'% (J L 2£2!!2FU£-(''-s~i
i
|
-
PRINCETON, N. J. '
Collection of Puritan Literature.
Division *-« - ' ^~~"^'™"'
Section J .dj '7* %■»■■•
Number
m _ :
v THE
SOVLES
EXALTATION-
TREATISE
containing
The Souks Vnion With Qhrift,
on i Cor. 6.vj. *
The Sonles 'Benefit from Vnion
With Christ, on i Cor. i. 3a
The Sonles f 'unification D on
i Cor. < 11.
— i= • ■ • ^ •• ! • • - - >-'
By T.H.
Rom. S.30.
And rvbom be called^ themhealfo justified- mdwbom
bee justified^ them be alfo glortfied.
LONDON,
Printed byUbn HaviUnd^ox: Andrew Crooke^ and
are to bee fold at the black Beare in S. Pauls
Church-yard, 1638.
M
A TABLE OF THE
Soules union with Christ,
out of thefe words:
i Cor. 6. 17.
He that is joyned to the Lord, is one Spirit.
E
Doarine I . « dlfcover it [elfe in three Par-
Vers true beleever is joyned ticulars.
_> unioChrift. page 5 Partic. 1.
This knitting of a beleever to It is a reall union, tbmgb \\t-
ChnL confifis in three Par- ritualL : P- 7
titulars Partic. 1.
Particular 1. This union it is a total! union.
ibid.
A true beleever doth gather up
A U the faculties of his foule, Partic. 3.
and doth imply them upon This union it is an unpayable
Chrifi. fcffejk P-5 m * m ' £C P
£artfc. 2. - Ufe 1.
The beleever is Satisfied whh information to inftruft us of the
Chrifi, and the riches of his happy privilege of the poore
^ ibid. S. tints of God . though defftfed
Partic. 3. of the ivortt^yet they are met-
is this: that the beleever doth ved into covenant and mion
binde the heart to the exerci- with Chrifi. P- 9
f m of both thefe. p. 6 life 2.
Tbtmmmr of this mm doth Itisanufe oftenour to all%
* !rr- - V - J -- ■ ■ y t ( 2, yoptes
The Table.
pofttes againft Chrift. p. I o the Spirit of God doth really ac
Ufe 5. company the whole word, but in
It is an ufe of examination and a more fteciall manner he doth
tri all y from hence may bee accompany the pretiompromifes
knowne whether the foule doth of the G off ell. p # 2 7
rightly cleave to Chrift, or whe- C onclu fion 2 .
they it doth only difjemble with thefecond concbtfioms this, that
Chrift* p. 16 the Spirit of {trace doth leave a
life 4. ftpernaturall dim and power •
Is is a ground of comfort for the ' and ajpiriwall and overpow-
Saints againft all contempt ,and : ring venue upon the foule,and
difgrace, againft all troubles, thereby doth bring it unto
miferies, and perfecut ions that Chrift. p. 28
the world can caft upon 1 hem. Conclusion 3
p. 20 The third conclufion is this ; that
Secondly, againft all temptations the Spirit of grace in thepre-
of Satan. p.. a 2 mife working thus upon the
, Doflrine 2. hearty it caufe.h ike heart to
the faithfull doe enjoy fitch an clofe * with it in the promife.
union with Chrift, that they are P-1%
one Spirit with him. p. 25 Part. 2,
For the opening of this Dotlrinr, The fecond particular is the or-
two particulars are to bee d;f- der of this union, whether the
covered. leleever is knit to . the humane
Partic. 1. nature of Chrift firft,. or to the
The firft Particular is 1 the man- divine,. - P-%9
ner hoiv the foule comes to bee life I.
one Spirit with Chrift. p. 2 5 InftruHion to informew,that the
and this doth confisl in three fmnes of the faithfull are mar*
(ondufions. pi ^$ vellom hainom in Gods ac-
Copxlufion 1. count, becaufe of their union.
^the ■ fiift ccmluftm is this, wm p.- 4^
The T able,
life 2. they are. p#49
// is an ufe oftriall, wiser ehy s Uf C j t '
man may fee, what (pint moft It is a word of exhort atitin to
men of the world are of: dofe with fuch, as Chrifi
as their foules clofe with hmfelfe doth chfe withall.
Chrifi, and '.'receive him, fo p ~l
A TABLE OF THE
communion that the Soule
hath with Chrifi from the union with him,
out of tliefc words ;
i C o r. i. 30.
Butofhimareyein Chrift Jefus, who is madetmtous
mfedomejrighteoufnefie, fan6tification 3 and redemption.
Dotfrine r. Lord lefiu Chrifi for every
THe D-oftrine from thefe faithfull foule. p. 66
words is this,that there is a Partic. 2 .
convey an:e of all fair uu all As there is enough in Chrifi to
. grace from Chrift, to alithofe. f.fply all the wants of his
that bekeve m him. p. 63 s aims, fi Chrifi doth fupply.
The _ Tenure of this conveyance unto them whatever is moft
difcoverethit felfe in thefe fit to the need of every pore
particulars. . - samt 9 ' xL&~
Partic. r. vmk. 3,
We firfi particular is this, that Is this: As the Lord Chrifi dmh ■
there is fully enough in the communicate what is fit... fo
X 1 u-
The Table.
he doth f veferve what he doth life 4.
bestow and- communicate to ft is an ufe of exhort at ion,ordi*
thebeleevmgfoule. p. 73 reBion > t0 teach theSamts >
Partic. 4.
Is this : the Lord doth not onely
preserve what grace, he doth
give,but he quickens the grace
hemaintames. P«7^
Partic. 5
whither togoe to fetch fuccour
andfupply, of what ever grace
they want : Chrift is made ail
in all •. why then away to the
Lord lef us Chrift. p.99
Queftion.
Is this: As he quickneth what he But.yau will fay, what courfeor
maintaines^o he perfects what means fhall we ufe to get thefe
he quickens. P-77 " things at Christ s hands?
partic. 6. Anfvver.
/; this: the Lord at la ft doth The meanes are two : Vkft,eye
rvnvoyLi aVl the <rrace, he hath the from fe doyly, keep it with-
perfeBel ?-79 in view. p. 104
\Xf c 1. S econdly, you muft labour to yeeld
It is a word of lamentation, and the Souk 'to the power of
terrour to every unbeleeving theSpirit,andtothevertueof
creature under Heaven 5 here grace which is in Chrift.
they may fee the mifery of p. *°9
their condition. p. 8 1 Now this particular conveyance
Ufe 2.
It is a ground of comfort to all
the Saints of God, that have
inter eft in all theriches of this
ffoodnelfe. P- $4
Ufe ?.
It 4^ a word ofinftruttion to
teach every Saint to lie dome
in the dust, that they all might
glory in the Lord. p.? I
of grace from Chrift,it is done
two wayes^ partly by impu-
ting, partly by imparting, p.
113. and they are both in the
Text : Chrift is made righ-
teoufnejje,or juftice,that is Joe
doth juftifte afinner by impu-
tation, and Chrift is made
fanBiftcation, and redempti-
on • ' 'that is, lee doth redeeme
and
The Table.
and fanciifie a [inner by com- frerable to Gods justice, and
mumcation. ibid. agreeable to the exaUnejj'eof
Do ftrine . the L &n% and for which a man
God doth juslife a beleeving way be condemned, that can-
foule, not for what he hath or notjuffifie a man : but it is
doth, but onelyfor what Chnft fi here \ therefore the) cannot,
hath done for him. p. lid juslife. p.H?
In the opening of the point,, two Hie iv
things are to be cleered: It is a ground of confutation of
Firft, what it is to jit si if e : the Church of Rome, that holds
Secondly, what is meant that God the formallcaufe of the juffi-
doth not juslife any one, for • feat ion of a finner, it is the
what he hath or doth. p. 1 1 6 frame ofholinefje wrought in
To juslife it is a word ofjudici- him, , not imputed to him. p.
all pro ceeding, when in a legall \ 5 %
manner ', the Iudge doth pro- Hie 2 .
nounce a man free,, and doth it is a word ofconfolatidn, and it
acquit him. p. lid is a Cordiall to cheer t 'up a
Secondly, God doth juslife a mans heart, and to carry him
poore (inner, not for any thing through all troubles whatfo-
hehath or doth : The meaning ever can betide him, orjhall
is this, no grace that a man- befall him. ibid.
hath, no duty that hee canper- life 5.
formfor which a-s the material It is an ufe of exhortation: will
and formallcaufe of our ju si i- nothing doe the deed, but a
feat ion, God doth pronounce Chnfl why O then above all,
any man to bee righteous, p. labour for a Chrtfi more than
117 all; labour to prize a Chrift, .
Reafon 1. p. ^7
That which in m measure is an-
A .TABLE
The Table.
ATABLEOF THE
Soules Iuftification,
out of thcfe words :
2 Co R. 5. 33.
For hee hath made him to be finne for us, which knew no
finne, that wee might bee made the righteoufnefle of God
in him.
OVt of tbefe words, two Do&rine it
things are to bee ope- I^Bifcation,isanaBofGodthe
wfji . t Father, upon the beleever. p.
Ftrjf, the defcription of ju- r ^ ?
s^if cation : Secondly \ the Tor the clearing of the doBnne,
opemngofthe defcriptton. p. 1. particulars are to be opened.
ya . r .. l Z 1 Particular 1. '
Ust^cation,it u an aBofGod The firft particular is this, why
the Father upon the believer, is it called anaB of God the
whereby the debt and fmnes of Father I Anfw. Fir(l,becaufe
the beleever are charged upon the Father was the party that
the Lord fefits Chrift, and by was properly offended, p. 1 3 5
. the merits and fatisfaBion of Secondly, becaufe the Father is
Chrif imputed to thebeleever, . the Fountaine in. the Deitie*
hee is accounted ju ft, and fo p.i?7
*r acquitted before God as Particular 2.
righttotit. ibid, why his an aB of God the Father
upon
The Table.
upon the beleever $ Anfwer. poore finner, above all the ac-
Becaufe it is a trmfient aBion cufations of finne, Satan,, or
that pafjeth from God upon the the envy of the world, p.
creature, and fo doth worke *45
thereby a change and altera- Vile 1 .
tion upon the creature, p. // is a word of direction to all the
1 3 9 Stints, to appeate to the fudge
The charge; bat is wrought upon of the Court in their judge-
the creatures, is two wayes. mem . p . 1 48
Particular t. Ufe 3.
TbeLordisfai-dtopaJJea worke Itis a ground of terrour to the
or an aBion upon the creature, wicked, and to allunbeleevers y
when bee puts fome kinde of that they. have no fhare in this
abilitie upon the creature, point of justification, p.
either fprttuall, or naturali: * 54
as when the Lord makes a Do&rine.
,. wicked man, a good man: an Chrift Iefus never yeelded the
adulterous man, a cbafle teaft improvement of heart to
man : and this wee call a no- finne,neither didhe rver^ com-
■ turall change, became there is mit the leasv fmne in h is life.
a gratiow frame put into the P* * 59
heart. p. 140 Reafon I.
^Secondlyjbe Lord is (aid to make Looke into the nature of our Sa-
il change upon the creature, viour, and it was pure, p.
when he takes off fome relati- 1 5 £
ons, and reft efts, which the Reafon 2.
creature had,aniputs upon it Looke into the Office of our Sa~
other refpeBs : and this is viour, and hee wjs without
called 'amoral Uhange.p. 140 fmne. p.ito
life 1. Ufe i.
It is a ground of admir die com- It is a word of exhortation to the
for t to beare up the heart of a fdthfull to conform their
J A hearts
The Table.
/"" o/o^.'fo nwWw the R ca fon s
nen God the Father doth charge m b this at the hands of Mm
Particular. i. ^ ,„, . P- »77
Reafbn 3.
^i^' ^tbeUrdBtuM/i herein u abundanth
fefas ChnB made a m,tua!l magged the love and £
W asfioullbeleevejhould ufe r
fc j&W: «**[ «* M /, « 4 w d of .nBruHion to
fhouldmie them beleeve. p. ther hath lata Uhy ftmes upon
iw: 1 ' 7 ° c , hr >ft>'he/id}e no, thou take
Particular a. ,&. /,„* fci „ ,/„ m
Our Savtourhavtng undertaken pi So
flace of all thofe loft fheepe. appcare in thefe foure con^
Particular 3. Conctofion 1.
Our Sav tour havtng put him. Every beleever . is bouni to fee
Memo the room of a [inner, and examne theRnfull carri-
the Law mmproeeedsmth full ageofhts foule, arito judge
fcopeagvnBhm. p., 75 that it bath power to tnfke
rt,.,.,"?™. 1 ', , himgudne, andalfotocm--
Tbatwhch the Lord lefwchrifi demebtm. p.i8a
The Table.
Conclufion 2, How far re a beleever may not
Every beleeving foule ju ttifiea r , charge bimfelfe with his fin,
ought to acknowledge that it may kee conceived in thefe tm
were righteous with the Lord conclufions.
to, let out his wrath againtt Conclusion 1.
him, though not to-condemne A beleever fljould not in his
him, yet to dtjfraB him. p. judgement conceive/tor in bis
1 85 heart be ferfwaded, that any
Conclufion %, finne, norall bis finnes- fball
Every beleever accepted, andju- ever bee able to fatten the
fifed, in and through Chrifi guilt of fnne upon him, fo as
by the Father, yet hee is thus to caufe revenging jujiiceto
far re bound to charge his fins proceed again tt him, to his
: upon himfelfe, as to maintain condemnation. p. i£ 2,
' in his owne heart a fenfe of life 2.
the need that he hath of Chrifi, It is a word ofterrottr to all un-
'as well to continue his re- beleever s, they are dettitute of
fpe% and acceptation with all hope of the pardon of their
Cod, as to bring him at fit fi finnes, p. 1 97
into the love and favour of life 2,
God, p. 1 87 it is a word of exhort at ion to the
Conclufion 4. Saints: was Chritt made fin
Thus farre the Saints of God for thee ? then be thou- content
ought to goe in chargingjheir to bee made ft) ame for him.
owne foule s with their finnes, p. 2 00
fo far to fee them, and to bee life 4.
- affecled with them, as to bring It is a word of comfort to all the
their hearts to be truly carri- faith full: lear.ne to cattail thy
ed with hatred again tt them^ fin: on the Lord Iefm Chrifi.
and with resolution to get Do&rine 4.
power andfirength againji The Lord Iefm Chritt fuffered
them, p. 1 8£ fety*. whatsoever 'punifjjments
A 2 divine
i Mody done^r in Joule alone
\ or in both. '
Anfiver.
Christ did properly And immedi-
ately Jtfpr the wrath of God
f^J^Joherpjsboundto
nbyfauhfnlnejje. p ^ ?
Ufe f.
*fa bujbule as veUas hmdid m fcd , UiC *'
nr. r L » "Pi ™*% nfifh-Popfb
p. t^ 9
fly
Purgatory.
p.288
tt& 1.
U**fa was the Lord lejmdri-
U/c 2.
ry /»/<; /W- y>„ w ^^
•■ and if bat bee may exveB from
Reafon 1.
Is taken from the divine juBice
7 1 I Mwers : you have
tnward.or onward, fovea*.
notproperjy bee called pi m ^
TFt'^ifmtSefaLb-
WM chafiiJemems.p. 2 S 9
life 3.
oxely Jut die, and agreeable
"the divine jufice of Gol
h *»W fime. p.28?
Reafon a. *
/J * tttatfiw the office ofchrifi
- :: ~ r * w . y on nave
heard the treafures of mer~
"nd the death of our Lord
*J* thrift l a i d ¥*
•hem, andtake them all f„
jmr comfort, ? J° r
FJNIS.
i
i
IT {
■
*waam«sHaw«*>
Severall Treatifes of this
A u t h o u R.
' T H L u J lcevers preparin§ f,x Chrift '
f Revelations z j. 17.
I Corinth. 2. 14. '
^Eze&tel 11. ip.
liafcij. 42.
If*«*»a.0.j,4,,,*.
«/<>#» tf. 44.
* Jhc foules preparation for Chrift or a Tf«
ttfeof Contrition, on 4& ,. ^ Tr ^
5 TheSouIesunion with Chrift, 1 Corm.e 17
o^ C S 1 r j o aefitfi ' 0m Uni ° nw '*Chn ft ;
7 Ic^^ ,fication '^nSam 01l so„
8 Con 7^/10.33.
JonPfalne u f. 29a
^ermoflj Jon Proverbs i . 2 g, 2 p.
ff
i-FTTTV fc/WV VlRV WffVw
•iiittffiffti
^4^ #?«* *#* ^^ ^W 4 ^^ £**** & V& &W fi.'js c$£ && cfa e$»
THE SOVLES
union with Christ,
i Cor in. 6\ 17.
H<? fto is joynedto the Lordjs one Spirit,
E told you that the application
of the merits of Chrift, confifts
efpecially in tvro things :
Firft, the preparation of the
foule for Chrift.
Secondly, the ingrafting or the knuting of the
foule to the Lord Jefus Chrift.
Of jfhis preparation wee have heretofore
largely treated .-partly in contrition, where the
fbule is cut off from finne : partly in humiliation,
whereby the fbule is cut of from it felfe • wbere-
by the Lord rafes the foundation of all carnall
confidence, whereby a man refts upon his owne
privileges and performances , and makes his fer-
vices bis Saviour; either the foule teeth no need
to depart from finne, or elfe it thinks it can helpe
itfelteoutof finne: when both thefeare remo-
B ved
The Souks union with Chrift.
ved from the foule, then it is fitted to receive the
Lord Jefus Chrift.
Secondly, the foule comes to be ingrafted into
Chrift : and that hath two parts :
Firft,the calling of the (Inner $ or the putting
of the foule into Chrift.
Secondly , the growing of the foule with
Chrift: thefe two take up the nature of ingrafting
a (inner into the ftock :
Firft,it is put into the ftock.
Secondly, being put into the ftock, it growes
together with the ftock : thefe two things are
anfwerablein the foule. The former of thefe two
wee have largely treated of, and fully finifhed in
the great wcrke of vocation, when the Lord
brings the (inner to himfelfe by the call of mer-
cie, and the voice of the Gofpell : we are now to
proceed 5 and we have made feme entrance into
the fecond 5 and that is the growing of the foule
together with Chrift: for though the graft be in
the ftock,yet it cannot be fruitfull,unle(Te it grow
together with the ftock : now this growing toge-
ther is accomplished by two meanes :
The firft is the union which the foule hath with
Chiift.
The (econd is aconveyance of fap,cr fweetneffe,
or a communion with Chrift, and all the trea-
fures of grace and happmefle that is in him : then
to make up the growing together of the graft
and the ftock jFirft^the graft is put into the ftock.
Secondly, there muft bee a communicating of
the moifture that is in the ftock, to the graft, and
fo
The So tiles union with Chrift.
Co they grow together j otherwayes it growes
rot at all, but withers away : now wee are firft to
defcribe the nature of the worke in generall 5 and
then we willdefccnd to particulars, and the (eve-
rail parts of it: now wee will define this union
fblarre as it concernes our purpofe, not intren-
ching into particulars.
It isfuchajoyningofthe faithfull foulein fuch
a meanes to Chrift, that it becomes one fpirit ;
thele are not by way of collection to be gathered,
but they are plainly exprefTed in the text : and
two points of doctrine I meanetoproiecute : the
firft point is from the firft part of the text,
Every true beleeveris joyned unto Chrift: the i.DoSlr.
word in the originall is, glued j he is glued, he is
waxed;He is firmly and neerly combined and knit
to the Lord Jefu9 Chrift.
The fecond part of the defcription,is the fecond
point in hand.
He is fo joyned unto the Lord,that he becomes 2, DoBr.
one fp.rit : as the adulterer and the adulterefle is
one rlefh ^ fo he that beleevesin Chrift,is lb neer-
ly joyned to him, that he becomes one fpirit : Co
we lee the verfe offers two doctrines :
Firft, that a faithfull foule is firmly and neerly
knit unto Chrift.
Secondl/, hee is fo knit that he becomes one
fpirit.
But firft of the firft doctrine.
What ever by way of companion can be allea-
ged, concerning the neere combination of one
thing with another, they are all tyed to this knit-
B 2 ting
The Souk f union with Chrift.
ting of the foule to Chrift : looke what a friend
is to a friend $ looke what a father is to a childe ^
wh.at a husband to a wife 5 looke what a graft is
to a tree 5 and that is neerer than a husband to a
wife : nay, goe yet farther, GaUt. 2. 2 o. what the
foule is to the body 5 the foule is not only knit to
the body, as one member to another, as the hand
is knit to thearme,and the arme to the fhoulder ;
but the foule doth communicate it felfe univcr-
fally thorow the leaft part of the body : fo the
Apoftle faith, chrift if the very foule of a beleever^
I live, yet not I, but the herd. Iefus liveth in met - y fo
that looke as the body liveth by the fbule, the
foule doling, and communicating,and qujekning
of the fame, fb Chrift is in a Chriftian,and fpeaks
m a Chriftian, and enableth a Chriftian to the
performance of that he doth 5 hence the body of
the faithfull is called Chrift, 1 Corin.vi. 1 2. but
we will open this a little further in two paflages :
. Firft,the carriage of the foule in this doling.
Secondly, the manner how it doth clofe.
The carriage wee (hall defire to difcover in
three particulars, which may bee exprefled in a
graft, when it is put into the ftock : and I fay,
therein obferve three particulars :
Firft, there is an exercife of theekments that
are in the graft upon the ftock, and are fb farre
mingled one with another, and doe fb farre clofe
one with another, that they become one.
Secondly, the graft joynes to the ftock, and
none other.
Thirdly, they doe not oncly a&thus, but are
bound
The Soules union with Chrift.
bound one to another : and this makes them aft
anfwerably to thcfe three particulars. There is
alio an exprcffionofthe knitting of the fouleto
Chrift in three particulars : . '
Firft, the foule gathers up it fdfe, and all its
ipirits , its faculties, that doth exercife in the
worke thereof upon Chrift, and that makes the
foule to grow unto the Lord : when the foule
turnes the promife into good bloud, it doth not
only chew the mear,but difgeft.it, and it becomes
good bloud : a true beleevcr gathers up all the fa-
culties of his foule, and irnployes them upoa
Chrift : hope expects Chrift, and defire longs for
Chrift, and love and joy imbrace Chrift, and the
will clofeth Chrift ^ thus the foule fettles it ielfe
upon Chrift, hoping, expecting, longing, deft*
ring,loving,embracing ? looke as it is with a wo-
man that kneads dowgh, if there be two parts of
it,the moulding and the kneading knits them to*
gether,and makes them one lump : (b there is the
moulding of the foule to the promife, hoping,and
defiring,and longing, and chufing$ faith kneads
all thefe together, and knits them unto God, and
drawes the (bule to him.
Secondly, the foule is fatisfied with Chrift, and
the riches of his grace - 5 the beleever doth repofe
his confidence wholly thereupon: Prov. 5. ig.
that which makes the love of a husband increafe
towards his wife, is this, Heeit fatitfitd with her
breaft/ at all times, and then bee comes to bee ravijkd
with her love : if a husband hath a loofe heart, and
will not content himfelfe with the wife of his
B 3- , Mfc
6 The Souks union with Chrift.
youth, but foath his back doores, and his goings
out • this makes a breach in matrirooniall affe-
ction ^ but when he is fatisfied with her brefts,
he is raviftied with her Jove : fb hope hath an ex-
pectation of mercy, and is fatisfied therewith,
defire longs for mercy ,and is fatisfied therewith 5
the will clofeth Chrift, and it is fully fatisfied
with him ; and if it were to chufe againe, it
would ehufenone but Chrift : thus fuck thou up
theconfolations in the promi/e, and be fatisfied
therewith, and then thou wilt grow there upon j
but if you will bee retting here, and ftayingupon
the contentments of the world,thts is weakecon-
fidence,and drawes the foule from God.
Thirdly, the laft thing is the binding of the
heart upon both thefe^/z. the keeping of the
heart to the exercife of the promife, and to bee
fatisfied with the promife $ 1 Coloffl 23. Ifyee con-
tinue in the faith 5 being grounded and fetkd, fo
that a man doth ftake downe his heart to the pro-
mife, and holds hope, and defire, and love, and
joy,and the will unto it: it receives all Chrift, and
none but Chrift, and ftayeshere, and continues
fcere for ever : this fame covenant that bindes the
foule to Chrift, is that which makes the union
becweene Chrift and the foule : thus we fee how
the foule carries it felfe in this union.
Thefecond thing confiderable, is the manner
how it 13 done, and the qualitie of this union :
and this we will difcover in three particular^
Firft, it is a reall union, but it isfpirituall, you
maft not conceive it <( grofly ? as if my body were
v joyned
The Souks union with Chrift.
joyned to Chrift j but there is a reall union which
is fpirituall : there is a union betweene thenature
of Chrift, God ana 1 man, and a true beleever : thac
which I defire to declare is upon this ground, to
difference this union from that which Divines are
deceived mj viz. that it is an union more than in
bare notion and apprehension oftheminde$ for
what ever a man conceives, his underftanding
elofeth with it 5 as whatever I apprehend,I clofe
with that; there is a conveyance of the thing in-
to my minde, and I clofe with it : now the union
of a beleevers foule with Chrift is more than this:
it is not abareapprehenfion, a wicked man will
goefarreintheapprehenfion of Chrift; but this
union is fomewhat more, and I call it a reall uni-
on, becaufe there is a knitting and a doling, not
onelyof theapprehenfion with a Saviour, but a
doling of a foule with a Saviour.
Secondly, I fay this is a totall unio.i,the whole
nature of a Saviour, and the whole nature of a
beleever are knit together : firft,that it is a reall
union, all the places of Scripture doe intimate as
much : what the branch is to the vine, the foule
is to Chrift: now they are more than imagina-
tion 5 fo what the husband is to the wife.the foule
-is to Chrift. Now they are more than in under-
ftanding ;for a man may conceive of another wo-
man, as well as of his wife ^ but this is another
union, whereby the perfon of the one is knit unto
another : the bond of matrimony knits thefe two
together. This is the frame and guife of knitting
the foule to Chrift, it is no bare apprehenflon but
wee
The Souks union jwffr Ghrift.
wee feed upon Chrift, and grow upen Chrift 5 and
are married to Chrift : Hofea 2.30. I have married
thee to my felfe, in truth, in judgement, and in right
teoufnejje.
Secondly^ fay it is totall in Co much that Chrift
is the head, and abeleever, a member; in both
thefe regards they are joyned : Chrift is the head
of the Church, not onely according as he is God,
bnt as hee is God and man 5 and abeleeverisa
member not onely according to his body, but ac-
cording to his body and foule : now whole Chrift
being the head, and the whole beleever being a
member, therefore a whole Chrift , and a whole
beieever muft be joyned together,
The third is this, this union isinfeparable : le-
remit 32. 40. The Lordpromifeth to mah$ an everla-
fiingco<venant withthehoufeof Zfrael, and I will ne-
ver part away from them to doe them good : fo Pfdme
89. 3 3.34. It is fpoken there concerning Salomon
as I conceive the Pfalmift faith, If he finne again]}
mee 3 I wiU fcourgehlm, and I will vijtt him with
Jlripej'y neverthelejje^ my loving kindnejje I will not
take away from him, nor fuffer my faithfulnejfe te
faile my covenant 5 / will not kreake> nor alter the
thing that is gone out of my mouth : maike that
the Lord out of faithfulnefle doth eftablifh
thee to him in vocation, the Lord hath made a
covenant with the foule in vocation, the hand of
the Lord layes hold upon the foule, and brings it
home 5 now though the Lord correct the foule
fharply, yet willhenot leave it totally and final-
ly 3 it is infeparably knit to Chrift $ what can k
be
The Souks anion with Chrift , f
be, what (hall it be, that can feparare a poore (In-
ner from Chrift ? if Satan could have hindered
him from comming to a Saviour, hee would have
then hindered him from cornming to a Chrift,
when he had his greateft dominion over him : if
finne could have let him when a man had nothing
elfe but fin, he would not have forfakcn that and
liave beene brought home to Chrift. If the world
could have prevailed, Chrift mould never have
pluckthim from its, but when Satan had his grea-
teft power over him, when a man was nothing
elk but finne by nature, when the world molt
prevailed ,yet then God by his good Spirit pluckc
thy heart from finne and leJfe : that fouleis mine,
faith Chrift, Satan muft give way, and (hall not
kinder it : that foule is mine, faith Chrift, finne
fhall not let it from comming to mee : that foule
is mine, faith Chrift, and the world (hall not ftop
the worke of a Saviocr^and if Satan in the height
of his malice, and the world in the top of its
force, could not prcvaile to keepe the foule from
Chrift. then much Lfle (hall thefe be able to pluek ■
us from a Saviour: the point then is undeniable,
that the foule is really, 'totally and infeparably
knit to the Lord Jefus Chrift.
We may here take notice of the high and hap- vfe I.
py privilege of poore creatures; how ever the
poore Saints of God are defpifed and contemned
of the world, yet they are received into covenant
with the Lord ; they are made one with Chrift,
and are of the blood royall : and this is the grea-
teft privilege that can bee ; this ihould beare up
C the
i o The StuUs union with Chrift.
the hearts of poor e Chriftians ; yee are now in the
very gate of Heaven, nay let raee fay as the Apo-
ftle fpeakes . and I fee no reafon why a man may
not fay that hee is in Heaven in truth, though not
in that meafure and largenefTe of glory he (hall be
afterwards, i Thejf. u 17. The happincfle that a
Chriftian (hall have in Heaven, is this, HeefhaU
be ever with theLgrd left* ^ Heaven were not Hea-
ven, ualefTe a man might bee with Chrift there :
the place doth not make a man happy, but the
onion with a Saviour that makes him happy 3 and
to be joynedto Father, Sonne, and holyGhoft,
that makes him happy, and the beleever is now
knit to them,and therefore muft needs be happy-
Bent . 3 3. the laft verfe>as he faid of the people of
Ifrael, fomay I fay of all faithfull foules, Hypy
art though Ifraelfitoh the text,n^o is like unto thee,
faved by the Lord.thejhieldofthyhelpe, and the [word
of thy excellency ; (b may I fay, Happy are ye, oh
beleeving (bales, who is like unto you? yee are
favedbyGod, and are married to the Lord Jefus
Chrift, and are the fpoules of the Saviour of the
world $ and he that is the Judge of the world, is
your Husband, your beloved, and you are his :
let nothing therefore difmay your hearts.
ffi a. The fecond ufe is that of terrour, and it is like
a thunder-bolt, able to breake the hearts of all
thofe that are oppofite to them that beleeve in
Chrift : that which I would have allconfideron
is this, that the perfecution of the Saints is a fin
of a high nature, it is amofthainous abominable
finne in the fight of God, how ever the world
thinke?
the souks union with Chrift. 1 1
thinkcs not (o of it, yet they (hall bee fare one
day to finde : I know men thinke not thus, be-
cause haply the law of man provides not in this
cafe to punifti thofe thajt oppofe the Lord Iefus
Chrift, and the power of his grace, becaufe hap-
ly the Magiftratedoth not s or haply cannot fame
thofe that fct themfelves againft thofe that feare
God and trample upon them : therefore wicked
men make the Saints of God the marke of their
malice, and the aime of their rage, and all theit
indignation is bent that way, they glory in what
they have done,and threaten what they will dosj
they will hang and draw,and quarter within them-
felves: this is that which the proud fpirits of the
world make their maine prize, and they thinke
thereby to procure praife unto themfelves, and
great preferment in their owne eyes this way :
let me ipeake a little to thefe, you that are gnilty
of this finne,fee thecompafleofit , take notice of
the reach howfarre this rebellion goeth : I would
wifh the(e men thatperfecute the Saints,I would
have theunderftandthecompafFe of their courfe,
how farre their wicked practice extendeth, it is
not againft a delpifed.Chriftian- no, let thera
know it, their rage and malice afcends up toHea-
ven,and offers violence to the Lord Iefus Chrift,
and they labour what they can to plucke Chrift
from the right band of his Father, and they en-
devour what in them lies to (hed his blood, and
takeaway his life: let all know that have beene
profefled oppofers and dead haters of the Saints
of God, let them know they are indited of high
G a trea-
I a The Scufet union with Chrift.
1 W ■ 111 . .i n .,
treafon, and chat in a moft haincus manner
againft the Lord of Heaven and Earth, againft
the Lord Iefns Chrift, the Redeemer of the
world : I would that theje men would not cozen
themfelves, for God will not bee mocked : they
profefte they love Chrift with all their hearts,
and they will doe any thing for him, but rhofe
nice fellowes, thofe fpruce fellowes, it is thofe
tjjat they hate to the death : doe you (b indeed }
thou haft faid enough then,for thou hateft Chrift
in hating their, and thou perfecuteft Chrift in
perfecuting them : Efay 57. 2i.i3.tvhwhafttfou
tefroachedandblajphemed, faith the text, and againft
whom hafi thon exalted thy voyce, and lifted up thine
eyes en higl .<? even againft the Holy one oflfrael : and
in the 2 8. verfe, i know thy abode, and thy going out,
and thy comtningin^ and tly rage againft me : lb that
how ever Senacherib aymed at Hezefya onely , and
thofe that profefie the truth, yet the Lord takes
itasdonetohimlelfe : he that knew their hearts
and their malice, hee faith, J know thy rage againft
me, it Was againft the holy Ofie of Ifrael that they
rayled. Wicked men perfecute the Jives of belee-
vers; now Chrift lives in them, and thou hateft
the lire of Chrift, and perfecuteft the life of
Chrift : ABs 9 , Paulhadgotten letter t from the Sy-
nagogue, and hee would have haled to prifen all the
Saint J of Cod that profejfed the Name of Chrift $ row
if a man had come to Paul, and asked him* Paul
why doe you perfecute Chrift •, hee would have
beene in great indignation 5 what, reverenced
AMf/, learned Paul, zealous Paul j what, hee per-
fect
theSmles union with Chrift. i^
fccatethe Lord ofjife? why, Chrift proclaimes
it,hedoth fo, and hceputsit toanupfliot, and
ends the controverfic, and puts the queftionout
of doubt, lam lefus faith he, wfmm thoupzrfecuteji;
as if he had faid, Poore foole $ thou knoweft not,
and I perceive thou thinkeft knot, but I receive
the wound -> the foot is prickr, and the head com-
plaines. I would have a man make the cafe his
ownc, and be his owne Judge: If any man mould
pretend friendship to you, and profefTe hee loves
you, and tells you hee tenders your perfon, but
yet hee will torment your body^ and hee loves
your headjbat yet he will cut off your arrae : there .
is no man fo weake 5 buthe would loathfuch curfed
kinde of diffimulation : a man cannot love the
head and hate the member 5 love the perfbn and
torment the body : juft fo thefc men deale with
the Lord Iefus Chrift - 3 Gods faithful! bcleeving
fervanf s arc his eyes : Zacharie 2.8. He that touch-
ethyoujenchetk the apple of mine eye 5 they areflefn
of his rleih, and tore of his bone : thou that pre-
tendeft to love ChAr, and to tender the head, .
andinthemean time loatheft his members, and
his poore Saints 5 know that thou doftnotperfe-
cute the Saints fo much, but thou perfecuteft
Chrift much more: but haply thou wilt (ay 5 1 am
no drunkard, nor no whore-monger ; I tell thee
this finne is worfe than drunkennefle., or whore-
dome: the text faith, that Herod was aninceftih u * 1 ^
siuperfin, and married hk brother Philips mfe y bat
he added this finne above all the reft, hee put
uhts in prifon 5 therefore all that heare the Word
;$ € § of
1 4 The Soukt union with Chrift.
ofc God : if a man did fee an inceftuous wretch in
the congregation, whom humanity, andreafon,
and natute doth loath, we would abhorre and da-
reft him , nay every man knowes that it deferves
death. Looke upon thy owne fonle, and lay thy
hand upon thy heart, thou that periecuteft the
Saints : thy finne is greater, and thy condemnati-
on (hall befarre forer than inch a mans : hence it
is that God threatens fuch men with the heavieft
judgements : Pfalme 82. 5 .it is fpoken there con.
cerning Doeg h we may fee the ftory : 1 Samuel 2 2 .
When Abimltch gave Dwid jhew- bread andGoliahi
[word, Doeg faw it and told Saul, and afterwards flew
eighty fiveperfons of the Priefts^ now this Pfalmift
made this Pfalme againft this man : and he faith,
Thy tongue devifeth mi f chief elik afharp razor 'working
deceitfully, and God [ball likewife deflroy thee for ever;
Hefhal take thee amy^and pluck thee out of thy dwel-
ling place ,andom of the land of the living . becaufehe
did oppofe himfelfe againft Abmelech, therefore
the Lord would not let him go without a punilli-
menttnay as God threatens the foreft punHhment
againft fuch perfons 5 fo the Saints of God by
their prayers fet themfelves moft againft them :
Pfalme iip.^.tet themdl be confounded and turned
backe that have ill willatSion y neither doe they that
got by fay, The blejpng of the Lord bee upon you : the
pooreft man that lives, that is in the meaneft
place,if he walkes in anhoneft calling, the Saints
wifha bleffingto him ; but they that oppofe the
Saints of God, the Saints corfe them in the name
©f the Lord: it is true, Iconfefle,wee muftbee
Wary
The Soules union with Ghrift. 1 5
wary and wife, but being wife and wary, it is a
thing wee may and mould doe . David by way of
Revelation knew who were implacable and obdu-
rate; though wee know not this, yet aiming at
none in particular, but onely in thegenerall, at
thofe.wio bee incorrigible s the Saints of God
curfe them, and that bitterly in all their defires
that they put up to God 5 nay the greateft mdite-
ment at the day of judgement proceeds agsinft
finners becaufe of the perfection of hisSatnrs,
becaufe in them they perfecute Chrift himfelfe 5
they teare out the very eyes of Chrift, and rend
his heart in peecei: lad. 14. The Lordcommeth
with thufands of bis Angels to execute ysipment up-
on-aM and to convince all that are ungodly amongst
them of all their ungodly deeds which they have com.
mhted, and of aU their hard fteeches which ungodly
finners have pken againjihim: Matthew 25. the
latter end,D'/w* f f om mee^ je cur fed, I knwyewn
Iwatinprtfon^andyevifitedmeenots, I was naked,
and yc closed me not: why, Jefos Chrift is gone
to Heaven, and haply they never faw htm : but
faith hee, in that you did it not to one of theft ,
yee did it not to mee. Now Divines reafon
thus, that all the doome that (hall paflTe upon
the wicked at the day of )udgement,(hall goe
in this tenure : became ye have not done this and
that- and if thofe (hall bee condemned that did
notvifit the Saints when they were inprifon : if
thofe mail be damned that did not cover the na-
ked what (hall become of thofe that teare their
hearts, and rend the clothes off their backes?
the
1 6 The SquUs union with Chrift.
the Lord hath not onely torments for them here,
but he hath devils in hel to torment rhem for ever-
more : Therefore let me fpeake a word of advice
to thofe that are guilty oft his great finne of per-
kcuting the Lord of life $ goe afideand reafon
with > oar fouies, and parley with your hearts,and
think with your (elves. Oh poore foole that I was,
it was not any poore Chriftian, any poore Saint
that I hated, but it was the Lord Jefus Chrift,
the Lord of life, and of glory, that I perfecuted,
that I would have pluckc out of his Throne $ I
would have tore his flefh offhis body,and rent his
members afander ^ and alas, I never knew it ; ie
was not the Saints I oppofed, but the Lord Jefus
Chrift. I fpeake not this to countenance faction,
my aime is at thofe that perfecute religion and
fancYityof life.
yr e 2; For examination and triall 5 we may hence fee
who are thole that cleave unto Chrift,asaIfo tkofe
that are falfe and difTemble with Chrift, which
pretend great love, and profefle great kindnefle
unto our Saviour, and how much they refpecl:
him, an J how neere Chrift is to them. Fr^m the
former Destine, you may dilcover whether this
be trua^faife : hce that is a true beleever, and
knit fo to Chrift as never more to bee (eparated
and parted 3 he takes up the whole ftrength of his
foule, and bottoms it upon a Saviour ; heeisfan-
ftiried with the freenefleof his grace, and is re-
folved for ever to cleave unto him, and beftow
himielfe upon him : he that truly beleeve*, is thus
knitjthusjoyned to the Lord Iefus Chrift: looke
as
The Soules union with Chrifi i j
as ic is fomecimes with a mightic branch of a tree,
or with the armeofa mans body, however the
bough of the tree maybe rencfometimes 3 and ha-
led afide by the violence of the rempeft.or by the
pulling of a mans hand, yet ic will hold by the
body, and when the hand is gone, ic will goe up
againe : fo it is with a faithfuil fou!e,he fo cleaves
to Chrift, that he will never be parted from him,
he will never be feparaced,what ever provocation
or oppofition comes to the comrade : the belee-
ving foule is (bmetimes rent and {trained by the
weight of perkcucion and temptation, and with
the violence of corruptions 5 but asfcone as the
temptation and the weight h gone, ic clings to
Chrift againe $ and as the bough, take away the
hand, and it will rife up againe : fo whatfoever
teraptacionscome,or corruptions come, or oppo-
sitions betide, yet it will not be pluckt off from
the Lord,and though it may be fwayed afide, yet
icgrowes to the Lord : cherefore chefiift of Sa»
muel 10. 26. it is (aid, The hearts that God touched
did cleave unto Saul 5 fo it is with a beleever, thofe
that are famous in the eyes of the world, and have
profefled great kindnefle to him, in the time of
.per(ccutiont' ey will flyc off 5 but thofe wbofe
hearcs God hath fully couched, they will follow
Chnft, notwithstanding all oppofition ; as it is
with the needle of a diall, it may be ftirredand
moved, but it will never reft cill it come to the
right place againe : foitis wich che foule that is
knic to Chrift by faith, cjiough he may be ftagge-
ring and doubting, yet he will never be quieced,
D till
^"■^— " ■ * *— — — ■ . —
t g The Souks union with Chrift.
till he come to be faftned the right way to Chrift 5
bat others there are that cleave fainedly to
Chrift,and herein it will appeare^either they will
off when occafion fares, or elfe wither in the
very worke of the profeflion of the Gofpell,
though they continue therein : fbme there be
that fall away wholly from their profeflion $af
this fort are thoufands of your common prote-
ftaut?, that are only knit unto Chrift by peace and
profperity s there are millions, if the day of trou^ '
ble Ihculd come >atid fire and (Word (hould come,
and make them make proieflion of their faith,
they would flie off from their profeflion, and they
would leave the Lord, and the GofpelJ, and all in
the lurch, becaufe they are not knit unro Chrift
by faving faith. In the fecond place there are
others, who though ihey doe not fall away total-
ly, yet notwithftanding thty wither, and die,and
come to nothing ; and thefe are your cunning and
clofe hearted hypocrites, thofe that are knit to
Chrift, and grow to him by fbraehelpe, and fuc-
cour, andaffiftance, whicnthey have from him,
by which they flourifhj grow greene in the pro-
feflion of the Lord : tb&rc is a generation of cun-
ning diflemblers. and clofe falfe dealers w:th the
Gofpell, that grow to Chrift by fome helpe they
receive from him, and that makes them make a
glorious (hew in the profeflion of the Gofpel^btit
yet if God take away thisafliftance, they wither,
and die, and fade, and vanilla : looke as it is with
the haires of a mans head, or with the leaves of a
tree 3 the leaves grow to the tree, and the haires to
the
TheSouSs unUn with Chrift.
the head, but they gx^ow not fbmuch upon the
fubftanceof the body, nor the leaves upon the
fubftanceof the tree, as the arme and the branch
doth, but they grow onely by themoifture that
comes from the body, and the moifture that
comes from the root : or looke s s it is with a
wen in a mans body, it is no pare of the body, but
it growes out of the fuperabundant humors of
the body, and that feeds the wen, and increafeth
it 3 but if the body grow weake and feeble, and
that humour be taken away^it withers and comes
to a drie skin : juft fo it is with thefe curfed clofe
hearted hypecrites^s the hakes and leaves grow,
fo they grow to the Lord Jcfus, namely ,the Lord
vouchfafcth fome fap and moiftare, and feme afc
fiftance to the performance of forae fervices, but
they never grow to the fubffonce of a Saviour,
they never grew to the holinefle of Chrift, they
never had the Spirit of Chrift powerfully prevai-
frig with them : as it is with the wen, fo it h
with thefe glorious hypocrites, that can vent
themfelvts very glorioufly, they are wens in the
profelllon of the Gofpell, they looke full bigly,
and ftare every man in the face, and to the appea-
rance of the worM,are men of great account^but
if once the Lord take away his affiftance from
heaven,they are like leaves upon the tree, if they
fall not, yet they wither away : I have oferved
fometimes, you (hall have drie leaves ftay upon
an oake tree,till new ones come againe : fo thefe;
haughtte hearted hypocrites, they will take up a
kinde of a dying courfe of profeffion in the way
D z of
ft
— i, —— ■ ■ ■ -:i ' .ii i m f« -— — ■■'■■■■■» p ■ i ■ ■ ■ ■— ■ —
20 The Soules unionwub C hrift.
of life arid falvation,, but they never come to bee
oppofers and refifters of God and his grace, till
there comes lome to bee wifcr and ftricter in
a Cbriftian coarfc than they, and then hee fals
away.
j^.Vfi. Is it Co that the faithful] foule 13 thus ncerly
knitted to Chrift, as the member to the body, or
the branch to the vine? then all you that beleeve
in Chrift, obferve from hence a ground of flrong
confblation, againft all ihe contempt of the
world^and the mifery that can beride 9 and agaiuft
all the temptations that Sathan can lay againft
you,to caufe yon to fall finally, or totally.
Firft,itisa ground of great comfort and con-
solation to carry up the foule, and lift up the heart
againft all the contempt and difgrace,againft all
the troubles, andmiferies, and perfr curions, that
can betide or befall you,or can be caft upon you,
in this wandring pilgrimage of ycurs : when a
Chrifttan begins to turne his face heaven- ward,
and goe home to the Lord, then all his friends flie
away, and depart from him : David complaines,
that his honours ftood afarre off, and hee was a
mocking to f fee enemte, "and a contempt to thofe
that were before neere unto him $ fo it will bee
with you, nay, it is fo with moft that live in the
bofbme of the Church : how often can many of
you fpeake of it, when the Lord hath given you
a heart to walke with him,and depend upon him?
how often are you made the orF-fcouringof the
world } your carnall friends deteft your perfons,
and fcorne your fecieties ; why ? raife up your
hearts
The Soules union wit h Chrift. 2 1
hearts, with the consideration of the former
truth 5 yee chat doe endure it, or may feare it,
comfort your felves : doth man ca(t you off? doth
mancaftyou out> Chrift will receive you, why
then are you diicouraged ? what though the fer-
vant frowae, if the Mafter welcome ? what
though we be not with the wicked, if we be w;th
Chrift, and Chrift with us ; why are we then d\C-
contented ? it is that which comforts a party that
marcheth againft her parents minde, when her
parents frowne, this comforts her heart, i hough
(he hath not their love and fbciety, yet (he hath
the love and company of her husband, and thgt
contents her : fbitis with every beleevmg fbule,
you have matched againft the minde of your car-
nall friends, they would not have you take that
courle ^ Oh then they tell you, Woe and begge-
rie will befailyou ; well, though you have mat-
ched contrarie to the mindes of your carnail
friends, or mafter, or husband, yet comfort rhy
felfe, though thou haft the ill will of an earthly
husband, yet now God will be a husband in hea-
ven, thou maift fing care away, and bee for ever
comforted and refre&ed : it was that which God
himfelfe gave for a cordiall to cheare up. racob; in
that long and tedious journey of his, whenhee
was going into a farre countrie, Genef. 2 8. 14, 1 5,
when he was going from his owne countrie, and
had no frends to fuccoar him,the Lord met him,
and faid,r witlgoe with thee^ and keepe the* inaUpfo-
ces whither thou foeft, and I wW bring thee back hit 1
this land, and I will never leave thee, umiu J have
D 3 dom
2 2 The Smtts union with Chrift.
^ done that, which I [pake unto thee of; this was that
which lifted and bare up the heart of the good
man, though hee could not but expect hard dea-
lings why yet faith the Lord, IwiUfoe with thee,
and never leave thee j thinke of it, andconfider of
it ferioufly, what a ground of confolation may it
be, when we (hall wander up and downe, and goe
into caves 3 and holes 3 arjd dens of the earth ; when
wee (hall goe into prifbn or bani foment, and
friends may not, nor will not goe with us, yet
Chrift will goe^Efay 43, 2 When thoupajfeft thorow
the waters J will be with thee - y and throw the rivers 9
they (Jjall not overflow thee; when thou milkefl tho-
row the fir e^ thoufoalt not be burnt, neither jlhiS the
flame kindle upon thee \ a man cannot fave his wife
fometimesin the water 5 though (hee bee ready to
be drowned $ a man cannot goe into the fire to
helpeher, though (he be ready to be burnt 5 but
Chrift will be with thee in the water, and in the
fire, that is, in the heavieft trials and fcreft trou-
bles : what can come to us, if Chrift be with ro>
if miferie, and forrow, and trouble bee with us,
if Chrift our husband be with us,, what matter }
he is the husband of his fpoufe, and the Saviour of
his people, why (hould wee then bee dilcouraged
ordifquieted ?
Secondly, as it is a ground of comfort againft
all opposition and troubles $>f the world, fo it is
a ground of comfort to ftay our (bules againft the
fierceneiTe of all temptations, whereby iatan
labours to plucke us from the Lord Iefus Chrift ;
and our hearts finke within us, and we (hall (wee
fay)
ihtsouhs mhxwitbClmft.. 23
fay) one day perifh by the hands of saul^ by the
hand of the enemy attempting, and corruptions
prevailing^ cleare your hearts and know, though
temptations may outbid your wcaknefe, and
corruptions may outbid your abilities, and wren
you would doe good, evill is prefenc with you,
and finne cleaves and (ticks clofe to you : why
cheare your hearts with this confederation, that
you have Chrift thar flicks do'cr to you than
your finnes. and this fhould cheerewp weal.e
and feeble ones : 1 know what troubles you^were
I a3 ftrong as fuch a chriftian, had I fuch parts,
and fuch ftrength of faith • and (haJi fuch a poore
little one as I am, beare the brunt of persecution,
and indure in the time of perplexkie : Why con-
fider though thou canft not helpe thy felfe, yet
Chrift cm : and know this that Chrift will not
lok the leaft member, he is a perfect Saviour : the
Lord will not fufftr Satan to rake thee away from
him, nor fuffer his love to bee taken from thee z
Rom.8. the two laft verfes,ic was the trmmph of
the holy Apoftfe Paul; I am perfwaded (fafthhe)
that neither dt-ath nor life, nor Angels^ nor Princi-
palities, nor power r\ northings prefent^ nor things to
come^ nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature^
fh&Ube able to feparate ue from the love of God which
is in Chrift fefit* our Lord; when health is fcpars*
ted from thy body, arid light from thyeyes,and
ftrength from thy feeble nature, yet remember,
that when thy body is feparated from thy foule,
the Lord will not feparate his love from thee,
neither from thy body in the grave, nor from rhy
fbule
14 The Soules union with Chrift.
ioule when it is departed our or tny body,he will
love thy body in the grave, he loves the duft of
h's Saint&,and he will uke thy foide up into hea-
ven ^ therefore tiiem up thy heart, and comfort
thy ibule in the confideration of Gods good-
nefle.
5. vfe. LaCHy, are the Saints knit to Chrift thus firm-
ly ? then it fhews us our done -, we ought to take
notice of the goodneffe of die Lord vouchfafed
unto us; hath the Lord advanced you thus high-
ly ? then walke worthy of this advancement, it is
the ufe that the Apoftle makes, wdke worthie ef
the catting where unto the Lord hath called you . are
ye the members tf Chrift ? why then behave your felvet
as the members of chrift' are you joyned thus needy
to Chrift? then carrieyour felves &s befeemes you $
let the dog return to his vomit, and thefow to the
wallowing in the mire • but let the Saints that are
knic unto a Saviour, walke worthy of that mercie,
and union,and prerogative that God hath vouch-
fafed unto them ^ it is a fhame to fee, that fervants
of Chrifts family, and the plants of his vineyard
doe walke after the converfationof the world :
what manner of perfbns ought wee to bee in all
manner of holinefle of converlation ? we are knit
unto Chrift, and therefore ought to be holy, as
he is holy ; pure,as he is pure : wee ought to doe
nothing,but that which may befeeme and content
a Saviour 5 but ye will fay,the world will hold up
their handsatus, and their mouths will bee open
againft us ^ why God hates the world, and ye are
redeemed from the world, yee are called out of
the
Tht Souks unnn rpith Chrift.
*5
the world, therefore live not as if ye were in the
world, but as God hath called you to live with
himfelfe In heaven, your converfation mould be
fuch, as if yee were in heaven : I would not have
a Saint of God tamper with the leaft diftemper,
or be addicted to any bafe eour(e 3 buc walke exa&«
ly before the Lord.
Thus wee fee a faithfull fbule is knit unto
Chrift : now that which followes is this j it isfo
knit 3 that it is made one Spirit.
The point we named before, it is this:
The faithfull injoy fuch a union with our Savi- 2 Dd&.
our,thatthey are one Spirit with him.
The point is difficult, and the myfterie great,
and beyond the reach and roome of that little
light I injoy ,onely wee (hall bee defirous with fo-
brietie and modeftie to communicate what (hall
be moft futable to the minde of God 5 not being
unwilling, but defirous to heare any advice from
another concerning the fame: thedodriEe then
is 5 abeleever is fo knit to Chrift, that he becomes
one Spirit : for the opening whereof ,becaufe it is
a deeoe myfterie, (uftermee to deale plainly and
punctually, and that I may exprefle my thoughts,
and communicate what I conceive, fuffer mee to
discover two particulars :
Firft, the manner how the fbule comes to be
one Spirit with Ghrift.
Secondly ,the order thereof.
Thefe two we will labour to cleare fo farre as
we are able :
\ Firft for the former : the manner how the foule g
E comes
2 6 The SquU$ union with Cbrift.
comes to be one Spirit with Chrift, it is an on-
deniable principle, and confeiTedby Divines on
all parts, that the foule comes to be one Spirit,by
the powerofthe Spirit on, Gods part, and by the
power offaithonthe beleevers parc^ they con-
fefle that theSoirit of God workes upon a bclee-
ver, and the beleever goes out againe to God by
faith : but wee have nowonely the rermes in the
generall, if we come to the particular examining
of theft and aske a weake foule how the foule
comes to be one Spirt,by the Spirit on Gods part,
and by faith on our part, wee are as far to fecke as
wee were before, andmoftof the congregation,
ean underftand little of it. This is our mifery,we
content our felves with termes in the generally
and never cracke the {hell that wee may fee the
kernell : wee never dive into the truth, that wee
may fee the intent of the Spirit therein; there-
foreforthe opening of the point, viz. the manner
how the foule corns fo to be knit toChrift, as to
be made one Spirit : ( not denying any thing of
the former truth, but holding thereto; wee
will open it fo far as our light ferves us.
'$ueft» If the queftion then be, how the foule by the
fpirit on Gods part, and faith on the fbules part,
comes to be one fpirir.
"Anfa- That which I intend to fpeake, I will caft into
three particulars, or three conclufions :
*onclu{. I. The firft conclufion is this, know that the ip ; -
ritof Godj the hoIyGhoft, the third Perfon in
the glorious Trinitie, he doth really, andinfepa-
rably accompany the whole word : ( that is the
gene*
the Souks union with Chrift. 27
generall ) but he doth more fpecially accompany
the pretious promifcsofthe Gofpell : the Spirit
ff the Lord is in thefe in a more ipeciall manner,
thougn kn. ^~ a God every w here in regard of his
providence, yetrice i» •_ „ more ipeciall manner
going with, and accompanying or u* vVord •
and in a more fpeciall and particular fort bee is in
the promifes, the foule comes to bee one with
Chrift, and to bee knit unto him principally by
the promife 5 the law prepares the foule, and the
promife that calls the foule, and knits it unto
Chrift ; God katti appointed his Word, and fpe-
cially the promife for the converting of a (Inner 5
and therefore the Spirit of God goes therewith,
and workes thereby, and gives a bJeffing thereun-
to, according ashee in his wifedome thinkes fit :
for he is a voluntary agent, and therefore may ufe
the word as he will, and when hee will $ the Spi-
rit doth alwayes worke in the word, but not al-
wayes after the fame manner .You make nothing
oftheGofpeil, and of the Scripture ; I tell you
the Spirit of the Lord God, blefledfor ever, is
there after an extraordinary manner, and hardens
the hearts of the reprobates, and humbles, and
converts and comforts thefoules of his fervants :
and whea?not when I will,or you will, but when
the Spirit of the Lord will. This is that I take to
be the bell: expreffion of it 5 Jooke as it was with
the brafen Serpent fet up in the wildernefTe, there
was an healing vertueinfeperably accompanying
of that brazen Serpent * 3 and it was as poffible
that hardnes mould be fcparated from the braffe,
E 2 as
a 8 the Soulet union with Chrift.
as his healing vertue : tor whofoever lookt upon
it, healing vertue did undoubtedly and inlepa-
rably goe with it, becaufe God had appointed
this 5 therefore hee didble(Te this, gH f*w"
tedly worke by this : Tu^^ a iSWltn the good
Word of th* ^^rra^trie Spirit of the Lord, though
he fecood every where, yet hee doth blefle this
Word efpecially, and goes with it, and hath ap-
pointed it for the falvation of his fervants : there-
fore when the found comes to the eare, and the
fenfe to the minde, the Spirit go?s with the
Word when thou heareft it, either to convert
thee, or to confound thee : therefore the text
h\th 9 ye ftijfe necked and hard hearted, yt have re*
fijied the Spirit of the Lord: they would have pluckt
Ghrift out of Heaven, and the Spirit and all.Now
that this is a cafe undeniable, I prove it thus : that
word which is able to difcover the thoughts of
the heart, and to raife the dead to life, and can
comfort a diftreffed (bule,and perfwadethe foule
of Gods everlafting favour,that word muft needs
have a fupernaturall power goe with ir, for no
created power can doe the former things : the
Word tels the deepe things of God 3 the Word
faith, I am fan&ified, therefore I am jnAified,
therefore called 9 therefore cleft ed : the Word
reveals thefe deepe things of God, therefore the
fpirit muft needs goe inseparably with it : this is
an undoubted conclufion.
r*«,ur o The fecond is this, and I take it to bee fome-
mmS * what difficulty the Spirit of grace, the holy
Ghoft, the third Perfen in Triaitie, working
with
The Settles um»~ ~ ' ' *" anu *Jf
• h n „j --^mpanying of the promife of grace
™lk lalvation 5 it doth therein and thereby leave
afupernaturail dine and power, and a fpirituall
and overpowring vertue upon the foule, and
thereby carries it, and brings it unto Chrift, and
there lieth a great weight, andobierveit: The
princi pall and efficient caufe in the worke of the
foule, to bring ittobeleeving, it isnotfo much
any thing in the foule, as a fpirituall affifting, and
moving, and working upon the iLnle. by vertue
of which working a id motion it is moved and
carried to the Lord Iefus Chrift, as thus: thefpi-
ritlet in a power to ftirre hope, and it is ftirred
and moved » it lets in a power to quicken defire,
and it goes % it lets in a power to kindle love,and
it flames 5 it lets in a power to perfwade the will,
and it takes and chufes: the Spirit moves upon
thefe faculties, and by vertue thereof they are
moved ,and carried to the Lord : therefore I con-
ceive the ma'me principall caufe of faith is rather
an affifting power working upon,than any inward
principall put into the foule to worke of it felfe,
but the worke is upon the foule : the foule by
that power and afliftance is conveyed and carri-
ed home to Chrift : obferve it, I will expreffe it
in fcverall paflages, becaufe here lies the difficulty
of the point.
