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Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.
The works of Thomas Goodwin
NICHOL'S SERIES OF STANDARD DIVINES.
PDEITAN PERIOD.
THE
WORKS OF THOMAS GOODWIN, D.D.
VOL. IV.
COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION.
W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational
Union, Edinburgh.
JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh.
THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University,
Edinburgh.
D. T. K. DRUMMOND, JO.., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church,
Edinburgh.
WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and Church
History, Reformed Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh.
ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughton Place United Presby-
terian Church, Edinburgh.
(Stnrral ©tutor.
REV. THOMAS SMITH, M.A., Edinburgh.
THE WORKS
THOMAS GOODWIN, D.D.,
SOMETIME PRESIDENT OF MAGDALENE COLLEGE, OXFOBD.
Mitlj ®mtxd frefare
By JOHN C. MILLER, D.D.,
LINCOLN COLLEGE: HONORARY CAVON OF WORCESTER: RECTOR OF ST MARTIN'S, BIRMINGHAM.
gjitr HUnroir
BY ROBERT HALLEY, D.D.,
PRINCIPAL OF THE 1NDIPENDEKT NEW COLLEGE, LONDON.
TOL. IV.
CONTAINING :
CHRIST SET FORTH
THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN TOWARDS SINNERS ON EARTH
AGGRAVATION OF SIN ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH
THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL A DISCOURSE OF THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL -
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.
EDINBURGH : JAMES NICKOL.
LONDON : JAMES NISBET AND CO. DUBLIN : W. ROBERTSON.
MONTREAL : B. DAWSON & SON.
M.DCCC.LXH.
EDINBURGH
PRINTED BY JOHN GREIG AND 80N
OLD PHTSIC GARDENS.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
Christ Set Forth, on Rom. viii. 34, . . . 1
The Heart of Christ in Heaven towards Sinners on Earth, . 93
Aggravation of Sin, . . . . . .151
Aggravations of Sinning against Knowledge, . . 163
Aggravations of Sinning against Mercy, . . .188
Encouragements to Faith,
The Glory of the Gospel,
Sermon I. on Col. I. 26, 27,
Sermon H. on do.,
A Discourse of the Glory of the Gospel,
205
225
227
241
259
The Knowledge of God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, 347
Book I. — Of the Godhead, and the three Persons within it-
self. — That there is but one God. — That in the divine
nature, or one Godhead, there are three Persons conversing
with, speaking to, and glorifying one another. — Which
union and communion of the three Persons between them-
selves is peculiar to the Deity, and incommunicable to
any mere creature. . . . . .349
Book II. — Of the Son of God, the second person in the Trinity.
— What his person is, considered in himself. — He is the
eternal Son of the Father, one God in essence with him.
— The Son, the second person, took the man Jesus into
personal union with himself; and so Christ is God-man
joined into one person, ...... 404
Book HI. — Of the glories and royalties that belong unto Jesus
Christ, considered as God-man in one person (besides
what accrued to him from his performance of the work of
our redemption), and which were appointed for him, by
CONTENTS.
his Father, from all eternity. — The apparent manifestation
of the divine attributes in the person of Jesus Christ God-
man. — The designation of him in God's first decrees, as
the end for whom all the creatures were made. — The part
that he bore as God-man in the creation, as by him all
things were created. — The appointment of him by God to
be one Lord over all, under him one God ; and to be in
a more special respect the head of the elect, on whom they
were to hold the tenure of all the blessings bestowed on
them above the dues of creation, . . 454
CHRIST SET FORTH.
VOL. IV.
[ORIGINAL TITLE]
CHRIST
SET FORTE
In his
( Death,
Resurrection,
Ascension,
Sitting at God's
right hand,
Intercession,
As the -
Cause
of Justification,
Object
of Justifying
Faith.
Upon Rom. 8. Vee. 34.
TOGETHER WITH
A TREATISE
DISCO VERINO
The Affectionate tenderness of
Christs Heart now in Hea-
ven, unto Sinners on Earth.
By Tno : Goodwin, B. D
LONDON,
Printed by J. G. for R. Dawlman, 1G51.
TO THE READER
What the scope of this treatise itself is, the title-page and the table that
follows will sufficiently inform you : I shall only here acquaint you with
what was mine, in a few words. I have by long experience observed many
holy and precious souls, who have clearly and wholly given up themselves
to Christ, to be saved by him his own way, and who at their first conver-
sion (as also at times of desertion) have made an entire and immediate close
with Christ alone for their justification, who yet in the ordinary course and
way of their spirits have been too much carried away with the rudiments of
Christ in their own hearts, and not after Christ himself: the stream of their
more constant thoughts and deepest intentions running in the channel, of
reflecting upon, and searching into the gracious dispositions of their own
hearts, so to bring down, or to raise up (as the apostle's words are, Rom.
x. 8), and so get a sight of Christ by them. Whereas Christ himself is
1 nigh them' (as the apostle there speaks), if they would but nakedly look
upon himself through thoughts of pure and single faith.
And although the use of our own graces, by way of sign and evidence of
Christ in us, be allowed us by God, and is no way derogatory from Christ,
if subordinated to faith ; and so as that the heart be not too inordinate and
immoderate in poring too long or too much on them, to fetch their comfort
from them, unto a neglect of Christ : yet as pleasures that are lawful, are
unlawfully used when our thoughts and intentions are too long, or too fre-
quent, or too vehement in them, so as to dead the heart, either to the pre-
sent delighting in God, or pursuing after him, with the joint strength of our
souls, as our only chiefest good : so an immoderate recourse unto signs
(though barely considered as such), is as unwarrantable, when thereby we
are diverted and taken off from a more constant actual exercise of daily
thoughts of faith towards Christ immediately, as he is set forth to be our
righteousness, either by the way of assurance (which is a kind of enjoyment
of him), or recumbency and renewed adherence in pursuit after him.
And yet the minds of many are so wholly taken up with their own hearts,
that (as the Psalmist says of God) Christ ' is scarce in all their thoughts.'
But let these consider what a dishonour this must needs be unto Christ,
4 TO THE KEADEB.
that his train and favourites (our graces) should have a fuller court and
more frequent attendance from our hearts than himself, who is the ' King
of Glory.' And likewise what a shame also it is for believers themselves,
who are his spouse, to look upon their husband no otherwise but by reflec-
tion and at second hand, through the intervention and assistance of their
own graces, as mediators between him and them.
Now to rectify this error, the way is not wholly to reject all use of such
evidences, but to order them, both for the season, as also the issue of them.
For the season, so as that the use of them go not before, but still should
follow after an address of faith first renewed, and acts thereof put forth upon
Christ himself. Thus whensoever we would go down into our own hearts,
and take a view of our graces, let us be sure first to look wholly out of our-
selves unto Christ, as our justification, and to close with them* immediately;
and this as if we had no present or by-past grace to evidence our being in
him. And if then, whilst faith is thus immediately clasping about Christ,
as sitting upon his throne of grace, we find either present or fore-past graces
coming in as handmaids, to attend and witness to the truth of this adherence
unto Christ (as after such single and absolute acts of faith it oftentimes falls
out) ; — the Holy Ghost (without whose light they shine not) * bearing wit-
ness with our spirits,' that is, our graces, as well as to our spirits ; — and
then again, for the issue of them, if in the closure of all, we again let fall
our viewing and comforting ourselves in them, or this their testimony, and
begin afresh (upon his encouragement) to act faith upon Christ immediately
with a redoubled strength ; if thus (I say) we make such evidences to be
subservient only unto faith (whilst it makes Christ its Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end of all), this will be no prejudice at all to Christ's
glory, or the workings of faith itself ; for by this course the life of faith is
still actually maintained and kept upon wing in its full use and exercise
towards Christ alone for justification. Whereas many Christians do habi-
tually make that only but as a supposed or taken for granted principle,
which they seldom use, but have laid up for a time of need ; but actually
live more in the view and comfort of their own graces, and the gracious
workings thereof in the duties towards Christ.
The reason of this defect, among many others, I have attributed partly
to a 'barrenness' (as Peter's phrase is) 'in the knowledge of the Lord
Jesus Christ,' and of such things revealed about him, as might be matter
for faith to work and feed upon : as also to a want of skill (whilst men
want assurance) to bend and bow, and subjugate to the use of a faith for
mere adherence, all those things that they know and hear of Christ as made
justification unto us. It being in experience a matter of the greatest diffi-
culty (and yet certainly most feasible and attainable), for such a faith as
can yet only rely and cast itself upon Christ for justification, yet rightly to
take in, and so to make use of all that which is or may be said of Christ,
his bein» made righteousness to us, in his death, resurrection, &c, as to
quicken and strengthen itself in such acts of mere adherence, until assurance
* Qu. ' him ? '—Ed.
TO THE READER. 5
itself comes, for whose use and entertainment all truths lie more fair and
directly to be received by it. They all serve as a fore-right wind to assu-
rance of faith, to fill the sails thereof, and cany on with a more full and
constant gale (as the word used by the apostle for assurance* imports),
whereas to the faith of a poor recumbent, they serve but as a half side-
wind, unto which yet, through skill, the sails of such a faith may be so turned
and applied towards it, as to carry a soul on with much ease and quietness
unto Christ the desired haven ; it notwithstanding waiting all that while for
a more fair and full gale of assurance in the end.
Now to help or instruct believers in that latter, namely, the use of such a
skill, is not directly the drift of this treatise, I having reserved that part (if
God assist me and give leisure, and this find acceptance) unto another about
the Acts of justifying faith, wherein this art now mentioned is to be the main
scope. That which I have here endeavoured, is, to set forth to all sorts of
believers (whether they have assurance or not) Christ as he is the object of
our faith as justifying, and as the cause of justification to us ; and so I send
forth this as a premise and preparatory to that other. And to that pur-
pose I have run over some few articles of our faith or creed, as I found
them put together in one bundle by the great Apostle, namely Christ, in
his death, resurrection, ascension, sitting at God's right hand, and interces-
sion, and have handled these no further than as in all these he is made
justification unto us, therein having punctually kept unto the apostle's
scope. By all which you may (in the mean time) see, what abundant pro-
vision God hath laid up in Christ (in the point of justification) for all sorts
of believers to live upon : every thing in Christ, whatsoever he was, or
whatsoever he did, with a joint voice speaking justification unto us. You
may see also that God hath in Christ justified us over and over ; and
thereby come to discern what little reason you have to suffer your hearts
to be carried aside to other comforters, and so be spoiled and bereft of these
more immediately prepared, and laid up for us in Christ himself. To have
handled all those considerations, which his obedience unto death affords
unto the justification of a believer, and his comfort therein, in this small
tractate, would have made that part too disproportioned to the rest : it
alone deserves, and will require a distinct tract, which therefore I have cast
into another method ; and so in this treatise have touched only upon what
may for the present be sufficient to furnish that part, to keep company with
its fellows. Only when I had thus presented Christ along from his death,
resurrection, and ascension, unto his sitting in heaven, and there performing
that great part of his priesthood, the work of intercession, I judged it both
homogeneal to all these, and conducing to the greater encouragement of
believers in the exercise of then* faith, to subjoin that other treatise, How
Christ's Heart, now he is in Heaven, stands affected to us Sinners here below.
And a better token (take the argument itself, if I could have fully repre-
sented it) how to present unto his spouse I know not, than a true character
of her Husband's heart, now he is in glory : and (but for method's sake) I
* Viz. nXrjPopogia. — Ed.
6 TO THE READER.
would have placed it first, it being more suited to vulgar capacities, whose
benefit I aim at. Now in that discourse I confess I have not aimed to keep
so strictly unto the matter of justification only, as in the other I have done;
but have more generally discussed it, and shewn how his heart stands
towards us, under all sorts of infirmities whatsoever, either of sin or misery,
yet so as it will serve for the matter of justification also. The Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ grant us according to the riches of his glory, that
Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, and that we may know the love oi
Christ, which passeth knowledge ! Amen.
THO. GOODWIN-
CHRIST SET FORTH.
SECTION I.
SHEWING BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION THAT CHRIST IS THE EXAMPLE
AND OBJECT OF JUSTIFYING FAITH.
Who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen
aqain, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for ms.— Rom. VIII. 34.
CHAPTER I.
The scope of these words : that they were Christ's originally. — Christ the highest
example of believing. — Encouragements to our faith from thence.
These words are a triumphing challenge uttered by the apostle in the name
of all the elect ; for so he begins it in ver. 33 foregoing, ' Who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that justifies.' And then
follow these words, ' Who shall condemn ? ' namely, God's elect. • It is
Christ that died,' &c. This challenge we find first published by Jesus
Christ himself, our only champion, Isa. 1. (a chapter made of and for
Christ), ver. 8, ' He is near that justifies me ; who will contend with me ?'
They were Christ's words there, and spoken of God's justifying him : and
these are every believer's words here, intended of God's justifying them.
Christ is brought in there uttering them as standing at the high priest's
tribunal, when they spat upon him, and buffeted him, as ver. 4, 5 ; when he
was condemned by Pilate, then he exercised this faith on God his Father,
' He is near that justifies me.' And as in that his condemnation he stood
in our stead, so in this his hope of his justification he speaks in our stead
also, and as representing us in both. And upon this the apostle here pro-
nounces, in like words, of all the elect, ' It is God that justifies ; who shall
accuse ? ' Christ was condemned, yea, ' hath died ; who therefore shall
condemn ? ' Lo, here the communion we have with Christ in his death
and condemnation, yea in his very faith ; if he trusted in God, so may we,
and shall as certainly be delivered. Observe we first from hence, by way
of premise to all that follows,
CHRIST THE EXAMPLE OF FAITH. ("SECT. I.
Obs. That Christ lived by faith as well as we do.
In John i. 16, we are said to ' receive of his fulness grace for grace ;
that is, grace answerable and like unto his ; and so (among others) faith.
For explication hereof.
First ; in some sense he had a faith for justification like unto ours, though
not a justification through faith, as we have. He went not, indeed, out of
himself, to rely on another for righteousness, for he had enough of his own
(he being * the Lord our righteousness ') ; yet he believes on God to justify
him, and had recourse to God for justification: 'He is near' (says he)
1 that justifies me.' If he had stood in his own person merely, and upon
his own bottom only, there had been no occasion for such a speech ; and
yet consider him as he stood in our stead, there was ; for what need of such
a justification, if he had not been some way near a condemnation ? He
therefore must be supposed to stand here (in Isaiah) at God's tribunal, as
well as at Pilate's, with all our sins upon him. And so the same prophet
tells us, chap. liii. 6, ' God made the iniquities of us to meet on him.'
He was now made sin, and a curse, and stood not in danger of Pilate's con-
demnation only, but of God's too, unless he satisfied him for all those sins.
And when the wrath of God for sin came thus in upon him, his faith was
put to it, to trust and wait on him for his justification, for to take off all
those sins, together with his wrath from off him, and to acknowledge him-
self satisfied and him acquitted. Therefore, in Ps. xxii. (which was made
for Christ when hanging on the cross, and speaks how his heart was taken
up that while), he is brought in as putting forth such a faith as here we
speak of, when he called God his God, ' My God ! my God ! ' then, when as
to his sense, he had forsaken him, ' Why hast thou forsaken me ? ' Yea,
he helped his faith with the faith of the forefathers, whom upon their trust
in him God had delivered ; ' Our fathers,' saith he, • trusted in thee ; they
trusted, and thou didst deliver them.' Yea, at ver. 5, we find him laying
himself at God"s feet, lower than ever any man did. 'lama worm,' says
he, (which every man treads on, and counts it a matter of nothing for to
kill), ' and no man,' as it follows ; and all this, because he bare our sins.
Now his deliverance and justification from all these, to be given him at his
resurrection, was the matter, the business he thus trusted in God for, even
that he should rise again, and be acquitted from them. So Ps. xvi. (a psalm
made also for Christ, when to suffer, and lie in the grave), ver. 8, 9, 10 :
' The Lord is at my right hand, I shall not be moved : Therefore my heart
is glad, my flesh also resteth in hope,' or, as in the original, ' dwells in
confident sureness.' ' Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,' that is, under
the load of these sins, and thy wrath laid on me for them ; ' neither wilt
suffer thy holy One (in my body) to see corruption.' This is in substance
all one with what is here said in this one word, ' He is near that justifies me,'
for Christ's resurrection was a justification of him, as I shall hereafter shew.
Neither, 2, did he exercise faith for himself only, but for us also, and
that more than any of us is put to it, to exercise for himself ; for he in
dying, and emptying himself, trusted God with the merit of all his suffer-
ings aforehand, there being many thousands of souls to be saved thereby a
long while after, even to the end of the world. He died and betrusted all
that stock into his Father's hands, to give it out in grace and glory, as
those for whom he died should have need. And this is a greater trust
(considering the infinite number of his elect as then yet to come) than any
man hath occasion to put forth for himself alone. God trusted Christ before
he came into the world, and saved many millions of the Jews upon his bare
Chap. I.] christ the example of faith.
word. And then Christ, at his death, trusts God again as much, both for
the salvation of Jews and Gentiles, that were to believe after his death. In
Heb. ii. 12, 13, 14, 15, it is made an argument that Christ was a man like
us, because he was put to live by faith like as we are (which the angels do
not) ; and to this end, the apostle brings in these words prophesied of him,
as spoken by him of himself, ' I will put my trust in him,' as one proof that
he was a man like unto us. Now for what was it that he trusted God ?
By the context it appears to be this, that he should be the salvation of his
' brethren' and ' children,' and that he should have ' a seed and a genera-
tion to serve him,' and raise up a church to God to praise him in. For
this is made his confidence, and the issue of his sufferings, in that fore-cited
Ps. xxii., from ver. 22 to the end.
Use. How should the consideration of these things both draw us on to
faith, and encourage us therein, and raise up our hearts above all doubtings
and withdrawings of spirit in believing ! For in this example of Christ we
have the highest instance of believing that ever was. He trusted God (as
we have seen) for himself, and for many thousands besides, even for all his
elect ; and hast not thou the heart to trust him for one poor soul ? Yea,
Christ thus trusted God upon his single bond ; but we, for our assurance,
have both Christ and God bound to us, even God with his surety Christ
(for he is God's surety as well as ours). A double bond from two such
persons, whom would it not secure ? If God the Father and God the Son
thus mutually trusted one another for our salvation, whom would it not
induce to trust them both, for one's own salvation, whenas otherwise they
must be damned that will not ?
1. This example of Christ may teach and incite us to believe. For did
Christ lay down all his glory, and empty himself, and leave himself worth
nothing, but made a deed of surrendering all he had into his Father's hands,
and this in a pure trust that God would ' justify many by him ' (as it is in
Isa. liii.) ? And shall not we lay down all we have, and part with whatever
is dear unto us aforehand, with the like submission, in a dependence and
hope of being ourselves justified by him ? And withal ; —
2. It may encourage us to believe, especially against the greatness of
sins. Hast thou the guilt of innumerable transgressions coming in and
discouraging thee from trusting in him ? Consider but what Christ had,
though not of his own ; Christ was made (as Luther boldly, in this sense
that we speak of him, speaks), the greatest sinner that ever was, that is,
by imputation ; for the sins of all God's chosen met in him. And yet
he trusted God to be justified from them all, and to be raised up from
under the wrath due to them. Alas ! thou art but one poor sinner, and
thy faith hath but a light and small load laid upon it, namely, thy own
sins, which to this sum he undertook for, are but as an unit to an infinite
number. ' God laid upon him the iniquities of us all.' Christ trusted
God for his own acquittance from the sins of all the world, and when that
was given him, he yet again further trusted him, to acquit the world for
his satisfaction's sake.
But thou wilt say, Christ was Christ, one personally united to God, and
so knew that he could satisfy him ; but I am a sinful man. Well, but if
thou believest, and so art one of those who are one with Christ, then Christ
speaking these words in the name both of himself and of his elect, as hath
been shewed, thou hast the very same ground to utter them that he had, and
all that encouraged him may embolden thee, for he stood in thy stead. It
was only thine and others' sins that put him in any danger of condemna-
10 CHRIST THE EXAMPLE OF FAITH. [SECT. I.
tion ; and thou seest what his confidence beforehand was, that God would
justify him from them all. And if he had left any of them unsatisfied for,
he had not been justified ; and, withal, in performing his own part under-
taken by him, he performed thine also, and so in his being justified thou
wert justified also. His confidence, then, may therefore be thine now ;
only his was in and from himself, but thine must be on him : yet so as by
reason of thy communion with him in his both condemnation and justifica-
tion, thou mayest take and turn all that emboldened him to this his trust
and confidence, to embolden thee also in thine, as truly as he did for him-
self. Yea, in this thou hast now a farther prop and encouragement to thy
faith, than he had ; for now (when thou art to believe), Christ hath fully
performed the satisfaction he undertook, and we now see Jesus crucified,
acquitted, yea crowned with glory and honour, as the apostle speaks ; but he,
when he took up this triumph, was (as Isaiah here foretold and prophesied
it of him), but as then entering upon that work. The prophet seeing the
day of his arraignment and agony, utters these words as his ; shewing
what thoughts should then possess his heart, when Pilate and the Jews
should condemn him, and our sins come in upon him, ' God is near that
justifies me ; who therefore shall contend with me ? ' But now this comes
to be added to our challenge here, that ' Cbrist hath died, and is also risen
again ;' that heiras condemned and justified; who therefore shall condemn?
may we say, and say much more.
But thou wilt yet say, He knew himself to be the Son of God, but so do
not I. Well, do thou but cast thyself upon him, to be adopted and justified
by him, with a giving up thy soul to his saving thee his own way, and,
though thou knowest it not, the thing is done. And as for that so great
and usual discouragement unto poor souls from doing this, namely, the
greatness and multitudes of sins, this very example of his faith, and the
consideration of it, may alone take off, and help to remove it, more than
any I have ever met with ; for he, in bearing the sins of his elect, did bear
as great and infinitely more sins than thine, yea, all sorts of sins whatever,
for some one of his elect or other, for he said upon it, that all (that is, all
sorts of) sins shall be forgiven unto men, and therefore were first borne by
him for them ; and yet you see how confident aforehand he was, and is
now clearly justified from them all. And by virtue of his being justified
from all sorts of sins, shall all sorts of sinners in and through him be justi-
fied also ; and, therefore, why mayest not thou hope to be from thine ?
Certainly for this very reason our sins, simply and alone considered, can be
supposed no hindrance.
Thus we have met with one great and general encouragement at the very
portal of this text, which comes forth to invite us ere we are entered into
it, and which will await upon us throughout all that shall be said, and have
an influence into our faith, and help to direct it in all that follows.
CHAPTER II.
The scope and argument of this discourse is, either direction to Christ as the
object of faith, or encouragement to believers, from all those particulars in
Christ mentioned in the text.
Faith and the supports of it, or rather Christ, as by his death and re-
surrection, &c, he is the foundation of faith and the cause of our justifica-
Chap. III.] cueist the object op faith. 11
tion, is the main subject of these words. All which therefore, to handle
more largely, is the intended subject of this discourse. And therefore, as
we have seen Christ's faith for us, so now let us see what our faith is to be
towards him : only take this along with j'ou, for a right bounding of all
that follows, that the faith (the object and support of which I would dis-
course of), is only faith as justifying ; for justification was properly here
the matter of Christ's faith for us, and is also answerably here held forth
by Paul, as that faith which believers are to have on him. Now faith is
called justifying, only as it hath justification for its object, and as it goes
out to Christ for justification ; so that all that shall be spoken must be
confined to this alone, as the intendment of the text. And concerning this,
the text doth two things :
1. It holds forth Christ the object of it, ' Who shall condemn ? Christ
hath died,' &c. And he being the sole subject of those four particulars
that follow, as encouragements to faith, must needs be therefore the object
here set forth unto our faith.
2. In Christ we have here all those four things made matter of triumph
to believers, to assure them they shall not be condemned, but justified : in
that
Christ (1.) died, (2.) rose again, (3.) is at God's right hand, (4.) inter-
cedes.
So that (for the general), I am to do two things ; and therein I shall
fulfil the text's scope.
1. Direct your faith to Christ, as to its right object.
2. To encourage your faith from these several actions of Christ for us, and
shew how they all contain matter of triumph for faith in them, and also
teach your faith how to triumph from each of them. And herein I am to
keep close to the argument propounded, namely, faith as justifying ; or to
shew how faith, seeking justification in Christ, may be exceedingly raised
from each of these particulars, and supported by them, as by so many pillars
of it. So as although Christ's death, resurrection, &c, may fitly serve to
encourage our faith in many other acts it useth to put forth (as in point of
sanctification to be had from Christ, into which his death and resurrection
have an influence), yet here we are limited to the matter of justification
only ; ' It is God that justifies ; who shall condemn, seeing Christ hath died ? '
and herein to shew how his death, resurrection, &c, may and do afford
matter of comfort and triumphing in point of justification from all these.
And thus you have the sum of these words, and of my scope in this ensu-
ing treatise.
CHAPTER III.
First, Directions to Christ as the object of faith. — How in a threefold
consideration Christ is the object of justifying faith.
But ere I come to encourage your faith from these, let me first direct
and point your faith aright to its proper and genuine object, Christ. I
shall do it briefly, and only so far as it may be an introduction to the
encouragements from these four particulars, the things mainly intended
by me.
1. Christ is the object of our faith, in joint commission with God the
Father.
12 CHRIST THE OBJECT OF FAITH. [SECT. I.
2. Christ is the object of faith, in opposition to our own humiliation, or
graces, or duties.
3. Christ is the object of faith, in a distinction from the promises.
1. First, Christ is the object of faith, in joint commission with God the
Father. So here, ' it is God that justifies,' and ' Christ that died.' They
are both of them set forth as the foundation of a believer's confidence. So
elsewhere, faith is called a ' believing on him (namely, God), that justifies
the ungodly,' Rom. iv. 5 ; and a ' believing on Cbrist,' Acts xvi. 31. Where-
fore faith is to have an eye unto both, for both do alike contribute unto the
justification of a sinner. It is Christ that paid the price, that performed the
righteousness by which we are justified ; and it is God that accepts of it,
and imputes it unto us : therefore justification is ascribed unto both. And
this we have, Eom. iii. 24, where it is attributed unto them both together,
' Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus
Christ.' Where we see that God's free grace and Christ's righteousness do
concur to our justification. Christ paid as full a price, as if there were no
grace shewn in justifying us (for mercy bated Christ nothing) ; and yet that
it should be accepted for us, is as free grace, and as great as if Christ had
paid never a farthing. Now as both these meet to justify us, so faith in
justification is to look at both these. So it follows in the next verse, Rom.
iii. 25, ' Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in
his blood.' And though it be true, that God justifying is the ultimate
object of our faith, for Christ ' leads us by the hand ' (as the word is, Eph.
ii. 18), ' unto God ; ' and 1 Pet. i. 21, we are said ' by Christ to believe on
God who raised him, that so our faith and hope might be on God ;' yet so,
as under the New Testament, Christ is made the more immediate object of
faith ; for God dwelling in our nature is made more familiar to our faith
than the person of the Father is, who is merely God. Under the Old Tes-
tament, when Christ was but in the promise, and not as then come in the
flesh, then indeed their faith had a more usual recourse unto God, who had
promised the Messiah, of whom they then had not so distinct, but only
confused, thoughts ; though this they knew, that God accepted and saved
them through the Messiah. But now under the New Testament, because
Christ as mediator exists not only in a promise of God's, but is come and
manifest in the flesh, and is ' set forth by God ' (as the apostle's phrase is),
to transact all our business for us between God and us ; hence the more
usual and immediate address of our faith is to be made unto Cbrist ; who
as he is distinctly set forth in the New Testament, so he is as distinctly to
be apprehended by the faith of believers. ' Ye believe in God ' (saith
Christ to his disciples, whose faith and opinion of the Messiah was till
Christ's resurrection, of the same elevation with that of the Old Testament
believers), ' believe also in me,' John xiv. 1. Make me the object of your
trust for salvation, as well as the Father. And, therefore, when faith and
repentance come more narrowly to be distinguished by their more imme-
diate objects, it is ' repentance towards God,' but ' faith towards our Lord
Jesus Christ,' Acts xx. 21 ; not that God and Christ are* the objects of
both, but that Christ is more immediately the object of faith, and God of
repentance : so that we believe in God through believing in Christ first,
and turn to Christ by turning to God first. And this is there spoken, when
they are made the sum of Christian doctrine, and of the apostles' preach-
ing. And, therefore, the faith of some being much enlarged to the mercies
of God and his free grace, and but in way of supposition unto Christ, or in
* Qu. ' are not ? ' — Ed.
Chap. III.] christ the object of faith. 13
a taking for granted that all mercies are communicated in and through
Christ, yet so as their thoughts work not so much upon, nor are taken up
about Christ ; although this may be true faith under the New Testament,
in that God and his free grace is the joint object of faith, together with
Christ and his righteousness, — and the one cannot be without the other, — and
God ofttimes doth more eminently pitch the stream of a man's thoughts in
one channel rather than in another, and so may direct the course of a man's
thoughts towards his free grace, when the stream runs less towards Christ,
yet it is not such a faith as becomes the times of the gospel ; it is of an
Old Testament strain and genius ; whereas our faith now should, in the
more direct and immediate exercises of it, be pitched upon Jesus Christ,
that ' through him,' first apprehended, ' our faith might be in God ' (as the
ultimate object of it), as the apostle speaks, 1 Pet. i. 21. And so much
for the first.
2. The second is, that Christ is to be the object of our faith, in opposi-
tion to our own humiliation, or graces, or duties.
(1.) We are not to trust, nor rest in humiliation, as many do, who quiet
their consciences from this, that they have been troubled. That promise,
' Come to me, you that are weary and heavy laden, and you shall find rest,'
hath been much mistaken ; for many have understood it, as if Christ had
spoken peace and rest simply unto that condition, without any more ado,
and so have applied it unto themselves, as giving them an interest in Christ ;
whereas it is only an invitement of such (because they are most apt to be
discouraged) to come unto Christ, as in whom alone then- rest is to be
found. If therefore men will set down their rest in being ' weary and heavy
laden,' and not come to Christ for it, they sit down besides Christ for it,
they sit down in sorrow. This is to make John (who only prepared the
way for Christ) to be the Messiah indeed (as many of the Jews thought),
that is, to think the eminent work of John's ministry (which was to humble,
and so prepare men for Christ) to be their attaining Christ himself. But
if you be weary, you may have rest indeed, but you must come to Christ
first. For as, if Christ had died only, and not arose, we had ' been still in
our sins,' (as it is 1 Cor. xv. 17), so though we die by sin, as slain by it,
(as Paul was, Rom. vii. 11, 12, 13, in his humiliation), yet if we attain not
to the resurrection of faith (so the work of faith is expressed, Phil. iii. 12,
13), we still remain in our sins.
(2.) Secondly, we are not to rest in graces or duties ; they all cannot
satisfy our own consciences, much less God's justice. If ' righteousness
could have come' by these, then ' Christ had died in vain,' as Gal. ii. 21.
"What a dishonour were it to Christ, that they should share any of the glory
of his righteousness ! Were any of your duties crucified for you ? Graces
and duties are the daughters of faith, the offspring of Christ ; and they may
in time of need indeed nourish their mother, but not at first beget her.
3. In the third place, Christ's person, and not barely the promises of
forgiveness, is to be the object of faith. There are many poor souls humbled
for sin, and taken off from their own bottom, who, like Noah's dove, fly
over all the word of God, to spy out what they may set their foot upon, and
eying therein many free and gracious promises, holding forth forgiveness of
sins, and justification, they immediately close with them, and rest on them
alone, not seeking for, or closing with Christ in those promises. Which is
a common error among people ; and is like as if Noah's dove should have
rested upon the outside of the ark, and not have come to Noah within the
ark ; where though she might rest for a while, yet could she not ride out
14 CHRIST THE OBJECT OF FAITH. [SECT. I.
all storms, but must needs have perished there in the end. But we may
observe, that the first promise that was given, was not a bare word simply
promising forgiveness, or other benefits which God would bestow ; but it
was a promise of Christ's person as overcoming Satan, and purchasing those
benefits, ' The seed of the woman shall break the serpent's head.' So when
the promise was renewed to Abraham, it was not a bare promise of blessed-
ness and forgiveness, but of that seed, that is, Christ (as Gal. iii. 16), in
whom that blessedness was conveyed. ' In thy seed shall all the nations
of the earth be blessed.' So that Abraham's faith first closed with Christ
in the promise, and therefore he is said to see Christ's day, and to rejoice
in embracing him. And so all the succeeding fathers (that were believers)
did, more or less, in then.' types and sacraments, as appears by 1 Cor x.
1, 2. And if they, then much more are we thus to look at Christ, unto
whom he is now made extant, not in promises only, but is really incarnate,
though now in heaven. Hence our sacraments (which are the seals added
to the word of faith) do primarily exhibit Christ unto a believer, and so, in
him, all other promises, as of forgiveness, &c, are ratified and confirmed
by them. Now there is the same reason of them, that there is of the pro-
mises of the gospel, for they preach the gospel to the eye, as the promise
doth to the ear, and therefore as in them the soul is first to look at Christ,
and embrace him as tendered in them, and then at the promises tendered
with him in them, and not to take the sacraments as bare seals of pardon
and forgiveness ; so, in like manner, in receiving of, or having recourse to
a promise, which is the word of faith, we are first to seek out for Christ in
it, as being the foundation of it, and so to take hold of the promise in him.
Hence faith is still expressed by this its object, Christ, it being called ' faith
on Christ.' Thus Philip directs the eunuch, Acts viii. 35. ' Believe on
the Lord Jesus.'
The promise is but the casket, and Christ the jewel in it ; the promise
but the field, and Christ the pearl hid in it, and to be chiefly looked at.
The promises are the means by which you believe, not the things on which
you are to rest. And so, although you are to look at forgiveness as held
forth in the promise, yet you are to believe on Christ in that promise to
obtain this forgiveness. So Acts xxvi. 18, it is said of believers by Christ
himself, ' that they may obtain forgiveness of sins, by faith which is on me.'
And to clear it farther, we must conceive, that the promises of forgiveness
are not as the pardons of a prince, which merely contain an expression of
his royal word for pardoning, so as we in seeking of it do rest upon, and
have to do only with his word and seal, which we have to shew for it ; but
God's promises of pardon are made in his Son, and are as if a prince sbould
offer to pardon a traitor upon marriage with his child, whom in and with
that pardon he offers in such a relation ; so as all that would have pardon,
must seek out for his child ; and thus it is in the matter of believing. The
reason of which is, because Christ is the grand promise, in whom, ' all the
promises are yea and amen,' 2 Cor. i. 20, and therefore he is called the
Covenant, Isa. xlix. 8. So that, as it were folly for any man to think that
he hath an interest in an heiress's lands, because he hath got the writings
of her estate into his hands, whereas the interest in the lands goes with her
person, and with the relation of marriage to her, otherwise, without a title
to herself, all the writings will be fetched out of his hands again ; so is it
with all the promises : they hang all upon Christ, and without him there is
no interest to be had in them. ' He that hath the Son hath life,' 1 John
v. 12, because life is by God's appointment only in him, as ver. 11. All
Chap. III. J christ the object of faith. 15
the promises are as copyhold land, which when you would interest your-
selves in, you inquire upon what lord it holds, and you take it up of him,
as well as get the evidences and deeds for it into your hands ; the lord of
it will be acknowledged for such in passing his right into your hands. Now
this is the tenure of all the promises ; they all hold on Christ, in whom
they are yea and amen ; and you must take them up of him. Thus the
apostles preached forgiveness to men, Acts xiii. 38, ' Be it known that
through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins.' And as they
preached, so we are to believe, as the apostle speaks, 1 Cor. xv. 11. And
without this, to rest on the bare promise, or to look to the benefit promised,
without eying Christ, is not an evangelical, but a Jewish faith, even such
as the formalists among the Jews had, who without the Messiah closed with
promises, and rested in types to cleanse them, without looking unto Christ
the end of them, and as propounded to their faith in them. This is to go
to God without a mediator, and to make the promises of the gospel to be
as the promises of the law, Nehushtan (as Hezekiah said of the brazen
serpent), a piece of brass, vain and ineffectual ; like the waters of Bethesda,
they heal not, they cleanse not, till this ' angel of the covenant ' come down
to your faith in them. Therefore at a sacrament, or when you meet with
any promise, get Christ first down by faith, and then let your faith pro-
pound what it would have, and you may have what you will of him.
There are three sorts of promises, and in the applying of all these, it is
Christ that your faith is to meet with.
1. There are absolute promises, made to no conditions ; as when Christ
is said to ' eome to save sinners,' &c. Now in these it is plain, that Christ
is the naked object of them ; so that if you apply not him, you apply
nothing, for the only thing held forth in them is Christ.
2. There are inviting promises ; as that before mentioned, ' Come to me,
you that are weary.' The promise is not to weariness, but to coming to
Christ ; they are bidden ' Come to him,' if they will have rest.
3. There are assuring promises ; as those made to such and such quali-
fications of sanctification, &c. But still what is it that is promised in them,
which the heart should only eye ? It is Christ, in whom the soul rests and
hath comfort in, and not in its grace; so that the sight of a man's grace is
but a back-door to let faith in at, to converse with Christ, whom the soul
loves. Even as at the sacrament, the elements of bread and wine are but
outward signs to bring Christ and the heart together, and then faith lets the
outward elements go, and closeth, and treats immediately with Christ, unto
whom these let the soul in ; so grace is a sign inward, and whilst men make
use of it only as of a bare sign to let them in unto Christ, and their rejoic-
ing is not in it, but in Christ, their confidence being pitched upon him, and
not upon their grace ; whilst men take this course, there is and will be no
danger at all in making such use of signs. And I see not, but that God
might as well appoint his own work of the new creation within, to be as a
sign and help to communion with Christ by faith, as he did those outward
elements, the works of his first creation ; especially, seeing in nature the
effect is a sign of the cause. Neither is it more derogatory to free grace,
or to Christ's honour, for God to make such effects signs of our union with
him, than it was to make outward signs of his presence.
1G CHRIST, THE OBJECT AND SUPPORT [SECT. II.
SECTION II.
CHRIST, THE OBJECT AND SUPPORT OF FAITH FOR JUSTIFICATION,
IN HIS DEATH.
Who shall condemn ? Christ hath died. — Rom. VIII. 34.
CHAPTER I.
How not Christ's person simply, but Christ as dying, is the object of faith as
justifying.
To come now to all these four particulars of or about Christ, as the object
of faith here mentioned ; and to shew both how Christ in each is the object
ol faith as justifying ; and what support or encouragement the faith of a
believer may fetch from each of them in point of justification, which is the
argument of the main body of this discourse.
First, Christ as dying is the object of justifying faith, ' Who shall con-
demn ? Christ hath died.'
For the explanation of which, I will
1. Give a direction or two.
2. Shew how an encouragement, or matter of triumph, may from hence
be fetched.
1. (1.) The first direction is this, that in seeking forgiveness or justifica-
tion in the promises, as Christ is to be principally in the eye of your faith,
so it must be Christ as crucified, Christ as dying, as here he is made. It
was the serpent as lift up, and so looked at, that healed them. Now this
direction I give to prevent a mistake, which souls that are about to believe
do often run into. For when they hear that the person of Christ is the
main object of faith, they thus conceive of it, that when one comes first to
believe, he should look only upon the personal excellencies of grace and
glory which are in Jesus Christ, which follow upon the hypostatical union ;
and so have his heart allured in unto Christ by them only, and close with
him under those apprehensions alone. But although it be true, that there
is that radical disposition in the faith of every believer, which if it were
drawn forth to view Christ in his mere personal excellencies, abstractively
considered, would close with Christ for them alone, as seeing such a beauty
and suitableness in them ; yet the first view which an humble soul always
doth, and is to take of him, is of his being a Saviour, made sin, and a
curse, and obeying to the death for sinners. He takes up Christ in his
first sight of him, under the ' likeness of sinful flesh,' Rom. viii. 3, for so
the gospel first represents him, though it. .holds forth his personal excel-
Chap. I.J of faith, in his death. .7
lencies also ; and in that representation it is that he is made a fit object
for a sinner's faith to trust and rest upon for salvation ; which in pait dis-
tinguished a sinner's faith whilst here on earth, towards Christ, from that
vision or sight which angels and the souls of men have in heaven of him.
Faith here views him not only as glorious at God's right hand (though so
also), hut as crucified, as made sin, and a curse, and so rests upon him for
pardon ; hut in heaven we shall ' see him as he is,' and be made like unto
him. Take Christ in his personal excellencies simply considered, and so
with them propounded as an head to us, and he might have been a fit
object for angels and men even without sin to have closed withal ; and
what an addition to their happiness would they have thought it, to have
him for their husband ! But yet, so considered, he should have been,
and rather is, the object of love, than of faith or affiance. It is therefore
Christ that is thus excellent in his person, yet farther considered as clothed
with his garments of blood, and the qualifications of a mediator and recon-
ciler ; it is this that makes him so desirable by sinners, and a fit object for
their faith, which looks out for justification, to prey and seize upon, though
they take in the consideration of all his other excellencies to allure their
hearts to him, and confirm their choice of him.
Yea I say farther, that consider faith as justifying, that is, in that act of
it which justifies a sinner ; and so Christ, taken only or mainly in his
personal excellencies, cannot properly be called the object of it. But the
formalis ratio, the proper respect or consideration that maketh Christ the
object of faith as justifying, must necessarily be that in Christ, which doth
indeed justify a sinner ; which is, his obedience unto death. For the act
and object of every habit or faculty are always suited, and similar each to
other ; and therefore Chr'st's justifying must needs be the object of faith
justifying. It is true, that there is nothing in Christ with which some
answerable act of faith in us doth not close ; and from the differing con-
siderations under which faith looks sc\ Christ, have those several acts of
faith various denominations : as faith that is carried forth to Christ and his
personal excellencies may be called uniting faith ; and faith that goes forth
to Christ for strength of grace to subdue sin may, answerably to its object,
be called sanctifying faith ; and faith as it goes forth to Christ, as dying,
&c, for justification, may be called justifying faith. For faith in that act
looks at what in Christ doth justify a sinner ; and therefore Christ con-
sidered as dying, rising, &c, doth in this respect become the most pleasing
and grateful object to a soul that is humbled; for this makes Christ suitable
to him as he is a sinner, under which consideration he reflects upon him-
self, when he is first humbled. And therefore thus to represent Christ to
believers under the law, was the main scope of all the sacrifices and types
therein. ' All things being purged with blood, and without blood there
being no remission,' Heb. ix. 22. Thus did the apostles also in their
sermons. So Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, seemed by the mattei
of his sermon to have ' known nothing but Christ, and him as crucified,
1 Cor. ii. 2, as Christ above all, so Christ as crucified above all in Christ,
as suiting their condition best, whom he endeavoured to draw on to faith
on him. Thus, in his Epistle to the Galatians, he calls his preaching among
them ' the preaching of faith,' iii. 2. And what was the main scope of it,
but the picturing out (as the word is) of ' Christ crucified before their eyes' ?
ver. 1. So he preached him, and so they received him, and so they
' began in the spirit,' ver. 3. And thus also do the seals of the promises
(the sacraments) present Christ to a believer's eye ; as they bold forth
VOT,. IV. B
18 CHRIST, THE OBJECT AND SUPPORT [SECT. II.
Christ (as was in the former direction observed), so Christ, as crucified; their
scope being to ' shew forth his death till he come,' 1 Cor. xi. 26, the bread
signifying Christ's body broken in the sufferings of it ; and the cup signi-
fying the sufferings of his soul, and the pouring of it forth unto death.
And hence likewise, as faith itself is called ' faith on Christ,' as was before
observed, so it is called ' faith on his blood,' Rom. iii. 25, because Christ,
as shedding his blood for the remission of sins, is the object of it. So the
words there are, ' whom God hath ordained to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins.'
And look how God hath ordained and set forth Christ in the promise : under
that picture of him doth faith at first close with him. And one reason
similar to the former may be grounded on the 24th verse of that 3d to the
Romans, ' Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is
in Christ.' And as I shewed before, in the reason of the former direction,
that all promises hold of his person, as being heir of all the promises ; so
the special tenure upon which forgiveness of sins doth hold of him is by
purchase, and by the redemption that is in him. So that, as the promise of
forgiveness refers to his person, so also to this redemption that is in him.
Thus, both in Eph. i. 7 and Col. i. 14, ' In whom we have redemption
through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins,' his person gives us title
to all the promises, and his blood shews the tenure they hold on ; a
purchase, and a full price, avriXvrgov, and adequate price, 1 Tim. ii. 6.
And as sin is the strength of the law, and of the threatenings thereof, so
Christ's satisfaction is the strength of all the promises in the gospel. In
a word, an humbled soul is to have recourse to that Christ who is now
alive and glorified in heaven, yet to him as once crucified and made sin.
He is to go to Christ now glorified, as the person from whom he is to
receive forgiveness, &c, but withal to him as crucified; as through whom,
considered in that condition he then was in, he is to receive all.
CHAPTER II.
What in Christ's death, faith seeking justification, is especially to eye and
look at.
(2.) Now then a second direction for faith towards Christ as dying, is,
faith is principally and mainly to look unto the end, meaning, and intent
of God and Christ in his sufferings, and not simply at the tragical story of
his death and sufferings. It is the heart, and mind, and intent of Christ
in suffering, which faith chiefly eyeth, and which draweth the heart on to
rest on Christ crucified. When a believer sees that Christ's aim in suffer-
ing for poor sinners agrees and answers to the aim and desires of his heart,
and that that was the end of it, that sinners might have forgiveness, and that
Christ's heart was as full in it, to procure it, as the sinner's heart can be
to desire it ; this draws his heart in to Christ, to rest upon him. And
without this, the contemplation and meditation of the story of his sufferings,
and of the greatness of them, will be altogether unprofitable. And yet all,
or the chief use which the papists and many carnal protestants make of
Christ's sufferings, is to meditate upon, and set out to themselves the
grievousness of them, so to move their hearts to a relenting, and compassion
to him, and indignation against the Jews for their crucifying of him, with an
admiring of his noble and heroical love herein ; and if they can but get
Chap. II. J of faith, in his death. 19
tluir hearts thus affected, they judge and account this to be grace; whenas
it is no more than what the like tragical story of some great and noble
personage, full of heroical virtues and ingenuity, yet inhumanely and
ungrately used, will work, and useth ordinarily to work in ingenuous
spirits, who read or hear of it, yea, and this ofttimes, though if it be but
in the waj r of a fiction ; which, when it reacheth no higher, is so far from
being faith, that it is but a carnal and fleshly devotion, springing from
fancy, which is pleased with such a story, and the principles of ingenuity
stirred towards one who is of a noble spirit, and yet abused. Such stories
use to stir up a principle of humanity in men unto a compassionate love ;
which Christ himself at his suffering found fault with, as being not spiritual,
nor raised enough, in those women who went weeping to see the Messiah
so handled. ' Weep not for me,' says he ; that is, weep not so much for
this, thus to see me unworthily handled by those for whom I die.
And therefore, accordingly as these stirrings are but fruits of the flesh, so
human inventions, as crucifixes, and lively representations of the story of
Christ's passion unto the sight of fancy, do exceedingly provoke men to such
devotional meditations and affections ; but they woi'k a bare historical faith
only, a historical remembrance, and an historical love, as I may so call
them. And no other than such doth the reading of the story of it in the
word work in many, who yet are against such crucifixes. But saving, justi-
fying faith chiefly minds, and is most taken up with the main scope and
drift of all Christ's sufferings ; for it is that in them which answers to its
own aim and purpose, which is, to obtain forgiveness of sins in Christ
crucified. As God looks principally at the meaning of the Spirit in prayer,
Rom. viii. 27, so doth faith look principally to the meaning of Christ in
his sufferings. As in all other truths a believer is said to have the mind
of Christ, 1 Cor. ii. 16, so especially he minds what was the mind and heart
of Christ in all his sufferings. And therefore you may observe, that the
drift of all the apostles' epistles, is to shew the intent of Christ's sufferings ;
how he was therein set forth to be 'a propitiation for sin ;' to ' bear our
sins upon the tree ;' to ' make our peace,' &c. ; ' he was made sin, that we
might be made righteousness of God in him ;' as in like manner the scope
of the evangelists is to set forth the story of them, for that is necessary to
be known also. And thus did that evangelical prophet Isaiah chiefly set
forth the intent of Christ's sufferings for justification, Isa. liii., throughout
the chapter, as David before had done the story of his passion, Ps. xxii.
And thus to shew the use and purpose of his sufferings, was the scope of
all the apostles' sermons, holding forth the intent of Christ's passion to be
the justification and salvation of sinners. ' This is a faithful saying, and
worthy of all acceptation, that Christ came into the world to save sinners,'
1 Tim. i. 15 ; and they still set forth what the plot was, at which God by
an ancient designment aimed at in the sufferings of Christ, which was an
end higher than men or angels thought on, when he was put to death.
And thus faith takes it up and looks at it. And upon this doth Peter (in
his sermon, Acts ii.) pitch their faith, where having set forth the heinous-
ness of their sin in murdering ' the Lord of life,' then to raise up their hearts
again (that so seeing God's end in it, they might be drawn to believe), he
tells them, that ' all this was done by the determinate counsel of God,'
ver. 23, and that for a farther end than they imagined, even for the remis-
sion of sins through his name, as in the closure of that sermon he shews.
It was not the malice of the Jews, the falseness of Judas, the fearfulness of
Pilate, or the iniquity of the times he fell into, that wrought his death, so
20 CHRIST, THE OBJECT AND SUPPORT [SECT. II.
much as God his father complotting with Christ himself, and aiming at a
higher end than they did. There was a farther matter in it ; it was the
execution of an ancient contrivement and agreement, whereby God made
Christ ' sin,' and laid our sins upon him. God ' was in Christ, not im-
puting our sins to us, but making him sin,' 2 Cor. v. 20. Which covenant
Christ came, at his time, into the world to fulfil. ' Sacrifice and burnt
offering thou wouldst not have,' Heb. x. 5. ' Lo, I come to do thy will,'
and that will was ' to take away sins,' verses 4, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16. These
words Christ spake when he took our nature, and when he came into the
world, clothed with infirmities like unto us sinners. ' God sent his Son in
the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh,' Rom.
viii. 3. Mark that phrase ' for sin;' <irsgt is there put for propter, as John
x. 33, ou irsgl xakoZ 'igyou, ' not for a good work.' That is, not because of
a good work, or for a good work's sake. So here, for sin, that is, because
of sin. Sin was the occasion of his taking the likeness of sinful flesh.
What, to increase it ? No, but to condemn it, as it follows : that is, to cast
and overthrow it in its power and plea against us, that instead of sin's con-
demning us, he might condemn sin, and that we might have ' the righteous-
ness of the law,' verse 5. This phrase ' for sin' is like unto that in Rom.
vi. 10, ' he died unto sin,' that is, for sin's cause ; for so the opposition
that follows evinceth, ' In that he liveth, he liveth unto God,' that is, for
God and his glory. So he died merely for sin, that sin might have its
course in justice, and for its sake suffered death, so putting to silence the
clamour of it. The death of Christ was the greatest and strangest design
that ever God undertook and acted, and therefore surely had an end pro-
portionable unto it. God, that ' willeth not the death of a sinner,' would
not for any inferior end will the death of his Son, whom he loved more than
all creatures besides. It must needs be some great matter for which God
should contrive the death of his Son, so holy, so innocent, and separate
from sinners ; neither could it be any other matter, than to destroy that
which he most hated, and that was sin ; and to set forth that which he most
de ightel in, and that was mercy. So Rom. hi. 25, 26. And accordingly
C hrist demeaned himself in it, not at all looking at the Jews, or their malice,
but at his Father's command and intent in it. And therefore when he was
to arise to go unto that place where he should be taken, and carried to
slaughter, ' As the father gave me commandment,' says he, ' so do I ; arise,
let us go hence,' John xiv. 31. And when Judas went out at Christ's own
provocation of him, ' What thou doest, do quickly,' says he, ' the Son of man
goeth as it was determined ;' he looked to his Father's purpose in it. When
he went out to be taken, it is said, ' Jesus knowing all things that should
befall him, went forth,' John xviii. 4. And when he was in his agony in
the garden, whom doth he deal with but his Father ? ' Father,' he says,
' if it be possible, let this cup pass ;' and God made his passion of so great
necessity, that it was even impossible that that cup should pass. Indeed,
had Christ stood in his own stead, it had been an easy request, yea, justice
to grant it ; and so he tells Peter, that he could command millions of angels
to his rescue ; but he merely submits unto his Father, ' Not my will, but
thy will be done,' for God had laid upon him the iniquities of us all,
Isa. liii.
Let our faith therefore look mainly to this design and plot of God, and of
Christ in his suffering to satisfy for our sins, and to justify us sinners. '
When we consider him as born flesh and blood, and laid in a manger, think
we withal that his meaning was to ' condemn sin in our flesh,' Rom. viii. 4.
Chap. III. ] of faith, in his death. 21
So when we read of him fulfilling all, or any part of righteousness, take we
his mind in withal to be, that the ' law might be fulfilled in us,' as it fol-
lows there, who were then represented in him, and so the fulfilling of it is
accounted ours. Behold we him in his lifetime, as John the Baptist did,
even as ' the Lamb of God, bearing and taking away the sins of the world ;'
and when upon the cross, let our faith behold the iniquities of us all met in
him. ' Surely he hath borne our sorrows, bearing our sins in his body on
the tree, aud thereby once offered to bear the sins of many,' Heb. ix. &c.
This intent of Christ in all that he did and suffered, is that welcome news,
and the very spirit of the gospel, which faith preys and seizeth on.
CHAPTER III.
What support or matter of triumph Christ's death affords to faith for
justification.
2. Now, having thus directed your faith to the right object, Christ, and
Christ as dying ; let us, secondly, see what matter of support and encourage-
ment faith may fetch from Christ's death for justification. And surely that
which hath long ago satisfied God himself for the sins of many thousand
souls now in heaven, may very well serve to satisfy the heart and conscience
of any sinner now upon earth, in any doubts in respect of the guilt of any
sins that can arise. We see that the apostle here, after that large discourse
of justification by Christ's righteousness, in the former part of this Epistle
to the Romans, and having shewed how every way it abounds, chap, v., he
now in this 8th chapter doth as it were sit down like a man over-convinced,
as ver. 31, ' What then shall we say to these things ?' He speaks as one
satisfied, and even astonished with abundance of evidence ; having nothing
to say, but only to admire God and Christ in this work ; and therefore pre-
sently throws down the gauntlet, and challengeth a dispute in this point
with all comers. Let conscience and carnal reason, law and sin, hell
and devils, bring in all their strength. ' Who is he shall lay any thing to
the charge of God's elect ?' • Who shall condemn ?' Paul dares to answer
them all, and carry it with these few words, ' It is God that justifies, it is
Christ that died.' And (as in ver. 87) ' we are more than conquerors in
all these.' It was this that brought in the prodigal, that in his ■ father's
house there was bread enough.' And so likewise he (whoever he was) who
was the author of the 130th Psalm, when his soul was in deep distress by
reason of his sins, verses 1, 2, yet this was it that settled his heart to wait
upon God, that there was ' plenteous redemption with him.' Christ's re-
demption is not merely avriXurgov, a price or ransom equivalent, or making
due satisfaction according to the just demerit of sin, but it is ' plenteous
redemption ;' there is an abundance of ' the gift of righteousness,' Rom.
v. 17, and unsearchable riches of Christ,' Eph. iii. 8. Yea, 1 Tim. i. 14,
'the grace of our Lord,' that is, of Christ, as verse 12, u^s^Xsomffs, we
translate it, ' was abundant,' but the word reacheth farther, ' it was overfull,
redundant, more than enough.' And yet (says Paul, verse 13) I had sins
enough to pardon, as one would think, that might exhaust it, ' I was a
blasphemer,' &c. But I found so much grace in Christ, even more than I
knew what to do withal.
I shall not insist so largely on this first head of Christ's dying, as upon
those three following, because it is the main subject of another discourse,
22 CHEIST, THE OBJECT AND SUPPORT [SECT. II.
which, through God's grace, I intend to publish, though in another method.
Only, for a taste, to instance in some few particulars, shewing how Christ's
satisfaction may be opposed, and set against the guilt of a poor sinner's
offences. What is there that can be said to aggravate sin in tbe general,
or any man's particular sins, that may not be answered out of this, ' Christ
hath died' ? and something be considered in it, which the conscience may
oppose thereto ? So that whatever evil, which according to the rules of
spiritual reason, (which the righteous law proceedeth by, and containcth as
the foundation of its righteousness in condemning or aggravating sin), a
man's conscience may suggest to be in sin ; oppositely hereunto may a
man's faith, according to the like rules of true spiritual reason, shew a more
transcendent goodness to have been in Christ's death, which the gospel
reveals, and so many oppose the one to the other, and have as good reason
to shew why sin should not condemn, from Christ's death, as conscience
can have, that the law may condemn.
(1.) As first, is sin the transgression of the law ? Christ dying, the law-
maker, was subjected to the law ; and will not that make amends ? Is sin
the debasement of God's glory, manifested in his word and works ? Christ's
dying was the debasement and emptying of the brightness of his glory in
the highest measure, who was God personally manifested in the flesh. The
one of them is but as the darkening the shine or lustre of the sun upon a
wall, but the other is as the obscuring of the sun itself. Sin's highest evil
lies in offending God, but Christ's righteousness is (oppositely) the right-
eousness of God himself, or Jehovah made our righteousness. So that
God in our sin is considered but as the object against whom ; but God in
this our righteousness, is the subject from whom and in whom this right-
eousness comes and is seated. And so his Godhead answerably gives a
higher worth to it, by how much the alliance whicl the subject hath to an
action of its own, that proceeds from it, is nearer than that which an object
hath, against which the action is committed.
(2.) Or secondly, what peculiar aggravations or circumstances are there
in thy sins, to weigh thee down, with which some circumstances in Christ's
obedience and death may not be paralleled, to lift thee up again ?
As first, is it the greatness of thy sin in the substance of the fact com-
mitted ? Hath there been lewdness in thy wickedness, as the prophet
speaks ? Consider what guilt, of how heinous crimes, God suffered to be
laid to Christ's charge by profane men, when he was made an offering for
sin. He died as a traitor to his prince, and a blasphemer of God in the
highest kind of blasphemy, as making himself equal with God ; an impostor,
a seducer, yea, a devil, yea, a prince of devils, than whom a murderer was
esteemed more worthy to live. Which imputations, though by men unjustly
charged on him, yet by God were so ordered as just, in respect of his bear-
ing our sins. For him who was holiness itself to be made the greatest of
sinners, yea, to be ' made sin,' and the worst of sins, and accordingly to
suffer from God and men, what greater satisfaction for the taking of sins
away can be desired or imagined ?
Or secondly, dost thou aggravate thy sins by the naughtiness of thy heart
in sinning, and sayest that the inward carriage thereof hath been much
worse than the outward ? Look thou into the heart of Jesus Christ dying,
and behold him struggling with his Father's wrath, thou wilt find the suffer-
ings of his soul more than those of his body, and in them to lie the soul of
his sufferings.
Thirdly, may thy sin be aggravated, in that thou didst commit it with so
Chap. III.] of faith, in his death. 23
great delight ami greediness, and pouredst out thy heart unto it ? Consider
that Christ offered himself more willingly than ever thou didst sin. ' Lo, I
come,' says he, Ps. xl., ' I delight to do thy will ;' and ' how am I straitened
till it be accomplished !' Luke xii. 56. And though to shew how great an
evil and misery it was in itself, he shewed an averseness to it ; yet as it was
his Father's will for our salvation, he heartily embraced and drank off that
cup unto the bottom.
Fourthly, didst thou sin with much deliberation, when thou mightest
have avoided it ? There was in this circumstance in Christ's sufferings to
answer that, that he knew all he was to suffer, and yet yielded up himself,
as John xviii. 4.
Fifthly, hast thou sinned presumptuously, and made a covenant with
death and hell ? Christ in like manner offered up himself by a covenant
and complot with his Father so to do.
Sixthly, are there any especial circumstances of time and place, &c, that
aggravate thy sins ?
As first, that so great a person in the church should scandalize the name
of God in sinning. Why, how great a person was Christ ? Even equal
with God the Father ; and yet how greatly humbled, even to the death ;
his offices of King, Priest, and Prophet being debased with him. How
great a name had he ! as Heb. i. 4, which notwithstanding was dishonoured
more than ever any man's.
Or secondly, that thou sinnedst at such a time, or in such a company,
which sometimes serve to make a sin the more heinous. Consider how God
contrived to have the shame and affliction of his Son's death aggravated
by all these circumstances. It was of deaths the most accursed, at a time
most solemn, in a place most infamous, with company most wretched.
Thus might we find out that in Christ's suffering and satisfaction made,
that would fitly answer to anything in our sins ; and so thereby we should
be the more relieved. And though the whole body of his sufferings do
stand and answer for the whole bulk of our sinnings, yet the consideration
of such particulars will much conduce to the satisfying of an humbled and
dejected soul, about the particulars of its sinnings.
Therefore (to conclude) get your hearts and consciences distinctly and
particularly satisfied in the all- sufficiency of worth and merit which is in
the satisfaction that Christ hath made. As it is a fault and defect in hu-
miliation, that men content themselves with a general apprehension and
notion that they are sinners, and so never become thoroughly humbled ; so
it is a defect in their faith, that they content themselves with a superficial
and general conceit, that Christ died for sinners, their hearts not being
particularly satisfied about the transcendent all-sufficiency of his death.
And thence it is, that in time of temptation, when their abounding sinful-
ness comes distinctly to be discovered to them, and charged upon them,
they are then amazed and their faith nonplussed, as not seeing that in
Christ which might answer to all that sinfulness. But as God saw that in
Christ's death which satisfied him, so you should endeavour by faith to see
that worth in it which may satisfy God, and then your faith will sit down
as satisfied also. If a man were to dispute for his life some hard and diffi-
cult controversy, wherein are many great and strong objections to be taken
away, he would be sure to view, and study, and ponder all that might be
said on that other part which he were to hold, in way of answer to them,
and to get such a clear and convincing light as might make the truth of his
position apparent and manifest through those clouds of objections that hang
21 CHRIST THE OBJECT AND SUPPORT OF FAITH. [SECT. II.
in the way. Now you will all be thus called one day to dispute for your
souls, sooner or later ; and therefore such skill you should endeavour to get
in Christ's righteousness, how in its fulness and perfection it answereth to
all your sinlulness ; that your hearts may he able to oppose it against all
that may be said of any particular, in or about your sins ; that in all the
conflicts of your spirits, you may see that in it which would clear your whole
score ; and that if God would but be pleased to impute it to you, you might
say, I durst presently come to an account with him, and cut scores with
his law and justice.
Thus much of the first thing made the object of faith, namely, Christ as
dying.
Sect. III. J faith supported by Christ's resurrection.
SECTION III.
FAITH SUPPORTED BY CHRIST'S RESURRECTION.
Yea ratlier, that is risen again. — Rom. VIII. 34.
CHAPTER I.
Christ 's resurrection supporteth faith two ways: 1. By being an evidence of
our justification ; 2. By having an influence into our justification. — The
necessity of Christ's resurrection, for the procuring our justification.
The next thing to be looked at in Christ, as he is the object of justifying
faith, and from whence our faith may seek and fetch support and comfort
in the matter of justification, is Christ's resurrection: upon which we see
here, the apostle putteth a rather, ' Yea rather, that is risen again.' There
must therefore be some special thing in the resurrection of Christ, which it
contributes to our faith and justification, for which it should have a rather
put upon it, and that comparatively to his death. Now to shew wherein
this should he, consider how the resurrection of Christ serveth to a double
use and end, hi the matter of justification.
First, as an evidence to our faith, that God is fully satisfied by Christ's
death ; his resurrection may give us full assurance of it.
Secondly, it had, and hath an influence into our justification itself ; yea,
and as great an influence as his death had. In both these respects it
deserves a rather to be put upon it, and Paul had them both in his eye,
when he wrote these words. So as first, if you ask an account of his faith,
and a reason of his so triumphant assurance, he allegeth his resurrection
to confirm it, ' Christ is risen.' Or,
Secondly. If you would have a reason o: the thing, how it comes to pass
that we who are believers cannot be condemned ; ' Christ is risen,' saith
he. He allegeth it as a cause, that hath such an influence into justifica-
tion itself, as it makes all sure about it.
1. By way of evidence. Although Christ's obedience in his life and his
death past do alone afford the whole matter of our justification, and make
up the sum of that price paid for us (as hath been shewn), so as faith may
see a fulness of worth and merit therein, to discharge the debt f yet faith
hath a comfortable sign and evidence to confirm itself in the belief of this,
from Christ's resurrection after his death. It may fully satisfy our faith,
that God himself is satisfied, and that he reckons the debt as paid. So
that our faith may boldly come to God, and call for the bond in, as having
Christ's resurrection to shew for it, that the debt is discharged. And hence
the apostle cries victory over sin, hell, and death, upon occasion of, and as
26 THE SUPPORT OF FAITH [SECT. III.
the coronis and conclusion of that, his large discourse about Christ's resur-
rection, 1 Cor. xv. 55-57, ' death, where is thy sting ? ' that is, sin,
and the power of it ; for so it follows, ' the sting of death is sin ;' and '
grave, where is thy victory ? Thanks be to God who hath given us victory,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, ' namely, as risen again ; for of his resur-
rection, and of that chiefly, had he spoken throughout that chapter.
2. But surely this is not all, that it should only argue our justification
by way of evidence. This alone would not have deserved such a rather
to be put upon it, if Christ's resurrection had not had some farther real
causal influence into justification itself, and been more than simply an evi-
dence of it to our apprehensions. Therefore, secondly, in justification,
although the materiale, or matter of it, be wholly the obedience and death
of Christ ; yet the act of pronot ncing us righteous by that his obedience
(which is the fonnale of justification), doth depend upon Christ's resurrec-
tion. Ordinarily there hath been no more expressed concerning this
dependence, than that the resurrection of Christ justifies by working actual
faith, to lay hold upon what Christ hath done in his life and death, which
is called the applying of it, of which more anon. But that speech of Paul,
1 Cor. xv. 17, seems to import more, ' If Christ be not risen again, ye are
yet in your sins, and your faith is in vain ;' that is, although you could
suppose faith to be wrought in you upon the merit of Christ's dying, yet it
would be in vain if Christ were not risen again ; for your title to justifica-
tion itself would be void ; ' you were yet in your sins.' Which is said,
because his resurrection was it, whereby sins (though satisfied for in his
death) were taken ofi, and they acquitted from them ; which I take to be
the meaning also of that, Rom. iv. 25, ' He was delivered for our sins, and
rose again for our justification.' When the apostle says, ' for our sins he
was delivered,' he means his laying down that which was the price for
them, a satisfaction for them, which his death was. And in that sense,
' he died for our sins ;' that is, his death stands instead of our death, and
so satisfies for sin. But yet still that upon which the act of God's justify-
ing us, and his discharge given us from our sins, and whereby he reckoneth
us justified, that depends upon his resurrection. ' He rose again for our
justification.' Note that justification there imports the act of imputation,
and reckoning us just, which he had spoken of in the verses immediately
foregoing, ver. 22, 23, 24.
In a word, to the full discharge of a debt, and freeing the debtor, two
things are requisite : 1. The payment of the debt ; 2. The tearing or can-
celling of the bond, or receiving an acquittance for the freeing of the debtor.
Now the payment was wrought by Christ's death, and the acquittance to
free from the death was at and by his resurrection.
CHAPTER II.
For the explanation of both these is shewn, how Christ sustained a double relation
first, of a surety given for us; secondly, of a common person in our stead.
The difference of these two, and the usefulness of these two considerations,
for the explaining all the rest that follows, in this whole discourse.
Now the better to explicate both these, you must consider how that
Christ, in almost all that he did for us (as the phrase is here, and is to be
annexed to each particular) did stand in a double relation for us unto God.
Chap. II. J from Christ's resurrection. 27
1. Of a surety, bound to pay the debt for us, and to save our souls.
2. Of a common person, or as an attomey-at-law in our stead. And
both these, as they have a distinct and differing consideration in themselves,
so those several considerations of them will conduce to the understanding
of those two things forementioned, as ways and arguments to shew how
the resurrection of Christ may support our faith, both by way of evidence
that the debt is paid, and by way of influence that we are thereby acquitted,
and cannot be condemned. The notion of his being risen, who is our
surety, clears the first, and that of his rising as a common person, illus-
trates the other. And I shall here a little the largelier insist upon the
explication of these two relations, because their consideration will be of use
through all the rest that follows, to illustrate thereby the influence that his
ascension, and sitting at God's right hand, &c, have into our justification ;
and so I shall carry them along throughout this discourse.
1. A surety is one that undertakes, and is bound to do a thing for
another ; as to pay a debt for him, or to bring him safe to such or such a
place, or the like ; so as when he hath discharged what he undertook and was
bound for, then the party for whom he undertook is discharged also.
2. A common person with, or for another he goes for, is one who repre-
sents, personates, and acts the part of another, by the allowance and war-
rant of the law ; so as what he doth, as such a common person, and in the
name of the other, that other whom he personates is by the law reckoned
to do ; and, in like manner, what is done to him, as being in the other's
stead and room, is reckoned as done to the other. Thus, by our law, an
attorney appears for another, and money received by him is reckoned as
received by him whom it is due unto. Thus the giving possession of an
estate, a re-entry made, and possession taken of land, &c, if done by
and to a man who is his lawful attorney, it stands as good in law unto a
man, as if in his own person it had been done. So ambassadors for princes
represent their masters : what is done to them is reckoned as done to the
prince ; and what they do, according to their commission, is all one as if
the prince, whose person they represent, had done it himself. In like man-
ner also, the marriages of princes are transacted and solemnized by proxy,
as a common person representing his lord, and in his name, is married to a
princess in her father's court ; and the laws of men authorize it, and the
marriage is as good as if both princes themselves had been present, and
had performed all the rites of it. And thus to be a common person is more
than simply to be a surety for another : it is a farther thing ; and there-
fore these two relations are to be distinctly considered, though they seem
to be somewhat of a like nature. Thus an attorney is a different thing
from a surety. A surety undertakes to pay a debt for another, or the like ;
but a common person serves to perform any common act, which by the law
is reckoned and virtually imputed to the other, and is to stand as the other's
act, and is as valid as if he had done it ; so as the good and benefit which
is the consequent of such an act, shall accrue to him whom he personated,
and for whom he stood as a common person. Adam was not a surety for
all mankind ; he undertook not for them in the sense forementioned, but he
was a common person representing all mankind ; so as what he should do was
to be accounted as if they had done it. Now the better to express and make
sure our justification in and by Christ, according to all sorts of laws (the
equity of all which God usually draws up into his dispensations), God did
ordain Christ both to be a surety for us, and also a common person repre-
senting us, and in our stead. That as Christ took all other relations for us,
28 THE SUPPORT OF FAITH [SECT. III.
as of an Husband, Head, Father, Brother, King, Priest, Captain, &c„ that
so the fulness of his love might be set forth to us, in that wbat is defective
in any one of these relations, is supplied and expressed by the other ; even
thus did God ordain Christ to take and sustain both these relations, of a
surety and a common person, in all he did for us, thereby to make our
justification by him the more full and legal ; and justify, as I may so speak,
our justification itself or his justifying of us, by all sorts of legal considera-
tions whatever, that hold commonly among men in like case ; and that
which the one of these relations or considerations might not reach to make
good, the other might supply ; what fell short in the one the other might
make up ; and so we might be most legally and formally justified, and made
sure never to be condemned.
CHAPTER III.
The first head: The evidence of justification which Christ's resurrection affords to
faith, explained by two things. 1. By shewing how Christ was made a Surety
for us. 2. How his resurrection as a Surety holds forth this evidence.
1. Concerning the first of those two heads at first propounded, namely, the
evidence which Christ's resurrection affords unto our faith in point of non-
condemnation, I have two things to handle in this chapter to make this out :
First, how Christ was made a Surety for us, and what manner of Surety he
did become ; secondly, what the consideration hereof will conti'ibute to that
evidence which faith hath from Christ's resurrection.
(1.) For the first, Christ was appointed by God (and himself also under-
took) to be our Surety. This you have, Heb. vii. 22, ' He was made Surety
of a better testament ' or covenant, namely, of the new. The Hebrew
word for covenant the Septuagint still translated A/a^x?j, testament: the
word in the Hebrew being of a large signification, and comprehending both
a covenant and testament ; and so in the New Testament it is used pro-
miscuously for either ; and indeed this ' new covenant of grace ' is both.
Of this covenant Christ is the syyvog, the plighter of his troth for it, the
Surety, the Promiser, the Undertaker. The verb this comes of is syyvdoi,
promittere, which comes from h yvloig, in manibus, striking hands, or giving
one's hand, as a sign of a covenant ; and so to bargain with, or make up a
covenant. Prov. xxii. 26, ' Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or
of them that are sureties for debts :' which whole verse the Septuagint reads,
Give not thyself £/*. iyyvqv, to suretyship ; the same word that is here used
by the apostle. It was the manner both of the Jews and Romans also, to
make covenants by striking of hands. And in testaments, the heir and
executor shook hands, or the executor gave his hand to fulfil it. And the
word lyyvr/Gacdai is used, not only in promising to pay a debt for another,
but also in becoming a pledge for another, for to undergo death or a capital
punishment in another's room, as in that famous story of friends, namely,
Evephenus and Eucritus : Eucritus did r^iuasv syyuriCagOai* willingly be-
come a surety for Evephenus, when condemned to die by Dionysius the
* It Is remarkable that Goodwin has, through inadvertence, mistaken the mean-
ing of this expression. It was Evephenus, who, having sent for Eucritus, TiQwGiV
syyvrjUaadai, asked him to stand surety for him. The mistake does not affect the
argument, which depends upon the meaning of 'iyy\jr}aa,69cu, and not upon that of
r^i'jiSiv. — Ed.
Chap. III. J from Christ's resurrection. 29
tyrant. This very word is used by Polyasnus,* the historian of that fact.
Now such a Surety every way did Christ become unto God for us, both to
pay the debt, by undergoing death in our stead, and so to satisfy God ; and
then as the Heir, to execute his will and testament. He became a Surety
of the whole covenant, and every condition in it, take it in the largest sense ;
and this of all, both on God's part, and on ours. For us he undertook to
God to work all our works, and undergo all our punishments ; to pay our
debts for us, and to work in us all that God required should be done by us,
in the covenant of grace. And thus to be a surety is much more than
simply to be an intercessor or mediator (as Pareus well observes). God
did (as it were) say to Christ, What they owe me, I require it all at your
hands ; and Christ assented, and from everlasting struck hands with God,
to do all for us that God could require, and undertook it under the penalt}'
that lay upon us to have undergone.
Yea, Christ became such a Surety in this for us, as is not to be found
among men. On earth, sureties are wont to enter into one and the same
bond with the creditors, f so as the creditor may seize on which of the two
he will, whether on the debtor or on the surety, and so (as usually) on the
debtor first, for him we call the principal. But in this covenant God would
have Christ's single bond ; and hence Christ is not only called the Surety
of the covenant for us, but ' The Covenant,' Isa, xlix. 8, and elsewhere.
God making the covenant of grace primarily with him, and with him as for
us, thereby his single bond alone was taken for all, that so God might be
sure of satisfaction : therefore he laid all upon Christ, protesting that he
would not deal with us, nor so much as expect any payment from us, such
was his grace. So Ps. lxxxix. 19, where the mercies of the covenant made
between Christ and God, under the type of God's covenant with David, are
set forth, ' Thou spakest in vision to thy holy One, and saidst, I have laid
help on one who is mighty.' As if God had said, I know that these will
fail me, and break, and never be able to satisfy me ; but you are a mighty
and substantial person, able to pay me, and I will look for my debt of you.
And to confirm this, than which nothing can give stronger consolation, or
more advanceth God's free grace, when God went about the reconciling the
world in and by Christ, and dealt with Christ about it, the manner of it is
expressed to have been, that God took off our sins from us, and discharged
us, as it were, meaning never to call us to an account for them, unless
Christ should not satisfy him, and laid them all on Christ, so as he would
require an account of them all from him first, and let him look to it ; and
this he did to make the covenant sure. Thus, 2 Cor. v. 19, it is said (the
apostle speaking of God's transaction of this business with Christ) that
' God was in Christ,' namely, from everlasting, ' reconciling the world ' (of
elect believers) ' to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them ; and
made him sin who knew no sin.' Observe, that as he laid our sins on
Christ, so withal he discharged us in his compact between Christ and him-
self, ' not imputing their trespasses to them.' So then, all laid upon Christ,
and he was to look to it, or else his soul was to have gone for it. This is
not the manner of other creditors : they use to charge the debt on both the
surety and the debtor ; but in this covenant (of grace, namely) Christ's
single bond is entered ; he alone is ' The Covenant,' so as God will have
nought to say to us, till Christ fails him. He hath engaged himself first to
require satisfactions at Christ's hands, who is our Surety.
(2.) Now then for to make use of this notion, for the clearing of the point
* Stratagems, Book V. chap. ii. — Ed. f Qu. ' debtors?' — Ed.
30 THE SUPPORT OF FAITH "SECT. III.
in hand. It might afford us matter of unspeakable comfort, only to hear
of Christ's having been arrested by God for our debt, and cast into prison,
and his bond sued, and an execution or judgment served on him, as the
phrases are, Isa. liii. 8. For thereby we should have seen how God had
begun with our Surety, as minded to let us alone, and that it lay on him to
discharge the debt, who was so able to do it. And thereby we might also
see how he was ' made sin for us,' and therefore we might very well have
quieted our hearts from fearing any arrests, or for God's coming upon us,
till we should hear that our surety were not sufficiently able to pay the
debt, as you have heard he is.
But yet our hearts would still be inquisitive (for all that) to hear whether
indeed he hath perfectly satisfied God or no ; and would be extremely soli-
citous to know whether he hath satisfactorily performed what he undertook,
and how he got clear of that engagement, and of being ' made sin for us.'
And therefore the apostle comforts believers with this, that Christ shall
' the next time appear without sin.' • Unto them that look for him he shall
appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation,' Heb. ix. 28. One
would think it no great matter oi comfort to us to hear that Christ should
appear without sin ; for who would imagine that it could be otherwise with
' The Holy One,' ' The Lord of Glory ' ? There is no wonder in that. Ay,
but, says the apostle, your very salvation is interested in this, as nearly as
is possible. It is well for you that Christ is now without sin ; for he hav-
ing as your Surety undertook to satisfy for sin, and having accordingly been
once made sin when on earth, and arrested for it by God at his death ; in
that now he is got clear of that engagement — which could be no way but
by satisfaction, which he undertook — this doth plainly evince it, and ascer-
tain you, that you shall never be condemned for it ; for by the law, if the
surety hath discharged the debt, the debtor is then free. And therefore no
news would or could be more welcome to sinners, than to have a certain
and infallible evidence given, that their Surety were well come off, and had
quitted all, to satisfaction.
Now then to evidence this serveth his resurrection ; ' Christ is risen.'
Nothing so sure. Therefore certainly the debt is discharged, and he hath
paid it to the full, and so is now without our sin, and fully got clear of it.
For God having once arrested Christ, and cast him into prison, and begun
a trial against him, and had him to judgment, he could not come forth till
he had paid the very utmost farthing. And there is the greatest reason for
it, to ascertain us, that can be. For he was under those bonds and bolts,
which if it had ' been possible,' would have ' detained ' him in the grave, as
Acts ii. 2-1. The strength of sin, and God's wrath, and the curse against
sin (Thou shalt die the death) did as cords hold him, as the Psalmist's
phrase is. Other debtors may possibly break their prisons ; but Christ
could not have broke through this, for the wrath of the all-powerful God
was this prison, from which there was no escaping, no bail ; nothing would
be taken to let him go out but full satisfaction. And therefore to hear that
Christ is risen, and so is come out of prison, is an evidence that God is
satisfied, and that Christ is discharged by God himself; and so is now
' without sin,' walking abroad again at liberty. And therefore the apostle
proclaims a mighty victory, obtained by Christ's resurrection, over death,
the grave, the strength of sin, the law, 1 Cor. xv. 55, 56, and cries out,
' Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ our
Lord,' ver. 57. You may now rest secure indeed : ' Christ is risen ; who
therefore shall condemn T
Ciiap. IV. I from Christ's resurrection. 81
CHAPTER IV.
The second head propounded, the influence Christ's resurrection hath into justi-
fication. — Tuo branches of the demonstration of this: First, thai Christ
was a common person, representing us in all he uas, or did, or suffered,
handled at large ; more especially a common person in his resurrection.
2. Now secondly, to come to that other head propounded, the influence
Christ's resurrection hath into our justification. The demonstration or
making out of which depends on two things put together ; the first, how
Christ was appointed by God, and himself acted the part of a common per-
son, representing us in what he did, and more particularly in his resurrec-
tion. Of this in this chapter.
The second is, how from that consideration ariseth, not only an evidence
to our faith, but a real influence into our justification and non-condemna-
tion. So as, ' Who shall condemn?' because ' Christ is risen again,' as a
common person, representing us therein.
(1.) For the first of these, to illustrate and prove it in the general, that
instance of Adam serves most fitly, and is indeed made use of in the Scrip-
ture to that end. Adam, as you all know, was reckoned as a common
public person, not standing singly or alone for himself, but as representing
all mankind to come of him. So as by a just law, what he did was reckoned
to his posterity whom he represented. And what was by that law threat-
ened, or done to him for what he did, is threatened against his posterity
also. Now this man was herein a lively type of our Lord Christ, as you
have it, ' who was the type of him who was to come,' Rom. v. 14. Unto
which purpose, the titles which the apostle gives these two, Christ and
Adam, 1 Cor. xv. 47, are exceeding observable ; he calls Adam ' the first
man ; ' and Christ our Lord, ' the second man ; ' and both for that very pur-
pose and respect which we have in hand. For, first, he speaks of them as
if there had never been any more men in the world, nor were ever to be for
time to come, except these two. And why ? but because these two between
them had all the rest of the sons of men hanging at their girdle ; because
they were both common persons, that had the rest in like (though opposite)
considerations included and involved in them. Adam had all the sons of
men, bom into this world, included in himself, who are therefore called
• earthly men,' ver. 48, in a conformity to him ' the earthly man,' ver. 47 ;
and Christ the second man had all his elect — who are ' the first born,' and
whose ' names are written in heaven,' and therefore, in the same verse, are
oppositely called ' heavenly men ' — included in him. You see how he sums
up the number of all men in two, and reckons but two men in all ; these
two, in God's account, standing for all the rest. And farther observe, that
because Adam was in this his being a common person unto us, the shadow
and the lively type of Christ, who was to come after him ; that therefore he
is called ' the first man' of these two, and Christ ' the second man,' as
typified out by him.
Now if you ask wherein Christ was a common person, representing us,
and standing in our stead ; I answer, if in anything, then in all those con-
ditions and states wherein he was, in what he did, or befell him, whilst here
on earth especially. For he had no other end to come down into this
world, but to sustain our persons, and to act our parts, and to have what
was to have been done to us acted upon him.
32 THE SUPPORT OF FAITH j SECT. III.
[1.] Thus, first, in their two several conditions, qualifications, and states,
they both were common persons. That is, look what state or condition the
one or the other was made in, is by a just law to be put upon those whom
they represented. So the apostle reasons from it, ver. 48, ' as is the earthly
man' (namely, the first man, Adam), ' such are the earthly,' namely, to be
earthly men as well as he ; because he who is a common person represent-
ing them, was in his condition but an earthly man. And oppositely, by
the same law, it follows, 'as is the heavenly man' (namely, the second
man, Christ), ' such are and must be the heavenly,' who pertain to him,
because he also is a common person, ordained to personate them ; and
Adam, who came after him, was therein but his type.
[2.] And as thus, in this place to the Corinths, the apostle argues Christ
to be a common person, in respect of his condition and state, by an argu-
ment of parallels taken from his type, Adam ; so, secondly, in that 5th to
the Romans, he argues Christ to have been a common person, in his actions
which he did on earth : and this also from the similitude of Adam, whom,
ver. 14, he therein makes to have been Christ's type. And he speaks of
Adam there as a common person, both in respect of what he did, namely,
his sin ; and also in respect of what befell him for his sin, namely, death and
condemnation. And because he was in all these not to be considered as a
sini/le man, but as one that was all wen, by way of representation ; hence,
both what he did, they are said to do in him ; and what condemnation or
death was deserved by his sin, fell upon them all, by this law of his being
a public person for them.
First, For what he did. He sinned, you know, and, ver. 12, all are said
to have sinned, namely, in his sin ; yea, and according to those words in
the Greek, ev <Z ,* which are added there, you may render that sentence (and
the original bears it, and it is also varied in the margin) thus, ' in whom
all have sinned,' namely, in Adam, as in a public person. Their act was
included in his, because their persons were included in his. And
Secondly, For what befell him for sin, that befell them also by the same law
of his being a person representing them. Hence, ver. 12, death is said to
' pass upon all men,' namely, for this, that Adam's sin was considered as
theirs, as it there follows. It is said to pass, even as a sentence of death
passeth upon a condemned malefactor. And, ver. 18, judgment is said to
' come by that one man's offence, upon all men, to condemnation.' Now
in Gen. ii. 17, the threatening was spoken only to Adam, as but one man,
' In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.' And Gen. iii.
19, that sentence seems only to pass upon him alone, ' Unto dust thou
shalt return.' Yet in threatening Adam, God threatened us all ; and in
sentencing Adam to death, he sentenced us. also. The curse reacheth us
too ; ' death passed upon all men' then, and therefore by a just law ' death
reigns over all,' as Piom. v. 14 and 17, because Adam was in all this a com-
mon person representing us, and so in our stead ; and so all this concerns
us as truly and as nearly as it did him. I say by a just law ; for, indeed,
the Scripture, upon the equity of this rule, pronounceth a statute out against
all men that they should die, Heb. ix. 27. Statutum est, it is appointed by
a statute law that all should die. Now if you search for this statute, when
and where enacted, you will find that the original record and roll is that in
Gen. iii. 19, spoken only of Adam, but holding true of us, ' to dust thou
shalt return.'
* This reading, sv w, for sip w, which the author quotes, and which our trans-
lators must have had before them, is not given by Griesbach. — Ed.
Chap. IV. from Christ's resurrection. 83
(8.) Just thus the matter stands in the point of our justification and
salvation hotween Christ and elect helievcrs ; for Adam was herein his type.
Christ was considered and appointed of God as a common person, both in
what ho did and in what was done to him. So as by the same law, what
he did for us is reckoned or imputed to us, as if we ourselves had done it ;
and what was done to him, tending to our justification and salvation, is
reckoned as done to us. Thus when Christ died, he died as a common
person, and God reckoneth that we died also. When Christ arose, he rose
as our head, and as a common person, and so then God accounts that wo
rose also with him. And by virtue of that communion which we had with
him in all those actions of his, it is, that now when we are born again, we
do all rise both from the guilt of sin and from the power of it : even as by
virtue of the like communion we had with (or being one in) Adam, we como
to be made sinful, when we begin first to exist as men, and to be first born.
Thus in his death he was considered as a common person, and God
reckoned us dying then, and would have us reckon so also. So, Rom. vi.
10, the apostle, speaking of Christ, saith, ' In that he died, he died unto sin
once ; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.' Then, ver. 11, speaking
of us, he says, ' Likewise reckon you yourselves to be dead unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' The meaning whereof is
plainly this, that whereas regenerate men are for the present in the reality
nut imperfectly mortified and dead to sin, as considered in themselves, and
in respect of the work of it, as wrought in them ; yet that being considered
in Christ as their head, and a common person representing them, they may
Xoyi^uv, they may truly, by a way of faith, reason or ' reckon ' themselves
wholly dead, in and through Jesus Christ our Lord, in that once he died
perfectly unto sin, as a common person representing them. So as what yet
is wanting in the work of mortification, in their sense and experience of it,
they may supply by faith, from the consideration of Christ their head, even
themselves to have died when he died. The apostle, I say, would have
them by reason conclude or infer (for so the word Xoyi^isds signifies, as
chap. iii. 28, ' Therefore we conclude,' &c, it is the same word) from Christ's
death, that they are dead ; which conclusion cannot be made unless this be
one of the propositions in this argument, that we died in Christ when he
died ; and so though in ourselves we are not yet wholly '■ dead to sin,' nor
perfectly ' alive to God,' yet ' through Jesus Christ your Lord and Head'
(says he), ' reckon yourselves so,' ' in that (as ver. 10) he died and now
lives,' and you were included in him. And, indeed, this consideration the
apostle suggests unto our faith, both as the greatest encouragement against
imperfect mortification begun ; that yet we may comfort ourselves by faith,
as reckoning ourselves wholly dead in Christ's death, and so may assure
ourselves we shall one day be perfectly dead in ourselves by virtue of it ;
and withal, as the strongest argument also and motive unto mortification,
to endeavour to attain to the highest degree of it ; which, therefore, he car-
ries along in his discourse throughout that whole chapter. He would have
them by faith or spiritual reasoning take in, and apprehend themselves long
since dead to sin in Christ, when he died ; and so should think it the
greatest absurdity in the world to sin, even the least sin, we being dead
long since, and that wholly, when Christ our head died : ver. 2, ' and how
shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ? ' and, ver. 7, 'he
that is dead is free from sin ; ' and how then shall we do the least service
to it ? Now all this he puts upon Christ's dying, and our dying then with
him : ver. 6, ' Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,' even
VOL. iv. c
34 THE SUPPORT OF FAITH [SECT. III.
when he was crucified, ' that it might be destroyed ' one day in us, fully
and perfectly ; Christ's body representing therein, as a public person, the
elect, and their body of sin conjunct with them. So as thus by faith they
are to reason themselves wholly dead to sin in Cbrist, and to use it as a
reason and motive to stir up themselves not to yield to the least sin. I use
this expression of being wholly dead, because if he had spoken merely of
that imperfect mortification begun in us, the argument would not bave been
a perfect motive against the least sins. ' We who are dead, how shall we
live in sin,' or yield unto the least sin ? For it might be said, alas ! we
are but imperfectby dead ; and from an imperfect death could but an imper-
fect argument have been drawn. But tbe Scripture elsewhere tells us, that
' Christ by his death hath perfected for ever all that are sanctified ;' so Heb.
x. 14 ; so as in his death they may reckon themselves perfectly dead by
faith, and perfectly sanctified, though yet the work be not actually and fully
perfected.
And all this communion with Christ as a common person, representing
them in his death, he there instructs them to be represented and sealed up
to them by their baptism ; so ver. 3, 4. How, I shall shew afterwards.
(4.) Now as this place holds forth Christ as a common person in his
death representing us, so other places hold forth the like of his resurrec-
tion. In 1 Cor. xv. 20, the apostle argues, that elect believers must and
shall rise, because ' now Christ is risen from the dead, and is become the
first-fruits of them that sleep.' See the force of this argument founded
upon this notion and consideration, that Christ was a common person repre-
senting all the rest ; and this strongly presented in that expression of his
being ' the first-fruits,' in allusion to the rite in the Levitical law. All the
sheaves in a field being unholy of themselves, there was some one sheaf in
the name and room of all the rest (which was called the first-fruit), which was
lift up, and waved before the Lord ; and so all the sheaves abroad in the
field, by that act done to this one sheaf, were consecrated unto God,
Lev. xxiii. 10, &c, by virtue of that law. The meaning of which rite, the
apostle expounding, allegeth, Rom. xi. 16, • If the first-fruits be holy, all
the lump is holy also.' Thus, when we were all dead, Christ as the first-
fruits riseth, and this in our name and stead, and so we all rise with him
and in him. And although the saints departed are not, in their own per-
sons, as yet risen (as we all who are now alive are not in our own persons
yet dead), yet, in the mean time, because thus they are risen in Christ, as
their first-fruits, hence, in the very words following, he saith, they are but
asleep, ' He is become the first-fruits of them that sleep,' because they
remain alive in Christ their head, and shall rise one day, because in him
they virtually are already risen ; and this in God's account in as time and just
a sense as we, though personally alive, are yet all reckoned dead in Adam,
because he, as a common person, had the sentence of death pronounced on
him, by virtue of which we must die ; and this by the force of the same
law, even of that which we have inculcated, of being a common person repre-
senting us. And indeed, so it follows (which argues this to be the apostle's
meaning), ver. 21, ' For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all
be made alive.' His argument lies thus : Adam was the first-fruits of them
that died ; Christ, of them that rise. Hence, therefore, we are elsewhere
said (though in respect to another life) to be ' risen with Christ,' Ephes. ii.
5, 6, and, which is yet more, ' to sit together with him in heaven ;' because
he, as a common person representing us, sits there in our name and stead,
as you shall hear when I come to it in the text in the next section.
ClIAP. V.J FROM ciiKisTS BBBUBBBOTION. 35
CHAPTER V.
The second branch: How Christ's representing us as a common person in his
resurrection, hath em influence into our justification, made forth by two
things: (1.) How Christ at his resurrection was justified from our sin; (2.)
That we were all then justified in him as a common person.
2. Now, then, to come to the other branch of the demonstration, namely,
how this relation to us as a common person representing us in his resur-
rection, hath a real influence into our justification. And this is the point
I drive at ; and for the clearing of which that large and general discourse
by way of digression in the former chapter was but to make way for.
I shall absolve and despatch this branch by shewing two things :
(1.) That Christ himself was justified, and that at his resurrection.
(2.) That he was justified then as a common person, representing us
therein, as well as that he rose as a common person ; and so that we were
then justified in him and with him ; and by this means it is that by that act
then done to him, our justification is made irrepealable for ever.
(1.) For the explicating of the first: As Christ was in his death made
sin for us, and so sustained our persons in his satisfying for sin by his
death (which is the matter of our righteousness), so in and upon his resur-
rection he was justified and acquitted from our sins by God, as having now
fully in his death satisfied for them, which I make forth by these three
things put together :
[l.J First, in reason, if that Christ were made sin for us, and satisfied
for it, there must then some act pass, whereby Christ should be pronounced
acquit of our sins, and fully clear of them, and so be himself formally justi-
fied in respect of those sins, for which he undertook to satisfy. For,
according to the course of all proceedings, if a charge of guilt be formally
laid, there must be as formal an act of acquitting, and of giving a quietus
est. There is no man but for his own discharge and security would desire
it ; nor is there any wise man that pays a debt for which he is legally sued,
that will not have, upon the payment of it, as legal an acquittance. Paul,
when he was cast into prison by a public act of authority, he stood upon it
to have a public act of release from the same magistrates, and would not
go forth of prison privily, though themselves sent to him so to go out,
Acts xvi. 37. Now God himself did • lay the iniquities of us all' upon
Christ, Isa. liii. 6, and ' had him to prison and judgment' for them, ver. 3.
There must, therefore, some act pass from God, legally to take them off
from him, and declaring him discharged, to deliver him from prison and
judgment.
And, de facto, it is evident that there was some such act passed from God ;
for, as we read, that Christ, while he lived, and also in his death, ' was
made sin,' and ' did bear the sin of many,' as the phrase is, Heb. ix. 28.
So we read in the very next words, that ' he shall appear the second time
without sin,' which must needs be spoken in a direct opposition to his
baring borne our sins, and appearing then with all our sins laid to his
charge. He appeared charged with them then, but now he shall appear,
as apparently and manifestly to be without those sins, for of our sins it
must needs be meant, and so to be discharged of them as fully as ever he
appeared charged with them. For it is said, ' he shall appear without sin ;'
and therefore to the judgments of all it shall be made manifest, that that
36 THE SUPPORT OF FAITH [SECT. III.
God that once charged him with them, hath now fully discharged him of
them. The apostle speaks of it as of a great alteration made in this respect
between Christ whilst on earth, and Christ as he is to appear the second
time, and is now in heaven. And this alteration or discharge must neces-
sarily be made by God ; for he is the creditor who followed the suit, and
therefore he alone can give the acquittance.
[2.] Now, secondly, from hence it will follow, that there must be some
time when this alteration was first made, and discharge given, when Christ,
from being sin, as he was made, should become without sin, through God's
acquitting of him ; and this, say I, was at his resurrection. It is not deferred
as then to be first done, when he is to appear the second time, though
then it appears indeed, but it is really done before ; for he comes then to
judge others for sin. Now in reason when should this acquittance or justi-
fication from our sins be first given to Christ, and legally pronounced on
him, but when he had paid the last farthing of the debt, and made his satis-
faction complete ? which was then done when he began to rise ; for his lying
in the grave was a part of his humiliation, and so of his satisfaction, as gene-
rally orthodox divines hold. Now, therefore, when he began to rise, then
ended his humiliation ; and that was the first moment of his exaltation. His
acquittance, therefore, bears date from thence, even from that very hour.
[3.] Hence, thirdly, we read, as that Christ was ' condemned,' so that
he was ' justified.' Thus, 1 Tim. hi. 1G, God is said to be • manifest in
the flesh,' and then that this God-man was 'justified in the Spirit.' That
is, whereas God was manifest or appeared in flesh to condemn sin in the flesh,
as Rom. viii., that same God-man was also justified in the Spirit from all
those sins, and so ' received up to glory,' as it follows there. And not to
go far, the very words of this my text, ' it is God that justifies,' are taken
out of Isa. 1. 8, 9, and as there they are first spoken by Christ of himself,
then, when he ' gave his back to the smiters,' in his death (as in the verses
before), and was put to death as a ' condemned' man, he comforts himself
with this, ' He is near that justifies me ; who shall condemn ?' And when
was that done, or to be done, but at his resurrection ? So the phrase in
Timothy imports, if you compare it with another in Peter, 1 Pet. iii. 18.
' Being put to death in the flesh, and quickened in (or by) the Spirit.'
Paul, he says, 'justified in the Spirit;' Peter, he says, ' quickened in the
Spirit :' both mean one and the same thing. By S})irit is meant the power
of his Godhead and divine nature, whereby he was at once both raised
from the grave, and from under the guilt of sin together. He was at once
both quickened, or raised, and justified also. And that by Spirit they
mean his divine nature, the opposition in both places evidently implies ;
for it is opposed to his flesh, or human nature. Now, because he was
quickened, or raised, by the power of the Godhead, and at that raising him
he was justified also by God, and declared justified by that resurrection, as
he had been declared condemned by his death ; hence, to be justified is
put for his resurrection ; for that was his justification, to declaration of all
the world, that he was justified from all the sins laid to his charge. And
that other place I cited out of Isaiah hath the same meaning also ; for
Christ there comforts himself against the Jews condemning him, and put-
ting him to death, with the hopes of God's justifying of him, when he
should have gone through that work. And Christ's meaning there is this,
' God will raise me up and acquit me,' though you condemn and kill me.
In the other prophets you shall find Christ still comforting himself against
his condemnation at his death, with the thoughts of his resurrection, which
Ciiap. V.J from Christ's resurrection. 87
he foresaw as shortly to follow after it ; as here, in Isaiah, he comforts
himself with these hopes of his heing justified after their condemnation of
him. For instance, Ps. xvi. 9, • My flesh shall rest in hope : thou wilt not
leave my soul in hell, nor sutler thy Holy One to see corruption.' Which
words, you know, Peter, in the Acts, doth twice interpret of Christ's resur-
rection. In like manner here, in Isaiah, against his death and condemnation,
he comforts himself with the hopes of God's justification of him at his resur-
rection, ' He is near who justifies me (and he shall help me) ; who shall
condemn ?'
And further, to confirm and strengthen this notion, hecause his resurrec-
tion was the first moment of this his justification from our sins, therefore
it is that God calls it his first begetting of Christ, ' This day have I
begotten thee,' speaking manifestly of his resurrection, Acts xiii. 33. And
the reason of his so calling it, is, because all the while before he was covered
with sin, and ' the likeness of sinful flesh ; ' but now, having flung it off, he
appears like God's Son indeed, as if newly begotten. And thus also he*
cometh to be the fuller conformity between Christ's justification and ours.
For as our justification is at our first being born again, so was Christ's also
at this his first glorious begetting. He was under an attainder before ; here
was the act of restitution first passed. And as at our conversion (which is
to us a resurrection) we ' pass from death to life,' that is, from an estate
of death and condemnation, unto justification of life, so did Christ also at
his resurrection, which to him was a re-begetting, pass from an estate of
death and guilt laid on him, to an estate of life and glory, and justification
from guilt ; and so shall ' appear,' as the word is, Heb. ix. 28 (as he doth
now in heaven), • without sin ; ' for he became to be without sin from that
very moment. Thus I have shewn how Christ was justified at his resurrec-
tion.
(2.) Now then, in the second place, I am to shew that this his justifica-
tion, and pronouncing him without sin, thus done at his resurrection, was
done to him as the ' first-fruits,' and as to a common person bearing our
persons, and so in our names. From whence will necessarily follow, as
the conclusion of all, that the persons of all the elect believers have been
justified before God in Christ, as their head, at or from the time of his
resurrection ; and so that act of justification to have been so firmly passed as
it cannot be revoked for ever. Now this is proved,
First, by the very same reason or respect that he was said to be the
■ first-fruits of them that sleep,' as representing the rest in his resurrection,
which I shewed at large in the former chapter ; upon the same ground he
is to be so looked at also in this his justification pronounced upon him at
his resurrection, even as the first-fruits also of them that are justified. And
so in the same sense, and by the same reason that we are said to be ' risen
with Christ,' in his resurrection ; we must also be said to be 'justified with
him,' in this his justification, at his resurrection.
And indeed (to enlarge this a little), as there is the same reason and
ground for the one that there is for the other, he being a public person in
both, so the rule will hold in all other things which God ever doth to us, or
for us, which are common with Christ, and were done to him ; that in them
all Christ was the first-fruits, and they may be said to have been done in
us, or to us, yea, by us, in him, and with him. Yea, whatever God meant
to do for us and in us, whatever privilege or benefit he meant to bestow
upon us, he did that thing first to Christ, and (some way) bestowed the
* Qn. 'there?'— Ed.
38 THE SUPPORT OF FAITH [SECT. III.
like on him as a common person, that so it might be by a solemn formal
act ratified, and be made sure to be done to us in our persons in due time,
having first been done to him representing our persons ; and that by this
course taken, it might (when done to us) be effected by virtue of what was
first done to him. Thus God meaning to sanctify us, he sanctifies Christ
first, in him as a common person sanctifying us all ; ' For their sakes I
sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through thy truth,' John
xvii. 19. He sanctifies the human nature of Christ personal, (that is his
body), and him first, as a common person representing us, that so we, being
virtually and representative!}" sanctified in him, may be sure to be sanctified
afterwards in our own persons, by means of his sanctification. And so in
like manner for our sakes he was 'justified in the Spirit ; ' because we were
to be justified, and so to be justified first in him, and with him as a common
person. Now this rule holds in all blessings else bestowed ; for Paul pro-
nounceth of them all, that ' God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings
in Christ Jesus,' Eph. i. 3, which God did so order, that, as he speaks of
ordaining salvation to be by faith, Rom. iv. 16, that all those 'blessings
might be sure to all the seed.' For this formal investiture of estating us
into all blessings by such solemn acts done to Christ as our head and repre-
senter of us, makes what he intends to bestow sure beforehand, by an
irrepealable act and sentence, which hath its warrant in all laws of men, as
I have shewn, and shall anon again urge. And,
Secondly, by the equity of the same law that in Adam we were all con-
demned, Adam being a type of him in this, by the same law, I say, we were
all justified in Christ when he was justified, else the type were not therein
fulfilled. Now the sentence of condemnation was first passed upon Adam
alone, yet considered as a common person for us ; therefore also this
acquittance and justification was then passed towards Christ alone, as a
public person for us. Yea, in this his being justified, Christ must much
rather be considered as a common person representing us, than Adam was
in his condensation. For Christ in his own person, as he had no sin, so
he had no need of any justification from sin, nor should ever have been
condemned. And therefore this must be only in a respect unto our sins
imputed to him ; and if so, then in our stead. And so herein, he was more
purely to be considered as a common person for us, than ever Adam was,
in his being condemned. For Adam, besides his standing as a common
person for us, was furfherrnore condemned in his own person ; but Christ
in being justified from sin, could only be considered as standing for others.
Thus, Pom. v. 18, ' Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon
all men to condemnation ; even so (or in like manner) by the righteousness
of that one man Christ, the free gift came upon all men (namely, in Christ)
unto justification of life.' He parallels both with a so, only with this
difference between Adam's being a common person for us, and so between
the ground of our being condemned in him, and Christ his being a common
person for us, and our acquittance in him, that the ' condemnation came
upon ah" by a necessary, natural covenant, for by such a covenant was
Adam appointed a common person for us ; but Christ his being appointed
thus a common person for us, it was by a ' free gift' of grace ; and therefore
in like manner by a free gift of grace it is that the imputation of that which
he did, or was done to him, is reckoned ours. As then ' in Adam all died,'
when he sinned, as the apostle speaks, so in Christ ' were all justified,'
when he was justified. For as in his death Christ was a public person for
ns, and in all that befell him ; so in his resurrection, and in all that was
Chap. VI.] from Christ's resurrection. 80
then done to him ; and ho, in this his being then justified. And as when
he died, 'the just was put to death for the unjust' (as Peter speaks), so
when he arose and was justified, the just that needed no justification was
justified for the unjust, who else had been condemned ; and so we were
then justified with him.
