressed upon, as
building-marks. For,
1. It is well known that this is one of the most remarkable'
signs, by which a person must know his portion in the grace of
God through Christ, namely, universal obedience : when any
man goes to examine, am I a child of God ? Are my sins for-
o-iven 1 If they be, then I have universal obedience ; and then
follows the search : have I it or no ? If the heart saith, I have,
then all is well to it; if it says no, it is then conceived presump-
tion to conclude a portion in Christ ; this is the common way o
trial : how weak this mark of universal obedience is to resolve &
soul concerning his portion*in the grace of God, I shall make
F 2
68 INHERENT *Q*JaUFIOATIONS ARE
clear to you ; for certainly it cannot resolve the question as men
would have it.
1. There is no person under heaven, believe/, or unbeliever,
that hath universal obedience; and therefore if it should be a
mark, wftnout which there can be no certainty oi interest in
Christ, no person under heaven can have assurance of interest
in him.
2. I shall make it appear to you, that suppose there be sucn
an universal obedience as men aim at, yet that is not enough to
satisfy of interest in Christ.
1. There is no such thing in the heart and practice of man
under heaven, as universal obedience, especially taking it as
most people do. When men stand upon it, to try themselves by
tnis, what is it 1 There is one expression will make it appear,
what they mean by it ; for you will find the way of trial runs thus :
one leak, think they, is enough to sink a ship ; one dead fly to
putrify a whole box of ointment ? one drop of poison, though in
a cup of the sweetest wine, to suffocate the life of him that drinks
it : now mark their inference from hence ; in case there be one
leak in me, this will sink me for ever ; one dead fly in me, this
will putrify all good things in me, and if but one drop of poison
in me, it will choak me quite. Now, I beseech you, mark, if
this be a sign, by which a man can come to know whether he be
}n Christ ; let me see the man that dares say there is not one leak
n him, not one dead fly in the precious box of grace, that he
aith is in his heart ; not one drop of poison in his wine of obe-
dience ? If there be any of these, where is this universal obe-
dience ? The truth indeed is, universal obedience takes in all
particulars ; for universality is nothing else but a concurrence of
all particulars met together. Either then there must be a com-
plete obedience to the whole law, without failing in one jot or
tittle, or else there is not, there cannot be, universal obedience.
But some will be ready to say, we do not mean by universal
obedience, an exact performance of every tittle of the law, for
that we know no man can reach unto ; but the mark we try our-
selves by, is an universal purpose of heart unto obedience, or
the purpose of heart to yield universal obedience; and this a man
must try himself by, and must find in himself, or else he cannot
make up this conclusion, that he hath a portion in the grace of
God by Christ. If he have a full purpose, and respect of heart,
DOUBTFUL EVIDENCES TOR HEAVEN. G9
to all God's commandments; if he can find it so, then it is well;
but if he cannot, then all is naught.
Let us take universal obedience in this sense, for a full pur-
pose of heart to obey the whole will of God, though there be not
ability to perform every thing whereunto there is such a purpose ;
if this be the mark you try yourselves by, then I would fain know
whether by full purpose of heart, you understand a constant piu*
pose of heart, or else by fits, and at sometimes. If any say, thej
try themselves by the purpose of their hearts at such and such
times, and confess that there is not a constancy of it ; thew let
me tell you, such purposes of heart that are taken notice of at
such and such times, cannot be signs of a man's having interest
in Christ : you know the wickedest men in the world, have their
good moods and resolutions sometimes, and from the heart
indeed : take a man upon his sick bed, and tell him of his former
course of life, and of God's grace, he will say ; if God restore
him to his health, he will lead a better life than he hath done ;
and his heart is not feigned in what he saith ; he speaks all this
from his heart, and really intends it. Now if a purpose of heart
by fits, be a mark and sign of a man's interest in Christ, it mav
be so to a man that hath no portion in him at all ; and so can be
no certain mark or evidence to those who desire to try themselves
by it.
But if they say this purpose of heart, to yield obedience to all
God's commandments, is a constant purpose of heart, and that it
is always set toward them : and God can read the inclination of
their hearts to him and his service, to be constant, though to
perform the same be not present always with them : well, if you
mean this, then let me tell you, there is no pei*son under heaven,
able to say truly from an unfeigned heart, that he hath a constant
purpose and inclination to the whole will of God : and I appeal
to the spirits of every one of you, that go this way to work ; is
there a constant inclination in your spirits to the whole will of
God always 1 What " meaneth then the bleating of the sheep,
nd the lowing of the oxen in your ears ?" I ask, beloved,
whether this stands with such a constant purpose and inclination
cO have untoward risings of the heart, repining and murmurino-
thoughts against many truths, of the will of God revealed ?
Sometimes you are present in the house of tlie Lord, attending
upon the manifestation of his will; it is his will vou should do
To INHERENT QUALIFICATIONS A HE
SO and so ; is there always an inclination of heart to this particular
service ? Doth it stand with a constant inclination of heart to it,
to be weary of it, to be indisposed to it, and to have contradic-
tion in your spirits against it? Now whose hearts are not privy
to a world of this indisposition, crossness, drawing back, and
pulling in the shoulders from such and such services as God calls
us out unto ? Take crosses and afflictions, for example, they are
the fruits of the love of God ; tlie Lord hath declared that they
shall bring forth " the peaceable fruits of righteousness," Heb.
xii. 11; ar€ your hearts inclined, and are the constant purposes
of your spirits to this pleasure of God? Do you count it "all
joy when ye fall iiito them ?" as James directs, James i. 2. How
comes it to pass then that there should be so much reluctancy
and opposition of spirit to the will of God, if the constant pur-
pose and inclinatioii of the heart were towards it ? Now, beloved,
mark it v/ell, do but compare this indisposition of the spirit to
this will of God, with the disposition of the spirit to it; you shall
find by your own experience mostly, there is a real indisposition,
rather than a real affection to the thing: how then can this be
called a constant inclination of the heart to the whole will of
God, when, in most things, there is an averseness of spirit
to it?
But to take up the business, that it may be without all con-
tradiction : suppose we grant a person hath a constant purpose-
and inclination of heart to the whole will of God : nay, reaches,
the vcrv practice of the will of God, according to that purpose of
heart. Suppose upon search and trial of universal obedience,
you are able to find, not only that your hearts are to all the com-
mandments of God ; but that you walk in them all even blame-
lessly. You will say, this is a good mark, a man may rest satis-
fied with this, i. e. conclude tiiereby that he hath a portion in the
grace of God : but give me leave to deal plainly and truly with
your spirits; I must tell you if it be found thus with you, both
in respect of purpose and practice, yet this very sign is not suffi-
cient to clear to you, that there is a portion in Chi-ist, in respect
of it. For tliat cannot be a mark to a person that he hath part in
Christ that is common to wicked, as well as good men. Can any
man say, I know I have eyes to see, and hands that have motion
in tiiem, and because 1 am so, I know I am a child of God? Do
tjot the wickedest men in the world see with Iheir eyes, and move
DOUBTFUL KVIOKNCES FOR HEA^VEN. 71
with their hands ? If this be a mark, why may not they know
themselves to be in Christ, as well as a believer? But you will
say, the case is not alike, there is no wicked man in the world
can attain to universal obedience ; if they may in purpose of heart,
yet certainly not in practice : to understand the truth of this, look
in Phil. iii. 6, where you shall find the apostle makes a narration
of the condition of his life while he was a Pharisee, and a per-
secutor of the church of God, and the frame of it, after he was
called homo to Christ. In the description of his condition, he
tells us what sect he was of, namely, a Pharisee, men that were
the most strict and austere of all others; and among other things,
saith he, " Concerning zeal, I persecuted the church of God,
and touching the righteousness of the law, I was blameless ;" that
is it I would have you observe, touching the righteousness of the
law, blameless.
Now I would fain know of any man, what difference there is
between that universal obedience to the whole will of God, which
they look after, and a blamelessness of life touching the law. He
that sins, and fails over and over again, of knowledge, is tais
man a blameless man in his life ? Certainly, beloved^ the apostle
walked exceeding exactly, and he doth not say simply he was
blameless as to those among whom he lived ; for they perhaps
might not judge of righteousness according to the law, but
according to their own esteem : but, saith he, " touching the
righteousness of the law, I was blameless ;" that is, a righteous-
ness according to the revealed will of God, in which I was thus
blameless: now if this be a mark, or a sign, that a man hath
interest in Christ, namely, being righteous in his conversation,
then Paul, while a persecutor of the church, had a mark and sion
that he was in Christ : but consider, though he clears himself, as
a man walking blamelessly before his conversion ; yet he was so
far from thinking this blamelessness according to the rio-hteous-
ness of the law, to be a sign of his interest in Christ, that he
abhors it, is ashamed of it, and accounts it very dung. It is true,
while he was in his Pharisaism, he accounted this blamelessness
of his according to the law his exceeding gain ; oh, thought he,
this will bear me out, it shall certainly be well with me ; herein
he accounted it gain : " But, (saith he,) that whicii was o-ain to
me, I accounted loss :" observe it well, he is so far from makincr
it a marK, or sign of interest in Christ, that he accounts it but
72 INHERENT QUALIFICATIONS ARE
loss. And doubtless, I account all things but dung, that I may
be found in Christ, not having mine own righteousness according
to the law. Though he found a righteousness according to the
law in himself, yet he doth not treasure it up as a precious thing
to comfort his heart, and as a certain mark to rest upon ; but,
and in respect of satisfying it, he counts it as dung, and casts it
away, and will not be found in it : but only in the righteousness
of God by taith.
How can any man imagine that that should be a mark, that
Paul, after conversion, esteemed but as dung? Surely, marks
and evidences of interest in Christ, must be of abetter price;
marks that will bring comfort, may justly be more precious in the
eyes of men after conversion, than dung; therefore, for ought I
can see, let a man find ever so exact obedience to all the com-
mandments of God, he cannot assure himself, from thence, that
he hath portion in Christ.
But some will say, Univei'sal obedience of itself, indeed, is not
a sufficient sign ; some may go very far in it, and yet come short
of Christianity, but there must be added to it sincerity, and single-
ness of heart ; if I walk according to the commandments of God :
and do it in sincerity and singleness of heart, I may sit down by
this as a good mark, and be satisfied therewith.
But I answer, That if sincerity, and singleness of heart, be
made a mark and sign of interest in Christ, at last it will fail a
person as well as universal obedience : this is strange, you will
say ; what, is not sincerity, and singleness of heart, a mark of
interest in Christ? I answer, no, whosoever builds upon it may
deceive himself; I will make it good thus,
1. He that deals ingenviously with his own spirit, shall find^
that there is not this sincerity in his heart that he builds upon.
2. If he have this sincerity, it is not enough to give him such
a certain conclusion of the goodness of his estate, that it will not
fail.
1. No man under heaven can find that sincerity, in his heart,
that may comfort him. How will that appear ? I answer, he
that will try himself by sincerity, and singleness of heart, must
understand wiiatit is, or else he will try himself by that which he
knows not; and there will be a trying of a hidden thing, by that
tvhich is more hidden. You must know, then, what sincerity is,
leforc it can spoak peace to you upon trial : now. how will you:
DOUBTFUL EVIDENCES FOR HEAVEN. 73
know what it is ? Mark how the apostle makes it clear in Eph.
vi. 5, 6, speaking there of servants obeying their masters, he
counsels them to obey them, " not with eye-service, as men-
pleasers, but in singleness of hearts, as unto Christ." Well, from
this passage I conclude, singleness of heart is such a disposition
of spirit, as that whatsoever we do in word or deed, we do it as to
Christ, or we do it for the Lord's sake. So far as we do any
thing, and our hearts have bye-ends in them, so far there is a
defect of sincerity and singleness of heart ; " If thine eye be
single, (saith our Saviour,) thy whole body is full of light:"
singleness of eyes there, is opposite to squint-eyes. A squint-eye
1 oks two ways at once ; a single-eye looks fore-right, and is
pitched only upon sucli an object; it doth not look upon divei'S
things together, distant each from other, much less contrary one
to the other. A single heart doth what it doth for the Lord's
sake, and to the Lord himself:- now, if this be sincerity, to have
the Lord always in our eyes, in what we do, where is that sin-
cerity of heart that may speak peace and comfort to the spirits of
men? Beloved, look into your ordinary practice, whether it be
so in your exercises of religion, or works of justice and mercy,
do you all for and to the Lord? AVhen you lire, do you live to
the Lord? When you eat and drink, do you all to his glory ? Is
there not much self mixed iu your performances ? When you
pray, what is the loadstone in your prayers ? What is that which
makes you pray ? Such an exigence puts you on it, jjreservation
from danger, therefore you cry mightily: for you say. If the Lord
help not,^ you perish. Here is praying for a man's self, not to
glorify God, or, at least, more praying for one, than the other.
Again., if in times of trouble and war, the clouds are great, and
ready to break; and, therefore we sigh, mourn, fast, and weep,
what is the eye upon all this while ? upon self altogether, or for
the most part, that we may escape this wrath, that venoeance,.
and the other affliction ; that we may be delivered from that
mischief, and this gi-owing evil : now these are the great things
in our eye in what we do ; all this while, now, do we this as unto
the Lord, or for the Lord at all ? It was his complaint a"-ainst the
Jews, when they fasted and took a great deal of pains, " Have
ye fasted at all unto me ?" No, beloved, they fasted unto them-
selves ; so, do you ftist at all to the Lord wiien you fast? And is
the Lord altogether the end of your fasting? Is not vourself the
74 INHERENT QUALIFICATION ABK
miin thing you aim at in It? How can this stand with singleness
of heart to him, when he is neglected, and a man's self is altogether
in his eye in what he doth ? where is that sincerity and singleness
of heart, where there is so much self in all that is performed 1
But to come more close : suppose this sincerity be to be found,
and your hearts, upon search, will tell you, that you have been to
the Lord, and for his sake, in what you have done ; God and his
glory have been the sensible loadstone that have drawn you forth
to this and that employment ; yet, for all this, such sincerity is
no mark, or sign, by which you ought to conclude your portion
and interest in Christ. How will you make that good ? will some
say. Look into Rom. x. 1, 2,3, you shall see it is as clear as the
day, that this sincerity, or doing things for the Lord's sake, is
not a mark by which persons can conclude a portion in Christ ;
nay, more, it is a qualification that those, that are enemies of
Christ, have had in a great measure in themselves ; and can that
be a mark of my being a child of God, and a member of Christ,
that may be found in an enemy to him ? Mark the words, the
apostle, (speaking there of his brethren the Jews) saith, " That
nis heart's desire and prayer to God was, that they might be
saved;" and, withal, "bears them record that they have a zeal
of God ;" there was a sincerity aiming not at bye-ends, but at the
o-lory of God. And, farther, mark wherein this was expressed,
and about what it was conversant; it was not exercised in a false
way, but in obedience to the will of God : " For, (saith he,) they,
going about to establish their own righteousness, have not sub-
mitted themselves to the righteousness of God: for Christ is the
end of the law, for righteousness, to every one that believeth.'*
Observe it well, here is a zeal, that is, an earnestness of spirit,
and this zeal was after God; so, then, it was a zeal wherein they
souo-ht God and his glory, not in an indirect way, nor in a corrupt
way of their own devising; but in the righteousness according to
the law of God himself; for so much is intimated when it is said,
that " Christ is the end of the law:" and yet, for all this, saith
the apostle, though they had this '• zeal of God" according to
the will of God in his law ; they " submitted not themselves to
the righteousness of God :" so then there may be a singleness
of heart to the Lord, and for his glory, and a walking in obedience
to his will revealed in his lav/, and no portion in Christ, but a
withstanding, and not submitting to liis righteousness. Men do
DOUBTFUL KVIPENCRS FOR HEAVEN. 75
but puzzle themselves extremely, while they go about to satisfy
their own spirits by such marks and signs, that if they will deal
faithfully with themselves, will never resolve the case fully, to
give true and grounded rest unto their souls.
One thing more I will commend to you, and that is a mark,
the greatest of all, and which seems to have the greatest strength
of all others, and that from the testimony of the apostle himself;
wherewith many souls are extremely puzzled in examining them-
selves by, and very much troubled in making up their conclusion.
Surely it is a good mark, (will some say) we may know we
are God's children if we love the brethren; for, saith tlie
apostle, (1 John iii. 14,) " We know we have passed from
death to life, because we love the brethren." Will you say a
man cannot be resolved he is a child of God by this mark ?
For an answer to this, First, I shall desire you well to mark
the scope of the apostle in that place. In the words before the
text, he tells the brethren there, how the world esteemed of
them, what account it had of them ; " Marvel not, my brethren,
though the world hate you :" but, in this verse, he endeavours
to comfort them against the disesteem it had of them, and how
doth he do it? " We know (saith he,) that we have passed,
from death to life, because we love the brethren :" as much as if
he had said, whatever the world judgeth of us, our judgment one
of another, is, that we are God's children ; and the ground of it
is this, we perceive one from another, that there is a love one to
another ; so that it seems plain to me, that the apostle here
endeavours to satisfy persons how they are made known one to
another, that they are the people of God, not how they are to
know themselves ; this seems rather to be a mark, how nn"^
brother may know me, than by which I should know myself; the
text doth not say, by this I may know that I am passed from
death to life.
But, let us take it for granted, that every particular person
finding the love of the brethren in himself, by this may know
himself to be the child of God. You shall find how exceedingly
a soul must be puzzled in this way, before it can clear the case,
that it belongs to Christ by it.
For if you will try yourself by this, 1. You must know what
it is to love the brethren. And, 2. That they are t'ne brethren
you love.
76 INHERENT QUALIFICATIONS ARE
1. You must understand what it is to love the brethren : you
can never know you love them, till you know what it is to love
them ; and when you do know it, and examine yourselves by it^
and deal faithfully with yourselves, then you will say, oh, what a
labyrinth is this I am in ! How shall I get out of it ! If you
will examine yourselves by this love, let the Spirit of God be
your teacher and director : in 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5. If you will try
your hearts by your love to the brethren, bring them to the parti-
culars, the apostle mentions there ; and I doubt your hearts will
be at a stand many times about them. The apostle expresseth
himself (as the word is rendered by our translators in the Eng-
lish bible) by the word charity^ but the word in the original is
love ; and there he at large describes the nature of love to the
brethren, by many particulars that set it out effectually; " Cha-
rity, or love, (saith he) suflfereth long, and is kind ; charity
envieth not ; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, it
doth not behave itself unseemly ; charity seeks not her own,
thinks not evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the
truth : now consider the sum of these things : " love beareth all
things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, and endureth all
things," Wherever there is the love of the brethren, there are
all these particulars: come now to these in your examination,
bring your hearts to these : is there no envying at all towards
the brethren ? no thinking evil of any of them ? no seeking^
myself or my own good, in my love to them ? Is there a bear-
ing of all things for their sakes ? Is there no being puffed up^
or vaunting above them ? Is there no thinking better of myself
than of them? This is the love of the brethren, as the apostle
plainly declares : and, if you examine yourselves by this love,
do you not find those great defects and imperfections, that must
be taken away, before you can resolve the case in hand, by this
love to them ? So that a soul must attain to a mighty higK
measure of sanctification and victory over itself, before it can
reach to this, to say, Hove the hreihren. Now to put yourselves
(poor weak things) upon this mark, which is one of tlie nearest
to perfection ; except you can make this manifest, you must not
Jars to take your part in Christ ; what is this, but to tie knots to
yourselves, whereby you fasten yourselves with fetters of con
tmual doubting?
But, suppose you find all this love in yourselves, you may
DOUBTFUL EVIDENCES FOR HEAVEN. 77,
not only love the brethren, but you must know they are the
brethren whom you love ; for if you bear this love to maukin'l
as such, this is no evidence of your being in Christ; for the
publicans and harlots love one another : therefore you must
know they are brethren you love, or else this is no mark at all,
that you have a portion in Christ. The wickedest man in the
world hath as good a mark as this : but do you know they are
brethren you love ? You know the brotherhood consists in
beinof united unto Christ ; this is an invisible thing, none can
know it but God only. No man can say, such a one is a
brother; as no man knows the things of man, save the spirit of
man that is in him ; so no man knows the tilings of another,
especially the spiritual condition of another, but God.
But, you will say, though I am not certain that he is a
brother, yet I love him under the notion of a brother.
Well, beloved, suppose this then : if this be a sign a man is a
child of God, because he knoweth he loveth such an one, he
apprehends to be a brother; then many may have signs and
marks they have received Christ, when the truth is, it is no such
matter.
Look upon the Papists, do they not love the brethren ? You
will say, no, they are not brethren they love, and therefore,
their love is nothing. It is true, they are mistaken, they are not
brethren ; but yet, I say, that is nothing to the purpose, they
love them under the notion of brethren, which you conceive to
be sufficient ; do not they love each other under that notion, and
hate us as enemies to God and the gospel ? Therefore though
they are mistaken, yet because they love one another as brethren,
and under that notion ; according to this rule, I say, this may
be an argument sufficient, and a sign whereby they may know
their interest in Christ.
But, let me tell you, while men love persons under the notion
of brethren, commonly they love them that are not, and hate
them that are. Take all the sects in the world, they will love
their own sects as brethren, and hate all others as not. As for
example, there are two sorts of people in the world, one that
hold up their heads by the righteousness of the law, and expect
salvation according to their obedience to it ; with them they are
brethren that so adhere to the law, and enemies to all those that
stand for the free grace of God, and the true righteousness of
78 INHERENT QUALIFICATIONS ARE
God, which is by faith. Suppose you love those persons as
brethren, that run after Moses and the law, for tneir peace and
satisfaction of spirit, and despise those that arc in the free grace
of God, and rest upon the promises of the gospel, though they
see themselves full of sin : which of these are brethren ? Surely
according to the meaning of the apostle, they have passed from
death to life that believe ; " He that believeth shall be saved."
These are the brethren, do you love these men ? Oh, there arc
many that go by signs and marks, that cannot endure them;
they go with them under the name of libertines, and not
brethren *.
Well, to draw towards a conclusion, let me tell you, whoever
you are, that go by signs and marks, drawn from sanctification,
you will be puzzled, if you deal faithfully with your own spirits,
though you attain to ever so great a height of it.
And yet all this while let me not be mistaken ; there are cen-
sorious spirits in the world; if we do but take off the fruits of
sanctification from those great businesses the Lord never or-
dained them unto, presently they conclude ; here is nothing but
striking at sanctification, and flinging at obedience tov/ards
God ; I say, therefore, beloved, mistake not ; sanctification of
men is as much the will of God, as salvation and glory here-
after: this is the will of God, even our sanctification : I say also,
the Lord never calls persons to salvation by Christ, but lie also
sanotifieth them in some measure, they go still together ; and I
■would they were cut off from the Israel of God, that take occa-
sion to the flesh, from the liberty of the grace of God, whereto
they are called; but still, I say, though the Lord calls men, and
sanctifies them, yet he gives them some better evidences whereby
he will satisfy their spirits, to sit down and have more peace and
comfort of heart, than all the evidences of sanctification in the
world can give unto them.
* Thoujih there are many usoful observations made by the Dr. on love of the bre-
thren, yet I cannot agree witli him in his sense of 1 JoJin iii. 14. for it does not seem
to respect the knowledge saints have of other persons, bnt of themselves ; we know,
not that other persons, other saints, but rce, ourse'ves, liave -passed from death to life,
hi'rnuse we, ourselves, and not others, love the brethren ; and which grace being a fruit
of the Spirit, and so peculiar to a man that is Lorn again, as that it cannot bo in an
unregenerate man ; who, though he may love saints, as men, on natural and civil
accounts, can never love them as children of God, and brethren of Christ; and, there-
fore, must be an evidence of passing from death to life; at least in some degree,
though it may not come up to the r(?vealing and receiving evidences, the spirit and
faith, which, it must be owned, are the principal ones. Sec my Exposition of 1 John
iii. 14. And besides, if by it we may know that others have passed from death to life,
why not know this of ourselves by it?
DOUBTFUL EVIDENCES FOR HEAVEN. 79
Some evidences there are, that will determine the question so
clearly, that there shall not remain any just scruple : and then I
ao not deny but that when the Spirit of the Lord, and the faith of
a believer, shall speak what they can say, and have fully resolved
the question, the fruits of the spirit in the believer, may come in
as handmaids to bear witness to the thing ; yet so, that the other
two give a sufficient resolution to the question. These are the two
great witnesses from heaven, that speak home and fully to tlie
question in hand, and give peace and satisfaction to the spirit of
man ; I mean, that it is the spirit of Christ, and the faith of a
believer only, that immediately call the soul, and testify to it of
its interest in Christ, and so give sufficient evidence to it. The
next opportunity I will speak, God willing, more fully to these
two fninofs.
SERMON XXX.
THE REVEALING EVIDENCE OF THE SPIRIT OF
CHRIST.
ISAIAH liii. 6.
AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL.
The last point was this, that it is the iniquity of every one of
ws, that the Lord hath laid upon Christ ; zis, that " like sheep
have gone astray, and turned every one to his own way."
But because there arlseth such a great scruple out of these
general expressions, namely, how I and you shall know in par-
ticular to ourselves, that we in special are included in this;
therefore we came to consider, whether a person, or rather how
a person, may know certainly his, or her iniquities are in parti-
cular laid upon Christ. The reason of this great query was.
QO THE RFVEALINO EVIDENC K
nat though the Holy Ghost speaks of such as go istray, and
turn to their own ways, that their iniquities are laid upon Christ,
yet say some, and that truly too, it is not every one that goeth
astray, and turneth to his own way, it is but some of these that
nave their iniquities laid upon Christ ; and, saith the poor fanit-
ino- spirit, I may be one of those tbat go astray, and turn to their
own ways, that are set aside, and not one of those that shall share
in this mercy. And therefore I would know whether I am one
of the number of those that shall partake of this grace, and not
one of the number of those that are rejected. I know this is a
grea! scruple among tender consciences, thirsting after nothing
more in the world, than to be satisfied, and have the case cleared,
that there be no place for any more objections, that they, in par-
ticular have a portion in this present grace.
For resolution of this, I told you the last day, some evidences
there are to resolve this case, yet a great mistake there is in some
evidences men produce to themselves for the clearing of it. This
I then said, and now say again, that signs and marks, drawn
from the fruits of sanctification, are at best very litigious and
doubtful evidences to resolve a spirit : and let the most exactly
sanctified person, but consider the manifold frailties, and wan-
derino-s, in the best work that ever he did, and he shall have
occasion to suspect that very work, as not able to speak peace
unto him.
Universal obedience, sincerity of heart, and love to the
brethren, are three special marks I took in task the last day,
and shewed how far a soul will be to seek of certain resolution
from these, when they are thoroughly examined. I shall not re-
peat particulars again ; time will not give me leave; I will add
a word in o-eneral, and so close up this matter.
Beloved, whoever you are that will examine yourselves by the
fruits of sanctification, that arc properly the righteousness of
man after or according to the law; I dare be bold to say, there
is no one fruit of it, let it be sincerity, hatred of sin, love to the
brethren, or what it will, if it speaks as the Lord hath given to
it to speak, that can speak peace to a soul. My ground is, what
is delivered by the apostle in Gal. iii. 10, " The law, (saith he.)
H -not of faith ;" but its voice is, " Cursed is every one that con-
tjnuet>j not in all things that are written in the book of the law
Iq them," &c. Now, I beseech you come home a little ; this
OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. SI
being the voice of the law, and consequently of every thins that
is done, or rather not done, according to it, how can any thinu
we do, except it be done according to this rule exactly, speak
peace ? Take it in what sign or mark you will ; let it be in what
kind of obedience you can imagine, I ask, and I pray you ask
yourselves this question, whether have you continued in all
things written in the law to do them, in that particular? I say,
have you performed every thing in that particular you examine
yourselves by? No, you will say, there have been failings in
some things : now I ask, what this can say to you that shall be
the rule of your trial, as it stands full of failings and imperfec-
tions, can this speak peace? then it speaks directly otherwise
than the Lord hath given it to speak ; thus, that whatever a per-
son doth, if there be not a continuance in all things written in
the law to do them, the voice is cursing, " Cursed is every one,''
&c. How then can it secure a man, and resolve him that he
hath interest in Christ, is a child of God, that saith, cursed art
thou till thou continue in all things requisite to such pai-ticulars
that are the rule of thy examination ? Now the law can deliver
no other voice but this; until it meet with continuance in all
things. Hence it is that, in Gal. iv. 23, 24, the apostle dis-
tinguishes between the spiritual and natural seed of Abraham :
the latter sort he compares to Agar, which is mount Sinai in
Arabia, and this saith he, engendereth unto bondage ; the former
sort, are the children of Abraham according to the promise ; as
much as to say, persons born to the law, that have no other rule
to walk by, and to try their estates by, but that, are thereby
brought into bondage. The apostle, in Heb. ii. 15, tells us,
" Christ came to deliver those who through the fear of death were
subject to bondage all their lives long!" his meaning is, that the
Jews, by the discipline they were under, had for the usual evidence
of their peace, a conformity to the law, or a righteousness accord-
ing to that ; this was their ordinary way : and so till Christ came
to reveal himself in the grace of the gospel, they had nothing
to resolve their spirits, for satisfaction concerning their condition,
but the law, and so were still subject to bondage through fear of
death ; as much as to say, he that hath nothing else to speak
peace to him but his own righteousness, that is so far Irom de-
Jivenng hiin from this fear of death, that it keeps him in l>ondage
all his life long under it, while he walks by such a n?lo for Iv's
VOL. u. n
B3 THE REVEAL NO EVIDENCE
peane; I say not, while he walks by such a rnlo for his
conversation*; mistake nie not, but while he walks by saoh a
rule for his peace: and the reason is, because the best sancliPca
tion, in regard of the imperfections of it, <s not able to speak
peace to the soul, because it pronounces directly a curse. And
therefore, beloved, though I will not say but that there may be
comfort in some sort, even from the fruits of the spirit in men ;
yet that which must resolve the case, the great case, and satisfy
the spirit of a person, that he hath interest in Christ, and his
privileges, must be something else besides his own righteousness.
It is true, there are some kinds of comfort will flow even from
the fruits of the spirit in men's conversation ; namely, as he
seeth how God is glorified by it in the world: it must needs
administer a great deal of joy to the people of God, that he will
use them as instruments, to set forth the praise of the glory of
his orrace: as for example, thou art a minister, and in thy
ministry the Lord is pleased to shew himself abundantly, in some
great measure, to clear up the consciences of his people, and
cheer their hearts ; and thou art an instrument of his glory, in
that his free grace in the gospel is embraced, and the truth and
simplicity of it published; now thou rejoicest that the Lord is
glorified. But if we shall proceed so far as to gather our peace
from the exercise of this ministry, thereby to be resolved of our
interest in Christ from our diligence and sincerity therein ; then
we must know, that except there be perfection in it, this very
ministry itself speaks a curse.
But, beloved, to come on to the great question yet remaining :
are there not any evidences by which persons may know com-
fortably their interest in the privileges of Christ?
I answer, yes ; There are evidences to resolve men, if the Lord
do but give them unto them, and power to receive them ; men
may thereby sit down satisfied concerning their own interest in
the privileges of Christ. Which are they, will you say ? They
are two. The one is a revealing f evidence, and the other is a
receiving evidence. The revealing evidence, is the voice of the
Spirit of God to a man's own spirit : this is the great evidence
indeed, and which at last determines the question, and puts an
end to all objections : even the voice of the Spirit of the Lpid
• Observe the Doctor owns the law is a rule for conversation, consequently uo Auti-
nommun ; see Sennou LI. of " The Use of the Law."
t Matt. xi. 27.
OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. S3
speaking particularly in the heart of a person," Son, be of gooti
cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee." Wlien he saith this to the
soul, there shall be never an objection, while this voice is
received, worth a rush, to disquiet and disturb it : and till the
Spirit of the Lord come immediately himself, and speak this to a
soul, all the world shall never be able to satisfy it: in brief,
therefore, beloved, you shall know your sins are laid upon
Christ by the Spirit of the Lord speaking this to you; and, till
ne do this, all the signs and marks in the world are mere dark-
ness, mere riddles, a soul can never understand them.
It will be a needful business, I suppose, to clear up this truth
to you, and herein to shew you, that the Spirit of the Lord is
mainly sent into the world by Christ, for this very purpose, to
speak personally and particularly to the hearts of the elect, to
satisfy them of their interest in Christ; he, in the scripture, holds
out nothing more than this, that we must come at last to himself,
to resolve this case, and explain this riddle for us, before we can
be satisfied in it. That this may be the more evident to you,
beloved,
1. It may be cleared from the very attribute or title which our
Saviour gives unto the Spirit; see John xiv. 26, and xvi. 7, 8,
9 — 14; the title or attribute given to the Spirit, in all these
places, is the Comforter ; " But the Comforter whom the Father
will send in my name," &c. "When, he the Comforter, is
come:" and again, " Except I go away, the Comforter will
not come to you ; but, if I go away, I will send the Comforter,
even the Spirit of truth." I say, the attribute and title of being
a Comforter in any eminency, imports, that satisfaction, con-
cerning interest in Christ, is his work. Do but consider the
nature of solid comfort, and it will be clear to you.
Suppose a man have a trial in law, or an action to be debated,
his heart is full of fears, especially if the title be not clear to
himself; when a witness comes in and speaks j)oint-blank to his
case, that the judge himself is satisfied, and, upon that, gives the
sentence in behalf of the person afraid ; the testimony of this
witness being accepted, gives comfort to his spirit. The truth
is, beloved, the Holy Ghost is the Comforter in this regard, as
he clears up the case, and makes it unquestionable to thy spirit,
and mine, that our sins are forgiven. What is the occasion of
all the trouble of spirit in tender hearts ? God hath forsajien
g2
84
THE REVEALING EVIDENCE
me, saith one ; my sins are gone over my head, saith another ; 1
^hall one clay he called to account, and answer for them, saith a
third; what will now cheer up the heart of such? Let it bo
satisfied of this, that God will not lay its sins to its charge, and
that God will not forsake it for them ; then it is comforted by
such a resolution ; and say what you will, except you can clear
up this thing, that God will never impute iniquity to him, nor
bring him to an account for it, you cannot comfort him. Now
the Spirit of God, being the Comforter, must needs have this
property to satisfy the spirits of believers of such things wherein
their comforts consist. If they consist in assurance of pardon of
sin, then he cannot be the Comforter, except he satisfy herein ;
and you shall see that comfort lieth mainly in this, by Christ's
own testimony. Matt, ix, 2 ; " Son (saith he), be of good cheer,
thy sins are forgiven thee ;" good cheer depends upon this
testimony of forgiveness of sins ; the Spirit of God cannot make
a tender heart of good cheer, till he testifies thoroughly, and
clears up this truth, " Thy sins are forgiven thee."
2. Besides this bare title of Comforter, the Spirit hath this
particular office given him, as that for which he comes, John xiv.
56 ; " The Comforter, whom my Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things." Here it is expressed how the
Spirit comforts, by teaching all things, and by leading into all
truth, as you have it in Jolra xvi. 13, where our Saviour tells us
what those things are the Spirit teaches, by which he comforts;
you shall see that forgiveness of sins is the comfort of the Spirit :
*' He shall o"lorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shew it
unto you :" mark the words well, beloved, " He shall shew it
unto you:" by this you may perceive wherein the comforting
faculty of the Spirit lieth, namely, in receiving Christ, and in
shewing those things it receives of him to believers. Now, what
is it for the Spirit to shew to believers those things he receives of
Christ? and what are those it shews ? the things of Christ, you
know, are those the apostle speaks of in Acts xiii. 38, 39, where
he mentions his glorious excellencies in few words : " Be it
known unto you, that by this man [Christ] is preached unto you
the foro-iveness of your sins ; and, whoever believeth on him, is
justified from all things from which he could not be justified by
the law of Moses." Now these being the things of Christ, that
he intended to send abroad into the world among his own
OF THE SPIRIT OV CHRIST. nCt
people, these are the things the Spirit receives of hiin, and is to
shew And wliat is it (you will say) to shew a thing? It
is no more but this, whereas a thing may be laid up, and lie
hidden, it is now drawn, held forth, and made manifest; this is
to shew a thing : all which intimates thus much, that the proper
work of the Spirit is to make clear and manifest to the view of
believers those things of Christ, especially forgiveness of sin
and justification from all things, that they are theirs from whom
they were hid before ; therefore, in John xvi. 8, 9, you shall find
how our Saviour speaks concerning himself: " It is expedient
(saith he) that I go away ; for, if I go not away, the Comfortei
Avill not come to you ; but, if I go, I will send him, and he shal.
convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment."
Among other particulars, remember this, " He shall convince
the world of righteousness ;" the meaning is, he shall make
known my things, especially this, my righteousness, so mani-
festly, that he shall convince those to whom he speaks of it. But
what is it for persons to be convinced? A man is then con-
vinced, when things are made so clear to him, that he has nothing
to object against them : as long as he continues objecting he is
not convinced ; but when things are made so plain and clear,
that a man objects no more, then there is conviction. All comes
to this, that the Spirit of the Lord is said to convince of the
righteousness of Christ, that is, to make it so clear, that any
objections made shall have no place at all; that an objector shall
have no more to say against it in respect of his own particular.
And whereas it may be conceived, that the Spirit of the Lord
comes to comfort only in general • know, beloved, there is this
difference between the ministration ol Christ, and the Spirit of
Clirist ; Christ came into the world to merit salvation, eternal
life, and forgiveness of sins, and to comfort all that mourn : he
also merited comfort in particular, to be applied by the Spirit,
yet still, in his ministration, he runs Tipon general terms for the
most part ; but the Spirit of the Lord is sent in his room, to
come to every man's spirit particularly by himself, and speak
that within a man's own self, that Christ by this ministry of the
Gospel speaks but in general to men : and that is the reason
that Christ saith, *' It is expedient that I go away, because if I
go not away, the Comforter will not come to you :" as if he had
said, he himself doth not come so particularly home to men's
86 THE REVEALING EVIDENCE
spints : T speak in regard of the general course of Christ, in his
ordinary way of ministration; not but that in extraordinary cases
he did come home in particular to men's spirits ; but the minis-
tration Christ was to exercise was general, and spake more in
general than the Spirit did, and therefore he appropriates
comfort to the Spirit rather than to himself, " If I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you ;" that is, while I am
here, the Comforter is not with you, and therefore I go that he
may come. This clears up the truth, that the Spirit of the Lord
is sent of purpose for this very business, to resolve the spirits of .
men, whether they have interest in Christ or not.
But now lest these should seem to be too general, let us
descend to particulars : and therein you shall see, that the
evidencing particularly to a man's spirit, his interest in Christ,
is the proper work of the Spirit of God ; for this purpose look
into Rom. viii. 14, 15, " Ye have not received the spirit of
bondage to fear again, but ye have received the spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father: for the Spirit himself
beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of
God; and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and co-heirs
with Christ." Give me leave, I pray you, to open some things
out of this text ; here you have two spirits set in opposition ;
the spirit of fear and bondage, and the spirit of adoption.
The spirit of bondage is nothing else but a spirit that speaks
from such principles as always lead unto it ; the true meaning is,
so long as men have no other spirit speaking in them, but from
the principle of their own righteousness, they have none but
such as lead to bondage ; " But we have received the spirit of
a<loption, whereby we cry, Abba Father :" as if he had said, the
Spirit of God speaking to us, is such a spirit that speaks, in
such as have him, this gracious language, " Abba Father ;" that
is, that by which we are able to say of ourselves that God is our
Father, is the spirit of adoption ; nothing but that is able to
make us cry " Abba Father." What is that ? you will say. The
true meaning is, when a person is so resolved, as that he sits
down satisfied, God is now become his Father, then is he able to
evy, " Abba Father." It is not saying Father in a general
notion, that is meant, but Father in respect of a personal
appropriation, vnj Father. Now, when any comes to this, to be
:i.bio to call Goti his own Father, then is the case resolved, he i.'
'OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. 87
a child of God; and he cannot say, God is his Father, till he
can say, he is' his child. This is by the apostle again expressly
appropriated to the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of adoption.
And that this may be more clear, the next words are more
full ; " The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we
are the children of God:" now if the question be asked, How
shall I know whether I be the child of God, or no ? The answer
is, " The Spirit testifies with our spirits, that we are the chil-
dren of God ;" and that testimony resolves the case : and
whereas the apostle saith, " The Spirit itself beareth witness ;'*
his meaning is, that it is the immediate voice of the spirit with-
out any instrument; as when we say of a man, he did a thing
himself, it implies, he did not do it by another, or by deputies,
but in his own person, and by himself immediately; so the
Spirit himself, in his OAvn person, comes and gives this testi-
mony to a man, that he is the child of God.
Look also into 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and the case will be
yet more clear, that there is no satisfaction concerning things
freely given of God, but only by the voice of his Spirit ; in the
beginning of the chapter the apostle clears himself, that he
meant not to deal with them " in the enticing words of men's
wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with power;"
demonsti'ation, the word hath a great deal of force among logi-
cians ; it is the strongest proof to evince any thing that is in
question, that can be ; it is that kind of proof which carrieth
such light with it, that it cannot be gainsayed: it is as much as to
say, I came not in my own strength ; but I came with the Spirit
of God, that brings demonstration with him, and that so clear,
that there is no gainsaying it ; and that this is the meaning here,
observe but the words in verse 9, and so on, and you shall see it
clearly ; there the apostle saith, " Eye hath not seen, ear hath
not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to con-
ceive, what God hath prepared for them that love him ; but
(saith he) God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit ;" as if he
should say, there are things prepared by the Lord for his own
people, that are so deep and hidden, that eye can never see, ear
can never hear, the heart of man can never understand ; that is,
there is no way in the world to find them out, but onlv that he
hath revealed them to us by his Spirit ; so that it is plain and
clear, that nothing besides can make known those thintrs which
88- THE REVEALING EVIDENCE
the Spirit himself makes known ; and he gives the reason ;
" For (saith he) the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep
thinors of God:" thouijh there be no diving Into the secrets of
God, yet the Spirit of God searcheth all things, even the deep
things of God; and he proves this by an argument thus ; " No
man (saith he) knows the things of a man, save the spirit of a
man ; so no man knows the things of God, but the Spirit of
God :" observe the comparison well ; when a man hath some
secret thought within himself, and only within his own breast, (it
may be) of good to such and such a man ; while these thoughts
are within his breast, who can dive Into them, while he yet con-
ceals them within himself? no man but he that thus conceals
them ; this is that which the apostle drives at mainly : even so is
it with the secrets of God ; the Lord in his own counsels hath
set down particularly by name*, this, and that man, and woman
in special ; these are ray elect vessels ; they shall be saved by
Christ, and partake of privileges here and hereafter; this, I say,
the Lord hath not himself communicated In one word from the
scripture, I mean, expressed such a maiv In particular; as, he
hath not said, thou Thomas, art the man I mean, these things
concern thee ; things concerning particular pei-sons, are con-
cealed and hid in the breast of the Lord : but although it be hid
there, In respect of any particular vessel that shall be made par-
taker thereof; though it be concealed In respect of any visible
demonstration; though neither eye hath seen, nor oar hath
heard, nor heart hath understood this peculiar dignity ; yet the
Lord reveals this by his Spirit. Now that the Spirit Is able to
do it, is clear ; for as the spirit of a man knows the things of a
man, so the Spirit of God knows the things of God; ajid as he
only knows them himself, so he knows those that are freely
given us of him ; so that If ever you be satisfied In your own
spirits, concerning that which is not personally and particularly
mentioned in the word of God, as thy name, and my name,
which are not recorded there ; then we must have it done by the
Spirit of God, that only knows the mind of God ; for none
knows the secret of God, but he that is In God's breast : none
can reveal these, but he alone that lleth in his bosom, the Spirit
of God ; therefore, in 2 Cor. I, 22, the apostle tells us, that
God hath sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit
• Phil. iv. 3.
OF THE SPIRIT OF CHJUST. 89
Yon may find the like expression m pjphes, i. 13, 14, where
the apostle saith, " Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
that is the earnest of our inheritance, till the redemption of the
purchased possession :" the spirit is said to be a seal and an
earnest given before-hand : but what is it for a person to be
sealed, or to receive an earnest? To be sealed is no more but
this, namely, that whereas the Lord in his own secret council from
eternity, singled out in his own thoughts such a particular person,
and said, he shall be saved; afterwards he comes and sets a mark
as it were upon him, that so he may be known: as when a man
goeth to buy sheep, (bear with the comparison) he looks upon
twenty in a flock, it may be, and he thinks with himself they shall
be his ; after he hath thus chosen them, by and by he comes and
sets his special mark upon every one of them, that they may be
known to be his own. So the Lord deals with his people ; first,
in his thoughts he culls out such a number, and afterwards he
eomes and sets aii evident mark upon them, and seals them : and
this sealing is every where appropriated to the Spirit of God.
By all these testimonies, I hope, you may be abundantly satis-
fied, that the resolution of this great case, whether or no I hare
interest in Christ, must be the particular voice of the Spirit of
the Lord to the hearts of those, to whom the privileges of Christ
do indeed belong ; and till there be such a voice, there cannot
possibly be a full resolution of the case.
And yet, for all this universal testimony of Christ and his
apostles, how lamentable is it to hear the scorns, out-cries, and
reproaches of men, against those that dare but say, they know
their condition by the Spirit of the Lord : do but tell them, that
he informs them of their condition, and speak of Vis revelation
for satisfaction, presently they cry out, these are enthusiasts,
have revelations, must be satisfied by the Spirit, before they have
satisfaction. 1 beseech you take notice, how you blaspheme the
Spirit of God; how dare you cast such reproachful terms upon
him? Dare you say, he is not given to reveal these things, and
for this very purpose ? Dare you say, he is not a Spirit of
revelation ? Is the Spirit of the Lord upon persons out of date
now with you? I say, beloved, let men say what tliey can, till
he comes and puts an end to the controversy in the spirit of a
man, he shall never be satisfied and resolved.
But some will be ready to object, We will not deny but it 15
90 THE REVEALING EVIDENCE
the voice of the Spirit that will satisfy the case, but here remains
the case yet in question unanswered : suppose I hear such a voice
in me, saying, " Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee;'*
here is the doubt: this is a mystery, oh that the Lord would
enable you to fathom it! This is the usual way of men, if the
word itself did bear witness to this particular voice of the Spirit
in me, then could I be satisfied that this were his voice ; but if
the word do not bear witness to it, speaking in me, I dare not
trust it.
Beloved, let me not be mistaken, I answer, concerning this
having recourse to the word, to give testimony to this particular
applying voice of the Spirit in a man, that he may be resolved it
is his : I say, that it is true, the Spirit of the Lord never speaks
to any believer, but he always speaks according to the word of
grace revealed; and if his voice, and the word, be in the soul,
(as they go always together in the faithful) they will agree, as
face answers face in a glass ; but yet beware, that you make not
the credit of the voice of the Spirit, to depend upon the word;
as now I ask of any man, which is of the greatest credit, the
testimony of the Spirit, or the word barely considered ; if you
say, the word written is of greater credit than the testimony of
the Spirit, then the Spirit wants something in itself of credit;
for this is a certain rule, he that is trusted for a surety's sake, he,
for whose sake he is trusted, is of greater credit than the other
trusted for his sake ; so if the word be the surety for which we
will credit the testimony of the Spirit, then it is of greater credit
than the Spirit itself: but now let me tell you, it is not the word
that makes us believe the Spirit, but it is he that makes us give
credit to the word : we do not receive the Spirit because the word
testifies of him, but we receive that, because by the Spirit we are
enabled thereto. What our Saviour saith of himself, is as true
of the Spirit of the Lord, resolving the question of a man's
interest in Christ ; " If I bear witness of myself, my testimony is
true ;" so I say, if the Spirit of the Lord testify of himself, that it
is he indeed, and no delusion, it is true ; for the Spirit himself
bears true witness of himself, that he is the Spirit of the Lord,
and not the spirit of delusion.
Suppose a father meets his child in the dark, the child is afraid,
and fears it is not his fiithcr ; now, is not the father able to satisfy
the child of himself that he is indeed the father, except he bring
OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. 91
some other man to resolve it that he is ? Is a man able to bear
witness of himself to resolve a particular question, and will you
take away this privilege from the Spirit of the Lord, to satisfy
of himself that he is the Spirit of truth, and not the spirit of
delusion ?
In brief therefore, as it is the testimony of the Spirit, speaking
indeed according to the word, that must satisfy us, that we are
the children of God; so, the same must assure us that he is the
true Spirit of God ; and not the spirit of delusion ; but still, I
say, he speaking to believers concerning their interest in Christ,
always speaks according to the word of grace ; and it is most
certainly true, that every voice in them speaking peace, contrary
to that, is not the voice of the Spirit of the Lord ; yet it is only
the Spirit of God, that can truly satisfy their spirit, that it is his
own testimony, and not the spirit of delusion.
You may understand the word in a double sense, either for the
word of the law, or of grace in the gospel. Now mark, when we
say, it is the Spirit of God bearing witness with our spirits,
according to the word, that we are the sons of God ; it is not the
word of the law that agrees in this with the voice of the Spirit;
that speaks nothing but curses ; therefore, if you will regard
what that saith, and compare the voice of the Spirit speaking
with it, there will be no agreement : the word, according to which
the Spirit of the Lord speaks, when he speaks to his people, is
the word of grace, and that is no more but this, (2 Cor. v. 19),
" God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not im-
puting their trespasses unto them :" this is the word of grace
according to which it speaks, reconciling the world to himself;
even the world, when men are no otherwise but merely men of
the world.
Now if any thing suggest, contrary to this word of grace, it is
the voice of the spirit of delusion, and not the Spirit of God.
But how shall I know that this voice, though it be according to
the word of grace, is indeed the voice of the Spirit of the Lord,
and be satisfied that it is so ?
For answer to this, in general, I must tell you, that as in all
arts and sciences., there are some principles that are as ground
works therein, beyond which there must be no enquiry, so also
in divine things, in answering cases of conscience, there must
be some principle that must be us the last determining principle,
p,2 THE REVKALING EVIDENCE
beyond which there must be no further enquiry, nor questioning :
as, when a man heareth of something that is to him probable,
to clear it up, he would have something to come in that shovild
make that certain, and so satisfy him concerning it. Now that
which is the last principle and ground of things, as something
there must be, when that comes, a man nmst be satisfied with
that, and question no further concerning thb thing, or else he
shall never be resolved: so I say to the case in hand, if I would
be resolved concerning my interest in Christ, I must take for
o-ranted some principle or other, beyond which I must not ques-
tion, or else there will be question upon question; and so a run-
nino" i7i infnitum^ and never a' conclusion of the case in question'.
As for example, there is the voice of the word of grace, we are
justified freely by his grace ; and this in the spirit of a man,
'tellino-him, according to the word, that his sins are forgiven him:
how shall I know, saith he, that this is the voice of the Spirit of
God? For answer, let me ask but this question ; is there any
thino- in the world of better credit, or rather to be believed, than
the Spirit himself? Nay, can any believe but by him? if not,
then nothing else is able satisfyingly to bear witness to the soul
but itself; this is as if we should receive the testimony of the
Spirit upon the credit of some other thing.
I beseech you, beloved, understand me aright ; for here is the
voice of the Spirit, speaking in the believer, according to the
revelation of orace in the word, saying, thou art the person that
dost partake of this grace ; this, I say. is the voice of the Spirit
of the Lord, establishing a soul, and it may be satisfied in it;
especially when the Spirit of the Lord gives power to it to receive
it, speaking in it.
It is true indeed, John saith in 1 John iv. 1 , there must be " a
tryino- of spirits, because all are not of God:" but, if you mark
it well, he speaks of the trial of ministers, whether they preach
true doctrine or not, and refers not to the trial of the Spirit,
testifying according to the word, particularly to a man's self;
and for any thing in the world to give credit unto, or to be a rule
of trial to the Spirit of the Lord, and the voice of it being, as I
said, always according to the word, the Lord never appointed
any thing for that end : for he never intended that any thing in the
world should be of such credit, as to give credit to his spirit;
but the Spirit himself hnlh sutTu-icnt power of himself, by hi*
OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. 95
own efficacy to clear his own testimony to the heart of the
believer.
Thus I have endeavoured both to show that the Spirit of the
Lord is he that must satisfy a believer ; and also how he alone
is able to do it, that nothing else can ; that this testimony and
voice, being according to the word, is his ov.'ti, and not a false
spirit's.
But there is one thing more, very considerable, for the further
resolution of the case in hand, that the Spirit of the Lord both
speaks, and likewise gives to believers, to credit and receive
what he speaks.
As for instance, suppose the honourablest man in the world
should come and tell a person, such a friend of yours is dead,
and hath left all his estate to you, you are the heir ; this man
may speak the truth, and nothing but that, and yet the person
may not be satisfied of the truth of it, except he be of such credit
with him that he takes it for truth which he speaks. From nance
it comes to pass, that, besides the voice of the spint of the Lord,
there must be a voice in the spirit of a man to be as an echo, and
that is faith ; and, therefore, at first, I told you, there were
two main evidences ; now, when these concur, then is a man
resolved.
Were the Lord hath spolvcn to the heart of a man, by his
Spirit, according to the word, and his faith receives this testi-
mony, then he sits down by it, and seeks no other satisfaction.
But, for this assurance of faith, (seeing there are many things
to be spoken of it) I shall take another opportunity hereafter to
handle it.
0%
SERMON XXXf.
THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH.
ISAIAH liii. 6.
AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL.
Two things I have proposed to be considered in this passage.
3. Whose iniquities they are that the Lord hath laid upon Christ,
which, after we had handled, we came to the 2d. How persons
may know that their iniquities in particular are laid upon him.
Here I must crave your patience a little, being desired, by some,
to clear up some "particulars formerly delivered, being stumbled
at by some, to whom they seem not to be evident enough.
There were two things proposed for the resolving of this ques-
tion, How a person may know in particular his own interest in
Christ?
1. I discovered the dubiousness of the way that many persons
go for the resolving of this case, laying down such arguments,
and proposing them in such a way as can never give them satis-
faction ; that is, a proposing to themselves signs and marks from
tieir sanctification ; to be resolved of their interest in Christ: I
instanced in three particular marks ; Universal obedience ; Sin-
cerity of heart ; and. Love of the brethren. Now some have
conceived, that herein I have directly struck at the heart of these
particulars, as if I attempted the overthrow of them : but mis-
take not, beloved, I spake only of their insufficiency, to give a
satisfactory resolution of the great case depending ; they are of
excellent use in their own kind, sphere, and orb ; but, when
they are set on work to do those things that are beyond their
power, men do but entangle themselves, instead of getting them-
selves loose. Universal obedience, as it is practised, leaves the
case very doubtful, in respect of its many imperfections; and, in
that regard, cannot of itself determine the case, but there will be
scruples arising from it.
THE ASSURATTCR OF FAITH. 95
I said, there is no such thing in the world as universal obe-
dience, if you take it according to the property of speech ; for
that is obedience 1o all things ; that is the true meaning of the
phrase : now, there is no man under heaven is obedient to all
things; " ]n many things we sin all," saith James; ^t cannot
then be universal, so long as there be so many j^articukr failings
in the hearts and ways of men. Universal (some say) in the
purpbse of the heart, though not in practice: I answered, the
purposes of the heart are many times extremely corrupt ; there is
not a constancy of actual purpose of heart toward the will of
God; many times there is an indisposition of heart, and averse-
ness of spirit to many things God requires ; witness the case of
affliction, what contesting is there with the will of God in bear-
ing it ! What groaning under it with a kind of impatience at
least! Not that pleasure taken in it as God intends, and as the
thing itself deserves. Afflictions are for the good of God's
people; " They shall bring forth the peaceable fruits of righte-
ousness to them that are exercised therein :" and, as they are
good, they must not be distasteful, but rather affected ; as a man
prizeth such a physician that can bring a medicine to cure his
disease ; yea, the very medicine itself, though bitter for the present.
But how far the hearts of men are from being thus disposed, even
believers themselves (for they too have many such frailties)
appears by their own experience. Where is that constant dis-
position, and propensity of their spirits, to the whole will of
God ?
And yet, I say, if there were a kind of obedience in men, yet
that cannot be an evidence to determine the case of itself: that
that must be an evidence must be proper and peculiar; if it be
common to unbelievers and enemies of God with believers, it i.^
no distinguishing mark ; but, in Philip, iii. 6, the apostle saith
of himself, that while he was a persecutor, even at that time,
" according to the righteousness of the law he was blameless."
He walked strictly and exactly, without blame, and yet was a
])ersecutor. Now, I ask this question. Suppose a man's heart
tell him he walks blameless accordinir to the righteousness of the
law, as the heart of Paul said; this will not prove him to be in
a better estate than he was, who was even then a persecutor, not
converted to the faith ; therefore, there may be a walking blame-
lessly in the righteousnees of the law before conversion. For
96 THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH,
my part, I desire to see further liglit in this truth ; but, to me,
it seems as plain and clear as the day, that from the express
words of the apostle himself, a blameless heart there may be, ana
certainly strict to all the will of God, and vet a man be in Ine
state of nature.
For sincerity of heart, in doing things to the Lord, with respect
to him, what that is the apostle expresseth in the true nature of
it, saying, " Servants, obey your masters in all things, in single-
ness of heart, as unto the Lord." There is a singleness of heart
to the Lord, when the heart hath an eye to him in that it doth.
If it hath any wrong ends, it is not sincerity, because that is sin-
cerity that is done for the Lord. Now, where shall a man find
rest in the examination of his own sincerity, that he may have
peace by it, so long as men find upon examination, so much self?
I darp be bold to say, that believers themselves have actually, in
their thoughts, themselves in their performances, more than they
have God in them ; and they find stronger impressions in their
spirits to do, with regard to themselves, than to the Lord :
it is an infirmity in them, and, I grant, they may not allow of it;
but the thing is true, there is a constant selfishness in that which
men do : if, therefore, upon examination, the heart must of neces-
sity accuse itself, as being extremely selfish, how can a man con-
clude certainly, a sincerity, where there is so much opposition
and contrariety to it.
But suppose there may be sincerity ; let it be granted, people
mav be sincere in their own hearts. The Jews, that were enemies
to Christ, had sincerity according to God, that is the trus pro-
perty of sincerity ; in Rom. x. 2, 3, "I bear them record the)
have a zeal :" here is the fervency of sincegty, a zeal for God. If
their zeal had been never so hot, had it been for themselves, though
it seemed for God, yet it had not been sincerity ; but if there be
zeal, and that for God, this is sincerity, take it in the proper
nature of it; and if they had taken a wrong course, and gone a
wrono- way in their zeal for God, it might not be true sincerity ;
but they had a zeal for God, and this was exercised in the will of
God himself; for they went to establish their own righteousness,
and that " was according to the law of Moses ;" as you see in
ver. 3, 4, 5, Here is that we describe to be sincerity, namely,
earnestness of heart, in the doing of that which the law of God
requires, and that for God himself; and yet, " They did not
THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH. 97
submit themselves to the righteousness of God :" where it is
plain, they were enemies to the Lord, and Christ himself, while
they had such zeal to God.
As for the point of love to the brethren, there is much stumb-
ling, as I conceive, at that raised from the text, 1 John. iii. 1 — 4.
Hence men conclude, that the love of the brethren is an infallible
mark of itself, they are the children of God in Christ : for answer
to it, I think the apostle may be understood in this passage of
one christian's knowing another, by the love expressed one to
another. But you will say, " Why may he not mean as well, we
may know ourselves by it ?" I answer this, and profess, let us
love never so well, there will be cause of suspicion, or occasion
at the least, that our love is not found, such as it should be ; for
if we understand how the apostle describes the love of the
brethren, in 1 Cor. xiii. where he recites many circumstances,
qualities, or properties essential unto it; as that " love seeketh
not her own, love is not puifed up, it envieth not ;" with many
others; I say, if a person will but examine his love to the
brethren, by those many particulars in that place, I know his
heart cannot but tell him, he is exceeding faulty in all these; it
will tell him, I am quite contrary to this rule in my heart ; I have
and do much seek myself in the love of my brethren ; I am much
puffed up over them ; I have been too much a censurer of their
ways; I have exalted myself too high: I say, a true enlightened
tender-hearted man, that can but look back and search into the
several turnings and windings of his own heart, concerning the
love that he hath to the brethren, will find his heart will be still
accusing him, and as long as it is, surely it is not speaking
peace; where there is an accusation brought against a man, there
is not an absolving, or discharging him by the same voice : but
the love that we have to the brethren, is exceeding blame-worthy
in regard of the imperfection of it ; and all that blame-worthiness
will stare in a man's face, and accuse him as defective in it.
Now if there be suspicion in the heart, there cannot be quietness
in the mind.
But to go on ; I do not determine peremptorily, that a man
cannot by way of evidence receive any comfort from his* sancti-
* So that the Doctor does not deny sanctification to be an e\-idence of a man's state,
and of his interest in Christ, and title to heaven, only of a lesser kind, and an after<
•Fidence; and, indeed, faith, which he makes to be the receiving evidence, is a braocK
•u(] a pi incip.il branch, of sanctification.
VOL. II. H
98 THE ASSURANCE OP FAITH.
fication ; I will give you somewhat for the clearing of my judgment,
which I know is according to truth ; namely, that the Spirit must
first reveal the gracious mind of the Lord to our spirits, and give
us faith to receive that testimony, and to sit down as satisfied with
it, before ever any work of sanctification can possibly give any
evidence; but when the testimony of the Spirit is received I y
faith, and the soul sits down satisfied with it, then all the gifts
of the Spirit bear witness together with it, and with faith.
In brief, beloved, all the righteousness that ever mere man
reached unto, since the fall, of itself, was never able to say, upon
good grounds, such a person is a child of God ; nay, I will go
higher, the very word of grace is not able to speak to a soul, till
the Spirit of the Lord speaks : this seems strange, but, beloved,
give me leave to appeal a little to your own experience : how
many times have some of you heard such words of grace, as are
revealed in the gospel published unto you, as may revive the
hearts of men ! It may be, you have read them over, meditated
on them, and endeavoured to reason out your comfort from them ;
and yet all this while they have been dumb to your spirits ; they
have been like a dry tree, or rather a tree in winter, without the
appearance of sweetness from them, or in them ; at another time
the same word of grace is marrow and fatness to your spirits :
what should make such difference, that a man should find fatness
in it at one time, and yet should be so dry to him at another ?
All the difference lieth in this ; when the Spirit of the Lord will
speak himself with the word of grace, it shall be sweet and satis-
factory ; when he will be silent, the word shall not speak any
thing; for, indeed, that is but the trumpet of the Spirit; if the
Spirit blow, the trumpet makes a sound ; if it blow not, it makes
none at all ; as he speaks in the word of grace, so the melody of
it ravishes the ears and hearts of believers ; but if he himself will
be silent, there is no music in the word.
I came further to consider, how a man may then come to know
his portion, or interest in Christ.
First, As I said, the Spirit of grace, speaking to the hearts of
God's people, according to the word of grace, is the revealing
evidence: I cleared this out of such testimonies of scripture, aS
I thought none could have contradicted; he is therefore called
the Comforter, because he speaks peace to the people of God ;
lie is therefore said to take of Christ's, and shew them to tnem
inK ASSURANCE OF FAITH. ift)
he is therefore called the " Spirit of adoption, wlicreby we cry,
Abba Father." No man under heaven can say, God is my
Father, with propriety, but by the Spirit of adoption ; men may
with lip-service say, ou7' Father^ but in spirit, comfort, con-
fidence, and knowledge, that the Lord is their Father in particular,
it is impossible any should say it, but by the Spirit of Adoption ;
" The Spirit itself bearing witness Avith our Spirits, that we are
the children of God ;" of which we shall speak more by and by.
To draw towards a conclusion of this subject. This Spirit of
the Lord always speaks according to the word of grace ; but doth
not receive its credit from it. The word of grace is the visible
voice of the Spirit; his testimony to the hearts of believers, is
the hidden voice ; and it is impossible they should jar, because
both of them proceed from one and the self same spirit of truth :
therefore, I say, there is always a necessary argument between
the word of grace, and the voice of the Spirit; so that you may
safely conclude, if there be a voice speaking in the heart of man,
contrary to the word, it is not the voice of the Spirit : yet, never-
theless, nothing in the world is able to satisfy a person, that
such a voice is the voice of the Spirit indeed, but he himself that
speaks It. I will go higher, and say again, that which I said
before, that no person under heaven is able, upon satisfied grounds,
to say, the word of grace is the word of God, but by the Spirit's
testimony. All the arguments in the world can nevei satisfy men
with conviction, that this book is the word of God, but the Spirit
of the Lord bearing witness, concerning the truth of it. I know
this is taken to be a strong argument, and though to be convinc-
ing in the judgment of most men, to prove that the word of
grace is the word of God^ namely, the exceeding power and force
it hath upon the spirits of men ; for, say they, nothing but the
word of God could have such predoromancy over them: beloved,
I beseech you, be not mistaken, as if I spake against the word of
grace, or the truth or authority of it , only let me shew you the
true foundation whereby you mav be enabled to rely upon it, and
be convinced of the truth and infaP bility of it ; I dare be bold
to say, human words work sensibly as strong impressions upon
the spirits of wicked men, as ordinarily the word of grace works
upon the spirits of believers. For example, to a person con-
demned to die, looking for his oxecution, tlicre comes a word of
grace from the king, his life shall be spared, he sending him his
n 2 ■
100 THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH.
pardon ; what impressions do these words work upon that cou-
demned wretch ! What a print hath it upon his spirit! What
raptures of joy doth it produce ! I think there ar^few believers
that will say, they are ordinarily sensible of stronger impressions
apon their own spirits by the word of God, than such malefactors
have by the words of a prince : again, a fierce and tyrannical
master comes to his servant, or scholar, speaking big and terribly
to them, sometimes strikes them with terror and amazement:
sometimes also the terror of a king's voice hath struck dead a
person against whom he was incensed ; another hath gone home,
and never enjoyed himself again out of the extremity of the
grief, and deepness of impression, such words have had upon his
spirit; such dread^ the words of a king works upon the spirits
of men, especially if there be dependency upon him: oh, then,
thinks he, all is lost and gone, he is undone for ever, if the king
do but frown upon him. The thunderings of the law work terrors
upon the spirits of men, it is true; but certainly, beloved, there
hath been well-nigh as deep and strong impressions made in the
natural hearts of men, from the terrible words of a king, as from
the terror of the law ; at least so strong, that many times you are
not able to find such from any divine words, as from such human
words : and therefore such an argument as this, though it be
probable and useful; yet it is not infallible to prove the truth of
the word of God, and so give satisfaction to the spirits of men,
of the truth of it: the proof indeed, that must be satisfying in
conclusion, is this, the Spirit of the Lord satisfies the spirits of
believers, that it is his word; and so, after much dispute, the most
solid divines resolve the case, that he must determine the point,
and resolve it ; not but that there is an unchangeable stability in
the word, and a man may be satisfied of it : all that I aim at, is
this to reduce you to that principle that indeed gives true
satisfiiction, and not dwell only in such that will admit of some
dispute.
Now I will go on, to that which remains behind, and that is
the second evidence, whereby persons may come to know their
interest in Christ: the former was a revealing and working
evidence ; this we shall now speak of, is a receiving evidence,
jtnd this is the faith of a believer : though the Spirit of the Lord
-eveals his mind to men, yet they are not fully resolved concern-
ing it, till by faith they receive :t.
THB ASSURAKCK OP FAITH. 10^
An Konest man may come and tell a friend, there are such
and such lands settled upon thee, but he is not resolved of it,
though the man speak never so true, except he give credit unto
iiim, and so receives h-is testimony ; but when a man first speaks
the truth, and his credit is such, that he to whom he speaks
receives it, then he is satisfied, but not till then.
The Spirit of the Lord brings the thoughts of God to the elect,
telling them, that he is their salvation ; now, till they receive
this testimony, and believe it, they are never resolved ; but when
they receive, and believe it, that it is a true testimony, then they
sit down satisfied.
When a man brings word such legacies are given you, and
you credit him, then you are satisfied ; but not before.
Concerning this evidence of faith, I shall propose two things
to your consideration.
1. How the scriptures plentifully authorize faith, to this
business of evidencing our interests in Christ.
2. What kind of evidence this believing holds out in scrip-
ture ; and of these *s briefly as possible.
1. If you will mark the scripture well, you shall find that it
authorizes faith in a believer, to give full evidence concerning
interest in Christ ; for the clearing of this, take notice, that a
solid argument that necessarily infers a conclusion, is a full proof
of it; look into Acts xiii. 38, 39, you shall see, how necessarily
it must be received, that faith gives interest in the privileges of
Christ : " Be it known to you, brethren (saith the apostle), that
by this man, (namely, Christ), is preached unto you, forgiveness
of sin ; and whosoever believeth on him, is justified from all
things, from which he could not be justified by the law of
Moses :" out of this text I argue thus, if there be justification
from all things where there is believing, this believing is a proof
of it ; the conclusion that necessarily follows from the argument,
also infers the proof of it, and its validity ; the apostle here
endeavours to prove that every person that believes is justified
from all things : if therefore thou dost believe, this is a certain
truth, thou art justified from all things from which thou couldst
not be justified by the law of Moses. It is an undeniable argu-
ment, because the apostle affixes justificat on to believing ; he
doth not give the effecting of justification to it; but annexeth it
to believing as the evidence: every one that believes is justified,
102 THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH.
though It is not believing, by the worthiness of its own act, tliat
justifies the person.
But I will clear it further; or some will be moving objections
against the etfectualness of faith, as the spirit of the Lord is in it
to satisfy the spirits of christians concerning their interest in
Christ : therefore look into Rom. xv. 13, where the apostle
proves a fulness of evidence in faith, concerning all things that
may fill up joy : " Now the God of peace, fill you with all joy
and peace in believing :" do but observe the phrase well : all joy
and peace in the fulness thereof, come to persons in believing.
What is it for a man to have fulness of joy? this consists not
only in the apprehension of goodness in a thing, but in the
propriety of it, and the security that it shall not miscarry. A
man may know there is great treasure in such a place, and not
joy in it, if it be not his ; and if it be his, and in danger to
miscarry, and be taken from him, it doth not fill him with joy ;
there is not this joy, except there be assuredness that it is not in
danger, then is there joy indeed; for even all the fulness of
Christ which believers receive, though apprehended for the
extent of it in general, hath not power to work joy in their
spirits, if they cannot apprehend this fulness to themselves in
particular : men may come to have some glimpse of it, but they
only joy in it that find their names written, and have propriety
in it.
Again, Though there be propriety, yet except the person be
secure from miscarriage in it, he will be in fear and sadness ; so
that there cannot be fulness of joy ; therefore it must follow, that
where there is that, there is not only propriety, but also security,
in respect of the safety of it : now saith the apostle, " God fills
you with all joy in believing:" but except believing could
appropriate the excellencies of Christ to particular persons, and
secure them concerning the safety of these, that they shall not
miscarry, this believing could not be the instrument of all joy.
therefore it must needs follow, there is a satisfyingness in
believing, in that there is all joy in it and by it : a man that is at
law is never quiet, till his case be determined ; as long as there
is fear that the sentence of the court, or suspicion, the cause will
go against him, so long he is unquiet : but when the sentence is
given, and given for him, then he is at rest : even so, you can
never be at quiet if your hearts be enlightened and convinced of
THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH. 103
your natural estate, but you must be full of fear till you know the
sentence of the Lord concerning you ; it must therefore follow,
that that which brings peace to men must clear to them what
that sentence is : " For, (saith the apostle), the God of hope
doth fill you with all joy and peace in believing :" in believing,
then, the soul receives peace ; that is, it receives the answer and
sentence of the Lord concerning itself, even the sentence of
peace; for there cannot be peace till it be satisfied of this.
If this testimony will not serve, you shall find how the Holy
Ghost appropriates full assurance to faith ; and, therefore, faith
must needs be a very excellent and satisfying evidence. Look
into Col. ii. 2, there you shall see how clear the apostle is in
this: in verse 1, he tells the Colossians, what conflicts he had
with his spirit in their behalf, to this end, that they " mio-ht be
comforted to all riches of full assurance of understandino-, and
acknowledging of God the Father, and of Christ." Observe,
he speaks here of the riches of full assurance, of understanding,
and acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus, with God and the
Father : what is it for a man to understand and acknowledo-e the
Lord Jesus, but believing ? To acknowledge him, is to believe
in him. Now, saith the apostle, there is riches of full assurance
in this understanding and acknowledgment : and in verse 5, he
tells us expressly, wherein this full assurance of understanding
and acknowledgment stands ; " Joying (saith he) and rejoicing
in the steadfastness of your faith." So then, that steadfastness
of faith is the full assurance of understanding, and acknowledg-
ing the Lord Jesus, Some will grant that faith hath an evi-
dencing power in it, but only as it concurs with other evidences,
and so gives full assurance; but the apostle doth not only
appropriate assurance, but even fulness of assurance, to faith
alone.
But, you will say, perhaps, the text is somewhat dark, and
may be otherwise understood : that I ma}^ therefore, clear the
matter more fully, and stop the mouths of all gainsayers, I will
allege the words of the apostle, that assurance is of faith, and
even full assurance ; in Heb. x. 22, " Let us draw near, (saith
he) with a true heart, with full assurance of faith, havino- our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience :" here you see, ex-
pressly, that full assurance is applied to faith, and he layeth
down the ground of it in the next words, ''^ having our hearts
104 THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH.
sprinkled from an evil conscience." Now, what is it can
sprinkle and purge the accusing and corrupt conscience, but the
blood of Christ ? If there be any sin upon it, whereby it
becomes an accusing and an evil one, that cannot be pacified
and quieted, till the blood of Christ comes " that takes away the
sin of the world ;" this is that which sprinkleth the conscience,
from whence there is full assurance of faith ; so that faith fetches
full assurance to the spirits of believers, not from within them-
selves, but from wilhout, even from that which sprinkles the
heart from an evil conscience.
Now, then, if faith receives a full assurance, certainly it must
needs be an unquestionable evidence with which a man may be
satisfied in all enquiries. What is the end of enquiries, but the
assurance of a thing ? When a man is already assured, espe-
cially fully assured of a thing, he never enquires any further, or
calls for more witness. Look but upon your trials at law ; there
conies in one witness, and he speaks point-blank (as they say)
to the case, and makes it as clear as the day ; by him the judge
is fully satisfied of the case ; he will bid all other witnesses stand
by. he hath heard enough. So the apostle tells us, there is a
" full assurance of faith :" doth faith assure a man, wherefore
doth he then enquire further? When he hath enquired his
heart out, he can attain but to assurance ; he can but be satis-
fied : if he have this by believing, what need he look further ?
If witness comes in, after a full testimony is given, it doth but
spend time, for the first witness hath given sufficient satisfaction :
so, if the Spirit of the Lord come in, and bear witness, that such a
soul is interested in Christ ; when he, and the faith of a believer,
give their evidence, and raise full assurance from that evidence
given, for what purposes serve all other evidences ?
Consider one place more, and it is of great moment, in 1 John,
V. 7, 8, 9, 10, where the apostle speaks as much of witnessing, as
is spoken again in all scripture ; *' There are three that bear
record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and
these three arc one : and there are three that bear record on
earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood, and these three
agree in one:" mark that expression well. These three agree in
one. What are these will you say ? There is a great deal of
dispute about the meaning of Spirit, Water, and Blood. Be-
loved, the dispute will end, if you observe the next words, " He
THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH. 105
that believeth in the Son of God, hath the witness in himself:"
they agree in one ; in what ? in believing ; as much as to say, a
man hath as much witness and evidence as can possibly be
desired, when he hath believing within liimself ; for in that agree
these three witnesses, the Spirit, the Water, and Blood. The
apostle clears the matter further, how there is sufficient evidence
in believing alone, in the next words ; " He that believeth not
God, hath made him a liar :" he being willing to clear this, that
faith is sufficient to resolve a soul of its interest in Christ, doth
it thus ; when it is given a person to believe, he takes God's
bare word, without any other testimony, and sits down and sub-
scribes to it ; but, when he dares not believe that word, but
requires more evidence to satisfy him, than God hath appointed,
but will have signs and marks drawn from his own works, as
well as the word of grace, to give him assurance, he makes God
a liar. How so ? Because he doth not take God for a God of
truth, who, when he hath spoken, will not sit down with it, but
will call for further evidence. But, when men seek after signs
and marks to testify to God's word of grace, that he hath
spoken, or God shall not be believed, what is this but to make
him a liar ? Suppose a man brings tidings of such large deeds
of gift ; but, except another come and testify with him, he shall
not be believed ; what do we esteem him better than a liar ?
I am sure he doth not take him for a true man, if he did, he
would be satisfied with his testimony ; this is the sense of the
apostle in that place, as,l take it. That he that believes not maJces
God a liar in his word ; this makes it clear that there is a large
evidencing faculty in believing.
Let us now see what kind of evidence believing gives : as I said
before, it is not a revealing, nor an effijcting, but it is a receiv-
ing evidence ; or it is an evidence as it receives that testimony
which the Spirit holds out, applying it unto the heart ; it is an
evidence, as an officer in court is one upon trial of a case, that
speaks nothing of his own knowledge, but produceth records,
and testifieth the authenticity of them : the life of evidence is
materially in the records themselves, but the officer is an evi-
dence, as he asserts the truth of them.
It is even so with faith: the Spirit of the Lord makes the
records, and speaks them to the heart; faith comes m, ana
receives the truth of them. In brief, faith is an evidence that
106 THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH.
takes possession of that which the Spirit of tne Lord! revea^.s and
manifests to a person; I say, as it takes possession, or as it enters
upon the deed of gift, the spirit of the Lord brings to the heart
Possession is a good evidence in land; let a man prove he had
lawful possession given him, and that proves his title to be good.
The Spirit, indeed, makes the title good, but faith makes good
the entry and possession, and so clears the title to us, though
good in itself before ; faith is nothing else but the receiving of
Christ, that enters upon the possession of him.
To apply it to our purpose in hand : would you know that the
Lord hath laid your iniquities upon Christ, you must know it
thus ; is there a voice behind thee, or within thee, saying particu-
larly to thee in thyself, " Thy sins are forgiven thee ?" Dost
thou see this voice agree with the word of grace, that is, dost
thou see it is held out to most vile and wretched creatures, as thou
canst be ? And, upon this revelation of the mind of the Lord
by his Spirit, according to that word, doth he give to thee to
receive that testimony of the spirit, to sit down with it as satisfied,
that, upon that agreeing with the word of grace, thou makest
full reckoning thou hast propriety in this particularly to thyself?
If thou dost receive the testimony of the Spirit, according to
that word, here is thy evidence; thou hast thy propriety and
portion in this. How will this be made good? you will say.
Consider that in John i. 12, 13; "He came to his own, and
his own received him not; but, to as many as received him, to
them he gave power to be the sons of God, even to them that
believe in his name." Mark one thing first, that receiving
him, is called believing on him, or on his name ; and, observe
what follows, "As many as did receive him, to them he gave
power ;" so it is in our translation ; but, in the original, the
word may be rendered, he gave them right or privilege, or he
gave a warrant, as I may so say. As when kings gave out their
warrants, thy hereby authorize persons to such and such offices ;
so the receiving of Christ hath this consequence, namely,
Christ's authorizing or warranting a person to be an adopted
son ; from whence it follows most clearly, that when persons
believe, there needs no more but that, to give them propriety,
to authorize and warrant them to claim the adoption of sons
But you will say. There is a dead faith in the world, and a
man may presume of receiving Christ; and therefore there
THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH. 107
must be something to give witness to faith, before the case be
resolved by faith itself.
I answer, Wherever there is receiving of Christ indeed, there
cannot be presumption in that act ; let the person be what he
willj, if there be but a real receiving, and true believing ; for
the text saith, " As many as believe in his name, he gave them
right to be the sons of God ;" mark also what Christ him-
self saith, " He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast him
off." What is coming to Christ, will you say ? Christ will tell
you himself, " He that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he
that believes in me shall not thirst ;" that which he calls coming
first, he calls believing next ; so that coming and believing are
one ; as if he had said, " He that believes in me, shall in no
wise be cast away."
But you will say, I am such and such a sinner, such a gross,
vile, and filthy creature, guilty of so many abominable sins ; this
is that which will cause him to cast off those that come to him.
Nay, beloved, let me tell you, this is quite contrary to the text
for he saith expressly, " I will in no wise cast out ;" I say, even
enmity itself, which is the highest pitch of sinfulness, is no bar
to the receiving of Christ, or any bar at all to the enjoyment of
his privileges in receiving of hira ; " When we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son," Rom. v. 10
But you will say, if there be not fruits of faith following, that
faith is a dead faith, and therefore there must be something to
evidence with it, or else its evidence is nothing worth.
Beloved, that which is only credited for another's sake, hath
no credit at all given to it : if a witness come, and swear clearly
to a case, and his testimony will not be taken or received, except
another come in and give testimony to him, and what he hath
sworn ; the first man's testimony is of no force, because it is not
received for itself: so if faith be not able of itself to give testi-
mony, or must not be credited when it doth, except something
will come and testify for it, to give credit unto it, its testimony is
of no worth at all.
Again, That which hath the whole essence of faith, is not a
dead, but a living faith ; now, the whole essence of faith, is
nothing else but the echo of the heart, answering the foregoing
voice of the Spirit, and word of grace. " Thy sins are forgiven
Ihec," saith the Spirit and word of grace ; my sins are forgiven
108 THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH.
me, saith faith. And the soul that can assume thus from the
Spirit and word of grace, hath the whole essence of believing : it
is true, there are fruits of faith, as love, by which it works, and
several others which are begotten of God, by his Spirit, through
it: " For the grace of God that brings salvation, appearing;"
that is, being apprehended by faith, " teacheth men to deny all
ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live godly, righteously,
and soberly in this present world." It is not faith that originally
begets any grace whatsoever, but it is the conduit-pipe through
which the Lord is pleased from himself, and of his own accord,
to convey the other gifts of the Spirit. If, therefore, the echo to
the voice of the Spirit, and word of grace, be the essence, nay,
the whole essence of believing ; this is certain, where there is
receivinjj or believinof, there cannot be a dead faith : the truth
is, indeed, that faith that fetches its fruit from man's righteous •
ness, is dead; for the ground of a lively faith, is goodness wholly
without a man's self; that faith, therefore, that maketh any thing
within a man's self its ground, that is not right: there is no
believer but seeth so much filthiness, even in his own righteous-
ness, that his faith necessitates him to go out of himself, and every
thing in him, and to fetch all argument of good wholly from
without, even in Christ the rock ; so then, whatever faith builds
itself upon, any thing within a man's self is a sandy foundation ;
the righteousness of Christ and not of man being the rock ; for
a man to believe, I am justified before God, upon this consider-
ation, because I am holy, is to make a man's own sanctity the
ground of his faith, and so destroy the nature of true faith. All
men receive this principle, that the promises of the gospel are the
grounds of men's believing, and they are nothing else but the
free grant of God to men, of iiis own accord, for his own sake ;
now to turn the free grace of God, granted unto men, into the
righteousness we perform in ourselves, and instead of making
that, make man's righteousness the ground of our faith ; what is
this but to destroy the life of it, and so it must needs be a dead
faith indeed ?
In a word, to draw to a conclusion, I desire but this of you, if
any remain vmsettled in what I have delivered, or desire further
satisfaction therein, I intreat them to set down in their memories,
or notes, what I have delivered; and likewise to bear in mind the
allegations and proofs I have brought for the confirmation of
THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH. 109
the same, and I shall endeavour to give them satisfaction. For
my own part, the Lord knows, all I aim at is this, That our God,
in our Saviour Jesus Christ, might have the pre-eminence in all
things, that not only our salvation and justification might have
their rise from Christ alone, but that our peace of conscience
might be fetched from thence ; and that he that gives to us the
great things of the gospel, might speak the same things by him-
self, or by his Spirit, unto us, according to his word, and so we
rest satisfied upon that ; if any thing swerve from this principle
in all that I have delivered, I myself abhor it. To make the
evidence of the Spirit, according to the word of grace, and the
faith of a believer, no infallible testimonies of our interest in
Christ, must of necessity produce this effect ; to rest and build
upon our own works, and to give the glory of our peace of con^
science and comfort thereunto ; but to preach that it is only
these that evidence to us our interest in Christ, is to give unto
the Lord Jesus the honour and glory of all, and to assume nothing
at all unto our own works.
Thus, beloved brethren, you have heard the admirable grace
of God; oh, let not there be such a heart in any, as to turn it
into wantonness ; oh, let not any one continue in sin, because so
much grace hath abounded ; but let it teach you to deny all un-
godliness, and worldly lusts, and to live godly, righteously, and
soberly in this present world. For my own part, whatever others
may think, I abhor nothing in the world so much as this ; namely,
a licentious undertaking to continue in any sin, because that such
fulness of grace hath abounded ; and I hope assuredly, that the
God of grace and mercy, will keep by his power to salvation, all
those he delivers ; and that he will so sow the seeds of grace in
their hearts, that they may not sin, that is, presumingly break
out of purpose, in hope of pardon before-hand ; and I hope also.
God will meet with such as are disturbers of the truth of Christ,
and peace of the gospel, by their base and vile conversation.
And I shall recomtnend to them (if there be any such here) the
reading of the epistle of Jude, where they may see the fearful
wrath of God upon such persons as abuse the grace of God to
sin; that because God freely pardons it, therefore they will sin,
and presume to do that Avhich is never so filthy. O, beloved, let
not the love of the Lord God in Jesus Christ thus manifested, b?
so basely requited at your bands : seeing he hath so freely loved
110 ood's covenant with his fboplk
you, and given Christ to you, that you might be to tne praise a
the glory of his grace, in a godly and christian conversation,
^hereunto you are ordained: " For you are God's workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that you should walk
in them," Ephes. ii. 10. And I beseech you always to remem-
ber, that you cannot answer the free love of God towards you
any other way, but by shewing it in a fruitful conversation in the
world; and considering that one end for which the Lord did
redeem you, was. That you " might be a peculiar people to
himself, z<jalo a* oC good works," Tit. ii. 14 *.
SERMON XXXIIt.
god's covenant with his people, the ground
of their security.
ISAIAH xli. 10.
FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH THEE ; BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR
I AM THY god: I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; YEA, I WILL
HELP THEE ; YEA, I WILL UPHOLD THEE WITH THE RIGHT
HAND OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS.
In the former part of this chapter, (which we will speak a
little of, because it will make way to the discovery of the true
scope of this text) you shall find the Lord graciously acquainting
his people, concerning his mind, in sending Christ into the world,
and what tumults this should raise ; how the Lord repelled that
outcry ; what success he giveth unto Christ, raised up in spite of
all the malignity and force against his po»\er and glory.
And it is worthy your observation, beloved, to consider how
the Lord manifests this as a preamble to this very text. In ver.
1, he seems to represent unto us the world, under the name of
• Tliis parag^raph sufficiently clears the Doctor from being a licentious prewhec^
f Here begins the third volume in the former editions.