Then know that the Spirit of God doth in the
firft ftroke of faith, as the Spiritof God did upon
the waters : Gen. 1.2. the text faith, there was a
eenfufed fampe, and the Spirit moved upon the waurs %
and [et upon that cmfufedlumpe , fcjhhningandfra-
E 3 ming
3° * m »*"' - -mon with Ghrift.
ming the creature &ut thereof: (oicis , r! t-^cjpT"
ric, (and when I fpeake of the Spirit, I intend thl
prooiife too) the Spirit in the promife meeting
with an humbled foule now abafed, and ftagge-
ring and quarrelling with himfelfe, he is in a con-
fuled eftate, hee knowes not what to make of
himfelfe, nor of his confuted condition : now the
good Spirit of the Lord moves upon the foule,
and leaves a fpirituall dint and fupernaturall work
upan it $ and the foule by vertue thereof is carri-
ed, and fitted, and fafhioned to goe to Chrift:
this I take to bee the meaning of that place, ^Bt
2 6. 1 8. Saint Paid tom fent to ttvrne men from darf^
nejffete itght : Now it is a conftfiion amongft all
Pr oteftant Divines, that the firft ftroke of the
Spirit is upon the foule: there is nothing in the
foule that can drive finne from the foule, and
plucke the foule from finne 5 but the Spirit works
this, and the (bule takes this blow, and by venue
of that Spirit, the foule is pulled from corruption,
and turned from finne : this is a confelfed truth,
that the firft ftroke in conversion is not from any
thing within the (bule, but it is from the Spirit;
nay the fame ftroke doth two things ^ it turnes
from darknelTc to light: the lame hand, and the
fame ftroke doth both thefe $ as for example 5
when youteare one thing from another, as you
teareit from the other, you pall it toyour felfe :
he that puis a bough from a tree,as he pulls it from
the tree, heepluckcs it to himfelfe : (b the (ame
Spirit that workes upon the foule in calling it
from finne, it doth worke upon the (bule in draw-
ing
The Souks union with Chrift. 5 T
ing it to Chrift: it pulls off hope from the
world, and makes it expedl a Chrift' 5 it pulls off
defire from the world, and makes it long for
Chrift $ ic pulls off love from the world, and
makes icentertainea Chrift 3 it pulls off the will
from the world, and makes it chufe a Chrift 5 fo
that one ftroke doth both, and it is plaine, there-
fore the woike of the Spirit upon the foule muft
bring it unto Chrift. The like phrafe wee
have, lobn 1 5. 1 9. 1 have called you out cf the world,
therefore the world hates you : fo that it is there the
fame voyce, the fame fpirit that calls a man from
fin$ as ; that is not the way,thou poore finner,the
way of pride and idlenefle, &c. that is not the
way to Heaven, Now that call as it pulls the fbule
from finne, fo that motion and moving ,. and fu-
pernaturall worke that it leaves upon the foule,
the fbule thereby being moved and drawne, it
is comming to the Lord : the foule hath not fo
much the worke of the Spirit of grace in him, as
the work of the fpirit of grace workingupon him,
to draw him from evill, and to turne him to the
Lord 5 and by vertue of the fame worke heei*
drawne from the one, and brought to the other :
this I conceive to be the great difference between
the .union that Adam had with God, and that
which 'the faichfull have. Adam had a ftocke in
his owne hand, God made him wife, and holy,
and righteous 5 this was his ftocke, he had a prin-
ciple within himfelfe, either to hang upon God,
and fo to bee fuftained, or to Aide and withdraw
himfeifefrcra God ; he had power either to hold,
or -
3 1 The S9»let uman with Chrift.
or to let goe : he had the ftaffe in his owne hand 3 he
might tame unto God, and dole with the com-
mand if he would, or he might depart from God,
and withdraw himfelfe from the afliftance which
hee lent him as he did : but now here is a maine
difference in the bringing of the heart home to
Chrift in this union, beeaufe the firft ftroke that
drawes the iou!e,and brings the loule to Chrift,
is nxfrom any thing within, fo much as from
tkefpirit without : the hand of Chrift it layes
hold upon the heart, and workes upon the hearty
aad brings him home to himfelfe • this firft ftroke
is from without, wee doe beleeve being fra-
med thereunto, and drawne by the Spirit of
the Father 5 the everlaftingsarme of the Lord
that appeares in the Gofpell, hee lets it downe,
and workes upon the foule, and brings the
heart to himfelfe, and fo the heart is brought
to Chrift, not from any Principle firft in
it felfe, but by the Spirit that workes upon
it : when the Word of God comes to the foule,
the Spirit of God accompanies that Word,
and pals the earthly minde from earthiiaeiTe,
and the uncleane heart from his lufts, and faith;
Come out 5 thou poore foule, this is the way to a
Ghrift that will pardon thee, this is the way to a
Chrift that will purge thee$ fo that ray foule
moves,but it is becaule it is moved $ my will clo-
ieth, but it is beeaufe it is perfwaded : fb that the
irft ftroke of this union 13 not from my felfe, but
it comes from Chrift* the hand of the Spirit layes
hold on me, and drawes me to him : hence in the
third
The Soules union with Chrift. 3*
third place, the union drawes fbmewhatneerer-
fbthat wee fee, firft there is a holyGhoft in the
promife, and fecondly, wee fee that the Holy
Ghoft leaves a fupernaturall worke upon the
foule, and brings it home to Chrift.
The third conclusion is this, the Spirit of grace ^Conclut
in the promife working thus upon the heart, it
cauferh the heart to clofe with it felfe in the pro-
mife : the Spirit of God by the promife fo works
upon the foule, that it makes the fbule clofe with
the promife, and with it felfe in the promife : and
this is to be one Spirit, and this I take to bee the
meaning of that place, vhilippians 3. 12. P^w/ faith
that be was apprehended of Chrift, as if he Qiould fay^
I was not fo much apprehending.as apprehended:
not fo much that he did it, but Chrift in him, and
upon him, and by him ,- for I told you the worke
of the Lord in the worke of conversion, is upon
us, by us, to bring us to himfelfe. The Spirit of
the Lord is in heaven, and it is in the promife,
and that Spirit in thepromife comes to the foule
of a beleever, and leaves a fpirituall worke upon
the foule of a beleever, and the foule is moved by
vertue of that Spirit, to clofe with that promife,
and with that Spirit that is in the promife: I
would expreffe my felfe by thefe two compari-
fons ; looke as it is with the moone, thenaturall
Philofopherobferves, that the ebbing and flow-
ing of the fea,is by vertue of the moone, (he flings
her beatnes into the fea, and not beiHg able to
exhale as the fimne dotb, fhee leaves them tl ere,
and goes away, and that drawes them, and when
F they
« 4 Tfo So»/« »«*0« with Chrift.
tl ;cy giow wet, they rctuiDe backe againe 5 now
the fea ebs and flowes not from any principle in it
fe lfe, but by venue of the moone, being moved,
it goes, being drawne, itcoaxs ; the moone ca-
tting her beames upon the waters, it moves the
fea,and Co drawes it feife unto it feife, and the fea
withic : Co the heart of apoore creature, is like
the water, unable to move towards heaven, but
the Spirit of the Lord doth bring in its beames,
and leaves a fupernaturali vertue by them upon
the foule, and thereby drawes it to it feife : or
looke as it is with aclafpeand a keeper 5 take a
great clafpc, put it thorow the keeper, and being
brought thorow, it clofeth with it feife : fo it is
with an humble broken heart, it is like this kee-
pet,the good Spirit of the Lord is like this clafpc,
the Spirit workes upon the foule, and leaves a fu-
pernaturali vertue upon the foulc,and goeth with
that vertue, and puis the foule by the power of it
feife, and knits it to its feife, it workes upon the
heart in this manner,and clafps the bumbled (in-
ner, and brings him home, and holds him to the
promife ,and to it feife in the promife.
Now 1 would contract thefe three conclufions,
in the former lermons, into three queftions, to
make them lb familiar, thatweake ones, which
have any fpirituall grace, may be able to come to
aprehend and underftand them ;
l,£ueji. I aske therefore, what is there in the promife
of theGofpell, or what is therein the Word of
God,is there nothing butletters,and fillables,and
fentences }
I
TkiSoults mionwitb Chrift. 35
I an(werjYes 5 humaneAuthours have words and A n f w ,
Sentences, but oh the glorious God, the third per-
fon of the Trinitie 5 the bit (Ted Spirit of the Lord
Jefus Chrift is inseparably prcfentwith, and ac-
companying of the protmfes of God -, the words
are but the fhcli, but the fubftance is the Spirit of
grace ; how were your hearts comforted in the
time of trouble ? and how were your hearts bro-
ken,and brought out from your lufts > Oh, it was
the Spirit, for man was never able to doe it, but
Lord thy almighty hand came downe from hea-
ven, and broke this heart of mine, and if Chrift
that Lion of the tribe of Judah, had not come
downe from heaven, this lion- like heart of mine
would never have yeelded nor come downe : this
is the anfwer to the firft queftion.
What doth the beiecver doe > a«ke your owne i # JPueft.
hearts, doe your hearts clofe and meet with the
good Word of the Lord ? and doe you fay, Oh
it is the good Word of the Lord, my heart con-
fented to it,andclofed with it thus >
Oh yes,faith the foule, me thought I was even Anfw.
knit to the Word : then I aske againe, was thy
heart knit to the Word onely, and the tillable
only> and did thy heart clofe with the fentences
only ? the foule anfwers, No, the truth is, my
eare did re§ eive the found, and my minde the
fenfe, but my foule received the Lord Jefus
Chrift : To m many m received kirn, to them be gave \
power to become thefonnesofGod^ 1 Iohn 12. the
words are but only as the conduit to convey the
water of life, and the Spirit of grace, but they lay *
F 2 hold
3 4 the se sties union with Chrift.
hold upon Chrift there, and that it is fo, I prove
it thus,did not you finde your hearts comforted
*c fuch a time ? Oh yes,faith the (bule, me thinks
I fee the Minifters face ftill 9 and when he came ro
fuch a point and fuch a paflage, good Lord, mee
thought I was in heaven 5 could words, and rea-
fbns,and fentences have done it ? No (urely, the
Spirit of grace was there, and my heart did dole
with the fame : the ftcmaek receives not meatus
the dim or veflell doth, but the ftomack doth re-
ceive ir, andisfafmedtoit, and hath the fweet-
neffeof it, and is made one with it : Iohn 6. 63.
The words that ifteake, they are Spirit and life . and
this is the exceikncie of the Word, when all the
learned Doctors and Schoolemaftcrs (hall have
the tongues, but (hall never humble one foule,
nor purge nor convert one heart, yet the Word
and the Spirit in ir, will doe that which is ufefull
and helpfull for thee in this kinde $ the Words that
I J} sake, they are Spirit , and they are life, faith our
Saviour 5 fo then you fee, you that are ignorant
and weake,you fay to your fe!fe,how (hall I come
to be knit to the Lordjefus Chrift, feeing hee is
in heaven, and I am on earth > Oh buc quiet thy
felfe in this,he is in a molt lpeciall manner in the
preaching of the Word, and if thou cleaveft to
the Word aiightjthen thou cleaveft to the Spirit
of Chrift
3, gueft. In the third place I aske, how doth the Spirit
of man come to clofe and to be one with the Spi-
rit of Chrift in the promife ?
■Anfip. I anfwer^are your owne hearts able to doe this I
Qt
The settles mint with Chrift, 3 7
or is nature, or your wits, or parts able to doe this
for you ? No 3 the good Spirit of the Lord
wrought upon, and fitted, and framed the heart
hereunto, and put this temper upon it, as the
workman gives a temper to the knife, and ano-
ther makes iron draw iron 5 and he doth it thus,
he drawes the magnet or load-ftone over the
iron,and the vertue thereof makes itabletodraw
iron to it feife 3 (b the foule faith, A*as, I doe it
nor, it was the Lord'that wrought this heart in
mee, I have feene the day, when I could have
beene as well content to heare the Minifter
preach plainly , as to have a knife run to my heart,
but the Lord wrought my heart to it, therefore
the Spirit puts that magnet (tone of the mercie
and grace of Chrift upon my heart, hee puts this
temper upon my heart,and makes it able to dole
with it feife in the promife : in 2 Can*. 5. 5. when
/W there had difputed of his defire to lay downe
his life for the Gofpell, and to put his body upon
fuffering for the Gofpels fa^ce, he was even weary
of the world, and would faine have beene gone,
how gat he this temper > why > the text faith,
Now he that hath wrought us for the fame thing is Gcd 3
who alfihith given m the earntft of his Spirit $ it is a
great while before wee can bee brought to this
temper, when all the tWinifters tongues are even
worne to the ftumps, and the wicked will bee
wicked ft!il,yet the Lord doth worke it : fo then
you fee, that the Spirit of God by the promife
works upon the foule, and leaves a dint upon the
heart, and fo brings the foule by the Spirit to
F 3 clofe
*8 The Soukf unionwith Chrift.
dole with it felfe in the promife, and hence you
may colled two things for your information in
this kinde:
t.ColeB. Firfr, that the beleever , being moved by the
ftroke of the Spirit of the Father, is made able to
clofe with the Father and the Sonne, becaafe the
Spirit of the Lord doth fatten, fit, and frame the
he art hereunto in this manner; and hence it is,
that the foule can clofe with the Father, and the
Sonne too 3 why? becaufethe Spirit which pro-
ceeds and comes from the Father and the Sonne,
is able to frame the foule to clofe with both • for
the Spirit hath fomething of the Father, and
fomething of the Sonne, and therefore is able to
make the foule to clofe with both : i Iohu 1.3.
rhefe things have I writtsn unto you, that you way
have feUowjhip with us % holy John was afpirituall
father unto them, and hee writes to them, that
thereby they might have fellowfhip with the
Saints, and he faith, truly our fegowjhip u with the
Fatherland with his Sonne lefut Chrift ; why doth he
not fay,our fellowfhip is with the Father ,as well,
as to (ay ,our fellowfhip is with the Father and the
Sonne ? becaafe it is prefumed beforehand,that a
man muft have fellowfhip with the Spirit,before
hee can have fellowfliip with the Father and the
Sonne $ becaufe it is the Spirit that hath fitted
the heart, and framed it, to dole with both.
^ r in Secondly, hence it comes to pafle, that the per-
%x $ie*. fon of the beleever may bee knit to the pcrfon of
the Lord Jefus Chrift :' the foot isknic to the head
bv the continuance of the order of the body, and
J the
The Souks union mt b Chrift. 3 y
the members thereof, as the foot is knit to the
leg .and the leg to the thigh, and the thigh to the
body, and To to the head, this is the meaning of
that phrafe, lohn6, 5 5. our Saviour prefieth this
hard upon the Difc.iplcs,and faith. My flefh is meat
indeed, and my bioud it drinke indeed y hee that eateth
my fit jb, and drhfyth my bloud, dwelieth in me> and I
in mm \ then they begun to wonder at it, and to
(ay, How can this be i and yet Chrift fairh,what if
you fee the the Sonne of man carrying the body
of his flelfa into heaven, you will thinke it more
hard to eat my flefti then, yet you mud eat my
flc (h then too j how ? it is the Sprit that quick-
net h } the flefh pr fit eth nothing jke words that if peaky
they are spirit and life • as if he had faid, my good
Spirit is in the word and proraife, clofe you with
my Spirit, and then you draw my Spiri^my flefh
and my blood downe into your whole natures f
the words that 1 fpeake, they are Spirit and Life 5
that is, my Spirit is in the Word of the promife,
tkough my body be gone up into heaven •> there-
fore clofe you with my Spirit in the promife, and
then you clofe with my flefti fpiritually. Thus
much for the manner of the union.
Now for the order of this union how this is
done, and there the queftion will be this.
Whether the beleeveris knit firft to the hu- gueft,*
mane nature of Chrift^or to the Divine nature. I
am not greatly willing to meddle with this point
in this popular congregation, becaufe there are
many wife and orthodox Divines, and godly too,
which are of contrary opinion 5 they confefTe
both.
40 The Sonlet union with Chrift.
both, but they differ about the order: but that I
may bring no prejudice to the judgement of any,
Anfvf. I will (hortly (hew you the fumme of thofe argu-
ments, which either fide hold , and will (hew to
which I doe incline, and fo leave the point to the
judgement of thofe that heare it, to incline to
which fide they thinke beft, and thus I (hall
wrong none at all.
Firft, fbme Divines, wife,holy,and orthodox,
and many too, doe goe that way ; all of them
have it from that root : they that hold that the
foule is knit to the humane nature of Chrift firft,
have two reafons for it.
i Firft, fay they,as the Scripture reveales Chrift
to us, fo alfo our hearts embrace him, and clofe
with him, but the Scripture reveales the Lord
Chrift more often and frequently, in regard of
his Manhood, than in regard of his Godhead 3 as
in that place, The feed of the Woman jhail breakt
the Serpents head, and fuch like : therefore the
underftanding firft clofeth with this, and the
heart firft receives it : the fecond reafon why they
hold this is thus much.
2 If, fay they , all the great works of our rederop-
tion,both fancYification, and juftification, and re-
demption, were wrought in the humane nature
of Chrift, and as by a channell conveyed to us by
his htfrrmne nature, then it is reafon that the
foule fhould firft clofe with the humane nature;
but it is fb that all the great workes of juftifieaci-
on, fanSification, &c. were all accomplished in
the humane nature of Chrift : for as the text
faith,
The Souks union with Chrift.
faith. He died for our fins, and triumphed over fin
and heU, and death : therefore,fay they, it is fit that
the foule mould firft clofe with the humane na-
ture of Chrift. and this is the life and pith of all
their arguments.
Againe, other Divines, and they are wife and
orthodox, they hold this- and though all hold
the maioe fubftantiall truths of eternall life, yet
they differ in this, they fay the beleever is firft
knit to the Deity, and they have alfc two argu-
ments, and th« firft is this :
That which is the maine and the proper objecl:
of faith, to that the foule firft lookes, and to that
the foule is firft united : for all union comes by
operation in this kinde, but the Godhead is the
firft objecl: of faith in beleeving 3 the Godhead
and the third perfon of Trinity, they are the firft
objeds offaith b therefore,fay they, in the whole
courfe of Scripture, faith is caft upon the God-
head, as Efay 50. 10. Who fo is wife amonji you
thatfearctb the Lord, thatobeyeththevoyceofhis fer*
vant ; he that walketh in darkntffe and hath no light
let him truftin the Name ofthtUrd, and flay hi m-
felfe upon his God^ all the phrafe of Scripture
runs thus : Truft, and hope, and rely upon the Lord.
So lohn 14. i^.xerf.Let not your hearts be troubled,
yee beleeve m God, beleeve alfo iumeer mnkethis.
Now did a man beleeve u P on the Father, as Fa-
ther onely, then hee did not beleeve. upon the
Sonne ; ordid he beleeveondy upon the Sonne,
as Sonne, then he did not beJeeve upon the Fa-
ther, but in that hee beleeves upon the Path r
G and
4*
4 2
The Soutet union with Chxift.
. 2
and the Sonne: It is therefore plaine chat he fals
firft upon the Godhead 3 and feeing it i3 fo that
wee muft beleeve upon the Father, Sonne and
Holy Ghoft h therefore we are not to beleeve up*
on one of them only, but upon the whole Deny
and the divine nature, and all the three Perfons
in the divine nature : for as the Schoolemen fay,
that which doth appertaine to this, as this, be-
longs to this and to none other. Now we beleeve
in all the whole Trinitie, and therefore wee clofe
with all three, the Father, Sonne,and holy Ghoft :
and hence it is that thefe Divines obferve, that
when we are faid to beleeve in the Scriptures,and
in the promife ( not that any doe it properly ) but
10 farre as the promife hath God in Chnft, revea-
ling, and promifing, and communicating htm-
felfe : fo farre we beleeve in the promife, that is,
in his faithfulnefle, truth and mercy, revealed in
the promife. . f
The fecond reafon which they alleage isthis:(ay
they, that which in reafon muft ftay 8c fatufie the
foule of a beleever, it is that in reafon to which
the foule muft firft betake it felfe,and upon which
it moft firft ftay it felfe . for faith goes out for
fuccour, and for good : therefore, that which on-
ly canfatisfle faith, to that onely it muft firft goe :
the beleever is dead in finnes, becaufe of the com-
rn'mionof them, but there is life in God : there-
fore to an infinite God the foule comes to work e
an infinite fatisftftion for him, which all crea-
tures cannot doe in this cafe, the Godhead pre-
pares the humane nature, and workes by the nu-
^ mane
The Settles union with Chrift . 4 3
mane nature, and gives power to the humane
nature, and makes it abletofufferandtofarisfie,
faith fees that he hath offended an infinite God^
and deferved punifliment of an infinite value $
therefore heemuft repaire to him that can oaely
repaire in mercy to his foule : therefore faith the
Prophet David, Pfalme ijo^.verfe, Hope in the
Lord forever, for with the Lord is plenteous redemp-
tion: and in Efay 2 6.^.Tr^fiintbeLord for tv<r,
for in the Lordlehovah,iseverlaftin£Jlrength$wee
haveeverlafting miferies, and troubles, and di-
ftempers, but with the Lord Iehovak is everlasting
ftrcnph, therefore trttft in him for ever : nay hence
it is that our Saviour faith, iohn 17. 3. This is life
eternal, thai they know thee to bee the very God, and
whom thou hafifent even lefus Chrifi.
Now if youaske roe which of thefe judgements 3
I follow 5 1 anfwer, becaufe I love not to bee as a
man that is here, and there, and no where in
truth, but Hove to bee as a man that dweis at
home, for I am not ignorant that many Divines
wife and learned, whofe parts and gifts I reve-
rence, they follow the former opinions $ and for
my part I leave a judicious hearer to take which
fide he will ; but in truth the two laft arguments
have prevailed with me, that the heart of a poore
finnerbeleeves, and ftayes it felfe, firftly, upon
the Godhead, and Deity, and afterwards upon
the Humanitie : andmee thinkes the two former
arguments feeme not to compel! any mans un-
derftanding : for bee it granted, that the former
Scriptures doe reveule the Lord Jefus Chri(r 4 and
G 2 men-
44
The So fdes union with Chrift.
mention him often as man, yet it is as true they
reveale him to bee God, and mention his God-
head, not mentioning at all his humanitie ; but
whenfoever they doe mention his humanitie,
firftly, k is for good reafbn, partly by way of pro-
phecieto foretell of Chrift, what hee mould be,
and partly by way of ftory and relation to relate
of Chrift what he was^yet this reafon ioferres not
that faith muft therefore firftly lay hold upon the
humanitie before the deitie 5 but when the Lord
ispleafed to reveale Jefus Chrift tothefouiein
the way of conversion, then wee muft apprehend
Chrift, as God and Man in the point of con-
verfion,and then let the queftion be this: whither
the fbule (hall goe for that which it wants > Now
I fee no reafoa why the fbule (hould firftly goe to
the humanity for what it wants and feekes : hence
it is that when the Scripture comes tofpeake in
the way of converfion, the Godhead is fet firft :
as in the iCor. 5 .i<?.God was in cbrifi Reconciling the
world unto himfelfe^ as God in Chrift reconciles
the world unto himfelfe 5 fo God reveales him-
felfeto his faithfull Minifters, and fo they reveale
him to the people ; it wa 1 * the Godhead that was
offended, and muft firft of all be pleafed, andun*
to that God we muft firft goe for what we want $
fo Ieremy }}. 16. In thofe dayts ludahjhaU be fa-
yed, and Ifrael fbaS bee faved, and this if the Name
whereby theyfh iU 'call him the Lord our righreoufnejfe:
fo (aid the Angell, theyfbaffcaS hit Name Emanuel x
which is by interpretation^ God with t* : this is to
the firft reafon j now to thefecond argument!
an-
The Souks union with Chri ft. 45
anfwer thus 5 If it bee good in reafou chat wee
mult, firit goe to the humane nature for thcfc rea-
fons propounded, and if this be fufficient to call
my faith that way, becaufe all the great workes
are wrought that way 5 then much more feeing
the humane nature wasinabfed torheworkeby
the divine nature ; therefore my faith muft firft
looke that way, becaufe the weight of the worke
lies upon the Deitie • the humane nature cannot
aflume to take to it felfe this glory, nor bee any
way available to fatis fie divine ju'ftice, buc that
the Deitie enabled it, and therefore faith muft
firtt of all looke unto that. Thus it is confefled
that the (bole of a beleever is advanced to a mar-
vellous high privilege 5 nowtheufe ofit is referred
to thefe three heads. ' Q
Firft, are the foules of the faithfall come thus v r
neere to Ghrift, not onely to beleeve in him , and *
to embrace him, but to bee one Spirit with him ?
then this may bee a ufe of inftru&ion, and it
fliewes to us that the fmnes of the faithfull are
marvellous hainons in Gods account, and excee-
ding grievous to his blcflfed Spirit that hath come
fo neere to us, and brought us fo neere unto him*
felfe- every finneisasa mountaine, or as a wall
of feparation, but the finnes of the faithfull are.
noleffcchan rebellion, not onely becaufe of mer-
cies, bonds and engagements, which the beleever
hath received, but because a man fecome (b neere
to Christ, andnowtocommirfinneand vex him,
it muft n^ds bee a marvellous provocation to the
Lord Jefus Chrift, and to his good Spirit : he that
G 3 ihould
4 6 The Souks union with Ghrift.
mould entertaine a friend into his family, or the
King into his houfe, or a woman to entertaine a
loving husband in matrimony with her, allbafe
dealing by any of thefe a man can hardly brooke
it Jt was one of my own fubjeft*, faith the King ;
it was my wife, faith the husband, and it was my
friend, as David faith 3 that did eat at my table $ but
now to entertaine a profeft enemy, or atraytor
into the bed-chamber with the King> and to lodge
them both in one bed, this were abominable ^and
fo the wife not onely to entertaine a whoremon-
ger into the houfe, but alfo to lodge him in the
fame bed, this were not to be endured : Oh how
his blood would rife againft it, as the King faid
of Haman^ Hefter 7. 8. What, wiUhee force tht
jQueenefxfire my face? Now thcrefore,brethren,
goe home to your owne foules and behaviours in
particular : doft thou through Gods grace and
mercy receive this favour at the hands of God,
that thou art become one Spirit with the Lord
JefusChrift,and wilt thou then receive a company
of bafe lufts, and that in the very face and fight
of the Lord IefusChrift, and lodge an uncleane
fpirit, with the cleane Spirit of the Lord > the ho-
ly God cannot endure this, nay, he will not beare
it at the hands of thofe that belong to the election
of grace : 1 Sam* 2. 17. The fomes of Ely were
$rert fimert before the Lord, faith the text, and
why ? becaufe they waited upon the Lord, to doe the
werkeofthe SanBuarie^ for where the ordinances
of the Lord are, there is God himfelfe : there-
fore Cain in the apprehenfion hereof, (aid %
lam
The Soules union with Chrift.
47
Iamcafi out from the prefence of the Lord, that is
from the powerful beautie of iheLord in his ordinances.
Now becaufe they were the Priefts and Leaders
and they were greater finners, they would out-
brave the Lord with their finnes, and commit
them in the fight of God, therefore their fin was
the grea f er : as in Ezechiel 8.$.The Lord brought the
Prophet t9 behold the abominations of the Elders of
Ifracl, he brought him into afecret place, aid {hewed
him theima^e of jealou fie, which provoked to )taloH-
fie, they did it in the fight of the Sun to provoke him
to anger, therefore h is called the im^ge ofjealoujie^s
if he had (aid, Let your idols goe to the land ofVrre
but will you dare to fet up idols in the fight of God, to
provoke him to jealoufie. I befeech you apply this
to your felves ; are not wee Priefts, and jthe very
Spoufe of Chrifr, and not onely the ; out ward
Sanctuary, but the Temple of the Lord it felfe is
with us ; as .the Apoftle faith, Ye are the temples
of the Iwing God: Now wilt thou fet up an idol
luft,andan idolatrous felfe feekieg heart, and fet
it up by the Lord Iefus Chrift > this is a horrible
crying fin, and it provokes the Lord marvellous
fiercely : it was the colie&ion which the Apo-
ftle made a Ihtk before the text, in i Cor. 6.
where he faith, fpeaking concerning adultery and
fornication, he comes with a gird and a gall to the
hearts of beleevcrs, dying, What, {ball I take the
members of Chrifi and make them the members of an
harUtt God forbid, thats fearef»% : Dze you not
know that he which conpleth him felfe to an harlot, k <
onebody j {hall I doe thus? no } the Lord forbid ; /
ami
the Soules union with Chrift.
am neere tochrip, let the members of Satan bet made
tke members of a harlot, it they will, but you that are
the members of Chrift, will you doe fo .<? Confider it,
wile thou take the head of Chrift, and contrive
wickedneffe with it ? and wilt thou cake the heart
of Chrift, and make it a cage of uncleane lufts >
and wilt thou take the tongue of Chrift,and make
it fpeake wickedly ? and wilt thou take the foot of
Chrift, and make it run to all wickednefle > what
a f earfull thing is this > (hall the uncleane fpirit
be put to the cieane fpirit ? (hall the motions of
theDevillbe here s and the motions of the good
Spirit of the Lord too } the Lord in mercy keepe
you off from this : Ephef.^29, Let no filthy commu-
nication come out of your mouth , why, what if there
doe ? If there were no greater (innes than thefe,
I hope I mould doe well enough : What faith
the Apoftle . A Chriftian, and a lier 5 a Chrifti-
an, and a (wearer; a Chrift ian, and a bafe vile
wretch $ Oh grieve not the good Spirit of God: why?
hecaufe by ityee are fealed up unto the day efredemp*
tion : the good Spirit of the Lord hath fealed
you up unto redemption, and knit you unto hits,
and will you rend your (elves from him, and
grieve him? if you were not fealed up, and if you
had none of the Spirit of Chrift, it were no great
matter : but now, Oh grieve not the holy Spirit^ if
you doe, you have m fJvation by it . away to hell
if you will grieve the good Spirit of the Lord 3
if the Lord doe beftowhis Spirit upon thee,wilt
thou then grieve his good Spirit? how canft thou,
or howdareft thou doe thus ; and difhonourthe
Name
The Soules union with Chrift. 42
Name of God, looke that place, Matthew 1 2. 44,
when the uncle ane Jpirit retttrncs againe to his refb y ;
bee findetb it empty ', [wept and garnifhed ; then hee
takethto bimfelfe [even other fa irits worfe than him*
felfe, and they enter in and dwelt there $ the end of that
man is rvorfe than the beginning. It is well obferved
by one, that pride and idlenefle fweeps the houfe
for the devill • a proud heart which ftayes it felfe
up upon its owne abilities,snd Co growes idle,and
lazie, and, fecure ; if it be a Miniftcr,or Magiftrate,
this makes cleaneworke for the Deviil, you can-
rot doe this, but you will grieve the good Spirit
of the Lord : Now looke to this, when a man
ftayes himfelfe upon his parrs, and gifts, he doth
Ktrlegood : you fweep thehoufefor the Deviil,
whereas a watchfull painfull heart doth wonder-
fully pleafe God} itisagood^andapurejineeke,
and holy SpiritjWhich God accepts of, therefore
be thou Co £o:> : now ycu trut are Chriftians, doe
not goe away, and thinke that you have warrant
to be idle, and carelefle, take heed of fuch curfed
di (tempers of heart ^ if thou art a Chriftian, thou
dare ft not doe or fay, as others dare, for the finne
of a Chriftian is abominable in the eyes of God,
becaufe he is fo neerly united to his blefled Spi-
rit : this is the firft ufe of the point.
Againe in the fecond place, here is a word of \*Vfe.
examination and triall, here a man may fee of
whatlpirit the moft men of the world are 5 You
know not of what Spirit you are> faith Chrift 5 looke
how the foule elofeth with, and receives thole
that are moft exaft in a Ghriftian courfe : if thy
H heart
5 o The Souks union with Chr iff.
heart be eftranged from fuch as doe walke exact-
ly before God,either becaafe he hath given chem
parts and giFps, or btcaufe he hath made them
humble and faithfull : if the Spirit of the Lord
be in the Saints, then the Spirit of malice and of
the Dcviil is in thee * Gods Spirit clofah with
all the faithfull ones, but thy Spirit cannot cloie
with them •, when they are made one Spirit with
Chriit, wiit thou be of two Spirits with them?
then cither Chrift is.ro bee blamed, crclfe thou
art to be condemned for this bafencfle of thine$
either Chritt knowes not how to chufe a good
Spirit,or eife thoa arc a bafe vilde fpirit- this is the
great finne of this laft age of the world, men are
loversofthemfeIves,and not lovers of -God, nor
his gracenor Spirit: it is admirable to fee how
every one that is wicked , findes favours in the
woild, but only thofe that arc holy ,and gracious,
and one fpirit with -Cririft : adiunkard is no mans
enemie but his owne- and with aduherers you
can make marches, and if they were miittherers
or theeves, wee have akindeof lamentation for
them 5 but wren it comes to a fincere foule, their
hearts rife up agiinft, him, with a defpc race
fpleene,snd they (ay,thefe are ihe holy brethren,
why what are they ? Oh, faith the Father, he is
quite fpoild, I had a fonne which I had fome
hopes of, but now he is gone downe the vvlnde,
and he will neverbe good for any things and then
faith the drunkard, hee was as good a companion
as ever lived, and had as brave jefts is make us
raerrie withaii, but now he is quite fpohd 3 then
tny
ii vn U » i M gP— w< - ' "" m "
*0* So w i ««««« with Chrift. 5 1
thy meaning is, that when hee had an ur.deane
fpirit,thou didft love him, but now bccaufe he is
come to have a neere union with the Lord Jefus
Chrift, therefore thou art eftrangrd from hkn 5
then curfed be thy wrath, for it is fierce, 2nd thy
ragc,for it is cruell $ if the Spirit of God be holy
and good, to which hee is united, then thou art a
vilde unholy wretch : I hope now you may know
what will become of faclxand fucri in the townes
aud places where you Jive/uch 1 meane as are ho-
ly and gracious, and yet are hated and dehdidt,
eventhofe poore creatures are glued to the Lord
Chriftjnay^heyareholynpJncedmen.whkhthe
Spirit or God delights in, therefore rhy fplrit is of
Sathan, that thou doeft thus malice him 3 Icon-
feffeagodiy heart wli have his fits and excursi-
ons now and then, like an unruly co!r, and may
run wildly into finne • this may bef Ji a gedly
gracious heart, but all this while this is poifon,
and the fouieof a godly man fees this , and is wea-
rieofit, and is marveiloufly burthened with ir,
and faith, Oh vilde wretch that I am,what would
I have > and what is he that I cannot love him > is
itbecaufethe good Spirit of the Lord is there?
(hall I refift the good Spirit of the Lord > and fo
commit the finne againft the holy Ghoft ? away
thou vilde wretched heart, I willlove him ■ thus
the foule labours and ftrives for that exj&neffc
and would faine have that goodnefTe which hee
Tees id other : it is in this thing, as it h in a man?
meat, he that hath an unwholefome ftomack,and
teeth that the meat is good, and knowes not but
H 2 that
J - - ■ —
5 2 The soalet union mtb Chrift.
that he may cat it, he will not blame the meat, if
hee be ill after it, but his ftomack 5 but there are
fbme that love to bee eating loaie wais, and fuch
trafh as is nacght for them Jor the flomack is vi!de
within } and would have as bad as him fdfe : Co out
of the pride of nature and felf- confidence thefe
diftempers will bee riling in us, but a gracious
foule is even fick at the heart, and weary of his
lir*e,and he is never well, unrill he hath gotten a
purge ; but he that hath the di(eafe, and is fick of
' hatred and malice,looke how his heart is^fb is his
tongue,and as his heart is, fo is his carriage : Oh
poore wretched creature, what God may doe for
him 3 1 know not, bu? for the pre lent he hath the
fpirit of the Devi 11 in him $ he is no man bur a
toad that can live of p3i(bn,and make a meale of
it,and yet his heart never be affected with it,
2 t yfi. In the third place . is man a fociable creature,
and mufl he have forne to keepe company with
him hhen in the next place be exhorted to clofe
with fuch as Chrift hirnfelfe doth clofe withal',
chufe fuch companions as the good Spirit of the
Lord doth meet withall : doeft thou fee a gracious
ilncere hearted Chriftian, that is one fpiritwith
the Lord> love him, and let thy heart be one Spi-
rit with him too, and not only the rich, but the
poore too,it is that which we have in nature, eve-
ry man defires to have one that is of a faire nature
and a loving difpofition, he is a fit man to make
a friend of, and chefe things are nor difcommen-
dable$ iti$ftrange to fee when God hath cm the
dawes of thefe wolves,how calme and quiet chef
the Sodes ununwith Chrift.
are jbut would you have a man of a good nature
indeed ? for as one faith, hee that hach no more
than reftraining grace, is no more than a tame
Devil!,but would you have a friend of a good na-
ture indeed > for this is the maine of all, then
chufe fuch as are one with Chrift, and remember
that place, in i Peter I. 4. Wee are partakers of the
divine nature^ he that is one Spirit with Chrift,
he is partaker of th.2 divine nature, even the na-
ture ofGodhimfelfe, the Spirit of God, and the
Spirit ofmeekneflfe, and felf-deniall is in him 5
therefore let thy heart be inlarged towards him,
and joyne thou fide with him which is joyned fe*
neerely to the Lord : it was the old practice of
thofe in Zacb. 8.22. when God (hall honour the
jewesj and make them glorious in fan edification
and holinefle, and they fhall goe to market, and
buy and doe all things holily, then fhalt ten men
take hold of the skirt of him that is a lew, and fhaS
fayJVe rvtSgoe mthyoa^ forme have heard that God
is with -jou $ would you not goe with the Spirit of
the Lord Jefus Chrift e Yes, Oh then get yoa to
the Saints of God, and get them to your houfes,
and lay holdupongraciousChriftians,andfay,I
will live and converfe with you, for the
Spirit of Chrift is with
you.
u » . ■ i i- - 1 vmi'm^nvwrnimmmv
H 3 2g*
THE
B E NEFTT
FRO M
NION WIT
C H HIST.
By T. H.
^ y
lH
LONDON,
Printed by IobnHaipiland^oi Andrew Groove,
and are to be fold at the Black Beare in S. /».;«//
Church- yard. 1658,
• i
57
'mmmmmmmmBmmmm
«#£3«» «KL«H» *>£$** «8^*>©» <&£&&> <>$*& ^si©*
«*»$ X> «*£$*»• -^KJ^O* «>£;>©» «KSO» «20» «»$§<£
•if tfii iff ii«tf iitif gvtt t
THE
SOVLES BENEFIT
from Vnion with
Christ.
i Corin. i. 30.
But of him ay: yet in Clnifl Jefus, who is
made unto w wifdome, Yighteoufneffe y faHffi-
fication^and Yedemption t
Ow the fbule of a (Inner (hould be
1 prepared for our Saviour v and how
alfo it (hould bee implanted inro
him^ being called by the Spirit of
God in vocation 3 wee have hereto-
fore fully and largely difcuiTed and concladed
that point : then wee eame to the kcond thing,
which is the fecond part of this implanting or in-
grafting afinnerintothe LordJefusChrift, and
it is the growing to of a finner with our Savi-
our, and that is accomplished and fully brought
about by two workes: there are two parts of it,
for it is not enough for the graft t© be put into the
I ftocic,
«. 3 the Stales benefit from unun with Chrift.
{lock j but it muft grow together with it, if ever
there be any conveyance of any fap, or any helpe
and ftrengrii, which it may receive from the
fame : fo it is with the beleeving foule 3 fauh doth
not ©nely bring us unto Chrift, but it makes us
grow together with Chrift : and this growing is
difcovered in two particular? •
The firft is a fpirituall union of the fcule with
eur Saviour, when the foule comes to be united
to, and made one with the Lord of life • that wee
have alfo handled andccncluded in the two laft
lectures.
\ Againe,the fecond part that accomplifheth and
makes up this growing together with Chrift , it
is that heavenly communion that the foule doth
get with our Saviour, when the ftockofthe me-
rits of our Saviour, and the vertue of his grace is
communicated to the foule ; for this we muft rc-
member,thit thefe two things make up the grow-
ing of the (lock and the graft together :
Firft, there muft be an union of the graft with
the (lock.
Secondly.tbere muft be anintercourfe or a com-
munication of the fap in the ftock to the graft :
fo it is with Chrift, whatever he hath, he hath
for his Church and people.andwhat ever he doth,
he doth for his Church and fervaats * fo thauhere
is a kinde of conveyance of the venue of his me-
rits, and power of his grace, unto the fouies of
thofe thatbeleeve in him, and are knit unto him
by a true and a lively faith : wee have done with
the union that the foule feath with Chrift: we are
now
The Souks benefit from mhn with Chrift. 5 J
now to fpeake of the heavenly and fpirkuall com-
munion, the intercourfe betweene the Lord and
the (bale, when the fouleis married unto him.
and this is that wee airne at, this is that wee looke
at at thi> time ; and this I muft cell you by the
wjv, that our purpofe is not to meddle with the
particulars at this time, but onely with ths gene-
ral! nature of the communion of the fbule wich
Chnft : now for the difcoveryof this worke, wee
have cbofea the words of the text now read ujato
you, and the (cope of the words it is mainly this$
to discover unto us thedowrieand feofmentof
all that fpirituall grace that is conveyed and
made lure to the beleeving (bule , being made
one with the Lord Jefus : that looke as it is with
a man that hath a faire efhre to hirrrfelfe, it is
only his owne, but when the wife is wooed, and
brought home^Si married > he gives over the right
of himfelfe unto her, and if hee make over hi3
eftate unto her 9 (hee hath title thereunto: this
now is the dowry of aChriftian, the Lord Jefus
Ch rift is no bad match, you rnuftnotthinkeyou
could have done better $ it is a wonder, that ever
cur Saviour would take us to himfelfe, or fhew
favour to us. but the cafe is deare, if a belee ver be
called, and brought home to Chrift^ Ckrift is
made to tu mfdome^nd ngbteoufrejfe^mdfan&ifiu-
tion, and redemption - y Chrift hath all, and whatso-
ever Chrift hath, it is all yours, you have title
thereunto, and (hall receive fap and bene fit there-
from , if you have hearts to take that good God
©ffers, and you may receive : wee will not now
I a meddle
6o The Stales bent jit from union with Chrift.
meddle with 6 thefeverals in the verfe, but thefe
two things rauft be fpecially attended to in the
words, that we may make way for our {elves in
the point we have to trade withall $
F/rft,take notice of the compalfe of that happi-
nefTe and fpirituall grace which God vouchfafeth
unto his, and it is ranged into foure heads : the
text faithj Chrift 4s made mn w wfddme, rigbteeuf-
neffe, fanBification^and redemption h all that Chrift
hath or can communicate, all that the beleeving
fouie can defire or want 3 may be referred to thefe
foure :
F\ifk 9 mfdeme 9 th2Lt is,the declaration of the way
©f Godj and eternall happinefle, in and through
the Lord Jefus Chrift, which all the policie of all
cunning men, and all fubtill pates in the world
could never pry into, that wifdome which revea-
led the fecret things,and the deepe things of God^
the Lord Jefus is made that wifdome to the be-
leeving fbule.
Secondly 3 Cb/ift is made unte mrigbteoaf-
Tieffe^ that is, vvhatfoever guilt Heth upon us 7
whatfoever finne hath beene committed by us,
what ever puniQiment wee have deferved a
Chrift is made unto us righteoufneffe,to acquit us
ofall.
Thirdly^ Cbrifi is made unU m fanSificatioit • the
fbule of a poore (inner is defiled with many cor-,
captions, and polluted with many diftempers 5 .
now Chrift is made unto him fanclification, to.
purge and purifie him fFom all thole finnes and di- ,
Laftlf a
The Settles bene ft from union with Chrift. 6 x
Laftly, becaufe while we wander up and downe
this vale of teares,andin thh pilgrimage of ours,
wee fhall bee oppre fled with many ev3ls,that will
lye upon us, and death it feife, which is the laft
enemy, will leize upon u?, and captivate our bo-
dies in the grave, therefore Chrijl if made unto m
redemption^ will take away all troubfe.and wipe
all teares from our eyes, nay,hee will breake open
the grave, and deliver his Saints from thence.
The Heathen to make the Saints of God fure in
time of perfecution,they firft flew them.and then
they burnt their bodies to alhes, and then threw
them into the water, and then they laid Ltt us
now fee how they will rife againe 5 alas, poore
creatures, why , the Lord loves the very duft\t he
very a(hes of his Saints in the grave, and the
Lord will rcdeeme our bodies from the grave,
and our names from dimononr,and our lives from
trouble, and our fbules from (inne, ancf will fet us
free from all miferies and inconveniences at the
great day of accoun r ,» thefe are the foure things,
wherein the dowry and feofment of a beleeving'
fade eonfifts : I will not now trade in the parti-
cdars,but only in the generali,and (hew how that
every beleeving foule, tint refts upon Chriil by
faith,hath an intereft in thefe.
The feeond thing confiderabie is this, to whom
all thefe things belong, and the text tels u%chritf
it made all 'this to m ; and the truth is, it is made
over to all belec vers,there is not one man exemp-
ted,n©tone rmn excluded, every beleeving crea-
tine hath a p3rt and portion herein s however
*3
g 2 the soules benefit from union mth Chrift.
the holy Apoftle crowd3 in for a fhare,and if wee
lcoke into the 2 6, 2 7, 2 8. verfea, wee fhall fee to
whom this belongs, Tt know four callings brethren,
hew that not many wife men after theflejK* net many
mightie, not many noble artaUedy but uid athcho.
fen ibefoolifb things of the world, to confound the wife,
and God hath chofen the weake things of the world, to
* confound the things that are mightie $ why then to
you fooles , why then to you weake things,
Chrifi if made wifdome,and rigj)teG%fnej]e,and ftnfti-
ficaticn, and redemption 5 to ycu poare ones, to
yon weake ones Cbrift is made all this - 7 nay 3 !ooke
into the 2 3. verfe 5 God hath chofen the Bafi things of
the wcrld 7 and the things that are dejpifed\ nay, and
the things that are not,, to bring to nought the things
that are 5 that is to fay, the off lcouring of the
world, the fcrapings, as I may Co fay: looke asa
man flings away the fcrapings of things as no-
thing worth, why (b the parings of the world,
you that are nothing in the efteemeof the world,
a company of poore bafe (implicians $ ehrifi is
made wif dome, and righteoufnefie,andfAnBification,
and redemption to them . in a word then bee ic
knowne to every beleeving xreature, though he
have not a ftrong faith, y'ec if he have but a true
faith, to you Chrift is made all that mercie and
grace,that the word difcovers, and the Lord hath
purchafed^and you need.
Now adde the laft thing, the text faith, Chrift is
made all this ; the meaning is, Chrift is appointed,
and fee apart, and fitted by God the Father to
thispurpofe, to be wifdome and righteoufnefTe,
and
The Souks benefit from union with Chrif r. 6$
and to the poore, and the bafe, and defpifed, and
to the things that are not, God hath let him apart
to this purpofe 5 as for the wife, and honourable,
and mighty, they muft drift for themfelves, and
truft to their ownc ftrength and fufficiencie ; but
you that are poore and bafe, you that belceve in
the Lord JefusChrift, heeis made unto you, all
that thefoulecan want.or the heart defire 5 fo that
now then we have done with the meaning of the
words, and the opening thereof, fo farre as fer-
vethourpurpofe, intending only to trade in the
generall, concerning the communion of the graft
with the flock 5 wee have fhewed you, how the
fouieis made one with the Lord Jefu?, and how
the (bole is contracted to Chrift; grid no# wee
(ball come to (hew the feofmem*that God hath
pomifedj and wee (hall receive at his Majefties
hand.
The doctrine is,that there is a conveyance of all D&rine
fpirituall grace, from Chriit, to aHthofe that be-
kevein ami, ldoubt nor, but evtry man would
be content, if he had a fatre eftate, to fee his evi-
dences, and every woman that matcheth with a
man , would fee what (he might ho)d her Jelfe to ^
what ifthemsn dye ? and what if his meanes de-
cay, what will hee cftate her in > now fee ycur
dowrie, and the point is this, that there is aeon-
veyance of all ipirituall grace from Chrift to all
faithful! beleeversin the world • well then, you
fee the point $ we will adde alittle by way of con-
firmation, and you (hall fee the confenc of thr
Scriptures,how they agree together herein, and
we
^4 Th* Soulcs benefit from um** with Chrift.
we will adde fomewhatalfoby way of explica-
tion, to unfold the nature thereof, that wee may
fee what thefe invaluable treafures arecfor the
proofeofthe point,one or two places will be Ef-
ficient to caft the cafe •, Ephf. i. 3 .there Vattl blef-
feth.God in Jefus Chrift, that hath blefTed us
with all -fpirituall bleflings in heavenly places in
Chrift ; fo that there are bleflings of three forts,
all bleflings, all fpirituall bleflings, all fpirituall
bleflings in heavenly place?, and all given freely,
but it is in Chrift, hee is the conduit that convev-
eth this, and wherein the ftrcames of life and
grace flow amaine,to make glad the city of God,
to make glad the Saints of God, and the foules of
thcfe.thae belceve in him ^ heoce(tt is remarkable
ludei.) it is called, Common falvaiion. by Chrift^
and fo Chrift is faid to be a common Saviour con-
feqnently 5 not common to all the world, that eve-
ry beaft may broufe upon him, arid flnne, and
have a Saviour to fave him, but he is common to
all the faithful!, common to all beleevers \ that
looke as it is in a common or forreft, every dwel-
ler, and every inhabitant upon the common hath
a Chare therein^ no man can challenge any part of
the common peculiar to himfelfe, and fay, This
part is Hiine,and no man fhall put any cattell here
but 1^ but the common is every mans that dwels
thereupon, and the pooreft man may put on his
eattell without controlled drive his cattell whi-
ther he lift, on to the beft part thereof, and im-
prove it to his beft benefit, without contradi-
ction: io Chrift is a common Saviour, and the
richeft
The souks benefit f rom union with Chrift. 6;
ricbcft mercies, and the prcToui^^ ~
thegreateft grace and lalvation that is inChrift
Iefus,ever y poore belecvingfbule,thou art a com-
moner and a borderer, and it is a common falva-
tion, there is a foontaine fet open for Iudah and
IerufaJem to warn ib,thou maift take any, and re-
ceive benefit from the greateft and precfonfcft
promifes that the word reveales, or thou ftandeft
in need of . im. i. g.hee then faith, that God
through his divine power hath given unto us aJI
things belonging to life and godlineffc, through
^acknowledgement of him that hath called Is
to glory and venue, what ever it is a man would
have or can need, belonging tolifc or godlineffc
hee hath given unto us all things through the
acknowledgement of him that hath called us to
glory and vertue ; if thou canft reft upon Chrifi:
in beleeving, then God will give onto thee all
hings through Chnft,beIonging tolifeand god'
lineffe ; f then we have the proofe of the point
by the joyntconfentof feverall Scriptures ; now
wee will addeawordor twobywayofexplic*.
tion,that we may fee the value of this dowry, that
God hath promifed 5 and will beftcw upon thofe
that love ana- feare his name : now for the e£
SST pomt ' wee wiii doe thefc two
Firft, we will (hew you the tenure of this cove-
nant and how Chrift conveyeth thefe fpirS
graces unto us. r **
«», and why he w,]J communicate thus uko us.
We
~Zl the S&ults benefit: from u nion with Chrift. ^
We will firft begin with the former, wherein
lieththemarrowand pith of the point : we have
fiid, that all blefliags belonging to life and god-
lineffe the common faivation of Chrift, belongs
to all beleevers, but how (hall wee perceive this >
how- is this conveyed to thofe that beleeve in the
Lordjefas Chrift > now the tenure of this con-
veyance difcoversit felfe in feveraii particulars,
there are five or fa of them in number :
The firft is this, there is fully enough in the
Lordjefes for every faithfuli foule, that what-
ever grace, or whatever mercie hee (hail ftand in
need of or want, there is nofcarcity,thcreisno
kindeoffcantneffe in the Lord Chrift this way j
in all other graces in this world, in all temporal!
things when any eftate is to be imparted, it isbut
in feme particulars, either money muft bee paid
fuchaday^orlandmuftbepoiTeiTed when fucha
partie dies, but there was never any man could
make fiich tenure, as if a man mould make a feof-
mentto his wife, of long life, and peace, and
grace,and faivation, it is in no mans power to doe
this 5 fome men have a great deale of good things
in this world,and many have little befides 5 and
againe y all men have not an all-fufficiende-to fop-
ply and luccour a man according to all hisnecef-
fittes * but here is the excellencie of this dowry,
that whatever it is the foule wants or ftands in
need of, the Lord hath it in himfeife, and will
communicate it to the foule for his good- Colof.
a. 3, this is that theApoftle implies, In ybom y
M±hc s m^tbamfmesofmfdomeandboh»epi
* and
I ^^^ ^ ^ _ ^ . !■! I I, -
The Settles benefit from union with Ghrift. 67
' ' ■» — ! 11 . + '
and marke the value and worth of the phrafe 5
hee doth not fay, great fommes of holinefle,
and wifdorae, and mercie, and the like, but the
freafures, and not fome treafures, but all : the
richeft men in the world, that have the greateft
eftates and treatures, one mans eftate lieth in
lands, another mans lieth in goods,another mans
lieth in money, but no man hath all treafures, but
in Chrift are all the treafurrs of all mercy, and all
companion, of all grace and falvatioo,whatever is
needfull for us, and may be beneficiail to thofe
that beleeve in him, and reft upon hfm by a true
and a lively faith 5 and however the fbule may
thinke this treafure may be (pent, and this foun-
taine of mercy, and companion drawne dry, and
can my finnes be pardoned ? and my corruptions
fubdued ? Chrift doth prevent thisalfo 5 we may
fpend what we will, there is ftill enough tofpend
upon j Ephsf, 3. 8. There are infearchable riches in
CbrisJ 5 as who fhould fay,Thou knoweft no em*,
thou findeft no bottome of the vileneflfe of thy
heart,that doth pollute thee and defile thee, why
there is no end of the riches of Chrift,no bottome
of the Ocean fe 1 of Gods msrcy,that may com-
fort thee and releeve thee upon all occafions 5
lobn 3 . 3 4 . the text faith, chriff received the Spirit
above meafure^ as if Chrift would prevent the ca-
vils of a poore creature, and pluek upadifcoura-
ged heart 5 when the finner thinks, my finnes are
out of me ifure fmfulljand my heart is out ofmea-
fure hard ; why thinke and remember, that in
Chrift there is mercy oat of meallire aiercirull,
K. ^ and
6$ The Scales benefit from union with Chrift.
and grace out of meafure powerfull, there thou
fhalt fee bloudy Manajfes,. idolatrous Mnnajfes %
abominable Manaffes, in the Lord Jefus he hath
received the pardon of all his finnes 3 and yet there
is pardon enough for thee too; there thou male
fee Paul a perfecuror,and the bloudy jay lor • there
is that power in the Lord Iefus, that crimed the
pride of the heart of P^and that brake the heart
of the bloudy jay lor, that flood it out a long
time, the earth fhooke^nd the prifon (hooke, and
the doores ftevsr open , hee flood ftili all this
while, at laft the Lord made h 5m (hake and all, as
well as the earth $ why, and yet there is power
enough for thee too . in Chrift there is fulneffe
without meafure, take you may what yon will,
there is enough ftiil for all ; Epbef. 1 laft verfe, the
text fairb,that Chrift is the head of all his church,
and the church is his body, and what folJoweth?
even The fulnetfe of bint that fiUeth all in aU things^
that is, he iils all his fervants with all that grace
andmercie, and companion they need, 10 that
there is a fulnefle in the Lord Jems, and there is
enough to fupply all the wants of a beleeving
creature, and to releeve him in regard of all thofe
neceflities that lye upon him * . that is tkefirft.
Secondly^as there is enough in Chrift to fupply
all the wants of his Saints, fo in the fecond place
Chrift doth fupply unto them whatever is fit-
ting for them, there is enough for every Saint of
God,andthe Lord doth fupply whatever is moft
it for every man, whatever is moft proportional
kleto the need of a poore fbnle, and toxhe place
and
■ ■ ■
The Souks benefit j rem union with Chrift. 69
and condition wherein God hath fet him ; this is
thelimitsof Gods bounty, whatever may fupply
my need or fie my place, that God hath fee me in
and called meto,tl:at Goj fupplies andgives fuf-
ficient grace and enereie, anfvverable thereunto.
I will open the point at large, becaufe it is fome-
what difficulty looke as it is with a wife father
that hath a fairc eftate, and hath enough for his
children, and thofe that depend upon him, and
is willing alfo to beftow abundantly upon them
according to their occasions 5 this is the wifdome
of a wife father,he will ftock his childe according
tethe calling wherein he is 5 fo many hundreds
will doe no more than ferve one man in that
place whefeunto hee is called, whereas fo many
fcores haply will ferve another man 5 if one man
hath JefTe, hee cannot trade h if another man hath
more,hce cannot ufe it, hee hath more ftock than
hecan employ $ the merchant that ventures farre,
hath great employments, many thoufands will
fcarce furnifhhim : but a poore man, as a weaver,
or a fhoomaker, or the like, many thoufands are
more than hee can ufe in his trade: again e, the
wife father confiders, if the childe bee a fpend*
thrift and in debt, there is more required to fee
uphim,thanhimthatis but now going- in to the
world,or haply aforehand : fo Chrift as a wife fa-
ther deals with his faithful! tervants, there are
many of Gods faithrull fervants, which are advan.
ced, fometo greater places in the Church, Come
iftthe commonwealth, fome godly Magistrates,-
andicligJousMiniftcBinow there is a great deals;
&3 o£j
70 The s-tulet benefit from union with Chrifl.
of wifdomc required for a Magiftrate that ftands
in the face of the world, and in the mouth of the
canon 5 to accomplim great things for the glory ot
God, and the good of his Church; (b aMinifter*
a little grace which is fufiicient to lave a mans
(buk, is not enough for him to trade withall-j
fbme againe are leaders and commanders, as
matters of families 5 (bme againe are able Cmi-
ftianSj which are fit to bee helpful! unto others 5
againe, feme are caft behindehand in a Chriftian
courfe, vvho,before God opened their eyes, and
difcovered their finnes,and brought them home,
they lived a riotous courfe, thole old arrearages of
pride and loofhefle many yeares together^ a man
is wonderfull in debt in this manner 5 now to
bring home men a finner, "and to pardon fuch a
flnner,and to fan&ifie fuch a fbnle,thereis a great
deale of mercy required^and a great deale of grace
required, there are many proud- hearted, and ma-
ny ftout-hearted,as Beelzebub himfelfe, that take
up armesagainft God himfelfe, and ftand in de-
fiance agaiaft the Lord of holts : now anfwerable
to their conditions and corruptions, anfwerable
to their debts and bafe courfes, when God will
bring fuch a creature home unto himfelfe, bee
hath anfwerably ftrange blovves for him 5 as it is
faid ofNebuchadnezer, the Lord humbled him
mightily $ fo when the Lord comes to meet with
an old loofe adulterer, and an old bafe drunkard,
and a fturdy perfecutor as Paul was, an ordinary
ftroke will not doe the worke, therefore as he had
a great deale of mercy for Pml 9 fo hee had a great
deale
The Souks benefit from union wttb Cnnit. 7 1
deale to doe before hee could humble P*w/, hce
flung him off hi9 horfe, as he was polling to Da-
mafcus, and might have broken his neck: againe,
men fbmetimes are driven to great trials and
ftraights, as when God cals men to great trials
and furferisgs; nowGod dorh apply to every man,
according to his eftate and condition* he tbatGod
hath (et as a commander in his Church, as a Mini-
fter to teach, and a Magiftrate to rule, and a ma-
tter of a family, Gods fits graces unto them, ac-
cording to their eftates, the Lord rakes meafure
of a mans eftate as it were, and fuits him propor-
tionably with all graces neceflary for his condi-
tion:againe,they that are meaner and poorer 3 they
fhall have wifdome, and fan&ification 9 and re-
demption, but anfwerable to their conditions -
that is obfervabk, Bpkef. 4. 1 6. Paul there calling
our Saviour Chrift the head of the Church, and
his faithrull fervants the members of this head,
hee faith, By whom &U the members being knit toge-
*kr,according to their effe&uali working in their
meafure they receive increafe 5 as for example, in
the body fb much life and fpirit, as belongs to the
ringer is in the finger, but there is more in the
arme than in the finger, and more in the bulk of
the body than in the arme, that which fuits with
facha parr, it hath it, and that which fuits with
fucha part, nature beftowes it, there is not fb
much in the finger, as in the hand, nor fbmuch in
the hand,as in thearme,nor fo much in the arme,
as in the body, becaufe it is not futable and pro-
portionable 3 nature will not doe it, God will not
fiirTer r
7 2 The Souks benefit from union with Chrift.
furfer it: fo force Chriftians are armes in the
body of the Church, ibme fingers, fomelegs 5
feme are ftrong Chriftians, thatbeareup a great
weight in profetfion, (tout, and ftrong, and refo-
lute^and the like : now the Lord communicates all
grace and mercy futable for every mans place and
condition $ thou that art a finger, fhalthave fo
much grace as befits a finger ; and thou that art
an hand,thou fha»lt have fo much grace as (hall (ave
thee, and is fie for thy place 5 but another is an
arme, and hee fhall have more,' buc all (hall have
that which is fitting ; therefore the text faith,
ChriFt is made unto m wifdome., righteoufnejfe^ fanBi-
ficatio# r and redemption ; that looke as a mm that
makes a garment, hee takes meafureof thc.man
for whom he makes it, and fits every part accor-
ding to the part of the body, the arme of the dou-
blet is futable to the arme of the body, and fo
Chrift is made righteoufnefie and fanctification
toallpoore beleeving . creatures ; thou art an
arme in the body of Chrift, hee is made fo much
wifeforae and fancYification to thee, as will ferve
thy turne 5 thou haft had a great many finnes 5 and
haft beene a rioter and a roifter before God ope-
ned thine eyes, and brought thee heme to him-
felfe : why, there is great mercy in Chrift futable
to thy finnes , there is mercy in Chrift to juftifie*
thee, if thou haft never fo few finnes, and there is
mercy enough in Chrift to juftifie thegreateft
finner, if hee can but beleeve in the Lord Jefus
Ghrift 5 and this is the fecond paflage in this arti-
cle of agreementjin the tenure of the conveyance
of
73
^Joules hnejit from union mrh Chrift.
of grace from Chrift to the To^eTthcTordhST
enough for a|I, and he doth communicate what
is fat and proportionable to every mans eftate and
condition.