CHAPTER VI.
How our faith may raise from hence just matter of triumph about our justifica-
tion. — An explication how we are justified by faith, althouyh justified in
Christ at his resurrection.
And hereupon is grounded this triumph of faith here, from Christ's
resurrection, ' Who shall condemn ? It is Christ that is risen.' The mean-
ing whereof is, that he was justified at his resurrection (justified in the Spirit
and quickened in the Spirit being all one), and ' we in him.' Yea, and a
father is put upon this, rather than put upon his death ; for this act was a
solemn discharge from all sin and condemnation ; it was a legal acquittance
given to Christ for all our sins, and so to us also considered as in him.
His death was but the satisfaction and payment ; but this is the first act of
absolution. Yea, and this is the original act, which is upon record between
God and Christ ; and our justification and atonement (when we are justified
by faith in Christ) is but a copy fetched from this roll, and court-sentence
then pronounced.
And such a way and course to ratify and make acts good and legal, even
to have them done by another representing one's person, is common among
men, as those instances I formerly gave do shew. An attorney- at- law
receives a debt, or an acquittance for a debt, paid or given for another man,
and it is as legal as if the man himself or creditor had done it, and the
debtor had received the acquittance himself. Yea, acts of the greatest and
highest concernment are ofttimes no otherwise transacted ; as the marriages
of princes are by proxy solemnized, their ambassadors representing their
persons, and contracting and marrying their wives in their stead, which acts
are thereby made as irrevocable, and irrepealable, as if themselves had in
person done them. And so if we were justified when Christ did rise and
was justified, our justification then cannot be reversed, but stands as legal
and warrantable as any act that God or man ever ratified or confirmed.
And who shall condemn ? '
Only, for farther explication's sake, lest there be a mistake, let me add
this, that it is necessary that we be justified in our own persons by faith,
(notwithstanding this former act thus legally passed), whereby we lay hold
upon what God did thus before for us in Christ, to the end that God upon our
believing may, according to his own rules, justify his justifying of us unto all
the world ; which, until we do believe, he could not do. For according
to the revealed rules of his word, which he professeth to proceed by at the
latter day, there is a curse and a sentence of condemnation pronounced against
us, under which we stand till he shall take it off by giving us faith ; unto
which he hath, in the same word, made the promise of justifying us in our
own persons, as before he had done in Christ. Yet still notwithstanding,
so as although, when we first believe, then only justification is actually and
personally applied to us, yet at Christ's resurrection, and in his being then
justified, this act and sentence was virtually pronounced upon us ; and so
40 THE SUPPORT OF FAITH [SECT. III.
doth necessarily require, and exact at God's hands, the bestowing faith upon
us ; that so by virtue of this former act passed, we come to be actually
justified in our own consciences, and before all the world. And so our
justification, which was but secretly wrought and passed upon us in Christ,
is never made void, but stands irrepealable ; and so ratified, that our per-
sonal justification by faith doth always infallibly second and succeed it.
And (to illustrate it a little) our condemnation in Adam, and this our justi-
fication in Christ, do in this hold parallel together, that as in Adam we were
all virtually condemned, ' in Adam all die,' — and that legal enough too, for
thereupon came out that statute-law, statutum est, ' It is appointed' that all
should die, and yet we are not actually in our own persons condemned till
we are born of him ; nor do we personally die, until we lay down our flesh, —
even so it is in the matter of our justification : it was done virtually in
Christ, and afterwards, when we believe, is actually passed in and upon our-
selves. Now I call this former but a virtual justification, even as by the
sentence of condemnation passed upon a malefactor, he is called a dead
man, that is, he is so virtually and in law (as we say), though naturally he
die not many days after, but in that respect may be still alive ; so by
Christ's being justified, we are all virtually and in law justified, through a
secret j r et irrepealable covenant between God and Christ, who only did
then ' know who were his.'
And for a confirmation even of this also, that God accounts all the elect
justified in his justifying of Christ, we shall not need to go any further
than the words of this text, if we do but diligently compare their standing
here with that of theirs in that place out of which they are taken, and
where we find them first recorded and spoken, namely, in that 50th of
Isaiah, 7, 8, ' He is near that justifies me ; who is he that shall condemn ? '
Now there (as interpreters agree, and as the context shews), those words
are spoken by Christ himself ; for, ver. 5, he speaks of God's ' boring his
ear' to do his will (the same expression that is used of Cbrist, Ps. xl. G),
and farther says, ' I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them
tbat pulled off the hair, and I hid not my face from shame and spitting' (all
which you may read in Christ's sufferings, Mat. xxvi. 67 and xvii. 26).
And he spake before (in ver. 4), of God's having ' given him the tongue of
the learned, to speak a word in season to him that is weary,' which you
may read done by Christ, Mat. xi. 28. Now those words were spoken by
Christ, to comfort himself against the Jews condemning him, as considering
that God would justify him ; as at his resurrection, you have heard, he did.
Now mark it, those very words which Isaiah brings in Christ speaking as
of himself alone, those very words Paul here boldly applies, in the like
triumph, to all the elect of Christ, ' Who shall condemn ? It is God that
justifies ; ' and this because Christ is dead, and risen, and acquitted by
God. Christ spake those words as a public person in the name of all
his elect, whom he in his death and in his justification represented ;
and for that very respect Paul speaks the like words over again, of
of all elect believers, as being as truly and really intended of them, when
spoken by Christ, as of himself, and of his own person. ' He is near that
justifies me (says Christ) ; who shall condemn ? ' namely, me, or mine elect,
whose persons I sustain. And ' Who shall lay anything to the charge of
God's elect ?' says Paul. ' It is God that justifies; who shall condemn ?'
for Christ hath died, and been condemned for them, and Christ was
justified from that condemnation, and they in him. And because the justi-
fication of himself, which Christ spake of, as looked for from God, was to
Chap. VII. from Christ's resurrection. 41
be made at his resurrection, as bath been said, tbercforo Paul bere puts a
rather upon bis resurrection.
And farther to establish this, as you heard before out of Rom. vi. 11,
that in respect of sanctification we were dead with Christ, even then when
he died ; so in Col. ii. 13, we are said to be ' risen with him,' in respect of
our justification, which is the thing in hand. The words are, ' And you
being dead in your sins,' namely, the guilt of your sins, ' and the cir-
cumcision of your flesh,' that is, in respect of the power of corrupt nature,
' hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all your tres-
jmsses.' See here, the forgiveness of our sins, or our justification, is called
a ' quickening' or ' a raising up of us' (as the 12th verse hath it), ' together
with him,' in a conformity and relation to that justification from our sins,
which at his resurrection he received in our names. His meaning is, he
was justified then, and in our names ; and so we are now justified through
the virtue of that our communion with him therein. For if you mark the
connection of the words with what follows, ver. 14, you will find this
1 forgiving of their trespasses (ver. 13) through their being quickened
together with him,' not only to have been done when they believed, and so
when they had that justification personally first applied to them, of which,
it is true, the words in the 12th verse are to be understood, but also then
to have been done, ' when he having (as it follows in the 14th verse) blotted
out the handwriting of ordinances which was against us, nailing it to his cross,
and having spoiled principalities and powers,' and got the victory, namely, in
his rising again, ' had made a show of them openly ' (in his ascending to
heaven), ' triumphing over them h avruj in himself (as the margin hath it) ;
of which words I shall farther speak in the next head. So as then when
Christ did this in himself, then were our sins forgiven, then were we
acquitted with him, and triumphed with him, he doing all this in our stead,
representing us.
CHAPTER VII.
How all this, both the support of our faith and out justification by Christ's
reswrection, is sealed up to us in baptism. — The conclusion. — How faith
may make use of Christ's resurrection in its pleas to God.
And all this our communion with Christ in his resurrection, both in
respect of sanctification, which the 6th of the Romans holds forth, and of
justification, which this place in the Colossians holds forth, is lively (as both
places declare) set out, and sealed up to us, in the sacrament of baptism.
Romans vi. 3, 4, we are said to be ' buried with him in baptism,' &c. ;
and Colossians ii. 12, 'buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen
with him.' The eminent thing signified and represented in baptism is not
simply the blood of Christ as it washeth us from sin ; but there is a farther
representation therein of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, in the
baptized's being first buried under water, and then rising out of it ; and
this not in a bare conformity unto Christ, but in a representation of a com-
munion with Christ in that, his death and resurrection. Therefore it is
said, ' we are buried with him in baptism ; ' and ' wherein you are risen
with him.' It is not simply said, like as he was buried, and rose, but with
him. So as our communion and oneness with him in his resurrection, is
represented to us therein, and not only our conformity or likeness unto him
42 THE SUPPORT OF FAITH [SECT. III.
therein. And so baptism representeth this to us, that Christ having once in
himself sustained the persons of all the elect, in his burial and resurrection,
that now, upon the party himself who is baptized, is personally, particularly,
and apparently re-acted the same part again, in his baptism; thereby
shewing what his communion with Christ before was, in what was then
done to Christ ; that he then was buried with Christ, and rose with him ;
and upon that ground is now in this outward sign of baptism, as in a show
or representation, both buried and also riseth again.
And moreover, hence it is, that the ' answer of a good conscience,' which
is made the inward effect of this ordinance of baptism, 1 Pet. iii. 21, is
there also attributed unto Christ's resurrection, as the thing signified and
represented in baptism, and as the cause of that answer of a good con-
science. ' Even baptism,' saith he, ' doth now also save us,' as being the
ordinance that seals up salvation, ' not the putting away of the filth of the
flesh,' or the washing of the outward man; ' but the answer of a good con-
science towards God, by the resurrection of Jesiis Christ.' To open these
words : Our consciences are that principle in us which are the seat of the
guilt of all the sins of the whole man ; unto whose court they all come to
accuse us, as unto God's deputy ; which conscience is called good or evil,
as the state of the man is. If his sin remain unpardoned, then as his
estate is damnable, so his conscience is evil. If his sins be forgiven, and
his person justified, his conscience is said to be good ; conscience having
its denomination from the man's state, even as the urine is called good or
bad, as the state of the man's body is healthful or unsound whose urine it
is. Now in baptism, forgiveness of sins and justification being sealed up
to a believer's faith and conscience, under that lively representation of his
communion with Christ in his resurrection ; hence this is made the fruit of
baptism, that the good conscience of a believer, sealed up in baptism, hath
wherewithal from thence to answer all accusations of sin that can or do at
any time come in upon him ; and all this, as it is here added, ' by virtue
of the resurrection of Jesus Christ ;' namely, in this respect, that his com-
munion with Christ in his resurrection hath been represented in his baptism
as a ground of his faith, and of that ' answer' unto all accusations. So
that indeed the same thing that Paul says by way of triumph and de-
fiance to all accusations, ' Who shall condemn ? Christ is risen ; ' the
very same thing Peter here mentions, though not by way of defiance, yet
of a believer's answer and apology, that if sins do come to condemn or
accuse, a good conscience is ready to say, ' Christ is risen,' and I was then
'justified in him.' There is my answer, which nothing in heaven or hell
is able to reply unto. ' This is the answer of a good conscience, by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.'
Now to crown this second pillar of faith with this coronis or conclusion,
by way of application or direction to a believer's faith, how to make use of
Christ's resurrection in point of non-condemnation. You heard before, out
of Romans vi., that in respect of mortification (as the apostle there
reasoneth) we may be truly said to have been ' perfectly dead to all sin ' in
Christ's ' dying unto sin once; ' and through his representing us therein as
dying unto sin, in and with him. So as although we be for the present
but imperfectly mortified in ourselves, yet when corruptions arise, the
apostle bids us help ourselves against them by faith, ' reasoning' ourselves
to stand wholly dead to sin, when Christ died ; and so to conclude from
thence, that we shall one day be fully dead to sin, because we then did
perfectly die in Christ unto it ; which kind of reasoning also God would
Chap. "VTL] from Christ's resurrection. 48
have us uso as a motive (and of all motives that arc in the gospel it is the
strongest) against any corruption whenas it ariscth. ' Shall I that am dead
to sin' in Christ, and so am freed from it, ' shall I live any longer therein?'
ver. 2. Now as God would have our faith make this use of our communion
with Christ in his death, in point of sanctification, just so, when guilt of
sin ariseth in thy conscience to accuse or threaten condemnation, reason
thou thyself (as the apostle's word in that other case), or ' reckon thyself
(as our translation hath it) justified in Christ, in his justification, which was
done at his resurrection. Yea, and seeing God would have thee use thy
communion with Christ in his death, as an argument to move thee to
mortify sin, bidding thee to reckon thyself dead to sin in Christ, do thou
desire him, in like manner, to reckon thee as justified at Christ's resurrec-
tion (for the ground of hoth is the same), and return that as an argument
to him to move him to justify thee. And this is that answer of a good
conscience which Peter speaks of ; this is the meaning of Paul's challenge,
' Who shall condemn ? Christ is risen.'
And should thy heart object and say, But I know not whether I was one
of those that God reckoned justified with Christ when he arose ; then go
thou to God, and ask him boldly, whether he did not do this for thee, and
whether thou wert not one of them intended by him. Put God to it, and
God will (by virtue of Christ's resurrection for thee) even himself answer
thy faith this question ere thou art aware. He will not deny it. And
to secure thee the more, know that however Christ will be sure to look to
that for thee ; so as that thou having been then intended, — as, if thy heart
be drawn to give itself up to Christ, thou wert, — shalt never be condemned.
44 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. IV.
SECTION IV.
FAITH SUPPORTED BY CHRIST'S ASCENSION, AND SITTING AT GOD'S
RIGHT HAND.
Who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ, . . . who is even at the right
hand of God.— Rom. VIII. 34.
CHAPTER I.
A connection of this third head with the two former ; shewing how it affords a
farther degree of triumph. — Two things involved in it : 1. Christ's ascension;
2. Christ's power and authority in heaven.
I come next to this third great pillar and support of faith, Christ's being at
God's right hand ; and to shew how the view and consideration hereof may
strengthen faith seeking justification and pardon of sin ; ' Who is he that
condemneth? Christ is even at God's right hand.'
In the opening of which, I shall keep to the begun method, both by
shewing how justification itself depends upon this, and the evidence thereof to
us ; both which the apostle had here in his eye, and from both which our
faith may derive comfort and assurance. And I mean to keep punctually
to the matter of justification only, as in the former.
These two latter that remain here in the text — Christ sitting at God's
right hand, and his interceding for us — are brought in here by the apostle,
as those which have a redundant force and prevalency in them, for the non-
condemnation of the elect ; that although the two former abundantly served
to secure it, yet these two added to the former, do make the triumph of
faith more complete and full, and us ' more than conquerors,' as it after
follows. Nor doth this place alone make mention of Christ's ' sitting at
God's right hand,' which I now am first to handle, in this its relation, and
influence into our justification, and the assurance of faith about it ; but you
have it to the same end, use, and purpose, alleged by that other great
apostle, 1 Peter iii. 18-22. And if the scopes of these two apostles in both
places be compared, they are the same. Here the resurrection of Christ,
and his sitting at God's right hand, are brought in as the ground of this
bold challenge and triumph of faith ; and there, in Peter, is mentioned the
answer or plea of a good conscience in a believer justified, which it puts
into the court, and opposeth against all condemning guilts, (so it is called,
verse 12), the apostle alleging the resurrection of Jesus Christ as one
ground of it, ' the answer of a good conscience, by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ.' And then further to back and strengthen this plea or answer of a
good conscience, the apostle puts his ascension and sitting at God's right
Chap. I.] from Christ's ascension. 45
hand into the bill, as further grounds confirming it ; so it follows, ' who is
gono to heaven, and is at the right hand of God, angels, and authorities,
and powers, being made subject to him.' All which the apostle here ex-
presseth in one word (as enough to carry it) that Christ is ' even at God's
right hand.' The soul hath sufficient answer against condemnation in
Christ's death and resurrection, full enough though it should stop there ;
yea therein can faith triumph, though it went no further; for it can shew
a full satisfaction given in his death, and that accepted by God for us, and
Christ acquitted, and we in him. Therefore, faith (you see) comes to a
rather there. But then, let it go on, to consider Jesus sitting at God's
right hand, and making intercession for us ; and then faith will triumph
and insult over all accusers, be more than a conqueror ; then it comes not
to a ratlin- only, as here, but to a ' much more shall we be saved by his life,'
thus Rom. v. 10. And the meaning thereof is, that if his death had power
to pay all our debts, and justify us at first, then much more hath his life
this power. So that his death is but the ground and foundation of our
faith herein, and the lowest step of this ladder, but these other are the
top and full triumph of faith therein. And our spirits should rise, as the
apostle here riseth. Faith upon these wings may not only fly above the
gunshot of all accusations and condemners, but even clean out of their
sight, and so far above all such thoughts and fears, as it may reach to a
security that sins are forgotten and shall be remembered no more. What
joy was there in the disciples, when they saw Christ risen ! John xx. There-
fore in the primitive times it was used as a voice of joy ; and to this day
the Grecian Christians so entertain each other, at that time of the year,
with these words, ' The Lord is risen,' your Surety is out of prison, fear not.
But (as Christ said in another case, so say I) what will you say, if you see
your Surety ascended up to heaven, and that, as far ' above angels and prin-
cipalities' (as the apostle speaks, Eph. i.) as the heavens are above the
earth '? Will you not in your faiths and hopes proportionably ascend, and
climb up also, and have thoughts of pardon, as far exceeding your ordinary
thoughts as the heavens are above the earth ? Therefore, first view him
as ascending into heaven, ere ever he comes to be at God's right hand, and
see what matter of triumph that will afford you ; for that you must first sup-
pose, ere you can see him at God's right hand, and so is necessarily in-
cluded, though not expressed here. But that place fore-quoted out of
Peter (1 Peter iii.) gives us both these two particulars included in it : 1.
His ascension (who is gone into heaven) ; and 2. his power and authority
there (is at God's right hand, and hath all power and authority subject to
him), and prompts both these, as fit matter to be put into a good conscience,
its answer and apology why it should not be condemned ; and therefore
both may here as well come in into faith's triumph, and that as being in-
tended also by the apostle, and included in this one expression. He speaks
with the least, to shew what cause faith had to triumph, for the least ex-
pression of it ; his purpose being but to give a hint of faith, or that which
comprehensively contains many things in it, which he would have us dis-
tinctly to consider for our comfort.
46 THE TBIUMPH OF FAITH [SeOT. IV.
CHAPTER II.
Shewing first what evidence for our justification Christ's ascension into heaven
affords unto our faith, upon that first forementioned consideration of his
being a Surety for us.
1. First, then, to see what triumph his ascending into heaven will add
unto our faith in matter of non-condemnation.
(1.) And herein, first, there is not nothing* in it to consider what he then
did, and what was his last act when he was to take his rise, to fly up to
heaven. He ' blessed his disciples,' and thereby left a blessing upon earth
with them, for all his elect, to the end of the world. The true reason and
mind of which blessing them was, that he being now to go to execute the
eternal office of his priesthood in heaven, (of which God had sworn, ' Thou art
a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec') ; as Melchisedec in the
type blessed Abraham, and in him all the faithful as in his loins, — therefore
the apostle said that ' Levi paid tithes unto Melchisedec in Abraham's loins,'
therefore he was blessed in his loins, — so did Christ begin this new and second
part of his priesthood with blessing the apostles, and in them all the elect
to the end of the world. This was the last thing that Christ did on earth,
yea this he did whilst ascending, ' he was taken up whilst he did it.' So
Luke xxiv. 50, 51. And thus solemnly he now did this, to shew that the
curse was gone, and that sin was gone, and that action speaks thus much,
as if Christ himself had said it ; my brethren (for so he styled his dis-
ciples after his resurrection), I have been dead, and in dying made a curse
for you ; now that curse I have fully removed, and my Father hath acquitted
me and you for it ; and now I can be bold to bless you, and pronounce all
your sins forgiven, and your persons justified. For that is the intendment
and foundation of blessing. ' Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven
him,' and therefore that was the true meaning of his blessing them ; which
he reserved thus as his last act, to shew how by his death he had redeemed
them from the curse of the law, and now going to heaven, was able to bless
them with all the spiritual blessings that are there, and which heaven can
afford, for heavenly they are called in that respect, Eph. i. 3. And as in
Abraham (blessed by Melchisedec) all the faithful were blessed, so, in
these apostles, all the elect to come are blessed. As when God individually
blessed Adam and Eve at the first creation, yet he in them, blessed all that
were for ever to come of them ; so Christ in blessing them, blessed us, and
all ' that shall believe through their word,' to the end of the world. And
that they were thus then to be considered as common persons, receiving
this blessing for us all, appeareth by Christ's words then uttered, ' I am
with you to the end of the world' (i. e., with you and all your successors,
both ministers and other believers), Mat. xxviii. 20. And Christ herein did
as God did before him. When God had done his work of creation, he
' looked upon all he had done, and saw that it was good, and he blessed it.'
Thus did Jesus Christ ; now that he had by that ' one offering perfected
for ever all the elect,' he comfortably vieweth and pronounceth it perfect,
and them blessed ; and so goes to heaven, to keep and enjoy the Sabbath of
all there.
(2.) Now, secondly, let us see him ascending, and see what comfort that
will also afford our faith, towards the persuasion of justification. The
apostles stood gazing on him ; and so do you lift up your hearts to gaze on
* That is, ' there is something,' or 'it is not useless.' — Ed.
Chap. II. J from Christ's ascension. 47
him by faith, and view him in that act, as lie is passing along into heaven,
as leading sin, hell, death, and devil in triumph, at his chariot-wheels.
And therewith let your faith triumph, in a further evidence of justification.
Thus, Eph. iv. 8, out of Ps. lxviii. 18, the apostle saith, ' When he ascended
up on high, he led captivity captive ' (to which Hebraism the Latin phrase,
vineere victoriam, to win a victory, doth answer): then he led captive all our
spiritual enemies, that would have captived us, they being now captived.
Now leading of captives is always after a perfect victory. And therefore,
whereas at his death he had conquered them, at his rising scattered them,
now at his ascension he leads them captive. And so that Psalm in the
type begins, ver. 1, 'Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered, let
them flee before him ;' so at his resurrection they did. And then he
ascends in triumph (as here) in token of victory, ' he is ascended up on
high,' ver. 18. He ascends, as David after his victory, up to Mount Sion
(for the celebrating of which that Psalm seems to have been made by David),
whereof this was the intended type.
And two actus triwnphales, triumphing acts there were, here mentioned :
[1.] Leading the captives bound to his chariot- wheels ; as the manner of
the Roman triumph was, when the conqueror went up to the Capitol ; and
other heathens in David's time ; as Achilles led Hector captive, who tied
his feet to his chariot- wheels, and dragged him dead round about the walls of
Troy, Now thus did Christ then deal w T ith our sins and all other enemies.
[2.j The second act is casting abroad of gilts, ' He gave gifts to men.'
It was the custom at their triumphs to cast new coins (missilia) abroad
among the multitude ; so doth Christ throw the greatest gifts for the good
of men, that ever were given. Therefore, ' who shall condemn ?' Sins and
devils are not only dead, but triumphed over. Compare with this that other
place, Col. ii. 15, 'Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a
show of them openly, triumphing over them in himself.' So I read it, and
the Gi'eek bears it, and so it is in the margin varied. It is a manifest allu-
sion unto the manner of triumphs after victories among the Romans, even
unto two of the most notable parts thereof : the first, of spoiling the enemy
upon the place, ere they stirred out of the field ; and this was done by
Christ on the cross. ' Having spoiled them ' first, as ver. 14 hath it. He
speaks it of the devils, our enemies and accusers ; they had all God's threat-
enings in his law, and the ceremonial law (the bond for our debt unto the
moral law) to shew for it ; in these lay the power of the devil over us, that
he could boldly come to God and accuse us, and sue our bond. And there-
fore, Heb. ii. 14, he is said to have ' the power of death.' Now Christ
first took away all his power, and spoiled him of all his ensigns, weapons,
and colours ; which he did on the place where the battle was fought, namely,
on the cross ; and ' nailed our bond ' thereto, and, having paid the debt,
left the bond cancelled, ere he stirred off the cross. But then, having thus
spoiled these enemies on the cross, he further makes a public triumphal
show of them in his own person, which is a second act ; as the manner of
the Roman emperors was, in their great triumphs, to ride through the city
in the greatest state, and have all the spoils carried before them, and the
kings and nobles whom they had taken they tied to their chai'iots, and led
them as captives. And this did Christ at his ascension (for of his triumph-
ing at his ascension I take this triumph in this epistle to the Colossians to
be understood, and so to be interpreted by that fore-cited 4th of the Ephe-
sians) ; he plainly manifesting by this public open show of them at his
ascension, that he had spoiled and fully subdued them on the cross. That
48 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH ■ SECT. IV.
which hath diverted interpreters from thinking this of Col. ii. to have been
the triumph of his ascension hath been this, that the triumph is said to
have been made sv durui, which they interpret ' in /'/,' as if it referred to the
cross (mentioned ver. 14), as the place of it ; whenas it may as well be
translated ' in himself,' i. e., ' in his own power and strength,' noting how
he alone did this, which other conquerors do not : they conquer not in
themselves, and by themselves, which Christ did. And yet it was the law,
that if the Roman emperors or generals themselves took anything in war,
they had a peculiar honour to dedicate it in triumph more peculiarly. Now
Christ conquered in himself, and therefore triumphed in himself, and him-
self alone. And thus it became our Redeemer (like another Samson) not
only to break sin's bars, and fling off hell-gates, and come out of that prison
he was in ; but, as in sign of a trophy, to take them on his back, and carry
them up the hill, as Samson (the type of him) did the gates of the city to
an high hill, himself triumphantly carrying them on his own shoulders.
Now did Christ then, who was your Surety, thus triumph ? Then let
your faith triumph likewise ; for this was not only done by your Surety, but
in your stead ; seeing this for us here is to be put to each thing mentioned.
The apostle calls for this at our hands here. ' We are more than con-
querors,' says he, ver. 37.
(3.) Then, thirdly, see him entering into heaven : when he comes first
to court after this great undertaking, how doth God look on him ? Is God
satisfied with what he hath done ? As, you know, when a general comes
home, there useth to be great observing how the king takes his service, as
performed according to commission. Christ as a Surety undertook for
sinners fully to conquer all our enemies ; and God bade him look that he did
it perfectly, or never see his face more, Heb. v. 8, 9. He was to be ' perfect
through sufferings,' and those sufferings to be such as ' to perfect' us also,
Heb. x. 14. Now, behold, your Surety is like a conqueror entered heaven :
let that convince you that he hath satisfied the debt, and performed his
commission to a tittle. God would never have suffered him to come thither
else ; but as soon as ever his head had peeped into heaven, have sent him
down again to perform the rest. But God lets him enter in, and he comes
boldly and confidently, and God lets him stay there. Therefore be con-
vinced that he hath given God full satisfaction. Christ himself useth this
argument, as the strongest that could be brought to ' convince the world '
that this righteousness (which he had in his doctrine taught them) was the
righteousness which men were only to be saved by, the true righteousness
of God indeed. Johnxvi. 9, 10, He ' shall convince the world of righteous-
ness ;' that is, work faith in the hearts of men, to believe and lay hold on
my righteousness, as the true righteousness that God hath ordained ; and
this ' because (says he) I go to my Father, and you shall see me no more.'
That is, by this argument and evidence it is and shall be evinced, that I
who undertook to satisfy for sin, and to procure a perfect righteousness,
have perfectly performed it ; and that it is a righteousness which God's
justice doth accept of, to save sinners by ; in that I, after my death, and
finishing this work, will ascend up to my Father, into heaven, and keep
my standing there, and you shall see me no more : whereas, if I had not
fulfilled all righteousness, and perfectly satisfied God, you may be sure
there would be no going to heaven for me, nor remaining there. God
would send me down again, to do the rest, and you should certainly see
me with shame sent back again ; but ' I go to heaven, and you shall see
me no more.'
Chap. III.! from ohbist's bitting at god's bight band. 49
CHAPTER III.
Shewing what evidence also Christ's sitting at God's right hand, having been
our Surety, affords i<> our faiih for justification.
2. Now then, in the next place, for his being or sitting at God's right
hand, which is the second particular to be spoken of. As soon as Christ
was earned into heaven, look, as all the angels fell down and worshipped
him, so his Father welcomed him, with the highest grace that ever yet was
shewn. The words which he then spake we have recorded, Ps. ex., 'Sit
thou at ruy right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.' You may
by the way observe, for the illustration of this, how upon all the several
parts of performance of his office, either God is brought in speaking to
Christ, or Christ to his Father. Thus, when he chose him first to be our
Mediator, he takes an oath, ' Thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of
Melchisedec' Again, when Christ came to take upon him our nature, 'the
words he spake are recorded, ' Lo, I come to do thy will, a body hast thou
fitted me :' so Heb. x. 5, out of the 40th Psalm. Likewise, when he hung
upon the cross, his words unto God are recorded, Ps. xxii. 1, 'My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?' In like manner, when he rose
again, God's words used then to him are recorded, ' Thou art my Son, this
day have I begotten thee,' Ps. ii. (which place is expounded of the resur-
rection, Acts xiii. 33), which is as much as if he had said, Thou never
appearedst like my Son till now ; for whereas I chose a Son to be glorified
with power and majesty, hitherto thou hast appeared only as ' a son of
man ' (Enosh, sorry man) ; hitherto thou hast been made sin, and a curse ;
not like my Son, but hast appeared ' in the likeness of sinful flesh,' and of
' a servant,' all besmeared with blood ; therefore this is the first day wherein
I make account ' I have begotten thee ;' even now, when thou first begin-
nest to appear out of that sinful hue and likeness of sinful flesh : now I
own thee for my Son indeed. And in him he owned us all thus at his
resurrection. And then, last of all, when he comes into heaven, the first
word God speaks to him is, Son, ' sit thou at my right hand ;' thou hast
done all my work, and now I will do thine ; (he gives him a Quietus est)
rest here ; ' sit here, till I make all thy enemies thy footstool.'
And now, what say you, are ye satisfied yet, that God is satisfied for
your sins? What superabundant evidence must this Christ's sitting at
God's right hand give to a doubting heart ? It argues, first, that Christ,
for his part, hath perfectly done his work ; and that there is no more left
for him to do by way of satisfaction. This the word sitting implies. Se-
condly, it argues that" God is as fully satisfied on his part: this his sitting
at God's right hand implies.
(1.) For the first; the phrase of sitting doth betoken rest, when work is
fulfilled and finished. Christ was not to return till he had accomplished his
work, Heb. x. 11. The apostle comparing the force and excellency of
Christ's sacrifice, with those of the priests of the old law, says, that ' those
priests stood daily offering of sacrifices, which can never take sins away.'
Their standing implied that they could never make satisfaction, so as to say,
' we have finished it.' But Christ (says he, ver. 12), ' after he had offered
up one sacrifice for ever, sat down,' &c. Mark how he opposeth their
standing to his sitting down. He sat as one who bad done his work.
Thus, Heb. iv. 10, « he that is entered into his rest '—speaking of Christ,
vol. rv. D
50 Tin: triumph of faith [Sect. IV.
as I have elsewhere shewn — ' hath ceased from his work, as God from
his.'
(2.) Secondly, this, his being at God's right hand, as strongly argues that
God is satisfied; for if God had not been infinitely well pleased with him,
he would never have let him come so near him, much less have advanced
him so high as his right hand. And, therefore, in that place even now
cited (Heb. x. ver. 10, 11, 12, compai'ed with the former verses), this is
alleged as an evidence that Christ had ' for ever taken sins away' (which
those priests of the law could not do, who therefore ' often offered the same
sacrifice,' as ver. 11). That ' this man, after he had offered one sacrifice
for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God,' as thereby shewing
(and that most manifestly) that he had at that once offered up such a satis-
factory sacrifice as had pleased God for ever ; and thereupon took up his
place at God's right hand as an evidence of it ; so possessing the highest
place in court. This setting him at God's right hand, is a token of special
and highest favour. So kings, whom they were most pleased with, they did
set at their right hands, as Solomon did his mother, 1 Kings ii. 19 ; and so
Christ, the church his queen, Ps. xlv. 9, and it was a favour which God
never after vouchsafed to any, Heb. i. 13. ' To which of all the angels did
he say, Sit thou at my right hand?' Therefore, Phil. ii. 9, it is not only
said that he ' exalted him,' but, superexaltavit , ' he highly exalted him,' so
as never any was exalted ; for he was ' made thereby higher thar. the
heavens.' Thus much for the first head.
CHAPTER IV.
Demonstrates, in the second place, what influence Christ's ascension hath in a
believer's non-condemnation, upon that second premised consideration of
Christ's being a common x>erson for us. — The security that faith may have
from thence.
We have thus seen what triumphing evidence and demonstration, both
Christ's ascension and sitting at God's right hand, do afford us for this,
that Christ being considered as our Surety, hath therefore undoubtedly sub-
dued our enemies and sins, and satisfied God. Let us now consider further,
what force, efficacy, and influence these two (both his ascending and sitting
at God's right hand as an head and common person for us) have in them
towards the assured working and accomplishment of the salvation of be-
lievers, his elect. And from the consideration of this, which is a second
head, our faith may be yet further confirmed and strengthened in its confi-
dence. ' Who shall condemn ? It is Christ that is at God's right hand.'
I shall take in (as in the former) both his ascension and sitting at God's
right hand.
1. And first for his ascending ; consider these two things in it which may
uphold our confidence. (1.) That the great end and purpose of that his
ascending, the errand, the business he ascended for, was ' to prepare and
provide a place for us,' and to make way for our coming thither. This he
assures his disciples of, John xiv. 2, ' In my Father's house are many man-
sions : I go to prepare a place for you ; ' as Joseph was secretly sent before
by God's intendment to prepare a place in Egypt for his brethren, whom
God's providence meant to bring after him, so more openly doth Christ
ascend to heaven, professedly declaring that to be his business : ' I go to
Cw w. IV.] from Christ's SITTING at cod's BIGHT HAND. 61
prepare a place for you,' and it is my Father's house, saith he, where I can
provide for you and make you welcome. You heard before, wind w< I
God gave Christ when tie first arrived there, and what lie said to him, and
Christ said (as it were) again to God : I come not alone, I have much com-
pany, many of my brethren and followers to come after (for it was the
declared and avowed end of his coming to prepare a place for them), I
prayed when I was on earth, ' that where I am they might be also,' John
xvii. 24 ; and now I am come hither, my train must come in too, I am not
complete without them; if you receive me you must receive them also, and
I am come to take up lodgings for them. Thus the Captain of our salva-
tion, being ' made perfect through sufferings,' and then ' crowned with glory
and honour,' in ' bringing of many sons to glory,' as Heb. ii. 10, of which
company he was Captain, is brought in saying to God, vcr. 13, ' Behold I
and the children which God hath given me,' he speaks it when brought to
glory. I am their Captain, and they must follow me ; where I am they
must be. Lo ! I am here, and am not to come alone, but to bring to glory
all the children which thou hast given me. They shall be all welcome
(says God), there is room enough for them, ' many mansions ;' so that we
need not fear, nor say in our hearts doubting and despairing, ' Who shall
ascend up to heaven for us,' to bring us thither? (as Rom. x. G). Christ
hath done it ; that is the first thing, but that is not all.
(2.) He entered into heaven in our very names, and so is to be con-
sidered in that act as a common person (as well as in his death and resurrec-
tion), and so representing us, and also taking possession in our right, and
we in him, as a guardian takes possession for heirs under age. Heb. vi. 20,
' The forerunner is for us entered' into heaven ; ' the forerunner for us,' that
is, our forerunner. A forerunner is a forerunner of followers, and of such
as stay not long behind, and usually goes before as a harbinger, to provide
and take up lodgings for them that are to come, and writes the names of
those who are to come over the doors of such and such rooms, that they
may not be taken up by any other. And so, Heb. xii. 23, the names of
' the first-born' are said to be ' written in heaven,' or enrolled there ; and,
1 Pet. i. 4, their places or mansions in heaven are said to be ' reserved for
them ; ' they stand empty as it were, yet taken up, so as none shall take
them from them ; their names and titles to them being entered and super-
scribed. And so he truly entered, pro nobis, for us, that is, in our stead
and in our names, as a common person ; and therefore the high priest (in
the t.ype) entered into the holy of holies, with all the names of the tribes on
his breast ; even so doth Christ with ours, even as a common person in
our names, thereby shewing" that we are likewise to come after him ; and
this is more than simply to prepare a place, it is to take possession of a
place, and give us a right thereto.
So that your faith, through this consideration, may see yourselves as good
as in heaven already ; for Christ is entered as a common person for you.
Justification hath two parts : first, acquittance from sin and freedom from
condemnation, as here, 'Who shall condemn ? ' and secondly, 'justifica-
tion of life,' as it is called, Rom. v. 18, that is, which gives title to eternal
life. Now dying and rising as a common person for us, procures the first,
sets us perfectly enough in' that state of freedom from condemnation. But
then, this Christ, his entering into heaven as a common person, sets us far
above that state of non-condemnation. It placeth us in heaven with him.
You would think yourselves secure enough if you were ascended into heaven.
As Heman said of his condition, that he was ' free among the dead,' Ps.
52 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. IV.
lxxxviii. 5, that is, he reckoned himself (in his despair) free of the company
in hell, as well as if he had been there ; thinking his name enrolled among
them and his place taken up. So you may ' reckon yourselves' (as the
word is, Rom. vi.) free of the company of heaven, and your places taken
up there ; so that when you come to die, you shall go to heaven as to your
own place, by as true a title, though not of your own, as Judas went to
hell, which is called ' his own place,' as (Acts i.) the apostle speaks. What
a start is this ! How far have you left below you pardon of sins and non-
condemnation ! You are got above. How securely may you say, ' Who shall
condemn ? ' Christ hath ascended and entered into heaven. This is the
first branch of the second head : the influence that Christ's ascension hath
into our justification and salvation.
CHAPTER V.
Demonstrateth in like manner what influence Christ's sitting at God's right hand
hath into our justification, upon that second consideration of his being a
common person. And the security faith may have from thence.
The consideration of his sitting at God's right hand may, in respect of
the influence that it must needs have into our salvation, yet add more
security unto our faith, if we either consider the power and authority of
the place itself, and what it is to sit at God's right hand ; or secondly, the
relation, the person he bears and sustains in his sitting there, even of a
common person in our right. And both these being put together will add
strength mutually each to other, and unto our faith ; both to consider how
great a prerogative it is to sit at God's right hand, and what such a one as
sits there hath power to do ; and then that Christ (who is invested with
this power, and advanced to it), he possesseth it all as our head, and in our
right, as a common person representing us. And
(1.) Consider the prerogatives of the place itself; they are two :
[1.] Sovereignty otj>oiver, and might, and majesty.
[2. J Sovereignty of authority and judgment ; cither of which may secure
us ft'om non-condemnation.
[1.] Sovereignty of power and might ; this the phrase ' sitting at God's
right hand' implies, Mat. xxvi. 64, where Christ himself expounded the
purport of it : ' Hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right
hand of power.' And so, Ephes. i. 20, 22, this is made the privilege of
God's ' setting him at his right hand,' ver. 20, that ' he hath put all things
under his feet,' ver 22 — a phrase importing the highest sovereignty and
power, not used of any creatures, angels, or men ; none of them have other
things under their feet i.e., in so low a subjection as to be their vassals ;
especially, not all things ; and therefore by that very phrase, ' the putting
all things under his feet,' the apostle argues in Heb. ii., that that man of
Avhom David in the 8th Psalm (there cited by him) had spoken, was no other
but Christ ; not Adam, nor the angels, for to neither of these hath God
subjected all things, ver. 5, but to Christ only, ver. 8, who sits in the
highest throne of majesty. And to make his seat the easier, hath a world
of enemies made his footstool, even all his enemies (so Ps. ex.) ; which is
the highest triumph in the world. Now to what end hath God committed
this power to him, but that himself may be his own executor, and adminis-
trator, and perform all the legacies which he made to those whom he died
Chap. V. fbom Christ's bitting at god's mght hand. 58
for? As the expression is, Heb. ix. 15th, 16th, and 17th verses, that none of
his heirs might be wronged. Fairer dealing than this could there ever be,
nor greater security given to us. This to have bees God's very end of
investing Christ with this sovereign power, is declared by Christ himself,
John xvii. 2, ' Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should
give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.' And accordingly at
his ascension, to comfort his disciples, in the fruit of their ministry, -Mat.
xxviii. 18, he says, ' All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.'
What holy confidence may this breed in us ! He is at God's right hand,
and we are in his hands, John x. 28, and all his enemies are under his
feet, who then can pull us out ? Rev. i. 18, says Christ, ' I have the keys
of hell and death.' The key is still in the Scripture phrase the ensign of
power and authority. Now Christ hath both the keys of death, the postern
gate out of this world, and of hell, even of the broad gates of that eternal
prison ; so as none of his can be fetched out of this world by death, but
Christ he must first open the door ; much less can any go to hell without
his warrant. Yea, Mat. xvi. 19, he hath ' the keys of the kingdom of
heaven' also, to open to wdiom he will. By his resurrection, we may see
and rest assured that he hath the keys of death and hell (for he unlocked
the doors, and came out from thence), and by his ascension and sitting at
God's right hand, that he hath the keys of heaven, whose door he hath
unlocked, and now set open. What need we then fear hell, when Christ
our Redeemer hath the keys of it '?
[2.] Secondly, to sit at God's right hand, imports all judgment to be
committed to him ; for sitting was a posture of judges ; a phrase used to
note out their authority. So Prov. xx. 8, ' A king that sitteth on the
throne of judgment, scattereth the wicked with his eye;' and so doth Christ
his and our enemies. See what Christ says, John v. 21, 22, ' The Son of man
raiseth up whom he will ; for the Father judgeth no man, but hath com-
mitted all judgment to the Son.' Now if he who loved us so, and died for
us, be the Judge himself, then, ' Who shall condemn?' Christ sits on God's
right hand. This is the very inference that after followeth, ver. 24, of that
5th chapter of John, ' He that believes shall not eome into condemnation.'
Christ utters it upon his having said he had all judgment committed to him,
in the foregoing, ver. 22, on purpose that he might from that consideration
ascertain believers of their non- condemnation. For what need w r e fear any
under-officers, when we have the Judge thus for us ?
(2.) But then, in the last place, add that second particular mentioned to
all these, that Christ sits there as an head, as a common person for us.
First as an head ; so Eph. i., when the apostle had so hyperbolically set
forth his power, of being advanced unto God's right hand, ver. 21, ' far
above all principalities and powers, and above every name that is named,
not only in this world, but that which is to come ; ' and how God ' hath
put all things under his feet ; ' he adds, ' and hath given him to be head
over all things to the church.' Observe now, he is said to sit there over
all things, not in his own pure personal right simply, as it is his inheritance,
as he is the Son of God (as Heb. i. 3, 4, 5, it is affirmed of him), but he
sits thus over all as ahead to the church. That same over all things comes,
in there, between his being a head, and to the churchy on purpose to shew
that he is set over all, in relation to his church. So that we see that our rela-
tion is involved, and our right included, in this exaltation of his, and so put
into his commission; for this prerogative is there said to be given him. He
sits not simply as a Son, but as an head ; and he sits not as an head with-
54 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SliCT. IV.
out a body, and therefore must have bis members up to him. Wherefore
in the next verse it is added, ' which is his body, yea, his fulness ; ' so as
Christ is not complete without all his members, and would leave heaven if
any one were wanting. It were a lame, maimed body, if it wanted but a
toe. Christ is our element,* and he being ascended, we are sparks that fly
upwards to him. He took our flesh, and carried it into heaven, and left
us his Spirit on earth, and both as pawns and earnests that we should follow.
Nay, further yet, he is not only said to sit as our head, but we are also
said ' to sit together with him.' That is made the upshot of all in the next
chapter, Eph. ii. 0. So that as we arose with him, he being considered as
a common person, and ascended with him, as was said ; so yet further, we
' sit together with him in the highest heavens' (as there), h roTg emvgavioig,
in superccelestibus, ' in his exalted estate above the heavens,' as is the meaning
of that phrase ; not that Christ being at God's right hand (if taken for that
sublimity of power) is communicable to us ; that is Christ's prerogative
only. So Heb. i. 5, ' To which of all the angels did he ever say, Sit thou
at my right hand ? ' Yet so as his sitting in heaven, as it is indefinitely
expressed, is understood to be as in our right and stead, and as a common
person, and so is to assure us of our sitting there with him, in our pro-
portion; so, Rev. hi. 21, it is expressly rendered as the mind and intend-
ment of it, ' Him that overcometh, I will grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also am set down with my Father in his throne.' There
is a proportion observed, though with an inequality ; we sit on Christ's
throne, but he only on his Father's throne ; that is, Christ only sits at
God's right hand, but we, on Christ's right hand ; and so the church is
said to be at Christ's ' right hand,' Ps. xlv. 9. Yea, further (and it may
afford a farther comfort to us in the point in hand), this represents,
that at the latter day we shall sit as assessors on his judgment-seat,
to judge the world with him. So Mat. xix. 28, and Luke xxii. 30, ' When
the Son of man shall sit in his glory, ye shall sit upon twelve thrones,
judging the tribes of Israel.' So as this our sitting with him, it is spoken
in respect to judgment, and to giving the sentence of it ; not a sentence
shall pass without your votes. So as you may by faith not only look on
yourselves as already in heaven, sitting with Christ, as a common person,
in your right, but you may look upon yourselves as judges also; so that if
any sin should arise to accuse or condemn, yet it must be with your votes.
And what greater security can you have than this ? For you must con-
demn yourselves, if you be condemned ; you may very well say, ' Who shall
accuse ? Who shall condemn '? ' for you will never pronounce a fatal
sentence upon your own selves.
As then Paul triumphed here, so may we ; for at the present we sit in
heaven with Christ, and have all our enemies under our feet. As Joshua made
his servants set their feet on the necks of those five kings ; so God would have
us by faith to do the like to all ours ; for one day we shall do it. And if
you say, We see it not, I answer, as Heb. ii., the apostle saith of Christ
himself, ' Now we see not yet all things put under him,' ver. 8., now not
under him, for he now sits in heaven, and expects, by faith, when his
enemies shall be made his footstool, as Heb. x. 12th and 13th verses ; ' but
we see ' for the present ' Jesus crowned with glory and honour,' ver. 9, and
so may be sure that the thing is as good as done ; and we may, in seeing
* The reference is to the old idea of the four elements occupying their several
places, one above the other ; which was supposed to be the reason why stones fall,
and rivers run into the sea. and flames rise. — Ed.
Chap. V.] from Christ's BITTING at cod's bight hand. £>,>
him thus crowned, see ourselves sitting with him, and quietly wait and
expect, as Christ himself doth, till all be accomplished, and our sal .
finished and fully perfected.
His intercession now remains only to be spoken of, which yet will a 'lord
further considerations to strengthen our faith. His sitting at God's right
hand notes out his power over all, from God ; but his intercession, all
power and favour with God for us ; so as to effect our salvation for us,
with God's highest contentment and good will, and all yet further to secure
us. ' Who shall condemn '? ' &o.
56 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
SECTION V.
THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH FROM CHRIST'S INTERCESSION.
Who also maketh intercession for us. — Rom. VIII. 34.
CHAPTER I.
A connection of this ivith the former ; and how this adds a further support. —
Two things out of the text propounded to be handled : First, the con-
currency of influence that Christ's intercession hath into our salvation.
Secondly, the security that faith may have therefrom for our justification.
We have seen Christ sitting at God's right hand as a judge and king,
having all authority of saving or condemning in his own hands ; and having
all power in heaven and earth to give eternal life to them that believe ; and
the confidence that this giveth us.
Let us now come to his intercession, and the influence which it hath into
our justification and salvation ; which as it strikes the last stroke to make
all sure, so as great a stroke as any of the former ; therefore, as you have
heard that there was an all- sufficiency in his death — ' Who shall condemn?
It is Christ that died' — a rather in his resurrection — ' yea rather, is risen
again' — a much rather [toaXw paWov], that he lives and is at God's right
hand, Rom. v. 10. The apostle riseth yet higher to an g/g to wavTgXsg, ' a
saving to the utmost,' put upon his intercession; Heb. vii. 25, ' Wherefore
he is able to save to the utmost, seeing he ever lives to make intercession.'
So that if you could suppose there were anything which none of all the
former three could do or effect for us, yet his intercession could do it to the
utmost, for itself is the uttermost and highest. If money would purchase
our salvation, his death hath done it, which he laid down as a price and an
equivalent ransom (as it is in 1 Tim. ii. G). If power and authority would
effect it, his sitting at God's right hand, invested with all power in heaven
and earth, shall be put forth to the utmost to effect it. If favour and
entreaties added to all these (which ofttimes doth as much as any of those
other) were needful, he will use the utmost of this also, and for ever make
intercession. So that if love, money, or power (any of them, or all of them)
will save us, we shall be sure to be saved, ' saved to the utmost,' tig rh
KavrsXis, all manner of ways, by all manner of means; saved over and over.
For the clearing of this last general head, the intercession of Christ, and
the influence and security it hath into our faith and justification, I shall
handle two things, and both proper to the text.
1. First, shew how unto all those other forementioned acts of Christ for
us, this of intercession also is to be added by him for the effecting our
Chap. II.] from Christ's intercession. 57
salvation, and the securing our hearts therein. This that particle also in
the text calls for, ' Who also maketh intercession for us.'
2. Then secondly, to shew the security that faith may assume and fetch
from this intercession of Christ, or his praying for us in heaven ; ' Who
shall condemn ? It is Christ that maketh intercession for us.'
CHAPTER II.
The first head explained by two things : First, Intercession one part of Christ's
priesthood, and the most excellent part of it.
1. Towards the explanation of the first of these, two things arc to be
done.
(1.) First, To shew how great, and necessary, and how excellent a part
of Christ's priesthood his intercession and praying for us in heaven is.
(2.) Secondly, To shew the peculiar influence that intercession hath into
our salvation, and so the reasons for which God ordained this work of inter-
cession for us, and that in heaven, to be added to all the former.
(1.) For the first I will proceed therein by degrees.
[1.] It is one part of his priesthood. You must know that Christ is not
entered into heaven simply as a ' forerunner' (which hath been explained)
to take up places for you, but as a priest also : ' made a priest, after the
order of Melchisedec,' which is more than simply a forerunner. Yea, his
sitting at God's right hand is not only as a king armed with power and
authority to save us, but he sits there as a priest too : Thus, Heb. viii. 1,
1 We have such an High Priest, who is set down at the right hand of the
Majesty on high.'
In the old Levitical priesthood, the high priest's office had two parts,
both which concurred to make them high priests.
First, Oblation, or offering the sacrifice.
Secondly, Presentation of it in the holy of holies, with prayer and inter-
cession unto God, to accept it for the sins of the people. The one was
done without, the other within the holy of holies. This you see in many
places, especially Lev. xvi. 11, 15, 16, where you have the law about the
high priest's entering into the holy of holies ; he was not to come into the
holy place till first he had offered a sacrifice for himself and the people,
ver. 11 and 15, and this without. Then, secondly, when he had killed it,
he was to enter with the blood of it into the holy of holies, and sprinkle the
mercy-seat therein with it, ver. 14, 17, and to go with incense, and cause
a cloud to arise over the mercy-seat. And this you have also, Heb. xiii. 11,
it is said, that ' the blood of those beasts that were burnt without the camp
was brought into the sanctuary by the high priest ; and in that 16th of
Leviticus you shall find the atonement made as well by the blood, when
brought into the holy place, ver. 16, as by the killing of the beast, ver. 11.
Both these were acts of the high priesthood for atonement.
And this was done in a type and* priestly office of Christ, and the parts
thereof. So, Heb. ix. 23, he calls all those transactions under the ceremo-
nial law, ' the patterns of things heavenly ;' instancing in this part of
Christ's office, ver. 24, ' For Christ,' says he, ' is not entered into the holy
places made with hands,' as that was, ' which are the figures of the true,
but into heaven itself, to appear in the presence of God for us.' Now,
* Qu. ' of the ? -En.
58 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
then, in answer to this type, there are two distinct parts of Christ's priest-
hood.
First, The ' offering himself a sacrifice' up to death, as Heb. ix. 26, which
answers to the killing of the sacrifice without the holy of holies ; for
answerably he was crucified without the city, Heb. xiii. 12.
Secondly, He carried this his blood into the holy of holies, namely, the
heavens, Heb. ix. 12, where he appears, ver. 24, and there also prays in
the force of that blood. And the type of those prayers was that cloud of
incense made by the high priest ; so it is expressly interpreted, Rev. viii.
3, &c. The angel Christ is said to have had ' much incense to offer with
the pra} T ers of all the saints.' Which incense is his own prayers in heaven,
which he continually puts up when the saints pray on earth, and so per-
fumes all their prayers, and procures all blessings for them.
Both these parts of his priesthood the apostle John mentions in his first
Epistle, chap. ii. ver. 2, where, as he calls Jesus Christ a ' propitiation for
our sins ' (that is, an oblation or sacrifice offered up for us) ; so likewise he
calls him our advocate, both going to make up this his office. And, indeed,
this latter of intercession, and bringing his blood into the holy of holies
(or heaven), is but the same action continued. That blood which he
offered with tears and strong cries on the cross, where he likewise inter-
ceded, the same blood he continues virtually to offer up with prayers in the
heavens, and makes atonement by both, only with this difference ; on earth,
though he interceded, yet he more eminently offered up himself; in heaven,
he more eminently intercedes, and doth but present that offering.
[2.] Secondly, this was so necessary a part of his priesthood, that with-
out it he had not been a complete priest. Thus, Heb. viii. 4, ' If he were
on earth he should not be a priest ;' that is, if he should have abode on
earth he should not have been a complete priest. Paul saith not, that if
he had offered that his sacrifice on earth, he had not been a priest, for that
was necessary ; but that if he had staid still on earth, after he had offered
it, he had not been a priest, that is, a perfect priest ; for he had then left
his office imperfect, and had done it but by halves, seeing this other part
of it (the work of intercession) lay still upon him to be acted in heaven.
Thus the high priest, his type, if he had only offered sacrifice without the
holy of holies, had not been a perfect high priest ; for to enter into the holy
of holies, and to act the part of a priest there, was the proper, pecidiar
Avork of the high priest as such. Which shews, that Christ had not been
an high priest if he had not gone to heaven, and priested it there too, as I
may so speak, as well as upon earth. Yea, if Christ had not gone to
heaven, and were not now become a priest there, then the Levitical priest-
hood were still in force, and should share the honour with him ; and the
high priest must continue still to go into the holy of holies. To this pur-
pose you may observe, that so long as Christ was on earth, though risen,
the types of the law held in force, and were not to give way, till all the
truth signified by their ministry was fully accomplished ; and so, not until
Christ was gone into heaven as a priest, and there had begun to do all
that which the high priest had clone in the holy of holies, and as his type
fore-signified. And this is plainly the meaning of what follows (in that
Heb. viii. ver. 4) as the reason or demonstration why that Christ should
not have been a priest, if he had not gone to heaven, not only as a king,
but as a priest too, as he had affirmed, ver. 1, 'Seeing,' says he, 'that
there are priests upon earth that do offer gifts according to the law.' The
force of the reason lies thus : there arc already priests, and that of a tribe
Chap. II. J fbom chbist's intercession. r>9
he was not of, that offer gifts on cavth, hefore he came into the world.
And, therefore, if that had been all his priesthood, to be a priest on earth,
they would plead possession before him, having been priests before him.
And then he further backs his reason by this, that ' those priests served'
(as it follows, ver. 5), ' unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.'
And, therefore, it is only a real priesthood in heaven which must put them
out of place ; and till such a priesthood comes, they must serve still, for
the truth, which these serve to shadow out, is not till then fulfilled. This
you have also, chap. ix. 8. The ' first tabernacle' was to stand until a
priest went into heaven, and did act that office there ; so that, if Christ
will be a priest alone, he must become a priest interceding in heaven ;
or else high priests must come up again, and share that oltice with him ;
and so he should as good as fall from his office, and lose all that he had
done.
[3.] Yea, thirdly, this part of his priesthood is of the two the more emi-
nent, yea, the top, the height of his priesthood. And this is held forth to
us in the types of both those two orders of priesthood that were before
him, and figures of him, both that of Aaron and Melchisedec : First, This
was typified out in that Levitical priesthood of Aaron and his fellows : the
highest service of that office was the going into the holy of holies, and
making an atonement there ; yea, this was the height of the high priest's
honour, that he did this alone, and did constitute the difference between
him, as he was high priest, and other priests ; for they killed and offered
the sacrifices without as well as he, every ordinary priest did that ; but
none but the high priest was to approach the holy of holies with blood, and
this but once a-year. Thus, Heb. ix. 6, 7, ' the priests,' namely those
inferior priests, ' went always,' that is, daily, morning and evening, ' into
the first tabernacle,' or court of priests, which was without the holy of
holies, 'accomplishing the service of God;' namely, that offering of the
daily sacrifice ; ' but into the second,' namely, the holy of holies, ' went
the high priests alone every year.' So, then, this was that high and trans-
cendent prerogative of that high priest then, and which indeed made him
high priest ; and answerably the height of our high priest's office, —
although he alone also could offer a satisfactory sacrifice, as the apostle
shews, Heb. ix. and x., — yet comparatively lay in this, that he entered
into the heavens by his blood, and is set down on the majesty on high,
and in the virtue of his sacrifice there doth intercede. I know but one
place that calleth him the ' Great High Priest' (higher before than Aaron),
and that is Heb. iv. 14, 10. And then it is in this respect that he is
' passed into the heavens,' as it follows there.
Secondly, The excellency of this part of his priesthood was likewise typi-
fied out by Melchisedec's priesthood, which the apostle argueth to have
been much more excellent than that of Aaron's, inasmuch as Levi, Aaron's
father, paid tithes to this Melchisedec in Abraham's loins. Now Melchi-
sedec was his type, not so much in respect of his oblation, or offering of
sacrifice (that work which Christ performed on earth), but in respect of that
work which he ever performs in heaven : therefore that same clause for
ever still comes in, in the quotation and mention of Melchisedec's priest-
hood in that Epistle ; because in respect of that his continual interces-
sion in heaven, Melchisedec was properly Christ's type. And accordingly
you may observe, Ps. ex., when is it that speech comes in, ' Thou art a
priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec,' but then, when God had
him sitting at his right hand? ver. 1. So that, as the transcendent excel-
60 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH ISECT. V'
lency of Christ's priesthood was typified out by Melchisedec's rather than
Aaron's, as being the better priesthood of the two, so this, the most
excellent part thereof, was typified out thereby, namely, that which Christ
for ever acteth in heaven.
And, thirdly, to confirm this, you shall find this to be made the top
notion of this Epistle to the Hebrews, and the scope of it chiefly, to discourse
of Christ's eternal priesthood in heaven, and to shew how therein Melchi-
sedec was a type of him. This is not only expressed both in Heb. vii. 21
and 25, where this same for ever is applied to his intercession, ver. 25, but
more expressly in chap. viii. 1, where the apostle puts the emphasis upon
this part of his priesthood, saying, that ' of the things which we have
spoken,' — or which are to be spoken, for the word evi roT; Xsyofi&oie will
bear either, — ; this is,' says he, ' the sum or argument' of all : the word is
■/.■:d'/.uiov, and signifies as well the head, the chief, the top of all, and above
all, as it doth the sum of all. And what is it that he thus professeth to be
both the main subject and argument of this epistle, and the top and emi-
nent thing in Christ he intends to discourse of? It follows, that ' we have
such an high priest as is set down at the right hand of the throne of the
Majesty in the heavens.' And of the priestly office he alone discourseth both
before and after ; and in the following verses calleth his ministry or office
(in respect of this) ' a more excellent ministry,' ver. 6, ' he being such a
priest as was higher than the heavens,' as he had set him out in the latter
part of the former chapter. And therefore you may observe, how in his
preface to this Epistle to the Hebrews, in chap. i. ver. 3, he holds up this
to our eye as the argument of the whole saying, ' When he had by himself
purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.'
Yea, to conclude this, all his priesthood would have been ineffectual, if
he had not acted the part of a priest in heaven, by intercession there ; for
by his death he did but begin the execution of his office : in heaven he ends
it ; and if he had not fulfilled his office in both, the work of our salvation
had not been fully perfected; it was therefore as necessary as oblation
itself. Not but that his death was a perfect oblation ; it was perfect for an
oblation, to which as such nothing can be added. There needed no more,
nor any other price to be paid for us ; 'by that one offering, he perfects us
for ever,' as Heb. x. 14, and became himself perfect thereby, Heb. v. 9.
And in the 9th chapter ver. 12, ' By his own blood he entered into the
holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.' Mark how before
he entered by his blood into heaven, he had fully obtained a redemption,
and that eternal, that is, for ever sufficient ; which done, he became through
his intercession in heaven an applying cause of eternal salvation, as Heb.
v. 10, 11, hath it. So that as in his death he paid the full sum of all he
owed ; unto which payment nothing can be added, no not by himself,
though he would come and die again ; it was made at that once as perfect,
that Is, for an oblation, as ever himself could make. But yet still by God's
ordination there remained another further action of another kind that was
to be added to this of oblation, and that is, intercession, or praying for us
in heaven ; otherwise our salvation by his death were not perfected ; for if
his priesthood be imperfect, our salvation then must needs be so. The
presenting of that his sacrifice in heaven, was the consummation of his
priesthood, and the performance of that part there, the perfection of it.
Chap. III.] from Christ's cntebcession. 01
CHAPTER III.
The second; the special peculiar influence that intercession hath into OUT sal ra-
tion and justijication, and the reasons why God appointed it to he added So
the fanner.
2. To come now more particularly to shew that proper and special
influence that intercession hath into our salvation, and what it adds to the
ohlation of Christ's death, though in its kind perfect, in order to the effect-
ing our salvation ; and to shew the more inward reasons why God ordained
— for upon his ordination alone this is to be put — this work of intercession
in heaven to be joined with his death. And both these I shall put pro-
miscuously together ; for in laying down the reasons why God thus ordered
our salvation to be brought about by it, that influence also which intercession
hath into our salvation, will together therewith appear.
The reasons either respect (1.) God himself, who will have us so saved
as himself may be most glorified ; or (2.) respect us and our salvation ;
God ordering all the links of this golden chain of the causes of our salva-
tion, as should make our salvation most sure and stedfast, (as David in
his last song speaks, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5). Or (8.) respect Christ himself,
whose glory is to be held up, and throughout continued as the author and
finisher of our salvation, beginner and ender of our faith and justification.
(1.) The first sort of reasons respect God himself.
[1.] In general, God will be dealt withal like himself, in and throughout
the whole way of our salvation, from first to last, and carry it all along as
a superior wronged, and so keep a distance between himself and sinners ;
who still are to come to him by a priest, and a mediator (as Heb. vii. 25
hath it) upon whose mediation and intercession ' for ever,' as there, at
least till the day of judgment, their salvation doth depend ; and therefore
though Christ, in his dispensation of all to us downward, doth carry it as a
king, as one having all power to justify and condemn (as hath been shewn),
yet upward, towards God, he carries it as a priest, who must still intercede
to do all that which he has power to do as a king. Therefore in the second
Psalm, after that God had set him up as ' King upon his holy hill,' ver. 6,
namely, in heaven, and so had committed all power in heaven and earth to
him ; then he must yet ' ask ' all that he would have done ; ' Ask of me,
and I will give thee,' &c, ver. 8, says God to him; for though he be a
king, yet he is God's king, ' I have set my king,' &c, and by asking him,
God will be acknowledged to be above him. But more of this hereafcer. But
[2.] More particularly. God hath two attributes which he would have
most eminently appear in their highest glory by Christ's effecting our salva-
tion, namely, justice and free grace ; and therefore hath so ordered the
bringing about of our salvation, as that Christ must apply himself in a more
especial manner unto each of these, by way of satisfaction to the one, of
entreaty to the other. Justice will be known to be justice, and dealt with
upon its own terms ; and grace will be acknowledged to be free grace,
throughout the accomplishment of our salvation. You have both these
joined, Bom. iii. 24, 26, ' Being justified freely through his grace, by the
■redemption that is in Christ Jesus ; that he might be just, and the justifier
of him that believes.' Here is highest justice and the freest grace both
met to save us, and both ordained by God to be ' declared' and ' set forth,'
as ver. 25 and 26 have it. I said before, that God justifies and saves us
G2 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
through free grace, so absolutely freely, as if his justice had had no satis-
faction. Now therefore our salvation depending and being carried on, even
in the application of it, by a continuation of grace in a free way, notwith-
standing satisfaction unto justice, therefore this free grace must be sought
to, and treated with like itself, and applied upon in all, and the sovereignty
and freeness of it acknowledged in all, even as well as God's justice had
the honour to be satisfied by a price paid upon it, that so the severity of it
might appear and be held forth in our salvation. Thus God having two
attributes eminently to be dealt withal, his justice and his free grace, it was
meet that there should be two eminent actions of Christ's priesthood,
wherein he should apply himself to each according to their kind, and as
the nature and glory of each doth require. And accordingly in his death
he deals with justice, by laying down a sufficient price ; and in his inter-
cession, he entreateth free grace, and thus both come to be alike acknow-
ledged. In Heb. iv. 1G, we are encouraged to ' come boldly to the throne
of grace,' because ' we have an high priest entered into the heavens.'
Observe how it is called a throne of grace, which our high priest now in
heaven officiates at ; so called because his priesthood there deals with free
grace chiefly, it is a throne of grace, and so to be sued unto ; therefore he
treateth with God by way of intercession. Of this throne of grace in
heaven, the mercy-seat in the holy of holies was the type. And as there
the high priest was to bring the blood and mercy- seat together, he was to
sprinkle the blood upon it, so Christ. And as the high priest was to go
into the holy of holies by blood, so with iuceDse also, (that is, prayer), to
shew that heaven is not opened by mere justice, or bringing only a price in
hand for it, but by grace also, and that must be entreated ; and therefore
when the priest was within that holy place, he was to make a cloud over
the mercy-seat, which cloud of incense is prayer, whereof incense was the
type, Rev. viii. 3. And thence it is, that Christ hath as much work of it
still in heaven as ever, though of another kind. He dealt with justice here
below, to satisfy it, and here got money enough to pay the debt ; but in
heaven he deals with mercy. Therefore all the grace he bestows on us, he
is said first to receive it, even now when in heaven. Acts ii. 83, it is said
of him, after his going to heaven, and that he was exalted, &c, that he
'received the promise of the Spirit,' which John xiv. 16, he told them he
would ' pray for.' And this is part of the meaning of that in Ps. lxviii. 18,
' He ascended up on high, and received gifts for men,' says the Psalmist.
The apostle renders it, Eph. iv., 'gave,' but you see it was by 'receiving'
them first, as fruits of his intercession and asking after his ascending. He
is said both to give, as being all of his own purchase, and as having power
as a king also both to do and bestow all he doth ; and yet withal he is said
to receive all that he gives, because as a priest he intercedes for it, and asks
it. Free grace requires this. This is the first thing.
Yea, secondly, justice itself might stand a little upon it, though there was
enough in Christ his death to satisfy it ; yet having been wronged, it stood
thus far upon it, as those to whom a debt is due use to do, namely, to
have the money brought home to God's dwelling-house, and laid down
there. God is resolved not to stoop one whit unto man, no nor to Christ
his suretj". Justice will not only be satisfied, and have a suilicient ransom
collected and paid, as at Christ's death, but he must come and bring his
bags up to heaven ; justice will be paid it upon the mercy-seat ; for so in
the type the blood was to be carried into the holy of holies, and sprinkled
upon the mercy-seat. And therefore his resurrection, ascension, &c, were
Chap. III. J from ctirist's intercession. G3
but as the breaking through all enemies, and subduing them, to the end to
bring this price or satisfaction to the mercy- scat ; and so God having his
money by him, might not want wherewithal to pardon sinners ; so as the
blood of Christ is current money, not only on earth, but in heaven too,
whither all is brought, which is for our comfort, that all the treasure which
should satisfy God is safely conveyed thither, and our surety with it.
(2.) The second sort of reasons why God ordained Christ's intercession
to be joined to his death, are taken from what was the best way to effect
and make sure our salvation, and secure our hearts therein ; and these
reasons will shew the peculiar influence that intercession hath into our
salvation, and therein as in the former.
[1.] First in general, God would have our salvation made sure, and us
saved all manner of ways, over and over. First, By ransom and price, (as
captives are redeemed) which was done by his death, which of itself was
enough ; for it is said, Heb. x. to ' perfect us for ever.' Secondly, By
power and rescue ; so in his resurrection, and ascension, and sitting at
God's right hand, which also was sufficient. Then, thirdly, again by inter-
cession, a way of favour and entreaty ; and this likewise would have been
enough, but God would have all ways concur in it, whereof notwithstanding
not one could fail ; a threefold cord, whereof each twine were strong enough,
but all together must of necessity hold.
[2.] Secondly, the whole application of his remedy, both in justifying
and saving of us first and last, hath a special dependence upon this his
intercession. This all divines on all sides do attribute unto it, whilst they
put this difference between the influence of his death, and that of his inter-
cession into our salvation : calling his death medium impetrationis, that is,
the means of procurement or obtaining it for us ; but his intercession medium
applicaiionis, the means of applying all unto us. Christ purchaseth salva-
tion by the one, but possesseth us of it by the other. Some have attributed
the application of justification to his resurrection ; but it is much more
proper to ascribe it to his intercession, (and what causal influence his
resurrection hath into our justification, hath been afore in the third section
declared). But that his eternal priesthood in heaven, and the work of its
intercession, is the applying cause of our eternal salvation, in all the parts
of it, first and last, seems to me to be the result of the connection of the
8th, 9th, and 10th verses of the 5th chapter to the Hebrews. For having
spoken of his obedience and sufferings unto death, ver. 8, and how he
thereby was made perfect, ver. 9, he says, 'and being' thus first 'made
perfect, he became the author' or applying cause, ainog, ' of eternal salva-
tion, unto all them that obey him ; ' and this by his being become an eternal
priest in heaven, after he was thus perfected by sufferings ; for so it follows,
ver. 10, ' called of God an high priest, after the order of Melchisedec'
And Melchisedec's priesthood was principally the type of his priesthood in
heaven, as was before declared. One leading instance to shew that his
intercession was to be the applying cause of salvation, was given by Christ,
whilst he was on earth, thereby manifesting what much more was to be
done by him in heaven, through his intercession there ; when he was on
the cross, and as then offering that great sacrifice for sin, he at that time
also joined prayers for the justification of those that crucified him, ' Father
forgive them, for they know not what they do ; ' so fulfilling that in Isa.
liii. 12, ' He bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the trans-
gressors.' And the efficacy of that prayer then put up, was the cause of
the conversion of those three thousand, Acts ii., whom, ver. 25, the apostle
64 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
had expressly charged with the crucifying of Christ, ' whom ye by wicked
hands have taken, crucified, and slain.' These were the first-fruits of his
intercession, whose prayers still do reap and bring in the rest of the crop,
which in all ages is to grow up unto God on earth.
[3.] And more particularly, as the whole application in general, so our
justification, in the whole progress of it, depends upon Christ's inter-
cession. As,
First, Our first actual or initial justification, which is given us at our first
conversion, depends upon Christ's intercession. Therefore in the fore-
mentioned prayer on the cross, the thing he prayed for was forgiveness,
'Father, forgive them.' You heard before that Christ's death affords the
matter of our justification, as being that which is imputed, the ransom, the
price, the thing itself that satisfies ; and that his resurrection was the
original act of God's justifying us in Christ. We were virtually justified
then in Christ his being justified, as in a common person. But besides all
this, there is a personal or an actual justification to be bestowed upon us,
that is, an accounting and bestowing it upon us in our own persons, which
is done when we believe, and it is called (Rom. v. 1) a being 'justified by
faith,' and (ver. 10) ' received the atonement ;' now this depends on Christ's
intercession, and it was typified out by Moses his sprinkling the people
with blood, mentioned Heb. ix. 19, which thing Jesus Christ as a Mediator
and Priest doth now from heaven. For, Heb. xii. 21, it is said, ' You are
come to heaven, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and,' as it
is next subjoined, ' to the blood of sprinkling.' He shed his blood on the
cross on earth, but he sprinkleth it now as a priest from heaven. For it is
upon Mount Zion, to which (he had said first in the former verse) ye are
come ; and so to Christ as a mediator standing on that mount, and sprink-
ling from thence his blood ; and so therein there is an allusion unto Moses,
Christ's type, who sprinkled the people with the blood of that ceremonial
covenant, the type of the covenant of grace. Now, in 1 Peter i. 2, ' The
sprinkling of his blood,' as it is there made the more proper work of Christ
himself, in distinction from the other persons, and therefore was done by
Moses, who was his type, so is it also put for our first justification. And
this sprinkling, as it is there mentioned, is from the virtue of his interces-
sion. And therefore in that place of the Hebrews fore-cited, he attributes
an intercession unto it, as the phrase that follows, ' which speaks better
things,' &c, doth imply, of which more hereafter. Yet concerning this
first head, let me add this by way of caution (which I shall presently have
occasion to observe), that though this our first justification is to be ascribed
to his intercession, yet more eminently intercession is ordained for the
accomplishing our salvation, and this other more rarely in the Scripture at-
tributed thereunto.
Secondly, The continuation of our justification depends upon it. And as
his intercession is the virtual continuation of his sacrifice, so is it the con-
tinuing cause of our justification ; which though it be an act done once, as
fully as ever, yet is it done over every moment, for it is continued by acts
of free grace, and so renewed actually every moment. There is a ' standing
in grace' by Christ, spoken of Rom. v. 2, as well as a first ' access by Christ,'
and that standing in grace, and continuing in it, is afterwards, ver. 10, attri-
buted to his life, that is, as it is interpreted, Heb. vii. 25, his living ever to
intercede. We owe our standing in grace every moment to his sitting in
heaven and interceding every moment. There is no fresh act of justifica-
tion goes forth, but there is a fresh act of intercession. And as though
Chap. III.] from Christ's intercession. C5
God created the world once for all, yet every moment he is said to create,
every new act of providence being a new creation ; so likewise to justify
continually, through his continuing out free grace to justify as at first ; and
this Christ doth by continuing his intercession ; he continues ' a priest for
ever,' and so we continue to be justified for ever.
Thirdly, There is hereby a full security given us of justification to be con-
tinued for ever. The danger either must lie in old sins coming into re-
membrance, or else from sins newly to be committed. Now, first, God
hereby takes order, that no old sins shall come up into remembrance, to
trouble his thought, as in the old law, after the priest's going into the holy
of holies, their sins are said yet to have done, Heb. x. 3 ; and to that end
it was that he placed Christ as his remembrancer for us, so near him, to
take up his thoughts so with his obedience, that our sins might not come
into mind. Not that God needed this help to put himself in mind, but
only for a formality sake, that things being thus really carried between God
and Christ for us, according to a way suiting with our apprehensions, our
faith might be strengthened against all suppositions, and fears of after re-
viving our guilts. Look therefore as God ordained the rainbow in the
heavens, that when he looked on it, he might remember his covenant, never
to destroy the world again by water ; so he hath set Christ as the rainbow
about his throne. And look as the bread and wine in the Lord's supper
are appointed on earth to ' shew forth Christ's death,' as a remembrancer to
us ; so is Christ himself appointed in heaven to shew forth his death really
as a remembrancer thereof to his Father ; and indeed, the one is corres-
pondent to the other. Only the papists have perverted the use of the
Lord's supper, by making it on earth a commemorative sacrifice to God,
whenas it is but a remembrancer thereof to men ; and besides, their priests
therein do take upon themselves this very office of presenting this sacrifice
to God, which is proper only to Christ in heaven. But God, when he would
make sure not to be tempted to remember our sins any more, nor trouble
himself with them, hath set his Christ by him to put him in mind of his so
pleasing an offering. So the high priest going into the holy of holies, was
for a memorial, and therein the type of Christ. And this is plainly and
expressly made the use of this execution of his priestly office in heaven,
Heb. viii. where the apostle having discoursed of that part of his office, as
the chief thing he aimed at in this epistle, ver. 1, and of the necessity of it,
verses 3, 4, and 5, and excellency of it in this respect, ver. 6, he then shews
how from thence the new covenant of pardon came to be sure and stedfast,
that God ' will remember our sins no more,' ver. 12, which he there brings
in as the proper use of this doctrine, and of this part of his priesthood.
Secondly, As by reason of intercession God remembers not old sins, so
likewise he is not provoked by new. For though God, when he justifies us,
should forgive all old sins past for ever, so as never to remember them more,
yet new ones would break forth, and he could not but take notice of them ;
and so, so long as sin continues, there is need of a continuing intercession.
Therefore for the securing us in this, it is said, Rom. v. 10, that ' 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.' Where we see that
his death is in some more special manner said to procure reconciliation at
first for sins of unregeneracy, and to bring us to Christ ; but then his life
and intercession, or living to intercede, is said to keep God and us friends,
that we may never fall out more. What Christ did on earth, doth more
especially procure reconciliation for sins which we do in the state of nature ;
VOL. iv. E
66 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
so as notwithstanding them, God resolves to turn us from that state and
draw us to Christ. But sins which we commit after conversion, though
pardoned also by his death, yet the pardon of them is more especially attri-
buted to his life and intercession, as a daily preservative, a continual plaster
(as some call it) to heal such sins. So that it would seem that God out
of his eternal love doth bring us to Christ, and draws us to him through the
beholding the reconciliation wrought by his death, and so gives us at first
conversion unto Christ ; and we being brought to him, he sprinkles us with
his blood ; and then God says to him, Now do you look to them, that they
and I fall out no more. And to that end Christ takes our cause in hand
1 y that eternal priesthood of his, and from that time begins more especially
to intercede for us. And thus sins after the state of grace may be said
more eminently to be taken away by that part of his priesthood which he
now in heaven performs. That place also, 1 John ii. 1, 2, seems to make
this the great end of intercession, ' If any man sin ' (that is, if any of the
company of believers, to whom alone he wrote), ' we have an advocate with
the Father ;' so as intercession principally serves for sins to come, or com-
mitted after grace received. Thus also in his prayer, John xvii., which was
left as a pattern of his intercession in heaven, he prays for his elect as be-
lievers, ' I pray for them that shall believe through their word.' Not but
that sins after conversion are taken away by his death ; and sins before it, by
his intercession also ; for Christ interceded for those who crucified him, and
by virtue of that intercession, those three thousand were converted (as was
observed). But the meaning only is, that yet more eminently the work of
reconciliation for sins before conversion is attributed to his death ; and for
sins after conversion to his intercession. Even as the persons of the Trinity,
though they have all a like hand in all the work of our salvation, yet we
see that one part is attributed more to one person, and another to another.
(3.) A third sort of reasons why God ordained this work of intercession
to accomplish our salvation by, do respect Christ himself, whose honour
and glory, and the perpetuation of it in our hearts, God had as well in his
eye in the ordering all the workings of our salvation, as much as his own,
• that all might honour the Son as well as the Father,' as Christ himself
speaks. Now, therefore, for the maintaining and upholding his glory, and
the comings in thereof, did God ordain, after all that he had done for us
here below, this work of intercession in heaven to be added to all the rest,
for the perfecting of our salvation. As,
First, It became him, and was for his honour, that none of his offices
should be vacant or lie idle, and he want employment in them. All offices
have work to accompany them, and ah work hath honour, as its reward, to
arise out of it. And therefore when he had done all that was to be done
on earth, as appertaining unto the merit of our salvation, he appoints this
full and perpetual work in heaven, for the applying and possessing us of
salvation, and that as a priest, by praying and interceding in the merit of
that one oblation of himself. God would have Christ never to be out of
office, nor out of work. And this very reason is more than intimated, Heb.
vii. 24. ' This man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable
priesthood,' (or, as ver. 21 expounds it) for ever. And the work of his
priesthood is interpreted, ver. 25, to be ' ever to make intercession.' The
meaning is, that God would not have him continue to be a priest in title
onlv, or in respect only of a service past, and so to have only the honour of
priesthood perpetuated to him out of the remembrance of what he once had
done, as great generals have, even in time of peace, the glory of some great
Chap. IV.] from Christ's intercession. G7
battle fought, continued to them in their titles, or rewards for ever. But
God would have him have, as the renown of the old, so a perpetual spring
of honour by new work, and employment in that office which he is con-
tinually a-doing, so to preserve the verdure of his glory ever fresh and green,
and therefore ordained a continual work for him. And the sum of the
apostle's reasoning is this, that seeing himself was to be for ever, so should
his work and priesthood be, that so his honour might be for ever. So ver.
28 concludes it, ' consecrated or perfected for evermore.'
Secondly, For the same reason also, it became him that the whole work
of our salvation, first and last, and every part of it, every step and degree
of accomplishment of it, should be so ordered as he should continue still to
have as great and continual a hand in every part, even to the laying of the
top stone thereof, as he had in laving the first foundation and corner stone
thereof. And this you have expressed, Heb. xii. 2, ' Looking to Jesus the
beginner and perfecter of our faith.' Two things had been said of him, as
two causes of two effects ; and we must look to him in both. [1.] He is to
be looked at as dying, ' enduring the cross,' as there he is set forth. [2.]
As ' sitting at God's right hand and interceding,' as that whole Epistle had
represented him. We are to look at these two as causes of a double effect,
to look at his dying as that which is the ' beginning of our faith,' (so accord-
ing to the Greek, and the margin of our translation), and at his sitting at
God's right hand as an intercessor, for the ' finishing of our faith' there-
by ; and so of our final salvation. For as Christ's work began in his life
and death, which is put for all his obedience here below, so our first be-
lieving (as was said) begins by virtue of his death at first ; and as his work
ends in his intercession, and sitting at God's right hand, so answerably is
our faith and salvation perfected by it, that thus he might be left out in
nothing, but be ' the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, to
whom be glory for ever.' So that we are to look upon our Mediator Christ, as
doing as much work for us in heaven at this instant, as ever he did on earth ;
here suffering, but there praying and presenting his sufferings. All hi3
work was not done, when he had done here ; that work here was indeed the
harder piece of the two, yet soon despatched ; but his work in heaven,
though sweeter far, yet lies on his hands for ever ; therefore let us leave out
none of these in our believing on him.
CHAPTER IV.
The second head . the great security the consideratioji of Christ's intercession
affords to faith for our justification, shewed, 1. By way of evidence ; by
two things.
And so I come (as in the former I have done) to shew what strong grounds
of security and triumph our faith may raise from this last act, namely,
Christ's intercession for us in the point of justification ; ' Who shall con-
demn ? It is Christ that intercedes.' And was the second general pro-
pounded ; and therein to proceed also according to the method taken up in
the former.
1. What assurance by way of evidence this doth afford unto faith of non-
condemnation.
2. What powerful efficacy and influence this must be of, that Christ
intercedes.
G8 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
1. First, to handle it by way of evidence.
That Christ intercedes, is a strong evidence to our faith by two demon-
strations.
(1.) From the very intent and scope of the work of intercession itself,
and what it is ordained by God to effect.
(2.) From the end of Jesus Christ himself, who lives in heaven on pur-
pose to intercede for us. Our salvation it is both finis operis, the end of the
work, and finis ipsius operands, in some respect the end of Christ himself, the
interceder ; and both these do lay the greatest engagement that can be upon
Christ, to accomplish our salvation through his intercession.
(1.) For the work itself. Intercession, you have seen, is a part of the
office of Christ's priesthood, as well as his dying and offering himself: now all
the works of Christ are and must be perfect in their kind (even as God's are,
of which says Moses, Deut. xxxii. 4, ' His work is perfect '), for otherwise
he should not be a perfect priest. Now the perfection of every work lies in
order to its end for which it is ordained ; so as that work is perfect that
attains to such an end as it is ordained for, and that imperfect which doth
not. Now the immediate direct end of Christ's intercession is the actual
salvation of believers elect, and persons whom he died for. The end of
his death is adoptio juris, purchasing a right unto salvation ; but of inter-
cession, procuratio ipsius salutis, the very saving us actually, and putting us
in possession of heaven. To this purpose, observe how the Scripture
speaks concerning Christ's death, Heb. ix. 12, 'He entered into heaven,
having obtained redemption,' or found redemption, that is, by way of right,
by procuring full title to it. But of his intercession it says, Heb. vii. 25,
that by it ' Christ is able to save to the utmost them that come unto God
by him ;' that is, actually to save, and put them in possession of happiness :
that is made the end and scope of intercession there ; and that phrase (sig
rb vavTiXsc), to the utmost, notes out a saving indeed, a doing it not by
halves, but wholly, and throughly, and completely ; si; rb ■xavrfAsg is to save
altogether, to give our salvation its last act and complement, that is the
true force of the phrase, even to effect it, to the last of it, all that is to be
done about it. Thus also Rom. v. 9, 10, ' We are justified by his death,
but saved (namely, completely) by his life ;' that is, his living to intercede.
So that the very salvation of believers is it that is the work, the rb 'igyov of
Christ's intercession.
Now what security doth this afford ? For, to be saved is more than to
be justified ; for it is the actual possessing us of heaven. So then, do but
grant that Christ's intercession is as perfect a work in its kind as Christ's
death is in its kind, and you must needs be saved. The perfection of
Christ's death, and the work thereof, wherein lay it (as on Christ's part to
be performed) but in this, that he should lay down a ransom sufficient to
purchase salvation for such and such persons as God would save ? And so
the perfection of it lies in the worth and sufficiency of it, to that end it
was ordained for ; it being a perfect sacrifice in itself, able to purchase
eternal redemption for us, and to make us salvable against all sins and the
demerits of them, and to give us right to heaven ; and had it wanted a grain
of this, it had then been imperfect. Now then, answerably for intercession,
the comfort of our souls is, that the proper work that lies upon Christ
therein is the complete saving those very persons, and the possessing them
of heaven ; this is the rb egyov, the proper work thereof. To outvie the
demerits of our sins was the perfection of his death, but to save our souls
is the end and perfection of his intercession. Our sins are the object of
Chap. IV.J from Christ's intercession. 69
the one, and our souls of the other. To that end was intercession added to
his death, that we might not have a right to heaven in vain, of which we might
be dispossessed. Now therefore, upon this ground, if Christ should fail
of our souls' salvation, yea, but of any one degree of glory (purchased by
his death to any soul) which that soul should want, this work of his would
then want and fall short so much of its perfection. That place in Heb.
vii. says not only that Christ will do his utmost to save, but save to the
utmost.
Obj. You may say, My infidelity and obstinacy may hinder it, though
Christ doth what in him lies.
Am. Well, but intercession undertakes the work absolutely ; for Christ
prays not conditionally in heaven, 'If men shall believe, &c.,' as we do
here on earth ; not for propositions only, but for persons ; and therefore
he prays to cure that very infidelity. Now, as if a physician undertakes to
cure a madman (if he knows what he doth), he considers the madness of
his patient, and how he will tear oft' what is applied, and refuse all physic? ;
he therefore resolves to deal with him accordingly, and so to order him as
he shall not hinder that help which he is about to afford him, and so upon
those terms he undertakes the cure : even so doth Christ, when by inter-
cession he undertakes to save us sinners ; he considers us what we are, and
how it is with us, what unbelief is in us, yet undertakes the matter ; and
so to save us is the scope and end of this his work, which if he should not
accomplish, he after all this should not be a perfect priest. It was the fault
that God found with the old priesthood, that it ' made nothing perfect,'
Heb. vii. 19, and therefore, ver. 12, the ' law was changed ;' and the 'priest-
hood was changed ' together with it, as there you have it. Now in like
manner Christ's priesthood should he imperfect, if it made not the elect
perfect, and then God must yet seek for another covenant, and a more per-
fect priest ; for this would be found faulty, as the other was. So then our
comfort is, if Christ approve himself to be a perfect priest, we who come to
God by him must be perfectly saved. It is in this office of his priesthood,
and all the parts of it, as in his kingly office. The work of his kingly office
is to subdue all enemies, to the last man, even fully to do the thing ; and
not only to have power, and to go about to do it : so as if there should be
any one enemy left unsubdued, then Christ should not be a perfect king.
The same holds in his priestly office also ; he should not be a perfect priest,
if but one soul of the elect, or those he intercedes for, were left unsaved.
And this is indeed the top and highest consideration for our comfort in this
argument, that intercession leaves us not till it hath actually and completely
saved us ; and this is it that makes the apostle put a further thing upon
intercession here in the text, than upon that other, his ' sitting at God's
right hand.' So as we are in this respect as sure of attaining unto the
utmost glory of our salvation, as Christ to have the full honour of his priest-
hood. A man saved is more than justified ; and Christ cannot reckon his
work, nor himself a perfect priest, until we are saved. ' Who shall con-
demn ? It is Christ that intercedes.'
(2.) Besides the consideration of the nature and scope of this work itself,
which Christ, upon his honour of acquitting himself as a perfect priest, hath
undertaken, there is in the second place a farther consideration that argues
him engaged by a stronger obligation, even the loss of his own honour, his
office, and all, if he should not effect salvation for those that come to God
by him ; so much doth it concern him to effect it. Of all the works that
ever he did, he is most engaged in this ; it will not only be the loss of a
70 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
business which concerns him, and of so much work, but himself must be
lost in it too ; and the reason is, that he intercedes as a Surety. He was
not only a ' surety on earth ' in dying, and so was to look to do that work
tkroughby, and to be sure to lay down a price sufficient, or else himself had
gone for it : he pawned in that work, not only his honour, but even his life
and soul to effect it, or lose himself in it ; but he is a surety now also in
heaven, by interceding. This you may find to be the scope of Heb. vii. 22,
by observing the coherence of that 22d verse (wherein he is called a ' surety ')
with verses 23, 24, 25, that title and appellation is there given him, in rela-
tion unto this part of his office especially. And although it holds true of
all parts of his office whatsoever, yet the coherence carries it, that that
mention there of his being a surety doth in a more special manner refer
unto his intercession, as appears both by the words before and after : in the
words before (ver. 21), the apostle speaks of this his ' priesthood, which is
for ever,' and then subjoins (ver. 22), ' By so much was Jesus made a
surety of a better testament ;' and then after also he discourseth of, and
instanceth in his intercession, and his continuing a priest for ever in that
work : so, ver. 23, 24, 25, ' Wherefore he is able to save to the utmost,
seeing he ever lives to make intercession.' Yea, he is therefore engaged to
save to the utmost, because even in interceding (for which he is said there
to live) he is a surety.
He was a surety on earth, and is a surety still in heaven ; only with this
double difference, which ariseth first from the different things which he
undertook for then, whilst on earth, and for which now he undertakes in
heaven ; that on earth he was a surety to pay a price so sufficient as should
satisfy God's justice ; which having paid, he was discharged (in that
respect, and so far) of that obligation, and his bond for that was cancelled ;
but so as still he remains a surety, bound in another obligation as great,
even for the bringing to salvation those whom he died for ; for their persons
remained still unsaved, though the debt was then paid ; and till they be
saved, he is not quit of this suretj'ship and engagement. And, secondly,
these two suretyships do differ also by the differing pawns which he was
engaged to forfeit, by failing in each of these works : for the payment of
our debt, his soul itself lay at the stake, which he offered up for sin ; but
for the saving of the persons all his honour in heaven lies at stake. He
lives to intercede. He possesseth heaven upon these terms, and it is one
end of his life ; so that as he must have sunk under God's wrath, if he had
not paid the debt, his soul standing in our souls' stead, so he must yet quit
heaven, and give over living there, if he brings us not thither. It is true,
he intercedes not as a common person (which relation in all other foremen-
tioned acts he still bore ; thus in his death he was both a common person
and a surety representing us, so as we died in him ; so likewise in his re-
surrection we arose with him, and in his ascension we ascended, &c, but
yet he intercedes not under that relation, namely, not as a common person),
for we must not, cannot be said to intercede in him, for this last work lay
not upon us to do. He doth it wholly for us indeed, but not in our stead,
or as that which we should have done, though on our behalf; for it being
the last, the crown of all his works of mediation, is therefore proper to him
as Mediator, and his sole work as such. Thus in like manner the first
work of incarnation, and answerably the last of intercession, in neither of
these was Christ a common person representing others, though a common
Saviour of others in these. For the one was the foundation of all, the other
the accomplishment of all, and so proper only to himself as mediator. But
Chap. V.J from Christ's intercession. 71
although he intercedes not as a common person, as representing us in what
we were to have done for ourselves ; yet, so as that other relation of a surety
is continued still in that work, he stands engaged therein as an undertaker
for us, and so as a surety intercedes : such as Judah was for Benjamin,
Gen. xliii. 9, ' I will be surety for him ; of my hand shalt thou require him :
if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the
blame for ever.' So says Christ for us. And therefore sponsio, or under-
taking for us, is by divines made a great part of this part of his office. Now
the consideration of this may the more secure us ; for the more peculiarly
and solely it is his work, the more his honour lies at stake, and the more
he will set himself to eflect it ; yea, and being by way of suretyship, it con-
cerns him yet more nearly, for he hath engaged, and if he should fail, might
even lose that honour which he hath now in heaven.
CHAPTER V.
The prevalency of Christ's intercession, and the powerful influence it hath into
our salvation, demonstrated, first, from the greatness of Christ, and his
favour with God.
2. Thus we have heard what matter of support to our faith, by way of
evidence, this must needs afford, that Christ intercedes. Let us consider
now what further assurance will arise to our faith, from the influence which
Christ's intercession must needs have, to eflect and carry on our salvation
to an assured issue. The work of intercession being effectually to procure
our salvation, and to continue the pardon of our sins, and hold us in favour
with God, therefore the influence and energy it hath herein must needs lie
in that potency and prevalency which this intercession of Christ hath with
God, to obtain anything at his hands for us, and so to continue his favour
towards us. Now, to raise up our apprehensions how potent and prevalent
this intercession of Christ must needs be, let us consider both the Person
interceding, namely, Christ ; and the Person with whom Christ intercedes for
this favour, which is God ; the one the Son, the other the Father ; and so
the greatness of Christ with God, and the graciousness of God to Christ,
together with the oneness of wills and unity of affections in them both : so
that Christ will be sure to ask nothing which his Father will deny, and his
Father will not deny anything which he shall ask.
(1.) Now, first, for the greatness of Christ the Intercessor, that is, his
greatness with God the Father. This is often urged in this epistle to the
Hebrews, to persuade confidence in us, in this very point in hand ; thus,
Heb. iv. 14, 16, ' Seeing we have a great high priest, let us come boldly.'
And whilst great and priest are thus joined together, the more comfort and
boldness we may have, the greater he is ; for he is a priest in relation to
his dealing with God for our pardon. As he is a priest, he deals in nothing
else ; and the greater the person is who useth his interest herein, the
better, the sooner he will prevail. And he is there said to be great, because
great with God, in prevailing with him ; and indeed so great, as it is im-
possible but he should prevail. It was the greatness of his person which
did and doth put such an influence into his death, that it was, as you heard,
a price more than enough to satisfy justice, even to overflowing. And
therefore, ' Who shall condemn ? It is Christ that died.' And the great-
ness of his person must needs have as much influence to make intercession
72 THE TBIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
prevalent. In a matter of intercession, the person that intercedes prevails
more than any other consideration whatsoever. We see what great friends
do procure oftentimes with but a word speaking, even that which money,
no, nor anything could have obtained. Now Christ must needs be great
with God in many respects.
[1.] First, in respect of the nearness of his alliance to him. He is the
natural Son of God, God of God, and therefore certain to prevail with him.
This is diligently still put in, almost in all places, where this part of his
priesthood (his intercession) is mentioned, in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
So in chap. iv. of the same Epistle, ver. 14, ' We have a great high priest
entered into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. So Heb. vii. 25, and 28th
verse compared, the apostle having said, ver. 25, that ■ he is able to save to
the utmost, seeing he ever lives to make intercession,' he doth, ver. 28,
devolve this ability of his to save (ultimately) upon his being the Son ; thus in
the 28th verse, in the end of that discourse, this is made as the basis of all :
4 The law (saith he) makes men high priests which have infirmity,' which
infirmity or disability of theirs is mentioned in opposition unto what he had
just before spoken of the great ability of this our high priest in his inter-
ceding, ver. 25, in those words, ' He is able to save to the utmost.' Those
priests whom the ceremonial law made, Aaron and his sons, are unable to
save, they have infirmity. Now what is it in him that makes this difference,
and him so able above what they were ? ' The word of the oath makes the
Son (says he), who is perfected (as you have it in the Greek and margin)
for evermore.' He mentions this his sonship principally in relation to his
intercession, which there he had discoursed of. Intercession is a carrying
on our salvation in a way of grace and favour, as his death was by way of
satisfaction.
And answerably it may be observed in the Scripture, that as the all-suffi-
ciency of the satisfaction of his death is still put upon his being God ; and
so upon the greatness of his person considered in respect of his nature or
essence, namely, his Godhead ; so in like manner, that the prevalency of
his intercession is founded upon the nearness of his relation unto God, his
alliance to him, and the being his Son. Thus for the first. When redemp-
tion is spoken of, the sufficiency of the price is eminently put upon his God-
head, ' the blood of God.' Thus also, Heb. ix., where when he had (ver.
12) shewn how Christ had purchased and obtained a ' perfect redemption,'
he then argues the sufficiency of it from his Godhead, ver. 13, 14, ' For if
the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the
unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh ; how much more shall the
blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself?' &c. The
eternal Spirit is his Godhead. Thus answerably, when he speaks of the
prevailing of his intercession in heaven, he puts it upon his sonship ; ' Jesus
the Son.' He mentions the nearness of the relation of his person to God,
as being that which draws with it that great respect, and favour, and grace,
he being by this great with God, as great in himself. All matters of inter-
cession are carried, we know, by way of favour. And therefore look how
prevalent in a way of merit his being God makes his death in its kind ; no
less prevalent doth his being the Son of God make his intercession in its
kind, namely, in a way of obtaining grace and mercy ; yea, so prevalent of
itself it is, that we might build upon it alone, even as much as upon his
death. And, indeed, Christ intercedes not only in the virtue and strength
of his satisfaction, though in that also, and of his obedience to his Father
but also in the strength of his relation as a Son who pleads his own grace
Chap. V.] fboA Christ's intercession. 73
and interest in God, as he is his Son, which is a consideration that doth
always actually exist and abide. Whereas his obedience, though perfect,
was but once offered up, and its existence is but virtual ; but he continues
a Son for ever, not virtually only, but actually. And therefore it is added
in that 7th to the Hebrews, ver. 28, that the • gospel ordained the Son,
perfected for ever.' The meaning whereof is, that he is not only a priest,
perfected in the time past by that perfect offering once made, but in that he
is the Son, he remains a perfect priest for ever, for time to come ; whom
therefore no imperfection in his office, no failing or missing of his suits can
befall. So as if it could be supposed that his obedience, because past so
long ago, might be forgotten ; yet never this, that he is a Son. That for
ever abides, and of itself were enough to prevail. And how effectual must
the intercession of such a Son be, who is so great a Son of so great a Father,
equal with him, and the express image of his person ? Never any Son so
like, and in so peculiarly a transcendent manner a Son, as the relation of
sonship among men is but a shadow of it ! Christ is one with his Father,
as himself often speaks ; and, therefore, if his Father should deny him any-
thing, he should then cease to be one with him, he must then ' deny him-
self,' which God can never do. He is in this respect ' the Beloved,' as he
is called, Eph. i. 6, as on whom (originally and primarily) all the beams of
God's love do fall. Solomon (the type of Christ) was ' the beloved of God,'
2 Sam. xii. 24, and had his name from thence (namely) Jedidiah, that is,
' beloved of the Lord.' And to shew how beloved he was, God, when he
came first into his kingdom, bade him ' ask what he should give him,'
1 Kings iii. 5. Now the like God says to Christ, when come first to his
kingdom, also, Ps. ii. 8, 'Ask of me, and I will give thee,' namely, when ' he
had set him as King on his holy hill,' ver. 6 ; and of him he says, ' This
is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear him.' God bids
us therefore and upon that respect to hear him ; and tbat speech was but
the echo of his own heart, in that he himself is so well pleased with him for
this that he is his Son, as he himself will hear him in everything ; yea, and
is so pleased with him, as that although Christ had never died nor obeyed
the law, yet simply because he is his Son, he hath so full an acquiescency
of all desires in him, and complacency of delights, that he could deny him
nothing. How prevalent then must Christ's intercession needs be, though
there were nothing else to be considered !
And that God had indeed this as one main consideration upon which he
made him a priest thus to intercede, those words do testify, Heb. v. 5, 6,
' He that said, unto him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order
of Melchisedec' These latter words are not only a paraphrase (as some
think) merely to shew that he that said, ' Christ was his Son,' said also,
1 he was a priest ; ' but it is to shew the foundation of his call to that office.
The great consideration that fitted him for it was, that he was God's Son ;
especially that fitted him for that part of his priesthood which was to
remain ' for ever,' of which that 110th Psalm and the Epistle to the Hebrews
do especially speak. Neither is the meaning of the fore-cited place only to
shew that in that he was God's Son, it was his birthright to be a priest, so
as if God would have any priest at all it must be he, and so, upon that con-
sideration, he that said to him, ' Thou art my Son,' said, ' Thou art a
priest ; ' and that being his right, he therefore called him to it, because he
was his Son, for, according to the law of nature, the eldest of the family
was to be priest; and so Christ, even as God-man, being the ' first-born of
74 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
every creature,' and the natural first begotten Son of God, had right to be
the prime leader of that great chorus in that eternal worship in heaven.
That (I say) is not all the meaning of those words, nor all that God consi-
dered in it, when he thus ordained him to be a priest ; but he had a further
and more peculiar respect unto this especial part of his priesthood, his inter-
cession (as that clause ' forever' imports), as for which, be being his natural
Son, so nearly allied to him, would transcendently fit him, and give such
an omnipotent prevalency and effectualness to his requests, that he would
be the most absolute perfect priest for ever, in this respect, that could be.
That as God himself is perfect, and his power irresistible, so his priesthood,
through this relation, might be perfect also, and his requests undeniable.
Thus did God order it to strengthen our faith. And that, indeed, God did
consider this relation of his to him to this very end, is evident by that of
the 2d Psalm, out of which that saying, ' Thou art my Son,' is cited, ver.
7 and 8, ' Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee ; ' and what fol-
lows ? ' Ask of me, and I will give thee,' &c. He connects both these
together, namely, intercession, that part of his priestly office of asking, with
his sonship, for that is it which moveth God to grant all that he asks.
God loves Christ as he loves himself, and therefore can deny him nothing,
as he cannot deny himself. And so, by the way, this clears the ground of
the apostle's quoting those words of Ps. ii. in Heb. v., as a proof of Christ's
call to the priesthood, which interpreters have been troubled how to make
out ; for (as you have seen) that speech, ' Thou art my Son, ask,' &c, is
all one as if he had said, ' Thou art a priest ; ' and so was as fit and full a
place to prove his being a priest in the Holy Ghost's intent, as is'that other
quoted with it, out of Ps. ex., though uttered in more express words,
1 Thou art a priest for ever.' Both speeches come to one in both places,
the Holy Ghost especially aiming in both at that part of his priesthood in
heaven, his intercession : in the one speaking of him after he is set upon
God's hill as king (so Ps. ii. ver. 6) ; and in the other, after he is set down
at God"s right hand (so Ps. ex. ver. 1, 2). Yea, and this his favour with
his Father, and intercession alone, might have procured pardon for us sin-
ners, but that God's will was to have justice satisfied.
[2.] And secondly, he intercedes not only as a Son (and in that respect
a priest perfect enough for ever), but also as a Son who hath been obedient
to his Father, and hath done at his request, and for his sake, the greatest
service for him, and the most willingly that ever was done. And you all
know how much former services done do always forward suits. In Heb.
v. ver. 8, 9. 10, it is said, that ' though he were a Son, yet learned he
obedience,' and thereby ' became perfect.' The apostle had said, in the
verses before, that in respect of his being his Son, God had called him to
this office, as one that was thereby sufficiently qualified to be a priest that
might prevail : and yet in these verses he further adds, that though he was
a Son, and in that respect a priest perfect enough, yet he was to be obe-
dient also, and thereby yet to become, in a further respect, a perfect high
priest also, even in respect of service done and obedience performed. And
so shews that he comes to have a further perfection and power of prevailing
in his priestly office added to that relation of sonship spoken of, ver. 5.