THE GROUND OF THEIR SKCURITV. lH
" islands and people," and to present them in such like posture
as Demetrius and his fellows stood in, in Acts xix. upon Paul's
setting up of Christ ; there was a horrible tumult raised against
his doctrine ; so it seems, the islands and the people, were in such
a kind of posture here ; therefore the Lord is pleased to call for
silence : " Keep silence before me, ye islands :" such a noise
there was, as I may say, that God could not be heard ; and there-
fore, first, he requires silence, and then, instead of that confu-
sion that was among them, in respect of their madness ; he
desires them to deal somewhat rationally with him, he chargeth
the world to put out all the strength it hath, " Bring forth your
strong reasons, let them come near, and let us reason together in
judgment." Now, that which the Lord speaks, is as intending
to hear what they could say for themselves in their opposition of
Christ ; for so you see plainly in ver. 2, when the Lord had got
silence, he pleads the cause of Christ by way of expostulation ;
as if he had said, what madness is it in you, to set your faces
against him ? " For who hath raised up the righteous man, and
called him to his feet, and given him to reign over kings ?" Why
do you contend in this manner ? Can you tell who it is that sets
him up? If ye did but know against whom ye rise up, it would
appear to yourselves to be a vain contention ; and therefore in
ver. 4, he answers the question himself, and therein shews the
vanity of their opposing him. " For," saith he, " the Lord hath
done it, who is the first, and who is the last." If you fight with
me, what will you get by it? Be ye sure I will manage the thing,
it is the work of mine own hands ; and it is I that raise him up,
even to rule over kings ; and therefore you do but kick against
the pricks, in your contending with me.
The Lord proceeds further, to shew the certainty of the pre-
valency of Christ here ; and In verse 3, he goes on to let us see,
not only the facility, but also the extent of the prevalency of
Christ ; both how easily, and how far, he should prevail.
This matter is of excellent consideration, " He shall pursue,"
saith the text, " and he shall pass on safely ;" or, as it is in the
margin, " he shall pass on in peace ;" as much as to say, when
Christ takes upon him to set up his own kingdom and glory in
the world, every one that sets his face against him shall be easily
destroyed : therefore Christ shall run quietly, and not after them
foo hastily ; there shall be such softness in the pursuit that tiio
god's covenant with his people,
evercoming of the opposers snail seem to be a time of peace »
there shall be such little opposition to him.
In verse 5, tlie Lord goes on, and tells of the fruit of this
conquest Christ shall have vi'hen he comes to reign in his
church ; the first fruit of it, is a terror to them that set their
faces against his kingdom, " The islands were afraid :" then he
shews what an ill use they made of this fear, whereas it should
make them stoop to the sceptre of Christ ; that was too hard for
them : like malefactors indeed, wlien they saw themselves over-
mastered, they assembled, ana gathered themselves together,
they hoped to raise up more forces, and then try it out once
more again with Christ. Besides, you may observe what a poll-
tic, devilish practice they use, to bring down Christ again, when
he was raised ; that which hath been the main and grand plot of
Satan, even to raise up idols, and set them up by Christ, to steal
away the hearts of people. It was the policy of Balaam, coun-
selling Balak to lay stumbling-blocks before Israel, to entice
them unto the idols of Moab ; and it was the counsel of Jero-
boam to overthrow the kingdom of Christ, to set up the caKes
in Dan and Bethel, that so there may not be a going unto
Christ. So you have it in verse 7, " Tlie carpenter encou-
raged the goldsmith,*' &c. Well, the Lord having thus disco-
vered what opposition there would be at the setting up of Christ,
begins to speak somewhat comfortably unto his own people : tne
opposition indeed of the world never stirs, nor moves God ; be-
cause he knows well enough how he can blast every attempt ;
yet, because he knows that his people have some flesh remaining
still in them, the appearance of a tumult, and the opposition of
the gospel, may, peradventure, put them into an affright. The
Lord therefore endeavours to hearten them against the frights
they might take, in regard of the outward appearance of opposi-
tion ; and this he doth in the words of the text : " Fear thou not,
for I am with thee ; be not dismayed for I am thy God."
Now, lest there should be a mistake to whom the Lord directs
this speech ; for his intent may be mistaken in the e.xtent of the
people to whom he speaks ; and therefore in verse 8, 9, the Lord
shews to whom he speaks such encouragements : " But thou,
Israel, art my servant, and Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed
of Abraham my friend."
Some will say, it seems then, that in this text, God's speaki
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY".
comfort, and encouragement, is confined only unto the people ol
tlie Jews, that are the children of Jacob, and the seed of Abra-
ham ; and therefore, whatever comfort there is in the text, there
is li'ttle comfort belongs unto us.
Consider verse 9, and then it will appear, that though God
speaks of Jacob, Israel, and the seed of Abraham, yet he doth
not speak of the seed according to the flesh, but according to
the Spirit : for there you read, " Thou whom I have chosen, and
taken from the ends of the earth." That Jacob, then, and
Israel, to whom the Lord speaks these comfortable words, are
the Jacob and Israel that are called from the ends of the earth.
Now, if you would know w^hat is meant by the ends of the earth,
the prophet will tell you, in chap, xliii. 5, 6, 7, " Fear not, for I
am with thee, I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather
thee from the west; I will say to the north, give up, and to the
south, keep not back : bring my sons from far, and my daughters
from the ends of the earth, even every one that is called by my
name." As much as to say, this Israel and Jacob, to whom the
Lord speaks, not to fear, are a people gathered from the east,
north, south, and west : now the seed of Jacob, naturally consi-
dered, is not of that extent, as to overspread the world every
way : however, the last clause, that it is, " even every one that is
called by his name," puts it out of doubt, that it extends also to
us Gentiles.
This I note, beloved, that so we may not only have a guess
tliat the comfortable language frequently mentioned by the
prophet, belongeth unto us, as well as to the Jews ; but that we
may see that it is the mind of the Lord he hath revealed, that it
indeed extends itself unto us ; for by the way, solid comfort will
not be raised upon mere guesses, or presumptions, taking things
for granted, without the sense of a good foundation to bear up
such comforts : all the comfort people have, when they run upon
guesses, is knly abiding with them so long as there is not admi-
nistered an occasion of discomfort ; but all the comforls in the
world will vanish, that have not some foundation, when they are
struck at, and when some tempest beats against them, to cast
them down ; and therefore it is good to be established in every
truth, wherein comfort may be received.
I. from this passage, as it hath reference to <he coherence, f
may oi.iserve unto you, that, whenever the Lord Jesus Chr'st i&
Hi GOD*S COVENANT WITH HIS PKOPLE,
sf>l up in irlory and heantv, he always meets with strong opposi-
tion ; I say, the Lord Christ, that righteous man, was never
raised up, but a storm was raised with him ; there is an everlast-
ing fighting against the glorious light of Christ's gospel, when-
ever it breaks out. You may see the truth of this, beloved,
especially, since Christ's personal coming, at all times ; no
sooner did tlie apostles begin to preach him, as raised from the
dead, but a madness and a fury grew upon those that thought
themselves in authority, as the Scribes and Pharisees ; their
swords were presently drawn, their prisons set open, to clap up
those that preached Christ ; Herod killed one, imprisoned ano-
ther, intending to kill him too : beloved, I need say little of
this, your own experience may now be a sufficient witness of
that, which, perhaps, you feared long before. Now is come the
time of reformation, and purging of the church, of setting up
the ark, and bringing Dagon down ; you see the fruit of this ;
what combustions this hath raised in the world ; let Christ him-
self be never so peaceable, yet when he comes, men will quarrel
with him : therefore, by the way, as it is a truth in general, so it
is in particular cases too ; whenever we, the ministers of the
gospel, devote ourselves only to set up Christ, and labour
mightily at this work, we must expect to have the world about
our ears ; and for you, beloved, if you dream of peace and rest
in the world, finding friendship and applause with men, while
you endeavour to set up the Lord Christ, you mistake your-
selves exceedingly, you must look for uproars, tumults, and
clamours from the world, and there will be these continually
attending you.
2. From the coherence, you may observe, as mad and as
desperate as the world is, and the enemies of Christ are, in
fighting and making opposition against him, yet no weapons
formed in this kind shall prosper. " The Lord hath raised him
up, (saith the text) and he shall rule over the heathen, and they
shall be as dust before his sword, and as driven stubble before
his bow." T say, this shall come to puss, and therefore, it is no
great matter how majestically the world looks, and how mighty
it makes itself; for beloved, if all the world should combine
against c/ue person, that stands for the cause of Christ, rather
than Christ should sink, this person should be able to withstand
even the whole world. But however, let that person be borne
THE OROTJND OF THEIR SECURITY. 115
down to the ground, or over-borne with the world, Christ sh&il
never be over-borne ; he shall reign in glory and triumph, not
only in heaven, but also in his church too ; when all comes to
all, let them fight never so desperately, Christ shall be the con- ,
queror ; he shall pursue^ nay, he shall pass on softly; he shall
not need to take any great pains, nor toil, to maintain himself
thus set up, and destroy his enemies, he shall do it with ease.
But this is not that I mean neither; I come to the text itself,
which is a word of encouragement, held forth to those spirits
that are subject to faint and droop, in respect of the aflHictions
t'nat are likely, or at least seem to be likely to grow upon the
church of Christ ; " Fear not, be not dismayed, I am thy God,
I am with thee."
In the words, there are two generals very observable :
I. The temper of spirit that the Lord aims to reduce his
people unto.
II. The course he takes to reduce them to it.
The temper of spirit that the Lord desires to reduce his
people unto, is delivered in a double expression ; " Fear not, be
not dismayed :" they are both one, saving that dismayedness is
the highest extremity of fear; so that, the temper he endeavours
to reduce them unto, is a quietness, settledness, and undaunted-
ness of spirit.
The course that God takes to bring them to this temper of
spirit, is a proposal of motives and arguments of sufficient effect
and prevalency to pull down vain fear out of the heart ; " Fear
not, for I am thy God ; I am with thee," and so forth. The
result of the text is briefly this ; they need never be afraid, nor
dismayed at any thing, though it appear ever so hideous, who
have God for their God, and present with them, and a help unto
them. Beloved, these are times (as I hinted before unto you)
that require such a cordial as this ; for now, in a more eminent
way than ever before, is the glory of the kingdom of Christ
contested, and attempted to be thrown down to the dust. Now,
when we hear of evils, our hearts are subject to be dismayed,
and especially when we see them with our eyes ; the sword is
drawn, nay, blood is drawn ; the hearts of men are full of fain*
ings. and many almost at their wits' ends ; many begin to
suspect what will become of things, out of the fainting and
suspicion of their spirits ; and therefore now, it is time to oring
I 2
116 god's covenant with his people,
forth, out of the treasures ofthe Lord, that that may stay the spirits
of his people ; that is, such an encouragement as he himself
jrives, which will be the best way in the world to establish our
hearts ; namely, when God will say to a soul, " Fear not, be
not dismayed ; for I am thy God :" it is a cup of consolation
indeed ; and, that we may draw it forth to you, with the better
advantage to drink of it, let us take these particulars into
consideration :
1 . What is it, not to fear, nor to be dismayed.
2. What it is, that we must not fear and be dismayed at.
3. What the fruit of fear, or dismayedness, is; or what pre-
judice or disadvantage fear and dismayedness bring along with
them.
4. We shall then consider the motives of the Lord, to take us
off from these distempers of fear and dismayedness ; namely,
because God is our God; and in that, we shall consider,
(1.) What it is for God to be our God.
(2.) What strength there is in this argument, how this takes
off fear and dismayedness. And,
(3.) Seeing there is such strength in it, we shall consider how
God becomes the God of them that believe, that so you may see
the way to enter into this privilege to have God for your God,
and so to be secured from fear and dismayedness.
L What it is for a person not to fear, nor be dismayed. I
have observed, concerning all the passions and affections of men,
that the sense of them far better opens their nature, than any
discourse possibly can. When a fit of fear, especially when the
height of it, seizeth upon a spirit, that spirit may read a plainer
lecture to itself, of that passion, than all the rhetoric of men in
the world can express; I mean, fear is such a passion, as every
one knows better, by those experiments they have of it, what it
is, than another is possibly able to describe. It is a very distracting,
disturbing, confounding passion; it is a kind of besotting passion
tnat makes men lose themselves, especially if it be in the
extremity of fear ; it ariseth from an apprehension of some
unavoidable, insupportable evil, growing upon a person and
occasioned, either by some symptoms of that evil, or by some
messenger or other relating it, or by some fore-sight of it in the
eve. NoW) as evil appears greater or lesser, and more or less
tolerable, so the passion of fear is more or less in persons. In
THE GROUND OF TIHCIR SECURITY. 117
brief, 1 will give you but a touch of the nature of this passion.
and you shall have it delivered to you in the words of the
Psalmist, where he sets it forth by its contrary, by what it is not
to be afraid or dismayed, Psal. cxii. 7, 8 ; " He shall not be
moved, (saith ho), his heart is fixed; he shall not be afraid; his
heart is established." Mai-k the phrases, and in them^ you shall
have a full lecture read to you of a heart not afraid or dismayed.
First, It is a heart that is not moved nor stirred; suppose evil
grows on, it may be the sword, the enemy appears bigger and
bigger ; still the dangers are greater and greater ; what is it now
not to be afraid? It is, not to be moved at all at any time; so
far forth as the appearance of danger moves the heart, or turns it,
so far he is afraid : so the other phrase imports, " his heart is
fixed." You know, that fear in the heart is often expressed by
the shaking and trembling of it ; and therefore the Holy Ghost
expresseth it also by the shaking of the tops of trees ; it causeth
an luisteadfastness of spirit. Now, saith the Psalmist, " Thev
shall not be afraid, whose hearts are fixed ;" that is, as a post
that is set deep in the ground, and rammed in, stands fast, so that
if you thrust against it, it stirs not, it is fixed : so when any thing
beats against the heart to shake, and overthrow it, when the
heart of a man stirs not at it, it is a fixed heart, and is not afraid.
And so the phrase that follows, " his heart is established,"
signifieth, that it is made stable and firm, that it cannot be
shaken. In brief, to have a heart not afraid nor dismayed, is to
have a heart calm, that looks with a regardless eye (as I may say)
upon evils when they grow out. You shall see, beloved, this
affection, or temper of spirit, not to he afraid, in the sense I
mention, excellently described unto you in Daniel iii. 16, and
there, whenever you would know whether you be afraid or no.
you shall find always, as in a lecture, the thing discovered unto
you. You know what danger was in the eyes of those three
children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ; there was a hot
fiery furnace prepared for them, seven times hotter than ordi-
nary ; the king proclaims, that whatever he be that will not fall
down and worship his image, should presently be cast into this
furnace; this was enough to startle a person, and make him
tremble; but how is the temper of the three children ex})ressed
there? " We are not (say they) careful to answer thee in this
matter," These threatenings, though very fearful in the eves of
il8 god's covenant with his people,
others, seemed but a matter of nothing to them, they made a tush
at it. Even so, people are then free, who when evil is coming,
care not for it ; a man when he cares not for any thing that
assails him, rusheth in upon it; and though it seem to threaten
him some mischief, yet he is confident it cannot hurt him. So
far as you can overlook evils drawing on upon you, more or less,
not regarding them in respect of any hurt they can do you, so far
are you free from fear.
You will say, none in the world can have such a temper of
spirit, when dangers are growing, especially great and thick
upon them.
No 1 What say you of these three children ? I speak of men
now, they were careless.
You will say, it may be, that was an extraordinary case.
Nay, you shall find, that the very ground of the undaunted-
ness of their spirits, was the same which the Lord proposeth in
this text, to put us out of fear. " Our God Avhom we serve is
able to deliver us, and he will deliver us." The carelessness of
their spirits was grounded upon a common principle of the wliolo
church, and upon the same the Lord proposeth to all the rest of
his people, as well as to them ; they being confident God was
their God, neither the greatness of the king, nor the violence of
liis threatenings, could stir them a jot; they were all nothing to
God, who was their God, Avho was able to deliver them, and
would deliver them. Their confidence in this, was that which
inade them break forth into this bold expression, " We are care-
less to answer thee in this matter." But now let us consider, 2.
What the people of God sliould not fear.
What, to be afraid of nothing? doth not the Lord himself
commend fear to men ? Nay, is not God himself called the
fear of Isaac ? and yet would you make us believe, that we
should have no fear ?
I answer. There is a threefold fear ; there is a natural, a reli-
gious, and a turbulent fear ; a natural fear is nothing else, but
such an affection as is in men by nature, that they cannot be
freed from ; such a fear was in Christ himself, without sin. A
religious and godly fear, is nothing but an awful reverence,
whereby people keep a fit distance between the glorious majesty
of God, and the meanness of a creature, and it is opposed to
suiuoiness ; a turbulent fear, is a fear of disquietness; now all
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECUKITy 111)
disquieting fear, is that which the Lord endeavours to take off
from his people.
Well, but what are the things, you will say, we should not be
afraid of, nor dismayed at? Perhaps I shall pitch upon things,
people are much afraid of, and will think strange they should
not.
1. I must tell you, the people of God, need not be afraid of
their sins ; and yet, let me not be mistaken, I do not say, they
must not be afraid to sin, but they need not be afraid of their
sins; they that have God for their God, there is no sin that ever
they commit, can possibly do them any hurt. Therefore, as
their sins cannot hurt them, so there is no cause of fear in their
sins they have committed.
Some will be ready to say, this is strange ; all the evils in the
world that come, grow up from the sinfulness of men. If a man
be afraid of any thing, he should be afraid of sin, from whence
all evils flow.
I answer, beloved, it is true, sin naturally is a root bringing
forth all manner of evil fruit, "The wages of sin is death;" but
yet, whatever sin in its own nature brings forth, yet the sins of
God's peculiar people, that have God for their own God, can do
them no hurt at all, and in that regard, there is no cause of fear
from any they have ever committed. Beloved, I conceive this
may seem somewhat harsh to some, especially such as miscon
ceive the drift I aim at, which is not to encourage any one unto
sin, but to case the consciences of the distressed : I desire you
to resolve with yourselves this one thing, so far as the Lord
reveals it, so far you will sit down contented with his mind re-
vealed to you; and I beseech you, kick not against the truth.
There is not one sin, nor all the sins together, of any one believer,
that can possibly do that believer any hurt, real hurt, I mean ;
and therefore he ought not to be afraid of them*. How will that
* This is contlemnerl as an error by D. W. in his Gospel -Triith, \v. p. 181, though
misinterpreted by hinr ; for the Doctor speaks not of tiie natural evil of sin, and the
effects of it, wliicli he represents as odious ; but of the penal evil of sin, and the penal
elfects of it ; wliich the believer need not fear, or that he shall be hurt by it, even
ete iinl damnation, Wnm. viii. 1 — 3.3, 34 ; nor does he speak of sin befnre it is committed,
smilin<rupon a man with a piomisinf( countenance, which is most dreadful and odious
to thofatthful ; but, as committed, and lyinijon the conscience, as he afterwards explains
himself; and so Hoornbeeek, Sum. Contr. p. 714, and Witsiiis iu Animadv. Iren. chap.
12, s. 6, both understood him ; and in this sense, sin is not to be feared, nor can it do
a be iever hurt ; that is, bring eternal dimuation on hnn. Doctor Goodwin says the
same thin;;, " If tliou belieiest in (!lii i;t, fear not xin ; for God, from everhistmCT, sa^r
all thy sins, and yet for all tliat, he continued to acrejit thee in hs beloved: — the
120 GOD'S COVENANT WITH HIS I'EOPLE,
be made good, you will say ? I will make it appear out of Rotr..
vii. 15 — 25: it is true, tlie apostle expresseth himself in heavy
complaints against such sins as befal believers: " The good that
I would do, that do I not, and the evil that I would not do, that
do 1 ;" insomuch that in the la&t verse but one, he, with much
vehemency, puts the question thus : " O wretched man, that I am
who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" Some will
be ready presently to say, here you see plainly is a fear of sin,
or ouo-ht to be ; here is a body of death in men, to be afraid of.
But o'ive me leave to tell you, that the apostle in this chapter, as
I conceive, personates a scrupulous spirit, and doth not speak
out his own present case, as it was at this time, but speaks in
the person of another, yet a believer : and my reason is this ;
because, in respect of his own person, what was become of his
sins, was already resolved ; therefore, I conceive, he acts the
oart of a troubled spirit, that in respect of the multitude and
prevalency of corruption, was ready to cry out thus : but mark
how the apostle answers this question, whether it be his owni case
or another's, for I will not stand upon that ; and you shall
plainly see he concludes, though there be such marvellous filthl-
ness and prevalency in sin, yet it cannot do any hurt at all ;
but saith he, " I thank God, through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
who will deliver me from this body of death : as much as to say,
indeed, till a man look to Christ, there is nothing but matter of
bitterness and evil to be seen as the certain fruits of sin ; and
there, can be nothing else, in regard of the evil that is to follow
it. But when persons can once look to Christ, the case is altered.
What doth he thank God for ? That though naturally a body
of death grew up by sin ; yet there is no prejudice in this kind
can come to him, through Christ. Now, that the apostle plainly
means, that he thanks God, in that sin could not do him, or
others, any hurt, mark how in this thankfulness he expresseth
rpason is, bocause Jesus Christ is more beloved of him, than sin is, or can be hated by
hinr if sin should come to have more interest for hatred, in the heart of God, than
Christ hath for love, thou mightest well fear ; but he hath accepted thoe in his beloved,
therefore, be not thou afraid." Expos. Eph. Vol. I. p. 95. Yet, after all, I am of the
same mind I was some )-ears ajjo, that such expressions should be disused; see my
Doctrine of GjvVs Everlasting Love, &c. p. 15, and heartily .I'oin in the same wish with
the excellent Witsius, Iren. chap. 13, s. 21, that nothing of this kind might drop from
the mo\uh of a reformed divine ; for though sin cannot do any penal hurt to the believor,
though it cannot damn him, yet it may damp his spiritual joy, break his peace, yea
his bones, interrupt communion between God and him, dishonour Christ, griere ih»
Spirit, and cause him to depart for a season.
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 121
himself in cnap. viii. I, " There is now no condemnation to
them that are in Christ, that walk not after the flesh, but aftei
the Spirit." There you see the ground of his thanksgiving; no
condemnation to those in Christ. No, you will say, no con-
demnation in hell ; but yet, as there are remainders of sin in
God's own people, so there will be some evil or other fall upon
the commission of sin ; mark what the apostle speaks of it, in
ver. 3, 4. Would you have the clear mind of the Spirit in it ?
There it is held forth; " The law of the Spirit of life, which is
in Christ, hath freed me from the law of sin and death: for what
the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sent forth his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and for sin
condemned sin in the flesh." Here Christ stands for the deli-
verance of his people from condemnation, and eternal wrath, say
some ; yea, but saith the apostle, we are delivered from the law
of sin and death ; what is that, but what the law may do to per-
sons, for those sins which are committed by them ? Now, what
can sin do when it is condemned ? It is true, take a traitor, as
he is at liberty, he may do mischief, but take him as he is ar-
raigned and condemned, bound and manacled, he can do none.
Now sin is condemned to the believer, it can do no hurt at all to
him ; for what hurt can that do unto a man which is carried into
a land of forgetfulness, to avoid further prejudice of such persons
as are endangered by it ? When men have been found dangerous
unto the state, it hath been a common practice to banish them
the kingdom, into a place far remote, where they cannot have
any opportunity of doing any mischief, and when they are
banished, they are not to return again, upon pain of death ; now
beloved, our scapegoat hath carried our sins into a land of for-
getfulness. Consider further; suppose a man be entered into
many bonds, for great sums; it is true, while they remain in
force, such a man is subject to fear arrests ; but put the case that
these are all cancelled, that the debt in the creditor's book be
blotted out ; what hurt then can these bonds do a man, when the
seal is torn ofl*, and all the writing in them blotted out? If a
man saw a thousand such bonds, in which he were obliged, it
would afl'right him no more that if he saw none at all. True in-
deed, every sin is a great debt, and we commit sins daily and
hourly against the Lord, and the torments of hell are the merit
of the least sin in the world; for, I speak not this to e.xtcnuate
122 god's covenant with his people,
any sin, but to shew the greatness of God's grace, ana lo ease,
upon good grounds, distressed consciences. Therefore, such as
look upon these sins, as uncancelled, and these debts, as true
debts, so long they may work a horror in them ; but believers,
that are the members of Christ, may read fairly all the sins that
ever they have committed, also the desert of them, which should
be executed upon them, if they were not blotted out ; but mark
what the Lord speaks, Isa. xliii. 25, " I, even I, am he that
blotteth out thy transgressions, for mine own name sake, and will
not remember thy sins." Now, what prejudice can that do, that
is blotted out ? Every debt of a believer is cancelled, so that the
Lord himself hath nothing at all to lay to his charge; for, how
can that scorpion hurt, that hath lost its sting, and spent his
venom in the sides of Christ, and left it there ? " Christ was
wounded for the transgressions of his people, he was bruised for
their sins, the chastisement of their peace was upon him." Isa.
liii. 5. What hurt can there be to whom there is peace from God,
and nothing but peace ? It is true, our sins themselves do not
speak peace, but Christ, bearing the sin and wrath that they
deserve, speaks peace to every believer, whose transgressions
he did bear. Therefore, beloved, be not afraid, ye that are
believers and members of Christ, of wrath breaking down from
heaven upon you for such and such sins, which you have com-
mitted, for all your sins together can do you no harm ; all the
sting and poison of them were spent upon Christ. Mark that
excellent expression of the apostle in 1 Cor. xv. 56, 57, " The
sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law ;" so that
here seems to be a sting in sin, even to death itself: but mark
what follows, " Thanks be to God, through our Lord Jesus
Christ, that hath given us the victory." What doth he mean?
even the victory of overcoming sin and death. Though naturally
sin hath a sting, yet there is a victory over it ; Christ is the death
of it, as he took away its sting ; so that the sins of believers, set
up to aflfright them by Satan, or his instruments, are but scare-
crows and bug-bears; things to affright ignorant children, in-
deed; but men of insight, and understanding, are able to see
that they are coimterfeit things. It is true, before men come to
see the light of the gospel of Christ, their sins stare in their
faces, seeming to spit fire at them ; but just as children put one
of their company into hideous postures, and a fearful and terrible
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 123
representation, causing every one that knows it not, to run from
him ; so sin, as it is set up by Satan, with a terrible visage, as it
were, to spit fire in the faces of the godly, seems very threatening
and dreadful. But they are to know for certain, it is but a made
thing, there is no fear from the sins of believers ; all the terror
of sin, Christ himself hath drunk, and, in drinking it, he, our
life, was crucified; and in that regard, all the terror andhideous-
ness of sin, as it is represented by Satan, is spent, and sin itself
is dead. It is true, indeed, a living roaring lion is a terrible
creature ; but of a dead lion there is no more fear than of a stick,
or a stone, to him that knows he is dead. While sin is alive, it
is fearful and terrible ; but when it is dead, there is no more
terror in it than is in a dead lion.
Thus I speak concerning sin, not as it smiles upon a man,
with a promising countenance before it be committed ; for so it
is most dreadful and odious to the faithful, as that which crucified
their sweetest Lord ; but as committed, and lying upon the con-
science of a believer, endeavouring to drive him to deny the love
and free grace of God to him, and the all-sufficiency of Christ: for
in this regard, it is crucified by Christ, and so a believer need not
be afraid of sin. Indeed, terrible it may seem to be at first, but
without just cause, for it can do no hurt *. Therefore, the
apostle, telling us of the " Hand-writing of ordinances that was
against us, and contrary to us," saith, " that Christ hath nailed
it to his cross." So that the sins of believers are crucified with
Christ ; " They, that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with
the affections and lusts." We commonly understand this, as if
our mortification of sin were the crucifying of the flesh : but
the apostle speaks otherwise there, and intends, that they, that
are Christ's, are crucified with him ; as much as to say, Christ's
dying upon the cross for believers, became the death, that is, the
expiation of sin for them, that it should be no more terrible unto
them, nor affright them. I have insisted the more upon this,
because, indeed, it is the root from whence all other fears
spring ; for, from crosses and afflictions, which come upon
persons (of which we shall speak presently) they run imme-
diately to their sins, and conceive that it is they that have put
tings into them, and make them so bitter; still, therefore, they
are perplexed with fears, as long as sin is upon them; certainly,
* Isa. xxvii. 3. aid xi ;', Luke x. 19.
124 GOD*S COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE,
some fearful thing will come upon them ; why ? they have com-
mitted such and such sins, these be the cause of their fear.
But, beloved, either deny plainly that Christ died for your sins,
that he hath borne the whole wrath of God that sin hath
deserved; or sit down by this truth, that sin hurt Christ so
much, that it cannot hurt the believer for whom he died.
2. As we should not fear our own sins, being believers, and
members of Christ ; so neither ought we to fear the sins of
others.
You will say, supposing there be no sins of our own to pull
down judgments, yet the world is full of iniquity, and abun-
dance of sins there are, that bring down wrath from heaven.
Though it be true, that national sins bring down national
judgments and wrath : yet, all the sins of the times, cannot do a
member of Christ a jot of hurt ; and therefore, as they cannot do
him any, he need not be afraid of them. I will make it appear,
that the sins of the world, the crying sins of the world, can do a
believer no hurt at all ; mark the plea of the Lord, often men-
tioned in Ezek. xviii. 3, 4, against the people that hit him in the
teeth, as if he were unjust ; " The fathers (say they) have eaten
sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge." He
pleads his own innocency in it, and directly answers, that " the
soul that sinneth shall die ;" as much as to say, he that commits
the fault, shall bear the burthen of it ; thou, that art not the
committer of the fault, shalt not bear the burthen of it. There-
fore the sins of the times that are committed by the wicked,
cannot do God's people any hurt : the children's teeth shall not
be set on edge.
But will some say, I have had some hand in these sins, I did
not reprove them ; or, I did not separate myself from them.
I answer. Suppose the members of Christ are in some sort
accessary to these sins, yet so far as you, in your own persons,
have been actors, or partakers of these transgressions, Christ
hath borne them, and suffered for them. It is not some sins that
Christ bears, and leaves some for believers to bear, and so alsj
leaves some punishment for them to suffer ; for he, " the Lamb
of God, takes away the sins of the world ;" and, that he takes
them all away, appeareth, 1 John i. 7, " The blood of Cbrist,
his Son, cleanseth us from all sins." Whether then you con-
sider every elect person, as he sinneth by himself, or as he
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITV. 125
sharctli with others, all these sins the blood of Christ cleanseth
him from ; and therefore, I say, the sins of other people, shall
not, they cannot, be imputed to him that is a believer.
But vou will say, surely the Lord sends crosses and afflic-
tions upon his own people (as well as upon the people of the
world) many times, and should we not therefore be afraid of
them 1
Therefore, let me tell you, as there is no occasion, or need •
nay, as people ought not to be afraid for the sins of others, so
ought not they to be afraid for the chastisements of the Lord upon
them. Consider but the true nature of fear ; look upon thino-s as
they are in themselves ; if there be occasion of fear in any thino-
that may come, there must be evil in these afflictions, or else
there need not be fear: now there is no evil in them, but all are
exceeding good, and they work for good ; and that that works for
good, is not evil ; every agent produceth effects answerable to its
own nature ; an evil tree brings forth no good fruit, nor a good
tree evil fruit ; so then, if there be nothing but good in all the
afflictions of the people of God, then there is no cause of fear;
there is an apprehension of evil in a thing, if there be fear, but
there is not a just one in a thing that is good ; be assured of this,
there is no fear to be had of afflictions, let them be ever so tart,
great, or many. Oh, saith one, I shall be undone, as others are,
that are plundered; here the heart is disturbed, and distracted.
But, beloved, suppose you lose all that you have, even the wife
out of your bosom, and your children out of your arms, and so
you be deprived of all, yet there is no evil in them, and there-
fore you ought not to be afraid. There is nothing but good in
them : the apostle in Heb. xii. 11, tells us, that it is true, " for the
present, no affliction seems joyous, but grievous ;" yet he takes
away all occasions of fear, though for the present they seem evil ;
" yet afterwards, (saith he), they bring forth the peaceable fruits
of righteousness to those that are exercised therewith." What
hurt is in them, when they bring forth the peaceable fruits of
righteousness ? In afflictions, they are refined as silver and gold.
What hurt is there to silver in the fire, when nothing is intended
but the separation of the dross from it ? When the Lord afflicts
his people, he sits as a refiner to take away the dross; the
afflictions of God's people are nothing but the refinings of God,
to take away the rust: what hurt is *here in physic, especially
126 god's covenant with his people,
good, when the body is distempered ? They that know tne
benefit of it, will they be afraid of it, though it make them sicK
for a time ? It is true, ignorance and suspicion of the operation,
will make men afraid; but the Lord hath made it known to us,
that all his chastisements are the fruits of his love, and this is the
end of all, to take away sins : it is true, men need not fear that
the sins they commit shall do them hurt; but the Lord makes use
of afflictions, to purge out sin from the conversation, where it is a
trouble and burthen to the faithful ; though he doth not revenge
himself of any sin before committed.
3. As we ought not to be afraid of sin and afflictions in
general, so for the present we should take notice, that they that
have God for their God, must not be afraid of men. The enemies
of God, that fight against him, there needs no fear, either of
their wrath, or policy, their menaces, or cruelty ; there is no
cause of fear of any of these : it is true, there is, doubtless, an
implacable rage, and an unchangeable resolution of revenge, if
possibly they could, even to bring fire from heaven, to devour
the servants of the living God ; but if their rage were more
desperate than it is, there is no cause at all to fear; inasmuch as
God is their God. In Psalm cxxiv. you shall see that there is no
cause to fear, though there be ever so much evil approaching ;
which was made of purpose, to set forth this thing that the godly
need not fear the fury of the oppressor: " If the Lord had not
been on our side, when men rose up against us, they had swal-
lowed us up, when their fierce wrath was kindled against us ; but
blessed be the Lord, (saith the Psalmist,) that hath not given us
as a prey to their teeth ; our soul is escaped as a bird out of the
snare of the fowler, the snare is broken, and we are delivered."
Here is fierce wrath, but yet here is escaping, as a bird out of the
snare of a fowler; and how comes this to pass? The Lord is
their help, and on their side ; and if he be on our side, what
need of fear is there at all of their wrath? " Surely the wrath
of man shall praise thee, and the remainder of wrath thou shalt
restrain," Psal. Ixxvi. 10. See what little cause there is of fear
from the wrath and rage of men ; there shall nothing but matter
of praise come forth to the Lord out of it; wilt thou be afraid of
that by which he shall be praised ? He is praised by tlie wrath
of men, and all the superfluity of wrath, more than is for the
glory of God, he will restrain ; the wrath that is more than for
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 127
his praise, he will be sure to keep it in, and that, that is for his
glory, wilt thou be afraid of?
Moreover, as you ought not to fear the wrath of men, so
neither their policy ; though hell itself combine with them to lay
snares to entrap the people of God, there is no cause of fear ;
]et there be Achitophels among them, whose counsel is an oracle
of God, yet he will turn their counsel into foolishness ; their Lord
confounds the wisdom of the wise, and brings to nought the
counsel of the prudent ; where is the wise man ? where is the
scribe ? where is the disputer of this world ? He hath chosen
the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, as well as
the weak things of the world to confound the strong : now if the
Lord choose foolish things to confound the wise, or the wise
things of the world to confound themselves ; why oughtest thou
to be afraid?
Also there is no occasion of fear (to them that have God for
their God) of the instruments of cruelty ; let them have all that
cruelty itself can invent, fear not them ; fear not their swords,
their engines of war ; what need we be afraid of that which shall
not prosper? Now, the Lord saith plainly, that no weapons
formed against the church shall prosper. You know indeed, that
unto a naked breast, a sword is terrible ; but where there is a coat
of mail to fence off a sword, he that hath it, is, or need be no
mor« afraid of the thrust of a sword, than when there is no sword
at a] thrust against him ; especially when he knows his coat of
mail is sword- proof, that it cannot pierce it. Armour of proof
you know, will keep out a bullet; when a man knows his armour
is of proof indeed, he cares not whether he hath a dagger thrust at
it, or a pistol shot against it, or no ; he fears not, he cares not :
the armour of believers is pistol-proof, it cannot be shot through.
But you will say, many are slain ; will you condemn all that
are killed by the enemy, as not believers ?
Mistake me not, I do not say they are sword=proof, so that the
same thing may not befal unto them, as unto others ; but only so,
that nothing that befals them, can be truly evil unto them ; and
in respect of the soul, all that the enemy can do, cannot destroy
that.
Do you not see them dead, you will say ?
But mark what the apostle saith, " Our life is hid with Chris*
in God." It is true, there is a natural life, that may be destroyed
]28 god's covenant with his people,
as well as the life of a wicked man ; but yet the soul of a believer
is not destroyed ; it is cannon-proof, all the devils in hell cannot
destroy it ; " Christ himself is our life ; now, when he shall
appear, then shall we appear with him in glory ;" so that Christ
himself may be killed, before our lives shall be destroyed by the
enemies. You that are believers have this advantage of your
enemies the unbelievers ; you may take away their lives, but they
cannot take away yours ; they have but one life, a natural life,
but they that are believers have a life in Christ ; nay, he is their
life ; he himself shall be annihilated before they shall : all the
power of the sword cannot take away that life from you ; it is
true, they may take you out of this world, and the comforts of it ;
but know, this world, when the Lord will have the soul separated
from it, is a comfortless world; if he himself should answer a
person to give him life in the world, when himself hath purposed
to take him out of it; that, and life itself, would be a hell to him.
Beloved, know this, that the Lord intends only your good in all
your changes ; and that which is best, he provides for you :
thouo-h your life be taken away from you, where is the hurt or
loss? Consider it well, beloved, death is but the opening of the
prison doors, to let you out; it is but the arriving of a vessel into
the haven of rest: Avhat doth the sword do when it enters into a
believer 1 it makes but a change of immortality for mortality, of
life for death, of strength for weakness, of glory for shame, of
holiness for sin ; it doth but pull down a rotten house of clay, to
give possessions of mansions of glory ; it doth but take persons
from a cottage at will, to enter into a lordship of inheritance ;
for it gives full possession of an eternal one. The sword that
enters into the breast of a believer, doth but put him into the
chamber of the bridegroom, and consummates the marriage of
the Lamb to him ; it is the fulfilling of the great cry of the saints,
" Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly ;" and, " I desire to be dis-
solved, and to be with Christ;" it takes the bride into communion
with her long- looked for beloved, and gives her possession of
those things she longed for. While we are in the flesh, we are
absent from the Lord ; we enjoy the vision of Christ now but in
hope, and but darkly : but, " when this earthly tabernacle shall
be dissolved, we have an house not made with hands." It doth
but carry the believer out of a barren, blustering, troublesome
wilderness, unto his home, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and
THE CKOUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 129
Jacob, m the kingdom of glory ; what hurt is there in all this?
Consider this, that v,hen the worst comes to the worst, if ye
should be brought into the greatest strait that ever man was in,
when cruelty shall rage and swell to its utmost bounds ; this is
that which stays up the heart, and makes the weakest spirits
strong ; and the want of this makes the strongest run away : when
a man shall think with himself, if I should be now thrust througli
by the sword of the enemy, what will become of me ? If I be not
a member of Christ, I shall go to hell for ever ; Oh, how will this
startle him! This in the heart of the stoutest soldier, is enough
to make him run away, have he never so much courage ; but
when a man shall stand in the face of an enemy, and the bullets
fly about him on every side ; and thus think with himself, what
if one of these should hit me, what shall become of me ?
whither should I go? If he can but say in true faith, heaven is
mine, and Christ is mine, I shall go presently unto God my
Father, at whose right hand are joys for ever more ; I cannot have
a better turn done me, than by one of these messengers, to be
sent presently thither. It is recorded, that there was a man had
a spear run at him, by one that sought his life, and enterino-, it
happened to lance an ulcer, that all the physicians could never
cure ; that thrust of the spear cured the ulcer. Oh, beloved all
the world is not able to cure the ulcers that are in believers, in
respect of the cohabitation and practice of sin ; for sin will arise
and break forth, in spite of all the world, and they shall not cease
to sin, till they cease to be here below ; now the sword that enters
into their hearts at one thrust, perfectly cures the ulcers of sins
that there shall never arise any more after ; now what hurt us
there in that spear, that cures instead of killing ?
This, beloved, I speak to encourage all the faithful ; when the
enemy looks big upon you, and your hearts are ready to faint,
consider what the Lord saith, " I am your God, be not afraid
nor dismayed." Sometimes I observe, people look upon be-
lievers with an evil eye, because they do not see them of such
dejected countenances, and so full of fearful expressions, as is
in themselves, or others : hence they presently censure them as
void of sense, and full of security. But consider, hath not the
Lord promised, that they shall not he moved with evil tidino-g?
Ig there nothing in such a promise ? Will you sav, there's iio
strength, noi truth in him, in whona is the fulaess of all?
VOL. II. K
130 god's covenant with his people,
when you find sucn undauntedness in any, that when men spea
of fire and sword, and the cruelty of the enemy, say, " We are
careless, as touching this matter ;" you say, they are stupified,
or carnally secure, do you not therein charge the three children
for the same 1 Shall the people of God, who out of the appre-
hension of God being their God, and out of the gun-shot of sin,
say, we fear not touching this matter, shall they be condemned
for if? They know wherein pain, misery, and death is, which
thou art not sensible of : do not then condemn God, therefore ;
is thine eye evil, because his is good ?
Now, what are the disadvantages by this dismayedness of spirit?
There are three sorts of them :
1. Fearfulness of spirit produces a great deal of prejudice
unto God ; not simply to the being of God, but to his glory and
honour ; it casts many slanders upon him.
1. Upon his power. 2. Upon his faithfulness. 3. Upon his
care and providence. 4. Upon the freeness of his- grace. 5
Upon the efficacy of the sufferings of Christ.
To touch of these a little, which, by the grace of God, may quit
your hearts of these fears.
1. Ii casts a slander upon the power of God : if you lend a
man an hundred pounds, and he give you a bond to pay it you
again, it may be, you fear you shall not have it again ; what is
the ground of it ? I doubt, say you, he will not be able to pay
me : when fear ariseth from such a principle, doth not this cast
an aspersion upon the ability of the man 1 If you thought he
were an able man indeed you would not suspect him ; so when
you see such and such evils growing towards you, and you begin
to be afraid, and to cry out, doubtless I shall sink under them,
God is not able to deliver me at such a time ; I say, unbelief of
the power of God, being the occasion of such fear, thereby casta
an heavy slander upon him.
But some may say, I never doubted of the ability of Goa
If you do not, yet Israel did ; " Can God, (say they,) give
flesh in the wilderness ?*' And consider with yourselves, how
often it hath been in the hearts of people, when they have been
in any great extremity ; How shall we escape ? there is no possi-
bility for us to avoid this evil: is not this now a calling in
question the power of God? If so, then there is a great scandal
cast upon \t.
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 131
2. It likewise brings a scandal on the faithfulness and truth of
God. Some will say, I do not question whether God can do this,
but all my fear is, whether he will do it or no ; this ariseth from
a suspicion, that God will not do it: now I ask, hath he said, he
will do it ? Hath he said, " I will never fail thee, nor forsake
thee ? That all things shall work together for our good ?" And
do you fear he will not»do it? What do you think of God ? Is
he not as good as his word ? Are God and his faithfulness out
of credit with you ? Hath he said, and will not he perform 1 If
a man hath promised to give you an hundred pounds, and when
he is gone, you fear you shall never have it; do you not call
in question the honesty of this man ? do you not make him a
liar ? Hath not God promised to save and defend you : to be
your shield and buckler ? now you by fear calling this in ques-
tion, is this any better, than to charge him Avith dishonesty ? and
to make him a liar, that he hath said, and will not make good
what he hath said?
3. You charge the providence and care of God: you know
what he hath said, " Be careful for nothing, but in all things
make your requests known to him :" and " cast your care upon
him, for he careth for you :" do you think he is mindful of you, and
cares for you, when extremity of danger comes upon you, and
you fear you shall miscarry in such danger? either you think
that he doth not mind you, or if he doth, he is not able to help
you. This was David's fault, he runs on in this manner : " Hath
he forgotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his tender
mercies ? will he be favourable no more ?" He charged God
with forgetfulness.
4. You cast a scandal upon the free grace of God, when thus
afraid; thy fear is, that such an evil will overtake thee; and
withal, thou lookest upon thy deserts, and sayest. This may well
come upon me, I have deserved it; I have committed such and
such sins, and they will certainly provoke the Lord to send all
these evils I fear upon me: because thou hast sinned, thou
fearest such punishments will come upon thee; consider, how
thou slandorest the freeness of the grace of God ; there is no
avoiding of evil, sayest thou, because sin hath been committed;
yet herein grace indeed consists, that though it be, yet no wrath
shall be provoked, nor punishment inflicted ; so often as you fear
afflictions from sins committed, you slander the grace of God;
k2
1.32 ood's covenant with his rEopi.n.
ihero is no way for me to escape, for I have sinned, think yr>u.
When a scholar comes home to his father, and cries, 1 have
committed a fault, there is no escaping the rod, for every fault I
commit, I shall be whipped ; is not this to cast a scandal upon
the clemency of the master, as if he were so rigid, that he would
pass bv no fault ? If you upon sin committed, fear nTath and
judgment, what do you think of God? Do you not plainly de-
clare, that there is ao clemency in him ?
5. You cast a slander upon the sufferings of Christ, that fear
wrath, because you have committed such and such a sin ; beloved,
to what purpose are they 1 Were they not for the sins of all tlie
elect 1 Did the Lord behold the travail of his soul, and was he
satisfied? and, will he come and exact a new payment, after
satisfaction given and acknowledged? Either God must be
dishonest, to exact payment twice for one debt, or Christ's
satisfaction was insufficient ? If he did not bear all the wrath o .
God, but you must bear some of it yourselves, where is the
efficacy of his sufferings? If they were sufficient, wherefore
should you then fear any wi'ath at all ? Certainly, you must
either say, Christ hath not borne all indignation, and so make
the scripture a liar, whicli saitb, " He beheld the travail of his
soul, and was satisfied," and his sufferings of none effect ; or
else, though sin hath been committed, you cannot fear wrath, or
any evil, as the effect of it.
The second prejudice of fear is, as it respects God's service ,
it may appear divers ways to you •
1, So far as fear possesses the heart, so far is faith suppressed j
it is the cut-throat of believing ; " In quietness and confidence
shall be your rest ;" where there is rest, there is confidence ; and
where there is no rest, there can be no confidence ; therefore as
far as you fear the afflictions of the world, in respect of your sins,
so far are you weak in faith ; faith makes men sit down satisfied,
whereas fear fills men full of doubts : when things are not clear,
there are disputings, but faith puts an end to all doubts and fears ;
wherefore, so long as there is fear, there is unbelief.
2. Fear is prejudicial to all religious duties : it is a damper of
prayer : beloved, you know, that the life of prayer lies in faith,
" If any man pray, let him ask in faith," saith St. Jamea.
Faith is the wing of prayer, and carries it up to heaven ; clip
the wing, and the motions of it must be slow. Beloved, yoH
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 133
that are afraid, in such a fit, what hearts have you to pray ? In
brief, there is this great prejudice in fear, it makes all the duties
that persons perform merely selfish. You know that a servant
is very diligent for his master, when no danger cometh ; but, let
the servant be in fear of it, he will leave his master's business to
shift for himself, and seek for his own safety; so, consider it
well, whether your hearts are not for yourselves in your services,
when there is a strong passion of fear in your spirits. When a
man is in prayer, against some evil he fears is approaching him,
what prayer is it ? He is altogether for himself, that he may be
delivered from his present fear ; there is not a thought (so far as
this fear prevails) that God may be glorified all the while, but
only of the evil that is, or like to fall upon him ; whereas, the
believer should serve with sincerity and singleness of spirit ; he
should do that which he doth, as unto the Lord. Do not mistake,
it is not the spirituality, nor fervency in the performances of
duties, that carries it ; duties are not expiatory helpers with
Christ : but, when duties are performed as to, and for, the Lord,
and not to, and for, a man's self, then are they right as services.
But all our hope that we must have in any condition, must be
only from the grace of God, and all that we act must be to him,
for what he hath done for us. Therefore, seeing it is the Lord
himself that calls upon you, and bids you be not afraid, take
courage from him, and quit yourselves like men : in danger " bo
strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." There is
this difference between God's call and man's, to do any thing;
men call to services and employments, but cannot give them
power to perform that which they are called unto ; but God
calls, and gives influence of his own, to make men do such
things he calls them unto ; the Lord saith, " Fear not," and in
his voice there is life, to frame the same temper in your hearts.
Christ stands over your dead hearts, as he did over the dead
body of Lazarus, saying, " Lazarus, arise," who immediately
arose ; the word of his mouth carried life into it, and with it; so
it saith, " Fear not," and it innncdiately takes away all fear
from the spirit of that man he speaks inwardly unto ; other men
may speak, and sjieak their hearts out, and never the better ;
but. when God calls upon you not to l)e afraid, he is present in
his ordinances, merely for his own sake, to hold out this un-
dauntedness of spirit tf) you ; it is now with you, if you embrace
184 god's covenant with his people,
it; he will make you of an undaunted spirit; he shall strengthen
you as that leviathan the Lord speaks of in Job xli. which
esteemed iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood, because his
scales were so strong : know this, that believers are the levia-
thans of God, he will so steel their spirit, that they shall cut
iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The Lord is able to
put such a spirit into you, and he will make good his promise,
wherein he hath engaged himself, that his strength sliall be made
perfect in weakness ; therefore, though you have said, My
streno-th faileth me, yet he shall be the strength of your hearts,
and your portion for ever ; thus you shall give that to him that
fearful men rob him of, that is, the glory of his power, faithful-
ness, the freeness and riches of his grace, and care of his
people's welfare, and Christ of his sufficiency ; wherein he hatli
promised plentifully to supply you with all spiritual strength,
that you " shall run, and not be weary, walk and not faint," In
a word, there are a few civil respects that I will mention as
motives against this fear ; I will but touch them.
Know, fear, especially dismayedness, puts a man besides his
wits, that while he is in such a passion, he is to seek for
common wavs of safety ; so that, whereas men think that fear
will help them to avoid danger, commonly, in amazement, you
shall have people stand still, not able to stir to save themselves.
Besides, this fear is such a torment, that commonly those evils
so much feared, prove not so hurtful nor evil to a person as the
present fears ; and, besides this, it many times doth not only
daunt the spirit of a man in himself, but proves very dangerous
to others. You already have had sufficient experience, not long
since, of the evil and mischief this fear had like to have occa-
sioned in the army ; a thousand to one it was, that the fear ot
some had not made all the rest to fly ; and it was a miracle of
mercy, that there should be so great a fear in the army, and yet
stand so to it ; fear, at such a time, is of a wonderful spreading
and dano-crous nature ; fearfulness in one, kindles it in many ; and
so not only men's persons, but also the cause itself, is hazarded
but these are but low things in respect of the prejudice GoA
himself sustains in tlie fear of men ; therefore, for your cncou-
rao-cmcnt, consider what the Lord hath in store for you; nothing
he hath, is, or can give, he thinks too good for you, but he is
willin"' to part with it to make you happy ; he parts not witb
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 135
his goods, but with his Son, for you ; nay, with that which is
more, if any thing can be more than his Son, that is, himself.
Will you now deprive yourselves of the sweet enjoyment of all
these, by your base, unbelieving, and fearful hearts ? Rather
let us freely receive, thankfully acknowledge, and confidently
rest upon our Father's abundant mercy expressed in so many
blessings ; but, especially, in the gift of his only Son, given
unto us, " That we might serve him, without fear, in holiness
and righteousness all the days of our life," Luke i. 74, 75.
SERMON XXXIII.
OOD*S COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE, THE GROUWD
OF THEIR SECURITY.
ISAIAH xli. 10.
FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH THEE ; BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR
I AM THY GOD; I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; YEA, I WILL
HELP thee; yea, I WILL UPHOLD THEE WITH THE RIGHT
HAND OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS,
Upon a like occasion, now ofiered, I have (peradventure, in
the hearing of some present) made entrance into these words I
have read unto you ; I shall give you but a taste of what I have
formerly spoken ; so much as may serve by way of introduction
to that, in which I mean to spend the remainder of this time.
The occasion of the words, you may see in the former part of
tliis chapter. At this instant, was a great tumult, upon raising
of the righteous man from the east, that is, the setting up of
Christ : such a noise that God was fain to call for silence, and
then for their plea, verse 1, if they had any thing to say against
this, to bring their strongest reasons. Having obtained silence,
136 god's covenant wrni iiis peoplk,
the Lord makes his plea against their tumultuous opposition,
ver. 2 ; '* Who is he that raised him up, and hath given nations
to him, and made him to rule over kings? I, the Lord, did it,*'
ver. 4. What have you to say to me ? He shall prosper with
ease, he shall go softly, he shall never run for fear of being
circumvented ; " He shall go in a way that his foot hath not trod
before ;" he shall go further than he hath gone ; and what say
they to this, when God speaks ? Yet the tumultuous men will not
be quiet, they consult to find out help ; nay, they conspire, the
carpenter and the smith.
Now, because there is such a combustion when Christ is set
up, lest the people of the Lord should be possessed with fear of
miscarriage, he turns his speech to them; " Fear not, I am with
thee ; be not dismayed, I am thy God.'* Christ whenever he is
exalted, did, doth, and will, find great opposition; but, in spite
of all, he shall prosper, all opposition shall not hinder; nay, he
will go softly, that the world may see that he is not afraid of any
whatsoever. Li this text, the Lord is pleased to provide a pillow
(as for a king) for the heads of his people, or a staff for their
trembling hands, to support their sinking spirits ; they are apt
to be discouraged ; it seems the Lord is pleased to take their
condition into his hand, to speak to the occasion of their
trembling, and to give out such words that may be a stay, that
they may stand fast, though blusterings grow greater than
they are.
The text is nothing else but a gracious encouragement, or a
comfortable support of a sinking spirit ; the encouragement is,
" Fear not, be not dismayed ;" the arguments by which he
would prevail with them not to fear, nor be dismayed, are, " I
am with thee; I am thy God: I will help thee; I will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteousness." The point is this ;
tliat they that have God for their God, need never fear, nor be
dismayed; seeing he is with them, will help them, strengthen
them, and uphold them with the right hand of his righteousness.
Concerning this fear and dismayedness we spake largely the
last time we spake upon this occasion. 1, What it is, not to be
j'.fraid. 2. What we are not to be afraid of. 3. What the
inconveniences of such fear are.
1. In brief, not to fear, is no more but a composedness, against
any evil that comcth. E.\cellent is that expression, in Psa?.
THE GKOUND OF THEIR SECURITV. 137
cxij. 8; "They shall not be afraid of evil tidings." Why?
Tfieir heart is fixed, established, they shall not be removed.
Here is the expression of a fearless heart, a heart fixed,
established, and not moved. You have it likewise excellently
set out in Daniel iii. 16, in the story of the three children, being
sentenced to be cast into the fiery furnace ; they came before the
great King Nebuchadnezzar, and he spake big to them, and tells
them what they must trust unto, if they will not fall down and
worship his God. Mark now, how their fearlessness is ex-
pressed: " We are not careful to answer thee in this matter, our
God, whom we serve, will deliver us." See what a disposition
this is, and what is the ground of it ; here is a true fearlessness,
if when ever evil comes, men can say, it matters not, we are
ready for it : and look into the root of it, and you shall find it
in their answer; " our God is able to deliver us;" that made
them so careless in so weighty a thing.
2. What is it we should not fear. I answer, (1.) Not God
himself, as to do us any hurt; fear him Avith awful i-everence we
must. A bL'liever, that is the servant and chosen of God, need
not fear that he will do him any hurt. " It is God that just ifieth,"
therefore will not harm thee. Ttlie heart of God is to his people;
" JNIy bowels are troubled for thee," saith he to Ephraim. Can
he hurt them while he is troubled for them ?
(2.) They must not fear their own sins; I do not say, they
ought not to fear to commit sin, but they ought not to fear what
hurt their sins can do them seeing they are blotted out. If a man
have subscribed, and sealed an hundred bonds, and all these be
quite cancelled, he need fear no hurt they can do him : Paul in
Rom. vii. complains indeed of a body of death, and the power of
sin ; but in the close, he shews how little he fears any thing that
sin could do; " Thanks be unto God, through our Lord Jesus
Christ." What doth he thank him for? that though his sins
wore so great, yet they could not do him any hurt; nor any of
God's people. Look into chap. viii. 1, 2, 3, Now, beloved, give
me leave to tell you, if you be believers, and weak in faith, I
dare be bold to say, nothing cuts the heart so much, in respect
of fear of evil, as the sins you commit; these will be swords to
your hearts; but if you be believers indeed, the sword is broken,
the sting is gone; " The sting of death is sin, the strength of sin
ii the law; but thanks be to God, that he hath given us tho
139 god's covenant with his people,
victory" over sin ana deatli ; so tnat we may boldly say, *' Oh
death; where is thy sting? Oh grave! where is thy victory?"
1 Cor. XV. 55, 56, 57. If you be the Lord's, and he yours, if you
be believers, you may triumph as the apostle doth ; it is you ; nay,
" Oh death ! (saith the Lord, in the prophecy of Hosea) I will
be thy destruction." I beseech you, give not ear, either to
Satan, or to whatsoever instrument he hath, that would possess
you, that though Christ died for you, and bore your sins himself
upon the cross, or on the tree, (as the apostle Peter expresseth)
yet those same sins will do you hurt, and prove a mischief to
you. I say, there cannot be a greater affront offered unto Christ,
than to make the believer conceive that he was not able to bear
their sins, nor the,, wrath of God sufficiently for them, but that
they must be wounded, notwithstanding all that he hath done. If
Christ be hurt as much as sin can hurt him, how can anj' man be
hurt by it, for whom he suffered ? If he upon the cross took the
sting out of it, and carried it to his own grave, how cometh it
to have a new one 1 Or did he die in vain ? If he took away
the sting of one sin, and not another, there were need of another
Christ, it seems, to take away that that is behind, and so Christ
hath not perfected for ever them that are sanctified: I desire you
to hear with patience; this is the first ground of all your comfort
in affliction, that sin is gone ; for then all afflictions in the world
cannot give discomfort, seeing all arise from sin, the sting of
of affliction. Hereupon the apostle triumpheth, " Who can lay
any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth,
who can condemn ?" Contrarywise, the soul is in the greatest
bitterness, when sin remains, and the sting of it is not taken
away, but when God is reconciled, as he is to the faithful, and
sin not imputed ; see 2 Cor. v. 19, how can sin do hurt, when it
is not be imputed ? God uses to reckon when he takes payment ;
if he doth not reckon with men, he will never smite them with
wrath; as is the wrath, so must be the hurt that person is to
sustain, in respect of sins committed: chastise he doth indeed,
for special ends, but the sin doth not at all hurt; and though the
Lord afflicts, that will do you no hurt neither; afflictions are his
physic, to purge the conversation : will a man think, that is
ready to die of tlie stone, or wind cholic, or stoppage in the
stomach, if a physician comes, and gives him a bitter potion
that he does him any hurt, when he knoweth it is to recover hia
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY 139
life, and save it? he knows he dies, if he heals not the in-
firmity ; God useth no physic, no chastisement and affliction,
but it shall work for good; as in Heb. xii. 11; " No affliction
for the present is joyous, but grievous ; yet, afterwards, it
bringeth forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness, to them that
are exercised therewith." What hurt is there in all this ?
But I must go on, and come to that which I have more parti-
cularly to deliver to you ; and that is upon the consideration of
God's motives, by which he attempts to prevail over the spirits
of his people, not to be afraid, or dismayed, come what can, or
may come ; you know he is best able to persuade ; he best
knows what rhetoric will take with his own people : a man that
hath had the training of a child, and observes the temper of it,
can better tell, than any other, which way to win him : God hath
the training of his own children ; nay, he goeth further, he hath
them at his own beck, and, therefore, can best tell which Avay to
work upon them, and beget that in them, which he calls for of
them. The Lord would have them not be afraid, nor dismayed ;
let him propose his way to bring them to this composedness of
spirit ; it is but presumption in any creature to conceive, there
may be better ways to work upon the spirits of men, than that
which God prescribes : and it is worth your observation to con-
sider, that when the Lord puts his people upon such a spirit, he
doth not say, you have fasted, prayed, forsaken your sins,
denied yourselves, and walk holily with me, and therefore, fear
you not ; he hath higher propositions, that have more excellent
virtue to move his people ; he saith, *' Fear not, I am thy God :
I will help thee, and uphold thee with the right hand of
my righteousness." The prop for upholding of spirits against
fear, when evil cometh, is without a man's self, in him that
is a rock, and unchangeable : the Lord doth not say, you
change not, you continually proceed in holiness, and waver not,
therefore you are not consumed ; but, " I am God, and change
not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." I say,
therefore, again, if you would have settledness of spirit, you
must go out of yourselves, and fetch it out of God himself; and
I dare be bold to say, take all the comfort of all the world, of all
the creatures mixed together ; extract the quintessence of their
excellencies, all these together shall never settle a heart, nor
make it secure and free from fear, but only this, that God is
140 GOD*S COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE,
their God : and by the fruit of this principle, a poor tottering
spirit is under-propped, with four pillars, at every corner one,
as I may so say ; or rather, there is one main principle, and
three subordinate supporters affixed unto the main principle ;
far sometimes you shall see great weights laid upon some great
pillar, and for the better securing of that which is laid upon it,
some short pillars branching out from the main, spread out wide,
and so upholding. This present discourse seems to be such a
main principle, that is, God's being a God to such a people,
" I am thy God ;" this is the foundation, this is the great pillar:
" I am with thee, I will help thee, I will uphold thee with the
right hand of my righteousness ;" they are the three supporters
that issue out of this main principle ; for they are all but
branches flowing from this privilege of God's being your God ;
these, I say, are sufficient to keep the most tottering spirit in
the world immoveable, like mount Sion, never to be removed.
I shall take the principal, the main support, into task at this
present, and therein consider what excellency of support there is
in it : " Fear not, I am with thee, be not dismayed, I am thy
God."
In handling of this, that you may the better see what stability
there is for a tottering spirit in this support, let us consider :
1. What it is for God to be thy God.
2. What a person hath in this, who hath God for his God.
3. By way of answering objections, shew how it is so well
with those that are the Lord's, this being true, that God himself
is their God.
4. How he becomes their God, and upon what terms.
5. How he will be found of them to be so, as he is become.
There are excellent usefulnesses, if the truth be well sifted,
and dived into.
] . What it is for God to be thy God.
There is much in it, nay, there is more in it than is any one
thino- delivered in scripture ; there is all in it that concerns the
present and future well-being and happiness of a believer ; all
is in this one thing, " I am thy God." While you have all
things else but this, you have but the rays of the sun ; while
you have this, you have the sun itself in its brightness, glory,
and lustre. But to clear this thing a little, what is it for God to
be thy, or my God ? you must not understand the Holy Ghost,
THE GROUND CV THEIR SECJJRIXy. lil
speakiiif; in the plural number, of the whole world ; but of aU
tl:e rnenibOTS of Christ as one body; the passage is to be under-
stood distributively, of every such particular person, and so he
is thine, and mine, and theirs ; " I am their God," is all one
with " I am thy God." In the scripture you shall find a vast
difference between God simply and abstractively considered, and
relatively considered ; and that we must note beforehand, that
you may know wherein the strength and comfort of this passage
lieth. For God to say, " Fear not, I am thy God," is ten
thousand times more comfortable, and hath more in it, than
simply for him to have said, " Fear not, I am God." I say,
there is far more support in this expression of him, considered
as our God, than as he is considered simply and abstractively,
without relation to us ; for so it impoi-ts only to us the incom-
prehensible, perfect, and complete being of God, as he is in
himself; but, considered in relation here, as he is thy God,
imports to us, not only what he is, in respect of his absolute
perfection, but what he is to them, whose he is ; so that the
phrase imports, not only what God simply is, but also, that
whatever he is, in, and irom himself, the same he is to those
persons whose he is. It is worth the observation, that the scrip-
tures plainly hold out, that whenever the Lord is spoken of, in
reference to wicked men, he is never mentioned in way of rela-
tion unto them, but only to his own people ; you shall not find
in all the scripture, God said to be the God of any person that
ii a wicked man : but, lest there be a mistake, you must know
this relation of God to people, may be considered either as
common, or as special and peculiar. It is true, take a church,
as it is mixed, so sometimes the Lord is spoken of in relation to
them : as for example, in Exod. xx. 2, " I am the Lord thy
God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and out of the
house of bondage." Here is God spoken of in relation, " I am
the Lord thy God :" and this seems to be spoken collectively to
the whole body of the church, one with another ; but always
observe this rule, where the Lord is mentioned in relation to a
mixed people, that is, a church, consisting of mixed persons, all
the privileges from such a relation of God, in reference to such
persons, are but common privileges : so in that text, " I am the
Lord thy God ;" observe, he calls himself, indeed, their God, take
them conjunctly, one with another; but wherein their greatest
i42 god's covenant with his people,
privilege was, which they had, in having him their God, ne
expresseth thus ; " That brought thee out of the land of Egypt ;**
which was but a common privilege ; and therefore, though God
De said to be the God of people, being mixed, yet he is not so
theirs, as he is his own people's, the living members of Christ :
those that are mixed, receive some common propiety, or common
things in that propriety ; but they partake not of the whole pro-
priety. Usually in scripture, the phrase, lam thy God^ is spoken
only to the Lord's servants, his chosen, that he will not cast off;
and so it is to be understood in this text, as it is in the words
immediately before it ; for you shall se,'*, that God speaks peculi-
arly of his own elect people, and saith of them, and to them ;
"Fear not, be not dismayed, I a.n thy God," &c. The Lord
frequently expresses himself in this relation, when he comforts
and stays up his people, as being the best motive that can be to
uphold their spirits. In Isai. 1. 10, " Who is among you that
feareth the Lord, that walketh in darkness, and seeth no light ?
let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay himself upon nis
God." Here is the very basis, the gi'eat pillar to bear up, even
in a state of darkness ; God is his God, let him stay himself upon
him, because of this relation. Beloved, a man that trusts to
another man's estate, trusts to a broken staff, as we say, and may
deceived, except that be made his own: a child of light can
never be able to walk in darkness, except he have assurance that
Xjlod is his God, b}^ whom he stands : " God is my rock, and my
salvation," saith the Psalmist, Psal. Ixii. 2; "Who is a rock,
save our God?" Psal. xviii. 31. So Thomas, not being present
when Christ made it appear to the rest, that he it was that suf-
fered, and rose again, because he would not believe Christ was
risen, he received this check; "Because thou hast seen, thou
believest; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed:" Now, Thomas having such a check, what had he to
rest upon but this, " My Lord, and my God V When Christ
seemed to be angry, he closed with this, " O God thou art my
God," thou canst not forsake me, thou canst not be wanting to
me, thou art my own.
It will be worth the while to consider, what the Lord's being
a man's own God is : the best way to set this out unto yon, is to
speak as plainly as may be, even in the most familiar way. by
which you may reach some of the depth of this mystery, " I am
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 148
thy God," is as much as to say, thou hast a propriety in me ; or,
I am as much thine own, as any goods, or any thing in the world
is thine; look therefore what difference you may observe
between these two things ; much treasure, great revenues in
general, and this much treasure, great revenue, and this land
mine : I say, what difference you observe between these two
particulars, things simply considered, and considered as yours ;
the same difference there is between God simply considered and
consid*"'ed as thine. You know what difference there is in the
spirits of men, looking upon things these two ways. There is
this difference in outward things, a poor man looks upon the
riches and honors of great men with a wan heart and uncomfort-
able spirit; now the ground of it is this, he looks upon them as
none of his own. Two malefactors are condemned to die, one
hath a pardon sent him, the other none; now mark how these
two persons differ, looking upon this one pardon ; so are you to
conceive of the difference between God simply being God, and
being their God: he whose pardon it is, can say, it is my pardon;
oh, his heart leaps within him, having found a ransom: he hath
received his life again ; his heart is taken up infinitely in the
consideration of his pardon : but look upon the other man, ne
seeth the same pardon and looks upon it with a trembling heart
and sad spirit: now all the difference of the case of these two
persons, depends upon the propriety in the one, and want of it
in the other : a wicked man may think of God simply as God;
but he can never say, (till he reveals unto him, that he is an
elect person) that he is his God, and think upon him as his own ;
see then how much thy case is better for thee to consider God
is thine, than to consider him in himself, and how great thy
privilege is of having him to be thy God.
But what kind of propriety is it ? I answer, thus much it im-
ports, as much as when thou sayest, that such money, or land, is
thine. If you will have the nature of propriety, the apostle, in
Acts V. 4, will tell you in general what ii is ; " The land (speak-
ing of that which was sold by Ananias) was it not thine own?
When it was sold, was not the money in thine own power?" So
then, for a man to have a thing as his own, is to have it in his
own power, to do with it as is best, and most profitable for nis
own advantage, to the utmost extent of the worth of the thing.
As for example., suppose a man hath money in his purse, he wants
144 god's covenant avitii his people,
breaii, his money is in his own power to dispose of for the sunxAiy
of his want, and so, in general, he may make use of all for if.
So, God's being a man's own, imports, that so far as God will
go, as I may so say, for a man's use, and for tlie supply of all his
necessities, so far he hath power with him; God himself is en-
gaged to give forth himself to the utmost for such a man's good.
Now, God's all-svifficiency reaches beyond all wants ; so that
he that hath God for his God, hath him for all the uses that can
oe for his good. If a man be many hundred pounds in debt, ana
hath land that is his own, he may make use of it for the best to
make him a free man again ; he may sell and dispose of it as
far as it will reach, to pay his debts, and procure his discharge ;
but, if it be another man's land, and not his own, then he canno*^
make use of it to pay his OAvn debts, but must remain as he was
before : so the Lord is able to make up every thing that is de-
fective, to sM that have propriety in him ; I do not say, that a
man can sell him, but, I say, so far as God can reach, with his
all-sufficiency, so far may I draw up from him, as from a well of
salvation, whatsoever I stand in need of; the believer hath as
free and uncontrolable right in God. being his own, as he hath
in the money and land that is his own 5 the one is not more in
his power than the other. It is true, indeed, a man may abuse
his land and money, and so he may abuse God too; but using
things as men use things that are their own, that is, for their best
advantage, they have as much interest in God for the uses they
have occasion for, and as much power with hini; as anj' thing in
their own power. When God gives gold and silver to men, he
gives but some thick clay, but when he communicates himself,
he o-ives all that he is; and he that hath God for his God, hath
every thing that he is, or can do : God can do nothing in the
world by his omnipotent power, nor devise any thing by his infi-
nite wisdom, but all this is as much in propriety his, who hatii
God for his God, as it is God's own; his propriety in himself is
but that he is his own ; their propriety in him is, that he is theirs.
All the difTorcncc will be this; God, in respect of himself, hath
the disposing of himself by himself, and no other disposeth o(
him, but himself, as for the people of God, because they know
how to dispose of him, as I may say, to their best advanrase ;
therefore, he is pleased to give out himself according to tbejr
several occasions, as he in his wisdom seeth most conducing <o
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 145
their good: as for example, a father hatii an inheritance oi his
own ; his child hath land by inheritance too ; now, during
minority, the child is not capable to manage it; but the one
hath as much propriety in his land as the other ; all the differ-
ence is this, the father disposeth of his land for his own use
himself, the child hath his land disposed of for his use by the
father ; but, I say, the propriety is the same. So far as God
may be useful for a creature, he is the creatures's, to do good to
it ; I do not speak here, according to the foolish fancy of some,
nor conceive as if there were a transmutation of the creature
nto God ; but, I speak of him, in respect of usefulness for
accommodation, so far as it is possible for a creature to have
him ; he hath made over himself in particular ; man may have
a propriety in God passed over unto him, as these good things
of his that we enjoy, are not transmuted into man's nature, nor
is it changed into that good ; but so far as they may be useful to
him, or conduce to his welfare, so far he may make use of them;
so, when God is thy God, so far as he may be useful to thy
good, he is as much thine, as any one thing in the world is
thine. Be it far from thee, therefore, to think that God is able
to do good in such and such a case, and yet I cannot, I shall
not, have him for such good to myself; this man that so thinks,
must needs conclude, God is not his God. Was it ever heard,
that a man had money in his purse, and yet wanted bread, and
perished for want, except there were no bread to be had for
money ? So, this is to deny the all-sufficiency of God, to think
that he cannot, or will not, supply us with all needful blessings ;
assure yourselves, as God is your own, so as far as may be for
your good, you have him as much as any thing that is yours ;
only you have not the disposing of him to yourselves, and for
yourselves ; that he hath in trust for you. And this will serve to
give a hint, by way of answer, to some questions by-and-by.
Thus, considering what men have, in having God ; let us now
consider what the treasure is, in having him to be ours. It is
true, there are some things, in which creatures have the pro-
priety, and yet are little the better for them, the things being
not of sufficiency : a woman may have a propriety in a husband,
and yet she may be a beggar, if he be one ; she can have no
more than he hath ; therefore propriety simply, is no comfort,
DUt the nature of the thing wherein there is. If God be au
VOL. II. I.
14.(? god's covenant with his people,
empty and scant propriety, then there were but little comfort in
having him ; but mark, he that makes himself over in covenant,
the God of such a people, is the greatest, richest, most incora-
prehensible treasure that can be. You have heard of some that
have been raised from beggars, to mighty estates ; they have
been had in admiration, that they should be made so rich.
What should the people of God do, if they were able to appre-
hend what infinite superlative treasure they have all at once,
when God is theirs ? Beloved, I conceive it a matchless mercy
that he reveals but glimmeringly for the pi-esent, and some taste
of the treasure that we have in him : for, certainly, the over-
excellency of that fulness, he gives unto us in him, would
swallow us up ; we should not be able to endure the glory of it,
if he revealed all unto us ; and that is the reason we know but
in part now, because we should be confounded in the knowledge
of all that is to be known, and all what God is to his own
people : there are three particulars whereby specially you may
observe what great treasure people have, in having God to be
their God.
1. In regard of the quality of the treasure. 2. In regard of
the virtue of it. 3. In regard of the sovereignty, universality,
and variety of help in it.
1. In regard of the quality of the treasure ; men have many
thino-s, which may be of little worth for want of excellency of
quality: there is a great deal of difference between a heap of
dust, and of diamonds ; he that hath one may be a beggar, and
the other having the same quantity, is the richest man in the
world ; so we having propriety in God are the richest persons in
heaven or earth, by reason of the excellencies that are in him •
some men have not many acres of land, but the few they have,
in regard of the riches of them, are more worth than many
millions of others : one acre, as I may say, of propriety in the
Lord, is worth a thousand of the richest proprieties in the
world ; so rich is God, and every thing that is in him. All
things that are given to enjoy, are but beams of this Sun of
Righteousness ; and if there be so much glory in the beams,
what is there in the body of the Sun itself? David, when he
considered the countenance of the Lord, and its superlative
excellency, breaks out into admiration, Ps. iv. 6, 7 ; " There be
many which say, Who will shew us any good ? Lord, lift thou
THB GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 147
up the Hglit of thy countenance upon us ; and thou hiist put
more gladness into my heart, than when their corn and tlieir
wine increased." Mark, while others look for goods, for corn,
and wine, he looks for God's gracious countenance, and having
that, lies down and sleeps, as one filled and satiated. There
is abundance of treasure and superlative excellency in God;
silver and gold are not to be compared unto him ; nay, the
apostle Peter, comparing silver and gold unto Christ, saith,they
are but corruptible things, in respect of his blood; how much
more is God himself, whereunto Christ's blood is but the means ?
now the means is subordinate unto the end for which it is a
means ; if then the blood of Christ be so precious, that silver
and gold are but corruptible things in comparison of it, what is
God, the blood of Christ brings us unto 1
2. Consider the virtue of it ; many things are of worth in the
world, that are of little virtue in themselves ; some are worth a
thousand pounds, in respect of their value, but when they come
to use, and to afford virtue, are but dry and unprofitable ; they
can never cure the sick, nor warm the cold, nor recover the
weak; such are gold and silver in themselves, they can afford
the weak heart no nourishment, they have none in them; a little
bread in the house, in a famine, is worth a house full of silver ;
so God, being your God, if there were no suitableness in him,
or fulness to supply your wants, then your propriety in him were
the less considerable ; but you shall find the Lord is not more
rich than he is full of virtue unto all those to whom he is a God ;
the quintessence of all virtues is in him ; all the virtues of the
world are but beams, that proceed from him ; they are but fruit
that drops from him ; he is the root, from which all is derived.
The virtue of physic is more eminent in God that gives power to
it, therefore, he must needs be instead of all these, and abun-
dantly supply the want of all. It was an excellent speech of a
woman in queen Mary's days, from whom, because of her
courage for the truth, they would take away her bread, she
answered ; " That if they took away her bread, God would take
away her stomach." There is such an usefulness in him, that he
serves for all the necessities in the world : and consider this more
fully, observe the variety of uses that there are in him, to all
that 'ne is a God unto ; all manner of plenty, and variety, are
«omprizea in him : reckon up all the wants men are subject
l2
148 GOD^S COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE,
unto ; many physicians and surgeons have dived into the various
kinds of diseases incident unto the body of man ; but suppose
every creature should sit down, to cast up every particular
disease or vi^ant it is subject to, or any one of his kind, it would
make up more volumes than are yet in the world, by setting
down particularly every defect, incident to the whole creation
one time or other; yea, were the wants multiplied to infinite
millions more than they are indeed; yet there is such variety of
help and supply in God, and such plenty in all that, that there
is no disease or lack, but there is a fulness of redress for it in
him, especially to his people, after he is become theirs ; for all
this virtue he put forth in their behalf who are his, and whose he
is, so far as it may be for their good. As for the quantity of
goodness that is in God, the, truth is, beloved, it is not to
be expressed ; the word quantity, is but a representative wor-l
to set out how much usefulness and help there is in God to our
apprehension ; for quantity hath dimensions and bounds, that
are, and may be compassed ; but there are no bounds of help in
him; there is no want upon you, but we may say of you, as of a
map, it may be but the breadth of a man's hand, and yet
describes countries of vast circumference : beloved, you are the
image of God, it is true, but yet, as in a little map, that hath the
world inclosed in it ; God is an infinite vastness, far above your
capacity; be you as empty as may be, you are but as a nut-shell
to be filled with the waters of the whole ocean , he is an ocean
of goodness ; to fill you up with this, is to fill up a nut-shell
with the sea ; the Lord is so full, that much of his fulness goes
by a flood-gate as I may so speak, because there is more than
will run through thy mill ; but still there is as much as will fill
it, and keep it in a perpetual motion: art thou sick or poor?
God hath health and wealth in him ; art thou in any extremity ?
he is the God of all consolation; art thou at thy wit's ends?
his wisdom is infinite ; art thou weak ? he is omnipotent ; there
is no disease nor infirmity, but remedy is most plentiful with
him.
But some will say. Is the propriety such in God, and is he so
abundant to those that have it in him? How cometh it then to
pass, that those whose God he is, are so far to seek as they are,
for many things that he can supply them with ? How many are
the complaints of things they want, that God could supply? If.
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 149
seems therefore, that there is not such propriety as that he is, or
may be so useful to them, that they have power of it.
For answer, let me tell you, that there is nothing in God,
wherein he may be useful for the good of his people, but he pours
out himself, and is never lacking to them ; there is nothing they
complain of, that God doth not afford them out of himself; but it
is not good for them, that they should always have those things,
which they think they want ; it is no infringing of propriety, to
withhold from a man some things, at sometimes, that are his
own : as for instance, suppose a man be in a desperate humour
to draw his own sword to run himself through ; he is but a sorry
friend, that will let a man have it to do himself a mischief;
suppose a father of an unthrifty son had an estate of his in his
hands ; because it is his, were it wisdom in the father to let him
have the disposing of it, to waste it unprofitably ? were it not the
property of a wise father to keep it for better uses for his son?
There is nothing that the Lord doth hold from his own people,
to whom he gave up himself, but that which in the use thereof
would do them more hurt than good.
Yea, but you will say, you do not speak of such things that
God might afford, that will do us hurt, but to those that he hath
given himself unto, there are wanting many things that would be
very good for them ; they are very much distressed, and God
hath in him that which will ease them ; they seek to him for it,
and they cannot find redress though it be in God ; if he be so
beneficial, then why cannot they have what is good for them out
of him?
I answer. There is nothing that is good, but you have it out of
him : let me tell you, beloved, you are not always fit to be judges
what is good for you, of those things that God hath in store. A
man may be in a distemper, and may judge amiss ; you know,
when a man is sick of an ague, he may exceedingly desire drink,
he may shake, and ask for that that is his own ; and yet for all
this, it is a loving wife's duty to keep it from him, till the wise
physician permit ; thus would it be with us. If the Lord should
give us those things that we think good, we should soon bring an
old house over our heads, as they say.
But some will say, there are things that are good for me, and
I have them not.
Let them be what you can imagine, let others judge so as well
150 GOD*S COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE,
as you ; yet I shall stand to this, as I said before, and make it
good, that there is nothing in the world that is truly good for the
faithful, that God withholds from them, to whom he hath given
himself; let it be never so special a gift, it is not good at that
time, for that person from whom it is withheld : for instance,
some will say, the thing I want is, I have a stony heart, and fain
would I have a heart of flesh. I have a dead and wandering
spirit in God's service, and fain would I have a settled spirit;
fain would I have a cheerful heart, and free spirit, are not these
good for me, will you say ? And yet I seek God for these many
times, and having God, they are mine own it seems, because they
are in him, and he himself is mine: how can he be said to be my
God, and all he is, and hath, to be mine, and I cannot come at
these good things which are in him, and are so needful for me ?
I answer, That God in giving himself unto persons, gives
himself to be communicated unto them at sundry seasons, and in
divers kinds and measures, and yet so, that he will be judge of
the fitness of the time. The question then will be this ; is it
softness, or more softness of heart you seek for 1 Is it a large-
ness, or more largeness of heart you seek ? I mean this, that
which you seek and enquire after from God as your God; is it
something you have nothing of ? or, is it for more of something
you have already ? If you say, it is something I have nothing at
all of ; I have a stony heart, and no softness at all in it ; that is
false : there can be no seeking of God, where there is no softness,
and all hardness ; for he must first soften the heart to seek hira :
but you conceive there is none at all, because the apprehension
of that which is wanting, and the want of that which you have
not, swallow up that you have. It is more that j-^ou would have
in respect of measure. But you will say is it not good for me,
though I have a little softness, a little spirituality, and enlarged-
ness of spirit, to have more ?
I answer, you must distinguish time ; God doth not see it
better at this instant, that thou shouldst have more softness of
heart than thou hast ; and this I am bold to affirm, if he judged
it were better, thou shouldst be more spiritual at this instant ;
beloved, I speak of a person to whom God gives himself, he
would not withhold it at all from thee. Mark it well, you shall
find, that all the spirituality belonging to a Christian is the
mere gift of God to him, and only at his disposing ; and without
THE GROUND OF T£1EIR SECURITY. 151
the leave of the creature, he may make whom he will partaker
of it, and in what measure he thinks meet ; so that the creature
can enjoy no more of spirituality than God will give him ; so the
covenant runs, that you may not think that your spirituality
depends upon yourselves, and the putting forth of yourselves for
it: "A new spirit will I put within thee, and a new heart will I
give thee ; and I will take away thy stony heart, and give thee a
heart of flesh ; and I will write my law in thy inward parts, and
will put my fear into thy heart ; and I will be their God and they
shall be my people, and I will remember their sins no more :"
here is the conclusion; now, how shall believers come by it?
must it not be of God's own good pleasure ? and is it not as he
hath freely passed the donation of it? he gives it, and he gives it
freely ; he doth not, in this covenant, condition with us in any
one article, to get any thing to ourselves. Mark the covenant
well, wherever it is, whether in Jer. xxxi. 33, or in Ezek. xxxvi.
or in Heb. viii. where the covenant is again and again recited :
mark it, there is not one clause of it that God will have us do
this and that good ; he doth not put us upon bringing any one
thing in the world to make it up , for all that is required of the
person covenanted with, the Lord is bound to make good all to
him. Now, if so be the Lord did see more of these spiritual en-
gagements requisite for thy use ; he that hath made such a solemn
engagement of himself, for the performance of all that is to be
wrought in thee in the covenant, would not withhold that at this
instant from thee ; thou knowest not what a corrupt use thou,
at such a time, mightest make of them ; for some through more
abundance of spirituality and spiritual enlargements, have abused
them, to grow moi-e proud and scornful; Paul met with such, to
whom, being puffed up with pride, saith he, " What hast thou
that thou hast not received ? wherefore then boastest thou ?"
Beloved, your own experience may witness ; you shall find some
persons, more eminent in spirituality, have more abundance of
pride : as for exa.mple, you shall find some excel in prayer, some
in other gifts ; what follows ? the corruption in the heart of man
gathers such corrupt inference from hence, that pride riseth in
it, that another saint, because he hath a stammering tongue,
though equally sound-hearted with him, is not fit for such a one's
company. God is wise, he knows the measure and proportion
that is fit for every member of Jesus Christ, and that he doth not
152 GOirs COVENANT WITH ins people,
withhold. I speak not this with any intent, but that people
should still rise to as much as can be attained, but that they still
press hard to the mark of the prize of the high-calling of God in
Jesus Christ. Beloved, when we seek God in his own way for
increase of any good, for soul or body, let us stand to his good
pleasure ; and, for encouragement, let me tell you, if ever the
Lord would have withheld any thing for the sinfulness of his
creatures, he would have withheld the gift of his own Son, '' but
while we were enemies, Christ died for us ;'* would not God
spare his own Son, but deliver him up for us all, while such,
seeing the delivering up of him was for the good of his people ?
will he detain small things, in comparison of him, because of
weaknesses in us ? Mark the apostle's words, " He that spared
not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not,
with him, freely give us all things ?" As if he had said, Thou,
poor wretch, wantest such and such spirituality, thou seekest,
and canst not find, and by°and-by crieth out, that such and such
sins hinder God, that he will not give thee such grace as thou
needest ; and at last questionest, whether he gave thee Christ, or
no ; nay, when thou wert viler than now thou art, thy vileness
did not hinder, but that he freely gave his Son for thee ; much
less shall it bar from thee those spiritual gifts that God intends
to give thee. Here objections start up, this is the way to make
persons slack duties, and be careless ; if we preached, that God
will not give till we mend ourselves, and leave our sins, were not
this a far better way to put men upon it, than thus to preach ?
Let me tell you, we must not be more wise than God, that all,
that the creature hath, might appear to be from his grace, and
so he have the praise of the glory of it; I say, again, it is not
sinfulness in creatures shall hinder God's communicating so much
of his Spirit as he seeth useful ; and he will take care they shall
not take a licentious liberty to go on in sin, or neglect seeking
him, because they know it is not their seeking makes God answer
for what they want ; for it is not your reforming that gets God to
communicate more to you ; but he doth it merely for his own
sake, from his mere motion, out of his mere compassion, the
riches of which was purchased by the blood of Christ ; this is the
only spring and fountain that brings forth to you the fulness of
God in such measure as you have ; as he is yours, so, whatsoever
in him is fit for you in season; he shall cease to be his own,
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITV, 153
when he ceases to be yours ; and, therefore, beloved, I beseech
you, that you will not stumble at God himself, as if he were so
humorous, that every little thing, (not that any sin is, in its
own nature, little, but comparatively) every infirmity and failing-,
should make him pull his hands into his bosom, and refuse to
give his grace ; the Lord, from all eternity, determined what to
give to every saint, and had every act of every believer, before
his eyes *; so that, if they would have been provocations to him
to keep his gifts, he should never have bestowed any upon him.
But I must tell you, it is the foundation of all our comfort in all
our failings in this life, that there is nothing that we enjoy from
God, but what was appointed us before ; and no sin is committed,
but what was, from eternity, before him ; and, if any sin should
have hindered him, he would never have set down so fully and
graciously what he would do ; so that if he hath already manifested
the greatness of his love, by communicating himself to you ; assure
yourselves, this being established, nothing in the world shall hinder
the communication of any thing whatsoever, that may make for
your good. Well, let us go a little further, and consider how he
becomes the God of people : I must tell you, that for lack of
clear distinguishing between these two things, how he becomes
theirs, and how he is to be theirs, occasions a great deal of
confusion in the minds of men, for these two go all for one ; but
you shall see their difference, and the different principle from
whence they flow.
