WE hope it shall not be needful to insist in open­ing the Scope of this Chapter, or in clearing to you of whom the Prophet meaneth, and is speaking: It was once ques­tioned by the Eunuch, Acts 8.32. when he was reading this Chapter, Of whom doeth the Prophet speak this, of himself, or of some other man? And it's so clearly answered by Philip, who, from these words, began and preached to him of Jesus Christ, that there needs be no doubt of it now: To Christians these two may put it out of question, that Jesus Christ and the Substance of the Gospel is compended and summed up here. 1. If we compare the Letter of this Chapter with what is in the four Evangelists, we will see it so fully, and often so literally made out of Christ, that if any will but read this Chapter, and compare it with them, they will find the Evangelists to be Commenta­tors on it, and setting it out more fully. 2. That there is no Scripture in the Old Testament so often and so convincingly ap­plyed to Christ as this is, there being scarce one Verse, at least not many, but are by the Evangelists or Apostles made use of for holding out of Christ.

If we look then to the sum of the words of this Chapter, they take in the sum and substance of the Gospel; for they take in these two, 1. The right description and manifestation of Jesus Christ, And 2. the unfolding and opening up of the Covenant of Redemption. Where these two are, there the sum of the Gospel is; but these two are here, therefore the sum of the Gospel is here. First, Jesus Christ is described, 1. In his Person and Natures, as God being Eternal, as Man being under Suffering. 2. In all his Offices, as a Priest offering up Himself as a Sacrifice to satisfie Justice, as a Prophet venting his Knowledge to the justifying of many thereby, and as a King dividing the spoil with the strong. 3. In His Humiliation, in the Cause of it, in the End of it, in the Subject of it, in the Nature and Rise of all, God's good pleasure. And 4. In His Exaltation, and Out-gate promised Him on the back of all His Sufferings and Humiliation.

2. The Covenant of Redemption is here described and set out, 1. In the particu­lar Parties of it, God and the Mediator. 2. As to the Matter about which it was, the Seed that was given to Christ, and all whose iniquities met on him. 3. As to the mutual Engagements on both sides, the Son [Page 2] undertaking to make his Soul an offering for Sin, and the Father promising that the efficacy of that His Satisfaction, shall be imputed and applyed for the justification of Sinners, and the terms on which, or the way how this Imputation and Application is brought about, to wit, By His Knowledge; All are clearly held out here.

This is only a touch of the Excellency of this Scripture, and of the Materials (to say so) in it, as comprehending the substance and marrow of the Gospel; we shall not be particular in dividing the Chapter, consi­dering that these things we have hinted at, are interwoven in it.

The first Verse is a short Introduction to lead us in to what follows. The Prophet hath in the former Chapter been speaking of Christ as God's Servant, that should be extolled and made very high, and before he proceed more particularly to unfold this Mystery of the Gospel, he cryes out by way of regrate, Who hath believed our report? Alace (would he say) for as good News as we have to carry, few will take them off our hand, such is Mens unconcernedness, yea, malice and obstinacy, that they reject them. And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? to point at the necessity of the Power of God to accompany preaching, and even the most lively Ordinances, to make them effectual; how few are they, that the Power of God captivates to the obedience of this Truth?

For the first part of this Verse, Who hath believed our report? To open it a little, ye shall take these four or five Considerations ere we come to the Doctrines:

Consider 1. The Matter of this Report in reference to its scope; it's not every re­port, but a report of Christ, and of the Cove­nant of Redemption and of Grace: In the Original it is, Who hath believed our hearing actively, that is, that which we have pro­posed to be heard; and the word is turn­ed tydings, Dan. 11.44. and rumour, Jer. 51.46. It's the tydings and rumour of a suffering Mediator, interposing himself be­twixt God and Sinners; and it may be, hearing is mentioned, to point out the con­fidence which the Prophet had in report­ing these News, he first heard them from God, and in that was passive, and then actively, he proposed them to the People to be heard by them. 2. Consider that the Prophet speaketh of this Report, not as in his own Person only, but as in the Person of all that ever preached, or shall preach this Gospel; therefore this Report is not peculiar to Isaiah, but it's our Report, the Report of the Prophets before, and of these after him, and of the Apostles and Mi­nisters of the Gospel. 3. Consider that Isaiah speaketh of this Report, not only in respect of what he met with in his owntime, but as foreseeing what would be the carriage of People in reference to it in after-times, therefore John. 2.38. and Rom. 10.16. this same place is alledged to give a reason of the Jews unbelief, because Isaiah foretold it long before. 4. Consider, that when he complaineth of the want of Faith to the report and tydings of the Gospel, it is not of the want of historical Faith, as if the People would not give Christ a hearing at all, but it is of the want of saving Faith, therefore Joh. 12.37, 38. it is said, though he had done many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him; and this propherick Scripture is subjoyn'd as the reason of it, that the saying of Isaias might be fulfilled, who said, Lord who hath believed our report? applying the believing spoken of here, to that saving Faith whereby folk believe and rest upon Jesus Christ. 5. Consider that though there be no expresse Party named to whom the Prophet complaineth, yet no doubt, it is to God, therefore Joh. 12.38. and Rom. 10.16. when this Scripture is cited, it is, Lord who hath believed our report? so it is the Prophet's complaint of the little fruit himself had, and that the Ministers of the Gospel should have in preaching of the Gospel, regrating and complaining of it to God as a sore matter, that it should come to so many, and so few should get good of it, so few should be brought to be­lieve and to be saved by it.

Though these words be few, yet they have four great things in them, to which we shall reduce them, for speaking more clearly to them. 1. That the great subject of Preaching, and Preachers great errand is, to report concerning Jesus Christ, to [Page 3] bring tydings concerning Him. 2. That the great duty of Hearers (implyed) is, to be­lieve this Report, and by vertue of it, to be brought to rest and rely on Jesus Christ. 3. That the great, though the ordinary sin of the generality of the Hearers of the Gospel, is unbelief, Who hath believed? that is, it's few that have believed; it's a rare thing to see a Believer of this Report. 4. That the great complaint, weight, and grief of an honest Minister of the Gospel, is this, that his Message is not taken off his hand, that Christ is not received, believed in, and rested on; this is the great challenge Mi­nisters have against the generality of Peo­ple, and the ground of their complaint to God, that whatever they report concerning Christ, He is not welcomed, His Kingdom thrives not.

That we may speak to the first, consider­ing the words with respect to the Scope, we shall draw five or six Doctrines from them: The first whereof is more general, that the discovery of Christ Jesus, and the making him known, is the greatest News, the gladest Tydings, and the most excellent Report, that ever came, or can come to a People, there is no such thing can be told them, no such Tydings can they hear; this is the Report that the Prophet speaks of by way of eminency, a Report above, and beyond all other Reports; these are News worthy to be carried by Angels, Be­hold, saith one of them, Luke 2.20. I bring you good tydings of great joy; which shall be to all people: And what are these Tydings so prefaced to with a Behold? for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord: these are the good Tydings, that Jesus Christ is come, and that he is the Saviour by Office. We shall not insist on this, onely 1. We will find a little view of this Subject in the following words, which hold forth clearly Christ, God and Man in one Person, so compleatly qualified, and excellently furnished for His Offices. 2. It's also clear, if we look to the excellent effects that come by His being so furnished, as His satisfying of Justice, His setting free of Captives, His triumphing over Principalities and Powers, His de­stroying the works of the Devil, &c. there cannot be more excellent works or effects spoken of. 3. It's clear, if we look to Him from whom this Report cometh, and in whose Breast these News bred, (if we may speak so) they are the result of the Counsel of the God-head; and therefore, as the Re­port here is made in the Lord's Name, so He is complained to, when it is not taken off the Prophet's hand. And 4. it's clear, if we look to the mysteriousness of these News, Angels could never have conceived them, had not this Report come; these things tell that they are great, glorious, and good News, glad Tydings, as it is in the end of the former Chapter, That which hath not been told them shall they see, and that which they have not heard shall they consider.

The first Use is, To draw our hearts to be in love with the Gospel, and to waken our estimation of it: Peoples ears are itching after Novelties, and ye are much worn out of conceit with these News; but is there in any News such an advantage as in these, when God sendeth News to Men, they must be great News, and such indeed are these.

Use 2. Therefore be affrayed to entertain loathing of the plain substantial Truths of the Gospel; if ye had never heard them before, there would, belike, be some Athenian itching to hear and speak of them, but they should not be the less thought of, that they are often heard and spoken of.

Use 3. Therefore think more of the Gos­pel, seeing it containeth the substance of these good News, and glad Tydings, and think more of Gospel-ordinances whereby these good Tydings are so often published and made plain to you.

2. More particularly, Observe, that Je­sus Christ, and what concerneth Him, the glad and good News of a Saviour, and the reporting of them, is the very proper work of a Minister, and the great subject of a Mi­nisters preaching; his proper work is to make Him known, or take it thus, Christ is the native subject on which all preaching should run; this is the Report the Prophet speaketh of here, and in effect, it was so to John and the other Apostles, and should be so to all Ministers; Christ Jesus and what concerns Him, in His Person, Natures and Offices; to know, and make Him known [Page 4] to be God and Man; to make Him known in His Offices, to be Priest, Prophet, and King; to be a Priest, in His suffering and satisfying Justice; to be a Prophet, in revealing the Will of God; to be a King, for subduing folks Lusts and Corruptions; and to know, and make Him known, in the way by which Sinners, both Preachers and Hearers, may come to have Him to them­selves, as follows in this Chapter. This, this is the subject of all Preaching, and all Preaching should be levelled at this mark; Paul is 1 Cor. 2.2. peremptory in this, I determined to know nothing among you, but Jesus Christ and him crucified, as if he had said, I will meddle with no other thing, but betake my self to this; not onely will he forbear to meddle with civil Employments, but he will lay aside his Learning, Eloquence, and Humane Wisdom, and make the prea­ching of Christ crucified his great work and study, the reason of this is, because Christ standeth in a fourfold relation to preaching. 1. He is the Text, to say so, of Preaching; all Preaching is to explain Him, Acts 10.43. To him give all the Prophets witness, and so do the four Evangels, and the Apostolick Epistles, which are as so many Preachings of Him; and that Preaching which stand­eth not in relation to Him, is beside the Text and Mark. 2. He is holden out as the Foundation and Ground-work of Preach­ing, so that Preaching without Him wants Foundation, and is the Building, as it were, of a Castle in the Air, 1 Cor. 3.10— I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth, for other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ; importing that all Preaching should be squared to, and made to agree with this Ground-stone. 3. He standeth as the great End of Preaching, not onely that Hear­ers may have Him known in their Judg­ments, but may have Him high in their Hearts and Affections, 2 Cor. 3.4. We preach not our selves, that is, not onely do we not preach our selves as the Subject, but we preach not our selves as the end of our Preach­ing, our scope is not to be great, or much thought of, but our end in Preaching is to make Christ great. 4. He standeth in relation to Preaching, as He is the Power and Life of Preaching, without whom, no Preaching can be effectual, no Soul can be captivate and brought in to Him; hence 1 Cor. 1.23. he sayeth, We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, they cannot abide to hear him, and to the Greeks foolishness, but to them that are saved, the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Use 1. For Ministers, which we shall for­bear insisting on; onely 1. Were Christ the subject and substance of our Report, were we more in holding out Him, it's like it might go better with us. 2. There is need of warriness, that the Report we make, suit well the Foundation: And 3. the neglect of this may be the cause of much powerless Preaching, because Christ is not so preached as the subject-matter and end of Preaching, many Truths are (alace) spoken without respect to this end, or but with little respect to it.

Uses particular for you that are Hearers, are these. 1: If this be the great subject of Ministers Preaching, and that which ye should hear most gladly, and if this be most profitable for you, we may be parti­cular in some few Directions to you, which will be as so many branches of the Use. And first, of all Truths that People would wel­come and study, they would welcome and study these that concern Christ and the Covenant of Grace most, as Foundation-truths, and seek to have them backed by the Spirit; we are affrayed there is a fault among Christians, that most plain and sub­stantial Truths are not so heeded, but some­things that may further folk in their Light, or tickle their Affections, or answer a Case, are almost only sought after; which things (it's true) are good, but if the plain and sub­stantial Truths of the Gospel were more studied, and made use of, they have in them that which would answer all Cases: It's a sore matter when folks are more taken up with Notions and Speculations, then with these Soul-saving Truths, as, that Christ was born, that he was a true Man, that he was, and is King, Priest, and Prophet of His Church, &c. and that other things are heard with more greediness: But, if these [Page 5] be the great subject of Ministers Preaching, it should be your great study to know Christ, in His Person, Natures, Offices, and Cove­nant, what He is to you, and what is your duty to Him, and how you should walk in Him and with Him; this was Paul's aim, I count (saith he) all things loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, that I may know him and the power of his re­surrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, &c. Phil. 3.8, 9, 10. It's my design, (as if he had said) not onely to make Him known, but to know Him my self; there is little Faith in Christ, and distinctness in use mak­ing of His Offices, and folks take but little pains to know these things: Therefore, on the one side, let me exhort you, to make this more the subject of your enquiry; and on the other side, take it for your re­proof, that there is such a readiness to snuff when plain Truths are insisted on, or when they are not followed in some uncouth or strange way, which sayes we are exceeding unthankful to God for giving us the best things to speak, hear, and think of.

2. Think much of the Preaching of Christ, and to have Ministers to preach of Him, He is the best News, and God hath sent Mi­nisters on this errand to make them known to you; had He sent them to tell you all the secret things to come that are in God's purpose, and all the hid works of Nature, it had not been compareable to these News; what would ye have been? O what would Sabbath-days, and Week-days, your lying down and rising up, your living and dying been, if these News had not been? ye should have had a sinful and sad life, and a most comfortless and terrible death; therefore think this Gospel a thing of more worth then ye do, and count their feet beautiful on the Mountains, that bring these News and glad Tydings, as it is Isa. 52. that good Report of making Peace betwixt God and Sinners should be most thought of and prized, and counted a greater favour then we use to count it. 3. By this ye may know who thrives and profites best under the Gospel, even these that learn most of Christ, which consists not in telling over words. But first in actual improving of Him, as it is Eph. 3.20. Ye have not so learn­ed Christ, but so as to improve what is in Him. 2. In an experimental finding of these effects in us, that are spoken of to come by Christ, which is, that the Apostle mean­eth, Phil. 3.10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, that I may be conformable to his death; I am affrayed that of the many that hear this Gospel, there are but few that know Christ this way: But if He be the great thing that should he preached by us, and that ye should learn, 1. What is the rea­son that so many should be ignorant of Him, that the most part look rather like T [...]ks and Pagans then like Christians? God help us, what shall we say of the condition of the most part of People, when the preaching of the Gospel has not gained this much ground on us, as to make us know Christ, in His Person, Natures, Offices, our need of Him, and the use we should make of Him? But 2. If we will try how he is im­proven, it is to be feared, there be far fewer that know h [...]m in this respect; do not many Men live as if they had never heard tell of Him? Though they hear that pardon of Sin is to be gotten through Him, and that vertue to subdue Sin must flow from Him, yet they live as if no such thing were in Him: If your Consciences were posed, besides the evidences that are in your practice, this would be found to be a sad truth. And 3. If we will yet try further, what experience folk have of Christ, what vertue they find flowing from His Resur­rection, what fellowship there is in His Sufferings, what conformity to His Death, what benefite red [...]unds to them from His Offices of King, Priest, and Prophet, to the slaying of Sin, and quickening to holy Duties, what benefite or fruit from His Death; Alace! no more with most then if He had never died; what profite or real influence as to any Spiritual change do any to count upon find? and think ye all these things to be but words? They know Him not that feel not something of the efficacy of His Death and Resurrection in themselves.

3. Observe, That the Report concerning Christ, is the main subject and e [...]rand that has been, and is, and will be common to all the Ministers of the Gospel to the end of [Page 6] the World; It's our Report, it was the Re­port of all the Prophets, Act. 10.43. To him bear all the Prophets witness, that through his Name, whosoever believeth on him, should have remission of sins; they all agree, and have a joint Testimony in these. 1. In one Subject, Christ, and the same things concerning Him, as, that the pardon of Sin is to be gotten in Him, and through Faith in Him, and no other way, &c. 2. In one Commission; they have all one Commission though they be not all equal; all are not Apostles, yet all are Ambassadours, there is the same Authority for us to report and you to receive the Gospel, as if Isaiah or Paul were preaching; the Authority depending on the Commission, and not on the persons of Men who carry it. 3. In one common End which they all have, and in one common Object they are sent to. 4. In this, that they all hold of one common Master, being Gifts of one and the same Mediator, Eph. 4. When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men, to some Apostles, &c.

The first Use is, To teach you not to think the less of the Testimony, or matter testi­fied, because of these that testifie to you; if Isaiah or Paul were testifying to you, ye would get no other Tydings, though their life and way would be of another sort and stamp then ours are alace! for the most part, we are warranded as well as they to make Christ known to you; therefore take heed of rejecting this Testimony of this Christ that we bear witness unto; it is the same Christ that the Law and the Prophets bear witness to, There is not another name given under heaven whereby a sinner can be sav­ed; it's through Him, that whosoever be- on Him may receive remission of sins; in this ye have not onely us, but the Prophets and Apostles to deall with, yea Jesus Christ, and God Himself; and the rejecting of us, will be found to be the rejecting of them; it's the same Testimony on the matter that it was in Isaiah his time; and therefore, tremble and fear, all ye that slight the Go­spel, ye have not us for your Party, but all the Prophets, and Isaiah among the rest, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath said, He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that despiseth you despiseth me; there will be many aggravations of the guilt of an Unbe­liever, and this will be a main one, even the Testimony of all the Prophets that con­cur in this Truth which they have reject­ed; take heed to this all ye Atheists that know not what it is to take with Sin, and all ye Hypocrites that coin and counterfeit a Religion of your own, and all ye legal Per­sons that lean to your own righteousness; what will ye say when it shall be found that ye have rejected all these Testimonies? ye must either say, ye counted them false Wit­nesses, which ye will not dare to say, or that ye accounted them true, and yet would not receive their Testimony, and the best of these will be found sad enough; for if ye counted them true, why did ye not believe them? this will be a very pungent di­lemma.

Use 2. For comfort to poor Believers, they have good ground to receive and rest upon Jesus Christ, there is never a Pro­phet, Apostle, or Preacher of the Gospel but he hath sealed this Truth concerning Christ; what needs any sinner scar at Him or be fearful to close with Him? will ye give credit to the Testimony of Isaiah and of Peter, Acts 10.43. and of the rest of the Prophets and Apostles? then receive their Report, and set your selves to be among the number of Believers, that their Testi­mony may be rested on: We are perswad­ed there is one of two that will follow on this Doctrine, either a strong encouragement to, and confirmation of believing, and quietly resting on Jesus Christ for pardon of sin, or a great ground of aggravation of, and expostulation with you for your guilt, who care not whether ye receive this Re­port or not. We shall say no more for the time, but God bless this to you.

THE Prophet Isaiah, is very so­licitous about the fruit of his Preaching, when he hath prea­ched concerning Christ; as indeed it is not enough for Mi­nisters to preach, and for People to hear, ex­cept some fruit follow; and now when he hath been much in Preaching, and looketh to others that have been much in that work, he sadly regrates the little fruit it had, and would have among them, to whom Christ was, and should be spoken of; a thing, that in the entry should put us to be serious, lest this complaint of Isaiah stand on record a­gainst us; seeing he complains of the Hearers of the Gospel, not only in his own time, but in our time also.

We told you, there were four things in this first part of the Verse. 1. The great errand that Ministers have to a People, it is to report concerning Christ; and beside what we observed from this Head before, looking to the Scope, we shall observe fur­ther.

1. The end that Ministers should have before them in preaching Christ and the Gospel, is, That the Hearers of it may be gained to Jesus Christ by hearing, so as they may be brought to believe on Him; it's in a word, to gain them to saving Faith in Christ:

2. It is implyed, That Jesus Christ is only to be proposed as the Object of Faith, to be rested on by the Hearers of the Go­spel, and as the only ground of their Peace; there is no name that can be mentioned for the salvation of Souls, but this Name only; ly; and there is no other Gospel can be proposed but that which holdeth Him out to People.

3. Observe, (which is much the same with the former Observation, and to which we would speak a little more particularly,) That by the preaching of the Gospel, Je­sus Christ is laid before the Hearers of it, as the Object of their Faith, and proposed to be believed upon by them, else there would be no ground of this complaint against them; but where-ever this Gospel is prea­ched, there is Christ is laid, as it were, at the foot or door of every Soul that hear­eth it, to be believed and rested on; this is the great errand of the Gospel, to propose to People Jesus Christ, as the Object and Ground of Faith, to lay Him down to be rest­ed on for that very end; when the Apostle is speaking Rom. 10.8. of the Doctrine of Faith, he saith, It is not now who shall ascend into heaven, nor who shall descend into the deep, but the word is near thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; what word is that? the word of faith which we preach; now sayeth he, Christ by the prea­ching of the Gospel is brought so near folks, that He is brought even to their Hearts, and to their Mouths, so near, that (to speak so) People have no more to do but to stoup and take Him up, or to roll themselves over upon Him; yea, it bringeth Him in to their very Heart, that they have no more to do but to bring up their Heart to consent to close the Bargain, and with the Mouth to make confession of it; and these words are the more considerable, that they are [Page 8] borrowed from Deut. 30. where Moses is setting Death and Life before the People, and bidding them choose, though he would seem to speak of the Law, yet if we con­sider the scope, we will find him to be on the matter speaking of Jesus Christ, holden forth to that People under Ceremonial-Or­dinances, and shewing them that there was Life to be had in Him that way, and accord­ing to Gods intent, they had Life and Death put in their choice.

I know there are two things necessary to the acting and exercising of Faith, The 1. is objective, when the Object or Ground is proposed in the preaching of the Go­spel. The 2. is subjective, when there is an inward, spiritual, and powerful quickning, and framing of the Heart, to lay hold on, and make use of the Object and offer; it is true, that all to whom the offer cometh are not quickened, but the Doctrine saith, that, to all to whom the Gospel cometh, Christ is proposed, to be believed on by them, and brought near unto them; so that we may say as Christ said to His Hearers, The kingdom of God is come near unto you; both Christ and John brought, and laid the Kingdom of Heaven near to the Jews, and it is laid as near to you in the preached Gospel: This is it then that Doctrine sayes, 1. That the Go­spel holdeth out Christ as a sufficient ground of Faith to rest upon. And 2. with a sufficient warrand to these who hear it, to make use of Him, according to the terms on which he is offered. And 3. it brings Him so pressingly home, as He is laid to the Doors and Hearts of Sinners who hear the Gospel; that whoever hath the offer, he must necessarily, either believe in, and receive Christ, or reject Him, and cast at the report made of Him in the Gospel.

I shall first a little confirm this Doctrine, and then secondly make use of it.

First, I shall confirm it from these Grounds, 1. From the plain offers which the Lord maketh in His Word, and from the warrand he giveth His Ministers to make the same offers; It's their Commission to pray them to whom they are sent to be recon­ciled, to tell them, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, as it is, 2 Cor. 5.19, 20. and in Christ's steed to request them to embrace the offer of Re­conciliation; to tell them that Christ died for the Sinners that will embrace Him, and that He will impute His Righteousness unto them; and Chap. 6.1. We beseech you (saith he) that ye receive not this grace in vain; which is not meant of saving Grace, but of the gracious offer of Grace and Re­conciliation through Him; This is Ministers work, to pray People not to be idle Hear­ers of this Gospel, for, saith he, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in a day of salva­tion have I succoured thee; behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of sal­vation; The force of the Argument is this, if ye will make this Gospel welcome, ye may get a Hearing, for now is the day of Salvation, therefore do not neglect it; So Psal. 81.10, 11. (where God maketh the offer of Himself, and that very largely,) Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it; The Offer is of Himself, as the words following clear, My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me; for they that refuse His Word, refuse Himself; and hence, Isa. 65.1. he saith, I am found of them that sought me not, I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name, and to the Jews, I have stretched out my hands all day long to a rebellious peo­ple. 2. We may clear and confirm it from these similitudes, by which the Offer of this Gospel is, as it were, brought to the doors of People, and there are several similitudes made use of to this purpose; I shall name but four. 1. It's set down under the ex­pression of wooing, as 2 Cor. 11.2. I have espoused you as a chast virgin to Christ, this is ordinary, and supposeth a Marriage, and a Bridegroom, that is by his friends wooing and suting in Marriage; so that (as we shew) wherever the call of the Gospel comes, it's a bespeaking of Souls to Him, as Cant. 8. What shall we do for our sister in the day that she shall be spoken for? 2. It's set out under the expression of inviting to a Feast, and Hearers of the Gospel are called to come to Christ as Strangers, or Guests are called to come to a Wedding-feast, Mat. 22.2, 3, 4. All things are ready, come to the wedding, &c. Thus the Gospel calleth not to an empty [Page 9] House that wants meat, but to a Banquet­ing-house where Christ is made ready as the Cheer, and there wants no more but feast­ing on Him: So it's set out under the simi­litude of Eating and Drinking, John 6.57. He that eats me, even he shall live by me. 3. It's set out often under the expression or similitude of a Market, where all the Wares are laid forth on the Stands, Isa. 55.1. Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters, &c. and least it should be said, or thought, that the Proclamation is only to the thirsty, and to such as are so and so qualified; ye may look to what followeth, let him that hath no mony come, yea, come buy without mony and without price; and to the offer that is made to those of Laodicea, Rev. 3. who in appea­rance, were a hypocritical and formal Peo­ple, yet to them the Counsel and Call comes forth, Come buy of me eye-salve, and gold tryed in the fire, &c. It sayes, the Wares are even in their offer, or even offered to them. 4. It's set out under the similitude of stand­ing and knocking at a Door, because the Go­spel brings Christ a knocking and calling hard at Sinners doors, Rev. 3.20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man will hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him, and he with me; So Cant. 5.2. By the sleepy Bride it is said, It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh; and Psal. 24. last four Verses, it's cryed, Lift up your heads ye gates, and be lift up ye everlasting doors, that the king of glory may come in, which is an [...]arnest invitation to make way for Christ Jesus, wanting nothing but an entry into the heart; whereby we may see, how near Christ comes in the Go­spel, and is laid to folks hand. 3. We may confirm it from the nature of Faith, and of the obedience that is required to be given to the command of Believing; Wherever this Gospel comes, it tyeth and obligeth all the Hearers to believe on Christ, that is, to receive and welcome Him; and there could be no receiving of Him, if He were not making an offer of Himself; thus it's said, Joh. 1.11.12. He came unto his own, but his own received him not, but to as many as received him, to them gave he power to be­come the sons of God; He came to both these who received Him, and to these who receiv­ed Him not; but He gave to Believers only, this priviledge of Son-ship: If we look to all the names of Faith, as coming to Christ, eating and drinking of Him, receiving of Him, resting on Him, &c. They all suppose that Christ is near to be catched hold of, and within speaking and trysting terms to Peo­ple that hear the Gospel. 4. It may be confirmed from the many sad complaints that the Lord hath for not receiving Him, and not believing His Word, and from the dreadful designations by which He holds out the sin of Unbelief; all which, will make out this, that God lays Christ at Sinners door in His Word; Hence Joh. 5.40. our Lord says, Ye will not come unto me, that ye may get life: and Matth. 23. at the close, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thee, and ye would not; This was it that did aggravate their sin, that He would, and they would not; So Psal. 81. My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me; and Luke 7. it's said, the Scribes and the Pharisees rejected the counsel of God against themselves; and Acts 13.45. when the Jews rejected Christ, it's said, they judged themselves unworthy of ever­lasting life; and therefore the Apostles say, that they will leave them and turn to the Gentiles. 5. We may confirm it from this, That in respect of the Gospel, and Offer made in it, Christ comes alike ne [...]r to all that hear it; for if He be near to some, then He is near to all, I mean in regard of an objective nearness; there is the same war­rand to speak and make the offer to all, before there be some discovery made for qualifying the Doctrine to some; I [...]'s true, there is a difference in respect of the power that accompanieth the Gospel, but as it lay­eth out the offer of Christ, and Life through Him, it comes alike near to [...]ll the Hearers of it; the Invitation comes to all, and in the same terms, to them that refuse, as well as to them that receive Him, the same Go­spel is preached to both. A 6th. Confirma­tion is from the nature of God's administra­tion of His external Covenant, which is seal­ed in Baptism to both, not one Covenant to one, and another Covenant to another, but the same Covenant on condition of believ­ing to both: Behold then, in the preach­ing [Page 10] of this Gospel, that Christ comes near you, even to your door, in respect of the mediate Ordinances, as near as He did to Abraham and David; Although God had His extraordinary ways of manifesting Him­self to them, not common to others; yea, this day, the Gospel is more clear objective­ly to you then it was to Abraham, who re­joyced to see Christ's day afar off, when it was vailed; yea, the Gospel is as clearly preached to you, as those who are now be­fore the Throne of God, had it preached to them, as to the matter of it, though we will make no equality as to the manner of it.

Use 1. Advert to this, when ye come to hear the Gospel preached, and think how ye are living in trysting terms with God, and how near Christ comes unto you; the word of Faith lays Him so near, that ye have no more to do but to receive the offer of Him, to believe and close with Him, and step in upon Him, as it were, to come as living Stones to be built upon Him as a sure Foundation.

But it will be asked, How comes this Go­spel so near? How does it bring Christ so near to Sinners? Answ. In these five steps, 1. As it makes the Report of Christ, and brings the Tydings of such things, as that He is Born, and that He hath Suffered, and for such an End, and that we may partake of the Benefite of them on such terms; It makes the Proclamation narratively, and tells what He did, what Good may be got­ten of Him, and how we may come by it. 2. As it brings an offer of these good things on the terms on which they are to be gotten, so that it never tells that Christ is come, but it says also, here is Life to be gotten in Him by you, if ye will take the way proposed to come by it; therefore, when the Procla­mation comes forth, that all things are ready, the next word is, Come to the Wedding; And when in the one word He says, I stand at the door and knock, at the next He says, If any man will open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him and he with me; and when Isa. 28. it's said, He is a precious corner-stone, a tryed foundation-stone laid in Zion, the next word is, He that believes on him shall not make haste, or as the Apostle hath it, shall not be ashamed or confounded; this makes the Gospel glad Tydings, because it comes alwayes with an offer of Christ and of Life in Him. 3. When the Offer is made, and the precious Wares are exposed to sale in this cryed Fair of Grace, a command comes out, choose Life, come buy the Wares, believe, receive the Offer, as is clear in all the places we named before; It leaves not Folks in­different to receive or nor, but chargeth them as they would be obedient to a Com­mand, to receive Him, 1 Joh. 3.23. This is his commandment, that ye should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ; This is the great Gospel-command, and Ministers have not only the telling of these News, and war­rand to make the Offer, but a Commission to command to receive it, and therefore the sitting and slighting of the Offer, is a Sin opposite to the Command. 4. It not only makes the Offer, and backs the Offer with a Command to embrace it, but it sweetens the Command with many gracious Promises knit to it, as Isa. 55. Hear and your soul shall live, and I will make an ever­lasting Covenant with you, even the sure mer­cies of David; And whenever the Command of Believing comes out, it's always with a Promise; as Paul deals with the Jaylor, Act. 16. Believe and thou shalt be saved; and Mark 16. towards the close, the Lord says, They that believe shall be saved, to encourage to Faith in Him. 5. It presses the Offer, and commands embracing of it with the Promise, with a certification; for the Offer is not conditional, but alternative, Mark 16. If ye believe not, ye shal be damned; so Deut. 30. Death and Life are proposed, and they are bidden choose: If the Gospel be not ef­fectual in it's Commands and Promises, it will be effectual in its Threatnings; The Word of God will triumph one way or the other, and not return to Him void, as is ve­ry clear, Isa. 55.11. and 2 Cor. 2.15, 16. It triumphs in some, while they are brought by the Promise to give obedience to the command of Believing, and to them it be­comes the savour of life unto life; and to others it triumphs as to the execution of the Threatning on them for their Unbelief, and to them it becomes the savour of death un­to death: In a word, Christ Jesus comes [Page 11] so near People in this Gospel, that He must either be chosen and Life with Him, or re­fused, to the destruction and death of the Refuser; ye have the same Christ, the same Word, the same Covenant, the same obligation to Believe, proposed to you, that Believers from the beginning of the World had, and another ye will not get, and what more can the Gospel do to bring Christ near to you? when it brings Him so near, that ye have Him in your offer, and the Authority of God and His Promises in­terposed, to perswade you to accept of the Offer; and Threatnings added, to certifie you, that if ye accept it not, ye shall pe­rish; in which respect, we may say as the Prophet Isaiah doeth, chap. 5. What could God do more to his vineyard which he hath not done? as to the holding out of the Ob­ject of Faith, Jesus Christ to be rested on by you.

But some wi [...]l, it may be, object here, 1. But if there come not Life and Power with the Offer, it will not do the turn; we cannot Believe, nor receive the Offer. Answ. Whose fault is this that ye want abi­lity? It's not God's fault, ye have a sure ground to Believe, His Wo [...]d is a warrand good enough, the Promises [...]re free enough, the Motives sweet enough; the great fault is a H [...]art of unbelief in you, that ye will not believe in Christ, nor open to Him when He is brought to your Door; I doubt, yea, I put it out of doubt, when all that ever heard the Gospel sh [...]ll stand before the Throne, that there shall be one found that shall dare to make this excuse, that they were not able to receive Christ; the Go­spel brings Christ so near them, that they must either say yea or nay, it is not so much, I cannot, as, I will not believe, and that will be found a wilful and malicious refu­sal.

2. It may be objected, But how can this Gospel come to all alike, seing it cannot be, that these that will never get good of the Gospel, hath it as near to them, as these that get the saving Fruit of it? Answ. Not to speak of God's Purpose, or what He in­tends to make of it, not of the Power and Fruit that accompanies it to some, and not to all; it's certain, the Gospel and Christ in its Offer, comes alike near to all that hear it: It objectively reveals the same glad Tydings to all, with the conditional offer of Life, and with the same command and en­couragement, and certification in Threat­nings as well as Promises; In these respects Christ is brought alike near to all, and when God cometh to reckon, He will let Sinners know in that day, that the Gospel came to their Door, and was refused; yea, it comes, and where it comes, will take hold of some to pluck them out of the Snare, and be ground of Faith to them, and to others it will be a ground of Challenge, and so the savour of death unto death; for though it take not effect as to its Promises in all, nor in its Threatnings to all, yet as to either Death or Life, it wi [...]l take effect in every one, so as, if Life be refused, Death steps in the room of it.

But it may be asked, Why will God have Christ in the Offer of the Gospel brought so near the Hearers of it? Answ. 1. Be­cause it serves to commend the Grace and Love of God in Christ Jesus, when the In­vitation is so broad, that i [...] is to all; it speaks out the royalty of the Feast, upon which ground 2 Cor. 6.1. it's called Grace, the Offer is so large and wide. 2. Because it serves for warranding and confirming the Elect in the receiving of this Offer, for none of the Elect could receive Him if He were not even laid to their Door; It's this which gives us warrand to receive that which God offers; it's not because we are elected or beloved of God before time, or because He purposed to do us Good, that we believe, these are not grounds of Faith, being God's secret Will; but we believe, because God calleth and maketh the Offer, inviteth and promiseth, knowing that He is faithful, and we may trust Him; Hence David says, I will never forget thy Word, and, in God will I praise his Word; for the Word in its Offer speaks alike to all, and to none parti­cularly: Indeed when it comes to the Ap­plication of Promises for Consolation, that is to be made according to the qualifications in the Persons, but the Offer is to all. 3. Be­cause by this means the Lord hath the fairer access to found His Quarrel and Contraversie against Unbelievers, and to make their [Page 12] Ditty and Doom the clearer in the day of the Lord, when its found that they never received the Offer, My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me, therefore I gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels; and this is an approbation given to Justice here, it's well-wair'd seeing they would not receive Thee, that they get worse in Thy room.

Use 2. Seing Christ comes near you in this Gospel, and this is one of the Mercat days, I intreat you, while He is near, receive Him, call upon Him while He is near; or take it in the plain words of the Apostle, open to Him, take Him in, give Him welcome while He bodes Himself, to say so, on you; there is not a Conscience in any Man that hears this Gospel, but he will have this testimony from Him in it, that He came near them, was in their sight, and within their reach and grips, as it were, if they would have put out their hand to receive Him, and se­ing it is so, O receive this Gospel, give Him room; while He is content to sup with you, take Him in, make sure your union with Him; this is the end why this Report is made, and Christ is laid before you, even that ye may lay your selves over on Him.

I would follow this Use a little, by way of Exhortation and Expostulation jointly, see­ing the Doctrine will bear both, for when Christ is brought so near even to the Mouth and to the Heart, it will be great ground of reproof and expostulation if He shall be re­jected. Be exhorted therefore to be in earnest, seing 1. It is a matter of such con­cernment to you; many Nations, Kings and Kingdoms have not had Christ so near them as ye have, neglect not such an opportunity; do ye think that all that is said in the Go­spel concerning this, is for nought? Is it for no use that such a Report is made, and Preaching continued so long among you? And if it be for any use, is it not for this, that ye may receive the Report, and may by doing so, get your souls for a Prey? To what use will Preaching be, if this use and end of it be missed? Will your hearing the Gospel make your Peace with God if Christ be not received? 2. Consider the Advan­tages ye may have by receiving the Gospel that others have not, is it a little thing to be called to God's Feast, to be married to Christ, to be made Friends with God, and to enjoy Him for ever? the Day comes when it will be thought an Advantage, and are there Motives to perswade to any thing, like those that are to induce to that? 3. Consider what it is that we require of you, it's no strange nor hard thing, it's but Believing, and this is nothing else, but that the Report concerning Christ be received, yea, that He be received for your own good; that is it that the Gospel calls you to, even to betake you to a Physician for Cure, to betake you to a Cautioner for your Debt; if ye could escape a Reckoning and Wrath another way, it were something, but when there is no other way to obtain pardon of Sin and Peace, or to escape Wrath and obtain favour and friendship with God, but this, and when this way (to speak so) is made so easie, that its but to stoop down, and to take up Christ at your foot, as it were, or to roll your selves on Him, how inexcusable will ye Unbelievers be, when ye shall be arraigned before His Tribunal? But 4. look a little farther to what is com­ing; If ye were to live always here, it were hard enough to live at feed with God; but have ye faith of a Judgement after Death? if so, how will ye hold up your Faces in that Day that now refuse Christ? will not horrible confusion be the portion of many then, and will any ground of confusion be like this, the slighting of Christ? when He shall be seen coming to judge Slighters of Him, what horrour will then rise in Con­sciences when He shall appear and be aven­ged on them that were not obedient to this Gospel? as is most clear, 2 Thess. 1. When our Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire, with his mighty Angels from Heaven, to take vengeance on all that know not God and obey not the Gospel. 5. Consider, that Death and Life are now in your option, in your hand as it were, choose or refuse; I speak not, nor plead here for Free-will, but of your willing electing of that which ye have offered to you; for one of two will be, ei­ther shall ye willingly choose Life, which is a fruit of Grace, or refuse Life, and choose Death, which will be found the native fruit [Page 13] of your Corruption; ye may have Life by receiving Christ who is laid to your Door, and if ye refuse Him; Death will follow it; as now in Hearing this Gospel ye carry in choosing or refusing, so will the Sentence pass on you at the great Day, and so your Sentence, in a manner, is written down with your own hand, as it's said Act. 13.46. Ye judge your selves unworthy of eternal life, not out of humility, but maliciously: Now when the matter is of such concernment, beware of playing the fool; if ye will con­tinue presumptuous and secure, following your Idols, what will the Lord say, but let it be so, ye get no wrong when ye get your own choice, and He, but as it were, ratifies the Sentence which ye have past on your selves. 6. I shall add but this one word more, and beseech you that ye would seri­ously lay this to Heart, as a weighty thing, considering the Certification that follows on it; It's not only Death, but a horrible Death, Wrath, and Wrath with its aggrava­tion from this Ground; like that of Capernaum that was lifted up to Heaven in this respect, having Christ brought so near them; to whom this Gospel is not the savour of Life unto Life, it shall be the savour of Death unto Death, and think not this a common Motive, though it be commonly used, it will bring Wrath upon Wrath, and Ven­geance upon Vengeance on the Hearers of this Gospel, beyond that of Sodom, if ye be still Rejecters of it; sure, none of you would think it an easie thing to be punished as Sodom was, nor digest well the Curse that came on them; is there any of you but ye would think it uncouth and strange, yea stupendious, to enter into their Judgement, and to have your Lands turned in a stinking Loch, and your selves eternally tormented with them? but there is more wrath and vengeance following on the sin of Unbelief, and rejecting of Christ when He comes to your Door in this Guspel. To close up all, Consider that Christ is near you, and hath been long near you, and wooing you, ye know not how many Days or Years ye shall have, how soon this Gospel may be taken from you, or ye from it, how soon ye may be put in the Pit, where ye will gnash your Teeth, gnaw your Tongues, and blaspheme God; therefore be serious while Christ is in your offer, and roll your selves over up­on Him while ye have Him so near you, welcome this Hearing or Report while it sounds in your Ears, that there may be no just ground of this Complaint against you, Lord, who hath believed our report?

THe most part of Men and Women think not much of the preach­ed Gospel, yet if it were consi­dered what is the Lord's end in it, it would be the most re­freshful News that ever People heard, to hear the Report of a Saviour; that is, and should be, great and glad Tydings of great Joy to all Nations; and we should be so composed to hear such News from God, and concerning His Will and our own well, as to be sutably affected with them; It's a wonder that God hath sent such a Report to People, and in it hath laid Christ so near them, that He puts Him home to them, and lays Him before them, even at their Feet as it were; and as great a wonder, that when the Lord hath condescended to give [Page 14] such a Saviour, and b [...]ought Him so near, that all He calleth for is Faith, to believe the Report, or rather Faith in Him of whom the Report is, which is the second thing in the words.

The second thing then, is, The Duty that lyes on People to whom the Lord sends the Gospel, or this Report concerning Christ, and ye may take it in this general; That it lyes on all that hear the Gospel to believe the Report that it brings concern­ing Christ, and by Faith to receive Him who is holden out to them in it; this is clearly implyed, Isaiah and all Ministers are sent to report concerning Him, and to bear witness of Him, and its the duty of all Hear­ers to believe it, and this is the ground of his and their complaint when People do not believe it: By comparing this Text with Rom. 10.16. and John 12.38. we shew that it is saving Faith that is here to be understood.

I shall take up this Doctrine in three Branches, which we will find in the words, and which will make way for the Use. 1. That a People to whom Christ is offered in the Gospel, may warrantably accept of Christ, or, the offering of Christ in the Go­spel is warrand enough to believe on Him; otherwise there had been no just ground of expostulation and complaint for not believ­ing; for though the complaint will not in­fer that they had ability to Believe, yet it will infer they had a warrand to Believe; for the complaint is for the neglect of the Duty they were called to. 2. That they to whom Christ is offered in the Gospel are called to Believe, it's their Duty to do it, thus, Believing, in all that hear this Go­spel, is necessary, by necessity of command, even as Holiness, Repentance, &c. are. 3. That saving Faith is the way and mean by which these that have Christ offered to them in the Gospel, come to get a Right to Him, and to obtain the Benefites that are reported of to be had from Him; thus Be­lieving is necessary as a mids to the end of getting Christ, and all that is i [...] Him: This is also here implyed in the regrate made of the want of Faith, which prejudgeth Men of Christ, and of the Benefites of the Go­spel.

We shall shortly put by the first of these, which is, That all that hear the Gospel preached, have Warrand to believe and re­ceive Christ for their eternal Peace, and for making up of the breach betwixt God and them; this preached Gospel gives you all Warrand to accept of Jesus Christ, and ye would not seek after, nor call for ano­ther. I shall first premit two distinctions to clear this, and then secondly confirm it. As for the first of the two distinctions that serve to clear it, We may take up the Go­spel more largely and complexly, in a Cove­nant-form, holding out Christ and His Be­nefites on condition of Believing; or we may take it up as it holds out a Promise, without particular mentioning of a Conditi­on: Now, when we say that the Gospel com­mands and warrands all that hear it to ac­cept the Offer, we do not mean the last, that all that hear the Gospel have Warrand to accept the Promise without a Condition; but the first, that is, that all the Hearers of the Gospel are commanded to accept of Christ offered; there is by the preaching of it, a Warrand to close with the Report, and then to meddle with, and take hold of the Promises, and the things promised; so that it's the Gospel conditionally proposed that gives warrand to Believe, as Believing rests on Christ for obtaining Life in Him. The second Distinction is, That we would consider Faith, as it rests on Christ for ob­taining Union with Him, and Right to the Promises; or, as it applyes and makes use of the Benefites to be gotten in and by Christ; the Offer of the Gospel gives not to all a Warrand to apply the Benefites to be gotten by Christ instantly, but it war­rands them to close with Him first, and then to apply His Benefites.

Secondly, For confirmation of this Truth, That the general preaching of the Gospel is a Warrand for believing and exercising Faith on Jesus Christ, for making our Peace with God: It's clear from these Gr [...]nds. 1. From the nature of the Gospel, it's the Word of God, as really invitng to do that which it calls for, as if God were speaking from Heaven; it's the Word of God, and not the word of Man, and hath as reall Au­thority to call for Obedience, as if God [Page 15] spake it immediatly from Heaven; and the Word of Promise is as really His Word, as the Word of Command, and therefore to be rest­ed on and improven, as well as we are to en­deavour obedience to the Command; and if we think that God's Testimony is true, and if we lay any just weight on these three Wit­nesses testifying from Heaven, and on these other three testifying from Earth, 1 Joh. 5.7. then we may rest on Jesus Christ offered in this Gospel, and believe, that these who rest on Him shall have Life; for it is, as we said, as really God's Word, as if He were speak­ing it audibly from Heaven. 2. It may be confirmed from these solemn things, the Word and Oath of God, whereby He hath mightily confirmed the external Offer of the Gospel, even the two immutable things wherein it is impossible for Him to lie, that these who are fled for refuge, to lay hold on the Hope set before them, may have strong Consolation, as it is Heb. 6.18. And God having thus said and sworn anent this external Covenant, for this very end, that the Hearers of the Gospel may know, that they who receive Christ offered therein, shall have Life, it is Warrand sufficient to believe on Him for Life: It's also for this end that He ha [...]h put Seal [...] to the Covenant, Circumcision and the Passover in the Old, and Baptism and the Lords Supper in the New Testament; which are extended, not only to the Elect, but to Professors in the visible Church, that every one who is bap­tized and admitted to the Communion, may have confirmation of this, that the Of­fer that God maketh of Life through Christ, is a true and real Offer, and will be made good to the Persons that shall receive it, and so perform the Condition. 3. It may be confirmed from the End for which God hath appointed the Word and Ministry in His Church, even to make the Offer of Christ and Life through Him, John 20.31. These things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that believ­ing, ye might have life through his Name; the Word is both written and preached for this very End. 4. And lastly, It's confirmed from the experience of all the Saints, and from the ground on which they believ­ed, which was the same that we have; they had no other ground but the same Gospel and Word that we have; it was not the se­cret operation or instinct of the Spirit, it's that indeed which works Faith, but it was the Word which was the ground of their Faith, for there is no warrand for Faith but in the Word; and as many Believers as have gone before us, are as so many in­stances and experiences to confirm this Truth to us.

Use. It serves for good use to such as may fall to doubt and dispute what warrand they have to Believe, we say, ye have as good warrand as Abraham, David, Paul, or any of the Godly that lived before you had; ye have the same Gospel-Covenant and Pro­mises, it was always God's Word preached which was the ground of Faith; and there needs not be much disputing what is God's Purpose, for we are not called to look to that in the matter of Believing more then in the matter of our Duty; and as it were evil reasoning to dispute what may be God's Purpose in the matter of Duty when we are called to it, it's as bad reasoning to dispute His Purpose in the matter of Faith: And therefore we leave this Use with a word of Adver [...]isement, That this Gospel as it layes Christ before you, it gives you Warrand to receive Him, and rest upon Him, and we may say as Paul did, Acts 13.38, 39. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren, that through this Name is preached unto you forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses; There is the Way held out for obtaining pardon of Sin, and Peace, the Lord hath made the Offer, and laid a fair Bridge over the Gulf of Distance betwixt God and Sin­ners, though ye should never get good of it, and though ye should never set a Foot on the Bridge; none needs to fear to step forward, behold our Lord Jesus hath hol­den out the Golden Scepter, His Call may be Warrand enough to come; the Preach­ing of this Gospel stops all Disputing, and banisheth debating of the Business; it Calls all the Hearers of it, and gives them War­rand to come forward; and it's such a Warrand as they will be found Slighters of the Great Salvation offered, who had this [Page 16] Door opened to them and did not step for­ward, for as the Apostle says, 2 Cor. 6. Be­hold now is the day of salvation, behold now is the accepted time; and Heb. 2.2. If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast, and every trans­gression and disobedience received a just recom­pence of reward, how shall we escape if we ne­glect so great salvation? which at the first be­gan to be spoken by the Lord, &c. It's the same Gospel that from the beginning hath been preached to Sinners, and this is the rea­son why the Gospel is called Grace, in that 2 Cor. 6.1. We beseech you that ye receive not this grace of God in vain; and Gal. 2. at the ciose, I do not frustrate the grace of God; for many get the Warrand and Pass to come and receive Christ, who put it up in their Pocket as it were, and make no use of it, as the Man that hid the Talent in his Napkin; the Bonds of Marriage are proclaimed, and the Warrand given forth, and yet they halt and come not to the Wedding.

We shall add the second Branch, which is, That this Gospel where it comes and of­fers Jesus Christ to Sinners. Men and Wo­men are not only warranded to come, but required and commanded to come, the great Duty that the Gospel calls for is Be­lieving; it leaves it not indifferent to Be­lieve or not, but peremptorily lays it on as a Command; ye hear many Preachings, and Christ often spoken of, now this is the great thing called for from you, even Believing in Christ, and while it is not performed, there is no Obedience given to the Gospel.

We shall first confirm, and then make use of this Branch of the Doctrine.

1. For Confirmation, take these Grounds, 1. From the manner how the Cospel pro­poseth Faith, it's by way of Command in the Imperative Mood, Believe, Come ye that are weary, &c. Come to the Wedding, open, &c. wherein somewhat of the nature of Faith is held out, all these being the same with Be­lieving. 2. It's not only commanded as other things are, but peculiarly command­ed, and there is a greater weight laid on the obedience of this Command, then on the doing of many other commanded Duties; It's the sum of all Christ's Preaching, Mar. 1. Repent and believe the Gospel; it's the only command which Paul proposes to the Jay­lor, Acts 16. Believe in the Lord Jesus, &c. 3. It's as it were the peculiar Command that Jesus Christ hath left to His People, 1 John 3.22. This is his commandment, that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ; and this Command of Believing on Him, is the peculiar Command left to, and laid on Ministers to press. 4. It will be clear, if we consider, that the great Diso­bedience that He quarrels for, is, when there is not Believing, when Sinners will not come to Him, this is His Quarrel, John 5.40. Ye will not come to me that ye may have life, and here, Who hath believed our report? so Matth. 23. I would have gathered you and ye would not; and John 12.37. Though he did many mighty works among them, yet they believed not on him. 5 Look to the nature of the Offer made by Christ, and to the End of it, and ye will find that the great thing called for, is the receiving of it, which is nothing else but Believing; and all our Preachings of Christ, and of His Benefites, are useless without it; without this he wants the satisfaction he calls for, for the travel of his Soul; and without it the Hearers of this Gospel profite not, 1 Pet. 1.9. Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls; the subordinate End of Preaching, to wit, the salvation of our Souls, cannot be attain­ed without Faith.

The Uses are three. 1. It serveth to be a ground for us to propose the main Gospel-Duty to you, and to teach you what is the great and main thing ye are called to; it is even to Believe in Jesus Christ, to exercise Faith on Him; it's not only that your Life should be civil, and formal; that ye should Read, Pray, frequent Ordinances, learn the Catechism, and such like; but this is it, to Believe on Jesus Christ for the obtain­ing of Life, and remission of Sins through Him; and it's not a thing indiff [...]rent to you, but commanded, and with this certifica­tion, that if ye Believe not, ye shall never get Life nor pardon of Sin; and therefore, as we tell you that remission of Sins is preached to you through Christ, so we com­mand and charge you to believe on Him, and receive this Gospel, wherein He is of­fered, for the remission of Sins.

For clearing of this Use, and that we may have the more ready access to Appli­cation, We shall speak a word to these three. First, To several kinds of true Faith, three whereof are no [...] saving; or to the ordinary distinctions of Faith. Se­condly, To the Scripture expressions that hold out the nature of saving Faith. Third­ly, To some differences betwixt this saving Faith, and false and counterfite Faith, or these acts of true Faith more generally taken, which yet are not saving.

For the first of these, When we speak of Faith, we shall draw it to these four kinds ordinarily spoken of, and shall no [...] alter nor add to the common distinctions of Faith, though there may be moe given. The first is Historical Faith, which may be called true, being it whereby we assent to the truth of a thing, because of his supposed fi­delity that telleth it; as when an Author writes a History, we give it credit upon report that he was an honest Man that wrot it: So Historical Faith is, when People hearing the Word preached or read, they assent to the truth of it all; and do not question but that Christ came to the World, that He was God and Man in one Person, that He died and rose the third day, and ascended to Heaven, that they that Believe on Him shall be saved, &c. and taking the Word to be God's Word, they may give to it a higher assent then they give to any Mans word, because God is worthy, infi­nitly worthy of more credit than any Man, yea then all Men, and Angels too: There may be, I say, in this Historical Faith of Divine Truths, a higher or greater assent then there is in believing of any Humane History, which may be the reason why many mistake Historical Faith, and yet it is but of the same kind, and a thing which m [...]ny Reprobates have, as John 2. at the close, it's said, Many believed on him when they saw the miracles which he did, but Jesus did not commit himself unto them; they were brought to believe from the Signs which they saw, that He was more than a meer Man, and that it was the Word of God which He spoke, and yet it was but a Historical Faith; yea this Faith may be, and is in Devils, who are said James 2.9. to believe and tremble; there are many, who, if they be­lieve Christ to be God and Man, and the Word to be true, think it enough; yet James having to do with such, tells them, that the Devils believe as much as that, and more thorowly then many that h [...]ve that Histor [...] ­cal Faith; he knows God to be true, and One that cannot lie, and he finds it to his cost; he knows that such as Believe cannot Perish, for he cannot get one of them to Hell; he knows that there is a time set when Christ will come to judge the World, and himself among the rest, and therefore he says often to Him, torment me not before the time; and as the Devil hath this Faith, so there are many in Hell that have it too, the rich Glutton had it, therefore he bids go tell his Brethren that they come not to that place of torment, and its told him, they have Moses and the Prophets, &c. which says that he then felt the truth of ma­ny things he would not believe before: This I speak, that ye may know, that this Histo­rical Faith is the first step of Faith, but it may be in Hell, and so in many in whom saving Faith is not; its really a wonder that Folks that are called Christians should own this to be saving Faith, and think they are well come too, when they are only come the Devils length in Believing, yea, there are many that never came his length, else they would tremble more. The second sort of Faith, is, the Faith of Miracles, which is often spoken of in the New Testa­ment, as when the Lord sayeth, If ye had saith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye should say to this mountain, be thou removed and cast into the sea, and it should be done; there was an active Faith to work Miracles, and a passi [...]e Faith to receive the particular ef­fect the M [...]racle did produce; some had the Faith of Miracles to heal, and others to be healed; this is an extraordinary thing, and Folks may go to Heave [...] without it, and go to Hell with it, though they cannot go to Heaven without Historical Faith; hence it's said, Many shall come to me in that day, and shall say, we have casten out devils in thy Name, to whom he will say, depart from me ye workers of iniquity: And the Apostle [Page 18] saith, 1 Cor. 13.2. If I had all faith, and could remove mountains, if I want charity, it avails me nothing; this Faith of Miracles availeth not alone to Salvation, because it acts not on Christ holden out in the Pro­mises, as a Saviour to save from Sin, but on Christ, as having power and ability to produce such an Effect; which may be where there is no quiting of a Man's own Righteousness, and if there be not Grace in the Person that hath it, it is an occasion of Pride: We call you then to Histo­rical Faith, as necessary, though not suffi­cient, but not to this Faith of Miracles, it being neither necessary nor sufficient. A third sort of Faith is Temporary Faith, spo­ken of Matth. 13. and set out under the Parable of the Seed sowen on stony Ground, which soon springs up, but withers; so some Hearers of the Gospel receive the Word with joy, and are affected with it, but en­dure not: The difference betwixt this and Historical Faith, is, that Historical Faith as such, consists in the Judgement, and reaches not the Affections, at best it reaches not the affection of Joy, for though the Devils tremble, yet they are never glad; Tempora­ry Faith reaches the Affections, and will make a Man, as to tremble at the Threat­nings, as Felix did; so, some way to de­light himself in the Promises of the Gospel, and to smack then as it were from the ap­prehension of the sweet taste and relish he finds in them: It is even here (as it were) told a whole Man, that a Physician is come to Town, he is neither up nor down with it, but tell it to a sick Man, and he is fain, from an apprehended possibility of a Cure, yet the apprehended possibility of the Cure, never sends him to the Physician, nor puts him to apply the Cure. The fourth sort is Saving Faith, which goeth beyond all the rest, and brings the sick Man to the Physi­cian, and to make use of the Cure; there may be some measure of true Saving Faith, where there is not much Temporary Faith, or moving of the Affections, and there may be a considerable measure of Temporary Faith, where there is no Saving Faith at all, even as a fallen-Star may seem to glance more then a fixed one that is over-clouded, yet it hath no solid Light. Know then, that Faith is called for, but take not every sort of Faith for Saving Faith; it would make tender Hearts bleed to see so many mistake in the matter of their Faith; there are some who say, they had Faith all their days; O that ye were convinced of the la­mentable deceit and delusion that ye are under, and that ye could distinguish be­twixt Faith and Presumption, betwixt Hi­storical and Temporary Faith, and true Saving Faith, though the two former be not Delusions, but in so far as ye rest on the same, and take them for Saving Faith, ye are deluded, for Saving Faith puts you out of your selves to rest on Jesus Christ.

THE Gospel is a sweet Message, and ought to be glad News when it comes to a People; and therefore, when this Report of our Lord Jesus Christ is made to Sinners, O! but it's a sad Complaint that follows on the refusal and not welcoming of it; there is no better News a Minister can carry, then these brought to the Shepherds by the Angels, Luke 2.10, 11. Fear not, behold we bring you glad tydings of great joy to all people; unto you is born in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord; but were it an Isaiah, it will weight him when he looks on a fruitless Ministry and despised Gospel, and will make him com­plain, Who hath believed our report? O! that we may experimentally know the cheerful­ness and gladness that follows the Gospel where it is embraced, and that we may not know the sorrow and sadness that will fol­low the challenge for dispising of it; one of these two the preached Gospel will be, either it will be joyful News to you, or a sad ground of complaint to God against you.

We entred to speak of the great Duty of a People that hears the Gospel, and the great mean whereby these News become delightsome, and that is, by Faith to re­ceive the Report of the Gospel, or to Be­lieve on Christ reported of in it; This is clearly implyed, for the regrate which holds out the sin, is, Who hath believed our report? and therefore the great Duty must be, to Believe, and by Faith to receive the Re­port. We come now to speak of the Use, and because it's the great design of the whole Gospel, yea, it's the design of the Law also, both of which level at this End and Scope, even Faith in Christ. It will be expedient, and no ways impertinent, that we insist a little on this, especially when so many thousands are utterly ignorant of Faith, being Strangers to what Believing in Christ is, and so great Strangers to the native End of the Gospel, and out of the way of getting good by the Preaching of it, so that to this day, they have not learned this one Lesson, to wit, concerning Faith in Christ, and other Lessons will be to little or no purpose till this be learned.

We shall not insist to speak at large of the Doctrine of Faith, but only in a plain way, glance at what this great Duty is, that is re­quired of the Hearers of the Gospel; it's Believing in Christ savingly, or Saving Faith, for no other thing will hold off the Com­plaint against you; ye will be complained of, though ye would believe with all other Faith, therefore it's this Faith that is here meaned.

That we may come the sooner to that which we would be at, we shall premit two or three words. First, When we speak of Believing here, we presuppose these things that are necessary for clearing the Object of Faith and capacitating us to Believe, though they be not Saving Faith; As name­ly, 1. That the Offer of the Gospel must come to People, that the Object of Faith be held out to them, that it be told them, that there is a way for a Sinner's Justifica­tion through Christ Jesus, and that Sinners may be accepted before God on His account, or through Him. There must also, 2. Be [Page 20] an understanding of this, a conceiving in the Judgment what it is; Folks cannot Be­lieve except they Hear, and Understand what they Hear, in so far as distinctly to fix their Faith on the thing known; they must know and understand the Mediator's ful­ness, the Covenants freeness, and the effi­cacy of Faith to make Christ theirs. Yea, 3. It's necessary there be some acquaintance with our own condition, as that we are na­turally under Sin, that we are lost, and un­der the Curse, sick, and utterly unable, and even desperate to get our selves reco­vered, by any thing that is in, or by any thing that we can do of our selves, that we are for ever undone if we get not a Saviour, that our mouth may be stoped. 4. Not only must we know this, but it's necessary there be an Historical Faith of it, to Believe that there is Fulness and Sufficiency in Ch [...]ist, that He is able to cure, and take away the guilt of Sin in all that rest on Him; these must be believed in general, ere ever Sinners can rest on Him for their own Sal­vation; which supposes that there may be an Historical, where there is not a Saving Faith. Now when all this length is gone, Saving Fai [...]h is that which the Gospel cal­leth for, and it is the Hearts acting accord­ing to what sound light and conviction it hath, on Jesus Christ as holden out in the Promise, for obtaining of Life and Salvation through Him; so that when the Soul is ly­ing still under its conviction, and knows it cannot have Life but by resting on Christ, and hears that there is a Sufficiency in Him for up making of all its wants, then the work of the Spirit prevails with the Soul, to cast it self over on Him for obtaining of Life, and of every other thing needful; it brings the Soul to embrace and lay hold on Him, not only as one able to save Sinners, but to save it self in particular; and this is the native work of Faith that waits the Soul to Christ, and pu [...]s it over the bound-road, or march of all Delusion; it's like a sink­ing Man's leaping to catch hold of a Rock or Rope; it's the b [...]inging of a lost Sinner from the serious apprehension of his own naughtiness and undone Estate, to cast him­se [...]f over on Jesus Christ for the obtaining of Life through Him.

Secondly, When we speak of Faith, we would premit this, That even this true and Saving Faith, which is not only in kind true, that is, such as hath a real Being, but is Sav­ing, may be considered in its different acts or actings for its different needs or ne­cessities: Though the Covenant be one, yet the acts of Faith are many, we having to do with Pardon of Sin, with Sanctifica­tion in its parts, Vivification, and Morti­fication, with Peace, &c. Faith different­ly acts on Christ and the Promise for obtain­ing of these. Now, the Faith that we would insist on, is, the F [...]ith that rests on Christ for Pardon of Sin, on which all the rest of the acts of Faith depend; it's that Faith whereby a Sinner receives Christ, and casts himself over on Him; that Faith whereby Union with Christ is made up.

Thirdly, We would premit, That there is a great difference betwixt Faith, and the Effects of it, as Peace, Joy, Assurance of God's Love, and these other Spiritual Pri­viledges that follow Believing: It's one thing actually to Believe, another thing to have the Peace and Joy that follows upon, and flows from Believing; the one being as the putting out of the Hand to receive the Meat, and the other as the feeding on it: It's the first of these we mean, and intend to speak of, even that Faith whereby we grip Jesus Christ Himself, and get a Right to all these Priviledges in and through Him.

Fourthly, We premit, That even this Saving Faith hath its degrees, as all other Faith hath; some have more weak Faith, some stronger; some have that full Assu­rance spoken of Heb. 10. or a Plerophory, not only as to the Object that it's sufficient, but as to the apprehending and obtaining of Life through that Object; so that they are able to say, neither height nor depth, nor any thing else, shall be able to separate them from the Love of God in Christ Jesus; we say then, that Saving Faith hath its degrees, though the degree be not that which we speak of; but it's the kind of this Faith, whether weaker or more strong, whereby a lost Sinner rolls it self over on Christ; the Faith which puts the Sinner off the Ground [Page 21] it stood on, ever on Him; the Faith which brings the Soul from the Covenant of Works to a new holding of Life by Christ and His Righteousness. We shall then speak a little, 1. To what we conceive this act of Saving Faith is not for precaveat­ing of mistakes. 2. What way the Scrip­ture expresses it; when then we say that such a thing is not Saving Faith, ye would know that thing is not it that ye must lippen to; and when we say such a thing is Saving Faith, ye would labour to act and exercise Faith according to it.

First, For what Saving Faith is not. 1. It is not the knowing that Christ is God and Man, that He was Born, was Crucified, Dead, and Buried, and Rose again; Ask some, what true Saving Faith is? they will say it's a true Knowledge; Ask them again, how long is it since they Believed? they will say since ever they knew Good by Ill; ye would know that apprehensive or literal and speculative Knowledge is needful, but it will not be taken for Saving Faith. 2. It's not a touch of warmness or liberty in the Affections in a natural way, which may be in unregenerate Men, yea possibly in Pagans, as in a Felix, who in the mean time, have not so much as Temporary Faith, because it rises not from the Word, but from dispensations of Providence, or from Temporary things; and if it rise from the Promises of the Word, if there be no more, it's but temporary Faith. 3. It is not Con­victions, which many take for Faith, and take it for granted if they be convinced of Sin, they Believe, and will say, whom should they Believe on but Christ, and yet they never follow the Conviction, to put in practice what they are convinced of. 4. It's not simply a Resolution to Believe, as others take Saving Faith to be, who being convin­ced that their own Righteousness will not do their turn, resolve to Believe on Christ for Righteousness, but they will take a con­venient time to do it; and many maintain their Peace with this, though it be no true Peace; but a bare resolution to Believe is not Faith; ye use to say, there are many good Wishers in Hell. I remember the words of a dying Man in this Place, who thought he believed before, and being ask­ed what difference he conceived to be be­twixt the Faith he had before, and the Faith he now had attain'd to? he answered, before, I thought or resolved to Believe, but never practised it, now I practise Be­lieving: There is such a subtilty and deceit in the Heart, that if it resolve to Believe, and if it observably thwart not with Faith, it will sit down on that as if all were done, therefore the Word is, To day if ye will hear his voice, that is, to day if ye will Be­lieve, harden not your heart: This resolving to Believe, is like a Man sinking in the Water, and having a Rope cast out to him, he resolves to grip it, but does it not; So, many think they have the Promise beside them, and resolve to make use of it, but do not presently make use of it, and the Ship sinks down, and they perish, while the Pro­mise abides and swims above. 5. It is not Prayer; There are many who think they Believe when they some way Repent, Pray, and put their Hand to other Duties, and they know no more for Believing but some­thing of that kind; it is true indeed, Prayer may help to Believe, yet it's not always with Faith, it's not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, that believeth; many will seek to enter that shall not be able: Folks very often have these two miserable mistakes a­bout Prayer, either they put it in the room of Christ, or in the room and place of Faith, not considering that they are different things; for Faith exerciseth it self on Christ as Mediator, and Prayer taketh Him up as God, the true Object of Divine Worship; though if it be not founded on Christ as Me­diator, it hath no access; the acting of Sav­ing Faith is properly on Christ held forth in the Word, and Prayer is a putting up of Suits according to the Word: There are many that know no more what use to make of Christ, then if He had never been incar­nate, nor had come under that relation of a Mediator, and make their Prayers serve to make up all; whereas Faith, not only respects Christ as God, but His Merits as Mediator and His Offices. 6. Nor is Faith only a believing this Word of God to be true, though we could wish many were [Page 22] come that length; it would make a Man tremble to hear the blasphemous words that some will have, when they are asked con­cerning their believing the truth of the Bible; but though ye were that length, it were not enough, the Devils believe and tremble; the Faith that we call you to, is more then Historical, it's to resting on Christ, to cordial receiving of the Message which He sends to you; as, suppose a King should send an embassage to a Person to woo her to be his Wife, it's one thing to know that there is such a King, another thing to believe that he is real in his offer, and that the Woman by consenting to marry him, may be, and will be happy, and (which is yet more) actually to receive the Message, and to consent to go and marry him; It's here as when Abraham's servant is sent to Rebekah, Gen. 24. She and her Friends believe all the report that the Ser­vant made of his Master and of his Son, that it was true, and then it's given to her option if she will go with the Man, and she consents to go, and actually goeth; this is it we press you to, to go with us and close the Bargain, and to accept of Him, and of Life through Him; by the same similitude ye may know what Saving Faith is, and what is the difference betwixt it and Temporary Faith; when the great, rich, and brave offer comes to be made to Rebekah, by a Man with many Camels, Gold, and Bracelets, when she believes that it's true, and that it's made to her, she is fain, and it may be over fain, if not somewhat vain also, that is like Temporary Faith; but when it comes to the articles of the Contract, it's said to Sinners, ye must subject to Christ, and fol­low His Will and not your own, this, this casts the Bargain; thus many when they hear there is a possibility of Life to be had in Christ, and much more when they hear it's to be had on good, easie, and free terms, it will make them smile, but when it comes to that, Psal. 45.10. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, forsake thy fathers house, or the fashions of thy Fathers House, it halts there, and they suspend and demur to close the Bargain, but Saving Faith goes further on, and with Rebekah, finally closes the Bargain.

Secondly, The next thing is, What is Sav­ing Faith, or what is it to Believe in Christ? and would to God ye were ready to Believe, and as ready to receive the Invitation as to ask the Question, and that in asking the Question ye were in earnest; for by the way, many have asked the Question, What shall we do to be saved? where if they had been in earnest, they might have been soon re­solved; The Answer is at hand, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved: But to them that desire further clearness or confirmation in this concern­ing Business, we shall speak a little, yet ye must know, that it's such a thing as is im­possible to be made plain to a proud hu­moured or unhumbled Sinner, it's the poor humbled Soul that will take it up, and to such a Soul, half a word will help to take it up.

The plainest way to set it out, as we con­ceive, is, to name some Scripture Expres­sions, and Similitudes, that hold it forth, The first whereof is in that of Mat. 11.28. Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy loaden; and John 6.35. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst; readily these Ex­pressions hold out these three. First, An Evil which Men cleave to. Secondly, A Good that is offered to them. Thirdly, A passing from the Evil to the Good, and so, come to me implyes. 1. A hazard that Folks are in by being at a distance from Christ. 2. That there is access to Jesus Christ for remeiding that evil, and removing of that hazard. 3. A passing from the one to the other, a passing from our own Righteous­ness to Christ's Righteousness, a passing from our natural condition to Jesus Christ, a real passing from Death in our selves, to Life in Him: Most part, think Faith to be a conceit, a humour, or a guessing, that they think they may have and never know how; but it's a real thing, a coming from our own Righteousness, as I said, to His, from a Covenant of Works, to rest on Christ and His Righteousness, held forth in the Covenant of Grace; this is somewhat explained, Rom. 7. where two Husbands are spoken of, a Woman cannot marry ano­ther [Page 23] Man till her first Husband be dead, so, till a Sinner be dead to the Law, he cannot marry Christ, there must be a divorcing from the Law and Covenant of Works ere ye can close with Christ.

The second Expression is, John 1.12. Where Faith is held forth as a receiving of Christ, To as many as received him, he gave them power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believed on his Name; and it's well express'd in the Catechism, to be a receiv­ing of Christ as He is offered in the Gospel; this supposes that Christ is offered to us, and that we are naturally without Him; The Gospel comes and says, Why will ye die, O house of Israel? come and receive a Saviour; And the act of Faith is a gripping to that Offer, a receiving and imbracing of it, a being well content to take a free Dis­charge through His Blood.

A third Expression is, Phil. 3.12. Where Faith is set out as an apprehending of Christ, and Heb. 6.18. It's called a laying hold on the Hope set before us, and Isa. 56.4. a taking hold of the Covenant; all which sup­pose Folk to have a choice, as it were, laid to them, and Christ to be holden out as a City of Refuge, and a Shelter from that which we are in hazard of; Christ is held out in the Gospel as the City of Refuge, and the exercise of Faith is to run from the ha­zard to Him, as a Child that is chased by an unknown and uncouth Body, flees unto the Mothers Arms, or as the Man-slayer fled from the Avenger of Blood to the City of Refuge; and Faith having run to Him, casts it self on Him, or thrusts it self (as it were) into Him.

A fourth Expression is, rolling or casting of our selves over upon the Lord, as Psal. 55.22. Cast thy burden on the Lord, and Psal. 37.5. Commit thy way to the Lord, it's on the Margent, roll thy self on the Lord, or rest, as it's vers. 7. and ease thy self on the Lord; the Gospel lays Christ, as it were, at Folks feet, and Faith rolls them over on Him; it's even the Souls finding it self through the work of the Spirit, unable to stand under the Burthen; rolling it self on Christ, as a crafie and weak Body casts it self on a Doun-Bed for ease; This is a very emphatick, significant, and active Expres­sion of Faith, setting out a Man quiting his own Legs or Feet, as unable to stand on them, and laying himself over on Christ; This is it that we call you to, even to quite your own Feet, and to roll your selves over on Christ.

A fifth Expression is, Rom. 10.3. Where it's call'd a submitting to the righteousness of God; which is held out in the Gospel, thus, as if a King were proclaiming a Pardon to Rebels, and saying to them, for as many hainous Crimes as ye have committed, and are guilty of, if ye will take with them, and betake your selves to my grace and mercy, sincerely resolving to be henceforth faithful and dutiful Subjects to me, I will freely pardon you; which gracious offer they most gladly accept of, and submit themselves to it: Submitting, is an acquiescing in the terms of the Gospel, as it is proposed; It's even as if ye should say, we hold the Bar­gain, and are well-content and satisfied with it; In a word, Faith carves not to God the way of Salvation, but sweetly sub­mitteth to the way He hath carved out.

A sixth Expression is, Hiding of our selves in God, or in Christ, so the word trust in God, signifies, to hide our selves in Him as in a place of Refuge, according to that Prov. 18. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower, the righetous run unto it and are pre­served, or hid, or, they flee to it as Doves do to their Windows; and this is it the Apostle hath, Phil. 3.9. That I may be found in him not having my own righteousness, &c. so that if ye ask, What is Faith? It's a Man's betaking himself to Christ, that when he shall be called for, it may be answered, Lord, I am in Christ not having mine own Righteousness, &c. it is not to be lippen­ning to the Man's good Hopes, to his good Prayers, or to his good Meaning, but to Christ's Satisfaction, and God's Promise; By Faith, when rightly exercised, the Sin­ner holls and hydes himself in Christ, till (to speak so) a bit of the Man cannot be seen; and this is well set out by the Lord, when He says, Isa. 23.26. Come my people, enter into your chambers, shut the doors about you, hide your selves for a little while, &c. [Page 24] come in under the Mediator's Wings, lock in your selves by Faith there, and so make all sure.

A seventh Expression is, 2 Chron. 30.8. Where, when Hezekiah is writing to the degenerate Tribes to come home again, he bids them, yield themselves to the Lord, in the Original it is, give the hand to the Lord, even as two Men who have been at odds and variance, or have broken the tyes that were betwixt them, come to renew the Friendship, they chop Hands: Now God is brought in stretching out His Hands to you, Isa. 65.2. therefore come and close with Him, yield to Him, give Him the Hand, or chop Hands with Him, and make the Bargain and Engagement sicker for the time to come; all these Similitudes borrowed from Men, are partly to make the Nature of Faith obvious and clear, partly to strengthen and confirm Believers Faith.

An eighth Expression is that of opening to Christ, Cant. 5.2. Open to me my dove, &c. Rev. 3.20. Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man open the door to me, &c. Acts. 16. it's said, the Lord opened the heart of Lydia: When the Word comes, Sinners Hearts are locked on God, Christ comes by His Word, and knocks hard to be in, bids open and take in the Saviour, and Faith discerns His Voice, and gives Him entry; it's the letting of the Word sink, the mak­ing of Him welcome; it's not only the cre­diting of the Word as true, but the receiv­ing of Him whom the Word offers, for the End for which He is offered; and this is, when the work of the Spirit with the Word, wakens up a stichilling, or flightering (to say so) within, and makes the Heart to o­pen to take in Christ; as one worded it well and significantly, my Heart clecked as a Lintseed-Boll to Christ; and wherever Christ hath a design of Grace on the Soul, and comes with Powet, He continues knock­ing, rapping and calling hard and aloud, till Doors and Gates be cast open to Him.

A ninth Expression or Similitude under which Faith is held forth, is that which is ordinary, of a Marriage, or of covenanting or consenting, whether in Marriage or otherwise, but more especially in Marriage: When Christ taketh on Him the place of an Wooer, Ministers are His Embassadours, the Word is their Instructions, wherein He bids them go tell Sinners, that all things are ready, and to pray them to come to the Marriage, or to marry and match with Him; and Faith is a coming-away to this Husb [...]nd, a receiving of the word of Invitation, a consenting to the Marriage: It's not so much a local, as a qualitative change or mutation, we change Fashions, we subscribe the Con­tract on the terms it is laid out to us: In the Bargain of Grace, something is offered by God, and that is Christ and His Fulness, and there is something done on our side, and that is, acccepting of Him by Faith; and this is not so much a saying with the Tongue, as it is a believing with the Heart, as it is Rom. 10.10. With the heart man be­lieves unto righteousness; it's the Hearts pre­sent subscribing the Marriage-Contract, and going away with Christ, to live and cohabit with Him, though Confession will be readi­ly with the Mouth also, as He calls for it.

A tenth Expression or Similitude, is that of buying, Ho every one (cryeth the Prophet Isa. 55.1.) that thirsts, come to the waters, and he that hath no money, come buy, &c. so Rev. 3.18. Buy of me eye salve, &c. It sayes this much, that God in the Gospel sets forth as in a Mercat, to Sinners, rich and rare Wares, and good cheap, or at very low and easie Rates; and that Believing is like buying up of the Wares; Life Eternal is holden out on condition of believing on Christ, and the poor Sinner thinks that a good Bargain, for it takes no Money from him: Rev. 22.17. This is called willing, whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely; the Soul hath a good will to the thing. It is held forth by seve­ral other Expressions in the Scripture, it is called a cleaving to the Lord, or sticking to him, Josh. 23.8. and Acts 11.23. it is cal­led hearing, hearkening, and enclining of the ear, Isa. 55, 2, 3. an attentive concerned, and holily greedy listening to, and taking hold of this Offer; it's a cleaving to the Lord, as Woodben or Ivy cleaves to an Oak, because its life depends on it: And Deut. 30. and Josh. 24. it's called a choosing of the [Page 25] Lord, and that upon deliberation, as know­ing that we have need of Him, that He is a Saviour suited compleatly to all the necessi­ties of our Souls, and that we are warrand­ed to Believe on Him; it's the native act and exercise of Faith to choice Christ among all the Wooers that are courting the Soul: So likewise it's set out under trusting and committing, Psal. 37. Commit thy way to the Lord, trust in Him; I know saith Paul, 2 Tim. 1.12. He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him; it's to give Christ the credit of your Salvation; it's one thing to give a Man the credit that He is true, and another thing to concredit Him with our greatest concerns; we will credit ma­ny whom we will not thus concredit our selves to, nor commit our concerns to; the former (when these are applyed to God) is Historical Faith, but this latter is Saving Faith, when we dare trust and lippen our selves to Him, and to His Word, and we think this Expression holds forth as much of the nature of Saving Faith as any of the former, if we could take it up, when we dare concredit our selves to Him because He hath said the word: Thus also to act and exercise Faith on Him, for Temporal, or for Spiritual things, it's to expect the event from God, but so, as we expect and look for it on this ground, that Christ hath pur­chased it, and we have accepted Him on His Offer, which gives us a right to these things needful for us, and purchased by Him: It's said Matth. 22.5. when the In­vitation comes, that some made light of it, but Faith, on the contrary, is a laying weight on it, and a concrediting of our selves to God on that ground: It's called Rom. 6. a delivering up of our selves to the word, and to Him in it; it's even to put a Blank in Christ's Hand, to be filled up as He pleases,

Ye see then what ye are called to, it is to open to Christ, to come to Him, to mar­ry Him, to roll your selves on Him, to com­mit your selves to Him, to give Him cre­dit, &c. and is there any of these unreason­able or prejudicial to you? and if they be very reasonable and advantageous, (as in­deed they are,) we would exhort you to come to Him, to receive Him, to appre­hend Him, to flee to Him, to take hold of Him, to marry Him, &c. Believe on Him, and by believing, be united to Him, and get a right to Him, and to all His Purchase; give Him the credit of saving your Souls: This we call for from you, and if ye do it not, the complaint in the Text will stand against you, Who hath believed our report?

IT's a great matter once to get the Go­spel brought amongst a People, and such Messengers, as may make the savoury Report of Jesus Christ unto them; yet this is not all, there is a greater work behind, and that is, to get Christ believed on, and to get the Report concerning Him received by the People to whom it is made; This being the greatest and gravest work of the Prophets, and of the Ministers of the Gospel, and the most eminent, not so much to get a word to say, as to get the Word believed; and this is Isaiah's complaint, that though he himself brought the Report concerning Christ, and foresaw many moe would bring it, yet, that [Page 26] the exercise of Faith in these who should hear it would be very rare.

We spoke of the great thing called for from a People to whom this Gospel comes, and the Report of Christ is made, and that is to Believe on Him, to receive and rest on Him of whom the Report is made; except this be, though there were never so many Preachers, and encouragements to Preach, though ye should flock to the Ordinances every day, the ground of Complaint will still remain, if there be not Saving Faith in Jesus Christ, which is the substance of the Gospel.

After confirmation of this Point, We shew what Faith is from the several names the Scripture giveth it, and wherein the exercise of Saving Faith is holden out, all which imply these three. 1. A great ha­zard and danger that the Hearers of the Gospel are in, whether they be sensible of it in such a measure at least, or not, we speak not now, yet they are so really; so much fleeing, coming, laying-hold, apprehend­ing, &c. insinuate. 2. A fulness and suf­ficiency in Christ Jesus holden forth to them, as the object of their Faith, as one that can deliver out of that danger, and can right what ever is wrong. 3. An act, where­in mainly the exercise of Faith is holden forth, and it's the act of the Soul under that danger and distress, betaking it self to Christ's fulness for help: It's a fleeing from the Curse of the Law, to Him, as to the City of Refuge; so every name that Faith gets, sets out a Man acting and moving some way for Christ's remeeding the evil, and removing the hazard he is in.

Having spoken a little to this, that Faith is the main duty that is called for, we may now follow the Exhortation to press you to it, it being to no purpose to speak of Christ and of Faith in Him, except He be received; This is the end of the Word written and taught, John 20. at the close, even to believe in the Name of the Son of God, and by believing to receive Life in and through Him.

And therefore, Secondly, Seing this is the main Duty called for by the Gospel, that by Faith ye should receive it, and Christ offered in it, we earnestly exhort you to it; It is not so much to this or that particular Duty, though these be implyed; it's not so much to attendance on Ordinances, nor to submission to Discipline and Censures, though these also be Duties that we exhort you to; but it's to obedience to the great command of Faith, even to believe on Him whom the Father hath sent and sealed; It is to receive this Gospel, to submit to the Righteousness of Faith, to open to Him that is knocking at the Door, to yield to Him and to give Him the Hand, that bygone Quarels may be removed, and taken out of the way; except this be, we profess to you in His Name, that ye bring not forth the Fruit that this Gospel calleth for from you, and that no less will be acceptable to God, nor taken off your Hand by Him.

And to add here the third Branch of the Doctrine, We say, that no less will do your turn as a necessary mean for attaining the Promise and that which is promised. 1. Look to all the Promises, whether of Par­don of Sin, or of Peace with God, of Joy in the Holy Ghost, of Holiness and Confor­mity to God; there is no access to these, or to any of them but by Faith; this is the very proper condition of the Covenant of Grace, and the Door whereby we step in­to it; and if ye think Pardon of Sin, Peace with God, and Holiness to be necessary, then this great Gospel-Duty of Believing is no less necessary; for the Lord saith, John 3.36. He that believes not is condemned al­ready. 2. Look to the performance of any Duty, or mortification of any Lust or Idol, and Faith is necessary to that, 1 John 5.5. It is by Faith we obtain victory over the world; it was by Faith ( Heb. 11.) that all the Worthies spoken of there, wrought Righte­ousness, &c. 3. When any Duty is done, of whatsoever nature it be, there is no accep­tation of it without Faith; It is not our Praying, or coming to the Church, that will make Duty to be accepted, but it's Faith, the word profited them not, saith the Apostle, Heb. 4.2. because it was not mixed with Faith: And that for making the Duty acceptable, Faith is necessarily requisite, we may clearly see, Heb. 11.6. where it is [Page 27] expressly said, that without Faith it is im­possible to please God; And how is it that Abel offers a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain, it was nothing sure in Cain's Sacrifice it self that made it be casten, nor any thing in Abel's that made it be received or accep­table, but Faith in the Messiah to come, that was found to be in the one, and was a mis­sing in the other; Is there not reason then to press this Duty on you? and to exhort you not to think this a common and easie thing, though the most part think it to be so; if we look to the benefites of it, to the difficulty of it, and to the rarity of it in the World, there is no Duty had need more to be press'd than this, even that Christ Jesus should get the Burthen of your immortal Souls cast on Him by this Saving Faith. I shall there­fore, in the further prosecution of this. First, Shew, what mainly ye would eshew and avoid, as that whereat Folk more ordi­narily stumble. Secondly, What it is we would press you to, and on what Grounds.

For the first, I know the deceits and mi­stakes in Men about the Exercise of Faith, are so many, that they are moe then can well or easily be reckoned up, yet we shall in some generals, spoken of before, hint at a few of them; for so long as ye continue in the same Snares, they must be still pointed out to you, and endeavours still used to un­deceive and extract you out of them; and therefore, 1. Beware of resting on a Do­ctrinal Faith, which before, I called Histo­rical; We know it's hard to convince some that they want Faith, yet we would have you to consider, that it is not every kind of Faith, but Saving Faith, that will do your turn; it's the want of that which the Pro­phet complains of: And therefore, to open this a little, ye would consider, That there may be really such a Faith as is an assent to the truth of the Word, in a natural Man, yea in a Reprobate, but that Faith will ne­ver unite to Christ, nor be waited with the Pardon of Sin. First, I do not say, that every one that is in the visible Church hath this Doctrinal Faith, to believe a Heaven and a Hell, that the Scripture is the Word of God, and that all that believe in Christ shall get Pardon of Sin and Life; the carriage alace! of many testifies that they have not this much, whatever fleeting notions they may have of these things, or whatever e­steem they may seem to put on the Gospel, and whatever profession they may make, that they believe the truth of it, yet in their deeds they deny it; for if there were a fix­edness in the Doctrinal Faith of the Gospel in Men, they durst not for their Souls live as they do. Neither yet Secondly, Do we say, that all they that have this Doctrinal Faith of the Gospel, or somewhat of it, do believe every passage in it alike, but often as they please them, they believe them: Hence many believe what the Word speaks of Mercy and of Pardon of Sin, and will not question that; but what it speaks of Holiness, and of the severity of God's reck­oning with Men for Sin, they do not so cre­dit that part of the Word; it's true, where the Faith of the one is, the Faith of the o­ther will some way be; but because the one agrees better with their Corruption than the other, therefore the one is not so so received as the other; and it's very fre­quent with such, to be found diminishing from one place, and adding to another, of the Word of God. Nor Thirdly, Do we say, that all Men do in a like and equal de­gree, believe the tru [...]h of the Word; there is in some more Knowledge, in some less, in some moe Convictions, in some fewer; and though we preach to you all, yet there are some that believe not this to be God's Or­dinance, albeit there are many who will not be saved, that takes this Word to be the Word of God, and believe what is the meaning of it, because the Word it self says it is so: And the reason of this is, 1. Be­cause there is nothing that is not Saving, but a Natural Man may h [...]ve it; now, this Do­ctrinal Faith is not Saving, and so a Natu­ral Man may have it, yea, the Devils be­lieve and tremble; and James does not di­spute with these to whom he writes on this account, that they believe not thus, but tells them, that Historical Faith was not enough; and we think a man in Nature may have a great perswasion of the truth of the Word of God, and that what it says will come to pass, and yet still continue but a Natural [Page 28] Man. A second Reason is, Because the Scripture speaks so often of many sorts of Faith that are not Saving, as Exod. 14. at the close, it's said, the People believed the Lord; and Psal. 106.12. then they believed His Word, and sang His praise; and John 2.23. many believed on Christ to whom He did not commit himself; there was Faith in them, which His Signs and Miracles extor­ted from them, which was not Saving; and Matth. 13. two or three such acts of Faith are spoken of in the Parable of the Sower, that were not Saving, however sound they might be in their own kind, and 1 Cor. 13. we have such a Faith spoken of, as a Man dare not deny the truth of the Word, though he should bring his Body to be burnt by his avouching of the same. A third Reason is, Because, as much credit may be given to the Word as is given to any other History that is creditably believed; and it's on this ground that we believe there was such Men as Cesar, Pompey, Wallace, &c. and it being cer­tain, that there may be impressions on the Consciences of Hearers, that this is God's Word, backed with some common work of the Spirit, and that it is generally received to be the Word of God, in the part of the World we live in; what wonder is it that Folk believe thus, and drink in this Histo­rical or Doctrinal Faith of the Word, so as they may even dare to suffer to Death for it? and yet in the mean time, they may want Saving Faith, the Devils being as sure as any Natural Man is, that God is true, and that His Word will be performed, and therefore they say to Christ, Art thou come to torment us before the time; the Pa [...]gs of a Natural Conscience in Men will assure them of a Judgment coming, though they tremble to think on it.

And therefore ere we proceed further, take a word of Use from this, and it may let you see the great and very general mistake of the most part of the Hearers of the Go­spel, in resting on this Doctrinal Faith; If ye tell them that they have no Faith, they will not by any means take with that; they believe there is a Saviour, and that He is God and Man, and that such as believe on Him shall be saved, and on this they rest: It's such as these who think they have believ­ed all their days since ever they had any Knowledge, because the Word was always, or very long since, received in the Place where they lived, for the Word of God, and they believe it to be so also; and know no difference betwixt believing the Word, and believing on Christ holden out in it; though alace many of you believe not this much, for if ye were among the Jews, ye might be soon brought to question the truth of the Gospel; But though ye had the real Faith of the truth of the Word, take not that for Saving Faith, for as there is a real Sorrow that is not the Saving Grace of Repentance unto Life, so there is a sort of real Faith that hath a real Object, and a real being in the Judgement, which yet is not a real closing with Christ, and so, not Saving Faith; as, suppose a Man pursued by his Enemy, should see a strong Castle-door standing open, or one in hazard at Sea should see dry Land, if he should stand still while the Enemy were pursuing him, or a­bide still in the sinking Vessel, the sight of the Castle-door open, nor of the dry Land, would not save him; so it's not the believ­ing that there is a Saviour come into the World to save Sinners, that will save, ex­cept there be a resting on Him as He is holden out in the Wo [...]d of the Gospel: Historical Faith, is only (as it were) a look­ing on the Saviour, but Saving Faith grips to Him, and rests on Him; Historical Faith looks on Christ, but acts not on Him, closes not with Him; and therefore such as have it only, and no more, sink and perish without getting good of Him: We would think it a great matter to get many of you as far on in Believing as the Devil is, who believes and trembles; the little trembling that is, shews that there is but little of this Historical Faith, yet, as I have often said, this is not all, ye may have this, and yet if ye halt there, ye will certainly perish if ye were never so confident to be saved; the Apostle doth well distinguish these, Heb. 11.6. He that cometh to God, must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; where these two are presupposed. First, Believing that God [Page 29] is, or hath a Being. And secondly, Believ­ing that His Promise is sure and sicker, that He is Faithful that hath promised, and will make His Word good. And then thirdly, On both these follows a coming to Him as a Rewarder of diligent Seekers of Him. The first two take in Historical Faith; for to believe that God is, is Natural, and to believe that God is Faithful in His Promise, may be in Natural Men; but to come to Him, to get the hazard that the Soul is in, removed through Jesus Christ, is a thing few do attain: This then is the first thing we would be aware of, not aware to believe the truth of the Word, but to be aware of resting on it as Saving Faith; it's not e­nough to look on Christ, and to grant that it is He, but the Man must never be satis­fied till he get himself rolled on Christ, and the weight of his Salvation and Peace laid on Him in His own way.

The second thing ye would beware of, is, Some common and quickly transient work on the Affections, that may accompany Historical Faith; Whether the Affection of Grief, or the Affection of Joy be stirred thereby, both are unsafe to be rested on; when ye can't prove your resting on Christ, or where there is no relevant ground to prove it by, though ye should tremble as Felix did, and be under allaruming con­victions of Conscience and fears of your hazard, or though ye should be affected with Joy as the Temporary Believer may be, and sometimes is, what will that profite you? it's a great mistake to take some small work on the Affections, which at the best is but an effect of Historical Faith, for a Saving work of the Spirit. Or secondly, If it be not an effect of Historical Faith, it's an effect of a challenge of Conscience, and smiting of the Heart, as in Saul, who could say to David, Thou art more righteous than I, my son David. Or thirdly, It's some com­mon work of the Spirit, such as was in Simon Magus, of whom it is said, he believ­ed, and who could say, pray for me; for Folks to conclude on this ground, that they are brought out of Nature into a State of Grace, is to build upon a Sandy Foundation: The Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 7.10. of world­ly Sorrow, as well as of a godly Sorrow and as there may be a wordly Sorrow, so there may be a carnal Joy, a piece of fain­ness, to speak so, in Prayer, or at hearing of a Preaching, or at a Communion, which is not Saving Faith; some hear the Word with Joy, Matth. 13. who yet endure not; and John Baptist's Hearers rejoyced in his Light for a season; even as a sick Man, who hearing (as we hinted before) that a Phy­sician who is skilful and able to cure him, is come to Town, he grows fain in the con­templation of a Cure of his Disease; but here is the stick, when the Physician tells the Man that he must be so and so abstemi­ous, and keep himself under such a strict Diet, he dow not abide that, and so, all his joy evanishes: There is something like this in Tempory Faith, where some remote expectation of Salvation will cause a carnal Joy and Fainness; but when it comes to this, that a Man is called to quite his Lusts, or his Estate, or, in the World to undergo Trouble and Persecution for the Gospel, by and by he is offended, he thinks (to say so) a Fowl in his hand is worth two flee­ing; and therefore when the Storm blows in his Teeth, he turns his Back and runs away: Especially we will find this to be with Men in Sickness, they will have mints and seriousness, and sometimes flashes of Sorrow under Convictions or Challenges, and sometimes flashes of Joy that will eva­nish when they come to Health again: When we speak of some common work on the Affections, we would take in liberty and some warmness of Spirit in Prayer, which, no question, even unrenewed Men may find more at one time than another, as when they are in some great hazard or strait, they will be more than ordinary se­rious in that Duty, and yet that may be but an effect of Nature; This proves a great Stumbling and Neck-break to many, that they think they are well enough if now and then they get utterance in Prayer, as some­times they will get words beyond what they expected, and when upon reflecting, they find that they have been in earnest, though it hath been but with Moral seriousness, that blows them up; upon which ground it is, [Page 30] that many shuffle in Prayer in the place of Saving Faith, and when they Pray with warmness, they trow they Believe, when in the mean time they never knew what it was, in good earnest to lay themselves over on Chist Jesus; therefore when we invite you to Believe, this is another thing we would bid you beware of, that ye put not a flash of Sense in the room of Faith.

3. There is yet a more subtile, though no less dangerous Mistake, that ye would beware of, and that is, When Faith is con­founded with Obedience, and is looked on in Justification as a piece of new Obedience, with Love, Repentance, and other duties of Holiness; so some think they Believe, because they have some Natural awe of God in their Walk, and some fear of Sin, and do perform some duties of Religion, and walk Honestly, as they think, according to the Rule; which is to confound the Covenant of Works and of Grace, and to make the Covenant of Works a Covenant of Grace, or to turn the Covenant of Grace into a Co­venant of Works; only with this difference, that though their works be not perfect, but defective, yet wherein they are de­fective, they think there is worth in their Faith to make up that want, and to supply that defect; and so by Faith they think they will obtain the acceptation of their works, and of their Persons on account of their works; they look upon their works as plea­sing to God, but because they are not per­fect, they will believe, or exercise Faith, to make up their defects, to which the way of Grace is quite contrary, which makes the Tree first good, and then the Fruit; This way that many take, is not to draw the evidences of Believing from works of Holi­ness, which is warrantable, but the found­ing of Faith, or their hope of Heaven on works, and the use they make of their Faith, is to ward off Challenges for the imperfecti­on of their works, and to make Faith pro­cure aeceptance (as I just now said) to their works, and acceptance to their Persons for their works sake.

4. Beware of that which ye ordinarily call a certain assurance, or sure knowledge of your Salvation, and that all the Promises are yours, whereby ye think your selves in no hazard; a hope and assu [...]ance of Heaven that ye can give no ground for, nor proof of, only ye think ye are sure of Pardon of Sin, and coming to Heaven, and that ye are obliged to maintain that groundless hope; but that is not Saving Faith, for it's a hope of Heaven that can give you no right to Christ; there must first be a fleeing to Him, and closing with Him, before ye can have any true and well-grounded hope of Heaven; but your hope and confidence is, never to question the matter, ye are like Laodicea, who thought her self rich, and to stand in need of nothing, when she was beg­gerly Poor; or like these Men, who, when God was threatning them with Judgement, yet would needs presume to think that they leaned on the Lord: I think, among all the Persons that God hath indignation against, it's in a special manner against these: who have this sort of hope, and to whom God discover­eth the groundlesness of it, and yet they will still stoutly maintain, and stand fast by their hope; it's to these He speaks, Deut. 29.19. who despise and tush at God's Threatnings, and say, We shall have peace, though we walk in the imagination of our own hearts, and add drunkenness to thirst; the Lord there pro­nounceth a Curse, and to the Curse addeth an Oath, that He will not spare such Per­sons, but will separate them for Evil, and cause all the curses of the Law to overtake them; judge ye now, what a condition this is for Persons to be in, to be believing that all the Promises are theirs, and yet in steed of that, to be (in the mean time) lyable to all the curses threatned in the Word of God; it's this that we call presumption, and the hope of the Hypocrite that will perish, Job 8.13. the confidence of such shall be rejected and sweeped away as a Speeders Web, and shall be rooted out of their Tabernacles, and bring them to the King of Terrours; they think they Believe always, when they are not troubled nor disquieted, they never want Faith, but have a great deal of it, which yet is but a guessing, which cannot support and uphold them when they come to a strai [...]; when they are more secure they Believe very well, and they think when [Page 31] they are more awaken'd and disquiet'd, they believe less, and their fancied Faith ebbeth quite on them; when they hear of any ex­ercise of Mind, or trouble of Conscience in o­thers, they wonder that they wil not Believe, and all this work is to maintain their deep Security and strong Delusion, this is then the fourth thing ye would beware of, for it's not the Faith that will turn away the Complaint, Who hath believed our report? and yet how many are there of this sort? who say they shall have Peace, and please themselves with this their good Hope, say the Word what it will. O! be perswaded, that this is nothing else but woful Unbelief and Pre­sumption; and we preach to you Terrour and the Curse of God, though ye cry Peace to your selves; the Lord complains of such Persons, Jer. 5.12. saying, They have be­lyed the Lord; He sent His Prophets to de­nounce Judgments in the days of Josiah when there was a fair profession of Religion and Reformation, yet they would believe and hope that no evil should overtake them.

That which we aim at in this part of the Use, is to make way for what follows, even to give you a cleanly ground for exercising of Faith on Jesus Christ, when all these Stumblings and Mistakes are rolled out of the way: We therefore exhort you, to lay your Hand to your Heart, and narrowly to try, if ye have called, or accounted any of these to be Saving Faith; for there are hun­dreds, nay thousands, that perish under these Pretexts, deceiving themselves, and deluding others, with a Faith they were born and brought up with, and they have no more but their groundless hope to prove their Faith by, and they will stick by it, be said to them what will; but be not deceiv­ed, for God will discover you; ye think a strong presumption is Faith, and that ye can by such a Faith drink in the Promises, but God will make you vomit them up, and ye shall be declared to be void of Faith in the great Day; therefore be more jealous over your Faith, and seek to have your grips of Christ sickered, which is done, when from the belief of your Hazard and Self-emptyness, and of Christ's fulness, ye go to Him and close with Him, to make up all ye want, in Him; and this Faith is especially qualified by the account on which we go to Him, and rest on Him, even as a conscien­cious Duty is that which flows from a Com­mand, as obedience to it, so, one of the main things that qualifies this Faith, is a receiving Christ as Christ, or as He is hol­den out in the Gospel, which is therefore well put in the description given of Faith in the Catechism; and it's called a believing on Him whom the Father hath sent, which is not to Believe on Christ simply, but as He is holden out in the Word of the Gospel; Presumption may look on Christ and His Fulness, and few or none will readily dare to give Him a direct and down-right refusal, or to reject Him professedly and avowedly when they hear of such Happiness that is to be had in Him; but that which we say qua­lifies Faith, is to desire, receive, and em­brace Him according as He is holden out in the Gospel, for wisdom, righteousness, sancti­fication, and redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30. when He is lippened to with an Eye to the Pro­mise, and when that which makes us rest on Him is the Word of God; for though Christ be the material Object of Faith, yet the Word is the formal Object, whereby we get a Right to Him, and there is no grip­ping or getting hold of Christ, but in, and according to His Word; and therefore the generality of People (who on the Matter, take the Antinomian way) think they have no more to do, but to apply Christ, and to count Him their own at the very first; but thorow their not exercising Faith on the Word of Promise, they miss Him; this is, as I have said, a main qualification of Sav­ing Faith, even to rest on Christ as He is holden out in the Word, and by the Word, to take hold of Him, and rest upon Him; Saving Faith doth not simply rest on Christ because He is Merciful and hath all Fulness in Him, but it rests on Him and His Fulness as received in the Word, and offered by God in His Word; Faith takes God's Faithfulness in His Word, and lays hold on Him by that, Christ is the thing that makes H [...]ppy, but God's Faithful Promise is the Right by which we get a Title to that thing; we would never love nor like of that Faith [Page 32] that knows not the use of the Word, that betakes it self to Christ, or the things in the Word, but meddles not, nor hath any dealing with the Word that holds them out, when as it is only this Word that gives us warrand to expect that His Fulness shall be made forth-coming for our up-making, and for the supply of all our need; many desire, and expect good of God, but get it not, because their expectation is not found­ed on His Word, and God's Faithfulness in His Word is not closed withall: In a word, I would have you to think that Faith is nei­ther an easie, nor an insuperably difficult thing, but that it is easie to go wrong, and difficult to go right, and that without God's special and powerful guiding, ye cannot believe nor exercise Faith, nor walk in the way of believing in Him, and dependance on Him, that ye may be helped to make a right use of Christ, and to build upon Him, that ye may not slip nor stumble, and fall on the Stumbling-stone laid in Zion, on which so many fall every day and break themselves to peices.

IF it were not recorded in the infallible Scriptures of Truth, we would hard­ly believe that there could be so much powerful and sweet Preaching of the most excellent Instruments that ever were imployed, and yet that there should be so little Fruit following on it; who would be­lieve that Isaiah, so excellent, so sweet, and so evangelick a Prophet, should have preached so many pleasant, plain, and power­ful Sermons to a People from the Lord, and yet that he should have so many sad com­plaints as he hath? Chap. 6, 28, and 58. that he should be put to bring in the Lord, saying, All the day long have I stretched out my hands to a rebellious People, chap. 65. and that here, himself should have it to say, Who hath believed our report? It's scarce one Man here or there that hath Savingly believed on Christ; and this is the third thing in the Words, that now we would speak to, and it's a very sad, though a very clear Truth.

The Doctrine is this, That there may be much powerful Preaching of the Gospel, and yet Unbelief generally among the Hear­ers of it; Or take it with dependance on the former two, namely, 1. That the great work of the Ministry, is, to propose and make Christ known to a People. 2. That the great Duty of a People that have Christ proposed to them, is, to Believe on Him. Then this 3. Follows on the back of these, That a People may have Christ propos [...]d to them, brought to their Heart and Mouth, and though it be but Believing that is called for from them, yet that cannot be obtained from most of them. This Gospel-duty of Believing is often slighted by the Hearers of the Gospel; this is clearly holden forth here, Who hath believed our report? we have called for Faith, but it's a rare thing among the multitude of Hearers to get one that believeth Savingly.

To make out, and prove this a little fur­ther, we would consider this Complaint, with these Aggravations of it, which will make it the more clear, and so the more to be wondred at, As, 1. These of whom the Complaint is made, it is not Heathens, but God's own People, as the Lord complains, [Page 33] Psal. 81, 10, 11. My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would have none of me; our Lord Jesus complains of Jerusalem, Matth. 23. at the end, O Jerusalem, Jeru­salem, how often would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldst not; that the Lord's own professing People should not believe, nor re­ceive the Report that is made of Him, hightens the Complaint, and aggravates their guilt exceedingly. 2. It is not a Complaint as to one Sermon, or as to one Time, but it's a Complaint frequently re­peated as to many fruitless Sermons, and as to many Times, yea Generations; Isaiah preached long in many Kings Reigns, and yet all along his Prophecy he complains of it, as Chap. 6.11. How long Lord shall their eyes be blind, and their ears heavy, &c. and Chap. 28.9. Whom shall I teach Doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts, precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, here a little and there a little; and Chap. 65.2. All day long I have streatched out my hands to a rebellious people, and here again, Who hath believed our report? much and long, or many years Preaching, much plain and powerful Preach­ing, and yet little or no Fruit; they are snared and taken, and fall backward, for all that: And this was not in Isaiah's dayes only, but in Christ's days, John 12.37, 38. and in Paul's days, Rom. 10.16. where the same very words in the Text are repeated; nay, it runs down from the first spreading of the Gospel, even to these latter days wherein we live, many hear, but few re­ceive the Report. 3. Consider how many they are that complain, it's not one or two, or a few, but all the Preachers of the Go­spel; it's not, Lord who hath believed my Report, but, who hath believed our Re­port? it's complained of by Isaiah here, and in several other places named before; it's complained of by Micah, Chap. 7.1. Wo is me, for I am as they who have gathered the summer-fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage, there is no cluster to eat, the good man is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men, &c. it's complained of by Hosea, Chap. 11.7. Though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him, that is, none would give Him the glo­ry of His Grace in believing on Him; Ah sad word! as is that also in Psal. 81. the Lord calls, Hear O my people and I will testifie to thee, open thy mouth wide and I will fill it, but my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me; and what Prophet is there almost (if I need say al­most) but hath one way or other this Com­plaint? that though the Lord streatched out His Hands all day long, yet it was to a rebellious and gain-saying People: Look forward, and see what our Lord says of John Baptist, and of Himself, Whereto shall I liken this generation, it's like children sitting in the market-places, saying one to another, we have piped to you and ye have not danced, we have mourned to you and ye have not lamented, that is, there is much Preaching of Men en­dowed with several Gifts, but none of them does the People much good; John preach­ed with much holy austerity, like one Mourning; the Son of Man most sweetly, like one Piping, yet neither the one nor the other prevailed; there are some Boanarges, sons of Thunder, allaruming and thunder­ing Preachers; some Barnabasses, sons of Consolation, sweetly comforting Preachers, yet all gain but little on the Hearers; our Lord sayeth, Mat. 23. O Jerusalem, Jeru­salem, how often would I have gathered you? this is the ordinary Complaint, ye would not. A 4th. Aggravation is, If we consider who they are that meet with this Unbelief and Unfruitfulness in them they preach to, if it were poor coldrife Preachers, such as we, alace in a great measure are, or such as the Scribes and the Pharisees were, or if it were they who had Learning only, and not Piety, it were not so great matter to see them meet with Unbelief and Unfruitfulness in their Hearers; but its even these whom the Lord sent and sharpened, as Arrows out of His Quiver, as this Prophet was; it's even his Preaching that is Fruitless in a great measure, and was there ever a more sweet, plain, powerful, and delectable Preacher than Isaiah was? that even the very reading of his Preachings may affect the Readers, yet is there any that complains more, or so much, as he doeth in the Chap­ters [Page 34] before cited? it's like ye will think, that if Isaiah were Preaching now, he would be as a Stone, that would not be moved thereby, and yet his Preaching got the same return and entertainment that our gets now; and Hosea called his Hearers to the most High, yet none at all would exalt Him; it was their work to streatch out their Hands all the day long, but they hardened their Necks, and refused to return, Jer. 8. and Zech. 7. But 5ly. Consider all these are Servants and Preachers under the Old Te­stament, and you may be disposed to think that ye under the Gospel, when the Vail is laid by, and when Christ Himself, their Lord and Master, and His Apostles come to Preach the Gospel, it should be other­wise; yet John the Baptist, who was Christ's Harbinger, who was a burning and a shin­ing Light, a stayed and fixed Man, not a Reed shaken with the Wind, (as many of us much are,) a Prophet, yea more than a Prophet, yet when he preached, many of his Hearers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, Luk. 7. John comes preaching austerely, and they say he hath a Devil, and if there was any rejoycing in his Light, it was but for a Season; and Paul that cho­sen Vessel, how often was he persecuted? and he hath the same Complaint, in the same words that Isaiah hath here of his Hearers, especially the Jews, Acts 13.46. and 28.28. and was constrained to tell them, that he and his Fellow preachers behoved to quite them, and betake themselves to the Gentiles; and how doeth he complain of the Corinthians and Galatians, and of their being bewitched, and suddenly seduced, and drawen away from the truth and sim­plicity of the Gospel, by some Self-seeking Lown-Ministers, coming with a glancing Countefite among them. We shall close this with the consideration of our Lord Jesus, who was a none-such Preacher, of whom it's said, Matth. 7.29. that He spake with power and not as the Scribes, and Luk 4. when he is opening that sweet Text, Isa. 61.1, 23. it's said, They all wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth; and the Officers that came to take Him, say, that never man spake as He spoke, and yet this same is His Complaint, Matth. 23.37. How often would I have gathered you, and ye would not; and John 1.11. it's said, He came to his own, and his own received him not: Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were lift­ed up to Heaven by the Lord's preaching to them in Person, and yet woe after woe is denounced against them, because they believed not, for all His Preaching and Mi­racles; and it's a wonder, if we look tho­row the History of the Gospel, how many a sweet Preaching He had, and with what Weight and Power He spoke, and some­times with Tears, and withall, backed His Word with Miracles, that made His Hearers acknowledge the Finger of God, and yet how few were brought to Believe on Him? so that He was put to take up this very Com­plaint of Isaiah here, John 12.38. Is it not a wonder, when He and His Apostles have preached so much, and so long, that the Church is so little a Flock, and that Be­lievers are so few in number, even after His Ascension? need we any further proof, that the Gospel where it comes gets but little welcome? the Carriage of many among our selves is a sad proof of it, for we are afraid that many of you do not Believe to this Day, though there hath been amongst you, much, long, or many Years, and power­ful preaching of the Gospel, but are still living without Faith, and Perishing.

If this be not enough to clear the Doctrine, 1. See how Christ speaks of it, Matth. 13. in the Parable of the Sower of the Seed, where there are three sorts of Ground that never bring forth good Fruit, and there He speaks, not only of the time of His own Personal Ministry, but of all times. 2. Look to the ordinary and dayly effect, or rather consequent of this preached Gospel, and it will prove it; do not many Perish? do not many croud thick in the broad Way that leads to Destruction? do not but very few Fruits of Faith appear? is there not little, lamentably little, real Change in the Way and Walk of most to be seen? To clear it yet further, Go thorow the several Ranks of Persons, that in God's account are Un­believers, and lay them by, O! there will be exceeding few Believers in Christ found: [Page 35] First, Then lay by the grosly Prophane, that are never so much as civilized. Secondly, The Ignorant, Stupid, and Senseless, that never have mind they have Souls, are never feared for Wrath, nor in the least exercised to make their Peace with God. Thirdly, The Earthly-minded, that mind no other thing save the World. Fourthly, These of a Civil outward Carriage, that have some good Works, and as they think, good Days too, and yet come not near Christ to close with Him. Fifthly, The Hypocrites, and that of all sorts, both the presuming Hypo­crites, that will thank God they are better than their Neighbours, and yet lippen not to Christ, and free Grace through Him, but seek to establish their own Righteousness, gross as it is; and the legal Hypocrites, that never denyed their own Righteousness, nor submitted to the Righteousness of Christ: Lay aside all these, I say, and we leave it to your own Consciences to judge, how few will be found to have Saving Faith; and therefore I am perswaded, if there be any truth of God delivered to you, that this is a truth, that though the Gospel be preached to many, yet there are but few Hearers of it, that do actually Believe in Jesus Christ to the saving of their Souls.

Use 1. The first Use of it is, To beseech you to let this sink deep into your Minds as the Truth of God, for these Reasons. 1. Because it's a most useful Truth, and if it were believed, it would make Folks very watchful over themselves, and to tremble for fear, lest they be found amongst the mul­titude that Believe not, and put them t [...] secure and sicker their Interest in God, and not to rest on a Fashion and Form of Reli­gion, without observing what Fruit follow­eth on the Gospel; among the many Evils that undo not a few, we think this is not the least, that this Truth is never thorow­ly fixed in them; they think there are ma­ny Heathens and Turks without the Church, and many gross Swearers, Drunkards, and others such within it, that will Perish, but none others, or at least, that they are but very few, who among a professing People Perish; neither can they be induced to think it's such a hard matter, to get one, or a very few that are Believers in a Countrey side, so that if Isaiah were now alive to cry, Who believes our report? each of them would be ready to answer, I believe. 2. Because for as certain and useful a Truth as this is, yet generally it's not believed, Folks can­not think that so few Believe, and that Be­lieving is so difficult and rare a thing: I would ask you this Question, Was it ever a difficulty to any of you to Believe? If not, what is it that makes Believing so rare? what should move the Prophet thus to com­plain, Who hath believed our report? I shall shortly give you some Evidences that many of you do not really believe this Truth. The first is, That so few of you tremble at the Word of God; the Historical Faith that the Devils have, makes them tremble, but ye have not that much; this is given as a Property of a suitable Hearer of the Go­spel, to whom the Lord will look, Isa. 66.1, 2. that he is one who trembles at the Word; but the most part of you that hear this Go­spel, are like these Pi [...]lars on which this House stands, who are never so much as once moved at the Word; ye either take not Faith to be an absolutely necessary thing, and that ye cannot but Perish without it, or ye think that the Faith ye were Born with, will do your turn; ye do not Believe that ye are naturally under the power of the Devil, and led Captive of him at his will, and that without Holiness, and a spiritual gracious Frame, and stamp on your Heart and Way, ye shall never see God; what wonder then that ye come not to rest on Christ, when the very Letter of the Gospel is not credited. A second Evidence is, That there is so little preparation made to prevent your eternal Hazard, it's said of Noah, Heb. 11. that Noah being warned of God, prepared an Ark, and this is attributed to his Faith; it's not possible that ye would live so negligently and carelesly, if ye be­lieved that the Curse of God were pursuing you, and that ye will be brought to reckon for that which ye have done in the Body, and that ye will meet with God as an Ene­my; if this were believed, though your Hearts were harder than they are, it would make you tremble, and put you to other [Page 36] sort of thoughts and seriousness. A third Evidence is, That there is no Fruit of Faith among many of you, for where it is, it will not be got altogether smuthered, but will kythe and shew it self one way or other; and if ye will still assert your Faith, I would say to you as James doeth to these to whom he writes, Shew me your Faith by your works; if ye shall say, God knows: I answer, that ye shall find that to be a Truth that He knows, and He will make you know that He does so; but alace! that poor Shift will not avail you when it comes to the Push, O try your Faith then by your Works; see what Mortification of Lusts, what Repen­tance from dead Works, what grouth in Knowledge, what shining of Holiness in your Conversation, is attained to; many of you, as to your very Knowledge, are as if ye lived among Heathens, many of whom have been as free of Vice, and more profit­able to others, than many of you are, and cared as little for the World as many of you do; how comes it to pass then, that ye have lived as if ye could have Faith, and yet have no Fruit? ye must either say, that Faith is not necessary, or that ye may have Faith without Fruit, for we are sure your Fruit is not the Fruit of Faith: To live ho­nestly, as you call it, what is that? there are many Heathens who have gone beyond you in that; we will not say, that Moral Honesty is nothing, but sure it is not all; all the Fruits of meer Moral Honesty, are but sour Fruits, that will set your Teeth on edge: Neither is it your Hearing of the Word only, but your Believing and Doing of it, that will profite you; it's very sad, that most plain obvious Duties are not at all followed, as the studying of Knowledge, the exercising of Repentance, one of the very first Duties, which is never separated from Faith, the humbling of the Soul before God, the loathing of your selves for all ye have done, the Love of God, &c. for there may be Challenges for gross Evils in Hea­thens; and Fear is not Repentance, but Godly Sorrow that causeth Repentance not to be repented of. A fourth Evidence is, The want of that Work of God's Spirit that accompanies Faith, Faith is a special Work of the Spirit, and the gracious Gift of God, it's wrought by the exceeding mighty Power of God, whereby He raised Christ from the Dead, and by that same Power He worketh in them that Believe; now, knew ye ever what this Work meaned? found ye it ever to be a difficult Work to Believe? knew ye ever what it was to have the Spirit of God constraining your Heart to Believe? I speak not of any extraordinary thing; but certainly, Faith is not Natural, nor cometh from pure Nature, and wherever it is, it manifests it self by Works, and evidenceth the Power of the Spirit in the working thereof: There are some sad Evidences of, and bitter Fruits that spring from this Root, to wit, Folks being Strangers to the experimental Knowledge of the Work of Faith: As, 1. When Men know no more dif­ficulty to get Christ, and to rest on Christ, then to believe a Story of Wallace, or of Julius Cesar. 2. When Folks say that they be­lieved all their Days, and believed always since ever they knew Good by Ill; and though their Faith be no true Saving Faith, but a guessing, yet they will not quite it, yea it's impossible for Men to get them con­vinced that they want Faith. 3. When Men never knew what it is to be without Faith; it's one of the great Works of the Spirit, John 16.8. to convince of the want of Faith; Folks will be easily convinced, that breach of the Sabbath, that Stealing, that bearing false Witness, &c. are Sins, where the special Work of the Spirit is not; but how many of you have been convinced of the want of Faith? we are constrained to say this sad word when we look on this Text, that it is lamentably fulfilled in your Eyes, and in this our Congregation; think not that we wrong such of you who have believed our Report; Ah it's few, even very few of you, that Receive and Believe this Gospel.