The chhd thing is this, as the Lord doth com-
municatc whatis fic,fo hedorhpiefetvewhathee
doth beftow and communicate, and give to the
beleevmg (bule ,. hee doth not give grace to tie
beleevrag farfe, and (here Jeave him 3 and let him
manage his cdate 7 but when hee hath wrought
grace in the foule, he preferves it, and nounð
his ovvne worke . Pfit. r5. 5. there the Prophet
Djvtd faith, The Lord is the p&rthn 9 fmne inherit
tance^andbemnntMntthmjht h he doth nor only
give him his lot, bur he rxamtaines his lot : it is a
companion taken from the children of Ifrael
when they came intothe land of Canaan, it wa'
divided to every tribe by lotjisotvGod did not
onely 'bring themtato rhe land, and give them
their lot, but he maintained that lot, he defended
them, and releeved them from the fury and rage
or tneir adverfaries,that went about to take a«* a7
that which God had beftowed upon them 5 now
thePralmiftfauh, The Lor its apportion, Indhee
ytintmmh ny ht ; every beleev/cg (oule fcath a
lot and portion in Chrilr, fo much grace, aid ho-
Iincflcvnd fo much aflTurancejiiGHr the Lord dorh
not onelyg[ve this, but when you are weakeand
recole, the Lord keeps your grace, andprefwes
your grace which hee hath beftowedupon you 5
therefore Chnft is faid to be the prcferver of his
<-nurcn//«fc 1. njo» that arc catredstdfanBifieJ,
L preferved
74 The Soules bene jit from union with Ghrift.
preferved by lefm ChrUi ^ Ghrift is not only the gi-
ver of grace,but he is the preferver of hisChurch,
and that is the meaning of that phrafe, when our ■
Saviour had implanted grace in the heart of feflff,
he did not only plant it by his Spirit, but he wa-
tered it by his prayers, that it might not wither
away, / have prayed, that thy faith fails *0/-,hee did
net only give him faith, that was not enough, but
he watered his faith by his prayers, that it might
not withered dye>,and decay • i Pet. i . 4, hence
It is faid, that hee preferves m by the power ef God
through faith unto falvat'm $ and faith keeps the
foule, and Ghrift keeps faith, faith is the hand
that layes hold upon Ghrift, and Ghrift lay es hold
upon faith, and wee have a kingdome preferved
for us, andheprefervethus fcrir, and this is the
pith of chat phrafe, PfaLi. the text faith, Tbe righ-
teous man is like the tree planted by the rivers Jide s
that brings forth fruit in due fetfon, ythof leafefhatf
not fade - he doth not fay, his fap fnall not wither,
but his leafe (hall not wither, not onely that gra-
cious difpofi don of heart which is wrought fhalJ
never decay in the Saints of God, but a zeaJous
profefiion fhali never decay in conclusion $ hew
ever a tree be nipt with the'cold andfroft, yet in
concludon it will bud forth agaire : fo the fap of
grace that Ghrift workes in us, and conveyeth to
us, being planted by the fount aine of the Lord
Jefas in diemidft of perfection and fiery trial],
they fnali grow humbie 3 antfmeeke, and holy in
defpight of what can befall them , for a Chriftian
Is not conquered w lea hee lofeih -his lik, but
when
The So uks benefit fremuithitmshCtxiQt, 75
when he iofeihnfegwct^ai takes manthwfc '
tedmtociptwitie, infoTurkie, into Algeir, or
. the like,theaime jfhim that takes him, isnot to
take tmy his life, but to make him denv h; sco .
Jours ,. id commander, and if heecan make h mi
doe this, thenheconqaers him, but if heedye un-
derttehandof the tyrant, if hebemore abJero
mod tor 'hss commander and cotmtrie, than h- is
todt.vehimfromit.ifhecanbearemip.ryb-ttcr
than hcecn inHift it, then hee b ftOtcdnqS
bntconquen , fo it U here, a Saint of God is ne!
ver mattered, before his patience bee mattered*
able to beare mifery, than the enemy to lay mife!
red in rhl S f"3 ht ^ e h0ld > he h ™ «nqire,
red in tnis cat, but he is 3 conquerer : therefore
the Place is excellent^ 5 8.8.1eehow the S
prefrves his people, hee is laid to be the who!*
army ot his fervants, (howev« there bee many
ftorms, yet ehe rivers of water m.ke dad I tS
peopieotGod) the text faith, TfyriJ^e
IZr , > ( when a *" n dorh w ^ffc uprightly
and fincerly, wee mutt prefume, that a man if in a
combat, for why doth hee fpeake of the re, ward
elfe) there are two parts in a battell . firft the
w» 8 «d, wh.ch is the former part of rh batt 111 ■
Secondly, the rear-ward, which is the LfodeX
of thecatrell; notvChrlftisboth thefe, vou (hall
have enemies before you in the Km^ffiSa
ftallhave enemife behind,- you toWeyouin
7 6 the sttoUt benefit from unkn with Chrift.
the rear-ward, now righceouindfe (ball gee be-
fore thee, that is the vant-gard • and the glory of
the Lord fhail be thy rear- wird>? hat is, God is alt
about his fir vanes, the vant-gsrd before them to
(uccourtrurn, and the rear-ward behisde them
to relee ve them t, Co that he doth not onely give
grace,buthemaintainesand preilivesthat grace
he gives to the (bales of his femurs.
The fourth part of the tenure and conveyance
of grace to the faithful! foule is this ( and I fpeake
but only in the general! ) the Lord doth not ontlf
prefetve what grace hee give?, but hee quickens
that grace he maintains, he drawes forth that abi-
lity heebeftowes, hee puts life unto that ftrength
and faecQur which hee vouchfafeth to worke in
the hearts of his children ^ hence all thofe places
are marvellous pregnant, God giveth the will and
thedeed,fo that ic is not onely tbehavingjbut the
doing.that wee have need of from God} and?**/
profeffetb, that hee hath not onely grace from
Chrift, but he lives not, but Chrift liveth in him,
if Chrift did all in him, and this is that wee (hall
ohferve, Luke i. 74. That hee would orant us ,faith
the text, thai being redeemed from we band of out
enemies , we might firve him without fear e $ rake no-
tice of two things here, Firft, that the Saints of
God are redeemed and juftified by Chrift, and
nowonewouldthinkeamanthatisjuftified, and
hath Chrift.msght trade for himfclfe, no^but that
he would grant us,that being redeemed from the
hand of our enemies, wee might fei vc him w+th-
cutfbre, it is one grant to be redeemed, and it
is
— t— ■ ! ■'-. --ij>rt
The Settles benefit from unim with C hrift. 77
is 3 new grant to ferve hina without feare • as it is
amercieforGod to beftow ability before wee
hive it, foicis a mercy to quicken that abilitie
which hee vonchfafes, that wee may honour him
by it^nd he may honour himfelfe by us ^therefore
it is a moft pregnant place, Colof i.laft verfe,vvhcn
p »/\vas there labouring what hee could, yet as
though hee had nothing, as though hee did no-
thing,he gives all to God ^ for marke the manner
of the fenfe of the words., fyhereunto, faith he, /
alfo labour and ftrive? (the word in the original!
fi^nirles, I fweat at it, and take great paines ) ac*
cording to bis working, which worketb in mt mightily •■
Pad laboured and ftrived; but how comes this
about? his ftriving is by the working ofChrifr 3
and by his working he works 5 as who (hould (ky y
It is grace I have any grace, ft is heeafliftingjit
is he CG-operating,it is he accompanying,(I know
not what to lay ) it is his worke works, and hee
works mightily in ebem that worke and ftrive to
advance the glory of God : (b then we have thofe
foure particulars 3 that in reafon almoft mighe
fatisfie any man ^ what you want, Chrift hath 5
what w fir, Chrift will beftow^; if you cannot
keepe it,hce will preferve it for yon 5 if you bee
fluggifti, hee will quicken it in you ; what would 5
you have mo*e ? one would thinke this were
enough,but that nothing might be wanting, take
apaflageor two more.
Fiftly,therefore as he quickens what hee main*
tains,iohee perfects what hee quickens, hee doth
uot only inabk us to doe what we (houId, ; but he
L 3 makes
j2 The Soules benefit from union with Chrift.
makes us make worke of it 3 and he brings to per-
fection what he beftowes, Heb. 1 2. 23. there the
texefpeaksofthefpirksofjaft and perfe&men,
hee begins the worke, and never leaves, till hee
makes the worke per fed; it is Chrift that puts
a mans weapons into his hands, it is Chrift that
teacher h him to fight with thofe weapons, and it
is Chrift that gives him the viaory in that fight 3
i Cm fa 15. 55. O death where vthyftini? O grave
where is thy viBorieJ the fting of death is finne,
and the ftrength of finne is the law,but bleifed be
God 3 that hath given us Victory through our
Lord Jefus Chrift $ the weapons are Chriits, and
the fight is Chrifb, and the victory is Chrifo. he
will noronely bring yon into the field, and put
weapons into your hands,but give ycu the victo-
ry and all: you Saints of God that finke under
the MerceneiTe of temptations without, and cor-
ruptions within, hee will give you grace,hee will
give you weapons.andyoa (ball triumph over all
your enemies 5 therefore Ephef. 4, i3.1t is faid,
Hee wW bring his body to a perfeB fiature • all the
Saints ofGod are compared to members, now
looke as it is in the body, every member doth in-
creafe,sccording ro its meaflire, till it come to its
full bigneiTe • foit is in the body of Cfariftjall the
members thereof fhall increafe, till they come to
be perfect: hath God given thee a heart to looke
toward? Zion? and haft thou any intimation of
his lovt) then though the word and mesnes may
faile,he will provide help and raeanes, he will ne-
ver leave thee, till thou art a perfeft man and
woman,
The Sottles benefit from union with Chrift. 79
woman, till thou haft attained to bee a perfeft
member in the body of the Lord Jefus Chrift •
there is no withered bow in this flock of the
Lord Jefus Chrift,but as he gives grace, fo he wiH
bring it to perfeaion in its meafure, God will ne-
ver leave thee till hee hath brought thee to that
perfeftion he hath appointed : now a man would
think here were enough, but yet a little further
and then lam asfarre as lean goe, my thoughts
can reach no higher.
Sixtly, then when the Lord hath perfected that
grace hee hath beftowed upon us, then when a
man comes to the end of his dayes, he crowns all
the grace he hath perfected; it were enough, and
a childes portion to give us grace, and vonchfafc
us mercy, but when wee come in heave*, when
he hath given us weapons, and taught us to fight,
and made us conquerors, then he will crowne us,
and is not this enough } but fo it is, 2 Tim. 4. 6
Have fought a good fight , ihavefinifhed my courfe
from henceforth is laid up for meacrowneofalory and
not for me only Jut fir alithfe that love thearfari^
pfmcommtHfrhe makes us worke,and herewards
us for what hee hath wrought in us 5 heinablesus
todoethefcrvice andheepayesus our wages :in
tnefecondcommandement, the test faith,/ wi'J
Shewmercteto thoufands of 'generations, in them that
love me % one would thinkc now, that they whHi
loved God defcrved mercy, no, I will mew mer-
cy, what you doe, it is all from Gods mercy if
you love God, it is mercy, asd if God cro;'ne
tnarmercy.it isk>veaifo. 5 foPaultiath, The Lord
Jliew .
g the Souks benefit from unUn with ChrifL
fhew mercy to Onefv£horui.Jor hee releeved mee^ one
would thmke that this would have merited evcr-
lafting life^ no, the Lord (hew mercy, hee hath
refrefhed mee in my trouble, and done fervicc of
love to mse, andgloiy to God, now the Lord
(hew mercy to him; Co that the Lord gives os
grace, and hee crowns that grace hee gives, hee
make? us worke, r and hee rewards che worke* hee
gives us the victory >and he makes us triumph,and
be more than conquerors ^ thus then we have the
tenure of this conveyance : and now I may read
your feofment to y ©u, you poore Saints of God ,
you live beggarly and bafely here, yet this is the
beft match that ever you made in the world, you
are made for tver,if you have a Saviour^t is that
which will maintaine you, not onely Chriflianly,
but triumphantly -,}ou (hall have enough her',
8c tOD much herearter,if too much am be conca-
ved or received ^ what you want Cbrift hathjou
need not goe a begging to other mensdoores^
Secondly, you need not thinke be is churlilh and
unkinde, but whatfoever you need, and is fit for
you^he will give you^but yai muft not be male •
part and fewer with the Lord Jefus^nd fay. Why
have not I thisas well as others? no,you (hall. have
what is fitting ^ Thirdly, he will mainraine what
he gives ^ and fourthly, he will q aicken what hee
maintains $ and fiftly, hee will pcrfeft what hee
quickens ^ and laftly, he will crowne that he per-
fects, hee will give you an immortall crowne of
glory. We have read now the ftofmerit of a faith-
full foule, and yon fee what you (hall have from
the
The Sotilts benefit from union with Chrift . 8 1
the hand of the Lord Jefus 5 wee fhould now come
to the rcafons-of the point, but that time will pre-
vent us, and wee have had the pith of the point
already, in opening the tenure of the conveyance
of grace to the bcleeving foule, we will therefore
, pafleon to the ufe of the point.
Is it thus then > te w 5 faith the text, torn 5 who j yfi
are thofe } I pray, inquire of it ; looke into the
26. vex fejTou know yottr caging, that is, thofe that
are called, thofe that beleevein the Lord jefus
Chrift $ to us, thefc are the people mentioned,
thofe are the perfons intended ^ therefore in the
firft place it is a matter of lamentation and cam-
plaint, which wee (hall in a word intimate, to
thofe to whom it belongs, if all this good be ap-
pointed for all the fervants ofGod, and only the
fervantsofGod,f©r the called, and none but the
called,then it is a thunderbolt, able to breake the
heart, and finkethe foule of every unbeleeving
creature under heaven, and make him (bake at
the mifery of his conditioned the evil! that mail
betide him : you that are in the gall of bitternene,
and in the bond of iniquicie, that hare ftood it
out with Chrift, and hecould never prevaile with
you, but you would take up your owne cour/cs
and hee hath come, and called, and knocked will
that proud heart never come ? will that drunken
wretch never bee reformed } you that are fuch,
whatever you be,! fay, know thi?, and know itto
your forrow, and trouble, and vexation offpirit,
you are fhuteut from fharing in, you are cut orT
from partaking of the riches ofthe grace, and the
M plentiful!
8 2 The Soules benefit from union with Ghrift.
plentirall redemption of the Lord Jefas Chrift
to this day ,you that are unbeleevers, I fay, to this
day you are in darknefie, your mindcs were never
inlightned,tothis day the guilt and curfe of finne
lyes upon your confciences,aad the pollution of
finne lyes upon your foules and defiles them, to
this day condemnation hangeth over your heads,
John 3. 1 8. He that beleeves not, u condemned alrea-
dy, and he jhaff never fee li^ht, hut the wrath of God
dndeth on him\\ befeech you obferve it,this is that
which one would thinke, (hould cue a mans con-
ference, and be a corafive to his foule,whatfoever
he doth,wherefoever he is, we thinke this (hould
crufb all his delight,^ that beleeves not^fyaU never
fee light ; hee may fee his gold and the profits of
the world, and hee may fee his friends, and the
comforts of this life, and then hee hath his porti-
on v all you drunken unbeleeving wretches, all
you ftubborne, propbane , malicious creatures,
you have your portion, much good doe you with
your ibps, you have your part, but there is no
medling for you with the confolat ion and re-
demption that is in the Lord Jefus Chrift : the
text faith, He it made to m $ you poore Saints of
God, doe not fuffer them to fcramble, and take
the meat off the table,he was made to us, take you
your portion, and God refrcfli your hearts there-
with, but you that are unbeleevers, have no part
nor portion at all in this rich revenues and pre-
cious dowrie that God vouchfafeth to his Saints,
I know what they will bee ready to fay, but they
couzen therofelves ^ we are haply naught, and oot
courfes
Tbs Sotthi benefit from union with Chrift. 8 g
courfcs are vile, but yet I hope there is mercie""
and fan&irkation, and redemption in the Lord
Jefus Chrift : aye>it is true,there isenough_, there
is rich mercie,ehat is more, and there is plentiful!
redemption, I tell you that too 5 but this is thy
mifcrie, thou poore creutury, thou baft no part
nor (hare therein , when a man that is hungrie
(hall Tee all dainties prepared, when a man that is
almoft ftarved, (hall fee abundance of provifion,
wardrobs of clothes to cover him, and abundance
©fmeattorefrefhhim, and yet oneftarves, and
the other fcmilheth 5 this is the greateft m iferie of
all,to fee meat and not to eat it, to fee clothes and
not to put them on ; now the Lord open your
eyes, and prevatle with your hearts, rhere are ma-
ny unbeleevers, there are a world ofunbeleevers
but now take notice ofit, this will be thy miferie'
beeaufe thou (halt fee whole treafures of mercie
counted out before,mercie for Manajfes ,and mer-
cie for Paul, and mercie for the bloudy jayiour,
and mercie for fuch a rebellious finner,that hum-
bled himfelfe before God,and no mercie for thee
there isplentifull, rich, abundant redemption in
the Lord Jefus thrift, but thou (halt never par-
take thereof 5 when thou (fa It fee AbrabAtn^n&
ifaak , and Ukob y and a companie of poore crea-
tures goe into heaven at the day of the refurre-
&ion, when thou (halt fee a companie of poore
creatures goe up to Chrift, and receive mercie,
and great redemption, and thou (halt goe with-
out, this will bee gall and wornvwood to thy
foule, and ftrike thy foule into everlafting de-
M 2 (paire,
84 The Sottles benefit from unisn with Chrid.
fpaire, therefore the Lord open thine eyes, that
thou maift come in, and receive mercieat his Ma-
jefties hand : now you have your (hare, now (rand
by, and let «s fet the bread before the children,
that they may take their part a!fo,and be cheared
and comforted : then }on that*are beleevers in
the Lord,you that are called atteed to your (hare,
andfitdowneandeat, and bee refrefhed, O my
well-beloyedjreceive what comes, and be happie
in receiving it,
%<Vft. Ths fecond ufe therefore is a ground of com-
fort, and tbat is the proper inference and colle-
ction from the former do&rinc^is it fb, that the
Lordjefus Chrift conveyeth all grace to all be*.
leevers,to all his poorc Servants from day to day >
then y®u that have a (hare therein, and have me-
tered: toall the riches of Gods goodneffe,let this
be a cordiall to cheare your drooping hearts, and
ftay yoar fbules, notwithstanding temptation^
notwithftanding perfecution , notvrithftanding
opposition, notwithftanding any thing that may
befall you for the prefent, or any thing you may
kare for the future time^cheare up your drooping
fpirits inthe confideration hereof 5 and be for ever
comtartedjfor ever conterited,ifor ever refrefbedj
you have a faire portion, what would you have?
what caa you defire? what would quiet you ? what
will content you ? would the vvifedome of a
Cbrift fatisfie yeu ? would the fan&ificatlon of a
Chrift pleafe you ? would the redemption of a
Ghrift cheare you>you complain e your hearts are
feardj and your finnes great, and your felves mife
rable*
The Settles benefit frem union with Chrift. 8 5
iable,and many are the troubles thatliefapon you:
will the redemption of a Chrift now fa,tisfie y©u >
if this will doe it, it is all yours 5 his wifedome is
yours, his righteoufoeffe is yoars, his fan&ificati-
on is yours, his redemption is yours, all that
he hath is yours, and I thinke this is fufficient, if
you know when you are well : therefore goe
away cheared, goe away comforted, Ghrift is
yours, therefore be folly contented. I would not
have the Children of God drooping anddi(maid,
becaufe haply of the policy of the world, their
parts are great, and they reach deepe, and in the
mesne time your parts are (mail, and your igno-
rancegreat, and your memories feeble : 1 Vet, 1 1_.
Be not thou troubled, fa not thox d\fcontented,becaufe
of that which they have ifau mntejl : for know, thy
portion is better than theirs 5 the wifedome of
Ghrift j is better than all the policy of the world •
the fancYifleation of a Chrift, is better than all
the reformation, and all the trickes of all cunning
Hypocrites under Heaven -, the redemption of a
Chrift, is better than all the hope and fafetie the
world can afford : this is thy part and portion,
therefore be thou fatisfied therewith: the wifdome^
faith lames, that is malicious and envious, and the
like, it is earthly, carnaS, fenfaaB, and deviBfb $but
the wifedome that is from above, it isfirft pure, then
meeke, then abundant in gsodrrorkes: one drop of
this wifdome of a Chrift, is better than all the
wifdome in the world : art thou a poore creature,
and knoweft Chrift to bee thy Saviour , and haft
an intimation of the love of God to be thy Fa-
M 3 thcr?
8 rf The Soults bene ft from union with Chrift.
ther, and the Spirit thy Comforter > thy know-
ledge is more worth, than all the knowledge of
all the great Cardinals, and mightie Popes, and
learned Clearks, upon the face of the earthy a
dram of gold is Letter than a cart-load of earth,
it is H'tle, but it is precious $ fo it is here, a
dram of ip 'ri.uall wifdome,it is golden wifdome,
it is heavenly wifdome, it is able to make thee
wife unto falvarion ^ a dram of that wifdome,
though it be little, is worth a thouland cart-loads
of that dung-hill, carnall wifdome, that all the
machivilian Politicians in the* world can have or
improve- therefore quiet thy felfe, and content
thy foule, that it is fufficient, that what thou wan-
teft,Chrift will fupply untothee,doft thou want
wifdome ? Chrift will be thy wifclome ; doft thoa
want memory ? Chrift will be thy remembrance^
haft thou a dead heart? Chrift will inlarge thee 5
whatever is awantingon thy part,there is nothing
awantingonChrifts part,buthewill d© whatfo-
ever is fitting for thee$ therefore let nothing hin-
der thee from that comfort that may beare up thy
heart in the greateft triail, but I know what trou-
bles you : the poore foule will fay, h Chrift wi£
dome to me ? that is a like matter,did I but thinke
that, were my judgement convinced, and my
heart perfwadtd of that, I were fatisfied 5 What
I ? what fuch abafe creature as I am > let nor that
bafeneile that hangs upon thee, nor the meanes
of thy condition that troubles thee, discourage
thy heart, for that cannot withdraw Gods favour
from thee, nor abridge thee of that favour and
raercie,
The Souks benefit from unten with Chrift. 8 7
mercie, that is tendered unco thee in the Lord
Jefas Chrift, all the bafeneffe of the place where*
in thou art, and the m*anes of thy condition can-
not hinder thee of tins favour . looke upon the
text, to whom is this promile made ? to whom
doth the Apoftle fpeake ? He is made tous- y to us
bafe ones, to us foolifh ones 5 thou art ignorant
and fooIifli,bee it fo 5 thou art bafe and weake,
grant that • defpifed in the world and made no-
thing ofjconfeffe that,and all : nay, thou art not
inxhine owne account, nor in the account of the
wwld,there is no regard had of thce,no value put
upon thee in thiftiature ; why > marke what the
tlxt fmh,Ged hath chofen thefoolijh things jhe urease
things, the bafe things 3 thedejpifed things , nay, the
things that are not j to whom is Chrift made wif-
dome? to youfcoles^ to whom is Chrift made
ftrength? to you weak ones, to whom is Chrift
made honour > to you bafe ; to whom is Chrift
made fonfrification and redemption } to you that
are not in the world : thou haft nothing, thou
^ caaft doe nothing , it skils not, God the Father
hath appointed it unto thee, and Chrift hath
hropght it • therefore be cheated herein, though
• thoii beeft a foole,Chrift isjable to informe thee 5
though thou beeft bafe, and weak, and miferable,
\ Chrift is able to fuccour and reieeve thee, and
(anftifietha«f>ule of thine, therefore bee fully
contented, and fully ferJed with ftrongconfola-
tion for ever : but you will conft.fle, it is not my
bafeneiTe that hinders mee, bur my corruptions
that oppofe the worke of ^racs in my fonle, and
that
g g The Swlet bemfitfrom union mth C hrift.
"that will be ray banc,Iknow that God is able to
doe what is needfull, and Chrift is willing t© doc
whatheisable,tothofethatbeleevein him, and
reft upon him, but this proud heart oppefeth the
workeof his grace, and the operation of his Spi*
rit, myraindeis foblindc, that nothing in the
world takes place, ray heart isftill polluted, and
my diftempers ftill hang upon mee, nay, fome-
times my foule is wearie of the good word of the
Lord, that would pluck them from me,infomwch
that I could almoit bee content to pluck out «y
heartland will the Lord (he w mjrcie to mee, tlat
oppofe mercie > and will the t*T d make mee pa-
taker of his redemption, that refills the worke <*
his redemption? I anfwer, God hath appointed
Chrift for this purpofe, and Chrift hath under-\
tooke this worke 5 therefore if God hath appoin-
ted it and Chrift will worke it, who can hinder
it? thy ignorance cannot hinder the Lord Jefus
Chrift ; if hee will teach thee, hee will isilighten
thy bltnde minde, and convince that ftobborne *
heart ofehine $ nay,all the corruptions under hea- ^
ven cannot oppofe #i* worke of God* heefcath
apposed it,and heejjkth power to pull dowhea %
flout ftomack, and tie hath power to fanftiffc*
polluted heart} corruptions are many, and te*ri>, :
tations fiercest if he will redeeme,whocan de- f
ftroy ? if he fancVifie, who can pollute? if he >u-
(title, who cancondemne? thisisthewerkeofa
Saviour,if Chrift will doe it,none can hinder it 5
ifGod hath appointed it, nothing can let it 5 but
it is thaworke of a Chrift, and God hath appoint
ted
The Souks benefit from union with Chrift. 8^
ted it 3 therefore cheare up thy heart in the confa-
deration hereof : you that are the Saints of God,
caft offall thole cavils and pretences againft the
power of Chrift and his grace,and goeout of your
ielves 5 and fee the privileges that God vouchsafes
unto you, and rea(bn thus with your felves; It 19
true,Lord, my heart is naught, and I have no
power, my mindeis blinde, and I havenowif
dome, but lkr.ow that Chrift is made wifdome
to mee, and then haft appointed the Lord Jefus
Chrift to be made wifdome and fan&ification to
the foule of thy fervant : though fm pollute me,
yet Chrift can fan aifie mee j though the guilt be
great, yet the pardon of a Chrift is greater than
tneguilt,and where finne abounds, grace abounds
jmnch more : therefore lift up your felves, and
cheare up your hearts} and goe away comforca-
' ly 3 what is awanting God will give, what hee
,Jyes he will maintaine,what hee maintaines hee
wjl&uickcn, what hee quickens hee will perfect
ana he will crowne you 3 sfnd your grace,and all } in
the kingdorne of heaven for ever $ what would
you have in this kinde? nay, let mee fpeak one
thing more, Hee is the redeemer of his Servants,
What is that ? why, theScripture faith, the laft
enemy of all is death, and thatis the airue*of all
the*vicked, that is thewojftfney can doe'., now
Vint Matthew Chrift faith,, Thou art pier, and
L this rock will I build my church, and the gat et
tfhaUnot prevaile against- the gatesV hell,
tsthat> it was the fafhion among the Jewes,
as our feffions and aflifes are, kept in the market
N place,
i
g o the Souks bene fit fnm unhn with Chrift.
place, fo their place of meeting was at the gates,
fo that when he faith, the gates ofhettfloatlnotpre- •
vails agafaBit 5 his meaning is this,when Beelze-
bub, and all the Devils in hell (hall joyne toge-
ther to deftroy the Church, all the policie of all
the Devils in hell mall not prevaile, the worft
they can doe, is to bring them unto death, but
Chrift will beeredemption unto them 5 art th©u
in captivity ? he will free thee ; art thou in per-
fection? he will deliver thee $ nay, when thy bo-
dy (hall lye downe in the grave (though the Hea-
then faid, when they had burnt the bodies of
Gods Saints, and thrownethem into the water,
Let us now fee how they will rife againe ; they
were deceived) thou muft be contented, for
Chrift will redeem that du£, and fay to the earth \
Give up,and to the fea, G!ve up thy dead, deliver
up the bodies of my (ervants, let their finews
and bones eosne together, and body and foulc;
(hall come together, and enjoy faappinefleinhea^
ven together for evermore : if then neither the
guilt of finne can condemne us, nor the filth of
finne pollute us,ifneither mifery nor perfecution
can hurt us,thcn goeaway, not only comfortably,
but triumphantly into perfecution and prifon, in-
to holes and caves, and dens of the earth ; Chrift
will bee all in all imto you in grace here, an|l in
glorie hereafter,therefore let this comfort yon.
3. Vfe* In the third place, it is the ufe the holy Gfeoft
here makes, Is it fo that there is a conveyance pf
all grace from Chrift to the beleever> hee efoih
what he doth by him^and hath what he hath from
>
The Souks benefit from umon mth Chrift. $ I
him } then k is a word of inftru&ion to teach us •
all to lye downe in the duft } let no man gbrie in
man, bu: let him that glories glorie in the Lord,
this is the maine collection the Apoftle inferres,
God b.itb chofen the fiolifb and baft things of the
world^ that no man might glorie in fltjh ^ as who
fhould fay, it is not my parrs, but Chrift 3 it is
not my abiltties^bat mercfe; it is not what I can
doe, but what Chrift will performe : therefore if
Chrift then bee Author of all wee have or can
doe 5 let him receive all the honour and praiie of
all we have or doe ; doth the Lord worke all our
workes in us and for us ? then let him receive the
tribute due to his Name, and take nothing to
,your felves : away with that proud heart that bars
God of his honor and praife, and of the due which
indeed belongs unto hirn.and ought to. be perfor-
med by all his fervants: doft thou thinke the Lord
I will beftow all his favour upon thee, and worke
/ all for thee, and thou inthemeane time pranke
up thy felfe„ and lift up thy creft? no, I charge
you, you Saints of God, as to know your owne
privileges to be thankfull for them, fo to know
your owne unworthinefje^and to lie downe in the
duft, and be aba fed for ever, and to give God the
honour due unto his Name : Revel. 4.8. The foure
and twentie Elders fell downe, and laid downe
their crownes at the Lambes feet, and (aid, T 0*
onely art worthy to receive all } honour b and glory, and
praife 5 If wee bad a thoufand crownes 3 never
fo much honour, and riches., and credited abili-
ties, fling away ail at the foot of Chriflr, let him
N a have
9 2 Tht bottles benefit fnm unUn with Chrift.
have ail the praife, thoaart worthy Lord, we are
unworthy thy ainftance, wee have received thy
comfort thou haft continued, and thou art wor-
thy of all the honour,in that thou haft bcene pies-
fed to workeany worke in us, and by us, tothe
praife .of thy Name. The Apoftle was marvel-
lous tender to meddle with any thing belonging
to the Lord 5 as lofeph faid to his miftreffe in ano-
ther 'cafe, when {hee tempted him to folly 5 My
mafter hath given me all he hath in his houfe, fave thee
his wife J how then jhali I commit this vfickednejfe £
This was that which wrought oponthe heart of
Iofefh, and prevailed with the fpirit of lofeph % be-
ing his matter was marvellous kinde ; &U that hee
hadin his hettfe was h& 3 fave onely his wife 3 and that*
was requifita and reaionable : fo it is with the
foule of a Chriftiaia, all is yours 5 you fhall have
wifedome, andrighteoufneflc,and fancTification, .>
and redemptions but let God have the glory ofit,
that onely he referves for himfelfe : My glory 1 will \
not give to another ^ my grace and mercy I will give
to another, but my glory Iwitt not give to another $
why j give it him then, and fay. Not unto m Lor d^
not unto w, but to thy "Name be the praife : When
your hearts begin to thinke of fome credit, and
aime at fome bafe ends, ( as it was with Herod
when the people cried out, The voyce cfGod 3 and
not of man , hee tooke it to himfelfe, whereas he
mould have rebounded it to God ) hath God
vouchfafed mercifully, and gracioufly tohumfele
your (bales, and make you feekehim > hath hee
given you any abilitie of prayer and -conference ?
remember
The S9tiles benefit from union with Chrift. f 3
remember when your foules begin to rake any
honour and credit to themfelves, away with ?r 3
doe not rake ic $ NM to m Lord, not to m, but to thy
mm be the glory: thou workeftail, thouprefcr-
veft all, thou art the Author of all, therefore thou
(halt have the p&ifc of all 5 b:?at ii backe againe, ■
and rebound it to the Lord, from whence all help
and afliftince came ; therefore Saint Paul wa3
marvellous (hie and tender in this kinde, Hath
the Lord gwen met all but his glorie <? nay, I have
Chrift,andgrace,and heaven, and happineffe, all
but his glorie $ will nothingbut that concent me >
whathanghtie high nrinded Devils are wee ? will
nothing ierve us but the croyvne on Gods owne
head ? if you can fecke God, and have abilitie to.
performe dutie, yourauft juftle God out of his
throne,and (et his cro«'ne upon your head 5 what
monftrous pride is this ? deale wifely therefore as
lofeph did, and as Saint Ptul did , Gal. 6. 14. mw
God forbid, whats that? tht lfb<mld glorie many
thitsgifw: in tbecroffe of 'Chrift ^hereby the world is
crucified unto me^and I to the world j let not the wife
man glory in his wifedome,iet not the (hong man
glory in his ftrength, let not the Minifter glory
in his preaching nor the people in their hearing,
God forbid wee lliould glory in any thing but in
Chrift ; as who mould fay, the Lord keep us from
it, and prefcrve us from it, Chrift onely referves
theCrowne tohimielfe, bee will doe anything
for us, worke any thing in us, and by us, and this
is all the glory a Chriftian hath, that Ghrift
will cue him, and doe any fervice by him* 3 all
N 3 the
9\
the SQule'i \ benefit from union with Chrift.
the glory of the Lanchome, is the candle : fo lee
us glory in nothing bac Chrift, and walke fo hum-
bly, that a man may fee nothing but Chrift $ let
your a&ions manifeft it, and let your ipeeches
declare it, and hold out Chrift and mercy . grace
hath done this, and mercy hath done this ^ that
men may fee not us, but Chrift in ui, and glonfie
him for that which is donebyus: Ic was a mar-
vellous fweet difpofition of fpirit, which the ho-
ly man D void had, when the Lord had inlarged
him, and the people to give liberally toward the
Temple, 1 Cbron. 29. 14. it is a fine pafTage, he
lifts up God, and liethdownehimfelfe. as when
a man lifts another over a wall,hee that is lifted
up is feene, but hee that lifts him doth not ap*
peare : So David lies downe upon his honours,
andkingdomes, and parts, and abilities, he ap-
peared not, botthe Lord appeared: markewhat
the Text faith, rhUe is honour, and power, and
praife for ever : when the Lord inlarged his
heart, and the hearts of his people,to come free-
ly, and give liberally, he gives God the praife s
But nho am /, Urla^d what is this people, that F&i*
fbwldfi give us hems n ofer ft freely 9 as who
fhouldfay, thou art a bleffedGoi, asd Iapoore
worme 5 thou art a glorious God, and wee are
bafe creatures; all is chine, and all is from thee 5
as who mould fay, the gift is thine, and the acti-
on thine, the ability thine, and the worke thine,
and what are we that thcu (houldft worke by us,
and honour thy felfe in us, and give us hearts to
doe thee fervice ?
Ttie
tbt Soules benefit from union with Chrift. 9 5
The heart is thine, and the worke is thine , and
all is thine ^ when therefore thy heart findes any
(uccour from God, any affiftance in the perfor-
mance of duty, if it begins tohftupitielfe and
foy, aye this is fome what, then checke thy foule
with that of the Apoftle,ipta* haft thou^whuh thou
haft not received? what, bragge of a borrowed fuit ?
who did this? let him that did it receive all the
praife 5 doft thou doe any thing ? Chrift in-
ables thee $ doll: thou increafe in any holy fer-
vice } Chrift inlargeth thee : thou haft all from
free mercy, thou haft nothing, but that thou haft
received : therefore I conclude with that of the
Prophet Zacharie 4 8 5 9.fpeaking there of the buil-
ding of the Temple j the Text faith, the fame hand
of Zorobabel that laid the fir ft ftone, fhdUay the laft
ftone: hee laid the firft (tone and began ir, and
hee laid the laft ftone and perfected it, and all the
people cried grace 5 not Zorobabel, but grace :
fo k ought to bee with us, as it was in the mate-
riall Temple,- fo ire the Spiritual! Temple, as
In the outward : (bin the inward building of the
foule, from the beginning of humiliation, to the
end of falvation 5 from the beginning of con-
verfion, to the end of glorification ; from the
loweft ftone of the one, to the topftoneof the
other: the fame hand that iayeththe firft ftone,
layeththe laft ftone, it is all from Chrift- there-
fore when Chrift gives what is wanting, and
maintaines what hee gives, and quickens what
hee maintaines, and perfects what hee quickens,
lee
g 5 The SQuies benefit from union with Chrift.
lee all fa v, Not I, not man, not raeanes,but Chrift
hath done all this; hee that is the Author of all,
let him have the praife of all : in Chrift, from
Chrift, thfough Chrift, and by Chrift, is the
phrafeof the Apoftle : Romans u. 30. to him
bee praife for evermortiffcn Chrift, hee is thefoun-
taine^from Chrift, heeds' the Author ^through
Chrift, hee is the meanes, and by Chrift, hee is
fhe affifter ^ it is all from Chrift : therefore let
us give all tohim, that wee may bee no more in
ouf felves, but that hee may beeaHinallin
us ? and doe all by us,that he may.doe all
in all unto us, when wee (hall
bee no more.
Cor.
tm soules benefit from union with Chrift.
97
I Co R. J. }c*
/Ffo of^odismadeuntomT^ife^
dome, and right eonfnejje, and
fanBification, and redemption.
Here is a conveyance of all fpiri- _, a •
mall graces from God.pnro all be- DMnne '
ieevers ; for the explication of the
point, wee difcovered the tenure of
this conveyance, and that appeared
in fix particakfc.
The gift is this, there is a fumefleof ail grace
in Chrift, whereby htre is able to fopply whatso-
ever is needful! to all thofe that belong unto him*
it is not with Chrift as it was with Ifaac^ when he
had bJcfled lactb, Efau-c&me andfaid,'%? thou
but one ble^myfatkr, bletfemec, even wee alfo
my father: no, there is enough in Chrift for all
beleevers : that mercy which pardoned Manaffes,
ftubborne Uanaffes, idolatrous Manafes, that mer-
cy is ftill with Chrift 5 thit mercy that broke the
heart of the bloody jailor, that ftood it out to the
laCt t, the earth (hooke,and the bouJts brake in fon-
der, and the prifon doores flew open, and yet the
O heart
9 8 the Souks bene fie from union rsitb Chrift.
heart of the bloody Jay lour ftood (till, was not
moved one jot $ at laft the Lord made him trem-
ble too, and his heart fhooke as well as the earth
fhooke $ why the fa me mercy isftill in Chrift to
pardon thy fi nnes, as well as Mwajftj finnes, the
fame Spirit can bumble thy foule, as well as it
didbreake the heart ofthecruelijaylour.
Seconoly, as there is afulnerTeof all grace and
mercy in C h-ift to fulfill all the wants of hispoore
Saiuts, fo Chrift doth iupply unto them whitfo-
ever he ieeth may be moft fit and convenient for
them, whatfoever is moft proportionable for a
poore foule, and for the place which God hath
called him* for the condition in which he hath
fet him to carry him through the difcharge there-
of, mail bee beftowed upon him: lookeasic is
in the body of a man, every member hath fo much
Ipirits and blood in it, as is fit and necvifary for it,
but the finger hath not fo much as the arme, nor
the arme fo much as the leg - y juft fo iris here in
the body of Chrift ; fome Chriftians are legs,
fomeare hands, fbme againe are but fingers, in
the Body of Chrift : the Minifters of God, and the
Magiftrates they have need of a great deale of
grace, abundance of mercy, abundance of fuffi-
ciencie to helpe them in the difcharge of their
great and weighty duty, but every one (hall have
what is fit for him.
i Thirdly, as Chrift hath grace enough for all,
beftowes enough upon all, fo heemaintainesthe
grace wh»ch he doth beftow, hee doth no: onely
give what we want., but maintains what he gives.
Fourthly, ,
The Soules benefit from union with Chrift. 9 9
Fourthly, he quick seth what he maintaines. 4
Fifthly, he perfects what he quickneth. 5
Laftly, he crownes the grace that he hath per- 6
fe&ed, he doth the wcrke in us, and thenrewards
us for the worke.
The firrl ufe is an ufe of mourning and iamen- vfc 1
tation, it may pierce the hearts and finke the
foules of all unbeleeving creatures under Heaven 5
Chrift is wifcdome, but not to thee ; Chrift is ju-
ftification, but not to thee 5 Ch?ift is fan&ificati-
on and redemption alfo, but not to thee 5 thy
horrour of heart, and thy guilt of finne and pol-
lution of conference, remaine ftlll upon thy
foufe to this very day 5 therefore no comfort to
thee.
Secondly, it is a ground of comfort and con- 2
folation to all the Saints of God, though you are
weake and feeble, and have no wifedome to direct
you, no memory, no parts, no fufficiency, why
Chrift is made wifedome to you (boles, Chrift is
made righteoufhefie to you unrighteous : you
know your calling $ not many wtfe, not many nobfe,
but God hath chofen thefeotifh things of the world to
confound the wife thereof.
The third ufe is a ground of humiliation of 3
Spirit: Let him thit glirmb, glory in the Lard-
/laboured, faith Saint Paul, not I, it was through
the might oflefm Chrifltfat (lengthened me fhrowb
the pace of Chrifi that enabled me to it.
The laft ufe is an ufe of exhortation or dire&i- 4
on, namely we hence fee whither the Saints of
God mould goe to fetch fuccour and fupply of
O % what
leo The routes benefit from union nnb Chrift.
what ever grace they want, and perttfrionancHn*
creafe of what they have already, Chnft is made
allinaiko his fervants- why then away to the
Lord Jefus, if you will have any thing ; hee cals
and invites, ReveLtisn 3. / counted thee to bay of
tnte eye fidve 9 if thou bee an accurfed man, buy of
Chrift judification ; if thou bee a polluted crea-
ture, buy of Chrift fanetificarion : / counfe/Jtheeto
buy of me eyefalve : there it is onely to bee had in
that (hop, therefore goe thither for it. It was the
relbitidon of the Prophet Dwid, Pfalme^i, with
thee is tbs weit-fpring ifiifc and in thy light jlj a 11 wee
onely fie Ugh : it is not here to bee had in your
hearts, nor in your heads, nor in your performan-
ces, nor *n the means themfelyes, but with thee
is the Well of life : yea, 'tis there, *tis not
here in our (elves, *tis onely in a Chrift ro bee
found, onely from a Chrift to bee fetched and re-
ceived j improve all meanes, wee mould doe fo ^
ufe all helps, we ought to doe fo ;but(eeke to a
Chrift in the ufe of all, with him is the Well of
life 5 but you will fay, if Chrift bee made unto us
wifedorne, and lighteoufnelTe, and fancVificat!-
on, and redemption, why have not the Saints of
God that grace they ftand in need of, and thole
mlargemears, in prayer, and holy fervices,
which tl ey crave and deftre ? they feeke and have
not, they pray andobtaine not ; why ihe truth is,
wee doe not goe to Chrift for it, weefiekefer tlx
living among the dead, wee never came where it
grew, where it was made,your hand is in a wrong
box, you are come ro a wrong place, grace was
never
The Ssuks benefit from ttnisn with Chrift. I o I
never tmde here. If a man mould come out of
France, to buy fillets or velvets h rein England,
every ma would tel him you are come to a wrong
place for thefe commodities, they are not made
here • if you would have broadcloth, andfaies,
here you may have 5 but as for filkes and velvets,
they are not made here : (b you would have grace
out of the means of grace, why grace never grew
there. The Sacrament faith, grace is not in mee 5
Prayer faith, grace is not in me 5 hearing faith,
grace is not in me : we indeed convey grace,buc it
is not originally in us -, Chrift is the fountaine of
grace, Chrift is made unto us righteoufnefie,
Chrift is made unto us fanclification and rederop*
tion, tnefe tell you wee have heard of the notice
/ace, we have heard fuch a rumour, fuch a re.
pore, chat there iswifedome, and there is grace,
and there is mercy,and (andification,and redemp-
tion » but the truth of it is, it is not in us, it is in
Chrift onely to be had , hee is indeed made unco
you righteoumefle, and fandtificacion^ goe then
to him for it, and there you may receive it, this
is the reafon why that after the ufe of all meanes,
after the improvement of all helps and opportun-
ities, our mindes are ftiil blinde, our hearts ftiil
ftupid, and the means prevaile not with us,worke
not upon usforourgood^wecometo the Word,
and rerurne as bad as ever, proud before, and
jproud ftiil • covetous before, and we are as cove-
tous ftiil, polluted and dead hearted before, wee
remaine fo ftiil, and continue fo ftiil : why alas,
grace originally was never made here, away to
O3 Chrift,,
. .r
I oi The Soultt benefit from unitn vpitb Chrift,
Chrift, hee is the (hop from whence all grace is
to bee had, wifedome, and righteoulntiTe, and
all is in him, there you muft have it : but you will
fay, will Chrift be made wifedometo me that am
fo ignorant, to me that am fobafe? will Chrift bee
made fanftification to mee that am (b vile and fo
filthy > to mee that am fo defiled and polluted ?
why, let this incourage you, hee is wifedome to
(uch as are polluted, hee hath chofen the bate
thirf|s of the world, and the things that are not 5
bee came not to caU the righteous ^but finners to repen-
tana.) hee came not to call the wife, butthefoo-
lifti to inlighten them ; all that thou haft to doe,
is to take it, wifedome is made for thee, and
fancVification is made for thee, and redemption
is made for thee ; if thou wilt but receive it, it
is thine owne, it was made and fit of purpofe for
thee : Looke as it is with a father, hee fends his
-childe to the taylors (hop, tels him the cloth is
bought, the money paid, the fait made for him,
onely bids him goe fetch it , and put it on : this
is our folly, and it is cur mifery alfo, wee either
thinke to purchafe or to come grace out of our
owne abilities $ I tell you no, you rauft goe to
the (hop, it is bought and made already, onely
put on wifedome, and put on fan&ificatian,and
it is yours.
Ah, but you will fay, what is the reafon if
Chrift have fo much grace, ihat his fervants have
fo little, if this bee (o, why is it thus ? As (hee
fpake in another cafe, If the Lord be made wife-
dome to the fculesof his fervants, if the Lord
Ielus
The Soulej benefit from union with Chrift. 20?
Iefus bee made lan&ification to the foule of a
p >ore (inner $ why are wee then fuch fooles nor-
wituftanding all the wifedome of Chrift: why
are wee fuc;i polluted wretches after all the
meanes of fancrification voucbfafed to us : If
Chrift bee fa rich, then what is the reaibn we goe
fo tattered, and are fuch beggeriy bancrouts in
our Ohriftian courie 3 fuch beggeriy prayers ,
fuch beggeriy duties , fuch beggeriy perfor-
mances.
I anfwer, it is not becaufe Chrift will nor
vouchfafe abundance of grace to us, hee offers it
freely : ob, every man that witf, let him come and
take freely of the water of the Well ef Ufa not a
fpoonefull, but a whole backet foil, and that
freely too, nay God hath bound himfelfe by an im-
mutable oath, Hek 6. that we might haveftrong confi-
lation j nay the Lord commands, injoynes his fer-
vants, to abound yet more in wifedome ■• yet m§re
and more in patience^ yet more and more in holy*
neffe.
Secondly, againe I Qy, the fault is not in
Chrift, where is the faurrrhen ?
Ianfwer, it is ia rhine,owaefeh%-wi!d pride,,
and fturdinefTe of heart, and haughtinefTe of fpi-
rk 5 you thinke you are never weli s but when you
are complaining of your finnes, and quarrelling
with your owne foules, your mindes are blinde,
and your hearts are hard 5 and dead,and untoward,
and therefore you fling away the ptomvfe, and
caft Gods kindnefle into his face againe. I tell
youicishoniblepriJe,becaufe w*e cannot have
what;
I o 4 the Scutes bene fie from unUn with Chrift .
what wee would in our owne power, wee will
notgoe to Chrift for a fupply of what wee want *
you complaine you want fuch grace, and you are
peftered with (uch corruptions, why thankeyour
proud venomous heart for it $ ifyouhaveit nor,
if you want it ftill, the fault is your cwne, you
will not repaire thither,whereunto you may have
fuccour and receive fupply upon all occafions ;
Chrift would give it, but you will not beftow
the fetching of it 5 no matter therefore if you ne-
ver obtaine it.
But you will-fay what courfe (hall we take, what
means (hall weufe to get thefe things at Chrifts
hands ?
Firft, eye the promife dayly,andkeepe it with-
in view, within the ken of the foule ( as we ufe to
call it ) be fare the promife of grace never goe out
of fight of the foule. Looke as it is with a childe
that travels to a Faire with his father, or goeth in-
to a crowd, his eye is alwayes upon his father : he
bids him doe not gaze about and lofemee, the
childe is cirefuil tokeepehis father within fight
2nd view, and then if heebee weakeand weary,
his father can take him by the hand,and lead him,
or rake him into his armes and carry him 5 or if
there beany thing hee w^nts, or would have, his
father can buy it for him, beftow it upon him ;
but if the childe bee carekffe and gazech about
this thing and that thing, and never lookes after
his father $ hee is gone one way, and his father
another he cannot tel! where to finde him: whofe
fault is k now ? it is not because his father would.
not
*•«— ^^" ■■■■■■ - ■■ ■■ ■— ^-^_ . I
The Settles benefit from union with C hrift. 105
notbe withinhis fight, or becaufehee could not
keepe within the view of him, but becaufe hee
out of carelefnefle loft the fight of his father :
therefore bee fure alwayes to eye the promife;
you know, as long as the game is within fight, the
hounds run amamej fbl would have the foule
make a prey of the promife : for fothephrafe is
in the originall, that wee (houid feeke the Lord,
and hunt after (Thrift, and feeke the game it (elfe,
the promife it felfc, from day to day. It is the
advice of the Prophet Bfay 50. Lake up unto me,
aUyee ends oft he earth t boke up to mee, and jour fins
flo all bt pardoned \ looke up to mee, and your foules
fhdffbe favedi> looke up tome^ andyoufbillbeefan-
Bifyed: It is not enough for a man to have a con-
duit full of water, and to have the ftreames run
abundantly, continually, but he muft put his vef-
fell under the fpout, and then he (hall bee fure to
receive abundance of water : fo it is with the pro-
mife,itis not enough to (a^Cbiiftiswiiedome,
and Chrift is righteoufheflc, but it is not thus
with my foule: why, put thyvefTell under the
fpout then, and looke up unto Chrift in the pro-
mile. This is that the Prophet David refolvesof,
/ will lift up mine eyes to t\x mOumaines : from whence
commtth my helpe : what is meant by mountains
there ? you know the Temple upon the mount of
Moriah mow in die Temple in Gods ordinance is
Gods pretence rtherefore faith theProphetD4t/*W,
/ mil lift up mine eyes to thofe mountains of mercie 7
tho(e everlajlingmercies ; J will looke up to God in hit
Ordinances ^ from whence commeth all mybelp,*$ who
P (could
4
loS The Soules benefit from union with Chrift.
mould fay grace comes not from a mans parts,
grace comes not from a mans abilities, but Icoke
up to God from whence it comes, looke to thofe
moanraines of mercy that will fuccour you, look
up ro a Lord Jefus that will iupply all your wants,
that will furnifhyoa with all grace, looke onely
to him for all, for he onely is the Author and gi-
ver of all . looke as I have obierved it, there is
a foolim conceit that hath beene bred by fome
curious nice brains, that they have perfwaded
themfelves they can make the Philofophers
ftone, the nature of which is to turne all metall
into gold, which is utterly impofiible • for the
Mines of gold are in the earth, and Godcontinu-
eth them by an ordinary courfe of his provi-
dence^but all the men upon earth can never make
gold by any Art or means in the world. To turne
the nature of one metall into the nature of ano-
ther, it is a kinde of creation, therefore beyond
the reach of any man to dee it 5 they may trie
and trie, and fpend their heart blood and all, but
it is all but loft labour : So it is with our foolifh
blinde deluded hearts, and diftra&edfpirits ^we
thinke to make gold, and to coine grace out of
ourowne powers, andparts, and abilities, I tell
you, you can never doe it while the world
ftands 5 no, no, you doe but lofe your labour :
goe to the Mine of gold, the Mine of grace,
goe to the God of all mercy, away to the
Lord Jefus Chrift, I fay, he is made unto us wife-
«lome, andheewillinformeus^ hee is made un-
to us righteoufnefiTe, and hee will acquit us ;
he
The Soutej benefit f rem amen with Chrifh 107
liee is made unto us grace : goe to him there-
fore, and hee will communicate all grace unto
our fouies. Looke as I&cob faidto his Tonnes*
when the famine was fore in the Land of Ca-
naan, hee fent his fonnes into Egypt to buy
corne, that they and their little ones might not
famifh ; and marke how hee calls upon them,
Why jhnd yets here gazing one upon another .<? I
doubt not but then they were laying their heads
together, and plotting and conferring, faying, the
famine is great, and the times dangerous, and wee
are miferable now ; but oh, what will become of
us afterwards, if thefe times laft? now the Lord
help us, now the Lord bee mercifull to us and
deliver us, what meanes fhali wee ufe ? what
courfe were wee beft to take ? In the mean time
Iacob calls upon them, trhyftand you here gazing
one upon another I array ^ get you dotme to Egypt pre-
fently, and buym food$ you will never get provision
to fuftaineus, by plotting and talking one with
another; you will never get any corne to fuftaine
you,by looking and gazing one upon another $ no,
no,downe to Egypt with ail fpeed, there corne is
to be had, that we and thfethat belong unto m may
live and rot die ^ fo it is with the fouies of Gods
children,the poore diftreifed heart partly through
{he Devils cunning and fubtiltie, partly alio
through our owne ignorance and folly, wee ftand
gazing at our corruptions, and we begin to thinke
and wonder what will become of us ; no means
prevajle, no mercies melt, no judgements hum-
ble, noreproofs awe us, the famifiegrowes ftrong,
P \ my , v
I o 8 The Soules benefit from union with Ghrift.
my corruptions fierce, and my cafe heavie, that I
know not almoft what courfe to take • why ftand
you thus gazing after this fafhion ? what, doe you
thinketoget grace upon thefe termes, by difcou-
ragements and difqmeting your felves,and vexing
yourovvne hearts thus ? No, no, away to Egypt,
to thepromife of life, to the Lord Iefus for help
and aihftanee, and then you (hall have mercy and
grace abundantly beftowed upon you, and that
freely with your money in the mouth of your
lacks againe, you fhall have grace that you need,
and fufficiently beftowed upon you : Looke as it
is with Eliah, when he was to depart from Elijba,
and bee taken up into Heaven, E.lifba craves one
thing of him, and that was this, i Kings 1.9 .That
the Spirit of Elias might he doubled upon Elifha^ now
marke how E/wfcanivvcred ; Thou haft asked a hard
things faith hee, never thelejj'e, if thou canft feemee
when I am taken from thee 9 it jhall bee granted n
thee %
Now fome Interpreters haveobferved,and that
very wifely, that it was not fo much the fight of
Elias, as the fight of God taking up of Elias that
fhould doe this 5 as if hee had faid, wouldft thou
have a double portion -of Gods Spirit vouchsa-
fed unto thee, becaufe many miferies" are like to-
come in upon thee » great and heavie troubles,
and fore persecution is approching 5 what courfe
then is to bee taken ? why, fee God taking up of
£/wj.that God that tooke up Elias, and that God
that wrought grace in the heart of Eli as, fee that ,'
God,and be within the \kw of that God, and thy
requeft
The Souks bene fit frevs anion with Chrift . i o $
requeft fhall be granted to thee 5 the colle&ionls "
faire i ib I lay here, if thou wouldft have a double
portion of grace, doe not goe to prayer onely,doe
not goe to hearing onely, doe not goe to the Sa-
craments onely and barely • but oh fee a Chrift,
and looke upon a promife, and then thou (halt
have a double portion of wifedome to informe
thee, a double portion of falsification to cleanfe
thee, a double portion of grace, and power, and,
ftrength, againft thy corruptions, from Chrift
conveyed and communicated to thy foule: and
this is the firft rule.
Thefecondruleisthis,asvvemufthaveaneye 2
dayly upon the promife, fo wee muft labour to
yeeld the foule to the power of that Spirit, and
to the vertue of that Grace which is in Chrift,
and would worke upon thee 5 doe not onelv eye a
Saviour, and behold grace in the promife, but
yeeld thy felfe and give way to the ftrokeofthe
promife, and to the power of the fpirit- that by
the power thereof, thou maift bee inabled to doe
what God requires. 2^.3.18. TheholyApo-
ftle, difputing there how men fhould bee tranf-
formed into the glorious Image of God ; or as the
word is, metamorphofed from one degree of°-Io-
nous grace unto another s more holy, and more
meeke, and more patient, and more heavenly
minded : Hee that was cold before, fhould novv
become more zealous ; he that was faint hearted
before,fhouldnovv become more couragious -how
is this d jne ? even as by the Spirit of the l rd faith
the Text, as if he had faid, it is not by your fpirits
P 3 that:
>>
■ Mr. 1 ™ *
l7o~ the Sanies benefit from union with Chrift.
that this miift or can be done, doe not thinke that
you can matter your owne corruption?, or that
you can pull downe the di (tempers of your owne
hearts, and get what grace you lift 5 no, no, it is
not your fpirits can doe this, it mult bee the
Spirit of Chrift, asby the Spirit of the Lord, fo
the Apoftle. The phrafe of the Prophet David
is fweetin this kinde, Teach me the way unto thee ;
thy Spirit is good s as who mould fay, O Lord,
my fpirit is a naughtie fpirit; my fpirit is a proud
fpirit; my fpirit is a prophane fpirit- myfpintis
a weake fpirit- my fpirit is an ignorant and a blind
fpirit- but ohjthy Spirit is a good Spirit,thy Spi-
rit is a blefled Spirit: by the vertue of that Spirit,
Lord, teach me the way to thee,and let it lead me
into the land of uprigtitneffe. We know,a child
that hath his hand to write, if he will not be ruled
byhimthattcacheth him, but will take the pen
into his owne hand and write after his owne fcau-
chino- falhion,he will never write well,nor make a
letter handfomly as he mould do-but let his hand
write by the mans hand, and that will guide him,
and that will teach him quickly to write well in a
fhort time : To, wouldft thou have thy heart fra-
med aright ? why then keep thy foule under the
hand of the Spirit, and thou malt bee guided by
the vertue of that Spirit of God, and moved and
inabledto accomplish the good pleafure of the
Lord,and receive whatever grace thcu ftandeft in
need V. I have obferved it fometimes upon, the
Sea • looke as it is with the mariner that is going
dowiie the ftieame, if the winde bee faire, will any
man
the S9uks bemfii from union with Chrift. 1 1 1
man pull downe his faile and let it up againe Y
why no, for he doth but trouble himfclfe, and tur-
moyle and wcarieth himfelfe, and troubleth the
boat too with keeping f'uch a pudder, and mifTeth
the gale of winde and all 5 therefore a wife mari-
ner, he will let up his faile, and hold out his fail,
that it may take the gale of winde fully, and fo
goe on fpeedily ^ all that he hath to doe is to keep
his fail fpred, and to catch the winde : your only
courfe is to fet up the faile, and attend the gale of
the Spirit to comfort you, attend the gale of the
Spirit to affift you • hold thy heart, and fprcad
to the Spirit, that it may catch the gale of grace,
that it may blow upon thy foule, and by the ver-
tue and power thereof thou fhalt bee tranfported
comfortably, and carried on cheerfully to walke
in that way which God chalks out before thee : as
for examples fake ; Imagine thy heart begins to
be peftered with vaine thoughts, or with a proud
haughtie fpirit,or fome bafe tufts andprivy haunts
of heart, how would you bee rid of thefe ? why
you muft not fet up and pull downe, and fet up
and pull downe, quarrell and contend, and bee
difcouraged: no, but eyethe promife, and hold
faftthc-rcuponandfay, Lord, thou haft promifed
all grace unto tfiy fervants • why therefore take
this heart, and take this minde, and take thefe af-
fections, and let thy Spirit frame them aright ac-
cording to thine owne good will 5 by that Spirit
ofwifedome, Lord infotne mee 5 by that Spirit
of fandification, Lord ckanfe mee from all my
corruptions^ by that Spirit ofgrace ? Lord quicken
and
— . . — _
112 The Sautes benefit from union with Ghrift.
and enable me to the diicharge of every holy ier-
vice, thus carry thy felfe and convey thy ibule by
the power of the Spirit of the Lord, and thou malt
finde thy heart ftrengthned and fuccoured by the
vcrtue thereof upon all occafions : Rom.8.26. the
Text CaithytbeLawofthe sprit of life hath freedmee
from thelaw offmneand death : the meaning isthis,
you muft know that finne is a tyrant • now a tyrant
when he wins a citie, hee fwears all to his lawes :
fo finnewillfwear thy foule to his lawes ; pride
faith, I will have thee proud • 1 will have thy heart
unchafte, faith uncleanneiTe ; I will have thee in-
temperate, faith drunkenneflfe: now by the Law of
the Spirit of life God will free us from the law of
fmne : the Spirit of Chrift in the promife, it takes
away the power of the law offline; the Law of
the Spirit of meeknelTe, takes away the law of the
fpirit of pride ; the Law of the Spirit of puritie ,
takes away the law of the fpirit ofuncleannefle;
the Law of the Spirit of holmeiTe, takes away
the law of the fpirit of prophanenefife ^ and fo in
all other di (tempers of this nature, this onely
fhewes us how to run over all. Gather up now,
and fo conclude this pafTage : Eye the promife
daily, yeeld thy foule to the Spirit of the Lord
in the promife, let that have his full fway, refift
not thofe good motions the holy Spirit puts in-
to thee, and that is the way tc have all grace, and
help and afliftance communicated unto thee :
and thus much may fuffice to havebeene fpoken
in the generall touching this conveianee of grace
into the heart : we come now to the fcanning of
[the particulars. This
The S9ulcs benefit from union with Ghrift. 113
This conveyance it is of two kindes, both in
the Text : Chnft conveyes his grace two waves .
partly by imputing, partly by imparting : they
are the termes of Divines, and I know not how
to expreffe my felfe better 5 but thus if you will,
partly by imputation,partly by communication :
This is that I would have you to take notice of
in the generall • they are both reall, but one is
habitually both thefc,both imputation and com-
munication exprefle a reall worke of God upon
the foule, but the laft onely leaves a frame and a
ipirituall abilitie and qualitie in the foule • the
conveyance by imputation doth not, it leaves a
thing morall eas we ufe to terme it .) Thefe two,
imputation, communication , are both in the
Text ^ Chnft is made righteoufneflc, or juft ice,
that is, hee doth juftifie a finner by imputation,
andhee doth fan&ifie and redeemea finner by
communication ^ hee conveyes and workes
fome Spirituall abilitie , and leaves a Phyfi-
call change ; when the Apoftle faith , Cnrift
is wade juHice^ that is, hee doth juftifie a fin-
ner by imputation, when hee faith', Chrifl u
made sanBification^ and Rcdemytidn^ that is, by
way of communication • hee delivers the foule
from the pollution of finne, that is, fanctifi-
cation • hee delivers the foule from the power
and dominion of finne, that is, redemption -
This communication it is a Spirituall habit,
or a fpirituall power, or a ipirituall qualitie or
abilitie ; ( take which you will ) left upon the
Q_ foule..