1. How doth God come to be the God of people? You will
say, this is of great use. it is worth the hearing, let it cost what
it will, to have God for my own : but, I say, there is no more
treasure in him, for our use, than it is free to; the gift of him,
for our own God, is as cheap as it is rich ; he never looks the
creature should bring any thing that he might procure it, but we
partake of this merely and properly from the pleasure of his own
will; I say, there is originally, and eflBciently, no other motive,
or nothing concurring to make him our God; but only that he
would do it simply for his own sake, and therefore it is so. Be-
loved, look upon the creatures: God gives his image only to the
sons of men, " Let us make man after our own image :" how
doth man become partaker of it, more than the rest of the
creatures 1 You may plainly see there is nothing in man himself
• John xxi. 17 ; ■ind xvi. 30 ; 1 Sam. ii. 3.
164 ood's covenant with his people,
that procures this privilege to him; man was made but of oiio
common lump with other creatures, even of the same materials
that toads and spiders were. Now, that which was the cause,
why man had the image of God, and no other creature, is the
cause why believers have God given to be their God; and the
reason of both is his good pleasure. It is true, there is a property
of land many times made over unto persons, in respect of
amiableness, or desert, conceived to be in them, and so it is
conferred unto them: but in God's giving himself to the elect,
there could not be such motives in them. The ground is this ; if
any thing could be a motive to the Lord, it must be the most
excellent thing the creature hath since the fall; as fasting,
prayer, mourning, weeping, self-denial, mortification, cleansing
of themselves, amending, and the like ; but it was impossible,
beloved, there should be any motive, out of any of all these, for
God to give himself over to them ; for all these performances,
and whatever else are in them, are but branches that issue from
this main root, God's being their God. If they be spiritual gifts,
they issue out of this principle ; there is no man that believes,
fasts, prays, and mourns, in a truly gracious manner, but God is
first his God, and, being so, communicates these things to him.
How can that then be a motive to God, to communicate himself,
that is not in man till he hath done it ? and, indeed, is but the
issue of it? So then, it is impossible that God should fetch any
argument or motive, to make himself ours, from what we do: and
if we could do any such thing, yet there cannot be any moving
power in such performances, to obtain him for our God ; for in
the very best of them there is unrighteousness, there is filthiness ;
nay, the prophet saith, " That all our righteousness are as filthy
rags ;" sweet motives to prevail with God, for such a gift as to
communicate himself! No, beloved, it is not what we do, but
what he in his own thoughts hath freely determined to do for us.
But you will say, Christ makes God to be our God.
1 answer, beloved, in some sense, that is true : but, as I said
before, originally, he doth not: give me leave to open this
clearly unto you: for I must tell you, that Christ himself is
marvellous wary, not to take to himself that which belongs unto
his Father; nor should we give to Christ himself that which
belongs unto God peculiarly, as giving Christ himself unto us.
Christ saith, " Give to Caesar, the things that are Caesar's; and
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 155
to God, the things that are God's ;" and this holds as true
between God and Christ, as mediator ; give unto God the
things that are his, and to Christ the things that are his : for our
Saviour, in John xvii. 4, saith, speaking to the Father in praj^er,
" I have finished the work that thou hast given me to do :""
What work was that? see ver. 21 ; " As thou, Father, art in mo,
and I in thee; so also they may be one in us;" as much as to
say, that thou mightest communicate thyself to them : observe
it, Christ professes, that it is the work that his Father hath given
him to do ; he did not put himself upon it oi-iginally, but the
Father put him upon it. The truth is, the mere good pleasure
of God, contriving and ordaining this communicating of himself,
was the ground that Christ was sent into the world, that he was
conceived in the womb of a virgin, «&c. and the Lord by the
righteousness of Christ hath actually brought all the benefits of
the gospel upon us, to which end, Christ hath done this work :
but the first foundation of it, was the the thing by which he was
Christ and mediator ; and therefore he could not be the original
of that eternal decree of God to communicate himself to us, for
the execution whereof he was sent into the world. The schools
have a rule, that the end is first intended, though it be last in
execution ; so this, that God would communicate himself to the
elect, being the end for which Christ was sent; though, till he
had by virtue of his death, made way, there was no actual
communication, yet still it was the end of his coming into the
world ; it was in the mind of God, before the means were in
being. Therefore, if you will have God to be your God, you
must not think, that such and such things will make him yours.
Nothing will, but his own free motion from himself by his son.
2. There is a way by which God is found to be the God of his
people ; now these things being confounded together, put people
into a labyrinth, thinking the way to find God, and to get him,
is all one ; now, though it is the mere good pleasure of God
himself, that bestows himself upon us ; yet he is pleased to chalk
out a way, whereby he may be found to be our God ; and that
we may find him to be so, we must meet him in those ways he
useth to be met in.
But you will say, how doth God usually manifest himself, and
how is he found of his people to be theirs ?
T answer, There is an efficient and a passive instrument of
156 OOD*S COVENANT WITH HIS PEOPLE,
finding him out ; the way of finding out of God efficiently to be
our God, is the Spirit of the Lord, acquainting us with the mind
of the Lord; he is the efficient ; all the world is not able to work
any impression upon the spirit of a man, that the Lord is his
God; only the Spirit of the Lord, must persuade the spirit of
man, to receive this principle: it is true, indeed, he doth it
according to the word of grace, and speaks no more to the spirit
of a believer, but what is in that ; but the word doth not of
itself work this impression, that God is my, or thy God, but it
is wrought by the Spirit.
AVhat serve all the ordinances for, will you say? is not here a
crying down of them ? There will be still this scandal cast
upon us : but let me tell you, there is a most comfortable use of
them, though they serve not such high purposes as these, to
beget, find out, and reveal to the spirits of men, the things that
concern God : yet, besides the efficient revelation of God, to be
our God from the Spirit alone, there is a passive instrument, by
which the Lord makes himself known to be the God of his
people.
God makes himself known passively to be the God of his
people, by the word of his grace, and faith laying hold upon it
revealed, and more subordlnately in prayer, fasting, receiving of
the Lord's supper, and such ordinances, so far as they are mixed
with faith. Now give me leave, in a few words, to communicate
unto you the full use and utmost extent of God's thoughts, con-
cerning the ordinances that he hath propounded, how far forth
he would have the creature look upon them, and be put upon
the use of them, so far as they are useful. Know, therefore, as
I said before, that all these ordinances are but passive ways of
conveying this great gift, Ihe knowledge of God to be our God;
I mean more plainly thus : these are only of, and in themselves,
empty channels, through which the Spirit of the Lord brings
from God himself, the spring, these riches, and conveys the
same into the spirit of a man : look as a channel digged in a dry
ground, is the way through which the spring conveys its water
unto a cistern ; the channel itself communicates none of its own,
only it is a passage, through which the spring conveys its water;
so are all the ordinances, even faith itself, prayer, and all other
services, they are but channels, through which the Spirit of the
Lord passeth, and bringeth from the Lord himself (the spring
THE GROUND OF THEIR SECURITY. 157
and fountain) * the revelation of God to be our God. In all the
rest of the gifts of God, which he hath so freely bestowed, never
a gift of God's Spirit procures any thing of its own ; our faith,
fasting, and prayer, have nothing of their own, but as the Lord
hath been pleased to make them to be passages to convev him-
self to us, and so they are to be made use of by us. Ana
indeed, beloved, this is the loadstone, to provoke persons to the
use of all ordinances ; God hath ranked them together, that he
hath so much, and so often promised, through them to convey
nimself ; " You are kept by the power of God, through faith,
unto salvation ;" as if he should have said, the Lord conveys
mmself, and the manifestation of his own salvation, through our
oelieving ; the Spirit of the Lord passing through the ministry
of the gospel, as the breath of a man passeth through a trumpet ;
the trumpet is the gospel, the breath is the Spirit of the Lord ;
tne trumpet adds nothing to the breath. Now know, beloved,
so far as you will attend the ordinances, because God calls out
to them, and because you have heard the Lord promises to
bestow such things upon you in them, so far you shall attend
them according to his pleasure ; but when you ascend so high,
that ordinances get things, then you rob the Lord, and give
more to them than God hath given ; now, though they have no
efficiency of their own, in that nature I have spoken, yet there is
good cause for all God's own people to esteem very highly of,
and to be joyful, and to long much after ordinances, and make
much of them ; for the Lord hath made his promises to be found
of them, and to be with them in ordinances. " In the day of
adversity, call upon me, and I will deliver thee." And here, by
the way, know from hence, what is the expectation of believers
themselves, which they ought to have of the Lord, for such
things, when they come to such ordinances, that so, when we
attend the Lord in them, we may find him in them. In Ezekiel
you shall find, there was a constant motion in the wheels, but it
was because there was a spirit stirring in them; there is no
motion in the heart of man, nor ordinances, but as the Spirit of
• Zech. iv. 11, 12. In this passage, the olive-trees, arrayed in verdure, and abound-
ing with sap ; always emptying themselves, yet ever full ; are a very just representation
of Christ, of his unchangeable love, and his inexhaustible grace. The go /den j)ipeg
through which the olive-branches transmit their oil, seem to be figurative of faith in
its various and repeated actings. By these channels of conveyance, the unspeakable
benefits of a Redeemer are communicated to our souls, and replenish those emp4y
basons. — Hervey's Dialogues, vol. 3, letter 12.
iSB god's covenant with HkS PEOPLE,
the Lord is in them : the Lord hath promised to meet with us in
ordinances, or else they would be as dry as any thing in the
world ; therefore as the poor man lay at the beautiful gate of
the temple, not because the gate would relieve him, but because
it was a place of concourse, where honourable men resorted,
from whom he might have alms ; so in the ministry, fasting,
prayer, and all other services, there is the gate of the temple of
the Lord, the place God makes usually his resort, and appoints
to give the meeting ; therefore, in expectation from the word of
his grace, that we may find him in ordinances, we resort to
them. Now, what derogation is there all this while to them,
while we make them but thus passive ? The richest treasure in
the world may come to a man through the poorest vessel ; the
treasure is never the worse, because the vessel is poor. It is no
matter of what price the means of conveyance is, so that the
thing we desire be conveyed to us by it ; only we must not give
it that, which is above its due : to ascribe the obtaining of these
things to prayer, and ordinances, that is to make gods of them ;
if we think any thing shall move the Lord, but his bowels in
Christ, you invert the course of the gospel ; the Lord saith, " 1
am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my name sake ;*'
that which God doth to sinners, is done to them for his own
sake ; he will not be so much bound to any creature, as to fetch
the least motive from it, to do good to it ; look therefore, as you
would speed, wait upon the Lord, where he saith, you shall.
And this shall be encouragement sufficient to wait upon all
ordinances, where the Lord appoints ; that he will for his own
sake give a gracious answer, and bestow all good things upon
you, that you stand in need of in them ; this is motive sufficient,
I say, to stir you up to attend upon them, and yet not make gods
of them ; to ascribe that to them, which belongs alone to God^
who does all ordinarily through ordinances ; it is the only way
to disappoint you of your hope, when you expect help from
them.
But what is all this to fasting, will you say ?
If you consider the nature of fasting aright, you shall find
there is nothing more proper for this day, than this thing, God
to be thy God, to keep thee from fear. What is the end of
all fasting but this, to get a 2Drop to support from sinking, by
reason of a|>\iroaching evils? Who knows, whether the Lord
THE GUOUND OF THEIR SECURIXy, 159
will repent and leave a blessing behind, saith Joel, when he
proclaimed the day of a fast ? then to find the Lord with his
hands full of blessings, is the end of a fast. Now, if you will
find the Lord your God, you shall find the utmost that you can
in fasting ; for in him you will find that which will support you,
when greatest extremities grow upon you. Therefore, I have
no more to say to you at this time, but only to commend this
work to the grace of God, and to the power of his spirit, tliat is
able to fasten it upon your spirits for your everlasting comfort.
SERMON XXXIV.
REVELATION OF GRACE, NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIN.
1 JOHN ii. 1, 2.
MY LITTLE CHILDREN, THESE THINGS I WRITE UNTO YOU, THAT
YOU SIN NOT : AND IF ANY MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE
WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS; AND Hi'
IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS, AND NOT FOR OUR Slfo
ONLY, BUT FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD.
Of all the prophets, Daniel alone had this prerogative, to fee
called, " The greatly beloved of the Lord ;" and this greatne&s
of his endearedness was expressed in the manifestation of the
riches of the gospel unto him, in a more singular manner than
to others ; so the Lord expresses it by his angel, Dan. ix. 23, 24,
*' Thou art greatly beloved of the Lord, therefore I am come to
tell thee, that seventy weeks are determined upon thy people,
and holy city, to finish transgressions," &c. And among all the
disciples that conversed with Christ, this disciple John, had the
privilege which Daniel had among the prophets, to be called,
" The beloved disciple ;" and as an argument of that, he is
160 REVELATION OF GRACE,
admitted to lie in the bosom of Christ ; and of all the apostles,
you shall find none of them hit so upon the great grace of God
to his people, as he doth ; compare the gospel which he wrote,
with other evangelists, you shall find a vast difierence between
the manifestation of the free grace of God to them, and to him.
He also writing this epistle, follows the same strain therein ; in
the former chapter, he delivers unto us two admirable passages ;
the one is, " The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all our
sins ;" and the other is, " He is faithful and just, to forgive us
our sins ;" two great manifestations of the absolute freeness of
the grace of God to the sons of men. Now, in chap, i. 4, he
declares one main end, for which he publishes this free grace of
God ; " 1 write these things," saith he, " that your joy may be
full ;" implying, that there is fulness of joy in the grace here
revealed ; and it is fit, that little children that have fellowship
with the Father and the Son, should have the knowledge of it
for that end.
Now, whereas he speaks of God's forgiving freely, he would
not have men mistake, as if his revealing pardon of sin inti-
mated, that people did not sin any more ; and therefore he
anticipates it in verse 8, " If any man say, he hath no sin, he
deceiveth himself, and there is no truth in him."
Sin we do, but the grace of God stands in this, that when we
sin, it is forgiven, and it is an act of justice for God to forgive it.
Beloved, I perceive the world clamors extremely against that, in
consideration of the fearful fruits (as they conceive) of such
publishing the grace of God to believers. Tell them their sins
are forgiven, and whatsoever they commit, being believers, they
shall do them no hurt ; this is the way, say they, to bring all
manner of licentiousness into the world ; this opens the flood-
gates for floods of sins to overflow the church. But the apostle
prevents this great objection, and not only so, but establishes
the direct contrary to the inference men make from the free
grace of God ; and this he doth in the words of my text. And
observe it well, were it not an apostle of Christ that spake these
words, there are many zealots in the church would condemn it,
not only for heresy, but for the greatest absurdity in the world :
this appears plain, for there are two things the apostle drives at
in these two verses.
1. An enforcement of something that he would work upon
NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIN. 161
little children, as he calls them, that have fellowship with the
Father and the Son.
2. The great argument he useth to prevail with them to em-
brace that which he would fasten upon them.
The thing the apostle would fasten upon believers was, " that
they would not sin ;" for which cause he writes these things to
them : the argument by which he would prevail with them to do
this, is a strange one in the opinion of most men ; " If any man
sin, we have an advocate with the Father," &c. Put them to-
gether, and it amounts to this ; I would have you not to sin ;
now, the only, and best way, to prevail with you, is this ; if you
commit sin, there is an advocate with the Father, that shall take
care that the sin you commit shall do you no hurt at all ; though
you sin, he is become the propitiation for your sins ; therefore,
fear not any hurt that can come to you by them ; this is the
argument by which he would prevail with them and us against
the commission of sin: now, what an absurd argument seems
this, not only to the world, but even to zealous professors also,
to prevail with men to the forbearance of sin, to tell them before-
hand, that if they sin, there is an advocate for them, and he is
the propitiation for their sins ? Tliere is nothing so vilely calum-
niated, as publishing this free grace of God to believers, in this
way, as being the high-way to break out into all manner of sin
whatsoever. This, say some, is that which lets go the reins on
the neck of libertinism ; and makes men take liberty without
control, freely to commit any sin in the world. Whoever is of
this mind, I must tell him, before I go on, directly crosses the
wisdom of God, and gives the lie to the apostle here, that ex-
presseth, with much infallibility, how little hurt the knowledge
of the pardon of sin can do to persons in Jesus Christ, in that
he passeth it as an argument to prevail from sin. I beseech you,
beloved, not to have any regard to any words I shall say of
myself to you, but as I shall speak the full mind of the Holy
Ghost ; and I shall give you one point first in general, which is
the main scope of the apostle here, and afterwards handle the
several branches of it particularly.
First, I say, take his general scope here, and then, as the
scripture will evince the truth, so for the truth's sake, receive
that which shall be delivered, though for the present it may seem
otherwise than ordinary
VOL. ir. M
162 REVELATION OF GRACE,
The point that ariseth naturally out of the words, is this : P'or
a person, who hath fellowship with the Father and the Son, one
of the little children, which the apostle speaks of here, to know,
before he commits sin, that there is an " Advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for
sin ;" is so far from being a spur to provoke him to the com-
mission of sin, that it is one of the strongest arguments, and tho
best motives, to prevail with him to refrain from it.
That you may see the doctrine is no fancy, nor opinion of men,
but the clear truth; it appears plainly, tliat tlie apostle's business
is to take men off from sinning, " These things I write unto you
that you sin not ;" and then immediately follow these words, " If
any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father." To what
purpose are these words, if not as a motive to prevail with them
to the thing he persuades them unto ? Nay, he tells us plainly,
he writes tliem on purpose that they sin not. What was it that
he wrote to them before ? that " The blood of Christ cleanseth
us from all sin ;" and, " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins :" and now, " These things I write
unto you, that you sin not." Suppose one man should come to
another, and tell him, there is such a friend of yours, will do such
and such good things for you, for he hath told me he intends it :
and I tell you, that you may comply with him, tnat will do all
this for you. Beloved, is not compliance to this man, provoked
by the kindness revealed he will shew? Yea, this favour re-
vealed, is the spur to cause him to comply : so the apostle saith
here, " If any man sin," &c. It is plain, therefore, that tho
knowino- what shall become of our sins before-hand, that they
shall do us no hurt, is not the opening a sluice to provoke to
sin, but a bridle to restrain from it : for you shall find, by con-
sulting the scripture, that the Holy Ghost is not rare, but very
plentiful, in opening this very truth ; that the free grace of God
and the security of believers from sin, are therefore made mani-
fest, that they might not sin.
Look into Rom. iii. 24 — 36, where the apostle (after he had
shewed the desperate condition of man by nature, in respect of
what he himself could do) begins to relate the admirable free
grace of God to men, even while they are enemies, and can do
nothing that is good in establishing it ; and then he comes to
shew, that this revelation of grace is a way to put them upon
NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIX. 163
more obedience, than if it should be hidden iVom them ; observe
the words : " But now the righteousness of God, without the
law, IS manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets,
even the righteousness of God, which is by tlie faith of Jesus
Christ, unto all, and upon all that believe ; for there is no dif-
ference, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ;
being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that
IS in Jesus Christ ; whom God hath set forth to be the propitia-
tion through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for
the remission of sins." Mark how sweetly and excellently he
preacheth the free grace of God, concluding all under sin, and
in a desperate condition in respect of it ; and then he brings in
the righteousness of Christ, namely, free justification by him that
IS the propitiation for our sins. But now, what is the fruit of all
this ? The apostle, in his time, found, that the preaching of this
free grace unto men, as sinners, raised this very objection that is
on foot to this day, and I believe, will be to the end of the
world ; and, therefore, mark the last verse, (after he had ended
this great discourse, and laid down hi? foundation) " That a man is
justified by faith, without the works of the law ;" the objection
that comes in is this ; " Do we make void the law through
faith ?" Mark the expression, few will subscribe to this sentence
which the apostle delivers; that to preach to men (though the
desperatest sinners under heaven (there may be as free justifica-
tion, as for the most righteous man in the world ; though by the
deeds cff the law there be no justification, nothing but condem-
nation by it, pronounced against him ; yet there is justification
lor such men, and this is the means to restrain from sin. Why,
say some, this gives liberty to all uncleanness, for a man to know
that notwithstanding his wicked estate, he shall be justified
freely, and be saved, it is impossible he should miscarry. Who
will not take liberty to sin, when he knows, that though he sins,
and his sins be ever so great, all shall be done away, he shall
not receive any hurt at all by them ? is not this to make void the
law ; you will say 1 Mark the apostle's answer, " God forbid ;
nay, rather, we establish tlie law :" that is, the preaching of this
doctrine to you that are believers, little children, that have fel-
lowship with the Father, and the Son, will not make void the
law ; you cannot take liberty from this free grace revealed. Th*^
preaching and publishing of this free grace of God, mo^/
M 2
im
REVELATION OP ORACE,
effectually wins believers to obedience and forbearance of sin,
than any other course in the world that can be taken ; this, saith
he, is a doctrine that establishes the law, and believers in
obedience to it ; and brings them nearer in conformity to it, and
doth not set them loose to the breaking and violating of it.
And so the same apostle, in chap. iv. and v. having gone on in
an unparalleled way, in the revelation of the admirable grace of
God to Abraham ; that he was justified, being yet uncircumcised,
to shew that we are justified when we are in the worst of sinful-
ness ; and sweetly speaking in chap, v, " When yet we had no
strength, and while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ; and,
when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
of his Son :" and, in the latter end of it, having shewed the free
gift and grace of God to us, being considered as lost persons in
Adam, in chap. vi. 1, meets with the same objection in substance,
and answers it more fully than he did before ; " Shall we continue
in sin, that grace may abound ? God forbid, (saith he,) how shall
we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ?" The sum and
substance of the objection is this ; Is there so much grace, that
where sin hath abounded, grace aboundeth much more? then it
seems, that the more sin a man commits, the more will the glory
of the grace of God appear in the pardon of it ; and so I shall
glorify God best, when I commit sin most, will some say ; so
that the preaching of the abundance of grace, where sin hath
abounded, seems to let men loose to the commission of sin as
much as possibly. The apostle answers this with, " God forbid;"
as if he had said, God will never suffer any believer, though ever
so weak, through any such truth revealed, to break out into sin,
or to make any such abominable inference from it; and, he also
gives the reason, why they cannot make such use of the grace of
God ; " How shall we, that are dead unto sin, live any longer
therein ?" To him, the inference seems so absurd, that he
appeals to the adversaries themselves, how it can follow such a
proposition. He doth not say positively, that they cannot live
in sin that are dead to it, but he puts the question, how it can
be ? And whereas some may answer. Yea, they may easily do
it : no, saith he, they that are partakers of this grace, are dead
unto sin, how can they live in it, when they are dead to it ? The
glorious power of this grace revealed, strikes sin dead in be-
lievers, or rather strikes them dead to sin ; " Sin shall not have
NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIN. 16-5
doinlnion over you, for you are not under the law, but undei
grace." And, as you shall hear by-and-by, the apostle makea
the very grace of God to have that power in it, as to break the
neck of sin in the believer. This is the most certain truth of the
text, and springs directly from it. There is a death unto sin,
where there is a revelation, effectually, of the grace of God to
persons to whom it belongs. It brings a dart with it to slay sin.
" The law of the Spirit of life, that is in Christ, hath freed me
from the law of sin and death ; and what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sent forth his Son in
the similitude of sinful flesh, and, for sin, condemned sin in the
flesh ;" so that, though to reason and sense, the preaching the
free grace of God to men, what the Lord hath done for them for
his own sake, and that before-hand, may seem to be a licentious
doctrine ; yet it seems to the apostle, that there is nothing that
more establishes a restraint from sin, than the manifestation
of it.
In Rom. xi. 33, 34, the apostle tells us, that God hath con-
cluded " all men under sin, that he might shew mercy upon
all :^' and therefore falls into admiration, " O the depth of the
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God !" Now what
follows? having revealed this unsearchable grace, see how he
begins in chap. xii. 1 : " I beseech you therefore, brethren, by
the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world : but be transformed by the
renewing of your minds :" that is, I beseech you by the mercies
of God, that you refrain from sin ; what doth he mean ? Even
the mercies of God, concerning the freeness of grace, manifested
before in chap, xi. Now, if he had been of some men's minds
that the preaching of the free grace of God were a dangerous
doctrine to set men loose to sin, he would never have used the
mercies of God, as an argument to prevail with men to refrain
from it ; he would not have published that, which should have
been of such dangerous consequence, but would rather have been
silent, so far from revealing of it as an argument to the contrary ;
were the revelation of it the way to bring men to licentiousness,
it had been his wisdom, and others, to have concealed it, which
certainly he would have done, had it been so ; but he was not of
that judgment; and therefore, in 1 Corinth, vi. 20, he draws hi;
166 REVELATION OF GRACE,
argument after the same manner; " You are not your own, y^u
are bouglit with a price, therefore glorify God in your bodies,
and spirits, for they are God's.'* Observe here, that the injunc-
tion which the apostle gives the Corinthians, is, that they should
glorify God in their bodies and spirits ; and what is the argu-
ment by which he would persuade them to it? " You are bought
Avith a price :" but, will some say, it seems I am bought, and the
price is laid down for me, I am sure and safe enough, the gates
of hell cannot prevail against me ; I may live as I list, for no
danger will follow me, I may take liberty to sin : now, if the
apostle had known that this consequence would justly have
followed upon preaching this grace, he dealt very disingenuously
with the people of God, and absurdly, by enfoi-cing a conclusion
from a ground contrary to it, revealing such as this is : therefore
surely he would never have used this expression of being
•' bought with a price," if he had known that this would follow ;
but contrarywise, he knew that there is no way in the world will
so much prevail with God's people to leave their sins, as by
telling them before-hand that they are forgiven, and that they
are bought with a price.
In Titus ii. 1 — 10, you shall find how the apostle urgeth
Titus, that he press a holy conversation, answerable to old men
and women, as also to young men and women, as also suitable to
servants ; and especially he writes concerning them, that they
should not purloin from their masters, but shew all faithfulness ;
but what is the argument now, by which he urgeth all these
things upon them ? In ver. 12, the argument is the same we
have now in hand : " For the grace of God, (saith he), that
brings salvation, hath appeared, teaching us to deny all vmgod-
liness and worldly lusts, and that we should live righteously
soberly, and godly in this present world." As much as to say,
The Lord hath revealed his salvation to you, and you see it
before you, it is brought unto you; and not your well-doing,
but the grace of God, is that which brings salvation, brings it to
you. Then may I do what I list, will some say : no, saith he,
this grace of God that brings salvation, brings this too, " It
teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts; and to
live godly, soberly, and righteously in this present world." I
say it is blasphemy against the truth of the Holy Ghost in these
several passages of scripture, to maintain, that this is a necessary
NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIN. 167
inference from the revelation of the free grace of God to men
before-hand, that thereby men will break out into sin, and give
up themselves to it, and that this is the way to give up the reins
into the neck of licentiousness.
I will give you but one passage more ; I confess, I have gone
further in the clearing of this business by scripture, than I
intended ; because I know it sticks so in the hearts of cavillers,
that are ready to spit fire into the faces of those that are
asserters and maintainers of the free grace of God, and the
publishers of it to the people of God. In 1 John iii. 9, " He
that is born of God sinneth not, because his seed abides in him
and he cannot sin, because he is born of God," He that is born
of God, What is that ? It is no more but this, he that is
received into grace by Christ, is one with him, in respect of
spiritual union between them ; to be born of God, and be a new
creature, is all one; to be new creatures, is to be such as we
were not before. More fully, a new creature is one that is
translated from himself into Christ, and stands * before God as
Christ himself, and not as he is in, or of himself; now, such a
person, saith the apostle, si7is not : there may be some difficulty in
the expression, but you must know, the intention of the apostle,
is to take off the objection against the doctrine of the free grace
of God being licentious, and the reproach that is unjustly cast
upon it ; and his meaning is, he cannot take such liberty to sin,
or make such licentious uses of the grace of God, as to walk in
sinful courses, though his sins shall not hurt him; and the
reason is, " because his seed abides in him," that is, there is
an over-ruling power planted in him, to over-match the propen-
sity of the flesh that remains still in him ; that it should not have
that power that naturally it would have, by virtue of such a
principle implanted; not that the apostle speaks absolutely of
sin, that a child of God shall sin no more; for that were to
make himself a liar, and that by his own words ; for he saith in
another place; " He that saith, he hath no sin, deceives himself,
and is a liar ;" and king Solomon also, who saith, that " there is
not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not '*
Eccles. vii. 20. Therefore by sin in this place, he must needs
mean a licentious liberty taken to sin.
Beloved, I know there are many objections raised against this
* r.ph. i.6; Col. ii. 10.
168 REVELATION OF GRACE,
truth ; I shall briefly run through some of them, and if it be
possible, clear it unto you, and vindicate the gospel from those
abominable untruths cast upon it ; and that I will do the rather,
because thousands in the world turn away from the grace of
God, and dare not venture themselves upon it ; because they
fear, if they should, they should presently take liberty to sin,
and so fall away : oh ! how many have refused their own mercies,
and have not received the gospel to this day upon such conceits,
tliat the receiving of it should make them break out unto un-
godliness. I know, there are many here present, cannot but
witness, they are afraid to close with free grace, though never
so fully proved and manifested in scripture, upon this consi-
deration, that it will make them live loosely.
Some will object and say, We know many that do take liberty
to themselves, when once they have been acquainted with such
free grace that hath been preached.
For answer to this, I say. That if believers, from this grace
published, take liberty, they take but what God giveth them ;
the end of Christ's coming, and preaching the free grace of
God, is to proclaim liberty to the captives which are his own
people. He came of purpose, " To deliver those, who through
fear of death, are subject to bondage all their lives long," Heb.
ii. 15. And therefore, saith Christ, " If the Son shall make
you free, you shall be free indeed ;" that is, if the Son give you
liberty, then you shall have liberty indeed ; so that, if believers
do take this liberty, upon this ground, they take but that
which is their own, purchased unto them by the blood of Christ,
and given unto them freely by God their Father. " What shall
we say, then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer
therein ?" Rom. vi. 1, 2.
But some will say. It is a true Christian liberty that Christ
allows, and this, indeed, is a liberty he gives men from the
captivity and bondage of sin, which they were under before ;
but many that profess this doctrine, are known to be more slack
in the performance of duties, and to grow more and more cold
in their zeal, and careless in the practice of religion, and are
more regardless of sin ; and, in a word, take more liberty to sin,
since such grace hath been revealed.
For answer to this, beloved, first, you are not to expect per'
NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIN. 169
fection of works from believers in this life, and that tney shoul '
be free from all manner of sin : I know none of those that have
the most indignation against this doctrine of the free grace ol
God to men, but will yield, that they themselves are not without
failings ; they ought not, therefore, to aggravate the weakness
of their brethren, much less ought the truth of God to be
charged with the failings of men : but suppose some do make
evil uses of the free grace of God sometimes, and are thereby
encouraged to be more bold with sin ; as they are not to be up-
held in it, nor allowed, so ought not their fault to be laid upon
that, which effectually teaclieth the contrary ; for, though be-
lievers, in infirmity, may happen at some times or other, to be
overcome with strength of passion and corruption, to fall into
sin, upon consideration that the free grace of God will save
them ,• yet shall we therefore conceal this grace, because men
take that liberty which it doth not give 1 I say, beloved, if this
should be a standing rule, God should never have revealed the
gospel to the sons of men. I know no believer so perfect in a
course of sanctification and obedience, and abstinence from sin,
but his corruptions may occasion him to take advantage, even
from the gospel itself, to sin ; but certainly, I dare be bold to
affirm, there is not any true believer that maintains this princi-
ple, that he may sin without control, because the free grace of
God hath abounded ; I dare say further, that it is a bold slander,
and that no man is able to make it good from true evidence,
that there is any that takes constant and frequent liberty to
break out into sin, because he knows what shall become of him,
and that his sins are done away by the blood of Christ, so that
they shall do him no hurt ; for, the belief of this, effectually
teaches and produces a hatred of sin, and a love of holiness ; so
that certainly, this is more than can be proved against any true
believer, that he should approve himself in any sin upon this
ground : if indeed believers were in their own keeping, then,
what sin might they not fall into ? But they do not stand upon
their own principles ; for, saith the apostle, " You are kept by
the power of God, through faith, unto salvation, 1 Pet. i. 5,
And again, saith the apostle Paul, " The life that I now live, is
by the faith of the Son of God, that loved me, and gave himself
for me; and I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me,*' Gal. ii. 20»
It is not a believer now that lives, but it is Christ that lives iu
170 REVELATION OF GRylCE,
nim, and he is the predominant principle whereby his actions
are swayed: and as he is carried along according to the prin-
ciples of Christ, he cannot fall into sin. It is true indeed,
Christ, for reasons best known to him, may let loose * the reins
wherewith he holds a believer for a while, and then he will fall
into sin ; but this comes to pass, because the grace of God is
hid, and not because it is manifested unto him, and believed by
him ; and at length the power of Christ shall pull f thern in
again, even by those cords of love, whereby they were first
drawn unto him. And the believer hath the ens^aorement of
Christ himself, that he will never fail him, nor forsake him;
and he hath promised that his strength shall be made perfect
in weakness, and his grace shall be sufficient for him ; and
that because they are not " under the law, but under grace,
therefore sin shall not have dominion over them," Rom. vi. 14.
So that except Christ will give up one of his own members, to
make it his constant practice to abuse and turn the grace of
God to sin, he shall not do it ; but he hath undertaken, that sin
sha,ll not have dominion over that person, that is a member of
his.
But some will say, there are many that admire and adore the
doctrine of the free grace of God, that yet are notoriously
known to live in all manner of licentiousness, and that upon
this ground, because their sins are laid upon Christ ; and they
say, we may live in sin and do what we list ; and what is their
argument ? Oh, say they, our sins are laid upon Christ, and
he died for them.
For answer to this, I profess, I never heard from any person
of credit, that there are any such monsters as these, that dare
make it their practice to be drunk, to break the sabbath, to
curse and swear, and live in uncleanness, and all manner of
vileness, because all their sins are laid upon Christ ; that say,
they are believers, and they shall do well enough. There are
many that are taxed for such ; but, for mine own part, I cannot
say any thing to the truth of this charge, by mine own expe-
rience, of any man in the world ; but, it may be there are such
monsters as these are, in the world ; and the apostle Paul said,
there were such in his time, that because the grace of God
aoounded, would make sin abound, and turn it into wantonness;
* 2 Cfaron. xxxii. 31. f Luke zxii. 61.
NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIN. 171
and, therefore, it is probable there are such now. And if there
be any such, let me deal plainly with them ; for my part, I must
account them the greatest monsters upon the face of the earth
the greatest enemies to the church that ever were ; and I sav of
such dishonourers of the church, and disturbers of the con-
sciences of God's people, that they are carnal, sensual, and
devilish. They are the greatest enemies to the free grace of God
the greatest subverters of the power and purity of the gospel,
and the greatest hinderers of the course of it, that are under
heaven ; and, I dare be bold to say, open drunkards, harlots,
and murderers, that profess not the gospel of Jesus Christ come
infinitely short of these in abomination ; none in the world so
wound the sides of Christ, as he that professes the gospel, and
yet lives wickedly. And, if there be any such here, let me tell
them, their faith is no better than that of devils, for they believe
and tremble ; and that Christ will have heavier reckoning with
such, when they come to judgment, than any under heaven
besides. How many thousands have forsaken their own mercy,
and despised the free grace of God, accounting it a licentious
doctrine, and all because of the occasion such persons as these
give by their vile conversation ? Well, beloved, admit that the
free grace of God hath been thus abused by such wretches ;
2ook over the whole scripture, hath not both law and gospel been
abused, as well as this particular grace ? Is not Christ appointed
for the rising mid falling of many in Israel? a stumbling-stone
for the falling, and a corner-stone for the rising of many ? Is
not he set up as a rock for some to build upon, but to dash
others in pieces ? for a stone of offence to grind many to powder
as well as to be a foundation-stone to others ? Assure yourselves
the gospel of Christ, as it makes believers far more holy than
they can be that receive it not, so there are some that o-row far
more filthy, and take occasion from it, to filthiuess; but in the
mean time, shall the children want their bread, because doo-g
catch at it ? Will not you give your children a bit of food all
the day, and all the Aveek, because, when you give it them, the
dogs snatch at it, and, it may be, pull some of it out of their
hands ? Shall the children want, and starve for want of bread
because dogs abuse it? neither must we make that bitter and
sour, which God hath made sweet : because wicked men abuse
the gospel and free grace of God, shall the people of God be
172 REVELATION OF GRACE,
deprived of that which he hath appointed and provided for them?
Let me ask this question of you : did not the Lord himself, from
everlasting, as clearly see and know, even long before he did
eveal it, how his free grace should be abused, when it should
be preached, as we ourselves see it abused ? If it be such a
dangerous and pernicious thing to preach it, why did he give
such a large commission, and such a strait charge to his apostles
and ministers to preach it to every creature ? If the publication
of it be so dangerous, who must be blamed for it ? Must not
God himself that hath commanded us to preach it to every
creature ? Beloved, if the ministers of the gospel preach the
mind of Christ unto his people, shall they be traduced and op-
pressed for it? Do ye not, through us, wound the sides of Christ,
and God himself? Is not this to charge him that is wisdom itself
with folly? For if ministers declare this doctrine, it is no more
than that, which God hath before revealed unto them, and given
them commission for ; but if they, out of a carnal and needless
fear of liberty, instead of preaching the mind of God, shall preach
themselves ; (let it be never so specious and well-liked of men)
they shall be judged of God as coming in their own names, and
not sent by him.
But you will say, it may be done, with caution and limitation.
I answer, Let us not be more wary and cautious than God
would have us be, to put mixtures of men's doings to the ob-
taining of his grace, while he himself pours itout to men simply
for his own sake, without consideration of aiiy thing in them.
The chUdrcn being yet unhorn^ speaking of Jacob and Esau, when
yet they had done neither good nor evil; it was said unto Re-
becca, The elder shcdl serve the younger^ as it is written, "Jacob
have I loved, and Esau have 1 hated:" men Avill be mincing
this truth, and they will tell you, if you keep close unto God,
and refrain from sin, especially from gross sin, God will love you,
and then you may apply these promises to yourselves : but God
speaks plainly and expressly here, "Before they had done either
good or evil, Jacob have I loved." The grace of God is passed
over to men as they are ungodly, while they are yet enemies and
sinners ; men being yet unborn, when there is nothing in them
considered, but pollution in blood and menstruousuess, God
casts his loving-kindness, and establishes it : before Jacob had
done any thing, or had any gqod mteutioo to liim, God loved
NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIN, 175
him, and appointed this grace for him ; this is the grace of Goi
revealed, and he hath revealed it, thus freely to men : now, is
this the Lord himself that speaks it? Hath he given us com-
mission to preach this gospel and grace of his, and shall we be
blamed and opposed for preaching those things that he hath
commanded us to speak, and hath put into our mouths, saying
we preach a doctrine of looseness and licentiousness ; and give
men leave to do what they list. And yet all this is but
grounded upon carnal fear and needless jealousy of a licentious
liberty.
But some will say, the preaching of the terrors of the law, th«
wrath of God, damnation, and hell-fire unto men, is a safer way
to take men off from sin, than to preach grace and forgiveness of
sin before-hand. It is better to lay the foundation /first in
preaching wrath and damnation.
For answer to this, I say, if we preach wrath and damnation,
we must either make them believe they lie under it, and that it
shall come upon them ; or we must make them believe, that
though there be wrath, yet it shall not fall upon them : now, if
we tell them of wrath and damnation, and the terrors of the law,
and say they are secure from them, they belong not to them, to
what purpose do we tell them of them? We had as good say
nothing: if we should terrify them, and make them believe, being
believers, for of those I speak, if they commit such sins, they
shall be damned, and so come under the wrath of God ; and
except they perform such and such duties, walk thus and thus
holy, they shall come under the wrath of God, or at least he
will be angry with them; what do we in this, but abuse the scrip-
tures? we undo all that Christ hath done; we injure and wrong
the believers themselves ; we tell God he lies to his face; for, it
we tell them, that except they do these good works, they shall
come under the wrath of God ; what is this, but to tell that God
lies, and to bring the faithful under a covenant of works ? Look
into Isaiah liv. 9, and you shall see how it is a belying of God,
to say, that believers may come under wrath and damnation,
except they do thus and thus; the Holy Ghost speaks there of
the time when the seed of Jacob shall inherit ihe Gentiles, that
is, the time of the gospel: in the beginning, the Lord tells us of
an everlasting kindness, that should never depart, nor be made
void, and he confirms it thus : " This is as the waters of Noah
174 REVEL-\TION OF GRACE,
unto me, saith the Lord, for as I have sworn that the waters of
Noah shall never go over the earth again, so have I sworn, that
1 will not be wrath with thee, nor rebuke thee : the mountains
shall depart, and the hills shall be removed, but my loving
kindness shall not depart from thee : neither shall the covenant
of my peace be removed, saith the Lord." Observe it well ;
hath God made such an oath concerning these very times, so
firm and stable, that the earth shall be drowned again with
water, before it shall be broken ; " That he will not be wroth
with his people, nor rebuke them any more ?" And, shall we
tell believers, if they sin, they shall come under God's wrath ;
except they do such and such good works, God will be angry
with them, after he hath so sworn, that he will not be wroth with
his people any more 1 Is not this to make God a liar 1 Again,
we do not only, so much as lies in us, make him a liar, but we
offer an unsufferable affront unto Jesus Christ, and strike at the
very heart of the whole office of his mediatorship. If we say,
that God is wroth with believers, for whom Christ died, for what
end did he suffer death ? I say, if this principle be a truth, that
God will be wroth with his people, then Christ died in vain : for
he could have been but wroth with them, if he had never died :
and to bring the people of God under wrath and vengeance
again for their sins, is to take away all the virtue of the death
of Christ, and to make it of none effect ; and how will this
stand with Isaiah liii. 11, " That he beheld the travail of his
soul, and was satisfied ?" Was God satisfied with the sufferings
of Christ, having the sins of his people laid upon him, and yet
is he wroth and angry with believers for those very sins again,
which before he acknowledged satisfaction for ? If a man be
indebted unto another, and the creditor be willing to take a
surety for the debt, and this surety comes in and pays this debt
for the man he was bound for, and he thereupon gives a general
discharge under hand and seal, shall he yet, by and by, after
take the debtor by the throat, and clap him up in goal ; when
the surety hath answered for the debt before, and after he hath
delivered, under hand and seal, that he was satisfied, and that his
book was crossed 1 Who but must say, it is injustice in the
highest degree ? What justice, what equity is in this ? Beloved,
Christ became our surety; God accepted of him for our debt;
he clapt him up in goal, as I may say, for the debt ; he took
NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SIN, 175
every farthing that he could demand of us ; lie is now reconciled
unto us ; he will not now impute our sins to us ; he hath
acknowledged satisfaction, it is upon record! and now shall he
come upon them again with fresh wrath, for whom Christ hatl
done all this ? Shall he charge the debt upon them again ? He
hath forgotten the death of Christ, it seems, . if this be true.
Therefore know thus much, that it is against his death ; a
making of it of none effect, and his coming to be in vain, to
say, that the wrath of God will break out upon believers, if
they commit such and such sins : and for this I have said, if any
man can produce one scripture against it, or shew in all the
book of God, that it is in any otherwise than I have delivered, I
shall willingly recant my opinion. But I see the scripture runs
wholly in this strain, and is so full in nothing as in this, that
God hath generally discharged the sins of believers. Oh ! then
take heed of falling into the error of the Papists, that say, that
God hath taken away the sin, but not the wrath of God due to
it ; that he hath forgiven our sins, but not their punishment :
but I beseech you, consider, that as our sins were then upon
Christ, he was so bruised for them, that by his stripes we are
healed, and the chastisement of our peace was so upon him, that
there is nothing else but peace belongs to us ; that he beheld
the travail of his soul, and was satisfied ; Christ was chastised,
as I have often said, with the rod of God's wrath, that it was
quite worn out, and wholly spent itself upon him : this is appa-
rent in the vei-y tenor of the new covenant itself; it runs
altogether upon the free gift and grace ; God takes upon himself
to do all that shall be in believers, and asking and requiring
nothing at all of us ; it is true, he saith there shall be the new
heart, and a new spirit, and a new law written in the inward
parts ; but he requires it not of the believer, but he himself hath
undertaken to do all, and bestow it upon him. " A new heart
will I give thee, and a new spirit will I put into thee; and I
will take away thy stony heart, and I will give thee a heart of
flesh," He doth not say, you must get you new hearts, and new
spirits, and your stony hearts taken away ; and you must get
you hearts of flesh ; but I will take the work in hand, and 1 will
see all done myself; all runs freely upon God's undertaking for
his people, Seeing therefore God doth all things freely of his
own accord in us ; then, beloved, see how the grace of God is
^^^ REVELATION OF GRACE,
bused by those toat^would make men believe that it depend*
upon men's doings ; and tell men, if they do not, the wrath of
God will follow thereupon. This likewise batters down to the
ground that way of urging men to holiness, which son.e men
hold forth : that if men do not such good works, and leave such
sins, then they must come under the wrath of God; and the
wrath oi God is but hidden all this while they do these and
these good works ; but, if they fail in any of them, then the
wrath of God will break out upon them ; whereas they ought
rather, after the example of the apostle, to excite them to these
good works, because they are already freed from wrath.
Certainly, this, that I have delivered, proves it sufficiently,
that the appearing of the 'grace of God teaches men to do the
will of God effectually ; the love of God constrains the faithful,
and not the fear of wrath.
But, to conclude, do not mistake me ; in the mean while, I
have no thoughts, as if wrath and vengeance were not to be
preached, and made known even to believers ; they are to be
made known to them, and that as the deserts of sin, and as the
means to keep from sin.
But now, some may say, this seems to be against, and to over-
throw all that you have delivered.
Observe me well, do not mistake me ; you must know, that
wratn and vengeance must be revealed to believers, and to re-
strain them from sin, but not in that way men ordinarily think ;
I mean thus, wrath and vengeance must be revealed, as if be-
lievers were to fear them, or as if they should come under them ;
but as they are secured and freed from them, that so they should
fear to commit sin; not for fear of coming under wrath, but
out ol love, because God hath been so gracious to them, as to
deliver them from the weight of so heavy nrath and displeasure,
that otherwise must of necessity have fallen upon them ; and so
their walking with God in a holy conversation, is a fruit of the
mercy already shewn, and doth not go before, as a thing by
which it should be obtained and procured ? they serve God,
because they are delivered from wrath, and not because they
might receive deliverance from it. It proceeds from joy, in
consideration of wrath already past, and not from fear of it to
come ; so that the wrath of God is preached unto them, not that
they are to come under it, or are in that way to fear it, but ttial
NO KNCOURAOEMENT TO SIN 171
they may see what they are delivered from; what they did, anil
should, and others must lie under; that they may see God's love
unto them therein, that this may draw them to obedience, and
restrain them from sin. And, now they sav. because I have been
delivered from so f^reat a wrath, therefore will I sing and rejoice^
and walk before the Lord in the land of the livings and ti'iumph
in him my deliverer; leading a life answerable to the love of
God, bestowing such a deliverance upon me; and so, by this
preaching of the wrath of God, as being free from it, the more
one seeth that he is freed from, the more he seeth what Christ
hath done in bearing that wrath from him ; and consequently,
the more he is stirred up to walk before God in more cheerful
and comfortable obedience, and the more thankful be will be ;
and the more he seeth what God hath done for him, the more
obedience he seeth he oweth unto him.
Anil now, if any persons here present, have an evil opinion of
the grace of God, as a thing of dangerous consequence, as a
licentious doctrine ; let them learn from that which hath been
saidj to mend their minds, and correct their judgments, knowing
that the Holy Ghost is of another mind ; that the revealing of
the grace of God is the best way in the world to take men off
from sin ; so far is it from letting loose the reins to persons t^
break out into all manner of sjd'uIhws
vol* n.
178 THE FAITHFUL FRIEND
SERMON XXXV.
THE FAITHFUL FRIEND AT THE BAR OF JUSTICE.
1 JOHN ii. 1, 2.
MY LITTLE CHILDREN, THESE THINGS I WRITE UNTO YOU, THAT
YOU SIN NOT : AND IF ANY MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE
WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS ; AND HB
IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS, AND NOT FOR OUR SINS
ONLY, BUT FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD.
I HAVE elsewhere made an entrance, in respect of some generals
these words afford ; time being precious, we shall be as thrifty of
it as possible may be ; only a few words, so far as may serve to
bring us where we were, and then we shall bring you on (by
God's assistance) through the particulars this text holas forth
unto you.
The main scope of the apoitit' in it, is to endeavour to lake the
people of God off from running into sin : but, fist, he useth an
argument to prevail with them, which seems absurd unto the
world, and, doubtless, goes for little less than foolishness among
men, if not worse ; " I write unto you, that you sin not." Well,
but how will he prevail with them ? " If any man sin we have
an advocate v^ith the Father, and he is the propitiation for our
sins :" as much as to say, this is the best way to prevail with you,
that you sin not, to know before-hand, that if you sin, you have
an advocate with tiie Father that will take away your faults, and
save you harmless. Indeed, it is accounted absurd ; but this is
the common strain of the gospel, to make this the best argument
that can be imagined, to prevail over people from committing
sin, to let them know how gracious God is unto them, even to
the forgiving of their sins they shall commit ; and that which we
noted as the main body of the discourse was this : for such persons,
who have fellowship with the Father and the Son, to know before-
hand that they have " an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
AT ITTE nAU OF JUSTICK. 179
the righteous, who is the propitiation for their sins,'' is so far
from being the openinf^ of the flood-gates to sin, that it is a
shutting them down, to stop the course of sin. The Holy Ghost
is very plentiful, in this very way of arguing, to prevail with
God's people not to sin ; shewing clearly thereby, that the pro-
claiming of the free grace of God to them, in the pardon of their
sins, and letting them know it before they sin, doth not destroy
obedience to the law of God, but establishes it better than any
other arguments can do. You may see it clearly in Rom. iii.
23 — ^26, where the apostle preacheth grace, in the absolute free-
ness of it, tc parsons that are utterly undone, and know not what
to do ; and, in ver. 31, he brings in an objection ; " Do we make
void the law through faith ? God forbid : yea, we establish the
law." The apostle making his conclusion. " We are justified
by faith without the deeds of the law," says, this establishes the
law, and doth not make it void ; to know, that from all the sins
we commit, we are freely justified by his grace, establishes
obedience to it: so, in chap. vi. 1, 2, having gone on to declare
the exceeding riches of the grace of God in chap. iv. and v. makes
the same objection in substance that he did before : " Shall we
continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid; how shall
we, that are dead unto sin, live any longer therein V Wherein
he shews plainly, that though some may collect that this is a way
to make men continue in sin, to preach the exceeding riches of
the grace of God ; yet, he saith, there can be no such conclusion
drawn from it, by just inference: " How shall we, that are dead
unto sin, live any longer therein V Wherein he puts it to the
objectors themselves, whether they can make it out, how it is
possible it should be ; therefore, he makes use of it, as the
strength of his argument to prevail with people, in Rom. xii. 1,
" I beseech you, by the mercies of God, that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice." You see he makes use of mercy, and
what mercy is it? In chap. xi. 33, 34, he seems to intimate what
that mercy is : " O ! the depth of the exceeding riches, both of
the wisdom and knowledge of God !" wherein '^ in that " he hath
concluded all under sin, that he might have mercy upon all ;"
I beseech you by these, and all other mercies of free grace,
** present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable
nnto Goa, not conforming yourselves to this world ;" as if he had
•lid mercy is that which will prevail with you most of all, to
n2
ISO thl; faithful friend
present your bodies a living sacrifice, and not conform yourselves
to the world ; but 1 nuist go on to that we have yet to consider :
I have spent some time in objections and answers, but we cannot
now dwell upon them. We are to consider now the specialties
of the argument the apostle useth here to prevail with people
that they sin not.
Beloved, this very text is the opening of the fountain for sin,
and for uncleanness : it is a spring of water to revive a fainting
and swooning spirit ; it is the prop of a tottering soul, to keep it
from sinking and perishing , in it the Lord Christ is revealed
unto us, an all-sufficient succour to all his own, notwithstanding
all their sins that ever they commit. Herein are we consider, 1.
The matter of this argument. 2. The force and strengih of it,
in reference to the thing the apostle would argue from hence.
1. The matter of the argument itself that is contained in these
words : " If any man sin," &c. The force of it lies in the
reference of it to the thing the apostle calls for ; wherein we may
consider, what prevalency this position hath to keep from sin ;
namely, for persons to know, that when they sin, they have an
advocate with the Father.
We will begin with the matter of the argument first, and in
this proposition there are two things observable ;
1. A supposition. 2. A provision of indemnity against the
mischief supposed. The supposition is in these words ; " If any
man sin :" the provision of indemnity is ; " We have an
advocate with the Father," &c. : in the supposition you may note,
1. The thing supposed. Sin. 2. The time which illustrates it ;
he speaks of present and future sins ; he doth not say, if any
sinned heretofore, in the preter sense, but he speaks of the time
present, " If any man sin;" there are some things that are
spoken of the present time, that are in force, but only that very
instant in which they are spoken ; and that very instant being
past, the thing itself is also past; but, for this expression, " If
any man sin," it is not transient, but permanent: the apostle
speaks not only of his time, and of the people of it, " If any
man sin" now ; the words are not to be understood of that very
instant only, and exclusively, as having reference only to those
that did sin in his time, then these words should have been
transient; but the meaning is, that the present of which he
flinaVo should be a standing present time; and the words should
AT THE BAR OF JUSTICE. 18l
be of force for present, even as long as the word of God shoula
remain upon record ; they are to oe understood of this present
time, and all present times that shall be in the next age that
shall succeed ; if any man sin now, or in the next age ; there is
to be understood a perpetuity of present time, in this expression.
It is of great concern, beloved, that you receive this truths
unless you exclude yourselves from the benefit of the advocate*
ship of Christ ; for, if the words were intended only for that time
wherein they were expressed, what should become of us, that
live so many ages after it ? They must therefore be of a
perpetual and permanent being.
3. Note in the supposition, the nature of it, " If any man
sin," saith the apostle ; this word [If] admits of a double
construction ; either the supposition imports a thing possible,
but not likely; or a thing that may be likely to come to pass, or
rather that will come to pass. Either it is a supposition, in case
a thing is, which, it may be, will not; or a supposition by way
of confession and granting of the thing supposed. In this place,
John puts not the word if by way of supposition, as if it were
only likely there should be a sinning ; and if there were a
sinning, there were an advocate ; but he puts the word here by
way of concession, as if he had said, there must and will be
sinning ; we, God's own people, shall fall into sin, it cannot be
denied; but for refuge, when such sins are committed, know
that there is an advocate with the Father, " Jesus Christ the
r"ighteous." Thus you have the first part of the text branched
out unto you ; namely, the apostle's supposition.
2. Consider the provision that the Lord, by the apostle,, holds
forth unto persons that are believers, the members of Christ, for
their indemnity against sins they do, or shall commit ; namely,
" We have an advocate with the Father." In which observe,
1. The office assigned for the making good such provision ;
" We have an advocate with the Father." 2. The person to
whom this office of advocateship is given, and therein the ability
and qualification of him to manage it effectually, " Jesus Christ
the righteous." 3. The issue, and the event of ihe execution oi
this office, " He is the propitiation for our sins." 1. In the
office that the Lord sets on loot for the provision of indemnity
ugainst sin, being committed, you may observe, (1.) 'J'he office
itself, and that is an advocateship, (2.) The uiopiioti i vVjs
182 • THE FAITHFUL FRIEND
office, or the relation of it to the persons that arc the members
of Christ. The apostle doth not say, simply and abstractively,
there is an advocate, but he speaks relatively, we have an
advocate, that is,, our advocate^ &c. (3.) This advocate is
set forth, not only in his relation to men, as theirs, but also unto
God; he doth not say snnply, we have an advocate ; but declaies
the excellency of this office, by this circumstance, with the
Father ; we have an advocate, he is ours ; and not only so, but
an advocate of ours with the Father; which notes unto us, that
the plea of Christ for indemnity from sin, is not in any inferior
court; wliere, if there be a sentence of acquittance procured,
there may be a charge from an higher; but the advocateship of
Christ is managed for our good^ in the highest court of all, with
the highest jndge; that when he gets a sentence, it is defini-
tive*, and there is no other court that can take upon it the
determination of the case ; or call in question the trial of that
which hath been determined there. (4.) The provision in respect
of the office assigned, is excellently illustrated by the circum=>
stance of time, when on foot, or when the officer manages it.
The text doth not say, we had or shall have an advocate, but he
speaks in the present tense, IVe have an advocate, that now
is to act: it is but cold comfort for a man 1o say, being now
a beggar, he had abundance of wealth ; neither doth it give
him fulness of comfort, to say, that he shall have abundance of
wealth hereafter; but herein lies his comfort, that he can say in
truth,. I am rich, I have abundance of all things. It is but coki
comfort for a man to say, I had a friend in court once, but he is
dead' now; if he had been alive now, it had been better with me
than it is, I should have sped well ; I had then carried the cause
on my side; he would have done so and so for me. But here
lies a. man's comfort, that he hath a friend at court that will do
him a good office at his need; the apostle saith here. We
have an advocate. As, therefore, I said of the present being
of sin committed, so I say of the present being of our advocate ;
it must not be understood to be a transient, but a permanent
sentence; it was in force in the apostle's time, it is as full in
force in our time ; .and mo may as well and truly say, JVe have
"ji advocate : and, in after ages, the church of God shall say it
• Dan. vj. a.
AT THE BAR OF JUSTICE. 183
to the end of the world in their times, as truly as we now, and
the apostle in his time said it.
2. Consider here the person managing this ofBce of advocate-
ship, who is described unto us by three notable titles that are
proper and full for the comfort and encouragement of those,
whose advocate he is ; he is Jesus Christ the righteous ; (1.) he
is Jesus, and that is a word that imports a Saviour, as the angel
expounded it ; " And they shall call his name Jesus, for he shall
save his people from their sins," Mat. i. 21. An admirable en-
couragement to lift up the heads of dejected and drooping spirits,
when the advocate comes to plead; this advocate is their Saviour ;
that is, his plea is of such force and prevalency, that he saves
his client.
But some may say, many times in suits of law^ men might
have skilful lawyers, which are able to save them, who are not
admitted to plead for them, because they are not called to
the bar.
Yea, but (2.) this Jesus is Christ too ; this advocate doth not
rush into this office of his own head, without warrant, but is
called to it ; for, as you shall hear afterwards, the word Christ
imports anointing to the office. Many a good lawyer indeed,
may not be admitted to come to the bar of Common Pleas,
although he can plead the cause of his client the best of all ; he
must be authorised and called unto the bar, or else he may not
speak ; but the advocate provided for the indemnity against sin,
is Christ, he is called to it.
(3.) It is Jesv^ Christ the righteous; and that imports the
strength of the plea he hath, by which he becomes a propitiation
for sin; it is his righteousness that prevails in heaven, to get the
sentence to go on the side of the client.
Lastly^ you may observe here, the issure what will become of
this advocateship, what effect it will have at the last; many, who
have causes in suit, are restless to know how their cause will go;
when they come to trial they fain would know on which side the
verdict will be given ; and it is a great refreshing to persons, to
know before-hand, that the cause will go on their side. Now,
the apostle here intimates unto us, what will become of the cause
before it is tried ; he is such an advocate with the Father, Csaith
he) that he is become the propitiation for all the sins of God's
l»eople ; and what that is, we shall shew hereafter : beloved, (his
184 THE FAITHFUL FRIEND
IS a large field of excellent variety of sweetness and fatness ; we
must cake the particulars into consideration, that we may discuss
them the more orderly; and I hope it will be no difficulty to
gather some of the flowers in this garden ; and the Spirit of the
Lord assisting, there may be such sucking, that persons may be
satisfied at the breasts of consolation. That we may the better
lay our mouths to this breast, and draw more easily the milk of
it, let us briefly consider these particulars.
1. The office here spoken of, what it is to be an advocate, and
how Christ manages it, being in heaven.
2. Whose cause it is, that Christ undertakes to be an advocalx?
for.
3. How he is qualified for the comfortable management of
this office.
4. Wliat it is to have Christ to be the propitiation for the sins
of his people ; this is the sum of the whole drift of the apostle,
in these words.
1. What the office of advocateship is, and what it is for Christ
to be an advocate, and how he now manages It in heaven for his
elect
This office, as it is appropriated unto Christ, is not once more
mentioned in all the scriptures besides. Of an intercessor, and
red&emeji', and the atonement, we read frequently in scripture,
that Christ is all these ; but that Christ is an advocate, is not
mentioned iii all the scripture but in this place ; and therefore,
it will be the more difficult to find out the intention of the Holy
Gchost, what he means by it. The word advocate, in the origi-
nal is, iraqaKk'qTos^ and the same word is used in John xv. 26,
and attributed unto the Holy Ghost, and is there translated the
Comforter; iraqaKkrjros, saith the text, "The comforter will
come." Now, the same word that we have here Advocate, is
also rrapaKXrjTos ; and indeed the proper signification of the
word is, A comfortable Advocate. But what is this advocateship,
you will say ? It is a borrowed expression, and an allusion,
opening the prevalency of Christ with the Father, for his own
people; it is taken from an office among men. Advocates in
the common law, you call them counsellors, but in the civil law,
t>)cy have this very title of advocate. The office is tliis ;
na ne\/, l>eing well experienced in the nature of the law. and
the "ulos and principle:.', of justice ; whenever a cause comes to
AT THE «A|J ■>F JUSTICE, 185
be tried, they are to make clear those principles, and so plead
justice on behalf of the client. I say, the office of an advocate
is, to plead the cause of a person as it stands in equity and
justice, and to demand and require a sentence of acquittance
from justice and equity itself: herein an advocate differs from a
suppliant ; a suppliant makes only requests, and depends alto-
gether upon favour alone ; so as if he should stand to the rigour
of justice, he must be gone, and his cause must miscarry : but
an advocate stands to the justice of a person, whose cause he
pleads, and puts the issue of the trial on justice itself; that as
the cause can be cleared to be just, so the judge would pass a
sentence upon it : just so, I say, it is with Christ, pleading the
cause of his own people with the Father, in respect of indemnity
from sin ; for his advocateship is this, namely, to lay the law to
the Father, to plead justice in the discharge of the sinner that
commits sin, that it is but right to discharge him ; and it were
injustice, if he should not : I say, it is most certainly true, that
Christ stands here upon justice, and he will in righteousness
have God to discharge his own people from all the sins that they
commit ; and he pleads, that it is an unrighteous thing, to
charge them with them, or to plague or punish them for them.
But some, peradventure, will be ready to say., this cannot be,
that Christ, as an advocate, should piead for indemnity upon
terms of justice ; for in the strictness and rigour of justice, the
soul that sins must die ; and the gospel seems to say, it is only
and solely grace, that any person is discharged from sin ; for, in
justice, there cannot be a claim made of pardon and discharge
from sin ; but all the plea must be merely bounty and Aivour.
This objection seems to have a great deal of strength in it.
How may these two things stand together, that Christ, pleading
justice, God must forgive; and yet, notwithstanding, justice
sentences a person unto death if he sins 1 For answer to this,
you must learn to distinguish, and I desire you warily to observe
this distinction, that so you may plainly see a reconciliation of
that which seems impossible to be reconciled ; namely, consider
the pardon, or discharge from sin, in regard of any thing laid
down, in consideration of sin committed by the person who
partakes of pardon : and this pardon, or discharge from sin, in
reference unto Christ who gets it : now, in respect of us that
partake of tnis discharge from sin, and in regard of any thing
186 THE FAITHFUL FRIEND
that we can bring in recompence for it, it is merely and only
grace, that sinners, being the members of Christ, are discharged;
when you, or I, commit a sin, that God discharges us, doth not
lay our sins to us, or doth not give sentence of damnation upon
us for such sins committed, it is an act of mere grace alone ;
justice cannot be pleaded in this case.
But then, consider the indemnity from sin, in respect of Christ,
who gets this discharge ; then he is to be considered two ways :
1. As he is allowed by the Father to stand in the room of such
persons, whose cause he pleads ; or, 2. As he hath actually made
full payment, his satisfaction being allowed and admitted before.
Now, I answer, considering Christ, in his being allowed by the
Father to stand in the room of the pei'son whose cause he pleads ;
this discharge from sin by him, is an act of grace ; Christ cannot
plead justice, that he should be allowed; there was not a tie
upon the Father, that Christ should be in man's room, and that
he should be unrighteous, if he did not ordain him to be so ; it
was an act of free grace in God, when his people were under the
curse, and became miserable bankrupts, that Christ should make
satisfaction for them. When one man owes another money, it
is not an unrighteous act in the creditor to refuse a surety ; he
may make the debtor pay the debt himself, if" he will ,' it is
niatter of grace, mere courtesy so to do ; even so it is matter of
grace, that Christ is admitted to come in the room of the elect,
and bear their sins ; to be admitted to bear the wrath of God for
these sins, that another hath committed, is an act of grace ; and,
in regard of these particulars, is the scripture so frequent in ex-
pressions of the free grace of God, in communicating this
discharge and pardon of sin unto sinners. But, 2. consider,
Christ allowed of the Father to stand in the room of sinners, as
he hath come forth, and paid down the utmost farthing that God
in justice could demand for, or in consideration of these sins
committed by his people : I say, when Christ hath deposited into
the hands of his Father, the utmost farthing that he could charge
upon, or demand of believers ; this being received by the Father,
and acknowledgment being made by him, upon the receipt of
what Christ hath paid ; this is an act of justice, that the Father
sliould justify and acquit these persons, for whom he hath re-
ceived of Christ this satisfaction, and accordingly hath acknow-
ledged it, under his own hand, and acquitted llieni. You know
AT TITE BAK OF JUSTICK. 1S7
though it be in a man's power whether he will take a surety, or
the principal, for his money ; yet when he hath taken a surety,
and he hath made payment, it is an act of unrighteousness in the
creditor, after the acknowledgment of full satisfaction, to come
upon the principal again, and make him pay the money ; and it
is a plea grounded in law, that if that cause come in trial again,
the judge ought to acquit the principal, if it be proved that the
debt is paid by the surety. Now, Christ hath paid all that the
Father could ask, and he hath acknowledged full satisfaction for
all; " He beheld the travail of his soul and was satisfied." Now,
being satisfied, it is an act of justice, that the Father should
acquit a person in this kind : suppose one should be brought
before a judge, in a cause wherein he oweth the judge himself
sucli a sum of money ; an advocate comes and pleads the cause
before the judge, that it is true, there was so much money lent
and borrowed, but, saith the advocate, I myself became the
surety for that man, T paid every farthing; here is the acquit-
tance you gave under your own hand : now, I ask this question,
the judge being convinced, and a righteous judge too, of the
truth of the plea, whether in judgment he ought not to acquit
that person, whose cause is pleaded before him ? He took satis-
faction, he acknowledged it, he could have it but of him,
tlierefore in justice he must discharge him. The same case is
between God and us ; it is true, indeed, believers commit those
things that are in their own nature debts ; " Forgive us our
debts," as the word is : but when this cause came to be pleaded
before God, the judge himself, to whom the debt was owing,
Christ the advocate came, and stood up and pleaded, that he
himself being become the surety of a better testament, upon it he
came, and paid the whole debt ; and he, having satisfied his
Father, received under his hand, that he had paid every farthing,
and that he was satisfied, and that upon that satisfaction his
people should be discharged : now, this plea is grounded upon
justice itself: observe how fully and clearly the apostle speaks
the same things, in John i. 7, " The blood of Christ his Son,
cleanseth from all sins;" and hero, " If any man sin, we have
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he
is the propitiation for our sins :" and again, " If we confess our
sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." Mark well,
tVuit the apostle grounds Inmsclt upon Christ's satisfaction ,
188 THE FAITHFUL FRIEND.
namely, his blood that cleanses us from all sin; upon this he
concludes that it is an act of faithfulness and justice in God to
forgive it. I dare say, none are so ignorant in these days of
light, as to think there is such a proportion between confession
of sin, and forgiveness, that confession can balance forgiveness,
and so, consequently, make it an act of justice; no, the apostle
grounds the force of justice upon the blood of Christ that is shed ;
therefore, if you do observe it well, you shall find, that he speaks
of confession, by way of prevention of fear; you know the
common proverb concerning a malefactor apprehended, " Let
him confess, and be hanged ?" why so ? because, if it be disclosed,
the law lays hold upon him, and he shall be sure to die for it;
and therefore, in natural policy, his safety lies in concealing it.
But, if satisfaction hath been made by a friend of his to the law,
and accordingly a pardon sued out for him, there is no danger in
his confession at all. Now, the apostle in this place, having
before said, that " The blood of Christ his Son cleanseth us from
all sins," from hence gathers encouragement unto the people of
Christ, that they should not fear, so as to conceal their sins, lest
being known, they should do them a mischief: but saith he, lay
all open before the Lord, there is no danger to be suspected now ;
for God is faithful and just to forgive them; therefore the hiding
of them should prevent no evil, because no evil should come
upon them for them, though they were laid open never so naked.
Therefore was this spoken by the apostle, to take away fear, and
is the true meaning of the Holy Ghost therein ; I say, to take
away fear from the damage that would ensue, if we should confess
our sins what they are. Paul writing to Timothy, mark what he
ascribes to participating of the excellencies of Christ, even of
righteousness and justice : " I have fought the good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness ;" mark, " a crown of righteous-
ness is laid up;" in which is included the discharge from sin, and
participating of glory, and this prepared and laid up : but mark
tlie foundation of his confidence, that he shall partake of it ; it is
a rigliteous judge that shall give it; he shall give it out of
righteousness itself; justice shall prevail with him to do this
thing for him : whence it is, tliat Christ is called so frequently
righteousness. " The Lord our righteousness," as in Jer. xxiii.
G, a prophecy concerning the righteous branch: and his nain^i
AT THE BAR OF JUSTICE. 189
phall be called, " The Lord our righteousness ;" that is, the
Lord tliat is righteous, makes us one with God, and communicates
his own righteousness unto us, that we may be the delight of the
Father. Give me leave to tell you, beloved, that God is so
unchangeable in all his attributes, that even Christ himself is not
able to obtain any thing of him that may be any ways prejudicial
to any attribute whatsoever ; he can get nothing of the Father,
whereby his justice may suffer, or be violated. Christ must make
it clear, that justice shall have its full due, and God shall not
need to bate one grain of what it expects, or else Christ himself
can have nothing of him ; for he came not to destroy the law,
rnuch less that which is essential unto God : justice is essential
unto him ; if Christ violate justice, he should destroy the very
being of God himself; without giving justice satisfaction, this
would be a derogation to the Father ; hence when Christ pleads
with him for the elect, that they might have a discharge from sin,
ne makes it manifest that all he asks of him, is according to
justice ; nay, he makes it appear, that justice is as much satisfied
m discharging of believers from their sins, as it is in the dam-
nation of the reprobates in hell for theirs. Justice hath no more
right in their damnation, than it hath in the others acquittance
and discharge ; in their damnation, to satisfy justice, there is no
more but the wrath of God revealed from heaven, and executed
upon them : now, for those that are the members of Christ and
discharged by him from their sins, the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven, and poured out upon his Son in their behalf; who
sustained, in respect of the proportion of justice, equivalently to
all the torments the reprobates in hell do, so that Christ hath as
fully satisfied the justice of God for his elect, as it is satisfied in
the damned in hell, who suffer in their own persons : surely,
there had been no need of his coming into the world, if believers
might have been saved, and justice violated without satisfaction ;
but now justice had been violated, had not a proportionable
recompence been made, before the sin had been discharged from
the person committing it. Therefore the Psalmist speaks ad-
mirably, when he saith, " Mercy and truth have met together,
and righteousness and peace have kissed each other :" tliis place
is appropriated imto Christ, shewing, that in managing the work
of redemption for the elect, as he exalts mercy, so he doth not
diminish justice: but carries the business so, that both of them
190 THE FAITHFUL FKIEND
nave their due, and so their due, that they agree one with another;
nay, embrace and kiss each other ; they come to rejoice and
triumph in the satisfaction of each other. And, therefore, it is
but an ignorant imagination in the hearts of some men, that God
will grow more remiss, in respect of the sins of his own people ;
that he is not so much offended with sin, after Christ died, as
before ; for he hath all the abhorring, detesting thoughts of sin
in the nature of it, since Christ is dead, as he had before ; it is
altogether as abominable unto him, as before it was ; Christ did
not come to make sin less filthy to the Lord, or to make a person,
where sin is, more lovely, or less hateful to him ; but rather
declares, and sets forth the wrath of God against sin in the
nighest degree. Wherever the Lord seeth sin, and not Christ
upon the person taking away that sin, he cannot but hate both
the sin and the sinner. All the pleasure the Lord takes in the
elect, proceeds from a purity Christ puts upon them ; and the
taking away of that sinfulness from them, which otherwise could
not but stir up indignation and wrath in him against them, where
he finds it, is the ground upon which Christ pleads justice, that
so it might appear there is no violation of it ; but the Lord is as
well satisfied, as if the person transgressingf had laid under the
wrath deserved, in his own person. I could wish, I were able
to speak to you in so full and clear language, that not one dram
of this glorious mystery of this gospel of Christ might be hid,
for the comforting and refreshing of your spirits ; the thing I
drive at, being, that all the people of Christ might know wherein
lies their strong consolation, not in themselves, as if they did
not sin, or could make amends for their sins ; but in him who
hath made perfect reconciliation for them, and in whom they are
accepted with the Father ; (as if they themselves in their own
persons had made this reconciliation) who hath presented them
so complete in himself unto him, that he is pleased to look upon
them as upon his own innocent Son, and to take pleasure in them,
with the same pleasure that he takes in his beloved. And, if
ever you mean to have your consciences, and your consolations
established, and well grounded, concerning the pardon of your
sins, you must see that Christ hath only pleaded, and doth plead
out your acquittance and discharge, and this your indenuiity,
even to the satisfying of justice itself. For if justice be not yet
satisfied ; if the Lord hath yet a plea against your souls, and
AT THE BAR OF JUSTICE, 19!
Christ hath not fully answered it, but left this plea with Gotl,
who shall stand up before him, Christ being silent to plead for
you? God's justice comes in, and pleads terribly against you,
and will exact satisfaction of you ; therefore you must receive
this principle, if you will be established in consolation ; that as
there is mercy in respect of us, who bring nothing in considera-
tion of our sins, so there is justice in forgiving sin, in respect of
Christ our advocate, that manages his office, and makes it known
for this very end, that we might have the stronger consolation.
SERMON XXXVl.
Christ's advocatrship for all the elkot
1 JOHN 11. I, 2
MY LITTLE CHILDREN, THESE THINGS I WRITE UNTO YOU, THAY
YOU SIN NOT : AND IF ANY MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE
WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THJE RIGHTEOUS ; AND HK
IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS
We have formerly (as some of you may remember) entered
upon these words; wherein the apostle makes the proposal of
the grace of God in Christ, the encouragement unto people to
forbear sin. The first thing we noted from hence, was this; that
the knowledge of an advocate that becomes a propitiation for
sm, even for such as commit sin, is so far from opening a gap
unto a licentious life, that indeed it is the best means to keep us
from it. The last day we fell upon the matter of the aro^ument,
which the apostle useth to dissuade little children from sin : " If
any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous." Herein we proposed to be considered,
192
CHRIST S ADVOCATESHIP
1. What this advocateship of C^lirist is, and how he ma-
nages it.
2. Whose cause it is that Christ here pleads.
3. How he is qualified for this office.
4. What the issue of this advocateship of Christ is, proposed
in the last words of the text ; " He is the propitiation for our
sins,"
1. What this office of advocateship is, the sum is briefly this:
the office of an advocate is to plead the cause of a man, as it is
in justice and right; so that the advocateship of Christ consists in
pleading the discharge of his people, even from the principle ol
right and justice.
Whereas it is objected, and indeed seems a thing unreconcile-
able, namely, that this discharge from sin, goes all along under
the notion of free grace and pardon; how can this be, if it be
merely an act of justice, for God to forgive sins ?
This may easily be reconciled with a distinction ; discharge
from sin, in respect of us, or what we can bring byway of recom-
pence for the sin committed, is fufcicly free grace ; we can bring
nothing at all ; also in respect of Christ, as he is allowed to
stand in our room, it is grace too ; but, Christ being allowed and
admitted, and the Lord having taken the full payment he could
ask at his hands, and acknowledging satisfaction upon such pay-
ment ; this act of Christ makes it an act of justice, that God
should forgive sins ; and therefore the apostle in 1 John i. 7, tells
us, " That the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanseth
us from all our sins ;" and concludes, that " he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins;" but, I cannot insist upon what I for-
merly delivered : now, peradventure some (though I confess a
little over-curious) desire to understand how Christ, being now
in heaven, executes this office of advocateship, or in what sense
he is said to plead the cause of his people : I call it a curious
query, because the scriptures are very sparing in declaring the
manner of Christ's managing this office : that he is an advocate,
is clear enough; how he deals with God in the execution of it,
is more obscure : frequent mention is made, indeed, of Ciirist's
intercession in heaven ; " He ever liveth to make intercession
for us ;" yet though this be frequently mentioned, and the com-
fort of God's people much laid upon this, yet the scriptures are
very snaring what kind of intercession he makes; whether he
FOR ALL THE ETFCT. 193
j)rays to his Father in Heaven, as he did upon earth, or no; and
the like I say, of this business of advocateship. Some few pas-
sages of scripture there are that will give some hint, at least
have some glimmerings of the very manner of Christ's advocate-
ship, and the execution of it. Heb. xi. 4, will give us some
light . •' By faith," saith the apostle, " Abel offered a more ex-
cellent sacrifice than Cain, whereby he received, or obtained
witness of God, that he was righteous, by which, he being dead,
yet speaketh;" that is, by which sacrifice: the sacrifices, you
know, were Christ in the antitype ; for all the life of them, from
which men obtain testimony of God, that they are righteous, is
Christ himself; and it is Christ in sacrifice that speaks, even
when the sacrifice itself is offered : I conceive, therefore, beloved,^
as sacrifices speak, in respect of a prevailing power they have
with God, when he sits in judgment; so likewise the advocate-
ship of Christ, which is nothing else but the speaking of Christ,
is managed after such a manner; Christs speaks as sacrifice
speaks ; for, indeed, he, as advocate, pleads as a sacrifice foi
man : in chap. xii. 22 — ^24, you have another expression a little
more clear. " We are come," saith the apostle, " to mount
Sion, the city of the living God, to an innumerable company of
angels, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to
the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than the blood
of Abel." Here, you see, whereas he in the former chapter put
a voice, or a plea, in the mouth of sacrifices, in this, he speaks
more plainly, and puts a voice, or plea, to that which is the life
of sacrifices ; namely, the blood of sprinkling, the blood of
Jesus Christ; and this is that which speaks better things than
the blood of Abel. You know that there was a strong plea in
his blood, which cried from earth to heaven, till it brought ven-
geance upon the head of Cain; the blood of Christ hath a
stronger plea, and cry, and is for better purposes ; so that undei
favour (for in this I shal', not contend much), so far as I can see,
the value and desert of the bloodshed of Christ, is the plea that
he makes as advocate in heaven ; that when a believer commits
sin, the efficacy of the bloodshed is fresh in the presence of the
Lord, in the beh»lf of that poor wretch that hath thus sinned;
I say, the blood is present, and the whole efficacy and virtue of
it is fresh in the thoughts of the Lord ; and, as it is thus effectual
and powerful, brings the discharge and acknowledgment of it id
VOL. n. 1
194 Christ's advocateship
lild thoughts too (If T may so speak), whereby he is pacified
towards them, and pleased with them. This is always before him,
and present with him ; yea, when the sins that a believer com-
mits are present; and the counter plea of the value of the blood
of Christ, overcomes the natural plea of the sin itself: but I will
not dwell upon this, but rather hasten to another thing very con-
siderable, which is,
2. Whose cause it is that Christ pleads with the Father; or,
for whom the value and virtue of his blood pleads. I remember
the disciples, ^A'hen Christ spake generally concerning his be-
traying, \vere very inquisitive ; Is it /z' saith one ; Is it I? saitn
another. I doubt not, but in regard of the prevalency of the
plea of the blood of Christ, many persons present will fall upon
this enquiry; Is it I that he means ? Is he my advocate? Am I
his client ? I shall endeavour to make it clear, and to resolve it,
as the apostle here proposes it.
The plea that Christ puts up for the persons whose cause he
undertakes, are all sorts of believers whatsoever, high or low,
rich or poor, nay, strong or weak ; he pleads their cause, he is
the advocate of the weakest believer in the Avorld ; na}^, more,
when he is the greatest sinner, I mean, when he falls foully;
when he falls, it may be, through the weakness of his faith,
making him suspect that Christ will be silent in his cause, in
regard to such failings and sinfulness; he is then so properly the
advocate* of such a believer, who, peradventure, falls into some
scandalous evil. Mark but the apostle, " If any man sin, we
have an advocate with the Father;" he makes no exception,
neither in respect of persons, nor sins ; he doth not say, if any
man sin merely of infirmity and common frailty ; but in general.
If any man sin; as if he had said, there must something be done
by believers, that goes beyond the being of sin, before they can
be excluded from having interest in the advocateship of Christ;
here he speaks expressly, there is an advocateship of Christ, for
believers sinning, without exception. I know it is too frequent
among many, that more gross sins than ordinary in a believer, not
* The word advocate, in our language, commonly signifies one who is to plead to: a
person in a court of judicature : perhaps there is nothing that illustrates the matter
more, than the residence of some eminent persons from distant provinces, in the courts
of groat princes or states, whose business it was constantly to negotiate with them thp
affairs of those whom they represented, to vindicate them from any unju«t agpergicns
«nd to advance their interest to the utmost of their power. — DodJridgeon i John ii I
FOR AIL THE IJLKOl. Ifftjj
only waste the conscience, but also interpose between sucn a
person and Christ, of which we shall have occasion to speak else-
where : for the present, there is a conceit, that if a believer sins
.nore than ordinarily, presently there is a just cause for him to
suspect Christ will not sufficiently manage his office for him, at
least hath not sufficiently managed it already ; so that there is
cause of fear. But, let me tell you, to the everlasting consola-
tion of God's people, that there is no sin, which a believer caa
commit, which can exclude him from tlie benefit of this advocate*
ship ; or bring him beyond the bounds of this large grant, " If
any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father;" and, \i it
be an?/ man, you will say, it extends to all men in the world, as
well as believers. Nay, there is a restraint in the words, and
you shall easily see it; " If any may sin, we have an advocate
with the Father ;" if any of us that have fellowship with the
Father and the Son ; it is not every one that hath Christ for an
advocate, but those that are believers ; those that have ri^ht to
fellowship with the Father and the Son, are only spoken of in
this place. I speak this, to the end, that those who, throuorh fear
of death, are subject unto bondage all their lives long, may
know that Christ is come to deliver them, and reveals this truth,
on purpose to deliver them from the fear of death and bondap-e,
by being their advocate for their sins ; he is an advocate, he is
a propitiation for every sin of all believers. The words run in
the general to the end. The apostle doth not say, he is not an
advocate for such and such believers, that sin so and so ; if they
commit sin, so and so aggravated, and their sins rise to such an
height, there is no propitiation for them ; but he speaks in the
general style, If any man sin, and he is the propitiation for
otir sins.; and yet, beloved, I must be bold to go a little further,
in respect of the persons whose cause Christ pleads, and in
whose behalf he is an advocate ; I say, it is for all sorts of
believers; nay, 1 go further, it is for more than present ones,
even for some who are not so for the present, but remain, as yet,
in a state of unbelief In brief, Christ is the advocate of the
cause of every person in the world, for whom he paid the price
of redemption, whether they be already called, or not yet
acquainted with the grace of God: for every elect person, as.
well unconverted as converted, Christ equally, in respect of the
lea, interposes ; but, when I say, he pleads as
o 2
196
CHRIST S ADVOCATESHIP
well for the unconverted as for the converted, I mean for such
unconverted persons as belong unto the election of grace, and
have their portion in the price of his blood. Beloved, for mine
own part, I cannot yet conceive any other considerable dif-
ference, between the plea of Christ for converted persons, and
the elect unconverted, but this circumstantial one ; namely, that
the value of his blood is equally of force, to believers and unbe-
lievers, being elected; saving that believers have this privilege,
that Christ pleads for the manifestation of this discharge unto
them, but not for the present unto the unconverted, till such
time as they shall be called to the faith, and, by that faith, that
thing be made evident, which before was hid : I say, the pardon
of sin, by the blood of Christ, is as full for the unconverted, as
fully passed over in grant, I mean, as to the believer himself:
God adds never a tittle of pardon itself more to him, that is a
believer, than to him not yet converted to the faith, in regard of
the substance of it. For the clearing of this to you, I beseech
you note, what is the rise or ground-work of the pardon of sin,
and when it is complete with God. These two things considered,
you shall perceive that all the pardon, in respect of the substance
of it, that God passed over unto sinners, is before their conver-
sion ; look, I say, upon the rise, or original, of the pardon of
sin, it is the gracious grant of God, upon the blood of Christ
shed ; this is the only foundation of pardon ; there is no pardon
applicable to any person in the world, but what is to be found in
the word of grace. Thou, that art a believer at present, hast the
pardon of thy sins in thy spirit, thou art assured of it ; where
hadst thou this pardon ? Didst thou not fetch it out of the word
uf grace ? Then, as soon as that was first published, this grace
of pardon was held forth. If thou foundest it not here, then
somewhere else; but where will you have this grant to build
upon, if you have it not in the word of grace 1 You will say,
the Spirit of God will reveal it unto you. It is true indeed; but
if he reveals a grant of grace, it is according to his word. The
gpirit speaking out of the word of grace to believers, speaks no
otherwise, but according to it, in them; and if there be a con-
radiction between the inward voice, and this word of grace, it
js enough to give you cause of suspicion ; yea, you may be
eonfident, that that voice within you, being a contradiction, is
false ; I say, Christ sends us unto his word, and from that we
FOR ALL THE ELECT. 197
take out the pardon of sin. Now. beloved, 1 beseech you
consider, if all pardon to all the elect, to the end of the world,
be contained in this word of grace, there is no more pardon than
what is written there; then it must needs follow, that God passed
over this at that instant, when he entered it in the volume of his
book. Is there no pardon till thou art converted? then it is not
to be found in this word of grace, because this was written before
thy conversion ; so that either you must deny the pardon that is
})roperly and truly revealed in the word, and must seek out some
newer than is revealed ; or 3'ou must acknowledge that that is
granted unto man, is, in regard of the substance of it, as soon as
it was in the volume of his book. Hence it is plain, that as
believers coming to believe, fetch out of this word of grace their
pardon ; so unconverted persons elected, have their grace
equally in it, only the Lord hides the publication of it from
them, till such time as he is pleased to call them and give them
faith to read their portion here as other believers have before.
It is true, indeed, though the pardon of every unconverted
elect person be equally passed over by the Lord, yet, till their
conversion, he gives no more hint of it than he gives to the
reprobates themselves. This is that will take away the suspected
inconveniences that may follow upon pardon already granted
before conversion; for whereas men may think this will make
unconverted men presume, to know their pardon before ; I say
it is true, there is such a pardon for them, but they know it not
nor ever shall know it, till they be brought out of darkness to
the glorious light of the Lord Jesus Christ : otherwise, how can
it be true, that all the sins of God's people, past, present, and to
come, are all of them at once pardoned, as the godly learned
Protestants say ? Whence shall a believer, coming to believe,
fetch all his comfort, that all his sins, while he was in rebellion,
were pardoned, if there were not a grant of this extant before;
upon which, as upon a sure foundation, his believing might stay
itself? How comes it to pass, that persons are not cut off
before they are called, if their sins are not pardoned, which
stand between the wrath of God and them ? Nothing else but
the blood of Christ stands between them, even between the
destroying wrath of God, and his people that commit sin, even
before conversion.