Use 2. The second Use is for Conviction, If it be ordinary for the great part of the Hearers of the Gospel not to Believe, let it sink in your Hearts that it is no extraordi­nary thing that hath befallen you; are ye not such Hearers as many of these were, who heard Isaiah, and Jesus Christ? and if [Page 37] so, will not this follow, that there are ma­ny, yea, even the thick and throng of the Hearers of this Gospel, that Believe not? and who if Christ were gathering Sin­ners by this preached Gospel, would not be gathered; if where the Gospel comes many do not Believe, then here in this City where the Gospel is preached to a great multitude of professing Members of the visible Church, there are readily many that do not Believe; or let me ask of you a Reason why ye do except your selves, either this Truth holds not so universally, or many of you must fall under it, or else give a Reason why you fall not under it; the Truth which Isaiah preached, hath been preached to you, and yet ye remain Unbelieving, and Dispisers of the Invitation to the Marriage of the King's Son, as the Jews did; we are not now speaking of Jews, Turks, nor Heathens, nor of the Churches in general, nor of other Congre­gations, but of you in Glasgow, that have this Gospel preached amongst you, and we say of you, that there are few that believe our Report: Think it not our Word, the Application flows natively from the Text, not from necessity of the thing, but from the ordinary course of Mens Corruption; are not the same Evidences of the want of Faith, which we spoke of, among you? how many are there in their Life Prophane? how many rest on Civility and Formality? is there not as little Repentance now as was in Isaiah's time? as little denying of our own Righteousness, and making use of Christ's, though the Word be taught by Line upon Line, here a little and there a little? It may be, though ye think that the Doctrine is true in the general, ye will not, ye cannot digest the Application, That a­mong so many of you visible Professors of Faith, there are but few real Believers; therefore we shall follow the Conviction a little further, by giving you some Conside­rations to make it out, that we have but too just ground to make Application of the Doctrine to you, especially considering the abounding of Corruption that is amongst you, that ye may be put to fear the Wrath that attends Sin, and to flee to Christ for Refuge in time. 1. Consider of whom it is that the Prophet is speaking, and of what Time, Is it not of the Times and Days of the Gospel? had not the Spirit (in dictat­ing this Text of Scripture) an Eye on Scotland, and on Glasgow? and do not our Lord Jesus Christ and Paul apply it in their Days? and why then may not we also in ours? and when the Spirit speaks expressly of the last Times, that they shall be peril­ous, and of the falling away of many, should it not give us the hotter alarm. 2. Do not all things agree to us as to them? is not this Gospel the same? is our Preaching any bet­ter than theirs? nay, had they not much more powerful Preaching? and if that Preaching which was much more powerful had not efficacy as to many to work Faith in them, what may we expect to do by our Preaching? are not your Hearts as deceit­ful? are not your Corruptions as strong? are ye not as bent to Back sliding as they were? what sort of Folks were they that were unfruitful Hearers? were they not Members of the visible Church as ye are, circumcised under the Old Testament, as ye are baptized under the New? was it not these who had Christ and His Apostles preaching to them? yea, they were not among the more Ignorant sort who did not Believe, but Scribes and Pharisees, and these not of the prophanest sort only, but such as came to Church, and attended on Ordi­nances, as ye do, yea, were such as had Gifts, and cast out Devils, and preached in Christ's Name, as you may see, Luk. 13.26. Now when there are so many, and of such Ranks, who get no good of the Word, and of such, a great many that will seek to en­ter in, and shall not be able, to whom Christ will sall say, depart, I know you not ye Workers of Iniquity; What can be the rea­son that many of you do so confidently assert your Faith, when there are scarcely any characters of Unbelief but ye have them? or, what can be your advantage in keeping your selves carnally Secure, when the strong Man, in the mean time, is in the House? and to shut your Eyes, and make your Necks stiff, and to resolve, as it were, not only to ly still, but to die in your Unbelief; I per­swade my self, that many of you ere long, [Page 38] will be made to wonder that ever ye thought your selves Believers, and will be galled when ye think upon it, that what ever was said to you, ye would needs main­tain your presumptuous Faith. When we bid you suffer the Conviction to sink, let none put it from themselves to others, but let every one take it Home to himself; al­though we would not have any of you cast­ing loose what is indeed made fast and well secured, nor overturning a slender and weak Building, though it were, to speak so, but of two Stone height, if it be founded on a right Foundation, on the Rock; but we speak to you that cannot be brought to suspect your selves, when ye have just rea­son to do so; sure, this Challenge and Charge belongs to some, yea to many, and we would ask what ground have ye to shift it? how can ye prove your Faith more than others that have none at all? that ye hope ye have Faith, will not do your turn, that's no solid proof; ye cannot come to Christ except made suitably sensible of your di­stance, and of that ye have never been con­vinced as yet; do ye think to roll your selves on Christ sleeping, and ye know not how? certainly when the Pins of your Ta­bernacle come to be a loosing, ye shall find that your fancied Faith shall not be able to keep out a Challenge; ye could never en­dute to think your selves to be Christ's Ene­mies, or that ye wanted Faith, but when Death comes, Conscience will awaken, and the Challenge will needs be in upon you, whether ye will or not; many of you think that ye get wrong when your Faith is que­stioned or reproved, as if it were an odd and rare thing to be Graceless, or to be liv­ing as Members of the visible Church, and yet want Faith; and it irritats you to be expostulated with in private for your lying in Unbelief: But suffer this word now to take hold of you, I b [...]se [...]ch you, and if ye could once be brought to suspect yourselves, and to think thus with your selves. What if I be one of those many that Believe not? I fear I be in hazard to be mistaken about my Faith, and from that, put to follow on to see how ye will be able to ward off the Challenge, and to prove your Believing to be sound, we would think ye were fair on; O if ye had the Faith of this Truth, that among the many Hearers of the Gospel, there are but few that Believe, and were brought thereby to examine and try your selves; there is no Truth that Christ insists more on than this, that strait is the Gate, and narrow is the way to Heaven, and that but few find it, and that there are few that Believe, and few that be Saved; If ye did once in earnest look on your selves as in Hazard, and were brought to reflect on Matters betwixt God and you, it might be the Lord would follow the Conviction, we desire Him to do it, and to Him be Praise.

IT's a sad matter, and much to be la­mented, when the carrying of such good News as is the Report of Jesus Christ in the Gospel, becomes un­profitable to them that hear it, and thereby burdensome to them that carry it; Folks would think that such glad Tydings as make the Heavenly Host of Angels to sing, would be very joyful and welcome News to Sinners, and also most heartsome to them that carry them; and where the former is, there the latter will be also; where the Word becomes useless and unprofitable to Hearers, it is burdensome as to the conco­mitant and effect, to honest Ministers that speak it; though Isaiah brought these News in a very plain, powerful, pleasant and sweet manner to the People he preached to, and that frequently, yet in the midst of his sweet Prophesies, he breaks out with this Complaint, who hath believed our report? he is carrying glad Tydings, yet taking a look of the Unbelief of his Hearers now and then, he complains of it to God in his own name, and in name of all the Ministers of the Gospel that should come after him.

We shew that it was a very ordinary thing where the Gospel comes in greatest Plenty and Power, for the Hearers therof to meet it with much Unbelief, a Truth that was verified in Isaiah his time, and that he foresaw would be verified in the Days of the Gospel; and therefore it's our Report, not only is it the Report of Isaiah, but it is the Report of Christ, and of Paul, who make the same Complaint, and Cite the same words of Isaiah, and need we doubt of the truth of it, when Isaiah in the Old, and Paul in the New Testament, thus com­plain? Not to speak of their, and our Lord and Master, who came to his own and his own received him not, and of whom when He came they said, this is the heir come let us kill him; need we, I say, doubt of the truth of the Doctrine, or to think it strange to see it so in our Time, and that we have the same Complaint, when the Means (at least the Instruments) are incomparably far below what they were then, though it be still the same Gospel?

The Prophet's scope is, to give Advertise­ment and Warning to the Hearers of the Gospel for the Time to come, of this rise Evil, even the abounding of Unbelief in them that hear it. 1. That he may pre­vent the Scandal of the unfruitfulness of the Word where it comes. 2. That he may add a Spur of excitement to the Hearers of the Gospel to endeavour to make use of it, and not to rest upon Means, how powerful and lively soever they be, but to press for­ward to the End they aim and shoot at. 3. That he may put Folks to the Tryal, and that they may be brought to look in upon themselves, whether they be, or be not, in this black Roll of them that receive not the Report; and we think, if any thing put Folks to be suspitious of themselves, and to commune with their own Hearts about their Souls estate, this should do it; especially when they consider how this Evil agrees to all Times, and yet more especially to the Times of the Gospel, and how it is an Evil that abounds, not only among the Prophane, but among these who are Civil and Zealous too for the Righteousness of the Law, it [Page 40] should make them put themselves to the Tryal, and not to take every thing to be Faith that they fancy to be Faith; for ei­ther this Doctrine is not true, that where­ever the Gospel comes, it meets with Un­belief in most part of its Hearers, and can­not be applyed to this Generation, or, that there is much Faith in this Generation that we live in, that will not be counted Saving Faith: If all of you were Believers, there were no ground for this Complaint, and if we will take Folks on their own word, we can hardly get a Person but will say he Be­lieves, so that the generality of Mens Hearts run quite contrary to this Truth; and therefore we say, it is the scope of this Doctrine and the like, to give Folks the alarm, and to put them to suspect and try themselves; I do not mean that any should cast the work of Faith where it is indeed, for that is also a part of our Unbelief, and ordinarily when Unbelief falleth on the one side, the Devil maketh it up on the other, and makes tender Souls question their Faith when they begin to Believe, as if they could mend Unbelief with Unbelief; but it is to such that we speak, who cannot be brought to suspect their Faith; certainly, ye will wonder one day, that ye should have heard such a plain Truth, and yet would not so much as ask your own Hearts whether there was reason to suspect your want of Faith, as it's said that Christ marvelled at their Unbelief who heard Him, so may we at yours, and who ere long, ye shall also marvel at your selves on this account.

Before we prosecute this Use, and the rest any further, we shall speak to another Do­ctrine, and it is the last that follows from these words, tending to the same scope to make us scar at Unbelief, which the Pro­phet makes such a heavy ground of Com­plaint. The Doctrine then is, That if there were never so many under Unbelief, and never so many who refuse to receive Jesus Christ, yet Unbelief is a Sin, and a most sinful Sin, which, though Folks had no more, will seclude them from Heaven; there were no ground for this Complaint if it were not so, even as the Prophet would have had no ground to complain of the Peoples Unbelief if there were not many Unbelievers; so Unbelief is a very great Sin in whomsoever it is, and makes them exceeding sinful: Or take the Doctrine thus, It is a very great Sin for a People to whom Christ is offered in this Gospel, not to receive Him, and rest upon Him for Sal­vation, as He is offered to them therein; and it ariseth from this ground, That where Christ is not received, there the Ministers of the Gospel have ground of Complaint, for it supposes a great defect in their Duty, seing it is their Duty to Believe, yea the great Gospel duty on which all other Duties hang, and which is called for by many tyes and obligations, This is his commandment, saith John in his first Epistle, chap. 3.23. that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ, therefore it must be a great Sin not to Believe.

There are shortly three things compre­hended in this Doctrine, (speaking now of Unbelief, not only as opposite to Historical Faith, which we commonly call Infidelity, but as it's opposite to Saving Faith, which we shew is that which is called for here:) 1. That Unbelief, or not receiving of Christ, is a Sin, or a thing in its own nature sinful: It's a Sin as well as Adultery, Murther, Stealing, Lying, Sabbath-breaking, &c. are; yea, and in the Aggravations of it, a Sin beyond these; it is as contrary to the Word and Will of God, and is as contrary to the Divine Majesty, as Drunkenness, Murther, Adultery, or any other Sin is, the positive command of Believing being as peremptory, plain, and particular, as these negative ones are, the breach of it must be as sinful. 2. That there is such a kind of Sin as Unbe­lief, beside other Sins, and such a distinct Duty as Believing, that if Folks could do all other Duties, if this Duty of Believing be wanting, they will be still sinful, and there will be still ground of Complaint; and if Faith be a particular Duty required, and distinct from other Duties and Graces, as it's clear it is, Gal. 5.21. then Unbelief must be a particular Sin, distinct from other Sins, though it hath influence on other Sins, as Faith hath on other Duties; so Rev. 21.8. it's ranked among the most abominable Sins, [Page 41] the reason why we mark this, is, because there may be some in whom some gross Sins, as Adultery, Blood-shed, and the like, do reign, and they get that name to be called Adulterers, Murtherers, &c. others may pos­sibly be free of these, who yet have Unbe­lief reigning in them, and therefore they get that name to be called Unbelieving, and are ranked with the grossest of Evil-doers. 3. That even many in the Times wherein the Scriptures were written, and in every Age since, are found guilty of this Sin, and condemned for it, who are as to several o­ther things commended; hence it's said Rom. 10.3. of the Jews, that they had a zeal of God, which in it self is good, though not according to knowledge, yet it was their main lett and obstruction in the way to Life, that being ignorant of God's righteousness, they went about to establish their own; for as much zeal as they had for the Law of Moses, seing they did not receive Jesus Christ, and His Righteousness by Faith, it made any other good thing they had unacceptable, and the reason why we mark this, is, that Folks may see that it is not only for gross Sins, and with gross Sinners that the Go­spel complains and expostulats, but it's also for not submitting unto, and not receiving the Righteousness of Christ, and therefore ye are far mistaken that think your selves free from just grounds of Challenge, because forsooth, ye are free of Murther, Adultery, Drunk [...]nness and the like; do ye not con­sider that Unbelievers ar [...] in the same Rank and Roll with abominable Whoremongers, Sorcerers, Idolaters, and Dogs? and is not Unbelief contrary to the Command of God, as well as Murth [...]r, Adultery, and these o­ther gross Sins? and therefore because Folks think little of Unbelief, though it be very rife, if they be free of other gross Sins. 4. We shall add a fourth thing which the Doctrine implyes. That Unbelief though there were no other Sin, is exceeding sin­ful, and is first. The great ground that makes God expostulate with the Hearers of the Gospel, and that makes them come un­der the Complaint, John 5 40. Ye will not come to me that ye may have life, and Matth. 23.37. How often would I have gathered you, and ye would not; and for substance, it's the Lord's great complaint of most of His pro­fessing People, Psal. 81.11. I am the Lord thy God, open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, but my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me, and then follows, O that my people had hearkened unto my voice; there is no Sin the Lord com­plains more of than of this, and it's the great complaint of all His Servants. Secondly, B [...]hold how the Lord threatens this Sin, and punishes for it, see Psal. 95.7. and Heb. 3.7. and Heb. 4.8. where He swears in His Wrath against Unbelievers, that they shall not enter into His Rest; Adultery and Murther do not more certainly keep Men from Heaven than this Sin of Unbelief doth, yea, they are classed together, Rev. 21.8. see also Luk. 12.46. where the severest Judgment that is executed, is upon Unbe­lievers; and in the Man that had the offer of Christ, and did not receive it, and put on the Wedding Garment, Mat. 22.12, 13. see it also in the words that are pronounced against Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, Matth. 11. and our blessed Lord Jesus loves not (to speak so) to pronounce woes, but to bless His People, yet when they have the offer of Life through Him, and will not re­ceive it, He pronounces woe after woe up­on them, and of what sort were they? even beyond these that came upon Tyrus and Sidon, upon Sodom and Gomorrah; we think such Threatnings as these, should make Folks not to think Unbelief a light, or little Sin, and that there is no ground of quiet­ness, so long as they are in a Self-righteous-condition, and have not their Peace made with God through Christ. Thirdly, Look further, to the greatness of this Sin, in the strange names that the Lord puts upon it, 1 John 5.11. He that believes not, hath made God a liar; and is there any Sin that hath a grosser name or effect than this? for it receives not the Report which He hath given of His Son; He tells Folk that Happi­ness is to be gotten in Him only, and they think to be Happy though they take another way; they believe not the Report, for if they believed it, they would receive Christ as their Life: See further what names are [Page 42] given to it, Heb. 6.6. and Heb. 10.20. which though they be there given, with other Aggravations of sinning wilfully, with de­spite, &c. with respect to the unpardonable Sin, yet who are they that live under the Gospel and Believe not, but in a great mea­sure they will be found capable of most of them at least? It's called a crucifying of the Son of God afresh, a putting Him to an open shame, &c. and who are they that do this, and on what ground? it's Unbelievers through their Unbelief, they think not Christ worth the having, and reject all that is spoken of Him, and cry away with Him, as the Jews did; and as to their particular Guilt, they crucifie Him, for they cannot refuse Him, without affronting Him, and can there be such an affronting of Him as when He condescends so very low, to think so little of Him? Fourthly, Consider the Ex­pressions under which He sets out His being affected, (to say so,) with this Sin; He was so affected with it, Mark 3.5. that it's said, He was grieved for their unbelief, He had many Sorrows and Griefs, and suffered many things, but this grieved Him some­way more than they all did; and it's said, Mark 6.6. that He marvelled because of their unbelief, it's not said that He marvelled at their Adulteries, and their gross Sins, but that when He was taking such a convincing way to demonstrate to them His God-Head, yet they would not Believe on Him, He mar­velled at that; so Luk. 19.41. it's said, that when He came near to Jerusalem, He weeped over it, and why? the following words tell us, O that thou had known in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, that is, O that thou hadst believed, and received the Gospel, at least in this thy day, (though thou did it not before,) when thou wert, and art so plainly and powerfully called to this Duty; and ye may know that it be­hoved to be some great thing that made Him to weep, when all that the Devil and Pon­tius Pilate, and the Jews could do, made Him not to weep: It's said Mat. 11. that He upbraided these Cities that He had preach­ed much in, on this ground; sure, when He that gives liberally and upbraids none, does upbraid for this Sin, it shews how much He was pressed with it; and Luke 14.21. it's said of this Sin, that it angered Him, and He is not easily angered; Sin­ners need not fear to anger Him by coming to Him, but when they come not, He is angry; it's said Matth. 22.7. He was wroth at this Sin, and it's on this ground, that Psal. 2.12. we are bidden kiss the Son, lest He be angry, that is, to exercise Faith in Him, for if we do it not, He will be angry, and we will perish. There are other Ag­gravations of this Sin, which we leave till we come to the Application.

Use 1. Is there not as much here, though Folks had no more but their Unbelief, as may make them know it's an evil and bitter thing, and as may make them skar at it, and flee from it, and to fear lest they be found under the Guilt of it, when called to a reckoning, especially when Unbelief is so rife, that but few suspect themselves or fear it; there is hardly any ill but ye will sooner take with it, then with this of Unbelief, and there is no Duty nor Grace that ye more readily think ye perform and have, then this of Faith, and it is come to that height that Folks think they Believe always, and know not what it is to misbelieve; do ye think that this presumptuous and fancied Faith will be counted for Faith, or that Christ who sifts Faith narrowly will let it pass for Saving Faith? no certainly.

Use 2. Is there not here ground of Ad­vertisement, wakening, rousing, and ala­ruming to many, that think themselves free of other Challenges; if the Spirit were coming powerfully to convince of Sin, it would be of this, because they believe not, as it is John 16.9. and we are perswaded ma­ny of you had need of this Conviction, that never once questions your having of Faith, or care not whether ye have it or not: Put these two Doctrines together, That Unbe­lief is an abominable Sin, and that it is not­withstanding, a very rife Sin, and let them sink deep into your Hearts, and they will put you to other thoughts of Heart, if this plain Truth of God prevail not with you, we know not what will do it; but the time cometh when ye shall be undenyably con­vinced of both, that Unbelief is a great Sin, [Page 43] and that it is a very rife Sin, and of this also, that it is an abominable and loathsome thing, and very prejudicial and hurtful to you.

Use 3. And therefore, as a third Use, If it be so, let us ask this Question, How comes it to pass, that so many in trying their State, and in grounding of it, lay so little weight on Faith, and think so little of Un­belief? I am speaking to the generality of you, and let not others wrong themselves, nor mistake the intent of this Scripture; How is it, I say, that the generality of you that hear this Gospel, come under this com­mon and epidemick Temper, or rather Di­stemper, to maintain your Peace and Con­fidence, when ye can (in the mean time) give so little proof of it? think ye that Faith cannot be a missing, nor mistaken, or that it is ordinary and common, or that it is in­different whether ye have it or not? we are perswaded, that many of you think, that if ye have a good Mind, (as ye call it,) and a square civil honest Walk, and keep still your good Hope, that all will be well; ye never doubt nor question whether ye have received Christ or not, but if Unbe­lief ly in your Bosom, (I mean not doubt­ing-desperation, or questioning of the God-head, but the not receiving of Christ and His Righteousness,) though ye had more than ordinary Hypocrites have, ye will for this Sin of Unbelief find your selves under the standing Curse of God, for our Lord says, John 3.18. He that believes not is con­demned already, and vers. 36. the wrath of God abideth on him.

In pressing of this Use, I shall shew by a few Aggravations of this Sin, why the Lord layeth so much weight upon it, and that, not so much as it opposeth Faith, as as it is a condition of the Covenant of Grace, and a mean to unite us to Christ, but main­ly as it is [...] Sin thwarting His Command: And, 1. It thwarteth with both the Law and the Gospel, it thwarteth with the Com­mands of the first Table, and so is a greater Sin than Murther or Adultery, nay than Sodomy, though these be great, vile, and abominable Sins; which may be thought strange, yet it's true, it makes the Person guilty of it, more vile before God, than a Pagan-Sodomite; the nature of the Sin be­ing more hainous, as being against the first Table of the Law, in both the first and se­cond Commands thereof, it being by Faith in God that we make God our God, and worship God in Christ acceptably: Next, its not only a Sin against the Law, but a Sin against the Gospel, and the prime Flower (to speak so) of the Gospel; it comes in contradiction to the very design of the Gospel, which is to manifest the glory of the Grace of God, in bringing Sinners to believe on Christ, and to be saved through Him; but He can do no great things of this sort amongst unbelieving People, because of their Unbelief; it bindeth up His Hands, as it were, (to speak so with reverence) that He cannot do them a good turn. 2. It strikes more nearly against the Honour of God, and of the Mediator, and doth more prejudice to the Ministry of the Gospel, and causeth greater destruction of Souls than any other Sin; it's possible, notwith­standing of other Sins, that Christ may have satisfaction for the travel of His Soul, and there may be a relation bound up betwixt Him and Sinners notwithstanding of them, but if this Sin of Unbelief were universal, He should never get a Soul to Heaven; the salvation of Souls is called the pleasure of the Lord, but this obstructs it, and closeth the Door betwixt Sinners and access to God; it strikes also at the main Fruit of the Mini­stry, it makes them complain to God, that the Word is not taken off their Hand, it fru­strats the very end of the Ministry, and it comes nearest the destruction of immortal Souls; we need not say, it brings on, but it holds and keeps on the Wrath of God on Sinners for ever, He that believes not, (as we shew before from John 3.) is condemned already, and the wrath of God abides on him. 3. More particularly, There is nothing in God, (even that which is most excellent in Him, if we may speak so, not excepte [...],) but it strikes against it, It strikes gainst His Grace, and frustrates that; when Christ is not received, some sort and degree of despite is done to the Spirit of Grace, Unbelievers thwart with Him in the way of His Grace, [Page 44] and will have no spiritual Good from Him; it comes in opposition to His Goodness, for where Unbelief reigns, He hath no ac­cess, in a manner, to communicate it; it strikes against His Faithfulness, there is no weight laid on His Promises, it counts Him a Liar; in a word, it strikes against all His Attributes. 4. There is no Sin that hath such a train of sad Consequents following on It; it's that which keeps all other Sins liv­ly, for none hath victory over any Sin but the Believer, the Unbeliever lyes as a bound Slave to every Sin, and it's impossi­ble to come to the acceptable performance of any Duty without Faith, for none can come sutably to any Duty without a Pro­mise, and can any but a Believer comfort himself in use-making of any Promise?

We shall close our Discourse, with speak­ing a word to that which we hinted at be­fore, even to let you see, not only the rife­ness of Unbelief, but the great hazard that flows from it, and the exceeding great evil of it; if we be only convinced of the rife­ness of it, it will not much trouble us, ex­cept we be also convinced and believe the hazard of it; but if we were convinced of both, through God's blessing it might af­fect us more and necessitate us to make more use of Christ; ye that stand yet a distance from Christ, can ye endure to ly under this great Guilt and ground of Con­traversie that is betwixt Him and you? do ye think little to hazard on His Upbraidings and Woes, even such Woes as are beyond these that came on Sodom, the heavy Curse and Malediction of God? and yet we say to you who are most civil, discreet, formal, and blameless in your Conversation, if there be not a fleeing in earnest to Christ, and an exercising of Faith on Him, the Wrath of God not only waits for you, but it abides on you; O tremble at the thoughts of it, it were better to have your Head thrust in the Fire, than your Souls and Bodies to be under the Wrath and Curse of God for ever; it's not only the Ignorant, prophane Drun­kard, Swearer, Adulterer, Whoremonger, &c. that we have to complain of, and expostu­late with, but it's the Unbeliever, who, though He be lift up to Heaven, shall be cast down to the Pit of Hell: If ye ask, what is all this that we would be at? it's only this in a word, we would have you receiving Christ, if ye think that Unbelief is an exceeding great Evil, and that it's an horribly hazardous thing to ly under it, then haste you out of it to Christ; O! haste, haste you out of it to Christ; kiss the Son lest He be angry, embrace Him, yield to Him; there is no other possible way to be free of the Evil, or to prevent the hazard.

IT's a great encouragement and delight to the Ministers of the Gospel, and it's comfortable and refreshing to Hearers, when the Message of the Gospel is received, and our Lord Jesus Christ is welcomed; but on the con­trary, it's burdensome and heavy when there are few or none that believe and re­ceive the Report, when their labour and strength is spent in vain, and when all the assemblings of them together that hear the Word of the Gospel, is but a trading of the Lord's Courts in vain; if there were no more to prove it, this Complaint of Isaiah, speaking in His own name, and in name of all the Ministers of the Gospel, is sufficient; for as comfortable Messages as he carried, (and He carried as comfortable Messages as any that we hear of,) yet there was a ge­neral non-profiting by the Word of the Go­spel in his Mouth; when we meet with such words as these, our Hearts should tremble, when we consider how general and rife an Evil Unbelief and the not receiving of Christ is, how horrible a Sin, how abominable to God, and how hazardous and destructive to our selves it is, and how rare a thing it is to see or find any Number believing and receiving this Message of the Gospel.

We spoke from these words to these Doctrines. First, That where the Gospel comes, it makes offer of Jesus Christ to all that Hear it. Secondly, That the great thing called for in the H [...]arers of the Gospel, is Faith in Him. Thirdly, That yet not­withstanding, Unbelief is an exceeding rife Evil in the Hearers of the Gospel. Fourthly, That it's a very sinful, heavy, and sad thing not to receive Christ and believe in Him, all which are implyed in this short, but sad Complaint, Who hath believed our report?

We would now prosecute the Use and Scope of this. The last Use was an Use of Conviction of, and Expostulation with the Hearers of the Gospel, for their being so Fruitless under it, serving to discover a great Deceit among Hearers, who think they Believe and yet do it not; whence it is that so many are mistaken about their Souls S [...]ate, and most certainly the genera­lity are mistaken, who live as if Be [...]ieving were a thing common to all Professors of Faith, while as it is so rare, and there are so very few that Believe.

The next Use is, an Use of Exhortation to you, That seeing Unbelief is so great an Evil, ye would by all means eschew it; and seeing Faith is the only w [...]y to receive Christ, and to come at Life through Him, ye would seek after it to prevent the Evil of Unbelief: This is the scope of the words, yea, and of all our Preaching, that when Christ, and Remission of Sins through Him, is preached to you, ye would by Faith re­ceive Him, and rest upon Him for obtaining Right to Him and to the Promises, and for preventing of the Threatnings and Curses that abide Unbelievers. We shall not again repeat what Faith is, only in short it comes to this, That seeing Christ hath satisfied Ju­stice for Sinners, and His Satisfaction is of­fered in the Gospel to all that will receive it, even to all the Hearers of the Gospel, that Sinners in the sight and sense of their lost condition would flee unto Him, receive and rest upon Him and His Satisfaction, [Page 46] for Pardon of Sin, and making of their Peace with God: Is there need of Argu­ments to perswade you to this? if ye be convinced of your sinfulness, and of your lost estate without Christ, and that there is a Judgment to come when Sinners must appear before Him, and be judged accord­ing to that which they have done in the Body, and if ye have the Faith of this, that Sinners that are not found in Christ, cannot stand; (as by the way, wo to that Man that is not found in Him, if it were a Paul, for even he, he is only happy by be­ing found in Him not having his own Righ­teousness but Christs,) and withall, that there is no other way to be found in Him but by Faith, (which is that which Paul hath for his main scope, Phil. 3.9, 10.) Then to be found in Him by Faith, should be your main work and study; this is it that we should design and endeavour, and to this we have access by the Gospel; and it is in short, to be denuded of, and denied to our own Righteousness, as to any weight we lay upon it for our Justification before God, and to have no other thing but Christ's Righ­teousness offered in the Gospel, and receiv­ed by Faith to rest upon for Justification, and making of our Peace with God: This is it that we command you to flee to, and by all means to seek an Interest in, that when the Gospel makes offer of Christ, and Righte­ousness through His Satisf [...]ction, and com­mands you to Believe on Him, when it lays Him to your Door, to your Mouth and Heart, that ye would roll, and lay your selves over on Him for the making of your Peace, and the bearing of you thorow in the day of your reckoning before the Tribunal of God.

That we may speak the more cle [...]rly to this Use, We shall shortly shew you, 1. What Ground a lost Sinner hath to receive Christ, and to lippen to Him. 2. What Warrands and Encouragements a Sinner hath to lean and lippen to this Ground. 3. We shall remove a Doubt or two that may stand in the way of Sinners resting on this Ground. 4. We shall give some Directions to further you to this. And. 5. We sh [...]ll give you some Characters of one that is tender [...]y t [...]k­ing this way of Believing: And because this is the way of the Gospel, and we are sure there is not a word ye have more need of, or that through God's Blessing may be more useful, and there is not a word more uncontravertible, which all of you will as­sent to the truth of, to wit, that there is a great good in Believing, and a great evil in Unbelief, we would exhort you the more seriously to lay it to Heart; O! think not that our coming to Speak and Hear, is for the Fashion, but to Profite; Cast your selves therefore open to the Exhortation, and let the word of Faith sink down into your Hearts, considering that there is no­thing ye have more need of, than of Faith, and that ye will not find it safe for you to hazard your Souls on your own Righteous­ness, or to appear before God without Christ's Righteousness, and that the only way to come by it is Faith; This may let you see the necessity of Believing, and that it is of your concernment to try how it is with you as to that; and therefore again and again, we would exhort you in the fear of God, that ye would not neglect so great a Salvation, which through Faith is to be ob­tained, but lay it to Heart, as ye would not have all the Servants of God, who have prea­ched the Gospel to you, complaining of you; It is our Bane that we suspect not our selves, and indeed it is a wonder that these who have immortal Souls, and profess Faith in Christ, should yet live so secure, and under so little care, and holy solicitude to know, whether they have believed or not, and should with so little serious concernedness, put the Matter to a tryal: But we proceed to the Particulars we proposed to speak to.

And first to this, That ye have a good solid Ground to Believe on; for clearing of which, we would put these three together. 1. The Fulness and Sufficiency of th [...] Me­diator Jesus Christ, in whom all the Riches of the Gospel are treasured up, in whom, and by whom our Happiness comes, and who wants nothing that may fit Him to be a Saviour, who is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. 2. The well-orderedness, freeness, and fulness of the Covenant of Grace, wherein it is trans­acted, that the Fulness that is in the Me­diator [Page 47] Christ, shall be made forthcoming to Believers in Him, and by which lost Sinners that by Faith flee unto Him, have a solid Right to His Satisfaction, which will bear them out before God; by which trans­action, Christ's Satisfaction is made as real­ly theirs, when by Faith it is closed with, as if they had satisfied and payed the Price themselves, 2 Cor. 5.21. He who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him; and this Consideration of the legality and order of the Covenant, serves exceedingly to clear our Faith as to the Ground of it, because by this Covenant it's transacted and agreed upon, that Christ shall undergo the Penal­ty, and that the Believer in Him shall be reckoned the righteous Person; if there be a reality in Christ's Death and Satisfaction to Justice, if He hath undergone the Penal­ty and payed their Debt, there is a reality in this Transaction, as to the making over of what He hath Done and Suffered, to Be­lievers in Him; and the Covenant being sure and firm as to His part, He having con­firmed it by His Death, it is as sure and firm as to the Benefite of it to the Believer in Him. 3. The nature of the Off [...]r of this Grace in the Gospel, and the nature of the Gospel that makes the Offer of the fulness that is in Christ by vertue of the Covenant; It is the Word of God, and hath His Autho­rity when we preach it according to His Command, as really as when He preached it Himself in Capernaum, or any where else, even as the authority of a King is with his Ambas [...]ador, according to that, 2 Cor. 5. penult vers. We are ambassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, there, is the Father's Warrand and Name interposed, and for the Son's, it follows, We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God; add to this, the nature of the Offer, and the terms of it, there is no condition required on our part, as the precise condition of the Covenant, but Believing; Now, when these are conjoined, we put it to your Con­science, if ye have not a good Ground to lip­pen to, and a sufficient Foundation to build on? and if so, it ought to be an powerfully attractive Motive to draw you to Believe in Him, and to bring you to rest on Him by Believing.

Secondly, We have also many Warrands and Encouragements to step forward, and when Christ in His Fulness lays Himself be­fore you, to roll over your selves on Him, and to yeeld to Him; If we could speak of them sutably, they are such as may remove all scarring that any might have in coming to Him, and may serve to leave others in­excusable, and unanswerably to convince them that the main obstruction was in them­selves, and that they would not come unto Him for Life, He called to them but none would exalt Him. 1. Do ye not think that the Offer of this Gospel is a sufficient War­rand, and ground of Encouragement to Be­lieve on Him? and if it be so to others, ought it not to be a sufficient Warrand and Encouragement to you? when He says, Psal. 81.10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it, what excuse can ye have to shift or refuse the Offer? if ye think Christ real in His Commands, is He not as real in His Offers? 2. He hath so ordered the Admi­nistration of this Gospel, as He hath pur­posely prevented any ground that Folks may have of scarring to close with Christ; He hath so qualified the Object of this Grace in the Gospel, that these in all the World that Men would think should be se­cluded, are taken in to be Sharers of it, for its Sinners, lost Sinners, Self-destroyers, Un­godly, the Sheep that have wandered, the Poor, the Needy, the Naked, the Captives, the Pri­soners, the Blind, &c. according to that of Isa: 61.1, 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, He hath sent me to preach glad tyd­ings to the meek or poor, to bind up the broken­hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound, &c. and Isa. 55.1. These who are invited to come to the cryed Fair of Grace, are such as are thirsty, and such as want money; who among Men use to be secluded, but in Graces-Mercat they only are wel­come, it's to them that Grace says, He come, and Rev. 22.17. Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely, it's not only, to say so with reverence, these whom He willeth, but it's, whosoever will; [Page 48] and so if thou wilt come, Grace puts the Offer into thy Hand, as it were, to carve on; to let us know that He allows strong Consolation on Believers, and that either the Hearers of this Gospel shall Believe, or be left without all excuse; He hath it to say, as it is, Isa. 5. what could I have done to my vineyard that I have not done; If ye had the Offer at your own carving, what could ye put more in it? it cannot be more free than without money, it cannot be more seriously press'd than with a Ho, and Oyes, to come; Sometimes He complains, as John 5.40. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life, and sometimes weeps and moans because Sinners will not be gathered, as Luk. 19.41, 42. and Matth. 23.37. can there be any greater evidences of reality in any Offer? A third Warrand is from the manner and form of Christ's Administration, He hath condescended to make a Covenant, and many Promises to draw Folks to Be­lieve, to which He hath added His Oath, swearing by Himself, when He had not a greater to swear by, for our Confirmation and Consolation, as it is, Heb. 6.16, 17. And among Men, ye know, that an Oath puts an end to all Contraversie, and what would ye, or could ye seek more of God, than His Saying, Writing, and Swearing? He hath done all this, that the heirs of Pro­mise may have strong consolation, who are fl [...]d for refuge to the hope set before them; O! will ye not trow and credit God when He swears? Among other Aggravations of Unbelief this will be one, that by it ye make God not only a liar, but perjured, a heavy, hainous, and horrid Guilt on the score of all Unbe­lievers of this Gospel. 4. To take away all Contraversie, He hath interposed His Command, yea it's the great Command, and in a manner, the one Command of the Gospel, 1 John 3.23. This is his command­ment, that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ, and therefore the Offer of the Gospel and Promulgation of it, cometh by way of Command, Ho come, believe, &c. whereby the Lord would tell the Hearers of the Gospel, that it is not left to their own option, or as a thing indifferent to them to Believe or not to Believe, but it's laid on them by the necessity of a Command to Believe; and if ye think ye may and should Pray, sanctifie the Sabbath, or obey any other Command because He bids you, there is the same Authority enjoyning and com­manding you to Believe, and as great ne­cessity lyeth on you to give obedience to this Command as to any other, do not therefore think it Humility not to do it, for Obedience is better than Sacrifice.

For your further Encouragement to Be­lieve, I would say three words which ye would also look upon as Warrands to Be­lieve, and by them know that it is a great Sin not to Believe. 1. Ye have no less Ground or Warrand than ever any that went before you had; David, M [...]s [...]s, Paul, &c. had no better Warrand; my meaning is, ye have the same Covenant, the same Word and Promises, Christ and His Fulness, God and His Faithfulness offered to you, the same Warrand that God hath given to all His People since ever He had a Church; and do ye not think but it will be a sad and grievous ground of Challenge against you, when ye shall see others that believe on the same Grounds that ye have, sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven, and your selves as proud Rebels shut out? what ever d [...]fference there be as to the main Work of Grace, and of God's Spirit on the Heart in the working of Faith, yet the Ground of Faith is the Word that all hear who are in the visible Church, and ye having the same Ground and Object of Faith in your offer, there will be no excuse for you if ye do not Be­lieve. A second Encouragement is, That the Ground of Faith is so solid and good, that it never disappoints any one that leans to it; and count the Gospel a feckless and insignificant thing who will, it shall have this Testimony. which damned Unbelievers shall carry to Hell with them, that it was the power of God to salvation to them that be­lieved, and that there was nothing in the Gospel it self that did prejudge them of the good of it, but that they prejudged them­selves who did not lippen to it; Therefore the Word is called Gold tryed in the fire; all the Promises having a Being from Jeho­vah Himself, on jot or one title of them can­not [Page 49] fail nor fall to the Ground. 3. If ye were to carve out a Warrand to your selves, as I hinted before, what more could ye de­sire? what miss ye in Christ? what Clause can ye desire to be insert in the Covenant that is not in it? It contains Pardon of Sin, Healing of your Backslidings, and what not? and he hath said, sealed, and sworn it, and what more can ye require? Therefore we would again exhort you in the Name of Jesus Christ, and in His stead, not to ne­glect so great a Salvation, O! receive the Grace of God, and let it not be in vain.

In the third place, Let us speak a word or two to some Objections, or Scruples, which may be moved in reference to what hath been said. And, First, It may be some will say, that the Covenant is not broad e­nough, because all are not elected, all are not redeemed nor appointed to be Heirs of Salvation; upon which ground Temptati­on will sometime so far preva [...]l, as to waken up a secret enmity at the Gospel: But, 1. How absurd is this Reasoning? Is there any that can rationally desire a Covenant so broad, as to take in all as necessarily to be saved by it? there is much greater reason to wonder that any should be Saved by it, then there is if all should Perish; beside, we are not now speaking to the Effects, but to the Nature of the Gospel, so that who­ever Perish, it is not because they were not elected, but because they believed not; and the Bargain is not of the less worth, nor the less sure because some will not Believe; and to say, that the Covenant is not good enough because so many Perish, it's even as if ye should say, it's not a good Bridge be­cause some will not take it, but adventure to go thorow the Water and so drown them­selves. 2. I would ask, Would ye over­turn the whole Course of God's Admini­stration, and of the Covenant of His Grace? did He ever à priori, or at first Hand, tell Folks that they were elected? who ever got their Election at the very first revealed to them? or, who are now before the Throne that ever made the keeping up of this secret from them, a Bar or Impediment to their Believing? God's Eternal Purpose or De­cree is not the Rule of our Duty, nor the Warrand of our Faith, but His revealed Will in His Word; let us seek to come to the knowledge of God's Decree of Election à posteriori, or by the Effects which is a sure way of Knowledge; our thwarting with His Word to know His Decree, will not excuse, but make us more guilty; He hath shewed thee O man, saith Micah, chap. 6.8. what is good, and what doeth the Lord require of thee; and if any will scruple and demur on this ground to close the Bargain, let them be aware that they provoke Him not to bring upon them their own fears, by continuing them under that scrupling and demurring condition; Ye cannot possibly evite hazard by looking on only, and not making use of Christ; therefore do not bring on your own ruine by your fear, which may be by Grace prevented, and by this way of Be­lieving shall be certainly prevented.

But secondly, Some may object and say, I am indeed convinced that Believing is my Duty, but that being a thing that I cannot do, why should I therefore set about it? Answ. 1. This is a most unreasonable and absurd way of Reasoning, for if it be given way to, what Duty should we do? we are not of our selves able to Pray, Praise, keep the Lord's Day, nor to do any other com­manded Duty, shall we therefore abstain from all Duties? Our ability or fitness for Duty, is not the rule of our Duty, but God's Command; and we are called to put our Hand to Duty in the sense of our own Insuf­ficiency, acknowledging God's Sufficiency, which if we did, we should find it go better with us, and may not the same be expected in the matter of Believing as well as in o­ther Duties? 2. None that ever heard this Gospel shall in the Day of Judgement have this to Object, none shall have it to say, that they would fain have believed, but their meer Infirmity, Weakness, and Inability did imped them; for though it be our own Sin and Guilt that we are unable, yet where the Gospel comes that is not the Contra­versie; But that Folks would not come to Christ, would not be gathered, that when He would, they would not; for where there is a will, to will and to do go together; But it's Enmity at the way of Believing, Secu­rity, [Page 50] Stupidity, Senselesness, and Careles­ness what become of the Immortal Soul, that ruines Folks; for the Soul that would fain be at Christ, shall be helped to Believe, the reason is, because the nature of the Co­venant of Grace, and of the Mediator there­of, is such, that all to whom He gives to will, He gives them also to perform, and His Faithfulness is engaged so to do: It must therefore return to one of these two, That either ye will not receive Him, or else ye are willing though weak; and if ye be wil­ling, Faithful is He that hath called you, who also will do it; but if it halt at your Perversness and wilful Refusal of the Offer, there is good reason that in God's Justice ye should never get good of the Gospel; nay, there is never one to whom the Go­spel comes, and who doeth not Believe, but formally, as it were, he passeth a Sen­tence on himself, as the word is, Act. 13 46. Ye judge your selves unworthy of eternal life, which the Apostle gathers from this ground, that they did not, neither would accept of Jesus Christ offered to them in the Gospel; as the event is that follows on the Offer, so will the Lord account of your receiving of it.

Fourthly, As for Directions to help and further you to Believe, it's not easie, but very difficult to give them, it being impos­sible to satisfie the curiosity of Nature; nei­ther can any Directions be prescribed that without the special work of God's Spirit, can effectuate the thing; the renewing of the Will, and the working of Faith being Effects and Fruits of omnipotent Grace; yet because something lyes upon all the Hearers of the Gospel as Duty, and it being more suitable and congruous, that in the use of Means, then when Means are neglect­ed, Believing should be attained; And because oftentimes these that desire this Question to be answered, to wit, how they may win at Believing? are such as have some beginnings of the work of Grace and of Faith. We shall speak a few words to such as would be at believing and exercising of Faith on Jesus Christ; And, 1. Folk had need to be clear in the common fun­damental Truths of the Gospel, they would know what their Natural Estate is, what their Sin and Misery is, and they would know the way how to win out of that State; Ignorance often obstructs us in the way of Believing, How shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard? Rom. 10.14. when Folks Believe not, it is as if they had never heard. 2. When ye have attained to the knowledge of the common Truths of the Gospel, as of your Sin and Misery, the nature of the Covenant, the Mediator and His Fulness, &c. Labour to fix well the Historical Faith of them, we are sure that many never come this length to believe the History of the Gospel, and till that be, they can advance no further; for as the word is, Heb. 11.6. He that comes to God, must believe that He is, and a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; I say, these common simple Truths of the Gospel would well be fixed by a Historical Faith; and yet this would not be rested on, because though they be excellent Truths, yet they may be known and historically believed where Sav­ing Faith and Salvation follow not. 3. Be much in Thinking, Meditating, and Pon­dering of, and on these things, let them sink down into your Hearts, that the Medita­tion of them may fix the Faith of them, and that they may deeply affect us, we would seek to have a morally serious feeling of them, as we have of the common works of the Spi­rit; But there are many like the Way side­hearers, who, as soon as they hear the Word, some Devil, like a Crow, comes and picks it up; therefore to prevent this, ye would seek to have the Word of God dwelling richly in you, ye would meditate on it till ye be convinced of your hazard, and get the Affections some way stirred accord­ing to the nature of the Word ye me­ditate upon, whether Threatnings or Pro­mises; the most part are affected with nothing, they know not what it is to trem­ble at a Threatning, nor smile as it were, on a Promise, through their not dwel­ling on the thoughts of the Word that it may produce such an Effect. 4. When this is done, Folks would endeavour a full up-giving with the Law of Righteousness as to their Justification, that if they cannot [Page 51] so positively and stayedly win to rest on Jesus Christ and His Righteousness, yet they may lay the weight of their Peace with God on no other thing; they would lay it down for a certain conclusion, that by the works of the Law they can never be justified, and would come with a stoped Mouth before God; thus tender Christians will find it sometimes easier, to give up with the Law, then to close with the Gospel, as to their distinct apprehension of the thing. 5. When this is done, Go as it were to the top of mount Nebo, and take a look of the pleasant Land of Promises, and of Christ held out in them, and let your Soul say, O! to have the Bargain well closed, to have my Heart stirred up to love Him, and to rest upon Him, O! to have Faith and to discern it in its actings; for when the Life of Faith is so weak that it cannot speak, yet it may breath; and though ye cannot exercise Faith as ye would, so as to grip to, and catch fast hold of the Object, yet essay seriously to do that far, as to esteem, love, and vehemently de­sire it; In this respect the Will is said to go before the Deed, though as to God's begetting of Faith there be a contemporari­ness of the Will and the Deed, yet as to our sense the Will outruns the Deed, even as in another sense (though it makes well for this purpose,) the Apostle says, To will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I know not; for we ought to have our Will running after Christ, and Believing on Him when we cannot attain to the distinct actings of it.

But it may be here objected and said, Is not this Presumption? Answ. If this were Presumption, then all we have said of the Warrand of the Gospel to Believe, is to no purpose; Christ never counted it Pre­sumption to desire and endeavour in His own way to believe on Him for attaining of Life through Him; To desire Heaven and Peace with God, and to misken Christ and pass Him by, were indeed Presumption, but it is not so, to desire these through Him. 6. When ye have attained to this Heart de­sire, if ye cannot distinctly to your satis­faction act Believing on Christ, ye would firmly resolve to believe and essay it, and say, This is the way I will and must take, and no other, as David saith, Psal. 16.2. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord; Hence the exercise of Faith is called a choosing of God, Deut. 30.19. and Josh. 24. and seriously, sincerely, and firm­ly, to resolve thus, is our Duty when we can win to do no more; and it is no little advancement in Believing, when such reso­lution to Believe, is deliberatly and sober­ly come under. 7. When this is done Folks would not hold at a resolution, for to resolve and not to set forward will be found to be but an empty resolution; there­fore having resolved, (though still looking on the resolution as his gift,) we would set about to perform and believe as we may, and when we cannot go, we would creep, when we cannot speak words of Faith, we would let Faith breath; when it can nei­ther speak nor breath distinctly, we would let it pant: In a word, to be essaying the exercise of Faith, and often renewing our essays at it, which if we did, we should come better speed in Believing then we do; thus though ye were walking under a Con­viction, that ye would do no more at this then a Man whose Arm is withered can do, to streatch it forth, yet as the Man with the withered Hand at Christ's word of Com­mand essayed to streatch it forth and it went with him, or as the Disciples when they had toiled long, even all the Night, and caught nothing, yet at Christ's word let down the Net and inclosed a multitude of Fishes; so, though ye have essayed to act Faith often, and yet come no speed, yet essaying it again on Christ's calling to it, it may, and will through Grace go with you. 8. When yet ye come not speed as ye would, your short-coming would be bemoaned and complained of to God, laying open to, and before Him the Heart, who can change it; and ye would have it for a piece of your weight and burthen, that your Heart comes not so up to, and abides not so by Believ­ing; I would think it a good Frame of Spi­rit, when the not having of the Heart stan­ding so fix'd at Believing, is an Exercise and a Burthen. 9. When all this is done, in some measure, ye would wait on in doing [Page 52] thus, and would continue in this way, look­ing to Him who is the Author and Finisher of Faith, for His influence to make it go with you, to look to Him to be helped, is the way to be helped to Believe, or to Pray to Him to better and amend Faith, is the way to have it bettered and amend­ed; it's said Psal. 34.5. They looked to him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed: And if it be said, How can one look that sees not? It's true, blind Folk cannot look, yet they may essay to look, and though there be but a glimmering, as the looking makes the faculty of Seeing the better and more strong, so the Exercise of Faith makes Faith to encrease, this is it that the Psalmist hath, Psal. 30. v. last. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord; that is, if ye be weak, wait on and He shall strength­en you, Believe, and give not over, though to your Sense ye come not speed: Begin­ners that are looking conscienciously to their way, though they have but a glimmer­ing weak sight of Christ, and be as the Man that at first saw M [...]n walking as Trees, yet if they wait on, they may attain to a more distinct seeing, and to a more close and firm gripping of Christ.

We close with this word of Advertise­ment, That as we speak not of these things as being in Man's power to be performed, so neither can they be gone about to pur­pose, but where there is some Faith and Love; yet when they are at first looked on, they are some way more within our reach then the distinct Exercise of Faith, which is a great Mystery. The Lord bless His Word, and make it useful to you.

IF Folks soberly and gravely consider­ed of what concerment it is to make use of the Gospel, and what depends upon the profitable or unprofitable hearing of it, how serious would both Speakers and Hearers be? This same poor, mean and contemptible-like way of Speak­ing or Preaching, is the ordinary way that God hath chosen to save Souls, even by the foolishness of Preaching, as the Apostle hath it, 1 Cor. 1.21. and where Ministers have been tender, how near hath it lyen to their Hearts, whether People profited or not: They that will read Isaiah, how he resented and complained of it, and how he was weighted with it, will easily be induced to think that he was in earnest, and that it was no little matter that made him thus cry out, Who hath believed our report?

We shew that four things were compre­hended in the words. First, That the great Errand of Ministers is, to bring the glad Tydings of Jesus Christ the Saviour to Sinners. Secondly, That it is the great Du­ty of People to believe and receive the Offer of Jesus Christ in the Gospel. Thirdly, That it is the great Sin of a People that Hear the Gospel not to believe and receive Jesus Christ when He is offered unto them. The fourth and last thing which now we are to speak of, (having gone thorow the first three) is, That the great and heavy Complaint that a faithful Minister of the Gospel hath, is, when these good News are not received and welcomed, when they have it to say, Who hath believed our report? when it is but here one and there one that closes with Christ.

Considering these words, as they hold out the Prophets Resentment and Com­plaint, we shall from them draw four Ob­servations which we shall speak shortly to, and reserve the Use and Application to the close of all.

Observ. 1. The first is, That its meet for, and the Duty of a Minister of the Go­spel, to observe what Fruit and Success his Ministry hath among a People, and whe­ther they Believe or not; Isaiah speaks not here at random, but from consideration of the Case of the People, and as observing what fruit his Ministry had among them; we would not have Ministers too curious in this, as to the state of particular Persons, neitner would we have them selfy or anxi­ous in seeking any ground of boasting to themselves, yet they would seek to be so far distinct and clear anent their spiritual Case and Condition, as they may know how to speak suitably to it, and how to speak of it to God; that they may say as they have ground for it, that in such a Place, among such a People, a great door and effectual was opened unto us, as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 16.8. And in such another Place, and a­mong such a People, Who hath believed our report? as here the Prophet doeth. It's said Luk. 10.17. and Mark 6.30. the Dis­ciples returned, and with joy told Christ all that they had done, and how the Devils were subject to them, they made acccount what success they had in their Ministry; so it's necessary that a Minister know what success He hath among a People, that he may know, 1. How to carry before God in reference to them, what to Praise for, what to Lament for, and what to Pray for. 2. It's necessary as to the People, that he may carry right to them for the gaining of Strangers to God, and helping forward these who are entered into the Way, and that he may know what report to make of them. 3. It's necessary for a Minister himself, though no [...] simply as to his Peace, for that depends on his faithful discharge of his Office, yet as to his Joy and Rejoycing, to know when he labours in vain, and when not, among a People.

We would not then (as a passing word of Use.) have you to think it curiousity, though something be said now and then, and asked at you, that some of you may pos­sibly think impertinent; For it becomes a Physician to seek to know the state and condition of these whom he hath under his Hand and Cure, and ye would not take it ill, though after observation, we now and then speak and tell you, what we conceive to be your condition.

Observ. 2. The second Observation is, That it is most sad to a tender Minister, and will much affect him to see and observe Un­belief and Unfruitfulness among the People that He hath preached the Gospel to; This must be a certain and clear Truth, if we consider what it was that put Isaiah to this, even to cry, Who hath believed our report? Though a Minister should have never so great exercise of Gifts, never so much coun­tenance and respect among a People, if he be tender, he will be more grieved and weighted with their Unbelief and Unfruit­fulness then with Stripes and Imprisonment, there will be no suffering to this in his esteem, nothing so sad a ground of Com­plaint; This makes the Prophet, Mic. 7.1. to cry, alace and wo is me, I am as these who have gathered the summer-fruits, as the grape­gleanings after the vintage, there is no cluster to eat, the good man is perished, and there is none upright among men, and he insists in this Complaint. How often was our Lord Jesus, the most excellent & tender Preacher that ever preached, put to this Complaint? All the Affronts and Reproaches He met with, grieved Him not so much as the Un­belief and Hardness of Heart that were in the People; It's said, Mar. 3.5. that He look­ed round about on them with anger, and was grieved for the hardness of their hearts; And it's said Mar. 6.6. that He marvelled because of their unbelief; yea, it so affected Him, that ( Luk. 19.42.) it's said, that when He came near the city He wept over it, saying, O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace. There is a fourfold Reason of this, that hath a four­fold Influence on the sadning of a serious [Page 54] and tender Minister of the Gospel. 1. Re­spect to Christ Jesus his Master, in whose stead he comes to bespeak and woo Souls to Christ; What would an Ambassadour think of personal Respect and Honour, if his Master were reproached, and his Message rejected and despised? and can an honest and faithfull Ambassadour of Christ look on, and his Heart not be wounded, to see the Gospel Fruitless? the Lord's pleasure as it were Marred, and the work of Ga­thering in of Souls, Obstructed in his hand, and his Lord and Master Affronted and Slighted. 2. The Respect that a Faithful Minister hath to the Peoples Souls, hath influence on this; A tender Shepherd will watchfully care for, and wish the Sheep well, and be much affected when they are in an evil condition, and where the relation is of a more Spiritual nature, and the Flock off far, very far greater worth and concern­ment, what wonder the Shepherd be more affected? as Paul bespeaks the Galatians 4.19. My little children, of whom I travel again in birth till Christ be formed in you; To be travelling and bringing forth but Wind, cannot but prick and wound an ho­nest Minister of the Gospel at the very Heart, so 2. Cor. 11.29. Paul saith, Who is offended and I burn not? The very hazard of a Soul, will be like a Fire burning the Heart that is tender and zealous of the spiritual good of Souls. 3. The respect that a Faithful Minister hath to the Duty in his Hand, hath influence on this; for such a one loves to neat his Duty, and to go neat­ly and lively about it, and the Unbelief and Unfruitfulness of the People clogs him in his Duty, and makes him drive heavily; hence it's said Mat. 13.58. and Mark 6.5. that our Lord could not do many mighty works there, or among that People, because of their unbelief; Unbelief straitens and shuts the Door, and makes Preaching be­come a very Burthen to a Faithful Minister, therefore the Apostle exhorts, Heb. 13.17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and watch for your souls, that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you; A necessity lyes upon Ministers to go about their Work, but when the Word does no more but buff on them, so to speak, it makes them to cry as this same Prophet doeth, Chap. 6.11. How long Lord? And 4ly. This also hath influence on their being so much weighted, even the concern of honest Ministers own Joy and Comfort; It is true, as we hinted before, that neither a Faithful Minister's Peace, nor his reward of Grace doeth depend on it simply, I have spent my strength in vain, says Isaiah, chap. 49.4. yet my labour is with the Lord, and my reward from my God; As to that, there is no necessary connection, and it's of Grace it is so; yet as to a Minister's Satisfaction and Joy there is a connection, as we may see Philip. 2.16. where Paul saith, That I may joy in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, and laboured in vain; And from his expostulation with the Galatians, chap. 4.9, 10, 11. I am affraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

I shall not prosecute the Use of this nei­ther; only see here, that it is no marvel though sometimes we be necessitate to com­plain of you, and to expostulate with you; and considering the Case of People gene­rally, if our Hearts were suitably tender, it would make us even burst for Grief to see so many sleeping securely and senslesly in their Sins, and in that pitiful posture post­ing to the Pit, if God prevent not.

Observ. 3. The third Observation is, That a Minister may, and sometimes will be put to it, to make report to God of what Fruit his Ministry hath, and sometimes to com­plain to Him of the Unbelief and Unfruitful­ness of the People among whom he hath long preached the Gospel; Isaiah (sure) is not carried to this Complaint out of ha­tred to the People, neither from any plea­sure he hath in it, nor any delight to tell ill Tales (to speak so) of them; The Lord needs no Information, yet he complains, and that to the Lord, as we shew from Rom. 10.16. where it is said, Lord, Who hath believed our report? So then. Prophets and Apostles complain of this; It's Ezekiel's Complaint no doubt to God, as it was the Lords to him, This people are a rebellious house, and they will not bear; And Isaiah speaks here in his own name and in name [Page 55] of other Ministers of the Gospel, that they may joyn with him in this Complaint; and there is reason for it, if we consider, 1. The Relation that a Minister stands in to God, He ought to give an account to Him, who gives Obedience and who not, and what Is done by his Embassage, there being no Talent given, but a Reckoning how it was imployed, will be called for. 2. The Sub­ordination that a Minister stands in to Christ, wherein it is requisite he be keep­ed, as knowing the Work is the Lords and not his, pleads for this. 3. That a Mini­ster may be keeped from Carnalness and Vanity on the one hand, and from Discou­ragement on the other, he ought to be ac­quaint with, and to hold up both the Fruit­fulness and Unfruitfulness of the People to God. 4. It's meet for the Good of the People it be so, not to irritate, but kindly to affect the People, that when he com­plains to God, they may be convinced that it is to get the Evil complained of amended, if so it may be.

This complaining will we fear be the re­sult of much Preaching among you; for, ei­ther there must be more Faith and Fruits, else ye will have the moe Complainers, and the moe Complaints against you.

Observ. 4. The fourth Observation is, That it is and ought to be a very sad and weighty thing to a Minister, and also to a People, when he is put to complain to God of their Unbelief amongst whom he is la­bouring; It's the last thing he hath to do, and he can do no more, and it's the great­est and highest of Witness and Ditty against them, when a Minister hath been Preach­ing long, and observing the Fruit of his Mi­nistry, and is out-wearied with their Un­fruitfulness, and forced to cry, Lord there are none, or but very few that have believ­ed the Report that I have brought to them; It's the heaviest and hardest word that Christ hath to say to Jerusalem, Mat. 23.37. and Luke 19.31. when He complains of their Unfruitfulness, harder and heavier then all the Woes He pronounced against the Scribes and Pharisees, or on other ac­counts, and at least equivalent to them pro­nounced on the same account; for the same Woe and Wrath follows both; O! saith He, that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes; This comes as the last and sadest word, holding out the desperateness of their Condition, when the powerful preaching of the Gospel hath no gracious Force, nor saving Effect following it, when Directions prevail not, when no sort of Ministerial Gifts do a People good, when it comes to that, Mat. 11.16. Where­unto shall I liken this generation, it is like children sitting in the market-place crying to their fellows, we have piped to you and ye have not danced, we have mourned to you and ye have not lamented; when both the sweet Offers of Grace and the terrible Threat­nings of the Law, come forth to a People, and both are followed for a long time with­out Fruit, then comes out that word, Where­unto shall I liken this generation? John came neither eating nor drinking, and ye say he hath a devil; his austere way of Living and Preaching did you no good, ye could not away with it; The son of Man came eating and drinking, in a familiar way, and ye say, be­hold a man gluttenous, a wine-biber, a friend of Publicans and Sinners; They stumble on both unjustly, and so it is still even to this day, many stumble at the Messenger, cast at the Message, and then followeth the sad Complaint.

It's meet that now we speak to a word of Use, but we profess we know not well how to follow it, there is so much ground to Complain, and we are not (alace!) suitably sensible of our own unfitness to follow the Complaint, which makes us think that it would become another better; But what shall we say? It's the Word of the Lord, and it were needful that both ye and we should forget and take our eyes off Man, and remember that it is the Lord God, and some commissioned from Him, that we have to do with, that so we may accept of the Message. 1. Then, We may say that it is no pleasure to us to be hewing you, and speaking sadly to you, (the Lord knows,) would to God there were moe that needed Healing-Medicines, and that fewer had need of Hewing and Wounding; but the [Page 56] truth is, Carnal Security, Spiritual Pride, Hypocrisie and Formality, are so rife, and become so much the Plague of this Genera­tion, that People believe not their hazard. Neither 2ly. Is it our desire nor design to speak to all of you indifferently and without Discrimination, for as the Lord saith, Mat. 11.19. Wisdom is justified of her children; Though the Generality despise this Word, yet we are confident the Lord hath some that He allows not to be grieved; and we shall desire, that such may not wrong them­selves nor mar our freedom in speaking the Word of the Lord to others. 3ly. We shall not desire to speak peremptorly as to the Case of particular Persons, though we will not deny nor conceal our Fears and sad Apprehensions as to many of you; only what we have to say, ye would know and be assured that it is not spoken at random by us, but as having some acquaintance with many of your Conditions, and we may gather from these what is very probably the Condition of others.

And now as to what we would say to you; Some have been preaching this Gospel to you who are flitted and removed to another part of the Vineyard, other some are gone to another World, and some are yet con­tinued Preaching to you, but what Fruit is brought forth by the Ministry of all? If we were put to make a report of you, as we will be put to it, what could we say? we are afraid to speak our apprehensions; O! how little is this Gospel, as to it's Fruit and Success, upon the growing hand among you? We shall therefore forbear to speak of that which we think hath deep Impres­sions on our selves concerning you, but we would have you to look thorow Matters how they stand betwixt God and you, and if we may humbly lay claim to any measure of the judgement of Discerning; may we not ask where is there a Man or a Woman amongst most of us, that hath a Conversa­tion suitable to this Gospel? If we begin at the great Folks that have the things of the World in abundance, it's their work for most part not to be Religious, but to ga­ther and heap up Riches, and to have somewhat of a Name, or a piece of Credit in the World, this is the farthest that ma­ny of such design: And if we come and take a look of the way of the Poorer sort, they live as if they were not called to be exer­cised to Godliness; and this is the condi­tion of the Generality, to live as if God were not to call them to a reckoning; ye will say, we are poor ignorant Folks, and are not Book-learned, but have ye not Souls to be saved? and is there any other way to be saved then that royal Way wherein Believ­ers have walked? But if we should yet look a little further through you, how many are there that have not the very form of Godli­ness, who never studied to be Christians, either in your fellowship with others, nor when alone, or in your Families; There are some, O! that I might not say, many, who are hearing me, that will not once in the Year bow their Knee to God in their Families, many of you spend your time in Tipling, Jeasting, Loose-speaking, which are not convenient; yea, I dare say, there are many that spend more time in Tipling, Jeasting, and Idle-speaking, then in the Duties of Religion, either in publick or in private, what report shall we make of you? Shall we say that such a man spent three or four Hours every day in going up and down the Streets, or in Tipling and Sporting, and would not spend half an Hour of the Day on God and His Worship; and further, how many are yet ignorant of the first Prin­ciples of Religion, a fault that is often com­plained of, and yet we would be ashamed to have it heard of, that such Ignorance should be under half a Years preaching of the Gospel, that is in this Place under ma­ny Years preaching of it, and this not only among the Poorer sort, but even amongst those who hold their Heads very high, and are above others, who can guide and govern their own Affairs, and give others a good counsel in things concerning the World, yet if we come to speak with them of Re­pentance, or of Faith in its Exercise, of Convictions and Challenges for Sin, of Com­munion with God, of the working of God's Spirit in the Regenerate, or of the Fruits of the Spirit, they have not a Mouth to speak a word of these things; and if they [Page 57] speak any thing, O! but it looks wersh, tasteless, and thieveless like; Put them to discourse of Religion, it hath no gust, (to say so,) it relishes not, they have no un­derstanding of it, at least, that is experi­mental; doeth this look like Folks that have heard and received the Gospel? let me say it, the Wisdom of this World, and the Knowledge of Christ, are far different things; and if some of you go that length as to get the Questions of the Catechism, which is well done in it self; if we put you but to express them in other words, ye cannot, which says plainly that ye are not Masters of your Knowledge: And what shall we say of others? of whom we cannot say but we get respect enough from them, yet how do Selfishness and Worldly-mindedness abound in them? and how Graceless and Christless are they found to be, when put to the tryal? We would also say to you, that there is great difference betwixt Ci­vility and Christianity; Fairfashions will never pass in Christ's account for the suitable Fruits of the Gospel, and will never hinder us from having a just ground of Complaint against you; How many have a Form of Religion, and want the Power of it? who think themselves something, when they are indeed nothing, and their Profes­sion is so thin and holled, to speak so, that their Rottenness and Hypocrisie may be seen thorow it. Though these things be but general, yet they will comprehend a great many of you that are here in this As­sembly; and if so, is there not just ground of Complaint of, and Expostulation with you, as a People among whom this Word hath no suitable Fruit: And as for you that live Prophanely and Hypocritically, what shall we say to you? or how shall we deal with you? we bring the Word to you, but ye make no more use of it then if ye had never heard it; no more Religion sheweth it self in you, then if ye lived among Heathens; Shall we say to God, the Fruit of the Gospel is there? Dare we be answer­able to God, or can we be faithful to you, to flatter you over, as if all were well with you? and must not our Complaint then ra­ther be this, Lord they have not believed our report; though we be feckless, and though there be ground of Complaint of us, yet the Word is His Word and will take hold of you. I know that Folks do not readily digest such Doctrine well, and it may be some think that few Ministers are better dealt with then we are; but we say, that that is not our Complaint; we confess if we look from the beginning of the World to this Time, there will be few Ministers of the Gospel, found to have been better dealt with as to outward and civil things, but alace! should that stop our Mouth? yea rather ought it not to be the more sad to us to be so dealt with, and to live in civil Love with Men and Women who yet do not re­ceive the Gospel, nor deal kindly with our Master; Do not think that we will take ex­ternal respect to us for the Fruit of the Go­spel; as we have no cause to complain of other things, so let us not be put to complain of this, but receive Christ in your Heart, let Him and His precious Wares have Change and go off amongst you, make use of Him for Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption, and go not for the fashi­on about the Means that should bring you near Him, but be in good earnest, and this would satisfie us much, and prevent Com­plaints. Lastly, I would ask you what will come of it, if we shall go on in Preach­ing, and ye in Hearing, and yet continu­ing still in Unbelief? will there not be an account craved of us? and must we not make a report? and if ye think we must report, can we report any other way then it is with you? Shall we, or dare we say, that such a Man was a fine civil Man, and that therefore he will not be reckoned with though he believed not in Christ? No, no, but this must be the report, that such a Man, and such a kind of Men, though Christ was long wooing them, would not embrace Him, though He invited them to the Wedding, yet they would not come, nay they mocked and spurned at it, they trode the Blood of the Covenant under Foot, and counted God a Liar in all His Offers, and said by their Practice, that they should be happy though they took not this way; many of you who would not take it well if we should [Page 58] speak this to you in particular, will find it to be a Truth one day: And if ye shall say, What would we be at? The answer is at hand, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and ye shall be saved; This is the End of the Go­spel, and the mean of your Happiness; it's the great and the main thing that we call for, which if it be not obtained, the ground of the Complaint will continue: And do you think this any strange, hard, or un­couth thing, that when we bring to you the Offer of Christ in the Gospel, we bid you receive it, and flee in to Him to hide you from the Wrath to come; and yet this is all we seek of you; it's neither your Shame nor your Skaith that we seek, but that ye may take with your Sin, that ye may judge and condemn your selves, that your Mouth may be stopped before God, and that ye may flee to Jesus Christ in earnest, and close with Him on His own Terms: As therefore ye would prevent the greatly aggravated Sin, to wit, sinning against the Gospel, and the Complaint of the Ministers thereof against you, and the terrible Vengeance of the Me­diator, Kiss the Son, cast open the everlast­ing Doors of your Hearts, and let the Go­spel, and Christ the King of Glory have ac­cess: We pray you stand not in the way of your own Happiness, refuse not to do Him that much pleasure and satisfaction for all the travel of His Soul, as to give Him your Souls to be saved. Now God Himself keep you from this Folly and Soul-destroying madness.

WE have spoken some­what these days past, to sundry Doctrines from this part of the Verse, and particular­ly of the sad Complaint which Isaiah hath in his own name, and in the name of all the Ministers of the Gospel, that the savoury Report concerning Jesus Christ is not re­ceived, and that though Life and Salvation through Him be offered to many, yet there are but few, scarce here one and there one that do embrace it, this is the sad result, Lord, who hath believed our report? Words, that being spoken by such a Prophet, and so often mentioned in the New-Testament, may and should as often as we speak, hear, or re [...]d them, put both Ministers and People to a holy demur, and to look what becomes of all our Preaching and Hearing, when this was all the Fruit, even of Isaiah's Preaching, as to the greatest part of his Hearers.

Ere we leave this part of the Verse, it will not be unmeet that we speak a little to these three. First, To what may be the Causes why, when the Gospel is powerfully Preached, there are so few Believers. Se­condly, How it comes to pass, seeing so few Believe, that generally so many think they Believe, and so few suspect their own Faith. And Thirdly, To the necessity that lyes on the Hearers of the Gospel, to enquire at, and try themselves concerning their Faith, and to have some solid Satisfaction in it.

Although we mention no particular Do­ctrines now, yet considering the Doctrines we spoke to before, these things will not be unsuitable to them, nor impertinent to you.

For the first, The Causes why so few believe the Gospel, we cleared to you al­ready, That generally the powerful Preach­ing of the Gospel hath been with little Fruit, so that Isaiah hath this sad Complaint, Lord, who hath believed our report? and our Lord Jesus hath it also on the matter, Mat. 11.7. We have piped to you and ye have not danced, we have mourned to you and ye have not lamented, and in the same express words, John 12.38. And when it is so with sweet Isaiah in the Old Testament, and with our blessed Lord in the New, that spoke with such Power and Authority, ye may see there is reason for us to enquire into the Causes, why it is that so few Be­lieve? In speaking to which. 1. We in­tend not to touch on all the Reasons that may be gathered together, of Peoples not profiting under the Gospel, but of these that ye have most reason to look to, and that are most obstructive of Faith in you. 2. Though we might speak of Reasons on the side of them that speak to you, for who is sufficient for these things? and we shall not deny but we have culpable accession to your Unfruitfulness, yet it were not much to your edifying to insist on these. 3. Nei­ther will we speak to these soveraign Causes on God's part, who in His Holy Justice gives up People to Unfruitfulness, when they receive not the Truth in Love. Nei­ther 4ly. Shall we insist on these Causes that may arise from the Devil, who waits on wherever the Word is preached, to mar the Fruit of it, as we may see Mat. 13.19. the evil Spirits, like as many Crows, when the Seed of the Word is sowen, waiting on to pick it up, and ye would know, that ye never come to hear the Word, but there are, as it were, Flocks of Devils attending you; Hence it is that some are rocked and lulled asleep, some have their Minds filled with worldly Thoughts, some forget all that they Hear ere they go out of Doors, thus it is with many Hearers of this Gospel, their Hearts are trode upon as the Way-side by Devils and Foul-Spirits, that never a word takes impression on them, and though ye may think such expressions uncouth-like and strange, yet they are sadly true; Satan waited on when Christ preached, and sure he will scar no more to do so at our Preach­ing than he did at His, if he stood at Jo­shua's right Hand to resist him, he will no doubt be at ours; But we say we will not insist on these. But 5ly. We shall speak a little to these Causes that are common in you, which ye your selves m [...]ght know if ye would observe them, and we would exhort you to take notice of them, when we tell you of them.

First, Then we offer, or rather assert this for a Cause, The want of serious mind­ing the great concernment of the work of your Salvation, and that this preached Go­spel is the Word of the Lord by which ye must be saved; Alace! though ye have im­mortal Souls, and though this Word be the mean of your Salvation, yet there are Hun­dreds of you that never lay it to Heart, that your Souls are in hazard, and that this Word must be it that ye must live by, and live up­on; I appeal to your Consciences if ye think upon this seriously, want of this Considera­tion fosters Security, breeds Laziness, and makes and keeps you Careless and Carnal; I shall instance the want of it in three re­spects. 1. Look how ye are affected to­wards this Word, and your own edification by it before ye come to hear it, How few are hungering and thirsting, or preparing for benefite by it, or preparing to meet with God in it? In effect ye come not with a de­sign to profite; so that if it were known, it would be wondred at, wherefore ye come to hear the Word, as Christ says of some, They came not because they saw the miracles, but because they did eat of the loaves and were filled; so may we say of you, that ye come not to profite by the Word, but on some crooked carnal design. 2. Look how ye carry when ye are come, How many sleep a great part of the Sermon? so that it's a shame to look on the face of our Meetings, when in every corner some are Sleeping, whose Consciences God will waken ere long, and the Timber and Stones of the House will bear witness against them; Were you in any other Meeting, about ordinary Busi­ness, there would not be such Sleeping; But when ye are Waking, what is your Car­riage? [Page 60] for ye may be Waking, and your Heart far away, or fast asleep, how seldom can ye give account of what is said? though your Bodies be present, your Hearts are wandering; ye are like these spoken of Ezek. 33.31. who sat before the Prophet as God's people, but their hearts went after their covetousness; how often while ye are sitting here is your Heart away? some in their Thoughts running after their Trade, some after their Merchandice, some after one thing, some after another: This is one sad instance of it, that there are many of you who have had Preaching fourty or fifty Years, that can scarce tell one Note of it all, and no wonder, for ye were not atten­tive in the Hearing of it. 3. Look how ye carry after the Word is heard; What un­edifying Discourse will ye be engaged in ere ye be well at the Door? how carnally and carelesly do many rush unto, and go away from hearing of the Word? and when ye get a word that meets with your Souls Case, do ye go to your Knees with it before God, desiring Him to breath on it, and to keep it warm? or do ye meditate upon it? Now put these three together, your Carriage be­fore, in the time, and after your Hearing the Word, ye will find that there is just cause to say, that the most part that hear this Gospel are not serious, what wonder then that it do them no good? In the end of that Parable of the Sower, Matth. 13. Mark 4. and Luke 8. its said by the Lord, Take heed how ye hear, for whosoever hath, to him shall be given, &c. If ye improve well your Hearing, ye will get yet more, but so long as ye take no heed how ye hear, ye cannot profite.

A second Ground or Cause is this, That the most part of Hearers never come to look on this Word as the Word of God, they come never almost to have a Historical Faith of it, it's said Heb. 11.6. He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that seek Him diligently; But when Folk do not really believe that God is, what wonder they seek Him not, that they fear neither Judgment nor Hell, and that they study not Holiness? they say in their Hearts they shall have Peace, though they walk in the imagination of their own Hearts, and that the way to Heaven is not so narrow as Ministers say it is, that God will not condemn poor christned Bodies, this is the language of many Hearts and of some Mouths; Need there any evidences of it be given? if ye believed that the way to Heaven is so strait, and that Holiness is so extensive, could ye possibly with any seriousness reflect on your Heart and Way and not be affrighted? But the truth is, this Word gets not leave to sink in you as the Word of God, therefore sayeth our Lord to His Disciples, Luke 9.44. Let these sayings sink into your ears; There are these things I fear ye do not Believe, and let me not be thought to take on me to judge your Consciences, when there are so many that profess they know God, but in works they deny Him, as it is Tit. 1.16. when we see such things in your Carriage, we know that there is a principle of Unbelief whence they spring. 1. There are many of you that really believe not there is a God, or that He is such as His Word reveals Him to be, to wit, Holy, Just, Powerful, &c. else ye durst not live at feed with Him, The fool hath said in his heart there is not a God, they are corrupt, &c. your practical Atheism and Prophanity say ye believe not there is a God. 2. Ye never believed the ill of your Nature, Do ye think (as James bespeaks these he writes to, chap. 4.5.) that the Scripture saith in vain, the spirit that is in you lusts to envy? Ye do not think, that your Heart is deceitful and desperatly wick­ed? though we should Preach never so much on this Subject, yet ye lay it not to Heart, ye take it not to you in particular. 3. We are afraid that many of you believe not a Judgment, and your particular and personal coming to it, nay there are among you, who are like to these Mockers spoken of by Peter in his second Epistle, chap. 3. ver. 3, 4. who say, where is the promise of his coming? And as there were in Paul's days some th [...]t denied the Resurrection, 1 Cor. 15. so there are still, who do it on the matter, at least; Ye have the same corrupt Nature; We would think that we had prevailed to some purpose, if ye were brought really to [Page 61] believe that there is a God, Life to come, and a Day of Judgment; and if ye did so, ye would be more serious in Duty, and would come more Hungry and Thirsty to the Word. 4. The Mean and Mids of Salvation is not believed, to wit, That the way to Peace with God is Faith in Jesus Christ, and that there is no way to Heaven but the way of Holiness; If all your thoughts were spoke out, it would be found that ye have another mids than Faith, and another way than that of Holiness; And to make out this, we need go no further then to your Practice, we are sure many of you live in Prophanity, and yet ye have all a hope of Heaven, and what says this? but that ye think not Faith and Holiness neces­sary, but that ye may come to Heaven ano­ther way, and this is an old Fault and De­ceit, it was in Moses his days, for some are brought in ( Deut. 29.19.) saying, I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my own heart, and add drunkenness to thirst, though I tipple daily at my Four Hours, though I follow my Lusts and Pleasures, and take my fouth and fill of the World, we cannot be all Saints, &c. The Lord will not spare that man, but His anger and jealousie shall smoke against him, and all the curses that are written in this book shall ly upon him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under Heaven; and though this be not now believed, it shall be found verified; There are many when they come to Judgment, that will know to their cost, the truth of many things they never believed before? as we find in that rich Man, who says to Abra­ham, Send some to tell my brethren, that they come not to this place of torment, it says as much, as that He in his life-time did not believe how terribly-tormenting a place Hell is, and it is even so still; Though Men and Women have immortal Souls, yet they go on following their sinful way, and be­lieve not that any evil shall befall them, till God's Curse and Vengeance overtake them.

A third Ground or Cause is, That Folk never think themselves in hazard, nor suffer their hazard to affect them, and therefore they seek not after the Remedy, hence the J [...]ws, Scribes, and Pharisees rejected Christ, why? they were righteous Persons whole, and needed not the Physici [...]n; And thus it is with many of you, ye will take with it that ye are Sinners, but not with the grace­lesness of your Nature, and this makes it, that when Life, and Reconciliation with God, are offered, we have almost none to accept of it, why so? ye are generally in your own opinion, good Friends with God already, none of you almost think that ye have hatred at God, and so ye carelesly and unconcernedly let the opportunity of mak­ing your Peace with Him slip over, even like these Jews spoke of Joh. 8.44, 45. who when Christ said to them, Ye have the devil to your father, answered, he had a devil, and that God was their Father, that they were come of Abraham, and were not born of fornication; So it is with many of you, ye could never endure to even your selves to Hell, nor to take with it that ye were heirs of Wrath, as if ye had been born with other Natures then the ordinary Race of Mankind is, and this keeps so many of you that ye get no good of this Gospel, for it seeks Sinners to pardon them, and Enemies to reconcile them, and till the Feud be once taken with, the Friendship will never be sought after, nor will it find Merchants, though when once the Enmity is taken with, the Gospel hath many sweet, peace­ful, and comfortable words to speak to the Man afterwards.

A fourth Ground is, The love of Money and of the World, which is the root of all ill, This is given as a main Cause, Matth. 13. why the Word profites not, The seed is sowen among thorns, and the thorns spring up and chock it, the cares of this life and the deceit­fulness of riches chocked the Word; This is not oppression nor stealing, but entanglement with, and addictedness to the things of this present World, Folks allowing themselves too much satisfaction in their Riches and Pelf, counting themselves as if all were well if they have it, and grieved if they want it, as if there were nothing but that to make Happy, being wholly taken up a­bout it, and leaving no room for the con­cerns of their Souls, for Prayer and Seek­ing [Page 62] of God, nor for Challenges to work on them, they are so wholly taken up with their Callings and Business; for they lay it for a Ground that they must be rich, and then they give themselves wholly to all things that may contribute to that end, and that chockes and suffocates the Word that it never comes up, that nothing comes to perfection, therefore Christ says, Luke 21.24. Take heed ye be not overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness, and cares of this life; I am afraid that many moe among you who are civil, and esteemed vertuous and frugal, shall perish in this Pit of World­ly-mindedness, then shall perish by Drunk­enness, Gluttony, Fornication, or the like, and yet there is nothing more frequent in Scripture, then words spoken to scar Folk from Earthly-mindedness, How hard is it (says Christ) for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of Heaven? and such a Man is he that is taken up with Riches, and places his Happiness and Contentment in them, whether he have more or less of them; We speak not this to foster Idleness in any, but to press Moderation in the use of lawful things; Ye think it enough if we cannot charge you with Oppression, Steal­ing, Whoring, and the like, but this Go­spel will charge you with the love of Mo­ney, and if it find the love of the World in you, the love of the Father will not be found in you; Doth not your experience tell you, that it's not an easie matter to be much taken up with the World, and to win at a suitable disposition for Duties of Religion, and to be painful in them?

A fifth Ground is, Folks little prizing of the Gospel and the Benefites that come by it; They look not upon it as their Happi­ness to have Communion with God, they who are invited to the Marriage of the King's Son, Mat. 22. will not come, and the reason is given, they made light of it, the Offer of the Gospel hath no weight, it relishes not; If a Market of fine things at a cheap Rate were procla [...]med, ye would all run to it, but ye delight not in the Word of God, ye prize not the Gospel and the precious Wares that it exposeth to sale amongst you: And to evidence and make out this, I would ask you these few Questi­ons, And 1. I would ask you how often, or rather how seldom have you sitten down purposly and thanked God for sending the Gospel to you? ye have given thanks for your Dinner, but how often have ye given Him thanks that ye have the Gospel Sab­bath-days, and Week-days? 2. How little do many of you wait on the Preaching of it? were there a Message sent to you but from some ordinary Man, let be from a great Man, ye would straiten your selves and your Business too somewhat that ye might hear it, and yet it's a wonder to think how some in this Place, except on the Sab­bath, will hardly be seen in the Church from one end of the Year to the other. 3. Had ye any evident to draw of House or Land, ye would seek to have it drawn very well and sure, but many of you never sought to have the evidents of Heaven made sure; ye know, how interruptions of, and threat­nings to remove the preached Gospel from you, never troubled you; That business of the Tender gave a proof, that if ye might brook your ease and the things of the World, ye cared not what became of the Gospel and of the Liberties of Christ's Kingdom among you; nay we may say, the Gospel was never less set by, never more reproach­ed, despised, and trode upon, then in the time wherein we live, and who lays it to Heart? If it were well tried, there is more pains taken on seckless particulars in a Week, then ye take upon your Souls in a Year, and which may be spoken to the shame of some, more time taken up in Tipling, Drink­ing and Debauching, then in Prayer, or any other Religious Duty; And is not that an undenyable evidence that ye make light of the Gospel? They made light of it, and went their ways, &c. saying on the matter, care for yonder Invitation who wili, as for us, we have somewhat else to do.

A sixth Ground or Cause, though possi­bly it be not so rife, is a shifting of Convicti­ons and Challenges, a quenching of any be­gun Exercise in the Conscience; Some of you have been made sometimes to tremble as Felix did, but ye shifted it, and put it off to another time, and went away to some [Page 63] Company or Recreation, that so ye might stifle it, and drive it out of your thoughts; Is there any of you, but in Sickness, or un­der some other sad Cross, or at a Commu­nion, ye have had your own Convictions, Challenges, and Frights about your Souls estate? and yet ye have smothered, extin­guished, and put them out again.

A seventh Ground or Cause (which is as large and comprehensive as any,) is Folks resting and sitting down, before they have any solid Ground to rest upon, taking a counterfite Work for a real one, like these spoken of Hosea 7.16. of whom it's said, They return, but not to the most High; Some attain to a sort of out-side Reformation, and they trow that on that account they are well enough and in good terms with God, and when such are called to return, they say as these do, Mal. 3.7. Wherein shall we return? they think they are returned, and that their Peace is made already; They cannot en­dure to be bidden Believe, or to lay a new Foundation, for they think it's laid alrea­dy: In a word, as Laodicea did, they think themselves rich and encreased in goods, when yet they are poor, blind, miserable, wretched and naked, but they know not, and so are well satisfied with themselves as gracious Per­sons; resting on these and the like Grounds, As 1. It may be they Pray and think some­thing of that. 2. They think they have Faith enough, if they have a Historical Faith. 3. It may be they have had some resolutions, and fits of a sort of Tenderness, and these they rest upon: We shall not insist to shew the rottenness of these Props, but shall only say, it were in some respect good for many of you, that ye had never had the little pieces of Profession ye have: There is a sort of civil, legal, formal, fair­fashioned Men and Women among us, whose Conversation and Communication relishes to none but themselves, and speak the Word who will, they think that they are without the reach of it; I must say this sad word, th [...]t I think m [...]ny of you have as much believing as keeps you from Faith in Christ, that is, ye have as much Presump­tion and Security as makes you that ye are never serious with the Lord to amend it, and to bring you indeed to Believe, so that it's a greater difficulty, to beat you off from your rotten Grounds, then it is to get you right, though both require the Omnipotent Power of God; ye think ye Believe always, and ye have no Doubts about it, and therefore ye think ye have Faith enough to do your turn; Ah! when will ye know that Security is no Faith, and that there is great difference betwixt Presumption and solid resting by Faith on Christ?

Eighthly, We think that this wrongs ma­ny of you, because ye are not among the worst sort, and others esteem well of you, ye think ye are well enough, and this makes us, that as to many of you we know not whether to be more familiar with, or to stand at a distance from you, because ye are ready to rest on so very slender Grounds; It is not the commendation of Men, but the commendation of God that ye should seek mainly after, and yet if ye think good Men esteem well of you, ye apprehend ye are good enough; This was it that mad [...] the foolish Virgins so secure, because the wise took them and retained them in their Com­pany, and this is the neck-break of many, especially when they look about them and observe some Sin in others which they have win to abstain from; As if it had been e­nough in Herod, and a sufficient proof of the reality of his Religion, That he heard John gladly, and did many things on the hearing of him.

A ninth Ground is (and it's a very poor one,) Folks sitting down on the Means when they have them, as if when they have gotten the Gospel they were in no hazard, and could Believe when they list; I make no question, but where the Gospel is power­fully in any measure preached, there are many more secure and fearless then if they had it not, and it's very probable somewhat of this is hinted at, Luke 13.26. where some are brought in saying to Christ, We have eaten and drunken in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets, who when He boasts them away from Him at the great Day, they will in a manner hardly believe that He is in earnest, and they give this for the reason of it, that they have heard Him Preach, and they have run out to the [Page 64] Fields after Him; It were good to fear while ye have the Word, lest ye miss the Fruit of it; compare to this purpose Heb. 3. at the close, with Heb. 4.1. and we will find this commended to us, So we see, saith the Apostle, that they could not enter in be­cause of unbelief, let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of us should seem to come short of it; It's much, yea the first step to Faith, to get Folks made suitably affraid to miss the Fruit and Blessing of the Ordinances while they have them; It's good to be affraid, to come to the Church and not to get good of the Preaching, or to go and read a Chap­ter of the Bible and not profite by it, al­ways to put a difference betwixt the Ordi­nance and the Blessing of it, and to be af­fraid in the use of the Ordinances to miss the Blessing of them.

There may be many other Causes, and we would not stint and limit you to these, but sure these are Causes why this Gospel profites not: We may add these few, 1. There are some that stumble at the Mes­senger, some at the Message; Some thought Christ a Friend of Publicans and Sinners, and said He had a Devil, and so they said of John Baptist; There are some that can a­bide neither free nor fair Speaking, and they think it's not the Word but the Speaker that they offend at, but Prejudices against the Carriers of the Word have never done good, but much ill; and ye would guard against them. 2. Sometimes there is a stumbling at the Spiritual Truths of the Gospel, and a sort of new-fangleness in the Hearers of it that lasts not; John's Hearers rejoiced in his light for a season; something of it also was in Christ's Hearers, but they soon turned the Back on Him when He tells them of eating His Flesh and drinking His Blood, and of the necessity of it, else they could have no Life in them; This (say they) is a hard saying and who can bear it? If we would consider these things, we might see convincing Causes of our little Thriving, and they might also (through God's Bles­sing) be made use of for directions to Thriv­ing, and if we could once bring you to be single and serious in Hearing, and spiritual­ly Thrifty, in making use of every Sermon and Sabbath for edification, we had gained a great point of you.

IF we would soberly consider the frame of the most part of Men and Women that live under the Gospel, it would be hard to know whether it were more strange that so few should re­ceive the Report, and be brought to believe for all that can be said of Jesus Christ; or whether that among the generality of Hear­ers that do not receive the Report, there are so few that will let it light but that they Be­lieve; It's wonderful and strange to see Unbelief so rife, and it's as strange and wonderful that among these many Unbeliev­ers there are so few that think they want Faith.

Ye remember the last day, we proposed to answer this Doubt or Question, What can be the reason, that when so few Believe, all, [Page 65] almost think they Believe? and then to speak a word to the last Use that rises from the Matter that formerly we have handled on these Words: We shew you, and we think the Scripture is very clear for it, That among the generality that hear the Gospel, they are very rare and thin sawen that do believe it, and yet go thorow them all, there will not one among many be found, but will assert they B [...]lieve, and they will (to speak so) be crabbed and picqued to tell them that they want Faith, and so the most part of Hearers live and die in this Delusion; a thing that Experience clears as well as the Word of God, and a thing that doleful Experience will clear at the great Day, therefore some are brought in saying, Luk, 13.26. We have eaten and drunken in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets, to whom Christ will say, I know you not, depart f [...]om me; which doth im­port this much, that some will come (as it were) to the very Gate of Heaven, hav­ing no doubt of their Faith and Interest in God, or of their entry into it, and will therefore in a manner plead with Christ to be in, and who would never once doubt of it nor put it in question, but they were Be­lievers and in Friendship with Him; Al­though there will be no such debate or di­spute after Death, or at the Day of Judge­ment, yet it says this [...]hat many Hearers of the Gospel have drunken in this opinion which goes to Death with them, and no Preaching will beat them from it, that they are Believers, and in g [...]o [...] [...]erms with God, till the intimation of the S [...]ntence of Con­demnation do it, and the Wrath and Curse of God meet them in the Face; And O how terrible a disappointment will such meet with in that Day? May it not then very rea­sonably and justly be enquired, what can be the reason [...]nd cause, when this is granted so generally to be a truth, that there are few Believers, that yet it should be [...]s true that few question or make any doubt of thei [...] Faith, and how this comes to pass? I shall give you some reasons of it, which if ye would think upon, and suff [...]r to sink down in your Hearts, ye would not marvel that so many are in this Mistake and Desu­sion, and would put many of you, to have quite other thoughts of your own condition then ye have; We shall only speak to such Reasons as are sinful, culpable upon your part.

The Reasons then are these. First, The most part never seriously think on the mat­ter whether they Believe or not, or they never put their Faith to a tryal, if the foo­lish Virgine light her Lamp, and never look whether there be Oyl in it, and take on a fair outward Profession of Religion, and ne­ver look what is within it, or how it is lined, to speak so, what wonder she go up and down with the Lamp in her hand, and ne­ver know whether there be Oyl in her Ves­sel or not, since she never considers, nor puts the Matter to proof and tryal? The People are expostulated with ( Isai. 44. from ver. 9.) for making of Images, That a Man should cut down a Tree, and with one piece of it should warm himself, with ano­ther piece of it should bake his Bread, and of a third piece should make a god and fall down and worship it, and this is given for the ground of it, ver. 18, 19. They have not known and understood, and none considereth in his heart, or as the word is, seeth to his heart; they consider not that that cannot be a god; Folks would think that natural Reason might easily discover this folly: We are perswaded that some of you will think your Faith as great a Folly, when there shall be as clear evidences to prove the ro [...] ­tenne [...]s of your Faith and Hope, as there were even to common Sense to prove the Image made of a piece Tree, not to be God; when it shall be found and [...]ecl [...]red, that though ye were never convinced of Sin, nor of your Misery and lost Condition, were never humbled nor touched under the kindly sense of it, never fled to Jesus Christ in earnest, nor never had the exer­cise of G [...]ace, yet out over the want of all these, ye would needs keep up a good opi­nion of your Faith and Hope; We say, the reason why ye entertain this conceit and opinion, is, because ye never sit down se­riously and soberly before God to consider the Matter, nor do ye put your selv [...] to Proof and Tryal; Let me therefore pose [Page 66] your Consciences, if ye who have this opi­nion of your Faith, durst assert to Him, that this Faith of yours is the result of your serious Examination and Tryal; is it not rather a guessing of fanciful opinion that ye Believe? And do ye think that such a Faith as that will abide the Tryal before God, that never did abide your own Tryal? It will doubtless be a sore beguile to go off the World with such an opinion of Faith, and to have the Door shut in your very Teeth; Alace! there will be no amending or bettering of your Condition after Death; The Day comes when many of you, if God graciously prevent not, shall curse your selves that ever ye should have been such Fools as to have trusted your own Hearts, or to have taken up this opinion of your Faith without ground: We would there­fore seriously recommend to you the putting of your Faith more frequently to the tryal, and that ye would often read and think on that place, 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith, prove your own selves, &c. O! do not think that a matter of such concernment should be left lying at con­jecture and utter uncertainty, who loseth, when ye are so palpably accessory to your own Ruine, by not endeavouring to put your selves to so much as a Tryal? Do not say here for excuse, We have no more Grace then God gives us; when ye never endea­voured to be so much as at the form of the Duty, or to go the length ye might have gone in putting your selves to the Tryal; The deceit then, being desperate and irre­deemable, if continued in, do not, for the Lord's sake, after all that is said to you, continue beguiling your selves.

A second Reason is, Folks settling them­selves on unsound evidences and principles of Peace that will not bear them thorow before God; I do not say that they have nothing to say in word for themselves, but that all they have to say will be no ground to prove their Faith, or to bear it thorow before God that they do believe indeed; It will be found at the best to be but a lie, as it's said of that Man, Isa. 44.20. A de­ceived heart hath turned him aside, he feeds on ashes, he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, is there not a lie in my right hand? He may have a seeming reason for his Faith, but it's no reason indeed: If many of you were go­ing now to die, what reason have ye to prove your Believing by? some will say, God hath always been good, kind, and gracious to me, I was in many straits and difficulties, and I prayed and got many de­liveries; Thus all the ground of thy Faith is but Temporal Favours or Deliveries, which is even as if Israel should have made their receiving of Temporal Deliveries and their acknowledging of them, and having some sort of Faith of them, to be ground enough to prove their receiving of Jesus Christ [...]avingly; There is a doleful proof of the unsoundness of this ground, Psal. 78.34, 35, 36, 37. When he slew them, then they sought him, and returned and enquired early after God, they remembred that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer; They look­ed to God's by-gone Favours for them when they were in the Wilderness, and at the Red Sea, and they believed that he could do so still; But they did flatter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue, for their hearts were not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his Cove­nant; whereupon He destroyed them, and through their Unbelief they did not enter into God's Rest; It's also said a little be­fore in that Psalm, vers. 32. For all this they sinned still; There may be many Tem­poral Favours and Deliveries, and these acknowledged too, and yet no receiving of Christ for making our Peace with God, for removing the Quarrel betwixt Him and us, and for making us cease from Sin: Con­sider if it will be a good ground to plead with God upon, to say to Him, Lord thou must bring me to Heaven because I was in Sickness and thou raised me up, I was in this and that strait, and under this and that Cross, and thou carried me thorow and brought me out of it; The Lord will say to such that have no more to say, ye had so many evidences of my Power and yet ye sinned still; and yet this will be all the Pleading and Reasoning that will be found with many of you, and the sad Reply you will meet with from God.

A third Reason is, Folks giving an ex­ternal Countenance to Ordinances, and their formal going about of them; They trow they have Faith, because they keep the Church and are not open Contemners and Misregarders of Ordinances as some others are, because they Pray, Read, Hear, &c. It seems it was something like this, that the perswasion of these spoken of Luk. 13.26. is built upon, Lord (say they) we have heard thee preach, and have eaten and drunken in thy presence; It's not simply that they heard Christ Preach, for many heard Him Preach who stoned Him, but that when others stoned Him, they followed Him and were not openly Prophane, nor professed Contemners of Him and of His Preaching, as these others were; such like words fall sometimes from your Mouths: Ye will pos­sibly say, what would we have of you? ye are not Prophane, ye wait on Preaching, and live like your Neighbours, and ye con­tent your selves with that; Alace! this is a poor, yea, a doleful Fruit of Ordinances, and of your attendance on them; If there be more security, presumption, and despe­rate hazarding on the Wrath of God, and less taking with the Quarrel betwixt Him and you on that ground.

A fourth Reason is, Folks Hope, even such a Hope, that contrair to the nature of Hope, will make the most part of you ashamed; Ye trow ye Believe, because ye hope ye Believe, and that ye will get Mercy, because ye think ye hope in God's Mercy, and ye will not let any thing light to the contrair, nor so much as think that ye may be deceived; The opinion that Folk have of obtaining Mercy, that is maintained without any ground but their vain hope, is the rifest, most unreasonable, and prejudi­cial evil that is among the Professors of this Gospel; henc [...] if any ground and evidence of their Peace be asked for, they will an­swer, that they Believe; If it be again [...]sk­ed, how know ye that ye Believe, they an­swer, we hope and believe it is so, and can give no ground for it. Many are like these spoken of Isa. 57.10. Thou hast found the life of thine hand, therefor [...] thou was not grieved; They have a Faith and a Hope of their own making, and this keeps them off, that the Word of God takes no hold on them; We preach that ye are naturally at Feed with God, and offer Peace and Reconciliation through Jesus Christ, but ye are Deaf, for ye think your Peace is made already; and but very few come sen­sible of a Quarrel with God, to this Word as to the Ministry of Reconciliation; This is wondered at (in a manner) by the Lord Himself, Micah 3.11. where we have a People whose way is very unlike the Go­spel, The heads judge for a reward, and the priests teach for hire, and the prophets divine for money, yet will they lean upon the Lord and say, is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us; It is not for real Believ­ing that they are charged, but for their confident asserting their Believing when there was no ground for it; So it is with many, they will say, they hope to escape Hell, and to get their Sin pardoned, and to win to Heaven, and they believe it will be so, when in the mean time there is no ground for it, but clear ground to the con­trary.

A fifth Ground is, Folks spiritual and practical Ignorance of the Righteousness of God, whereof the Apostle speaking, Rom. 10.3. sayeth, Being ignorant of the righte­ousness of God, they go about to establish their own, &c. that which I mean is, Folks being ignorant of their Natural Condition, of the Spiritualness of God's Law, what it requires, and of the way of Faith, and of the com­mand of Believing, and the nature of it: It's from the ignorance of these three, to wit, of the Mischief that is in them by Na­ture, of the Spiritualness of the Law, and of the Spiritualness of Faith, and of the Exercise of it, that they sleep on in Securi­ty, and think they have Faith when they have it not; And though sometimes they will say their Faith is weak, yet they can­not be beaten from it, but that they Be­lieve; and their Faith is up and down as their Security stands or falls: This the Apostle makes clear from his own experi­ence, Rom. 7.9. where before his Conversion he says, he was a living Man, but after his Conversion he begins to think himself no­thing [Page 68] but a dead and gone Man, the reason is, because before Conversion he knew not himself, he knew not the Law, nor the na­ture of the Covenant of Grace, Before the Law came (saith he) I was alive, he knew not the spiritual meaning of it, and there­fore he thought he observed it, and so thought himself sure of Heaven, and had no doubts nor disputings concerning his Inte­rest in God; But (saith he) when the com­mandment came, sin revived, and I died; I saw my self then to be lost and gone, and in every thing guilty, that which I thought had been Humility. I saw it to be Pride, that which I took for Faith, I found it to be Presumption an [...] Unbelief, and my Ho­liness, I found to be Hypocrisie; not that his Sin grew more upon his hand, but the Sin that before was vailed, was now disco­vered, and staired him in the face; This is a sad truth, yet a most real truth; The good Believing (as many of you call it) and the Faith that ye have is a surer ground of your strangeness to God, and of your Unbelief, then any other thing ye have can be a ground whereupon to conclude ye have Faith and are good Friends with God; ye are yet alive, Strangers to God, Strangers to your Selves, Strangers to the spiritual meaning of the Law, and to the exercise of Faith; If ye would set your selves to pon­der seriously this one Consideration, I think ye might be somewhat convinced of it; Do ye not see many that understand more of God then ye do, and that are more tender in their Walk then ye are, who yet are loath­er, more difficu [...]ted and affraid to assert their Faith and Confidence in God then ye are? and they are oftener brangled and put to question their Faith, will ye then con­sider what can be the reason that ye have so strong a Faith that ye never doubted, and they are troubled with doubting sometimes, yea often, though they Pray more, and are more diligent in the use of all the Means, and holier in their Conversation then ye are, and ye wil [...] (it may be) say, well's them that are like such a Person; this is the rea­son of it, they see their Sin, and the spiri­tualness of the Law, and the nature of Faith, and are dead to the Law; but ye are yet alive in your conceit; Do ye, or can ye think, that much Praying, Reading, Medi­tation, and Tenderness in Folks Walk, will weaken Faith and occasion Doubting? or is it not rather like, that Faith will be more confirmed by these, then by the neglect of them? how is it then that ye are so strong in your Faith, when they find themselves so weak and doubting? or have ye an in­fused Faith without the Means? or doeth God deal with you in a more indulgent way then He uses to deal with His People? how is it then that these of whom ye cannot say but they are more tender then ye are, can­not almost name Faith, or assert their con­fid [...]nce in God, without trembling and fear that they presume; and yet ye dare very confidently take a mouthful of it without any hi [...]k or [...]esitation, and yet live carnally and without fear? Do not many of you wonder wh [...]t ails some Folks, what need they to be so much troubled, and why do they stand in need of some to Pray for them and with them, and to answer their Doubts, and ye (mean while) need no such thing; and all your remedy is, that ye assure your selves ye Believe, and think the questioning of your Security is the very undoing of your Faith; God help, ye are in a woful tak­ing.

A sixth Reason is, That Folk drink in some Carnal Principles that have no war­rand in the Word of God, and accordingly square every thing that comes in their way. 1. They lay it for a Ground, that Folk should never doubt of God's Mercy; we do not say that Folk should doubt of God's being most real in His offer of Mercy to Sinners in the Gospel, but from that it will not fol­low, that never one should doubt of God's love to them, or of their coming to Heaven, whether they close with the Offer or not; Are there not many whom God curseth? and should not these doubt? A second Carnal Principle is, That there is no such reality in the Threatnings of God as there is in His Promises, as if He were utterly averse from executing a Threa [...]ning, and as if it were a rare thing to Him to condemn any; and is there any thing more opposite to Scripture then this Principle is? Hath [Page 69] He not said in the same place, to wit, Ex. 34. where He proclaims Himself to be gracious, merciful, long-suffering, &c. That He is a God that will not clear the guilty; And hath not the Scripture said, that it's but a rem­nant that are saved, but (as it were) here one and there one, and that there are ma­ny damned for one that is saved; But know it of a certain, that He will make you one day vomit up these Principles, with exqui­site torment, when out of your own Mouth He will convince you of your Mistake and Delusion. 3. When Folks want many things, they supply all with an honest Mind; This supplies your want of Knowledge, your want of Faith and of Repentance, and of every thing whereof ye are said to be shor [...]; Though ye live and should die Car­nal and Unrenewed, yet ye think stil ye have an honest Mind or Heart for all that, and what, I pray is your honest Mind? but a rotten and prophane Heart that vails your Hypocrisie with a pretext of Honesty; Would ye think that Man honest, spoke of Isa. 44.19. who with one part of the Tree warmed himself, and with another part made a god and fell down and prayed to it? and yet in your Sense, he hath an ho­nest Mind, for he followeth his light which is but darkness, and the deceit of his Heart carrying him away from God, though he cannot see it; he discerns not, because he considers not that there is a lie in his hand, and that a deceived heart hath led him aside, so it is with you; and if many of you saw what is latent under that honest Mind and Heart, there would be nothing that would make you loath your selves more; a little time will convince you, that that which ye looked for most good from, was your great­est and most traiterous Enemy; He that trusts in his own heart is a fool, saith Solomon, Prov. 28.26. it supposes that Folks are ready to lippen to their Heart, and to hearken to the language of it concerning their Spiritual Estate, but it says also, that they are Fools that do so, for it betrayes them, and there is no folly comparable to that whereby a Man betrayes his own im­mortal Soul; and that he doth who trusts in his own Heart.

A seventh Reason is from the deceitfulness of our Heart, and the natural Corruption that sticks to us; There is naturally in us, Pride and Self-conceit, we are disposed and given to think any thing that is our own, though it be but a shew, is as good as others reality; to think our own Light and Know­ledge, our own other Parts and Gifts to be as good as those of any others, whosoever they be; And with Pride there is joined Self-love, we dow not abide to think evil of our selves, or to suspect our selves; Though this Self-love be indeed Self-hatred, and is but love to our Corruptions, and makes us that when we live in hatred of God, to think that we love Him, so that we cannot be induced to think that we love Him not, for we know that love to God is good, and we love our selves so well, that we cannot endure to think that we want it; hence it's said of some in the last Times, 2 Tim. 3.2, 3. That they shall he covetous, proud, boasters, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, &c. having a form of godliness, and denying the power of it, and the foun [...]ain of all is Self-love, for (saith he) men shall be lovers of their own selves; And as Self-love is the fountain of much Evil, so it's the fountain of Self-deceit, and keeps out any thing that may make Men question their own Condition, so that if a word come in and say, thou hast no ground for thy Faith, the Heart will be ready to an­swer and say, it cannot be that I am a Self-deceiver, and Self-love as a partial Judge will offer to vindicate the Man, and so makes him shift the Challenge. Now when all these are put together, you may see how many Grounds Folks have to go wrong up­on, and Men having Hearts disposing and inclining them to go wrong, and little pains being taken to discover the deceit of them, is it any wonder that they think they Be­lieve, when indeed they Believe not, and be empty and toom-handed, having little or nothing to rest upon, while they think they are Rich and want nothing; These are not fancied and far fetched things but ob­vious, and at Hand, and may easily be ga­thered from your daily Practice; In all [Page 70] which, it's our design and scope to bring you to try your long unquestioned Peace; do not therefore think that it is impossible to be thus perswaded, as many of you are, and yet to be mistaken, (which is another Ground of Folks deceit,) for Laodicea was very confident in thinking her self to be rich and encreased in goods, and to stand in need of nothing, when she was in the mean time, poor, blind, miserable, wretched, and naked; and the Galatians, as we may see chap. 5.8. had a perswasion which was not of God; As there may be a perswasion of a point of Doctrine as being right, which yet is an errour, so there may be a perswasion of a Man's Spiri­tual State as being right, and which he will stoutly maintain to be so, while in the mean time that perswasion is not of God that calleth him, but a strong Delusion; If all that be Faith that ye call Faith, then certainly the way to Heaven is much broad­er then the Scripture hath chalked it out, and Ministers needed not say, Who believes our report? for all should thus believe it: It will then, and must then turn to this, that your perswasion is not of Him that cal­leth you; and if a deceit may ly and lurk under this perswasion of yours, ye have cer­tainly so much the more need to put the business to tryal.

And this is the last Use, which we cannot now insist on, That seeing so many think they Believe who Believe not, and that there are but few that believe the Report, and indeed rest on Christ for their Salvation, as He is offered to them in the Gospel, it is of your concernment to endeavour to put your selves without the reach of this Com­plaint, and to make it sure that ye have be­lieved and received the Report; Is there any thing of concernment if this be not? even to mak [...] your Calling and Election sure; and that cannot be made sure as to you, till your Faith be made sure; If we could prevail this far with you, we would count it a blessed Fruit of this and of many other Preachings, even that some of you who have never qu [...]stioned your Faith, might be engaged first seriously to close with Christ, and then to put your selves to the tryal, that on distinct grounds ye might be able to say, I know in whom I have believed, and that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day; There are many of you that talk of Faith, and yet cannot only not assert your Interest in Christ distinctly, but cannot so much as give any solid grounds of your Believing, and should not this, think ye, put you to try it? Is there not a Day coming wherein ye will all be tried, whether your alledged Faith was true Faith, or but Presumption? and where­in the Conscience which is now quiet, and which it may be never keeped you from an hours Sleep, shall awake and put forth its Sting, and shall bite and gnaw, and ye who shall continue under the power of this De­lusion, will be put to gnaw your Tongues for pain and horrour under the gnawings of your Conscience; Ye that never knew all along your life what these things mean'd, had need to stand the more in awe, and to be affraid when ye come near Death. Though it be a sad matter, that when we should be Preaching, and would fain preach the Doctrine of Faith, it should, by reason of your Delusion, be the great part of our work to be thus digging you out of your Presumption, and overturning your carnal and ill-grounded Hope; yet we have the greater confidence and the more peace, to speak to, and insist in these Truths, because they ly so near to the great design of the Gospel, and to your immortal Souls Salva­tion; and though we were able to preach more plausible and sweet things to you, yet if these Doct [...]ines profite you not, these would not; S [...]ing therefore they are so pro­fitable, we should not weary to speak, and ye should not weary to hear them spoken of; Would to God ye were seriously [...]nd sincerely aiming to be clear and through in the matter of Believing, and that ye stood in need, and were more capable of more pleasant Truths; if so, we might have more comfor [...]able, though we will not say more profitable Doctrines to insist upon to you.

WE have spoken at seve­ral occasions to this first part of the Verse, and before we leave it, there is one Use several times hinted at already, to which there is good ground to speak, it being the design and purpose of these words to hold forth of what great concernment Believing is, and of what great difficulty it is, and so many being to the ruine of their Souls mi­staken about it, there is ground to draw this Use of Exhortation from it, to wit, That then all the Hearers of this Gospel would be exhorted to advert well to this, that they make Faith sure in it self, and that they make it sure to themselves, seing, as I said, so many are mistaken about it and beguile themselves; The more pressingly that the Gospel calls for Faith in Christ, and the more weightily the Lord expostu­lates with the Hearers of the Gospel because of their Unbelief, they are doubtless so much the more concerned to receive it in its Offer, and also to look well that they content not themselves with guessing at Faith, and that they never think that things are well with them, except they can give good proof and warrand that they are so, and that it is Saving Faith that they have, seing there are so many that satisfie them­selves as being Believers, when yet so few are Believers ind [...]ed; The s [...]d mistake and disappointment of many, should have so much influence upon us as to put us to more watchfulness, and to a more narrow tryal of our own state and condition, that we may know how it is with us; All that we have spoken to the Doctrines of this first part of the Verse, may be as so many Motives to stir you up to both these, and would to God we could be perswaded to this as the Use of so many Preachings, once to admit and take it for granted that it is the Truth of God; that there is a necessity, an absolute necessi­ty for us to be really rolled and casten over upon Jesus Christ by Faith, for attain­ing of Life through Him; Though this be a very common Doctrine, and ye would think a very common Use of it, yet it is the great thing that God requires in the Gospel, and the neglect of it, or not receiving His Son, the very contest and quarrel that God hath with the Hearers of it, and the cause of the ruine of so many Souls that perish under the Gospel; We shall therefore propose to you some Considerations that may stir you up to this, and briefly answer a Question in each of these two branches of the Use.

And first, For stirring you up to this re­ceiving of Christ by Faith, 1. Consider if there be not a standing Quarrel and Con­traversie betwixt God and you for Sin; and if there be, as no doubt there is, consi­der how that Contraversie is to be removed, is there any other possible way but by Faith in Christ? If we were Preaching to such as had never sinned, and were never under the hazard of the. Wrath of God, there might possibly be a difficulty to perswade to a receiving of Christ; But when ye have all this in your Conscience, that there is Sin, [Page 72] and a Curse following Sin, and that there is no other way for removing that Curse but by Jesus Christ, is there not reason to expect that ye should receive this Truth? will any of you think to stand and bide it out against God? and if not, then there is sure a necessity of Believing in Jesus Christ, or of lying under the Wrath of God for ever.