1 1 a the Ssultt benefit from union with Chrift.
foule. We will begin with the former, touching
the imputation of Chrifts righteoufneiTe to a
foule, whereby the (inner comes to bee juftified :
this is a point then, which I take it, none mote
neceiTary, and yet none lclTc underftood, none
lefle ftudied, none more miftaken than thefe two
great workes of jiiftification, and fan&ification.
I fpeake it by experience, Chriftians aged and
experienced, yet here they faile in the very cate-
cheticall points, and it drives many of our beft
Divines to a ftand • we will open it a little : this
jiiftification wee terme a conveyance of the me-
rits of Chrift, by way of imputation : but what
is the meaning of this word, by way of imputa-
tion ? Thus you muft conceive it, this is' the
main thing I would have you looke unto - f Im-
putation is this, when that which another hath,
that which another doth, is accounted mine, is
fet upon my fcore as though I had it, as though
I had done it, this is Imputation. I have it not,
I doe it not, another hath it, another doth it,and
it isaccounted mine,and reckoned mine in courfe
of juftice. Now in the point of communication
it is otherwife : becaufel have fomething, fome-
thing is wrought in mee, fome qualities and ha-
bits • for it is not a morall thing, but a phyficall
alteration by the power of grace implanted in
nie, which I have, fo that imputation difcovers
two things. Firft,that I have no help in my felfe
in what I have, or what I doe. Secondly, it im-
plieth that fomething which another hath and
doth, it is in concluhon made mine, and I have
the
The Soaks benefit from union with Chrift. u*
the benefit thereof, as well as ifl had it, as well
as if I had done it. Itis an old companion that
Divines ufe, and there cannot bee abetter toex-
preflfe the full nature and the meaning of the point
now in hand. Take a debtor now arrefted, impri-
foned, and he cannot pay the debt • another man
comes, and will be his iuretie : now marke this,
another man payeth the money, another man fa-
n's fieth the creditor in thebchalfeofthe debtor ;
the creditor acquits this man, cancels all his
bonds, lets him out ofprifon, confeffeth he hath
nothing to fay to him, nothing to charge him
withal], he is fully fatisfied,hehath given fiim full
content : why the debtor paid no money to the
creditor himfelfc, but becaufe the furetiepaid ir,
therefore the payment is counted his, as if the
debtor had paid it : this is the very nature of im-
putation. Wis Itaketo be themeaningof the firft
part ofthe Text, in which now a little I mcane to
trade : the Text faith, He is wade unto m rivhteouf
nefje s that is,God in Chrift doth juftifie a bclee-
Jeeverby way of imputation, though hee hath no-
thing in him felfe,though Jjedoth nothing of him-
felfe whereby tobe juftified in Gods account, yet
God will juftifie him through the Iuftice of
Chrift imputed to him, and counted upon his
fcore : fo that imputation implieth two things.
Fir ft, that a man hath nothing, can doe nothing.
Seeondly,thathe is juftifiedby fomething, Chrift
hath, and hath done for him, the point then is
cleare, andthat is this.
God doth juftifie abeleevir. g fouIe,not for what DoBrim
Q^z he
iig the Soulet benefit from union with Chrift.
he hath, not for what hce doth but onely for what
Chrift hath, and hath done for him : I fay Chrift
ismadeunto usluftiee, God the Father dothju-
ftifie abeleever, onely in and through the merits
ofChrift.
For the openingofthe point, wee muft firft en-
quire what it is to juftiHe. Secondly,what doe we
meane when as we fay hce is made juftice for no-
thingamanhathordoth. Tojuftifie,inthephrafe
of Scripture,it dothimply two things : Firftto ju-
ftifie, is to make a man juft, and this is very fel-
dome ufed in Scripture : I meane thus to put
fome holineffe, or fome gracious difpofition, and
fome fpirituallfacultie and abilitie into the foule,
andto make a man juft : as when an ignorant man,
is made a wife man; when a prophane man,is made
a pure man h when an uncleane man, is made a
righteous man, and (b really changed : this I take
tobe the meaningof that place • Revelation 2 2 . 1 I.
Bee that if juft Jet him bejuflflill 5 anihee that is
unjuft, let him bee unjujlflill : as who (hould fay,
when God hath beftowcd all meanesupon him,
and vouchfafed all mercies and encouragements
to him, if yetforall this nee willbc unjuft, let him
be unjuft ftill,let him bee for everunjuft : There is
no hope of him, but hce that is holy, let him bee
more holy, let him increafe in grace, but wee doe
not take it fo now in this Dodrine.
Secondly, to juftifle, it is a word of judicial!
proceeding, when in a lcgall manner the Iudge
doth pronounce a man free, and acquit him, and
proclaime it as if he were, and faith the law hath
nothing
The Stubs benefit fnm unitn with Chrift. 117
nothing to doe with him, he doth pronounce hee
hath not offended the Law : now this is oppofite
and contrary to condemnation, and this I take to
be the meaning of that place, and it is a pregnant
one • but this gives us great light and infightinto
the place : he that )ufti$eth the wicked and condemns
the juft, they are both an abomination to the Lord : to
juftifie in the former fence, is to make a wicked
man a good man ; and is hee an abomination to
the Lord ?this were a grofle folly : no,but the mea-
ning is this : he that acquits any man as guiltleffe
that is guilty, this is an abomination to the Lord .
Thus wee fee the firft word opened, fo that when
we fay God doth juftifieyou, our meaning is not
this, that God fends grace or holinelTe into you,
for this istheworkeof fan&ification ; but God
doth juftifie you, that is, hee doth pronounce be-
fore his Tribunal!, that his IufticeandLawis ful-
ly fatisfied, that hee will lay nothing upon your
fcore, require no fatisfa&ionat your hands,but he
willfully and freely difchargeyou of all your fins
which you have committed.
Secondly, againe, God doth juftifieapoor fin-
nernotfor anythinghehath,notforany thing he
doth : marke that, the meaning is this ; no privi-
lege that a man doth enjoy, no part of wit, under-
fhnding or memory, or any thing that way : nay,
I fay more, there is no grace that a man hath, no
dutie that he can performe, for which as the ma-
terial land formall caufe of our justification, God
doth pronounce any man to bee righteous. If a
man could weep out his eyes in forrow, if a man
Q_3 eould
— ■ I
1 1 8 The Stuks benefi t fr 9m union with Ghrift.
could hunger and thirft for Chrift, more than for
his daily bread, God would not juftifie a finner
for alithefe things . how doth God then juftifie
a man? why he juftifieth a fmner,for what Chrift
hath done for him, the furcty hath paid it,and he
accounts it ours : a man is juftitled by imputati-
on onely, notbyanyaftion: thofeare necefTa-
ry concomitants, not reall caufesof our juftifi,
cation.
But you will fay,is not a man juftified by faith,
and is not faith a grace, and hath not a man that
ability wrought in him by God.
Ianfwer, true the Lord doth juftifie a man by
his faith, buthee doth not juftifie him for his
faith 5 that is, faith is the hand that layes hold
npon the obedience and merits of Chrift, and it
is for his merits, not for our faith, though by our
taith wee are juftified : a man lives by faith, not
rhat fa/th nourifheth him.
As we ufe to fay, a man lives by his hands,not
that his hands nourifh him,but his hands labour
and his labour procures money, and his money
provides meat, and by his meat he lives i but be-
caufe his hands are the means to get it, his hands
are the means to obtaine it, therefore we fay hee
lives bv his hands : Iuft fo it is here, a man 'is ju-
itihedby faith in Chrift, not that faith will ac-
quit any man under Heaven, but becaufe Chrifts
merits are through faith received and applied to
us,and fothrough Chrift we are juftified: fo then
wee heare the meaning of the point: Phil. 7 9
marke the Apoftlcs two phrafes, That I may bee
found
The so tttes benefit from unun with Chrift. 1 1 9
fffiffkbtbim^wt having mint ownerighteoufnet which
Irofthe Law, but that which is of the righteoufnejfe
of faith in Chrift, rrfiicb it of God by faith : there is
but thefe two rjghteoui neftes in the world. Firft,
a mans owne righteoufneile which hee hath
wrought, and God hath given him, and the du-
ties which he performes and this is the righte-
oumeffc of the Law ; now Pauldoth profefTethat
he is not jujftified by this, but onely by the righ-
teoufnefle of God, that righteoufnefTe which is
in Chrift, that righteoufneile which is imputed to
him from Chrift, he labours to bee found in that
righteoufneile, for by that he fhall be juftified.
The ground and reafon of the point is this, that
which m no meafure is anfwerable to Gods lu-
ftice, and agreeable to the exa&nefTe of the Law
and for which a manmay be condemned,that can-
noi Juftifie a man ; but what ever a man hath or
doth, all the graces of God wrought in him, and
all the performances done by hirn,there is that im-
perfection or blemifh even in them, for which
God may juftly condemne him : therefore a man
cannot bee juftified thereby : this is an undenied
ruie of the Apoftle, whatever condemne/ a man,
cannot )uftifie a man, but the Lav condemnet a man
for what he hath or can doe : therefore it cannot jufti-
fiea.man. There is no grace in a man, nodutleto
be performed by a man, but if God will looke in-
to itaccording to the ftri&neflfeand exa<ftnefTe of
the Law, he may juftly condemne him for it i that
I prove, G al. 517. every Saint of God hath thefe
two things, the sfmt Ixftingagainfi thefltfh, ^nd
the
*a° Tfj * Souks benefit from unio n with Chrift.
tbeflejb lufiing againft the sprit \ and thefetwo are
contrary: In the beft of Gods fervants there is
flern, and a luft of the flefh to hinder them from
holy duties : fo there are twolawes, the law of the
mmde,andthelaw of the members, the Law of
God requires that a man fhould bee perfe&ly ho-
ly without any ftaine of finne, perfeft in the per-
formance of dutie without any blemifti or ftaine
therein, but every gracious man hath a ftaine of
pollution in his foule, that is one thing . and a
ftaine mhis performances, that is another'thing -
therefore no mans dutie, no mans abilitie orfuf-
ficiency cannot juftifie him before God' It is
that the Apoftle Paul crieth out of, Rom.j x , A
law tn bis -members rebelling againftthe law of his
minde. fo that the cafe is cleare, if it were thus
with holy Paulas hee profeffeth of himfelfe then
muchmoreofthe beft Saints now, for that'they
havenotmore gracethan Faulted: therefore they
cannot bee juftified for what they have or doe
Takea lame limme, as the lamenefTc ufthe legge
will make every motion of the leg* lame, a man
cannot butgoe lamely : foitis with thefouleofa
poore firmer, whena manhathalame heart,a cor-
rupt fmfull heart, all his adions will bee lame his
thoughts lame,and his fervices lame- fo that nei-
ther heart,nor life,nor adions,are in aright frame
all are impure andweake: I appeale to your owne
confciences in thiscafe, would you be willingto
appeare before Gods Tribunall with thofe pray-
ers, and thofe performances of thine, and juftifie
thy felfe by them, and fay, Lord thou canft not
The SouUt benefit from union with Chrift. 1 2 1
Jay any thing to my charge, the Law of God can
bring inditements enough againft thee, to con-
found thee 5 nay, we condemne our felves in this
cafe : thefe dead hearts, and thefe blinde minds,
and this want of faith, (hall the Lord then acquit
any man for that which he condemnes himfelfe ?
Ifthen the beft and moft gracious Saint hath fin
in the frame of his heart, and finne in the beft of
his fcrvices, then neither ibule nor fervice can bee
anfwerable to the Law of God, and he cannot bee
juftified thereby: but the beft of Gods fervants
not only before grace, but after grace, in the bell:
hearta man hath, thebeft a&ion heedoth^ther£
is weakneffe in the action : therefore they cannot
juftifie a man, therefore we muft be juftified onely
through the merits and obedience of Chrift:thoii
eanft not doe, Chrift hath done for thee - y thou
canft not fufrer, Chrift hath futfered for thee ; in
him thou art iuftified, through him thou fhalt be
faved. So that when the fcule of a poore finner,
fhallappeare before the Tribunall of the Lord,
and juftice comes to put in a plea againft him,
Chrift fhall ftep in and fa v. Lord, for this. poore
fbule ftiat beleeves in me I have died ; for this
poore foule I tooke the nature of man upon me ;
therefore let thy juftice bee fully fatisfied with
what I have done for him : well then faith juftice,
goethy way, I have nothing to fay to thee: the
Lord makes a proclamation, Be it knowne to all
men and angels, Lacquit this foule ; there is no
imputation of fin he hath committed, no failing
in any dutie (hall condemne him, this is the way
ofjuftification. R The
122
the Souks benefit from stnis* with Chrilh
The firft ufe of the point is this, we have here a
$ ground of confutation of the Church of Rome :
I will nor accufe them, wrongfully, but lay the
charge upon them according to their own words,
and it (hall appeare how they have wholly per-
verted the -wile-dome of the Lord, in this great
point of juftification, look into the 5.Seffion,and
the /.Chapter of the Councell of Trent; you that
are wife and have read it, obferve it; you that never
did read it, I will read it to you : the words of the
Councell are thefe,which is aconfirmed doctrine,
and unto which they are all bound generally to
fubfcribe,& is taken for the do&rine of the church
of Rome : the words run thus,That the alone for-
mall caufe for which a (inner is juftified in the
fight of God,it is juftice implanted,^ new quali-
ty of grace and holines wrought in the foule,and
not the merits and obedience of Chrift imputed
to thefoule. Imputation argueth that I have and
doe nothing, but another hath, and another doth
for mee, and imputes it to meet die Church of
^omeprofefly holds the contrary, and punctual-
ly point blanke in the force of contradi&iomrhey
aTe the very words of the Councell,the alone for-
mall caufe, and that which gives life and being to
the juftification of a finner j it is the change and
frame of holineffe wrought m him, not imputed
to him, this is profeily contrary. .
It is a word of confolation, and it is a cordiali
v l* l tocheareupamans heart,and cany himthrough
alltroubies whatfoever can betide him, or fhall
befall him. This doftrine of Juftification it
(eems
The SouUt benefit from union yi^Chrift. iaj
fcems to me to b e like Noahs Arke, when all the
world was to bee drowned: God taught Noah to
make an arke, and to pitch it about, that no wa-
ter, nor winds, nor ftormes could breake through,
and fo it bore up Noah above the waters, and kept
him fafe againft wind and weather : when one
was on the top of a mountain crying; Oh fave
me, another clambring upon the trees, all floting,
and crying, and dying^there h there was no favmg,
but for thole only that were gotten into the arke :
Oh fo it will be,you poore foolifh beleevers, the
world is like this fea, wherein are many floods of
water, many troubles,much perfection: Oh get
you into the arke the^Lori Iefus, and when one is
roringand yelling, Oh the devill,the devill • ano-
ther is ready to hang himfelfe, or to cut his owne
throat ; another fends for a Minifter, and hee cn-
eth, Oh there is no mercv for me, I have oppofed
it '. get you into Chrift, I fay, and you (hall bee
fafe enough, I will warrant you, your :fotiles (ball
bee tranfported with confolationt© the end of
your hopes.
This was that which comforted Saint iW,and
made him bid defiance to all the world : Rom. 8.
s 3 . who Wait lay a«y thing to the charge of Gods eleft I
as who mould fay, mall all the angels in Heaven,
fhall all the devils in Hell, (hall all the men up-
on the earth, fhall finne within, fhall anions
without? it is God onely that juftifieth, not for
anything we have or doe, but for Chrifts fake :
This is that I conclude withall ,this one doctrine
affords fupply in all wants, and courage in all tri-
ll 2 als :
~ t , r % , ■ ' i i i .i . i . —~—+ 1
124 The Styles benefit fr«m union with Chrift.
a's : I know what troubletb you, will this blinde
minde never bee inlightned ? Ithinke I fhall ne-
ver be able to conceive of the truths ofGod aright,
how can the Lord accept of mee, whenlcon-
derr.ne my felfe ? how can the Lord (hew any fa-
vour to mee, when I fall out with my felfe, and
wonder that I amnot in thebottomlefi e pit?iuch
abafe heart I carry about with me, and fuch a pol-
luted converfation, and yet live, and not in hell ;
I have thought fometimes God cannot beluft, if
he doenotcondemne me- why I fay art thou bur-
rhened with thy finnes, and doft thou goe out of
thy felfe for the pardon of them- ? why goe away
comforted, the Lord will Juftifie thee r not for
thy workes, but for Chrifts merits : thou haft
committed all iniquitie, Chrift hath performed
all right eoufnefTe; thou haft nothing of thy felfe,
Chrift hath enough for thee ; and thou art not
juftifiedj for what thou haft or doft, but for the
Lordlefus fake : lookeup to him therefore, and
bring him to Gods tribunall to anfwer for thee,
that when Satan fhall bring in his bils ofindite-
ment againft thee, and fay, what doe you hope to
goe to "Heaven ? doe you not confider the finnes
which you have committed ? doe you not re-
member the bale courfes which heretofore you
have taken up andpraftized > doe you not know
diat every finner muft die ? wiry anfwer Satan
again,all this is true : Ay,but remember the Lord
lefus, it is true I can doe nothing, but Chrift
hath done all for me ; what canft thou fay to the
Lord; kfus ? though I have offended, hee hath
never,
The Settles benefit from unton with Chrift. 115
never offended >, though I have finned, yet Chrift
hath fully fatisfied s I have defervedthe wrath of
God, why Chrift hath bore the wrath of God :
My God, my God, why haft tbouforfakenmee t He
was once forfaken or God, that I might bee for
ever accepted of God : goe thy wayes therefore
comforted and rcfrellied : the place is admirable,
Jfaiah 43. 25. Thou haft made mee ferve with thy
fmnes, and wearied mee with thy rebellions, but I,evek
J, amhee that Ihtteih out all thine im^uities, and will
remember thy tranjgrefions no more ; The Lord
takes notice of this ; are there any wicked ? they
are as bad; are there any vile ? they areas finne-
full 5 they tired God with their wickednefTe ;
All you poore drunkards, you trie God with
your drunkennene ; you prophaners of th of debt is
put over to him : fo all our fumes and debts of
corruptions are laid upon Chrift, and all the rich
fefments of grace and mercy in Chrift, are made
over to a beleever, and hence a beleever comes to
be acquitted and juftified before God . From the
firft part of this defcription, the point is this,
luftificationis an ad of God the Father, upon DoBrme,
the beleever.
It is an ad that paffeth from God the Father,
upon the beleever. For theproofe of this point
there are three verfes in the fame Chapter, which
make itgood,the 18,19^20. verfes,and foon to
the end of the Text ; in the 18. verfe, hce faith,
All things are of God, which hath reconciled m unto
himfelfeby lefw Chrift • of God, that Is, of God
the Father, and yet more plainly in the ip.verfe^
God was in Chrift, reconciling the world unto him-
felfe, not imputing their fmnesto them. Now what
is meant by God in thefe two verfes ? the old
rule of Divines is this ; that wherefoever you
finde the Name of God put in pppofition to
7 S 3 I e f us '
1 14. The Soules lufttpcatton.
lefus Chrift, it rauft not be taken eflentially, but
perfonally, tor the Father. For it were almoft an
abfurd thing, to lay that Chrift were in Chrift
reconciling the world unto himfeife : therefore
the Apoftle implies thus much ; God the Father
was in Chrift reconciling, and God the Father by
Chrift, reconciled the world unto himfeife : and then
in the 20. and 2 1 . verfes, he faith, Now then we are
AmbajJ odors for Chrift, as though God did befeech
you through us 5 we pray you in Chrifts feadthat yee
be reconciled to God, that is, to God the Father • for
he hath made him finneform, which knew no finne :
and another proofe is in the 3. of Saint Iohn, 14.
15. and fo to the end of the 18. verfe : it is an
obfervation of wife Divines, and good Interpre-
ters, when our Saviour comes to trade with Ni-
chodemus about eternall life, hee doth not onely
content himfelfe to fpeake of him felfe alone, as
he was Chrift the Redeemer of the world, but he
iets him yet a little higher in the T4. verfe, hee
faith, As Mofes lifted up thebrafen Serpent in the
wilder neffe, [0 muft the Some of Man bee lifted up ,
that whofoever beleeveth ?s himfljould not pe/ifh, but
hare eternall life : A man would have thought that
this had bcene enough, but hee ftayes not here,
but he puts him one pin above all thefe,and faith'
For God fo loved the world, that hee gave his onely be-
gotten Sonne for it, that whofoever Leheveth on-him
might not penfh, but have ever Lift ina life: as if hee
had faid, there is not only a Chrift prepared and
fent, but God the Father alfo loved the world :
here is the higheft ftaire to ftay up the heart, fo
that
The Souks luftification. j*j
that the point is plaine and fure enough. Now
let us make it cleare, and that I (hall doe by an-
swering two queftions :
Firft, why it is called an ad of God the Fa- gu S ft, I%
ther?
Secondly, why an ad of the Father upon the gu e ft; %
beleever ?
For the former, why doth the defcription fay, ^ueB, t.
it is an ad of God the Father ?
I anfwer, it is an ad of the Father, not -exclu- Anfwer,
ding the Sonne, or the worke of the holy Ghoft,
which muft both bee underftood : it is an ad of
God the Father upon the beleever, bur it is
through Chrift : there are thefe two grounds or
reafons, why it is given to the Father.
Firft, becaufe the Father was the .party that R€a f a!J lt
was properly offended : the Father is the firft
perfon in the Trinitie, and he was diredly offen-
ded by Mam{mne h it is true,, the Sonne and
the holy Ghoft were offended too, as being
friends with the Father, and having a relation to
the Father, and aiweetfellowfhip with the Fa-
ther • but the. finne was, diredly againftthe Fa^
ther, and indiredlyagainft'the Son,and the holy
Ghoft. The groud of the point is this,it wronged
that worke of Creation, wherein the manner
of the worke of the Father appeared in a fpeciall
manner, and the manner of the worke. of the Son
appeared in redemption, and the manner of the
worke of the holy Ghoft appeared in fandifica- .
tion : fothat God the Father was the firft in the
worke of the Creation, the Sonne fecond in the
worke,-
i$6 The Souks Iuftification.
worke of redemption, the holy Ghoft third in
theworke of fan edification : Now creation being
the worke wherein the power of the Father did
mod (hew it felfe, Adam falling away from this,
did principally wrong the Father, for his man-
ner of worke appearing herein : therefore Adam
did herein goe diredly crofTeto God. Excellent
is that phrafe, i John 2. 1. Little children, thefe
things write J unto you, that ye finne not • but fome
may fay, what ifwedoefinne ? why faith hee, we
have an Advocate with the Father, even lefus Chrift
the Iutf. Now no man faith, wee have an Advo-
cate with an advocate, no, for that wereabfurd :
for no advocate pleads to another advocate, but
he pleads to the partie offended, for the partie
which hath offended : now in that the Apoftle
faith, We have an Advocate with the Father, even Ie~
futChrift: It is plaine that God the Father was
the Pcrfon diredly offendcd ; the itfue then is thus
much s The Father being the Creditor, and the
Perfondire&ly offended, the Lord lefus Chrift
became our Suretie, and the creditor doth require
the debt at the hands of pur Suretie, and acquits
the debtor • the creditor requires this, but the ac-
quittance comes mainland properly from the
Father, becaufe the debt was due tohim :fo that
God the Father is the Creditor, the Sonneisthe
Suretie, the poore flnner, is the debtor, the holy
Spirit is the mefTenger, that brings the acquit-
tance from God the Father, and faith, loe the
Father hath accepted of thee in his Sonne, the
Suretie hath paid the debt for thee, and fee here
is
The Souks /unification.
ni
k the acquittance for thee • fo that though the"
holy Ghoft doth bring the acquittance, yet
the Father muft give it : This is the firft rea-
lon.
Secondly, wee fay that Iuftification is an act xw„„ -»
of God the Father, becaufe the Father is the J
fountame m the Deity, as Divines ufe tofay,in
all the vvorkes that are done by the Deitie
the Father is the firft : for as the Perfons
are in their being, Co they are in their wot*
king : The Father in order workes before the Son
and the holy Ghoft • the Sonne workes not be-
fore the Father hath wrought,and the holy Ghoft
workes not before the Father and the Son have
wrought. Hence it is that anions are given '
efpeciaily to the Fathcr,though not excluding the
Sonne,-northe holy Ghoft ; but yet howfoever
they are all equall in their working, in regard of
time, yet the Father is firft in regard of order.
A malefactor is now arraigned and condemned,
and the pardon is to be begged, and none but the
Kings fonne,the young Prince,can have a pardon,
his abilities are onely able to carry him through
.thevvorke • the Prince begs it,the Favorite brings
it, but the King onely grants it I fo it is here, the
Lordlefus Chnft is the Sonne of the everlaftins
Father, and the Prince of peace, and hee it is that
begs the- pardon of his Father, hee fends ir to us
by the hands ofthe holy Ghoft, but only theFa-
ther grants the pardon. When the ibule hath
long beene humbled and felfe denying, andfaid,
Lord forgive the trefpaiTes of thy feryanr, and
T yeelds,
" o " The Soulcs I unification. *
IJO _ _ -; '
""yeelds and layes downe the weapons of defiance,
and falls at the footftoole of the Lord- Ielus
Chrift, and rowles it felfe upon his merits 5 then
the Spirit comes and faith, thy finnes are pardo-
ned, thy perfon is accepted, I bring thee this
nevves from God the Father 5 God is now recon-
ciled to thee, in and by the Lord Ielus Chrift:
now the Father is the King that grants this par-
don, the Sonne is he that begs % and the Spirit
is the meffenger that brings it . Now you fee how
itis an ad of God the Father. -
e>ue& t. Secondly, I come to (hew why it isanaa ot
*- ' God the Father, upon the beleever.
'Antotr Thereafons of the queftionarethefe, we muft
J tinderftand that the aaions of God are of two
3 Firft there are fome anions which doe remam
in God' which are confined within the compafle
of hisowne Councell, and goe no further and
they are immanent aaions, they ftay in God and
goe no further. A man may conceive in his mind
what herefolves todoe in his heart • whether nee
will doe fuch a thing.or no, and no man can tell
what he intendstodoebuthimielfe. but if aman
will praaife anfwerably according to his pur-
pofe then he doth exprefle the worke outwardly,
which he intended inward ly, and now hee workes
uponthecreature, and makes it to receive fome
impreflionof that good which hee kept fecretly
inhimfelfe. There are fome aaions which re-
maine in God, as the decrees and F^pofesof
Gc4beforethefoundationoftheworld,andtney
The Souks I ts ft ideation. \a*
thus much of the reafons why I call k an ad of
Cod the Father upon thebelcever.
The proper fruit of this Doarine is. this • Is it yf e I ,
lb, that juftifieation is an a 6t of God the Father
upon the beleever ? then it is a ground of admira-
ble comfort to beare up the heart of a poore {in-
ner above all the accufations, and all the power
and the policies of our enemies againft us T or
the intendments of the wicked to hurt us: re-
member but this, that God the Father juftifies,
and this will bee a cordial! to beare up the heart
againft whatfoever the world, or the devill, or the
wicked (hall lay to the charge of a beleever : If
thou art juftified before Gods tribunall in Hea-
ven, why fhouldft thou care, or feare, or bee trou-
bled ordifquiered, when thou art condemned by
the wicked upon the earth ? this juftification on
Gods part can wipe away and fcatter all the
clouds, and all the accufations on mans part:
I Cor. 4. i. $.Itis required of the difpenfirs,. that
every man be found faith fill, hut as for mee y . 1 pajfe
very little to be judged hy mans judgement : the word
in the original! Is very, excellent, I paffe not to
bee judged by mans day h men have their dayes
of meeting and of judging* and their dayes of ri-
oting in " the afehoufe , and in the brothel-
houfe , and there they can toffe the names
of Gods Servants up and downe , and they
fit upon their names, and lives, and liberties, ancF
they raife what reports they will - the'fe are the
* drunkards dayes, Snd the malicious mans dayes,.
there they fit and give their doomes what they
7 5 will'
■ 1 ' ■
1 4 4 T ^ e Soules testification.
wiildoetofucha Chriftian, and to fucha Mi-
mfter, but niarke what Saint Bml faith, ' ipajje
not for wans daye.f, it is no more to mee'*than the da ft
oftbeballance, or the drop of the bucket • but hee al-
ludes to another day, to the day of 'judgement •
#hed the Lordrtiall judge all the world, when
hee that is holy^ jkail bee approved of and acquit ted^
and bee that is vilde and wicked fhall bee condemned
I looke to thatday. Were he not worthy to be'
begged for a foole,that (hould goe away troubled
and difquieted,becaufe a company of drunkards
had condemned him upon the alebench, when
the Judge had cleared him upon the bench of
juftice : therefore fteele your faces againftall
the malicious accufations of the wicked : let
them fit and condemne thee upon the alebench
if they will , fo long as thou art acquitted in hea-
ven, herein bee for ever cheared through his mer-
cy. It was that which made the holy Prophet fo
marvelloufly confident in Ifaiah 50. 8. 9. and to
throw downe the gantlet faying, Hee is neer that
juftifies mee, who will contend withmee I fee whether
you can fet your foot to^mine, vow for vow> and word
for word : who is mine adverfary , let him come neere :
behold the Lord God wUlfuccourmejeho will condemns
meilo they all fhall wax olios a garment yhe mothball
eat tbemup, they fhall vanifh, and fhall not be able
to appeare at the day of accounts • nay the moth
fhall eat them up, nay the wicked fhall fay in hell
as the wife man faith, we fooles thought this mans
life mad;iejfe, and wee pa ft our judgements upon ihefe
frecife fellowes that muft ever and 'anon bee in a cor*
ner
m
II I - a ^ »—^_
• . ' ' III * ■ III ■■ I
The Soules I unification. J4 -
nerto veepefir their fumes ; but wefinde now thai wee
arethefioles that have negleBed grace, andfalvation
and happtnejfe, which now they enjoy for ever. If a
man had a cafe to bee tried in the Chancerie, if
the Lord Chancellour were his friend, hee need
not feare any thing, for the Lord Chancellour
would fuffer nothing to come in againft him, but
would caft them all out, and heare none of them •
io you that are beleevers, and have a friend, and a
Father that fits in the high Court of Chancery in
Heaven, howfoever there are many which would
be medhng with you,yet your Father is the Judge
of the Court,andhe will dirtionour all thofr that
leete todifl^onour you : It is the ground of that
blefled boldnehe which the Apoftle concludes
with himfelfe, not onely that the thing fhould
not bee carried againft him, as Rom. 8. 33. but
that all fhould be for him : wh § jhaS lay my thine
to the charge of Cods chofen I it is God that it
f't i H th ? § ates of Hdl bee f <* open,
and BeLebub and all the Devils come roaring
out againft him , and let the wicked rome
thatbeare him ill will, ..ancj, let all his finnes
come and his owne co.nfcience too , yet hee
need not feareany thing: the ground is hence
becaufe it is Cod that juftifies . hee doth not
lay , they ftall never prevaile again-ft Gods
fervants , but they fhall not plead asainft
them : and hee doth not fay, they fhali not
condemne them , but they fhall not accufe
them: as hee faid, ABs i 9 . 38. The tm is
*p*n, and there an Deputies, let them accufe or
V plead
"J7g ' The Soules I unification.
flead one againft another • fo that here (hall not
bee fo much as pleading againft a poore helee-
ver ) hecauie God the Father hath juftified
him. Now the ground of this comfort lieth in
three particulars, or it affords a threefold con-
solation.
Firft,becaufe God the Father hath all things to
doe with the foule of a beleever : all the fuits that
are to bee made againft a poore foule, they come
from God, and if hee will ceafe the fuit, who can
follow it ? if he will lay hee is (atisfied, and well
apaid, then who can take any advantage againft
the foule ? Looke as it is with the Lord of a ma-
nour, haply hee hath an ill neighbour lives under
him, and doth him much damage many wayes,
and the Noble man at laft isrefojvedto follow
the law againft him : therefore the poore man
comes in and defires pardon of all that hee hath
done ami fife, and promifeth never to doe the like,
and the Gentleman out of his noble difpofition
acquits him,and forgives all : now imagine fome
of the fervants come in and raife clamours and
complaints againft him s and all the fervants of the
family are againft. him ' well, the poore man
makes rheufthis anfwer, I have wronged none of
you, therefore if your Lord bee contented to ac-
quit me,I care not what you fay,I have not wrong-
ed you, neither doe I feareyon: this is that which
mould chear up our hearts inflnitely,thatGod the
Father is the Lord of the manour, even the Lord
of rfie .vhole world, and if therebe any tranfgref-
fiandone againft thy neighbour whatsoever, hee
is
The So/Acs I unification. 149
is the Lord of the manour, it were no offence to
{kale, but that he hath forbidden it • and it were
no offence to bedifobedient to Parents, but that
hee hath laid, Honour thy father and mother, &c t
The goods of thy neighbour are the Lords, and
the dammage that is done, is againft the Lord .
Now •! God the Father doe mercifully acquit
you, and faith hee wili pardon the breach or all
Ins Commandements, if God acquit us, what
need wee feare or care what the Devill fayes
agamft us ? it may bee the Devill will come in
and commence a fu it againft us,and fay^what^you
be laved? yes, thats a likely matter, are you not
g^i 'tie of this and that? well, brethren, we have
done the Devill no wrong, againft thee onely have
lfinned,(ht\i D avid, it was againft the commands
of my good God and his holy Spirit, ft was a-
gamftmy Father and my Redeemer, and they
will pardon my finne : God faith, / mil forgive
aU that rvrong done to me, then let the Devill goe
and fhake his ears : lookeas it is With a creditor,
if he hath gotten the furetie infuit,he will acquit
the debtor, and if the debto?>be acquitted^ll the
bailiffes in the world can doe him no hurt-, and
hee faith, I am out of your debt and danger ; fa it
is here, God the Father is the Creditor, wee have
wronged God moft infinitely , wee owe unto
God all that wee have, but yet hee hath blotted
out all our iniquities : therefore if the Devill
follow the fait, it matters not, The Lord faith, I
will rememb"- h if ftnnes no more : therefore t^e De- ' ■
villcan p^rfue him no flirthe.r.
V 2 Secondly,
i$$ The Sotdes I unification,
2 Secondly, there can bee no court in the wor id
can a'ter our juftification : if a man be righted in
a lower court, a higher court may call it over
againe and overthrow it, but this is admirable
confolation, doth God the Father acquit us in
Heaven ? then let the Devill goe and appeale
where he will. A man never appeals from a higher
court to a lower, but from a lower court to a
higher : now all your finnes are pardoned, and
you are acquitted in Heaven : therefore goe your
way comforted, and let the Devill appeale where
he will, no man can reverfe it : The mercy of the
Lord and his fentence endured) for ever : you know
it was Saint Pauls plea, when hee (xw that the
Jewes were maliciouily bent agaicft him to have
his life, he faid,, No man may deliver me unto them y
I appeale unto Cefar: he faw hee mould have hard
dealing there if hee were committed to them,
therefore he appeals unto Cefar: fo we,we have had
our cafe tried in Heaven, wee have Cefars judge-
ment feat to goe unto, the fir ft perfon of the Tri-
nitie is our Father, "the Creditor hath made it
good unto us by the witneffe of the Spirit, that
eur iniquities are pardoned,and that he will heare
no more of them : therefore goe away for ever
cheared and comforted.
yk a . Again in the fecond place we have here a word
of direction : Is God the Father the Judge of the
Court?then let me fpeaka word to all hub lc bro-
kenhearted finners. when you have many Judges
to fit upon you in your owne heart, bee fure that
you
The Sduhs luftificmon. jAf
you bee not judged by them, but repaire- unto
God the Father ,and get his fentence upon them,
and whatfoever hee fpeakes, fubmit unto it, and
bee coctented to judge your felves and your
eftatesaniwerableby it, This is the great mifery
of many poore creatures, that as many miferies
as they have, fo many Judges they have : fome-
times their feare fits upon them, and then they
are damped : fometimes their fufpition fits upon
them, and then they are marvellouily difquieted ;
and fometimes hope fits upon them, and then
they are a little comforted : Oh brethren and be-
loved in the Lord, bee wile now for your fouies,
and put your cafe to be tried onely by the Lord,
and not by every one. Wee would count him
a mad man, that having a cafe of weight to bee
tried, fhould commit it to an enemy that hates
him, or elfe to an ignorant man that hath no skill <
at all in the bufinefle, no wife man will doe it :
but hee appeales to the Judge of the court, and ,
lets him caft the caufe : juft lo it is here, there are
many of you, fome there are I am fure, that have
a fight of your finnes, and fometimes you thinke
that God will certainly commence the fait
againft you: what, fo many finnes within mee, .
and fo many corruptions to follow mee, and
oppreffe mee ? certainly my heart is naught, are
you fo ignorant to commit your caufe to bee
judged by them ? your ca-rnall reafoii is an ene-
Hiie, and your owne hearts are weake, and not
able to under ftand: therefore go toa higher court,
and lay with your felves,! care not what the world
V 3 faith
2 V
t - t * The Soules 1 unification.
faith,and what carnall reafon iaith, I.paflenot?
fpeake thou, Lord, a word of comfort to my
foule, and if his word bee for you, then bee for
ever comforted and quieted, and looke onely to
the judgement of the Lord, and to none other •
it is in his hands onely to pafle fentence, and to
condemne,as hee feeth fit in his righteous judge-
mentrtherefore ftand to the fentence oihimjvhofc
word m't&ftm-i} and fhalfftandfor ever as mo{mtZi-
on\i a plaintifrehave a cafe to be tried inthe court
of jufticejie cares not what the difpute of the law-
yers be: One man thinkes thus, & another thinkes
thtis,&another would be paiilngfentece,and faith,
thus it niuft be ; he cares not what they fay, hee
knowes that they are not Judges, but hee ftayes
till the Judge comes,and he quakes and trembles
till he heares what the fentence of the Judge will
be. Now therefore be as wife for your fpirituali
eftates, as you are for your temporall eftates :
Pfalme8$.&, I will hearken what the Lord will fay,
difputing there of the miferies and troubles
which were like to befall the Church of God,
and himfelfe too : he ldokes up to Heaven, and
faith, / will hearken' what the Lord wiflfay, far hee
fpeakes peace to his people : looke not what fenfe
and feeling, and feare and fufpition fay, for they
will fpeake killing words, and will tell you that
your condition is naught and damnable : what,
all this vildnef!e,andbafenelle,and ftubbornnefle,
and yet gee to heaven ? that cannot be : Good
brethren hearken not to the fe, for they are not
the Judges of the court, the fentence muft come
from
The S oules IuB if cation. 15 +
from God, and remember //.w God mil fyeake peace
and comfort unio bis people ^ hee will comfort your
diftrefled confciences : and therefore let not 3a-
tan, nor your owne diftempered hearts beheark-
nedunto, for though they fpeake never lb much
terrour to your confciences, yet God will juftifie
you : it is the ktertie which the law allowes, and
every man will take it to himfelfe, if hee know
the law, when a man is queftioned for his life, he
will not call himfelfe upon every June, but hee
will take the benefit of tjie law -and if there comes
in one that is an ignorant perfon, or one that is an
enemy of his, he may juftly except againft them,,
and put them out, and hee will fay, Good my
Lord, doe not caft away a.poore man for no
caufe at all,, I except againft thefe men of the Ju~
rie,they are mine enemies, they have fought my
blood, many yeeres, and they have informed
againft me, and feeketo take away my life, and I
can prove it, and the reft are ignorant, and can-
not under (land the matter j good, my Lord, let
me have a good June: this the court of ju ft ice
allowes,, and every man will bee lure to take it to
himfelfe, as occalion fer'ves : in A3s 28.19. Pa/tl
was conftrained to appeal unto Cefar, and there-
fore hee faith, Chap, 2 >. 10. 1 1. / (land at Cefars
judgement feat ^ where I ought to be judged. You fee
beloved, how wife men are for the good and
fafetie of their bodies, oh be much more carefull
for the good of your ionics, and hazard not your
foules upon every bafe Jurie- ftand not to -the-
trial!, of temptation, feare and fufpition, butap-
peak
j-2 The Soules Itt&ifimiorr.
peale to the great God of Heaven, and fay, Lord
itisanunjult Jurie,you fcelenot thefe abilities,
and you feel not this affuranceof Gods love, and
when corruption beginnes to ftirre in the heart,
then earnall reafon faith,if a man hadgrace,could
he have all thefe corruptions ? if I had any grace,
it would not, nor it could not be thus with mee :
Oh complaine to the Lord that they are an un~
juft June : looke up to the Throne of mercy,
and have your caufe heard there, and fay, Lord,
thefe havebeenc my profe^ enemies, the Devill,
and this earnall proudfroward heart of mine have
beene deadly enemies both to thee, and to thy
grace, and to the good of my poore foule : and
as for feare and fufpition, they have betrayed my
comforts, and cut the throat of them, and many
a time have taken away the hope of eternall life
from me : and as for my weakneffes and infirmi-
ties,they are too ignorant, they cannot parte righ-
teous judgement becaufe they know not what
belongs to grace here, or happineflfe hereafter :
therefore appealeto the Lord, and fay, you ftand
at Gods mercy feat, let mercy doe what it will
with you, and mercy wilf certainly fave you, and
let mercy be for ever honoured, and be fure to lie
downe at the footftoole of mercy : If thou art
content to goe to God, and depend upon mercy,
andletitdoetfhat it will with thee, then mercy
fhall certainly fave thee 5 if thai wilt come to
beleeving, thou art fure to bee acquitted : let the
Devill come in againft thee, and plead, and fay,
Lord,wiltthou acquit fuch a man that hath been
The Soules I unification, ijj
adefpifer of thy grace and mercy ; and the world
faith, to my knowledge he hath clofed with mee
and hath forfaken thee, and then faith confeience,
I have told him of many finnes, but hee would
never reforme them . therefore Lord give Juftice
againft him : then the Lord makes anfwer, and
faith,It ski! snot whSthe hathbeene, If hee mil
come to me^ andbeleeve i& m^ and repent of hit finnes^
I will freely acquiihim of all that he hath done amijje :
therefore avoid the court, Satan, take this as an
everlaftingrule, and you fhall finde it by experi-
ence. If a man might have all the favour in the
world fhewedhim, and have his owne friends to
palle fentence againft him, and have his beft du-
ties and fervices to plead for him, if hee fhould
commit his cafe to them to be tried by them, he
would be for ever condemned by them; there is
fb much pride on the one fide, and deadhearted-
nefle on the other fide, and fb much wandring in
your prayers, that they would cry to God for
wrath and condemnation upon you : i CV.4.4.
I know nothing by my felfe^yet am I not thereby justi-
fied : you muft appeale to the Father of mercies,
or elfe you willnever beacquiited by them.-there-
fbre ftand to that judgement of God, whofe
judgement muft and fhall ftand, when the fen-
tence of finneand Satan, andcarnall reafon fhall
be overthrowne.
The caufewhy many poore humbled broken
felfe-denying hearts goe drooping and difcoura-
ged, it is becaufe they have a bad Jurie goes upo»
them, and they dead their owne hearts, becaufe
X they
1 5^, The Soules /unification.
they appealc not to that God, who is willing to
acquit them through the mercy of the Lord Je-
fus Chrift.
ObjcB. But fome may object and (ay, how fhall I
know whether God will juftifie me or no >
Anfaer, For anfwer hereunto,lookewhatthe word faith •
if the word acquit thee, it ¥hall ftand ; and i£ the
word condemne thee, though all the men in the
world acquit thee,yet thou (halt be condemned.; to
all that belerce not inmy Gofpfl/fiiall be confufonfoith
the Apoftle :and the words of Chrift are, He that
beleeveth not y is condemned already : therefore looke
what the word iaith,and cleave to that for ever.
Pfe ? . I ^ n tne tn ^ r( ^ P^ ace fr° m hence we have a ground
ofterrour to the wicked, and it is like a thunder-
bolt to breakethe hearts of all unbeleevers, and
it is able to cut the (inewes of all their com-
forts, and to linke their foules to Hell, to thinke
that they are unbeleevers : I fpeake not to thofe
that have fome doubtings and troubles arifingin
their hearts, but to fuchas never yet beleeved in
Chrift, howfoever a man may have parts, and
gifts, and be advanced, yet that which will beas
gall and wormwood to the foule is this, thou
ihalt never bee juftiried. When Simon M^gta
would have bought the gift of the holy Ghoft
with money in Atts 8. 21. Saint Peter anfwered
him, thy money perijh with thee : and furthermore,,
he cuts him up to the quick,and fakh^Thou art pit
in thegallofbittemeffe^ thou haft no fhare nor portion
in this matter : fo you unbeleevers, you have no
fhare in this point of juftification, 1 Peter 4. 17.
9
The Soules /unification, j * •
If judgement , that is, temporal! judgement begm at the
houfeof God, that is, at the Saints of God which be-
leexein the Lor.d Iefiu Cbrift, then what mil the end
be of all that obey not the GofpeU of God^ andbeleeie
not in the Lord Iefm Chrih Z fbf it is all one in
the phrafe of Scripture : If a beleever doe come
to heaven with much difficultie and trouble, and
perplexitie of heart, and the fhip is all broken,
and hee comes to heaven with much difficultie,
then what will the fhare of thqfe men bee that
have no part nor portion in JelusChrift ? they
can ruffle it out with the b$jf for a while, and the
men of the world doeadmirfe at them, and acquit
them many times, the people of God being de-
luded with their fmooth carriage, and fair fhewes,
and having a charitable opinion ofthem,they do
acquit them : but marke the end of it, thou maifl
be admired and acquitted here, but thou fhalt bee
for ever condemned hereafter: the fentence is
gone forth, and it {hall never be revoked : Heb.$.
1 8. To whom fiv are hee that they fhotdd not enter into
his reft, but unto them that obeyed not 2 You muft
thinke the Lord is highly difpleafed, when hee
fweareth that fuch a man mall never fee his face
with comfort, nor come to Heaven 5 hee f\vears y
and when the fentence is paft, it is unchangeable,
unalterable : So Hebrewes 6.lj. God o willing more
abundantly to fhewunto the heir es of premife the ft a-
llenefj'e of bit Councell, bound himfelfe by an oath:
When the Lord would eftablifh the heart of
4br*h4nt y he tooke an oath ♦ as it is among men,
an oath puts an end to all controverfies : fo if the
X 2 Lord
1^6 The Soules /unification.
Lord once fwears, it is done in Heaven, never to
bee altered more, and therefore aske them this
queftion : What are they, and what may wee
thinke of them that God fwears againft ? cer-
tainly they are unbeleevers, God muft make a
new Gofpell, and muft forlwear him(elfe,orelfe
none of thefe unbeleeving perlbns fhall ever
come to Heaven. Hence it is that the Apoftle
makes the thing almoft imporfiblc, That God
cannot fair annnbeleever : Aom. I I. 2$. And they
aljo if they abide not in unbeleefe y fhall be grafted in •
for God is able to graft them in againe : as if he had
laid, the poore difperfed unbeleeving Jewes may
alio be faved, and receive fap and Cwcct from the
grace of Chrift, if they abide not in their unbe-
Icefe : It is as much as to fay, if they doe abide in
their unbeleefe, God is not able to graft them in 5
and the Apoftle faith> God cannot deny himfelfe, he
will not croiTe the courfe of his providence, for
never an unbeleeving wretch under Heaven : Hee
hath [aid it^ and iftherebceeveraDevill in hell,
thou (halt be one, if th®u continued as thou art :
Therefore you that are convinced in your con-
fciences, that yourobey not the Gofpell, nor fub-
mit to the grace of God in Chrift, confidcr with
yourfelvcs whether it be good continuing in that
eftate or no o : when the wrath of God hangs over
your heads" ready to fall upon you : lee your mi-
fery therefore you poore foules, and take up that
lamentation of Reuben^ Gen. $7.19 • when his bro-
ther lofefh was fold to the Ifhmaelites, the childe
is not yonder ^ and /, rvhither fha/i I goe 2 io fay
thotv
The Souks /unification, je-
thou, my comfort is loft, I am an unbeleever,and
therefore I, whither fh.a!l I goe Z and I poore foule,
whither jh all I goe -^ If I goe to the Law, that con-
demnes me ; and if to the Gofpell, that I have
abuied ; it' I goe to God the Father of mercies,
he will not acquit me : and therefore whiiher fhaH
I goe I I can goe no whither but to hell, iflre-
maine ftill in my unbeleefe, therefore bee any
thing rather than anunbeleever,for if thou art fo,
and continueft fo, the Lord hath fworne thy mi-
feryand deftru&ion: John 3 . the laft verfe, Hee
that beleeveth not, the wrath of God abideth on him:
If thou continueft ftill in thy unbeleefc, there is
nothing to bee expected but the fiercenefle of
£ods wrath and indignation to be powred upon
thee : Thus much for the firft Doiirine.
Now before I come to the mainepr@pofition^
let me take up one point bytheway^ to prevent
all falfe and wicked furmizes : the Text faith, He
hath made him finne for m, that knew no finne : now
when the Apoftle faith, Hee hath made him finne
fir us, why, may fome fay, had Jefus Chrift any
finne ? no, faith the App&k.abhorre fitch thoughts
for ever : therefore to prevent all furmizes that
may prejudice the Holineffe , Honour., and Puri-
tie of Chrift, let mee lay downe a point by the
way, and the queftion fliall be this :
I What is it to know no finne ? QueB*
Knowledge in Scripture , implyes two Anfwer.
things.
Firft, a bare worke of the under ftanding, when 1
weoare able to pierce into a thing that is offered
X 3 to
,-g The Soules luftifcation.
to us, and are able to fathom what is offered to
our view : and thus Chrift did know fmne, and
thus to know finne is not evill : The Minifter
knowes finne, when hee preachcth againft finne •
and thus God himfelfe knowes finne, and thus
Chrift knew finne, and he was able to fathom the
vildneffe and loathfomneffe of finne, but that is
not here meant,
Secondly, there is another, namely an experi-
mentall knowledge, that is,when from fome good
that we have or doe receive, or any good that we
doe of our felves, or fome evill that we doe com-
mit, or fearing fome mifery to come upon us,
wee read the nature of the good and the nature
of the evill : as when a man hath a finfull diftem-
per of wrath and paflion, and hee knowes the na-
ture of his anger and pride, becaufe hee obferves
the venome of it in his owne fpirit : this is expe-
rimentall knowledge, and they call it fo, becaufe
we read our owne difpofitions, and thereby wee
judge the nature of it, by judging our felves i The
Phyfitian knowes the difeafe, and therefore he is
able to apply medicines accordingly, but hee
knowes it not experimentally • as wee ufetofay,
fucha man never knew what povertie meant, and
luch a man never knew what the gowt meant, that
is, he never had it ; and fuch a man never knew
what a prifon meant, that is, hee never was in pri-
fon : This is" the meaning of it in this place,
Chrift knew no finne, his heart never aife&ed
any, and himfelfe never pra&ifed any : therefore
he knew no finne by his owne experience, yet by
his
' — — — — «^— — — f » . , ■ ■■ i
The Settles Iu&if cation. 159
his infinite vvifedome being God, he wa* able to
Jinde out the venome and vildneffe of finne : S o
the point which I obferve by the way is this :
Our Saviout Chrift never yeelded the leaft im- DeBrlne^
provement of heart to finne, neither did hce ever
commit the leaft finne in his life and conventi-
on*: our Saviour Chrift knew no finne at all by
experience; this is that which all the types and
facrifices of the old Law did fignifie, which were
alias fo many feverair testimonies of the holi-
nefTe and puritie of the Lord Jefus Chrift : there-
fore he was called the Lambe without ble/nifh : and
k was prophefied of him in Efay$ 3 .$.That he had
done no tvickednejje^ neither was deceit found in his
mouth: and his enemy Pilate faid, I finde no fault
inhim at all: and our Saviour himfelfe/aith, the
Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in mee^
that is 3 no finne^ John 14. 30. The arguments are
briefly thefe.
Looke into the Nature of our Saviour, and Reafon,
the Office of our Saviour, looke into his Man-
hood,ashewas perfeft Man, for the feed of the
woman was overfhadowed by the Holy Ghoft,
aadwas purged and fanctifie^, and.the courfe of
original! finne was ftayed, and when the body
was framed,the Godhead dwelt bodily in Chrift ,
and all the fulnefle of grace was in him ^ then the
point muft needs bee cleere, that there was no
evillin him,nomutabiiitie to incline to any evil,
nor no power could prevaile with him to draw
him to any evill ; Againe, looke into the Office
of our Saviour, forhe that came to be a facrifice
for.
€>
l6o The Souks iuftificatioft.
for finne, muft needs want finne, orelfehecouid
not be a facr ifice for finne : To the point is cleere :
we come now to the application.
prfg i. The fir ft ufe is a word of exhortation, and it
ought to provoke all you that are faithfull, and
are" beleevers, to conforme your hearts and con-
versions anfwerable to the heart and life of
Chrift : did not Chrift give the leaft improve-
ment of heart to any finne, nor pra&ife the leaft:
iinne in any meafupe? then goe thou and doe like-
wife, be thou like thy Saviour, that thou mayeft
have fome evidence that thou haft a title unto
him : It is that which the Apoftle makes as a
fpeciall colledion , Have no fellowship with the
unfrmtftdl mrkes ofdarkneffe y but bee you followers
of Codas deare children : Ephef. 5 . 1, Chrift had no
. finne, nor fellowship with finne ; let his courfe
and practice bee thy copie : But fome will &y,
what, vvould you have us to bee Saints here on
earth ? how can itbethat we fhould know no fin,
when we have fnch a body of death hanging upon
us? yes,wemay know no fmne,thougb it doe hang
about us : the Apoftle doth not fay, equall God
in holine(fe,but imkate Urn ; and he doth not fay,
follow him /My, but even as deare children : Now
though the childe cannot goe fo faft as the father,
yet he will follow as faft as he can, and when hee
hath done what hecan, then he cries to his father
tohelphim,andcarrie him to the journeyes end ;
and fo ought we to doe, nay fo we will doe, if we
are true children and not baftards : the Father is
infinitely full of holiflcffe : Fellow G»d as deare
children^
The SouUs I nBijiCAtun.
Mlren, doe what you can, and thenTwTTTTT -
to .ruble you to doe what y^SSff"?"
»'as the pradice of the Prophet oZd ph£
Wbaf.er.hee: therefore in the 1 1 9 . & ,'
™£b> ^«.-asifheehadfaid, IknoTvl T
rcqmreth it, and it is my dutie to ^.J^T
Lord, and take Lord, and carry LoXhv n P "
fervant, and lead mec into the KSS
kedin.7 V^™ ^es thatX'^c
kedone touch you not: hee doth not fivhee
will nor entertaine ir, but he will not keen Lm
Diac, ^ T n0t ; hofe diftempers, nor the
Place noroccafionsofthem, I will meddkwith
^ *hem
The Souks Iu&ifycte'tm.
-^^^^-[^n^to^ne them,I havedone
i *wtoo much already, if they come Iwil not
vedd • and if they follow, I will flee. I have
read an old ftory of a man that was earned away
S by a harlot , at laft the Lord meets him
aXpened his eyes, and humbled his foule, and
Sufthimoutorbis to f » llcORdltlon = r t n y
a dav after the harlot met h.m againe and the
manWould not looke on her arJ fteebegan to
fc t todneffeupon him, and faid I am (he you
know wee have had much fiveet dallmce toge-
ther Oh,but faith be, bleffedbe God, lam not
I that is, I amnot the man that I was before :
fo mould we, though wee are. noth.ng but finne
Snawre,andknownothingbi« corruption yet
if the old fluffiimneffe and ftubbornnes of heart,
and haughtintflethat we have too too much re-
eved !f they come and fay, we arethedarhngs
that have had much fweet fellowflr.p and com-
munion w«h you, make them anfwer and fay, 1
a^ROt the man,I will have no more to doe with
«L Let every heart be here incouraged not to
SSftbSU^ Pf finne oroftheworld
Set will fay itisWcodtobeetooho!y,and
tSedfe -make anfwer and fay, I "nnotbee
toXlv lefus Chrift knew no finne; the heart
and Hfeof JeVus Chtift is thatwhichwee ought
t0 NKcomS'mam propofition^ndthat
■£■ hS the debt Of the finner is charged up-
onmr'Savtour : fo faith the defcnption, and fo
ZmM of the Text : conceive here riu.
The So/des luftification. 1^3
much, that our Saviour had the debt of a (Inner
charged upon him, partly by imputation, and
partly by perfonall performance,he did periorme
the payment perfonally,the debt was by imputa-
tion, but the payment was by rcall and perfonall
performance : and as our finnes and debts were
made his by imputation, fo the payment was his
really laid downe,and fuffered for us: Two things
I mult lay ctowne before I can open the point :
Firft, what is meant by finne.
. Secondly, why Chrift is faid to be made fin.
Firft, what is,meant by finne ? *
I anfwer, finne fo farre as it concernes our pur- A }
pofe, is taken two waves . * mr *
Firft, the breach ofthe Law, as any guilt when
a man is fubjed to the Law.
Secondly, it is fometimes taken for the facri- *
fice of finne $ for fo the punifbment in Scrip-
ture is fometimes called by the name of finne, as
Leviticw 5.15. If a man finne and trefpajj'e through
i^norance^ heefhall then bring unto the Lord for a
tre f[ A j} e °ff er w& a Tamme without blemijh : If any
man offer a gift for the finne which he hath com-
mitted, for fo the word is injthe original 1 • if hee
offer a facrifice, becaufe ofthe guilt of fin which
is upon him: and foGen^.j. If thou doe ft ndt
n*// y finne lieth at the doore • that is, punifliment
lieth at the doore : now in what fenfe it is taken
here in this place, it is a point of great difficulty
amongft many Divines : fomethat have had a
new way for juftification, they have hadalfba
«cvv way for to interpret this place : but in my
Y 2 judge-
The Souks luftificMon.
lo<|i _■- _ ^ _
judgement it is to bee taken in the fir ft fenfc,
though the fecond alio mu ft bee included, and
cannot but be colle&ed from the former,and not
oncly the former, but alfo latter Divines car-
ry it this way: the argument here in the Text
feemesto beecleare, andthereafons out of the
Text are three : ;
Firft,looke at the oppofition that is here be-
tweene finne and righteoufneflfe • God made Chrift
finne fir »*, that we might be made the righteoufrejje
of God in Chrift: that finne is here meant which •
is oppofite to that righteoufneflfe which is here
mentioned-, but the facrifice of fmne is not oppo-
fite to thc'righteoufnefle here meant, but the
breach of the Law that is oppofite to it : there-
fore righteoufneflfe doth imply the profeft op-
position to finne in this place,finne being profeft-
ly oppofite to righteoufneflfe.
Secondly, if wee lookeat the comparifonand
proportion betweene the firft part of the verfe,
and the laft part, For as Chrift was made righte-
oufnes to m ; not that righteoufnes which we have,
but that which hee had, and which is made ours
bv imputation; fotChri-ft alfo was made finne
for us, not that Chrift had finne, but heetooke
our finne by imputation : fo that I reafon thus ;
That finne is here meant, which is fo imputed to
Chrift, as his righteoufneflfe is imputed to us :but
not the fufferings or punifhments of finne is im-
puted, but the guilt and the breach, Chrift did
really and perfonally fuffer • and therefore hee
needed nofuch imputation for fuffering, but for
the
The Soules Iuftifie&tim. j£e
the breach of the Law which hee never did, that
onely is imputed to him.
Thirdly, let us take what they give, and grant
that Chrift is our facrificc for finne, that very
grant infers that Chrift alfo muft have finne im-
puted to him ^ for hee that did really pay that
which was due on our parts, and which the ju-
fticeof God exacted as a due payment for what
we had committed, hee muft alfo have the debt
imputed to him ; for otherwife to make a man
pay the debt which hee hath no relation to, and
cannot be charged withall, this ftands not with
juftice; but God the Father exacted payments
and fufferings from our Saviour for our finne-
and therefore hee charged our Saviour with our
finnes ; As for example, a creditor fues the
furetie, and forceth him to pay the debt ; why?
becaufe hee ftands charged with the debt, for
when hee entred bond with the creditor, hee be-
came furetie, and a debtor to pay the debt, and
the debtor was acquitted : but now he that never
was bound for the money, cannot bee forced to
pay the debt: fo that altthines confidered, it is
evident that our Saviour was made firing that is,
that the finnes ofthe whole world were fet upon-
his /core.
Secondly, what is it to bee made finne ? It is
not to be meant, that Chrift had any finne of his
owne, no more than we had righteoufnefle • nei-
ther that God the Father did make him finfulJ,
thefearehellifhanddevillifh blafphemics : but
we muft underftand it fo, as may ftand with
' Y 3 Gods.
D»Bri»e.
The Soults Iu&i fomm.
Gods luftice,Hohnen*,Chr.fts puritie,&c.Gpd
JteFater charged all out finnes upon the Lord
S Chiftbylmpinarion : but ifyouaske me,
ivhv doth the Text fay, ,hmbemMmf,nne«d
IZfZer ■ the reafon is this, becaufc our Sam-
X dTnot bearethe finnes of any one manm
^ticulat, but he bore thefinnes of all the world:
Re evils which they had committed , we*
cha Red upon our Saviour and God the Father
foUo 8 wes tVefuitupon the furetie, and accounted
him as the debter, and as one that was gudneof
arthofefmnes.becaufeheehadtakenthemupon
f°„ , he p^int of Dodrine henceis this :
hl Gol the Xte did tmpute all the finnes of
all the world to the charge of our Saviour.