In a word, where will you find a new act of God since the
198 Christ's advocateship
grants registered in his book ? Certain I am, that the persons
pardoned were not converted, when this was made ; and, if there
be, or come, after this was first made, a new grant, either it must
be entered anew here, or be in a new book by itself. If, therefore,
all pardons are as ancient as this record is, then they are more
ancient than the present believing of any person that now liveth.
Hence we may let persons know, that it is but a rash expression
to say, that such and such a person is in the state of damnation
(if it be meant he is so before God) while he remains in the state
of unconversion ; and the wrath of God abides upon that person,,
though elected, till he be called*
Beloved, let me tell you, the state of the unconverted elect
person, is as sure from danger of final miscarriage, as the estate
of a saint in glory; saints stand there by the blood of Christ
alone, which hath purchased the pardon of sin for the unconverted
«lect person ; so that the same discharge of them, by the blood
if Christ, concerns the one as much as the other; but, I say,,
still the unconverted person cannot make any conclusion from all
this, because he cannot know his portion till it be given him to
believe.
3. How is Christ qualified for such a vocation as this is ? His
office is of admirable use to believers; to be a propitiation for
their sins, and to get the discharge of God manifested to a per-
son, for whom he pleads it, is of great consolation ; so then it
must needs be, that the advocate that is to plead the cause, be
well gifted for that employment: it is too well known, that a
righteous cause many a time miscarries in the world, through the
deceitfulness or simplicity of the counsel. Wlien men come
5pon life and death, it concerns them much to have a skilful
awycr to plead for them; or else, for lack of urging that which
IS most necessary to be pleaded, they miscarry and perish. The
Holy Ghost, therefore, beloved, is pleased to impart unto us, not
only that Christ is an advocate, and whose cause it is that he
pleads, but also communicates unto us the largeness of the gifts
of Christ, for the managing of this office. I will not go beyond
the text itself, to observe to you the fulness of the gifts of Christ,
to manage this advocateship of his; even to that effect and issue
that his heart can desire ; that is, more than My heart can desire.
There are three titles appropriated in this place unto Christ, all
of them very aptly and sweetly manifesting his excellent gifts, as
FOR ALL THE ELECT. 199
mediator, or as advocate for, or on the behalf of, poor believers,
to wit, " Christ Jesus the Righteous ;" every title shews how
he is gifted.
1. The title Christ contains much m it to strengthen our
confidence in him that is to plead our cause ; it is a word that
properly signifies anointed. Now, anointing, if you remember
well, carries two things along with it; 1. The separation, or call-
ing of such a person anointed to some special ofiice. 2. The
abilities of the person for the oflSce he is called into ; so that our
advocate being Christ, and called so here, imports unto us,
1. The lawful call of Christ unto it, by him that indeed autho-
rizes him. 2. The large abilities he hath to manage it.
(1.) The title Christ imports unto us, his lawful call to
plead: you know Avhat the apostle saith in Heb. v. 4 — 6, " No
man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of
God, as was Aaron." Where he further clears up, hoAv Christ
was lawfully called unto it: " The Lord hath sworn," saith he,
" and will not repent ; thou art a priest for ever, after the order
of Melchisedec:" here is calling. Of what moment is this, will
you say ? I answer, of great moment: let Christ be ever so able
to plead, except the Lord admit him to it, he must hold his
tongue. You know in the common law itself, there are students
in it, and counsellors, then Serjeants at law ; a student in the
law, it may be, is more able to plead a cause, and can do it
better than some serjeant at law, or some others that are called ;
but yet, because he is not called, he must hold his tongue.
Beloved, were Christ our advocate a novice, and not graduated;
if he were not called to the bar, though he can plead never so
excellently Avith God, he could not be heard ; God will give a
call before he hear; so Christ is called.
Yet again, when men are called to be counsellors, they cannot
plead at every bar; at the Common Pleas none plead but a
Serjeant at law ; though many counsellors be able lawyers, and
better gifted than some Serjeants; yet this will not suffice, he is
not called to the bar in special ; and therefore, they must not
come till they have the call as the Serjeants have. The Lord
doth not bid us seek his face without a mediator ; but he that is
the advocate at the court in heaver, is the Lord Jesus Christ,
that is, the man Christ : he that hath the best rhetoric in the
world to plead his cause, must have him as a serjeant to plead
SiOO Christ's advocateship
for him ; lie cannot be admitted in this court to plead for himself.
The ministers of God, are in some sort the pleaders of our
cause, yet they themselves must have this Serjeant to plead for
them, when they come to this tribunal of God, and he alone is
admitted to it. And it is a great matter to know what kind o4
Christ he is, that is singled aut; and then, you must know, that
if the world offer this service unto you, to plead your cause
oefore God, it would not avail ; if this man Christ were not
freely assigned, and called to plead your cause, you are gone
for ever, nothing in the world can be heard but him. You will
say, the servants of God are heard when they pray. I say,
Christ is only heard when he prays ; you must pray in faith,
saith James ; " Let him not think that he slmll obtain any thing
of the Lord that wavers ;" he must ask in faith, that is, he must
sk in Christ, for faith rests not upon itself, but upon him. It
is Christ gets every thing for men ; it is not they themselves,
nor their prayers, but it is Christ that prevails : now, this advo-
cate speaks his mind, and is admitted to do it to the full : but
this is not all, he is qualified that he may plead effectually:
there may be some unrighteous judge in the world, that mav cah
men for favour, as a father calls his son, whether he may be
qualified or no, that is not regarded; this man, for some oye
respects, sliall come to the bar ; but God is a righteous judge,
tiiat hath no partiality ; Christ indeed is his son, but he is not
called merely for favour, but as he calls him, so he breeds him.:
you know, beloved, that at the inns of court, the judges, and
prime lawyers, are teachers of students, and when they find them
proficients, they call and admit them to the bar: so Christ is
the student ; and the Father instructs and tutors him ; he breeds
Jiim up, if 1 may so speak, after the manner of men, to be fit for
the advocateship, and when fit, he puts him out into it. You shall
find anointing, as in the word Christ, imports gifting of men,
when they are called out; Aaron, was anointed, and gifted to
make atonement : and so Saul, when Samuel anointed him, the
text saith, " God gave him another," a regal heart ; when he
made him a king, he gave him the heart of one, a kingly spirii.
And this was that which Solomon prayed for, when the crown
was set upon his head, that God would give him a wise and
understanding heart, to go in and out before his great people ;
and. the Lord, answered him md gave him wisdom ; so that there
FOB ALL THB ELECT. 201
was none ')efore him, nor after him like unto him ; oven so God
did with Christ, he was anointed to be our advocate, and as he
anointed him, he gifted him for it, as he saith, " I have laid
help upon one that is mighty." Christ is the person that must
bring him help, and therefore must be mighty. In Psal. Ixviii.
18, you see, that God gifted Christ, when he called him forth :
" Thou art ascended upon high, thou liast led captivity captive,
and received gifts for men." Here the office of Christ is to
deliver captives, and for this purpose he must be gifted; if he be
not qualified unto it, he will fail in the execution of it. But
above all, that place in Isaiah, xlii, 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, manifestly clears
this matter; "Behold my servant, (saith the Lord), mine elect,
in whom my soul delighteth, he shall not fiiil, neither shall he be
discouraged ; I will hold him with my right hand, he shall not
be dismayed ;" here you see how many expressions the Lord
useth to shew hoAV he qnalifieth his Son Christ, that so he may
be fit to manage his business.
2. He is not only Christ, l)ut he is Christ Jesus, and the title
further illustrates the excellency of his qualifications to be an
advocate ; Jesus is a name importing the effectual prevalency of
Christ in his plea. 1 will not stand to clear the signification ol
it by the etymology of the word; but for a more sensible under ■
standing of it, the word is taken up, and examined by the Holy
Ghost himself, in Mat. i. 21, when the angel brings the tidino-s
of his birth, he gave his name ; "They shall call his name Jesus ;
for he shall save his people from their sins;" Jesus is as much
as to say, a Saviour of people from sin. Now, see how admirably
our Saviour is qualified; he hath not only rhetoric and law at his
fingers' ends, as we say, but he hath an admirable prevalency in
it ; there is not any cause that he yet took in hand> that mis-
carried ; not any client that he ever pleaded for, that at any
time was cast, but he that pleads is still the Saviour of his people
he pleads so, that he saves them from their sins. It is admirable
to consider ; let the sins produced against a person be ever so
many, or heinous ; let the witnesses come in, and swear ever so
punctually, and prove ever so fully the crimes committed againsf
such a law ; yet, such is the faculty of this advocate with thi^.
Father, that he stops the judgment, the sentence cannot go forth :
this Christ, as he is Jesus, is first the bail of all believers, till the
day of payment. You know the nature of bailing ; persons should
2iQ Christ's advocateship
go to prison presently upon the trespass, but bail takes men off
till judgment be given, or perfect satisfaction be made : as we
have sinned, so in legality we ought to lie by it presently ; but
Christ comes before-hand, even the advocate, and passes his
word for us, that there shall be current payment in due time,
binding himself body for body, that there shall be appearance
at that day; but that is not all, when the day is come, though
most witnesses prove point-blank, the crime objected, and the
law pleads the just desert of the punishment provided in that
behalf, yet this advocate steps in, and pays all it can demand; I
myself have satisfied the law on that behalf, saith he, therefore
there can be no more asked of them. This you know, that if any
man borrow an hundred pounds, and if he be sued never so vio-
lently, and witnesses come in, and prove the debt never so
clearly; yet if a surety comes in, and enters bond for him, yea,
and pays the debt for him; if he hath been discharged, and hath
an acknowledgment of satisfaction made on the behalf of that
person, then there is no judgment comes out against him that
borrowed the money, though the thing be proved. This is the
case with our advocate, he is the surety of a better testament, and
pleading, when matter of fact is proved, and the law speaks
directly against it, and justice pleads for such a penalty to be in-
flicted ; yet then is the Saviour produced that makes current and
full payment. There could not be expected any stopping of
the sentence for the client, by pleading, but there must first be
a satisfying of all ; this is the Saviour's office, and as a Saviour,
so he is the satisfier.
3, The advocate is Jesus Christ the righteous ; and this title
imports two things to us, very considerable ; and they have
either respect unto us, or unto God, and both of them shew, how
admirably and sufficiently he is qualified for this office of advo-
cateship ; as it hath reference unto us, he is Jesus Christ the
righteous; as much as to say, the true and faithful. Faithful-
ness and righteousness are taken for one and the same thing,
for dealing truly witli persons. Many a one loseth a good cause
for the unfaithfulness of his counsel; they make against their
clients for bribes, and play on both sides ; they deal not honestly
with men ; they carry the business in a dilatory way ; they will
not dispatch, but delay the suit; but this our advocate, is the
faithful and true witness, he dealeth ingenuously and uprisrhtlj ;
FOR ALL THE ELECT. 208
this one you may trust, and put all things into his hand. Many
times men put their whole business into their counsel's hands
to sink or swim; but here is an advocate that is faithful, here is
no danger of sinking ; you may put all into his hands, you need
not fear at all, he is the righteous and faithful advocate. But the
principal thing, I intended in this righteousness, is that wherein
the strength of his argument lieth, he pleads in the behalf of his
client; that is, the advocate Christ, is so righteous, that this
very righteousness o'"his shall carry the cause on your side, even
to a full discharge from all sins whatsoever. Beloved, the whole
security of persons from Avrath and hell, from sin and death,^
hangs upon this one hinge of his righteousness; as there is force
enough in it, so the cause prospers on the client's side ; if
that should fail, nothing in the world can uphold it. It will be
therefore of mighty concern to consider, how clear the scripture
is, that lays all the burthen of the task in pleading upon his
righteousness ; and further, what kind of righteousness of Christ
that is, that carries such a strength in his pleading for his people ;
both of them need to be cleared, especially the latter. For the
first, the scriptures will be clear of themselves ; only the latter,
what kind of righteousness it is that hath that prevalency, is to
be made apparent. A righteousness, and his righteousness,
most grant; but some mistake there is, in the minds of some,
that reach not the height of the gospel, what that righteousness
is, that hath such a prevalency. The present time will not give
me leave to handle it fully, and I will not do it by halves; and,,
therefore, I will leave it to another time.
204 Christ's RiOHTEousNEsg only
SERMON XXXVII.
Christ's uighteousness only dischargkth the
SINNER.
1 JOHN ii. 1, 2.
IF ANY MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER,
JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS ; AND HE IS THE PROPITIA-
TION FOR OUR SINS, &C.
In these words, you have the apostle's conclusion, and his
argument to enforce it ; his conclusion is, that he would not
have theni to sin ; his argument is, " If any man do sin," &c.
The first thing that we have observed out of these words, is
this ; that it is a powerful argument to prevail with persons,
such as John writes unto, not to sin, to let them know, that
thnigh they do, they have an advocate with the Father.
We are fallen upon the consideration of the argument itself.
1. The matter of it. 2. The force of it. Every argument
hath some firmness in itself, from whence is produced some
good inference ; that which hath none in itself, is not able to
make good another thing. Concerning the matter of this argu-
ment, you have, 1. The apostle's supposition. 2. A provision
against that which this supposition might do ; or, against that
which he supposes a man might do. Here is a supposition, you
may sin, though you be little children; the provision against
the evil that sin might do, is, though we sin, yet we have an
advocate with the Father. And, concerning the matter of the
argument, we have these things proposed considerable, (1.) What
the office is that is here ascribed unto Christ, in that he is called
an advocate, and how he in heaven exercises this office. (2.)
Whose cause it is he pleads by virtue of it. (3.) How he is
qualified for i'. (4.) Tlie issue and event of the execution of it.
(1.) The advocateship of Christ, is a plea founded upon
DISCHARGETH THE SINNER. 205
justice ; Christ doth not appeal in his plea to mere mercy, but
his client stands or falls, as justice itself pronounces a sentence.
And, concerning the second clause of this first part, Christ
exercises this office in heaven, rather virtually, than vocally ; he
speaks as his blood speaks ; " We are come to the blood of
sprinkling, (saith the apostle, in Heb. xii. 24,) that speaks
better things than the blood of Abel."
We came further to consider, whose cause it is that Christ
maintains and pleads ; the cause of all believers, even the cause
of little children, even when they have sinned without limitation
of sin, they commit; for he expresses himself in general terms,
it is the cause of those that sin. If any man sin. Yea the
cause, not only of present believers, but also of all the elect;
believers, or unbelievers, if they be elected. It is true, they
shall believe in time, but yet, I say, Christ is an advocate oi
tliem, while unbelievers, if they be elected. There is not a sin
in the world, but as it is damnable in its own nature, in the
rigour of justice, so it doth not allow of any forbearance ; it is
only Christ that makes the forbearance, even until they are
called. Then we came to consider, how Christ our advocate is
qualified to manage this office with that efficacy and success to
the comfort of those whose cause he maintains. The qualifica-
tions of Christ are expressed in three things in the text :
1. For the title ^ he is anointed to be an advocate ; he hath a
lawful call to the bar ; nay, he is privileged, there is none to
plead but himself; it is Christ anointed, that is, gifted ; and
made an able minister. In Isaiah xlii. 1 — 4, the Lord tells us,
how he shall not be dismayed, he will hold him up, and, " The
isles shall wait for his law:" we must understand it two ways;
that is, the isles shall now be directed and guided by him as
their lawgiver ; or, he shall be so good a lawyer, that the isles
shall wait for his law ; as much as to say. If a man has a cause
to be tried, and hears of a good counsel, very expert in the law,
he waits for such a man's law, he waits for it out of his mouth ;
he hopes he will plead his cause so well, that it shall go well
with him. God makes Christ so good a lawyer, that when he
comes to plead his law, he shall carry the sentence on his
client's side.
2. He is Jesus ^ saith the text, and in that is imported a
notable qualification of Christ, to exercise his office of advo
206 Christ's righteousness only
cateship, Jesus, as much as a Saviour ; and it shews the efficacy
of his plea ; he pleads the cause of his clients so strongly, that
he saves.
3. Another qualification of Christ unto his advocateship, is
that he is Jesus Christ the lighteous ; he is so in a double sense,
and in both of them is declared the excellent qualification of
Christ to advocate for us. 1. He is the righteous^ that is, the
faithful, a counsellor, that ^vill deal truly and uprightly Avith his
client, that will not fail ; 2. This advocate is righteous^ or hath
such a righteousness, as that the whole strength of his plea, and
the force of his argument he useth in it, lieth altogether in his
rio"hteousness. The former expression imports what Christ him-
self is, this what his argument is ; I say, the only argument that
hath power to lead the cause, to state the conclusion for the
client, the only force lies in the righteousness of Christ; this is
that which God looks upon, and which prevails with him, and
makes it a righteous thing with him to forgive and discharge
a sinner ; I say, his righteousness is the hinge upon which the
whole frame turns ; the pillar upon which all our safety hangs ;
the only holdfast that keeps us from sinking ; if this should
fail, nothing else could bear us up ; and therefore, of all things
in the world, nothing should be more searched into and un-
derstood than this one truth ; namely, that it is the righteous-
ness of Christ that prevails in plea with God, for a person
that sins, and this only. I shall therefore endeavour, for the
■clearing up of this thing, that the strength of Christ's plea with
God lies in his righteousness, to shew you, 1. Evidently out
of scripture, that it is this righteousness, and only this, that
prevails with God for the discharge of a member of Christ
when he sins. 2. Shall consider what this righteousness is that
so prevails with him.
1, The scripture, or rather the Holy Ghost, in the word ot
grace, holds forth this truth frequently unto us ; that all the
strength of the plea with God, and consequently all the ground
of solid comfort unto us, wholly depend upon the righteousness
of Christ, and nothing else : look into Psal. 1. 5, 6, for David,
even in his time, was marvellous clear in this truth ; " Gather
my saints, (saith the Lord) such as have made a covenant with
me by sacrifice, and the heavens shall declare his righteous-
ness." Gather them together, that is, bring them to judgment,
DISCHAROETH THE SINNER. ' 2^7
such as have made a covenant with me by sacrifice ; and then,
when they stand in judgment, " the heavens shall declare his
righteousness :" he saith not, " the heavens shall declare my
righteousness," though it is a truth, that they do declare both
his and Christ's ; his in passing sentence of absolution, Christ's
in pleading so for it, that God in justice cannot but pass it.
Either understand it thus, the righteousness that shall be
pleaded, is that that comes down from heaven, of which Ave shall
speak more hereafter ; or, the righteousness which Christ shall
plead, shall be so clear and evident in the prevalency of it, that
the sun in the firmament hath not a clearer brightness in it,
than this shall have to clear up the business : gather my saints
together that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. What
sacrifice, will you say, or what is there in sacrifice, that the Lord
should be in covenant with his people ? Look into Psal. li. 19,
you shall there see what there is in sacrifice that makes a cove-
nant between God and his people ; " Then shalt thou be
pleased, (saith David) with the sacrifice of righteousness ;"
righteousness in the sacrifice, is that which procures a pleasant-
ness in God unto those persons unto whom sacrifice belongs, or
for whose use sacrifice serves : 1 say, righteousness in the sacri-
fice, not an inherent righteousness in the typical sacrifice itself;
for, saith the apostle, it is impossible that the " blood of bulls
and goats should take away sin ;" but there is a righteousness
that is declared from heaven, and annexed to the sacrifice, the
righteousness of Christ ; this is that which puts an end to the
quarrel, and makes an agreement between those that are at
difference : and verse 14, you shall see, beloved, David hath
such a confidence in the righteousness of Christ, and so makes
it his refuge, as that in the greatest of sins he was ever over-
taken with, l^e betakes himself unto it, " Deliver me, O Lord,
from blood-guiltiness ; thou God of my righteousness ;" there
you plainly see deliverance from blood-guiltiness is ascribed
unto the righteousness of God ; and he waits for his deliver-
ance, even out of the power that righteousness hath with God ;
for that purpose, in Psal. Ixxi. 2, you shall see David makes the
righteousness of Christ his refuge in extremity, " Deliver me,
O Lord, in thy righteousness ;" and afterwards how he sticks to
this righteousness for refuge still, and will not leave it ; " My
mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness :" and *' I will mak€
2U8 CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS ONLr
mention of thy righteousness, and thine only,*' ver. 15, 16.
Mark the expression well, let David be in what condition he
will, he will make no other plea in the world but this, " thy
righteousness, and thine only ;" whether you understand it of
God's righteousness simply, as judge, or of Christ's righteous-
ness, as he is the advocate, they come all to one reckonino-;
for, if God delivers in a righteous sentence, or according to
righteousness, deliverance proceeds from righteousness pleaded.
So that, I say, if you understand it of the Lord, then you must
conceive the righteousness of Christ is the ground, why he
pronounceth a sentence of righteousness : and in Psal. cxliii. 11,
David there again ascribes his deliverance unto righteousness ;
" Quicken thou me, O Lord, for thy name's sake, and for thy
righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble."
The prophet Isaiah comes behind none in evangelical sweet
truths for the comfort of God's people ; he is marvellous full
concerning this thing, namely, the discharge of the people of
God by the righteousness of Christ. Look into chap. i. 27,
" Sion, (saith the Lord there,) shall be redeemed with judgment,
and her converts with righteousness ;" here you see, beloved,
that the church of God shall be brought to judgment ; judgment,
you know, is a sentence passed by a judge; and there shall be
redemption unto Sion even by judgment; and this sentence of a
judge must be pronounced for the deliverance of the client ; this
is our comfort, we shall be saved by righteousness. In Isaiah
xli. 2, you shall see how the Lord sets out Christ in this very
term, " Who hath raised up the righteous man, and called him
to his foot V "I, the first, and the last," saith the Lord, in ver. 4.
Christ, I say, is held forth, as the righteous man raised up for an
horn of salvation for us, Luke i. 69. In chap. li. ver. 6, the
Holy Ghost tells us, that God will make " judgment to rest
for a light of the people ;" that is, when the Lord brings his
people unto judgment, it shall be a lightsome day unto them,
and though it is, yet who can stand before his judgment? Mark
the o-round of the lightsomeness of it when they shall come unto
their trial ; " My righteousness 'is near, (saith the Lord), my
judgment is gone forth, my salvation is gone forth ;" therefore
it should be a lightsome day, because there shall be righteousness
in it to plead out that judgment that shall be given on the behalf
of the clients of Christ: in Isa, liii. 11; "He shall see of the
mSCHARGETII THE SINNEU. 209
travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied ;" that is, God shall see
the travail ot* the soul of Christ, and shall be satisfied. But how
comes it to pass, that God is pacified by beholding the travail
of the soul of Christ ? " By his knowledge (saith he) shall
niv righteous servant justify many." There is a great deal
of difficulty to understand the meaning of the phrase nghteous
sen^ani. For my own part, I think the plain sense carries much
ligf't in it ; as much as to say, Christ knows so much concerning
the prevalency of his own righteousness with the Father, that he
shall be sure to carry the cause in the behalf of his clients when
ho pleads it for their justification, when they come to their trial.
In Isa. lix. 16, the Lord, saith the text, wondered tliat there were
none, that he could find never an intercessor; tlierefore, as it
follows, " My arm hath brought salvation ;" but how doth bis
arm bring salvation ? " my righteousness it sustained me."
Observe it well, there is none in the world to deal with God on
(he behalf of men, but the Son of God, Christ himself, there
could not one come in to help him ; there is a mighty charge
laid against poor believers, containing such a bulk of transgres-
sions, with so many aggravations, that Christ himself had sunk
under them, being alone, had not his righteousness sustained
him ; this was that which held him up in the whole plea, till the
sentence was given on the behalf of his clients ; for he put on
righteousness as a breast-plate. In Jerem. xxiii. 5, 6, " Behold,
the days come, I will raise up a righteous branch unto David :
in his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely ,
and the name wherewith he shall be called, is, the Lord our
righteousness." Here is a righteous branch raised up, then
follows, thei/ shall be saved. How so ? In that there is a righte-
ous branch to plead for them, Israel shall dwell safely, and
Judah shall be saved, in the world, and from the world ; a
righteous branch being raised up, Judah shall be saved from the
wrath of God himself, that it shall not break out. God himself
sliall not cast Judah out of possession, not oidy Judah in the
letter, but also in the spiritual sense ; God in judgment shall
not cast out Israel, because this righteous branch is raised up,
which shall in righteousness establish them to dwell safely: and
the reason of all this is notably rendered; namely, in that this
righteousness is become ours, and he is so become our righte-
ousness, that his very name is, TAe Lord onr righteousness.
VOL. II. P
210 CHRIST'S RIGHTEOOSNICSS ONLY
It is very well worth your observation, how still the last
refuge is fastened upon the righteousness of Christ. In Dan.
ix, 24, " Yet seventy weeks are determined upon thy holy city ;^^
to what purpose ? " To finish transgression, to put an end to
sin, to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in ever-
lasting righteousness." Mark it well ; the sealing up of the
vision, that is, the establishment of the forgiveness of sins,
follows after the bringing in of everlasting righteousness, and
this is the righteousness of Christ. Therefore, in Mai. iv. 2,
healing is appropriated unto Christ, and shewn where the virtvre
lies, that he hath such healing: " Unto them that fear my name,
shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings ;"
therefore, a healing Sun, because he is the Sun of righteous-
ness ; and the virtue in the wing of Christ to heal, is his righte-
ousness. I have been more copious in these passages of
scripture, before the coming of Christ, that people may not
think, that to depend only and solely upon his righteousness, for
security and comfort, is a new thing, but was known, and was a
refuge from the beginning. The apostle Paul speaks more
clearly than any of the rest ; I shall instance but in two
passages ; for the truth is, all the epistles of the apostles are
full of this thing. The strength of the plea of Christ, in the
behalf of his people sinning, stands in his righteousness ; for
this purpose, look into Rom. iii. 9, 10, II, 12; see how mightily
the apostle pleads to the convincing of all the world of sin, and
the fruit of it ; from verse 13, is a description of the sins of
men ; and in verse 20, he makes a conclusion ; " Therefore, bv
the deeds of the law, shall no flesh be justified in his sight."
Now, after he had taken off all that might possibly be in man
towards his remedy, or in the law for people to rest in, he
begins to establish the foundation upon which the safety and
security of God's people depends : but now, saith he, in verse
21, " The righteousness of God without the law, is manifested,
which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all that do
believe ; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission
of sins." You see here is an inculcating again and again, that
it is Christ's righteousness, which God hath set forth to be a
propitiation ; to declare this upon all, imports unto us, the sole
refuge for the remission of sins is only that righteousness : look
DISCHARGETII THE SINNER. 211
also in Rom. v, 18, 19, " As by one man's disobedience, many
were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, many sliall be
made righteous." Our transgressions are the issue which
Adam's disobedience brought forth ; that obedience of one man
is our security, and deliverance from hell and dcatli, which one
man's disobedience brought into the world; all of it is frustrated
by the obedience and righteousness of that one; nothing but that
setting persons free from the fruits of unrighteousness, and dis-
obedience in Adam, is able to make them rigliteous: I liope, by
this time, tlie truth is cleared enough, that there is nothing to bo
mentioned, but only his righteousness; nothing can be a plea,
but that. You shall therefore consider, out of all these pas-
sages, what that righteousness is, that has efficacy and prevalency
with the Father, for the discharge of a member of Christ when
he sins.
1. Negatively ; there is not any righteousness of a believer
which he acts, which can possibly have any force in plea with
the Father for his discharge that hath committed sin; I mention
that righteousness v/hich he acts, because the very righteousness
of Christ itself is, indeed, the righteousness of a believer; for,
he is " the Lord our righteousness," as you have heard. As he
was made sin by imputation, so we are made the righteousness of
God in him ; that is, Christ's righteousness is as much become
our own, as our sins became Christ's : and as Christ bore the
whole fruit of our sins, by being made sin for us, so we enjoy the
whole fruit of Christ's righteousness, by being made righteous in
him; therefore, I say, not simply no righteousness of a believer,
but none which he himself acts, hath the least force in plea, to
prevail fur the discharge of sin. I nuist tell you, there is no
divine rhetoric, or omnipotent excellency, in any righteousness
whatsoever, which a believer can put up unto God; it is not
your tin-ning from your evil ways ; your repentance, though never
so cordial and large, nor your departing from iniquity, or your
doing good, hath the least force of plea with the Father, to pre-
vail with him, by it, for your discharge; or to move him to give
the sentence upon you, that you are discharged. No righteous-
ness, I say, whatsoever you can do ; for the best righteousness
that ever man did perform, Christ only excepted, hath more in it
to make against him, than for him to obtain a sentence of dis-
charge; and my reason is this, in the best rigliteousness of man,
p 2
212 CHR1ST*S RIGHTEOUSNESS ONLY
in turning from sin, repenting, or mourning, or whatevei else
there is to be thought of, there is abundance of sin, even in the
very best actions that are performed; and where there is, there
is a plea against the person; so that if you bring tliat righteous-
ness to plead with God, to prevail with him, you bring that
which may be rejected against you, and may prove a strong plea,
or mar the cause that is in hand. I beseech you, beloved,
observe the apostle in Rom. vii. 18 — 22, 23, where, I think,
I shall meet with these things, which most people in ignorance
commonly make their chiefest plea, whereon they build their
whole comforts, as if all were between God and them thereby ;
yet, you shall there find, how the apostle, though qualified in
that manner as he was, both renounces any such plea, and, also,
betakes himself to that in hand ; he saith expressly, " To will is
present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find
not : I delight in the law of Qod, in the inner man ; but I find
a law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
leading me captive to the law of sin ;" out of all which, observe,
I beseech you, these particular.
The apostle, though he said he fell through infirmity, yet he
clearly perceived his heart was upright towards God ; " To will
is present with me; the good that I would do, that do I not; and
the evil that I would not do, that do I." Though he was over-
taken, yet his heart was towards God still: when he did evil, his
heart said plainly, it is not with my consent; when he could not
do o-ood, his heart told him, it was for lack of power, and not
because he did not desire it: now, come to persons that walk
exactly, as he did, they are overtaken with a sin; what is their
comfort when they sin? Though I be overtaken, the frame of
my heart is right still; my heart is sincere towards God; it is
directly contrary to my disposition ; I do not do that evil I do,
with a full bent of my spirit; and in regard my heart is tlius
rio-ht, there is comfort in me, though I have sinned: suppose
vour spirits were in that frame the apostle's was in at that time;
i ask but this, do you not draw comfort still from the plea of this
disposition your spirits make? When you have committed a sin,
do you not fetch comfort from thence? Ask your hearts, and
they will answer, yea, we have done so. I beseech you, consider
it well when the apostle had urged the case thu?, what was the
fanal conclusion, and the sole refuge that he flies unto, or the
DISCHAROETH TIIK SINNER 213
plea tliat he would trust luito, for his deliverance and comfort ?
He doth not say in the conclusion, " I thank God, to will is
present with me ;" I thank God, my heart is in a good frame and
temper, though I was overtaken ; I say, Paul doth not make use
of this plea, but he betakes himself to this : " I thank God,
throuffh Jesus Christ; and there is no condemnation to them
that are in Christ; and it is the law of the spirit of life that is in
Christ, has freed me from the law of sin and death." So that
the whole refuge of the apostle was not in any inward disposi-
tion, as if he could plead out comfort unto himself therefrom;
but the plea was without himself, even in Christ, and, therefore,
he gives thanks unto him for deliverance : so in Philip, ill. 5 — &,
he pleads the same thing there, as he did here ; namely, that it
is not any righteousness that he can reach unto, he dare venture
the plea, or his own comfort upon : first, he tells us, that
" toudiing the righteousness of the law, he was blameless:" this
was before his conversion, you will say: it is true; but after his
conversion, he tells us also of a righteousness he had then; but,
beloved, doth Paul put out his own righteousness to plead for
him ? Doth he expect his comfort, or the answer of heaven for
discharge, upon the plea of that? Nothing less; for, saith he,
" I account all things but loss and dung, that I may be found in
him: not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law,
but the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ."
Surely, beloved, if he had reckoned that his righteousness could
have had any force in plea, he would never have rejected it as
dung: that man that thinks he hath strength in an argument,
will not fling it away, and not make mention of it for the trial
of his cause. But this the apostle did ; he accounted his
righteousness dung, even that after he was converted; and, in
that regard, he durst not be found in it, but only in the
righteousness of God, which is by faith in Christ. He doth not
simply say, he would not be found in the righteousness of the
law; but exclusively also, he would not be found in his own
righteousness ; so that he bars it quite out; there shall no plea at
all go along through it: the righteousness of Christ shall be his
plea, or else he would look for no good issue at all : this, be-
loved, is the way.
Let me give one touch by way of application ; you may easily
perceive how mightily people are mistaken, and, therefore, no
214 Christ's RioiiTEonsNEss only
marvel tln^y live so uncomfortably ; that they are in fear of death,
and thereby in bondage all their life long, while they run, for
the refreshment of their spirits, to their own righteousness, to
the plea of their own works, and will have their hearts eased
upon that which they themselves do ; whereas, nothing gets a
gracious discharge from their Father, but only Christ, and his
righteousness. Therefoi-e, beloved, however it may, with some,
be a harsh thing to take men off from their own righteousness,
in respect of speaking comfort unto them, and to lead them to
the righteousness of Christ revealed in the gospel, as that from
which they may draw all their comfort: though this may sound
harsh to some people that have not been trained up in the way
of the grace of God, and in the freeness of it, revealed in the
gospel ; yet, I doubt not, but in time the Lord will be pleased to
reveal to us, that running to Christ out of ourselves, and dis-
claiming our own riorhteousness and comfort from it ; that leaving
our own actions, and all that can be imagined to be in us, or can
be clone by us, will be the thing that, in the end, will establish
our own hearts and spirits, yea, and " fill them with joy and
peace in believing."
It remains, that we should further consider one thing, that I
know startles some persons, or, at least, lays blocks in their way,
before I can possibly come unto the righteousness of Christ
itself, that makes up the strength of plea with God for poor
creatures.
Some will object, though all that we do of our own will not
hold plea ; yet there is a righteousness of faith that pleads with
the Father, and gets the discharge of sin from him : beloved,
there is some dispute about this point, and I shall not desire to
enter into it ; 1 shall only, in a (ew words, endeavour to clear up
the truth, as possibly I may, that I may go on.
I answer, in general, so far as the righteousness of faith is the
riohteousness of Christ, there is strength in the plea of it; but
this must be considered merely as it is Christ alone, and not as
♦t is any righteousness of faith itself. If any strength of faith be
brought in, as concurrent to that righteousness that pleads out
the discharge of a sinner, over and above what is simply and
only Christ's own ; I say, it is not to be pleaded, nor hath power,
or force, in plea, at all. I shall give two or three passages by
way of hint ; it is true, the apostle, in Rom. x. 8, tells us, "
DISCHARGETH THE SINNER. 215
rigliteousness of faith speaks on this wise ;" importing, what
indeed before was called the righteousness of God himself, they
submitted not to ; but, beloved, I take it, the righteousness here,
is called the righteousness of ftiith, as faith is the hand that closes
with the righteousness of God ; not as if this righteousness were
properly faith, but merely objective, as^we say; faith, as it lays
hold upon that righteousness which is only Christ the object
thereof. In Rom. i. 16, the apostle saith, " I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ ; for it is the power of God to salvation,
to every one that believeth." Mark it well, here is the power of
God to salvation revealed ; in what is the power of God to
salvation? It is in the gospel, of which he was not ashamed;
so that, though the power of God to salvation, is to every one
that believeth, that is not in believing, but in the gospel. And
what is the gospel there ? Certainly not faith, but the object of
it ; for it is said to be revealed from faith to faith. If you look
into Luke ii. 10, you shall see plainly what the gospel of Christ
is : an angel came from heaven to the shepherds, and speaks
thus : " Behold, 1 bring you glad tidings (that is, I evangelize,
so the word is in the original) I bring you glad tidings of ex-
ceeding great joy; for unto you is born this day in the city of
David, a Saviour, that is Christ the Lord." The word gospel,
in Romans, is the very same word drawn from the same theme
with that in Luke ; it is as mucli as to say, the gospel is glad
tidings of great joy ; and what are these glad tidings ? " A
Saviour is born unto you." So Christ, a Saviour, born to men,
is the gospel ; and, saith the apostle, " I am not ashamed of it ;"
that is, I am not ashamed of Christ born a Saviour, for this
reason; " Christ is the pouci- of God to salvation, to every one
that believeth." In 1 Pet. i. 5, tlie apostle tells us, "We are kept
by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation ;" where it
is plainly imported, that faith unto salvation is but a mere
channel througli which the righteousness of Christ runs ; not
communicating any righteousness itself, l)y which a man may
stand righteous bi-fore God, or have a discharge by the Lord, or
from him. This I would fain know, beloved, in every, or in any
act of believing, is that absolutely perfect and complete, without
any defect or weakness ? or, is there some imperfection? Ther*5
is some, you will say. If then, this I would fain know, how that
thing, that hath imperfection, unrighteousness in itsi?lf, can con-
21.6 THE ACT OF BELIEVING
stituto a jxMsoii, by itself, righteous; can faith, chargeable with
unrighteousness, make a person, unrighteous in himself, stand
righteous before God? The apostle, in Heb, vii. 26, telling us
of Christ, saith, " It behoveth us to have such an high priest,
harmless, holy, undefiled, and separate from sinners :" if Christ
himself had had sinfulness with his righteousness, that very
rio-hteousness of Christ itself, would not have served the turn ;
and therefore, it behoved him to be holy, harmless, and undefiled,
and without offence. Beloved, Christ himself could not constitute
us righteous before the Father, if he himself had not been holy,
and without sin ; and can it be imagined, that faith, that hath
unriohteousness in it, can make us righteous ? This is the sum
of that I shall speak at this time. I hope, the things I have
spoken will not be offensive to any ; for I desire freely, that
this, and all that I have, or shall deliver unto you, may be
received as they agree with the light of the gospel ; that is to
be the rule to measure all truths bv , and the rest, that remains,
T shall come to the next day.
SERMON XXXVIIl.
THE ACT OF BEGIN I NG IS NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
1 JOHN ii. 1, 2
MV LITTLE CHILDREN, THESE THINGS I WRITE UNTO YOU, THAT
YOU SIN NOT : AND IF ANY MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE
W rni THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS -, AND HE
IS THE I'ROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS.
We have observed already, from the connection of both verses
together, (the latter containing an argument in it, to enforce a
charge in the former) that the making known of this discharge
from sin, before sin be committed, i.s so far from opening a gap.
IS NOT OUR RIOHTEO U NESS. 217
uuto licentiousness, that it is one of the best means in the world
to restrain men from it. Then we came to consider the argu-
ment, and, in it, the matter and force of it. The argument to
prevail with men not to sin, is, " That if any man sin, he hath
an advocate with tlie Father,"
We have considered what this advocateship is, and shewed it
is a plea grounded upon justice ; and for whose cause it is i it is
the cause of believers, even when they sin ; and not only of
present believers, but of the elect, though not yet believers,
which yet in time shall be. We came also to consider how
Christ, this advocate, is qualified for this office. His qualifica-
tions are in the three titles attributed unto him. 1. He is
Christ ; that imports a lawful call, and a sufficient fui-nishing
with skill to plead, 2. He is Jesus, importing the efficacy of
his plea ; he pleads so Avell, that he saves his people from their
sins ; he carries the cause. 3. Another qualification for this
office is imported in the attribute of righteousness ; " Jesus
Christ the righteous ;" and that contains in it the strength of
liis plea, whereby he attains to the salvation of those whose cause
he pleads. Concerning this last attribute we have observed that
the righteousness of Christ contains in it the strength of his plea,
as advocate, whereby he becomes the propitiation for the sins of
his clients ; I say, the strength of his plea lies in this that he is
" Jesus Christ the righteous ;" we have therefore proposed to
be considered, how clear the scripture is in this truth, that it is
his righteousness that carries the cause of a poor believer when
he hath sinned, and gets the discharge for his sin after it is
committed ; I cannot insist upon the scriptures mentioned, they
are very plentiful. We came further to consider, what this
righteousness of his is, that hath such a strength of plea in it ;
the resolution of this I distributed into two heads, 1. Negative.
2. Affirmative.
1. The righteousness which carries away the cause, and obtains
the discharge of a believer's sin, is no righteousness of his own,
no not so much as the righteousness of faith, as it is our act of
believing. Here we left the last day. I will give you a touch
of the impossibility that faith should so plead for the discharge
from sin, in its own name or strength, as to carry the cause on
(he side of this person sinning. It is true, the apostle speaks of
tiie righteousness of ftxith in Rom. x. 0, a righteousness of faith
218 THE ACT OF BELIEVING
there is, indeed ; but that which is here ascribed unto faith, is
afterwards appropriated to the word ; that is, unto the gospel,
which is the righteousness of faith that speaks on this wise ; " Say
not in thine heart, Who shall ascend up into heaven 1 that is, to
bring Christ from thence ; or who shall descend into the deep?"
But what saith it ? " The word is nigh thee, in thy heart, and in
thy mouth." That is, the word of faith, and so not the righteous-
ness of a man's own act of believing. I cannot dwell upon what
I have delivered before.
There are some things briefly to be considered, even about our
believing, as it hath a stroke in discharge from sin, or the pardon
of sin. The truth is, beloved, some hand faith hath in this
business ; but it is not any righteousness, in the act of believing,
that carries any stroke in it. If you will consider it well, you
shall easily see, there is no more righteousness in our believing
as we act it, than there is in any other gracious act whatsoever
we do ; than is in our love of God ; nay more, there is as much
sin in our act of believing, as in our other acts. There is no
man under heaven hath attained unto that height of believing, or
strength of faith, but there is still something wanting, some im-
perfection and sin in it : and as there is weakness and imper-
fection in believing, so it is not possible that this should give
forth such a righteousness, as to constitute a person, who is
unrighteous in himself, to be righteous before God. That which
cannot set itself complete and righteous before God, can never
set another righteous before him. Faith must be first just itself,
or else it is not possible it should ever, by the righteousness of
its own act, justify another. Beloved, whatever the scriptures
speak concerning faith justifying, it must of necessity be under-
stood objectively, or declaratively : either faith is said to be our
ricrhteousness, in respect of Christ only, who is believed on ; and
so it is not the righteousness of his own act of believing, but the
rio-hteousness of him that is apprehended by that act; or else
you must understand it declaratively, that is, whereas all our
righteousness, and discharge from sin, flowing only from Christ
alone, is an hidden thing ; that which in itself is hid to men,
becomes evident by believing; and, as faith makes the righteous-
ness of Christ evident to the believer, so it is said to justify
by its own act, declaratively, and no otherwise. And whereas
in Rom. v 1, the apostle saith, " Beino- justified by faith, wc
IS NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS 219
have peace with God." In ch. viii. 33, he saith, " It is God
that justifieth." Now, I beseech you, compare these texts
together; then tell me, wliethev the act of believing, except it
hath reference to the object, which is Christ, of itself justifies,
or how else these two places can be reconciled : it is God that
justifieth, and it is faith that justifieth ; faith is not God, neither
is God faith. If therefore it be faith, in respect of its own act,
that iustifieth, it is not God that justifieth us; and, if it be God
that justifieth, then it is not faith, in respect of its own act ; how
will yon reconcile it? When therefore the Holy Ghost speaks
of faith justifying, it speaks of it as laying hold upon God for our
justification ; and, therefore, though faith here appears as that
which lays hold upon the righteousness of God, yetlt cannot be
said to be that righteousness that justifies us.
Btit, I know, some will be ready to say, it is not to be under-
stood as if faith had any innate power of its own, to procure the
discharge from sin ; but it is to be understood as the instrumental
cause, tliat lays hold upon that justification; and so it goes
before the justification of a person, and it is to be understood no
otherwise.
1 shall desire to keep in the plain path for the clearing up of
this truth, and, so far as possible may be: I abhor to walk in the
clouds, in a truth that so highly concerns the comfort, and
establishing the consciences and spirits of men; and therefore, I
say, that faith, as it lays hold upon the righteousness of Christ,
doth not bring this righteousness of Christ to the soul, but only
declares the presence of it in the soul that was there, even before
faith was. I beseech you, mark me Avell ; I know, beloved, I
have very many catching ears about me ; I speak it the rather,
that there may be more wariness, because there are frequent
misunderstandings of the things I deliver, especially by those
that come to catch. I say again, there is no person under
heaven, reconciled unto God, justified by him through the
righteousness of Christ, but he is justified and reconciled before
he believes. * And therefore faith is not the instrument radically
to unite Christ and the soul together ; but rather is the fruit that
loUows and flows from Christ the root, being united beforehand
to the persons that believe; so that the efficacy and power of
• See the notes in p. 01, 92, Vol. I.
220 THE ACT OF BELIEVINO
believing, is to be instrumental for the (leclaratiou of an act Ini
was done before, only it was hid. For the clearing up of this to
you, beloved, consider that expression in Heb. xi. 1 ; " Faith,
(saith the apostle) is the substance of things hoped for, and tlie
evidence of things not seen." Here he doth not give any efficacy
to faith, to procure or bring forth a new thing; but he gives to
faith only an evidencing power, and that not to evidence any new
thing, but to be an evidence of things not seen ; that is, of
things that were before in being, but were hid ; but by faith come
to be apparent, and cease to be hid, when the evidence of faith
brings them forth to light: either you must say it is not in being
till faith is come, and so it doth more than evidence, even beget,
and give being to the very thing, or you must confess the thing
indeed was ; but faith makes it evident that before was hid and
obscure. Now, though faith be honoured with the greatest
business of all the gifts of the spirit of God ; yet that Christ may
not be robbed of that which is peculiar unto him, and properly
his own, that is, in the giving complete being to our justification,
and be given also (which cannot be) to faith itself; I say, give
me leave to propose to you some particulars, Avherein it is as clear
as the day-light, that it is impossible for any pei*son under
heaven to believe, till such time as he be first united unto Christ,
and become one with him; and that faith, being but a fruit that
flows from our union with him, is not the uniter that knits Christ
and a person together ; I shall not need insist upon that place
I have often made mention of in Ezek. xvi. 7, 8, the time when
God fastened his love upon the church, was the " time of blood,
when I saw thee polluted in thy blood, I said unto thee live.
Thy time was the time of love ;" that is, the time of thy blood,
that he spake of before, was the time of love ; " And I spread
my skirt over thee, and I sware unto thee, and entered into
covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine ; then washed I
thee with water, yea, I thoroughly washed thee from thy blood."
Here is first loving and spreading the skirt over the church
before it is v/ashed ; not first washing, and then loving and
s])reading the skirt over them; but after that comes washing,
and thoroughly washing from blood. If any man think that this
washing is to be understood of sanctification ; consider whether
or no there be a thorough washing from blood, as that the persou
so washed is presently all fair ; or, as the prophet speaks, ex-
IS NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 221
pressly in that chapter, complete in beauty ,■ that is, perfect, and
that through his comeliness put upon him.
But to go on, consider, I beseech you, beloved, that expression
in Isa. xliii. 22, 23; the Lord there is pleased to declare himself,
concerning his people, in what a condition they were ; " Thou
hast not called upon me, but thou hast been weary of me: yea,
thou hast wearied me with thy sins, and thou hast made me to
serve with thy transgressions," saith the Lord. And mark what
follows ; " I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions
for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins :" here the
people, whose sins God blotted out, are not considered as
believing; but as a people that wearied God with their sins, and
made him to serve with their transgressions: they are considered
as a people that had not so much as a heart to call upon God,
but were quite weary of him ; and even while he considers
them thus, even then, he, for his own sake, blots out their
transgressions.
And in Isaiah liii. 6, whereof I spake so largely heretofore,
you shall see plainly, there is nothing but sin considered in the
person, whose iniquities the Loi-d laid upon Christ; " All we,
like sheep, have gone astray, we have turned every one to his
owu way, and he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.'' Here
IS not a consideration of people as believing, as though there
must be that, before there can be a discharge from sin ; but of
people before they are believing, even while they are gone
astray, and turning every one to their own way. But the most
notable expression of all, to this purpose, is in John xv. 4, 5; I
desire you, that you would seriously consider the strength of
Christ's plea in that place; comparing himself, in ver. 1, he
saith, " I am the vine, and my Father is the husbandman :" but
the main thing to be observed is this : " Abide in me, as the
branch abideth in the vine ; for, as the branch that abideth not
in the vine, cannot bring forth fruit, no more can ye, except ye
abide in me." Out of which passage, I shall briefly observe
these particulars; wherein, I hope, it will be clear, and plain
unto you, that it is impossible a person should believe, till Christ
hath united himself to him. I know, beloved, there is none, or,
at least, I cannot meet with any yet, that will deny, but that faith
'S a iruit of the branch that groweth upon the vine ; that is, one
of the fruits of the Spirit, that are wrought by the Spirit of Christ..
222 THE ACT OF BKLIKVINO
iu those that are his : for, in Gal. v. 22, the apostle reckous up
the fruits of the Spirit, and he takes up faith for one among the
est. If, therefore, believing be a fruit that persons bear, by
virtue of union to the vine Christ, then, it must needs follow,
they must first be in him, and then believe ; for, if persons
believe before they are united, and their union be by a faith that
they act, then the branch must bear this fruit before it be in the
vine, before there be union; and, if faith be the uniter, it is
present before the union be made, and so the branch bears fruit
before it abides in the vine, contrary to Christ's words : for it is
affirmed, that it is faith that makes the union, and therefore
cannot be a fruit of it. Beloved, this I would fain know of any
person, is faith the gift of Christ, or no ? Is it Christ that works
faith in those that believe in him, or no ? The apostle (in Heb.
xii. 2,) saith expressly, that Christ is the author of our faith. Is
he the author of faith, and yet is that faith the author of our union
unto him ? Can a father beget a child, and yet this child beget
his own father ? Doth Christ beget faith in us by virtue of our
being united unto him ? and shall this fjiith beget that union of
which it was but a fruit ? From whence shall persons that
believe, before they are united unto Christ, receive this faith of
theirs 1 They are not yet united unto Christ, and, therefore, it
cannot come from him, for we can have nothing of him but by
virtue of union; and then it proceeds not from the Spirit of
Christ, for we partake of that only by virtue of union with him
too ; from whence should it come then ? If you have it not from
him, by virtue of union, it is not from the vine that his person is
incorporated into already, because there must be union before
there can be communion ; all communion with Christ, all
participating of any thing, proceeds from the union persons first
have with him ; he is the root, and as tlie branch is incorporated
into the body and root, so sap and influence is communicated
and floweth out into the branch from the root. But this (you
will say) is but a parabolical expression, and parables prove
nothing.
I answer, whereas Christ is pleased to apply the parable, his
application of it hath as full a proof in itself, as any scripture
whatsoever. Now, in this place, you shall find, that Christ makes
exact application of it himself, for the purpose we now speak of:
"As the branch cannot bring forth fruit, except it abide in the
13 NOT OUR KIOHTEOUSNESS. 223
vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me: I am the vine, ye
are the branches," &c. Ye cannot bring- forth fruit, except ye
abide in the vine; and do you abide in it, when you arc not
united unto Christ ? No man can say it. Can you bring forth
fruit before you are in the vine ? Can you believe before you
are in Christ ? Beloved, it is as great an absurdity to say you
can, as to say, a branch can bring forth fruit without a root. So
that, beloved, you must hold this for an undeniable truth, you
cannot bring forth fruit, except you abide in the vine. I can
bring many other passages for the further proof of this thino-,
but this will suffice. Mistake me not, I do not any way aim at
any derogation to believing; but my desire is, that it might have
its proper office, and not encroach upon the office of Christ him-
self. It is the Lord himself, of his own mere grace, without
respect to any thing that believers can or will do, that makes him
give his Son Christ unto them, that he might be the justification
of them. In Isa. xlii. 6, you see, Christ is given as a covenant
by the Father, before ever we have eyes to see, or faith to behold
Christ: " I will give thee for a covenant to the people, to open
the blind eyes." He himself, as the covenant, and as given,
must open the blind eyes, or else they shall never be opened.
We must not have our eyes opened, and then have Christ given
to us; but he is first given, and then our eyes are opened. We
must not believe, that so we may be in covenant with Christ;
but we must first be in covenant with iiim, and then believinff
must follow as the fruit of it. If we have faith before we be
united unto Christ, or our eyes be opened before Christ be given
to be the covenant, then he is anticipated ; for, whereas he comes
on purpose to open the blind eyes, and is given for this very
thing, this work is done before he comes ; and so his coming,
and the end of it, are made frustrate and in vain. In brief, sup-
pose that our faith acts towards the discharge of our transo-res-
sions ; then it must follow, it is not only the righteousness of
Christ that pleads, by way of advocateship, with the Father lor
it. If thou comest to the Lord, and plead out that for tliyself,
by virtue of thy faith, wliich his righteousness alone was ap-
pointed to do ; and dost not wholly cast thyself upon that, as
that which will bear thee out in all thy approaches to God; but
join thy faith withal in the manner I have spoken, and s;)v, in
thy heart, I believe, and in that plead thy discharge ; if
224 THE ACT OF BELIEVING
this into your plea for the discharge of sin, Christ only is not
your sole advocate, but your faith also concurs with him in this
office of advocateship, and so you make it your Saviour ; than
which, what can be more dishonourable and more derogatory
unto this glorious office of his ? For, if we must believe before
God will justify us, then the simple and only plea of Christ's
righteousness alone, is not all-sufficient for God to pardon, or to
discharge sin : for, suppose I have not yet believed, the righteous-
ness of Christ, it seems, hath not strength enough, till my be-
lieving come in, and join with that righteousness; but it is only
the righteousness of Christ, that pleads out the justification of a
person, and not the concurrence of believing; our believing,
I confess, gives comfortable testimony, that God hath freely
justified persons in and through the alone righteousness of his
Son Christ ; it conduces to the declaration and manifestation of
that, which God for Christ's righteousness' sake did ; by faith we
have evidence of this thing, but it is not our believing that works
the thing itself: now, it remains, we go on and consider,
2. Affirmatively, what this righteousness of his is, that carries
the whole strength of the plea, for the discharge of the people of
God from their sins which they have committed ; I say, it is his
righteousness, and his alone. Now, this righteousness is to be
considered in the quality, quantity, and nature of it : concerning
the quality and quantity of it, in brief; that righteousness that
hath the strength of plea, for the discharge of the sins of God's
own people, both for quantity and quality, must be so powerful,
large, and spacious, that it may serve to cover the whole naked-
ness of the person whom it doth concern ; this righteousness of
his hath so much spaciousness in it, that it will serve to cover all ;
as larere as the want is, so far it can cover. See how the Lord
taxes the church of Laodicea, Rev. iii. 17, 18: " Behold, thou
sayest thou art rich, and art full of goods, and hast need of
nothino- ;" well, notwithstanding her high conceit of herself, that
she was rich, yet she was poor, and naked, and lacked all things;
and my counsel is, saith he, " That thou buy of me gold, that
thou mayest be rich, and white raiment, that the shame of thy
nakedness may not appear." Here Christ puts the church upon
the way by which she may be secured from that he charges her
withal, poverty, wretchedness, blindness, and nakedness ; the
course he puts her upon, is to receive of him gold and white
la NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, 225
rairarnt ; it is white, there is the excellent purity of it ; and so
large and spacious, that if she should be covered therewith, not
a jot of the shame of her nakedness shall appear. And in
Rev. xix. 8, you shall plainly see, that this white raiment is
nothino^ else but the righteousness of the saints : " And it was
granted unto her, that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white ; which is the righteousness of the saints ;" not the
righteousness acted by the saints, but the righteousness of Christ
imputed to them, and that is the pure, clean, and white linen: so
in Ezek. xvi. 8, you find this righteousness expressed, by a skirt
spread over a person, to cover the shame of his nakedness. The
sum is only this : the righteousness of Christ is such, that there
IS a complete fulness in it to serve for every purpose, to extend
itself to the utmost of every transgression ; there is not so large
a spreading of sinfulness, but this righteousness spreads itself
perfectly over all, that none of it appears*. But all the difficulty
still lies, what righteousness this is of Christ, that is expressed to
be so full, large, and pure ? For answer to this, you know there
are two distinct natures in Christ ; he is perfect God, and com-
plete man, and answerably, there are two distinct righteousnesses
in Christ ; there is the essential righteousness of Christ, inse-
parable from his godhead ; and there is also the righteousness of
the humanity : now, though it be true, that in respect of the in-
effable union of tliese two natures, both these are inseparable
from the person of Christ ; yet it is as time, there is no more con-
founding of them, than there is of the natures in the person ,
out we must consider as distinctly the one as the other. Now,
the question lieth mainly in this, which of them it is which pleads
the discharge of a sinner, whether the righteousness of God,
simply as God, or the righteousness of the human nature ?
I answer, it is the righteousness of Jesus Christ : God, simply
considered, nor the human nature, is Christ ; but it is God and
man, ineffably united in one, that makes up Christ. Accordingly,
I say, as Christ consists of God and man jointly, so the righteous-
ness that becomes the righteousness of Christ's people, is the
righteousness of both united, and not of each severally. The
simple righteousness of the humanity of Christ alone, is too
short and narrow to cover all the filth of all the sins of all the
members of Christ; the simple essential righteousness of the
• Psalm xxxii. 1. Rom. v. 20^
VOL. n. Q
22ii THE ACT OF liKLIEVINO
g'odhead alone, is not communicable to the persons of men •,
it is a righteousness of God-man that carries the strengtn of
plea for the discharge of a sinner, and something from both
natures must necessarily concur to the discharge of sin.
The righteousness of the human nature of Christ consists of
two things, 1, Active ; 2. Passive obedience ; in doing the will
of God commanded, and in suffering the will of God imposed
upon him ; this, I say, is the righteousness of his human nature.
God, as he is simply considered, is not capable of either of
these two righteousnesses ; he is not capable of obedience, be-
cause there is no supreme above him, to whom he should yield
it; nor of passion, he is not subject to suffer; therefore this
obedience, and suffering, are properly the actions and passions
of the human nature ; yet both concur necessarily towards the
discharge of a believer from sin : his active obedience in doing,
his passive obedience in suffering, the will of God. Compai*e.
these things together, as they stand in Rom. v. 18, 19, you shall
plainly perceive, that the obedience, the doing of the will of
God, is one branch of righteousness requisite in Christ towards
the discharge of persons from their sins ; " As by the offence of
one man, judgment came upon all men to condemnation (saith
the apostle), so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came
upon all to the justification of life ;" here is a comparison, or
rather an opposition, set between Adam's offence, and Christ's
righteousness ; as the one brought judgment, so the other
brings justification and life to us ; yea, but what is that righte-
ousness, that is there spoken of, will you say? the apostle will
tell you plainly ; " For, as by one man's disobedience, many
were made sinners, so, by the obedience of one, many are made
righteous." Observe it well, we are made righteous; how? by
the obedience of one; that one is Christ. Well, but what is
this obedience ? It is an obedience set in opposition to Adam's
disobedience. What was Adam's disobedience ? the breach of
the law. What must Christ's obedience be then, but the fulfil-
Ing of it? So it must be certainly true, it is directly against
the gospel of Christ, to exclude the active obedience of Christ,
from the power and share to plead out the cause of those that
be? f eve ; I say, the active obedience of Christ comes in to make
the plea for this discharge ; and, as the active, so likewise the
passive obedience of Christ too ; the scripture is more full id
IS NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 827
tlus, than in the other, because it is the complement of all, the
last thing Christ went through for the discharge of the sins of
his people : you shall see there is no fruit that illustrates the
discharge of a person from sin ; hence it is appropriated unto
Christ's sufferings. If yon speak of reconciliation, which con-
sists of God's acceptance of persons, and his agreeing Avith
them in the death of all controversy, between him and them ;
for that is reconciliation, when persons that were at variance,
are now made friends, and all things that were objected between
them are answered, and no more for one to say against another ;
I say, if you speak of this reconciliation to God, it is appro-
priated to the blood of Christ ; as in Rom. v. 10, " If, when we
were enemies^ we were reconciled to God, by the death of his
Son, how much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by
his life?" So that reconciliation, you see, is attributed to the
death of Christ ; that was the last act of the Son of God for
man ; so again, " You, who were afar of, are ma^e nigh by the
blood of Christ." Here you see the same thing in substance,
given unto the blood of Christ, though in other words : men
that were afar off, that God was at controversy with, who were
at great distance from him, by the blood of Christ are made nigh
asfain : so likewise the satisfaction that God takes for the dis-
charge of sin, which he hath acknowledged, is said to be the tra-
vail of the soul of Christ : " He shall see of the travail of his
soul, and be satisfied." Tlie apostle speaks in the general, in his
epistle to the Hebrews, witliout blood there is no remission of
sins^ " Christ entered with his blood once, into the holy oi
holies ; and thereby he hath perfected for ever them that are
sanctified." Infinite it were to quote scripture for the illustra-
tion of this, that to the sufferings of Christ, (which are indeed
all summed up in the shedding of his blood, l:)ecause that was
the last, and chief of all) all blessings are attributed, as re-
conciliation, adoption, &c.
Again, beloved, though it be most true, that the active and
passive obedience of Christ's human nature must concur, to
make up a righteouness, yet both these together are not enough,
there must be something more than all this. That is strange,
will some say ; what can there be more required, than the active
and passive obedience of Christ, to make up the righteousness
)f a person ? Is not that sufficient ? Let me tell you, beloved,
y2S THE ACT OF BELIEVING
what the Holy Ghost speaks of the righteousness whereby wa
come to be righteous and discharged iVoni sin ; he speaks in a
higher strain than to appropriate it to the active and passive
obedience of Christ's human nature only. In Rom. x. 3, when
the apostle taxeth the Jews for going about to establish their own
righteousness, he taxeth them also with this, that " they did not
submit themselves to the righteousness of God :" in 2 Cor. v.
21, " He was made sin for us, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him." I say, therefore, beloved, that
the righteousness by which we attain to our discharge from sin,
and the pleading out that, is the righteousness of God. The
righteousness that gives the full discharge to persons from sin,
must have something that is proper to God himself, added to the
human righteousness of Christ, as giving dignity to it ; I say,
something proper to God, that must concur with the active and
passive obedience of Christ, to make up a complete righteous-
ness for the discharge of a sinner. It is a known rule, nothing
can give more than it hath itself ; the active and passive human
obedience of Christ can give no more than it hath in itself.
Now, man considered as a sinner, hath need of more than
barely the human active and passive obedience of Christ, to
make him righteous ; the sin that man commits, hath its extent
according to the dignity of the person against whom it is com-
mitted. You know, beloved, that crimes against magistrates,
have a deeper tincture in them than ordinary ones ; the self-
same offence committed against a prince, and against an inferior
person hath its additions of extent and heinousness, according
to the person of the prince offended. Now, sin is committed
against an infinite majesty, an infinite God, and so hath a more
deepness of tincture and filthiness, in proportion to the injury
done to such majesty; in that i-espect, sin indeed becomes an
infinite crime; for, still according to the injury done, in respect
of the person injured, so is the offence ; you know the difference
in slanders : slander a poor man, and, it may be, the action will
not bear above ten pounds for it ; but slander a rich merchant,
whose credit goes far, there men lay an action of a thousand
pounds for the slander of such a man, in regard of his degree ; he
being greater, and his credit of greater value, the offence in taking
away his credit is so much the more heinous. Now, by how
much God IS greater than man, by so much is the heinousness
IS NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 2i^
of transgression, committed against God, beyond all other
transgressions whatsoever. Now, beloved, that righteousness
that must save a person harmless, must have an extent in it, that
may reach as far as the transgression does. Take into your con-
sideration the transgression committed against divine 'majesty ;
take the active and passive obedience of Christ, as it is acted
by his human nature only, it is but a created finite thing ; it
connot extend to such a height, as to answer in projx)rtion to the
offence of the divine majesty. Beloved, let it not seem strange,
that the very godhead itself must confer something of its own,
to the active and passive righteousness of Christ, to make it
complete. The divine nature gives value and virtue to the obedi-
ence and sufferings of the human nature; it adds so much, as to
raise up that created obedience to an infinite value and height
of worth. All that I contend for, at this time, is but this very
thing; namely, that the divine nature must give worth, and that
simply the active and passive obedience of the human nature of
Christ is not sufficient of itself, without something of God's own
be communicated unto it, to discharge a believer from an infinite
fault or guilt.
But, what it is that God communicates (more than this, that
he gives value to the human righteousness) and how he commu-
nicates it, is a secret we know not; but this we are sure of, we
are made the righteousness of God in Christ ; and that righteous-
ness of God, is the righteousness by Avhich we come to have our
discharge from sin. The apostle tells us, in Col. ii. 9, 10, "In
him, (speaking of Christ,) dwells the fulness of the godhead
bodily ; and we are complete in him ;" the fulness of the god-
head dwells in Christ, and we are complete in that ; our com-
pleteness consists in, and springs from the fulness of the gotl-
head in Christ, as from its fountain ; there is certainly something
in it worth our observation, that the Holy Ghost should take
notice of a fulness of the godhead in Christ, before he speaks of
a completeness which we have in him. Surely it inports, that
Christ communicates something that is God's own, unto us ; and
yet this will not import any essential thing that is wrought in
our persons ; as if Christ did substantially change our natures
into God's nature, or his unto ours, which were a gross absur-
dity. But there is a communication of an infinite value and
virtue to the active and passive obedience of Christ: for the
230 THK ACT OF BEMEVING
righteousness that becomes ours, by which wo stand complete
with God, must have so much value, as I said, as may stand in
proportion to the breach of the law of God: now, if there be
but a rif^hteoiisness of Christ's human nature, consisting in his
active co'hformity to the law, and sufFering for the breach of it,
and we to stand in this righteousness, this will not make us com-
plete: for, mark, he that is complete, by the righteousness of
Christ, it must serve for every purpose whatsoever ; if there
should be some defect, which that, as it is acted by him in his
human nature, doth not make up; we could not be complete by
it ; although that, even as it is busman, is absolutely complete in
its kind, and without defect. This righteousness of a man con-
sists in a conformity to the will of God revealed, and that in all
relations whatsoever, and in all actions of those relations: sup-
pose a magistrate,, (besides his common duties he is to perform,,
as he is a. man or a christian) he must perfoi-m the duties of his
public relation, he must do justice in judgment, and the like.
Now, suppose he should be exact in aJl the common duties, as-
he is a christian, and' should still fail in the duties of this public
relation, lie is not completely righteous because there is a want
of a magistrate'^s righteousness. Now, what is it that makes this
man complete in Christ? it must be the filling up that which is
empty in him; there must be that found in Christ's righteouness,
that may fill up this defect, or else there cannot be completeness
in him : so likewise, i a father, or a mother, fail in the duties^
of their relation, they must go to Christ for a righteousness, to
supply this, and all other defects. Now, where will you find it-
in Christ? he never was a father, nor a mother; he never per--
formed these several oflSces requisite to the several relations : he
never brought up children; never was a magistrate. When a
fatlier fails in the duties of his I'elation, where can he find out a
righteousness fit for him to make it up in Christ? Now, there-
fore, the divine nature either must add some eminency of worth
that must serve in the stead thereof, unto that, which his active
and passive obedience, as human, did not particularly effect ;
or else there cannot be a complete righteousness given by Christ
unto him ; and therefore, whereas it is objected against the
active obedience of Christ ; forasmuch as it doth not serve for
us. in reirard, it is not every way answerable unto the righteous-
ness done by man, therefore there mu.^t come a ri;rhtcou,soess oj-
IS NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 281
faith instead of that. I say, the remedy Is worse than the
disease, and my ground is this ; if Christ's active obedience,
through non-performance of some particulars required of us, be
not a complete righteousness for every circumstance required ;
much less faith, wherein, as acted by us, there is both omission
of good, and commission of evil, which simply is sin ; whereas
the active obedience of Christ could not be charged with the
least sin in any kind; I say, much less can faith fill up this
emptiness, being itself sinful ; seeing the active obedience of
Ciirist, being free from the least spot of sin, only through non-
performance of these sevei'al duties of these sevei-al relations,
and being but a created righteousness, could not fill it up ; and
therefore, I collect from hence, rather that a supply here is from
the dignity of the Godhead, which could not be in the active
and passive obedience of Christ ; and this shall be in the stead
of every particular circumstance, which ought to have been in
the perfect accomplishment thereof So that though we fail in
our relations, as of fathers, mothers, and magistrates, and the
active obedience of Christ hath not these particulars in it ; yet
this is supplied by the eminency of worth of the person, being
God himself*; and it cannot possibly be any otherwise sup-
plied, but by the giving such infinite value and virtue to that
which Christ did ; that though he did not every particular cir-
cumstance which is wanting in us, yet, notwithstanding, it
amounts in value to all particulars which we should have done.
Now, it remaineth that we should only consider wherein the
strength of the plea of that righteousness consists ; we have con-
sidered what that righteousness is; namely, the active and passive
obedience of Christ, made of infinite value, by a supply of wortli
from the dignity of the person superadded thereunto ; we should
now, 1 say, have considered wherein the strength of the plea of
that righteousness doth consist.
There are but two ways by which persons may be actjuitted in
judgment, being charged with any crime ; either by pleading and
proving not guilty, or by pleading and proving full satisfaction
made, though there be guilt ; either of these two ways are enough
to plead out a full discharge.
As for the first way of plea, Christ manages it not, that is, he
doth not plead ?ion factum ; Christ acknowledges this and that
* Gen. xvii. 1. Rom. xi. .10
332 FAITH THE FHUIT OF UNION,
person did commit such and such transgression. It
this he doth not deny ; but the strength of the plea of
consists in the latter, that though the fact be done, yet he, by
rirtue of this righteousness, pleads out a satisfaction, and, by
virtue of that, pleads out a full discharge for those that are his
members.
SERMON XXXIX.
FAITH THE FRUIT OF UNION.
I JOHN ii, 1, 2,
WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST
THE RIGHTEOUS ; AND HE IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR
SINS, &C,
You have heard from these words ; first, an argument to
prevail with the people of God to abstain from sinning : " My
little children, I write these things to you that you sin not'
This is urged as an argument to persuade them, namely, " We
have an advocate with the Father," We have considered already
the force of tliis argument, and the nature of it, 1, We have
considered what tlie advocateship of Christ is, namely, to plead
for his people's discharge according to the rules of justice and
equity. 2. Whose cause it is that Christ pleads. 3. How Christ
is qualified for this office of advocateship : he is Christ that is
called of God,, and furnished by the Lord unto it : and he is
Jesus Christ, an effectual and prevailing advocate, that saves
every client harmless whose cause he ])leads ; his name Jesus, is
as much as the Saviour of his people from their sins.
We have considered further, that Christ is qualified with
righteousness ; and herein also the strength of the plea of Christ,
or the argument of it ; he pleads discharge from sin by virtue of
FAITH THE FRUIT OF UNION. 233
Ills own righteousness. Now, because this discharge depends
upon this righteousness of his ; we have proposed to your con-
sideration what this is that hath such strength of plea, as to
obtain discharge from sin to the members of Christ, after thev
have committed sin ; we have proposed it, 1. Negatively ;
2. Affirmatively. The righteousness that obtains discharge from
sin, is no righteousness of our own ; nothing we do hath preva;-
lency in the court of heaven with God for our discharge ; not
our tears, prayers, or fastings, that prevail with God, but the
righteousness of Christ only : by the way, a word or two before
I go on ; let none think that denying efficacy unto our per-
formances, for the procuring of our discharge from sin, wholly
takes away or eclipses these performances, which are the things
God himself calleth for at our hand. I am not ignorant, what
an aspersion is rather by men collected, than what can be justly
raised out of what I have delivered ; as if there should be a
slighting and a derogating from the performances that are the
business of a christian's conversation ; as if denying efficacy to
prevail for discharge, should be the overthrowing of these per-
formances in God's people. You know what is said of fire,
^' It is a good servant, but a bad master," useful in the hearth,
dangerous in the top of a house : I say, the like of all per-
formances whatsoever; keep them within their due bounds, they
are for excellent uses and purposes ; let them break out of their
bounds, and they are dangerous : rivers are useful, but when
they overflow their banks they drown all ; they are good crea-
tures within their banks, and water is useful and necessary for
many purposes, but nothing more dangerous and destructive
when it rlseth too high. Exalt performances once into the
throne of Christ ; give them his peculiar privileges, and they
deny him ; keep them in subordination to Christ, they are useful
in their kind: prayer, fasting, circumspect walking, and holi-
ness of conversation, so far as they are kept within these
bounds, namely, the glorifying of God, the manifestation of
thankfulness, and our due obedience to Divine Majesty, doing
good to others, and as they are looked upon as the ordinances
of God, in the performances of which the Lord will be graciously
pleased to meet with his people, and in them make good to
them things that are freely given by him before in Christ; so
iar they are exceeding useful : as for instance, God calls foitb
234 FAITH THE FRUIT OF UNION.
unto prayer and fasting ; what is the encouragement of men to
perform these services ? not a prevalency that these themselves
have with God, but because he hath promised, that when his
people call he will answer : so for the promise-sake, we are en-
couraged in expectation that the Lord will be as good as his
word, when we meet with him. " These things will I do (saith
the Lord) yet for all this I will be inquired of by the house of
Israel." Observe it well, and in it you shall see the usefulness
in seeking God, in any way that he will be sought in ; he saith,
These things ivill I do ; he hath bound himself, he cannot alter
it, the word is gone out of his mouth : the thing shall come to
pass, he will make that good for his own sake ; and Itvill be
sought unto by Hie house of Israel ; I mil do it, you shall seek
me ; and when you seeh me, I will make it good. So when we
come to the ordinances, we look to what God hath promised,
and engaged himself to make good to us ; and when we are in
ordinances, our eye is, or ought to be, upon the promises ; not
upon our own performances, and the ordinances, as if these our
qualifications, and doing this or that were the procurers of that
we desire ; but the procurer of that, is that which moved the
Lord to make a promise. As not our righteousness, so faith
hath not plea in it to prevail of itself for discharge from sin
after commission. Faith improperly is called righteousness of
God. Look into Rom. x. 16; the apostle expresseth himself
thus ; The righteousness of faith speaks on this wise, &c. Here,
by the righteotisness of faith, cannot be meant the righteousness
of the act of believing, but the righteousness of Christ be-
lieved on.
I came to this assertion, that faith hath not such prevalency
of plea to discharge from sin ; nay, not so much as to be an
instrument to unite a soul unto Christ. I shall desire, beloved,
in this case, yet once more to be marked and heeded attentively
and spiritually, ingenuously, and candidly. The assertion I de-
livered was this, and the reason why I deliver it again, I will
tell you by-and-bye ; there is, I say, not such a thing as an
uniting, cementing, or knitting power in faith, as that it doth or
uhould become the instrument to luiite a soul unto Christ : for
before such believing, a soul is united unto Christ, and it must
ue before it doth, or can believe ; I said this of elect persons
Btill, and so carried it alouij to the end of the discourse : that an
FAITH THE FRUIT OF UNION, 235
eiect uersoii is united unto Christ before he can believe on him*.
Something I said before, for the clearing up of this truth, that a
souv must be united unto Christ by his own power, before there
can be believing on him. But, beloved, whereas we had
thought the truth had been cleared up sufficiently, I have
found it otherwise ; I find that many stick and stumble at this
assertion ; there must be believing, say some, before there can
be union with Christ, and it is believing itself that makes up the
first union with him.
Since the last time I spake unto you, I have received (and, I
suppose, from an ingenuous spirit, for under such a stile it
comes) an objection against this assertion; and, weighing the
objection, I find it of weight enough to require an answer.
Besides, I find that divers other persons exceedingly stick and
stumble at it ; and, therefore, I shall desire to clear up this one
thing, both by answering such objections that may be made
against it, as also by letting you see what dangers necessarily
follow upon the contrary. I shall, and do, commend the candid-
ness and ingenuity of those that seek to be informed in things
tliey not yet so clearly understand, while they do it with a spirit,
rather seeking satisfaction, than to maintain contention.
The objection proposed is briefly this : Our Saviour very fre-
quently, in the scripture, holds forth believing, under the notion
of coming unto him. The inference is this, coming implies, or
supposes, a distance between the person and Christ, till there be
coming. The effect seems to be, that he that comes to another, is
at a distance from him, till he be come. The upshot, or conclu-
sion, is this : If believing be a coming to Christ, then those per-
sons that do thus come by believing, before their believing are at
distance from him; and if at distance from him, then there can
be no union between Christ and them, till their coming draws
thorn, and makes them nearer, and so that unites them. The
ground of this objection is taken out of some portions of
* The dangerous consequences following the contrary notion, arc afterwards ob-
served by the Doctor; but this is condemned as an error by D. W. in liis Gospel
Truth, &c. p. 90, 91, but received and defended by many eminent divines ; particu-
larly, the learned and judicious Witsius says, " The elect are united to Christ: 1. In
the eternal decree of God. 2. By the union of the eternal compact. 3. By a true
and real union, but what on their part is only passive :" and adds, " .Since faith is an
act flowing from a principle of spiritual life, it is plain, it may be said in a sound
sense, that an elect man may be truly and really united to Christ before actual faith."
— Animadv. Iren. ch. vi. sect. 1, 2, 3. See more of this in my Doctrine of Eternal
Union, &c. p. 23—44.
23G lAITII THE FRUIT OF UNION.
scripture; divers are objected, and one seems to have some
strength with it, and that is in John v. 40; " You will not come
to me, that you might have life." Whence it is inferred, that?
there is no life till there be coming, and this coming is believing,
and so consequently there can be no union till there be this
believing. The argument, indeed, is laid as strong as may be,
and peradventure, may seem to have an undeniable strength in
it Now I shall desire and endeavour to answer this objection as
candidly as it was made ; and, it may be, other objections that
may be made, like unto this, shall be answered in this. And, that
you may better understand the answer unto it, it shall be in two
ways: 1. In respect of the matter of the argument. 2. In respect
of the proof of it.
I, In respect of the matter of the argument ; the matter of it
is this : before coming there must be necessarily a distance, and
so consequently no union. For answer to this, beloved, we are-
to take into consideration what is meant by distance, and then
what by coming. If by distance, in this place, be meant dis-
union, as it seems it is, (because the thing urged in the objection
is, that there is not a union) then we shall proceed on accord-
ingly. You know, full well, that coming is but an allegorical
expression ; and that all coming will not necessarily infer a
distance before coming; mark the expression in Heb. vii. 25 ;^
*' He is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by
him ;" here is mention made of coming to God, and of Christ's
ability to save them that come. Now, consider this with your-
selves ; suppose a man hath been a believer many years, and so
as Ions: united unto Christ, whether or no doth not such a be-
liever still come to God by Jesus Christ? Certainly men, after
they are believers, frequently come unto God ; now, doth
coming import a distance before it ? then there is a distance,
even a disunion (for such a distance Ave are speaking of)
between Christ and believers themselves, as oft as ever they
come. Observe that in John xvii. 13, where Christ speaks to
the Father himself, " And now. Father, I come to thee ;" here
Christ comes to the Father. I ask this question, was Christ at a
distance, or was he disunited from him before he did come to
him? for he saith, Now I come to thee; it seems, before this
coming Christ was disunited, if the argument be good, that
where is coming there is a distance, and this coming makes up a
FAITH THE FUUIT OF UNION. 237
union tliat was not before. It seems by this there was no union,
but a distance between Christ himself and his Father, till now
at this very time that he comes : but Christ himself, in that very
same place, testifieth the contrary, saying, " Thou, Father, art
in me, and I in thee." In a word, coming, it seems, must
import believing ; suppose it be so, must there be distance, or
disunion, always before such coming ? Then consider this, that
believers, even to the end of their days, have occasion, ever
and anon, to renew their acts of believing, that is, to renew
their act of coming to Christ; for still, take this along with you,
that coming and believing are all one, for so saith the objector.
Well, be it so, then believers have cause every day and hour to
believe afresh, that is, to renew acts of believing ; and is there
distance or disunion before there be such coming ? then it must
fellow, there must be union and disunion, and union again, and
disunion again, and this as frequent as there is the renewing of
the acts of faith. But some will say, peradventure, the first act
of coming to Christ, or believing, imports disunion ; but all
after-acts do not import it. To this I answer, mark where the
strength of the argument lieth, and you shall plainly see, there
is the very same reason for after-believing, as there is for the
first act of it : the first act of believing is coming, and are not
two, three, or four acts of believing coming too ? What coming
is there more in one act than in others ? If this be a general
rule, that believing is coming, and coming argues a distance,
and distance must necessarily be before coming ; hence it must
follow in brief, that it is no solid argument, persons are dis-
united, or not united unto Christ, before the act of believing,
because believing is a coming unto him : for, you say, and
grant, that there may be, and often is, a coming unto Christ by
faith, and yet there may be union before such coming.
But now, to come to the texts of scripture, that are brought
in for the confirmation of it : " You will not come to me, that
you might have life." The strength of the argument, it seems,
lies in this; there is no life till there be coming, and coming is
f()r life itself; therefore there is no union till there be a comin"-
l)y way of believing. In answer to this, and to clear up the
meaning of the Holy Ghost, in this text of scripture, we are
first to consider, what our Saviour means by coming, and what
this life is he speaks of, which they should have in coming to him.
83S FAITH TTIK FUl/IT OF VNIOS.
And to begin witli the first, what that coming is our Saviour
speaks of in this place ; I will not insist upon this, that Christ
speaks to opposers, men that contested with him, and to persons
with reference unto others : for I verily believe, though our
Saviour speaks this to the pharisees, who certainly never should
come to him, nor have life by him ; yet his intent was to speak
to them to whom the life of Christ did belong, and who should
come to him ; let us, therefore, I say, consider what he means
by coming in this place. In John vi. 44, our Saviour plainly
expounds what he means by coming unto him ; " No man
Cometh unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw
him." Mark the expression well, and therein you shall perceive
what Christ means by first coming unto him; for, in both places
he speaks of first, and not of after, coming. In which words you.
may perceive the act of first coming to Christ is rather by, and
from the Father, than by any activity in the person that comes ;
for, coming there, is plainly attributed unto a drawing act of the
Father ; so that the first coming to Christ is just like the coming
of a froward child to meet the mother; the child is sullen, and
will not stir ; if it be carried, it strives and struggles; wherefore
the father of it is fain to take it up. and, by a kind of force, carry
it with an overmastering strength where meat is ; the child comes
to his meat, but how ? not by any act of its own, as if he came
of himself, but by the power of him that brings it : a coach, wo
say, comes to town, when it is but drawn : the coach is wholly
passive, and the child in coming to meat; and so every elect
person at his first coming to Christ is passive ; his coming is
nothing else but the Father's overmastering and drawing of him
unto Christ.
In Jer. xxxi. 18, " Thou hast chastised me, saith Ephraim,
and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke :
turn thou me, and I shall be turned." Ephraim here appropriates
the act of his conversion, not to any coming of his own, but only
to the Lord himself; acknowledging, that the work of bringing
unto Christ is the work of God's own doing ; nay, he sheweth,
that he himself was so far from coming, that he confesses, that
when God took him first in hand to bring him to Christ, he was
as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. It is true, in common
speech, the bullock is said to come unto the yoke, even a bullock
unaccustomed ; but how ? by mere force he is brought to it, and
FAITH THE FRUIT OF UNION. 239
no*, willingly. Beloved, you must either establish tho rotten
principle of free-will, that is, a previous principle of a man's own
spirit to come to Christ, or you must confess that persons, at
their first coming unto him, are merely passive. It is a known
principle, we are first acted, or actuated, before we do, or can act;
there is not only a weakness simply before calling, but a dead-
ness, and therefor^ there cannot be coming ; and if there be, it
is merely passive, and the whole business must be the Father's
own drawing. In Psal. ex. 3, the Lord speaks to Christ thus :
" Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power :"
there is no willingness till the overcoming power of Christ comes
in to make it, even contrary to the natural will. The sum, then,
is briefly this, and so to apply it to the text objected, " You will
not come to me, that you might have life ;" that is, it hath not
pleased the Father to draw you unto me, that you might have
life. I cannot conceive how there can be any other sense given
to it, but that it is the Father's sole and only power to bring to
Christ, that there may be life; or there is no principle of life
from Christ, till the Father, by his overmastering power, brings
unruly and cross spirits unto him.
But it may be, some will say, though this coming to Christ be
the act of the Father's drawing, yet there is an act of believing
when he draws.
I answer, it is not possible there should be an act of our be-
lieving while the Father is first drawing; mark what believing
is, in sum and substance, it is but a yielding to the mind of the
Lord revealed ; while persons are contradicting, they are not be-
lieving, in respect of those things that they contradict: to believe,
and to contradict the same thing, is a contradiction ; for, to be-
lieve, is to sit down satisfied with the thing that is related ; as
long, therefore, as persons are contradicting, their spirits are
cross, and they kick against that which God proposes unto them,
so long they believe not. Now, while the Father is drawing,
that very drawing is an argument of resisting, and a kind of
kicking against that he aims at: for, if there were yielding, sub-
mitting, a willing comnig on to the truth revealed, what need
there any drawing? Men do not draw those things that come of
themselves : and therefore, I say, during the Father's first act of
drawing, he laying violent hold, as it were, upon tlie person,
there is no act of believing. The truth is this : the Father gives
40 FAITH THE FRUIT OF UNION.
his elect to Christ his Son ; " Thine they were," saith Christ, in
John xvii, 6, " and thou gavest them me:" and the Father that
gave the elect unto Christ, gives unto Christ also power, both in
heaven and inearth. Matt, xxviii. 18; "All power," saith he,
" both in heaven and earth, is given me ; go and teach all
nations :" as much as to say, I give yoii apostles, and ministers,
that follow you, a commission from myself, to preach, and in
preaching to convert ; and how so ? " All power in heaven and
earth is mine." So that, beloved, the Lord takes his elect as
they are self-willed and untamed, and brings them as such to his
Son ; and by virtue of all power that is given to him when
brought unto him, he himself breaks, tames, and brings them to
his own bent, " The Father," saith Christ, " judgeth no man,
but hath committed all judgment to the Son." Take notice of it,
that now, as Christ is ordained the mediator of the covenant, the
Fa,thcr doth nothing towards or concerning his elect people, but
what he doth by his Son ; it is the Son doth all ; so that all the
Father doth is to deliver up elect persons, such as they are, in
blood, enemies, and rebellious, to his Son ; and the framing of
their spirits to his own bent, is the sole work of Christ himself:
Christ is become, by the donation of the Father, the life and
soul* of every elect person. Now, philosophers observe of the
natural soul, that it is the framer of its own body and organs,
that so they may be fitted for it to act its own will : so, may I say,
it is with Christ; he hath the framing and disposing of the whole
man, to bring every thing in him to his own bent: the Father
bringing the creature, as he is a stubborn and stiff-necked one,
delivers him up to his Son ; so that, I say, there is not a previous
act wrought by the Father without Christ, or by the Spirit, by
which a person comes, and closes with him; but the Father gives
that person, without any faith or qualifications whatsoever, to his
Son ; he frames and creates that very failh in them to come to
him; and therefore in Isa. xlii. 6, you shall plainly see, there is
not an opening of blind eyes, a giving of believing eyes, to close
with Christ befoi'e he himself be given, and given as a covenant
to them : so saith the text, " I will give thee for a covenant :"
here you see Christ passed to persons, not with a supposition,
that when they believe, he shall be theirs, and they his, but,
" I will give thee for a covenant, to open the blind eyes ;" the
•ICor.vi. 17.