2. Consider that this Gospel and Word of Salvation is preached to you in particu­lar; When we speak of Salvation, we do not say, that Christ was once preached to the Jews, or that in such a far-off Nation there is a door opened for Salvation in the Gospel; but we would turn over the words of the Apostle ( Acts 13.38.) to you, and say to you in his words, Be it known to you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (to wit Jesus Christ,) is preached to you remission of sins, &c. and this brings the Go­spel near you, even to your door; it lays before you the way of access to God by Christ, and puts it so closs and home to you, that Christ must either have a refusal, or a welcome from you: The first consideration of your own Sinfulness and Misery might put you to seek after a Saviour, though he were at a great distance, but this other brings Him to your Heart and Mouth; and is it fit (think ye) to neglect such a fair oc­casion? and will it be wisdom, when Sal­vation follows you, and crys after you, and Wisdom lifts up its voice in the Streets, saying, O ye simple ones, how long will ye love foo [...]ishness, &c. to stop your ear, or to turn away from Christ, and to run upon your destruction? Do ye think that this Gospel will be silent always, or that your Conscience will be deaf and dumb always? There are many Nations that have not the Gospel so near them; and it's hard to know but the day may come when ye would be content to buy an offer of the Gospel at a dearer ra [...]e, and when there shall not be a Tryster nor a D [...]ys-man to be had between God and you, and these days will then be remembred with horrour, which now ye securely slip over:

3. Consider what will come of this if ye do not believe the Gospel; Know ye not that many perish that hear the Gospel, and that upon this same very ground, that they did not receive Christ and Salvation through Him offered to them therein, and whereof they are now deprived? Are there not ma­ny this day cursing in Hell, under the Wrath of God, that they let slip and passed over so many golden Opportunities of the Gospel without improvement? and know ye not that it will come to the same sad pass with you, if ye do not receive it? Do Men live always? Is there not an appointed time for all Men upon Earth? If before we have savingly ex­ercised Faith on Him for making Peace with God, we be drawn to a reckoning before His Tribunal, what will come of it? and are not our precious Opportunites apace and always sliping by? and is not the work of Faith by delays still the more difficult? are not our Bonds still the more strengthen­ed? and doth not our Indisposition still grow the greater? and is it not very ordi­nary to see these who have slighted the work of Faith in their Youth. to live stupid in their old Age, and die Sensless?

4. Consider what sort of Folk they are, of whom the Scripture speaks as Unbelievers, and whom the Word of God holds forth to be eternally secluded from the presence of God for the want of Faith; Many think that it's but the grosly Prophane, or such as ne­ver had so much as the form of Religion, and such as others would scunner and loath to hear them but mentioned, that it's (I say) only such that are accounted Unbelievers; But the Scripture speaks of some that seek to enter in and shall not be able; that desire to be in Heaven, and take some pains to win in, and yet are never admitted to enter in­to it, and what is the reason, because they took not the way of Believing for the ob­taining of Life and coming to Heaven; they took the way of Works, they took the way of Prayer, of Purposes, Promises and Reso­lutions to ammend and grow better, quite overlooking Christ and the way of Believing in Him, and so took the way of Presumpti­on, and promised themselves Peace when there was no true Peace, nor any solid ground for it.

[Page 73]5. Consider (which is of affinity with the former Consideration) them that are secluded from the presence of God for the want of Faith, they are even Men and Wo­men as we are, that lived in the same King­dom and City with us, that prayed in the same Company with us, that thought them­selves as sure of Heaven as many of us do, that were guilty of the same or like Sins, that we are guilty of, that have heard ma­ny of the same Preachings that we have heard, and yet they perish for want of Faith, for not believing in the Son of God; Why then should we think that impossible as to us, that is so common and frequent in others? Is not the same Nature in us that's in others, and are not our Hearts naturally as deceitful and corrupt as those of others? and so may not we be beguiled as well as others? And is it not the same rule that He will walk by in judging of us, that He walk­ed by in judging of others? What can be the reason, that Folk will read and hear the Word, and will promise to themselves Heaven, when the same Word clears it plainly, that Destruction is that which they have to look for from the Lord: It is no­thing else but this confident and proud Pre­sumption that many take for Faith. Let not your precious opportunities slip away, and beguile not your selves in such a con­cerning matter as Faith is; ye will never get this loss made up afterwards if ye miss Faith here.

Lastly, Consider the great necessity that the Lo [...]d hath laid upon all Men and Wo­men, by a peremptory Command and Charge, to believe in the Son of God; He hath not with greater peremptoriness re­quired Prayer, nor dependance upon Him, nor any other Duty, then He hath requir­ed this, 1 John 3.23. And this is his com­mandment, that we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ; yea it's singled out as His main Commandment: If that great iniquiry be made, What shall I do to be saved? this is the answer, Believe on Je­sus Christ; Do ye think that our Lord, (who hath so marked and signalized this Command in so special a manner,) will ne­ver take account for the slighting of it? or do ye think to satisfie Him by your other Duties without minding this? It cannot be; Suppose ye should mourn all your Life-time, and your Life were a pattern to others, yet if ye want this one thing, Faith in Christ, ye will be found Transgressours, as having neglected the main work.

Now for the Question, ye will say, What this is we are bidding you do when we bid you Believe? Answ. When we call you to Believe, we call you, 1. To be suitably affected with the sense of your own Naugh­tiness, Sinfulness, and H [...]za [...]d; Till there be something of this Faith in our Lord Jesus hath no access, nor will ever get welcome; Deep apprehensions of the Wrath that is coming, and a standing in awe at the thoughts of our appearing before Him, con­tribute much to it; I am not preaching De­speration to you, as some mutter, but we would press upon you the Faith of the Word of God, that tells you what we are, and liveliness under that impression, that ye may not be stopped or letted till ye come to a thorow closure with Christ; The most part of Hearers come never this length, and this is the reason why many stumble in the very Threshold, and make never Progress. 2. We call for and commend this to you, that ye would study to be through and clear as to the Usefulness and Excellency of Jesus Christ, as to the efficacy of His Death, as to the terms of the Covenant of Grace, whereby a Sinner comes to obtain Right to Him; to be sensible of Sin and Hazard without this, is only the way to make a Man desperate and mad, but when this is clear, it makes an open door to the Sin­ner that he may see whither to run from the Wrath to come; I do not only mean that ye would get the Cat [...]chism, and be able to answer to all the Que­stions concerning the Fundamentals of Religion contained therein, but that ye would also and mainly seek to have the Faith of these things in your H [...]arts, and to have Faith in God, that ye may be per­swaded, that He that was, and is God, died for Sinners, and that by the application of His Satisfaction, Sinners may obtain Life, and that there is a sufficient Warrand given [Page 74] to a Sinner to hazard himself upon Him. The first of these speaks the necessity of some Sense, the second holds out the ne­cessity of a general Faith, according to that word, Heb. 11. He that comes to God, must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; We must know that there is a Warrand to come, and ground to expect Acceptance from God upon our coming, or else we will ne­ver come to, nor believe in Christ. The third thing that we call you to, when we call you to Believe, is, That the Sinner would actually stretch out that Faith, as the Souls Hand for the receiving of Christ, and for the Application of Him to himself, and would actually cast himself upon the Satis­faction of Jesus Christ for covering that Sin­fulness that is in him, and would catch hold of, and grip to Him that is an able Saviour, for keeping the Sinner from sinking under the weight of Sin that he lieth under; This is the Exercise and Practice of Faith when it flows from the general Doctrine of the necessity of believing such things to be Truths in themselves, and when it's extend­ed and put forth in Practice, that we who are so certainly and sensibly lost, must needs share of that Salvation which we believe to be in Jesus Christ, and so for that, roll our selves on Him; The first piece of Sense may be in a Reprobate, the second piece of Faith, that there is a sufficient Salvation in Christ to be gotten by them that believe in Him, may be in a Devil; But this third of actual use-making of the Satisfaction of Christ, for paying our Debt, and rolling our selves upon Him, that's the Faith and Exercise of it that is peculiar to a sound Believer, and the very thing that consti­tutes a Believer, and it is that which we commend to you, that ye may not stand and please your selves with looking only upon Christ, but that ye may cast and roll your selves over upon Him, that Christ may get your Weight, and that all your Burthens and Wants may be upon Him, which to do ye must be enabled by the mighty Power of Grace, whereof in the next part of the Verse.

The second Branch of the Use which fol­lows upon this, is, That we would desire you not only to follow this way of making your Peace with God, but to follow the trying and proving of it to your own satis­faction, that ye may be warrantably confi­dent that it is so: There is a great diffe­rence betwixt these, to believe in Christ, and to be clear and certain that we do be­lieve in Him; As there is a necessity of the first, without which there cannot be Peace with God, so there is a necessity of the se­cond, though not simply, as without which there can be no Peace with God, yet upon this account, as without which we cannot be so comforted in God; And seing there are so many who do not Believe, who yet think themselves to be Believers, and seing there is nothing more common among the Hearers of the Gospel, then to reject Christ offered in it, and to Misbelieve, and yet nothing more common then to be confident that they do Believe; There is good ground here to exhort you to put your Faith to the Touch-stone, that ye may know whe­ther ye can abide the Trial, and whether ye may confidently assert your own Faith upon good ground, and abide by it: We would think if it were remembred, and se­riously considered, how great a scarcety there is of Believers, and how rare a thing it is to get any to receive Christ, that Folk needed not be much pressed to put their Faith to the Trial; and when there will not be one among many found who will pass un­der the account of a real Believer with Je­sus Christ, should not the most part suspect themselves, seing the most part that hear the Gospel are the object of this Complaint, Who hath believed our report? or very few have believed it; ye would study to have some well grounded confidence in this, that ye are not guessing and presuming, and go­ing upon grounds that will fail you at last, but that ye be in case to say on solid grounds with the Apostle, I know whom I have be­lieved, &c. There is a Faith and Hope that will make many ashamed; and certain­ly, in the day of Judgment, when Christ shall have to do with these Persons, that [Page 75] never once thought to be thrust away from Him, they of all Men shall be thrust away from Him with greatest Shame; O! the confusion that will fill and overwhelm them who had a profession of Christ, and yet had never the root of the matter in them above and beyond many others: Dare many of you, upon the confidence ye have, look Death in the Face? It's no great matter to be confi­dent in the time of Health; but will ye then be able to comfort your selves in the Promises of God? do not promise to your selves the things in the Covenant, except ye be endeavouring in God's way to be sure ye are Believers indeed. Our Life depends upon our Faith, but our Consolation de­pends much upon our clearness that we have Faith, and that we are in Christ, and therefore there is much need to press this upon you; There is no way to rid you of the Terrours of God, and to make you com­fortably sure of your particular Interest in the Promises of God, but by making it sure and clear that ye are Believers in Christ in­deed.

There are three or four sorts of People to whom we would speak a little here. 1. There are some who think that if they could do other Duties, though they should never do this, to wit, to make their Calling and Election sure, they would be and do well enough; Are there not many of you that never so much as set your selves to try whether your Faith would abide God's tryal or not? Ah! Ah! an atheistical In­differency, a slighting of the Consolations of God, aboundeth amongst many, so that they think the Promises and the Consolation that is to be gotten in the Promises, are not of so much worth, as to be thereby put to take pains to try and see whether they be­long to them or not; but the Day will come that many of you will curse your selves for your neglecting and slighting of this. A second sort are these, who because they were never sure of Peace with God themselves, and because they were never sure of their own Faith, neither ever concernedly en­deavoured to be, they think it's all but fan­cy that's spoken of assurance of Faith, and of Peace with God, they think it's but gues­sing at the best; There is such a sort of Persons, who think they may be doing as they dow, and need not trouble themselves with such fancies or nice things, but if ye ask them what will come of them at last? they will tell you, they will lippen that to God: Think ye it for nought that God hath laid so many Commands on you to make your Calling and Election sure? and think ye it for nought that He hath given so many Marks to try it by? and that some of the People of God do holily and humbly glory and boast so much of their Communi­on with God out of their assurance of His love to them, and of their special interest in Him? do not all these say that there is such a thing as this to be had? There is a third sort that please themselves with meer conjectures about this Matter, and the greater their Security be, they perswade themselves the more that they have Faith; This is as sad as any of the former, when they grant all, that Folks should make their Calling and Election sure, and should en­deavour to be sure of their Faith, but in the mean time take Peace with the Devil, and Peace with their Lusts for Peace with God, and a Covenant with Hell and Death, for a real Bargain with God: This is as true as this Word of God is, that there are many that put by all Challenges by this, and never suspect their Faith, they hope that all shall be well, and they must always Be­lieve; as if that were the whole Duty of Faith to keep down all Challenges. A fourth sort is, even of the generation of them that have some thing of God in them, who scar in a manner to make all sure, and think it is a piece of Humility. and of holy and tender walking to maintain Doub [...]ing, even as others think it Faith to ma [...]tain Presumption; They are always complain­ing, as if all things were wrong, and no­thing right in their Case and so foster and cherish Misbelief; There is such a thing as this, that marreth even serious Souls in their endeavours to make their Calling and Election sure, and as long as this is, they cannot win to the suitable discovery of this excellent Grace that God calls them to Exercise, even Faith in the Lord Jesus: [Page 76] Need we make use of Motives to press you to this tryal of your Faith, and to this giv­ing of all diligence to make it sure, who have especially hitherto neglected it? If ye knew any thing of the vexation that Unbe­lief hath with it, and what horrour in Con­science from the sense of distance from God were, ye would think it a great matter to be clear in this thing; and if it were known and believed how this delusion and unsick­erness of Faith destroys the most part of Men in the World, even of the visible Church; Durst Men ly in their Security as most do, without all endeavours to make it sure on good ground, that they do indeed Believe? Durst they ly still under God's Curse, if they thought themselves to be really under it, and did not foolishly fancy that it is other­ways with them? Durst Men treasure up Wrath to themselves, if they thought not that the Hope they had were good enough? O! but Presumption beguiles and destroys many Souls; and particularly this same Presumption of Folks thinking themselves right when they are wrong, hath destroyed, and doeth destroy, and will destroy moe Members of the visible Church, then Pro­phanity, Drunkenness, Whoredom, Theft, Desperation, or any other of these gross, and much abhorred Evils do; This is the thing that locks Folk up in their Sin, even their Presumption, when they say on the matter, We shall have peace though we walk in the imagination of our own heart? It's this that makes Men without fear, Steal, and Lie, and commit Adultery, &c. that they say, Is not the Lord among us? Is not this the thing that keeps many of you that ye never tremble at the Word of God? we have Faith in God (say ye,) we lippen and trust in Him; therefore seing Presump­tion is so rife, have ye not need to try your Faith? If there were so much counterfeit Money in the Countrey, that it were a rare thing to get one good and upright piece of Money, ye would think your selves great­ly concerned and obliged to try it well, lest ye were cheated with base and coun­terfeit Coyn; Is there not need then, yea infinitely much more need for them that would be so wise as not to be beguiled about the salvation of their Souls, to search and try whether their Faith will abide God's tryal or not?

Ye will readily move this Question, What then are the Characters or Evidences of a solid and sicker Faith that will abide the tryal, by which the pretended. Faith that is among the Men of this Generation may be examined and put to just tryal?

I shall first name some direct Scriptures holding out somethings essentially accom­panying Faith, and then shall add others having more condescending Characters for the more particular differencing of this, helping to the decision of this great Que­stion.

The first Mark whereby ye may try your Faith is, The ground and rise of it, or that whereby it is begotten and cherished; Faith comes (saith the Apostle, Rom. 10.10. by hearing; Doctrinal Faith comes by the preaching of the Gospel, and Saving Faith is wrought instrumentally by the same Word of God, it being the power of God to salva­tion; it being this Word that is the very ground of our Faith; I would ask you where from your Faith comes, and what hand the Word of God hath in it? There are many that have a sort of Faith not only without, but contrary to the Word of God, whereby they believe that they will get Heaven, while in the mean time the Word of God does directly exclude them, Get ye your Faith maintained without ever know­ing the necessity of a Promise for that effect? Can ye maintain your Peace and not have so much as any foundation in the truth and faithfulness of God to build it upon? Love never that Faith that hungers not after the Word, that is supposed to be lively without being ever fed by the Word, that cannot claim either its rise and original, or its growth from the Word; I will not say from this or that word in particular, or at this or that time read or heard, but from the Word of God; the Word is the very foun­dation that Faith builds upon: If we look to what either accompanieth or followeth Faith, there are some plain Scriptures that will make that clear, as Acts 15.9. and put no difference between us and them purifying [Page 77] their hearts by faith, (there was indeed once a great difference between Jews and Gentiles, but now when he hath brought both to believe in Christ, the difference is removed,) There is an efficacy in it to cir­cumcise the Heart, to purifie it, and to ba­nish Lusts out of it, for it closes and unites with Christ, and so brings him home to dwell in the Heart, and where Christ dwells He commands, and so whatever op­poses Him is banished; Faith gives Christ welcome, and will give nothing welcome to dwell with Him that's opposite and dis­pleasing to Him, Faith improves Christ for the subduing of its Lusts and mortifying its Corruptions; whereas before there might be an fair outside of a Profession, and some­thing clean outwardly, and much filthiness and rottenness within, but when Faith is exercised on Christ, it purifies from all fil­thiness of the Spirit as well as of the Flesh, it applys the Promises for that end, even to get the inside made clean as well as the out­side; yea, its main work is, to have the in­side, the Heart purified, that being the fountain of all the pollution that defiles the Man, and brings the other necessarily along with it; never love that Faith that leaves the Heart as a Swines-sty to Lusts, that leaves it swarming with unclean and vain Thoughts, or that leaves the Heart just as it was before; or that Faith that only cleanseth the outside and does no more; such a Faith, however esteemed by the Man, will never be accounted for true Sav­ing Faith before God; I do not, I dare not say that Believers will always discern this heart-purity or cleanness; but this I say, that true Faith will set the Man a work to purify the Heart, and will be making use of Christ for that end, not only to have the arm of the dominion of Sin broken, but to have the Soul more and more delivered from the indwelling power of it, and this will the design that he will sincerely drive, to get the Heart purified within as well as the outward Man; inward Heart-abomina­tions will be grievous and burdensome to him as well as scandalous out-breakings.

A second place is, Gal. 2.20, 21. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me, and the life, &c If ye would know a Companion of true Faith here is one, it hath a life of Faith with it; There is one life killed, and ano­ther life is quickened, the life that is killed is that whereby the Man sometime lived to the Law, I am dead to the Law (says the Apostle,) a Man's good conceit of himself, that once he had is killed and taken away, he wonders how it came that he thought himself Holy, or a Believer, or how he could promise to himself Heaven in the condition he was in; There is ano­ther life comes in the place of that, and it's a life that is quickened and maintained by, and from nothing in the Man himself, but it's wholly from and by Christ; The Believer hath his holiness and strength for doing all called for Duties, and his comfort also from Christ. and he holds withall his very Natural Life, his present Being in the World from Christ. his all is in Christ; his stock of life, strength and furniture is not in himself, but he lives by a continual Traffick, as it were on Bills of Exchange betwixt Christ and him; when he wants, he sends a Bill to Christ, and it's answered in every thing that he stands in need of, and that is good for him; He is a dead Man, and he is a living Man, and where­ever true Faith is, there the Man is dead and there the Man is living; Do not I pray mistake it, by thinking that true Faith is but vented, puts forth it self only in refe­rence to this or that particular, or at this or that particular time only, for F [...]ith must be exercised not only at starts, as when when we are under Challenges for Sin, or at Prayer, but we must design and endea­vour to exercise Faith thorow all our Life; that is, we must by Faith look for every thing that is useful and needful for us from Christ, and be always endeavouring to drive on a common Trade of living this way; we must be habituating our selves to seek after Peace, Strength and Consolation, and what else we need, out of the fulness that is in Him; This Life of Faith is to see the want of all things in our selves, and yet to have all things by making use of Christ in all things; contenting and comforting our [Page 78] selves that there is Strength in Him though we be weak in our selves, and that He hath gotten the victory over all His and our Ene­mies, and that we shall at last through Him, be victorious in our own Persons, content­ing and satisfying our selves that He hath compleat Righteousness, though we be Bankrupt and have none of our own, and betaking our selves allenarly to that Righte­ousness for our Justification before God; Thus making a Life to our selves in Him, He living in us by His Spirit, and we living in Him by Faith? O sweet and desirable but mysteriou [...] Life!

The third place is Gal. 5.6. In Christ Jesus, neither circumsion availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love; He doth not simply say Faith, but faith that works by love; for Faith is an operative Grace, and this is the main vent of it, the thing by which it works, it works by Love; Faith is the hand of the new Creature, whereby every thing is wrought, it having Life from Christ, and we may say that Love is in a manner the hand of Faith, or rather like the fingers upon the hand of Faith, whereby it handleth every thing tenderly, even out of love to God in Christ, and to others for His sake; Faith works, and it works by Love; that's a sound and good Faith that warms the Heart with love to Christ, and the nearer that Faith brings the Believer to Him, it warms the Heart with more love to others; And therefore love to the People of God is given as an evidence of one that is born of God, 1 Joh. 5.1. because, wherever true Faith is, there cannot but be love to the Children of God flowing from love to Him that begets them; That Faith that's not affected with God's dishonour out of love to Him, and that can endure to look upon the Difficulties, Suf­ferings and Afflictions of the Children of God, without sympathizing and being kind­ly affected therewith, is not to be taken for a sound Faith, but to be suspected for a Counterfeit.

The fourth place is James 2 14. Shew me thy saith by thy works, &c. True Faith hath always sound Holiness with it, in all manner of Conversation in the design and endeavour of the Believer, which is withall through Grace in some measure attained; What avails it for a Man to say that he loves another, when being naked or destitute, he bid [...] him depart in Peace, be warmed, be filled, and yet in the mean time gives him nothing that he stands in need of, would not such a poor Man think himself but mocked? Even so, will not God reckon you to be but Mock-believers, or Mockers of Faith when ye profess your selves to be Believers in Christ, while in the mean time ye have neither indeed Heart-purity, nor Holiness in your outside Conversation? that is but such a Faith as Devils may have that will never do you good: Ye would believe this for a truth, that there will ne­ver a Faith pass for Faith in God's account, and so there should never a Faith pass for Faith in your account, but that Faith that sets the Man a work to the study of Holi­ness; that Faith that works by Love, that Faith that purifies the Heart, and that Faith that puts the Person in whom it is, to study to have Christ living in him, and himself living in Christ.

I promised to name a few Scriptures that speak out some more condescending Cha­racters of Faith. And 1. I would think it a good token of Faith, to have Folk feared for missing and falling short of the Promises, which may be gathered from Heb. 4.1. that stout confidence that thinks it's impossible to miss the Promises, is a suspect and dan­gerous Faith, not to be loved; it's a much better Faith that fears, then that Faith that's more stout, except there be a sweet mixture of holy stoutness and fear toge­ther; It's said Heb. 11.7. that by Faith Noah being moved with fear, prepared an Ark, &c. Noah had the Faith of God's Pro­mise, that he should be keeped free from being drowned by the Deluge with the rest of the World, and yet he was mourning and trembling in preparing the Ark; If there were much Faith among you, it would make many of you more holily feared then ye are; Love not that Faith the worse that ye never hear a threatning but ye tremble at it, and are touched by it in the quick. 2. It's a good token of Saving Faith, when [Page 79] it hath a discovery and holy suspition of Unbelief wairing on it, so that the Person dare not so lippen and trust his own Faith, as not to dread Unbelief, and to tell Christ of it; There is a poor Man that comes to Christ, Mat. 9.23, 24. to whom the Lord faith, If thou canst believe, or canst thou believe? yes Lord (says he) I believe, help thou mine unbelief; there was some Faith in him, but there was also Unbelief mixed with it; his Unbelief was so great that it was almost like to drown his Faith, but he puts it in Christ's hand, and will neither deny his Faith nor his Unbelief, but puts the matter sincerely over upon Christ, to strengthen his Faith, and to amend and help his Unbelief; It's a suspect Faith that's at the top of Perfection at the very first, and ere ever ye wot; There are some seri­ous Souls, that think because they have some Unbelief, that therefore they have no Faith at all, but true Faith is such a Faith that is by and beside suspected and feared or seen Unbelief; That Faith is surest where Folk fear and suspect Unbelief, and see it, and when they are weighted with their Unbe­lief, and cry out under it, and make their Unbelief an errand to Christ, it's a token there is Faith there. 3. The third Cha­racter is, That it will have with it a stick­ing to Christ, and a fear to presume in sticking to Him; There will be two things striving together, an eagerness to be at Him, and a fear that they be found pre­sumptuous in medling with Him, and an holy trembling to think on it; yet not­withstanding it must and will be adventured upon; the Woman spoken of Mark 5.28. lays this reckoning with her self, If I can but touch his cloathes I shall be whole; and she not only believeth this to be truth, but crouds and thrimbles in to be at him, yet vers. 33. when she comes before Christ, she trembles as if she had been taken in a fault, not having dared to come openly to Him, but behind him, she behoved to have a touch of him, but she durst not in a manner own and avouch her doing of it till she be unavoidably put to it; It's a suspect and un­sound Faith that never trembled at minting to Believe; there is reason to be jealous that Faith not to be of the right stamp, that never walked under the impression of the great distance between Christ and the Person, the sense whereof is the thing that makes the trembling, I say not desperation, nor any utter distrust of Christ's kindness, but trembling arising from the considera­tion of the great distance and dispropor­tion that's between Him and the Person; Faith holds the Sinner a going to Christ, and the sense of its own sinfulness and worthlesness keeps him under holy fear and in the exercise of Humility; Paul once thought himself a jolly man, (as we may see Rom. 7.9.) but when he was brought to believe in Christ, he sees that he was a dead and undone man before: I give you these three marks of a true Faith from that Chapter. 1. It discovers to a Man his for­mer Sinfulness, and particularly his former Self-conceit, Pride and Presumption, I was, saith Paul, alive without the Law once, &c. a man living upon the thoughts of his own Holiness, but when the Law came I died; he fell quite from these high thoughts. A second Mark is, A greater restlesness of the Body of Death, it becoming in some re­spect worse Company, more fretful, and strugling more then ever it did before; Sin revived saith Paul, though he had no more Corruption in him then he had before, but it wakened and bestirred it self more; I dare say that though there be not so much Corruption in a Believer as there is in a natu­ral Man, yet it strugleth much more, and is more painful and disquieting to the Be­liever, and breeds him a greate dale more trouble, for says the Apostle on the matter, when God graciously poured Light and Life into me, Sin took that occasion to grow angry, and to be enraged that such a neigh­bour was brought in beside it, it could not endure that; as an unruly and currish Dog barks most bitterly when an honest Guest comes to the House, so doth Corruption bark and make more noise then it did be­fore when Grace takes place in the Soul: There are some that trow they have the more Faith because they feel no Corruption stir in them, and there are others that think they have no Faith at all, because they feel [Page 80] Corruption str [...]gling more, and growing more troublesome to them; but the stirring and strugling of Corruption, if Folk be in­deed burdened, and affected, and afflicted with it, will rather prove their having of Faith then their wanting of it; Love that Faith well that puts and keeps Folk bicker­ring (to say so) in the Fight with the Body of Death; for though this be not good in it self that Corruption stirreth, yet Sin is of that sinful nature, that it flies always more in their face that look God and Heaven­wards, then of others that are sleeping se­curely under its Dominion. A third Mark is, When the Soul hath never Peace in any of its Conflicts or Combats with Corrupti­on, but when it resolves in Faith exercised on Jesus Christ, as it was with Paul, in that Chapter after his Conversion; That is a sound Faith that only makes Peace at first by Christ, but that cannot (to say so) fight one fair stroke in the Spiritual Warfare, nor look Corruption in the face, nor pro­mise to it self an outgate from any assault of the Enemy, but by Faith in Jesus Christ, as it was with the Apostle, who toward the end of that Chapter, lamentably crys, O! wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? yet imme­diatly subjoyns Faiths triumphing in Christ, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord; he, belike, before his Conversion thought he could do well enough all alone, but it is not so now, when he can do nothing with­out Christ, especially in this sore War with his Corruption; That is a sound Faith that makes the Sinner to make use of Christ in every thing he is called to, that yoaks him (I mean Christ) to work on every occasi­on, and particularly when it comes as it were to grapling and hand blows with this formidable Enemy the Body of Death this Monster, whereof when one H [...]a [...] is cut off, another as it were starts up in its place.

For a close of this Purpose, I be [...]eech and obtest such of you as are strangers to Saving Faith (who are I fear far the greatest part,) to consider seriously all I have spoken of the nature and native evidences of it, that you may be undeceived of your Soul-ruining Mistakes about it; and let sincere and sound Believers, from a [...]l, be more cleared, confirmed, and comforted in their Faith.

THere are many mistakes in the way of Religion, wherewith the most part are poss [...]ssed, and amongst the rest there is one, that generally the Hearers of the Gospel think it so easie to Believe, that there is no difficulty in that by any thing; they think it hard to Pray, to keep the Sab [...]ath, to be Holy, but the most part think there is no difficulty in Believing, and yet Unbelief is so rife, and Faith so rare and difficult, that the Prophet Isaiah here in his own name, and in name of all the Ministers of the Gospel crys out, Lord who hath believed our report? he complains that he could get but very few to take the Word off his hand; and because it weighted him to find it so, and because he would fain have it to take impression on his Hearers, he doubles expressions to the same [Page 81] purpose, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? which in sum is, there is much Preaching and many Hearers of the Gospel, but little believing of it, few in whose Heart the work of Faith is wrought; It's but here one and there one that this Go­spel hath efficacy upon, for uniting of them to Jesus Christ, and for working a work of Saving Grace in them; the effectual working of God's Grace reaches the Hearts but of a few.

For opening the words, we shall speak a little to these three. 1. To what is meant by the Arm of the Lord. 2. To what is meant by the revealing of the Arm of the Lord. 3. To the scope and dependance of these words on the former.

For the first, In general know, the Arm of the Lord is no to be understood pro­perly; the Lord being a Spirit. hath no Arms, Hands, nor Feet as Men have; But it's to be understood figuratively, as hold­ing out some Property or Attribute of God; By the Arm of the Lord then we under­stand in general the Power of God, the Arm of Man being that whereby He exerc­eth His Power, performeth Exploits, or doth any Work: So the Arm of the Lord is His Power whereby He produceth His Mighty Acts; as it's said in the Psalms, The right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly, His hand and his arm hath got him the victo­ry; and because the Power of God is taken either more generally for that which is ex­erced in the Works of common Providence, or more particul [...]rly for that which is put forth in the Work of Saving Grace; We t [...]ke it here in short to be the Grace of God exercing its Power in and by the Gospel, for the converting of Souls, and causing them savingly to Believe, so Rom. 1.16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; not simply as it consists in speaking of good, sweet, and seasonable words, but as it cometh backed by the irre­sistable Power of the Grace of God, as the word is, 1 Cor. 1.23, 24. We preach Christ to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness but unto them who are cal­led both Jews and Greeks, the power of God and the wisdom of God; and that it is so to be taken here, the con [...]ion of these words with the former will make it clear, for sure he is not speaking of the Power of God in the works of common Providence, but of His Power in the conversion of Souls to Christ, even of that Power which works Saving Faith in the Elect.

For the second, The revealing of the Arm of the Lord, By this we do not understand the revealing of it objectively as it's brought to light by the preaching of the Gospel, for thus it's revealed to all the Hearers of the Go­spel, it's in this respect not keeped hid, but brought forth clearly to them in the Word: And therefore secondly, The revealing of this Arm or Power of the Lord, is to be understood of the subjective inward mani­f [...]sting of it, with efficacy and life to the Heart, by the effectual operation of the Spirit of the Lord; as it's said of the great things prepared for them that love God, 1 Cor. 2.10. But God hath revealed them un­to us by his Spirit; it's that which is called 1 Cor. 2. the demonstration of the spirit and of power, which makes plain and powerful to the spirit of the Hearer inwardly that which the Word preacheth outwardly to the Ear, which without this would strick only on the Ear, and yet remain still an hidden Mystery; This is the revealing of the Lord's Arm that is here spoken of, be­cause it is that on which Believing depend­eth and of the want whereof the Prophet sadly complaineth, even where there was much Preaching.

For the third, to wit, the Scope, De­pendance, and connexion of these words with the former, We conceive they come in, both for Confirmation and for Explica­tion of the former words. 1. For Confir­mation, There are (as hath been said) but few that Believe, for there are but few that have this saving and effectual work of God's Grace re [...]ching their Heart; though they have the Word preached to them, yet they have not the Arm of the Power of God's Grace manifested to them, and so He confirms His former Doctrine concern­ing the paucity of Believers under the preaching of the Gospel. First, By assert­ing the fewness of them that are brought to [Page 82] Believe, to be converted, and effectually called by the Gospel; which comes to pass through their own Unbelief: And Second­ly, By asserting their fewness in respect of God's soveraign applying of His Grace in the Gospel, which is but to few; it's but few that Believe, for it's but few that He makes effectual application of His Grace to. 2. We say it comes in to clear and explicate the former words, whether we take it by way of a Reason, or of an answer to an Ob­jection; For if it be said, how can it be that Isaiah, Paul, yea, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself, should preach so powerfully, and yet that so few should Believe? he an­swers, it's not to be marvelled at, in respect of God as if he were frustrate of his design, no such matter; It's because the Power of Jesus Christ is revealed but to few; and we take this the rather to be the meaning of these words, because when Christ is preach­ing and many take offence and stumble, Joh. 6.43, 44. he says, Murmure not among your selves, no man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him; there must be an effectual work of the Grace of God put forth on the Heart, else none will believe on me: So its said Joh. 12.37, 38. that they believed not on Him, that the saying of Isaias might be fulfilled which he spoke, Lord who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? therefore they could not believe, because that Isaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, &c. he speaketh not so, to appologize for, or to excuse their Unbelief, but to shew the connexion that is betwixt these two, the not revealing of the Arm of the Lord, and their not Believing; even so here, the Lord shews the connexion that is betwixt the efficacy of the work of Grace, and believing or turning to God, that where the powerful and effectual work of His Grace goeth not forth with the preached Gospel, there will be then no believing nor conversion, no saving change of the Person from Nature to Grace.

That which we would say from these words, may be drawn to three Doctrines, which I shall first propose, and then clear and apply them for use. The first is, That in the work of Conversion and begetting of Saving Faith, there is requisite and necessa­ry, beside the preaching of the Word, a distinct, inward, peculiar, real, immediate, efficacious, and powerful work of the Spi­rit of the Lord on the Hearts of as many Hearers as are converted by this Gospel. 2. That it is but few of many Hearers in whom the Lord thus efficaciously and effe­ctually works by His Spirit and the Power of His Grace, it's but here one and there one, a very few who are thus wrought upon and converted. 3. That there is a neces­sary and inseparable connexion betwixt this inward and efficacious work of the Spirit, and Faith or Conversion; Where this work of Grace is not, there cannot be Faith, and where it is, Faith necessarily must be, otherways these two could not be commen­surable of equal extent and reciprocal, Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? He is not, neither can be a Believer to whom it is not reveal­ed, and he is, and cannot but be a Believer to whom it is revealed.

For the first, We say there is in the work of Conversion, and begetting of Faith, beside the preaching of the Gospel, a di­stinct, inward, peculiar, real, immediate, efficacious, and powerful work of the Spi­rit of the Lord requisite and necessary for Conversion and begetting of Faith, to con­vince of Sin, and to humble for it, to en­lighten the Mind in the Knowledge of Christ, to renew the Will and Affections, and to perswade and enable the Soul of the Sinner to embrace and receive Jesus Christ as He is offered in the Gospel. We shall first take notice of, and clear some words in the Doctrine, and then confirm it.

First, For clearing of some words in the Doctrine, we say, 1. It is a distinct work of the Spirit, distinguished and separable from the Word; though it goes along as He pleaseth with the Word, yet it is not as if there were some Power infused into the Word, and went always and necessarily along with the Word, which is the foolish and groundless conceit of some, for albeit it accompany the Word, yet it's from a di­stinct Agent, working, and a distinct work, [Page 83] and is separable (as I said) from the Word, though it be wrought on the Heart of the same Sinner to whose Ear the Word is preached. 2. It's an inward work of the Spirit, for beside the outward and external preaching and calling by the Word, there is an inward, powerful, effectual work and calling of the Spirit in the conversion of a Sinner, which speaks to the Heart, as well as the Word speaks to the Ear; so that this work of the Spirit that goes along in Con­version, is much more then any external perswasion of the preached Word can pro­duce. 3. We say it's a peculiar work, to difference it from what is common to the Hearers of the Gospel, for it's a work that is peculiar to them whom the Lord converts, and is applied to none other, but to those in whom He works Faith, and whom He ef­fectually calleth by His Grace; It's a peculi­ar work then and not common, for if it were common to all the Hearers of the Gospel, and not peculiar to some, these two could not go together and be commensurable (as we said) Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 4. We say it's a real work as well as power­ful; A real work of the Spirit, that is not only able and powerful to produce the ef­fect, and to convert the Sinner, but real and powerful in producing and bringing of it about, and to pass by a real influence of the Spirit, actually renewing the Will, infusing and creating the habits of Grace, & particu­larly the very habit of Faith amongst others in the Soul; which is quite an other thing then the supposing and saying that a Man hath power to Believe and be Converted, that there is no more requisite to his Con­version, but to perswade him to put forth that Power or Strength which he hath into Exercise or Practice; It's a real work of the Spirit, and a powerful bringing about of the conversion of the Sinner in a physi­cal way, as they say in the School. 5. We say it is an immediate work of the Spirit on the Heart, to difference it from a me­diate perswasion, or moral swasion (as it's called) as if there were no more re­quisite in Conversion but God's enlighten­ing of the Mind, and by that perswading the Will to close with Jesus Christ, with­out any immediate work of the Spirit on the Will it self; In this Doctrine, we take in all these according to the Scripture, in opposition to the several Errors vented by Men of corrupt Minds, anent the work of Conversion and of Saving Faith; God's Arm and Hand must be revealed, the work and power of His efficacious Grace must be put forth, for moving and enclining the Heart and Affections, and for determining the Will it self.

We might farther clear and confirm all these from that famous instance of Lydia, Act. 16.14. where Paul preaching to some Women, it's said of her, Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul, where we find these things differenced. 1. The Lord's powerful work on her heart from Paul's preaching to her Ear, the Lord opened her Heart. 2. It's an inward work, for it's on the Heart. 3. It's a peculiar work, it's not all who hear Paul preach whose Hearts are opened, but it's the Heart of one Lydia. 4. It's in the nature of it a real work, that makes a real inward change on her. 5. It's an immediate work, for the Lord not only enlightens her Judgment, but goes down to the Heart and opens it, and works a change in it immediatly; Paul indeed by his preaching opens the way of Salvation to all that heard him, from which, though many go away with their Hearts unopened, yet the Lord hath a secret, mysterious, real, inward work on her Heart, which is evidenced by the effect, for He not only enlightens her Mind, but makes her wil­lingly yield to the call of the Gospel, by opening of her Heart.

In the second place, To speak a little for confirmation of the Doctrine, we would consider these four or five Grounds or Reasons, to shew that there is such a work of the Spirit wherever Faith is begotten, and that most intelligibly in them that are at Age. 1. It's clear from these places of Scripture, where there is an express di­stinction and difference put betwixt the outward Ministry of the Word, and this inward, powerful, efficacious work of Grace [Page 84] on the Heart, and wherein the great weight of Conversion is laid on this inward work and not on the outward Ministry of the Word; as Deut 29.4. where the Lord by Moses tells the People how many things they had seen and heard, and yet says he, The Lord hath not given you a heart to per­ceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day; They had the outward Means in plenty, when they wanted in the mean time the inward Power; The gift of a spi­ritual Life, and the making them spiritually active to exerce it, was with-holden, and therefore they did not savingly perceive, see, nor [...]ear; Joh. 6.44. Murmure not a­mong your selves, no man can come to me ex­cept the Father which hath sent me draw him; It's written in the Prophets, and they shall be all taught of God, every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me; where there is very clearly a di­stinction put betwixt the outward teaching and the Father's drawing, betwixt the Mi­nisters teaching and God's teaching; It was one thing to be taught outwardly by Christ as the Prophet of His Church, and another thing to be drawen and taught inwardly of the Father; This inward teaching is called drawing, to shew that it is not external Oratory or Eloquence consisting in words, to perswade, that can effect the business, but a powerful draught of the Arm of the Lord reaching the Heart: There are seve­ral other Scriptures full and clear to this purpose, as Psal. 110.3. and Acts 11.21. A second Ground, of kin to the former, Is from the many and various expressions that are used in the Scriptures for holding forth this work of the Spirit of God in Conver­sion, that point out, not only an Hand working, and an work wrought; but an in­ward powerful way of working and bring­ing about the wo [...]k, as Je [...]. 31.34. I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts: Ezek. 11.19. I will give them one heart, I will put a new spirit with­in them, and will take away the stony heart out of their flesh: Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give unto you, and a new spirit will I put within you, &c. Jer. 32.40. I will put my fear in their heart, that they shall not depart from me; It's called the Father's drawing, John 6.44. as I shew. In the Saints Prayers (as Psal. 51.) it's called even as to further degrees of this work, or restoring of lost degrees, creating of a clean heart, and renewing a right spirit within; And many moe the like expressions there are, which shew not only Mans impotency and inability to convert or savingly to change himself; but also that to his Conver­sion there is necessary, an inward, real, pe­culiar, efficacious, powerful work of the Spirit of Grace. 3. It's clear, and may be confirmed from the Power of God which He puts forth and applys in the begetting of Faith and in working Conversion; It's not a mediate work whereby He only perswades congruously, as some love to speak, but an immediate and efficacious work, whereby with mighty Power He works Conversion, It is God (saith the Apostle, Phil. 2 13.) that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure; and as he not only per­swadeth but effectually worketh, so he not only works on the Judgment to the enlight­ning of it, but on the Will, to encline and determine it, by curing it of its crooked­ness and perversness, backwardness, obsti­nacy, and rebellion; and the Power where­by He worketh this great work is said, Eph. 1.19. To be that same mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, that ye may know saith the Apostle, what is the exceeding greatness of his pow [...]r to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand, &c. It is such a Power that works Faith, and so exercised in the working of Faith, as it was in the raising of Christ from the Dead; Now, could there be use for such a Power, if there were no more requisite to Conver­sion but an objective swasion, or a bare pro­posal of the object with external perswasion to embrace it, wherein the Soul is left to it self to choise or refuse as it pleaseth? cer­tainly if there were no more, considering our natural enmity at God [...]nd His Gr [...]ce, the Devil and Corruption would have much more influence, and a far greater stroak [Page 85] upon the Heart to closing up of the same in Unbelief, then any outward perswasion would have as to the opening of the Heart, and the begetting of Faith; therefore His Power is necessarily called for, and the Lord addeth it in converting Sinners, else the work would for ever ly behind; and if Men be sp [...]ritually dead in Sins and Tres­passes, (as all Men by Nature are) as real a Power must be exerced in raising and quickening of them, as there is exerced in raising and quickening of the Dead. 4. It may also be cleared from some in whom this Power is exerced, as some Children, some deaf Persons, and others, whom we cannot deny to be reached by the Grace of God, and yet there can be no other way how th [...]y are reached but by this effectual, effi­cacious, and immediate powerful work of the Spirit, they not being capable of reason­ing or perswasion by force of Argument.

We shall only add two Reasons further, to confirm and some-way to clear why it is that the Lord works, and must work thus distinctly, inwardly, really, powerfully, and immediatly in working Faith and con­verting of Sinners: The first is drawen from the exceeding great deadness, indispo­sition, averness, perversness, impotency, inability, and impossibility that is in us na­turally for the exercising of Faith in Christ; If Men naturally be dead in Sins and Tres­passes, if the Mind be blind, if the Affecti­ons be quite disordered, and if the Will be utterly corrupted and perverted; then that which converts, and changes and re­nues them, must be a real inward, peculiar, immediate, powerful work of the Spirit of God; there being no inward seed of the Grace of God in them to be quickened, that seed must be communicate to them, and sowen in them ere they can believe, which can be done by no less nor lower Power then this Power of God's Grace; It's not Oratory as I said, nor excellency of Speech that will do it; it's such a work as begers the Man again, and actually renews him. The second is drawen from God's end in the way of giving Grace, comuni­cating it to some and not to others; If God's end in being gracious to s [...]me one and not to others, be to commend His Grace solly, and to make them alone in Grace common or debt, then the work of Grace in Conversion must be peculiar and immediate, and wrought by the Power of the Spirit of God, leaving nothing to Man's Free-will to diff [...]rence himself from ano­ther, or on which such an effect should depend; But if we look to Scripture, we will find, that it's God's end in the whole way and conduct of His Grace, in Election, Redemp [...]ion, Calling, Justification, &c. to commend His Grace solly, and to stop all Mouths, and to cut off all ground of boast­ing in the Creature, as it is 2 Cor. 4.7. Who makes thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou hast not received? now if thou didst receive it, why doest thou glory as if thou didst not receive? This being cer­tain, that if the work of Grace in Conver­sion, were not a distinct, inward, peculiar, real, immediate work, and did not pro­duce the effect of it self by its own strength, and not by vertue of any thing in Man; the Man would still be supposed to have had some Power for the work in himself, and some way to have differenced himself from another; but the Lord hath designed the contrary, and therefore the work of Grace in Conversion must be suitable to his design.

Use 1. The first Use is for the refutation of several Errors, and for the confirmati­on of a great Truth of the Gospel which we profess.

It serves I say, First, For the refutation of Errors, which in such an Auditory we love not to insist on; yet we cannot here, the Ground being so clear, and the Call so cogent, forbear to say somewhat bri [...]fly this way, and the rather that the Devill hath taken many wa [...]s, and driven many d [...]signs, to weaken the estima [...]ion of God's Grace among Men, and to exalt proud Nature, and that there is here a collection and con­catenation of these designs and ways against the Truth which this Doctrine holds forth, vented by corrupt Men. As 1. They will have nothing to be necessarily applyed for the working of Conversion, bu [...] the preach­ing of the Word; taking it for gran [...]ed, that all Men have universal or common [Page 86] Grace, which God by His Soveraignty, say they was obliged to give, else he could not not reasonably require Faith of them; and upon this comes in the pleaded for Power of Free-will, and Mans ability to turn him­self to God; others by pleading for this notion of a Light within Men, become to be Patrons of proud and petulant corrupt Nature, as if there were need of nothing to beget Saving Faith but that common Grace within, and Oratory or Swasion of Mouth from without; And hence they came to maintain the foulest Errors, which have not only been condemned by the Chu [...]ch of God in all Ages, b [...]t have even by some Papists been abominated; and many of these same Errors are creeping in even in these times wherein we live, the design whereof is to tempt Folk to turn loose, vain, and proud, and to turn the Grace of God into wantonness, as if they needed not at all to depend on God and His Grace, having a sufficient stock within themselves on which they can live well e­nough: And it's not only the Errors of Papists, Pelagians, Socinians, Arminians, or Errors in the Judgment that we have to do with; but of such as overturn the very foundation of the work of Man's Salvation, and who though pretending to higher no­tions, do yet go beyond all these. But if it be true, that in the work of Conversion, be­side the preaching of the Word, there is a distinct, real, inward, peculiar, immediate, efficacious work of the Spirit, necessary for bringing about such an effect; Then there is no common and universal Grace that all the Hearers of the Gospel have, nor is there any Power or Ability in Man to believe of himself; otherwise there were no necessity of such a work as this for the converting of a Sinner, the Prophet needed not to cry, Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? And Christ needed not say, No man can come to me ex­cept the Father draw him; for Men might come without drawing, and believe without the revelation of God's Arm: But in oppo­sition to that, we say and have made it clear, that the work of Conversion is brought about by a distinct, peculiar, powerful, real, and immediate work of the Spirit on the Heart, whereby he not only enlightens the Mind, but renews the Will and recti­fies the Affections. 2. There is another Error that this refutes, which seems to be more subtile, for some will grant a necessa­ry connexion betwixt the effect, and the Grace of God, who yet say that it is swasion or perswasion (for here we take these for the same,) so and so trysted to prevail with some, that brings about the effect or work of Conversion in them, and not in others where that perswasion is not so trysted; but this opinion lays not the weight of Conver­sion on the Arm of the Lord, but on some circumstances accompanying the work, and leaves still some ground of boasting in the Creature. 3. A third Error which this Doctrine refutes, is that of some others, who will have Grace necessarily to go alongs with the Word in the working of Faith, but so as it reacheth not the Will, but that the Will necessarily determines it self; as if the Will were not corrupt, or as if that Cor­ruption that is in the Will were indeed no Corruption, as if that Corruption that is in the Will could be any more removed from the Will without the immediate work of the Spirit upon it, then Darkness can be removed from the Judgment without the Spirits immediate work on it: But seing the Will is the prime seat of Man's pervers­ness while in Nature, and the principal part to be renewed; It's a strange thing to say, that in the work of Conversion, other faculties and powers of the Soul must be renewed, and yet that this which comes nearest to the life of the Soul sho [...]ld be neglected, or not stand in need of renovation: But from this Text it is clear, that in Conversion the Arm of the Lord must be revealed, and that there is a powerful work of Grace that not only pre­sents reasons from the Word to move the Will, but really regenerates and renews the Will: Now what is for the refutation of it these Errors serves also to confirm us in the Truth of the Doctrine opposite to these Errors.

2. It serves to refute something in Folks Practice, and that is, their little sense of [Page 87] the need of Grace; Most part come and hear Preaching as if they had the habit of Faith, and as if it were natural to them, and pretend to the exercise of Faith, never once suspecting their want of Faith, nor think­ing that they stand in need of such a work of Grace to work it in them, as if it were im­possible for them not to Believe; Hence ma­ny think that they have Grace enough, and if they Pray, it's that they may do well, never minding the corruption of Nature that is in them, and indeed it is no wonder that such Persons fall readily into Error, when their Practice says plainly they think they have Grace enough already.

The second Doctrine is, That this di­stinct, real, inward, efficacious, powerful work of the Grace of God in Conversion, is not common to all the Hearers of the Gospel, but is a rare thing applied but to few, it's even as rare as Faith is; And what we touched on to evidence the rarity of Faith, will serve also to evidence the ra­rity of this work of Grace in Conversion; It's on as many as are Believers, and are saved, that the work of Grace is revealed, and no moe, Jer. 3.14. I will take one of a city, and two of a family, and bring you to Zion, saith the Lord; It's two or three in the corner of a Paroch, or in the end of a Town, to speak so, who are converted, and the rest are suffered to ly in black Na­ture. If the reason hereof be erquired af­ter, this might be sufficient to stop all Mouths, which the Lord gives, Mat. 11.28. Even so Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight; It is of the Lord, who is Debitor to none, and who as it is Rom. 9.15. shews mer­cy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardens; and here we must be silent and lay our hand on our Mouth and answer no more, all being found guilty, He is just in what He doeth, in calling or not calling, ef­fectually, as He ple [...]seth; And yet second­ly, The Lord hath thought good to call few of many, for holy and wise ends, As 1. To hold forth His own Soveraignty, and that He is free, and will walk freely in the dispencing of His own Grace; Hence, He not only takes few, but ordinarily these that are the most mean, contemptible, silly, and in a manner foolish, of the multitude of Hear­ers; It is not many noble, not many wise, according to the flesh, not many rich, not ma­ny learned, that He chooseth and convert­eth, very ordinarily He hides His Grace from these; It's but seldom that He calls and takes the stout and valiant Man, and the learned Scholler, but it's this and that poor mean Man, the Weaver, the Shoo­maker, the simple Plough-man, &c. whom most ordinarily He calls, when He suffers others to continue in their Sin. 2. That He may make all the Hearers of the Go­spel walk in holy fear and awe of Him, He reveals His Grace in few; It's not the multitude that believes, but here one and there one, that all that have the Offer of Grace may fear lest they miss it and receive it in vain, and may be careful to entertain and make right use of the Means of Grace, and may withall cherish the Spirit in His motions, and not grieve Him. O! if ye knew and believed what a rare thing the work of the Spirit of Grace is, ye would be feared to quench, extinguish, or put out any of His motions. 3. As to the Godly, He does thus, To make them ad­mire, adore, and praise His Grace, and the Power of it so much the more.

The Uses are three. 1. It serves to move all to reverence, adore, and admire the Grace of God, and His soveraign way in it; Presume not to debate or dispute with Him, because there are few that be­lieve, and few that He hath determined His Grace for, it's an evidence of His dread, a proof of His soveraignty, in which he should be silently stooped unto, and reve­rently adored, and not disputed with; we ought to bound all our reasoning with­in His good pleasure, who might have ta­ken many and left few, or taken none as pleased Him; And we should not think strange, nor fret that the Gospel is power­ful but on few, here is the reason of it that may qui [...]t us, the Lord hath determined effectually to c [...]ll but few, and yet he will not want one of His own; All that the Fa­ther hath given to Christ, shall come to Him, though none come but as they are drawen in. A thing that we should be sensible of, [Page 88] but yet calm and quiet our Spirits, rather wondering that He hath chosen and calleth one, then fret because he hath past by ma­ny.

Use 2. The second Use is to exhort you that are Hearers of the Gospel, and have not had this distinct and powerful work of Grace begetting Faith in you, to be per­swaded of this Truth, that Faith and the work of Grace is no common thing; The most part alace! think that they have Grace, and that it is not one of many that want it, they will readily say, it's true I cannot be­lieve of my self, but God hath given me the Grace; But I would ask you this question, Do you think that Grace is so common a thing that it comes to you and ye never know how, or so common that never a Bo­dy wants it? If not, how cometh it then to pass that ye think and speak of Grace as ye do? we would think it a great length, if many of you could be perswaded of your Gracelesness; It's not our part to point particularly at the Man and Woman, though the deeds of many of you say within our Heart that there is no fear of God before your eyes, and that many of you think ye have Grace who never had it; And there­fore we wou [...]d say these three or four words to you. 1. Begin and suspect your selves that matters are not right betwixt God and you, we bid none of you despair, but we bid the most part of you be suspicious of your condition; suspect, nay be assured, that Hypocrisie is not Grace, and that your Presumption is not Fai [...]h, for if but few get Grace, then many should suspect them [...]elves, and seing Grace is so rare a thing, do not ye think it common. 2. Neglect no means that may bring you through Grace to believe, but be diligent in the use of them all, of the Word, Prayer, Sacraments, Medi­tation, &c. It's by these that the Lord be­gets Grace, and by neglecting of them ye may make your selves guilty of destroying your own Souls. 3. Beaware of quenching the Spirit in any of His Operations or Moti­ons, of smothering or putting out any Chal­lenges or Convictions; If the Conscience be at any time touched, or the Affections tickled, go not away as the temporary Be­liever doeth, sitting down there without going any further; Fear to strangle the be­ginnings of the life of Grace, for Grace may begin at little; and if ye quench any Mo­tion, Conviction, or Challenge, ye know not if ever ye shall meet with the like again, because when He knocked hard at your Heart ye held Him out and keeped Him at the door; and ye may be in hazard of that terrible charge, Acts 7.31. Ye uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye have always resisted the Holy Ghost, as your Fathers did so do ye. 4. Seing this work is not common to all the Hearers of the Gospel, but peculiar to some, labour to have it made sure to your selves, by putting it to proof and tryal in good earnest.

Use 3. The third Use is for you that are Believers, (and would God there were many such,) to whom I would also speak three or four words. 1. Learn from this to be humble, What hast thou man but what thou hast received? and if thou hast received it, why doest thou boast as if thou hadst not received it? O! but it's unsuitable to Be­lievers who are Free-Graces-Debtors and Beggers (whereof yet none need to think shame,) to be proud and forget themselves; Thou hast nothing Believer to boast of, but that He hath shamed thee with His Grace, and shouldest thou be proud of that as if thou had made thy self thus? therefore guard watchfully against all puffing up, self-conceit, and high-mindedness, and study to be humble, and to carry a low S [...]il, else thou mayest break out into some scand [...]lous offence, and may become a shame and re­proach to the Gospel; We commend Hu­mility to you above many things, for we think that in these days. Folks pride is like to break their Necks; for when once Con­ceit creeps in, they begin to think they are so far advanced in Holiness, that they must not keep Company with others, nor joyn in Worship with them, and from that they go to another thing, and from that to a third, that it is hard to tell where they wil [...] halt or end; they grow so giddy that they are scarcely like to leave so much Ground as themselves may stand upon: O! think shame of Pride, it's a most intollerable [Page 89] thing to be proud of that which God hath given, wherein ye have no more hand, and whereof ye can no more boast, then they who never had it. 2. Be thankful and give God the praise of that ye have gotten; It becomes the upright to be thankful; It's no little matter to have God's Power manifest­ed in the working of Faith and conferring Grace; The temporal Throne and Kingdom, and great things in the World, are nothing to this, it's peculiar to the Lord's own, and not common; Many get their fill of the World, who never get nor will get this; The World is of so little value with the Lord, that to speak so, He doeth not much regard who get it, though it be ex [...]ctly distributed by His Providence, but converting and up­building Grace is peculiarized to His Fa­vourites; Being therefore clear that He hath bestowed Grace on you, O how should ye exult in blessing God (as David did,) for giving you counsel to make choice of such a portion, and for His powerful de­termining of your Heart by His Grace to embrace it, for which ye have not your selves to thank but God. 3. Be compassio­nate and tender towards others, consider­ing that it is only Grace that hath made the difference betwixt you and them, and not any good nature in you which was not in them as some foolishly fancy; Be not puft up at the faults and falls of any, but rather mourn for them as well as for your own, and be the more humble when ye think of the difference that Grace hath made, lest ye fall; and since your standing is by Grace, be not high-minded, but fear; of all Per­sons it worse becomes you to look lightly on. let be to mock at the falls of others, considering who, and what hath made the diff [...]rence. 4. If it be so peculiar a privi­ledg [...] to be p [...]rtakers of this powerful and sp [...]ci [...]l Gr [...]ce of God that is put sorth in the great work of Conversion; Then sure there is [...]omething peculiar called for in your Con­versation, even that it may in all things be as it becometh the Gospel, and answerable to this Grace bestowed on you, O! what manner of Persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness?

THE way of the Grace of God is a very difficult Subject to be thought on or spoken of suitably and as it becomes, Grace hav­ing a soveraign and unsearch­able Channel of its own wherein it runs; yet no doubt it is very useful now and then to consider it, if we knew how to make use of it aright; yea even these steps of Grace that are most cross and contrary to carnal Reason, may not a little profite when duely pondered; Thus when the Prophet hath been looking on the scarcity of Faith, and on the paucity of true Believers, he looks a little further then on the external preach­ing of the Gospel, even in upon the way of God's Grace, not out of any curi [...]sity, nor from a fretting humour, because of the un­successfulnesse of his Ministry, but that he may thereby get himself stayed and com­posed, and that he may bring both himself and others, to reverence and adore the ho­ly and soveraign way of God therein; To whom (saith he) is the arm of the Lord re­vealed? [Page 90] It's a word like that which Christ had on the like occasion, John 6.44. Mur­mure not among your selves, no man can come to me, except the Father who hath sent me, draw him.

We opened up the meaning of the words the last day; In short they come to this, as if he had said, how few are they that believe the Gospel, and who take the Word off the hand of His sent Ministers? and how few are they on whom the Grace of God that only can make men believe, does effectually work; the Prophet pointing at a higher hand then that of the Ministers in the success and fruitlessness of the Gospel, and coupling these two together, the Preaching of the Word and the Power of God's Grace in the working of Faith and Conversion in Sinners.

We proposed these three Doctrines to be spoken to from the words. 1. That in the work of Conversion and begetting of Faith, beside the preaching of the Word, there is a powerful, internal, immediat work of the Grace of God, exercised within Mens Hearts, as well as the Word is preached outwardly to the Ear, wherever Faith is begotten, these two go together, the Word without, and the power of Grace within the one of which is distinct from the other.

2. That this powerful, internal, and im­mediate work of Grace within, is not com­mon to all the Hearers of the Gospel, but a rare, and peculiar thing to some, to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? it's but one or few of many to whom it's revealed; To these we have spoken already.

3. The third is (which indeed holds out the scope of all,) that there is an inse­parable connexion betwixt these two, the begetting of Faith in the Hearers of the Gospel, and the application of this power­ful work of the Grace of God for working of it, so that where this powerful work of Grace is not, there is never Faith nor Con­version wrought, and where this powerful work of Grace is, there is Faith and Con­version; The Prophet makes them recipro­cal and commensurable; who is the Be­liever? he to whom the Arm of the Lord is revealed; and who is the Unbeliever? he to whom the Arm of the Lord is not revealed; These two are so conjoyned and knit together, as they are never separated, and so they must stand or fall together.

That we may be the more clear, we shall take up the Doctrine in two distinct Branches, The first whereof is, That except the powerful work of God's Grace concur, the most powerful preaching of the Gospel will never beget Faith in the Hearts of the Hearers of it. The second is, That where­ever this powerful work of Grace goes along with the preaching of the Gospel, or wherever the Lord applyes His Grace with the Word preached, there Faith is begot­ten in the Heart, and that Soul is effectual­ly united to Christ, and savingly changed; The one of these Branches serves to shew the necessity of God's Grace from the con­sideration of our sinfulness and impotency or inability, and of the emptiness and inef­fectualness of all outward Means in them­selves, and so to stop all Mens Mouthes as be­ing utterly unable to contribute any thing to their own spiritual Good or Conversion, that being the product of the Grace of God; The other Branch serves mightily to commend the Grace of God, as being the powerful Arm of the Lord, that brings to Believe, that calls and converts such and such Persons, according to a prior engage­ment and transaction betwixt the Father and the Son.

As for the first of these, It will easily be believed among Men and Women that have any true sense and feeling of the Corrupti­on of their Nature, and find dayly some­what of the Law of the Members warring against the Law of the Mind; and we are perswaded, if all that ever received Faith were brought to depone in this matter, they would bear witness, that there is no Mean that without the effectual Power of the Grace of God, can bring a stranger Sin­ner to close with Christ and believe on Him; and if all that are now before the Throne of God in Heaven, were called to speak to this great Truth, they would put their seal to it, and say, Not unto us, but to thy Name be the glory of our believing, we had never be­lieved if it had been left to the power of our [Page 91] own Free-will, and if the power of thy Grace had not wrought in us the very Will as well as the Deed or Act of believing. Yet because this Doctrine (as we said) serves to dis­cover the sinfulness and impotency of Na­ture, and how little we are obliged to our selves in this great work; and to hold forth the absolute necessity of the Grace of God, and how much we are obliged to it in the work of Faith and Conversion; and to hold forth withall the emptiness and ineffectualness of all outward Means with­out this Grace, and because it wants not its own considerable opposition from the enemies of the Truth, we shall give you some Grounds for confirmation of it, The first whereof is drawen from these express instances of Scripture wherein it is clear, That there hath been much powerful Preaching, and by the most eminent Preach­ers, and yet the generality of People have been fruitless under it, and their fruitles­ness hath been brought to this very Ground, to wit, that the work of God's Grace and His out-stretched Arm went not along with it. The first instance is Deut. 29.4. That Moses was a skilled Preacher, who will de­ny? he being faithful in all the House of God, yet says he, after much and long Preaching, and after many Signs and Won­ders wrought, the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear unto this day; where he not only puts a difference betwixt the preaching of the Word without, and the work of Grace within, but shows the necessity of the con­c [...]rrence of the work of Grace, and lays the great weight of the Peoples profiting or not profiting, on the wanting or having of that: A second instance, is in this Prophet Isaiah; were there any among all the Preachers be­fore or since, that preached in a more Evangelick strain then he did? and yet when he hath complained of the paucity of Believers, saying, who hath believed our re­port? he fixes and stays on this as the cause, to whom is the arm of the Lord reveal­ed? And Chap. 6.9, 10. he gives an ac­count of the sad Commission he had from the Lord, who said to him, Go and tell the people, Hear ye indeed but understand not, and see ye indeed but perceive not, make the heart of this people sat, &c. where there is also a clear distinction made betwixt the inward working of Grace, and the outward Mini­stry. A third instance, and one that is beyond all exception, is in our bless'd Lord Jesus, who spake as never man spoke, and preached with such power and life, that even carnal Hearers wondered at the graci­ous words which proceeded out of his mouth, for he preached with Authority and not as the Scribes, and yet Joh. 6.44. when they be­gin to murmure at Him, what says He? Murmure not at these things, none can come to me, except the Father draw him; none can Believe, except the powerful Grace of God work Faith in him, there must be a higher hand then ought ye see or hear, a more powerful work then any external Preach­ing of mine as Prophet of my Church, ere a Soul can believe on me; and though his Hearers were not free of the guilt of this their Unbelief, but had their own sinful accession unto their continuing in it, yet our Lord looks in on the soveraign way and work of Grace, and holds there, telling them that his external Ministry will not do the turn, but there must be an inward, powerful, immediate work of Grace for the working of Faith. We add a fourth instance, and it is of that chosen Vessel Paul, who laboured more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles, and yet when he is Preaching, Acts 28.25. and some be­lieved, and others believed not, before he dismisses the multitude, he adds this one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the Prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this People, and say, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see and not perceive, &c. where he expressly differenceth his external Preaching from God's inward working, and tells, that so long as there was a judicial stroke on the Hearts of the People untaken away, no ex­ternal Preaching could do the turn as to their Conversion and bringing of them to Believe; which he also does to guard a­gainst any offence that might be taken at the unsuccesfulness of his Ministry by any who would be ready to say, what aileth [Page 92] these Folk that they will not receive the Gospel? to whom he answers, Isaiah long before told the reason of it, to wit, that there is a Plague on their Hearts and Minds which God must remove ere they can re­ceive it.

2. To these plain and clear instances we may add two or three Grounds or Reasons, As 1. The exceeding greatness of the work of Conversion, O how great and difficult is it! Therefore it's set out by the similitudes and expressions of raising the dead, creating a new heart, of removing the stony heart, and the like, all tending to set out the necessity of an omnipotent Power or a powerful work of Grace, in the begetting of Souls to Christ; and if it be so great a work, what can the outward Ministry do, if the Power of God be not added? or what can the Man himself do here? can a M [...]n quicken, raise, creat, or beget himself? it's true, these comparisons are not to be extended and and applied in every respect, yet they hold out that Man being naturally dead, can no more contribute to his own quickening and raising, and to the b [...]getting of spiritual life in himself, then a dead M [...]n can contribute to his own quickening and raising to his na­tural life; for which cause, the Holy Ghost hath made choice of these expressions, even to hold out the exceeding greatness of the work. 2. Consider the condition that M [...]n are in when this work is wrought, and we will see they can contribute nothing to it, th [...]t they have no aptitude for it, except that they are subjects capable to be wrought upon, being as it is Eph 2.1. dead in sins and trespasses; being as to their Souls estate, and as to their Spiritual condition, like Adam's Body before the Lord breathed in it the Breath of Life, and made him a liv­ing Soul; as his Body could not move, stir, nor act till then, no more can the Natural Man stir or act in the ways of God till a new principle of Spiritual Life be put in him. To clear it further, we would consider, that the Scripture speaks of these three in the Natural Man. 1. Of an utter inability and deadness as to that which is Good, Dead in Sins, Eph. 2.1. We are not sufficient (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3.5.) of our selves as of our selves to think any thing, not so much as a good thought. 2. The Scripture holds him out not only as unable for good, but perverse and bent to every thing that is Evil, Col. 1.21. Alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked works; the carnal mind being en­mity against God, Rom. 8.7. it's plainly op­posite to any thing that is Good, and so to the way of Faith. 3. Man's Mind is not only naturally perverse and stuffed with Enmity, but in an incapacity to be healed while it remaineth such, Rom. 8.7. It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be; and therefore in the work of Conver­sion, there is not only an amending, but also a renewing of our Nature called for; there is more requisite then the rectifying of something in the Man, even the creating of new Habits, and the infusing of the Prin­ciples of Spiritual Life and Motion into the Soul: It is true, in some Sense the whole Image of God is not absolutely removed, the faculties of the rational Soul still remain, for Man hath an Understanding and a Will, and some sort of Reason, but without any tendency to Spiritual Life, or to any action for God; he hath an Understanding, but it's wholly darkened; he hath a Will, but wholly perverse, and not in the least enclin­ed to Good; he hath Affections, but whol­ly disordered and corrupted, and set whol­ly upon wrong Objects; so that it's with Man's Soul as to Good, as it is with spoiled Wine; Wine when wholesome, serves to cheer and refresh, but when it's spoiled, it's quite another thing, not only not con­ducing to Health, but it's noisome and hurt­ful: It's just so we say with Man's Soul, it's by the Fall quite spoiled and corrupted; it is not indeed annihilated or made to be no­thing, for it retains the same faculties still; it hath (to speak so) the same quantity still, but as to it's qualities, it's utterly corrupted and carried closs contrary to God; it's not subject to the law of God, nei­ther indeed can be; and renovation by Grace, is the taking away of the corrupt qualities in part in this Life, and wholly in the other Life, and the bringing in of new qualities for recovering the beauty of that Image of God which Man hath lost. 4. Consider [Page 93] the end that God hath in the administrati­on of His Grace, and the Glory that He will needs have it getting in every gracious work, and more especially in the work of Conversion, and the silence, as to any boast­ing, that He will have all put unto that shall partake of it; His end in the admini­stration of His Grace, is to bring down Pride, to stop all Mouths, and to remove all grounds of boasting from the Creature, that He only may have the glory of Conver­sion; that when ever that question is pro­posed, What hast thou O man, but what thou hast received? and if thou hast received it, why doest thou boast? who made thee to differ from another? the Soul may answer, it was not external Preaching, nor my own Free-will, nor any thing in me, but the power of God's Grace, I have nothing but what I have received: It is on this ground that the Apostle Phil. 2.12, 13. presseth and encourageth Christians to their great work, Work out (saith he) your own salvation in fear and trembling, for it's God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure; the Lord leaveth not to Man the working of the Will in himself, and of him, saith the same Apostle 1 Cor. 30.31. are ye in Christ Jesus, who is made of God unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and re­demption, that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord, as he said before, vers. 29. that no flesh should glory in his presence; there is one ground of boasting that the Lord wi [...]l have removed in a Sinner's Justification and obtaining the Pardon of Sin by the impu­tation of the Righteousness of Christ; but there is another ground or matter of boast­ing that Man might have if he could reach out the Hand to believe and receive that Righteousness, and so put difference be­twixt himself and another, which in Effe­ctual Calling the Lord puts to silence and quite removes; that Man may h [...]ve it to say, I have not only Pardon of S [...]n, but Grace to Believe, freely bestowed upon me; God made me to differ, and He only; He opened my Heart as He did the Heart of Lydia: Thus the Lord will have all the weight of the whole work of our Salvation lying on His Grace, that the Mouths of all may be stopped, and that His Grace may shine gloriously, that we may have it to say with the Psalmist, Psal. 57.2. It's the Lord that performs all things for me, and with Paul, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. I obtained mercy, and the Grace of God was exceeding abundant towards me.

The Uses are these. 1. It writes to us in great and legible Letters, the great emp­tiness and sinfulness of all Flesh, who not only do not good, but have sinned them­selves out of a capacity to do good; all Men and Women have brought themselves thus lamentably low by Sin, that now if Heaven were to be had by a wish, sincerely and sing­ly brought forth, yet it is not in their power to perform that condition; and though it now stands upon the streatching forth of the hand of Faith to receive Jesus Christ, yet of themselves they cannot even do this; how ought then Sinners to be deeply hum­bled, who have brought themselves to this woful pass? I am afraid that many of you do not believe that ye are such as cannot Believe, nor do any Good till His Grace work effectually in you.

2. It teacheth you not to idolize any instrument or mean of Grace, how preci­ous and promising soever; No Preaching, if it were of a Prophet, or an Apostle, yea of an Angel, will do the turn, without Grace come with it; there is a necessity of the revelation of God's Arm, and of the as­sistance of His Grace, not only to your Con­version, but to every duty ye go about; Ye should therefore fear and tremble when ye go about any Ordinance, lest the Arm of the Lord be not put forth in it.

3. It should make you more serious in dealing with God for His effectual blessing to every Mean and Ordinance, seing with­out that no Ordinance can profite you.

4. It serves to reprove and repress Pride, [...] to promove Humility in all such who [...] [...]tten good by the Gospel; Have ye Faith or any measure of Holiness? what have ye but what ye have received? from whence came your Faith and your Holiness? ye have them not of your selves, these are not Fruits that grow upon the Tree of Na­ture, or in its Garden, but on the Tree, [Page 94] and in the Garden of Free-Grace, and ye have not your selves to thank for them.

5. The main Use of it is for confirming and establishing you in the Faith of the Truth proponed in the Doctrine, and for confuting and overturning the contrary Error, that, as it were, in contempt of the Grace of God, exalts proud Nature, and gives Man's Free-will so great a hand in the work of Conversion; That the main thing that makes the difference shall not be attributed to the Grace of God, but to the Free-will of the Creature, which of it self choised the Grace of God offered when another rejected it: It may indeed seem strange that the Devil should so far have prevailed with Christians that profess the Faith of Original Sin, and of the necessity of a Saviour, as to make them look at Grace as useless in this prime step of Conversion and renewing of a Sinner, that when the Grace of God and Man's Free-will come to be compared, Man's Will should have the preference and preheminence, the highest place and commendation in the work, and that the great weight of it should ly there, and that proud Nature should be thus bol­stered up that it shall stand in need of no­thing for the Man's Conversion, but the right use-making of what it hath in it self: And yet it's no wonder that the Devil drive this design vigorously, for what shorter cut can there be taken by him to ruine Souls, then to make them drink in this Error, that Nature and Free-will will do their turn? and so take them off from all dependance on Free-Grace, and on Jesus Christ, and give them ground of boasting in themselves; for when it is thus, of necessity they must ruine and perish; this should sure, make you loath this Error the more: And we are perswaded, that the day is coming, wherein the Truth opposite to this Error, shall be confirmed on the Souls and Con­sciences of all the Opposers of it, and wherein, the maintaining of this Error shall be found a confirmation of Mans Enmity at Gods Grace, which is not subject to His Law, nor indeed can be.

But there are three Questions that may be moved here, to which we would speak a word. 1. If the Preaching of the Gospel cannot beget Faith, without the powerful work of Gods Gra [...]e, what is the use of the Gospel, or wherefore serves it? 2. If Men cannot Believe without the work of Grace, which the Lord soveraignly dispenseth, why doth He yet find fault and expostulate with Men for their not Believing? 3. If Grace perform all, and Men can make no mean effectual, nor do any good without it, what then should Men do to come by Believing, and this work of His Grace?

For the first, We shall not say much un­to it; only, seing the Lord hath made choice of the Gospel to be the ordinary external Mean of Grace, and of the beget­ting of Faith, there is no reason to say that it's useless; for though it be not the main and only thing that turns the Sinner, but the Lord hath reserved it to Himself as His own Prerogative, to convert and change the Heart of a Rebel-sinner, yet he hath appointed it to be made use of, as He hath appointed Baptism and the Lords Supper, for many good and notable ends, uses, and advantages that are reached and come by the preaching of it. As, 1. By it the Righ­teousness of God is manifested that be­fore lay hid; Ye may by the preaching of the Gospel come to the knowledge of the Covenant of Redemption, and of the great design that the Lord hath laid down for bringing about the Salvation of lost Sin­ners, Rom. 1.17. Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith. 2. By it the Lord revealeth the Duty He calleth for from Men, as well as His Will concern­ing their Justification and Salvation; He lets them know what is wrong, what is right, what displeaseth Him, and what pleaseth Him. Yea, 3. By the preaching of the Gospel, He holdeth out what Mens ability is, or rather what is their inability, and by His external Calling gives them in it occa­sion to know this their inability in not giv­ing obedience to His call; and this is no small advantage, when by it they have occa­sion to know the necessity of a Mediator, and to seek after another way of Justication then by their own works; for so it proves a notable mean to humble Men, to stop [Page 95] their Mouths, and to make them plead guilty before God. 4. It's profitable as the Lord is pleased to make use of it, to call and gather in so many as He hath or­dained to Eternal Life; for though in it self it be not able to convert, yet having the Power of God going along with it, it is the instrument of Conversion, and the Lord ordinarily makes use of it to the be­getting of Faith in them that Believe, as it is Rom. 10.17. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, preached; and 1 Cor. 1.24. it's called the power of God to salvation; and, it hath pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that be­lieve; for though God can work without it, yet He hath thought good to make use of it, to inform the Judgment, and to stir up the Affections of Hearers, and so it proves in­strumental to the begetting of Faith in them. 5. If it do not promove the Salvation of all the Hearers of it, yet it promoves it in all the Elect, and serves to make others the more inexcusable, and in this respect it triumphs always, 2 Cor. 2.15, 16. In some it is the savour of life unto life, in others the savour of death unto death, leaving them the more inexcusable, and the more obnoxious to Wrath by their rejecting of the Counsel of God against themselves.

I know this will be excepted against; We come therefore to consider the second Question, which is this, How can the Call of the Gospel make Men inexcusable, seing they cannot without the effectual Power of the Grace of God Believe? as Christ saith, John 6.44. No man can come to me, that is, no Man can believe in me, except the Father who hath sent me draw him; yea, why doth God find fault with Men for their Unbelief? for answer, it hath been no new thing for Men to start Questions and Objections a­gainst the Grace of God, and to be always striving to rub affronts and disgrace upon it, see Rom. 9.13, 14, &c. where this same Objection is started, and answered again and again; for when the Apostle hath said vers. 13. Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated, the Objection is moved, Is there un­righteousness with God then? Folks readily think that there is a sort of unrighteousness in God when He takes one and leaves ano­ther, especially considering, that the leav­ing of the other infers (though it be not any culpable cause of) the ruine of the Mans Soul; he answers first with a God for­bid, as if it were an absurd thing so to as­sert; and then endeavours to answer it from Gods Soveraignty, as being Debtor to none, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and, it's not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that shews mercy: In Gods administration of Grace, He is Debtor to no Man, nor hath He any rule by which He proceedeth, but His own Soveraign Will; and if it shall yet be said, if God doth walk by His own Soveraign Will in giving Grace, Why doth he yet find fault or condemn, for who hath resisted his will? Why is God angry that Men will not Believe, since none can come to Christ against the Will of God? His Indignation riseth at this proud and pe­tulant Objection, and He answers, But who art thou O man that repliest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? hath not the potter power over the clay, to make of the same lump, one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? By the Apostle's doubling of this answer, and his not setting of himself to satisfie carnal Reason and Curiosity, there is ground given to silence us here; It's the Lord, He is our Potter, and we the Clay; it's He in whose Hand we are, who can do us no wrong, and this may sufficiently serve to put a stop to all reasoning and disputing against Him; Ye [...] we may add a word fur­ther, seing the Apostle proceeds to another Reason; Therefore, 2. Consider whence it is that this inability to believe or turn to God doth come; not from God sure; for if He had not made Man perfect, there might be some ground for the Objection; but seing He did make man upright, and he hath sought out many inventions, who is to be blamed? hath the Lord lost His right to exact His Debt, because Man hath played the Bankrupt and debauched, and turned Dyvour, and unable to pay? doth not this very objecting prove us guilty, and evidence that we have lost that which God gave to us, and made us with at the Beginning? When [Page 96] God made Adam, he had power to believe and give God credit as to every word re­vealed or to be revealed, and that now af­ter the Fall, he and his Posterity want that power, they have not this privation from Gods creating of them, but from their Fall, they by their Fall utterly incapacitating themselves for these Duties that they owe to God, and for this among the rest. 3. If there were no more but simple inability among them that hear this Gospel, they might have some pretext or ground of ex­cuse, though it were not any real nor just excuse, as hath been shewed, but it never comes to this as the only or main cause of their not Believing; There is always some maliciousness, perversness, and pravity in the Will; it's not, I cannot, but I will not, it's a wiful and some way deliberate reject­ing of the Gospel, that is the ground of Folks not Beli [...]ving; and what excuse, I pray, can ye have, who do not believe the Go­spel, when it shall be found that ye malici­ously and deliberatly choosed to reject it? To make this out, consider but these few things, 1. Mens neglecting of the very out­ward Mea [...]s, that through Gods blessing prove instrumental in the begetting of Faith, as of Hearing, Reading, Prayer, Meditation, Self-searching, stirring up themselves to Repentance, &c. whereby the Lord ordi­narily brings about and furthers the work of Faith. 2. Consider the carnal, careless, and lazy manner of Mens going about these Means and Duties, which to their own con­viction are within the reach of that power which they have; ye might hear oftener and more attentively, ye might pray more frequently and more seriously then often ye do, ye want even much of that moral seri­riousness in Hearing, Prayer, Reading, &c. that ye have in other things of less concern­ment; ye will hear a Proclamation at the Cross with more attention, then a Preach­ing of the Gospel, ye will hear a Threatning from Man with more fear then ye will hear a Threatning from God's Word, ye will be more serious in seeking somewhat from Man, then in asking Grace from God; the reason is, because your Heart is more to the one nor to the other; can ye then ra­tionally think that ye are excusable, when Believing is not a thing that is in your Heart, and that takes you up, but ye go about the Means that lead to it unconcern­edly, carelesly, and negligently? 3. Con­sider how often ye do willingly choose some other thing then Christ, to spend your Time, and set your Affections upon, laying obstru­ctions and bars in the way of Gods Grace, setting up idols in the Heart, and filling Christs room before hand with such things as are inconsistent with His Company, and all this is done willingly and deliberately; ye have said in your Hearts as these did, Jer. 2.25. We have loved strangers, and af­ter them we will go; and will ye, or dare ye make that an excuse why ye could not come to Christ, because your Hearts were taken up with your Lusts and Idols? So then the matter will not hold here. that ye were unable and had not power to be­lieve, but it will come to this, that your Conscience will have it to say, that ye wil­lingly and deliberately choosed to ly still in your Unbelief, and that ye preserred your Idols to Christ Jesus. 4. Consider, That sometimes ye have met with some more then an ordinary touch, motion, and work of the Spirit that hath been born in upon you, which ye have slighted and neglected, if not quenched and put out, which is your great guilt before the Lord: Is there any of you, but now and then at Preaching, or when in some great hazard, or under sick­ness or some other sad cross, ye have been under Convictions of Sin, and have had some little glances of the hazard ye were in of the Wrath of God, more then ordinarly ye had at other times? and I would ask you, have these been entertained and cherished, or rather have they not been slighted and worn out by you? and may ye not in this respect be charged with the guilt of resist­ing the Spirit of God, and marring the work of your own Conversion and Salvation? These things, and many moe, which will cry loud in the Consciences of Men and Women one day, will quite remove and take away this objection, that ye could not do better; Ye might have done better then ye did, ye might have abstained from many [Page 97] Evils that ye committed, and done many Duties that ye ommitted, and done them with more moral seriousness then ye did; but ye were perverse, and did willingly and deliberately choose to continue in your Natural condition, rejecting Christ, and the Offer of Salvation through Him: This also serves to refute and remove that pro­phane Principle or Tenet that many have in their Minds and Mouths, That they have no more Grace then God hath given them; will ye dare to come before God in the great Day with any such Objection? no cer­tainly, or if ye dare, God will aggrege your guilt by it, and beat it back again in­to your Throat; then, O! then all such Subterfuges will be no shelter to you before Him, nor in the least able to insconce your Souls against the strong Batteries of the Wrath of God, that will be as a Storm a­gainst the Wall.

MInisters have not done with their work when they have preached, and People have not done with their work when they have heard: That which is of greatest concernment follows, which either hath, in the want of it influ­ence on the sadning of both Ministers and People, or in the obtaining of it, on their Consolation: This is the thing that we find Isaiah upon here, who having preached the Gospel, looks what Fruit it hath, and when he beholds the general unfruitfulness it had in his own time, and should have in our time, it weights him exceedingly, and indeed it's very sad that Isaiah should be so much weighted in foreseeing the unfruitful­ness of the Gospel in our days, and that we our selves should be so little weighted with it, and so sensless under it.

He casts in this word, To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? partly to confirm the former word, Who hath believed our re­port? and partly to help to make the right use of it, by drawing Men to the discovery of the Soveraign Hand of God in the mat­ter, and of the necessity of His Grace for making the Gospel effectual in the Hearers of it wherever it comes, Who (saith he) hath believed our report? To whom is this preach­ed Gospel made effectual for Faith and Sal­vation? It's but to very few, even to as many as have the Arm of the Lord, the ef­fectual Power of His special Grace revealed to them, and no moe.

The last Doctrine we proposed, and be­gan to speak of as the Scope, was, That believing and receiving of the Gospel, and the Lord's exercing a powerful work of His Grace with it, are ever still knit together; they are of equal extent; as many Believe as He stretcheth out His Hand of Power with the Word to work Faith in them, and as many ly still in Unbelief as His Hand of Power is not revealed unto, This is his Scope.

We took up this Doctrine in two Branches, First, That the most powerful Means cannot work nor beget Faith in the Hearers of the Gospel, except there be an inward power­ful work of Grace on their Hearts accom­panying them; and this we cleared, and [Page 98] spoke a little to [...]o Q [...]estions in the Use, and left at a third, to wit, What the Hear­ers of the Gospel should do that have the Call and Offer of the Gospel, seing without the effectual work of the Grace of God they cannot Believe? which we shall for­bear to speak to, till we open the second Branch of the Doctrine, because this Que­stion relates to both.

The second Branch then of the Doctrine is, That wherever the Lord applieth the powerful work of His Grace, there necessa­rily Faith and Conversion follow; or the stretching forth of God's Arm in the work of His Grace, hath always the work of Faith and Conversion, and the engaging of the Soul unto Jesus Christ following on it; and indeed if it be true that we cleared b [...]fore, to wit, That there are as many Unbeliev­ers as there are Persons on whom Grace doth not thus powerfully work, or that they are all such that this work of Grace is not manifested on, then the work of Con­version and Believing is as broad as this work of Grace is, for the Prophet maketh them of equal extent, who is he that be­lieveth? even he to whom the Arm of the Lord is revealed▪ and on the contrary, who is he that believeth not? even he to whom the Arm of the Lord is not revealed, and on whom this work of Grace is not manifested. By which we may see it to be very clear, that the Prophet hangs the Be­lieving of the Gospel on the Lord's mani­festing His Arm; so that where it is not ma­nifested, this work of Faith is not brought forth, and where it is manifested, necessa­rily it is brought forth.

This being a Doctrine concerning the Ef­ficacy of God's Grace, which ought not to ly hid from the Lords People, we shall a little, first, clear it, and then secondly, confirm it to you.

First, For clearing of it's Meaning. 1. Ye would not take up our meaning in it so, as if we made every common work that lively means may have on the Hearers of the Go­spel, to be Conversion; The preaching of the Word will sometimes make Folks trem­ble, as we see in Felix, and will waken Convictions and Terrors in them, and put them into an amazement, and yet leave them there; for all these Convictions may be, and often are resisted, as to any Saving Fruit at least, which we conceive to be that which Stephen points at, Acts 7.51. while he saith, Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do ye; and what he means by this is explained in the words following, Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted, &c. even their contending with the Word of the Lord in the mouths of His Servants: Yea, in that same place, where it's said, that they gnashed upon him with their teeth, it's in­sinuated that they came over the belly of the cutting Conviction which his Preaching had upon them: Nor do we 2. mean, That every common operation of the Spi­rit, whether illumination of the Mind, or a touch on the Affections (such as may be in Temporaries and Apostates, as is clear Mat. 13.20, 21. Heb. 6.4. and downward) is Conversion; There is a great difference betwixt a common work or gift of the Spi­rit (which in a large Sense ma [...] be c [...]ed Grace because freely given) an [...] the [...]v [...]ng work of Grace, which before [...] [...]e [...] a peculiar work: And oft-times t [...]t c [...]mmon operation of the Spirit is quenched and p [...]t out, therefore the Apostle 1 Thess. 5.19. exhorteth thus, Quench not the Spirit. 3. When we speak of an effectual bringing forth of Faith by this Grace of God, we would not have you thinking, that we sup­pose no reluctancy to be in the Man in so far as he is unrenewed, for though where Grace effectually worketh, Faith follows necessarily, yet Corruption being in the Man, it's disposed and apt to thwart with, and to oppose Grace; and the Will hath its aversness to yield: But the meaning of the Doctrine is this, That though there be such a strong power of Corruption in the Man to whom Grace comes, and on whom it is put forth, yet the power of Grace is such, that it powerfully masters and over­comes Corruption, and wins the Heart to believe in, and to engage with Christ; though (to speak so) there be something within that strives to keep the door shut on [Page 99] Christ; yet when it comes to that, Cant. 5.3. He puts in his fingers by the holl of the lock, and makes the myrrhe to drop; the Heart is prevailed with so, as it is effectual­ly opened, as the Heart of Lydia was to re­ceive the Word that Paul preached: Thus, notwithstanding of Corruptions opposition, Grace gains its point, and the Lord never applys His Grace of purpose to gain a Soul, but he prevails. 4. When we speak of the power and effectualness of Grace in con­quering and gaining the Heart and Will of the Sinner to believe in Jesus Christ, we do not mean that there is any force or violence done to the Will, or any exerting of a co­active power, violenting the Will contrary to its essential property of freedom, to close with Christ; But this we mean, that though Corruption be in the Heart, yet Grace be­ing infused and acted by the Spirit, the pravity in the Will is sweetly cured, and the Will is moved and made to Will willing­ly and upon choice, by the power of the Spirit of Grace taking in that strong hold; This great work is wrought by an omnipo­tent swavity, and by a sweet omnipotency; and it needs not at all seem strange, for if Man in Nature, be, by the power of habitual Corruption, made necessarily to will Evil, so that notwithstanding he doth freely and willingly choose Evil; why should it be thought strange o [...] absurd to say, that when a principle of the Grace of God is infused in­to the Soul, and acted by the Spirit of God, If hath, that much influence, power, and efficacy as to prevail with the Will, it keep­ing still its own freedom, to make it willing to embrace Jesus Christ, and yet not at all thereby wrong that essential property of the Will? sure, Grace is as powerful as Corrup­tion, and the Lord is as dextrous a worker, and can work as aggreeably to the nature of the Creature in this gracious work, as the Creature can in its own sinful actings. So then we say, when the Lord is pleased to apply the work of His Grace to convert a Sinner, that work is never frustrated, but it always hath necessarily the work of Faith, Renovation, and Conversion following on the back of it.

Secondly, We shall a little confirm the Doctrine, and the grounds of Confirmation are these, The 1. whereof is, The express Scriptures wherein this Truth is asserted, as John 6.44, 45. It is said in the 44. Verse, No man can come to me except the Father draw him, and on the contrary, it is as ex­pressly set down vers. 45. It is written in the Prophets, they shall be all taught of God, eve­ry man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me, and this being contradistinguished to external Preaching, and being that which is called drawing, v. 44. he knits Believing to it, and makes Believ­ing, called coming, a necessary effect of it, that to whomsoever God gives that inward Lesson, they shall come; which confirms the Doctrine, that whomsoever the Lord teaches and schools by His Grace, and calls effectually, they do necessarily Believe. Another passage we have Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out the work of your salvation in fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure; where the Apostle makes the work of Grace not only to work ability to will and to do, but to work also to will and to do actually; and Grace never worketh to will, and leaves the Man unwilling, but necessarily supposeth the Man's closing willingly with Christ, with whom He worketh thus. A 2. Ground of confirmation is drawen from these Expressions whereby this work is set forth, and the Promises comprehending it in God's Covenant, wherein it's called the giving of a new heart, a heart of flesh, the writing of the law in the heart, the put­ting of his Spirit within his people, and causing them to walk in his statutes, &c. Jer. 31.33. Ezek. 36.26, 27. and it is impossible to conceive aright of the fulfilling of these Promises without the including of the effect; the giving of the new Heart, is not only a perswading to Believe, but the actual giv­ing of the new Heart, whereof Faith is a special part, which Promise is peculiar to the Elect, though the offer of it be more large, and be further extended; and what can that Promise of Gods writing the Law in the Heart be, but an effectual inclining [Page 100] of the Heart to the Will of God? or in­ward renovation contradistinguished to the external Ministry, that can only hold out His Will in a Book, and speak it to the Ear. 3. This may be cleared and confirmed from the nature of the work of Grace, which is such a mighty work and so powerful, as it is impossible it can be frustrated or disap­pointed; unless we could say that Grace in God, or the Grace of God is not so power­ful as Corruption in us, which were Blas­phemy; to this purpose the Apostle pray­eth in behalf of the Christian Ephesians, chap. 1.19, 20. that they may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead; he speaketh so in this high strain, to set out both the ex­ceeding stubbornness of our Nature that needs such a work, and the exceeding great power of the Grace of God that worketh irresistably, not only in the Conversion of the Elect at first, but in all the after-acts of Believing, so Eph. 3.7. the same Apostle hath it, — according to the gift of the Grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power; and Col. 1.29. according to his working which worketh in me mightily; The Power that worketh in Believers is Gods omnipotent Power, which worketh effectually and mightily; and if this Power be exercised in the continuing and promov­ing of Faith, as is said before, it must be much more exercised in the begetting of Faith; yea, and what need is there that He should exercise it, if not for this end, that where He exerciseth it, it may also prevail? A 4th. ground of Confirmation may be drawen from the Lords great end which He hath before Him in this work, and that is the gaining of glory to His Grace, and to have the whole work of Conversion attributed to it; and if this be His end, He must and will prevail by His Grace in throughing the work in order to this end; if it were left indifferent to Man to yield o [...] not to yield to God as he pleaseth, the whole weight of the work of Conversion should not ly upon Grace, Mans Mouth should not be stopped, but when that que­stion should be asked, who hath made thee to differ, and what hast thou O man, but what thou hast received? he should still have some­thing to boast of, and the work of his Con­version, should at best be halfed betwixt Grace and his own Free-will; this would necessarily follow if Grace did not through the work, and so God should miss of His end. A 5th. ground of Confirmation is taken from the consideration of Gods De­cree, of the Covenant of Redemption be­twixt Jehovah and the Mediator, and of the Power and Wisdom of God in carrying on this work, which we put together for brevities cause; From all which it will be clear, that there is, and must be a necessa­ry connexion betwixt the work of Grace on Believers and the Effect, and that it is not in the power of Mans Free-will to resist it, which indeed is not freedom but bondage. 1. Then, We say, That if we consider the Decree of Election, we will find that where Grace is applied, Faith and Conversion must follow; otherwise, if the work of Grace were not effectual to convert, Gods Decree should be suspended on the Crea­tures Free-will, and be effectual or not ef­fectual according as it pleased, and is that any little matter to make His Decree de­pend upon, and be effectual or not accord­ing to Man's pleasure? that which sicker­eth His Decree and makes it infrustrably to take effect, is, that He hath effectual Means to bring about His Decree. 2: If we con­sider the Covenant of Redemption, betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator, we will find that upon the one side the Mediator particular­ly undertaketh for them that are given to Him, that He shall loss none of them; and upon the other side, we have (to speak with reverence of the Majesty of God after the manner of Men) the Father's Obliga­tion to make such Persons in due time Be­lievers, that Christ the Mediator may see of the travel of His Soul and be satisfied, according to that Promise made to Him, Psal. 110.3. In the day of thy power thy peo­ple shal be willing; and that other, Isa. 53.11. He shall see of the travel of his soul and be satis­fied, by his knowledge shall my righteous ser­vant justifie many, &c. and accordingly Him­self [Page 101] saith, John. 6.37. All that the Father hath given to me shall come unto me, where it is clear, that these who are given must necessarily come: and He also saith, John 10.16. Other sheep have I, which are not of this sold, them also I must bring; and it can­not be supposed without horrour and blas­phemy, that this determinate, solid, and sure transaction, having all its midses includ­ed in it, and being as to its end so peremp­tory, shall as to these midses and that end, and as to their throughing, not be in Gods hand, but in the hand of Mans Free-will? if it were there, O! how unsicker and loose would the bargain and God's design in be­getting Faith, and in bringing Souls through Grace to Glory be! 3. If we consider the Lords Power in beginning and promoving, and His Wisdom in carrying on of this work, His Power whereby he raiseth the Dead, and His Wisdom whereby He leads from Death to Life; is it possible to con­ceive or imagine these to be applied by the Lord in the Conversion of a Sinner, but this Doctrine must needs hold, that the work of His Grace powerfully applied, hath always Faith and Conversion following on it, and that the Lord leaveth it not to the option of Elect Souls, to believe, or not to believe as they please? He must not, He can­not be frustrate of His end and design, but He must bring them to a cordial closure with Christ by Faith in order to their Sal­vation.

Use 1. The first Use serves to fix you in the Faith of this great Truth, and though we use not, neither is it needful to trouble you with long Questions and Debates; yet when the like of this Doctrine comes in our way, especially in such a time, wherein the pure Truths of God, and this among the rest, are troubled and called in question, it is requisite that a word be spoken for your confirmation and establishment; and we would hence have you fixed in the Faith of these two. 1. Of the impotency of Nature in the beginning or promoving ought of the work of Grace, which belongs to the first branch of the Doctrine. 2. Of the ef­fectualness and irresistableness of Grace, that wherever God begets and brings in a Soul, He does it by His own powerful Grace, and wherever He applies that work, Faith and Conversion necessarily follow, which belongs to the second branch of the Do­ctrine; and we would the rather speak a little to this, because it is questioned by the Enemies of the Grace of God, then which, there is nothing they set themselves more to dethrone and debase, and to exalt and cry up Nature and Free-will, as if it did sit on the Throne, and Grace behoved to come and supplicate it, and as if it might accept or reject its Bill at pleasure as to the Conver­sion of a Sinner; In opposition to which, this Doctrine holds good, that wherever the Lord applies His Grace, He effectually throughs the work of Faith and Conversion, and there is no Soul that can utterly resist it; and wherever the Lord applies this Grace, the Grace that converts one cannot be frustrated by another; These things we hold in opposition to the direct assertion of the Enemies of Grace, whereby they make the work of Conversion, not ultimatly to terminate on Grace, but on Man's Free-will, and how dangerous and damnable this Error is, may easily appear, For 1. It over­turns and runs cross to the whole strain of the Gospel, for if we loose but this one Pin, in making Faith and Conversion not to de­pend on Grace, but on Free-will, then the whole Fabrick of Grace falls down flat; then God should elect us, because we were to elect Him, contrary to the Scripture, which tells us, that He elects us, not we Him; and that our closing with Him by Faith, depends on His electing of us: It overturns our free Justification by Grace, for supposing Faith comes in in Justification, as it doth, none being justified but by Faith, and that Believing is of our selves, and that it is in the power of Man's Free-will to close the Bargain, all is not here of Grace, our Justification is not free, but some-way de­pends on Free-will: It overturns the Per­severance of the Saints; for if Believing depend on Free-will, then our Perseve­rance depends on it also, for if the Mans Free-will change, he may fall back and break his neck in a manner, at the very threshold of Heaven; whereas if it be the [Page 102] work of Grace (as indeed it is) that brings forth Faith, and carries it on, and if this work of Grace cannot be frustrated or re­strained by the malice and hardness of any Heart to which it is applied, because it cures the hardness and removes that malice; then certainly this Error cannot stand; and we are perswaded when we plead thus for Grace, we have the best end of the Debate, and the surest Ground to go upon, most for God's Honour, and most for the comfort of Believers. 2. This Error thwarts with the Glory of the Grace of God; for it is an Error that strikes at the richest and most radiant Diamond of the Crown of the Glo­ry of Christ, it hangs Election and the effe­ctualness of God's Decree as to effectual Calling, Faith, Justification, and Perseve­rance on the Person himself, and makes God and Christ to be in the Man's common debt, and reverence, to make His Decree effectual, whereas it is the glory of Grace to have all Flesh allanarly in its debt and common, as having loved freely, elected, called, justified, sanctified, and carried on the work of Grace til it end and be perfected in Glory, freely; which is the Song of the redeemed, Rev. 1.5, 6. Unto him who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion; If eternal love be free, then the expression or manifestation of it in making us Kings and Priests unto God, is also free, 3. This Error is exceeding destructive to the consolation of God's People; Is it not a comfortless Doctrine that founds their Believing and Perseverance on their own Free-will? if ye were to make the bargain of Grace, whether would ye think it more comfortable and sure, that the effectualness of Believing and Perseverance should hang on the Grace of God, or on your own Free-will? especially considering the pravity of your Will; doleful would your condition be, if Free-will were the Base or Foundation, and God used no more but external per­swasion: how specious soever this opinion seem to be, because it puts it in Mans option to believe and convert himself, or not, as he pleaseth; yet it overturns the whole strain of the Gospel, and quite eclipseth the glory of Grace, and cuts the very throat of your Consolation, and is the great ground of Popery, Pelagianism, and Arminianism; to which ye would therefore so much the more advert, and we do the rather speak to it, that ye may be guarded against it, and that ye may be setled in the Truth, especially since the same Errors are a-reviving in ano­ther shape in these days, as is manifest in that foolry of Quakers, who talk of a Light within them, and talk so of that Light as if it were of power sufficient to convert and guide them, if it be not resisted. As also that other conceit of being above Ordinances, implys something of this same Error; which ye would set your selves to abhor, as that which the Devil is again labouring to sow the Seed of amongst us, and labour to be confirmed in the Truth: For if there be any truth at all in Christianity, these are two main Truths, the utter inability that is in Mens Hearts by Nature to exercise Faith in Christ, and the efficacious and ir­resistible power of the Grace of God, in the begetting of Faith where it is begotten; which when we shall all appear before the Tribunal of God, will be found to be so, and none will have a Mouth opened to op­pose them. And what absurdity, I pray, is there here, notwithstanding all the cla­mour of corrupt Men? that God hath re­served this work of converting Sinners by His Grace to Himself, and hath not put it in the hand of their own Free-will; which supposeth Men to have a stock within themselves, and hath many fearful effects following it, tending to the depreciating of the Grace of God, and to the drawing Men off from dependance on Christ, and to the giving of them ground of boasting in themselves, and of vanity and security, all which this Doctrine of Gods Grace over­throws, and stops the Mouth of the Crea­ture from all vain boasting, to the high ex­altation of Gods free, soveraign, and effi­cacious Grace, and to the great comfort of His People.

Use 3. The second Use serves to com­mend the Grace of God to the Hearers of the Gospel, and especially to Believers; [Page 103] There cannot be a greater commendation given to it, than this, that it works effe­ctually, and indeed it could not be called Grace, I mean, Saving Grace, if it should want this effect, even to save such as it is applied to; but this highly commends Grace, that if, there be mighty Corruption in us, there is a strong arm of Grace put forth by Him for perfiting of that which concerns us, notwithstanding of this great strength of Corruption. And if ye think your selves not to be Believers, and think this Doctrine to be hard, that ye cannot Believe without this Grace, and yet would fain Believe, consider that as none can believe, neither can Believers stand with­out Grace; so Grace can help you to do that which ye cannot do, which is the commen­dation of Grace, and should make it more lovely to you; this gives encouragement to any poor Soul that is as it were in the place of the breaking forth of Children, and lay­eth greater ground of confidence that they shall come speed, than if they had it in their own hand; and serves to obviat that grand objection of Souls that would fain be at clos­ing with Christ, and cannot come to Him, here is a powerful Arm reached forth to draw them.

Use 3. The third Use serves to humble Believers who have any thing of the work of Grace, and so, to work them up to thankfulness to Him that hath communicate ought of it to them: Is there any of you that have Grace, who hath made you to differ from others? it was not your selves but free Grace, and therefore ye have rea­son to acknowledge it with thankfulness, and to say, if this same Doctrine had not been true, I would have been a stranger to God all my days, and remained under the dominion of Satan and Sin with these that are in Nature; and with David, Psal. 16.7. to say, I bless the Lord who hath given me counsel, my reins also instruct me in the night seasons; This counsel was not the common advice that all got from the Word preach­ed, but the inward counsel of the Spirit that made his reins Instruct him, and made him inwardly to follow the advice that the Word gave him outwardly; and it is this inward work of the Spirit that keeps in the life of Grace, as well as begets it, as it is Psal. 73.23, 24. Nevertheless I am continual­ly with thee, thou hast holden me by my right hand, thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory; whom have I in heaven but thee, &c. my flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever: the Psalmist glorieth in this, that the work of his throw-bearing, did not depend on his own flesh and heart, but on God, who was the strength of his heart and his portion for ever: If Believers would consider what they were in their natural condition, and how much they are obliged to the Grace of God, that with power was applied in their Conversion, it would stop their Mouth as to boasting, make them admire Grace, and sound forth its praise: And they would think Graces sweet way of prevailing, to be no co-active forcing of their Will, but the greatest part of their freedom; and so far would it be from being look'd on as a violenting or wronging of their Will, that it would be esteemed their truest and greatest liberty: We are perswaded that the Saints in Hea­ven count it no bondage that God hath so fully fred them from all Corruption, that they serve Him with delight, and do so ne­cessarily; and shall any sojourning-Saints here below, count it a wronging of their Will, that God takes such pains on them, to subdue Corruption, and to bring them to some measure of conformity to them who are above? God forbid.

Use 4. The fourth Use of it is, To let us see, what great ground of encouragement there is here for the Hearers of the Gospel, to set about the work of Believing, and what ground there is to make them all ut­terly inexcusable who shall continue in their Unbelief; which may be thought some­what strange, when we say that no means can be effectual for working of Faith, w [...]th­out the effectual Grace of God be applied; But let these two be put together, 1. That though we be insufficient of our selves, and though all outward means be of themselves ineffectual, that yet there is a sufficiency in the Grace of God: And 2. That this Grace [Page 104] shall be powerful to work Faith in the Hear­ers of the Gospel, if they make not them­selves guilty of frustrating this Grace in the offer of it (as they may do); These then who will not believe, will be found most inexcusable. But to return to the main in­tent of this Use, We say, that the encou­ragement lies here, that though we be un­able, we have an able Mediator, and Grace is powerful; and therefore we should with the greater encouragement set about the work of Believing, as the Apostle reasons, Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it's God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure: Ye might possibly think it had been more encouraging to have said, ye are able of your selves to will and to do; but certainly, Grace is a more encouraging motive then any thing in the Creature; say not then, ye cannot will nor do, for that excuse is taken away by God's offering to work both in you by His Grace; But let me exhort all, both these that are begun to be Believers, and these that are to begin to believe, to be so far from disputing themselves from it, as that they rather en­courage themselves to work out the work of their own Salvation with fear and trem­bling, because God's Grace which ye have in your offer, is so powerful to work the work, and will admit of no utter opposition from Corruption in you, if ye receive not the Grace of God in vain that is offered to you in the Gospel: If Grace were so weak as we might cast it back at our pleasure, and if it were but a helper in the work of Faith and Conversion, as Arminians make it, what encouragement could we have from it? and as to Practice, is not this Doctrine as encouraging? what advantage or comfort is it to undertake any thing in our own strength, which is none at all? is not this much more encouraging, to undertake in the strength of Gods Grace? knowing that the same work of Grace that begets Faith, is as effe­ctual to carry it on, and to make us to per­severe in it, and to enable us to every good word and work; let Grace work then, and take a proof of it, and ye shall find it power­ful: The Lord Himself give you wisdom so to do for your Salvation and Consolation.

IT's much to walk evenly and stedfast­ly under the pure Doctrine of Grace, and neither there-from to take occa­sion to give way to loosness and car­nal liberty, nor to become faint and discouraged, and fearful at the way of God; corrupt Nature is ready to abuse the best things: That word which we have 2 Pet. 3.16. that there are many that wrest and pervert the Scriptures to their own destruction, holds true, not only of doctrinal Heresies, but it holds also true in respect of Mens Practice, or practical Errours; for some hearing of the impotency of Nature, and of the power and perfection of Grace in bring­ing about its designed effect, are ready to think that they need to do nothing, alledg­ing, that if Grace undertake the work it will be wrought, and if not, it will not be wrought; and thus Atheism and Propha­nity steal in secretly upon the Heart, and the sweet Doctrine of Grace is abused and [Page 105] perverted by such, to their own destructi­on: There are others again, who it may be will not dare so to top with God, who yet have their own fainting and discourage­ment when they hear of this Doctrine, and think it hard that they themselves can do nothing, and fear that they will never win to believe, because they cannot do it of themselves, these also fail, and make not the right use of Grace.

Ye remember, the Question which we proposed to speak a little to on the last Doctrine, to wit, That seing both these branches of it are true, That except Grace concur, the most powerful preaching of the Gospel will not beget Faith; and that wherever the work of Grace goes along with the Gospel, there Faith is begotten; what is called for from the Hearers of the Gospel as the Use of this Doctrine?

B [...]fore we come to answer this Question more particularly, we would 1. Premit this word in general, That none would ac­count the Preaching or Hearing of the Word of God to be useless or fruitless, albeit that without the work of Grace, Men cannot yield the Fruit which it call [...]th for from them; for our blessed Lord Jesus, Isaiah and Paul, preached this Doctrine of Grace, and the necessity of the Lords Arm to be revealed in the Conversion of Souls, and yet they taught the Word in season and out of season, and were gathering in some, and to some this Doctrine was made the savour of life unto [...]ife, though to others (through their enmity and corruption) it became the savour of death unto death: To con­clude therefore, the inconsistency, or to deny the consistency of these two, to wit, Of the necessity of Preaching the Do­ctrine of Grace, and of the pressing in Preaching the practice of holy Duties, and the use of ordinary appointed M [...]ans, would reach this dreadful length, even to con­demn the Prophets of old, yea, and our blessed Lord Jesus Himself who says, John 6.44. after He h d preached long, No man can come to me ex [...]ept the Father who hath sent me draw him and vers. 65 — Therefore I said unto you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him of my Father. And will any think that His Hearers, who ac­counted this with some others, Hard say­ings, and from that time went back, and walked no more with him, were excusable in their doing so? or that His Preaching was useless, needless, or impertinent, as having a tendency to tempt Men to aban­done all use of Means, because He preach­ed this Doctrine of the impossibility of be­lieving in Him, without this pull and draught of His Fathers Arm?

But secondly, We shall a little more par­ticularly in answer to the Question, speak First, To what Uses Folk would not make of this Doctrine, or what things they would abstain from, as tending to a wrong use of it. Secondly, To some Considerations for pressing this Doctrine, and removing from it the construction of hardness that we are ready to put upon it. Thirdly, To what is the native Use it calls for; And Lastly, to some Considerations to press this.

For the first, When we say to all that hears this Gospel that there is a necessity of a powerful work of Grace ere this Word can be profitable, ye would 1. Abstain from, and lay aside curiosity in seeking satisfying Answers to all these Objections that are moved against it, and absurdities that it's loaded with by the Devil and Mans proud Nature, and learn to stoop to, and reve­rence the soveraign Dominion of God, and His deep and unsearchable Wisdom and Knowledge, in this soveraign way of His Grace, as the Apostle doth, Rom. 11.33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out? ye would also consider that other word, Rom. 9.20. Who art thou that repliest against God? or expostulateth with Him, Shall the thing formed, say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? It's good to enquire and to seek to know the use the Lord calls for of this Doctrine with sobriety; but there is an enquiring to satisfie curiosity which the Lord abhorreth, as we may ga­ther from Exod. 19 21. where the Lord being to deliver His [...]l saith to Moses, Go down, charge the people ( [...] word of peremp­tory command) left they break thorow unto [Page 106] the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish: The Lord is not displeased that His People should endeavour to behold, and take Him up aright, but when their end is not good, but to satisfie an itch of Curiosity, it dis­pleaseth Him: This may be useful in many cases, and particularly in this we have in hand, to teach us sobriety in seeking to know the way of God's Grace, as the Lord would have His People, Exod. 19. waiting for as much of His Mind as He thought fit to acquaint them with, and to write on the two Tables of Stone, but He would not have them breaking in over the Boundary or March which He did set to them, lest He should break thorow on them, and they should be made to perish; So would He have Men in their studying the knowledge of His Ways, and particularly of the way of His Grace, to keep His Measures, and to contain themselves within the limits that He pleaseth to set to them. 2. Abstain from carnal freting at, and expostulating with the way of God, whether in the highest de­gree of upbraiding Grace and snarling at it, that ye should not have the Stock in your own hand; or in an inferior degree, having a Heart inwardly discontent, that ye are not more able of your selves then ye are, to believe, which is the thing that the Apostle opposeth, Rom. 9.20, 21. Should the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay. &c. especially since none can answer that question with any just re­flection upon God; who is to be blamed for that defect or inability? or whence did that inability or defect in Mans Nature pro­ceed? God was gracious, free and liberal in making Man perfect, and whose Fault is it that it is otherways? 3. Abstain from, and beware of drawing desperate conclusi­ons as to the giving over the use of the Means, or of becoming more lazy and se­cure in the duties of Holiness, and in the practice of Piety, because of the necessity of this Grace; but on the contrary, be the more diligent and serious, that ye have so much need of Grace, and that of your selves ye can do so little, or rather nothing that is truly good without it.

I know that prophane Hearts are very fertile and broody of Arguments to plead this point of neglect of Means, and will readily say, what is the fruit of diligence, and the prejudice of laziness? the one will do us no good, and the other can do us no ill, seing it's Grace that doth all the work: But 1. By your laziness ye mar your own fruitfulness, and that through your own fault, and make this addition to your guilt, that ye not only continue graceless, but do so through your sin wilfully. 2. Ye may draw on to your natural impotency, habi­tual and judicial hardness of Heart, and blindness of Mind; it's on this very ground that many Ears are made heavy, many Eyes made blind, and many Hearts made fat, and is that a little or light matter? 3. Though ye may think this little, yet that which will bear the weight of your sentence at the Day of Judgment, will not be your natural impotency, or that G [...]ace was not made ef­ficacious to y [...]ur Conversion, but this will be it, that when God sent out His Word to win you, and offered His Grace for inabling you to yield, ye did maliciously and deli­beratly reject it. So that it will never be suffered to come to this, I was unable; be­cause the Word was wilfully rejected be­fore it came to this.

But secondly, Because there are some others possibly that have more seriousness in the use of Means, who, though they dare not quarrel with Grace, yet it weights and discour [...]ges them because they can do so little, and they are made heartless to essay, and hopeless to come speed, and it may be, that this is in some whom the Lord allows not to draw any such conclusion, but would rather have encouraged; we would say to such, that they would beware of fainting or being discouraged, as if that were im­possible to God and His Grace which is im­possible to them; they would by all means beware of sitting up, and [...]ackning their hand in Duty, because they can do so little: We know there are some that need not much to be spoken to for satisfying of them in this point, but there are others who are weighted with this Doctrine, to whom the Lord allows more tender usage, and would [Page 107] not have them to faint nor be discouraged; you that are such (if any be) may know that there is ground for us to press this, and that we may remove the construction of hardness from this soveraign way of Gods Grace, wherein He hath thought fit to draw Men unto an absolute dependance on Him­self: In the dispensing of it, we shall pro­pose these few Considerations, 1. That (which was hinted at before) never a Man that hath heard this Gospel when he comes to count with God, shall have it to say, that the reason why he did not receive and em­brace it, was his impotency and inability, but the real reason shall be found to be his wilful rejecting of it; and upon the contra­ry it shall be found, that there was never one that would in earnest have had strength to run the way of Gods Commandments, and Faith to grip to, and embrace Jesus Christ offered in this Gospel, that for want of ability came short; and if so, what reason is there to complain? if none want Faith but such as would not have Him, and if none that would have Him can complain of their want of Him, upon these two we have great ground of encouragement to them that have a sincere affection to be at Him, and there is no ground for Folk to sit up or fall lazy in pursuing after union and communion with Him in the use of Means: None shall have cause to complain of their want of Him, but such as with their own consent gave Him over; and any that would fain have had Him, shall not miss Him; for this real willingness to close with Christ, being a work of the Grace of God, and it being no less power that works this Will, than the power which doth effectuate the work of Conver­sion, and bring it to perfection; He that begins the work will perfect it according to His Promise, seing there is nothing that He does begin but He does perfect it; and therefore in this case, Folk had more need to reflect upon their willingness to have Christ, and to close with Him on His own terms, than to dispute their impotency and inability. 2. Consider what they have been whom the Lord hath brought thorow, were they not such as had as much need of Grace as ye have? had they not the same corrupt Nature that ye have? were they not as im­potent and unable to do for themselves? could any of themselves do more than ye can? consider them all that are before the Throne, was it not this same Grace of God and not their good Nature nor their Free-will that did the work? and they were not expressly or by name included in the Pro­mises more than ye are; and ye are not ex­pressly excluded more than they were; the Lord brought forward the work of Grace in them that same way that He dealeth with you; by the preaching of His Word He brought them first to know their sinfulness, impotency, and weakness, to know that there was need of a Saviour, that their Sal­vation was not of themselves, neither was it in them to make right use of the Saviour and Salvation offered, but in the power of His Grace, and what if He be doing so to thee? and if that condition be hard and hopeless now, it had been a hopeless and hard condition to these many that are now before the Throne. 3. Consider, That there is no question but Grace is effectual to carry on the work, and to make it go thorow; all the difficulty and dissatisfacti­on is, because God keeps the application in His own Hand, which the Man's Heart would have in its Hand, and which of them do ye think is most sure and encouraging? all your fainting and discouragement resolv­eth in this, because ye can do so little; If ye be in good earnest desirous to have Grace throughing the work of Faith and Conver­sion, would ye possibly make choise of ano­ther or better Hand than God's to put it in? is it not as suitable and sure, that His Wis­dom should contrive and lay down the way, as it is to His Power to set it forward, and to the freedom of His Grace to make appli­cation of it, and all more suitable and sure than if it were in your own Hand? may ye not think shame to be discouraged on this ground, because any thing ye do ye must needs get it from God, and that that should be an obstruction in the way of Godliness, which is a main encouragement to it? is the Lord an upbraider? is there any that can quarrel Him as nigardly in dispensing of His Grace? doth he not give to all men libe­rally [Page 108] and upbraideth no man? and doth it not become Him well to have the conduct and guiding of His own Grace? 4. Consi­der how many the Lord hath given Grace to already, and how He hath given it free­ly, surprizingly, and unexpectedly; if ye could bring forth any proof that never one got good of God, ye might have a pretext for your discouragement and scarring, but when as many as are before the Throne are pooofs of His being gracious to Sinners, when so many have gotten good of God be­fore you; and when there are several who to your own certain knowledge, are dayly get [...]ing good of Him sensibly, freely, and unexp [...]ct [...]dly, who were as indisposed to bel [...]eve as ye are, and as much fainted and discouraged as ye are; and when He says that He is found of them that sought him not; is it not as likly that a poor Body that is longing for His Grace shall be satisfied as well now as ever? according to that word Matth. 5.6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled; the Soul that would fain have Holiness shall get it: I know there will be a business made here, and an new Objection started, whe­ther this longing or hunger be real or not? but if your longing and hunger be not real, it will not trouble you much to want; and it is not to encourage or comfort such that have no real longing, that all this is spoken; we know there is more need to make some vomit up the conceit of their ability, than to encourage them against any seen and felt inability; There are many alace! that think little of the Grace of God, with whom the error anent Universal Grace would aggree well, they having a presumptuous conceit of Faith, and that it is not so difficult a thing to believe as is alledged; we must profess that we have not much to say to such for their encouragement, only we would let them know, that there is a time coming when God will refute and silence them: But as for such as see their inability, and are put to any measure of suitable serious­ness and longing in earnest after Believing, the Lord allows that they be strengthened and encouraged, and to such we would say this, If their missing of Jesus Christ weight them, if it be their burden that they can­not Believe, and if their longing, hunger, and thirst be some pain and piece of exer­cise to them, so as other things relish not with them, they are so taken up with that; and if they had their Souls choice, it would be this, even a satisfying fight of union and communion with Him; their longing and hunger is real, and we may turn over that just now cited word to them, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled; this hunger and thirst was never begotten without some spi­ritual Physick from Christ the great Physi­cian, who hath provision for satisfying it, and as we use to say, of the natural Life, He sent never the Mouth but He sent the Meat with it, so we may say of this hunger, He that gives this spiritual Mouth, gives always the Meat with it; would to God there were many enlarged Apetites to receive, our Lord would no doubt be found ready to satisfie them all; if the Mouth were wide opened, the Affections enlarged, and the Soul sick under hunger and chirst for Christ and Ho­liness, that Sickness should not be found to be unto Death, but to the glory of the Grace of Him who is the great Healer.