All vou that are debters to the lord, confi-
det of Hf a man had forfeited his bond, and
£25 payments to make, if hee knew any
SnEould become a debter tor him and
woufd W*edebt, ohhow would he rejoyce!
Now weaUldebtersand ftand bound to God
♦wfr*r rake notice of the point, God the ta-
tte cteged alXfinnes of all ih f ftitbfeU^
fay the faiflvfull ; ^tt'gggg.
rnnie fiimtforui laithtnert-p oi'^v/ c t UofvuS'
Utve he would be fare to have fomc oi that mcr
SSSS in another place, fM*«~»£*
{Lets whereof I m Aufi : hee, mgroffeth mercy
teife>rcfb.;ouhar^e»taa^ ua-
beleevmg wretches .bee packing,/* ^^
The S&ules fuftificasio*. 16}
made jinne for w, that is, form beleevers: fbthat
none of the faithfull are exempted from the be-
nefit of this Do&rine ; Cbrift was made fime for
aery belea-er^ for every beleeving creature in the
world that can but reft upon Chrift, and can
touch the hemme of his garment : it is not the
featnefle of your faith, but the finceritie of your
ith, that helps you to come within compaue ot
this point. Fprtheproofe of this Dodtrinecon-
fiderthus much : this is a truth of the Scripture
undeniable, and that which hath from age to age
becne delivered to the people of God, all the of-
ferings and facrifices of the Law doe (hew fo
much, and all the types of the Law doe teftifie
fo much, as in hevittcm 1. 4. compare it with
Leviticm 5. 5. in Chap. 1.4. he faith, The offender
ty all bring the burnt offering without blemifhy andhee
fh all put bis hands upon the head of the facrifice^ and
it fhall bee accepted of the Lord to bee an attonement :
and in Chap. 5.5. when he hath finned in any ofthefe
things ^then he fhall come and confeffe that he hath fin-
ned therein - 3 this was the legal! ceremony : now
what is the fubftance of it > the facrifices were
types of (Thrift, hee is* the facrifice without ble- •
mifh, without iinne, and trie offering up of the
facrifice was the beleeving upon,and tlie tendering
of the Lord Jefus Chrift to God the Father by
faith, and this muft bee done at the doore of the
Tabernacle : the meaning is, he is a common Sa-
viour to all beleevers, that as it is in a common
ground, every one hath a fhare ink, and every
Borderer though never fo poore, may come and
put
4i
x $% The Soules I unification.
put on and feed his cattle as well as the beft : fo
here every poore belcever may come a»d feed
upon the Lord Jefus Chrift : therefore the A-
poftle in the 3. verfeof lude cals it the common
fdvation • not common to all the wicked and un-
bcleevers, but to all the faithfullthat border upon
the promifes, and doe beleeve in them, it is com-
mon to them all • and the man that offered the
facrifice was to lay his hand upon tfce head of the
facrifice, and there to confefle all the finnes of
the children of I fracl ; this was the unburthening
himfelfe of his finne, and laying it upon the
head of the facrifice the Lord Jefus Chrift ; that
fo what wee are notable to beare, hee maybeare
for us, andanfwer divine juftice for us $ and Co
there was another ceremony, Leviticus 16. 2 1 . Of
the fcape goat, there were two facrifices to bee
offered, the one was to bee a burnt offering,
and the other was to efcape ; Aaron was
to put his hand upon the head of the live goat y
and to confejfe over him all the iniquities of the
children of Ifrael, and their trefpajfes , putting
them upon the head of the live goat , and fhall
fend him array by the hand of a man appointed into the
wilderneffe 5 fo the goat fh'all beare upon him all the
iniquities to a land not inhabited : and the other was to
be offered tip for a burnt offering : this was the type;
now the intendment of the ceremony was this ;
the goat was the Lord Jefus Chriftjind when A a^
ron did put his handr upon the head of the goat, and
confejfe over him aS the iniquities of the children of
Ifrael, and did put them upon the head of the goat*
it
The Soules I unification.
it was thus much, God the Father did charge all
the finnes of all the world npon the Lord Jefus
Chrift, even of all, from the beginning of the
world to the end of it, and did put them all upon
the Lord Chrift • and howfoever he was a facri-
flee for iinne, yet hee was a fcape goaf, and hath,
efcaped out of the hands of hell and death, and is
now in Heaven, and with him all beleevers mall
efcape from hell and death, by the power of his
merits. Further ye fee how the Prophet expounds
the Lzw^Efay 55.4, 5. tre thought him affiiiledand
buffet ted for bwfelfi, but he was wounded for our fins^
and broken for our iniquities ; hee was negle&ed
amongft the wicked,and they judged himas fmit-
ten for his owne fmsfiut he was wounded for our fins
imputed to him^ that wee through him might bee eafed
thereof^ and therefore the Text faith, Hee bore our
-iniquities : and me thinkes it hath reference to the
fcape goat, and it is that which the Apoftle doth
peremptorily fay, Heb. 7.Z2. He was ?nadeafurc-
tte#f abetter covenant : Now the furetiehath not
onely the payment to make, but hee is accounted
as the debtor • the debt is laid to his charge, as
wellas the payment is required, thus the point is
proved : Now for the better difcovery of this
Doctrine, let me doe two things :
Firft, I will mew after what manner God did
this, and what is the behaviour of the Lord,when
hee chargeth the finnes of the faithfull upon
Chtift. ..
Secondly, I will mew the reafons of it, why
God the Father did fo, whereby it fhall app eate,
Z that
I* The Soules Iuffifieario*,
that it is reafonable,and it doth wonderfully mag-
ni fie the Juftice,and mercy of God.
gw #. I . For the firft, if a man a'ske me what Cod the
Father doth, when hee chargeth the finnes of the
fakhfull upon Chrift ;
Anfwer. I anfwer, this ad carries three things in it, or
God brings about the workeby a threefold act.
1 Firft, God the Father, and the Lord Jefus
Chrift made a mutuall decree and purpofe, that
fo many fnould bekeve, they fhould bee faved-.
And they did not only purpofe this, but they did
make a mutuall agreement betweene themfelves,
that the Lord Jefus Chrift fhould take the care
of thofe foules to make them beleeve, and to fave
them by beleeving, and the Lord Jefus Chrift
undertooke the worke according to their corn-
pad, God the Father faid, / mil have thefe children
faved^vA Chrift faith, / mil take thecare of them :
Iohn 10.14,15,16. Its ftrangeto fee, how our Sa-
viour there fpeakes of his Office, in the 14. verfe,
he faith, / am the good 'Shepheard and know mine^ and
am knowne of mne, that is, I know thofe that are com-
mitted to my charge and 'knowledge , even as the ffiep-
herd knowes his [heepe .-'but how doth the Lord
Chrift know, who God the Father will have to
be faved ? looke verfe 15.^ the Father knoweth
me^ fo know I the Father • and wee have agreed
amongft our felves, that fo many fhall bee faved :
The Father hath faid, / will have fo many foules fa-
v^,and Chrift faith, thofe foules fhall bee my care
and charge :andinthe 16. verfe, hee faith, Other
Jheepethavealfo which are mt of this fold • them aJfa
mu$
,« •».! ■ « ■■
The S&u les Iuflif cation. 171
muft I brings and they jhall heare my voyce : when the"
Father hath revealed,that fo many in fuch a place,
and fo many in fuch a place fhall bee faved, then
the Lord Chrift undertakes the care of them, and
he calls at fuch a doore, and faith, I muft have
that poore drunken creature, and he muft be hum.
bled and broken hearted, and he muft belccve,and
he calls at fuch a doore, and flndes the adulterer
in the armes of the harlot, and hee faith, I muft
have that unclean wretch, I muft bumlle him for hk
finnes, and I muft make afefaraiionbeweenebim and
hUfmnes: A good fhepheard will have a care of
his (heep, and will fetch them wherefoever they
be ; as it was with David, He did fetch bis prey from
the mouth of the Lion : {0 though there were never
fo many baits to allure a man, yet if the Lord
Chrift intend to fave him, hee will fetch him out
of the mouth of the Lion . and he faith, that pore
fide is mine, I have taken the charge of bim,and there-
fore I muft have him, and he muft heare my voice, nay
he fhall heare my voyce : Many times you have tur-
ned the deafe eare upon Chrift, and hee calls and
knocks, and yet that will not fervetheturne, un-
tillhee breakes in upon the fpule byhorrourof
heart: therefore God tne Father commits the
care of all thofe wandring foules to the charge of
Chrift, and hee will have them by one means or
other : As it is with a Husbandman thachatiii a
great flocke of fheepe, and he faith to'his fonne,
loe, I commit the care of them to thee, loe here
they are I would have thee tobecarefull of them,
tfce number thou knpweft, and thexnarke thdi
Z i feeft ?
j 72 The Soules Iuftiftcation.
feeft, then the forme concludes with the father,
and they enter into agreement, and the fon faith,
I will feed and kccp*thofe fhecp: lb it is with
God the Farhcr,and the Lord Jeliis Chrift ; God
the Father gives all the names of all the faithfull
from the beginning of the world to the end of it .
and faitb,alf thefearc my children ? there is a poor
creature in fuch a blinde corner of the countrie
which I muft have faved, and in another place
there is another bale drunkard which I muft have
faved, that I may make the world to wonder at it-
the foundation of the Lord ftandeth fure,and hath
this feale, the Lord knoweth who are his, the
Lord hath elected and called them, thats his
marke • and therefore our Saviour Chrift nnder-
takes the care of them, and God the Father looks
that all thofe that are committed to the care of
Chrift, fhould bee faved- as in John 17. 12. OfaH
that thou baft given we, b ave I loft none^ but the chdde
offerdition^ that is, he was a wolfe, and no fhecp,
and a lion, and a cunning fox, and none of my
charge, but of all that thou baft given mee hove I loft
none) all you poore ignorant and weake Chrifti-
ans, little lambes^ that cannot helpe your felves,
Chrift will not loie one of you • but though
you are never fo mean and poore, the Lord will
carry you in his armes, and bring you to ever Li-
fting life : 1 Cor. 1 5 . 24. Then [hall the end be, when
the hordlefvA hath delivered r/p the Kingdoms to the
F other ^nd fhal fay,Father,thou haft given me the
.charge offo many inEngland,fomany in Spain,
fo many in Alia, fo many in the Palatinate, the
Lord
The Souks I unification. 1 73
Lord Jefus Chrift (hall deliver up the whole
number to God the Father.
Secondly,' our Saviour having undertaken to
keepethefe,he addrefleth himfeiie totheworke,
to ufe thofe means by which hee may keepe and
fave them,and that he doth thus : he puts himfeife
into the roome and place of all thofe poore loft
fheepe of his, and tfr& is the difficultie to open
this to you that arc wcake. Now what is it to be
put in the roome and place of another ? Chrift
doth willingly fubmit himfeife to the power of
the revenging juftice of the Father, that whatfo-
ever the taw and Juftice of God required at the
hands of the faithfull, that doth Chrift ftand un-
ro and will anfwer it all, as thus : the debter is ta-
ken and imprifoned, and they that are his friends
defire fome releafment for him; now upon con-
futation, and conference with the creditor, it is
agreed that fuch a man fhall undertake to«hefp
him, and to free him from all the extremitie that
he lies in for the debt, and hee muftdoe it by one
ofthefe two waves, either hee muft breakethe
prifon,and forefcue him by ftrong hand, or elfe
he muft yeeldand fubmit to what the Law re-
hires, and is due to the creditor . and the credi-
tor faith, if you will bee content to become deb-
a$r, and acquit him of the debt, if you will enter
bond with me to become a pay-ma fter of the
whole debt due tome, then I am content to free
him : Now the man that thus yeelds himfelfe 3 to
what the power of Law and Juftice can do againft
the debtor, thajt man becomes a furetie for him,
Z 3 he
174 The Soules lu&tfc mon.
he will bee as one that owes the money, and that
muft pay, and the Law proceeds as fully agamft
mm, as againft the debtor: the debtor did perfo-
nally owe themoney,and lay inpnfonfor it, but
the luretie is as one that hath forfeited and muft
pay * hee fubmits himfelfe to the power of Law, ;
and 'juftice, thatlooke what the Law requires ot
a man forfeiting and owing, hee is content that
the Law require it of him. Juft fo it is here, the
{inner is this debtor, and Chrift undertakes for
him by a mutiull confent betweene the Father
and him, and hee yeelds and fubmits himfelfe to
all the power of Juftice, that looke how the Law
accounts of a finner, it fhould account of him :
Now the Law of God accounts of this man a*
one that hath broken the Law, and deferved eter-
nalldeath,and Chrift fubmits himfelfe to thefe,
the Law requires doing and flittering, and thrift
is contented to undergoe all thefe for all that
fhallbeleeve: as G^.4.4,5. when the fulneffe of
time was come, God fern forth his onely Sonne made of
a woman, and wade under the Law, that he might re*
deeme them which were under the Law : the meaning
is this, lookehowwewereunder the Law, fo was
Chrift under the Law for us, that fo he might re-
deemethofethat were under the Law ; the Law
laid guilt to our charge, and the Law did con-
demneus,and the Lord" Chriftwas content to be
under all that commanding, revenging authority,
which the Law had over us, fo that now Chrift
is come into the roorrie of all the faithfull: hence
is that fpeech olLmher % which the Papifts fo
* much
The S aides luffificatim. X75
much cavill at; hee faith our Saviour was the
greateft tinner of all the faithfull that ever was
upon the face of the earth, not that hehadanyijn
of his owne inherent in him, or committeddy
him,but becaufe all the fins of all the world were
■charged upon him, and Chnft put himfelfe into
the roome of all the world, thatlooke whatso-
ever the Law required of any, the fame it required
of him ^ and what the Law accounted of any, it
.accounted the fame of him.
Thirdly, our Saviour having put himfelfe into 3
the roome of a llnner, the Law now proceeds
with full fcopeagainft him, and God the Father
"nay juftly proceed according to rule, and may
ju&ly exprefle the power of his revenging Jufticc
upon him : and hence it is that God the Father ;
accounts of Jefus Chriftas a tinner, and proceeds
againfthim, and condemnes him as a firmer, and
doth require of him whatfoever hee requires of a
"fiimey^Lfirmer muft doe or die, and Co muft rhe *
LordChrift, Lecaufe bee hath put himfelfe into
the roome of a finner. As it is with a creditor^
liaply the debtor growes a bankrupt, and flies his
countrie, the creditor cares not, for, faith bee, I
will lay the debt upon the fureties backe, fuch.a
man was bound for him, I have him tiill in my
cheft, and it is as good to mee, as if the debtor
him&ife were able to pay me : 10 it is here when
poore tinners wrong God, .and wound his Spirt,
and difhonour his Name, and tranfgrefTe his
Lawes,and they are not able to anfwer him one
of a thou|and v though they fhould goe to hell
for
iy6
The Soules luftification.
"font- now God the F ather faith, I muft be righ-
teous' I will lay all their finnes upon the Lord
Jefus Chrift, he became a debtor, and undertook
for them, and therefore I will require it of him,
as well as of them. Thus much oi the fir ft part
of the difcovery of this point, that God the Fa-
ther charged our finnes upon our Saviour, and
that Chrift charged them upon himfelfe, they
both make a compad, that poore loft man (hall
be favcd, and Chrift fubmits,and is contented to
beare their finnes, and to have the Law proceed
asainfthim.
: Now I come to the reafons why God the fa-
ther doth charge the finnes of all the faithfull up-
on Chrift : the reafons are three, and I realon
from the explication thus:
RcafoH i. Firft, that which the Lord Jefus Chrift did
willingly yeeld and fubmit himfelfe to without
finne, that God the Father might lay upon him
without any wrong, and might charge it upon
him as due debt j I fay, what the Lord jeius
Chrift did willingly fubmit himfelfe to, without
any diihonourto himfelfe, that God the Father
might juftly charge upon him ^ but our Saviour
did willingly fubmit himfelfe to the divine |u-
fticeof God the Father, to take their finnes, and
to beare their forrowes, and to bee m the roome
ofa finner, he came voluntarily in pur roome, and
therefore being under the Law, and being our
fcapegoat, the Father might juftly lay and charge
our debts upon him, becaufe hee had takenthem
upon himfelfe: he that will enter into bond with
* the
< '■ ' J ~" —
7lv «SW<*.f Iu H location. \yy
the creditor, and free the debtor, it is very equal I
that the creditor proceed againft him, as againft
the debtor.
Secondly, the juftice of God requires this at Rea r on lft
the hands of JefusChrift, towit, f that he fhould
notonely fu&r for finners, but alio take the very
guilt of finners upon himlelfe by imputation,
and bee in their roome. And that the juftice of
God doth require this at the hands of Chrifty
may thus be conceived :
The anger, juftice, and feveritie of God, were
manifefted in the fall of man ^ for when man had
finned and fallen, then anger and juftice began to
worke, and now Ad&m faw God to bee an angry
and a juft God- now the glory of thofe attributes
appeared, and now all the complaint ftands upon
mercies fide •, and therefore mercy appeals to the
great Court in Heaven, and then it faith, wife-
dome, and power, andgoodneffe, have allbeene
manifefted in the Creation ; and anger and ju-
ftice, they have beene glorified in the fall of A-
dam : but I have not yet beene manifefted ; Oh
let fome poore fbules bee comforted and faved,
that they may know there isa mercifull God,
and then the cafe is debated, onely juftice^ fteps
in, and takes it felfe as wronged : It is true, faith
juftice, it is fit that mercy fhould bee honoured,
yet it is not fit that I fhould bee wronged : muft
my glory be injured? would you have a company
of finfull rebels pardoned and' forgiven, when
they have thus abufed holinefle, and goodnene,
and refifted the Will of God ? nay, except they I
Aa be
17$ The Soules Itt&ificatio*,
be punifhed, I cannot have my due : mercy muft
be honoured, but yet juftice muft not be wrong-
ed. Now God is a juft God, and hee muft give-
every one their due; glory to whom giory^be-
longs, and juftice to whom juftice belongs .-ju-
ftice muft not be offended, but muft bee appaid 3
and have its r ight : this is the controverfie,there-
fbrethe Lord Jefus Chrift fteps in, and makes up
all even on both fides ^ and there is a way devifed
whereby juftice may bee fully fatisficd, and yet
mercy magnified, and fo much the more is mercy
magnified, by how much juftice was wronged :
Then Chrift comes in and faith, that juftice fhall
punifh allunbeleeversj and fo it fhall befatisfied
for all the wrong done to it, and mercy (hall bee
magnified uponthebeleeving foules, becaufe the
beleeveris not able to beare divine juftice him-
felfe : therefore Chrift Jefus is contented to bee
accounted guiltie, that juftice may inflict pu-
niOiment upon him as deferving it • for other-
wife, to punifh the innocent, and to acquit the
guiltie, will not ftand with juftice J Now there-
tore that juftice may have his due from him, and
yet doe him no wrong - 5 therefore he was content
to be accounted guiltie ^ and though hee were in-
nocent, yet he was contented to bee accounted
nocent. Now if God in juftice require punifli-
ment of our Saviour, then the fame Juftice muft;
account our Saviour as guiltie, otherwife, hee
Should punifh the innocent, which he cannot in-
juftice doe : but God the Father did punifrf
Chrift Jefus 5 for juftice is fatisfied by the punifh-
ment v
The Swles Iufpification,- 179
merit, therefore it is requifite that he fhould bee
under the Law : alfo God in jufticemuft account
him guiltier, that in jufticehe maybe punifhed :
fo the iiTue is this ; If God the Father doe in }u~
ftice punifh Chrift, then it is required that hec
fhould bee accounted as guiltie, and' under the
Law; but the Father did doe it ^ therefore he did
account him as a finner, and as guiltie, and did
lay their finnes unto his charge.
Thirdly, the third argament is taken from the Reafin 3 ,
love and mercy of Jefus Chrift, which abundant-
ly is magnified herein, in taking upon him the
roomeofa finner: for whatfoever the Lord Je-
fus Chrift could doe for a poore finner without
iinne,that hedid doe, in the pardon of finne 5 but
this Chrift might doe without finne • and in do-
ing thereof, might exprefle abundance of love,
not onely to lay downehis life for us, but to
vaile his innocencie for us : hee w&s accounted
a rnalefa&of anda firmer for us,thisis the highell
pitch of admirable love that can bee ; for the
lower the degree of his abatement was, the grea-
ter was his love : for it is one thing to die, and
it is another thing to vaile his honour and holi-
neflfe,and he that was Godequall with the Father,
to be accounted as guilty of fin, this argues mar-
vellous mercy and love, therefore it was fit that
it fhould be taken.
The firft ufe is a word of inl%u ition to all die Vfc *♦
faithfull of God : they are to learne this point
of whedome. Is it (o that God the Father hath
laid thy finnes upon Jefus Chrift ? doth the guilt
Aa 2 of
t / o
The Soules Iu^'tf cation.
.of them lie there, and hathChrift taken them,
and the guilt ofthemAjpon himfelfe,ar.d the con-
demnation due unto the fame • then doe thou
not take them from him to thy felfe-. Therefore
what the Jewes did with the facrifice, fo doe you
with a Saviour, Leviticm iC. 2 1 . when Aaron
came to offer up the fcapegoat, he laid both his hands
upn him with all his mighty and he put all the jinnes
eflfrael upon the head of 'the live goat . The He-
brew Writers obferve three things in the Words :
Firft, hee laid on both his hands mth all his might:
Secondly, there was nothing betrveene the hand of the
offerer and the facrifice which was made: Thirdly,.
he muff confeffe his finnes, and the fmnes of all. the If
raelkes over the goat , and fay, Lord, I hav* tranf-
grejjed, and have committed this and that iniqmtir,
^ but now Lord I returne to thee, and bring an offering
% yfattonement, and I befeech thee good Lord to accept
it; So let this beethe guife of the heart of every
faithfu'll Chriftian, when hee would have quiet
and eafej i£ ever you would have acceptance
withChrift, then carry him with thee to the Fa-
ther, and let your foules reft upon him with all
your ftrengtb, and unbutthcn thy felfe of all thy
iinhes, and the guilt of them, and put them upon
the Lord Chrift : commit thy foule to him, and
then for ever expect grace and mercy from him,
and refolve of this, that the Lord Jefus Chrift
which was made guilty for thee, will make thee
guiltlefie ; and hee that was condemned in thy
roome , hee will acquit thee in his mercy and '
goodneffe.
But
The Souks Iu&ification. i8i
But fome may hereobjeft and fay, is not this
aground of comfort, and a ground of loofeneife,
for drunkards and earnall libertines : Jfor they
may fay, why ihould wee not live rnour finnes,
feeing Chrift hath taken the guilt of them upon
him, and will deliver us from them ; they thinke
they maybecareleffe ofwhatfoever they doe,and
fing care away, never to be troubled for, nor af-
fected with the burthen of their finnes and rebel-
lions any more, becaufe Chrift ftands charged
with their finnes, therefore they may throw away
the care of them. Thus, as I may fay with holy
reverence, they m ake Chrift a ftale for all their
finnes : therefore let mee fhew all fuch loofe li-
bertines of this laft age of the world, what fond
conceits they have : I meanethe Anabaptifts,but
fpeciallythe Familifts, who thinke it is unpro-
fitable for a beleever to trouble himfelfe for his
finnes, and to goe up and downe with his heart
full of griefe, and his eyes full of teares 5 and they
thinke it unwarrantable andunlawfull,and there-
fore they grow carelefle of finne, and fearlefle
when they have committed finne : hath Chrift
undertaken for im,fay they,then why fhould a be-
leever take finne to himfelfe ? This is thecurfed
opinion of the Familifts. There is an unfpeak-
able, and an unmeafurable meafure of comfort
in this Doctrine for all the people of God, and
theotherfucke as much poyfon from it. I have
borne a fecret grudge againft this doctrine of
theirs many a day, but I could not tell how to
meet with it, neither doe I love to meddle with
A a 3 itj
_ l8a The Souks Iu&ific*tim.
at, till I meet it in my diih: therefore to prevent
thecavils of the wicked, that a canaUfacart may
not prefume of the mercy of God in JefusChrift,
and alfo that the poore finner may not burthen
himfelfe with needlefle feares, nor with his finne
more than God requires, fuffei me to clearethc
Dodrines by laying open two :hings;
^g*eB. U Firft 3 how farre a finner may and ought to
charge himfelfe withhis iinne, -and how Farre hec
maygoe.
$ue Ft. % . Secondly,how farrea finner fhould not lay M*
flnne upon himfelfe, nor charge his folly upon
himfelfe • and this will touch and difcover *he
bounds and limits of the free grace of God, and
will open the way that wee -may walke therein
with comfort.
For the former:
* " l The °l ueftion heregrowes how farrea beleever
that hath an intereft m Chrift, may charge him*
felfe with his finne.
dnfwtr. I anfwer for the manner of it, it fhall appeare
in thefe particular rules or conclufions.
1 Firft, every beleever under heaven, both the
weakeft and the ftrongeft, even hee that hath the
ftrongeft meafure of grace, is bound to this, to
the uttermoft ofhis power to fee and examine
the finfull carriages ofhis foule : whether diftem-
pers inwardly, or ungodly practices outwardly :
he is bound to confider of them, and to judge of
thele his finnes,and every of them, knowing that
even the leaft of them is fufficient to make him
guiltieof eternall death, and to bring condemna-
tion
The Soules Iu$fo$cation. li*3
tion upon him ^ as heemuftfec what his finnc is,
io he muft judge that it hath the power to make
fcimguiltie, and alio to condemne him, fhould
not the Lord by the power of his grace prevent
it. Every finne in h'is owne nature, and power,
doth and will procure guilt and condemnation to
the foule, by the finne committed, urileffe the
Lord in mercy doe prevent it, and Chrift by the
power of his merits ftop the power and condem-
nation of finne, as the Apoftle faith, Rom. 1.3 r.
which men thwgkthey knew the Lo.ro ofGod, horv that
they which doe thefe things are worthy of death : that is,
that in the lea ft finne which a man eommits 3 there
is a fitnefle in it to make a man guiltie, and it
hath a powerto condemne him, unlefle the Lord
did marvellous gratioufly ftop the power of cor-
ruption: as the Text faith, the repenting Church
fhall judge themfelves worthy to be condemned: every
Jfinner may fay of every finne he commits, that
there is enough in it to damne him, if God
fhould deale with him after his owne-defervings*
If I fhould be left to the power of my pride, and
malice,&hatred,&deadfyeartednes,it were enough
to condemne me for eve* .The, wifePhy fitian that
lees his Patient is in a pluri fie, will fay, here is
enough in this man to kill him, if I fhould neg-
lect him but a few dayes, it would kill him : but
now if the Phy fitian lets him blood, hee flops
the power of it, that Co the corrupted blood can-
not bring death upon him : fb every finne that a
man commits, both the diftempers ofthe heart
inwardly, and the abufe of the means ofgrace
and
m m*w ■— —■——■—— Mi n i ■ ■Ii . m. i i i ■ i . . i n- in - ",-. ■K^ — 111 ii. . i ,„,
1 8^ The Soules luftificatiop.
and the pra&ice of finne outwardly, there is
enough in that plurifie of finne to takeaway a
mans comfort and happineflc, unlefie the Lord
be pleafed to hinder the condemning power of
them, that they cannot hurt us : therefore the
fumme of all is this, as every beieever muft exa-
mine his owne heart and life, fohee muft judge
the nature of finne, and judge himlelfe worthy
to be condemnei: i Cor, A I . 31 Jfrve would judge our,
felves, we fhould not be judged, that is, i£ wee con-
demne our felves, and judge our felves worthy to
be condemned for them : I fay not that a man
fhould fay, that the Lord will condemne him,
but that he is worthy to be condemned for them,
and he deferves condemnation. Every fiery Ser-
pent in the wilderneue had a killing nature in it f
and if it did not kill, it was not for want of power
in it , but becaufe the vertue and power of the
brafen Serpent ( which was a Type of Chrift )
tookc away all the killing power of the fiery
Serpents : this is the practice of the fou'e whom
the Lord hath truly brought home to himfelfe :
zsEzekiel 1 6. $6. after they werejuftifiedinGods
fight, then jhallthej remember their evill wayesfiikh
the Text,and be ajhamed^and never of en their mouths
more, when I am pacified towards thee for aH that thou
haft done : Though God hath accepted of a poore
beieever, yet bee muft fee his finnes, and lay his
mouth in the duft, and never pranke up his heart
more, but walke humbly before the Lord - y and
though hee is accepted and pardoned, yet hce
fkall judge himfelfe worthy to bee condem-
ned:
The Souks Iu salification. 1S5
ned: This is the firft conclufion.
Secondly, every beleeving foule juftificd, and 2
having an intereft in Chrift, ought thus farreto
acknowledge his finnes, as that it were righteous
with the Lord to execute his wrath againft him ,
and to takeall the advantages againft him: and
howfbever the Lord will notcendemnehim, yet
to let out his wrath againft him ; though not to
condemnehim, yettodiftra&him: This is that
which lob makes to be the ground of that bitter
complaint of his, and made him fitdowneindi-
ftra£tednene of heart, under the heavy difpleafurc
of the Lords wrath, that though God would not
damne him, yet when the Loid takes away his
loving countenance, and lets in his indignation
into his foule, to his humiliation, terrour, and
vexation ; this funke him infinitely, and this
God might doe to every beieever under Heaven,
lob 1 3 .24,2 6. why hide si thou arvay thy face^ and
takeft mee for thine enemie I God feemed to bee
difpleafed with him, and to frowne upon him,
and carried himfelfeto I obis an enemy : and in
the 2 6.. verfe^ Thou writes!; bitter things againft
me^ and make '& mee to inherit the finnes of my youth:
The old lufts, and the T old brufes of his youth,
whereby he had dishonoured God, though thefe
were pardoned before,yet Godrenewes them,and
puts in the fuit againft him the fecond time, and
makes the finnes of his youth to bee inherited by,
him 5 that looke as the land defcends to the
hei r e, fo the Lord made the finnes and vanities
of his foule to be poheffed by him, and brought
Bb out
l8£ The Soules I unification*
HT
out all his abominations out of record, Thou
writeji bitter things agawft me, that is, the Lord
tooke all the advantages againft him chat might
be, and faid, Remember the dd lufts of thy heart,
find the vanities of thy youth ; and this made him
like a drie leafe tojjed too and fro : as verie 2 5 . Oh
how eafie were it for God, if hee fhoutd but re-
port to a mans confcience any little finne, that
was committed the night before, and fetit on,and
fealeit to the heart, it would drive the ftouteft
heart under heaven to defpaire : PfalweSS. 15.
Thy terrours have I fuffered from my youth upwards,
and I have beene difkraBed with them ■• Lord, why
caffeflthouoffmy foulel t am affliBed, and ready to
die. It is certaine,and I have knovvne it, that the
moft ftouteft heart, and rebellious lion-like di£
pofition, that fets himfelfeagainftGodandhis
grace 5 if God let him but fee his finne, and fay,
this is thy pride, and thy ftubbornnefTe and rebel-
lion, it would drive the ftouteft heart under hea-
ven beyond it felfe ; nay, to utter diftra&ion t of
minde, Pfalme 40.1a. Innumerable troubles have
taken hold upon me, they have fo compared me about,
that I am not able to lookeup : Every finne is like
a great bandog that is muzzeld, and if hee bee
once let loofe," he will teare all in peeces : fo the
Lord fbmetimes muzzelsamans corruptions,and
keeps them under, and if the Lord doe but now*
and then let them loofc, then they pull a man
dovvne ; and hence comes all thofe pale lookes,
anddifcouragements of foule, thcfe are they that
will thus worry a man : Thus every beleever mu ft
acknow-
The Souks Iuftifiattkn. 1 87
acknowledge that it were juft with the Lord to
let looie his finne, howfoever not to condemnc
him, yet to make him live at little peace or qui-
et • and hence it is thatthe Prophet D avid przks
fo againft it, Pfalme 51.9. when he had commit-
ted thofe two great fins of adultery and murther.
-though God after his confelTion had fealed
to his foule the pardon of them, yet hee went
with broken bones ; and therefore he faith, Hide
awayhy face from my finnes, and put away ail mine
Mq'Mies^ as if he hadfaid, lookenotuponmy
finnes as a udge, doe not follow the Law againft
me, let not my finnes, or my perfon bee onee
brought into the Court, or bee once named, but
lookeupon the Lord Jefus Chrift for mee, and
for his fake blot out all mine iniquities.
Thirdly, every beleever accepted and juftified
in and through Chrift by the Father, yet hee is
bound thus farre to charge his finne upon his
owne foule,and lay them fo much uponhimfelfe,
as to maintain in his owne heart a fenfe of the
need that he hath of Chrift, as well as to conti-
nue our refpcA and acceptation with God, as to
bring us at firft into the Jove and favour of God :
Indeed if we could quit our (elves, and cleare our
hands of any fin committed by us, itwerefome-
thing, then we would be ready to fay as the peo-
ple to leremie, we are holy, we are lords , we will come
no more at thee: No it is neceflary, feeing Chrift
is yet in the worke of the mediatourfhip, that wc
iliould fee a dayly need of him - this is the rea-
fon of that great complaint o(David,Pfal. 5 1 . 1 .1 .
Bb 2 *
*88 The Soules litftifycation.
a man would thinke that hee would havebccne
comforted, and gone away cheerfully, having the
pardon of his fmnes : but marke how hee cries,
Have mercy upon me oh God, according to the multi-
tffde ofthycompafiions y wafh away all my tranfgrefi-.
ons : wajh mee throughly from all my tranfcreftions,
and purge mee from my finne. Hee had not onely
need of Chrift before his converfion tojuftifie
him, but he had need of Chrift now to continue
theafTurance of his ju unification • it is not a drop,
but a bucket full of mercy 5 not a little mercy,
but a whole ocean : Lord, I have had a great
deale of mercy for the finnes of my youth, and
I have need of a great deale of mercy ftiil to waiTi
away the guilt of my finnes : this the Law requi-
red of every man that did offer facrifice, as they
were to offer their dayly facrifice , fo wee have
day ly need of Chrift, and therefore wee muft
have a dayly recourfe to Chrift : therefore the
facrificer was to lay his hands upon the head of the fa-
crifice : Even fo doe thou lay thine hands upon
the Lord Jefus Chrift, and reft upon him, and
thou malt finde acceptance with him, this is that
which fometimes chears iip the drooping heart,
and bears it up in the midft of all the waves of
wickednefle, when he fees the vanitic of his mind,
and the deadneiTe of his heart, and frothinelTe
of his fpeech ,and now finne, and then finne, and
in every thing finne, as you cannot but fee and
eonfefleit: this ftands the poore finner in ftead
when hee confiders this, and faith, though I am
dayly finning, yet there is a Saviour in Heaven^
and
The Soules Iteftification, iS?
and mercy and grace in him r that I may be com-
forted therein for ever, Hebrewesj. 25. Hee if
able to fave to the mtermoRythofe ihat come to God
by him: It implies thefe two things, notonely
from all finne, but alfo at all times ; notonely
from the finnes of your youth, but alfo tothe ut-
termoft ofyourdayes: the reafon is, hee lives
for ever tocbe it • this is the chearing of a poore
{inner, and this wee ihould labour to maintain,
andtokeepe the fight and fenfe of our finne,
though our finnes endure for ever, our living and
finning goe together, and we ftill continue tobe
as finfufl, and lazy, and idle, as ever ; yet fee a
need of a Saviour that lives for ever, and hee is
able to fave for ever : He hath not onely beene a
Saviour in times paft, but hee is ftill; you may
haply live many daies , and therefore goe to
Chrift which liveth for ever, to pardon and to in-
tercede for the comfort of the fcule. The wife
man faith, Proverbs 2 8. 1 5 . He that confejjeth and
forfaketh (hall finde mercy: the originall runs thiiSj
confefling and forfaking findeth mercy, the beft
of Gods people have their finnes, their pride, and
other diftempers : therefore labour to fee thy
finnes, and to fee thy need of Chrift, that thou
maift finde pardon for them.
Fourthly, thus firre the Saints of God ought 4
to goe in charging their ovvne foules with their
finnes ; fo farre fee them, and bee affected with
the,m,as to bring thy heart to be truly carried with
hatred againft them, and withrefolution to get
power and ftrength againft them; lay thy burthen>
Bb 3 upon
I^o The Soules Ivfrificatte*.
upon thy owne foule, that thou maift be affe&ed
with it, and be carried with a hatred to k, and a
rcfblution to get moreftrength and power againft
it : Famous is that example of D avid herein,and
this was the caufe of his practice • it is a con-
ceit of the Families, that if he had once gotten
the afTurance of Gods love, he might have gone
away cheared, but though the Lord had pardoned
his finne, yet he would not pardon finne in him-
felfe : the Lord fhewed mercy to his fou.'e, but
yet he would not fhew any pittie to his finne,but
{hewed all the hatred and revenge againft it, that
pollibly he could : As the Apoftle faid concer-
ning the inceftuous Corinth, Te fhould ra. her have
forrowed, that the finne might have beene removed •
had you borrowed for your finnes y then you would have
refitted them • And when heehad fhewed them
their tranfgreffions, and convinced them of their
finnes, fee what fruit it wrought in them, in
2 Cor. 7. 10. For this jhing that yee have had
godly forrow, what great care it hath wrought in you-
yea, what clearing ofyourfelves • yea, what indignati-
on 5 yea, what feare, what zeale, what revenge ', &c £
The Familifts fcomfully\and finfully inquire and
lay, why fhould a^beleevergoe drooping, and
mourning under his finnes and corruptions, and
have his eyes full of tears, and his heart full of
griefe, feeing Chrift hath pardoned all, as though
a man did become a Mediatour to himfelfc? their
demand is weake, and their fcorne is hellifh,
and therefore I aniwer them thus : If there be a
daily need thatfcvery beleever fee a neceffitie of
Chril%
The Souit-s I*&ipc ation. i$i
Chrift, then there is a daily need to repent and
forrovv for iinne ^ for if he aunt he more ian&i-
£edj then he muft bee more mortified \ therefore
he muft daily fee his finnes, or e! fe hee will never
fee a need of Chrift, nor repent, nor bee more
fandiried nor mortified : Againe, if everv be-
leever muft expreffe his love unto God daily,
then he muft hate every thing that is evill. I hope
you will confelTe that every belee\er is bound to
love Jcius Chrift, therefore he muft hate finne -
and if hee muft hate finne that hee may not com-
mit it y then hee muft mourne for it when it is
committed. If a man have any goodnature, it
will worke trouble in his heart,, to thinkethat
hee fhould finneagainft fo good a God h thus
farrea Chriftian ought to goe, and muft goein
the charging himfelfe with his finne.
Now inthefecond place the queftion is this, gue&.i.
how far may not a beleever charge himfelfe with
his finne • this is that which hath bred alithefe
vaine conceits in the fpirits of thofe Familifts :
I fay no more therefore but this, they make
Chrift not a King of Saints, but of linne ; there
is great weight in it, and, admirable comfort, i£
Chriftians would but be perfwaded to make con-
fcience of the word of God. You that are weake
not onely be perfwaded to liften to the word, but
alfo make confcience of what is revealed cut of
the word : now how farre hee may not charge
himfelfe with his finne, may bee conceived of in
thefe conclusions.
Firft 5 a beleever fhould not in his judgement r
conceive^
I £2 The Souks Iufttfication.
conceive, nor in his heart be perfwaded that any
finne,nor all his finnes fhall ever be able to faften
the guilt of {inne upon him, fo as tocaufe re-
venging juftice to proceed again!! him to his
condemnation, it he ferioufly repent, and amend,
and forfake his old vvayes : for hee muft not
in his judgement conceive, nor in his heart
thinke that ever finne repented of {hall be able to
faften guilt upon him fo, as to draw out the exe-
cution of juftice againft him : It is one thing
to be worthie of condemnation, and it is another
thing to faften guilt and condemnation upon
him, as many poore creatures will fay, I mail be
condemned, and I fhall one day perifh by the
hands of Saul, and thefe finnes will beemy ever-
lafting deftru&ion : take heed what you doe- for
if you are beleevers, true penitents ^ youfinne
highly m fo doing, and flying, vvalke as humbly
as thou wilt, and lay thy mouth in the duft, and
fpeake not a word more, and fay, it is mercy that
thou art not in hell • yet know this alfo, that all
thy finnes, and all thy pride fhall never bee able
fo to faften guilt upon thee, as to draw out Gods
juftice againft thee ■ llnne hath a power to make
us guiltie, and to'condemne us, but it fhall ne-
ver faften its worke upon thy penitent foule: re-
: member that ftory of Saint Pawl, ABs 5. 28.
He went and gathered up (ticks with the reft of the com-
pany to make a fire, ( for hee tooke no great ftate
upon himfelfe, being but a poore tent-maker)
and there came a viper out of the heat, and Uap on his
hand: by and by the Heathens they proclaimed
him
The Soules Iuflification. ipj
him to be fome notorious malefa&or,fome mur-
therer,whom though he hadeicapedthe Sea, yet
vengeance nath not differed him to live: but
marke what the Text faith, Heejhooke off the viper
into the fire> and had no hurt - y this viper would have
flaine him, being a deadly venomous creature,,
but Paul had a promife before, that if he touch-
ed any poy fonfull thing, it fhould not hurt him .
This is the admirable happinefle of the Saints,
and fervants of God : oh that they were perfwa-
ded of it. Ail thy pride,and envie,and malice, and
covctoufnefle, all thy finnes are of a poyfonous
viperous nature, but if thou art a beleever, if a
true penitent and convert, thou haft the promife,
that the fting of the Serpent, finne fhall not hurt
thee, it is taken off from thee, and laid upon the
Lord Jefus Chrift, and therefore fhake oft the
guilt of all thy abominations, andgoe on cheer-
fully and comfortably to Chrift,and yet humbly
too ; and praife his Name that hee hath beene
pleafed to take that guilt of finne upon him,
which thou wert never able to beare : therefore,
thotTghallthy pride, thy rebellion and other fins
fhould come in againfi thee , as the finnes of
ManaJJex, if thourepenfeft and forfakeft them,
yet they fhallnever beable to faftenany guilt up-
on thee to condemne thee. Looke as it was with
the three children, the fire in its owne nature was
able toburne them • therefore/^ that put them in
were consumed by the flame^ but the three children had
no W* .the Lord ftopped the power of the flames,
that it burnt onely their bonds, but not one haire of
C c their
i£4 The Sdides Justification,
their head was fienged, nor there was no (me/I of fire
upon them ; it was not becaufe the fire would not,
or could not,butthe Lord ftopt the acting oftfre
fire. So every finne is able to fatten guilt upon
thee, and to condcmne thee, but upon thy re-
pentance, the Lord hinders it in the acl: • and
therefore though finne doth lend the wicked and
impenitent downe to hell to frie in torments, yet
it (hall never fend thee downe, nor fatten guilt
upon thee: Thus it was likewife with Daniel,
Chap.6. 2 2, 2 5,24. when he was put into the Li-
ons denne, the Princes of the king Darius had a
fpleene againft X>^/V/,becaufe he was a holy man,
and had gotten fotne intereft in the kings favour,
and they could get no hold againft him, but in
the matter of his God ? now hee that loved God
better than himfelfe, He opens his window boldly to-
wards Ierufalem,profefing Cods truth when hee was,
called to it, therefore they went to the king to have him
to becafi into the den of Lions, according to the decree •
now he was cafi into it, and though the Lions were hun-
grie, yet God fhut the mouth of the Lions, they had
power, and were able to hurt him ifihey had not beene
retrained, but God had fhut up their mouthes that
they could not hurt him ; but when the enemies of Da-
niel were cafi into the denne, the Lions did ware them
all topeeces, before they came at rhe bottome of the denne
they rent them inpeeces fuddenly :■ w hats the reafon
of it ? they haa as much power before, and were'
as able and as hungry before, but the Lord ftope
their mouths, that theycouli not devour Daniel: Tuft
fcit is with the fumes of the penitent, and the
finnes
The Soules I unification, ip j
finnes of the impenitent ; the finnes of the one,
though they are of a killing, and a Lion-like na-
ture, w ( for the wages of every finne is death, and
there is condemnation ink) yet the Lordfiovs the
mouth of the Lion,, hee takes off the guilt and con-
demning power of finne,that though it hath po-
wer in it felfe to condemne, yet it cannot dee it ;
but now when it meets with an impenitent unbe-
leever, the malice of the malicious fhall kill
him, and the pride of the ambitious {hall one
day rend his heart • but it is not fo with the fins
of the penitent beleevers, their finnes have teeth
indeed, and power to make a man worthy of
condemnation,' but they fhall never faften con-
demnation upoh him; this is the meaning of that
place, Romans 8. 3. That which was impoflible to the
Law to doe, in as much as it was weake, becaufe of the
flefh, God fending his^onely Sonne in the fimilitude
of fmfull flefh and for finne, condemned finne in the
flefh : It is an excellent place, and hath much
weight in it, and howfoever there are many in-
terpretations of the place, yet I will follow that
interpretation, which I nowexpreffe, that it was
impoffible for the Law feo acquit a man of finne,
becaufe he cannot keepe the Law, and therefore
he cannot bee juftified by it : but how comes it
to paiTe then, that the Saints of God are delive-
red ? The text faith, Chrtfl tooke flefh on him, and
it was (infill flefh by fimilitude or imputation," not
actually by commiffion -, the nature of our Savi-
our had no evill inherent in him nor committed
by him,but hee was only a finner by imputation,
Cc 2 and
I? (5 The Soules luftifc&tUn.
— ■— m —■ — — ■,......■-- ■ ■ — i ■ ■ , -,„ ... ,, — .- , — . 7——
and then he condemned finne in the flefh,what is
that } it is a law cafe, and Maf^r Calvin hath it.
excellently, he damned finne, as a man will fay
whenhelofeth the fuit, hee fell from his caufe,
and from his plea which he made, he loft it utter-
ly j fo Chrift taking upon him our nature by
imputation, he made finne lofe its claime which
it would make to the foule in this cafe, hee that
breaketh the Law of God is guiltie, and fhall be
condemned by it : but this man hath broken the
Law of God, and therefore is guiltie of condem-
• nation thereby : Now Chrift takes off thefe^nd
feith, It is true 9 hee is guiltie of fmne^ and worthy of
condemnation^ tmleffe another be contented to be guilty
for him, but I have undertaken the guilt for him y and
have paid the debt for him » and therefore this foule is
free from fnne y thou haft nothing to doe rvith thk
foult^ neither flialt thou condemn e him. Obferve it,
when all your {innes fhall mufter in upon you,
and come from Eaft to Weft, faying, thou art
fuiltie of pride, guiltie of malice, &c. and {"halt
e condemned for them y make anfwer and lay,
it is tfue,Lord, I am fb,but Chrift hath taken
away the guilt and condemnation, and I have re-
pented of my finned : therefore, finne, thou haft
nothing to doe with this foule of mine, C hrift
hath taken it and redeemed it, and therefore I
leave it with him: : This is the flrft concluiion.
yfe 3. In the fe<x>nd place wee heare what the Do-
ctrine faith, that God the Father charged all our
finnes upon Chrift, and that they fhall never
con-
The Souks luftificAtion. 19%
concfemnetbe penitent and faithfully then what
will become oi he faithleflfe and unbeleevers,
thinke ye ? THs truth is like a thunder-bolt,and
it is aule to i "hake the hearts of all unbelievers,
and to dal : them all in peeces : Hence it is evi-
dent that every obftinate unbeleever is deftitute
of all hope of fuccour and pardon of his finne:
confider of this all you that are unbeleevers ^ you
tnuft pay your owne debts, and beare your owne
burthens. I know your hearts cannot but teftifie
that the condition of fuch poore foules is very
miierable • it is that which foraetimes comforts
a man, that either hee hath good friends that will
belpehim, orehehee hath means of hisowneby
which he is able to relieve himfelfe • but he that
hath no reliefe of himfelfe,nor cannot exped nor
hope for any, this man finks downe in forrow,
becaufe hee knowes there is no way in the world
to help him: This is thy condition right, thou
that art an unbeleever- what?to be.caft out of hea*
ven and earth too, this is miferabIe,robe forfeken
of God &: of man too^that no means in heaven nor
earth will ftand him in (teed for his good,whileft
hee thus continues. (Jonfider of this, you that
make nothing of the finne ofunbeleefe, though'-
you have fome care of other flnnes; whither will
you goe for fuccour inthat great dayof accounts ?
will you goe to the Saints? they dare not; will
you goe to the Creatures ? they cannot • will you
goe to the Lord Jefus Chriftphewill not fuccour
you ; If you goe to any of the Saints to fee if
they will take the guilt of your finnes upon them,
Cc 3 they
f$8 The Soules /unification.
they fay we have too many inabilities to procure
pardon for any one finne, and never a Saint in the
world dares to meddle with the giult of anothers
finnes, and therefore they dare not meddle with
them 5 but they fay as the wife virgins did to the
foolifh ones^Matth. 1 5 . ?.When the foolifti vir-
gins faid, give us of your oyle, for our lamps aregone
out± not fa faid they, left there bee not enough for you
and us too, but rather goe unto them that fell \and buy
for pur felves : Even fo, if you goe to the Saints,
and fay, I pray you undertake the pardon of my
finnes, and rebellions, and beare you the guilt of
my finnes, becaufe you are holy and righteous .
no, fay they, we cannot , fo all the creatures can-
not fuccour you. If all the creatures in heaven
and earth fhould confpire together to fave you
from the burthen of any one finne, they could
not doe it : nay,the creatures become your accu-
sers • the bed whereupon thou haft committed
fo many abominations, and the alehoufe where
thou haft beene drunke,and haft blafphemed 5 and
the habitation where thou dwelleft, and all the
creatures groaneagainft thee, under the burthen
of thy abominations : zsJlom. 8.22. Therefore
they wil take nomoreguilt upon tbem,than what
they have already,they are too weary of the weight
of what they fele alredy:but though the faints dare
not, and the creatures cannot favevou,yet there is
hope in heaven,&therc is help to be had inChrift.
well were it with thee, iflhou hadft any fhare in
that Chrift 5 but this is rhar which will finke
thy heart, that there is no hope for thee there :
what
The Souks Justification. 19
what doft thou talke of grace and of mercy, when
thou haft oppofed ihe Gofpell of grace, and of
mercy, and thou continued in unbeleefe ? this
is the he ght and depth of the mi fery ofallunbe-
Jeevers,that there is no hope for them in heaven:
This was that which the wicked faid, when they
infulted againft David in Pfalme 3 . 2 . There is no
belpefir him in his God: what they faid of 'David
falfiy, God faith it truly of thee, there is no help
for thee in God h there is mercy in Chrift, but
thats thy mifery,for there is none for thee, being
an unbcleever : Pfalme iS. 41. David there ex-
prelfeth the miferie of the wicked, Beca-ife the
Lord leaves them in their troubles - , they cried, but there
was none to fave them ; yea y even unto the Lord, but he
anfwered them not : Thats thy eftate right, though
thou calleft to heaven, and to Chnft, and to the
God of mercy, and to the merits of Chrift, yet
they .will not helpe thee : thou haft many finnes,
and thou fhalt beare them every one : Now
thinke what your finnes have deferved, and how
you will be able to beare them, when all flefli
ftiall appeare before God: then the Lord will
charge all thy finnes upon thy foule, and' thou
muft beare. and if every finnedeferves condemna-
tion,then how wilt thou be able to beare all thofe
condemnations that are due to all thy fins which
thou canft not number, even the dregs ofvenge-
ance,and the bottome of the cop of the Lords iri*
dignarion. Chrift in/ohn 17.9. fpeaking of the
faithful!, and 'how hee praies to the Father for
them , he faith, I fray not fir them of the world, birt
fir
2 co The Souks Iasrif cation.
. for thefe y whom thou haft given met out of the world:
When a poore unbeliever (hall come to Jefus
Chrift, and (hall intreat him to fpeake a good
word for him, when hee hath never regarded his
perfon, nor accepted of his gracious offers of
mercy, and (hall intreat Chrift to pray for him,
no, faith Chrift, I never prayed for the obftinate-
ly wicked : now if Chrift will not fpeake a good
word for thee, doft thou think e that hee will par-
don theguilt ofthy finnes upon him? nay,he on-
ly pardons the guilt of the finnes of the faithfull-
but as for thee, thou muft bcare thy finnes, and
fuffer for them for evermore.
yfe 9 The third ufe, is a word of exhortation, and
inftruaion^toall the faints and faithfull of God ;
i£ Chrift were content to bee made fin for all the
faithfull,thenwhat muft you be contented to doe
for your Saviour ? was he made finne for thee ?
then be thou content to be made fhame for him ;
be thou willing to beare the (name, and difgrace,
and reproach that comes unto thee for the Name
of Chrift ; be content to be accounted the filth,
and off-fcouring of the earth ; bee not evill do-
ers, but be contented ta bee counted as evill do-
ers: i Cor. 4. 13. wet are persecuted, and yet wee
pray ; we are reviled 9 and yet vee blejje . we are accoun-
ted m the off-fcouring of the earth,ttmill this time : So
doe you, bee content to beam any fhame that is
unjuftly kid upon thee, for thy Saviour, which
was accounted a finner for thee ; AHs 24. 14. S.
iWwas refolutein it, andfaid, after the way that
ye sallherefie, worfkip I the Lord God of my Fathers ;
nay,
The Soules /unification, 207
nay, hee prefTeththis upon the hearts of Gods
Children. Hebrews 13. 12,13. Speaking in
the 1 j.verfe, that Chrifi tooke our (innesupn him^
and went out of the citie, and was flaine without ike
ga;e- ? he faith in the 13. verfe, Let m therefore
go e out of the Camv to him^ bearing our reproach • be
not afraid to be icene in a Chriftian caufe, nor to
be difgracedfor it, goeout boldly andrefolutely,
harden your faces, andfteel your hearts again ft ail
iuch things,and let the dogs barke,and the winds
blow, and the waves, roare, goc you out of the
Campeforhis honour,bearing his reproach com-
fortably ; he hath borne finne for theq, beare thou
ihameforhim.
Fourthly, it is a word of comfort and confo- pfe 4.
lation, to all the faithfull ; be thy fmnes never fo
many, and the guilt of them never fo great, yet
Jearnethis skill to caft it all on the Lord Jefus
Chrift, eafe thy ownefbule of it, and hurle thy
care on him that careth for thee : This is that
which I would have all the faithfull wary of, not
to make their miferies more than they fhould.
Now Chrift not onely tooke our finnes by
imputation,but alfo the payment of the debt was
really difchargedby our Saviour . he laid downe
the payment of the debt, and fuffered the punifh-
ment really : though I doe not conceive this to
be directly intended, yet it may be inferred from
the words of theTe<t,in the former point,' Chrift
was charged with the finne* of all the faithfull - and
now Chrift did fuffer their pains, and underwent
the whole punifnments which their finnes requi-
D d red,
r
20 2 The S oules I unification.
red , {o the point of Do&rine from hence is
this :
DoHrine. The Lord Jefus Chrift furrered fully whatfo-
ever punifhments divine juftice required, or were
defervedby the finnes .of the faithfull.
I ground this Do&rineout of the Text thus ;
the text -fa itb, Chrift was m adefinne y that is, he-bad
our finnes imputed to him, and therefore bee muft bee
made a facrifice for finne, and beare the piwifhment
4 of finne: If Chrift became a debtor for us, then
hemuftalib lay downe the payment of the debt,
onely here remember this ^ confider the bounds
and limits of this mercy of the Lord, it is limi-
ted onely to the faithfull, they onely (hare there-
in, and are partakers of that benefit that comes by
the fufeings of Chrift.
To prove this Do&rine,looke Hebrewes a. 17.
compare \t\\it\i Hebrewes ^.^.Inchi^^ Ay. the
text lakh, wherefore it behoved him to bee made like
unto his brethren tn all things: and in chap. 4. 15.
He was tempted in til things like unto u^ftnne onely
excepted h for there were no punifhments excep-
ted, as appeareth in the former place ; therefore
in Efay 53.5, *, 7,8. tjie whole chapter is a full
defcription of the punifhments of our Saviour,
and you (hall finde thefe three degrees of it in the
afornamed verfes, Hee mas ftneken, and fo ft rid en-
that hee was wounded, and fo wounded that hee was
bruifed for our tran[grefons • and then in the 6.
verfe,it is very pithily laid downe,^// wehkefheep
bavegone astray, and the Lord hath laid upon him the
iwauitutfut all h that is,t he prim foments of wall;
they
The Settles Justification. 203
they were laid, that is, God made all theforrowes, and
all the punifbments of ail the faithfull to meet uj ox our
Saviour. It is a terme taken from warrc, when an
army is levied out, every towne and countie fets
out io many men, and they al! meet at fuch a
place fuch a day : lb every faithfull foule lets out
miferies,and mans out afHi(5tior$s,and they all le-
vie out an army of forrovyes,and they all meet up-
on our Saviour : all thofe finnes and miferics
of the godly from one end of the world to the
other, from ea ft to weft, from north to fouth,
they runamain upon our Saviour,and befiege the
, ibuk and body of him, and they lie. heavie upon
him, the chaftifement of our peace was upon
him 5 that is, it overwhelmed him for the while,
and made him cry out, My God, my God, why haft
thou forfakenme ? Another proofe of this point
is, Gal. 3.13. The text faith, Chrift hath redeemed m
from the curfe of the law, being made acurfefor us • as
it is wtittenyrurfed be every one that hangeth on aire^
He that was made fuch a curfe for us as the Law
did require, and fuch a curfe as wherein the Law
was fatisfied,even he was made a full curfe for us 3
and bore all the punifhrqent due to us 5 but hee
was made fuch a curie as the Law prefigured, and
wherein the Law was fatisfied • and therefore he
muft needs beare whatfoever the Law required 3 :
and therefore I may fay to the faithfull foule, as
Paul laid to Philemon concerning Onefimw, if he
hath hurt thee, or ometh thee ought, fet that upon m}
[core • fo lakh our Saviour ,whatfoever punifbmems
the faithfull have deferred by their finnes, I will beare
Dd 2 h
iio The Souks Ivffificatien.
it and anftver it : Now for the opening of the De-
xtrine, give mee leave to open thefe three cjue-
ftions :
gutft. I. Firft, what were the kindes of punifhment
which Chrift did fuffer, and how farre did he fuf-
fer them?
ghieft. ». Secondly, when did thofefufferings begin,and
when did they end >
Jgucff.l. Thirdly, whether did he fuffer them in foule,
or in body, or in both ?
guest* i . FM > wnat vvere tDe P uru foments that our Sa-
viour fufrered, of what kinds were they ?
•Anfeer. For anfwer hereunto, hee fuffered the pains of
the firft death • by the fir ft death, I mean the
death naturall, when the frame of the body and
foule was taken downe, and thofe two old famili-
ar friends were parted : this deathour Saviour did
fuffer, but if you aske mee how farre lie did fuffer
the death naturall, let me anfwer it in three con-
clufions.
1 Firft, whatfoever apperraines to the fubftance,
and the' effentials of the firft death • that is, the
defolation of foule and body, that our Saviour
Chrift did fuffer ; for that onely was threatned
unto Adamby reafonof his fin, therefore Chrift
needed notto furfer any thing,butthat which was
threatned in Genefis 2.ij. The cur fe threatned
was this. In the day that thou dofl eat thereof^ thou
jhalt die the death : the curfe doth not mention
many deaths, nor doth it punctually fet forth any
one death ♦ but whatfoever death it is, it is left
indifferently to the choyceof our Saviour : this I
fpeake
The Soules luftificatiott. 2 1 1
fpeake to wipe away a carnall cavillthat is caft
upon this truth,by fome chat would diminiili the
Offerings of Chnft. If Chrift did fuf&r punifti-
ment for all, then why was heenot ftoned with
ftones, as Steven was ? and why was hee not
fawne in peeces, or burnt, or the like ? The force
of the argument followes not, our Saviour was
not bound to differ many deaths, nay, the curie
doth not intimate any one death in particular,but
onely death in the generall : Now, fay they,
if our Saviour fuffered all the punifhments of the
faithfull, then hee fuffered io many particular
deaths : the argument is falfe, for. looke how
Adam being in the root of all mankinde 5 and com-
mitted finne . Iooke what death he deferved,that
death our Saviour was to furfer, and it was requi-
red of him, and this death our Saviour under-
tooke^ but when Adam had committed finne,
there were not many deaths denounced ; nay,nor
any one particular death, but onely death in the
generall • and therefore death in the generall be-
ing onely threatned, death in the generall our Sa-
viour was onely bound to fuffer.
Secondly, though the curfe doth not require
any one particular death, and fay, thou fhalt bee
ftoned, or fawne in peeces, or die like- yet that
the Lord might mew the hainoufnefle of finne,
which deferves the worft death of all, and to ex-
• prefle the greatnefTe of the love of Chrift that
was contented to die in that manner, and that
God the Father might mew his juftice in punifli-
mg of finne ; for this end God the Father ap-
Dd 3 pointed;
2o6 The Swles luffificatiott.
pointed it, and Chrift undertooke it to die the
death of the croffe, a moft fhamefull, and bafe
death, onely appropriate to the bafeft malefa-
ctors ; now Chn ft did willingly fubmit himielfe
to this, and God the Father did lay this upon
Chrift, that finne might appeare to bee moft hai-
nous, and that finne might be hated, and Chrift
might appeare moft merciful 1 and gracious, and
holy in loathing finne, as Phtlpjvans 2 . £, 8 . Our
Saviour being e quail with ike Father, and thought it
no robbery fo to be> yet he humbled himfelfe, And tooke
on h;m the for me of a fen-ant, and became ebedientto
the deathmen the death of the crojfe.