FAITH THK FRUIT OF UNlO>f. 241
eyes are not opened before Christ comes, but he comes wfien the
eyes are blind, and when he conies he opens them.
But, to go further, let us suppose, that coming, in this piace
is spoken of believing ; it cannot follow, that though there oe no
life till believing, therefore there can be no union before : I say,
if it could be imagined, that there may not be life from Christ,
till believing, yet it follows not, that there must be believing
before union ; nay, beloved, there is nothing clearer in all the
world than this ; namely, suppose there cannot be life before
there be believing, yet there must be union before there can be
life fetched from Christ; for, suppose tliat the fruit upon a branch
should have such a faculty to draw life into the branch from the
root, though this would be a strange conceit, whereas the root
communicates life to the branch, and the branch, by virtue of
that life communicated, brings forth fruit ; but yet, suppose the
fruit should draw life into the branch from the root ; that is, sup-
pose that faith, which is a fruit, growing upon a member of
Christ, that is, a believer, and a branch of that body, should have
such a faculty to draw life from Christ, the root, into the branch;
yet, it is impossible that faith should draw life into the branch,
till the branch be united into the stock; for, beloved, that is
Christ's comparison; "I am the vine, you are the branches;"
now, take this comparison ; suppose a branch, growing upon a
wild olive, is cut off from it, and for the present is not united to
the good olive-tree ; can a wild olive — or suppose it to be a good
olive upon this branch of the wild tree — ^can this fruit upon the
branch draw life from the root of the good olive-tree, while it is
separated and laid aside, and is not united to it, from which root
it must draw life ? It is known to all men, that communication
is the fruit of union ; there is no participation, nor communion
•of any thing that is Christ's, but as it flows from union with him,
80 that either you must say, that faith, which you speak of, is not
of Christ, the root, but hath some other root from whence it hath
its being; or else you must confess, if Christ be the root, it must
come from him, by virtue of union to him first.
Finally, suppose it should be, that coming is believing, and
that this life spoken of here is not in persons till they believe;
what is meant by life here ? Beloved, I beseech you consider,
the apostle tells us, " Our \\fe is hid with Christ in God; and
Christ is the life of the world;" that is, of the elect. It seems
VOL. II. n
242 FAITH THE FRUIT OF UNION.
then, that the life of every elect person hath a being in Christ,
before he believes ; believing, therefore, doth not produce a new
life that was not before, only it manifests that which was before j
and it makes that life, which was before, an active life; or is
an instrument by which that life that is hid in Christ, after be-
lieving, becomes an active and appearing life in this person. So
that all that can be made of it, is but this ; till believing, there is
no activeness of the life of Christ in the person that is elected ;
his life is in Christ, and was reserved in him till the time of
believing for him ; and then doth he, the elect person, become
active in life, when Christ gives him to believe actually : but to
say that this believing should give the first being of that life in
persons, is to say, there is not that life of the elect in Christ, be-
fore they believe. In a word, beloved, I shall seriously desire
you, that with candidness and ingenuity of spirit, you would
take into your consideration, those dangerous consequences that
must of necessity follow, if you will receive this for a principle,
that there is no justification and union at all belonging unto elect
persons, till they actually believe in Christ ; if persons are not
united unto Christ, and do not partake of justification before
they believe, but that believing is the instrument by which they
are first united, then mark what will follow upon it.
1. In some respect there will be a bringing to life again the
covenant of works. How will that be, will you say ? I beseech
you consider it well; the apostle will tell you so, as well as I :
the Lord told Adam at first, " Do this, and live; if thou wilt
enter into life, keep the commandments," saith Christ to the
rich man : and the Apostle in Rom. x. 4, 5, tells us of the cove-
nant of works clearly ; Moses, saith he, describing the righteous-
ness of the law, saith thus: " He that doth these things, shall
even live in them ;" mark here, the covenant of works out of
these expressions, is this ; namely, for persons to do, that they
may live : the covenant of grace runs upon contrary terms ; men
must first live, that they may do : God, in his covenant of grace,
gives life first, and from life comes doing ; in the covenant of
works, there must be first doing for- life. But, jou will say, how
>oth this follow out of this conceit hat men. must believe, before
they shall live in Christ? Thus, you must of necessity press
upon yourselves these terms, or such like, I must do, tliat I may
Dftve life in Christ; I must hplieve, there is no life till I do
FAITH THE FRUIT OF UNION. 343
believe ; now, if there must be living first, then there is doing
before living ; but, it may be, you will say, faith is opposed to
works ; when it is opposed to works, it is understood objectively
that is, it is understood of Christ believed on, and not of the act
itself of believing ; for it is certain, beloved, our act of believing
is as much our doing, as our acts of love, or others. So that
here must first be doing before life be obtained ; if persons must
first believe, before they have union with Christ.
2. If there must be our act of believing before there be parti-
cipating in Christ, then mark what will follow, those sins which
were once laid upon Christ, and taken away from the elect ; for
they could not be laid upon him, unless they were taken from
them ; are, it seems, returned back again upon these believers •
whereas they were charged upon Christ ; he once paid the full
price; upon the payment of this, there was acknowledged full
satis&ction, so that those sins were once blotted out: I say, if
there must be believing before there be union with, or interest in
Christ, it must necessarily follow, that, till such believing, the
person of that elect bears his own transgressions, and is charge-
able for them that are imputed unto him. But how can it stand
with the glory of the redemption of Christ, that he should have
all iniquity laid upon him, carrying all iniquity, like the scape-
goat, into the land of forgetfulness, whither they were once
carried, and they are afresh charged upon this person again. Dia
Christ bear them away ? and did he return them back again ?
Where did you ever find, that sin once taken and carried away
by Christ from the person offending, did return back again upon
the person from whom Christ took it away ?
3. Suppose this, that men have no interest in Christ till they
actually believe in him, then it must follow, that these persons,
till they are actually believers, are under the hatred of God ; for,
if they bear their own transgressions themselves, then God being
a jealous God, his holy and pure nature everlastingly hating
iniquity, and also the person upon whom iniquity is charged ;
there must be a hatred of God upon these persons till they
believe; and to conceive that God hates these persons, is to
conceive that God may love and hate the same person ; whereas
he saith, in Rom. ix. 13, concerning Jacob, that beniff yet
unborn, Jacob have I loved ; here you see love is communicated
to Jacob, being yet unborn. Now mark, Jacob, when he was
2«l4 FAITH THE FRUIT OF UNION,
not yet born, was not an actual believer. Well, had Jacob ito
interest in Christ and the love of God, till such time as he
believed ? Yea, he had ; so saith the text. Aye, but yet Jacob,
must be hated till he believes, because Jacob, till he believes,
must bear his own transgressions ; so that here must be, at the
same time, upon the same person, both the love and hatred ct
God, and how can these contraries stand together ?
Yet again ; suppose persons have no interest in Christ, tili
ihey actually believe, it must follow from thence necessarily,
that there is a believing in such persons before they have union
with Christ, and then you must make some other root from whence
this believing must spring : as for Christ, it hath nothing to do
witti him ; for he hath nothing, in regard of communicating his
grace and Spirit, to do with them ; but they are believers, and
their believing is that which knits the knot between Christ and
them ; whence comes this believing % whero is the root of it ? Is
Christ the root? then have they first union with Christ, that they
may receive ift from him ; then must they first be united unto
him, and made one with him, and live in him, and by virtue of
union with him, receive this faith as a fruit of that union. If it
proceed from some other root, I beseech you consider how it can
be, and how can this be avoided, but that this conceit must needs
be exceeding derogatory to Christ, to make another foundation
besides Christ; whereas in Heb. xii. 21, it is expressly said,
'* Christ is the author as well as finisher of faith." Beloved,
upon these considerations, for my own part, I have received this
principle that I have delivered unto you, and merely the vindi-
cation of the glorious privileges which are proper and peculiai
unto Christ alone, is the occasion that I refer the being of faith
itself unto Christ, and to nothing else in the world, and that I
^Tiay uphold these particular and glorious prerogatives that are
proper to Christ, that he may not be robbed of any of them. To
this end, I deliver it to you, that elect persons have a participation
and share in Christ himself, even before they believe ; and let
none conceive that this takes away, or diminisheth from the
prerogative of believing neither. For there are glorious things
done by faith unto believers ; God hath honoured it above all
mere creatures in the woi'ld; he hath made it the conduit-pipe
for the conveyance of all that peace and comfort ; nay, of all
that strength which believers have all their lives ; no faith, no
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SBAT
comfort, no peace of conscience, no pleasure to walk with God:
through faith, Christ conveys himself in speaking peace to the
soul, in bidding the soul be of good cheer ; the soul lies in
darkness, while it lies in unbelief But still that which is proper
and peculiar to Christ alone, is not to be ascribed unto believ-
ing. I should now proceed, (having as well as I can, taken
way the rubs) to that which I purpose to follow. But the time
is part.
SERMON XL.
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAl
1 JOHN ii. 1, 2.
rF ANT MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER,
JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS ; AND HE IS THE PROPITIA-
TION FOR OUR SINS, &C.
We have considered already the oflSce of Christ here spoken
of, his advocateship ; the cause he manages, and also the persons
whose cause it is. The cause he manageth, is in behalf of the
sins of his people ; and the persons are not present believers,
but all elected persons, though yet unbelievers : we further con-
sidered the qualifications of Christ unto this office. 1. He is
Christ, that is, called of God unto it, and furnished by God for
it. 2. He is Jesus, he takes no cause in hand, but he saves his
client. 3. He is the righteous ; the efficacy of the plea of Christ
lieth in this righteousness of his, that being the sole hinge upon
which the door turneth. In the large opening of this unto you,
I spake, 1. Negatively. The plea that prevails for the discharge
of sin, is not our works ; no, nor our faith ; but it is the righte-
ousness of Christ himself only. 2. Affirmatively : there is an
246 CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT.
active righteousness of Christ ; for, " by the obedience of on
man, many shall be made righteous," Rom, v. 19, and the passive
righteousness of Christ ; " The blood of Jesus Christ his Son,
cleanseth us from all sin," 1 John i. 7. But it is the divine
righteousness, or dignity of the divine godhead that adds an
efficacy, and virtue, making the active awd passive righteousness
of Christ a complete righteousness, that we might be complete in
him ; and we gave a touch to you, w^herein the efficacy of the
plea of this righteousness stands ; it stands in the satisfaction
that righteousness hath made to the justice of God. In judg-
ment there are but two ways to be acquitted, either just proof,
that the person upon trial is not guilty ; or being guilty, the
law is already satisfied. The strength of the plea of the righte-
ousness of Christy insists not upon the first way ; he graaits the
persons whose cause he pleads, had, for matter of fact, done the
thing that is charged ; but the strength of it is, that the law on
their behalf is satisfied already. This latter plea being good,
hath the like force for acquittance and discharge as the former
hath ; so that the sentence of judgment can no more pass upon
the person for whom the law is satisfied, than it can upon persons
that never transgressed it.
Now, it remains to be considered, by way of objection out of
the premises, how this can be, that the justice of God should be
satisfied, seeing this is bringing a recompence to answer in pro-
portion for the offence committed : the ground of the objection
is this, all that Christ, as man, brifigs unto God, comes short to
make a recom|5ence. I told you before, that the divine righte-
ousness is that which makes the righteousness complete, and
that a mere human righteousness is not able to effect, till it be
infinite, or be made infinite by the divine righteousness. Now,
when Christ brings a recompence to the Father for the trans-
gressions of his people, that he brings to him, should not be that,
which was his own before; now, whatever the divine righteous-
ness is, that is God's own ; the active and passive obedience of
Christ's human nature, is brought to him, but not the divine
righteousness. You will say, this is just as one man oweth
another an hundred pounds, and he sueth him for it ; the debtor,
he cannot raise above ten pounds of the money ; but the creditor
must make it up out of his own purse. So then here is the
ground of the objection, »nd the truth is, this matter contains
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT.
in it the depth pf the mystery of the gospel ; that justice should
be satisfiedl!>y bringing a recompence for transgression, and yet
that, as it is brought, is not so much as will answer the injury
that is done of itself. It is true, there is enough in the divine
righteousness, to make the satisfaction for the injury done ; but
how is this divine riorhteousness broug^ht ?
It is most certainly true, where there is satisfaction of justice
in this case, there is also mercy ; for, though God be just to
forgive sins, yet, you shall find, that where the apostle speaks of
justice in this act of forgiveness of sins, he speaks of mercy too:
you know, to forgive a thing, that is an act of grace and mercy ;
yet, even while there is forgiveness, justice is manifested, and
takes its course. But this, you will say, doth not resolve the
question: whei-e can there be a satisfaction of justice, seeing
there is not brought, by way of recompence, that which is pro-
portionable to the injury done.
1. Justice is satisfied in the strictest sense, when there is
such a plenary and equivalent recompence given, that the person
injured thereby, is in a good estate every way as he was before
the injury done : when a man is trespassed against, and sues for
this tropass, and the man makes up, and brings in as much
recompence as the injury cometh to ; so that the party trespassed
is worth as much as he was before ; here is a plenary satisfaction
of justice. Now comes in the objection, and says, that the justice
of God cannot be said to be satisfied, because the active and
passive obedience of Christ, as human, bring not in so much to
God as the injury comes to ; and what is from the godhead, is
God's own before.
2. Therefore some say, that ibere is a satisfying justice
properly, though there be not full recompence, as in every point
to answer the injury done; I will but give you a familiar
illustration of it, that you may not say, it is an unknown, and
an unheard of thing, that justice is satisfied though no plenary
recompence in the former sense, for satisfaction, be brought.
Suppose one man murder another, an ordinary case; now, for a
plenary recompence to the injury done, he that is slain must be
m stahc quo prius, that is, must be made alive again; and till he
be restored to life, here is not a complete recompence made.
But, how is it possible, that any man that hath committed
murder, should make this full recompence to the person that is
'4^
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCV-SEAT
injured- ? He cannot restore life to him again ; an J, yet for all
this, though he cannot bring in a full recompence*in this way,
he may properly satisfy justice ; for, if life answer for life, if the
murderer be executed, the law and justice may truly be said to
be satisfied. Here then they say, that there may be satisfaction
of justice, and yet not the fulness of recompence in the strictest
sense brought in. Justice, I say, is satisfied in this respect,
because, here is as much brought in by way of recompence, as
is possible to be had. You know, beloved, you have a proverb,
" Where there is nothing to be had, the king must lose his
right ;*' when a man pays all that ever he hath, he can pay no
more, he satisfies justice. In this sense justice is said to be
satisfied, when the law is satisfied ; and so the satisfying of
justice doth not necessarily imply the fulness of recompence in
the strictest sense, according to the injury done. How cometh
it to pass, when a murderer is executed, that upon his execution
only, the law esteems this tobe a recompence, and justice to be
satisfied, though it does not answer the injury done ; but only as
it answers to the law, that is the rule of justice, so it is satisfac-
tion : even so, say they, the justice of God is truly satisfied,^
when th-e will and pleasure of God is fully fulfilled, whether or
no, there be a bringing in a full and plenary recompence. If
the will and pleasure of God be satisfied, concerning transgres-
sion, that is the satisfaction of the justice of God. Now, what is
the will of God ? It is this, that in the day that man sins, he
must die ; either in person, or by deputation ; for among men
tlie satisfaction of the law is made, either in the man's own
person that is the debtor, or his surety that will pay the debt for
him. The law in some cases, looks more upon the thing that is
brought in to answer to it, than it doth upon the person that
brings it. The justice of God looks upon the fulfilling of his
will, although it be not by the same person that sinned ; this
alters not the nature of the thing, whether I myself pay the debt
or another for me, the payment is satisfactory, so in that the will
of God hath its utmost bounds for the satisfying of justice,
whereas transgression must be recompensed with death. Now,
Ciirist, the surety of his people, going under the punishment,
and fulfilling it, the law is satisfied, because every tittle of it is
t^dfilled, and there is nothing in it remains to be answered. But,
3 I sav further,, that the satisfaction of Christ is complete^ evett
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT. 249
in the strictest sense, though it be granted, that the bare
sufferinors and riffhteousness of the human nature cannot effect
it, without the divine nature, and the righteousness thereof; and,
whereas it is urged, that the righteousness of the divine nature
is God's own already, it is granted; and that both, because it is
essential unto him, and incommunicable to the creature ; there-
fore, and also, for the reasons alleged before, in the objection, it
cannot be formally, either the whole, or any part of our
righteousness; yet, notwithstanding the divine nature, and so
the divine righteousness, by the hypostatical imion, fit and
furnish Christ to be an all-sufficient Saviour, and satisfier, that
thereby the person of Christ is so glorious, that his active and
passive obedience is made of infinite worth and value, to give
satisfaction for us ; and that, in the strictest sense, making a
perfect reparation, and of all things in the behalf of the elect,
for whom he undertakes, and brings upon them salvation to the
uttermost.
In brief, beloved, and so to conclude this business, though
there may be some hint given for your better understanding, by
way of illustration, how justice may be satisfied, yet the truth is,
the fullest resolution wherewith persons ought to sit down
without further dispute, is not by argumentation, but by divine
faith. Suppose we could not sound the bottom of this principle,
that God's justice should be satisfied; yet we may sit down as
fully resolved that it is, though you know not how it should, in
that the Lord reveals to us, he is satisfied; whose word must be
more to us, than all the demonstrations in the world can be by
way of argument; that here Christ is said to be the propitiation
for our sins ; that God himself acknowledges elsewhere, that he
is satisfied. What matter is it to me, how he is satisfied? I
mean, in respect of resolving me by way of argument, how it is,
his own word speaking it, and resolving it to us, that with which
we should sit down withal, without any further dispute. If
therefore, all this while, you cannct know he is satisfied, your
believing upon thetestimony of God's word that it is so, may be
as full a satisfaction to you; yea, may be, a more full resolution
to your spirits, than all the arguments and demonstrations in the
world Can be.
And, I come in brief, to the last clause of the text ;
p.amely, the issue of this advocateship of Christ, in the behalf
250 CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT.
of his people when they sin, which is, " He is the propitiation
for our sins :" the words contain the conclusion of the plea of
Christ, telling us what it comes to at last, that by it he becomes
the propitiation for our sins. The main thing to be considered
here, that we may understand aright our portion in this grace,
is to know what this propitiation meaneth, or what it is for
Christ to be a propitiation. Beloved, there is abundance of
marrow and fatness in this very word, and, I think, much of it
is lost, in respect of sense and comfort, for want of understand-
ing the extent of it ; that you may the better therefore dive into
the mystery of this propitiation, you must understand, that the
word, in the original, iXaajJbos, is of the same signification with
the word the Septuagint translation uses, when they interpret
the Hebrew word, that is rendered mercy-seat ; he is our propi-
iiaiion, that is, he is our mercy-seat. And if you would know
what it is for Christ to be our mercy-seat, look into Lev. xvi.
14, 15, you shall find the main end for which this was erected by
the Lord ; for, of all those ordinances that the Lord established
among the Jews, this mercy-seat was the uppermost. Now,
you shall find three things especially appropriated unto the
mercy-seat.
1. The sweet incense, that none ought to make upon pain ot
death, but Aaron alone, must burn upon the golden altar everv
morning before the mercy-seat.
2. The most notable of all the rites and types of the uews,
was to be prepared before the mercy-seat ; the type of the
scape-goat with the live goat, as you may find there handled at
large. The live goat must be brought before the mercy-seat,
and Aaron must lay his hand upon the head of it, and then the
scape-goat must be sent into the wilderness, and carry the sins
of the people into a land of forgetfulness.
3. At the mercy- seat, as it is in Exod. xxx. 6, the Lord
appointed to meet with Moses, and there speak graciously unt*>
him ; and there God will hear him speak, and will be heard to
speak, and return his gracious answer at the mercy-seat *.
Well then, to come to the business in hand, that I may clear it
the better ; Christ is our mercy-seat, that is, the incense, or the
sweet savour that smells with acceptance and delight in the
nostrils of the Lord ; that which makes a sweet savour it *h>i
* Exod. XXV. 22.
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT. 251
mercy-seat. Incense, had it been burned any where else, but
(here according to the appointment and commission of the Lord
every morning) the very place itself being changed, would have
taken away the savour of the incense before the Lord ; there-
fore, the mercy-seat is that, for which the incense becomes a
sweet savour; as much as to say, all our prayers, duties, and
services, (notwithstanding our sins, being believers) become as
a sweet savour to the Lord, as they are presented up before the
mercy-seat by Christ ; he is the propitiation then, that is, it is
he by whom our persons and performances become a sweet
savour to the Lord. Again, the scape-goat, and the live goat
to be slain, were to be prepared before the mercy-seat ; as much
as to say, our sins are carried away into a land of forgetfulness,
by virtue of Christ ; as the scape-goat being presented before
the mercy-seat, was made a type capable to carry away the sins
of the people into a land of forgetfulness ; so that as we are
presented unto God, in and through Christ, our sins are carried
by Christ into a land of forgetfulness.
Lastly. Before this mercy-seat the Lord appeared, and at it
God will return his gracious answer; as much as to say, in
Christ, and through him, the Lord returns all the gracious
answers to his people upon earth ; not a voice of grace, peace,
and comfort is to be heard, but at the mercy-seat : for, mark it
well, you shall find God hath made over all that gracious lan-
guage of heaven unto his Son Christ ; and only unto him, there
came this voice from heaven when he was baptized, " This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." But upon the
mount, the voice Avas a little more plain ; for there it saith,
" This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear
him;" as much as to say, all the grace I have to speak to men, I
have put it into the mouth of Christ my Son, and not a voice is to
be expected of grace from me, but as it cometh out of his mouth ;
there is not a word of comfort to be heard; but as it is spoken
from the mercy-seat ; so that putting these things together, in
respect of the sacrifice of the scape-goat, (the text in Leviticus
telling us of an atonement that is made by the presenting of this
sacrifice before the mercy-seat). In a word, the sum of all is
this : 1. In and through Christ our advocate, we become a sweet
savour to the Lord. 2. Tliere is an atonement made with him
lor us, our sins being carried into a land of forgetfulness.
252 CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT.
3. And, in Christ, he speaks all the gracious language of heavew
to us. Now, whereas at this mercy-seat, the special thing inti-
mated unto us, is the atonement that is made, it seems that
propitiation hath reference in the signification of it, to that; aa
when a man desires one that is at variance with him to be
propitious, that is, would admit of a propitiation or atonement.
Now, that you may know what atonement is, and so propitiation
likewise, look into Rom. v. 10, 11 : " If when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son, much more,
being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." Reconcilia-
tion, what is that ? Mark what follows ; " And not only so, but
we joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we
have received the atonement ;" you see he makes a proposition,
by way of supposition : If when we were enemies^ &c. And, in
the next words, proves that there is reconciliation, or rather
shews the fruits of it being obtained \ We joy, saith he ; in
what 1 in him, by whom we have received the atonement.
What is that ? Atonement, in this place, is the reconciliation
which Christ makes between God and us; so that propitiation
indeed, runs at last into this cistern ; namely, reconciliation
with God ; herein lieth the efficacy of the plea of Christ, for his
people committing sin : he is the mercy-seat, the pi'opitiation,
the atonement, or reconciliation. This is the issue of it; when
Christ pleads for the discharge of his people, this pleading pro-
duceth reconciliation between God and them. If we could but
dive into the mystery of reconciliation between God and us, we
should then find the comfort of this oflSce of Christ to be a pro-
pitiation for us. Now, if you will know what this reconciliation.
is, which is indeed an interpretation of propitiation ; observe
how the apostle illustrates it in Eph. ii. 13 : " You that were
sometimes afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ."
Reconciliation is making nigh those, who were sometimes afar
off: look into Col. i. 21, 22, the apostle will there tell you, in
what respect the members of Christ, the elect, are said to be-
afar off: " You who were sometimes alienated, and strangers^
and enemies in your minds, by wicked works, hath he now
reconciled." So then to be afar off, and so afar off to be mad&
nigh, it as much as to say, that persons alienated in respect ol
enmity in their minds, by wicked works, notwithstanding all
that enmity, are made nigh, they are reconciled. You know
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT. 253
well, in respect of men, who are the elect, they are from all
eternity in the purpose of God, made nigh by the virtue of
the blood of Christ, that in time should be shed ; which virtue
is effectual in the eyes and thoughts of God from all eternity ;
so that though, in respect of the nature of wicked works, there
be a separating and an alienating, yet in regard of the efficacy
of the blood of Christ, being in force with God, the persons
who ure elected, are nigh to him in purpose, from eternity. So
that alienation and estrangement, in respect of enmity against
God, is not to be understood, as if elect persons were in very
deed, and properly, at any time decreed to be separated abso-
lutely from God ; no, he had them in his thoughts, as the
objects of his love, from eternity ; and these thoughts of being
nigh, were intended to be executed through the blood that was
continually in his eye : the apostle's meaning is, you who, so far
as you wrought wicked works, had that in you, which in its own
nature was the cause of alienation, and could not admit of your
being near, till there was reconciliation made ; that is, whereas
these wicked works did, in their own nature, actually, and for
the present, make you walk at a distance from God, and so, in
respect of them, you were afar off, you are now made nigh by
the blood of Christ ; Christ hath taken away sin, the cause of
that distance between God and you, and also hath revealed
himself unto you, being believers ; and in doing this, hath made
known to you his eternal council, concerning your reconci-
liation ; and that now you are actually, and really, in the very
bowels of God ; and also he, in some measure, subdues and
destroys the ^power of Satan in those wicked works ; so that now
there is more nearness^ in conversation with God, after calling
and believing, than there was before ; and the blood of Christ is
that which makes persons, who were far off, nigh again to God.
And this is the reconciliation, namely, whereas there was a
distance before, there is now a nearness, and this by the blood
of Christ, as by a sacrifice of propitiation. That you may the
better understand the nature of reconciliation with God, you
must know, that it properly imports, that whereas there is a
variance and estrangement, a person is then said to be recon-
ciled when the breach is made up, and the controversy is ended,
the quarrel done, and persons become friends again.
You know, as long as there is hitting in the teeth, a secret
254
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT.
grudge, objecting one against another, and prosecuting^ one
another, in respect of injuries done, there is no reconciliation:
when men are reconciled, they lay down the bucklers, quarrel
and fight no more, but walk as friends together. And if they
should walk as friends in outward semblance, and yet bear ran-
cour in their spirits one against another, this were but an hypo-
critical reconciliation. In reconciliation, the very heart itself is
made friends with persons reconciled. All this imports unto us
thus much, Christ is become to believers the atonement; one that
makes peace with God, ends the controversy and quarrel between
God and them ; whereas God was injured, and might have pro-
secuted the violence of the law upon us ; Christ brings to pass,
that the Lord lays down the buckler, to have no more to say
against a person, but to become friends with him. You know,
that reconciliation is such a thing as is not only a making friends
to-day, but so, that there may be a continuation of this amity.
You cannot call this reconciliation when men are brought toge-
ther, and their controversies are ended now to-day, but upon the
same will fall out again to-morrow; here is not reconciliation ;
for, in reconciliation there must be a burying of all that which
was the subject and matter of the quarrel. So Christ being our
reconciliation, he making our peace with God, doth not bring
God to be friends with us to-day, so as to fall out with us to-
morrow again, but to be friends with us for ever. Therefore, by
the way, know, that every person reconciled unto God by Christ,
is not only a person become a friend of God now, but for ever ;
and as Christ takes away the present anger of God against him
to-day, so all quarrels and controversies for ever ; so that a per-
son reconciled shall never have God at controversy any mor
with him. Some, it may be, conceive Christ reconciles God and
us in respect of sins that are past ; but if we sin anew, say they,
God must have new controversies, and new quarrels. But, be-
loved, remember this, he bore all iniquity at once upon him ; and
when he made reconciliation with God, he brought in all the
transgressions of believers, from first to last, and so ended the
quarrel with God, in respect of every one, even for sins future as
well as past. He dealt so with God, that he reconciled him to
you in respect of them ; so that Christ must either leave out those
sins you think breaks peace with God, or, if not, then that recon-
ciliation as much concerns those sins, as other transgressions
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCV-SEAT. 255
already committed. Now, think whether of these be true doc-
trine, either that Christ shoukl leave some sins out that are
brought again into controversy, and so God again begins to fall
out with persons for them ; or whether he made agreement for
all, and all comes into reconciliation. Therefore, I say, suppose
two men are at variance, they have a hundred actions one against
another ; a friend comes in to make up the business between
them ; he brings in every one of these hundred actions to this
agreement; he dealeth so with them, that all the controversy
between them, in resjiect of all these actions, shall die ; and so
he makes them friends. Now, I ask, when all actions are
brought into the agreement, may these men fall to quarrelling
and suits of law for any of them ? They cannot do it ; beloved,
if Christ brought in all the transgressions of his people into the
agreement, and they were all satisfied for by him, "His blood
cleanseth from all sin," as saith the apostle; how cometh it to
pass, that God should again fiill out, and be at controversy with
them, for any of these sins that were in the agreement before in
that reconciliation made ? Therefore, know for certain, for your
everlasting consolation, that there is nothing shall be able to
separate you from the love of God in Christ, or make a breach
between God and you, who are his people. Every sin which, in
its own nature indeed, makes a breach, was taken into the
agreement that Christ made with the Father; and if there should
be such an objection rising in your hearts, when you have
committed a sin, now God is at controversy with me for this,
ask your hearts this question ; was this sin brought into the
agreement of reconciliation, or was it left out? Did God accept
of the reconciliation when this transgression was in the agree-
ment? how can he then fall out again for this that was in his
thoughts when reconciliation was made ? but this may seem to
be but discourse only, and therefore take a view of some
passages of scripture, whereby you shall see, as clear as the
light, that God's reconciliation to believers is one entire and
sim])le act : this being once made, there is no more quarrel and
controversy that God should prosecute persons reconciled; look
into Dan. ix. 24, there is a time mentioned of making reconcilia-
tion ; you shall therein see the eflfects that accompany it made;
I have heretofore recited other effects, but not this ; " Seventy
weeks shall be determined upon thy people and holy city '" for
256 CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT.
what ? " for the finishing of transgressions, for the making an
end of sin, and making reconciliation for iniquity, and the
bringing in of everlasting righteousness." Observe it well
when reconciliation is made, then there is an end of the matter,
that bred and fed the controversy and quarrel. When there isa
controversy of God against a person, it must spring from his
sins ; but when a reconciliation is made, there is a finishing and
a putting an end to sin ; take away the cause, and the eflfect
vanisheth of itself ; but observe the text a little more yet, to
shew the unchangeableness of this reconciliation, when made,
there is, saith he, "brought in everlasting righteousness."
Righteousness, as you have heard before, is that which begets,
feeds, and preserves peace and reconciliation with God. So then
this fountain of righteousness must be drawn dry, before the
peace that is made by it can be wasted. How comes it to pass a
lamp goeth out, but because the oil is wasted that feeds it ? so
the righteousness of Christ is the oil that feeds the reconciliation
made ; either this must be spent, or the lamp of peace cannot go
out; but, saith the Holy Ghost, there is brought in upon recon-
ciliation everlasting righteousness ; so that it is clear, when God
reconciles himself to his people, they are reconciled for ever to
him. Consider also the excellent expression, Isa. liv. 9, 10.
"This is to me, (saith the Lord), as the waters of Noah ; for, as
1 have sworn that the waters of Noah shall go no more over the
earth, so have I sworn that 1 will not be wroth with thee, nor
rebuke thee any more ; the mountains shall depart, and the hills
shall be removed, but my loving kindness shall not depart from
thee, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee." The very
express words shew the excellent qualities of that reconciliation
that is produced by the bringing in of a better covenant there
spoken of.* Mark it well, I beseech you, for there are admirable
expressions in it : the thing God proclaims is this, that he will
not be wroth, and fall out any more with his people ; and this he
confirms by an oath, and what can be more binding than the
oath of God ?
* The meaning is, that God's dispensations towards his people, at the time the
prophecy refers to, is like that of his to Noah and his family , and the love he hears to
them is like that which he bare to him ; and the covenant he has made with them is
as that he made with him. The love of God to his people is an everlasting love ; it
always continues; it never did, nor never will depart, notwithstanding their fall in
Adam, their depraved state by nature, their actual sins and transgressions, their many
revoltings and backslidings; though the Lord may hide liis face from 1 hem, and
afflict them, still he loves them ; whaterer departs from thee, his kindness shall net.
CHRIST ALONE OUR MERCY-SEAT. 257
Again, take notice of the continuance of this ; how lung; wiL
not he be wroth nor rebuke ? Even so long as floods shall coase
to drown the world. God hath sworn, that till the world shah
be drowned with water again, he will not be wroth with his
people. As long as water shall not com« upon the earth, nay
longer, if longer may be ; " The mountains shall depart, and the
hills shall be removed, but my loving kindness shall not depart
from thee ;" as much as to say, the loving kindness of God shall
remain steadfast to the people reconciled to him, even longer than
the mountains shall stand fast, and the hills unremoved ; this, I
say, is established by such a firm covenant aiid oath, and out of
tlie mouth of so glorious a God, that the hearts of his people
may be secure that he will not be wroth with them.
But, whereas some may say, the Lord, in verse 7, says, " In
a little wrath have I hid my face for a moment ;" therefore, it
seems, it is not to be taken for such a perpetual forbearance of
wrath.
Consider, that all along this chapter, the prophet speaks of
the church of God, in a two-fold estate : he speaks to it one
while as it is a wife of youth, and another while as her breasts
are grown ; as a wife of youth, so the Lord for a moment hid his
face ; but as a wife that is grown up, so he will not be wroth with
ner, nor rebuke her any more. The apostle Paul most excel-
lently expounds this different estate of the church, in the time
before and after Christ, in Gal. iv, 1 — 4. " There was, (saith
he,) a time of minority, wherein, even an heir, being but a child,
differeth nothing at all, in respect of outward carriage, from a
servant, though even then he be Lord of all ;" and this time of
being a servant, is not for ever, saith the apostle, " but till the
time appointed of the Father," Here, in respect of outward
usage, during this minority, there is no difference between such
a person, and him that is not an heir at all, but he is under tutors
and governors ; that is, he feels alike the rod, and still this is
till the time appointed of the Father : see how the apostle ex-
pounds the words, even so we^ saith he, " while we were children
in our nonage, were in bondage under the elements of the world :"
we did partake of the common calamities of the world, but how
long was this ? " When the fulness of time was come, God sent
forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the Jaw, to redeem
them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption
VOL. II. S
-^58 CHRIST ALONE OUR MKRCV-SKAT.
of sons." There was a redemption, even in the minority of the
church ; when it was at the youngest age, there was redemption,
but not in respect of that which he speaks of here ; that was a
redemption from that condition, wherein the heir did not differ
from a servant ; therefore, most properly, according to the co-
herence of the words, the redemption, spoken of here, was from
a condition wherein they did not differ from servants, into a
condition wherein they should differ. So in Isaiah liv. 8, there
is such a difference in this two-fold estate of the church, as is
between a wife of youth, and a wife grown up : what is that, you
will say? You know, even among men, they marry children in-
tentionally when they are but two or three years of age ; the
child is in some sense a married wife, and yet, for all this, while
she is four or five, yea, six or seven years of age, she is used as
one that is not married ; there is no difference between this child,
and one that is not married ; but when she cometh to riper years
of age, and hath the actual fruition of her husband, then she
cometh to be freed from the rod, and receiveth all the immunities
and privileges of a wife, which she, though a wife, did not enjoy
before : and so in this text, the church as a child under age, and
a wife of youth, is visited for a moment, and there is a kind of
hiding the face of God while she is as the wife of youth ; but
when the time of riper age is come, then ** this shall be as the
waters of Noah to me ; as I have sworn that the waters of Noah
shall no more drown the earth ; so have I sworn that I will not
be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee." Thus, beloved, you see
that God, once reconciled, never falls out with his people any
more. It is true, indeed, he chastises them, but he never doth
it in wrath and fury. In Isaiah xxvii. 4, speaking of his church,
that he would watch night and day, he saith, " Fury is not in
me :" he hath no acquaintance with fury, in reference unto such
persons : and, therefore, although it be true there may be afflic-
tions, and those exceeding tart to the flesh, even when a person
or church is grown up ; yet there is not wrath in these afflictions :
" Every son, (saith God,) I love, I rebuke and chasten :" there
is love even in chastisements, and the fruit of it is love, to take
away sin. The end why God sends these afflictions, is not in
wrath for sin, but to purge them from the filth. God takes oc-
casion, when his people sin, to chastise them in love ; but that
chastisement is no frutt of the wrath and curse of God, nor
CHRIST ALONE OUU MKRCY-SKAT. 269
sentence of the law, but the tender compassions of a loving
Father that makes use of them for his children's good : There is
as much reconciliation with God under the rod, as when not
under it : a father may love a child as dearly when he corrects
him, as when he gives him plumbs. It is thus with God, to
children reconciled to him, as he corrects a child committing a
fault, he never whips him but there is fear he will commit it
again ; and therefore he chastises him to prevent a fault ; he
doth not punish him to pacify his anger for a fault committed.
So God, in respect of the church, for the purging of it, and for
trial in these respects, will chastise, and in chastising will convev
the spirit of amendment to them : but, in respect of what is done
were it not to have them purged for the future, he would never
afflict his people for that which is past : so that, I say, though
this be the great objection that troubles meii's spirits, they fall
daily into afflictions, here is wrath and enmity ; reconciliation is
not firm ; God is now fallen out ; yet beloved, know, that God is
not fallen out with his people when he chastiseth them. No man
under heaven can suflfer under afflictions, more than Christ
himself did ; yet, saith God, he is my beloved Son, not my hated
Son, but my beloved Son, I afflict. It is true, indeed, as the
apostle Paul speaks, ^ No affliction is joyous, but grievous ;"
yet, " afterwards it bringeth forth the comfortable fruits of
righteousness to those that are exercised therewitli." Consider
tliis one thing ; can God pour wrath when he only intends the
good of his people, to purge and bring them as gold out of the
fire ? Certainly, what David had expeinence of, shall be the
fruit of all the afflictions of all the members of Christ, though
fhey be never so many and great.; " Before I was afflicted, I
went astray, but now I have kept thy word." Whereupon he
saith, that it was good for him he was afflicted. God afflicts to teach,
to draw home, to refine and purge. You know, the merchant
vioth not in wrath fling away his gold, when he puts it into
the refining pot ; it is no argument of less love, only he would
have his gold tried and refined, and the dross taken away out of
it : it is so with God ; all the members of Christ, all for whom he
prayed and hath prevailed for with the Father, are the beloved of
the Father, and the darlings of his soul ; for his love neither
ceaseth, nor diminisheth when they are under the rod.
One word of application, and so I shall have done. Is it lo^
8 2
26C CHRIST ALONE OTJR MERCY-SEAT.
that Christ is such an advocate, that having such a strength oi
plea in his righteousness, he producctli such a good Issue, as to
bung, at the last, reconciliation? In a word then, you know
what to trust unto for your soul's discharge and comfort : " In
many things we sin all ;" what should uphold your spirits that
your sins should not sink your souls? Here is held out unto
you that great supporter, the righteousness of Christ, Isaiah xli.
10, "Fear not, be not discouraged," and why? the close of all
is this, " I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righte-
ousness :" if you go any where else for support, when sin is
committed, your sins will sink you and swallow you up ; nothing
can bear you up, in respect of the weight of sin, but the right
hand of his righteousness ; that alone is the thing that must
uphold your spirits, or nothing at all can do it. Oh that the
Lord would be pleased to work upon your spirits to betake
yourselves to this support, and to fix your spirits upon the fulness
of support and strength, that is in this righteousness of his.
When the Israelites were stung by the fiery serpents, it was not
the applying of a plalster could heal them, nothing but the brazen
serpent. Oh, look upon the brazen serpent, the Lord Jesus ;
look not upon any other plaister in the world but him, to heal
your wounded souls stung with the serpent of your sins ; though
they may serve for other uses, yet they have not so much virtue
in them, as to heal the sting of sin : fix your eyes here, cast
yourselves here, rest here, let the weight of your souls lean here :
*' He that believeth shall be saved; he that believeth not, shall
be damned: he that believeth shall be established; he that be-
lieveth not, shall not be established." Oh, go not to Christ, as
if there were not enough in him to answer your transgressions ;
that you must carry something else with you to" him, that may be
a help to your discharge ; if ever discharge from heaven come
unto yom* spirits, it is only the hand of Christ, by his Spirit,
that must bring it down to you ; and nothing in the world can
do it, but that discharge, as it is recorded in the word of grace.
In things that come by relation unto men, and so are opened
unto them, how can men be satisfied concerning the truth of the
thino- reported, but upon the credit of him that is the reporter
thereof? Let a man tell me ever so good news, if I do not
believe him, my spirit is not satisfied. So, concerning the
diicharge from sin, you hear it related from heaven ; " We
THE LOVELINESS OK CHRIST^S BELOVED. 2t51
Iwive an advocate, and he is the propitiation for our sins.*'*
How, there is no way in the world to know that there is such a
thing as an advocate and propitiation, but as it is revealed from
Iieaven. The apostle John, indeed, reveals it here ; if he had
delivered it merely as he is man, so it had occasioned suspicion
and doubting ; but as it is the revelation of the Holy Ghost,
and of Christ himself by the apostle, so we are to stick close
unto it, and we shall find rest unto our souls, as we can credit
the report of it ; therefore, as the Lord will work upon your
spirits, take up your rest where it is to be found ; so your souls
shall lie down in peace and safety ; you shall sing and leap for
joy; and you shall have all peace and joy in believing. O that
men would keep up the dying language of a martyr. None but
Chjist, none but Christ, in matters of faith, and stability of
spirit, of peace of conscience, as well as of salvation. And so I
shall commend this word to the grace of God, in respect n( the
i«sue thereof upon your spirits.
SERMON XL I.
THE LOVELINESS OF CHRIST S BELOVED.
SOLOMON'S SONG, iv. 7.
THOU ART ALL FAIR, MV LOVE, AND THERE IS NO SPOT IN
THEE.
The gospel of Christ being the great and invaluable treasuie
of the church; the Helena for which it should contend; yea, its
sanctuary and refuge ; it hath pleased the Holy Ghost, to
present and hold forth this in change of raiment, as I may so
speak ; sometimes presenting it, as it were, in a cloud, more
darkly by visions and dreams, when deep sleep was fallen upon
God's people. Thus the Lord, in former ages, frequently held
£62 THE I.OVKLINKSS OF CHRIST's BELOVED.
out the gospel, especially in that notable example of Jacob,
^vho^ while he slept, had it preached unto him in the vision of a
ladder, that reached fi-om earth to heaven, by which angels
ascended and descended; which ladder was nothing else but
Christ, by whom alone the sons of men rise from the lowest
condition of sin and misery, to the highest of grace and glory.
Sonietinies the gospel was brought forth to the church with a
mask upon its face, in hard riddles, and dark sentences, to
exercise the wits of God's people ; and thus, among other times,
the gospel was presented unto Sampson, You know the riddle
that was put forth, occasioned by a lion slain by him, which,
being dead, there was a stock of honey in it, which represented
unto his thoughts, the admirable benefit and privilege of the
preaching of the gospel ; " Out of the eater came forth meat,
and out of the strong came sweetness." It was nothing else but
this ; Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, by death had
a stock of honey, not only nourishing, but sweet to the eater.
Sometimes again the gospel was presented, though not with so
dark masks, yet with a veil over the face of it, that though some
beauty of it might be seen, yet in respect to the glory of it, in
an obscure way ; and thus it was exhibited unto the Jews in
types and shadows, and held forth in their sacrifices, temples,
tabernacles, altars, mercy-seat, incense, and the like ; in all of
which there was a general darkness ; namely ,^ a putting over the
face of Moses a veil, who in that represented Christ the media-
tor, as he was to be exhibited unto the people in those times ^
and yet, although for royalty and honour's sake, the gospel wa»
veiled ; sometimes the Holy Ghost is pleased to lift up the veil
for a moment, as it were, that there might some glance of the
beauty of it appear; even in those times, now and then a prophet
would out with some admirable expression of the gospel ; but
this was but as the breaking forth of light in a dark night.
Sometimes again, the gospel was presented in a proj)hetic habit,
and so it was held out, as it were at a remote distance, that
even an eievated and supernatural eye had as much as it could
do to see it in proportion ; and this was the dispensation of the
gospel in the prophets. Sometimes also, it was presented tnider
a parabolic habit ; and thus it pleased ovu* Saviour to exhibit it
in his time, delighting much to see it in this dress ; insomuch^
that all the gospel he spake, almost, was clothed in it ; and so
THE LOVELINESS OK CIIRIST^S BELOVED. 263
the kingdom of heaven was likened unto leaven, hid in three
measures of meal, and to mustard-seed, and treasure hid in a
field ; and so he goeth on, setting of it forth under all sorts of
comparisons to illustrate it. Finally, the gospel is presented
sometimes without either veil or mask over it, in its own proper
beauty, shining forth from the face of it, nothing at all hinder-
ing the prospect of it, in its own proportion ; and thus was the
gospel presented unto the disciples, when they said unto Christ,
" NoAv thou speakest unto us plainly, and not by parables."
Unto us that live now, at this present, the gospel of Christ is
represented in all these varieties of dresses together, to admi-
nister the more delight. It is accounted one of the greatest
pieces of honour in a state, for a prince to have changes of
raiment every day ; now, the Lord will put so much state upon
his gospel, that it shall not always go in one dress, or habit.
The text that I have read unto you, holds out the gospel in
Christ's own way, which was so much aifected by him, I mean
in a parabolic habit. The most glorious excellencies of the
gospel, as it pertains to the church of God, are comprised in
this text : " Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee."
Tliis, as the whole song, throughout, is nothing less but an
elevated strain of discourse between Christ and his church, or a
song tuned to the highest note that ever was sung ; which
discourse is an interchangeable speech between them ; the
church acting her part first, in ch. i. 2 : *' Let him kiss me with
the kisses of his mouth ;" being amiable, sweet discourse in-
deed : then she falls upon the high commendation of his love,
exalting the praise of her husband Christ above the sky ; which
kindled such a strong affection in her, that she seemed to be far
from him, not near enough unto him ; she called unto him
therefore, that he would draw her nearer unto him : " Draw me,
and we will run after thee ;" and that she may come the nearer,
she begs of him, to tell her where she may find him in a nearer
communion with him, than yet she had. Hereupon, her part
being ended, Christ begins to tune his note in a higher strain,
in answering the church, than she did : " If thou knowest not,
O thou fairest amongst women," saith he ; here, after his com-
mendation of her, lie directs her where she may meet with him ;
by the footsteps of the flocks ; by the tents of the shepherds.
And, then he falls again upon exalting and commending her
36^1 THE LOVELINESS OF CHR[ST's BELOVfe'P.
tjxcellent perfections, by many and several comparisons: the
cnurcli, by and by, in verse 16, retorts the commendation he
gives her upon him again; " My beloved is fair; beliold, my
beloved, thou art fair, yea, pleasant." Thus, you see, here is a
making forth of the praises of each other's excellency, and of
the high esteem each hath of the other, in their mutual dis-
course : Christ saith of the church, " Thou art the fairest
among women;" she replies again, " Behold thou art fair;"
and thus they go on in admirable expressions of the praises of
each other. It would be too large to run over all the particulars
of the sweet discourse between them. In the text, Christ retorts
the commendation back again unto the church, before she
had given him : she having begun to fall into the high com-
mendation of her loveyhe follows ; she retorts it upon him, Christ
w\\\ not have it rest tliere ; he will have the la^t word, as I may
say; he retorts it back again to her, saying, ia these words,
" Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee :" so that
here is an out- vying, as it were, between Christ and his church,
which should mount highest in the praise of each other, extol-
ling the excellency of each other unto the skies ; the burden of
the song being this still ; " Thou art fair ; thou art all fair, my
love." In it you may observe in general, the high commenda-
tion that Christ gives of and to his church, in which you may
note,
1. The most gracious amiable title that Christ gives -jnto her,
he calls her love, the sweetest title a husband can give a wife ;
but there is an addition of one article, that mightily advances
the endearedness of Christ, in respect of the speciality thereof;
namely, " My love ; thou art all fair, my love."
2. The matter of the praise, and commendation, that Christ
gives to his church, it is expressed in that which is accounted
most desirable, fairness ; thou art fair ; but in this, there is a
double addition that exceeds the praise the church gives untc
Christ before ; the church is not only fair, but all fair.
3. For the further illustration of this beauty, there is
second addition ; " Thou hast no spot in thee."
4. The time of which Christ speaks: every man receives this
principle, that in heaven, there shall be perfection of beauty, in
which the church shall stand. But if Christ had spoken of the
state, of glory, he would have declared himself in the future-
THE LOVELINESS OF CHRIST'S BELOVED. 265
tense. Thou shall he allfair^ my love. But it is observable, he
speaks here in the present tense, of the present time of the
church, as he hath communion with her here in this world;
Thou art all fair. There is a great deal of difference ; it is one
tiling to say of a man, thou shalt be rich, and another thing to
say, thou art rich. It is true, the church shall be all fair in
glory, and it is as true, the church is all fair now : " Thou art
all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee." That these words
are the language of Christ unto his church, may appear to you,
if you will consider, what is spoken before ; there is the recom-
mendation of the breasts ; now, this hath reference to the spouse ;
but most plainly it appears in the words that follow, " Come
with me from Lebanon, my spouse," saith Christ; either they
must be the words of Christ to the church, or of the church to
Christ ; but they cannot be the words of the church to Christ,
for she doth not call him spouse ; for the word spouse, is spoken
in reference to the woman, and not the man. You shall have it
furtlier cleared in the contents of the chapter, which shew the
drift of the whole ; the author of them holds forth according to
the Hebrew, where the genders are more distinct than in our
English ; that these very words are the expressions of Christ
unto his church. Whereby you see, that this is no new doctrine,
neither is it set forth by any obscure person, being delivered by
Solomon, or rather by Christ, personated by Solomon, that the
church should be all fair, aud without spot.
The proposition is briefly this, that the love of Christ is all
fair, and without spot. You may remember, beloved, that I
have hitherto at large endeavoured to set forth the gospel of our
blessed Saviour to you, in the first great part thereof (the gospel
consisting principally in two things, the negative and affirmative
privileges of the members of Christ, their great privilege and
invaluable benefit being, 1. Exemption from evil ; and 2. A
])articipating of all good things). All the discourse I have had
with you hitherto, hath had reference principally to the former
branch of the gospel, setting forth to you the gracious discharge
of the members of Christ from all iniquity; and so consequently
from all the fruits of iniquity, in these words; " And the Lord
halh laid on him the iniquity of us all ;" and I have further
shewed you, how the people of God, and members of Christ,
partake of such discharge as this is, which is the way of God, b
26G ' THE LOVELINESS OF CHRISt's BKLOVEn
which the sons of men, believers, cai. nave their portion, and
their possession of this immunity, and that out of 1 John ii. 1 ;
" If any man sin," &c.
It was in my thoughts, beloved, to have made present progress
into the text that I have read unto you ; but yet in some respect
a necessity lies upon me to give you a brief touch of some things
I have formerly delivered, by way of acquitting myself from
injurious slanders. It is, and hath been my portion, and I know,
not unknown to many of you, that while I have laboured freely,
and by the assistance of the Spirit of the Lord, to make known
his mind to the comfort and rest of the weary and heavy laden,
I myself have not wanted my burthen ; yet were it not for the
gospel's sake, lest that should receive prejudice, I should never
open my mouth to vindicate a truth, as it concerns myself, in so
public a way. But as there hath been most false imputations
laid upon me, in respect of the gospel, so for the sake of that
only, I shall acquit myself publicly before you of such things as
are most injuriously charged upon me. 1. It hath been affirmed,
and that by persons who have gone for men of credit (and conse-
quently the wound must strike the deeper, and the report take
the greater impression), it hath been given forth, I say, that in
my discourse among you, I should deliver to you, that the active
and passive obedience of Christ, considered as '^eavepeoTrof, as
God and man, in reference to both his natures, hath not a
sufficiency in it to make up a complete rigiiteousness for us ; and
further, that the ground of it should be this, namely, that Christ
did not perform the several duties of the several relations wherein
many persons stand; as theoffice of a magistrate, and the relation
of a husband, &c. For the vindicating of myself herein, I
shall repeat the matter I delivered before, and you shall also
know the truth of what my judgment is in this thing, and then
leave it to the church of God, whether it be a slander or no.
This I then said, that the active and passive obedience of Christ
properly, are the actions and passions of the human nature ; for
the Divine Nature is not subject to obedience, because there is
not any superior whom it should obey, neither is it subject to
passion ; God cannot suffer ; and therefore doing the commands,
and suffering the punishments, are more proper to the human
nature ; and this is but a mere creature, and therefore the actions
of it, as a creature, cannot extend to a proportion answerable to
TIbE LOVELINESS OF CIIRISt's BELOVED, 267
Hie injury done by sin to God : for this cause, I say, as I said
before, there must be an addition of virtue from the divine nature
of Christ to make the active and passive obedience of the human
nature a complete righteousness. So that all I said is this, that
the actions and passions of the human nature are not sufficient
to make up our righteousness complete, but there must be some-
thing of the divine nature superadded, to raise up one propor-
tionable to the transgressions we commit. And that expression
concerning the not performing of duties of these several relations,
was only to this purpose, to shew wherein the human nature of
Christ in obedience, did not fulfil every thing in particular,
which is the duty of a man ; and that therefore the divine nature
of Christ, by the eminent dignity thereof, is, as I said before, to
make up the righteousness a complete one. Concerning this,
whether it be truth or no, let the church judge, according to the
word: as for ^eavepoJTros, Clu-ist, as God and man, it is well
known, I used not the word, neither had I the thing in my mind,
nor in my tongue, to the purpose they allege it against me : in
a word, this, I say, that Christ, as God and man, hath in himself
an absolute completeness of righteousness for all the elect; there
need not be a going forth from Christ to any thing in the world
besides for a perfect righteousness.
2, There is another charge, deep indeed, and I appeal to you,
that have frequently heard me, whether ever you have heard any
such thing from me, namely, that by way of inference I should
deny Christ ; how true this is, let the whole course of my ministry
witness, which altogether aimed and endeavoured the exalting of
him above all the creatures in the world ; and, except my being
so busy with this truth, become an occasion of so manifest slan-
ders and false aspersions that are raised, I know not what should
be the cause of them. But, beloved, how is it that I should deny
Christ 1 in that, say they, I deny repentance unto life. Now,
whether ever I did so, 1 appeal to you that heard me ; this, I say,
concerning faith and repentance unto life, in brief, that neither
have any efficacy of their own to produce life; but those that
attain to life, in time the Lord giveth them to believe and to
repent indeed. But, 3, Another charge is more strange than all
the rest; this I must touch also. I will name no persons, nor
hint them ; my scope is to deliver plainly unto you the truth of
my own thoughts, and so lie under censure, or be acquitted. The
268 THE LOVELINESS OF CHRISt's BELOVED.
charge is this, that I should affirm, that should an elect persoo
live and die a whoremonger and an adulterer, and in all kind ol
prophaneness ; and, though thus living and dying, shall be saved;
which, how contrary it is unto the whole course of my ministry,
ye are witness ; I dare be bold to say, you all know it to be
a gross, notorious, and groundless slander. You know, a person
being elect, it is impossible he should miscarry, and not be saved.
Either God's election must be frustrated, which is impossible, or
he that is elected to salvation must attain unto it. I think none
of those that have cast this imputation upon me will deny it; but
withal, this I said before, atid so I say still, there is no elect
person, suppose him to be capable, and come to years, shall die
before he be called; that is, before the Lord gives faith to him
to believe, and in some measure frame him to walk by the Spirit
according to his rule ; in a word, this person is changed in con-
versation : the principle is this ; " He that believeth shall be
saved ;" and, " He that believeth not shall be damned :" and,
" No unclean thing shall enter into the kingdom of heaven :"
every soul, therefore, being elected, as it shall be saved at last,
so is it, or shall in time be, called and enabled to believe and
walk as a child of light. If this be not true doctrine, then I desire
my mouth may be stopped.
Having thus endeavoured to take off those aspersions, though
not in respect of myself, yet in respect of some of you, who,
peradventure, may receive such things for truth, especially com-
ing out of the mouths of such persons, as those from whom the
charge comes ; I come to the text I have taken to handle, namely,
" Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee." I shall
say but little concerning the latter branch of it, it having been
all my work heretofore to set forth this immunity we have by the
blood of Christ, the cleansing from all sin : I shall keep myself
to the former branch, " Thou art all fair, my love." Let us
therefore take into consideration these particulars, that will give
some hint of the grace revealed here. 1. Who this love is, of
whom Christ speaks. 2. Why this person that is so fair, is here
called my love. 3. What this fairness is that is appropriated to
her. 4. What it is for her to be all fair. 5. When this time is
tliat she is all fair : '• Thou art all fair, my love."
1. Who this is that is called the love of Christ : the next
»ords will unriddle the question, ^' Come with me from Lebanon,
THE LOVELINESS OF CHRISt's BELOVED. Vol)
mv Bpouse ;'* the love of Christ then here, is the spouse of
Christ; and, beloved, if you knew all, you would soon see what
glorious, unspeakable, and unsearchable excellencies are con-
tained in this grace, that the church should be admitted into the
bosom of Christ to be his very spouse : there are two things very
considerable by which you may perceive, at the least, some of
the glory and excellency of this privilege, 1. If you consider
the inequality of the persons that are matched. 2. The great
privilege that issues from such a match. The word spouse^ you
know, is nothing else but a title of relation, in reference to a
husband : now, I say, first consider the inequality of the persons
matched, and therein you shall see admirable condescending
grace. I remember, in 1 Sam. xviii. 23, when the servants of
Saul came to David, to make mention of Saul's mind concerning
his marrying his daughter, David was in a kind of astonishment;
and when they spake to him of the matter, he replied, " Seemeth
it a light thing unto you, to be the king's son-in-law, seeing I
am but a poor man, and lighty esteemed?" This was strange
news to poor David ; what, presently to marry the king's
daughter, and be the son-in-law to a king, being a poor man as
I am, is this a small matter in your eyes ? Much more may we
oe astonished, that we, poor miserable wretches, should marry
the Son and Heir of the world, nay, the Son and Heir of Glory.
Shall this seem a light matter to you to be the spouse of a king,
to be the sons and daughters of a king of kings ? It was an
admirable witty expression of Abigail in 1 Sam. xxv. 41, when
David sent messengers unto her, to commune with her, to take
her to be his wife, she in humility replied to the messengers thus,
" Let thy handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants
of my Lord ;" a high strained compliment, if it had been a mere
one ; but as it was real, so it expresses the great distance she
conceived there was between herself and David ; and therefore
doth not spare to shew her thoughts of her great unworthiness to
be matched with him ; this is an office good enough for me, to
wash the servants' feet, and not to lie in the bosom of David ;
why, what a great matter was this 1 she was as rich as David ;
and she was very beautiful, and her stock and parentage was as
good as David's ; there was but this difference, a kingdom was
promised to David, and he was anointed king, but yet for the
j-rescnt a persecuted anointed; but notwithstanding she admues
'/TO THE LOVELINESS OF CHRISt's BELOVED.
the great condescending of David, that ho sliould take her to ba
his wife. Oh then, beloved, what must be the condescending of
the Son of God, the heir of the world, and the express image of
the Father, and the brightness of his glory, as you have it in
Heb. i. 3, to stoop to match himself to a creature ; surely, I say,
it were a great condescending. But since he was so pleased to
condescend so low as to match himself to a creature, he might well
have chosen the highest lineage and most noble stock of creatures,
he might have matched himself with angels, but this makes his
condescension more admirable ; he descended lower, he took not
upon him, saith the apostle, the nature of angels, but the seed of
Abraham. And, beloved, were it to creatures, and the lowest
simply, the condescension had not been so great : there may be
some beauty in a country maid, though homely attired, as well
as there may be in a great personage in richest apparel, of great
stock and portion. Had there been beauty, though there had
been no lineage, nor noble blood, this were something; but as
the blood became ignoble, and traitorous, in respect of the first
father's rebellions and treasons, so this traiterous blood could not
contain itself within its bounds ; but as the prophet Isaiah speaks,
ch. i. 6, " From the crown of the head, to the sole of the feet,
there is nothing else but wounds, and putrefying sores, and loath-
someness in blood ; even such, as that person is cast out to the
loathing of its person, that no eye could pity ;" that Christ should
take such a nasty beggar, such a beggar, as stinks above ground
:as we may well say, in regard of its filthiness ; that hath no sound
part, being full of blotches, and sores, and putrefactions, running
over all parts, from head to foot; I say, that Christ should take
such a creature, and make it comely through his comeliness put
upon it, and no place should serve it, but heaven where he him-r
self is ; and no communication, but the nearest that possible may,
or can be imagined ; even a communion that extends itself to a
kind of oneness, and highest degree of unity. Oh, the astonishing
greatness of the love of Christ ' They are said to be one flesh, as
Christ and his church are set forth by the Holy Ghost, in the
union between man and wife ; so that, beloved, the church, as
she is the spouse of Christ, is made one flesh with him. You
have some monstrous births in the world sometimes, that have
had some deformed parts growing unto them ; as you may see at
this time, in some place about this town ; a young man niih
THE LOVELINESS OF CHRIST's I'ELOVBD.
another youth, as I may say, united to him at his belly ; wliereby
he is exceedingly deformed, and very much troubled with the
burthen of it, and almost poisoned with the noisomeness of it ;
whereby, the life of him that bears it, becomes worse than death
to him. Beloved, such were some of us ; nay, such were all of
us, by nature ; when Christ first took us, we were such monsters,
filthy, loathsome, and ugly. And, though we were thus by
nature, yet Christ has admitted us, not only into his house, and
now and then into his presence, but to sit continually before
him ; yea, to be his spouse ; he makes " us flesh of his flesh
and bone of his bone ;" what a condescending is this ; It is true,
beloved, Christ covenants, and accordingly he hath done this
namely, cleansed this person, after he coupled himself to it: but,
I say, to take persons before this change, in such a loathsome,
filthy condition, and make them one with himself, is so strange a
condescending, that all the world is not able to parallel it, shall
I say ? no, not come near this act of Christ : a king may, perad-
venture, fancy some worthiness, beauty, something or other, that
way be pleai^/mg to him in a beggar, and marry her, that he
fancieth to be of worth, and delight in her ; but, beloved, how
could Christ cast his love on such persons, whom he knew were
such filthy ones ; Avho, even when he came in the sweetest and
fairest ways to woo, spit poison in his face, being full of enmity,
stubbornness, and rebellion, even bitter enmity against him;
flinging from him, as the greatest enemy in the world? Beloved,
by nature, every person, till Christ himself tame him, hath a spite
against him, and fights against him, and is so full of malignity
against him, as to cast dirt even in his face ; and yet for all this
inequality and disproportion between Christ and him, he
makes this loathsome, wretched person, this rebel and traitor,
his spouse.
Now, beloved, if the Lord will but open your spirits to look
into this inequality, and see not only the distance, but even the
extreme contrariety between Christ, considered as he is in him-
self, and you in yourselves, how can you but break forth into
admiration, even to astonishment ? It is a notable expression in
1 John iii. 1, " Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God t
now we are the sons of God ; and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be.*' John begins with this note of admiration, Beholeif
272 TUK LOVELINESS OF CHRISt's BELOVED.
and follows it with an interrogation, as not beinjj able to answe
it himself, " What manner of love is this?" Why wherein ex-
pressed ? " That we should be called the sons of God." This is
a great love, and yet ye know, that sonship is a relation below a
spouse : how then should we break forth, if it were possible, into
a his/her admiration than ever he did, and say : " Behold, what
manner of love is this, that we, poor miserable creatures, should
be called the spouse of Christ ! Now, we are the spouse of
Christ : yet, it doth not yet appear what we shall be."
2. It remains to consider, the privileges of this relation, and
therein see the great loving kindness, and unsearchable goodness
of our God, that is pleased to match his own Son unto us, and
by such a match, to make us partakers of such glorious privileges
and immunities. I will but name them : 1. As we are the spouse
of Christ, so we are the children of God ; he that marrieth the
king's daughter, becometh the king's son by that match ; but,
that is not all. 2. By this match, we become heirs ; if sons, then
heirs, heirs of glory, joint-heirs with Christ; a great privilege,
if you consider all the wealth and riches you have by Christ. 3.
This relation entitles the spouse of Christ, to all that ever he
hath ; to all his honours, and all his communicable titles. 4. It
secures the church, the spouse of Christ, from all arrest, from
actions, and all suits ; let the debts be never so great, the cre-
ditors cannot come near her for one farthing : the consideration
of this will add also to the exalting and magnifying of the ex-
ceeding riches of the grace of God in Christ to men, to shew
what a blessed condition this spouseship is, to those that are
strangers unto both ; hearing the love of the church, to be the
chiefest often thousands, may, by the power of the Spirit of the
Lord, be won to seek after him ; it was the very same case in the
Canticles ; the daughters of the world say unto the spouse ot
Christ, hearing her so extol her love, " What is thy beloved
more than other beloveds, that thou so chargest us ?" Oh, saith
the church, " My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of
ten thousands ;" when they had heard of the excellencies of
Christ, they began at last to have their affections taken too, and
to say, " Whither is thy beloved gone, that we may seek him
with thee ?" Even so it may please God, when by my endeavour^
the excellencies of the privileges of the spouse of Christ are set
forth, and the gloriousness of the privileges of the gospel
CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. 273
liwnifeM'^il ; I say, when these appear, and when Christ, as the
chief of ten thousands, is declared ; some may seek after hiin.
yea, and embrace him with joy. But, I cannot stand now to
sneak of them; but hereafter, God willing, if I should ha^a
furt'uer opportunity.
SERMON XLII.
'CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHUROW.
COLOSSIANS i. 18.
Ay.D HB IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH; WHO 755
THE BEGINNING.
The apostle, after the superscription and direction of this
epistle, wherein he makes mention of his commission, for the
exercise of his apostolic office ; and after his apostolic benedic-
tion, comes to give an account of the cause of the writing of it
It was this ; namely, he had received comfortable intelligence."
and information from Epaphroditus, a minister of the gospel,
that had laboured among these Colossians, of their receiving the
faith, and of their love to the brethren. This was glad news to
the apostle ; and therefore he tells them, that he was not un-
mindful, or backward, to return thanks and praise to the Lord,
for so good a work begun in them, and for the joy he had
received by it ; and also to pray for them, making mention of
many particulars he sought of God, on their behalf; namely,
** That they may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all
wisdom and spiritual understanding;" closing up in thankful
ness, verse 13, in remembrance and rehearsal of the fountain
and rise from whence all that grace and goodness received,
flowed and sprung, and that, is the dear Son of God. Having
VOL. II. T
274 CHUIST THE ITKAD OF THE CHURCH,
thus let himself into his own way, namely, the mentioning of the
dear Son of God ; he takes the opportunity, from an apt con-
oection, to go on according to the main discourse of this epistle,
wherein he first sorts his materials, and then falls upon his
business. The two main matters he is upon are, ]. The founda-
tion, and that is the Son of God, expressed verse 13. 2. The
structure raised upon this foundation, and that is redemption
through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
Here is the distribution of his matter. Now, by and by,
having sorted his materials, ho falls to work ; beginning first
with the foundation, which he puts such a lustre upon, that it
shines even like the sun, yea, more glorious than the sun in
beauty: he sets forth Christ the foundation, in so many amiable
consider'itions, as to ravish the world. And at verse 15, 16,
begins to shew his faculty and expertness in this great work,
that Christ entrusted him withal ; namely, to be a wooer in his
behalf, to win people to him, as in a former discourse upon this
place, I have told you; and therein, I say, the apostle most
rhetorically holds forth every thing, that is of a winning and
desirable nature, to draw forth their love unto Christ. If people
look for beauty, and that catch men ; he tells us here, that
Christ is an admirable piece of beauty, there is none like to
him : saith the church, in the Canticles, " He is the chief of
ten thousands ;*" but behold the beauty he mentions here : " He
is the image of the invisible God." In Heb. i. 3, he speaks
more fully to the business ; " He is the express image of /lis
person, and the brightness of his glory." Here is a face for
you, if you be enamoured with beauty, there is none like him.
Yea, but some look for parentage, one of noble blood, and of a
great house ; as they would have beauty, so they would marry
into an honourable family. Well, the apostle will tell you here
is a match for you with a witness ; here is beauty, and a good
race too. He is not only the express image of God, but he is
the first-born of God ; " The first begotten of every creature,"
verse 15, nay, the dear Son of God ; here is a stock for you of
the highest kindred in the world ; he is the heir of glory, the
neir apparent, that if you will match for honour into a great
house, here are beauty and honour too. Yea, but you will ,<iav,
it mav be, ho may be in disgrace, or hath no authority ^od
p'jwer ; we would have such a one. Christ is such, the wnole
CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHJIRCH. 275
sovereignty of the world is at liis command and disposal : as
you would have it to be, so you have it, in verse 16. " AH
things are made by him, (saith the apostle) whether things in
heaven, or things in earth, visible or invisible, principalities
and powers, thrones, or dominions, all things were made by him,
and for him ;" as much as to say, every thing is subject unto
him, every thing bows their knees to him ; and in Phil. ii. he
hath a name given to him above every other name, that, "At the
name of Jesus every knee should bow, whether things in heaven,
or things in earth, or things under the earth." Tell me one that
hath greater powQi' and authority than he. If you will therefore
match with advantage, here is a match for you. But some will
say. He may have honour enough himself, but it may be he is a
niggard, hard, and poor enough ; is he bountiful and free ?
Beloved, the apostle tells us, in Colos. ii. 10, First, what he
hath, he is not only honourable, but rich ; " In him dwelleth
tlie fulness of the Godhead bodily." What is that to me, some
will say 1 he may hoard it all up, I may have little enough of
it ; no, but saith he, " We are complete in him." He cannot
abide to keep any thing to himself; in this he is a householder
with a witness ; he cannot eat his morsel alone, he must impart
that he hath • the tender mother, if she have but a bit, the child
must have half with her, and participate thereof. And there-
fore, in John i. 14, 16, " he is full of grace and truth, (saith
the Holy Ghost) and of his fulness we have received grace for
grace." What better husband can you desire in the world, than
to have his whole purse at your command ? You are not at
stint and allowance ; you may draw till all your wants are sup-
plied, there is no shutting up of the chest of his treasure, he is
a fountain set open for you. But to come to our purpose ;
there are two offices the Holy Ghost is pleased to acquaint us
withal, proper unto Christ, as encouragement to win people
unto him. The first is general, in respect of creation and pro-
vidence over the world ; the second is peculiar and special, over
the church alone ; that is the office mentioned in the text; " He
is the head of the body, the church, the beginning."
In the words you may observe an allegorical proposition, a.nd
the exposition of the allegory : tlie proposition is. He is ttie
'd of the body. The interpretation of it is, He is the begi7i7iing
Church. Again, in these nofc, 1. Whose office this ih
t2
276 CHRIST THE head of the rntjucn.
here spoken of; it is he that is the head, oven the image ot* tne
invisible God, the dear Son of God. 2. The office itself, wnat
that is ; it is headship ; he is the head of the church. 3. Among"
whom this office is executed, and for whose use he executes it,
that is, the body^ interpreted the church, the several members of
Christ.
I will not set down any other proposition, but what the
apostle hath stated in the text, using his own words, " Christ is
the head of the body, the church, the beginning." A head, and
so consequently a body, admits of a three-fold consideration ;
sometimes it is taken naturally, and so proportionably it hath a
body politic ; but here it is taken spiritually for a spiritual
head, and a spiritual body; Christ is the head, and the church,
you see. is the body ; so that this is here a mystical body ; and
it is called a body, not that it hath a completeness without a
head ; but in reference to the head, it is called a part of ihe
whole. A body and a head are but a complete body together.
Sometimes the body goes for a part, and sometimes for the
whole. Here it is taken for a part only ; but that we are to
insist upon is this ; 1. To take into consideration, who is this that
is the head. 2. What this office of headship imports unto us.
3. How this head is furnished to the office that is proper for a
head to a body. 4. And then as time will give leave, we will
have a word or two of application.
1. Who this head is ; you will say, we need not ask the
question, it is confest by all it is Christ : it is true, it is so ; but
yet there is a mystery in it, and, peradventure, the thoughts of
many persons are something more confused in the apprehension
of him, as he is head, than haply they might be ; and it may be
there might be a more clear apprehension of Christ considered
as such, than yet there is among us ; I will therefore, as clearly
as possible I may, state unto you, under what considerations
Christ is to be considered, as head of his church, or of his
members. Note, for the making way to this, that there are five
very distinct things in Christ ; and all of them, as you shall
hear in the closure, concur together in hiin us licjid of the
1. In Christ there is the one only divine nature ; there is no
God in the world, but the God that Christ is : this is worth your
consideration, for the minds of men are apt frequently to
CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. 277
distinguish so between God and Christ, as if God were one, and
Christ distinctly another, and not God ; when, as the truth is,
there is no other God in the world but what Christ himself is :
" My Lord, and my God," said Thomas, speaking to him. And
in Col. ii. 9, the apostle saith, that " in him dwells the fulness
of the godhead bodily ; in the beginning was the word, and the
word was with God, and the word was God," John i. 1, Christ is
God ; there is but one God in all the world ; and therefore you
must know, that you are never to separate in your thoughts God
from Christ; always as you look upon Christ, so look upon
God ; or, as you look upon God, look upon him no otherwise
than as he is in Christ, not as if there were another God, besides
what Christ is ; for there is no such thing.
2. Besides the godhead, there is the eternal, ineffable per-
sonality in Christ ; as he is God, so he is the Son : and in this,
though we cannot fathom the difference, yet certainly there is a
personal difference between the Father and Son : there is but one
God, as I said before ; but the persons are three ; the Father is
one, the Son is another, and the Holy Ghost is another :
There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, th.";
Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." Now,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are not all one
personally, but the Son is the Son, and the Father is the Father ;
but the godhead of the Father and of the Son is one, that is the
true meaning ; there is a difference between the person of th.e
Father, and of the Son ; but this matter is not to be pried into
by human wit ; for this, of all the mysteries in scripture, is the
pure object of mere faith ; there is no human way to illustrate
the difference between the eternal Fatherhood and the eternal
Sonship.
3. In Christ there is a distinct human nature ; that is, as this
man is not that man ; such a distinct individual human nature
Christ hath, having a peculiar soul and body of his own ; that
wlilch was born of the Virgin Mary, and suffered upon the cross ;
distinct, I say, from our individual souls and bodies.
4. In Christ there is to be considered an ineffable and Incom-
prehensible hypostatical union of the dlvlno nature of the second
peison in the trinity, and human nature in one person. ITice
is a diAerence between the being of God, and man, considered
severally, 'and the being of Christ as mediator; the godhead of
278 CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH,
Christ is not the mediator simply, nor liis manhood; but God
and man in one person, as we call it, is the mediator.
5. Christ is to be considered not only personally, as he is God
and man, being one individual person by himself; but collec-
tively, that is, he is not only Christ as he is one person of
himself, but as he himself in that one person is united to the
persons of all the elect in the world ; he and they make up but
one collective body.
In brief, there is a kind of triune union in Christ ; the divine
union, which makes the Father and the Son one ; the per-
sonal union, which makes the divine nature and the human
nature one ; the mystical union, which makes Christ the me-
diator God and man, one with all his members jointly. You
know, that in respect of the last consideration, Christ, as he
is collectively considered, consists of his own person as head,
and of all the elect as members ; so that in some sense he
cannot be said to be separated, but hath his members knit
unto him ; a headless body, or a bodiless head, are equally
both of them imperfect: if the church be separated from
Christ, or Christ from the cburch, he should in the last con-
sideration be imperfect. Now in this text, the apostle speaking
of Christ, understands him in the last consideration ; namely, as
God the Son united to the human nature, or rather uniting the
human nature unto himself; as these two natures in one person
are united unto the church, or members of Christ, so Christ is
the head. It is true, sometimes you have expressions of Christ's
own, by way of subjection, " My father is greater than I;" and
" I come not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent
me ;" which phrases of Christ, being not rightly understood,
occasion, in the thoughts of men, some conceits, as if God were
a distinct being from Christ; that Christ makes God here greater
than himself; whereas the truth is, there is, as I said before, no
God but what Christ is : Christ never acknowledges, that the
godhead of his Father is greater than his own : for, the Father
and the Son are but one in the godhead ; and therefore, when he
in his speech hath reference unto God, it is unto the divine
nature that is united unto his humanity; and the very nature of
God is within himself, and there is no other ; therefore there is
no distinct God in the world, but that (jod that is become man.
and is now tailed Christ : therefor^ you are never to look upon
CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
279
Christ, but as he is the complete only true God. What need
all this discourse, you will say ? I answer, You must have
Christ set forth in this consideration, or else you shall never be
able to reach that he is the head : therefore the consideration of
the second thing will clear the usefulness of the first, what this
headship is ; the text saith, " He is the beginning," that is, the
root and spring from whence things have their first being : now,
mark, beloved, either the apostle must speak false when he
saith, he is the beginnings or else you must consider Christ as the
only God. All the world grants God to be the beginning of all
things ; therefore, if there be any thing in the world that should
be the beginning of being besides Christ, he himself cannot be
the beginning of all things ; therefore, for the maintenance of
this prerogative of Christ being the beginning and fountain, he is
to be considered always as the only God. Now, this word
beginning imports unto us, that Christ is first the beginning of
being ; and, secondly, the beginning of well being : he is the
beginning of being in general ; " All things were made by
him, and without him there was nothing made that was made,*'
John i. 3. And here, " All things were created by him,
whether visible or invisible, principalities, and powers, thrones
or dominions."
1. The main thing the apostle drives at is this, that Christ is
the beginning of the church, that is, of them, being members of
nimself : every member of the church of Christ received his first
being from him, and from none other. Consider the original
beginning of them, even in eternity itself, if it may be properly
called a beginning, it hath its being from Christ himself. Mark
the apostle in Ephes. i. 3, 4 : " Blessed be God, the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath
chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world." Tliis ex-
pression may seem to some, to import a difference between God
and Christ, or something distinct one from the other, as if Christ
were the subject in whom, and God the author by whom persons
are chosen ; but, beloved, properly there is no such thing as
Christ distinct from God, so as if he were not God ; if God be
in Christ, then it is Christ himself, as he is God, that doth it :
and, therefore, if you will mark the expression well, it may be,
von shall sec that it is Christ himself that hath chosen us ; 1 coii-
280
CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
fess, the words may have a double reference, either to the Fatheri
or to Christ ; and according to this second reference, Christ mgy
be conceived both the object and the fountain too, in whom you
are chosen ; and the expression, perhaps, will bear both :
" According as he hath chosen us in him ;" that is, according as
he in him chose us ; but, howsoever, all comes to one effect, the
Father and the Son being one God.
2. To come to particulars ; Christ is the beginning of a pre-
sent possessive being, as persons are members of him. He is the
beginning of a possessive being, or being in possession. Con-
''.ider the first thing in the being of a member, that is life; which
is spiritual, and so peculiar to a member, hath its first rise from
Christ himself; mark the expression in Eph. ii. 10: " Created
us in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before or-
dained that we should walk in them." You are created of God
in Christ Jesus to good works ; or, God in Christ hath done it.
The very self-same phrase the apostle useth in 2 Cor. v. 19:
*' God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." The
truth is, it pleased the divine nature to unite the human nature
to itself, and so to manage the affairs of the church in those two
natures so united; not as if God gave out some of himself to the
human nature, and reserved some of itself to itself ; but the whole
ddvnne nature gave up itself, though only in the second person ;
" God was in Christ," as much as to say, whole God ; the divine
nature assumed a human nature, and so makes up a Christ; and
thus God is in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. You
shall see elsewhere, that the beginning of life in a member ol
Christ flows from him : your life is hid with Christ in God. It
is such another phrase as the two former ; that is, it is hid in that
God, who, by being man, is become Christ; for that is all the
difference between God and Christ; between God simply and
absolutely considered in himself, and considered as ineffably
united to the human nature: God, thus united, becomes Christ;
and so in siicli a union is reconciling the world unto himself, and
takes the church, who is his body. The apostle tells us further,
" Now I live;" but he presently checks himself, " yet not I, but
Christ lives in me." Christ is the soul of the body, and as the
body without a soul is dead, so a person without Christ is dead.
I will not enter into that needless dispute of the philosophers,
wliethcr the soul be seated in the head principally, or in the
CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHUhCH, 281
nesrt ; but this I am sure of, the life and soul of the church is lU
the head of it ; "I am the way, the truth, and the life ;" he is the
life of the soul of man ; as the body without the soul is dead,
even so, if there could be such a thing as the body, the church,
without Christ, it would be a dead thing ; it hath all animal
virtue from him alone ; it hath all life in all respects from him :
take life in the first fruits, in its sense or motion, all spiritual
sense, motion, actions, and activeness, receive being and begin-
ning only from Christ ; " He is given for a covenant to open the
blind eyes." All eyes are blind till he opens them : there is no
seeing till the body receives sight from the head. The head
causeth us also to smell, as well as to see, the sweet savour of the
ointment of Christ, that makes the virgins to love him ; " Because
of the savour of thy good ointments, therefore do the virgins love
thee." Now, this savour being as the smell of a field that the
Lord hath blessed, to smell this, is the sole work of Christ him-
self; also the spiritual taste, to taste how good God is, to relish
the sweetness of the spiritual wine, well refined upon the lees, is
all by the power of Christ, and hath its being from him ; so all
our feeling, to feel comfort, joy unspeakable and glorious, all is
from Christ ; he opens our eyes, bores our ears, and causeth u*
to smell.
You will say, all this is the work of the Spirit ; why do you
say it is the work of Christ? Mark what John saith, in chap. xvi.
Hie, that is, the Spirit, " shall glorify me : for he shall receive of
mine, and shall shew it unto you." The Spirit himself, as he
dealeth with the members of Christ, is his agent proceeding from
Christ, communicating that grace which is his to them. So that
the Spirit is, as it were, a conduit-pipe, through whom the fulness
of the fountain conveys itself, and runs forth to every member.
The Spirit is as the nerves and veins in the natural body. The
blood, you know, hath its fountain from the liver ; but the veins
carry it into every part of the body ; and as the natural eye
cannot see, except the nerves feed it with visive spirits ; so
neither can any eye behold the secrets of the Lord, the hidden
things of Christ, such as he thanks his Father he reveals unto
babes, while he hides them from the wise of the world, except the
Lord Christ feeds the members with his own spirit. It is not the
eye that sees of itself, but the spirits that come from the head,
cause sight by it : for there may be an eye and no sight, where
282 CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
the u'ant of those spirits is. Look over all the book of God, and
you shall find, that there is no action that comes from the Spirit,
but Christ is the head and spring of it ; you shall find the strength
and hearts of people fail when he withdraws himself; it is he
that is the strength of them for ever ; " Fear not, (saith the text,)
be not dismayed ; I will uphold thee, I will strengthen thee."
There must needs be miscarriage for want of ])ower, except Christ
come with his strength and power to uphold. Therefore, when
Paul exhorts those to whom he writes, to work the works of the
Lord, he gives them this counsel : " Be strong in the Lord, and
in the power of his might :" and again, " Put on the whole
armour of God." Now it is a vain thing to think of taking up
of arms, except there be strength to manage them. Saul thought
David to be a puny, when he was to fight with Goliah, and had
no regard to him, although he might have good armour on ; he
was too little a man : what Saul thought of David, is true of all
the whole armour of God, it is to no purpose, except men be
strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. And there-
fore, when Paul was in a strait, he begged, and begged again, to
have strength given ; though he had not an answer to his mind,
yet God told him, " My grace is suflScient for thee ; my strength
is made perfect in weakness." All are weak, but as they have
strength in Christ; yea, there is no strength but what is his, and
is sent by him. Let me tell you this ; and, I beseech you, con-
sider, they that have Christ for their head, have an infinite
advantage above the closest hypocrite in the world, though he go
never so far : all he doth is but from a weak principle : Christ is
not the principle of that he doth ; but he that hath Christ for his
nead, hath a spring of fulness. The Holy Ghost tells us, " He
is full of gi'ace and truth ;" and, " in him dwells the fulness of
the Godhead bodily :" and, " It pleased the Father, that in him
all fulness should dwell :" so that you may plainly see, that the
preaching of Christ as head, and setting up all his glory, is not
the preaching of licentious liberty to men. He that can by the
power of God, win a person to be a true member of this head,
Christ brings that person into a fat soil ; he transplants him from
a barren, a rocky one, into a rich one ; whereby he comes to
abound in all manner of fruit fulness*. And certainly, beloved,
fruitfulness will be more abundant as the soul can apprehend
• Phil. L 2 ; Gal. v. 22.
CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. 283
itse'^'by true f;iitli, to be a part of this head; for, the head will
communicate, that the soul itself cannot contain itself in its own
oDunas; "The love of Christ constrains me," saith Paul, he
can do no otherwise ; he that is driven must needs go : Christ
drives and makes himself a way into his members ; he breaks
his own way into them, and so sets them on, and puts them
forwards.
Then again, Christ being the beginning of all our being, is
also of all prerogatives and privileges whatsoever the church
hath ; they have no privilege, but as it flows from him ; as first
of all, even justification itself comes from Christ. It may be,
you will object, that the text saith, " That God justifies the un-
godly," and how then doth Christ justify them ? I say still ;
that which God doth, Christ doth ; God is still in Christ ; he
doth nothing, but Christ doth all things. All the Father hath,
he hath given to the Son ; *' The Father judgeth no man, but
hath committed all judgment to the Son." The meaning, I take
it, is this ; God, as he is simply one divine essence in himself,
doth not in this simple consideration of himself, manage any
thing in this kind ; but all in his Son ; and that as he is become
man. So that whosoever are justified, are justified by the Son ;
and whosoever come to the knowledge of justification, attain to
it also by Christ : " We have received not the spirit of the
irorld, but the Spirit that is of God ; that we may know the
things that are freely given us of God." Now, this Spirit is tne
Spirit of Christ ; so then, the knowledge of the things freely
given us of God, is by the Spirit. Nothing can acquaint the
soul, and satisfy it of an interest in Christ, and being a member
of his, but the Spirit of God ; that nuist resolve the case at last,
do what you can; every thing is dumb and silent, but as he
speaks ; the word of God, even the word of grace, is a dumb
letter, but as the Spirit speaks in it, or with it ; and so of all
things in the world ; and therefore, beloved, know, you run into
tiiose two great evils, the Holy Ghost speaks of in Jer. ii. 13 :
"■ Forsaking the fountain of living water, and digging to your-
stjlves cisterns that can hold no water ;" while you forsake Christ,
ine spring and fountain, and go to pump and fetch any thing,
you take from any besides him : if you run to creatures, you
liidkc not Christ the beginning.
iTou wiVl say, you suppose and believe Christ to be the 'oegia-
284 CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
ning in all, But, I say, is this good, shall he be hut supposed?
and shall services be set up to take up all the affections, suits,
and pleadings of your hearts 1 How hath Christ all the priority ?