For the third thing that we proposed, to wit, That seing there are many ways how Folk may go wrong, and yet none should give over hope, what is the native use and exercise that this Doctrine calls for? I shall speak to this, first in general, and se­condly, in some few steps or particular di­rections. 1. Then in general, ye would consider that place, Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out the work of your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure; where it is clear, that the exhortation given to them to work out their Salvation is drawen from this same Doctrine of the effi­cacious work of Gods Grace, working in them to will and to do as the great Motive; God saith. He worketh in you to will and to do, therefore work ye out the work of your own Salvation: There are in this ge­neral exhortation four things implyed, the first is the very entry or beginning of the work of Salvation, that is, the exercising of [Page 109] Faith in Jesus Christ, it is of God, there­fore work at that work, as if He said, Be­lieve to the saving of your Souls, as the word is Heb. 10. ult. For it's God that works the will in you. The second is the work of Repentance, this is also taken in here, for his bidding them work in fear and trembling, respects their sinfulness, and necessarly im­plyeth Repentance. The third is their aim­ing at perfection in Holiness, the putting forth themselves in improving of all Means, and in the exercising of all Duties for that end, work out says He. And fourthly, It looks to the manner, that it be not carnally or in carnal confidence, but with fear and trembling; and if it should be asked, how doth that conclusion flow from this Do­ctrine, it's Gods work, or He works in you to will and to do, therefore work ye out your Salvation? Folk would rather think that the conclusion should be, since God doth all this, do ye nothing: No, but the just contrary conclusion is drawen and it hangs on these two. 1. On the efficacy of Grace. it's God that works to will and to do, it's His Grace that strengtheneth you, and where. He works the will, He works the deed, where He begins a work, He will al­so through and effectuate it, therefore take ye encouragement to work; as if He had said, fight well, for ye have a brave second, though it be not proper to call Grace a se­cond; set your selves to the exercise of Holi­ness in earnest, and God wil make it go with you. 2. On the consideration of sinfulness and weakness in them, which should make them work in fear and trembling, as if He had s id, seing it is God, and the efficacy of His Grace that doth the work be not ye vain and presumptuous; the first part says, it's God that works and not ye, therefore be ye the more holily confident; the se­cond part says, it's not ye but God, and therefore do the work with fear and trem­bling; and both tend to this, that Folk would be serious in minding and prosecut­ing the work of their Salvation from the first step to the last, in fear and trembling, on this ground, that though they have no­thing in themselves, yet there is enough in God and in His Gr [...]ce to do their turn: How is it then, or what can be the reason, that we in our Hearts do draw the just con­trary conclusion to that which the Spirit of God draws here from this ground? when we have the offer of Grace, and hear of the power and efficacy of it, it should as to our part provoke us to be more busie, reason­ing thus with our selves, that though our Corruption will soon overcome us, yet it wi l not, it cannot overcome Grace; and though the exercise of Faith be above our reach, yet it is not above the reach of Grace, though we be weak, yet Grace is strong, and therefore we will work it out: And upon the other side, we ought to con [...]inue humble, and in fear and trembling work it out, b [...]cause it's not we but Grace that doth the work: If Grace were well considered, there is nothing that would more str [...]ngthen Folks hands to work; and upon the other hand, there is nothing that would make Folks more watchful, and to walk in holy fear, considering that we are poor Beggers, and thorow our unwatchfulness, or conceit and presumption, may mar the outlettings of His Grace, especially if we grow secure, and ungrately forget what we receive from Him.

2. I come now to some steps or particular directions implied in this Use, because it will be asked, What then should Folk do? And before I touch on particulars, take these two Cave [...]ts in the entry to them. 1. That we can propose nothing to be done by you, n [...]ither can ye do any thing of your selves that is a gracious act or deed. 2. That we understand not that any thing can be done by Men in their Natural state, that doth infer or procure, and far less deserve the giving of Grace to any; but seing God hath given direction to us how to walk in order to the working out of our Salvation, we say 1. That it's safe to us to walk in the way He hath directed us to walk in, and in the use of the Means He hath prescribed, and much more safe then to lay them aside. 2. That there is greater suitableness betwixt the use of the Means, and the finding of Grace, then there is betwixt the neglect of Means and the finding of it. 3. That it aggrees well with Gods way in bringing about the Conversion of Sinners, to bring them piece and piece forward; sometimes [Page 110] bringing them to the use of external Means, and to the performance of outward Duties, sometimes convincing them of Sin, and letting them see their need of Christ; some­times discovering the worth that is in Christ, and bringing them to fall in love with Him, ere they actually close with Him; and making them in their practice to follow any peep or glimmering of light that is let out to them, and to go the length that light discovereth the way and makes it plain as to their duty.

Now for particular Directions, we would 1. Bid you study to be fixed and establish­ed in the Faith of these general Truths that relate to Mans Sinfulness and Misery, and Insufficiency in Himself, that in us, that is, in ou [...] fl [...]sh dwelleth no good thing; that na­turally we are dead in Sins and Trespasses, and cannot quicken our selves; and in the Faith of the necessity and powerfulness of Grace, and that it's Christ that must give and work Faith, and that Grace can do the turn, and prevail where it is put on work; ye would also consider, and believe the great hazard of missing Grace, and the advantage that cometh by it; ye would me­ditate on these things, and on the Scrip­tures that hold them out; and on the ex­periences of the Saints that confirm them, that ye may not only have a glance and transient view of them, but may be con­firmed in the Faith of the truth of them. 2. Content not your selves with a general Faith of the tru [...]h of this Doctrine, but la­bour to be suitably affected with these things that ye believe; and though every affectedness be not special Grace, yet I speak to them that are ready to lay the blame and fault on the Grace of God, and yet were never affected with their own gracelesness: Ye would study to be affected with the gracelesness of your Nature, and let it put you to some sanctified disquiet and trouble, till with Ephraim, ye be made to smite upon your thigh, and till ye be put to a holy deliberation and consultation about your own condition; a Man that is under the hazard of a civil penalty, will think on it again and again, it will affect him, and he will not be at rest till he be without the reach of it; much more should ye be with the hazard that your Souls are in through Sin; ye are not excusable, so long as ye come not this length. 3. Add to this, Di­ligence in the use of all outward Means and Duties, whereby, and wherein the Lord useth to communicate His Grace, abounding always in the work of the Lord, as the Apostle exhorteth, 1 Cor. 15.58. Be dili­gent in secret Prayer, Reading, Meditation, Conference, Self-examination, Hearing, keeping good Company, and the like, which indeed Hypocrites may do, yet they cease not for that to be Duties. 4. Be sincere and serious in the use and performance of these Means and Duties, that which I mean, is a moral sincerity and seriousness, such as a Man will readily have in a civil Cause that he hath depending before a civil Judge, or in hearing of News, or the like, which is a thing that may be, and is often found in Men that are void of a principle of Grace, and yet Folk are very often de­fective in this, and make themselves ex­ceeding guilty before God, because they come not this length. 5. Take heed and beware of entertaining any thing that holds and bars out Grace, or of doing any thing that may mar or quench the working or moving of Grace; If ye cannot get Christ entertained in your Heart as ye should, be sure to give it to no other; if ye cannot get Corruption thrust out, nor mortified, watch against the rising or harbouring of that which ye know to be Corruption; and a­gainst the incoming or rising of such evils, as ye know will keep or put away the Be­loved; guard also against the neglecting of such Means, as by the neglect whereof ye may grieve His Spirit. 6. Study and seek after a composed frame of Spirit in your ordinary walk, and especially in Duties of Worship: Carnal Mirth and Jollity, loose Company, and suffering the Heart to go a whoring after the things of the World, do not only provoke Christ as they are sins, but indispose us for Duty, and mar the ex­ercise of Grace where it is, and keep it back where it is not, therefore the wise man saith Eccles. 7.3. that sorrow is better then laugh­ter, for by the sadness of the countenance the [Page 111] heart is made better; carnal Sorrow is not to be commended, but sober sadness, or a grave and composed frame of Spirit, is better then a light and unsettled frame, it being very hard, if not impossible to keep the Heart right even where there is Grace, but where there is some counter­poise or wither-weight; and it must be far more impossible to keep it right where the work of Grace is not, or but in the very first beginnings of it; and though I do not call this composedness of frame, Grace, yet it keeps Folk in some capacity, as it were, to receive Grace: It's said Lam. 3.27, 28. That it's good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth, he sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath born it upon him, he puts his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope; for though Crosses are not always blessed to Conversion, yet we may see now and then that sad times are the beginnings of better times, and even in Hypocrites their sad times ordin [...]rily are their best times; I neither desire nor allow any to bring Cros [...]es upon themselves, yet I would desire all to make the best use of any Cross they are under, and to be ac­quainting themselves with their Sin and In­firmities, and with their Hazard, and with such other things as may weight and com­pose them without fostering discouragement and a [...]xiety; and to love as well to speak and hear such things spoken of, as may provoke to sighing and sadness, as these that may provoke to laughter; I said of laughter (saith Solomon. Eccles. 2.2.) it is mad, and of mirth what doth it? and Prov. 14.13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness: though oft times our Laughter may not be so sinful, yet it readily more indisposeth us for any spiritual Duty, then Sorrow doth; the Heart is like a Clock, whereof, when the inner wheels are set a reeling, it is not soon righted and setled. 7. I would propose Ephraim's example to you, Jer. 31.18, 19. and desire that ye would in the fight and sense ye have of your sinfulness, weakness, & fecklesness, be bemoaning your selves and your sad condition to God, putting up that Prayer to Him, Turn thou me and I shall be turned; These words flowing from suitable sense are good; and then follows, after that I was turned, I repented; It's observable, that in the very entry he is graciously taken no­tice of by the Lord, Surely I have beard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; so it is with God's People when they consider how great Strangers they have been to God, how sinful and stubborn, and how impossible it is for them to mend themselves of themselves, they retire themselves into some corner, and there bemoane their case, and cry out, O! what a sinful nature is this, and when will it be got amended? I am as a bullock un­accustomed to the yoke, says Ephraim, and the Lord tells, He heard and observed it; when possibly he thought he was scarce­ly, if at all Praying, but rather sighing out as it were a short ej [...]culation to God, O! that I were amended; the last word of his Prayer is, Turn thou me and I shall be turned, or convert me, and I shall be converted; he sees that when all is done, he must cleanse his hands and leave the matter to God, I cannot, but thou canst work the work, and it ends sweetly in words of Faith, for thou art the Lord my God, and where words of Faith are after serious exer­cise, that exercise hath oft times Faith going alongs with it, hence are these words Lam. 3.20. If so be there may be hope: Psal. 119 Incline mine heart, open mine eyes, &c. and Luk. 9.13. How much more will your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him? it's good to pray for the ef­ficacy of Grace, and to offer our selves Subjects to be wrought upon, and Objects to receive what Grace offers to us.

As we began these Directions with a word of Caution, so we would close them; Do not think that these things in a Natural Man, following this sinful course, will bring forth Grace; neither conclude, that where these things only are discerned and no more in some Persons, that there Grace is want­ing, it being to help such forward that we mainly speak to them: Only in sum, 1. Keep clean and clear the Light ye have. 2. Im­prove the strength bestowed. And 3. What ye have not, put it over on God, and seek from Him, who hath Grace to give for [Page 112] working that in you; and it would seem that in reason ye should refuse none of these three. 1. We say, Keep clean and clear your Light, for if ye detain the Truth of God in unrighteousness, and make as it were a Prisoner of it, by setting a guard of corrupt Affections about it, ye may bring on blindess. 2. Improve what strength ye have, for if ye improve not your strength, were it but in Natural parts and endow­ments, that makes you inexcusable when Spiritual and gracious qualifications are de­nied to you, for ye have procured this to your selves; are there not many things that ye thought your selves able for, that ye never seriously once essayed, much more might have been done as to Repentance, Love to God, Charity to others, and the like; and when ye have not stretched your selves to the yondmost in these, there are sure many things left undone that ye might have done. 3. What ye dow not do, or find your selves unable to do, put it on God to do for you, seriously, humbly, singly, and self-deniedly; for if ye come not to God with that which ye are unequal and unable for, ye are still on this side your du­ty and without excuse. Take these then together, Improve any strength ye have ac­cording to any measure of Light God hath given you, and coming to God through Jesus Christ, seek that ye want from him, and leave the acceptation of your Persons and of your Performances on Him: This is the result of all that we have spoken of this Doctrine of Grace, that ye may not take occasion from the way of Gods dispencing Grace, to continue graceless, which if ye do, it will be ground of a most grievous challenge against you; but that ye may see an excellent consistency betwixt the sove­raignty of Grace, and your going about the means appointed of God in order to Faith and Conversion, and the study of Holiness; and that ye may go on in the use of these Means, with an Eye to Grace, in the sense of your own insufficiency to think as of your selves, so much as a good thought, leaving all your Duties at Christ's feet, walking be­fore him with a stopped Mouth; when any thing is wanting, standing at his Door and begging it from him, and when any thing is received, cleansing, to say so, your own Hands of it, and giving him all the Thanks, Praise, and Glory of it. To him be Praise for ever.

IN the former Verse the Prophet hath asserted the rarity and scarcity of Believing the Gospel, and receiving of Jesus Christ offered therein, Who hath believed our report? saith he, who hath made Christ welcome? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? to whom hath this Gospel been made effectual by the Power of God for the engaging of their Hearts to him?

In these two Verses he gives a reason as it were of this, which runs upon these two. 1. The low appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of his outward condition, it hath no outward beauty, splendor nor greatness to commend it, but is attended with much meanness, and with many affli­ctions. 2. The itching humour of Men who are taken up with worldly grandour, or greatness and glory, and make little ac­count of any thing that wants that; as if he said, it is no wonder that Christ get few to believe on him, and that few receive this Gospel, for he will not come with much worldly pomp and grandour, which the Men of the World greatly affect and are much taken up with.

To open the words a little, we shall first consider the matter of this reason, and then the consequence of it; or what influ­ence it hath on Mens offending at Christ, and continuing in their Unbelief; only we shall premit two or three words to both.

That which we premit first is this, That the He that is here spoken of, is our Lord Jesus Christ, who in the New Testament hath this Text applied to him, for albeit there be no He so expressly mentioned in this Chapter before, yet in the 13. Verse of the former Chapter, to which this relates, the He that is spoken of here, is called the Lords Servant; and it's said of him that He shall be exalted and extolled, and made very high; and it is not unusual to speak of Christ singularly by a relative without an antece­dent, as Cant. 1.2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; because Christ to Be­lievers is so singular an one, that when ever he is spoken of by way of eminency and excellency, as here, they cannot mistake him, or take an other for him. Secondly, This want of form and comeliness, is not to be understood of any personal defect in our Lords Humane Nature, but in respect of, and with reference to the tract of his Life, and what accompanied his Humiliation, to [Page 114] wit, That it was low and mean, without that external grandour, pomp and splen­dour of outward things, which the world esteem to be comliness and beauty. 3. Where it is said, He shall grow up before him, &c. It relates to the hearers of the report of the Gospel concerning him, or to the man that believes not the report spoken of before; And so relates to the words of the first vers. Who hath believed our report? Which is cer­tainly meant of the man that hears of him, and to whom he seems nothing worth, be­cause of his mean and low outward conditi­on; for if we should apply it to God, we cannot see how it will so well infer the scope, and be the reason of the unbelief asserted formerly, for which end it is brought in here.

We come now to open the words a little, and here we would know that Christs low condition is two wayes set down in these two verses. 1. In the 2. vers. In respect of his want of the abundance of the things of this world. 2. In the 3. vers. In respect of the accession of out­ward crosses and afflictions; for not only doth he want credit, respect, and esteem, but he hath contempt, despight, and re­proach; Not only wants he great riches, but he hath poverty, and is in a poor and low condition: The first vers. expresseth him negatively, to be no worldly great man; The second vers. expresseth him positively, to be a mean and despised man. 1. Then these words, He shall grow up as a plant out of a dry ground, are expounded by the words following, He hath no form nor comliness; For as Shrubs or Scrogs growing up out of dry ground cryn and wither, when trees planted in a fat soil, are fresh, fair, and beautiful. So shall it be with Christ when he cometh forth (saith the Prophet) to the eyes of the world, he shall, as it were, be like a Scrab in a Moor edge: Our Lord had personal and much divine comliness in him, as we may see, John 1.14. Where he saith that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth: But the comliness here spoken of, is that outward state, pomp, and splendour which great men in the world use to have, which Christ wanted: This is confirmed by the following words, And when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him; There is in men naturally a delight and complacency in that which is beautiful to the natural eye; But (saith he) there shall be no such thing seen in Jesus Christ when he cometh, and therefore no great wonder that few believe on him: And that he saith We, it is either according to the phrase used in Scripture, to make some hard thing digest and go down the better with the hearers, whereof the speaker is not guilty; or it is his expres­sing what is the humour generally in all men naturally; as if he had said, had even we who are elect and godly no more but carnal eyes, we would think no more of Christ then other folk do, for we should get no satisfaction to carnal reason.

The second thing whereby his low con­dition is set out, is in these words, He is despised and rejected of men, &c. Not only shall he want that which carnal hearts and eyes seek and look after, but he shall be so very low, that men shall set him at nought, mock, and reject him: And what wonder then that he be not believed on? A man of sorrows; As for the tract of his life, it shall be spent in sorrows; And acquainted with grief; He shall not be a man that shall be a stranger to crosses, griefs, and heavi­ness, but he shall be familiarly acquainted with them, and they with him; And we hid as it were our faces from him; A conse­quent of the former; As men will not give their countenance to them whom they de­spise; So, saith he, we shall think shame to see or look at him; He shall be the ob­ject of mens contempt and scorn, and we shall not so much as countenance him; He shall be despised and set at nought by Herod and the Roman Souldiers; And we esteemed him not; That is, we the people of the Jews, who owe him more respect, esteem­ed him not; And hence he concludes, that it is no wonder that but few believe on him: And so in the words following he goes on to describe his Humiliation, and to re­move the offence that might be taken at it, [Page 115] Surely he hath born our griefs, &c. As if he had said, there is no such cause to skar and stumble at Christ for his lowness and base outward condition; for it was not for him­self, but for us that he became so low, and therefore it did not become us to think so little of him; His griefs and sorrows are humane infirmities that he subjected him­self to for our sake; For the wrath of God which he suffered for us is spoken of after­wards. And because there is great diffe­rence betwixt Christs bearing of infirmi­ties, and our bearing of infirmities, He be­ing like to us in all things, except sin: I shall for clearing of this, name three distin­ctions given by Divines when they discourse of this purpose.

1. They distinguish and put difference betwixt the taking on of infirmities, and the contracting of infirmities; The taking on of infirmities, is the assuming of the ef­fect without the cause; of the infirmity without the sinful defect: Contracting of infirmity is the drawing on of the defect, with, and by the cause; Now, we draw on the cause with the effect, Christ took on the effect, but he had no sinful defect in him to draw on such infirmities: He might have taken on the nature of man without the infirmities, if he had so pleased, but he took on the nature and infirmities without the cause. 2. They distinguish betwixt these infirmities which are simply natural, such as man might have had though he had never sinned, and these infirmities which flow from mans nature, as fallen and cor­rupted; The first sort may be called Pas­sive, and look to suffering, as to be hungry, thirsty, weary, sensible of that which hurts the body; The second sort may be called Active, and are sinful, as flowing from sin, and tending to sin, as inclination to ill, and indisposition to good, dulness as to the up­taking of Gods mind, &c. Our Lord took on the first sort of infirmities that are simply natural, and may be without sin; But he was free of the other that implyes corruption in the nature; He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin saith the Apostle, Heb. 4.15. 3. They distinguish infirmities, in these that are cal­led natural and common to all men, as men, and these that are personal and acquired, as flowing from some defect in generation, or are drawn on by some intemperance, gross­ness in the life and conversation; As some Families are subject to Diseases that come by Generation; Others draw on Diseases by Whoredome, Drunkenness, and the like; Now our Lord was free of these last, because being conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin, there was no defect in His Generation; And being blameless in his life and conversation, he could acquire none of these infirmities; and therefore the infirmities which he bare are of the first sort; that is, such as are common to all men, and to men as men: And hence we think it probable which some say, That as our Lord was not sick, so he was not ca­pable of sickness, being so perfect in his constitution or complexion; which makes for the glory of Grace, and saith, That our Lord behoved to die a violent death, there being no principle in him tending to a natu­ral death, though notwithstanding he did most willingly to satisfie Justice for sinners. And this may serve to explain these words, That he was a man of sorrows, and acquaint­ed with griefs.

We come now to observe some things from the words, And 1. From the condition our Lord is described to come to the world in; Observe, That the Messiah the Lords Servant that was to redeem his people, was to become man, This is here supposed and Prophesied of, as the first step of his Humi­liation, He is called a Man; And it is an aggravation of it that he was to be a man of sorrows; Or taking our Lord Messiah to be already come, we may take the Observati­on thus; That the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of the eternal Father is also a true and real Man, A common truth, yet a truth fundamental to the Gospel, whereof we are not to think the less or the worse, be­cause it is a common truth; When the fulness of time came (saith the Apostle, Gal. 4 4.) God sent forth his Son made of a Woman, made under the Law; Who, as it is, Philip. 2. Thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet took upon him the shape of a Servant, and [Page 116] was made in likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient, &c. So Heb. 2.14. It's said of him, That forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also him­self likewise took part of the same, &c. And vers. 11. Both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren; And vers. 16. He took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abra­ham, wherefore in all thinge it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren; He was made even like unto us in all things except sin: And if we look to the way of grace, there was good reason for this, that the Re­deemer of sinners behoved to be Man. 1. If we consider the interposed or adjoyned threatning to the Covenant of Works, The day thou eats thou shalt surely die; There must be a satisfaction to Justice, and the curse threatned must be born. 2. The curse must be born by man, the Nature that sinned must die, the Party offending must satisfie in his own Person, or in a Cautioner. And 3. By our Lord's becoming Man, 1. He came to have a right as being near of Kin to sin­ners, to redeem them. And 2. By this the Law hath right to pursue and exact the Debt of him: And 3. By this, Grace hath access to commend the Redeemer of sin­ners to sinners, Heb. 2.17, 18. And 4.15, 16. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to he made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest, &c. And that we have such a Redeemer, it makes God, to say so, trystable, and Grace to have access, 1 Tim. 2.5. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, and this gives man access to step in to God. 4. This makes the myste­ry of Godliness to shine the more radiant­ly, and the wisdome and love of God to shine the more conspicuously thorow it, 1 Tim. 3.16. Without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness, God manifested in the flesh: And John 1.14. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, &c.

Use 1. It serves to be a prop and founda­tion to our Faith; We may say of this truth, as the Apostle, speaking of the Resurrecti­on, 1 Cor. 1.15. sayes, If Christ he not ri­sen, then our Preaching is vain, and your faith is vain; If Christ were not Man, our Preach­ing and your Hearing were in vain: 1. By this we have an evidence that our Lord is the true Messiah who was to become Man. 2. By this we see a clear way how he was lyable to our debt, and how his satisfaction is communicable to us. And 3. In this al­so we see a main and most attractive Argu­ment to draw sinners into Christ for the actual application of his purchase: Our Lord Jesus is Man, our Brother, and made of a Woman, made under the Law; O! this puts a sweetness and loveliness on the Mediator, to commend him to sinners, for the ingaging of their hearts to him.

And therefore as a second Use of it, seing there is a Man-Mediator, 1. We pray you, Men and Women, neglect not such a Salva­tion as is to be had by his becoming Man, but let this Argument prevail with you to make use of him, that he is a true Man: And we may say, when this Son of Man comes in the Clouds to Judge the World, it will be one of the greatest aggravations of the sin of unbelievers, that he came thus low as to be a Man for the good of men, and yet was not made use of by them. 2. Sin­ners that would be at him, may on this ground be confident and chearful; The Steward of Grace is a Friend, he is a Man, their Brother, and claims Kindred to them that honestly aim to do the will of his Fa­ther; whosoever shall do the will of my Fa­ther, saith he, Mat. 12. The same is my bro­ther, sister, and mother: Sinners wrong Christ and themselves oft-times when they scar at this Cordial Consolation that by Christs be­coming Man is allowed on them; Indeed if we were immediatly to go to God, who is a consuming fire, it were no wonder that we stood at a distance; but when God is in the Mediator Christ, God Man to recon­cile the World to himself, as the word is, 2 Cor. 6. Let us, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 4. ult. come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. O! make this use of it, because he is a friend that sits on the Throne. —

[Page 117]2dly. Observe, That our Lord Jesus did not only become Man, but a Man in an ex­ceeding low and afflicted condition; It had been much to the Son of God to have come in the shape of man, though he had been Emperour of the whole World, but he thought not that meet; for since it was his errand in his first coming, not to judge, but to save the World, He came not to be ministred unto, but to minister; And there­fore Joh. 13.12. He washeth the fee [...] of his Disciples: We may take both the branches of the Doctrine together, our Lord Jesus not only became Man, but He was a Man without all worldly grandour and pomp, in a low and mean condition; And not only did he want that grandour, but he had much affliction shame and sorrow in the place of it. Need we to prove this? Any who are acquainted with the History of the Gospel know it; He was for the whole tract of his life, not only in a low condition, but a man of sorrows, griefs, and afflictions; under much persecution, contempt and reproach; We might in­stance this, 1. In His Birth. 2. In His Life. And 3. In His Death, The mean­ness and lowness of his condition, and the afflictions he met with appear clearly in all these, wherein ye may behold the glory of grace and of truth; For the more low he became, the more doth the glory of grace shine, and the more also doth the glory of truth, in that he fulfilled all righteousness.

1. Then for his low condition, And that 1. In his birth, he was not born of any of the greatest Queens; However the birth of Mary was Noble, yet she was in a mean condition, for the time espoused to a Car­penter; He was not born in a great Pa­lace, but in a common Innes, which too being taken up with Guests, His Mother was thrust out, or constrained to betake her self to a Stable, where our blessed Lord is brought forth, and laid in a Manger, Crib, or Stall, out of which the Beasts eat their meat for his Cradle; There the Lord and Heir of all things is laid, and hath no other Cradle, neither was the Room hung with rich Hangings and Tapestry, as the Rooms of great ones use to be. 2. In his life he was low, for no sooner is he born but his Mother is forced to flee away with him to Egypt; He dare not be seen; And when he returns, he co-habits with, and serves his supposed Father and his Mother, was obe­dient to them, ran their errands, and wrought their work; Therefore he is cal­led, Mark 6. the Carpenter: There is no outward nor worldly pomp and grandour here; And thus he was for the space of 30. years; And then when he came to his pu­blick Ministry, he hath no great folks for his followers and Disciples, but a few poor Fisher-men; over and above whom he ex­alts not himself loftily, but humbles him­self to wash their feet, and to serve them: And to hold forth this a little further, ye may take notice of some Scripture-expres­sions to that purpose, as namely that of Luk. Chap. 9.58 Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head; That of John Chap. 1.10, 11. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not; He came unto his own, and his own received him not; Though he could have made a thousand Worlds at a word, yet so low was he, that he had not a foot of ground to lay claim to, or to lean his bles­sed head on; And if we look to Luke 8. we will find that he was provided for in his ne­cessity by some few Women, such as Mary Magdalen; Joanna, Susanna and others, who ministred to him of their substance; He lived upon the charity of others; And yet 2 Cor. 8. By his poverty he made many rich: And when he went from place to place, his diet was often a-seeking, neither do we read of any great cheer he had, but of some Barley Cakes and Fishes; And often the Disciples were sent to seek for meat to him. And 3. when it comes to his death, O! How very low is he brought there? When he is cru­cified, they hang him up betwixt two thieves, as the most notorious Malefactor of the three; And he could hardly come under greater reproach then was cast upon him at his death; And as a dead man be­ing really dead, he is laid in the grave and buried, as if death had gotten the victory over him; And so he dies a most shameful [Page 118] death, after he had lived a most mean and abject life.

2. For his afflicted condition, it is clear if we consider, what troubles did accom­pany him in his life, and at his death; No sooner was he born, but (as I said) he is persecuted by Herod, so that himself and his parents must needs flee down to Egypt, and they being but poor folks, behoved in so long a journey to meet with many difficul­ties; That they were but poor, may be seen by Maries offering after her Purification: And when he came forth in his Publick Mi­nistry, at his very entry to it he was most terribly tempted of the Devil, taking occa­sion of his hunger after long fasting; And all along the exercise of it, what contra­diction did he meet with from the Scribes and Pharisees? How did he travel on his feet from place to place? Often su [...]ject to weariness and fainting; sometimes men will not so much as give him lodging, which he suffers patiently, and rebukes his Disciples for their impatience and preposterous zeal, Luke 9. Many calumnies and reproaches were cast upon him, He was called Beelze­bub, a Deceiver, a friend of Publicans and Sinners; How did some of his fr [...]ends accor­ding to the flesh snarl at him, and offer to bind him as a mad man? What plots and conspiracies were laid and made to take a­way his life? And when it came to the up­shot of all, Peter shamefully denied him, and all the other Disciples forsook him, and fled; Many other things befell him, as may be seen in the History of his Sufferings, writ­ten by the Evangelists: We read that he wept thrice, to let us know that it was his frequent and familiar exercise, And a little before his death, we read that he was in a great agony, and did therein sweat blood, and offered prayers with strong cryes and tears; but we read not that he did laugh, or that ever any worldly mirth was found in him, which clearly makes out this truth, That he was a man of sorrows, and acquaint­ed with grief.

For Use, It would take the tongues of Men and Angels to speak of it, it being the most remarkable and soul-refreshing Sub­ject that ever the world heard of, even that of which the Angels sing, Luke 2.10, 11. Good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people, that unto you is born in the City of Da­vid a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord: And this shall be a sign to you, ye shall find the babe wraped in swadling-cloaths, lying in a manger; Sure we should not sing less, but more then Angels, Men being more concerned then Angels in these things; And therefore, 1. Behold, believe and wonder, that he that was rich became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich; that he that was Lord of all, became servant to all; that he that was the infinite God, the express image of his Fathers person, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet humbled him­self and became of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, &c. Behold (we say) believe, and wonder at this, 1. In respect of the cause it came from, to wit, everlasting love, He did and suffered all this most willingly, there was no constraint on him; But as it is, Psal. 40. He delighted to do his Fathers will; He had power to lay down his life, and to take it up again. 2. In re­spect of the end, it was not to add to his own glory; for as God, his Glory being infinit, it was not, neither was capable of diminu­tion or addition, but he became poor that we might be made rich, He was a man of sorrows, that we might be made to rejoice, he wept that we might laugh, he wanted that we might have: Is not this love stoop­ing thus lo [...] to be wondered at? Was there ever the like heard of? That God the great Party offended should come so low to reco­ver the despicable Parties offending; and that even while they were rank enemies to him? God commendeth his love to us, saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.8. that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us; And saith him­self, John 15. Greater love hath no man then this, that a man lay down his life for his friends; But when we were enemies Christ died for us; Were it then an unsuit­able use of this Doctrine, to be beholding, believing, and wondering at his love, and to be often thinking and saying, What is man that God should be so mindful of him, as to send the Heir of all things his own Son into the world, as his great Ambassadour and Com­missioner, [Page 119] to negotiat a peace betwixt him­self and rebel-sinners, which he was to pur­chase by becoming so very low, and by suf­fering so very much?

2. See in this the great evil and hurt of sin, and the difficulty of making peace be­twixt God and a sinner who hath provoked God; Is it a little matter that made our Lord condescend and stoop so low? O! if folk knew the evil of sin; And that ere Justice could be satisfied, the Son of God behoved to become Man, and a deeply humbled Man; The Sword of his avenging Justice behoved to awake against him, and smite the man that was his fellow, rather then that sin should go unpunished, and Justice should want satisfaction: Beware lightly to boast and brag of mercy, or to think it easie to make your peace with God; And remember that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

3. See in this, much condescending in our blessed Lord Jesus, and a motive as well as a copy of patience in him, who is con­tent to be made of a woman, made under the Law, who submits himself unto the Law, and takes on a mean and afflicted state of life in the world; It's a wonder that Christs members should take so ill with a mean, suffering, and hard lot, seing their lot is far, very far from the contempt, reproach­es, sorrows, weights and griefs that accom­panied their Head and Lord; And it's a shame that believers minds and hearts should be set so much on these things, that he who was and is their Lord and Master, and the Heir of all things, possessed so little of; or that they should place their happi­ness in whole or in part in the injoyment of these things, or their misery in the want of them; More patience under the Cross, under watchings, weariness, reproaches, &c. would become us much better, our blessed Lord Jesus had a great many moe.

4. See this to be not only a motiv [...] to pa­tience in respect of outward things, but a st [...]pping sto [...]e and ground of encourage­ment to go forward to Christ with every want spiritual and temporal; It's much that our Lord became Man, but it's more that he became a man under griefs, afflicti­ons, sorrows, and temptations, and was subject to death it self; And that he hath bowels of sympathy from experience of these temptations, vexations, and sorrows, as they are sinless, as is clear from Heb. 2. and 4. at the close; He knows what hunger, thirst, poverty, contempt, reproach, and persecution are; He knows what it is to be set upon with the violence of a temptation, though there was no sin in him to comply with it.

5. See here a most real Saviour, since he is a suffering Saviour; Why did our Lord become thus low? But that he might come under the curse, in the several de­grees of it, for the satisfying of Justice for our sins; And see in every piece of Christs suffering a reality of the grace and love of God; A reality in the Covenant and bar­gain of Redemption; A reality in Christs satisfying of Justice, and performing his ingagement according to the tenor of that transaction: And seing there is a reality in this Saviour, and in his suffering and satis­fying of Divine Justice, and in the price that he payed to the full; Put not this Sa­viour again to open shame, as the word is, Heb. 6.6. Trode not the Son of God under foot, neither account the blood of the Cove­nant an unholy thing; Do not despite to the Spi­rit of Grace, as it is, Heb. 10.29. He hath suffered enough already, let him not be a sufferer again; O! grieve him not by your unbelief, but give him credit by adventu­ring your souls on him upon his own terms; your selves will have the advantage and he the glory; This is the pure simple truth of the Gospel; Do not only receive it as a truth, but receive him that it holds forth, and let your hearts close with him, and your Faith feed upon him, w [...]o bec [...]me poor, that ye through his poverty mig [...]t be made rich; Happy they for evermore who are made rich through his poverty, and mise­rable are they, and muc [...] more miserable eternally will they be whose practice saith that they think they have another way to be happy then by his sufferings and satis­faction, and so disdain and rej [...]ct both him and it.

IF our hearts were suitably tender, the reading of these words, knowing of whom they are spoken, would some way prick and wound them; It's hard to determine, (though it may be we should not make the comparison) whether there is more grace in our Lords condescendence, or more wickedness and perversness in the unkind and evil meeting that he gets from sinners; But surely there is much grace on the one side in his coming so low, and much wickedness and pervers­ness on the other side; For what meets he with, even blessed Jesus, who is the glo­ry and praise of all his Saints, yea, the bright­ness of his Fathers glory? He is despised and rejected, and we esteemed him not; Even when he thus humbled himself and took on our nature, and was and is prosecuting the work of our salvation, and evidencing his grace in an inconceivable manner.

These are the two things that are spoken of here, 1. His condescending to be a man, and a mean man, and which is yet more, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; Which if we believed, and knew really what he were, that it was even he by whom all things were created, who is the beginning of the Creation of God, the first-born of every creature, yea, he for whom all things were created, for whose glory the world and all things in it were made and continue, He for whom all things are as their last end, and through whom they are preserved in their beeing, and governed in their opera­tions, and shall be seen to tend to his glory in the close; we wold certainly wonder more at this his condescendence: And yet alace, it is he that is despised and rejected, and that we hid as it were our faces from, and would not give him our countenance; It is he by whom the world was made that is despised, and we esteemed him not: And this is the second thing in the words which we are now to speak to, even the abominably unsuitable meeting that men give to our Lord Jesus, who hath so far condescended, as to leave some way his Fathers Glory, not to receive a Kingdom of this World, but to be trode upon in it as a Worm: He is despised and rejected, and we will not intertain him, nor make him welcome when he cometh; We esteem him not.

Only take this advertisement for clear­ing of the words, and for grounding of the Doctrine, that this that is spoken of Christs [Page 121] Humiliation, and mans stumbling at it, is not precisely to be restricted to his Humili­ation in his own person only, and mens stumbling at that, for it is given as the rea­son of men their stumbling and offending at Christ in all times; But it is to be extend­ed to Christ in his Gospel and Ordinances throughout all ages, & so it comes in as the reason why so few believe on him; If ye ask the reason why men do not now believe and receive Christ in the offer of the Go­spel? Here it is, for we esteemed him not, for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant; He shall be mean and contemptible-like to the men of the world, and in an affli­cted condition, therefore he is not esteem­ed, therefore he is not believed on.

These two are the main Doctrines to be spoken to here, 1. That Jesus Christ who thus condescends and humbles himself for the salvation of lost sinners is not esteemed of, but despised and undervalued, which is implied in the words, When we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him, and is more clearly holden out in the following words, He was despised, and we esteemed him not. 2. That this undervalu­ing and little esteeming of Jesus Christ, is the great ground of folks unbelief, or the reason why men do not believe on him, even because they think him not worthy the receiving; two very clear truths in the words and in experience, though as sad in their consequents.

As to the 1. which is this, that our Lord Jesus Christ is usually and ordinarly ex­ceedingly undervalued, and little esteemed of by the men of the world to whom he is offered in the Gospel; There are two things implied and supposed here in and a­bout the Doctrine, that will clear it, and be as two reasons of it, 1. That he hath no form nor comeliness, and no beauty where­fore he should be desired; which holdeth out this that men are ordinarily taken up with, and seek after worldly grandour or greatness, splendour and beauty, that's it that filleth mens eyes, and is that which Christ wanted, This we say is one reason why Christ is so little thought of, even be­cause he cometh not with external pomp, observation and grandour, nor with great temporal gifts to his followers; That which mainly is desirable to natural men is that which hath earthly beauty in it, a very de­ceitful consideration and ground, though such an one as men are often carried away with, and therefore they despise and reject the Saviour. 2. Which is another reason of the Doctrine, and also clearly implyed, that our Lord Jesus Christs Humiliation and coming so low for mans sake, his very con­descending and stooping for their good, is the great ground of their stumbling at him, and because of that he is the less thought of; Even the very hight of his grace, and that great streach thereof, that the Son of God became thus low as to become Man, a mean Man, and a Man of sorrows, is a greater ground of stumbling to men then if he had never become thus low; Now these two being supposed, and thus explained, the Doctrine is clear, to wit, that Jesus Christ that became Man, and performed the satis­faction due to the Justice of God for our sins, is usually and ordinarily disesteemed and undervalued by them to whom he is of­fered in the Gospel; 1. It was so under the Old Testament, and is so likewise un­der the New; What is almost all the Go­spel spent on? But to hold out Christ upon the one side to be a man of sorrows, and upon the other side to shew that men e­steemed him not: How was he undervalu­ed at his birth when his Mother was thrust out to a Stable, and he laid in a Manger? And no sooner doth he appear in the exer­cise of his publick Ministry, but his friends offend at him, and look on him as a di­stracted man, Mark 3. His Countrey-men contemn him, and were offended at him, Mark 6. Is not this (say they) the Carpen­ter, the Son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses? And how was he esteemed, or ra­ther disesteemed and undervalued at his death; So that it is said, Acts 3.14. They denyed the holy and just one, and desired that a murtherer should be granted unto them; They rejected the Prince of Life, and choosed Barabbas; And judging him not worthy to live, they cry away with him; Hence our Lord saith, Matth. 11. Blessed is he that is [Page 122] not offended in me, which insinuats that there were but very few to whom his Humiliation proved not a Stumbling-block. 2. If we consult experience we will find this to be true, how little is he thought of among Turks? amongst whom his precious Name is blasphemed, though they pretend more respect to him then meer Heathens do: How little is he thought of among the Jews? who call him a Deceiver: And if we come nearer, even to the Christian Church, and to such as profess their Faith of his being the Eternal Son of God, equal with the Fa­ther, that he is Judge of quick and dead, and that they look for Salvation through him, yet if it be put to a tryal, how few are they that will be found to esteem of him aright? since there are but few that believe the report that is made of him, but few that receive him as he is offered in the Gospel, few that have but such respect to him as to prefer him to their Idols, and that give him the first and chief seat in their hearts: And if we consider how little eager pursuing there is after him that he may be enjoyed, and how indifferent folks are whether they have or want him; How many things men dote upon and prefer to Jesus Christ, as the Lord complains, Jer. 2.13. My people have committed two evils, they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and have digged to themselves ci­sterns, even broken cisterns that can hold no water, the thing will be clear beyond all debate. We may take in another Branch of the Doctrine here, when he saith, We e­steemed him not; and it is this, that even Believers are in so far as unrenewed, in­clined and not without culpable accession to this same sin of undervaluing of Jesus Christ; It's indeed true that the Apostle Peter saith in his 1 Epist. Chap. 2. Vers. 7. To you that believe he is precious; Which place, though it confirm the first part of the Doctrine, that to them that believe not he is not precious, but a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; albeit that Believers being compared with Unbelievers, have some precious esteem of Jesus Christ, yet if we consider the corrupt nature that in part cleaves to them, and the degree of their estimation of him, that it's but very little and low in respect of what it should be, and the many peevish fits, too's and fro's, up's and down's that they are subject to, with the many suspicions and jealousies they have of him; so that though they were just now fresh and lively in the exercise of their Faith, and of their estimation of Christ, yet within a little, even by and by, they give way again to their jealousies, the Do­ctrine will also hold true of them, we e­steemed him not.

We shall give the second Doctrine (and then speak to the use of both jointly) which is this, That there is nothing more culpably accessory to the abounding of Un­belief, then the poor thoughts and little esti­mation that Men have of Jesus Christ; the undervaluing of him is the great ground and reason why they believe not on him; and on the contrary, if the Hearers of the Gospel had higher thoughts, and a more precious esteem of Christ, and valued him according to his unvaluable worth, there would be more believing in him then there is: When the Gospel comes to invite Men to the Wedding, Matth. 22. when Christ is roosed and commended as to what he is, what he hath purchased, and what he free­ly offereth to Sinners, it's said, that those who were bidden made light of it, and went away, one to his farm, another to his mer­chandice, &c. when Christ was spoken of, and the offer of Life through him, they un­dervalued and despised it, and made light of the offer, and therefore turned their backs, for they thought more of the House, of the Oxen, of the Farm, and of the mar­ried Wife, then they thought of him: And Acts 17. when Paul is preaching Christ at Athens, the Philosophers and Orators, these learned Heads, despise and disdain him as a setter forth of some strange and uncouth god: If we compare this with its contrary, it will be further clear, to wit, wherever there is estimation of Christ, it proves a help to Faith and a ground of it; so where­ever Christ is lightlied, disesteemed and undervalued, it breeds in Folk, and is a ground to them of these three. 1. It cools, or rather keeps cool their love and affecti­on [Page 123] to him; where he is disesteemed and undervalued, he cannot be loved, and People in that case become like these that are brought in Jer. 44.17. saying, It was better with as when we did bake cakes to the queen of heaven; the Lord is counted by them to be as a wilderness and land of dark­ness, and they say, as it is Jer. 2.31. We are lords, and will come no more unto thee; and when Men esteem not Christ, they seek not after him, they care not for an interest in him, they trust not to him; when a Man valueth a Pearl, he will readily sell all that he hath that he may buy it, but that which is not esteemed, there will be no care to come by it. 2. It hath influence to obstruct Folks giving him credit, which is of the very essence of Faith; so then, where he is not esteemed of, he is not, he cannot be believed on; the former says, that we will not marry him, this says, we will not trow him, nor trust the reality of his offer: Where he is not esteemed of, he is not taken up to be real, in good earnest, and faithful in what he says; His offers are looked upon as having neither solidity nor reality in them, therefore Rev. 19. these two are put together, first its said, Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb; and then it is subjoined, these are the true and faithful sayings of God; so that when Christ is not esteemed of, he is not thought worthy the crediting and lip­pening to; And it's on this ground that the Lord founds his contraversie with his professing People, Jer. 2.5. What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after va­nity and are become vain? they undervalued his word, they thought him not worthy credit, and therefore they turned the back on him; the same is insinuated by the Lord, Micah 6.3. O my people, what have I done un­to thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? testifie against me. 3. This little esteem of Christ weakens hope or expectation of any good that Men may have from him; when we esteem him not, there is no expectati­on of getting our need supplied, and our wants made up by him, nor of attaining in him the Happiness that we would be at, and therefore there are no serious addresses made to him for the same: These three, Love to him, Trust in him, hope from and through him, being the prime Graces in a Christian, when they are weakened, Un­belief most certainly in so far prevaileth; and it being Christ's worthiness, and the estimation thereof that gives ground to all these; then sure, when he is not esteemed but undervalued, these must also fall in their exercise, and be in utter non-entry where he is altogether undervalued: Now, laying all these together, there can hardly be any thing more culpably accessory to the aboun­ding of Unbelief then the undervaluing of precious Jesus Christ; it's impossible that he can be cordially welcomed where he is not at all esteemed of.

As for Uses of these Doctrines, they are of large extent, serving to make manifest a root of bitterness, and a great neck-break of multitudes of Souls, and which Men and Women will not easily be perswaded to believe. Let this therefore be the 1. Use of it, To discover a great Sin that is inci­dent to the Hearers of this Gospel; among many other things that may be charged on them, this is one and not the least, even little estimation of Jesus Christ, so little, that when he is speaking, they count him scarce worthy the hearing; hence is the slumbering and sleeping of so many when he is preached of, which holds out some­thing of the nature of all Men and Women; this despising, undervaluing, and thinking little of Christ, is a Sin that may for a long time cleave fast and close to the Hearers of the Gospel, and doth so to many to their very dying day. It may be ye will think this a strange and uncoath ch [...]rge, and that whoever disesteem him, ye do certainly esteem him much, but it were better ye were seriously and humbly saving with the Prophet here, He was despised and we esteemed him not: There are many who ne­ver once suspect themselves as guilty of, or chargeable with this evil; for whose con­viction, let me speak but a few words, Is there not such a bitter root in you? If it be natural to all Men and Women, how comes it to pass that ye are free of it? Is there no­thing [Page 124] of the seed of the Serpent in you? and if there be, will there not be hatred at the seed of the Woman in you? are ye any other sort of Hearers then they were to whom this is spoken? were they not Hear­ers of the Gospel as well as ye? nay he speaks here of Hearers of the Gospel in all Ages, and yet ye will disdain to take with this Sin, and will account it to be an un­couth, if not an unjust charge and imputa­tion, to say of you that ye are undervaluers and despisers of Christ; but the reason of it is twofold, the first whereof is, Because ye know not what Christ's worth is, and there­fore ye do neither esteem him, nor know that ye disesteem and undervalue him; whereas they who have win to some know­ledge of his worth, are always, or very of­ten complaining that they cannot get him suitably thought of and esteemed. The second Reason is, Because ye know not your selves, and therefore ye take self-love and estimation of your selves to be love to him and estimation of him; ye think your selves so well, that ye cannot endure to think that ye want any Grace or good thing; and esti­mation of Christ being a good thing, and ye thinking that ye could not hold up your face and own the reproaching and despising of him, ye will not let it light that ye want this Grace and good thing, a precious e­steem of him: But there is no greater evi­dence that ye are lying under the power of the deceit and delusion of your own Hearts, that your natural distemper and Feaver is not yet cooled and calmed, but that ye are still roving in Nature; and therefore, though ye be living in enmity at God and Christ, yet ye cannot be made sen­sible of it; we really think it somewhat strange, that Men and Women should live twenty, thirty, fourty, or fifty years under the Gospel, and yet never be brought to groan under this enmity, nor to lay to heart this Sin of undervaluing of Christ: But if it be a truth that none naturally do love and esteem him, then certainly many of you are grossly mistaken, that think ye esteem highly of him; Ah! your fancied esteem of him will be counted an undervaluing of him.

And if ye ask, What is that to under­value Christ, or when is he undervalued? I answer, He is undervalued 1. When he is not matched with or married, when ye match with himself, whereof he maketh of­fer, is not closed with upon his own terms; for what I pray can hinder the ending of a Bargain, or finishing a Marriage contract, especially when it's so full, free, and rich on the Proposer and Suiters part, but ei­ther that Folk think it is not fit for them, or that they think nothing of it at all? and this is it that hinders closing with Christ, Matth. 22. They made light of it and went away, &c. and Psal. 81. My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me. 2. When any thing is made equal to Christ, much more when any thing is preferred to him, he is undervalued and not esteemed of; when he gets little or none of Folks care and labour, little of their time, little of their love and delight, few or none of their thoughts, &c. but they are quite carried away after other things, for where the treasure is, there the heart will be also; and were Christ our Treasure, and precious in our esteem, our Hearts would be more set on him; but it's strange, sad, and even astonishing to think, how little our Spirits are exercised with the thoughts of Christ; how little they are taken up with longing for him and delighting in him, and yet we will think that we esteem him. 3. Our Lord is undervalued when he is not made use of, and imployed, and lippened to as an able and sufficient Saviour; If there be a learned and skilful Physician in a City in all or most Diseases, or an able Lawyer to plead all Causes; if Folk have Diseases to be cured, and Causes to be pleaded, and yet do not imploy such a Physician or such a Lawyer, but go to some other, though far less skilful and able, they undervalue him; It is even so here, when Folks have many Sins, and they seek not to him for Pardon, many, not only Temporal wants, but also and mainly, many Spiritual wants, and do not acknowledge him in them, neither seek to him for supply of them, many predomi­nant Evils, and they seek not to him to mor­tifie them, many Snares and Temptations, [Page 125] and they do not make use of him to prevent and lead them by them, and many Spiritual Causes to be pleaded before God, or at his Bar, and they do not imploy him as Advo­cate to plead for them. 4. He is underva­lued when Folk think not themselves happy enough in him, nor sicker enough in bar­gaining with him, and when he doth not sa­tisfie and fully content them, as if he were yea and nay, and as if all the promises were not yea and amen in him; when he is not credited intirely, and rested upon, he is not esteemed of, hence he complains John 5. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life: and Matth. 23. How often would I have ga­thered you and ye would not? he would, to say so with reverence, fain do them a good turn, but they will not lippen to him. O! how much undervaluing of Christ is there even among believers, when they hold and draw with him, intertain jealousies and suspitions of him, scarcely credit him, and when they do at any time credit him, are in a manner ready to take back their word again; How often are Creature-comforts overvalued by them? And how often are the consolations of God small with them? These and many other wayes are they, even they, in some considerable measure and degree guilty of undervaluing of Christ.

Use 2. Take with this sin, acknowledge and seek pardon for it,; It were a good token of some tenderness, to be mourning for enmity against Christ, and for underva­luing of him, as well as for Drunkenness, Fornication, Theft, or any other gross sin; And where that gracious and right mourn­ing that is spoken of, Zech. 12.10. comes, it will be in special for this undervaluing of Christ to the hight of piercing of him: We would ask any of you that think ye repent, if this sin of slighting him hath pierced you as it did these, Acts 2? It may be, some think themselves so cleanly and per­fect that they have not many sins to mourn for, O! dreadful mistake; But though ye had no more, is not this enough that ever there should have been enmity in your bo­some at Christ? And should not this prick you at the very heart that ever ye should have so undervalued him? But readily they that see fewest sins in themselves, will see and take with least of this sin.

Use 3. It serves to be a warning to all men in nature, to consider what their con­dition is; Do ye that have this enmity, and are undervaluers of Christ, know what is in your hearts? And do ye consider what posture ye will be found in, if Grace make not a change, in the day of Christ? ye will be found amongst these despisers and haters that would not have him to reign over them; How will you dar to appear, or in what po­sture will ye appear before him, when he whom ye despised, shall come in the glory of his Father with all the holy Angels with him, and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory? And yet appear ye must; How will the conscience then gnaw, and the heart be affrighted? How will challenges waken, yea, sting and prick you on this ground, that the Son of God, the Heir of all things, the Lord of lords, and King of kings, who pro­posed Marriage to you, was undervalued, and Marriage with him made light of, and that a thing of nought was put in his room and place? Will not this be a horrible chal­lenge in that day? And if ye would con­sider what will be their posture that mock­ed and buffetted him, and plucked off his hair, that nodded with the head, and cry­ed Aha, and bade him come down from the Cross, that did scourge him, and hang him up upon the Cross betwixt two Thieves; Such a posture will all of you be in who have despised and disesteemed him; ye will meet with that same sad sentence, Bring out these mine enemies that would not that I should reign ever them, and slay them before me; O! what a strange punishment suppose ye will that be, when the Saviour of sinners shall stand by and look on till he see ven­geance execute on sinners that despised him? Think on it, for there is such a day coming, when ye will all appear before him, and when your reckonings will be cast up; suffer not your selves to be cheated in­to an opinion that it will be accounted a little sin to be found under this guilt of despising Christ, and let not one of you put it off himself, and over upon another; they will be found despisers of him that [Page 126] would never let it light, nay even many that have Preached him, and that would have been angry at prophanity in others, as may be gathered from Mat. 7.22.

The 4. Use serves to commend this to you as a piece of your duty, to study to know Christ, and to have the suitable impression of Christ and of his worth as the great mean contributive to the bringing you to credit him, and believe on him, and to the re­moving a main obstruction that hinders your Faith, and that is the undervaluing of him; For if undervaluing of him be the great cause of unbelief, and that which mainly obstructs Faith; then the esteem­ing of him from a due impression of his worth, must be a great mean of, and help to Faith, and the more he be esteemed of, the more will he be believed on: It hath an attractive vertue to draw sinners to love him, a screwing vertue to screw up the af­fections towards him; and withal a fixing and establishing vertue to settle and stay the Soul upon him by believing; the soul that from the right impression of his worth esteems of him, knows that it may lippen to him, for he is holy and true; And hence it is, that the great thing that believers take to ground their prayers upon, is some excellency in God, some one or other of his Titles and Attributes upon which they fix, to bear them up under and against any difficulty that presseth hard upon them; This fixes also their hope and expectation of attaining of any good thing that they want through him: And therefore upon the one side we would commend to you the study of Christ's worth, and upon the o­ther, an high estimation of him, as that which will fix your Faith, and Love, and Hope on him; This we see to be in a high degree in Paul, Philip. 3. I account all things (saith he) to be but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of him, and his transcendent worth, ye would not think it lost labour, to read and study these places of Scripture, that shew what our Lord Jesus is in his Person, Nature, and Offices, that ye may have the Faith of his God-head fixed, and may be clear as to the excelling fulness that is in him; as namely that of Isai. 9.6. To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellour, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, of whose Kingdom and Government there shall be no end; And to study his ex­cellent Properties, his Eternity, Omnipo­tency, Faithfulness, Mercy, &c. common to him with the Father and Holy Ghost; and the excellent qualifications that as Me­diator he is replenished with; being full of grace and truth, and in all things having the preheminency; See Col. 1. John 1.14. and Heb. 1.2, 3. &c. The reason why we press you to this, is not only that ye may have more clear Theory and Contem­plation; But also and mainly that your af­fections may be delighted in him, and that your Faith may without hink or hesitation come to give him credit; Ignorance of Christ breeds disestimation, and disestimation makes you not to give him credit, and thus ye are kept at a distance from him; There is no study more pleasant, more precious, and more profitable. There is here then a task for you that ask what ye shall do; even to read and study the excellency of Jesus Christ, and to labour to have it well fixed in the imagination of the thoughts of your hearts; It will give you notable direction what to do, even that which is well-pleasing to God, and may be very profitable to you through his blessing.

Use 5. See here the great necessity and conveniency of studying the disestimation of Christ that is in us, as well as of studying the worth that is in him, and what he hath out of love suffered for us; These two are put together in the Text; it being need­ful for us to be as well acquainted with the one as with the other: We shall give you this use in two short Doctrines, The 1. whereof is, That it is a necessary duty for the hearers of the Gospel to study through­ly, and to be convinced of, and clear in their disestimation of Christ, as well as of his worth and excellency, because it maketh up repentance, and maketh it flow, and thorowly humbleth the sinner when he findeth this desperat wickedness and per­versness [Page 127] to be in himself, and maketh him kindly to loath and abhor himself; and un­less this desperat wickedness be seen and felt, that great and bitter mourning spoken of, Zech. 12.10. will never flow forth.

The 2. is, That where folk have any just estimation of Christ and of his worth, and are sensible of the evil of unbelief, there will also be some sense of the sin of under­valuing of him, and the more sense they have of the evil of unbelief, they will be the more sensible of their undervaluing of him; And will with the Prophet here cry out, He was despised, and we esteemed him not: And from both these ye may see the necessity of stu­dying to find out this corruption; the search and discovery whereof, will in-sight you in the evil and perversness of your na­ture, and so deeply humble you; and al­so serve highly to commend Christ and his Grace to you; and without the discovery of this corruption, it's impossible ever to be humble thorowly, or to have right thoughts of Christ and of his Grace.

Use 6. It serves to let us see the necessi­ty of believing in Christ, and of the imploy­ing of him; because there is no other way to be free of the challenges of misprising and not esteeming of him, but by receiving of him, and believing on him.

A 7th Use may be added, and it's this, That the moe there be that despise Christ, and the greater difficulty there be in be­lieving on him, the more reason have they to be thankful that he graciously works any suitable estimation of himself in, and brings them to believe on him; These who have gotten any glimpse of his Glory which hath lifted him high in their estimation to the drawing forth of their faith and love after him, would praise him for it; It's he, and only he that opened your eyes to see him, and gave you that estimation of him, and circumcised your hearts to love him; let him therefore have all the praise and glory of it; This is the Word of God, and him­self bless it to you through Jesus Christ.

THis is a most wonderful Subject that the Prophet is here dis­coursing of, even that which concerneth the sufferings of our blessed Lord Jesus, by way of prediction several hundreds of years before his Incarnation; It was much that he was to be a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; But this was more, that he was despised, and we esteemed him not; There is wonder­ful grace upon the one side, that our Lord became so very low, and wonderful con­tempt [Page 128] and enmity on the other side, that we despised him, and esteemed him not, even because of his lowness.

In the words now read, and forward, the Prophet sets himself to remove the offence that men took at our Lords Humiliation, by shewing them, that although he became so low, yet he was not to be the less esteem­ed of for that; And the ground which he layes down to remove the offence, is in the first words of the Text, which in sum is this, that there was nothing in himself wherefore he should have been brought so low, there was no sin in him, neither was there any guile found in his mouth, but he was graciously pleased to take on him that which we should have born; and therefore men ought not to stumble and offend at his stooping to bear that which would with its weight have crushed them eternally, and thereby to make their peace with God: in the 6. vers. he shews how it came to pass that he stooped so low, All we (saith he) like sheep have gone astray, and turned every one of us to our own way, and the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all; We had lost our selves, and God in the depth of his eter­nal wisdom, love, and good-will, found out the way to save us; wherein (to speak so) a Covenant was transacted betwixt God and the Mediator, who becomes Cau­tioner for our sins, which are transferred on him: From the 7. vers. to the 10. vers. he goes on in shewing the execution of this transaction, and how the Cautioner per­formed all according to his engagement; And from the 10. vers. to the close, we have the promises made to him for his satisfaction: The scope is, as to remove the scandal of the Cross, so to hold out our Lords pursuing the work of satisfaction to the Justice of God for elect sinners, and the good success he had in it.

In the 4, and 5. verses we have three things, 1. This ground asserted, Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows. 2. Mens enmity aggreged from this, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted; In the very mean time that he condescended to stoop so low for us, and to bear that which we should have born, we esteemed but little of him, we looked on him as a plagued man. 3. This is more fully explained, vers. 5. But he was wound­ed for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, He was so handled for our sins, and the chastisement of our peace was on him, that which made our peace with God was on him, By his stripes we are healed, the stripes that wounded and killed him cured us.

We have here then, rather as it were a sad narration, then a Prophesie of the Go­spel holding out a part of our Lords suffe­rings, yet a clear foundation of the consola­tion of the people of God; it being the ground of all our Faith of the pardon of sin, of our peace with God, and of our con­fident appearing before him, that our Lord was content to be thus dealt with, and to give his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair.

We shall clear the words in the assertion, which will serve to clear the words of the whole Chapter, and also of the Doctrines to be drawn from it. 1. The thing that Christ bare is called griefs and sorrows, by which we understand the effects that sin brings on men in the world, for its the same that in the 5. vers. is called his being wound­ed for our transgression, and bruised for our iniquity; It's a wounding that iniquity caus­eth, and meritoriously procureth; It's not sin it self, but the effect of sin, to wit, the punishment the sorrow and grief that sin brings with it, called griefs and sorrows; Partly because grief and sorrow is necessari­ly joyned with sin, partly to shew the ex­tremity and exceeding greatness of this grief and sorrow, and the bitter fruits that sin hath with it. 2. How is it said that Christ hath born and carried their griefs and sorrows? By this we understand, not only Christs removing of them, as he removed sickness and diseases, as it is said, Matth. 8.16, 17. But also and mainly his actual and real enduring of them, as the phrase is fre­quently used in Scripture; That man shall bear his iniquity, or he shall bear his sin, Levit. 5. and many other places; It sees out a real inflicting of the punishment that sin deserves, on him. 3. That it is said [Page 129] our griefs, and our sorrows, it is not need­lesly or superfluously set down, but to meet with the offence that men take at Christs humbling himself so low; As if he had said, What aileth you to stumble at Christs coming so low, and being so afflicted? It was not for his own sins, but for ours, that he was so handled; And they are called our griefs and sorrows, 1. Because we by our sins procured them, they were our de­serving, and due to us, the debt was ours, though he as our Cautioner took it on him­self. 2. Because though the Elect have di­stinct reckonings, and peculiar sins, some moe, some fewer, some greater, some les­ser, yet they are all put on Christs account; there is a combination of them, a gathering of them all on him, as the word is, vers. 6. He hath laid on him, or made to meet on him the iniquities of us all.

The meaning then of the assertion is this; Surely this is the cause of Christs Humilia­tion, and this makes him not only to be­come Man, but to be a mean poor Man, and to have a comfortless and afflicted life in the World, that he hath taken on him that Punishment, Curse and Wrath that was due to us for our Sins; and therefore he ought not to be offended and stumbled at.

Now because Socinians, the great Ene­mies of Christs satisfaction, and of the com­fort of his People, labour to elude this place, and to make Christ only an exemplary Sa­viour, and deny that he really and actually did undergo these Griefs and Sorrows for the Sins of his Elect; We shall a little clear and confirm the exposition we have given; the question is not about the taking away of Sin, but about the manner of removing it; They say that it is by Gods pardoning of it without a Satisfaction; We say it is by Christs Satisfaction; So the difficulty in expounding the words, is whether to ex­pound them of Christs removing our Sor­rows and Griefs from us, or of his bearing of them for our Sin, and so really taking it away: And that this Scripture means not of a simple removing of them, as he did remove Sickness, Matth 8.17. but by a real taking them on himself, and bearing of of them in order to the satisfaction of the Justice of God for our Sins: We shall give these Reasons to confirm it. 1. Because these words are to be understood of such a bearing of Sorrows and Griefs as made Christ to be contemptible and despised before others, This is clear from the scope, for they are given as a reason why Christ was reject­ed and despised as a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief, and why Men should not stumble at him for all that, because it was for them; now, if he had only remov­ed Sorrows from them as he did Sicknesses, it had not been a cause of his Sorrow and Grief, nor of any Mans stumbling at him, but had been rather a cause of his exalta­tion in Mens esteem; But its given here as a cause of that which went before in the first part of the 3. Verse, and also as a rea­son why Men should not stumble at him, and withall as an aggravation of their guil [...] who did stumble at him: Now it's clear that the ground of the Jews despising and mocking of him, was nor his removing of Sicknesses and Diseases, but his seeming to be given over unto Deaths power. 2. Be­cause that which is called here, bearing of sorrows and griefs, is in the words follow­ing, called, a being wounded for our trans­gressions, which imports not only that h [...] was wounded, but that our Iniquities were the cause of his being wounded, and that the desert of them was laid on him. 3. This wounding is holden forth, to be the stripes whereby we are healed; and all we like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all; we did the wrong but he made the amends; and it was such a wounding as proves a cure to us, and makes way for our peace and reconci­liation with God; and such, as without it, there is no healing for us, for by his stripes we are healed; it's by his swallowing up of the river and torrent of Wrath that was in our way and would have drowned us eter­nally, had not he interposed for us, that we escape. 4. Consider the parallel places to this in the New Testament, and we will find that this place holds our Christs re [...]l and actual bearing of our Sorrows and and Griefs; I shall only name three, The [Page 130] 1. Is that of the 2 Cor. 5.21. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, which can be no other way exponed but of Christs being made an Offering and Sacrifice for our Sins; he not being a Sinner himself, but becoming our Cautioner and engaging to pay our Debt, and to tell down the price for the satisfaction of Divine Justice; he is reckoned to be the Sinner, and our Sins are imputed to him, and he is dealt with as a Sinner. A 2d place is that of Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for us, as it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree; The Sorrows and Griefs that Isaiah says here he should bear, are there exponed by the Apostle, to be, his be­ing made a Curse, or his bearing of the Curse that we should have born; it's not meant simply of his removing the Curse from us, but it also sets out the manner how he re­moved, to wit, by his own bearing of it himself, being nailed to the Cross, accord­ing to the threatning given out before. The 3d. place is that of 1 Pet. 2.24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree; where there is a direct reference to this place of Isaiah, which is cited for confirmation of what the Apostle saith, and every word is full and hath a special signi­fication and emphasis in it, He his own self bare, the same word that is here, and our sins, and in his own body, and on the tree; intimating the lowest step of his Humiliati­on, by whose stripes ye were healed, for ye were as sheep going astray, &c. by his bear­ing of our Sins the burden of Sin was taken off us, and we are set free.

I know that place of Matth. 8.17. hath its own difficulty, and therefore I shall speak a word for clearing of it; he hath spoken vers. 16. of Christ's healing all that were sick, and then subjoyns in the 17. vers. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying, himself took our in­firmities and bare our sicknesses; whereup­on these enemies of Christ would infer, that this place of Scripture hath no other, nor further meaning, but of Christ's curing of some sick Folks, and of the deputed or committed power which he hath to pardon sins; but we suppose that the reasons which we have already given, make it clear, that this cannot be the meaning of the place, to which we shall add first. A Reason or two, and secondly, Give you the true meaning of it.

The Reasons why one cannot be the meaning of the place, are 1. Because Acts 8.32. this Scripture is spoken of as being dayly a fulfilling by Christ, and therefore it could not be fulfilled in these few days wherein he was in the Flesh upon Earth. 2. Because this bearing of our Griefs and Sorrows is such a piece of Christs Humilia­tion, as thereby he took on all the Griefs and Sorrows of all the Elect at once, both of these who lived in Isaiah his time, and of these who lived before, and since his time, and therefore cannot be restricted to the curing of Temporal Diseases in the days wherein he was on Earth, nay, not to the pardoning of the Sins of the Elect then living, there being many El [...]ct before and since comprehended in this his Satisfaction, which was most certainly a Satisfaction for the Sins of the Elect that were dead and to be born, as well as for the Sins of them that were then living.

2. For the meaning of the place, 1. We are not to look on Christ's curing of Sick­nesses and Diseases, Matth. 8 16. as a pro­per fulfilling of this place, Isa 52.4. but as many Scriptures are spoken by way of allu­sion to other Scriprures, so is this; there is indeed some fulfilling of the one in the other, and some resemblance betwixt the one and the other, and the resemblance is this, even to shew Christs tenderness to the outward condition of Folks bodies, where­by he evidenced his tenderness and respect to the inward sad condition of their im­mortal Souls whereinto they were brought through their Sin; the great thing aimed at by the Prophet. 2. If we consider the Griefs and Sorrows that Christ bare and suf­fered complexly in their cause and eff [...]cts, he in healing of these Diseases and Sicknesses bare our Griefs and carried our Sorrows, because when he took on our Debt, he took it on with all the consequences of it; and [Page 131] so though Christ took on no Disease in his own Person, for we read not that he was ever sick, yet in taking on the Debt in com­mon of the Elect, he virtually took on all Sicknesses and Diseases, or what they suffe­red in all Diseases or should have suffered, he took it on together; and hereby he had a right, to speak so, to the carrying of all Diseases, and in carrying of them he had respect to the cause of them, to wit, Sin; therefore to such as he cured, he says very often, Thy sins be forgiven thee; he studied to remove that in most of them he did deal with; and so looking on our Lord as taking on our Sins complexly with the cause, and as having a right to remove all the effects of Sin, evidencing it self in the removing of these Diseases whereof Sin was the cause, these words may be thus fulfilled; and so they are clear, and the Doctrine also; We have here no meer exemp [...]ary Saviour that hath done no more but confirmed his Do­ctrine, and given us a copy how to do and behave, but he hath really and actually born our Sorrows and Griefs, and removed our Debt, by undergoing the punishment due to us for Sin.

Observe here 1. That Sin, in no Flesh, no, not in the Elect themselves, is without Sorrow and Grief; Tribulation and An­guish are knit to it, or it hath these follow­ing on it; or take the Doctrine thus, Wherever there is Sin, there is the cause of much Sorrow and Grief; no more can the native cause be without the effect, then Sin can be without Sorrow and Grief, it's the plain assertion of Scripture. Rom. 2.8, 9. Indignation and wrath, tribulation and an­guish upon every soul of man that doth evil; which one place, putting the four words together says, 1. That there is Sorrow most certainly and inseparably on every Soul that hath sinned, And 2. That this Sorrow is exceeding great (which may also be the reason why this Sorrow is set out in two words in the Text) therefore four words are used by the Apostle to express it: It's not our purpose here to dispute, whether God in his Justice doth by necessity of Na­ture punish the Sinner: These three things considered, will make out the Doctrine, which is, That there is a necessary connexi­on betwixt S [...]n and Sorrow, and that this Sorrow must needs be very great; 1. If we consider the exceeding unsuitableness of Sin to the holy Law of God, and how it is a di­rect contrariety to that most pure and per­fect Law. 2. If we consider the perfectly holy Nature of God himself, The righteous Lord saith the P [...]almist, Psal. 11.7. loveth righteousness; and the Prophet Hab. 1.13. says, He is of purer eyes then that be can be­hold evil, and he cannot look upon iniquity; and though we need no [...] to dispute Gods Soveraignty, yet it is clear that he is angry with the wicked every day, Psal. 7.11. and he will by no means clear the guilty, Exod. 34.7. and tha [...] there is a greater suitableness in his inflicting Sorrow and Grief on a Sin­ner that walks contrary to him, then there is in shewing him Mercy; and there is a greater suitableness in his shewing Mercy to a humbled Sinner that is aiming to walk holily before him. 3. If we consider the revealed will of God in the Threatning, who hath said, the day thou eatest thou shalt surely die, we may say there is, as they speak in the Schools, a hypothetick neces­sity of grief and sorrow to follow on Sin, and that there is a necessary connexion be­twixt them; and this may very well stand with the Mediator his coming in and inter­posing to take that Grief and Sorrow from off us, and to lay it on himself; but it was once ours because of our Sin.

If it be ask [...]d w [...]at Grief and Sorrow this is? We said it's very great, and there is reason for it, for though our act of Sin. 1. As to the Subject that Sins, Man. And 2. As to the act of [...]in it self, a sinful thought word or deed that is soon gone, be finit; yet if we consider Sin, 1. In respect of the object [...]gainst whom, the infinite God. 2. In respect of the absolute purity of Gods Law, a rule that bears ou [...] G [...]ds Image set down by infinite Wisdom, and that may be some way called infinitely pure; and Sin as being against this pure rule that in­finite Wisdom hath set down; And 3. If we consider it in no respect of its nature, every sin being of this nature that though it cannot properly wrong the Majesty of God, [Page 132] yet as to the intention of the thing, and even of the Sinner, it wrongs him; Sin in these respects may be called infinite, and the wrong done to the Majesty of God thereby, may be called infinite; as these who built Babel, their intention in that work breathed forth infinite wrong to God, as having a di­rect tendency to bring them off from de­pendance on him; and so every Sin if it had its will and intent, would put God in sub­ordination to it, and set it self in his room, and therefore Sin in some respect as to the wrong against God is infinite.

2. Observe, That the real and very great Sorrow that the Sins of the Elect deserved, our Lord Jesus did realty and actually bear and suffer; as we have exponed the words and confirmed the exposition given of them, ye have a clear confirmation of the Doctrine from them; 1. Griefs and Sor­rows in the plural Number, shew intensness of Sorrow and Grief. 2. That they are cal­led ours, it shews our propriety in them, And 3. That it's said Christ bare them; These concur to prove the Doctrine; that the same Sorrow which the Sins of the Elect deserved Christ bare; It not only says that our Lord bare Sorrows, but the same Sor­rows that by the Sins of the Elect were due to them, and so there was a propor­tionableness betwixt the Sorrows that he bare, and the Sorrows they should have endured; he took up the cup of Wrath that was filled for us, and that we would have been put to drink, and drank it out himself; suppose that our Lord had never died (as blessed be his Name, there is no ground to make the supposi [...]ion) the cup of S [...]rrow that the Elect would have drunken eternally, was the same cup that he drank our for them: It is true, we would distinguish betwixt these things that are es­sentially due to Sin as the punishment of it; and these things that are only accidentally due to it, the former Christ bare but not the latter; To clear both in a word or two, 1. These things essentially due to Sin as ne­cessarly included in the Threatning. The day thou eatest thou shalt surely die; and in the curse of the Law according to that, Cursed is every one that abides not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them, are Death and the Curse, these are essentially the desert of Sin; in which re­spect it was not only necessary that Christ should become Man and [...]ffer, but that he should suffer to death or sh [...]uld die, and not only so, but that he should die the curs­ed death of the Cross, as the Threatning and Curse put together hold out; and as to all these things that he underwent and met with before, and at his death, they were the accomplishment of the Threatning due to us, and fulfilled in and by him in our room; so that as he himself saith, Luke 24.26. O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken, ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entered into his glory? therefore he behoved to be in an Agony, and to sweat great drops of Blood, to be crucified and die, and to be laid in the Grave. 2. These things which we call accidentally due to Sin, are mainly two, 1. That horrible desperation of the damned in He [...]l, where they gnaw their tongues for pain and blaspheme God; This we say is not properly and essentially the desert of Sin, but only accidental; 1. In respect of the Creatures inability to bear the wrath that Sin deserveth, and hence ariseth not only a sinless horrour which is natural, but a sinful desperation. 2. Add to this inability of the Creature, the enmity there­of, whereby it cometh to thwart with and contradict the will of God; hence the de­speration not only ariseth but is increased: Now, our Lord Jesus not being simply a Creature or a Man, but God and Man in one Person, he was able to bear the sorrow and wrath due to the Elect for their Sin; and and there being no quarrel, nor ground of any quarrel betwixt God and him on his own account, though he had a natural and sinless horrour at the cup of his Fathers dis­pleasure when put to his head; yet he had no sinful desperation. The 2d. thing acci­dentally due to Sin, is the eternal duration of Wrath or of the Curse, because the Sin­ner being a meer Creature, cannot at one shoke meet with the infinite Wrath of God, and satisfie Justice at once, therefore the Lord hath in his Wisdom and Justice found [Page 133] out a way of supporting the Creature in its beeing, and continuing it for ever under wrath, because it cannot, being finit, sa­tisfie infinite Justice: But our Lord being God and Man, being of infinite worth or value, and of infinite strength, was also to satisfie Justice, and bear at once, that which the El [...]ct could never have born; yet he had the essentials of that which sin deserved, to wit, death and the curse to meet with, and did actually meet with them, as the hiding of his Fathers face, and the suspending and keeping back of that consolation, that by vertue of the personal union flowed from the God-head to the Man-head; And he also had the actual sense and feeling of the wrath of God, the awaked Sword of the Justice of God actu­ally smiting him; so that men wondered how he could be dead so soon. We shall only add a word or two of reasons for clear­ing and confirming the Doctrine; and for proof of it, these three things concur, 1. That sins deserving by God's appointment, is to have sorrow following on it. 2 That by God's appointment according to the Covenant of Redemption, the Son of God undertook that same very debt that was due by the Elect. And 3. That it was God's design not to pass one of their sins without satisfaction made to Justice, but to put at the Cautioner for them all; for the declaration of the riches and glory of the free grace of God when the sinner is libe­rat, and not put to pay; An [...] for the de­claration of the holy severity and justice of God, when not one farthing is owing, but the Cautioner must needs pay it, and that both these meeting together, there may be to all generations a standing and shining e­vidence of the unsearchable riches both of Gods Grace and of his Justice.

This is a sweet Doctrine, and hath ma­ny massie, substantial, and soul refreshing uses: Out of this eater comes meat, and out of the strong comes sweet; This being the very marrow of the Gospel, holding out not only Christs sufferings, but that he suffered not at randome or by guess, but that he suffered the sorrows and griefs that we should have suffered; and though the equivalent might have been received, yet he would needs undergo the same suffer­ings in their essentials: Which may ex­ceedingly confirm the Faith and Hope of believers in him, of their exemption and freedom from the wrath and curse of God, seing he suffered the same that they should have suffered, had not he interposed be­twixt them and it as their Cautioner and Surety.

Use 1. Hereby we may know what an evil and bitter thing sin is that hath such effects; Would God we could once pre­vail this far with you, as to make you take up and believe, that sin hath sorrow and grief inseparably knit to it, and that the sinner is miserable and liable to death, and to the curse of God, and there is no diffe­rence but this, that sinners are insensible how miserable they are, and so in greater capacity to be made obnoxious to that mi­sery; Do ye mind this, O sinners, that God is angry with you every day? That in­dignation and wrath, tribulation and an­guish is to every soul of man that does evil? That God will by no means clear the guilty? Tremble to think upon it; Many of you pass as gay honest folks who will be found in this Roll: And would ye know your condition, and the hazard that ye run? It's of wrath and of the curse of God eter­nally with desperation and blasphemy; And if that be misery, sin is misery, or brings it; And the day comes when there shall be a storm from Heaven of Fire and Thun­der; that will melt the Elements above you, and not leave a stone upon a stone of these stately buildings on earrh about you; in which day sinners will be confirmed in the belief of this truth, That it is an evil and bitter thing to depart from the living God.

To press this Use a little; There are two sorts of sinners, who, if they would soberly let the truth of this Doctrine sink in their minds, they would see their folly: The 1. sort are these who [...]ly quietly under bygone guilt unrepented of, as if the sor­row were past, bec [...]use the Act is so; but think not so, will the just God av [...]nge sin on his Son, and will he let it pass in you? [Page 134] Ye that will grant ye are sinners, and are under convictions of sin, ye had need to take heed what is following it; As ye trea­sure up sin, ye are treasuring up wrath a­gainst the day of wrath; O! wrath is a heap­ing up in store for you. A 2. sort are these that go on in sin whatever be said to the effects of it; and will confidently put their hand to it, as if there were no sting in it at all, and drink it over as so much sweet liquor, but of these stoln drinks that seem sweet in secreet, will be vomited up again with pain, torment and sorrow; and either it shall be grief and sorrow to you in the way of repentance, or eternal grief and sorrow when the cup of Gods wrath shall be put in your hand, and held to your head for evermore.

Use 2. By this ye may see a necessity of making use of the Mediator Christ Jesus; It's Gods great mercy that he hath given a Mediator, and that the Mediator is come, and that he hath taken on our debt: What had been our eternal perishing and wallow­ing in Hells torments with Devils, to his sufferings? Alwayes this Doctrine saith that there is a necessity of making use of him, and receiving of him; And therefore either resolve to meet with this sorrow in your own persons, or betake you to him, that by his interposing it may be kept off you; Weigh these two, that sorrow, death, and the curse, necessarily follow sin; And that Jesus Christ h [...]th died and undergone that curse for elect sinners, and then ye will see a necessity of being found in him, that ye may be free of the curse; Which made Paul make that choise, Philip. 3 8, 9, I count all things dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him. Oft-times the allurements of the Gospel prevail not to bring sinners to Chri [...]t, but if it's allurements do not prevail, will not the consideration of the vengeance of God perswade you? However in these two Doctrines ye have in sum this, the curse of God following sin, and a free and full Saviour holden out to you, by whom ye may evi [...]e the curse; ye are invited [...]o make him welcome; Choose you, death and life are set before you, whereby you are put to it whether ye will adventure to meet with the curse, or to make him welcome; Now God himself make you wise to make the right choise.

IF we had the Faith of that which the Prophet speaks here, and the through conviction who it is of whom he speaks, we would be in a holy trans­port of admiration and astonishment at the hearing of it; That it's he who is the Prince of life, that was bruised and wounded, and that these bruises, wounds and stripes are ours, were for us, and the price and satisfaction for our iniquities to Divine Justice; And yet that even he in the performing of all this, is vilipended and [Page 135] despised by these whose good he is thus pursuing and seeking after, O! how should it be wondered at?

These words (as we shew) hold forth these three, 1. The cause or end of Christs suffering Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows; which is to remove and take away the scandal that might arise from Christs Humiliation, described in the foregoing words; He was low indeed but there was no guilt found in his mouth; It was for no quarrel that God had at himself, but he undertook our debt, and therefore carried our sorrows. 2. The aggravation of mens enmity, and desperat wickedness, that yet notwithstanding of all this, We esteemed him smitten of God, and a flicted. 3. We have the Exposition of the first part more clearly set down, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, &c. Where more fully he expounds what in the beginning of the 4. vers. he asserted.

We expounded the first part of the words, and shew that these griefs and sor­rows held forth the due desert of sin, cal­led ours, because they are the due and par­ticular desert of our sins, and that which they procured, and that Christ's bearing of them, was not only meant of his taking away, or removing from us of sorrows and griefs, as he did diseases, but of his real undergoing of that which we should have undergone, even such a bearing as made others think him smitten and plagued of God, and such as wounded and bruised him, even such as made him become a curse for us, and such as procured healing to us; All which proves that it was a re [...]l undergoing of sorrow and grief.

We spoke to two Doctrines from this part, 1. That sin hath sorrow necessarily knit to it, and never wanteth sorrow fol­lowing on it. 2. That Christ Jesus under­took these same sorrows, and really bare these same griefs that sin procured to the Elect, or that by sin were due to them.

That we may proceed to observe some­what more, and for clearer access to the Doctrine, we shall speak a word to a Que­stion that may be moved here.

What is meant by these words, our, we, and us? He hath born our griefs, the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all, by his stripes we are healed? And the ra­ther I would speak to this, because through­out the Chapter we will find these Pro­nouns very frequent. We know in Scrip­ture our and us are sometimes extended to all mankind, so we are all lost in Adam, and sin hath a dominion over us all; And that part of the wor [...]s, vers. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray, may well be extend­ed to all mankind: Sometimes it is to be restrict [...]d to God's Elect, and so all com­prehends only such and all such; And in this respect our, us, and we, and all, are con­tradistinguished from many others in the World; and take not in all men, as Gal. 4.26. Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all; Which is spoken in opposition to th [...] bond woman and her chil­dren spoken of before; So that this our, us, and we, are not to be extended to all individual men in the W [...]rld, as if Christ had satisfied the Justice of God for all, but it is to be applied to Gods Elect, separat in his purpose from others, and in Gods design appointed to be redeemed and sa­tisfied for by Christ; And the words be­ing thus expounded they lead us to this Doctrine, that Jesus Christ in bearing the punishment of sin, had a particular and distinct respect to some definite sinners; for confirmation of it, we shall not go out of the Chap [...]er, the scope whereof we would clear a little; And if we look tho­row the Chapter, we will find five grounds to clear these words are to be thus re­stricted.

For 1. We are to expound this univer­sal with respect to Gods purpose and Cove­nant, the contrivance of the Elects Re­demption, and to the death of Christ, the execution of it, and so these words our, us, we, all are, and must be restricted to these, and in them we are to find out who they are: Now, who these are, we find clear, John 6.37, 39. In the 37. v. where he saith, All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me, And v. 39. This is the Fathers will which hath sent me, that of all [Page 136] which he hath given me I should lose nothing; It's in a word these whom the Father hath given to Christ, and as many as are given will believe: And certainly these that are given to Christ to be redeemed by him, are the same whose iniquities the Father makes to meet on him; And these are distinguish­ed from these not given, John 17.6, 11. And are called his sheep. Joh. 10.15, and 17. Therefore doth my Father love me, be­cause I lay down my life, to wit, for my sheep: And all the strain of this Chapter being to shew Gods way of contriving and prosecu­ting the work of Redemption, and Christs executing thereof according to the Cove­nant of Redemption; All this spoken of Christs suffering must be expounded accor­ding to that ingagement. 2. Whereas it is said, v. 8. For the transgressions of my people was he stricken; It is certain, this our and us and we for whom Christ was stricken, must be restricted to Gods people; That is his peculiar people who are his by elect­ing love, as Christ saith, Joh. 17.6. Thine they were, and thou gavest them to me; They are not his as all the World are his, but are contradistinguished from the world as his own peculiar, purposed, designed peo­ple; Sure all the World are not God's People in this sense, therefore they are cal­led his sheep, and contradistinguished from these who are not his sheep, Joh. 10.17. And therefore we are to look on these words, our, us, and we, as of equivalent extent with the peculiar people of God; He carried the punishment of the sins of all Gods people that are his peculiar election. 3. So v. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed; Hence we gather this, that these whose iniquities Ch [...]ist bare, are Christs Seed, and for these he purposely laid down his life, as these whom he expected should be saved for sa­tisfying of him for the travel of his soul, and for no moe, and these cannot certainly be all the World, there being such contradi­stinction betwixt Christ Mystical, or his Seed comprehending the Elect, And the Seed of the Serpent comprehending the Re­probat and Wicked, who are said to be of their father the Devil; These are Christs Seed who are spiritually begotten of him, and these doubtless are not all the World, and for these only he suffered; So that our sins here, are the sins of all the Seed. 4. Look to v. 11. where it is said, By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many, for he shall bear their iniquities: Where it is clear whose sins they are that Christ bears; it's theirs who are justified by his knowledge, or by faith in his blood, and justification by faith in his blood, and redemption by his blood, are commen­sutable, and of equal extent: Now, it be­ing certain as to the event, that not all the World, nor all in the visible Church, are justified by the Faith of Christ, it must also be certain that the sins of others who are not, nor shall not be justified, were never purposly born by Christ: And this ground as all the rest, will be the more clear, if we consider that it is given as an Argument why they must be justified, because he hath born their iniquities. A 5. ground may be gathered from the last words of the Chap­ter, He made intercession for the transgressours; Whence we may reason, that Christ's in­tercession and his satisfaction, are of equal extent, he satisfies for no moe then he in­terceeds for; Now, it was not for all the World, nor indefinitely and by guess for all in the visible Church that Christ did inter­ceed, but for them that the Father had given him out of the world, John 17. v. 9. and v. 6. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me: And v. 10. All mine are thine, and thine are mine; Christs death being the ground of his intercession, and it being by vertue of his death that he interceeded, his death and intercession must be of the same extent; He interceeds for such and such sinners, because he hath payed a price for them, that there may be a good account made of them at the last day.

The 1. Use of it serves to clear a great and precious truth concerning Gods Cove­nant and discriminating love whereby he hath put difference betwixt some and o­thers. 2. It serves to stir them up who are thus differenced, to admire at, and to com­mend his love, who hath been graciously mindful of them when others are past by. [Page 137] 3. It serves also to clear other Scriptures, and this same Chapter, and to teach us, not to make common to all, the priviledges bestowed on some peculiar ones; and to guard us against the vilifying and propha­ning of our Lords sufferings, as if he had no special and peculiar design in them, or as if they might be frustrated in the design of them contrary to the promises made to him of the Father.

And therefore here to obviat an Ob­jection which is made from the 6 vers. All we like sheep have gone astray; Whence some would infer, that it's all who like sheep have strayed, whose iniquities Christ hath born; We say, that, that all is not meant to comprehend them whose iniquities Christ hath born only, but to hold out the extent of straying; or, the meaning is not to shew that his suffering and satisfying of Justice, extended to all that strayed; but to shew that the Elect for whom he suffer­ed had all of them strayed, as well as o­thers; And this is like the reasoning which the Apostle hath, 2 Cor. 5.14. If one died for all, then were all dead; The meaning whereof is not, that Christ died for all that were dead, but this is the meaning, that all for whom Christ died were once dead: so here while it's said, All we like sheep have gone astray; It is to shew that the Elect strayed and esteemed him not as well as others, and had Go [...]s curse lying on them as their due, all Christ interposed and took it off them as well as others. The Point might have also Use for Confirmation, but we do not follow these.

2. Surely he hath born our griefs, and car­ried our sorrows, that is our griefs and sor­rows who are his Elect, his People, his Seed, who flee to him for refuge, and are justified by his knowledge, or by Faith in him, and for whom he maketh intercessi­on; H [...]nce Observe, that Believers would endeavour the strengthening of themselves in the Faith of this, that J [...]sus Christ hath born their griefs and sorrows, and hath sa­tisfied Justice for t [...]en in particular; they would study to be in case on good ground with the Prophet, to say. Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows; To make it sure that they are in the Roll of Elect Be­lievers, and Justified Persons; To say with the Apostle Paul, Gal. 3.13. He was made a curse for us; And with the same Apostle, 2 Cor. 5. ult. to say, He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; And to say with the Apostle Peter, 1 Pet. 2.24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree; they speak al­wayes by way of application; So in these places whereby we confirmed the Doctrine, that Christ really bare that punishment of the sins of the Elect, are exprest in an ap­plicatory way; And that no [...]able place, Gal. 2.20. Where, as if it were not e­nough to say, he loved us, and gave him­self for us, he draws it nearer and more home, and saith, Who loved me, and gave himself for me. But that ye may not mistake the point, my meaning is not, that every body off hand should make application of Christs death; O! the presumption and desperat security that destroyes thousands of souls here; as if there were no such di­stinction as we held forth in the first Do­ctrine, nor any Barr to be put in the way of that fancied universal application of Christs dying for all sinners; whereas we shew that it was for his sheep, and these gi­ven to him of the Father only, that he died, and for no moe; But this is my meaning, that (as it is, 2 Pet. 1.10.) ye would give diligence to make your calling and electi­on sure, and [...]t in an orderly way ye would s [...]cure and sicker your interest in Christs death; Not to make this the first thing that ye apprehend for the foundation of your Faith, that he died for you in parti­cular, for that were to come to the top of the Stairs, before ye begin to set foot on the first step; But the orderly way is to make sure your fleeing to Christ in the sense of sin, and your closing with him on his own terms, and your having the chara­cters of his people ingraven on you; And then from such premisses ye may draw this conclusion as the result thereof, Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows: Then ye may be satisfiedly confirmed in this, that when Christ transacted and bar­gained with the Father about the Elect, [Page 138] when he prayed, and took the Cup of his Fathers wrath and drank it out for them, he minded your names, and was made a curse in your room: The reason is drawn from the advantage of such a Doctrine, as having hanging on it the consolation of all the promises of God; for we can never comforta [...]ly apply, nor be delighted in the promises, till we co [...]e to make particular application of Christs purpose and purchase in the work of Redemption: This is it that rids Marches, and draws a Line betwixt us and re [...]robat ungodly men, a [...]d that keeps from the fear of eternal death that pursues them; And it gives some ground of hope to lay hold on, and grip to, as to our en­joying of Christs purchase: I kn [...]w there is noth [...]ng that f [...]k had more need to be so­ber and warry in the search of, and in the securing themselves in, then this; yet by the same command that injoyneth us, to make our Covenant-state, our Calling and El [...]ction sure, we are bound to make our Redemption sure; And having at some length spoken of the way of making sure our believing, on the 1. vers. We may insist the less on this, of making sure our Redempti­on [...]y Christ.

The 1. Use serves for Information; To let you know, 1. That there are many pro­sessing Christians, that account this a curi­ous, nice, and conceity thing, to study to be sure, and to make it sure, that Christ in his death and sufferings minded them in particular; Others may be think it impos­sible; And all may think it a right hard and difficult thing, and indeed so it is; But yet we would have you to consider, 1. That simply it is not impossible, [...]lse we should say, that the comfort of the people o [...] God were impossible. 2. That it is no curious thing, for the Lord doth not lay the obli­gation to curiosity on any, though we would wish that many had a holy curiosity to know God's mind towards them, that they might not live in the dark about such a concern­ing business. 3. That the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Psal. 25.14. And even this same secret concerning Re­demption is with them, and he will shew them his Covenant: And indeed it were no small matter to have this manifested.

And therefore as a 2. Use of the point, we would commend to you the study of making this sure; for it hath many notable advan­tages attending it; it would provoke to humility, and to thankfulness to him that loved us, and washed us from ou [...] sins in his own blood; It would make a c [...]mfortable and chearful Christian li [...]e; It would warm the heart with love to God, and to Jesus Christ who hath thus loved us as to give himself for us: When we commend this to you, it's no uncouth, nice, needlesl [...] cu­rious, or unattainable thing, nor would we have you when ye cannot attain it, to fit down discouraged; neither would we have you take any extraordinary way to come by it; nor waiting for any new light but that which is in the Bible; nor would we have you resolving to do no other thing till ye attain to this: But this we would have you to do, even to make Faith in Christ sure, by fleeing to him, and casting your burden on him, by cordial receiving of him, and acquiescing in him; and then ye make all sure; The committing of your selves to him to be saved by his price payed to Di­vine Justice, and resting on him as he is holden ou [...] in the Gospel, is the way to read your interest in his R [...]demption: And this is it that we have Gal. 3. and 2.19. Where it is disputed at length, that we are Heirs of Abraham by believing, and by the Law (saith the Apostle) I am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God: I am crucifi [...]d with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I live in the fl sh is by the Faith of the Son of God: Hence he concludes, Who loved me, and gave himself for me; And this he proves in the last words, I do not frustrate the grace of God, I do not disappoint it. I marr it not in its end and design; It is (as if he had said) seeking a lost sinner to save, and I give it a lost sinner to be saved; For though God's Decree be the first step to Salvation, and the work of Redemption follows on it, and then believing on both; yet to come to the knowledge of Gods Decree of Electi­on, and of our concern in the Covenant of Redemption, we look downward, and seek first to know if we have right to make ap­plication [Page 139] of that which was thought upon long since concerning us, and this we do by reflecting on the way we have come to believing: If we have been convinced and made sensible of sin, and of our lost con­dition by nature, if we have not smother­ed that conviction but cherished it; If we have not run to this or that duty for satis­fying of Divine Justice, and for making of our peace ther [...]by, but were necessitate to betake our selves to Jesus Christ made offer of in the Gospel for the salvation of sinners, and if we have closed with him as he was offered: And if we have done so, we may th [...]nce conclude that he hath loved us, and given himself to save us; Because he hath humbled me for sin (may the serious soul say) and giv [...]n me this fai [...]h to believe in him, and this is his promise which I rest upon, that I shall be saved. Or thou may­est try thy interest in his Redemption thus; Whether am I one of Gods people or not? Whether do I walk like them? and so go thorow the marks and signs of holiness, asking [...]hy self, What sinceri [...]y is there in me? What Mortification? What Humili­ty, Meekness, Love to God and his Chil­dren? A [...]d wha [...] fruits of Faith in new-obedience? These two F ith and Holi­ness are the Pillars that bear up the House of Assurance; Working and not resting on it, believ [...]ng and yet not growing vain and light because of it, but so much the rather studying Holiness; And to go on betwixt and with these two, till we come to read God's mind about our Election and Re­d [...]mption: For neither Believing nor Ho­liness can make any alteration in the bar­gain of Redemption, yet it will warrand our application of the bargain, [...]nd clear our interest in i [...]; as the Apost e Peter plainly insinuats when he thus exhorts, Give diligence to make your calling and e­lection sure; How is that? Will diligence mak [...] God alter his decree of Election, or make it any surer in it self? No, by no means, bu [...] it will assure us of it; For by so doing an entrance shall be ministred unto us abundantly into his everlasting Kingdom; by giving all diligence to add one grace to a­nother, and one degree of grace to ano­ther, there shall be a wide door opened to us to go in to Heaven by; And there is no haz [...]rd in commending this Doct [...]ine to you all, even the study of Faith and Holi­ness, thereby to come to the knowledge of Gods Secret Council concerning you.

And therefore as a third Use of th s point, know that all of you that prejudge y [...]urselves of this comfort of your interest in Christs purchase, do bring the blame of it on your selves: If any shall prophanely object, if God hath purposed so many sh [...]ll get goo [...] of Christs sufferings, and no moe, what will my Faith and Holiness do if I be [...]ot elect­ed? And what can my unbelief and negli­gence prejudge me if I be elected? We shew in the former Use, what Faith and Ho­liness will do; and we t [...]ll you here, what your unbelief and negligence will do, and it's this, it will seclude you from all the blessings of the Covenant, and bring you under the sentence of condemnation; for as the conditional promise looks to the be­liever and unbeliever; and so it is not Christ's purchase, nor the difference God hath made in his purpose of election, that is the cause why ye are damned and not ju­stified; But ye are damned because ye transgressed Gods Law and when salvati­on was offered to you through Christ, ye would not close with the offer; And ye are not justified, bec [...]use ye b [...]took not your selves to him for righteou n [...]ss but continued in your sin, and in seeki [...]g righ­teousness by the Law: For although this universal be not true, That Christ died for all men, yet this universal is true that they are all justified that by faith flee unto Jesus Christ for refuge; Hence these two are put together, Joh. 6.37. All that the Father hath given me sha l come unto me, and him that cometh I will in no wise cast out; For I came down from Heaven not to do my own will, but the Fathers will that sent me; If it should be asked, what is the Fa [...]hers will? He answers, This is the Fathers will that sent me, that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing; There are (as if he had said) some committed to me to be redeemed by me, and I will lose none of them: And lest it should yet be objected, [Page 140] but I wot not if I be given to Christ to be redeemed by him; He adds, And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: In which words, we have two wills, to say so, both having the same promise and effect, the first he relates to the secret paction of Redemption, vers. 39. And the second is his revealed will p [...]inting at out duty, vers. 40. And so if any should say, I know not it I be given to Christ, I know not if I be elected; This answer is here given, What is that to thee? It's not to be searched into at the first hand, and broken in upon per sal [...]um, and at the broad side: That is God's secret will, and that which is his revealed will belongs to thee, and that is, to see that thou believe, and if thou believest, the same promise that is an­nexed to believing is annexed to election, and they sweetly tryst together, and are of equal extent, to wit, believing and to be given to Christ: And therefore let me com­mend it to you, to hold you content with Gods revealed will; For it is not the ground of your Faith, I mean as to its first closing with Christ, That of all given to Christ he shall lose none; But this is the ground of it, That every one that seeth the Son, and believ­eth on him, shall have everlasting life: And we may add this word as one motive a­mongst others to Faith and Holiness, that by your studying of these ye may turn over the words of the Prophet here to your selves, and say, Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows; And that of the Apostle, Gal. 2. Who loved me, and gave himself for me; Also, that word of Peter cited before, His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree; And O! what con­solation is there?

The 4. Use of it is, to commend the pra­ctice of this to the Believer that hath indeed fled to Jesus Christ; And to shew the great priviledge that they have who are such: The practice of it is, that Believers should seek to be established and confirmed in the particular application of Christs death to themselves; not only to know that he suf­fered for the Elect and for Believers, but for them in particular, that as it is [...]eb 4.16 They may come with boldness to the Throne of God, and confidently assert their int [...]rest; And as it is, Heb. 6. They may grow up to the full assurance of hope unto the end: We suppose there are many believers that dar not disclaim the Covenant and their interest in Christ, who yet are fearful to make this particular application, Jesus Christ hath lov­ed me, and given himself for me; But if they could knit the effects with the cause from whence they came, they might attain to it; for the man that can say I am fled to Christ for refuge, he may also say, t [...]at he pur­posely laid down his life to pay my debt; And he is warranded of Christ to make this application of his particular intention to­wards him: Upon the other side, the more consolation be in this to Believers, it speaks the greater ground of terrour to unbeliev­ers, because of the prejudice they sustain by the want of this; And as many of you as make not Faith and Holiness your study, ye ly out of the reach of this consolation that flows from Christs bearing the griefs and sorrows of his own; And therefore let the prophane sen [...]ess multitude that know not what it is to die to the Law, or to live to Holiness, as ye would not commit Sacri­ledge, stand a-back, and not dar to meddle with this redemption, till ye stoop and come in at this door of Faith and Holiness; And let as many as are in this way admit of the consolation, for it's the Lords allow­ance upon you; But for others if ye pre­sume to take hold of it, the Lord will wring it from you, and let you know to your cost that ye had nothing to do with it.

THese words, and all this Chap­ter, look liker a piece of the History of the Gospel then a Prophecy of the Old Testa­ment; The sufferings of the Messiah being so directly pointed at in them; We shew that this first part of the 4. Verse holds forth the cause of his sufferings, and it is applyed to our Lord, Matth. 8.17. and 1 Pet. 2.24. As for the second part of the Verse in these words, yet we esteemed him smitten of God, stricken and afflicted; any who are acquainted with the Gospel, can­not but know that it was fulfilled in him; and it is an aggravation of their sin who did so undervalue and despise him, that though he condescended to come so low for us, yet we slighted him, & even then when there was greatest love let out, we abused it and made it the rise of greatest malice: and for the 5. Verse, it is applied by Peter, 1 Pet. 21.24. This whole Chapter then being so Gospel like, and having a direct fulfilling in Christ, we may draw this general Doctrine from it.

That our Lord Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, and rose again the third day; is the very same Messiah that was prophe­sied of in the Old Test [...]ment, and was pro­mised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whom the Fathers before his coming in the Flesh were waiting for: And though this may be looked on as but a very common and useless Doctrine, yet it is the main ground and found [...]tion of our Faith; we take many things for granted, wherein if we were well tried and put to it, we would be found un­sicker, and in this among the rest: Now for confirmation of it, this same one argu­ment will make it out, we shall not follow it at length, but in the prosecu [...]ing of it shall astrict our selv s to this Chapter; the argument runneth thus, if in Christ Jesus, that which was prophesied of the Messiah, and promised to the Fathers, have its ful­filling and accomplishment; then he must be the same Messiah that was prophesied of, and promised to them; for these things spoken of the one and alone Messiah, can agree to no other. But whatever was pro­phesied and spoken or promised of the Mes­siah to the Fathers, to the least circumstance of it, was all fully accomplished and fulfil­ed in Christ; therefore the conclusion laid down in the Doctrine follows, to wit, that our blessed Lord Jesus is the same Messiah that was prophesied of, promised to the Fathers, and whom they before his coming were looking for: So that that question needs not now to be proposed art thou he that should come, or do we look [...]or another? Go, says Christ, Mat. 11.4 5.6. and tell John, the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, [Page 142] and the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have the Go­spel preached to them, and blessed is he who­soever shall not be offended in me; blessed is he, who because of my Humiliation is not stumbled: Now, not to make a rehearsal of the general Prophesies in Scripture, all of which have their exact fulfilling in Christ, we shall only speak to two things here for mak [...]ng out of the Argument proposed. 1. That this Chapter speaks of the Messiah. 2. That what is spoken in it, is literally ful­filled in Christ.

1. That this Chapter speaks of the Mes­siah; Though of old the blinded J [...]ws granted it, yet now they say that it speaks of some other; but that it speaks of him, these things will make it evident, 1. If we look to the 13. Verse of the former Chapter, where it is said, My servant shall deal pru­dent [...]y, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high; there our Lord Jesus is spo­ken of as the Fathers Servant or great Lord-Deputy; and the Jews themselves grant that this is mean'd of the Messiah, and there is nothing more clear then that what is spoken in this Chapter relates to him who is called the Lords Servant in the former Chapter as we shew at our entering to speak of it. 2 If we look to the description of his Person, it can aggree to no other, for it's said, There was no guile found in his mouth, he was brought as a lamb to the slaugh­ter, and as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he open [...]d not his mouth▪ &c. he had no sin of his o [...]n, which can be said of no other, therefore this Chapt r speaks of him. 3. If we consider the end and effects of his Suf­ferings, they do also clear it; the end of his Sufferings for it's for the transgressions of his People, and as it is Dan. 9.26. He was to be cut off but not for himself; the ef­fects, He shall see his feed, and by his know­ledge justifie many: And the New Testa­ment is full to this purpose, there being no Scripture in all the Old Testament more made use of, nor oftener applyed to Christ then this is.

2. What is spoken in this Chapter is really and literally fulfilled in Christ, and we may shortly draw what is in it to these five Heads; all which we will find clearly fulfi [...]led in him. 1. To his Suff [...]rings. 2. To the ground of his Sufferings. 3. To Mens account and estimation of him. 4. To the Promises made to him. 5. To the effects that followed on his Sufferings. 1. For his Sufferings it's said, that he should be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, that he should be despised and rej [...]cted of men, and not be esteemed; that he should be looked on, as stricken, smitten of God and afflicted; that he should bear ou [...] sorrows and griefs; and be wounded for our trans­gressions, that he should be opp ess [...] and af­flicted; and brought as a lamb to the slaugh­ter; that he should be numbred, among [...]t the transgressours; and that he should die and be buried make his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death; all which are clearly fulfille: in him; and the clearing of his Sufferings, whereof we spoke before, clears this, that not only he suffered, but that he was brought so low in suffering. 2 For the ground of his Sufferings, its [...]aid to be the sins of his own Elect, He bare our griefs and carried our sorrows; he was wounded for our transgr [...]ssions, and bruised for our ini­quities; there was no guile found in his mouth; the greatest enemies of our Lord could impute nothing to him; Pilat was forced to say, that he found no fault in him; all which shew that it was for the Trans­gressions of his People that he suffered. 3. As for Mens little esteem of him, it is al­so very clear, for He was despised and rejected of men; we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised and we esteemed him not; the World thought little of him, and we that are elect thought but little of him, and what is more clear in the Gospel then this? where it is told, that he was reproached, buffeted, spitted on, despised; they cri [...]d away with him, crucifie him; He trusted in God, let him deliver him; but God hath for­saken him. 4. As for the Promises made to him, He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall pro­sper in his hands; He sh [...]ll see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied; and by his knowledge shall many be justified, &c. what mean all these but that he shall die and rise again, [Page 143] and have many Converts; that God's work shall thrive well in his hand, and that he shall have a glorious Kingdom and many Subjects? which is ca [...]led afterward, his having a portion with the great, and his di­viding of the sooil with the strong: All this was accompl shed in Christ, when after his Resurrect [...]on many were win and brought in by the Gospel to believe on him; and though Jews and eathens concurred and conspired to cu [...] off all Christians, yet his Kingdom spread and hath continued these sixteen hundred years and above. 5. As for the effects that followed on his Suffer­ings, or the influence they have on the elect People of God; as m [...]ny Converts as have been and are in the World, as many Wit­nesses are there, that he is the Messiah; every converted, pardoned, and reconciled Soul seals this truth: Hence 1 John 5.7, 8 it is said, There are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one; and there are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit in his efficacy, the Water in the sanctifying ver­tue of it, in changing and cleansing his Peo­ple, and the Blood in the satifying and justi­fying vertue of it, and these three agree and concur in one, even this one, to wit, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and then it follows, He that believeth hath the witness in himself, because he hath gotten Pardon through him, and therefore can set to his Seal to this truth, and say, truly Christ is the Messiah.

The Use is, To exhort you to acquaint your selves with these things that serve to confirm this truth; the book of the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistle to the Hebrews, are much sp [...]nt upon it, even to hold out, and to prove Christ Jesus to be the true Messiah, and Saviour of his People: If this be not made sure and sicker, we have an unstable ground for our Faith; and though it be sure in it self, yet so long as it is not so to us, we want the consolation of it; and there is a twofold prejudice that cometh through Folks want of thorow clearness in, and assurance of this truth. 1. To the ge­nerality of Hearers, there is this prejudice, that they are so careless and little solicitous to rest on him: And as it made the Jews to r [...]ject him, who to this day stumb [...]e at him on this same very ground, that they know him not to be the Messiah, the Christ of God, in whom is accomplished all that was spoken of the Messiah; to Christians not being through in it, they do not rest on him nor close with him as the true Messiah. 2. There is a prejudice also from it to Be­lievers, who having only a glimring light of Christs being the Messiah, come short of thar consolation that they might h [...]ve if they were through in the F [...]ith o [...] it; there is this great evil among Christians, that they study not to be solidly clear and through in this point to that if they were pu [...] to rea­son and debate with a Jew if there were not a witness within thems [...]lves of it, the truth of the Faith of many would be ex­ceedingly shaken.

2. From this, That he never speaks of Christs Sufferings, but he makes applic [...]ti­on of them he carried our Griefs, he was wounded for our Transgressions, &c. Observe, That Believers would look on Christs Sufferings as undergone for them, and in their rooms and place; We cleared before, 1. That Christ suff [...]red for some peculiarly, and not for all; And 2. Th [...]t Believers would endeavour the clearing of their own interest in his Sufferings, and that they have a right to them; Now we shortly add this 3d. of kin to the former, That B lievers, and such as are fled to Christ for refuge, would look on his Suff [...]r­ings as come under for them; and these same Scriptures which we cited to confirm these, will confirm this: The reason why we would have you confirmed in this, is, Because, 1 It is only this that will make you suitably thankful, it is this which is a no­table ground of that Song of Praise, Rev. 1.4. To him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, &c. 2. This is a ground of true, solid, and strong consola­tion, even to be comforted in the applica­tive Faith of Christs purchase. 3. It is the Lords allowance on his People, which they should reverently and thankfully make use of, even to look on Jesus Christ, as wound­ed, pierced, and lifted up on the Cross for [Page 144] them; and by doing this according to his allowance, there is a paved way made for application of all the benefites of his pur­chase.

3. From the scope (looking on the words as spoken to remove the scandal of the Cross) Observe (which may be a reason of the former) that folk will never take up Christ rightly in his sufferings, except they take him up as suffering for them, and in their room; This look of Christ, leads 1. To take up much of the glory of grace, and condescending love to sinners. 2. It leads to take up Christs faithfulness, that came to the world on sinners errand according to the ancient transaction in the Covenant of Redemption, as he is brougbt in saying Psal. 40. Lo I come in the volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will O God. 3. It leads to a stayed look of Gods Holiness, Justice, and Goodness, in exact­ing satisfaction of his own Son, and in ac­cepting of that satisfaction. 4. It gives a right view of the way of grace, and leads in to see it to be a most real thing; God the offended Party accepting of the price, and Christ paying it: Thus the Believers Faith gets a sight of Christ satisfying as if he saw his own debt satisfied by himself; It sees him undergoing the curse and justice in­flicting it on him, that the Believer may go free.

The Use is, to shew the necessity of stu­dying the well-grounded application of Christs sufferings as for us; much of the reason why Christ is not more pr [...]zed lies here, that he is not looked on as paying our debt; otherwise when challenges of the Law and of Justice take hold on the Soul, if Christ were seen interposing, and saying, A body hast thou prepared unto me; And if Justice were seen exacting, Christ perform­ing, and God accepting his satisfaction, and that in sign and token that Justice is satis­fied, he is raised from the dead, justified in the Spirit, and is entered in possession of Glory as Believers fore-runner in their name; it would afford precious and lovely thoughts of Jesus Christ, and humbling thoughts of our selves; Therefore there is a necessity, if we would consider his suffer­ings aright, and prize and esteem him, that we endeavour to make particular ap­plication of them to our selves on good grounds. 2. Upon the other hand, know, ye who have no ground to make this appli­cation, that ye cannot esteem aright of him or his sufferings, nor of the grace that shined in them, because ye have no title to, nor can while such, have any clear­ness of interest in them. 3. For you that would fain have a high esteem of Christ, and yet are all your days casting at this founda­tion, never think nor expect to win right­ly to esteem of him, so long as ye scarr to make application of his purchase; And therefore that ye may love and praise him, and esteem rightly of him, labour to come up to the making of this application on so­lid and approved grounds.

4. More particularly from this part of the aggravation, Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted; We have a fourfold confirmation of truth, or four pre­cious truths confirmed. 1. That our Lord Jesus in his sufferings did really suffer, and was really brought low in his sufferings, so as on-lookers thought him a most despi­cable man, and one that was stricken and smitten of God, and [...]fflicted: Of this we spoke on the beginning of the 4. verse. 2. We have here an evidence of the ex­ceeding great freeness of grace, and of the love of Christ in his sufferings, in so far as he bare their sorrows, and payed their debt that counted him smitten; There was no good thing in us to deserve or procure his sufferings, But most freely he under-went these sufferings, and undertook our debt, Rom. 5.8. God commends his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us; And v. 10. While we were yet enemies we were reconciled by the death of his Son: Can there be a greater proof of infi­nite and free love then appears in our Lords sufferings? There was not only no merit on our side; but on the contrary, despi­sing, rej [...]cting, being ashamed of him, re­proaching him kicking against him, and rubbing of aff [...]onts on him; Paul and o­thers having their hands hot in his blood.

Use 1. Consider here, behold and won­der at the free love of God, and rich con­descending love of Christ, he stands not at the Barr and prays for them that were praying him to pray for them; But as it is in the end of the Chapter, it was for trans­gressours; It was even for some of them that were seeking to take away the life of the Prince of Life, and for other transgres­sours.

2. Know that in them to whom the be­nefite of Christs death is applied, there is no more worth then there is in others who do not share of the benefite of it: It's the opinion not only of Hereticks, but some way of many ignorant Professors; That these for whom Christ died were better then others; But here we see a proof of the contrary; He dies for them that accounted him smitten of God: And this he doth for two reasons, 1. To shew the riches and freedom of his grace, that could overcome mans evil and malice, and outreach the hight of the desperat wickedness that is in man, and that that stands not (to speak so) on stepping-stones, but comes over the greatest gulfs of sin and enmity in the crea­ture. 2. To comfort & encourage his follow­ers when engaged to him, against and out over their grossest failings and greatest mis­carriages; He that loved them when they were despising and rejecting him, and spit­ting in a manner in his very face, Will he now give up with them when they have some love to him, for this or that corrup [...]i­on that stirreth or breaketh forth in them? Thus the Apostle reasons, Rom. 5.10. If when we were enemies we were reconci­led to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life: We were enemies when Christ gave himself for us, but thorow grace we are somewhat better now; Enmity and despite in us was then at an hight, now it is weak­ned, restrained, and in some measure mor­tified: And if while we were at the h [...]ght of enmity against him he died for us to re­concile us to God, How much more now being reconciled, may we expect peace and safetie, and all the benefits of his pur­chase thorow him? Thus there is a notable consolation, from this bent of malice that was sometime in us, compared with the victory that grace hath now gotten over it; and the gradation is alwayes comfortable, to wit, that these lusts that once did reign, and were without any gracious opposition made to them, or any protestation entered against them, prevailing it may be pub­lickly, are now opposed and protested a­gainst; And if Christ stood not on the greater, will he stand on the lesser? And our Lord allows this sort of reasoning so much the more, that he may thereby strongly engage the heart of the believer against sin, and to the admiring of grace, and withall to the serious study of holi­ness.