And therefore it follows, that he being thus become perfect, namely, through
his obedience, ' he became author of eternal salvation unto all them that
obey him, called of God an high priest for ever,' &c. That therefore which
makes him yet more potent, that he may be sure to prevail, is his obedience
and service done ; and this alone also were enough to cany anything. And
Chap. V.] from Christ's intercession. 75
both these considerations, of his sonship and obedience, as giving an efficacy
to his intercession, you have also in that, Heb. vii. From ver. 26 to 28, he
had spoken of the power of intercession, ver. 24, 25, how he was ' able to
save to the utmost ; ' and then, in the following verse, he shews the ground
of it, first in his fore-past ' obedience,' ver. 26. First, active, ' for such a
high priest became us, who was holy, harmless, undefiled.' And such a
priest he was, and therefore able thus to save by his intercession. For
such an one who was holy, harmless, and no guile found in his mouth,
what requests come out of such lips must needs be accepted. Then, secondly,
he mentions his passive obedience, ver. 27, ' He offered up himself once,'
and thereby made so full a satisfaction, as he needed not to do it but once ;
and in the strength of both these he intercedes, for to that purpose doth
the mention of both these there come in. And then he adds that other
which we before insisted on, that he is the Son, which follows in the next
words, ver. 28. And accordingly you shall find Christ himself urging this
his obedience, as the foundation of all those his suits and requests for us
that follow after. So in that last prayer, John xvii. (which is, as it were, a
pattern or instance of his intercession for us in heaven), ' I have glorified
thee on earth, I have finished the work thou gavest me,' ver. 4. And
whereas two things may be distinctly considered, in that his obedience.
First, the worth of it, as a price in the valuation of justice itself; secondly,
the desert of favour and grace with God ; which such an obedience and
service, done for his sake, might in a way of kindness expect to find at his
hands. You may for your comfort consider, that besides what the worth
of it as a price, which I shall urge in the next chapter, might exact of jus-
tice itself between two strangers (as we use to say), he having well paid for
all that he asks ; he hath, moreover, deserved thus much grace and favour
with his Father, in that this obedience was done for his sake and at his
request ; and this it calls for even in way of remuneration and requital, as
of one kindness with the like. That therefore his Father should hear him
in all the requests that ever he should make, yea so transcendent was the
obedience which he did to his Father, in giving himself to death at his
request (and it was done at God's sole entreaty, ' Lo ! I come to do thy
will'), as he can never out- ask the merit of this his service. And, which
which may yet further encourage us herein, he hath nothing at all left to
ask for himself simply, for he hath need of nothing. So that all his favour
remains entire, for to be laid forth for sinners, and employed for them.
And then add this thereto, that all he can ask for them is less, yea far less,
than the service which he hath done to God comes to ; our lives, and par-
don, and salvation, these are not enough, they are too small a requital.
So that besides his natural grace and interest which he hath with his Father,
as he is his Son, which can never be lessened, this his acquired favour
by his obedience must needs make him prevail, seeing it can never be
acquitted to the full. Some divines put so much efficacy in this, that they
say, Christ's very being in heaven, who once did this service, and so putting
God in mind of it by his very presence, is all that intercession that the
Scripture speaks of; so sufficient they think this alone to be.
76 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V
CHAPTER VI.
Secondly, the prevalency of Christ's intercession demonstrated from the
righteousness of the cause he pleads even injustice ; how forcible the cry of
his blood is, himself appearing to intercede with it.
Besides favour and grace in all these respects, he can and doth plead
justice and righteousness, and is able so to cany it; so you have it, 1 John
ii. 1 and 2, ' We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous.' An advocate hath place only in a cause of justice, and this
Christ's advocateship is executed by pleading his own satisfaction. So it
follows, ' who is a propitiation for our sins ; ' and can plead his own
righteousness so far, that justice itself shall be fain to save the worst of
sinners. He can turn justice itself for them, and handle matters so, as
justice shall be as forward to save them as any other attribute. So that if
God be said to be ' righteous in forgiving us our sins, if we do but confess
them' (as chap. i. of this 1st Epistle of John, ver. 9), then much more when
'Jesus Christ the righteous' shall intercede for the pardon of them, as he adds
in 2d verse of the ensuing chapter, and this if he will be just. The worst
case he will make a good one ; not with colouring it over, as cunning
lawyers do, or extenuating things ; but with pleading that righteousness,
which being put into the opposite balance, shall cast it for thee, be there
never so many sins weighed against it. Yea, and he will be just in it too,
and carry all by mere righteousness and equity.
In the explication of this branch, my purpose is not to insist upon the
demonstration of that all-sufficient fulness that is in Christ's satisfaction,
such as may in justice procure our pardon and salvation (because it will
more fitly belong to another discourse), but I shall absolve this point in
hand by two things which are proper to this head of intercession.
[1.] First, by shewing how that there is even in respect to God's justice
a powerful voice of intercession attributed unto Christ's blood ; and how
prevalent that must needs be in the ears of the righteous God.
[2. J Secondly, especially when Christ himself shall join with that cry
and intercession of his blood, himself in heaven appearing and interceding
in the strength of it.
[1.] For the first, the apostle, Heb. xii. 24, doth ascribe a voice, an
appeal, an intercession unto the blood of Christ in heaven. ' The blood of
sprinkling' (says he) 'speaks better things than the blood of Abel.' He
makes Christ's very blood an advocate to speak for us, though Christ him-
self were silent, as he says in another case, ' Abel, though dead, yet
speaketh,' Heb. xi. 4. Many other things are said to cry in Scripture (and
I might shew how the cry of all other things do meet in this), but blood
hath the loudest cry oi all things else, in the ears of the Lord of Hosts, the
Judge of all the world, as he is in the 23d verse of that 12th chapter styled.
Neither hath any cry the ear of God's justice more than that of blood.
' The voice of thy brother's blood,' says God to Cain, ' cries unto me from
the ground,' Gen. iv. 10. Now in that speech of the apostle fore-cited, is
the allusion made unto the blood of Abel, and the cry thereof. And he
illustrates the cry of Christ's blood for us, by the cry of that blood of Abel
against Cain, it ' speaks better things than the blood of Abel.' And his
scope therein is by an antithesis, or way of opposition, to shew that Christ's
blood calls for greater good things to be bestowed on us for whom it was
Chap. VI.] from Christ's intercession. 77
shed, than Abel's blood did for evil things, and vengeance against Cain, by
whom it was shed. For look how loud the blood of one innocent cries
for justice against another that murdered him ; so loud will the blood of
one righteous, who by the appointment and permission of a supreme judge
hath been condemned for another, cry for his release and non-condemnation,
for whom he died. And the more righteous he was, who laid down his life
for another, the louder still is that cry, for it is made in the strength of all
that worth which was in him, whose blood was shed. Now to set forth the
power of this cry of Christ's blood with justice, let us compare it with that
cry of Abel's blood in these two things, wherein it will be found infinitely to
exceed it in force and loudness.
First, even the blood of the wickedest man on earth, if innocently shed,
doth cry, and hath a power with justice against him who murdered him.
Had Abel murdered Cain, Cain's blood would have cried, and called upon
God's justice against Abel; but Abel's blood (there is an emphasis in that),
Abel's, who was a saint, and the first martyr in God's calendar ; and so
his blood cries according to the worth that was in him. Now ' precious in
the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints ; ' and the blood of one of them
cries louder than the blood of all mankind besides. Now from this I argue,
if the blood of a saint cries so, what must the blood of the King of saints
(as Christ is called, Rev. xv. 3), then do ? If the blood of one member of
Christ's body, what will then the blood of the head, far more worth than
that whole body ? How doth it fill heaven and earth with outcries, until
the promised intent of its shedding be accomplished ! And (as the anti-
thesis carries it) look how the blood of Abel cried for the ruin and con-
demnation of his brother Cain ; so does Christ's blood on the contrary for
our pardon and non- condemnation ; and so much louder, by how much his
blood was of more worth than Abel's was. This was the ' blood of God ; '
so Acts xx. 28, ' Who therefore shall condemn ? ' But,
Secondly, Christ's blood hath in its cry here a further advantage of Abel's
blood attributed to it. For that cried but from earth, ' from the ground,'
where it lay shed, and that but for an answerable earthly punishment on
Cain, as he was a man upon the earth ; but Christ's blood is carried up to
heaven ; for as the high priest carried the blood of the sacrifices into the
holy of holies, so hath Christ virtually carried his blood into heaven, Heb.
ix. 12-. And this is intimated in this place also, as by the coherence will
appear. For all the other particulars (of which this is one), whereto he
says the saints are come, they are all in heaven. ' You are come (says he,
ver. 22) to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an
innumerable company of angels, to the church of the first-bom who are
written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect.' All which things are in heaven ; neither names he any other
than such; and then adds, ' and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaks,'
&c, as a thing both speaking in heaven, and besprinkled from heaven, yea,
wherewith heaven is all besprinkled, as the mercy-seat in the holy of holies
was, because sinners are to come thither. This blood therefore cries from
heaven, it is next unto God who sits judge there, it cries in his very ears ;
whereas the cry of blood from the ground is further off, and so though the
cry thereof may come up to heaven, yet the blood itself comes not up
thither, as Christ already is. Abel's blood cried for vengeance to come
down from heaven, but Christ's blood cries us up into heaven ; like to that
voice, Eev. xi. 12, ' Come up hither.' So John xvii. 24, ' Where I am, let
them be' for whom this blood was shed.
78 THK TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. "V
But though this speaking, this voice and intercession, be attributed to
his blood, yet it is but in a metaphorical and improper (though real) sense ; as
also that this blood is in heaven, is spoken, though in a real, yet not a
proper sense. Some divines of all sides, both popish and protestant, would
make the whole work of intercession to be only metaphorical. It is true
indeed, the voice and intercession of his blood apart considered, is but
metaphorical (I grant), and yet real ; such a voice as those groans are that
are attributed to the whole creation, Rom. viii. 22. But intercession as an
act of Christ himself, joined with this voice of his blood, is most properly
and truly such.
[2.] Therefore, in the second place, add to this Christ's own intercession
also, which was the second thing propounded, that Christ by his own
prayers seconds this cry of his blood ; that not only the blood of Christ
doth cry, but that Christ himself being alive doth join with it. How
forcible and prevalent must all this be supposed to be ! The biood of a man
slain doth cry, though the man remain dead ; even as of Abel, it is said
(though to another purpose), that ' being dead he yet speaketh,' Heb. xi.,
but Christ liveth and appeareth, Vivify et in caelum ccelorum venit. He
follows the suit, pursues the hue and cry of his blood himself. His being
alive, puts a life into his death. It is not in this as it was in that other,
the first Adam's sin and disobedience. Adam, although he himself had
been annihilated when he died, yet he having set the stock of our nature
a-going in propagation of children, his sin would have defiled and condemned
them to the end of the world, and the force of it to condemn is neither
furthered nor lessened by his subsisting and being, or his not being ; it
receives no assistance from his personal life, one way or other. And the
reason is, because his sin condemns us in a natural and necessary way ;
but the death of Christ and his blood shed, these saving us in a way of
grace and favour unto Christ himself and for his sake, that very being alive
of Christ, that shed this blood, adds an infinite acceptation to it with God,
and moves him the more to hear the cry of it, and to regard it. In a
matter of favour to be done for the sake of another man, or in a suit or
matter of justice that concerns another who is interested in it, that man's
beincr { n vivis, his being alive, puts a life into the cause. If David would
have respect to Jonathan (when dead) in his children, he would much
more if himself had been alive. God made a covenant with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, to remember their seed after them ; and why ? They
are alive, and were to live for ever ; and thongh dead, shall rise again. So
Christ reasoneth from it, Mat. xxii. 32, ' I am the God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. God is the God of the living (says he), and not of the dead ; '
and so, ' though Abraham be ignorant of his children' (as the prophet
speaks) and should not intercede for them, yet because Abraham's soul
lives, and is not extinct (as the Sadducees thought), but shall live again at
the resurrection, therefore God remembers and respects his covenant
with them ; for he is a God of the living, and so his covenant holds with
them whilst they live. The old covenant of the first Testament ran in the
names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — ' the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
j ac0D ' — Du t this new covenant runs in the name of Christ, ' The God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ;' so Eph. i. 3, and so he becomes our
God and our Father in him. And God being thus our Father, because
Christ's Father, and Christ (in whose name the covenant runs) being alive,
and God by covenant the God of a living, not of a dead Christ, this there-
fore works effectually with him to respect his blood and hear the cry of it ;
Chap. VII.] from Christ's intercession. 79
and this, though Christ were absent, much more then when he is present
also, and on purpose ' appeareth in the presence of God for us ;' as it is,
Heb. xi. 21. He is alive, and so able to follow his own suit, and will be
sure to see to it, and to second the cry of his blood, if it should not be
heard.
To illustrate this by the help of the former comparison begun. If as
Abel's blood cries, so also it proves that Abel's soul lives to cry; that both
his cause cries and himself lives to follow it; so that the cry of Abel's blood
is seconded with the cry of Abel's soul that lives, how doubly forcible must
this needs be ? And thus indeed you have it, Rev. vi. 9, where it is
said that ' the souls of them which were slain for the testimony which they
held, cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, Lord, holy and true,
dost thou not avenge our blood ? ' Yea, see that not only their blood cries,
but their sculs live, and live to cry. And it is not spoken metaphorically
of their souls, but what is truly done by them now in heaven, it being
mentioned to shew how and by what God was moved to bring vengeance on
the heathenish empire of Rome that had shed their blood. Now not only
Christ's soul (as theirs) lives to cry, but his whole person ; for he is risen
again, and lives to intercede for ever. In the Rev. i. ver. 18, Christ
appearing to John, when he would speak but one speech that should move
all in him, he says but this, ' I am he that liveth, and was dead,' and died
for thee. And whose heart doth it not move to read it with faith? And
doth it not move his Father, think you, who was the chief cause and mo-
tioner of his death, to think, my Son that was dead, and died at my request
for sinners, is now alive again, and liveth to intercede, and liveth to ' see
the travail of his soul ' fulfilled and satisfied ? God pronounceth this upon
it in that 53d of Isaiah, ver. 10, ' By his knowledge (or faith in him) shall
he justify many ; ' even as many as he died for. • Who then shall con-
demn ? Christ that was dead is alive, and liveth to intercede.'
CHAPTER VII.
Thirdly, the prevalency of Christ's intercession, and of his grace with his
Father, demonstrated from the greatness and absoluteness of his power to do
whatever he asks.
[3.] A third demonstration both of Christ's greatness with God, and his
power to prevail for us, is taken from this, that God hath put all power
into his hand, to do whatever he will, hath made him his king to do what
pleaseth him either in heaven, earth, or hell ; yea, to do all that God him-
self ever means to do, or all that God desires to do. And certainly if his
Father hath been so gracious to him as to bestow so high and absolute a
sovereignty on him, as to accomplish and effect whatever he means to do,
surely his purpose was never to deny Christ any request that he should after
this make : he would never have advanced the human nature to that abso-
luteness else. Those two great monarchs made great grants and largesses,
the one to Esther, the other to Herodias's daughter ; but yet they were limited
only to the half of their kingdoms ; so Mark vi. 22. and Esth. v. 6, and the
royal power in their kingdoms they meant still to retain and reserve wholly
to themselves. But God having placed Christ on his throne, bids him ask
even to the whole of his kingdom, for God hath made him a King, sitting
on his throne with him, not to share halves, but to have all power in heaven
80 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
and earth ; ' he hath committed all judgment to the Son,' to save and con-
demn whomever he will ; and so far as the kingdom of God goes, or is
extended, he may do anything. So John v. 21, ' As the Father raiseth
up the dead, so the Son quickeneth whom he will ; for as the Father hath
life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself,' ver. 26 ;
and hath in like manner ' given authority to execute judgment also, as the
Son of man' (namely, of himself), ver. 27 ; as he said, ' he had given him
to have life in himself,' ver. 26, not dependency, as we have, but inde-
pendently, so to execute judgment also, ver. 27. So that Christ's will is
as free, and himself as absolute a monarch and king of himself, as God him-
self is. He indeed hath it not ct, seipso, but in seipso ; not a seipso originally,
but from his Father ; but in seipso, independently.
Now, then, if he who is king, and may and doth of himself command
all that is done, as absolutely as God himself doth, I speak in respect of
the execution of things downward, by second causes ; if he, over and above,
to honour his Father, will ask all that himself hath power to do, what will
not be done ? Qui rogat, et imperare potest ; he that can and doth command
whatever he would have done, and it is straight done, if he shall ask and
entreat, what will not be done ? As a king who sues for peace, backed
with a potent army which is able to win what he entreats for, must needs
treat more effectually, so doth Christ sue for everything with power to
effect it. Remember that he is said here in the text, first to be at God's
right hand, and there to intercede. He treats the salvation of sinners as a
mighty prince treats the giving up some town to him, which lies seated
under a castle of his which commands that town : he stands treating with
the governor, having his ordnance ready for the battery, and to bring all
into subjection, as 2 Cor. x. 4. And this is a consideration that God him-
self took, in that 2d Psalm, when he made him that promise, ' Ask, and I
will give thee,' why he made so large a grant. He had said before, ver. 6,
' I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion,' which made him, one
would think, past asking, and above the condition of an intercessor. Now
God says of him, ' He is my Bang,' not in respect of his commanding God
(that were blasphemy to think), but it is spoken in respect of commanding
all below him. God having set him in his throne, to do as much as he
himself would, or means to have done, says, he is my King, to rule all, not
bo much under me as for me, and in my stead, yet absolutely, and
in himself ; ' the Father judgeth no man.' Now when the Father had first
made and constituted him thus great a King, then he bids him ask, to
whom he had first given this absolute power to command. We may,
without blasphemy, say of this God-man, that God hath not only not
the heart, as being his Father, but not the power to cross anything he
doth. Thus fast hath he God unto him. Only he who in respect of
this his power is to be honoured as the Father, as John v. 23, yet
to honour his Father, who gave this power originally to him as media-
tor, he is to ask for that which of himself he yet can do. And there-
fore, says God, though thou art a King (so ver. 6), and all my kingdom,
even ' the utmost ends of the earth,' are ' thine inheritance' by a natural
right, now that thou art my Son (as ver. 8) ; yet because thou art my King,
of my appointing, and ' I have set thee' on the throne (as the word is,
ver. 6), and ' thou art my Son, and I have begotten thee,' therefore acknow-
ledge my grant in all, ' ask of me, and I will give thee the utmost ends of
the earth for thy inheritance.' I cannot deny thee, but I would have thee
ask ; and therefore Christ asks. Yet still withal remember, that he asks
Chap. VII.] fbom Christ's intercession. 81
who can command the thing to be dono ; and yet, as ho must ask ere tho
thing be done, so if ho ask it must needs bo granted. These are tho
terms between this Father and this Son, who, in a word, had not been so
great a Father if ho had not had a Son thus great, that himself could not
deny what this Son would have done. It is for his own honour to have such
a Son : so John v. 23, ' That they might honour tho Son as they honour
the Father,' therefore ' all judgment is committed to him.' Now, then, if
he who hath so much power will join the force of entreaty with a Father
that so loves him ; if ho who is the word of his Father, that commands,
creates, and upholds all, as Heb. i., ' He spake, and it was done ;' if he will
become a word to his Father, and speak a word for us, and ask all that he
means to do ; how forcible will such words be !
Therefore, observe Christ's manner of praying, John xvii. (which prayer
is a platform of intercession in heaven), ver. 24, • Father, I ivill that they
whom thou hast given me bo where I am.' He prays like a king, who is
in joint commission with God. If God puts that honour upon our prayers,
that we are said ' to have power with God,' as Jacob, Hos. xii. 3, that if
God be never so angry, yet by ' taking hold of his strength,' we hold his
hands, as Isa. xxvii. 5, that God cries out to Moses, like a man whoso
hands are held, ' Let me alone,' Exod. xxxii. 10, yea that ho accounts it as
a command and a mandamus, so he styles it, Isa. xlv. 11, ' command yo
me,' so unable is he to go against it ; then, how much more doth Jesus
Christ's intercession bind God's hands, and command all in heaven and
earth ! Therefore, Zech. i. 12, you have Christ, ' the Angel of the cove-
nant,' brought in interceding with the Father for his church; and he speaks
abruptly as one full of complaints, and in an expostulating way, ' Lord of
Hosts, how long wilt thou not be merciful to Jerusalem and the cities of
Judah ?' and, ver. 13, Zechariah saith, that he observed that ' the Lord
answered the Angel with good words and comfortable.' God was fain to
give him good words (as we use to say), that is, words that might pacify
him, as words of comfort to us, so good words in respect to the Angel's com-
plaint. And you may observe, how in the answer God returns upon it
(which he bade Zechariah write), God excuseth it, as it were, to Christ,
that his church had been so long and so hardly dealt withal ; as if beyond
his intention, he lays the fault on the instruments, ' I was but a little dis-
pleased, but they helped forward the affliction,' ver. 15. This is spoken
and carried after the manner of men, to shew how tender God is of dis-
pleasing Christ our intercessor : that when Christ hath, as it were, been a
long while silent, and let God alone, and his people have been ill dealt
withal, he on the sudden in the end intercedes and complains of it, and it
is not only instantly redressed, but excused for times past, with ' good
words, and comfortable words.' Christ's Father will not displease him, nor
go against him in anything.
Now that you may see a reason of this, and have all cavils and exceptions
taken away, that may arise against this, and how that there is an impossibility
that it should be otherwise, know that this Father and this Son, though two
persons, have yet but one will between them, and but one power between
them (though the Son, ad extra, outwardly executes all). John x. 30, ' My
Father and I are one ;' that is, have but one and the same power to save you,
and one mind and will. So also, John v. 19, ' The Son can do nothing of
himself, but what he sees the Father do ; and whatever he doth, the same the
Father doth also :' they conspire in one, have one power, one will ; and then
it is no matter though God commit all power to the Son, and that the Son,
vol. rv. f
82 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
though he hath all power, must ask all of the Father, for to be sure what-
ever he asks, the Father hath not power to deny, for they have but one
will and power. They are one ; so as if God deny him, he must deny him-
self, which the apostle tells us he cannot do, 2 Tim. ii. 13. And so in the
same sense that God is said not to have power to deny himself, in the same
sense it may be said, he hath not power to deny Christ what he asks.
Therefore God might well make him an absolute King, and betrust him
with all power ; and Christ might well oblige himself, notwithstanding
this power, to ask all that he means to do ; for they have but one will and
one power, so as our salvation is made sure by this on all hands. ' I come
not to do my will, but the will of him who sent me ; and his will is, that I
shall lose none of all those whom he hath given me,' John vi. 88, 39. And
therefore, ' who shall condemn ? It is Christ that intercedes.' As who
shall resist God's will ? (as the apostle speaks) so who shall resist or gain-
say Christ's intercession ? God himself cannot, no more than he can gain-
say or deny himself.
CHAPTER VIII.
The potency and prevalency of Clirisfs intercession, demonstrated from the
graciousness of the person with whom he intercedes, considered first as he is
the Father of Christ himself.
(2.) "We have seen the greatness of the person interceding, and many
considerations from thence, which may persuade us of his prevailing for us.
Let us now, in the next place, consider the graciousness of the person with
whom he intercedes, which the Scripture, for our comfort herein, doth dis-
tinctly set before us, to the end that in this great matter our joy and secu-
rity may every way be full. Thus in that, 1 John ii. 1, when for the com-
fort and support of believers, agaiust the evil of the greatest sins that can
befall them after conversion, the apostle minds them of Christ's intercession
in those words, ' If any man sin, we have an advocate, Jesus Christ the
righteous ;' mentioning therein the power and prevaleney of such an advo-
cate, through his own righteousness. But yet, over and above all this, the
more fully to assure us of his good success herein for us, he also adds, ' An
advocate with the Father.'' He insinuates and suggests the relation and
gracious disposition of him upon whose supreme will our case ultimately
dependeth, ' the Father,' as affording a new comfort and encouragement,
even as great as doth the righteousness and power of the person interceding.
He says not, ' with God' only, as elsewhere, but ' with the Father.' And
that his words might afford the more full matter of confidence, and be the
more comprehensive, and take in all, he expresseth not this relation of God
limitedly, as confined to his Fatherhood, either unto Christ only, or us
alone. He says not only, ' an advocate with his Father,' though that would
have given much assurance, or ' with your Father,' though that might afford
much boldness ; but indefinitely he says, ' with the Father,' as intending
to take in both ; to ascertain us of the prevailing efficacy of Christ's inter-
cession from both. You have both these elsewhere more distinctly, and on
purpose, and together mentioned, John xx. 17, ' I go to my Father, and
your Father,' says Christ there. And it was spoken after that all his dis-
ciples had before forsaken him, and Peter denied him ; when Christ himself
could send them the greatest cordial that his heart could utter, and wrap
Chap. VIII. j fkom cueist's intercession. 88
up the strongest sublimation of comforts in one pill. What was it ? Go,
tell them (says he) not so much that I have satisfied for sin, overcome death,
or am risen, but that ' I ascend.' For in that which Christ doth for us
being ascended, lies the height, the top of our comfort. And whereas he
might have said (and it had been matter of unspeakable comfort) I ascend
to heaven, and so, where I am you shall be also ; yot he chooseth rather to
say, ' I ascend to the Father : ' for that indeed contained the foundation,
spring, and cause of their comfort, even that relation of God's, his Father-
hood, with which Christ was to deal after his ascending for them. And
because when, before his death, he had spoken of his going to his Father,
their hearts had been troubled, John xiv. 28, they thinking it was for his
own preferment only (as Christ's speech there implies they did) therefore
he here distinctly adds, ' I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my
God and your God.' He had in effect spoken as much before, in the words
foregoing, ' Go, tell my brethren,' but that was only implicitly ; therefore,
more plainly and explicitly he says it, for their further comfort, ' I go to my
Father and your Father.' And consider that Christ being now newly risen,
and having as yet not seen his disciples, and being now to send a message,
his first message, a gospel of good tidings to them, and that in a brief sen-
tence, by a woman ; he chooseth out this as the first word to be spoken
from him now, when he was come out of the other world, at their first hear-
say of his return, he utters forth at once, the bottom, the depth, of all com-
fort, the sum of all joy, than which the gospel knows no greater, nor can go
higher. So as if Christ should intend now at this day to send good news
from heaven to any of you, it would be but this, I am here an advocate,
interceding with my Father and thy Father. All is spoken in that. Even
he could not speak more comfort, who is the God of comfort. Now, there-
fore, let us apart consider these two relations, which afford each of them
their proper comfort and assurance ; both that Christ is ascended and inter-
cedes with his own Father, and also with our Father ; and, therefore, how
prevailing must this intercession be !
First, Christ intercedes with his Father, who neither will nor can deny
him anything. To confirm this, you have a double testimony, and of two
of the greatest witnesses in heaven : both a testimony of Christ's own,
whilst he was on earth, and God's own word also declared since Christ
came to heaven. The fanner, in the 11th of John, whilst Christ was here on
earth, and had not as then fully performed that great service which he was
to finish ; which since he having done, it must needs ingratiate him the
more with God his Father. 'When Lazarus was now four days dead, Martha,
to move Christ to pity her, first tells him that if he had been there before
her brother died, that then he had not died ; and then (as having spoke
too little) she adds, yea, thou canst, if thou pleasest, remedy it yet. ' But
I know' (says she, ver. 22) ' that even now' (though he be so long dead),
' whatever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.' Here was her con-
fidence in Christ's intercession, though this were a greater work than ever
yet Christ had done any. And Christ seeing her faith in this, he confirms
her speech when he came to raise him, and takes a solemn occasion to
declare that God had never denied him any request that he had ever put up to
him, first thanking God particularly that he had heard him in this, ver. 41,
1 Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.' He had (it seems) prayed
for the thing at her entreaty ; and now, before the thing was done, he
(being assured his prayer was heard) gives thanks, so confident was he of
his being heard. And then, secondly, shews upon what this his confidence
84 THE TEIUMPH OF FAIT1J "SECT. V.
at this time was grounded, his constant experience that God had never
denied him any request ; for it follows, ver. 42, ' And I know that thou
hearest me always,' and therefore was so bold as to express my confidence
in this before the thing was done, ' but because of them who stood by, I
said it.' As if he had said, though I gave this public thanks for being
heard only in this one miracle, and at no time the like so publicly ; yet
this is no new thing, but thus it hath been always hitherto in all tho
miracles I have wrought, and requests I have put up, which made me so to
give thanks beforehand ; and this is not the first time that God hath heard
me thus, which I speak, that they might believe. Thus he was never
denied on earth from the first to the last. For this was one of his greatest
miracles, and reserved unto the last, even a few days before his crucifying.
And now he hath performed the service designed him, and is come to
heaven, let us, secondly, hear God himself speak, what he means to do for
him. You heard before, when he came first to heaven, what God said to
him, and how he welcomed him with a ' Sit thou on my right hand till I
make thine enemies thy footstool.' And before Christ opened his mouth to
speak a word, by way of any request to God, which was the office that ho
was now to execute, God himself prevented him, and added, ' Thou art my
Son ; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I will give thee,' Ps.
ii. ver. 8. He speaks it at Christ's first coming up to heaven, when he had
his S King on his holy hill,' as ver. 6. Christ was new glorified, which
was as a new begetting to him, ' To-day have I begotten thee.' And this
is as if he had said, I know you will ask me now for all that you have died
for : and this I promise you beforehand, before you speak a word, or make
any request unto me, you shall ask nothing but it shall be granted ; and
this I speak once for all as a boon and a grace granted you upon your
birthday, as the solemnest celebration of it; for such was his resurrection,
and ascension, and sitting at God's right hand, ' This day have I begotten
thee. Ask of me, and I will give thee.' So full of joy was his Father's
heart that he had his Son in heaven with him, whom he had begotten from
everlasting, and ordained to this glory, who was lately dead, and in a man-
ner lost, and therefore now (as it were) new begotten. God's heart was so
full that he could not hold from expressing it in the largest favours and
grants. And whereas kings upon their own birthdays use to grant such
favours to their favourites, so Herod on his birthday, to the daughter of
Herodias, promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask,
Mat. xiv. 7. God himself having no birthday, not being of himself capable
of it, yet having a Son who had, he honours him with that grace upon that
day. And if Queen Esther (a subject, yea, a slave, in her original condi-
tion) was so prevalent for the Jews, her people and nation, when their
case was desperate, and when there was an irrevocable decree past, and that
not to be altered, for their ruin and destruction, then what will not Christ,
so great a Son, even equal with his Father, prevail for with his Father for
his brethren ? Be their case for the time past never so desperate, be
there never so many threatenings gone out against them, never so many
precedents and examples of men condemned before for the like sins, and in
the like case, yet Christ can prevail against them all.
Cuap. IX. J from Christ's intercession. 85
CHAPTER IX.
The potency of Christ's intercession demonstrated, in that he intercedes with
God, who is our Father. — How God's heart is as much inclined to Ixear
Christ for us as Christ's is to intercede.
Secondly, Christ is an advocato for us with our Father. You may per-
haps think there is littlo in that, but Christ puts much upon it ; yea, so
much, as if that God would however grant all that Christ himself means to
ask, whether Christ asked it or no. This you have expressly in John
xvi. 2G, 27, ' At that day (says Christ) you shall ask in my name : and I
say not to you, that I will pray the Father for you : for the Father himself
loveth you.' To open this place, where he says ' at that day.' The day
he means through this whole chapter, is that time when the Holy Ghost
should be shed upon them ; for throughout his discourse he still speaks of
the fruits of his ascension, and of giving the Comforter, which was done
upon his ascending, and was the first fruits of his priestly office in heaven.
Thus Peter informs us, Acts ii. 33, ' He being (says he) exalted by the
right hand of God, and having received ' (namely, by asking, ' Ask, and I
will give thee') ' of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath
shed forth this, which you now see and hear.' Now, of that time when he
shall be in heaven, he says, ' I say not that I will pray for you ;' which is
not meant that Christ prays not for us in heaven, but rather those very
words arc the highest intimation that he would and doth pray for us that
can be. When men would most strongly intimate their purpose of a kind-
ness they mean to do for one, they use to say, I do not say that I love you,
or that I will do this or that for you ; which is as much as to say, I will
surely do it, and do it to purpose ; but Christ's scope here is, as in the
highest manner to promise them that he would pray for them ; so withal,
further to tell them of their more abundant assurance and security, that
besides their having the benefit of their prayers, God himself so loves them
of himself, that indeed that alone were enough to obtain anything at his
hands, which they shall but ask in his name ; so as he needs not pray
for them, and yet he will too. But now in case that he himself pray for
them, and they themselves in his name, and both unto a Father who of
himself loveth them, and who hath purposed to grant all, before either he
or they should ask ; what hope must there needs be then of a good suc-
cess ! This is both the meaning of this place, and a great truth to be
considered on by us, to the purpose in hand. That it is the meaning of the
place, the manner of Christ's speech implies, ' I say not that I will pray
the Father for you, for the Father himself loveth you.' It is such a speech
as Christ used upon a clean contrary occasion, John v. 45, ' Do not think
(says he) that I will accuse you to the Father : there is one who accuseth
you, even Moses,' &c. He there threatens the obstinate and accursed
Pharisees with condemnation. Never stand thinking that it is I (says he)
who am your only enemy and accuser, that will procure your condemna-
tion, and so prosecute the matter against you merely for my own interest,
no, I shall not need to do it ; though I should not accuse you, your own
• Moses in whom you trust,' he is enough to condemn you, he will do your
errand sufficiently, you would be sure to be damned by his words and say-
ings ; I shall not need to trouble myself to come in and enter my action
against you too, Moses and his law would follow the suit, and be enough
86 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH [SECT. V.
to condemn you to hell. So as this speech doth not imply that Christ will
not at all accuse them ; no, he means to bring in his action against them
'too ; for he after says, ' if he had not spoke to them, they had had no
sin, and therefore he meant to bring the greatest accusation of all. Now,
in an opposite (though parallel) speech here, to comfort his disciples, he
says, 'I say not that I will pray for you,' that God may save you, I who
yourselves shall see will die for you, I say not that I will pray for you, not
I. But though I speak this to insinuate in the highest manner that I will,
for if I spend my blood for you, will I not spend my breath for you ?
Yet the truth is, that the case so stands, that but for God's own ordination
I should not need to do it, ' for the Father himself loves you ; ' that is,
the Father of his own motion and proper good will, taken up of himself to-
wards you, and not wrought in him by me, doth love you, and bears so
much love to you, as he can deny you nothing, for he is ' your Father ' as
well as mine. How much more then shall you be saved when I shall
strike in too, and use all my interest in him for you ? Christ on purpose
useth this speech, so to dash out of their hearts that conceit which har-
boureth in many of ours, who look upon God in the matter of salvation as
one who is hardly entreated to come off to save sinners, and with whom
Christ, through the backwardness of his heart, hath so much ado ; and we are
apt to think that when he doth come off to pardon, he doth it only and merely
at Christ's entreaty, and for his sake, having otherwise no innate motion in
himself sufficient to incline his heart to it ; but that it is in this transac-
tion by Christ with him, as a favourite procures a pardon for a traitor,
whose person the king cares not for; only at his favourite's suit and
request he grants it, which else he would never have done. You are
deceived, says Christ, it is otherwise ; my Father's heart is as much to-
wards you, and for your salvation, as mine is ; himself, of himself, loveth
you. And the truth is, that God took up as vast a love unto us of himself
at first as ever he hath borne us since, and all that Christ doth for us is
but the expression of that love which was taken up originally in God's own
heart. Thus we find that out of that love he gave Christ for us. So John
iii. 16, ' God so loved the world (of elect), that he gave his only begotten
Son to die,' &c. Yea, Christ's death was but a means to commend or set
forth that love of his unto us. So Eom. v. 8. It was God also that did
himself give the persons unto Christ, and underhand set him on work to
mediate for them. 'God was in Christ reconciling the w r orld to him-
self:' he only used Christ as his instrument to bring it honourably about.
All the blessings he means to give us he first purposed and intended in
himself (so Eph. i. 3, 5, 9, 11, compared) ' out of the good pleasure of his
will,' yet in Christ (as it is added there) as the means through which he
would convey them ; yea, Christ adds not one drop of love to God's heart,
only draws it out ; he broacheth it, and makes it flow forth, whose current
had otherwise been stopped. The truth is, that God suborned Christ to
beg them on our behalf for an honourable way of carrying it, as also to
make us prize this favour the more ; so as his heart is as ready to give all
to us, as Christ's is to ask, and this out of his pure love to us.
The intercession therefore of Christ must needs speed, when God's heart
is thus of itself prepared to us. In Isa. liii. 10 it is said, ' The pleasure
of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.' If our salvation be in Christ's
hand, it is in a good hand ; but if it be the pleasure of the Lord too, it
must needs prosper. It is said of our hearts and prayers, that ' he pre-
pareth the heart, and keareth the prayer ; ' much more therefore, when his
Chap. IX.] from Christ's intercession. 87
own heart is prepared to grant the suit, will he easily hear it. When ono
hath a mind to do a tiling, then the least hint procures it of him. So a
father having a mind to spurt! his child, he will take any excuse, any one's
mediation, even of a servant, a stranger, or an enemy, rather than of none.
Now, when Christ shall speak for us, and speak God's own heart, how
prevalent must those words need be ! David's soul, ' longing to go forth
unto Absalom,' 2 Sam. xiii. 39, whom notwithstanding, for the honour of
a father and a king's state policy, and to satisfy the world, he had banished
the court for his treason ; when Joab perceived it, that ' the king's heart
was towards Absalom,' chap. xiv. 1, and that the king only needed one to
speak a good word for him, ho suborns a woman, a stranger (no matter
whom, for it had been all one for speeding), with a made tale to come to
the king ; and you know how easily it took and prevailed with him, and
how glad the king's heart was of that occasion ; even so acceptable it was
to him, that Joab could not have done him a greater kindness, and that
Joab knew well enough. Thus it is with God's heart towards us, Christ
assures us of it, and you may believe him in this case. For Christ might
have took all the honour to himself, and made us beholden to himself alone
for all God's kindness to us ; but he deals plainly, and tells us that his
Father is as ready as himself; and this he doth for his Father's honour
and our comfort. And therefore it is that, John xvii., in that this prayer
so often cited in this discourse, he pleads our election, ' Thine they were,
and thou gavest them me,' ver. 6. Thou commendedst them unto me, and
badest me pray for them, and I do but commend the same to thee again.
In the high priest's breastplate, when he went into the holy of holies, were
set twelve stones, on which were written the names of the twelve tribes :
the mystery of which is this, Christ bears us and our names in his heart
when he goes to God ; and moreover, we are God's jewels, precious in his
own account and choice. So God calls them, Mai. iii. 17, ' Made precious
to him out of his love.' So Isa. xliii. 4. So that God loves us as jewels
chosen by him, but much more when he beholds us set and presented unto
him in the breastplate of Christ's heart and prayer.
To conclude, therefore; we have now made both ends of this text to meet,
God's love and Christ's intercession. The apostle began with that, ' Who
shall accuse ? It is God that justifies ;' and he being for us, ' who can be
against us ? ' The Father himself loves us, as he is our Father. And then
he ends with this, ' Christ intercedes,' namely, with our Father and his
Father, ' who then shall condemn ? ' Who or what can possibly con-
demn, all these things being for us, the least of which were alone enough
to save us ?
Let us now look round about, and take a full view and prospect at once,
of all those particulars that Christ hath done and doth for us, and their
several and joint influence which they have into our salvation.
1. In that Christ died, it assures us of a perfect price paid for, and a
right to eternal life thereby acquired.
2. In that he rose again as a common person, this assures us yet further
that there is a formal, legal, and irrevocable act of justification of us passed
and enrolled in that court of heaven between Christ and God ; and that in
his being then justified, we were also justified in him, so that thereby our
justification is made past recalling.
3. Christ's ascension into heaven is a further act of his taking possession
of heaven for us, he then formally entering upon that our right in our stead ;
and so is a further confirmation of our salvation to us. But still we in our
88 THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH. [SECT. V
won persons are not yet saved, this being but done to us as we are repre-
sentatively in Christ as our head.
4. Therefore he sits at God's right hand, which imports his being armed
and invested with ' all power in heaven and earth, to give and apply eternal
life to us.'
5. And last of all there remains intercession, to finish and complete our
salvation ; to do the thing, even to save us. And as Christ's death and
resurrection were to procure owe justification, so his sitting at God's right
hand and intercession are to procure salvation; and by faith we may see it
done, and behold our souls not only sitting in heaven, as in Christ a com-
mon person sitting there in our right, as an evidence that we shall come
thither; but also through Christ's intercession begun, we may see ourselves
actually possessed of heaven. And there I will leave all you that are be-
lievers by faith possessed of it, and solacing your souls in it, and do you
fear condemnation if you can.
CHAPTER X.
The mo of all; containing some encouragements for weak believers, from Christ's
intercession, out of Heb. VII. 25.
Now, for a conclusion of this discourse, I will add a brief use of encour-
agement ; and this, suited to the lowest faith of the weakest believer, who
cannot put forth any act of assurance, and is likewise discouraged from
coming in unto Christ. And I shall confine myself only unto what those
most comfortable words, as any in the book of God, do hold forth, which
the apostle hath uttered concerning Christ's intercession, the point in hand :
' Wherefore he is able to save to the utmost those that come to God by
him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them,' — words which I
have had the most recourse unto in this doctrinal part of any other, as most
tending to the clearing of many things about intercession ; and which I
would also commend to and leave with poor believers, to have recourse
unto for their comfort, as a sufficient abundary of consolation unto their
souls, and as a catholicon or universal cordial against all faintings and mis-
givings of spirit whatsoever.
In the words observe,
1. A definition of faith by the lowest acts of it, for the comfort of weak
Christians.
2. Encouragements unto such a faith, opposite to all misgivings and dis-
couragements whatsoever.
1. A definition of faith ; and such as will suit the weakest believer. It
is a coming unto God by Christ for salvation.
(1.) It is a coming to be saved. Let not the want of assurance that God
will save thee, or that Christ is thine, discourage thee, if thou hast but a
heart to come to God by Christ to be saved, though thou knowest not
whether he will yet save thee or no. Remember that the believers of the
New Testament are here described to be comers to God by Christ ; such as
go out of themselves, and rest in nothing in themselves, do come unto God
through Christ for salvation, though with trembling.
(2.) It is a coming unto God. For he is the ultimate object of our faith,
and the person with whom we have to do in believing, and from whom we
are to receive salvation, if ever we obtain it.
Chap. X.] from Christ's intercession. 89
(3.) It ia a corning unto God by Christ ; which phraso is used in this
Epistle, in an allusion to tho worshippers of tho Old Testament, who, when
they had sinned, were directed to go to God by a priest, who with a sacri-
fice made an atonement for them. Now Christ is tho great and true high
priest, ' by whom we have access to the Father,' Eph. ii. 18. Tho word
is -TrgotJayuyriv, a leading by the hand. Dost thou not know how to appear
before God, or to come to him ? Como first to Christ, and ho will tako
thee by the hand, and go along with thee, and lead thee to his Father.
(4.) It is a coming unto God by Christ for salvation. Many a poor soul
is apt to think that in coming to God by faith, it must not aim at itself, or
its own salvation. Yes, it may : for that is here made tho errand or busi-
ness which faith hath with God in coming to him, or which it comes for ;
and this is secretly couched in these words, for the apostle, speaking of
the very aim of the heart in coming, he therefore on purpose mentions
Christ's ability to save : ' he is able to save.'
2. Secondly, here are many encouragements to such a faith as is not yet
grown up unto assurance of salvation.
(1.) Here is the most suitable object propounded unto it, namely, Christ
as interceding ; which work of intercession, because it remains for Christ
as yet to do for a soul that is to be saved, and which he is every day a-doing
for us ; therefore it is more peculiarly fitted unto a recumbent faith. For,
when such a soul comes and casts itself upon Christ, that thing in Christ
which must needs most suit that kind of act is that which is yet to be done
by Christ for that soul. Now for that soul to come to Christ to die for it,
and offer up himself a sacrifice (as sinners did use to come to the high
priest to sacrifice for them), this were bootless, for (as it is, ver. 27) he
hath at ' once done that ' already. And as for what is already past and
done, such a believer's faith is oftentimes exceedingly puzzled what manner
of act to put forth towards Christ about ; as (for example) when it is about
to come unto God, and it hears of an election of some unto salvation from
all eternity made by him ; because this is an act already passed by God, tho
soul knows it to be in vain to cast itself upon God for election or to come
unto him to elect and choose itself. And so, in like manner, when the
soul looks upon Christ's death, because it is done and past, it knows not
how to take it in believing, when it wanteth assurance that Christ died for
it, though it should come to Christ to be saved by virtue of his death. But
there is this one work that remains still to be done by him for us, and which
he is daily a-doing, and that is, interceding ; for he lives ever to intercede
or to pray for us, in the strength and merit of that his sacrifice once offered
up. This therefore is more directly and peculiarly fitted unto a faith of
recumbency, or of coming unto Christ ; the proper act of such a faith (as it
is distinguished from faith of assurance) being a casting one's self upon
Christ for something it would have done or wrought for one. Hence inter-
cession becomes a fit object for the aim and errand of such a faith in this
its coming to Christ, as also ' to be saved ' is ; it being a thing yet to be
wrought and accomplished for me by Christ, is therefore a fit mark for such a
faith to level at in its coming to Christ. Those acts of God and Christ which
are past, faith of assurance doth more easily comply with : such a faith takes
in with comfort that Christ hath died for me, and risen again, and doth now
intercede for me, and so I shall certainly be saved ; but so cannot this weak
faith do. Come thou therefore unto Christ, as to save thee through his
death past, and by the merit of it, so for the present, and for the time to
come, to take thy cause in hand, and to intercede for thee : it is a great
90 THE TRIUMPH OP FAITH [SECT. V.
relief unto such a faith (as cannot put forth acts of assurance, that what
hath been done by Christ hath been done for it), that God hath left Christ
this work yet to do for us. So as the intercession of Christ may afford
matter to such a faith to throw itself upon Christ, to perform it for us, and
it may set a-work to do it.
(2.) Now if such a soul ask, But will Christ, upon my coming to him for
salvation, be set a-work to intercede for me, and undertake my cause ?
I answer it out of those words, ' He lives to intercede for them who come
to God by him.' He lives on purpose to perform this work ; it is the end
of his living, the business of his life. And as he received a commandment
to die, and it was the end of his life on earth, so he hath received a com-
mand to intercede, and to be a common high priest for all that come to
God by him. God hath appointed him to this work by an oath, ' He sware,
and would not repent, Thou shalt be a priest for ever, after the order of Mel-
chisedec :' and this is the end of his life in heaven. That as in the old
law the high priest (Christ's type in this) ' ought to offer up the sacrifice '
of every one that came unto God by him (as Heb. v. 5), in like manner
Christ ; for it is his calling, as you have it, ver. 6. Otherwise, as that
woman said to Philip, when she came to him for justice, and he put her off,
Then cease (says she) to be a king : so if Christ should deny any such soul
to take its cause in hand, he must then cease to be a priest. He lives to
intercede ; he is a priest called by God, as was Aaron, ver. 6. Wherefore
he ought to do it, in that it is his office.
(3.) And if thy soul yet feareth the difficulty of its own particular case,
in respect of the greatness of thy sins, and the circumstances thereof, or any
consideration whatsoever, which to thy view doth make thy salvation an
hard suit to obtain : the apostle therefore further adds, ' He is able to save
to the utmost,' whatever thy cause be, and this through this his interces-
sion. That same word, ' to the utmost,' is a good word, and well put in
for our comfort. Consider it therefore, for it is a reaching word, and ex-
tends itself so far, that thou canst not look beyond it. Let thy soul be set
upon the highest mount that ever any creature was yet set upon, and that
is enlarged to take in and view the most spacious prospect both of sin and
misery, and difficulties of being saved, that ever yet any poor humbled soul
did cast within itself: yea, join to these all the objections and hindrances
of thy salvation that the heart of man can suppose or invent against itself :
lift up thy eyes and look to the utmost thou canst see, and Christ by his
intercession is able to save thee beyond the horizon and furthest compass
of thy thoughts, even ' to the utmost ' and worst case the heart of man can
suppose. It is not thy having lain long in sin, long under terrors and
despairs, or having sinned often after many enlightenings, that can hinder
thee from being saved by Christ. Do but remember this same word, ' to
the utmost,' and then put in what exceptions thou wilt or canst, lay all the
bars in thy way that are imaginable ; yet know thou that ' the gates of hell
shall not prevail against thee.'
(4.) Again, consider but what it is that Christ, who hath by his death
done enough to save thee, doth yet further for thee in heaven. If thou
thoughtest thou hadst all the saints in heaven and earth jointly concurring in
promoving thy salvation, and competitors unto God in instant and incessant
requests and prayers to save thee, how wouldst thou be encouraged ?
Shall I tell thee ? One word out of Christ's mouth (who is the King of
saints) will do more than all in heaven and earth can do : and what is there
then which we may not hope to obtain through his intercession ?
Chap. X.] from Christ's intercession. 91
And wouldst thou know -whether ho hath undertaken thy cause, and
begun to intercede for thee ? In a word, Hath he put his Spirit into thy
heart, and set thy own heart on work to make incessant intercessions for
thyself ' with gi'oans unutterable ' (as the apostle hath it, Horn, viii.) ?
This is the echo of Christ's intercession for thee in heaven.
(5.) And lastly ; if such a soul shall further object, But will he not give
over suing for me ? May I not be cast out of his prayers through my un-
belief ? Let it here be considered that he lives ' ever ' to intercede : and
therefore, if he once undertake thy cause, and getteth thee into his prayers,
he will never leave thee out, night nor day. He intercedeth ever, till he
hath accomplished and finished thy salvation. Men have been cast out of
good and holy men's prayers, as Saul out of Samuel's, and the people of
Israel out of Jeremiah's, but never out of Christ's prayers ; the ' smoke of
his incense ascends for ever,' and he will intercede to the utmost, till he
hath saved thee to the utmost. He will never give over, but will lie in the
dust for thee, or he will perfect and procure thy salvation.
Only, whilst I am thus raising up your faith to him upon the work of his
intercession for us, let me speak a word to you for him, so to stir up your
love to him, upon the consideration of this his intercession also. You see you
have the whole life of Christ, first and last, both here and in heaven, laid
out for you. He had not come to earth but for you, he had no other busi-
ness here. ' Unto us a Son is born.' And, to be sure, he had not died but
for you. ' For us a Son was given ;' and when he rose, it was ' for your
justification.' And now he is gone to heaven, he lives but to intercede for
you. He makes your salvation his constant calling. therefore, let us
live wholly unto him, for he hath and doth live wholly unto us. You have
his whole time among you ; and if he were your servant, you could desire
no more. There was much of your time lost before you began to live to
him ; but there hath been no moment of his time which he hath not lived
to, and improved for you. Nor are you able ever to live for him but only
in this life, for hereafter you shall live with him, and be glorified of him.
I conclude all with that of the apostle, ' The love of Christ it should con-
strain us,' because we cannot but 'judge ' this to be the most equal, that
1 they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him
who died for them, and rose again,' and (out of the text I also add) ' sits
at God's right hand ;' yea, and there ' lives for ever to make intercession
for us.'
THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN,
TOWARDS SINNERS ON EARTH.
[ORIGINAL TITLE.]
THE
HEART
OF
CHRIST In Heaven,
Towards
Sinners on Earth.
OB,
A TREATISE
DEMONSTRATING
The gracious Disposition and tender
Affection of Christ in his Humane Nature now in
Glory, unto his Members under all sorts of
Infirmities, either of Sin or Misery.
By Tho : Goodwin, B.D.
LONDON,
Printed by J. G. for R. Dawlman, 1651.
THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN,
TO SINNERS ON EARTH.
PART I.
Having set forth our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in all those great and
most solemn actions of his — his obedience unto death, his resurrection,
ascension into heaven, his sitting at God's right hand, and intercession for
us, which of all the other hath been more largely insisted on — I shall now
annex (as next in order, and homogeneal thereunto) this discourse that
follows, which lays open the heart of Christ, as now he is in heaven, sit-
ting at God's right hand and interceding for us ; how it is affected and gra-
ciously disposed towards sinners on earth that do come to him ; how will-
ing to receive them ; how ready to entertain them ; how tender to pity
them in all their infirmities, both sins and miseries. The scope and use
whereof will be this, to hearten and encourage believers to come more boldly
unto the throne of grace, unto such a Saviour and High Priest, when they
shall know how sweetly and tenderly his heart, though he is now in his
glory, is inclined towards them ; and so to remove that great stone of
stumbling which we meet with (and yet lieth unseen) in the thoughts of
men in the way to faith, that Christ being now absent, and withal exalted
to so high and infinite a distance of glory, as to ' sit at God's right hand,'
&c, they therefore cannot tell how to come to treat with him about their
salvation so freely, and with that hopefulness to obtain, as those poor sin-
ners did, who were here on earth with him. Had our lot been, think they,
but to have conversed with him in the days of his flesh, as Mar}-, and
Peter, and his other disciples did here below, we could have thought to
have been bold with him, and to have had anything at his hands. For they
beheld him afore them a man hke unto themselves, and he was full of meek-
ness and gentleness, he being then himself made sin, and sensible of all
sorts of miseries ; but now he is gone into a far country, and hath put on
glory and immortality, and how his heart may be altered thereby we know
not. The drift of this discourse is therefore to ascertain poor souls, that
his heart, in respect of pity and compassion, remains the same it was on
earth ; that he intercedes there with the same heart he did here below ; and
that he is as meek, as gentle, as easy to be entreated, as tender in his
bowels ; so that they may deal with him as fairly about the great matter
of their salvation, and as hopefully, and upon as easy terms to obtain it of
96 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART I.
lira, as they might if they had been on earth with him, and be as familiar
with him in all their needs — than which nothing can bo more for the
comfort and encouragement of those who have given over all other lives
but that of faith, and whose souls pursue after strong and entire commu-
nion with their Saviour Christ.
Now the demonstrations that may help our faith in this I reduce to
two heads : the first more extrinsical and outward ; the second more
intrinsical and inward : the one showing the on of it, that it is so ; the
other the dwrt, the reasons and grounds why it must be so.
I. First, for those extrinsical demonstrations (as I call them), they are
taken from several passages and carriages of his, in all those several condi-
tions of his ; namely, at his last farewell afore his death, his resurrection,
ascension, and how he is sitting at God's right hand. I shall lead you
through all the same heads which I have gone over in the former treatise
(though to another purpose), and take such observations from his speeches
and carriages, in all those states he went through, as shall tend directly to
persuade our hearts of the point in hand, namely this, that now he is in
heaven, his heart remains as graciously inclined to sinners that come to
him, as ever on earth. And for a ground or introduction to these first sort
of demonstrations, I shall take this Scripture that follows ; as for those
other, another Scripture, as proper to that part of this discourse.
When Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this
world unto the Father, having loved his own, he loved them to the end; (or)
for ever. — John XIII. 1.
Demonstrations from Christ's last farewell to his disciples.
I. It was long before that Christ did break his mind to his disciples that
he was to leave them, and to go away to heaven from them, for, John xvi. 4,
he says, he had forborne ' to tell it them from the beginning.' But when
he begins to acquaint them with it, he then at once leaves them an abund-
ance of his heart, and that not only how it stood towards them, and what
it was at the present, but what it would be when he should be in his glory.
Let us, to this end, but briefly peruse his last carriage, and his sermon at
his last supper which he did eat with them, as it is on purpose penned and
recorded by the evangelist John ; and we shall find this to be the drift of
those long discourses of Christ's, from the 13th to the 18th chapter. I will
not make a comment on them, but only briefly take up such short observa-
tions as do more specially hold forth this thing in hand.
1. These words which I have prefixed as the text, are the preface unto
all that his discourse that follows (namely, unto that washing of his disciples'
feet, and his succeeding sermon), which accordingly do shew the argument
and sum of all. The preface is this : ' Before the feast of the passover,
when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this
world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he
loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, Jesus knowing that
the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from
God, and went to God, he then washed his disciples' feet.' Now this pre-
face was prefixed by the evangelist, on purpose to set open a window into
Christ's heart, to shew what it was then at his departure, and so withal to
give a light into, and put a gloss and interpretation upon all that follows.
Part I.] unto sinners on earth. 97
The scope whereof is to shew what his affections would be to them in
heaven : he tells us what Christ's thoughts were then, and what was his
heart amidst those thoughts, both which occasioned all that succeeds.
(1.) He premiseth what was in Christ's thoughts and his meditation.
He began deeply to consider, both that he was to depart out of this world,
' Jesus knew,' &c, says the text (that is, was then thinking of it), ' that he
should depart unto the Father,' and how that then he should shortly be
installed into that glory which was due unto him ; so it follows, ver. 3,
* Jesus knowing' (that is, was then actually taking into his mind) ' that the
Father had given all things into his hands,' that is, that all power in heaven
and earth was his, so soon as he should set footing in heaven ; then in the
midst of these thoughts he tells us, he went and washed his disciples' feet, after
he had first considered whither he was to go, and there what he was to be.
(2.) But, secondly, what was Christ's heart most upon, in the midst of
all these elevated meditations ? Not upon his own glory so much, though
it is told us that he considered that, thereby the more to set out his love
unto us, but upon these thoughts his heart ran out in love towards, and
was set upon, ' his own:' ' having loved his own,' says the 1st verse, rhug
idiovg, his own, a word denoting the greatest nearness, dearness, and inti-
matcness founded upon propriety.* The elect are Christ's own, a piece of
himself, not rd "iha, as goods, John i. 11 : ' he came unto his own, and
his own received him not ;' ra 'ibia, the word shews that he reckons them
his own, but as goods, not as persons, but he calls these here rbvg idiovg,
his own by a nearer propriety, that is, his own children, his own members,
his own wife, his own flesh ; and he considers, that though he was to go
out of the world, yet they were to be in the world, and therefore it is on
purpose added, ' which were in the world,' that is, to remain in this world.
He had others of his own who were in that world unto which he was going,
even ' the spirits of just men made perfect,' whom as yet he had never
seen. One would think, that when he was meditating upon his going out
of this world, his heart should be all upon Abraham, his Isaacs, and his
Jacobs, whom he was going to ; no, he takes more care for his own, who
were to remain here in this world, a world wherein there is much evil (as
himself says, John xvii. 15), both of sin and misery, and with which them-
selves, whilst in it, could not but be defiled and vexed. This is it which
draws out his bowels towards them, even at that time when his heart was
full of the thoughts of his own glory : ' having loved his own, he loved
them unto the end.' Which is spoken to shew the constancy of his love, and
what it would be when Christ should be in his glory. ' To the end,' that is,
to the perfection of it, g/g rsXiiusiv, says Chrysostom ; having begun to love
them, he will perfect and consummate his love to them. And ' to the
end,' that is, for ever. So in the Greek, zig r'eXog is sometimes used, and
so by the evangelist the phrase is here used in a suitableness to the Scrip-
ture phrase, Ps. ciii. 9, ' He will not always chide, nor reserve anger for
ever,' so we translate it ; but in the original, ' He reserves not anger unto
the end.' So that the scope of this speech is to shew how Christ's heart
and love would be towards them even for ever, when he should be gone
unto his Father, as well as it was to shew how it had been here on earth,
they being his own ; and he having loved them, he alters, he changes not,
and therefore will love them for ever.
(3.) And then thirdly, to testify thus much by a real testimony, what his
love would be, wherfin heaven, to them, the evangelist shews, that when he
* That is, 'property,' or 'ownership.' — Ed.
VOL. IV. O
!J8 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART I.
was in the midst of all those great thoughts of his approaching glory, and
of the sovereign estate which he was to be in, he then took water and a
towel, and washed his disciples' feet. This to have been his scope will ap-
pear, if you observe but the coherence in the second verse, it is said, that
' Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands,' then
(ver. 4) ' he riseth from supper, and lays aside his garments, and took a
towel and girded himself ;' (ver. 5) after that, ' he poured water into a bason,
and began to wash his disciples' feet,' &c, where it is evident that the evan-
gelist's scope is to hold forth this unto us, that then when Christ's thoughts
were full of his glory, and when he took in the consideration of it unto the
utmost, even then, and upon that occasion, and in the midst of those
thoughts, he washed his disciples' feet. And what was Christ's meaning in
this, but that, whereas when he should be in heaven, he could not make
such outward visible demonstrations of his heart, by doing such mean
services for them ; therefore by doing this in the midst of such thoughts of
his glory, he would shew what he could be content (as it were) to do for
them, when he should be in full possession of it ? So great is his love
unto them. There is another expression of Christ's like unto this, in Luke
xii. 36, 37, which confirms this to be his meaning here, and to be his very
heart in heaven. At ver. 36, he compares himself to a bridegroom, who
is to go to heaven unto a wedding-feast ; who hath servants on earth that
stand all that while here below, as without, waiting for him ; at which, be-
cause they wait so long, they may think much, Christ adds, ' Verily I say
unto you, that when the bridegroom returns' (refreshed with wine and glad-
ness) ' he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will
come forth and serve them.' The meaning is not as if that Christ served
at the latter day, or now in heaven, those that sit down there ; but only it
is an abundant expression in words, as here in a real instance, to set forth
the overflowing love that is in his heart, and the transcendent happiness
that we shall then enjoy, even beyond what can be expected by us ; he
utters himself therefore by an unwonted thing not heard of, that the Lord
should serve his servants, and wait on them that waited for him. And it
is to shew his heart to them, and what he could be contented to do for
them. So that you see what his heart was before he went to heaven, even
amidst the thoughts of all bis glory ; and you see what it is after he hath
been in heaven, and greatened with all his glory, even content to wash poor
sinners' feet, and to serve them that come to him and wait for him.
(4.) Now, fourthly, what was the mystery of this his washing their feet ?
It was, as to give them an example of mutual love and humility, so to signify
his washing away their sins ; thus, verses 8 and 10, himself interprets it.
It is true indeed, that, now he is in heaven, he cannot come to wash the
feet of their bodies, but he would signify thus much thereby, that those sin-
ners that will come to him when in his glory, he will wash away all their
sins ; ' He loved his church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify
and cleanse it with the washing of water, that he might present it to himself
a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle,' &c, Eph. v. 25-27.
2. This specimen or declaration of his mind, we have from this his car-
riage, at this his last farewell. Let us next take a survey of the drift of
that long sermon which he made at that his farewell, and we shall find the
main scope of it to be further to assure his disciples of what his heart would
be unto them ; and that will make a second demonstration.
It were too long a work to insist upon each pai-ticulfcr. But certainly,
no loving husband ever endeavoured more to satisfy the heart of his spouse
Part I.] unto sinners on earth. 99
during his absence, than Christ doth his disciples' hearts, and in them all
believers. For take that along, once for all, that what Christ said unto
them, he says unto us, as in that 17th of John that speech implies, ' I pray
not for them only, but for those also that shall believe through their word.
And as what he prayed for them was for all believers also, so what he then
spake unto them.
(1.) First, he lets them see what his heart would be unto them, and how
mindful of them when in heaven, by that business which he professeth he
went thither to perform for them ; concerning which, observe first, that he
lovingly acquaints them with it aforehand what it is, which argued care and
tenderness, as from an husband unto a wife it doth. And withal, how
plain-heartedly doth he speak, as one that would not hide any thing from
them ! ' I tell you the truth of it' (says he), ' it is expedient, and expedient
for you, that I go away,' John xvi. 7. And secondly, he tells them, it is
wholly for them and their happiness, ' I go to send you a comforter,' whilst
you are in this world, and ' to prepare a place for you,' John xiv. 2, when
you shall go out of this world. ' There are many mansions in my Father's
house,' and I go to take them up for you, and to keep your places for you
till you come. And there again, how openly and candidly doth he speak
to them ! ' If it had been otherwise, says he, I would have told you.'
You may believe me, I would not deceive you for all the glory in that place
to which I am a-going. Whom would not this openness and nakedness of
heart persuade ? But then, thirdly, the business itself being such as is so
much for us and our happiness, how much more doth that argue it. And
indeed, Christ himself doth fetch from thence an argument of the continu-
ance of his love to them. So ver. 3, ' If I go to prepare a place for you,
if that be my errand, then doubt not of my love when I am there, all the
glory of the place shall never make me forget my business. When he was
on earth, he forgot none of the business for which he came into the world ;
• Shall I not do my Father's business ?' said he, when he was a child ;
yes, and he did it to the utmost, by fulfilling all righteousness. Surely
therefore he will not forget any of that business which he is to do in heaven,
it being the more pleasant work by far. And (as I shewed in the former
discourse, out of Heb. vi. 20) ' He is entered as a^forerunner,' an harbin-
ger, to take up places there for us ; and if he could forget us, yet our
names are all written in heaven round about him, and are continually afore
his eyes written there, not only by God's election, so Heb. xii. 23, ' Ye are
come to mount Zion, and to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the church of
the firstborn which are written in heaven, and to Jesus, and to the blood
of sprinkling,' &c, but Christ himself scores them up anew with his blood,
over every mansion there, which he takes up for any. Yea, he carrieth
their names written in his heart, as the high priest did the names of the
ten* tribes on his breast, when he entered into the holy of holies. He sits
in heaven to see to it, that none other should take their rooms over their
heads, as we say. And therefore, 1 Peter i. 4, salvation is said to be ' re-
served in heaven for them,' that is, kept on purpose for them by Jesus
Christ. The evil angels had places there once, but they were disposed of
unto others over their heads, as the land of Canaan was from the Canaanites ;
the reason of which was, because they had not a Christ there to intercede
for them as we have.
(2.) Then, secondly, to manifest his mindfulness of them, and of all be-
ievers else, when he should be in his glory, he tells them that when he hath
* Qu. 'twelve'?— Ed.
100 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART I.
despatched that business for them, and made heaven ready for them, and
all the elect that are to come, that then he means to come again to them.
So chap. xiv. ver. 3, ' If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again,' which is a mere expression of love, for he if he had pleased, he
might have ordered it to have sent for them to him ; but he means to come
for them himself, and this when he is warm (as we speak) and in the height
and midst of his glory in heaven ; yet he will for a time leave it to come
again unto his spouse. And what is it for? [1.] To see her, ' I will see
you again, and your heart shall rejoice.' [2.] To fetch her, so John xiv. 3,
' I will come again and receive you to myself.' He condescends to the
very laws of bridegrooms, for notwithstanding all his greatness, no lover
shall put him down in any expression of true love. It is the manner of
bridegrooms, when they have made all ready in their father's house, then
to come themselves and fetch their brides, and not to send for them by
others, because it is a time of love. Love descends better than ascends,
and so doth the love of Christ, who indeed is love itself, and therefore comes
down to us himself ; ' I will come again and receive you unto myself ' (says
Christ), ' that so where I am, you may be also.' That last part of his speech
gives the reason of it, and withal bewrays his entire affection. It is as if
he had said, The truth is, I cannot live without you, I shall never be quiet
till I have you where I am, that so we may never part again ; that is the
reason of it. Heaven shall not hold me, nor my Father's company, if I
have not you with me, my heart is so set upon you ; and if I have any
glory, you shall have part of it. So ver. 19, ' Because I live, you shall
live also.' It is a reason, and it is half an oath besides, As I live is God's
oath ; Because I live, says Christ. He pawns his life upon it, and desires to
live upon no other terms, ' He shall live to see his seed,' &c, Isa. liii.
And yet farther, the more to express the workings and longings of his heart
after them all that while, he tells them it shall not be long neither ere he
doth come again to them. So John xvi. 16, ' Again a little while and ye
shall see me ; a little while and ye shall not see me,' says he. Which not
seeing him refers not to that small space of absence whilst dead and in the
grave, but of that after his last ascending, forty days after his resurrection,
when he should go away, not to be seen on earth again until the day of
judgment ; and yet from that ascension but ' a little while,' says he, ' and
you shall see me again,' namely, at the day of judgment. It is said, Heb.
x. 37, ' Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not
tarry.' The words in the Greek are, eri yue iir/Sw oeov osov, 6 h-^o^ivog f^u,
f As little little as may be.' Though long for the time in itself, yet as little
while as may be in respect of his desire, without the least delaying to come.
He will stay not a moment longer, than till he hath despatched all our
business there for us. And then the doubling of the phrase, 6 s^o/j.mog
ij^si, veniens venict, ' Coming he will come,' implies vehemency of desire to
come, and that his mind is always upon it, he is still a-coming, he can
hardly be kept away. Thus the Hebrew phrase likewise signifies an urgency,
vehemency, and intenseness of some act, as ' expecting I have expected,'
' desiring I have desired,' so coming he will come. And as not content with
these expressions of desire, he adds over and above all these, ' and will not
tarry ;' and all to signify the infinite ardency of his mind towards his elect
below, and to have all his elect in heaven about him. He will not stay a
minute longer than needs must, he tarries only till he hath throughout till
ages by his intercession prepared every room for each saint, that he may
entertain them all at once together, and have them all about him.
Part I. unto sinners on earth. 101
(8.) Thirdly, what his heart would bo towards thcin in his absence lie
espresseth by the careful provision he makes, and the order he takes for
their comfort in Ins absence, John xvi. 18, ' I will not leave yon as
orphans ' (so the word is), I will not leave you like fatherless and friend-
less children, at sixes and sevens. My Father and I have but only one
friend, who lies in the bosom of us both, and proceedeth from us both, the
Holy Ghost, and in the mean time I will send him to you, doing herein
as a loving husband useth to do in his absence, even commit his wife to
the dearest friend he hath ; so doth Christ, ver. 16, • I will pray the
Father,' says he, ' and he shall give you another Comforter.' And chap,
xvi. 7, he saith, ' I will send him to you.' Who,
First, shall be a better Comforter unto you than I am to be in this kind
of dispensation, which whilst I am on earth T am bound up towards you
in. So in that 16th of John ver. 7 he intimates, ' It is expedient,' says
he, • that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come,'
who, by reason of his office, will comfort you better than I should do with
my bodily presence. And this Spirit, as he is the ' earnest of heaven,' as
the apostle speaks, so he is the greatest token and pledge of Christ's love
that ever was, and such a one as ' the world cannot receive.' And yet,
Secondly, all the comfort he shall speak to you all that while will be but
from the expression of my heart towards you ; for as he comes not of him-
self, but I must send him, John xvi. 7, so ' he will speak nothing of him-
self, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak,' ver. 13. And ver.
14 he says, ' He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.' Him,
therefore, I shall send on purpose to be in my room, and to execute my place
to you, my bride, spouse, and he shall tell you, if you will listen to him,
and not grieve him, nothing but stories of my love. So it is there, ' He
shall glorify me,' namely, to you ; for I am in myself already glorified in
heaven. All his speech in your hearts will be to advance me, and to greaten
my worth and love unto you, and it will be his delight to do it. And he
can come from heaven in an instant when he will, and bring you fresh
tidings of my mind, and tell you the thoughts I last had of you, even at
that very minute when I am thinking of them, what they are at the very
time wherein he tells you them. And therefore in that 1 Cor. ii., by
• having the Spirit,' ver. 12, we are said to ' have the mind of Christ,' ver.
16 ; for he dwelleth in Christ's heart, and also ours, and lifts up from one
hand to the other what Christ's thoughts are to us, and what our prayers
and faith are to Christ. So that you shall have my heart as surely and as
speedily as if I were with you ; and he will continually be breaking your
hearts, either with my love to you, or yours to me, or both ; and if either,
you may be sure of my love thereby. And whereas, says he, you have the
Spirit now in your hearts, so, ver. 17 oi chap, xiv., ' he now dwells in yon;'
yet after my ascension ' he shall be,' in a further measure, ' in you,' as it
follows there. And at that day, ver. 20, ' you shall know ' (namely, by his
dictate) ' that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.' He will
tell you, when I am in heaven, that there is as true a conjunction between
me and you, and as true a dearness of affection in me towards you, as is
between my Father and me, and that it is as impossible to break this knot,
and to take off my heart from you, as my Father's from me, or mine from
my Father. And then.
Thirdly, you shall be sure that what he says of my love to you is true,
for « he is the Spirit of truth,' chap xvi. ver. 13, as also chap. xiv. ver. 16,
17, which Christ speaks of him as he is a Comforter. And as you believo
102 THE HEART OP CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART I.
me when I tell you of my Father, because I come from him, so you may
believe him in all that he says of me and of my love to you, for he comes
from me.
Aye, but might they say, Will not he also leave us for a time, as you have
done ? No, says Christ, chap. xiv. 16, ' The Father shall give you another
Comforter, and he shall abide with you for ever.' Christ speaks it in
opposition to himself. He himself had been a comforter unto them, but
he was now to be absent ; but not so the Spirit. ' He shall be with you
for ever ; ' and as he is now • with you,' so he ' shall be in you,' ver. 17.
In the fourth place, if this be not enough to assure them how his heart
would be affected towards them, he assures them he will give them daily ex-
perience of it. Do but try me, says he, when I am gone, and that by sending
me word upon all occasions what you would have me to do for you, and I
have left my Spirit to be your secretary and the inditer of all your peti-
tions. ' Hitherto you have asked nothing (that is, little) in my name ' —
he blames them that they have asked him no more to do for them — ' but
now ask, and you shall receive.' And if otherwise you will not believe,
yet you shall believe your own eyes ; ask, and you shall see yourselves
answered presently. Believe, and so believe me, says he, ' for the works'
sake,' John xiv. 11. He speaks it of the works he would do for them in
answer to their prayers when he was gone, which should be as so many
epistles of his heart returned in answer unto theirs ; for it follows, ver. 12,
' He that believeth on me shall do greater works than I, because I go to
my Father,' so that it is manifest he speaks of the works done after his
ascension. And how were they to get and procure them to be done ? By
prayer ; so it follows, ver. 13, ' And whatsoever you shall ask in my name,
that will I do.' He speaks it of the time when he is gone. And again he
says in ver. 14, ' If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.' Let
me but hear from you, be it every week, every day, every hour, you shall
be sure of an answer. ' Open your mouths wide, and I will fill them.'
And those your prayers shall be as continual tokens both of your hearts
towards me, and my answers shall be the like of mine to you. And because
Christ bids them direct (their letters) their prayers, to the Father, only
to send them in his name, as John xvi. 23, and so they might perhaps not
so clearly know and discern that his heart was in the answer to them, but
his Father's hand only, therefore he adds twice in the 14th of John, ' I will
do it, I will do it.' He speaks like one as forward to do for them, as his
Father is, or should be, and as desirous to have them know and take notice
of his hand in it. And it is as if he had said, Though you ask the Father
in my name, yet all comes through my hands, and ' I will do it ; ' there
must be my hand to the warrant for everything that is done, and my heart
shall not be wanting.
In the fifth place, yet further to evidence his love, he not only bids them
thus pray to him and in his name upon all occasions, but he assureth them
that he himself will pray for them. And observe but the manner of his
telling them this ; it is in the most insinuating, persuasive expressions to
convey his heart into them that men use to utter when they would inti-
mate the deepest care and purpose to do a thing. Chap. xvi. 2G, ' At
that day (namely, after his ascension) ye shall ask,' &c, says he, ' and I
say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you ; ' no, not I. I
mentioned it afore ; I will but add this illustration to it. It is such a
speech as men use when they would express the greatest reason that
another hath to rest confident and assured of their love, ' I do not love
Part I.] unto sinners on earth. 103
you, no, not I.' It is an expressing a thing by its contrary, which is
most emphatical. As when we say of a man that hath the greatest good
turn done him that can be, You are shrewdly hurt. It is such an ex-
pression as Paul used to the Corinthians, I converted your souls when
you thought not of it ; 'I caught you with guile ; forgive me this wrong.'
»:\s Christ here, ' I say not that I will pray for you,' when the truth
is, that it is the chiefest work that he doth in heaven. ' He lives ever
to intercede ; as he ever lives, so to intercede ever, and never to hold
his peace till sinners are saved. But the work of Christ in heaven is a
subject deserves and will take up a distinct and large discourse ; I will
therefore speak no more of it now, neither will I mention any more par-
ticulars out of this his sermon. Read but over those three chapters (the
14th, loth, and 16th), for in thern you have the longest sermon of his
that is recorded ; and he stood the longest upon this theme of any other,
because, indeed, his heart was more in it than in any point that he ever
preached on.
Only, if any object and say, He spake all this to his disciples to quiet
and pacify them, and so, more in respect to their trouble, than otherwise
he would have spoken.
In the sixth place, read but the next chapter (the 17th), and you shall
see that he presently goes apart and alone to his Father, and speaks over
all again unto him that which he had said unto them. He says as much
behind their backs of them as he had said before their faces to them. Read
it, and you will find that he was the same absent that present with them.
He was, therefore, not only hearty in what he had said, but his heart was full
of it. That chapter, you know, contains a prayer put up just before his suffer-
ing, and there he makes his will and his last request, for in such a style
it runs, ' Father, I will,' ver. 21, which will he is gone to see executed
in heaven. And Arminius said true in that, that this prayer is left us
by Christ as a summary of his intercession for us in heaven. He spake
as he meant to do in heaven, and as one that had done his work, and
was now come to demand his wages ; ' I have finished thy work,' &c,
says he, ver. 4. And whereas he speaks a word or two for himself (in
the first five verses), he speaks five times as many for them, for all the
rest of the chapter is a prayer for them. He useth all kind of argu-
ments to move his Father for his children. ' I have finished the work
which thou gavest me to do,' says he, and to save them is thy work,
which remains to be done for me by thee ; and ' they are thine, and thou
gavest them me,' and I commend to thee but thine own. ' And all mine
are thine, and thine are mine.' He insinuates that he of himself had not
added a man, but useth all his interest only for those that the Father had
given him. And what a motive is this ? And he professeth he will not
open his mouth for a man more : ' I pray not for the world,' says he, I
will not open my lips for any one son of perdition ; but I employ all
my blood, my prayers, and my whole interest with thee but for those thy-
self hast given me. And, says he, though thou hast given me a per-
sonal glory, which I had before the world was, yet there is another glory
which I account of almost as much, and that is, in their being saved.
1 1 am glorified in them,' says he, ver. 10, ' and they are my joy,' ver.
13, and therefore I must have them ' with me wherever I am,' ver. 24.
Thou hast set my heart upon them, and hast loved them thyself as thou
hast loved me, and thou hast ordained them to be one in us, even as we
are one, and therefore I cannot live long asunder from them ; I have thy
104 THE HEABT OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART I.
company, but I must have theirs too ; ' I will that they be where I am,'
ver. 24. If I have any glory, they must have part of it. So it follows in
the fore-named verse, ' That they may behold the glory which thou hast
given me.' He speaks all tins as if he had been then in heaven, and in
possession of all that glory ; and, therefore, it is an expression of his heart
in heaven, which you have very good ground to build upon.
Demonstrations from passages and expressions after his resurrection.
II. These demonstrations have been taken from his carriage and sermon
before his death, even at his first breaking of his mind unto his disciples
concerning his departure from them. Let us now take a view of our
Saviour in his behaviour after his resurrection ; whence a further indicium
of his heart, how it would stand towards sinners when he should be in
heaven, may be taken, and his love demonstrated. For his resurrection
was the first step unto his glory, and indeed an entrance into it ; when he
laid down his body, he laid down all earthly weakness, and passions of flesh
and blood. ' It was sown,' as ours is, ' in weakness ; ' but with raising of
it up again, he took on him the dispositions and qualifications of an immortal
and glorious body, ' it was raised in power.' And ' the days of his flesh,'
or frail estate, as the author to the Hebrews by way of distinction speaks,
were past and over at his resurrection ; and the garment of his body was
new dyed, and endowed with new qualities ; and thereby it was made of a
stuff fit to bear and sustain heaven's glory ; and therefore, what now his
heart upon his first rising shall appear to be towards us, will be a certain
demonstration, what it will continue to be in heaven. And to illustrate this
the more, consider, that if ever there were a trial taken, whether his love
to sinners would continue or no, it was then at his resurrection ; for all his
disciples (especially Peter) had carried themselves the most unworthily
towards him in that interim that could be ; and this then when he was
performing the greatest act of love towards them, namely, dying for them,
that ever was shewn by any. And by the way, so God often orders it, that
when he is in hand with the greatest mercies for us, and bringing about
our greatest good, then we are most of all sinning against him ; which he
doth, to magnify his love the more. You know how they all forsook him,
and in the midst of his agony in the garden, in which he desired their
company, merely for a relief unto his sadded spirit, they slept, and lay like
so many blocks, utterly senseless of his dolours, which had they any friendly
sympathy of, they could never have done ; ' Could you not watch with me
one hour ? ' Then you know how foully Peter denied liim with oaths and
curses ; and after that, when he was laid in the grave, they are giving up
all their faith in him ; ' We trusted it should have been he,' say two of them,
1 that should have redeemed Israel.' They question whether he was the
Messiah or no, Luke xxiv. 21. Now when Christ came first out of the
other world, from the dead, clothed with that heart and body which he was
to wear in heaven, what message sends he first to them ? We would all
think, that as they would not know him in his sufferings, so he would now
be as strange to them in his glory ; or at least, his first words shall be to
rate them for their faithlessness and falsehood. But here is no such matter ;
for John xx. 17, his first word concerning them is, ' Go tell my brethren,'
&c. You read elsewhere, how that it is made a great point of love and
condescending in Christ so to entitle them ; Heb. ii. 11, 'He is not ashamed
Part I.] unto sinners on earth. 105
to call them brethren;' surely his brethren had been ashamed of him.
Now for him to call them so when he was first entering into his glory,
argues the more love in him towards them. He carries it as Joseph did in
the height of his advancement, when he first brake his mind to his brethren ;
'I am Joseph your brother,' says he, Gen xlv. 4. So Christ says here,
Tell them you have seen Jesus their brother ; I own them as brethren still.
This was his first compellation ; but what was the message that he would
first have delivered unto them ? That I, says he, ' ascend to my Father,
and your Father.' A more friendly speech by far, and arguing infinite
more love than that of Joseph's did (though that was full of bowels), for
Joseph after he had told them he was their brother, adds, ' whom you sold
into Egypt ; ' he minds them of then - unkindness ; but not so Christ, not
a word of that, he minds them not of what they had done against him.
Poor sinners, who are full of the thoughts of their own sins, know not how
they shall be able at the latter day to look Christ in the face when they
shall first meet with him. But they may relieve their spirits against their
care and fear, by Christ's carriage now towards his disciples, who had so
sinned against him. Be not afraid, ' your sins will he remember no more.'
Yea further, you may observe, that he minds them, not so much of what
he had been doing for them. He says not, Tell them I have been dying for
them, or, that they little think what I have suffered for them ; not a word
of that neither ; but still his heart and his care is upon doing more : he
looks not backward to what is passed, but forgets his sufferings, as ' a
woman her travail, for joy that a man-child is born.' Having now des-
patched that great work on earth for them, he hastens to heaven as fast as
he can to do another. And though he knew he had business yet to do
upon earth, that would hold him forty days longer, yet to shew that his
heart was longing, and eagerly desirous to be at work for them in heaven,
he speaks in the present tense, and tells them, ' I ascend ; ' and he
expresseth his joy to be, not only that he goes to ' his Father,' but also
that he goes to ' their Father,' to be an advocate with him for them, of which
I spake afore. And is indeed Jesus our brother alive ? And doth he call
us brethren ? And doth he talk thus lovingly of us ? Whose heart would
not this overcome ?
But this was but a message sent his disciples, before he met them ; let
us next observe his carnage and speech at his meeting together. When he
came first amongst them, this was his salutation, ' Peace be to you,' ver.
19, which he reiterates, ver. 21 ; and it is all one with that former speech
of his used in that his parting sermon, ' My peace I leave with you.' After
this he ' breathes on them,' and conveys the Holy Ghost in a further measure
into them, so to give an evidence of what he would do yet more plentifully
in heaven ; and the mystery of that his breathing on them was to shew
that this was the utmost expression of his heart, to give them the Spirit,
and that it came from the very bottom of it (as a man's breath doth), as
well as that the Holy Ghost proceeds from him, as well as from the Father,
which was also the meaning of it. And to what end doth he give them the
Spirit ? Not for themselves alone, but that they by the gift and assistance
of that Spirit might forgive men's sins by converting them to him. ' Whose
sins soever ye remit,' namely, by your ministry, ' they are remitted to them.'
His mind, you see, is still upon sinners, and his care for the conversion of
their souls. And therefore in another evangelist, namely, Mark, his last
words recorded are these : ' Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel
unto every creatine ; and he that believeth shall be saved,' &c, chap. xvi. 15.
106 THE HEABT OF CHEIST IN HEAVEN [PART I.
And in Luke, chap. xxiv. ver. 46, 47, his last words on earth there
recorded are, ' Thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise, . . . that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations,'
and adds, ' beginning at Jerusalem,' where he had been but a few days
before crucified. Of all places, one would have thought he would have
excepted that, and have charged them to pass by it ; but he bids them begin
there. Let them have the first-fruit and benefit by my death, that were the
actors in it. And, to that end, he also says, ' Behold I send you the pro-
mise of my Father,' &c, ver. 49. Another time he appears to two of them,
and then indeed he rates them, saying, ' ye fools, and slow of heart ! '
but for what is it, but only because they would not believe on him ; for no
other sin, not for that they had forsaken him ; so it follows, ' ye fools,
and slow of heart to believe,' &c, Luke xxiv. 25, and this because he is
glad when we believe, as John xi. 16. And after that he appears to all the
eleven, and upbraids them, the text says, but with what ? With their
' unbelief and hardness of heart ; ' still because they believed not, so ver»
14. No sin of theirs troubled him but their unbelief. "Which shews how
his heart stands, in that he desires nothing more than to have men believe
in him ; and this now when glorified. Afterwards he meets with Thomas,
and scarce chides him for his gross unbelief, only tells him, it was well
that, ' having seen, he believed ; ' but pronounceth them more ' blessed, who
though they have not seen, yet believe ; ' and so he is reproved, John xx.
29. Another time he shews himself to his disciples, and particularly deals
with Peter, but yet tells him not a word of his sins, nor of his forsaking of
him, but only goes about to draw from him a testimony of his love to him-
self ; ' Peter' (says he), ' lovest thou me' ? Christ loves to hear that note ;
full well do those words sound in his cars, when you tell him you love him,
though he knows it already ; as Peter tells him, ' Thou knowest all things,
thou knowest I love thee,' John xxi. 15, and this Christ puts him thrice
upon. And what was Christ's aim in drawing this acknowledgment of love
from Peter to him, that if he loved him as he professed, and would ever
shew it, then to ' feed his lambs ' ? This is the great testimony that he
would have Peter to shew his love in, when he should be in heaven ; and
this is the last charge he gives him. Which, how great a testimony is it,
to shew how his own heart was affected, and what his greatest care was
upon ! His heart runs altogether upon his lambs, upon souls to be
converted. He had said afore, ' Sheep I have,' John x. 6, ' which are not of
this fold, them I must bring in ; ' and he left his apostles to do it ; but this
here was a more moving and affectionate expression, for sheep can shift for
themselves, but poor little lambs cannot. Therefore Christ says unto Peter,
' Feed my lambs ; ' even as John, to express the more love unto those he
writes to, calls them ' my little children.' And to what end doth the
evangelist record these things of him after his resurrection ? One of the
evangelists that recorded them informs us. In the 20th of John ver. 30,
it is said, that ' Jesus did many other signs,' namely, after his resurrection ;
for in the midst of the story of those things done after his resurrection he
speaks it, ' which are not written in this book,' but partly recorded by other
evangelists, and partly concealed ; ' but these things are written that ye
might believe that Jesus is the Christ,' that is, that so you might come to
him as to the Messiah, the Saviour of the world ; and therefore, the most
of the things recorded tend to shew Christ's heart and carriage towards
sinners, that so we might believe on him, and that ' believing we might have
life through his name.'
Part I.J unto sinners on earth. 107
Demonstrations, from passages at and after his ascension into heaven.
III. Let us view him next in his very ascending : his carriage then also
will further assure our hearts of this. Luke xxvi. 50, it is said, ' He lifted
up his hands and blessed them ; ' and to put the greater emphasis upon it,
and that we might the more observe it, as having some great mystery in it,
ver. 51, it is added, 'And whilst he blessed them, he was parted from
them, and carried up into heaven.' This benediction Christ reserved to be
his last act ; and what was the meaning of it, but (as I have before shewn)
to bless them, as God blessed Adam and Eve, bidding them ' increase and
multiply,' and so blessing all mankind that were to come of them. Thus
doth Christ, in blessing his disciples, bless all those that shall believe through
their word unto the end of the world. I only add this to the illustration of
it; this mystery is interpreted by Peter, Acts iii. 26, when, speaking to the
Jews, he says, ' Unto you first, God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent
him to bless you,' (and how ?) ' in turning away every one of you from his
iniquities,' and so forgiving of them ; for ' blessed is the man whose sin is
forgiven.' Thus at his ascending.
IV. In the next place, let us consider what Christ did when he was come
to heaven and exalted there : how abundantly did he there make good all
that he had promised in his last sermon !
For, first, he instantly poured out his Spirit, and that 'richly' (as the
apostle to Titus speaks), and he ' being by the right hand of God exalted,
and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath
shed forth this which you now see and hear,' says the apostle in his first
sermon after, Acts ii. 33. He then received it, and visibly poured him out.
So Eph. iv. 8, it is said, ' He ascended up on high, and gave gifts unto
men . . . for the work of the ministry (ver. 15), and for the jointing in of
the saints to the increase of the body of Christ' (ver. 16), that is, for the
converting of elect sinners, and making them saints. And the gifts there
mentioned (some of them) remain unto this day, in ' pastors and teachers,'
&c. And this Spirit is still in our preaching and in your hearts, in hearing,
in praying, &c, and persuades you of Christ's love to this very day; and
is in all these the pledge of the continuance of Christ's love still in heaven
unto sinners. All our sermons and your prayers are evidences to you, that
Christ's heart is still the same towards sinners that ever it was, for the
Spirit that assists in all these comes in his name, and in his stead, and
works all by commission from him. And do none of you feel your hearts
moved in the preaching of these things, at this and other times ? And who
is it that moves you ? It is the Spirit who speaks in Christ's name from
heaven, even as himself is said to ' speak from heaven,' Heb. xii. 25. And
when you pray, it is the Spirit that indites your prayers, and that ' makes
intercession for you ' in your own hearts, Kom. viii. 26, which intercession
of his is but the evidence and echo of Christ's intercession in heaven. The
Spirit prays in you, because Christ prays for you. He is an intercessor on
earth, because Christ is an intercessor in heaven. As he did take off
Christ's words, and used the same that he before had uttered, when he
spake in and to the disciples the words of life, so he takes off Christ's
prayers also when he prays in us ; he takes but the words as it were out of
Christ's mouth, or heart rather, and directs our hearts to offer them up to
God. He also follows us to the sacrament, and in that glass shews us
108 THE HEAET OF CHEIST IN HEAVEN [PART I.
Christ's face smiling on us, and through his face his heart ; and thus help-
ing of us to a sight of him, we go away rejoicing that we saw our Saviour
that day.
Then, secondly, all those works, both of miracles and conversion of
sinners, in answer to the apostles' prayers, are a demonstration of this.
What a handful had Peter's first sermon after Christ's ascension, when
three thousand souls were converted by it ! The apostles (you know) went
on to preach forgiveness through Christ, and in his name, and to invite men
to him ; and what signs and wonders did accompany them, to confirm that
their preaching ! And all were the fruits of Christ's intercession in heaven.
So that what he promised (John xiv 12), as an evidence of his minding
them in heaven, was abundantly fulfilled. They upon their asking did
' greater works than he ; ' so Acts iv. 29, 80, at the prayers of Peter. And
Heb. ii. 3, 4, the apostle makes an argument of it, ' How shall we escape,'
says he, ' if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to bo
spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him,
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders and with
divers miracles ? ' &c. Yea, let me add this, that take aiso the New Testa-
ment, and all the promises in it, and expressions of Christ's love, it was
written all since Christ's being in heaven, by his Spirit, and that by com-
mission from Christ, and therefore all that you find therein you may build
on as his very heart ; and therein see, that what he once said on earth, he
repealeth not a word now he is in heaven, his mind continues the same.
And the consideration hereof may add a great confirmation to our faith
herein.
Thirdly, Some of the apostles spake with him since, even many years
after his ascension. Thus John and Paul, of which the last was in heaven
with him, and they both do give out the same thing of him. Paul heard
not one sermon of Christ's (that he knew of) whilst on earth, and received
the gospel from no man, apostle or other, but by the immediate revelation
of Jesus Christ from heaven, as he speaks, Gal. i. 11, 12. But he was
converted by Christ himself from heaven, by immediate speech and con-
ference of Christ himself with him, and this long after his ascension. And
in that one instance Christ abundantly shewed his heart and purpose to
continue to all sorts of sinners to the end of the world. Thus in two places
that great apostle telleth us; the first is, 1 Tim. i. 13, 'I was a persecutor,
a blasphemer,' says he, ' but I obtained mercy, and the grace of our Lord,'
namely, Jesus Christ, ' was exceeding abundant ; ' and upon this he declares
with open mouth, as it were, from Christ's own self, who spake to him from
heaven, that this is ' the faithfullest saying ' that ever was uttered, ' that Christ
came into the world to save sinners, whereof I am chief,' says he, ver. 15.
And to testify that this was the very scope of Christ in thus converting of
Paul himself, and Paul's scope also in that place to Timothy, to shew so
much, appears by what follows, ver. 16, 'For this cause I obtained this
mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for
a pattern to all them that should hereafter believe on him unto life ever-
lasting.' It is express, you see, to assure all sinners, unto the end of the
world, of Christ's heart towards them. This was his drift. ' For this very
cause,' says Paul.
The second place I allege in proof of this, is the story of Paul's conver-
sion, where he diligently inserts the very words that Christ spake to him
from heaven (Acts xxvi. 16), which were these, ' I have appeared unto thee
for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness, ... to send thee
Part I.] cnto sinnkks on eaetii. KjU
to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness
of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is
in me.' Brethren, these are Christ's words since he went to heaven, and
he tells Paul he appeared unto him to testify thus much. Thus for Paul's
conference with him.
Then again, sixty years after his ascension, did the apostle John
receive a revelation from him, even when all the apostles were dead, for
after all their deaths was that book written, and the Revelation is said to be
in a more immediate manner ' the revelation of Jesus Christ' (so chap. i.
ver. 1), than any other of the apostles' writings ; and you read that Christ
made an apparition of himself to him, and said, ' I am he that was dead,
and am alive for evermore,' chap. i. ver. 18. Now let us but consider
Christ's last words, in that his last book, the last that Christ hath spoken
since he went to heaven, or that he is to utter till the day of judgment ;
you have them in the last chapter, ver. 16, ' I Jesus have sent mine angel
to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the
offspring of David. . . . And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And
let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And
whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.' They are the
latter words I cite this place for. The occasion of these words was this :
Christ was now in heaven, and had before promised to come again, and
fetch us all to heaven. And in the mean time, mark what an echoing and
answering of hearts and of desires there is mutually, between him from
heaven and believing sinners from below. Earth calls upon heaven, and
heaven calls upon earth, as the prophet speaks. The bride from earth savs
unto Christ, ' Come to me ; ' and the Spirit in the saints' hearts below
says 'Come' unto him also; and Christ cries out as loud from heaven,
' Come,' in answer unto this desire in them ; so that heaven and earth ring
again of it. ' Let him that is athirst come to me ; and let him that will
come, come, and take of the waters of life freely.' This is Christ speech
unto men on earth. They call him to come unto earth, to judgment ; and
he calls sinners to come up to heaven unto him for mercy. They cannot
desire his coming to them, so much as he desires their coming to him.
Now what is the meaning of this, that upon their calling upon him to come,
he should thus call upon them to come ? It is in effect as if he had plainly
uttered himself thus: I have a heart to come to 3 r ou, but I must have all
you my elect that are to be on earth, come to me first. You would have
me come down to you, but I must stay here till all that the Father hath
given me be come to me ; and then you shall be sure quickly to have me
with you. Hereby expressing how much his heart now longs after them.
This to be his meaning is evident by the words which he adds, ver. 20,
' He which testifies these things,' namely, Christ, ' says, Surely I come
quickly.' And if we observe how much by the by, as it were, these words
of Christ's do come in, it makes them the more remarkable to shew his
heart in uttering them. This book was intended merely as a prophecy of
the times of the gospel until his coming ; unto which period of it, when
John had brought that prophetic story, he brings in the bride longing for
that coming of Christ, ' The bride says, Come.' And no sooner says she so,
but Christ by way of retortion doth likewise say ' Come ' unto her also ;
yea, it puts the more observation upon it, that he had uttered the same
words before, Rev. xxi. 6, but notwithstanding he will repeat them again,
and have them to be his last words. All which shews how much his heart
110 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART I.
was in this part of the gospel, to invite sinners to him ; that now when he
is to speak but one sentence more, till we hear the sound to judgment, he
should especially make choice of these words. Let them therefore for ever
stick with you, as being worthy to be your last thoughts when you come to
die, and when you are a-going to him. He speaks indeed something else
after them ; but that which he says afterwards is but to set a seal unto
these words, and to the rest of the Scriptures, whereof this is the chief.
And further to shew that these words were singled out to be his last, and
that he meant to speak no more till the day of judgment, therefore also he
adds a curse to him, who should ' add to them, or take from them.' He
adds indeed after that another speech, but it is only to ingeminate his will-
ingness to come quickly, were all his elect but once come in to him, so
ver. 20. And all this tends to assure us that this is his heart, and we
shall find him of no other mind until his coming again.
And that you may yet the more consider them as thus purposely brought
in by him as his last words, to make them stick with us, let me add another
observation about them, and that is this, that at another time when he was
upon earth, he in like manner singled out these very words (I mean the
matter of them) as the conclusion of many days' preaching. Thus John
vii. 37, ' In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried,
If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink.' These words were
spoken on the ' last day of the feast,' after which he was to preach no more
at that time, and for a good while after, unto them ; and he had preached
upon all the former days of that feast, as his manner was ; and it was ' the
great day of the feast,' when he had the greatest audience ; and you see he
chooseth this for his last sentence of that his last sermon then ; and when
he would give them something at parting, as a viaticum, which he would
have them carry home with them to feed upon above all the rest, these are
his words, ' If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink ;' which him-
self interprets to be believing on him, ver. 38, and he stands up to speak
this ; yea, ' he cries,' says the text, with open mouth, with utmost vehe-
mency, to the intent that all might hear this above all sayings else. And
thus in like manner, at this time also, when he is to speak no more, but to
hold his tongue for ever till the day of judgment, nor is to write any more
Scriptures, he then sends his angel to testify these to be his last words ; and
this although he had spoken them before. It was therefore assuredly done
to shew his heart in them. They were his last words then, and they shall
be mine in the closure of this discourse, for what can there be added to
them ?
PaT.T II. 1 UNTO SINNKliS ON EAIITII. Ill
PART II.
For tee have not an high priest which cannot be touched tvith the feeling of our
injirmities ; but ivas in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. —
Heb. IV. 15.
The only use I shall make of these words is, to be a foundation unto that
second part of that head or point of doctrine into which I have made an
entrance ; which was to demonstrate the gracious inclination and temper of
Christ's heart toward sinners, now he is in heaven.
II. The extrinsical demonstrations of this, which I make the first part of
it, are despatched. And for a groundwork to these more intrinsical demon-
strations, which make a second part, I have chosen this text, as that which
above any other speaks his heart most, and sets out the frame and workings
of it towards sinners ; and that so sensibly that it doth, as it were, take our
hands, and lay them upon Christ's breast, and let us feel how his heart
beats and his bowels yearn towards us, even now he is in glory — the very
scope of these words being manifestly to encourage believers against all
that may discourage them, from the consideration of Christ's heart towards
them now in heaven.
To open them, so far as they serve to my present purpose.
First, all that may any way discourage us he here calls by the name of
infirmities, thereby meaning both
1. The evil of afflictions, of what sort soever, persecutions, &c, from
without.
2. The evil of sins, which do most of all discourage us, from within.
And that both these are meant,
1. That under 'infirmities' he means persecutions and afflictions is
manifest ; not only in that the word is often used in that sense, as 2 Cor.
xi. 30, and xii. 5, but also it is plain that the phrase is here so intended,
for his scope is to comfort them against what would pull from them their
profession, as that foregoing exhortation, ' Let us hold fast our profession,'
implies. Now that which attempted to pull it from them were their perse-
cutions and oppositions from without. It appears also because his argu-
ment here of comforting them against these infirmities, is drawn from
Christ's example, ' In that he was in all things tempted as we are.'
2. Yet secondly, by ' infirmities ' are meant sins also, for so in the pro-
cess of this discourse he useth the phrase, and makes them the main object
of our high priest's pity ; for in the next words, chap. v. 2, shewing what
the qualifications of the high priests under the law were, who were types of
our great high priest, he makes this one suitable to this here mentioned,
that he was to be one that ' could have compassion on the ignorant, and
those that were out of the way ;' that is, upon sinners, for sins are those
ignorances and goings astray from God ; and then adds, ' in that himself
was clothed with infirmities,' that is, with sins. And although it is said
112 THE HEART OF CHRIST IX HEAVEN iPaRT II.
here that Christ was without sin in all, yet he was tempted by Satan unto
all sorts of sins, even as we are. And that by ' infirmities ' sins are mainly
here intended, is yet more evident from the remedy propounded against
them, which they are here encouraged to seek for at the throne of grace,
namely, grace and mercy. « Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of
grace, that we may find grace and mercy to help in time of need. So it
follows in the next words. Grace to help against the power of sin, and
mercy against the guilt and punishment of it ; both which are the greatest
discouragers to come boldly to that throne ; and therefore he must needs
intend those kinds of infirmities chiefly in this his encouragement and com*
fortory given.
Now, secondly, for a support against both these, he lets us understand
how feelingly and sensibly affected the heart of Christ is to sinners under
all these their infirmities, now he is in heaven, for of him advanced into
heaven he here speaks, as appeareth by verse 14. And if the coherence
with that verse be observed, we shall see that he brings in this narration of
it setly, by way of preventing an objection which might otherwise arise in
all men's thoughts from that high and glorious description which he had
given of him in that 14th verse. ' We have a great high priest, who is
passed into the heavens,' &c. He knew we would be apt from this pre-
sently to think, he may be too great to be an high priest for us to transact
our affairs ; and that this greatness of his might cause him to forget us, or
if he did remember us, and take notice of our miseries, yet, ' being passed
into the heavens,' and so having cast off the frailties of his flesh which he
had here, and having clothed his human nature with so great a glory, that
therefore he cannot now pity us. as he did when he dwelt among us here
below, nor be so feelingly affected and touched with our miseries, as to be
tenderly moved to compassionate and commiserate us, so he is not now
capable of a feeling of grief, and so not of a fellow-feeling or sympathizing
with us ; his state and condition now is above all such affections, which
affections notwithstanding are they that should put him upon helping us,
heartily and cordially. And for him to be exposed to such affections as
these, were a weakness, an infirmity in himself, which heaven hath cured
him of. His power and glory is so great that he cannot be thus touched,
even as the angels are not. And he is ' advanced far above all principalities
and powers,' Eph. i. 15.
This the apostle carefully pre-occupates ; and it is the very objection
which he takes away. ' "We have not a high priest who cannot,' &c. Dup-
lex negatio cequipoUet affirmatUmi ; nay, two negatives do not only make an
affirmative, but affirm more strongly : they make an affirmation contradic-
tory to a contrary and opposite thought. Now this speech of his is as much
as if he should have said, Well, let heaven have made what alteration
soever upon his condition, in glorifying his human nature, which be it
never so free from fleshly passions, and instead of flesh be made like heaven,
let him be never so incapable of impressions from below ; yet he retains
one tender part and bare place in his heart still unarmed, as it were, even
to suffer with you, and to be touched if you be. The word is a deep one,
Af/MraSjjirai. He suffers with you, he is as tender in his bowels to you as
ever he was ; that he might be moved to pity you, he is willing to suffer,
as it were, one place to be left naked, and to be flesh still, on which he
may be wounded with your miseries, that so he might be your merciful
high priest.
And whereas it may be objected, that this were a weakness. The
Part II. J unto sinners on earth. 113
apostle affirms that this is his power, and a perfection and strength of love
surely, in him, as the word Suvdfievov importeth ; that is, that makes him
thus able and powerful to take our miseries into his heart, though glorified,
and so to be affected with them, as if he suffered with us, and so to relieve
us, out of that principle out of which he would relieve himself.
There are two things which this text gives me occasion to take notice of,
and apart to handle.
First, more generally, that Christ's heart now in heaven is as graciously
affected unto sinners as ever it was on earth.
And, secondly, more particularly, the manner how. Or thus :
1. That he is touched with a feeling, or sympathises with us, as the
word is.
2. The way how this comes to pass ; even through his having been
tempted in all things like unto us. In handling the first, I shall give those
intrinsical demonstrations of it that remain ; and in handling the other,
further open the text. To come therefore first to those intrinsical demon-
strations of this doctrine, which I engraft upon these words, and shoot
naturally froni them, namely, That the heart of Jesus Christ, now he is in
heaven, is as graciously inclined to sinners as ever it was on earth.
The first sort of intrinsical demonstrations, drawn from the influence all the
three Persons have for ever into the heart of the human nature of Christ in
Jieaven.
I. The first sort of demonstrations shall be fetched from all the three
Persons, and then* several influence they have into Christ's heart in heaven,
to incline it towards us.
1. The first shall be taken from God his Father, who hath thus advanced
him ; and it hath two parts : (1.) That God hath given a perpetual com-
mand to Christ to love sinners ; (2.) That therefore his heart continues the
same for ever.