Tn Col, i. IS, he is said to be the head of the body, the church,
" That he miglit have the pre-eminence in all thingia.'* Why do
people then run to other things, and magnify, and extol them,
while (Christ shall not have a good word 1 Nay, they are afraid
to speak out of things that are his, for fear of giving liberty to
sin, and charge jjeople to take heed of the setting forth of Christ,
and grace by him, as a dangerous doctrine ; so seldom daring to
speak of his excellencies, and of the excellent privileges and
benefits that come by, and from him ; nor of the freeness of those
things that are conveyed unto us, in and through him. And why,
Oh ! this will make men run out into all manner of licentious-
ness and profaneness, without controul ; and so Christ shall be
suppressed, for fear of giving liberty ; and, in the mean while,
other things shall be set up above Christ ; the divine rhetoric of
repentance, and humiliation ; the prevalency of tears to wash
away sin, and our conscionable walking to commend us to God
at the last day ; here must be a magnifying of man's righteous-
ness ; and when these things come to be examined, they are but
rhetorical expressions. Beloved, God grant that our rhetoric
may advance him, that is to be advanced, and keep all other
things in their own places, that are to be kept low, that nothing
may have the pre-eminence of Christ, he being the head and
beginning of all things ; that the people of God may go with
their buckets to the wells of salvation, and draw waters of life
from thence, and not run to muddy puddles. The zeal of the
Lord Christ, who hath so magnified the riches of his grace to his
people, should eat up your spirits, and raise up your souls against
every thing that raises itself up, to exalt itself above him. If
Christ be not the beginning, but something else, let that have
the pre-eminence; but if he be, let him have it. As Elijah once
said to the idolatrous Israelites, that had forsaken the Lord, and
set up the works of their own hands instead of him; " If Baal be
God, then worship him ; but if God be God, then serve and wor-
ship him:" so I say, at this present, unto you; if you will
acknowledge Christ to be the beginning, let it appear in setting
him up above all other things in your hearts and thoughts; make
him your sanctuary, and refuge ; wait upon him for all things ;
CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH. ^J
why are your hearts so cast down ? It may be, corruptions pre-
vail within you ; fear not, is not there enough in the fountain to
refresh thee, and supply thee with strength against them ? Doth
Satan seek to overcome you by his temptations, and, like a
a roaring lion, to devour you ? He is able to tread down Satan
under your feet. Beloved, will you starve in a cook's shop, as
they say ? Is there such plenty in Christ, and will you perish
for hunger 1 You will answer, it may be, you would close with
him, you would go to him for supply with all your hearts, but
you dare not, you are afraid he will reject you, if you come to
him. Beloved, come to Christ, and he will not cast you off. Is
there any thing in the world you would have ? would you have
joy, and peace ? Come to him, and the God of peace will fill
you with all peace and joy in believing. Would you have your
iniquities subdued ? come to him, and sin shall not have
dominion over you, saith the apostle ; for, " Ye are not under
the law, but under grace ;" for it is the grace of God that brings
salvation from sin, as well as from wrath : and, " this grace of
God, (saith the apostle), will teach you to deny all ungodliness
and worldly lust." There is no greater motive in the world to
encourage man to venture upon any thing th*at Christ puts him
upon, than this ; that he hath him to enable and lead him
through it. In the mean time, give me leave to put one caution
to you ; Christ, I say, being the head, and as the head being the
beginning, the supplier of all things pertaining to life and godli-
ness ; if there be any persons that either now, or at any other
time, make these most desperate conclusions from any thing that
they have heard, as that they may continue to sin, and go on in
iniquity, Christ hath died for them ; let them sin as much as
they can, they cannot out-sin the death of Christ ; if there be
any person that charges any such untruth upon any minister,
and will collect such blasphemies from the doctrine of the gospel
of Christ, let them know, that God will either bring them to see
ihe greatness of their folly, and to be ashamed of it ; or, for
ought I know, they may have their deserved portion in the
lowest part of hell. I dare be bold to say, there is no people
under heaven, who are so prejudicial to the gospel of Christ, as
such stumbling blocks are; nor unto trembling hearts that would
fain close with the free grace of God in Christ, as such persons
that take liberty to sin, that grace may abound; causing the
286 CHRIST THR HEAD OF THR CHURCH.
gospel to be evil spoken of, and detested, and that scandalous
name to be raised upon it, that it is a doctrine of liberty
Beloved, as he that hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all
manner of conversation ; and he that hath called you, will make
you holy as he is holy,
3 In a word, here is matter of exhortation ; if Christ be the
head and the beginning of all things, look up to the head, suck
at it, draw from it, let nothing draw you from that.
2. Here is matter of consolation to all the members of Christ ;
as long as the head hath in itself, the body shall never want.
Such a head Christ is, that hath all fulness in him, he can never
be drawn dry : he is not as the springs Job speaks of, brooks
that fail in summer, but this spring is of such an excellent
nature, that he makes an everlasting spring in the heart,
whereinto he pours himself: so saith he, " He that drinketh ot
the water that 1 shall give him, sliall never thirst, but the water
shall be in him a well springing up unto eternal life." Know
assuredly, and be confident of it, God must cease to be God,
before there can be a lack of supply of what is useful for you,
Christ is head, and as such, he is God, as well as man ; God
himself then must be drawn dry before you shall want any thing
that is good for you ; therefore, let Satan and all the world set
themselves against you, you shall never have cause to say, all
the springs are dried up, now there is no hope of any more
supply ; for certainly the Lord will maintain and continue that
which he hath undertaken ; " I am God, and change not,
therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."
287
SERMON XLIII*.
TH» BLESSEDNESS OF BELIEVING WITHOUT SIGHT
JOHN XX. 29.
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT HAVE NOT SEEN, AND YET HAVE
BELIEVED.
Our blessed Saviour, out of mere tender pity to man, sunk in
his own filth, and stuck so fast, that he could not possibly crawl
out, undertook his recovery, by making his soul an offering for
sin, " that whosoever believe on him shall not perish but have
everlasting life." Now because a necessity lay upon him to
compass this work of redemption in so ignominious a way, as by
the cursed death of the cross, which was likely (as he knew) to
prove a sore stumbling block of offence to the little faith of his
disciples ; therefore, whilst he remained v^ith them, his great
care was to remove it out of the way before-hand ; (1.) By
declaring the expediency, nay, necessity of such humiliation.
(2.) By working such strange miracles as might fully satisfy
them of his all-sufficiency ; especially those latter miracles of
restoring sight to the man born blind, and raising Lazarus after
he had been four days dead. (3.) By declaring his raising up
of himself again the third day after his death, of which his
miracle on Lazarus was a sufficient evidence ; he having been
dead four days, when himself would lie dead but till the third.
All which arguments were little enough, it seems, to keep their
faith from tottering, being assaulted by the principles of sense
and natural reason ; for the faith of them all reeled, none of them
stood fast until Christ, through condescension to their weakness,
settled them again with the crutch of sense; appearing again
• Here begins the fourth volume in the last edition, containing ten sermons,
published by the Doctor's son, from his father's notes.
THE BLESSEDNESS OF
unto them, and manifesting himself to be risen.
Thomas's hap, being absent from his fellows, to be last ia
believing; not so much because his faith was weake»- than theirs,
but because it was not his lot to see him when they did : for when
the woman told the eleven that Christ was risen, before they saw
hira, !St. Luke tells us, that " the woman's words seemed as idle
tales, and they believed them not;" and, therefore, although
Christ immediately before my text, upbraids Thomas's weak
faith in special, yet hath a secret fling at the weakness of the
faith of them all who staggered until they had seen him ; so that
notwithstanding he did bear with, and overlook the present
weakness, yet here he acquaints them and us all, what is the
b:^st and most blessed faith, namely, a believing vnthout sight.
This text, for the kind of it, is doctrinal, sweetly mixed with
consolatory matter : the doctrinal part unfolds the proper way
and working of faith, namely, to believe withoiU sight. The
inofredient of consolation mixed herewith, is the richest cordial a
soul can take, namely, blessedness to all that so believe. We
will not alter this receipt of Christ, but give it you as himself
hath made it ; only that you may the better be induced to take
it (because the outward hue of it doth not promise the sweetness
it contains, it seeming to a careless natural eye a very paradox)
we will therefore read you a brief lecture on the most material
particulars therein contained, for your oetter satisfaction in
what is hidden, and not clear enough to common apprehensions.
Two things here are of most moment to be considered :
(1.) What it is to believe, when and where there is no sight
(2.) Wherein such believing makes a man blessed.
For the clearing of the first, note, that there is a threefold-
sio-ht often mentioned in the scripture, viz. (1.) Corporeal;
(2.) Rational ; (3.) Spiritual ; all very pragmatical, and ready
to thrust their oars into faith's boat, though they endanger the
sinking of it, or the putting it farther from shore ; for faith
rows backward to get forward, as boatmen ; when these will be
rowino" with the face forward, thinking faith's way madness.
1, The corporeal sight is taken sometimes properly, lor the
natural operations of the bodily eye ; sometimes synecdochically
for the exercise of all, or any of the senses, such as hearing,
feelino-, and the rest. We need jjo no further than the text and
coherence, to know that sight in the latter and larger sense is
BKLIIiVINO VVIVHOUr SHJUT. 2h9
not only used in scripture, but also intended in this place to be
sequestered from believing. Thomas will not believe, except he
sec the print of the nails in Christ's hmids, aiid thrust his hands
into his sides; which exceptions, when granted him, both in
seeing and touching him, he puts both into the word [se«j,]
Because thou hast seen, thou hast believed, blessed, &c. But
for further clearing hereof, you must note, that although this
sight and touching of Christ's body risen, be principally here
intended, by reason of the occasion offered from Thomas's
unbelief, yet our Saviour intended his speech should extend
further, to all natural sense in any other cases ; for he speaks
not so restrictively in the text, as to limit it only to the present
occasion ; then he should have added to seen \j7ie, or my bod//!
and should have mentioned Thomas only here, and not said
blessed is he in general, which includes all believers. It is
therefore to be understood, tliat the corporeal sight here in-
tended to be sequestered from a blessed believing, implies all
such visible and palpable natural things, which men are natu-
rally apt to fly unto, and rest on to keep them from staggerinj*
at Christ's promises especially, without which their faith is very
wavering.
For the further clearing of our Saviour's intent, about tiie
mixing of natural sense with faith to support it, I will illustrate
it in two sorts of instances: 1. In personal cases. 2. In cases
that concern the church-in general.
(1.) That which Christ aims at in personal cases is this.
namely, when we find any promises of the good we desire or
want, he would not have us judge of the likelihood or unlikeli-
hood of their accomplishment, by the probability or improbabi-
lity of concurring sensible means : for example, " I will not
fail thee, nor forsake thee:" when wind and tide are all with us,
when outward things are all flowing towards us, within ken, we
suspect not, nor are anxiously disquieted with doubts or scruples
of miscarriage, but believe ; but when God takes away these
sensible crutches, and leaves nothing in the eye but his pro-
mises, we are presently troubled; a thousand objections then
arise, and make us reel to and fro like a drunken man, and we
are even at our wits' end. It was David's weakness, for whilst
he knew of any holes or holds of safety to secure him from
baul, he staggers not at the promise of the kingdom ; but when
\roL. II. u
290 * THE BLESSEDNESS OF
Saul had haunted him out of all, and no more was left him,
then his faith reels, and, as he confcsseth, He said in his haste
thai all men were liars, even Samuel himself. And again, in his
staggering he cries out, " I shall one day perish by the hand of
Saul." Examples are infinite of this kind ; such are Moses in
the matter of food in the wilderness, and fetching water out of a
rock ; the prince upon whom the king leaned when the famine
was in Samaria, and the prophet foretold a sudden plenty ; and
the disciples about the few loaves and fishes for the feeding so
many thousands. Now our Saviour in this place and case
would have our faith abstracted from these sensible means, and
not lean a jot to them, but settle on the promise alone as its
sole bottom ; yet not as if we should wholly neglect the use of
such means as he puts into our hands, but faith must not lean to
them as a lame man on a crutch.
(2.) For the church in general, Christ promiseth that " the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it;" and that " no weapon formed
against it shall prosper :" here he would not have our faith consult
with sensible probabilities or improbabilities, for quieting or satis-
fying of us in the truth and accomplishment of these promises.
For example, whilst a church, or this our church, hath the concur-
rent hands and voices of great patrons to support or raise it, and
we see their activity jwisdom, and power ,working that way,we con-
clude, with a settled security, that it shall " stand fast like mount
Sion," and shall mount up ; but if the tide turns, or storms arise,
her great patrons withdraw, or are scattered by might, and great
politicians lay siege against her, when hopeful means are dashed,
and former likelihoods come to nothing, then for all the promises
we hang the lip, and grow desperate ; this is to join sense to
faith, which our Saviour here wovdd have separated from it, in-
tending that the failing and disappointing of such and such
sensible means, should not a jot alter our confidence in the pro-
mises, or cause us to be the more jealous of them. A notable
illustration of this you have in God's people, in Ezek. xxxvii.
1 — 11, who seemed to themselves as dry hones, because they saw
no refuge to fly to ; therefore he shews a notable vision of dry
hones, raised to a mighty active army ; intimating that God's
promises to his church, are never put to straits by the greatest
natural Impossibilities, and that therefore our faith should not be
brought to so uneven, deceitful, and rusty a beam.
BELIEVING WITHOUT SlOttT. 291
2. As natural sense, so natural reason is to be sequestered
from believing; where let us consider, (I.) What the sight of
natural reason is. (For that there is such an eye I need not stay
to prove.) (2.) What it is to sequester it from believing : for
the former, in brief, it is in general no more but a certain evi-
dence of the truth of things, and of their coming to pass, so far
only as by natural principles, and dependence of effects on their
causes, the discourse of reason can demonstrate and infei*. For
the clearer illustration of this, (because it is very common to call
this natural reason to counsel, whereon we are apt to rely much
for the certainty of things to be believed,) know more particu-
larly, that a man is said to see things by natural reason, when*
knowing what effects natural causes will produce, and what not,
he concludes of such effects accordingly. As for instance, a man
by rational sight knowing that fire naturally burns, but cannot
cool a thing ; hence he concludes certainly, that such or such a
thing cast into the fire must needs be burnt. So, also, knowing
that lesser might is overtopt by greater, certainly concludes that
the weakest must needs go to the wall. Now further consider,
that where reason cannot find or pry into the adequateness of a
cause, to produce such or such an effect, let who will affirm, it
shall be produced, it will not be embraced : in brief, such an ad-
hering unto the evidence of things only as reason can make by
its natural discourse, rejecting all things else, at least as doubt*
ful, which it cannot dive into, this is properly a rational sicrht.
This will be more clear in considering the next thing, namely.
What it is to sequester rational sight from believing ; for clearing
whereof, you must not conceive that a man must be an unreason-
able creature, or cease to be reasonable when he believes ; there
is a necessary use of reason in believing, insomuch as creatures
without that are not capable of it It were not, therefore^ amisSj
to understand what sight of reason is necessary, and what muft
be separated: Note, (1.) That inferring conclusions from ade-
quate causes known, which is the special work of reason, is
necessary unto faith : as for example, when God saith, " I blot
out your transgressions for mine own sake ;" it is impossible to
believe this without the use of reason. For, 1. The thing must
be understood by an intellectual faculty ; natural idiots cannot
believe. 2. There must be some ground or reason of believing
it, something that must draw the soul to be persuaded of it ?
u2
*'*'•- THE BLESSEDNESS OF
namely, because God speaks it, who is able to make it good, and
the Spirit by the word persuades, that it is he that speaks it, and
that he is able, faithful, and true. The apostle tells us, that
*' we must be able to give a reason of our hope," or faith ; there-
fore we must have reason for it : you will then sa\ , what sigiU of
reason must be separated from believing? I answer, whereas
natural reason judgeth and concludeth of events according to the
efficacy, or ineflScacy of natural causes, as if a thing could not
come to pass except the womb of nature could afford it; this
principle must be denied in believing divine truths, and an infi-
nite efficacy must be allowed to an infinite supernatural cause ;
God himself being infinitely beyond all natural causes in the
world: the truth is, that the judgment of natural reason about
heavenly things, from the efficacy of natural things, secluding
supernatural, is worse than a blind man judging of colours,
which although he see not himself, yet he is apt to judge as
seeing men do ; whereas natural reason is peremptor^'^, and will
not yield one jot beyond its dim sight. You may observe it an
ordinary thing, when God makes promises of greater things than
nature produceth, then natural reason is called to consult and
deliberate, nay, to give its vote to such promises ; as in those
cases of Moses before mentioned ; " Ye rebels, must I fetch
water out of a rock ?" He consults with the rock, what efficacy
it had to gfive water, and so he stasforered : and with the barren
wilderness, what it had to affiard food ; they pleading impossibi-
lity, his fiiith staggers, which lost him the temporal C naan. In
brief, see it in Sarah, consulting with her old age, and the dead-
ness of her womb, whether nature could produce the promised
seed from them ; which they denying, she laughs at it. Nico-
demus also, about the mystery of regeneration, reasons with
nature, whether it could receive a man, being old, into his
mother's womb again, and so, instead of believing, cries out,
* How can these things be V And the disciples consult with
death and the grave, whether they could send their guests away
live again, as Thomas here did, so believes not the resurrection
of Christ. On the other side, see how Abraham sequesters the
*ght of reason from his faith in the promised seed; " He consi-
ered not his own body being dead, nor the deadness of Sa ah's
womb ;*' that is, he stopped his ears, and would not liear thp
reasons nature would suggest of the impossibility of the thing
BELlliViiNG WITHOUT SIGHT. 293
So the three children would not hear nor mind what the nature
of the fire could say to deter them, but stick to this, Our God is
able, and loill deliver tis, let fire say what it can. Now the faith
which Christ commends here, is such as must be abstracted,
both from the encouragements and discouragements which natu-
ral discourse of reason can suggest ; that is, it must neither lean
ni)r venture any weight on the one, or be startled or unsettled
by the other : but without regarding either, stand fast on its own
bottom only, to wit, the self-sufiicient authority of divine truth,
never asking, no, nor yet regarding how likely, or unlikely, it is
to reason that such a truth should come to pass.
3. There is also a spiritual seeing of things mentioned often
in the scripture : now, the question is, whether this spiritual
sight must be abstracted from believing 1 For the full answer
hereof you must first distinguish of spiritual sight, as before of
the bodily. (1.) It is used oftentimes strictly, for a sanctified
understanding, knowledge, spiritual discerning God's revealing
unto, and acquainting the soul with the secrets of his divine
mysteries, according to that prayer of David, " Open thou
niVne eyes, that I may behold the wonders of thy law." (2.) It
is taken sometimes more largely, for spiritual sense, or experi-
mental feeling of God's coniforlable presence and power,
according to that of the Psalmist, '* Taste and see how good the
Lord is." So likewise are those passages of God's lifting up of
the light of his countenance, and shewing his face, to be under-
stood of a spiritual sense, or experimental feeling of God's love,
yet expressed by seeing his face. Now, to resolve the question,
I answer, that the former, to wit, a spiritual understanding, or
insight into the mysteries of the gospel, is absolutely essential
to believing, without which it hath no subsistence ; for, " With-
out knowledge the heart is not good," and therefore cannot be
a believing heart, from whence it obtains that denomination of
goodness. Therefore it is, that knowledge is sometimes spoken
of in scripture instead of believing ; " This is life eternal, to
know thee." Whereas salvation comes by faith ; men must
hear, and by hearing must understand, before they can believe ;
so St. Paul tells us, that faith comes bij hearing. Tjiis single
eve is that which makes the whole body of faith .full of light;
whereas, if this be dark, that must be full of darkness. A blind
faith led by a blind muid, must needs throw the man (blind in
294 THE BLESSEDNESS OF
both these eyes) into the ditch. But this sight must not be the
basis of faith, but the thing known ; else we fetch the rise of
faith from within ourselves.
As for the other branch of spiritual sight, namel}', experi-
mental spiritual sense; I shall desire you to mark the resolution
of this exactly, which, that I may perform the more clearly,
I shall endeavour to shew you, (1.) What this experimental
spiritual sense is; (2.) How far it must be shut up, and not
regarded in the act of believing. (1.) For spiritual experimental
sense, you are to consider it present, or absent. Spiritual sense
present, is an actual feeling within one's self, "God the Spirit
taking of the things of Christ and shewing them to us ;" and
that sensibly satisfied and refreshed with actual joy and solace
tlierewith; a feeling the virtue and power of the gracious pro-
mises of the gospel actually diffused into the soul, and their
energetical, or powerful workings, together with the several
graces of the spirit, sensibly flourishing as green bay-trees,
sending forth continually plentiful, large, and beautiful fruits;
so that the stomach is not more sensible of the comforts and
repairs by meat eaten with an hungry appetite, than the soul is
with the digested bread of life. For example, Avlien a person
feels the enlarged workings of the spirit of mourning, prayer,
and mortification, so that by them it mounts as with the wings of
an eagle, it runs and is not weary ; this, and such like, is a pre-
sent experimental spiritual sense : when all this, and the like, is
absent from the soul, so that God stands afar off, seems to thrust
away, and will not give a good look, tbe promises seem to fail ;
as David complains, as if they were like a spring in drought,
quite dried up, or a dry breast, that not a drop of sweetness will
come, suck the soul as hard as it can : in regard of the exercise
of grace, the soul seems as a channel from whence the feeding
spring is diverted, all dry ; or as a tree in the winter, so naked,
as that it seems dead : tears and prayers are dried up, mortifica-
tion and self-denial are of leaden heels, and the sonl seems as
bound hand and foot ; this, and the like, is a case wherein spiritual
sight, or sense, is absent.
Now, (2.) To come home to both these conditions of spiritual
sense and senselessness, 1. I say, where God is pleased to give
the present operative virtue thereof, it should be cherished with
all joy and thankfulness, as being a taste of heaven, and a com-
BELIEVING WITHOUT SIGHT. 295
forlable means of an abundant glorifying of God. But yet, 2.
I say, it is very dangerous to faith to lean on this spiritual sense
for the certainty and stability of promises which concern future
time. More plainly, my meaning is this ; if such a one, thus
possessed of spiritual sense, look upon promises for further good,
and to be quietly settled about the due accomplishment of them,
shall build on his present experiences, and not mind a sure foun-
dation of the settling of the Spirit ; nay, if he set but one foot on
this experience to rest his faith on, he shall totter sooner than he
IS aware, though the other foot be on the firm ground of God's
truth and faithfulness. It is with such a one, as with a man that
hath one foot on firm ground, and the other on a loose, or floating
board ; when that slips or falls, he will hardly stand fast, how
firm soever the other foot stands. Who knows not the ebbinss
as well as flowings of spiritual present experiences, the risings
and settings of them? let David speak for all; one while his
heart is ravished and enlarged, it is full sea with him, his
spiritual sails are filled ; by and by his sun is set, his channel is
dry, the wind is turned into the teeth of him (as I may say), and
he is roaring and crying out of God's forsaking him. You that
have been wrapped up with him, have you not been in the bottom
with him too ? Hath it not been April weather with you, now a
fair sun-shine, at another time a great storai falls, and this with
a frequent vicissitude ? Now, can that be good ground for any
part of a foundation to be laid, that is so sinking 1 Suppose the
most of the building of your confidence be on the rock, God's
faithfulness and power; yet if but one corner be built on this
experience that will give way, will it not endanger the drawing
of the whole confidence at least aside ? You will say, may I not
gather confidence from former experience ? No, not from the
experience itself, but God's manifesting his faithfulness in ful-
filling former promises. You will say, I do no otherwise. I answer,
there are many who think they do no otherwise, yet do ; for if
God's faithfulness were the settlement of thy faith, in thy full
tide of experience, and not the sense itself, how is it that he no
sooner hides his face, but thou art troubled; thy faith is tottered?
Hast thou no more questioned, or staggered at promises, beino-
down, than when thou wert up? If so, why is it thus? Were
the whole building of thy faith on the rock only before-men-
tioned, that changcth not with the change of thy sense, there
296 THE BLESSEDNESS OP
would be no more cause of doubt, or suspicion, than tliere was
before. The true cause, indeed, is this; too much weight was
adventured on that thawing ice.
Beloved, you had need be wise, even you that are in Christ's
wine-cellar, " now stay'd with his flaggons, and comforted
witli his apples :" for if you depend too much on these love-
tokens, and judge of love by the Sowings in of them ; God seeing
himself robbed of the dependence due to him, may on purpose
withhold, that you may learn not to trust on uncertain expe-
riences, but on the living God ; and it may be, if you be not
wary, it must cost you dearer than you would ; the wisest may
happily learn some wisdom ; I doubt not, but tliat Christ who
gives light, will guide by his Spirit into the needful truths he
leacheth.
So I come to the second thing considerable about spiritual
sense ; namely, the absence of those spiritual experiences before-
mentioned. Here many a fearful soul is a most bitter advocate
against itself, nay, a misled judge too. When spiritual ex-
periences fail, and their flourishing sappiness is sunk out of
view, they do not only plead against believing promises, and
tirge vehemently what may be objected, but proceed to a tearful
sentence, that it is presumption to depend on the promises, as
long as it is so bad with them, and that they belong not to them,
because thoy are at so low an ebb in spirituals. Before I enter
on the clearing of this business, know, that it is far from my
purpose to justify any defects in grace, or to rock any asleep
in a naked condition ; but rather by this discourse to set them in
the right way again. To come to the purpose, I say it is not
only no presumption, but the blessed faith which our Saviour and
the Holy Ghost every where commend, to believe in Ciirist, and
apply the promises to themselves as their own ; even then, when
spiritual experiences are vanished quite out of sight or sense.
As for example, such a one, as for tlie present hath not sweet
Tastes, or sensible embraces of God's love, but ratiier the contrary,
feeling the arrows of the Almighty sticking fast in him, and the
like ; I say, for such a one in this case to believe God to be his
God, is a blessed ftiith. This seems at first a very paradox ; but
stay a while, and I shall make it a manifest truth, bpth by scrip-
ture, example, and precept. You know Job's case, what a terror
God was to him, how (at least as he thought) " God took him
BELIEVING WITHOUT SICIHT. 297
for an enemy, and wrote bitter tliinfifs against liim, making liim
to possess the sins of his yoiitli." He was as low as man could
lie, in regard of God's sensible favour being hid from him ; yet
as low as he was, his faith was not dashed herewith ; " Though
he kill nie, yet will I trust in him," saith he : his meaning is,
though these terrors of the Almighty exhaust his soul, so that he
die without the sense of God's favour, yet he will trust still.
Dare any say, that this was presumption in him ? Nay, that it
was not an heroical act of faith ? And why mayest thou not sa}^
and do as well as he ? There can nothing of moment be objected
against this instance that I know. I will name but one more
without all exception. You know how Christ himself complains,
That God hath forsaken him; yet even then he saith. My God,
my God. If you say these are rare examples, not to be reached,
(altliongh that be not true) see God's charge to believe even in
this case ; " Who is among you that walketh in darkness, and
seeth no light ; let him trust in the name of the Lord," Isa. 1. 10.
But many are apt to think, if I were sure he were my God, I
might trust in him without sense. Now though this be a very
common objection, yet who sees not the vanity of it? What is
it to be sure, but to have the sense of his favour? Now the case
we have in hand, supposeth this sense removed and gone, and no
appearance of it ; so that the objection is but this, if I had sense
1 might believe without it, which is either nonsense, or a contra-
diction. But it will be further objected. That if men must believe
that have no experience, then wicked and unregenerate persons
may believe the promises. I answer, 1. That whilst they are
such, they neither will, nor care to believe them one with another ;
indeed, they cannot believe tliem, (^vhilst such) for it is not yet
given them to believe or mind tliem. But 2. I answer. That
wicked men may, if they can, believe the promises before they
have experience ; nay, I say furtlier, that no man sliall ever have
experiences, until he believe without ex]ieriences : dotli not God
justify the ungodly, even whilst Ive is so ? Doth he not find him
so, and at that time cast his love on him ? If God doth so, wliat
impropriety or incongruity is it to believe he doth so ? You will
sav this is at first conversion ; but I answer. Is rot God''s lo\ e
as free afterwards to rise anew after some setting ? loth not God
return for his own name sake only ? and if he do, must not our
faith be on that name only ? The truth is, man's nature is apt to
298 THE BLESSEDNESS OF
look after some loveliness or beauty in himself to win God, and
therefore when he can find no such thing, he is out of heart : this
popery is natural, the fine-spun distinctions to evade it are mere
fig-leaves, not able to cover the nakedness of it ; he that comes
to God and his promises with a blind- folded faith (I mean a faith
that takes notice of nothing in himself, whether good or evil) is
God's welcomest guest.
But some will say, They look not after any thing of their own,
but God's work in them ; this they would find : but I would know,
to what purpose 1 if to rejoice therein, or glorify God thereby, it
is good, but notliing to this purpose of believing in Christ and
his promises : if you would find them for encouragement to be-
lieve, know that God's way is the nearest way to believe whatever
you think of any other ; his way is for faith to go alone, and not
with such crutches : he knows they hinder the pace of faith, and
often lay it in the dirt. Know that you must not be your own
carvers. Thomas thought it a far easier way to believe Christ to
be risen, by seeing him, than by running to the promises without
sight of him ; and we all naturally follow him the same way, it
being the readier way to our poring hearts ; but Christ saith in
my text, the other is the right and blessed way. You will further
object, if want of spiritual experience may not keep men off from
believing, then a man may live as he list, and yet believe the
promises. This indeed is a great objection, which I doubt too
many make too much use of to their destruction : for the more
full answering of it, therefore, know, that neither Christ nor his
promises must be divided, for men to pick and chuse what they
list, and leave tlie rest ; men must take him and them one with
another. I know licentious persons would be glad of salvation
from wrath by Christ, and of temporal good; and they are apt to
assume a liberty from this point, that their faith is good, and the
promises shall be performed to them, though they have no good-
ness : but have they any heart to believe other promises as well
as these, those of mortification of sin, and holiness of life, that
God in the attendance on his ordinances will subdue their
iniquities, and cause them to walk in his testimonies ? These
are no bits for their palate. Now they that truly believe, having
no spiritual sense, embrace all sorts of promises, and as eagerly
pursue mortification and holiness promised, ?,s deliverance from
wrath : they would as gladly have Christ to reign in and over
DELIEVING WITHOUT SIGHT. 299
tneni, as to blot out their transgressions. The text imports so
much in the generality of the expression, not believing some
few culled things out of Christ and his promises, leaving the
rest ; but believing in whole Christ, and all sorts of his promises.
In brief, let not wicked men's snatching at what they cannot
catch, hinder any bleeding, panting soul, that fain would, but
dares not embrace Christ and his promises, from receiving this
gracious speech of his, and the like expressions of scripture,
that notwithstanding sense fails, yet in believing when it fails,
tliey are blessed.
Consider we now, what blessedness that is which attends such
a believing as secludes sight : there is a three-fold special
blessedness attending it.
1. A blessedness of present sweet repose, or rest, in all
conditions, without disturbance. I need not contend, I know,
to make this good, that it is a blessed condition indeed to sleep
on such a pillow as evaporates all cares out of the head, and
drives away all anxieties of heart, and dispels all tossing,
turbulent fears ; so that he who lays his head on it, can sleep as
securely in a storm as in a calm, in a prison as in a palace, in
the most pinching penury as the greatest plenty: now such, yea
and ftir more excellent a pillow, is this faith in Christ alone.
Faith mixt with sense comes not near it in this great privilege,
which I shall clearly illustrate by many evidences. Compare
this unmixed faith with that which is mixed with corporeal
sense, and see the difference. One man believes God loves him,
and leans too much to his prosperous state of health, liberty, and
the like ; another believes and minds not this at all ; Oh, what
rest hath this last beyond the other ! the first is no longer sick,
or held under, or like Job, cashiered of all ; or, like David,
exiled; or, like Paul, imprisoned; but oh, how is he, like
David, presently troubled ! You might know David's disease
by his pulse; " I said in my prosperity, 1 should never be
moved, thou hast made my mountain so strong ; but thou didst
hide thy face, and I was troubled." It is plain he leaned too
much on his prosperity. Too many find the same truth by
woeful experience ; oh, how are they daunted, nay, even dreaded
with crosses, losses, and such outward mishaps ; nay, often
questioning God's love now, which they sus (-cted not before!
and as such changes arc frequent, so vexations, distractions, and
aLTonirs r)f lieart come thick.
THli BLESSKDNBSS OF
tlie other side, look on the unmixed faith, such as Job's
he wouUl trust thouj^h he were killed : see how siill he is
the while his sad messengers follow one another at the heels
*' The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name
of the Lord," is all the disquiet he shews ; nay, the Lord affirms
his temper to be such, that in all that change Job sinned not.
Jonah cannot lose a gourd, but he frets as if he were undone,
whilst Job sits still with the loss of all ; Paul and Silas sing in
prison, while their sides are torn with whips ; Peter's heart is at
his mouth when Christ speaks of the Jews cruelty, and out of
fear tempts Christ, for which he was well reprehended for his
labour. I will give but one instance suiting widi the times.
Suppose two persons bcdieve God's goodness to restore liberty
to his church : the one hath his eye too busy on the means,
suppose the parliament ; the other only on Christ's love to it,
and the faithfulness of his promises of this nature. Now see the
difference of the quiet rest of these two ; the first, how anxiously
solicitous is he for daily news! how disquieted if he cannot
hear ! how dejected and daunted if suspicions be but whispered !
and how dead his heart, even as Nabal's, if such a hopeful
means be frustrated and dissolved! Like David, as you heard
before, when Saul had haunted him out of all his holes, there is
no hope left then, he shall perish. But on the other side, he
that hath both feet on Christ, hath as much joy as the other
in the prosperous success of fair means, and is moderate
in his enquiry; his copyhold is not touched if the means fail;
his footing is fast still, and therefore his heart stands fast. See
an excellent instance like this in Mordecai, when the Jews were
in a desperate case, the decree being gone out ; Hester, the queen,
was a likely means, as he tells her, to compass the deliverance;
" Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such
a time as this ?" Therefore he makes use of her, but yet he
leaned not to her ; for he tells her, that \i ?\\eaUogei her held her
peace at this time, yet enlargement and deliverance should arise
to the Jews from another place. Such know, that God hatha
thousand ways to make good his word which tliey know not of,
and therefore are no moie troubled at the breaking of one string
than he that hath a dozen more to his bow. Such was iVbraham's
quietness and rest, when thonsands would almost have broke
tljoir lioa'ts witli the task God sot hiiu, but he looked on this,
tliat (ijd was able, (ihoui^h ho knew not how) to raise him [his
BFLIEVING WtTHOUT SIGHT. 301
Isaac] from the dead again : the like difference may be seen
betwixt such as mingle natural reason with faith, and those that
banish it. See this difference between Moses and Abraham ; the
former is passionate, and speaks unadvisedly, the other staggers
not. The same difference may as plainly be seen betwixt siicb
as trust only in the name of the Lord, without regard to the
presence or absence of spiritual experiences, and those that
consult with them. How common is it to see the latter sort
roaring for disquietness, breaking forth into pitiful agonies, not
only for the sinfulness of the defects and failings they are
conscious of, which is requisite, but with distractive fears of
God's utter departure from them : oh, what a mountainous task
is it to settle and quiet such people again ! In brief, the ebbings
of their unsettled restless spirits, are double to the Sowings of
their comforts : nay, the still water of their spiritual rest is but
for a moment in a manner, the least wind of failing (if their
hearts be tender) sets them trembling like aspen leaves ; and
because such blasts of failings are as frequent as the stirring of
some winds, they have as little rest as such leaves : but if a soul
build on the rock alone, looking always upwards for security',
neglecting experiences for such an use as to jirop up faith, the
Lord must sink before they reel ; he must crack under them,
before their hearts rise to their mouths : he must call in again
what hath gone out of his mouth, and unseal what he hath
sealed, before they will suspect their titles to him and his
promises ; in a word, he must change, before they can be made
to believe, that they shall be consumed. These sleep securely,
whilst others, poring on present storms witli half-dead hearts,
look every moment for swallowing up. What a blessedness
were it to a soul to be so thoroughly resolved when all conspire
against it, and come with open mouth upon it, and yet it stands
still and sees the salvation of the Lord? Certainly such esta-
blishment is not to be had, but where men believe without
fetching their corner-stones from sensible experiences.
2. In such an unmixed faith, refined from sense, there is a
transcendent blessedness in regard of the more abundant glory
such a believing soul brings unto God. You know that speech,
" It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive." Now,
although properly and really we cannot give God any thing,
all being his due, vet he is pleased to account the glorifying of
302
THE BLESSEDNESS OF
him a givifig of glory to him^ which he takes more kiiidly thafi
men do the greatest gifts given to them. See this fully cleared,
m an instance fit for our purpose, in Abraham, when God pro-
mised him a son by Sarah ; observe his faith, how abstracted it
was from sense : " He considered not his own body now dead,
and so staggered not at the promise, but gave glory to God."
If any ask what glory such an abstracted faith gives to God ? I
answer,
(1.) It gives him the glory of his absolute independent power;
it makes the world to see that they care not for any the least
coadjutors to help him out with his own work. Tliis glory did
the three children, in Daniel, give God, which wrought strangely
on that heathen king ; " We are careless (say they) to answef
thee in this matter ; our God is able to deliver us ;" whereas
a faith mixed with sense robs him wonderfully of his glory, as I
might easily shew, but it is too obvious.
(2.) It gives him the glory of his faithfulness and truth, bjf
shewing to the world that he is so good, that the}^ care not for
the best securit}^ in the world to be bound with him when he
hath but passed his word. You know, that among men it makes
much for a man's credit, that his word only will be taken for
great sums, and further security is despised ; so doth this taking
God's word only, much advance his credit in the Avorld. Christ
inveighs bitterly against that adulterous generation that did
seek a sign ; intimating, how much they endeavoured to impair
his credit, that he could not be credited without a pawn. Paul,
by this faith, gives this glory to God ; / hiow lohom I have
trusted^ (saith he) that is, I know he will keep touch.
On the other side, where faith hunts after sense, how pitifully
is God robbed of his faithfulness ? When men are not well,
except they have two strings to their bow, is it not manifest
they suspect one ? When men cannot sleep if they have but a
man's own bond, do they not account such a one of small credit!
and is not this a w^oundiiig him in his reputation, especially if
they make it public ? I might instance in many other particu-
lars, wherein this single eye of faith glorifies God, which is the
greatest blessedness to a soul upon earth ; nay, it shall be thy
(greatest blessedness in heaven to glorify him there.
(3.) In such an unmixed faith there is a great blessedness, in
regard of the more abundant and comfortable fruition of the
UELIEVING WITHOUT SIGHT.
ZOS
things so believed. The more and more abundant fruition of
things promised, you grant, doth cause the more abundant
blessedness. Now consider what abundant fruition tliis faith
Hath beyond a mixed faith. You know that frequent re^dy of
our Saviour, to such as came out of need to him ; " Be it unto
tliee according to thy faith." But more especially,
1. They that have the unmixed faith, possess good things
promised more firmly and securely than such as have a mixed
faith. A mixed faith hath the fruition of the promises but by
halves : in their own eye they possess but as tenants at will ;
I mean as such, who look and fear to be turned out again at
every manifestation of displeasure : yea, and often, through
such suspicion, are turned out, and left harbourless ; whereas
the unmixed faith possesseth things promised as a freeholder does
his estate, wherein his propriety is unchangeable : though the
Lord's displeasure grieve him, yet he suspects not dispossession,
his title being as sound and good as he can make it. Thus dolh
a single faith possess promises.
2. They possess things promised far sooner than the other:
for no sooner see they the conveyance, but they take possession
presently, before they reap the crop : as Christ said, " Abraham
rejoiced to see my day ; he saw it, and was glad." He took
possession of Christ so soon as he found him promised. On the
other side, a mixed faith stays a great deal longer, and hath no
possession till the bird be in the hand; promises to such, are
Jike birds in the air or bush, until they be fulfilled; they
cannot comfortably say, Such a promise is my own, till thoy
have tasted and drank of it.
3. They possess far more good things promised than the
other. More for kind, and more for measure. Where sense is
made a support of faith, it oft leaves faith ftist in the mire.
Now, where faith fails, accomplishment of promises fails. On
the other hand, Avlicre faith leans not at all on the adventitious
succour of sensible experiences, though they fail with respect to
the fulfilling of such or such, or their fulfilling in such a
measure, yet faith fails not, but applies the promises, and enjoyf
the things promised.
304
SERMON XL IV.
C n K I S T THE C H I E F i: S T AND FIRST MERCY".
ROMANS viii. 32.
HK THAT SPARED NOT HIS OWN SON, BUT DELIVERED HIM UP
FOR US ALL, HOW SHALL HE NOT, WITH HIM, ALSO FREELY
GIVE US ALL THINGS "?
The apostle having, in the whole foregoing discoui'se, excel-
lently amplified the large spiritual privileges of Christ's members,
conveyed by his Spirit unto them, now in the closing up of +his
sweet subject, endeavours to establish and settle the reeling
hearts of weak believers, that they might have the more joy in
believing. This he doth by sundry clear convincing arguments.
The first is in the precedent verse, taken from the security which
God's pi'esence and side-taking with them, gives, in respect of
his being infinitely too hard for whatever may oppose them. The
second argument is in my text; where you may consider, (1.)
The argiduni. (2.) The argianenlum ; that is, tlie thing he would
make good and clear, and the argument he useth for that pur-
pose. The thing he would clear is, the certainty of future supply
of whatever is needful, in the last clause. The argument to
prove this is a majori^ namely, a far greater mercy than all that
which is to follow already bestowed in the former clause ; which
is a determining argument indeed; it is like this ; he that hath
given a man a field, how can he deny him h, bush in it to stop a
gap ? Only there is an infinite disproportion between the things
in this and the apostle's argument. The sum of the argument is,
that Chrisf, the Son of God, is the dearest thing in the world in
his Father's eye; if ever he would have stuck at any thing, or
been loath to part with it, here he would have stopped and made
a stand, when he was to make the soul of his Son an offering for
sin ; all things else being inconsiderable with God in comparison
CHRIST THE CHIEFEST AND FIRST MERCY. 305
of him, who was daily his deh'ght, his beloved in whom he waa
well pleased. But now having broke through this iron gale, a*
I may say, or so undauntedly waded through such a bottomlesg
deep as this is, all other passages must needs prove but shallows
to him, where he need not put off any thing to get over. In de-
livering up his Son for sinners, he was fain to put ofF all he
could ])ossibly put off, and strip himself as naked as could be ; in
all other passages of mercy, God walks dry-shod, as I may say,
only here he wades. An admirable argument it is to silence the
strongest objections of the most subtilized spirit, prompted with
the acutest sophistry of hell ; (for the devil suggests tormenting
wit enough to rack the afflicted soul.)
That which we will observe out of this golden sentence of
scripture, is, I. That God bestows Christ himself, the chiefest of
all his mercies, first unto sinful men. 2. That all other mercies
necessarily follow, Christ once given to men. In handlino- the
first, I shall endeavour to make clear unto you, 1. That Christ
himself is the chiefest of all God's mercies bestowed on sinners.
2. How he is said to be the first of them. 3, The end, or reason,
why he bestows him first: all which will make excellent way for
a profitable and comfortable application of the point in hand,
whereby, I hope, our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.
I will begin with the first, to make it clear unto vou. that
Christ himself, bestowed on sinners, is the chiefest of all God's
mercies to them ; the strength of the apostle's arguments lies in
this ; this will appear fully, if you consider, (1.) Christ given, as
he stands in relation to God the Father who bestows him. (2.)
The value of the gift ; what Christ is worth that is bestowed. (3.)
The usefulness of this gift to those to whom he is given. (4.) The
manner how he is bestowed on sinners.
1. I say, Christ bestowed will appear to be, by far, the chiefest
of all mercies, if you consider Christ given as he stands in rela-
tion to the Father giving him. Mercies, you know, are greater
or less, as the giver is more or less interested and endeared in
what he gives ; the nearer and dearer any thing is to the giver,
the greater price is put on the gift in his parting therewith : as
you know, a kingdom being of nearer and dearer concernment
to a king, than a cast of his countenance, or such like, the f^ivino^
of the one is a greater gift, than the cast of the other ; and, if he
have nothing dearer than it, the gift thereof must be the chiefest
VOL. II. X
306 CHRIST THE CHIKFEST AND FIRST
of gifts from him : this illustration will give some light to our
purpose ; Christ given to sinners, is the nearest and clearest thing
in the world to the Father ; he is his Son, his begotten Son, his
only begotten Son, in whom he is well pleased. Thus he stands
in relation to him, 1. As the second person, being equally God
with himself. 2. As he is ^eavepcoiros, God and man in one person,
the mediator of the covenant: " To which of the angels said he
at any time, thou art my Son ?" Heb. i. 5. So also is he the
nearest and dearest to the Father of all things in the world besides ;
no creature so like God as he : the apostle calls him the " Bright-
ness of his glory, and the express image of his person," Heb. i.
3 ; no creature advancing God in the world as he, none compassing
his great ends as he, so pure and conformable to his mind as he ;
he is the first-born of many brethren, the heir of all things, the
co-worker with God in the framing and managing of all things,
to whom God gave all power both in heaven and in earth. Now,
what can be found in the world so near, so dear to God, as this
Christ ? All other things of God, are of far inferior rank to
him, whether thrones, dominions, or angels, they are not daily
his delight as the Son is : in parting therefore with this his Son,
and not sparing him, but delivering him up, he parted with
the nearest and dearest thing he had, and therefore, he must
needs be the chiefest of all his mercies to singers ; not only the
chiefest he hath bestowed, but also the chiefest he could,
having uo better thins^ to bestow.
2. Christ given will appear to be the chiefest of mercies, if
vou consider the value and worth of Christ himself bestowed.
Mercies are not only rated according to their esteem, but also
their value and greatness of worth. Affection or fancy may
make mean things of high esteem, but where there is real
worth, as well as high esteem, in gifts bestowed, this adds much
to the greatness of them: now for Christ, he hath more real
worth than all the world besides ; and this is plain, because when
weighed in the balance with divine justice, it was found too
light to counterpoise it ; all together could not make up the full
sum or value that should satisfy that : no man, nor all creatures,
could make an agreement for man ; it must cost more to redeem
a soul ; but Christ could and did pay the utmost farthing. He
is a mass of treasure big enough ; the travail of his soul did
atisfy ; therefore tlie church might well call iiim, T/te cJiicfest
CHRIST THE CHlBPESr AND FIRST MERCY. 307
among ten thousand; and St. Peter calls his blood precious
beood : in that therefore, Christ alone, and nothing else,
amounted to such an infinite value, he may well go for the
chiefest of God's mercies, being bestowed on sinners.
3. If you will consider the usefulness of Christ, to those on
whom he is bestowed. Nothing in the world, nay, all the world
could be nothing so useful to sinners as he is. Without him,
all our souls had been lost for ever; " And what profit is there
in gaining the whole Avorld, and losing them ?" Mercy is valued
as it stands a man in stead, and serves his turn : thino-s of value
may in some cases be useless, when things of little value may be
precious, as bread to the hungry will do more good than a
mouthful of gold for that purpose; that indeed is the chiefest
mercy, that will do a man most good; now, what is so useful, or
can do a man that good, that Christ can ? What, but he, can
reconcile God to man, ingratiate man with God, pay all his
debts to him, make all things work together for good, heal all
the agonies, torments, and horrors of spirit, suck out the suifo-
cating venom of corruptions, vanquish sin, death, and hell, raise
the mouldered carcase from corruption to incorruption, and
invest it witli a state of eternal glory, in the highest heavens ;
wiping all tears from the eyes, and filling with fulness of joy and
pleasure for evermore at his right-hand, in that kino-dom which
shall never fade 1 There is nothing, except Christ, but is dry
to many purj)oses, and leaves men destitute ; he only can abun-
dantly satisfy, and filleth all in all ; therefore he is the chiefest
of all mercies.
4. Christ is the chiefest of mercies, in regard of the manner
of bestowing him. Not any of all God's mercies strained him,
(if I may so speak by an anthropopathy) as the makino- Christ
so useful a mercy as he is, or costs Christ so dear. Other
mercies God gives, and there is no more ado but giving and
taking ; but, before Christ could be such a mercy as he is, the
Father must bruise him, and take pleasure in it ; give him the
bitter cup of his indignation, and be inexorable to his stron©
cries ; nay, withdraw himself, and forsake him in his sorest
conflicts. Christ also must endure an exinanition of his divine
glory, and bear an eclipse of that excellent majesty ; he must
strip himself of all repute and esteem in the world, be despised
and rejected of men, and become a man of sorrows, and ac
x2
308 CHRIST THE CHIEFEST AND F'RST MERCV.
quamted with griefs ; be mocked, scourged, crucified, and slain
by miscreants ; yea, wrestle with the wrath of his Father, even
as much as all the sins of his believing people deserved: "The
Lord must lay on him the iniquity of us all," and proportion his
wrath thereunto, that " by his stripes we might be healed,"
All this stir, and a great deal more there must be, before this
mercy in Christ could be ripe and fit for our use : so that here is
not only Christ given, but prepared in such a manner for our
good, as that it is hard to say, whether the substance, or the
circumstances, contain the greater mercy. It is certain, that
no other mercies cost the Father of Christ himself so dear. All
which particulars put together, shew how far this mercy in
giving Christ thus, exceeds all other mercies, and by far the
chiefest.
Come we now to consider, how Christ is said to be the first of
all mercies God bestows on sinners. That he is so, is plain in
the text ; having (to wit already) ''• Not spared him, how shall
he not give all things ?" Intimating, that other things remain
to be given, when he is given.
1. Christ is the first, " As all things were made for him," as
the apostle tells us, Col. i. 16, that is, for his sake, as well as
use ; so that all the creatures in the world arc indebted to
Christ for their beinsr: had it not been for him, nothinor had
been made. God's love is primarily fixed on Christ, and on
the creature through him ; as through Christ he takes content
therein, and gives content to him thereby ; especially his love
to man originally runs through Christ, not only to create him
such as he is, above all other creafvu'es, but also from all
eternity to elect him to eternal glory. The apostle tells us, that
tee are elected in Christ, all Chrisfs delights being tvith the sons
of men, Prov. viii. 30, 31. And Christ himself being daily the
delight of the Father, it pleased the Father for the satisfying of
Christ's desire, to make the sons of men his delight also. Thus
you may understand that voice from heaven, Matt. iii. 17,
" This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ;" that
is, I am well pleased with believers, for to them I conceive the
word tvell-pler'Sf'd is to be referred ; his well-pleasedness to his
Son being sufTiciently expressed in the word zcell beloved : God
would never have cared for man, especially as a sinful wretch,
but in and for his Son. Thus Christ is the first mercy bestowed
CHRIST THE CHlliFK&r AND FIRST MERCY.
on maTi, as he is the first, nay, sole moving cause to stir bowels
in God to him. But, 2. and principally, Christ is the first
mercy, (not in respect of common, but spiritual mercies) not
only as a mover to other mercies, but as God doth actually
convey Christ himself first, before he conveys any mercy : he
gives sinners a full interest and propriety in him, before he
shews any special love to them ; he makes Christ himself first
thine and mine, before he pours out, or sheds abroad his love in
the heart, or communicates any sanctifying grace, comfort, or
spiritual privileges whatsoever ; this you shall see fully cleared
by the prophet, Isa. ch. xlii. 6, 7, who brings in the Lord speak-
ing thus to Christ, " I will give thee for a covenant to the
people, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from
the prison." First he gives Christ, then afterwards he opens
the blind eyes by him ; and he doth not first loose the prisoners,
and then give Christ ; but first gives him, and then loosens
them by him. The like, or rather the same expression, this
prophet useth, chap, xlix, 8. St. Peter, speaking of Christ as
he is mentioned, Psa. cxviii. tells us, that "coming to him as unto
a living stone, we also as lively stones are built up a spiritual
house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, ac-
ceptable to God by Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. 4, 5. Men in the
day of God's power are made loilling to come first to Christ,
then grow up and do acceptable service by him : learn this well,
for it is of great use, as you shall hear before we have done :
only let us first consider the last thing propounded. Why God
gives Christ first, before other mercies ?
1. That we may be more fully assured and satisfied, that he
will not withhold succeeding mercies ; this is the main reason
why the apostle mentions it in this place. God knows how apt
we are, upon every surmise, or at the least slip, and his with-
drawing awhile, to be full of jealousies and sad doubts, that
now " He will be gracious no more, and hath shut up his loving
kindness for ever in displeasure," as Asaph pitifully complains
in his doubting humour. For this cause God at first leaves a
pledge, or hostage in our hands, that looking thereon, it may
check our suspicions, and put us in mind, that whatever thine
it is we suspect he will not grant, we may see we have in pos-
session from him already, that which is of far greater value tnan
what we now pursue. He deals, as able men do with suspicioui
310 CHRIST THE CIIIEFEST AND FIRST MERCy.
creditors, who leave pawns of greater value than what they owe,
which may pay all that is behind, that so poor souls may be at
rest.
2. Christ himself is the first mei-cy, (I mean still when God
effectually calls a sinner) because, Christ is the soul to animate,
or the principle of all spiritual life and motion, and therefore he
must be first given, or else there can be no such life; as a dead
body must first have a soul infused into it before it can live:
when God had formed Adam's body. He breathed into Mm the
breath of life (that is, a soul) and then he became a living soiU^
or person. You know, when a soul is separated from a body,
the body is a lifeless carcase : now, that Christ is this soul or
principle of spiritual life, is most plain, in that he calls himself
the life^ John xiv. 6, and tells us, chap. vi. 33, that he gives life
to the world, and chap, x. 10, " I am come (saith he) that they
might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly :"
and Paul saith, " 1 now live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me." Hence it is that Christ is called the head of the body,
because all the animal, sensitive spirits, which actuate the whole
body with sense and motion, flow thence as from a fountain ;
intimating Christ to be the spring of all spiritual understanding
and activity : for the same cause he is called the root, which is
to the tree as the soul to the body, and the foundation on which
the house rests for support and stability, and therefore is first
laid,' before men attempt to raise any building. All this evincelh
the silliness of imagining there can be any work of grace in a
heart, before Christ himself be given or received, who brings all
that is, or can be, along with himself, and finds nothing but a
dead carcase as unto spiritual activity Avhen he comes. For
this, Christ is also called the everlasting Father, for that we are
begotten again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ; now you know there must be a father present to beget,
before there can be a son begotten.
3. Again, Christ must be first given, because he is the prince,
or pi'ime author and principal worker of peace ; so the word
prince signifies; He is our peace, saith the apostle, Eph. ii. 14,
which caused the choir of angels at his incarnation, and coming
to dwell among men, to proclaim, " Peace on earth, and good-
will towards men :" now you know, that all grace from God
follows peace with him ; he first must be reconciled before he
CHRIST THE CHIEFEST AND FIRST MERCY.
will shew kindness ; therefore the apostle tells us, that *' God
in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses," 2 Cor. v. 19 ; first reconciled, then he forgives sin ;
and this order he observes in Christ ; he must therefore first
come and settle a peace, before there can be hoped any fruit or
manifestation of his gracious love.
Use 1. Come we now to application ; If Christ be the chiefest
of all God's mercies, then let Christ himself be chiefest in your
pursuit. Men usually aim at the best of things, as near as they
can reach ; the best wives, servants, grounds ; if any thing be
better than other, that is meat for their mouths ; he that
contents himself with the refuse of things, it is because he can
go no higher. Christ, as you have heard, is the chiefest and
best of all God's mercies, therefore single him out from other
things, and press hard after him. The prophet, Isa. Iv. 2, 3,
hath a notable expostulation to this purpose ; " Wherefore do
you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your
labour for that which satisfies not ? Hearken diligently unto
me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight
itself with fatness;" all other things are not bread, in comparison
of Christ; they are lean, dry things to him, who is oily fatness :
O you that cumber yourselves about many things, like Martha,
that waste and tire yourselves, that set thoughts and cares on
tenter-hooks, to compass a little muck, or spot of earth, you
labour for that which satisfies not; (say, are you satisfied?)
Mary hath chosen the better part in sticking close to Christ.
Paul saw so much pre-eminence in Christ, that, learned as he
was, he desired to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him cruci-
Jied; nay, he desires to be dissolved to be tvith him; and so
would you, if so be you could but taste, that is, believe, how
good the Lord is. None bid Christ, none but Chiist, wouldst
thou then say, as the martyr at the stake ; How much better is
thy love than wine ! silver and gold are not to be compared with
him, say all they that have found him. He is the treasure hid
in the field, the jewel above price : wilt thou then sweat and
melt thyself in following a vein of clay, when a mine of the
richest gold, and of diamonds, is in tliine eye ? Wilt thou
glean after a churl that hath raked his field, when thou mayest
be allowed to carry whole sheaves, nay, shocks, away at once ?
Wilt thou glean for fitches, when thou mayest glean pure
312 CHRIST THE CHIEFEST AND FIRST MERCY.
wheal ? Wilt tlion cast thyself on a poor beggar, when the king
will take pleasure in thy beauty ? Shall tlie treacherous world
have all thy kisses and embraces, whilst Christ stands at the
door and knocks ? Oh, come to thyself, poor soul, (the Lord in
mercy awaken thee ; nay, quicken thee, that thou mayest) and
think what a game is in chace ; savoury meat indeed, such as
thy soul will be satisfied with, when thou hast tasted ; and lose
not this present advantage to hunt after butterflies like silly
children, which when they are enjoyed are poor nothings, yea,
take their wings and fly away.
Use 2. If Christ be the first of all mei'cies, then they begin at
the wrong end of the bottom, that think to wind any graces from
God first, and then seek after Christ : and therefore no marvel
if they make nothing of their work, but turn and toss, and make
many a stop and broken end : whoever will go smoothly on, and
make good riddance, must begin here at the right end, and get
Christ himself, before ever they expect to be a jot better than
corrupt nature makes them : who can bring a clean thing out of
an unclean ? Beloved, you may pump at your own hearts until
vou break them, before you can fetch up a drop of grace, (so
dry are they) unless Christ himself be first poured in ; as you
will first pour in a bucket of water into a dry pump, before you
will essay to draw up water : many poor souls lie hacking and
hewino" with their own blunt and dull spirits, to grub up their
touo-h corruptions; they plough with a wooden coulter and
shear, to turn up the clods of their fallow hearts ; or rather put %
dead horse to tear them up, whilst they toil in their own strength :
you must first get your spirits keened by Christ ; when men begin
to plough up their hearts, they plough upon rocks, and there-
fore Christ must come first and soften them, before you can so
much as enter ; it pities me to see how many poor souls are
ignorant in this spiritual husbandry, and therefore toil to no
purpose : is it not madness to begin to rear a roof first, and hope
that then the foundation will be laid sure, but not otherwise ; I
mean, to erect a structure of grace, and then go downward to
lav Christ the foundation ? Alas ! poor creatures, how will they
get up, unless they lay Christ the foundation first, and by him
go upward 1 he brings faith itself along with him ; men do not
get faith first and then Christ, but he brings it himself: learn
this point well. The apostle tells us expressly, that he is the
CHRIST THE CHIEFKST AND FIRST MERCY. 313
author as well as finisher of our faith, by whom we believe ; and
again he tells us, that faii/i is the operation of God.
You will say, how can a man apply Christ without faith.
I answer. He cannot ; but yet faith comes not before Christ,
but he comes and brings it, and delivers it to the soul, whereby
it takes him present. I cannot illustrate this better to you, than
by Jeremy's getting out of the dungeon *. Ebedmelech (a type
of Christ) comes from the king to Jeremiah being sunk into the
mire of the dungeon, and brings cords and soft rags with him;
these he lets down into the dungeon to him, and bids him put
the rags under his arm-holes, fastening them to the cords ; which
he did, holding the cords fast : then Ebedmelech herewith drew
him forth. Now the cords came not before Ebedmelech, neither
did he draw himself to Ebedmelech with them; but he brouc^ht
them, and drew him up by them unto himself. Ebedmelech
represents Christ, the cords and rags faith, Jeremy the convert,
or saved sinner, the dungeon the deep pit of sinfulness and
misery in which he sticks ; Christ brings faith, and gives one
end to a sinner to hold fast by, and keeps the other end in his
own hand, and so draws the sinner towards him, who comes by
the holdfast of the cord immediately ; but originally, and princi-
pally, by the strength of Christ's own arm. In brief, you must
conceive Christ graciously present whenever faith is : now, if
faith itself, the radical grace, come not before Christ, much less
other graces that spring from it. The apostle tells us, from
Christ, tliat we are sanctified hy faith., and that faith purifies the
heart: do not, therefore, put the cart before the horse, nor
foolishly think to draw the horse with the cart. Some say, We
thought that we must first be humbled, changed, renewed, and
then come to Christ : I confess too many go backward in this
manner, and catch many a fall and bruise; I would we had not
»ome blind leaders of such blind, who are both like to fall into
the ditch ; have 1 not cleared the contrary way to you by
manifest scripture ? I come not to you in my own name about
this business.
You will say, until there be some such good beginning, I snail
stink in Christ's nostrils witli my filth and rottenness.
But, you must know, that Christ comes and justifies the
ungodly ; he doth not find them godly, or stay till they be,
• Jer. xxxviii. 11.
314 CHRIST THE CHIEFEST AND FIRST MERCY,
before he justifies them ; but takes them as they are, ungodly
and justifies them then. As the father of the prodigal stays not
until his tattered lousy son had shifted himself, and washed off
his filth, but sees him afar off, falls on his neck presently, and
kisses him, then calls for the best robe and covers his nakedness:
a notable parable, whereby Christ sets himself forth to poor
sinners. Christ is not so squeamish as men are, nor doth he
affect as men do, who look for comeliness or loveliness to stir
their affections. Ah ! do not then stumble at straws, and make
bug-bears to fright thyself from coming to Christ ; they are none
of his setting up : if ever you partake of any spiritual mercies,
whether of grace or comfort, you must begin with Christ himself
first.
What is it to take Christ first ? may some say.
I answer. When God opens the heart, as he did the heart of
Lydia whilst Paul preached the gospel (and as it may be he doth
of some now) to come to thyself, and sadly to think that thy
present way is not right, and that there will be bitterness in the
end of it ; and, therefore, thy heart is fully resolved to turn over
a new leaf, let it cost what it will ; when thy heart thus checks
and spurs at once, then without any more ado, seal the covenant
with Christ; take him with all that he is, and hath, for thine
own ; though thy hands be never so foul, stay not the wiping of
them, but take him unworthy as thou art : he will then wash
and make thee clean himself. Do not stumble at this, it is not
too good to be true : it is ratified in heaven, and proclaimed in
the gospel ; " When I saw thee polluted in thy blood, I said unto
thee. Live: I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with
thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine," Ezeek. xvi.
6—8.
I say, as before, when thy heart is opened, then pray for faith
to look unto Christ, that so after-thoughts of returning from
backslidings may have life and power from him, and be backed
by him ; then are they like to prosper, else they will prove but
faint velleities, or like the early dew, and become but a flashing
spiritual qualm : but having, at the first dash, committed your-
self and change to Christ's management, he will go through
perfectly with it, and make good riddance indeed; for the
fleasure of the Lo7'd, on thy heart and life, shall prosper in his
hands. And therefore it is a foul slanderous calumny, cast by
CHRIST THE CHIEFEST AND FIRST MERCY. 315
ignorant, if not malicious hearts^ on this sweet gospel, to say it
makes void the law, and opens a gap to licentiousness. For
nothing establisheth the law like it, or binds souls to good
behaviour, as it doth : as you may see by the little hint I gave
you even now. If you go this way to work, to begin with Christ
himself, you may plough with his heifer, and so untie many a
riddle, that will else puzzle your brains ; by this means you shall
have a strong and impregnable hold to retreat unto upon every
occasion of danger : you shall carry a spring of aqua vitce about
you always, against faintings ; you shall have a wise counsellor
to direct you, or a north-star in your eye, by which you may
steer your course ; a mighty champion, not only to order, but
also to fight your battles, whilst you may stand still and see the
salvation of the Lord. By this means you shall never repent of
your leaving Egypt, though you come to straits ; for this angel
of the covenant, going before you, shall level your way, and
make it smooth, shall scatter and tread down the mighty that
come against you ; shall still and quiet the jealous risings of
your heart, and so feed you with present earnests and first-fruits,
as shall draw you on with a longing, until you attain the full
possession both of grace and glory. You have run well, saith
Paul to the Galatians, speaking of the times when they embraced
Christ first without works. There is no such progress in
holiness, as where Christ enters and sets a soul at work, who
oils the wheels, who fills the sails with a full and prosperous
galo.
S!<5
SERMONS XLV.— XLVIIl.
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS
TITUS ii. 11, 12.
POR THE GRACE OF GOD, WHICH BRINGETH SALVATION, HATH
APPEARED TO ALL MEN ; TEACHING US, THAT DENYING UN-
GODLINESS, AND WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY,
RIGHTEOUSLY, AND GODLY IN THIS PRESENT WORLD.
Beloved, I am jealous over you, with a holy jealousy, 2 Cor.
xi. 2, 3, lest, after the sweet invitations and wooings of you in
Christ's name, that you might be espoused unto him ; lest, as
the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, namely, bewitch-
ing her to a presumptuous licentious adventuring on God's
gentleness, whilst she tasted the forbidden fruit ; so your minds
should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ,
namely, by presuming too much upon him, and adventuring to
continue in sin, in hope that grace may abound : for the pre-
vention of which dangerous miscarriage, which hath been the
unhappy lot of many thousands, I thought good to step in with
this text, which I am persuaded will prove a seasonable warning
to some at least. It is a reason, or argument, whereby the
apostle Paul enforceth and strengtheneth what he had formerly
delivered, having given proper rules unto several distinct offices
and ranks of persons, as ministers, ch. i; aged men, ch. ii. 2;
aged women, ver. 3; young women, ver. 4, 5; young men,
ver. 6 ; to Titus himself, ver. 7, 8 ; and to servants, ver. 9, 10 ;
in all which he suits his doctrine to their several conditions.
Now that these several precepts might receive entertainment, he
tells them, that God therefore manifested his grace that brings
salvation.
In the words themselves there are two general things obserr-
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 317
able: (1.) The free bountiful love of God unto man, ver. 11.
(2.) The end of this love, ver. 12. In the former observe, 1st,
The fruits of his love, or the thing wherein he manifests it,
salvation. 2d. The cause of it, the grace of God bringeth it.
3d. The means of participating thereof, appearance. 4th. The
persons to whom it is manifested, to all men.
The end of this love of God, here expressed in general, is
our sanctification, consisting of two branches, mortification and
renovation : mortification is here specified under two heads,
answering the two tables of the law ; the first is an abnegation
of ungodliness, which comprehends the branches of the first
table ; the second is a denial of worldly lusts, which compre-
hends the branches of the second table. The second branch of
the end of the grace of God, iti renovation, specified under three
heads; the first respects a man's self, he must live soberly ; the
second respects our neighbours, righteously or justly ; the third
respects God, godly. This end is amplified in two ways ;
1. From the means of attaining it, the teaching that the grace of
God brings with it. 2. Tlie time it teaeheth, and we must put
this end to practice, in this present world. From the former
part of the text observe, that it is the grace of God appearing,
which bringeth salvation to all men.
This doctrine being the corner-stone of the whole gospel, and
the rock whereon the anchor of faith must fasten, to preserve
the soul and body from shipwreck, (for so indeed it is) had need
be handled warily and soundly ; for an error in the foundation is
of far greater consequence than in the superstructure, wherein I
shall endeavour to be as cautious as may be ; and, because it is
the well-spring of comfort, and the grand charter that compre-
hends all our prerogatives, which have their dependence hereon,
I will labour to make it as plain and manifest as may be ; to
this purpose some particulars are to be discussed for the unveil-
ing of their obscurity ; as, 1. What is meant by the grace of
God. 2. What the appearing of it is. 3. What it is for this
grace appearing to bring salvation, 4. Unto whom it brings
salvation.
I. Grace, in the scripture, is diversely taken ; sometimes it
signifies comeliness, or that which makes a thing illustrious • so
Solomon useth the word, " My son, hear the instructions of thv
father, for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy neaa/*
318 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
Prov. 1. 8, 9, chap. iii. 22, chap. iv. 9, but so it is not here taken :
sometimes divine qualities in a believer ; so the apostle takes it
when he saith, " You abound in every thing, in faith, utterance,
knowledge, diligence, and love ; so abound in this grace also,"
2 Cor. viii. 1 — 4, 5, 6, 7, speaking of liberality. And thus grace
and works are all one, and therefore this cannot be the grace here
mentioned, by which we are to be saved ; for the apostle opposeth
these two^ " By grace ye are saved, not of works," Eph. ii. 9.
Sometimes, again, grace signifies free unmerited favour, which
hath no other impulsive or moving cause, but only the good
pleasure of God's will, Eph. i. 5, 6, and so It is taken as oft as
grace and works are opposed ; thus the apostle expounds the
meaning of grace, " Being justified freely by his grace," Rom,
iii. 24, and thus we are to understand it in the text ; sometimes
(for a punctual illustration of it) grace signifies that good pleasure
of God's will, which is revealed in the gospel ; as it is recorded
of Paul and Barnabas (Acts xiv. 3,) when they preached the
gospel at Iconeura ; the Lord gave testimony to the word of hU
grace ; so Paul commends the elders to the word of his gj-ace^
chap. XX. 32, which is able to build them up, and to give them an
inheritance ; and so it is opposed to the rigour and severity of
the law, which stands on these terms. Do this and live; which
yet is the good pleasure of his will. Finally, the grace of God
is taken most strictly for the free favour of God revealed in the
gospel, appointing Christ his Son to compass our justification,
sanctification, and redemption : for this cause it is that the grace
of God is so oft called the " Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
1 Pet. i. 10, 11 — 13j because through him " we have access to
the grace wherein we stand," and this comes to us by him, ac-
cording to that of John, (John i 14, 15 — 17,) " Grace and truth
came by Jesus Christ." The sum of all is this, it is the mere
free motion of God's own will and pleasure, to shew undeserved
favour ; for, by Christ, this is the sole fountain from whence, as
all other our comforts which go before, so this last in special of
salvation, flows. Whatever is annexed thereto, as an adjuvant
cause, is so far from helping, as it makes void the eflficacy of this,
whereof I shall speak more fully hereafter.
2. This appearance of grace, or free kindness, and love of God
our Saviour, for our reconciliation and salvation, " Not by works
of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 319
nath he saved us," Tit. iii. 4, 5, is nothing else but the bringing
of the same to light, or a making of it manifest ; which that you
may the more fully understand, note, That the appearance or
manifestation of God's grace, and free favour, is to be considered
two ways, 1. When it is made visible and discernible. 2. When
it is actually seen and discerned. In the first consideration it
appears in the gospel published, wherein all may find this favour ;
and thus it is apparent even to such as shut their eyes and turn
from it ; and of this manifestation Christ speaks, saying, " Light
is come into the world, and men love darkness more than light,"
John iii. 19; even as a king's mind and pleasure is apparent,
when it is extant in his statutes, proclamations, and charters,
though some men will not regard it. Bui this is not all the ap-
pearance of the grace of God that brings salvation, although
without this it could never have been found ; it must not only be
visible, but also actually discerned.
Now the grace of God in Christ is actually discerned two
ways, 1. By a mere intellectual perception or vision. 2. By a
cordial apprehension thereof. It appears by an intellectual per-
ception, when men understand the freeness of God's grace or
bounty aright ; what it is which is only an appearance to the
knowledge, which, by the common principles of natural reason,
is attainable where the gospel is published ; for when any rational
man hears plain sense, he may easily understand it, and perceive
the meaning of it : in this sense the grace of God appears unto
all attentive persons that have the use of reason ; thus it ap-
peared to the Pharisees, for had they not understood what Christ
meant, when he taught this free grace of God by himself, they
would never have raged so against him ; for distaste always pre-
supposeth some foreknowledge ; had he spoke altogether beyond
their understanding, they could not have conceived any cause of
indignation; this, therefore, is not the appearing of grace here
intended ; for, instead of bringing salvation, it became an oc-
casion of their firther condemnation. It is the cordial manifesta-
tion and apprehension of the free grace of God, understood
aright, that was manifested m the gospe!. that brings salvation ;
and then the grace of God appears, when God opens the heart,
and sets up the lustre of it there, with such a clear brightness,
that it apprehends it as it is.
Now this differs as much, if not more, from a mere intellectual
320 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
apprehension, as a blind man's knowledge of the sun, and a good
sighted man seeing of it with his eyes : a blind man may know,
by discourse, what kind of thing the sun is, but he cannot be
certain whether there is such a thing or no ; but he that hath a
cordial apprehension of free grace, is as sure there is such a
thing as he that sees the sun, I mean out of the case of desertion.
But, more particularly, the appearing of free grace to the heart,
is such a manifestation thereof, as leaves its own savouriness
there, and so enamours it with the excellency and usefulness
thereof, to supply its own overgrown defects, that it pants after
a propriety therein as the dearest thing in the world ; it sees so
much in this grace, as that it concludes it to be the one thing
necessary, and is willing to embrace it upon any terms ; such a
winning appearance, which enters into the soul that brings salva-
tion ; for then the soul makes after it, and is not at rest till he
closes with it : for this is the end God aims at, in proclaiming
and delineating his free grace to the view of the world, to draw
men to a love and desire of it ; and therefore, to whomsoever he
intends to communicate it, he persuades the heart so effectually,
that it cannot choose but be ravished with the glorious and com-
fortable appearance of it. So that salvation then comes to a
man's heart, when the free love of God in Christ appears so
lovely and useful, as that all the things in the world seem but as
dross and dung in comparison of it ; and therefore nothing is
desired and prized like unto it ; for then, and only then, it appears
in its own lively colours as it is ; when thus much is not seen in
it, the main of it is yet hid, and appears not. There are many in
the world who understand the meaning of the doctrine of free
grace, yet see but the shell of it, no beauty nor savouriness in it.
and therefore in heart say of it, as the strangers to the church
concerning Christ, the subject of free grace, " What is thy be-
loved more than another beloved ?" So they say of free grace,
What is in this doctrine more than in ordinary matters of dis-
course ? But the church herself sees more in him, and in it, and
says, " My beloved is the chiefest among ten thousand." Thus
free grace appeared unto Paul, " But what things were gain to
me, I counted loss for Christ ; yea, (saith he,) doubtless I count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ,
and count them but dung that I may win him," Phil. iii. 7, 8, 9.
be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, but
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 321
thai which is through the faith of Christ." The same apostle
tells us, " That in the ages to come, (to such as by grace should
be saved,) God would shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in
his kindness towards us through Christ."
3. AVhat is this salvation which the grace of God appearing
brings ? To understand it aright, note, that this word is di-
versely taken in scripture, sometimes it signifies deliverance out
of temporal dangers and afflictions, so Psal. Ixxiv. 12, " God is
my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth."
Sometimes Christ himself, as Luke i. 69. Zachary sings thus,
" God hath raised an horn of salvation in the city of David."
So sings old Simeon, chap. ii. 30 ; " ?»iine eyes have seen thy
salvation ;" having taken Christ up in his arms. Sometimes the
whole state of grace, or conversion ; so Christ says, speaking of
Zacclieus, chap. xix. 9, " This day is salvation come to this
house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham." So Paul
uses it, Rom. xi. 11, " Salvation is come unto the Gentiles,"
speaking of the rejection of the Jews, and calling of the Gentiles.
And 2 Cor. vi. 2, " Now is the day of salvation." Sometimes
the blessed estate of the sainis in heaven ; Heb. i. 14, " The
angels are ministering spirits to such a? shall be heirs of salvation ;"
and in chap. v. 9, when Christ is called, " The Author of eternal
salvation." So that salvation is temporal, spiritual, and eternal ;
all which may be very well understood Vy it here ascribed to the
grace of God appearing ; for it is the efficient cause of all ; no
pply of temporal good comes either by chance, or man's wisdom,
dustry, or power, but only from God's free grace and bounty,
al. Ixxv. 6, 7, " Promotion cometh neither from the East,
est, nor South ; but God putteth down one, and setteth up
another. I will not trust in my bow : it is not my sword that
shall save me, but it is thou, (saith David.) Vain is the help of
man ; a horse is but a vain thing; riches profit not." Psal. iv.
6, " Many say. Who will shew us any good ? but. Lord, lift up
thou the light of thy countenance upon us." And again, " Our
help standeth in the name of the Lord, which hath made heaven
and earth." In a word, that all co'.nes by grace, appears in the
caution Moses gives Israel in the wilderness; " Speak not in
thine heart after the Lord hath cast them out (the Canaanites)
saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in, but
foi the word which the Lord sware unto the fathers," Deut. ix.
VOL. II y
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
4, 5. So likewise the work of conversion, in respect both of
iustification and sanctification, which are the salvation of God,
are of mere grace : the apostle tells us, Rom, iii. 24, " We are
justified freely by his grace," not of ourselves, it is the free gift
of God ; " The free gift is of many offences unto justification,"
chap. V. 16. Therefore pardon of sins is called forgiveness, which
is the free acquitting of a debt, without any payment ; and as
justification, so sanctification is of grace, or free bounty ; so saith
Paul of himself, 1 Cor. xv. 10, " By the grace of God I am that
I am, and this grace was not bestowed in vain. I laboured more
abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God that
was in me." Run through the several branches of sanctification,
and you may easily find that every particular is begun, continued,
and perfected, through the favour and bounty of God in Christ :
" My heart and my strength failed me, but God is the strength
of my heart, and my portion for ever," saith David. " To them
that have no might he increaseth strength," saith Isaiah. " We
are not sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, all our sufficiency
is of God," saith Paul, 2 Cor. iii. 5. So likewise Christ our
salvation is brought unto us of mere free grace, " To us a child
is born, to us a son is given,'"* saith Isaiah, chap. ix. 6. So
speaking of that Son, he saith, chap. xlii. 6, " I will give thee
for a covenant." So the apostle tells us, Eph. v. 2, that " Christ
hath given himself for us," and what is more free than gift. John
vi. 51, " I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
The bread which I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the
life of the world." Finally, eteinal salvation is of grace and free
bounty, according to that of John, " I give unto them eternal
life." Rev. ii. 10, " I will give thee a crown of life." 2 Tim.
iv. 7, 8, " I have fought the good fight, I have finished my
course ; henceforth is laid up for me a crown of life." (What of
deserts ? No.) " But which Christ, the righteous judge, shall
give me at that day ; and not to me only, but to all them that
love his appearing." Thus you see what the salvation is that
grace appearing brings, and that it is all of grace.
4. The last thing considerable in this point is, to whom the
grace of God appearing brings salvation, all men ? Now that
you may understand what is meant by all men ; note, that the
apostle here means not (by all) every particular man in the
world ; (for it is manifest, that all shall not be saved) but some
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 323
of all sorts of men, as the coherence plainly shews ; for this text
is produced as an argument, to enforce or encourage those several
ranks and degrees of persons, to wit, ministers, old, young,
servants, to have a care to do the several duties pressed on them ;
the strength of which argument lies in this, that grace brings
salvation to the' obedient in every rank and degree ; even servants
and young folk have their share in this grace, as well as ministers
and old people. This (all) in scripture is many times inter-
preted by some (Rev. v. 9, ch. vii. 9,) of all nations, tongues,
people, and languages, Jews, Gentiles, bond, free, barbarian,
Scythian, and the like. By one Spirit we are all baptized, 1
Cor. xii. 13, " Into one body, whether Jew or Gentile, bond or
free," Gal. iii. 28 ; " there is neither Jew, nor Greek, bond nor
free, male nor female ; but we are all one in Christ," Col. iii. II.
It were endless at most, as well as needless, to multiply places to
this purpose : in a word, therefore, this general phrase of all men^
must be understood as that passage of Peter, when he saw that
Cornelius, a Gentile, with his house received the faith ; " Of a
truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every
nation he that fearethhim, andworketh righteousness, is accepted
with him," Acts x. 34, 35. The sum of the point therefore thus
opened, is briefly this, the free bounty of God, truly apprehended
as it is, brings all good, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, to men
of all degrees, ranks, and qualities, that so apprehend it.
From hence you may learn whereunto to trust, and whither to
go for all manner of salvation, even this fountain of God's free
grace and bounty ; all other refuges are but broken cisterns,
tliat cannot hold this water of life. Now, because this is the
tree of life, and well-spring of salvation, of which whosoever
receiveth is nourished to eternal life; therefore hath Satan ever
bestirred all his wit and strength to divert the sons of men from
it ; some by terror, persuading them they have no part nor por-
tion in this matter, and so drives them away, at least as far as
he can possibly keep them off, till the Lord himself break in
upon him, defeats him, and so draws them in, and by a holy
winning violence fastens this his grace upon them ; others he
deludes with fantastical dreams, that they are already filled with
grace, when they have never yet tasted of it, and persuades
them no more to look after it : others again, he deals cunnin^'ly
withal, (such especially in whom he sees and finds an eao'er
Y 3
^24 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS,
pursuit of salvation, not to be withstood) and persuades them,
that this is too easy a way to be safe, for that salvation is oi
more worth than to be had for nothing ; and therefore puts
them upon an establishing of their own righteousncoS, and a
purchasing of this salvation, by the works of the law, and by
these means gulls many thousand deceived soutfe ; in the mean
time, having misused and misled them, he makes himself merry,
and laughs at them in his sleeve ; for he knows well, so long as
he can mislead men out of this path, his prey is sure enough.
But, beloved, be not ye children in understanding, seeing the
Holy Ghost here teacheth you better ; let him not make such
fools of you, but put down the bucket of faith, and draw up
salvation out of this well of it. This grace is the fountain of
living waters, do not trouble yourselves about broken cisterns
that will hold no water ; suck not at dry breasts, that can give
no milk, but at this full breast of consolation. You will say,
this spring indeed is comfortable to those, to whom it is set
open, but to me it is a fountain sealed up. This is a common
objection of many poor souls in desertion, which wonderfully
afflicts and torments them ; but let me reason with such a while.
No man ought to lay an accusation against another, but what he
can sufficiently- prove, much less against himself ; and it is
lamentable to see what power Satan hath got over faithful
persons, to make them such zealous accusers, and false wit-
nesses, to the overthrowing of themselves, when nature itself,
without grace, is so tender of a man's own welfare : but,
beloved, you that are so eager in your accusations, and so
peremptory, muster up your proofs, and see how you can make
this accusation good ; you must know, that all proof which is not
fetched from the scripture is false, and where can you find one
proof there, that this fountain is sealed up unto you ? I am
sure you do not find your names recorded in God's black book,
as I may so call it, of his rejection. But you will say, I find by
general descriptions of such to whom God will shew no favour,
that these reflect on my condition, and so grace and favour
belono- not to me, and consequently there is no salvation for
me ; for I am worse than you think I am, and no unclean thing
can enter into the heavenly Jerusalem. I answer, if sin can
exclude persons from salvation, then who can be saved ? For
where is he that liveih and sinnciJi not? You will say I hare
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 325
not only sin in me, but it reigns in me. I answer, it may be in
this thou art a false witness against thyself, for many accuse
themselves in this particular, who cannot prove it ; nay, if they
would judge deliberately, upon due search, they must confess
the contrary. You will say, it reigns, for I cannot keep it down,
but it breaks out in spite of me, do what I can ; though I pray
ao^ainst it, and resist it. Will vou call this the reiffninsf of sin ?
Then it reigned in the apostle Paul, when the good he would do,
he coidd not, and the evil he woidd not do, that he did, Rom. vii.
Yet he quits himseif thus, " It is not I, but sin that dwells in
me," and he gives thanks to God for it. Then also sin reigns
where the spirit lusteth against the flesh, as well as the flesh
against the spirit ; then it also reigns in all the believers in the
world, who in many things sin all. For doubtless they strive
against it, and sometimes are foiled ; but you must know, that
an invading enemy never reigns till the field be quit ; nor then
neither, so long as new forces are raised, and make a fresh
onset. It is not every fall that loseth the victory, much less the
fall of some few soldiers, whilst the commander stands his
ground ; it may be thy mind is taken, and hoodwinked, and
some members are led captive to evil ; but the commanding will
with fightings and denials holds out, and will not yield; here
indeed is a loss to be repaired, but not of the battle, so long as
the heart remains carefully steadfast, and upright ; besides, if
the heart with some violent overchargings should be taken, yet
it gives the slip, and musters up all its strength again, and falls
afresh to combating, the reign of sin is yet prevented. Know,
in a word, that as long as souls fight Christ's battles, though
they get many a knock, yet they are his warriors, and not under
sin's regiment. You will say, but I cannot fight against sin.
But, what means then this lowing of the soul, this inward
fretting and chafing of spirit, these groans and sighs ? Do you
call these consent to sin? When Moses came down from the
mount, Joshua tells him, that he hears the noise of war in the
camp*; but Moses answers him, it is not the noise of them that
cry for being overcome, but the voice of them that sing, do 1
hear. So, I say, frettings and out-cries of heart are the noise of
war, but singings and niirtli the noise of consent to sin ; as thtJ
people, when they crowned Solomon king, made great shouts of
* Exod. xxsii. 17, IS.
326 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
joy. Moreover, though it be most true, that salvation belongs
not to such as give themselves full scope to continue in sin to
the end, yet it may belong to one, who at the present is under
the full power of sin, otherwise, could no man be saved ; for
when they are called, God finds them polluted in their blood,
and wallowing in their mire ; he enters then into covenant with
them, and spreads his skirt over them, and they become his,
Ezek. xvi. So that man's filthiness is no hindrance of God's
gracious call ; he justifies the ungodly, or none ; for he can find
no other on earth. In the text you find, that salvation is
brought to all sorts of men ; Luke xv. Do but consider the
parable of the prodigal, the most lively picture of a convert;
his father sees him first, nay, the consideration of a father, who
hath enough, when he is ready to starve, is the first moving
cause of his returning, though he had run riot, and therefore
might justly expect nothing but severity. " The Lord will wait
that he may be gracious unto thee, Isa. xxx. 18 ; he spies him
afar off, he stands ready to welcome a sinner, so soon as his
heart looks but towards him : he that will draw nigh to them
that are afar off, will certainly draw nigh to them that draw near
to him, Jer. xxxi. 18. Nay, the father had compassion on him,
his bowels yearn towards him, whilst he is afar off; nay, he runs
to meet him, he prevents a sinner with speed; mercy comes not on
foot-pace, but runs ; it comes upon wings, as David speaks, " He
rides on the cherubs, he did fly ; yea, he did fly on the wings of the
wind," Psa. xviii. 9,10, as Gabriel was caused to fly swiftly to bring
an answer to Daniel's prayer, Dan, ix. The son's pace is slow,
he arose and came ; the father's is swift, he ran : the son had
most need to run ; bowels moving with mercy, out-pace bowels
pinched with want. God makes more haste to shew mercy, than
we to receive ; whilst misery walks, mercy flies ; nay, he falls on
his son's neck, hugging and embracing him. Oh! the depth of
grace ! who would not have loathed such a person to touch or
come near him, whilst he smells of the swine he kept ? Could a
man come near him without stopping his nose ? Would it not
make a man almost rid his stomach to go near him 1 yet, behold,
the Father of sinners falls upon the neck of such filthy wretches ;
mercy and grace is not squeamish ; the prodigal comes like a
rogue, yet the father embraces him like a bride : he falls a
Kissing him, even those lips that had lately been lapping in the
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 327
hog-trough, and kissed baggage harlots. A man would hare
thought he should have rather kicked him than kissed him ; yet
this token of reconciliation and grace he gives him, with this
seal he confirms his compassion ; nay, he calls for the best robe,
and kills the fatted calf for him. The son's ambition was to be
but as a hired servant, and lo, he is feasted in the best robes.
God will do far better for a sinner than he can imagine himself,
above all he is able either to ash or think. How then do poverty,
nakedness, emptiness pinch thee, because of thy riot? Canst
thou see enough in thy father's house, and therefore begin to
pant in heart after him ? wouldst thou fain have admittance ?
the Father of Mercy is ready to deal thus with thiee, therefore
object not unworthiness : for who more unworthy than such a
son ?