3, It serves to let you know how much ye Believers are engaged and obliged to Grace, and what thanks you owe to it. 1. Look to what satisfies for your debt, ye pay not one farthing of it, our Lord Jesus payed all. 2. Look to the moving cause, it's to be attributed to nothing in you, but al­together to free grace: Some poor Dyvour may by his pleading prevail with an able and pitiful-hearted man to pay his debt; But there was no such externally moving cause in you to procure this of him, but he freely and willingly, and with delight pay­ed your debt when ye were in the hight of malicious opposition to him, doing all that might scarr him from it; And had it been possible that man's malice, despising, and despite could have scarred him, he had ne­ver died for one sinner, but he triumphed openly in his grace over that and all that stood in his way. 3. We have here a con­firmation of that truth that holds out mans malice and desperat wickedness, And can there be any thing that evidenceth man's wickedness and malice more? Then 1. To have enmity against Christ. 2. To have it at such an hight as to despise him, and count him smitten and plagued of God. And 3. To be at the hight of malice even then when he out of love was condescending so low as to suffer and satisfie Justice for him; ye may possibly think that it was not ye that had such malice at Christ; But saith not the Prophet, We esteemed him smitten of [Page 146] God? Taking in himself and all the elect, which might give us this Observation, That there is nothing more desperatly wicked, and filled with more enmity against Christ in his condescending love, and against God in the manifestation of his grace, then when even elect souls for whom he hath suffered, despise him, and count him smitten of God and afflicted: It's indeed very sad, yet very profitable, to walk under the deep ap­prehension, and soul-pressour of heart-enmity against God and Christ: Are there any of you that think ye have such sinful and wicked natures that dispose you to think little of Christ, to despise and reject him and his grace? Gods Elect have this enmity in their natures; And if such na­tures be in the Elect, what must be in the Reprobat who live and die in this enmity? If this were seriously considered and laid to heart, O but folk would be humble, nothing would affect the soul more, and stound to the very heart, then to think that Christ suffered for me, through grace an Elect and a Believer, and that yet notwithstand­ing I should have so despised and rejected him, and accounted him smitten of God and afflicted; Let me exhort all of you to look back on your former walk, and to lay this enmity to heart, for the day is coming when it will be found to be a biting, and consci­ence gnawing sin to many.

4. In that he aggravates their enmity from this, Observe this truth which is also here confirmed, that there is nothing that gives sin a deeper Dye, then that it is a­gainst grace and condescending love, that is, against Christ when suffering for us, and offered to us; O! that makes sin to be ex­ceeding sinful, and wonderfully abominable, and thus it is aggreged, Heb. 2. As greater then the contempt of Moses his Law; And Heb 6. It's accounted to be a crucifying the Son of God a-fresh, and a putting him to an open shame; And Heb. 10. it's called a trod­ [...]ng him under foot, an accounting the blood of the Covenant to be an unholy thing, and a d [...]ing despite to the Spirit of Grace; These two last Scriptures look mainly to the sin a­gainst the Holy Ghost, yet so as there is somewhat of that which is said in them to be found in all unbelievers their despising of Christ; It's a sin some way hateful, even to the Publicans and Sinners to hate them that love us, to do ill to them that do good to us; How much more sinful and hateful is it to despise and hate him who loved us so as to give himself for us, and when he was giving himself for us? There are many sins against the Law that will draw deep, but this will draw deeper then they all, even sinning against Grace, and the Mediator interposing for sin­ners, and manifesting love to them; And the reckoning will run thus, Christ was manifested to you in this Gospel as the only remedy of sin, and set forth as cruci­fied before your eyes, and made offer of to you in the Gospel, and yet ye despised him, and esteemed him not: And let me say it to Believers, that it's the greatest aggravation of their sin; It is true, in some respect that the sins of Believers are not so great as the sins of others, they not being committed with such deliberation and full bensil of will, nor from the domi­nion of sin, yet in this respect they are greater then the sins of others, because committed against special Grace and Love actually communicated; and therefore when the Believer considers that he hath requit Christ thus, it will affect him most of any thing, if there be any suitable ten­derness of frame.

5. From considering that it is the Pro­phet that expresseth this aggravation, we may Observe, that the Believer that is most tender, and hath best right to Jesus Christ and his satisfaction, and may upon best ground apply it, will be most sensible of his enmity, and of the abominable guilt that is in despising and wronging of Jesus Christ; Therefore the Prophet brings in himself as one of those that by Christs stripes were healed, taking with his guilt, we despised and rejected him, we esteemed him not, we judged him smitten of God; The reason is, because interest in Jesus Christ makes the heart tender, and any wrong that's done to him to affect the sooner and the more deeply, the scurf that sometime was on the heart being in a mea­sure [Page 147] taken away; and interest in Christ a­wakeneth and raiseth an esteem of him, and produceth a holy sympathy with him in all the concerns of his glory, even as the mem­bers of the body have a fellow-feeling with the head; Make a supposition, that a man in his madness should smite and wound his head, or wrong his Wife, his Father, or his Brother; when that fit of madness is over, he is more affected with that wrong then if it had been done to any other mem­ber of his body, or to other persons not at all, or not so nearly related to him: There is something of this pointed at, Zech. 12.10. They shall look unto him whom they have pierced, and mourn for him as a man doth for his only Son; As if he had said, the stroaks they have given the head, shall then be very heavy and grievous to be born, and will be made to their feeling to bleed a-fresh; They thought not much of these woundings and piercings of him before, but so soon as their interest in him is clear, or they come cordially to believe in him, they are kindly affected with the wrongs done to him.

The Use is, That it's a mark, to try if there be indeed an interest in Christ, and if it be clear; The man whose interest is clearest, 1. His wrongs done to Christ will prick him most, if the wrongs be done by others they affect him; if by himself they some way faint him; Wholeness of heart under wronging of Christ, is too great an evidence that there is little or no ground for application of his satisfaction, but it's kindly like, when wrongs done to Christ affect most. 2. When not only challenges for sin against the Law, but for sins against Christ and Grace offered in the Gospel, do become a burden, and the greatest burden. 3. When the man is made to mind secret enmity at Christ, and is disposed to mu­ster up aggravations of his sinfulness on that account, and cannot get himself made vile enough; When he hath an holy in­dignation at himself, and with Paul counts himself the chief of sinners; Even thou h the evil was done in ignorance, much more if it hath been against knowledge; It's no evil token when souls are made to heap up aggravations of their guilt for wrongs done to Christ, and when they cannot get suit­able expressions sufficiently to hold it out, as it is an evil token to be soon satisfied in this; There are many that will take with no challenge for their wronging Christ, but behold here how the Prophet insists, both in the words before, in these, and in the following words, and he can no more win off the thoughts of it, then he can win off the thoughts of Christs sufferings.

6. While the Prophet saith, when Christ was suffering for his own, and for the rest of his peoples sins, We esteemed him not, but judged him smitten of God; Observe briefly, because we hasten to a close, that Jesus Christ is often exceedingly mistaken by men in his most glorious and gracious works, can there be a greater mistake then this? Christ suffering for our sins, and yet judged smitten and plagued of God by us; Or more home, even Christ Jesus is often shamefully mistaken in the work of his Grace, and in the venting of his love towards them whose good he is procuring, and whose iniquities he is bearing.

The Use of it serves 1. To teach us when we are ready to pass censure on Christs work, to stand still, to animadvert on, and to correct our selves, lest we unsuitably con­struct of him: He gets much wrong as to his publick work, as if he were cruel, when in­deed he is merciful, as if he had forgotten us, when when indeed he remembers us still: And as to his privat work in particu­lar persons, as if he did fail in his promise when he is most faithful, and bringing it a­bout in his own way. And 2. (which is of affinity to the former) it's a warning to us not to take up hard constructions of Christ, nor to misconstruct his work, wh [...]ch when misconstructed, himself is mistaken and misconstructed: How many think that he is breaking when he is binding up, that he is wounding when he is healing, that he is destroying when he is humbling? Therefore we would su [...]pend passing censure till he come to the end and close of his work, and not judge of it by halves, and then we shall see there was no such ground for miscons [...]ructing of him, who [Page 148] is every day holding on in his own way, and steddily pursuing the same end that he did from the beginning; And let him be do­ing so: To him be praise for ever.

IT's hard to tell whether the Subject of this Verse, and almost of this whole Chapter, be more sad or more sweet; It's indeed a sad Subject to read and hear of the great Sufferings of our blessed Lord Jesus, & of the despiteful usage that he met with, and to see such a speat of Malice spued and spitted out on that glori­ous face; so that when he is bearing our Griefs & carrying our Sorrows, we do even then account him plagued, smitten of God, and afflicted, and in a manner look upon it as well bestowed: Yet it's a most sweet Sub­ject if we either consider the love it comes from, or the comfortable effects that fol­low it; that hath been the rise, the cause, and the occasion of much singing to many here below, and is the cause and occasion of so much singing among the redeemed that are this day before the Throne of God; and as the Grace of God hath overcome the ma­lice of Men, so we are perswaded this cause of rejoycing hath a sweetness in it beyond the sadness, though often we mar our own Spiritual Mirth, and know not how to dance when he pipes unto us.

These words are an explication of the 4th. Verse, where it is asserted that Christs Sufferings were not for himself but for us; from, and by which the Prophet having ag­greged Mens malice, who, notwithstand­ing thereof esteemed him not, yea judged smitten of God, he comes again for further­ing and carrying on of this Scope, to shew more particularly the ground, end, and effects of Christs Sufferings; where ye would remember what we hinted before in general, that Folks will never think nor conceive of Christs Sufferings rightly, till they conceive and take him up as suffering for them; and when we consider this, we think it no wonder that the most part esteem but little of the Sufferings of Christ, because there are so few that can take him up under this notion, as standing in their room, and paying their debt, and as being put in Prison for them when they are let go free.

In this 5th. Verse, We have these three, 1. A further expression of Christs Suffer­ings. 2. The cause of them, or the end that he had before him in them. 3. The benefites and fruits or effects of them.

There are in the words four expressions which I shall clear, 1. He was wounded, to shew the reality that was in his Sufferings, he was actually pierced, or as the word is rendered in the Margin, tormented, and the cause is, our transgressions; and while it is said, He was wounded for our transgressions, he means, 1. That our Transgressions pro­cured his wounding, And 2. That his wounding was to remove them, and to pro­cure pardon to us. 2. He was bruised, that is, pressed as Grapes in a Wine-press, he under-went such a wounding as bruised him; to shew the great desert of Sin, and the heaviness of wrath that would have come on us for it, had not he interposed; and the cause is our iniquities; And these [Page 149] two words transgressions and iniquities, shew the exceeding abominableness of Sin; Transgressions or Errings pointing at our common Sins, Iniquities or Rebellions point­ing at greater guilt. 3. The chastisement, or as the words bear, the discipline of our peace was upon him; It supposes first, That we by nature were at feud with, and enemies to God. Secondly, That before our peace could be procured, there behoved to be a satisfaction given to Justice, the Mediator behoved to come under discipline and cha­stisement. 4. And by his stripes we are healed; he was so whipped, that to say so, the marks of the rod remained behind; the first benefite looks to pardon of Sin and Peace with God in the first three expres­sions; the second in this last expression, looks to our Sanctification and purging from the dominion and pollution of Sin; By Christs becoming Sin for us, there is a way made to wash us from all the guilt of Sin, and from all the foul spots and stains that were on us by Sin, and he hath thus pro­cured Holiness to us; we come easily by it, but it cost Christ dear, yea very dear.

These very sad, but most sweet, and Soul-solacing words, hold out a short sum of the substance and marrow of the Gospel; and because they do so, we shall speak of them summarily together; and ye would the more seriously attend, especially such as are more ignorant, that by the reading and opening up of this Verse ye may be brought and kept in mind of the sum of the heads of the Gospel; and to make the matter the more clear, I shall endeavour to make the Doctrines drawen from it, as so many an­swers to six or seven questions, As 1. What is Mans condition naturally, and what is the condition of all them that get not benefite by Christs death? 2. How is Man redeem­ed and fred from that condition? 3. By whom is he fred, or who makes the Satis­faction? 4. How doth he perform that Satisfaction? 5. What are the benefites that flow from, and come to us by the Sa­tisfaction performed? 6. Who are the Persons for whom Christ hath performed the Satisfaction, and to whom he hath pro­cured these Benefites? 7. What is the way how these Benefites are transferred or derived to these Persons? And putting these seven together, we may have a short Catechism in one Verse.

1. Then, What is Mans condition by Nature. 1. He is under Transgressions. 2. Under Iniquities. 3. At feud with God. And 4ly. Under wounds and most loathsome Diseases of a sinful Nature: In a word, Man by Nature is a Sinner, guilty, greatly guil­ty, under Gods Wrath and Curse, and at Feud with God, of a most sinful and abomi­nable nature, even sick of, and loathsome, because of Sin; The first is implyed in this word, He was wounded for our transgressions, that is, our common Sins; The second is holden out in the next word, He was bruised for our iniquities, or Rebellions, which holds out great guilt; The third in that word, The chastisement of our peace was on him, which suppons that we were once without Peace with God; The last word, By his stripes we are healed, supposeth, that we continue in that condition filthy and polluted, and polluting our selves more and more, greedy to drink in Sin, and wounding and sickning our selves by Sin; Now, lay these four words together, they clear this truth to our Judgment, and serve to point out to us the necessity of a Media­tor. Again, Consider them in a second no­tion, and they tell us, that even the Elect themselves, are by Nature in the same sin­ful and rebellious condition wi [...]h others, at feud with, and under the Curse of God, and abominably polluted before they be washed and healed, as the Apostle asserts Ephes. 2. We are by nature children of wrath even as others; and here it is plainly decla­red, He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, &c. Some are ready to think (as was hinted before) that the Elect by nature were better than others, or that God foresaw they would be better, and therefore he elected them; This piece of Arminianism is in all n [...]turally; but this Text in down-right contradiction to such a groundless conceit, answers and asserts, that by nature they are even like others, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 11.32. God hath concluded them all under unbelief, [Page 150] that he might have mercy on all; All the E­lect, as well as others, are concluded un­der Sin and Wrath, that the way of obtain­ing any Spiritual Good, might be by Mercy and Free-Grace alone.

2. How are Folks fred from this sinful and miserable condition? Answer 1. In general, Before the quarrel can be taken away, and their peace can be made, there must be a Satisfaction, which is implyed in these words, the chastisement of our peace was on him; which suppons the necessity of a Satisfaction made or to be made, in re­spect of Gods decree and commination, who said, the day thou sins, thou shalt die, and cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the law to do them. 2. And more particularly, There must be a Sa­tisfaction, because there is 1. The Justice of God that hath a claim by a standing law. 2. The Holiness of God that must be vindi­cate. And 3 The Faithfulness of God that must cause be performed and come to pass what it hath impledged it self for, as well in reference to the Threatning as to the Pro­mise; for these words, Hath he said and will he not do it? relate to the one as well as to the other; there is a great mistake in many while they leap immediatly to Mercy, without minding the necessity of a Satisfa­ction to provoked Justice, and on this ground that God is merciful, which if it were an argument good enough, it would say, that all, even the Reprobate may get Mercy; but we would consider the way that God hath laid down for Sinners com­ing to Mercy, and how that before peace can be made, he will needs have satisfacti­on to his Justice.

3. Who maketh the Satisfaction? The Text says, it's He and Him; He was wound­ed for our trangressions, the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and who is this He and Him? it's in general the Messiah, who was then to come, he who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, who suffered and was crucified, who died and was buried and rose the third day; even he, who having the nature of God and our nature united in one Person. He his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree, as is said 1 Pet. 2.24. and He who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, as it is 2 Cor. 5 ult. even he of whom the Apostle hath been speaking here, while he says, We as ambassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconcealed unto God: And when we say it's Christ that is mean'd of, we are to understand it as well negatively and exclu­sively, excluding all others, as positively including him; when we make him to be the only Saviour, we exclude all that Men can do with their Penance, Prayers, Good-Works, and all that Angels can do, neither Man nor Angel could satisfie divine Justice, and make our Peace with God, and there­fore it's said, Acts 4.12. Neither is there sal­vation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus, where it's clear that all others are excluded, as it is Psal. 40.6. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, &c. neither Penance, Per­formances, nor any other thing will do it, but it's Lo I come in the volum of thy book, its written of me I delight to do thy will O my God. Take this then as another ground of Saving Knowledge, that it is our blessed Lord Jesus that satisfies Justice, even he who being God, was content to become Man, and is God and Man in one Person, He, and he only undertaking the Debt, sa­tisfies Justice.

4. How does he satisfie Justice? Ans. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was on him, and by his stripes we are healed: In which words, observe these three things, 1. In Christs satisfaction for us there is an actual undertaking, he becomes Cautioner and enters himself in our room; when all other things are casten, Angels, Men with their Sacrifices, thousands of Rams, ten thousand rivers of Oil, and the fruit of the Body, then our Lord Jesus comes in and undertakes, Psal. 40.7. Lo, I come, he sa­tisfies for our Transgressions; which sup­poses that Justice could not have sought our Debt of him if he had not undertaken it; therefore Heb. 7.24. He is called the surety [Page 151] of a better testament, for he comes in our room and place, and undertakes to pay our Debt; even as if a man under Debt were a carrying to Prison, and another able rich man should undertake to pay the Debt; al­though the Debt should ly over for a while unpayed, yet the Creditor will get a Decreet on the Cautioner for payment of the Debt when he pleases to put at him; so Jesus Christ enters Cautioner for our Debt, and becomes lyable to the payment of it. 2. Christs performance and payment of the Debt according to his undertaking, implys a Covenant and Transaction on which the application is founded, which we shew was also implyed in the foregoing words, ver. 4. He hath born our griefs and carried our sor­rows: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are the Party wronged by Sin; Je­sus Christ considered personally and as Me­diator, is the Party undertaking: The terms are, that he shall suffer and satisfie Justice for us, and that we shall go free; that his paying shall be our freedom, that the Debt which he pays for us shall not be exacted off us our selves, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him; and here, the chastisement of our peace was on him; it was transferred from us to him, that by his stripes we might be healed; by his stripes and blanes health was pro­cured and brought to us. 3. Our Lord Jesus in fulfilling the Bargain and satisfying Justice, payed a dear price; it was at a very dear rate that he bought our freedom; He was wounded, bruised, suffered stripes and punishment: So that ye may take the answer to the question in sum to be this, our Lord Jesus performed and satisfied for all that was due by us, by undertaking our Debt and paying a dear price for Sinners according to the Covenant of Redemption; He came under the Law, and the Law struck at him as Cautioner, and he answered the Laws demands, and fully and condiguly sa­tisfied the Justice of God for us.

As for that Question, Whether Christ might not by one drop of his blood have satisfied? and such like, we think them ve­ry needless, too curious, and little or not at all edifying: But if it be asked, why Christ payed so much? we answer, 1. It behoved Christ to pay a condign price, to give a condign satisfaction to Justice. 2. It was meet that he should pay all that he payed. First, We say, it behoved to be a condign satisfaction, For, 1. It behoved to be a price equivalent to all that the Elect should have suffered, had not he in­terposed. 2. It behoved to be proportio­nable to the Justice of God, for God having laid down such a way of shewing Mercy, that his Justice should be salved, there be­hoved to be condign satisfaction for the vin­dication of Justice; which was done by Christs suffering to the full undoubtedly; if we consider, 1. The excellency of the Person that suffered, God and Man in one Person. 2. If we consider the nature of his Sufferings, that they were exceeding great, heavy, and pressing. And 3. If with­all we consider the manner of his Sufferings, that it was with much readiness and chear­fulness of obedience to the Fathers will: That such and so excellent a Person should suffer, and suffer so much, and suffer in such a way, this sure makes a condign Satis­faction, and so Justice is fully thereby satis­fied, and made as glorious as if all the Elect had suffered eternally; therefore we say, that his sufferings were a condign and pro­portionable satisfaction to Justice for them whose Debt he payed, by this Justice is compleatly and gloriously satisfied. Se­condly, We said that it was meet that he should pay all that he payed, and so it is, if we consider, 1. The excellency of immor­tal Souls, a little price (as all that Men or Angels could have payed would have been, the finest Gold, Silver, and precious Stones) could not have done it, the redemption of the soul is precious, and ceaseth for ever, to wit, amongst all the Creatures, Psal. 49.8. 2. The severity of Justice on the just ac­count of Sin, called for such a price. 3. Gods end, which was to make both his Grace and Justice glorious, required, and made it meet that our Lord should suffer condignly, and in his Sufferings suffer much, even all that he did suffer: And in this ye have an answer to this question, why Christ [Page 152] suffered so much, as the loss (to speak so) of his declarative glory for a time, outward sufferings and inward sufferings even the b [...]isi [...]g and squeezing that hi [...] Soul was un­der, which made him to say, that it was heavy unto death, and exceeding sorrowful: Let not sinners then think it a little or a light thing to get a Soul saved, the redemption whereof ceaseth for ever as to us or any Creature: Behold, herein the glory of Grace eminently shineth forth, when there is such a price payed for that which in some respect is of so little worth; and also the glory of Justice, when so great a price is demanded and payed down for its satis­faction, by so worthy and excellent a Per­son; and let none think little of Sin, the guilt whereof could not be otherwise expi­a [...]d, the chastisement of our peace be­hoved to be on him.

5. What are the benefits that come by these Sufferings? Answer 1. The benefits are such, that if he had not suffered for us, we should have suffered all that he suffered our selves. 2. More particularly, we have 1. Peace and Pardon of Sin. 2. Healing by his Sufferings, so that if it be asked, what procured pardon of Sin and peace with God? We answer, it's Christs Sufferings; Or if it be asked, what is the cause of Gods justifying Sinners? We answer, it's Christs satisfaction or suffering; and it is (by the way) much to be regrated, that such is the ignorance of some, that if a question be proponed in divers words or expressions, as if it should be asked, wherefore are we pardoned? wherefore are we justified? which is one and the same they know not how to answer; but here ye are called to remember, that Christs being wounded, and his bearing the chastisement due to you, is the cause of your Pardon and Justifica­tion. 2. Healing looks to Sanctification, as we hinted in the exposition, so that if it be asked, How comes it to pass that a Sinner is made holy? we have it here answered, that though efficiently it comes by the Spi­rit; and be his work, yet meritoriously it comes by Christs suff [...]rings, he bought it, by his stripes we are healed? And under these two Words peace and healing, we take in all things needful or pertai [...]ing to Life and Godlin [...]s; for by pea [...]e▪ the feud and en­mi [...]y is taken [...]way, [...] [...]e reconciled to God, a Eph. 2.14. [...] [...]d to be our peace, and he who ca [...] [...] speak peace to all that are afar off and ne [...] [...]and; and also by peace we under stand all [...] effects of peace, 1. Pardon of Sin, Justification, Adoption, Communion with God here and hereafter; Peace with our own Conscience, and with the Creatures, eter [...] Peace and Glory, and all these good things purchased by Christs death: For the Hebrews under peace comprehended all good things: And under healing we take in Sanctification (as distinguished, though not divided from those other things mentioned) dying to sin, and living to righteousness, with the seve­ral degrees of their advance and progress, and the making of us to be without spot and wrinkle, or any such thing; So that folk have much advantage by Christs pur­chase, and much prejudice thorow the want of it, By his death we are kept out of Hell, and admitted to peace with God and every thing that is good; We have li­berty to pray for all that is good, and are brought in his own way and time to the possession of it; It's by the blood of sprink­ling that we have a new and living way made patent to us unto the most holy, and holiness in the way whereof we enter in thither.

6. To whom hath Christ procured all these good things? The Text saith, it's our and we, the chastisement of our peace was on him, and by his stripes we are heal­ed, to wit, we Elect. Whence Observe, 1. That the benefits of Christs purchase re­dounds only to the Elect, there is a cer­tain select number to whom they are apply­ed, and not to all indifferently; It's only of as many as are healed, whose chastise­ments he hath born; It's only they whom the Father hath given him, to them he gives eternal life, and they shall never perish, John 6.45. They are Effectually Called, Justifi [...]d, and Sanctified. 2. Observe That what Christ Jesus hath purchased, and the benefits of his purchase, redound, and are extended to them that are guilty of hainous [Page 153] sins; to them that are under transgressions and iniquities, that are at feud with God, and under many po [...]tion [...], and most loath­some spiritual Diseases; to them who con­temned and despised Christ, and judged him smitten, and plagued of God, as is clear from the foregoing words, and to them which have gone straying like lost sheep, as is clear from the words following.

This points at these two or three things very useful, 1. That the Elect are by na­ture, and before Christ do them good, no better than others. 2. It shews the freedom of the Grace of God that comes over that, and freely gives pardon, peace, and healing to them: And 3ly. It serves to strengthen a Sinners Faith, who is sensible of his en­mity and sinfulness, and to be a ground of encouragement to him, to step to, and lay hold on Christs purchase, because it was for such that he died; he may humbly, yet confidently say, Christ died even for such as me, for them that wounded and pierced him by their transgressions and iniquities, for them that were at enmity with God, &c. and alace I am such, and will therefore on the call of the Gospel come to him, and on his own terms endeavour to cast my self on him.

7. How are these benefites, this Justifi­cation, Pardon of Sin, Peace and Healing, and all that is comprehended under them, derived from Christ to the Sinner that by Faith fleeth unto him for refuge? Answer, These two generals will clear it. 1. They are derived to us justly and in a legal way; Christ steps in in our room, that we may come in his room. 2. They are derived to us freely, he was wounded and bruised that we might go free; he endured stripes that we might be healed; he got the buffets and bare the burden, and we get the bene­fites, there is not a grain weight of it laid on us as it is satisfactory to divine Justice.

To clear this a little more anent the de­riving the benefits of Christs purchase to us, there must be a respect had, 1. To the Co­venant of Redemption, the ground of his suffering for us. 2. To the Covenant of Grace and Reconciliation wherein the offer of these Sufferings, and the benefits pur­chased by them to us, and the terms of both is made.

1. I say, That respect most be had to the Covenant of Redemption, wherein it [...] acted in the Council of the God-head, that the Son of God should become Man, and suffer, and condignly satisfie divine Justice by paying the price due by the Elect; and that that price being laid down, it should be made forthcoming for them for whom he payed it, and be reckoned theirs, and they set actually at liberty when having re­course thereto by Faith; and here there is a legal ground for transferring Christs pur­chase to and upon us; the Cautioner satis­fying, we the Debtors are on that account absolved in his own order and method, and have a right to seek the application of the price, and the benefits purchased by that price; Christs stands in our room at the bar, and sentence passed on him to pay our Debt; he satisfied according to his un­dertaking for us: And upon the other hand, we are brought in, and the sentence of Ju­stification passed on us on that account; He, saith the Apostle, who knew no sin, is made sin for us, that in him we may be ac­counted righteous, and may be declared free (as we are) by vertue of his satisfa­ction.

But it may be objected here, What, are we then absolved from the very time of Christs death and forward? For answer, We would distinguish betwixt a right to the thing, and a right in the thing (as we use to speak;) betwixt jus ad rem and jus in re; the Elect from Christs death forward, and before too, have a right to the thing, but not in the thing as to the application of it to themselves; an elect Person by vertue of Christs Satisfaction hath a legal right to his purchase before Believing, but when he comes to believe, the obstruction is taken away that hindered his application, and then he hath a new right not only to, but in Christs purchase; even as a Person that is Minor or mad, may have a right to a great possession, but by the law he is secluded from the use of it till he come to majority, and have the use of reason; and this distin­ction we have as one of the clauses of the [Page 154] Covenant, John 6.39, 40. where 1. in the 39. Verse, Christ says, This is the Fathers will that sent me, that of all that he hath gi­ven me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day; It's the Fathers will that Eternal Life be given to as many as are given to Christ on his Satisfaction, and Christ hath purchased it to them by his Satisfaction absolute as to the event, and therefore they have an accessibleness to it, a right to it, and cannot but partake of it, yet not simply, but in the way that he hath laid down: And therefore 2ly. In the 40. Verse, he saith, This is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have eternal life; by believing they come to the appli­cation of that to themselves which they had a legal right to before by Christs death.

2. Respect must be had to the Covenant of Grace, which is not quite an other thing then the Covenant of Redemption, but the making offer of it and the benefits contained in it in the preached Gospel, when Christ sends out his Ambassadours to woo and in­vite Sinners to Christ, and to bring them to the application of his Purchase; and it is by closing with, and receiving of Christs of­fer that the actual Cure comes, and that by Christs stripes our sores are healed: Even as when a Child that was Minor becomes Major, he comes to have a right to possess the same Lands or Sums of Money by the same Law that gave him a legal or simple right to them before; or he comes to have a right in that, which before he had a right to: So elect Souls that have a right to Christs purchase before believing, while they are mad in nature, are under the curse and wrath threatned in the word of God for not believing; but when they come to believe, they come to get an extract from the same word of their right in Christs pur­chase, because the Word says, He that be­lieves, is past from death to life, and shall not come into condemnation; and so the same word that did condemn before believing, doth now absolve upon a Sinners believing; and we come at this absolution by receiving of Christs offer in the Covenant of Grace: And if it be asked, how comes it that the receiving of Christs free offer in the Cove­vant of Grace, gives a right to Christs pur­chase? we answer, It is by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption, wherein it is so transacted betwixt God and the Mediator; so that there is the offer of the Covenant received, and the Covenant it self that con­cur for making over and deriving a com­pleat Right to wretched Sinners in Christs purchase.

Let the 1. Use of this be for your instru­ction and information, which is the end wherefore we have chosen in this way by this short view to give you in a very short sum, the marrow of the Gospel; And if ye remember these few Questions, ye may be in a capacity not only to answer us, but through grace to exercise Faith on Christ; And we think ye will all readily grant, that these who cannot at all answer them, should not go to the Communion: And therefore that ye may take them with you, we shall shortly resume them. 1. What condition is man in by nature? Answer, Under sin and misery, and even under the curse of God; Or thus, every man is a sinner, and hath a sinful nature, or, he is under trans­gressions and iniquities, is naturally loath­some, wants peace with God, and hath need of healing; Let this in the first place sink in your hearts. 2. How is man freed from this sinfulness and misery! Answer, He cannot be free from it, till there be a condign satisfaction made to Divine Justice; wounding and bruising must be to procure pardon, and stripes must be to procure healing, and chastisement must be to bring about our peace; That word, Exod. 34. Who will by no means acquit the guilty, would alwayes be remembred, and Faith would look to a Saviour for satisfaction. 3. Who can satisfie? Answer, Neither Man nor Angel can do it, no penances, no prayers nor performances of any meer creature will do it, but He only that was wounded and bruised, He who by Nature is the Son of God, the express Image of the Fathers Per­son, and who in respect of His Humane Na­ture was born of the Virgin Mary, like to us in all things except sin; It's he that satis­fies Justice and it's by no other way that [Page 155] we get pardon, and peace with God, and Holiness. 4. What way doth Christ satis­fie Justice, and make peace betwixt God and sinners? Answer, He entered himself in our room, and as Cautioner undertook our debt, suffered the condign punishmens that was due for our sins, and payed the price that we should have payed; He in a manner left Heaven and became Man, had a mean life in the World, drank the Cup of his Fathers Wrath, was wounded, bruis­ed, chastised, and died a cursed death, whereof his hanging on the Cross was but a sign. 5. What benefites come to us by his sufferings? Answer, Pardon of sin, Peace with God, and healing; The Conscience by his blood is sprinkled from dead works, the person absolved, reconciled to God, made whole, and made at last to be with­out spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; And this is not as Papists blasphemously speak, a putative effect, but a most real one. 6. Who are made partakers of this pardon, peace, and healing? Answer, The Elect have right to it, and by believ­ing they make the application, therefore it's said here, our and we; And we may look upon the Prophet speaking in the name of all the Elect, or in name of the be­lieving Elect, who on believing are actual­ly healed; The Elect then are healed, and the way how, is by faith making applicati­on of Jesus Christ. 7. How in Justice can he be condemned that was free of sin, and how can we be absolved that were guilty? Answer, He in Justice was condemned, be­cause as our Cautioner he came in our room, and undertook to pay our debt; And on the same ground we wretched sinners, may in his way make application of his purchase; because it was on these terms that he un­dertook the debt, that we might be set free; And it's on these terms that it is of­fered in the Gospel, that seing he hath payed for elect sinners, they may upon the hearing of the offer, close with it: But how may the sinner apply it? Answer, Not only because it's free, and freely offered, but by gripping to it by Faith, as the Pro­phet doth here; It's not only to apply it simply, but to step in and rest upon it in the terms it is made offer of, so that as on the one part Jesus Christ became really lyable to suffering, and satisfied for our sins, when he said, Lo I come, in the volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will; So upon the other part, the be­lieving sinner comes to apply the price pay­ed, by imbracing the price, and acquiescing in the satisfaction, and gripping to it as his own, and by his being brought to say in Faith, Let his wounding be my pardon, let his chastisement be my peace, and let his stripes be my healing: By this means, as the Law had a right to Christ for his paying the Elects debt, so they by believ­ing get a right to the promise of pardon and healing; For if the bargain was ficker on the one side to procure wounding to Christ, as if he had been the sinner himself, so on the other side, the bargain is as sure; The Be­liever is set free, and may be as really com­forted as if he had a righteousness of his own, or had never had sinned.

Use 2. Therefore there is here wonder­ful matter of consolation to Believers, that what was Justice to Christ, is Grace and Mercy to us, that which was pain to him, is pleasure to us; His sorrow our comfort, his wounding our pardon, his stripes our healing, &c.

Use 3. As ye would not prejudge your selves of these benefites which Christ hath purchased, make your peace with God through Christ; If your pardon and peace be not obtained this way ye will never get it, but ye shall be made to pay your own debt, and be lyable to wrath eternally, be­cause of inability to pay your debt to the full: Therefore step to, and make the of­fer welcome, how sinful and undone soe­ver ye be; The more sensible ye be, ye are the more welcome; This is the parti­cular use of the Doctrine; O! Let these things sink in your hearts, that ye are sin­ners, great sinners, under wrath, and at feud with God; that Jesus Christ is the Sa­viour of lost sinners, and that there is no way to pardon and peace but by closing with him, and saying hold on his satisfa­ction; [Page 156] That ye may be drawn to cast your selves over on this everlasting Covenant for obtaining the benefits that Christ hath pur­chased [...] [...]d himself bless what hath been sp [...]ken for this end and use.

IT were no small progress in Christia­nity to know and believe the truths that are implyed and contained in this same verse; The Lord by the Prophet is giving a little compend of the work of Redemption by his saving of sinners from death, through, and by the wounding of the Mediator. We did a little open the meaning of the words, and gave a sum of the Doctrines contained in them, at least of some of them which do contribute to this scope:

The Prophet is here speaking of Christ's sufferings, with a respect to the cause of them, and the effect that followed them, and shews how this was indeed the mistake and blasphemous imputation that we had of, and were ready to put on him, even to judge him smitten and plagued of God for his own sins, whereas God hath another design; He was altogether without sin, but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; We were at feud with God, and he took on him the chastisement of our peace; And this is the effect, to procure healing to us.

We shall now speak a word to three Do­ctrines further beside what we spoke to the last day, which are these, 1. That there was an eternal design, plot, and transacti­on betwixt God and the Mediator, as to Christs suffering for the redeeming of elect sinners, before he actually suffered; This the Prophet speaks of as a thing conclu­ded; For the cause of his sufferings was condescended on, and the end and fruit of them was determined, which implyes an antecedamus transaction betwixt the Fa­ther and him for putting him in the room of sinners; And by this transaction Justice hath access to exact the payment of this price; He interposed, and the Father ex­acts of him the payment of their debt, and seeks satisfaction from him for all that he bargained for. 2. That this transaction or design concerning the Redemption of elect sinners, is in respect of Christs suffering and satisfying of Justice, fully and actually performed, he undertook to be wounded and bruised, and he was accordingly actu­ally wounded and bruised: The transaction as to the engagement in it, and efficacy of it, took place in Isaiah's time, and before his time; but as to the actual performance of what the Mediator engaged himself to suffer, it is spoken of prophetically by him as a thing done, because to be done; and now it is done, and indeed long ago. 3. That the satisfying of Justice by the Me­diators Sufferings according to his engage­ment, proves as effectual to absolve, justi­fie and heal these, even the grossest Sinners, that come under this Bargain and Trans­action, as if they had actually suffered, and [Page 157] payed and satisfied their own Debt them­selves; these Sins are pardoned through his Sufferings, their deadly Wounds are heal­ed by his Stripes, as if they had never had a wound; their Compt is dashed and scor­ed as clean out as if they had never had any Debt; they are acquitted and set free as if they had never been guilty.

These three Doctrines ly very near the life of the Gospel, and the Prophet in this Chapter, and particularly in this Verse, is often on them. Our purpose is only short­ly to explicate them to you, as a short sum and compend of the tract of the Covenant of Redemption: The first of them shews the rise of the work of Redemption. The second shews the mids by which it is execut­ed. The third holds out the effect and consequence, and the end of all.

For the first then, There is (we say) an eternal transaction betwixt God and Je­sus Christ the Mediator concerning the Re­demption of Sinners, his actual redeeming by being wounded and bruised, supposeth this; for the Son is no more lyable to suffer­ing (not to speak of his suitableness) then any other of the Persons of the blessed God-head, had there not been an antecedent transaction; there was no obligation nor ty on him to be wounded, and to enter in­to the room of Sinners as their Cautioner for payment of their Debt, if there had not been a prior engagement; neither could his wounding and bruising have proven use­ful, or have brought healing to us, if this prior engagement had not been: And this is it which we call the Covenant of Redemp­tion; which we would not extend so, as in all things to stretch it to the properties of these Covenants and Bargains that are a­mongst Men, it being in some respect an expression used to make Grace more dis­cernable to us that can conceive so little of Graces way: This Transaction or Covenant of Redemption is sometimes called the Fa­thers will, and his law, as Psal. 40.8. I de­light to do thy will, O my God, yea thy law is within my heart; and John 6.38. It is called so, I came from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me; so al­so John 17.14. it is called the Fathers work in one respect, and the Sons work in ano­ther respect, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do; which is the prosecution of the same contrivance usually called a Cove­nant; because as to the essentials, it hath the nature of a Covenant, to wit, two Par­ties agreeing, and terms whereupon they agree; and it, well ordered in all things for prosecuting and carrying on the design of saving lost Sinners; called Act. 2.23. the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God; there was a plot and design in Gods coun­sel concerning Christs sufferings, whereof his sufferings were the excution.

To clear it a little, we would consider these five things in it. 1. The Parties. 2. The matter about which it is. 3. The rise and occasion of it. 4. The terms wherein the form of it stands or the mid [...] whereupon it is undertaken. 5. Some p [...] ­perties of this Covenant.

1. For the Parties, Upon the one side as God essentially considered, or all the three Persons of the glorious God-head, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who are all concur­ring in this Covenant, it being the act of the determinate counsel of God; and in this respect God is the Party to whom the satisfaction for lost Sinners is made, and he is also the Party condescending to accept of the satisfaction: And upon the other side, the Party engaging to make satisfacti­on, is Jesus Christ, the second Person of the blessed, dreadful, and adorable Trinity per­sonally considered, now becoming the head of the Elect, that he may have them all with himself to be one m [...]ical body; in the first respect, all the three Persons, that same one blessed God, give the command or require a satisfaction as God, and concur as the infinitely wise orderers of the Decree; and in the second respect, Jesus Christ as Mediator, undertakes to make the satisfacti­on, Psal. 40.6, 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; God as it were making the offer, what can, or shall be given to me for the redemption of Sinners? Sacrifice and Offerings will not please, nor are accepted by me; then follows the Mediators part, Lo I come, in the volum of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God; [Page 158] for though in the first respect, all the Per­sons of the Trinity be on the one side be­ing of one will, yet in the other respect, Christ Jesus as Mediator comes in on the other side to do that will.

2. As to the matter about which this Co­venant is; It's about the satisfying of Ju­stice, and making of peace between God and lost Sinners; it's that we might be par­doned, justified, have peace with God, and be healed; it is true there is an end above and beyond this, even the glory of Gods rich Grace, and condescending love that stoups so low to save Sinners; but Sin­ners pardon, and peace with God, and their healing, is the immediate end: Or if we come nearer; the matter about which it is, is the redeeming of the Elect, for these words in the Text, We and Us, are of equal extent with them that are justified and reconciled, and whom he actually heal­eth by his wounds and stripes; so that whoever they be who are never justified and healed, they are not comprehended in this Bargain.

3. The rise and occasion of this Cove­nant may be gathered from these three. 1. There is the supposing of Mans sin and fall; for whatever Election doth, Redemp­tion doth most certainly suppose Man to to be lost and under sin. 2. There is Gods decree not to pardon sin without a Satisfa­ction. 3. There is Gods election preceed­ing, or his purpose to save some for the glory of his Grace, which are the Elect, who are said to be given to Christ: These three are the rise an [...] occasion of the Covenant of Redemption; Man hath sinned, the threat­ning must be executed, and Justice satisfi­ed; and yet God hath for the glory of his Grace, elected a certain number to Life, and that must needs stand firm; and these three seeming to thwart one of them with another, gives the occasion and rise to the excellent and admirable contrivance of this way; how the lost Sinner shall be saved, yet so as Justice shall be satisfied and not wronged in the least, and Justice so satisfied, that yet the decree of election by Grace shall stand.

4. As for the terms (wherein the form of the Covenant stands,) and the midses by which these ends may be brought about; to wit, how the Redemption of lost Sinners may be attained, Justice may be satisfied, and the glory of Grace made to shine; and how any thing that makes these seem to justle and thwart might be guarded against; and that was it which (to speak so with reverence) put God to the consultation about it; which shews the excellency of the Covenant of Redemption, and the deep draughts that are about it, for otherways and properly God needs not consult or ad­vice: They are shortly these, 1. Gods of­fer to redeem Man if his Justice may be sa­tisfied, and if any responsal Person will be­come Cautioner and undertake to pay the Elects Debt. 2. The Sons accepting of the Offer, and undertaking or engaging to pay their Debt, upon condition that his pay­ment and satisfaction shall be accounted the Elects, and accepted for them. 3. The Fathers acceptation of this engagement, and undertaking according to his offer; and the Mediators accepting of it, and acquies­cing in it, he holds the Bargain (to speak so,) and so it is a closed Covenant: The first is comprehended in these words, Sacri­fice and offering thou didst not desire, Psal. 40. insinuating that God did desire something; The second in these words, Mine ears thou hast opened, then said I, Lo I come in the vo­lum of thy book, it's written of me, I delight to do thy will; which implys the Fathers acceptation as well as Christs undertaking; and it also points at the way how the satis­faction is made effectual; especially if we compare these words of the Psalm with Heb. 10.5, 6. we will find that they relate to Christs Humiliation in general, for it is in the Psalm, Mine ears hast thou opened; but in Heb. 10.5. it is, A body hast thou prepared me; and where it is said in the Psalm, I de­light to do thy will, the Apostle says, By the which will, we are sanctified: The Fa­ther makes the offer on the terms of a satis­faction to Justice, the Son as Mediator ac­cepts the offer, and undertakes for the Elect, here am I to do thy will on the same [Page 159] terms that the offer is made; and the Fa­ther accepts of the Sons engagement, ac­cording to that word, Matth. 3. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased; he offers himself Surety for Sinners, and the Father is content to accept of him as their Surety: In the one respect it's called the Fathers pleasure, Vers. 10. of this Chapter, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, &c. be­cause the terms were so proposed; and in the other respect it's called the Mediators pleasure, or satisfaction, Vers. 11. because the condition proposed is satisfying to him, The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand; He undertakes to pay, and God ac­cepts of his undertaking, and obliges him­self to absolve the Believer; and the words following, He shall see his seed, and of the travel of his soul and be satisfied, and by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many, are Promises made to him on suppo­sition of his making satisfaction: And in 2 Cor. 5. ult. the first part of the Transacti­on is, He hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin; and the other part of it is, That we might be made the righteousness of God through him; he accepting of the Bar­gain, obtains a right to a justifying and ab­solving Sentence by vertue of his suffering, for which cause these words are added in him, or through him; This shews the clear­ness of Gods Justice in proceeding with the Mediator; the ground of Sinners Justifica­tion through him, and gives Sinners a war­rand to make use of Christs satisfaction as theirs, because it was so agreed upon in the counsel of the God-head.

5. We come now to speak a little to some properties of this Covenant, and shall con­tent our selves with three or four of them that make for the scope, As 1. The justice and equity of it. 2. The faithfulness of it. 3. The freeness of it. And 4. The wisdom that shines in this Bargain; passing by the rest.

1. The justice and equity of this Transacti­on may appear in these respects, 1. That the Father should be satisfied, that he that was wronged should have his honour restor­ed, that the threatning given out in his Law should light and take effect; that the Soul that sins, should in his own, or in the Sureties person, die; and that a suitable recompence should be made to Justice be­fore the Sinner be absolved. 2. Justice appears in this respect, That when the Son of God, the Mediator, offers to become Man, and to endure and suffer all that the Elect should have suffered, his sufferings should be accepted as a satisfaction; be­cause the justice of God, yea, the holiness, power, and greatness of God, are as glori­ously manifested in Christs satisfaction, as if Man had suffered; nay, there would not have been such an amends and satisfaction made to Justice, if all Creatures had suffe­red; Justice by this means hath more satis­faction than it could have had otherways; and hereby the holiness of God, and the severity of his justice, as well as the conde­scending love of God, is the more manifest­ed, that he himself should condescend to satisfie; therefore Rom. 3.26. it's said, That he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth on Jesus: God is just, in that he will not only have satisfaction, but an equi­valent satisfaction for the restoring of his Ju­stice to its declarative glory wherein it suf­fered by Mans fall. 3. Justice appears in this respect, That the Mediator satisfying Justice, these for whom he suffered should be acquitted, and have the sentence of ab­solution past in their favours: which the ra­ther we would take noti [...]e of, that we may know the redemption purchased [...]nd be­stowed by the Mediator, is by an exact sa­tisfying of Justice, and not by removing of our sins as he did remove diseases, nor by pardoning of them by an authority commit­ted to him; but, as I said, by a real and actual satisfying of the Justice of God for them; therefore Luke 24. it's said, He be­hoved to suffer these things, and then to en­ter into his glory; there was a necessity of it, because of the justice of this Covenant, for the Son, not only to become Man, and be in a low condition, but to become a Curse and to die the cursed death of the Cross.

A second property is faithfulness on all sides; Faithfulness on the Fathers side in his Word and Promise to the Son, All that are given of the father are made to come to [Page 160] him, and there is nothing lost, John 6.37, 44, 45. Faithfulness on the Sons side, per­forming all according to his undertaking, fulfilling all righteousness: Therefore when in the [...] word he sayes, Deliver me from this hour, in the next word he sayes, But for this cause came I unto this hour; It was my errand into the World, and now I am to go about it by and by, And I lay down my life for my sheep of my self, no man taketh my life from me but I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again; His faithfulness also appears in keeping all that are committed to his trust, None of them shall perish, but he shall raise them up at the last day; Therefore he is called the good or faithful shepherd.

3. It's a free Covenant, it's just, as be­twixt God and the Mediator, but as to the Elect, it's most free; By his wounds we have pardon, and by his stripes we have healing; The chastisement of our peace was on him; There is not one grain weight or worth to be satisfied by us; He was made sin for us, he was made the curse, even the wrath-pacifying-sacrifice and offering; That we might be made the righteousness of God, not through ought in our selves, but through him, 2 Cor. 5. ult.

4. It's a most wise contrivance, for if the Son had not become Man and Mediator, how could Justice have been satisfied, or the Elect pardoned and healed? They could not satisfie for themselves, and no crea­ture could satisfie for them, therefore the only wise God finds out a wise mids for such an end, as is the saving of the Elect, in a way wherein Justice and Mercy, or free Grace, sweetly kiss each other, and where­in they both shine forth conspicuously and radiantly.

That which we would say in short con­cerning this Covenant, is this; that Jesus Christ hath undertaken to pay the Elect's debt, and hath stepped in into their room, And God hath imputed unto him their sin, and accepted of a satisfaction from him for them; And all this in a legal and just way; so as there is access before the Throne of God for them to plead for the application of his Righteousness by vertue of this Cove­nant; That as really and faithfully as Christ performed his u [...]dertaking to God, and his satisfaction w [...] accep [...]d for t [...], they may as really and [...] good g [...]d expect the application of it [...] them; For though all be of Gr [...]e [...]o [...], yet it's a b [...]gain on just and legal [...] God and the Mediator; Therefore th [...] i [...] a Title and Right in Justice for the Elect when they come to Christ, that his satisfaction shall stand for them, as being Members of his Body, and in whose room and place he sa­tisfied; Hence it is said, 1 John [...].1. If any man s [...]n we have an Advocat with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; And whereon is this righteousness founded? The next words tell us, He is the propitiation for our sins; He hath payed the price that was due by us, and we may seek the appli­cation of it to us according to the transacti­on past betwixt the Father and Him, now performed; which is the next point.

The 2. Doctrine is, That this transaction and design concerning the Redemption of sinners, is now not only undertaken, but fully performed, as is clear, Acts 2.23. Him being delivered by the determinat counsel of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain; The eternal pur­pose concerning this is now execute: As to the efficacy of his sufferings, He is in­deed the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world; Because neither the Son's un­dertaking was questioned by the Father, nor the Fathers promise questioned by the Son; To speak so with reverence of such a mystery, the Father before his coming trusts him upon his engagement with the Salvati­on of so many Elect Souls as he had given him; And the Son considered as Mediator, trusts the Father with the justifying of them, according to the promise made to him in the 11. Verse of this Chapter; But the actu­al performance of the undertaking was not till Christ suffered. This actual perfor­mance of the Covenant comprehends these things shortly: 1. That as this plot and de­sign of Redemption was laid down, so it hath the performance by all the Parties Co­venanting; It is actually performed accor­ding to the terms of it. 2. That it hath the real effects Covenanted for, actually and [Page 161] really brought abou [...] ▪ I [...] hath with it a most real and effectual following, to speak i [...] whereof Christs actual suffering was a part and [...] main [...]art▪

I say it [...]s performed by all parties accor­ding to the [...]erm [...] [...]nd hath its [...]eal effect in these [...]espects [...]. Christ Jesus hath ac­cording to this Covenant, sisted himself be­fore the Bar of Justice, and undertaken our debt. 2. [...] [...] pursued Christ for our debt and hath exact [...] payment of it from him. The [...] that belonged to [...]is was put in his hand and [...] w [...] made to drink it, in which [...]spec [...] [...], He was made a curse for [...] 3. The word of Divine, Justice awa [...]ed against him, and did smite him. [...] Jesus Christ according to his [...]derta [...]g do [...]h accept of the Claim, undergoes the Deb [...] and satisfies Justice, therefore [...]h [...]n he stands in our room, as if he had been the guilty person, he opens not his mouth to justifie himself, he says not, these are not my sins, but is as dumb as the sheep is before the shearer, be­cause he was our Cautioner; The everlast­ing Covenant, to say so stood Registrat over his head, and he is made to count for all that was due by, and to us. 4. It's per­formed in this respect that the Father pur­sues not the Elect on this account to be sa­tisfied of them, who as soon as they accept of the Covenant, are actually justified and absolved; Indeed while they are in nature the sentence still stands; Cursed is he that sinneth and believeth not; Yet by vertue of his performance of the transaction they have a legal right to Justification, and the promise to him stands good that the Elect by his knowledge shall be justified, and it hath an actual performance in all them that believe, they are really made free as he was made the sinner. 5. In respect of the man­ner, 1. It's perform'd ex [...]ctly according to the Covenant even as it was agreed upon that for so many he should suffer and procure eternal life, and so it is; Eternal life is given to so many according to the conditi­on of this Covenant and Ba [...]ain. 2. As it was a Bargain wherein Justice was to be satisfied; so it was exactly satisfied. Christ Jesus gets nothing down, not one farthing is remitted, but satisfies all payes down the full price he drinks [...]ut all the wrath contained in the Cup [...]ill i [...] come to that sweet word uttered by him amongst his last words on the Cross, It is finished.

The 3. Doctrine is, That t ough Elect sinners be as well sinners by nature and as gross sinners as others, yet by vertue of this Covenant, and upon condition of their accepting of it, they may obtain [...] do actually obtain peace with God pardon and healing, as if they had never sinned or as if they had satisfied the Justice [...]f God themselves: This is the very end of this transaction. He was wounded, for our trans­gressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chas­tisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed; His wounds, bruises and stripes effectually procured Justificati­on and healing to us; And this is the ground of that which we call imputed righteousness, and shews how it comes to pass that we are made righteous by the righteousness of a­nother, scornfully called putative righteous­ness by Papists: But considering what is in the former Doctrines, and in this; we will find it to be a clear truth, on which our Ju­stification and the whole weight of our Salvation hangs; That the believing sinner closing with Christs satisfaction is as effe­ctually absolved from sin as if he had never sinned; Christ's satisfaction becomes as really his as if he had payed the debt him­self; And if we consider these three, 1. The great design of the Covenant of Re­demption betwixt God and the M [...]diator. 2. The faithfulness of God in this Covenant, in performing his part on the terms on which the Mediator laid down a price for the Elect. 3. The excellency and effica­cy of the price payed with respect to the Covenant; We will find that there is clear access in Law, or according to the Decree of God manifested (the Decree is called a Law, Thy Law is within my heart) for the grossest sinners that come under this bar­gain, and close with this Covenant, their obtaining Peace, Pardon, Justification, and Healing, as if they had never sinned, or had satisfied themselves, and that they may confidently expect it on this ground.

[Page 162]1. I say, if we consider the great end and design of the Covenant betwixt God and the Mediator, we will find it to be the Ju­stification of the Elect: Christ suffered not for any sin that was inherently in himself; He had no sin, there was no guile found in his mouth; no quarrel betwixt God and him on his own account, but he was wound­ed for our transgressions, The chastisement of our peace was on him; to make peace betwixt God and us by his wounding, was the great design of the Covenant of Redem­ption; And can that design hold if his sa­tisfaction come not in the room of ours, and stand not for our satisfaction and payment? In man's Law the Cautioner paying the debt proves valid for the Principal Debtor, & when this is the design of God in the Cove­nant of Redemption how to get the debt of Dyvour Sinners payed, and themselves set at liberty, and when this is found out as the mids, A body hast thou prepared unto me; the Covenant must be as real on the one side as it is on the other; That is, as real and effectual to make the Believer in Christ just, as it was real and effectual to make Christ to be accounted the sinner, and to be dealt with as such. We may clear it further in these two, 1. By looking to Christ typifi­ed in the offerings under the Law; When the sinner came with his offering he laid his hand on the head of the Beast, especi­ally of the Scape-goat, to shew that Jesus Christ who was to come to be both Priest and Sacrifice, was so to bear the sins of the Elect, as that they were to be set free; That he was to lay his neck down to the Knife of Justice that the stroak might be kept off our Throat. 2. We are so justi­fied by Christ as Christ was made sin for us, now our sins became really Christs, not that he was made the sinner inherent­ly, that were blasphemous to be thought or spoken of; But he was reckoned the sin­ner, and was substitute in the room of sin­ners, as if he had been the sinner, and was made to satisfie for Original sin, and for Actual sin; as if he had been guilty of them by committing them: Therefore 2 Cor. 5. ult. He is said to be made sin for us, and Gal. 3. To be made a curse for us, and 1 Pet. 2.24. To bear our sins in his own body on the tree; And if he suffered for us, and if we partake of his righteousness as he did of our sins; then our Justification re­ally follows, and we are absolved and made righteous through his satisfaction closed with by Faith as if we had never sinned: The parallel is clear, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; So that as Christ was made sin, in the same manner we are made righteous; That as legally as he who had no debt, was made lyable to our debt, so as legally we partake of his righteousness, and are declared free; even as the Dyvour is legally fred from the debt which his Cautioner hath payed, and cannot be lyable to it; So the Believer by Christs satisfaction is freed from the debt of sin, and absolved and declared righteous: And though this may seem strange and a wonder, to be a sinner, and yet in some respect free of sin, under guilt and yet ab­solved; yet Christs satisfaction is as real and effectual as to the Believer, as if he had satisfied himself, because his Cautioner hath satisfied for him.

2. If we consider Gods faithfulness in this Covenant in performing his part, accor­ding to the terms of it, the matter is clear; For as the Mediator hath perform­ed his part according to his engagement; so it is impossible but God must perform his, and must accept of the satisfaction in name of the Elect, and upon their believ­ing justifie them; For as it was the Fathers will that he should lay down his life for his sheep, so it was the will of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that Believers in him should through his satisfaction have eternal life, John 6.39, 40. When he hath said before, I came not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me, he subjoyns, This is the Fathers will which sent me, that of all that he hath given me I should lose no­thing, but should raise it up again at the last day; Where the satisfaction that Christ should make is implyed, and it is a great one, And what satisfaction shall he have for that? Even the salvation of the Elect, This is the will of him that sent me, that eve­ry [Page 163] one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day; And vers. 10. of this Chapter, it's clear that he shall not want satisfaction, for he shall see the travel of his soul and be satisfied; And what is the satis­faction? By his knowledge shall my righte­ous servant justifie many; he shall be the cause of the justifying of many, and they shall be actually absolved in due time; And what is the ground of it? For he shall bear their iniquities: And therefore as God is faithful he shall get that which he merited and purchased for them, applyed unto them.

3. If we consider the excellent and equi­valent price that Jesus Crist hath payed, and that with respect to the Covenant, we have a clear ground why the Believer may ex­pect and be confident to be absolved and declared free; It is no mean price, Gold, Silver, or precious Stones, but the Blood of him that was and is God; which we say would be considered not simply, but with respect to the Covenant, and to the end wherefore he suffered and shed his Blood; For though it be no comfort to a sinner simply that Christ suffered, yet when he considers that it was for this end, to wit, that Justice might be satisfied, and that these for whom he satisfied might be justifi­ed and set free, The believing sinner may hence reason, If there was a reality in Ju­stice pursuing of him as my Cautioner, and a reality and efficacy in his satisfaction, and if it was full and compleat, so as Justice was fully satisfied by it; then there is a re­ality of Mercy, Pardon, Justification, and Peace with [...]od, and of heallng to and for me, their being made forth coming to me upon the condition of believing; And in this respect, though it be grace to pardon sin as to us, yet it is Justice in God to give Christ the satisfaction for the travel of his Soul, as well as he gave God satisfaction to his Justice; And the equivalent of that which the Elect should have payed, being payed to Justice by Christ their Cautioner, the Lord cannot, nor will not shun nor shift the pardoning of a believing sinner ac­cording to the Covenant.

The Uses are five, 1. Of Instruction, whereby we may have a little Map of Gods way of saving sinners, and of the way of sinners coming to get Salvation through Je­sus Christ.

2. To stir us up to admire the love of God contriving such a design for the salva­tion of lost sinners; at the love of God that gave his Son; and at the love of the Son that engaged to come, and hath come and payed our debt.

3. It gives a notable warrand to the faith of a sinner to take hold of, and close with Christ; and to rest upon his satisfaction for his Justification and healing; because he hath God and the Mediator Covenant­ing for this very end; the Mediator en­gaging to satisfie, and God engaging to re­ceive the satisfaction, and to justifie all these who shall accept of it, and rest upon it.

4. Its therefore a notable ground of en­couragement and of exhortation to take hold of Jesus Christ, and of his satisfaction; Folk would not skar at him, but lippen their Salvation to him; and be sure the bargain will not fail; As it is sure that the Media­tor hath satisfied, it is as sure that his satis­faction shall be made forth-coming to Be­lievers in him.

5. To reprove the neglecters and slight­ers of Jesus Christ, and of this offered Sal­vation through him; when he hath taken the threatning and curse of the Law on him­self to make out the Promise to them, it must be a great aggravation of folks guilt to slight him. It serves also to comfort a poor sinner that hath may sins and chal­lenges, and knows not how to be quit of them; The Covenant sayes our sins are translated on the Mediator, that we might be set free; Christ Jesus Covenanted on the terms of Justice to make way for us to Covenant on the terms of Mercy; God Co­venanted with him to pursue our sin in him, and he Covenanted to impu [...]e that satisfa­ction freely to us: Hence is that never e­nough noted saying, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself; It's Justice on his part, he satisfies for par­don of sin, and peace to them; But on the Elects part it's grace, God is reconci­led [Page 164] to them, not imputing their sin to them, but its for Christ's satisfaction that he free­ly forgives them their sin; so that what cost him dear comes most freely to us; and this is no small ground of comfort to a Consci­ence pressed with sin. God fix these things in your Hearts.

IF there were more deep conviction amongst us of our natural deadness in sin, and of that fearful condition that naturally we ly under by our ly­ableness to the wrath and curse of God, all Men and Women having by na­ture Gods curse, as the sentence of the Law registrate against them; the reading of such a Text wherein a way of remedy is holden forth, would be more welcome to us; and we are perswaded that such a thorow con­viction would not only make the Word more lovely and delightsome to us, but more plain and easie to be understood by us, and would be sooner taken up by us; and one Preaching would thus be more pro­fitable and effectual than many are to you while in a secure condition; when People are not under the deep and due conviction of their sin and misery, they have no serious thoughts that the word of the Gospel con­cerns them in particular, and that their souls stand in need of that which is spoken to them therein.

Ye may remember we spoke somewhat from these words for clearing the way of making Peace betwixt God and Sinners; and for holding forth the way that God in his infi­nite wisdom hath laid down for setting of poor sinners that are lying under his Curse, free; for this end there was an eternal Transaction and Covenant entered into by the Father and the Son, the Father demand­ing, and the Son accepting, and satisfying as Mediator and Sinners-Cautioner what was due to Justice for the sins of the Elect, as was determined in the counsel of God; from which bless'd Bargain all our Salvation flows as from the Fountain, and runs down as a river to us.

That which now we are to speak a little to, is some profitable Uses which are the scope of all, and tend to lead you in to know the use of such Doctrine, and not on­ly to know it, but to engage you to make suitable practical improvement of it.

There are several sorts of Uses that flow from this Verse whence the preceeding Doctrines have been drawen.

The first sort is for Information; which ye who are more ignorant, and have not so much light in [...]ou as to discover the way to Heaven, would especially take heed to, though they be useful to all. And 1. Ye would know and be informed in this, that all Men and Women without exception are lying under Transgressions and Iniquities, [Page 165] and lyable to be smitten and cursed of God till these be taken away; But this having been spoke of in the Forenoon, we need nor insist on it now; but the truth is, nei­ther Law nor Gospel hath gained this much ground on the great part of you as to bring you really to know that naturally ye are dead in sins and trespasses, and till this be drunk in and digested, other Truths cannot to any purpose profite you.

2. Ye would know and consider the ne­cessity of a satisfaction to the justice of God before Sinners can be fred from sin, and from the curse and wrath of God that they are under and liable to, by reason of their original corruption and actual transgressi­ons. Do ye think that Jesus Christ did need­lesly enter into the Covenant of Redempti­on, and engage to satisfie, and actually and really did suffer and satisfie Justice? If men might come so easily to He [...]ven as many suppose, it had been needlesse: Wou [...]d God (think ye) have wounded the Cau­tioner, his own dear Son, if those who ly under Sin and Wrath might have by ano­ther way satisfied his Justice and restored him to his Honour? Nay, E [...]etheir Peace could be made this b [...]hoved to be; and yet I must doubt if many do think that there is any such distance betwixt God and them, which a word of Prayer, or Conf [...]ssion, or some Pennance cannot remove: This is, alas! the woful Ignorance of many that live under this Gospel; but ye would know that a Satisfaction behoved to be, and such a Satisfaction as was equivalent to the wrong done, and suitable and satisfying to him that was wronged by sin, and that among all the Creatures it could not be found: Yea, ye may read from this the dreadful effects of sin, and what a horribl [...] thing it is to have your Transgressions to count for with God your selves: If sin brought such heavy things on the Cau [...]ioner, what will it bring on thee a Sinner? who hath conti­nued all his days in tops with God to speak so, and would not make p [...]ce with him when he was earnestly i [...]vited to it? Yea we may from this know, what is that most horrible, dreadful, and confounding Sen­tence which is abiding all of you that stand it out, and do not make your Peace with God through this Satisfaction of our bles­sed Lord Jesus, When ye shall be made e­ternally to bear the wrath that Sin deserves, which yet is intollerable.

3. Ye would hence know, and study to be clear and distinct in your knowledge of this precious Truth, how a Sinner that by nature is under Sin and Wrath, and hath ground every day to look for it, may be freed from that Curse and Wrath? To pre­vent which, the Lord hath made a Covenant with the Son who is appointed Mediator for making Peace betwixt God and Sinners by satisfying his Justice for them, and by pay­ing the same Debt that was due by them, so that this Wrath is prevented, and their Peace is made by vertue of this Covenant of Redemption; wherein these two clauses are agreed and concluded upon betwixt these two infinitely responsal Parties 1. That Christ shall become the Sinner, and be handled as a Sinner, though there was no sin in him. 2. That the Elect Sinner that by nature was a child of wrath even as well as others, shall be fred from the Wrath to come by vertue of his Satisf [...]ction: These are two Pillars that our Salvation is built upon, and that our Peace and Reconcilia­tion with God flow from; By his wound­ing and bruising we are pardoned, The chastisement of our peace was on him, and by his stripes we are healed.

To clear this a little; This Covenant would be considered, 1. As it looks to the parties and their several actions. 2. As it lookes to the Execution thereof in all the steps of it.

For the first, There are three parties that concur in their own place, 1. God is the Party offended, and he is here bruising and wounding the Mediator: He is the Judge, and stands ready to execute the Sentence that stands in his Law against Sinners if he get not an equival [...]nt Satisfaction. 2. Jesus Christ the Mediator is the Party wounded and bruised: the Mediator's part is to sa­tisfie [...]ustice, to pay the Price and perform the Satisfaction resolved upon in the Coun­sel of God, of suitable and sufficient value for the Redemption of the Elect, according [Page 166] to his Engagement; and he is actually wounded and bruised: God determined what shall satisfie, Christ Jesus accepts of the Determination, engages to satisfie, and does actually satisfie for elect Sinners. A 3d. Party is, We poor Sinners, He was wounded for our Transgressions &c. It's the elect Sinner, or the Sinner, who being made in due time sensible of Sin, and affraid of Wrath, and who being kindly touched with the Apprehension of it, and cleared anent the firmness and freeness of the Co­venant, and anent the fulness of Christ's Satisfaction, doth by Faith flee unto Jesus Christ and submit to his Satisfaction, and betakes himself allenatly to that for Righ­teousness; Christ layes down the Price, and the beleeving Sinner pleads for Interest in it, and for the Benefit of it, and by Faith gets Title and Right to an Absolvitor from his Debt and Guilt: If it then be asked what is the thing whereby a Sinner is pardoned and justified, reconcealed to God, and de­livered from Wrath and healed? I answer, It is by Believing in Jesus Christ: If it be again asked, What is the ground or reason why the believing Sinner obtains that Fa­vour? I answer, Because our Lord Jesus hath sufficiently satisfied for, and fully pay­ed the debt of, so many as are brought to believe on him: If it be 3dly asked, How comes it that Christs Satisfaction becomes a Ransom, and is accepted for such and such a Believer? I answer, It is by vertue of the Eternal Covenant of Redemption, or Transaction made betwixt the Father and the Son; wherein it was agreed that his suffering and satisfieing of Justice, should be accepted for believing Sinners, as if them­selves had satisfied; according to that of Job. 6.39, 40. This is the fathers will that sent me, that of all that he have given me I should lose nothing; and this is the will of him that sent me, that whosoever seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: So our believing is the first immedi­at step whereby we came to obtain pardon of Sin and Peace with God; Christ's Righ­teousness or Satisfaction, is that whereon our believing sounds it self; yet so as it hath a resp [...]ct to the eternal Covenant of Re­demption, whence both Christ's Satisfacti­on and our Believing do flow, and with­out which we could have no Warrand to expect Righteousness through a Mediator; for unless we know that Christ hath satisfi­ed Justice for Elect sinners that shall believe on him, we cannot rest on him for righte­ousness; And unless we have an eye to the Covenant of Redemption, we cannot ex­pect that this satisfaction will be accepted for us: And therefore if we will trace these steps back again, the first rise of our Salvation is in the counsel of God; the prosecution of it is in Christs satisfaction; And the application of his satisfaction, is by our fleeing to it, and accepting of it by Faith: And therefore we would learn in our looking and stepping up to Heaven, to look to these three in this order, we would first begin at Faith, and in believing we would consider Christs satisfaction, and from that we would ascend to the rise of it, to wit, the Covenant of Redemption, and the terms of it; All which put together, give a very clear ground of expecting righ­teousness through Jesus Christ: I shall illu­strat it by a Scripture-similitude, wherein I shall shew you how all the three concur, yet so as there is a difference in their con­currence; Ye know that under the Law there were Cities of refuge appointed, which were Types of Jesus Christ, in whom we find a shelter; In these Cities of refuge, consider these three that concurred for saving the person that had committed man-slaughter: 1. God's determination appoint­ing such a thing, and that the Man-slayer being within such a City, should be safe from the avenger of blood, and this gave the rise to the other two that follow. 2. The City it self as a shelter or refuge to the Man-slayer. 3. The persons fleeing or running to hide themselves in it: Now the safety of the person of the Man-slayer did flow from all the three. 1. The Law, ap­pointing such a City, was the ground. 2. The City was the shelter. 3. The per­sons actual running to the City, gave him a claim and title to the priviledge of the Ci­ty; For though the former two had been, if he had not fled to the City he had not [Page 167] obtained the benefit of safety: Even so, the Believer that would be saved, is to consi­der these three, 1. Gods determining such a way of Salvation to Elect Sinners by a Me­diator. 2. The Mediator priviledged as the City of Refuge for this end. And 3. The sinners fleeing to him, which is his be­lieving on him, and his seeking and plead­ing for the benefit of Christ's satisfaction according to the terms of the Covenant: Now suppose a person to flee to the City of Re [...]uge, he is preserved in it, Justice cannot follow him further then the Gates, yet so, as he hath the benefit by Gods determina­tion and appointment of the City for such an end, and yet so as he must flee into it ere he can plead for the benefit of the Ci­ty: So, suppose a sinner to be fled to Je­sust Christ by Faith, he may plead for ex­emption from wrath, by God's determi­ning and appointing a Mediator for such an end; And the Mediator Jesus Christ hath this priviledge conferr'd on him, that he that thus flees unto him shall be safe; Yet it is also suppos'd that such a sinner hath fled to him, else he could not expect safety through him, notwithstanding of Gods determining the Mediator for safety: Thus we would have these three put together; And yet (as we said) they differ; for Gods determination is the efficient cause & foun­tain of all; Christs satisfaction is the meri­ [...]orious cause, and our believing is the ground on which we have right to plead for the benefit of his satisfaction; Even as the man that fled to the City of Refuge, his safety was not by any vertue in his running, but by God's determination, yet his run­ning to the City was requisite as the mids, and except he run or fled to it, he could not plead for the benefit of the City; So our believing gives us ground to plead a right and title to Christ and his satisfacti­on, without which we could not have that right.

But 2dly, Because one will take up this under one notion, and another under ano­ther; To clear it therefore a little further, we shall again consider in this Covenant these three steps, 1. The determination of it, as it is enacted in the Council of the God-head, which in sum is this, that such and such persons shall be satisfied for by the Mediator, and his satisfaction accepted for them. 2. The execution of this Co­venant, where we take in all our Lords sufferings; all the stroaks and wounds that Justice pursued him with, as Cautioner for the Elect; and God's accepting and justi­fying of him, and declaring his accepting of him, and being well satisfied with what he did and suffered by his raising him from dead. 3. The application of his purchase by his accepted satisfaction; which con­sists in these, 1. That these that were gi­ven to Christ on this condition that his sa­tisfaction should stand good for them, should be justified and saved, that is, that in due time application of his satisfaction should be made to the persons given him to to be saved by him; Which takes in Christ's making intercession, that Renewing-grace, Faith, &c. may be given to such persons. 2. That the work of the Spirit, who, as the Sanctifier, begets Faith, and perswads to imbrace Jesus Christ, shall be given them- Then 3. follows the Believers actual com­ing to Christ, being sweetly and power­fully drawn to rest on him and his satisfa­ction; Whereupon follows the application of the sentence of Justification and Absolu­tion that results from the former; So that whereas it was before, Cursed is he that con­tinues not in all things written in the Law; Now it is, He that believeth on Jesus Christ hath eternal life, and shall never come into condemnation; All these go and agree well together, the Covenant as the ground, Christ's satisfaction as the meritorious cause, and the application of his satisfaction by Faith, which entitles and gives the Be­liever a right to it.

The reason why we have so much insist­ed on this, is, that we may teach you to joyn respect to the Covenant of Redempti­on, Christ's suffering, and your believing together; It will not be Faith that will ju­stifie, that is without respect to the Cove­nant; Neither will the Covenant and Christ's satisfaction justifie without Faith; yet ye would so put them together, as the glory of Salvation through Grace may not [Page 168] lye on Faith, but on God's everlasting Love, and on Christ's satisfaction: And indeed it is no little practick for a Soul sensible of sin, in the exercise of Faith, so to lay the weight of its Salvation on Christ and the Covenant, as it neglects not running to Christ by Fait [...]; and so to lay hold on Christ by Faith, as it lay not the weight on Faith, but on Christ and the Covenant: As in the comparison before used, suppose a man that had killed another unawares, had been taken before he wan to the City of Refuge, God's deter­mination was not the cause of that, but his not running, or his not coming at the Ci­ty; So it may be that some are apprehend­ed by the Justice of God, that are less sin­ful than others; yet the reason or c [...]u [...]e is not in God's Covenant, nor in C [...]rists want of worth, but in the persons not running, or not fleeing to Christ, as to the City of Refuge; and therefore they are not heard to plead for immunity by vertue of that satisfaction before the Bar of God.

A 2d. sort of Uses are for exhorting and encouraging Sinners to come to Christ; There is here then 1. A clear ground to our our Faith, and a plain way opened to Hea­ven, and a mighty encouragement to per­swade Sinners to lay hold on Christ, and to take this way for obtaining of life; This Text opens as it were the gates of the City of Refuge, and points out the way how to eshew the wrath which is to come: There is a way here laid down in the Wisdom, Ju­stice, Go dness and Grace of God, which is made offer of in the Gospel; and since it is so, we beseech you that ye would not receive this Grace in vain, but seing there is a Covenant well ordered and sure, a Me­diator and a Ransom provided, and a way laid down how to come to Christ by Faith, let all of you who come under the convicti­on of Sin and apprehension of Wrath, step to and close with him, and plead for Pardon by vertue of his Wounds, and for healing through his Stripes with respect to the Co­venant.

There are these four things here that will serve to give ground for this Application, if we consider 1. The great ground of Faith that is here. 2. The great reason we have to make use of this ground. 3. The great encouragement we have so to do. And 4ly. The great necessity we have to make this Application; A little to each of these; But we shall premit one word to all, and it's this, That considering you are all in tryft­ing terms with God, whether ye live at a distance from him, the U [...]e will by way of Exhortation reach you; or whether ye be brought to greater nearness under the sense of Sin, and have some seriousness in seeking after God, it will reach you for Consolati­on; In a word, we would exhort all and it may convince some, & comfort others: But to the first thing we proposed, We declare and proclaim this as a true and faithful say­ing, that there is here an Everlasting Cove­nant, wherein the salvation of the Elect is concluded through Christs satisfaction to Justice for them, and a way laid down for making Peace betwixt God and all them that will thorowly renounce their own righ­teousn [...]ss and lay hold on this Satisfaction, even such a way as procures Justificat [...]on and Healing to them: And for your confir­mation consider in general, if it be possible that this Covenant of Redemption, the Suf­ferings of the Mediator, and the Promises made to Believing, can be for nought; did the Father pursue the Cautioner so hotly for nothing? or did the Cautioner pay such a Ransom for nothing? no certainly, if it had not been to communicate Pardon and Peace, with Healing by his Wounds an [...] Stripes to them who were ly [...]le to Con­demnation, and under the dominion of Sin, neither of these would have been: And ther [...]fore for grounds of your Faith more particularly, see here 1. A full Satisfaction, God hath made way to Sinners Peace with himself, by satisfying himself fully in Christ the Mediator for the sins of elect Believers, so that a sinner that in the sense of sin betakes himself to him, needs not to fear any back-accompts, because what ever might make for our Peace, was fully said on him, so that we may with holy and humble boldness say, that we are not come to the mount that might not be touched nor to blackness and darkness & tempest, and the sound of a trumpet; but we are come unto mount Sion, the city of the liv­ing God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to Je­sus [Page 169] the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling: Our invitation there­fore to you, is not to bid you come and compt for your own Debt your selves, but to come and accept of Christs payment of it, and of his Satisfaction, whereby Justice is compleatly satisfied. 2. See here as ano­ther ground of Faith, the Justice of God, not with respect to us, but to the Bargain betwixt the Father and the Son who are the principal Parties, and we (to speak so) but Parties accidentally in this Covenant; the Covenant being primarly and mainly betwixt God and the Mediator; the Justice of it appears in this, that it hath respect to a Covenant which is fulfilled on all sides, and therefore the Elects believing and tak­ing hold of the Mediators Satisfaction, can­not but be accepted as if he had payed the the Debt himself; the Father (to speak so) had the carving of the Bargain and what satisfaction his Justice was to re­ceive, to his own mind; and as it was Justice on the Sons side to satisfie accor­ding to his undertaking, so it's Justice on the Fathers side to pardon and be at peace with the Sinner that by Faith flies unto Jesus Christ. 3. See in this Bargain not only Justice, but Mercy; as its just, so its a graciously free Bargain; which is won­derful and may seem somewhat strange if not paradoxal, yet its nothing inconsistent with the way of Grace; it's just that the Cautioner should pay the Debt; and yet that Debt is most freely and frankly par­doned as to us; it's Justice in the height as to the Mediator, but free Grace as to us in the height; we come to it freely and without price though it cost him dear: And that is one of the Mediators Under­takings that it should be free to his Seed, Joh. 6.40. This is the will of him that sent me, that he who seeth the Son and believeth on him should have eternal life. 4. Consider the reality and sureness of the Bargain, it is such as it cannot fail, having such Pillars to lean on, the Faithfulness of God engaged on just and equal terms and the glory of God as the end; and having a most neces­sary and c [...]rtain effect, to wit, Healing to all to whom this soveraign Medicine is ap­plyed: This stability and sureness of the Covenant flows from Gods engaging to the Mediator, and the Mediators engaging to God; from the Mediators satisfying and the Fathers accepting of his Satisfaction, which being confirmed by the Blood of the Testa­tor, it becomes a Testament which cannot be annulled nor altered or changed. And if all this be so, let me put the question, is there not good ground here to exhort the Hearers of the Gospel to believe in Christ, and on Believing, to look for Life through him? and a most solid ground laid down whereupon to build the hopes of Eternal Life? and therefore seing this is the up-shot of all, that Life is to be gotten freely by Faith in Jesus Christ, improve this way of Salvation for making your Peace under no less certification than this, even as ye would eshew reckoning with Divine Justice in your own Persons for the least Farthing of your Debt.

If it be objected here by any, 1. We are at enmity with God and cannot satisfie, I answer, This Text tells you that satisfa­ction is not sought from you, but from the Mediator who hath already given it, and the Father hath accepted it for all such as shall by Faith plead the benefit of it. 2. If ye shall say, we know not how to win at God, we are such as cannot step on foot forward, and so very sinful and miserable that we know no such Transgressors and Wretches. I answer, Was it not for such that the Mediator transacted, even for such as we Transgressors, Rebels, Despisers of him, and such as judged him to be smitten and plagued of God? If he had been Cau­tion only for righteous Folks, there had been some reason for such an objection, but it is for Sinners, for most hainous Sinners: Nay, this way of reasoning and pleading says on the matter, that Christ needed not have laid down his life. 3. If it be said, We are so sinful and backsliding, so filthy and pollu [...]ed that we think we are not within the reach of healing: I answer, This rea­soning would if it held, turn in effect to this, that ye are not within the reach of Gods Grace and for Christs Satisfaction; which is not only injurious but even blasphemous to the Grace of God and to the Satisfaction [Page 170] of the Mediator; if your sin be ugly and horrible, he suffered horrible Wra [...]h; he was wounded, bruised, chastised, &c. 4. If it be said further, We can do nothing for our selves, we cannot come to Christ, we know not what it is to B [...]lieve, or if we win to do any thing, alace all our Goodness is as the morning Cloud and early Dew that soon passeth away; I answer, The Cove­nant is not transacted betwixt God and you, but betwixt God and the Mediator, and the ground of your Peace, as to the procuring cause, depends on the Mediators perform­ing his part of the Covenant in your name: And further, as for your Believing, it is a piece of the Fathers engagement to the Me­diator, and must certainly be made as ef­fectual as the Father must keep his word to the Son, according to these Promises of the Covenant, I will put my law in their hearts, and write it in their minds, they shall all know me; and they shall be all taught of God; And thy people shall be wil­ling in the day of thy power, and the like; All these Promises were in the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son; and the application of them is but their execution as to us; and therefore seing such a City of Refuge is cast open to Man-slayers and Transgressors▪ step humbly and boldly for­ward and run into it. There is yet a 5th. Objection which will possibly be sticking with some, and it is this, we know not whether we shall believe or not, for we know not if we be in the Covenant or not: I an­swer, Would ye have thought that he who had committed Man-slaughter would have reasoned well if he had reasoned thus, I know not if th [...]t City of Refuge was appoint­ed or built for me, and when the Gates of it were cast open should skar to enter in it on this account? when it was told him that it was appointed for such: Just so is it here: And suppose one should say, I cannot be­lieve, it is as if such a man should say, I can­not, I dow not run to the City; nay ra­ther though he had been feeble, yet he would have creeped, clinshed and cripled to it as he might: Even so here, in a word, a man should not dispute whose name is in the Covenant, but should step forward to the Shelter and Refuge; as it is Heb. 6.18.19. where the Apostle borroweth the same similitude, and says, God hath con­firmed his promise by an oath, that by two im­mutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, that we might have strong conso­lation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us: Men in their Natural condition are compared to the Man-slayer, lying under the stroak of the Law, or under the hazard of being pursued by the Avenger of Blood; Christ is compared to the City of Refuge; and the heir of Promise being pur­sued, what shall he do? will his election simply save him? no, but he must flee unto Jesus Christ as to his City of Refuge: And therefore, by all means run and flee to him, as having this fear, least the Avenger of Blood pursue and overtake you; and if ye cannot run so fast as ye would, yet run as ye may; and ye have this advantage that the City of Refuge is not far off, it's near you even at your Door, as the Apostle speaks Rom: 10. The word is near thee, in thy mouth and in thine heart; the criplest Body among you all has Christ at your door that ye may enter into him as into a City of Refuge, and that he may come in and sup with you; so that though ye cannot lift your feet so quick­ly in running to him, if ye can but in good earnest roll your selves over upon him, ye shall be safe: Seing then that this way of Salvation is so full, so free, so equal and ef­fectual, take heed least ye prejudge your selves of it.

2ly. To press this yet a little further, Consider what good reason ye have to run; Take but this one word, Ye are Sinners lying under the Curse and Wrath of God, and have ye any other way of obtaining Pardon or of making your Peace? and if ye believe that ye are Sinners and under the Curse, is there not need that ye should run to a Shelter from it? If we were preaching to Angels that had never sinned, there might be some reason for their slighting or laying little weight upon such a word of exhorta­tion, but seing ye are Sinners, and lyable to Gods Curse, why do ye slight a Saviour, having so much need of him?

[Page 171]3dly, Consider yet further, that ye have encouragement to run, and nothing to dis­courage you; What prejudice is in believ­ing? There is no prejudice at all in this way, but many advantages; Doubtless Sal­vation will not fail them that believe: Yea, we may add from the words of the Text, for encouraging to this that the man or woman that is sensible of sin, and afraid of wrath, hath the Covenant to look to, for begetting and throughing the work of Faith in them with power; for if it be true that all the midses are in the Covenant, as well as the end; and if we may lay weight on the Covenant for the effect, to wit, the pardon of sin, and healing, then we may also lay hold on the Covenant for further­ing us to that effect: I speak not this as if folk could of themselves act Faith on the Covenant, before Faith be given them; But I speak it to encourage young begin­ners that think they have no Faith at all, that they may act what they have, and may look more and more to the Covenant, to be inlightened, quickened, and strengthened, and that they may say with the poor man in the Gospel, Lord, I believe, help my unbe­lief; And with the Spouse, Cant. 1 Draw me; and We will run after thee.

4. And finally, for pressing of this, consider the absolute necessity that ye are under of making use of this way of Salvati­on, of getting your peace made by Christs satisfaction, and your wounds healed by his stripes; There is no mids, but either ye must hazard on a reckoning with God on your own score, or accept of his satis­faction: There was never a Covenant made by God with Man but two, a Cove­nant of Works for perfectly righteous folks, by which Covenant no sinner was ever able to come to life; And a Covenant of Grace wherein Christ is made sin for us, and as many as flee by Faith unto him, are made the righteousness of God through him; and therefore either betake your selves to his way, or resolve on compting with God your selves without a Mediator and Surety; or if ye think it a fearful thing to compt thus with God, and if it be certain that many have been condemned for taking the way of Works; Let me earnestly intreat you to welcome and make more use of Christs righteousness for obtaining pardon of sin, and peace with God: This way will do your turn when the other will quite fail you; But as for them who take this way, I will adventure to say in his Name, that as certainly as Christ was smitten, as certainly shall pardon and healing come to them; Even to as many as creep in to him, and by believing lay hold on him: And on the other side, I say in the same name to all of you who take not this way of Salva­tion, that ye shall most certainly be brought to reckon with God yuur selves without a Mediator, and to undergo his curse accor­ding to the tenor of the Covenant of Works: Thus this Text sets before you life and death; God's blessing and God's curse; Life, and God's blessing, if ye be­take your selves to Christ, as to your alone City of Refuge; And death, and God's fearful curse if ye do it not; God himself make you wise to make the right choise.

YE have in the Former Verses somewhat of our Lord's suf­fering, and of his suffering for sinners, that he was woun­ded and bruised, &c. In this Verse the Prophet proceeds to clear how this came to pass, that Christ Jesus was made to suffer for the Elect, the Seed that God had given him; which he doth by laying down the Occasion and Fountain-cause whence it proceeded, 1. The Occasion of it in these words, All we like sheep have gone astray; All the Elect, as well as others, had wandered, and every one of us had turned to our own way; We had denuded our selves of all right and title to eternal life, and had made our selves liable to Gods curse and wrath through our sinning. 2. The Fountain-cause is, The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all; When we had all strayed Jehovah took our Lord Jesus, as the Sacrifices under the Law were taken, and put him in our room, and laid on him the punishment due to us for our sins, and actually pursued him for our debt.

So the words are an answer to that que­stion, How comes it to pass that our Lord Jesus suffered thus for sinners? It's answe­red, The Elect had made themselves ly­able to the wrath and curse of God, through their straying; and to keep them from that wrath, God designed and provided his Son Jesus Christ to be the Redeemer, and according to the Covenant of Redemption laid on him the punishment due to them for their iniquities; In a word, their sin, and God's appointing him to be Cautio­ner, made him liable to satisfie for all their debt.

The first part of the words holds out our natural disease; The 2. part holds out Gods gracious cure and remedy.

In the first part we have these three, 1. The natural state and condition of all Men and Women, even of the Elect them­selves (who are mainly to be look'd on here) All we have gone astray. 2. This is illustrat by a similitude, We have gone astray like sheep. 3. It is amplified, Every one of us hath turned to his own way; Several words being put together to set out the de­sperat sinful condition whereinto the E­lect as well as others had brought them­selves.

1. Our natural state and condition is set down in this word straying; To stray, is to wander out of the way, to go wrong, to be be wildered; For God hath set a rule to men to walk by in the way to life, the rule and way of holiness, and whoever walk not in that way, do go astray, and wander out of the right way.

2. This is, as I said, illustrat by a simi­litude of sheep; The comparing of the E­lect to sheep here, is not at all to extenuat the sinfulness of their straying; though sometimes the innocency of that Creature in some other comparisons is insinuated; But it is to hold out the witlessness, spiri­tual silliness ad bruitishness of their stray­ing, the Scripture usually pointing out that Beast to be disposed and given to wander­ing; [Page 173] And both Nature and Experience tells us, that in a Wilderness where there is greatest hazard, they are readiest to run on the hazard; such is their silly, and to speak so, foolish inclination; Just so are the Elect by Nature.

3. It's amplified by this, That every one hath turned to his own way; Before, it was collectively set down, A [...]l we have gone a­stray; But now lest any should exeem him­self, it is distributively set down, Every one, even Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others such, not one excepted: This turning to our own way, holds out two things, 1. It's called our own way, to distinguish it from Gods way, as it is, Psal. 81.11. He gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels, That is, in their own inventions, or according to their own will, humour and inclination. 2. While it is said, that every one turns to his own way, it's to shew this, that beside the com­mon way that all sinners have to turn away from God, distinguished from God's way, every sinner hath his own particular and peculiar way whereby in his way he is di­stinguished from another sinner; There is but one way to Heaven, but many ways to Hell, and every one hath his different way, some have one predominant lust, some a­nother; But they all meet here, that eve­ry one turns from God's way, and every one takes a wrong way of his own.

Considering the scope, we shall shortly and passingly point at two general Observa­tions, whereof the 1. is this, that it con­tributes much for folks conceiving and con­sidering of Christs sufferings aright, to be well acquainted with their own sinful na­ture and disposition; Men will never look rightly on Christs sufferings, nor suitably esteem of him, nor make him, and the Do­ctrine that holds him and his sufferings forth cordially welcome, except they have some sense of their sinful nature and di [...]po­sition; Hence it was that many of the Pha­risees and Hypocrites of that time wherein the Lord exercised his Ministry amongst the Jews, never welcomed him, nor pri­zed his sufferings, whereas among the Publicans and Sinners many were brought to get good of him.

Not to insist in the Use of this, only in a word, see here a main reason why Jesus Christ is so meanly thought of, and the re­spect of his sufferings is so little welcomed and esteemed, even because so few walk under the due sense of this, that like lost sheep they have gone astray.

The 2d. general Observation from the scope, putting both parts of the Verse to­gether, is this, that we should never look on Christ's sufferings but with respect to the Covenant of Redemption, and God's transacting with him as our Cautioner; Therefore the last part comes in, The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all: For albeit we know that Christ hath suffer­ed much, yet, if there be not an eye to, and some acquaintance with, the Covenant, the rise of his sufferings, and God's hand and end in his sufferings, it will be to no purpose; Therefore when Peter is to speak of his sufferings, Acts 2.23. He premits these words, Him being delivered by the de­terminat counsel and fore-knowledge of God, and then subjoyns his being crucified: Looking on Christ's sufferings with respect to the Covenant. 1. It lets us know that Christ's sufferings come not by guess, but by the eternal counsel o [...] God, and by vertue of that transaction betwixt the Father and the Son, and this takes away the scandal off them, which the Prophet sets himself here to remove. 2. It gives Faith access to make use of his sufferings when we look on him as purposely designed for this end. 3. It holds out the love of God, Father, Son, and Spirit towards Elect Sinners; That howsoever God looked angry like on the Mediator, as personating them, and sustaining their room; yet that Jehovah had the devising and designing of these suf­ferings, and that he sent his Son to suffer thus, it holds out wonderful love.

3. And more particularly, from the first part of the words, which is the main thing to be marked, Observe, That all men, even the Elect themselves not excepted, are na­turally in a most sinful and desperat state and condition, so that if ye would know what they are by Nature, this is a descrip­tion [Page 174] of their state, All we like sheep have gone astray, and every one hath turned to his own way; And when it's called our own way, there needs no other E [...]thete to set out the desperatness of it; That which I mean is this, that all men are naturally un­der these two, 1. They are under guilt before God, Eph. 2.1, 2. Dead in sins and tresp sses, child [...]en of wrath, and heirs of condemnation, lyable to the curse of God by vertue of the Covenant which Adam broke. 2. Which is mostly aimed at here, there is in every one a sinful nature, a sinfulness or sinning sin, an inclination to sin, every one hath a straying humour; So that al­though the similitude of sheep a [...]ree not to them in that sen [...]e as sheep are innocent creatures, yet it agrees to them in this sense that they are silly foolish Creatures; And in this respect it is said Gen. 6.8. That all tha imaginations of the thoughts of the heart in man are only evil continually; And Eph. 2.1. They are said to be dead in sin, not only in respect of their being obnoxi­ous to God's curse, but in respect of their natural deadness, of their sinful nature, and want of spiritual life; So Rom. 3 9, 10. and forwards, the Apostle describes the sinfulness of man's nature at large, not only in respect of its guilt, but of its inclination to sin, and says that their throat is an open Sepulchre; Insinuating thereby that men na­turally are like to a Tomb, and that the Corps within the Tomb is death and sin, and that all that comes from them savours of that; Their feet are swift to shed blood, with their tongues they use deceit, &c. Every member and part of the body, and every faculty of the soul is bent to that which is evil. These three may further confirm it, 1. If we look in general to what the Scri­pture speaks of men by nature, Eph. 2.1, 2, 3. Rom. 3, and 5. Chapters; They being as it is, Isaiah 57. penult, As the raging Sea that casts out dirt and mire continually; It is alwayes moving and working one way or other, and more especially in a storm, so that though at one tide ye should sweep the Shore never so clean, it will be as foul and dirty the next Tide that cometh; So are these hearts of ours (as Peter speaks, 2 Epist. 2. And Jude vers 13.) foaming out their own shame; And James saith, Chap. 4.5. The spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy; It hath as great eagerness after, and as great delight in sin, as a Drunkard hath after, and in drink. 2. Experience also confirms it, Go thorow all the Men and Women that ever were in the World (our blessed Lord Je [...]us being excepte [...], as not descending o [...] Adam by the ordinary way of Generation) and that will be found true which the Apostle hath, Rom. 3. There is none that doth good, no not one; And that which is spoken, Gen. 6. All flesh hath cor­rupted their way; And what is the spring of all the a [...]ominations that are in the World, and the rise of these particular evils that are in believers and Saints men­tioned in Scripture, as in David, Peter, and others: But this same corrupt nature, this body of death, as it is called. Rom. 7.14. All which strongly prove a fire to be within, when there is such a smoak with­out. 3. We may confirm it from well-grounded reason, for it cannot be other­wise; If the root be of such a nature, can the branches be otherwayes? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing? No, not one, Job 14.4. When Adam fell the root was corrupted, and the branches can­not be fresh; the fountain was defiled, and the streams cannot be clean and clear: Hence when Adam begot Seth, an Elect in whom the Church was continued, it is said, that he begat a son after his own likeness, Gen. 5. He himself was created after Gods Image, but begat children after his own Image.

Though this be a commonly received Doctrine, yet its not without good reason, nor for no use insisted on so much here and in other Scriptures; We shall there­fore speak a little to these four Uses of it.

The 1. Use of it serves for Information; and we may make it a looking-glass where­in we may see clearly our own most sinful state and condition; Would ye know what ye are by nature? This Text tells you that not only all men have strayed, but that each of us, or every one of uc hath turn­ed [Page 175] to his own way; But knowing how rea­dy we are to shift the challenge, we would be perswaded that we are by nature lyable to Gods curse for Adams sin, dead in sin, and inclined to all evil; Sheep are no rea­dier to go the wrong way, and will no more readily stray if they want a Shepherd, then we are inclined to do: There is a common word in many of your mouths, that we are all sinners by nature, but when it's searched into, we find that there is much ignorance amongst you of what it means; many count themselves to be sin­ners, only because of their being guilty of the first sin, and so put no difference be­twixt the first sin and Original sin, which is an effect that flows from, and follows upon the first sin; The first sin was Adam's deed, and is legally ours being imputed to us; As it is, Rom. 5. Death reigned over all, even over them that had not sinned after the simi­litude of Adam 's transgression, because Adam in his standing and falling stood in our room, representing all mankind that was to come of him; But Original sin is inhe­rent in us, and cleaveth closs to us, and is that which we are born and bred and grow up with; And therefore ye would distin­guish these sins, that ye may know that ye are not only guilty of Adams first sinful deed but that ye hav [...] a present sinful and cor­rupt nature, though it be not [...]lways alike exercising and acting it self; Others again look only upon their nature as inclined to evil, and look not on it as that which makes them lyable to wrath by reason of the first sin; But ye would put both toge­ther, and know that though your sinful­ness doth not consist only in an inclination to evil, that yet your sinfulness lyes mainly in that, and that it will not be long a going wrong; And it's not only your actual stray­ing and going wrong that ye would take notice of, but also and mainly of your sin­ful nature, that inclines, disposes, and sets you on work to go wrong; It's your filthy corrupt Nature, the Body of Death, the smell and savour whereof, to say so, is the kything of some actual sin; We may clear it in a similitude or two; We are by this Original sin as young Serpents before they can sting actually, or like Ravenous Birds before they come out of the Nest, yet we call these, Serpents and Ravenous Birds, because they are come of such a kind; In our Swadling-clouts we have the venomous and Ravenous Nature, to wit, Original sin in us; And in our Actual sinning we are like Serpents when they come to sting actually, or like Ravenous Birds when they come to catch the Prey; And our Actual sin is a fruit of Original sin: Or take it in this same similitude in the Text, there are ma­ny Shep that never actually strayed; yet they are called straying witless Creatures, because they are inclined to stray, and rea­dy to stray; Or take it in this similitude, there are some diseases that follow such a House and Family, some are inclined to a Consumption, some to the Stone, some to one disease, some to another, which is from some defect of the Body, even so it is here, that from a defect of our Nature, infected by Original sin, that all Actual sins flow.

The 2d. Use is for Conviction and Reproof, and indeed we cannot well tell where we shall begin here; However the first thing that it reproves is our natural Pride, Though this be the sinfulness of our very Infancy, yet we are ready to look upon our selves as something; it's a true saying, though much misapplyed, that Job hath chap. 11.12. Vain man would be wise, though man be born as an wild [...]ss [...]s colt; a Colt hath a wild hu­mour, and [...]s the most witless of Creatures, and this same is it that is implyed in that saying of James 4.5 Do ye think the Scrip­ture saith in vain, the spirit that is in us lusteth to envy, which saith this much, that the most part never trow that they have such a spirit in them that's enclined to all evil, bent to have God and every thing that is good. 2. I [...] reproves the great security that is amongst the most part; It this be a truth that M [...]n and Women are thus born under the Curse of God, and enclined to every thing that is evil, born enemies to God and enclined to aggrege & highten the quarrel, how comes it then to pass that the great part sleep as soundly and securely as if they were in no hazard? If ye were all posed and [Page 176] put to it, how many of you can give a solid proof that ye are reconciled, that your Peace is made, that ye are changed and your na­ture renewed, and the quarrel betwixt God and you taken away? and yet if we look up and down, ye are generally as s [...]cure and quiet as if ye were born friends with God; There are but few taking with a Conviction, and saying within themselves, Is yonder Do­ctrine true of me? as if the Scripture had spoken in vain whatever it speaks of Origi­nal Sin: Ah! shall this never be amended? will ye never lay your sinfulness to heart? shall ye still think nothing of that which gives the occasional rise to the Covenant of Redemption and to Christs Satisfaction? all the preaching that ye hear daily if it be not now laid to heart, it shall be most ter­rible and dreadful to you one day; and the Peace that ye now have shall end in red War and great bitterness. 3. It reproves Folks exceeding great unwatchfulness and their trusting to their own Nature and fol­lowing their own Council; the wise man saith, Prov. 28.26. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool; Is it not reproof-wor­thy for a man to be as bruitish as the very beast that perisheth; as it is Psal. 49. and yet to be as little watchful and as much trustful, or to trust as much to a mans own guiding, as if nothing of a milguiding hu­mour and disposition were in him? we may more then allude to these words of our Saviour here, If the blind lead the blind, shall not both fall into the ditch? many of you think that ye are instructed as Scribes in the way to Heaven, and will be read [...] to say, God forbid we should be ignorant of that, and what have we been doing all our days if we be yet to learn that lesson? but we will tell you what ye have been doing, ye have even been like silly witless Sheep stray­ing all your days: And we would the ra­ther speak to this, because it is so necessary to be known and believed, and yet so little known and credited; For, 1. Ye will ne­ver be rightly humbled nor make use of Je­sus Christ, nor walk watchfully and soberly; In a word ye will never believe and repent till [...]e know, be convinced of, and believe this to be your natural Inclination and the sinfulness of your nature: And yet 2. Tho this be so necessary that the want of it mars the fruit of the Word in you, and Preach­ing doth but buff on you to say so; How many are there that are as little sensible of it as the very stones of the Wall that are be­fore us, or the boards that they lean upon as to their own particular state and condi­tion? I would but ask you, Is it possible that ye could live so securely and satisfied with your own case if ye believed indeed that ye had such a sinful nature, and that ye were lyable to Gods Wrath and Curse? or would ye give such way to your natural sinful humours and inclinations, and so con­tentedly slight Jesus Christ and the offers of the Gospel as many of you do? and yet we see amongst them with whom we con­verse, Men and Women not only as secure as if they had not such natures, but even belshing and foaming out their own shame: We would have you therefore to be convin­ced and know, that not only ye are Sinners in the general, but that every one of you is such in particular.

To make it the more clear, I shall give you two or three Qualifications that are re­quisite to a suitable conviction of your sin­fulness. 1. It would be particular. 2. It would be sensible, ye would not in bare words take with it that ye are Sinners, but ye would see and be convinced that in this and this ye have sinned, and ye would be kindly affected with it. 3. It would be distinct, not a guessing, but a thing that from the seeing and feeling of it ye would be clear in. 4. It would have such i [...]fluence on the moving of your Aff ctions, and such an inward working on your hearts, as that ye may loath [...]our nature, and your self be­cause of it: We may see all these in Paul, Rom. 7. vers 10. and forward, who, though he was greatly renewed, yet saith he, I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind; he feels and is very sensible of that which leads him in captivity, and he crys out, Who shall deliver me; &c. his affe­ctions are mightily stirred with it, What I do I allow not, &c. O miserable man that I am, &c. If ye believe this to be a truth, and that Paul lived in the faith and feeling of it; [Page 177] then judge if there be not just ground to expostulate with most part of you, as being yet without the faith and feeling of this mo [...] concerning thing.

The 3 [...]. Use of it serves wonderfully to set forth the glory of the free and rich Grace of God, that all this business is made and this transaction entered into, that Christ comes to satisfie and doth actually satisfie Justice for a number of such wretches that had gone astray like lost sheep; This comes in as he scope; we have strayed & done the wrong, but he hath payed the debt, & satisfi­ed for the wrong done: and from comparing this v. with the foregoing, we may take these five Considerations that serve to heighten the glory of Gods Grace and Free-love, and to shame Believers that are so little in won­dring at it. 1. Who is smitten? his own Son; we sinned and he was smitten, even he who was and is the Fathers fellow, the Sword awakes against him and we go free. 2. What did our Lord suffer? He was wounded and bruised, the chastisement of our peace was on him, he laid on him the iniqui­ty of us all; It was not a complemental or fashional suffering, but he was arraigned before the Tribunal of Justice, and did real­ly pay our Debt, and satisfie Justice for our Sins. 3. Who ex [...]ct [...]d this Satisfaction? who did smite him? It's the Lord Jehovah, it's the Father; which makes the glory of Grace shine the more; It's God the Father whose Heart was tender to the Son of his love that ex [...]cts the full price of him, so that as he said of Abraham, By this I know that thou lovest me, because thou hast not with­held thy Son, thine only son Isaac from me; we may say, by this we know God's love to the Elect, when he hath not withheld nor spared his own Son from them, but hath laid on him the iniquities of them all. 4. For whom did he smite him? for Sinners, for straying Sheep, for Covenant-breakers, for such as had gone a whoring from God, and were bent to sin against him, I mean the Elect. 5. When was it that he suffered for them? even when they were straying, rejecting, despising, nodding the head at him, spitting in his face, and saying away with him, even then he is praying and dying for them: Now put all these together, that such a price shall be exacted of such a Cautioner, and for such Sinners, and at such a time, behold & see therein how God com­mends his love to us, as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.8. In that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us; when we were in our sin, not praying to him, nor in capacity to pray or give him thanks for any thing that he did or suffered, he then died for us; Is there any thing here but freedom of Grace? and does not this exceeding high­ly commend the love of God, that he ex­acts the Debt due by us of his Son, and the wonderful love of the Mediator and Cautio­ner, that at such a time and for such trans­gressions he should pay such a price?

Use 4. Seing this was our state that we were Sinners, and that yet herein was the love of God commended, that he laid o [...] his Son the iniquity of us all, then, is there not good ground to take with Sin and to make use of the Remedy, to take with Sin and to close with Christ? We might take occasion here to exhort, 1. To Watchful­ness, and to walking soberly and humbly, from this ground, that we have such a Na­ture. 2. To exhort every one to Repen­tance, because by Nature ye are all in such a sinful state and condition; [...]t may be ground of exercising Repentance even long after your justification and peace made with God who are justified; with whom it should be as we see it was with David. But 3ly. Seing by Nature ye are under God's Wrath and Curse, and in a state of enmity with him, it mainly serves to exhort you to flee unto Jesus Christ and not to rest till ye g [...]t the quarrel taken away; It might be in rea­son thought that Folks would be soon and easily induced to this even to run unto Je­sus Christ, and to welcome the Gospel with good will, for preventing the Curse and Wrath due to them for sin, and for subdu­ing of this sinful nature and inclination to stray from God and his Way: Therefore seing there is a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness, since there is a satisfaction given to Justice for re­moving the guilt of sin, & since the Spirit is purchased for mortifying of sin & making ho­ly; let as many as think that they have gone [Page 178] astray and have turned to their own way, as they would not be found still at this di­stance with God, make use of Christ for making their friendship with God; it's the word that Peter useth, 1 Pet. 2. ult. All we like sheep have gone astray, but we are now turned unto the shepherd and bishop of our souls; hold, O hold you near this Shepherd, and make use of his Righteousness for making your Peace; If we could rightly understand the words, we would see in them, 1. A Motive to put us on to believing in Christ, and can there be a greater motive then necessity? We have sinned and gone astray, he is the only Saviour, there is no other name given under Heaven whereby Sinners can be saved. 2. There is also in them an Encouragement to Believing; It was for Sinners, such as we are, that Jesus Christ suffered all that he suffered, which may be ground of hope and encouragement to step forward; and if neither our need, nor Christ's being a Saviour willing to make Sinners welcome will prevail, we know not what will do it: It will turn to this, and ye will be put to it, Whether are ye Sin­ners? and if Sinners, whether is it not a desperate thing to ly under Sin and Wrath? If ye be not Sinners we have no warrand to propose this Doctrine to you, to invite or make you welcome to a Saviour; but if ye grant that ye are Sinners, will ye content­edly ly under Sin? will ye be able to bear it out against God? or think ye that ye will be well enough for all that? and if ye dare not resolve to ly under Sin, I would ask, what way will ye win from it? think ye it easie to win from under it? must not the Justice of God be satisfied? some of you think that ye can pray your selves out of Sin, but what need was there of Christs suf­ferings if a satisfaction might have been made to Justice another way? and if none but Christ can satisfie, it turns to this, that by all means ye would make use of him, else ye will most certainly drown and die in your sins; And this is the thing that we would commend to you, that under the sense of sin, and in the faith of Gods conde­scending love, ye wouldflee to Jesus Christ, and give him employment for making your peace with God, and taking away your sin and sanctifying of you; O but this be suit­able to Sinners; and if ye think your selves Sinners, prejudge not your selves of the be­nefite of a Saviour.

IN the former verse the Prophet hath asserted three most wonderful truths, and very concerning to the people of God, and yet such truths as will not be easie got digested by natural reason. 1. That our Lord Jesus was put to sore and sad sufferings, He was wounded and bruised, &c. 2. That these sad suffe­rings were for us the Elect; it was for our sins, and what was due to the Elect, he was made to bear them, He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. 3. The end of these sufferings, or the effect that followed on them to us, [Page 187] pardon of sin, peace with God, and heal­ing, The chastisement of our peace was on him, and by his stripes we are healed.

And each of these being more wonder­ful then another, therefore the Prophet goes on to clear their rise, which is no less wonderful; How it came to pass that he suffered, and suffered so much, and that we have such benefite by his sufferings; It could not (would he say) be otherwayes, but it behoved our Lord Jesus to suffer, and to suffer so much, and for us; Neitheir was it unreasonable that it should be for our be­nefite, For we had all like lost sheep gone a­stray, and every one of us had turned to his own way: And there was no way of relief for us but by Christ's stepping into our room, and interposing for us, and ingaging to pay our debt; and by vertue of that interposition and bargain, The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all: And therefore, 1. Would ye have the reason of Christ's so great sufferings? Here it is, the Elect had many sins, and he interposing for them, their compt was scored-out, and they were reckoned on his score. 2. If the cause and reason be asked, How it came to pass tha [...] Christ suffered so much for us? Here it is, he undertook to satisfie for our iniquities, and God imputed them to him; Even as if a Dyvour were pursued, and one should step in and be Cautioner for him, and being enacted Surety, should take on, and become lyable for the Debt; The ex­acting it of him is the laying it on him. But 3. If it be asked how it comes to pass that his sufferings become our healing, and bring peace to us? It is answered, it was so transacted and agreed upon; He was content to pay all our debt, and the Father accepted of his payment for ours; Our blessed Lord Jesus engaging and satisfying, the Elect are set free, and Justice betaketh it self to him as the more responsal Party; This is the scope of the words, which though but few, yet exceeding full and sign [...]ficant, as holding out the fountain and fundamen­tal grounds of the Gospel: We shall look upon them in these three respects, 1. As they imply a Covenant and Transaction, whereby the Elects sins are transacted on Christ, and his righteousness is made ap­plication of to them; Christ undertaking to pay their debt, and Jehovah accepting thereof, and promising that his satisfacti­on made for the behove of the Elect, shall be applyed to them. 2. In respect of the effects, which are two; Which though they seem contrary, the one to the other, yet they are well consistent together, and subordinat the one of them to the other; The 1. is of Justice on Christs side, he satisfies for the debt due by the Elect. The 2. is of Mercy and Grace to the Elect, which is also implyed, but comparing these words with the former, it is very clear; He is wounded and bruised, and they are healed, the chastisement of their peace was on him, the imputing of their debt to him, makes that it is not imputed to them. 3. In respect of the influence that the eternal Covenant hath on these effects, it lays down the way how these may be justly brought about, which is the scope of all, even to shew how Christ Jesus being the innocent Son of God, and without sin, was made lyable to the debt of the Elects sin; He became Cautioner for them, and is made lyable on that account to satisfie for them; It clears also how his sufferings stood for theirs; which may seem to be unreason­able and unjust among men, that the suffe­rings of an innocent party should stand for the guilty; It was so articled in the Cove­nant of Redemption that the Son as Medi­ator interposing and undertaking to pay the Elects debt, the Lord Jehovah the Credi­tor, should not reckon it on their score, but on the Mediators, and that he should count for it: The Prophet in every verse almost, is striking on the sweet and plea­sant string of this noble plot and contri­vance of God conc [...]rning the Redemption of Elect sinners, called the Covenant of Re­demption; Which these words considered with respect to their scope, do in all the parts of it clearly hold out; And therefore the clearing of it being the clearing of a main ground of our Faith in reference to Christs sufferings, and to the way how they are made forth-coming to us, and withal to the benefits that come by them to us, we [Page 188] cannot speak too much nor too often of it, if we could speak of it suitably to the pas­sing excellency of the matter.

The first Doctrine supposed here is, that there is an eternal Covenant and Transacti­on betwixt the Lord Jehovah and the Me­diator, wherein the whole business concer­ning the Redemption and Salvation of the Elect is c [...]ntrived; There is an eternal Co­venant past betwixt God and the M [...]diator, wherein all that is executed, or will be, concerning the Elect till the day of Judge­ment, was contrived; There is nothing relating to the Elects Salvation, but it was in this Transaction exactly contrived and laid down, even as it is in time executed; And it's called a Covenant in Scrip ure, and we call it so, not strictly and properly, as if all things in Covenan [...]s among men were in it, but because materially and substanti­ally it is so, and the resemblance will hold for the most part; The Lord having laid down in it the plot of man's Salvation in a legal way, so as his grace and mercy may be glorified, and his justice satisfied, hath put it in this form so as it may bear the name of a Covenant. Wherein we have, 1. Mu­tual Parties, the Lord Jehovah the Party of­fended on the one side, and the Lord Me­diator, Him, the Party engaging to satisfie on the other side; Which shews the free­ness of the Redemption of the Elect as to them, and the certainty of their Salvation; And withal, the immutability of Gods pur­pose, for the Parties are not mutable Crea­tures, but on the one side Jehovah, and on the other side the Mediator, though consi­dered as to be Incarnat and the Head of the Elect; This whole business bred there, to wit in the Council of the God-head, for promoving of that great end, the glorifying of the Grace and Justice of God in the E­lects Salvation. 2. Whereabout is it? It's about this matter, how to get the Elect saved from the curse, to which on their foreseen fall and sinning they were made ly­able; Redemption necessarily presupposing mans fall and the Covenant of Works, to which the certification and threatning was added, The soul that sins shall die, and the Elect presupposed as fallen as well as others, are lyable to that curse, except a satisfact­on for them do interveen; So that the E­lect are considered as having sins, and as being in themselves lost: And what is the Lord Jehovah and the Mediator doing, what are they about in this Covenant? It's how to get the punishment due to the Elect for their sin removed from them: And these persons us all in the Text, are all the E­lect, wherein there is imlyed a paticular consideration of them that are designed to Life and Salvation, and a particular consi­deration of all their sins, and of their se­veral aggravations, that there may be a proportion betwixt the price and the wrong that God hath gotten by their sinning a­gainst him. 3. The occasion of this Cove­nant, and the reason why it behoved to be, is holden forth in the first, All we like sheep had gone astray, and turned every one of us to his own way; The Elect as well as o­the [...]s had made themselves through their sinning lyable to Gods wrath and curse, and they were uncapable of Life and Salvation till the curse was removed; And so there is a lett and obstruction in the way of the execution of the Decree of Election (which must stand for the Glorification of God's Grace and Mercy, primarly intended in all this work) and till this lett be removed, the Glorification of God's Grace is letted and obstructed; For the removal of which obstruction there is a necessity of a Re­deemer, for the Elect are not able to pay their own debt themselves; Now that there may be a Redeemer, and that a price of Redemption may be laid down, there is al­so a necessity of a Covenant, otherwise the Redeemer cannot be, if a Transaction do not preceed, on which the Redeemers in­terposing is founded. 4. What is the price, what is the stipulation, or that which the Mediator is ingaged to, and that which provoked Justice required? It is even sa­tisfaction for all the wrongs that the sins of the Elect did or were to do to the Majesty of God; These sins deserved wounding and smiting, and the Capitulation runs on this, that Justice shall get that of the Mediator, that the Elect may be spared; And com­paring this verse with the former, upon the [Page 189] one side our Lord Jesus gives his back to bear their burden, and engages to satisfie for their debt, and to undergo the punish­ment due to them; And upon the other side Jehovah accepts of this offer and en­gagement, and lays over the burden of their debt on him; As the Mediator instates and inacts himself in their room for payment of their debt, so he lays it on him, and ac­cepts of it. 5. The end of this great Tran­saction, to wit, of the undertaking on the Mediators side, and of the acceptation on the Fathers side, is, that the Elect may have pardon and peace, and that by his stripes they may be healed; That Justice may spare them and pursue him, and that the discharge of the debt purchased by him, may be made forth-coming to them, as if they had payed the debt themselves, or had never been owing any thing to Justice.

Hence Deductions may be made holding forth several points of truth, As, 1. Con­cerning the determinatness of the number of the Elect. 2. Concerning the vertue and efficacy of the price which the Media­tor hath payed, and the fulness of his Satis­faction. 3. Concerning imputed Righte­ousne [...], which is or may be called the lay­ing of his Righteousness on us as our Iniqui­ty was laid on him; he is counted the Sinner by undertaking our Debt, and the Elect by receiving the offered Righteousness in the Gospel, are accounted righteous by vertue of his satisfying for their Debt. 4. Con­cerning the ground and matter of wonder­ful Soul satisfaction and ravishment that it is here; that God should be thus minding the salvation of the Elect, and thus contriv­ing and ordering the work of their Redemp­tion, that their Debt shall be payed, and yet nothing (to speak so) come out of their Purse; and that by so excellent a mean as is the intervention of the Mediator, and that this shall notwithstanding of the dear price payed by him, be made freely forth­coming to the Elect.