3 Thirdly,thofe difhonourable infirmities which
befall men became of the inflrmitie of the flefti,
becaufe they cannot avoid them,and thofe difho-
nourable cruelties which are laid upon fomemen,
as to bee torne in peeces with wilde horles, our
Saviour had no need to fufFer thefe.
1 Firft 3 thofe diilionorable infirmities,as the rot-
ting of the body in the grave, and returning to its
own proper elemets,the body of Chrift did not fo
2 Secondly, fome againe are malicioufly mann-
ered with difhonourable. cruelties, they arepuld
the flefh from the bones, and burnt to afhes,&c.
None of all thefe did fall to our Saviour,thefe are
perfonall things, they belong not to the nature of
man, and therefore it was no way requiftte that
Chrift fhould undergoe thofe kinds o{ death :
marke thefe two palTages to open it a little, ABs
2. 27. quoted out oiVfdme 16. 10. Thou wilt
not leave my foulein hett^ neither wilt thottfuffer thine
holy
The Soules Iuftification. 207
holy one to fee corruption i Now the Saints of God
doe fee corruption, but this was a difhonourable
infirmitie; for Chrift though he iurfered for us,
yet hee railed up himfelfe from the vildneffe of
the grave, and faw no corruption, and therefore it
, was no dishonour to him : I&hn 1 9. 3 3 5 3 £. when
the fouliiers found our Saviour dead> they brake not
bis %r,that the S cripture might befulfilled which
faith, not a bone of hi?n jhall bee broken : Whatfb-
ever difhonour our Saviour Chrift did fubmit
himfelfe unto, he was willing to fuffer . but what
was not by Law required, and what was not fit
for him to fuffer, that Chrift would not fuffer
the Jewes to doe unto him, for the Law did not
require this inthe curfe, that his iegsfbould bee bro-
ken, and therefore Chrift would not undergoe it :
this is the third conclufion.
From the former truth that our Saviour Chrift rfe I.
did die this naturall death, I gather thus much ;
itis a marvellous fweet cordiall to all the Saints
of God upon their ficke beds • it is a ground of
ftrong confolation ( as the Apoftle faith ) to
beare up the hearts of Gods people m the day of
death,that they may liftjup their heads with com-
fort, and looke grizzeld death in the face with
courage and boldnefle . for the death of Chrift
hath taken away the evill of thy death : therefore
be not thou troubled with it, nor difmaid by it •
there is no bitternefle in that pill, nornovenome
in that cup to thee, for the poyfonis gone, there-
fore bee not you troubled with it \vhenfoever
God fends it upon vou • for the fharpeft death
of
214 The Soules Iu&ificmion.
of a Saint of God, is like a humble Bee that hath
no fting in it, which a childe may play withall,
and not be hurt : and thus Saint Pa r d plaid with
death, i Cor. 15. 5 5. Oh deaths where is thy fting $
as if he fhouldfay, the wicked fearedeath,becaufe
the fting is in it to them ; but that fting is taken
away from mee, by the death of the Lord Jefife
Chrift : when Chrift went downe into the grave,
he fugered it^ and made it fweet,and eafie as abed
of Downe lor beleevers to reft upon. There are
three privileges which every beleever may chal-
lenge upon his deathbed : the fir ft is this :
Firft, every beleever may and fhould under
the authoritie of mercy, challenge mercy, and in
the vertueofthe death of Chrift he fhould bold-
ly lay downe his life. 1 Thef. 4. 1 6. The dead in
Chrift fhal/ rife firft - } that is the value of thephrafe,
in the vertue of the death of Chrift wee die alfo ;
that as he dicd,&: by his ovrne power rofe againe:
fo alfo wee die, that wee may rife againe. The
Saints of God die that they may bee like to
Chrift, and be raifed againe, and fo bee for ever
happy with Chrift - this is the particular good
that the death of Chrift. communicates to the
faithfull ones, 1 Cor. 15.3$. Thoufoole, that which
thou fonreft, it is not quickned^ unlejje it die • itmuft
firft be corrupted^ that it may grow againe into an ear e
of corne ; the meaning is, a man therefore dies,
that he may rife againe, the body muft lie downe
in the duft : 1 Cor. 15.53. This corruption muft put on
incorrupt ion '; and this mor talkie muft put on immor-
taluie : Now corruption cannot put on incor-
ruption^
The Soules Justification. 2 oJ>
ruptiqn, nor mortalitie, cannot put on immorta-
ktk, fo long as wee are here : the body of Adam
could not be madeimmortall ofit felfe,tbe frame
of it would not affoord fomuch, for Adams body
needed meat, and it had it j but immortall bo-
dies need nofood,but live by the power of Gods
Spirit : therefore Chrift tooke downe the frame
of this nature, that hee might make it a more eXr
cellent frame. It is therefore faid, that a Chri-
ftian dies rather in the authorise of mercy, than
juftice^ that as Chrift died and rofe again, fb
Chrift will have all his fervants die, that hee may
of a corrupt nature, and a mortall body, be an im-
mortall body ; he will make it immortal], which
nature it felfc,. no not in its perfe&ion, could not
doe : this is the firft privilege.
A lecond privilege which beleevers receive is
this, the death of the beleevev puts an end to all
his finnes, and miferies,and forrowes • that when
the fouleand body fhallpart in funder, then fin
mall depart from both 5 and when they goe out
of this life, they mall goe from allthem'feries of
this life : we fhall never bee more peftered with
lufts, and corruptions, we fhallnever bee drawne
from the Lord more, Satan is no,v bufie, but
when the Saints of God die, there is a feparation
from all ilnnes, from all forrowes, from all temp-
tations, never to be aflaulted more ; this is the
meaning of that place, z Cor. 4. 10. Every where
we beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord ifc
fry hat rhelfe alfo oflefm may be made manifefi in our
mwtall bodies : the meaning is this, Chrift by his
E c death
2 ro
The S&ules IuBificAtiw.
death did fubdut* finne, and now by the forrowcs-
and troubles he iufeed, and by the power of his
death 3 there is a total! feparation made from fin
inioule and body : therefore wbenasin the po-
wer of Chrifts death, we can lay downe thefe bo-
dies, then are we feparated from finne ; this is to
beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord
Jefus: this is quite contrarie in every unbeleever,
for death natural! in an unbeleever is but the very
beginning of all their other plagues 5 they fip
of Gods vengeance now, but they fhall have the
full cup then : finne in them now is reftcamed,.
but then their finnes {hall take full pofleffionof
them : Satan now doth but tempt them, but then
he fhall take poffetfion of them ; as it is faid of
the rich foole in the Gofpell, This ni^ht fhall
they fetch away thy fouli, and then as they fhall bee
for ever plagued,, io they fhall be for ever finfull r
nothing but finne fhall be in them, they fhall be
altogether proud and forever proud,they fhall be
altogether malicious, and for ever malicious, and
the devils fhall drag the foule of the. wicked out
of the body downe to hell forevermore,and there
fhall tyranize over it forever: but on the con-
trary it is not Co with the Saints, the end of their
life is but the beginning of another 5 they go$
from a vale of teares, to a haven of happinefle.
Thirdly, the death ofthe beleever is a mean to
bringand eftate them into the full pofleffion of
all that happinefle and glory, which heretofore
hath beene expected, and Chrifthath promifed ^
now it.fhall be attained: the time now comes,
when
The Siules Iuftificati$n.
when the Saints of God flail have no : n^e~tears~
w their eyes, nor fin in their foules, nor forrow in
their hearts • when they die,then their fins and for-
rowes die too ; youfhal never be dead harted more.
Oienyou flial have holines inful poflTeflion which
10 long time you have longed for . it is now only
in i expectation, and you hope and looke for it
ki 5 the L ° rd wiU P Ut wifedome into your
olinde mindes,and holinefle into your corrupted
hearts, but when death comes ltwill bringyoirto
the fruition of all that holinefle and happinefTe
, J*j this is done by the death of the Lord Jems'
2>nria\ i Uhn $.i.Wee are new the formes of'Ga^
but it dotb not appeare what we jbail bee, and weknom
that when hefhaff be mademanifefl, we (ball bee made
like him : that is, like to him in all holinefle, and
happinefTe, as hee is altogether holy, and altoge-
ther happy : now you are children, but onely in
nonage, now you are onely wives betrothed
and you goe up and downe in your rags of finne*
but when the folemnizationofthe marriage flail
be in the great day of accounts, then we (hall be
like him • and hee will make us altogether holy
and hee will fill our blindemindes with know-
ledge, and poflefle our corrupt hearts withzll pu-
ntie, holinefle, andgrace,foar as thy foulc (hall
be capable of it, and flail bee needful! for thee :
what, are you unwilling to goe to your husband ?
the wife fometimes receive* Jerrys from her
efpoufed husband, rtiec we' comes the mefllrger,
and accepts the tokens kindly, and reads the let*
ter gladly^nd will not part with his tokens above
Ee a any
211
2 12 The Swles luftifjrauw.
any thing : but oh, how fhe longs to injoy him-
felfeinhisowneperfon,thisis herchiefeftdefire,
to be pofTefTed of him, and to have his company
alwayes : (o the Lord Jefus Ghriftis yourhui-
band, he died that ye might live 5 he is afcended
up into heaven, and hath made paflage for you ;
you have many intimations of his mercy,and ma-
ny fweet fmiles from heaven, faying, well,goe thy
way, thy fins are pardoned, and thy foule fhall be
faved 5 thefearehis tokens,and I hope you will lay
them up by you,& make much of them,but when
will the time come that I may injoy my Saviour?
Now Ihave a little mercy, and a little holinefle,
and a little pardon of finne • but oh that I might
injoy my Saviour fully : Now it is quite con-
trary with the wicked; the death of the wicked
is a means to fhiit them out of all the hope they
had of receiving mercy,for when death parts foule
and body, then there is no more cards and dice,
no more lufts- the adulterer fhall no morefatiffie
himfelfe with his unclean lufts, the drunkard
fhall not then bee drunke, the blafphemer fhall
not then blafpheme fo as hee was wOnt to doe
for nothing, but he'fhail lie and blafpheme God
for fomething , and his foule fhall bee full of
(pods vengeance , this is the death of the wicked:
the death of the Saints is like a ferriman to con-
vey them over to eterflall happineffe • but the
death of the wicked is as a hangman to bereave
them of life and falvation too : death to the
faints is as a guide to* convey them to happineffe,
but to the wicked, death is as a Jailor to carry
them.
. The S oiilts It* fkifica; ion\ 2 1 g
them away to the place of execution. And thus
much briefly of the former part of the anfwer>
namely that ourSaviour differed the death natural.
- Now our Saviour did not onely fuffer in his
body, but he furfered in his foule alfo, you may
conceive of it in two particulars :
f irft, there is a reall withdrawing of the fenfe *
and feeling of the mercy and companion of God
a ftopage as I may fay, andatakingoffthe fweet
operation of Gods love and favour from the
foule, when that fenfible refrcfliing and convey-
ance of the mercy and kindnefle of Gods counte-
nance is turned away from the foule : : this is a
part ofthe fecond death, and this is the paine of
loff^ that is, thepoore (inner lofeth that fweet
influence of that abundant mercy, and compafli-
on, and that fweetneite that is in all thofe glori-
ous attributes which foould fill the foule with
fatisfaftory fweetnefle and content; as "thus f :
fometimes it pleafes God to difcover thofe pains
of hell unto his fervants here on earth, and hee
brings them, by the fuburbs ' of hell, that they '" '
may know what it is to- bee in heaven, and alfo
what itis to commit finnefo again ft a gracious
God, Pfd^^i,t2\ ■Ifdidmmmebnff, hmcafi
rutoffahn As if hee had faid, God hath fakeri
away, the fweet fmiles of his coimtcnancefrom
the heart of David, and this was a part of the. fe-
cond death ; pt thbukeMeftibe WjM of mv prater:
I><nM\\as now in fomediftrc fie, fiyrcafon ofthe
withdrawing of the favour of God from hi*
Ee 2 fouler
214 The Swles Ju&ificatia*.
~5#ile : this is thefirft part of the fecond death,
a Secondly, when the fierce indignation of the
Lord ieizeth upon tjbe Joule of a poore creature,
when the Lord fets open the floodgates of his
anger and wrath, and fils the foule unfupporta-
bly with his vengeance : Pfil.43 . 2 . why haft thou
taftmecoffi and Pfalme 51. 1 1. C aft me not away
outofihyprefence, &c. The Lord teemed to call
him away, and to fend him packing, and hce fee
med to bee caft away in his owne apprehenfion ;
both thefe you fhali fee concluded on in lob j j>.
24. Thou mteft bitter things agatnft mee y and hi-
deft thy fate aveay from me> and takefi meefor thy
enemy : The Lord not onely went away and hid
him, but he made lob a Bur, that fohis arrowes
might come againft him pell mell, and he let all
his difpleafure fall upon him with might and
maine 1 fo then there is firfta reall withdrawing
of the fweetnefTeof the mercy of God from the
foule : and fecondly, a reall infli&ing of the in-
dignation of the Lord, and that fils thefoule ofa
poore creature.
gue&. 2. Now the fecond queftion is this, how far our
Saviour fuffered thefe paines : To this I anfwer,
that fo I may carry the caufe with as much plain-
nefle and Rakedneffc as maybe, that each poore
creature may get fomething, give mee leave to
anfwer the queftion in thefe conclufions, one
will make way for another . onely here let mee
tell you thus much, that I mean onely to make
declaration of the truth of the point, and the ar-
gument fhall be afterwards.
Firft,
The Souks Justification. 2I ,
Firft, it is poifible that fomc painesof Hell
may be fufteredin this life, and therefore the li-
ving and being of our Sauiour in this life, is no
hindrance,but that he might undergoe them. This
I lay to prevent a weak plea of tome thatdefire to
tie and intail all the pains of Hell to another life,
and the place to be Hell, and they thinke that no
man can fuffer the pains of Hell, except, he bee in
the very place of it 5 againft which-cavill, this
truth doth profefly march, for the timeand place
are but common circumftances r the main fub-
ftanceofic, is not in regard of time o^ place, but
inregard of the fierce difpleafure of Gdd, which
feizeth upona creature* and the veine of venge-
ance which is let into his foule, if Cod would
be prefect with a man by his favour, though hee
were in the place of Hell, yet he mould bee as it
were in Heaven : as Efay o. 3 3 . Tofbet is prepa-
tedof old) the burning thereof is. fire and much wood r
and the breath of the Lord as a river of brim ft one
doth \indle it : fe that wherefoever the ftreameof
the brimftone of Gods wrath feizeth, there is
Hell: againe, the place is no part of debt, and
therefore it is no part of the payment, but the
paimentofthe mony that makes the fatisfa&ion:
This is that which is fpoken concerning^ Adam y
Thou fhalt die the death : hee doth not fav, thou
flialtgoe to Hell : the wicked goe to Hell be-
caufe they cannot pay, as thedebter goes to pri-
fon,becaufe he cannot pay the debt: all that la-
ttice requires is this, to have payment • heedoth
notfay thow flialt goe to Hell, but becaufe rh<*
wicked
f \
2 io The Soidrs luftificaitcn.
w icked cannot fotisfie the juftice of God,and an-
fvver the Law, therefore they areiimpriioned, and
cooped upinhell,anditmaybe moreplain thus-
there are many reprobates in. this life, that have
notonely hell m expectation, but thev have it (o
far in fruition- when the Lord wounds the fpirit,
and the terrours of the Almightic incampe a
n nand ftab him to the very heart, and they are
in the very beginnings of hell. Now becaufe the
wicked cannot beare the wrath of God, but they
would brcake under it ; therefore they mu ft die,
that they may be made immortall, and be able to
furferall thewrath of God forever: butpur Sa-
viour niay as well'pay the debt -in mount Goko-
tha, as in the prifon of hell.
Secondly, fome paines of hell were-endured,
and may be endured, by our Saviour, and yet the
unic n of the manhood with the Godhead might
ftill be untouched, and noway in the world bee
blemimed, though there were a feparation, and a
withdrawing of the fenfeof the fveetnelTe of the
favour of God, yet this was not the reparation of
the union, butonely of the loving countenance
of the Lord, the humane, nature faw not nor felt
not thofe gracious fmiles which formerly it did,
yet hee was ever united to the Godhead, and ever
fupportedbythe Godhead, and hee did ever reft
upon God, this doth cut in funder the cavils of
Beliarmmr.^s itwas with foJh he was able tograp-
ple with a great deale of Gods wrath by faith ;
andtlierefore he faith, Though thou kiU/ne, yet mil
Itnrtin tfee h Gods killing anger, agd frfosZV&i
fting.
The Soules IuffificarU». %\j
{ting flood both together in this in the meafure
of it: Now if a poore faint of God can doe it,
and is able to beare the intimations of Gods
wrath, then much moreChrift, being God and
Man,might doe it, and yettruft in him, and never
bee feparated from him in regard of the union of
the fowle of our Saviour; for as it is with the
death natural! in the body of our Saviour, as the
body of our Saviour died, and in dying, fuffered
death naturall, as an erfed of Gods wrath, God
fmote him • howfoever the body died the death
naturall, yet the Godhead was ft ill united to the
body of our Saviour in the grave, and brought
foule and body together againe ; fo that the uni-
on with the Godhead is ftill maintained . fo it is
here, die foule of our Saviour might be feparated
from the fenfe and fweetneffe of Gods favour
and mercy, and yet the union betweene the God-
head and the Manhood bee ftill maintained ; as
God might leave the body to the death naturall,
fo he might leave the foule to akindeof fuperna-
turall death, and the foule might want the fenfe
ofthe fweetneiTc of the favour of God, and yet
thcunionnotbe brokejyoff : for why could not
our Saviour beare this cur fe, as wellas any other
part of it, and not be blemtflied ? this brought
punifhment upon our Saviour, but it puld not
away any grace which hec was pofleft withall :
obferve thefe three particulars herein:
Firft, the Godhead in thedeath of our Savi-
our was faftned and united infeparably to the
maRhood,and did fuftaine and fupport the man-
hood. Ff Secondly,
2l3 The Sanies luftificati&n.
Secondly, the Godhead did prefervetbe man-
hood from corruption,. and did Maine and fup-
port the Manhood.
Thirdly, the fenfe and fvveetnefle, and the fee-
ling operation of Gods mercy, and favour unto
the fbule, was retrained from both, and the wrath
of God ieized upon both.
Thirdly ,our Saviour fullered paine in his (bule
as ne was our Mediatour in our roome, and in our
ftead, and as he had our finnes imputed to him :
The Manhood bore the fufferings, and the God-
head fupported him in the fufferings : this con-
clufion I thought good to adde, to meet with a
ftrange dream of Bellarmine^ and that is this, faith
hc^ if the Lord-Jefus Chrift did fuffer the wrath
of God the Father then the guiltlelTe fhould
have beene condemned, and the innocent puni-
fhed • and how can God doe this ? or how can
our Saviour fuffer this ? Is not God the Father
unjuft,.to punifh the juft ? and Chrift unwife,to
fuffer as unjuft, being juft ? lanfwer, it is a filly
vveake cavill,therefore take but thefe two refpe&s
with you, and you iliall fee it will bee plaine, for
as Chrift was in himfelfe£on{idered,he was guilt-
lefle, and therefore approved of, and beloved of
the Father : but as hee tookc our finnes, and our
guilt upon him, hee was accounted as a {inner,
though he was not a (inner, and he tooke our fins
on him by imputation ; and therefore no reafon
but he fhould fuffer them,andthepunifhment of
them, not in regard of any finnethat hee had or
did-, butbecaufe it was imputed to him ♦ there-
fore
The Sodes I unification. ?I
fore God the Father condemned hirnlTgiiikle^"
fo rims the phrafe of Scripture, Hee fujfered for
*ur fwnes^ and the chaftifemem of our peace was *f-
onhim^ and by his ftripes we were healed : he fufre-
red not for any finnes that he had committed,but
for the condition of all finfull nature imputed to
him, and thefe divers refpe&s wee doe pra &ife
for ordinarily \ye are bound to love a creature as
God made him, and then to hate him as hee
makes himfelfe finfulf, the Judge goes to the tri-
al! of a ififi print, and his fonne comes before
him in the perfon of the debter : now though the
Judge love him as a fonne,.ytthewillcondemne
him as a Cwaie ; the Judge loves and pittics him
in one regard,but yet heepafleth fentenceagainft
him in another regard : So it is here with the
Lord Jefus Chrift, when God the Father ftands
upon the tribunall of juftice, and was pleafed to
follow the fuitagainft the partie offending, our
Saviour fteps into our roome, and fubmitshinv
felre to the cenfure of the Father, and as we were
accounted, fo he was content to bee accounted .
and as we were to fuffer, fo he was content to fuf-
fer for us : God the Father loved him as he was
God,andholy, and innocent • yet he condemnes
him, and lets m his wralji upon him as he was to
beareour fins, for God the Father might love
Jefus Chrift, and yet give his body to death
uaturall: fo God the Fathet might love the foule
of our Saviour, and yet give it over to painc fu-
pernaturall; al! the world confefleth that it was
without anger that Chrift died, and yet the Fa-
F f 2 thcr
220
The Souks Iu&ifcfition.
ther flew him : this conclufion helps us to the
interpretation of that place, Matthew a7-4f • M )
GoL ms Cod, why bafl thou forfakenmee I He was
a Father to our Saviour: and our Saviour a Son
to him. , M , .
Fourthly, whatfoever pumfhment proceeded
from the Father, our Saviour tooke it upon him-
felfe • yet fo, as neither his fins deferved it, nei-
ther did he finnc in bearing of it, nor yet was ; hee
overwhelmed in bearing of it, as the wicked are
which are damned, butheewreftledwithit, and
overcame it . hee firft tooke upon himfelfethat
fhould have come upon a beleever • when the
wrath of God comes out like a Lion to take the
finfuli fons of men from off the earth, and the
fca of his indignation flowes in amain, then the
Lord Tefus Chrift fteps in between the wrath or
the Father, and the foulc of a beleever, andhee
bears all, Uhn 18. u. when Peter would have
refcued our Saviour from the highPriefts, Our
Saviour fatd^frjfer it to bee fo y fut uf thy fwrd tnto
itspUce- fhaUim dnnke of the ctywhtcb myF*,
thfrjriveth me todnnkeofl hee doth not fay (hall
I not fip or tafte of*he£up,but,/M / not dnnke
.fit I that is, hedrlnkes the cup of wrath which
was prepared for poore ? Hhners,cleane oft h there-
fore EU»6%. a.heefsfaid to tread the*>me-prtj]eof
TfJZslrlh alone fr did fqueefe it all out:ob-
fervetfeefe explications in thiskinde, and know
thus much, that the want of the fenfe and feeling
and operation o9 Gods love, and the feeling of
the ifid^itttion of Gods wrath m it feifeconh-
Tbt Settles luffificatiiftt, 2a *
dered, it is not a finne, but fofar asour finnes
dcferve this wrath of God, and deferve this repa-
ration, and fo far as we out of our mfidelitie daft
the fwectnelte of Gods love, we fin m this kinde-
but none of all this befell our Saviour the bare
want of the one, and the fenfeofthe other is not
a finne, but we fin inbearing it. It is a fvyeet ob-
fervation of the Schoolmen, that our Saviour
cried, my Gad, my God, even in the lone o .the
fvveetneiTe of Gods favour . and when Chritt
complaines, and fweat water andblood,yea clods
of blood, fo that his heart broke within him un-
der the fierce indignation of the Lord : this fierce
indignation may be attended two wayes^or there
are two things in it : I fay in the feparation or
Godfromthe foule, there are thefe two things to
be attended : Firft,awant of that grace,and hoi i-
ncue, andconfidenee, whereby the foule mould
clofe with God, that howfoever God goes away,
yet the foule mould follow him, as Iacob did af-
ter the Lord, when hee faid,r wiUmt let thee^t,
unlefletkvi blejjc met ' Now it is one thingwhen
Godgoesaway, and it is another thing when we
pufli him away : therefore that want of grace^nd
holineuc, and confidence, whereby the foule
fhould cleave to, and clofe with God, this is
one thing which caufeththe feparation of God
fronvus : tfois is on our part.
Secondly, there is another worke on Gods
part, that howfoever the Toule ftands God ward,
andChriftward,and it cleaves to him as /^did
that would truft in him, though he kild him : yet
Ff 2» Goal
V'
222 The Sotdes IuB if cation.
God may withdraw the (weet refrefhing operati-
on, and the fenfible conveyance of his mercy and
compafTion from his foule, and hefrownes upon
him„ and plucks away the hold, and Jets in his
indignation upon him : the fir ft of thefe two can
never bee without finne, and it is a hainous finne
when our foules fit looie from God, and when
we fhall leparate our felves from the mercy and
goodnefTe of God, and are weary of Gods pre-
face in his ordinances, as many wicked men are,
and are weary of the promiies, and fay as thofe in
lob did, Depart from u.< ? for wee defire not the know-
ledge of thy w ayes : this is a curfed finne, and this
never was, nor could not be in our Saviour : but
now that the Lord may plucke away the fenfto£
his love and favour, and take away the operation
and conveyance of his mercy : this God may
juftly doe as he feeth good : this was not a finne
in lob, that God did take awaytfee fenfe of his
Jove and mercy, and feemed to be his enemy ,buc
it lob had gone away from God, as God did from
him, then he had firmed, but hee held God ftill .-
this was not a finne in A>£,that God did thus for-
fakehim, though haply it was through his finne
deferring it : ail this did" befall our Saviour
Chrift,and yet he was full of holineiTe, and hangs
upon God, and faid<, My God^my God^ why haft thou
forfakenme I And God was angry with him, be-,
caufe he had our finnes upon him • but the firft
of thefe was not in Ghrift, hee did not depart
from God : the fecond was inflicted upon our
Saviour, and that might be juftly 5 this ads much
light
The Sotdes Iu H i feat ion % 222
light to thofe paflages ; thofe two ardent peti-
tions of thofe two worthy lights, Mofis and Saint
Paul> Exodus ^i. 32. M fes perceiving that the
Lord was ready todeftroy the Ilraelites for their
iinnc, he faith, Now if thou pardon this finne^ thy
Mercy fa all appeare^ but if thou wilt not^ then raj'e mee
out of the bookeofltfe which thou had written : and in
Rom. 9. 3 . Saint Paul forefeeing the rejection of
the Jcwes,and that God would throw them away
for iixtcen hundred yeeres together y the good
man feeing the difhonour that was like to come
to God, Sc the utter deftru&ion of the people of
the Jewes, he faith, / could even defire to befeparated
fromChrifj&to be cut. offfrotn the Nation of the Iewes i .
that they might not beforfaken of God : Now fhould
a man pray to be removed out of Gods pretence,
and to be Separated from God for ever, and to be
cut off fromGod,and to be feparated from Chrift
Jefus? no, fortius were finfull •' either it fignirles.
that Paul fhould have his heart loofened,.and fit
loofe in his affections to God, and to Jefus.
Chrift : this P ami did not pray for, for it is a hor-
rible fmne,and it is an argument he hated- Chrift
andhimfelfe too. Now fofarre as it implies our
want of Jove to God, and our want of depending
upon God, it is a fearfull fmne, and thefe holy
men did not defire it : but this is the meaning,
they were willing to have fufrered the want of the
fenfeand feeling of Gods love and favour for the.
prefent : though they would have loved and clo-
fed with God ftill, yet they would have beene
content to want the. fenfe of Gods love, that.
God^ .
224
The Souks I unification.
Gods dory might have beene advanced, and the
falvation of the Jewes furthered :■ fo it was here
with our Saviour Chrift, for howfoever accor-
ding to his humane nature hee did feare the death
natural!, and the wrath which hee faw comming
upon his nature, and therefore he fcid,*/tf **/*/-
fible, let thts cup paffefrom tne y he might doe it,
and God by reafon required it, that a manbelen-
fible of mifery, yet accordingto the hohnefle of
the will of the Father, hee did not pray agamft
thefe, but prayed for thefe, and for the bearing of
the punirtiment : for he was fent forthis end, and
it was apart of the Mediatourlhip : this is the
meaning of that place, Iohn 12. 27- ™" ) h * a r '
f* % Father (ave we from this bwre I no Jmt therefore
came I unto this houre . that is, ^the houre of death •
He came into the world forthis end,andtheretore,
he fubmits himfelfe : Thus much for the opening
of the firft part ofthis conclufion ; that wnatlo-
evcr wrath fhould have come forth from the Fa-
ther upon the faithful!, Chrift didbeare it all.
Nov? the fecond part is this ,Chnft fo bears it,
that his owne finne never defervedthis wrath of
God, nor hee never finned in bearing it, neither
was he overwhelmed in bearing it,but he wreftled
againft it, and overcame it : it implies two things,
and it prevents another cavill. <
* Firft, the paine ofthefoule comes either from
a caufe without, or a caufe within, or from both :
If a man were to goc to hell, it came either from
his owne finne deferving it, or from Gods wrath
infixing it, or from both ; now Chnft did
The Soules IuBific&tidn. 325
fuffer punifhments in his foule, but not fo farre as
they came for his owne finne ♦ thecaufc from
within is finfullanddetcftable,butthc caufe from
without is holy and righteous 5 therefore all that
•which came from God* wrath inn" i&ing punifh-
ment, ail that ChriOTid fuffer vyas fo ; but the
wicked have a caufe of finne within them,and that
Chrift having not, htf needed not to fuffer, and
becaufe he had no finns in him, he did not fuffer
all pains of hell s heefuffered the difpleafure of
Gods wrath, but yet fo much ofthepunifhment
as came from fin committed, that our Saviour
did not fuffer. •
Secondly, a poore creature bearing Gods an-
ger, he hath notonely Gods anger feizing upon
him, but alfo it overwhelms him, becaufehee is
not able to beare it : the plague prevails again!*
him, notonely the wrath of God lies upon a (in-
ner in hell, but it crufhethhim there, that he can
never goe from it : and this Divines call the ab-
solute damnation, fuch a damnation as overturns
a finner in hell, and crufheth him there for ever-
more. The reafon why a finner never comes out
of -hell, is this h becaule his fufferings are not in-
finitely fatisfiable, according as his finnes have
beene infinite to provoke God • for as Adams ^ fin
was infinite andprovoking,becaufe it was againft
his Godhead, fothe fufferings muft bee infinite 2
now the fufferings of Chrift were of infinite va-
lue, but Adams fufferings were not of an infinite
nature: Chrift bore the wrath of Godand wreftled
with it,and overcame it, and came out from under
Gg tDe
77^ The Settles Ittftifycatie*.
the heavk difpleafure of God, and why ? becaufc
they were able to fatisfie an infinite God, who
was thus infinitely wronged by the finne of man:
therefore the fuffcrings muftbeof an infinite ft-
tisfying nature, as you fhall conceive thus : a fi-
nite finne of Adam committed againft God, was
infinitely provoking, but the furrerings of Chrift
were infinitely fatisfying, and lb aniwerable in
proportion to what divine juftice required- this
was the meaning of that placein^&f tji^jvbom
Codratfedtf dndhofed the formves of death Jecauje
it was not fofible that heefhotdd bee holder* doivne of
death • and it is the meaning of that place, i Coy.
15. 54. D emh is foal/owed ' if iHTiHori^Chnfi en-
dures riraih and overcomes it; and John 16.10. Chrift
mti cmvince the frwld of finne y 4nd ofrighteoufnejje^
why of righteoufnefle ? for I gve unto the Father •
and why dothheegoetothe Father? becanfehee
hath paid the debt to the' iu term jl: heedidfatisfie
juftice to the full, for had he not fatisfied juftice,
he had beene kept in the grave till this day, and
wee had beene condemned • but now heehath
borne and fatisfied all, therefore hee muft come
forth to immortalitie and glory. Remember
thefe conclufions, and think thus, hath my Savi-
our done all this for me ? well, I will remember
if, and. thinke upon it,and 1 win lay it by raee for
ever.
The fiftconclufion followes.a^d that is this i
The defperationof a damned foule in hell,and
the eternitie of torments, they are no efifentials of
the fecond death, and therefore they could not,
nor
The S gules Iuftipeation. 227
«-' . ■■" - <■■■■■- * ■ ... ..- ._ — ■ ■ , „
nor ought not to be fufced by our Saviour : this
Hay to ftop the mouthsof all Popith Jefuites,
and efpecially ot'Bellarm^ whothinke to caft a
great fcandall upon Cthin and others in this
kinde : let mc open both the partsof it $ firft, the
damned in hell defpaire jthereiore,(aidi£<?#4m/#<*,
ifChrift fufferedthe pains of the fecond death,
lie did defpaire, and did fufferthe painesofhell
for evermore. Oh foolifh creature, who will be
fo wicked as to fay thus > Therefore that you
may fee this cur fed opinion, confider two parti-
culars in this defperation ;
Firft, the nature of defperation, what it is : l
Secondly, I will fhew that this defperation is a
tio part of the fecond death.
Firft -of all; for the nature of ir, what it is : de- *
fperation as the word carries it, is to caft away all
hopeand expectation of any good • this is pro-
perly to defpaire : For if there be any good things
w ith us, then we are feid to have them in pofTem-
on, and fruition *. but if good things are abfent
from us, then we arefaid to expeclthem, and to
hope and wait for them^and hope faith it may be
othcrvvife : this is thatw.lnch bearesup thefoule
in the moftheavie brunt: But for hope, the heart
would breake/aith the Proverb : and it is true in-
deed, in the greateft miferiesthat can befall us,
and when we feele nothing, nor finde nothing,
nor have nothing in fenfe, yet hope faith it may
be otherwife, and though now I am flnfull and
miferab'e, yet I may bee pardoned, and though
now in the gallof bitterneffe^yet I maybe purged
G g 2 and
"JTg* " Tbt Souks Justification.
and fan&irled^ and though now I am a damned
creature, yet I may bee fuccoured and delivered.
This is that which fometimes bears up the heart,
and it is that alfo which beares up the hearts of
the wicked many times here upon the earth:when
the Lord lets in the horrour of heart,, and filsthe
foule with his indignation, his heart would finke,
but that a little leane ftarved hope fupports him,
and he fees that Gods will is not yet fully revea-
led, but that he may be faved : and he faith, this
confeience may bee quieted, and this foule may
be faved, andthefe fins may bee pardoned - now
defpaire is the quite contrary,whenthe foule hath
no good in expectation, and that which cuts the
heart firings of a mans confolation, and plucks
amans comforts upby theroots, as hee hath no-
thing for the prefent , fo all means and wayes o(
gettingany good are cut off, andthenhe cafts off
hope, and never lookes to God more,becaufe he
never lookes for mercy from God h and then
hope goes out and faith,Oh when will it once be,
cafinot thefe finnes bee pardoned, &c ? And at
laft hee fees there is noway of getting any good,
and therefore hee never.lookes for mercy more,
butexpe&s hell and damnation, and cries out, I
am damned, I am damned : This is defpaire, and
this is the nature of it.
Secondly ,this defpaire is not any part or eflen-
tiall property appertaining to the pains of the
fecond death, whether we lookeat the withdraw-
ing of the fweetnefTe of Gods love, or whether
wee looke at the infU&ing of the wrath of God
upon.
The Souks /unification. 129
upon the foule, this is no part of them r for be-
fides that which Divines will obferve, namely,
that all punifliments are paflftons, and they fufter
them ; but defpairc is a worke of the creature,
and it'iflfues from himfelfe, and the creature doth
it, and therefore it cannot properly bee a punifh-
ment,norany part of the fecond death-but befides
all this which they obferve,this defperation fo
opened, it is fo farre from being any part of the
fecond death>as that it is not axonfequent which
nextly followes from the fecond death, but from
the weakneflfeand finfulnefle of the creature. De-
fperation is not any effect flowing immediatly
from the wrath of God upon the creature, but it
proceeds and comes dire&ly and immediatly
from the weaknehe and finfulnes of the creature.
Imagine thztyee faw the Lord Iejus Chrifi commtng
in the clouds with thousand thousands of his holy 4 K -
gels y and the thrones were fet up, and adfiejh appeared 5
the jheepon the right hand, and the goats on the left
handy and the Lord tefus Cbrift pajjeth thedoome, and
the fentence agaM ibem> faying, Goeyee curfed into
txerh&ing fire : Now when a poore damned crea-
ture feeth that the fenten.ce is gone,, and feeth the
.good wil of God pafs'd upon him, and thepower
of his wrath now to bee expreft to the full againft
him,and he apprehends the will of God now ful-
fild never tobe croft more, and the decree of God
is now expreft never to bee altered more, and he c
feeth the gates of hell now fealed upon him, and
that tfce Lord hathcaft upon him tbetombftone
of his wratb,and.tbat he is buried under the power
Gg. I ©f
2 2o The Souits Iufttpaitim.
of the fecond death, and now he feeth the time is
gone, and the jufliceof God can never bee Milk
lied more, and this power of the Lords wrath can
never be removed : Oh the time was, that I had
the word and the power of it to quicken me, and
to informe me, and the Spirit of God to ftrivc
withme 5 and then there was lome hope^ but now
the decree of God is mad<s unrevokable, and this
wrath I (hall never beare, nor never remove.Therc
is now no word, no praying, no hearing, no con-
ference, no mercy, nor faivation to bee hoped for,
and fo the foule lookes no more for any good,
beeaufe the Lord hath fo peremptorily fet downe
Jiis doome- thas the foule breaks under the wrath
of God, and is not able to fatisfie,and the wrath
of God can never bee removed, the fire will ever
burne, and the worme w ill ever gnaw, ahd now
the foule cafts off all hope • and this is the mea-
ning of thofe phrafes, 2 Pet. 3.7. and in the 6.
verfe of the Epiftle of lude, where (peaking of the
devilsjthe text (aith,71^ art reserved in everlafting
chains under darknesjo the judgement of the great day:
the devill is hopelefle, he hath no hope of goo<^
nor (hall never receive any good: but our Saviour
Chrift that was able by the power of his God-j
head to fufrer this wrath of God, and to (atisfi?
juftice, and tofupport himfelfe under this wrath,
and to come out from it^ he hath a certaine hope
to pleafeGod the Father, and to have everlafting
blifle and happinene with him 5 there is hope
with our Saviour, becaufe he can beare and (atif-
feand come from under this wrath. Take a bafbn
of
The Soules Justification. 331
of water, and caft it upon a few coales of fire, and
it will put them clean out, but throw the fame ba-
ton full upon a great fire,and though it may damp
it a littlest firft, yet it cannot quench it, but ra-
ther increafeth the flame, and makes it burne the
fader : whats the reafbn of this, that it qnench-
cd the little fire, and not the great fire ? it was not
firftly and nextly becaufe o£ the coldneffe and
crofneffe of the water to the fire, for the fame wa-
ter was as cold upon the great fire, and as croffe to
the nature of the great fire • but the little fire was
too wcake of it felfeto bearethe coldneffe of the
water, and therefore it was quenched ; but the
great fire was able to beare the coldneffe of the
water, and therefore it was not quenched: foit
is here, tfe wrath of God is like this water, as Da-
vid faith, All thy reaves and billowes have faffed over
me>, t^hat is, the waves of Gods indignation, and
the dcean lea of Gods wrath : when this falsupon
a pobre weake finfull creature that cannot bcare
this, but breakes under this wrath, and cannot
take off the vengeance of the Lord, but finkes un-
der it ; this creature defpaires of all helpe, not
becaufe oft he wrath of the Lord firftly, but be-
caufe of the weakneffe, and thefinfulneffeofthe
creature that could not beare the wrath of the
£ord : and hence he defpaires, and thefoule faith,
tilas, lam weake, ar.d a poore finite creature, and
this wrath of the Lord is ofan infinite vigour, I
fhall never be able to beare it, nor to get from un-
dent : therefore I defpai^eand caft away all hope
of helpe ; but the Lord fefusChrift being per-
v feci:-
' 2 , 2 The Sottles luftifcttion.
fe& God, andperfe& man, having a great flame
of holy affe&ions kindled in him by the fpirit of
the Father, this did atfiflhiro hereby to bcare the
wrath of God in his foule,and not onely was hee
able tobeare it,butto overcome it ^ and although
hee were toned up and downc in the fea of Gods
wrath, yet he was not drowned h and though hee
fipped of the poyfon, yethe was not poyfoned :
therefore he bore the paines of the fecond death,
and overcame them, and did not defpaire h heex-
pe&edto receive good,becaufe he knew he fhould
have good: thus our Saviour, lobn i?. Jo. when
he had fo deeply drunke of the cup of afrli&ion,
he (aid, now it if pnifhd^ that is, now the fierce
indignation of the Lord is over. Take a little
ehilde or infant new borne, and lay it in a little
ftreame, if no man come to fuccour it, there can
be no hope that it will live, not properly becaufe
of the water, but becaufe the ehilde is weake, and
not able to keepe it felfefrom being overpowred
by the water : and therefore there is no hope to
have reliefe for it -, but let a ftrong man come, and
he will not be drowned by the ftreame, for hee is
of height and ftrength either to wade thorow ir,
or elfe to fave himfelfe by fwimming : fo there
is the ftreame of the indignation of the Lord:
Now God will not help a poore finfull creature,
and he cannothelp himfelfe,therefore the ftreame
will deftroy him, and there is no hope, for he is
never able to free him(elfe,becaufe God will not,
and he himfelfe cannot -but the Lord JefusChrift
that hath skill and power, becaufe he is God, as
well
'** ' ' ■ ' ' ' i ■»! M m ii « f ii i i^mmmm»« ii i at— i ii « i. ..
The Settles luFtipcsmn. 233
well as man -therefore though he beare the wrath
of God, yet becaule heeis able to wade thorow
it > and to beare it : therefore it is that he will de-
liver himlelfcj and all us with him. Thus ye fee
that defperation ii a confequent that followes
from the finfulneffe andweaknes of the creature,
and that it is no part of the fecond death. The fe-
cond part ofthis conclufion followes, and I de-
fire it may bee attended to by all you that are
wcakc ones 5 for this objection doth put many
Divines themfelves to a (tend, and yet the cafe is
very cleere fofarre as my lightandline ferves me.
Secondly, the eternitie of the punifhments,fay
they, for if Chrift fuffered the pains of the fecond
death, then hee muft be in hell for ever. It is a
weakeand a finfullplea ; I fay our Saviour might
and did fuffer the fecond death, and yet not the
eternitie of it : I befeech you to take notice of
two things herein.
Firft you muft take notice of the difference
betweene the death threatned, and the death de-
nounced,andbetweenethe torments of hell :alfb
betweene the eternitie o£time, and the circum-
ftances of time, that may bee altered and chan-
ged, as the debt or punifhment is fully fuffered
or not fuffered : As for example, the time of a
mans lying in prifon is no part of the payment,
but he doth lie in prifon becaufe hee cannot pay
the debt : as thus • A man is in prifon for a thou-
fand pound, & he muft lie in prifon ten years,be-
caufehe can pay but a hundreth pound a year-but
»ow let & rich man come that can difcharge the
H h pay-
2J 4 The Soules IuH'ijicatim.
payment within ten monetbs , or ten dayes,or tea
houres • it is as well if he doe it in ten houres, as
if he did it in ten years, nay it is better done: Juft
fo it is here, the debt is this • In the day that thou
eatefl thereof, thou jhalt die the death : the punilh-
ment is death, and every poore creature muft die
the firft and fecond death : Now becaufe a poore
creature cannot fatis fie Gods juftice in this hie,
(for if God fhould but ]et in the power ot his
wrath in this life into the foule>and fill the foule-
with his fierce indignation, it would kill a man
even in this life)thereforethe Lord by death takes
away a poore creature, and drags him downe to
hell he doth arreft him by confeience here, and
faith, Thou haft finned and deferved wr*th, and
thou canft not beare my wrath here ♦, therefore
thou (halt die and be made immortal), that thou
maift beare it for evermore -becaufe a man cannot
pay it now,thereforehe is paying of it : to all 1 etcr-
nitie, forhce is never able to pay andfatisfiefcr
the whole fummerbut now the Lord jefus Chrift
hathcaflh ready at hand, and is able to lay downe
the payment for all the, faithfull to the full : Iiee
kyes downe the life n«urall,and heealfoiufrers
the pames of the fecond death \ therefore hee is
able to deliver himfelfe,and all thofe that are his
rfel. Firft of all,hath our Saviour thus fuffered^nd
hath he ftepped in betweene the wrath of God
theFather and the faithfull ? Juftice faith, that
foulehath finned, and muft be damned, and an-
ecr faith, I muft breakeout againftthat poore
foule i then the Lord Jefus Chrift fteps m and
5 faith
The Swles lufkificativ*. 2 2K
faith, I will beare all, and undertake the fafisfi-
ingof all s I will beare all thofe punifhments due
unto them : you that are bclcevers and have a
fhare in Chritt, unto you I fpeake 5 labour thou
from hence to fee the hainoufnefle of finne, and
to hate ir, becaufe it hath brought all this evili
Hpon thy Saviour, and would have brought the
fame upon thee, had not the Lord Jefus Chrift
ftepped in betvveene thee, and the wrath of the
Father .Oh looke what thy fin hath done unto the
LordJefusChrift,andfeeif you can love it,&take
contentment in the comiflion of k :Let me teach
you how to do it: fend your thoughts afar off,and
lee our Saviour in the garden crying out, and fay-
ing, My (bub is exceeding heavie unto the death, my
foule is even befit wiih firrowes • oh watch And pray:
And alfo when he was in that bitter agonie in the
garden, Andhe frayed yn mire earnejtty, and hee
^retched out hisprayers^ihat it broke his heart almost ;
behold the teares in his eyes, and the clodded
blood that came from him, and his foule was al-
moft broken within him, under the fierce indig-
nation of the Lord : and he fell upon the gromdjml
yet all this would not defc the deed : follow him
to the croffe, and feeing him attended with the
fouldiers, and pierced thorow with a fpeare ; fee
then if thou caaft love thy finnes that have done
all this; and further, when you have feene him
thus nailed to the crofle, and pierced thorow
with a fpeare, then if you have any hearts of men 8
< I doe not fay of Chriftians ) liften a while, and
here thofe hideous cries, My God y my God^whyhaf
Hh 2 the*
It7<r~ The Soule* Iu ft ideation.
thou forsaken me I Oh brethren it went very heavy
with our Saviour i Now imagine that you heard
thofe heart breaking fighes which broke the hea-
vens, and let them breake thy heart too : Oh goe
your wayes home I charge you in the Name of
Jefus Chrii\and anfwer yourowne hearts, or ra-
ther anfwer the petitions of our Saviour,, and fay.
Lord, w hy haft thou forfaken ? Oh Lord, it was
for my pride, and my contempt of thy word, and
my.defpifing of holy dutdes,andfbr the reft of my
finnes, I fhould have beene forfaken, and thai
waft contented to bee forfaken for me. Oh can
you confider of this and love your finnes ftill,
which have brought all this miiery upon a Savi-
our ? if you can love your fins- now ,doe • and if
you can harbour that pride and ftubbomneffe in
your hearts which would have pluckt the heart
out of Chrifts body,and his foule from his body,
then doe ; can it bee poffible that men fhould
harbour fmne in them,, if they did but know what
it hath done to them, can you fee itand not hare
it ? Oh behold that finne which hath caufed God
the Father to be angry with thy Saviour, and'doe
thou hate it, and let thy foule for ever loath thy
finne which hath caufed Chrift thus to doe, to
come downe from heaven, and to bee tortured by
wicked mifcreants,andtocry oxt^My Godjny 6od y
why haft thou forfaken met and as fin hath caufed
God the Father to punifh thy Saviour, fo goe
thou and be revenged upon thy fin, and fay, Oh
my pride,- and my ftubbornnelle, and ray loofe-
Keife, and uncleanneflfe, arid bafe dru&kenneflc,
thefe
The Souks fujiificatim. 2g7
the/e were the nailes that pierced his hands and.
his feet, they piereed his iacredbody, and puid
the wrath of. God the Father upon his foule;
therefore let mee bee for ever revenged of this
proud ftubborne and rebellious heart of mine,
and let mee for ever loath my ilnne, becaulck
brought all this forrow upon my Saviour.
Topreifethis ufea little more, I charge you
brethren, as ever you had any tender love unto
Jefus Chrift, or any regard of your owne com-
fort, goe your waves, and bee forever caftdowne
and humbled for tholeevilhvaiesofyours,which
have brought our Saviour to fucha gulfeofmi-
t iery, and to be angry with thofe finnes that have
made God the Father angry with the Lord Jefus
Ghriit, and take thoir revenge upon that proud
ftubborne heart that brought all this miferyupon
thy Saviour : This is thecourfc of humanitie a-
mongii men ; if a man knew of any one which
had murthered his father or his friend, whom he
highly regarded andhonoured, nature fhewes us
thus much, that our hearts would rife againft the
man, and you would not bee able to brooke the
fight of him, and you cannot endure to fee him
in your companies 5 . and if law and confeience
did not forbid it^ you could be contented to give
him his deaths wound, and to bee his bane, and
you would cry out againft him, Oh he hath mur-
thered my father, or my deere friend, and though
you would notrunupon him and kil him,yetthis
every one would doe, he would follow the Law
Hh 3 to
j jg Tfo* Souks I unification.
to the.uttermoft,and if all the law in the land will
deit> lie will have him hanged • and if he might
have it put to his choyce what death hee fhould
die, lice would chufe him a death as bad as hee
could devife j and if he might he his Executioner,
how would he mangle him, and fay, thou waft the
death of my father, and then hee would give him
one blow for this, and another blow for that- and
fay, thou wretch, thou haft taken away the life
of my father., i and I will have thy life : Now is a
man thus inraged, and is the heart of a man carri-
ed with iiich. violence unto him that hathmurthe-
red his father^ or his firknd, and that for the lofle
of the . naturall . life 5 Oh then how fhould your
hearts bee tranfported with infinite indignation,
not againft the man, but even againft the £nne,
which is the caule of all this,and which is wholly
oprx»fite againft God ; and not onely becaufeit
hath taken away the life of the body of our Savi-
our, but alfo made him undergoe the w rath of an
everlafting father ; your firmes are they that have
thus tlaine the Lord Jefus Chrift, the Lord of
life : Therefore follow thou the law againft thefe
(ins, and raife hue andcrie after them, and bring
them to the Seffions, and iet them before the tri-
bunall of God 3 andcrie jufticeLord,juftice againft
thefe fins of mine • thefe (lew my Saviour, Lord
flay them 5 they have calcified my Saviour,Lord
crucifie them • let me have life for life, body fot
body, and fbule for fbule : thefe are the fins that
have taken away the life from the body of our
Saviour, and tooke away all comfort from his
foulc,
The Souks Justification. ity
foule, Lord take aivay their life: thus purfue thy
fins, and never leave, them, untill thou feeft them
bleed their laft:ne\erthmke that thou haft power
enough againft corruption, nor never thinke that
thou doft enough againft them, but give thy cor-
ruptions onehacke more,. and confeffethy fmnes
once more, and fay, Lord,this pnde,and this ftub-
bornneffe Lord,and this loofeneffe of heart Lord,
thefe are they that kild my Saviour, and I will be
revenged oft hem, and herein conftder this, when
your hearts are inclining to any corruption, or to
any temptation of Satan $ and when thou findeft
thy foule drawneafide to any fin, and when thou
findeft fome temptmgs unto corruptions and
ftirrings of curfed lufts," it is good then to have ah
a&uall confederation of what fin hath donetothe
Lord Jefus Chrift,and reason thus with thy felfe
and fay, thefe fins were the death of my Saviour h
and (hall they be my delightpthefe fins did pierce
hishands,and wounded his foule,and fhallthev
give contentment to my foule ? the Lord forbid*
did thefe finnes plucke teares from his eyeSj and
blood from his heart, and {hall I make them the
delight of my heart? the good Lord in mercy for-
bid it i were it fo that our hearts were fully and
throughly perfwaded that all the vanities of our
mindes, and all the lufts of our hearts, and all the
diftempers of our affe&ions were thofe that ftabd
the Lord Jefus Ghrift,and wounded him to the
heart- itcouldnot bethat we mould fodelight
in them, and lavifh out our foules and affe&ions-
thereupon, nay^ndc eriely Chriftianitie will doe
if 3
240 The Souks Iuftification.
it, but nature and reafbn will even compeil a man
to doe the contrary, could liee but reafon thus
with himfelfe,when corruptions tempt him, and
occafions call him, and lay thus with himfelfe 5
was.it not enough, and more than enough, that
the Son of God came downe from Heaven, and
fuffered Hich grievous pains, but t hall I againe
crucifie the Lord of life, and {hall I againe pierce
thoie bleiTed hands of his, and pierce that blefled
fide of his, and all goare his facred bcxiy with ray
uncleane (ins, and force him to crie out againe,
by reafbn of my finnes which I have committed >
this is more than brutiih, and more than favage;
I befeech you in the bowels of the Lord to con-
fider well of it : you know what Chrift. faid when
Saul perfecuted the poore Saints at Damafiw,
Sdul, Saul, why perfecuteft thou mee I It pierced the
Lord Chrift,when any of his members were pier-
ced, ^Etsp. 4. but now for flichas beleeve in
Chrift, and looke for mercy from Chrift, confi-
der how neerly it will touch him, and trouble
him ; not onely to have his members pierced,
and perfecuted, but alfo to have his good Spirit
grieved, and himfelfetdbe wounded. Imagine
you heard the Lord fpeaking, as the Church did
in Lament at ions 1.12. Is it nothing to you all^oh yee
tharpajje by^ is there any [or row like unto my forrotv £
have you no compambn at all upon a Saviour >
what, will ye {pit in my face ? what you ? what
and to a Saviourtoo? and will ye pierce my fouie
by the corruptions of your hearts^and by the acti-
ons of your hands? thus the Lord Jefus Chrift
per-
The Stules IuB if cation. 241
periwades you to fee fin, and to abhorre and hate
etupon all occasions ; and therefore let us anfwer
the requefts of our Saviour, and not {hew our
felvcs defperately wicked to pierce him againe,
and to renew his fufrerings.
In the fccondplace,did our Saviour fuffer thefc Vfc * •
paines ?then fee here the ftri&nefle of Gods ju-
fticc : Oh that exact precife feveritie of Gods
proceedings without exception of any mans per-
son ; God puts no difference, although hee were
his 4 Sonnc, butheelayes punifhment upon him.
This is the rcafon of that exa& dealing of God,
in Rem. 2.?. Tribulation andanguifb fhallbeeupo*
the pule of every one that finncth^ and why ? becaufs
Cod is no refpeBer of pet fons ; as verfe 1 1 . thats the
ground of it 5 and it is not onely expreft, but itis
alio proved undeniable, Rom. 1 1. 22. Behold,
therefore the bountie and feveritie of God • towards
them which have fatten, feveritie • but towards thee,
bountifulneffe : remember Gods juft proceeding
againft the Jcwes, and therefore it is, that the
Apoftle citeth all the proceedings of Gods judge-
ments, not onely again/t the heathens that never
knew him, or his enemies that alwayes oppofed
him,but even to his friends fiichas he had (hewed
much favour and mercy to : if they finne, they
fhall be deftroyed for their finne. But oh the juft
exa&nefle ofthe juftice of the Lord,how feverely
juft he is J for this exa&ncne is not onely upon
the wickedyind open profane, but upon his ovvnc
deare children, and they that have had his ordi-
nances, as in Amos^ the Prophet fhewes what fa-
Ii vours
T7^ The Souks Justification.
voursthey had received, in regard of the means •
but yet fee how fevereiy the Lord, punifheth
them : but behold the miracle of juftice in the
Lord Jefus Chrift hisonely Sonne,in whom his
foule delighted : our Saviour that had but the
fhadovv offinne,hadallpunithments laid upon
him in this kind : Now anfwer me whether God
the Father bee not a ftri&Godor no, and a juft
and righteous God that would thus dealc with
his oncly Sonne. A man would have thought if
any thing in the world could have flopped the
band of Divine juftice,that it (hould not proceed
from God the Father, then Chrift he might have
done it j for hee had all that ever any one in the
world could have r If the excellency of the per-
fon of our Saviour could have done it, or theho-
lineite of the foule of our Saviour, then he might
have beene exempted from punHnment,. yet all
thefewere not able to doe it,becaufe hee was a
furetie • but vet a man would have thought that
thofe teares of blood might in fomc meafure mo-
derate the matter.- could not thofe fervent peti-
tions of his, have had fo much as fome abate-
ment of the puni{hment/when he cried out fay-
ing, Faiher^ifit be pofablejet this cuppajfe from met
and then againe tb" fecond time, Father, if it bee
poftble, let\his ctppafje from mee ; nay the third
tim^fatber^ifit beepojsiblejet this cup faJJ'e from
me. The Son of God was now upon the rackc
with it, if it be pofible, let this cup pap from mee^
let meeonely have a fip and away, and fo let it
paflefrom mee, purely if anything could have
~' " ftopped.
The Soules luftifimUn* 14.3
flopped the hand of divine juftice, then Chrift
might have done it, but God would not, nor did
not abate our Saviour one drop of his indignati-
on, but Godinfli&s it all, and Chrift- futters it
all : behold therefore if this bee not a juft God •
heare and feare all you that heare the good word
of the Lord this day; you that thinke that Chrift
is made all of mercy, it is a God of your ownc
imagination, and your owne deviling ; it is not
that God which is the Lord of heaven and earth,
it is notthe God of hoafts, the Father of the
Lord Jefus Chrift : Oh fay poore ignorant peo-
ple, he is a very mercifull God, and full of com-
panion* it istrue,hee is mercifull indeed, but
know this alfo to thy terrour, that God is ftn<2,
and precifely righteous : you thinke to put off
God with a few good words and lazy wifhes, and
with a Lord have mercy upon us -and if you can
have but an houres time before your death to cry
Godmercy,ohthen you thinke all (hall be well,
and God will goe away with any thing ; and be-
caufeyou fuffer a little punifliments and arHiai-
ons in this life, therefore you thinke tobee freed
from them altogether hereafter : no no, know
thou (halt not carry it away fo : indeed thoil
haft troubles and ami&ions here, but thouOialt
have eternitie of torments for ever in the lite to
come : if tkou ftill continueft to bee a liniuli
wretch, and an unbeleever, there is noway with
thee, buttobearethy owne plagues andmiteries
hereafter : when thoufeeft the Sonne of God
himfcifecorre&ed, doft thou thinke to goe tree ?
Ii* lf
244 Tb* $**ks IttftificMion*
if God would not bate our Saviour any thing of
it, doft thou thinke he,will abate thee any thing?
againe, our Saviour had our fins onely imputed
. to him . but thy fins thou haft committed them
thy felfe, and canft thou thinke to efcape, that
art proud, and ftubborne, and malicious, and Heft
and liveft in thy fins, and doft wallow in them,
and allow of thy felfe in the commilfion of them ?
no^furely God will not fpare any. blafphemer, nor
unclean wretch,nor profane perfon under heaven^
if he did not fpare his owne S©n,he will qot (pare
thee, but hee will infli<5fc upon thee the fharpeft
punimments that can bee imagined : therefore
now if God bee fo fevere againft finne, then
let youraffe&ionsbc anfwerable thereunto 5 doe
you pitie none that are finfull, not onely (laves,
but in a childe, a fon, a husband- let us labour
to get a heart full of hatred againft fin in any of
'thefe, nay though (hee were the wife of thy bo-
fome, or thy childe, or thy decre friend^, if thoi?
feeft fin^in them, bee fure to punifti it^ efpccially
you that are in places of authorise, intowhofe
hands God hath committed the fword of the
Magiftracie for the execution of juftice : You
that are Gods vice-gerents upon earth, doc you-
as God himfelfe hath 'done, and: walke in his
way, andTo bee blefled in whatfoever you doe :
/ faidyeare\Gods faith David y every Magiftrate^.
every Juftice in the couritrie, and every Mafter of
a family ; ye are Gods, that is, ye have the Image
©f God put into you, and therefore fay thou
with thy felfe in this manner $ would Godfuffcr
a*
_
The Soides IustificAtio*. 245
afwearer,orablafphemcr, or a prophaneperfon,
or a drunkard,or an adulterer,to goe unpuniftied ?
and would God fuffer a prophaner o£ his Sab-
bath, and would not reforme him ? then whatlb-
cver is amiffe in thy owne foule, or in thy wife or
childe,orfervant, if it be in thy place punifh. 5 if
not, then hate it to the uttcrmoft : If God doth
hate fin even in his owne deare Son, though aflu-
mcd oneiy, then let thy heart bee alfo carried'
with a hatred for evermore againft it : Thus much
of the firft queftion,what the kindes of punifh-
ment were which our Saviour fuffcred, and how
far he fufTeredthem.