(1.) For the first, God the Father hath given Jesus Christ a special com-
mand to love sinners ; and hath withal implanted a merciful, gracious dis-
position in his heart toward them. This I mention to argue it, because it
is that which Christ allegeth, John vi. 37, as the original ground of this
disposition of his, • not to cast out those that come to him.' For ' it is my
Father's will,' says he in the following verses, ' that I should perform that
which I came down from heaven for,' verse 38. And this lies now still
upon him, now he is in heaven, as much as ever ; for ' his will also is,'
says he, verses 39, 40, ' that I should raise them up at the last day,' so as
it must needs continue the same till then. And compare with this the 10th
of John, from verse 15 to 18, where, having discoursed before of his care
and love to his sheep, to ' give his life ' for them, to ' know ' and own them,
and to ' bring them into the fold,' &c, he concludes at verse 18, ' This
commandment have I received from my Father.' It is his will, says the 6th
of John, and if a good son knows that a thing is his father's mind and will,
it is enough to move him to do it ; much more if it be bis express command.
And in this 10th of John, he further says, that it is the command which he
had received from the Father. A command, is a man's will peremptorily
expressed ; so as there must be a breach, if it be not fulfilled : and such a
command hath God given Christ concerning us. Out of both which places
I observe three things to be the matter of this will and command of God's.
VOL. IV. H
114 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART II.
First, that Christ should die for his sheep ; in respect to which command,
he continued so to love them whilst here, as to lay down his life for them ;
so John x. 15 ; but then he took it up again, and is ascended into heaven.
Therefore, those other two things commanded him, do concern him when
he is in glory; namely, to 'receive all that come to him,' which is the
second ; and the third, to look that he ' lose none of those for whom he
died,' but to ' raise them up.' And for these his Father's command lies as
strictly on him, now he is in heaven, as for dying for them whilst he was on
earth. ' This command have I received from my Father, and this is his will.'
And together with this command, God did put it into his heart, as where
he commands he ever useth to do, such an instinct of transcendent love to-
wards them, as shall so strongly incline him to perform it, that he shall
need no more commands. He hath put such a erogyq, such an especial
love into him, as he hath put into the hearts of parents towards their
own children, more than to all other men's children which they see besides,
although more beautiful and more witty than their own. And both this
commandment, and this inclination of love towards them, we have at once
expressed, Ps. xl. 8, where, giving the reason why he became our Mediator
and sacrificed himself, he not only says, ' I come to do thy will, God ; '
but also, ' Thy law is in my bowels.' In which speech, both these two are
mentioned :
[1.] That command I mentioned is there expressed, for it is called a law.
And,
[2.] It was a law wrought into suitable dispositions in his heart ; and,
therefore, said to be a ' law in his heart ' or bowels.
You may easily conceive what law it was by the subject of it, his bowels,
which are still put for the most tender affections (Col. hi. 1 2, ' Bowels of
mercy, kindness,' &c). It was no other than that law of love, mercy, and
pity to poor sinners which God gave him in charge, as he was to be
Mediator. It was that special law which lay on him as he was the ' second
Adam,' like that which was given to the first Adam, non concedendi, over
and above the moral law, not to eat the forbidden fruit ; such a law was
this he there speaks of. It was the law of his being a Mediator and a
sacrifice, for of that he expressly speaks, verses 6, 7, over and besides the
moral law, which was common to him with us. The word in the original
is, ' In the midst of my bowels,' to shew it was deeply engraven; it had its
seat in the centre, it sat nearest and was most inward in his heart.
Yea, and as that special law of not eating the forbidden fruit was to Adam
prccceptum symbolicum, as divines call it, given over and besides all the ten
commandments, to be a trial, a sign or symbol, of his obedience to all the
rest, such was this law given unto Christ, the second Adam, so as that God
would judge of all his other obedience unto himself by this. Yea, it was
laid on him with that earnestness by God, and so commended* by him, as
that if ever Christ would have him to love him, he should be sure to love
us. Thus in that place fore-cited, John x. 17, 18, Christ comforts himself
with this in his obedience, ' Therefore doth my Father love me.' It is
spoken in relation unto his fulfilling this his command formerly mentioned,
and so withal imports, as if God should love Christ the better for the love
he should shew to us, it pleased him so well to see Christ love us. And so
it is as if God, when he gave Christ that commandment, ver. 18, had said,
Son, as you would have my love continue towards you, let me see your
love towards me shewn in being kind to these I have given you, ' whom I
* Qn. 'commanded'? — Ed.
Part II. J unto sinners on earth. 115
have loved with the same love wherewith I have loved you,' as you have
it, John xvii. 23. As God would have us shew love unto him by loving
his children, so he would have Christ also shew his love towards him by
loving of us.
(2.) Now, for the second branch of this demonstration, namely, that that
love which Christ when on earth expressed to be in his heart, and which
made him die for sinners upon this command of his Father, that it doth
certainly continue in his heart still, now that he is in heaven, and that as
quick and as tender as ever it was on earth, even as when he was on the
cross, and that because of his Father's command. It is evidenced thus,
for it being a law written in the midst of his bowels by his Father, it be-
comes natural to him, and so indelible, and, as other moral laws of God
written in the heart are, perpetual. And as in us, when we shall be in
heaven, though faith shall fail and hope vanish, yet love shall continue, as
the apostle speaks ; so doth this love in Christ's heart continue also, and
suffers no decay, and is shewn as much now in receiving sinners and inter-
ceding for them, and being pitiful unto them, as then in dying for them.
And this love to sinners being so commanded and pressed upon him, as
was said, that as he would have his Father love him, he should love them,
and so being urged upon all that great love that is between him and his
Father, this, as it must needs work and boil up a strong love in him unto
sinners, so likewise the most constant and never- decaying love that could
be. And this is argued from the analogy of that principle upon which
Christ urgeth us to love himself, John xv. 10. He moveth his disciples to
' keep the commandments ' he gave them, and useth this argument, ' For
so shall you abide in my love,' and backs it with his own instance, ' Even
as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.' Now,
therefore, this being the great commandment that God layeth on him, to
love and die for, and to continue to love and receive, sinners that come
to him, and raise them up at the latter day, certainly he continues to keep
it most exactly, as being one of the great ties between him and his Father,
so to continue in his love to him. Therefore, so long as he continues in
his Father's love, and, now he is in heaven and at his right hand, he must
needs continue in highest favour with him, so long, you may be sure, he
continues to observe this. And thus that he should continue still to love us,
both love to his Father and love to himself obligeth him ; we may therefore
be sure of him, that he both doth it and will do it for ever. what a
comfort is it, that as children are mutual pledges and ties of love between
man and wife, so that we should be made such between God the Father
and the Son ! And this demonstration is taken from the influence of the
first person of the Trinity, namely, from God the Father.
2. Then, secondly, this his love is not a forced love, which he strives
only to bear towards us, because his Father hath commanded him to marry
us ; but it is his nature, his disposition, which, added to the former, affords
a second demonstration of the point in hand, and is drawn from God the
Son. This disposition is free and natural to him ; he should not be God's
Son else, nor take after his heavenly Father, unto whom it is natural to
shew mercy, but not so to punish, which is his strange work, but mercy
pleaseth him ; he is ' the Father of mercies,' he begets them naturally.
Now, Christ is his own Son, 'idwg vtbg, as by way of distinction he is called,
and his natural Son ; yea, his human nature being united to the second
person, is thereby become the natural Son of God, not adopted, as we are.
And if he be his natural Son in privileges, then also his Father's properties
11G THE HEART OP CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART II.
are natural to him, more natural than to us, who are but his adopted sons.
And if we, ' as the elect of God,' who are but the adopted sons, are exhorted
to ' put on bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,'
&c. (as Col. hi. 12), then much more must these dispositions needs be
found in Christ, the natural Son ; and these, not put on by him, but be as
natural to him as his Sonship is. ' God is love,' as John says, and Christ
is love covered over with flesh, yea, our flesh. And besides, it is certain
that as God hath fashioned the hearts of all men, and some of the sons of
men unto more mercy and pity naturally than others, and then the Holy
Spirit, coming on them to sanctify their natural dispositions, useth to work
according to their tempers, even so it is certain that he tempered the heart
of Christ, and made it of a softer mould and temper than the tenderness of
all men's hearts put together into one, to soften it, would have been of.
When he was to assume a human nature, he is brought in saj'ing, ' A
body hast thou fitted me,' Heb. x. ; that is, a human nature, fitted, as in
other things, so in the temper of it, for the Godhead to work and shew his
perfections in best. And as he took a human nature on purpose to be a
merciful high priest, as Heb. ii. 14, so such a human nature, and of so
special a temper and frame as might be more merciful than all men or
angels. His human nature was ' made without hands ; ' that is, was not
of the ordinary make that other men's hearts are of; though for the matter
the same, yet not for the frame of his spirit. It was a heart bespoke for
on purpose to be made a vessel, or rather fountain, of mercy, wide and
capable enough to be so extended as to take in and give forth to us again
all God's manifestative mercies ; that is, all the mercies God intended to
manifest to his elect. And therefore Christ's heart had naturally in the
temper of it more pity than all men or angels have, as through which the
mercies of the great God were to be dispensed unto us ; and this heart of
his to be the instrument of them. And then this man, and the heart of
this man so framed, being united to God, and being made the natural Son
of God, how natural must mercy needs be unto him, and therefore con-
tinue in him now he is in heaven ! For though he laid down all infirmities
of our nature when he rose again, yet no graces that were in him whilst he
was below ; they are in him now as much as ever ; and being his nature,
for nature we know is constant, therefore still remains. You may observe,
that when he was upon earth, minding to persuade sinners to have good
thoughts of him, as he used that argument of his Father's command given
him ; so he also lays open his own disposition, Mat. xi. 28, ' Come to me,
you that are weary and heavy laden, . . . for I am meek and lowly of heart.'
Men are apt to have contrary conceits of Christ, but he tells them his dis-
position there, by preventing such hard thoughts of him, to allure them
unto him the more. We are apt to think that he, being so holy, is there-
fore of a severe and sour disposition against sinners, and not able to bear
them. No, says he ; ' I am meek,' gentleness is my nature and temper. As
it was of Moses, who was, as in other things, so in that grace, his type ;
he was not revenged on Miriam and Aaron, but interceded for them. So,
says Christ, injuries and unkindnesses do not so work upon me as to make
me irreconcilable, it is my nature to forgive: ' I am meek.' Yea, but (may
we think) he being the Son of God and heir of heaven, and especially being
now filled with glory, and sitting at God's right hand, he may now despise
the lowliness of us here below ; though not out of anger, yet out of that
height of his greatness and distance that he is advanced unto, in that we
are too mean for him to marry, or be familiar with. He surely hath higher
Part II.] unto sinners on earth. 117
thoughts than to regard such poor, low things as we are. And so though
indeed we conceive him meek, and not prejudiced with injuries, yet he may
be too high and lofty to condescend so far as to regard, or take to heart,
the condition of poor creatures. No, says Christ ; 'I am lowly ' also,
willing to bestow my love and favour upon the poorest and meanest. And
further, all this is not a semblance of such an affable disposition, nor is it
externally put on in the face and outward carriage only, as in many great
ones, that will seem gentle and courteous, but there is all this h rri naoh'ia,
' in the heart ;' it is his temper, his disposition, his nature to be gracious,
which nature he can never lay aside. And that his greatness, when he
comes to enjoy it in heaven, would not a whit alter his disposition in him,
appears by this, that he at the very same time when he uttered these
words, took into consideration all his glory to come, and utters both that
and his meekness with the same breath. So ver. 27, ' All things are de-
livered to me by my Father ; ' and presently after all this he says, ' Come
unto me, all you that are heavy laden I am meek and lowly,' ver.
28, 29. Look, therefore, what lovely, sweet, and delightful thoughts you
use to have of a dear friend, who is of an amiable nature, or of some
eminently holy or meek saint, of whom you think with yourselves, I could
put my soul into such a man's hands, and can compromise my salvation
to him, as I have heard it spoken of some. Or look how we should have
been encouraged to have dealt with Moses in matter of forgiveness, who
was the meekest man on earth ; or treated with Joseph, by what we read
of his bowels towards his brethren ; or what thoughts we have of the
tender hearts of Paul or Timothy unto the souls of men in begetting, and
in nurturing, and bringing them up to life, ' Being affectionately desirous
of you, we were willing (says Paul) to impart our own souls to you,'
1 Thes. ii. 8; and this 'naturally,' as his word is, Philip, ii. 20; even
such and infinitely more raised apprehensions should we have of that
sweetness and candour that is in Jesus Christ, as being much more natural
to him.
And therefore the same apostle doth make Christ's bowels the pattern
of his, ' God is my witness, how greatly I long after you in the bowels of
Jesus Christ,' Philip, i. 8. This phrase, ' in the bowels of Christ,' hath,
according to interpreters, two meanings, and both serve to illustrate that
which I intend. First, ' in the bowels of Christ ' is taken causally, as if
he meant to shew that those bowels or compassions were infused into him
from Christ, and so longed after them with such kind of bowels as Christ
had wrought in him ; and if so that Christ put such bowels into him, hath
he not then in himself much more ? Paul had reason to say, ' in the bowels of
Christ,' for (in this sense) I am sure he once had scarce the heart and bowels
of a man in him ; namely, when he was out of Christ, how furious and lion-like
a spirit had he against the saints, and what havoc made he of them, being
ready even to pull out their bowels ! And how came Paul by such tender
bowels now towards them ? Who gave him now such tender affections ?
Even Jesus Christ, it was he that of a lion made him a lamb. If therefore
in Paul these bowels were not natural, but the contrary rather were natural
to him, and yet they so abounded in him, and that naturally, as himself
speaks, how much more must they needs abound in Christ, to whom they
are native and inbred ? Or else, secondly, ' in the bowels,' is put for
instar, ' like the bowels,' or ' after the bowels,' according to the analogy of
the Hebrew phrase. And so then the meaning were this, like as the
bowels of Jesus Christ do yearn after you, so do mine. ' Bowels ' are a
118 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART II.
metaphor to signify tender and motherly affections and mercies. So Luke
i. 78, ' through the tender mercies.' In the original it is ' the bowels of
mercy.' Thus Paul, when he would signify how tender his affections
were, he instances in the bowels of Jesus Christ (he making Christ his
pattern in this in all, ' Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ '). Now,
how desirous was this great apostle to beget men to Christ ! He cared not
what else he lost, so he might win some. He ' counted not his life dear,'
nay, not his salvation dear, but ' wished himself accursed for his brethren,'
who yet were the greatest enemies Christ then had on earth. How glad
was he when any soul came in ! How sorry when any fell off ! Falling
' into a new travail (he knew not how better to express the anxiety of his
spirit for the Galatians), till Christ was formed in them.' How comforted
was he when he heard tidings of the constancy and increase of any of their
faith ! 1 Thes. hi. 6, 7 ; and ver. 8 he says, ' for now we live, if you stand
fast in the Lord.' Bead all his epistles, and take the character of his
spirit this way ; and when you have done, look up to Christ's human
nature in heaven, and think with yourselves, ' Such a man is Christ.'
Paul warbles out in all these strains of affections but the soundings of
Christ's bowels in heaven, in a lower key. They are natural to Christ,
they all and infinite more are eminent in him. And this is the second
demonstration, taken from his own natural disposition as Son of God.
3. A third demonstration shall be taken from the third person of the
Trinity, the Holy Ghost. If the same Spirit that was upon him, and in
him, when he was on earth, doth but still rest upon him now he is in
heaven, then these dispositions must needs still entirely remain in him.
This demonstration is made up of two propositions put together : (1.)
That the Holy Ghost dwelling in him concurs to make his heart thus gra-
ciously affected to sinners; and (2.) That the same Spirit dwells and con-
tinues in and upon him for ever in heaven.
(1.) For the first : It was the Spirit who overshadowed his mother, and,
in the meanwhile, knit that indissoluble knot between our nature and the
second person, and that also knit his heart unto us. It was the Spirit who
sanctified him in the womb. It was the Spirit that rested on him above
measure, and fitted him with a meek spirit for the works of his mediation ;
and indeed for this very grace sake of meekness did the Spirit come more
especially upon him. Therefore, when he was first solemnly inaugurated
into that office, at his baptism (for then he visibly and professedly entered
upon the execution of it), the Holy Ghost descended upon him ; and how ?
As a dove ; so all the evangelists jointly report it. But why in the shape
of a dove ? All apparitions that God at any time made of himself, were
not so much to shew what God is in himself, as how he is affected towards
us, and declare what effects he works in us. So here, this shape of a dove
resting upon him was to shew those special gracious dispositions wherewith
the Holy Ghost fitted Jesus Christ to be a Mediator. A dove, you know,
is the most innocent and most meek creature, without gall, without talons,
having no fierceness in it, expressing nothing but love and friendship to its
mate in all its carriages, and mourning over it in its distresses ; and was
therefore a fit emblem to express what a frame and temper of spirit the
Holy Ghost did upon this his descending on him, fill the heart of Christ
with, and this without measure, that as sweetly as doves do converse with
doves, sympathising and mourning each over other, so may we with Christ,
for he thus sympathiseth with us. And though he had the Spirit before,
yet now he was anointed with him, in respect of such effects as these, which
Part II. J unto sinners on earth. 119
appertained to the execution of his offico, with a larger measure and moro
eminently than before. Therefore the evangelist Luke notes upon it (chap,
iv. 1), ' Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan.' And
Peter also puts the like gloss upon it, as appears, Acts x. 37, for speaking
there of the baptism of John, he shows how ' after that his being baptized,
he began to preach,' and ' how God having anointed him with the Holy
Ghost,' namely, at that baptism of his, 'he went about doing good,' &c.
And that this was the principal thing signified by this descending of the
Holy Ghost as a dove upon him, even chiefly to note out his meekness, and
sympathising heart with sinners, wrought in him by the Holy Ghost, is
evident by two places, where Christ himself puts that very intendment on it.
The first presently after, in the first sermon that he preached after that
his having received the Holy Ghost (in the same 4th of Luke), where first
it is noted, ver. 1, that he returned from being baptized, ' full of the Spirit,'
and so was led to be tempted ; then, ver. 14, it is said that he returned
from being tempted, ' in the power of that Spirit,' and after this is explained
by himself, the mystery of his having received the Spirit in the likeness of
a dove, and this is the subject matter of the first text which he opened in
his first sermon, singled out by him on purpose, by choice, not chance, out
of Isaiah, which he read to them (ver. 18), ' The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor,' that is,
in spirit, the afflicted in conscience for sin ; ' he hath sent me to heal the
broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering sight
to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,' &c. And when he
had read so much as concerned the expressing the compassionate disposi-
tion of his Spirit unto sinners, whose misery he sets down by all sorts of
outward evils, then he reads no further, but closeth the book, as intimating
that these were the main effects of that his receiving the Spirit. ' The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor ; ' that is, for this end, or for this very purpose hath he
given me his Spirit, because I was designed or anointed to this work, and
by that Spirit also hath he anointed or qualified me with these gifts and
dispositions suitable to that work.
Another place that makes the fruit and end of his receiving the Spirit
then at his baptism, to be these tender dispositions unto sinners, is that in
Mat. xii. 18, 19, &c, out of another place in Isaiah, ' Behold my beloved,
in whom my soul is well pleased ; I will put my Spirit upon him, and he
shall shew judgments to the Gentiles,' &c. That seems to be a terrible
word, but be not afraid of it, for by ' judgment ' is meant even the doctrine
of free grace and of the gospel, that changeth and reforms men. As in
like manner (according to the Hebrew phrase), in ver. 20, by judgment is
meant the work of God's grace on men's hearts, when he says, ' He will
send forth judgment unto victory,' the work of grace being the counterpart
of the doctrine of grace. And in preaching this doctrine (which in itself is
good tidings) the prophet shews how he should carry it with a spirit, answer-
able and suitable thereunto, even full of all meekness, stillness, calmness,
and modesty, which he expresseth by proverbial speeches usual in those
times, to express so much by, ' He shall not strive, nor cry, neither shall
any man hear his voice in the streets,' that is, he shall deal with all still-
ness and meekness, without violence or boisterousness. John had the voice
of a crier, he was a man of a severe spirit ; but Christ came ' piping and
dancing,' all melodious sweetness was in his ministry and spirit ; and, in
the course of his ministry, he went so tenderly to work, he was so heedful
120 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART II.
to broken souls, and had such regard to their discouragements, that it is
said he would not ' break a bruised reed,' that is, he would set his steps
with such heed as not to tread on a reed that was broken in the leaf ; or he
would walk so lightly or softly, that if it lay in his way, though he went
over it, yet he would not have further bruised it : nor quenched either by
treading out ' the smoking flax,' which is easily done, or with any rushing
motion have raised so much wind as to blow out a wick of a candle, as
some translate it, smoking in the socket, which the least stirring of the air
puffs out. All this is to express the tenderness of his heart ; and this, upon
his receiving the Spirit, and especially from the time of his baptizing ; for
then, you know, those words were together therewith uttered, ' This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;' and they are the same words also,
which, together with God's giving him the Spirit, are joined in that 40th of
Isaiah, whence these words are taken, so that he was filled with the Spirit,
to that end to raise up in him such sweet affections towards sinners.
(2.) Now, for the second part that goes to make up this demonstration: it
is as certain that the same Spirit that was upon Christ, and acted * his spirit
here below, doth still abide upon him in heaven. It must never be said,
the Spirit of the Lord is departed from him, who is the sender and bestower
of the Holy Ghost upon us. And if the Spirit once coming upon his mem-
bers ' abide with them for ever,' as Christ promiseth, John xiv. 16, then
much more doth this Spirit abide upon Christ the Head, from whom we all,
since Christ was in heaven, receive that Spirit, and by virtue of which
Spirit's dwelling in him, he continues to dwell in us. Therefore, of him
it is said, Isa. xi. 2, ' The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.' Yea,
and in that story of the Holy Ghost's descending upon him at his baptism,
it is not only recorded, that ' he descended on him,' but over and above it
is added, ' and abode upon him.' Yea, further, to put the greater emphasis
upon it, it is twice repeated ; so John i. 32, ' I saw the Spirit' (says the
evangelist) ' descending from heaven like a dove ;' and he adds this also as
a further thing observed by him, • and it abode upon him.' And then
again, ver. 33, ' I knew him not' (says he) ' but that he that sent me gave
me this token to know him by, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit
descending, and remaining on him, the same is he.' And further, as it
is intimated there, he 'rested on him' to that end, that he might bap-
tize us with the Holy Ghost unto the end of the world : ' The same
(says he) is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.' He at first descends
as a dove, and then abides as a dove for ever upon him ; and this dove
itself came from heaven first. And therefore, certainty, now that Christ
himself is gone to heaven, he abides and sits upon him much more as a
dove still there. Moreover, let me add this, that although the Spirit rested
on him here without measure in comparison of us, yet it may be safely said,
that the Spirit, in respect of his effects in gifts of grace and glory, rests
more abundantly on him in heaven, than he did on earth, even in the
same sense that at his baptism, as was said, he rested on him in such
respects more abundantly than he did before his baptism, during the time
of his private life. For as when he came to heaven he was installed king
and priest, as it were, anew, in respect of a new execution ; so, for the work
to be done in heaven, he was anew anointed with this ' oil of gladness above
his fellows,' as Ps. xlv. 7. Which place is meant of him especially as he is
in heaven, at God's right hand, in fulness of joy ; as Ps. xvi. 11, it is also
spoken of him, when also it is, that he ' goes forth in his majesty to con-
* That is, ' actuated.'— Ed.
Part II. J unto sinners on earth. 121
quer,' as ver. 4 of that 45th Psalm. And yet, then, ' meekness' is not far
off, but is made one of his dispositions in his height of glory. So it fol-
lows in the fore-cited verse, ' In thy majesty ride prosperously, because of
truth and meekness,' &c. Therefore Peter says, Acts ii. 36, that ' that
same Jesus whom you (Jews) have crucified,' and who was risen and
ascended, ' God hath made both Lord and Christ :' Lord, that is, hath exalted
him as King in heaven ; and Christ, that is, hath also anointed him ; and
this oil is no other than the Holy Ghost, with whom, the same Peter tells
us, ho was anointed at his baptism, Acts x. 38. Yea, and because he then
at once received the Spirit in the fullest measure that for ever he was to
receive him, therefore it was that he shed him down on his apostles, and
• baptized them with him' (as in that 2d of the Acts we read). Now
it is a certain rule, that whatsoever we receive from Christ, that he himself
first receives in himself for us. And so one reason why this oil ran then
so plentifully down on the skirts of this our High Priest, that is, on his
members the apostles and saints, and so continues to do unto this day, is
because our High Priest and Head himself was then afresh anointed with
it. Therefore, ver. 33 of that 2d of the Acts, Peter, giving an account
how it came to pass that they were so filled with the Holy Ghost, says,
that Christ ' having received from the Father the promise of the Holy
Ghost, had shed him forth on them ;' which receiving is not to be only
understood of his bare and single receiving the promise of the Holy Ghost
for us, by having power then given him to shed him down upon them, as
God had promised, though this is a true meaning of it ; but further, that he
had received him first as poured forth on himself, and so shed him forth
on them, according to that rule, that whatever God doth unto us by Christ,
he first doth it unto Christ. All promises are made and fulfilled unto him
first, and so unto us in him ; all that he bestows on us he receives in him-
self. And this may be one reason why (as John vii. 39) ' the Spirit was
not as yet given, because Jesus was not as yet glorified.' But now he is
in heaven, he is said to ' have the seven spirits ;' so Rev. i. 3, which book
sets him out as he is since he went to heaven. Now those seven spirits
are the Holy Ghost, for so it must needs be meant, and not of any creature,
as appears by the 4th verse of that chapter, where ' grace and peace are
wished ' from the seven spirits ;' so called, in respect of the various effects
of him both in Christ and us, though but one in person. And seven is a
number of perfection, and is therefore there mentioned, to shew, that now
Christ hath the Spirit in the utmost measure that the human nature is
capable of. And as his knowledge (which is a fruit of the Spirit) since his
ascension is enlarged — for before he knew not when the' day of judgment
should be, but now when he wrote this book of the Revelation he did — so
are his bowels (I speak of the human nature) extended ; all the mercies
that God means to bestow being now actually to run through his hands,
and his particular notice, and he to bestow them, not on the Jews only,
but on Gentiles also, who were to be converted after he went to heaven.
And so he hath now an heart adequate to God's own heart, in the utmost
extent of shewing mercy unto any whom God hath intended it unto.
And this is the third demonstration, from the Spirit's dwelling in him ;
wherein you may help your faith, by an experiment of the Holy Ghost his
dwelling in your own hearts, and there not only working in you meekness
towards others, but pity towards yourselves, to get your souls saved ; and
to that end, stirring up in you incessant and * unutterable groans' before
the throne of grace, for grace and mercy. Now the same Spirit dwelling
122 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART II.
in Christ's heart in heaven, that doth in yours here, and always working
in his heart first for you, and then in yours by commission from him ; rest
assured, therefore, that that Spirit stirs up in him bowels of mercy infinitely
larger towards you than you can have unto yourselves.
A second sort of demonstrations, from severed engagements noiv lying upon
Christ in heaven.
II. There are a second sort of demonstrations, which may be drawn
from many other several engagements continuing and lying upon Christ
now he is in heaven, which must needs incline his heart towards us as
much, yea more, than ever. As,
1. The continuance of all those near and intimate relations and alliances
unto us of all sorts, which no glory of his can make any alteration in, and
therefore not in his heart and love, nor a declining any respects and offices
of love, which such relations do call for at his hands. All relations that
are natural, such as between father and child, husband and wife, brother
and brother, &c, look what world they are made for, in that world they
for ever hold, and can never be dissolved. These fleshly relations, indeed,
do cease in that other world, because they were made only for this world ;
as, ' the wife is bound to her husband but so long as he lives,' Rom. vii. 1.
But these relations of Christ unto us were made in order to ' the world to
come,' as the Epistle to the Hebrews calls it ; and therefore are in their
full vigour and strength, and receive their completement therein. Where-
fore it is that Christ is said to be ' the same to-day, yesterday, and for
ever,' Heb. xiii. 8. To illustrate this by the constant and indissoluble tie
of those relations of this world, whereto no difference of condition, whether
of advancement or abasement, can give any discharge. We see in Joseph,
when advanced, how as his relations continued, so his affections remained
the same to his poor brethren, who yet had injured him, and also to his
father. So Gen. xlv., where in the same speech he mentioneth both his
own greatest dignities and advancement : ' God hath made me a father to
Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of
Egypt ;' so ver. 8, and yet withal he forge tteth not his relations, ' I am
Joseph, your brother,' ver, 4, even the same man still. And his affections
appeared also to be the same ; for he ' wept over them, and could not
refrain himself,' as you have it, ver. 1,2. And the like he expresseth to
his father, ' Go to my father, and say, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God
hath made me lord over all Egypt,' ver. 9 (and yet thy son Joseph still).
Take another instance, wherein there was but the relation of being of
the same country and alliance, in Esther, when advanced to be queen of an
hundred, twenty, and seven provinces ; who when she was in the arms of
the greatest monarch on earth, and enjoyed highest favour with him, yet
then she cries out, ' How can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto
my people, or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred ! '
So chap. viii. 6. She considered but her relation, and how doth it work
in her veins by a sympathy of blood ! Now much more doth this hold
good of husband and wife, for they are in a nearer relation yet. Let tha
wife have been one that was poor and mean, fallen into sickness, &c, and
let the husband be as great and glorious as Solomon in all his royalty, all
mankind would cry shame on such a man, if he should not now own his
wife, and be a husband in all love and respect to her still. But beyond
Part II. J unto sinners o « earth. 123
all these relations, the relation of head and members, as it is most natural,
so it obligeth most ; ' No man ever yet hated his own flesh,' says the
apostle, though diseased and leprous, ' but lovcth and cherisheth it.' And
it is the law of nature, that ' if one member be honoured, all the members
are to rejoice with it,' 1 Cor. xii. 26 ; ' and if one member sutler, all the
rest are to suffer with it.' ' Even so is Christ,' as ver. 12. And these
relations are they that do move Christ to continue his love unto us. ' Jesus
knowing that he was to depart out of this world, having loved his own who
were in the world, he loved them unto the end,' John xiii. 1. And the
reason thereof is put upon his relation to them : they were ' his own,' and
his own by virtue of all relations whatsoever, his own brethren, his own
spouse, his own flesh ; and ' the very world will love its own,' as himself
speaks, much more will he himself love his own. ' He that provides not
for his own family is worse than an infidel,' says the apostle. Now though
Christ be in heaven, yet his people are his family still ; they are retainers
to him, though they be on earth, and this as truly as those that stand about
his person now he is in his glory. So that speech evidently declares, ' Of
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named ;' they all together
make up but one and the same family to him as their Lord. Christ is
both the founder, the subject, and the most perfect exemplar and pattern
to us, of the relations that are found on earth.
(1.) First, he is the founder of all relations and affections that accom-
pany them both in nature and grace. As therefore the Psalmist argues —
', Shall he not see who made the eye ? — so do I. Shall not he who put all
these affections into parents and brothers, suitable to their relations, shall
not he have them much more in himself ? Though our father Abraham,
being in heaven, ' be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not, yet, O
Lord, thou art our Father, and our Redeemer,' &c, Isa. xxxvi. 16. The
prophet speaks it of Christ, as appears by verses 1 and 2, and in a prophecy
of the Jews' call ; and he speaks it of Christ, as supposed in heaven, for he
adds, ' Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy
holiness and thy glory.' There are but two things that should make him
to neglect sinners : his holiness, as they are sinners, and his glory, as they
are mean and low creatures. Now he there mentions both, to shew that
notwithstanding either as they are sinners he rejects them not, and as they
are base and mean, he despiseth them not.
(2.) He is the subject of all relations, which no creature is. If a man be
a husband, yet not a father, or a brother ; but Christ is all, no one relation
being sufficient to express his love, wherewith he loveth and owneth us.
And therefore he calls his church both sister and spouse, Cant. v. 1.
(3.) He is the pattern and exemplar of all these our relations, and they
all are but the copies of his. Thus, in Eph. v., Christ is made the pattern
of the relation and love of husbands. ' Husbands,' says the apostle, ' love
your wives, as Christ loved his church,' so ver. 25. Yea, verses 31, 32, 33,
the marriage of Adam, and the very words he then spake of cleaving to a
wife, are made but the types and shadows of Christ's marriage to his church.
Herein I speak, says he, ' concerning Christ and the church, and this is a
great mystery.' First, a mystery ; that is, this marriage of Adam was
ordained hiddenly, to represent and signify Christ's marriage with his
church. And secondly, it is a great mystery, because the thing thereby
signified is in itself so great, that this is but a shadow of it. And there-
fore all those relations, and the affections of them, and the effects of those
affections, which you see and read to have been in men, are all, and were
c
124 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PaRT II.
ordained to be, as all things else in this world are, but shadows of what is
in Christ, who alone is the truth and substance of all similitudes in nature,
as well as the ceremonial types.
If, therefore, no advancement doth or ought to alter such relations in
men, then not in Christ. ' He is not ashamed to call us brethren,' as Heb.
ii. 11. And yet the apostle had just before said of him, ver. 9, ' We see
Jesus crowned with glory and honour.' Yea, and as when one member
suffers the rest are touched with a sympathy, so is it with Christ. Paul
persecuted the saints, the members, and ' Why persecutest thou me ?' cries
the Head in heaven ; the foot was trodden on, but the Head felt it, though
• crowned with glory and honour.' ' We are flesh of his flesh, and bone of
his bone,' Eph. v. 30 ; and therefore as Esther said, so says Christ, ' How
can I endure to see the evil that befalls my people ? ' If a husband hath
a wife that is mean, and he become a king, it were his glory, and not his
shame, to advance her ; yea, it were his shame to neglect her, especially if,
when the betrothment was first made, she was then rich and glorious, and
a king's daughter, but since that fallen into poverty and misery. Now,
Christ's spouse, though now she be fallen into sin and misery, yet when
she was first given to Christ by God the Father, who from all eternity made
the match, she was looked upon as all glorious ; for in election at first
both Christ and we were by God considered in that glory which he means
to bring him and us unto at last, that being first in God's intention,
which is last in execution. For God at the beginning doth look at the
end of his works, and at what he means to make them ; and so he then,
primitively intending to make us thus glorious, as we shall be, he brought
and presented us to his Son in that glass of his decrees under that face
of glory wherewith at last he meant to endow us. He shewed us to
him as appareled with all those jewels of grace and glory which we shall
wear in heaven. He did this then, even as he brought Eve unto Adam,
whose marriage was in all the type of this ; so that as this was the first
idea that God took us up in, and that we appeared in before him, so also
wherein he presented us then to Christ, and as it were said, Such a wife
will I give thee ; and as such did the second person marry us, and
undertook to bring us to that estate. And that God ordained us thus to
fall into sin and misery was but to illustrate the story of Christ's love,
and thereby to render this our lover and husband the more glorious in
his love to us, and to make this primitive condition whereunto God meant
again to bring us the more eminently illustrious ; and, therefore, we being
married unto him, when we were thus glorious in God's first intention,
although in his decrees about the execution of this, or the bringing us
to this glory, we fall into meanness and misery before we attain to it,
yet the marriage still holds. Christ took us to run the same fortune with
us, and that we should do the like with him ; and hence it was, that we
being fallen into sin, and so our flesh become frail and subject to infir-
mities, that he therefore ' took part of the same,' as Heb. ii. 14. And
answerably on the other side, he being now advanced to the glory ordained
for him, he can never rest till he hath restored us to that beauty wherein at
first we were presented to him, and till he hath purged and ' cleansed us,
that so he may present us to himself a glorious church,' as you have it,
Eph. v. 26, 27, even such as in God's first intention we were shewn to him
to become, having that native and original beauty, and possessing that estate,
wherein he looked upon us when he first took liking to us and married us. This
is argued there from this very relation of his being our husband^ver. 25, 26 ;
Part II.] unto sinners on earth. 125
and, therefore, though Christ be now in glory, yet let not that discourage
you, for he hath the heart of a husband towards you, being ' betrothed unto
you for ever in faithfulness and in lovingkindness,' as Hos. ii. 19, and the
idea of that beauty is so imprinted on his heart, which from everlasting was
ordained 3 r ou, that he will never cease to sanctify and to cleanse you till he
hath restored you to that beauty which once he took such a liking of.
A second engagement. This love of his unto us is yet further increased
by what he both did and suffered for us here on earth before he went to
heaven. ' Having loved his own ' so far as to die for them, he will cer-
tainly ' love them unto the end,' even to eternity. We shall find in all
sorts of relations, both spiritual and natural, that the having done much for
any beloved of us doth beget a further care and love towards them ; and
the like effect those eminent sufferings of Christ for us have certainly pro-
duced in him. We may see this in parents, for besides that natural affec-
tion planted in mothers towards their children, as they are theirs, the very
pains, hard labour, and travail they were at in bringing them forth, increaseth
their affections towards them, and that in a greater degree than fathers
bear ; and, therefore, the eminency of affection is attributed unto that cf
the mother towards her child, and put upon this, that it is ' the son of her
womb,' Isa. xh'x. 15. And then the performing of that office and work of
nursing them themselves, which yet it is done with much trouble and dis-
quietment, doth in experience yet more endear those their children unto
them, which they so nurse to an apparent difference of bowels and love, in
comparison of that which they put forth to others of their own children
which they nursed not ; and, therefore, in the same place of Isaiah, as
the mother's affection to ' the son of her womb,' so to her ' sucking child '
is mentioned as being the highest instance of such love. And as thus
in paternal affection, so also in conjugal, in such mutual loves in the
pursuing of which there have any difficulties or hardships been encountered ;
and the more those lovers have suffered the one for the other, the more
is the edge of their desires whetted and their love increased, and the
party for whom they suffered is thereby rendered the more dear unto them.
And as it is thus in these natural relations, so also in spiritual. We
may see it in holy men, as in Moses, who was a mediator for the Jews,
as Christ is for us, Moses therein being but Christ's type and shadow,
and therefore I the rather instance in him. He under God had been
the deliverer of the people of Israel out of Egypt with the hazard of his
own life, and had led them in the wilderness, and given them that good
law that was their wisdom in the sight of all the nations, and by his
prayers kept off God's wrath from them. And who ever, of all those heroes
we read of, did so much for any nation, who yet were continually mur-
muring at him, and had like once to have stoned him ? And yet what
he had done for them did so mightily engage his heart, and so immovably
point and fix it unto their good, that although God in his wrath against
them offered to make of him alone a greater and mightier nation than
they were, yet Moses refused that offer, the greatest that ever any son of
Adam was tempted with, and still went on to intercede for them, and,
among other, used this very argument to God, even the consideration of
what he had already done for them, as ' with •what great might and
power he had brought them out of Egypt,' &c, thereby to move God to
continue his goodness unto them ; so Exod. xxxii. 11, and elsewhere.
And this overcame God, as you may read in the 14th verse of the fore-
named chapter. Yea, so set was Moses his heart upon them, that he not
126 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART II.
only refused that former offer which God made him, but he made an offer
unto God of himself to sacrifice his portion in life for their good: ' Rather,'
says he, ' blot me out of the book of life.' So ver. 32.
And we may observe the like zealous love in holy Paul, towards all those
converts of his whom in his epistles he wrote unto ; towards whom that
which so much endeared his affections was the pains, the cost, the travail,
the care, and the sufferings that he had had in bringing them unto Christ.
Thus, towards the Galatians how solicitous was he ! how afraid to lose his
labour on them ! ' I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you
labour in vain :' so he expresseth himself, Gal. iv. 11 ; and, ver. 19, he
utters himself yet more deeply, « My little children (says he), of whom I
again travail in birth, until Christ be formed in you.' He professeth him-
self content to be in travail again for them, rather than lose that about
which he had been in travail for them once before.
Now from both these examples, whereof the one was Christ's type, and
the other the very copy and pattern of Christ's heart, we may raise up our
hearts to the persuasion of that love and affection which must needs be in
the heart of Christ, from that which he hath done and suffered for us.
First, for Moses ; did Moses ever do that for that people which Christ
hath done and suffered for you ? He acknowledged that he had ' not borne
that people in his womb ;' but Christ bare us all, and we were the ' travail
of his soul,' and for us he endured the birth-throes of death (as Peter caUs
them, Acts ii. 24). And then for Paul, ' Was Paul crucified for you ? ' (says
Paul likewise of himself). But Christ was, and he speaks it the more to
enhance the love of Christ. Or if Paul had been crucified, would or could
it have profited us ? No. If therefore Paul was contented to have been
in travail again for the Galatians, when he feared their falling away, then
how doth Christ's heart work much more toward sinners ! he having put
in so infinite a stock of sufferings for us already, which he is loath to lose,
and hath so much love to us besides, that if we could suppose that other-
wise we could not be saved, he could be content to be in travail again,
and to suffer for us afresh. But he needed to do this but once, as the
apostle to the Hebrews speaks, so perfect was his priesthood. Be assured
then, that his love was not spent or worn out at his death, but increased by
it. His love it was that caused him to die, and to ' lay down his life for
his sheep ;' and 'greater love than this hath no man,' said himself before
he did it. But now, having died, this must needs cause him from his soul
to cleave the more unto them.
A cause or a person that a man hath suffered much for, according to
the proportion of his sufferings, is one's love and zeal thereunto ; for these do
lay a strong engagement upon a man, because otherwise he loseth the thanks
and the honour of all that is already done and passed by him. ' Have you
suffered so many things in vain ? ' says the apostle to the Galatians,
chap. hi. 4, where he makes a motive and an incitement of it, that
seeing they had endured so much for Christ, and the profession of
him, they would not now lose all for want of doing a little more. And
doth not the same disposition remain in Christ ? Especially seeing the
hard work is over and despatched which he was to do on earth ; and that
which now remains for him to do in heaven is far more sweet and full of
glory, and as the ' reaping in joy,' of what he had here 'sown in tears.' If
his love was so great, as to hold out the enduring so much ; then now
when that brunt is over, and his love is become a tried love, will it not
continue ? If when tried in adversity (and that is the surest and strongest
Part II. j unto sinners on eartii. 127
love), and the greatest adversity that ever was ; if it then held, will it not
still do so in his prosperity much more ? Did his heart stick to us and
by us in the greatest temptation that ever was ; and will his glorious and
prosperous estate take it off, or abate his love unto us ? Certainly no.
' Jesus the same to-day, yesterday, and for ever,' Heb. xiii. 8. When he
was in the midst of his pains, one for whom he was then a-suffering, said
unto him, ' Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom;' and
could Christ mind him then ? as you know he did, telling him, ' This day
shalt thou bo with me in paradise.' Then surely when Christ came to para-
dise he would do it much more ; and remember him too, by the surest
token that ever was, and which he can never forget, namely, the pains
which he was then enduring for him. He remembers both them and us
still, as the prophet speaks of God. And if he would have us ' remember
his death till he comes,' so to cause our hearts to love him, then certainly
himself doth it in heaven much more. No question but he remembers us,
as he promised to do that good thief, now he is in his kingdom. And so
much for this second engagement.
A third engagement is the engagement of an office which still lies upon
him, and requires of him all mercifulness and graciousness towards sinners
that do come unto him. And therefore whilst he continue in that place,
and invested with that office, as he for ever doth, his heart must needs
continue full of tenderness and bowels. Now that office is the office of his
priesthood, which this text mentions as the foundation of our encourage-
ment to ' come boldly to the throne of grace, for grace and mercy, ....
seeing we have a great high priest entered into the heavens.'
Two things I am to shew to make up this demonstration.
First, that this office of high priesthood is an office erected wholly for
the shewing of grace and mercy.
And secondly, that this office doth therefore lay upon Christ a duty to be
in all his dispensations full of grace and mercy, and therefore his heart
remains most certainly suited and framed thereunto.
For the first. The office of high priesthood is altogether an office of
grace. And I may call it the pardon-office, set up and erected by God in
heaven; and Christ he is appointed the lord and master of it. And as his
kingly office is an office of power and dominion, and his prophetical office
an office of knowledge and wisdom, so his priestly office is an office of
grace and mercy. The high priest's office did properly deal in nothing else.
If there had not been a mercy- seat in the holy of holies, the high priest had
not at all been appointed to have gone into it. It was mercy, and recon-
ciliation, and atonement for sinners that he was to treat about, and so to
officiate for at the mercy-seat. He had had otherwise no work, nor any-
thing to do when he should come into the most holy place. Now this was
but a typical allusion unto this office of Christ's in heaven. And therefore
the apostle (in the text), when he speaks of this our high priest's being
entered into heaven, he makes mention of a throne of grace, and this in
answer to that in the type both of the high priest of old, and of the mercy-
seat in the holy of holies. And further to confirm this, the apostle goes
on to open that very type, and to apply it unto Christ, unto this very pur-
pose which we have now in hand. And this in the very next words to my text,
chapter v. 1st, 2d, and 3d verses ; in which he gives a full description of
a high priest, and all the properties and requisites that were to be in
him, together with the eminent and principal end that that office was
ordained for. Now the great and essential qualifications there specified,
128 THE HEAET OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART II.
that were to be in a high priest, are mercy and grace, and the ends for
which he is there said to be ordained are works of mercy and grace. And
besides what the words in their single standing do hold forth to this pur-
pose, observe that they come in to back and confirm that exhortation in the
text, wherein he had set forth Christ as an ' high priest touched with the
feeling of infirmities : ' and that therefore we should ' come with boldness
for grace and mercy ;' ' for every high priest (says he) taken from among
men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God : that he may offer
both gifts and sacrifices for sin.' ' One who can have compassion,' &c.
So that these words are a confirmation of what he had before said, and do
set out Christ the substance, in his grace and mercifulness, under Aaron and
his sons the shadows ; and all this for the comfort of believers.
Now for the ends for which those high priests were appointed, they speak
all nothing but grace and mercy unto sinners ; it is said, he was one ' or-
dained for men, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.' There is both
the Jin is at jus, the end for whom, and the finis cut, the end for which, he
was ordained.
(1.) For whom. He was ordained for men, that is, for men's cause, and
for their good. Had it not been for the salvation of men, God had never
made Christ a priest. So that he is wholly to employ all his interest and
power for them for whose cause he was ordained a priest, and that in all
things that are between God and them. He is to transact ra ir^hg rhv Qsbv,
all things that are to be done by us towards God, or for us with God, he is
to take up all our quarrels with God, and to mediate a reconciliation between
us and him. He is to procure us all favour from God, and to do all that
which God would have done for our salvation. And that he might do this
willingly, kindly, and naturally for us, as every high priest was ' taken from
among men,' so was Christ, that he might be a priest of our own kind,
and so be more kind unto us, than the nature of an angel could have been.
And how much this conduceth to his being a merciful high priest, I shall
shew anon.
(2.) The end for which every high priest was ordained, shews this ; he
was to ' offer gifts and sacrifices for sins : ' sacrifices for sins, to pacify God's
wrath against sin, and gifts to procure his favour. You know the apostle,
in the foregoing words, had mentioned grace and mercy, and encouraged us
to come with boldness unto this high priest for both ; and answerably to
encourage us the more, he says, the high priest by his office was to offer
for both : gifts for to procure all grace, and sacrifices to procure all mercy
for us, in respect of our sins. Thus you see the ends which he is ordained
for are all matter of grace and mercy, and so of encouragement unto men
for the obtaining of both, verse 1.
(3.) The qualification that was required in a high priest was, that he
should be ' one that could have compassion,' &c, and this is set forth, verse 2.
He that was high priest was not chosen into that office for his deep wis-
dom, great power, or exact holiness ; but for the mercy and compassion
that was in him. That is it which is here made the special, and therefore
the only mentioned, property in a high priest as such ; and the special
essential qualification that was inwardly and internally to constitute him
and fit him for that office : as God's appointment did outwardly and exter-
nally, as verse 4 hath it. And the word dwdpsvog, ' that can ' or 'is
able,' imports an inward faculty, a spirit, a disposition, a heart that knows
how to be compassionate. And it is the same word that the apostle had
before used to express Christ's heart by, even in the wordsof the text,
Part II.] unto sinners on babth. 129
duvd/Aivov e-jij.'radrjaui, that is, ' who can be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities.' And he had also used it of him afore that, in the point of
mercy, chap. ii. 18, Buvarat, &c, ' he is able' to succour, etc., which is not
meant of any external power (which we usually call ability), but of an in-
ternal touch in his will ,• he hath a heart able to forgive, and to ail'ord help.
Now, therefore, if this be so essential a property to a high priest as
such, then it is in Christ most eminently. And as Christ had not been
fit to have been God's king, if he had not had all power and strength in
him, which is essential to constitute him a king, so not to have been God's
high priest, if he had not had such an heart for mercifulness ; yea, and no
louger to have been a priest than he should continue to have such a heart.
Even as that which internally qualifies a minister for the ministry is his
gifts, ' which if he loseth, he is no longer to be in that office ; or as rea-
son makes a man a man, which if he loseth he becomes a beast ; thus no
longer should Christ continue to be a priest than he hath a heart that
' can have compassion,' as this second verse hath it. And the word which
we translate ' to have compassion,' is exceeding emphatical, and the force
of it observable ; it is in the original /uroio-rahTv, and signifies ' to have
compassion according to every one's measure and proportion.' He had said
of Christ in the words of my text, that he was ' touched with the feeling of
our infirmities,' or that ' he had a suffering with us in all our evils ; ' and
this word also here used imports a suffering.
But then, some greatly distressed souls might question thus : Though he
pities me, and is affected, yet my misery and sins being great, will he take them
in to the full, lay them to heart, to pity me according to the greatness of
them ? To meet with this thought therefore, and to prevent even this
objection about Christ's pity, the apostle sets him out by what was the duty
of the high priest, who was his shadow ; that he is one that ' can have
compassion according to the measure of every one's distress ;' and one that
considers every circumstance in it, and will accordingly afford his pity and
help, and if it be great, he hath a great fellow-feeling of it, for he is a great
high priest. Thy misery can never exceed his mercy. The word here
used comes froni /jbtrgov, a measure, and vafoTv, to suffer. And that it is
the apostle's scope to hold this forth in this word, is evident by what follows,
for he on purpose makes mention of those several degrees, proportions, and
ranks of sinners under the old law, who were capable of mercy and com-
passion, 'who can have compassion' (says he) 'on the ignorant, and on
them that are out of the way.' In the old law you may read of several
degrees and kinds of sinners, for which God appointed or measured out
difi'ering and proportionable sacrifices, Lev. iv. ver. 2 and 5, and another
for sins against knowledge, or such as were wittingly committed, chap. vi.
ver. 2, 3, compared with ver. 6. Now when any sinner came to the high
priest to make atonement for him, the priest was wisely to consider the
kind and proportion of his sin ; as whether it were a sin of mere ignorance,
or whether it were against knowledge ; and accordingly he was to proportion
a sacrifice, and to mediate for him. And so he did (urgimra^v, ' pity him
according to measure,' or according to reason or discretion, as in the
margin it is varied. And therefore the apostle here mentions both the
ignorant, that is, those that sin out of mere ignorance, and them that are
gone out of the way, namely, by wilful and witting iniquity. And so by
this property that was to be in the high priest, doth he here set forth Christ.
As the measure of any man's need and distress is from sin and misery,
accordingly is he affected towards him. And as we have sins of several
vol. rv. j
130 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART II.
sizes, accordingly hath he mercies, and puts forth a mediation proportion-
able ; whether they be ignorances, or sins of daily incursion, or else sins
more gross and presumptuous. And therefore let neither of them discourage
any from coming unto Christ for grace and mercy.
So that (for the closure of this) here is both the qualification disposing
him for this office, merciful compassionateness ; and here ai'e the ends of
this office, even to deal mercifully with all sorts of sinners, according to the
proportion and measure of their sins and miseries. From each of which do
arise these corollaries, which make up the demonstration in hand, as the
conclusion: 1. That he is no longer fit for this place, than he continues
to be of a gracious disposition, and one that can have compassion. 2. That
he can no longer be faithful in the discharge of this office, according to the
ends for which it was appointed, than he shews all grace and mercy unto
them that come unto his throne of grace for it.
And that is the second thing which I at first propounded : that this office
did lay a duty upon him to have compassion ; and it necessarily follows
from the former. And answerably to confirm this, we have both these two
brought to our hands in one place together, and which is a parallel place
to this last interpreted. It is Heb. ii. 17, ' That he might be a merciful
and a faithful high priest,' &c. He is at once here said to be both merciful
and faithful ; and both are attributed to him, in respect of this high priest's
office, ' faithful high priest ; ' and that, as it is to be executed in heaven,
after the days of his flesh ended. For the apostle giving the reason of it,
and shewing what it is that fits him to be such a high priest, adds, ver.
28, • in that himself hath suffered ; ' so that it relates to the time aiter his
sufferings ended. Now in that he is said to be merciful, this relates to that
internal disposition of his heart, before spoken of, qualifying him for this
office ; and in that he is said to be faithful, that respects his execution of
it ; he is faithful in the discharge of the duty which that plaeie laj'S on him.
So then this goes further than the former, for it shews, that to exercise
mercy is the duty of his place, and that, if he will be faithful, he must be
merciful. For faithfulness in any office, imports an exact performance of
something appointed by him, who designs one to that office, and that as a
duty ; and that this is a true description of faithfulness, and also that this
faithfulness so described is in Christ, we have at once implied, in that which
immediately follows in the beginning of the 3d chap. ver. 3, 'Who was'
(says the apostle, going on to speak of Christ) ' faithful to him that
appointed him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house ; ' we have the
same thing as expressly spoken in that fore-quoted place, Heb. v., in the
next words to those we even now opened, ver. 3, ' And by reason hereof
he ought to offer for sins.' He speaks it of Christ's type, the high priest
(as the former also he had done), but thereby to shew that it is Christ's
duty also to mediate for all that come to him, ' He ought to do it.' Now
then to enforce this consideration, for the help of our faith herein. If this
office doth by God's appointment thus bind him to it, and if it be the duty
of his place, then certainly he will perform it most exactly, for else he doth
not do his duty. And our comfort may be, that his faithfulness lies in
being merciful ; therefore, you see, they are both here joined together.
Every one is to do the proper duty of his place, and exactly to see to that.
And therefore the apostle, Rom. xii., exhorting to the discharge of the duties
of each office in the church, ver. 7, he says, ' Let him that hath a ministry,'
committed to him, ' wait on his ministry ; ' and, among others, if his place
of ministration be to ' shew mercy,' as ver. 8 (which was an office in the
Part II.] unto sinners on earth. 131
church, upon which lay tho caro of the poor and rick), ho is to ' do it with
cheerfulness.' And so says Christ of himself, Isa. lxi. 1,2, ' The Spirit of
tho Lord is upon me, to bind up the broken-hearted, to open the prison
doors to them that are bound,' to visit and relieve them, and ' to preach
good tidings to the meek.' Such kind of souls are they that he hath the
charge of. He is the great shepherd and bishop of souls, 1 Peter ii. 25,
and the sick, and the broken, they are his sheep, his charge, his diocese,
as Ezekiel hath it, chap, xxxiv. 16. And to tend such as these, he looks
for ever upon it as his duty, as his own expression upon the like occasion
importeth, in John x. 16, ' Other sheep I have' (says Christ), ' them I must
bring,' &c. Observe how he puts a /xe ou, an / must upon it ; looking at it
as his duty, strictly laid upon him by his place of being a shepherd. And
the proper duty of his place being to shew merey, he doth it with cheer-
fulness, as the apostle speaks. For mercy makes one do what they do
with cheerfulness. And Christ, as he is the bishop, so the didxovoi, Ihe
deacon also (for he bears all offices to his church), as of the circumcision,
so of the uncircumcision also ; so he is called, Rom. xv. 8. And these
offices of high priest, shepherd, bishop, &c, he hath still in heaven; for
* he continues a priest for ever,' Heb. vii. 24.
Now, therefore, to conclude this head. Never fear that Christ's great
advancement in heaven should any whit alter his disposition ; for this his
very advancement engageth him the more. For although he be ' entered
into the heavens,' yet consider withal that it is here added, to be an high
priest there ; and so long fear not, for his place itself will call for mercy
from him unto them that treat with him about it. And although in the
heavens he be ' advanced far above all principalities and powers,' yet still
his high priesthood goes with him, and accompanies him ; for • such an
high priest became us, as was higher than the heavens,' Heb. vii. 26. And
further, though he sits at God's right hand, and. on his Father's throne, yet
that throne it is a ' throne of grace,' as the text hath it, upon which he sits.
And as the mercy-seat in the type was the farthest and highest thing in the
holy of holies, so the throne of grace (which is an infinite encouragement
unto us) is the highest seat in heaven, So that if Christ will have and
keep the greatest place in heaven, the highest preferment that heaven itself
can bestow upon him, it engageth him unto grace and mercy. The highest
honour there hath this attribute of grace annexed to it in its very title, ' A
throne of grace ; ' and as Solomon says, ' A king's throne is established by
righteousness,' it continues firm by it, so is Christ's throne by grace.
Grace was both the first founder of his throne, or his raiser to it, and also
it is the establisher of it.
First, it is the founder of it ; for the reason why God did set him up in
that place was, because he had more grace and mercy in his heart than
all the creatures had, or could be capable of. All favourites are usually
raised for something that is eminent in them, either beauty, pleasantness of
wit, state policy, or the like. Now if you ask what moved God to advance
Christ to this high throne, it was his grace. So Ps. xlv. 3, ' Grace is
poured into thy lips,' and so dwells much more in his heart : • therefore
God hath blessed thee ;' so it follows, namely, with all those glories in heaven,
which are God's blessings to his Son.
And then, secondly, grace is the upholder of his throne ; so ver. 4 of the
aforesaid Ps. xlv., ' In thy majesty . . . prosper thou,' as well ' because of
meekness' as of ' righteousness,' and also because of ' truth ;' that is, the
word of truth, ' the gospel of our salvation,' as Paul exegetically expoundcth
132 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN PaRT II.
it, Eph. i. 13. These are the pillars and supporters of his throne and
majesty. And there are two of them, ) r ou see, that are of grace (meekness,
and the gospel of our salvation), unto one of justice, or righteousness, and
yet that one is for us too. And these establish Christ's throne. So it fol-
lows, ver. 6, ' Thy throne, God, is for ever and ever,' and you know who
applies this unto Christ, Heb. i. 8. Fear not then, whenas meekness sup-
ports his majesty, and grace his throne, and whenas he holds his place by
shewing these. And thus much from that office that is laid upon Christ as
he is a priest.
A fourth engagement, which added to the former may mightily help our
faith in this, is, his own interest, both in that our salvation is the purchase
of his blood, and also that his own joy, comfort, happiness, and glory are
increased and enlarged by his shewing grace and mercy, in pardoning, re-
lieving, and comforting his members here on earth, under all their infirmi-
ties. So that, besides the obligation of an office undertaken by him for us,
there is the addition of a mighty interest of his own, coincident therewith,
to fix his heart unto faithfulness for us, in all that doth concern us. We
see that advocates and attorneys who plead for others, although that they
have no share in the estate for which they plead, no title to, or interest
therein, yet when they have undertaken a client's cause (if honest), how
diligent will they be to promote and carry it for that their client, simply
because it is their office, and the duty of their place ; and yet the}* have but
a very small fee given them, in comparison of that estate which ofttimes
they follow suit about. How much more would their diligence be whetted,
if the lands and estates they sue for were then* own, or a purchase of theirs
for their wives' jointure, or children's portions ! Now such is the pardon-
ing of our sins, the salvation of our souls, and the conforming of our hearts
unto Christ ; these are the purchase of Christ's blood, and whilst he is
exercised in promoving these, he doth good to his own child and spouse,
&c, which is in effect a doing good unto himself. Yea, to do these, bringeth
in to himself more comfort and glory than it procures to them. And
therefore the apostle, in the beginning of the following chapter (namely,
Heb. hi.), says, that Christ is engaged to faithfulness in the execution of
his office, not as a mere servant only, who is betrusted by his master, but
as an owner, who hath an interest of possession in the things committed
to his care, and a revenue from these. So ver. 5, ' Moses verily' (says he)
' was faithful as a servant in God's house, but Christ as a Son over his own
house,' that is, as an heir of all, ' whose house (or family) are we,' says the
apostle, ver. 6 ; If a physician for his fee will be faithful, although he be a
stranger, much more will he be so if he be father to the patient, so as his
own life and comfort are bound up in that of the child's, or when much of
his estate and comings in are from the life of the party unto whom he minis-
ters physic. In such a case they shall be sure to want for no care and cost,
and to lack no cordials that will comfort them, no means that will cure
them and keep them healthful, and no fit diet tbat may nourish and
strengthen them ; as the care of that prince of the eunuchs, in the first of
Daniel, was, to have those children committed to his charge, to eat and
drink of the best, because that on their looks and good liking his place
depended. Now so God hath ordered it, even for an everlasting obliga-
tion of Christ's heart unto us, that his giving grace, mercy, and comfort to
us, is one great part of his glory, and 01 the revenue of his happiness in
heaven, and of his inheritance there.
First, to explain how this may be, consider, That the human nature of
Part II. unto sinners on earth. 188
Christ in heaven hath a double capacity of glory, happiness and delight ;
one on that mere fellowship and communion with his Father and the other
persons, through his personal union with the Godhead. Which joy of his
in this fellowship, Christ himself speaks of, Ps. xvi. 11, as to be enjoyed
by him, ' In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are plea-
sures for evermore.' And this is a constant and settled fulness of pleasure,
such as admits not any addition or diminution, but is always one and the
same, and absolute and entire in itself ; and of itself alone sufficient for the
Son of God, and heir of all things to live upon, though he should have had
no other comings in of joy and delight from any creature. And this is his
natural inheritance.
But God hath bestowed upon him another capacity of glory, and a revenue
of pleasure to come in another way, and answerably another fulness, namely,
from his church and spouse, which is his body. Thus Eph. i., when the
apostle had spoken the highest things of Christ's personal advancement in
heaven that could be uttered, as of his ' sitting down at God's right hand,
far above all principalities and powers,' &c, verses 20, 21 ; yet, ver. 22, he
adds this unto all, ' and gave him to be an head to the church, which is
his body, the fulness of him who filleth all in all.' So that although he of
himself personally be so full, the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him,
that he overflows to the filling all things ; yet he is pleased to account —
and it is so in the reality — his church, and the salvation of it, to be another
fulness unto him, super-added unto the former. As Son of God he is com-
plete, and that of himself ; but as an head, he yet hath another additional
fulness of joy from the good and happiness of his members. And as all plea-
sure is the companion, and the result of action, so this ariseth unto him,
from his exercising acts of grace, and from his continual doing good unto,
and for those his members ; or, as the apostle expresseth it, from his filling
them with all mercy, grace, comfort, and felicity, himself becoming yet
more full, by filling them ; and this is his inheritance also, as that other
was. So as a double inheritance Christ hath to live upon : one personal,
and due unto him, as he is the Son of God, the first moment of his incar-
nation, ere he had wrought any one piece of work towards our salvation ;
another acquired, purchased, and merited by his having performed that
great service and obedience ; and, certainly, besides the glory of his person,
there is the glory of his office of mediatorship, and of headship to his church.
And though he is never so full of himself, yet he despiseth not this part of
his revenue that comes in from below. Thus much for explication.
Now, secondly, for the confirmation and making up the demonstration
in hand. This superadded glory and happiness of Christ is enlarged and
increased still, as his members come to have the purchase of his death
more and more laid forth upon them ; so as when their sins are pardoned,
their hearts more sanctified, and their spirits comforted, then comes he to
see the fruit of his labour, and is comforted thereby, for he is the more
glorified by it, yea, he is much more pleased and rejoiced in this than
themselves can be. And this must needs keep up in his heart his care
and love unto his children here below, to water and refresh them every
moment (as Isaiah speaks, chap, xxvii. 3). For in thus putting forth acts
of grace and favour, and in doing good unto them, he doth but good unto
himself, which is the surest engagement in the world. And therefore the
apostle exhorts men to love their wives upon this ground, that in so
doing they love themselves : ' So ought men to love their wives, as their
own bodies : he that loveth his wife loveth himself,' Eph. v. 28, so strict
134 THE HEAET Of CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PaBT II.
and near is that relation. Now, the same doth hold true of Christ in his
loving his church. And therefore in the same place the love of Christ
unto his church is held forth as the pattern and exemplar of ours ; so ver.
25, ' Even as Christ alsc loved the church.' And so it may well be argued
thence, by comparing the*, one speech with the other, that Christ in loving
his church doth but love himself; and then the more love and grace he
shews unto the members of that his body, the more he shews love unto
himself. And accordingly it is further added there, ver. 27, that he daily
' washeth and cleanseth his church,' that is, both from the guilt and power
of sin, ' that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having
spot or wrinkle,' &c. Observe, it is to himself. So that all that he doth
for his members is for himself, as truly, yea, more fully, than for them ;
and his share of glory out of theirs is greater than theirs, by how much
the glory of the cause is greater than that of the effect. And thus indeed
the Scripture speaks of it, as whilst it calls the saints the ' glory of Christ.'
So 2 Cor. viii. 23. And Christ, in John xvii. 13, and verses 22, 23, says,
that he is ' glorified in them.' And Psalm xlv., where Christ is set forth
as Solomon in all his royalty and majesty ; yet, ver. 11, he is said ' greatly
to desire or delight in the beauty' of his queen, that is, the graces of the
saints ; and that not with an ordinary delight, but he ' greatly desires ; '
his desire is increased as her beauty is. For that is there brought in as a
motive unto her to be more holy and conformed unto him, ' to incline her
ear, and forsake her father's house,' ver. 10. ' So shall the king greatly
desire thy beauty.' Christ hath a beauty that pleaseth him as well as we
have, though of another kind ; and therefore ceaseth not till he hath got
out every spot and wrinkle out of his spouse's face, as we heard the apostle
speak even now, ' so to present her glorious unto himself,' that is,
delightful and pleasing in hij eye. And suitably unto this, to confirm us
3~et more in it, Christ in that sermon which was his solemn farewell before
his going to heaven, assures his disciples that his heart would be so far from
being weaned from them, that his joy would still be in them, to see them
prosper and bring forth fruit ; so John xv. 9, 10, 11, whei*e his scope is
to assure them of the continuance of his love unto them when he should
be gone ; so verses 9, 10, ' As my Father hath loved me, so have I loved
you : continue in my love,' &c. As if he had said, Fear not you my love,
nor the continuance of it in my absence ; but look you to do your duty, &c.
And to give them assurance of this, he further tells them, that even when
he is in heaven, in the greatest fulness of pleasure at God's right hand,
yet even then his joy will be in them, and in their well-doing ; so ver. 11,
1 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may remain in you,
and that your joy may be full.' He speaks just like a father that is taking
his leave of his children, and comforting them at his departure, and giving
them good counsel to take good courses when he is gone from them, to
keep his commandments, and to love one another, so verses 10 and 12,
and backs it with this motive, so shall my joy remain in you : it is as
fathers use to speak ; and it will be for your good too, your joy will be
also full.
To open which words a little : the word remain, used concerning their
abiding in his love, and his joy abiding in them, is used in reference to the
continuing of both these towards them in heaven. And when Christ says,
' that my joy may remain in you,' it is as if he had said, that I may even
in heaven have cause to rejoice in you when I shall hear and know of you,
that you agree and are loving each to other, and keep my commandments.
Part II.] unto pinners on eakth. 135
The joy which ho there calls his joy, ' tny joy,' is not to be understood
objective, of their joy in him, as the object of it ; but subjective*, of the joy
that should be in himself, and which he should have in them. So Augus-
tine long since interpreted it. Quidncun, says he, est ill ml gttudhm Christi
in nobis, nisi quod file di/fimtur (jaudere de nobis? What is Christ's joy in
us, but that which he vouchsafeth to have of and for us ? And it is evi-
dent by this, that otherwise, if it were their joy which he meant in that
first sentence, then that other that follows, ' and your joy shall be full,'
were a tautology. He speaks therefore of his joy and theirs, as of two
distinct things ; and both together were the greatest motives that could be
given to encourage and quicken his disciples in obedience. Now, take an
estimate of Christ's heart herein, from those two holy apostles Paul and
John, who were smaller resemblances of this in Christ. What, next to
immediate communion with Christ himself, was the greatest joy they had
to live upon in this world, but only the fruit of their ministry, appearing in
the graces both of the fives and hearts of such as they had begotten unto
Christ ? See how Paul utters himself, 1 Thess. ii. 19, ' What is our hope,'
says he, ' or joy, or crown of rejoicing '? Ye are our glory and our joy,'
ver. 20. And in the 3d Epistle of John, ver. 3, John says the like, that
he greatly rejoiced of that good testimony he had heard of Gaius ; for, says
he, ' I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth,'
ver. 4. Now what were Paul and John but instruments by whom they
believed and were begotten '? and not on whom. Neither of these were
crucified for them ; nor were these children of theirs the travail of their
souls. How much more then unto Christ, whose interest in us and our
welfare is so infinitely much greater, must his members be his joy and his
crown ? And to see them to come in to him for grace and mercy, and to
walk in truth, rujoiceth him much more ; for he thereby sees of the travail
of his soul, and so is satisfied. Certainly what Solomon says of parents,
Prov. x. 1, that ' a wise son maketh a glad father,' &c, is much more true
of Christ. Holiness, and fruitfulness, and comfortableness in our spirits
while we are here below, do make glad the heart of Christ, our ' everlasting
Father.' Himself hath said it, I beseech you believe him, and carry your-
selves accordingly. And if part of his joy arise from hence, that we thrive
and do well, then doubt not of the continuance of his affections ; for love
unto himself will continue them towards us, and readiness to embrace and
receive them when they come for grace and mercy.
There is a fifth engagement, which his very having our nature, which he
still wears in heaven, and which the end or intention which God had or-
dained Christ's assuming it, do put upon him for ever. For one great end
and project of that personal union of our nature unto the Godhead in the
second Person for ever, was, that he might be a merciful high priest. So that
as his office lays it as a duty upon him, so his becoming a man qualifies
him for that office and the performance of it, and so may afford a farther
demonstration of the point in hand. This we find both to have been a
requisite in our high priest, to qualify him the better for mercy and bowels ;
and also one of those great ends which God had in that assumption of our
nature.
First, a requisite, on purpose to make him the more merciful. So, Heb.
v. 1, the place even now insisted on, when yet this primary qualification I
then passed over, and reserved unto this mention, it is said, ' Every high
priest taken from among men is ordained for men,' and that to this end,
' that so he might be one that can have compassion :' namely, with a pity
lo6 THE HEART OF CHBIST IN HEAVEN [PaKT II.
that is natural and kiudly, such as a man bears to one of his own kind.
For otherwise the angels would have made higher and greater high priests
than one of our nature ; but then they would not have pitied men, as men
do their brethren, of the same kind and nature with them.
And secondly, this was also God's end and intention in ordaining Christ's
assumption of our nature, which that other place before cited, namely,
Heb. ii. 16, 17, holds forth, ' Verily he took not on him the nature of
angels, but the seed of Abraham :' that is, an human nature, and that
made, too, of the same stuff that ours is of, and ' it behoved him to be made
like us in all things, that he might be a merciful high priest,' &c, 'ha etejjften
yhrjui, ' to the end he might become,' or ' be made merciful.'
But was not the Son of God as merciful (may some say) without the
taking of our nature, as afterwards, when he had assumed it ? Or is his
mercy thereby made larger than of itself it should have been, had he not
took the human nature on him ?
I answer, Yes ; he is as merciful, but yet,
[1.] Hereby is held forth an evident demonstration (and the greatest one
that could have been given unto men) of the everlasting continuance of
God's mercies unto men, by this, that God is for everlasting become a man ;
and so we thereby assured that he will be merciful unto men, who are of
his own nature, and that for ever. For as his union with our nature is for
everlasting, so thereby is sealed up to us the continuation of these his mer-
cies, to be for everlasting ; so that he can and will no more cease to be
merciful unto men, than himself can now cease to be a man; which can
never be. And this was the end of that assumption.
[2. J But, secondly, that was not all. His taking our nature not only
adds unto our faith, but some way or other even to his being merciful.
Therefore it is said, ' that he might be made merciful,' &c. That is, mer-
ciful in such a way as otherwise God of himself had never been ; namely,
even as a man. So that this union of both natures, God and man, was
projected by God to make up the rarest compound of grace and mercy in
the result of it that ever could have been, and thereby fully fitted and ac-
commodated to the healing and saving of our souls. The greatest of that
mercy that was in God, that contributes the stock and treasury of those
mercies to be bestowed on us : and unto the greatness of these mercies
nothing is or could be added by the human nature assumed ; but rather
Christ's manhood had all his largeness of mercy from the Deity. So that,
had he not had the mercies of God to enlarge his heart towards us, he could
never have held out to have for ever been merciful unto us. But then, this
human nature assumed, that adds a new way of being merciful. It assimi-
lates all these mercies, and makes them the mercies of a man ; it makes
them human mercies, and so gives a naturalness and kindness unto them
to our capacities. So that God doth now in as kindly and as natural a
way pity us, who are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, as a man
pities a man, thereby to encourage us to come to him, and to be familiar
with God, and treat with him for grace and mercy, as a man would do with
a man ; as knowing that in that man Christ Jesus (whom we believe upon)
God dwells, and his mercies work in and through his heart in a human
way.
I will no longer insist upon this notion now, because I shall have occa-
sion to touch upon it again, and add unto it under that next third general
head, of shewing the way how Christ's heart is affected towards sinners.
Only take we notice what comfort this may afford unto our faith, that Christ
P.VRT II.] UNTO SINNERS ON EARTH. 137
must cease to be a man if he continue not to be merciful ; seeing the very
plot of his becoming a man was, that he might be merciful unto us, and
that in a way so familiar to our apprehensions, as our own hearts give the
experience of the like, and which otherwise, as God, he was not capable of.
And add but this bold word to it, though a true one, that he may now as
soon cease to be God as to be a man. The human nature, after he had once
assumed it, being raised up to all the natural rights of the Son of God ;
whereof one (and that now made natural unto him) is to continue for ever
united. And he may as soon cease to be either as to be ready to shew
mercy. So that not only the scope of Christ's office, but also the intention
of his assuming our nature, doth lay a farther engagement upon him, and
that more strong than any or than all the former.
138 THE HEART OF CHKIST IN HEAVEN [PaKT III.
PART III.
For we have not an high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities, hut was in all things tempted like as we are, yet ivithout sin. —
Heb. IV. 15.
Some generals to clear how this is to be understood, that Christ's heart is
tmiclied with the feeling of our infirmities, together ivith the way how our
i u fi unities come to be feelingly let into his heart.
I. Having thus given such full and ample demonstrations of the tenderness
and sameness of Christ's heart unto us now he is in heaven, with that which
it was whilst he was here on earth ; and those, both extrinsical (in the first
part) and intrinsical (in the second) ; I now come to the last head which I
propounded in the opening of these words, namely, the way and manner of
Christ's being affected with pity unto us ; both how it is to be understood
by us, and also how such affections come to be let into his heart, and
therein to work these bowels of compassion unto us. This in the begin-
ning of the second part I propounded to be handled, as being necessary both
for the opening and clearing the words of the text, which mainly holds forth
this, as also for the clearing of the thing itself, the point in hand. For, as
I there shewed, these words come in by way of preoccupation or prevention
of an objection, as if his state now in heaven were not capable of such
affection as should tenderly move him to pity and commiseration, he being
now glorified both in soul and body. Which thought, because it was apt
to arise in all men's minds, the apostle therefore forestalls it, both by
affirming the contrary, ' We have not an high priest that cannot be touched,'
&c, that is, he both can be, or is capable of it, and likewise is touched,
notwithstanding all his glory, as also by his annexing the reason of it, or
shewing the way how it comes to pass, in that ' in all points he was tempted
like as we are.'
Now in handling and opening these, which is a matter full of difficulty,
I shall, with all wariness, proceed to the discovery of what manner of
affection in Christ this is, and that by these steps and degrees.
1. This affection of compassion, or his being 'touched with the feeling
of our infirmities,' is not wholly to be understood in a metaphorical or a
similitudinary sense, as those speeches used of God in the Old Testament
are to be understood, when bowels of compassion are attributed unto him,
and his bowels are said to be ' rolled together,' or as whenas it is said of
God, that he repented, and was afflicted in all his people's afflictions. All
which expressions were of God (as we all know) but merely vm.§ uvQ^wzuKudiiav,
after the manner of men ; so to convey and represent to our apprehensions,
by what affections use to be in parents or friends in such and such cases
(what provoke them unto such and such actions), which like effects proceed
Part III. J unto sinners on earth. 139
from God towards us when he sees us in distress. And so they are spoken
rather per modwn effectua, than affeetus, rather by way of like effect, which
God produceth, than by way of such affection in God's heart, which is not
capable of any such passions as these are. Now towards the right under-
standing of this, the first thing which I affirm is, that barely in such a
sense as this, that which is here spoken of Christ, is not to be understood,
and my reason for it is grounded upon these two things put together. First,
that this affection of his towards us here spoken of, is manifestly meant
of his human nature, and not of his Godhead only, for it is spoken of that
nature wherein he once was tempted as we now are. So expressly in the
next words, which can be meant of no other than his human nature.
And secondly, that those kind of expressions which were used of God
before the assumption of our nature, only in a way of metaphor and
similitude, ' after the manner of men,' should in no further or more real
and proper sense be spoken of Christ and his human nature now assumed,
and when he is a man as truly and properly as we are, I cannot imagine ;
when I consider and remember that which I last insisted on, that one end
of Christ's taking a human nature, was ' that he might be a merciful high
priest for ever,' in such a way as, he being God alone, could not have
been. I confess I have often wondered at that expression thei-e used, ' He
took the seed of Abraham, that he might be made a merciful high priest,'
Heb. ii., which at the first reading sounded as if God had been made
more merciful by taking our nature. But this solved the wonder, that this
assumption added a new way of God's being merciful, by means of which
it may now be said, for the comfort and relief of our faith, that God is
truly and really merciful, as a man. And the consideration of this con-
tributes this to the clearing of the thing in hand, that whereas God of
himself was so blessed and perfect, that his blessedness could not have
been touched with the least feeling of our infirmities, neither was he in
himself capable of any such affection of pity or compassion : ' He is not as
a man, that he should pity or repent,' &c. He can indeed do that for us
in our distress, which a man that pities us useth to do ; but the affections
and bowels themselves he is not capable of. Hence, therefore, amongst
other ends of assuming man's nature, this fell in before God as one, that
God might thereby become loving and merciful unto men, as one man is to
another. And so, that what before was but improperly spoken, and by
way of metaphor and similitude, in the Old Testament, so to convey it to
our apprehensions, might now be truly attributed unto him in the reality ;
that God might be for ever said to be compassionate as a man, and to be
touched with a feeling of our infirmities as a man. And thus by this
happy union of both natures, the language of the Old Testament, uttered
only in a figure, becomes verified and fulfilled in the truth of it, as in all
other things the shadows of it were in Christ fulfilled. And this is the
first step towards the understanding of what is here said of Christ, taken
from this comparison with the like attributed unto God himself.
2. A second and further step to let in our understanding to the appre-
hension of this, is by the like further comparison to be made with the
angels, and those affections of love and pity that are certainly found in
them. In comparison of which, these affections in Christ's human nature,
though glorified, must needs be far more like to ours, even more tender,
and more human ; for in that Heb. ii. it is expressly said, ' He therefore
took not the nature of the angels, that he might be a merciful high priest.'
Part of the intendment of those words is to shew and give the reason, not
140 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [P AR ' r HI«
only why he took our nature under frail flesh, though that the apostle
mentions, ver. 14, but why a human nature for the substance of it, and
not the nature of angels ; because in his affections of mercy he would for
ever come nearer to us, and have such affections, and of the same kind
with ours. Whereas otherwise, in other respects, an angel would have
been a higher and more glorious high priest than a man.
Now the angels being fellow- servants with us, as the angel called him-
self, Rev. xxii. 9, they have affections towards us more assimilated unto
ours than God hath, and so are more capable of such impressions from
our miseries than God is. Although they be spirits, yet they partake of
something analogical, or resembling and answering to those affections of
pity, grief, &c, which are in us. And indeed, so far as these affections
are seated in our souls, and not drenched in the passions of the body, unto
which our souls are united, they are the very same kind of affections in us
that are in them. Hence the same lusts that are in men are said to be in
devils, John viii. 44, and therefore the devils also are said to fear and
tremble, &c. And so, oppositely, the same affections that are in men, so
far as they are spiritual, and the spirit or soul is the seat of them, they
must needs be found in the good angels. But Christ having a human
nature, the same for substance that ours is, consisting both of soul and
body, although through glory made spiritual, yet not become a spirit ; ' A
spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have,' says Christ of himself,
after his resurrection, Luke xxiv. 39 ; therefore he must needs have affec-
tions towards us, yet more like to these of ours than those are which the
angels have. So then by these two steps we have gained these two things,
that even in Christ's human nature, though glorified, affections of pity and
compassion are true and real, and not metaphorically attributed to him as
they are unto God ; and also more near and like unto ours here than those
in the angels are ; even affections proper to man's nature, and truly human.
And these he should have had, although this human nature had, from the
very first assumption of it, been as glorious as it is now in heaven.
3. But now, thirdly, add this further, that God so ordered it, that
before Christ should elothe this his human nature with that glory he hath
in heaven, and put this glory upon it, he should take it as clothed with all
our infirmities, even the very same that doth cleave unto us, and should
live in this world, as we do, for many years. And during that time God
prepared for him all sorts of afflictions and miseries to run through, which
we ourselves do here meet withal ; and ah that time he was acquainted
with, and inured unto, all the like sorrows that we are ; and God left him
to that infirmity and tenderness of spirit, to take in all distresses as deeply
as any of us (without sin), and to exercise the very same affections under
all these distresses that we at any time do find stirring in our hearts. And
this God thus ordered, on purpose thereby to fit him and to frame his
heart, when he should be in glory, unto such affections as these spoken of
in the text. And this both this text suggests to be God's end in it, as also
that fore-mentioned place, Heb. ii. 13, ' Forasmuch as we,' namely, his
members, ' are partakers of flesh and blood,' which phrase doth ever note
out the frailties of man's nature, as 1 Cor. xv. 50, &c, ' he himself took
part of the same, .... that he might be a merciful high priest,' &c,
verse 17. And then the apostle gives this reason for it, verse 18, ' For in
that himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able' — this ability is, as was
before interpreted, the having an heart fitted and enabled, out of experience,
to pity — and 'to succour them that are tempted.' The meaning of which
Part III.] unto sinners on earth. 141
is, that it is not the bare taking of a human nature, if glorious from the
first, that would thus fully have fitted him to be affectionately pitiful out of
experience, though, as was said, the knowledge of our miseries taken in
thereby would have made him truly and really affectionate towards us,
with affections human and proper to a man, and so much nearer and liker
ours than what are in the angels themselves, or than are attributed to God,
when he is said to pity us ; but further, his taking our nature at first
clothed with frailties, and living in this world as we, this hath for ever
fitted his heart by experience to be in our very hearts and bosoms ; and not
only or barely to know the distress, and as a man to be affected with a
human affection to one of his kind, but experimentally remembering the
like in himself once. And this likewise the text suggests as the way where-
by our distresses are let into his heart the more feelingly, now he is in
heaven. ' We have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin.' And the more to comfort us herein, observe how fully and
universally the apostle speaks of Christ's having been tempted here below.
First, for the matter of them, or the several sorts of temptations, he says
he was tempted xara vatra, ' in all points,' or things of any kind, where-
with we are exercised. Secondly, for the manner, he adds that too, -/.at)'
ofuuorqra, ' like as we are.' His heart having been just so affected, so
wounded, pierced, and distressed, in all such trials as ours use to be, only
without sin, God, on purpose, left all his affections to their full tender-
ness, and quickness of sense of evil. So that Christ took to heart all that
befell him as deeply as might be ; he slighted no cross, either from God or
men, but had and felt the utmost load of it. Yea, his heart was made
more tender in all sorts of affections than any of ours, even as it was in love
and pity; and this made him ' a man of sorrows,' and that more than any
other man was or shall be.
Now therefore, to explicate the way how our miseries are let into his
heart, and come to stir up such kindly affections of pity and compassion in
him, it is not hard to conceive from what hath now been said, and from
what the text doth further hint unto us.
(1.) The understanding and knowledge of that human nature hath notice
and cognisance of all the occurrences that befall his members here. And
for this the text is clear ; for the apostle speaks this for our encouragement,
that ' Christ is touched with the feeling of our infirmities ;' which could not
be a relief unto us, if it supposed not this, that he particularly and dis-
tinctly knew them ; and if not all as well as some, we should want relief in
all, as not knowing which he knew, and which not. And the apostle affirms
this of his human nature, as was said, for he speaks of that nature thai
tempted here below. And, therefore, ' the Lamb that was slain,' and so
1 the man Christ Jesus' is, Rev. v. 6, said to have ' seven eyes,' as well as
1 seven horns,' which seven eyes are • the seven spirits sent forth into all
the earth.' His eyes of providence, through his anointing with the Holy
Ghost, are in all corners of the world, and view all the things that are done
under the sun. In like manner he is there said to have seven horns for
power, as seven eyes for knowledge ; and both are defined to be seven, to
shew the perfection of both, in their extent reaching unto all things. So
that, as ' all power in heaven and earth is committed unto him as Son
of man, as the Scripture speaks, so all knowledge is given him of all
things done in heaven and earth, and this as Son of man too ; his know-
ledge and power being of equal extent. He is the Sun as well in respect
142 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART III.
of knowledge as of righteousness, and there is nothing hid from his light
and beams, which do pierce the darkest corners of the heai-ts of the sons
of men. He knows the sores, as Solomon expresseth it, and distresses of
their hearts. Like as a looking-glass made into the form of a round globe,
and hung in the midst of a room, takes in all the species of things done or
that are therein at once, so doth the enlarged understanding of Christ's
human nature take in the affairs of this world, which he is appointed to
govern, especially the miseries of his members, and this at once.
(2.) His human nature thus knowing all — ' I know thy works, thy labour,
and thy patience,' &c, Rev. ii. 2 — he therewithal hath an act of memory,
and recalls how himself was once affected, and how distressed whilst on
earth, under the same or the like miseries. For the memory of things
here below remains still with him, as with all spirits in either of those two
other worlds, heaven or hell. ' Son, remember thou in thy lifetime receivedst
thy good things, and Lazarus evil,' &c, says Abraham to the soul of Dives
in hell, Luke xv. 25. ' Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom,'
said the good thief to Christ ; and, Rev. i., ' I am he,' says Christ, ' that
was dead, and am alive.' He remembers his death still, and the sufferings
of it ; and as he remembers it, to put his Father in mind thereof, so ho
remembers it also, to affect his own heart with what we feel. And his
memory presenting the impression of the like now afresh unto him, how
it was once with him ; hence he comes feelingly and experimentally to
know how it is now with us, and so affects himself therewith ; as Dido in
Virgil —
' Haud ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco.'
Having experience of the like miseries, though a queen now, I know how
to succour those that are therein. As God said to the Israelites when they
should be possessed of Canaan their own land, Exod. xxiii. 9, ' Ye know
the hearts of strangers, seeing ye were strangers,' &c, and therefore doth
command them to pity strangers, and to use them well upon that motive,
so may it be said of Christ, that he doth know the hearts of his children
in misery, seeing himself was once under the like. Or, as the apostle
exhorts the Hebrews, ' Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with
them, and them that suffer adversity, as being yourselves in the body,'
Heb. xiii. 3, and so ere you die, may come to suffer the like. So Christ,
the head of the body, which is the fountain of all sense and feeling in the
body, doth remember them that are bound and in adversity, having himself
been once in the body, and so he experimentally compassionates them.
And this is a further thing than the former. We have gained this further,
that Christ hath not only such affections as are real and proper to a human
nature, but such affections as are stirred up in him, from experience of the
like by himself once tasted in a frail nature like unto ours. And thus much
for the way of letting in all our miseries into Christ's heart now, so as to
strike and affect it with them.
A more -particular disquisition, what manner of affection this is; the seat
thereof, whether in his spirit or soul only, or the whole human nature. — Some
cautions added.
II. But concerning this affection itself of pity and compassion, fellow-
feeling and sympathy, or suffering with (as the text calls it), which is the
product, result, or thing produced in his heart by these, there still remains
Part III. j unto sinners on earth. 143
another thing more particularly to be inquired into, namely, what manner
of affection this is; far that such an all'ection is stirred up in him, besides
and beyond a bare act of knowledge or remembrance how once it was with
himself, is evident by what we find in the text. The apostle savs, not only
that he remembers how himself was tempted with the like infirmities that
we are, though that be necessarily supposed, but that he is struck and touched
with the feeling of our infirmities ; to the producing of which this act of
remembrance doth but subserve. And he tells us, Christ is able, and his
heart is capable of thus being touched. And the word g-j/x^u^uui is a
deep word, signifying to suffer with us until we are relieved. And this
affection, thus stirred up, is it which ruoveth him so cordially to help us.
Now, concerning this affection, as here thus expressed, how far it extends,
and how deep it may reach, I think no man in this life can fathom. If
cor rer/is, the heart of a king, be inscrutable, as Solomon speaks, the heart
of the King of kings now in glory is much more. I will not take upon
me to ' intrude into things which I have not seen,' but shall endeavour to
speak safely, and therefore warily, so far as the light of Scripture and ricdit
reason shall warrant my way.
I shall set it forth three ways :
1. Negatively; 2. positively; 3. privatively.
1. Negatively. It is certain that this affection of sympathy or fellow-feel-
ing in Christ is not in all things such a kind of affection as was in him in
the days of his flesh. Which is clear, by what the apostle speaks of him
and of his affections then, Heb. v. 7, ' Who in the days of his flesh, when
he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cryings and tears,
was heard in that which he feared.' "Where we see his converse and state
of life here below, to be called by way of difference and distinction from
what is now in heaven, ' the days of his flesh :' by flesh, meaning not the
substance of the human nature, for he retains that still, but the frail quality
of subjection to mortality, or possibility.* So flesh is usually taken, as when
all flesh is said to be grass ; it is spoken of man's nature, in respect to its
being subject to a fading, wearing, and decay, by outward casualties, or
inward passions. So in this epistle, chap ii. 14. ' Forasmuch as the chil-
dren,' we his brethren, ' did partake of flesh and blood,' that is, the frailties
of man's nature, ' he himself also took part of the same.' And accordingly
the apostle instanceth in the following words of that 14th verse, as in death,
which in the days of his flesh Christ was subject to, so also in such frail
passions and affections as did work a suffering in him, and a wearing and
wasting of his spirits ; such as passionate sorrow, joined with strong cries
and tears, both which he mentioneth, and also fear, in these words, ' He
was heard in that which he feared.' Now these days of his flesh being over
and past, for this was only, as says the apostle, in the days of his flesh,
hence therefore all such concomitant passionate overflowing of sorrow, fear,
&c, are ceased therewith, and he is now no way capable of them, or sub-
jected to them. Yet ; —
2. Positively. Why may it not be affirmed that for substance the same
kind of affection of pity and compassion, that wrought in his whole man,
both body and soul, when he was here, works still in him now he is in
heaven ? if this position be allayed with those due cautions and considera-
tions which presently I shall annex. For, if for substance the same flesh
and blood and animal spirits remain and have their use, for though Christ,
in Luke xxiv. 29, mentioned only his having flesh and bones after his resur-
* Qu. ' passibility ' '? — Ed.
144 THE HEAET OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PaKT IV..
rection, unto Thomas and the other disciples, because these two alone were to
be the object of his touch and feeling ; yet blood and spirits are included .i
that flesh, for it is cam vitalis, living flesh, and therefore hath blood ana
spirits that flow and move in it ; then why not the same affections also ?
And those not stirring only and merely in the soul, but working in the body
also, unto which that soul is joined, and so remaining really human affec-
tions. The use of blood and spirits is, as to nourish (which end is now
ceased) so to affect the heart and bowels by their motion to and fro, when
the soul is affected. And why this use of them should not remain (and if
not this, we can conceive no other) I know not. Neither why this affection
should be only restrained to his spirit or soul, and his corporeal powers
not be supposed to communicate and partake in them. That so as he is a
true man, and the same man that he was, both in body as well as in soul,
for else it had not been a true resurrection, so he hath still the very same
true human affections in them both ; and such as whereof the body is the seat
and instrument, as well as the soul. And seeing this whole man, both body
and soul, was tempted, and that (as the text says) he is touched with a feel-
ing in that nature which is tempted, it must therefore be in the whole man,
both body and soul. Therefore, whenas we read of the ' wrath of the Lamb,'
as Rev. vi. 16, namely, against his enemies, as here of his pity and com-
passion towards his friends and members, why should this be attributed only
to his deity, which is not capable of wrath, or to his soul and spirit only ?
And why may it not be thought he is truly angry as a man, in his whole
man, and so with such a wrath as his body is affected with, as well as that
he is wrathful in his soul only, seeing he hath taken up our whole nature,
on purpose to subserve his divine nature in all the executions of it ?
But now, how far, in our apprehensions of this, we are to cut off the
weakness and frailty of such affections as in the days of his flesh was in
them, and how exactly to difference those which Christ had here, and those
which he hath in heaven, therein lies the difficulty ; and I can speak but
little unto it.
Yet, first, this we may lay down as an undoubted maxim, that so far, or
in what sense his body itself is made spiritual (as it is called, 1 Cor. xv. 44),
so far, and in that sense, all such affections as thus working in his body are
made spiritual, and that in an opposition to that fleshly and frail way of their
working here. But then, as his body is made spiritual, not spirit (spiritual
in respect of power, and likeness to a spirit, not in respect of substance or
nature), so these affections of pity and compassion do work not only in his
spirit or soul, but in his body too, as their seat and instrument, though in
a more spiritual way of working, and more like to that of spirits, than those
in a fleshly frail body are. They are not wholly spiritual in this sense,
that the soul is the sole subject of them, and that it draws up all such
workings into itself, so that that should be the difference between his affec-
tions now and in the days of his flesh. Men are not to conceive as if his
body were turned into such a substance as the sun is of, for the soul, as
through a case of glass, to shine gloriously in only ; but further it is united
to the soul, to be acted by it, though immediately, for the soul to produce
operations in it. And it is called spiritual, not that it remains not a body,
but because it remains not such a body, but is so framed to the soul that
both itself and all the operations of all the powers in it are immediately and
entirely at the arbitrary imperiwm and dominion of the soul ; and that as
the soul is pleased to use it, and to sway it and move it, even as imme-
diately and as nimbly, and without any clog or impediment, as an angel
Part III.] unto sinners on earth. 145
moves itself, or as the soul acteth itself. So that this may perhaps be one
difference, that these affections, so far as in the body of Christ, do not affect
his soul, as here they did, though as then under the command of grace and
reason, to keep their motions from being inordinate or sinful ; but further,
the soul being now too strong for them, doth at its own arbitrement raise
them, and as entirely and immediately stir them as it doth itself.
Hence, secondly, these affections of pity and sympathy so stirred up by
himself, though they move his bowels and affect his bodily heart as they
did here, yet they do not afflict and perturb him in the least, nor become
a burden and a load unto his Spirit, so as to make him sorrowful or heavy,
as in this life here his pity unto Lazarus made him, and as his distresses
at last, that made him sorrowful unto death. So that as in their rise, so
in their effect, they utterly differ from what they were here below. And
the reason of this is, because his body, and the blood and spirits thereof,
the instruments of affecting him, are now altogether impassible, namely, in
this sense, that they are not capable of the least alteration tending to any
hurt whatever. And so, his body is not subject to any grief, nor his spirits
to any waste, decay, or expense. They may and do subserve the soul in
its affections, as they did whilst he was here ; but this merely by a local
motion, moving to and fro in the veins and arteries, to affect the heart and
bowels, without the least diminution or impair to themselves, or detriment
to him. And thus it comes to pass, that though this blood and spirits do
stir up the same affections in his heart and bowels which here they did,
yet not, as then, with the least perturbation in himself, or inconvenience
unto himself. But as in this life he was troubled and grieved ' without
sin ' or inordinacy ; so now when he is in heaven he pities and compas-
sionates without the least mixture or tang of disquietment and perturbation,
which yet necessarily accompanied his affections whilst he was here, because
of the frailty in which his body and spirits were framed. His perfection
destroys not his affections, but only corrects and amends the imperfection
of them. Passiones perfectivas to be now in him, the best of schoolmen do
acknowledge.
Thirdly, All natural affections that have not in them indecentiam status,
something unbefitting that state and condition of glory wherein Christ now
is, both schoolmen and other divines do acknowledge to be in him, humance
affectiones qua, naturales sunt, neque cum probro vel peccato conjunct^, sed
omni ex parte rationi subduntur ; denique ab Us conditionibus liberantur quce
vel animo, vel corpori aliquo modo officiunt, beatis nequaquam repugnare cen-
sendcB sunt. ' Those affections which are natural to man, and have no
adhesion of sin or shame unto them, but are wholly governed by reason,
and lastly are exempt from such effects as may any way hurt either the
soul or the body, there is no ground to think that such affections may not
well stand with the state of souls in bliss,' says Justinian upon this place.
Now if we consider it, Christ his very state in glory is such, as it becomes
him to have such human affections of pity and compassion in his whole
man, so far as to quicken and provoke, him to our help and succour : not
such as to make him a man of sorrows in himself again (that were uncomely,
nay, incompatible to him), but such as should make him a man of succours
unto us, which is his office. To this end it is to be remembered that Christ
in heaven is to be considered, not personally only as in himself made happy
in his Father, but withal in his relations and in his offices as an head unto
us; and in that relation now he sits there, asEph. i. 21, 22 (and the head
is the seat of all the senses for the good of the body), and therefore most
vol. rv. k
146 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART III.
sensible of any other part. Wherefore because his members, unto whom
he bears this relation, are still under sin and misery, therefore it is no way
uncomely for him in that estate to have affections suitable to this his rela-
tion. If his state of glory had been wholly ordained for his own personal
happiness, then indeed there had been no use of such affections to remain
in him ; but his relation to us being one part and ingredient of his glory,
therefore they are most proper for him, yea, it were uncomely if he had
them not. Neither are they a weakness in him, as so considered, but
rather part of his strength, as the apostle calls them, bbva/Mig. And although
such affections might in one respect be thought an imperfection, yet in
another respect, namely, his relation to us and office for us, they are his
perfection. As he is our head, which he is as he is a man, it is his glory-
to be truly and really, even as a man, sensible of all our miseries, yea, it
were his imperfection if he were not.
And, fourthly, let me add this for our comfort, that though all such affec-
tions as are any way a burden to his spirit, or noxious to his body, be not
now compatible to him ; and though that passionate frailty and infirmity
which did help him here to pity and relieve men in misery, out of a suffering
hurtful to himself ; though these be cut off, yet in those workings of affections
and bowels which he hath now, which for substance are the same, there is,
instead of that passionate frailty, a greater capaciousness, vastness, and also
quickness in his affections now in heaven, so to make up a compensation,
and so no less effectually to stir and quicken him to relieve us, than those
former affections did. For it is certain that as his knowledge was enlarged
upon his entering into glory, so his human affections of love and pity are
enlarged in solidity, strength, and reality, as true conjugal love useth to be,
though more passionate haply at first. They are not less now, but are
only made more spiritual. And as Solomon's heart was as large in bounty
and royalty as in knowledge, so Christ's affections of love are as large as
his knowledge or his power. They are all of a like extent and measure.
So far as God's intention to shew mercy doth reach (and who knows the
end of those riches ?), so far doth Christ's disposition to bestow it. Eph.
iii. 19, ' The love of Christ,' God-man, ' passeth knowledge.' It hath not
lost or been diminished by his going to heaven. Though God in his nature
be more merciful than Christ's human nature, yet the act and exercise of
Christ's affections is as large as God's purposes and decrees of mercy are.
And all those large affections and mercies are become human mercies,
the mercies of a man unto men.
3. Privatively. If these affections of Christ's heart be not suffering and
afflicting affections, yet we may, by way of privation, express this of them,
that there is a less fulness of joy and comfort in Christ's heart, whilst he
sees us in misery and under infirmities, comparatively to what will be when
we are presented to him free of them all.
To clear this I must recall, and I shall but recall, that distinction I made
(in the fourth demonstration, sect. 2, part II.) of a double capacity of glory,
or a double fulness of joy which Christ is ordained to have : the one natural,
and so due unto his person as in himself alone considered ; the other addi-
tional, and arising from the completed happiness and glory of his whole
church, wherewith mystically he is one. So in Eph. i. 23, although he by
reason of his personal fulness is there said to ' fill all in all,' yet as he is
an head in relation to his church as his body, as in the verses before he is
spoken of, thus the perfection of this his body's beatitude, it is reciprocally
called his fulness ; and therefore, until he hath filled them with all happi-
Part III.] unto sinners on earth. 147
ness, and delivered them from all misery, himself remains nnder some kind
of imperfection, and answerably his affections also, which are suited to this
his relation, have some want of imperfection in them, whilst they he under
misery, in comparison of what his heart shall have when they receive this
fulness. "We may warrantably say Christ shall be more glad then, and is
now, as his children are grown up from under their infirmities, and as they do
become more obedient and comfortable in their spirits, so John xv. 10, 11.
I shall add some illustration to this by this similitude (which though it
hold not in all things, yet it will hold forth some shadow of it). The spirits
of just men departed are said to be perfect, Heb. xii., yet because they
have bodies unto which they have a relation, and unto which they are or-
dained to be united, they in this respect may be said to be imperfect, till
these bodies be reunited and glorified with them, which will add a further
fulness to them. Thus in some analogy it stands between Christ personal
and Christ mystically considered. Although Christ in his own person be
complete in happiness, yet in relation to his members he is imperfect, and
so accordingly hath affections suited unto this his relation, which is no
derogation from him at all. The Scripture therefore attributes some affec-
tions to him which have an imperfection joined with them, and those to be
in him until the day of judgment. Thus expectation and desire, which are
but imperfect affections in comparison to that joy which is in the full
fruition of what was expected or desired, are attributed to him, as he is
man, until the day of judgment. Thus, Heb. x. 12, 13, he is said to sit
in heaven, • expecting till his enemies be made his footstool ;' the destruc-
tion of which enemies will add to the manifestative glory of his kingdom.
Now, as that will add to the fulness of his greatness, so the complete sal-
vation of his members will add to the completeness of his glory. And as
the expectation of his enemies' ruin may be said to be an imperfect affec-
tion, in comparison of the triumph that one day he shall have over them,
so his joy which he now hath in his spouse is but imperfect, in comparison
of that which shall fill his heart at the great day of marriage. And accord-
ingly, the Scripture calls the accomplishment of these his desires a satis-
faction ; so Isa. liii. 11, 'He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be
satisfied,' which argues desires to be in him, lying under a want of some-
thing in the end to be obtained. Only we must take in this withal, thai
Jesus Christ indeed knows and sees the very time when this his fulness,
through the exaltation of his members up to himself, shall be completed,
and when he shall trample upon the necks of all his and their enemies ; he
sees their day a-coming, as the Psalmist hath it, which alleviates and
detracts something from this imperfection, that he should thus expect or
tarry.
This scruple satisfied, how his heart can be feelingly touched with our sins
(our greatest infirmities), seeing he was tempted without sin.
III. There remains one great unsatisfaction to be removed, which cannot
but of itself arise in every good heart. You told us, may they say, that by
infirmities sins were meant, and that the apostle's scope was to encourage
us against them also ; and they are indeed the greatest discomforts and
discouragements of all other. Now, against them this which the apostle here
speaks affordeth us but little, seeing Christ knows not how experimentally
to pity us therein, for ' he knew no sin.' Yea, the apostle himself doth
148 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART III.
here except it, • He was tempted in all things, yet without sin.' It may
comfort us, indeed, that Christ doth and will pity us in all other infir-
mities, because he himself was subject to the like, but he never knew what
it was to be under sin and vexed with lust, as I am ; and how shall I re-
lieve myself against that by what the apostle here speaks of him ? I shall
endeavour to give some satisfaction and relief in this by these following
considerations.
First, The apostle puts it, indeed, that ' he was tempted, yet without
sin.' And it was well for us that he was thus without sin, for he had not
been a fit priest to have saved us else ; so Heb. vii. 26, ' Such an High
Priest became us as was separate from sinners, innocent,' &c. Yet for
your relief withal, consider that he came as near in that point as might be.
• He was tempted in all things,' so says the text, though ' without sin ' on
his part ; yet tempted to all sin so far as to be afflicted in those temptations,
and to see the misery of those that are tempted, and to know how to pity
them in all such temptations. Even as in taking our nature in his birth
he came as near as could be, without being tainted with original sin, as,
namely, by taking the very same matter to have his body made of that all
ours are made of, &c, so in the point of actual sin, also, he suffered him-
self to be tempted as far as might be, so as to keep himself pure. He
suffered all experiments to be tried upon him by Satan, even as a man who
hath taken a strong antidote suffers conclusions to be tried on him by a
mountebank. And, indeed, because he was thus tempted by Satan unto
sin, therefore it is on purpose added, ' yet without sin ; ' and it is as if he
had said sin never stained him, though he was outwardly tempted to it.