Use 1. O! Look not on the salvation of Sinners, and the bringing of a Sinner to Heaven, as a little or a light business and work; it's the greatest work and most won­derful that ever was heard tell of; yea its in effect the end of all things which God hath made, and of his preserving and guid­ing the World in the order wherein it is governed, even that he may have a Church therein for the praise of the glory of his Grace; we are exceeding far and sinfull [...] wrong in this, that we value not the work of Redemption as becomes, and that we en­deavour not to pry [...]nto, and take up the admirable love an [...] deep wisdom of God that goes along and shines brightly in this whole contexture; who could ever have found out this way? when he Elect were lying under Gods Curse and Wrath, that then the Son of God should undertake to satisfie for them, and that the Majesty of God should be so far from all partiality and respect of Persons, that he will pursue his own dear Son for the Elects Debt when he undertakes it; This is the rise of our Sal­vation and the channel wherein it runs; O! rare and ravishing, O! admirable & ami­able, O! beautiful & beneficial contrivance, blessed, eternally blessed be the contriver.

Use 2. The second Use serves to stir us up to study to know somewhat, and to know more of the way of Salvation under this notion of God's covenanting with the Me­diator; not thereby to astrict God to mans laws & forms, but for helping us to the better & more easie up-taking of these great things; and that we may see that the salvation of the Elect is sure, forasmuch as it it laid down by way of Bargain, Transa [...]ion or Covenant betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator, whom the Lord will no more fail in performing the promises made to him, then he hath failed in giving the satisfaction required: This would help both to clear and confirm the faith of Believers, and to strengthen the hope of all who are fled for refuge to take hold of him, in the certain expectation of these things engaged for in the Covenant; seing there is no less reason to think that Je­hovah will be forthcoming to the Mediator, then there is to think that he hath performed all that he engaged himself for.

The 2d. thing here, Is the native effect or fruit of the Covenant, and that which the Prophet aims at; even to shew how it came to pass that Christ suffered so much, because [Page 190] it was so covenanted, statute and ordained, because he was by a prior contrivance and contract substituted with his own hearty consent in the room of the Elect who had many and great sins to compt for; whence [...]bserve, That by vertue of this eternal Co­venant betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator, all the sins of the Elect with their several aggravations, are imputed to Jesus Christ, and reckoned upon his score; Or take it thus, by this eternal Covenant that past betwixt God and the Mediator, the compleat punishment that was due to all the Elect for their sins in their greatest aggravations, was laid upon Jesus Christ; Jehovah laid upon him the iniquity of us all; this is fre­quently touched on in this Chapter, as par­ticularly in the words going before, He car­ried our sorrows, he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniqui­ties, &c. and it's sufficiently confirmed in the New Testament, as 2 Cor. 5. He who knew no sin was made sin for us; he had no sin in himself, but by vertue of this Covenant, he was made the Sacrifice for our sin, and made to bear the punishment thereof; and Gal. 3.13. He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, he himself being made a curse for us.

There are two words which we shall a little clear in this Doctrine; and secondly, give some reasons of it; and then thirdly, we shall speak to some Uses from it.

1. For the two words or things in the Doctrine to be cleared, they are these, First, What we mean by this, when we s [...]y iniquity is laid upon Christ; the second is, How it is laid upon Christ? As to the first, When we say in [...]quity is laid upon Christ, we mean these things shortly, 1. That our Lord Jesus is really made comptable and lyable to Justice for these iniquiti [...]s as if they had been his own, by vertue of his Co­venant; in Gods Justice he having engaged to pay Elects Debt, his engagement makes him lyable to it. 2. We mean thats not on­ly our Lord Jesus is made lyable to our Debt, but that really he is made to satisfie for it,; In short, we have done the wrong, but he makes the amends as if he had done the wrong himself, The just satisfied for the un­just; He in whose mouth there was no guile, was made to satisfie for guilty Sinners as if he had been the guilty person himself; By the sins of the Elect God's declarative Ho­liness suffered; Creatures malapertly brake his Command, and his Justice was wrong­ed; Creatures topped with it, to say so, and that even after the Curse was pronounc­ed, and after they had believed the Devil more than God; But our Lord Jesus comes in to make the amends, and the Holiness of God is vindicate by his obedience, and his Justice is vindicate by his suffering; the Elect have deserved wounding, but says the Mediator, let the wounds which they have deserved come on me, let them be mine; and thus he makes reparation of the wrong and the amend, because though the Elect be spared, yet hereby the Lord is known to be as really and as much a hater of sin, and as just in fulfilling his threatning, as if the Elect had been smitten in their own persons; because he punished Sin in his own Son; yea by this means he is seen so much the more to be holy, severe, pure and spotless; and that the Son of God sweetly submits to his becoming Man; and to these terrible Sufferings for satisfying Divi [...] Ju­stice; Here, O! here the spotless and severity of the Justice of God, as also the greatness of the glory of the free Grace and Love shine forth conspicuously. 3. It im­plyes this, That really there was a convent­ing and turning of that Wrath and of these sufferings proportionably on Jesus Christ, which Justice was to have inflicted on the Elect eternally if he had not interposed for them; and that altogether in a full Cup propined to him and put in his hand; that which would have been in so many drops an eternal Hell to Elect Sinners, is made to meet on him in one great Sea; He gets it to drink up dregs and all; in which respect Gal. 3.13. He is said to be made a curse for us; The Lord will not pass from one Far­thing of what was due to him, and will be satisfied with no less than proportionable satisfaction to that which was due to Justice by the Elect themselves, though the Surety was his own only Son; Therefore it behov­ed Christ to come under the Curse, in [Page 191] which sense he is said to be made a curse for us, which supposeth that he endured the same curse and punishment due to the Elects sins in all the essentials of it; He behoved to die, and to have his Soul separate from his Body for a time, and for a season to want in a great measure the comfortable mani­festations of Gods favour and presence, and to have wrath pursuing him, and to have horrour seizing upon him; though our bles­sed Lord being spotless and without sin, and having a good Conscience, was not capable of these some way accidental circumstances, of Unbelief, sinful Anxiety and Desperation, that sinful finite Creatures are lyable to when they come under wrath.

The 2d. word or thing to be cleared in the Doctrine, is, How are Iniquities laid up­on Christ Jesus? In three respects, 1. In respect of the eternal Transaction betwixt Jehovah and him as Mediator sustaining the person of the Elect; even as one man hath anothers Debt laid on him, when by a Law-sentence he is made lyable to it; so is Christ made lyable to the Elects iniquity, when their account is blotted out, and the Debt as it were written down in his accompt to be satisfied for. 2. In respect of Justice pursuing him for it; When he becometh Cautioner and full Debitor for the Elect, he is put to pay their Debt to the least Farthing; the Lord musters up against him his terrours, and commands his sword to awake and to smite the man that is his fellow. But 3ly. and mainly. In respect of his actual undergoing the Curse and Suffering, that which the Elect should h ve suffered; for It is not the work of a Court to pass a sen­tence, but also to see to the execution of the sentence; not only are orders given to the sword to awake and smite, but the sword falls on and smites him actually; and though from the apprehension of the anger of God, as Man, and without the sensible and com­forting manifestation of his Fathers love, and his seemingly forsaking him for a time; He prayed, Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet it will not be, and he submits most sweetly to it; and not only is the cup put in his hand, but the dregs of wrath are, as it were, wrung out into it, and he must needs drink it up all; which manifestly kythes in his agony in the garden when he is made to sweat blood; and in his complaint (if we may so call it) My soul is exceeding sorrowful, and what shall I say? and in these strange words uttered by him on the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? all which tell us plainly, that not only was he enacted Sure [...]y, and had the sentence past on him, but that real­ly he satisfied, and had the sentence execut­ed on him; that in his Soul he was really pierced and wounded, and that with far deeper wounds then these were which the Souldiers by the spear and nails made in his Body; before the Elects discharge of their Debt could be procured and obtained: What it was more particularly that he suf­fered, the following words hold out: But here it's clear, that he suffered really, and suffered much; that not only he undertook to pay, but that he was actually pursued and made to lay down to the least Farthing whatever was due to Justice by the Elect: And this is the cause why these words are brought in as the reason why he suffered so much, even because so many and so great sins with all their aggravations were laid upon him; and if his sufferings were not great and undergone for this end, to satisfy for the Elects Debt that they might be set free, the Prophets scope would not be reach­ed, neither would there be a suitable con­nexion betwixt the latter and the foregoing words.

As for the 2d. To wit some Reasons of the Doctrine, we shall shortly give you these three why the Elects sins were laid on Christ and put on his account, and why he was made to underly the compleat punishment of them by vertue of the Covenant of Re­demption. 1. Because it did much contri­bute to the glory of God, for he had designed in his eternal Council that his Grace should be glorified in the salvation of the Elect; and that his Justice should also be glorified in punishing of sin either in themselves or in their Cautioner; and as free Grace and Mercy must be glorious in saving the Elect, and Justice in being satisfied for their sins; so it's to that end, that since the Elect can­not [Page 192] pay their own Debt, that their Cautio­ner pay it, and pay it fully, that the Lord in exacting satisfaction from him in their name, may be known to be just. 2. This way makes much for the confirmation of the Faith of the believing Elect and for their consolation; for the confirmation of their Faith, for what can Justice demand that it hath not gotten? it is fully satisfied; and then for their consolation; seing the Father put his own Son to suffer, and to so great suffering for them, what is it that they may not confidently expect from such a Fountain? 3. This serves to hold out the wonderful great obligation of the Elect to God and to the Mediator; for the greater their sin was the more he suffered; the greater their Debt was, the more he payed; and they are the more in his common and the greater Debters to him; and ought the more to love him, and their duty for his sake; as it is said of the woman, Luk. 7. She loved much for much was forgiven her; so this way of paying the Elects Debt, calls and strongly pleads, and also makes way for much warm and tender love in them to Jesus Christ.

In the 3d. place, We come to the Uses of the Doctrine; To which I shall premit this word of desire to you, That ye would not look on these things as tasteless or unsavoury; for had we not had these precious truths to open up to you, we should have had no meetings to this purpose, no ground to speak of life to you, nor any the least hope or expectation of life; And indeed it may be sadly regrated, that amongst a multitude of professing People, these substantial truths of the Gospel are so wersh and little relish­ing to the most part; which too evidently ap­pears in the unconcerned, wearying, and ga­zing posture of some, & in the slumbering & sleeping of others in our publick Assemblies; If our hearts were in a right frame, half a word, to say so, to this purpose would be a wakening and allaruming to us; Howe­ver this is a great priviledge in it self; Hea­thens may and do know something of mo­ral duties, but it's a priviledge which we have and they want, that the fundamental truths of the Gospel are amongst us and not amongst them.

The 1. Use serves to let us see the bright­ness of the Glory of Grace and Truth; of Mercy and Justice shining clearly here; Can there be any greater mercy, and more pure mercy than this, that the Lord should be gracious to sinners, and to great sinners, rhat had turned every one of them to their own way, in providing a Mediator, and such a Mediator, in providing such a help for them, and laying that help upon one that is mighty, and that he should have done this of his own head (so to speak with reve­rence) when the Elect were in their sins, and when th [...]re was nothing to be the im­pulsive or meritorious cause of it; And that the Father should have laid this weight of punishment on Christ the Son of his love, and pursued him at this rate of holy severity for sinners debt? O! what grace and mercy shines here? And 2. The spot­less Justice of God doth also here wonder­fully manifest it self; O! How exact is Justice, when it will not quite a farthing even to the second Person of the Godhead, when he became Man, and man's Surety? But since he hath put himself in the room of sinners, The L [...]ed maketh all their ini­quities to meet on him; This is matter of admiration to Men and Angels, to consider how Justice and Mercy run in one Chan­nel, and shine in one Covenant, the one of them not incroaching upon the other.

Use 2. We may gather from this same in­sight and clearness in the very great suffe­rings of our Lord Jesus Christ; For these things are here put together, 1. That he suffered for all the Elect, Us all. 2. For all the sins of all the Elect, and for all the sins of all the Elect in their highest and most aggravating circumstances, the parti­cular reckoning of them all, as it were, be­ing cast up, they are all put on his score. 3. All these meet togcther in a great Sea and shock upon him at one time, as they came from several Airts, like so many Ri­vers; Or they were like so many Regi­ments, or rather Armies of men, all meet­ing together and Marshalled, to fall pell mell (to say so) on him; One sin were enough to condemn, the many sins of one is more, but all the sins of all the Elect is [Page 193] much more; They deserved to have lyen in Hell eternally, but he coming in their room all their sins met as the violent preass of Waters on him; What then behoved his sufferings to be, when he was so put to it for all the sins of all the Elect, and that at once?

Use 3. We may gather hence a just ac­count of the truth of Christ's satisfaction, and a ground of refutation of the Socinian error, a blasphemy which is most abomi­nable to be once mentioned, as if our Lord had suffered all this only to give us an ex­ample, and as if there had not been a pro­portionable satisfaction in his sufferings to our debt, nor an intention to satisfie Justice thereby: Every verse almost, not to say every word in this Chapter refutes this; If he had not satisfied for our sins, why is he said to be here on the matter put in our room? And if his sufferings had not been very great, what needed the Prophet to shew the reason of his great sufferings, in all the sins of all the Elect their meeting on him? There was sure a particular respect had to this, even to shew that the meeting of all these sins of all the Elect together upon Christ, did cause and procure great and extream sufferings to him; He suffer­ed the more that they had had so many sins, seing their many sins are given for the cause of his so much suffering.

Use 4. Here is great ground of consola­tion to believing sinners, Out of this eater comes meat, and out of this strong comes sweet; The more sharp and bitter these sufferings were to Christ, the report of them is in some respect the more savoury and sweet to the Believer, whose effectual Calling dis­covers his Election; And indeed I cannot tell how many grounds of consolation Be­lievers have from this Doctrine; But 1. If they have sinned, there is here a Saviour provided for them. 2. This Saviour hath undertaken their debt. 3. He hath under­taken it with the Fathers allowance. 4. As he hath undertaken it, so the Father hath laid on him all their iniquity. 5. All the Elect come in here together in one Roll, and there is but one Covenant, and one Mediator for them all; The sin of the poor body, of the weakest and meanest, is transacted on him, as well as the sin of A­braham that great friend of God, and Father of the Faithful, and the Salvation of the one is as sure as the Salvation of the other; All Believers from the strongest to the weakest have but one Right of Charter to Heaven, but one holding of the Inheritance. 6. The Lord hath laid on him all the ini­quities of all the Elect with a particular re­spect to all their aggravations, and to all the several ways that they have turned to sin; Their Original sin, and all their actual transgressions, with their particular predo­minants, as to their punishment; And there is reason for it, because the Elect could not satisfie for the least sin; And it is necessa­ry for the glorifying of Grace, that the Glo­ry of the work of their Salvation be not halfed, but solely and singlely ascribed and given to God, therefore the satisfaction comes all on the Mediators account, and none of it on theirs. 7. All this is really done and performed by the Mediator with­out any suit or request of the Elect, or of the Believer, at least as the procuring cause thereof; He buyes and purchases what is needful for them, and pays for their dis­charge; And they have no more to do, but to call for an extract, and to take a sealed remission by his blood: The application whereof, the Uses that follow will give oc­casion to speak to.

Use 5. Since it is so, then none would think little of sin; which checks the great presumption that is amongst men and wo­men, who think little and light of sin, and that it is an easie matter to come by the pardon of it; They think there is no more to do but barely and ba [...]chly to confess they have sinned, and to say, God is merciful, and hence they conclude that God will not reckon with them: But, did he reckon with the Mediator, and that so holily ri­gidly and severely too, and will he, think ye, spare you? If he dealt so with the green tree, what will become of the dry? Be not deceived, God will not be mocked.

And therefore 6ly, As the close of all, see here the absolute necessity of sharing in Christs satisfaction, and of having an inte­rest [Page 194] therein by this Covenant derived unto you, else know that ye must count for your own sins; And if so, woe eternally to you; Therefore either betake your selves to the Mediator, that by his Eye-salve ye may see, that by his Gold ye may be inriched, that by his Garments ye may be cloathed, that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; And that ye may, by being justi­fied by his knowledge, be free from the wrath to come, or otherwayes ye must and shall ly under it for ever.

Thus ye have the fulness of Gods Cove­nant on the one side, and the weightiness and terribleness of Gods wrath on the other side laid before you; If ye knew what a fearful thing his wrath were, ye would be glad at your hearts to hear of a Saviour, and every one would run and make haste to be found in him, and to share of his satisfa­ction, and to be sure of a discharge by ver­tue of his payment of the debt, and they would give all diligence to make sure their Calling and Election; For that end the Lord himself powerfully perswade you to do so.

THough the news of a suffering Mediator seem to be a sad sub­ject, yet it hath been, is, and will be, the great Subject of the Gospel, and of the gladest tidings that ever sinners heard; This be­ing the great thing that they ought in a spe­cial manner to know, even Jesus Christ and him crucified; The Prophet here takes a special delight to insist on it, and in one verse after another hath some new thing of his suffering.

Having in the former verse spoken to the occasion, ground and rise of his sufferings, to wit, the Elects straying like sheep, their wandering and turning every one to their own way, and the Lord's laying on him the iniquity of them all; The Elect that were given to Christ, being naturally at enmity with God, and having run on in the course of their sinful nature to the provoking God; And there being no way for them to escape the wrath which by their sin they had deserved, till the Lord found out this mids, to wit, the second Person interposing as their Mediator and Surety, and ingage­ing to pay their debt; On which followed the imputing of all their iniquities to him, according to the transaction made about them; Which transaction being laid down as we have heard, the Prophet proceeds to shew Christ's executing and performing of the transaction; And because it might be thought that it was so great matter as could not but have much sad and sore suf­fering following upon it, to take on all our iniquities; He answers, that notwithstan­ding of all that, yet he took them on, and that very willingly and chearfully; Or be­cause it might be thought that the former [Page 195] words look as if God had laid the punish­ment of our iniquity on him, and that he had not taken it on himself, the Prophet tells us that it is nothing so, but that there was a mutual Covenant betwixt God and the Mediator, and that the Mediator was as well content to bear the iniquity of the Elect as the Father was content to lay it on him; And that though he was exacted upon, oppressed, afflicted, and suffered sad stroaks, yet he rewed not the bargain, but went on resolutely in paying the ran­som of the Elect as singly as ever a sheep went to the slaughter, or as it is dumb before the shearer, so he opened not his mouth to speak against it.

There are three things asserted here that serve to make up the scope, supposing the transaction to have gone before, 1. The Fathers exacting the Elects debt of the Mediator. 2. The Mediators yielding and satisfying. 3. The manner how he did it, willingly, readily and chearfully. We shall first open the words a little, and then speak to some Doctrines from them, reserving the Uses to the close of all.

1. Where it is said, He was oppressed, the word signifies; to exact; And we find it three wayes applyed in Scripture, 1. To the exacting of Tribute, as 2 King. 23.33. Where it is said, That Pharaoh Necho who put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold, it's the same word that is here. 2. Sometimes it's ap­plyed to the exacting of debts; As when a man is put to the Horn, and Caption and Imprisonment follows upon it; So Deut. 15.2. When the Lord tells his people, that the creditor shall not exact of his neigh­bour, or of his brother, in the year of release. 3. It's applyed to the exacting of labour, as Isai. 58 3. ye exact all your labour; And Exod. 1.11. The word Task masters comes from the same root; This being the ordi­nary signification of the word, it's turned here oppressing figuratively because such Ex­acters and Task masters in their rigorous usage of these whom they exact upon, are often oppressive; And there being no Noun prefixed to the words in the Original, they may stand as well thus, It was exacted of him; That which he was ingaged to pay, he was fully exacted upon for it, to the least farthing; Or take the words as they stand here, he was oppressed, that is (as we use to speak) stressed or distressed for our debt; He was not only ingaged, but according to his ingagement was put hard to it, to satis­fie. 2. It is said, He was afflicted, which is sometimes rendered to answer; And these two agree very well together, he was ex­acted upon and he answered the debt; As when a Bill of Exchange for such a Sum is drawn upon a man, and he answers it; And this Exposition runs well and smooth­ly with the words following, Yet he opened not his mouth; He used no defence to elude or shift the debt: He said not that it was not his, but he answered it indeed, and in a word said nothing to the contrary; Or taking the words as here they stand tran­slated, He was afflicted, they signifie the effect that follows on his being exacted upon; Though it brake him not, yet it brought him very low, even to an afflicted condition. The 3. thing is, that though he was brought thus low, and though it was not for his own but for other folks debt (which usually troubles men most) Yet he opened not his mouth; to shew his wonderful condescendency, and the great love from which it flows; He payed the Elects debt with as good will, and as plea­santly as if it had been his own proper and personal debt; Though he was the Son of God, and God equal with the Father, and might have brought Legions of Angels to destroy his enemies, yet as the lambs brought to the slaughter, and as the sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth; And it may be that there is not only here relation or respect had to the sheep as it is an innocent, harmless, simple tractable creature, and not untoward and refractory as a Bull or ox useth to be; But also respect had to it as it was made use of in the S [...]cri­fices; And so the meaning is, he yielded his life willingly when none could take it from him, for performing the Indentor, to say so, and for satisfying the transaction past betwixt Jehovah and him.

So, having shown how it comes to pass [Page 196] that Christ suffered and suffered so much, and was brought so low under suffering; And having told that he was ingaged to pay the Elects debt, and that the Father had laid their iniquities on him; Lest any might think that the Father would have spared his own Son, no, saith the Prophet, He was oppressed, and not only so, but af­flicted and humbled; And lest it should have been thought that the Lord Jehavah had better will to the bargain than the Media­tor had; It is added, that he did satisfie the debt as willingly as the Father laid it on him, as these similitudes made use of, plainly hold forth.

Take these Observations from the words, 1. That our Lord Jesus having entered him­self Surety for sinners, he was really put at, and Justice exacted the debt of him which he had undertaken and engaged to pay: Read the whole story of the Gospel, and it will make out this; It's said by himself, Luke 24. It behoved the Son of Man to suffer these things, and then to enter into his glory; He must needs go to Jerusalem and suffer; And when the Cup is in his hand, and his Holy Humane Nature, having a sinless scar­ing at it, makes him pray, Father, if it be pos­sible, let this cup pass from me; Yet seing here was a necessity that either he should drink it, or that the Elect should perish; In the very next words, he sweetly subjoyns, Not my will but thy will be done; And so hotly and hardly was he pursued by Justice, that he must needs come to the cursed death of the Cross, and actually die; And as if death had gotten a piece of dominion over the Lord of Life, he is laid in the grave; So Zech. 13. the Lord saith, Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, smite the shepherd; Where we see, that when the good Shep­herd and great Bishop of Souls, hath un­dertaken for the Elects debt, Justice gives a Commission as it were to its own holy revenge, to pursue the man that is God's fellow for that debt: That which we de­sign to confirm in the Doctrine, is not on­ly, that our Lord Jesus suffered, but that his suffering was by Justice it's exacting of him the debt of the Elects sin, according to the engagement that he came under to the Father; For the scope is to shew, not only that he suffered so great things as op­pressed and brought him very low; But also that he was put at by Justice in these sad sufferings, to pay the debt that he had taken on: For confirming and clearing of this a little, ye may consider 1. The Titles which he gets in Scripture, he is called the Cautioner or Surety of the better Testament or Covenant, Heb. 7.22. And by that Title he is shewed to be instated in our room, and answerable for our debt; And he is called the Lamb that takes away the debt of our sin by the sacrifice of himself; He step­ed in into our place, and kept off the stroak of the Sword of Justice that would have lighted on us, had he not interposed. 2. Consider the Titles which his sufferings and death gets, Heb. 9.12. He is said to purchase (to wit by it) eternal Redemption for us; And Rom. 3.24. we are said to be justified through the Redemption that is in Je­sus; We were slaves to the Devil, subject to the curse, discerned and adjudged to suffer for the wrongs that we had done to Justice; And his suffering is called Redem­ption, because as the man that redeems the Captive, gives a ransom for him, so he in­terposed and payed a ransom for us; It's al­so called a propitiation, 1 John 2.2. He is the propitiation for our sins, to wit, pleasing to God, and accepted of him in the room of all the Elect; And this word propitiati­on as it supposeth God's being displeased with the Elect before Christ's satisfaction, so it plainly holds forth his being well pleased with them on the account of his sa­tisfaction. 3. Consider these Scriptures that speak not only of Christ's sufferings, but of their end and scope, even the draw­ing of him down (to speak so) into the Elects room, as v. 5. of this Chapter, He was wounded for our transgressions, &c. He got the stroaks, and we got the cure, 2 Cor. 5.21. He was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God through him; We are sinners, and Christ is to purchase righteousness to us; And the way how he doth it, is by steping in into our room, and becoming our Cau­tioner, [Page 197] and he ingaging as Surety, the Law wins at him on that ground; so Gal. 3.13. He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us; we were under the Curse and lyable to be pursued by it, and our Lord Jesus becomes a Curse to de­liver us from it: Considering then the end of Gods Covenant, which is to glorify his Justice a [...]d Grace, that Sinners may know it is an evil thing to sin and depart from God, and that Grace is a very costly thing, whereunto he hath made access through the Vail, which is his Flesh; and considering Christs undertaking, without which they could not be set free, it could not be other­ways. This is a truth that hath in it much of the marrow of the Gospel, and tends much to humble us, and is also very much for our comfort: What was Justice seeking of Christ when he suffered and was in an agony? if thou beest a Believer or an elect Sinner, it was even exacting thy Debt of him; and would it not affect an ingenuous Debtor to see his Cautioner dragged haled, and hurried to Prison for his Debt? Even so, if we could look on Christs Sufferings as so many Summons and Pursevants arresting him for our Debt, it could not but affect us with much sorrow for our sins that brought him to this, and with much love to him who was content to be so dealt with for them; and no doubt this is one of the reasons why he will have his death remem­bered till he come again, even that we may see our obligation to him, and be suitably affected with it.

2ly Observe, That the Debt of the Elects sins was severely and with holy rigidity ex­acted of Christ to the very full worth or value; this proceeding was as to Christ by way of Justice, whether we look to the pur­chase that he made, to wit, the Elects Souls, he laid down as good in their room, or whe­ther we look to a Transaction or Bargain going before, whatever was in the stipula­tion he payed and satisfied to the full, no­thing was remitted nor given him down; or whether we look to the Curse due to the Elect, that was inflicted on him, and he himself was made a Curse for us, looking on the Curse simply as penal and what was bitter in it, which shews his condescendency in his Sufferings so much the more.

3ly Observe, That our Lord Jesus was brought exceeding low while the Debt of the Elect was exacted of him; He was put to exceeding sore affliction, much straitned and stressed by the Justice of God exacting of him the Debt due by elect Sinners. We spoke to some words before, which bare out this, as he was wounded, bruised, cha­stified, &c. and now we see the effect here when Justice puts him to it; After he hath taken on the Debt, he is tried, stripped as it were to the skin, punished and distressed ere he get it payed; If we consider our Lord Jesus as God, he is neither less nor more punished, being so considered, utter­ly incapable of any such thing; But if we look on him as Mediator, God-man, God much withdrawing from him the influence of his comforting presence while he hath the cup of wrath in his hand, so, he is brought exceeding low and sadly afflicted; And these four considerations (under which we may see him paying our Debt) may clear it, 1. That he laid aside the glory which before the World was he had with the Fa­ther, for a time; which therefore that it may be restored to him again, he prayeth John 17.5. it having been as to the mani­festation thereof in his person eclipsed, in­terrupted, and darkened for a season; hence the Apostle says Philip. 2. that he emptied himself and became of no reputation, as if his glory had not been discernable for a time; He that is Judge of Quick and Dead is himself judged; He that created Heaven and Earth, hath not whereon to lay his head; Though all the kings of the Earth hold their Treasures of him, yet he was so poor that he lives upon the alms of others, for women ministred unto him. 2. Not on­ly hath he a Being that is mean and low, but he is exceedingly afflicted, he suffered hunger; he is pursued as if he had been a thief or a robber; a band of men comes and apprehends him in the night as if he had been a Malefactor or Evil-doer, and drags him away to the civil Judge; his back is smitten, his face is spitted on, his head ratted and pricked with thorns, sentence is [Page 198] passed upon him, he is condemned and scourged; and when he dow not bear his own cross, (his body, being a true humane body, is so fainted and infeebl [...]d,) it's ac­counted a favour that he gets one Simon to help him to bear it, or to bear it afte [...] him; which is not mark [...]d to shew that they did him any kindness or courtesie beyond others, but to hold out the low and weak condition he was brought into, that he was not able to bear it himse [...]f; and not only so, but he must come to death, and to the shameful and cursed death of the Cross; and he dies very quickly, further to point out his lowness, which was such that death over­came him sooner than the others, because he had other things to wrestle with. 3. In his name he suffered, he was rep [...]oached, nodded at with the head, reviled, mocked, sent about as a spectacle from Pilate to Herod, back again from Herod to Pilate; He had a scarlet rob put on him in derision; the high Priests also deride him; the Jews wag the head at him, and count him not at all worthy to live, and therefore prefer a Robber and Murderer to him. 4. Con­sider his inward sufferings, O! these were far more piercing; Justice laid claim to his soul, the sorrows of hell compassed him; his soul is heavy unto the death; he sweats blood, and crys if it be possible that that wrathful cup might pass from him; and on the Cross with a pitiful voice, my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? which, by the way, is not an expression of any quarrelling com­plaint or discouragement, but of sinless na­ture when he is arraigned and made to stand before the Tribunal of God, affected with the horrour of divine Wrath, and cannot easily endure that there should be a Cloud betwixt God and him: But these Soul-suf­ferings of his, will fall in to be spoken to af­terwards; only we see here that he was afflicted, and in suffering was greatly hum­bled and brought very low: And indeed considering that all the Elects sins were laid upon him, and that Justice was exacting all their Debt of him, he could not be otherways, but behoved to be exceedingly afflicted and sore distressed.

4ly Observe, That forasmuch as our Lord suffered, yet he did most willingly and chearfully undergo it all; He thwarted not with it; he repented not, he grudged not, he flinshed not nor drew aback; or, which is to the same purpose, our Lord Jesus in his lowest humiliation and affliction, and all [...]longst his deepest suffering, shewed exceeding great willingness, desirousness and heartsomness; That word was always true of him, I delight to do thy will O my God; and the Prophet holds out this as a great wonder, that though he was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: We shall for clearing of this, propose these Consideration [...], 1. In his undertaking of the Bargain, his willingness appears, when burnt Offerings and Sacrifices would not do it, and when there was no obligation on him to do what he did, then comes in his free offer and consent, and that with delight, Psal. 40. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volum of thy book, it's written of me, I delight to do thy will O my God; where we see that there was no extorting or throwing of a con­sent from the Mediator against his will, but a delightsome offering of it; and that word of his Prov. 8. is very remarkable to this purpose, Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the earth, and my delight was with the sons of men; The contemplation and foresight of his Incarnation and Suffering for the Elect was (to speak so) refreshing to him, and made him leap as it were for joy, ere the World was made, and before they had a Being. 2. Consider the great things that he undertook, not only to be Man, but a poor mean man; It had been much for him to have humbled himself to be Monarch of the whole World, as his vain and prophane pretended Vicar the Pope of Rome claims to be; yet he not only will not be so, but emptied himself and became a worm in a manner, and no man, an out-cast of the people, O such a proof of his love; And when he took the Cup, that bitter Cup, and said, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, lest it should seem a thwarting with the work of Redemption, and with his Fathers will therein; He says, let it come Father, [Page 199] not my will but thine be done. 3. Consider the manner of his Suffering, and we will see a further proof of his willingness; How little pains takes he to escape them, yea, when Peter labours to diswade him Mat. 16. from suffering, he disdains and rejects the suggestion with a severe check, Get thee be­hind me Sathan, thou art an offence unto me, thou savourest not the things that be of God but of men; and when his Disciples said to him (resolving to go up again to Judea) John 11.8. Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee, and wilt thou go thither again; He will needs go up notwithstanding; and when they were going up to Jerusalem, Mark 10 32. He went before all the rest, to wit at a swift pace; and Luk. 12.50. he says, I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitned till it be accomplished? Never did men long so much for their Marriage-day, and for the day of their triumph, as our Lord Jesus did to get the Elects Debt payed and their Discharge extracted and drawen out. 4. Consider his easiness and willing­ness to be taken; He goes forth John 18. to meet the band of Souldiers that came with the Traitor to apprehend him, and asks them again and again, whom seek ye, and says as often, I am he; he will not suf­fer his Disciples to draw a sword in his de­fence, Matth. 26. but when Peter drew his sword, he bade him put it up again, for he could have commanded more then twelve le­gions of angels; but it behoveth him now to suffer, he came for another end than to oppose his sufferings; and hence he says John 10. No man takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my self, and I have power to take it up again; it was neither Judas nor Pilate that took his life against his will, but he willing [...]y laid it down; for either the Elect behoved to die, or he himself; and since it is so, as if he said, then behold here is my life, take it and I will lay it down, that they, poor things, may go free; and therefore does my Father love me (says he) be­cause I lay down my life for my sheep; not be­cause it's taken from me against my will, but because I wi [...]lingly and of my self lay it down; and when he is brought before Pi­late and Herod, and they lay many things to his charge, Mat. 26.63. and Mark 15. He held his peace, so that it's said, that Pilate marvelled, Mark 15. he knew that he could not but have much to say for himself as all men in such a case use to have, but he an­swered nothing; or as it's in the Text, yet he opened not his mouth; the reason was, be­cause he would not divert the course of Ju­stice, nor mar the Lords design in the work of the Elects Redemption through his death and sufferings; He came not into the world to accuse Pilate or the Jews and to justifie himself, though now and then for the conviction of enemies, and for his own necessary clearing he did let a word fall, but being engaged for the Elect, he wil needs perform all that Justice called for: And in this willingness he hath a respect to two things, 1. To the Fathers satisfaction, for his willing suffering is that which makes it a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to him. 2. To the Elects consolation, that they may know th [...]y had a willing Saviour that had no necessity laid on him to satisfie; but satisfi [...]d willingly; And from these two arises a third, even the glory of the Media­tors satisfaction, for herein his love to the Elect shines brightly, I lay down my life for my sheep; this is the heart-wa [...]ming com­mendation of his sufferings, that with de­light and pleasure he underwent them, as if he had been purchasing a kingdom to himself.

Now, to come to the Use of all these Doctrines; when they with the things con­tained in them are laid together, we profess we cannot tell you what excellent Uses they yield; Would to God we were all in such a frame as the Eunuch was in, when he read this Scripture (as t [...]e divine History gives us an account Acts 8. ver. 32. and forward,) who when Philip had begun to preac [...] to him on this excellent su [...]ject, was so taken, that before the Sermon or Discourse was at an end, be ng holily impatient at any longer delay; he says to Philip, Here is water, what hinders me to be baptized? I say again, would to God we were all in such a frame, and that this were the fruit of such a Do­ctrine as this to many of you, nay, to all of you.

Use 1. Wonder Believers at the exten­siveness and infinitness of the Grace of God, and at the heart-affecting and soul-ravishing love of the Mediator▪ at Grace in God that spared the Debtor and exacted payment from the Cautioner the Son of his love; at love in the Mediator that payed so much, and so willingly and cheerfully: If any subject of thoughts be pertinent for us while we are about to celebrate the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, certainly this were perti­nent; concerning a crucified Christ in stat­ing himself in our room to pay our Debt, and doing this of his own accord, without the solicitation or interposing of any Crea­ture, and doing it withall so frankly and cheerfully: Was ever the like of this love heard tell of, for one, and more especially for such a one, to suffer so much and so cheerfully unrequired? we would have you confirmed in the Faith of this great and sweet Truth, that he had never better will, nay never so good will to eat his Dinner, then, and as, he had to suffer and satisfie Justice for you, though at a dear rate; He says John 4. It was his meat to do the fathers will that sent him, and to finish his work; Have ye suitable thoughts of his love when ye read the Gospel? have ye in the Word seen him standing before Pilate in your room, not answering when he is accused, and Pilate marvelling at his silence? and did Pilate marvel, knowing and being con­vinced of his innocency? and have ye ne­ver marvelled, or marvelled but very little? sure, your little marvelling at his silence is the more sadly marvellous, that the cause of his silence when he was charged with your iniquities, with such and such a piece of your miscarriage, with such a vain and roaving heart, with such a wanton look, with such a profane or idle word of yours, with the horrid sin of your having so abused, slighted and neglected him, &c. that the cause, I say, of his silence at such a terrible accusation and charge, and not vindicating of himself, or saying, these faults, miscar­riages, and transgressions are not mine, as he might have done; was pure love to you, O! is not this strange? and yet most true; wonder then more at it.

Use 2. Here is strong consolation to Be­lievers, and wonderful wisdom in the rise and convey of it, in uniting Justice and Love; out of which the consolation springs; Justice exacting upon and distressing the Son of God, and he satisfying Justice so ful­ly, that though all the Elect had satisfied eternally in Hell, it had not been made to shine so splendidly and gloriously; Justice also on the Mediators side in yielding and giving satisfaction though it should oppress and break Soul and Body: And yet love, both on the Father and Mediators side; on the Fathers side, love, in finding out this way of satisfaction to his own Justice, when there was no cure but by wounding of his own Son, and yet he was content rather to wound him, than that the Elect should suf­fer and be wounded eternally; and love on the Mediators side, who willingly yields and undergoes their Debt, and will not hide his face from shame and spitting; what may not the Believer expect from God when he spared not his own Son for him? and what may he expect from Christ who spared not himself for his sake? and who is that good Shepherd that laid down his life for the Sheep, and held his tongue and quarrelled not with those that smote him, will he quar­rel with a poor Sinner coming to him and pleading for the benefite of satisfaction? no certainly; but as the word is Zeph. 3.17. He will rest in his love, or as the word sig­nifies, He will be silent or dumb in his love; he will not upbraid thee nor cast up thy former miscarriages, he will not say reproachfully to thee, where wast thou so long playing the Prodigal? he is better content with thy recovery than ever he was discontent or ill-pleased with all the wrong thou didst un­to him.

Use 3. This word of Doctrine lays down the ground whereupon a sinner sensible of sin may build his expectation of peace with God; The transaction concluded and a­greed upon is the ground of his coming, and the exacting of the price according to the transaction, is the ground of his ex­pectation of the benefit of Christs purchase; And there is Justice for it, as the Apostle intimats, Rom. 8.34, 35. Who shall lay any [Page 201] thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is ri­sen again, &c. And upon this follows the believing souls triumph: O! but there is much need to be thorowly acquainted with the mutual relations that are betwixt Christ and believing sinners, with the ground of their approaching to him, and with the good they are to expect through him.

Use 4. This word is made use of, 1 Pet. 2.21. To give us a notable and none such pattern of patience; Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should fol­low his steps; He did bear all wrongs pati­ently, and packed them up quietly (to say so) and opened not his mouth; He could have told Pilate and Caiaphas what they were, but spoke not a word save one to the High Priest, notwithstanding all his pro­voking carriage, and a very meek one too, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, and if well, why smitest thou me? Among other Copies then that Christ hath casten, take this for one, make him a Copy and Pat­tern for Patience; It is to be regrated that folks are so unlike to Christ in this respect; they think it a disdainful thing to pack up a wrong, and they will scorn and rush at it; But, what if Jesus Christ had been of that temper and disposition? (if it be fit to make such a supposition) ye had been without a Redeemer, and had perished for ever; When he calls you to be followers of him, and to suffer patiently as he did, though most unjustly as to men; for you to think or say that ye scorn it, and that ye are not so mean spirited, what is it else but to think and say on the matter, that blessed Jesus in his patient and silent carriage un­der all the injuries that he suffered very un­justly from men, shewed himself to be of a low and base spirit, and that ye disdain to follow his way; O! intollerably saucy and proudly blasphemous reflection. The ma­ny contests, the many high re [...]entments of wrongs, the great grudging, fretti [...]g and foaming at them that there are in Ch [...]istians say plainly, that there is little of the meek and patient Spirit of Christ in and amongst us, and that many of us know not what spirit we are of.

WE need not tell you of whom the Prophet is speaking here, every verse and every word almost do make it ma­nifest that he speaks of Christ the Saviour, and indeed it can be applyed to none other; It's the same verse, Acts 8.34. from which Philip proceeds to preach Christ to the Eu­nuch: The Prophet hath been largely hold­ing forth Christ's sufferings in the former verse, and we conceive he takes a turn to speak of Christ's exaltation and out gate from these sufferings; It's true (as if he had said) He was brought to Prison and Judge­ment, He was indeed straitned, and pinched, and laid very low, but Prison and Judge­ment did not keep him; He was taken, or as the word is, He was lift up, from both; And for as despicable as he was in man's eyes, yet he was not so in himself, for who shall declare his generation? There is a won­derfulness in him who suffered, that can­not be reached, but must be left with ad­miration; And a wonderfu [...] glory where­unto he was after his humiliation exalted; and there is a reason of this given for pre­venting of offence; if any should say, how then could he suffer and be brought so low in suffering, if he was so glorious a perso [...]? He answers, it is true that he was cut off out of the land of the living,, but for no of­fence in himself, but for the transgression of Gods Elect was he stricken, or as the word is, The stroak was upon him; Yea this (as we conceive) is given as a reason of his exaltation. Because in the lowest steps of his humiliation he condescended to fulfil his ingagement to the Father, in satisfying Justice for the sins of the Elect, according to that of John 10.17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again; Because according to his ingagement he suffered for the sins of his Elect People, therefore he could not but have a comfortable and glorious out­gate.

There are these three things in the words, 1. Somewhat asserted concerning Christ Jesus, He was taken from Prison and from Judgement. 2. Something hinted at which cannot be expressed, Who shall declare his generation? 3. There is a reason given in reference to both, For he was cut off, &c. which we shall expound when we come to it.

For the first, He was taken from Prison and from Judgement; We conceive these words look both to his humiliation and to his out-gate from it, the one being clearly supposed, that he was in prison or straits, and brought to judgement, and the other being expressed, that he was brought from prison and from judgement: 1. Prison here may be taken generally for any strait pinch or pressour tha [...] one may be brought unto, which we conce [...]ve both the Words and the Prophets scope will clear; Christ [Page 203] never having been properly in prison, at least for any considerable time, but strait­ned and pinched; And he was taken from that, being in his humiliation, and in his sufferings in the room of the Elect pursued by the Law and Justice of God, 2. Judge­ment is taken passively for Judgement past on him, and it looks not only to the pro­cedour of Pilate, of the Chief Priest, and of the Scribes and Pharisees, but to a Ju­dicial Process which the Justice of God led against him, in which respect he answered (as the words after will clear) for the sins of God's people. 3. The word, He was eaken, sometimes signifies to deliver, as a Captive is delivered when he is taken from him that took him Captive, as it is, Isai. 49.24. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? To which the Lord here answers, It, or he shall be taken.

So then, the scope and meaning of the words is, that the Prophet subjoyns a nar­ration of Christ's Exaltation upon the back of his Humiliation, as it is usual in the Scripture to put these together, and in this order, as namely, Philip. 2.8, 9. He bum­hled himself, and became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross; Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, &c. He was exceedingly straitned and pinched for the Elects sins, but death had no dominion over him, he had a glo­rious out-gate; He was taken out and set free from the prison or straits wherein he was held, And from these judgements that past upon him; The reason of the Expo­sition is drawn from the plain meaning of the words, which must run thus, He was taken from judgement, the very same which is in the following expression, He was cut off out of the land of the living, that being the ordinary signification of the prepositi­on from, the meaning must be this, that he was taken out of the condition wherein he was; It agrees also best with the scope of the very next words, Who shall declare his generation? Wherein he proposeth an admirable aggravation of this delivery.

The 2d. thing hath a connexion with the former, and therefore take a word or two for clearing of it; What to understand by Generation here, is somewhat difficult to de­termine, the word in the Original having several meanings, yet generally it looks to one of two, as it is applyed to Christ, 1. Either to the time past, and so it's used by many to express and hold forth Christ's God-head, and so the meaning is, though he was brought very low, yet he was and is the eternal Son of God: Or 2. (as com­monly it is taken) it looks to the time to come, and so the meaning is, who shall declare his duration or continuance? Ge­neration is often taken thus in Scripture for the continuance of an Age, and of one Age following another successively, as Joshua 22. This Altar shall be a witness to the generati­ons to come; So then, the meaning is, he was once low, but God exalted him, and brought him thorow, and who shall de­clare this duration or continuance of his exaltation? As it is Phil. 2.8, 9. He hum­bled himself, &c. Therefore God highly ex­alted him; As his humiliation was low, so his exaltation was ineffable, it cannot be declared nor adequatly conceived, the con­tinuance of it being for ever; There is no inconsistency betwixt these two Expositi­ons; His duration or continuance after his suffering necessarily presupposing his God­head, brought in here partly to shew the wonderfulness of his suffering, it being God that suffered, for the man that suffered was God; Partly to shew Christ's glory, who notwithstanding of his suffering was brought thorow and gloriously exalted: And these reasons make it evident, 1. Whatever these words, Who shall declare his age or generati­on do signifie, certainly it is something that can be spoken of no other, but of Christ, and that agrees to him so as it agrees to no other; Now if we look simply to the eternity of his duration or continu­ance, that agrees to all the Elect, and will agree to all men at the Resurrecti­on; Therefore the Prophet must look here to his continuance and duration as he is God. 2. Because, Who shall declare his ge­naration? is brought in here, to shew the ineffableness of it, and so to make his suffe­rings the more wonderful, it was he who suffered, whose continuance cannot be de­clared. [Page 204] 3. It's such a continuance as is brought in to shew a reason why death could not have dominion over him, nor keep him, according to that, Rom. 1.4. He was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead; And the rea­son subjoyned to this will someway clear it, for he was cut off out of the land of the li­ving, for the transgression of my people was he stricken; Thereby insinuating, that because of the great work which he had to do, there behoved to be some singularness in the person that had the work in hand, who notwithstanding of the greatness and diffi­cultness of it, came thorow, and was here­by exalted: However it be, the Prophets scope being to set out Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation, his Humiliation before, and his Exaltation after, which is, as we said, ordinary in Scripture; We conceive the meaning we have given is safe, and agree­able to the Prophets scope.

We may observe three things from the first part of the words, 1. That our Lord Je­sus Christ in his performing the work of Redemption was exceedingly straitned or pinshed, or held in, as the word is else­where rendered, bound up and hemmed in as men are who are in Prison; and by these straitnings we mean not only such as he was brought into by, and before men, (whereof we spoke before;) but especial­ly these that were more inward; and these being amongst the last steps of his Humilia­tion, more immediately preceeding his Ex­altation, and spoken of as most wonderful, we conceive they look to these pressures that were upon his spirit; and we shall in­stance several places of Scripture that serve to hold them out; the first is that of John 12.27, 28. Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour; here our blessed Lord is troubled in Spirit, and so pinshed and hedged in as in a Prison, that he is holily non-plussed what to say. The 2d Scripture is Matth. 26.38. My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death, which is like the expressions used by the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.8. We were pressed above measure, above strength, in so much as we despaired of life, and we had the sentence of death in our selves; there was no outgate obvious to hu­mane sense and uptaking; so is it here; wherein we are not only to consider his Soul vexation, but that his Soul vexation was very great, extreamly pinshing, vexing, and in a manner imprisoning to him. The 3d Scripture is Luke 22.44. He being in an agony prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground; there was such a striv­ing, wrestling and conflicting, not with man without him, but with inward pressures on his spirit, that he is like one in a Barrace, or Cockpit, or engaged in a Duel with a migh­ty Combatant, sore put to it, very far be­yond ought that we can conceive of; so that he swat great drops of blood, and says, father if thou be willing remove this cup from me, nevertheless, not my will but thine be done; it is in Matthew, if it be possible, and there­after if it be not possible; which says, there was no winning out of the grips of the Law and Justice till they were fully satisfied; and these dreadful words uttered by him on the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? hold out that from the sinless humane nature of Christ, the comfortable and joyful influence of the God-head for a time was in a great measure suspended, (though the sustaining power thereof was exercised mightily on him) so that he looks on himself some way as forsaken and left in the hand of the Curse.

To clear this a little, we would consider these pressures that were on our Lords Spi­rit. 1. In respect of their cause. 2. In re­spect of their effects.

1. In respect of their cause; There is upon the one side his undertaking for the Elect as their Surety, and Gods Justice pur­suing and holding him in on the other side, so that he cannot decline being sisted at the Bar of Justice, because as it is vers. 6. the sins of all the Elect met upon him; and he having as it is vers. 7. the bitter cup in his hand which by his engagement he was ob­liged to drink, he stands there by the De­cree of God and by the Covenant of Re­demption tying him to satisfie; and being pursued by Wrath and Justice, the words [Page 205] come out, Father, if it be possible, let this cup depart from me, yet not my will but thine be done; his engagement hemming him in, and wrath pursuing him, he stands betwixt these two as a prisoner; and upon these two the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all, and he was exacted upon and answered for them; follows well the third, that he was put in prison; for in these Verses, the steps of our Lords Humiliation are followed out in a legal way as before the bar of Gods Tribunal.

2ly. This being our Lords posture, we shall consider the effects of this pressure of spirit, which we may draw to these four heads. 1. He was under the sense of great Soul-pain, sorrow and trouble; for the cup of the wrath of God being bitter which he was to drink, it could not but deeply sting his holy humane nature, which was the pro­curing cause of his agony, and that which made his soul sorrowful and brought out the bloody sweat. 2. Beside his grief and dolour, there was a holy horrour; and con­sidering the party that he had to do with, it was impossible it could be otherways, im­possible for a finit though a sinless creature, to look on an angry God, and on wrath poured forth into the cup which it must needs drink, and not to have a horrour at it; it were not becoming the sinless hu­mane nature of our blessed Lord not to be affected with a holy and sinless horrour at that most bitter cup, which brought out that sad cry, Father, let this cup depart from me; which did not proceed from any dis­like he had to fulfil his engagement, or from any rewing or unsuitable resentment that he had so engaged himself, but from an ap­prehended sinless disproportionableness (to speak so) in his finit sinless humane nature, to encounter with the wrath of his Father; to which, though he most willingly yielded, yet in it self it was dreadful. 3. There was a pinshing and straitning of holy fear, as if there had been in him a sinless dispute or debate, what will become of this? can a man win thorow this? (though he was God as well as man) how will this be gotten born? This looks as if death would get the victory; Thus it's said Heb. 5.7. In the days of his flesh he offtred up strong crys and supplications with tears, and was heard in that which he feared, he put up strong crys to be delivered, not from dying, but from the power of death, and was heard in that which he feared, to shew a holy care to prevent death, could that have been, and a sinless fear of it lest it should swallow him up. 4. There was a pinshing and straitning from love to the Fa­ther and to the doing of his Will; and from love to the Elect and to their Salvation, which pushed him forward to perform and fulfil his engagement; accordingly Luk. 12.41. he says, I have a baptizm to be bap­tized with, and how am I straitned till it be accomplished, and hence it was that these words were uttered by him, Father, not my will but thine be done; and therefore though he had power to command twelve legions of Angels for his relief, yet, to speak so, love binds his hands that he will not use his power for his own liberation. But to guard this Doctrine from mistakes, take a fourfold advertisement concerning this in­ward soul-pinshing, which will help to clear somewhat of his Soul-suffering that follow­eth, And. 1. Think not that there was any sinful or unsuitable confusion or perturbati­on of mind in our Lord, such as useth to be in us, there being no dreg of corruption in his mind to jumble or discompose his ho­ly humane nature. 2. Beware of thinking that there was any fretting or anxiety in him, or any discontentedness with the Bar­gain, his expressions shew forth the contra­ry, for (saith he) I could command twelve legions of angels, yet he would not do it. 3. Think not that there was any jealousie in him of the Fathers love, though there was a suspension of the comfortable and joy­ful sense of it, yet there was not the least lousing of the faith of it, as is clear by his doubling of these words, My God, my God, when in his saddest pinsh he cried out as b [...] ­ing forsaken. 4. Ye would not look on this as holding out any distrust as to the event. I have (saith he) power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up again; and I will rise again the third day; he knew that the Covenant of Redemption betwixt the Father and him stood firm and sure: [Page 206] But it's the consideration of God's now coming as his Party to exact the Elects Debt of him, and his standing at the Bar to an­swer for it, which puts him in this agony; and though considering Christ as man per­sonally united to the God-head (whereby he was keeped from sinking,) he had no distrust to be carried thorow; yet consi­dering him as Man suffering, and that (to speak so with reverence in such a divine sub­ject) there was an eclipse of that sensible joy that proceeded from the two natures together, It's not possible to conceive of Christ in this posture, but wrath and anger behoved to be some-way dreadful or terrible to him.

The Uses are, 1. To evidence the truth of what our Lord suffered, and how severely he was pinshed and straitned; It was not the Scribes and Pharisees pursuing him, nor the Souldiers buffeting and mocking of him, and carrying him to the high Priest's hall, and from Pilate to Herod and back again, that so much troubled him; but there was a higher H [...]nd that he had to look to, and a Judge and Court to which he was now an­swering, that was very far above theirs.

And therefore, as a 2d. Use of the Do­ctrine, Think it not such a light thing (as many do) to satisfie Justice, or to give God a ransom for Souls, ye see how it pinshed the Cautioner, and put him as in a prison; unspeakably deceived are they who think that two or three formal words will make their peace with God, and that they will slip in to Heaven so; Be not carried away with this delusion, but consider seriously what will become of you if ye be put to an­swer for your own Debt, when he handled the Cautioner his own Son so roughly; ye that will sleep on, and scorn to let any word pick at you or prick you, the Justice of God shall prick you and put you to straits, out of which ye will not be able to extricate your selves; and he shall appear like ever­lasting burning when the great day of his wrath comes, and when it shall be said by you, who can stand before it, or abide it? It were good that ye who are most atheisti­cal, and who with a sort of triumph and gallantry will needs destroy your selves, would lay this to heart, and remember that the day comes when ye will be brought to this Bar; and gravely consider what a Hell that will be, to have the desperateness of the outgate sealed up in your Consciences; and these evidences of Gods hatred, and these aggravations that our Lords holy na­ture could not admit of, in your bosome; when Wrath meets with Corruption, and Corruption with Wrath, and when these mingle, how dreadful will your case be?

3ly. Let Believers see here what ye are obliged to Christ; Consider what he hath payed, and what the satisfaction of Justice for you cost him; Folks are ready to think that it was an easie thing to satisfie Justice, and to drink of the brook by the way; but if Sinners were sensible of challanges for sin, and if they had the Arrows of the Almigh­ty drinking up their spirits, they would think otherwise of Christs drinking out the cup of Wrath for them, not leaving so much as one drop of it; It's but the shorings or threatnings with some drops of it that any of you meet with in your sharpest Soul-ex­ercises; O! believing Sinners, are ye not then eternally obliged to Christ who drunk out this wrathful-cup for you?

4ly. There is notable consolation here to poor Souls that would fain make use of Christ, As 1. That Christ hath stepped thorow this deep Foord, or rather Sea be­fore them; and if the Cup come in their hand, it's empty; Freedom from the Wrath of God is a great consolation, and yet it's the consolation of all them that are fled un­to him for refuge. 2. It's comfortable to them in their comparatively petty straits and difficulties when they wot not what to do, when the Law seizeth and Justice pur­sueth, and when the Conscience challengeth; to consider that Christ was a prisoner be­fore them, though he had no challenge for his own debt, yet he was challenged for ours, that he might be a compassionate high Priest, being made like to us, but without sin; Justice pursued him, the Law arrested him, wrath seized on him; so that when we are set upon by these he will be tender of us, for he knows our frame and that we cannot bear much; and therefore on this [Page 207] ground a believing sinner may go with bold­ness to the Throne of Grace, because Christ the Cautioner who hath payed his Debt, is there; it's a shame for believing sinners to walk so heartlesly, even under these things that are terrible, as if Christ had not gone thorow them before them and for them. 3. There is consolation here when they are under any pinshing cross and difficulty; as there is also ground for patient and pleasant bearing of it, because it was another sort of prison that Christ was put in for them; ye may I grant lament over the long want of sensible presence, it being kindly to the Be­liever to miss it, and to long for it, but ye should not be heartless under the want of it, nor complain as the Lords people do lament, Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow? but submissively and contentedly bear it with­out fretting, seing our Lord bare so much for you.

5ly. There is here a notable encourage­ment to believe, and a notable ground for the Believer to expect freedom from sin and from the pinshing straits that it deserv­eth, because Christ payed dear for it; wherefore was all this pinshing but to pay Believers Debt? But when we come to speak of his outgate, it will clear this more.

2. While it's said, That he was brought from judgment, which supposes and implyes, that he was once at, or under judgment, even the judgment of God, who is his great party all along; He laid on him the iniquity of us all; and vers. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him; He was the Creditor that caused take and arrest him; Observe, That in all the Soul-vexation, in all the pinshing pres­sure of spirit that our Lord sustained, he was standing judicially before the bar of God, and was judicially proceeded against as the Elects Cautioner and Surety; there was no access to bring Christ to [...]udgment had he not engaged to be Surety, and had not God laid on him our iniquities, for it was for no Debt that he was owing himself, but for what by his engagement as the Elects Surety he came under and was made lyable to: That which I mean by his being brought to Judgment, is not only that he suffered & was occasionally condemned by a Court of men, or by a humane Judicatory, which was rather like a tumultuary Meeting, or a company of men in an uproar, than indeed a Court; but whatever was before men, there was a legal and judicial procedure be­fore God: For clearing whereof, ye would consider, 1. The account whereon he suffer­ed and was brought before Gods Court of Judgment, to speak so; It was not for any thing that the Scribes or Pharisees, or Pilate had to lay to his charge; it was envy in them, the former at least, that stirred them in what they did; but the next words tell us what it was, for the transgression of my people was he striken; The Priests and People had no mind of this, but this was indeed the ground of his judicial Challenge and Arraignment before God; the Elect were in their sins, and he by the Covenant of Redemption stood lyable for their Debt, because in it he had undertaken for them as their Cautioner and Surety. 2. Consider who was his great party in his Sufferings; it was not Pilate and the Jews, he cared not so much for them, but it is God, and therefore he crys, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and therefore he makes his address to God, Father if it be pos­sible let this cup pass from me; he cared not for answering them, but looks to a higher hand, and upon himself as standing before another Tribunal; therefore it's said v. 10. yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he look­ed not to Pilate but to the Lord pursuing him. 3. Co [...]sider our Lords submission to his being brought to Judgment, not only nor chiefly before men, but before God, therefore says he, John 12.48. Father save me from this hour, but for this cause came I to this hour; come th [...]n F [...]ther and let us compt; he looks not only to the present dispensation, but also to the ground whence it came, and to the end that God had in it; for this cause came I unto this hour, even to have my soul troubled, and to be put to an­swer for the D bt of my elect People ac­cording to my Engagement; Lo, I come (saith he, in that often cited 40. Psalm) in the volum of thy book, it is wretten of me, I delight do thy will. Consider 4ly. The effects of his bringing to Judgment; A sen­tence [Page 208] passes 1 Tim. 3. ult. Great is the my­stery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, not before Pilate, but in Gods Court, having satisfied for the E­lects Debt according to his undertaking, he gets an absolviture, which reaches not only to himself but to all them whose per­sons he sustained, as is clear 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; and the Elects obtaining eternal Re­demption and Absolution by his death, with the accrescing of his satisfaction to their justification, clears that he stood there judi­cially at the Bar of God in their name to answer for them. And there are three steps of this his judicial answering, 1. He gets the Libel of the Elects Debt put in his hand; though there was no guile in his mouth, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he laid on him the iniquity of us all, and for the iniqui­ty of my people was he stricken; these are the persons that he undertook for, and for their Debt he answers; the verity of the fact is clear, for they are under guilt; the Laws claim is clear, for it's broken, and upon this the Libel is put in his hand; hence it's said, He died for us, He was made sin for us, and he died for our sins. 2. As the Libel is put in his hand, so a sentence passes accor­dingly, he is found lyable to the Elects Debt and must answer for it, as the former word is, it was exacted on him, and 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made sin for us, and Gal. 3.13: He was made a curse for us, that is, by the sentence of Justice he is decerned to bear the curse. 3. The sentence is executed as it was past, the cup is put in his hand, and not only is he decerned and doomed to the curse, but actually he is made a curse, and all this as judicially sustaining the persons of the Elect, and as their Cautioner and Surety.

Here we have some sweet and profitable Uses, 1. See here and take up the way of Redemption contrived, so as it runs on Mercy and Justice, Mercy to the Elect, and Justice to the Cautioner, their Debt being fully exacted of him.

2. It learns us how to establish our Faith, and also gives us a ground of Believing; To make it distinct; Justice behoved to be satisfied, without which no Mercy could be shewed to the Sinner; and God hath laid down the way by the Cautioners interpos­ing; even as it is among men, the Cautio­ners being imprisoned and satisfying, is the Debtors liberation; and as God hath con­descended to deal with us by way of Cove­nant, so he condescended in the Covenant of Redemption to proceed legally and ju­dicially with Christ, that we might have the clearer way to make application of it.

3. Are there any here that look for Re­demption thorow Christ, and hope that their sins were in the Libel given to him? O! how warming would this be to your hearts? and how should it make them to melt in love and godly sorrow, to behold Christ standing at Justice-bar, and that for you? O! what an aspect would his sufferings have on us if we were clear about our interest in him, and could hear him in our name, saying, Father here am I, if thou take me let these go; thy will be done, for this cause came I here to answer for my peoples debt, to take with the challenges given in against them, and to undergo thy sentence for them; then says Justice, thou must pay their Debt, Content says he, Here am I; and so he gives his back to the smiter, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, and hid not his face from shame and spitting: If we were clear that our share was there, and that our iniquities came in among the rest to make up the Libel, and if we could aright discern him so pinshed and straitned in satisfying for us, would we not think our selves eternally obliged to him, to hate sin, and to glorifie him in our bodies and spirits which are his? as it it 1 Cor. 6. ult. If indeed ye be Christs (as ye are all ready to profess your selves to be) he pays dear for you, and if so, will not this ly upon you as a just Debt to him, to glorifie him in your bodies and in your spirits? for both in bo­dy and spirit he payed for you.

4. It's a notable ground of consolation to Believers against dispondency and fear to appear before the Throne of God [...]; because our Lord Jesus Christ hath been before us and in our name, and hath answered for us to the full, and hath satisfied all that Justice [Page 209] could crave of us: What wakens terror at Death, and makes the thoughts of Christ's appearing to be dreadful, but our looking on our appearing at the Bar of God? but it is a comfort against it, that Christ as our Cautioner was brought to Prison & to Judg­ment, and was also brought from both; yea which is more, and without which the consolation is but halved, he was brought to both for us, and he was also brought from both as our Surety, as Surety for all them that betake themselves by F [...]ith to him: He was carried to Prison and to Judgment as Cau­tioner for the Elect, and he was pursued as their Cautioner, and therefore his payment of the Debt as Cautioner must be accepted in name of them for whom he payed the Debt: Our Lord Jesus not only died and was laid in the Grave, but he went fur­ther in (to speak so,) he was even at the Bar of Justice, libelled, exacted upon and sentenced, and the sentence executed upon him, else, wo had been unto us; on this ground is that triumph, Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it's God that justifies; who shall condemn? it's Christ that died, year rather, who is risen again, &c. and it's said Rom. 7. That we are delivered from the law being dead to that wherein we were held; the Law had us in Prison, and a lock on the door, and had us under irons, but our Lord came, and (as Sampson did in another case) carried the ports and bars to the hill top, He spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed openly over them on the cross, so that now the prince of this world is judged; These are the true and faithful sayings of God: We have through Christ access, and may with bold­ness come to the throne of Grace, having him as high priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and was in all things tempted like as we are; he knew not only what it was to be hungry and thirsty and weary, to be pained, and to die; but what it was to come before the terrible Tribunal of God, and to be libelled for sin though not for his own sin, and what it was to be sen­tenced and to meet with wrath; which gives to sinners a safe and refreshful shelter under him, as under the shadow of a great rock in a weary land: This is the great de­sign of the Gospel, to make proffer of the benefite of these sufferings to you, and to pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God: Now God himself perswade you to it.

EVery step of Christs way to sin­ners, and every word whereby it is exprest, is wonderful; And therefore it is no marvel that the Prophet doth by way of admiration cast in this word, And who shall declare his generation? We shew you that we conceive these words to be these that express the Prophets turning of him­self from Christs Humiliation to his Exalta­tion; He hath insisted long in setting out his wonderful abasement, exinanition, and humiliation, which these words import, He was brought from prison and from judge­ment; Which look not only to his external imprisonment, to his coming to judgement b [...]fore men, but also, and mainly and prin­cipally, to the pinches and straits that he was brought into, and his arraignment be­fore Gods Tribunal, and so to the cause of his suffering, to wit, for the transgression of his people, as the words following hold out, which was not the cause of his censure be­fore men, but the procuring cause of what he met with from, and before God.

But though he was brought to prison and to judgement, to death and to the grave, yet they did not, they could not detain him; He was taken, or as the word signi­fies, he was lift up from prison and from judge­ment, being the same word that followeth, He was cut off out of the land of the living, which supposes a turn and change from his Humiliation to his Exaltation, and these words, Who shall declare his generation? Set out the unconceivable and unexpressible glory that Christ is exalted unto, so Acts 8.33., 35. Where these words are cited, it's said, In his humiliation his judgement was taken away; That is in his lowest step of his Humiliation, his judgement, or that to which he was adjudged, was taken from him, and he was declared free; However, since in these words our Lords Humiliation is implyed, and his Exaltation expressed as following on it, we think it safest to under­stand them so. The words put together hold out the high degree of Christs glorious exal­tation, so as his generation cannot be decla­red; He was taken from prison and from judg­ment, and gloriously exalted in another manner, and to another degree of glory then either Angels or Believers are, or are capable to be; For he that is exalted is God, whose generation cannot be declared; Death having no more dominion over him, and he having the keyes of hell and of death; In a word, we take this, Who shall declare his generation? most immediatly to relate to Christ's Exaltation as Mediator, and to the glory wherewith he was invested, and to the dominion that he hath over all crea­tures: yet considering that the Prophets scope is to set out this as wonderful, and considering that the first step of his Exalta­tion is his Resurrection, whereby (as the Apostle speaks, Rom. 1.4.) he was declared to be the Son of God with power; His Resur­rection [Page 211] being singular in this respect that he rose by his own power, and considering that Acts 8.35. Philip began to preach to the Eunuch Jesus Christ as the object of Faith; We think it reasonable to conceive, that he preached Christ to be God, from this Text, so as the Eunuch might have a solid foundation for his faith; And this subserving the scope, which is to set out the wonderfulness of Christs love to Elect sinners, who being God, yet condescended to come thus low for saving of them; We may take in his God-head mediatly from which as the former steps of his Humilia­tion received worth and efficacy, so he was thereby sustained and born up under all these sufferings whereby his people are saved.

From the first and second expressions put together, we shall draw three Doctrines re­lating to three main Articles of our Faith.

The 1. whereof is this, That our Lord Jesus had an out-gate from, and victory o­ver the lowest and most pinching pieces of His Humiliation and suffering; so that though he was at prison and judgement, yet he was lift up from both, and had a glori­ous out-gate: This takes in three things which the same grounds will confirm, 1. That in his lowest state and step of Humi­liation he was sustained and carried thorow, so that all the assaults which he was put to endure and encounter with from all his ene­mies, wicked Men and Devils, did not o­vercome him. 2. That as he in himself was born thorow and sustained; So in re­spect of God's bar at which he was arraign­ed, he was absolved and set free; He so came thorow by paying of the debt, that he had an Absolviture, as it is, 1 Tim. 3. ult. Great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit; Our blessed Lord Jesus being sustained by the power of his God-head, was carried thorow in his sufferings, payed the Elects debt, and received the sentence of absolu­tion, even as a person (to speak with re­verence in such a subject) having payed the debt for which he was imprisoned, is absolved and set free. 3. It takes in our Lords actual delivery, he not only receiv­ed the sentence of absolution, but was actu­ally set free; so that as he was pleased to put himself in prison and in straits for us, so he was brought from every step of his hu­miliation, from prison and from judgement, from death and from the grave, He nailed the hand-writing which was against us to his cross, as the Apostle saith, Col. 2.14, 15.) And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing o­ver them in it; And as it is, 1 Cor. 15. at the close, He took the sting from death, disarmed it, and trode upon it: And there was necessity for this, even such necessi [...]y that it was impossible it could be other­wayes, as we have it, Acts 2.24. It was not possible that he could be holden of death. This will be clear if we consider these things, 1. The person that suffered, he was not an ordinary, nay nor a meer man, but God-man; As is clear, Acts 2.27. cited out of Psal. 16. where it is said, Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. 2. The end of Christs sufferings; which was to sa­tisfie for the debt of his people, there having been no reckoning on his own score or ac­count, he being still in Gods favour and his Holy One in whom his Soul delighted all along his sufferings; His sufferings being for the sins of his Elect, and he being to make application of his satisfaction, and of the purchase made thereby to the Elect for whom he suffered and purchased these things, by his intercession; There was a necessity that he should come thorow; o­therwayes he should not have been a perfect and compleat Saviour, Able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God by him, as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 7.25. But such a High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher then the Heavens. 3. It's clear also if we consider the nature of the Covenant, and of the promises made to him therein, upon his ingaging and undertaking for the Elect, as particularly vers. 10. of this Chap­ter, He shall see his seed, and prolong his dayes, his duration shall be for ever, The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, and I will divide him a portion with [Page 212] the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong: Our Lord's Exaltation and vi­ctory over death being on the Lord's side conditioned to him the Mediator, as well as he ingaged to suffer, hence it's said, Psal. 110. He shall drink of the brook in the way, therefore shall he lift up the head.

The Uses are two, The 1. whereof serves for clearing and confirming our Faith in a fundamental Article of Christianity, with­out which it were needless for us to preach, and needless for you to hear or believe, and that is, that our Lord Jesus suffered and also got the victory over suffering, that he was raised from the dead, and declared to be the Son of God with power; intimating that Justice had gotten full satisfaction, in evi­dence and testimony whereof he was de­clared free; which is a main thing that be­lievers have to believe; even that we have an exalted Christ, a raised up Saviour, who could not be detained by all the Elects guilt in prison. 2. It serves to be matter of strong consolation, it puts life in all Christ's Offices and Qualifications, and in all the Promises made to Believers; to wit, that our Lord Jesus is a living Christ, over whom death had no dominion, and he over­came it, now to die no more; So that, as it is, Heb. 7.25. He is able to save to the utter­most these that come unto God by him, seing he ever liveth to make intercession for them: There is nothing that a Soul needs or can desire, but it is to be had in him: And if we would look to particular instances, much consolation will arise from this ground; For 1. Hath a believing sinner to do with chal­lenges at the Bar of Justice, is it not unspeakable consolation that their debt is payed? Hence it's said, Rom. 8.33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It's God that justifies; who shall con­demn? It's Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again; It's that which gives proof of compleat payment of the Elects debt and defiance to any challenges and accusations to come against the Believer to his preju­dice, because Christ hath not only died, but is also risen, Justice being well pleased with his satisfaction, he is let out of the Prison. 2. If the Believer hath to do with corruption, with the Devil and with many enemies; Is it not strong consolation that our Lord is risen and up, that the Prince of this world is judged, that Satan is troden under foot, and that be shall and must reign till all his enemies be made his foot-stool? 3. Our Lord's Resurrection hath a twofold further consolation with it to Believers, 1. It serves to be a ground for the exercising of Faith on him, that as he is risen, (so Rom. 6.) may we expect that being spiritually dead with him to sin, we shall be with him rais­ed up to newness of life. 2. It is a pledge of Believers Exaltation and compleat victory over Death and the Grave, and over all Enemies; for Christ being raised as the Common Head of all Believers who are his Members, they by vertue of his Resurrecti­on, and by that same efficacy shall be rais­ed; And it's impossible that they can ly under corruption; This is our great conso­lation who are Believers, and live under the Gospel, that we have not these things as a Prophesie of things to come, but as a plain History of things in part done, and by and by to be compleatly done. 4. It hath also in it consolation in respect of tem­poral difficulties, what are they all? They are not sure such as Christ's were, and the day is coming when Believers shall have an out-gate from them all; And therefore since our Lord is up, let not Believers be afraid of any changes whatsoever.

2dly. Observe, That our Lord Jesus be­ing raised up from his state of Humiliation, is invested and put in a most excellent and glorious condition, even such as the Pro­phet cannot express, Who can declare his ge­neration? saith he; Who can declare how glorious he is now? Take two or three Scriptures to confirm this, 1. That Eph. 1.20, 21. He hath set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet, and gave, him to be head over all things to the Church; Our Lords Throne is exalt­ed far above Angels and Archangels, even out of sight: The 2d. is Phil. 2.9. Where having [Page 213] spoken of his Humiliation, it follows, Where­fore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and, &c. His Exalta­tion is such as hath a Dominion and Supre­macy with it over every name; He having as it is, Col. 1.18. in all things the prehe­minency. The 3d. place is, Heb. 8.1. Of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum, we have such an High Priest who is set on the right hand of Majesty in the Heavens; Where Christs Exaltation is set out to be such as hath exalted him to the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Because this is one of the great Articles of our Faith, to wit, That Christ rose from death the third day, and ascended into Hea­ven, and is set down on the right hand of God; We shall add a little more to clear it, and 1. We would know that this Exaltation of our Lord is not to be understood of his ex­altation properly as he is God, in which respect there is no up nor down in him, though his declarative glory was valid for a time during his humiliation, yet in himself as he was God, he was still glorious and blessed over all. 2. When we speak of Christ's Exaltation as Mediator, and as Man, we do not mean that his Humane Na­ture hath lost the essential properties of a Creature, As if now when exalted he were wholly or only God, or as if the proper­ties of the Humane Nature were swallowed up in the God-head; That were inconsist­ent with his being true Man, and would marr and obstruct our consolation exceed­ingly; But his Exaltation consisteth, 1. In the manifestation and dec [...]aration of the person that was humbled and brought low, to be God Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Al­sufficient, infinitly Wise, Powerful, Just, &c. For though these properties agree not to the Humane Nature, yet they agree to his person, and they are manifested to be in him without question. 2. In the Ex­altation of the Humane Nature of Christ­man, to an inconceivable hight of glory, such as the Humane Nature united to the Divine Nature is capable of, by very many degrees beyond any thing that the Elect whether Angels or Men are capable of; The personal union making him capable of far more glory, and his excellent Offices calling for it. 3. This Exaltation consists in his absolute Dominion and Kingly Power, which is more observably, directly, and plainly manifested in the dayes of the Gospel-ad­ministration then it was under the Law; So that now he is clearly known in respect of his Kingly Office to be God in our na­ture, cloathed with our flesh, and to be Im­manuel, Go [...] [...]th us, and that this Imma­nuel, hath a [...] [...]er in Heaven and Earth com­mitted to him; He hath the keys of Hell and of death, and is King of kings, and Lord of lords, is exalted far above all principalities and powers, and is given to be head over all things to the Church; In which respect that is most properly to be understood when it is said, that he is set on the right hand of God; So that now Jesus Christ, God and Man in one Person is in highest Glory, and in ab­solutest Dominion, nearest unto God, far above that which Angels or Saints are ca­pable of; As Kings use to set their greatest Courtiers and Minions whom they would honour most on their right hand, and as Solomon set his Mother on his right hand, so is our Lord set on the right hand of God in highest glory: It is true, that as God he hath an absolutely Soveraign and indepen­dent Kingdom, yet as Medi [...]tor God-man, he hath a dispensatory Kingdom next unto the Father in glory. 4. This Exaltation consists in Christs being furnished with qualifications suitable to that glorious con­dition wherein he is invested; And though these qualifications of the Man Christ be not simply infinit, yet they are far above what we can conceive; And the qualifications of the Person God-man are infinite, in which respect he is Omnipotent. All-seeing, and infinitly wise to provide every thing that may be for the good of his Church and People, and to prevent what may tend to their hurt, Omnipresent, &c.

The Uses are three, 1. This would waken and rouze our Spirits to a high, holy, and reverend esteem of Christ; he is God above all gods, Ki [...]g above all kings; he hath gotten a name above every name, that [Page 214] at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, not superstitiously when he is named, but holily and reverently to think of him, and to worship and serve him. We conceive among many faults and evils in Believers, this is a root-evil, even low thoughts of glorious Christ, so that because he hath be­come low to lift us up, we are ready to think the less of him, but, O! that we could behold the glorious condition, he is exalted unto, and could look upon [...] as ere long, coming in the clouds with [...] and great glory, in the glory of his Father, and all the holy angels with him, it would furnish reve­rend thoughts of him, though not to hurt faith and confidence, yet to breed holy awe and reverence in us to him-wards.

The 2d. Use serves to shew what a for­midable party they engage to top with them, who slight our Lord Jesus Christ, what loss they are at who loss him, and what a great aggravation their sin hath who sin against him; ye that slight, refuse and oppose him, do ye know whom ye refuse, and whose dominion ye spurn against, and how hard it will be for you to kick against the pricks? do ye know your loss who loss him, and how it will aggrege your guilt who despise him? the more glorious Christ be, the greater will the sin of the Unbeliever be; therefore be aware what ye are doing, ye have a mighty great and strong party to deal with; and when the great day of his wrath comes, and when he shall appear in his glory, how will you be able to abide the least touch of it? it will aggrege your sin and highten your misery, that he whom the Father exalted was undervalued by you, that ye scorned to take a direction from him, or to submit to a censure drawen forth in his name, and said, at least by your pra­ctice, Let us break his bands asunder, and cast away his cords from us, but he hath set his king on his holy hill of Zion for all that, and he that sits in heaven will laugh, the Lord will have you in derision; think on it seri­ously, and know that he is no mean person whom ye slight and despise; and though this may now seem less than other sins, yet it will one day ly heavy on your score and Conscience, above many, yea above all other sins.

The 3d. Use serves to be a motive and encouragemt to them that hear this Gospel to receive Christ, and for the consolation of Believers who have received him. 1. It serves to encourage you all to receive him; He is no mean person that wooes you, but King of kings, and Lord of lords; and if ye think it a happiness to be for ever with him, then let it move you to close with him; if ye do so, ye shall be made glorious as he is glorious, a due proportion betwixt the Head and the Members being kept; ye shall sit on the same throne with him and behold his glory; as he prayeth John 17. I will that these whom thou hast given me may be with me to behold my glory; this is certainly a great Bargain; if Christ be glorious, he calleth you to share with him in the same glory. 2. It serves for the consolation of Believers who have received him, ye have an excellent Mediator, a most glorious Head and Husband, and a most excellent Dowry, and ye shall know it to your su­perabundant satisfaction and joy in that day, when (as it is Psal. 45.) Ye shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle work, and shall enter into the kings palace, and share of his glory, and see him face to face, and sit with him on his throne, even as he hath overcome, and is set down with his Father on his throne; labour to be stayed in the faith and hope of this good, glorious, and desireable day that is coming, when we shall not only see but partake of, and be fully and for ever possessed in that which eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered in the heart of man to conceive of.

3. From the words as we exponed them Observe, That our Lord Jesus Christ who suffered, and was in suffering brought very low, is God; We find ordinarily in Scrip­ture, especially thorow the New Testament, these three going together, 1. Christs Hu­miliation. 2. His Exaltation on the back of that, And 3ly. His Godhead; His Hu­miliation is not readily spoken of without his Exaltation, nor his Exaltation without his Godhead; because it's impossible to se­parate Christs Exaltation from his God­head; his Exaltation being the evidence of [Page 215] his Godhead; and the Prophet's scope here being to set but Christ's Exaltation, and Philip preaching of it to the Eunuch from this Text; it's doubtless the contemplation of Christ's Godhead that occasioneth this admiring-exclamation, who shall declare his generation? which we apply not so much to the ineffableness of his generation, as to its being an evidence that he is God: There are three or four ways whereby the Scripture confirms this, let me desire you by the way not to look on this as a little momentuous or but a common Doctrine; & since there are many so ignorant, that we would be ashamed to tell what we hear from some of you con­cerning the Godhead of Jesus Christ, ye would take the better heed to it, it being a main pillar of Christian Religion, without which our Preaching and your Faith are vain, for he is not believed on at all if ye rest not on him as God: But to prosecute what we proposed, to wit, these several ways whereby the Scripture confirms this truth, and to this purpose consider, 1. The express Titles and Names that are given to him in Scripture, and some Scripture-sayings of him which hold it out; three whereof we shall instance, The first is that of Isaiah 9.6, 7. Where, when Christ is prophesied of, it's said, Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and what is he? He shall be called wonderful, Counsellour, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end; Here we have these three, His Humiliation, Exaltion and God-head; His Humiliation, Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; His Exaltation, Of the increase of his government [...] and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice; And his Godhead is interjected and put in between these two, In the names and titles given to him, Wonderful Counsellour, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, not as personally taken, but (as the word signifies) The Fa­ther of Eternity, from whom all things have their Being; and for the same reason Chap. 7.14. He is called Immanuel, God with us, A 2d. place is that of Phil. 2.6. Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery (he did God no wrong) to be equal with God, he made himself of no reputation; and took on him the form of a servant, &c. where­fore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name, &c. A 3d. place is that of Heb. 1.2, 3. God who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, & what is he by whom he spake to us? who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high; there is here much of Christs excellency holden forth, he is the brightness of the fathers glory, and the ex­press image of his person; the beam of the Sun is not liker to the Suns light, the im­pression of the seal on the wax is no liker to the seal, then the Son is to the Father, (nay, the livelyest resemblances fall infi­nitely short of a full and exact resemblance) the Father and he being the same God, and he being compared with the Father, not simply as God essentially taken, but as the second person of the Trinity compared with him who is the first person; O deep and adorable mystery!

A 2d. way to clear and confirm it, is to consider his works oft-times joyned with his name; The works of Creation, Provi­dence, Redemption, and guiding of his Church, so we have it John 1.1. In the be­ginning was the word, the substantial word of the Father, the Son of his love, called the word, either as expressing the Fathers image as a mans word expresseth his mind, or because as Prophet of the Church he hath revealed the Fathers will; Its said that this word was not only with God, but was God; and then follows in several Verses to­gether his Works, the works of Creation, all things were made by him, &c. the works of Providence are attributed to him, John 5.17. My father worketh hitherto, and I work, and the work of Redemption and his glo­rious [Page 116] going thorow with it, declare him to be the Son of God; for none but God could redeem his Church.

3ly. For clearing and confirming of this truth, we may take the express confession of the Saints in Scripture whereon there is much weight laid; and I shall name but five or six of their confessions, which to this purpose are expressly and fully recorded, The 1. Is that of Matth. 16.16. Whom do men say that I am, Peter answered; thou art the son of the living God and Christ says, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona flesh and blood hath not revealed that unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven; to let us know that it is not such a little thing to believe Christs Godhead as many take it to be; and then he calls himself the rock on which his Church is built; Christ's Godhead is the foundation of Christianity. A 2d. is John 1.49. in Nathanaels words; Christs tells him, before Philip called thee when thou was under the fig-tree, I saw thee, and he having gotten this proof of Christs omniscience, presently breaks out, Rabbi, thou art the son of God, thou art the king of Israel; and that is the first thing his faith evidenceth it self in. A 3d. place is John 6.67, 68, 69. where, when Christ is saying to the twelve, will ye also leave me? Simon answers, Lord, to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure, that thou art the Christ the son of the living God; there is mu [...]h in these words, we believe and are sure that it is so. A 4th. place is John 11.27. and it is Martha her confession, yea Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ the son of God which should come into the world. The 5th. place is that of John 20.28. where, when Christ bids Thomas reach hither his hand and put it into his side, his glory shines so full in his face, that he cryes out, My Lord and my God, and his faith is summed up and compended in that. The last place that we shall name is that of Acts 8.37. and its the Eunuchs confession, I believe that Je­sus Christ is the son of God, which is the sum of his faith.

The 4th. and last way of confirmation of this great truth, is drawen from the worship which is due unto him, and hath been given unto him; He is the object of Faith, John 14.11. ye believe in God, believe also in me; He is the object of Prayer, Acts 7.59. They stoned Stephen calling upon God, saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit, and frequently else-where in Scripture he is prayed unto, though these two are not too curiously to be separated.

Use 1. The first Use serves to strengthen your Faith in this, that our Lord Jesus Christ who suffered for sinners, and is made offer of to them in the Gospel, is God equal with the Father, and so he is to be closed with and rested on as the brightness of the Fa­thers glory; the reason why we would have you confirmed in the Faith of this, is not small, for its a most necessary thing, and without the faith of it, all the work of our salvation will hang louse; neither can we have any claim to Eternal Life; and there­fore we desire you particularly who are ig­norant Hearers, and who have the name of Christ often in your mouths, and yet know not what he is, to know, remember and be­lieve, that he that is the son of Mary, is al­so the eternal son of God, being God be­fore he was incarnate, and before the World was made, and the Maker of all that was made.

Use 2. The second Use serves to let you know, That though it be a most necessary thing to be confirmed in the faith of this Truth, that Christ is God, yet it's a greater difficulty to believe and be perswaded of it then the most part take it to be; many sad proofs whereof we have in Folks words, and moe in their practice, Flesh and blood (saith Christ Matth. 16.) hath not revealed this unto thee; It's a wonder whence many Folks faith comes who never found any the least difficulty in this, and it's a wonder that so few are through in the faith of it, so that if they were called and put to it, they durst not swear that he is God; yea, if we would look in a little further, we would find that the faith of this is but scarce amongst us, not to speak of the gross igno­rance of many, who will say when asked, that he is not equal with the Father, or that he was made God, and other such like expressions will they have, that are abomi­nable to be once named amongst Christians; [Page 217] Folks through their ignorance falling into damnable Heresies on the matter, and yet not knowing that they do so; As if our blessed Lord were a made god, and not the same God with the Father; For the proving of him to be God, proves him to be the same God, there being but one God.

Ye would consider for convincing you that it is thus with many of you, 1. The little fear that is in men and women of the Majesty of Christ as God, they durst not walk with so little fear of him if they believ­ed indeed that he were God; What made the Jews with the Scribes and Pharisees to spit upon him and despise him? But be­cause they wanted the Faith of his God­head; And have not ye the same nature in you? Ye live in a place where the Faith of Christs Godhead is professed and is not que­stioned, but your practice sayes to behol­ders that ye believe it not, because ye fear him not. 2. That your souls do so little welcome the offer of the Gospel, that tells that ye believe him not to be God. 3. That ye do not place your happiness in Believing on him, and in the way of holiness; ye say in effect, wherefore serves Christ? ye care not for him; Hence it is that so many live contentedly without him, and are not sol­licitous about the enjoying of him. 4. Even in Believers there is much unbelief of this truth, which is sadly evidenced by this, that they do not so bless themselves in him, and that they do not so reckon themselves to have come well to, and to be made up in him, as David doth, Psal. 16. Where he saith, and holily glorieth, The lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place, &c. And by the frequent discouragement that is inci­dent to Believers, as if Christ had not the guiding of them, and of what concerns them, or could not guide all well enough for their good; If he were believed to be God, it would quash temptations, banish discou­ragement, comfort under crosses, sweeten every condition, induce to holiness, restrain from sin; And in a word, it cannot be told what is in the bosome of this one truth when solidly believed; For what can pos­sibly be wanting to the Believer in him that is God? He hath the fulness of the God­head to supply what ever they want, and sustains the relation of a Husband to the Believer to make it forth-coming; And he is furnished with suitable qualifications to make the application thereof; What then could be wanting if this were thorowly be­lieved that he is God? Let me say it to you, the Faith of this would provoke to more holiness, and to study more the power then the profession of Religion, and would help to live a more comfortable life in every condition.

THese words are a proof of that which we discoursed in the Le­cture concerning Christs won­derful love to his p [...]ople, Then which, no man hath greater, that a man should lay down his life for his friend; But he hath commedned his love to us, in that while we were yet enemies he died for us; This is the great commendation of Christ's love, and what will he refuse to his people who in his love hath come this length to them?

In the former part of this verse, we shew, that there was a hint given of Christ's Exal­tation, of the Exaltation and Glory of the Mediator following on the back of his low­est sufferings; An ineffable and inexpres­sible Glory, which the Prophet rather pas­seth with a sort of non-plussing silence, then insisteth in the declaration of it, Who shall declare his generation?

We come now to the last part of the words, For he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people was he stricken; They are added as a reason of the former, and the one part of them is a reason of the other, he had said before. Who can declare his generation? Who can suffici­ently declare and unfold how gloriously the Mediator is exalted: And he gives this for the reason of it, For he was cut off out of the land of the living; The force of which rea­son is, that he humbled himself, therefore God hath highly exalted him, as the A­postle reasons, Philip. 2.9. So tha this is not added as being posterior to his Exalta­tion, but as a reason shewing the connexion of his Ex [...]ltation with his Humiliation; And left it should be a stumbling to any, that this glorious person suffered death, he gives the reason of that also, which strengthens the reason of his Exaltation For the transgression of my people was he stricken, or (as the word is) The stroak was on him, he suffered not for any wrong in himself, but for the sins of his own elect people: The first part clearly looks to Christs death, which was a Prophesie in Isaiah his time, but is now a Historical narr tion to us, we having the Gospel as a Commentary on it. To be cut off out of the land of the living, is to have an end put to the natural life, which is ordinarily done by death; But cutting off here signifies to be taken away not in an ordinary but in an extraordinary way, to be removed by a violent death by the stroak of Justice.

We may shortly take these two Observes here for the confirmation of two Articles of our Faith; Looking on it, 1. As a Prophe­sie, we may Observe, That our Lord Jesus behoved to suffer and die, it was Prophesi­ed of him, That he should be cut off out of the land of the living; And Dan. 9.26. it is plainly and clearly asserted, that the Messi­ah shall be cut off, which being compared with the History of the Gospel, we have it as a truth [...]ulfilled, for our Lord Jesus was cut off, and as he himself sayes, Luke 24. It behoved him to suffer these things and to enter into his glo [...]y; A [...]d supposing the Elect to be sinners, and the curse to be added to the Covenant of Works, The day thou eats thou shal [...] surely die, supposing also the Me­diator to have ingaged and undertaken to satisfie Ju [...]ice, and undergo that curse for the El [...]ct; There was a necessity that he should die, as it is, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us, which curse was evi­den [...] in his death, for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.

2. Observe, That our Lord Jesus behoved to die a violent death, and not an ordina­ry natural one; which this expression and that other Dan 9 clearly holds forth; And consideri [...]g his sinless nature that was not lyable to death, and that he had not these principles of dying in him, disposing him to die, that we sinful miserable mortals have is us; And considering withal that the Lord J [...]hovah was (to speak so) pur­suing him as si [...]ners C [...]u [...]ioner at the Bar of Justice, it was meet, yea nec [...]ssary that our blessed Lord should not die an ordinary death as men die ordinarily through weak­ness or sickness on their beds, but a violent death.

Use, It serves to be a confirmation of this truth, that the Messiah behoved thus to die, therefore we say in the Belief, He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried: Which shews, 1. The reality o [...] his satisfaction, and the compleat payment that he made to Justice, when he layes down that price which the sinner ought to have laid down. 2. It shews the reality of our Lord's sufferings, and that they were not imaginary, but that as he was a real and true man, so his sufferings were most real; His soul was separat from his body, though the union betwixt both his body and soul and the God-head continued still. 3. It holds forth a proof and con­firmation of our faith in this, that our Lord Jesus is the Messiah that was Prophesied of, and promi [...]ed, in whom all the suff [...]rings in his soul and body that were spok [...]n of to go before his death, were accomplished, and in whom this was also accomplished, that he was cut off out of the land of the li­ving; So that if we look rightly on the Scriptures, our Lords sufferings will be so far from being matter of stumbling, that they will rather be a clear, convincing, and evi­dent proof, that Je [...]us of Nazareth is the true Messiah, and that in him all th t was spo­ken concerning the Messiah is fulfi led and came to pass.

4. It's m [...]tter of great consolation to be­lievers, that our Lord Jesus who is now ex­alted, died, and so death is spoiled, and there needs not be any great fear for them to yoke with it; This land of the living is not their rest, within a little they must be gone hence; Our Lord was cut off from it, and that by a shameful death for the be­hove and sake of others, and not for him­self, and therefore his death cannot but be made forth-coming for them for whom he under-went it, and their petty suff [...]rings need not much to vex them; Those plain­est truths that are most ordinary have in them most of spiritual sap, ju [...]ce and life to strengthen Faith, and to furnish consolation to Believers; And were they rightly un­derstood and fed upon by Faith, O how lively might they be! And were there no more but these two words in th [...] Text. O how much consolation do they yield in l [...]fe and in death? Our Lord is gone before Believers and they may be greatly heartned to follow him.

The last part of, or the last thing in the words seem to have some more obscurity in it, and therefore we shall insist the more in opening up of the same.

For the transgression of my people was he [Page 220] stricken; These words do not look to the reason why Pilate and the Priests condem­ned him, for they had no thoughts of the sins of Gods people; Though Caiaphas stumbled as to himself by guess on a Pro­phesie of his dying for them, but they give a reason why he was cut off out of the land of the living; And look to the Court and Tri­bunal of God's Justice, before which he was standing, by which he was to be sentenced to death for the transgressions of God's peo­ple, and also absolved; He was thus stric­ken in respect of God's purpose and de­sign.

For clearing of the words, it may be in­quired, 1. What is meant here by my peo­ple? 2. What is it to be stricken or smitten for them?

For the 1. My people, it is a discriminat­ing or differencing thing of some from o­thers; And therefore, by my people here is not meant, 1. All the world, or all that ever lived and had a beeing; We find not any where in Scripture that these are called my people, or God's people, but when ever my people is spoken of, it is used to rid Marches betwixt his people and other peo­ple that are not his, as Joh. 10 26, 27. Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, which supposeth that some are his, and others not so his, and so my people cannot be all the world. Neither 2. Can it be meant of the whole visible Church; who in respect of the external administration of the Covenant, are sometimes called his people, as all Israel are; There is a narrower march or boundary drawn, John 10.26. Where the Lord speaking of them that were only externally in Covenant with him, sayes, Ye art not my sheep, to shew that his reckoning there must not go upon external profession; And vers. 16. Some that were not for the time professing themselves to be his people, are reckoned, Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring in: Nor 3. Can it be limited to them that were actually converted and Believers, for he says (as I iust now hinted) that he hath other sheep that are not yet brought in, and he is said to gather together into one the children of God that were scattered abroad, John 11.52. So then by my people must be understood these who in G [...]d's eternal purpose are se­parat by the Decree of Election to be his own, even these whom he hath chosen to glorifie himself in and by them through his Grace, and to glorifie them with himself; Even these spoken of, John 17.6. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me; They are the people who were transacted for in the Covenant of Redemption, and that were given by the Father to the Son to be re­deemed by him; It was for their sins, even for the sins of the Elect that our Lord Jesus was stricken.

As for the 2d. What is it to be stricken for their transgression? The meaning is, the meritorious cause of their stroak was on Christ, which intimats to us, that his suf­ferings and death were procured by the sins of the Elect of God; His stroak, or the stroak that was upon him (as the word is) was the amends that Justice got for their sins; In a word, the stroak that the Elects sins procured and merited; Took him out of (or away from) the land of the living, brought him to prison and to judgement, and made his soul an offering for sin: Neither can this be otherwayes understood; For it is not said that for their good, or for their behove only, or to be an example and pattern of patience only to them, he was stricken, as some grossly erroneous and prophane men expound the words, but for their transgressions was he stricken; That is, it was their guilt which he having undertaken and engaged to satis­fie for, which made him lyable to this stroak.

In this part of the words thus opened up, we have two notable Points concerning the Covenant of Redemption, 1. The Party for whom it is contrived and intended, and that is the Elect or God's People; It is not all the World, nor all Visible-Church-members that God transacted for in the bargain with the Mediator, but my people, the Elect of God; they were so considered in the trans­action and in the execution. 2. The great price that was sought or required, that was [Page 221] offered, and that was agreed upon for the Redemption of the Elect, to wit, the death of the Mediator, even his dying the cursed death of the Cross; This is the sum, for the transgressions of God's people the stroak was upon him; God's design being to glori­fie his grace in the salvation of so many, sin having interveened to bring them under the curse; There is upon the one side the Lord's giving of them to the Mediator to be redeemed by him, and upon the other side, the Mediators accepting of them on the terms proposed, he is content to satisfie for them, to take the stroak on himself de­served by them, that they may go free; each of these may be considered several wayes for furnishing of sweet Doctrines.

1. From the first of these Observe, that there are some differenced from others in respect of God's purpose, some chosen of God for his people beside all the rest of the World; For some are here God's people ere they be born, and ere Christ die for them, John 17.16. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me; They are supposed to be God's people in some peculiar respect, ere they be given to Christ to be redeemed by him; In a word, the Lord hath an elect people, or a people chosen to salvation in his eternal purpose and decree, an elect people, or a people chosen out of the world, which in this respect are not his people, or are not elected. There are four qualifica­tions or properties in this Doctrine, which will serve to clear it; 1. When we say there is such a decree of Election, we say that it is a discriminating or differencing decree; where­in, or whereby there is a taking of some, and not all, a taking of one, and leaving ano­ther, a taking of Isaac, and a leaving of Ish­mael, a taking of Jacob, and a leaving of Esau, as it is, Rom. 9. And this discrimina­tion or differencing hath these four steps, 1. There is a differencing in Gods pur­pose in respect of the end, while all men are alike before him, some are designed to erernal life, others not, therefore Mat. 25.34. it's said, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherite the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, and in this respect the Book of Life is said to be opened, Revel. 20.12. 2. This differencing is in respect of God's offering and giving of them to the Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption, wherein some, not all, are given to Christ, John 17 2. That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him out of the world; Where it is clear, that so many are given to him in reference to whom he is to exercise his offices. 3. There is a diffe­rencing in respect of Christ's undertaking and executing his Offices for them, he ac­cepts of them, John 17.9. For their sakes I sanctifie my self, I have separated my self to the Office of Mediator, and do offer my self for them, that they also may be sanctified; And I pray for them, I pray not for the world, it's of them that he maketh that sweet account, John 6.39. This is the Fathers will that sent me, that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day; And of whom he saith, John 10.28, 29. I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand; He an­swers and is accountable for them, and for them only, he will count for no other as being redeemed by him, and to be made partakers of his glory. 4. This differencing is in respect of the promises made upon Gods part to the Mediator in favours of the Elect, and of the benefits that flow to them from the Covenant; He hath not promised to justifie all, nor to make all believe, but some only; He, as it were, saith to the Mediator, these I give thee to be redeemed by thee, and on the laying down of thy life, and satisfying for them, I promise to make them believe, and that through faith in thee they shall be justified, therefore saith Christ, John 6.44. Murmure not among your selves, no man can come unto me except the Fa­ther who hath sent me draw him; And who are they that shall believe on him? See v. 37. All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me, and him that cometh I will in no wise cast him out, but will make him dearly welcome; And vers. 45. Every one that hath heard and learned of the F [...]ther cometh unto me; And John 17.2. That he [Page 222] should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him: Thus ye see what we mean when we call this a differencing Decree. 2. We say that it is a definite Decree, both in respect of tho number numbered, that is, about so many and no moe, and not all; and in respect of the number that numbers, such a man and such a woman in particular in such a place, and not such an other per­son; They are all particularly designed and are therefore said to be written in the Lambs Book of Life; It is not all who are foreseen to believe who are elected, as if election did follow believing, as the cause of the De­cree; But it's such a number whom the Lord ingageth to the Mediator to draw, to teach and make them believers. 3. We say it is a Decree that is free, as to all merit in them whom it reacheth, and it's free in these three respects. 1. In respect of any thing in the person or persons elected, who are supposed to be lying as the rest of the World, therefore it's said of Jacob and E­sau, Rom. 9 11. The children being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, &c. That is, God respected not the doing good or evil in his electing of the one, and passing by of the other. 2. In respect of Christ's satisfaction and redem­ption, which presupposeth this Decree to be, and is the mids by which it is accom­plished; so that we are redeemed because we are elect [...]d; The Elect were Gods peo­ple when Christ did undertake and engage for them, and in this respect election is a Foun [...]ain-grace, and Christ's death is not the cause of Election though it be the cause of all the benefits that follow upon it. 3. It's free in respect of God's absolute Sove­raignty, who acts herein according to the purpose of his own will, having no reason without himself, as it is clear, Matth. 11. Ev [...]n so, Father, because it seemed good in thy sight; And Eph. 1.11. Being predestinate ac­cording to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will: As the Potter hath power over the Clay, and makes of the same lump on Vessel to ho­nour, and another to dishonour as he pleas­eth; So the Lord acts most Soveraignly in the Decree of Election. 4. We say that this Decree is absolute and peremptory; Which is not so to be understood as if it admitted of no midses in the execution of it; But this is the meaning, that the performing and bringing about thereof depends on nothing without God, neither can it be possibly frustrated; These sheep can never be pluck­ed out of his hand, neither can they ever perish, but must needs all and every one of them actually enjoy that which is de­creed for them by this Decree, else they could not be called God's people if they might, not be his; Thus ye see wh [...]t is the meaning of these words my people, [...]hat is, his Elect people in or by the Decree of Election.

I shall shortly give you some few grounds from Scripture to clear and confirm this truth; The 1. whereof is taken from the names that the people of God get, and from the expressions that are used in mak­ing mention of them in Scripture, which will infer all that hath been said, as namely they are called my sheep, John 10. his Sheep that he knows, as it were by head-mark, by name and sirn [...]me, which cannot but be his; they are call d the election of Grace, Rom. 11.5. at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace; and vers 7. the election hath obtained and the rest were blinded; it's impossible but the Elect must obtain, there being an insepa­rable connexion betwixt the decree and the end thereof; they are said to be written in the Lambs book of life before the foundation of the world, before there was any mention of themselves, or consideration of ought in themselves, they are said to be loved and beloved and ordained to eternal life, Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed, where believing is made a fruit and effect of this decree of election, its so far from being a cause thereof; they are called blessed of the Father, Matth. 25. and these whom he blesseth cannot but be blessed; they are called such as are given to Christ, holding forth a peculiar differencing of them from others; they are called the [Page 223] people whom he foreknew and predestinated, Rom. 8.29. whom he did foreknow, them he did p ea [...]stinate, &c. and Rom. 11.2. God hath not cast away his people whom he fore­knew; every one was not so foreknown; for Christ will s [...]y to many at the great day, depart from me I never knew you; Titles and names of this kind are frequent in the Scrip­ture, whereby God differenceth some from others, which hath its rise from Gods pur­pose and decree of election. A 2d. ground is taken from the opposition which the Scripture maketh betwixt the Elect, and others who are not elected, which shews clearly that election cannot be understood of all, as if there were a general and con­ditio [...]al election; hence it's said Jacob have [...]loved, and Esau have I hated, the electing of the one is laid foregainst the r [...]jecting of the other; so John 10 the Lord say [...] of some, that they are his sheep, and of others, they are not my sheep; and Rom. 9. the Apostle speaks of some vessels of mercy which are be­fore prepared for glory, and of som [...] vessels of wrath fitted for destruction; and 2 Tim. 2.21. some are said to be vessels of honour, some of dishonour; some are ordained to eternal life, Acts 13. and some are ordained of old to that destruction, as Jude speaketh; some are written in the Lambs book of life, and some not, Revel. 20. and wherefore is all this spoken? but to let us know that God hath freely and soveraignly in his decree put a difference betwixt some and others, which as it began (to speak so) in God's eternal purpose so it will continue in the event: Which is a 3d. ground of confirmation; and it will be clear if we compare Gods purpose and decree with the event and eff ct; for as a thing is in the event and [...]ff [...]ct, so God intended and purposed in his decree it should be; thus the Lords final sentence at the day of Judgment, is but the result of his eternal purpose; the book of life containing the names of all the El [...]ct, was written, to speak so, before the Elect existed; and as it's said Acts 15. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning, so in a special manner and peculiar way this great work of the Redemption was, and they that were to be redeemed, particularly knowen and written down in the book of God's decree of election; hence it's said Rom. 11.7. Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the election hath obtained; and John 6.37. All that the Father hath given me, shall come unto me; and John 10.28. I give my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish; there is Rom 8.30. a concarination & linking together of things from Gods purpose and decree of election, [...]ven to eternal glory which is the result of el [...]ct [...]on: And it being very clear tha [...] some are admi ted and owned [...] Christ in the great day and oth [...]rs nor; this is al­so clea [...], that there was a differencing de­cree betwixt these so admitted and owned before the world was, and others not so owned and admitted; especially consider­ing that this diff [...]encing a [...] the great day of Judgment is drawen from t [...]e decree of election, Matth 25. Come ye blessed of my Fa­ther, inherit the kingdom p [...]epared for you be­fore the foundation of the world was laid; as if the Lord had said, there was a pur­pose and design of bringing you to Heaven before the world was. A 4th. ground is taken from the nature of Gods Covenant of R [...]demption, which holds clearly forth [...]he truth of this Doctrine concerning election in all the steps of it. As, 1. In Gods mak­ing the offer and gift of some to the Media­tor, it's only some that he gives and not all. 2. In Christs acceptation of the offer and gift: He prays for some, he sanctifies him­self for some, and for some he compts and not for all. 3. There is not a promise in all the Covenant of Redemption, whether it be of Grace or of Glory, but it is intend­ed for the Elect only, and not for all, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish John 10. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Psal. 110.3. Christs undertaking is for them only, John 10. Other sheep have I which are not of this fold, them also I must bring in; there is a necessity of the bringing in of them and of no others, because he undertook for them and for no others. We the rather take notice of, and insist so much on this, because it will much serve to clear the following Doctrine con­cerning [Page 224] the redemption of the Elect; for if there be a differencing of them from others by the decree of election, then there must be a differencing of them from others in Christs laying down of his life for them and not for any others; Election is the key of all; there is such a people, and they are the object of the Covenant of Redemption, whose good is sought after and agreed upon therein, and not of any others.

Use 1. It serves for the confirmation of a weighty truth, and we would have you not to think little of any piece of truth. We shall not here follow the subtile cavillings of Adv [...]rsaries against this truth, only we would have you confirmed in the faith of it, For, 1. If ye be not clear and established in the faith of this truth, ye will be in great ha­zard not only to make muddy, but to ob­struct and stop the whole current and tract of Grace, so that Grace shall be a common thing, Heaven and Happiness shall go by by guess; Redemption shall be universal, &c. but let this truth be once well established, that God hath a peculiar people for whom the Mediator transacted, and these errors fall to the ground and evanish; for it is the love of election from which all the rest of the benefits that come to the elect flow, and this love is peculiar, therefore there cannot be a common application of it; it's the pe­culiarness of Grace that commends it to the souls of Believers, and makes it wonderful to them; that God should have taken no­tice of them that were by nature separate from God as well as others; that their case being common, his love should be peculiar, is indeed just and great matter of wonder; hence comes in that song, Rev. 5.9. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and na­tion; not all of every nation, people, tongue and kindred are redeemed, but some out of every one of these; let this then be taken for a solid truth, that the Lord in his eter­nal purpose hath made a difference and se­paration of some from others, which is the great ground of the title that God hath to these some.

2ly. Clearness in this truth, serves to keep the hearts of Gods people in awe of him, to lift him up very high in their esteem as So­veraign over the Creature: And if any should quarrel with God and say, why did God so? that of the Apostle comes well in for an answer, Who art thou O man that re­plyest against God? it's his soveraign plea­sure who is supream Potter and hath power over the clay to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour: when the Soul doth thus take up God as having all Mankind be­fore him as a lump of Clay, and choosing out of it, and writing up one man and not another, it must needs in a transport of ad­miration say, O! what a great and soveraign God must he be, who did determine and write down the eternal condition of men before ever the world was?

3ly. This to the people of God, 1. Preach­eth wonderful grace, when they having gotten their calling and election made sure, come in and read their names in Gods de­cree of election before they had a Being; And 2. It is to them matter of exceeding great consolation: 1. I say it preacheth wonderful grace, that freely choosed them; and that when thousands of great Men, and Noblemen were passed by, such a poor body that was half a fool in comparison with them, should be chosen; according to that 1 Cor. 1. Not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble hath God called, but he hath chosen the foolish things of the world, weak and base, and things that are not, to make them kings and priests un­to God and his Father. 2. It's matter of exceeding great consolation to them that it's free and sure; free, even so free that it stops the mouth of boasting; for what I pray hath an elect more to speak of as a ground of boasting than a Pagan in America, or one in Hell? Who made thee to differ, or what hast thou O man that thou hast not received? it's election that makes the difference, and it's sure, for their salvation is founded on Gods purpose and decree, which is the solid rest of a Believer; kindness began not on our side but on Gods, as Christ says, Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, John 15.16.

4ly. It says this, That all of you had need [Page 225] to make your calling and election sure, that is the very hinge of Believers consolation, even to have the proof of it in your Consci­ence that ye are inrolled here, to get out the extract of this decree, that ye may see and read your names in it: Hence many streams of consolation flow out; if it be so with you, then ye were given to Christ; Christ un­dertook to satisfie Justice for you; ye shall get Faith and more Faith, ye shall get Re­pentance and Sanctification, and ye shall get Heaven and Glory at the end of your course. If it be said, this is much, how shall it be brought about? we answer, it's not impossible, and to make it out, take but two words, that are both directions and marks, the practice whereof will give a so­lid proof of your inrolment in Gods book, whence all these great and glorious things have their rise. 1. Where there is a yield­ing to Christs call in the Gospel, & a closing with him, that evidenceth election; for it is certain that none shall, nor can come to Christ and believe in him but the Elect, and whoever are elected must and shall come, sooner or later, John 6.37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me, and John 10.4. His sheep follow him and know his voice; they accept of and make welcome Christs call in the Gospel, and they that accept of it are elect: So that there is no need of any new revelation about the mat­ter, neither needs there any torturing an­xiety to know how to come by thy name in the roll of the Elect; try it by this, if thou hast given obedience to the call of the Go­spel, if thou hast in the sense of thy need of a Saviour fled unto [...]esus Christ, and on his own terms closed with him, by this thy tenure or holding is sure; and by this thou hast an evidence that thou art an elect; for his Sheep come unto him and hear his voice; and as many of you as soundly believe on him, and have betaken your selves to him for life and salvation, have the seal and wit­ness in your selves that your names were in Gods roll and book before the World was: But if this be not, debate, dispute & question as ye will about it, whatever may be after­wards, ye have no evidence for the time of your election. 2. Where there is real Holiness, or a real study and endeavour to be holy and more holy, it is an evidence of election, and of a persons being inrolled in the volumn of the book of Gods decree; because Holiness is a fruit of election, as is clear Eph. 1.4. According as he hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy; never a person is really holy but such as God designed should be holy; to this purpose the Apostle having 2 Tim. 2.21. spoken of election, The foundation of the Lord stands sure, having this seal, the Lord knows who are his, and let every one that names the name of Christ depart from ini­quity, but in a great house are not only vessels of gold, &c. he subjoyns, If a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified, &c. not that election de­pendeth on mans Holiness, but by his holi­ness he shall be manifested to be, and ac­compted an elect Vessel, and may warrant­ably conclude himself to be such; so that true holiness brings folk to be acquainted with the great secret of Election, and gives them boldness to make the application of it: There is nothing that men readily de­sire more to know than this, whether they be elected or not, here is a sure way to come by the knowledge of it, even to study to believe and to be holy, and then we may be confident that our names were writ­ten in the Lambs book of Life, but if we slight faith in Christ and Holiness, whatever may be in God's purpose about us, we have for present no ground to conclude our ele­ction upon God himself fixus in these things that have such mighty consequents depend­ing on them.

THE Prophet hath been long in describing Christs Sufferings, and hath showen what height they came to, even to prison and to judgment, and to death it self, He was cut off out of the land of the living; now he casts in a word to shew wherefore all this was, or what was the procuring cause that brought all this suffer­ing and sorrow on Christ, which also was the end that he had before him in it, in these words, for the transgression of my people was he stricken; we shew that by my people here, was not meant all men and women in the world, nay, not all men who are ex­ternally called in the visible Church, but his Elect only, these whom he hath chosen to be his People, and separated from others by an eternal decree of Election; we shew also that these words, for the transgression of my people was he stricken, do not contain on­ly a reason of Christ's extream suffering, even of his being brought to prison and to judgment before men, but also and mainly of his being brought so before God, and of his being cut-off; for the sins of Gods People are not laid to his charge before men, but before God they are; and so it does imply an influence that the sins of the Elect had upon Christs Sufferings, and a respect that his Sufferings had to their sins; the Elects sins procured these Sufferings to him, and his Sufferings were undergone by him for the satisfying of Justice for their sins, and for the removing of them.

I shall not insist further in the exposition of the words, having opened them up the last day, but shall hint at a few Doctrines from them; and because they are general and more doctrinal, I shall be the shorter in speaking to them; though it may be ye think not so much of them, yet they are not a little for your edification; and if ye were suitably sensible of sin, and of your hazard, there is no Doctrine concerning the Covenant of Redemption but it would be useful and refreshing to you.

There are several things implyed here concerning the efficacy of the price of Christ's death, and concerning the extent of it, as it's laid down as a price for the sins of the Elect, which I shall first passingly touch upon, and then come to these Do­ctrines that are more directly held forth in the words.

1. Then, it is implyed, that there is a people of God separated from others, and chosen by him, on whom he intended and [Page 227] purposed before the World was, to glorifie his grace; The very designation that they get here clears this; It's my people, not only of the Jews, nor my people only of the Gentiles, but my people both of Jews and Gentiles; as Christ sayes, John 10. Other sheep have I which are not of this fold, them I must bring i [...].

2. It is implyed that this Decree of Ele­ction is antecedanius to, and goes before the Covenant of Redemption in order of Na­ture, it flows not from Christs death as the effect of it, but is prior to it; for if Christs death be the mean, or price (as indeed it is) Whereby the sins of God's Elect peo­ple are satisfied for, then the Decree of E­lection must preceed it; Only we would beware to ascribe to God any priority or posteriority in his Decrees in order of time, for he is infinite in wisdom and foresight, and able to look on all things with one blink of beholding, and to decree things infinite in number at once, which we cannot con­ceive of, nor comprehend; But this we say, that considering the order of things, the Decree of Election is not a fruit or ef­fect of Christs death, but prior to it, and Christ's death follows as a mean to make it effectual; He is appointed to save the E­lect from their sins, and from that which their sins deserved. For the transgression of my people was he stricken; They were God's people by Election before Christ's ingage­ment to suffer and satisfie for them, much more before his actual suffering, and so their Election cannot be a fruit and effect of his suffering.

Use. It serves to vindicate this truth from an error and mistake of the Arminians, who, as they overthrow the design of grace in the salvation of sinners in other steps thereof; So do they in this, in making Christ's death to preceed Election, and Election to fol­low it; But, as we hinted before, the De­cree of Election is Soveraign, being an Act of Grace absolutely free, the Lord in it having designed some for manifesting the glory of his grace upon them as the end, he hath taken in Christs death and other midses for the promoving of it.

3. It is implyed here, that even the Elect or God's People are considered as sinful in the Covenant of Redemption, For the trans­gression of my people was he stricken; They were considered as sinful as well as others when they were bargained for: We need not here dispute whether they were consi­dered as sinful in the Decree of Election, it not being necessary in this place, nor profi­table for you, but sure in Christ's underta­king for them they are considered as sinful; for God sent not Christ, neither came he into the world to purchase life and salvation to righteous folks, but he was sent and came to lay down his life a ransome for many, to wit sinners, and therefore it is given as the rea­son of his Name, Matth. 1.21. Thou shalt call his Name Jesus, for he shall save his peo­ple from their sins.

Use 1. It serves to humble the Elect greatly, who, when ever they come to get grace, they get it most freely, for they were no better by nature than others whom God past by, as is clear, Eph. 2.1. We were dead in trespasses and sins, and were by nature children of wrath even as others; Peter and Paul were by nature children of wrath as well as Judas; And David was a child of wrath by nature as well as Saul, when this transaction concerning the work of Re­demption was agreed upon and concluded betwixt these most responsal Parties.

2. It serves also much for the encourage­ment of a Believer who is sensible of sin, and afraid of wrath, and in that posture be­takes himself to Christ for refuge; though his misbelief should make him say with Pe­ter, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord, yet this consideration may hearten him to draw near, that Christ was stricken for sinners, for the transgressions of his E­lect people; yea, if t [...]ere had not been sin, and if the Covenant of Works had hold [...]n foot, there needed not to have been a Sa­viour, and therefore sinners have here a solid ground to lay hold upon for life and salvation.