Secondly, when did our Saviour begin thefe ®u e ft %
futterings, and when did he end them ? To this I
anfwer thus i
Our Saviour Chrift begun the pains of thenar Ahfi*r~
turall death from his cradle,to his grave.-I am not
ignorant of the diverfitie pf the judgements o£
Divines in this point- but that which' I con-
ceive to be moft feafonable is this, hec be<nin to
die, as foone as hee begun to live, and thatupon
this ground ; l O0 ke to the cur fe that God hath
threarned, Gen. 2. 17. & the day that thou eateft
thereof, thou jhalt die the 'death . fo that Adam be-
gan to be a-debter, and muft beea fufferer from
the yery beginning of his fin j and fo all the fons
ot Jidbn,. they have no fooneran entrance into
life, but they are dying : Themeamng is this as
thou eateft thereof thou fta!t die . thatsthernW
ningof the text as it is in the original!; 4*AfcJkL
wafiom the beginning of thy \if c . Now when
1l 1 quc
% *£ The Souks Iuftificauon.
our Saviour became a debter, heemuft alfo be-
come a paymafter, and he muft keepe the day >f
the payment : juftice requires this, and they that
are taithfull doe and will keepe this : now oar
Saviour was agood paymafter, therefore the day
of his humiliation was the day of his diffolution;
hee had forrowes and miferies even untill his de-
parture out of this life : nay, not onely die cur (e
required it, but alfo daily experience makes it
good ^ looke upon our Saviour as foone as ever
he was borne, there was no roometo bee had for him
in thelnne, bm hee was laid in a manger in the ft able •
and not in a cradle neither, but in a cratch : and
Herodyhe fought his life too^nd in his riper years,
he fuffered hunger,andcold,and backbitings 5 and
all thefe were but as harbengcrs to make way for
all that defolation and wrath which came upon
him. There is never a childe of Mam, butfo
foone as hee is borne into the world, hee falls to
crying, and fo he continueth in forrowes all the
dayes of his life, and all thefe are but dyings :
when the tyles begin to fall, and the thatch to
moulder from off the houfe, wee u fe to fay the
houfe will fall (hortly :. fo alL the forrowes and
thedifgraces that were caft upon our Saviour, (b
foone as he was perfecuted, they were all prepay
rations to his death. Againe, looke to the end
why our Saviour came into the world, as ini
John 3. 8, Chrift came to destroy the workes of the
devill, that as Satan brought finne into the world by
Adam y and fo death and condemnation by. finne ; fr
Chrift through his frfferings, brought in life and
fanBifi-
Tbt Smles Iufti-ficattan. %aj
fantVfaation , fo that the plaifter fhouldbe appli-
edto the place from whence the root of the dif-
eafecame : As Satan brought fin into theworld,
and puniihments by fin,, fo the plaifter muft bee
laid thcre^ that all may be fully cured.
Againe, when did our Saviour iuffer paines in
his fbiile ? To this I anfwer, our Saviour did fiif
fer thefe paines, partly in the garden, and partly
upon the crolfe : this will be plaine if you com-
pare Matthew 16 .37. with Iohnig. 3©. in Saint
Matthew he faith, that Chrift tooke with him Peter
and the two formes of Zebedem y and bee began to wax
(orrowfuUy and to be grievoufly* troubled : nee began
to be forrowfull, this forrow and heavineffe was
the paines of his fbule : here he did begin it^and
in lorn lp.iQ.wben Iefvus badreceived of the vinegar,
he faidy now it isfinifhed : what is that ? there are
many interpretations upon it y but I will follow
that which I conceivetobee moft feafonable,as
thus ; // is finifhed, that is, the cup is over, thehea-
vie indignation of the Lord that didpurfue mee y andlie
upon mee, is now over • and remember this word
fin<jhed,doth argue that it. had a beginning. There
was a time when our SaViour begun to grapple
with this wrathof God, and #01* itisfinifhed: this
is die meaning of it, for it could not bee meant
ofall the Prophefies that were of Chrinyill whicii
were not fulfilled, and though fome were fulfil-
led, yet fome were not • and therefore it could
not be meant of them, as namely ofthis Prophe-
ne : as lonab was three day es and three nights in the
whales belly, fo fhallthe Sonne of mm be three daw
[and
2 .j Tfo? Soa/tf testification. ^
and three nights in the heart of the earth : therefore,
the text faith, that he began to bee in an avmie in the
garden&A when he cried, now it is finijbed, then it
was ended: that is, now the fit is over, and the
indignation of the Lord is paft : this (hall bee
made good in the third queftibn wherein it {hall
appcarc that hecdid fuffer grievous paincs in his
foule : Butbeforelcometothethirdqueftion,
give me leave to premife fome cautions, that fo
you may fee how the way lies . and the cauti-
ons are thtee
i Firft,that whatfoever the Scripture doth fpeak
concerning the fufferings of Chrift, it means
them really ; they were not fhewes nor ferablan*
ces,but in fubftance.^his I fpeake the ratherto
avoid a cavill of fome which thinke that Chrift
did onely fay fo, - and did not fuffer them really ;
this is a meere doting dclufion, and for ever to
be abhorred ; for unlefle we yeeld it that Chrift
did fuffer thefe really, wee (hake off the truth of
the whole dory, and fo we can have notrwe foot-
hold for our comfort.
a Secondly, I fay that whatfoever is expreft in
the Scripture, wee muft conceive of it without
the leaft fufpitionof finnc in our Saviour: there-
fore evermore maintaine a holy reverence, and a
holy regard oftheaaions and the nature of our
Saviour Chrift, that you may not charge him
with the leaft inclination to any diftemper.
2 Thirdly, our Saviour was not compeld pro-
perly to fuffer, either out of the neceffitie of na-
ture being vveake andfinfuli i for indeed forrowes
6 doe
The Souks I unification. 245*
•doe come properly out of our corruptions, and
flow out from thence 5 and as heat and fire gcx;
together,, to fin and mifery go? together 5 but
there was no fuch matter in the Lord Jefus
Chrift • nay, there was no outward caufc in our
Saviour, that could compell him to differ mife-
rie;, whether he would or no : but hee did moft
willingly fubmit himfelfcto divine juftice, hee
tooke our place and became our furetie, and rfto-
mifed the payment of the debt freely- yet after
he had done thus, ltwas neceflary upon conditi-
<rn promifed, and hee did alfo willingly make it
neceflary, that before hedijl futfer thefe puni fo-
ments, he fhould undertake them ; and then ha-
vings thus undertaken, and upon certaine condi-
tions promifed, it was very fit and neceflary that
he fhould make good what he had promifed, and
perform e what hee had undertaken : thefe cauti-
ons I thought good to adde to flop the mouthes
of all cavils that mayarife in the hearts of thofe
that are weake ; for the ground of Chrifts fuffe-
rings was freely and willingly according to the
promife and agreement which was betweenethe
Father and himfelfe. •
• The third queftion followes, and that is this : gues7, 3.
whether our Saviour didfuffer in body alone, or
in foule alone, or in both :
The anfwerapparantly and punctually is this : ^nfwer.
Chrift did properly and immediatly fuffer the
wrath of God in his foule, as well as hee did the
paines of death in his body; hee did not onely
K k fuffer
j^o The S&uUs I unification.
£
differ by communion and confent betweene the
foule and the body j as ramely,therefore the foule
is-pierccd, becaufe the body is pierced, no, but
he did properly and immediately receive and dif-
fer the wrath of God in his foule, as well as his
body did death. The Scripture doth expreffe it
this way, and the Prophet foretold this in Efay
6\. io. G od fh all make his foule an offering for fin :
you know every offering implies a full payment-
they did ufe to confeuc their finnes over the fa-
crifice, and then to flay it, intimating that the fa-
crifice was to undergoe whatfoever puniftiment
was due untotlieir finnes : and fo did Chrift doe
in bearing our finnes, nay Chrift himfelfe faith
fo : Matthew 2^.38. My fouk is very h eavic and
for rowf uR y even unto the death : and that this mull
needs be the meaning of the text, it fhall appears
by further explication, and therefore give mee
leave to handle all the particulars of the fufferings
of our Saviour :and for our proceeding herein,
that I may be plaine, and that this doctrine may
drop as the dew, aad that every fpire ofgrafle
may receive fome fap and fweetnelfe, and fpiritu-
allmoifture there from, let me doe two things,
wherein I will {View you that the fufTerings of our
.Saviour were done partly in the g£rden,and partly
«ppn the croffe h and for his agony in thegarden,
let me doe two things :
Firft,I will fhew you what the Scripture feith
<Dfthat agoniein the 14, of Saint Marfo, and ia
ffte 2 6 . of Matthew.
.Secondly^ willnakf it good thatthofe fuffe-
rinss
T%e Soules IuBification. 2 5 r
rin^s weremoft grievous fufferings, which hee
fuftered in his foule :
For the firft, what our Saviour fuffered when
he was in that agony in the garden, when be cried
out , Father^ if it bepoftiblelet M' cup pajje from me.
The Scripture discovers the pith of all that an-
guifti of foule, and the whole compafle of ir,
what it was that did thus fill the foule of our Sa-
viour, and that is in thefe two things; and you
fhall findethem both in M&rke 13. 33. where
the text faith, when our Saviour was to enter in-
to the combate, he faith thus 5 beebeganne to bee
avtazed) and to be very beavie .*let me exprefle thcjft
tiius : hee beganne to bee driven to an aftonifh-
ment, and to have his foule fiid with the indig-
nation of the Lord. Firft, our Saviour Chriil
forefeeing the wrath of God, and the combate
of God the Father comming againft him, hee
began to be amazed : the word in the originall is
this • That fo you may fee the depth of the diftres,
and the bottome of the cup. The word amaze-
ment comes from a word that fignifies to bee in a
ftand, or to be aftonifhed : fuchaforrow as men
ufe to have for the lofljb of fome deare friend 5
nay the prepofition in that which is added figni-
fies a gricfe beyond aftonifhment : whatfoever
griefe could befall a creature without finne, that
all befell our Saviour : this word carries two
things with it:
Firft, there comes an admiration from the
fuddenneife of the thing.
Secondly, a ftroke of terrour, which fmircth
Kk 2 upon
*5*
The Souks IuftipcMion.
upoiuhcfoulc with the admiration of it- as when
a Hidden andan unwonted and an intolerable evil
beginncth to feize upon a man, and the ftroke
oflbme terrour and tearc ftrikes in and drives the
fouieto an amaze, and infomuch that the heart
faith, good Lord what will this come to ? if this
befall mee, what (hall become of mee? this is
aftonifhment. The fecond part is this,, and that
goes further, and our tranflation exprefleth it to
the full- Myfoule be^innestobe very-beai'if y thits.
our tranflation \ but the word goes a degree fur-
ther, when this forrow not onely ftrooke and
fhooke the heart of our Saviour with the fudden-
nefleofit, but it entred into his foule, and fild
it abundantly, and rackt it to the uttermoft of the
abilities of nature tobeare it: (hall I dealc na-
kedly > this word heAvie^ carries two things with
it. Firft, that the foule of our Saviour was fur-
charged and fildj/being full with the indignation
of the Lord, and that heavy vexation that lay
upon him : for fothe word implies, abundance
ofmifery which dothbearedowne the heart of a
poore creature, but this was not in the Lord Je-
fus Chrift : though his foule were filled brimme
full of the indignation of the Lord, yet bee was
not overcharged with it. Second* 1 y , hence it fol-
lowes, that all the faculties of the whole nature
of the foule of our Saviour, they gathered up
themfelves, and thej drew up all their forces, to
bcare up themfelves againft the wrath of the
Lord, which was now comming upon them • all
the powers «f his foule, themindeand theme-
r • mory 3:
The Sovles luftific&tion. 353
mory , and hope and feare, they were all gathered
up : as in timeofwarre, the fouldiers come all
forth from their garriibns to cloie in the maine
battell ; fo the Lord Jefus forefaw the wrath of
the Father comming agamft him, and heedrevy
forth all his abilities, and left all other imploy-
ments wholly, and brought them to fence and to
fortifle themielves to beare this wrath of the
Lord • as if our Saviour had faid, Comeyee all
hither' and help to beare up my foule agamft the
unliipporrable wrath of God • this is the very
skirt and felvedge of the word : yet oblerve this
by the way, our Saviour was not deprived of the
worke of any of his abilities, but onely they
werecald off from all other imployments, and
they wholly betookc themfelves to beare the
wrath of the Lord, as the maine worke which
now did lie upon them : and this may be done,
and was done by our Saviour, and yet without
finne. As it is withaclocke, a man may ftop
the wheels upon force, and make them ftand ftill,
though there bee no diftemper in the wheels cau-
fing it, but onely the hand which ftops it : So
it was with Chrift, there was no infirmitie in the
minde or memorie of our Saviour -but the hand
of God was fo heavie upon him, and the wrath:
of God fo feized upon him, that all other ani-
ons cea r ed, and hee attended to no other thing,
but torhis, how tobea-ethe wrathof God • die
Evangelift in fflUihAv 2*. ?8. fhewes the ex-
plication of boththefe, My foule is exceeding bea-
w>, tame %esbereMtd iv&tch with keeymy \o<leis
Kk l M*
254 Sfcf &wkf I unification.
heavie even unto the death: that is, my foule is be-
fiegedand befet, and beleagered with forrowes,
in every part, and I would exprefTe it thus : our
Saviour Ghri ft knowing Gods counfell and the
hour approaching, and the thrones of juftice pre-
pared, and God as an angry Judge fitting there-
on, with all the bookes brought forth, and all
the finnes of all the world there laid open, and
God the Father as a Judge faith, theie are the
finnes of thofe, for whom thou haft undertaken
todie y and ifthou anfwer not for them theymuft
be damned ; and there he faw the finnes of Ma-
nages and David y and Peter and P aul, appeare be-
fore the Lord, and withall, he faw the glorious
attributes of God all comming out again It him •
and mercy pleads, I have beene defpifed • and pa-
tience pleads and iaith,I haue beene defpifed-and
juftice pleads and faith, I have beene wronged by
thefe men in the time of their ignorance : and
therefore mercy, and patience, and goodnefle,
andholinelTe, and longfurTering^nd all thefe that
have beene wronged, they all come to the Father
for juftice, andfay,Thefe have beene oppofers of
thy grace, and fpirit, and they have wronged us s
iftheybe faved, Chrift tnuft bepunifhed; and
hee feeththe wrath of the Lord making a breach
againft him, and feizing againft him, and not
onely fo, but even all the Devils, and all the
Jevves and Gentiles • God lets them all in upon
our Saviour : now fee whether hee had good
caufe to complaine • if hee looked up to God,
there were all his attributes crying for juftice
againft
Thi &»ules Justification. 255
againft him, and jieath before his &ce , and
the Jewes and the Gentiles, Mendwd Pilate and
all confpired againft him, to bring in forrovv up-
on our Saviour : therefore hec cries, Ob my [vide
is heavie even to the deaths my Joule is befet with for-
rotves - the Jewes, and the finnes of all the world
will have my life 5 thus he began to be aftonied,
and was fame to gather up all his abilities, that
hee might fortifie himfelfe againft thofe evills.
This is the furTerings of ehrift in the garden, and
yet I fpeake under it 5 and if I had the tongues of
men and of Angels, I could not expreiTe it : for
thefe words are never read of any mortall man,
but that there is vveaknefle in the fame, onely
Chrift hath expreft thus much, thathowfoever
mifery and wrath was able to overcome a poore
creature, yet hee bore it, aud that without finne :
Let thefe two cavils of the Jefuitesbee removed
before wee goe any further, and the explication
before fpoken of will anfwer both.
Firft, fay they, ifChrift in his agonie fufeed OhjtB. t
the wrath of God, and if this made himto cne
OWt, Father ? if it beepfiU^ let this vap pajje from
mee, if thi s bee fo, then fay they, cm Saviour
mull continue in the agonie from the garden, till
he came upon the croife -, but that hee could not
■doe, for hee checks nd.ti, and reproves Peter •
flot as a man aftonifhed, but as a man in his right
"Nvks • and hee anfwered Pilate calmly, and lice
prayed holily, and commended himfelfe to God
the Father, and he was not as a man aftonifhegl
m all this : therefore hee was not now in the
agonie. To.
- — jT~ " " The Soules testification.
;7^T TothisIantwer,theobje&ion growes upon
M a falfe ground, for they conceive that becauie he
was in the agome, therefore it muft continue
untiil his being upon the croflfe - I fay no, thats
falfe • for our Saviour entred into the agonie,as
intoacombat, and he that enters into a comoat,
bath many bouts in it: as therearemany (tames
and tempefts,b»t there are iome beames ot iun-
{hine betweene them, fo here there is fome in-
terims. It is in this cafe as it is with a man ma
burning fever, a man hath many int ermitfons
betweene the fits • fo although our Saviour bore
all thewhole wrath of God, yet he had intermit-
ting; fits of it i zs'mMankew %6. 39,42,44. m
the ?&. verfe, he prayed and faid, Father, if it bee
podle, let this cuff affe from mee - and he went arvay
Aaine the fecond time, and frayed faying, F ^
if it bee pophle let this cup fajjefrom mee • and bee
Lent ajratne the third time, and frayed yet more ear-
nemifaWb f&ther, if it be fofiiblelet this cuffajfe
from me: and as it is mLuke 2 2, 44- Heeentred
into the agome, that is, into the fit, as we life to fay
ofaficke man • now thefitis uponhim, he pray-
ed once and cameagaine, fo one fit was over . he
prayed yet againe,fotwo fits were over 5 then he
LLdyet more earneftly, fo thethe third fit was
over : here are three bouts which heehad, when
hee wreftled with the indignation of the Lord.
Therewere three ftorrnes in this tempeft and be-
tweene every little ftorme, he had ap^eafantgale
ofeafeand rerrediing: This is the anfwer to the
firftobjetou Secondly,
The Stubs IusitpcAtim. 2
Secondly, if the wrath of God feized upon th& GbU£%i
foule o[ oar Saviour, then the caufe being the
fame,theerfecl; muft needs be the fame; therefore
he mu{| needs be ftill in the agonie, when he was
upon the erode:
You muft know that the forrowes and fuffe-
rings ofout Saviour iiTuedonely from thefe two
caules,
Fir ft, from the wrath of God comming upon t
him forourfinnes.
Secondly, our Saviour did willingly accor- 2
ding to the agreement made betweene him and
the Father, put himfelfe under the wrath of the
Father • he laid his head upon the blocke, and
upon the anvi 11, under the blow of divine Juftice.
Now it is not the wrath of God alone, nor the
willingneue of Chrift alone, but from the wrath
of God comming upon him, and his willing-
nefle in fubmitting to the wrath of God : for
Juftice faith, if there bee faved, thou muft differ -
and Chrift faith, I am contented, I will, yet fo
farre as I fee fir, and may be for my honour • this
fhewes that he did it willingly : Therefore hee
was a caufe by counfelL ancl a voluntary difpo-
fer of his owne worke 5 therefore he might either
fatisfie juftice by bearing the whole wrath of
God, or elfe he might take a breathing while as
he (aw fit • fo that howfoever you frame the ob-
jection,, yet theanfwer is cleere : for when a man
hath taken vr orke to doe by the great, bee may
goe to his worke, or he may leave his worke,pro-
vi&ed. that he doe performe it according to baf-
L 1 gaine :
258
The Soules IufttfcAtion.
-— : oramann^yl^akrifM, or elfe if
hewilL be may keep filencc : fo Chrift under-
tooke to fuffer for us, but provided when bee
would, and as be would: Maitke* 26.17. He
be Z an to wax firrmfA tliat is, hee did it freely,
hee entred into the eombat of Gods difpleafure,
he undertooke it when he would, andas much at
onceas he would, provided that bee did pay and
fuffer all for the curfe doth not require that
Chrift {hould fuffer all at once,but onely that he
{hould fatisfie the juftiee of God agame : the
humane nature of Chrift could not fo well beare
all the wrath of Godatonce -therefore he tooke
it at three times : as when a man cannot well
drinke a great potion at one draught, hednnkes
andbreathes,and then drinks againe and breathes,
and then drinkes.the third time :fo Chrift was.
refolved to beare ail the wrath of God, and bc-
caufeitwas too grievous for the humane nature
todrinkeit all at once, therefore hee drinkes and
breaths againe, and then drinkes the fecond time,
and breaths againe; and fo drinkes the third
time, and fo our Saviour was able to fuffer all,apd
not to bee driven to any e diftem per or weaknefle ;
for all thofe diftempers of affeftions, they arile,
from thefe three grounds :
1 Eitheraffe&ions prevent judgement :
i Or elfe it will not yeeld to judgement r
2 Or thirdly, it ditobs judgement.
Now our Saviour tooke one draught, and then
breathed, and then tooke another draught, and
ireathed agame.and fo dninkc .it at the third time;
The Sotfles luftificatien, 2 sg
lb that none of all the forrovves of the agonie that
he undertooke troubled him, becaufe hee under-
tookc it when he would, and yet bore all, and fo
gave full fatisfa&ion. Thus you fee what our Sa-
viour furTeredin the garden in his foule, and it
was (lich a kinde of forrow, that he tooke onely
Peter, and lames, and Iohn with him, and no
more.
Now in thenext place, I come to fatten upon
the proofe of the point, to wit, that this forrow
muff needs bee more than can come from the
paines of death, and I fhall make it good by
force of argument, that this forrow cannot come
barely from the naturall death 5 I fhall give you
grounds from Scripture, and from reafbn, and I
reafonthus :
All the forrowes that came upon our Saviour,
they came by reafon in this cup, that is, from
thefe forrowes, and miferies that he was to beare,
both in the agonie in the garden, and upon the
croffe : Now that cup which brought afloniiftV
ment in upon his foule,and fild it full of anguifti,
and drove him to an amaze,and not only to weep
bitterly, but to trickle aowne drops of clodded
blood, that cupmuft needs bee more than the
pains of a naturall death, but that cup which cau-
fed all rhis,was that which brought them in, and
made himthustobeaftonifhed,and fild his foule
with anguifh", and wrefted clodded blood from
his body ; therefore this was more than naturall
death: the latter part of theargumenris undeni-
able, namely that the agonie came from this cup >
LI 2 there-
26® Tht Sddes Hfti§c&dm.
r i I.
therefore the cup was the can fe of his forrowes,
and griefes, andtearcs j but to thinke that natu-
rall death thould drive our Saviour to this afto-
nimment, it is unreafonable to thinke it, that the
Souldier lliould beare that which the Comman-
der cannot beare, and that many a poorc Chri-
fHan that hath but a little grace, fhould beare the
paineofan^turall death for a good caufe,and that
comfortably • and (hall not Chrift the Foun-
tain of all grace beare much more ? it is imreafc-
nableforany man to thinke fo. therefore there
muft be more than the paines of a naturall death,
in the fuffenngs of our Saviour. Hee that gave
liis Saints grace to beare thefe paines of thena-
turall death, he hath much more g r ace in him-
felfc to beare them, and to come forth from un-
der them.
Is it fo .that the Lord Jems Chrift was driven
to this aft onifhmenr,and to all this mifery ? then
what ufe will you make of the point? fhakethe
tree, and gather trie fruit : Let every foule learne
fr om hence w hat wi 1 1 bee the fru it o f n" nne, a nd
what he may expect from.fmne, if he doe rightly
conceive of it i wee pie to judge of phyficke by
the working of it,efpecially if itbe fome ftrange
kinde of phyficke, then the working of it wiildif-
eover the nature of it : And as it is with fome
great perfonages, as the Popes and fuch like, they
have their rafters totafte their meat for them ^ for,
certainly if the meat doc poyfon him thatt aftes
it, then it will doe him no good that eats it : fo
fee what finne hath done in Chrift, and the fame
The Souks I unification. 2&t
it will doe in thee^ what he hath received from it x
doe thou looke to partake of the fame, if thou
continue in fin : Ke onely rafted of it by way of
imputation, and he had only the fhado vcs of fin,
as I have formerly fhcwed : hee had onely the
taftcoffin byway of account, and charge^and
imputation : therefore if it made him ficke even
to death, then know thou (halt bee fnre to feele
the fame : it will worke upon thee much more
that haft fin not by way of imputation,, but thou
haft it by way of commiffion : and thou canft fit
atthybafcp!eafures,and loo fe company, and fin-
full occasions, and dbaweB on iniquitie 'ai it were
with can-ropes • it will bee thy death, if the Lord
be not mercifull unto thee to favcthee, and the
Lord Chrift gracious to pardon thee : therefore
let us not judge of our finnes according to our
conceits • it is that which cozens and deceives'
thoufands of po ore creatures • therefore letus
not value our finnes according to the fiveetinefle
that our owne corrupt heart findes in them, nor
according to the p'eaiurc that wee expect from
them^ tkey goe downe merrily now, but they
kill as certainly. It is the great weaknefle of
poorc foules, that wee fee finneagreat way off
through many glaiTe windowes, many mediums
and. covers, there are many profits, and pleafures,
and dalliances, that arc betwecne finne and Us,
and we fee finne throng! 1 all thefe, and therefore
finis welcomed and received, becaufe it feemes
pleafant : but now I would have you fee finne in
the nature of it, and therefore iooke upon finne
LI 3 in..
2 £ 2 The Soaks Iu&ification.
in the Lord Jelus Chrift,and there fee it in its
colours, and fee what vexation it brought on our
Saviour, the lame it will bring upon thee; nlelTe
the Lord be the morcmercifulLIs is with finncrs,
as it is with children ; little children that know
not the nature of a Beare or a Lion, i( they lie
fleeping, they will bee ready to play with them s
but if the Beare begin to (hake himfelfe, and the
Lion begin to rore, it makes not onely children
afraid, but even the ftouteft to flie, wee dally
with the hole of the Afpe: finnehath devoured
thoufandsatthis day, and children that wee are,
we play with fin, and with the pride of our owne
curled hearts, and our lulls, and our ambition,
and uncleannelte, and with the neglect of Gods
ordinances, and every other corruption : The
drunkard playes with his drunkennelTe, and the
adulterer with his dalliances, and the proud man
withhis ambitious thoughts, and foevery wretch
with his wicked pra&ices, and this ambition is
now afleep : but if you could feethefe roring
uponyou,and ready to devoureyou, then cer-
tainly you that now take delight in them, would
flie from them: Proverb 7. %y. Itisobfervable
what finnewill doe, the adulterous woman meets
the poore deluded creature, and fhe inticethhim
with herbafe lufts, and he dreams of nothingbut
Downe beds, and all kinde of dalliance, andhee
knowes nothing but goes as an Oxe to the {laugh-
ter, untilladartftrike through his liver, and he
knowes not that it is for his life, hee goes and
his life goes : Herheufe it the way to the grave,
\ which
The Soules luftiftcation. %$$
which goeth dorvne to the chimb ers of death : the like
ismiudas, heedefired to betray Chart, and for
what > onely to get a little poore pittance of
thirtie fence : his covetoufnefle was now afleep,
and he hid a numbering heart towards the Lord
Jefus Chrift, anda covetous heart tor himfelfe :■
all this while finne was afl'eepe • but when Chrift
was attached and condemned, then I 'das began
to be worried with his corruptions • hee comes
inhorrourofheartand throvves downe the thirtie
pence, and comes into the high Priefts hall, and
faith, / have finned in betraying innocent bhodr
Now tellmee,./^^, is it good to bee covetous-
now ? when his confeience was awake, and the
wrath of God began to feize upon it,-, and the
Lion began torore upon him, then his heart be-
gun to fhake within him, and hee departed and
went away and hanged himfelfe, his finne made
way for it : and thus it will be with every wicked
man in the world. Howfoever now you have delu-
ons to cozen others, and you have your unjufV
meafures,and you can carry itawaybravely^your
corruptions are now afleep, but that covetouf-
neiTe cut of thy fhop^and that adultery out of
thy chamber, it will one day rore upon thee;
looke upon the hands of Chrift, and they will
fay, thefe hands were pierced by finnes, and it
was finne that hath fildthisfoulewithaftonifh-
ment. Oh all you that fee and heare the good
word of the Lord this day, fee what fin hath done
with our Saviour,and ex peel: the like effe&s from
finne, if you ftill continue in it,
How
2 £, The Souks Iiigific&uon.
Now we come to the fecond parr, that is, his
fufferings upon the erode, where wee (hall have
much to doe with the Jefuites, You fee what he
fufferedin the garden, now follow him to the
croffe, for when he was in the garden, he only ta-
fted of the cup- but when he was upon the crone,
he drUnke the cup quite off; in the garden he on-
ly Tipped the top of it, but now hee drunkethe
dregs of it, and the bottome and all. For the
opening of this , looked/. 27. tf -about ihemmh
health* is, about three of the clocke in the af-
ternoone,whenhe was crucified,^ cried out [aying y
£li y Eli, lamafabattatti : Now Divines fay,and In-
terpreters conclude, and I doe profelTe it,and Ibe-
feech you attend to it, that in this crie & coplaint
of ourSaviour,was di (covered the dregs ofthecup
of the fierce indignation of the Lord • now be-
fore I come to the naked and proper lenfe of the
words, confider thus much : there are two inter-
pretations of it; Firft, there is one of the Jefu-
ites,which we muft confute and remove. Second-
ly, \here is another interpretation of found Di-
vines, which we muft receive and yceld unto.For
the firft, BeUrmine and others make the meaning
of the words to be this^hat our Saviour Chrift
here complaines that he was left to the hands of
the Jewes, and that God the Father would not
deliverhim from that temporal death which they
would put him to ; therefore faidthey, our Savi-
our in the fenfc of the death natural,cries out that
God had left him in the hands of thofe ungodly
men • therefore they fay the words run thus, My
God,
The Soules I unification. 26%
God, my God, why haft thou thus forsaken me, and left
me thus in the hands of Pdate, and Herod,znd the
Jevves to crucifie mee : it is a finewlehe and a
weake imagination, that I may fpeake no worfe
of it, for I can hardly beare it with patience : and
that this fenfe is falfe there are 2 reafons to beare
agamft it. Firft, this meaning is taken from a
talie ground, and therefore the ground and bot-
tome being brittle and weake, the building mu&
needs fall. It is a vveake thing for a man to fay
that fometimes the miferies and deaths of the
Saints of God, argue aforfaking of God : for
I lay, that though the Saints of God are fome-
times delivered up to death by the wife provi-
dence of God, yet they are not faid to bee forfa-
kenofGod: 2 Or. 4.?. wee are perfected, but
not forfaken^ caBdowne,butweeperijhnot: You
know what the ordinarie promifes are in this
kinde • I mil be with thee in fix troubles, andin the
fiventh I will deliver thee : marke this ,the heavieft'
atfh&ions of the Saints of God, nay death it
felfe is fo farre from being an argument of Gods
iorfakmg them, that it is an argument of their
glorying in God 5 asin^C^ 12. l0 . Therefore
Itakepleafure in my infirmities and reproaches necef
fines and perfections : andinanguifh for Chrifts
lake, the Aooftle rejoyceth in perfections, and
mtne midft of all extremities.
A fecond reafon why it is falfe is this, Cod is
laid to leave his krvants two waves, and there are
ho other wayes in Scripture that I know of. Firft •
*nen God takes awayhisafliftanceinthermieof
Mm trouble.
—^p ' " Tin Soules Iuftifcmo*.
i^blc', and heeMen¥"r^o7tkit flrength and
that afllitance , whereby with patience they
may beare, and with courage goe through thofe
amnions, but now and tkn hee lets them
to bee foiled \ by their owne infirmities 5
and to fall by their weakneiTes, that tbey may
kame to fee their owne weakness, and learne
not to truft inthemfelves, burin the Lord their
God; Now this forfaking cannot, nor did not
befall our Saviour in common fente, becauie
hee prayed for aiMance, and whatfoever hee
prayed for, hee had- as Hebrew* 5. 7- ***<"f
heard m that which be feared-, and fo consequently
affifted 3 nay, he was confident of the lflue of it,
Luke 23. 42. 4?. when the good theere upon
the crofTe faid, Urd t remember meewhen thou com-
weft ww thy Kingdome 5 the Lord anfweredhim, this
day foal thou be with mee in Paradife : nay, David
did propbefie this of Chrift, and Chnft himfelfc
performes ir, Pfalme id. 8.. ibavefet the Lord
dmyes before mine eyes, for hee if at my right hand,
therefore ifydnot be moved : therefore God the
Father did not leave our Saviour, but he did affift
him, that hee was above all forrowes, and ailmi-
fenes
Secondly, the other kinde of leaving which
* the Scripture fpeakes of, is this h when the Lord
takes away the fcnfc and feeling of the fweetneffe
ofhis love,and favour from the foule: mPfilme
279. David faith, Hide not thy face away from me,
nehber caraway thy fervant m dUfl-afure put nor
a Tenant out of doores. Here I demand of any
maii ;
■ mi-.i'w. ■■»■.. r< i — »
The Soules fuftificatien. %6j
man, but efpecially of the Jefuites, whether of
thefe two they will grant ? God did not forfake
the Lord Jefus Chnft the firft way < therefore
he muft doe it this way, or none at ail 5 and if
any man grant this, then he grants the caufe : for
then there was not oneiy the death naturall, but
the difpleafure of the Lord feized upon his
foule • and unleffethey doe grant this, then this
abfurdirie muft needs follow upon it, that Chnft
was not at all forfaken of God : for he that was
conftantly aififted, and refrefhed by the fenfe of
the love and favour of God,he was no way forfa-
ken : lofeph was in pnfon, but God was with
him ; and Daniel was in the Lions den, but God
was with him : and in 2 Cbron. 15.2. God is with
yo#, xvhile yee are with him : now if Chnft had
affiftance from God the Father to ftrengthen
him,and the fenfe of the fweetnefle of Gods love
to refresh him, then hee was no way forfaken,
which is profelly contrary to this truth, and it is
to give the good Spirit of God the lie ; therefore
away with thofe imaginations, fo that the anfwer
is cleare, that God the Father did rake away the
fenfe and feeling of the fweetneffe of his love
from our Saviour ; and this made him to crie
our, My God, my God^ why haft tho;* forfaken mee I
thus much to w ipe away the cav i Is of the Jeiu its .
N >w I come to fliew the right kn(e and interpre-
tation of the words which wee ought to receive;
and here you may fee the grest worke of drift,
and the love ofChrift, arid the comfort of a
Chriftian: the text includes two things, which
Mm 2. con-
2^g The Soules Iu&ificatio#.
eontaines the very dregs of the cup : Firft, that
God tooke away the fenfe and feeling of his love
and favour : Secondly, God the Father laid a
curfe upon him. There is a dereli&ion,. and a
rnaledi&lon, in the words forfaking, and the
curfe : therefore adde to this place but Gal. 3. 13.
and you fhall have the full fufferings of Chrift,
Chrifl hath redeemed us from the curfe of the Law y be-
iw made a curfe- far #*, because it is wruten 7 cur fed is
every one that hangeth on a tree : {o that when hee
was crucified and hanged on the crofTe, then hee
was made a curfe for us,and then he was forfaken.
Let mee-a little open both the paflages to you :
Eirft for the forfaking of our Saviour, why haft
thou forfaken mee I when he cried thus, and rored
for the very difquietnefle of his foule, there was
more in it than ordinarie :. I. will difeover the
fubftanceofthis forfaking of Chri ft how farre it
went, and that in three particulars, that you may
know how far to fteere your judgements in con-
ceiving the fenfe of the Spirit of God in this
place : this forfaking of Chrift may be conceived
of in three conclufions :
Firft, it was not a totell forfaking of our Sa-
viour, but onely in part^ and it was not a perpe-
tuall forfaking, but for a while, and it was not a
taking away the Godhead from the manhood of
our Saviour $ but the Godhead-was ever united
to the manhood j and did evermore fupport it.
Secondly, this forfaking was on the. Fathers
part, and not on our Saviours part - the Father
forfakes Chrif^ but Ghrift went after him : God
tooke:
The Soules Justification. 26^
tooke away the fenfe of his love, but the Lord
Jefus Chrift cried after him, and laid hold upon
him, and faith, My God, my God, why haft thou
forfaken me I the Father went away, but the Lord
Jefus Chrift went after the Father, and would
not let him goe : God the Father might juftly
forfake our Saviour, being made finne for us by
account and imputation : being our furetie, God
the Father might juftly take away and withdraw
the fenfe of the fweetnefle of his love and favour
from the Lord Jefus Chrift, without any finne .
but now the Lord Jefus Chrift could not have
forfaken and gone away from the Father without
finning, fo that this forfakingwas on the Fathers
part, but our Saviour held faft, and would not be
•Tarried away, My God,my God,&c„ As lob faith.
Though hee kill fmee, yet will I tru ft in him : fo that
/o&f trufting,and Gods killing anger might ftand
together : and when the Lord wreftled with la-
cob and faid, Let me goe, for the day breaketh ; Iacoh
laid, / will not let thee goe, untill thou bleffe me. God
may goe away from racob, but lacob may not goe
away from God for want of confidence, and affi-
ance: fo that this forfaking is to be apprehended
wholly on the Fathers part, for our Saviour did
not goe away from God by diffidence and di-
ftruft.
Thirdly, and here lies the main pith and heart
blood of the point, that wee may fpeake trem-
blingly and wifely, in this great and difficult
point. The conclusion is this, thefoule of our
-Saviour, that is, the whole man was for the while
Mm 3 deprived
2 - The Soules I unification.
deprived of the fenfe of Gods favour,and the fee-
ling operation of his love and mercy that might
comfort him 5 1 fay 5 it was for the while, and this
feemes to be the reafon of thole ftrong cries, and
heart-breaking complaints of his : You know
whena man cries, then there is mifery, and trou-
ble upon him s and when he cries loud, and puts
forth all his powers , it implies a marvellous^
weight, nay, it gives us to conceive of a kinde of
admiration, and a kinde of wondering with him-
felfe, whatthe caufe of it mould bee : It feemes
here that this was the caufe of the fad complaint,
becaufe in his agonie there were fome inklings
of Gods mercy, and now and then a flarre-light,
and a little flam of lightning to cheere him : but
now all the fenfe and feeling of Gods love. was
gone, and not fo much as any little ftar- light to
cheere him up . and that drives him to a wonder-
ment," faying, My God, my God, why haft thou for-
Men meet Is it poflible that rhou can ft thus for-
fake thy Sonne ? whats the reafon of it ? what,
and anonely begotten Sonne • not that the fpint
of confolation was ever taken away from our Sa-
viour, nor that the Godhead was taken away from
the manhood, andfo left comfortlefTe, andfup-
portlelte; no, no, but howfoever the fpiritof
comfort and confolation was there, vet the fweet-
' neiTe ofthatconfo!ation,wheremhehad refrefti-
ed and folaced himfelfe, that was quite taken
away.
OhjeSt. Oh but, fay the Jefuites, this feemes ftrange ;
for if this bee fo that all the fenfe and fweetneffe
of
The Soules Iuftification. 27i
of Gods love was taken away from him,then bow
cai) he fay,?/*) God, my God £
It is a conceit for a Jefuirc, and not for a Anfwer.
Cbriftian j for faith and the want of teeling may
goe together \ Chtiil longed after mcrcy,though,
feee faw nothing, and hce cried, my GtMj my G d i
though hee ha & no ienfe of Gods love, the ftron-
geft faith may ftand where no fenfe is • Efay 50.
10. Hee ihtu rvalketh in darknej]e,and baih no litrhii
that is, he that is altogether in mifery,and forrow >
and anguifh, and feeth no light of comfort and
confolation, what muft hee doe ? muft heecaft
away all hope? no, let him ftay himfelfeby the
power of faith upon his God. So then Chnft
may have, and had confidence, to fay, my God, my
God, and yet hee was deprived of the fenfe of
Gods love, and the feeling operation of his mer-
cy and favour - and God the Father might take
away tbefenfeand fveetneffe of it, without any
weaknefle on our Saviours part, becaufe this
withdrawing of the fweetnelTe of Gods leve,
brings onely apunifhmentupon the foule, and
takes ho grace nor holineffe from the foule of
our Saviour.
Now wee are come to the bottome, now our
Saviour forefaw all the mercy, goodnefle, and
companion of God the Father going away from
him, and hee panted after k, faying, my God, my
God, mercy is gone, and companion is gone in
regard of the fenfe of it. Now that you may fee
the weight ofthefurferings of our Saviour, con-
fider thus much- that the taking away the fenfe
of
273 jffe Souks Iuftification,
of Gods love, difcovers it feifein Scripture after
this manner.
The Lord in this vvorke of his,and in this hea-
vie withdrawing himfelfe,he turnes away his face,
and lookes another way, deprives him of the in-
joying of the fvveetnefTe of his fellow fhip which,
formerly heehad : Tonal) 2. 4. Jonah was a good
and agratious man, though he was a ftrange man,
as one obferves, yet when the Lord had dealt
fomething ftrangely with him, and caft him into
the lea, a whale receives him • and when hee was
fwallowcd up of the whale, he was then fallow-
ed up of a greater griefe ; for God had taken
away the fweetnefte of his love from him : there-
fore faith he, lam caft out of \hy fight 5 hee would
play the runne away with God, and would goe to
Tarfus ; therefore God cafts him out of his fight
to his owne apprehenfion : therefore faith hee,
lam caft out of thy prefence : this was onely in re-
gard of the fenfe and fweetnefle of Gods love
and favour : this you may fee in the example of
David, Pfalme 31.22, 1 fa id in my hafte, I am caft
out of thy fight ; as no queftion but Ionah prayed
in the whales belly, and faid, Lord pardon my finne y
and forgive my tranfgrefiions > y no, faith the Lord,
get you downe to Tarfm : fo David prayed, and cri-
ed earneftly feying, one fmile of thy favour Lord '.
no, faith the Lord, and hee lookedanotherway,
yet thou hear deft thevoyce of my prayer: and fo Io-
nah, yet wiU I looke towards thy holy Temple 5 hee
looked to mercy ; whiles his eyes and his heart and
all faild 5 fo that faith may well ftand, even there
where
The Soules /unification. 273
where there is no fenfe at all.
Thus k was here in the cafe of our Saviour >and
thus the Scripture fpc-akes admirable pithily.
Pfalme 77. y.Hatb God forgotten tobeegracioM y and
ha.h hefoutu^ his tender mercies I asifhehadfaid,
though I may not have mercy, yet let me lee mer-
cy : hath God in anger fhut up his mercy ? the
face of mercy is iweet, and the prefenceof mercy
is comely : but hath God in anger fhut up his
tender mercies ? hee hath not onely fent him
going out of doores, as hee did Ionah, but hee
flouts himfclfe up that the poore finner cannot
come within light of him.
Oh faith the fonne^ I would my father would
but looke out at the window that I might fee
him -, but when hee will not fuffer his fonnc
to looke upon him , this is heavie : fo the
Lord "faith to his fervants, no no, you have
flighted my kindncfle, therefore I will locke it
up, that you fhali fee him no more^ In the ie-
cond Bookeof Samuel, the fourteenth chapter,
the twentie eighth verfe- when Ah folomhad dwelt
two ye ares in Ierufalem , and faw not the Kinvs
face, at length hee {e;ilsfor loab 10 fend him to the
King, and laid, eiiher let me fee the Kwvs face,
or elfe wherefore doe 1 Ivve I It was a great favour
that hee might but fee the Kings face; though
hee might not injoy fellowship with him : this
is a great troub'e , when the Lord fhuts up
his mercy in anger : mercy hath come home to
your hearts, and it hath befought you to take it t
but you have dealt bafely with the Lord,and wal-
Nn \ ked
274
The Settles Iuftifcuion.
\edrebellioufiyagainft him, well the Lord will
{hue you out of" his prefence, and will (hut up his
mercy, and then you (hall fay that you had mer-
cy ofrered to you once, and you would notac-
cent *t
- Thirdly, and this is the higheft degree of all 5,
the Lord doth not onely (hut up his mercy thar
be cannot be feene,but bee goes away that a man
cannot tell where tofeekehim : Oh, faith the
fonne, that 1 might but fee my Father but hee is
gone, and then his heart is even fwalloweedup;.
nay, God doth not only take away the fenfe and
feeling of his favour beyond fight, but hee goes
away from a man, that heecannottell where to
feckc him, that if he would write letters as I may
fay, yet he knowes not where to fend them •, and
if he call his father, he cannot heare him : Thus
the Scripture fpeakes, and thus. the faints of God
have found it from time to time, Tfdme 77. 7, S,
f. ird the Lord abfent bimfelfe for evet >,.andmllhe
fhew no more favour I this tranflation is reafona-
ble well, but the originall runs thus • mBhee
adde no more to bee favourable: as it hee had faid^
what will he not only not entertaine me ; but is
hee^one that I cannot tell whereto finde him 5
and m the 8. verfe, Is hitmercy cleave gone for nerj
This-is thelaft ofall,and that which contains the
pith of all, that our Saviour fpeakes exprefly of
himfelfe,that God goes not onely out of his pre-
fence, but out of 'his calling too : the place is
excellent, PfaL 22. 1. from whence thefe words
were taken, My God, my C 'ed,*hy haft thou firfaken
me I
' " " ■ ' ' - ' " " ■ > " !'■ I - I"> « H» I » ». . M I
The Soules fuffificatim. 27%
meet why art thou fo farrc from helping mee,
and from the words of my complaint ? God
is gone beyond call. No;v that you may ice
the weight' of the forrowes that lay upon our
Saviour, confider thus much : our Saviour was
to: onely caft out of Gods favour, and God
did not onely take away the fenfe of his love, and
the feeling operation of his favour, that fohe re-
ceived not the fweetnetTe that he had done ; but
Chrifttooke the place of (inners, and therefore
God the Father fhut him out amongft finners,
and drew his mercy out of light, and out of hea-
ring, and therefore he cried out, My God, my God,
&c. Nay further, why art thou fo farre from my
helpe ? Hee criecboui that hee tore his bowels
againc, andftretched out his throat and cries, my
God, my God, and hee followes the mercy of God
the Father in this kindc,not that his faith did not
prevaile, but he had not the fenfe and fweetnefte
of Gods love ; and fo David in all that he fpake,
(ayin^, Will he he favourable no more S hath hee in
anger jhut tfp bis tender mercies Z All this while
God was prefent with him by fupportation,
though he held that vifipn of mercy orTfrorn his
fouteT: now atthis timeit feemes to me, and the
text will beare it, that though Chrift before had
but three bouts in the garden, yet now all the fins
of all his e!e& children, and the cloud of fins of
all the faithfull did ariie to a mighty great fog,
and the cloud did ovcrfpread all the whole hea-
vens as I may fay, and did darken all the Sunne-
ihme of Gods favour: as it is with the Sun in
Nn 2 the
2 7^
The Soules I unification.
the firmament, when a little cloud growes greater
and greater untill it cover the whole heaven, then,
wethinke it is almoft night : fo all the ficnes of
all the faithfull didoverYpreadall the whole hea-
vens, that even the (to-light of Gods companion,,
and the lightning of Gods love and favour appea-
red not..
Now I come to -the reafons of our Saviours,
grievous furferings in his foule, and the reafons
are thefe.
X Firft, from the caufe.
a Secondly,4rom the place to which our Savi-
our was called.
3 Thirdly, from tile love, of the Lord Jefus
Chrift, whichmakes it moft plaine. of all.
Reafin I. Firft.from the caufe, it cannot bee that it was
the ]qw,es, and Herod, and Pilate, that made him
eric out in this manner, but the juftice of God
theFathercameagainft him,and the devil! entred
the combate with the Lord Jefus Chrift upon
the crohe : huke 22.. 53. This is -your 'Jjouy 'e,and
the power of darknejje ; hell gates were fet open,
and the devils were all let loofe upon our Savi-
our • and therefore as Divines doe wifely and
judicioufly obfer ve in ColojT. 2.15. Hee led cap?
tivity captive, and fpoyled principalities and power s,
and tooke the hand . writing of ordinances that was
agawft us, ami fanned them to his c/ojje: . hee was
now in the maine combat with all the powers of
finne, hell, and death : Thefe were they that did
make the combat withthe Lord of life.
JteaM il The. fecond reafon, is taken from the place
* 7 ■ which
The Soules Ikftification. 277
which he underwcn t ; he was to be a Pric ft, and
he vras to offer uphimfelfefor a facrifice, not his
body alone, but alfo his foule ; as Hebrews 9.20,
24. Chrift offered ap- kimfclfe for a facrifice.
Thirdly, the love of the Lord Jefus was fucb, Rcafm 3.
that of neceflkie it muft bee fo, and thofethat
thinkc, that the Lord lefus fuffered nothing el fe
but or.ely the death of the body, they wonderful-
ly wrong the love of the Lord jefus Chrift: the
like love was never feene, for had he fuffered on-
iy the death natiirall,thenfoiYie of Gods people
had iliewcd greater love than ever. Chrift did : as
Paul, Romans 9 . X, I could bee content to want the
fenfe of the Uve of Chrift, for the people of the letees\
,&c. Now if our Saviour had onely fuffered the
death natural!, then Pad could have beetle con-
tent to doe more than Chrift did : Thus you fee *
the nature of this forfaking of Chrift.
Secondly, there was alfo a curie which befell *
our Saviour, which here is intimated, but is fully
eXpreft Gal. 3. 13. Chriji hath redeemed its from-
the cur fe of the Lav, why? hccauic be was ??tade>t
c-irfe for ua 5 how doth he prove that ? becaufe
it is written, cur fed is every one that hanpeth on a
tree i He proves the truth by thc.Type,the curfe
lay in this, t hat Chrifi did fuffer rrhatfoever ir-js due
unto m : So the Apoftle realbns, that whatfoever
curfe was due unto us, that our Saviour did fuf*
fer: the curfe was this, the Father did not only
withdraw the fenfe and fweetneueof his love and
favour from the Lord Jefus Chrift, but heealfo
kt in his heavie indignation, and wrath into his
Nn 3 foule,,
27 g The S odes Justification.
foule, and that feizedupon smd fild the fouleof
our Saviour brim full, and this was the curfe :
The Scripture doth cxpreflfe it in two particulars,
or there are two degrees of it.
, Firit,the>ifticeof God had a fingle combat
with our Saviour in the garden, and there it had
three bouts with him j the Lord dealt very rough-
ly with him, and the blowes were very keavie
that hee laid upon our Saviour there, for they
went t o the heart of him, and yet that was but a
little skirmirti : Efay 55. 4,5- God fmotehim,
andbruifed bim^ infomuchthat there was clodded
-blood feene to come dropping fromhim : thefe
heavie bouts that hee had, wounded him, and
went to the very heart of him, but now patience,
and forbearance, and longfu&ring, and mercy,
' and- compaflion, they alfcome intorefcue our
Saviour, and they afford him a little breathing,
and refreshing, fo that though the blowes were
heavie,andthethrufts were fore^yet he did breathe
and live • and it was not the mame ftrckeof all,
and the reafon was, becaufe patience, mercy, and
goodnefTc, andbountie, came intorefcue him:
but then the fecond part was this:
3 Not. only Gods anger had a (ingle combat
withhim, but at kfttke ju ft ice of God gathe-
red up all the powers of if, and the wrath of God
drew up all the forces together,and they marched
in furiouily againft Chafe : and whereas before
the Father frnote at him, and didthruft at him,
now hee Hew him, When our Saviour came to
the croffe, and the heat of die battle lay upon
him,
The Soules Justification. 27£
him, then all the fcnfc and fvvcetneffe of Gods
countenance and favour, they all left our Savi-
our in the open field § for in the garden hce had*
fome refrefhings, and fome breathing times, and
mercy, andgoodnefTe did ftep inand fay,flay him
not, but let him have fome refreshings : but now
the fenfe and the feeling of all thefe was gone.
The ufe ofthis iaft branch, it is a word of ter- yfe t
rour, and it is able to fhake the hearts of the
proudeft wretches under heaven : they that fet
themfelves againft God and Heaven, and make
nothing of the finnes they have committed, nor
of the wrath of God threatned,and when the Mi-
nifter faith, Oh the end of thofe fins will be bit-
ternefle :• this contempt of God, and grace, and
holy fervices, and thefe oaths will be bitter in the
latter end : How can you beare the wrath of
God, and you cannot poflibly avoid it ; tufh ?y ,
fay they, come> let us talke of other matters, and
not bufieour felves with thefe matters* well,
faith the Minifter, but the word is true, and the
word faith it h well then, faith the foule, and!
will beare it as well as I can : If I finne, I will
beare it 5 and if I come into hell, I fhall beare it
as well as another, and I fhall make a fhift for
one ? Oh poore finfull creature, wilt thou beare
it, and make thy part good as well as another ?
dob thou know what thou faift ? ler all thofe
ftouthearted men that fit in the featof the fcorn-
full, and make nothing of God, nor his wrath,
nor of hell, nor of the finnes that they have com-
mitted : let them know that they fhall never bee
able
^"go ' The Soules Justification.
able to beare the indignation of the Lord: fee here,
and behold a little, all you that make nothing of
the withdrawing of Gods favour, Pfalne ?y. 4,5 .
and Revelation 6.14, 15,1 tf, 17. The heavens depar-
ted away as afcrewle when it is rowled,and every moun-
tain and Ijle were removed out of their f faces ± and the
kings of the earth , and the great men, and the rich
men, and the chiefe captaines, and the mighty w 5
and even hodman, and every free man, hid them-
filves in 1 he dens, and rocks, and in the monntaines^nd
foul to the mount aines, fall on w, and to tle'mls^ cover
m from theprefence of him that fitteih upon theihro/ie,^
and from the wrath of 'the Lamb e, for the great day of
his wrath is come, and who (bailie, aide to (land Z If
any man could beare up himfelfc,theti ltrwerethe^
crreat ones of the world : new take a fcantling or
your ownc ftrength; if any were able to beare
the wrath of the Lord, it were the kings and the
mi^htie men, and the captaines, and the rich men
of the world, but faith the text, The day of the
Lords wrath is come, and who fhall bee able to fiandl
It is not the foveraigntic of the king,nor the skill
and courage of the captaine, or the iibertie of the
ireeman, or the llavery of the bondman that can
deliver them^ but they all crie to the rocks, fall
on v/, and cover us from the pre fence of the Lord : nay,
that you may yet fee the vildneife and wretched-
nelfe of your 'hearts, and the miferableneite of
your condition, when the prefence of the Lord
a-ppeares, fee what the teU faitb> Pfalme 1 14. 5,
7. The fea fled, and the earth trcmihd, the hds
mehedat the $re fence of the Lord, nay, the devils
them-
The Soulei /unification, jgj
themfelves tremble • as in the 6. and 8. verfes of
the epiflle of Saint lude y The Angels which kept not
their fir ft live, he hatb referred in ezerlafting chaines
under darkneffe to he kept for the judgement of the laft
day : they have their portion for the while, but
there is a great deale of wrath to come, and there
are many plagues eomming , and they know
Gods wrath, and they (hake and tremble in the
apprehenfion of it : now when you fee this, goe
home to your owne foules, and let every man
that would heretofore (as his owne conference
can tell him ) flout God to his face,, and make a
fcorn of hell,and of judgemcnt,and condenation :
go homc,I fay,& lay this to your owne hearts,and
iay,is it {bjhat the mountains fhak^tnd the feafhrinks,
and the devils tremble at the wrath of the Lord : good
Lord then how fhall I beable to beare it,thatam
not able to coceive of ir,nay if any man think that
hee is able to undergoe the wrath of God, and to
bear it off with head and fhoulders-look but here
upon the Lord Jefus Chrift that was perfect
God, and perfect man, he that created heaven and
earth, and bore up the foundations of heaven and
earth, yet when hee came to beare the wrath of
God, it forced teares from his eyes, and clodded
blood from his body, and made him crie out, My
Gad, my God, why haft thou for faken mee I Doe but
now compare your felves with Chrift, and fay,
did my Saviour buckle under the wrath of God ?
then certainly it willbreake you : therefore fay
thou, if hee that was the Creator of heaven and
earth could not beare it, then how (hall I be able
Oo to
a g 2 The SmUs Ivftificmon.
to bcarek, when he comes againftme for my fir,
and corruption committed by me:therefore heave
and feare all you ftout-hearted of the world,rather
now tremble while you may be comforted, than
hereafter when you {hall never be eafed : thinkc
but with your felves how dreadfull that day will
be, when all the glorious attributes of God fhall.
take their leaves of yoi^he that before had a great
deale of mercy, and patience, and the Lord hath
wooed him,faying,Oh once at laft here and fee the
things that bekng to thy peace: there i not one of
you all in this congregation, butthtyou have
beene compaft about with mercies,, nnd the ju-
ftice of God ^ it would have broken out againlV
you, had not mercy ftepped in to refcuc you,
how eafie were it for the Lord to dafh us all into
the bottomlcne pit every creature of us : there-
fore thanke mercy, and patience, and forbearance,
that ftill you breathe, and fay,, blefled bee God,
that I have to deale with a gracious,mercifull,and
companionate God , that hath kept mee from
judgcment,that I have not erenow periihed in it:
>Iow thinke with your felves what a day it wil be
when mercy fhal weep over you,& take his leave
of you, &: fay,remeber thou poore creature how I
met thee in thy walkes^nd kneeled downe before
thee, and befought thee to take mercy, and to be
fitved and pardoned, but thou wouldft not :adew
therefore, this is the laft time of asking, I will
never fee :hy face more, and with that patience
as it were buckles under the burthen, and faith,
I have bojne with thee thus long, I have borne
twentie
The Soules fuftificatitn. 28$
twenty years with fame, thirtie years with fome,
fortie years with others, and all this while I have
borne with thee in thy pride, and ftubbornnefie,
and loofeneffe, and uncleanneife - y but now adew,
nevermore patience to beare with you, what no
more mercy, nor no more goodnefle, faith the
fou!e,and they all fay no • and fhake their hands
and lay, adew thou rebellious heart for ever, it
will make thy heart fhake within thee, and thou
wilt lay, I fhall finke downe fuddenly, there is
nothing but wrath to bee expected, they are all
gone to heaven, and you mu ft be for ever packing
to hell . Oh feare, and feare all you whom it doth
concerne this day, iffobec Chrift cannot beare
it, then you cannot fuffer it y but you will finke
under the fame forever.
Now I come to the reafbnsofthe point in ge-
nerall, why our Saviour fuffered paines both in
body and in foule,thcn the reafons of it are three,
andtheyarealloffpeciall u(e.
Firft,it is taken from the divine juftice of God Reapm 1
which required this by way of fatisfa&ion,as be-
ing onely futable and agreeable to the divine ju-
ftice of God by reafon of (inne, whereby Adam
had intrenched r upon the privilege of God the
Father : every breach of the Law of God in-
trencheth ncerly upon Godhimfelfe, and there-
fore every finne is of a provoking nature, becaufe
it is committed againft an infinite majeftie:-
therefore that divine juftice may not be a lofer,
there muftbea punimmentnot onely corporal!,
Oo j but
Tta S<wk> Iuftification.
but alfo fpirituall,'for juftice abates not any thing
ofthe fatisfaaion, God is juft,andthis is juftice
to give every one his due < honour to whom ho-
nour belongs, and puniftiment to whom punifhr
merit belongs; therefore that juftice may bee
preferved, (he muft inflift thefepunUhmcnts up-
on our Saviour being in our roome :. the Jefuites
have devifed a cavilfagainft this reafon : fay they,
k needed not that Chrift fhould fuffer thefe,for
the dignitie of the perfon of our Saviour may
difpence with fome part ofthe punimment, and
if hebearc death, it is fumcient, he may bee freed
from the other paines in his foule. Now that
this conceit of theirs is. a thing marvellous inju-
rious to thejuftieeof God the Father, and to
the wifedome of the Lord Jefus Chrift,. and to
the death of Chrift, I prove it thus 5 for by the
fame right that the dignitie ofthe perfon .of our
Saviour might abate ofthe punifhment,.byths
fame right "the dignitie of his perfon might as
welltake it quite away : if one dropof the blood
of Chrift would fave all the world,, then what
needed Chrift to have fufifered the pains of death;
for if the dignitie of the perfon might free him
from the one, it might free him from the other
alfo, but the Law and Juftice o^ God required
whatfoever Chriftdid in his wifedome fuffer.and
the death of Chrift was not fuperfluous, and be-
fides the dignitie of the perfon is fo fane from
freeing him from the puniiTiment^tbat it fits him
to beare the punifhment, it exempts him not
from the puaifhnaent, but itfurnifneth him with
abiii*.
The Souks Itiftification. x8j
abilities to beare it : as lie mu ft be man, that hee
may fuffer finitely, To he muft be God that muft
fctisfie infinitely : the juftice of God requires
two things.
Firft, fuch a kinde of punifhment as may bee. *
futable to the wrong of the Law, by the finne of
Adam, that is an infinite punifhment.
$ Secondly, the perfoivmuuY bee fuch a one, as a
may bee regarded : therefore he muft bee fuch a
perfon, as muft be able to beare the punifhment, ,
and to- fatis fie infinitely, and to come forth from
under it : therefore the excellency of Chrift as
he was God, doth not difpence with the punifh-
ment, but enables him to fuffer it, as the infinite
wrath of God wasexpreft and fhewed upon man
by reafon of finnej in laying on this punifhment
both in body and foule : fo the infinite fufferings
©f Chrift underwent them both • therefore that
which divine juftice required,and without which
it is not fatisfied, that he muft-fuffer • but the ju-
ftice of God did' require it, and without it the
juftice of God was not fatisfied : and therefore
Ghrift did fuffer both, .
To this aliment the Jefuites reply, it needed Objett.
not, fay they^that that cur fe which Adam did de-
serve, fhou Id bee furferedby thefecond Adam^
which is Chrift, for, fay they, God might have
pardoned all the finne of Adam without any fa-
tisfadion, or elfe by his infinite wifedome and
power he could have provided another way, and
thcrforc if Chrift fuffer but in part,it may furlice.
To which Ianfvver, it is- a foolifh, nice, and^V^*-
Oo 3 - fiily
*S6 The Slides IuftificMM,
filly curiofitie to inquire of Gods abfolute power
what he might have done,and what he had power
to doe, when we fee what he hath done : for as
hee w ill fave the humb Ie mercifully, fo hee w ilfr
preiervehis juftice in the falvation of man, Efay
53. 10. TbewMof the Lordjhallyrofferinhis band,
and Pfalme 40 . 8 . / dejire to doe thy will^ oh my God :
It is the will of God that Chrift fhculd come
and fhould fuffer for our finnes • he hath revea-
led what his will is, and it is folly to inquire
what God might doe, when we fee what he hath
done : and be fides, this I take to bee an everla-
ft ing truth ,that none of all the attributes of God
can everenterfeere or crofTe one another,! t cannot
be, for then God ftiould not procure nor main-
taine his owne glory, for when hee fhould pro-
cure the glory of his juftice, hee fhould wrong
the glory of his mercy, and when he fhould pro-
cure the glory of his mercy, hee fhould wrong
the glory of his juftice ; and the glory of
his juftice muft bee preserved as well as the
glory of his mercy magnified 5 the mercy ©f
God cannot wrong juftice, nor the juftice of
God cannot overpower mercy: therefore hence
I infer thus much • if there were no means in the
world whereby the juftice of God ( which had
received wrong) could be fatisfied, but only by
the fuflferings of him who was God and man ;
then itwasagainftthe will of God, and againft
the will of Chrift which was both God and [man,
and againft their glory and dignitie to devife
another way or means to pardon finne without
the
The Stale s lufttfcmo*. '28 7
the fatisfaftion of divine juftice^ it is againft bis
glory, power, and wifedome, to wrong either ju-
ftice or mercy,for he mould either have wronged
mercy in not pardoning, orelfe wronged juftice
in not punifhing of Chrift; therefore if there
fhould be no way to doc it, but only by the death
of him who was both God and man,' then there
was no other way of redemption but this way,for
an infinite juftice being wronged, there is noway
elfe to fatisfiean infinite juftice, but by the fuffe-
ring of him who was infinite, and that was onely
the Lord Jefus Chrift, for there was no more in-
finites inthe world.