He was tempted to all sorts of sins by Satan, for those three temptations
in the wilderness were the heads of all sorts of temptations, as interpreters
upon the gospels do shew.
Then, secondly, to fit him to pity us in case of sin, he was vexed with
the filth and power of sin in others whom he conversed with, more than
any of us with sin in ourselves. His ' righteous soul was vexed ' with it,
as Lot's righteous soul is said to have been with the impure conversation
of the Sodomites. He ' endured the contradiction of sinners against him-
self,' Heb. xii. 3. ' The reproaches of them that reproached thee,' that is,
upon his God, ' fell upon me,' Rom. xv. 3. It was spoken by the Psalmist
of Christ, and so is quoted of him by the apostle ; that is, every sin went
to his heart. So as in this there is but this difference betwixt him and
us, that the regenerate part in us is vexed with sin in ourselves, and that
as our own sin, but his heart with sin in others only, yet so as his vexation
was the greater by how much his soul was more righteous than ours, which
makes it up ; yea, in that he sustained the persons of the elect, the sins
which he saw them commit troubled him as if they had been his own. The
word here translated tempted is read by some -rtTBipafievov, that is, vexed.
Yea, and thirdly; to help this also, it may be said of Christ whilst he
was here below, that in the same sense or manner wherein he ' bore our
sickness,' Mat. viii. 17, who yet was never personally tainted with any
disease, in the same sense or manner he may be said to have borne our
sins, namely, thus : Christ, when he came to an elect child of his that was
sick, whom he "healed, his manner was, first by a sympathy and pity to
afflict himself with their sickness, as if it had been his own. Thus at his
raising of Lazarus, it is said that he ' groaned in spirit,' &c. ; and so by
the merit of taking the disease upon himself, through a fellow-feeling of it,
he took it off from them, being for them afflicted, as if he himself had
Part III.] unto sinners on earth. 14. J)
been sick. And this seems to be the best interpretation that I have met
with of that difficult place in Mat. viii. 16, 17, where it is said, ' he healed
all that were sick : that it might be fulflled which was spoken by Isaiah
the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sickness.'
Now, in the like way or manner unto this, of bearing our sicknesses, he
might bear our sins too ; for he being one with us, and to answer for all
our sins, therefore when he saw any of his own to sin, he was affected
with it, as if it had been his own. And thus is that about the power of sin
made up and satisfied.
And fourthly, as for the guilt of sin, and the temptations from it, he
knows more of that than any one of us. He tasted the bitterness of that,
in the imputation of it, more deeply than we can, and of the cup of his
Father's wrath for it, and so is able experimentally to pity a heart wounded
with it, and struggling under such temptations. He knows full well the
heart of one in his own sense forsaken by God, seeing himself felt it when
he cried out, ' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? '
Uses of all.
Use 1. Thus that which hath been said may afford us the strongest con-
solations and encouragements against our sins of any other consideration
whatsoever, and may give us the greatest assurance of their being removed
off from us that may be ; for,
First, Christ himself suffers (as it were), at least is affected under them,
as his enemies, which therefore he will be sure to remove for his own quiet
sake. His heart would not be quiet, but that he knows they shall be re-
moved. As God says in the prophet, so may Christ say much more, ' My
bowels are troubled for him, I remember him still,' Jer. xxxi. 20.
Secondly, There is comfort concerning such infirmities, in that your very
sins move him to pity more than to anger. This text is plain for it, for
he suffers with us under our infirmities, and by infirmities are meant sins,
as well as other miseries, as was proved ; whilst therefore you look on
them as infirmities, as God here looks upon them, and speaks of them in
his own, and as your disease, and complain to Christ of them, and do cry
out, ' miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me ? ' so long fear
not. Christ he takes part with you, and is so far from being provoked
against you, as all his anger is turned upon your sin to ruin it ; yea, his
pity is increased the more towards you, even as the heart of a father is to
a child that hath some loathsome disease, or as one is to a member of his
body that hath the leprosy, he hates not the member, for it is his flesh,
but the disease, and that provokes him to pity the part affected the more.
What shall not make for us, when our sins, that are both against Christ
and us, shall be turned as motives to him to pity us the more ? The object
of pity is one in misery whom we love ; and the greater the misery is, the
more is the pity when the party is beloved. Now of all miseries, sin is the
greatest ; and whilst yourselves look at it as such, Christ will look upon it
as such only also in you. And he, loving your persons, and hating only
the sin, his hatred shall all fall, and that only upon the sin, to free you of
it by its ruin and destruction, but his bowels shall be the more drawn out to
you; and this as much when you lie under sin as under any other affliction.
Therefore fear not, < What shall separate us from Christ's love?'
Use 2. Whatever trial, nr temptation, or misery we are under, we may
150 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN TO SINNERS ON EARTH. [PART III.
comfort ourselves with this, that Christ was once under the same, or some
one like unto it, wtiich may comfort us in these three differing respects that
follow, by considering
First, That we are thereby but conformed to his example, for he was
tempted in all, and this maj 7 be no small comfort to us.
Secondly, We may look to that particular instance of Christ's being under
the like, as a meriting cause to procure and purchase succour for us under
the same now ; and so in that respect may yet further comfort ourselves.
And,
Thirdly, His having once bome the like, may relieve us in this, that there-
fore he experimentally knows the misery and distress of such a condition,
and so is yet further moved and quickened thereby to help us.
Use 3. As the doctrine delivered is a comfort, so the greatest motive
against sin and persuasive unto obedience, to consider that Christ's heart,
it' it be not afflicted with— and how far it may sutler with us we know not —
yet for certain hath less joy in us, as we are more or less sinful, or obedient.
You know not by sin what blows you give the heart of Christ. If no more
but that his joy is the less in you, it should move you, as it useth to do
those that are ingenuous. And take this as one incentive to obedience,
that if he retained the same heart and mind for mercy towards you which
he had here on earth, then to answer his love, endeavour you to have the
same heart towards him on earth which you hope to have in heaven ; and
as you daily pray, ' Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'
Use 4. In all miseries and distresses you may be sure to know where to
have a friend to help and pity you, even in heaven, Christ; one whose
nature, office, interest, relation, all, do engage him to your succour ; you
will find men, even friends, to be oftentimes unto you unreasonable, and
their bowels in many cases shut up towards you. Well, say to them all,
If you will not pity me, choose, I know one that will, one in heaven, whose
heart is touched with the feeling of all my infirmities, and I mil go and be-
moan myself to him. Come boldly (says the text), /mto, <7rabhr t 6rt.$, even
with open mouth, to lay open your complaints, and you shall find grace
and mercy to help in time of need. Men love to see themselves pitied by
friends, though they cannot help them ; Christ can and will do both.
AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
[ORIGINAL TITLE.]
AGGRAVATION
OF
I SINNE:
J AND
(sinning
. (knowledge.
Against \
[MERCIE.
Delivered in severall Sermons
upon divers occasions.
BY
Tho : Goodwin, B. D.
LONDON.
Printed by J. G. for R. Dawlman.
M. D C. L.
AGGRAVATION OF SIN
Was that then which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin,
that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good ; that
sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. — Rom. VII. 13.
We find our apostle in the 9th verse to have been alive, but struck upon
the sudden dead, by an apparition presented to him in the glass of the law,
of ' the sinfulness of sin.' ' Sin revived,' says the 9th verse, ' appeared to
be sin,' says the 13th verse, looks but like itself, ' above measure sinful ;'
and he falls down dead at the very sight of it ; 'I died,' says he in the 9th ;
' it wrought death in me,' says the 13th, that is, an apprehension of death
and hell, as due to that estate I was then in. But yet as the life of sin
was the death of Paul, so this death of his was but a preparation to a new
life, ' I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live to God,' Gal.
ii. 19. And here he likewise speaks of God's work upon him at his first
conversion ; for then it was that he relates how sin became in his esteem,
so ' above measure sinful.'
The subject then to be insisted on is the sinfulness of sin, a subject
therefore as necessary as any other, because if ever we be saved, sin must
first appear to us all, as it did here to him, • above measure sinful.'
And first, because all knowledge begins at the effects, which are obvious
to sense, and interpreters of the nature of things, therefore we will begin
this demonstration of the evil of sin, from the mischievous effects it hath
filled the world withal, it having done nothing but wrought mischief since it
came into the world, and all the mischief that hath been done, it alone hath
done, but especially towards the poor soul of man, the miserable subject
of it.
Which, first, it hath debased the soul of man, the noblest creature under
heaven, and highest allied, made to be a companion fit for God himself, but
sin hath stript it of its first native excellency, as it did Reuben, Gen. xlix. 4,
debased the soul more worth than all the world, as Christ himself saith,
that only went to the price of it ; yet sin hath made it a drudge and slave
to every creature it was made to rule ; therefore the prodigal as a type is
said to serve swine, and feed on husks, so as every vanity masters it.
Therefore we find in Scripture, that men are said to be ' servants to wine,'
Titus ii. 3, servants to riches, and divers lusts, &c.
And hence it is that shame attends upon it, Rom. vi. 21. Now shame
151 AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
ariseth out of an apprehension of some excellency debased ; and by how
much the excellency is greater, by so much is the shame the greater ; and
therefore unutterable confusion will one day befall sinners, because sin is
the debasement of an invaluable excellency.
Secondly, It not only debaseth it, but denies it also ; and indeed there
was nothing else that could defile it, Mat. xv. 20, for the soul is a most
pure beam, bearing the image of the Father of lights, as far surpassing the
sun in pureness as the sun doth a clod of earth ; and yet all the dirt in
the world cannot defile the sun, all the clouds that seek to muffle it, it
scatters them all ; but sin hath defiled the soul, yea, one sin, the least,
defiles it in an instant, totally, eternally.
(First.) One sin did it in the fall of Adam, Eom. v. 17, ' one offence'
polluted him, and all the world. Now suppose you should see one drop of
darkness seizing on the sun, and putting out that light and eye of heaven,
and to loosen it out of the orb it moves in, and cause it to drop down a
lump of darkness, you would say it were a strange darkness ; this sin did
then in the soul, to which yet the sun is but as a taper.
(Secondly.) It defiles it thus in an instant. Take the most glorious angel
in heaven, and let one of the least sins seize upon his heart, he would in an
instant fall down from heaven, stript of all his glory, the ugliest creature
that ever was beheld. You would count that the strongest of all poisons,
that would poison in an instant ; as Nero* boiled a poison to that height,
that it killed Germanicus as soon as he received it ; now such an one is
sin.
(Thirdly.) Sin defiles it totally. It rests not in one member only, but
beginning at the understanding, eats into the will and affections, soaks
through all. Those diseases we account strongest, which seize not on a
joint or a member only, but strike rottenness through the whole body.
(Fourthly.) It defiles eternally, it being a:terna macula, a stain which no
' nitre or soap' or any creature can ' wash out,' Jer. ii. 22. There was
once let in a deluge of water, and the world was all overflowed with it ; it
washed away sinners indeed, but not one sin. And the world shall be
afire again at the latter day, and all that fire, and those flames in hell that
follow, shall not purge out one sin.
Thirdly, It hath robbed the soul of the ' image of God,' deprived us of
' the glory of God,' Rom. iii. 33, the image of God's holiness, which is his
beauty and ours. We were beautiful and all glorious once within, which
though but an accident is more worth than all men's souls devoid of it,
it being a likeness unto God, ' a divine nature,' without which no man shall
see God. Though man in innocency had all perfections united in him rid
eminentia;, that are to be found in other creatures, yet this was more worth
than all ; for all the rest made him not like to God, as this did ; without
vrhich all paradise could not make Adam happy, which when he had lost,
he was left naked, though those his other perfections remained with him,
which is ' profitable for all things,' as the apostle says. The least dram of
which, the whole world embalanced with, would be found too light, without
which the glorious angels would be damned devils, the saints in heaven
damned ghosts, this it hath robbed man of.
Fourthly, It hath robbed man even of God himself. ' Your sins sepa-
rate,' says God, ' betwixt you and me ;' and therefore they are said to ' live
* That is, Tiberius Nero. Suetonius only says, that Germanicus died at Antioch,
not without suspicion of poison ; and again, that the common belief was that he died
through the treachery of Tiberius, by the agency of C. Piso. — Ed.
AGGRAVATION OF SIN. 155
without God in the world ;' and in robbing a man of God, it robs him of
all things, for ' all things are onrs,' but so far as God is ours, of God whoso
face makes heaven, he is all in all, 'his lovingkindness is better than life,'
and containeth beauty, honours, riches, all, yea, they are but a drop to
him.
But its mischief hath not stayed here, but as the leprosy of the lepers in
the old law sometimes infected their houses, garments, so it hath hurled
confusion over all the world, brought a vanity on the creature,' Rom. viii. 20,
and a curse ; and had not Christ undertook the shattered condition of the
world to uphold it, Heb. i. 3, it had fallen about Adam's ears.
And though the old walls and ruinous palace of the world stands to this
day, yet the beauty, the gloss, and glory of the hangings is soiled and marred
with many imperfections cast upon every creature.
But as the house of the leper was to be pulled down, and traitors' houses
use to be made jakes, so the world (if Christ had not stepped in) had
shrunk into its first nothing ; and you will say, that is a strong carrion that
retains not only infection in itself, but infects all the air about ; so this,
that not the soul the subject of it only, but all the world.
Lastly, It was the first founder of hell, and laid the first corner-stone
thereof. Sin alone brought in and filled that bottomless gulf with all the
fire, and brimstone, and treasures of wrath, which shall never be burnt and
consumed. And this crucified and pierced Christ himself, poured on him
his Father's wrath, the enduring of which for sin was such as that all the
angels in heaven had cracked and sunk under it.
But yet this estimate is but taken from the effects of it ; the essence of
it, which is the cause of all these evils, must needs have much more mischief
in it. Shall I speak the least evil I can say of it ? It contains all evils
else in it; therefore, James i. 21, the apostle calls it 'filthiness, and abun-
dance of superfluity,' or excrement, as it were, of naughtiness, vzsiggsiu
rqg xazlag. As if so transcendent, that if all evils were to have an excre-
ment, a scum, a superfluity, sin is it, as being the abstracted quintessence
of all evil — an evil which, in nature and essence of it, virtually and emi-
nently contains all evils of what kind soever that are in the world, insomuch
as in the Scriptures you shall find that all the evils in the world serve but
to answer for it, and to give names to it. Hence sin, it is called poison,
and sinners serpents ; sin is called a vomit, sinners dogs ; sin the stench
of graves, and they rotten sepulchres ; sin mire, sinners sows ; and
sin darkness, blindness, shame, nakedness, folly, madness, death, whatso-
ever is filthy, defective, infective, painful. Now as the Holy Ghost says of
Nabal, ' as is his name, so is he ;' so may we say of sin : for if Adam gave
np" ^.es to all things according to their nature, much more God, ' who calls
things as they are.' Surely God would not slander sin, though it be his
only enemy. And besides, there is reason for this, for it is the cause of
all evils. God sowed nothing but good seed in the world ; ' He beheld,
and saw all things were very good.' It is sin hath sown the tares, all
those evils that have come up, sorrows and diseases, both unto men and
beasts. Now whatsoever is in the effect, is via eminentia in the cause.
Surely therefore it is to the soul of man, the miserable vessel and subject
of it, all that which poison, death, and sickness is unto the other creatures,
and to the body ; and in that it is all these to the soul, it is therefore
more than all these to it, for corruptio optimi pessima ; by how much the
soul exceeds all other creatures, by so much must sin, which is the cor-
ruption, poison, death, and sickness of it, exceed all other evils.
156
AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
But yet this is the least ill that can be said of it. There is, secondly,
some further transcendent peculiar mischief in it, that is not to be found
in all other evils, as will appear in many instances.
For, first, all other evils God proclaims himself the author of, and owns
them all ; though sin be the meritorious cause of all, yet God the efficient
and disposing cause. ' There is no evil in the city, but I have done it.'
He only disclaimeth this, James i. 13, as a bastard of some other's breed-
ing, for he is ' the Father of lights,' verse 17.
Secondly, The utmost extremity of the evil of punishment God the Son
underwent, had a cup mingled him of his Father, more bitter than if all
the evils in the world had been strained in, and he drank it off heartily to
the bottom ; but not a drop of sin, though sweetened with the offer of all
the world, would go down with him.
Thirdly, Other evils the saints have chosen and embraced as good, and
refused the greatest good things the world had as evil, when they came in
competition with sin. So ' Moses chose rather to suffer, much rather than
to enjoy the pleasures of sin,' Heb. xi. 24-28. So Chrysostom, when
Eudoxia the empress threatened him, Go tell her, says he, Nil nisi peccatum
timeo, I fear nothing but sin.
Fourthly, Take the devil himself, whom you all conceive to be more full
of mischief than all the evils in the world, called therefore in the abstract
' spiritual wickedness,' Eph. vi. 12, yet it was but sin that first spoiled
him, and it is sin that possesseth the very devils ; he was a glorious angel
till he was acquainted with it, and could there be a separation made between
him and sin, he would be again of as good, sweet, and amiable a nature as
any creature in earth or heaven.
Fifthly, Though other things are evil, yet nothing makes the creature
accursed but sin ; as all good things in the world do not make a man a blessed
man, so nor all the evils accursed. God says not, Blessed are the honour-
able, and the rich, nor that accursed are the poor ; but • Cursed is the man
that continues not in all things,' Gal. iii. 10, a curse to the least sin; and,
on the contrary, ' Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven,' &c,
Rom. iv. 7.
Sixthly, God hates nothing but sin. Were all evils swept down into
one man, God hates him not simply for them, not because thou art poor and
disgraced, but only because sinful. It is sin he hates, Rev. ii. 15, Isa.
xxvii. 11, yea, it alone; and whereas other attributes are diversely commu-
nicated in their effects to several things, as his love and goodness, himself,
his Son, his children, have all a share in, yet all the hatred, which is as
large as his love, is solely poured out upon, and wholly, and limited only
unto sin.
All the question will be, What transcendency of evil is in the essence of it,
that makes it above all other evils, and hated, and it only, by God, Christ,
the saints, &c, more than any other evil ?
Why ? It is enmity with God, Rom. viii. 7. Abstracts, we know, speak
essences ; the meaning is, it is directly contrary to God, as any thing could
be, for contrary it is to God, and all that is his.
As, 1. Contrary to his essence, to his existence, and being God; for it
makes man hate him, Rom. i. 30, and as ' he that hateth his brother is a
murderer,' 1 John iii. 15, so he that hateth God may be said to be
a murderer of him, and wisheth that he were not. Peccatum est Dei-
cidium.
2. Contrary it is to all his attributes, which are his name. Men are jealous
AGGRAVATION OP SIN. 167
of their names. God's name is himself; as (1.) it makes a man slight
God's goodness, and to seek happiness in the creature, as if he were able
to be happy without him ; and (2.), it deposeth his sovereignty, and sets
up other gods before his face ; (8.) it contemns his truth, power, and jus-
tice ; and (4.), turns his grace into wantonness.
And as to himself, so to whatever is his, or dear to him. Besides, a
king hath three things in an especial manner dear to him : his laws, his
favourites, his image stamped upon his coin ; and so hath God.
First, His laws and ordinances : God never gave law, but it hath been
broken by sin ; avopia is the definition of it, ' the transgression of the law,'
1 John hi. 4 ; yea, it is called ' destroying the law,' Ps. cxix. 126. And
know that God's law, the least tittle of it, is more dear to him than all the
world. For, ere the least tittle of it shall be broken, heaven and earth
shall pass. The least sin, therefore, which is a breach of the least law, is
worse than the destruction of the world ; and for his worship (as envying
God should have any) it turns his ordinances into sin.
Secondly, For his favourites, God hath but a few poor ones ; upon whom
because God hath set his love, sin hath set his hatred.
Lastly, For his image, even in a man's own breast ; the law of the members
fights against the law of the mind, and endeavoureth to expel it, though a
man should be damned for it, Gal. v. 17. ' The flesh,' namely, sin, ' lust-
eth against the spirit,' for they are contraries. Contrary, indeed, for
methinks though it hates that image in others, that yet it should spare it in a
man's self, out of self love ; but yet, though a man should be damned, if
this image be expelled, it yet laboureth to do this, so deadly is that hatred,
a man hates himself as holy, so far as he is sinful.
It abounds now so high as our thoughts can follow it no farther.
Divines say, it aspires unto infinity, the object against whom it is thus
contrary unto being God, who is infinite, they tell us, that objectively sin
itself is infinite. Sure I am, the worth of the object or party offended,
aggravates the offence ; an ill word against the king is high treason, not
the greatest indignity to another man. Sure I also am, that God was so
offended with it, as though he loves his Son as himself, yet he, though
without sin, being but ' made sin ' by imputation, yet God ' spared him
not ; ' and because the creatures could not strike a stroke hard enough, he
himself was • pleased to bruise him,' Isa. liii. 16. ' He spared not his
own Son,' Rom. viii. 32. His love might have overcome him to have
passed by it to his Son ; at least a word of his mouth might have pacified
him ; yet so great was his hatred of it, and offence at it, as he poured the
vials of his wrath on him. Neither would entreaty serve, for ' though he
cried with strong cries it should pass from him,' God would not till he
had outwrestled it.
And as the person offended aggravates the offence, as before, so also the
person suffering, being God and man, argues the abounding sinfulness of
it. For, for what crime did you ever hear a king was put to death ? their
persons being esteemed in worth above all crime, as civil. Christ was the
King of kings.
And yet there is one consideration more to make the measure of its
iniquity fully full, and to abound to flowing over, and that is this, that the
least sin, virtually, more or less, contains all sin in the nature of it. I
mean not that all are equal, therefore I add more or less ; and I prove it
thus : because Adam by one offence contracted the stain of all, no sooner
did one sin seize upon his heart, but he had all sins in him.
158 AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
And so every sin in us, by a miraculous multiplication, inclines our
nature more to every sin than it was before ; it makes the pollution of
nature of a deeper die, not only to that species of sin whereof it is the
proper individual act, but to all else. As, bring one candle into a room,
the light spreads all over ; and then another, the light is all over more
increased : so it is in sin, for the least cuts the soul off from God, and
then it is ready to go a whoring after every vanity that will entice it or
entertain it.
And this shews the fulness of the evil of it, in that it contains not only
all other evils in the world in it, but also all of its own kind. As you
would count that a strange poison the least drop of which contains the force
of all poison in it; that a strange disease, the least infection whereof brought
the body subject to all diseases : yet such an one is sin, the least making
the soul more prone and subject to all.
And now you see it is a perfect evil ; and though indeed it cannot be
said to be the chiefest in that full sense wherein God is said to be the
chiefest good, because if it were as bad as God is good, how could he
pardon it, subdue it, bring it to nothing as he doth ? And then how could
it have addition to it, one sin being more sinful than another ? Ezek. viii.
15, John xix. 11. But yet it hath some analogy of being the chiefest evil,
as God the chiefest good.
For, first, as God is the chiefest good, who therefore is to be loved for
himself, and other things but for his sake, so also is sin the chiefest evil,
because it is simply to be a\oided for itself; but other evils become good,
yea, desirable, when compared with it.
Secondly, As God is the chiefest good, because he is the greatest happi-
ness to himself, so sin, the greatest evil to itself, for there can be no
worse punishment of it than itself ; therefore when God would give a man
over as an enemy he means never to deal withal more, he gives him up
to sin.
And thirdly, it is so evil, as it cannot have a worse epithet given it
than itself; and therefore the apostle, when he would speak his worst of
it, and wind up his expression highest, usque ad hyperbolem, calls it by its
own name, sinful sin, a/jiaprcoXbg d/xagr/a, Rom. vii. 13, that as in God
being the greatest good, quicquid est in Deo est Dens ipse, therefore his
attributes and names are but himself, idem pradicatur de seipso ; so it is
with sin, quicquid est in peccato, peccatum est, &c, he can call it no worse
than by its own name, ■ sinful sin.' t
Use I. And what have I been speaking of all this while ? Why ! but
of one sin in the general nature of it. There is not a man here, but hath
millions of them, as many as the sands upon the sea shore ; yea, as there
would be atoms were all the world pounded to dust, it exceeds in number
also ; and therefore, ere we go any further, let all our thoughts break off
here in wonderment at the abounding of sin above all things else : for other
things if they be great, they are but a few ; if many, they are but small ;
the world it is a big one indeed, but yet there is but one ; the sands, though
innumerable, yet they are but small ; your sinfulness exceeds in both.
And next, let all our thoughts be wound up to the most deep and intense
consideration of our estates ; for if one sin abounds thus, what tongue can
express, or heart can conceive then* misery, who, to use the apostle's phrase,
1 Cor. xv., ' are yet in their sins ' ? that is, stand bound to God in their
own single bond only, to answer for all their sins themselves, and cannot
AGGRAVATION OF SIN. 159
in the estate wherein yet they stand of impenitency and unbelief, plead the
benefit of Christ's death, to take off and ease them of the guilt of one sin,
but all their sins are yet all their own, which to a man in Christ they are
not ; for his own bonds are cancelled and given in, and Christ entered into
bonds for him, and all his sins translated upon him.
Now for a proper character of their estate, and suitable to this expres-
sion :
First, then a man's sins may be said to be still his own, when he com-
mitteth sin out of his own, that is, the full frame and inclination of his
heart. Thus the devil is said to sin, John viii. 44, i% rov 'ibiov, ' out of his
own,' the whole frame of his spirit is in it ; which a man in Christ cannot
be so fully said to do, for he hath a new creature in him ' that sinneth not,'
1 John iii. 1, 9, that can say even when he sins, ' It is not I, but sin.'
And secondly, then sin is a man's own, when he hates it not, but loves
it : ' The world loves his own,' saith Christ, John xv. 27, and so doth a
wicked man his sin ' more than any good,' which is David's character,
Ps. Iii. 3.
And thirdly, what is a man's own, he nourisheth and cherisheth ; there-
fore Eph. v. 19, ' No man hates his own flesh, but loveth it and cherisheth
it ; ' so do men their sins, when they are their own. Those great and rich
oppressors, James v. 5, are said to ' nourish their hearts in wantonness,'
and in pleasure, ' as in a day of slaughter ; ' as living upon the cream of
sinning, and having such plenty, they pick out none but the sweetest bits
to nourish their hearts withal.
Fourthly, so what a man provides for, that is his own ; so says the
apostle, ' A man that provides not for his own is worse,' &c. When there-
fore men make provision for the flesh, as the phrase is, Rom. xiii. 14, have
their caterers and contrivers of their lusts, and whose chiefest care is every
morning what pleasures of sin they have that day to be enjoyed, it is a
sign that their sins are their own.
In a word, when men live in sin, it is the expression used, 1 Tim. v. 6,
' She that lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.' When the revenues
of the comfort of men's lives come in from the pleasures of sin, and that
supplies them with all those necessaries that belong to life ; as when it is
their element they ' drink in like water ;' their meat, ' they eat the bread of
wickedness,' Prov. iv. 17, and it goes down, and troubleth them not; their
sleep also, ' they cannot sleep till they have done or contrived some mis-
chief,' ver. 16 ; their apparel, as when ' violence and oppression covers them
as a garment, and pride compasseth them as a chain,' Ps. lxxiii. ; their re-
creation also, 'It is a pastime for a fool to do wickedly,' he makes sport
and brags of it, Prov. x. 23 ; yea, their health, being sick and discontented,
when their lusts are not satisfied, as Ahab was for Naboth's vineyard,
' Amnon grew lean' when he could not enjoy his paramour.
All these, as they live in their sins here, and so are dead whilst they live,
and so are miserable, making the greatest evil their chiefest good ; so when
they come to die, as we all must do one day, and how soon and how sud-
denly we know not ; we carry our souls, our precious souls, as precious
water in a brittle glass, soon cracked, and then we are ' spilt like water
which none can gather up again,' 2 Sam. xiv. 14 ; or but as a candle in a
paper lantern, in clay walls, full of crannies, often but a little cold comes
in and blows the candle out ; and then, without a thorough change of heart
before, wrought from all sin to all godliness, they will die in their sins.
And all, and the utmost of all, miseries is spoken in that one word ; and
1G0 AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
therefore Christ, when he would sum up all miseries in one expression, tells
the Pharisees they should ' die in their sins,' John viii. 28.
Use II. And let us consider further, that if sin be thus above measure sin-
ful, that hell, that followeth death, is then likewise above measure fearful ;
and so it is intimated to be a punishment without measure, Jer. xxx. 11,
compared with Isa. xxvii., ' Punish them as I punish thee,' says God to his
own, ' but I will punish thee in measure.' And, indeed, sin being com-
mitted against God, the King of kings, it can never be punished enough.
But as the killing of a king is amongst men a crime so heinous that no
tortures can exceed the desert of it, we use to say all torments are too little,
and death too good, for such a crime. Now, peccatum est Deicidium, as I
said before, a destroying God as much as in us lies ; and therefore none
but God himself can give it a full punishment ; therefore it is called ' a
falling into God's hands,' Heb. x. 31, which, as he says there, is ' fearful.'
For if his breath blows us to destruction, Job iv. 9, for we are but dust
heaps, yea, his nod, ' he nods to destruction,' Ps. lxxx. 16 ; then what is
the weight of his hands, even of those hands ' which span the heavens, and
hold the earth in the hollow of them' ? Isa. xl. 12. And if God take it
into his hands to punish, he will be sure to do unto the full. Sin is man's
work, and punishment is God's, and God will shew himself as perfect in
his work as man in his.
If sin be malum catholicum, as hath been said, that contains all evils in
it ; then the punishment God will inflict shall be malum catholicum also,
containing in it all miseries. It is ' a cup full of mixture,' so called Ps.
lxxv. 8, as into which God hath strained the quintessence of all miseries,
and ' the wicked of the earth must drink the dregs of it,' though it be eter-
nity unto the bottom. And if one sin deserves a hell, a punishment above
measure, what will millions of millions do ? And we read that ' every sin
shall receive a just recompence,' Heb. ii. 2. Oh let us then take heed of
dying in our sins, and therefore of living in them ; for we shall lie in prison
till we have paid the very utmost farthing.
And therefore if all this that I have said of it will not engender answerable
apprehensions of it in you, this being but painting the toad, which you can
look upon and handle without affrightment, I wish that if without danger
you could but lay your ears to hell, that standing as it were behind the
screen, you might hear sin spoken of in its own dialect by the oldest sons
of perdition there, to hear what Cain says of murdering his brother Abel ;
what Saul of his persecuting David and the priests of Jehovah ; what
Balaam and Ahithophel say of their cursed counsels and policies ; what
Ahab says of his oppression of Naboth ; what Judas of treason ; and hear
what expressions they have, with what horrors, yellings, groans, distrac-
tions, the least sin is there spoken of. If God should take any man's soul
here, and as he rapt his* into the third heavens, where he saw grace in its
fullest brightness ; so carry any one's soul into those chambers of death,
as Solomon calls them, and leading him through all, from chamber to
chamber, shew him the visions of darkness, and he there hear all those
bedlams cry out, one of this sin, another of that, and see sin as it looks in
hell ! But there is one aggravation more of the evil and misery sin brings
upon men I have not spoken of yet, that it blinds their eyes and hardens
their hearts, that they do not see nor lament their misery till they be in
hell, and then it is too late.
* That is, 'Paul 'a. '—Ed.
AUdlUVATION OF SIN'. llil
Use III. But what, doth sin so exceed in sinfulness, and is the venom of
it boiled up to such a height of mischief, that there should be no name in
heaven and earth able to grapple with it and destroy it ? Is there no an-
tidote, no balm in Gilead more sovereign than it is deadly? Surely yes;
God would never have suffered so potent and malicious an enemy to have
set foot in his dominions, but that he knew how to conquer it, and that not
by punishing of it only in hell, but by destroying it ; only it is too potent
for all the creatures to encounter with. This victory is alone reserved for
Christ, it can die by no other hand, that he may have the glory of it ;
which therefore is the top of his glory as mediator, and his highest title,
the memory of which he bears written in his name Jesus, ' for he shall
save his people from their sins,' Mat. i. 21. And therefore the apostte
Paul, his chiefest herald, proclaims this victory with a world of solemnity
and triumph, 1 Cor. xv. 55, "' death, where is thy sting ? grave, where
is thy victory ? The sting of death is sin ; the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, that gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ ; ' which yet again adds to the demonstration of the sinfulness of it,
for the strength of sin was such, that, like Goliah, it would have defied the
whole host of heaven and earth. ' It was not possible the blood of bulls
and goats should take away sin,' Heb. x. 4 ; nor would the riches of the
world, or the blood of men have been a sufficient ransom. ' Will the Lord
be pleased with rivers of oil ? shall I give my first-born for my transgres-
sion ? ' No, says he, there is no proportion, for thy first-born is but the
fruit of thy body, and sin is the ' sin of the soul,' Micah vi. 7. It must cost
more to redeem a soul than so, Ps. xlix. 7. No; couldst thou bring rivers
of tears instead of rivers of oil — which, if anything were like to pacify God,
yet they are but the excrements of thy brains, but sin is the sin of thy heart —
yea, all the righteousness that we could ever do, cannot make amends for
one sin ; for suppose it perfect, whenas yet it is but ' dung,' Mai. ii. 3, and
1 a menstruous cloth,' yet thou owest it already as thou art a creature, and
one debt cannot pay another. If then we should go a begging to all the
angels who never sinned, let them lay all their stock together, it would
beggar them all to pay for one sin. No; it is not the merit of angels will
do it, for sin is the transgression, the destruction of the law, and the least
iota is more worth than heaven and all that is therein.
Only, though it be thus unconquerably sinful by all created powers, it
hath not gone beyond the price that Christ hath paid for it. The apostle
compares to this very purpose sin and Christ's righteousness together, Rom.
v. 15, 20. It is true, says he, that ' sin abounds,' and that one sin, to
iragavrw/jua, and instanceth in Adam's sin, which staineth all men's natures
to the end of the world ; yet, says he, the ' gift of righteousness by Christ
abounds much more,' abounds to flowing over, viregeirXsovaffs, says the
apostle, 1 Tim. i. 14, as the sea doth above mole-hills, Mai. vii. 14.*
Though therefore it would undo all the angels, yet Christ's riches are un-
searchable, Eph. hi. 8. He hath such riches of merit as are able to pay
all thy debts the very first day of thy marriage with him, though thou hadst
been a sinner millions of years afore the creation to this day ; and when
that is done, there is enough left to purchase thee more grace and glory
than all the angels have in heaven. In a word, he is ' able to save to the
utmost all that come to God by him,' Heb. vii. 5, let their sins be what
they will.
But then we must come to him, and to God by him, and take him as
* This is of course a misprint. I suppose the reference is to Micah vii. 19. — Ed,
VOL. IV. L
1G2 AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
our lord, and king, and bead, and husband, as be is freely tendered ; we
must be made one witb bim, and have our hearts divorced from all our
sins for ever. And why not now '? Do we yet look for another Christ ?
and to allude to us as Naomi said to Ruth, Is there yet any more sons in
my womb, that they may be your husbands ? So say I, Hath God any
more such sons ? Or is not this Christ good enough ? or are we afraid of
being happy too soon in being married to bim ?
But yet if we will have Christ indeed, without whom we are undone,
1 how shall we then continue in sin,' Rom. vi., which is thus above measure
sinful ? No, not in one. The apostle speaks there in the language of im-
possibility and inconsistency. Christ and the reign of one sin, they cannot
stand together.
And, indeed, we will not so much as take Christ until first we have seen
more or less this vision here, and sin appear to us, as to him, above
measure sinful. Naturally we slight it, and make « mock of, and account
it preciseness to stick and make conscience of it ; but if once sin thus
appears to any but in its own colours, that man will look upon the least
sin then as upon hell itself, and like a man affrighted fear in all his ways
lest he should meet with sin, and starts at the very appearance of it : he
weeps if sin do but see him, and he do but see it in hiinself and others, and
cries out, as Joseph did, ' How shall I do this, and sin ? ' And then a man
will make out for Christ as a condemned man for life, as a man that can
no longer live, Oh, give me Christ, or else I die ; and then, if upon this
Christ appears to him, and ' manifests himself,' as his promise is to them
that seek him, John xiv. 21, his heart thereupon will much more detest
and loathe it ; he saw it evil afore, but then it comes to have a new tincture
added, which makes it infinitely more sinful in his eyes, for he then looks
upon every sin as guilty of Christ's blood, as dyed with it, though ' covered
by it.' ' The grace of God appearing, teacheth us to deny all ungodliness
and worldly lusts.' ' The love of Christ constrains him.' Thinks he, Shall
I live in that for which Christ died ? Shall that be my life which was his
death ? Did he that never knew sin undergo the torment for it, and shall I be
so unkind as to enjoy the pleasure of it ? No ; but as David, when he was
very thirsty, and had water of the well of Bethlehem brought him, with the
hazard of men's lives, poured it on the ground, for, says he, ' It is the
blood of these men,' so says he, even when the cup of pleasures is at his
very lips, It cost the blood of Christ, and so pours it upon the ground.
And as the love of Christ constrains him, so the power of Christ doth change
him. Kings may pardon traitors, but they cannot change their hearts ;
but Christ pardons none he doth not make new creatures, and ' all old
things pass away,' because he makes them friends, favourites to live with
and delight in ; and if men ' put on Christ, and have learned him, as the
truth is in Jesus, they put off as concerning the former conversation the old
man, with the deceitful lusts,' Eph. iv. 21, 22, and he ceaseth from sin,
that is, from the course of any known sin. They are the apostle's own
words which shall judge us ; and if we should expect salvation from him
upon any other terms, we are deceived, for Christ is ' the author of salva-
tion to them only that obey him,' Heb. v. 9.
AGGRAYATIONS OF SINNING AGAINST
KNOWLEDGE.
Because that, when they knew God, then glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful ; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart teas
darkened. — Rom. I. 21.
There are two general aggravations the apostle insists on, in these two
chapters, of the Gentiles' sinfulness: First, their unthankfulness, ver. 21, in
' despising the riches of God's goodness,' chap. ii. 4; secondly, of rebellion,
in sinning against knowledge, that ' when they knew him, they glorified him
not as God.' And of all other, he inculcateth this of sinning against know-
ledge as the greatest, for, bringing in a long, large, and particular indictment
of many several sins, idolatry, ver. 23, unnatural uncleanness, ver. 26, &c,
and all kinds of unrighteousness, ver. 29, he doth, both in the beginning
and end of the bill, bring in this aggravation, that they sinned against
knowledge in all these. So, ver. 18, he begins the indictment and pro-
mulgation of God's wrath above all for this, that ' they withheld the truth
in unrighteousness,' which was as much as all that unrighteousness com-
mitted, barely in itself considered. And then again, in the end, when he
comes to pronounce sentence, he comes in with this, after all particulars
had been reckoned up, ' Who, knowing the judgment of God against those
which do such things, yet do them.'
So that this doctrine is clear from hence, that to sin against knowledge,
either in omitting good duties which we know we ought to perform, or com-
mitting of sins we know we ought not to do, is the highest aggravation of sin-
fulness.
I put both in ; both sins of omission and commission — for so the par-
ticular sins the Gentiles are taxed for here are of both sorts, as not glorify-
ing or worshipping God, as well as turning his glory into a lie, &c. — to omit
prayer when your consciences tell you you ought to do it, to omit holy dis-
course, examining the heart, when you know you ought to do them, are as
well sins against knowledge as to tell a lie against your knowledge, or as
to steal and forswear, or murder, or be drunk, &c.
Now, when I say it is an aggravation to these sins, my meaning is this,
that, take any sin thou thinkest most gross, and view it barely in the act
of it, put the act nakedly in the one scale, be it a sin of uncleanness or
drunkenness, and then put this circumstance which was added to it in the
1C4 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
other scale, that before and when thou didst it thou knewest it to be a
sin, this alone weighs as much, yea, more than the sin itself doth ; that as
it is said of Herod that ' he added this to all his other sins, that he cast
John in prison,' who told him of his Herodias, and so is made as much as
all his former sins, so is this brought in here, that in and unto all their
unrighteousness this was added, they withheld the truth, the light of their
consciences (which is as a prophet from God) they did imprison in un-
righteousness, ver. 18. And therefore when Daniel would convince Bel-
shazzar of his deservedness to lose his kingdom, and that he was not able
to ' hold weight in the balance,' Dan. v. 22, what puts he into the other
scale against him to weigh him up, and to shew he was too light ? ver. 21,
22, he tells him how his father knew the God of heaven, and how that
his knowledge cost him seven years the learning among wild beasts, and
' thou' (says he) ' his son knewest all this, and yet didst not humble thy-
self.' Here is the aggravation weighs down all ; he knew the God of heaven
against whom he sinned, and that judgment on his father for his pride ;
and then withal he tells him, that ' this God, in whose hands is thy breath,
and all thy ways, thou hast not glorified.'
I name this place among many others, because it is parallel with this in
the text. I'll name no more, but give reasons and demonstrations for it.
I. First, demonstrations.
The greatness of this kind of sinning might many ways be made appear ;
we will demonstrate it only by comparing it with other kinds of sinning.
To sin, though out of simple ignorance, when that ignorance is but the
causa sine qua non of sinning, that is, so as if a man had known it a sin,
he had not done it, doth not yet make the fact not to be a sin, though it
lesseneth it. For, Luke xii. 48, * He that did not know his master's will
was beaten,' when the thing committed was worthy of stripes, though he
did not know so much, because the thing deserves it. And the reason is,
because the law being once promulged, as first to Adam it was, and put
into his heart, as the common ark of mankind, though the tables be lost,
yet our ignorance doth not make the law of none effect. For the law of
nature for ever binds, that is, all that was written in Adam's heart, because
it was thereby then published in him, and to him for us. But positive
laws, as I may call them, as to believe in Christ, &c, anew delivered, bind
not but where they are published. Josiah rent his clothes when the book
of the law was found, because the ordinances were not kept, although they
had not known the law of many years ; yet because they ought to have
known it, therefore for all their ignorance he feared wrath would come upon
all Israel. So also, Lev. v. 17, sins of ignorance were to be sacrificed for;
yet however it lesseneth the sin, therefore ' he shall be beaten with few
stripes.'
And sure, if ignorance lesseneth them, knowledge aggravates ; for con-
trariorum eadem est ratio, therefore ' he that knows shall be beaten with
many stripes.' Yea, such difference is there that God is said to wink at
sins of ignorance. Acts xvii. 30, ' The time of this ignorance God winks
at.' "Whiles they had no knowledge, God took no notice ; yea, and he
abates something for such sins, because the creature hath a cloak, hath
something to say for itself (as Christ says, John xv. 22) ; but when against
knowledge, they have no cloak. Yea, farther, Christ makes a sin of ignor-
ance to be no sin in comparison : so there, ' If I had not spoken and done
those works never man did, they had had no sin,' that is, none in com-
AGAINST KNOWLEDGE. 165
parison ; but 'now they have no cloak,' no shelter to award* the stripes,
or plea to abate of them.
1. And that you may see the ground of this vast difference between sins of
ignorance and against knowledge, consider first, that if a man sin (suppose
the act the same) out of ignorance merely, there may be a supposition that
if he had known it he would not have done it, and that as soon as he doth
know it he would or might repent of it. So, 1 Cor. ii. 8, ' If they had
known, they had not crucified the Lord of glory.' The like says Christ of
Tyre, Sodom, and Gomorrah, that ' if the same things had been done in
them, they would have repented.' But now, when a man knows it afore,
and also considers it in the very committing it, and yet doth it, then there
is no room for such a supposition, and less hope. For what is it that
should reduce this man to repentance ? Is it not his knowledge ? Now if
that had no power to keep him from his sin, then it may be judged that it
will not be of force to bring him to repentance for it ; for by sinning the
heart is made more hard, and the knowledge and the authority of it weakened
and lessened, as all power is when contemned and resisted, Rom. i. 21,
' Their foolish heart becomes darker.' Aristotle himself hath a touch of
this notion in the third of his Ethics, that if a man sin out of ignorance,
when he knows it, he repents of it ; if out of passion, when the passion is
over, he is sorry for what he hath done ; but when a man sins deliberately,
and out of knowledge, it is a sign he is fixed and set in mischief, and there-
fore it is counted wickedness and malice. And hence it is that those that
have been enlightened with the highest kind of light but that of saving
grace, Heb. vi. 4, 5, and Heb. x., 'if they sin wilfully after such a know-
ledge of the truth,' God looks on them as those that will never repent.
And therefore likewise the school gives this as the reason why the devils
sin obstinately, and cannot repent, because of their full knowledge they
sin with ; they know all in the full latitude that it may be known, and yet
go on.
2. Secondly, The vast difference that in God's account is put between
sins of knowledge and of ignorance, will appear by the different respect and
regard that God hath to them, in the repentance he requires and accepts
for them ; and that both in the acts of repentance and also in the state of
grace and repentance, upon which God accepts a man, or for want of which
he rejecteth him.
First. When a man comes to perform the acts of repentance, and to
humble himself for sin, and to turn from it, God exacteth not, that sins of
ignorance should particularly be repented of. But if they be repented of
but in the general, and in the lump, be they never so great, God accepts it.
This is intimated, Ps. xix. 12, ' "Who can understand his error? cleanse me
from my secret sins ; ' that was confession enough. But sins of know-
ledge must be particularly repented of, and confessed, and that again and
again, as David was forced to do for his murder and adultery, or a man
shall never have pardon. Yea, farther, greater difference will appear in
regard of the state of grace and repentance, for a man may lie in a sin he
doth not know to be a sin, and yet be in the state of grace, as the patriarchs
in polygamy, and in divorcing their wives ; but to lie in a sin of knowledge
is not compatible with grace, but unless a man maintaineth a constant
fight against it, hateth it, confesseth it, forsaketh it, he cannot have mercy.
This cannot stand with uprightness of heart. A friend may keep corre-
spondency with one he suspects not to be an enemy unto his friend, and be
* That is, 'to ward off.' — Ed.
166 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
true to his friendship notwithstanding; but if he knows him to be an enemy,
he must break utterly with the one if he leans to the other.
3. Thirdly, Yet farther, in the third place, so vast is the difference, that
some kind of sins committed out of and against knowledge, utterly exclude
from mercy from time to come, which done out of ignorance remained
capable of and might have obtained it ; as persecuting the saints, blas-
pheming Christ, &c. Paul's will was as much in those acts themselves,
and as hearty as those that sin against the Holy Ghost ; for he was mad
against the church, and in these sins, as himself says, not sinning willingly
herein only, but being carried on with fury as hot and as forward as the
Pharisees that sinned that sin ; only, says he, 1 Tim. i. 13, ' I did it
ignorantly, therefore I obtained mercy.' Though it was ignorantly done,
yet there was need of mercy ; but yet in that he did it but ignorantly, there
was a capacity and place for mercy which otherwise had not been. But
thus to sin, ' after a man hath received the knowledge of the truth, shuts a
man out from mercy, Heb. x., and ' there is no more sacrifice for sin,' for
such sins; I say, such sins as these, thus directly against the gospel, when
committed with knowledge. For sins against the law, though against
knowledge, there was an atonement, as appears, Lev. vi. 1-8, where he
instanceth in forswearing. But to persecute the saints, and Christ's truth,
with malice, after knowledge of it, there is no more sacrifice ; not that
simply the sin is so great in the act itself of persecution, for Paul did it out
of ignorance, but because it is out of knowledge : so vast a difference doth
knowledge and ignorance put between the guilt of the same sin.
4. And therefore indeed, to conclude this in the last place, this is the
highest step of the ladder, next to turning off, the very highest but sinning
against the Holy Ghost ; which must needs argue it the highest aggrava-
tion of sinning, when it ascends so high, when it brings a man to the brink,
and next to falling into the bottomless pit, irrecoverably. And therefore to
' sin presumptuously' (which is all one) and to ' sin against knowledge,' as
appears, Num. xv. 26-30, it being there opposed to sinning out of ignorance
(such a sin as David did, of whom it is said, 2 Sam, xii. 9, that ' he despised
the word of the Lord;' which phrase also is used to express sins of pre-
sumption, verse 31 of that 15th chapter of Numbers). To sin, I say, pre-
sumptuously is the highest step. So in David's account, Ps. xix. 12, 13.
For first he prays, ' Lord, keep me from secret sins,' which he maketh sins of
ignorance, and then next he prays against ' presumptuous sins,' which, as the
opposition shews, are sins against knowledge ; for (says he), ' if they get
dominion over me, I shall not be free from that great offence,' that is, that
unpardonable sin which shall never be forgiven, so as these are nearest
it of any other, yet not so as that every one that falls into such a sin
commits it, but he is nigh to it, at the next step to it. For to commit
that sin, but two things are required — light in the mind, and malice in the
heart ; not malice alone, unless there be light, for then that apostle had
sinned it, so as knowledge is the parent of it, it is ' after receiving the
knowledge of the truth,'' Heb. x. 27, 28.
II. These are the demonstrations of it ; the reasons are,
1. First, Because knowledge of God and his ways is the greatest mercy
next to saving grace : ' He hath not dealt so with every nation.' Where-
in ? In ' giving the knowledge of his ways ;' and as it is thus, so to a
nation, so to a man ; and therefore Christ speaking of the gift of knowledge,
and giving the reason why it so greatly condemneth, Luke xii. 48, says,
AGAINST KNOWLEDGE. 167
1 For to whom much is given, much is required.' As if ho had said, To
know his master's will, that is tho great talent of all other. There is a
match in that. Thus it was in the heathens' esteem also. They acknow-
ledged their foolish wisdom in moral and natural philosophy, their greatest
excellency ; and therefore Plato thanked God for three things, that he was
a man, an Athenian, and a philosopher. And Rom. i. 22, the apostle
mentions it as that excellency they did profess. And Solomon, of all
vanities, says this is the hest vanity, and that it ' exceeds folly as light
doth darkness,' Eccles. ii. 13. But surely much more is the knowledge of
the law, and of God, as we have it revealed to us ; this must needs be
much more excellent. And so the Jews esteemed theirs, as in this second
chapter of the Romans, the apostle shews also of them, that they ' made
their boast of the law, and their form of knowledge of it, and approving
the things that are excellent.' And what do the two great books of the
creatures, and the word, and all means else serve for, but to increase
knowledge ? If therefore all tend to this, this is then the greatest mercy
of all the rest.
2. For, secondly, God hath appointed knowledge as the immediate guide
of men in all their ways, to bring them to salvation and repentance ; for to
that it leads them. It is that same rb riyrjfiSvtxov, as the philosopher called
it ; and therefore the law, Rom. vii. 1, 2, is compared to a husband, so
far as it is written in or revealed in the heart, that as a husband is the
guide of the wife in her youth, so is the law to the heart. And whereas
beasts are ruled by a bit and bridle, God he rules men by knowledge. And
therefore if men be wicked, notwithstanding this light, they must needs sin
highly, seeing there is no other curb for them, as they are men, but this :
if he will deal with them as men, this is the only way, and therefore if that
will not do it, it is supposed nothing will.
It is knowledge makes men capable of sin, which beasts are not ; there-
fore the more knowledge, if men be wicked withal, the more sin must
necessarily be reckoned to them ; so as God doth not simply look what
men's actions and affections are, but chiefly what their knowledge is, and
accordingly judgeth men more or less wicked. I may illustrate this by
that comparison, which I may allude unto : that as in kingdoms God
measures out the wickedness thereof, and so his punishments accordingly,
principally by the guides, the governors thereof, what they are, and what
they do ; as in Jer. v. 4 it appears, where first God looks upon the
poor people, but he excuseth them, ' These are foolish, and know not the
way of the Lord ;' and therefore God would have been moved to spare the
kingdom, notwithstanding their sins. But from them, at the 5th verse, he
goes to view the rulers, ' I will get me to the great men, for these have
known the way of the Lord ;' and when he saw that ' these had broken
the bands,' then 'how shall I pardon thee for this?' So is it in his
judgments towards a particular man : when God looks down upon a man,
and sees him in his courses exceeding loose and wicked, he looks first upon
those rude affections in him, which are unclean, profane, debauched, greedy
of all wickedness. Ay, but, says he, these are foolish of themselves, but
I will look upon his understanding, and upon the superior faculties, which
are the guides of these affections, and see what they dictate to these unruly
affections to restrain them. And when he finds that the guides themselves
are enlightened, ' and have known the way of the Lord,' and that the will
and the affections, though informed with much knowledge, yet ' break all
bands,' then 'how shall I pardon thee?' thee, who art a knowing
1G8 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING.
drunkard, and a knowing unclean person, &c, so as thus to sin aggravates
and maketh sin out of measure sinful.
Now that knowledge and reason is a man's guide, will further appear by
this : that even erroneous knowledge doth put an obligation, a bond, and a
tie upon a man, which can be in no other respect, but because knowledge
is appointed to be a man's guide. Thus, if a man thinks a thing which
is in itself common and indifferent to be a sin, and forbidden, as Rom.
xiv. 14, although the law forbids it not, yet ' to him it is unclean,' though
in Christ it is not unclean, that is, by the law of Christ. For this his
knowledge and judgment of the thing hath to him the force of a law, for
it propounds it to him as a law, and as from God, which reason of his God
hath appointed as his immediate guide ; and the will is to follow nothing
that is evil, which is represented to it as evil. This is the law of mere nature
in all conditions ; therefore if a man should do an action which is in itself
good, if he thought it to be evil, he should sin, and so e contra, for he goes
against the dictate of nature. So that erroneous knowledge, though against
the law, is a law to me, though not per se, yet per accidens. Now therefore
if to go against a false light of conscience be yet a sin, though it proves
that the commandment allows the thing was done, and was for it, then to
go against the true light of the law, how sinful is it !
3. Again, thirdly, the knowledge of the law binds the person so much
the more to obedience, by how much the more he knows it ; so as though
it would be a sin when he knows not the law to transgress it, yet when he
knows it, it is a greater sin. It is true, indeed, that conscience and the
law, when they meet, make up but one law, not two distinct laws ; and
therefore in sinning against knowledge, though a man doth not commit two
distinct sins, yet the knowledge of it doth add a further degree of sinfulness
to it ; as a cloth is the same cloth when it is white that it was when it is
dyed with a scarlet dye, yet then it hath a dye, a tincture given it, which
is more worth than the cloth : and so, when you sin not knowing the law,
the sin is the same for substance it would be if you had known it, yet that
knowledge dyes it, makes it a ' scarlet sin,' as Isaiah speaks, far greater and
deeper in demerit than the sin itself ; and the ground of this is, because
laws then come to be in force when they are promulged and made known,
so as the more they are promulged and made known, the more is the force
of their binding, and so the greater guilt. Therefore, Deut. xii. 3, 8, God
otraightens the cords more, the binding force of the law more upon those
Jews' consciences, to whom he at first personally with majesty had promul-
gated it, than upon their children, though upon theirs also. Now if all
God's laws, being made known to Adam, bind us, and are in force, and
this when we know them not, then, if we do know them, or might know
them, they bind much more, and still the more clearly we know them the
obligation increaseth, and the guilt ensuing with it ; and the rather, because
now when we come to know them, they are anew promulged in a way of
a peculiar mercy, we having defaced the knowledge of them in our fall.
4. Fourthly, When the law, being known, is broken, there is the more
contempt cast upon the law, and the lawgiver also, and so a higher degree
of sinning. And therefore, Num. xv. 30, ' He that sins out of knowledge '
is said to ' reproach the Lord, and to despise the word.' And therefore
Saul sinning against knowledge, Samuel calleth it rebellion ; and though it
were but in a small thing, yet he parallels it with witchcraft. So also, Job
xxiv. 13, they are said to rebel when they sin against light ; because rebel-
lion is added to disobedience. For knowledge is an officer set to see the
AGAINST KNOWLEDGE. 1G9
law executed and fulfilled, and makes God present to the conscience.
Therefore, Rom. ii. 14, it is called a witness, and therefore in sinning against
knowledge men are said to sin before the face of the Lord himself ; now
what a great contempt is that ? Therefore also, Ps. 1. 17, the hypocrite
6inning against knowledge is said to ' cast the law of God behind his back,'
so as there is a contempt in this sinning, which is in no other.
5. Fifthly, The more knowledge a man sinneth against, the more the will
of the sinner is discovered to be for sin, as sin. Now voluntarium est regula
et mensura actionum moralium, willingness in sinning is the standard and
measure of sins. The less will, the less sin ; so much is cut off, the less
the will closeth with it, at leastwise so much is added by how much the
will is more in it ; and therefore the highest degree of sinning is expressed
to us by sinning willingly, and this after knowledge, Heb. x. Now though
an ignorant man commits the act as willingly, as when Paul persecuted the
church, yet he commits it not considered as sin till he hath the knowledge
of it ; but then when it is discovered to be sin, and the more clearly it is so
discovered, the will may be said to join with it as sin. Therefore the
apostle says, ' To him that knows to do well, and doth it not, to him it is
sin,' James iv. 17, because by his knowledge the thing is represented as
sin ; and so he closeth with it the more, under that notion and apprehension.
6. Sixthby, In sinning against knowledge a man condemns himself, but
when out of ignorance niereby, the law only doth condemn him ; so Eom.
ii. 1, a man having knowledge in that wherein he judgeth another, he con-
demneth himself; so Rom. xiv., now as self-murder is the highest degree
of murder and an aggravation of it, so self- condemning must needs be
reckoned. God took it as a great advantage over him that hid his talent,
that ' out of thine own mouth I will condemn thee, thou wicked servant.'
The doctrine being thus proved ; first, I will explain what it is to sin
against knowledge.
Secondly, I will give the aggravations of it.
Thirdly, I will give rules to measure sins of knowledge by, and the great-
ness of them in any act.
Lastly, the use of all.
1. For the first, what it is to sin against knowledge. First, to explain
it, I premise these distinctions.
(1.) The first distinction: that it is one thing to sin with knowledge,
another thing against knowledge.
There are many sins do pass from a man with his knowledge, which yet
are not against knowledge. This is to be observed for the removal of a
scruple which may arise in some that are godly, who else may be wounded
with this doctrine through a mistake.
A regenerate man is, and must needs be, supposed guilty of more known
sins than an unregenerate man ; and } T et he commits fewer against know-
ledge than he.
[1.] First, I say, he is guilty of more known sins ; for he takes notice
of every sinful disposition that is stirring in him, every by-end, every con-
trariety unto holiness, deadness to duty, reluctancy to spiritual duties, and
when regenerated, beginneth to see and know more evil by himself, than
ever he did before ; he sees as the apostle says of himself, Rom. vii. 8,
' all concupiscence ; ' and the holier a man is, the more he discerns and
knows his sins. So says the apostle, Rom. vii. 18, ' I know that in me
dwells no good thing.' And ver. 21, ' I find when I would do good, evil
170 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
is present with me.' And ver. 23, ' I see another law.' All these, he says,
he perceived and found daily in himself ; and the more holy that he grew,
the more he saw them. For the purer and clearer the light of God's Spirit
shines in a man, the more sins he knows, he will see lusts streaming up,
flying in his heart, like motes in the sun, or sparks out of a furnace, which
else he had not seen. The clearer the sunbeam is which is let into the heart,
the more thou wilt see them.
[2.] But yet, in the second place, I add, that nevertheless he sins less
against knowledge ; for then we are properly said to sin against knowledge,
when we do take the fulfilling of a lust, or the performance of an outward
action, a duty, or the like, into deliberation and consideration, and consider
motives against the sin, or to the duty, and yet commit that sin, yield to
it, and nourish that lust, and omit that duty. Here now we sin not only
with knowledge, but against knowledge, because knowledge stepped in, and
opposed us in it, comes to interrupt and prevent us ; but now in those
failings in duty, and stirring of lusts in the regenerate aforementioned, the
case is otherwise, they are committed indeed with knowledge, but not
against it. For it is not in the power of knowledge to prevent them, for
motus primi non cadunt sub libertatem ; but yet though such sins will arise
again and again, yet, says a good heart, they must not think to pass uncon-
trolled and unseen. Therefore let not poor souls mistake me, as if I meant
throughout this discourse of all sins which are known to be sins, but I
mean such sins as are committed against knowledge, that is, when know-
ledge comes and examines a sin in or before the committing of it, brings
it to the law, contests against it, condemns it, and yet a man approveth it,
and consenteth to it ; when a duty and a sin are brought before knowledge,
as Barabbas and Christ afore Pilate, and thy knowledge doth again and
again tell thee such a sin is a great sin, and ought to be crucified, and yet
thou criest, let it go ; and so for the duty, it tells thee again and again it
ought to be submitted unto, and yet thou omittest it, and committest the
sin, choosest Barabbas rather than Christ : these are sins against knowledge.
Now such sins against knowledge break a man's peace, and the more con-
sideration before had, the more the peace is broken.
(2.) The second distinction is, that men sin against knowledge, either
directly or collaterally, objectively or circumstantially.
[1.] First, directly, when knowledge itself is the thing men abuse, or
fight against, becometh the object, the term in us, the butt and mark shot at,
this is to sin directly against knowledge itself.
[2.] The second way, collaterally, is, when knowledge is but a circum-
stance in our sins, so as the pleasure of some sin we know to be a sin is
the thing aimed at, and that our knowledge steps but in between to hinder
us in it, and we commit it notwithstanding though we do know it ; here
knowledge is indeed sinned against, yet but collaterally, and as a stander
by, but as a circumstance only, shot at^er accidents, concomitanter, and by
the by, as one that steps in to part a fray is smitten, for labouring to
hinder them in their sin, as the Sodomites quarrelled with Lot ; they are
both found in this chapter, and therefore come fitly within the compass of
this discourse.
First, this collateral kind of sinning against knowledge is mentioned in
the 21st verse, where he says, ' They knew God, yet they glorified him
not ; ' there knowledge is made but a circumstance of their sinning, they
sinned against it but collaterally. But then that other kind of sinning
directly against knowledge is mentioned, verse 28, ' They liked not to
AGAINST KNOWLEDGE. 171
retain God in their knowledge ; ' that is, they hated this knowledge itself,
BO as now they did not only love sin they knew to be sin, but also they
loved not the knowledge of it; so that because both are thus clearly in-
stanced in. we will speak of both more largely.
Now, sins directly against knowledge itself are many. I will reduce the
chief heads of them into two brunches :
First, In regard of ourselves.
Secondly, In regard of others.
(1.) First, In regard of ourselves, five ways we may thus sin against
knowledge itself.
[1.] First, When we abuse knowledge to help us to sin : as, first, to plot
and contrive a sin, as Judas plotted to betray his Master, if he could ' con-
veniently;' so the text says, Mark xiv. 11, he would do it wisely; and thus
those that came to entrap Christ with most cunning questions did sin, and
those who plot against the just, Ps. xxxvii. 12.
[2.] So, secondly, when men use their wisdoms to tell a cunning lie to
cover a sin ; as Plato says, men of knowledge stmt ad mendacia potent iores
et sapient iores, whereas fools, though they would he, yet often tell truth ere
they are aware.
[3.] But also, thirdly, when they abuse moral knowledge, which yet, as
Aristotle says, is least apt to be (I am sure should least be) abused, so as
to make a show of good pretences to cover their sins and dissemble them,
not only by finding out some cunning artificial colour, as David did in the
matter of Uriah, ' Chance of war (says he) falls to all alike ; ' but when
men are so impudently hypocritical as to make use of religious pretexts, as
the devil sometimes doth, as Saul, w T ho pretends to Samuel ' I have done
the will of the Lord ; ' and when Samuel told him of the cattle, Oh, says
he, 'they are for a sacrifice,' when God had expressly commanded to kill
them all. But this shift shifted him out of his kingdom, Samuel pro-
nounced him a rebel in it, rebellion is sin against knowledge, there he
knew it. Thus also Jezebel coloured over the stoning of Naboth with a
bolemn fast. So Judas fisheth for money with a charitable pretence,
4 This might have been sold, and given to the poor.' In sins against
knowledge, usually the mind endeavours to find out a colour, and that
provokes God more than the sin, because we go about to mock him. We
see men cannot endure a shift, much less the all-knowing God not to be
mocked ; and we see it hard to convince such an one. David was fain to
be brought to the rack ere he would confess, when he had a shift ; and men
do seek such shifts only in case of sinning against conscience, for else there
were no need, they would be sure to plead ignorance, as Abimelech did.*
Secondly, When men neglect the getting and obtaining of knowledge,
which knowledge might keep and hinder them from sinning, and might
make them expert in duties. This is as much as to sin against knowledge,
although the sins be committed out of ignorance ; yet that ignorance being
through their own default, it comes all to one, when it may be said of
men, as the apostle doth of the Hebrews, chap. v. 12, ' that for the time
they have had to learn, they might have been teachers, they had yet need
be taught again the first principles.' If a man had an apprentice, who
through negligence and want of heeding and observing what he daily sees
and hears about his trade, might have got for his time much knowledge in
his trade, whereby he might have saved his master much, which he now
hath lost him, and rid and perfected much work he daily spoils him ; such
* 1 Sam xxii. 15. — Ed.
172 AGGRAVATIONS OF SIXMXG
careless, blockish ignorance it is just for his master to correct him for, and
to charge on him all that waste and loss, because he might have known
how to have done better. And therefore even they who thought ignorance
in itself no sin (wherein they erred), yet the neglect of knowledge upon this
very ground they thought a great sin, and that it would be so far from
excusing sins, as that it would aggravate them. So here we see these
Gentiles shall not only be reckoned with for the actual knowledge they had
attained to, and sinned against ; but also for what they might have had
and have picked out of the creatures. For so the apostle brings in this
here in the 20th verse, that the power of God being clearly seen in the
creatures, they neglecting to spell and read it, so much knowledge as they
might have got God will reckon to them, and aggravate their sins by.
Thirdly, Which is yet much worse, when men refuse knowledge that they
may sin the more freely, and so stop the ear, lest they should be charmed.
As when men are loath, and afraid, and dare not read such a book as dis-
covers or might discover that truth to them, the submission to which would
prejudice them, and this to the end that they may plead ignorance of their
sin. Thus also those that assent not to truth when it comes strongly upon
them, but seek to evade it. But, 1 Cor. xiv. 37, when the apostle had
clearly discovered the truth in those things controverted, so as whoever
was spiritual, or not fully blind, might see, and would acknowledge the
truth, then he shuts up his discourse about them, ver. 38, ( If any be igno-
rant, let him be ignorant ;' for it is wilful, it is affected ; he speaks it as
elsewhere, Rev. xxii. 11, it is said, He that is unjust, let him be unjust
still ;' that is, he that will be unjust, and refuseth to turn, let him go on.
This is a great sin, for God, you see, gives such a man over. One that is
but neglectful, or dull of capacity, God will take pains with him, to teach
him, and bear with him, as Christ did with his disciples ; but if he be wil-
fully ignorant, he lets him die in his ignorance, and yet will reckon with
him, as if all his sins had been committed against knowledge, because he
refused to know.
[4.] The fourth is to hate the light, and to endeavour to extinguish it.
This is yet nineh worse, when men hate the word, and the ministers of it,
the examples of God's people, and the light they cany with them, they
1 shining as lights in a crooked generation,' Phil. iL 15, and yet they hate
these, as thieves do a torch in the night, and fly against the light as bats
do, and as the Jews did, John hi. 20. This Christ says is the great con-
demning sin of all others. So these Gentiles put Socrates to death for re-
proving them. And thus men sin also, when they labour to extinguish the
b>ht in their own consciences, and • like not to retain God in their know-
ledge,' ver. 28, but would study the art of forgetfulness, when men have
put the candle out, and drawn the curtains, that they may sin, and sleep
in sin more freely and securely. Thus those also sin in a higher measure,
who have had a clear conviction that they ought to be thus strict, and
ought to sanctify the Lord's day, and pray privately, but now have lost this
light, and think" they need not be so strict ; when men continue not in what
they were once assured of, as the apostle speaks, 2 Tim. iii. 14, these sin
against their knowledge, and are the worst of such sinners. And this estate
Aristotle himself makes station maligni, the state of a wicked one, namely,
when the sparks of light are extinguished or hated. For when any man's
light is lost and turned into darkness by sinning, then, as Christ says, how
great is that darkness ! When good laws are not only not enacted and
embraced, but repealed also (it is Aristotle's similitude, to distinguish an
AGAIXST KNOWLEDGE. 173
incontinent person and a wicked man), this is an high kind of Burning. B i
of these Gentiles it is said, ' their foolish heart was darkened,' they had
extinguished some of that light God gave them. As some drink away their
wits, so some sin away their consciences, and thus by degrees they first
sin away the light of the word they had, as t-hey in Jude who were religions
once, and then they quench even that little spark of nature that is kit.
Also ver. 10, 'corrupting themselves in what they know naturally.'
[5.] Fifthly, Men sin against knowledge yet worse, when they hold opinion
against their knowledge. So many are said to do In 1 Tim. iv. 2, he fore-
tells they should ' speak lies in hypocrisy,' and invent lies that should have
a pretence of holiness, which they know to be a lie, or else they should not
be said to ' speak lies in hypocrisy ;' but they do it to maintain their honour
and greatness, which must down if their doctrine prove false ; and though
many are given up to believe their lies, 2 Thes. ii. 11, as a punishment of
their not loving the truth, yet others of them shall know they are lies, and
yet vent them for truths. Thus when men fashion their opinion to the
times and ways of preferment, and their dependencies on great ones, or to
maintain and uphold a fashion, or out of pride having broached an error
maintain it, though the pulling out that one tile doth untile all the house.
These are the two causes given of perverting the truth, 1 Tim. vi. 4, 5,
namely, pride and covetousness, and supposing gain godliness, and so fashion-
ing their religion accordingly ; when men are ' knights of the post,' that
will write or speak anything, whereby they may get gain and preferment.
(2.) Secondly, Men sin against knowledge in regard of others.
[1.] First, By concealing it. The apostle indeed says in a certain case,
' Hast thou knowledge ? keep it to thyself.' He speaks it of opinions or
practices about things indifferent, which might scandalize the weak ; but if
thou hast knowledge which may edify thy brother, thou oughtest to com-
municate it. Socrates, knowing there was but one God, said, in his apo-
logy for his life, that if they would give him life upon condition to keep
that truth to himself, and not to teach it to others, he would not accept
life upon such a condition ; and I remember he expresseth his resolution
in words very nigh the same words the apostles used, Acts iv. 40, ' Whether
it be better to obey God than men, judge you ;' and ' We cannot but teach
the things we have heard and seen,' says Christ ; for knowledge is a thing
will boil within a man for vent, and cannot be imprisoned. It is light, and
the end why light was made was to be set up to give light. And Christ
argues from an apparent absurdity to put a light under a bushel, which
may give light to all the house. Hast thou knowledge of God and of his
ways ? thou canst not but speak (if withal thou hast but a good heart) to all
in the family, to thy wife in thy bosom, &c. God took it for granted that
Abraham would teach his children what he should know from him : the
same disposition is in all the children of Abraham.
[2.] Secondly, When men endeavour to suppress knowledge. As the
Pharisees, they kept the keys of it in their hands, and would not open the
treasures of it themselves, nor let others do it neither. So they (Acts
iv. 16) ' could not deny but a great miracle was done' by the apostles (say
themselves), ' but that it spread no further, let us threaten them, and charge
them, that they speak no more in his name.' And this they did against
their consciences, by their own profession, ' we cannot deny it ;' as if they
had said, if we could we would, but it was too manifest it was the truth.
So when masters keep their servants from the means of knowledge, they
are thus guilty.
174 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
[3.] Thirdly, When we would make others sin against their consciences.
The Pharisees, when the blind man would not say as they said, they cast
him out ; they would have had him say that Christ was a sinner, when
through the small light he had he judged it evident enough that a sinner
should not do such a miracle as was never done since the world began.
And so Jezebel made the judges and witnesses sin against conscience in
accusing Naboth ; and so some of the Gentiles, that would hold corres-
pondency with the Jews, would have constrained the Galatians to be cir-
cumcised, Gal. vi. 12. Those that knew that circumcision was to be abo-
lished, yet they would persuade them to it by club-argument, drawn from
avoiding persecution, not from evidence of the truth, or by reasons that
might convince them and their consciences ; therefore, he says, they ' con-
strained them.' The persuaders might indeed glory, as having their
cause and side strengthened, but they won little credit to their cause by it ;
for as the persuaders' arguments were suited to flesh, so the others' yield-
ing was out of flesh, and so ' they glory in your flesh' and weakness, says
he ; as the papists urged Cranmer, not by arguments, but threats and pro-
mises, to recant ; this is the greatest cruelty in the world, to have a man
murder himself, stab his conscience. To offend a weak conscience is a sin,
if but passively, when thou dost something before his face, which his con-
science is against ; but if thou makest him wound his own conscience, and
to do an act himself which his own conscience is against, it is much
worse ; as if thou beest a master, and hast a servant who pleadeth con-
science that he cannot lie for thy advantage in thy shop, or who will not
do unlawful business on the Sabbath day, and pleads conscience, w T ilt thou
smite him and whip him ? ' God will smite thee, thou w T hited wall.' How
darest thou smite him and so cause him to do that for which God will
whip him worse ? Shew mercy to those under you, inform their con-
sciences, wring them not, you may hap to break the wards if you do.
2. Now for sins committed collaterally, or per modum circwnstantm
(that I may so express it), against knowledge, they are done either when
particular acts of sin are committed, and duties omitted, against light
and knowledge ; and so the saints may and do often sin against know-
ledge. Or,
Secondly, in regard of a known estate of sin and impenitency persisted
in, when men continue and go on in such a state against conviction of con-
science, that such is their estates.
(1.) For the first, because particular acts of sin committed against know-
ledge are infinite, and there will be no end of instancing in particulars,
therefore I will not insist. Only in brief this distinction concerning such
acts may be observed , and the observation of it may be useful, that some
acts of sins against knowledge are merely transient, that is, are done and
ended at once. And though the guilt of them is eternal, yet the extent of
the act is finished with the committing it, and reaches no further : as a
vain oath, breach of the Sabbath, &c, which acts cannot be repealed,
though they may be repented of. But others there are, which though the
act may be but once outwardly and professedly done, yet have an habitual and
continued permanency, life, and subsistence given it, such as that until a
man doth recall them, he may be said continually to renew those acts, and
every day to be guilty of them, and to maintain it, and so habitually to
commit them. As it is with laws, which, though made but once, are yet
continued acts of the state whilst they stand in force unrepealed, so is it
in some sins. For instance, when a man doth take goods from his neigh-
a<;aixst kxowm'.iicf.. 175
bour unjustly, the act indeed is done but once ; but till he restores them,
he may be said to steal them ; every day, even- hour, ho continues to do
it habitually. So a man having subscribed to falsehood, or recanted the
truth publicly, the act, though done but once, yet until a retraction be
somewavs made, he continues that act, and so is daily anew guilty of it.
So if a man should many one whom it is unlawful for him to marrv, as
Herod did, though that sinful act of espousals whereby they entered into
it was soon despatched, yet, till a divorce, he lives in a continual sin.
And such acts (of this latter sort I mean) against knowledge, are most
dangerous to commit ; because, to continue thus in them, though but once
committed, hazards a man's estate ; and therefore men find, when they
come to repent, the greatest snare, and trouble, and difficulty in such
kind of sins, to extricate themselves out of them by a meet and true
repentance.
But as concerning the first branch of this distinction, namely, of parti-
cular acts committed against knowledge, besides this last distinction briefly
touched, I will anon give you several aggravations and rules, whereby to
measure the sinfulness that is in such acts so committed ; but, in the
mean time, the second branch of this former distinction must be in
upon, and therefore I will bring in these aggravations and rules which con-
cern particular acts, as distinct heads, after I have briefly spoken to this
other, which is, that,
(2.) Secondly, Those sin against knowledge who go on in an estate of sin
and impenitency which they know to be damnable ; as Pharaoh. Exod.
ix. 27, who confessed that he and his people were wicked, and yet har-
dened himself in sin most dangerously ; and yet three sorts of men may
apparently be convinced thus to sin.
First, Those that keep out, and withdraw themselves from professing
Christ and his ways, and the fear of his name, out of shame or fear of man,
or loss of preferment, or the like worldly ends, when yet they are convinced
that they are God's ways, and ought to be professed by them. I do not say
that all who do not come in to profess Christ, and that do not join them-
selves with his people, that they go on against knowledge, for many are
ignorant and mistaken about them ; but when men are convinced of the
truth, and necessity of professing and confessing of it even ' unto salvation'
(as the apostle speaks, Rom. x), and yet out of fear or shame keep still on
the other side, drawing in their homs altogether, these go on in an estate
of impenitency against knowledge ; for put all these together, and it must
needs appear to be so. As, first, when they are convinced that this is the
truth, and that salvation and the power of religion is only to be found in
such ways and men ; and secondly, that these are to be practised and pro-
fessed; and yet, thirdly, out of shame, &c, keep still aloof of, and go on a
contrary way ; these must needs know that they go on in an estate of im-
penitency against knowledge. This was the case of many of the Pharisees,
who therefore sinned highly ; they believed, and were convinced that
Christ was the Messiah ; and so then to be confessed, and followed, and to
be cleaved unto, and then also they must needs know that his followers
only were the children of God. Yet, John xii. 42, it is said, ' Though they
thus believed on him, yet they durst not confess him for fear of the Jews,'
and of the Pharisees, and of being ' put out of the synagogues.' At the
latter day Christ shall not need to sever such from the rest as he will do
the sheep from the goats, for they willingly remain all their days amongst
them whom they know to be goats, and refuse the company, and fold, and
176 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
food, and marks of the sheep which they know to he such ; they may
apologise, and make fair with the saints, that their hearts are with them,
but they will be ranked at the day of judgment as here they ranked them-
selves, with the ' workers of iniquity.' Of these doth the psalmist speak,
Ps. cxxv. 5, ' Those that turn aside by their crooked ways, them shall
the Lord leave with the workers of iniquity.'
Those also thus sin, and are to be joined with these, who know the
terms and condition of salvation, and how they must part with all for
Christ, and yet will not come to the price ; such do go desperately on
against knowledge in a bad estate, and do judge themselves unworthy of
eternal life. Thus the young man in the gospel he was told that he was to
sell all, and that was the condition, and he knew heaven was worth it, and
was convinced of the truth herein, that thus he ought to do, for ' he went
away sorrowful ; ' now if he had not known that he went away without
happiness, he needed not have been sorrowful at all, but he knew the bargain
of salvation was not struck up, and likewise what it struck at, and yet still
rested in his former condition, and chose rather to enjoy his many posses-
sions. This man now went on in his state against knowledge.
Secondly, As also those who upon the same or like ground defer their
repentance ; these go on in a bad estate, and must needs know they do so ;
for in that they promise to repent hereafter, and take up purposes to do it,
when thej' have gone on a little while longer, to add drunkenness to thirst,
they do thereby profess that there is a work of grace which they must attain
to ere they can be in the state of grace ; for they would not promise so
much hereafter, but that they know not how, without such a work, they
should be saved. Whilst therefore such shall rest without present en-
deavouring after it, so long they are judged in themselves to be in a bad
estate at present. When men know the curses due to their present estate,
and yet say as he, Deut. xxix. 19, ' I will go on in the way of my heart, and
shall have peace ' afterward ; this man sins most highly, and therefore
God's wrath ' smokes against that man,' and he says of him that he ' will
not be merciful to him' in that place.
Thirdly, Sunk and broken professors, such cannot but go on in a bad
estate against knowledge, when either men are fallen from the practice and
profession of what is good, which once they thought necessary to salvation,
or when they continue to hold forth their profession in hypocrisy. Those
that have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of
Jesus Christ, but are returned to their vomit again, some of these are in-
genious,* and acknowledge themselves fallen, and their present estate most
miserable, and yet go on in it ; and such are to be pitied, but yet are in a
most dangerous condition. Saul when he was fallen away, yet had this
ingenuity* a while left, he desired Samuel to pray to his God for him, and
told David that he was more righteous than he ; yet still went on in his
courses, and in the end, as some have thought, sinned against the Holy
Ghost.
But others there are, who, though they be fallen from all the inward,
powerful, and secret performance of duties they once did practise, and from
all conscience of sinning, yet retain their profession, which they know to be
but an outside. These of all others go on against knowledge ; and, Rev.
xxii. 15, they are said to ' make a lie,' not only to tell a lie in words, but
to make a lie in deeds. Now a lie is a sin of all others most against know-
ledge, and indeed against a double knowledge, both fact i and juris; and so
* That is, ' ingenuous,' and ' ingenuousness.' — Ed.
AGAINST kn'o\vlkik;e. 177
is this. [1.] That they profess themselves to be that they know they aro
not. T2.j That they will not endeavour after that state they know they
ought to get into if ever saved. This is the condition of many, who, being
convinced of the power of religion, have launched forth into a profession,
and hoist up sail, but now the tide is fallen, the Spirit withdrawn, the con-
science of sin extinguished in them ; yet for their credit's sake still bear
their sails up as high as ever, even as many merchants do, who are sunk in
their estates, still bear a fair show, yea, will seem richer than ordinary, by
purchasing lands, &c. Such a professor was Judas, he began seriously,
and thought to have gone to heaven, and was earnest in good duties at first,
as they also, 2 Pet. ii. 18, they really, or fame, escaped the pollutions of
the world through the knowledge of Christ ; but in the end Judas became a
gross hypocrite, one that pretended the poor when he loved the bag, and
on the sudden betrayed his master, when yet the disciples knew it not, sus-
pected Judas as little as themselves ; and the end of those also, in that
fore-named place, it is said to be ' worse than their beginning.' Now
because such sin so highly against knowledge, therefore their punishment
is made the regula of all other wicked men's ; as when it is said that other
sinners ' shall have their portion with hypocrites,' as the wicked angels'
punishment is made the measure of men's. ' Go, ye cursed, into the fire
prepared for the devil and his angels.' So among men, such gross hypo-
crites, their punishment is made the rule, and so the chief of all kind of
torments which sinners of the sons of men shall undergo.
Application. Now let me speak a word to all such as thus go on in a
state of impenitency against knowledge. This is a high kind of sinning,
and of all the most desperate, and doth argue more hardness of heart, and
• despising the riches of God's goodness.' For if, as in the Romans, ii. 4,
to go on in sin when a man knows not, that is, considers not that ' God's
mercy leads him to repentance,' is made the sign and effect of a very hard
heart, treasuring up wrath, then much more, when thou knowest and con-
siderest thou art in an impenitent condition, and hast many motions lead-
ing thee to repentance, is thy heart then to be accounted hard. When a
man commits a particular act against knowledge, he haply and usually still
thinks his estate may be good, and that he shall not lose God utterly, or
hazard the loss of him, only his spirit being at present empty of communion
with him, he steals out to some stolen pleasure ; but when a man knows
his estate bad, and that he is ' without God in the world,' and yet goes on,
he doth hereby cast away the Lord, and professeth he cares not for him, or
that communion which is to be had by him, as Esau did his birthright.
David, though he despised the Lord, yet he did not cast awaj r the Lord, as
Saul did ; for Saul ventured utterly to lose him, knowing his estate naught.
David, when he sinned, thought God's eternal favour would still con-
tinue, though for the present he might lose the sense of it.
But when a man goes on in a state of sinning, he ventures the loss of
God's eternal love, and slights it, and knows he doth so. When a man
knows that he is condemned already as being impenitent, and that all his
eternal estate lies upon the non-payment of such duties of repentance, &c,
and that the guilt of all his sins will come in upon him, and that an execu-
tion is out, and yet goes on, this is more than to commit one act against
knowledge, whereby he thinks he brings upon himself but the guilt of that
one sin ; and upon the committing of which, he thinks not the mortgage of
all lies, though it deserves it ; herein men shew themselves more desperate.
2. In the next place, I come to those rules whereby you may measure
vol. rv. m
178 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
and estimate sinning against knowledge in any particular act of sinning ;
and they are either hefore the sin, or in sinning ; three of either, which I
make a second head, to explain this doctrine by.
(1.) First, Before..
[1.] The first rule is, the more thou knewest and didst consider the
issues and consequents of that sin thou didst commit, the more thou sinnest
against conscience in it: whenas, in Rom. i. 32, 'Thou knowing' (says
the apostle) ' that those that commit such things are worthy of death ; ' that
is, thou considerest that hell and damnation is the issue and desert of it,
and yet committest it, yea, and this when haply hell fire at present
flasheth in thy face, and yet thou goest on to do it: in this case men are
said to choose death, and to love it, Prov. viii. 36. When a man con-
siders that the way to the whore-house are ' the ways to death,' as Solomon
speaks ; so when thou, a professor, considerest with thyself before, This
sin will prove scandalous, and undo me, disable me for service, cast me
out of the hearts of good men, and yet dost it. Thus that foolish king
was told again and again, Jer. xxxviii. 17-19, that if he would yield to
the king of Babel he should save his life, and city, and kingdom, and live
there still, but if he would not, he should not escape ; but as Jeremiah
told him, verse 23, ' Thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire,' yet
he would not hearken. ' This is the word of the Lord,' says Jeremiah,
and he knew it to be so ; and yet being a weak pi*ince, led by his nobles,
he would not follow his counsel. And thus Judas fully knew the issue ;
Christ had said again and again, ' Woe be to him by whom the Son of man
is betrayed ;' and yet went on to do it.
[2.] The second rule is, the more consultations, debates, and motives
against it did run through thee before thou didst it, so much the greater
and more heinous. How often did mercy come in and tell thee, that if
thou lookest for any hope or part in it, thou shouldest not do such an evil !
How often came that in, ' Shall I do this, and sin against God ? ' Did
any scripture come in to testify against thee in the nick ? Did God send
in the remembrance of such a mercy past to persuade thee, or some mer-
cies to come, which thou dependest upon him for ? That which made
Spira's sin so great was such debates as these before ; and this made
Darius's sin in casting Daniel into the lion's den so great, he debated it
with himself, Dan. vi. 14, he was sore displeased with himself, and laboured
to the going down of the sun to deliver him. He considered that he was
at his right hand in all the affairs of his kingdom, and a man entrapped
merely for his conscience, and that to put him to death was to sacrifice
him to their malice. He knew him to be holy, and wise, worth all the
men that sought after his life had yet yielded ; these considerations
troubled him afore, and also after, insomuch as he could not sleep for
them, verse 18. Now, because that every such consultation should set an
impression upon the heart, and countermand the motions of sin, when
therefore thou dost it, maugre all such debates and motives to the con-
trary, this is much against knowledge, and very heinous. Therefore the
Pharisees, Luke vii. 30, are said to have rejected the counsel of God, h<;
ka-j-rovg, in or against themselves, the words will bear either. ' In them-
selves,' because they knew it, and took it into consideration, and yet re-
jected it ; and ' against themselves,' because it was their destruction.
[3.] The third rule is, that the more confirmations any man hath had of
the knowledge of that which he sinneth in, and testimonies against it, the
greater sin against knowledge it is : when a man hath had a cloud of wit-
AGAINST KNOWLEDGE. 179
nesses in his observation against a particular sin, and yet doth it, and goes
on in it, it is the more fearful. To go on against that one witness, the bare
light and grudging of natural conscience only, is not so much ; but when it
is further confirmed and backed by the word written, which a man hath read,
and with testimonies, out of which a man meets with such places, wherein
again and again in reading of it such a practice is condemned, and observes
it, and then also hears it reproved in sermons, and of all sins else hears
in private conference that sin spoken against also, yea, hath in his eye
many examples of others sinning in the like kind, which have been pun-
ished, yea, haply himself also ; yet to sin against all these is exceeding
heinous. Sometimes God orders things so, as a sin is made a great sin by
such forcwarnings. So he contrived circumstances that Judas sinned a
great sin ; for Judas knew before that Christ was the Saviour of the world,
he knew it by all the miracles he had seen, as also by his gracious words
and converse, and he professed as much in following of him ; and he had
the written word against it, ' Thou shalt not murder the innocent.' But
yet further, God, to aggravate his sin to the highest, orders it so, that
Christ should tell him of it when he was to go about it, pronounceth a woe
to him, Luke xxii. 22, that ' it had been good for that man that he had never
been bom,' Mark xiv. 21. And the disciples they were sorrowful at
Christ's speech when he suspected one of them, and shew T ed an abomina-
tion and detestation of such a fact ; there was a jury of eleven men, yea,
witnesses against it ; yea, and Judas against himself, he asked if it were
he, yea, and Christ gave him a sop, and told him, ' Thou hast said it, and
do what thou dost quickly :' w T hich even then might argue to his conscience
that he was God, and searched and knew his heart ; and yet he went out
and did it immediately. How did he sin against the hair, as we speak,
and how did all these circumstances aggravate his sin !
But yet a more clear evidence of this is that instance of Pilate, whom
God many ways would have stopped in his sin of condemning Christ, who
examining him before the Pharisees, he could find no fault with him as
concerning those things whereof they accused him, Luke xxiii. 14, and yet
to allay their malice unjustly scourged him, ver. 16. And further, when
he sent him to Herod, as being willing to rid his hands of him, Herod also
found nothing worthy of death in him, ver. 15, which was another witness
might have confirmed him concerning Christ's innocency. Yea, yet fur-
ther, that the fact might be more aggravated, a most notorious murderer's
life must be put into the scale with Christ's, and either the one or the
other condemned ; and when the people yet chose Barabbas, why, says
Pilate, what evil hath he done? ver. 22. Then he distinctly knew and con-
sidered that he w r as delivered up through envy. Yea, and when he was upon
the bench, and ready to pronounce sentence as it were, God admonished him
by his own wife, Matt, xxvii. 19, whom God himself had admonished in
a dream, she sending him word she had ' suffered many things by reason
of him that night, and therefore have nothing (says she) to do with that
just man ; ' yea, he himself, when he condemns him, washeth his hands.
And thus it falls out in many sinful businesses which men are about, that
God often and many several ways would knock them off, and stops them
in their way, as he did Balaam, reproves them, as he did him by a dumb ass,
2 Pet. ii. 16 ; so these by some silent passage of providence, and not only
so, but by his Spirit also standing in their way, with the threatenings ready
drawn and brandished against them, as the angel did with a drawn sword
against Balaam ; and yet they go on ; this is fearful.
180 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
(2.) There are three rales also, whereby the sinfulness of sin, as it is
against knowledge, may be measured, from what may be observed in the
[1.] First, The less passion, or inward violence or temptation to a sin
committed against knowledge, the greater sin against knowledge it is argued
to be. For then the knowledge is the clearer, passion or temptation being
as a mist. But then to sin when a man is not in passion, is to stumble at
noon-day. For as drunkenness takes away reason, so doth passion, which
is a short drunkenness, cloud and mist a man's knowledge. And so Aris-
totle compares the knowledge of an incontinent person to the knowledge of
one that is drunk. "When Peter denied his Master, though he had warning
of it before, and so it was against knowledge, and it was by lying, and
swearing, and forswearing, which are sins of all others most directly against
knowledge, yet he was taken unexpectedly, and when that which might stir
up fear to the utmost in him was in his view ; for he was then in the judg-
ment-hall, where his Master, just before his face, was arraigned for his life,
and he thought he might also have presently been brought to the bar with
him, if he had been discovered to have been his disciple ; so as his passion
being up, his soul was distempered, reason had little time to recover itself,
and therefore, though it was against knowledge, yet the less against know-
ledge, because knowledge had lasam operationem, it had not its perfect work
upon his heart ; but now Judas, in betraying his Master, had not only
warning before, but was not tempted to it, but went of himself, and made
the offer to the Pharisees, sought how ' conveniently ' to do it, plotted to
do it, had his wits about him, had time to think of it, and therefore it
was, besides the heinousness of the act, more also against knowledge,
and so the greater. So David, when he went to slay Nabal, was in hot
blood, in a passion ; but when he plotted to kill Uriah, he w r as in cold
blood ; he was drunk when lie lay with Bathsheba, but sober when he
made Uriah drunk : he went quietly and sedately on in it. And there we
find David blamed only in the matter of Uriah, not so much for that of
Bathsheba.
[2.] Secondly, The more sorrow, renisus, or reluctancy, and regretting of
mind there is against a sin, it is a sign that the knowledge of it is the
stronger and quicker against it, and so the sin the more against knowledge ;
for that gainsaying and displeasure of the mind against it ariseth from the
strength and violent beating of the pulse of conscience, and opposition of it
against the sin ; it springs from the greater and deeper apprehension of the
evil of the sin in the action which is then in doing. And though that re-
luctancy be a better sign of the estate of a person than if there were none
at all, as there is not in those who are ' past feeling,' and ' commit sin with
greediness,' whose estate is therefore worse, and more incapable of repent-
ance, yet the fact itself is argued to be the more heinous, for it argues it
to be against strong, active, stirring knowledge. This argued Herod's sin
to be much against knowledge, as indeed it was, Mark vi. 26 ; the text says
' he was exceeding sorrowful :' now that he could not have been, unless he
had exceedingly apprehended what a great sin it was to behead John, who
he knew was ' a just and holy man,' ver. 20, and who was one that had a
great place in his estimation, for ' he observed him,' and was wrought much
upon by his ministry ; and he knew that he did but sacrifice him to the
malice of a wicked woman. And in this case the sin is also hereby made
so much the greater, in that conscience doth stir up a contrary violent
passion in the heart against the temptation, and therefore yet to do it, when
AGAINST KNOWLEDGE. 181
there is such a hank cast up that might resist it, yet then to break all down,
such a sin wastes the conscience much.
[8.] Thirdly, On the contrary, the more hardness of heart there is, and
want of tenderness, in committing that sin which a man knows to be a sin,
it is argued thereby to be the greater sin against knowledge ; not only the
greater sin, but the greater sin against knowledge. For hardness of heart
in sinning is an effect of having formerly sinned much against knowledge
before. For as the light of the sun hardeneth clay, so the beams of know-
ledge and conscience, lighting upon men's hearts, use to harden them, and
do make them in the end past feeling. And therefore, in 1 Tim. iv. 2,
sinning against knowledge is made the cause of a seared conscience, ' they
speak lies in hypocrisy ;' and therefore knowingly that they are lies, and
such lies as damn others as well as themselves, which who believe are
damned, 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12 ; and if so, no wonder if it follows, ' having
their consciences seared with a hot iron.' It is not a cold iron will sear
their consciences, and make them insensible, but a hot iron, a burning and
a shiniug light, which once having had place in their consciences, and being
rejected, they begin to be hardened and seared ; for knowledge makes sins
and the apprehension of them familiar to a man, and so less terrible and
frightful in the end, ss bears and lions do become to their keepers through
custom. Judas had a hard heart when he came to betray his Master ;
surely his conscience had smitten him at first more for nimming out of the
bag than it did now for this of murder. He could never have had such a
hard heart, had he not had much knowledge. Was it not a heart, that
when he was challenged to his face, he could set a brazen face on it, and
did ask as well as the rest, Is it I ? When also Christ cursed him to his
face who should do it, and the disciples all abhorred it, had not Judas lived
under such blessed and glorious means, and sinned long against knowledge,
all this would have startled him and have staggered him in his purpose ;
but he goes on as if it were nothing, though when he had done it his con-
science was then opened too late. When a man formerly hath been troubled
with a small sin, more than now with a gross lie, which he can digest better
than once the other, or when before, if he omitted praying, it troubled
him, now he can go a week without, and is not sensible of it, it is a sign
that his knowledge hath hardened him.
III. Thus having given such rules whereby you may estimate the sinful-
ness of particular acts, I will now proceed to other ways, aggravations taken
from the kind of knowledge a man sins against, to sin against what kind of
knowledge is most heinous and dangerous. And these are five, drawn from
the several qualifications of that knowledge, and the light which men sin
against ; for the greater, or the more strong and efficacious the light and
knowledge is, the greater is the sin of knowledge thou committest. And
this I make a third general head to explain this doctrine by, all these
five rules being applicable and common both to particular acts against
knowledge, and also lying in an estate of impenitency against knowledge,
and all other particulars which have been mentioned.
1. First, then, to sin against the inbred light of nature, that is, in such
sins, as though thou hadst wanted the light of the word in, thou wouldst
have known to be such ; this is a high kind of sinning. Such the apostle
speaks of, Jude 10, ' What things they know naturally, in these they corrupt
themselves, as brute beasts ; ' putting as it were no difference of actions
no more than beasts, no, not in what nature teacheth them ; and therefore
182 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
therein are as beasts, for it is the light of nature puts the first difference
between men and beasts ; and in such kind of sins the apostle instanceth
in this first chapter, as namely, that of unnatural uncleanness, in three
particulars ; as, 1, self-uncleanness, ver. 24, h lauroTg, that is, alone by
themselves ; so Beza and Theophilact understand it, which he makes there
the first degree of unnatural uncleanness, which is therefore unnatural,
because thou destroyest that which nature gave thee for propagation, quod
■perdis homo est. Then, 2. the unclean love of boys, ' men burning in lust
with men,' ver. 27, be it discovered in what dalliance it will, though not
arising to an act of sodomy, doing that which is unseemly, ver. 27, which
he therefore says, is the perverting the use and intent of nature, and so is
a sin against nature, leaving the natural use of women. My brethren, I am
ashamed to speak of such things as are done in secret. These kind of sins,
by the apostles ranking them, are in a further degree of unnaturalness than
any other, because they are made the punishments of other sins, which yet
were against the light of nature also, namely, not glorifying God when
they knew him ; yet that being a sin, the light of nature was not so clear
in comparison of these, therefore these are made the punishments of the
other, as being more against nature. So for men to be disobedient to
parents, stubborn to them, and without natural affection, as the apostle
says, ver. 30, 31, this is against nature, even the instinct of it. So unthank-
fulness, and requiting evil for good, is against a common principle in men's
minds. ' Do not the Gentiles do good to those that do good to them ? '
Your hearts use to rise against such an one out of common humanity ; or
if you see one cruel and unmerciful, which is another reckoned up, ver. 31,
there being usually principles of pity in all men's natures by nature,
therefore for one man to prey upon and tyrannize over another, as fishes do
over the small ones, as Habakkuk complaineth, chap. i. 14, this is against
nature, which teacheth you to do as you would be done to. So covenant-
breakers, and lying, and forswearing, mentioned ver. 30, inventors of evil,
and truce-breakers, are sins against nature, and natural light. Lying is
against a double light, both moral ; both juris, which tells us such a thing
ought not to be done ; and facti, whilst we affirm a thing that is not, the
knowledge of the contrary ariseth up in us against it, though there were no
law forbade it ; therefore of all sins else, the devil's lusts are expressed by
two : lying, which is a sin in the understanding, and malice in the will,
John viii. 44.
[2.] Secondly, To sin against that light which thou didst suck in when
thou wert young, to sin against the light of thy education, this is an aggrava-
tion, and a great one. There is a catechism of a blessed mother, Bathsheba,
which she taught Solomon when a child, put in among the records of sacred
writ, Prov. 31, wherein she counsels him betimes, ' not to give his strength
to women ; ' she foretold him of that sin ; and because it is incident to
kings most, they having all pleasures at command, she tells him particularly,
' it destroys kings ; ' and so also ' not to drink wine ' was another instruc-
tion there he was forewarned of. This aggravated Solomon's fault the
more ; for, read the second chapter of Ecclesiastes, and we shall find there
that he was most guilty in the inordinate love of these two ; but he had not
been brought up so, his good mother had not thus instructed him. And
thus also when God would aggravate his own people's sin unto them, he
recalls them to their education in their youth in the wilderness. So Jer.
ii. 2, ' Go and cry to them, I remember the kindness aud towardliness of
thy youth ; ' he puts them in mind of their education by Moses their tutor,
AGAINST KNOWLEDGE. 183
and their forwardness then. And so Hos. xii., ' when he was a child I
loved him ;' and then God had their first-fruits, ver. 3, this he brings to
aggravate their backsliding, ver. 5. Therefore the apostle urgeth it as a
strong argument to Timothy, to go on to persevere in grace and goodness,
that he ' had known the Scriptures from a child,' and therefore for him
to fall would be more heinous. The reason is, because the light then
infused, it is the first, a virgin light, as I may call it, which God in much
mercy vouchsafed to prepossess the mind with, before it should be deflowered
and defiled with corrupt principles from the world ; and did put it there to
keep the mind chaste and pure ; and this also then, when the mind was
most soft and tender, and so fitter to receive the deeper impression from it.
And hence ordinarily the light sucked in then seasons men ever alter,
whether it be for good or for evil ; it forestalls and prejudge th a man
against other principles. And though a man comes to have more acquired
knowledge and reasons after put into him when he is come to perfect age,
yet the small light of his education, if it were to the contrary, doth bias
him, and keep him fixed and bent that way. So we see it is in opinions
about religion, the light then entertained can never be disputed out ; so
in men's ways and actions, ' Train up a child in his way, and he will not
depart from it,' Pro v. xxii. 6. To sin therefore against it, and to put out
the beams of it, or defile it, and to wear out the impressions of it, how
wicked is it, and what a wretch art thou to do so !
Many of you young scholars"-" have had a good Bathsheba that instructed
you, not to pour out your strength to drink or women, but to pray privately,
and to fear God, and love him ; and when you come hither, you have
good tutors also, who teach you to pray ; ministers who instil blessed
truths into you, from which one would think you should never depart ; yet
you do.
Think how grievous this is ; for if it is made an excuse for many a man
in sinning, that it answers his education, that he never knew or saw better,
as you say of many papists, then must it needs, on the contrary, be an
aggravation of sinfulness. And as it was Timothy's commendation, that
he ' knew the Scriptures from a child,' so it will be thy condemnation, that
thou knewest better from a child, and yet rebellest against thy light.
[3.] Thirdly, The more real and experimental the light is men sin against,
still the more sin ; as when they have learnt it from examples of godly men
whom they have lived amongst, or the observations of God's dealings with
themselves or others, and not only from the word notionally. To sin
against such light, this adds a further degree ; not only to sin against the
bare light of nature, but also further, when nature hath besides lighted her
torch at the Scripture, and then when beyond all this the real examples
and observations made of God's dealings with a man's self and others shall
confirm all this, this makes a man's sinfulness much more grievous ; for as
exempla ejficacius docent quam prcecepta, so the knowledge got by experiments
of mercies or judgments is of more force and evidence. Knowledge leamt
by experience is the most efficacious. Therefore Christ himself, who knew
all things already, yet ' learnt,' in the school of experience, ' by what he
suffered.' A little of some knowledge distilled out of a man's own obser-
vation is most precious, every drop of it ; therefore the apostle urgeth it
on Timothy, ' Continue in the things thou hast learned, and been assured
of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them,' 2 Tim. hi. 14. There is a
twofold motive, and both emphatical : first, he was assured in himself ;
* This was probably preached at Oxford. — Ed.
184 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
and secondly, that which strengthened that assurance, and was a means to
work it, was the example of the holy apostle, and of his own parents,
' knowing of whom thou hast learned it.' And so, verse 10, the apostle
again urgeth his own example, ' Thou hast fully known my doctrine and
manner of life ;' and then also brings to his mind the education of those
his godly parents who instructed him. Hence also, Isa. xxvi. 10, it is
made an aggravation, that ' in the land of uprightness men deal unjustly.'
Thus light drawn from the observation of God's judgments upon others, it
much aggravates ; it is laid to Belshazzar's charge, ' Thou knewest all
this, how God dealt with thy father Nebuchadnezzar,' Dan. v. 22. So
some of you come here, and live in a religious society, and see sometimes
one, sometimes another of thy colleagues turn to Christ, yea haply, chamber-
fellow converted from his evil courses, and yet thou goest on ; this is sinning
against a great light.
[4.] Fourthly, The more vigorous, strong, powerful the light is that is in
thee, and more stirring in thy heart, and joined with a taste, the greater
the sins committed against it are to be accounted. The more thou hast
tasted the bitterness of sin, and God's wrath, and hast been stung with it
as with a cockatrice, the more thou hast tasted God's goodness in prayer,
and in the ordinances, — the more of such a knowledge, and yet sinnest, the
worse. In John v. 35, Christ aggravates the Jews' unbelief in himself,
and their present hardness, that John was to them, not only a ' shining,'
but also a ' burning light ;' that is, they had such knowledge engendered
by his ministry, as wrought joy and heat as well as light ; therefore it is
added, ' they rejoiced therein for a season.' And thus their fall, Heb. vi.,
is aggravated that it was such a light as had tasting with it. For to explain
this, you must know, that between ordinary national light, or that assenting
to spiritual truths which is common with men, from traditional knowledge
living in the church, that between it and true saving light, or the light of
life, there is a middle kind of light, which is more than the common con-
viction men have, and less than having* light. It is a light which leaves
also some impression on the affections, makes them feel the powers of
heaven and hell, and be affected with them. Now the more of such light
against a sin, be it drunkenness, or uncleanness, or oppression, and yet
fallest to it again, the worse. For this is a further degree added to know-
ledge, and not common to all wicked men. And therefore as those Jews
who had not only common means of knowledge, but miracles also, and yet
believed not, John xi. 47, shall be more condemned ; so those who have
such tasting knowledge set on by the Holy Ghost, which is as much as if
a miracle were wrought, for it is above nature, a supernatural work of the
Spirit. And therefore to sin against such light, and such only, is that
which makes a man in the next degree of fitness to sin against the Holy
Ghost.