And therefore as a 3d. Use of it, it is an unsafe assertion, beside the curiosity of it, that Antinomians maintain, which is, that [Page 228] though man had never fallen, yet Christ would have become Man; For we see here, that Christs becoming Man, and his being stricken, flowed from his being Surety for Elect sinners; and his being Surety flowed from the Covenant of Redemption concer­ning Elect sinners: To be wise without, or beside and above what is written in the Scriptures, it's vanity, pride and folly.

4. It is implyed here, that sin where­ever it is deserves stroaks, even the sin of the Elect; Yea we may add this to it, that not only do the sins of the Elect deserve stroaks in themselves, being breaches of God's Law, but that there is an actual curse standing against them till it be removed; And God's threatning, The day thou eats thou shalt surely die, infers a necessity of stroaks; This we say is clearly implyed here, because the Mediator entering himself Surety for the Elects debt behoved to be smitten, and when he was so smitten, sure sin must de­serve much; We speak not of an absolute necessity, but God having revealed to man his duty, and added a threatning, that in the day he should eat he should die, there is a necessity in respect of God's truth, faith­fulness, and unchangeableness who had spoken the word, that stroaks should fol­low sin, for sin cannot be removed till the threatning be satisfied.

Use. This may point out to us that sin is no little nor light thing, neither is the ob­taining of pardon any easie business what­ever men generally think of them; There are many sad stroaks that follow sin, which will hotly pursue sinners who are not in Christ; O! do not then think lightly of sin which is the Fountain of so much misery and woe to the sinner; If ye knew how ex­ceedingly bitter wrath and the curse is that fo [...]lows sin, ye would as soon put your head in the fire as ye would meddle with it; If ye believed that word to be true which is in Exod. 34 He will by no means clear the guilty; And if ye believed God's faithfulness that is ingaged to make good his threatnings, challenges for sin would be more strong and stinging.

5. It is implyed here, that though the Elects sins deserve wrath, and that there must be a satisfaction ere they can be re­moved, that yet the Elect cannot satisfie for themselves, For the transgressions of my people was he stricken; Christ behoved to be smitten ere their sin could be removed; If the Elect could have done their own bu­siness they needed not to have been so much in Christs common and debt, nor to have given him thanks for his undertaking; But this is brought in to hold forth the conde­scendency of his love, that when no other thing could do it, he interposed as Surety; The abominableness of sin was so great, that the Majesty of God his infinite Holiness and his spotless Justice being wronged, and the finite Creature not being able to make a­mends for the wrong done, did require this; For all mankind, yea all the Holy Angels could not satisfie for the wrong done by one man to the infinite God, therefore he sayes, I am the Saviour, and there is none else; He gives defiance to all Saviours be­side himself, None can redeem his brothers soul from death, nor give a price sufficient for it, the redemption of it ceaseth for ever among the Creatures.

Use. Study then to be suitably sensible of this; ye may possibly think it to be but a common Doctrine, but alaee ye walk not under the due and deep conviction and sense of it, hence it comes to pass that so few think themselves in Christs common, and that so few make their address to him: Ask the most part how they think they will win to Heaven? They will readily name many things and wayes ere they light on Christ and Faith in him; If they have done a fault they say they will make a-mends, or they will pray for pardon, and they think that will do the turn: Such have this lan­guage in effect, that either there is no need of satisfaction for sin, or that they can sa­tisfie for themselves.

6. It is implyed here, that though the Elect have sinned, and cannot satisfie for themselves, yet it is necessary that a satis­faction be provided for them; I do not say simply that whoever hath sinned must have a satisfaction made for them; For the Lord [Page 229] hath left Legions of Angels and many thou­sands of reprobat Men and Women with­out hope of a Saviour, or of a satisfaction; But considering God's purpose to bring ma­ny Sons to Glory, and his Decree of Ele­ction which must needs stand, and that the Elects names are written in the Book of life; It is impossible that they can ly still under the curse, but must be satisfied for, and redeemed from it; For the transgressi­on of my people was he stricken; My people have sinned, and must be redeemed; On supposition of the Decree of Election our Lord undertook that great work, the Elect cannot perish, sin cannot draw them utter­ly away from God; Not only shall no ex­ternals such as Devils or Men, Persecution, Tribulation, &c. be able to come betwixt them and life, but not sin it self that is with­in them; His Decree being peremptory must stand, as he sayes, John 10. I have o­ther sheep which are not of this fold, them al­so I must bring in; God's purpose cannot be frustrated nor altered, therefore of neces­sity their sins must be satisfied for.

7. It's implyed here, that for this end, to wit, that the Elect might be saved from sin, and that Gods Decree of Election might stand sure, Christ Jesus became Sure­ty, and did undertake to satisfie for their sins; otherwise he could not have been lyable to be stricken for them, if he had not become Surety for them; That he was for the transgression of God's people stric­ken, sayes plainly that he was ingaged for them, as it is, Heb. 7.22. He was made Surety of a better Testament; And Psal. 40.7. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me: I delight to do thy will, O my God: These things being spo­ken after the manner of, and borrowed from, the bargainings or transactions that use to be amongst men, we may conceive the business thus, (hinted before) there is the Fathers refusing of somewhat, Sacrifice and offering thou didst not des [...]re, and his proposing of another thing, and that is, that the Mediator would engage for the Elect; And upon the other side, there is the Mediators offer to undertake, and his actual undertaking and accepting of the Fathers proposal, when Sacrifices and Of­ferings, when thousands of Rams, and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl will not do it, Lo, I come, saith he; And then for a conclusion of the Bargain and Transaction, there is the Fathers accepting of his undertaking, he is content to take his sufferings as the price for the Elects debt; Hence John 17. he saith, Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, that is, thine they were by Ele­ction, and thou gavest them me to be re­deemed by me; And Heb. 10.10. it's said, that it is by this will that we are sanctified, that is, by the will of the Father, that the Son should be Surety.

Use. Look upon the work of Redemption as a great, gracious, and glorious work; about the designing and contriving where­of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were occupied (to speak so with reverence) be­fore the World was; He might have made Worlds of Angels and of sinless Men and Women at a word, and yet he hath gra­ciously condescended to this way for re­deeming of the poor Elect. We are alace sinfully disposed to think little of the Sal­vation and Redemption of a Soul, but it is a great matter in God's account, the deep­est of whose consultation (to say so) is taken up about it, and in the contrivance whereof the manifold wisdom of God con­spicuously shineth forth; and as in other things therein, so in this, that there was an ancient undertaking and ingaging by Je­sus Christ in the room of the Elect as their Surety.

8. While it is said, For the transgression of my people was he cut off and stricken, it imply [...]s that Christ in his undertaking for the Elect did oblidge himself to undergo all these sufferings that were due to them, and even the suffering of a cursed death, which was the curse threatned against man for sin, The day thou eats thou shalt surely die; And though Christ becoming Surety and Cautioner, the Party is altered, yet the price is still continued to be the same, as is clear, Gal. 3.13. He was made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come [Page 230] on us Gentiles; Whereby the Justice of God is vindicat, and he hath access to shew mercy to the Elect without any the least imputation to it; Nay, this way is more for the vindicating of God's Justice, and for the making of his faithfulness to shine, that Christ became Man, and died for the Elect, than if the curse had lighted and lyen on all the Elect themselves, and it is a greater aw-band on sinners against sin: I say again, that hereby the pure and spot­less Justice of God is more vindicated, and hIs faithfulness more demonstrated, when he will needs so severely, and with so much holy rigidity exact of the Cautioner the Elects debt to the least farthing, then if they had suffered themselves eternally; It shews forth also, both the manifold wis­dome and the riches of the free grace of God, there being a Decree of Election for saving so many, and for bringing them to Glory; And they being under sin, there is another decree and threatning that goes forth for cursing the sinner, and these two seeming to be altogether irreconciliable, the Question comes in on the one hand, how is it possible that a sinner under the curse can be saved? And upon the other hand, how is it possible that an Elect of God can be damned? The wisdome of God looseth the knot; Spotless Justice is satisfied by taking hold of, and falling on the Cautioner: Wonderful Grace and Love vent themselves in pardoning the sinner, and in accepting of a ransome for him; And manifold wisdome manifests it self in knit­ting these two together, so as none of them can want its effect; But all returns to the manifestation of the Glory of Grace in the up-shot; It cannot be that the Elect shall be damned; Yet here stands the threatning of a just God, and his curse ready to be execute, but here is the reconciliation; The curse is execute on the Mediator; whereby God shews himself to be a hater of sin, and an avenger of the wrong done to his Justice; And the Elect sinner is par­doned, whereby God manifesteth the free­dome of his grace, and his wonderfully condescending love.

But now we come to a 9th Doctrine, which is more directly held forth in the words, and it hath two Branches, that our Lord Jesus his death and sufferings is a pro­portionable price and satisfaction laid down for the sins of the Elect, and for them on­ly; This is in the express words of the Pro­phet; If the Question be asked, Where­fore suffered Christ all this? He answers, he suffered it as a price for transgression; If it be asked again for whom, or for whose transgression did he suffer? He answers, not for all Men and Women in the World, but for the transgression of my people was he stricken, or the stroak was on him for their transgressions; The first Branch of the Do­ctrine is to this purpose, that Christs suf­fering is intended to satisfie for the trans­gression of Gods elected people, and with respect to satisfying for their sins did he suffer: And if we take these to be truths that we marked before, as implyed in the words, this will natively and necessarily fol­low; If he engaged to be Cautioner and Surety for the Elects debt, then his laying down his life must be on the same account, and for the same end; Now, when we speak of Christs laying down a price to sa­tisfie for the transgressions of the Elect, we mean not only this, that his sufferings and death have a value in themselves to satisfie for their sins, but that they are so intended by him in undergoing of them, and that they are so accepted of God according to his purpose, and according to the transacti­on that past betwixt Jehovah and the Me­diator: They are not only (as Socinians say) to be a confirmation of the Doctrine which he preached, and to be a rule and example to us of patient suffering, and of giving obedience to the death, as he did; But it's also and mainly to satisfie the Ju­stice of God for our debt; So then this wicked Tenet of the Socinians is exceeding derogatory to the sufferings of Christ, and to the matchless love that shined in them, yea, and even to the whole design of Redempti­on; For if Christs sufferings be not a satis­faction to Justice, we are left without all just plea and apology for our selves at Gods [Page 231] Bar, and if we have none, then that curse looks the wakened sinner full in the face, The day thou eats thou shalt surely die; And however men in their security may please themselves with such dreams, and think that a satisfaction to Justice is not needful, yet if the conscience be once wakened, it will not be quieted without one; And if mens Faith give not credit to Gods threatnings, they can have but little, or rather no com­fort at all in his promises; There is there­fore a necessity of a satisfaction, and if Christs sufferings be not the satisfaction, there is not another, and so the whole work of Redemption is overturned; So then, though Christ in his sufferings hath left us a Copy how we should suffer, yet that is not the only nor the principal end of them; but it is contrived in the Covenant of Re­demption, and intended by the Medi tor, and withall accepted by Jehovah, that they should be the meritorious cause of pro­curing pardon to the Elect, and the price of their Redemption.

This may be further cleared and confirm­ed, 1. From the phrase that is ordinarily made use of in Scripture, He suffered for the sins of his people; And in the Text, For the transgression of my people was he stricken; Their sins had a peculiar influence in bring­ing the stroak on him; And what influence I pray could they have but as they procured the stroak to him? And if his stroaks were procured by our sins, then the desert of them was laid on him, and his sufferings behoved to be the curse that we elect sin­ners should have suffered; So when he is called their Cautioner, it tells that he un­dertook their debt, and his laying down of his life is the performance and fulfilling of his undertaken Suretyship and Cautionry; And considering that their debt was exac­ted of him, and that he was arraigned be­fore Gods Tribunal as their Surety in their room, and that this could be for nothing else but to answer for them as being their Cautioner; His sufferings behoved to be intended as a satisfaction for their sins; For the Elects sins were not the cause why Pilate, the people of the Jews, and the Scribes and Pharisees pursued him to death, but for our sins he was sisted before God's Tribunal, and being our Cautioner he was called to reckon for them, and they were put upon his account or score. 2. It's clear also from the names that his sufferings get in the Scripture, where they are cal­led the price of our Redemption, a buying of us, a propitiation for our sins that pacified God, Rom. 3.25. and 1 John 2.2. A Sa­crifice often and Ransome, Matth. 20.28. The Son of man came to give his life a ransome for many, that is, for all his Elect people, to relieve them from the bondage they were under; which plainly shews the resp [...]ct that his sufferings had to our sins, that they were a propitiation for them to God. 3. It's clear, if we consider that Christs death as to its object is for the transgressions of all Gods people, of all the E [...]ect that lived before he suffered, whether they died in their infancy or at age, and for all that li­ved or shall live and die after his suffering, to the end of the world; Now, what be­nefite could redound to them that died ere Christ came in the flesh by his sufferings, if it were as Socinians say? for his death could not sure be a pattern of patience and obedience to them: But the efficacy of his death was from the beginning of the world; He was still in that sense the Lamb slain be­fore his Incarnation, as well as since: And if it be not meritorious in procuring Salva­tion to Elect Infants, what influence or ad­vantage can it have as to them? Either they are not taken to Heaven at all; or they are taken to Heaven and yet not in the least obliged to Christ for their being brought thither; or if they be obliged to him, it is certainly by vertue of the merit of his suffe­rings for expiating the sins of his people. 4. It's clear from this, that in this same Chapter and throughout the Gospel, all the benefits that come to Gods people, as name­ly Justification and pardon of sin, they are attributed to this as the cause of them, as vers. 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many; And if all the spiritual benefits that come to us were procured by his death, there must necessarily be vertue [Page 232] in it that procured them, and it must be a price and satisfaction in reference to the procuring and purchasing thereof, that he laid down in his dying. 5. It is clear from the end that God had before him in the work of Redemption, and in Christ's Suf­ferings; which was to glorify his Justice as well as his Mercy, and that neither of them might be clouded or reflected upon; now, by Christ's death God's Justice is glorified, and he is seen to be just in executing his threatning against sin, even in the person of his own dearly beloved Son when he be­came Surety for sinners; but if his suffer­ings had not a satisfaction in them to Di­vine Justice, though there might be some shew of shewing Mercy, yet none at all of a satisfaction to Justice; but saith the Apostle Rom. 3.25, 26. God hath set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness, and that he might be just and the justifier of them which believe in Jesus? by this, God hath made it mani­fest that he is a just God, that none may preposterously presume upon Mercy, nor dare to bourd with sin when it is pursued in the Surety with such severity:

For Use and Application, 1. Do not think these truths to be of little concernment to you, as alace they and such like truths of the Gospel are often thought of by many, and therefore they are tasteless to them, and it's a weariness to people to hear them spoken of; and yet notwithstanding, this same truth that we are now upon, is a great ground of our faith; for if we believe not this, that Christ was a propitiation for sin, we can have no ground of lippening to him, or believing on him; but knowing and be­ing confirmed in the faith of this truth, we have (cordially closing with him) ground from it to expect God's favour and to be fred from the curse; because Christ as our Surety undertook and accordingly satisfied for us; which is the thing that makes his death to be sweet; that Christ in his death should demit himself to leave us an example, is much, yet if we had no more by it, it would be but cold comfort, except we had it as a satisfaction to Divine Justice to rest upon: Though this may be looked upon as doctrinal only, yet it comes nearer to our practice then we are aware of; and though we have not Socinians in opinion and pro­fession to deal with; yet we have two sorts that are Socinians in heart amongst us. 1. These that securely sin on still, and yet hope to get mercy, and who will confess that they are sinners, but that for making an amends they will pray and mend their life, and they will speak of a number of things, but it may be, not one word of Christ or of his purchase, or of their natu­ral inclination to presume and to slight Christ, as if they had nothing yet to look to but a Covenant of works without a Saviour, or as if God had removed or would remove the curse threatned without a satisfaction; so that Christs satisfaction is not known nor rested on by the multitude of Hypocrites that live in the visible Church; and this is easily proven from this, that there are but very few who make use of him or stand in awe to sin; if it were believed that Justice required and will have satisfaction either of the sinner himself or of a surety in his room, and that Christ is the only Surety, Folks would either quite their hopes of Heaven, or be more in Christs common; and that so many mantain the hope of Heaven with­out a due consideration of a satisfaction to Justice by Christ, and without employing of him, it declares plainly that they are drunken with this error. A 2d. sort are these who being wakened in Conscience and sensible of sin, yet are as heartless, he­sitating and hopeless to get peace through him, as if he had not satisfied; what else does the doubting and despondency of such say, but that there is not a compleat satis­faction in Christ's death? and that there­fore they dare not trust to it, otherwise they would wonder that God hath provided such a remedy, and yet adventure to rest upon it, seing God is as well pleased with it as if they had not provocked him at all, or had satisfied his Justice themselves.

2ly. It serves to let us see what we are in God's common and debt, and how much we are obliged to the Mediator; when [Page 233] there was a necessity that either he should suffer or that we should perish; and that though his sufferings drew so deep as to bring him to prison and to judgment, and to put him to a holy sinless anxiety and per­plexity, that yet he yielded to it and un­derwent all for our sakes; this is our great ground of confidence, and the strong stay of the mind of a wakened Believer: And should make us wonder at the Fathers love that gave the son, and at the Sons love that was so condescending, and should make our souls warm towards him, who, when we deserved nothing but to be hurried away to the Pit, was content to enter himself as our Surety, and to pay our Debt: It should al­so be a motive to chase souls in to him, knowing that where sin is, there a satisfa­ction must be, and that there is therefore a necessity to fly to him and to be in him, be­cause there is no other way to get Justice satisfied; the through conviction whereof is that which through grace not only chas­eth the soul to, but engageth it to close with Christ and to rest upon him, and to give him the credit of its thorow-bearing when it is ready otherwise to sink: Now the Lord himself teach you to make this use of this Doctrine.

THere is nothing that concerns us more than to be well acquainted with the doctrine of Christ Je­sus and his Sufferings; The Prophet hath therefore been much in shewing what Christ suffered in the former words, and hath largely described his Humiliation to Judgment and Death, for (saith he) he was cut off out of the land of the living: In the words read he an­swers two important questions concerning his sufferings, 1. To what end were all these sufferings? he answers that they were for transgressions, even to be a satisfaction to Justice for them. The 2. Question is, For whose sins were the sufferings of Christ to be a satisfaction? It is answered expresly in the words, for the transgression of my people was he stricken, or the stroak was upon him; it was for the sins of the Elect, and of the Elect only, for this is the Prophets scope, who, having spoken of Christs suf­ferings and death, holds forth the merito­rious and procuring cause and end thereof; and this is the result, design and sum of all, even to be a satisfaction for Gods elect People; for (as we shew) by Gods People are not meaned all men in the world, nor the Jews only, for Christ hath many sheep beside them; but it's Gods peculiar People in opposition to the multitude who are not his People.

The Doctrine, or rather the branch of the Doctrine we left at, was this (and it's exclusive) that Christ's death is only in­tended to be a price for the sins of God's elect People and was laid down with re­spect to them; his death and sufferings are to be looked upon, and considered only as a price and satisfaction for their sins, and for the sins of none other; or thus, Jesus Christ in his suffering and in the laying down of his life; had a respect to the elect, and intended the removing of the sins and transgressions of God's elect people only, and of none other; we know nothing that we can make of these words, nor of the Prophets scope in them but this; who as he hath been describing Christs sufferings in all other respects, so doth he in this; to wit, in respect of the persons for whom he suf­fered, and of the meritorious cause and end of his sufferings; for says the Text, for the transgressions of my people, that is of Gods elect people was he stricken.

This branch of the Doctrine is of great weight and concernment in the whole strain of Grace, for if this march-stone be lifted [Page 235] and removed, Grace becomes common, and as some call it, universal, and so to be in effect no grace at all; for Grace hath a peculiar channel of its own wherein it runs towards a certain select number and not towards all: I do not mean of grace taken in a large sense, for so all men as they are par­takers of any mercy, or of common favours, may be said to have grace extended to them; but I mean, God's special grace, fa­vour and good will which is extended only to the Elect for whose sins Christ suffered; the right bounding of which Doctrine shews forth both God's soveraignty in the dispens­ing of grace, and the freeness thereof in communicating and manifesting of it to whom he will, and which thus considered is especially engaging of the hearts of them on whom he pleaseth to manifest it.

Ere I come to confirm this branch of the Doctrine, take a word or two of advertise­ment in the entry. 1. That Christ's death may be considered two ways, 1. In respect of it self, and as abstracting from the Covenant of Redemption wherein it is contrived as to all the circumstances of it; in which sense as his death and sufferings are of infinite value & worth, so they are (as Divines use to speak) of value to redeem the whole world, if God in his design and decree had so or­dered and thought meet to extend it. 2. We are to consider his sufferings and death as a price agreed upon in the Covenant or Bar­gain of Redemption, wherein these two or three things concur. 1. God's proposal. 2. Christ's acceptation and design in laying down his life. 3. The Fathers acquiescing therein and declaring himself well pleased therewith; we speak not here of Christ's death in the first respect, that is as abstract­ing from the Covenant, for in that respect he might have laid down his life for few or moe, for some or for all, if it had been so intended; but we speak of it in the second respect, as it's a price agreed upon in God's purpose and Christ's design and in God's acceptation; and thus we say, that his death is only intended as a satisfaction and recompence for the sins of the Elect, and was laid down for them only.

2ly. We may consider Christ's sufferings and death in the fruits of it, either as they respect common favours and mercies, com­mon gifts and means of grace which are not peculiar and saving, but common to Be­lievers with others, being bestowed upon professors in the visible Church; or as they are peculiar and saving, such as Faith, Ju­stification, Adoption, &c. Now, when we say, that Christ's sufferings and death, are a price for the sins of his People, we exclude not the Reprobate simply from temporal and common favours and mercies that come by his death; they may have and actually have common gifts and works of the Spirit, the means of Grace, which are some way effects and fruits of the same Covenant, but we say, that the Reprobate partake not of saving Mercy, and that Christs death is a satisfaction only for the Elect, and that none others get pardon of Sin, Faith, Re­pentance, &c. by it, but they only, it was intended for none others, and this we clear and confirm from, and by these following grounds and arguments, which we shall shortly hint at.

The 1. Argument is drawen from this same assertion of the Prophet, thus, If Christs death be only a satisfaction for the sins of Gods People, then it is not a satisfaction for the sins of all, but it's a satisfaction only for the sins of Gods People, therefore not for all, for his People are not all men, or all men are not his People, but his People are a peculiar People separate from others in God's purpose and decree, as we cleared before from John 17. Thine they were and thou gavest them me and the Text says ex­presly, for the transgressions of my people was he stricken; he respected the sins of God's People in accepting of the Bargain, and in laying down his Life, and for their sins only God accepted him; yea, the very mentioning of them thus here, secludes all others; and we must expone them exclusively as taking in none others, and must look upon the things spoken of them as agreeing to no other; even as it's said Heb. 4. There remains therefore a rest to the people of God, which is certainly exclusive of all others; and hence, [Page 236] when our Lord speaks of them John 17. he opposeth them to, and contradistinguisheth them from all others, I pray for them, I pray not for the world, buy for them that thou hast given me out of the world, to let us know that the things, prayed for to the one are denied to the other according to the strain of the Coven [...]t.

A [...] ad ground is drawen from the strain and frame of the Coven [...]nt of Redemption, where we find two things clear 1. That as to the end and convey of it the Elect are the only Persons for [...]hose good and be­hove it's intended; and if it be the Elect for whom he entered in that Covenant, the [...] the advantage, good and benefite of the Elect must be e [...]ed in this main a [...]ticle of the Covenant which relates to Chri [...]'s death and sufferings; For, 1. In the Covenant of Redemption the good of the Elect is pro­posed and designed by the Father, as is clear John 6.39, 40. This is the Fathers will that sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing; and this is the Fa­thers will that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life: which will be the more clear if we consider the time when this is spoken it's at such a time when many will not come to him and bel [...]ve on him, as vers. 36, 37. Ye also have seen me and believe not, all that the Father hath given shall, come unto me, and him that cometh I will in no wise cast out; for I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me; and then follows, This is the will of him that sent me &c. and vers. 43, 44. Murmure not (saith he) among your selves, no man can come to me except the Father that sent me draw him; this ye heard of from John 17.2. at greater length, 2. Look on the Son's side of the Covenant, and it will also be clear, for his undertaking must be accor­ding to the Fathers proposing; if the Fa­ther did not propose all but some only to be redeemed, then his undertaking must be for these some and not for all, conform to the Fathers proposal, Psal. 40. Then said I, lo, I come to do thy will O my God; now, the Fathers will is, that the should undertake for these given him, and it's not his will that he should, undertake for others, therefore he did not undertake for them. 3. Christs sufferings and death are the execution of the Fathers will, and therefore must be the ex­ecution of his undertaking according to his engagement for the Elect and given ones, therefore these two are put together, John 17.9. and 19. I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me: and, for their sakes I sanctifie my self, that is for their sakes whom thou hast given me and not for the world; He sancrifies him­self for them for whom he prays, for them that are given him and no more.

2ly. This is clear in the Covenant, that Christs death is intended there [...]n as all other Mercies covenanted, are; that is to say, to whom Faith Effectual Calling, Justification, &c. are covenanted, for these is Christ's death covenanted, and for none others; for the Covenant being mutual, the reprom [...]ssion on the Fathers part must be of equal extent with the Son's stipulation, but all these are only peculiarly applicable to the Elect, as benefites flowing from, and following upon Christ's death, which therefore must be pe­culiarly intended for them as being under­gone for them; hence when Christ speaks of Faith and Effectual Calling, John 6. he says All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me, and none other will nor can come; so Justification, Pardon of Sin, &c. are bought to the Elect and to none others; and when the smallest of blessings are cove­nanted and articled for none other but for the Elect, shall Jesus Christ himself, that gift of God, or his death, which is the chief thing articled in the Covenant, be cove­nanted for or applyed to any others but to them?

A 3d. ground is drawen from Christs ex­ecuting of his Offices; for this piece or part of Christs executing of his Office, must cor­respond and be of equal extent with all the other parts and pieces of his Offices, such as his effectual teaching, interceeding, sub­duing to himself, &c. which are no broader then the Elect, for he executes no part of any of his Offices for the behove and bene­fite [Page 237] of any but of the Elect [...] he sa [...]ingly en­lightens no others; he sub [...]uts none others to the faith of the Gospel; he interceeds for none others, his intercession is not for the world; therefore his death must be for none others, all these being commentur [...]le and o [...] equal extent; his intercession being grounded on his suff [...]ring; therefore Joh. 17. he lays by the world expressly as the [...]e for whom he will not pray, and looks back to the Covenant as the ground of his under­taking for the Elect given him out of the world, and not for others; and if he will not pray nor interceed for others, what rea­son can be given of his dying for others? when he will not do the less which is to pray for them, it were absurd to think or say that he will do the greater which is to lay down his life for them.

A 4th. ground is this, Christ's death is one of the peculiar evidences of his de [...]rest love, beyond which there is none greater, and a main proof and fruit [...] thereof, and therefore is not common to all, but is in­tended for them only whom he peculiarly loves and designs to bring through to glory; which is clear Eph. 5.26. Husbands love your wives as Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it, &c. Rom. 5.5. God com­mends his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us; John 15.13. Greater love hath no man then this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends; there is a world of Reprobates whom Christ never loved with peculiar love, and sure for these he did not die; Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated, saith the Lord, Rom. 9.13. which the Apostle holdeth forth as a sort of copy of God's dealing in reproba­tion and election in reference to all Man­kind; and where the Lord himself hath set bounds betwixt them whom he loves and hates, it's too great liberality, or ra­ther too great presumption for any, under whatever specious pretences, to extend this his peculiar love to these whom he dis­claims.

A 5th. ground is taken from the effect, thus, All for whom Christ died, are justi­fied and freed from the guilt of their sins in due time, but Christ Jesus hath not pur­chased and actually procured freedom to all men from their sins; all men be not justi­fied, therefore he laid not down his life for all; For, 1. It cannot be said that he laid down his life for purchasing and buying of such wares, and yet that he got not that which he bought; and seing the event tells plainly that all are not justified and brought to Heaven, it cannot be that he laid down his life a Ransom for all, but it must be for the Elect only that he died. 2. To say that God exacts double payment of one and the self same De [...], that he ex­acts from men over again that which Christ payed already for them reflects on the Ju­stice and Wisdom of God; and to say that a person that goes to hell shall be no less in his common then another that goes to Heaven, is no less absurd; for the Apostle says Rom. 5.10. If while we were enemies we were re­conciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life: where he plainly insinuates, that if a person be bought by Christs death, it can­not be that he can perish; for if the price be payed by his death, and so the greater thing be done, much more will the lesser, we shall be saved by his life; now this rea­soning could have no force, if Christ died for any that shall perish; yea vers. 11. of this Chapter it's said, By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities; where it's clear, that as many (and no mo [...]) whose iniqui­ties Christ hath taken on and born, shall be justified; for the one is given as a reason of the other; and there should be no conse­quence to his justifying of them, from his bearing of their iniquitries, if he could by his death bear their iniquities whom he never justified.

A 6th. ground is taken from the end of the Covenant, which is to put a difference betwixt special Grace peculiar to some, and severe Justice to others, and particularly and especially in Christs death, which makes out what we affirm; for if when Christ died many were actually damned, it can­not be said that he died for these; not that [Page 238] it was with them as with Believers before his death; for it cannot he said that the intention of his death in the Covenant, could be beyond what it was at his death, the one being the execution of the other; And sure it could not be intended at his death for the damned; For it would seem a very absurd thing to say, that when Christ was to go and lay down his life, that he was going to suffer for many that were suf­fering for their own sins in Hell, as many reprobat sinners were before he came in the flesh; Can any imagine a possibility of such a thing? Our Lord was not to be so indifferent in the administration of Grace, as to cast it thus away; And can any rea­sonably think, that at one and the same time, the same punishment shall be exacted from Christ, and from the persons them­selves for whom he suffered? It is possible that this could be intended in the Covenant of Redemption; Or is there free access to Justice to pursue? Christ as Cautioner when the Principal Debtor is actually siezed u­pon? Indeed when the Principal is set free as the Elect were before his death, there is access to pursue the Cautioner for their debt; But no such thing can be al­ledged for others that were already dam­ned; But their being taken hold of by Ju­stice, is a proof that he answered not for them, nor payed their debt.

7. We may argue thus, If Christ died for all, then either for all indifferently, and so all were alike obliged to Christ; Or for some more absolutely that must be satis­fied for, and for others conditionally on supposition that they should believe; But this last is absurd, for 1. The Scripture makes not two considerations of Christs death. 2. It were absurd to say that now it cannot be told whether Christ died for such an one or not. 3. Either that con­dition is bought to them, or not; If it be bought, then it must be fulfilled (If it be not bought, then 1. That person cannot be said to be bought, because all needful for his Redemption is not bought and pay­ed for. 2. Either that condition can be fulfilled by themselves or not, if it may be by themselves, then is Free-will establish­ed, and none are absolutely redeemed; If it cannot be fulfilled by themselves, and yet bought by him for them, then they are determined for another end, to wit, not to get it, and what wisdom can there be in such a Redemption as this?

The 1. Use serves for clearing and con­firming of a Gospel truth of the Covenant of Redemption, and for the refutation of a contrary error; As we have somewhat of many errors practically in our hearts, so have we this amongst the rest, that Christ died for all sinners; which fosters peoples security, and their groundless hope of ad­mission to Heaven; But here we see that our Lord Jesus in laying down his life, in­tended the satisfaction of Divine Justice for none but for his Elect people, and if so, there are many for whom he never intend­ed the benefite of his death; There are three particular Branches of the error which this Doctrine confutes; 1. Their opi­nion which is more lax, and takes in the sins of all men and women in the world, and giveth them an equal share in Christs suffe­rings; as if in his intention in laying down of his life, and in Gods purpose he had suffered and died for all, for him that goes to Hell as well as for him that goes to Hea­ven; But if Christ stand as Cautioner for the Elect only, then sure this opinion can­not hold; for all are not Gods Elect; And therefore all are not indifferently redeemed: And though it may be that some of you think that this looks liker grace, yet its not only absurd as being contrary to truth, but its absurd also even with respect to grace; For 1. It makes grace a common thing, a man that is in Hell to be as much obliged to Christ as one that is in Heaven; And though it plausibly pretends to give grace abroad and large extent, yet it takes away the power of it; For if grace be thus largely extended, it's not grace that makes the application of grace, but the free will of the Creature; For grace according to this opinion, leaves men to be saved or not as they please, and leaves it self to be over­come by mans will; And therefore these [Page 239] errours divide not, but go together hand in hand; For where grace is made so large, free-will is made to have a dominion over it, and thus the weight of grace and of ele­ction are laid upon it. 2. It lessen [...] the estimation of Gods grace in the minds of people; for thus, they think little of Hea­ven, and suppose that it is an easie matter to win at it, and it breeds in them a fear­lessness of Hell and of Gods Wrath: And if many of you had not drunken in this er­rour practically, ye would not be so confi­dent of, nor so obstinatly maintain your hope of Heaven without ground; Hence alace it is, that many will say, God is mer­ciful, and Christ died for all sinners, and for me, and so sleep it out in security; I am perswaded that much of the security and presumption that abounds among carnal Professors is from this ground, that grace is fancied to be thus broad and large; We grant that as to the convey and nature of it it's broad, but in respect of the objects on whom it is bestowed, it's narrow, though it cometh from large bowels. 3. It ex­ceedingly marrs and diminisheth mens thankfulness, for when a mercy is judged to be common, who will praise for it as he would do if it were special and peculiar? That which is a great ground of thankful­ness for Election, Effectual Calling, Justi­fication, &c. is because these mercies are peculiar; even so that which makes the re­deemed thankful for Redemption, is be­cause they are redeemed and bought when others are left, hence is that Song of the redeemed company, Rev. 5.9. Thou art worthy to open the Book, for thou wast stain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kind ed, and tongue, and people, and nation; It hightens not their praise that all of every kindred, and tongue, and nation were redeemed, but this doth it that when the Lord had the whole world before him, he was graciously pleased to purchase and redeem them out of it, that as it is, John 11.52. He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad; They therefore I say bless him, and wonder when they consider that they are pitched on who are by nature the same with these that are past by: & were a strange thing to affirm that they who are in Hell have as great ground of praise, and of saying, We thank thee, for thou hast redeemed as by thy blood, as these that are in Heaven have. 4. This making of grace so wide and large in his extent as to take in all; doth leave the people of God altogether comfortless. But it may be here said, How is it that it is more comfort to Believers that grace is pe­culiar in saving, and that but a few are re­deemed in comparison of others that are not redeemed, then if we should extend it unto, and account it to be for all? Or how is this more comfortless to them, that grace is made universal? Answer 1. Because if it were universal, many whom Christ died for, are now in Hell, and what consolati­on can there be from that? A man may be redeemed and yet perish and go to Hell for all that? But it's strong consolation when this comes in, If when we were ene­mies we were reconciled by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life, If he died for us when we were enemies, will he not much more save us being friends? 2. Suppose a person to be in black nature, what comfort could he have by looking on Redemption as univer­sal? He could not expect Heaven by it; for many expect Heaven on that ground who will never get it; But it's a sort of consolation even to them that are without, to consider that Redemption is peculiar to some; For though all get not Heaven, yet they that believe get it, and so upon their closing with Christ the consolation present­ly flows out unto them; Whereas if they should lay it for a ground that Christs death were universal, they could never have so­lid ground of consolation by flying to him. 5. This errour doth quite overturn and enervat the whole Covenant of Redempti­on and peculiar love. 1. It enervats and obscures the wisdome that shines in it, if Christ may buy and purchase many by his death, who shall yet notwithstanding pe­rish. 2. It enervats and obscures the love and grace that shine in it; for it makes [Page 240] Christ to cast away the love and grace of it to repro [...]e, and [...]o to cast pearls to swine. 3. T [...] obscures the freedom of it, which [...]y t [...] in his taking of one and refusing ano­ther, as it is, Rom. 9.11, 12. The children not being yet born, and having done neither good nor [...], that th [...] p [...]pose of God accor­ding to election might [...]d, [...] of works, but of [...] that calleth, it was said, the el­der shall serve the [...], (as it is written, Jacob have I loved, and Esa [...] have I hated. 4. It obscures the Justice of it, if he should but all and yet get but som for it being the design of God to inflict on Christ the curse that was due to sinners, and to spare them; if this should be the result of it that many for whom he died and took on him the curse, should p [...]rish, he should get but some of these whom he bought, and Justice should twice exact satisfaction for one and the same debt, once of the Surety, and again of the Principal Debtor that perish­eth; Whereas when Christ becomes Sure­ty they are set free for whom he was [...]ure­ty, and it is Justice that it should be so. We do the rather insist in the refutation of this errour, because this is a time wherein it is one of the Devils, great designs which he drives to trouble the clear Springs of the Gospel, and to revive this errour amongst the rest; And there is something of it in these poor fool Bodies who speak so much of a light within, as if all were alike, and had something, which if they use well they may get life by; This error alwayes leaves men to be Masters and Carvers of Gods De­cree, and of Christs purpose and design in the work of Redemption, and suspends the benefit of his death mainly, if not only on the consent of mans free-will.

A 2d. Branch of the errour which this Doctrine refutes, is that which is vented by some who are not professed enemies, but in other things deserve well of the Church of Christ, which therefore should be our grief to mention; And it is this, that though Christ hath not simply purchased Redem­ption from sin to all men, that yet he hath taken away from all, the sins of that first Co­venant of Works, as if there were (as they say) no sin for which men are now con­demned, but the sin of infidelity or unbe­lief; But this is dangerous for i [...]. If this be true that Christ's death is only a price for the sins of the Elect, then there are no sins of others reckoned on his score. 2. It halveth Christs purchase, and hardly will we find Christs death divided, which were to say that he hath bought a man in part or ha [...]f, from wrath and not wholly, such a dividing of Christ, and halving of his death, seems not consistent with the strain of the Gospel, for as there is one Sacrifice, so there is one account on which it is offered. 3. It seems to infer a good and safe condition to all them that die without sinning against the Gospel, and so to Infants born out of the Church that never sinned against the Covenant of Grace, and it pleads much for them that never heard the Gospel, yea pos­sibly for all, if they be not obliged to be­lieve the Gospel, as it's hard to say they are, who never heard of it. 4. There are many in hell this day who know and feel this to be an untruth, being condemned for sins against the Covenant of Works, therefore he undertook not their debt, nor payed for them; And when the Books shall be cast open, there will be many other sins sound to be reckoned for then sins a­gainst the Gospel; Are not Whoremongers, Adulterers, Murtherers, Thieves, &c to to reckon for these sins? It's very sad that such things should take place with men o­therwayes useful, but is in other things, so in this hurtful, [...]hich we should not speak of, were it not that they are spread abroad in Books wherewith many may be leaven­ed.

A 3d. Branch of this errour which this Doctrine refutes, is, that Christ died con­ditionally for all hearers of the Gospel, to whom he is conditionally offered; and this is also vented by the same Authors who say, that though he hath not bought all men absolutely, nor died to procure life absolutely to them, yet that he did so con­ditionally and upon supposition that they should afterward believe on him: But there can be no conditional satisfaction in­tended [Page 241] here, for 1. If respect be had only to the sins of the Elect in Christs undertaking, then none is had to the sins of all. 2. If the Fathers accep­tation of the price be absolute, then there is no conditional buying. 3. If it be conditional then he suspended the effect of his death, the satisfaction for his Soul-travel on mans will; And if this condition could not be fulfilled by man, then it is an unwise bargain, and nothing of it may fall to be fulfilled, and then believing is no fruit of grace. Again, he hath either bought Faith to them as he hath done to the Elect, or not; If he hath, then they reject it, and so grace is not efficacious; If not, he hath bought the end without the midses leading to it. Or thus, if it be conditional, it's either on a condition which they can fulfil, or on a condition that they cannot fulfil; If it be on a condition which they can fulfil, then it hangs Grace on mens free­will, and su [...]pends the Decree of Election on their receiving of Christ; If it be a con­dition that is not in their power to fulfil, then either Christ hath bought that condi­tion to them, or not; to say that he hath not bought the condition of Faith, it will infer a strange assertion that he hath bought life and not the condition, the end and not the midses: And if it be said that he hath bought it, it cannot be said that he hath done so absolutely, because they never get it; Or if absolutely, then to the Elect only in whom it must be, and is in due time ful­filled; And so in effect it resolves in this, that Christ's purpose is to be bounded and confined (to say so) to the Elect only.

There are some difficulties and objecti­ons that will readily here be moved, which we will not enter upon, only for prevent­ing of mistakes: It stands in the way of some to hinder their believing as they sup­pose, that Christ hath died for some and not for all, aad they know not if they be of that small number; If we were to speak to such, we would say, 1. God hath not e­lected all, and so who knows if he hath e­lected them I And he will not save all, and who knows if he will save them? And so the doubt will stick still; If folks will thus break in upon Gods secret will and purpose which belongs not to them. 2. Christs death for you is not the formal ground not warrand of your Faith, not yet of the offer of the Gospel, but the Lords will warrand­ing you to believe, and calling for it from you, and his commanding you to rest upon Christ for the attaining of righteousness as he is offered in the Gospel: We are invi­ted by his command and promise, and we are not first called to believe that Christ died for us, but we are called [...]st to be­lieve in him that is offered to us in the Go­spel, that is our duty, And folks are not condemned because Christ died not for them, but because when he offered the be­nefit of his death and sufferings to them, they slighted and rejected it; We are to look first to what Christ calleth to, and not to meddle with the other, to wit, whom Christ minded in his death, till we have done the first: The Word bids all believe that they may be saved, and such as neglect this command will be found disobedient. 3. Though Christ hath not died for all, yet all that flee unto him by Faith shall be par­takers of his death, and from this ye should reason, and not from his intention in dy­ing; If ye come not to him, ye cannot have ground to think that he died for you, but if ye go to him by Faith, ye may expect that he will pray for you, and own you for Believers; Christ casts in that word, John 17. They have believed thy word, as well as that other. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me; And if we put these two together, the one will be found as sure a ground of consolation as the other; But it were but a poor comfort to say that Christ died for all, and yet that they may all, or most, or many of them perish for all that.

The 2d. Use serves to stir them up to thankfulness for whom Christ hath satisfied, and who are fled for refuge to him; If there be any here, to whom Christ hath manifested such love, that they can say he hath loved me, and given himself for me; O! How are ye obliged to wonder and bless him? Greater love than this cannot be; [Page 242] and it should warm your hearts with love to him the more, when ye reflect on God's design upon you in particular in the Cove­nant of Redemption.

Use 3d. If Christ intended his Death and Sufferings only for behove of the Elect; Then, as because few come to Heaven, all should be the more diligent; so because Christ died not for all, every one should aim in Gods own way to have it made sure to himself that Christ died for him, and should be the more watchful and diligent to make his Calling and Election sure, be­cause as its not all that are elected, so its not all that are purchased by Christs death; Redemption is sure in it self, and free Grace kithes conspicuously in it, yet Wis­dom and Soveraignity do also appear in this, that its not of all; therefore study ye to make it sure by fleeing to Christ by Faith, and by the study of Holine [...]s and Mortification in his Strength, and through the power of his Death, which will be a proof of your Interest in it: This were much more suitable than to be quarreling with God's Decrees, as some are brought in Rom. 9.19. Why doth he find fault? who hath resisted his will? To whom the Apostle answers, Who art thou that repliest against God? it becomes you not to dispute with God, but to seek with more Sollicitude, and with holy and humble carefulness to make the matter sure to your selves; we may well raise storms by our disputs, but shall come to no peace by them; this can only be come at by fleeing to the hope set before us.

EVery passage of our Lords way in prosecuting the work of Redem­ption hath somewhat wonderful in it; we heard of several of them, especially in his Humiliation, how very low the blessed Cautioner conde­scended to come for relief of the captivity; how he was put to wrestle and fight, and what great Strengths or strong Holds he was put as it were to take in; there is one strong Hold (to speak so) not spoken of as yet which must also be stormed, and the forti­fications of it pulled down by the Mediator, and that is the Grave; the Prophet tells us, that as he declined not death, so nei­ther did he decline the Grave, but as he was cut off out of the land of the living as a wicked man in the account of men, so in the account of men he was taken down from the cross with the Thieves and buried in the Grave as one of them.

I shall not trouble you with diversity of interpretations, but shall only hint at two things for your better understanding of the words, in which the difficulty lyeth, The 1. is this, Whether doth this relate to his Humiliation only, or to his Exaltation, or to both? for it cannot be reasonably thought but his being buried with the wicked is a piece of his Humiliation; to make it only an evidence of his Humiliation, seems not to stand with the next part of the words, because he had done no violence, &c. which is a causal reason of that which goeth be­fore: But we answer, that there may be here a respect had unto both; the first words respect his Humiliation, comparing them with the truth of the History as it is set down Matth. chap. 27. where it is clear that he was destinate in the account of men, and by their appointment, to be buried with wicked men: for they thought no more of him than if he had been a wicked man. The next words, And with the rich in his death, look to his Exaltation, and the meaning of them is, that however he was in the account of men buried with Thieves, and laid in the grave as a Male­factor or wicked Man; yet in God's ac­count and by his appointment and over-rul­ing providence it was otherwayes, for he put a difference betwixt him and others, and gave him a honourable burial with the rich, though he was designed by men to be buried with thieves; yet as we have it Matth. 27.57. Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilat and begged his body and wrapped it in clean Linnen, and laid it in a new tomb; which in God's providence was so ordered, both to shew a difference betwixt him and those thieves, and also to declare that he was innocent, as the reason subjoined [Page 244] tells, Because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth; and to make way for the clearing of his Resurrection, he being buried in such a remarkable place where never man had been buried before.

So then the sum of the words is this, he was [...]n [...]led in coming to the grave, and in mens account and destination was buried as a wicked man, yet by God's Decree and Providence it was so ordered, that though he was poor all his days, he had a honour­able Burial such as rich men use to have, because he had done no violence, neither was the [...]e any deceit in his mouth: God will not have it going as men designed, but will have him honourably buried and laid in the Grave, that thereby there might be the greater evidence of his innocency, and a more full clearing and confirmation of the truth of of his resurrection.

What is rendered death here in our Tran­slation, is deaths in the plural number in the Hebrew; to shew the greatness and ter­ribleness of the death which he underwent, and the sore spiri [...]u [...]l as well as bodily ex­ercise that he was put unto, at, and in, his death, so that it was a complication of ma­ny deaths in one, and at once which he suffered. 2. Where it's said in our Tran­slation, that He made his grave; In the Ori­ginal it is, He gave his grave with the wicked; so that the Pronoun He, may be meaned, rather of the Father his giving, or it may be understood of the Mediator himself his giving; and so the meaning is, that it came not to pass by guess on God's side, but was by him well ordered; and upon the Media­tors side it sets out his willingness to go to the Grave, and his having an over-ruling hand, as God, in his own death and burial; as he saith John 10.18. No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of my self; His death and burial were determined and well-ordered as to all the circumstances of both, by a divine decree and by an over rul [...]ng hand of Providence; and this agrees well with the reason subjoined, because he wil­lingly con [...]escended to die; God put a dif­ference betwixt him and others, as is clear in that of John 10.17. Therefore does my fa­ther love me, because I lay down my life for my sheep. The Verse hath two parts, 1. Some­thing foretold concerning the Messiah, and that is, that he shall make or give his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death. 2. There is a reason subjoined, especially to the last part, taken from his innocency, and from the difference that was in his life betwixt him and all men in the world, that therefore God put a dif­ference betwix [...] him and them in his death and burial.

First then, This point of Doctrine is im­plyed here, that coming to the Grave is a thing common and certain to all men; I mean, that death, or a state of death and to be in the grave, in an ordinary way is common to all men; and whoever want the priviledge of burial, their condition in that respect is rather worse then better; it's supponed here that wicked men come to the grave, therefore our Lord is said to make his grave with them; and it is also sup­posed that rich men come to the grave, therefore it's said, and with the rich in his death; that which Solomon hath Eccles 8.8. of death, may well be applyed to the gr [...]ve; there is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain it, nei [...]her hath he power in the day of death, and the [...]e is no discharge in that war, neither shal [...] wickedness deliver these that are given to it; the most powerful wicked man cannot prevail over it, nor is he able to resist and withstand it; these who conquer most of the World, are con­strained at length to be content with some few foots of ground, and their Bodies are turned into dust: Job in the 3d Chapter of his book speaks of it as common to all, to rich and poor, to high and low, to the King and the Beggar, all are there in one Category; if any were freed from it, it would readily be rich men, but as it is Psal. 49.6, 7. their riches will nor be a ransom for them; They that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him, so precious is the soul tha [...] the redemption of it ceases for ever: Amongst all Mortals there is none that can [Page 245] buy himself from coming to the Church­yard, or from coming to the grave; but were he never so rich and honourable, he must be said in a hell as well as the poor man; the bravest and best guided Tomb is but a grave; that sentence past by God must stand and will stand, Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return; The translation of Enoch and Elias who old not see death, do not alter the common rule, though it shew the soveraignty and power of God what he can do.

Use 1. O! think more on Death and on the Grave, these sure would be much more profitable subjects of thoughts, then many things which our thoughts run ordinarily on, It's appointed for men once to die, and there­after cometh the judgment: As we walk over and trod on the Graves of others now, so some will be walking over and troding on ours ere long; and within a few years our bodies will be turned into dust, and our dust will not be known from the dust of others that lived before us; it were good to have the faith of this more rooted, and that we did meditate more frequently and seri­ously on it.

Use 2. It reproves the pride of men and women, and their lusting after earthly va­nities; When death and the grave come, where will all their brave Houses, and Cloaths, and well drest Beds be? And what will become of your Silver and Gold? These things will not go to the grave with you, As ye brought nothing into the world, so its certain that ye shall carry nothing out of it; The consideration whereof would be a re­straint and aw band to mens exorbitant de­sires; The time is coming when six or se­ven foot in length, and two or three foot in breadth of ground will serve the richest and most honourable; And within a few years the Lord Provost's dust will not be known from the dust of the poor body that got a share of the common Contribution; the dust of both will be alike; Dress and pamper the body as ye will, that beauty will not abide with you; Wherefore then serves all this pride, [...]anity and [...]ravity? Seing a very little whiles time will lay it all in the dust; and when all our projects will take an end, as Job saith, Chap. 17. M [...] purposes are broken, and what did break them off? The grave (saith he) is waiting for me, I have said to corruption, to the rot­tenness of the earth, thou art my mother, and to the worms, ye are my brother and sisters; they and I must ly together; These that now cannot get their bed made fine and soft enough, the worms and they will lye together ere long in the grave, the Chest or Coffin will not be so closs but they will win in, nay, they will breed in their own bodies, do we not see this daily? Were it not then good that when ye are going to the burials and graves of others, ye were thinking on your own lying down in the grave? And what will be your thoughts in that day of all things in this world? If dead Corpses could speak out of their graves, they would preach sharp warning to them that are alive, and would say to such as are carrying them thither, Beware of putting off thoughts of death and of the grave. Though this be a common point of truth, yet few walk suitably to it, but we are ge­nerally in our practice as if it were not a truth, no more minding death and the grave than if we were eternally to live here.

Use 3. As this should make folks sober in prosperity, so it should make them patient in adversity; A iittle time will make us all equal, and what is the matter what our con­dition be if our peace be made sure with God? Heathens may shame many of us that are professing Chri [...]ians, who, by the con­sideration of death, have been brought to be much more sober in their carriage, then alace many of us are.

2dly, Observe. That the Messiah behoved to come to the grave and be buried; It was so designed fore-told, and fore-pro­phesied of, He made his grave with the wic­ked, and with the rich in his death; Hence the Apostle, Acts 2.30 citing Psal. 16 8. gathers, that as there was a necessity of his being in the grave, so there was a necessity of his resurrection out of it, because he should not see corruption in it, His foul was not left in hell, or in the grave, neither did [Page 246] his flesh see corruption; And in all the E­vangelists▪ It's clear, that after death he was remarkably laid in the grave, and very par­ticular and special notice is taken of it: Take here shortly some few reasons of this necessity according to the Lords appoint­ment, and no further; The 1. whereof is this, that the unstainedness and purity of Divine Justice may appear, and that there­by the compleatness and perfection of his satisfaction as Mediator, to the Justice of God, may be confirmed; If he had not been buried it might have been question­ed whether that which folk suffer after death be a reality or not; But his three days lying in the grave is a greater evidence of the unstainedness and purity of Justice, and of its impartiality, then the imprisoning of many Creatures for many t [...]ousands of years would have been; This shews him to be a just God, when sinners Cautioner is not only pursued to death, but to the grave; And therefore this is alwayes accounted the lowest part or step of his suff [...]rings; And in the Creed his descending into hell is spo­ken of, which in our excellent Catechism is expounded to be his continuing under the power of death for a time. 2 It is much for the manifestation of the great love of God, and of the rich condescending grace of the Mediator, who is not only content to die, but to come to the grave, and to suffer death to have a kind of dominion o­ver him for a time; So that as death had power to separate his soul from his body, so it prorogats that power during his being in the grave; His enemies, as it were, cry, Take him up now, and they seal the stone and set a watch to keep him in the grave. 3. It's for the consolation of the Believer, and serves mightily to strengthen him a­gainst the fear of death and the grave; So that the Believer needs not be afraid of death, but may ly down quietly in the grave, because it was Christs bed, warmed, to say so, by him, he was there before him, and the grave is now to the Believer no part of the curse, more than death is; The grave will not swallow him up with a sort of dominion and right, as it doth the repro­bate. 4. It serves to confirm the truth of the Resurrection of Christ, more than if he had never been in the grave, as the Apostle proves, 1 Cor. 15. from the beginning to the close, even till he come to that, O death, where is thy sting, O grave, where is thy victory? Our Lord by dying and being buried, hath delivered his people from both; As neither a great Stone, nor a Seal put on it could keep him in the grave, but that he rose again the third day, so no thing will be able for ever to keep Belie­vers at under; and as he died to disarm death, so his entering in the grave was to disarm the grave, and to open a door for Believers to come thorow it, by his power who was dead and laid in the grave, but now is risen and alive for evermore.

The Uses are 1. To shew the full con­formity and agreeableness that is betwixt what was foretold of the Messiah, and what is fulfilled; and so serves to confirm our Faith in this, that he is the true Messiah, who was crucified, dead and buried; This is one of the Articles of our Faith foretold by Isaiah, now fulfilled and recorded to be so in the Gospel. 2. It shews the severity of Justice, that when any person is made lyable to the lash of it, were it but as Cau­tioner, it will exact of him satisfaction to the uttermost; Therefore when Christ en­ters himself our Cautionrr, it not only ex­acts death, and pursues him till he give up the Ghost, but after death pursues him to the grave; It will needs have that satis­faction of the Mediator, and he yields to it so as to lay himself by as a dead man: O what a revengful thing is Justice when a sinner must answer to it? When the Me­diator was so pursued by it, what will it do to others who are out of him? Here we may apply that word, Daughters of Jerusa­lem, weep not for me, but weep for your selves and your children; If it be done so to the green tree, what will be done to the dry? When the fire of the vengeance of God shall kindle that lake that burns with fire and brim­stone, and when sinners shall be cast into it as so many pieces of Wood, or as so ma­ny pieces of dry sticks, what will be their [Page 247] condition? It were good in time to fear falling into the hands of the living God, which is indeed a most fearful thing, Heb. 10.31.

3 It shews the Believers obligation to God that hath so fully provided a satisfacti­on for him, and hath furnished him with such a ground of consolation; Beside what is done for the satisfying of Justice (which is the great consolation) there is here ground of consolation against all crosses, pain, sickness, death and the grave; There is not a step in the way to Heaven but our Lord hath gone it before us; We have not only a Mediator that died, but that was buried; And O! but this is much when Be­lievers come to think on their going to the grave; Will it devour them, or feed upon them for ever? No, he hath muzled it, to say so; They rest in their grave as in a bed, in their bodies being united to him, and their dust must be counted for; Its true, the bodies of the reprobate must be raised up, yet upon another account, and not by vertue of their union with Christ, and of Christs victory over death in their stead, as Believers are; In a word, they have many advantages that have Christ, and they have a miserable life, a comfortless death, and a hard lying in the grave that want him; Therefore, as the short cut, to have a happy life, and a com­fortable death and burial, and the grave sanctified to you; seek to have your inte­rest in Christ made sure, then all things are yours, and particularly death and the grave, which will be as a Box to keep the particles of your dust till it restore them faithfuly to Christ, to whom it must give an account. But as for you that sl ght and misken Christ, ye have a dreadful lot of it, no interest in Christ li­ving, no union with him in the grave, nor at the Resurrection; And if ye did but se­riously c [...]nsider that ye will die, ye would also co [...]sider that it's good dying and be­ing in the grave with Christ, and that it's a woful thing to be, and to be in it without him.

3ly. Observe That all the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the least particu­lar circumstance of them, were ordered of God, and before hand determined and concluded upon; none of them came by guess upon him; That he should suffer and die, and what sort of death he should die, and that he should be laid in the grave, all was before concluded and determined; When we read thorow the Gospel, it were good to take a look of the Old Testament-Prophesies of the Covenant of Redemption, and of the ancient determinations concer­ning him, as Peter doth, Acts 2.27. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel of God, ye have with wicked hands crucified; God's fore knowledge and determination fixed the bounds, and laid down the rule (to speak so) to these wicked hands in the crucifying of him, without all tincture or touch of culpable accession to their sin; and in looking over his sufferings, we would call to mind, that this and this was the Lords purpose, and that in these sufferings, and in every part and piece of them, the Mediator is telling down the price that he undertook to pay; All which demonstrats the verity of our Lords being the true Mes­siah.

4ly. From comparing the two parts of the first part of the verse together, He made his grave with the wicked, as to the estima­tion of men, and with the rich in his death, in respect of Gods ordering it. Observe, That o [...]ten God hath one design, and men another, and that God will have his design to [...]and, and infrustrably to take effect: When some would design sh [...]me to his people, he will have them honoured.

The 1. Use serves to comfort Gods peo­ple when they are in their lowest conditi­on, and when their enemies are in highest power; our Lord is driving on his design, and making his and their en [...]mies to fulfill it: Pilate and the Chief Priests with the Scribes and Pharisees are putting Christ to death, the multitu [...]e ar [...] crying Crucifie him, and preferring a Robber to him; But in all this, they were fu fi ling what God had before determined to be done, which we say is m [...]tter of great consolation both as to our own particular case, & as to God's [Page 248] general guiding of the World, and especi­ally of his Church therein; There is nothing wherein the malice of men seems to be most prevalent, but our Lord is still gaining his point upon, and by them; They are all the while executing God's determination, though to their own ruine.

2. See here an exact correspondency betwixt all the circumstances of our Lord's sufferings and God's determination, and a concurrence of all of them for the promov­ing of it in the History of the Gospel; A bone of him is not broken, when the bones of the two Thieves crucified with him are broken, a Spear is run at him, and his side is pierced, when they are not pierced; And all this, because it was prophesied of him, that A bone of him shall not be broken, and they shall look upon him whom they have pier­ced; and when it comes to his burial, Pi­late wots not what he is doing when yet he is fulfilling the Lords design in giving his body to a rich man Joseph of Arimathea, when he asked it from him to be buried by him, whereby the Prophesie of the Text is fulfilled; The wickedness of some, the con­tingent actions of others, and the ignorance of many, concurr all together, to make out the same holy and unalterable design and purpose of God.

And therefore 3dly, Let us stay our faith here, that our Lord is yet still working in all these confusions, and when matters return'd up-side down to humane appear­ance, our blessed Lord is not non-plussed and at a stand when we are, he knows well what he is doing, and will make all things most certainly, infallibly, and in­frustrably to work for his own glory, and for the good of his people.

From its being said that He gave his grave with the wicked, as holding forth Christ's willingness to be buried, (as he saith of his death, John 10.17. No man taketh away my life from me, but I lay it down, and take it up again.) Observe, That in the whole performance of the work of Redem­ption, even in the lowest and most shameful steps of it our Lord was a most willing con­descender, He gave his grave with the wick­ed; He was a most free and willing under­taker, when as it were, the Question was put, Who will satisfie for Elect sinners? He comes in and sayes (as we h [...]ve it, Psal. 40.) Lo, I come, in the volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God; I am here, Father, as if he had said, I offer my self and accept of the terms heartsomly and delightsomly; I re­joyced, saith he, Prov. 8.28. in the habi­table parts of the earth, before the foundation of the world was laid my delight was with the sons of men: So it may be made evident, that in all the parts of his sufferings, and in every step thereof, he did most exactly, and also most willingly perform whatever was carved out to him; He preached and wrought miracles, and did all with de­light, as himself sayes, John 4.32. It is my meat and my drink to do my Fathers will, and to finish his work; It refreshed him when his body was hungry and faint to be car­rying on the work of Redemption in speak­ing to a poor straying sinner. If we yet look a little forward we will find that he so longed for the saddest part of this exer­cise, that he is pained till it be accomplish­ed. Luke 12.50. I have a b [...]ptism to be bap­tized with, and how am I straitned till it be accomplished? His heart longed so much to be at it, that he would approve nor admit of nothing that might stand in the way of it, therefore he rejected Peters advice with holy detestation, with a Get thee behind me Satan; He knew well what was in Judas mind, and yet would not divert him, but bid him do what he was about, quickly; He went to the Garden where he was known to resort, and gave his enemies opportuni­ty to rake him, and would not suffer his Disciples to draw a Sword to oppose them; When he was before Pilate he would not open his mouth; When he was buffetted he gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to him that plucked off the hair, and hid not his face from shame and spitting; Because he knew what was aimed at in all this, and ac­cordingly saith Matth. 20.20. The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransome for many; When [Page 249] His Holy Humane Nature scarred at the Cup, and when he was thereby put to pray, Fa­ther, if it be possible let this cup pass from me, he sweetly subioyns, but for this cause came I unto this hour; And the nearer it came to his death he vented his desire af­ter it the more, With desire have I desired, saith he, or with special desire have I de­sired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; Even when he was to eat the last Passover, and to take his last good night, and to be in readiness for what was com­ing: What could have been the mean or motive to bring it about, if he had not been willing? It was this willingness that Jeho­vah was pleased with, and that made his Sacrifice to smell sweetly to his Father, who loveth a cheerful giver, and it had never been satisfactory if it had not been willing but extorted, and therefore saith he, Joh. 10. No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down; And I delight to do thy will, Psal. 40.

Use 1. See here a great evidence of the love of God and of the Mediator; Behold what manner of love this is, that when it was not required, he should offer and free­ly give himself to death and to the grave, this is the love of a friend and beyond it, that he should have so loved his Church as to give himself for her to death, and to the grave; Well may he say as he doth, John 15.15. Greater love hath no man then this, &c.

2dly, It shews what great ground of con­solation and encouragement a sinner hath that would fain be at Christ, to believe on him, and to expect Life and Salvation through him; Our Lord was most willing to lay down his life and to come to the grave for that end, and is it possible that he will refuse a sinner that comes unto him, and that would fain share in the benefite of his sufferings, which was his great end in suffering? This one thing, to wit the willingness that he had to suff [...]r, and the delight that he had in suffering, to purchase Redemption to sinners, may be as a strong cordial to strengthen the heart of a swo [...] ­ing Sinner, and a great motive and encou­ragement to come forward to him. Thou wilt, it may be, say, I wot not if Christ loves me; O! Consider these sweet words, Rom. 5.10. If he died for us while we wer [...] yet enemies, how much more shall we be saved by his life? I shall close this discourse with these two words, the 1. whereof is, for en­couragement; If there be any body here that would fain have Christs love, and par­take of his death: Take courage, seing our Lord out of the great desire he had to pro­move the Salvation of sinners, Gave him self to death and to the grave, will he not willingly make application of his purchase to them when they seek it? That he was willing to undergo all this is a far greater matter then to welcome a sinner coming home to him; And if he did all that he did for this very end, will he stand on it when it comes to the application? The 2d. word is, that this is, and will be a ground of conviction to all who think little of our blessed Lord Jesus, and of his love, and who will not part with a base lust for him, and who will not make choise of him, but will refuse, reject, undervalue and despise him, with all that he hath done and suffe­red; it will exceedingly aggravat your con­demnation, that when he was so willing to die for the good of sinners, ye were not willing to live for his satisfaction; Think on it, O! think seriously on it; These things are the truths of God, and the main truths of the Gospel, that ly very near the ingaging of hearts to Christ; And if such truths do you no good, none other readily will; God give us the Faith of them.

THis is a most wonderful Suj [...]ct that we have to think and s [...]eak of, which concerns the [...]uff [...] ­rings that our blessed Lord was pleased to undergo for sinn [...]rs; And this makes it to be the more wonder­ful [...]hen we consider what he was made, and what his carriage was; He was numbered with the transgressours, and gave his grave with the wi [...]ked; And yet he hath this te [...]imony that there was no violence in his hands, nor any deceit in his mouth; He was a sinless Mediator not only before men, but before God.

These words considered in themselv [...]s, hold out a little sum and short compend of an holy walk, most perfectly and exactly fulfilled in the conversation of Jesus Christ; He had done no violence, or, there w [...]s no violence in his hands, that is, there was no sinful deed contrary to the Law of God in all his practice and walk, And there was no deceit, or no guile in his mouth▪ that is, no sinful or decei [...]ful expression: Io [...]um, nei­ther in deed nor in word was there sin in him; He did wrong to none by his deeds, and he deceived no body by his words; This guile or deceit as it looks to the first Table of the Law, imports, th t there was no falshood nor corrupt Doctrine in his Ministry; He did not beguile nor se [...]uce the souls of any in leading them wrong; And as it looks to the second Table of [...]he Law more immediatly, it imports that he was sincere and upright, that there was no deceit, no violence or dis [...]embling in his carriage; so that whether we look to him [...]s God's publick Servant in the Ministry, or to him in his privat walk, he was com­pleatly innocent and without all sin, as the word is, 1 Pet 2 22 Who did no sin, nei­ther was guile [...]ound in his mouth; How­ever men accounted of him, he was an in­nocent and sinless Saviour.

If we look on them as they depend on the former words, they are a reason of that diff [...]rence which in his death and bu­ria [...] God did put betwixt him and others; Though he was by wicked men put to death as a wicked person, yet God in his provi­dence so ordered the matter that he was ho­nourably buried with the rich; Why so? T [...]is is the reason of it, because though they esteemed him a false Prophet and a Dec [...]iver, a Wine-bibber, &c. Yet he had done no wrong to any, neither by word nor by deed, and therefore God would have that respect pu [...] on him after his death in his burial, and so a remark­able difference to be made betwixt him and others.

Observe hence, 1. That our Lord Jesus, the High Priest of our profession that laid down his life for sinners, is compleatly and perfectly holy; He hath th [...]t testimony from the Prophet here, that He did no vio­lence, neither was there any deceit in his mouth; He hath this testimony from the Apostles▪ from Peter, 1 [...]et. 2.22. He did no sin neither was any guile found in his mouth; From John 1. John 3▪ 5 He was manifested to take away sin, and in him is no sin; And from Paul▪ Heb. 7.27. He was holy and harmless and undefiled▪ separate f [...]om sinners; In this respect there is a difference betwixt him and all men in the world: And i [...] w [...]s necessary and requisite for Be­lievers consolation that it should be so, It be­came [Page 251] us, saith the Apostle, to have such an High Priest, 1. If we consider the excel­lency of his person, he could not be o­therwise, being God and Man in one Per­son, and having the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily. 2. It was neces­sary if we consider the end of his Offices, he being to offer up an acceptable Sacri­fice to God, behoved to be holy and harm­less, otherwise neither the Priest nor the Sacrifice could have been acceptable. 3. It was necessary if we consider the dignity of his Office; It behoved him to differ from the former Priests under the Law; And if he had not been without sin he should not have so differed from them. 4. It was ne­cessary for the persons for whom he under­took these Offices; Such a High Priest be­came them, and another could not have done their turn; All these we will find to be put together, Heb. 7.26, 27. Where the Apostle having said, vers. 25. That he is able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God through him, subjoyns, For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, made higher then the heavens, who needeth not daily as these high Priests to offer up sacrifices first for his own sins, and then for the sin of the people; The most holy of all the Priests had sins for which they behoved to offer Sacri­fices, and so had the holiest of the pople, but Christ was holy and blameless and had no sin, and it behoved him to be so; As I said just now, his sacrifice could never have been accepted for others if he had needed to offer up sacrifices for himself.

The Uses are these; Not to speak how it vindicats our Lord Jesus Christ from all these aspersions cast upon him by wicked men, who called him a Glutton, a Wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and Sinners, a Deceiver, &c. He was holy and harmless, and ere long he will gloriously appear to be holy, when these who pierced him shall see him and be confounded; I say, the Uses are these, in reference to the Church and People of God; It serves 1 To shew the condescendency of love, and the contri­vance of infinite wisdome for the behove of sinners, Such a high Priest became us; Love condescended and wisdome contrived that he should become man and suffer, the just for the unjust; Wisdom set on work by grace provided for sinners such a High Priest as they stood in need of; And indeed sinners have no want here, for they have a High Priest becoming them, and this is an evi­dence of it, that he is holy, harmless, unde­filed, separate from sinners, &c. 2. It serves to be a great ground of encouragement to sinners, to step to, and make use of Christs Sacrifice, our Lord had no sin, and need­ed not to offer a Sacrifice for himself; And if he offered Sacrifice for atonement, where­fore did he so? It was either for himself, and that could not be, for he was holy; or for nothing or for no end, and to say so were blasphemy, or it must be for a real satisfaction for Elect sinners, or such as should make use of him; And thus Faith hath a sure ground to lay hold on▪ and name­ly that his satisfaction was real; And that it was for this end, to be made forth-com­ing for the behove of such as should believe on him, And therefore look upon Christ's suffering, and upon his innocency who suffered, and ye will find that ye have a suitable High Priest and atonement made for you; O but that is a sweet word, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righ­teousness of God in him.

3ly. It's ground of great consolation to them that betake themselves to Christ, why? our Lords Sacrifice cannot but be accepted, for there was in him no guile, nothing that might make his Sacrifice unsavoury; and as it commends the way of Grace to a sin­ner, so it is ground of encouragement to a sinner to look to be accepted through him; for if the temptation should say, thou art a sinner, and such and such a great sinner; that is nothing to purpose, for God hath accepted of Christ and of his Sacrifice, and if thou make use of his Sacrifice, it cannot but be accepted for thee; here then is the consolation, that we have such an High-Priest▪ as became us, who needed not to offer for himself, but only for the sins of the People and of his own People.

[Page 252]4ly. It serves notably for our imitation; He was holy, and in his holy walking hath left us a copy to write a [...]ter and to walk by; and therefore in your speaking of Christs Holiness, or in your reading of it, consider that he is thereby casting a copy to you, and bidding you purifie your selves as he is pure, to [...] holy as he who hath called you is holy; learn of him to be meek and lowly in heart, to be humble and heavenly-minded, and in whateve [...] respect his life and walk is pro­posed to us as a patern, set your selves in his own strength to imitate it, and be ye fol­lowers of him as dear children; whenever ye read o [...] his obedience to the death, of his holiness in all m [...]nner of conversation, and of his fulfilli [...]g all righteousness, let it pro­voke you singly and seriously to design and endeavour conformity to him therein in your practice.

2ly. From the connexion of these two, That he was accounted a sinner before and at his death, and that after his death God did put that note of respect upon him, that he was buried with the rich because he had done no violence &c. but was holy and harm­less in his life. Observe, That however Ho­liness may suffer as long as holy persons live, yet at death and after death, there is ever a testimony of the Lords respect put on it; or thus holy walkers are always seperated and differenced from others as their de [...]th it's ever otherwise with them than it is with others when death comes, however it hath been with them in their life, He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, because he had done no violence, &c. This hath been confirmed in the experience of all that ever lived; The rich glutton Luke 16. hath the better life as to externals, and Lazarus had a poor [...]ffl [...]cted life▪ but when death comes, the rich glutton goes to Hell, and Lazarus goes to the bosom of Abraham: This is laid down as a certain truth. Eccles. 8.12, 13. Th [...]ugh a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be pro­longed, yet surely I know that it shall be well with him that fears God, but it shall not be well with the wicked, there shall be a change at death; and it cannot be otherwise, whe­ther we look 1. To the holy Nature of God who hath a complacency in Holiness, as it's said Psal. 11. ult. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his countenance doth behold the upright: Or whether 2. We look to the Word of God, which Isa. 3.10, 11. bids say to the righteous, It shall be well with them, for they shall eat of the fruit of their doings, (for blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, they rest from their labours and their works do follow them,) but we unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the re­ward of his hands shall be given him, the same connexion that was betwixt Christ's life, though a suffering life and his death, shall be betwixt the life of all his Members and their death. If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.

The Uses are, 1. To let us see what is the true w [...]y to eternal well-being when this short life shall be at an end▪ and it is the way of Holiness; and so it serves to answer a great question, who shall be happy at their death? even they that are holy in their life; whose hands have done no violence, and whose mouth hath had no guile, to wit, with the full bensil of their will, and without all gracious reluctation, for absolute freedom from these in this life was proper only to our Lord Jesus since Adams fall: Such may expect the Lords countenance when death separats their soul and body, therefore take this as a mark for tryal observe and see what is your carriage, and judge accordingly; and seing the Lord hath joyned Holiness and Happiness together inseparably, presume not to separate them.

2ly. Is it so that Holiness hath a good and comfortable close of a man's life, (which is the substance of the Doctrine,) it would commend to us the study of Holiness as the most precious, advantagious, honourable, sick [...]r and safe course that a man can follow; Say to the righteous it shall be well with him; it's not▪ say to the honourable man▪ n [...]r say to the rich man, nor to the wise man, &c. God hath not cho [...]en many of these, as is clear 1 Cor. 1.26. bu [...] ▪ say to the righteous or holy man; it shall be we [...]l with him; and is her [...] any thing that should have so much influence on men, and take them so much up, as how to be well in the close? Folk may [Page 253] have a fighting life of it here, and may suffer much, and be under reproach for a time, as Christ was; but if thou be holy, ere thy Body be laid in the Grave it shall be well with thy Soul: And as for all who have chosen the way of Holiness, we are allowed to say this to you, that it shall be well with you at death and after death, at Judgment and even for evermore; To them (saith the Apostle Rom. 2.9.) who by patient conti­nuance in well-doingr seek for glory and ho­nour and immortality, eternal life; O how ma­ny great and good things are abiding all the honest-hearted Students of Holiness? Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived what they are.

3ly. It's ground of expostulation with them that neglect and slight Holiness; As it will be well with the Righteous or Holy, so they shall have a miserable and desperate lot of it who either despise or neglect Holi­ness, Wo to the wicked (saith Isaiah 3.1 [...].) it shall be ill with him; Some of you may think that ye are rich and honourable, are well cloathed, fit in fine Houses, and have richly covered Tables, when poor Bodies are keeped at the door, and are destitute of these things; and are ready to bless your selves as being well, though ye care not for, nor seek after Holiness; but wo unto you, for ye must die and go to the bottomle [...]s Pit, and there ye will not get so much as a drop of water to cool your Tongues in these tormenting Flames; neither your Riches, nor Honours, nor Pleasures, will hold off the heat and fury of the vengeance of God, nor in the [...]e [...]st ease you in your ex [...]ream pain; but as it is Rom. 2.9▪ Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish (four sore words) wi [...]l be upon every soul of man that doeth evil; O d [...] ye believe this? [...]'s the truth of God and a very plain truth, and we are perswaded none of you will dare down­right to deny it; Holiness will have a sweet and comfortable close▪ and the neglect of it will have fearful eff [...]cts following on it; what is the reason then that Holiness is so little thought of a [...]d followed? do ye be­lieve that ye will die? and think ye ever to come to Judgment, or to hear that word, Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the king­dom prepared for you, for I was hungry and ye fed me, naked and ye cloathed me, &c. O what will become of many of you; when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels i [...]flaming fire, to render vengeance to all them who know not God, and who obey not the Gospel? and will say to you, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for when I was hungry ye fed me not, &c. this is, I grant, a general truth, yet if it be not received, we know not what truth will be received, and if it were received, the practice of Holiness would be more studied; there would be less Sin and more Prayer, Reading, Medita­tion, more seeking after Knowledge, and more watchfulness and tenderness in Folks Conversation; always, in this the Lord shews the connexion that is betwixt Holi­ness and H [...]ppiness, and h [...]re ye have the copy and pattern of an examplary walk.

3ly. From this, that the holi [...]ess and blam [...]nle [...]e [...]s of Christ here spoken of▪ is marked in him as peculiar to him, for it fits him to be a High Pri [...]st, and proves that only he could be the Priest that [...]uited and became us an [...] that no other could do our turn, as the Apostle r [...]asons Heb 7 26, 27, 28. For the law maketh men priests that have infirmity, but the word of [...]he oath which was since the law maketh the son who is con­secrated for evermore; From this I say▪ Ob­se [...]ve, That all men, even the most holy, except Christ (who was both God and Man,) a e sinful and not one of them sinless while living here on earth, and the re [...]son is, be­c [...]u [...]e [...] any were sinless, then this that is said here would not be peculiar to our Lord Jesus Christ, that He di [...] no violence▪ neither was there deceit [...]n his mouth; This being a singular character of our High Pri [...]st that none of his Types could cl [...]m to, it exclu­sively agreeth to him so as it agreeth to none other; The Scripture is full to this pur­pose, in asserting, that not only all m [...]n are sinn [...]rs as considered in thei [...] natur [...]l con­dition, but that even B [...]lieve [...] are sinful in part; for the same Apostle John that sai [...]h, 1 Epist 1.3. Truly, our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, saith also vers. 8. If we say we have no si [...], we de­ceive [Page 254] our selves, and the truth is not in us; and vers 10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us; and 1 Kings 8.46. and Eccles. 7.20. There is no man that doth good and sinneth not, plainly insinuating, that all have need of an Intercessou [...]: We shall not insist in this, on­ly from these words compared with the scope, making it peculiar to Christ to be without sin, and implying, that none other are so, we would consider the necessity of its being so, 1. For differencing and sepa­rating of Jesus Christ from all others, by putting this d [...]gnity on him, of being holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, this is his prerogative and badge of honour a­bove others. 2. It's necessary for this end, to demonstrate the need that there is of his offering himself a Sacrifice for sinners, and that it was not for himself, but for sinners that he offered up himself, and that there is a continual necessity of making use of that Sacrifice, for if there were not a continu­ance of sin in part while Believers are out of Heaven, there would be no need of this part of Christs office; if we were holy and harmless our selves we needed not such an High Priest.

Use 1. To establish us in the faith of this Truth, That among all men there is none that were true men, except Christ, that is without sin; sin is still abiding in them while in this world; of none of them all it can be said, that they have done no violence, neither is there any deceit in their mouth; none of them could ever say since Adam fell, the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me; yea this is a special qualifica­tion of Christ Jesus for his Priest-hood; that he was without sin, and behoved to be so; I am not pleading that sinners should take a liberty to sin because there is no per­fection to be win at in this life, God forbid; wo unto them that make such an use of this truth; nor do I speak of it to allow any to dispense with▪ or to give way to themselves to sin; for we shew before, that Christ is here proposed as our Patern, and we are bid­den purifie our selves as he is pure: But this we say, that none living here on the earth are without sin; the most perfect men that are on this side Eternity, carry about with them a body of death, called five or six times sin, Rom. 7. that hath actual lustings, and a power as a law of sin to lead captive, and that makes the man guilty before God.

Use 2. For reproof to two sorts of ene­mies to this Truth, 1. These inveterate enemies of the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, to wit the Papists, that black train that follows Antichrist, who plead for a perfection according to the law as attainable in this life, saying down two grounds to prove this perfection. 1. That the inward lustings, or first risings and mo [...]ions at least of the body of Death, are no sins: And 2. Their exponing of the law, so as it may suit to their own apprehension and opini­on, yet so as they say, that every Believer or godly Person wins not to this perfection to keep the law wholly, but only some of their Grandees: This the Lord hath mer­cifully banished out of the Reformed Churches, as Inconsistent with the expe­rience of the Saints, who find a law in their members warring against the law of their mind, and leading them captive to the law of sin that is in their members; inconsistent with the Scriptures which clear, that none have attained nor do att [...]in perfection in this life, but the contrary, that in many things we offend all; and inconsistent with Grace, that leaves sinners still in Ch [...]ists common and debt as standing in need of his imput­ed Righteousness; This perfection they place in inherent Holiness and habitual Grace, but we insist not on it. 2ly. Ano­ther sort of enemies reproved here, are the old Familists, who are owned by these who are called Antinomians, seve­ral of which miserable persons are now going up and down amongst us, who say that the People of God have no sin in them, wherein they are worse then Papists, for Papists make it peculiar to some only, but they make it common to all Be­lievers; And Papists make their perfecti­on to consist in inherent holiness, but they make the nature of sin to be changed, and say, that sin is no more so in a Believer, even though it be contrary to the Law of God; We grant indeed that the people of [Page 255] God are free of sin in these respects, 1. In this respect, that no sin can condemn them, they are not under the Law but under Grace in that resp [...]ct, Rom. 8.1. It's said that There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ. 2. In his respect that they cannot fall into that sin which as unto death, as is clear 1 John 5.17, 18 And 3. in this respect, that they canno [...] [...]o sin [...]s to ly or be under th [...] [...]gn and [...]omi [...]ion of sin, as is evident▪ Rom. 6 14. The Believ­er delights in th [...] L [...]w [...]f God according to the inner man R [...]m. 7.22. And is not in sin, neither doth c [...]mmit sin as the unbeliever doth, for the seed of God abideth in him, and is kept from being involved in that which hi [...] corrupt nature inclines the Be­liever to; So then, what the Scriptu [...]e speaks of the Believers being free of sin, is to be understood in one of these respects: But to [...]ay 1. That a Believer cannot sin at all, sad exp [...]rience and the practice of the Saints is a proof of the contrary; Or 2. To say that sin in a Believer is no sin be­cause of his faith in Christ is as contr [...]y to Scripture; For the Law of God is the same to the Believer and the unbeliever, and sin is the same in both, Adultery is Adultery, and Mur [...]her is Murther in David, as well as in [...]ny other man; Sure when Christ bade his Disciples pray for forgivenness of sin daily, he taught them no such Doctrine as to account their sins to be no sins; For if so, they should neither repent of sin, nor seek the pardon of it, as some are not a shamed to say they should not. That which we aim at, is to [...]lear it to be Christs pre­rogative only to be free of sin, none o [...]her in this life can claim it; And to teach B [...] ­lievers to carry about with them daily all along their mortal life that which is for their good, even the sense [...]f sin: I know it is now an up cast [...]rom some pretended per­fectionists, to the people of God▪ that they think and say that they have sin, and a [...]e not perfect; And we are by these men cal­led Antichristian Priests and Jesuits, be­cause we Preach that Doctrine; Bu [...] let it be soberly considered, whether it doth bet­ter agree with Papists and Jesuits to say that Believers are without sin, or to say that they have sin? They who say that Be­lievers or the Saints have no sin, do agree in this with the Papists, who maintain a perfection of holiness, or a conformity to the Law in some in this life, and who deny the lustings of the body of death to be sin; without which opin [...]on, though most gross, they would not, nor could with the least shadow of reason, main [...]ain their Do­ctrine of Ju [...]tification by Works: And yet some now among us will needs call us Po­pish, because we say that we have sin and that none of God's people are [...]ithout sin in this life; T [...]is seems to be very str [...]ge; But that w [...]ich hath been the thought of some sharp-sighted and sagacious men since the b [...]ginning of our confusions, to wit, that Popery is a working as an under-hand de­sign, is by this and other things m [...]de to be more and more apparent: Is there any thing more like Popery working in a myste­ry, yea more Popish then to say that the motions of corruption in Believers are no sins, tha [...] a man or woman may attain to perfection in holiness here, and yet to car­ry on this with that subtilty, as confidently to averr that it's Popery to say the contra­ry? Nay, if the Sc [...]iptures they make use of in their Papers or Pamphlets be well con­sidered, we will find that not only a per­fection in Holin [...]s and Good works is pleaded for, but a possibility of fulfilling the Law and Covenant o [...] Works, as name­ly, 1 Pet. 1.15. 1 John 3.3. and 5.5. and Matth. 5. ult. Will ye (say they) call your selves Saints that are not purified even as he is pure? And will ye c [...]ll your selves Believers that hav [...] not overcome the world, &c? As if all that is commanded duty might be or were perfectly reached in this life, and as if no di [...]tinction betwixt begun, yea considerably advanced holiness and in­tire perfection, were to be ad [...]itted: That for which I mark this, is to shew that the design of Popery seems to be on foot, the Devil in some inconsiderable persons vent­ing these things, when the great Patrons and Authors of them lye derned and hid; And it is observable which we have heard of late, that some Ring-leaders in this time have declared themselves expresly for Pope­ry: [Page 256] Though we have reason to bless God, that the people in this place are kept free of these things; yet this truth is worthy the vindicating, and the hazard and dan­ger is to be guarded against by all of us, when this foul Spirit is driving so hard, and prevailing with some to publish abroad this errour in Papers; And so seeking to draw people into the snare, Lay down but these two Principles both now maintained, that they that have Faith have no sin, and that they that want Grace should not pray, what would they turn to and resolve in? Satan's design in this is doubtless to make all untender, and it is both sad and strange that it is not seen and observed; What a ter­rour and torrure would it be to an exer­cised and tender Christian, and how would it put his Conscience on the wrack, to say to him, What a Faith is this of yours that cannot keep you altogether from sin, and that cannot quite overcome the world? God be blessed that hath given poor Believ­ers other and better grounds in the Gospel by which to judge of their Faith, so that they may own their Faith as found, though they have a mixture of unbelief with it, and yet unbelief is alwayes a sin, and may say with that poor man, Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.

4ly. Observe, That to the making up of a perfect holy walk there is a necessity both of holiness in practice, and of foundness in judgement, that no deceit or guilt be in the mouth, and that no violence be in the bands; And this is needful to be taken notice of, because many have an aptitude to think, that folks may be truly holy, be of what o­pinion, judgement and perswasion they will; As if God had left the mind of man to be a bare empty Table or Board that he might Write on it what-ever he liked or pleased; But our Lord is vindicated here from the scandal of corrupt Doctrine, as well as from scandals in his practice; And therefore as we would say on the one hand to you who are sound in your judgement, and hate errour, that if ye be gross and un­tender in your practice, the soundness of your judgement will not prove you to be holy; So upon the other side, we would say, that though it were possible ye could be sinless in your practice, if ye take a la­titude and liberty as to your judgement to be corrupt, and to vent what ye please, ye will never get Gods approbation as being holy persons, therefore let both be joyned together, soundness in Judgement, and ten­derness in Practice; God give the right use of these things.

WE were speaking some­what the last day of our Lord Jesus His Inno­cency, which is here compended and sum­med up in these two. 1. That there was no violence in his hands. 2. That there was no deceit in his mouth; however he was accounted of among Men, and by them numbred among transgressours, yet he was so in very deed, and before God.

The Prophet proceeds, and answers an objection, How came He then to Suffer, if He was so innocent? especially His Suffer­ings being ordered by God, Who is said to give His Grave with the wicked? He an­swers the Objection, and removes the Of­fence▪ by giving three Grounds for this v. 10. Yet it p [...]eased the Lord to bruise Him, He hath put Him to grief; This is the first Rea­son, and it is taken from the Fountain whence His Sufferings proceeded, Gods good Pl [...]asure graciously ordered it so; It was the good pleasure of Jehovah, that so it should be. The second Reason, is taken from the Nature or End of His Sufferings, in these Words when thou shalt make His Soul an offering for sin; Though he suffer­ed before Men as a sinner, yet before God it was an Offering for sin: To satisfie for, and to remove the sins of His Elect People; The word may be either, When thou, or, when he, shall make His Soul an offering for sin: But both come to one thing, which is this, That His sufferings were not such as befell other Men, nay, nor such as befell innocent Men, but they were ordered on an higher design, and for an hig [...]er End, even to be a Satisfaction for Sinners, and to make way for their Freedom. A 3. Reason is this, as His Sufferings flowed from God's good Pleasure, and were a satisfaction for the sins of His Elect People; so it hath notable and noble effects. And there are Three mentioned here, 1. He shall see His seed, He shall have a numerous Off-spring, many that shall hold Eternal L [...]fe of Him; Men by their suffering of death are incapa­citate to increase their off-spring, but this is a quickning Suffering, and Death that hath a numerous off-spring. 2. He shall prolong His dayes, Which seems to be ano­ther paradox; For Mens dayes are shortned by their Sufferings, and Death; But though He be dead and buried, yet he shal Rise a­gain and Ascend, and sit down on the right­hand of the Father, and live for ever, to make Intercession for his People. A 3. [Page 298] Effect, which is the upshot of all, The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand; God hath designed Him for a Work, which is the great Work of Redemption, even the bringing of many Sons to glory; This is the Will of Him that sent Him, that He should give Eternal Life to as many as should believe on Him: And this is called God's good pleasure which shall thrive and prosper in His hand; He shall pull many Captives from the Devil, and set many Prisoners free; He shal by His Sufferings overcome the Devil, Death and the Grave, and all Enemies; and shall gather the Sons of God together, from the four Corners of the Earth; and that Work shall not mis­give, nor be frustrated, but thrive in His hand: So then in this Text, we have much of the Gospel compended in few Words.

We shal speak a little to one Observation, more from the close of the 9. v. Where Christ Jesus His Sinlesness, and Innocency is holden out, in these two, There was no violence in his hands; no sinfull practice in Him; And there was no deceit in his mouth, Which looks not only to His sinless carriage before Men, and so sayes, that He was no Liar nor Dissembler in His Dealing, and Con­verse with them, but also to H [...]s Doctrine; And so sayes, that there was no Doctrinal deceit in Him; Which is, when Men lie of God to Men, which is a gross sort of lying, and a deceiving of Souls, in making them to take that for Truth which is no Truth: And in derogating from the Truth, and making them take that for Error which is Truth? As the Apostle speaks of such, that they speak lies in hypocrisie: These words, There was no deceit in his mouth, Look to both, especially to the last, that is, the Doctrinal deceit of corrupt Teaching (whereof he was free altogether) I say it looks especially to that, because he was cal­lumniated, traduced, and called a deceiver of people, That is (as if the Prophet had said) most untrue of Him, There is no deceitful word in all His Doctrine; though it was imputed to Him, yet he was most free of it; Thence Observe, That exact Ho­liness and Blamlessnesse, takes in Holiness in a Mans Conversation in respect of pra­ctice, and soundness in His judgement in re­spect of Doctrine; for if our Lord be a Pattern of Holiness, that which was in Him as our Pattern, is called for from us, even to be pure as He is pure; No violence was in his hands, He was no Stealer, nor Robber, nor Oppressor, (to speak so with reve­rence) And there was no deceit in his mouth; The Word and Worship of God was not wronged by Him, and He is holden forth for an Example to us in both.

That which we would say further on this, shall be in a word of Use; Where we may clear both the Branches of the Doctrine, to meet with two exceeding prejudicial Tenets among Men.

1. There are some who if they be not Erronious in their Opinions, and Secta­ries, they think they are well enough, and insult over the Infirmities of Poor Folk, that fall into these Errors; And they will, (like these spoken of) Whore, Drink, Steal, Lie, &c. And yet lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us, no evil shall come unto us; Such half and divide Godliness; They will not be Papists, Puri­tans, nor Sectaries, but there is much un­holinesse in their Practice, much Self-seek­ing, Pride, Hypocrisie, Formality, De­ceiving, Cousening, Falshood: And they cover all with this, That they are sound as to their Profession; though only hearing, and not doing, professing and not practising; But they would consider, that Christ sayeth not, Blessed are they that hear only, but blessed are they that do the will of God; O! be­ware of this great deceit; it is a piece of Christs Innocency and Holiness, That no violence was in his hands, There was no sinfull thing in His practice, no sinful word came from His mouth; Ye shall never be accounted followers of Christ, though ye give your bodies to be burnt for the Truth, (as it is to be feared few of you would do,) if your Conversation be not suitable, God shall never accept of your Testimony, therefore divide not these things which God hath put together; Let Holinesse be in your practice, otherwayes Papists and Quakers, yea, the grossest and most abo­minable Heretickes, and ye will be utterly disclaimed.

[Page 299]2. The other Branch of the Use is, That suppose there were never so much appre­hended tendernesse in folks walk, though they were much in Duty, and though they would quite all they had to the Poor, yet if Deceit be in their mouth, if they corrupt the Truth, and teach others so to do, there is a want of the half of Holinesse, yea, in some respect, of the best and chief half of it; And the Reason is, 1. Because the Image of God consists as much in the Truth as in the Practice, nay if Practice be not conform to Truth, it is no true Holinesse, and where Error is drunken in, there is in so far an utter unsuitableness to the Holi­nesse of Christ, as well as where pro­phanity appears in the conversation, For there was no deceit in his mouth. 2. Be­cause this Word of God prescrives the Doctrine of Faith to be believed, as well as Duties to be performed, and the right grounding of Faith is a main, if not the main thing wherein the Image of God consists, to wit in Knowledge, and Error is as inconsistent with Knowledge, as Igno­rance is, yea, more; in so far as it leaves a contrary impression of untruth on the Soul, which is worse then simple Ignorance. 3. Because, when a Person miscarrieth, by turning aside from the Truth to Error, he also miscarrieth in his Practice, at least in so far; The right conceiving of Truth, being both the ground of our Faith, and the Rule of our Practice: As for instance, let once the conceit and fancie come in, of Folks being above Ordinances, no Con­science is thenceforth made of sanctifying the Sabbath, or Lords day, nor of any other Duty of Worship, but Men become almost, if not altogether Athiests. Yea, 4. The incoming of Error begets a sort of presumptuous confidence, Therefore Christ sayes, He that breaks one of these command­ments, and teacheth men so to do, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of God; he not only breaks the Command himself, but he seeks to engadge others to do so likewise, so that an Error from the Truth, is a sin against the [...]irst Table, and so among the greatest Evils; And the teaching, and propogating of Error, is a sin against the Second Table, because it hazards the Soul of our Neighbour; whereas violence in the hands hurts only his Person or Estate; And 5ly. If we look to the rise of Error, or whence it comes, we will find it to be a Fruit of the Flesh. Gal. 5.19. And that which flows from our corruption, and is therefore ranked in with Witchcraft, Adul­tery, Furnication, Idolatry, Hatred, Vari­ance, &c. 6. If we look to the Scriptures account of it, and of the Propogators of it, We will find that, 2 Cor. 11.13. They are called false apostles, deceitfull workers, mi­nisters of satan, not common sins, transform­ing themselves into the ministers of Christ, and no marvel, for satan himself is transformed in­to an angel of light: For their work is to gather in Souls to the Devil, to hale them, as in a Net to him, to be Disc [...]ples to him. Or, 7. If we look to the Effects that fol­low upon Error, and upon the propogation of it, we will find them to be dreadful; for as it is, 2 Pet. 2. 1. They draw upon themselves swift destruction. And chap. 3.16. They wrest, or pervert the Scriptures to their own destruction. In all these respects, Er­ror in Judgement is as evil, (if not worse) then prophanenesse in practice. And if we look thorow the Churches of Christ, we will find that there hath been more pal­pable havock, and destruction of Souls since Antichrist arose, by his grosse Errors, and damnable Delusions, then hath readily been by sin in Practice; which Men do not own and avouch, as they do these Delusi­ons: Think therefore seriously on this; whoever would be pure as Christ is pure, would study soundnesse in Judgement, as well as tendernesse in Practice; And yet how many are readily mistaken in this? Who, if they meet with some that can speak a few good Words, and make pre­tences to a holy Walk, though the Second Command be baff [...]ed and disgraced by them, and the Name of God torn? And though the Fourth Command be made of none effect, or price by them, it's thought but little of, all is covered with this, that they are good Folks, and of a tender walk; But, Oh! can they be good, who abuse that wherein the Name and Image of God [Page 300] are most tenderly concerned? and will God account that to be Holinesse aggree­able to His Law, that slights, depreclars, and vilifies the best part of His Law? Let me therefore beseech you to take in, and to close Error with other sins, and to look upon unsoundnesse in the Truths of God, as a Fruit of the Flesh; and withall to look upon sound knowledge in the Mind and the form of sound words in the Mouth, as being a Duty, that is called for from you, as well as other Duties: We the rather take occasion to speak to this, because the Devil is seeking to turn Men meer Athiests, Gallio's as to the Truths of God, to care for none of these things; and as to weir out the esteem of Truth, so to make People to look upon Error, as if there were no hurt by it; it's sad that there is not more scar­ring at, and keeping distance from the com­pany of such; if they can but give a parcel of good Words, and make shewes of re­spect to Piety: in this lukewarm time, there is need to guard against this Temper, or rather Distemper; and to look well that we half not, nor divide the Pattern and Copie which God in his Word hath cast to us, and set before us; we would studie Purity and Tenderne [...]e in our Walk, and Growth in sound Knowledge; and would walk humbly under the impression of our hazard: It's sad when Folks are ill girded and yet scarcely discern it: It seems to be a winnowing time, and some are already taken off their feet, who thought not some Moneths, or Years since to have carried in reference to the Truth, as they have done; It hath been Gods mercy to this place, that he hath hedged us about hither­to; at which the Devll hath raged not a little; Be humbled, and have an eye to Him th [...]t can keep his People, and can establish them in the Truth, and make them unbleamable in holiness till the com­ing of the Lord.

We come now to the 10. verse; and from the first part of it, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief. These three things arise clearly. 1. That though our Lord Jesus was most innocent in His own Person; yet was He put to ex­ceeding sore Tryalls, and sharp Sufferings, For 1: He was bruised, to wit, like Corn betwixt the upper and neither Milstones, or l [...]ke Grapes in the Wine presse, which respects not so much his outward suffer­ings, though great (for a bone of him was not broken,) as His inward Soul-suffer­ings, and the inward pressures of Wrath that were on His Humane Soul. 2. He was put to grief; was sore straitned and puni­shed, and these expressions import so much, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, my soul is sore troubled and what shal I say; and my God my God why hast thou forsaken me? The particulars of this grief were spoken to before; and we shew in what respect He was so humbled, and that He was most sinless, and w [...]thout any the least carnal mude or passion, under these expressions, in which the sense of grief vented it self most in Him. Only if it be here asked, what is the reason, why the Prophet doth so much insist, in pointing out Christ's Sufferings, and the extremity of them, that scarce almost is there one Verse, but he hath in it some one or other new aggravation of them? we conceive the reason of it is, 1. Because there is no­thing wherein the greatness of the Love of God, and the kindlinesse of the Mediators condescending doth appear in this; for the more He Suffered, the more the Love of God shined; and His condescendency ky­thed the more; this being the great in­stance, and demonstrative proof of the Love of God, God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, As it is John 3.16. O! manifold and vastly compre­hensive So, what is unfolded in it, Eter­nity will but suffice fully to unfold; and this being the great instance of the Me­diators condescendencie, and of His com­mending His Love to sinners; That while we were yet enemies, he died for us. As it is, Rom. 5. The Lord loves to have this the subject of our thoughts, that we may be led thereby in to the Soul-ravishing, and satisfying contemplation of the Love whence it came. 2. Because there is not any one thing that lyes nearer, or that is readily of greater concern to Believers, [Page 301] then to be well acquainted with Christ's Sufferings, wherein the Lord would have his People spiritually perqueir: and it is of their concernment, in a twofold respect. 1. As it is the ground of their peace, Therefore He is called our Peace, and a Propitiation; for by being acqu [...]in [...] ­ed with Christ's Sufferings, Believers have a solid ground for their Faith, whereby they discover access to peace with God, to Pardon of sin, and Justification, the Medi­ator having undergone these sufferings for this end. 2. As it is the ground of their Consolation; considering that they have a suffering Mediator, that hath payed the Price that was due by them; even such an One that knows [...] what it was to be bruis­ed with Wrath, and is therefor very tender of, and compassionat towards Souls that are under challenges, and apprehensions of Wrath; These are sweet words, which we have to this purpose. 1 John 2. 1. If any man sin, we have an advocat with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation for our sins, who was con­tent to Suffer and Satisfie for them: O! con­sider then what ye are doing, when ye read of His sufferings, for the very Marrow of the Gospel, and the Life of the Consolati­on of the People of God lyes here. 2. From these words. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief; Ob­serve, That the Lord Jehovah had the main and principal hand, in all the Suffer­ings of this Innocent Mediator: It was not the Jews, nor the Scribes and Pharisees, nor Pilat; but it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and to put him to grief. As is clear, Act. 4.27, 28. Herod and Pontius Pilat, the Gen­tiles and People of Israel were gathered toge­ther, to do whatsoever thy hand and thy coun­sell determined before to be done. In all that they did, they were but doing that which was carved out before, in the E [...]ernal Counsel of God; and therefore Peter sayes Act. 2.23. Him being delivered by the de­terminat counsel, and fore knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. The Lords hand was supream in the businesse; and we may ga­ther the Supream and Soveraign I [...]fluence of the Lords hand, in these three respects, in Christs Pufferings, 1. In respect of His appointing them; It was concluded in the Counsel of God, what He should Suffer, what should be the Price that Jehovah would have, and the S [...]crifice that he would accept of from His hand. 2. In re­spect of the Ordering and Over-ruling of His Sufferings, when it came to the execution of His Ancient Decree; He who governs all the Counsells, Thoughts, and Actions of Men; did in a special manner, govern and over-rule the Sufferings of the Medi­ator, though wicked men were following their own designe; and were stirred and acted by the Devil, who is said to have put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ; yet God had the ordering of all, who should betray Him, what death He should die, how He should de pierced, and yet not a bone of Him broken. 3. In respect of His having had a hand actively in them; and as he was the chief Partie that pursued Christ; it was He that was exacting the Elects Debt of Him; therefore the Lord looks over Pilat and Herod to Him; and sayes to Pilat thou couldest have no power over me except it were given thee from above; and to His Father, Father take this cup from me; and my God my God wby hast thou forsaken me? He was pursued as stand­ing Cautioner in our room; in which re­spect it is said, Rom. 8. He that spared not his own Son; He spared Him not when He cryed, but would have Him drinking out the Cup, and Zach. 13.7. Awake O sword against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, smite the shepherd. The Message comes from Him, and He gives the Sword a charge, and orders it to smite Him: In all which respects, it's said, The Lord bruised him, and he hath put him to grief. It was this, more then Sword, or Naills, or Speir, or Whipe, that made Him cry out, another, and a higher hand brought his sinless Soul to more bitterness, then all the Sufferings He endured from Men.

Use. This leads us in to the vendicating of the Soveraign and Holy Providence of God, in that wherein Men have a most sinful [Page 302] hand, and are most unexcusable; though Judas that bettayed, and Pilat that con­demned the Innocent Son of God, acted most sinfully; yet the Lord himself hath an active over-ruling Hand, in carring on His own design; and what Judas and Pilat, with other wicked Men did, was so far from being by guess, that they were the executions of His Ancient Decrees, and He is most Pure and Spotless, in venting and manifesting Grace, Holiness and Justice, when men were venting their Corruptions, Im­piety and Injustice most: Therefore the Holy Providence of God mixeth n more as to any sinless participation with mens sin, in their sinfull and wicked actings, than the Covenant of Redemption mixed it self with the sinfulnesse of them that crucified Christ: Nay this is a principal Diamond in His Crown, that He cannot only govern all the natural se­cond Causes that are in the World, in their several Courses and Actings, and order them to His own glory, but even Devils, and wicked Men, and Hypocrites, their most corrupt and abominable Actions, and make them infrustrably subservient to the pro­moving of His own holy ends and purpos­es, and yet be free of their sin; for which they shall count to Him; And as it was no excuse to Judas, nor to Pilat that they did what before was decreed of God; so it shall be no excuse to any Man in a sinful course; that God hath a hand in every thing that comes to passe; who yet is just and holy in all: It may also stay our hearts when the Devil, and his Instruments, as it were, are runing mad; that they can do no more then what God permits, [...]ay some way commissionateth them to do. The Devil could not so much as touch a tail of one of Job's sheep, without leave [...]sked and given: O! the deepth both of the know­ledge, and of the wisdom of God; how un­searchable are his wayes, and his judgments pasi finding out. 3. As we may see here the concurrence of the Persons of the blessed Trinity, Father, Son and holy Ghost; the concurrence of Jehovah with the Mediator, for carrying on the same design, the work of Mans Redemption, (for it pleased them all;) So taking the Lord Jehovah essential­ly, as comprehending all the three Persons, we may Observe, That the Lord is well wil­led to, and hath delight in prosecuting the work of Redemption, though even to the bruising of the second Person of the God-head, considered as became Man and Mediator, not that He delighted in the Suf­ferings as such, of His Innocent Son, for he affects not willingly the children of men; but considering the end, and the effects that were to follow, to wit, the Seed that He should beget ro Eternal Life, and the Captives whom He was to redeem: In that respect, it was not only against His will, but it pleased Him well, or as the word is in the New Testament, It was his good pleasure, alluding, as [...]is like to this of the Prophet; Hence, when Christ speaks of the work of Redemption: He calleth it the Fathers will and work; the Fathers will, when He sayes, I came not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me, The Fathers work, while He sayes, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do; And here it is called His pleasure; for there was nothing without Himself to move Him to it; when He might have suffered all fallen Mankind to lye still in their forlorne condi­tion; It pleased Him to give His Son of His own good will, to redeem several of them.

Use, If we put these Doctrines together they affoord us wonderful matter of Con­solation. 1. That we have an able Savi­our, that hath given a sufficient ransome for us, a price that cannot be overvalued. 2. A willing Mediator, that gave himself, no man took His Life from Him, but He laid it down of Himself, and took it up again. 3. A willing Jehovah, contriving and tak­ing pleasure in contriving the Redemption of Elect Sinners, through the Death of His own Son: Which reproves, and gives check to the wonderfully strange mistakes that are often found with some poor Souls concerning the way of Peace; as some will be ready to say, if C [...]rist were as wil­ling to take me, as I am to take Him; as willing to welcome me, as I am to come to Him: But is not this a proof of [Page 303] His willingnesse, that He was content to be bruised, and put to grief about the work of your Redemption? others have a secret apprehension, that if God were as willing to receive and save them, as Christ is, they would have more confidence; but sayes the Prophet here, that it pleased the father to bruise him? in whose breast (to speak so) bred the plot of sinners Re­demption? Jehovah thought it good: He loved the salvation of sinners so well, that He was content to seem in a manner regard­lesse of His own Sons cryes and tears, for a time, to make way for performing the satisfaction that was due to Justice; and He did this with good will, and pleasantly. We shall not insist more on particular Uses; but is there, or can there be great­er ground of Consolation, then this? or is there any thing wanting here to compleat the Consolation? Is there not an well sur­nished Saviour commissionate to give Life to whom He will? Who hath purchased it, that He may give it, and a well willing, loving, and condescending God, willing to give His Son, and willing to accept of His Death for a Ransome, and what would ye have more? The Partie offended, is wil­ling to be in friendship with the offending Partie, and to give and accept of the Satis­faction; what can Tentation say, or what ground is for Jealousie to vent it self here? He that did not spare his own Son, but wil­lingly and freely gave him to death for us all, how shall be not with him also freely give us all things? As it is Rom. 8. And if we were reconcilled to God by the death of his Son, when we were enemies, shall we not much more be saved by his life, as it is Rom. 5.10. There is a great disproportion be­twixt Christ, and other Gifts, yea and the gift of Heaven it self; and shall a poor sin­ner have a suffering Saviour given, and may he not also expect pardon of Sin, Justifi­cation, Faith, Repentance, and Admission to the Kingdom? There is here good and strong ground of Consolation, to them that will build on it, let the Fathers, and Christs love to you be welcome in it's offers; that His end in bringing many Sons to glory, be not frustrated by any of you, so far as you can, though it cannot indeed be frustrated; For the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, and he shall see the travel of his soul and be satisfied.

CHrist and His Sufferings have been a most delightsome sub­ject to be spoken and heard of, before ever He suffered; and they would be to us now no less, but much more so; even very glad tydings to hear, that ever the Son of God was made an Offering for sin.

This Verse, as we hinted the last day, doth set forth Christ's Sufferings, and in these three, that the design of God in bruising the Innocent Lamb of God might be the better taken up. 1. They are hold­en forth in the rise where they bred, or in the fountain whence they flowed, the [Page 304] good pleasure of God. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, to put him to grief. Which the Prophet marks, 1. To shew that all the good that comes by Christ to sinners, is bred in the Lords own bosom: It was concluded, and contrived there, and that with delight; There being no constraint, or necessity on the Lord to give His Son, or to provide Him to be a Cautioner for dy­vour sinners, but is was His own good pleasure to do so. 2. To show the con­currence of all the Persons of the Trini­ty, in promoving the Work of Redemption of sinners; which was executed by the Son the Mediator, to shew, that the Love of the Son in giving His Life, is no greater then the Love of the Father, in contriving and accepting of it for a Ransom; there being naturally in the hearers of the Gospel this prejudice; that the Father is more rigid, and less loving then the Son, but considering, that it was the Father, Son, and Spirit that contrived Christs Sufferings; that the Sons Sufferings were the Product, and Consequent of this contrivance, it re­moveth this corrupt imagination▪ and pre­judice, and sheweth, that there is no place for it; It doth also contribute notably to our ingadgement to God, to be throughly perswaded of the Lords good pleasure, in the Sufferings of the Mediator, as well as in the Willingness of the Mediator to Suffer; He having performed the will of the Father in the lowest steps of His Humiliation. 2. They are exprest, and holden forth in their Nature and End, they were to be an offer­ing for sin; and this follows well on the for­mer verse, because it might be said, How could▪ He that had no violence in his hands, nor guile in his mouth, be brought so low? He hath answered in part, by saying. It pleased the Father to bruise him, and to put him to grief: But because that does not so fully obviat, and answer the Objection; He answers furder, that there was a notably good end for it: Though He had no sin in Himself, nor are we to look on His Suffer­ings, as for any sin in Him, yet we are to look upon them as a Satisfaction to Justice, for the sins of others; even as the Bul­locks, Lambs, and Rams, and the Skip­goat, were not slain for their own sins, for they were not capable of sin, yet they were some way Typical Offerings, and Satisfactions for sin, in the room of others for whom they were offered; so our Lord Jesus is the proper Offering, and Sacrifice for the sins of His Elect People; and His Sufferings are so to be looked on by us, and this is the Scop. But to clear the words a little more fully, there are different readings of them, as they are set down here in the Text, and on the Margent. Here it is when his soul shall make an offering for sin (On the Margent it is, when his soul shall make an offering for sin.) The rea­son of the diversity is, because the same Word in the Original, which signifies the Second Person Masculine, Thou, meaning the Father; signifies the Third persons Foeminine: his soul shall make it self; but one the matter, whether we apply it to the Father, or to Christ, both come to one thing; It seems to do as well to apply it to Christ; the former Words having set out God's concurrence, and good plea­sure to the Work; these set out the Medi­ators Willingnesse; as in the last Verse, it is said, that He poured out his soul unto death; and properly Christ is the Priest that offer­ed up Himself; yet we say, there is no difference on the matter now, as to the scope, the will of the Father, and of the Mediator, in this Work of Redemption be­ing both one; though (as we said) we incline to look on them, as relating to Christ. 2. Offering for sin; in the Origi­nal signifies sin; so that the Words are, when thou shalt make his soul sin; The Words being ordinarly used in the Old Testament, and thence borrowed in the New Testament, to signifie a sin offering, as Exod. 29.14 and Levit. 4.5. and 16. Chapters, where the sin offering is appointed, it is the same Word that's here, intimating that, that Sin-offering was designed to bear their sin. They shall lay their hands on the Sin, or Sin-offering; because the Sacrifi­ced Beast was Typically to have the Peo­ples sins imputed to it, though properly, no mans fin is imputed to any, but to Christ. This is also clear, if we compare, [Page 305] Psal. 40.6. with Heb. 10.5, 6. That which in the Psalm is rendered Sin-offering, in the Original is Sin, but the Apostle, Heb. 10. hath it sacrifice for sin; and it is the same Word which he hath, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made sin for us, that is an offer­ing for sin; by which we may see the un­warrantableness of some Mens accounting Christ to be formally a Sinner, because He is called Sin; and because our Sin is said to be laid on Him; which in Scripture Phrase, is as much as His being a Sacrifice for sin, in the room of Sinners.

3. His soul may be taken either simply; for, He shall be an offering for sin, the Soul being often taken for the whole Person; or it may be taken more properly, to re­late to His Sufferings, called the travel of his soul, Vers. 11. however it is the Person, the Man Christ, Soul and Bodie, that is the Sacrifice, and more especially His Soul as the Wrath of God was on it; and when He suffered, His Soul did undergo that Wrath, as well as His Back, was given to the Smiter, and His Cheecks to them that plucked off the Hair.

4. There are two Words furder, which we would hint at, in the Exposition, for clearing of Christ's being called an offering for sin. 1. We would put a difference be­tween the Offerings and Sacrifices which were for Sin under the Law; and this Of­fering which is applyed to Christ. The A­postle sayes, Heb. 10. That it was impos­sible that the blood of bullocks, and of goats could take away sin; They were not pro­perly Sin-offerings, but as they were Types of that Offering which was to come; and so when Christ is called an Offering, He is differenced from all the Offerings that were offered before Him, by Priests on Earth; In this, That His Offering, o [...] Sacrifice takes away Sin, by vertue of it self, according to the Covenant. But these Offerings of of those Priests that were under the Law, (as is clear, Heb. 9.13.) Took not away sin by themselves, but only in so far as Christ who was Typifyed by them was made use of; and from this we may see it clear. 1. That it was by the Blood of Christ, that the Fathers under the Law had their sin pardoned; and that the Pardon of sin was to them an effect of this Offering, as well as unto us. 2. That all these Sacrifices and Offerings under the Law, were Types of this one Offering, and not that one Anniver­sarie Sacrifice, only which was offered once a Year, by the High Priest; which we the rather hint at, because, both these are by Socinus, that enemie of Christ's Satisfaction controverted; he aiming there­by to draw Souls from lea [...]ning to this Offering. 2. What we speak of Christ's Sacrifice, relates to that which He per­formed on Earth, though He be yet a Priest, and lives for ever to make inter­cession for us; yet this Offering respects that which He offered while He was here in the World, and especially that which He offered on the Cross, as it is said, Eph. 5.2. He hath loved us, and given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. and Heb. 10.12. This man after he had offered one sacri­fice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God; and by His Sacrifice once offered up before, He went into the most Holy; He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified: which is also a Truth contro­verted by that same enemy Soncinus; the clearing of it serves not only to open up the meaning of this place, but to let us see the effecacy of Christs Sufferings, and the na­ture of them, that in them especially, His Offering, as it brings Pardon of sin, and Peace with God does consist; so then the meaning of the place is in short, That though our Lord Jesus had no sin, yet it pleased God in His Counsell, to appoint Him to Suffer, and that His Sufferingt should be an Offering for the sin of others.

More particularly, If it be asked, what is meaned by this, an offering for sin, we shall clear it from the Type; and 1. It is here supponed, that there is sin on the Per­son, and that wrath due for sin is to be re­moved. 2. It is supposed, that there is an inability in the Person to remove the sin, and yet a necessity to have it removed, or else he must suffer. 3. There is supposed the interveening, or coming of something in the place of that Person that is guilty of [Page 306] sin, and lyable to wrath. 4. There is sup­posed the acceptation of that which inter­veeneth by God, the Partie offended; and so it presupposeth a Covenant, whereby the Lord hath condescended to accept of that offering. Take it in the Sin-offering goat, the Scape-goat Levit. 16. A vive Type of Christ, when He is brought into the Con­gregation. 1. The Priest must put his hands upon him; and confess the sins and transgressions of the People over him, which signified their acknowledgement of their sins, and a lyableness to suffering, because of them. 2. It supposed their proposing of that Go [...]t, as a Sacrifice to bear their sins, and to take them on him; Therefore it was said, The Priest shall put the iniquities of the People upon him. 3. The one of these Goats was to be sent a­way into the Wilderness, and the other was to be killed; and generally all the Sin-offerings were to be killed: So that no Remission of sins was without Blood, and they came in the room of the Sinners, bearing, as it were their sin, and their punishment. And 4. It is to be an a­tonement, to wit, a Typical Atonement; by this means the People were to have ac­cess to Ecclesiastical Priviledges; but they could not purifie the Conscience, except Christ were made use of; who was the true atonement then, as He is now, still for sin; and by vertue of His Sacrifice according to the Covenant, they were to deall for the pardon of the sins born by Him.