And so we come to the second branch of the text, to wit, the
end of that free love of God, in giving salvation, or the insepa-
rable fruit, which follows this grace ; it teacheth to deny
ungodliness. And, before I fall upon the particular fruits here
mentioned, it will not be amiss to observe something in general
from the connection of God's free grace, and the fruit that
follows. Let us therefore take this general point into our
consideration, that wheresoever the grace of God brings salva-
tion, it is not bestowed in vain ; but inclines the heart to new
obedience, and makes him fruitful in his life, in all well-
pleasingness, who partakes of this grace. By the particulars
mentioned in the text, you may plainly see how natural this
general doctrine ariseth from it; which I have rather pitched
upon, that I might prevent that licentious soul-destroying
misconceit, which even in the apostle's time, men were apt to
infer from the free grace of God bringing salvation, which he
observing, strikes at it with a holy vehemency and indignation:
their inference was this ; " If we be saved by grace, then we
may continue in sin, that grace may abound," Rom. vi. 1, 2, 3,
which conclusion carnal reason is very apt to raise from the
premises ; but the apostle answers it first with an absit^ God
forbid; and then with strong arguments, " How shall we, that
are dead to sin, live any longer therein ?" and so goes on. The
truth is, the doctrine of free grace, by the devilish cunning of
that old serpent, who knows his own bane and ruin is contained
in this sovereign antidote, hath been marvellously abused divers
328 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
ways, In all ages ; some, as namely, such before mentioned,
overthrowing it with licentious inferences; against which pre-
sumption, as tlic apostle in many other passages, so in the text
especially, opposcth himself: others again abuse it, by estab-
lishing a righteousness of their own in the room of it; against
which he contends vehemently, especially in the whole epistle to
the Galatians.
It will not be amiss, therefore, before we make good the point
in hand, to evacuate these abuses, by vindicating and setting the
doctrine of free grace at liberty : to this end you must under-
sand in what sense good works, or inherent righteousness, are
necessary attendants on free grace; necessary indeed they are,
not casually, but consequently ; not to be substituted in the
room of free grace for attaining salvation, as if that was a
licentious doctrine, not to be allowed ; as disagreeing with the
mind of the Holy Ghost, and therefore should rely only on
them. For if God be extreme to mark what is done amiss, who
can stand, "seeing no man llveth and sinneth not?" nay,
seeing all our righteousness is as a menstruous cloth, and wheu
we have done all, we are unprofitable servants;" and therefore
cannot claim salvation as a debt due for them : neither are our
works of righteousness necessary attendants on grace as co-
assistants, as if they concurred with free grace to produce
salvation ; and that salvation is not attainable by the favour of
God alone, but by works of ours, to make up what is wanting in
that to effect it : against both these conceits of the necessity of
our righteousness, the apostle bends all his strength, Eph. ii. 8 ;
" By grace are you saved through faith, not of yourselves, it is
the gift of God." Rom. xi. 5 : "If of works, then grace is no
more grace. Christ is become of none effect unto you." Gal.
V. 4: " Whosoever of you are justified by the law, you are fallen
from grace." The whole 4th chapter to the Romans is nothing
but a clearing of this, as all the epistle to the Galatians ; so that
it is manifest, that our righteousness, or obedience, hath not the
least stroke in justification, or salvation, efficiently. You will say,
that salvation is promised unto good works. I answer, That
even from the promises of salvation it is manifest, that obedience
"has no causing stroke, for then it were due to it of debt, not of
pTomise, or grace ; the promise of it is a sufficient argument
that it proceeds from bounty, otherwise we need not expect it by
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 329
promise, but claim it as due. You will say, To what purpose
serves our inherent righteousness then ? doth grace make works
void 1 Some, indeed, as I said before, err on this hand, as
others do on the other ; but know, that we, with the apostle, do
not by grace make void obedience, but establish it rather ; for
the grace that brings salvation teacheth obedience also ; only
we endeavour to abolish that sinister, dangerous end, which
some propound to themselves in obeying; whereby both Christ
is robbed of the glory of his all-sufficient merits either wholly,
or in part, by annexing our obedience thereto, as not sufficient
without it ; as also our obedience becomes vain, and of none
effi^ct at all ; for, in justification, works serve for no use, nay,
they damnify, being brought in for that purpose, as they evacuate
that grace, which only can serve it. You will say then. Wherein
consists the necessity of obedience? I answer, works are
necessary.
1. Ex pwte Dei. They necessarily follow the free grace of
Christ, in that God in Christ hath engaged himself to establish
and set up obedience in the heart and life of such on whom he
entails salvation by grace, as appears in Isaiah, eh. xxxv. chap,
xl. ch. xli. and Jeremiah, ch. xxxi. Ezekiel, ch. xx. Now where
God himself hath inseparably joined salvation, and a holy life,
and hath promised the one as well as the other, they must of
necessity go together; for what God hath joined together, who
can separate? No man can disjoin what he hath united.
2. Obedience is necessarily annexed to free grace, ex parte
ret ; that is, there is a proportion and con-naturalness between
free grace and holiness, that they mutually embrace each other,
as the Psalmist speaks ; " Mercy and truth have met together,
righteousness and peace have kissed each other ;" that is, God's
mercy and truth in our inward parts; his peace with us, and our
rigliteousness towards him, agree in one : it is a sure rule, that
simile gaudet simili. God's love to his selected ones hath an
assimilating virtue to win love to him again, as the heat of one
coal kindles another : the loadstones do not more naturally draw
iron after them, than the divine loadstone of God's free love
draws our love ; " We love him, because he first loved us," salth
St, John : kindness begets kindness.
3. Finally, obedience is necessary, ex parte nosiri^ in regard
of ourselves. (I.) In respect of employment, our condition
330 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
being a state of subjection to the will of God, therefore we obey
him, because then we are warrantably employed, as a servant
follows his master's business, because he is a servant ; we must
be in action, and obedience is the proper action that best suits
our condition ; therefore, we must needs obey : if we were our
own, and not under authority, we might chuse our own
business: but, being under command, we must do the will of
him that is over us. (2.) In respect of thankfulness for what we
have already received ; so far our obedience is necessary ; God
hath set us free, giving us his Son, made us heirs, settled heaven
on us, made both our present and future happiness, having
undertaken to furnish us with all things useful ; so that our
improvement thereof in holiness, is not our business for the
furthering any good to ourselves, God having reserved the
whole provision of grace to his own care ; therefore, all we can
do, must serve to express our thankfulness unto him, who hath
so loved us : this St. Paul intimates, saying, " Ye are not your
own, you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your
oodies and spirits ;" also, 1 Cor. x. 31 ; " Whatever ye do, do
all to the glory of God:" the end of obedience must be the
setting forth of his praise, or the magnifying of him, shewing
forth the glory of his grace, which is the end why God redeemed
us. " All the promises are yea and amen, to the glory of God
by us ;" 2 Cor. i. 20. But most excellent to the purpose is that
of the apostle, 2 Cor. iv. 14 : " He which raised up the Lord
Jesus, shall raise us up also by Jesus. For all things are for
your sakes, that the abundant grace might, through the thanks-
giving of many, redound to the glory of God ; for which cause
we faint not." What higher or better end can a man aim at,
seeing his own turn is already served by Christ? therefore all
our obedience ought ultimately to level at the exalting of God,
who hath exalted us. This increase he expects of the talents he
commits to us ; so that our care must not be so much what
becomes of ourselves, but that God be honoured : yea, though
it occasion tribulation, yet therein rejoice, for that he will care
well enough for us. (3.) In respect of our own present comfort;
we rejoice in the way of obedience. Doth Paul rejoice when
the church doth well and stand fast 1 Much more then may they
tlunnselves rejoice ; " I will rejoice, (saith David), to run the
wa^ of God's commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart ;"
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 331
for as nothing cuts the heart more than a benumbed straitness,
and dulness, and uncouthness in duty ; so nothing cheers the
hearts of God's children more, than a free readiness of spirit to
do the will of God ; because their delight is in the law of the
Lord ; it is sweeter than the honey comb ; it is meat and drink
to them that do his will; so that meat cannot glad the hungry
more, than enlargement in obedience glads the panting soul.
Again, in obedience, God speaks comfortably, he speaks peace,
and commends with z. well done ^ good and faithful servant ; so
he commended Abraham, Moses, David, and others : now God's
good word and countenance brings much more joy with it, than
the best commendation a prince can give his subject. Moreover
it is a comfortable evidence that we are in Christ ; for our fruit
will shew upon what root we grow ; the Spirit then bears loud
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, if the
fruit be right ; now, I need not tell you, what joy there is in
such sweet testimonies, which silence all heart-cutting fears.
Observe that admirable passage of Isaiah, who having published
the promised help of God to cure lameness, dumbness, and
faintness in God's service, concludes thus, " The ransomed of
the Lord shall return, and come to Sion with everlasting joy on
their heads ; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and
sighing shall fly away," chap. xxxv. 10. And chap. xli. 10,
laith he, " Fear not, be not dismayed, I am thy God, I will
strengthen thee, I will uphold thee with the right-hand of my
righteousness." I might add, that holiness must necessarily
attend grace in respect of others ; " Our light must so shine,
that they must see our good works, and glorify our Father;"
that we may be examples to win them, or convince them of their
evil, by our conversation ; that the weak may not only be
offended, but also built up, of which the apostle Paul is very
cautelous ; and that the enemy may not blaspheme, and be
encouraged, or hardened in an evil way. And thus you see what
ends obedience serves for, and what not ; and how the doctrine
of free grace and obedience must go hand-in-hand together, and
kiss each other.
The uses of this general doctrine, we shall have fitter occasion
to apply in handling the particulars; we begin with the first, and
from thence let us observe this position of the apostle ; The
grace of God teacheth, such as are saved by it, to deny ungodli-
332 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
ness. For tlie better apprehending whereof, let us take into
consideration, 1. What ungodliness is. 2. AVhat it is to deny
it. 3. What the grace of God, teaching this, is. 4. Why this
must be denied. Why the grace of God must teach a denial of it.
1. This vice of ungodliness is well ranked in the first place by
the apostle, being the capital ring-leading mother vice, that
begets and brings forth all other; let God for dependence on his
will be once cast off, and it is the opening of the sluices for all
manner of evil to overflow; as you may see it notably verified in
the Jews in Jeremy's time, who shews what an inundation over-
flows from the leaving of God ; but thou saidst. There is no
hope, there is the casting of God off; then follows, " No, but I
have loved strangers, and after them will I go." He harps on
the same strings in chap. 15, and they said, " There is no hope,
but we will walk after our own devices." But that you may the
better perceive what this ungodliness is, note, that it consists of
two branches : 1. Privative. 2. Positive. The privative un-
godliness in the apostle's phrase, is a livmg as iviiJiout God in the
world, and this is twofold also, 1. In judgment. 2. In practice.
1. A privative ungodliness in judgment, is plain and proper
atheism ; of which kind the Psalmist speaks, " The fool hath
said in his heart, there is no God : they are corrupt, they have
done abominable works," Psal. xiv. 1 ; such are the grossest sort
of ungodly, who have put out the common light of nature ; "Ye
worship, ye know not wliat," John iv. 22; Acts xviii. 23. 2.
The privative ungodliness in practice, is such a life as hath no
regard unto God, either to fetch any thing from him, or to
return any thing to him ; when men live solely upon, and unto,
the creatures, as if there were no God at all, being put quite out
of the thoughts of men ; of wliicli the Psalmist speaks also,
" The wicked will not seek after God," Psal. x. 4, 5 ; 7, 8, 9,
10, II ; " God is not in all his thoughts ; thy judgments are far
above out of his sight." Tliere you may see the fearful fruit of
it also ; of this sort it is that the apostle means in the passage
abovementioned, " Being without God in the world," Eph. ii.
12. These two branches made up a privative ungodliness
completely; tlie one hath always the other attending it, but not
so e converso ; many will not deny a God, but yet will live as
without God. In this latter branch is included all omission of
worship, reverence, fear, and confidence., and love of him,
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 333
whether for matter, manner, or other requisite circumstances ; aA
such omission in privative ungodliness, which is not confined
unto his person, but extends also unto his divine will ; in brief,
ihis privative ungodliness is, carentia rectitudinis dehita inesse ;
as it hath respect unto God himself. 2. Positive ungodliness is
more than a bare being without God, or want of that original
rectitude required; there is aliquid positivuinm it, and it is a
contrariety, whether in judgment or practice, unto God, and his
will revealed, of our demeanour towards him. I will briefly
toucli the nature of this kind of ungodliness, with its difference
from the former ; and first in the judgment ; it is one thing not
to know or understand that there is a God, and who he is ;
another thing positively to determine in judgment that there is
no God, or that he is not the true God, who is revealed to be in
the world ; this latter is positive ungodliness in the highest
degree, wherein there is an intellectual act of contradiction; so
likewise for the judgment to affirm, that any thing else is God
save the Lord ; for a positive ungodliness may be either nega-
tive or affirmative ; in a word, all reasonings and disputes,
which either resolve the mind, or raise doubts in it against the
nature, persons, attributes, or will of God, an*e ungodliness in
judgment; positive practical ungodliness is, when in our wills
and lives we do not only not embrace him, nor follow his
revealed will, but also actually reject him and his will, and
embrace something else in his room, and walk contrarily to
him ; as namely, if we set up another God instead of him
admiring it more than him, ascribing more to it than him,
esteeming it above him, being over-ruled by it rather than him,
standing in more awe of it than him. So likewise when he
commands worship and reverence, we refuse to give it to him or
such as he requires, behaving ourselves saucily, or unmannerly
towards him ; when he bids us hearken or obey, we stop or
deafen our ears against him, and pull in the shoulder; are stiff-
necked with iron sinews, and walk contrary unto him, profaning
and polluting his worship, name, and sabbaths, finding our own
pleasures, and doing our own works on his holy day; an. I
instead of offering pure sacrifices, we offer the sacrifices of fools,
even halting, blind, proud, and menstruous services. Thus you
see a summary of the ungodliness that must be denied as it hath
ret*ercnce to the first table, for hereunto I conceive it is limited
334 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
Dy the apostle in tliis text; for that the breaches of the second
table are contained in tlie other branch of loorldly lusts;
although I deny not but that ungodliness hath a longer extent
in many other places of scripture. But I come to shew,
2. What it is to deny this ungodliness; here note by the way,
that the apostle saith not, that the grace of God, for the present
instant, utterly abolishes and destroys all ungodliness, that it be
no more, but teacheth us to deny it ; intimating, that a remain-
der of some ungodliness may consist with the grace of God, in
respect of its beitjg, so it do not reign, but be denied ; a
comfortable note to such as are exercised with buflfetings of
temptation, whereby they may find matter of greatest comfort in
that, in which they usually feel most anxiety ; because of bufTet-
ings, commonly troubles of soul arise, like beating waves,
whereas the opposition is the work of the grace of God in them;
for denial, (which the grace of God teacheth,) in general, is not
only a not consenting, or agreeing to ungodly motions, but also
a bending of all a man's force and might against such insurrec-
tions ; of these two things doth a divine denial of ungodliness
consist.
(1.) I say there is not a yielding or consenting to the motion;
that is, although the beloved of the Lord, with Paul, are vio-
lently carried captive sometimes into some ungodliness ; yet all the
rhetoric or threats of the devil, or the world, shall not overcome
them, so far as to like and take pleasure in ungodliness : well
may they hold them a while by force under ungodliness, but to
atTect it, embrace it, of choice to prefer it before godliness, they
can no sooner be won to this, than a bird pent up in a cage can
be won to affect the cage more than the open air, or a fish to
affect dry land rather than the water, which yet by force they
mav be held unto : Paul was never brought so far as to say,
77ie evil I would do, that do I; but holds here, even in that
captivity of his. The evil Iwotdd not do, that do I. It is true,
there is something of the will in every act of ungodliness what-
soever ; namely, a not sufficient willing of that act, Avhich is a
defect in the will, for that it should imperiously ov^r-rule all^
sinful motions, and have them under command : there are also
sometimes some broken velleities in the will of God's beloved
ones to some ungodly motions ; but then the judgment is
mistaken, and so the affections are misplaced for a time; but
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 335
Uicse are distempered fits, or disturbed notions out of their
place ; in a word, if the will at any time incline to ungodly
motions, there is a more predominant act of it to the contrary
side ; for although there be some remainder of a corrupt will,
yet is it in a great measure captivated to the power of the
renewed will ; whilst that is mutinous, this sways the sceptre,
and suppresses the mutinies; some renitencies in the corrupt will
against the renewed, do not infer an agreement unto ungodly
motions with consent and choice. And this is the first branch of
denying ungodliness, a not yielding or liking.
(2.) In denying ungodliness, there is more than a bare
refusal ; there is also a repulse given to some ungodly motions
upon the soul ; which assault is the enforcement of some un-
godliness, either by bewitching baits, or alluring incitements, or
terrifying threats, apt to awe the soul, that it dare not say nay.
When the soul is thus hard pressed, a repulse given hereto is
properly a denial ; which imparts such a distaste of the ungod-
liness pressed to be embraced, as that all persuasions find but a
deaf ear thereto, and evaporate ; fair promises made to the
embraces of ungodliness, cannot equipoise those made to godli-
ness, which are true and certain ; therefore in a godly denial the
believer takes notice, that ungodliness offers too little to win
him to that side ; therefore he bids it avaunt, and sends it pack-
ing : on the other side, in a holy denial of ungodliness, the
believer sees, that whatever ungodliness threatens, if it be not
admitted, though it could presently execute so much fury as it
pretends ; yet being weighed in the balance with the fruit of
departing from godliness, its threatenings are found but flea-
bites, in comparison of the weight of wrath ready to fall on such
as depart from the living God, Suppose the denial of ungodli-
ness cause the destruction of the body, which is the most and
worst it can do ; what is that to the casting of soul and body into
hell-fire for ever? If a man must suffer, what side soever he
takes, it is no more than even natural instinct will teach him to
choose, ei malts minimum. These and such like considerations
in denial- of ungodliness, cause a repulse with distaste and
offence. Many wicked men depart from ungodliness sometimes,
but it is like the parting with intimate friends, with yearning or
heart after it, sore against their minds, it is a great trouble and
grief to them ; but the godly man's heart leaps within him for sc
3^ FREK GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
good a riddance of so troublesome a guest, like the plucking
a thorn out of a man's foot, or the voiding a stone out of the
bladder, which caused pain and anguish ; for the troublesome
assaults and restless solicitations of ungodliness, are as pricks in
his sides, and thorns in his ej'es,
(3.) Besides this distaste for denial, there is a perpetual
struggling, and heaving, with all a man's might, to get rid of
ungodliness. There are strong cries, and many times tears of
moan and anger against it, joined w^ith inward wrestlings for
mastery, and fightings within, as the apostle speaks of himself ;
one while by prayer, imploring heaven against ungodly motions,
that they may not prevail; another while laying at them by trie
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, after Christ's
example, Mat. iv. ; another while cutting off all provision to
weaken or starve them, that their strength may abate and decay ;
yea, if need be, there is, in this denial, fasting and beating down
a man's own body, when treacherously it begins to take part
with ungodliness, to further the cause of it. In a word, every
stone is turned, every ordinance is tried, every opportunity is
laid hold on for advantage in denying ungodliness, to discomfit
and give it the overthrow; and so you see what the denying of
ungodliness is. But these are harsh terms, you will say; you
told us before of salvation by free grace, and now it seems there
must be old tugging and fighting for it. I answer, all this
hinders not but that salvation is of free grace ; " for all the
sufTerings of this life are not worthy to be compared to the glory
that shall be revealed." This is first made sure by grace, and
this denial of ungodliness follows, as the matter of our employ-
ment in this life. Some will say. If salvation be made sure first,
then this toil and labour may be spared. But let such know,
that he who settles salvation upon men, also teaches them this
lesson of denying ungodliness. Seeing, therefore, God will no
have this labour spared, it must not be spared. But, it may b
said, I cannot, for my heart, deny ungodliness ; it is so bewitch-
ing, I cannot say nay. Indeed this denial of ungodliness is an
impossible thing to man; strength of nature cannot reach it;
desh and blood neither reveals it, nor works it; nay, the law of
storks, though it reveal this denial, yet works it not; it is
aitainable only by that grace of God which bringc-th salvation ;
«»o irnich is intimated by that expression, It teaclieth.
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 33
3. Now what tnis teaching is, wc will briefly open unto vou ;
for the clearing whereof consider, that two things are required
to teaching, properly understood; 1. A diffusion of sufficient
light from the teacher to enlighten the ignorant teached. 2. Such
a manner of revealing it as suits with the capacity of him that is
instructed ; both which imply, 1. A sufficient ability in the
teacher to teach. 2. A dexterity, or faculty to wind himself
and his notions into the apprehension of him that is taught; so
as that he communicates his own skill unto the other: impro-
perly a man may be said to teach, when he explains and opens
hidden notions, though hearers learn not ; but teaching being a
relative term, a man cannot properly be said to teach, except
some be taught.
To come to our purpose, the free grace of God in Christ, that
is, Christ through God's free grace teacheth, when having suffi-
cient light in himself to know how to dissipate ungodly motions
and withal a notable dexterity, or faculty, to know how to
reveal this his skill to men ; that although they are dull ot
capacity, yet he can so make them understand him as to parti-
cipate in the self-same skill, in kind, though not in perfection :
simply to have the theory of the same skill to deny ungodliness,
is not to be properly, or fully taught, of Christ ; for it is with
divine teaching as it is with human, the teaching is divers as the
matter taught : in human teaching, the teacher instructs either
in scientifical, or mechanical arts ; either such as concern the
theory, or the practice. Now in teaching the liberal sciences,
as logic, &c., it requires no more but instilling the same notions
he hath, into the understanding of him that learns, who is then
taught when he truly understands these sciences ; but it is
otherwise in teaching mechanical arts, to wit, handy-crafts ; for
the teacher in imparting his skill, must bring the learner to be
able to do as himself can, else he hath not taught him : thus it
is with divine teaching; Christ hath his doctrinal truths, which
properly concern th« understanding; as, that there is a God,
who he is, and what the mystery of the Trinity is, and what the
incarnation of Christ, with the like ; so far as the knowledge of
these is required, Christ's teaching is no more but a distilling of
a clear and right apprehension of them ; but then there are
jK)rae practical truths of his, wherein to be skilful requires his
teaching also ; about these Christ not only reads his lectures of
VOL II 2
1538 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
Ihem, but infuseth a sagacity to act, or his skill to work ; as the
scribe doth not only open the mysteries of orthography, but
guides the scholar's hand also in writing, till he can guide it
well himself; so Christ teacheth practical divine arts ; he leaves
not liis scholars till they can do themselves (though not of
themselves) as he instructs and teacheth them.
For the further clearing of this truth, note, that this teaching
is instrumental or original ; the former kind of teaclnng is
imperfect, the latter complete and effectual : the instrumental is
by outward means ; the original and effectual teaching, which
proceeds from God's favour in Christ, is the immediate act of
God's spirit ; many attain the former, who yet come short of
the latter : the external teaching is either by the word Itself, or
by the ministers of it. The teaching of the word itself is by its
own arguments, or by the ministers, by explanation and appli-
cation of the word, and the arguments thereof; which, by a
common light, may teach unto conviction to rational regarders ;
but, of themselves, they cannot effectually infuse the Christian
skill of denying ungodliness : for as neither Paul's planting,
nor Apollo's watering, give increase ; so neither can the letter
of the word, without the spirit of it, which is the animating or
quickening soul of the word. It is the internal teaching of the
Spirit which alone gives efficacy to the denial of ungodliness ;
neither word nor minister avail any thing, but this Spirit. If
you ask, How this is wrought by the Spirit of Christ ? I
answer. That Christ, having merited salvation and sanctification
for the elect, takes order, and provides such a guide, as is every
way complete for the perfecting of the saints, that is, his Spirit;
and because they are rational creatures he is to deal withal, he
deals with them, not by compulsive violence to forsake ungodli-
ness, but persuasively to win them ; God shall persuade Japhet,
and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem ; so that the work of the
Spirit must be teaching, not forcing, as irrational creatures are
forced and necessitated. Now, because there is such a stubborn
refractoriness in the hearts of all men naturally, to be ruled and
persuaded, and such natural crossness ; all the difficulty lies in
winning men to be willing, or to be persuaded, which no created
power can reach unto : the main teaching therefore of the
Spirit, is to instil so much into a vessel of mercy, as shall
win him to a willingness to deny ungodliness ; so as not to
Fnr.E GRACE THE TEACHER OP GOOD WORKS.
339
ae al>le to say nay, through the resolute ber.t of the will
thereto.
Now, liow the Spirit cloth this, we will consider a little : the
Spirit makes manifest to the soul, partly by restoring sight, partly
with the clearness of light, wliat horrid loathsomeness there is in
ungodliness ; and that not with some obscure glimmerings, but
with a full delineation and anatomizing of its hidden ugliness ;
not with an itching, rhetorical strain to captivate the fancy, as
man's wisdom sometimes may do, which the apostle calls enticing
words, but with such an evidence as is attended with demonstra-
tion and power: so that though he leme the heart without an
absolute necessary compulsion (for so a man cannot deny un-
godliness), yet he so convinceth, as that all whatsoever pleads for
ungodliness is silenced, and the pleadings of the Spirit against
ungodliness, with the decipherings of it, are so prevalent, and
carry such a weight along with them, that the soul, thus taught
by the Spirit, cannot choose but be overruled freely to agree
with it; which is such a drawing of the Spirit, as sets the soul a
running upon godliness wiith a holy violence. Such a necessary,
yet voluntary tractableness, by the prevalency of the Spirit, was
fore-prophesied and promised by Christ : "I will put my Spirit
within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes ; they shall be
all taught of God." This latter passage our Saviour establisheth
by his own mouth. In brief, the Spirit of Christ hath such a
prevailing power on such as it teacheth, with the clear light and
conviction it brings to the heart, as that it stirs up such a neces-
sary, yet voluntary antipathy and indignation against ungodliness,
as there is in men naturally against poison, or desperate mischief
approach i nig ; who are not by any compulsion forced to shun
them, and yet of necessity they cannot choose but shun and fly
from them ; and yet it is as voluntary and free an eschewing
thereof, as any free choice a man can make.
4. There must of necessity be such a denial of ungodliness in
all that shall be «aved by grace, because, (1.) The Lord hath
coupled them together : so that for the same reason that we ex-
pect salvation freely from him, we must conclude, that this denial
of ungodliness must be practised; for the ground of both is one,
even the same good pleasure of God's will. If any conclude a
certainty of salvation, bccaiise God hath revealed his good will
therein (which is the only ground of expecting the same), wheio
z 2
340 FREE GRACE THF. TEACHEU OF GOOn WORKS.
upon a believer may safely build; this will of his being a firm
rock that cannot fail, he must, by the same reason, conclude an
equal certainty and necessity, that ungodliness must also be de-
nied, there being the same will of God revealed concerning
it. If his revealed will be of force to conclude one thing.
It is of like force to conclude another, that is equally founded
on it. If a man imagine that God may, and will dispense
With, denying ungodliness, after he hath declared his mind,
that ungodliness must be denied; he hath no ground to
think but he also may, and will dispense with his own promise,
of saving by grace, though he hath peremptorily declared
himself herein ; and so he must become changeable, and so
there can be no footing to depend on the dispensing with his
word ; for he that will be false in one thing, may also be so in
another, and what trust can there be reposed in such an one ?
But God is far from such changeableness ; his revealed will hatn
an universal stability, and cannot totter. To whom the promise
of salvation is made, it is impossible but it shall be performed,
and they shall be saved, because he hath said it ; and so who are
tbus saved, it is impossible but they must deny ungodliness,
because he hath said that also.
(2.) Ungodliness must be denied, because it is a manifest
fighting against God, which procures not only his displeasure,
but also incenseth him as an enemy. A consent unto, and
practice of, ungodliness, is more than a breaking of his bonds in
sunder, and casting off his cords from us; it is a kind of lifting
up the heel against him, and of persecuting him, as Christ
proclaimed from heaven to Paul, when he practised that ungod-
liness O'f his enraging against the truth : now Gamaliel, Paul's
master, though he was of the wicked counsel of the ungodly
persecutors, yet this inconveniency he saw, in opposing the
godliness of the disciples, they would be found to fight against
God : and therefore very powerfully persuades them to desist
this course, and to take heed to themselves in this matter. Acts
v. 34, 39, Now, what the issue of this lifting up the heel against
God will prove, hear the Lord himself speaking by the Psalmist ;
" He that sitteth in heaven shall laugh, the Lord shall have
them in derision ; he shall speak to them in his wrath, and vex
them in his sore displeasure;" our Saviour tells us that such
enemies as shake oft' his yoke, and will not have him reign over
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 341
them, must he brought and slain hefcne him ; so that they do but
hick againd the pricks^ and therefore, in this regard, there is
abundance of reason to deny ungodliness : and if this were not
the bitter fruit of the enmity of ungodliness, yet it is but
reasonable to deny it, for its enmity against God ; seeing all his
kindness, especially this of saving by grace, deserves better than
such an unkind requiting of such evil for his good with an
ingenuous spirit This is a most piercing argument to deny
ungodliness, " 1 beseech yon, by the mercy of God ;" and
" Seeing we have such promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves." Who spits not at the villainy of Judas in betraying
so good a master? and who abhors not the conspiracy of such a
subject, whose life his prince hath spared of mere grace ? If
Ezra's argument be of such force to restrain ungodliness, namely,
" Seeing then our God hath punished us less than our iniquities
deserve, should we again break thy commandments? How much
more should this argument work, seeing thou, our God, hast
crowned us with glory and dignity, and hast done marvellous
things for us, should we practise ungodliness against thee, and
not deny the same 1
(3.) The denying of ungodliness is necessary, because not
denying it brings many a woe, and breeds much trouble in this
life, as may be seen in David's case, who caused the enemy to
blaspheme ; you know that it is ungodliness that separates God
and man, and causeth God to hide his face. Observe the truth
hereof in other examples, as the church in the Canticles, chap.
V. and Manasses, and Ilezekiah, and old Eli, yea, all the whole
nation of the Jews, from their infancy to their expiration. It is
the practice, and not denying of ungodliness, that ushers in the
messengers of wrath, and puts dismal denunciations into their
mouths, as you may see in Moses, Nathan, and all the prophets ;
now if it were certain there were no miscarriage in the world to
come for ungodliness; yet the dear rate to be paid, even in this
life, for it, hath argument enough to a judgment, not wholly
blinded, to convince of the necessity of denying ungodliness:
who would buy David's sin at his rate, or S})ira's denying of
Christ, when he verily thought there could not be worse torments
in hell than what he felt in this life, which soon scorched up his
flesh, and consumed his vitals 1
Now, finally, this denial of ungodliness must be taught ov
342 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
divine grace, because it is impossible for flesh and blood to
attain the skill and dexterity of this mystery; "The carnal
mind is not subject to this law of God ; nor discerneth (nor
pryeth) into the things of God; neither indeed can be, (saith the
apostle) because they are spiritually discerned." It is a military
discipline, neither naturally infused, neither learned of the prin-
ciples of reason : the doctrine of this mystery, and the sagacity
to learn it, are of God alone; and it is so hidden a thing, that
the world derides it as vanity and folly, yea, amongst such as go
for wise men in the world. So our Saviour affirms in his prayer
to his father ; " I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, for that thou hast hid these things from the wise and
prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." This being so,
how is it possible to attain to denial of ungodliness, but from a
teacliing that is divine ? especially considering, that besides the
imparting notions of the mysteries of this ai*t, there is also
required an overruling power to draw us to the things revealed,
which are so harsh and contrary to our inclinations, which are
so corrupt, and that not by compulsion, as I said, but per-
suasively; for when the heart is known, it makes so much
against the natural humour of a man, that he rather distastes the
practice of this mystery of denying ungodliness than affects it.
It is so against the hair, that the trade will seem an Egyptian
bondage ; let men but observe their own humours, and this will
be too manifest: for example, consider when you are in neces-
sity, Avhat dependence is there upon the creature, and what
diffidence in the Creator! What fear is there of men, and what
presumption upon God ! What fondness of the world, and
contempt of God, and his ordinances ! What irreverence, weari-
someness, and dislike of God's worship ! which are all ungodly
things. Who is able to deny and put off these things from
himself?' Nay, who naturally can find in his heart to disclaim
and renounce them, and make it his daily trade to pluck down
ungodliness 1 Alas ! they are strong holds which the heart of
man builds and fortifies, out of his natural enmity against God;
it must, therefore, be God alone who is mighty, who must pull
down and demolish these strong holds ; will, skill, and power,
must come from him, or it will never be done.
Use 1. Doth divine grace teach all, to deny ungodliness, that
shall be sa\ed ? tlien must I read the fearful doom of all who
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 343
bave not learned this lesson, and are not yet taught it of God ,
even that harsh censure passed on Simon Magus, " They are
yet in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity, and
liave not their part in this matter." I say. As yet this is their
fearful condition, and if they continue thus untaught this lesson,
there can be no salvation by grace for them. " Not every one
that saith. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven,
but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven ;"
when to such as the Lord opens not to, he will say, '' Depart
from me, ye workers of iniquity, I know you not." Men com-
monly dream of a strange kind of gospel, that never came into
God's mind ; that, seeing Christ hath died, they may live as they
list, fighting against God and godliness, letting themselves loose
to all impiety, and yet go to heaven. Certainly, had God
opened such a gap to let in such an inundation of impiety, he
could never have justly complained of the deluge of it, that
overflows the world ; far be it from the holy God, whose purity
abhors it, to allow such licentiousness to men ; no, no, God's
aim was at the damming up the fountain of sin ; Jesus Christ
redeemed us to be a j^eoidiar jjcople to himself^ zealous of good
worhs ; not because wo arc holy, but that we might be holy.
Some licentious ungodly wretches, I know, reply, though to their
own ruin, (for to such the gospel proves a stone of oflcnce) that
Christ justifies the ungodly, and we are saved by faith without
works; but, alas! they observe not how cunningly the devil
equivocates to lull them asleep in their ungodly practices. It is
true, indeed, that Christ justifies the ungodly, that is, he finds
them ungodly when he imputes his righteousness unto them : but
he doth not leave them ungodly after he hath justified them, hut
feacheth them to deny ungodliness: he affords no cloak to })er-
sistence and perseverance in imgodliness, but will come in
/tnming fii-e, with his mighty angels ^to render vengeance unto such:
he that denies not ungodliness, him will Christ deny before his
Father wliich is in heaven. Why then wilt thou be deluded with
such gross sophistry, in so clear a sunshine of the gospel? Is
not the lifjht so brin:ht that thine own heart checks thee?
" And if thine heart condemn thee, God is greater, and searcheth
all things." It is true also, we are saved by faith without works,
but here also Satan ecpiivocates as grossly as in the other case ;
for, although liiith only saves without works efficiently, yot no
344 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS,
consequently, as I said before ; that is, though faith only saves,
yet that faith must not be al»ne that saves, but must be attended
with its fruits, to wit, denying ungodliness ; else it is so far from
saving, that it is but a dead faith, and he is but a vain man that
hath no better, as St. James well affirms ; the person believing
must deny ungodliness, though this denial works not his salva-
tion ; as the apple makes not the apple-tree, but the apple-tree
brings forth the apple, and not the apple the tree, yet the apple-
tree must bear apples, or else it is no true apple-tree. Our
Saviour speaks to the same purpose, " A good tree bringeth
forth good fruit;" he doth not say, the fniit makes it a good
tree, yet the good fruit is inseparable. I speak not of quantities,
or degrees, as neither doth our Saviour, but of the truth, to wit,
a real and sincere denial of ungodliness. It is very certain, as
thorns and thistles bear no grapes, or figs, so neither do true
vines, or fig-trees, bear haws or thistles, as the thorn and thistle
do. Some accident, either inward distemper, or outward
temptation, may indeed putrify, or wither their fruit. Some
again, sufficiently convinced of this truth, are apt to think there
is time enough yet to deny ungodliness : one of the enough
there is indeed, time little enough. It may be thou art dropping
into the grave- with ago, and thy sun is setting, and all thy time
past thou hast walked in ungodliness ; God hath not been in all
thy thoughts ; insomuch that thou art even tanned with ungodli-
ness now, and accustomed to do evil ; it is become a second
nature to thee ; and is it time cnougli to deny ungodliness ? Is
not the mastery of it exceeding difficult 1 Is it not deeply
rooted ? And canst thou cast it out at pleasure ? Can such an
old familiar, with which thou hast had so long acquaintance, and
taken so sweet content, be so easily shaken oiF? Though delays
of this nature are to all men dangerous,, yet to none so dan-
gerous as those who being old in age, are old in ugliness too t
they are apt to think themselves too wise to be taught, and count
it a shame to turn over a new leaf then, which will proclaim ail
their former wisdom to be but folly ; but whilst they think
themselves so wise in this, I am sure they are become fools, in
thiTdving there will be time enough yet to cast off the viper of
ungodliness, which may destroy them, God knov/s how soon ;
but, unto all procrastinators of ungodliness, let them know, they
are warned in time, God yet knocks and calls; how soon he may
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 3^
withdraw himself, and cease to solicit any more, either out-
wardly or inwardly, who knows ? Remember what he said to
Ephraim, " He is joined to idols, let him alone ;" and what he
saith to the same people of the Jews, by the prophet Isaiah,
** Why should you be smitten any more, you will revolt more
and more." Again, " Make the hearts of this people fat, and
their ears dull, that hearing they may hear, and not understand,
(&c.) lest they should be converted, and I should heal them."
It grieves me to read so sad a lecture, but the security of manj
constrains me, lest they should perish in their ungodliness.
Use 2. Hence gather also, that if any man would deny ungod-
liness, he must go to the school of grace to learn it, whereby he
may discern one notable and comfortable difference between
legal and evangelical righteousness : in matter they agree ; for
as the law, so the gospel, expects a denial of ungodliness : but
the law leaves a man herein to shift as well as he can for himself;
as for help, besides his own wit and strength, he must look for
none : the law exhibits none; the tale of bricks must be delivered
in, or they must bow down their backs to the smiter; as for
straw, and other accommodations, they must seek it where they
may, none shall be given; and therefore well may the rigour
thereof be accounted a burthen, which neither we nor our fathers
were able to bear; from which insupportable burthen, our dear
Lord and Saviour hath purchased our glorious liberty at no
mean price : even this liberty, that by grace we shall be taught
and enabled to the denial of ungodliness, under the gospel : God
IS not so hard a master as to expect a crop v»'here he sows not,
nor increase where he doth not give a stock of talents to trade ;
nor sends us on a warfare at our own provision ; but first he
steels us against the adversary with skill, courage, and fortitude.
St. Augustin had sufficient ground to pray as he did, Domine, da
quod juhes, et jube quod vis ; which yet is no new gospel, but
as ancient as a visible church, typified in God's fore-furnishino-
Noah with an ark, that he might be saved when the world of the
ungodly perished, and left him not to his own wit to shift for
himself; so also requiring a sacrifice of Abraham, he provides
him a burnt-offering; in his sending his people Israel on that
tedious journey from Egypt to Canaan, he divides the sea and
Jordan, for them to make them a way ; and to supply them, he
sends manna from heaven, and water out of the rock ; and when
346 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
Joshua is to enter upon the conquest of that land, he appears in
a vision to him, and bids him not fear nor be discouraged;
' For, (saith he), I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
Whenever he requires any thing of such as are in covenant with
him in Christ, he will take order there shall be no lack of any
thing that may accommodate them to the easy performance of it;
"It is God that strengtheneth me, (saith David); My heart and
my strength faileth, (saith he), but God is the strength of my
heart." Christ tells Peter, " That Satan hath desired to winnow
him as wheat, but I prayed for thee, (saith he), that thy faith
fail not." " I have laboured more abundantly than they all,
(saith the apostle Paul) ; yet not I, but the grace of God." " 1
can do all things through Christ that strengthens me," saith he.
It is observable, that whereas according to the nature of cove-
nants, each party covenanting mutually bind themselves by the
covenant of their several parts ; but, in the new covenant of
the gospel betwixt God, and those that are justified by grace, it
is otherwise ; God indeed binds himself to blot out their trxna-
cn'essi07is. and to remember their sins no more : but whereas we
should bind ourselves to remove away our stony hearts, and to
walk with soft hearts before him, to get his law into us, and
never to depart from Mm, which is our part of the covenant; it
being our duty to God ; yet he undertakes by promise to furnish
us out of his store with all this, " I will take your stony heart
out of your flesh — I will write my law in your inward parts, that
you shall never depart from me." Which answers this clause in
the text, Tlie grace of God shall teach us to deny that ungodli-
ness which he expects to be denied ; and therefore unto this
grace must we fly for sufficiency to denial, if ever we mean to
attain it; tlie power is not in our own hands, nor the skill;
ungodliness is a devil which will not be cast out, but by seeking
aid from above, from whence comes every good, and every
perfect gift, even from the Father of lights. " Be strong there-
fore in the Lord, and in the power of his might, seeing in denial
of ungodliness you wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against spiritual wickedness," Eph. vi. You shall faint if you
draw not aqtia vitcs from this well-spring of life ; but this shall
renew your strength as is typified in Samson, fighting against
the Piiilistines, who after he had, with the jaw-bone, slain a
thousand of them, he fainted, until God opened, or clave, a
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS, 347
hollow place in Lehi; which I take to be a place so called,
though our translation reads it, the jaw: Judges xv. 19. Let
me therefore urge you, as once Jacob did his sons, when the
famine was in Canaan, and no food to be found at home, " Why
do you look one on another, (saith he), I have heard that
there is corn in Egypt ; go down and buy, that we may live, and
not die." Or, as the famished lepers^ that went to the camp of
the Syrians. In like manner, I say, why stand you still, looking
either carelessly or ruefully on yourselves, or on one another,
when all strength in the world fails to vanquish ungodliness,
which devours worse than a famine : you have heard, as well as
I, that there is spiritual food for strength in the gospel ^ go to it
then, and fetch from thence, that you may live and not perish ;
this bread enough in the Father's house sends the enfeebled,
half-starved prodigal thither, seeing he could subsist no lono^jr
of himself. You may say, how shall I partake of this skill and
help of Grod to deny ungodliness? I answer, 1. Be in God's
way, and come to his school, (as I said) where he teacheth to
deny ungodliness. They that never go to his school, or put
themselves under a master that cannot teach, shall never know
letters, or be skilful in any art, but will ever be to seek :
and it is not every one, but he only that is skilled that
way can teach the ignorant ; they that know not letters them-
selves, and are not skilful in a mystery, can never teach
others ; therefore it is but vain to seek into such : the Spirit
of God alone hath this skill, to teach the denial of ungod-
liness ; all the world besides is to seek in it : the popish
masters, like vaunting mountebanks, have set up a school of
their own, and devised new rules out of the forge of their own
brains, to compass this ; to wit, single life, whippings, monas-
tical solitariness, hideous apparations, and the terror of
purgatory -flames, with crossings, and holy water, and a world of
trash ; by all which they rack and cruciate poor souls, and leave
tliem desperate; but all this will never do it, because God is not
with it; these being lessons that he never gave, neither did they
ever come into his mind. Indeed their school is erected, and
rules devised, not so much to teach, as to make a gain of their
proselytes. Go therefore to Christ's school, where are ordi-
nances instituted by himself, for the purpose to teach; but t^o
r.ot to hmnau inventions, though ever so specious, or probable
348 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
to the eye. The blind men, you know, recovered their sight,
and had their blindness cured, when they lay by the way side
where Christ came ; at other times, when they were out of
Christ's way, some flashing they might have, but no cure ; so
the lame man, lying at the gate of the temple, gets his limbs,
and is made to leap. This makes the church, in Cant. i. 7, 8,
(being yet impotent) to move this seasonable query to Christ,
" Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest,
where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon ; for why should I
be as one that turneth aside ?" Whereunto Christ makes
answer, " If thou know not, go thy way forth by the footsteps of
the flock, and feed thy kids by the shepherds' tents." They
that shun the means, and come not to God's ordinances, must
needs remain ungodly persons, and be mere strangers to the
denial of ungodliness ; though I do not say, that the mere
coming to them, is sufBcient to be taught this.
2. There must be an intentive attendance on these ordinances,
which is a serious and earnest bending of the mind, with all a
man's might, to the lectures of the spirit : to make one a
scholar, is requisite, not only going to school, but also minding
his book, and his master's instructions : he that gives not his
mind to it, shall never attain it ; much more is this giving of our
minds to the teaching of the Spirit requisite, that we may be
taught by him, all the lessons being supernatural, and above the
reach of common reason ; they are all paradoxes to nature ;
they are mysteries of so high a strain, that will put even teadiers
of Israel to a stand ; the very disciples of Christ, as well as
Nicodemus, were at a loss ; when Christ reads his lectui'es, they
are very riddles : now you know that the more mystical and
intricate any science is, the more wary and heedful must the
mind be that will learn it ; hence it is that the Lord so often
inculcates an attending, lest we let any thing slip : you may find
likewise, that such as have been taught by the Spirit, have been
still attentive; as the Jews in Nehcmlah's time, when the book
of the law was distinctly read, and the sense given, so that the
people were caused to tmderstand^ Neh. vili. 3 — 9, the text saith,
" That the ears of all the people were attentive, and they wept."
So when God opened the heart of Lydla, the text saith. She
attended to the things spokefi of hy Paid, Acts xvi. t4. So
Christ's hearers were very attentive to hear him, or did hang
FHEE GRAC'i: THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS, 349
upon him, as the margin reads it. This attentiveness is some-
times called, an iiicliiiing of the ear^ sometimes a regarding
and marking; sometimes a comparing of things together, or
pondering or weighing of them, which was the attention of
those of Berea, who made a scrutiny or search^ Acts xvii. 11.
Certainly this careless heedlessness, and not minding either the
outward or inward lectures of the Spirit, but (according to the
proverb) having a wool-gathering mind, is one great cause of so
much non-proliciency in the school of Christ, and of such
idiotism in the mystery of denying ungodliness, and in all other
divine mysteries ; so that of many we may say, as Paul of some
of the Hebrews, " Whereas, for the time, they might even be
teachers, they have yet need that we teach again which be the
first principles of the oracles of God ; and have still need of
milk, and not strong meat ;" even as careless boys hardly ^^oi
beyond their letters in the time they might have been able to
read well, had they but minded their books. Would you then
be taught this lesson to deny ungodliness ? Regard and mark
well with a busy mind, what the Spirit saith to the churches ;
for that is properly to have an ear to hear; ponder, therefore,
and lay up his saying in your hearts ; thus was the Virgin Mary
taught. The letting of the thoughts be scattered, and forage in
every bye corner ; gazings on every object that is presented,
leave but a sottish carcase in the place, as far to seek as at the
first : thus attention is necessary to teaching, but it is not suffi-
cient; for many attend, but receive not instruction.
3. Therefore, to be taught this lesson to deny ungodliness by
.the Spirit of God, requires submission, not to contradict his
principles, or rules, but subscribe to them, and take them for
granted : he that will be still cavilling with his master, saying,
This is not a true rule, and that will not hold current, he shall
never be taught by him till he will yield. There are too many in
the world of this humour, they will deny principles, either con-
tradicting them, or they will not receive them, except they be
proved; now it is impossible that such an one should be taught;
for, in all sciences whatsoever, i \ere are some principles that
can have no other demonstration ^han a native liglit, or good
authority, by which matters depen ling on that science must be
confirmed and proved : therefore i ^ is a rule in all arts, contra
pnucipia neganiem non est dispi!^i.nduin ; there is no dealing
350 FRER GRACE THE TEACH F.R OF GOOD WORKS.
with a man that denies principles ; yet in human science tne
firmest are but natural principles, which in respect of nature^s
obscurity, and mutability, may possibly be subject to error;
nevertheless they must be received, because they are instruct-
ible, or else there is no learning such a science ; much more
necessary, therefore, is it, that the learners of divine mysteries
(and this of denying ungodliness among the rest) that they con-
tradict not, nor reject divine principles, nor yet expect any
rational demonstration of them ; for no science builds on faith
as divinity doth ; partly because the authority on which they
depend, to wit, the Lord's appointment, is infallible, and cannot
deceive, so that for this cause they are more free from excep-
tion, and are more fii*m, than what hath ever so manifest
demonstration, in itself : for example, the shield of faitli
quencheth the fiery darts of ungodliness, and purifieth the heart
from it. Godly sorrow works up a zeal against it, and stirs up
indig^nation and vehement desire to be rid of it : the word of
God is quick and pozverful, sharjoer than a two-edged sword ^ 1o
pare it from the soul, and to rip up the odious poison of it,
being applied by faith against it ; those, with others, are infal-
lible principles taught by the Spirit of God ; and he that will
learn this lesson, must not dispute the certain efficacy of them,
much less contradict or reject them as vain and frivolous ; if
learners will take upon them to controul, or teach their teacher,
the Spirit of God, they may be ever learning, but shall never
•come to the knowledge of the truth, or be skilful in divine
practice ; the loose despising atheist shall remain an atheist
still ; and the proud deviser of new, though more rigid, courses,
leaving the principles of the Spirit, may rack his brain, and
macerate his body, but ungodliness shall dwell with him still.
The humble learners of the Spirit of God are the greatest profi-
cients ; " The meek are they he will teach his way," Psa.
XXV. 9. " He resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the
humble." Doubtless our Saviour, when he tells us, That except
we become as little children^ we cannot oniei' into the kingdom of
heaven^ principally means an uncontradicting teachableness ;
with whom all go for unquestionable maxims taught ; they
never dispute whether they be right or no ; I say not this, as if
every word ministers speak must go for an oracle, but what t?tO
Spint of God speaks out of the word of God.
rKEE GJtACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 351
4. Be not discouraged at the harshness and nncouthness of
tne lessons the Spirit sets you at first ; in all sciences, the first
lessons are hardest, they seem to be an indissoluble knot; the
way is more tedious, because the path is yet rough, and not
trodden smooth ; after a little use, it will be a great deal more
easy ; even as Greek seems a harsh language, almost impossible
to be learned at first entrance into it, yet in a little time it
comes on smoothly : in like manner the instructions of the
Spirit to deny ungodliness, seem very crabbed at first ; flesh and
blood cannot brook them ; they are rough in the handling like
new tools, till a little use hath made them plain and smooth ;
the rules of denying ungodliness were thus uncouth to all, even
the best proficients, at first; none ever learned the art, that
break not through the first and sharpest brunt with difficulty ; it
was a galling yoke at first, but in time Christ made it easy to
them, and so will he to thee certainly : if mere use can make
harshest lessons easy, heavy burthens, not only tolerable, but
lightsome also, and often treading makes the roughest ways
smooth ; as long imprisonment will take away much of the bit-
terness of it, and the like ; much more will the divine superna-
tural help of grace make the harsh lecture of denying ungodliness
easy, nay, a recreation : fresh soldiers at first take arms with
heavy hearts, but after a little experience the sound of drums
and trumpets calling to battle, is music in their ears ; especially
when the general makes them see the certain advantages, then
they set light by the brunt, or a few knocks.
The next point that the text afFordeth to us is this. That the
grace of God ieacheih such as are saved by it to deny worldly
lusts. We shall be the more brief in opening this point, because
many branches hereof were fully opened in the last; here we
shall have no more to do but to consider, what are worldly lusts,
which are to be denied. In the clearing whereof St. John will
give us light, who reduceth them to three heads ; to wit, " The
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life ; they
are not of the Father, but of the world ;" so then, to know what
worldly lusts are, we must search a little into these three parti-
culars.
1. What is meant by the lust of the flesh. Tlie flesh, when
lust is ascribed to it, is taken three ways ; sometimes mystically
for the whole coTrupted part of man, or so much as lies under
352 FREE GRACE THE TEACriK.R OF OOOD \VORKS»
the ]aw ami power of sin, and is opposed to tlie regenerate nart
of man, which is rcncAved and sanctified by the Holy Ghost ; so
the apostle understands it in that passage, " The flesh lusteth
against the spirit :" the lust of the flesh, thus understood, are
all inordinate and irregular motions and inclinations whatso-
ever, springing from the fountain, man's depraved and polluted
nature, and are opposed to injections from without, whether of
Satan, or any external objects ; for some sinful motions have
their original immediately from a man's self, without derivation
or dependance from, or upon, any other cause ; and, in some
respect, or in regard of some inordinate inclination, man is a
cistern that receives polluted waters from other heads ; as when
Satan tempts, or outward baits entice ; but most sinful inclina-
tions have their seeds within a man's self, and many weeds grow
up from the nature of the soil, without any sowing : an exact
distinguishing of these internal natural lusts of the flesh, from
Satan and the world's injections, hath not yet been reached by
any that I can find, because Satan doth so mix his injections
with our natural inclinations. But St. James is very clear in
the thing, that the flesh hath proper lusts of its own ; " Every
man is tempted (saith he) when he is drawn aside of his own
lusts." Now these kinds of lusts, as well as others, may well be
called worldly, partly, as they are worldly men with whom they
reign ; partly also, as they have their being in this world only:
the denial or resistance of these, the grace of God t«acl>elli to
such as shall be saved.
Sometimes again, flesh is taken synecdochically, to wit, a
part for the whole. And so the flesh imports that branch of
corrupt nature, from whence spring, in particular, inordinate,
unclean motions, or lascivious inclinations to adultery, fornica-
tion, and such like; so St. Jude takes it, speaking of some that
" gave themselves over to fornication, and going after strange
flesh ; these filthy dreamers defile the flesh ;" Jude vii. 8, that is,
defile themselves with uncleanness. More plainly St. Peter,
speaking of men that walk after the lusts of uncleanness,
*' They allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wan-
tonness." Flesh thus considered as the fountain of uncleanness,
the lusts of it are unci ;in inclinations, desires, delights, and
pleasing contemplations therein: thus must our Saviour's speech
be understood, " He that looketh on a woman, to lust after her.
FREE GUACC THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. S.'KJ
tiath committed adultery :" only note, that an inclination to pro-
pagation is not simply sinful ; for God himself makes marriage,
simply considered in itself, honourable, and therefore reputes not
all such desires absolutely sinful, but the inordinate desires, or
lusts after the flesh, doth the grace of God teach to deny.
Flesh sometimes is taken naturally for the body of a man, ana
then the lusts of it are all inordinate desires, after such things
as please the body, as meat, drink, raiment, means of health,
and welfare of it in any kind; this inordinate desire is not ol
the Father, but of the world ; this lust of the flesh our Saviour
labours to suppress ; " I say unto you, take no thought what
you shall eat, or what you shall drink ; nor yet for your body,
what you shall put on," Mat. vi. 25, 34 ; " And take no thought
for to-morrow." That is, be not either over solicitous with dis-
traction, to the cruciating or disquieting yourselves hereby ; or
be not excessively greedy of these things, or for any thing more
than is needful. So that this kind of lust consists of two
branches ; 1. When our desires and cares are so extreme and
■turbulent about these things as make us neglect, forget, or
slight better things. 2. When they become a burthen and
torture to us. 3. When they keep not within any fit limits or
bounds. As for example; this is the lust of the flesh, that is, of
the world, when our heart is so taken up with the desire of food,
raiment, health, tliat we disturb ourselves about them, and mind
nothing so much, or so eagerly, as making provision for them •
neglecting or undervaluing the food, raiment, and health of our
souls : so likewise when our desires are not content with food
<ind raiment that is convenient, but are aspiring to superfluity,
even to more, for quantity and variety, than will serve the turn ;
or, to what is better, finer, and more delicate, than what is need-
ful; so a gluttonous, drunken, gorgeous desire, comes under this
kind of the lusts of the flesh ; as also impatience in sickness,
both in respect of the continuance of it, or the lack of such
remedies, or nmans, which we conceive may recover us,
2. Another sort of worldly lusts to be denied are, as St. John
speaks. The lusts of the eye ; and they are conversant about the
things which by the eye the heart is over-affected with ; and
they are things that are our neighbour's, and not our own • or
things that are our own. These, as they are conversant about
our neighbour, are any thing that is his. Perhaps thine eye
VOL. II. 2 A
'•5.^^ FREE GRACE THE TEACIIKR OF GOOD WORKS.
beholds the beauty and conveniency of thy neighbour's house ;
the goodly, useful, rich furniture ; the rarity, pleasantness, fruit-
fulness, good situation, and abundance of his lands ; the plenty
and variety of his fare ; the strength, good qualities, and ser-
viceableness of his attendants ; the amiableness, good disposition,
meekness, helpfulness of his wife. Now there may be a two-
fold lust of the eye. 1. Enviousness of heart at him, because of
these good things which thine eye beholds : the apostle tells us
of " the spirit of a man, that lusts to envy;" this envious lust
of the eye must be denied, and grace alone will teach the denial
of it. Or, 2. The eye lusts after these when the sight of them
stirs up a wishing them to be his own ; so Ahab lusted for Naboth's
vineyard, and Absalom for his father's kingdom,
3. Another sort of worldly lusts, he calls pride of life ; now
this is thinking of ourselves above what is meet, for any thing in
the world, spiritual or natural gifts ; as knowledge, utterance,
skill, feature, proportion, strength, or the like ; or riches, friends,
parentage, place, titles, oflBce ; when any bear themselves loftily,
scornfully, with over-topping conceits, slighting others ; this
is a kind of ambitious lust, seeking its own exaltation above
measure *.
Now grace will teach, though not utterly to vanquish, yet to
deny these ; it will teach as a monitor, or a remembrancer, when
they begin to stir ; and be as a secret voice, giving warning of an
insurrection in the soul, that it may prepare for an encounter in
the beginning of the mutiny, before it hath got a head. Again,
grace teacheth to deny these, by infusing divine skill to get the
best advantages of them. There is no worldly lust, but hath a
fair pretext to cover its vileness ; as covetousness is called good
husbandry, drunkenness good fellowship, pride is handsomeness,
oppression is seeking a man's own, uncleanness is called love,
and the like; whereby the soul is got asleep, as Dalilah did
Sampson, till it is betrayed into the hands of Satan ; but, through
grace, the Spirit of God discovers this mark or vizor of lust, and
leaves it open in its own ugliness. They that are taught of God
cannot be coifened with all the cunning insinuations, and fair
glosses lust covers itself with ; they appear through the thickest
mists, what they truly are : the lambskin shall not be able to
hide the wolfishness in lust. The Spirit gives them such a quick
• Esth. V. 11, 11, 13,
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 355
piercing eye, as to see through all the colourable pretences,
which insight all the world is not able to procure, but only the
Spirit of God, through grace ; even as none but the Lord dis-
covered the wife of Jeroboam to Abijah the prophet, when she
came to him in a disguise, 1 Kings xiv. 5, 6. We descry and
discover in our ministry the secret treachery, and hidden poison
of lust ; but not one of a hundred takes notice thereof, or will
believe our report, but only such as (besides that) hear, and are
inwardly convinced by the secret illumination of the Spirit;
which is as great an advantage as the Israelites had of the
Syrians, when the prophet still revealed the consultations their
king held in his bed- chamber *.
Again, the Spirit, by grace, gives this advantage by teaching
where the strength of lust lies ; what provision pampers and
fattens it ; how every lust hath its proper fuel or pasture, to keep
it in growth ; and that the deceitful heart, and treacherous porters
the senses, are secretly in league with lust, to steal out, at every
opportunity, to forage for its provision, and to bring it in. As
for instance, the Spirit discovers, that unclean lusts have strength
from excess of meat and drink, too much familiarity with loose
persons, filthy discourse, wanton dalliance, obscene books ; this
will make a spark grow to a flame, and a hunger-starved lust
grow fat and mighty ; and that the filthy heart by musing, the
lustful eye by prying, the wanton ear by listening, bring in this
fuel. I say, the Spirit of grace makes a full discovery, that by
these means lust comes to be so strong, and in so full plight ;
some glimmering fancies man may have hereof, without the effec-
tual work of the Spirit, but a convincing and affecting discovery
is only by that. But he stays not in discovering where the strengh
lies, but teaches how to abate and weaken it ; namely, by cuttino-
off this provision, and shortening lust of his allowance, and keep-
ing a strict guard and watch over these treacherous favourers of
it ; as the grooms taking away a horse's provender, soon makes
him leave and abate his courage. The Spirit puts the soul on
this practical part of policy, as a general not only tells his sol-
diers, they must intercept the provision that may feed the be-
sieged city, and fall on the convoys ; but he marches out before
them, and puts them on the project, and breaks the way for them;
and as Dalilah taught the Philistines how to weaken Sampson,
• 2 Kings vL 12,
2 A 2
356 FREE GiRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
herself breaking the ice for them, cutting off his locks. All the
ruc?iraents in the world cannot, are not, suflBcient instructions to
oereave lust of this strength, but the Spirit, Some austere
spirits have dealt very rigidly with themselves to weaken this
strength of lust; witness St. Jerom, who relates his case himself,
speaking of fasting, and other harsh means, for weakening lust,
ne says, by his own bitter experience, that of themselves they
iiave no efficacy, but rose and increased the more*. Nothing,
therefore, no not the use of God's own means, can avail to
the weakening of lust, except the effectual operations of the
Spirit strike the stroke ; and from this must the effectual
discovery and abatement of the strength of whatsoever lust be
fetched.
We have done with the two great hydras, ungodliness, and
worldly lusts, whose heads grace takes off for such as are saved
by it ; which having thus cleared the coast, and made the passage
free from devourers, the same grace leads them to God's green
pastures, tliat therein they may be fat and well-liking ; where it
takes care of three things, that they maybe complete. 1. In
respect of themselves, that they may lie down quietly without
disturbance. 2. In respect of others, that they may not be offen-
sive, but useful to them. 3. In respect of God, that they may
be fit for their master's use, and delightful in his eye.
The first care of the grace of God, which concerns believers
themselves, is to teach and win them to sobriet}'-, whereby they
may undisturbedly enjoy themselves with comfort. The doctrine
is, that the grace of God teacheth such, as shall be saved, to live
soberly ; wherein let us consider, 1. What sobriety is. 2. What
it is to live soberly. 3. How grace teaches it.
1. Sobriety sometimes is taken strictly for a temperate and
moderate use of meat and drink, without excess, and is opposed
to gluttony and drunkenness; but, most frequently in scripture,
it is of a far larger extent, and is understood of a general
moderation in all things Ave have to do with ; thus St. Paul
understands temperance, which is all one with sobriety; "Every
man that striveth, (saith he), is temperate, (or sober) in all
things;" 1 Cor. ix. 25. In this general sense it is to be. under-
stood in this place ; for the apostle you see coucheth all which
* Quoties ego ipse in eremo eonstitutut, Si-c. Libidinum incemlia hulliebanl.
Hieron. ad Eusloeh. de cmtodia virginitatis. Pol. 47. A.B. Tom. I.
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 357
concerns a man's self, in an orderly conversation, under lliis one
virtue, sobriety. In general, it is an universal moderating a
man's self, or keeping himself in due limits in all things what-
soever he hath to do with ; and it answers that rule of the apostle
" Let your moderation be known to all men," which he ex-
pounds in the next verse, " Be careful for nothing;" that is,
be so indifferent in the use of all the thingfs of this world, that
nothing may distract you. This sobriety, or temperate modera-
tion is twofold ; 1. Internal. 2. External. The former is a
sobriety of the mind; the latter of the conversation. Give me
leave to clear these to you, that the latitude may appear ; and
first for the sobriety of the mind. Note, for the foundation of
what I have to say, that the apostle is very clear, that there is
a sobriety in the mind, and that he intends such in the text. For
in ver. 7, he requires sobermindedness, and the text is an
encouragement to it, from the efficacy of grace to compass it :
writing to the Romans he speaks to the same purpose, " I say,
through the grace of God given to me, to every man that is among
you, to think soberly, as God hath dealt to every man," Rom.
xii. 3. Now thinking, (you know) is an act of the mind, con-
sider we, therefore, what the sobriety of mind is.
(I.) It consists in the moderation of its inquisition; that is,
the mind in its search or inquiry into things keeps itself within
due limits, and wades not deeper than its reach. As the eye is
not satisfied with seeing, so (many times) the mind is not con-
tented or satisfied with prying into hidden or concealed secrets :
but it is a good rule. Noli altum sapere. The Holy Ghost gives
a good reason of it, " Secret things belong to God, but revealed
things to us." A man may be too saucy, and go beyond sobriety
in attempting to uncover either the things of God, which he
hath locked up in the hidden closet of his own breast ; or the
things of men, which are fit to be reserved to themselves. As
for example; the unity of the divine nature, and trinity of
persons ; the eternal generation of the Son, and procession of
the Holy Ghost ; the conception of Christ by the Holy Gliost ;
the election and reprobation of particular persons, clasped and
sealed up in the reserved books of life and death ; these, and
many the like, are secrets, wherein the sobriety of the mind, as
an awful bridle, should hold in the career of man's inquisitive-
ness, and bound his itching humour which would be prying ; the
358 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORPS.
setting bounds -to the mount wliere God descended, and tlie
cliarge to the people not to dare to make an approach, was a
type of this sobermindedness. Howbeit many will not be satis-
fied, but are so given to enquiry, that faith must be justled out
by sense and reason ; nothing is true with them but what by
rational search they can find out to be so : but one of the ancient
suits such unsoberminded men well, Scrutator majestatis op-
primetur d, gloria : a man may look so boldly on the sun as he
may not only dazzle but blind his eyes, or unawares fall into a
ditch ; let this then be the first branch of sobriety of mind, to be
moderate in our inquiries, and be content to search only into
things alloAved to be known, being what is revealed.
(2.) Sobriety of mind consists in the moderation of our judg-
ment; this stands, (1.) In the deliberateness of it. Deliberate
judgment is opposed to a rash or over-ha«ty one ; when a man
will conclude things before he hath well weighed the premises, or
circumstances inferring such a conclusion. It is a kind ol
drunkenness of men to make a judgment hand over head, or
blindfold ; but sober minds judge deliberately ; they will see
good cause for what they determine ; they will do a thing so, as
that they may not be forced to undo it again for lack of con-
sideration. (2.) A sober judgment is according to knowledge;
when a man judgeth no farther of any thing that he can under-
stand it. As it is the property of drunkards to do they know,
not what, so is it of a drunken mind void of sobriety. WhatSt.
Jude saith of speaking, is as true of judging evil ; he tells us of
some, whom he ranks with brute beasts, that speak, (yea) and
jiidge evil of things they know not. (3.) A man hath a sober
judgment when he is not too peremptory and stifFin liis opinion,
but submits to better judgments. 4. Sobriety of judgment
stands in thinking of a man's self, and others, according as God
hath dcaled to every man ; in this St. Paul declares the sober-
ness of his mind or judgment ; " We dare not compare our-
selves with some that commend theiiisclves," 8zc. 2 Cor.x. 12.
" We will not boast of things beyond our measure." All high
thoughts and over-weaning of a man's own parts, or gifts, above
what is meet, together with all under- valuing of others, are void
of sobriety ; but a true sobriety is apt t;) think bette" of another
than himself, because he sees more defects of his own, than he
doth of another : but I make it not a rule : for a man mav know
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 359
something of himself, and others, that may, with sobriety, admit
of thinking better of himself.
3. A sober mind consists in the moderation or good temper of
the heart ; now the heart is thus sober when it keeps itself in a
mediocrity, and breaks not out into excess; as a man is said in
the vulgar sense to be sober, when he drinks not excessively,
but only as much as will suffice. This sobriety of heart stands
in the moderation of his will and affection ; there is a kind of
drunkenness in the heart of man, when it is insatiable; and
that, (1.) In the imperiousness of it, that it must not be crossed
in any thing, but will swallow all that is pleasing to his appetite,
though it be never so unreasonable and prejudicial ; a sober
will c nfines itself to things lawful, honest, and expedient, and
bridles in itself to what agrees not therewith. (2.) The heart is
drunk and unsatiable, when the desires thereof are excessive.
As namely, 1. When they are turbulent, disquieting and
distracting the heart; as a man is drunk when he drinks so
much as distempers the body. It was a drunkenness in Rachel's
heart, that she was so turbulently desirous of children, that she
cries out, " Give me children, or else I die;" so of Ahab's, that
was so desirous of Naboth's vineyard, that he is sick for it.
Sober desires are such as leave the heart in a quiet temper still.
2. Drunken desires of the heart are, when they are never satisfied,
nor know when they have enough ; but the more they have the
more they crave still, which is a right property of vulgar drunken-
ness. Sober desires (I mean of earthly things,) sail so low, and aim
at so few and short marks, and that with such indifferency, as that
a very little satisfies and gives contentment : a sober heart is' far
from enlarging he~ desires, as hell, the grave, or a barren womb,
which ever cry, give, give. 3. The desires of the heart are
drunken when they are impatient and outrageous, if crossed; as
Hone more mad than drunkards, if they cannot have presently
what drink they call for ; when men fret, and chafe, hang the
lip, are sullen,, and mal-content, if their desires be frustrate,
such are drunken desires, that heart is not sober : I might as
easily shew you a like drunkenness in all the affections and
passions ; but it shall suffice at present to consider, that affec-
tions so far swerve from sobriety, as they are transported beyond
their bounds, in any excess whatsoever.
2. There is an external sobriety, and that is of the conversa-
300 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
tioii, which consists in a moderate, temperate use of all things,
lor clearing whereof, note, this sobriety is not so much a mere
abstinence from excess, as a refranation or restraint of a man's
self from all manner of excess ; which implies some appetite or
inclination to break out beyond bounds, and a curbing a man's
self by a kind of compulsive restraint, which is self-denial.
There is a great difference between abstinence, and forbearance
of a thing, which a man hath no luunour or power unto ; and
sobriety, as it is a virtue which presupposeth a vice, enticing
the contrary way. As for example, suppose wine be loathsome
to a man, his abstinence is not sobriety properly; but being
inclined thereto, and strongly enticed, he puts a knife to his
throat, and compels himself to forbear, in spite of all provoca-
tions ; this is a virtuous sobriety ; this certainly is that which
the grace of God teacheth : for teaching implies a man has yet
to seek, and hath not attained the thing to be taught ; whereas
there is no need of teaching that which a man cannot naturally
choose but follow. This sobriety consists of many branches, as
the bridling and moderating a man's appetite, having provoca-
tions of excessive eating and drinking, which our Saviour calls
a taking heed, lest our hearts be overcharged with, surfeiting and
drimhe7iness. Of this Solomon speaks, " If thou- art set at a
great man's table, and be a man given to appetite, sot a knife to
thy throat:" and, "Be not among wine bibbers, neither tarry long
at the wine." This sobriety of the appetite is a moderate use of
the creatures ; that is, such an use as serves for health, and the
better disposing and enabling a man to all good and lawful
offices towards God and men ; and it stands in the midst of two
extremes, defect and excess. The defect is the pinching a
man's self, not allowing himself what is needful. Such, though
they think themselves the soberest men, being remotest from
excess, yet they err too much on the other hand to be sober
men ; it is a certain inile, In medio consistH virtus. The other
extreme is excess, much more in use than the former, and that
in quality or quantity; excess in quantity is eating or drinking
more than is meet ; in quality, when men content not them-
selves with that which is good and wholesome nourishment,
befitting their several ranks and places, and are grown over-
dainty, and despise that which is not rare : sobriety in this kind
vs wo certain stint, but extends or dilates, accordincf to the
FREE GRACE xiflE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 361
rlivorsity of men's tempers and ranks ; one man of a weak brain
and sickly stomach, may exceed the bounds of sobriety in use of
the same quantity of meat or drink, which another of a stronger
temper may use with sobriety ; that which will but quench the
thirst of one man, may make another man's head light : that
meat which will but satisfy one man's nature, and harden it for
labour, may overcharge and dull another ; that variety and
daintiness which doth but beseem a man's table of ability and
good rank, is profuse lavishness and wasteful expence to a
meaner person. In sum, then, a man exceeds sobriety, either
when he uses the creature beyond that conveniency his temper
requires, or the means God hath given him.
Besides this vulgar sobriety, there is a sobriety also of speech,
whereof St. Paul speaks in his defence before Festus, Acts xxvi.
25, " I speak the words of truth and soberness." Which
sobriety consists, (1.) In soft words. (2.) In few words.
(3.) In seasonable words. Add hereto a sobriety in behaviour,
which is a mild and grave carriage, without either loftiness or
vain levity : finally, there is also a sobriety in a man's dealing,
in buying and selling ; in buying, when a man keeps within his
compass, and wades not beyond his depth, either of skill or
ability ; and in selling, when a man is moderate in his gains,
and works not on the necessity of persons ; but these heads shall
suffice, that we may keep some moderation in handling of this
point.
The next thing is, what it is to live soberly. 1. This phrase
intimates an activity of sobriety; living here is put for exer-
cise ; it is not enough to have power to be sober, though that be
necessary, but this power must be reduced into act, as occasion
serves ; for it is a good rule, Frustrajlt potentia, quce non redii-
eitur in actum. 2. It intimates a continuation in sobriet}' ; this,
and the whole life must go hand-in-hand together, or, a man
must be sober all his life ; one act doth not make up a living
soberly, as one swallow doth not make a summer ; and it should
be as precious to a man as his life ; if any solicit him to intem-
])crance, he should say. Bereave me of sobriety, bereave me of
my life loo ; what will it avail me to live, and not live soberly ?
The last thing to be considered is, how grace teacheth to live
soberly. To clear this, note, grace teacheth, 1. By instruction,
giving rules for the thing, clearly making us to understand and
302 FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WCRKS.
know, that sobriety is a duty enjoined, and must be observed.
Philosophers, it is true, from the glimmerings of natural light,
give rules to teach this, as well as other moral virtues ; but they
fail in the ground-work or foundation of their rules, making
right reason the foundation, and deriving the power of sobriety
from the heroical resoluteness of man's spirit; whereas the will
of God is the ground-work, and the power to be sober is from
his might. They fail in the end of sobriety, making that the
ultimate, which is but the subordinate, wholly neglecting the
chief end, being ignorant thereof. Their chief end is, by
moderation, to enjoy themselves, and the praise of men, whereaa
it should be the glory of God. In these two things the teaching
of sobriety, by grace, differs from the natural teaching of it, for
grace makes God the ground-work of it, and his power, in
man's weakness, the efficient cause of it, and the glorifying God
the final inducing cause of sobriety. 2. Grace not only teaches
it, by giving good rules, but also by such a winning rhetorical
illustration of the excellency of sobriety, as to catch her learners
with an enamoured love thereto ; in teaching, it makes her
learners, though enemies at first to such doctrine, say, (as once
the catchpoles that were sent to trap Christ) Never man spake
as he speaks. The lips of grace, through a secret divine
eloquence, drop honey. 3. Not only by enamouring, but by
drawing also. The teaching of grace hath the virtue of a load-
stone, that draws adjacent metal to fasten to itself; it is like the
power reported to be in the Syrens' songs, which will make a
man leave all to dance after their notes. In this, especially, it
goes infinitely beyond the acutest teaching in the world besides ;,
for her learners cannot, for their hearts, say nay.
Use I. Seeing grace hath appeared, or is come into our quar-
ters, teaching to live soberly, let us show our breeding by our
proficiency under so excellent a tutor: the excellency of skill
and parts in a tutor adds much to the shame of a dunce, or non-
proficient, that hath been trained up under such an one ; for that
it is expected they should excel answerably, according to the
extraordinary helps they have had. Shall philosophers, and
moral heathens, that have had their breeding but in the twilight
of nature, bo more exact scholars in sobriety, than Christians,
that have lain at the right fountain, and been bred in the academy
of grace? Shall persons living in darkness, without any light of
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 3G3
the gospel shining unto them, livo more soberly than they to
whom the light of the gospel shines most gloriously? What a
shame is this ? If a clown, or ignoramus, should pose an
university-man in the arts he hath been long bred up in, would
it not make him blush ? Much more may they blush who have
been long tutored by grace, to see untutored poor souls, that
never scarce heard that there were any such thing as grace, yet
to excel them in sobriety. Christ's verdict is, " That this is
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love
darkness better than light." St. Paul tells us, " That they who
are drunk, are drunk in the night :" and adds, " Ye are not oi
the night, but the day."
Use 2, Doth grace teach to live soberly ? Then are they
graceless wretches, or come short of the grace of God, that do
not live soberly ; nor can they rightly claim a part or portion ia
the great privilege of salvation which grace teacheth. It is a
fearful sentence, and dismal doom^ I confess, though too true;
and too few, whom it most concerns, lay it to heart; if they
would, it might be a happy bridle to restrain all immoderate
excess. Oh! that such, who give themselves to excess, would
but give their eyes unto, and seriously ponder, in their hearts,
the many fearful words pronounced against them by that word
which shall judge them at the last day ! As that of Solomon,
Prov. xxiii. 29, 30, " Who hath woe, who hath sorrow, who hath
contention, who hath wounds? They that tarry long at the
M'ine ; they that seek new wine." He doth not say, they that
are stark drunk, as men now count drunkenness, but they that
tarry long at it, though they have strong pates to carry it away ;
at least he saith, " It bites like a serpent." The prophet Isaiah
seconds him, and takes off a foolish excess of men, that think
themselves out of Solomon's gun-shot, because they drink not
\vine ; " Woe (saith he) unto them that rise up early in the
morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until
wine inflame them. And woe to them that are mighty to drink
wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink," Isa. v. 11,
12 — -22. He scatters his woes among all sorts, whether wine-
bibbers, or strong-drink-bibbers. The prophet Habakkuk makes
«p the peal, and meets with another sort of excess: " Woe to
nim (saith he) that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy
bottle to him, and makest him drunk, that thou mayest look on
3G't FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
his nakedness," Hab. ii. 15. What canst thou now say for thy-
self, O poor wretch ! that Icavest not only Christianity, but also
manhood in thy cups, and transformest thyself into a beast, nay
worse ? Wilt thou say, Christ is thy Saviour ? Alas ! this text
takes thee quite offfrom this hold; for that grace of his, that brings
salvation, teacheth to live soberly, and this thou learnest not;
therefore canst thou not lay claim to the other. Oh ! be wise
betimes, and consider the desperateness of thy condition, as God
himself judgeth of it, and be not deluded with the daubings of
such as count thee a good fellow.
Use 3. It is then a most fearful presumption for any person,
in confidence of his own strength, to adventure himself into the
mouth of danger, where he may be induced, or tempted, to
exceed the bounds of sobriety ; for if sobriety be of grace, then
is it not of a man's own strength. There are too many in the
world so well conceited of their own abilities, as that they fear
no colours; they will warrant you they do well enough, and can
keep themselves within compass, and therefore dare put them-
selves into any hazard. Some think themselves so wise, as
they fear not to wade into God's secrets too deep ; they can
stint their reasonings and thoughts at pleasure. Some dare
loosen the reins, and let them run career, fondly dreaming they
can curb them at will. Phaeton like; they can dole on the
world, and think it cannot enthral them ; they can let their rage
loose like a fierce mastiff, and chain it up again at a beck.
Others are so confident of their power to contain, that though
they let their eyes loose to look on a maid, their tongues loose
to obscene filthy ribaldry, their ears to lascivious discourse and
solicitations, to bewitching dalliances, and their thoughts to
contemplative uncleanness ; yet they have such a strength of
continency, that no such pitch can defile them ; they are not so
weak or so silly as to be trapped in the snare ; and, therefore,
they will not abridge themselves of such liberty. In a word,
others are confident of the strength of their brain, that none can
fox them; but let such consider, that to live soberly is not in
man's power, but only of grace ; and, therefore, it is just with
God to give up such to be overtaken for neglecting his aid, as
he served Noah, David, and others. Hence the apostle Paul
advisclh to be siro?ig in the Lovely and in the foiver of his (not
omO might : and wIrmi be speaks of his ability in moderationi.
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 36.5
namely, that he is able to do all tJmigs, ho concludes, that it is
not by his own strength, but Christ's that strengthened him.
Blessed is the man that fear eth abvays, (that is) himself; sus-
pecting his own shallowness and weakness, considerin"- the
bewitching insinuations that are in temptations of this nature.
Know, therefore, that whoever is endued with a sober mind and
behaviour, it comes with all other good gifts from above, and he
is kept herein by the power of God, and the sufficiency of his
grace, without which he is as impotent as the weakest; there-
fore, in this, and in all other matters, let every man commit
himself to the custody of God, and the power of his grace, and
not lean to his own strength. Though Paul was a man full of
the Spirit, and had attained a great measure of moderation, yet
dares he not rely thereon, but entrusts God and his grace to
keep him : not /, (saith he (but the grace of God which is in one
How frequently doth he close up his epistles, after all his
endeavours, w^ith this epilogue, " The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you all. Amen. Grace, mercy, and peace, be
with you from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus."
Ply grace therefore in this behalf, which shall be sufficient; *' for
its strength shall be perfected in your weakness.'*
The next point is, that grace teacheth to live righteously.
This is of a large extent, comprehending the whole duty of man
to man, and in substance is the same wilh that of our Saviour,
*' Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;" which love he calls
fulfilling of the law. There are two main branches of it, justice
and mercy; justice is a rendering to every one his due, or an
upright inoffensive walking towards every one, without par-
tiality or fraud. Give me leave to anatomize this branch of
righteousness a little, that you may the better see the lineaments
thereof: for as he cannot be a good physician, or chirurgion, fit
to apply apt remedies to distempered parts, or set bones, that is
not well insighted in anatomy ; so neither can a man aptly apply
cures to distempers of injustice, that is not somewhat insighted
into the parts of justice; he must know the proper joints of
justice, that, in case of dislocation, ho may reduce them to their
proper place again : know therefore that righteousness, so far as
it brancheth itself into justice, is divers, according to the diver-
sity of men's relations of superiority, or inferiority, magistrates
and subjects, ministers and people, parents and children. The
.*^nt> FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OP GOOD WORKS.
righteousness of a magistrate stands in an impartial and equal
rendering rewards, or punishments ; all unevenness, either too
much rigour, or too much lenity, is injustice. Subjects are to
yield obedience, both internal and external, to their lawful
commands, and quiet suffering their penalties, if for conscience
sake you cannot obey their commands ; " As a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, and openeth not the mouth." So for ministers,
their righteousness is in withholding none of the counsel of
God, being instant in season and out of season ; giving every
one his portion, with soundness of doctrine, cheerfulness of
spirit, humbleness of mind; patient waiting, if God will at any
time bring men to repentance; and not for filthy lucre. The
people's justice is to seek advice and help of the minister, to
unbind their consciences when sin hath chained them up, in
attending upon all the ordinances of God; giving them due
respect, praying for them, that they may do their work power-
fully and fruitfully.
The husband's justice is, 1. To love his wife, as Christ loved
the church. 2. To govern wisely as a head, not imperiously,
much less tyrannically. 3. To provide for her. 4. As a co-
vering to shelter her. The wife's justice stands, 1. In love also,
2. In subjection to all lawful and expedient things he requires.
3. In helpfulness in all things she can reach unto, 4, In cover-
ing infirmities. 5. In reverencing him as the head.
The master's justice is, 1. In imposing no more labour on his
servant, than his strength can bear. 2. To inflict no more pu-
nishment than his offence deserves. 3. To detain no mainte
nance requisite ; as food, rest, refreshment, and wages. 4. To
encouraae them in well doing. 5. To instruct them in the know-
ledge of God, and endeavouring to bring them to his ordinances.
The justice of servants is, 1. In doing their utmost, without
laziness, in their allotted business. 2. Not wasting or purloining.
3. Obeying all lawful commands. 4. Being faithful in what is
committed to their trust. 5. Patiently bearing punishment,
though wrongfully inflicted ; not so much as answering again.
6. Contentment with their wages. 7. Not stealing away their
master's time for their own occasions without licence.
Tlie justice of parents is, 1. To get children in lawful matri-
.oony. 2. To provide for them, both soul and body, in a mode-
lalo way. 3. Not to provoke them to bitterness. 4. To correct
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. Hft
tbejJi in measure, and in due time. The justice of children is,
1. To honor their parents. 2. To become subject to them, as
Christ did. 3. To be obedient and dutiful.
Finally, there is an occasional justice, and that is an upright
behaviour toward all men, with whom we have to do upon any
occasion, as in buying or selling, lending or borrowing : now
all this is privative or positive ; in innocency, in offensiveness,
peaceableness ; so in doing right, and giving to every one their
own. 1. Innocency stands in a harmless conversation, or, in
the apostle's phrase, " A walking without offence ;" which con-
sists in offering no violence, in purpose or act, either to a man's
person, goods, name, or whatever is his, though a man hath
power, opportunity, or provocation thereunto ; nay, though
some occasion may be given according to our Saviour's rule,
" render to no man evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but
rather bless them that curse." 2. This innocent justice consists
in not defrauding or over-reaching, but in fair, honest, and
true dealing without undermining, or smothering evil under fair
pretences. 3. In laying aside all malice, envy, and hatred,
false surmises, hard conceits, backbitings, and all evil-speak-
ing ; in a word, it consists in doing no manner of harm, but
a blameless walking, such as was commended in Zachary and
Elizabeth.
Peaceableness, which is another branch of justice, consists in
making peace, and endeavouring to reconcile differences, not
blowing coals that are kindled, which is the property of a make-
bate ; to this our Saviour pronounceth blessedness, Matt. v. It
lies in entertaining with readiness terms of peace, though with
some disadvantage; being apt to reconciliation without turbu-
lency, contention, needless suits, or inveterate implacableness:
this our Saviour commends to his disciples, " My peace I leave
with you;" of this kind of justice is putting up of injuries, and
loving enemies : justice it is, for it is a debt in the apostle's
judgment, as well as our Saviour's; " owe nothing to any man
but to love one another." And it lies in living peaceably, with-
out either giving or taking occasions of quarrel, as much as in a
man lies, as the apostle says, " As much as in you lies, labour
to have peace with all men." Finally, this justice lies in doing
right to all men, giving to every one his due, " Tribute to
•i" l>om tribute is due j love to whom love is due ; fear to whom
3(?S FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD ■WORKS.
fear, honour to whom honour." You see of how large an etteat
tne first branch of righteousness is, to wit, justice.
The second branch is mercifuhioss to men ; and this is inter-
nal or external. Internal consists in compassion or pity, which
is opposed to hard-heartedness ; this is a kind of fellow-feeling,
or a being affected for another's distress ; " For we are all
members of one body ;" therefore as members naturally sympa-
thize one with another, so should we ; which mercy the apostle
much urgeth, and our Savioiu- presseth in the parable of the
Samaritan, that had compassion on the wounded man ; this
tender-heartedness is a commendable virtue, and such as human
society can scarce be conserved without ; and lies in de^ ising
liberal things, which the prophet Isaiah mentions, " The liberal
man deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things he shall
stand." Two things are worth our observation in this internal
merciful righteousness. It consists of a free and large heart to
do good, and to shew kindness. There are niggardly, as well as
contracted hearts, in the world; when men think every little too
much, it is cutting to the heart to part with any thing. It comes
from them gradually, and the heart murmurs and repines, when
an occasion happens that he cannot handsomely avoid some
charitable expence, which was the foul and killing error of
Ananias and Sapphira ; but a iiberal heart is glad of opportu-
nities to do much good, and is as well pleased in scattering
plentifully, (according to ability, without corrupt or parsimo-
nious pretences) as to reap abundantly; for which temper of
heart David gives public praise to God; " Who am I, and what
is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly ?"
This heart deviseth liberal things, it is projecting and con-
triving how to be liberal, when, where, and to whom to shew
kindness.