[5.] Fifthly, To sin against professed knowledge is an aggravation also,
and an heavy one, to sin against a man's own principles which he teacheth
others, or reproves or censureth in others. Titus i. 16, those ' that pro-
fess they know God, and yet deny him,' these are most abominable of all
others, for these are liars, and so sin against knowledge as liars do ; in
1 John ii. 4, such an one is called a liar in a double respect, both in that
he says he hath that knowledge he hath not, it not being true, and because,
also, he denies that in deed which he affirms in word. This is scandalous
sinning. So, Rom. ii. 24, the Jews, boasting of the law, and of having the
* Qu. ' saving' ? — Ed.
AGAINST KNOWLEDGE. 185
form of knowledge iu their brains, caused the Gentiles to blaspheme when
they saw they lived clean contrary thereunto ; and, therefore, a brother
that walks inordinately was to be delivered to Satan, ' to learn what it was
to blaspheme,' 1 Tim. i. 20, that is, to learn to know how evil and bitter
a thing it is, by the torments of an evil conscience, to live in such a course
as made God and his ways evil spoken of, as it befell David when he thus
sinned. Yea, 1 Cor. v. 10, 11, though they might keep company with a
heathen, because he was ignorant and professed not the knowledge of God,
yet if a brother, one that professed, and so was to walk by the same rules,
did sin against those principles he professed, then keep him not company.
Thus did Saul sin. All the religion he had and pretended to in his
latter days was persecuting witches ; yet in the end he went against this
his principle, he went to a witch in his great extremity at last. And thus
God will deal with all that are hollow, and sin secretly against knowledge,
in the end. He suffers them to go on against their most professed principles.
These are aggravations in general, applicable both to any act of sinning,
or going on in a known state of sinning.
Use. Now, the use of all that hath been spoken, what is it but to move
all those that have knowledge to take more heed of sinning than other men,
and those of them that remain in their natural estate to turn speedily and
effectually unto God '? For if sinning against knowledge be so great an
aggravation of sinning, then of all engagements to repentance knowledge is
the greatest.
First, Thou who hast knowledge canst not sin so cheap as another who
is ignorant. Therefore, if thou wilt be wicked, thy wickedness will cost
thee ten times more than it would another. Places of much knowledge,
and plentiful in the means of grace, are dear places to live in sin in. To
be drunk and unclean after enlightening, and the motions of the Spirit,
and powerful sermons, is more than twenty times afore ; thou mightest have
committed ten to one, and been damned less. ' This is condemnation,'
says Christ, ' that light came into the world.' Neither canst thou have so
much pleasure in thy sins as an ignorant person, for the conscience puts
forth a sting in the act when thou hast knowledge, and does subject thee
to bondage and the fear of death. When a man knows how dearly he must
pay for it, there is an expectation of judgment embittereth all. Therefore
the Gentiles sinned with more pleasure than we. Therefore, Eph. iv.
18, 19, the apostle, speaking of them, says that through their ignorance
and darkness and want of feeling they committed sin with greediness, and
so with more pleasure, they not having knowledge, or hearts sensible of the
evils that attend upon their courses.
Secondly, Thou wilt, in sinning against knowledge, be given up to greater
hardness. ' If the light that is in thee be darkness,' says Christ, ' how
great is that darkness.' Therefore, the more light a man hath, and yet
goes on in works of darkness, the more darkness mil that man be left unto,
even to a reprobate mind in the end.
Third!)/, It will procure thee to be given up to the worst of sins more
than another man ; for God, when he leaves men, makes one sin the
punishment of another, and reserves the worst for sinners against know-
ledge. These Gentiles, when they knew God, they worshipped him not,
God gave them up to the worst of sins whereof they were capable, as un-
natural uncleanness, &c. But these are not sins great enough for thee,
that art a sinner of the Christians, to be given up to drunkenness or adultery,
186 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
&c. ; otherwise than to discover thy rottenness, these are too small sins ;
but thou shalt be given up to inward profaneness of heart (as Esau was,
having been brought up in a good family), so as not to neglect holy duties
only, but to despise them, to despise the good word of God and his saints,
and to hate godliness and the appearance of it ; thou shalt be given up to
contemn God and his judgments, to ' trample under foot the blood of the
covenant,' or else unto devilish opinions. Those other are too small to be
punishments of thy sin, for still the end of such an one must be seven times
worse than the beginning, as Christ says it shall. If thou wert a drunkard,
a swearer, or an unclean person before ; and thy knowledge wrought some
alteration in thee, thou shalt not haply be so now at thy fall, but seven times
worse, profane, injurious to saints, a blasphemer, or derider of God's ways
and ordinances.
Fourthly, When thou comest to lay hold on mercy at death, thy knowledge
will give thee up to more despair than another man. Knowledge, though
when it is but newly revealed, it is an help ; yet not made use of, turns
against the soul, to wound it, and to work despair ; and this both because
we have sinned against the means that should have saved us, as also because
such as sin against knowledge, sin with more presumption ; and the more
presumption in thy life, the more despair thou art apt to fall into at death.
Therefore, Isa. lix. 11, 12, what brought such trouble and 'roarings like
bears' upon these Jews ? and that when salvation was looked for, that
yet it was so far off from them, in their apprehensions ? ' Out iniquities'
(say they) ' testify to our face, and we know them.' Now, then, sins testify
to our face when our conscience took notice of them, even to our faces
when we were committing them ; and then also the same sins themselves
will again testify to our faces, when we have recourse for the pardon of
them. Therefore thou wilt lie roaring on thy deathbed, and that thou
knowest them will come as an argument that thou shalt not have mere}'.
As ignorance is a plea for mercy, ' I did it ignorantly, therefore I obtained
mercy,' so I did it knowingly, will come in as a bar and a plea against thee,
therefore I shall not have mercy.
Fifthly, Both here and in hell, it is the greatest executioner and tormentor.
In this sense it may be said, Qui auget scientiam-, auyet dolorem, ' He that
increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow,' as Solomon speaks ; for know-
ledge enlargeth our apprehension of our guilt, and that brings more fear
and torment. ' Have they no knowledge who eat up my people ? Yes,
there is their fear/ says David. Therefore, Heb. x. 28, after sinning after
knowledge, there remains not only a more fearful punishment, but a more
' fearful expectation' in the parties' consciences. And this is the worm in
hell that gnaws for ever. Light breeds these worms.
But then you will say, It is best for us to be ignorant, and to keep our-
selves so.
I answer, No. For to refuse knowledge will damn as much as abusing
it. This you may see in Prov. i. 23, ' Ye fools' (says Wisdom), ' you that
hate knowledge, turn, and I will pour my spirit upon }ou, and make known
my words to you.' Well, ver. 24, ' they refused,' and would none of his
reproof; therefore, says God, ' I will laugh at your calamity,' that is, I
will have no pity, but instead of pity, God will laugh at you ; ' and when
your fear comes, I will not answer, because ye hated knowledge,' ver. 29 ;
so as this is as bad, there remains therefore no middle way of refuge to
extricate thyself at, and avoid all this, no remedy but turning unto God ;
otherwise thou canst not but be more miserable than other men. Yea, and
AGAINST KNOWLEDGE. 1ST
this must be clone speedily also. For thou having knowledge, God is
quicker in denying thee grace, and in giving thee up to a reprobate mind,
than another man who is ignorant. He will wait upon another that knows
not his will and ways, twenty, thirty, forty years, as he did upon the chil-
dren of the Israelites that were born in the wilderness, and had not seen
his wonders in Egypt, and at the Red Sea ; but those that had, he soon
Bware against many of them, ' that they should never enter into his rest.'
Christ comes as a ' swift witness ' against those to whom the gospel is
preached, Mai. hi. 5 ; he makes quick despatch of the treaty of grace with
them. Therefore few that have knowledge are converted when they are
old, or that lived long under the means. And therefore you that have
knowledge are engaged to repent and to turn to God, and to bring your
hearts to your knowledge, and that speedily also, or else your damnation
will not only be more intolerable than others, but the sentence of it pass
out more quickly against you. Therefore as Christ says, John xii. 3G,
' Whilst you have the light, walk in it.' For that day of grace which is
very clear and bright, is usually a short one. And though men may live
many natural days after, and enjoy the common light of the sun, yet the day
of grace and of gracious excitements to repent may be but a short one.
AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING AGAINST
MERCY.
Or desjrisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffer-
ing ; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ?
But, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself
wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of
God.— Ron. II. 4, 5.
This is the last and most weighty aggravation which the apostle puts into
the measure of the Gentiles' sinfulness (which in the former chapter he had,
verse 29, pronounced mil before), to make it fuller yet. Their sinning
against mercies, and despising the riches of God's goodness, patience, and
forbearance, the hateful evil and iniquity whereof can be better no way set
off and illustrated unto men's consciences, than by a display of the riches
of that goodness which men sin against.
My purpose therefore is to unlock and carry you into that more common
treasury of outward mercies, and lead you through the several rooms
thereof, all which do continually lead you unto repentance ; that then,
reflecting upon our ungrateful waste and abuse of so many mercies in sin-
ning, thereby our sins, every sin, the least, may yet appear more sinful
unto us, ' who are less than the least of all mercies.' Know then, that
besides that peculiar treasure of ' unsearchable riches of grace laid up in
Christ,' Eph. ii. 7, the offer of which neglected and despised adds yet to
all that sinfulness, a guilt as far exceeding all that which shall be spoken
of, as heaven exceeds the earth, there is another untold mine of riches
the earth is full of, as the Psalmist tells us, Ps. civ. 24, and the apostle
here, which these Gentiles only heard of. and which we partake of all as
much as they. As there are riches of grace offered to you which can never
be exhausted, so there are ricbes of patience spent upon you which you will
have spent out in the end, the expense of which cast up, will alone amount
to an immense treasure, both of guilt in you and of wrath in God, as these
words inform us.
To help you in this account, I will,
1. In general, shew what goodness or bounty, patience, and longsuffer-
ing are in God.
2. That there are riches of these spent upon all the sons of men.
3. That these all lead men to repentance. And then,
AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING AGAINST MEBCY. 189
4. I will expostulate with you and aggravate your sinfulness in going on
to despise all these by unrcpentance, as the apostle here doth.
1. First, In that God is said here to be (1.) good or bountiful; (2.)
patient or forbearing; (3.) longsutl'ering ; they seem to note out three de-
grees of his common mercies unto men.
(1.) First, He is a good or a bountiful God ; for so as goodness is here
used, I exegetically expound it. For though it be true that goodness and
bounty may differ, yet when riches of goodness are said to be communi-
cated, it imports the same, and is all one with bounty. And such is God.
And all those noble and royal qualifications and properties which concur to
make one truly good and bountiful, do meet and abound in him, in all those
good things which he doth bestow, and are found truly in none but in him,
so that it may be truly said, that there is none good but God, as Christ
says of him.
Now bounty in the general, which is in God, may be thus described.
It is a free, willing, and a large giving of what is merely his own, look-
ing for no recompence again.
To explain this, that you may see that all these conditions are required
to true goodness, and all of them to be found in God only.
[1.] He that is bountiful, he must be a giver and bestower of good
things ; and all he bestows it must be by way of gift, not by way of recom-
pence unto, or by desert from the party he bestows all on. Therefore
Christ says, Luke vi. 33, that to do good to those who have done or do
good to us, is not thankworthy, nor is it bounty. But God is therefore
truly good, because he simply, merely, and absolutely gives away all which
he bestows. For he was not, nor can any way become, beholden to any of
his creatures, nor had formerly received anything from them which might
move him hereunto ; so Rom. xi. 35, ' Who hath first given him, that he
may recompense him again ? ' Nay, until he gave us a being, we were net
capable of so much as receiving any good thing from him.
[2.] He who is truly termed good or bountiful, all that he gives away
must be his own ; and so all which God bestows it is his own. So Ps. xxiv. 1,
' The earth is the Lord's,' the ground we tread on, the place we dwell in ;
he is our landlord. But is that all? For the house may be the landlord's
when the furniture is the tenant's. Therefore he further adds, ' And the
fulness of it' is his also ; that is, all the things that fill the world, all the
furniture and provision of it both, all the moveables. So Ps, 1. 11, 12,
' The cattle and the fowls upon a thousand hills are mine,' says he ; and
also all the standing goods, 'the corn and oil' which you set and plant,
' are mine,' Hos. ii. 9 ; yea, and the Psalmist, in the 24th Psalm, adds
further, that ' they who dwell therein ' are his also ; not the house and
furniture only, but the inhabitants themselves. And this by the most sure
and most sovereign title that can be, better than that of purchase or inheri-
tance of and from another ; for he hath made them. ' All is thine, because
all comes of thee,' says the same David, 1 Chron. xxix. 11, 12. And all
things are not only of him, but through him, Rom. xi. 36 ; that is, they
cannot stand nor subsist without him. Even kings, the greatest and most
bountiful of men, their bounty is but as that of the clouds, which though
they shower down plentifully, yet they first received all from the earth below
them.
L 3.] He must give largely, it is not bounty else. Now God is therefore
said to be rich in goodness, because he is abundant in it. So we find it,
comparing Ps. xxxiii. 5, with Ps. civ. 24, in which it is said, that 'the
190 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
earth is full of his goodness,' and ' his riches ;' which we may judge of, by
what he says in the 27th verse of that 104th Psalm, of what an house he
keeps, and what multitudes he feeds ; ' All these,' saith the Psalmist, ' wait
on thee, that thou mayest give them meat ; and thou openest thy hand, and
they are filled with good.' King Ahasuerus, to shew his bounty, made a
feast to his chief subjects, but it was but for half a year, and not to all ;
some few half years more would well nigh have beggared him ; but God
doth thus continually. The greatest and most bountiful of men, when they
would express the largest of their bounty, speak but of giving ' half of their
kingdoms ;' so Herod and he did but talk so too ; but God bestows whole
worlds and kingdoms, as Daniel speaks, Dan. iv. 82, and gives them to
whom he please.
4. He that is bountiful must give all he gives freely, and willingly.
Which, though I put together, yet may imply -two distinct things. As, first,
that he that gives must be a free agent in it, who is at his choice, whether
he would give anything away or no. The sun doth much good to the world,
it affords a large light, and even half the world at once is full of its glory,
yea, and all this light is its own, not borrowed, as that of the moon and
Btars is ; yet this sun cannot be called good or bountiful, because it sends
forth this light necessarily and naturally, and cannot choose but do so,
nor can it draw in its beams. But God is a free giver, he was at his choice
whether he would have made the world or no, and can yet when he pleaseth
withdraw his Spirit and face, and then they all perish, Ps. civ. 29. Secondly,
It must be willingly also ; that is, no way constrained, nor by extraction
wrung from him who is to be called bountiful. A willing mind in matter
of bounty, is more accepted than the thing, 2 Cor. viii. 12. Now of God
it is said, Dan. iv. 32, that he gives the kingdoms of the world to whom he
will, and none sways him, or can stay his hand, ver. 35, yea, he gives all
away with delight. So Ps. civ. 31, having spoken of feeding every living
thing, and of other the like works of his goodness throughout that Psalm,
he concludes with this, ' God rejoiceth in all his works ;' that is, doth all
the good he doth to his creatures with delight. It doth him good (as it
were) to see the poor creatures feed.
[5.] Last of all, looking for no recompence for the time to come. This
is another requisite in bounty. Says Christ, Luke vi. 34, ' If you give to
receive again, as sinners do, this is not thankworthy ;' but ver. 25, so doth
not your heavenly Father. For, says he, ' Do good, and hope for nothing
; so shall you be like your Father,' and then you shall shew yourselves
true children of the Most High. In which word he insinuates a reason why
God gives all thus ; because he is so great and so high a God, as nothing
we do can reach him, as David speaks, Ps. xvi. 2, ' My goodness extends
not unto thee ;' he is too high to receive any benefit by what we do. And
even that thankfulness he exacts, he requires it but as an acknowledgment
of our duty, and for our good, Deut. x. 12.
(2.) And so much for the first, namely, what goodness and bounty is ;
and how God is truly good, and he only so. But this attribute of his, and
the effects of it, he exerciseth towards all our fellow-creatures, and did to
Adam in paradise. But now to us ward (as the apostle speaks), namely, the
sons of men, now fallen, he extendeth and manifests a further riches, namely,
of patience and long-suffering, which the devils partake not of, the good
angels and other creatures that sinned not, are incapable of. For as Christ
- -. Luke vi. 85, in what he bestows on us, he is kind to such as are
evil and unthankful. Mercy is more than goodness, for mercy always doth
AGAINST MERCY. 191
respect misery ; and because all the creatures are subject to a misery, Rom.
viii. 20-22, of ' bondage and vanity,' therefore ' bis tender mercies arc
over all bis works.' But yet patience is a further thing than mercy (as
mercy is than goodness), being exercised, not towards miserable creatures
only, but towards sinners, and includes in it more three things further
towards tbem.
[1.] Not only that those persons he doth good unto do offend and injure
him, but that himself also is exceeding sensible of all those wrongs, and
moved by tbem, and also provoked to wrath thereby ; it is not patience else.
So in 2 Peter iii. 9, it is not slackness, says be there, ' God is not slack,'
that is, he sits not in heaven as one of the idol gods, that regarded not
what acts were kept here below, or took not to heart mens carriages
towards him ; but is longsuffering, or patient, that is, he apprehends
himself wronged, is fully sensible of it, ' is angry with the wicked every
day,' Ps. vii, 11, he hath much ado to forbear ; even when he doth forbear
and letteth them alone, he exerciseth an attribute, a virtue towards them,
namely, patience, in keeping in of his anger, which is as to keep fire in
one's bosom.
[2. J But, secondly, this is not all. He cloth not simply forbear and re-
strain bis anger, but vouchsafeth that time he forbears tbem in, that they
might repent in it, and his mercies as means leading to repentance. So it
follows in that, 2 Pet. iii. 9, ' But God is longsuli'ering to us-ward,' and
bis longsuffering bath this in it, ' not willing that any should perish, but
come unto repentance.' So also Rev. ii. 21, it is called ' space to repent.'
And all the blessings he vouchsafeth, he gives them as means and guides to
' lead them to repentance,' as here. And Mat. xviii. 29, ' Have patience
with me, and I will pay thee all ; ' that is, give me a longer day and space
to pay the debt in, and be willing to accept it when I bring it, and let me
lie out of prison that I may be enabled to pay it.
[3.] Thirdly, There is yet further thing in his patience, namely, a waiting
and expectation that men would come in and repent. So Luke xiii. 7,
' These three years have I come seeking fruit, but have found none.'
There was an expectation, a longing, a desire it would bring forth fruit.
' Oh, when shall it once be ? ' says God, Jer. xiii. 27.
(3.) In the last place, that other attribute of longsuffering, which is the
third, is but as a further degree of patience, but patience lengthened out
farther ; that is, when God hath been thus patient, hath forborne and
waited for their coming in, and that not for three years, but haply thirty,
forty years, and still they turn not, his patience then begins, as we would
think, to be as it were worn out, and his anger begins to arise, as if he
could forbear no longer, as it was towards that tree, ' Why cumbereth it the
ground ? cut it down ; ' yet he goes on to spare a man another year, and
many more years still after that, and ' endureth with much longsuffering (as
Rom. ix. 22) the vessels of wrath,' endures to wonderment, above mea-
sure, beyond all expectation, all patience, as it were ; this is longsuffering.
2. The second general head is, that there are riches of this his goodness,
&c, expended on us.
It is rich goodness, patience, and longsuffering : (1.) rich in themselves,
in regard of their abundance, as they came from him ; and (2.) rich also in
regard of their precious usefulness unto us, as they may be improved by us.
(1.) First, In themselves they are rich. [1.] If we consider what is ex-
pended all tbat while he lays out, not simply iris power to sustain and uphold
all things and to maintain us freely, so to do is nothing to him. For whilst
192 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
he doth but so, nothing goes out of purse, or is detracted from him ; as I
may so speak, he feels not the expense either of power, providence, &c.
All this cost him but words. For he ' upholds all, creates all by the word
of his power', Heb. i. 3. And thus to maintain the angels, and to have
maintained all mankind before they fell, had been no more. But, my
brethren, when now he maintains us sinners, not simply power goes forth
from him, but his glory is expended and taken from him, and for the while
wasted, detracted from. He loseth at present every day infinitely by us,
and he is sensible of it ; every sin takes glory from him, robs him, as he
himself complains : that he who made the world upholds it, keeps it to-
gether as the hoops do the barrel — it would fall to pieces else, to nothing — •
' in whom all live,' as fishes in the sea, yea, upon whom all live ; that he
should live unknown, unthought of, unserved, yea, disgraced, dishonoured
in the world, and have this world lost to him as it were, and sin, the devil,
wicked men, to have all the glory from him, to be exalted, to carry the
whole world afore them : this spends upon him, he had need of riches to
do this.
[2.] Secondly, Consider the multitude of sinners that thus spend and live
upon these riches, no less than all the world. He had need of multitudes of
patience in him ; he forbears not one, but all and every one. We look
upon one man, and seeing him very wicked, we wonder God cuts him not
off; we wonder at ourselves that God did not cut us off before this, when
once our eyes are opened ; nay, then, cast your eyes over all the world, and
stand amazed at God's forbearance towards it. Take the richest man that
ever was, to have millions of men in his debt, it would undo him soon. All
the world are in God's debt, and run still in debt every day more and
more, and yet he breaks not, nay, breaks not them.
[3.J Nay, thirdly, to manifest this abundance yet more, consider not only
the multitude he forbears, but the time he hath done it, to forbear much and
to forbear it long. He hath forborne and been out of purse from the begin-
ning of the world, since men were upon the face of the earth, five thousand
years and a half already, and how long it is yet to the day of judgment we
know not. And yet ye see, he is as patient and as bountiful now in the
latter days of the world as he was at the first. Did that greatest convert
that ever was, that had not lived past thirty years in his sinful estate (for
he was young when he held the stoners' clothes that stoned Stephen), and
yet was ' the chiefest of sinners,' did he yet, as himself says, think himself
a pattern of longsuffering, 1 Tim. i. 16, thought it a great matter God
should forbear so long ? What is the whole world then ? If he, being
but one small, poor vessel, was so richly laden with the riches of God's
patience, how is this great bark of the world then fraught that hath gone
over so vast a gulf of time ? How much of these his riches have been
laden in it ?
[4.] And then, fourthly, add to this the expensive prodigality of all these
sinners in all ages ; every sinner spends something, and how lavish are
men of oaths ? ' All the thoughts of men's hearts from their youth up,
they are evil, and only evil, and continually ; ' and how much then hath
every man spent him ? Every sin is a debt.
(2.) In the second place, this is a rich goodness and patience in regard of
the preciousness and usefulness.
[1.] First, Precious, in regard of what all these manifestations of his good-
ness and forbearance cost, even, the blood of his Son, who as a Lord hath
bought and purchased all wicked men, their lives and their reprival, all that
AGAINST MERCY. 193
time that here they live ; and all the blessings and dispensations of good-
ness, which here they do enjoy. Christ's mediation so far prevails with
God for all the world, that it puts a stop to the present proceedings of jus-
tice, which otherwise had said of all, ' That day thou sinnest, thou diest.'
So that as Christ may be called the wisdom and the power of God, so also
the patience and the long-suffering of God. For, for his sake and through
his means it is exercised. God would not shew a drop of mercy but for
his Son. Which, I take, strongly and clearly intimated, in that dealing of
his with the Jews, Exod. xxiii. 20, compared with Exod. xxxiii. 2, 3, 4,
&c. Immediately after God had given the law, by the rules and threaten-
ings whereof God the Father in his government was to proceed, and after
they had transgressed it, he there declares that he could not go with them.
For, according to the rules of his government, he ' should destroy them ;
but his angel he would send with them,' even Christ, he might shew them
mercy, for he was the purchaser of it ; and that he was that angel appeal's
in that God tells them, ver. 21, ' that his name was in him,' who also
would destroy them, if they turned not and repented, according to the rules
of his law, the gospel.
[2.] And precious, secondly, to us, in regard of the usefulness, this good-
ness and longsuffering tend and serve unto. This makes this stock of time
afforded you, by God's goodness, to be riches indeed, that it is ' space to
repent,' Rev. ii. 21 ; not a time of reprival only, but to get a pardon in ;
and this makes all the good things w r e enjoy to be precious indeed, that
they are means leading us by the hand to repentance. Rich it is, because
if your time be laid out as it ought, you may obtain those far surpassing
riches of glory reserved for hereafter ; win and gain Christ by it, and all
his unsearchable riches. All things receive their worth and valuation from
what they tend to, and from what depends upon them, and the use they
might be put to. A bond, a man's will, which in itself, as it is a piece of
parchment, is not worth one shilling, yet an estate of many thousands
may lie and depend upon them. And so time is not simply precious in
itself, but in regard of the opportunities of it. And accordingly, in those
ordinary passages of our lives do we more or less estimate and count time
precious, as the business allotted to it is of more or less consequence.
When a matter falls out that concerns us, and requires despatch, and we
are cast into straits of time about it, we count every minute precious ; so
this time of ours, which is the chief and principal of that stock put into
our hands by God's patience, being space to repent in, to gain and trade for
heaven with, in this respect every minute of it is as much as heaven is
worth, and one hour of it may be as much as all the time you are to spend
for ever, after this life ended, every minute hath an influence into eternity.
And however you may account it, yet the balance of the sanctuary thus
estimates your time, calls it your money : ' Why lay you out your money
for what is not,' &c, Isa. lv. ii. ; that is, this precious day of grace, and
the thoughts, cares, and endeavours which are brought forth and minted
in this time allotted, these are your money you might purchase heaven by.
And thus it hath been esteemed by holy and godly men, who yet had less
need to value it, having done the main business it w r as allotted for. David,
in the 39th Psalm, ver. 13, being brought very low, ' Oh spare me a little,
that I may recover my strength, before I go hence, and be seen no more.'
So Hezekiah, Isa. xxxviii., how did he sue for, and when he had obtained
fifteen years, how did he bless God ? ver. 20. Or if by this you judge not
so, think with thyself, what at the day of death thou wouldst account of an
VOL. IV. N
194 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
hour, of a month, a year ? What others, who have lain gasping, would
have given a world for time again, as I have heard one crying day and night,
' Call time again ; ' or if not then, Oh what in hell !
3. The third thing I am to shew is, that all this goodness, patience, and
forbearance is afforded towards you as a means, and helps to bring you to
repentance. Acts xvii. 28, God (says the apostle there) hath allotted to men
both their times to live, and also their places of abode and habitations, all
richly furnished with blessings to uphold their lives and beings. And to
what end are both these thus afforded ? That they ' might seek the Lord,
if by groping after him,' even as men in the dark, ' they might haply find
him.' But men being in the dark, and destitute of guides to bring them
unto God, may yet be as far off finding him as ever. Therefore add but
the words of my text to what the apostle says there, and we see that this
goodness of God takes us by the hand, and ' leads us to repentance,' to
tuna from sin unto God, and so to find him. And thus led are you unto
God by the help of these several guides, which each after other sweetly lead
you and point you out to this.
First, All this goodness bears witness to your hearts of a gracious hand
that extends itself in all these ; therefore in that 17th of the Acts, he sub-
joins, ' God is not far off any of us.' That there is a good God bestows all
things on you, is a thought lies at next door of all his blessings not far off.
Yea, ' they all,' says the apostle to the same Gentiles, Acts xiv. 16, 'do
bear witness of him,' though they went on in their own ways, ' yet,' says
he there, ' God left not himself without witness;' that is, an impression on
their hearts that his good hand bestowed all on them when he ' filled their
hearts with food and gladness.'
Secondly, His goodness having brought thus God to men's thoughts, then
your own consciences take you, and lead you down into yourselves, and
bear witness that you by walking in your own ways do nothing but provoke
and offend this good God. So Rom. ii. 15.
And then, thirdly, there is an indelible principle common to all men to
love those who love them ; which after the two former have brought you
hitherto, point you to repentance as the conclusion. Shall we go on to sin
against this good, so good ? return evil for good ? Is not this a natural,
necessary consequent out of these, to say as they, ' Let us therefore fear
the Lord, who giveth us the early and the latter rain,' as it is, Jer. v. 24.
And though men are said not to know this in the text, yet the meaning is,
they do not throughly and effectually consider thus much, so as thereby
to be brought to repentance ; yet, however, there is such a witness of all
this in all men's hearts, and thus are they led on unto repentance, would
they see their way and follow their guide.
The use shall be an use of expostulation, as here the apostle carries it,
with men sinful and impenitent, for going on to sin against all this mercy,
together with an aggravation of their sinfulness hereby. Men, if young,
do usually take the advantage of this their precious time, which of so much
longsuffering is vouchsafed them, and of all those precious opportunities
and blessings they enjoy, to improve them only in reaping and gathering
in to themselves the pleasures of sins, making the time of youth their
harvest of sinning, and yet think to escape by repenting afterwards ; and
then when old, after they have already enjoyed a long and a fair sunshine
day to turn to God in, and to have sown much seed to the Spirit, the comfort
whereof they might now have reaped, yet, as they have altogether neglected so
to do all their youth, so they go on to do so still, whilst they see they have
AGAINST MERCY. 195
any day left, be it never so near the setting, and do choose rather despe-
rately to venture their estate in the world to come upon the riches of hi*
mercy pardoning, though without all care and endeavour to change their
hearts or lives, upon the experience they have had of the riches of his mercy
forbearing them in this world, thinking to find him the same in both. With
all such, let me reason a little, and from the riches of God's goodness,
patience, &c, spent upon them, at once expostulate with them, for their
impenitency, and aggravate to them their sinfulness, and also, if possible,
prevail with them to go on to despise it thus no longer. And if there be any
principle of common ingenuity, any spark (I do not say of grace, but of
goodness of nature) left unextinguished, methinks it should affect you, and
do some good on you ere I have done.
And to that end, consider a little, and compare together God's loving-
kindnesses towards you, and your unkind dealings towards him.
To begin at the beginning of thy being. How much riches of goodness
were there laid and buried in thy foundation ? when the first corner stone
was laid, when thou wert made a man (besides the cost which hath been
spent upon this building since), and, cursed as thou art, even that very
foundation was laid in bloody iniquities, in which thou wert conceived ; and
the very materials of soul and body thou consistest of, being tempered with
sin, ' like the stone in the wall, and beam out of the timber,' Hab. ii. 10, 11,
cry out every moment to God against thee, as Edom did, ' Raze it, raze it,
even to the veiy ground,' Ps. cxxxvii. 7.
Consider how but the other day thou wert mere nothing, and when an
infinite number that never were nor shall be were in as great a possibility
of being as thou ; for when he made this world, he could have laid it aside
wholly, and created millions of other worlds, yet he chose thee to have a
room in this but one world, for he means to make no more ; and this world
could have stood without thee, and did before thou wert, and shall do when
thou art gone ; yet he called thee forth out of nothing, and by his almight} r
power bade thee stand forth when there was no need of thee. I say, he
chose thee to have a being ; for as there is an election of things that are to
salvation, so out of things that were not unto being. And, wretch that thou
art, if thou repentest not, thou destroyest what God hath made, and hadst
better have kept nothing still, and never have peeped out, or else to skulk
into thy first nothing again, for thou art lost, better never to have been
born.
Secondly, Consider yet more goodness. Thou mightest have been ad-
mitted into the lowest form of creatures, have been a worm, a flea, a fly,
which we men filip and crush to death at pleasure ; but to be made a man,
created one of the states, barons, lords of the world the first hour, admitted
into the highest order, crowned a king in the womb, as David says of man,
Ps. viii. 5, ' made a little lower than the angels, but crowned with glory and
honour,' made to ' have dominion over all the works of his hands.' The
one half of thee is more worth than a whole world, thy soul, as Christ says,
that went to the price of souls ; upon which God hath bestowed an eternity
of being, and made it the picture of his face, his image, when other creatures
do wear but his footsteps. And the body, the other piece, and indeed but
the case, the sheath (as Daniel's phrase and the Chaldee hath it, Dan.
vii. 15), of thee, what a curious workmanship is it ! ' wonderfully and fear-
fully made,' as David says, Ps. cxxxix. 15, ' curiously wrought in the lower
parts of the earth.' So there he calls the womb ; because as curious work-
men, when they have some choice piece in hand, perfect it in private, and
196 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
then bring it forth to light for men to gaze at, so God out of a tear, a drop,
he hath limned out the epitome of the whole world, the index of all the crea-
tures. Sun, moon, stars, are to be found in thee, Eccles. xii. 2. And yet,
wretch as thou art, thou art withal the epitome of hell, and broughtest into
the world with thee the seeds and principles of all the villanies that have
been acted in the world ; and if thou repentest not, thou hadst better have
been a toad or serpent, the hatefullest of creatures, and wouldst change
thy condition with them one day.
Thirdly, Being a man, hast thou all thy members that belong unto a man ?
It is because ' he wrote them all in his book,' Ps. cxxxix. 16, if he had left
out an eye in his commonplace book, thou hadst wanted it ; is not that a
mercy ? Ask the blind. If thou hadst wanted those windows to look out
at, thy body would have been a dungeon, the world a prison ; if a tongue,
which is thy glory, or an ear, thou hadst lived among men, as a beast among
men. And 3 - et when God gave thee all these, what did he but put weapons
into an enemy's hand. For hast thou not used all these as ' weapons of
unrighteousness ?' Rom. vi. 13, insomuch as the tongue, but one member,
is called ' a world of iniquity ' by the apostle ; and if thou repentest not,
thou hadst better, as Christ says, have entered into the world without an
eye, an ear, a tongue, than with these go for ever into hell.
Fourthly, When thou wert taken out of the womb (where thou didst
remain, but whilst thou wert a-framing), what a stately palace hath he
brought thee into, the world, which thou findest prepared and ready
furnished with all things for thy maintenance, as Canaan was to the children
of Israel ; a stately house thou buildedst not, trees thou plantedst not, a
rich canopy spangled, spread as a curtain over thy head ; he sets up a taper
for thee to work by, the sun, till thou art weary, Ps. civ. 23, and then it
goes down without thy bidding, for it ' knows its going down,' ver. 19 ; then
he draws a curtain over half the world, that men may go to rest, ' Thou
causest darkness, and it is night,' ver. 20. An house this world is, so
curiously contrived, that to every room of it, even to every poor village,
springs do come as pipes to find thee water. So Ps. civ. 10, 11. The
pavement of which house thou treadest on, brings forth thy food, ver. 14.
' Bread for strength, wine to cheer thy heart, oil to make thy face to shine,'
ver. 15. Which three are there synecdochically put for all things needful
to strength, ornament, and delight. The very chambers of that house (as
David calls them), ' drop fatness,' and water the earth, ver. 13. He wheels
the heavens about, and so spins out time for thee, every moment of which
time brings forth some blessing or other, and no one is barren. Therefore,
Ps. lxv. 11, the year is said to be ' crowned with goodness,' a diadem of
goodness encircles it round ; and yet thou hast filled this world thou thus
art brought into, with nothing but rebellions, as he hath done with bless-
ings, and hast piled up sins to heaven, and thou hast pressed all these
armies of blessing thou findest the world filled with, to fight against their
Maker, under the devil's banner, whom thy wickedness sets up as ' the god
of this world.' And as the year is crowned with goodness, so thy years
with wickedness, and no moment is barren ; but all thy imaginations are
evil continually. Yea, thou hast sinned against heaven and earth, and sub-
jected the whole creation unto vanity, laden the earth, and filled it so with
wickedness, that it groans, the axle-tree of it is even ready to crack under
thee, and the ground thou treadest on to spew thee out.
Fifthly, Since thou earnest into the world, what a long time hath God
suffered thee to five in it ; he hath not spared thee three years only (as he
AGAINST MERCY. 197
did the fig-tree), but thirty, forty. And when thou first madest bold to
thrust forth thy traitorous head into the world, death (which thy sin brought
into the world with it) might have arrested thee, and told thee this world
was no place for thee, for hell is only our own place, Acts i. 25, thou
shouldest have been executed the first day. And is not so much time of
ease from punishment infinite mercy ? Cast but your thoughts upon the
angels that fell, that have been in hell from the moment of then - sinning ;
do but think with yourselves what they would give to have so much time
cut out of that eternity they are to run through, and to have it set apart
for ease, and to be void of torment. If the rich man in hell made it such a
great suit, and counted it so great a favour to have but one drop of water,
which could but for a little while, scarce more than a moment, have cooled
and eased, not his whole body, but the tip of his tongue only, how much
more would he have thought it mercy, to have lived so many years again
as he had done free from torment ! What is it then for thee to live so
many years free from the falling of the least drop of that wrath, whereof the
full vials should have been poured out many years ago ! The same law
was out against us which was out against the angels, ' That clay thou
eatest, thou shalt die the death ; ' what put the difference ? The apostle
tells us, ' his longsuffering to usward,' 2 Pet. iii. 9 ; not to them, for in
chap. ii. ver. 4, he had told us that ' he spared not the angels which fell,'
but posted and threw them into hell as soon as they had sinned.
Sixthly, But further, in the sixth place, is this all? Hath it been barely
a time of ease given thee, a time of reprival ? No, it hath been more,
1 space to repent,' and so to obtain thy pardon in, Rev. ii. 21. And as it
hath been more than ease of torment unto thee, so also consider it hath
been more than slackness in him that hath afforded it to thee, as the apostle
there doth tell us. It is not that he hath took no notice of thy offending
him, but he is sensible of every idle thought, of every oath, vain word, and
as the Scripture tells us, Gen. vi. 6, 7, ' he is pained at the very heart,' in-
somuch as ' he repents ' that ever he made thee. He is ' angry with thee
every day ' thou risest, every time he looks on thee ; whenever he meets
thee going into the tavern to be drunk, the whorehouse to be unclean ;
when he meets thee reeling in the streets, he hath much ado to forbear kill-
ing thee, as he had to forbear Moses when he met him in the inn. He is
ready to have a blow at thee, and it should not need be any great stroke or
fetching his arm about ; if he did but blow on thee, thou wert consumed.
To suffer thee to live, doth therefore cost him much riches of patience, but
to cut thee off need cost him nothing ; he can do that with ease. But
further, all is joined with a willingness that thou shouldest repent and not
perish, as that place tells thee.
It were much mercy for a traitor to be reprived, to have a lease of
his life for twenty years, though there were no hope nor means of obtain-
ing his final pardon after that time spent, and this also, though but for one
treason, and though all that time of his reprival he carries and behaves
himself never so obediently. But unto thee, this time hath been more
than a longer day of life, and putting off the execution, which for the guilt
of that first rebellion should have been acted on thee in the womb ; it hath
been time to repent in. And yet hath not this time of thy reprival made
thee so much the more rebellious ? And hast not thou spent all this time
in making up the measure of thine iniquity full ? And hath it been willing-
ness only in God that thou shouldst not perish ? Yea more, joined with
waiting also, when it should once be, thinking the time long, as longing
198 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
and desiring that thou wouldst repent, that he might pardon thee. Thus,
Jer. xiii. 27, God expresseth himself, ' When shall it once he ?' Yea, and
consider how many days of payment have been set, and how many pro-
mises made and broken all by thee, and yet still he waiteth unto wonder-
ment. Thou receivedst press-money at thy baptism, when thou didst pro-
mise to forsake the devil and all his works, and to begin to serve him,
when thou shouldst begin to discern between good and evil. But no sooner
did the light of knowledge dawn in thy heart, but thou begannest to fight
against him, and thy first thoughts to this day have been only and con-
tinually evil. And then, haply, in thy younger years, before thou hadst
tasted of the pleasures of sin, he gave thee an inkling, by means of thy
education, of his goodness towards thee, and of that happiness to be had
in him, and thou hadst the first offer of him, ere thy tender years were
poisoned by the world, and he hath dealt with thee again and again, both
by his word and spirit, not waited only, but wooed thee, and hath been a
suitor to thy heart long ; and I appeal to your hearts how many promises
you have made him, of turning from all your rebellions to him, after such
a sermon, which was brought powerfully home : in such a sickness, and
in such a strait, thy conscience knows full well. And still God hath made
trial of thee and given thee longer day; and though thou hast broke
with him again and again, yet he hath forborne thee again and again, and
hath waited this twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty years, when thou shouldst
come in and be as good as thy word, and still thou hast failed him. And
yet behold and wonder, and stand confounded at the riches of his long-
suffering, that after so many years' expense and promises broken by thee,
expectations failed in him, and many mockeries of him, after all this he is yet
willing to accept of the remainder, if thou wouldst ' spend the rest of the
time left thee in the flesh according to his will,' as the apostle speaks,
1 Pet. vi. 2, even to lose principle, use, and all, for what is past, and requires
but the same composition was propounded the first day ; yea, and not only
so, but with promise to become a debtor unto thee, to bestow further riches
on thee than ever yet thou sawest or art able to conceive ; yea, and all this
when he could have his pennyworths out of thee another way, and lose not
one farthing by thee, but by punishing thee in hell, recover all ' to the
utmost.'
Neither, seventhly, hath it been barely and simply an act of patience
and forbearance, though joined with this willingness thou shouldst not
perish, or merely a permissive act of suffering thee to live. But God
shews forth yet' more riches of goodness joined with this longsuffering.
' In him ye live, and move, and have your being ;' and dost thou live in
him only ? Nay, thou livest on him also, upon his costs and charges ; ' I
have hung upon thee,' says David, ' from my mother's womb.' And con-
sider what thy life is, that of so small a bottom he should spin out so long
a thread ! Had he not drawn it out of his own power, as the spider doth her
web out of her own bowels, it had been at an end the second minute ; to
maintain that radical moisture, that oil that feeds the lamp and light of thy
life, that radicale balsamum, this is as great a miracle as the maintaining
the oil in the cruse of the poor famished widow. And further yet, hath
he maintained thee only ? Nay more, hath he not defended thee, took thy
part, protected thee, took thee under his wing as the hen doth her
tdiickens, to shelter from those many dangers thy life hath been exposed
unto ? Otherwise, how many ways, ere this, hadst thou been snatched
away out of the land of the living ? Is thy case the case of the fig-tree
AGAINST MERCY. 199
only, which before we mentioned, that when God cried, ' Cut it down,'
another cried, ' Spare it ?' But there have been many have cried, ' Cut thee
down,' and God hath cried, ' Spare thee :' there is never a minute but the
devil would have had a blow at thy life, as ho longed to have had at Job's.
That thou, a poor lump of flesh, shouldst walk through, and in the midst
of such an host of fierce and cruel enemies, whose hearts are swelled with
malice at thee, and God should say to them all concerning thee, as he did
to Laban concerning Jacob, ' Touch not this man.' And yet if thou wert
not liable to their malice and power, yet consider how many dangers and
casualties, besides, thou hast been kept in and from ; as falls, drowning,
killing many ways, how often have the arrows of death come whisking by
thee, took away those next thee (haply of thy kindred, brother, sister, yoke-
fellow, of the same house, family with thyself), and yet have missed thee ?
And if we look no farther than these days of mortality we have lived in,
two great plagues in this kingdom, how have the most of us all here
survived, and now the third is increasing and growing upon us ! To have
our lives in such dear years of time, when to have our life for a prey is
mercy enough, as Jeremiah told Baruch ! That these arrows should fly
round about us, over our heads, and miss us ; that God's arrests should
seize upon men, walking, talking with us, and spare us ! How often, many
other ways, hath thy neck been upon the block, and the axe held over, and
yet hath fallen besides ! To go no farther than thy own body, the humours
thereof, if God should not restrain them, would overflow and drown it, as
the waters would the earth, if God should not say to them, ' Stay your
proud waves.' And when in a sickness they have been let out, yet God
hath kept a sluice, that so much should break forth, and no more, which
should purge and wash the body, and make it more healthful, as the over-
flowing of Nilus doth. And when then thy body hath been brought low
and weak, and like a crasy, rotten ship in a storm, taking in water on all
sides, so that all the physicians in the world could not have stopped those
leaks, he hath rebuked wind and sea, hath careened, mended thee, and
launched thee into the world again, as whole, as sound, and strong as ever ;
and God hath said, as Job xxxiii., that thou shouldst not die. In a word,
if thou consider but what thy life is, and the dangers it is subject to, thou
wilt acknowledge it is as great a wonder to preserve it, as to see a glass that
hath been in continual use, gone through many hands, and hath had many
knocks and falls, to be kept for forty, fifty, sixty years whole and unbroken.
God hath carried thy life in his hand, as it were a candle in a paper
lanthorn in a strong windy night, and kept it from being extinct, whenas
we often see in many, that a little cold comes but in at a little cranny, and
' blows their candle out,' as Job speaks.
And, eighthly, how have these years and hours of thy time been filled up
with goodness ? and with how many comforts ? For a traitor to live,
though but upon bread and water all his days, what favour is it ! And so
hadst thou lived all this time, never so miserably, though ' all thy days
thou hadst eaten thy bread in darkness, and hadst had much sorrow with
thy sickness,' as Solomon speaks, Eccles. v. 17. Some there are who, as
Job speaks, ' die in the bitterness of their souls, and never eat with plea-
sure,' Job xxi. 25, scarce seeing a good day ; and if this had been thy case,
yet this is infinite mercy. Even whatsoever is on this side hell is mercy.
Lam. iii. 22, say they in the worst estate the church was ever on earth,
' It is thy mercies,' not mercy only, but multitude of mercies are shewn us,
' that we are not consumed, because his mercies arc renewed every morn-
200 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
ing.' If at the brink of hell, and not in, it is mercy. But hath he not all
this while ' filled thy heart with food and gladness,' as the apostle speaks ?
Acts xiv. 17. It were infinite to go over the particular kinds of common
comforts which God vouchsafes men here ; not half the riches of his good-
ness is yet told, it would require an age to make an inventory of them.
Hast a house in the world to hide thy head in, and keep thee from the
injuries of the weather (which was more than Christ had) ? God he is thy
landlord (though it may be thou payest him no rent) ; ' he it is that builds
the house,' Ps. cxxvii. 1. Hast a bed to lie upon ? He makes it, especially
in thy sickness, Ps. xli. 3. Hast thou sleep (which is the nurse of nature,
the parenthesis of all thy cares and griefs) ? He rocks thee asleep every
night; and as he gives thee a house, so he gives thee rest, Ps. cxxvii. 2.
It is God keeps off those gnats of distracting cares, and griefs, and thoughts,
and terrors of conscience, would buz about a man, and keep one continually
waking. And when thou sleepest, is thy sleep pleasant to thee ? God
makes it so, Jer. xxxi. 26. Hast thou clothes to cover thy nakedness ?
Eead old Jacob's indentures, Gen. xxviii. 20, and thou shalt see by them
whose finding they are at : if ' thou wilt give me raiment,' that is one of
his conditions mentioned. Yea, do thy clothes ' keep thee warm ? ' Even
this is attributed to him, Job xxxvii. 17. He fills thee, feeds thee, spreads
thy table, serves thee, fills thy cup, as David describes his goodness, Ps.
xxiii. 5, and gives thee thy meat in due season ; and hath not failed thee a
meal's meat, but thou hast had it at thy appointed time, as Job speaks.
And hast thou health (which is the salt to all these blessings, without which
thou wouldst say thou hadst no pleasure in them) ? He is ' the God of thy
health,' and keeps off diseases, Exod. xv. 26. ' I will put none of those
diseases on thee ; I am the Lord who healeth thee ;' that is, preserve thee
from them which else would seize on thee. And these mercies he vouch-
safed unto you that are the poorest, and ' loadeth you with these and the
like benefits every day.'
But hast thou riches added to these, and abundance ? ' The blessing
of God maketh rich,' Prov. x. 22. Though thou hadst them by birth, yet
he made those friends and parents of thine but feoffees in trust for thee ;
they were no more, it was God who bequeathed them, Eccles. ii. 26. Or
whether thou hast got them since by thine own industry, it is he ' gives
thee power to get wealth, Deut. viii. 18 ; Prov. xii. 24 ; and out of • a
small estate maketh men great,' Job viii. 8. It is he by his providence
hath stopped the secret issues and drains of expense, at which other men's
estates run out ; hath stopped ' that hole in the bottom of the bag,' as the
prophet speaks. And with these riches hath he given thee a heart to use
them ? This, as it is a farther mercy, Eccles. v. 19, and chap. vi. 2, so
also from him, as it is noted there.
Or hast thou credit, which is better than riches ? So says Solomon,
Prov. xxii. 1. It is God who gives it, not thy wisdom, parts, or worth.
Eccles. ix. 11, ' Favour is not always to men of skill,' that is, not accepta-
tion of what they do, without a farther blessing from God. Therefore,
besides the gift of wisdom, he gave a further promise of honour also unto
Solomon, 2 Chron. i. 11. It is God who fashions men's opinions. The
apostle prays to God his service might be accepted of the saints, though no
service was like to be more acceptable, for it was the gathering and bringing
in of alms and relief to them. It is he rules men's tongues, bids men bless,
as well as he bade Shimei curse ; and he hath kept thee from such gross sins,
which as flies would have putrefied the ointment of thy good name, who also
AGAINST MERCY. 201
conceals those thou hast committed, and ' hides thee from the strife of
tongues,' Job v. 21.
Hast thou friends, or do any love thee, wherein much of the comfort of
our lives consist ? And therefore David says of Jonathan, 2 Sam. i. 26,
' Thou wert pleasant to me.' It is God who gives favour in men's eyes.
So he did Joseph, Gen. xxxix. 21. If any man or creature doth thee a
kindness, he toucheth their hearts, as it is said of the men who clave to
Saul, and visits for thee. He made the Egyptians, beyond all reason, the
Israelites' friends, gave them favour in their eyes, as the text tells us. And
hence, Gen. xxxiii. 10, Jacob says, ' He saw the face of God ' in reconciled
Esau's face, for God's favour appeared in his look. He put you into your
callings, ranks, and stations, gives you all your skill, success in them. The
meanest of trades, to sow, and plough, and thresh, they are ' from the Lord,
who is wonderful in working,' Isa. xxviii. from the 23d to the end, even as
well as the skill of the most curious engraver, limner, or embroiderer ; as
of Bezaleel, the Scripture says God was his master, taught him. Hast
thou enlarged parts and gifts for higher employments ? It is not thy birth
or age hath acquired them unto thee. Job xxxii. 8, 9, ' Great men are
not always wise ; ' therefore, it goes not by birth. • Nor have the aged
always understanding.' It goes not only by experience, but it is the in-
spiration of the Almighty. And hast a calling answerable to thy parts, to
be a scholar, and have thy mind enriched and ennobled with the best and
choicest jewel the world hath, wisdom and knowledge, whereby the mind is
elevated as much above other men's as they are above beasts ? God hath
been thy great tutor. ' The mind of man is God's candle,' and he maketh
wiser than a man's teachers, as he did Moses in Egyptian learning, Daniel,
David.
To conclude, Hast thou comfort in all these, in riches, learning, credit,
wife, children, meat, drink, &c. ? He puts in all the sugar, delight, and
pleasure ; that especially depends on him, even to fashion the heart to all
these. As air lights not without the sun, nor wood heats not without fire,
so neither doth thy condition comfort thee without God. And therefore,
Acts xiv. 17, it is said, ' He filled their hearts, as with food, so with gladness.'
And besides all these, consider the many peculiar passages and turnings
of his providence towards thee for thy good, the working of things together
ever and anon to do thee a good turn, the packing and plotting all for thee,
better than thou couldst have plotted for thyself, as thy relief in many
straits, success in many businesses. ' He works all our works in us and
or us,' as Isaiah speaks, Isa. xxvi. 12. Hath he not taken such special
care and providence of thee, as if he had regarded no man else in the world ?
And now, when thou hast considered all, bethink thyself withal a little
of thy dealings towards him ; what have been the effects and fruits of all
this goodness ? Hold up thy head, man ; look God in the face. It is well
yet that shame begins to cover thee. How hath that, his patience and
longsuffering, vouchsafing thee space to repent, wrought with thee ? How
nigh to repentance hath it brought thee ? Such is the perverseness of
man's nature, as Solomon tells us, Eccles. viii. 11, that ' because sentence
against an evil work is not presently executed, therefore the hearts of the
sons of men are fully set to do evil.' Because God defers punishing, they
defer repenting. Thou thinkest to spend the most precious of thy time and
strength in sinning, and give God the dregs, the bottom, the last sands, thy
dotage, which thy very self and friends are weary of; and all these blessings
and comforts which God hath vouchsafed thee, how hast thou used them
202 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING
against him ? This oil, which should have been fuel to thy thankfulness,
hath increased the fire of thy lusts, and thy ' lusts have consumed them
all,' James iv. 3. The riches he hath given, thou hast made idols of, and
sacrificed thy dearest, morning, daily thoughts and affections unto, as God
complains, Ezek. xvi. from the 15th, and so on. His meat, as at the 19th
verse he calls it, thou sacrificedst to thy belly, which thou hast made thy
God; thy strength to women; the wealth he hath given you, you have made
use of but to live at a high rate of sinning, and to procure the sweetest bits,
the daintiest and most costly sins. The edge of that sword of power God
hath put into thy hand thou hast turned against him and his, haply both
his children and ministers ; so that God, by giving thee all these, hath but
made thee more able to offend him, and hath strengthened an enemy, and
by sparing thee thus long hath but made thee more bold to do it ; all his
mercies have but fortified thy heart against him ; ' Do ye requite the Lord
thus, ye foolish people and unkind ?' as Moses expostulates the case, Deut.
xxxii. 6. As Christ said to the Jews, ' For which of all my good works do
ye stone me ?' So say I to you, For which of all his mercies is it ye sin
against him ? What, to fight against him with his own weapons ? to be-
tray all he gives you into the devils, his enemies' hands ? What iniquity
did you ever find in him, thus to deal ? God will one day thus expostulate
his cause with you, and ' heap coals of fire upon all your heads,' if that
you turn not, because you have rendered him evil for good ; and all these
mercies thus abused will be as so many coals to make hell fire the hotter.
And to reason this point yet further with you out of the text, and what
arguments it will afford to work upon you,
Consider, first, what it is thou doest. Whilst thus thou goest on thou art
a despiser of the riches of his goodness : that which is opposite to goodness
must needs be transcendently evil. What, ' art thou evil because God is
good ?' and so much the more evil by how much more he is good ? Surely
there must needs be an unexhausted treasure of wickedness in thee, which
will also cause in the end a treasure of wrath in him. What ? and sin
against mercy, patience, longsuffering, added to goodness ? of all attributes
the richest to the most glorious, for it is that he glories in — in the abusing
of which therefore he thinks himself most debased — of all attributes the
tenderest. What, kick against his bowels ? So are his mercies called.
Canst hit him nowhere else but there ? To despise a man's wisdom, power,
learning, is not so much as to despise his love. What canst thou imagine
will become of thee when thou comest to die '? What is it thou wilt then
come to plead and cry for ? mercy, mercy ! Why, wretch that thou art,
it is mercy thou hast sinned against. Riches of mercy and patience abused
turns into fury. I may allude to that speech, 1 Sam. ii. 25, ' If a man sin
against his brother, the judge shall judge him ; but if against God, who
shall plead for him ?' So, hadst thou sinned against any other attribute,
mercy might have pleaded for thee ; but if against mercy itself, who shall ?
Well, if thou goest on thus to do so still, thou hast a hard heart ; it
argues the greatest hardness of all other ; that is the second. You use
not, however it comes to pass, to deal thus with the worst of men, sinners
like to yourselves ; but to them that love you you tender love again, Luke
vi. 32. And will you deal so v\ith God ? 'Is it a small thing to weary
men, but you must weary God also ?' says Isaiah, vii. 13. He thought it
infinitely less to abuse men than God ; but you carry yourselves as men to
men, but as devils towards God : herein ye have not the hearts of men in
you, not principles of common humanity, whereby ye differ from beasts.
AGAINST MERCY.
203
The ' cords of love ' are called • the cords of a man,' Hos. xi. 4. The spirit
of man breaks, melts under kindness ; beasts indeed ye use to prick with
goads, but the cords of a man are the cords of love, no principle being more
deeply engraven in men's hearts than this, ' to do good to those who do
good to you,' Mat. v. 4G. Nay, would ye had herein yet the hearts of
beasts, ' The ox knows his owner, the ass his master's crib, but my people
have rebelled against me.' A sin so much against nature that he calls upon
those creatures who have no more than mere nature in them, viz., the hea-
vens, to stand astonished at it, Isa. i. 2. But as nature elevated by grace
riseth higher than itself, so, being poisoned with sin, it is cast below itself,
sins against itself, and the principles which are begotten in and with itself.
If it were not so, how were it possible thou shouldst hate him who never
did thee hurt ? and go on to wound him who weepeth over thee ? and de-
spise that in him most which seeks to save thee ? and load him with sins,
Amos. ii. 13, who loads thee daily with his mercies ? Ps. lxviii. 19.
There is a third consideration the text suggests, to shew the fearfulness
of thy sin in this respect ; and that is, that thou goest on every minute
sinning and in impenitency, by despising his goodness, to treasure up wrath
against the day of wrath. To sin against mercy, of all other increaseth wrath ;
thou must pay treasures for treasures spent. As thou lavishly spendest
riches of mercy, so God will recover riches of glory out of thee. God will
not lose by thee, but will reckon with thee in wrath for every offer of patience
spent ; for every sand of longsuffering that runs out he drops in a drop of
wrath into his vials, and it will prove a treasure, such a treasure as shall
bring in an eternal revenue of glory unto Gocl, of all his glory lost and
riches spent, with advantage ; such a treasure as will ask an eternity of
time to be spent upon thee, and yet be never emptied or made less ; and
the longer thou goest on, the greater heap it will swell unto. And dost
thou know and consider how fast this treasure fills, and how much the
longer thou goest on to add to it, still the more thou addest, still the last
3 r ear more than all the years before ? every minute's impenitency adding to
this heap and sum, as new figures added in a sum use to do ; the first is
but one, the second makes it ten, the third an hundred, the fourth a thou-
sand ; and what a sum will this grow to '?
Ay, bat thou wilt say, Tush, I am in prosperity, in health, wealth, and
ease, and to-day shall be as to-morrow, and much more abundant, Isa.
lvi. 12. Well, but fourthly, consider out of the text, that there will come
a day at last, the morrow whereof will be a day of wrath. It is treasuring
up now, but is not brought forth till the day of wrath, till which day thou
mayest go on and prosper, as Job, giving us the reason why wicked men
prosper here, says, chap. xxi. 30, they are ' reserved to the day of wraths,'
in the plural, because treasures are laid up against them ; thou art yet
spared because thy sins are not yet full, and that treasure is not full, as the
sins of the Amorites were not, and all this thy present prosperity fits thee
but for hell. So Rom. ix. 22, they are said to be ' vessels fitted for de-
struction,' by longsuffering. And so Nahum tells us, they are but as
stubble laid out in the sun a-drying, till it be ' fully dry,' Nahum i. 10, that
it may burn the better ; and like grapes that are let to hang in the sun-
shine till they be ripe, Rev. xix. 15, and so thou for the ' winepress of
God's wrath.'
But thy senseless heart may hap to say, I see no such thing, and these
are but threats, I think so ; therefore it is said in the text, that it is a trea-
sure, which, as treasures use to be, is hid till that day comes, and then
204 AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING AGAINST JlKRCV.
revealed, as the words have it. For though thou seest not this day
a-coming, yet God, who sits in heaven, sees thy day a-coming, as David
says, Ps. xxxvii. 13, who is therefore said to see it, because himself sees
it not ; and it is coming faster than thou art aware of it. 2 Pet. ii, 3,
'Damnation slumbereth not,' though thou dreaniest not of it, ' lingereth
not : ' as a hue and cry it is sent out, and is on its course, and will in
the end overtake thee, and that when thou least thinkest of it, ' as a thief
in the night,' when thou art asleep, yet dreamest not of it, 2 Thess. v. ;
when thou art least prepared for it, as in the old world, when they were
eating and drinking. As God watcheth when his child is at the best and
ripest, and then takes him ; so he will watch thee to take thee for thy
neglect at the worst, and give thee haply no time to prepare ; they go down
to hell in a moment, Ps. lxxiii. 19.
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
[ORIGINAL TITLE.]
Encouragements
TO
FAITH.
Drawn from severall Engagements
( GODS )
B0th0i \cilRTSTS\ nEAUT
' Eeceive '
Pardon J '
To\ ., "fSlNNEES.
By Tno : Goodwin, B. D.
LONDON.
Printed by J. G. for R. Daidman, 1G50.
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
All that the Father givetk me shall come to me : and him that cometh to me
I trill in no wise cast out. For I came clown from heaven, not to do mine
own will, but the trill of him that sent me. — John VI. 37, 38.
A Pnface.
There are two persons whom faith hath to deal withal in seeking of for-
giveness and laying hold of salvation, God the Father and God the Son ;
the Holy Ghost being that person that sets the heart a-work to seek out for
salvation, and reveals the love of them both. And therefore it is that
grace and peace (which are the object of faith's inquest) are still wished
from God the Father and God the Son ; so genera'ly in all epistles, excepting
that of the Revelation, given immediately by word of mouth from Christ
himself.
And accordingly when faith comes to treat with these two about the
great business of salvation, the first and main thing that it is inquisitive
after is, what their heart and mind is, and how they stand inclined towards
the receiving and pardoning of sinners. It listens most to bear something
of that ; and when a man's heart, through faith, is fully and throughly per-
suaded of it, then he is fully won.
Hence, because the Scriptures were written for our comfort, and so fitted
to and for the workings of faith, therefore they were so written, as especially
to bring down and lay before us the heart of God and of Christ ; and so
the main thing they hold forth is, the full intent and purpose both of God
and of Christ to pardon and receive sinners. ' This is a faithful saying,'
says Paul with open mouth, ' that Christ came into the world to save
shiners ; ' and this Christ himself everywhere indigitates ; and to hold forth
this is the scope of these words uttered by Christ himself. And such
speeches do contain the very heart, marrow, and pith of tbe gospel.
And though the heart of a sinner will never be fully satisfied till a per-
suasion be wrought that God and Christ are purposed and willing to save
a man's own self in particular, which persuasion is that which we call
assurance, yet when once there is a thorough persuasion settled upon the
heart, but of so much indefinitely and in general, that God and Christ are
208 ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
willing and fully resolved to save some sinners, so that the heart does truly
believe that God is in earnest, this draws on the heart to come to Christ,
and is enough to work faith of adherence, such as upon which Christ ' will
never cast us out,' as the text hath it.
The great business then for the working faith in men, is to persuade
them of God's good will and gracious inclination unto sinners, to beget in
them good opinions of God and Christ this way, men naturally having
hard and suspicious thoughts of both, as that speech of Christ implies,
1 God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through him might be saved,' John iii. 17. Christ would never
have hinted such a jealousy, nor suggested such thoughts to men's minds,
had they not been in them before, and this to prevent and take off such
jealousies. Men are apt to think that God had a design upon them as
upon enemies, and laid but an ambushment for their further condemna-
tion, in his treaty of peace tendered to them by his Son. An example of
which we have in Luther, who fell into such suspicions as these, for he,
misunderstanding some words he met with in the epistle to the Romans, as
they were rendered by the vulgar translation then in use, namely, these,
that ' God sent his Son to declare his righteousness ' (as they are by us
translated), he thought the meaning of them to have been this, ' to declare
and set forth his judgment' on the world (so he interpreted adjustitiam
suam, &c). The truth is, the jealousies of men's thoughts herein were
those that have put God to his oath, ' As I live, I will not the death of a
sinner,' &c. So also Heb. vi. 17. Men do not so usually question the
power of God, he is able enough to save them they think ; he is ' able to
engraft them in,' as the apostle speaks to the Jews, Rom. xi. 23 ; but all
their doubts are about his will. God's will was the fountain and spring of
our salvation, in the contriving of which he ' wrought all things according
to the counsel of his own will,' as the apostle to the Ephesians speaketh ;
and in another place it is said, ' He will have ruercy on whom he will,' &c.
And therefore the great queries in our hearts are concerning the will of God
towards us.
The words of the text opened.
Now, these words of my text do hold forth the full willingness of both
these two persons, both of God and of Christ.
1. Of Christ, he here professeth himself willing to entertain all that will
come to him, ' He that will come to me, I will in no wise cast out.'
"Which words are not to be understood as if spoken only of casting out
them that are already come unto him, as if they were only a promise
against being cast off after being received, and so intending against fears
of falling away ; but they are chiefly intended as an invitement to all that
are not yet come that they would come to him ; and so, to express how
ready and willing he is to entertain all comers, as one who sets his doors
open, keeps open house, and beats back none that would come in, ' Him
that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.' And though it may seem
to be but a slender and sparing expression of his readiness to entertain
such, to say only, ' I will not cast them out,' 3 7 et though he speaks with
the least, yet he will do with the most, he being ' abundant in goodness
and truth,' and one that is better than his word in the performance. As
when he says, he will not despise a broken heart, is that all the esteem he
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH. 209
will manifest to such a heart ? Oh, no ! it is the most welcome thing, and
endeared frame of spirit that can be in any creature. His meaning is to
shew what he elsewhere says of a meek spirit (which is all one with a broken
heart), that with God it is ' of great price,' for so in Isaiah he expresseth
himself. ' I that inhabit eternity, with whom will I dwell ? with a spirit
that is broken and contrite.' He useth also this expression of not casting
them out, in relation, and for a more direct answer unto the fear which he
knew usually possesseth the hearts of poor sinners when they are about to
come to him ; they fear he may reject them, they know not their entertain-
ment, their welcome. To meet with this scruple, he says, ' I will not cast
such out ; ' choosing rather thus to remove the doubt that is in their hearts,
than to express the fulness of his own ; the Scriptures speaking potiits ad
cor nostrum, quam, cor suum, rather unto our hearts, than fully what is in
his own, which can never be done.
And yet, even in the diminutive expression, there is that inserted, which
argues not only a willingness and readiness, but a resolvedness joined with
the greatest care and faithfulness that can be, ou pri, I will in no wise cast
out. We may see his heart through this little crevice ; he doth herein as
a faithful man, who, to give the more full assurance, puts in some binding
word into his promise, as, I will at no hand, or in no wise, fail you. Thus
does God also in that known promise, Heb. xiii. 5 (to the horns of which
sanctuary many a soul hath fled for refuge), ' I will never leave thee nor
forsake thee,' where there are no less than five negatives to bind and assure
it, ' I will not,' ' in no wise' (&c), leave thee.
Now this willingness of his, on his part, Christ shews by two things.
First, By that great journey he took from heaven to earth, and that to
no other purpose but to save sinners. For this (says he) did I come down
from heaven. Great actions of one who is wise, must answerably have
great ends ; now this was the greatest thing that ever was done, that the
Son of God should come from heaven. And when there can be but one
end of an action so great, that end must needs be accomplished, or else the
action is wholly in vain. Now, in coming down from heaven, he could
have no other end but the saving of sinners, he could have no other business
to do that he did here, therefore the Scriptures put his coming into the
world wholly upon this, to seek and to save that which was lost, and do
attribute his taking upon him ' the likeness of sinful flesh ' to have been
' for sin ; ' so Rom. viii. 3. Though other ends might be supposed, and were
accomplished by the assuming man's nature, yet he had no other end of
taking frail flesh, especially there could be no other end of his dying, but
merely and only for sin. John xii. 24, he says, If he had not fallen to the
ground and died, he had then remained in heaven alone, and no sinners had
come thither ; that therefore they might ascend to heaven, he descends from
heaven, ' I came down from heaven,' &c.
Secondly, He demonstrates his willingness by this, that his Father had
sent him on purpose to receive and to save sinners : ' I come,' says he • to do
the will of him who sent me ;' and, John viii., he says, ' I come not of
myself, but my Father he sent me.' And if he were sent by his Father to
this end (as he affirms he was, and as by the coherence appears, for he
makes it the reason why he will cast none out), then certainly he will faith-
fully do the work he was sent for. In Heb. iii. 1, he is called the ' apostle
of our profession,' apostle, that is, one sent, so the word signifies ; and
what follows ? • who was faithful to him that appointed him.' Now, upon
VOL. [/. o
210
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
these considerations, Christ tells you that you may build upon him, that
you shall certainly find him willing.
2. For his Father's willingness, he tells us we may be much more con-
fident of it, for he puts his own willingness and all upon that : ' Him ' (says
he) ' that the Father gives me, shall come to me ; and him that cometh to
me, 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 this is the Father's will,
that he hath sent me,' &c. In which words you may observe both wherein
he declares his Father to be engaged, and how much.
First, Wherein, and that by two things :
(1.) That he sent him to that end, and so it is his Father's business
more than his own. So also, Luke ii. 49, he expresseth himself, ' Shall I
not do my Father's business ? ' as elsewhere in Isaiah he is called his Father's
servant in it ; and John v. 36, he makes it his Father's work.
(2.) Secondly, that he in a solemn manner gave unto him them whom
he would have to be saved, with charge to lose none : ' All that the Father
hath given me shall come unto me.' And this is his will, that I should
lose none, but give him an account of every soul of them at the last day.
They are given him as jewels, and as his Benjamins, to look to, and see to
bring back and keep from destruction. Now whom he so solemnly gave to
Christ to save, he will never cast away, when they shall come unto Christ.
Then, 2, he shews how much, and how deeply, his Father was engaged,
and makes it his Father's will rather than his own : ' I come not to do my
own will, but the will of him that sent me.' The meaning whereof is, not
to shew that he came unwillingly, or receives sinners unwillingly, but that
his Father's will was first in it (as I shall shew anon), and so much in it,
that, if you will resolve it into its first principles, Christ's coming was
principally to please his Father. It is such a speech as that in John v.
22, ' The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the
Son,' &c. Not that God is not a judge as well as Christ, for, Heb. xii. 23,
he is termed the 'judge of all men,' but because all judgment is visibly
committed unto Christ ; therefore the Father is said to judge no man. So
here, because the Father's will is chief and first in it, Christ therefore says,
he came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him.
And so you have the meaning of the words.
The main observation out of the ivords. — Demonstrations of God's heart herein,
from his engagements from everlasting. — How his heart stood to sinners afire
the world was.
The observation which I single out of these words to insist upon, is this,
that
Both God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son are fully willing and
resolved to save sinners.
1. For God the Father. There are many demonstrations of his will
herein, that may be taken ab extrafrom his oath, word, promise, &c, winch
I shall handle in another method ; but those which I shall first hold forth
are more intimate and intrinsical, and homogeneal to the argument which
Christ useth here in the text ; which we have seen to be these, that it was
God's will first, and Christ's but because it was his — ' I come not to do
mine own will ;' and that it was he that dealt with Christ about it, and
wrought him off to it, and made it his business — ' but the wall of him that
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH. 211
sent mo.' So that the demonstrations which I shall pitch upon shall bo
drawn from God's engagements, both from his transactions with Christ from
everlastiug, belore he came into the world, and those that now lie upon him
from Christ's having fully performed what he sent him into the world for.
And from either may be fetched strong consolations and confirmations to
our faith, that God's will must needs continue most serious and hearty to
save sinners.
Many other sorts of demonstrations of this point might be fetched and
drawn from the riches of his mercy, lying by him to bestow on some great
purchase ; and on what greater purchase could they be bestowed, to shew
forth the glory thereof, than upon the salvation and pardon of sinners '? But
these also I shall at the present let lie by untold, having elsewhere counted
them up and set them forth, such demonstrations being only proper to this
text as argue an engagement of his will ; whereas all those riches of mercy
that are in him (although the moving cause of all) might have for ever re-
mained in him as his nature, without any determination of his will to save
any man. When therefore a poor sinner shall hear, besides the merchal
disposition of God's nature, that acts and resolutions of his will have passed
from him about the pardoning of sinners, so as his will hath engaged all
the mercies of his nature to effect it, this brings in strong consolation.
Now the deepness of these engagements of his will to pardon sinners
may be demonstrated,
(1.) From such transactions of his as were held by him with Christ from
everlasting ; which hath both put strong obligations upon him, and also
argue him fully and firmly resolved to save sinners. Now all the particular
passages of those treaties of his with Christ, about the reconciliation of
sinners from everlasting, I have elsewhere also at large handled; and
therefore it is not my scope now to enumerate them. I shall now only
draw demonstrations from some few of them, by way of corollary, to help
our faith in this point in hand, namely, God's resolvedness to pardon
sinners.
The first is drawn from this, That God the Father had the first and chie
hand in this matter of saving sinners, as I then shewed : the project was
his, and the first motion his.
[l.J The project; he laid the plot of it, and contrived all about it, for
the effecting of it. Therefore, John v. 19, Christ says, ' The Son can do
nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do.'
[2.] The first motion was his. 'I came not to do mine own will,' says
Christ, ' but the will of him that sent me.' Both which (project and first
motion) are shut up in that one sentence, Eph. i. 11, 'He worketh all
things by the counsel of his own ivill.' Now, for God thus to have the
first hand in it, did put a great and deep engagement upon his will in it.
We see among men, the projector and first motioner of a business is always
most forward in it ; because then it is most peculiarly his own, and the
greater will be his honour in the compassing of it. How many great afiairs
have been spoiled, because some men have not been the chief and first in
them, that affect the pre-eminence ? Now this honour God the Father may
challenge, that he was the first in reconciling and saving sinners. It is
therefore called God's wisdom, Eph. iii. 10, and his purpose, Eph. i. 9,
God's righteousness, Rom. i. 17, and the pleasure of the Lord, Isa. liii. 10.
Secondly, this project and motion did rise up in him unto a strong re-
solution and purpose, and to an unalterable decree to save sinners by
Christ ; so Eph. i. 9.
212 ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
And [1.] for his purposes, they are immutable. Would not Paul lightly
alter purposes taken up by him, ' When I therefore was thus minded (says
he, 2 Cor. i. 17), did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose do I
purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea, yea, and
nay, nay ?' Would not Paul, I say, alter his purpose because he preached
the gospel, and will God (think you) alter them, who gave the gospel ?
No ; it is the ' eternal gospel,' Rev. xiv. 6, and God is of the same mind
still, so it foUows in that place to the Corinthians, ' But as God is true '
(or varies not), ' so was our word to you,' which yet is his more than Paul's,
&c.
[2.J For God's decrees, whereof this was one, they are also immutable.
The great monarchs of the earth, the Persians, took to themselves that in-
fallibility, that they would not alter the decrees which they made : therefore
when a thing was unalterable, it was said to be ' as the laws of the Medes
and Persians ;' which was to shew their greatness and their wisdom, that
they could so resolve as no person or power whatever should be strong
enough to cause them to change their resolutions ; and yet they were forced,
though not to alter a former decree, yet to give countermands unto it, as
Ahasuerus did ; and men do alter, because they cannot foresee all events,
and so cannot make unalterable decrees without prejudice. Therefore the
pope, who takes on him the style of infallible, and so assumes to himself
the highest prerogative that ever man did, yet of him it is said, Pajw nun-
quam lif/at sibi manus, that he never binds his own hands by any decree he
makes, because he cannot foresee all inconveniences, notwithstanding what-
ever he assumes. But with God it is not thus, ' He is not a man that he
should ' have cause to ' repent,' for he knows and foresees all that can or
will follow.
Now this immutability of his counsel he shews by two oaths ; the first
made to Christ, the second to us.
[1.] To Christ, Heb. vii. 21, ' This priest (Christ) was made with an
oath, by him that said unto him, The Lord sware, and will not repent,
Thou art a priest for ever, &c.' And this was from everlasting ; for then
it was that Christ was first made priest. Now then God foresaw that he
could never have a relenting thought at the pardoning of sinners through
him, this his Son would so satisfy and please him ; and thereupon he sware.
[2.] To us, Heb. vi. 17, 18, ' God willing more abundantly to shew unto
the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an
oath : that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to
lie, we might have a strong consolation,' &c. The thing I allege this place
for, and which I would have observed, is, that this oath is not mentioned
as that now which makes God so immutable, though that be a truth ; but
God's oath is here made that whereby God did declare unto us the immu-
tability of his purpose, formerly and from everlasting taken up, and so that
immutability of his counsel was the cause of his oath, and that was to
pardon sinners ; for it is the promise made to Abraham and his seed that
is there specified.
Yea [3.] God set his seal unto all further to confirm it. He both ' sealed
Christ to the work,' John vi. 27, and likewise sealed up in his decrees the
persons of those sinners that shall be saved. 2 Tim. ii. 19, ' The founda-
tion of the Lord remains sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth who are
his.' And if it were but a king's seal, it could not be reversed ; but this is
God's. Yea, he hath sealed up their sins also by and through Christ, Dan.
ix. 24, never to be remembered or looked upon more.
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH. 213
Thirdly, God rested not in a decree only, but entered into covenant with
Christ to save sinners by him if he would die. This covenant you have
dialogue-wise set out, Isa. xlix. First, Chi-ist begins at the first and second
verses, and shews his commission, telling God how he had called him, and
fitted him for the work of redemption, and he would know what reward he
should receive of him for so great an undertaking. God answers him,
ver. 3, and at first oilers low, only the elect of Israel. Christ who stood
now a- making his bargain with him, thought these too few, and not worth
so great a labour and work, because few of the Jews would come in, but
would refuse him, therefore, ver. 4, he says, he should ' labour in vain,' if
this were all his recompence ; and yet withal he tells God, that seeing his
heart was so much in saving sinners to satisfy him, he would do it however
for those few, comforting himself with this, that his ' work was with the
Lord.' Upon this God comes off more freely, and openeth his heart more
largely to him, as meaning more amply to content him for his pains in
dying. ' It is a light thing,' says God to him, ' that thou shouldst be my
servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob ; ' that is not worth the dying lor, I
value thy sufferings more than so, ' I will give thee for a salvation unto the
ends of the earth.' Upon this he made a promise to Christ, Titus i. 2, and
a promise is more than a purpose. A purpose may be in one's self, as
Eph. i. 9, but a promise is made to another. Now God cannot lie in him-
self, but most of all, not to his Son.
A second sort of demonstrations. — The engagements of God's heart to sinners,
from and upon Christ's having died at his request.
A second sort of demonstrations are drawn from Christ's having already
come and performed all this : for,
1. Christ is now to be satisfied for that his dying, as well as he by his
death had satisfied God ; he is now to have his reward. God never set any
on work but he gave them wages. Thus unto Nebuchadnezzar he gave
Egypt as his hire for his service at Tyre, and to Cyrus he gave hidden
treasure. Now it is not Christ's own glory that will satisfy him ; for that
he could have had, and never have died ; there remains therefore nothing
that can or will satisfy him but to have the end of his death, ' to see his
seed and be satisfied, and to see of the travail of his soul ; and to justify
many,' as it is, Isa. liii. 11. He died, as himself speaks, John xii. 24,
that he might not be alone in heaven ; his desire is, that those whom he
died for might see his glory.
2. If we consider the act itself, of delivering Christ unto death, there
was not, nor could there ever be, anything more abhorrent unto God ; no
act ever went so much against his heart ; for if he be ' afflicted in all our
afflictions,' and doth 'not willingly punish the sons of men,' neither 'wills
the death of a sinner ' that deserves it, much less would he will the death
of his own Son. Now what w T as there to sweeten the death and sufferings
of his Son unto him, except his end in it '? for it is the end that sweetens
and facilitates the means tending unto it. Now the end of Christ's death
could be no other but to take sins away, and to procure the pardon of
sinners ; and so it must needs be infinitely delightful unto him, and his
heart strongly set upon it, seeing it did sweeten unto him an act otherwise
so abhorrent ; and of this end therefore it is impossible he should ever
repent. Now, Eph. v. 2, the very offering of Christ is called a ' sacrifice
214 ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
of a sweet smelling savour ; ' and what was it that made it so, but even the
end for which it was done, and which is there put upon it, that it was out
of love unto us, and out of a mind to have sinners pardoned ? For else in
itself it must needs have been abominable unto him.
Again, 3. If at any time he would have repented him of his purpose, it
would have been at the time of Christ's being crucified, when he came to
bruise him : then his heart would have recoiled, and especially when
Christ poured out his soul with such strong cries and tears as he did. At
other times, in punishing but his children, we find, that when he comes to
do it, his heart at, it were fails him, as Hos. xi. 8. ' How shall I give thee
up ?' The rod fails out of his hand, and his bowels yearn within him ; yet
he relented not when he saw the soul of his Joseph in bitterness, but still
made an impossibility of it for him to avoid suffering, because his purpose
was thereby to take sins away. Therefore Christ's request was, ' Father,
if it be possible, let this cup pass.' The necessity lay only in God's will
in reference to this end, to forgive sins. If God would ever have relented
or repented him of this purpose, it would have been then. We read of his
repenting him of other of his works, but his mind is so fully carried to
take away sins, that he did not then, or can ever repent of putting his own
Son to death for the effecting of it. To pardon sinners is more natural to
him than to kill his Bon was unnatural. Now his end and purpose
being thus fully set to pardon and save sinners, if he should be frustrated
of this his end, he would then indeed repent him of using his Son as he
had done, Nay. it is not only said that he repented not, but that ' it
pleased him to bruise* Christ, in respect to that his end, which was so plea-
sant to him : so you have it, Isa. hii. 10. And, therefore, surely it pleaseth
him much more to pardon sinners, now he hath thus bruised him ; and so
indeed it follows there, l The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his
hand." It is spoken of his saving and justifying of sinners. It troubled
God to hear a soul bemoan itself for its sin, Jer. xxxi. 20, but we read not
that it did so when Christ bemoaned himself in his sufferings ; and the
reason was, because the work that Christ was about to do was a sweet sacri-
fice to him , and it would trouble God more to condemn a sinner that
Christ died for, than it did to sacrifice Christ for him.
4. Upon that ancient agreement between God and Christ, God par-
doned millions of men under the Old Testament upon the bare word of
Christ, before he came into the world, or had paid one penny of the debt ;
he must needs therefore be supposed to be much more willing now to do
it, when Christ has done all that was required, and failed not, and that at
the due time, as it is said, Rem. v. If Christ had failed to come short but
ot a little of what he was to do, God might have denied to let the world go
upon trust any longer ; but now Jesus Christ hath performed all, and is
aibrehand with him, and hath put in stock enough to pardon sinners to the
end of the world.
Yet, 5. Now even justice itself will call upon him to discharge sinners,
will not let him rest in quiet till he has pardoned and shewed mercy unto
poor sinners that come to Christ, and hath given in their bond, and this,
though we had no promise to shew for it. yea, though Christ himself had
nothing to shew for it : God's very justice would trouble him (I may so
speak with reverence, for he himself says, that he was ' troubled for
Ephraim,' Jer. xxxi. 20), till he had given out an acquittance, because he
knows the debt is paid, and also, that Christ's and his own intent was, that
when Christ had once died, sinners should thereby be justified. Even as if
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH. 215
an honest man had a bond for a debt that is discharged lying still in his
hands, of which payment he whose debt it is knows nothing, although he
or they that paid this debt were dead, so that there were no one left that
were able to challenge an acquittance from him, and a cancelling of that
bond, yet mere honesty would cause him to give it in. Now Jesus Christ
died, and God himself put him to death, merely to pay our debts ; and, says
Christ at his death, Let sinners require my blood, and the merits of it at
thy hands, and have it out in pardon.
That was Christ's will that he made at his death, as you have it, Hcb. ix.
16, 17, where the apostle calls it ' a testament confirmed by the death of
the testator.' Now there is nothing so sacred as the performance of the
will of the dead. And now Christ himself is alive again, and is ordained
by God to be his own executor, and so lives to claim an acquittance ; there-
fore certainly God will never withhold it. In justice he cannot, he will not,
have a bond lie by him that is discharged. Hence it is said, that God is
' just to forgive our sins,' 1 John i. 9.
There are three things which do cry for justice, and all do meet in this.
(1.) The wages of a hireling (if detained) are said to cry. So in James
v. 4, it is said, ' The wages of hirelings detained do cry in the ears of the
Lord of Hosts.' They cry, wages being due in justice, and because God's
justice is thereby provoked, and cannot be quiet till God hath avenged it.
And so would Christ's satisfaction having been made for us ; it would
restlessly cry to God, and not suffer his justice to be quiet, unless we were
pardoned. For he was truly and indeed God's hired servant in this work ;
and God covenanted to give him the salvation of those he died for as his
wages and reward, as Isaiah often represents it, chap, liii., and elsewhere.
So that if God be just, he must give forth salvation, otherwise Christ's obe-
dience would cry as the work of an hireling doth for wages.
(2.) A second thing that cries for justice, is the will of one that is dead
unperformed, who hath bequeathed legacies, and left wherewith to pay and
discharge them. And this is yet a louder cry than the former. Now
Christ, before he died, did thus make his will, and bequeathed pardon of
sin and justification, and that eternal inheritance in heaven, as legacies to
those for whom he died, and to be given out by God after his death, as I
observed even now out of Heb. ix. 15, 16, 17, where it is said that Christ
was ' The Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death they
who are called might receive the promise (or bequeathed legacy) of eternal
life.' And thereupon, ver. 16, 17, the apostle calls this ' a testament con-
firmed by his death,' and which at his death ' began to be in force,' so
ver. 17. And of all things in justice that are held due, the performance of
the will of the dead hath ever been held most sacred.
(3.) There is yet a third thing which cries for justice, and that is inno-
cent blood spilt. And this cries louder than the rest. So Gen. iv. 10.
And the apostle, Heb. xii. 24, sets forth the cry of Christ's blood for us,
by Abel's blood crying against Cain.
It may be notwithstanding this, that God may put the bond in suit against
a sinner, to make him come to acknowledge the debt, as the apostle there
speaks. ' If we confess our sins.' But if any soul doth say, ' I have sinned
and it profited me not ;' God then cannot withhold from throwing down his
bond cancelled, saying, ' Deliver him, I have found a ransom,' Job xxxiii. 24,
God will not have innocent blood, such as his Son's is, to lie upon him. If
he should not pardon sinners, Christ's blood would be upon him, for it was
for them only that Christ died, being in himself innocent.
21G EXCOUBAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
6. God mends not himself by damning those for whom Christ died. Now
there were not only an injustice to Christ and us in it, but God himself also
would prove a loser. For the end of Christ's death was not simply to
satisfy justice, so as without it justice could not have permitted a pardon,
that might have been dispensed with, but it was chiefly to declare the glory
of God's justice, which required such a satisfaction, as the apostle says,
Rom. iii. 25, ' To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that
are past, through God's forbearance.' It was, we see, the manifestation or
declaration of the glory of his justice that he aimed at in it. So as if any
one man's sin satisfied for by Christ should be left unforgiven, God's justice
should lose so much glory. And if justice should think to get a greater
glory out of the sinners, that could never be ; for the sinner is unable ever
to satisfy, and so to glorify God's justice by suffering, as Christ hath done.
Yea, and besides, God would be a further and a greater loser in the glory
of his mercy also, which by his pardoning sin is advanced.
The second part of the observation. — Demonstration of Christ's willingness to
receive sinners that come toJiim. — First, how his heart stood from everlasting.
And so now I come to Christ's willingness, which was the second thing
propounded in the doctrine to be demonstrated. Now, though his will
was not first in it (as was said), yet we shall find him to have been no less
willing than his Father. As Christ in subsisting is the second person, and
hath his personal subsistence from his Father, so he is second also in order
of working, and consequently of willing too, yet he is not second to him in
heartiness of willing ; but as his Father and he are equal, so in all that his
Father willeth, his will is equal with his Father, and so, is as much in this
business as his.
In the demonstrating of this, I will take the same course that I did in
the former : ,
First, I will shew how hearty he was in this, to have sinners saved, before
he came into the world.
And secondly, how willing he was since he came into the world, and
since his death and going out of the world.
And as a general introduction to either, I shall premise this, which shall
be as the corner-stone in this building, joining both parts of this discourse
together, and is a consequent of what hath formerly been delivered.
The thing to be premised is this : That if God the Father be willing, then
Jesus Christ must needs be willing also, and look how much the will of the
one is in it, so much the will of the other must be in it also, for ' the Father
and he are all one.' And this will serve for our further assurance of the
wills of either ; and we make use of it both ways, either to argue to our
faith, that if the Father be willing, Christ must needs be so also ; and that
if Christ be willing, the Father is so also. That whereas some men's
thoughts have been more taken up about, and so more taken with, the con-
sideration of how much the Father's heart was in it, and how active and
plotting he was about it ; and again, other men's apprehensions have been
carried more unto Christ's heart in the work ; this demonstration which I
have in hand shall be a help to the faith of either of these : so that if your
hearts have a ' door of faith,' (as the apostle speaks) ' set open,' or a window
to see either into God's heart or Christ's, you may raise a confidence of
the one from the other, and so come to be sure of both.
And this also I do first mention, because it is the most intrinsical bottom
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH. 217
demonstration that can be made of Christ's willingness, and is the utmost
reason of it.
This demonstration I found upon John x. 30, ' I and my Father are one.'
That whereas in this my text he shews how his Father's will and his agree in
one, he there gives the reason of it, for (says he) wo are one; and the words
there, as they stand in their coherence, are proper to the purpose in hand.
For Christ there allegeth them as the reason why his heart, and power, and
all in him is so engaged for the salvation of his own, that if he have any
power in him, and be able to do anything, ' not one of them shall perish,'
because ' his Father and he are one.' For, mark the occasion upon which
he speaks this, it is the same that here in my text. He had been speaking
of saving his sheep, and of his power and will to save them ; and concludes,
that • they shall never perish.' And he says not only that he will never
cast them out (as here), but that ' neither shall any man pluck them out of
his hand.' And in that speech he shews and utters the strength of his
will as much as of his power. For otherwise, although his hand of power
had been never so potent to have held them against all opposition, yet if
his will had not as strongly resolved to hold them in his hand, and so, if
they were not as deep in his heart as.they are fast in his hands, this speech
of his had not been made good, that • they shall never perish.' And then
he gives the reason both of this resoluteness of his will and this prevalency
of his power from his Father's both will and power, engaged as much as
his own, in this fulness.* ' My Father,' says he, ' that gave them me is
greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hands.'
He pleads here, first, his Father's will — ' He gave them me ; ' and then,
secondly, his power, whom these Jews he spake to acknowledged greater
than all, though him they did not. ' He is greater than all ; none can
pluck them out of his hands ;' and then argues to himself, ' My Father and
I are one.' One in nature, therefore much more in will. Two persons that
have distinct essence may yet be one in will, as the ten kings are said to be
of one mind when they agreed in one thing, Ptev. xvii. 13, 17 ; so Acts
iv. 32, it is said that they that believed were of ' one heart and of one soul,'
that is, in judgment and consent of mind. But Christ and God the Father
are one yet nearer, one in nature, and therefore much more entire in will,
for by nature they have but one will between them. And that place speaks
at once in relation to both their willingness to save, as to both their powers
to save sinners. And this is not only an argument that they did both agree,
and were like to agree, in it, but that they can never disagree. Two that
essentially have two wills, though for the present agreeing in one, yet it
may be supposed that they may come to disagree, and not will the same
thing ; but if they essentially have but one will, it is impossible then but
that they must ever agree. This great security, therefore, doth Christ give
for the salvation of sinners. You have not only two persons engaged,
persons greater than all, but all that is in them engaged, both then- power
and will; and what more can be desired ? And if the one holds his purpose,
the other must also, for they are one. You have the oneness of God and
Christ given you for security ; so that if they can never be made two, and
wrought asunder, then sinnei's must needs be saved. Till these two persons
do disagree, you are sure enough ; and they must cease to be ere they can
cease to agree, for they are one, and one in being.
We have another testimony as full as this, 1 John v. 7 : ' There are
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
* Qu. ' business ' ? — Ed.
218 ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
Ghost ' (we are yet surer, here is a third person that comes in), ' and these
three are one.' Now, what is the thing that these do witness unto ?
Ver. 11 it follows, ' This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal
life, and this life is in his Son.' Here their truth is pawned, as in that other
place their power was, for the apostle allegeth this as such a truth as they all
agree and stand in to make good. And to prove this, he says (as in that
other place, John x.) that ' these three are one,' that is, one in nature,
therefore one in will, and so also one in witness to this truth. He says
not only they agree in one, for you shall observe that whereas there are
three other witnesses mentioned to be on earth, there is this difference put
between their concurrency in their testimonies and that of these, that ' they
agree in one ' (so ver. 8), but there is more said of these, namely, that they
are one, that is, in nature, and so in will and purpose, and so must needs
much more agree in one. Now, that thing which their wills and testimonies
and all agree in is, as hath been said, that God hath given us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son, to all that shall come for it. So that for
demonstrations of this I need go no further. If there be any will, power,
or truth in these persons, sinners shall be saved.
This being premised, as the most bottom ground of Christ's being at first,
and his continuing to be for ever, willing to pardon sinners, let us more
particularly see, first, how his heart stood to the salvation of them before
he came into the world ; and then, secondly, how it stood inclined unto it
after he was come ; and what confirmations our faith may have from both.
So that the thing I am herein to speak to is not so much bis willingness to
the work of redemption itself (that I have elsewhere handled apart), but his
willingness and readiness to save sinners.
1. Let us see how his heart stood to this before the world was, and before
he came into it. And for this we find that his delights w 7 ere set upon it ;
so Prov. viii. 31, ' Rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth, and my
delights w r ere with the sons of men : ' which words are more properly spoken
of Christ than of God the Father, and therefore I produce them under this
head. For they are said to be spoken by Wisdom, that is, Christ himself,
he therein shewing how his mind stood towards us before the world began ;
for he speaks what he and his Father did ' before the mountains were,' &c.
' I was set up from everlasting,' ver. 22. ' Then I was by him,' &c,
ver. 80. And how did they pass away that long arum, as the apostle calls
it ? In nothing but rejoicing and delights. He there speaks of nothing
else that they did. And what was the matter of delight unto them ?
(1.) He and his Father delighted one in another, ver. 30.
(2.) In the salvation of men, ' My delights were with the sons of men,' so
ver. 31. And he speaks of men as fallen, for it is said in the beginning of
the same verse that he ' rejoiced in the habitable parts of the earth,' which
is spoken not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles too, and of men all the
earth over. Now, first, delights arise out of the strongest and choicest
desires. Men are pleased with many things in which they delight not.
Christ's heart and desires must needs have been most on that which his
delights are in. Again, secondly, the greater the persons are, and the
greater their minds are, the greater are their delights. Things of great
concernment are usually the objects which are the delights of kings, and
which they take pleasure in. Now, the great God and Jesus Christ singled
out the pardon and reconciliation of sinners for their chief delights.
(3.) Their delight herein is mentioned, and in no other work of theirs ;
not the angels, nor the world, nor anything in it.
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH. 219
(4.) This their delight is mentioned next to their delighting in each other.
(5.) And fifthly, this delight he took aforehand, whilst his heart was only
in the expectation of it, and his mind but laying the plot of it. He delights
in it ere he doth it. And if all this joy of his be only in the thoughts of it,
how much more will it delight him when he comes to do it ? All this
argues how great a matter this was in his esteem, and how much his heart
was in it, and that from everlasting.
Demonstrations from the disposition of Christ's heart, and his carriage upon
earth. — As also some engagements since his death.
2. In the second place, when Christ had assumed our nature, and whilst,
he remained upon earth, how did this disposition of his abound in him ? It
were endless to give all the instances that his story and sermons do afford
hereof. See but how welcome all sorts of sinners were at all times unto
him. He cast out none that acknowledged him for the Messiah ; he turned
none away that gave up their souls unto him to be saved his own way. He
was indeed most reserved unto that rich young man of any other, yet he
used him courteously — the text saith, ' he loved him.' Christ turned him
not away, but directed him the right way to follow him ; and he went away
of himseli, undervaluing Christ to his possessions. And another time
Christ indeed seems to discourage the Canaanitish woman, and put her
away, calling her dog. But it was only in words ; for underhand he strongly
draws her heart to him by his Spirit, and suggests thereby to her heart by
way of answer, a consideration of the highest faith towards him, that dogs
might partake of the crumbs that fall from their master's table. I instance
in these, because I would prevent and remove any exception which might
be taken from them. For otherwise Christ's professed entertainment of all
sinners was so open and notorious, as it w T as turned into his disgrace and
opprobry, that he was ' a friend to publicans and sinners ; ' which yet he
owns and glories in, professing that he ' came not to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance.' And how glad he was when any such came in unto
him, he sufficiently expresseth by those parables on purpose taken up, of
the joy of the prodigal's father for his return, and of the rejoicing for the
finding of the lost groat, and likewise of the lost sheep, more than of the
ninety and nine.
We read of Christ's joy but seldom, and when it is at any time recorded,
it is at the conversion of souls. He had little else to comfort himself in,
being a man of sorrows ; and he had nothing else on earth which he took
delight or pleasure in. When he was converting the poor woman of Samaria,
which he doth as a pleasure and recreation to him, he forgets his meat,
although before he had been very hungry, and tells his disciples that he had
' meat which they knew not of,' which was indeed the saving that poor
woman's soul. In Luke x. 21, we read that Jesus rejoiced in his spirit;
but observe the occasion. He had sent out his disciples to preach the
gospel, and they had in his name and through his power cast out devils.
He bids them not rejoice in that, ver. 20, but shews them what they should
rejoice in, by his own example, and by what most comforted him. ' Father'
(says he) ' I thank thee that thou hast revealed these things unto babes.'
This in the next words following recorded to be the matter of his rejoicing,
he saw now an handsel, and an experiment of the fruit of his disciples'
220 ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
ministry, and comforted himself beforehand, in that as their souls had, so
others of the poorer and meaner sort should thus come in unto him.
We find him at another time in like manner rejoicing, namely, in the
story of his raising Lazarus, John xi. 15. And what was it for? Not
that himself should be glorified by so great a miracle, even the greatest that
ever he wrought, but, says he, ; I am glad for your sakes that I was not
there, to the end that you might believe.' He rejoiceth if any of his got a
little more or further degree of faith. And on the other side, as sorry was
he when men came not in. Witness his tears over Jerusalem, and those
spaeches of his, John v. 34, ' These things I speak, that you might be
saved.' And thereupon in the ensuing verse he complainingly utters him-
self, ' You will not' (says he) ' come to me, that you may have life.' He
speaks as one greedy of winning souls, and as sorry that any customers or
hearers of his should pass by., and not turn in ; ' You will not come to me,'
&c. And he relieves himself with this, that there were others that would,
though they would not. So here in this place, when in the verse before
my text he had complained of them, that they would not believe, he comforts
himself with this in the words of the text, ' All that the Father giveth me
shall come unto me.' And the like you have, John x. 25, 2G, : You believe
not ; but my sheep, they hear my voice,' &c.
And then at his death, when he was upon the cross, he then convei'ts a
thief that was crucified with him, and prays for those that crucified him.
And after his resurrection his last words recorded in Luke xxiv. 47 are,
' That remission of sins should be preached in his name, beginning at Jeru-
salem ; ' that so those whom he had prayed for, though they had crucified
him, might be converted and saved. Thus stood his heart all the while he
was on earth, both before and after his death.
3. And then, in the third place, now that he hath died and laid down that
price which was to purchase the salvation of sinners, he must needs be
much more willing, if it were possible be should 1)9, than ever. Many
demonstrations there are from those obligations wbich Christ's sufferings
and death do put upon him, which 1 have already given in a treatise upon
this very argument, The Heart of Christ in Heaven, Part II. Only I have
reserved one or two for this place. As,
(1.) It was the aim and utmost intent of Christ's soul, in his being cru-
cified, to have sinners saved, and saved effectually. It was that travail
which his heart was then big with. And certainly Christ would not that
so many and so great sufferings, now that they are past and over, should
be in vain. The apostle makes a motive of it unto the Galatians,* ' Are ye
so foolish ? . . . . Have ye suffered so many things in vain *? ' Gal. iii.
3, 4. To be sure Christ's death shall not be in vain ; he will not lose the
end of his sufferings (as the same apostle intimates but four verses before,
chap. ii. 21). A business that a man hath prayed for much, how dotb he
long to see it accomplished and fulfilled ! And how glad is he when it
falls out as he hath prayed ! And why but because it is the fruit of his
prayers ? Now, much more glad is Christ to see the fruit of his death,
' the travail of his soul,' and thereby is ' satisfied.' Isa. liii. 10, a place I
often quote to this purpose. I will add but this to it. When a woman
hath been in travail, she forgets all her pains for joy that a man-child is
bom, which is the fruit of that her travail ; and so doth Christ. And
then again for that other word, that Christ is said to be ' satisfied ; ' satis-
faction is the accomplishment of desire, or the fulfilling of one's longings.
So in that speech of Christ, ' Blessed are those that hunger, for they shall
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH. '221
be satisfied.' So that this doth argue and presuppose the most vehement
desires and longings in Christ for the salvation of souls, and his having died
must needs increase them.
And (2.) add this engagement unto that former, that his death can be put
to no other use than for the pardon of sinners. So as if he should not
expend it that way, he should utterly lose the fruit of it, or let it lie useless
by him. For divert it to any other use he cannot. And yet if he knew
how to improve it to any other purpose, yet his love (he having intended
it for the sons of men) would not suffer him to do it. But besides, if it be
not employed and bestowed this way, it will be wholly in vain ; for the
good angels, though they stand in need of his personal mediation, to con-
firm them in grace, yet his blood was not requisite thereunto. And for
the bad angels, they are utterly excluded the benefit of it. And then
Christ himself, he stands in no need of it, nor can he have any benefit by
it, all that personal glory which now he hath in heaven being due unto him
by that hypostatical union. So that his death serves for no end if not for
this. Christ indeed hath an honour in heaven besides the glory of the
personal union ; but then it ariseth to him from the salvation of sinners
through his death, which salvation is the purchase of his blood ; as you
have it, Eph. i. ; which might afford a third engagement, in that Christ
should not only lose the fruit of his death, but that glory that is ordained
him by the salvation of men. So that he should be a loser not only of his
sufferings by-past, but of all that glory that is to come from the salvation
of believers, which is no small thing unto him. As officers in courts of
law, or in universities, get the more fees, the more clients and the more
commencers there are, so it is the more for Jesus Christ's gain that many
sinners get out, and are received to grace and mercy.
Some extrinsical demonstrations of God's and Christ's willingness to pardon
sinners.
And unto all these secret engagements both of God and Christ mutually
to each other, and to us, we may add all the professed publications of their
minds herein unto us, which have been made upon all occasions and by all
means possible. As,
First, This news hath been published by all three persons : first, God
the Father he began to preach it to Adam in paradise, and hath renewed it
again and again, as with his own immediate voice from heaven when Christ
was baptized, ' This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,
hear him;' which the apostle Peter records and confirms, as spoken a
second time upon the mount, as a matter of highest moment to be known
by us, ' which voice he heard' (says he), ' and is no fable,' 2 Pet. i. 16, 17.
Secondly, Christ who is 'the faithful and true witness,' Rev. i. 5, he
came from the bosom of his Father, and preached peace, Eph. ii. 17. Yea,
and it was one of his first texts he preached upon, Luke iv. 18, ' The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the
gospel, to preach deliverance to the captives.'
Thirdly, The Holy Ghost he also herewith bearing witness, that ' God
hath exalted Christ to be a Prince and Saviour, to give repentance and for-
giveness of sins,' Acts v. 31, 32. And so Heb. ii. 4. And these are
these ' three witnesses in heaven,' 1 John v. 7, whose record as it follows
is this, ' that there is life to be had in his Son Jesus Christ,' ver. 11.
222 ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
Secondly, God hath published this news both by all creatures reasonable,
and to all creatures reasonable.
First, The angels they came and preached it, singing, ' Peace on earth,
good will towards men,' Luke ii. 13, 14.
Secondly, By men ; and to that end he hath given gifts to men, powerful
and full of glory, Eph. iv. 8, &c. And a commission with those gifts, a
most large and gracious one. ' And he hath committed to us the ministry
of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to
himself,' 2 Cor. v. 20.
Yea, and thirdly, he hath maintained this ministry in all ages, even to
our times, all times have rung of the news hereof, and the world is still
full of his ambassadors to treat with men about this peace, and they are to
proclaim that he is fully willing ; and upon that ground, to beseech men to
be reconciled, and so long as lieger ambassadors reside uncalled home or
not sent for away, so long the treaty of peace holds.
Fourthly, He hath proclaimed this by these his ambassadors in all places ;
he bade them go and preach it to all the world, ' to every creature,' Mark
xvi. 15. And his disciples did accordingly. Now he would not have had
it spoken so openly and generally, ii he were not most serious in it.
Fifthly, Add to this, that he hath declared it by all ways and means that
do argue faithfulness and seriousness.
(First.) Not by bare word of mouth, but we have it under his hand, he
hath left his mind in writing. This book, which is dropped from heaven,
the title of it is, ' The word of reconciliation,' 2 Cor. v. 19, the main argu-
ment of it being reconciliation. In tbis book we find proclamation sent
forth after proclamation, book after book, line after line, all written to this
end, that we sinners ' might have hope and strong consolation,' as the
apostle witnesseth.
(Secondly.) He hath added to this writing those seals of the sacraments,
and further, an oath to both, and that made advisedly with the greatest
earnestness and deliberation that might be, Heb. vi. 17, ' God willing' (the
text says) ' more abundantly to manifest this his intent, the immutability of
his counsel, he confirmed that promise with an oath ; that by two immu-
table things, his word and oath, we might have strong consolation.'