We come now to Observe somethings from the Words, and 1. It is supponed here, that even the Elect, and consequent­ly all others, are by their sin lyable to God's Judgement, and obnoxious to His wrath; there were no need of a Sin-offer­ing, if this were not. The name that Christ gets here, supposes that there was Sin, and that there was wrath for Sin ly­ing at the door of all Men; since Man fell, and brake God's Command; all Men are before God like Isaac, lying before his Father, ready to be killed, his Father having his hand stretched out with the knif, ready to take away his Life: And our Lord Jesus is as the Ram that was caught [...] the thicket of Thorns, whereby Elect Sin­ners are fred, and Himself made the Sacri­fice that was provided in their room and place: Thus in the Name that our Lord Jesus gets, we have holden out to us, the posture that all of us are in by nature, if Christ interveen not to take the stroak off us, on Himself; laying Himself open to the stroak of Justice for Sin: To clear it, con­sider these three things, which will hold out, what this state and posture of ours is. 1. The natural sinfulness, and guilt that Men are lying under, which makes them naked, and to be as that wretched Infant, (spoken of, Ezek. 16.) Lying in their Blood, cast forth into the open field, to the loathing of their persons. This makes God and them to be at feed, and layes them open to the stroak of Justice. 2. Consider the interveening of the Law of God, that threatens the Curse on sin wher­ever it is, and pronunces this Sentence, that the wages of sin is death, and sayes to the Sinner, as it is said to Cain, If thou sin, death lyes at the door; and in this sense, Sinners are not only lyke to Malefactors, taken and apprehended, but like to such when sentenced to death; Therefore John 3.18. It's said, He that believes not, is con­demned already. 3. Consider that Men in their natural state, who have broken the Covenant of Works, have Justice some way pursuing them, to the executing of the Sentence, which God in His Law hath pronunced against them; and they are as these shedders of Blood, before they be­took themselves in to the City of Refuge, having the avenger of Blood following hard at their heell's; in which sense, John 3.36. It's said, He that believes not, the wrath of God abids on him; There is an actual appointment, or ordination of the Curse added to the Laws Sentence, till by Christ it be removed, and this is in some sort grip­ping Him, and taking Him as it were by the throat; By the First of these Man is found guilty, and lyable to Judgement; by the Second, he is Sentenced; but by the Third, the Sentence stands over his head, ready to be executed, and bespeaks him thus, therefore thou art cursed, therefore thou art a dead Man.

Soberly think upon this, and make these Uses of it, 1. See here the condition of all Men by nature, and your own in parti­cular, a very terrible and dreadfull conditi­on; wherein they are like Men lying bound to be a Sacrifice to the wrath of God, the Lords hand being streatched out, to lay on the stroak, and the wrath of God abiding on them, do ye indeed belleve this to be your state and posture; till applica­tion be made of Christs Sacrifice, and till there be a laying of your Sin over on Him by Faith, that ever till then ye are lyable to the Laws Sentence, and that the Cur [...]e and Wrath of God abydeth on you? and yet this is the state and posture of all the Children of Adam, that have not got Jesus Christ put in their room: It was Typicall, if the People did not bring an offering, as was prescribed, their Sin remained in them; but it's reall here, Sin and Wrath remain, where Christ is not made use of by Faith.

The 2. Use is, for Expostulation with many of you, that are still in Nature, (and I wish there were fewer of you in this case to be spoken to) How comes it to passe, when this is your condition by Nature, that ye are so secure, and that ye have few, or no apprehensions at all of the Wrath of God; and of the hazard of your immortal Souls? Ah! are there none such here, that apprehend there hazard? were ye ever under it? and if so, how have ye been delivered out of it? or who is come in your room? do ye think it nothing to be under Sin, and the Curse of God, to have Wrath abiding in you, yea abiding on you? There are many of you who are sleeping sound now, and that disdain to notice Chal­lenges, but as Solomon speaks of the Man that was sleeping on the top of a Mast, and compleaning of that, and of them that de­ceived him; So shall it be with you, that can lye still securely sleeping in sin, and that put by one day after another, and do not make use of this Sacrifice: All that the Gospel aims at is this, that ye would seek to change rooms with Christ, that the feed may be rem ved, and that the quarrel that is betwixt God and you may not be continued and keeped up; especially, seing there is a way laid down how to get your Debt sa­tisfied for; which if ye neglect, what wil ye do, when your day is gone? are there not many dying dayly, and is there not a day of reckoning coming, when the stroak that is hanging, and hovering over your head will light? and seeing it is so, why do ye lye still, and slight Jesus Christ? If it were believed what dreadful wrath is abid­ing many (whereof your secure senslesness, and sensless security is a part) and what a terror it will waken in your Consciences one day, ye would certainly think it good news to have the Sufferings of Christ spoken of, and the Benefit of them offered to you now.

The 3. Use is, to stir up Sinners to thankfulnesse, especially, such of you as are blest with effectual counsel, to make the right use of this Sacrifice; O! Consider how much ye are oblidged to God, and to Christ the Mediator; the preaching of the Gospel is now thought little of, and is tast­lesse to many; but did ye know what is your state and posture by Nature, how near ye are to hell, and how near the Curse and Wrath are unto you, even ready to grasp at you, to tear and devour you, the Medi­ators interposing to Satisfie for you, would make him more lovely to you; and ye that have gotten interest in Him secured, would think your selves much, unspeakably much in His common to say so, and in the Debt of His Grace: this was the posture that Grace found you in, even lyable to the stroak of Gods drawn Sword of Justice; and our Lord Jesus on the one side stepped in, and said hold, Lord; let that be on me, and let them go free, and upon the other side, there was Gods good pleasure, condescending to except of His offer; and saying, Awake O sword, and smite the shepherd, and spare the sheep, what obligation should this lay upon you, to love and be thankfull to God, and to the Mediator, who interposed to keep the stroak off you; I say upon you who are sinners, and ap­prehensive of Wrath? This is Christs offer, and if ye be fl [...]d to Him for refuge, he hath changed Rooms with you; ye are [Page 308] much (as I said) in His Debt, He hath fred you of your Debt, and purchased an absolution to you, and there is no condem­nation to you, as it is, Rom. 8.1. Where­as before ye were in a manner condemned already; But the truth is, our Lord Jesus is undervalued, not only by them that ap­prehend not their hazard, and so make not use of Him, but also in a great measure by them that do apprehend it; in so far as they give way to Unbelief, and dar scarce­ly trust to His Sacrifice.

The 2. and next thing implyed here, is, That though men be Naturally under Sin, and obnoxious to the Wrath and Curse of God, by reason of Sin, yet there is no­thing that can take away that Sin, and free them from Wrath but Christ Jesus His Offering up of Himself a Sacrifice for Sin; Therefore He is so made the Offering for Sin here, as it is exclusive of all other things; no other thing could do it; As it is Heb. 10.14. He by one offering hath per­fected for ever these who are Sanctified. The Blood of Bulls and of Goats could not take away Sin, neither is, as it is, ( Act. 4.12.) There any other name under heaven given to sinners whereby they can be saved, but the name of Jesus: I shall not speak here of the Nature of Christ's Offering and Sacrifice; but sure, though all Men be under Sin, and Wrath by Nature, there is no other way to remove it, except by this Sacrifice; Thousands of Rams, (as it is Micah 6.7.) and ten thousand Rivers of Oyle, the first Born of the Body, will not take away the sin of the Soul; Christ's Offer­ing up of Himself, in Gods account, is only the Sin-offering, for the removing of Sin; and Wrath from Sinners: Is it need­full to prove this? we wish it were not, but the truth is, it's hardly believed by Men, and Women; Consider therefore shortly these three things, and ye will find it true, 1. The Certification and Per­emptoriness of the Curse that follows Sin, as we may see, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them; whatever may be said of Gods absolute Soveraignity, whereof we will not now speak▪ God hath so Ordered His Covenant, and revealled His Will in His Word, that the soul that sins shall die, if a Sacrifice be not put in His Room. 2. Consider the ineffectual­ness of all other things to satisfie Justice, though we would multiply Offerings, what cares God for these? All the beasts on the mountains are his, he delights not in the blood of bulls and goats, as it is Psalm 50. Thousands of Rams, and ten thousand Ri­vers of Oyl are rejected; whether we look to Pennances, (whereof some foolishly talk,) what can these do to God? or whether we look to Mens External Perfor­mances, of Holy Duties, or to their in­ward Convictions; Challenges, and Mourn­ings for Sin, there is no suitable value in these things, to interpose betwixt them, and God's Wrath; suppone that Man after the fall could perform Duties without Sin; therefore the Apostle, Heb. 10. sayes, that it was impossible that the blood of bullocks, and of goats could take away sin; There is no Suitableness nor Proportionablenesse, betwixt the Blood of a Beast, and the Soul of a Sinner; far less betwixt it, and the Majesty of God that is wronged by Sin; wherefore, when the Sufferings of a Sin­ner are lengthened to twenty thousand Millions of Years in Hell, the Justice of God is never satisfied, nor never will be to the full; what then can other things do. 3. There is no other thing, that hath a Promise made, or annexed to it, nor is there any other mean laid down, for the removall of Sin and Wrath; but Christ Offering Himself up a Sin-offering: I know some are ready to think, that though there be no worth in the thing, or Duty; yet God of His free Grace will acccept of it; but is there a Promise of God's accepting any other thing for a Satisfaction for Sin, or for the removall of Wrath, but Christs Sacrifice alone? And will, or can Folks expect that, for which they have no Pro­mise? The Scripture is plain and per­emptory in this, as namely, Acts 4.14 There is no other name under heaven, where­by a sinner can be saved, but by the name of Jesus, He is the door, Joh. 10. the way, the Truth, and the Life; John 14. The pro­mises [Page 309] are yea, and amen in him, 2 Cor. 1. There is greater necessity to be through in this, though a common Truth, then Folks think of; And for Use, It aims at these two, 1. Upon the one side, to cry down all beside, that pretends to satisfie God; or to make a Sinner acceptable to Him; Prayer is no Sin-offering; Repent­ance, Convictions, a blameless Life, &c. are no Sin-offerings; these things are em­pty, and unsignificant, as to the Justifica­tion of a Sinner, or the obtaining of his Pardon- 2. Upon the other side, it points out the absolute necessity of making use of Christ's Sacrifice, and of the betaking of our selves to it, for the satisfying of Gods Just­ice, if there be a necessity of the pardon of Sin, and of the removing of Wrath; there is then sure a necessity of closing with Christ, and His Sacrifice.

The 1. of these Uses speaks to two sorts of Persons, with whom the Word of God hath no weight, and who, in effect thinks to satisfie God with nothing. 1. a pro­phane, graceless, secure Company, who, be­cause God keeps silence, are disposed to think that He is like themselves, and that He will never pursue a quarrell against them,; much like to that Man spoken of, Deut. 29.18, 19. Who sayes in his heart he shall have peace though he walk in the ima­gination of his own heart, adding drunknness to thirst. We have a Generation of this sort among us, who tush at all threatnings, (alas for them, O! that God would be graciously pleased to make a change on them, or if that may not be, that He would rid us of them,) Who will needs live sensually, and as they list, who will needs speak, and do as they please, and will not be controlled; and yet at the first hand, will boldly and confidently assert their hope of Heaven, as if they had ne­ver been Sinners; whence comes this? even from their supposing, that there is another way to Heaven, then God hath Chalked out; they think they may be saved, though they never betake themselves to Christ for Union with Him? but whether shal their Sentence or God's stand? There is a day coming, when ye shall know; ye say ye shall have Peace, but God sayes, No, Why so? Because ye never knew what it was to make use of Christ; ye had never so much as a Form, nor any the least Gust of Religion, but were, and are still as sensless as the Stones in the Wall: what do ye think will become of this? God urges as it wete, the offers of Christ upon you, and ye still slight Him; He tells you, that there is a necessity of Union with Him; else ye shall never see Heaven; and ye lye still at a distance from Him, and yet will needs hope for Heaven; but alas! it will not be so with you: either think on the right way, which is by putting Christ in in your Room, and laying of Religion to the heart in sad earnest; or dream not of coming to Heaven. A 2d Sort are they, who are not altogether so prophane as the others, but will condemn them, (as in­deed the practice of many is loathsome) they will, it may be Pray in their Fami­lies, and will not be Drunk, neither will they Swear nor Lye, and they will walk blamelesly; and upon these grounds, they promise Heaven to themselves, very confi­dently; and yet they come not through the sense of their sinfull and cursed State, by Nature, to close with Christ by Faith, and to make use of His Sacrifice; such err on the other hand. Oh! when shall we be at this, not to neglect the study of Holiness, and yet not to rest on it, to the prejudice of this one Offering: This were a a practice suitable to, and worthy of Pro­fessors of the Gospel; to be seriously aim­ing at all Duties of Holiness that are called for; and yet to be building all their expect­ation of any good from God, on the Sacri­fice of Christ alone; never coming to God without bring it along with them, and looking through it to be accepted before Him; there n eds no more, and no other thing that we can bring, will do our turn, nor be taken off our hand, if this be ne­glected. The Lord Himself teach us this way.

WHat ever the Men of the World think of it, it is not an easie mat­ter to get the Justice of God Satisfied for Sin, and to get the Wrath and Curse that Men, by Sin have drawn on themselves removed; Offerings of Bullocks, and Goats, thousands of Rams, and ten thou­sand Rivers of Oyl, will not do it; the Re­demption of the Soul is so precious, that it ceaseth for ever that way, and by all such Means: Therefore the Lord in His wisdom hath found out the Means, and in His Grace and Love hath Condescended, that His own dear Son, His Fellow, shall as a Lamb without Spot, be a Sin-offering, to take away the Sins of His Elect World; and this is the great Consideration under which we should take up the Death of Christ, as making Himself therein an Off [...]r­ing for Sin; and interposing Himself to satisfie Divine Justice, that forgiveness might be made forthcoming to us.

The Doctrine which we proposed to be spoken to, the last day was this, That Jesus Christ is the only Sin-offering, by which Sin can be taken away, and God so Satis­fied, as to forbear the Punishment of the Sinner, and to admit him to Peace, and Friendship with Him; If we would Enum­erat all things imaginable, and Invent Wayes and Means without number to remove Sin, or to make a Sinners Peace with God; there is no other Means but this, that will do it, As we have it Heb. 10. Christ Jesus by his once offering up of himself, perfects for ever these who are sanctified; and Act. 4. There is no other name given under heaven, whereby sinners can be saved, but the name of Jesus.

The Use is, To Commend, and to De­monstrat to us all, the necessity of the Use making of this one Offering of Christ; if He be the one Offering to take away Sin, and if no other will be accepted; then there is a necessity, that He, in His Offer­ing of Himself be made use of; If all be under Sin, and if by the Law, Sin and Death, be knit inseperably together (as it is said, the wages of sin is death) and if Freedom from Sin and Wrath, and Peace with God, be necessary; then there is a necessity, that Sinners be serious in this matter, to get a Title to, and Interest in this one Offering, and Sacrifice of Christ.

In the prosecuting of the Use, we shall speak a little to these four things. 1. To some Grounds. or Reasons, to shew the Necessity of Sinners use making, of Christ's Sacrifice, or Offering. 2. To this, what it is to make use of this Offering. 3. We shall give a Word of Advertisement, as to some mistakes that are about it. 4. We shall give some Differencing Characters, or Evidences, of a Person that is making right Use of this Offering, for obtaining of Par­don, and for making of this Peace with God.

For the First, That is, the Reasons to evince the necessity of it, The 1. of them is, that which we hinted at just now, If Men were not lying under Sin, and ob­noxious to Wrath, and if there were any other Sin-offering, or any other Way, or Mean, to escape the Curse and Wrath of God due for Sin; there were no such necessity: But seing that all Men are under. Sin and un­der the Curse of God and His Wrath, because of it, and seing there is no other thing that can take away Sin; then there is an ab­solute necessity, seriously to make use of, and to have an Interest in this Sin-offering. 2. Consider, that the great part of Men in the World, and even of them that hears this Gospel, do not indeed make use of this Offering, though they be some way under the Conviction that they are Sinners, and that this is the only Sin offering to take away Sin, and we suppose, if ye were all put to it, ye could not deny, but ye are Sinners, and that nothing can take a­way Sin, but Christ's Offering up of Him­self as a Sacrifice to satisfie Justice; Though some be that grosly ignorant, that they will speak of some other thing; yet generally these that own and maintain the Truth of the Gospel, are under a Convicti­on, that no other thing can take away Sin; and yet even amongst these, there are many that never make use of Christ, and of His Sacrifice to take away their Sins, to re­move Wrath, and make their Peace with God: There were many Jews, who by the dayly Sacrifices, which Typed forth this one Offering of Christ, were taught, that there was no other way to come by Pardon, and Peace with God, but there use making of it; and yet the most part of them, in going about these Sacrifices, were slighters of this one Sacrifice; Therefore the A­postle sayes of them, Rom. [...]0 [...]. [...]3. That be­ing ignorant of Gods righteousness, they went about to establish their own righteousness and did not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God; It is as certain, that many that hear this Gospel, and professe Christ to be the only Sin-offering; will be disowned of Him on this account; Therefore, many are brought in, saylng, Luk. 13. did we not hear thee preach in our streets, have we not eaten and drunken in thy presence, to whom He will say, depart from me, I never knew you, ye workers of iniquity; Because (as if He had said) what ever ye profesied ye never made Peace with God, through and by me; and what is the Reason, I pray, that so many perish un [...]er the Gospel who in Word acknowledge this one Offering, and that it is it only, which takes away Sin, but because that notwithstanding of that Conviction, and Acknowledgement, they are never brought actua [...]ly to make use of Christ, and of this His Sacrifice and Offering; and if ye think, and acknow­ledge, that there are many that go to Hell. tha have the Knowledge and Conviction of this Truth, ye must also grant, that it is, because they make not Conscience to make use of it, 3. Consider, that though there be many of the hearers of the Gospel, who do not rest on Christ, yet it is very hard to convince any of them that they are ready to slight Christ's Sacrifice: I am sure that both the former will be granted. 1. That nothing but Christs Sacrifice can Sa­tisfie Justice; 2. That many do not rest on it, and so perish, but if we come to the 3. Sarcely shall we find one that will grant (except it be a tender Bodie,) that they make not use of Him; they will easily be convinced, that Adultery is a Sin, and that they are guilty of it, if they be so in­deed, that Drunkenness, and Sabbath­breaking are Sins; yea, possibly, (which is more) that vaging of the Mind in Duties of Worship is a Sin, and that they are guil­ty of it; but it is not so easie to convince them that they are guilty of the Sin of not making use of Christ, and of His Sacrifice; nay they are so puft up with a good opinion of themselves, that they will laugh at such a Challenge; And hence it is, that so few make use of Christ's Sacrifice, and of His Righteousnesse, because so few are convinc­ed, th [...]t they believe not on Him; There­fore, when the Spirit comes, John 16. It's said, that he shall convince the world of sin; not because they did Whor [...] Drink S [...]ar, &c. [...] Convictio [...]s for these Sins will not be wanting; but because they [Page 312] believe not in Christ; And hence it is, Luke 13.25. That these will not take Christ's first answer, I know you not; what (as if they said) knows thou not us? we have eaten and drunken in thy presence, we have professed Faith in thee, and our hope to get Heaven by thy Righteousness; and yet He shall answer them again peremptorly, depart from me, I know you not, Not that there will be much to do, or any great difficulty to convince folk in that day, or any room left to debate the businesse; but He would tell us by this, that many die in this Delusion; And if it be a thing that Folks are so hardly convinced of, had they not need to be seriously sollicitous, that they be not deceived, and disappointed? 4. Consider how sad the disappointment wil be to Sinners, on day, when they shall be brought to acknowledge, that they knew that there was no other Name given where­by Sinners could be saved, but the Name of Jesus, and yet that they slighted and re­jected Him; ye that never seriously mind­ed compting and reckoning with God, do ye think on this; and that the passing of the Sentence will be upon this ground; to wit, whether ye have fled to Jesus Christ, and made use of His Sacrifice, or not? will it not be a sad disappointment, to meet with a dolefull depart from me, on this ground; because though there was some Conviction, that this was the only Sacrifice, and Sin-offering, that takes away Sin; that yet it was not made use of, nor made the ground of your Peace with God?

But to the 2. What is it then to make use of this Offering? I know no better way then to explain it from the Typical Sacri­fices, that were under the Law; and we may take it up in these three. 1. It im­plyes a through Conviction of Folks lyable­lenesse to the Justice of God for Sin, and in an utter inability in our selves, and an utter emptiness, and impotencie in all other Means to satisfie for Sin; thus they that brought the Sacrifice to the Priest, laid their hands on the head of the Beast, by which they acknowledged, that Death was due unto them. So then to have the live­ly sense of the due desert of Sin; that is, to have the Sentence of Death carried about in our Bosom, to have the through Convicti­on of the emptinesse of all other Means of relief, is requisit to the right use making of Christ's Offering. 2. It implyeth this, that there be a look had to the Institution, and Ordinance of God, appointing this Sacrifice to be the Mean of the Redempti­on of Sinners; Therefore in these Sacri­fices that were Offered for Sin, there was a respect had to Gods Covenant; wherein were not only Promises relating to External Cleansing, and to Admission to Church-priviledges; but Promises also, relating to inward Cleansing, and to the Pardon of Sin, which was the great End of these Sacrifices; and the looking to the Institution of this Sacrifice, is the Ground that leads us in to take up the end of Christs Sufferings, and is a warrand for our Faith, in the use mak­ing thereof; being the only Sacrifice that expiats Sin, and holds off Wrath; and if these two things be not carried along in the use making of this Sacrifice, to wit, the Conviction of Sin, and of the lyableness to Wrath; and Gods Institution and Ap­pointment of this Sacrifice, to take away Sin, and to avert Wrath, our Use making of it is, but Will-worship. 3. It implyes this, that when the Sinner is walking un­der the sense of his Sin, and of the Empti­nesse, and Ineffectualnesse of all other things, to remove Sin and Wrath, (as David hath it, Psal. 51.16. Thou desirest not sacrifice, thou delightest not in burnt offerings;) There must be a looking to the Worth of Christ, and of His Sacrifice, that is appointed to take away Sin, and hold off Worth; and the Soul's actuall applying of it self to His Offering, and the applying of His Offering to it Self; as we may see, in the 4, 5, 6. and 16. Chapters of Leviticus, where there are se­veral Sacrifices appointed to be Offered, for several Sins, and particularly that of the Scape goat; on the head whereof, the Priest for the People was to lay his hands: in which was implyed, not only their ac­knowledgement of Sin; and of their de­serving of Death; and of Gods appoint­ment of that to be a Typical Offering for [Page 313] the Typical taking away of Sin; but these two things [...]urder were implyed. 1. That they did take the Burden of their Sins, which neither they themselves, nor any other could bear, an [...] laid it on Christ; when Justice did put at them for their Debt, (to speak so) they drew a Bill on Christ, as their Cautioner, to answer it; and as they did put the Debt in His hand, to be payed by Him; so they Lippened and Trusted the weight of their Souls to Him, and to no other: So that when God was pursuing them for their Debt; saying, as it were, I will have Payment of you, or else ye must Die; they brought the Sacri­fice to the Priest, to please God Typically with an Eye to Christ Typifyed thereby; Even so for Sinners, to make use of Christ's Sufferings, is in the thorow Conviction of Sin, and of deserved Wrath; to flie un­to Jesus Christ, and to put Him in their Room; being Content and Desirous, that He be their Cautioner, and undertake for them, and Satisfie for their Debt; yea, puting Him Actually to it, to pay their Debt, So that they have no other Answer to any Challenge for Sin, but this the Cau­tioner that I have betaken my self to, and put in my Room, will pay this Debt, and answer for it: The 2. Act of Faith, is, this, when they have betaken themselves to Him, and to His Sacrifice, they Acqui [...]sce in, and Rest upon it alone, for obtaining of the Sentence of Absolution; which was also implyed in the People, their laying their Hands by the Priest, on the Head of the Sacrifice; For as it implyed, their acknowledging that they could not Please, nor Satisfie Go [...] of themselves▪ nor by any other Way or Mean; so it Implyed, that according to God's Covenant, they ex­pected His Absolving of them, because of that Sacrifice; and that, though they were Desperat by themselves to Satisfie, yet that they had Faith in God's Covenant, that the Sacrifice they Offered, would Typically Satisfie Him; Even so the Be­liever draws the Conclusion from Christ's Sacrifice, according to the Terms of the Covenant, that He hath Absolution; and rests on, and acquiesces in it; and this is called Trusting, or Confiding in Christ; when not only he casteth himself on Him; but hath Confidence, that the Bill which He hath drawn on him will be Answered by Him, which is founded on the Covenant; In which it's said, of all that come unto me, I will put none away; As it is, John 6.37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wayes cast out; and Zach. 13. There is a fountain opened in the house of David, for sin, and for uncleanness; On which ground, Believers expect the benefit of Washing, on their performing of the Con­dition of the Covenant: And when David, Psal. 51.7. Prayes, purge me, wash me, It holds out the Act of Faith, drawing the Bill on Christ; And when he sayes, I shall be clean, and white as snow: It holds out his Confident Resting on, and acquiescing in Christ for Cleansing; And this is the reason, why some expresse [...]aith, by cleav­ing to Christ; others, by confident resting on him, or by assurance; and there may be a Truth in both; because the one looks on Faith, according to the first Act of cleaving to Him; And the other takes up Faith according to the other Act, of assur­ed resting on him, or confiding in him, and on, or in His Sacrifice offered up once for all: In a Word, to make Use of this once Offering for Sin; is so to make Use of Him, as to put Him in our Room, and our selves some way in His Room; N [...]t to dare to Compt, and Reckon with Justice, nay, not to dare as it were, to Compt with Christ; but leaving Christ in the stour (to speak so,) and running away from Reckoning with Justice; to hide our selves under Him, who can count to the utmost Farthing; Even as when God command­ed Abraham to offer up his Son Isaac, and and when he was lifting his hand to slay him, there came a Voice from Heaven, Abraham hold thy hand, and a Ram is pro­vided, [...]nd Isaac is loosed, and taken down from off the Altar, and the Ram is put in his stead and place; So there is here a changing of Rooms with Christ, ac­cording to that sweetest Word, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we who had no Righteousnesse, [Page 314] might be made the righteousness of God in him.

3. If it be so very difficult, and yet so absolutly necessary to make Use of Christ; and especially in His Offering up of Him­self, for the Sin of His People; there is ground here for Warning, and Advertise­ment, to walk tenderly in this Matter, that this Sacrifice be not flighted, that this One Offering be not Neglected, as we would not have Sin lying at our Door. And here we shall point at three sorts of Per­sons, who may be counted slighters and ne­glecters of this Offering. The 1. Sort are these, who think to make their Peace with God, without minding the necessity of the interveening of any thing betwixt Him and them; and these go on severall Grounds, or are of several Sorts. 1. Some are utterly carelesse how their Peace be made, or whether it be made or not, they hope for it, and think to come at it, but cannot give an account whether they will come at it or not; and they are careless to know the way. 2. Others go upon their presumption; They think God loves them, because they love themselves; and though they know they have Sin, yet they think God will not be so ill as to Reckon with them; They think they are sure that God loves them, but they cannot give a ground for it. 3. Others think, God is mercifull, and therefore they conclude, that they will be Pardoned; They cannot conceive God to be like Man in His Mercy; but to be far beyond Him (as indeed He is in­finitely, in some respect) and therefore, be­cause, when Man is mercifull, he sometime seeks no Satisfaction; So neither will God think they; Not considering, that though God be merciful, That yet He will not shew mercie to the prejudice of His Justice; but will needs have it Satisfied; Such think on the Matter at least, that they would have gotten mercy, though Christ had never died; It is true, if God had not been mercifull, never a Sinner had gotten mer­cy; yet that is not the ground of His shew­ing mercy; Otherwayes all the World might expect mercy; For He is, and ever was Gracious and mercifull in Himself; and therefore there must be some other Ground and Way for obtaining of Pardon; else it cannot be expected, because of the a­lone Simple, and Abstract consideration of His Mercy; And yet many will needs expect it on this Ground, without re­spect to the Mediators Purchase. A 2. Sort, are they that take a Legall way for making of their Peace with God; Not, as if they thought to appear before God with­out Sin, and Holy, as the Covenant of Works requireth; but if they Sin, they will make a mends; and it's either some­thing Negative, that they have not done, or something Positive, that they have done; or some Internal Qualification, that they rest upon. 1. Something Negative, they have not been so ill as other Folks, and if they go to Hell, they think few will go to Heaven; They have done wrong to none; and if they were about to Die, they think, and it may be say, that they will leave a good Name behind them, on the account of their harmless Walk; like that Pharisee they can say, Lord I thank thee, I am not like other men, nor like this Publican: They are no Drunkards, no Oppressors, they neither Curse nor Swear; and when they see any prophane Persons, they are puft up, with a good Opinion of them­selves, because they are not as prophane as they. Or 2. They will come a furder Length, and positively do many Duties upon which they rest, and whereof they are ready to boast, with that same Pharisee who vaunted, I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all I possesse; If any Dutie be performed, or any good be done by them; their Fingers are ready (to say so) to stick to it: But 3. and especially, if there be any inward Work, as if there be any Liberty, or Motion of the affections in Prayer, if there be at hearing the Word, some Convictions sharper at one time then at another, if there be any sort of Repentance, Ruing, and Sad­nesse for Sin, &c. These they think will do their turn: It is most certain, and might be cleared, both from the Word of God, and from Experience, that many hundreds of Professors Dash, and Perish [Page 315] on this Stumbling Block, Isaiah 48.1.2. Where the Lord is speaking of a People, that made mention of his name, and sware by him, but not in truth, nor in righteous­ness; of whom He sayes, that they call and count themselves of the holy citie, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; and the Ground of it is, their resting on ex­ternal Duties of Fasting and Prayer, and the like: expectations of Happiness, grounded on some feckless performances, cut the Throats of many Civil and Dis­creet Men, that are not grosly prophane. A 3d. Sort, do not altogether slight and neglect Christ Himself, but they slight and neglect His Offering; as if they would in a manner make use of Himself, but not of His Sacrifice, as Matth. 19. and Mark 10. There is a Man spoken of, that comes to Christ, would fain be at Heaven; and askes good master, what shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life; and yet he was going on the Grounds of his own Righte­ousnesse; this is exceeding subtile and de­ceitfull; And therefore ye would take the better Notice of it; and how it is fallen in­to: A man may come to Christ, as God for Pardon of Sin; (and some think though most Ignorantly, and Erroniously, that Christ the Son is more compassionat, and ready to Pardon then the Father) and may seek Pardon from Him; but not for His sake, or on His account; for there is a difference betwixt making Christ the object of our Worship; and making use of Him as Mediator; There are many that have prayed to Christ as God, and sought Pardon of Sin from Him; who never pray­ed to obtain Pardon, by vertue of His Offering; Folk may also desire help from Christ, to inable them to do Duties, that they may thereby work out the work of their own Salvation; and be helped this way to make their peace with God; who do not ground the making of their Peace with God on His Offering alone; These things are exceeding frequent in Peoples Practice; who will pray to Christ for such and such things, and yet not found their ex­pectation of them upon His Offering, or His Righteousness; If we would make use Christ's Offering, Singly and Rightly we would eschew these, and all other wrong wayes.

4. It may be asked then, what are the Evidences, that may give a Person some clearness, that he is making use of Christ's Righteousness aright, and that it is not his own Righteousnesse; nor the making use of Christ only as He is God; that sustains him, I answer, that this is indeed a Miste­ry; and will require searching, and watch­ing to observe our own Condition; And moe things concurre then one or two, to make a full discovery of it; In speaking to this, as we desire to strengthen the pre­sumption of none; So we shall labour to shun the weakning of the Faith of any Sound Believer. There are then these Six or Seven Differencing Evidences, or Characters of a Person, that is rightly making use of Christ's Offering; which Difference Him from others; And 1. one that truely makes use of Christ's Offering hath not only been brought to see his need of It; but his Natural Propension, and Readinesse to misken it, and rest upon other things beside it, for the making of his Peace; Whereas another Man, who does not rightly make use of it, though he may see his Sin, and so his need of it; yet he sees not, neither will take with the Tendencie, Propensness and Inclination of his Heart, to rest upon some other thing beside it; See this difference in Paul, be­fore and after Conversion, Phil. 3. Be­fore he was Converted, he studied, as he thought all the Righteousnesse of the Law; and no doubt offered Sacrifices which im­plyed the acknowledgement of Sin; and he thought that all was well with him; Therefore he sayes, touching the righte­ousnesse of the Law, he was blamelesse; and verse 6. These things that were gain to me; Or these things that I placed my Righte­ousnesse in; I thought the moe Sacrifices that I offered, I had the more to buy my Peace by; He sees, that in his studying of Holi­nesse, he was seeking to make a Stock in himself: But after his Conversion, he casts all these, as to leaning to them, or making them any ground of his Peace with God, [Page 316] or of his Justification before Him; he be­takes himself only to Christ's Righteous­ness, and counts them to be but loss; I would think it a good evidence for folks, not only to see the loosnesse of th [...]ir Hearts in Dutie, and that to be a Sin; but to see when ought went well with them, the inclination of their hearts ready to ac­count that to be Gain, and to rest upon it: There is such an Humour and Natural In­clination in all; and it is a good Token, when it is discovered, and becomes a Binder, and the ground of a Challenge; not only that they have sinned, in this and that, and the other Duty; but that they have gone a whoring after their fecklesse performances, to the prejudice of their esteem of Christ, and of His Righteousness; Before the law came, (saith Paul) Rom. 7. I was alive, I thought, I had a Stock to do my own turn; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. There are many that will be convinced of Sin in their performances; that will not be convinced of this sinfull Inclination, to put these in Christ's Room; A 2d, Difference, or Evi­dence is this; One that aims to make use of Christ's Offering and Righteousness; not only their Sins will be an exercise to them; how to win over them to Christ, but it will be their exercise also, how to win over their Graces, and Duties to Him; It will be an exercise to them, not only to have such a Sin in their Dutie taken away; but how to win over the Dutie it self, that they stumble not on it, to the prejudice of their trusting to Christ; whereas ano­ther Man, when his Duties go well with him, it is easie to him to win over them as he thinks, because he rests satisfied with them. Paul, Phil. 3. Sees not only while he was in Nature, that he counted some­thing Gai [...] beside Christ, but after Conver­sion, he finds an Inclination to it; and therefore in opposition to this Inclination, he doth with a doubtless cry down all things, and counts them but Dung and Loss, for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ; Taking in his Gracious Actions as well as others; For the Words in the Text, and Context tell us, that he is speaking of Duties performed by him even after Conversion, and that he found, a necessity to cast away the Good as well as the Bad; in the point of Justification; as a Man that is in a storm at Sea, hath a great­er reluctancy to cast over Board Silks, Sa­tines, Velvets, and other such fine things then that which is more base, and of less worth; So he found it more difficult, and was put to some harder exercise, to be quite of his Duties, that they should not stick to him, then to be rid of his Sins; is there any such exercise as this amongst Folks? to be put to wrestling with their Duties; not as being angry at them as such; but how to get them as it were cast over Board; to be Jealous of any good in them, or done by them; That it prejudge not their esteem of Christ; To be bussie in well doing all the Day, and in the evening to count all their doing but Loss; And to renunce it utterly, as to any puffing up by it, or as to the making of their peace with God thereby; A 3d Evidence is this, One that is Single in making use of Christ's Sacrifice, will be exercised and disquieted, when his Duty is done, till there be for acceptance, a Staying and Resting on Christs Righteousnesse: There are two sorts that utterly fail, and fall short here. 1. Some that are content with Sin, and make lies their refuge. 2. Others that are satisfied with Dutie, if it go well with them, and promise themselves acceptance on that alone Account neglecting Christ; but the Believer hath (as I just now said) on exercise of Faith, how to be quite of Sin; and another new exercise of it, how to be fred from resting on Duty; and how to be singly ingadged unto, and to rest upon Christ: is mind is not quiet in all his Duties, till he come hither, even to be found in Christ, not having his own R [...]ghte­ousnesse, but His; It's a good token, when Folks are not only exercised to have Sin Mortified, and Duties going with them, but also to have their Peace with God grounded on Christ, and not on Dutie; Hence it is, that a Christian will sometimes be taken up a whole day in Dutie, and yet have but little, or no Peace, because he [Page 317] would be over, and through all Duties to resting on Christ, which he wins not at to his Satisfaction. 4ly. One that is single in use making of Christ, and of His Offering, hath a fear of mistaking this Offering of Christ; and that some other thing be put in His Room, and He miskent, or ne­glected: There will not be only a fear, least he Sin, and come short in the suitable per­formance of such a Duty; and least he fall under Wrath but also Fear and Jealousie, least in his Unbelief, and Selfy­ness, he going wrong in the use making of Christ, and of His Sacrifice; as is imply­ed in the Word, Heb. 4.1. Where the Apostle having spoken of many of the Is­raelites their Unbelief in the former Chap­ter, sayes, in the beginning of this; Let us therefore fear, least a promise being left us of entring into his rest, any of us should seem to come short of it, to wit, through Unbelief; Be Holily Jealous (as if he had said) least, as it is Chap. 3.12, 13. There be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God; In a word, he will be suspecting the exercise of his Faith, as much as any thing; a Naturall Man will sometimes it may be, suspect his Duties, but hardly will he be brought to suspect his Faith, otherwayes he could not have the peace that he hath, such as it is: This may also be Confirmed, from that poor mans prayer to Christ, Mark 9. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. He dare not well trust his own Faith. 5ly. They that are single in their use making of Christ's Offering, not only see themselves Sinners, but they carrie along with them the discovery of the naughtinesse of every thing that is best in them; when they see that to which others lippen to so much, so very unsuitable, and that they are far short of that which they should be at; they dare not own, nor look on it to boast of it; but it's a burden to them, to see so much Sin in it; It's nothing to see Sin in some outward Actions, and in that which is directly contrary to Gods Law; but it's much to see Sin in our best things, as in our Faith in God; in our Love to Him; and in our ends in Holy Duties; A Legal Man will confess it may be readily, that he Sins in every thing; but he covers all with this, that he hath a good heart to God, or a good end: The Believer on the contrary, sees all his good so naughty, that it is tasteless to him; He never gets any thing to rest on, or that can bear his weight to confide in, till he come to Christ's Sacrifie:

6ly. Such as are aiming rightly to make use of Christ's Offering and Sacrifice, esteem, and think exceeding much of it; Therefore they adventure Heaven, and their Eternal Salvation on it; It's that which cheers and delights them most, that Christ hath stepped in and ingadged to do that for them, which neither themselves nor any other Person or thing could do; The life (saith the Apostle, Gal. 2.) that I now live in the flesh, is by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. And 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faith­ful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came to the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. And John heartsomlie, Rev. 1.7. To him that loved us, and wash­ed us from our sins in his own blood, &c. But they that endeavour not, neither aim rightly to make use of Christs Sacrifice, think little or nothing of it; They are not made glad, nor are their hearts lifted up with Spiritual Joy, because of it: The good and glad news of a slain Saviour, are not the chief ground of their Consolation, as they are to the Believer: This evidence is somewhat general, yet sure as well as the former. O! but it's matter of much won­der, to the Believer, when he thinks how that when the Stroak of Justice was ready to come on him; Christ should have in­terposed betwixt him and that Fatal, and Deadly Blow; But others esteem not of it, and therefore cannot make use of it. 7ly. They that are rightly making use of Christ's Sacrifice, find it to be a difficult thing, and that which will cost them wrastling to get it made use of aright: they breath after it, and yet win not to that which they would be at in it; O! as David cryes, Psal. 51. purge me with hysop, and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be white as snow. They know not well what way to make use of it to their Satisfaction, they would make [Page 318] so much use of it; or how to vent and ex­ercise their Faith on it; and when it comes to Actual Believing, and to the Acting of their Faith, they find it to be like a smooth and slippery Stone, that they cannot easily hold their Feet on. So Paul sayes, Phil. 3. I count all things but dung, that I may win Christ and that I may be found in him: He cared not what he cast over board, that he might win to that Land, even to Christ and His Righte­ousness: Like Sea men in great hazard, who cast all over board, to win the Shoar; It's even so with the Believer, He sees that there is such hazard to go wrong, and that It's so difficult to be right, even to make the heart submit to the way of Faith, and to abide by it Singly, that he is content to suffer the loss of all things, if he may be right here: But on the contrary, a Man that rests on his own Righteousnesse, be a difficultie what will to him, Faith is no difficulty to him: He may have fear to come short of Heaven sometimes; but he thinks that he is alwayes exercising his Faith: In a word, the Believer ordinarly believes best, when he hath the deepest, and most kindly impression of his Sin, as for the Legall Man, he can believe well, as he thinks, when he hath no challenge for Sin; but when he is challenged for Sin, his Faith faills him. Now from all that hath been said, ye may see the necessity of making use of this Sacrifice: And how warrily, and cautiously it should be done; that ye may steer a straight Course between gross Prophanity, and Presumption, either of which will ruine and destroy the Soul: The Lord Jesus Himself be your Steers-man, and Pilot, that ye by His Skilfull Conduct may Stemme the Port, and hold off these Rocks, on which thousands of Souls Split, and make Ship-wrack.

SIn was easily brought into the World, a little businesse brought in Sin, and the Curse and Wrath of God with it; and without any great difficulty, Men can continue in Sin, and lye under Gods Wrath and Curse; but the taking away of Sin; and the Satisfying of the Justice of God for it, is no easie matter; (that if we may so speak,) did put Heaven and Earth both to it; There was such a contrivance of this way, and such a mean chosen, and made use of, that Sin might be removed, and the Curse taken away, as the like was never heard of.

The Intimation and Manifestation of this Way, is in the first part of this Verse, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; In Gods Council, and by His Pleasure it was Con­trived, and the Way found out; and the Mean is set down, in these Words, When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin; [Page 319] The Mediator, even he who was the Spot­less Lamb of God, in whose Mouth was found no Guile, was bruised, and put to sad Suffering, to get this Effectuat; That the Curse might be removed from Sinners, He was made the Sin-offer­ing.

We shew that Jesus Christ is the only Sin-offering, by which Sin is taken away; and that it is implyed here; So that it is denyed to all other Things, or Means to have any Effecacie, Vertue, or Merit in them, as to the removing of Sin, and the Curse brought on by it; this is, I say, so peculiarly applyed to Christ's Offering; that it is denyed to every thing else; which shews 1. How much Sinners are oblidg­ed to Christ, who, when no other thing could do it, interposed Himself. 2. The necessity of making use of this one Offering, without which never Soul can be Perfected or Saved: He is the alone Foundation of Sinners Peace, and of all the Consolation that they can have in the Promises of God.

Now to proceed, and to hint at some few things more from the Words; where­in the End and Nature of Christ's Sufferings are set forth: He in His Suffering, and Offering up of Himself; did step into the Room of the Sinfull Elect, that by Justice exacting of Him the Debt that was due by them; they might escape, and be set free; Hence Observe. 1. That when there was no other Thing, nor Mean, that could suf­ficiently satisfie Divine Justice, or be a Sa­crifice for Sin; Our Lord stepped to, and undertook, and became the Sacrifice to take away Sin; according to that often cited Psal. 40.7▪ 8. Sacrifice, and offering thou didst not de­sire, in burnt offering thou hadst no pleasure: He is not speaking of what God required in the Law, as Typicall; for He required Sacri­fices and Offerings in that respect; but not to be a Propitiation for the Sins of the Elect World, because they could not do it; and then follows, Lo I come, or I am here: mine ear hast thou bored, It is Heb. 10: A body hast thou given unto me: which sets out His being put in a Capacity to be a Sacrifice; I delight to do thy will, O my God. Here there are these Four Things implyed. 1. A lyableness in the Elect to the Justice of God for Sin; and as to all other Means and Wayes of Relief, but by this One Sacrifice, a Disperatness and Im­possibility; and considering the Sentence, which God had Pronunced; The day thou eats, thou shalt surely die: And cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them; No Sacri­fice can be accepted but this only; Thou­sands of Rams, and ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl have no access; He did not in that respect, require these, neither would He capitulat on these Terms. 2. That when no other Sacrifice could do the turn, Christ Jesus came in, and was content to interpose, and to be the Sacrifice for Sin, Lo, saith He, I come, I am here ready to Satisfie for my Elect People; For this is an Old Design, and He had undertaken from Eternity to carry it on. 3. There is implyed here a great Willingnesse, a De­lightsome, and Heartsome Condescending in the Mediator, to be the Sacrifice, He steps in affectionatly, in the Room of the Elect, as the Sacrifice for them, to receive the Stroak of Justice, that they may escape and go free. I delight to do thy will, O my God: This is Gods Will, as to the Work of Redemption, as it is, John 6.38. I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And John 17.4. I have finished the work thou gavest me to do; That will and this work is all one; And Heb, 10. It's said by which (or by this) will we are sanctified. 4. The Fathers admitting and accepting of Him, to Interpose in the Room of them, for whom He Offered Himself, is implyed here; for otherwayes His Offering up of Himself, could not have been a Sacrifice Satisfactory to Justice, if the Lord Jehovah had not been content so far, to [...]el [...]xe His Threatning, and Curse, in reference to the Partie Offending? as to admit o [...] a cauti­oner, in the Room of the Dyvour Sinners, to Satisfie for them; of which Satisfacti­on He accepted: All these things put to­gether, make Christ's Interposing Him­self as a Sacrifice, and Surity compleat; [Page 320] I delight to do thy will, supposes not on­ly God's pleasure, that He should Inter­pose, but His accepting of His Interposing: And this is, (to speak so) the Flooring, and Founda ion of the Work of Redempti­on; The S ntence stands over the Elect's Head, Cursed are the Guilty, Christ comes in and I [...]terposes Cheerfu ly to take on the Debt, and sayes, here I am, Let the Curse fall on me, and let Satisfaction be taken from Me; And this being Offered accord­ing to God's Will, it is accepted, and Christ's Satisfaction becomes an Offering in their Room.

Use. See here a desperat Condition wherein, by Nature, we are all lying; it sets us well, in speaking of Grace, to take a view of what we were: And it shews how much Sinners are in Christ's Debt and Common, that Interposed for us, in this condition. Could we suitably make in­quiry what case we were in, under the hand of Justice, and it's Stroak ready to light on us; And could we behold our Lord Jesus Christ Interposing for us, and the Sword of Justice awaking against Him, and smiting Him for us; and the Lord Je­hovah accepting of His Interposing, and making His Soul an Offering for Sin; And Him Willingly; and Delightsomly Offer­ing up Himself in our Room; we would see our obligation to God, who was pleased to contrive, admit, and accept of this Way, and Mean of our Redemption; And could we consider, what a [...]vantages we have by this Redemption; and what it cost Christ to obtain it; we would see our selves much, unspeakably much in His Debt: The day is coming, when it will be thought a fav­our, and when the Sweet Effects of it shall be made fully forthcoming to them, that now Cordially close with it; And when the Fruit of Dispising it shall be found to be bitter like Gall, and Worm­wood.

2. From it's being said, when thou shalt make; Or, when His Soul shall make it self, or He Himself shall make Himself an offer­ing for sin; Observe, That as Christ under­took, and by undertaking, Interposed to come in Sinners Room, to Satisfie for their Sins; So His Death and S [...]fferings are re­ally the performing of that und [...]r [...]aking; And His Death an [...] Sufferings are so to be looked on, and considered by us. as an Offering for Sin; or thus, Christ's Death is the Sin- [...]ff [...]ing, that Satisfi [...]d▪ the Justice of God, in t [...]e Room of [...]lect Sin­ners; This is the Sum, or Compend of all that is spoken of His Sufferings; If then it be asked, what meaned they all? Here it is, He was made a Sin-offering; we shall clear it a little in these three, or four Parts, or Branches. 1. Christ is properly a Sin-offering, or a Sacrifice for Sin; He is pro­perly the Propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin; That Satisfice the Justice of God for the Sins of the Elect. 2. This Sacrifice was especially Offered by [...]im, in His Death, and Sufferings, It's His Suffering, and Humiliation that is most properly this Sa­crifice, for i [...]'s that which is related here. 3. That by Christ's Offering up of Him­self, He was not only outwardly Pi [...]ched, but His Soul was deeply affected, and troubled; In Satisfyin [...] the Sin-revenging Justice of God, both His Soul and Body were Straitned, and Stressed. 4 By His Suffering, there is a Sufficient Satisfacti­on given to Justice, for the Sins of His Peo­ple, a Propitiation, or Propitiatory Sa­crifice, that makes God Propititious to Elect Sinners; as in Satisfying the Justice of God for Sin; all other things are de­nyed to have a hand; So there is a suffici­ent Efficacy, and Worth in this [...]acrifice to do the turn: and by God it is accepted as such, And so there is a fair way m [...]de to them, for whom He Off [...]rs this Sacrifice to escape Sin, and the Wrath and Curse of God; and to be set free.

As for the First of these, to wit, That our Lord Jesus, in His Dying▪ and Suffer­ing, was Properly the Propitiatory Sacri­fice; or is Properly a Propitiatory Sa­crifice for the taking away of Sin? To clear it alittle, we would consider. 1. That Sacrifices are sundry wayes taken in Scrip­ture. 1. Sometimes they are taken im­properly for Duties; as Alms, Prayers, Praises, &c. Psal. 51. The sacrifice of a broken heart thou wilt not dispise? So also [Page 321] Heb. 13.15, 16. 2. They are taken more properly for such Sacrifices as were Offer­ed under the Law; as of Bullocks, Lambs Rams, and Goats; yet none of these was the true Propitiatory Sacrifice, as is clear, Heb. 10.4. It was impossible that the blood of bulls, and goats could take away sin. But Christ's Sacrifice is properly the Propiti­atory Sacrifice; It being by this Sacrifice, that Believers under the Old Testament became part [...]kers of Redemption, and obtained Remission of Sins, as well as Be­lievers do now under the New; If it be then asked? What is necessary to a Sacri­fice properly so taken? I answer these four things, (all which we will find to be in Christ's Sacrifice) 1. That there be some thing, or matter set a part to be Offered to God, in the Room of some other thing, as it was in the Typicall Sacri­fices. 2. That there be some appointed to offer the Sacrifice; that there be some set a part for that very thing. 3. That there be a Killing, or Destroying of the thing that is Offered in a Sacrifice; which especially, in the Sin-offering was necessa­ry; to wit, that it should be Kil [...]ed, or Destroyed; as we see in Exod. 29. and Leviticus frequently; This had a Signifi­cation, and the Lord would thereby point out Mans great guilt, and the necessity of a Mediator, in Order to the obtaining of Pardon; for there could be no Remissi­on, or Pardon of Sin without Blood; as it is, Heb. 9.22. Therefore the Sinner be­hoved either to die himself, or to have another to die for him, and in his Room. 4. The Sacrifice behoved to be Offered according to the manner prescribed by God, as to all the Rites and Cerimonies in­joyned. Now we may see all [...]se in Christ's Sacrifice; For 1. He Himself is the Sacrifice, Heb. 7.26. Heb. 9.26. Heb. 10.10. And [...]re­quently elsewhere, in that Epistle, and 1. Pet. 2.24. Who his own self bare our sins, in his own body on the tree; And when He had Offered up Himself as a Sacrifice, he sat down on the right hand of majesty on high; He is the alone Sacrifice, that comes properly in the Room of Elect Sinners. 2. As there behoved to be One, to Offer the Sacrifice, so Christ Jesus is the Priest, that Offered up the Sacrifice of Himself: He is not only the Sacrifice, but the Priest; And in this He differed from other Priests, Heb. 7.26. Such an high Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, seperat from sinners, and made higher then the heavens; and then follows, who needs not dayly, as these high priests, to offer up sacrifices; first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people; for this he did once, when he offered up himself. There are three things ordinarly Attribut­ed to Christ, as to His Sacrifice, to wit, That He was the Sacrifice, the Altar, and the Priest; 1. He was the Sacrifice, in re­spect of His Humane Nature, which we are not so to look upon, as Abstracting, and Dividing it from His Divine Nature; For though He Suffered in the Flesh, yet it was the same Person, that was God that Suffered. 2, He was the Altar, by which His Sacrifice received a speciall Efficacy, Vertue, Value, and Commendation; As it's said, The Altar sanctifies the offering: So Christ Jesus, according to His God-head, was the Altar, which did put an special ex­cellency on His Sufferings, and made them to be of such Worth and Value; There­fore, Heb. 9.14. It's said, that he through the eternal spirit offered up himself with­out spot unto God; It was the Suffering of the Person that was God, that made the Sacrifice to be accepted. 3. He was the Priest, and that according to both His Na­turs, each Nature concurring, and that joyntly, as in one Person, to the making of the S [...]crifice Offered up to God acceptable. 3. We have in Him a reall destruction, but do not mistake the Word; It is not so to be understood, as if He were annihilat­ed, or had been utterly destroyed, and undone; but the meaning is this, That He was Killed, or put to Death, and His Soul seperat from His Body: in which re­spect, He ceased to be what He was before for a time; having been really Slain; Dead and Buried. And 4. All this was according to God's prescription, and ap­pointment, in the Covenant of Redempti­on; This commandement, (saith He, John 10.18.) have I received of my Father, to [Page 322] wit, that I should lay down my life for my sheep; And most emphatically, He says, John 14.13. as my Father gave me com­mandement, even so; (mark, even so, most exactly, in conformity to the Commande­ment) do I: It was all, as to every circum­stance ordered according to the good pleasure of God, who was pleased thus to bruise Him and to put Him to Grief.

The 1. Use of it serves, To teach us, how to Conceive, and Consider of Christ's Death, and Sufferings rightly, to wit, even as a Sacrifice designed by God, to come in the Room of Elect Sinners; and how to look upon His Death; not as the ordinary Death of ordinary or meer Men; who by necessity of Nature Die; but to look on it, as being appointed of God, to be a Sacrifice properly so taken, for the Sins of His People.

2dly. This serves to clear some Truths, concerning our Lord Jesus His Sacrifice; For we must consider it, as satisfying to Justice, and Meritoriously procuring the escaping from Wrath, and Salvation of them for whom He Interposed: It is from the gross Ignorance, or from the wicked denyal of this ground, that the damnable denyers of Christ's Satisfaction, do also deny the Propriety of His Sacrifice on Earth, and bound it to Heaven; whereas, it is bounded to His Death; though by vertue of this One Offering, He continues to interceed for us in Heaven.

3dly. It teaches Sinners what is the na­tive Use which they should make of this Sacrifice; They should look upon it, as the only Sacrifice to prevent Eternal Death, and the Curse of God; an [...] so it demon­strats to us, that either Jes [...]s Christ must be received by Faith, and His Sacrifice rested on; or we must resolve to meet with Wrath, and the Curse of God our selves in our own Persons.

4ly. It serves to clear us anent the Way and Tract of Grace; to wit, how it came to passe, that our Lord, who was innocent, and without Sin, was so bruised, and put to grief: He came to be a Propiti [...]tion for the Sins of His People, and sisted Him­self in our Room, as our Cautioner, as a Sin-offering for us: It would doubtlesse gnash many Questions, and Doubts, that arise in the Hearts of Believers, if it were well understood: They may say, we should have been in such and such a sad condition; this and that terrible thing would have come on us, if He had not Interposed; ne­ver enough can these words be spoken and thought of, that we have, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

5ly. It serves for notable Consolation to Believers, who have betaken themselves to Christ, and have many Challenges for Sin to buckle with; That His Death was to be properly a Sacrifice for Sin; and was so accepted of God in their Room: So that ye see the right uptaking of Christs Death, is a matter of no little moment; Christ cru­cified, being the very Substance of the Gospel: It helps much, to keep alive the Impression of our Sinfulness, and of the Goodness of God; and gives us Direction how to escape Wrath, by puting Him in our Room: There is nothing, wherein Folks more readily miscarry, in making of their Peace with God, then in not making the right use of Christ, and of His Sacrifice, and Death: Some praying for Pardon of Sin from Him, and not for Him, or for His sake, when they know not what they are saying, as we hinted at before; Some praying for strength from Him for Dutie, that they may do for themselves, not considering that we are Justified by His Interposing in our Room, and by Faith's closing with Him, under that con­sideration, as fisting Himself at the Bar of Justice; and as being content to be a Sin-offering: and the Lord accepting of Him in the Room of Elect Sinners: This be­ing well considered, gives to Faith much clearness how to take Him up, when the Soul honestly aims to partake of the bene­fit of His Sufferings.

2ly. For clearing this a little further, we would know, That there are (as Di­vines observe) Four or Five wayes, how the Death of Christ is to be considered; or how Christ, in procuring by His Death Re­demption, [Page 323] Peace, and Pardon to Sinners is holden forth in Scripture. 1. He pur­chases Redemption, and Pardon of Sin, Meritoriously, or He Merits it by His Death; this Respects the Value of Christ's Suffer­ings, and Satisfaction: So that if we con­sider Christ in Himself, and the Elect in themselves; His Death, and these Suffer­ings, are more; then if all the Elect had Suffered Eternally in Hell. 2: His Death is considered, as a Satisfaction; And this looks to the Wrong, that Men by Sin have done to God: That the finit and feckless Creature durst be so malapert as to break God's Command; It required a Satisfacti­on equivalent to the Wrong done; though the Word Satisfaction, be not in Scrip­ture, yet the thing is: Christ Jesus, for the Restoring of God to His Honour, That was, as to the Manifestation of it, wronged by Mans Sin; comes in to perform the will of God, and to Satisfie, for the wrong done Him by Man; that it may be made known, that God is Holy and Just, who will needs avenge Sin on His own Son, the Holy and Innocent Cautioner; when He Interposes in the Room of the Sinner, which vindi­cats the Spotless Justice, and Soveraignity of God as much, as, if not more, then if He had exacted the satisfaction off the Sinners themselves: As it is, Rom. 3.16. To de­clare his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Je­sus. 3 Christ's Death is considered as a Redemption of Man, from Sin, the Law, and the Curse, because lyable to a Debt which he cannot of himself pay; and His Death was in this respect a paying of the Debt, that Man was owing, and a loosing of the Captive and Imprisoned Sinner; even as when a Piece of Land is morgaged, and a Person comes in, and payes that for which it was Morgaged: So Jesus Christ comes in, and as it were, asks, what are these Men owing? and what is due to them? It's answered, they are Sin­ners, Death, and the Curse are due to them; well, saith He, I will take their Debt on my Self, I will pay their Ransom, by undergoing all that was due to them. He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, (saith the Apostle, Gal. 3.13.) being made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abra­ham might come on us Gentiles: And so Christ's Death in this respect is to be look­ed on, as a laying down of the same Price, that Justice would have exacted of Men: His Death is the paying of our Ransom, and Satisfying of the account that was over our head. 4. His Death is considered, as it furthered the Work of the Redemption of Elect Sinners, by a powerful annulling of the Obligation that was against us, and by a powerfull overcoming of all enemies that kept us Captive: He grapled and yocked with the Devil, in that wherein he seem­ed to be strongest, and overcame him; He tore the Obligation that stood over Sin­ners heads, as it is, Coll. 2.14, 15. Blotting out the hand writting of ordinances that was against us, and that was contrary to us; he took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross, and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it: In this respect, though His Death be one of the lowest steps of His Humiliation; yet considering Him, as in it, prevailling over the Devil, and other Ene­mies, He is to be looked on, as powerful­ly Working, and efficaciously perfecting our Salvation: In the former respect, He payes God the Debt that was due by Sin­ners; in the Latter Respect, consider­ing the Devil, and Spiritual Enemies, as so many Jaylours, keeping Sinners Prison­ers, He, by His Death, wrings, as it were the Keyes out of their hands▪ and sets the Prisoners Free. 5. Christ's Death is con­sidered (as it is in the Text, As an Offer­ing and Sacrifice for Sin; In this respect, it looks to God as displeased with Man; and our Lord Jesus Interposes to pacifie Him, and to make Him well pleased; and that by the means of His Death, God's Peace, Favour and Friendship may be re­covered to poor sinfull Men: All these Considerations of the Death of Christ, are but one, and the same upon the matter; Yet thus diversified, they serve to shew, how unexpressibly much Sinners are oblidged to Christ; what great advantag­es [Page 324] they have by Him: And what a despe­rat, condition they are in, who are with­out Him; having nothing to satisfie Justice, nor to pay their Debt with.

2dly. We said, that this Sacrifice was especially Offered by Him, in His Death; Therefore He is said to Offer this Sacrifice on the Cross. He himself, as Peter hath it, 1, 2.24. bare our sins in his body, on the tree: Heb. 9. at the close: And Heb. 10.14. It is said, that he once offered up himself to bear the sins of many, and by his once offer­ing he hath perfected for ever, these who are sanctified: So that this Offering is to be applyed to that which He suffered on Earth, before He ascended; and it is in this respect, that He is a Propitiatory Sa­crifice: though, as I said the Vertue there­of is still communicated by Him, now when He is in Heaven.

Use, This serves to remove two Errors, about Christ's Sacrifice. The 1. is that, which bounds and limits Christ's Offering, and Priest-hood to His going to Heaven, thereby to enervat the Efficacy of His Sufferings, and Death; quit contrary to this Scripture, wherein the Prophet expli­cating His Sufferings on Earth, calleth them an offering for sin. The 2. is that Blas­phemous Conceit, and Fancie of the Papists, who account their abominable Mass, a Propitiatory Sacrifice, for taking away the Sins of the Quick, and o [...] the Dead; which as it is most horrid Blasphemy; So it is most expresly against this Text: for if Christ's Sacrifice, for the taking away of Sin, be peculiarly applyed to His Humili­ation, and Death; which brought with it such a change, as made H [...]m not to be for a time what He was before: Then cer­tainly there can be nothing of that now, which can bear that Name; there being no other thing, to which the properties of a real Sacrifice can agree, but this only. 3. I said, that Christ's Offering up of Him­self in a Sacrifice, was in His Soul as well as in Hi [...] Body; and that He was therein, obnoxio [...]s to the Wrath of God: That is, as He stood Cautioner for the Elect, and had the Cup of Wrath [...]u in His hand, He Suffered not only in His Body, but also, and Mainly in His Soul, which the Jews could not reach; and He is here holden out, as a Sin-offering in His Soul, yea, con­sidering, that it was the Wrath of God, and His Curse due to the Elect, that He had to deal with, His Soul was more ca­pable to be affected with it then His Body; Hence He sayes, when no hand of Man touched Him, John 12.27. Now is my Soul troubled, and what shall I say? and Matth. 26.38. and Luk. 22.44. Now is my soul exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; and being in an agony he prayed, &c. That which looked like strong Armies mustered, and drawn up against Him, was not the Souldiers that came to take Him, nor the Bodily Death, which was quickly to fol­low; but it was the Fathers coming with His awakned Sword, to exact of Him the Debt due, by the Elect: And to be aveng­ed on Him for their wrongs, and His being to step in into their Room, and to be smit­ten with that awaked, and furbished Sword, and to Offer Himself the Sacrifice, as He had long before ingadged: Here O! here was the heat and strength of the Bat­tel.

Use, This shews, 1. What a Dear Price Christ payed for Sinners. 2. The severi­ty of the Justice of God, in exacting the Elects Debt of the Cautioner. 3. How much we are oblidged to the Cautioner, who, so willingly undertook the Debt, and was so ready to pay it, though it cost Him not only External and Bodily Sufferings; but Soul-suffering, and put Him to encounter with Gods Curse and Wrath: We are per­swaded, could we conceive, and speak a­right of these Sufferings, that there is a great Mystery here: And really it is a wonder, that we are not more affected wi [...]h it, even to consider, that such mi­serable Creatures, should be pursued by Justice, that can do nothing to avert the Stroak of it; And that such a great and g [...]orious Person, as the Son of God, should Interpose Himself; And that the Father should spare the poor sinfull Enemies, and make a way for them to escape, by the Diverting of His Justice from pursuing them, and by making it take hold of the [Page 325] Son of His Bosom, Exacting the Debt se­verely from Him, O! what a wonder is this? That the Lord should passe by the Enemy, and satisfie Himself of His own Son; Yea, that God should take on Him­self the place of a Mid-man, and Satisfie Himself: That God should be in Christ re­conciling the world to himself. This, this is the Wonder: Herein Infinit Wisdom, Pure and Spotless Justice, Holiness and Faithfulness, Grace and Mercy, to the Ad­miration of Men and Angels appear, and shine forth most Radiantly; It can hardly be known, in which of these the Glory of God shines most, in this Great and Glori­ous Work of Redemption. But of them all, we may say to you Elect, and be­lieving Sinners, what could our Lord Je­sus do more for your Salvation? I say, what, could He do more, then to Offer up Himself, a Propitiatory Sacrifice for your Sins? In the Gospel, He calleth upon you to make use of it, that by Vertue of His Sacrifice, your Peace may be made with God; as it is, 1 John 2.1, 2. If any man sin, we have an advocat with the Fath­er, Jesus Christ the righteous, and then fol­lows. He is the propitiation for our sins: This may give abundant ground to Sinners, to go upon, in their Application to God, for Pardon and Peace, even this, that He hath made Himself a Sacrifice, for seting of them free; For whom He Offered Himself a Sacrifice: O! Sinners admire Him, em­ploy; and make use of His Moyen, and Court in Heaven; Improve, and Wel­come these glad Tydings, and let it never be said, nor heard of, that He was Offer­ed up a Sacrifice, and that ye would not admit of the benefit of it; that ye would not accept of Him, to be a Days-man, and Tryster betwixt God and you, to remove all grounds of quarrel; O! for Christ's sake, and as ye love your Souls, step to, and seek Grace to make the right of use His Sacrifice, in order to the obtaining of the Pardon of your Sin, and the making of your Peace with God: Let Himself powerfully perswade you to, and prevail with you, in this incomparably greatness of all concerns.

WHere there is any Light and Knowledge of a God-head a­mongst Men; There is this impression on them, that it is a dreadful thing, to have a Contraversie lying over betwixt God and them unremoved: And upon this ground it is, that as naturally the Conscience doth challenge, for the provoking of God, so Men, according to the Light they have, are set on, to seek after this, and that, and the other Mean and Way, to get God appeased, and the Conscience quieted; and [Page 326] it's like that this hath descended to Men from Noah, that the most part of them have thought on the Mean of Sacrifices, by them to make their Peace with God; So the Lord taught the Family of Adam, after the Fail; and Noah renewed it, after his coming out of the Ark; and it is pro­bable (as I said) somewhat of this hath abiden with, and stuck to Men, even when they Degenerated, and Apostatized from God, and offered Sacrifices to De­vils, though not intentionally, but unto God in their account: And indeed it is no marvel that Flesh and Blood be here at a stand; and made to say, wherewithal shal we come before God? But we have this ad­vantage by the Gospel; That in it, the Lord hath shewed to us, what it is that satisfieth Justice, and takes away Sin, and the Curse; and that it is even this in the Text: Thou shalt make his foul an offering for sin: There is no other thing that a Sin­ner can bring with him, that can be ac­cepted, or that can make him to be ac­cepted of God.

We have hinted at some things from the Words already, and shew, that Christ's Sacrifice is called an offering for sin, as ex­cluding all others; and as expressing the Nature and Ends of it: We shall now speak to one thing more, which is the 4th, im­plyed in this expression; And it is this, That though Atonement and Satisfaction to God can be made by no other Sacrifice, or Offering, yet there is an Atonement and Satisfaction, that may be made by Christ's Offering: Hence He is called an offering for sin: not only because it ex­cluds all others, but also because he is ac­cepted for that very end, as a Propitiation for the Sins of them, for whom He Suffer­ed, and Offered Himself in a Sacrifice; as this is denyed to all other things (as we just now said) so it is Applyed, and Ap­propriated to Him, and His Offering, as, Heb. 10. v. 10. By the which will we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all. v. 12. This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God. And v. 14. For by one offering he hath per­fected for ever, them that are sanctified: This is the great thing that the Apostle aims at, in that Dispute, not only to cast the Leviticall Offerings, as to the removing of Sin and the Curse, and making of Sin­ners Peace with God; but to commend this one offering, as able to save to the ut­termost, all that come unto God through it: And according to this, we have that great Question answered to poor Sinners; where­withall shall we come before the Lord, and bow our selves before the most high God? He hath shewed, O! man, what is meet, and what the Lord requireth of thee. That there is nothing but this one Sacrifice of Christ, that will do the turn; and this wiil do it most infallibly, and most fully, as to the procuring of Pardon of Sin, and the mak­ing of their Peace with God; So that by the right making use of this Sacrifice, a Sin­ner may most really expect [...]emission of Sins, and Peace with God, and His Friend­ship, as if Sin had never been; For other­wayes Christ could not be called the Sin-offering, or an offering for sin, If He were not accepted in Room of the Sinner that comes to Him.

To clear it a little, There are Four thing [...], in and about this Sacrifice, to make out this, and to prove, That a Sinner, that makes use of this Sacrifice, may ex­pect the Pardon of Sin, and Peace with God. The 1. Is the excellency of His Offering. He offered himself, As it is, Heb. 7.27. and Heb. 10.10.12.14. The Offer­ing up of Himself, and of His Blessed Bo­dy on the Tree, was another sort of Sacri­fice then all these Bulls, Rams, and Goats, Offered under the Law, that were but Types of Him. The 2. Is the excellen­cy of the Person, that Offered up this Offering▪ which is in effect the excellency of the Priest: As the Sacrifice was excel­lent, beyond all other Sacrifices, so also, is the Priest above all other Priests, Heb. 7.26. Such an high Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, seperat from sin­ners: A Priest, who is the Son, and is set over the House, as the Heir; and though the Humane Nature was the Sacrifice, yet (as was said before) not as abstracted from [Page 327] the Divine Nature, the Person being but One, and so the Priest Offering com­mends the Sacrifice Offered, and makes, that it cannot but be accepted. The 3d. is, His Willing condescending, to be the Sin-offering, to Interpose Himself, and to be­come this Sacrifice, out of respect to the Honour of God, that His Justice might be Vindicated and Satisfied: And that there­by access might be made, for shewing Mer­cy to the Heirs of Salvation; which ex­ceedingly commends this Sacrifice; accor­ding to that of John 10.17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again; No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of my self, and take it again; It commends His Sacrifice, that He was not constrained to it, but did it most Willingly, and with De­light: It's true, if we look to Him, as the Eternal Son of God, and the second Per­son of the blessed Trinity, He could not but be Loved of the Father, as well be­fore His Incarnation, as after; but that He sayes, Therefore doth my Father love me, It is to be understood, an account of His Voluntary condescending, as Mediator, to do His Fathers will; and out of respect to His Honour ingadging, and according to His ingadgement, satisfying His Justice for the Elect; And this cannot but commend His Offering, That such a glorious Person, who was Holy, Harmless, and Undefiled, should out of tenderness to the Honour of God, and that the wrong done to it by Sin­ners, might be repaired; and out of love to the Elect, should condescend to stoup so low, as to make Himself a Sin-offering: This regard for the Honour of God, and Willing condescendencie to Suffer for the Repairing of it, is abundantly Valuable, and (though it be a great Word) above the disrespect that Sinners evidenced to the Honour of God, by their sinning. The 4th, is the Covenant, which is the ground of this Offering, and that whereby it is re­gulated, and the Terms of it: It was not an undertaking, as a piece of Will-worship, but according to the deliberat Counsel, and Fore-knowledge of God; wherein it was Determined, that the Son should become Cautioner, and be made lyable for the Debt of the Elect, and be an Offering for their Sin, by which Freedom from Sin and Wrath should accresce to Elect Sinners; and all this being concluded in the Covenant of Redemption, His Offering could not but be accepted for us: The Lord having condescended on the Articles of that Cove­nant for this very end.

This Doctrine is of mighty great and notable concernment to Sinners; and were there any such Wakening and Rouring amongst us, that Souls were put to say, and cry, What shal we do to be saved? The opening up of the Truth, to wit, That Christ is a Sin-offering for Sinners, and that by His Offer­ing the Atonement is made; would be much more acceptable and refreshfull; And therefore let this be the 1. Use. That though there be nothing imaginable, that can be brought before God, which will be acceptable to Him, as a satisfaction to His Justice; yet here there is a Ransome found by the Offering whereof to God, a Soul that is lying under challenges for Sin, and apprehensions of Wrath may expect abso­lution; This is in effect, that which Elihu sayes, Job 33. If there be an interpreter, one of a thousand to shew unto man his righteous­nesse, then he is gracious unto him, and saith, deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransome; here is the Ransome, our Lord Jesus Christ stepping in, in Sinners Room, and Offering Him­self up a Sacrifice, to satisfie the Justice of God; So that a Sinner in making use of that, may come to be in good terms with God; and are not these glad Tydings of great joy, that an Offering is provided, a Ransome payed, and a way found out, how Sinners lyable to the Curse may ex­pect Freedome, It's no small matter, that God hath given this Subject to us to speak of, and to you to hear of; that the Tor­turing Anxiety of a Soul driven almost to Dispair, may have this for an answer; even the Blood of Jesus, that blood of sprinkling that purges the conscience from dead works; which, as it satisfies Justice, so it quiets the Conscience of the Sinner, that flies unto it and makes right use of it; It would be­come [Page 328] Sinners well, to think more of these Glad Tydings, and to study to have them alwayes Fresh: There are many Parts of the World, wherein Men are Sacrificing Beasts; some Lambs, some Rams, some other Beasts, And some, it may be the First-born of their Bodies, for the Sin of their Souls; (and which is lamentable, Sacrificing these things to the Devil, on the matter at least, and not to God) and yet all that does not their turn; And not hav­ing hard of this Offering, they cannot make use of it; neither can their Conscienee ever be quiet: But our Lord Jesus hath sent these blessed News to us, and hath shewed us what is the Sin-offering, the Atonement, and Propitiatory Sacrifice; We need not send our Children through the fire, nor bring any other Offering to God, to appease His Wrath; He hath given us His Son, and hath accepted Him for a Sin-offering, and hath told us, that this shall be as sufficient and satisfying, as if we had made the satisfaction our selves; here, O! here is the wonder, even a wonder of wonders.

Use, 2. See here the way how we come to Life by Christ; It's imported in this Doctrine, to be by Christ's being made an Offering for us; It's not by our praying to Him, as God, nor by our Holy Living, nor by His working Holiness in us; (though these ought and will be, in some measure, where He is made use of aright) but by His Offering up Himself in a Sacrifice for us; and by Gods imputing it to us▪ and considering that Christ Jesus in the Offer­ing in our Room; And that thereby God is pacified, and Sin and Wrath removed; There can no other way be conceived, how we are made partakers of it, but by impu­tation; This will be the more clear, if we consider, that the same way, that our Sins became Christ's, the same way His Righte­ousnesse becomes ours; or the same way that Justice laid Clame to Him for our Debt; the same way lay we Claime to His Righteousnesse: Now it is Blasphemous to think, that our Sin became His any other way; but that Legally he entering Him­self as our Cautioner, our Sin was reckon­ed on His Score; even so His Righteousness becomes ours, by being imputed to us: So the Apostle sayes, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; And have His Righteousnesse deriv­ed to us: It were good that we would learn how to win to this Righteousnesse, even by presenting Him to Justice, as Cau­tioner for our Debt, and by taking hold of His Righteousnesse to ground our plea upon, when we come to reckon with God for our Sins: And we think that there is here a clear ground, for refuting of that way of Justification, by any thing inherent in our selves: For if it be by His Offering, that we are Justified, then it is by nothing in our selves. Now this Name that Christ's Sufferings get, bears out, that it's that which satisfies God, and absolves us, as the alone Meritorious and Procuring Cause; And therefore there is no other thing, that we can derive our Justification from, but His Righteousness only.

Use 3. Seing by Christ's Offering there is a Ransome and Atonement to be had; And seing it is offered in the Gospel, we pray you, in the Name of the Lord, take hold of, and improve this Offering; let every Body that hears tell that Christ is the Sin-offering, endeavour to get Him to be their Sin-offering; There are none that know, and find that they have Sinned, but they would think of an amends; and here it is: and there is ground to exhort you to make use of it, and to encourage you in it; because this is the very End of His Suffer­ing, and He is fully furnished compleatly to accomplish it; If there were no access to Life by this Offering, He would not be cal­led a Sin-offering, in opposition to all o­ther Offerings; There is ground therefore to declare this to you, that by Christ Jesus Life, and Reconciliation is attainable, and that it is actually attained by accepting of this Offering: Such as accept of it, and rest upon it, shall find Acceptation with God, and Freedome from Sin and Wrath, by vertue thereof; It's a common Questi­on, What shall we do? we do all we dow, or may; but if we were studying a long [Page 329] time to tell you; This is it, even to make use of Christ's Offering, This, and this on­ly will do your turn compleatly, and no other thing will do it.

The 4th Use, Is of strong Consolation to all who betake themselves to Christ, He is the Sin-offering, that procures the taking away of Sin and Wrath, and that procures Friendship with God; and there is no imputation of Sin, nor condemnation to them who are in him, Rom. 8.1. And hence is that triumph v. 34. who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth who is he that will condemne? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, &c. If Justice were coming to ex­ecute the Sentence, what can it say to the Believer? Jesus Christ hath stepped in be­twixt Wrath and Him; and as to Gods ac­ceptation, He alone is accounted the Sin-offering; and as these who under the Law Offered the Typical Sacrifices, had access to the Ordinances, and were Sanctified, as to the purifying of the Flesh: So much more is this Offering able to purifie the Conscience, and to purge it from dead works; and to give fair access to the Pro­mises of Life, and to the Favour of God, to all them who make use of it, as if they had never Sinned. I know much of the weight of this Consolation will lye on this, whether Christ's Offering be made use of; And some will say, How shall we make use of Christ's Offering? And others will ask, how shall we know, if we have made right use of it? And would to God, that Souls were beatten off from their Pride and Security, and brought under the con­viction of a necessity of use making of Christ, He would discover both to them: But before we answer the Question, there are two things we would presuppose. 1. We presuppose that the Soul is made sensible of it's need of Christ's Sacrifice, from the apprehension it hath of a Quarrel be­betwixt God and it, and from the fear of His Wrath because of Sin; else the asking of such a Question is to no purpose; For as we hinted before, the Offering of a Sacri­fice implyes the Confession of Guilt: So the making use of Christ's Sacrifice pre­supposes sense of Sin; Err a Soul can make use of His Offering, it must know, it's due was utter Consumption, 2. We presup­pose, That the Soul is desirous to be at God, and to have peace with Him, To which End Christ is the Midse; and there will be no respect had to the Midse, except there be a respect had to the End, as it is, Heb. 11.6. He that comes to God, must be­lieve that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him diligently; where there is implyed in the Comer, a desire to be at God, and an expectation of some Benefit, to be had from Him, or as the Word is, Heb. 7.27. He is able to save to the utter­most, all that come to God by him; Which implyes the Sinners being sensible of his lost condition; his desire to be at God; and then Christ's Offering comes in, as the Mids, to bring about, and to come by that End. But these being presupposed, The great thing wherein the Answer of the Que­stion lyes, How to make use of Christ's Offering for the attaining of that End, of Pardon of Sin, and Peace with God, seem [...] to be holden out in that Word, Heb. 7.25. He is able to save to the uttermost, them that come unto God by him; And therein we may consider Sinners desire to be at God, and the use making of Christ, in reference to that End, in these Three. 1. To have the Breach made up with God, in respect of their State. 2. For quieting the Con­science, in respect of Particular Chal­lenges. 3. For the making up of their defects, in Grace, as well as for the re­moving of Sin: And as use making of Christ in these Three, points out the way of a Sinners coming to Christ; So a Sinners going on in this way, evidenceth his right use making of Him; which will serve to Answer both the Questions, to wit, how to make use of Christ's Offering? and how to know that we are making use of it a right?

For the First, to wit, Going to God by Christ. 1. It is opposed to stepping in to God, at the first hand. 2. It is opposed to the use making of any other thing in our coming to God, for making up the Breach. 3. It implyes the Sinners betaking of him­self [Page 330] to Christ, as the Mid-man, by whom he expects to come to Friendship with God; There are some Scriptural Simili­tudes, whereof, if we could rightly conceive, and apply them to this Purpose, they might serve much to clear it: There is a Distance, which, like a Gulf is fixed be­twixt God and Man, a Soul then comes to God by Christ, as one goes over a Gulf by a Bridge; Hinted at by the Apostle, Heb. 10.19, 20. Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath con­secrated to us through the vail, which is his flesh, We take the force of the Similitude to lye in this, That as one that hath a Vail betwixt him and another, whom he desires to approach to; must go through the Vail­ere he win to that other; So here Christ's Flesh being the Vail▪ He, by His Death hath rent it; that Sinners might step through that Rent, or Breach to God; That is, when all was before shut up, and closs betwixt God and Sinners; Christ was content, that a Rent should be made in His Body, through which they might come to God; Coming to God by Christ in this Sense, is to walk, as 't were, on Christ's Sufferings as a Bridge, and to have no other Place, or Ground to Stand, or Walk on to God, but this: Again, John 10. Christ calls Himself the Door, I am the door, and John 14. To the same purpose, He is called the way: To tell us, That, as none can come in to a House, but by the Door, nor can come to the end of their journey, but by the way that leads to it; So Heaven being shut up, and closed upon Sinners, any that would have entry into it, must betake themselves to Christ by Faith; For by Faith in Him, the Door is opened, and the Way Paved to Heaven; It is a good token, when the way to Heaven looks on the Sin­ner, as a hard Wall, or like a sinking Moss or Boge; and Faith in Christ, gives him some little hold, whereby he wi [...]s over the Wall, and leads him to some little Hillocks, or hard Bits, or Spots of Ground, whereby he steps thorow the Moss, or Boge to Christ; Or, when the Sinner layes his Reckoning to make use of Christ's Satis­faction; for payment of his Debt: So that if he were to appear at the Bar of Justice, his answer would not be; that if he had done a Fault, he had made, or would make a Mends; nor that he Prayed, and Repented, and sought Mercy; but this, that he took with his Guilt, and made use of Christ's Sacrifice; So Paul speaking, when renewed, in opposition to what he was, while a Pharisee, sayes, Philip. 3. That he counts all things to be but losse and dung, for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ, that he may be found in him, not having his own righteousness, which is ac­cording to the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ: When he, even he thinks on the Day of Judgement, and where he will hide himself in that Day, when it shal be asked, (and every other shall be asked the Question) Where art thou? his De­sire, and Resolution is, to give this An­swer; I am in Christ, Lord; I have no righteousness of my own to lippen, or to trust to; I will never make mention of my pain­fulness in my Ministry, of the tendernesse of my Walk, nor of any thing else of that Kind; But I will betake my self to Christ's Righteousness, and will say, Lord, here is much Debt on my Score; but there is a Righteousnesse to which I am fled by Faith; And on this I will ground all my Answers: This Righteousnesse is in Christ, as the Purchaser thereof; And it is ours by Faith, when we betake our selves to it, to make it the ground of our Claime; even as if a number of Men were Pursued for Debt be­fore a Judge, and one should come in, and say; I have payed so much; And another should say, give me down a Part, and I will pay the rest; And a Third should say, give me a Day and Time, and I will Satis­fie; And a Fourth poor Body should come in, and say, I have indeed nothing my self to pay m [...] Debt with; but I betake my self to the R [...]sponsall Cautioner, who hath payed all for such as betake themselves to H [...]: This is Faith's Answering, and Ar­guing: It will neither shift the Debt, nor ye [...] admit of the finall Sentence of Con­demnation, though readily acknowledged to be deserved; But it Interposes Christ's [Page 331] Satisfaction, as that which will be accept­able, though the Sinner can do nothing of himself; In a word, this way of pleading, is upon the one side, an utter denying of the Mans self; And of all that is, or can be in him, for attaining of Righteousnesse; And upon the other side a crediting of himself to Christ, for the attaining of that which he hath not in himself; It's not on­ly Faith (if it were possible to seperat these two) to deny our own Righteous­nesse, but by the exercise of it, there must be a stepping over on Christ, and on His Righteousnesse unto God.

The 2d. thing, wherein the exercise of Faith, in the use making of Christ's Sacri­fice consists; is, in reference to particular Challenges; For even when a Soul hath fled to Christ, and made use of His Sacrifice for Pardon of Sin, and for Peace with God; it will not be free from Challenges, and from new Accompts; And therefore the exercise of Faith is to be continued in the use making of this Offering, in re­ference to these particulars, as well as in re­ference to the making of our Peace with God at first: In which respect, Faith is called a Shield, Eph. 6.16. When new Guilt is contracted, and drawn on, and when Tentation sayes to the Believer, Is this the Goodnesse of your Purposes, and Resolutions, which have been like Flaxe before the Fire? No sooner was thou Es­sayed, and Assaulted, but thou didst great­ly Succumb; and wast much Foiled, and Prevailed over: The Soul runs to the same Targe, Buckler, or Shield; and though every one of these Challenges, be like a fiery Dart, that would set the Conscience on a Flame; yet by Faith the Dart is kept off, or the Venome of it Suckt so out, that it burns not, and it makes the Soul to say, though I cannot satisfie for the Debt, yet there is in Christ's Righteousnesse whereto I betake my self, which can do it; And if we look to that, which intertains Tormenting Exercises, that speak evil of the Grace of God (for humbling Exer­cises are called for, and are Profitable) we will find it to be this; to wit, When Souls come to Dispute, and Debate with Challenges, and do not Interpose the Targe or Shield of Faith, taking hold of Christ's Righteousness, betwixt them and these Challenges; for sometimes a Soul will be­take it self to Christ's Righteousnesse for Peace at first, and will look upon it self, as bound to keep, and maintain it's own Peace; and yet will, on the matter, think that it's but a sort of B [...]ffilling, or Pro­phaning of Christ's Righteousnesse, (to say so) to be making dayly use of it, for an­swering of new Challenges; And such will be ready to say, should not a Believer be Holy? And we say, that he should, and that it were to abuse the Spiritual Armour, to take one Piece of it, and not another, yea, or not all the rest; but this we say, likewise, that when one makes use of the Sword of the Spirit, he may warrantably make use of the Shield of Faith also; Fail­ling in this, that is, when Christ's Righte­ousness is not made use of, in reference to particular Challenges, mightily indisposeth many serious poor Souls, for use making of the rest of the Weapons of their Spiritual Warefare; And therefore, as ye would ex­ercise Faith in general, for reconciiling you to God, as to your State, so ye would exercise Faith on Christ's Offering for do­ing away of particular Quarrells; and for si­lencing of particular Challenges; which is to be dayly washing at the Fountain. In short, as to the other Question, This may be a mark of a Person, that is making right use of Christ's Offering for his Peace, if he be dayly making use of Christ's Offering for his Peace, if he be dayly making use of His Offering, for quenching and silencing of particular Challenges.

The 3d. Thing, wherein this exercise of Faith: in the use making of Christ's Sa­crifice consists, is, in reference to the de­fects of our Grace; we have indeed much need of Christ, and He hath much forth­coming in Him, for the helping of Grace; for the amending of weak Faith, and Love, and other Graces; as well as for ob­taining Pardon of Sin, and of Peace with God; and for answering of Challenges; And yet oftimes, these who are making use of Christ in the former two respects, are [Page 332] in hazard, and ready to think, that they should Believe more, Love more, and ex­ercise other Graces more, of themselves; But we are to make use of Him, for help­ing defects of Grace, as well as for these other things; By this, I mean not only the use making of Christ meritoriously; and so that we should look on Faith, Love, Repent­ance, and every other Grace, as purchased by Him, as well as Peace with God; and and that we should make use of Christ's Offering, for attaining of these; But I al­so mean, that we should make use of Christ, as a Priest, to make His own Offering effectual, for attaining all the Benefits of His Purchase: Considering, that he is able to save to the uttermost, all these that come unto God by him: The Apostle goeth on this ground, Heb. 10.19, 20. Seing we have such an high Priest, and such an Offering, Let us draw near with full assurance of faith, &c. And if ye ask what this is? It is of largely extended use; It is even to make use of Christ, as a Priest, not only as the object of Faith, and as the Pro­curer and Worker of Faith, but also for the confirming of weak Faith; It's a looking to Him, to get the weak Faith, that we dare scarcely lippen to, made strong, and a lippening, or trusting of our weak Faith to Him, to carry us through, when we dare not well lean to it; In the first respect, we do by Faith lippen, and trust to Christ's Righteousnesse: in this last respect, we lippen, or trust our Faith to Him; And look to Him, not only for Pardon, but we lippen to Him for making Faith, to keep it's grips of Him; and as it was with that poor man spoken of, Mark 9. Who, up­on the one side, betakes himself to Christ, If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us: And on the other side, being holily impatient, finding his Faith like to fail and misgive, when Christ sayes to him, If thou canst believe; all things are possible to him that believes; he cryes out, in that his holy impatiencie, Lord, I believe help thou my unbelief: he acknowledges his unbelief, as well as his Faith; and trusts Christ with the mending of his Faith, and holding together the Sheards of it (so to speak,) when it was like to crack, and fall asunder: Our doing thus, evidenceth a more full denying of our selves, when we dare not trust our own believing, but as it is committed to Christ, and when there is a Crediting of Him, and Leaning to Him, both for the Benefit we expect, and for the Application of it; That Word of the Apostle, Phil. 3.12. Is apposit, and excellent to this purpose; That I may appre­hend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. As is also that of Pet. 1 Epist- 1 Chap. v. 10. Who are keeped through faith by the power of God. So then in answer to both the Questions. 1. How to make use of Christ's Sacrifice? And 2. How to know, if we have made, or do make use of it a right? We say in short, as to the First, That there must First be a Leaning to His Merit, for the Buying, or Procuring of our Peace, and a betaking of our selves to it for that end. 2. When Tentations re­cure, and when new Challenges arise, there must be a constant dayly betaking of our selves to Faith, in his Sacrifice, as to a Shield, or as to a Store-house; which He Himself calleth an abyding in him, John 15.3. There must be an use making of Christ, as a Priest, not only to remove dayly Contracted Guiltinesse, but also to heall the Infirmity and Weaknesse of our Graces; especially of Faith and Love; giv­ing Him Credit to bring our Faith and Love to perfection; It is a sweet Word, which we have, Psal. 103. He healeth all thy dis­eases. As to the 2d: Question, we say, that Person may look on himself, as mak­ing right use of Christs Righteousnesse, that is, dayly making use of Him, in these fore-named Respects, who, if he were to appear before God, it is Christ's Righte­ousnesse only that he would build on; He is also dayly making use of Him, to answer Challenges as they recurre; and dare not lippen to his own Faith, but as it is com­mitted to Him; Considering, that as Faith is in Himself, it is dayly in hazard to be extinguished; And we may add, that he so makes use of Christ; as that he dare not go to God without Him; as the Word is, Heb. 7.25. Them that come to God by him; [Page 333] he comes unto God by Christ, in Prayer, in Praises, and in every other Dutie of Worship: The Apostle, to this Purpose, sayes, Heb. 13.15. By him therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God. The believing Soul is never right till it's all be put in His hand: Though all these be not distinct, and explicit in the Persons use making of Christ's Sacrifice; yet he ex­pects, that the Application of the Benefits which Christ hath purchased to him, shal be made forthcoming to him, by vertue of that same Purchase; And that He who is the Author, will also be, the finisher of his faith: The sum and upshot of all, is, to shew that as we have much Good, by and in Christ, if we could make use of it; So He calleth us to be Cheerfull, and Com­forted, in the use making of it, and not to Minish our own Consolation, when he hath condescended Graci­ously thus to Extend, and Inlarge it, with so Richly Liberal, and Bounti­full a Hand.

IT may be thought, and that very justly, that there must be some great and glorious Design driven in the contryvance of the Work of Re­demption; That was executed by such a Mean, as is the Suffering of the Son of God; And that there must be some Noble and Notable thing following on it, that moved the Father to send his Son, and the Son to come for this Work. This part of the Text answers, and tells us, what is the Design, He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his dayes, &c. He shall com­municat Life to many that were Dead, and shall beget a Generation, that shall have Life deryved from Him, as a Seed have from their Parents: And so this is a third Answer, for removing of that stumbling Objection, proposed in the beginning of the Verse; to wit, How it came to passe, that the Innocent Son of God, who had done no violence, and who had no guile in his mouth, was put to such Sufferings? We shew that there were three Grounds laid down, in Answer to this. 1. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, It was the Fathers good pleasure. The 2d. is, from the Nature of His Sufferings, which were to be a Sin-offer­ing, or an Offering for Sin, not for His own, but for the Sins of the Elect. The 3d. Is, That His Sufferings should have notable Fruits, and Effects following them, set down in Three Expressions; which are partly Pro­phesies; telling, what should be the Effects of the Sufferings of the Mediator; partly Promises made to the Mediator; telling what should be His Reward and Hyre (to speak so) for His Sufferings. 1. He shall see his seed; that is, many shall get good of His Sufferings; 2. He shall prolong his [Page 334] dayes, That is, He shall outlive these His Troubles and Sufferings, and shall have a glorious Out-gate, and Reign. 3. The pleasure of the Lord shal prosper in his hand. That is, The Work that was given Him to do, and to finish shall thrive well; and no part of it shall faill, or miscarry. In the First Pro­mise made to Him, or in the first Effect that should follow on His Sufferings, in these Words, He shall see his seed; We have these Three. 1. A Relation implyed betwixt Christ and Believers; They are His seed; such as in the next verse, are said to be justifiea by Him; It is in short, many shall get Pardon of Sin, and Justifi­cation by His Death; In this respect, it's said, Psal. 45. penult verse, In stead of thy fathers, shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. 2. A Prophesie, and foretelling of the event, that should follow Christ's Sufferings, and so it holds out this; That our Lord Jesus should not only have a Seed, but a numer­ous Seed, that should be made sure to Him, And it seems to be in allusion to that which is spoken of Abraham, and of others in the Old Testament, of whom it's said, that they should have Seed; That is, that many should descend of them; But there is more here; For, whereas others, while they are Living, or in their Life-time be­get a Seed, which begetting, is interrupt­ed by Death; The Death of our Lord Je­sus begets His Seed, or His Seed are be­gotten by His Death. 3. Considering the Words as a Promise, they hold out this, That though our Lord Jesus Suffer, and Die, yet He sha l not only have a Seed, but He shall see His Seed. He shall outlive His Sufferings, and Death; And shall be de­lighted In seeing of them, who shall get the good of His Sufferings; As it's said of Job, that he saw his children, or s [...]ed of the third and fourth generation; That is, he lived long, and saw m [...]ny that came of him; even so though our Lord came to Death, and to the G ave; yet He should not only have a nu­merous Seed, many Children, but He should live, and see them; and that not only for three, or four, or for ten Gene­rations; But for very many Generations: And His dying, should neither mar His be­getting, nor the seeing of them: And this seeing of his Seed, is opposed to such Pa­rents as are Dead; and who, though their Children, and Posterity be in want, yet they know it not. From the First of these, Observe, That Believers are our Lord Jesus His Seed; they are come of Him; whatever their Meannesse and Low­nesse be, in the World; and though they could not clame Kindred to any of external­ly honest Rank and Quality; yet they are His Seed: To this purpose, the Apostle bespeaks the believing Corinthians, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28. Ye see your calling brethren, how that not many mighty, not many wise men, after the flesh, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of this world, to confound the wise, &c. that no flesh should glorie in his presence: Though ye be not of any high Rank or Quality in the World; yet of him are ye in Christ Jesus▪ who of God is made to us, wisdom, righte­ousness, sanctification and redemption: In this respect Christ is called the everlasting father, Isa: 9.6. For He is the Father of all Believers; that ever had, or shall have Life; who are, Psal. 45. penult verse cal­ed, His Children.

To clear this a little, ye shall take it in these Four or Five respects, or Consider­ations, in which believers are said to be Christs Seed, or be descended of Him. 1. In this respect, that as Believers they have their being of Him, as Children descended from off their Parents, as to their Natural be­ing; So Believers, as they have a Spirit­uall Being, descend from Him; and hold their Being of Him; without whom they had never been Believers: And in this respect they are His Seed. 1. Because He Meri­toriously Purchased Life to them; which is the thing here mainly understood; as fol­lowing immediatly an the back of His Suf­ferings. 2. Because they have Life from Him efficiently, as He works it in them, and by the Gospel begets them; Therefore He is said 1. Tim. 1.10. To have brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel, which was not known in many parts of the World, till Christ brought it forth; [Page 335] In this respect, Believers are Christ's Seed; we are not born Believers of our Parents, nor have the Faith which we have, of the Ordinances, nor of Ministers, as efficient Causes thereof; But it is from our Lord Jesus, who is Believers Father, Thus Be­lievers have an Affinity, and near Relation to Christ, even to be His Children: And any that would lay claim to Faith, or Spi­ritual Life, would see well, that it be this way kindly, and (as we use to say) leill come, from Jesus Christ, and that they be in His Debt, and Common for it. 2ly, They are His Seed, in respect of the likeness that is betwixt Him and them, or in respect of the Qualifications that are in them; as they are said, 2 Pet. 1.4. By the exceed­ing great and precious promises, to be made partakers of the divine nature; They have of the same Spirit, for the kind that He, as Mediator, hath in Him; And it's in this respect, that Cant. 7.1. The Believer is called the Princess daughter, which especial­ly looks to the Spiritual Generous, and No­ble Qualifications, that are deryved from Christ, to the Believer; Hence, Believers are said to have the Spirit of Sons, when all others, though they be the greatest in the World; have but the Spirit of Ser­vants, and their Generosity, is nothing to that of Believers; who are made partakers of the divine nature; We have not, sayes the Apostle, received the spirit of fear, but of faith and love, and of a sound mind; Ah! there are many that claime Kindred and Relation to Christ, that are very unlike Him. 3ly. They are called Christ's Seed, in respect of the care that He hath of them. Never Mother was more tender of the Sucking Child, then He is of His Believ­ing Children; Therefore, sayeth the Lord, Isa. 49.15. A mother may forget her sucking child; but I will not forget thee: Hence, is that Phrase, even as to visible Professors in the Church, who refuse to listen to the call of the Gospel; which is much more emi­nently verified in Believers; Matth. 23. How often would I have gathered thee as a hen doth her chickens under her wings? So tender and respective is He to His Children; as the Mother is, tender to the Sucking Child, or as the Hen is of her newly hatch­ed, and young Chickens; for they are, in some respect, come out of His own Bowels; His Blood was shed to Purchase them; So it is said, Isa. 40.11. He gathered the lambs with his arm, he carries them in his bosome, And gently leads those that are with young. And, O! what Massie Consolation have such Words as these, in them; And what confidence may Believing Sinners have to come to this Mediator; That is a Mother, a Father, a Brother, and a Parent, that hath begotten us out of His own Bowels; and in some respect, (as we are Believers) hath as a Mother conceived us in His own Womb. 4ly. They are called His Seed, in respect of the Portion which they get from Him; The Apostle sayes, that Parents pro­vide for their Children; It's indeed emin­ently so here, Believers come under His Care, oversight, and Tutory; And as a Man provides for His Houshold, His Chil­dren, and Servants Meat in due season (And the Apostle sayes, he is worse then an infidel that provides not for them of his own house) even so our Lord Jesus, as He gives Believers their Spiritual Life, so He entertains that Life; provides for them, and trains them up, and on, till he enter them in to the Possession of Eternal Life; they are made by Him Princes, Psal. 45.16. Intituled to a Kingdom; yea, all His Children are Kings, and sit with him on his throne, Rev. 2. last Verse, and are made partakers of His Glory; and (to speak so) they Fair as He Fairs, they Dwell as He Dwells, and behold His Glory; O! is not this much; That the poor Dyvour, that hath nor a Penny left him, nor to leave to another, should be thus Dignified, as to have a claim to Christ's Kingdom, to be an Heir, and a joynt Heir with Him, who is the Heir of all things? For so we come to be Retoured, (to speak so) and so be ser­ved Heirs to all things; As it is, Rev. 21.7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; And it goes on this ground, Heb. 1.2. That the Mediator, is appointed heir of all things; with whom, being joint heirs; we are Heirs too, and are made to Inherit all things. 5ly. They are called His Seed, [Page 336] because of the manner of their coming to the Possession of that, which through Him they have a Claim to; For they have Claim to nothing, but by being Heirs to, and with Him; And by believing in Him; They are Heirs of the promise, in some re­spect, as Isaac was: So then briefly to re­capitulat all these, would ye know the way that Believers are Christ's Seed. 1. He begets them, and they have their Spi­ritual Life of Him. 2. He is tender of them, as of His own Children. 3. They are furnished with Qualifications, and Dis­positions suitable to Him. 4. They have a rich Portion from Him, and are well provided for. 5. What good they get, is for His sake, who is their Father; Here we may allude to that Word, Rom. 11. They are beloved for the Fathers sake, by a Right and Title to Him; they come to have a Good and Goodly Portion; They claim not their Portion; because of this or that thing in themselves; but by their being served Heirs to Christ, being come of Him, they come to get a Right to what is His.

Use, As all Relations betwixt Christ and Bellevers, speak out much Consolation; So doth this, if we were in Case to apply it; This one Word hath in it, and holds forth a good Condition, and is a very broad Chartour.

See here then. 1. What we are in Christ's Common and Debt, who are Believ­ers; It's much to be made a Friend, to be fred from the Curse of God, and to have all our Debt payed; But this is more to be His Seed, to be His own Children; to have our Life of Him, to have our Provision and Portion from Him; It's really a won­der, that we wonder not more at this, and other Relations, that are betwixt Him and Believers; as namely, he is the Believers Father, and takes them to be His Sons and Daughters; He is the Believers Brother, and is not ashamed to call them bre­thren; He is the Believers Husband, and they are His Spouse; He is their Bridegrome, and they are His Bride; Such Relations as these are pitched upon, and made choise of, to fill (If I may speak so) the Faith of the Believer, and that the Believer may feed sweetly and delicately on them, till the time come that the Vail of Similitudes betak­en away; and they be brought to see Him as He is, even Face to Face; and that thereby they may be helped to win to read their ad­vantages and priviledges, which they have in Him: What can be the reason then that so few think, and esteem suitably of the Excellent, and Desirable Condition of Be­lievers, and that words of this kind relish not? Here is the Reason, He of whom they hold all these Priviledges, and by whom they are put into this Notable, and Non-such Condition, is not suitably Esteem­ed of, and accounted Precious; There­fore, Believers in Him, are thought the less of. Our hearts should melt in love to Him, and in sorrow for offending Him, at the Reading and Hearing of such expres­sions, wherewith the Scriptures of God are stuffed full.

2ly, Are there any that would have a Good and Happy Condition summed up, and compended; Here it is; even to have our Lord Jesus to be a Father; and to be His Seed; to come in as Sons and Daugh­ters to Him: I appeal to you all, if any Condition can be put in the Ballance with this; Is there any Honour and Dignity like it, or comparable with it? Who can claim to be come of such a Parent as is He, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords, the Prince of the kings of the earth; The Father of Glory, His eldest and only begotten Son, by an Eternal and unspeakable Generation, who, in all things hath the preheminency; What is your Pedegrie, who will say, and boast, that ye are of such a Laird's or Lord's House, and of such an Ancient Fa­mily and Stock; yea, though ye were of Blood Royal, what is it to this? what will become of Mens Gentility or Nobility of Birth, yea, of Royalty of Birth, in that Day, when Christ shall set His Throne in the Clouds? To have this Relation to Christ, will be more Valuable, and Hon­ourable in that Day, then to have been great Commanders, Lairds, Lords, Mar­quesses Dukes, Princes, and King's; who will all in that Day stand upon the same Level, with the Poorest Peasants, and [Page 337] when all Honours and Dignities, which are now so much thought of, and thirsted after, will be laid in the Dust. Therefore learn to think of this, as the Noblest Birth and Descent, which is through Faith in Christ Jesus; And Covet, and be holily Abitious, to have the Qualifications of His Children: Look to the Qualifications, Parts, Indue­ments, and A [...]complishments that use to accompany, or [...]ol [...]ow any Houses of the Braven of Natural Men; Are there any of them comparab [...]e to the Qualifications of B [...]lievers? Is there a Stock or Race of Peo­ple in all the World, so truely Generous and Noble as Believers are, who are come of Christ, and are made valiant, through the exercise of Faith in Him, against all occurring difficulties; Regardlesse of world­ly things; And taken up with, a [...]d bussied about high and noble Projects and Designs; even to have Heaven, and Glory, and God Himself; who undervalue, and holily dis­dain the things of the World, which earth­worms so much seek after; Their Qualifi­cations kyth especially in this, that their designs are Heavenly, their minds elevat­ed to, and set on the best things, and that they have a truly magnanimous and a vale­rous way of prosecuting them; by study­ing the mortification of Sin, and conformi­ty to God, when others cannot endure to cast out with, and abandon a lust; They holily scorn, and account it below them to have their Peace standing, or falling with the ebbing and flowing of Creature Com­forts, which the Men of the World place their happinesse n; Their study is to be Pure, as Christ is Pure; O! is there any Por [...]ion like theirs? many or you think but little of it now, but ye will think more of it in that Day, when the Earth, and all things in it shall be burnt up with Fire; What will the Earth-portion signifie then? Ye that now have your variety of Fine and Delicat Meats with your Ale and Wine at every Meal, who shall be found out of Christ, shall not get a Drop of cold Water to cool your Tongue, under [...]our exquisit and Hel ish Torments; when the Poor Body that believed, and had a hard Life of it here, shall be in Abrahams Bosome, and with Christ at His Table, yea, and on His Throne with Him; And it is upon the account of their having a Title to Christ, that they come to all that Glorie, and Happi­ness: O! is there any Right and Title like the Believers; which is founded on Christ's Right and Title, which is, or may be called the Original Right of the Believer, who is keeped by the power of God, through faith unto salvation. If these be the true and faithfull sayings of God, what is the reason that Men think so little of them? Why is an Interest in Christ to undervalu­ed? Believe ye, that such and so much good is to be gotten, by being Christ's Seed and Children? If ye say that ye be­lieve it, how comes it to pass that so few have it for their Design, and that your De­signes are so much for this and that in a present World; and that this is so much slighted, and that there is so much boast­ing, and glorying in other things, and so little holy Boasting, and Glorying in this?

There are two or three Marks, which we may gather from the Words, that may help to shew, when this Claim is warrant­ably made, and which may evidence the groundlessness of the Claim of many. And 1. Christ's Seed have another Original, then that which they bring with them in­to the World; There is in them a change o [...] the ground of their hope; And that on a new account; Folk comes into the World sinful, Chi dren of sinfull Parents; but when they come to be Believers they get a new Life, which Men cannot give; and this new Life hath new Actings and Fruits; Ah! How many dream of a Right to Christ; who know no other Birth or Being, but that which is Natural? 2. They who are Christ's Seed carry al [...]g with them the im­pression of an Obligation, to and an acknow­ledgement of Him, in whatever good they have gotten; they think themselves much oblidged to Christ, and they acknowledge Him for their Life, As it is, Malachi 1. If I be a father, where is my honour? and if a Master, where is my fear? a son honours his fathe, &c. A natively and Genuinly disposed Child, acknowledgeth his Father, [Page 338] As his Father, and reverenceth, and lov­eth his Father as his Father, But there are many that pretend to a Being from Christ, who think not themselves in His Debt, and Common for it, and, who know not what is is to walk under the Conviction of their Obligation to Christ, for their supposed spiritual Life and Being. 3. They who are Christ's Seed, have in them a likeness to Him, as they did once bear the image of the earthly; so now they bear the image of the heavenly Adam: Not that they come up in all things to be exactly like to the Pattern, but it is their aim, and other things that disconform them to Him are deformed, loathsome, and ugly in their sight; Their old Inclination is burdensome to them; And is the continual ground of an inward Contest and Wrestling; and in a manner, they are troubled at the very heart, how to keep down what is opposit to Christ; And when their Corruption Over-masters them, they are the more discomposed, and disquieted; They discern something in them, that is not like to Christ, and they abhor that, though it be never so near and dear to them, their very Self; they see something also like to Christ in them; And they Cherish, and make much of it; they would fain be at more of it, and to have His Image more deeply impressed on their Spirits, which they reckon their greatest, yea, their only Beauty.

The 3. Use, is for Direction to Believ­ers; if ye be Christ's Seed, ye must be other sort of Folks in your Designs, and in your Deportment and carriage; King's Child­ren ought not to carrie as others; It would be highly unsuitable; yea, even abomin­able to see them walk so trivially, and lightly as every Base, Ill-bred Beg­gers Child doth; It's no less Incongruous, and Unbecoming, that Believers should be taken with this and that Vanity, that meer Worldlings are taken with, and hunt after.

The 4th Use, Speaks a Word of Con­solation to Believers; And holds forth the greatness of the Priviledge of being Christ's Seed; It will be much to perswade a Poor Sinner, duely sensible of Sin, to believe this; And that the Lord is in earnest, when He speaks thus; That such an one, who hath betaken Himself to Christ for Life, and humbly Claims Right to nothing, but by Verture of Christ's Right (the main thing, that our Union with Him is bottomed upon) who is content to be in Christ's Common for Life, and goes not a­bout to establish his own Righteousnesse, but leans to His Righteousnesse, for Life, and Salvation, should be His Seed, and have all the Priviledges of Sons derived to Him; And yet it is the Lord's faith­ful Word; Neither hath Eye seen, nor Ear heard, nor hath it entered into the Heart of Man to conceive, what good things are laid up for such a Person; and that are stuffed up in these Expressions of our Relation to Christ Jesus.

Use 5. It may be also a quieting and com­forting Word to some Believers, who are in Affliction, Poverty, and Straits in the World; That our Lord Jesus is a Kindly Affectionat Parent; more kindly and tend­er hearted, then the tenderest Father or Mother; and indeed it may sufficiently quiet them, that they have such a kindly Overseer, and Provisor, who is also a Cor­dial Sympathizer with them, what ever their Condition be, He will not deny His Off-spring, and Seed, whom He laid down His Life to Purchase.

The 6th Use. May be for Incitement and Provocation to all that would be Hap­py, to place it here; Interest in Christ Jesus, by Believing on Him, brings us to have Interest in the enjoying of Him, and all that is His; and can there be any more sought after, or wished for? Are there any, but would think it a good Life, to be here? And who are they, of whom He speaks so? It is not of some sort of strange and uncouth Folk, that were once in the World, but are now all out of it; And of whom there are none now in it; It is not such as want Sin, and derive their Life from their own Works; but it is such as are, 1. As considered in themselves dead in Sins and Trespasses, and without Spiri­tuall Life and Being; And who know that all the pains that they can take, will not [Page 339] acquire it; And who it may be, are quite Dead to their own apprehension and sense oftentimes; And who have Judged them­selves, and have the Sentence of Death in themselves. 2. It's such as look to Him for the obtaining of Life, and who acknow­ledge Him for any Life, or Livelinesse they have; And who expect it, and bruike it, by vertue of His Purchase; which is that on which all their Plea, for Life is found­ed.

Now I know, that all this will not readi­ly clear some; There are so many things that look counterfit like; But I am now speaking to them, who have some stick­lings of Spiritual Life, which yet are not so Lively, as they, can discern them to be the Stirrings and Sticklings of Life; And they have a Body of Death in them, which is ready to extinguish that Life; and often they think it is extinguished already; They have Convictions of their own Deadness, and that things are wrong in their Condi­tion, and are quite out of all Hopes of Righteousness, from and by themselves, or from any thing that they have done, or can do; And they have some confused looks to Christ; but they cannot Rid their Feet in the Matter of their Faith; and Duties go not so with them as they expect­ed, and would have them. To such I shal speak a Word or two and close. 1. I would a [...], whence comes that Stickling of Life or Feeling of that Bodie of Death? What is the Original of it? will Nature discover the Corruption of Nature, and bring Folks to be out of Love with Corrupt Nature? Certainly, where this is, it's not like Nature, but is the Life of Christ; especially, when it puts Folks to discern, and take up their own Deadnesse; to quit their own Righteousness▪ and to be content to lay their Mouth in the Dust and to betake themselves to the Righteousnesse of Christ, if they could win to be distinct in it; This looks to be from Christ, whose Spirit con­vinces the World of sin, and of the sin of unbelief in particular; And of righteousness, as being only to be had in Christ; and of judgement, that is, of the reasonablenesse, that He should have a Dominion over them, and that they should walk in Holinesse: Yet, notwithstanding of all this, they are hanging in a kind of Suspence and hover; and know not whether to look on them­selves as Believers or not; They wot well that it is not right with them; that they are lost in themselves, and that no other way will do their turn, but Faith in the Righteousnesse of a Mediator: The thing whereat they Stick and halt, is, that they know not how to through, and maintain the consent that they have given; and they cannot think, that their Faith is true Faith, because they know not how to fol­low forth the exercise of it; though they have renunced their own Righteousnesse, And laid their Reckoning, to be in Christ's Debt and Common, for Righte usnesse and Life; if ever they come by them; All their difficulty, is, how to through their Believing. Now it is not to the founding of Life, that we are here speaking, but to the exercise of Life, and to the finding out of Life; And we say, that such an exercise suppons Life to be, though it be not des­cernable in it's exercise, to the Soul it self; There are many Poor Creatures born and brought forth into the World, that can neither Talk nor Walk, but must be car­ried and keeped Tenderly, and that are some way, as if they were not brought out of the Womb: So is it with many Believ­ers, and it were good to be in Christ's Common, as for Life, so for bringing Life to exercise, and by diligence and waiting on Him, in the use of His own appointed Means, to seek to come to some Distinct­nesse in Neating, and Exercising of any Life, that He hath given; And it is no small incouragement to this; That Christ shall see his seed, That He must have Saints and Believers in Him; which should make Poor Souls, that have no Life in themselves, with the more confidence to commit themselves to Him, upon this very ground, that the Father hath ingadged to Christ, that He shall have many such for His Seed; The which Promise is perform­ed to Him, in the gathering in of Poor con­fused, and Mind-perplexed Sinners, to be in His Debt, for Life, and to hold their [Page 340] Life of Him for ever; It will sure be no small part of the ground of Saints praise in Heaven, that He not only bought Life for them, but that He made Application of Life to them; And trained them on, till He got them fitted to speak to His Pr [...]ise; Wherein the Body of Death makes many a sad stop, and makes poor Believers to Stammer, as it were, while they are here. But it's good News that Jesus Christ hath bought Life, and brought it to Light; And that by this Gospel, He is making Application of it, and declaring that He is content to bestow it freely, on all them that will be in His Common for it.

IT was once a Riddle, how, out of the strong could come forth Meat, and how, out of the Eater could come forth Sweet; It's here most clearly Unridled, and that in a most Won­derfull and Comfortable Manner; Our Lord Jesus, the strong Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, it put to grief and bruised, and his soul is made an offering for sin, and here is the Sweet Meat that comes out of it. He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, &c. The substance of the Words is, That by His Death many shall be brought to Life; It's the same Death that hath given us the hope we have of Life; And all the ground that we have to speak of it to you; which had never been, had He not been bruised, and put to grief.

We shew, that here is holden forth the Lord's great design in the Contrivance of the Work of Redemption; And that these Words are a further answer to the Stumbling Objection proposed before; to wit, How the innocent Son of God could Suffer? It pleased the Father to bruise him; when he should make his soul an offering for sin, &c. Which Justifies God, in that proceeding and serves to weep away that Reproach, that might seem to stick to Him; In sum, it is this; If we consider the notable and noble Fruits, and Comfort­able Effects, that followed on His Suffer­ings, and Death; there is no ground to stumble at God's giving His Son, or at the Sons Condescending as Mediator, to Suffer, to be Dispised, and put to D [...]ath; And this is the first Fruit, and Eff ct thereof, that He shall see his seed; Whereby is meaned, that by His Death the Elect, who are given to Him do by Faith in Him rec [...]ive a new Life from Him, a [...]d are taken in under a most sweet and kindly Re­lation to Him by their being begotten again, to a lively hope, through His Re­surrection from the Dead.

We spoke to [...]is Point. That Believers are Christ's Seed; which shews the great Priviledge, that they are admitted to, [Page 341] and their great Obligation to Christ on that account; they are oblidged to Him, for their Spiritual Life and Beeing; as Chil­dren are oblidged to their Natural Parents, for their Natural Life and Beeing; And Infinitely more oblidged, in as much, as the one Life is Infinitly Preferable to the other.

There are three things more to be Ob­served, from the Words, And 1. Con­sidering them as they stand in Dependence on the Former; That God's Design, in sending His Son into the World, and the Mediators D [...]sign, in coming so low; is to have a Seed begotten to the Hope of Eter­nall Life, and to have [...]oor Souls dead in themselves, shareing of Life in and through Him; even to have many partaking of Life through His Death. 2. Considering the Words, as foretelling the event of Christ's Death, and Sufferings, We have this Ob­servation from them, That Our Lord's Dea [...]h shall certainly procure Life to many; Or thus, it cannot be, but His Death must have tru [...], to the saving of Souls from Death, and to the making of them partak­ers of Life. 3. Looking on the Words, as a Promise made to the Mediator; We Ob­serve from them, That the Seeing of a Seed, is exceeding much thought of, by Je­sus Christ; It pleased Him wondrous will; Therefore this Promis [...] of a Seed is m [...]de to Him, to incourage H [...]m to lay down His Life.