External mercy is the venting of kindness, and this is either
passive or active. The passive consists m long suffering, or
patient putting up of injuries ; when a man will be hardly pro-
voked and easily intreated, he lets go advantages offered of
requiting evil for evil, being ready to forgive offences; active
mercy is an actual distribution as a man's own ability, and
another's necessity require ; this mercy, in the apostle's phrase,
is a doing good to all^ especially to the household of faith : tlie
bounds of it are large, extending to all in need; enemies must
FR"KE OUACE THE TF,AC!1RR OF GOOD WORKS.
not be excluded ; " If thine enemy hunger, give nim bread : so
shalt thou heap fire on his head ;" it is excellent mercy to
requite good for evil; only there is some diiference to be
observed, with respect of the persons to wliom good is to be
shewed ; for the apostle adds and especially to ihe ■household of
faith; wherein he intimates that God's faithful ones are to be
preferred before others in shewing mercy ; their failings are
especially to be borne withal, to be favourably construed, and
their necessities and wants are specially to be relieved ; they
must have the priority of mercy, and greatest share of relief:
this mercifulness of man is so acceptable to God, that many
times he will dispense with his own peculiar right to make way
for it: "I will have mercy (saith God) and not sacrifice;" and
he takes kindness shewed to his, as done to himself: " In that
you have done it to the least of these (saith Christ) you have
done it unto me." Finally, note. That this merciful righteous
ness spreads itself wide ; it fastens on the soul, to communicate
light to it, and heat ; endeavouring to snatch some as firebrands
out of the fire, by instruction, admonition, or warning ; by
reprehension, exhortation, and consolation ; and all this with
long suffering and meekness, " If, at any time, God will give
them repentance." It descends also to the body to supply it with
food and raiment convenient, with other helps that concern the
health and strength of it ; it proceeds to the credit, covering
infirmities, vindicating from calumnies, but publishing deserts,
that the name of a good man may be as ointment poured forth ;
it runs on to a man's substance, mercy will be helpful to his
very beasts; yea, the beast of his enemy, which the Lord
enjoins by Moses, to " bring it home if it straggle ; to lift it up
if sunk under a burthen." Thus have you the righteousness
branched forth which grace teacheth. To live righteously is
the same as to live soberly ; grace teaches this. To wit,
(1.) Magisterially, as a master teacheth his scholars, by rules
and arguments. (2.) Imperiously, as a prince his subjects, with
a binding authority. (3.) Persuasively, as a most skilful win-
ning orator. (4.) Irresistibly, infusing the thing taught.
Use. Doth grace teach to live righteously ? Learn, then, to
disclaim that selfishness that too many adhere unto. There is
an unsociable inhumane proverb in the world, too prevalent
every where, " Every man for himself, and God for us alj,'''
L. II. 2 B
370 FREB GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
whereas the very heathens, by the light of nature, confess, That
we are not born for ourselves ; " No7i solian nobis nati sumus^^
saith Tully ; our country, prince, parents, children, challenge a
just right to what lies in our power ; the members of the body
are not more engaged one to another, as well as each to itself,
than men are to men. Learn, therefore, to render to every man
his due, and keep a conscience void of offence, as well towards
men, as towards God, which the apostle joyed in.
The next point, that grace teacheth, is to live godly. As all
arts are subservient handmaids to divinity, and therefore are
first learned ; so all the former lessons of grace serve ultimately
to make grace's scholars complete in this last lesson of godli-
ness ; therefore grace teaches this last. This lesson comprehends
the whole duty of man to God immediately, whatever is con-
tained in the first table of the decalogue, which is exceeding
vast and large. That we may be the better versed in this lesson
let us consider, 1. What it is to live godly. 2. Why. 3. How.
4. When. It imports,
(1.) That we must make God our aim in all our ways.
(2.) That we prefer him before all things, making them give
place to him. (3.) That we serve him in his own way.
1. To live godly, requires that the main end and scope of all
our actions and passions must be fixed principally on God, for
the advancing his glory and honour ; thus the apostle expounds
living godly, when he tells us, " We must live unto the Lord,"
Rom. xiv. 6, 7, 8. Now, as a servant is said to live unto his
master, when his eating, sleeping, recreating, and the rest, are
intended for the fitting him for his master's business, or the far-
thering his credit or benefit; so a man lives to the Lord, or
lives godly, when all he doth is for the Lord ; such a godly life
is intimated to us in the talents the master gave to his servants,
expecting a return with increase, Matt. xxv. 13, 15,16. 1 Cor.vi. 19.
For the better illustration of this branch of godliness, I will
shew you what it is to aim at God in our ways, how far it is
requisite, and who err herein. It is nothing else but to do, or
suifer things for God's sake; making his good pleasure and
glory the main loadstone to draw us forth to employment, and
the great weight to set all the wheels of our several faculties
members a-going in their courses : the philosophers say
mne agct propter finem, especially man, who hath hi«
FREK GRACE THE TEACHER O^ GOOD WORKS. 371
particular end in his choice and eye; whereas other creatures
incline to their end by a natural instinct : you shall have no
man go about any thing, but he can tell you some persons or
end he aims at; doth he sleep? his end is rest and ease ; dotli
he eat ? his end is to satisfy hunger ; doth he toil in the world ?
his end is gain: now when a man in sleeping or eating pro-
pounds to himself the repairing of weakness, and the making
him fresh to serve God ; when God is so in the eye, as his glory
is the wind that fills the sails ; then doth he live godly, or unto
the Lord; which is the godly life the apostle requires, "Whether
we eat or drink, or whatever Ave do, we do all to the glory of
God ;" but, some may say, doth a man live ungodly when he
propounds, or aims at any other end, than God and his honour
in his ways ; as namely, if he doth aim at gain in his labour?
Let it be considered, that there are ultimate and subordinate
ends of men's actions, the one subservient to the other ; and so
of intentions, in which case the subordinate are a step to the
ultimate. For instance, a man hath a dull knife, and whets it,
there are two ends ; the next and subordinate end is to make it
keen, the ultimate and special end is to make it serviceable;
here one end destroys not the other, if so be a man aims at each
in its order. So for a man's eating meat, or taking physic, the
chiefest end of them is the fitting of persons in God's work;
now, because health and nourishment, are requisite thereta,
therefore the first subordinate end is health ; seeing then there
are these two ends, it is not ungodliness to aim at the subor-
dinate end, as well as the ultimate ; but godliness, as it hath
both in its eye, so it makes that which is chiefest in its own
nature, the chiefest in a man's aim and intention. There is a
double error against this branch of a godly life ; (1.) When men
put the cart before the horse, as I may say, preferring natural
subordinate ends before supernatural and ultimate ; as namely,
when men do any thing for pleasure, more than to quicken dull
spirits for God's work. (2.) When men exclude the principal
end, and make the natural end of things their sole loadstone ;
as namely, to work only for gain, to give alms only for praise,
to perform outward duties only to satisfy man's law, or to be
seen without any regard to God himself. (3.) When men aim
at sinister, base, and corrupt ends, as unlawful gain, accom-
plishing their lust, and the like.
2b'^
372 FREE UUACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS.
Use. He then that woukl live godly must ever fix his eye on
the right mark, and take his aim to hit the white, " even the
glorifying God in every action." A man only so far lives to the
Lord as he thus aims, and therefore should both fix his thoughts
hereon, and contrive the fittest means hereto.
2. A godly life is, to prefer God before all things else, making
them give place to him ; which was David's godliness, when he
said, " Whom have I in heaven but thee," &c. and the church's,
when speaking of Christ her beloved, she saith, " My beloved
is the chiefest of ten thousand," For illustration, consider we
what this preferring God is ; it may be considered simply or
comparatively : preferring God simply before other things is no
more but this, namely, that he hath the utmost extent of reve-
rence, respect, esteem^ love, and submission, the soul can
possibly extend unto ; for if any of these be so scanty to him, as
that any thing else can possibly have more, he is not actually
preferred before them: but the point will be more clear, by
considering it comparatively, when we set any thing by God,
and we can perceive, (1.) That God hath more of us than it
hath. (2.) When we rather turn from it, and leave it, for his
sake, than leave him and his will. This will be clear by instance
for example, suppose a man hath done thee some notable gooa
turns, his person is very amiable, his society very sweet; com-
pare the temper of thine heart towards God, and such an one,
whether such an one finds more sensible respect ? More ready
compliance ? Most care to please ? Strongest desires of friend-
ship and familiarity ? Most jealousies of giving distaste, and
causing some breach ? Most cutting of heart in case of displea-
sure manifested ? Most gladness when favour and respect is
renewed ? And any thing is done that produces a manifesting
of good liking ? Compare thus, I say, the temper of thy spirit,
and it will manifestly appear, whctlier God be preferred before
such an one or no ? for, in these particulars, and such like,
consists this preferring of one thing before another. Do the
like with any other thing whatsoever, as husband, wife, child,
^oods, pleasures, liberty, health, life, or what else is dear ; if
God outstrip them, and more be spent on him than them, then
he is preferred before them. For preferring is no more hut the
setting of one foremost, or before another; so that the other
comes behind.
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 373
The other branch of preferring God is in the case of com-
petition, when God and his will stand in such opposition against
any thing, that either his will, or it must be rejected. Now, in
this case, prefeiTing God before such a thing, is a renouncing,
or foregoing such a thing rather than him. Even as in a tempest
at sea, when a man must either cast his goods over board, or
inevitably hazard his life ; life is preferred before goods, when
for life's sake he choose th to cast his goods away. So when
God will not admit such or such a thing to stand with him, but
his will, or that must sink, he is then preferred when we are
contented to part with that for the preservation of his will entire.
For example; consider Abraham's case, either God must be
denied and put by, and Isaac live; or God's will stand, and
Isaac die. Now Abraham's choosing to part with Isaac rather
than cross God's will, manifestly prefers God before Isaac. On
the other side, consider the rich man's case in the gospel ; it
stood thus, either he must sell all and give it away, and so
follow Christ; or keep all, and leave him. Here Christ, and
his wealth, stand in competition, one or the other must be
parted with : this man went away sorrowful, because he had
much riches ; that is, he chose rather to lose Christ than his
wealth, and so preferred the world before him. Only note,
these are extraordinary cases, in force only, when God reveals
himself, that he stands in competition with such things. Doth
God call for thy wealth more or less, to be given to such and
such uses ? Wilt thou not part with it, or do it by half, as
Ananias did, or do it grudgingly 1 Wilt thou make shipwreck
of God's revealed will to save thy purse ? Then thou preferest
it before him. Conclude the like in all cases whatsoever of this
nature, when it comes to pass : either God must be flatly denied,
this must be done, that must be forborne, the other thing must
be parted withal. If you will prefer God, all these things must
give way and stoop to him. Hear our Saviour's own doom of
the case, " If any man come to me, and do not hate (he saith
more than forsake) his father, mother, wife, children, brethren
for my sake, and for the gospel, he is not worthy of me. You
see what a preferring of himself he requires.
3. Living godly, is to serve and worship God in his own way,
or according to his own will, which our Saviour briefly compre-
hends in two words, " In spirit and in truth." The former
374 FREK GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORRS.
points to the subject, how we must be disposed in serving hina
The latter at the matter of his service: (1.) To serve and
worship the Lord in spirit, imports, that the whole spirit of a
man be rightly disposed in his service : to wit, that we serve
him with understanding, knowing whom we worship, what we
do, and how we do it ; by this our Saviour distinguisheth
between the false worship of the Samaritans, and the true of the
faithful Jews ; " Ye worship ye know not what; we know what
we worship," John iv. 22. A blind devotion cannot be a godly
service. So Paul tells us. That he will praij with understanding.
(2.) That we worship with attention of spint^ with our spirits
fixed upon it, seriously minding the present business, without
rovings, gaddings, or wanderings of heart about impertinent
matters ; as David, " My heart is fixed, O God, I will sing and
give praise ;" the apostle calls this a " giving of earnest heed,.
lest we let slip the thing. (3.) That we serve him wisely, pro-
jecting fittest times and best means for the better dilating our
spirits, and more exact and complete perfecting of the service,,
and the removal of impediments. " Wisdom is the principal
thing, therefore get wisdom," Prov. iv. 7. It both facilitates
and graces the work. The apostle exhorts, That " the word'
dwell richly in us, and in all wisdom too. (4.) That we serve
and worship him willingly and freely, with an inclination of
spirit to his service ; St. John tells us, " That his command-
ments must not be grievous." When David had offered,
abundantly to God's house, he is thankful in a special manner,
that God gave him a free and willing heart thereto. The Lord
does not brook sullen, weai'isome services, that are tedious even
to men ; God must be served of choice. (5.) All service must
spring from love. " The love of God constrains me," saith the
apostle ; no service is acceptable but what is set on fire by this
coal ; the apostle requires that all things he done in love, much
more God's worship; this makes the main difference between
filial and servile service : hence it is he reduceth all service
to love, and calls love the fidfilUng the law, because it is the
primum mobile, to set the whole frame of service in their several-
motions. We must pray out of love to prayer, so also hear,
receive the Lord's supper, and meditate upon God's word out
of love thereto. (6.) God must be served for conscience-sake^
not with a reserved liberty whether we will serve him or no ; aa.
FREE GRACE THE TEACHER OF GOOD WORKS. 375
if it were an arbitrary matter, as walking abroad to take the
air, u'hich we may or may not do at pleasure. Men must not
think God beholden to them for vouchsafing him their attend-
ance ; a necessary tye of conscience lies on them. This service
for conscience-sake the apostle requires to men in authority,
much more is it due to God himself. (7.) God is to be served
with unanimousness ; that is, a concurrence of all the powers
and faculties of the soul together, each must be doing, as in a
well ordered family, every servant is stirring to dispatch business.
As many hands make quick work, so every faculty must put a
helping hand to dispatch God's service ; there must none be
idle. As David speaks of himself, when he set upon praising
God, " My soul, praise the Lord, and all that is within me
praise his holy name." Thus must the Lord be worshipped, or
served, in spirit, of those that will live godly. Again, to serve
God according to his will, we must serve hivm in truth, and this
two ways. L In sincerity, with a real upright heart, as it is
opposed to hypocrisy. 2. When we serve him according to the
pattern which he hath given, both for the matter, manner, and
time, &c. the matter of God's worship consists of such divine
exercises as he commands. Some are public, some private, and
some secret ; the public are such as are required in the cono-re-
gations, or public assemblies ; the private in families ; the secret
by one's self alone ; in all which true godliness hath regard to
all that God enjoins, and only that ; so that will-worship is no
true godliness, but a false worship ; " In vain do they worship
me," saith the Lord, " teaching for doctrines the traditions of
men ;'* this is not holiness to the Lord, though it may be never
so zealously performed, and with never so good a meaning; for
it is only God's warrant and commission that can make worship
authentic: as for human rites of time and place, what tends to
decency, they are not any parts of the worship itself, but only
conveniencies ; if men should make them essential, then would
they defile worship.
The public exercises of God's worship are, 1. Reading the
scriptures; so Paul testifies in a sermon of his at Antioch, where
he tells us, " That the prophets were read every sabbath day,*'
Acts xiii. 27. Tiie like you may see in our Saviour's practice,
*' When he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up, as the
custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, ani
376 FUEE GRACE THE TEACIIEU OF GOOD WORKS.
stood up to read." Luke iv. 16. This must be done audiblj^r
aiul distinctly. 2. Preaching the word, which is an opening and
applying the word: that this is an exercise of public worship \s
plain by the fore-mentioned practice of Christ, who, after he had
read, preached an that text of Isa. " The spirit of the Lord is
upon me ;" from wliich many gracious words proceeded out of
his mouth, as the Holy Ghost affirms ; the like you may see ki
Ezra the priest, who stood in a pulpit of wood above the people
assembled, and read in a book of the law of God distinctly, and
gave the sense, and caused them to understand. 3. Attention
to the word read and preached, for which see the two former
examples. " The ears of all the people were attentive to the
law ; and the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were
fastened upon him," (that is Christ.) This attention implies not
only a giving ear, but also a pondering of the sayings, as the
virgin Mary ; and a hearing with good affection, as did Peter's*
converts, who heard him gladly^ Act, ii. 41, and with application,
as the> same hearers and the gaoler. 4. Baptizing m«st go with
teaching, as Christ commanded, and John the Baptist practised.
5» The administration and receiving the Lord's supper. " The
disciples met together to break bread." 6. Prayer ; in respcc^
of the publicness of it, the house of God is called, ** A house of
prayer ;" and Paul, after he had preached at Troas,&c. " kneeled
down, and prayed with them all ;" in which exercise it is not
sufficient to be present, but to join with them in spirit. 7. Prais-
ing God, with singing psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs,
with melody in the heart, and that frequently, as David did ; or
otherwise publishing the Lord's praises, by declaring his mar-
vellous works, and exalting him in the great congregation :
" Come, (saith David) I will tell you what great things the
Lord hath done for us :" for this cause did he pen so many
psalms of praise, that God might be publicly praised. 8. Add
to this fasting.
The matter of divine private worship in families apart, or
christians among themselves, 1. Is searching the scripture,
which is commended of the men of Berea, after they had heard
the apostle preach, who receiving the word with all readiness of
mind, searched the scriptures daily ; this implies three things,
(1.) Reading the word. (2.) So as to find out the true meaning-
of it. (3.) A comparing of scripture with scripture. 2. Another
FREE GRACE THE TEACHliR OF GOOD WORKS. 377
Drancii is, private conference about divine things ; such was the
practice ot the two disciples that went to Emmaus, when Christ
joined himself with them; " did not our hearts burn within us,
(say they,) when he talked with us by the way, and while he
opened the scriptures." 3. Wholesome holy advice, exhorting
one another ; rebuking, encouraging, and comforting ; to this
purpose serve those passages of the apostle, " Exhort one
another daily," Heb. iii. 13. " Have no fellowship with un-
fruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them," Eph, v. 11.
" Comfort one another with these sayings," 1 Thes. iv. 18.
4. Private prayer with the family ; herein was Cornelius his
godliness, for which the Holy Ghost commends him ; "He was
a devout man, and feared God with all his house ; and prayed to
God alway;" whicli, although it have no special stint for the
time, yet the apostle's general rule. Pray continually^ and Cor-
nelius's practice, ahcays, is rule enough.
The matter of sacred godliness consists, 1, In a daily con-
stant meditation in God's word; thus David describes the
blessed man, " He meditates in the law of the Lord day and
night; which exercise is sweet to a godly man;" as David
speaks of himself 2. In self-examination, or an inward diligent
trial of a man's own ways, by calling himself to an account, and'
ransacking his heart and life; so the apostle enjoins, " Examine
yourselves, prove yourselves," and the prophet Jeremy in his
Lamentations, " Let us search and try our ways," Lament.
iii. 40. 3. In secret prayer by one's self alone, which our
Saviour enjoins; "Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thv
closet, and shut thy door, and pray to thy Father which is in
secret. This is either by ejaculation, which is a lifting up of
the soul to God in some short earnest request, and hath no
stinted time or place : or a prepared setting of a man's self to
seek the Lord more at large ; such was Daniel's prayer three
tnwes a day.
As for the time of living godly, the apostle expresseth it in
the close of this text, namely, " In this present world;" so that
there is no minute of time wherein we are exempted from anv of
these lessons which grace teacheth, when any occasion of prac-
tising them is afforded. What Job speaks of his change, must
be every christian's practice about godliness, and the other
ossons: '• All the days of their appointed time" must they wail
378 A PREPARATION FOR A FAST.
and be in readiness to exercise godliness, righteousness, and
sobriety, with the denial of ungodliness and worldly lusts. In
brief, this time imports a perseverance in well-doing unto the
end. To begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh, makes the
latter end worse than the beginning. If any faint and give over
the race, they lose the prize ; therefore the apostle admonisheth
thus, " So run that ye may obtain :" we must be flourishing trees
in the courts of God's house, as well in old age, as in our prime.
Besides, this present world points also at the impediments, which
yet must not hinder in the race set before us : as if he should say.
Although you live in this present world, which wholly lies in
wickedness, and is at enmity with Christ and you, and lays many
snares to trap you, many baits to allure you ; and casts out floods
of persecutions, cares, and fears, to swallow you up ; yet in
spte of all, you must stand fast, and keep on your course of
godliness.
SERMON XLIX.
A PREPARATION FOR THE FAST, JULY 8, 1G40
AMOS iv. 12.
BECAUSE I WILL DO THIS UNTO THEE, PREPARE TO MEET
THY GOD, O ISRAEL.
When bodies are distempered, that nature, in its ordinary
course, cannot make its own way to uphold it, men usually seek
to a violent course of physic ; which, although it be very trouble-
some to nature for a time, yet for the purging out of dangerous
rooted maladies, men will not stick at the present disquiet. Now,
wise physicians deal with such bodies, as surgeons do with teeth
they would draw forth ; they first loosen them before the main
pull ; so they give preparatives a day or two before a purge, to
A PREPARATION tOR A FAST. 379
make way for the better working of it, when it is taken. You
are not ignorant, that within these few days, the whole nation of
England hath a great purge prescribed ; even a solemn day of
humiliation in an extraordinary manner, by reason of many
rooted dangerous distempers, both of sin and misery, wisely and
providently observed by our great physician of church and state,
the king ; which our ordinary way of seeking God stirs not ; and,
that we may be prepared for it, he hath published a royal decree
before hand. In my deepest thoughts of contriving this great
work to the best advantage, I find, that seasonable directions for
a wise and religious preparation, will much further the happy
desired issue of it. I have, therefore, allotted this opportunity
to put you upon a seasonable and useful preparation for that fast,
from this text ; in which you see expressly, that in case of pro-
vocation, God doth not only expect that his people come forth
and meet him, but also that they prepare themselves for such a
meeting.
In furthering you to a preparation, 1. I shall endeavour to
shew you what is requisite for a due preparation for a fast. 2.
Of what necessity such a preparation is, and then apply it. Two
things are mainly requisite unto a preparation for a solemn
meeting of God, especially by fasting. 1. Preconsideration..
2. Predisposition.
I. Some things, concerning the fast, are to be considered, or
thought on, before hand ; without which the business will prove but
a rude, confused, and vain labour. Now the things mainly to be-
thought on before hand, are (1.) The nature of the business we are-
called to, that we may know what we have to do. (2.) The end of
it. (3.) The need of it. (4.) The means how it may be well done.
(].) A fast is more talked of, I mean a religious one, than well
understood, and therefore most sordidly kept of too many, wha
cannot forecast what to do, because they are ignorant of it. Be,,
therefore, attentive, briefly to hear, and understand what a fast
God requires. There are divers sorts, as, natural, compulsive,,
civil, and religious ; our business is with the last, which is either-
ordinary or extraordinary ; this last is when it consists of many
days, as that of Moses, Elias, Christ, and Daniel ; ordinary is
that of one whole day; this is ours. Now, although in the strict
Signification of the word fast, it imports simply abstinence ; yet,
in all religious fasts, there is something positive as well as pri-
380 ' A PREPARATION FOR A FAST.
vative. For the privative part, it must not be only abstinence
from meat and drink, which is all that the vulgar resrard, but an
universal abstinence, as well from all natural and useful things
of the world, as from sin. To give you a little light, note, how
the scriptures express a fast ; " The bridegroom must not go-
forth from his chamber, nor the bride from her closet,' Joel ii.
16. This is a matrimonial abstinence. Men must also put off
their ornaments, they must not stand tricking and trimming
themselves, but must shew a kind of neglect of their attire. Of
old they rent their garments, and put on sackcloth. There must
be abstinence from common labour, pleasure, and talk. The
latter is little observed by most that fast, but you shall find all
this strictly required, Isa. Iviii. 3 — 13, But, besides this, there
must be the internal abstinence of the mind ; the mind must fast
from all worldly contrivances, thoughts, affections. In brief,
the whole man, in fasting, must forbear all things, which concern
not the furtherance of the positive work in fasting, for the former
is but subservient to the latter ; that is, to the positive work,
either public or private.
The public is, 1. A timely joining with the congregation, both
with outward reverence, and inward intention of mind ; but most
specially there must be each man's several confession of heart in
the public confession. So of application of all things, in praying,
reading, or preaching, which concerns him in particular ; and
this joining must be constant throughout all. 2. It must be
affectionate working like physic, making the soul sick ; for which
cause it is called a day for a man to afflict his soul. The private
business is, 1. A recollection of the public reasons and concerns.
2. A supplying, in a man's thoughts, what most concerns his
particular case, either not sufficiently enforced, or not met withal :
as day-labourers, when the task is over, will do a little for them-
selves. About this matter must the meditations, confessions,
supplications, and humiliations of the soul be employed. This
business of the fast must we rub and survey, as men do against
a training day ; they will take down their arms, and view them
over.
(2.) We should preconsider the ends of a fast, why God looks
for it ; he that hath not the mark in his eye before he shoots,
shall never hit it.
The ends to be considered of are, 1. The humbling of the souk
A PREPARATION FOR A FAST. 381
2. Tij«? pleasing of God. 3. The averting of wrath. In this we
slioUi'J poiitler what wrath is on foot, or breaking out, whence it
proceeds, how it may be pacified. 3. We should [)reconsider
whai. end there is of fasting, both with respect to the public, and
other private concerns ; as namely, what sins abound, and with
how hiffh a hand that God calls for it, and hath oft made it effec-
tual for much good. 4. We should forecast the means of fasting;
we should do as workmen, that look out and lay in a readiness
their several tools before they fall to work, so that each may be
in readiness at need ; as namely, that prayer may frame the
spirit and secret self-examination ; but especially, there must be
recourse to the promises of the Spirit for assistance.
The second branch of reparation follows ; predisposition, and
that, 1. Of other affairs, 2. Of a man's own spirit. 3. Of the
work itself.
He that will not be curbed in the work of fasting, must take
such an order before hand, with other common occasions, that
they may not lie in his way to stumble at them, which without
predisposing he shall never avoid. Now this is no more but a
provision of what is needful, that it may not be left to be then
provided ; and a dispatching things, that they may not be then
to be dispatched ; that so the world may not encroach upon this
time, but keep within its own bounds ; as ordering journeys,
bargains, payments, and such like, that they may not be troubled
with them that day. You may say, things of necessity, or dan-
gerous, which cannot be avoided, may be then done. 1 answer,
consider whether the careless want of foredisposing cause the
danger and necessity, if so, the fault is in defect of preparation ;
but more especially a man's own spirit must be prepared by a
predisposing of it to this work ; and that you may so do, I
will shew you, 1. What this predisposition is. 2. How needful
unto a fast. And, 3. How it may be done.
1. This predisposition is nothing else but such a breaking of
spirit before-hand, as to make it frame unto this yoke, and to
draw handsomely at the time. Our spirits are like wild heifers
to any service, especially to such a self-formenting exercise, as
a fast ; they will be rising and kicking even at the fore-thought
of it, and grumble at the tediousness of it ; and certainly wc shall
find them very sullen and lifeless at it, if we rouse them not to it
bo'li/fi l'4nd. (1.) Because it is an unheaten unusual roid, a
382 A PREPARATION FOR A FAST.
work seldom handled ; therefore men will be to seek : as suppose
a man be to do business he is not used to do, as mowing, it will
je harsher to him than daily work ; for use makes perfect. (2.)
Because it is a longer lesson a great deal than usually is set U3 ;
this being as long as the whole day, others being but an hour
long. (3.) Because a more thorny, prickly work, and requires
much more labour of the soul. 4. Because it cuts deeper, and
launcheth wider, and ransacketh more narrowly than other
service: now this disposing of our spirits is no more but such a
skilful winning of them, as to make them pliable and apt to the
work ; and this is necessary to be set about before-hand.
(1.) Because a little time and labour will not break them ; as
it is not an hour's work that will break a colt for the saddle, that
he may be pliable when he is to be rid ; and our spirits being
naturally more wild than colts, he, therefore, that would not be
thrown, or disappointed of his journey in the fast, must take his
spirit to task before-hand. The more dull a boy is, the more
time he must take to con, especially a hard and long lesson, if
he mean to say it perfect.
(2.) The fast-day i.s a day of arraignment, our day of trial.
If we expect to come off without loss, had we not need to get oiw
wits about us before-hand ? To bespeak our judge ? To get all
our plea in readiness 1 Without preparation, some thing or
other maybe forgot, or neglected, which being then to seek, may
mar all ; as the foolish virgins were cast for lack of preparing
oil before-hand. It is a good rule, prcemoniius, et prcemunitusi
fore- warned, fore-armed. Now if our minds be a wool-gather-
ing, and we be as bad husbands, that leave their cause at sixes
and sevens, till the very trial, whilst the adversary is fortifying
his accusations against us ; shall we not then be left speechless,
and be foiled ■? If men be but to travel a journey, will they not
provide over night ? If to wash or brew, will they not get things
in a readiness before-hand 1 How much more in so weighty a
matter ? When horses are to run a hard race, will not men pull
Tjp their bellies, and diet them before, that they may not fail in
the race ? If men be to make speeches, will they not whet their
wits and study before-hand? In brief, are men unfit for anything
of moment, till they consult and pause afore-hand? And can
such a work, as a fast, be done without predisposition "?
But how shall a man get his spirit fitly disposed ? 1. Lot him
OF SELF-DENIAL. Z&H
take a survey of the present indisposedness of it, whether it be
ignorance, faintness, or averseness ; let him give an assay at his
corruptions, by which ne may feel what rooting they have. 2.
Let him resolutely tie himself to the work. 3. Let him enter
the plough of examination, and humiliation. 4. Let him earnestly
seek Christ to bring his spirit to it ; to mortify his corruptiotw,
and to quicken his spirit.
SERMON L/
OF SELF-DENIAL.
MATTH. xvi. 24.
IP ANY MAN WriLL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF.
Our blessed Saviour having sounded his disci])les what they
thought of him, who he was ; wherein Peter, according to his
wonted forwardness, answers for himself, and the rest, ver. 16,
*' That he was Christ, the Son of the living God :" upon this con-
fession of their faith he takes the present advantage to break to
them that doleful tragedy which should ensue ; to wit, of his
sufferings, ver. 21. Here Peter, as before, steps in, and shews
as much weakness now, as he did faith before, advising Christ to
spare and pity himself, ver. 22. Which cowardly counsel when
Christ had sharply rebuked him, ver. 23, he takes occasion from
this selfishness bewrayed, to lay down an infallible conclusion,
which all his followers must embrace, namelv, if they will come
after him, they must deny themselves Wherein I might note,
the seasonableness of our Saviour's counsel ; he plucks at the
weed so soon as it peeps above ground, before it hath time to
* This Sermon was preached at Martin Abbey, and afterwards at Oxford, AjbO
16S9,
384 OF SELL" -DENIAL.
root itself; he observes the pliysiciau's rule, prmcipiis ohsia ^
delays are dangerous where poison hath fastened ; but I will not
insist on this. I might also observe, that men often bevvrav their
own infirmities by the -counsel they give others ; that self-denial
is then seasonably urged, when faith is first planted, and hath
Taken root; else instead of a lure it will prove a scarecrow. It
is true, if no self-denial, no part in Christ ; but it is as true, that
we must first be believers, before we can be able to deny our-
selves ; Christ's method can bave no danger in it, but may serve
for a sure pattern. But I hasten to the main thing. .
The point is this, they that choose Christ must deny them-
selves. Christiai.ity is no lazy life. There must be bustling in
it, as well as in the world ; which to the blinded, that understands
not the gospel, is a stone of offence ; insomuch, that from that
time that they hear thereof, (though before, perhaps, they look
after Christ,) they go backward, and will walk no more with
him ; as appeared in the young rich man in the gospel. Now,
because this is a necessary sequel of choosing Christ, not to be
separated, and yet so offensive to many, let us consider, 1. What
it is to deny a man's self. 2. Why we must do it. 3. How we
may attain to it. For the first, two things are to be enquired
into, (1.) What a man's self is. (2.) What this deniai" is,
A man's self in scripture is considered three ways, natural,
corrupt, and spiritual. This distinction is very needful for under-
standing the point in hand, and will give light to resolve many
doubts, which we may meet withal in due place. Let us therefore,
1. see how this distinction is bottomed. 2. What these several
selfs are. 3. Which is meant in the text. The two former go
together. 1. Natural self is nothing else but personal subsistence,
consisting of a reasonable soul and human body united ; in which
self we conclude, all the natural faculties of the soul, and members
of the body : in a word, in this sense each man is himself, as he
is distinct from any other man, which betokens his individuity;
thus Peter takes it, saying, " I myself am a man," Acts x. 26.
And Paul speaking to the gaoler, " Do thyself no harm," Acts
xvi. 28. Sometimes this natural self is taken more largelv tlian
for the subject only ; it imports often all things that conduce to
the being, and well-being of nature ; as food, raiment, life,
liberty, and the like, because they are all appurtenances to
nature, to preserve it. So you may understand thai loit
OF SELF-DENIAL. 385
** Do no harm to thyself," that is, to thy life, for he wafl abotit
to kill himself.
2. A man's corrupt self, is nothing else but so much in
his nature, as is contrary to the rectitude of God's reveuleU
will. To wit, ignorance, errors, vanity, misconceit, false reason -
ings in the mind, stubbornness, humorsomeness, frowardness,
crosses, wilfulness, deadness, deceitfulness, and such like ; with
all sorts of inconsistent, impertinent, vain, loose, ungodly,
unrighteous thoughts ; all misplaced, misguided, excessive,
inordinate affections, or any other way ; all sleepiness, bravvni-
ness, unskilfulness, and base cowardliness of conscience; all
unruliness, and predominancy of the fancy to divert ; all master-
fulness, looseness, offensiveness, and brutishness of the senses
and members ; all false ends, self-dependence, and self-suffiency.
This, I say, and such like,.is man's corrupt self; and this
corruptness in man is often called himself. The Lord speakinor
of one that hateth instruction, consenting with thieves, and
partaking with adulterers ; at last tells him, that " God kept
silence, and he thought him to be such an one as himself"
" In rae, that is in my flesh, (saith St. Paul,) dwells no good
thing," Rom. vii. 18. The text opposeth man to himself.
3. A man's renewed self is no more but so much of man,
whether in his spirit, soul, or body, as is moulded, and hath the
stamp or impression of Christ upon it, and is reduced to &
submission or resignation of its self to his will. The scripture
plainly speak of such a self; as our Saviour speaking of tho
prodigal that broke out, and then growing weary of that con-
dition, thinks of returning home to his father again ; this inward
consultation Christ calls a coming to himself The apostle
speaks as fully to the same purpose ; " If I do that which 1
would not, it is no more I, but sin. I delight in the law of God
after the inward man." There is nothing more frequent than the
mention of these two latter selfs, the one the old, the other the
new man ; one flesh, the other Spirit.
In this diversity of selfs, you will ask, what self Christ means ?
I answer. Not every self absolutely ; the last must not be denied,
but maintained, yet not so as to be made our justifying righte-
ousness; for it is Christ's own work in a man. This must not
be denied, but confessed : " For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness, (i. e. Christ's) and, with the mouth, confes-
VOL. II. 2 c
38f5 OF SELF-DENIAL-
Pion is made unto salvation.'* For the former, to wit, the
natural ; neither is that simply to be denied as the corrupt self,
only so far forth as it stands at any time in opposition to some
special trial of God, which extends not to an universalit}' ; for
the apostle said to the goaler, " Do thyself no harm," for he
would have heenfelo de se. The mind of God, in general, is
for our preservation of this being, and the furthering of the
perfection of it, yet so as he reserves a liberty to himself to
sequester when he sees cause, even natural good ; nay, the best
of it, even life itself, from his people : so that this must be
denied only when such occasions happen, as would set God and
his people at variance, that one must be left. As for a man's
corrupt self, it must be denied at all times, universally, in all
the parts of it, with all a man's might.
Consider we now what this denial is, that God requires ?
1. This self-denial supposeth self-solicitation, which is a kind
of beffging, or earnest importunate wooing; wherewith the
natural, or corrupt self, intreats either the embracing or sparing
of somewhat, which is suitable to it, without which it suffers
damage. There is no self-denial, strictly, where there doth not
precede a temptation ; mere abstinence from things, whereto
there is not an actual inclination, or some secret desire of reser-
vation, is no self-denial. Men do not deny a thing which is not
first moved to them, or urged upon them ; as Christ did not deny
the sparing or favouring himself, till Peter first moved him to it.
2. In denial, the thing sued for, or begged, though it seems
never so plausible and good, yet it appears to him, that is
solicited unto it, to have a greater weight of evil than good,
which bears the sway ; so that the self-denier must be a clear-
sighted man, able to discern things in their proper colours ; yea,
and a man of faith to believe that they are worse than they
appear to sense, because God hath pronounced so of them ; for
men cannot possibly deny things that appear only good, or
better embraced than rejected ; for Bonum est objectum appe-
iitiis; yea, and he must see (all things considered) that there is
an over-topping good in want of such things as he denies ; that
this is far better than the other. As for example : consider life
itself, when God calls for it ; he that will deny his life, must see
(how glorioas a shew soever life carries, and how many great
and good things it propounds, yet then) the sparing of it is both
OF SELF-DENIAL. 387
the loss of it, and that which is far better, God himself, and an
«ternity of bliss ; and that the denial of his life is of necessity in
order to find and save it, yea, and to find bliss. The sight of
faith must be the spring of self-denial ; and these previous
requisites preceding it stand, 1. In a man's inexorableness to
such solicitations, though they be urged with such subtility of
natural arguments, as he cannot well repel ; yet, he holds the
conclusion, not to be swayed by them, or moved to entertain
them, but still turns the deaf ear unto them ; so far as self-
solicitation staggers a man, so far self-denial is shaken. See
this branch of self-denial excellently shining in Paul, who, to
spare himself, and not go up to Jerusalem, was solicited thereto
by the danger and misery that would ensue ; " But, (saith he).
None of these things move me," Acts xx. 24. So David, much
provoked to wrath by the loud cries of injuries, sustained from
his enemies, mark how he expresseth the denial of himself,
" But I, as a deaf man, heard not; I was as a dumb man, that
opened not his mouth," Psal. xxxviii. 13. You will say, Doth
not a man deny himself, although fleshly, or self-solicitations,
move him, who can choose but be moved with them 1 I answer,
That by moving, I mean not that the self- denier must not be
affected in any kind therewith, for it is impossible ; all occui--
rences have some impression on the affections, much more these ;
but, by moving, I mean drawn, or inclined to yield to such
solicitations. But it may be said, peradventure, a man mav be
startled by the nearness of such solicitations, especially such as
concern his being, or well-being, I answer. That, in self-
denial, it is with self-deniers, as with the needle in the mariner's
compass, it being touched with the loadstone; much jogging
may make it stir this way, and that way, a while ; but, at last, it
will settle towards the north-pole, and it cannot be moved to settle
elsewhere ; so, though self-solicitations may make a believer stii
a while, yet nothing can make him settle from his north-star.
2. Besides the deafness in self-denial, there is also contradic-
tion, which stands in two things, (1.) A direct and flat gain
saying, without any secret reservations or cautions, ifs or ands.
A man that denies himself, doth not only slacken his pace, but
stops himself; he doth not only cut short the allowance, but
takes it quite away, every jot of the motion is rejected. So, then,
when a man wholly disclaims his own righteousness, and gain
2c2
388 OF SELF-DENIAL.
says every motive the flesh useth, that neither the one nor the
other can change him ; but he sings the same song still ; I will
not consent ; this or that shall find no favour. The execution
intended shall stand firm ^s the law of the Medes and Persians,
irrevocable, although his ears be filled with never so many
outcries ; such contradiction being direct and flat, is a real
denial. (2.) It is a peremptory one ; that is, it is the more
stiff, by how much the more it is plied to a flexibleness, as in
Christ's denial of Satan ; awhile he lets him argue, and Christ
answers him ; at last, finding him over importunate, he deals
peremptorily with him ; " Get thee hence, Satan," Mat. iv. 10.
So Paul, being solicited not to go up to Jerusalem, denies them
peremptorily, '• What do you thus breaking my heart? I am
ready not only to suffer, but to die ; then (said they) we ceased,"
Acts xxi. 12, 13, 14. In this kind of denial there is still a
vehemency or ardency.
(3.) In self-denial there is struggling, and resistance : in
which struggling note, First, That such self-solicitations exaspe-
rate or provoke anger against the flesh, that will take no reason-
able answer. Nay, as when beggars will not be gone, at last
they will make the people of the house angry, being over soli-
cited. What, saith the denying soul, can there be no quiet 1
then begins choler to rise, and the blood to boil, which pro-
duceth threatenings ; but that is not all, it sets to buckle and
harness itself for resistance, and calls out for Christ, its good
neighbour, to come and aid ; and so lets fly amain at himself, to
beat down his body, as Paul did : even as when thieves beset a
house, the master of the house gets his ammunition ready, calls
neighbours, and -dischargeth upon them ; and thus denies them
with powder ; if the first denial will not serve, to wit, inexora-
bleness, then must flat and peremptory contradiction, with
vehemency, break forth ; if self-solicitations regard not that
neither, nor will be gone, then must it stand a combat, and be
cast out. Let this suflGice for the nature of self-denial.
Consider next, why such as come after Christ must deny
themselves ; it seems hard measure to many, but to the wise in
heart it will appear very reasonable and necessary,
1. It must be so, because we are not our own, but are bought
with a price. Is it reasonable that hired servants, much more
ransomed slaves, should neglect their master's business, to serve
OF SELF-DENK^L. 389
their own turn, and work for themselves? This reason Christ
intimates in the text : by the phrase of coming after him, he
tacitly gives io understand, that such are his servants ; whoso
takes notice of this his relation, cannot but take notice of
Christ's demand, and of the equity tiiereof.
2. Because we are in a crazy distempered condition, and
therefore not fit to be our own carvers. Shall it be well in an
ignorant man, out of self-will, or self-conceit, to go his own
way, say his guide what he can ; that knows what thieves and
quagmires lie in that way ? Shall an illiterate rustic stand stiff
against a judge in a law-case ? May a sick man choose his own
diet, that pleaseth the palate, whatever the physiiian saith ? Is
it like to go well with such persons? Nay, is it not madness,
and the desperate way to ruin? A foolish man, indeed, is apt
to think the brat of his own begetting is fairest, though it be a
deformed monster ; as the agueish man cannot be persuaded that
abstinence is better for him than cold drink; though, indeed,
instead of easing, it enrages the disease, as sound men know,
and his own experience, when it is too late, will tell him. This
is certain, whatever Christ requires us to deny, or reject, is our
poison, though it look never so lovely, or taste never so sweet.
You will say, Is not wealth useful, liberty sweet, life dear?
Are not parents to be loved, and obeyed? How then can a
yielding to enjoy them be poison ? I answer. That which at
sometimes is in itself good and wholesome, in its own nature
may be, at another time, a man's bane, if he then use it ; as in
the case of an agu Ibefore-mentioned ; so may these things,
though sometimes useful, yet at other times they may be poison ;
as " he that will save his life shall lose it; he that will lose his
life for my sake and the gospel's, shall find it," saith Christ.
But how shall I know when things are useful, and to be
embraced ; and when baneful, and to be denied ? I answer, by
the advice and opinion of Christ, the skilful physician ; in those
cases wherein he says they are baneful, we may conclude them
so : now in general he concludes them so, when they stand in
competition with him and his will ; so that the not denial of
them, is the denial of him and his will; when men choose rather
to keep them, and reject him and his will, than to adhere to him
by forsaking them. They being therefore thus prejudicial, and
ourselves not competent judges thereof, it is but reasonable to
300 OF SELF-DEN I A I-
deny ourselves in all such things as Christ requires to be
denieil.
3. This denial is reasonable, because the contrary is an
unsuflferable affront to the Divine Majesty; yea, shamefully
iujurious to divine goodness. Not denying of ourselves, is a
casting away of God's cords from us ; every refusal or denial,
where God calls fop it,, infers what Pharoah spake ; Who is the
Lord, that I should let this or that go? and what the wicked in
Psal. xii. 4, " Our tongue is our own, who is Lord over us ?"
Which is a kind of dethroning or disrobing of God., as much as
in a man lies: is it seemly, nay tolerable, for a servant, when
liis master bids him forbear to do this or that, to say, (because
his fingers itch after it,) I will not ? There is nothing levels
more directly against Divine Majesty, than persistence in a
man's own way against divine authority ; so that not to deny
ourselves is. Crimen Icesce Majestatis, and therefore capital :
])esides it injures divine goodness, not only as it is a churlish
requital of former kindness, but also as it misconstrues present
intended favour in the command. Now what can be more inju-
rious, than to deem a man an enemy in that wherein he only
aims at good, and by which it must be compassed? What can
be more distasteful than to deem that poison, and therefore to
be rejected, which out of a skilful tenderness is delivered for
the best cordial in the world, without which it were impossible
to escape miscarriage 1 How can such perverse misju'ision be
tolerated ? Christ may well take up Paul's complaint, " Am I
your enemy because I tell you the truth."
Use. Is this an inseparaUe attendant of coming after Christ,
to deny a man's self? then are all such grossly mistaken, and
aim far beside the mark, who tliink they may humoiu- them-
selves, and yet iiave a part in Christ. As the standard is the
tri;d of gold, so is this revealed mind of Christ, the discrimi-
nator of those that have interest in him from counterfeits : thy
failh, therefore, that humoureth thyself, is a mere dream and
delusion ; that which thou fanciest to be faith, is but vain and
dead. As cockering parents, by humouring their children, and
giving them the reins, never crossing them, prove in the end
their ruin ; so giving the reins to thyself, not checking and
controlling thine own itching humours, not bridling thine inor-
dinate judgment and affections, dost suck in thine own poison
OF SELF-DENIAL. 391
and Dane . all thy stay 's, that Christ will shew thee mercy ; but
hear what he saith himself, " He that (instead of denying him-
self) shall deny me before men, him will I deny, before my
Father which is in heaven." You will say, Doth not Christ
take men in their blood ? and doth not faith alone, withou'
works save 1 1 answer. That as this is a corner stone to those
that rightly understand it ; so is it a stone of offence to all those
that abuse it. Know, therefore, that although Christ finds men
in their blood when he enters into covenant with them ; yet he
leaves them not in their blood when they become his, but covers
their nakedness, washeth them from their blood, and puts jewels
upon them, (Ezek. xvi.) and that not by imputation only, but
by infusion also of actual grace. When God converts Ephraim,
he was a hullock unaccustomed to the ijohe^ but afterwards he
became GocVs dear child. Paul going with fury to persecute, is
met with Christ; but, when Christ had yoked him for his own
hirn, he puts into a better tune ; he makes him deny his former
attempts, and stoop to him, saying, " Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do ?" As for justification, by faith alone, witliout works,
in some sense, (namely, the apostle's) it is true ; but, in some
sense, (to wit, many a man's own) it is false. It is faith alone
justifies ; Avorks have no hand in that business. Yet, that faith
that justifies alone, stands not alone without works, as if there
could be a faith in men, and no renovation of life. Now, such
as wrest the scriptures to their own perdition, dream of a faith
that hath no fruits at all ; St. James calls them vain and dead.,
certainly true faith will make a man deny himself for Christ ;
dost tliou then establish thine own righteousness, and not deny
it, saying as in Isaiah, It is all as mensfnious cloth ? Dost thou
mai.itain thine own judgment of things, and conclude accordino-
to it, and not according to Christ's ? Dost thou not deny thine
own lusts, but make provision for them to fulfil them ? Dost
Ihou not deny thine own passions and affections, but thinkest
thou dost well to give them the reins to that inordinateness they
have got? Art thou not contented to part with any thino-, when
Christ calls for it ? If not, but persistest a self-maintainer, then
hear thy doom ; Chist shall 'profit thee nothing ; every one of his
must pluck out his light eye, and cut off his right hand Mat
V. 29, 30. That is, deny or reject what is dearest to him, stand-
ing in competition with Christ, if he will not go to hell.
2ld2 OF SELF-DENIAL.
i3ut because some say, They deny themselves, but do not ;
otliers, that they do not, and yet do ; that neither the tender,
jealous soul may be snared, nor yet the self-deceiving soul be
deluded, I will endeavour to make the case plain to both, or at
least so many as will regard it. Something, for this purpose,
may be gathered from what I have spoken for the unfolding of
self-denial.
1. Besides note. That the thing denied, is, as it were a man's
self, and yet is not favoured, the trial of denial is in that which
is dear and pleasant ; as Abraham's, in his denying himself in
his only son ; such a denial as, w^ere it not for God, a man
would not be wooed or hired to part with it : now bring this
home, and make trial by this rule ; suppose thy master-delight,
thy minion that hath ravished thine heart; suppose all thy wealth
and substance, thy pai'ents, wife, and children, lie whining and
and making moan, when Christ warns them away ; they beg and
make piteous crying, do they not only melt, but orercome thee
to spare them ? If thou wilt not, and dost not contentedly part
with them, then dost thou not deny thyself: doubtless an eye, of
a hand, would make shrewd moan to be spared, if designed to a
a violent disjunction ; yet a denying, or stopped ear, must be
given to such outcries : the denying soul doth as the Israelites,
that made their sons pass through the fire ; they got divine
music to fill their ears, and deafen them to such outcries :
many, out of common courtesy, may deny some superfluity, that
may be well spared for Christ, (and yet but few of them neither)
but his own self knows no stint: If Christ say, Sell all, men
must part with it ; it is matter of life, and therefore being less
than life, it must go ; as the richest lading in a ship, though a
man's whole stock be freighted in it, overboard it shall go, when
sparing of it is the ruin of life : some may say, I know not what
to do in such choice cases, not having been put to it. I answer,
thou mayest know by this. How is it with the cases that are
already on foot? How dealest thou with the present lust
arising, and wooing for harbour ? Canst thou not for pFty
deny tbem ? When a naked, hungry, undone member of
Christ calls for a more than ordinary portion of relief, how
canst thou part with it ? If God call for wife, husband,
child, or a dear friend, sends losses, and crosses, how heart st
thou them? If in these smaller things thou stick with Christ,
OF SELF-DENIAL. 393
surely, wnen the price is raised, thou wilt not lea\^e him.
But some will say, (being fearful every bush is a thief,)
sure, if this be true, I do not deny myself, and why ? because
they find themselves very loath still to part with a»y thing
against the hair ; therefore fain they would have this and that
spared. I answer, if this be all, it makes not void self-denial,
nay, it necessarily presupposes this, as you have heard ; there is
no denial where there is not first solicitation ; and the dearer a
thing, the leather a man is to part with it ; if at last he can say,
for all that, it is for Christ, and he shall have it ; the denial is
so much the stronger, and the love to Christ appears to be the
greater. Consider therefore, at parting, after all parlies betwixt
flesh and spirit, about things that Christ calls for ; is it, I say,
at last left to Christ's pleasure, or hath the flesh reprieved it,
overcoming by its importunity 1 If the last sentence be for
Christ, this is self-denial ; if the flesh over-rule, then it is
wanting.
Use. If this denial must be, then buckle thyself to it, and let
it be universal, as the apostle's rule is, " To deny all ungodli-
ness and worldly lusts ; be not partial ; favour neither small nor
great ; say not of this, oh, this is but a small one ; or of that,
it doth no body any hurt : but be alike resolute, cast out small
and great, quench the sparkles as well as the great coals, tli
covered fire as well as the flame ; for a spared sparkle may se
the whole course of nature on fire, as well as the greatest coal
and consume all to ashes. Say not, it will go out of itself; for
the least sin allowed, or the allowance of any thing that is
against the will of Christ, is as a sparkle lighting upon tinder;
such is a man's nature therefore, not likely to out, but to grow.
The very Gibeonites only being left, and all the rest of the
Canaanites destroyed, prove pricks in the sides, and thorns in
the eyes. One knot of couch-grass being left in the ground,
will soon overgrow, and choke the choice herb-;.
2. Let this denial be constant, do not begin in the spirit, ana
end in the flesh ; be not weary of this well doing ; so run in this
way, that you may obtain. '• I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course ; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown
of rigliteousncss," saith Paul. You see he fights not a while
only, but even till he finished his course. And let it be done in
sincerity, with good will, as unto the Lord ; lay aside all base
394 CF SELF-DENIAL.
sinister respects, which will poison the best self-denial ; it is as
a dead fly in a box of precious ointment. You will say, may [
not aim at mine own good in denying myself? I answer, That
a man may, in subordination to God and his will. Now, a
man's own end is subordinate to God, when the will of God is
the prtmwn mobile, that sets a man at work to deny himself.
2. When it is Jinis uliimus, that is, God's glory. In brief, a
man may take notice of his own good that shall ensue his self-
denial, and thereby be further moved thereto, and rejoice
therein ; but, because it is special service that Christ requires,
he must not expect his own good as the wages thereof, nor
desist when Christ only shall get the glory thereby ; because, as
I said, we are not our own, but must work for our master, not
for ourselves.
Many are the encouragements to this self-denial, whereto you
may reduce the reasons forementioned ; besides observe, that
although at first it seem a yoke, yet Christ hath promised to
make it easy ; which encouragement he adds to that command,
" take my yoke upon you, for it is easy ;" difficulty is the usual
discouragement of men in this case ; there is a lion in the way,
this makes men recoil ; but Christ you see takes it out of the
way, ho will make self-denial as easy as what is most natural.
You will say, I cannot find it so. I answer, 1. Peradventure it
is for lack of use ; after a little treading the path will be smooth.
2. It may be you take not Christ actually along with you in your
denial, but go about it in your own strength; and no marvel if
it be harsh. If you took him with you, you would be able to do
all things, and that with ease, through his strengthening you,
whereas of yourself you can do nothing.
Another motive is, this self-denial issues in peace and quiet-
ness. Peace with God, whose work is done there; and conse-
quently peace of conscience, which will not only be silent from
accusations and condemnations, but also will speak peace and
comfort ; for God, saith conscience, will say, " Well done, good
and faithful servant." It will afford quietness from inward
disturbance; as when an enemy is in a man's house, there's
nothing but brawling, quarrelling, and confusion ; but being
cast out of the hoiise, it is in quiet ; so while self swaggers
within, the heart cannot but be grieved and troubled with this
master of misrule, that turns all upside down, and brings all
OF SKLF-DKMAL. 395
cut of order, and sets all on fire ; but when it is cast out, then
tne occasion is taken away, and the soul returns to its rest it
falls to its wonted solaces, and freely and uninterruptedly enjoys
its communion with God..
Another motive is, this self-denial invites Christ and his
spirit not to withdraw; where Christ abides, he will have the
government upon his shoulders, he will not be over-topped. He
that will not deny any usurping thing which would sit above
Christ, must never look to have him remain, and be as an
underling. If the people will set up Absalom, David will hie
from them* ; David indeed for his own safety, but Christ and
his Spirit for their prejudice that shall set up any thino- in his
place. Now, when all such things as controul Christ are packed
out of doors, then he manifests himself; many a time hath Christ
hid himself, when corruptions have been harboured, as when the
church was in her sluggishness, not being willing to shake it off:
so long as corrupt self is denied, Christ sees a faithfulness to
himself, and delights to attend there.
But how shall I attain this self-denial ? I answer, get a true
estimate of that self of thine, that is to be denied; nothing but
self-love makes self-denial difficult, and self-lgve proceeds from
self-admiration, and an apprehension of self-usefulness ; so that
if a man could grow out of love with that self, it were easy to
deny it; but, here lies the difficulty, to grow"out of love with it.
The way hereto is to sift this self im])artially, and to sound it
and hereby a man shall find this self to be but a serpent in his
bosom, in human shape. If a man marry a woman of o-reat
beauty, it may be it is death to him to part with her ; but if he
find her to be a devil in a woman's shape, then will he kick her
out of doors with indignation. Men, I confess, are hardly per-
suaded that themselves are become monsters in nature, vultures
to themselves, sucking out their own heart's blood; but so they
are, and so must men be persuaded of themselves, before they
will deny themselves : that they are so is plain, " To live after
the flesh, (saith Paul,) is death ; the members thereof are
weapons of sin unto death." If men would recive this, then
self-denial would come on easily, for it could not but work
enmity and hatred; for it is an easy thing for an Amnon to deny
the greatest importunity of a Tamar, though he loved her never
• 2 Sam. XV. 14.
30G OF self-dinial.
so clearly before, when once he hates her. But, I confess, it
must be God, and not man, that must discover effectually this
deacHliness, or mischievousness of a man's self, and he must put
enmity between the seed of the serpent in man, and the seed of
tne woman ; therefore God must be sought to in it ; and because
the thing is a promise founded on Cbrist, we must put hira
iinon the suit.
SERMON LI.
THE USE OF THE LAW.
GALATIANS iii. 19.
WHEREFORE THEN SERVETH THE LAW ? IT WAS ADDED BE-
::!AUSE OF TRANSGRESSION, TILL THE SEED SHOULD COME,
TO WHOM THE J'ROMISE WAS MADE.
Having, as near as I could, followed the apostle in extolling
Christ, and reducing persons to him alone, for comfort and
strength, I suppose some conceive I aim at abolishing the law;
a jealousy which the apostle himself had in this text; I have
therefore, on purpose, pitched hereon, to shew the use of the
law to believers, which the apostle compriseth in these words.
Now that you may the better observe his drift and meaning,
consider that his watchful eye found the Galatians straggled by
the seduction of the false apostles from the gospel of Christ, to
the works of the law ; hereupon he takes them to task, to reduce
them back again to faith in Christ alone for justification : his
main argument to prove justification by faith in the promises of
Christ, is taken from the priority of them to the law ; they being
made before it, the strength of the argument lies in this ; that
God, to whom nothing can intervene, after he hath done an act,
to make him recall it again, doth not make void the promise by
THE USE OF THE LAW. 397
ilie succe.Hlin^ promulgation of the law : hence follow the
obiection and answer in my text ; where the apostle shews an
excefient use of the promulgation of the law, although it be not
contrary to the promise.
The text consists of an objection, and an answer: the objection
hath picked out of the premises a nullity of the law ; the answer
clears the premises from such gross absurdity. The objection
imports thus much, " If life must still come by promise, in vain
did God publish the law ;" the answer suggests, that though life
be not the end of the law, yet there are other sufficient uses of
it, requiring its promulgation ; which uses the apostle mentions
in that answer, shewing, that the law was published to be an
appendix to the gospel, giving the reason why it was added 1o
it ; namely, " Because of transgression ;" then he adds the
continuance of this use of the law ; namely, " Until the seed
should come, unto Avhom the promise was made."
The apostle's own conclusion, in his own terms, shall be all
the doctrine \Ve will observe from the words, which is this ;
" The law was added because of transgression, until the seed
should come to whom the promise was made." Because of the
obscurity herein, let us examine, (1.) What the apostle means
by this, " The law was added." (2.) What he intends in these
words, " It was added because of transgression." (3.) What,
by the duration of this use of the law, " Till the seed should
come." (4.) We shall then see how far forth the law stands in
force to believers.
1. The addition of the law to the promises of life by Christ,
imports, (1.) A priority of the gospel to the law, both in its
being, and its proper office ; that is, that God at first established
Christ by promise to be our life, and righteousness, before the
law was on foot ; for the addition of one thing to another sup-
poseth the thing to which the other was added, was in being
before the additament ; this the apostle expressly affirms, when
he saith, *' That the promise was four hundred and thirty year?
before the law ;" and from priority he infers, " That the law,
when it was delivered, was not promulgated in opposition to the
promise," as if the law were to contest with the promise; for,
when God hath once said a thing, he never after contradicts
himself; leit er doth one act of his annihilate another; for he
is not a man, that he should lie : now if the law did contradict
398 THE USB OF THE LAW.
the gospel, they being both the voice of God, the matter would
infer a lie, or falsehood in the former. If any say, that by this
argument the ceremonial law must not be abolished, because it
is God's act; I answer, that God ordained that to abide but till
Christ came, the promise was established for ever; besides
Christ contradicts not the ceremonial law, but is the comple-
ment of it.
(2.) This addition imports a principality in the promise of life
by Christ, above the law ; that is, the law was published for the
gospel's sake, to be subservient, or as an handmaid to it, not the
gospel to the law ; as additions to a house are for more con-
veniency and benefit of a house, the house is not made for the
conveniency of the addition ; the gospel is the end of the law's
publication, not the law of the gospel. Now, by how much the
end of a thino- is more noble, than the means conducing to the
better accomplishing thereof, by so much hath the gospel a
principality above the law ; for Christ promised, as the apostle
speaks, is the end of it. He is the end, not only in execution,
but also in intention ; that is, not only the end- of it, fulfilling it,
but also the ultimate end, at which the law points. It is true, it
points indeed at wrath ; but that is by accident, or as a second
end ; namely, if it fail of making men run to Christ.
(3.) This addition imports a consistence of the gospel, and of
the law; that is, that they can well stand one by the other,
without destroying each other, as additions can well stand by
their principals. Their natures are not so contrary, considering
the true use the law was intended for, but that they may well
ao-ree together, and both abide without destroying each other.
In brief, by this phrase of addition, the apostle intimates, 1.
That the law and promise are of different uses, but not contrary ;
and, therefore, 2. They may well stand together, being to let
us now consider what use it serves for; "It was added because
of transo-ression." I confess there is an obscurity in the expres-
sion, for the phrase imports, that sin was before the law, which
seems a strange speech, because when there is no law, there is
no transgression ; but I will clear it as fully as I can. Note,
therefore, the apostle speaks not here of the being of the law,
but of the promulgation of it by Moses, which was a long time
after the being of it. The law had its being from the time it was
enacted, which was at the creation; and every aberration from
THE USE OF THE LAW
3%
that was a transgression, befor^i this publication. But to come
to the purpose and use of the law intended in this expression,
(because of transgression) this expression imports,
1. That, therefore, God published the law anew, because,
before Moses, it being only written in man's heart, through his
corruption it began to be so obliterated, that a little more would
quite have defaced it ; so that transgression would not appear
to be transgression. Therefore, God revives the law, that, by
making it so conspicuous, transgression also against it might be
apparent in its proper hue; for, when the law comes fresh, sin
revives. Hence it is that God did not only publish it anew, but
also wrote it in tables of stone, that it might last fresh perpetu-
ally ; this, then, is one use of it, to shew man his transgression,
whicli he could never take notice of, but by looking in this clear
glass, that represents all his wrinkles and spots to the life.
2. It is added because of iransgressio7i ; that is, it is set up to
keep men from transgression, for, rectum est sui index et ohliqui.
Now, supposing the law almost obliterated, were it not revived,
man should not be able to distinguish what is good and what is
evil ; now the law renewed, propounding to man what is good
and acceptable to God, by looking hereinto he shall see what
will please, and what will displease ; when he doth well, and
when he fails ; so that it serves for a rule of conduct, and a
discerner of aberrations.
3. It imports, that the law was added, that when man trans-
gresseth, he may know what to expect from it, if he have no
other refuge ; to wit, the curse attending every person that con-
tinues not in all things that are written therein. The sum is
this, it serves to revive sin, to be a rule to avoid it, and to
discover wrath to sinners; all which may, and doth, well consist
with, nay, is subservient to, the promise of Christ ; for Christ
will not seem worth any thing ; nay, men will turn away their
faces from liim, till the law discover them to be transgressors,
yea, and subject to God's wrath for it ; as blood-guiltiness
pursued, made the city of refuge acceptable, and the manslayer
to hasten thereto, which otherwise might have stood as a
neglected place ; Christ, as a physician, is only welcome when
need calls for him.
Again, the rules and precepts of the law are very subservient,
unto Christ, as they adorn the life with a conversation beseem-
400 THE USE OF THE LAW.
ng a companion of Christ, who calls us Pot unto uncleanness, but
to holiness. Now had we not direct., ts from the law, men
would live as they list ; Christians would be rather monsters
than men ; the law, in the rules of it, being holy and good,
maintains a port befitting our communion with Christ. Some
may say, if that be transgression still, which the law makes so,
and those the rules of duty still, and that curse in force still
unto such breach of those precepts, seeing, in many things, we
all transgress those rules, the curse also lies on us still, and then
where is life by Christ ? I answer. That, in respect of those
that are still under the law, all this is true ; so saith the apostle,
" They are under the curse," Gal. iii. 10. But so many as are
within the covenant of grace, the law propounds but the desert
of such transgression it intends, not the execution of it upon
them ; for then it should directly contradict the covenant of
promise before made, which is proved to be impossible. You
will say, then. That the use of the curse of the law is made
void. I answer, That at the second publishing of the law, the
execution of the curse could not be intended, because of the
contradiction before-mentioned in the first institution. Indeed
it was intended, but Chi-ist hath borne it ; and so, though he
hath not utterly avoided it, because he endured it, yet he hath
translated it from us ; as a surety, by paying a debt, dischargeth
the principal debtor. But, yet there is some use of the curse
intended in the second promulgation, even to those to whom the
covenant of grace belongs ; namely, to hie them quickly out of
themselves to Christ, as the fire that was coming to Sodom,
though it was not sent to destroy Lot, yet it served to hasten
.him out of Sodom.
I come next to examine the duration of the law, in the uses
before mentioned, which the apostle expresseth thus, " Till the
seed should come, to whom the promise was made." There is
some obscurity in this expression, for it seems by, this, seeing
Christ is the seed, therefore this law must remain but till he
come; whereas the apostle professeth, That he seeks not to
make void, but to establish the law by this doctrine. Let us,
therefore, consider what he means by this. Till f he seed she vld
come. The seed of Abraham, in respect of the promise, whereof
the apostle hero speaks, is taken two ways, 1. For the person
of Christ ; " In thy seed shall all the nations of the cartli be
« THE USE OF THE LAW.
Weased.** 2. For the children of Abraham, according to faith ,
to wit, the company of all believers to the end of the world,
** 1 will be the God of thee, and of thy seed after thee." Now
if you will understand by the seed here, the person of Christ,
then conceive the meaning thus ; that the law in the utmost
rigour of it, is in force against man, till Christ come and abate
the rigour, and take it upon himself; but, by seed here, we may
understand Christ, in aggregato ; to wit, mystical, consisting of
himself the head, and the faithful his members ; and so the law
continues till that come ; that is, till the whole body of Christ
be made complete, by an actual subsistence of every member in
him. Now this seed will not be wholly complete, till the con-
summation of all things. Indeed, the words immediately fol-
lowing give no little jntimation that he understands seed thus ;
for it is the seed to whom the promise, to wit, of justification
and life by Christ, was made ; which cannot be understood of
Christ personally, but of his mystical members : so then the law
continues for a rule, and to point out the wrath due for trans-
gressions ; for so long as Christ hath any seed upon earth, the
law is to hunt men into Christ, their rock of safety ; and,
another end is, for a rule to order their conversation in him.
Some, it may be, will object, that all this while it seems that
Christ hath not freed us from being under the law, whereas the
apostle saith, " Ye are not under the law, but under grace." I
answer, 1. That in respect of the rules of righteousness, or the
matter of obedience, we are under the law still, or else we are
lawless, to live every man as it seems good in his own eyes,
which I know no Christian dares so much as think ; for Christ
hath given no new law divers from this, to order our conversa-
tion aright by ; besides, we are under the law, to know what is
transgression, and what is the desert of it. You will say, what
then is the liberty which the apostle there speaks of? I answer
having thus shewed how far the law is in force, I will now shew
you what liberty we have from the primary intention of the law.
The law, as it was a rule of life, so was it the only way to life •
a long and hard way, nay, through man's fall, an impossible way
to be trod ; insomuch, as there can be no access to life by it :
this end of it is abolished by Christ, who now is the only true
way to life ; So that none comes to the Father hut by Mm ; a
believer is not tied to seek life by his obedience to the law, but
VOL. II. 2 D
402 THE USE OF THE LAW.
by his faith m Christ. 2. The law was an executioner to avenge
itself on trespassers ; it had a curse like a sting in the tail of it,
but Christ hath redeemed his from this curse of it, being made
a curse for them, enduring the severity of that wrath, which their
sins deserved ; so that although in many things they offend all,
yet God lays on Christ the iniquity of them all, by whose stripes
they are healed. 3. The law stood upon exact and perfect
obedience to every jot and tittle, for matter, measure, time, and
end of every particular duty required ; so that if there happened
but the least error, though out of mere forgetfulness, or any
kind of weakness, it would not own or take notice of the most
exact care any our, but all must be quite lost. The
rigour also hath »^nrist taken from the law, insomuch, as weak
performances, if they be sincere, are accepted in him, the
beloved. The apostle making use of that prophecy in Jsaiah
concerning the acceptable time when the Redeemer should
come, applies it thus, till the time that grace comes. " Now, is
the accepted time," 2 Cor. vi. 2. So again, shewing the excel-
lency of Christ's gospel above the law, he concludes, let us haw
grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, Heb. xii. 28 : and
in Rora. xiv. 18, the same apostle saith, " He that in these
things serveth Christ, is acceptable unto God." so again,
having said, that " Of, through, and to Christ are all things,"
Rom. xi. 36; he tells us in chap. xii. 1, that the presenting of
our bodies a living sacrifice, which is our reasonable serving of
him, is both " a holy and acceptable service unto God ;" " In
my holy mountain shall the house of Israel serve me," saith the
Lord ; "there will I accept them ; I will accept you with a sweet
savour :" it is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ. 4. The
law meeting with the corrupt nature of man, though in its own
nature it be holy and good, yet accidentally, it had an irritating
and enraging power : man's heart would be the more upon
sin, because of the restraints of the law, as a wild bull in a net;
nitimur invetitum ; the more we are prohibited, the more by nature
do our fingers itch. But Christ so crucifies the flesh, that he
kills this itch, which made Paul say, " I am dead unto the
law ;" not only the condemning, but also the irritating power of
it ; instead of hankerings, and shifts, and propensiveness to sin,
Christ raiseth indignations against what the law forbids. -5 The
law calls for briclis, but allows no straw ; for obedience, but
MR. BRUNSELL's funeral SERMON. 40S
supplies no succour to help our infirmities; it saitb, " Do this
and live," but leaves a man to shift as well as he can : to do
now the work, being infinitely beyond man's reach, it is impos-
sible but he must sink under the burthen ; this is that which
makes duty so harsh, uncouth, and unsavoury to many : they
look on it as a tiring thing ; but this rigour also hath Christ
taken away, promising never to fail ; " Fear not, (saith he) 1
am with thee ; I will strengthen thee, I will uphold thee :" he
will cause the lame to leap, the dumb to sing ; he will carry the
weary in his bosom, give them wings to mount, and strengthen
them when they faint ; he furnisheth with talents to trade with ;
he affords seed where he looks for a harvest.
SERMON LIJ.
A FUNERAL SERMON, OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH OP
MR. BRUNSELL, VICAR OF WROUGHTON.
GALATIANS i. 8.
BUT THOUGH WE, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, SHALL PREACH
ANY OTHER GOSPEL UNTO YOU, THAN for besides) THAT
WHICH WE HAVE PREACHED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.
You may marvel, upon hearing this text, what I mean, to fall
upon such a subject, on such an occasion as this is, which seems
altogether incongruous unto it ; and no marvel is it, for I mar-
velled as much at it myself, as any other can do: but to satisfv
any curious inquisition, the occasion hereof was tliis.
This burning light, (whom Christ, I am persuaded, to the
comfort of many) set upon this hill, or in this candlestick, and
who now hath wasted himself in giving light to you ; having
some Vune before his death singled out this text, for what special
reasons I cannot say, nor could learn : sent earnestlv to sj)eak
404 MR. brunsell's funeral sermon.
with me, and desired this last kindness of me, that I would dis-
charge the world of him, and solemnize his funeral with a sermon
upon it. I confess, I was at a stand so soon as I understood his
mind, not as being unwilling to do this last office for him ; but,
because I could not sound his reach herein ; neither could he
well impart it to me, by reason of his infirmity, which had bereft
him of his wonted faculties ; howbeit his deserving abilities and
labours, besides mine own interest in him, challenge so much
respect to his worth, as to fulfil his desire, although I know not
whether I shall attain his aim or no, whereunto I should willingly
have framed myself, could I have pumped it from him. I shall
not need to say much to you of him, I say to you, with whom he
so travailed in birth, as that he died in travail ; his constancy of
labour, yea, till he could scarce creep to this place ; his extra-
ordinary zeal in his ministry, with other commendable excellencies
of ministerial parts and gifts, are so notorious, that all rhetorical
expressions would be but as the lighting of a candle to give light
to the sun.
This our zealous, indefatigable, and invincible spirited apostle
of the Gentiles, who laboured in the work of the gospel more
abundantly than they all, by the grace of Christ, (among the
churches successfully planted by him ;) had, with no small dili-
gence and care, reared a hopeful nursery from the ground among
the Galatians, rooting and establishing them in the faith ; but
not long after his departure, the envious one takes the advan-
tage of his absence, and sends subverters among them, to turn
them from the faith, once given to them ; whereof no sooner had
the apostle notice, but, as a bear bereft of her whelps, his blood
grows hot, the zeal of this people even eats him up, he cannot
contain himself; and therefore he breaks out very pathetically
in this his epistle to them, " Who suffers, and I burn not?" he
Is like a tender mother, when her child hath got a fall she
startles, and is almost frighted ; so this apostle, after a very short
salutation framed, answerable to the occasion thereof adminis-
tered, begins very roundly with them (a far different strain from
all the rest of his epistles) in chap. i. 6, " I marvel, (saith he,)
that je arc so soon removed from him that called you into the
grace of Christ, into another gospel ;" wherein he intimates the
sad occasion of his writing, namely, the sudden seduction of
them, by white devils, as Luther calls them, whom their master
]»rR. brunsell's funeral sermon. 405
had transformed into angels of light, like himself; pretending an
evangelical ministry, even whilst they undermined Christ, the
foundation.
In managing of which business he follows God's order, which
he observed when our first parents were seduced, who began first
with the ringleader ; so the apostle first falls very foul on the
seducers ; whatever they be, thundering out the most direful
execration against them. This he doth in my text, wherein we
may, by a transverse order, observe,
1. The execration. 2. The ground of it. 3. The apostle's
impartiality in the denunciations of it. In the execration you
may observe, 1 . The matter of it. 2. The manner of the denun-
ciation. The matter is anathema ; which, in the apostle's sense,
is a delivering up unto Satan. The manner is by way of impre-
cation, let him be so ; he arrogates not the act or the power of
cursing to himself. The ground of this execration, is equivalent
to the bitterness thereof; namely, a preaching another gospel
besides, and different from, what Paul and his companions had
before preached to them. What that preaching was, we must
consider before we have done. Here is also the apostle's impar-
tiality in this execration, which shews itself in his not exempting
himself and his companions ; " no, not an angel from heaven,'*
if they should be guilty of this fact ; wherein he shews he hath no
fling at any particular men's persons, in that he would not spare
himself From whence I might note, (1.) That the purest planted
churches, are subject to errors, yea, and that in matters of faith,
as this was, which hits the heart of infallibility. (2.) That the
best care of ministers cannot prevent seducers from sowing tares
to choak wholesome doctrine. (3.) That seducers deceive, by
specious cloaking their poison under the name of gospel, whereb}'^
they get securer entertainment. (4.) That the reverence of
men's persons, or the excellency of their gifts and parts to win
men, is no warrant to take any thing on their own credit. But
the scantiness of time will not allow us the scope these points
require, I will therefore confine myself to this general proposi-
tion ; That whoever they be that preach any different doctrine,
though under the name of gospel-preachers, from what St. Paul
had before preached to the Galatians, are under the great curse.
In the handling of which, all the difficulty lies in finding out
what this gospel is, which St. Paul had preached to them, from
406 MR. brunsell's funeral sermon.
/vliich, and ^vhat that doctrine is, to which they were seduced:
for they are neither of them mentioned in the text: yet this is
our sea-chart by which we must steer our course, if we mean to
reach our port, least whilst we speak of seduction, we ourselves
bo seduced from the scope of our text. That which is his gospel,
we must pick out of this epistle ; for he no where delivers a set
discourse of it as we find, only by way of redargution, from chap.
3, to the end of the epistle, he gives us some hints what it was.
The fullest expression of the gospel, which he had preached to
them, he here vindicates with an execration to the opposite party,
you may find in chap. ii. 16, namely, " That we are not justified
by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ," which
he expounds to be a believing in Jesus Christ ; not intending,
hereby, utterly to abolish the law, as some slandered him ; ouiv
excludes it in the matter of justification, as being altogether
useless therein. Now, the contrary doctrine he so much disclaims
against, is not the utter abolishing of Christ, which the false
teachers did not attempt, but the superstructure of the works of
the law ; as if Christ could not profit unto justification, but by
the addition of the works of the law unto faith in him. This is
the sum of the matter, and the whole epistle spends itself in main-
taining, with much zeal, his own doctrine, and with like zeal
confuting the contrary.
Whosoever then preacheth a doctrine different from free justi-
fication, by faith alone in Christ Jesus, without the concurrence
of any of the works of the law, is under the great curse, though
he goes for an angel from heaven.
Some may say, This is an unseasonable point, not only in
regard of the present occasion, but also of these present times ;
for that we have none among us who preach justification by works,
and not by faith alone in Christ. As for the present occasion, I
have spoken to that already ; and for the present times, I know
you are not ignorant, that this contrary doctrine to the apostle's,
is one of the corner stones of the church of Rome ; anathema-
tizing the apostle's doctrine, and maintaining the merit of good
works ; which subject hath filled many volumes of theirs. But,
it may be said. This doctrine hath been long exploded in this
our church, it being the main cause of our separation from them,
I know, you are not ignorant, how many among us, yea, and of
the uppermost form (bishops) have warped of later times, and
MR, BRUNSELL's funeral SERMON. 407
have turned their faces to return back to the fleshpots of Eg}pt,
and have been nibbling shrewdly at this colewort ; not fearing to
afRrm, That we are not now so angry with Rome, as in the first
heat of our zeal. But, besides these gross Romanizers, we have
zealots who advance works, yea, in tlio matter of justification,
very much, and exceedingly diminish and derogate from the free
grace of God in Jesus Christ ; who are, therefore, near unto
cursing ; nay, so zealously affected are they this way, as that
they stick not to revile, and with an heart-burning indignation,
speak evil of that ministry, which extols and presseth the accept-
ance of Jesus Christ by faith ; though men be in the most sinful,
and loathsome condition, as the most sure portion of such, if they
can but lay hold on him, and come to him in that condition;
taxing such ministers, as if they were the ministers of licentious-
ness and libertinism, and as opening too wide a gap unto men.
I speak what I know, and what I have felt. At present I shall
spare to speak of that gross contradiction of the apostle's gospel,
by the Romish faction, and factors, being suflSciently manifest,
and shall confine myself to the latter sort of contradiction, being
more subtile and prejudicial to God's people amongst us ; and
lierein discover how some join works to the free grace of God in
Christ, unto justification, and how contrary it is to the apostle's
gospel.
1. It is a common doctrine among the rigid troul)lers of the
Israel of God, that men must have many legal preparations, and
they must sensibly find them wrought in themselves, before they
may dare to apply to Christ by faith for justification, otherwise
their faith is mere presumption. As for instance, suppose a
sinner hath lived in all manner of licentiousness (as Mary
Magdalen), before he may believe that Christ hath justified him,
he must forsake and find, by reflecting on himself, that he hath
forsaken all his former evil ways, and must be stricken with
inward terror, and feel the pangs of the new-birth, as they call
it ; and be, I know not how much, or how long, (for their ex-
pressions intimate a strange depth) under the bondage of a kind
of hellish conscience tormenting and racking them ; nay, more,
they must be changed too, and find a delight in the law of the
Lord, and a ready cheerfulness in obedience thereto ; and that
not by a fit, but constantly, tdl they find all this, and much more
of a like nature. Their time of believing in Christ is not
408 MR. BRUNSELL'S FUNERAL SERMOW.
come, and that, before this, their faith is but a dream, and skin-
ning over the sore; all which, occasions so much fear, as keeps
many poor souls in bondage all their lives long, suspecting still,
that the humiliation is not deep enough. Is not this to put the
cart before the horse, or rather to send the cart a going, and the
horse must come after 1 to have men sanctified before they can
be justified. If men must be thus qualified, before they believe
to justification, how can Christ be said to justify the ungodly ?
By this rule he rather justifies the godly. The time of man's
being in his blood, is not the time of God's love when he enters
into covenant with him, (by this rule) but rather the time of
his comeliness when he is adorned; which is carnal doctrine,
and a measuring God's way of love by man's : is not this an
adding of the works of the law to the righteousness of Christ
for justification? If not, why may not man be justified without
all this addition 1 And if he may be justified without these
works of the law, why may he not apply it? Some may say.
They make none of this the cause of justification, but prepa-
ratives to it. I answer. They will not allow men to be justified
without these Avorks, and that justification belongs not to theni^
they may not apply it till it be thus ; whereas the apostle's
gospel is, we are justified by believing in Christ, for righteous-
ness, without works ; which he proves out of the thirty-second
Psalm, " David (said he) describes the blessedness of the man,
to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works ;" so
that works must not come in under any consideration at all, in
the matter of justification ; this sophistry will not have weight
enough v/hen it comes to the apostle's balance,
2. These men contradict the gospel of free justification by
faith without works, whilst they not only require the being of
such works before justification, but also make them a main,
and immediate ground of believing it; for they usually affirm,
that such, who apply to Christ without such qualifications, their
application is groundless, and built upon the sand ; but being
thus wrought upon and changed, the ground-work is laid, they
have a foundation, and therefore they need not fear ; as if cany
foundation, or ground-work for justification can be found, saving
Jesus Christ himself alone. He that hath any ground to believe
besides Christ himself, doth he not make Christ imperfect, by
adding some otlier thing to him? If they say ihey make not
MR. BRUNSELL's funeral SERMON. 409
these works the ground properly, but the reason of believing;
I answer, that as there is no foundation^ so no reason without
Christ of believing. It is that these works sincerely wrought
in a person, may serve as reasons, that they do believe ; but
they cannot be reasons, that they may believe. If any shall
ask, why the apostle is so bitter against such as interweave
works with faith in Christ "^ I answer, because they bring men
into bondage, and keep them in it, laying heavy burthens upon
them : this reason the apostle gives himself in chap, ii, 4, 5,
*' Because of false brethren, who came in privily to spy out our
liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us
into bondage, to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for
an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. '
Here, speaking of these seducers, he calls them false brethren,
who came to spy their liberty in Christ, and to bring them into
bondage, to whom he would not give place an hour ; therefore
he earnestly urgeth these Galatians in chap. v. 1, " That they
stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free, and
be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Some may
say, he speaks this of circumcision, which was a ceremony to be
abolished; but not of works of righteousness. I answer. That
he gives this but for one instance ; for the seducers fell upon
their keeping of the law of Moses, and circumcision both, as is
plain by that expression of Ins chap. iii. 2 — 10; where the
apostle disputes aoout the moral law in matter of justification.
" This only would I learn of you, received you the spirit by the
works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ? and as many as
are of the works of the law are under the curse ; for it is written,
cursed is every one that continueth not in all things in the book
of the law to do them." So also in that dispute which was
brought before the apostles at Jerusalem, which I suppose was
occasioned by this seduction, whereupon that prime council was
held; as in Acts xv, 5. " There were certain of the sect of the
Pharisees, who thought it was needful to circumcise men, and
command them to keep the law of Moses." Now this destruc-
tion of Christ's freedom they counted intolerable, and Peter
saith in ver. 10, 11, " Why tempt ye God, to put a yoke on the
neck of the disciples ? but we believe that through the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved."
2. Another reason of the apostle's bitter execration against
410 MR. brunsell's funeral sermon.
those that mingled their works of the law in matter of justifica-
tion, is, because this mixture tends to the frustration of the free
grace of Christ, and to make it of none effect. This argument
the same apostle useth in Rome xi. 6, " If by grace, it is no
more of works ; otherwise grace is no more grace;" intimating,
that where any works come in, grace ceaseth to be grace. So,
in Gal. v. 2, he saith, " Christ is become of none effect to
you ; whosoever of you are justified by the law, you are fallen
from grace.
3. The apostle anathematizeth those that bring in works
towards justification, because this brings Chrst much out of
respect with men, and works into a far higher esteem than him :
you shall observe, where such legal observances are required to
application of justification, there is an hundred times more
poring on such qualifications, than on Christ, and his free
grace ; the thoughts, cares, and passions, are infinitely more
racked and intense about them, than him ; their absence, or
presence, work more strongly by far on the spirit and affections,
than his presence, or his absence ; Christ in a manner is
forgotten and neglected, in comparison of them; almost all
comfort, and all peace, stand upon their presence. Whereais
the apostle's doctrine is, that being justified by faith, we have
peace with God; and his prayer is, that they might be filled
with all joy and peace in believing : he doth not say. That
they may be filled with all joy in the presence of works : now
what greater derogation can there be to Christ, than for him to
be so much passed by, and to be so rarely and coldly frequented,
whilst works bear so much of men, and bear the bell away ;
whilst one answer from works, jjro or con, works more, and stirs
more the spirit of a man, than twenty from Christ himself? let
but such as are trained up under the bondage of works speak,
if it be not just as 1 say. Some may say, what use is there then
of works, this is the way to bring them out of request ? I answer,
this is an old cavil, and was made in the apostle's times, and is
as hot now as ever, as if works could serve for no purpose,
unless they be preferred before Christ : works were made as fire
was, to serve, but not to rule ; they were made to glorify God
with, not to rob him of his glory; they serve for the ordering a
man's conversation aright, not to get, no, nor to prepare
acceptance with God. Coming to Christ is all that is neediid
MR. BRUNSELl's FUKERAL SERMON. 411
to justification, John i. 12. It matters not in what pickle ; anp
this very coming is by the Father's di awing. " No man cometh
to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him." If a
person can truly see Christ, the chiefest amongst ten thousands,
all fair, and for that cause choose and close with him; neither
good nor bad works have ought to do in this business, to hinder
or farther justification, or acceptance of such a person by Christ.
Ths truth is, this gospel is the only establisher of good works.
I. As it sets bound to them, as to their right ends. 2. As it
shews the way to be enabled to do them. 3. As it shews their
place and rank.
Use 1. This text should serve as fair warning to us, the
ministers of the gospel, to take heed of running on this de&perate
shelf of preaching a different doctrine from the apostle's, which
will swallow up all such mercilessly ; and let us choose rather to
lie under the heavy censure of men with the apostle himself,
than to lie under his curse, by giving the freeness of grace its
own due dimensions, without stinting it to the pleasure of men,
for fear of a licentious abuse of it. In Paul's time men were as
apt to wrest and abuse free grace to libertinism, as now ; yet he
feared not to impart to them to the full, the good pleasure of
Christ for all that.
Some while they are busy with the whip to keep off dogs,
fetch blood at the hearts of children with their causeless
cautions, and then rejoice to see them in their spiritual afl3ic-
tions, which methinks is an inhuman cruelty. Some say, men
grow very presumptuous by such liberty preached; but children
must not want their bread for fear of dogs, or have gravel mixt
with it, lest they should surfeit of it. I grant, that we ought
not to preach continuance in sin, that grace m9y abound, which
cannot be truly inferred from this doctrine ; for there is a vast
difference betwixt Christ's shewing grace in the worst condition,
and an allowing men to wallow in sin still ; the apostle's gospei
necessarily infers the first, but contradicts the last.
Use 2. This may serve as an item to all God's people. (1.)
Not to censure the doctrine of free grace, lest th'^y fall into the
same condemnation, as partaking with the sin ol seducers. (2.)
Thankfully to embrace this doctrine, and hold it fast, whatever
others preach different from it, (3.) To beware of men that
come in sheeps' cloathing, pretending to lay a sure foundation
412 MR, brunsell's funeral sermon.
by laying it deep, as they call it, whilst indeed they are ravent)U8
wolves, tearing and racking poor souls, frighting and torturing
their poor consciences, about the matter of justification. I speak
not against the utmost discovery of the sinfulness of sin, to make
it odious to men ; but for requisites, and I know not what
qualifications (besides faith alone in Christ) to justification ; I
say, beware of them, lest you receive the true gospel of Christ
in vain ; lest Christ himself grow into contempt and neglect
with you, and works become more glorious in your eye, than he,
and so you be turned aside from him, who calleth you from
darkness, t^ nis marvellous light : and lest he shake off the dust
of his feet against you, as a self-willed^ and self-conceited
people
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