(Thirdly.) If this be not sufficient, he hath pawned heaven and earth,
the ' covenant of day and night,' in mortgage to forgive iniquity and pardon
sinners. Thus, Jer. xxxi. 34, 35, 36, ' This is my covenant (says God
there), that I will forgive their iniquities, and remember their sins no more.'
So ver. 34, and then it follows, ver. 35, ' Thus saith the Lord, who giveth
the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and stars for a
light by night : if those ordinances depart from before me, then the seed
of Israel,' &c. The like you have, chap, xxxiii. 25, 26. Day and night
we see stand still, and therefore this covenant holds good stdl. But we
have a greater pawn than this, the death of his Son.
And lastly, Let his actions and courses, which he hath taken from the
beginning of the world, speak for all the rest ; as Satan hath been a mur-
derer from the beginning, so God hath been a Saviour from the beginning,
and Christ is the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world. God began
with the first of mankind, even with Adam and Eve, the ringleaders, the
heads of this rebellion, who drew all the rest of the world into that enmity,
these were yet reconciled. Kings usually hang up the heads and chief in
treasons, for examples of their justice, though they pardon others ; yet
these did God save and pardon as examples of his mercy, to all that should
ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH. 223
come of them ; and it is observablo that the first thing he did, after the
world was fallen, was this act of mercy, both in preaching this gospel and
in pardoning them, ho began to do that soon, which he meant to be always
a-doing to the end of the world : it argues he delights in it, yea, and accord-
ing to Christ's last promise on earth, that he would ' be with us to the end
of the world.' God is to this day reconciling the world of men to himself;
some that walk in your streets by you, live among you. And he will have
thousands when you are gone, and what are these but as flags, and paUorns
of mercy, hung forth by God to toll and bring others in, as Eph. ii. 7.
Use. What should the consideration of these things work in our hearts, but
what the scope of the text itself puts men upon, even that they would come
in unto Christ, and believe on him, and give up their souls unto him ?
1 He that believes shall in no wise be cast out.' As Christ therefore is will-
ing, so should we be ' a willing people.' That which keeps men ofi is,
that they know not Christ's mind and heart. Think it not to be an indif-
ferent thing to him whether you believe or no, as if he came into the world
to do this duty of dying for sinners singly in obedience to his Father, so
that men might be rendered saveable if they will ; and that however, if they
will not, he yet hath enough to satisfy and quiet himselt with, even this,
that he shall be glorified in what he hath done, though few or none of the
sons of men be saved. It is a prejudicial doctrine this to the salvation of
men, and derogatory to Christ's free love. What, do we think that Jesus
Christ is gone to heaven, there to complain unto angels of the unkindness
and hardness of men's hearts, that will not turn to him notwithstanding he
hath done so much, and to tell what he had done for them, and what they
would not be persuaded to do for themselves ; and that so he can suffi-
ciently please himself with such just complaints ? No, surely ; our effec-
tual salvation concerns him more than so ; and his heart is more fully bent
upon it than thus to leave it. Of what he hath bought he will lose nothing.
The truth is, he is more glad of us than we can be of him. The father of
the prodigal was the forwarder of the two to that joyful meeting. Hast
thou a mind ? He that came down from heaven, as himself saith in the
text, to die for thee, will meet thee more than half way, as the prodigal's
father is said to do, by his Spirit : he will send him from heaven to thee, and
at the latter day himself will come again to fetch thee and receive thee to
himself. If among the angels in heaven there be joy at the conversion of
a sinner, how much more joy ic there in Christ's heart ? If there be joy
in the bedchamber-men (as John speaks) what joy is there in the bride-
groom's heart ? Or if among the standers by, when a man-child is born
into the world, how much more doth the mother that was in travail for it,
as Christ's soul was, how much more doth she rejoice ? therefore come
in unto him. If you knew his heart you would. As they that crucified
him knew him not, so neither do those who believe not in him. If
you had been on earth with him, or if he were now here, and had
this day preached these things unto you, and uttered these his own
desires and longings after you ; how would you in troops go all thronging
after him when the sermon were done, and each of you come about him,
as those that had diseases did, and beseech him to pardon and save you,
and not leave him till you have obtained some word of comfort and favour
from him ! Let me tell you, he had preached this day, but that he had
other business to do for you in heaven, where he is now praying and inter-
ceding for you, even when you are sinning ; as on earth we see he did for
224 ENCOURAGEMENTS TO FAITH.
the Jews when they were a-crucifying him. Now because he could not
for this other business come himself, he therefore sends us his ambassa-
dors, and we in Christ's stead do beseech you ; and it is as if ' Christ by
us did beseech you ;' and we preach but such things as were ' first spoken
by the Lord himself,' as it is in Heb. ii. 3. And he sends his Spirit, and
continues to give gifts unto men to this very day ; and in all these respects,
whenever the gospel is preached, he is said to ' speak from heaven.' Refuse
not him that speaks from heaven, Heb. xii. 25. And though you have
not his bodily presence, as they had who heard himself preach here on
earth, yet you may by faith have as free an access unto him, and know as
surely that he hears you, as if he were in the same room with you. Retire,
therefore, into your closet, and treat with him in private, and there press
these things on him ; say them all over again unto himself, and ask him if
they be not true ; get the match struck up between thy soul and him,
which if once made will never be undone again. Say unto him, Lord, why
may it not be made up now ? Only let me add this : see you come not to
him without a wedding-garment, and without wedding affections. Take up
a resolution to love him. For if thou comest to him, what dost thou come
for ? Pardon of sins. And what is it in him that must procure that ?
His having died for thee ; that was it. And what was it that moved him
to die ? An infinite love ; such a love, as were the thing yet to be done,
he would certainly do it, and die to satisfy God for thee. Now then, seeing
he hath already done it out of such a love, with what face canst thou ask
pardon of him, as the effect of such a love, and not love him again, and
obey him in all things ? But to make short with you, know this, that if
you will not come in to him, thou wilt be damned. So saith Christ, ' He
that believes shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be damned.' And
I could tell you another, and as large a story of Christ's wrath against
those that refuse him, as I have told you of his love. The Lamb can be
angry, for he is a Lion also. ' consider this therefore, lest he tear you
in pieces, and there be none to deliver you.'
THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL.
VOL. IV.
NOTE.
Under the common title, ' The Glory of the Gospel,' Goodwin left two works,
the one consisting of two sermons, and the other of a treatise divided into eight
chapters. Although he probably intended that the one should supersede the other,
and, if he had published his works himself, would probably have suppressed the
former, the greater part of the matter of which is incorporated and more fully
treated in the latter, yet, as they are both included in the folio edition of his works,
it has not been considered right to omit either of them in this reprint ; the rather
that, as they stand, they differ too widely to be regarded merely as different editiona
of the same work. — Ed.
THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL.
SERMON I.
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ayes and generations, bat now is
made manifest to his saints : to whom God would make known what is the
riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory. — Col. I. 26, 27.
The apostle spends this chapter, from the 13th verse to the end, in three
things principally.
1. In setting out Jesus Christ in all that fulness of the riches of his glory
wherewith he is arrayed and represented in the gospel ; from ver. 13 to 23,
from whence to the 4th verse of the second chapter, he falls into a com-
mendation and elogium of the gospel, ' Which is that mystery,' as the text
hath it, • wherein is made known that rich glory of Christ, the glory of the
mystery, which riches is Christ.'
And the apostle doth both these on set purpose (as in the 4th and 8th
verses he professeth), to divert and take off these Colossians' minds, from
these vain deceitful speculations grounded on philosophy, traditions of men,
&c, gaudily and speciously set out with enticing words. ' This, I say,'
says verse the 4th, 'lest any, &c.' 'Beware,' verse the 8th, 'lest any
spoil you through philosophy, and vain deceit.' To dash and put these
quite out of countenance at once, he discovers riches and glory. To dis-
cover the beggarliness of these radiments — as the apostle elsewhere epithe-
tizeth the best of them, Gal. iv. 9 — he lays open the riches of the mysteries
of Christ, and displays the glory, and the excellency of it, to spoil, and cause
to vanish, and come to nothing, the enticing gloss and lustre of all other
wisdom (as it is 1 Cor. i. 19), which had well nigh spoiled them.
Now, in this place of this first chapter, the words I have read unto you,
the current of his commendation of the gospel's excellency swells to the
highest, and runs with the deepest and strongest stream, within the limits
of which therefore, I will confine myself, as affording matter enough to set
forth the glory of it, and that by all that doth commend unto us any know-
ledge.
For first, it is commended by the original author and revealer of it, with
his intent therein ; God himself, who is best able to discern what knowledge
is the fullest of riches and glory, chose to reveal and make known this merely
for the worth of it ; namely, because the riches of glory were revealed by it.
228 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SERMON I.
The first * says God would, or was desirous to, make known the riches of
glory that were in it ; that moved him to it.
Secondly, If the worth of the subject matter revealed doth ennoble a know-
ledge, then must this be glorious, for Christ is the subject matter of it, ' which
riches are Christ, the Lord of glory.'
Thirdly, If all the properties that are excellent in any knowledge will add
worth to it, they centre in this,
First, If depth and profoundness, it is a mystery.
Secondly, If preciousness and abundance ; it is full of riches and glory.
Thirdly, If profitableness and usefulness, it not only reveals riches of glory
to the knowers of it, the saints, out of themselves, but makes them posses-
sors of all the riches it reveals, and gives them certain hope of all the glory
it speaks, which riches are Christ in you, made your Christ, with all his
riches, for the present, and to you the hope of glory.
Fourthly, If secrecy commends a knowledge, as it doth, it hath been hid
long from the beginning of the world in regard of the clear revealing of it,
but now in the end of the world it is revealed.
And lastly, If rareness, now it is revealed, it is not made common, it is
revealed only to the saints, who only know it in the riches and glory of it,
' To whom God would make known,' &c.
You have the scope and meaning of the apostle ; mine at this time is by
enlarging on these particulars to set out the glory of the gospel ; that part
of the word which in strict sense reveals the doctrine of God's free grace,
the work of Christ's redemption, and the riches of it, justification, and sancti-
fication, and the secrets hereof; for this is the gospel.
But you will say, To what end will all this be ? I wish there were no
need of it, so I never preached more, and that both in regard of the people
and ministers themselves ; for the people of this land, it were well for Eng-
land if the contempt of this glorious gospel and the ministry of it were not
their greatest sin. Happy were we if the measure of our iniquities were
made so much fighter by the want of it ! I should then expect to see
many more years past ere it were filled than now are like to be. And is
there no need to set forth the glory of it ? And for the ministers, they
might add more beauty to their own feet, and souls to God, if in their
speculations and preachings they did not, as the Pharisees of old did in
their practice, (if we may judge what is in the cistern by what ordinarily
cometh in and out), neglect the great things of the gospel forementioned,
and tithe mint and cummin, pick truths of less moment, bolt and sist them
to the bran, but leave the other unsearched into and uninsisted on.
But, my brethren, however we may esteem this doctrine of the gospel,
and what other knowledge we may pride ourselves in, and wear out our
brains in, yet it is this which is the riches of the Gentiles and saints, as
this place shews, and many more : ' the pearl of the world,' Mat. xiii. 45 ;
• the glory of the ministry,' 1 Cor. ii. 7 ; ' which God ordained for our
glory,' namely, apostles' and ministers', the preachers of it.
The clear revealing of which was the desire and longing of the patriarchs
and prophets, who though they knew the legal covenants as fully as we,
yet this doctrine of salvation, Christ's sufferings, God's grace, was it they
1 inquired into ;' that is, sought to God by prayer, ' and searched diligently,'
that is, searched using all means of reading and meditating, to attain the
knowledge of it, and all this diligently ; spent, and thought it worthy of the
chiefest of their pains, which, when it came to be revealed, the apostles
* Qu. ' He first ' ?— Ed.
Col. I. 26, 27.] the glory of tue gospel. 229
counted it their glory, which Paul therefore, who had profited so much in
the Jews' religion, Gal. i. 14, professeth, Phil. iii. 8, that he accounted all
dross and dung for this excellent knowledge of Christ. He might well say,
Rom. i. 16, he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for he makes his
knowledge therein his chiefest excellency, Eph. iii. 4, there is a parenthesis
wherein you would think he boasted speaking of his own writings, ' Whereby
when you read ' (saith he) ' you may understand my knowledge in the mys-
tery of Christ.'
What do I, speaking of the study and glory of prophets and apostles ?
It is the study of the angels, which they think worthy of their greatest
attention. Look into both these places, 1 Pet. i. 12, Eph. i. 10, ' Which
things the angels desire to pry into ; ' these glorious creatures that know God
in his legal covenant and work of creation more fully than ever Adam did,
that have the immediate participation of God himself, have his face to read
lectures in, day and night, and yet glad if they can get but a peep and
glimpse of the way of saving men by Christ, as being a knowledge of
greater excellency than otherwise they have any ; yea, and so desirous are
they to learn it, that they are content to go to school to the church, Eph.
iii. 9, 10, ' That to principalities and powers might be made known by the
church,' &c.
But what need I speak of angels, prophets, and apostles ? It is the great
study (if I may so speak with reverence), the wisdom and great learning of
God himself, who was the first professor of it, called so ■xur s^o-^v, 1 Cor.
ii. 7, speaking of the gospel, says he, ' We speak the wisdom of God in a
mystery,' and that a hidden wisdom before the world was, hid in God, Eph.
iii. 9; God's act, and peculiar to himself; whereas other knowledge men and
angels have in common with us infused at first creation to attain to, and
pick out of themselves.
But this is his wisdom, which he alone had studied, and which none
knows but those to whom he revealed it, which hath brought me to the
first part of my text ; ' setting forth the excellency of the gospel,' that it is
a mystery which God only makes known, and that to saints, for the riches
of glory that are revealed in it.
1 . Now, to shew you the original and the intent of framing this mystery,
you have it expressed in this frame following :
Our all-wise and infinitely blessed Lord, who had from everlasting riches
of glorious perfections of holiness, justice, wisdom, mercy in him, which
though he himself knew and was infinitely blessed in the knowledge of
them, though no saint or angel had ever been, or ever knew them, yet all
these his glorious perfections being crowned with goodness, both made him
willing to make known what riches of glory were in him unto some crea-
tures which yet were in Christ, his goodness moved him to it, for bonum
est sui communicativum, and it is the nature of perfection also to be mani-
festativum sui, and that not because any perfection is added to it when
made known (which makes us desire to manifest our imperfections, as
being perfected when made known), but that they might perfect others.
This set him upon some ways to make known his riches and his glory to
some that should be made happy by it, and to that end he would have
saints his saints, as being beloved of him, unto whom he might as it were
unbosom himself and display all the riches of glory which are in him, into
whose laps he might withal pour out all his riches, that they might see his
glory, and be glorified in seeing of it, John xvii. 3, 24.
And one way he began to manifest his glorious back-parts to angels and
230 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SERMON I.
man in the first creation, in the law, covenant of works, and works of crea-
tion which he had done, as his eternal power, and Godhead, and goodness
in the glorious workmanship of heaven and earth, and of such glorious
creatures as they themselves were, Rom. i. 20. His wisdom in the order-
ing, governing, and guiding so great a host and armies of several creatures,
to several ends, by several laws ; his justice in his legal covenant, giving
them life whilst they should obey ; threatening damnation to the disobeyers
of it ; his infinite holiness in that perfect and exact rule of righteousness,
the copy of his own will written in their hearts.
Here was one way whereby God made known what glorious riches were
in him, which might have made him glorious in their eyes, and themselves
happy ; and this the angels and Adam at the first had. But all this con-
tented him not ; God would make known a further mystery, another larger,
deeper way, an act found out of the depths of his wisdom, namely, this
doctrine of the gospel, which he kept hid and close in his own breast ; not
a creature knew it, no, not the angels, who were his nearest courtiers and
dearest favourites ; it lay hid in God, Eph. iii. 9, hid even from them,
verse 10.
A mystery which, when it should be revealed, should amaze the world,
put the angels to school again, as if they had known nothing in comparison
of this, wherein they know over again all those glorious riches which are in
God, and that more perfectly and fully than ever yet. And so after they
had a little studied the catechism and compendium, there should then come
out a large volume, a new system, of the riches of the glory of God, the
mystery of Christ in the text, which is the last edition also that ever shall
come forth, now set out, enlarged, perfected, wherein the large inventory of
God's glorious perfections is more fully set down, and with additions.
The reasons why God did thus intend to manifest himself are :
First, Because he would shew his manifold wisdom, which is the reason
given of revealing the gospel, Eph. iii. 10. ' That to the angels might ap-
pear the manifold wisdom of God.'
That his wisdom is so vast and large, that he could vary and take more
ways than one ; and as he had two sorts of reasonable creatures to shew
himself unto, so a double way, a double sampler, a double method, a systema
mams et minus.
And secondly, because indeed it was of itself too obscure and too imper-
fect.
First, Too obscure ; for in the gospel, and works of redemption, they came
to see all that they saw before ; and this more clearly and largely, wherein
they see more power in Christ, ' the power of God,' 1 Cor. i. 24. In
raising himself up from death to life, declared with power thereby to be the
Son of God, Rom. i. 4, and also the exceeding greatness of his power in
raising us up also, Eph. i. 19, as might easily be shewed greater than in the
creation.
Wherein they likewise see a greater and clearer instance and manifesta-
tion of his justice, iu putting to death his own Son, taking on him to be a
surety for sin, than if a world of worlds had been damned for ever. And
in that his Son also, they came to see a greater and more transcendent
righteousness than ever appeared either in the law or is inherent in the
angels ; for if all their righteousness were put into one, it could but justify
themselves, it could not satisfy for the least breach of the law in another.
But in the gospel, and work of redemption, we see a righteousness of that
breadth that is able to cover the sins of millions of worlds ; of that length
Col. I. 26, 27.] the glory of the gospel. 281
that it reacheth to eternity, and no sin in God's peoplo can wear it out or
nullify the virtue of it. To instance in no more,
Secondly, That other was but an imperfect way in comparison of this,
or,
(First), Those attributes which God accounts his greatest riches and
greatest glory, Rom. ix. 23, even his mercy and free grace, which he intends
most to exalt, never saw light till now ; the doctrine of salvation by Christ
being the stage, wherein it is only* represented, and elsewhere it is not to
be seen, and upon it acts the greatest part, for all passages in it tend to this,
to shew, as Eph. h. 5, that ' by grace we are saved ;' and therefore, 1 Peter
ii. 10, the whole work of salvation is called ' mercy,' all God's ways to his
people are mercy, Ps. xxv. 10, the whole plot and frame of it is made of
mercy, and therefore the doctrine of the gospel is called grace, Titus ii.
10, 11. Mercy manageth the plot, gives all other attributes, as it were,
their parts to act ; mercy enters in at the beginning, acts the prologue in
election ; and, giving Christ, continues every part of it, sets all a- work, ends
the whole in glory.
But (secondly), not only more of his attributes came thus to be dis-
covered, but, farther, the glorious mystery of the Trinity came hereby to
be unfolded more clearly, if not the first discovery made of the three persons
hereby, there being scarce the footsteps of them distinctly and clearly to be
seen in the works of creation or in the law.
But now, when the gospel came to be revealed, and the work of salvation
in it, then were there discovered to be ' three witnesses in heaven,' 1 John
v. 7, witnesses to our salvation, and their several witnessing came to be
known by three several seals and head works set severally to our salvation,
bearing the stamp of their three several subsistences, so as by these three
seals, of the election of Christ and us, redemption, and sanctification, we may
know there are three persons, and how they do subsist. Even as in men's
seals, their several arms being engraven, their houses and antiquity is known.
As, first, God the Father hath set to his seal in election, 2 Tim. ii. 19,
1 The foundation of the Lord remains firm, having this seal, The Lord
knows who are his;' and in this seal of election you may read the similitude
of his subsistence written, and the order of it. For as his subsisting is the
fountain of the other two, so is election attributed to him, which is the
foundation, as that place says, both of sanctification and redemption.
Secondly, God the Son hath set to his seal, even his blood, the seal of
the new covenant, in the work of redemption, to the sealing up of iniquity.f
Dan. ix. 24, which carries in it the resemblance of his subsistence also.
For as it flows from election alone, and is next to it, so his subsistence from
the Father only-
And lastly, God the Holy Ghost hath his seal also set to it. Eph. iv.
30, ' Wherewith we are sealed to the day of redemption ; ' by the work of
sanctification, which bears the print and manner of his subsistence, for as
it flows both from election and redemption, so doth his person from the
Father and from the Son.
2. And so now in the second place let us come to the subject of the
gospel, Christ, in whom the riches of glory is alone discovered, ' which
riches is Christ.'
Whereas in the law and covenant of works these riches were not only
imperfectly and obscurely discovered, but also manifested scatteredly and
* That is, ' wherein only it is.' — Ed.
t In the authorised version ' the finishing of the transgression.' — Ed.
232 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SeEMON I.
with broken beams, as the sun in water when the water is disturbed, one
attribute shining in one work, another in another, and dimly too ; so as a
man must have read over all the larger volumes of the world, and picked
out here and there a several notion of God out of several works ; as now
we are fain to study many tongues, in which knowledge is bound up and
hidden as kernels in the shells ; in this second way of manifesting his glory,
things are more full, large, and clearer than ever, yet all is contracted into one
volume, bound up in Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge ; who is the subject of the mystery, in whom we may fully
read the glory of the Lord in Christ Grod-man. And therefore the gospel
is called the ' mystery of Christ,' Col. iv. 3, and the gospel of God concern-
ing Jesus Christ, Rom. i. 3 ; he being the adequate subject of it, whom he
hath set up to be ' all in all,' Col. iii. 11, and therefore we are complete in
him, chap. ii. ver. 10, all fulness dwelling in him in such fulness, that
we need no other object to represent these riches of glory to us.
For first, did we know God, or would we know him in the creatures, we
shall not need now to look on them if we know but him ; who as a creature
is the first-begotten of every creature, Col. i. 15 ; and being man, if he were
no more, hath the excellencies of them all summed up in him. He is the
compendium and model of the world ; whatever they express of God, is to
be more fully seen in him.
Secondly, Did we know or should we have known God by his image
stamped upon man, and now shining in the law more than in all the creatures
else, or than in man himself without it ? Turn your eyes on Christ, for he
is such a man as is the head of men, 1 Cor. xi. 3, yea, and of angels also,
who are a part of the church, Col. i. 18, and therefore a man of those
transcendent perfections, that as he is mere man, that image which Adam
lost, the angels yet wear and count their glory, it shines more brightly in
him than in them all it should have done. Even as the head contains
more of the beauty and image of a man, hath more of man in it, than all
the body.
But yet, thirdly, He is the Son of God, and second person, and therefore
the express image and brightness of his Father's glory, the essential sub-
stantial image of his Father, which transcends infinitely more all other
draughts of him than the image of a king in his son begotten like him, and
in a board or tablet. But this image, you will say, it is too bright for us
to behold it shining in his strength, we being as unable to behold it in him,
as we were to see his Father himself, who dwells in light inaccessible, which
no eye can attain to. Therefore that yet we may see it as nigh and as fully
and to the utmost that creatures could ; this Godhead dwells bodily in a
human nature, that so shining through the lantern of his flesh we might
behold it. His human nature and divine make up one person, and being
so, are united together in the highest kind of union that God can be to a
creature, and the nearest and fullest communications follow always upon
the nearest union. To him therefore as man are communicated these
riches of glory that are in the Godhead, as nearly and fully as was possible
unto a creature ; and being thus communicated, must needs shine forth in
him to us to the utmost that they ever could unto creatures ; and there-
fore more clearly than if millions of several worlds had been created every
day on purpose to reveal God to us. God having stamped upon his Son
all his glory, that we might see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,
2 Cor. iv. 6.
But yet, fourthly, this is not all whereby Christ is made the image of the
Col. I. 26, 27.] the glory op the gospel. 233
invisible God to us, for thus we might have seen the fulness of the God-
head shining in him though he had not come as a redeemer and mediator,
and had acted nothing, done nothing in us or for us, but had been merely
set up for us to look on and see God in, as supposing him incarnate, not
in relation to redemption. Therefore further also, and besides this, he is
made to us the image of the invisible God in all these his works of media-
tion which flow from his person, and in the execution of all those glorious
offices of king, priest, and prophet. The story of which, when it shall be
all set and viewed together, makes up yet another kind of image and repre-
sentation of all God's attributes and glorious riches than shine in his person
as alone in itself considered, or than doth shine in the angels, or man at his
first creation ; and he himself being a mediator is become a middle person
between God and man, so the story of those his works of mediation shews
forth and presents us with a double picture and image of God, between
them both there being a new and another edition of all God's attributes in
the story of what he hath done, which infinitely transcends and comes
nearer to the life than all those images which were or should have been
stamped upon the hearts, or appeared inj the works of men or angels ; a
brighter, clearer impression of all in God than such tablets are capable of ;
and indeed comes so near the life, that not only in regard of his person,
but also of those his works of mediation, &c, he is called those attributes
in the abstract which appear shining in them. Men and angels, in regard
of God's image stamped on them, might have been called wise, but not
1 the wisdom of God,' but Christ, 1 Cor. i. 24, is called ' The wisdom of
God, and the power of God,' which yet is not spoken of him in regard of
his person, as he is substantially and essentially both these, as all the rest ;
but as in his works he is manifestative, by way of manifestation to us, all
these ; by reason that in the story of his incarnation, life, and death, and
mediation, &c, all these are manifested. In all these, when told and set
together, there appears the greatest depths of wisdom that to the creatures
could be discovered, which the knowledge of him discovers. So the power
of God also in the same sense, in regard of the transcendent work of his
rising again, wrestling with and overcoming hell, subduing sin, &c, in
which the power of God appears. And there is the like reason of all the
rest of God's attributes ; as because he is the foundation of all God's great
and precious promises by his blood, that they are all yea and amen in him,
therefore he may likewise be called the ' truth and faithfulness of God.'
So as through his mediation, at his cost, the world subsists, which else
would fall in pieces, Col. i. 17, Heb. i. 3, and that he governs it, and
prays his Father for his forbearance of it, he may be called ' the patience
and longsuffering of God.' That upon him God's justice had its full course,
and by his judging the wicked at the latter day, with the transcendency of
knowledge, wisdom, righteousness, &c, which will be required to so vast a
work, that he may be termed ' the justice of God ; ' for in what he hath
done, doth daily, and shall do, all these attributes appear.
Now, as Christ is thus in regard of his person and works the liveliest image
and representation of God's glorious riches, which is otherwise invisible;
so is the gospel the image of Christ, who otherwise should be invisible to us
in this life. When he dwelt with men, the apostles and believers who saw
and heard him and his works, saw his glory then, • as of the only begotten
Son of God,' John i. 14. But Christ was to be taken up to glory, John
xvi. 7, ' It is necessary that I go away.' And though we shall see him when
we are taken up also ; see his glory which he had before the world was,
234 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SERMON I.
John xvii. 24, yet how should believers do in the mean time to see him,
and the riches of God's glory in him ? Therefore hath God framed and
revealed the doctrine of the gospel, in the preaching of which, Gal. iii. 1,
Christ is said to be evidently set forth or pictured, vgosygdpri, before our
eyes. And as he is the liveliest image of God, so the gospel is the liveliest
representation of Christ that could possibly be made, for it is a glass, 2 Cor.
iii. 18, and a glass is the liveliest way of representing things absent that ever
could be invented, not in dead and lifeless colours only, which pictures only do.
And indeed it is a middle way of representing a man, from that either when
we see his person directly before our eyes, or when we see his picture
drawn in colours ; for though it be less clear and perfect than seeing the
man himself, yet is more lively than all the pictures in the world ; for
quod videtur in specula non est imago, it is more than a bare image which is
seen in a glass, even the person himself, though by a reflex and reverberated
species, that is his likeness beaten back again to the eyes, which otherwise
when we behold him face to face is received more directly ; and therefore is
a more obscure and imperfect way of seeing a man than to see him face to
face, as the apostle says, 1 Cor. xiii. 12, as in heaven we shall do Christ,
yet in the mean time this puts down all the pictures in the world. And
such is the knowledge of Christ under and by the gospel, in comparison of
that knowledge which was had of him under and by the ceremonial law,
Heb. x. 1, which he calls the ' shadow,' those representations under the
gospel, ' the image of good things to come ;' which the apostle calls but a
shadow of him, Col. ii. 17, drawn in wan and lifeless colours, and of that
sight and knowledge we shall have of him in heaven, when we shall see him
as he is ; this knowledge of him in the glass of the gospel is as a middle
way of seeing him between both, less lively than the one, yet infinitely more
bright and real than the other, even as I said before, that the image of God
in Christ which shineth in his works of mediation is a middle image or
representation between that which shone in Adam and that which is sub-
stantial in his person.
For as it comes short of the one, it being substantial, so it exceeds the
other, as I then shewed.
So that (to keep to the scope of the apostle in this Epistle), take all the
knowledge of God and Christ discovered in the most choice and curious
pieces of Grecian learning, or of the ceremonial law, which far exceeded
their philosophy ; both which, as it should seem by the second chapter,
these Colossians so garishly doted upon : and let a believer with the eye of
faith look upon Christ, as discovered in the glass of the gospel, and then
with the other eye look upon the other, and what will all those other appear ?
At best but wan, dead, and lifeless pictures, shadows, as he calls them, ver.
17, whose rudiments and graved colours are said to be ' the rudiments of
this world,' ' traditions of men,' ver. 8, whose varnish also is but • the en-
ticing words of men's wisdom,' ver. 4. But this is lively, real, the colours
rich, the varnish glory, ' riches of glory ' being bestowed upon it ; ' whereby
as in a glass we see the glory of the Lord, which cannot be painted,' 2 Cor.
iii. 18.
But you will say, what is the gospel but a verbal story told us when
preached, or read, or meditated on ? It represents Christ to us but as
words use to do, and words are but umhrm rerum, shadows, pictures, and
indeed less lively. How comes it then to represent Christ so really ? And
to be as a glass representing Christ to us so truly ? I answer, That as a
glass in itself is but an empty thing, unless the objects to be seen in it be
Col. I. 2G, 27.] the glory of the gospel. 235
directly placed before it, and by ligbt discovered in it, a glass represents
nothing to us ; and such I confess the gospel is in itself, a mere verbal re-
presentation ; but to believers, the saints in the text, the Spirit of the Lord
joins with these words, presents Christ by a secret, hidden, and unheard of
act to the eye of faith in the preaching or reading of it, opens heaven, and
causes the glory of Christ to shine as present in it in a lively, real manner.
And so it follows in that 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' We all behold as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, even as by the Spirit of the Lord ;' and lastly, which is
the strangest of all the rest, ' are changed into the same image.' That
whereas a man may look long enough upon other pictures, though never so
rich and glorious, and go away as he comes, his countenance no whit altered ;
but this is such a representation as, by beholding of it, we are changed into
the same image, and the riches of Christ are made ours ; which riches are
' Christ in you,' says the text ; the strangest glass and picture that ever yet
was seen in the world.
3. The next thing that commends it is that it is a mystery ; and indeed
how can it be otherwise, if God's wisdom hath been employed for the in-
venting of it, and that as the utmost way of manifesting himself? And
therefore, 1 Cor. ii. 7, it is called ' the wisdom of God in a mystery.' And
if the doctrine of popery, which in imitation of God the devil invented, to
set up his eldest son antichrist, deserveth to be called a ' mystery of ini-
quity,' another gospel, and yet not another ; and if the false doctrine of
these in Thyatira be called depths, though of Satan, Rev. ii. 24 : — and in-
deed popery is the greatest mystery that ever created understanding hatched,
if all the frame, and policies, and mysteries of it be considered : — then
surely this, which is God's gospel, made for Christ, as that for antichrist,
which is the master-piece of his wisdom.
And secondly, if Christ be the subject of it, it must needs be a mystery,
called therefore, Col. iv. 3, ' The mystery of Christ ;' and in that regard it
is a mystery, and a great mystery too, 1 Tim. iii. 16, ' Without contro-
versy, great is the mystery of godliness ; God manifest in the flesh ' being
the subject of it, coming therein to reconcile the world. Which plot, con-
sidering how things stood betwixt God and us, and laying these conclusions,
that God will not put up the least wrong at men's hands, now fallen, with-
out full satisfaction, which they nor any creature is able to make, and yet
that nature that did offend must satisfy ; — had it been referred to a con-
sultation of all intelligible* natures, angels and men, that ever were or shall
be, it would have wildered and plunged their thoughts to eternity how it
might be done, and after millions of years' consultation they would have
returned answer, they could not think of nor find out any.
Great, therefore, is the mystery of godliness, God to this end manifested
in the flesh, and that so great as, now it is revealed, all the world that hears
and sees into the plot must needs acknowledge it so ; without controversy,
generally, without mouth, f as the word signifies, o/xoXoyou/iei/wg.
And in the incarnation of his Son, and the satisfaction of his justice, so
many more also meet in this one mystery, things of such a seeming con-
tradiction, as the wits of men know not how to reconcile. And this in
every part of it, as in election, that God at once loves the sinner with an
everlasting, unchangeable love, and yet a child of wrath ; which the Remon-
strants I therefore quarrel. In the work of redemption, that free grace, and
* That is, ' intelligent.' — Ed. t Probably a misprint for ' with one mouth.' — Ed.
% ' The Remonstrants. The Arminians were so called because of the ' remon-
strances ' which they addressed to the States of Holland in 1610. — Ed.
236 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SERMON I.
richest mercy, and fullest satisfaction, should meet together; which the
Socinians therefore are blinded in. In the work of justification, that one
in whom God works inherent righteousness, should not stand righteous
before God's tribunal, but be justified by the righteousness of another,
which the papists stumble at, as did the Jews, to their destruction. In
sanctification, how effectual calling, infallible conversion, should stand with
man's free will, is a riddle to the Arminians and papists, who therefore cut
the knot, not being able to untie it. All these are mysteries which God
hath revealed and made up in this, on purpose to shew his wisdom, and to
make wise his own, and to befool the world.
A mystery ! Then it is of such depths of wisdom, as take all the poor
petty plots of accommodating great difficulties, wherein the princes and
wise men of the world spend their thoughts away to vanity, and yet mag-
nify and pride themselves in ; and this plot, and any one mystery in it,
when once discovered, ' confoundeth and brings to nothing' all theirs,
1 Cor. i. 19 ; ii. 8. It all vanisheth as mere folly; nothing.
And there are not only depths of wisdom, but depths of love in it also,
Eph. iii. 18. It reveals a breadth, height, depth of love in Christ dying
for enemies, and God giving his Son for enemies, as passeth knowledge.
Sin is a great depth, therefore the apostle saith, ' it doth abound,' Rom.
v. 20, and is ' above measure sinful,' Rom. vii. 13, and so you will find it
when you guage it to the bottom. And so the devils and damned spirits in
hell shall find it, whilst they are a-studying their sinfulness in hell to all
eternity (that being their business), and can never fathom it.
But yet this of God's free grace and Christ's love is a depth, which swal-
lows up this of sin, more than the heavens do the earth. That place seems
to compare it to a mighty sea, so deep, as it wants a bottom ; so as though
the thoughts of men and angels shall be diving into it to all eternity, they
shall not come to ground. Of the length and breadth also, that it knows
no shore, that though they shall be sailing over it with that small compass
of their capacities for ever, yet they shall never come to land, ' it passeth
knowledge.' And indeed, my brethren, these are great incitements, espe-
cially to large understandings, to search into them. For men of large
understandings seek after depths, as good swimmers do after deep waters,
and refuse to go into the shallows, because they cannot have scope enough
to exercise then- skill, and presently strike aground.
And besides, this having such depths in it, may still further be searched
into with pleasure, for still it passeth knowledge. The most hidden things
in other knowledge, and the causes of them, as the cause of the eclipse of
the sun and moon, they are like riddles, which though admired, before
revealed, yet then become trivial, and as it were below the understanding,
and when you see the furthest of them they grow stale. But there are
depths in this knowledge, which for ever may be dived into with pleasure ;
and by reason of their depth, the knowledge of them to a ' renewed under-
standing ' will be always fresh and new ; every new degree makes all seem
new, as if not known before, 1 Cor. xiii. 10. Still as knowledge grows
more perfect, that which was before is done away and swallowed up, as if
you had not yet known it ; and so still it is new. And to study and hear
news all the day, the minds of men are led along with pleasure.
And withal this bids men be sure they come with reverence and fear, to
hear and read them.
Thirdly, It was a mystery hid and kept long secret in regard of clear
revealing of it. The prophets, 1 Pet. i. 11, had inquired into it, and
Col. I. 26, 27.] the glory of the gospel. 237
searched diligently, unto whom it was revealed, not unto them but us ;
which therefore is said to be ' our glory,' 1 Cor. ii. 7, being the privilege
we have above the patriarchs, who yet had knowledgo of the legal covenant
as clearly as we ; yet in regard of this, ' the least in the kingdom of God is
greater than ' John the Baptist, though in regard of clearer insight into the
gospel he was greater than any before him.
And this both adds to the excellency of it, so far as to commend it to us
the more. Were any of these secrets which philosophers and wise men in
all ages had beat their brains about, as quadratum circuit, &c, and the
philosopher's stone, found out and revealed to us in these ages ; how would
we therefore prize it the more, as we do printing, the mystery of which lay
hid from the beginning. Nay, this mystery and the doctrine of it, is that
which the saints for four thousand years studied, and sought to God to
know, all of them one after another ; and still they could get no other an-
swer but this, that ' not unto them, but us.'
Again, Where lay it hid all this while ? In God's breast ; ai:h ruv
aluvuv, the secula seculorum, before the world was, generations since. So
Eph. hi. 9, ' lay hid in God,' and in* his master-piece, the chiefest of his
works.
If one bit of the choice books of Solomon, which had lain hid till now,
were yet found, a book about the nature of trees, birds, and beasts, how
would we prize it ! Much more this of God's. But you will say, When
was it first revealed, it had this to commend it ; yet now it is sixteen hun-
dred years since it sprang forth. It is not therefore so new to us. I an-
swer, It is true ; only consider that as the law, which though delivered in
Moses' time, yet before Josiah's time lay hid long, like some rivers that
run some leagues under ground, and then discover themselves again ; so
did the doctrine of the gospel, after the first discovery of it, lie hid many
ages and generations, as the church herself did in the wilderness, when
school divinity and popery, both wanting the light of the gospel, did cover
the world with darkness ; when it might truly be said, that the world was
1 spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit, traditions of men, rudiments
of the world, and not after Christ.'
Whereas, but within the compass of this age we now live in, it hath been
that the ' kingdoms of the world have become ' again ' the kingdoms of
Christ,' Bev. xi. 15, and the ' temple opened,' and the ' ark of the testa-
ment,' as it is in the last verse, that is Christ ; and all his riches have been
broken up and searched into, and discovered to the eyes of all. That as
to the popish partf there hath been a new Indies discovered, full of earthly
treasure, that had not been known before, which had so enriched them ; so
a new Indies of heavenly treasure, a new world of divinity hath been found
out, that was but privately known before, which hath enriched us ; and
happy were we, if we prized and defended ours, as they do theirs.
And though much of the heavenly treasure was digged up at first, yet
more hath since and may be, for God will find his church digging and work
of discovery to the end of the world. And, my brethren, these are the
times.
And lastly, Now it is revealed, it is but ' to the saints.' If the secrets
of it were known to all, they were no secrets, and less to be regarded ; but
God is dainty of this knowledge, tells it but to few. ' Father, I thank thee,'
saith Christ, ' that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and revealed them unto babes.' The doctrines of God's free grace, are the
* Qu. ' is '?— Ed. t That is, ' the Spaniards.'— Ed.
238 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SEEMON I.
the most inward, practical, and experimental secrets, and ' the deep things
of God,' as the things of the gospel are called, 1 Cor. ii. 10. Which
4 secrets' are only « with them that fear him (Ps. xxv. 14) and he will shew
them his covenant.' The things of the law may be known by natural men
as fully as by others, they have a copy of them in their consciences.
And this shews the excellency of this knowledge. For if there be any
knowledge better than other, God will be sure to impart it to his friends
and favourites ; John xv. 15, ' You are my friends, and all I have heard of
my Father, I have made known unto you.' This he will not tell to tbose
who are barely servants, ' they know not his mind,' as it is there. Be-
lievers only • have the mind of Christ,' 1 Cor. ii. 16.
But you will object, This is not so, for this knowledge is made common
to all. God would have the gospel ' preached to every creature ; ' and so
it was, Col. i. 23.,
I answer, as when Alexander objected to Aristotle, • that he would make
his knowledge common, and so debase it when he published his books.'
He answered, they were edita et non eclita, for none would understand them
but his scholars, and therefore entitled them m$ dx^oa/xdruv. So this,
though published to all the world, yet it is entitled a mystery, and a mys-
tery hid, for none know it but the saints who are taught of God, and are
his scholars, John vi. 45. That place shews that there must be a secret
teaching by God, and a secret learning, ' If they have heard, and been
taught of God.' Now God teacheth none but saints, for all that are so
taught come unto him ; ' Every one who hath heard, and learned of the
Father, cometh unto me.'
Ay, but you will say, Do not many carnal men know the gospel, and
discourse of things in it, through strength of learning ? &c.
I answer out of the text, that though they may know the tbings which
the gospel reveals, yet not the riches and glory of tbem ; that same rich
knowledge spoken of in the word, they want, and therefore know them not ;
as a child and a jeweller looking upon a pearl, both look upon it, and call
it by the same name ; but the child yet knows it not as a pearl in the worth
and riches of it, as the jeweller doth, and therefore cannot be said to know
it. Now Mat. xiii. 45, a Christian only is likened to a ' merchantman,
that finds a pearl of great price,' that is, discovered to be so, ' and sold all
he had for it, for he knew the worth of it.'
But you will say, Do not carnal men know the worth of the things in
the gospel, and can discourse of the rich grace of Christ, and worth of
him?
I answer, Yes, as a man who hath gotten an inventory by heart, and the
prices also, and so may know it ; yet never was he led into the exchequer
and treasury, to see all the jewels themselves, the wardrobe of grace, and
Christ's righteousness, to see the glory of them ; for these are all ' spirit-
ually discerned,' as the apostle says expressly, 1 Cor. ii. 14.
Uses.
Use 1. If it be a mystery, which God only makes known, as you see it
is, then go to him for it ; you know how to deal with him. James i. 5, 'If
any lack wisdom, let him ask it,' whose promise is in the new covenant, to
teach all his to know him. As you cannot see the sun without the light of
itself, so nor the riches of the glory of Christ without his Spirit, who is
called the Spirit of wisdom and revelation ; who only knows the deep
Col. I. 26, 27.] the glory of the gospel. 239
things of God, 1 Cor. ii. 10, as the mysteries of the gospel are, as the con-
text shews, that lie all at the bottom of his breast. The well is deep, we
have nothing to draw.
But you will say, God hath revoaled himself in the Scriptures, and it is
but reading them, and I have wit enough to understand them.
I answer, It was the Spirit that wrote the word, which is not therefore
(says Peter) of any private interpretation ; that is, no man's nor men's pri-
vate understanding, without the assistance of that public secretary of heaven,
can understand them.
He only hid the treasures of knowledge in the field, and he only knows
where they lie. "What an advantage is it then by prayer to unlock God's
breast, and obtain the ' key of knowledge' there, that unlocks God's study,
and can direct to all his notes and papers.
Secondly, get to be a saint, to whom God will make known ' the riches,'
&c, otherwise you cannot receive them, you will count them foolishness, as
hath been shewed ; if you do, you will but take them upon trust, by the
wholesale, as we use to say, and in the bundle, will not be able to see the
particular secrets that are in the truths revealed in the gospel, and opened,
and riches laid out.
Or if you could do all this without grace, yet a saint hath advantage,
First, In the comfort you will have in studying the mysteries of the
gospel, Col. ii. 2, to go no further. He wisheth them ' the knowledge of the
mystery, that they might be comforted ; ' for, indeed, a saint, the more he
sees into it, the more he knows his own riches. He tells them but over,
and gets more evidence of his title to them, whereas another is but as a
lawyer, that studies other men's evidences, without any great comfort to
himself. The choicest flowers of gospel truths to an unregenerate man are
of the stalk and yield no scent, but grow up in a saint's heart fresh and
comfortable.
Secondly, In that place, Col. ii. 2, you shall find ' riches of assurance '
joined with a saint's knowledge, which, 1 Thes. i. 4, 5, is made a note of
election, and not in another. Scotus says that to get a true and perfect
knowledge in divine things, fides infusa et acquislta, both faith infused and
acquired, are necessary.
First, A principle of faith infused, which may be an ' evidence,' as it is
defined, Heb. xi. 1, of all the principles and fundamental truths which
are revealed in the gospel and not proved ; for otherwise all our know-
ledge acquired built thereon will want assurance, will hang upon uncer-
tainties. Things hanging upon a pin are no firmer than the pin they hang
on. Unless faith rivets the principles of divine knowledge into the heart,
all the conclusions hang on uncertainties, and fall down in the end.
And, thirdly, grace will help you to get the start of another. As for a
natural man, he brings only natural parts ; a regenerate man is supposed
to have as good, and moreover hath a further power of discerning given
him. 1 Cor. ii. 15, ' The spiritual man discerneth all things.' It is his
own art. And as wicked men are often ' wiser ' in their art and generation
1 than the children of light ; ' yea, by your leave, the reason will more
strongly hold that a child of light may easilier be wiser in his, and there-
fore Solomon says, ' The knowledge of the holy is understanding.'
And, lastly, if they be saints, God makes known the saving truths of the
gospel by the writings and judgments of holy men. The angels learn these
mysteries of the church, and why should not we ? Ps. xxix. 9, ' In the
church every one speaks of God's glory,' or, as others read it, ' In the
240 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SERMON I.
church God utters all his glory.' The saints, especially, that are or have
been of the church, they speak of the glory of his kingdom and of his power,
and make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious
majesty of his kingdom. The ways of grace and mysteries of the kingdom
are seldom made known hut unto them.
And if God reveals the mysteries of grace to his saints only, trust not the
judgments of natural men in the matters of grace ; this is a godly man's
art, and not a wicked man's, though never so learned, and a man would
trust an artist in his own trade rather than another. ' The knowledge of
the holy is understanding,' says Solomon, Prov. ix. 10, especially in ways
of holiness.
Take the controversies which are now on foot. Shall they judge of
election who are reprobate to every good work themselves ? or they of the
universality of God's free grace who turn the grace of God into wantonness ?
or they of the power of God in conversion that deny the power of godliness ?
or those of the perseverance of faith who care not to make voluntary ship-
wreck of it, men of corrupt minds, whose God is their belly, gain their
godliness, preferment their religion, and who will cut their own opinions
accordingly ?
I will end all with one place, Isa. xxxv. 8. In the former verses he evi-
dently speaks of the kingdom of Christ coming to preach the gospel, by
which he shews there should be a 'way' revealed, an ' highway,' which is
the common road to heaven, there being but one way which Christ and all
his go in, which shall be called, ' The way of holiness.' Take heed you
miscall it not, and call it a way of schism, faction, &c, as the Jews
did call it heresy. But yet this way the unclean shall not pass over ; but
wayfaring men, who desire to know the way to heaven (though fools) shall
not err therein ; but the unclean (as the opposition shews) shall err therein,
though never so learned.
THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL
SERMON II.
F.i-.n the mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, hut now is
made manifiest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the
riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles ; which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory. — Col. I. 26, 27.
"We have done with the subject and author of it, let us come to the pro-
perties of it.
1. It is rich ; 2. Glorious.
1. First, Rich ; so chap. ii. ver. 3, he tells us that in it or him, that is,
the gospel or Christ, of both which he speaketh, are ' hid all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge.' Now the riches of this knowledge appear in
three thin
(1.) In abundance ; (2.) Preciousness ; (3.) Gainfulness. And such is
the knowledge of Christ.
(1.) First, Abundant. For that place tells us that it is ' all knowledge,'
inentia ; as the metaphysic is said to be all knowledge, because of
the fulness, largeness of the subject of it, all truths and axioms in other
sciences being swallowed up in its principles. Such is this knowledge also,
the subject of it being Christ ; and therefore, as Christ contains in him, rid
eminentia, all the treasures of perfection that are in any creature, and is
1 full of grace and truth,' John i. 14, so doth the knowledge of Christ con-
tain in it all the treasures of wisdom, and all that is worth knowing ;
treasures which can never be drawn diy or exhausted, which the mind of
man can never waste ; but bringing in new revenues of new notions daily,
so as the more is spent, the more may be. Other knowledges being but of
the creature, are but imperfect ; for the things known are such, and cannot
fill the mind with abundance of knowledge, for the things have not where-
withal to do it, though they be known to the utmost. ' But in him all
fulness dwells,' verse 19: fulness of truth to fill the mind, as well as fulness
of grace to fill the will, John i. II. And indeed, for abundance, ' unsearch-
able riches,' Eph. iii. 8.
(2.) Secondly, It is a rich mystery for the preciousness of it. The pro-
mises of it are ' exceeding precious,' 2 Pet. i. 4. Every truth in it is
precious, so Paul tells us, 1 Cor. iii. 12. All truths of the gospel built
VOL. IV. Q
242 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SEKMON II.
upon the foundation, Christ, he calls pearls, and gold, and silver; and all
the enticing words of man's wisdom, hay and stubble. Yea, Prov. iii. 15,16,
Solomon says, wisdom and understanding is better than gold and silver,
which yet commands all in the world. And if rubies and precious stones
be more worth than gold, ' she is more precious than rubies.' And what
is it that makes things precious, that is not found in the saving truths and
promises of the gospel ?
[1.] Antiquity makes things precious ; so small pieces of coin and
medals, if ancient, are precious. And this was coined in heaven, and in
God before all ages and generations, and bears the image of the great King.
It is ' the everlasting gospel,' Eev. xiv. 6.
[2.] Things far fetched are precious. Not a word of this but fell from
heaven. Christ came from heaven, where he heard and saw all the truths
revealed in it, and so delivered them to us, John iii. 31, 32. And this
difference is put between the law and the gospel, Heb. xii. 25. The law
was spoken from the earth, the gospel from heaven.
[3.] Things dearly bought are precious. Every truth of the gospel cost
Christ his blood to make it so ; ' the law came by Moses, but grace and
truth came by Jesus Christ.' As grace cost his blood, so truth also ; for
both cost the same price. ' All the promises are yea and amen in him ;'
they had all been blanks if he had not set his blood as a seal to them.
[4.] Things charily laid up are precious. The gospel hath had the
richest cabinet in the world, God's breast ; there is the original of it, Eph.
iii. 9. The original copy lies there, the counterpart in the heart of God's
elect, 2 Cor. iii. 3. ' Ye are the epistle of Christ, written by the Spirit of
the living God.' In whom therefore it is said to ' abide for ever,' 1 Pet.
i. 25, locked up in the church, the pillar and ground of truth.
[5.] Things which perish not are precious, especially if still they preserve
themselves from what attempts to corrupt them, 1 Pet. i. 7. Faith is
therefore said to be precious, because it perisheth not, though ' tried in the
fire.' Such are the truths of the gospel, which though men have en-
deavoured to corrupt it by a world of the dross of human errors and inven-
tions, yet God hath still come with fire and tried it. And still the more
men labour to mingle dross with God's truth, still it endures the fire, and
comes out clearer and clearer in every age. Ps. xii. 6, ' The words of the Lord
are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.'
There is no truth of God but hath been tried in one age or other. Heresies
have been brought in, yet it remains pure, maintains itself. The truth was
mingled with dross in Pelagius's time, and then purified. So in Bradwar-
dine's* time, and then also it came out purer; and so now with fine dross,f
but God will purify it.
(3.) A third thing in riches is profitableness ; and in that respect the
gospel to the saints is a rich gospel. It talks not only of riches as stories
do, as that of Solomon's time, when silver was as stones of the streets ;
nor doth it open heaven's treasury gates, and shew them the riches of it
only, as Hezekiah did the ambassadors that came to visit him — a man
* Bradwardine (Thomas), Archbishop of Canterbury about the middle of the
fourteenth century, noted as a mathematician, and a defender of Christianity.
Samuel Ward (Works, p. 142) calls him 'as thankful an English heart as ever
wrote.' — Ed.
f The nature of the dross with which Goodwin considered the truth to be mixed
in his time may be gathered from his Exposition of the Revelation. — Works, vol.
HI.— Ed.
Col. I. 26, 27.] the glory of the gospel. 243
ma3 r thus hear and see the riches of another, and he a poor man still — but
riches is • Christ in you,' saith the text. When he hears and receives the
gospel aright, it fills his lap full, he carries Christ and all his riches home
with him.
Well might Solomon say, as Prov. iii. 14, 15, ' Happy is the man that
findeth wisdom, and thatgets understanding; for her merchandise is better than
silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.' And if anything in the world
be better than these, which yet the world hath, as rubies and precious
stones seem to be, ' She is more precious (saith he) than rubies.' And if
still the heart of man should enlarge its vast desires and wide gapings to
some more conceived precious things than these, though unknown ; do,
says Solomon, stretch the compass of your desires to as great a wideness as
you can ; desire what you can, ' and all you can desire is not to be com-
pared to her.' It is not only exceeded, but there is no comparison. And
this he speaks not of the preciousness, as in itself, but of the gain and
profit it brings to the possessors. ' Their gain,' says he, &c.
But you will say, Wherein consists these riches of the gospel ?
Answer, ' Which (riches) is Christ in you.' And can you make an inven-
tory, and ever value and prize his goods ? Surely, No.
First, Christ is worth all God is worth, as he is the Son of God ; for he
is the only Son, the ' well-beloved Son, in whom God is so well pleased,'
that he will not give a penny away from him ; he is the heir, and shall have
all. And the gospel makes him yours, with all his riches, which riches is
' Christ in you.' Thus the apostle argues and pleads the evidence of the
right a Christian hath to all things, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23, ' All things are yours,
for you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.'
God himself can be worth but all things, Christ is worth what God is,
for all things that are God's are Christ's. And you have as much as Christ
hath. What riches are here ! All things are given to be inherited, Rev.
xxi. 7, by the same. And as sure a title as Christ, Rom. viii. 17, we are
put into God's will, 'joint heirs with Christ,' though not joint purchasers,
for he purchased all, and all these gives freely; no debts are to be paid,
nor legacies or portions out of them. Rom. viii. 32, ' If he hath given us
Christ, shall not he with him give us all things freely ? ' Christ is not only
worth all things as the heir, and we are worth so much because Christ is
given to us, but he paid for all things dearly. And look what the revenues
of Christ's blood come to ; that and so much is a Christian worth.
For Christ paid ready down, at his death, an invaluable sum of merit into
his Father's hands (as feoffee in trust), as a common stock or bank, to be
employed for the good and use of all his saints, who are to have the full
worth of them out to eternity. ' You know,' says the apostle, 2 Cor. viii. 9,
1 the grace of Christ ; how, when he was rich, he became poor' (mark it),
• for your sakes,' to enrich you. Now what must these riches come to,
think you, which are laid up for you ; whenas Christ was as rich as God him-
self, ' thought it no robbery to be equal with God,' Phil. ii. 6, as good in
estate every whit ? Now of all these riches he emptied himself, ver. 8, left
himself not worth one farthing, and ' became poor,' had not a hole left to
hide himself in, 'made himself of no reputation,' of no account or reckoning,
making over all for you. And what must this come to ? The riches of God
put out to use, to be received with advantage again, if possible, and put into
sure hands, even God the Father's, who hath bid us ' owe no man anything
but love.' And surely he loves his own too well to owe them anything.
If they should doubt, he hath entered into bond, and the gospel is that
244 THE GLOEY OF THE GOSPEL. [SERMON II.
bond, which is therefore called a ' rich gospel,' because it is the promise of
all these riches ; Eph. iii. 6, ' partakers of the promise of the gospel.'
It is the gospel that makes us partakers of the promise, that is, the things
promised ; and they are, ver. 8, ' the unsearchable riches of Christ.' So
as if you desire particularly to have the value of them, or in gross, the total
sum, they are unsearchable riches which cannot be told over to eternity,
much less be spent. Riches in justification, to have all debts paid the first
day, and that would enhance unsearchable riches. Set a price on all angels,
all creatures, it would not pay one note, the least bill. All other things are
not worth so much ; it cost more to redeem souls than so. And besides,
to have still left so rich righteousness as purchased ' riches of grace,' to have
the Spirit poured out richly, as Tit. iii. 6. The word in the original is
1 riches of glory,' Eph. i. 18. In respect of which all riches in the world
are but as crumbs of the rich man's table, or relics given to the poor. The
kingdom of Turkey (as one called it), but a crust thrown to a dog. And
is it not a rich knowledge then, that enriches the knowers of it, which
should invite men to learn it ? For if men think other knowledge in itself
so rich, as to be content to spend their estates, to attain but notions to fill
their brains, not purses ; then how much more for this, which as it is pre-
cious, so it brings in all these riches as the gain of it ?
Angels are invited to search it for the preciousness of it, and yet these
riches are not ' Christ in them,' but ' Christ in you.' But then do but
know and study your own riches and evidences for them ; therefore in Eph.
iii., where the end of revealing these riches is laid open, ver. 8, there are
two sorts of creatures, says he, to whom God intended to reveal them, first,
men, ver. 9 ; secondly, angels, ver. 10 ; but with this differing intent, that
the angels might know the wisdom which was in the gospel, ver. 10. The
harmony in the plot is what the angels are taken with ; and this, though
men may also see in the gospel, yet further the end was, that they ' might
know the fellowship of the mystery,' that is, that they might be made par-
takers of it.
2. Secondly, glorious; as it is a rich mystery, so also glnious, ' What
is the riches of the glory,' &c, which words, as other Hebraisms, are con-
vertible ; ' rich glory,' or ' glorious riches,' so as no man can say whether
the riches or the glory of it be greater.
Now this glorious title the apostle gives often unto the gospel, as 1 Tim.
i. 11. And 2 Cor. iv. 4, ' lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine
into them.' And in the third chapter of that epistle throughout, he fully
displays the glory of it, which the apostle doth by comparing it with the
law, or covenant of works, because there was no question of any other
knowledge never so excellent, yet revealed, that could stand on terms of
comparison with it.
The law indeed, says he, it was a glorious law, though written but in
stones and dead letters ; and therefore, when it was ministered, the ' glory
of God appeared on the mount,' Exod. xxiv. 16, 17, to note out, that that
law was the glorious image of his will. And therefore also even the ' face
of Moses,' says that 7th verse,* by whose hands it was administered,
' shining, so as the people could not behold it for the glory of his counte-
nance.' And • so terrible was the sight,' saith the author to the Hebrews,
• that Moses said, I quake and tremble,' Heb. xii. 21.
But yet says Paul, ver. 8, 9, The gospel, it ' exceeds in glory,' yea, and
so far exceeds, as ver. 10, as the law which was thus made glorious, had
* That is. 2 Cor. iii. 7.— Ed.
Col. I. 26, 27.] the glory of the gospel. 245
no glory in respect of this glory which excelleth ; but like as the sun, when
it ariseth, puts out the lesser eyes of heaven, dims, yea clean obscures
these otherwise glorious tapers, so as they have no glory in this respect, so
the gospel exceeds the law. And if you ask wherein it exceeds in glory,
the answer is, Because it is the ministration and discoverer of far more
glorious things to the saints than ever the law could do.
If you ask, What glorious things are communicated and revealed therein ?
I answer out of the 3d and 4th chapters, which explain the glorious work
of the gospel on men's hearts, when they are brought to God. For when
any man is converted at the preaching of the gospel, first, before the word
works, the Holy Ghost falls on a man ; as when Christ was baptized, hea-
ven opened, and ' the Holy Ghost descended and rested on him :' so in
Acts x. 44, when the gospel was preached by Peter, ' the Holy Ghost fell
on them ;' and of the Spirit the gospel is the ministration, and not the
law. Gal. iii. 2, ' I would ask of you, received you the Spirit by the works
of the law, or of the hearing of faith '?' that is, the gospel, for so faith is
taken for the doctrine of faith. And this ministration of the Spirit is by
virtue of a covenant made (Isa. lix. 21) with Christ ; that Spirit that was
in him, and word that was in his mouth, to wit, the gospel, should not
depart out of the mouth of his seed's seed for ever, but it should accompany
his elect.
And is not then the gospel a glorious gospel, that makes men partakers
of the Holy Ghost, and that for ever ? which Spirit is a ' Spirit of glory,'
1 Pet. iv. 14, ivhich rests on his ; the ' Spirit of glory,' because it fills the
man it dwells in with glory. For look, as when God descended into the
visible temple, it was filled with glory, 2 Chron. vii. 1 ; and by reason of
that presence the ark itself was called ' the glory,' Rom. ix. 4 : so when
God fills the preaching of the gospel (whereof the ark was a type) with his
glorious Spirit, and by it fills the heart of a man with that Spirit also, as
Eph. v. 18, there is a new glory put upon that man.
But Secondly, This gospel is by the power of this Spirit the ministration
of righteousness to the man God means to call, and therefore also glorious,
as the apostle there argues ; that is, this gospel, by the help of the Spirit
working faith in his heart, reveals the righteousness of Christ to be made
his, and that exceeds in glory ; for it is this ' righteousness ' which in the
last verse of that third chapter is called ' the glory of the Lord,' viz., Christ;
who being the ' Lord of glory,' the ' King of glory,' 1 Cor. ii. 8, what a
glorious righteousness must this be which the gospel thus discovers ? And
it discovers it not by engraving or dead colours, as the law did ; but as in
a glass. And as that glass is glorious wherein the sun shines, the very
image there puts down all the stars, so this glass, the gospel, must needs
be glorious, wherein the ' Sun of righteousness ' shines, as he is called,
Mai. iv. 2. Neither doth it reveal it only, but dispenseth it, it is the minis-
tration ot righteousness ; Christ's righteousness, which is the glory of
the Sun, the King of glory, made ours to justify us. And therefore, Rev.
xii. 1, the church appears ' clothed with the sun,' even with Christ himself
and his glory, who is therefore said to be ' our righteousness,' Jer. xxiii. 6.
Hereby, as Christ said of the lilies, Mat. vi. 29, that ' Solomon in all his
glory was not clothed like one of these ;' so may I say of all the angels —
who yet are the bright morning-stars, that ' sang when the world was made,'
Job xxxviii. 7 — that they are not clothed with such a glory as the gospel
dispenseth to us ; such a robe never came on their backs, nor never shall.
And is not this a glonous gospel then ?
246 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SERMON II.
Thirdly, In the sight and dispensation of the glorious righteousness of
Christ, we come yet to see a further glory shining on us, and still in the
gospel ; so in the 4th and Gth verses of the next chapter, 2 Cor. iv. For
the gospel gives ' the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ ;' that is, through the righteousness of Christ we come to
see the glorious sunshine of the favour of God, the light of his countenance
lift up upon us. For when Moses would see his glory, the Lord proclaimed
only this, Exod. xxxiv. 6, ' The Lord merciful and gracious.' And as he
is ' the Father of glory,' Eph. i. 17, so his mercy is ' the riches of his
glory,' Rom. ix. 23, and Ps. xc. 14, 15, 16. The church, praying for
mercy and favour, says, ' Let thy glory be on thy servants ;' and therefore
is not this a glorious gospel, that reveals this to a man also, that God gra-
ciously accepteth us in the beloved ?
Fourthly, The beholding thus the glory of Christ, viz., his righteousness
in the gospel, it changeth us into the same image, from glory to glory, verse
the last of the third chapter ; that is, makes grace in us, which is truly
glorious, and therefore, Ps. xlv., the church is said to be all glorious within,
Eph. v. 26, 27, ' He sanctifies his church, that he might present it a glori-
ous church.' Justification not only makes us glorious, but sanctification
also, and this is dispensed by the gospel, for that sanctifies us to the end
of the world, John xvii. 17, and is the glass we are changed by.
Nay, fifthly, The very light itself whereby we do behold these things in
the gospel, and are thus changed, is glorious, 1 Pet. ii. 9, ' We are called
of darkness to a marvellous light.' And the joy that ariseth out of behold-
ing Christ's righteousness as ours, and God's favour, it is 'joy unspeakable
and glorious,' 1 Pet. i. 8.
And last of all, It gives us certain hope of a further glory yet to be re-
vealed, as the text hath it, and verse 17 of the 4th chapter, ' an eternal
weight of glory.' All the glory of this world it bears no weight, x&vri oo^a,
empty, frothy glory, as the apostle calls it, but this is an exceeding weight
of glory, which if all that glorious lustre men doat on so, were weighed, it
would be but as a dust balanced against it ; so weighty as flesh and blood,
that is, the infirmity of man's nature, if not changed and made capable,
could not subsist under it, 1 Cor. xv. 50.
And all the glory here is a fading glory, but that is eternal, 1 Pet. i. 24,
' All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass ; the
grass withers, and the flower falleth away,' but the glory of this estate fades
not, ver. 4, but is a flower always green. And the reason is, because the
glory of things is one thing, and the things another, the grass one thing,
and the flower another, and therefore the glory fades and is clean gone,
when j'et the things remain. But glory is de essentia to the things above,
the very essence of them is glory itself, and so called ; and therefore, whilst
the things remain (as they do for ever), their glory doth. And is not this
a glorious gospel ?
Uses.
Use First, If the gospel and the riches of it be thus great, then buy it,
Prov. xxiii. 23, ' Buy the truth, and sell it not ;' he names no price, for
you are not like to lose by it, cost what it will. This place* hath been the
greatest mart of truth, and of the mystery of the gospel, that I know under
heaven. Wisdom hath as it were cried all her wares at this great cross.
This truth has been purchased for you, and that dearly; it cost the blood
* Cambridge, as appears afterwards. — Ed.
Col. I. 2G, 27.] the glory of the gospel. 247
of many martyrs to derive it to you, the sweat of many preachers, the
prayers of many saints, and cost God the riches of his patience to see it
contemned. Buy it therefore at anj 7 rate.
Especially you who are scholars, you come hither and live under those,
read those who are wholesale men,* and you should, whilst you are here,
treasure up as much and as many precious truths as you can, and grace
withal to vent by retail in the country, when you are sent abroad.
First, Inquire and learn where these treasures are to be had, even in the
Scriptures. The merchant who knew the pearl, was fain to buy the field ;
Timothy, from a child had known the Scriptures, and so should you do,
1 they are able to make a man wise unto salvation, and make the man of
God perfect.' As the books of nature, when thoroughly known, make a
perfect physician for the body, so doth this a perfect divine. ' Search the
Scriptures,' says Christ, • for they speak of me.' As Christ is the treasury
of all knowledge, so the Scriptures are ot Christ. These treasures lie
scattered in all the veins of the prophets and apostles ; dig for them as for
silver, take pains and travel to understand them, as Dan. xii. 4, when he
was bidden to seal up his prophecy in the letter, ' Many shall run to and
fro, and knowledge shall be increased.' That is, by doing as merchants do,
travelling from place to place, comparing one with another, knowledge will
be increased.
Secondly, Go to the markets and warehouses of those who have laid in or
discovered much of this treasure ; that is, use the help of godly men's
writings and conferences. The angels do learn of the church, and why not
we ? Even Paul desires to see them at Rome, that he might be comforted
by their mutual faith.
Therefore exchange, and truck one with another to that end. Christ hath
given several gifts to perfect his body in knowledge, Eph. iv. 12.
The knowledge of any one man is imperfect, some have more skill in one
point, and some in another, and so in several ages several truths have been
delivered and revealed, Heb. i. 1, mXu/isgue, by fragments and by pieces,
and therefore use the help of all. None of us are as Paul, to whom nothing
can be added. f
Thirdly, Go to him above all who hath the key of knowledge, Jesus
Christ, Rev. iii. 7, pray to him. In 1 Peter i. 10, ' they searched and in-
quired,' that is, they studied and prayed ; use both. And so the apostles
did spend the time in both, Acts i.
Fourthly, Highly prize and esteem every truth. If a fool hath a price in
his hand, he hath no heart to use it, Prov. xvii. 16, because he esteems it
not. Count all dross and dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ, doat
not on human learning too much, lest it spoil and rob you of this.
Fifthly, Exchange all for it, sell all for it, sell all that you have for it,
your sins ; no saving truths can be yours whilst sin is yours, John xvii. 17 ;
1 Peter i. 22, they • purified their souls by obeying the truth ;' for if you
receive the truth as you ought, it will cast out all. Especially lay down
pride of parts, Ps. xxv. 12, he will teach the humble his secrets, he will not
teach proud scholars. God will not deal nor trade with a wicked man,
1 Tim. vi. 4 ; men being corrupt of dispositions, are destitute therefore of
the truth.
Sixthly, Carry all home, and make them your own. It is not your own
* That is, -who supply the students with that stock of truth, which they are after-
wards to dispense to their congregations. — E d.
t Gal. ii. 6.— Ed.
248 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. [SERMON II.
whilst it is in your brains, as no more meat is your own but wbat you eat ;
Let it be ' the ingrafted word,' James i. 21. Be you evangelised.
Use Second, If the gospel be so precious, sell it not, for you can never get
the full worth of it ; ' Buy the truth,' saith Solomon, Prov. xxiii. 23, ' and
sell it not,' that is, part not with it at any hand. And this know for your
encouragement, that God takes it not away from any man or nation, until
they willingly part with it or put it away ; for why else doth he bid them
not sell it ? His meaning is, if you do not, I will never deprive you of it.
To this purpose is the example of Esau brought, Heb. xii. 16. For,
speaking of this rich grace offered in the gospel, he bids them take heed
that there be no profane person, as Esau was, that sold his birthright.
That look, as God would not have deprived Esau of the blessing unless he
had freely sold it, Jonah ii. 8, Job xxxiii. 2G, so nor them of the precious
gospel.
And he adds this, to enforce this exhortation the more, that a man must
not think to receive it when he will ; afterwards he would have inherited
the blessing, sought it with tears, but could not, ver. 17. And as he takes
it not from a particular man, so neither from a nation.
In Acts xiii. 46, the church of the Jews had been the ancient pillar of
truth, and market for the gospel ; God had new precious wares to be vented,
which had lain hid from all eternity, as this text shews. See what Paul
and Barnabas say, who were his factors to trade for him ; ' it is necessary
they should first be spoken to you.' It is strange, ' it was necessary,' for
God's custom is not to offer his precious wares to new customers till the
old had refused them. But now, says he, you shew yourselves unworthy ;
' Lo, now we turn to the Gentiles ;' we will go seek chapmen all the world
over, rather than you shall have the offer of them any more. And as in
an estate of land wherein three have a right, until all give over, it is not
sold, so in this kingdom there are three, there are magistrates, ministers,
people. If either of these do what they can to keep it, it is not sold.
Therefore to these three doth God look, Jer. v. 1 : to the magistrates,
to see if that there were a man that sought truth ; secondly, to the com-
mon people, who know not the law ; and last of all, to the prophets and
priests ; and when all conspired, then ' what shall you do in the end thereof ? '
And if the truth be thus rich and precious, let me speak freely to you.
Let the market stand open, take heed how you prohibit any truth to be
sold in your markets ; but let the word run and be glorified, and let wisdom
cry all her wares. If every truth be thus precious, is it not an impoverish-
ing of the kingdom to hinder the traffic of any ? Nay, is it not a hindering
the king's custom ? Revenues of God's glory ariseth out of the custom of
these wares. Those times are in a great degree* of selling away these
truths, that cannot endure (as Paul speaks, 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4) wholesome
doctrine.
Secondly, Take heed of suffering falsehood to be sold for truth. Rev. ii. 20,
one of the churches is blamed for suffering Jezebel to teach and to seduce
Christ's servants. If we do so, we shall have popery bought for truth,
Arminianism for truth, and so by degrees sell away that blessed inheritance
which our forefathers left us ; as heirs do sell away their lands, first one
lordship and then another, piece by piece, till all be gone ; and so our
silver by little and little becomes dross, as Isaiah speaks, chap. i. 22. This
will provoke God (if anything) to sell you into your enemies' hands for
nought, Ps. xliv. 12.
* Qu. 'danger?'— En.
Col. I. 26, 27.] the glory of the gospel. 249
But, thirdly, if it bo thus precious, ' hold it fast,' as Paul speaks to Titus,
chap. i. 9, • hold fast the faithful word.' The word signifies to hold against
contrary pulling it away, &VTt%6ftewi. If a man would not sell the inherit-
ance left him, much less would he suffer it to be taken from him. Suppose
it be but a trifle, yet men in a case of right will spend their estates to hold
their own, though the suit will not bear its own charges. But when you
contend for the truth once given, as the apostle Jude exhorts, you labour
to preserve not your own only, but God's right. It is not about a trifle,
but for that which Christ once spent his blood ; and it is the ' faithful
word,' as the apostle calls it, a cause that will stick to you, and maintain
itself, be sure to overcome ; and not bear its own charges only, but brings
a crown with it, 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8, ' I have fought the good fight, I have kept
the faith, henceforth a crown is laid up for me.' Christ did witness so be-
fore Pontius Pilate, 1 Tim vi. 13.
And, last of all, if it be thus rich as well as precious, let it ' dwell richly
in you,' rrXovsiu>;, as the word is, Col. iii. 16. Give it not poor but rich
entertainment, as you would do a rich kinsman who means to make you his
heir, and estate you in all his riches.
And to that end, labour to grow rich in the knowledge of it, and speech
of it, as Paid speaks, 1 Cor. i. 5, ' that you may be enriched in all know-
ledge, and in all utterance,' or speech about it, as men labour to know what
they are worth, and love to talk of it.
Bestow riches of assurance on it, as Col. ii. 2, that you may have ' the
riches of full assurance of understanding ; ' and James ii. 5, to be ' rich in
faith.' Trust in him, as men that are rich use to do in their riches, Prov.
x. 15. And though their riches be uncertain, and not able to do what they
expect, yet this is profitable for all things, having so many rich promises
made for you to rely upon.
Bestow riches of obedience on it, endeavouring to grow ' rich in good
works,' as the apostle speaks, 1 Tim. vi. 18. Spend the most precious of
your time and thoughts upon it.
Uses of that doctrine, — the glory of the gospel.
First, For trial ; whether a man hath savingly received it or no. For if
it be thus glorious, then they are still blinded to destruction that see it not
in the glory of it. This is the direct consequence of the apostle himself in
2 Cor. iv. 4. For he having discoursed of that rich and excellent glory
which it reveals, then, says he, those that have lived so long under the
preaching of it are ' lost,' into whose hearts the light of this glorious gospel
hath not shined. And certainly, saith he, ' the god of this world hath
blinded their eyes,' that is, the devil, — by varnishing over the vain glitter-
ing scheme and gloss of the things of this world, as he did to Christ, Mat.
iv. 8, — dazzles them so, that they see no more glory in the things which
the gospel reveals, than blind men do. The fault must certainly be in
men's eyes ; for this glorious gospel, wherever it shines, is as the sun in
itself, it is jmmiim visibile.
Blind men are never the better for the sun. Though they may have eyes
to see the things the gospel propounds, yet not the glory, the worth, and
excellency of them, so as to be intimately and deeply affected with them ;
as to be content to leave house, lands, father, and wife, for the gospel's
sake, as Christ speaks, Mark x. 29, that is, to enjoy those things you hear
rrpoken of in the gospel.
250 THE GLOKY OF THE GOSPEL. [SEKMON II.
And this is that which Christ expressly, out of Isaiah, speaks of the blind
pharisees, to whom the glory of Christ was preached in the gospel, John
xii. 40, 41. For, says he, Isaiah seeing that his glory spoke this of them,
' that God had blinded their eyes, &c, that they should not see ;' that is,
not see that glory of Christ as preached to them, so as Isaiah saw it, and
all saints, to be humbled and converted by it.
Examine yourselves therefore. You go up and down in the world here,
and you view daily the riches of it, and the pleasures of it, the beauty, the
credit, the glory of it. And from viewing these things, you often come
here to the word, which as a glass that the sun shines in reveals Christ to
you, the necessity, the worth of his Spirit, righteousness, and graces, which
are laid open to your view daily. Now seriously tell me, or rather thy own
heart, in which of these dost thou see most glory, by which art thou most
imtimately allured ? Shall I tell thee ? If ever thou hadst savingly seen
the glory of the things of the gospel, all the excellencies of the world would
seem no excellencies. When thou goest from the church again into the
world, the devil's varnish would melt off, as women's paint doth against the
sun ; and as candles burn dim and wan when set against the sun, so these.
The things thou didst account most glorious before thy eyes were opened,
would seem to have no glory in comparison of this glory, as the apostle
speaks of the law, 2 Cor. iii, 10, of this glory that so excelleth, excellens
sensibile destruit sensum. It would put out the carnal eye quite and clean.
This you may see, Isa. xl. 5, 6, where the Holy Ghost speaks expressly of the
preaching the gospel by John the Baptist, whom in the third verse he calls
the ' voice of a crier ; ' and Peter applies the place to the preaching of the
gospel, 1 Pet. i. 25. Now (says he, ver. 5) the glory of the Lord Christ
should thereby be revealed, and so revealed, that all flesh should see it, that
is, inanj 7 believers both of Jews and Gentiles, for so ' all flesh ' is taken
also, Ps. lxv. 2. See it namely in this mirror and glass, 2 Cor. iii. 18, and
what is the effect of it ? Why, ' all flesh is grass,' and the goodliness or
glory thereof, as Peter calls it, 'as the flower of the field.' And in their
eyes now, that have seen ' the superexcellent glory,' it withers and fades;
all the glory of the world appears like withered flowers, for the Spirit of
the Lord, which reveals this glory in the gospel, blasts, blows upon them
all, so as they lose their gloss and esteem in men's hearts ; they can never
doat on them again as before.
What is learning, thinks the poor soul, in comparison of grace ? What
is all the world to the righteousness of Christ ? And then all the glow-
worm righteousness of a man's self, which civil men glory in, so vanisheth,
which once shined in the dark, so when this sun ariseth. So it did with
Paul, Philip, iii. Then, however a man thought of himself before, as
thinking he had many excellencies in him, yet having seen this glory, he
falls down, as Isaiah did in like case, Isa. vi. 5, 'lam undone,' I am un-
clean, a vile wretch, that deserves undoing and destruction.
Secondly, If it be thus glorious, see if thou art able to behold the glory
of it, comfortably and joyfully, without winking. This is another con-
sectary* may be had out of this 2 Cor. iii. 18, where the apostle brings
all believers to the same trial that the eagle doth her young ones ; for as
she brings them to the sun, and if they be able to behold it without dazzling
or winking, then she accounts them of a right breed ; now, so doth the
apostle bring all believers to ' the glory of the Lord,' shining in the mirror
of the gospel (' and we all,' says he, ' with open face behold the glory of
* That is, ' conclusion' or ' consequence.' — Ed.
Col. I. 26, 27.] the glory of ran gosii.i.. 251
the Lord') to look full upon it. And so indeed unto eagles are they com-
pared in Matthew ; for why, their hearts are changed into the same image,
so as there is a suitahleness between them and it. The strictest preaching,
that reveals the glory and beauty of grace in its strictest and most spiritual
hue, a good heart can look full upon it and love it. That ministry that
darts in tin; clearest and hottest beams is the most welcome, and hath the
most comfortable influence into their hearts.
In the 4th of Malachi, where the prophet speaks of the preaching of the
gospel by Jesus Christ, as appears by the 5th verse, where he speaks of
John Baptist before the day of Christ's appearing, J' Unto you that fear
my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings,
and ye shall go forth as calves of the stall ;' that is, Jesus Christ, who
then ariseth in men's hearts, when by the gospel God gives the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus, as 2 Cor. iv. 6,
2 Pet. i. 19. Now those precious truths, and the beams thereof, he com-
pares to wings, because the beams of the sun are spread forth, even as the
wings of the eagle, brooding over all the earth, and the things in it, and by
them flying into all the corners of it.
So doth Jesus Christ spread forth beams of truth into believers' hearts,
and by them comes into their hearts, as the sun is said to do ; when the
beams of it come into a house, you say the sun comes in. Now these
beams, if they should not heal and change our hearts into the same image,
they would dazzle and confound men's consciences ; therefore it is added,
they have healing goes with them, and therefore now, like calves, they can
go forth, and rejoice and leap for joy in the light of it. Whereas sore eyes,
that are not healed, are amazed and terrified at the sight of it ; and there-
fore in the first verse he says, ' They shall be burnt up,' as they in Rev.
xvi. 8, 9, that are scorched with the heat of the sun, and so blasphemed
and opposed the word. And as in hot countries some have cursed the
sun when it ariseth, so they the gospel and the light of it. They hate it,
rejoice when any of the ' witnesses' are dead, as they, Rev. xi. 10, because
1 they tormented them that dwelt on the earth.' Like swine laid on their
backs against the sun, they cease not crying till they be on their feet
again ; or if they cannot avoid it, yet they wink with their eyes, as they,
Mat. xiii. 15. For if men be unholy and profane, whoremongei's, liars, &c,
then the glorious gospel is contrary unto them, as 1 Tim. i. 10, 11, compared.
But if thou beest not able to behold the glory of the gospel, how wilt
thou behold Christ coming in his glory, to render vengeance with • flaming
fire' to them that obey not this gospel ?
Thirdly, If it be thus glorious, then see if thou endeavourest to glorify
and admire this gospel, and bring honour to it, which is a third consectary
whereby you may know whether you receive it in the glory of it or no ; for
all things we apprehend glorious, we labour to glorify and set forth as
much as we may ; and this I ground on 2 Thess. hi. 1. ' Pray,' says the
apostle, ' that the word may run and be glorified,' &c, that is, that it may
have not only free progress in the world, run upon wheels, as the word
signifies, but when it is entertained according to the glory and worth of it,
as it was amongst these Thessalonians, who received it as the ' word of
God, and not of man,' 1 Thess. ii. 13. ' Turning from idols, to serve the
living God,' chap. i. 9 ; parting with all their sins, and setting up God in
their hearts ; receiving it ' in much affliction,' ver. 6, yet rejoicing in it
' with joy unspeakable and glorious ;' being content to part with lands and
all for the gospel's sake, as Mark via. 35 ; having a care of their conversa-
252 THE GLOEY OF THE GOSPEL. [SERMON II.
tion in all things, that it may be as becomes the gospel, as he exhorts,
Phil. i. 27 ; when men contend for every truth of it, as Paul in the next
words, ver. 28, ' striving together for the faith of the gospel,' continuing
immoveable, not removing from the ' hope of the gospel,' as Col. i. 2, 3 ;
leaving all for the hopes of what it reveals, accounting this the greatest
blessing and privilege they can enjoy in this life to enjoy it ; rejoicing in
it more than in wisdom, learning, strength, riches ; glorying that a man
knows God merciful and gracious, which is the message of the gospel, as
Jer. ix. 23, as the Galatians did, Gal. iv. 14, 15, when they first received
Paul, they received him as an angel : ' Where was then the blessedness you
spoke of?' They so magnified this mercy, that they counted it the great-
est blessing of all other, that though a people be blessed, when their gar-
ners are full, &c, yet, as if nothing were to be accounted of, he says,
' Happy is that people whose God is the Lord,' &c, Ps. cxliv. 15.
Use 2. If the gospel be thus glorious, then see and acknowledge what is
truly the glory of any people, and the want whereof leaves them in the
most miserable and inglorious condition ; even the gospel. The law,
which as this 2 Cor. chap. iii. tells us, had not any glory in this respect,
yet made the people of the Jews a great nation in the eyes of all round
about them, Deut. iv. 6-9. The nation that should hear of all these
statutes should say, ' This is a great nation, that hath God so nigh them ;
and what nation so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as
all this law ?'
That which anciently made one commonwealth excel another, to nourish
more and continue longer, was the excellency and righteousness of the laws
and form of government among them. This made Lacedemonia great,
kept the Venetian state standing these 1300 years, and hath made them
accounted a great, and a wise, and an understanding people. But all
the nations had not such a law as this in all parts ; ' all this law,' so just,
so holy, it being that law by which man in his holy state was governed,
which the angels in heaven live by, which set not up men as their kings
and rulers, but sets God up as their protector, makes him ' nigh them,'
ver. 7. Therefore, Ps. lxxvi. 1-4, in that God was known in Judah, this
made it ' more excellent than the mountains of prey.' He compares all
the kingdoms of the world besides to wild waste places, where outlaws
dwell, savage and cruel wild beasts, that prey upon one another, wanting
the knowledge of this law to civilise and tame them.
And, therefore, though the Israelites were famous for deliverances above
all the nations of the world, fuller of inhabitants than any nation, as the
sands of the sea (which is the glory of a kingdom, Solomon says, Prov.
xiv. 28), flowing more with outward blessings than any nation else ; in a
word, though their privileges were much every way above the Gentiles,
Horn. iii. 2, yet chiefly (says he) ' that to them were committed the oracles
of God.' This you see is made the top and height of all.
Now, if tbe law made them thus glorious, and the obscure revealing of
the gospel, and indeed but the 'shadow,' as Heb. x. 1, the shine and
glimmering as it were of the glory of the gospel, how much more must
that make a people glorious (whenas it comes to be fulfilled) which
Habakkuk foretold, Hab. ii. 14, that ' all the earth shall be filled with the
knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.' And if in
any age or in any coast it is or hath been full tide, it is now in England.
In 1 Sam. iv. 22, when the ark was taken, it was said, ' the glory of
Col. I. 2G, 27. J the glory of the gospel. 253
Israel is departed.' Now, the ark, which was covered with the mercy-
seat and the cherubims, was the place where God appeared, sitting between
the cherubims, and shining bright, as Ps. lxxx. 1, and met the people, Exod.
xxv. 22, whence he spake and gave oracles, Num. vh. 89 ; and therefore is
called the ' speaking-place,' debir, 1 Kings vi. 23. And therefore the ark
was called the ' glory,' Rom. ix. 4; and 'cherubims of glory,' Heb. ix. 5.
Now, what was this ark a type of, which was thus the glory of Israel ?
Of the gospel. For, Heb. ix. 23, they were all patterns of things in
heaven.
Now, as the temple was the type of the church under the gospel, Rev.
xi. 1, so the ark was of Christ, revealed in the preaching of the gospel, in
the last verse of that chapter. There was seen in his temple the ' ark of
his testament,' wherein Jesus Christ comes and meets his people, and
speaks from heaven, and wherein believers behold his glory, 2 Cor. iii. 18;
and therefore they are called the 'oracles of God,' 1 Pet. iv. 11. So as
when we prophesy, men fall down convinced and say, ' God is amongst
you,' 1 Cor. xiv. 25. And the cherubims, between which God sits and
speaks, are ministers of the gospel, as you shall hear anon.
So as indeed the manifestation of the gospel is called ' the glory,' as the
ark was of old. So, I take it, that place is to be understood, 1 Pet. i.
10-12, where, speaking of our privilege who enjoy it, he says, ' the patri-
archs did foretell the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that followed ; '
namely, that spreading of the gospel, shedding forth of the Spirit, and
gifts, which made those times glorious times after Christ's ascension.
Yea, in this respect, the congregations assembled to hear this gospel, God
manifesting his presence, are called ' the glory ; ' I say the assemblies are,
Isa. iv. 5, which place is to be understood of the times of the gospel, and
the calling of the Jews ; ' God will create upon her assemblies a cloud by
day, and a shining fire by night,' to guide them as in the wilderness, ' for
upon all the glory shall be a defence ; ' that is, upon all those assemblies,
which, for the presence of God thus gloriously amongst them, he calls
1 the glory.'
And this gospel hath made this kingdom and this town as a ' crown of
glory in the hand of the Lord;' and 'the glory of the whole earth,' as
Jerusalem is called, Isa. lxii. 7 ; the glorious diamond in the ring of the
world.*
And this it is which did raise that great opinion in the hearts of other
nations, that we were accounted a great people, as Deut. iv. 6, 7, a wise
and an understanding people, and full of humanity and amiableness of car-
riage ; whereas others are accounted rude and barbarous, that want it in
the power that we have it. For when the earth, or any land, is filled with
' the knowledge of the Lord,' it takes fierceness and wildness away from
the inhabitants of it. Not from these only whom it converts, but whom it
* It is not easy to ascertain whether the town referred to here is Cambridge or Lon-
don. There is no doubt that the sermons were originally preached in Cambridge ;
but it is possible that they might be afterwards delivered in London, and that some
sentences might then be added, whilst those having special reference to Cambridge
might be allowed to remain by the editors of the Works. Still, it ought to be ob-
served that he represents the glory of the ' kingdom and town,' as consisting in wis-
dom and understanding, and that may be thought more applicable to Cambridge
than to London. It is not unworthy of notice that the comparison of the world to a
ring, and London to the diamond set in it, is employed, in almost the same words, by
Thomas Adams (Practical Works, vol. II. p. 332), ' What was once said of Ormus is
true of this city, " Turn the world into a ring, and this is the diamond of it." ' — Ed
254 THE GLORY OP THE GOSPEL. [SeRMON II.
convincetb, Isa. xi. ; from the wolves and the lion^, so as not to hart,
verse 9.
' Emollit mores, nee sinit esse feros.'
It makes men more noble and ingenuous, as those of Berea were, having
received the gospel, Acts xvii. 11. That is it which hath struck much
terror in former times into the hearts of our enemies, as in Jehoshaphat's
days ; when he was careful to send Levites to teach in every city, ' fear
fell upon all the kingdoms round about, so as they made no war,' 2 Chron.
xvii. 10. And God being ' known for a refuge in our palaces,' ' fear took
hold of the kings of the earth,' Ps. xlviii. 3 and 6 compared.
That is it which hath been our defence ; for, Isa. iv. 5, ' where the
glory of God is, there is a defence upon all the gloiy ; ' that when they
combined together to make an attempt, as in Eighty-eight,* as it is in the
same Psalm, xlviii. 4-7. Kings were assembled, a great many, as appears
by the 7th verse, and they passed by all along our coasts, but they were
troubled, and they hasted away ; and God broke the ships of Tarshish with
the east wind, God being known for a refuge, verse 3. And where the
gospel runs without rub, and is glorified, there, when enemies come in
like a mighty flood, thinking to bear all before them, Isa. lix. 19, when
' they fear the name of Jehovah from the west ' (which is thought to be
meant of these western churches, as they have been always called), ' and
his glory from the rising of the sun : when the enemy comes in as a flood,
the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.' Ps. lxxvi.
1—3, ' In Judah is God known, and his dwelling-place is in Zion : there
brake he the arrows, and the bow, and the shield, and the sword, and the
battle.' And so, on the contrary, when we go against others, on just
quarrels, if the gospel be glorified amongst us, the promise is, Isa. lviii. 8,
' the glory of God shall be thy rearward ; ' shall make an army for us, to
fight for us. This defended this town from the plague.
This is that which, when sought and embraced above all things, makes
other blessings be cast into the bargain, as Christ promiseth, and to which
also we owe all the peace, plenty, and abundance of all things, which since
the day we had the gospel we have enjoyed, which, if we had not, yet it is
blessing enough. Rom. xv. 29, ' I shall come to you in the fulness of the
blessing of the gospel,' which whoso enjoys they want no blessing. It is
full of blessing when it comes to a place, and it carries all away when itself
removes. Look upon a town where once the king's court was kept, and
then it flourished and abounded with blessings, which haply before was
poor as Newmarket ; f but when that is once removed to come no more,
look on it then again, and how poor, how desolate, doth such a town grow !
And Christ, where he comes in, enricheth the place he keeps court in.
He did good to men's bodies, and souls also, when on earth, and so now
in heaven, where his tabernacle is pitched. But when he removes, Mat.
xxiii. 38, • Behold your houses are left unto you desolate.' Why ? ' For
I say, Ye shall not henceforth see me, till ye say, ' Blessed is he,' &c.
Judea, that once did flow with milk and honey, is now barren —
'Insula dives opum Priami dum legna manebant.'
Great must the misery of that place be, then, from which the glory is de-
parting, for then their defence is gone, and they are left naked, exposed to
* That is, 1588, the year of the Spanish Armada.— Ed.
t Charles I. kept his court at Newmarket ; n 1642. Goodwin had before this left
Cambridge, but would naturally take an interest in the neighbourhood. — Ed.
Col. I. 20, 27.] the glory of the gospel. 255
the fury of their enemies, as the people were in the sight of their enemies,
Exod. xxxii. 25, stripped of all their ornaments and armour, and there-
fore ' the people mourned,' chap, xxxiii., and then destruction doth cer-
tainly and inevitably follow.
Ezek. ix. 3. Before the executioners of vengeance came with their slaughter-
weapons, the glory of the Lord went away from the cherub, and then the
wrath of God falls upon men to the utmost, as upon the Jews, 1 Thes.
ii. 16, that is, in greater extremities than upon any other. Neither is the
tenure of us Gentiles so sure as was theirs ; it was as their freehold, Rom.
ix. 4. ■ To them appertained the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the
promises.' Rom. xi. 21, ' If God spared not the natural branches, take
heed how he spare not thee : be not high-minded, but fear.' ' Towards
thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness ; otherwise thou shalt be
cut off,' ver. 22. And yet they are cut off, and have been these sixteen
hundred years, and that glory which belonged to them is departed from
them, and not yet returned ; and have we not cause to fear ?
To that end, let us consider some signs of the departure of this glory
from a people, and this in those degrees wherein usually it departs.
First, When those outward privileges, which I mentioned before, which
have been pawns of its presence, are a-going, and a people is bereft of them ;
for when you see the train departing and the followers sent away, you
expect the court removes shortly. When God ' turneth the glory ' of a
kingdom ' into shame,' as Hosea iv. 7, he threateneth, makes it ' base in
the eyes of its neighbours,' as, Ezek. xvii. 14, he did that of Judah before
captivity, so as they are made a derision to those to whom they were a
terror. When we see blessings ebb, attempts blasted, armies blown away
and dissolved as dust-heaps in a nation that was once honourable, victorious,
terrible, prosperous. Winter is nigh when leaves fall off.
And so God did with the Jews, before that final taking of the gospel from
them, by taking first away their beauty, their honour and glory, and out-
ward liberties and privileges of a nation, which once they had enjoyed, broke
the ' staff of beauty,' and then ' of bands,' Zech xi. 10, 14, then disuniting
and scattering them over the face of the earth.
The second thing that departs before the gospel departs is the inward,
glorious presence of God's Spirit which once did shine in his ordinances,
that though men enjoy the outward, visible signs of his presence, have the
ark and preaching of the gospel and cherubims among them, yet the
Spirit is gone. Ezek. ix. 3, it is said that ' the glory went up from the
cherubims ' before the destruction that followed, that though the cheru-
bims and temple and ark still remained, yet the glory was gone. Now,
the cherubims signified the ministers of the gospel, as you shall hear
anon.
Now, when God withdraws his Spirit from us, then the glory goes hence,
for in this 2 Cor. iii. this is that which makes the gospel glorious, ' the
ministration of the Spirit ; ' so that, as the glory of the body is gone when
the soul is out, so the glory of the gospel is gone when the Spirit is de-
parted, for without it it is but a dead letter. ' For the kingdom of God '
(Paul speaks it of preaching of the gospel, 1 Cor. iv. 20) ' consists not in
word, but in power ; ' so that when that power is gone, the kingdom is gone.
Now, whilst that power goes forth, so long God hath elect to call, 1 Thes.
i. 4, 5, « Knowing your election to be of God, because our gospel was
not in word only, but in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much
assurance. And when the elect is gone, God takes away the gospel.
256 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. ["SERMON II.
But when you shall hear sermons, and lay open the excellent things of
the law, and discover the secrets of the gospel, which the angels pry into,
and yet the Holy Ghost withdraw himself, that neither wicked are convinced
to fall down and say, ' God is amongst them,' the high fortresses of carnal
opinion, corrupt practices, are not cast down in the congregations that hear
them, nor are they reformed at all, but they that were filthy are filthy
still; when the best are dead, and dull, and cold under it, their hearts
are not warmed as they were wont to burn with them, as the disciples'
hearts were when they went to Emmaus ; when God ceaseth to shew him-
self terrible to the wicked in his holy place, Ps. lxviii. 35, but then when
the sentence of damnation is clearly pronounced against men, yet they all
hear it as the song of one can sing well ; when God creates not a cloud
and a pillar of fire upon our assemblies, as Isa. iv. 5, to guide, enlighten,
and clear our hearts in the ways of godliness ; when few are added to the
church and none to God, it is a sign God hath his elect out, and that the
glory is going.
The second temple was more glorious than the former, Hag. ii. 9, yet the
former was outwardly more glorious. If Christ be present, he makes the
glory with less learned teaching. And it is for your sakes God assists,
1 Thes. i. 5, ' What manner of men for your sakes.'
Thirdly, Then the Spirit is withdrawing, when wicked hearts grow
weary of it — -even the wicked a while rejoiced in John's light — and godly
men are indifferent whether they enjoy it or no, this is a further sign of its
departure, and an effect of the former. Amos viii. 5, men cried there,
' When will the Sabbath be gone,' and sermon over, that we may to our
calling again, and not lose too much time ?
And what follows on this ? He upon this threateneth, ver. 9, that ' their
sun shall go down at noon ; ' that glorious light God had set up amongst
them, should set in the very noon, and height, when it might have run a
course many years after ; an eclipse, a total one came on the sudden, even
at noonday. And if the place should not be meant of the light of the word,
as I think it is, yet ver. 11 expressly threateneth upon this, ' a famine of
the word,' &c. That word which before had rained down as manna, and
they were weary of it and would scarce go out of doors to hear it, now they
should run from sea to sea, and not find it.
Or suppose they be not weary of it, as the godly are not, yet if they be
not earnest with God by prayers for it, and continuance of it, when they do
not strive together, as Paul exhorts them, Pioin. xv. 30, but they sit still
and let all go, and strive not ; and if God will provide for them, and send
forth labourers, so it is ; whereas Christ tells them they must pray, Mat.
ix. 38. You are bidden pray for daily bread, and it must cost you sweat
besides ; and do j^ou think to enjoy bread of heaven without praying daily
for it, yea, and that sweating in prayer also ? Jesus Christ looks to be
constrained to stay with a people, as with those disciples, Luke xxiv. 28,
29. Whereas otherwise he would have gone further, and certainly would.
When the keys are laid aside that should unlock the cupboard, whence the
children should have bread, they are like to lose their suppers. Now
these keys are prayers. If Paul be given them, it must be by prayer,
Philem. 22.
A fourth sign of the departure of this glory is when men begin to let
error and idolatry creep in, which is an effect of the former ; for (2 Thes.
ii. 10) men having no pleasure in truth, but in unrighteousness, God
gave them up to lies, and they provoke the Lord to departure. Gal. ii. 5,
Vol. I. 2G, 27.] tiie glohy of the gospel. 257
In case of circumcision, says Paul, ■ I would not yield, or give way, not for
an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with j'ou.' As if he
had said, If I had given way to a small error, it had endangered the con-
tinuance of the gospel with you ; how much more, when gross errors, con-
trary to our points of catechism, and principles of religion, are admitted in
a church and suffered to be taught, and grow upon us ; but much more
must this glory depart when idolatry gets footing. Then God's glory departs
amain. Ezek. ix., When did the glory go from the cherub to the threshold
of the door? When, chap, viii., idolatry was committed in the secret
chambers, yea and in the temple, in worshipping towards the east ; then
there was no room left for God, he withdrew himself to the threshold,
shewing he would lain have had a room amongst them, but he was justled
out, glad to stand at the threshold, one foot in, another out, for what fellow-
ship hath God with idols ? 2 Cor. vi. 16. God will not walk among you
where idols are.
And then, Fifthly and lastly, the glory wholly departs when the cherubims
do ascend or are removed, Ezek. xi. 22. When the cherubims lift up their
wings, then the glory went from the city quite. Now cherubims are angels,
both celestial, and these on earth, namely, ministers of the gospel. For if
you would see what these cherubims were, see Ezek. i. 5, 6. They were
four beasts, who had faces of a lion, a man, an ox, an eagle, and wings full
of eyes. Now in the 10th chapter, verses 1, 14, and 20, these are called
cherubims. Now, if you would see what these beasts are, see Rev. iv. 6,
where the same living creatures are in the same manner described with the
same faces, wings, and eyes; Rev. v. 11. And there they are made distinct
from the twenty-four elders, that is, the saints and angels ; and therefore
by them are meant the ministers and magistrates, especially ministers,
whereof some are lions for zeal and courage, and terror in preaching ; others
oxen, for then- pains, and diligence, and constancy, and plainness ; others
are men, preach more rationally to convince the gainsayers ; others eagles,
that have more deep insight into heavenly mysteries, and soar high and aloft.
Now, when error is let in, and idolatry is admitted, then look for the
cherubim to ascend, to be removed. And in any state, or in the mean time,
when a cherub ascends up to heaven, that had the face of ' a man and an
eagle,' from a particular place, the glory of God sometimes goes with him ;
as when old Eli died, the wife of Phinehas said, 1 Sam. iv. 20, ' The glory
was gone,' not only because of the ark, but also because of her father-in-law.
And now let me exhort you, of this place and kingdom, seriously to con-
sider the state and condition of the gospel, standing amongst you, and
whether many of these signs are not fulfilled before your eyes. For the
present, to let the kingdom go, look homeward to yourselves. Is not the
glory of this place exceedingly vanished of late years in men's opinions
abroad ? Do they not suspect unsoundness in doctrine, and otherwise ?
Doth God fill his ordinances as sails with the wind he ha I wont to do.
Your hearts know best, who have had experience of former times. Remember
the breathings and warnings of former times. It may be our faults, yet
sure I am, we are assisted ' for your sakes' especially, 1 Thes. i. 5. And
accordingly do our tongues cleave to the roof of our mouths. Do not your
hands, which should be lift up to God for supply, even then when your
losses and fears are greatest, grow slack and flag, and your hearts faint ?
Do you seek God with mourning and weeping, and stir up one another to
do so ? Do not errors bordering on popery creep in upon us apace, and
begin to overgrow us, and our silver to become dross ? Is not one of the
vol. rv. E
258 THE GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. TSeRMON II.
cherubs ascended, others removed, your sun set at noon, a total eclipse
threatened ?
Yet at length, brethren, bestir yourselves. Would you have the word dwell
with you ? ' Let the word dwell in you,' Col. iii. 15. Get acquaintance with
it, be familiar to it, keep it company in your thoughts, converse with it,
meditate in it day and night, let it lie, sleep, wake, walk, sit, ride with you.
Also be valiant for truth, ' Hold fast the things you have been taught,'
Rev. ii. 24, 25. However other opinions may be thrust upon you under
pretence of depths, as there are, ' yet hold fast till I come ; ' so you may
enjoy it till Christ come.
Take heed of having pleasure in unrighteousness, 2 Thes. ii. 10. It will
give you up to lies to be damned. Turn from folly, and return to it no more,
but fear the Lord, Ps. Ixxxv. 8, 9, compared. ' Let them not return to folly.'
' Salvation is nigh to them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.'
Bless God for, and prize the meanest that bring the glad tidings of salva-
tion in power and faithfulness, Mat. xxiii. 39. ' I will go hence,' saj's Christ,
' till they say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord,' and then
will I return again.
You young ones, get you grace into your hearts, and the word rooted
there, that when it dies in old men, there may be a succession of it in you.
Above all, be earnest with God, pray that he thrust forth labourers into
his harvest. ' God feeds the ravens that cry to him,' Job xxxviii. 41, that
wander up and down, know not where to have a meal's meat next ; and as
Christ argues, ' Doth God take care for lilies and birds,' Matt. vi. 26, ' and
are not you better than they ? ' Are not you children ? And is not the
word children's bread ? That is, it is theirs, appointed for them, Mat.
xv. 26. No prayers of children pierce their parents' ear more than when
they cry for bread, for those that are born must be kept. Lam. vi. 3, ' Sea
monsters give their breasts to their young ones,' much more God.
God is loath to remove from an ancient dwelling-place, as you may see
by his lingering in Ezek. ix. 3. To the threshold, thence to the midst of
the city, &c.
His promise is to give them pastors according to his own heart, if there
be but one or two in a city, Jer. iii. 14, 15 ; and there are more in this
town.
And Ps. cxxxii. 11, ' God swore to David, that if his children keep my
covenant, &c, they should sit upon his throne,' and God would make it his
rest, ver. 14. It is a trouble to him to remove, and therefore at the 17th
verse he says, ' He will ordain a lamp,' that is, when one candle is out he
will give another ; so 1 Kings xv. 4 it is interpreted.
Now, the same promises are to you all for the sure mercies of David ; I
say, are promised to be established to all that are in covenant. As one light
is out, God will set up another ; as of magistrates, so of ministers, Jer.
xxxiii. 17, 18. I say as Samuel, 1 Sam. xii. 22-24, ' For the Lord will
not forsake his people for his great name's sake : because it hath pleased
the Lord to make you his people. Moreover, as for me, God forbid that
I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you : but I will teach
you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord, and serve him in
truth with all your heart : for consider how great things he hath done for
you. But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be consumed,' &c.
A DISCOURSE OF THE GLORY OF THE
GOSPEL.*
CHAPTER I.
The words of the text (Col. i. 26. 27) explained. — Though God had before
by various trails discovered the glorious mysteries of his grace, yet the revela-
tion of them by the gospel excels all the other.
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but
now is made manifest to his saints : to ivhom God would make known what
is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles ; which is Christ
in you, the hope of glory. — Col. I. 26, 27.
The apostle, in this chapter, from the 13th verse to the end, draws a
lively character of Christ and his gospel.
1. He describes Jesus Christ in all that fulness of the riches of his
glory wherewith he is arrayed and represented in the gospel, from the 13th
verse to the 23d.
2. He falls into a commendation of the gospel, which is that mystery
wherein is made known the rich glory of Christ, who is the glory of this
mystery. And if the story that makes Christ known be so full of riches
and glory, what then is Christ himself, the subject of it ?
The aposlle doth both these on set purpose (as in the 4th and 8th verses
of chap. ii. he profe3seth), to divert and take off these Colossians' mind
from those vain, deceitful speculations of philosophy, and the ceremonial
law, and traditions of men, gaudily and speciously set out with enticing
words, ' philosophy and vain deceit.' He exposeth the beggarly condition
of those rudiments (as he names the best of them, Gal. iv. 9) ; and to dis-
play the glory and riches of the mystery of Christ in all its brightness, he
makes the enticing lustre of all other wisdom, which had almost spoiled that
glory of Christ (Col. ii. 8), to vanish.
In the words of my text, Col. i. 26, 27, the current of his praise of the
gospel's glory swells highest, and runs with the deepest and strongest
stream ; within the limits of which, therefore, I will confine myself (though
much might be added from other Scriptures) as affording matter abundant
to set forth the glory of the gospel, by all that doth commend unto us any
other knowledge.
* See note, p. 22G.
260 A DISCOURSE OF THE [CHAP. I.
1. You have here the rise and original of it, as withal of man's salva-
tion ; how, and for what ends God contrived it and revealed it, and to
whom. The great God (says he) took up a mind and purpose to reveal
unto his saints infinite riches of his glory in it, and by it : and to that
end framed this wisdom on purpose for them, and them alone. ' It is
made manifest to his saints, to whom God would make known his riches
and glory by it.'
2. You have the subject of it, and common treasury of all that riches
and glory discovered in it, which is Christ, God's Son. ' Which riches
is Christ,' says the apostle by way of explanation. Now Christ's riches
are unsearchable (Eph. iii. 8), and this doctrine of the gospel is the
field this treasure is hid in ; and Christ being also ' the Lord of glory'
(1 Cor. ii. 8), hath filled it with a glory answerable, with ' riches of
glory.'
3. You have the gain and benefit of it. For it reveals God and Christ,
and all his riches and glory ; so being received and entertained by spiritual
knowledge and manifestation in the hearts of men, it makes those saints
possessors thereof, by giving them a possession of Christ. And for your
further security, you have them in you, by having him in you (who is the
treasury of all those riches) at the present. But then, the glorious know-
ledge of this Christ, as he is in you, is yet a future pledge of a greater and
more transcendent glory to come, greater than this gospel can reveal, or
can be made known to you. ' Christ is in you the hope of glory.'
4. You have added hereunto all sorts of excelling properties and royal-
ties to commend the glory of the gospel, above all that are or can be sup-
posed to be in any other knowledge. (1.) If depth and profoundness sets
a value, this is a mystery in every fine of it. (2.) If preciousness and
abundance makes any knowledge estimable, this is full of riches and glory.
(3.) If secrecy puts an esteem on any science, this ' hath been hid from ages
and generations, but now made manifest.' (4.) If it recommend any know-
ledge, that when the secret is revealed, yet still it be not made common to
the ordinary sort of men, then the gospel is most excellent ; for though
God hath revealed it, yet he retaineth and useth that art in revealing of it,
that he makes known the riches and glory of it only to ' his saints ;' others
know it but in the outward letter of it.
1. I shall take a view of the rise and original of the revelation of this
glorious mystery. I cast the brief story thereof into this frame.
(1.) Our all-wise and infinitely blessed God, possessing in himself infi-
nite riches of glory, he thinks of ways to make them known, and that to
some reasonable intelligent creatures, which by knowing of them might be
made partakers thereof, and have their bosoms filled with all his riches ;
for both to make them known, and withal to make them possessors
thereof, are in the text : the one in these words, ' make known ;' the
other in those, ' Christ in you the hope of glory.' The text says, rfiiKr^aiv,
' he would,' he had a mind and a will, a longing desire to do it, and com-
municate it to us, to make us blessed. That is the first thing. ' He would
make known,' &c.
(2.) The second thing to be considered is the persons, to v:hom. The
text says, ' to his saints.' His, that is, his elect, whom he hath chosen
to be holy, his saints, who are first his own by election, and then made
saints.
[1.] They are his, singled out from all the rest to be his peculiar, his
elect. ' The Lord knows who are his.' ' Thine they were,' (says Christ,
Chap. I.] glory of the gospel. 2G1
John xvii. 6), ' and thou gavcst thorn to me ; and they have kept thy
word.' And ' Father' (says Christ, Mat. xi. 25), 'I thank thee thou hast
hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to
babes ; even so it pleased thee.'
Yet [2.] he makes them saints, to whom he communicates himself:
yea, he makes them saints by making himself known to them. Judas (not
Iscariot) asked Christ, John xiv. 22, this bold question, ' How is it that
thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world.' Christ there
mentions not the first part of this account here, namely, that they were
his peculiarly, and not the world (which yet being alone with his Father in
his prayer, he then takes occasion to mention, to move him) but he gives
them this other part of the account here. Because (says he) I manifest
myself to saints, which you are, and I will cause you to be. His words
afore (in which Judas interrupted him) were these, at ver. 2,1, ' He that
hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he
that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will
manifest myself to him.' And his words in answer to Judas fully import
it, ver. 23. ' Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will
keep my words : and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him,
and make our abode with him.' This answer was needful for their quick-
ening to obedience.
(3.) The third thing I add to this head is, that God had afore the dis-
covery of this gospel, taken other ways to make known something of the
riches of this glory by them ; but yet had all that while kept and retained
this knowledge of the gospel as the last, to excel, and exceed, and to put
down all the former ; which yet is but a preparation to that other discovery
in the heavens, as all those former were to this.
Both these assertions are clear. The first is evident from those words,
1 he now hath made manifest,' that which was hidden from all ages, &c.
And yet we know that former ages had much of the wisdom of God among
them, both Jew and Gentiles.
The other assertion is evident from this, that the utmost discovery of
this mystery, and of Christ now, is but the hope ; and so not the posses-
sion of that glory which is to come. We are led therefore to consider a
little those other ways God had already taken to manifest the riches of his
glory by, as an ante-masque to this that followed.
[l.j One way by which he began to manifest his glorious back-parts
(Exod. xxxiii. 23), both to angels and men, was by the first creation and
the works thereof, and in the law and covenant of works. Whereof the
first holds forth his eternal power and Godhead, ' because that which may
be known of God is manifest in them ; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly
seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead ; so that they are without excuse,' Rom. i. 19, 20. ' The
heavens declare the glory of God ; and the firmament sheweth his handy-
work,' Ps. xix. 1. And the angels, that were spectators of every day's
work, were infinitely taken with it : ' Whereupon are the foundations
thereof fastened ? or who laid the corner-stone thereof; when the morning
stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy ? ' Job xxxviii.
6, 7. They shouted for joy to see him finish every day's work. Then
his wisdom also is displayed in governing so great a host, an army of
several creatures, to several ends, by perpetual laws. I instance but in
one, the placing of the sun in the heavens and the motion of it, so disposed
2G2 A DISCOURSE OF THE [CHAP. I.
and ordered as it could nowhere else be placed therein without an apparent
inconvenience to some parts of the habitable world. But he hath made a
tabernacle for it, and set out the course thereof to visit all the earth. It
goes to its tropics, and misseth not a hair's breadth. Tbere is infinite
justice also apparent in his righteous law, and withal infinite holiness in
so exact a rule of righteousness, which was the Jews' wisdom and glory in
the sight of all nations. For the delivery of which law God come down,
and made a heaven upon a dirty mole-hill, Mount Sinai, and constituted
Moses a mediator, and put a glory upon his face, and then dressed up a
high priest gloriously for his worship, and erected a tabernacle, and after
that a temple admirably magnificent. How did the Jews boast of all these
things ! Rom. ii.
[2.] But all this contented not our God, who would make known a fur-
ther mystery, viz., of the redemption of fallen man by Christ, which he
kept hid and close in his own breast, and not a creature knew it, no, not
his angels (not as we now know it in the gospel), which were his nearest
courtiers and dearest favourites. It lay hid in God, Eph. iii. 9, hid even
from them, ver. 10. It was a mystery which, when revealed, should amaze
the world, and put the angels to school again ; as if they had known no-
thing in comparison of this, wherein they know over again all those
glorious riches which are in God, and that more perfectly and fully
than ever before. Such is the mystery of Christ revealed in the gospel,
which is the last edition also that ever shall come forth in this world, and
is now set out, enlarged, and perfected ; wherein that large inventory of
God's glorious perfections is more fully set down, with addition.
The reasons why God did by two ways intend to manifest himself thus
variously are :
First ; Because he would shew forth his manifold wisdom, which is the
reason given of revealing the gospel, Eph. iii. 10, ' that to the angels might
appear the manifold wisdom of God.' His wisdom is so vast and large,
that he could vary, and take more ways than one to display it. And as he
had two sorts of reasonable creatures to shew himself unto, so he had a
double way, a double sample, and double method.
Secondly ; God did so, because indeed that other way was of itself too
obscure and too imperfect.
First, It was too obscure ; for in the gospel and works of redemption,
the angels came to see all that they saw before, and that more clearly and
largely. They see more power in Christ, ' the power of God,' 1 Cor. i. 24,
in raising himself up from death to life, ' declared with power thereby to be
the Son of God,' Rom. i. 4. And they see also the exceeding greatness of
his power in raising us up also, Eph. i. 19, more than they did in the
creation. They likewise see a greater and clearer instance and manifesto
of his justice in putting to death his own Son, taking on him to be a surety
for sinners, than if a world of worlds should have been damned for ever.
And in Christ his Son also they came to see a greater and far more tran-
scendent righteousness than ever appeared either in the law or inherent in
themselves.
Secondly, That other way was but imperfect.
For those attributes which God accounts his greatest riches and greatest
glory, Rom. ix. 23, even his mercy and free grace, which he intends most
to exalt, never saw light till now.
But not only more of his attributes come thus to be discovered, but fur-
ther, the glorious mystery of the Trinity come thereby to be more clearly
Chap. I.] glory of the gospel. 2G3
unfolded, if not tho first discovery made of the three persons ; there being
scarce the footsteps of them distinctly to be seen in the works of creation
or in the law. But now, when the gospel comes to be revealed, and the
work of salvation in it, then they were discovered to be ' three witnesses in
heaven,' 1 John v. 7, witnesses to our salvation. And their several wit-
nessing comes to be known by their several seals and hand-works, set
severally to our salvation, bearing the stamp and similitude of their three
several subsistences ; so as by those three seals of the election of Christ
and us, of our redemption and of our sanctification, we may know there are
three persons, and how they do subsist; even as in men's seals their several
arms being engraven, their houses and antiquity are known.
(4.) The fourth thing is, what new model or means it was which God
singled forth to print and publish his whole and utmost counsel to us by,
after all those other ; the edition of which should thus excel all the former,
and alone be full and adequate, and commensurable to his whole design ;
even to manifest and communicate the whole, the full of all those riches of
glory in himself, but once for all, and no more, that he shall not need to
superadd any other, until himself immediately communicates himself face to
face. The text tells us that this excellent way of discovery is Christ com-
municated to us, it is ' Christ in us, the hope of glory.' Which notes out,
not only Christ to be the revealer, ' the prophet ' (as Moses styles him) who
by word of mouth or way of doctrine should discover the glory of God
(which the apostle fully renders to the scope I have driven at, Heb. i. 1,
' God who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake by the prophets,
hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son'). Whereas aforetimes
God by degrees and by piecemeal, KoXvpegug, uttered himself, one truth at
one time, another at another, by drops ; so it was for the matter ; and
<xoXvr foTMi, after sundry fashions and forms and shapes, such as were
dreams, visions, types, &c. ; so for the manner. This God hath now (as
the opposition imports) once for all, in the last days and by wholesale,
uttered his whole counsel, and this uniformly after one only plain and clear
manner and way, by word of mouth from his Son, spoken by his Son, as
the revealer. So it follows, chap. ii. ver. 3, ' Which at first began to be
spoken by the Lord' (namely, Christ), but not only so, but that which the
text here holds forth is, that Christ, as the argument, subject, matter, is
the thing revealed. That alone takes up and fills up the whole of this new
doctrine ; which mystery (says he) is Christ, namely, subjective. It is
Christ known and communicated ; and in him all God's riches and glory.
1 . In him all the riches of God and the knowledge of him are laid up,
as the treasury and subject of them ; and so discovered and communicated
to us objectively in the knowledge of him. Thus, chap. ii. ver. 2, 3, the
apostle further explains it. For having termed the gospel (as here) the
mystery of God and of Christ, he adds, ' In whom are hid all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge ; ' not only to be revealed by him, or subjectively
known in and by himself; but (which is the proper scope of the apostle)
objectively set forth, and contained in him alone, and in the knowledge of
him made known to us.
2. In him shines ' the glory of God ' (2 Cor. iv. 6, ' The light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ'), as the lively
image of all his features and perfections, and evidences of his inward coun-
sels and affections. That therefore which I here insist upon is, that Jesus
Christ in all his glories is the great and eminent subject of the gospel,
Rev. i. 1.
2G4 A DISCOURSE OF THE [CHAP. I.
3. It is tho gospel of God (namely, as the author of it), hut it is con-
cerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. God had but one Son, and he
made this gospel on purpose to honour him, and set him forth. It is all,
and every word of it, some way or other concerning him, or about him.
God made it purposely to set his Son Christ forth to us ; and in setting
forth bis Son, himself also. It is therefore termed (chap. ii. of this epistle,
ver. 2) « the mystery of God the Father, and of Christ.' Christ, in that series
of truths about him held forth in the whole New Testament, is the sum of
this newly revealed wisdom of God, 1 Cor. i. 24.
So then, Cod's Son, first made our Christ, and that by being made man,
is thereby further made a complete body and system of a new wisdom or
knowledge of the glory of God. And correspondently is that speech of the
apostle, chap. ii. ver. 2, to be understood, ' that their hearts might be com-
forted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance
of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the
Father, and of Christ.' This was that subject which terminated the
apostle's thoughts, as the horizon doth the eye ; he regarded not to look
beyond it to anything else. And surely, if unto God himself his Christ is
an aboundary, a sum of that wisdom manifestative, whereby he would make
himself known to us, and rest contented therein, as the last and fullest till
we come to glory, then he may well be so to us, and may we reckon our-
selves complete in him, as Col. ii. 10. How complete and lively a repre-
sentation Christ, as revealed in the gospel, is of the riches of the glory of
God to be manifested to us, in comparison with all other, I shall shew by
and by, when,
4. In the fourth place, I have added this, how real and lively a demon-
stration or setting forth of Christ this our gospel, the mystery here is. The
story of that is this : the apostles that lived and conversed with Jesus Christ
saw with their own eyes. He dwelt amongst us (says the apostle), John
i. 14 : God wearing flesh and blood about him and appearing in it, was God
manifest in the flesh personally, 1 Tim. iii. 16. And so they had the
privilege in his person to behold his glory. ' And we beheld his glory '
(says he), 'the glory as of the only begotten of the Father ; ' so lively repre-
senting the glory of the Father, that if they knew him, they must needs
know the Father ; John xiv. 9, ' Have I been so long time with you, and
yet hast thou not known me, Philip ? He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father, and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?' They
beheld it also in his doctrine, in his works and words, and gracious
converse, full of grace in his converse, and truth in his doctrine, as it
follows there. ' That which we (says John) have seen with our eyes
(1 John i. 1), which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of
the word of life.' Ver. 2, ' For Christ our life was manifested,' &c. And
when he was gone to heaven, the Holy Ghost came down and caused them
to understand the end and intent, the use to us, the benefits and the full
meaning of all he did and said. He turned and translated to them the
dark mystery of his sufferings written in blood, which they understood not,
his resurrection, &c, into a familiar language to be understood and learned
bv lost sinners, of remissions of sins ; redemption through his blood ;
dying, rising for them, in their stead ; and a thousand such glories redound-
ing to us, and in us, that are the fruits and results, and reverberations of
ah he did and acted. The Holy Ghost came and took of his, even all that
he had done, and unciphered and unriddled it, shewed it to them (as Christ
says, John xvi. 14) ; and so glorified Christ afresh in that comment of
Chap. I.] glory of the gospel. 2G5
gospel light he caused to shine in their hearts. ■ He shall glorify me, for
he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.' And by them were
all these things in their sermons reported ; as Peter speaks, 1 Pet. i. 12,
1 These things which are now reported by them (said he) that have preached
the gospel to you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.' And
whilst they thus preached him, God gave forth by their ministry ' the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,' 2 Cor.
iv. 6, even ' the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God,' ver. 4.
But, alas ! as Christ himself was gone to heaven, and had taken up his
glory with him ; and those that were eye-witnesses of it, and should report
it unto us, are likewise gone off the stage : the Holy Ghost therefore caused
them to leave a frame and doctrine of the gospel in their writings, both the
6tory of his life and death by the evangelists, which is but Christ written in
ciphers ; and in their epistles, which give that story forth in plainer letters,
opening the use, and end, and intent of all. And these writings opened by
the Holy Ghost, and the ministers of the gospel hold forth all pieces of it,
and being set all together, make an express picture and image of Christ,
and all his glories, who is the express image of the glory of God ; and is
therefore called the glorious gospel of Christ, the subject of it, who is the
image of God, and whose glory this holds forth. Thus (as Paul preached
to the Galatians, Gal. iii. 1), before our eyes Jesus Christ hath been
pictured, «rgosygap»j, depictus fuit; and that so really and lively, that he is
bold to affirm, he was crucified among them, even as well as at Jerusalem.
The Holy Ghost did set them down (as it were) at Jerusalem by the cross,
and brought him forth crucified before the very eyes of their faith, as really
and expressly as if they had seen it done with their bodily eyes. Let any
other tragic story be told by the quickest and most poetic fancy, and it
cannot be said that it was done or perpetrated among them to whom it was
told. But the story of Christ and his truths, and all that is told, is said to
be done among them, whilst it is a-telling. Yea, further, the glorious gospel,
accompanied with the Spirit, is not only compared to a picturing or paint-
ing by colours, the most lively and artificial that can be supposed, as in
that Gal. iii. 1 ; but further, it is compared to the real image of a person
in a glass, in which you see his soul shines out in all the casts of his eyes,
in all the postures of his demeanour, and all this in that sparkling manner,
as if all the angels would limn or draw a picture, they could not come near
it. This you hare in 2 Cor. iii. 18, compared with 2 Cor. iv. 4, 6. In
the one he says, ' We see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, in
and by the glorious gospel.' In the other he compareth the other to a glass,
1 We all behold as in a glass, the glory of the Lord.' That look, how far
more lovely * the representation of a person is seen in a glass, above what
in a picture ; so is Christ in this gospel. Let all the curious artists in the
world conspire to paint the sun, and bring all their orient brightest colours,
and let a child but come and bring a looking-glass ; and what a wan, pale
thing is the one, to the glory, splendour, and reality of the other. The
riches of the glory of the sun, no painting or colours can ever render ; but
a looking-glass doth. And such is the revelation in the gospel made to
believers. ' We therein behold as in a glass the g*ory of the Lord ; ' and
therefore he calls it the glorious gospel of Christ, even as in the text.
If you ask how this comes to pass ? I answer, By the Spirit that accom-
panies it. So in that 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' Even as by the Spirit of the Lord,'
Qu. ' lively ' ?— Ed.
266 A DISCOURSE OF THE [CHAP. I.
it is added. If the Spirit of revelation, as it is called, Eph. i. 17, accom-
pany not this ministry and descriptions of Christ, they are but as pictures,
or as dead words used to set forth any other narration. But the gospel being
the ministration of the Spirit, he hath a peculiar act to bring down the real
subsistence, (as Heb. xi. 1), of the things themselves uttered about Christ,
which put together make up this image of Christ, in the understanding and
spirit of the soul and mind. Can Satan make a lively shadow of a person
long since dead, by condensation of colours, and his light shining therein,
appear to the eye ? The Spirit can do this much more of Christ, so as
though you see him not in that glory as he is (1 John iii. 2), in heaven,
yet the spiritual glory of Christ you see in every truth the gospel utters of
him ; and have real communion with him thereby, 1 John i. 2, 3, even as
by laying your eye to the least beam of light that comes in at a cranny in
a dark room, you see the glory of the whole sun. And as you cannot see
the sun, but by its own light, so, nor Christ, but by a light let down from
himself, which the Spirit that is in his heart, and in ours, gives.
If you will ask how ? I answer, By creation. So in that 2 Cor. iv. 6.
God that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our
hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face
of Jesus Christ.' The words we speak and utter of his glory are but words,
and would be no more, though we were able to set them out with the
tongues of angels. But if that Spirit that is in Christ's heart, and lies hid
in this word (as the promise is, ' My Spirit and my word shall not depart
out of thy mouth'), if he accompanies it to our hearts, he presents the
things, and the real images thereof to our souls in and through those words.
He turns verba in res, as that philosopher when converted acknowledged.
Which he doth to no other men but to his saints, ' to whom he would
make known,' &c.
So then to shut up this ; suppose you had an absent friend alive, whom
loving, you desire at times to behold in his converse and behaviour, and
loving aspect to you ; and a picture of him did not content you, but you
had a glass, into which at times the lively image came, and in which he
appeared to you really in such and such deportments : such is the gospel
when the Spirit accompanies it, and conveys Christ spiritualty, and with
the sight of faith to the soul. And this will help us to understand why he
is called ' Christ in us ;' of which hereafter.
How should we prize and value such a glass as this, preserve it from
soiling, spots, or breaking, and suffer it not to be perverted! You reject
such as are false and misrepresent ; you affect pure and clear ones ; oh then,
keep to and preserve the gospel in its purity. You see your husband in it,
and his beauty, every day.
5. How completely doth this gospel hold forth the riches of the glory of
God in the person of Jesus Christ, as a redeemer and crucified, 2 Cor. iv. 4,
and 6, compared with 1 Cor. i. 23, 24. The word is h Kgocuvw, 2 Cor.
iv. 6. John i. 18, ' No man hath seen God at any time ' (John i. 18),
1 the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath de-
clared him,' ii*riy7}6a,To, which word (as your late critics- observe) Enarra-
tioneni notat, von tarn sernwiie aut prcedictione, qucun eocpressiom et reprmen-
tatione factum. It expressed him to the life, and brought God forth out of
his invisibility, Christ being (Col. i. 15) ' The image of the invisible God.'
There is indeed a full and complete image of the glory of God, which
shineth in his person, as he appears in heaven, whereof John, James, and
• Ludovicus de Picu.
Chap. I.J glory of the oobpbl. 2G7
Peter had a glimpse, which transcends infinitely all that which the gospel
can, or the Spirit of the gospel doth reveal of him. And by this glory
(John xvii., ' That they may be where I am, and see my glory ') we sliall
see and understand by converse with him in heaven more, infinitely more,
of the glory of God in and by him. But this glory the gospel treats not
of, but only hints ; we discern it but by collecting what glory must needs
be due to that man in whom the fulness of the Godhead personally dwells.
But that image of God which in Christ this gospel holds forth, is but the
hopes of that other glory, and is a lower thing than that which his person
wears in heaven.
And yet this discovery of God in Christ transcends whatever any way
was or could otherwise have been made. The ' back-parts ' of God, which
we call his attributes, his power, wisdom, truth, justice, which God calls
his glory to Moses, Exod. xxxvi., and which w r e cannot see and live : these
are infinitely more really and substantially, and to the life, set forth to us,
by what we know of Christ as a redeemer in the gospel ; and do infinitely
transcend whatever of them either was, or could have been expressed in
millions of several worlds, filled all of them with several sorts of intel-
ligent creatures, such as angels and men, to never so great a variety,
as the KoXvKoixiXog coyia of God could have diversified the natures of
them into.
There is a threefold image of God in Christ.
1. As he is his Son, without the consideration of his dwelling in an
human nature ; and so he is unto God the Father that image of himself by
whom he understands himself. And were he not equal with himself, he
should not understand or behold himself by him fully and perfectly. And
Christ thus is in that respect as invisible, as incomprehensible as God him-
self. For, so considered, he is God, and dwells in light inaccessible.
2. There is an image of the glory of God shining in his person in heaven,
such as all that shall see it shall say (as they did, Mat. xvii., upon a glimpse
of it) that it is proper only to the only begotten Son of God.
But, 3. There is a glorious image of all God's attributes, which shines
in the person of Christ (as he conversed here), and in the works which
Christ hath done for us, and in the fruits and benefits that redound thereby
to us : or in the works of Christ (which are the beams whereof this sun is
the body) in us, now he is in heaven, leading us into communion with him-
self. And they all make a complete image, and that more perfect, of the
riches of God's glory : and this the gospel treats of. The first of these is
the foundation of the second, the second of this third : and do each exceed
the other. There is a new and complete edition of all the attributes of
God, which results out of the story of what he is, hath done, and is made
to us.
In the 1 Cor. i. 24, Christ is termed ' the power of God, and the wisdom
of God.' He calls him by terms of the attributes of God in abstracto. And
if the question be, How we are to understand it ? Not of what Christ is
essentially merely as God, or simply as the Son of God, which w^as the
first, nor yet as in his person as God-man, he hath an infinite wisdom and
power inherent in him, which was the second ; but as he is made to us by
his works of mediation for us, and the like, and in respect of what his
person is made to us. Which is clear by the context : for he speaks of
Christ as he is crucified, and of the power of God shewn, and put forth in
calling and converting our souls by the foolishness of preaching. ' It
pleased God, through the foolishness of preaching, to save them that be-
2G8 A DISCOURSE OF TUB [CHAP. I.
lieve,' ver. 21. And so it follows, ver. 23, 'We preach Christ crucified,
unto them which are called, the power of God.'
The like is as clear to be understood of Christ's being the wisdom oi
God, which is attributed to him in respect of what he is made to us ; so,
ver. 30, ' who is made unto us wisdom,' &c. And both these, the power
and wisdom of God, appeared in Cbrist, in what he did and suffered.
And therefore Paul subjoins, chap. ii. 2, ' As to know nothing but Christ '
(of which I spake afore), so he adds, ' as crucified.' So then Christ as
crucified, and by the like reason made flesh, and walking holily, dying,
overcoming sin, wrath, Satan, hell, rising, ascending, and then converting,
justifying, glorifying us. In all and each of these works performed by him
he is the power of God, the wisdom of God ; and so even in these a perfect
edition of all those attributes. And for the same, and by the like reason, he
may be entitled the truth, the life, the love of God, as he is in other scriptures.
The truth of God, because he ratified all the promises, and confirmed them
true. The faithful witness, God's Amen. So he is to* the love of God,
1 John iv. 16, where God is said to be love, not in respect of what he is in
himself, but in what he is to us in giving his Son ; ' God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son.' And not only so, but he who
himself was God ' laid down his life for us' (chap. iii. 16), sinners, enemies,
which all commend that love, Rom. v. And thus is the love of God made
manifest to the utmost, 1 John iv. 9, that whereas none could see the
infinite love of God as it is in himself; — thus John in that very place,
' no man hath seen God at any time,' ver. 18, — nor can, nor could ever have
come to have fathomed the infinite sweetnesses of love and kindnesses that
lie at the bottom of that heart ; therefore God, to express the utmost of
it, gave Christ, that in the love of Christ we might comprehend the height,
the breadth, the depth of that love that yet passeth knowledge, as Eph.
iii. 19. Then to instance again in power ; Adam and the angels saw God's
power in the creation of the world, Rom. i. 20. But in Christ's, and his
work of redemption, he came to see infinitely far greater works than these,
as Christ speaks. Look upon him in the womb, and see God and man's
nature united into one person, • the power of the most High overshadowing
his mother,' Luke i. 35. Which word was sought out to shew how great
and incomprehensible a power, mysteriously and secretly wrought within
that vail, in the framing and then uniting that human nature to the Son of
God. As great artists, as curious limners, &c, work within doors, conceal
their work whilst a-doing, so the Spirit doth his power. And if the fram-
ing the body of man, and the union of the body and soul, is wondered at by
David, as so curious a piece of workmanship, and therefore wrought, as it
were, underground — ' I am wonderfully made,' says he, ' in the lower parts of
the earth ' — how much more wonderful was the framing of an habitation for
the fulness of the Godhead to dwell in, and uniting God personally there-
unto ! Look again upon him on the cross, a weak and sorry man. For,
as 2 Cor. xiii. 4, ' he was crucified in weakness,' and yet left and found in
that weakness, but on purpose to make an infinite power of God appear ;
his power was perfected in that weakness ; look on him as a poor man made
up of flesh and blood, bearing the wrath of God and all the sins of the
world. He bore that wrath that brake the back of men and angels, and
crushed the strongest creatures to hell, and brake their bones without reco-
very. But this weak drop of flesh and blood is backed and steeled with so
great and infinite a power, as he eluctates and overcomes it. Yea, and it
* Qu. 'too'?— Ed.
Chap. L] glory of the gospel. 2G9
is impossible that ho should bo held under it, Acts ii. 24. Then see him
rising and flinging open the gates of death, the grave, and hell, ' declared to
be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from tbe dead,' Rom. i. 4,
like another Sampson taking these gates of brass off their hinges, and
carrying them on his back to the top of the hill he ascended from into
heaven. Measure but the distance between the low estate of his body in
the grave, and of his soul on the cross, and that superexalted estate of
glory in the highest heavens ; and what compasses our * mathematic instru-
ments can the most enlarged understandings frame within their own thoughts
to take this elevation ? So transcendent a power appears in raising up this
Christ from death to glory, which the apostle doth greaten accordingly,
Eph. i. 19, and makes it the highest pattern of power that God ever put
forth, ' According to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought
in Christ, whom he raised from the dead (so low), and set him at his own
right hand in the heavenly places (so high), far above all principalities and
powers,' &c. View the like in holiness. The glory of God's holiness is so
great, and his eyes so pure, that when he beheld the holiness of his best
creatures, the angels (and in any other that had been mere creatures, if
supposed greater than they, it had been all one), his critical curious eyes
reckon it but folly. The angels, the inhabitants of heaven, are not clean
in his sight. But here is a holiness of a man in whom God dwells, satis-
fies his curiosity, and though indeed it cannot profit him (as Ps. xvi. 1,
Christ confesseth), yet he can find no fault with it. It cannot but fully
please him, for it is the righteousness of God. See the difference of the
strength, the efficacy of these two holinesses, and by that guess at the
transcendent excellency and virtue of the one above the other. Sin, the
least sin, is stronger than all the holiness in men or angels. For the guilt
of one sin no sooner arrested an angel, but it instantly expelled all holiness
out of his heart, and wiped out the memory of all his righteous works.
And no sooner seized it on Adam, but it drave out of his heart, as his
person out of paradise, all that stock of holiness was laid up in him for all
mankind, forced it forth of his and all our hearts, being but imputed to us.
And yet, lo ! the holiness of Christ is such, that when the guilt of sin of all
the elect were thrown upon him, and reckoned by God and himself as his
own, yet his holiness is of such a sovereignty that it preserves him from the
infection thereof, overcometh sin, death, hell, the law ; and triumphing,
cries out, ' Oh death, where is thy sting ? The sting of death is sin ; the
strength of sin is the law. But thanks be unto God, who hath not only
given Christ, but this Christ the victory.' For the strength of his holiness
is such, that though it preserved not him from being hurt by the imputa-
tion of our sins, but laid hold on by us, and imputed by God unto us, it
expels all the virulent poison and venom of the deadliest sins out of our
hearts. Yet, oh ! f what a demonstration of an infinite holiness is here ?
4. There is the greatest of justice and wrath against sin. That God
should put to death his own Son for sin, when he became but a surety for
it, was a clearer manifestation of his anger, and a higher piece of justice
against sin, than if he had made and there sacrificed millions of worlds.
5. There is the clearest brightness of his righteousness, such as is not
found shining in the law or in their hearts ; I mean of Adam or the angels.
For this, at the utmost, serves but to justify themselves, and there is little
enough of it too ; the weight of the least dust in their balance would cause
a rejection of them as too light. And if the righteousness of them all by a
* Qu. ' or'?— Ed. t Qu. ■ Yes! oh'?— Ed.
270 A DISCOURSE OF THE [ClIAP. I.
general contribution were contracted into any one of them, it could not serve
to free one sinner from one sin. Yea, only one sinful act in themselves
would make a forfeiture of all the good in them, or that had come from
them. But here is a righteousness of that efficacy as serves for millions of
sinners ; of that breadth, as is able to cover worlds of sins and millions of
worlds ; of that length, that it reacheth to eternity, an everlasting righteous-
ness ; and no sin in God's people can wear it out, or evacuate and lessen
the virtue of it. All the divine perfections mentioned before ; and,
6. Not only all before are more gloriously and perspicuously set forth
in a new edition of them, but with addition also of the discovery of some
perfections in God, which no way else had come forth unto our compre-
hensions. Yea, those attributes which God accounts his greatest riches
and highest glory, as, Rom. ix. 23, his mercy and free grace, which he de-
sired most of all to exalt in the manifestation of himself, never saw light
till now. That great love wherewith he loved us, hidden in his heart, now
brake forth, as Joseph's to his brethren. His love to Adam, and mankind
in him, was but providential, founded on the law of creation, whereby he
loveth the works of his hands as such ; and whilst they should love God,
God would love them. But here is a love issuing from what is in his own
heart as the fountain of it, and a spring, yea, a sea, to feed it, a love in
Christ founded on him, and in nothing in the creature, the same where-
with he loves him to everlasting, peremptory, unchangeable. Mercy and
free grace, which are the richest jewels in his crown, had never else appeared ;
the doctrine of salvation through Christ being the stage set up on purpose
whereon only it is represented, and off from which it is nowhere else seen,
upon which it acts itself the greatest part and gives all the other their parts,
and manageth, ordereth the whole scenes. All passages begin and end with
it, and tend to this, that ' by grace we are saved.' The saints' title is,
{ vessels of mercy,' Rom. ix. 23. The whole plot and frame is made up of
mercy, and is so called, 1 Pet. ii. 10. The doctrine itself that brings this
salvation is termed ' grace,' Titus ii. 10, 11. It begins, sets all a- work,
and ends all in glory.
Use. Let us, then, both ministers and people, be exhorted to study and
search into this gospel. My brethren, whatever other knowledge we may
pride ourselves in, and wear out our brains about the searching into, yet
this is that which is the riches of the Gentiles and saints, as this text hath
it, the pearls of the world, Mat. xiii. 45, the glory of the ministry, 1 Cor.
ii. 7, which God ordained for our glory, namely, apostles' and ministers',
the preachers of it, the clear revealing of which was the desire and longing
of the patriarchs and prophets, who, though they knew the legal covenant
as well as we, yet this doctrine of salvation, Christ's sufferings, God's grace,
was it they inquired into, 1 Pet. i. 10-12, that is, sought to God by prayer
and searched diligently, searched, using all the means of reading, medi-
tating to attain to the knowledge of it, and all this diligently spent, and
thought it worthy of the chiefest of their pains. And all the answer they
could get was this, that they delivered these things for us, it being ordained
for our glory ; which Paul, therefore, that had profited so much in the
knowledge of the Jews' religion, Gal. i. 14, professeth, Phil. iii. 8, that he
' accounted all dross and dung, for this excellent knowledge of Christ.' For
he makes his knowledge therein his chiefest excellency, Eph. iii. 4. There
is a parenthesis, wherein you would think he boasted, speaking of his
own writings, whereby, ' when ye read,' saith he, ' ye may understand
my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.' The first obscure dawning made
Chap. II.] glory of the gospel. 271
John the Baptist, who did hut point at Christ, greater than all the pro-
phets that were afore him.
What do I speak of the study and glory of prophets and apostles? It
is the study of tho angels, and which they think worth their greatest in-
tention. Look into those two places, 1 Pet. i. 10, Eph. iii. 10, ' Which
things the angels desire to pry into.' Those glorious creatures that
knew God in his legal covenant and work of creation (and thoso in heaven
saw it more glorious than this visible world) more fully than ever Adam
did, that have the immediate participation of God himself, have his face
to read lectures in day and night, are yet glad if they can get but a
peep and glimpse of the way of saving men by Jesus Christ, as being a
knowledge of a greater excellency than otherwise they have any. Yea,
and so desirous are they to learn it, that they are content to go to school
to the church, Eph. iii. 9, 10, ' that to principalities and powers might
be made known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God.'
But what need I speak of angels, prophets, or apostles ? It is the great
study (I may so speak with reverence), the wisdom and great learning of God
himself, who was the first professor of it, called so, 7mt hfyyfa. 1 Cor.
ii. 7, speaking of the gospel, says he, ' We speak the wisdom of God in
a mystery,' and that a hidden wisdom before the world was, ' hid in God,'
Eph. iii. 9. It is God's art, and peculiar to himself, whereas of other
knowledge men and angels have common notions infused at first creation,
to attain to and pick out of themselves. But this is his wisdom, which
he alone had studied, and which none knows but those to whom he reveals it.
CHAPTER II.
The excellency of the gospel proved from the profoundness of the knowledge
revealed in it.
I shall now go on to discourse the excellency of the knowledge of the
gospel by those properties that do lie in order in the 26th verse.
In this 26th verse, as I have told you, there are three properties ascribed
to this knowledge of the gospel which God hath made known himself by.
1. Here is the depth and profoundness of it, in that it is called a mystery.
2. Here is the secrecy and hiddenness of it; it was hidden from all ages
and from generations, till the apostles' time and till Christ came.
3. Here is the rareness of the revealing of it, now when it is revealed ;
it is revealed only to his saints, ' Even that mystery which hath been hid
from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.'
I shall open these three heads to you in their order.
1. First, It is called a mystery. That word importeth more eminently
these two things :
(1.) A profoundness and a depth of knowledge.
(2.) A secret and a hidden knowledge.
Now because this second is contained in the words aftei*ward — ' hidden
from ages and generations' — therefore I shall only speak to the first.
(1.) The knowledge, I say, of the gospel, and the things that are known
therein, they are all deep, they are profound, they are mysteries— mysteries
for their depth. In 1 Cor. ii., the apostle, speaking of this wisdom of the
gospel, he calleth it a mystery, as he doth here, and he calleth it a mystery
for its hiddenness too. So ver. 7, ' We speak the wisdom of God in a
272 A DISCOURSE OP THE [ClIAP. II.
mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world,' &e.
But if you read ver. 10, you shall find that he calleth the things revealed in
the gospel, ' the deep things of God.' ' The Spirit' (saith he) ' searcheth all
things, yea, the deep things of God ;' meaning the things contained in this
mystery. And hence, therefore, it is called a great mystery, 1 Tim. iii. 16,
' Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifesteth in the flesh,' &c. Now
when it is called a great mystery, it is not in respect of its being hidden,
but in respect of the depth and profoundness of it. Things may be carried
hiddenly and secretly, that have no great depth in them ; therefore now
mystery imports more than merely a being hidden.
And, my brethren, in the general, how can it be otherwise, but that all
the things the gospel revealeth, every one should be depths and mysteries ?
For it is the wisdom of God, called so in a special manner. So in that
1 Cor. ii. 7, ' We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery.' It is therefore
a mystery, because it is a wisdom of his inventing ; and therefore containeth
nothing but depth in it. What saith the apostle in Rom. xi. 33 ? (It is a
place full to this purpose.) ' Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom
and knowledge of God !' And of what wisdom and knowledge doth he
speak ? You must know that, of all epistles, that of the Romans is a system
of divinity methodically laid down ; and the apostle having in the latter
chapters uttered those great and glorious things of the gospel, and fetched
them all out from the very bottom of God's breast — he having handled elec-
tion and reprobation just before, and the calling of the Jews, and how that
God had shut up all under sin, that at last he might have mercy upon all —
when he had waded now so far into all these depths, that he felt himself as
it were over head and ears, he breaks off abruptly that whole discourse,
and cries out, ' Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and know-
ledge of God !' Like one that is wading into the sea, when he is gone so
far that he begins to be up to the neck, to the chin, he then cries out,
' Oh the depth !' and comes back again ; so doth Paul here. It is as if he
had said, ' ye Romans, I have gone as far as I can, and now I am even
swallowed up, I can go no farther. Oh the depth !' The things of the
gospel are depths (for that is the thing I quote this place for). It is a deep
knowledge, because it is that knowledge which God appropriates unto him-
self as his invention.
Which may easily be made out by a small degree of comparison.
Solomon, in Prov. xviii. 4, saith, that ' the words of a wise man are as deep
waters ; ' but yet, though the words of a wise man are as deep waters, another
wise man may fetch it out. So he tells us in Prov. xx. 5, ' Counsel in the
heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it
out.' But now take kings amongst men, and of all others, if they be wise
(for that is Solomon's supposition), their hearts are unsearchable ; so he
saith in Prov. xxv. 3, where he compares the heart of a wise king, such
as he himself was, to the heavens for height, and to the earth for deepness :
' The heaven for height (saith he), and the earth for depth, and the heart of
a king is unsearchable.' And the reason is, because that they deal with
metaphysical things (as I may so call them), that is, they deal with generals,
as with all states and nations about them, and what their interests are with
them, and their animosities against them ; and they deal with all the factions
of their own people, and they know all the provocations of them ; there are
a thousand such secret things by which their actions are guided that the
people know not ; they having therefore such a mighty compass in all their
transactions, their subjects cannot search into their hearts. Now then, if
Chap. II.] glory of the gospel. 278
the heart of a king bo thus unsearchable, what think you is tho heart of
God, who had in his eye all souls in all ages, who hath had millions of
worlds in his thoughts, which he could have made, afore this world was ?
In that 1 Cor. ii., when tho apostle would commend the gospel, because it
is the wisdom of God, what doth he do ? He sets by it the wisdom (which
is the greatest wisdom in this world) of princes, and of the great ones of
the world ; ' We speak wisdom' (saith he, ver. G), ' yet not the wisdom of this
world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought ; but we speak
the wisdom of God,' &c. Ho instanceth, you see, in the wisdom of princes,
as the greatest wisdom of all the rest ; and he makes that to vanish, and to
come to nought before the deep things that are in the heart of God (as he
expresseth it, ver. 10), before the depth of this wisdom which God himself
hath revealed. In Ps. xxxvi. 6, David makes the judgments of God to be
a great deep. By the judgments of God there he means the works of his
common providence, his ways of governing this world, whether in ways of
mercy or of judgment, for he doth not mean merely ways of judgment strictly
taken for justice ; for in the Scripture phrase, the judgments of God are as
well his works of mercy, as of justice ; and the works of his common pro-
vidence are meant, which appeareth likewise by what followeth in the next
words, ' He preserveth man and beast ;' that is, his ways whereby he pre-
serveth man and beast, and governs all the world, they are a great deep.
But if you come to the salvation of men, he is the saviour of all men, by
common providence, but especially of those that believe ; if you come to
those judgments, ' Oh, how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past
finding out !' saith the apostle in that Rom. xi. 33, when he had spoken of
his ways of saving men.
The greatest wisdom that was ever set up in this world by the princes of
it, is the kingdom of popery ; it is a composition of all sorts of policies,
called therefore a mystery of iniquity by the apostle in 2 Thess. ii. 7, and
you shall find in Rev. xvii. 5, that the whore that rideth upon the beast
hath this name written in her forehead, ' Mystery, Babylon the great,' &c.
It is a very strange thing, that God in his providence should so order it,
that in the old mitres that the popes used to wear, there was engraven in
the inside Mysterium ; but since they were challenged out of the Revelation
to be that great antichrist and whore, they have left it out. It is a wonder-
ful thing to read their schoolmen and casuists in their prosecution of what
concerned the frame of religion they have invented, what great depths (but
depths of Satan, which he hath helped men to invent), what harmony one
head hath in it answering to another, what a great deal of profoundness of
learning there is in that system and fabric. Now this great mystery I may
call the gospel of antichrist, it is another gospel made onpurpose, and set
up by Satan to advance his eldest son antichrist. And as Satan did make
a gospel for his eldest son, a wisdom which the world never knew before,
and which for the depths of it is called a mystery of iniquity, surely, my
brethren, when God himself shall go and make a gospel for his Son Jesus
Christ, to reveal by it the riches of his glory unto the saints, what depths,
think you, must needs be in this glorious gospel ? It is called ' the mystery
of Christ,' in Eph. iii. 4. And when Paul boasteth of the profoundness of
his knowledge, he doth it of his ' knowledge in the mystery of Christ,' Col.
iv. 3. And as was said before, ' Without controversy, great is the mystery
of godliness, God manifested in the flesh,' 1 Tim. iii. 16.
The mystery of Christ's incarnation for the reconciling of the world (to
instance but in that) was such a mystery, as all created understandings
VOL. IV. S
274 A DISCOURSE OF THE [CHAP. II.
could never have brought forth. For consider but this, how things did
stand between God and man, (let me but state the difference and the con-
troversy, as I may say, between God and man). First, God laid this for a
conclusion, that he would not put up the least wrong from his creature, but
he would have full satisfaction from the sinner. In the second place, it was
as clear and as apparent, that no creature could satisfy him, neither the sin-
ner nor any for him. And yet, thirdly, God stood upon this too, he would
have satisfaction from a creature, and that nature that had sinned should
satisfy. Do but lay all these three things together. If God now should
have gone and referred the untying of this knot to a consultation of all in-
telligible* natures, angels and men, that ever were or shall be, it would
have wildered, plunged their thoughts unto eternity ; and after millions of
years of consultation they would have returned this answer, they could
think and find out no way. Therefore, saith he, ' Great is the mystery of
godliness, God manifested in the flesh ;' and it is without controversy so
too, that is, it is such a mystery, as whoever understandeth the state of the
controversy before between God and man, and this to be the answer, he
must needs acknowledge, that there are depths of God in it, and that no
other could have invented it. It carries its own testimony of divinity with
it. Without controversy, saith he, or universally, must this be received to
be a great mystery, ' God manifested in the flesh.'
That is a deep knowledge, and containeth depths in it, which contains
nothing but the reconciliation of contradictions, to make things, which in
appearance are seeming contradictions, meet. But so the gospel doth all
along. I shall give you instances, and some scriptures for them too.
Take the doctrine of God's election and free grace. That at once a
creature should be loved with the greatest love of God, and yet be a child
of wrath at the same time (as before conversion he is), can you solve me
this ? That he should be a son, and an enemy ; the apostle hath it,
Rom. xi., where he tells you (speaking of the Jews in the root), that ' they
are beloved for the fathers' sake, and yet enemies for the gospel's sake.'
And in Eph. ii. 3, he hath it plainly, ' We' (that is, I Paul and the rest)
' were by nature the children of wrath;' and yet Paul was a chosen vessel,
beloved of God, even from everlasting, with the highest and greatest love.
So were the Ephesians he speaks this of ; and it was therefore a love borne
to them afore, which was the cause of this their quickening and bringing out
of that estate. That one and the same man should at the same time be
blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places — that you have in the
very next words, ' But God who is rich in mercy, for the great love where-
with he loved us ;' namely, then, when we were thus children of wrath, as is
evident by that which follows after that, ' even when we were yet dead in
sins,' out of that*love ' hath he quickened us,' as it is Eph. ii. 5 — and yet
be cursed with all the curses written in this book, and stand under them,
what an amazing wonder is tiiis ! It is plain that every man is so ; for
' cursed is every one that continueth not in everything that is written in
this book to do it.' It is applicable unto all. The reconciliation is easy,
the gospel makes these seeming contradictions meet : for if you take man's
person as considered in Christ, he is thus loved and blessed ; but if you
take his person as considered in himself, without any to stand between God
and his sin and guilt, he standeth under the curse of it. So that both
these are true of him, one in the one sense, and the other in the other.
So likewise, when the prophet considered in Isa. liii., that God had a
* That is, ' intelligent,' or rather, ' capable of intelligence.' — Ed.
Chap. JL] glory of the gospel. 275
Son as old as himself (as I may so speak) and equal to himself, he breaks
out, ' Who can declare his generation ?' Here is a depth.
Our Saviour Christ himself puts some of these riddles to the Pharisees.
Saith he to them, in Matt. xxii. 43, Solve me this : ' If David call Christ
Lord, how is he his son ?' The gospel solveth this.
That a virgin should conceive a son, this was a riddle to Mary her-
self. ' How shall this be ?' saith she to the angel in Luke i. 34 ? The
gospel revealeth this.
That this man Jesus Christ should be in heaven when ho was on earth,
and should be said to descend from heaven as man, and yet never was
there then when he said it ;* this was a riddle that Christ posed Nicodemus
with. He stood wondering at the doctrine of regeneration, that a man
must be born again. What ! saith Christ, do you wonder at that ? I'll
tell you a higher riddle than that : ' No man hath ascended up to heaven,
but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in
heaven,' John iii. 13. And if you mark the coherence of this with the
verse before, you shall see he utters this as an heavenly mystery, beyond
that which he had expressed of regeneration, which he saith was but an
earthly thing in comparison of this ; ' If,' saith he, ' I have told you
earthly things, and ye believe not, how will ye believe if I tell you of
heavenly things ?' So you have it likewise in John vi. When Christ had told
them that they must eat his flesh, and drink his blood, they strove amongst
themselves, saying, ' How can this man give us his flesh to eat ?' And
many of his disciples when they heard it said, ' This is a hard saying, who
can bear it ?' When Jesus (saith the text) ' knew in himself that his dis-
ciples murmured at it' (they were those that were not believers, though
disciples), ' he said unto them, Doth this offend you ?' Can you not under-
stand this ? I'll give you a harder thing : ' What, and if you shall see
the Son of man ascend up where he was before ?' And yet he was but the
son of a virgin, and was (as man) never but in her womb.
These riddles the gospel, you see, unfoldeth. Now as the person of
Christ affords all these mysteries and depths, so his obedience affords more.
That that God that made the law should be subject to the law, and fulfil
it himself, this you have in Gal. iv. 4, ' He was made of a woman, and
made under the law.' That God, who is nothing but spirit, should have
blood to redeem men by, this you have in Acts xx. 28, ' Feed the church
of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.' That he, that is
God blessed for ever, should be made a curse, this you have in Gal. iii. 13.
That he, that is, ' the Holy One of Israel,' should be made sin, aye, and
what is more, he that cannot endure sin, for nothing is more contrary to
the holiness of God than sin, and yet ' he that knew no sin was made sin,'
this you have in 2 Cor. v. 21. That God should never be more angry
with his Son than when he was most pleased with him, for so it was when
Christ hung upon the cross, God did find a sweet-smelling savour of rest
and satisfaction even then when he cried out, ' My God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me ?' Again, that God should be free in pardoning,
and yet notwithstanding receive the fullest satisfaction, even to the rigour
of justice, here is a riddle to all the world, yet you have it in Rom. hi.
23, 24, < Being justified freely by his grace ;' but how ? ' Through the
redemption that is in Jesus Christ.' Why, if there were a price by way of
redemption paid, how was it freely by grace ? Yet it is both. And that
it should ever be said that ' God is just, and the justifier of him that
* That is, ' in his human nature.' — Ed
276 A DISCOURSE OF THE [CHAP. II.
believeth on Jesus,' so it follows, ver. 2 ; that though he cloth justify
out of the freest grace, yet he is in the most absolute manner just in doing
of it; thus to bring mercy and the extremit}' of justice to meet, what a
reconciliation is this ! I'll give you another, for indeed the doctrine of the
gospel is nothing else, it is made up of these. God requires satisfaction of
his Son Jesus Christ in his human nature, and God must be satisfied with
something that is not his own, for you can never satisfy any one with what
is his own already. How can this be reconciled ? Why, my brethren, the
human nature being joined to the second person, he hath that right in it
that the Father and the Holy Ghost hath not, it is his own in a more pecu-
liar manner ; for it is one person with him, which it is not with the other
two persons. No creature could have made satisfaction unto God, for
whatsoever the creature had was God's own already ; but this second per-
son, Jesus Christ, he could say to the Father, I will give you that which is
mine own, I have such a propriety in it as you have not ; and yet all things
are God's. This you see is reconciled in Christ, and therefore it is put upon
redeeming us with his oivn blood.
To come to justification. What an amazing wonder is it that a man
should be ungodly at the same time that he is justified, and at the same
time that he is sanctified too. The Scripture is clear for this, Rom. iv. 5.
Abraham, not only at his first conversion, but a long time afterward, yea,
in his whole life, looked upon himself as a person ungodly, and to be justi-
fied b} T God as ungodly, considered in himself.
So if you come to conversion, there is no man that truly turns to God,
but he turns freely to him ; it is the freest act that ever man did, or
else he will never be saved ; yet notwithstanding, though it hath the
highest freedom in it, it is wrought in him by an almighty power, even
the same power that raised up Christ from death to life. Here is the
highest freedom of will, and God's everlasting purpose and power mixed
together.
Come to the life of a Christian after conversion ; take it as the gospel
hath revealed it, and it consisteth of nothing but seeming contradictions.
The apostle, in Gal. ii. 20, reckons up together two contradictions in appear-
ance ; saith he, ' I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live ;' well, ' yet
not r — this is strange — ' but Christ liveth in me ; and the life which I live in
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God.' My brethren, for one soul
to live in another, and by another one's living in him, and that should be
his life, it is only the doctrine of the gospel that makes these things true.
Adam knew no such thing, there was no such art and skill in his life.
That likewise in Phil. ii. 13, God should work in a man all, both the will
and the deed, and yet the man work freely with God, this is a seeming
contradiction, and yet made good by the gospel.
I have mentioned these, and have given }'ou Scriptures which hold them
forth to you in very terms. I might mention a thousand others, and I'll
give you the reason why I mention them : it is not only to confirm the
point in hand, but let me tell you this, and know it for a truth, the cause
of all the errors that have been in the world hath been the want of recon-
ciling these things together.
The Arians found great things spoken of the manhood of Christ, as of a
divine man, and therefore they denied that he was God. They could not
reconcile these two, how God should be man, and man should be God,
that both should be joined together ; therefore, taking part with one, they
exclude the other.
Chap. II. J glory of the gospel. 277
Our Lord and Saviour Christ is God blessed for ever ; therefore, say the
papists, he did not suffer the displeasure of God in his soul. Why, say
they, can God love his Son and be angry with him at the same time ? And
he that is God blessed for ever, can he be made a curse in his soul ? Yes,
take him as a surety. They take part with one truth of the gospel to
exclude the other, whereas the gospel is a reconciliation of both these, and
therein lies the depth of it.
So in point of justification. Say the papists, Can a man be justified by the
righteousness of another ? Are not the saints holy in themselves ? And
doth not that make them holy ? Is not the wall white with the whiteness
that is in the wall? It is the want of reconciling these seeming contradic-
tions that is the ground of that error. I will give you a greater contradic-
tion in appearance to human reason : a man is ungodly and godly, a sinner
and justified at the same time. This is true, the Scripture holds it forth
to be so.
As for the Socinians, they say there is no satisfaction for sin ; for if God
pardon freely, how can he pardon for a satisfaction ? Whereas the Scrip-
ture is clear, that there may be the freest grace in it, and yet satisfaction
too ; and the truth of the gospel lies in reconciling these two, and that is the
depth of it ; but they take part with one truth to exclude another.
Take Antinomianism, as you call it. All those glorious truths of the
gospel, that a man is justified from all eternity, yea, and glorified from all
eternity too, &c. ; men cleave to all these truths, whereas other truths are
to be joined with them. A man, before he believeth, is unjustified, there-
fore he is said to be justified by faith ; and he is a child of wrath until he
believe. All believers are now glorified, and sit now in heavenly places
with Christ, considered in their head, Christ ; yet notwithstanding, what
poor miserable creatures are they here below. Take believers in their own
person, they are not so ; but considered in Christ, they are thus. I am
perfectly sanctified, and perfectly holy, considered in him, and I was cruci-
fied with him, yea, but the remainders of corruptions are still. All men
would desire to be more glorified than they are here, yet they are perfectly
glorified in Christ, considered in him. Here is still taking part with one
truth to exclude another, whereas both must be taken in. So others object
they cannot conceive that God should be angry with his elect, and chastise
for sin ; for if he nothing but love me, how can that be ? It is easily
answered: there is anger that proceeds from love. Though men's sins are
forgiven without interruption, yet there is a binding of sins in heaven, so
saith Mat. xviii. 18 expressly.
Take Arminianism. What is the foundation of their error ? It is
merely a want of reconciling seeming, though not real, contradictions in the
gospel. As, for example, they know not how to reconcile man's free will
with God's peremptory decree. Say they, If God, out of his unchangeable
peremptory love to a man, work irresistibly upon his will, how can his will
be free ? Why, the freest that can be for all this. For consider this, who hath
more freedom of will than the human nature of Jesus Christ ? For if he
had not had the height of freedom of will, we could never have been saved
by him. Yet infallibly and irresistibly, and with the greatest necessity that
ever could be, was his will carried on always unto good. I say, the taking
part with one truth, without reconciling it to another, hath been the foun-
dation of many errors, and therein lies the depth of the gospel, in recon-
ciling all seeming contradictions whatsoever.
All these mysteries, I say, hath God knit up in the gospel, to shew his
278 A DISCOUESE OF THE [CHAP. II.
own wisdom, and to befool the wise men of the world. So that now, con-
sidering all those poor and petty plots of reconciling nations and kingdoms,
all the ways of accommodation, whereby the greatest difficulties are resolved
between men and men, and kingdom and kingdom, wherein the wise men
and the princes of the world so glory (for their wisdom lies in ways of
accommodation, and reconciling things, and in them they spend their
thoughts, and in them they pride and magnify themselves) — I say, take all
those depths of state, and the least of these depths that are in the gospel
makes all the wisdom and policy of the world to vanish before it as mere
folly. It ' confoundeth the wisdom of the wise, and brings to nothing the
understanding of the prudent;' so the apostle saith, 1 Cor. i. 19.
I might likewise shew you that the gospel, in the knowledge of it, is
excellent in respect of the depths that are in it, so in respect of all that har-
mony and correspondency that there is in the gospel of one truth with
another. The excellency of knowledge lies as well in the suiting of one
thing with another, as in the profoundness of the things themselves. Now
there was never such an invention as this, that as it is said in Ecclesiastes,
1 God hath set one thing against another,' so the harmony, the suiting of
all truths one with another here, in that glorious manner, is nowhere to be
found in any wisdom or art whatsoever. The philosophers found a great
deal of harmony in the things of this world, for the skill and art that God
hath stamped upon the creatures consisteth in the harmony that is between
one thing and another.
Now the observations would be infinite that might be made of this kind.
How our sinfulness and Christ's satisfaction and obedience answers one
another : there is nothing in tb\ T soul that thou canst object, but there is
that in the gospel which will answer it particularly. And so of ah other
truths, it may be said they kiss each other. My brethren, it is the thread
that runs through all divinity ; therefore a man must make a whole body, a
system of divinity, that will do this, and when it is done, there is nothing
more glorious.
Now, the gospel is not only a mystery and a depth in respect of wisdom,
but let me give you another depth, and that is a depth of love, which is
laid up and revealed in this doctrine and knowledge of the gospel, Eph. iii.
18, 19, ' That you may comprehend, with ah saints, the height, and depth,
and length, and breadth, of the love of God, which passeth knowledge.' Sin
is a great depth, which the law lays open ; therefore, saith Jeremiah, chap,
xvii. 9, ' The heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it ? ' And
Solomon saith, in Eccles. vii. 25, ' I thought myself wise enough, I set
myself to find out and to know the wickedness of folly.' But he could not
find out that depth of wickedness that is in man's heart, or make an
anatomy of the heart. And poor souls, when they are humbled, find it so,
and the damned spirits in hell find it so ; for what is it they study, and
shall do to everlasting *? Then own sinfulness and God's wrath, their parts
being extended and set upon the utmost tenter-hooks, and their sins being
set in order before them, they study nothing but their sins, and meditate
nothing but terror; and this is hell. But now there is a mystery of love
as well as of wisdom revealed in the gospel, a depth that swalloweth up all
the depths of sinfulness that is in the elect, yea, and if they were a thousand
times vaster than they are. The apostle, in that place I quoted even now,
Eph. iii. 18, speaks of heights, and depths, and lengths, and breadths in
the love of God ; he compares it to a mighty sea, which swalloweth up hills
like molehills, a sea which is of that depth that the thoughts of men, though
Chap. II. J glory of tiik gospel. 279
they shall he diving to all eternity to the bottom of it, shall never come
thither, a sea of that length and breadth, that though they are sailing over
it to everlasting, yet they shall never come to shore. It passeth knowledge,
saith he. God's heart, my brethren, is as deep in love as it is in wisdom ;
yea, and his love was it that set his wisdom to work, to find out all those
depths whereby to shew his love. And, therefore, it is an observable place
in Horn. xi. 33, which I quoted at the first, ' the depth,' saith he, ' of
the riches of the knowledge and wisdom of God ! ' You would think that
the apostle there speaks only of the knowledge and wisdom of God. No ;
he means mercy and love, as well as wisdom, or rather, wisdom set a-work
by love. And it is clear by the context, for he had spoken in the words
before of God's shewing mercy to the elect, ' That through your mercy,'
saith he, ' they might obtain mercy ; ' ' For God hath concluded all under
unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all ; ' '0 the depth,' &c. Having
spoken of love and mercy, which God intends to his elect, and the ways
and contrivances that wisdom hath to shew mercy, he cries out, ' the
depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! ' And there,
in Rom. xii. 1, where he comes to make application to all, what saith he ?
' I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you ' do
so and so. We have two gulfs in us, two vessels, understanding and will,
and both these must be filled. "Why, the gospel contains two depths in it,
the one to fill your understanding, the other to fill your will and affections
for ever. It contains a depth of wisdom, and it contains a depth of love ;
it is a mystery of wisdom, and it is a mystery of love. And so now I have
despatched the first property of the excellency of the gospel, that it is a
mystery.
I shall but make a short use of it, and that is only this. These are great
invitements unto men to become saints, and being so, to search in a more
especial manner into the things of the gospel. You know great under-
standings seek after depths, as good swimmers do after great rivers, and
will not go to shallows. It is said of the leviathan, that he plays in the
sea. There is room enough to do so. If anything invites the under-
standing of man to be searching and prying, the depths of the gospel will
do it.
And let me add this to it, which, as it enhanceth the worth of the gospel,
so it should set on our spirits after the knowledge of it, and the knowledge
of it as saints, the depths of it are so great that it will always produce new
knowledge ; though you know but the same things again, yet your know-
ledge shall be always new. Why ? Because ' it passeth knowledge.' Go,
take all other things that are the greatest riddles and secrets in the world,
and when you once know them, you know them, and they become trivial
when you once know them. There was a secret in nature which the world
almost for three thousand years did not know — I am sure the heathens did
not — and that was the cause of the eclipse of the sun and the moon, and
they stood all wondering, as of late the West Indians did, when such a
thing happened. Now, we know that the moon's coming between the sun
eclipseth it, and the shadow of earth coming between the moon and the
sun eclipseth it ; and this great riddle that amazed the world, we count it,
now we know it, but a trivial thing ; and who almost, when the sun or
moon are eclipsed, thinks of it with any admiration ? But when the depths
of the gospel are unfolded to you, you may still search into them, and
search further with new pleasure, and to a renewed understanding they
are always new and fresh. There is no new thing under the sun, saith
230 A DISCOURSE OF THE [CuAP. III.
Solomon in Eccles. i. And he speaks of natural, moral knowledge. But
there is nothing but new things which are above the sun, which believers
know. Therefore, as the mercies of God are new every morning, so the
thoughts of these mercies, they are to an holy heart precious, sweet, new
every morning. And you shall find this, that as you grow up more in
holiness, still the things you knew before will be new to you, the very same
things, besides your enlargement in other things that you did not know before.
So the apostle clearly saith, in 1 Cor. xiii. 10, ' When that which is perfect
is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I
understood as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish
things.' Every new degree of spiritual light swallowed up what he knew
before, that he thinketh that he did not know it before, the knowledge of
it, or that new light, being so, pleasant to him.
Now, my brethren, to have the mind of man not only to have depths
made the object of it, but the holier he grows to be carried on to further
depths, to be led along thus with continual new knowledge, there is nothing
more pleasant ; and yet this the gospel is, and all the depths of it. And
then, when you shall have depths of love added, a sea of love breaking in
upon your hearts at every thought (if the apprehension be wound up high),
to fill a man's will and affection, as the other filled his understanding, this
must needs fill the heart with unspeakable pleasure and joy and content-
ment in the view and contemplation of this great ard high mystery. Now,
if we had holiness enough, and love enough, and faith enough, and grew
in these, this would certainly be our case. And so much now for this first
property of the gospel that is here mentioned, that it is called a mystery.
CHAPTEE III.
Another demonstration of the excellency of the gospel, that it is a secret mystery,
a hidden and concealed wisdom.
1 Which hath been hidden from ages and from generations,' 1 <&c. — Col. I. 2G.
2. I come now to the second of those properties or adjuncts that are attri-
buted or ascribed unto the gospel, mentioned in this 20th verse, to set forth
the glory of it, and that is the secrecy and hiddenness of it. ' Hidden,'
saith he, ' from ages and from generations.'
That which is here translated hid is, in Rom. xvi. 25, silent, not spoken
of; it was kept secret, at least the mystery of it. ' Now to him,' saith
he, ' that is of power to stablish you, according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery,
which was kept secret since the world began.' The apostle Paul, in all
the foregoing part of the epistle, had laid open the great things of this
gospel, and now at the latter end of all, in the conclusion of it, because
that it is the revelation of the gospel for which we are most of all to
bless God, he makes that doxology, or closeth it with this praise and
thanksgiving unto God, ' Now, to him that is of power to stablish you,
according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to
the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
but now is made manifest, to God only wise be glory, through Jesus Christ.
Amen.' He doth involve and interweave the mention of the glory and
excellency of this gospel as that for which there is glory to be given to
Chap. III.] glory of the gospel. 281
God in all ages and by all nations (fur so the doxology runs), and this for
ever.
It is said here to bo ' hid from ages and from generations.' Interpreters,
some of them, do make a difference between these two, namely, aijes and
generations, that the one doth import all those times of eternity (if they
may be called times) before the world was ; and the other all the times
that have been since God made this world, since indeed time was. I shall
give you the sense in which the gospel may bo said to be hid in both
respects.
If, in the first place, we take from ages to be all the time before the world
was ; as in Acts xv. it is, ' Known unto God ' (saith he) ' are his works,
even from everlasting ;' then this gospel was hid with God, even from ever-
lasting. In 1 Cor. ii. 7, he saith, it is the ' mystery and hidden wisdom
which God hath ordained before the world ;' and in Rev. xiv. 6, it is called
' the everlasting gospel.' And therefore you shall observe likewise in the
place quoted even now, Rom. xvi. 25, 2G, he saith, it is ' a mystery, which
was kept secret since the world began ' — so our translators read it ; it is
the same word which is used here for ages — ' and is now made manifest,
according to the commandment of the everlasting God.' Why comes in
the epithet of that God which hath been from everlasting, but because the
gospel hath been so too, and hath been kept secret, not only from the time
since the world began, but from everlasting also ?
You will say unto me, In what respect should the gospel be said to be
hid even from everlasting, when there was no creature to know it ?
I answer, because it was that knowledge which in God's esteem, even
from everlasting, he resolved he would be sparing of, and ordained to reserve
to himself. The things of the gospel they were (as the apostle tells us,
1 Cor. ii. 10) 'the deep things of God,' that lay (as I may so speak) at
the bottom of his heart, the great secrets, which he esteemed such even
from everlasting. And whereas for other kind of knowledge he had but a
common regard, not much caring or standing upon it, when he should re-
veal it, and so thought with himself. As for the knowledge of other things,
I can set no time for the revelation of them (that is, in respect of any
peculiar account or value I have of them, though all things fall within my
decree), but I will give means to mankind to know anything else presently;
but this of the gospel, saith he, I will reserve. Other things in God that
he meant to reveal, they lay uppermost in his thoughts, &c, they were
common, he cared not how soon they were known. But these were the
deep things of God ; God hath not been sparing or nice (as I may express
it) of any other knowledge whatsoever, that in this world he meant to re-
veal to the sons of men, either the knowledge of the creature, or of his law ;
but this of the gospel he locked up in his own breast, he had a peculiar
cabinet for it, and it lay under a lock of his own decree not to manifest it
till the fulness of time should come. And therefore it is said to be ' hid in
God, even from everlasting.' There is a phrase in 1 Cor. ii. 10. Speaking
of this gospel (as in that chapter he doth), he saith, ' The Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things of God.' It is expressed after the manner
of men, and that phrase with that emphasis, ' Yea, the deep things of God,'
implies that God, as other artists, and those that are wise, when he hath
anything that is rare, and which he cares not to let every one see, keeps it
close. In the like manner, you have a phrase at the 9th verse of that chapter,
' Eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither have entered into the heart
of man, the things ' (the things of the gospel, namely, for he speaks of the
282 A DISCOURSE OF THE [CHAP. III.
gospel in that chapter) ' which God hath prepared for them that love him.'
Prepared, when ? Why, prepared even from everlasting, for, as Austin
well expresseth it, the decrees of God (saith he) they are but the prepara-
tions, the contrivements of all those benefits and mercies which God in-
tended to bestow upon us.
Secondly, It is said to be hidden also from generations, that is, from ages
since the world began. So the apostle speaks, looking backward to former
times. I shall give you the particulars, in respect of which it was said to
be hidden from all generations past.
The gospel, as it is now revealed, was hid from all nations.
(1.) It was hid from the Gentiles, so as it was new to them ; and that is
plainly one of the apostle's scopes here. He writes to Gentiles, and he
would magnify the mercy of the revelation of the gospel unto them ; and
therefore if you mark it, he saith, ver. 27, ' To whom ' (namely, the saints)
' God would make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles.' And so likewise you have it in Eph. iii. 8, ' Unto me, who am
less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach
among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ ; and to make all men
see what is the fellowship of the mystery ' (namely, to the Gentiles, that
they should partake of it), 'which from the beginning of the world hath
been hid in God ;' insomuch, as some interpreters would make in all
these places, both that in Rom. xvi. 25, and this place in the Ephesians,
and likewise this text in the Colossians, the mystery intended to be tbe
revealing of the gospel unto the Gentiles. But it is clear that is not the
meaning. The mystery that was kept hid is not only that the gospel
should be preached to the Gentiles, but it is the things of the gospel itself ;
it is the mystery of the glory of it ; it is ' Christ the hope of glory ;' and it
is, in the Ephesians, ' the unsearchable riches of Christ ;' and more plain,
in 1 Pet. i., the things concealed to former times there, are not only said
to be the revelation of these things to the Gentiles, but the things them-
selves, the salvation itself, as you shall find if you read the 10th, 11th, and
1 2th verses of that chapter.
(2.) It was kept hid even from the Jews also ; it is therefore indeed called
a mystery ; for what is properly a mystery '? It is not the thing merely
hid, wholly kept so close as that there is nothing said about it, but when
there is that said about it which doth obscurely and darkly reveal it, and
yet hath a further meaning, which afterwards cometh to be opened. Even
thus as to the words that Adam spoke concerning his wife, that ' they two
should be one flesh,' what saith the apostle of it, in Eph. v. 32 ? ' This is a
great mystery,' saith he. Why ? Because darkly under the union of man
and wife was intended the union of Christ and his church. ' I speak,' saith
he, '.concerning Christ and his church.'
Now it is therefore called a mystery even to the Jews, because although
they had the gospel, the substance of it, yet it was veiled, and the carnal
Jew he understood all in the letter, and looked to nothing in the gospel ;
and as you have it in 2 Cor. iii. 13, ' there was a veil put over Moses his
face, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of
that which is abolished,' namely, to what was revealed unto them under
the law. But now the gospel is come, all is open (as if you should speak
of a riddle, and when you have done, give the meaning of it), and then
they saw that all that the prophets and Moses had written was written con-
cerning Christ. But I say, the Jews in the time of the law saw not this
mystery intended in it. You shall find this in that place of the Romans I
Chap. III. ] glory of the gospel. 283
quoted even now, chap, xvi., ver. 25, 26, 'According to the revelation of
the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made
manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets ' — mark that expression —
1 according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to
all nations.' Would you know, saith he, why the gospel is called a mys-
tery ? God hath hid a great deal of it obscurely up and down among the
prophets, and Christ hath sent out his apostles to make known and reveal
what all those prophets intended, which they themselves did not know, not
in the clearness of it as we do ; they had as it were the letter, we have the
mystery unfolded. Therefore says the apostle Peter (1 Pet. i. 10), ' Of
which salvation the prophets inquired and searched diligently, who pro-
phesied of the grace that should come unto you ; unto whom it was re-
vealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things
that are now reported unto you,' &c. So that indeed the mystery, and the
meaning, and the end at which all those things aimed that the prophets
delivered, they themselves fully knew not ; they were to write the Scrip-
tures, and they inquired after, and searched diligently what those things
which they wrote did signify ; but it was answered them, that ' not unto
themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things that are now re-
ported.' But now in the times of the gospel (saith he in Rom. xvi.) ' By
the scriptures of the prophets, it is made known unto all nation^f Men
had only hints before, but now by opening the prophets, and laying things
together, the whole business is unfolded, and this mystery is come out.
And this is properly a mystery, and in this respect the gospel was a mystery,
hidden even from the Jews themselves. Therefore, to give you another
place, there is a little particle in Eph. iii. 5, very observable, ' By revela-
tion he made known unto me the mystery, which in other ages was not
made known unto the sons of men.' What, did they know nothing of the
gospel ? Yes, saith the apostle, they might, but it was in a mystery, it
was not made known to them, saith he, ' as it is now revealed ;' mark
that particle, ' made known as it is now,' to his holy apostles and pro-
phets, that is, the prophets of the New Testament, upon whom the Holy
Ghost fell, who opened unto them all those prophecies of the Old Testa-
ment, and they saw clearly nothing but Jesus Christ in them. Hid it was,
you see, from the Gentiles ; hid it was also from the Jews, in respect of the
revelation of it. Hid it was also,
(3.) From the angels, and from Adam in innocency. The angels might
know that they were to have a head, in whom God did unite them unto
himself, and they might know it as the fathers of the Old Testament
knew there should be a Messiah, by whom they should be redeemed ; but
how, and who, and what he was, they knew not ; and in that respect they
are said, in 1 Pet. i. 10, 11, to pry into these things, which place I shall
not mention much, but I shall give you another place, which will compre-
hend both, namely, that the great things of the gospel were kept hidden
from angels and from man also. And it is in 1 Cor. ii. 9, compared with
Isa. lxiv. 4 (out of which the words in the Corinthians are taken), ' As it
is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love him.'
Now in Isaiah it is thus, ' Since the beginning of the world, men have not
heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor hath the eye seen, God, besides
thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.' To open these
words a little. When he saith there in the Corinthians, ' Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard,' &c, it hath reference to what was said, ver. 7, ' We
284 A DISCOURSE OF THE [CHAP. III.
speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which
God ordained afore the world.' And it hath reference also to ver. 8, where
it is said, ' which wisdom none of the princes of this world knew ; ' and he
brings a proof why none of the princes, none of the corrupt men of the
world ever knew it, a majore, from a far greater argument ; for, saith he,
these great things which the gospel reveals for the salvation of the elect,
have not only not entered into the heart of corrupt men, but they have not
entered into the heart of innocent man, not into the heart of Adam himself.
How do I prove that ? From that in Isa. lxiv. 4, ' Since the beginning of
the world,' saith he, 'men have not heard,' &c, which phrase the apostles
often use, when they speak of the gospel being hidden, as in Eph. hi. 9,
he saith, ' It hath been hid from the beginning of the world.' But you
will say, he excludes not angels. Why, truly, if you consult the place in
Isaiah, he saith, that ' none hath seen, God, besides thee.' "Who doth
he speak to '? To Jesus Christ, as a distinct person from his Father. Why ?
It is clear by this, because he changeth the phrase, ' None hath seen,
God, besides thee, what he hath prepared;' not what thou hast prepared,
but what he hath prepared; as if he had said, besides thee, God the Son,
knewest what God the Father hath prepared for those that love him, none
else but only Jesus Christ, which was in God's bosom, knew it. ' Neither
eye hajft-seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man.'
There is but those three ways of knowing, either from the inward natural
principles, which are in the heart of man ; and so a thing enters into a
man's heart from the principles of reason, which are in a man's self. Why,
saith he, all the principles that were sown in Adam's heart, or in any man's
heart else, would not have afforded this knowledge, it would not have
entered into a man's heart. And then all the way of knowledge by the eye,
or observation of the creatures, could never have afforded this knowledge,
or the least jot of it. No; all the hearing by the ear, all the communica-
tion that God should have made to Adam, would not have laid open these
things to him. And it is plain, that Isaiah speaks of the things of the
gospel, not only by the quotation of his words by the apostle Paul, but
from the desire of the church there, that God would bow the heavens and
come down, and reveal these things to them. ' Bow the heavens,' saith
he, ' and come down, touch the mountains,' &c. Even as the mountains,
when God gave the law, bowed down before him, so he expresseth the
revealing of the gospel under the same terms.
Having gone over all these places, there is one place more, in which all
that I have said out of the Romans, and out of the Corinthians, and out of
the Colossians, and out ot the Ephesians, concerning the hiddenness of this
wisdom, is in a manner contained, and it is in the Old Testament, and for
aught I know, in the oldest book of the Old Testament, even in Job, chap,
xxviii., which I shall open to you as clearly as I can ; the truth is, I had
not thought it had lain in that place, till I found the learned Ainsworth refer
to it, though but in a word.
Most interpreters, I find, refer all the matter in that 28th chapter to the
12th verse of the 27th chapter, and that there Job begins his preface to all
the discourse that follows. ' I will teach you,' saith he — it is translated —
' by the hand of God ; ' but Piscator reads it, ' Of the hand of God,' that
is, that shall be the subject I speak of, ' and that which is with the Almighty
will I not conceal,' that which is secret and laid up with him. Where he
professeth to hint to them a secret counsel and wisdom, which was in God
beyond what they had spoken, a wisdom which they knew little of, and
Chap. III.] glory of the gospel. 285
which God kept secret from all living. All the discourses of Job's friends,
what had they been about ? They had been about God's outward dispensa-
tions, how God punisheth wicked men for their sins, and they confine them-
selves to that discourse, to the works of God's providence, and an enumera-
tion of his legal proceedings in a way of justice to sinners, which was a
common ordinary notion then in the world, and which suited those times
tinder the law of nature, under which it is thought Job lived. Now in this
they prided themselves in their discourse ; therefore Job, to confound them,
and not only to confute them, but shame them too, he professeth to hint to
them another wisdom, which they did not exercise their thoughts about.
Why, saith he, ver. 12, you speak nothing but what is ordinary, ' Behold,
all ye yourselves have seen it ; why then are ye thus altogether vain ?' or
boast yourselves of such a knowledge as you have uttered, by which you
condemn me, as if I were a wicked man ? For by it they had condemned
him, because God punished wicked men according to their works ; and so
Job goes on to repeat what they had said, as you will see if you compare
the 13th verse to the end with the 20th chapter. But, saith he, whereas
you think that this knowledge you have uttered hath such a great deal of
depth in it, I will tell you, or teach you of the hand of God, that is, of
God's eternal purpose, for so you shall find it (as Piscator well observeth)
in Acts iv. interpreted : ' They were gathered together,' saith he, ' to do
whatsoever thy hand and counsel determined before to be done.' ' I will
not conceal' (saith Job) 'that which is with the Almighty;' there is a
higher wisdom, which he in his eternal purpose hath ordered, beyond that
which you see in the works of his ordinary providence, which you neither
mind nor search into. Having thus prefaced his following discourse, he
doth in the 28th chapter, as both Beza and Jansonius observeth, begin to
speak of this wisdom, and to commend it to them. And see how he sets
it out, you shall see it will fall in and open all the scriptures I have already
mentioned.
First, He compares that wisdom, which he would set their thoughts a-
work upon, which they neglected, and out of the rigour of their legal spirits
condemned him, he compares it, I say, first, with all human wisdom, and
he tells them plainly this, that there is a great deal of wisdom in the hearts
of men ; and instanceth in the art that men have to find out all the precious
things that are hid in the bowels of the earth ; so ver 1, ' He findeth out
where there is a vein for silver, and a place for gold ; ' he taketh iron out
of the earth, and he hath such skill as he can make brass out of a stone ;
and if a flood break out while he is digging under the earth, he can over-
come that difficulty and remove it ; and he digs up stones out of the earth
where bread grows. One would have thought man should have been con-
tented with bread. No ; but he digs up the earth, where he finds stones that
are the place of sapphires, and which hath dust of gold ; and, ver. 10, says
he, ' He is able to cut out rivers among the rocks,' for he speaks of man
and his wisdom, which God hath given him in all this, ' and his eye seeth
every precious thing.' Well, but when he had thus described the art of
man, from the first verse to the 12th, saith he, though men have all this
skill and this art, ' Yet where shall wisdom be found, and where is the
place of understanding ? ' And by wisdom here he means the same that
Solomon doth in the Proverbs, viz., that wisdom that shall save men, as
appears in the last verse ; for Job interlaceth many discourses of Christ,
speaks of him as ' the Redeemer :' ' I shall see him with these eyes,' saith
he ; and he whom he calleth the Redeemer elsewhere, in this chapter he
28G A DISCOUKSE OF THE [ClIAP. III.
calls wisdom, which was to be the ordinary phrase of the Old Testament,
and so of those times, by which they did call the Messiah. He complains
in the 13th verse, that man, who had all this art and skill to find out all
things else, yet he sought not after this ; ' Man knoweth not the price
thereof, neither is it found in the land of the living ; ' you may go almost
all the world over and hear no man speak of it, no man values it. He
speaks not of that wisdom which is in God infinitely, for that is not a thing
for man to obtain, and so under that consideration to value it as Paul did,
when he esteemed all as dung in comparison of it. Man knows it not, saith
he, he would never have enhanced the price of it (as afterward, ver. 16, ' It
cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the
sapphire '), but to raise up the hearts to seek it. He speaks just as Solomon
doth in Prov. viii., when he speaks of Christ.
Secondly, As he compares it with all. the knowledge that man hath, so
with all the knowledge that the creatures materially can afford. Go over
all the creatures, they all do not contain one jot of that wisdom : so saith
the 14th verse, ' The depth saith, It is not in me ; and the sea saith, It is
not in me ;' for they do afford to man's understanding no hint at all of any
such thing, not a whit to be known of the knowledge of God in Christ is in
the whole frame of nature. ' Whence cometh wisdom then ?' (ver. 20)
and where is the place of understanding ? seeing it is hid from the eyes of
all living, and kept close from the fowls of heaven.' Whence comes it ?
That is, Who is the author of it ? And where is it to be found ? That is,
What is the subject matter of it ? The depth affordeth it not, it is not to
be ound there ; the creatures, though they hold forth the footsteps of God,
yet they do not hold forth this wisdom. He tells us afterward, in ver. 23,
that ' God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof,'
for (as the apostle saith, in Eph v.) it lies hid in God ; and Job saith, that
God had kept it close, and doth keep it close from all ; and so he reckons
up all things that are to be reckoned up, he reckons up the sons of men.
1 It is hid,' saith he, ' from the eyes of all living,' that is, of mankind, ' and
kept close from the fowls of heaven' (as you have it in your margins), as
metaphorically he calleth angels ; for otherwise, why would he ascend from
the eyes of all living, speaking of man, to the fowls of heaven, unless he
spake of such creatures as have more understanding than man, namely,
angels, for so in Scripture they are called ? And, saith he, ver. 22, ' Go
down to destruction and death,' and they will say, ' We have heard the
fame thereof with our ears ; ' all our forefathers that are dead, they knew
not the way of it neither, though they have heard the fame of it. The
devil heard it when he was cursed, he heard it with a witness, that
both his ears tingled when he heard it ; and all our fathers that are dead
heard the fame of it, knew there was such a thing, as Job also did, but
they had not that clear revelation of it. It being hidden therefore from all
these, ' it is God,' saith he, ' that understandeth the way thereof, and he
knoweth the place thereof; that God that looks to the ends of the earth,
and seeth under the whole heaven ; that God that makes a weight for the
winds, and that weigheth the waters by measure; that God, when he made
a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder, then did
he see it,' and (as your margin hath it) ' did number it,' or resolved it in
his mind ; he recounted it, he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. He
saw it ; that is, he had it in his view, as the chiefest wisdom of all else,
greater than whatever else he was a-doing in making the world. And he
numbered it ; that is, he accounted it as the choicest of all knowledge else.
CUAP. III.] GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. 287
And he prepared it, as a further thing than the wisdom he stamped upon
the creature, and he did as it were by study search it out. You find these
phrases fall in with what the apostles themselves use of it.
If you ask mo what wisdom this is that Job speaks thus of, it is (as I
hinted afore) that wisdom whereby men are saved, which was the title
that then in those old times they gave to the Messiah, and the fear of him,
and the knowledge of him, and of God. If you look in Prov. viii. (and
this book of Job was written long afore that of the Proverbs), you shall
find that Solomon useth the same expressions that Job here doth, and he
makes a description of Jesus Christ under the title of Wisdom, and of that
way of salvation that was then but obscurely revealed, and afterward more
fully manifested in the times of the gospel, even ' the hidden wisdom of
God,' as the apostle calls it. Solomon, in that 8th of the Proverbs, ver. 11,
saith that ' the knowledge of it is bejtter than rubies, and that all the things
that may be desired are not to be compared to it.' Job useth the same
expression, ver. 18, 'No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls, for
the price of wisdom is above rubies.' Had it been the wisdom of God
himself, which God everlastingly keepeth to himself, and is not to be pried
into, Job would not have put that price upon it to incite men to the search
of it. So likewise you shall find that Solomon makes the same complaints
that Job doth, that the sons of men receive it not, value it not. And as
Job saith, that ' God, when he made a decree for the rain,' then did he see
that wisdom and prepared it, and searched it out ; so Solomon useth the
same expressions also, ' When he established the clouds above ' (it is the
same expression), 'when he strengthened the fountains of the deep, when
he gave to the sea his decree,' &c, Prov. viii. 28 ; then saith Wisdom, ' I
was there, and was daily his delight,' &c. And that you may see how one
Scripture openeth another, you shall find in Eph. iii., where it is called a
hidden wisdom, he saith, ' To make all men see what is the fellowship of
the mystery, which from the beginning of the world was hid in God, who
created all things by Jesus Christ.' Now, what saith Job, and what saith
Prov. viii. ? Saith Job, ' When God did give a decree for the rain,' ' when
he established the clouds above,' saith Solomon, then did he see this, he
had this in his eye ; but he kept it close as a further wisdom than what he
was a-making, and stamping upon the creatures. ' It was hid in God,'
saith the apostle, ' who created all things by Jesus Christ.' In the strength
of Christ, God-man, did he create all things, and had then in his eye the
Lord Jesus, whom he meant to propound to the creature as the head of
the creation. It is a wisdom also which is not in nature, but distinct from
it ; for Job saith, ' When he made the world, he saw this.' And then he
useth the very same phrases that are used of the gospel.
There are four things said of it: (1.) he saw it; (2.) recensuit (so Pis-
cator translates it), he numbered it with himself, recounted it ; (3.) he did
prepare it ; (4.) he searched it out. Now, do but look in 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10,
where the apostle speaks of this hidden wisdom, and you have the very same
phrases, ' We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, which God ordained
before the world.' ' The things which God hath prepared ' (the Septuagint
useth the very same words in the Greek which the apostle doth here) —
and then he searcheth it out ; ' the Spirit,' saith he, ' searcheth the deep
things of God.' And, my brethren, to add this as the conclusion, it is
that wisdom by which men were then saved that Job had here in his eye.
Now, what wisdom was it that men were saved by then ? It was by that
obscure knowledge they had of God in Christ held forth in the promise,
288 A DISCOURSE OF THb [ClIAP. III.
which, did cause them to cleave to him, and to fear him, and to worship
him, and to depart from evil. Now, look in Prov. viii., and compare it
with the last verse of this 28th of Job. Saith he there, ver. 12, speaking
of wisdom, ' I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge. The
fear of the Lord is to hate evil,' &c. ; and, ver. 20, ' I lead in the way of
righteousness,' &c. And so he goes on, and in the conclusion shews how
that the knowledge of Christ, and of the gospel as it was then revealed,
did work men to cleave unto God, to fear God, and to depart from evil ;
that was the way whereby men were saved then. So Job tells his friends
here ; you tell me, saith he, of God's dealings with me in an outward way
of providence, but you mind not the wisdom of God. What is that ?
' The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom ; and to depart from evil, is
understanding.' Now, in the Jewish language, the piety of those times,
by which they are said to believe in God and to be religious, is still ex-
pressed by ' the fear of the Lord.' And he in the New Testament that is
called a believer, in the Old is called a man that feareth God, for that was
the wisdom Christ was made unto men in the Old Testament. I say, as
faith is the great thing on which the language of the New Testament runs,
so the fear of the Lord is the language of the Old. There is a world of
places for it. ' Come, ye children, and I will tsach you the fear of the
Lord,' Ps. xxxiv. 11. Therefore it is called the beginning of wisdom when
they come thus to know God ; for it is called the fear of the Lord, because
it was that by which they were to fear God and come to the Messiah, a
fear which made them wise unto salvation. The same Christ, by teaching
them his fear then, made them wise to salvation, which teacheth us now ;
only our religion is expressed by faith, theirs by fear, because there was
little gospel mixed with it ; it wrought in a legal way, in a way of bondage
then, ours in a way of adoption. So that it is clear that Job speaks of
that wisdom whereby men are saved, according, to the notion of those
times, having some hint of some further wisdom which was hid in God,
which was not in angels nor in men, and which God himself in the end
would reveal. And so you have, as I conceive, truly the meaning of that
place in Job.
U se% — Ig the gospel thus a hidden wisdom, hidden from ages and from
generations ? This should cause us to value and put the highest worth
and esteem upon it. Amongst all other considerations that should move
us to it, this is not the least. We see the greatest wits of the world, and
the greatest understandings, have still been taken with antiquity, with any
learning and knowledge that is ancient, especially when it is hidden too.
How do men prize an old copy of a father (as they are called), which hath
lain hidden in some hole in a manuscript, and is now revealed ! How
doth a great scholar value such a thing ! They think it a glory to be the
publisher of such a thing. To have an old copy of the New Testament,
though it doth not differ three words throughout the whole from what we
commonly have, yet if it be an old copy (as lately one of the Septuagint,
written thirteen hundred years ago, was sent over*), what a value is there
set upon it ! If the prophecy of Enoch, which Jude quoteth (and such a
thing they say is extant in Africa f), were now found out, how would it be
* Doubtless the famous Alexandrian manuscript, which was sent from Constanti-
nople, as a present to Charles I., in 1628. Goodwin was not aware that it contains
the New Testament, as well as the Septuagint version of the Old.— Ed.
f The book, which was long believed to be extant in Africa, was at length found
Chap. III.] glory of the gospel. 289
valued ! If it were common hero, how would it be esteemed ! Solomon,
you know, wrote of herbs and plants, from the cedar of Lebanon to tho
hyssop that springs out of tho wall ; if these books that are lost were now
found, what a price would we set upon them ! my brethren, a far
greater than the wisdom of Solomon is here, and far more ancient; for here
is the wisdom that was hid in God from ages and generations, even before
the world was, which lay at the bottom of his heart, which are the deep
things of God. Here is a whole edition (for so the gospel is) of a new
testament, of a new knowledge of God, in comparison of what the fathers
had. Here is the wisdom of God himself, which was kept close from the
Gentiles, from all nations, four thousand years, kept hid from Adam in
innocency, kept hid from angels, kept hid from all, that his own Spirit even
searcheth into these deep things of God. How should this whet on our
souls to be skilful in, and to study this gospel, and to know all the secrets
of it ; to seek unto God for that holy and blessed Spirit who writ this word,
and hath hid herein all the treasures of knowledge which are to be revealed
to us. This did commend it to the primitive times. Paul still in all his
epistles, as you have seen in that of the Romans, in this of the Colossians,
in that of the Ephesians, in that of the Corinthians, makes it a mighty
matter, that unto them this gospel was revealed that was hid before, that
God had broke up a new treasury, not of notional divinity, but of the know-
ledge of kiniself, even the mystery of the Father and of Christ, as it is called
in Col. ii. 1.
But you will say unto me, this indeed did mightily commend it to our
forefathers, that lived in the primitive times, to whom it was first made
known. In regard to them it was admirable, that it should be four thousand
years before it was revealed, and then made known unto them, and that they
should be the first ; but for us, we are born under it, and it hath now been
sixteen hundred years since it was made manifest. Therefore, what is this
to commend it to us ?
I answer first, It did lie hid, however, four thousand years afore the
world knew it ; and that thou shouldst have thy lot to be born in the days
of the revealing of this gospel, and shouldst come to know these things
which were hid to the ages before, is a favour ; for thou mightest have been
bom in the midst of those four thousand years.
But, secondly, so did God order it in his great wisdom, that though the
law was given (I parallel it so) in Moses his time, yet there was a time (as
that of Manasseh's, and of other of those kings) in which the law was in a
manner lost, and the priest searching in the temple doth by chance find it.
This hath been the case of the gospel since God delivered it to these times ;
for this doctrine of the gospel in the greatest glory, and the riches of the
secrets of it, was obscured for more than a thousand years, yea, from the
very apostles' time a mystery of iniquity began to work, and another gospel
to be raised up that darkened the true one by degrees, till antichristianism
overspread the world ; whenas all the world, and the learned men of the
world, ran after the rudiments of the world, and not after Jesus Christ ;
and the world was spoiled through school divinity, and through philosophy,
as the apostle speaks, Col. ii. 8. And it is not many years since that
by the traveller Bruce, who brought home three copies of it in the Ethiopic lan-
guage. It was edited by Archbishop Laurence, and published in 1821. It is clearly
proved not to be the Book of the prophet Enoch, but the production of a Jew of that
name, who wrote not earlier than the middle of the second century of the Christian
era. — Ed.
VOT.. TV. T
290 A DISCOURSE OP THE [CHAP. III.
great and glorious breaking forth of the gospel began in the time of Luther,
when God did break up another Indies. He gave the pope a world, the
Spanish world, the West Indies ; he set them a-work about the first part
of the wisdom spoken of in that 28th of Job, to find out a vein for tho
silver, and a place for the gold. And he gave another Indies of the gospel
unto us of the protestant churches, and it had been happy for us to have
kept ours, and to improve it as they have done theirs. But, my brethren,
though God began and renewed the knowledge of this gospel, yet the saints
will find digging work enough in it, even to the end of the world. You shall
find in the very midst of the book of Revelation, when fourteen chapters
of it were spent, that it is there said, ver. 6, ' I saw another angel fly in
the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that
dwell on the earth.' He speaks of the time of antichrist, for in the 13th
chapter he describeth the beast, how he ascendeth out of the sea ; and in
the 14th, he describes the saints under antichrist, and how he tyrannized
over them, especially at the latter end, when the light of the glorious gospel
of Christ breaks forth. And whereas they accuse the gospel of novelty ;
no, it is an everlasting gospel, saith he. And God did set a-work many
before us to preach this gospel ; and how did they begin to preach it ? for
it went on by degrees. They fell upon images first, they bade people take
heed. ' Fear God, and give glory to him, and worship him, that made
heaven and earth ; ' that was the first great thing which the protestants laid
open, when they first began to preach the gospel. Afterwards they began
to challenge Rome with being the antichrist, that was the second angel.
And then a third comes, and saith, that ' whosoever drinks of her waters,
and of her cup, shall everlastingly be tormented ; ' so that men that are
learned and knowing men, living in that religion, cannot be saved. And
then in the 15th and lGth chapters, there come seven angels out of the
temple, and they still reveal more and more. Thus doth God by degrees
go on, so that within these hundred years, we in our age, ever since that
great light first broke out (especially here in this kingdom), have had the
light of the gospel rising still clearer and clearer, and so it will do till anti-
christ be destroyed, for he is to be destroyed, to be melted (so the word is)
by the dawning of the Sun of righteousness, who is coming upon the world.
Therefore in Isa. xi. 8 he saith, * The earth shall be full of the knowledge
of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea ; ' he hath the like expression in
Hab. ii. And he speaks of the latter times, for he speaks of those times
before, and upon the calling of the Jews ; and that is clear by ver. 11 of
that Isa. xi., 'It shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his
hand again the second time, to recover the remnant of his people ; ' he had
delivered them out of captivity once, and he shall do it again the second
time, saith he. Now go take Ezekiel : he prophesieth likewise of those
latter times, and he useth the same expression of the overflowing of waters
by degrees, in Ezek. xlvii. Speaking of a glorious temple, that was to be
set up in the latter days (that is clear by all the passages of that prophecy),
he saith, ' he saw waters issue from under the thresbold of the house,'
that is, of the church ; and saith he, first I was led through waters, and
the waters came up to the ankles ; afterwards the waters were to the knees,
and then to the loins, and at length a river that could not be passed over,
for the waters were risen, waters to swim in ; and when he was returned to
the brink of the river (that you may know what times he speaks of), ho
saith, ' There were very many trees on the one side, and on the other.'
Now compare this with Rev. xxii. There you have the same trees and tho
ClIAP. III.] GLORY OF THE GOSPEL. 291
samo waters (speaking of the latter times of the gospel too, as Ezckiel doth),
whoso leaves did heal the nations every month. So that he speaks of the
growing of tho knowledge of the gospel by degrees, which should be as
waters that cover the sea. Tho like you have in Zechariah, where he pro-
phesieth, that in tho latter times there should come a day, which should be
clearer towards evening. In the times before this, saith he, it shall bo
neither light nor dark (which I believe are our times), and it shall begin to
clear up towards evening (it is in Zech. xiv. 6, 7) ; and he useth the samo
expression concerning water, ver. 8, ' Living waters,' saith he, ' shall go
out from Jerusalem,' &c. And Dan. xii. 4, ' Many shall run to and fro,
and knowledge shall be increased.'
I speak it for this, that although tho gospel was revealed to the apostles
so long ago, yet God hath so ordered it, that to us now it is new again.
My brethren, lot me say this to you, it is 'a faith once given,' so Jude
tells us. When the apostles had given it out of their hands, what, will
God send apostles to recover this gospel again ? No ; it is a greater glory
for God by degrees, and by ordinary light in the hearts of his ministers
and his people, to recover this gospel (which was thus blasted by antichrist
in the latter days), that it shall have the same purity in doctrine and govern-
ment that was in the primitive times ; I say, for God to do this by degrees
and by ordinary means, it is a greater glory than to send apostles. It were
an easy matter for him to pour out his Spirit upon men immediately, as he
did then ; but he chooseth rather to do it by ordinary means, as he hath
done, yea, and will go on to do it, and will never leave to do it, till he
hath brought it to that height, when Jesus Christ shall come to possess his
kingdom, the brightness of whose coming, the dawnings of it, shall consume
antichristian doctrine and worship. It is a greater matter for him to work
a miracle by ordinary means in a way of ordinary providence, than to shew
these great miracles that he did among the Jews, and the like ; as indeed
he hath in an ordinary way done as great matters for this kingdom, as ever
he did in Egypt for the bringing of his people out of that bondage. It is,
I say, an easy matter for God to go and create a new world, and the like ;
but therein lies his glory, that he will restore things, and reduce them to
the primitive purity, by ordinary means, and not send extraordinary persons
to do it.
Antichrist brought in all his darkness by degrees, and it shall go out by
degrees. The mystery of iniquity began to work in the hearts of men in
the apostles' times, and darkness grew more and more till midnight. So
the mystery of the gospel works likewise, and these dawnings shall increase
more and more till the perfect day ; and the issue of all these confusions
that are now, when Jesus Christ hath done his work, will be some glorious
thing. God hath given pastors and teachers (as the apostle saith), to all
ages, and one age doth teach another, and they all tend to the edifying of
the body of Christ, till we come unto a perfect man, unto a measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ. All the light of the former ages is drawn
down to this age, and in this age men suck in their very education the
light of the former ages, and so are prepared for a further growth ; and so
in the end, the latter age of the world will have a fulness of stature again.
And the scope of all this is, though it is a mystery, yet God hath so or-
dered it in his providence, to endear it to us, to make it a new mystery to
us, even as if he had had apostles afresh ; for it was obscured, and it hath
broke out afresh after it lay hid a thousand years.
292 A DISCOURSE OF THE [ClIAP. IV.
CHAPTER IV.
That the knowledge of the gosjiel is a most excellent wisdom, because, as a pecu-
liar favour, it is communicated by God only to some persons.
But now is made manifest to his saints. — Col. I. 26.
Here is the rarity and scarceness of it, when it cometh to be revealed ;
' but now is made manifest to his saints.' And this is the subject which I
shall insist upon.
In the handling of this, I shall do two things.
1. Give you an explication of the words.
2. Enlarge upon that theme, to shew from thence the excellency of the
gospel.
1. For explication. If you mark it, the apostle doth not say, which is
now made manifest to me, although Paul makes the manifestation of it
unto him to be the means to manifest it to all the saints ; for as elsewhere
he saith, it was a treasure in an earthen vessel committed unto him ; and
therefore, in the 23d verse, and the last words, he saith, ' Whereof I Paul
am made a minister ; ' and in the 25th verse, the first words, ' Whereof I
am made a minister.' But how is he made a minister ? For to reveal it
to the saints. Therefore he doth not only say, is revealed unto me, but,
' now is made manifest in the saints.'
The gospel, although it was at first revealed unto apostles and prophets,
yet the end and intent of it was, that it should be revealed to all the saints.
You have this expressly in Eph. hi. 5, comparing it with this. In the 4th
verse he had called it (as here) ' the mystery of Christ ;' in the 5th verse, he
saith, ' which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as
it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.' One
would think now that the apostle here should only intend, that this gospel
is revealed to the doctors and teachers of the church, to the holy apostles
and prophets. No ; read the 9th verse. It is (saith he) ' to make all men
see' (that is, as these words restrain it, all the saints see) ' what is the fel-
lowship of the mystery, which hath been from the beginning of the world
hid in God.' It was not revealed only to apostles and prophets, ' but now,'
saith he, ' is made manifest to the saints.' And therefore in the 23d verse
of this chapter, saith he, ' If you continue in the faith, grounded and settled,
and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard,
and which was preached to every creature under heaven.' So that not only
the holy apostles and prophets of the New Testament received it, and it
was manifested unto them, but to the saints also. Therefore in the 25th
verse of this chapter, ' I am made a minister of it,' saith he, ' according to
the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you.' So that indeed it
was given to the apostles, but only that they might make it manifest to the
saints ; and hence therefore he saith, ' But now is made manifest to his
saints.' I shall not need to enlarge more upon this, in the way of open-
ing it.
2. I shall come therefore to the thing itself, viz., the rarity of this gospel,
and of the mysteries of it, and shew you the excellency of it in this respect.
' But is now,' saith he, ' made manifest to his saints.'
He speaks as if God were dainty of this knowledge. He reveals it to
Chap. IV.] glory of the gospel. 293
saints, and to saints only ; and to his saints. There is a revelation of it,
which the saints only have, as I shall shew you anon, and answer objections
to the contrary. In 1 Cor. i. 24 he saith, that ' to them that are called,
both Jew and Greek, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
We all say that he is the power of God only to them that are called, for he
only works effectually in them : but that scripture also tells us that he is
the wisdom of God only to them that are called ; they so understand the
mystery of it as none else.
And then, if you mark it, he commends the knowledge of the gospel to
us by this, that it is revealed to his saints ; his whom he had chosen, whom
he had singled out. Certainly, if there had been any knowledge better
than another, he would have reserved it for his saints. There is an em-
phasis in that. You know God chose a man beloved of him (for so Solomon
was called), and as a testimony of his love to him, he gave him, above all
things else, knowledge ; so that he abounded therein above all that were
before him, or shall be after him. And Daniel, that had great mysteries
opened to him, is called, ' a man greatly beloved.' I quote these examples
for this, to shew that that which is a more special excellent knowledge of
all others, God would reserve it for them. ' To you,' saith Christ, ' it is
given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God,' speaking to his dis-
ciples ; ' to you it is given,' it was a gilt, and a special gift. And there-
fore in Mat. xi. 25, we read of that great thanksgiving which Christ makes
to his Father, ' I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, becauso
thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them unto babes.' He revealed them to bis saints, and those whom he
had chosen.
My brethren, God reserved the gospel to reveal it first unto his Son (you
shall see the order of it), so you read, in John i. 17, 18, ' The law came
by Moses, but grace and truth,' that is, the gospel, ' came by Jesus Christ.'
' No man hath seen God at any time ; the only begotten Son, that is in
the bosom of the Father, he hath revealed him.' The Lord reserved this
knowled 