Twill windeit up thus,that punifhment which
was included in the curfe, and which was defcr-
vedby the firft^^^, that was fufferedby Chrift
the fecond Adam^ but the punifhment both of
fbule and body, werethe punifhments included
in the curfe, and deferved by the finne o£A(Um ;
therefore it is borne by the fecond Adam, as cer-
tainly as itwasdefervedby the firft Adam. .
The third reafbnis taken from the office of R eil r on 2
Ghrift, and the place which he underwent, be-
caufe our Saviour Chrift was our furetie, and our
finnes u^ere charged upon liinv and hee became
paymafter : fo that the covenant which hee had
made with God the Father, bound him to ir,and
his faithfulneffe and truth tied him to it, nay he -
tookeall our finnes upon him, and therefore he ■
muft fatisfie for thee. If the Lord Chrift were
our furetie, and tooke ail our finnes upon him 1
by imputation, and the debt was made his, then
the
a g3 The S»ules luftifycmm.
the payment alfomuftbedifchargedby the Lord
Jefus Chrift, but certainly all yowr pride and
ftubbornneffe, &c. they were all charged upon
our Saviour, andfet upon his fcore,and laid upon
his backe : therefore hee mud furfer for all, be-
caufe hee was made flnne for all : (o the iflue of
the point is this, unleile the Lord Jefus Chrift:
had fuffered both in foule and body, juftice had
not beene fo fully fatisfied 5 but the juftice of
God required both, and the cur e included both,
and therefore Chrift fuffered both, and hath ful-
filled whatfoever was, or could bee required by
divine juftice.
Now to come to the ufe,fomething muft bee
laid to juftifie the riches of Gods free grace 5 the
fir ft ufe fhall be this.
yr e lt It fhall bee a word of confutation, and it di-
rectly meets with Popifh Purgatory ; a wicked
. errourthat fais like Dagon before the Arke, and
like clouds difperfed by the Sunne- fo that fot-
tifh imagination is hence condemned by this
do&rine : it is a dreame devifed to picke mens
purfes, and to delude mens conferences, and to
fill the Popes coffers, they thinke that Chrift
frees every faithfull maft from the punifhments
of hell, and from all that any finne hath devifed,
but onely there are fome veniall finnes, and the
punifhments of thofe, a man muft fufferfor him-
felfe •, and therefore when a man dies, hee muft
goe downe to Purgatorie, and there bee purged
and cleanfed from theevill of them : this is that
which they fay, if they can but perfwade men
that
"
The Swles Iuftificatkn. 2 $9
that they iha.il be in Purgatorie,and that the Pope
can pardon them • what will not a man give to
boe freed from it .-> this dotage is cleerly confu-
ted with the evidence of the former truth, I will
onely expreffe it thus : If Chrift fuffered all the
plagues which divine juflice required, then there
is neither the punifhnients of Hell, nor Purgatory
to be fuffered by the faithfull. but our Saviour
fuffered whatfoevert-be juftice of God required:
and therefore neither finne, nor hell, nor purga-
torie, have any thing to lay to the change of
Gods chofen.
Secondly, it net onely meets with them, but
it dafheth in funder another conceit that feemes
to fiade acceptance with others ; for hence it is
clee::c, that all the troubles, and miferies, and af-
flictions • either anguifh of heart inwardly, or
miferies outwardly ^ they cannot properly bee
called punifhments inflicted upon the faithfull,
be they never fo fharpeand bitter in themielves :
being laid upon the faithfull they lofe that pro-
pertie, and they become corrections - y Chrift
hath fuffered all punimments,and therefore God
the Father will not requjre a double payment for
one debt - and therefore howfoever their grie-
vances are many 2nd great, yet they are but eha-
fticements at the worfl, and they lofe that ve-
nome of plague and of punifhment 5 as it is with
the fea water, it is fait of it felfe, andhathabri-
nifh fa Itneffe, fretting wonderfully . yet when it
paffeth thorow the veines of the earth, all the
iakneffe is gone, and it becomes frefh, and is
P p of
apo The Stales Justification.
of a cooling nature: Juft fait is with the afflicti-
ons that are fometimes infli&edupon the godly,
howfoever inthemfelves they are fharpe, and bri-
mfh, and fretting • yet the heavieft afrli&ions,.
though never fo fharpe and bitter, yet when they
pafle through the merits and mercy of the Lord
Jefus Chrift, they rctaine onely their cooling,
cleanfing, and refreihing nature.
QfaeSf, ^ ut ^ ome vv *^ ^y, ^ oe not ^ lc ^* e tnm S s befall
alike to all, as David faith, Pfalme 88.15. Thy,
terro/rs have I fuffered from my youth upwards, doe
not thefe things come alike to all ? the fame po-
vertic,the fame mifery, the fame anguifh of heart;
doe not thefe fall alike to all,as in 1 Chron. 2 r _t 2$
1 3^1 4. was there not much miiery befell David,
and doe not the fame plagues that befall the onc^
befall the other? theholieft man, andthepro-
phaneft man partake alike in thefe ; wherein lies
the difference then ?
r Anfvftr. I anfwer, the difference lies in- two particu-
lars.
I . Firft, the judgements that are laid on the wic-
ked, they come from Gods anger, and God re-
quires them in way of fatisfa&ion unto divine
juftice . but all the corrections, and chtitife-
ments, and terrours, and troubles that befall the
godly, they come from Gods love, and from his
Fatherly care. A Phyfitian cuts a man, and an
enemy ftabs a man, the knife was all alike; but
to the one, it comes from a friend, and to the
other it comes from an enemy : fo God doth
fend afflictions to the godly, and to him they
CQme*
The SmUs /unification* ~*91
come from the hand of a Father, and to the other
they corneas from a Judge : there are no judge-
ments are (ent upon the wicked, but they come
in part of iatisfa&ion 5 and divine Juftice faith,
thou muft to hell for all thofe fmnes of thine,
and I will have fomething in part of payment ,be-
fore thou come there • but to the godly, the
wrath of God is fatisfied to the full, and the debt
is fully paid^* and therefore God never layes any
thing upon the Saints fo much to fatisfie divine
ju&ice, as to correct and amend them.
Seeondly,all the punifhments and corrections
that come upon the godly, the Lord fo orders,
and tempers, and fweetens them by his laving
graces, and by the worke of his Spirit, that they
all worke and turne to their good, the love of
God is fo farre fhed abroad into their hearts by
the power of Chrifts merits, and fo fhevved
therein, that they procure good and comfort to
their Ibules for ever • but in the punishments and
curies of the wicked, they come from under
the crofTe more hardned, and more blinded, and
more fierce and rebellious againft God and his
grace 5 but the godly come from under the crofTe
more holy, and more meeke, and more patient,
and reformed in their lives and conversations:
as it is with the poyfon that is taken in hand by
a skilfull Phyfitian, heeknowes the nature of it,
andknowes how to correct it, and to take away
the malignant qualitie of it, either of the cold,
or of the heat : fo affii&ions ofthemfelvcs are
plagues, and judgements, and they are able to
Pp 2 harden
2^2 The Souks I// R/f cation.
harden the heart, and to blinde the minde : this
is that 'Jihap, faith the text, even wicked Ahaz> ;
this is the punifhmcnt and poyfon of the wicked,
and it bringeth puniihment upon them- it blinds
their mindes, and hardens their hearts • and there-
fore, wheniuever a wicked man doth come forth
from under the curfe, he is far re worfe than hee
was before, his heart more dead and more fierce,
and hee vyalkes more rebellioufly againft God
and his grace •, but when they are laid upon the
people of God, the Lord Jefus Chrift takes
away the malignant quahtie of them, and all the
poyfon of punifhment and povertie, and takes
away allthe venotne of iieknefTe and difgrace,and
it is now a preservative, and it is good to be af-
flicted, as David faith, and to have the poyfon
thus corre6ted, and to humble him, and to purge
him, and to doe him good in his latter end ; they
are the fame in nature, that they are unto the wic-
ked, but the difference is in the qualitie of them :
therefore the concluilon is thus much • That all
afflictions come from the hand of a loving Fa-
ther upon the godly, 'and though they come in
anger to their finnes, yet they worke for their
, good and falvation. .
Thus much for the point o£ {peculation, and
for the information of the judgement • now let
us come home to the affe&ions, and cheareup
our hearts a little in the application of the
point.
Vfi 2 • In the fecmd place it is a word of comfort to
all you that are beleevers : you that have heard
the
The S aides IuftintAtion, 29
thetrea/iires of mercy, and the death of our Lord
JefusChriil kid open^vicw them & take them all
to your felves for your comfort : Are your hearts
perfwaded that Jeius Ghrift fullered all the pu-
nilliments,and drank off all the cup,andhaih left
none for you ? then me thinkes this may make
you goe away cllearcd : there is no death, no hell,
no divine juftice for you to undei gee 5 goe your
way cheated, and fo you may, for you are deli-
vered from wrath, hell, and punifhment : this
is an incomparable cheating -of ibule, to all
the faithfull of God ; bee their condition never
fo meane, and their e dates never folow, come
c all hither, and take that grace and mercy that is
purchafed and offered in the Lord Jeius Chrift.
But me thinkes I hearefome beginne to cavill ObjeB.
againft this truth, and fay, let them take mercy
- that have a right to itand thanke God for it thoie
that have a title to it, and that have great parts
and abilities, and anfwcrable obedience, let thofe
take it,andblelTe God that ever they law the day :
but, what I ? have I any iliare m the death of
Chrift > and what, did Chrift furTer the death of
thecrotTe for me, my (nines fo many, and my
condition fo bad, ana I cannot tell whether I
have any faith or no, it is fo vveake and feeble >
are all punifhments removed? I cannot thinke it ;
This is your owne fau ! t, for this mercy is foi
thee, for every faithfull beleeving ibule, bee his
eftate never fo low, be thy faith never fo vveake :
Haft thou faith but as agrain ofmuftardiced,that
thou canft fcarcely know whether thou haft faith
Pp 3 or
The Soides IuftificMion.
or no, yet if it bee true faith, there is grace and
mercy enough for thee in the Lord Jefus : there-
fore come and draw the water of life and comfort
out of the vvels of falvauon, that is, out of the
fiiffermgs and obedience of the Lord Jefus
Chrift. You have heard that the heart of our Sa-
viour was amazed, and aftonifhed,it was forthee ;
therefore bee thou cheated, Chrift fufferedthe
wrath of the Father, and came from under it, and
that is thy victory, be thou forever cheared. Our
Saviour was impriibned, that thou mighteft bee
delivered • heewas accufed, that thou mighteft
be acquitted- he was condemned, and therefore
there is no condemnation to thy foule 5 he fuffe-
red death, that thou mighteft live for evermore :
therefore goeyour way,andgoechearily, and the
God of Heaven goe with you : feare not any pu-
nifhment now, for why fhould you feare them,
when you fhall not fee!e them ? You may here
have a ground of double comfort in the time of
thy greateft diftrefle, whether it be in horrour of
heart within, or trouble' without j in both thefe
the Lord Jefus Chrift will pittie you, and will
refcue you from all in his owne feafon : therefore
lift up your heads in the middeft of all troubles
whatfoever.
Firft in all outward troubles, and in theheavi-
eft trials, thou {halt bepittiedin them : though
Chrift be gone up to heaven, yet hee hath his
bowels of pittyand of mercy with him, and his
bowels of mercy in heaven, earne over a poore
difmaid creature, that is difmaid either becaufe
of
The Soules Iusiific&Un. 2 p 5
of thy rtnncs, or becaitfe of thofe punishments
which thou feareft for finne : Hebrews 4.15.
Wee have not an high Prieft that cannot bee touched
vpiih the feelmg of our infirmities, but was inallthiKgs
temped in like fort : wee have not an high Pried
that is a ft ranger to cro lies and troubles, neither
have wee an high Prieft like Gallio, that cared no-
thing for thofe things,that is, he was not troubled
with the perfections of others : as their cups
are full, and they are. not troubled with the
poverty of others, they are at reft and eafcy.
and they are not troubled with thofe that are
in miiery, but hec was tempted in all things
Uke unto us .-and fo Hebreives 2. 13. where-
fore in all things it behoved him to bee made
like unto his brethren,that he might be mercifull,
and a faithfull high Prieft,becaule he furfered and
was tempted ^ hee is alfoabletofuccour thofe
that are tempted. When thepoore doe crie, oh
pittieand companion forthe Lords fake: oh you
know not what belongs to a hungry belly, nor to
a naked backe ; Co I fay, you know not what it h
to have a diftreffed confcicnce, and therefore you
have 1:0 remorfe to them that are fuch^ but you
muft not think thatChrifil was not touched with:
our infirmities : though hee fit at the right hand
of the Father, yet he hath not forgotten his peo-
ple, but he hath left his love, and his companion •■
with us, and he is touched when we are troubled;
Ta4 perfecuted the Church, and Chrift faith, ;
Sa4^ tyrfitphy perfesuteft thvi me £ the foot is pric-
ked in earth, and the head complaincth of it in
Heaven •
2 96 The Souks Justification,
Heaven 5 he felt the rage and malice of Pauls per-
fections, though haply pc.ore goodman inch
a one, and poore goody fuch. a one was perfec-
ted, yet our Saviour was touched and troubled
with it ; therefore let me tell you how to fuccour
your feiveSjVvhen you fmde the wrath o^ God he
hcavie upon you 5 and theanguifh of foale lies
fore upon you : I might alfo fpeake of the rage
and malice of the wicked, but when thearrowes
of Gods wrath feizc upon the foule, and God
feemes to bee difpleafed, and togoe away from
the foule, and mercy ,and love, and the fweerneile
of companion is going • as it was with Chrift,
when he cried out. My God, my God, why haft thou
forfaken mee I Hee findes not that (weetiiefle of
mercies that formerly hee had done, thefe are
troubles indeed : Now Jearne you tolooke up to
Chrift, and looke to beepittied by the Lord Je-
fus Chrift. It may be thy husband, or thy wife,
or thy friends will not pittie thee,but will fav,he
is turned a precife fellow, and fee now what good
hee hath gotten by running to Sermons : thus
they adde forrovv to forrow, and perfecution to
perfecution • becaufe ,God hath fmitten thee,
therefore they fmite thee too, but yet notwith-
standing all this, looke thou up to the Lord Jefus
Chrift,and know that thou fhalt finde favour j he
will have a fellow-fcelirg with thee in all thy mi-
feries,therefore plead with the Lord Tcfus Chrift,
and fay,Lordin thy cftate of humiliation, thou
wert a man full of forrowes, and thou fufferedft
muchperplexity,thou knoweft what it istofuffer
the
— " '-»'■ — — ^— — — — —-mm ^
The Soules I»ftification. 3 py
the wrath of a difpleafed Father, and thou did ft
crie out, Father, is mercy, and love, and goodnes
and all gone ? Oh'blelfed redeemer, heare thofc
cries of them that crie to thee for mercy 5 thou
that didft fuffcr for poore finncrs, doe thou fuc-
cour poore finners : and Jefus Chrift will certain-
ly pitie you, and will fend his good Spirit from
heaven to comfort you, and he will command lo-
ving kindnefle to comfort and refrefh thee. You
thatgroane under your burthens, hee will com-
mand loving kindnefle to come to fuch a mans
houfe, and to vifite fuch a one, and will fay, fitch
a mm is troubled, I command thee to comfort
him : and, falvation, I charge thee goe to fuch a
houfe, and tell fuch a man that I love him, tell
him that I differed for him, and was forfaken,
that he might not be forfaken, I was condemned,
that he might be redeemed : It is a great comfort
that the Lord Jefus Chrift is touched,and knowes
how to deliver fuch as are tempted. He that bore
up the frame of the heavens, and never groaned
under the pillars of the earth, yet when he was to
beare the wrath of God, he fhrunke at it and laid,
Father, if it bep&ffihle, let i\]U cuppafjefrom me : he
that bore the wrath of God for thee, he will cer-
tainly pity thee.
Secondly, you fhall not be pittied in outward z
fbrrowes onely, but goe your way for ever chea-
red^ you fhall bee free from all inward miferies
and troubles, you fhall bee delivered from hell
and condemnation every beleeving fouleofyou.
Do not think that God will paflfe by poore little
Q^q ones,
The SouUs Iu&ifwatioi*.
ones, no he will hot lofe one of you, but he will
in his appointed time helpe and deliver you :
therfore be not troubled nordifmaied,but refolve
of this and fay, I (hall bee delivered, therefore
let my foule be for ever cheared, what would you
have, and what doe you feare > Is it yonr finnes ?
doe you think that they beare youan old grudge?
and they will bee clamouring up to heaven
againft you,and complaining of you at the throne
of grace,, doe you feare them ? foyou may juft-
ly/ becaufe of that fecret Hiding orf from the
truth : Oh faift thou, my errand is done in hea-
ven before this time, and my fins knocke at hea-
ven gates, and lay, juftice Lord, I have taken
them in their finnes. and therefore as thou art a
God of juftice, execute juftice upon a rebellious,
foule.Now therefore remember teat Jefus Chrift
hath fuffered, he hath taken thy finnes upon him,
and hath fuffered the puniQiriients of them,
Tlobn 2.1. Little children finne not at al-l : It were
to be wifhed that a man might be alwayes hum-
ble and poore in fpirit, and doe all good againft
the evill done to him •, and it were to be wifhed
that a man could walke exaftly before God • but
it is notpolTible fo long as we have this body of
death it will {hew it felfe,but if we doe finr.e, »h?
have an Advocate mihthe Father^ ftfit* Cbrift the j "ft •
he is gone to heaven to tell the Father that all is
fully anfwered, and he faith, Father fave all rhofe
poore foules whom thou haft given mce- I have
paid all, and anfwered all for them ? and therefore,
Father, I will that all that thou haft given mee,
may
■' ' ■■■' ■• ■«■■ ■ — -■— -— ■ 1 --^ — ■
7fo ^Wd 1 / Iu&ificAtim. typ
may be with me ; where I am, that they may be-
hold my glory : thus he pleads, for he doth not
plead as we doe, but he faith, Father I will : now
if there be any crie againft the foule by reafon of
finne, Chrift ftops it s finne pleads, and Chrift
j»leads,and who will prevaile thinke you ? there-
fore be not difcouraged, we have an Advocate with
the Father : the finnes of your dreames this laft
night, they have done your errands in heaven be-
fore you did aw.ake • but kt them plead what
they can, wee have an Advocate with the Father in
Heaven, and he pleads our caufe in heaven,and he
will prevail in whatfoever he pleads for-hewillbc
heard,&all the pleas of fin fhal befully anfwered:
Neb. 1 2.22,2 3,24. ye are not come to the mount
that might not be touched, nor unto burning fire,
Sec. But ye are come unto the mount Zion^fto the citie
of the living God, and to the Spirits ofjuft andperfeB
men, and to Iefm Chrifl the Mediatottr of the new Te~
ftament, and to the blood of [pr inkling, which fveaketh
better things than the blood of Abel : what did the
blood of Abel fpeake ? fee that in Gen. 3 . ?, 10.
where is Abel thy brother, faid the Lord, and he an-
fwered, / cannot teti, am J my brothers keeper I Oh
thou wretch faith the Lord, thevoyce of thy brothers
bhodcrieth to me from the earth fir vengeance againfi
thee^ thus all our iinnes doe fpeake : but there
are fomefinncs that eric and fay, Lord, this foule
is taken to bee a Chriftian, and a ProfefTer, and
one that hathfome §race 5 but, Lord, againft
knowledge, and confeience, and the directions of
the Minifters, hee hath finned thus and thus:
Q^q a there-
3 oo Tlbtf Souks luftificatim.
therefore, good Lord execute judgement upon
him 5 but now here is your comfort you poore
Saints ; I confefle thefe wretched corruptions of
your hearts play the backe friends with you ma-
ny times . but we have the blood of Chrift, that
cries for mercy, and pardon, and refreshing, and
forgivenelTe : finne pleads and faith, Lord doe
me juftice againft fuch a foule, but the "blood of
Chrift faith, I am abafed and humbled, and I
hayeanfwered all : Chrift (hall be heard, and if
he plead the caufe, the day is certainly yours, and
hee pleads without any fees, and his blood fpea-
keth on your behalfe, and your finnes fhall neyer
be heard againft you : but what flicks upon your
ffcomackes ?
ObjeB. Oh you have heard, that the Lord is a juft
God, hee is fo, hee is holy andblefled, and of
pure eyes that cannot endure, to behold any pol-
luted or uncleane thing; andif Godbeftridtto
marke what is done amifTe, who can abide it?
Oh then, fay you, you have thefe finnes and corl
ruptions, and Godis pure, and you are polluted,
and you have many fecret windings,and turnings,
and devices • and you fay God knowes all the*
crevices of my heart, and fees all the frame of
my foule ; and if the Lord marke what is
done amifTe, nay hee will marke what is done
amiiTe, who then jhatl be able tofiand I How fhall
I be abletoanfwer it .-efpecially confideringthat
Satan faith, I have finned, and why fhould I not
be caft out as well as others have beene caft out
that have finned^Lord execute juftice upon them
as
The Sou'lef Iuftif cation. , OI
- as they have deferved : how fhall wee he!pe our
felves herein ? yes admirably, for then the blood
of Chrift comes in, and that latisfies all, Gal 5 .
2 2. 23. The fruits of the Spirit is Lne, j<y 3 pearr,
I'Mg-fufjering, vendeneffe^meekne^ejemperance^ fmh y
againft fiich there is no law Y fo it is here, there
is no law., nor no condemnation to beleevers tru-
ly penitent for their fins, there is nopunifhment
to them, nor no wrath to execute judgement uj£
on them, becaufe the debt is paid, and the Lord
is juft and cannot^ and righteous and will not doe
it: but faith the Devi 11 thou haft finned, and
why (halt thou not bee condemned for it ? but
faith juftice, hold thy tongue Satan, for there is
no law againft them that repent : what troubles
you now ?
Why, the very truth' is, the thoughts of Hell AnfweTi
aftonifh my hearty me thinkes I fee a little pecp-
holedowne into hellJJmd the devils roaring there,
being referred in chaines under darknefle, until!
the judgement of the great day • and me thinkes
I fee the damned flaming, and Judas and all the
wicked of the. world, and they of Sodome and
Gomorah : there they he roaring,and damnation
takes hold upon them, and the wrath of God
finks them downe to hell : Now I have finned,
and therefore why fhou Id not I be damned, and
why fhould not the wrath of God bee executed
againft mee ? I anfwer, the death of Chrift ac-
quits thee of all, and although the wrath of God
be of admirable power and force, yet you fhall
bee acquitted by the death of the Lord Jefus :
The S stilts lufrificAtiw.
Revelations 20.6. Blejjedandholj is he that hath a fan
in the firfl rejarrettion, for en fuch th* fecond death
fhall have no power, that is, wicked men and the
ruffians of the world that fcorne all commands,
and defpifeall the ordinances of God, and the
lawes of men, and neither of them can take place
in their hearts, they breake all bonds, and call:
a«?ay all commands, and the threatnings of God
can take no hold upon them 5 but though they
are fo rebellious here, yet everlafting condemna-
tion fhall take hold of them,and fhall have power
over them hereafter,and will drag their foules and
bodies downe to hell, and there they fhall fuffer
intolerably, and incomprehenfibly, and then heli
and condemnation fhall tell them thus much,
feeing the commands of God could take no hold
upon you,therefore we will : the mercies of God
could not perfwade with you,but the judgements
of God fhall prevaile agarjjift you. What be-
comes of all the great and mighty men of the
world > where is Pharaoh and Nimrod, and the
reft of them ? the wrath of God haththrowne
them upon their backs in hell 5 but you that are
true beleevers, the fecond death fhall have no
power over you • though Wrath and condemna-
tion feeme to lay hold upon you, yet there is no
power in them to condemne you, becaufe if
Chrift hath taken away thepaines of the fecond
death, then it fhall never opprefle fuch as belong
to the Lord Jefus Chrift : therefore goe your
way comforted, there is nothing that fhall ever
prevaile againft you.
Oh
The Souks Justification, 303
Oh, bat faith the foulc, could I fee Heaven ObjeH.
gates let open, if the way were open and piaine
that I might fee the way and walke in if, then I
could be comforted : bur, what 1 in heaven ? the
Angels are all holy, and God is a holy God, and
a pure redeemer, and all things there are pure., and
undefiled-can fuch a wretch as I am come to hea-
ven ? certainly, the Saints will goe out of heaven
if I come there.
No the blood of Chrift will doe all this for ^nfwer. .
you, and it will make way for thee into heaven :
as Hebr, 10. I?, 20. Seeing therefore brethren,
that by t he blood oflefm we may mofi boldly enter into
the holy places by the new And the living way which hee
lfa>h prepared for w, through the vade which is his
flejh : marke two things in that place, you may
have boldnefre; you feare now that your ilnnes
will not bee pardoned, and that God the Father
will not accept of you : well, be not proud and
fawcie, but take the blood of Chrift along with
you, and goe on boldly, and chear fully . All you
that have an intereft in the great worke of God, ,
either for brokennefle of heart, or vocation to
call you to rely upon the Lord Jefus Chrift, bee-
thou a fmner, Ifthou haft faith 5 I fpeake nofjof
the meafure of faith, but haft thou faith, then
why fitteft thou here drooping? Go you on chee-
rily, and undauntedly, and goe with comfort to
evcrlafting happinefTe : every thing gives you ■
comfort/had you but eyes to fee it, God and
men, Heaven and earth, finne, ju ftice, hell and
condemnation, gives you all comfort. If you
looke !
394 The Soules Justification.
lookeupto juftice that faith, you poore belee-
ving creatures goeyour way comforted, Iamfe-
tisfied to the full \ If you looke to hell, and
death, and condemnation, they fay be com for-
ted,you poore beleeving foules, we have no pow-
er over you, the Lord Iefus Chrift hath conque-
red us, and if you looke to your owne finnes,they
tell you thus much, and fay, be for ever comfor-
ted, for wee have pleaded againft you, but wee
have loft the caufe : Ifyou looke up to heaven,
there you may fee glory andhappinelfe,and blef-
fedneffe ready to enter tame every beleeving foule,.
and they all call after you and fay, Come ye blejjed
of my Fa.her, inherit the Kingdome prepared for you :
therefore goe away cheerily, and get you to hea-
ven, and when you come there, be difcomforted
ifyou can. if Chrift, and God,and Heaven,and
all call you and fay, come all hither, you belee-
ving foules, then lift up your heads with joy, and
draw the waters of comfort and eonfolation
from this truth • onely remember this here, when
you finde your fins roaringupon you, and telling
your Father that you have finned, and juftice
cries, and hell threatens, then take the blood of
Chrift, and fee before your eyes all that ever
Chrift hath fufifered,and fee juftice fully fatisfied,
and heare the blood of Chrift fpeaking, as well
as the clamours of finne : it is the mifery that we
are in, that we can here the bawlings of Satan,and
of corruption, crying and faying, what, you fal-
vation, and yet have thefe and tliefe corruptions ?
we heare thefe 5 and we hearken not to the other;
the
The Soules Iuftificatim. 305
the blood of Chrift hath pardoned all, and will
cleanfe all : Oh heare that voycc, and you {hall fee
and heare that it fpeakes admirable things : this
isthefecondufe.
Thirdly, hath Chrift done all this? thenftand r(e 2
amazed at thatendlefle and boundleffe love of
the Lord Jefus Chrift, but onely that the Scrip-
ture cannot lie, and God hath faid which is faith-
full and true, and cannot be deceived, and is infi-
nite in all his workes ; otherwife, man that is
fenfible of his fins and wants could not bcleeve
it,but yet Chrift hath done it, and it is worth the
while to weigh it, andtoconfiderofitinaholy
admiration : although wee are not able to walke
in any meafure anfwerable thereto : had our Savi^
our only fent his creatures to ferve us, andhad we
f onely had fome Prophets to advife us in the way
to Heaven, or had hee onely fent his holy An-
gels from his chamber of prefence to attend up-
on us,and minifter to us,it had beene a great deale
of mercy; or had Chrift come downe from the
heavens to vifit us : It had beene a peculiar fa-
vour, that a King will not onely fend to thePri-
fon, but goe himfelfe to, the dungeon, and aske 3
faying, is fuch a man here : a man would thinke
himfelfe ftrangely honoured, and the world
would wonder at it, and fay, the King himfelfe
came to the prifon to day to fee fuch a man, cer-
tainly he loves him dearly . or had Chrift him-
felfe come onely and wept over us, and faid, Oh
thatyouhad never finned, and oh that' you had
moreconfidered of my goodnefie,and theexcel-
R r lency
$o6 The S»tdes Iuftifytmon*
lency of happinefle ; oh that you had never fin-
ned, this had bcene marvellous mercy • but that
Chrift himfelfe fhouldcome and ftrivc with us
in mercy and patience, and we flight it • and not
©nely to provide the comforts of this life,but the
means of a better life,and to give us peculiar blef-
fings- nay,that the Lord Jefus fhouldbefofond
of a company of rebels, and hell-hounds, that
he thinkes nothing good enough for them • hee
hath prepared heaven for them, andhegives'them
the comforts of the earth for their uie too : nay
he hath given them his blood,and his lire,andall 9
and yet you are not at the higheft : what doe you
talke o£ life ? hee was not onely content to part
with life, but hee was content to part with the
fcnfe and f veetneflTe of Gods love, which is a
thoufand times better than life it felfe, as David-
faith, Thelov'wgkindnefle of God i* beuerth&ilfe
it felfe : He was content to be accurfed, that we
might be bleffed • he *as content to be forfakon,
that we might not be forfaken ; and to bee con-
demned, that wee might bee acquitted. Oh all
you ftubbcrne hearts, that heretofore have made
nothing of the blood of Chrift and his honour,
but though the judgements of God, and the
hammer cannot breake your hearts, yet let this
mercy breake you, and reafon with thy owne
heat in this manner, and fay, Good Lord, is this
pofllble ? Lord,this is too much, for reafon can-
not reach ir, nor nature cannot doe it, to give
himfelfeand h*s fife, and to bee forfaken and de-
%fed ; thata rebbeil and a traitor fhould be re-
cdved ;
The S * t<ies Itt-fHfication. 307
■«■■—■ ■ I.
ceived to mercy, certainly 1 (hall love him as
long as I live, yes, and doc lb too ; and feeke to
that Jefus Chriil, and honour him, and lay, for
ought I know I may o^taine a part in Chrift,
therefore I will never wrong him, nor grieve his
good Spirit more. The Lord fay Amen to the
good defires of your hearts, that you may ftand
and wonder at this companion of the Lord, that
is cut of meafure great.
Harh the Lord luffered all thefe punirtimen s rjt 4<
for us ? then what (hall wee doe for the Lord Je«
fus Chrift > returne an anfverto the Lord, what
courfe you will take to anfwer the kindnefie of
the Lord. When David had received many
kindnefies from the Lord, he lookes up to Hea-
ven and faith, / witthve thee dearly^ O Lord mj
flre/fg.h : Love is the loadftene of love ; there-
fore have love inlarged in rhis dutie,be not 'can-
tie in your love, but beftow your hearts fully,
and liberally,upon the Lord Jefus Chrift, and let
all returne love to the Lord Jefus Chnft,and love
him in all things by all means, and at all times,
and know that the death of Chrift requires rhis,
and will call for it : I doe not love that a man
fhouldgive rheLord Iefus Chrift a little fcanty
defire,and a few lazywifhes, but love him with
all thy foule, and with all thy ftrength, and feyjj
I will love thee dearly, Oh Lord my ftrength:
when thou doft rife in the morning love Iefus
Chrift, and bathe thy heart in it ; and when thou*
art in the wav, or at thy labour, love Iefus Chrifl
that ftrengthens thee 5 when thou feedeft upon
Kr 2 the
308 ^ £<?«/« Iuffificstiw*
the fweetnefie ofthynieat,thinke upon the Tweet-
neile that is in Chrift, and thanke the blood of
Chrift for all that thou haft, in all the riches thou -
feeft, and in all the honours thou haft, and inali
thy friends and means, and whatfoever thy heart ■
loves or cfteem? r in that Jea Chrift, acid in that-
iove.Chrift : why, what doth that concerne Je-
fus Chrift ? I anfwer^ it will make it appeare
that all that thou haft, is from the blood of
Chrift^ and the.BlQQd.Qf .Chrift is better than
all thehleflings you doe enjoy,*anclthey.arealfc
nothing without this : for it is thedeath of the
Lord Iefus Clirift that ads a feafoning vcrtueto
all the good things., thou haft . fothat thefe are >
not good fo.us, neither doethey workegood to
us, but that they are given to us la and by the
Lord Jcfus Chrift * for . were they not given us<
in Chrift, . thereis filch venome and gall in our
finnes, andthe wrath of God it feife which Aides I
thorow all the good things here below, that it <
makes all the morfels gravell jn the belly : In a
wordjthe blcoiof Chrift takes away thevenome*
and indignation of jGods- curie, which othervvife J
wou ! d brings plague upon what wee have, and
what we doe enjoy K tiow many rich and honou-
rable are there,, if the^ Lord Jet but in a veine of
vengeance into their conieienees, all their riches
and honours ? afe,baf@^. and- worth, nothing ..
whats that tome ? if I bee rich and a reprobate'-
,** honoured and damned, and the wrath of God to-
m purfue me : therefore without the death of Chrift.
sill thefe things are but curfes to us ; the world-'
is
The Swles- XutiificAtiM. s ~
rs a prifon, and the creatures are our enemies^nd
every one of our actions are our witnefles to cor>
demneus, and aliour comforts are but gall and
wormwood to us, nay were it not for the blood
ofChrift, your profperity would be your mine, ■
your beds your graves, and yoir comforts your
confufton : and therefore- that they are not fo y
and that thou haft any comfort from tkefe, goe
biefle.God for it, and fay y Lord it is through thy
biood that I have received any bleiTihg, upon
thefeblelfings Lord,! might have drunkethe cup
of thy wrath, wbenldrunke this beere^ I mighr
have eaten my bane, wfeen 1'eat my meat. I blefle
thy Name, bleifed Redeemer, for thy love, it is
thy blood that hath purchafed thefe things for
me : if you have- received from -any thing here be-
low any good at alI,looke up to Ghrift andLleild *
his Name for it, and fay, if this meat be fo fveev
then what is the blood of Chrift ? therefore love
Chrift by all means, let-all your words be words
of love,and all your labour be the labour of love,
and all your thoughts bee thoughts of love, and \
mufe of love, . and fp^ake of the trea fares of mer-
cy, and let all yourafte&ionsfoc full of love, and
all your workes be lovejani lift up his Name and
fav, all ye that fee my converfation that I walke
fy comfortably, bleffe his- Name for if • the
blood of jedisChrift hath done all this for me •
I . was a wretched - creature, but the blood of
Chrirt hith overpowred this rebellious hea v r of
mine : honou- him, and lift him up an \ fay, my
heart was hard. and filthy, and myfoule wi»s de- '
Rr 3 ftitute.
$io '' The Souks Iuftfomon.
ftitute of all good, and my finnes many, yet now
1 have fome evidence Oi the love of God, bleited
bee his Name for it, the blood of Chrift hath
done this for me : mufeof him, fpeake for him,
workeforhim,and doc all fur him, inallmife-
ries and troubles, forrowes and vexations, temp-
tations without, and terrours within- love Jefus
Chrift therein, though thefe befall thee, yet the
venomc and poylon ofthem is gone,and they are
fweetned unto thee: thy prifon is libcrtic, thy
contempt is advancement, m all the things thou
haft, love Jefiis Chrift that hath procured thefe :
and now it' you will not love Jefus Chrift, let
mee aske you whom will you love ? nay,
whom elfe can you love ? an/wer mee, will
you love your friends that are deare unto you,
or your Parents that doe provide for you, or
your wife that is loving and mercifull to you ?
you will love thefe, as 'there is good caufe you
fliould, but love Chrift more than all thefe.
If you will love a friend, or a father, then much
more Chrift, that is the Author of all, and the
contmuer and preferver of all : a friend would
beanenemy,but thatthe blood ofChrift frames
his heart. A wife would rather bee a trouble
than a helpe, but that the blood of Chrift or'
ders her: therefore I fay with Pa I, # Car. it.
2 2. If My man lore not the Lord Tefii* Chrift^ let
himbee Anathema^ Maranatha ;aske your neigh-
bours if they love not the Lord Icfus Christ .
Let that foulebeeaccurfed untill the comming
of Ckift to judgement : Curfe him all yee An-
*• gels
The Stules IuBipcmon. gn
gels in Heaven, and all yee Devils in Hell :
Curie him all yee creatures, and let this curie re-
maine upon him untill the comming of Chrift
unto judgement, and let thefe curies bee fealed
dovvneupon him for cver,and when you are come
to the end of all, this will bee the plague and the
curfe of all, that you had Chrift and mercy ten-
dered to yt#u once, and you would not receive
it : therefore fincc Chrift hath thought nothmg
too good for us, even his life and blood, and was
content to part with the fenfeand feeling of the
{weetnefle of the love of Cod the Father,,
thinke nothing too good forChrift,but
love him in ail thtngs 5 and by all
means ;the X,ord grant
wee may.
Wl n(j:s.
5-%5t?yg)
THE
SOVLES
Ingrafting into
C H H I S T.
Mal. j.i.
Behold, I wilt fend my Mejfenger, and hee fkaliprc-
pare the 79a y kefir e wee y and the Lord whom yeefeeh
fljafffuddenly come to hit Temple : even the Mejfenger
of the Covenant whomyee delight in : Behold hee fb ail
come, faith the Lordof&offt.
Or the Preface two things are
confiderable. 1 . What wee
have done. 2. What wee
will doe. We have finiftied
the (cope of our endevour,
which was to fhew how
Chrifts Merits are applied to
theSoule, how it ftands pofleiTed of grace here
and happinelTe hereafter. Now thefe two things
rnuft be wrought in theSoule, before it can be
made partaker of laving grace : 1. A preparation.
2. an Implantation. A preparation there muft be,
for a firmer naturally as he hath no grace 9 id hee
A a is
1.
The Souks ingrafting
is not naturally capable to receive grace. This ap-
pearesin 2. things ; 1. OnGodspart, hebreakes
the curled Combination betwixt Sinne and the
Soule, hee drawes us from finne tohimfelfe.
2. Something on our part touching the difpofiti-
on of our hearts: andthatin 2. workes. 1. Con-
trition, 2. Humiliation. Now there was a necefc
fity of thefe two to be in the Soule, as wee then
difputed _, for thefe are the two maine hinderan-
ces of our Faith : 1. Security, when the fbule being
blinded takes reft and fees no need to be better,
therefore defires it not , hence natural! men
thinke it Curiofity , therefore the Lord fends in
this worke,and caulech us to know the mifery of
finne , and pierces our fbules with it, and Co upon
this we defire a change , for elfe it lees it muft be
Condemned. 2, When the finner thus fees his
mifery, then he begins tofcrambleforhisowne
comforts, that he may releeve himfelfe, hee will
reforms finne and doe fiiperficiall duties , and fb
thinke to make amends , this is Carnall confi-
dence, thus many a man perimeth , refting on
thefe huskes, for Meanes are not Mediatours, and
Services are not Saviours ^ Now in the place
thereof God difcovers that there is finne enough
in the beft fervices.The Soule being thus plucked
off from fin and from all hislufts, and pared from
his abilities 3 renouncing all confidences, and
being nothing hee is fit for Chrift to bee all in all
unto him- thus farre we have gone. All this while
jihe Soule is like the children of Ifrael partly wan-
ting in the valley of Tearcs , partly wildring in
the
into Christ. 3
the defart of Humiliation. Egypt wasa Type of a
mans naturall conditio^ Mofes a Type of the Law,
lofuab a Type of Chrift , the wildernefTe a Type
of thefe two. Now the foule having pafTed
through all thefe , is juft upon the Coaft of Ca-
naan. The foule is like a graft, firft, itiscut
oflF 9 then pared, and then ingrafted: So Con-
trition cuts us off, and Humiliation pares us. The
next Point is, the ingrafting into the Lord Jefus,
the heart being thus prepared, it is implanted in-
to the true vine , the Lord Chrift.
Touching the worke, wee willdiicover thefe
2, things :
1 . 5 We will open it in generall. ?
2. d We will difcover the parts ofit-S
What it is in generall , our implantation into jj
Chrift , is the worke of the Spirit , whereby the
humbled (inner (lands poflefled of Chrift , and js
made partaker of the Spirituall good things in
him. jjj -.
3. Things in the Defer? ption.
The humbled (inner , for elfe nothing to doe 1.
with Chr ft, ftands poffeffed of Chrift , I ufe the
word pofleflbr , becaufe it is rather wrought upon
the foule, than comes out of any Principle in the
foule ^ Cbnfipojfejfes b\m^ and. hence hee comes to ke
poffejftd, Gal. 4. 9, as if he mould fay , It U not^ ,
bow wee can perceive bin 9 bat how bee wiUknewus,
Philip. 3. 12. Still a man is more pafEve than
afrive , the worke lyes on Gods part. Thechijde
holds the father, becaufe the father holds him.
So we hold God, becaufe he holds vs.
Ke
The- SjuI:s ingrafting
, # Hee is made partaker of the good things in
Chrift , ftiilthe atTion lyes on Chrifts.part , wee
worke (b far, as we are wrought on.
Thefe two things are general! in all the workes
of application. i.TobepoflefTcdofChrift: 2. To
be made pai raker of the Spirituall good in him.
*• A s in vocation , Chrift drawes the fbule , hee
challenges more of him, than the being poflef
fed , and the foule following him there is the fpi-
rituall good.
2. In Justification, Chrift layes downe a price,
there is the pofleflion , and withall , the fbule is
freed from the guile and punifhment of iinne •
there is the fpirituall good.
3« In Adoption , Chrift , not onely cals a (inner,
and juftifies him, but adopts him, ard trakes him
of a (inner a fonne , there is a nearer pofleflionjand
he bath the privileges of a fbnne • there is the
Spirituall good derived from Chrift.
4. In San&ification, the Lord Chrift, by the
power of his Spirit leaves a ftampe of his Image ,
grace for grace ,he is marked for his owne , this is
the further poffeffion :, he is freed from the power
of corruption 5 this is the Spirituall good. Thus
in all we fee , the fbule is^ofleffed of Chrift , hee
is partaker of the Spirituall good in him.
All this is done by Gods Spirit : a graft cannot
put itfelfe into the ftocke, but the fame hand
that cut it off, and pared it, muft ingraft it , to
the fame Spirit that wrought Contrition,and hu-
miliation , comes to bee the Spirit of grace and
promife. Now for the ground of our difcourfe,
wee
into Christ
wee havechofen this Text , which is a Prophecie
ofMfltheBaptift.
Wherein obferve 2 . things.
The words are fpoken of lohn the Baptift.
Firft,ConGder the worke of lohn the Baptift,
he was the Meflenger of God , and was to pre-
pare the way for Chrift. 2. We have the Confe-
quence , The Lord mllfuddmly come into his Tem-
ple : We come to the point , but before I can di£
cover the ie verall particulars , give me leave to o-
pen two words , that to the doctrine may bee un-
deniable.
Firft 5 what is meant by Temple. 2. What, by
Chrrfts comming into the Temple.
Firft, the word Temple, befides the neural!
andliterallfenfeofit, itisalfotaken Myftically
and Spiritually , and Co it is here to be conceived,
and then it implyes partly the Church of God , I
meane the company of the faithftill wh ich ferved
God in uprightneiTe of heart , and as in general],
all the company of- the people fearing God , are
(aid , to be the Church of God , and his Temple,
lb alfo in particular, every man that is faithful!,
is the Temple of God , 2 Cor. 6, ro. Tee are the
Temple of the Holy Ghofit Looke as it was in the
materiall Temple in jerufalem, the text faith, the
Glory of the Lord feU upon it, and the Lord faid,
be would abide there , and reveale himftlfe there , (b
the heart humbled and prepared is the Temple
of the Lord, and the Lord takes pofTeflionofit,
and rules in it , and will provide for it for ever.
Looke as a man dwels in a houfe prepared for
him,
1.
a.
7 he Seules ingrafting
him , fo the Lord dwels in a humbled Souk.
Thus we have mewed what is meant by Temple.
What is meant by thecommingof the Lord
into his Temple : as the Temple was Spiritually
to bee conceived, fois thiscomming. By com-
ming, is here meant, when the Lord comes to
take pofleffion of the Soule truly prepared, ob-
ferve it that the Lord Chrift comes as a King,
therefore he hath a Harbinger before him,. nee
hath one to prepare all things for him.
A King comes 2. waies,firfthe cakes foveraigne
pofleffion at the place where hee is 5 Ifhecome
to a towne or to an Inne , the Guefts that tooke
up the place 9 muft be gone: fo the Lord conies
as a King , he comes to take foveraigne pofleffion
oftheSouIe. 2. All Kings bring furniture with
them , when he comes to a place , his owne fur-
niture muft bee hung up. So Chrift comes thefe
2. wayes, he takes full pofleffion of the foule, and
provides mercifully for the foule.Thus wee have
the words opened, and now the point is plaine
enough. TheEnglifh of the text is this: When
nhn the Baptift, by the power of the Word and
Spirit of Contrition , and Humiliation, hath laid
the Soules of Gods fervants, humbled and willing
to be at Gods difpofe , then (udderily and imme-
diatly , the Lord Jefus will come , and hee will
command as a King, and take pofleffion of an
humble Soule >and provide gratioufly fork „ hee
comes to the naked wals , he brings his provifion
with him , he cares for nothing but a Soule pre-
pared and emptied, and he will bring provifion
enough
for the Lo rd Jes us.
enough or Vocation , AdopcionTjuftificarion,
and San&ificationrnow we will gather the points
as they lye.
That the Lord Jefas cannot be hindred from x Db b
comminginto an humbled Soule. *
That the Lord Chrift takes poffeffion of the ± DoB
Soule, as a King, and will provide for it. *
The firft is, that Chrift cannot bee hindred
from comming into a Soule truly humbled , hee
commeth fpeedily , as who mould fay , he lay eth
aH other worke afide , as though he cared for no-
thing, iookt after nothing, intended after no-
thing, but how all might come into thehearc
prepared : the wicked ^f the world , he will not
come at them - though the rich crie , he will not
heare them -, though the honorable perifh,he will
not looke after them 5 but the Lord will come
fuddenly into an humble Sonle, nay, to fpeake
with reverence , he leaves all Company, he leaves
Heaven and the bleffed Angels , he leaves all, and
onely deGres to be in , and to live with an hum-
ble broken heart , it is the manner of the Phrafe 1
he comes fuddenly , as who mould fay, he lets all
alone , he cares for nothing , go he muft,and take
pofleffion of a broken Soule 5 this is the caufe that
the Scripture doth not content itfclfe , in expreC
ting the marvellous tender refpeft, that the Lord
hath toward fuch a Soule , the delight the Lord
hath in an humble Soule, he will lie with a broken
heart, and dwell with it, andfleepe with it 3 he
will fuddenly come into his Temple, Lule 1 5.16.
We may fee it in the father of the prodigall ; the
B pro-
The Souk fitted^
prodigall he refolved to retume to his tether, and
lay , I have finned againft Heaven and againft
thee,8tc. the father he obferves this , that he is
content to be at hisdifpofe, andheelyeth atthe
doorc , and defires to come into his family,
though his condition were bafe , and he was rag-
ged 5 the father he might fay 5 go to your Queanes,
let them comfort you if they can $ no , the text
faith , hee &w him a farre off, andhee ranne and
had companion on him , and fell upon his neck £
and kiffed him , before the prodigall could
fpeake a word ,or kneele downe , he ranne , and
kiffed him.
Gbferveherefoure particulars: Hefaw him a
farre off, and had companion on him , ranne to
meet him, and kiffed him. Hee never now re-
membersthathe was riotous , a whorer , a drun*
kard , thathe hadlavifhed out all his fubftancer
all this was forgotten: but when he fees him come
humbly, and brokenly , he faw him a farre off,
before the prodigall could fee his father 5 nay hee
companioned his wretchedneffe , before hecould
confeffe it , nay , hee ranne to meet him more
fpeedily than he could come tohim, and when
the prodigall fell downe before him , hee fell on
his necke and kiffed him, before he could fpeake
a word * this Scripture doth notfatisfie it felfe it
cannot tell how to expreffe the marvellous ready
inlargement of the Lord , to give entertainment
to an humbled Soule , and it is remarkable , after
the prodigall had faid , Father I have finned, &c.
Fetch out-. fiith he ,the beft robe , tocover him,
and
for the L 6 rd Jesus
and put a ring on his finger, &c. Aswhofhould
fay, Tisno matter for thy ftubbornnefle and re-
bellioufnefle$ a prodigall thou haft been, Icare
not for i taring this robe to cover him,kill the fat
Calfe to feed him, and the ring to adorne him.
So Luke 15. 4. A man that hath an hundred
ftieepe , and one be gone aftray , he leaves there
«?.andhegoesfeeking for that, and when hee
findes the ftragling (heep, though it cannot come
home, hetakesituponhis (houlderand brings
It home 1 The loft ftieepe is the loft Soule , that
is bee-wildred , the Lord Jefus after all mercies
vouchlafed to him, and kindnefle enlarged to-
wards him 5 yet the loft ftieepe will be ftragling ,
the Lord leaves all now to feeke him : and marke
the phrafe and the degree thereof, he leaves all
to feeke it , and will never leave till hee finde it,
he doth not feeke hourely , but he (eekes till hee
hath found it 5 when hehath found it , he brings
it home. The Lord will leave all , to feeke an
humbled finner 5 the more need thou haft of
Chrift , the more labor he willbeftow in feeking
of thee , and he will never leave feeking, till hee
hath found thee ^ and when he hath found thee,
though thou canft not gpe , he will carry thee up-
on hisftioulders, to everlafting happinefle. This
is to exprefle the marvellous readinefle and
bounty of the Lord , towards a poore humble
iinner, M4tt6.13.45. This is the (cope of the
Parable of thePearle . the text faith , The King-
dome of Gad u like ante a Pearle , which when a
Merchant had found* he feldaUhe had, andhxghi
B 2 it.
io Tbe~ Sink fitttd
it. Firft, we will open the text, then apply it
to oar purpofe. The Pearle is nothing elfe but
thcjrich Mercy of God , and Grace, and Salvati-
on mChrift : the Merchant man is every poore
(InfijJJ creature , that wants mercy to comfort
him,and grace to pardon him . for what is all the
world , if my Soule wants mercy > well he know-
eth where the Pearle is $ the bargaine is thus he
muft fell all and buy this Pearle : Hee comes to
Gods tearmes , & buyeth it at his rate, and there
is no more words: this felling of all is, when a
man parts with all finnes, and confidence in him-
felfe : then he hath fold all. , when he will neither
truft to his owne worth , nor reft in his o wne fu£
ficiency, and feethhimfelfe miferable by corrup-
tions committed , and feeth that he is unable to
releeve himfelfe out of his mifery , and then hee
is willing ro part with allj and when hee hath
done this, then there is no more words to the
bargaine, but the Lord bids him take the Pearle
he hath bought it , and carry it away with him :
io then the cafe is cleere , if you bee good chap-
men, and bid roundly, and come to Gods price,
there is no more words to the bargaine. You
would faavefinne andQhrift, God and Devillj
ho , no , but fell all and the pearleis yours : you
may take it in your hand, and carry it home with
you : thus much for the proofe.
Mtafons. l come n <>w to the Reafons , whence comes it,
that the Lord will not delay to come into an hum-
ble foule , the marvellous readinefTe of the Lord,
it is admirable to»thinke on it: the realbnsare
three: g e .
for the L o rd Jes us» ii
Becaufe the Lord Jefus was fent, for this very K.
end, by God the Father, Matt. 15. 24. And hee
came alfo to this very purpofe, Luke 19. 10. Ga-
ther up the places. I am not fent, but to the loft
(heepeoflfrael^ and in the other place, there he
came to feeke, and fave that which was lob, that
is, loft in the fight and fenfe of his owne mifery,
loft in regard of his owne ability and fufficiency
tohelpehimfelfe:Thenlaftly> willing to be dif-
pofed by another, this is the nature of a loft man.
The man that is in the wildernefle, if hee knew
not the way out, there is no meanes tofuccour
him $ therefore he is willing and contented, that
any man fhould direel: him the way out : if a man
fhould fay, this is the path that leads you out of
the wildernefle to fuch a place, would hee not
yeeldtohis advice, hee were but a loft man ^fo
doft thou fee, that thou art loft, ifthoulieftin
the wildernefle of finne, thou art a damned man 5
and then loft, doft thou fee that thou art unable to
come out and fuccour thy felfe, art thou conten-
ted to be informed by God, and difpofed by him,
then marke what the text faith : The Sonne of
man, the Lord Jefus came to feeke fuch (iitners,
and the Lordwill never leave till he finds thee,
and when hee hath found thee, hee will never
leave till hee hath fa ved thee: the Lord, though
thou canft not feeke him , hee will feeke thee • and
when hee hath fought thee,hee will five thee too. ■
Then if the end of Chrifts comming , and the
fcope of his fending, be to fave a loft finner 5 then ■
above all, hee will attaine hit owne end, fulfill
B 3 Ythit.:
12 The Souk fitted
what was betrufted to him, hce will ileke and
Hive him.
The fecond Becaufc an humble broken foule, is the fitreft
ground. fubje<a to fet forth the glory of the riches of
Gods graceand Salvation, that is inChnft pur-
chafed 5 and through Chrift conveyed to thefoulc:
I fay they are the fitteft fubiefts for God to worke
upon 3 for the Lord to come to and dwell in, and
to fet forth the honour of the worke of Redemp-
tion as itdeferves,E/>^/:2, 1 1. 12. The text faith,
heeworketh all things recording tothecounfell
of his will, and why fo > namely, torheprauiof
the glory of his grace. No w obferve it, there is no
foule fo fit to fet forth rhepraifeofthe glory of
die grace of the Lord, and the great worke of
Salvation, as a broken foule, and felfe denying
heart : for an humble fonle denies all in itfelfe ,buc
expe&s all from grace, and the free favour of God.
It faith, it is unworthy to receive mercy, that
it needs and beggs, and therefore an humble foule
is the fitted of all to fet forth the great worke of
God, all the CounceJI of God 5 to fet forth the
riches of his grace, that all maybe faid to be
grace, as in that of Zacbarie, when the temple was
built, thy cryed, Grace, ^Grace, Grace as who
fliould fay, grace layeth the lirft ftone, and grace
layeth the laft ftone* all is of grace, from begin-
ning to endingrfo an humble foule fetteth forth the
frcenefle of Gods grace abundantly, and faith, I
deferved nothing but hell, and if I have any thing
but hell, it is from Gods mercy. But a proud
heart, hce oppofeth the worke of God 5 all the
/ work-
l m
/am^ Lord Jesus. ig
workmanfhip of the grace of God : The proud
heart will have fomeihing of ic felfe, and take
fonething to it felre to boaft of, and wherc'is
grace now ? it's not grace, but your parts anda*
biiicies that you attribute all to, and by that
meanes hinder the letting forth the riches of
Gods mercy inChrift : Therefore an humble
foule isthebeft (hop, wherein the great wofke of
redemption, and frame of fdvation may be Rene :
the pooreiouIewillfay,Looke what the Lord hath
done 3 and it is marvellous in our eyes, it ought to
be marvellous in our hearts. Looke as it is with
men 5 No wife man will dwell in an houfe, where
his credit may not be maintained, and where hee
may not have all conveniences neceflary , and
therefore no marvell though Chrift comes into
an humble heart, it is the fitted: place for the
credit of Chrift : Chrift would worke all in the
ibule 5 the humble foule is content, he fhall rake
notice of it. It is a fchoole rule, there is no wife .
man>that difpofeth of the frame of a building,
but if he hath difpofed of it, he will fet it up, and
dwell in k, unlerTe he wants power or wifdome •
power, in that he hath begun a thing , and was not
able ro finifti it ; none of the fe can befall God:
God is a wife fufficient caufe, hee never difpofeth
of a matter fully, but he brings a frame and a
forme to the matter di/pofed : Now when the
Lord hath prepared a building, and framed an
humble foule to dwell in, if hee will not finifhhis
frame, hee muft want power and wifdome : But
thefe cannot be wanting, to an almighty, and
moft.;
H The Sauk fitted
moit w fe God, therefore hee that hath fitted
the heart for his owne credit, and for all conveni-
ences, that all may be wrought by him, and all
glory may come to him 3 furely that powerfull
God, that cannot be hindred, and that wife God,
thatdorh nothing but our of wifedome, hee will
reare up the building of grace, and falvation fhall
be beftowed upon the foule.
The third Bccaufe now all hinderances are taken out of
the way that mould {[op him, and all impedi-
ments thatfhould let him, are removed wholly,
therefore the place being for him, and he ready
to come, he muft of neceflky come: for if there
beany hinderance,to flop the commingof Chrift
into the foule $ it raaft either lie on his part or on
our part, butitfhall appeare that there is no hin-
drance either on Gods part, or a broken foules
part, therefore there is nothing can hinder the
Lord from comming : if there be any thing on our
parts to hinder him, it is either becauie wee love
our felves,or cleave to our finnes : Now a broken
heart hath renounced both thefe^an humble foule
faith, tinne fhall not rule in mee j and a felfe de-
nying heart faith, I cannot rule my felfe, and
therefore Lord guide mee with thy grace, now
the way is ready, the foule is divorced from all
other matches, therefore it is ready for the Lord;
the humbled foule hath renounced finne, and all
authority of it Celfe, and would have Chrift rule
over it : Now therefore all impediments muft be
on Chrifts part, that which cannot be, Revel. 3.
20. Our Saviour Chrift is fo farre from being
Unwilling
fif the Lo kd Jesus, 15
unwilling ro come into the foale, that heftands
knocking at the dcore 5 hee knocks at a proud
Ioofe heart, at a bafe drunken heart, Forfakc thefe
finnes, and cnterraire a Saviour : renounce thefe
corruptions, and entertainethyowneialvation:
be not under the power of corruption, that will
undoe thee, but mbrnie to Chrift, that will re-
deerne thee : Hee knocks and knocks againe, Open
my Love, my Dove, my undefiled one : the Lord
knocks thus at the doore- therefore if the doore
be open, he will furely come in : nay heprote-
fteth himfelfe, ifiandat the doore and knock : hee
hath flood often at the heart of manyftubborne
finners,and knocked by mercies and judgements,
and knocked by the word, and all bleffings hee
hath bellowed, and faith, If any will open, lwill
come in and drveUmth him. Now then, he that pro-
mifeth, that if the doore be open, hee will come
in, if the doore be open, that hee may come, there
is nounreadinefle in him to come into the foule
but in an humbled fbule, the doore is open, away
finne, away felfe, Itruft you not, let the Lord
come and rule in, & take pofleflion of the heart of
mine 5 the doore is wide open now, and the Lord
knocked before, isgladtotakethecccafion, and
comes fpeedily into the foule prepared and hum-
bled.So then if it be the end of the ruling and com-
ming of Chrift, if the glory of his mercy bee ad-
vanced thereby, if there be no hindrance, neicher
on our parts, or on Chrifts part^then the foule be-
ingthus difpofed, immediately expect ourSavi-
our,for hee will come. Thus much for the preofe,
C J con-
^ . J.
x 5 The Soule fitted.
jQuefi. I confcfle, nothing fhould be dearc(and if I know
my felfe) there isnofinne, but I am content k
fhould be- loofened from mee, my finne I have
abandoned, my felfe I have renounced, and yet
I find no comfort, (o that this do&rinc is not
true, or my heart not cured.
. P Is it thus with thee } then Chrift is come, but
•* zr- thou perceived it not. When Jacob awaked out
of his flecpe, Surely ( faid hee) the Lord if in this .
place, and 1 perceived it not : And fo the Lord is in
thy foule, and thou perceiveft him not.
'Jguefl. But can Chrift be, and not be feene >
Anfw. l> tl% t0 ° to ° often,and the C i. On our part-
hindrances are of two forts, c 2 . On Chrifts park
Thofe on oar parts, are of foure forts.
1. Chrift is come into thy foule, and thou doft
not know him. Matt* 14. 2 6, When Chrift
was nearcft to comfort &c. they thought it had
beenc a fpirittotcrrifiethem. So thou faieft,thy
finnes are ugly to thee, thou thinkeft this is not
Chrift, but it is : Jefus Chrift is there, and thou
feeft knot. John 20. 15. \6. The poore foule of
the woman longed for Chrifts fociety, and (hee
thinking it hndbeene agardner,enquiredofa Sa-
viour, for a Saviour : So a broken hearted (inner
feekes a Saviour ^ if you know how I may ob-
taine favour with God, counfell a poore finncr.
It is Chrift that gives thee the heart to ieeke him,
and that Chrift rhou feekeft : by the vertue of
a Saviour, thou feekeft for a Saviour, as a man
lookes for a candle^ by the light of his candle.
JehniA.?,
" Thou
fir the Lo rd Jes u s. 17
Thou attendeft not to our Saviour when hee 2 #
comes ; hee that comes 3 quictIy conveies hirnfelfe,
and thou feeft him noc : as to his Difciples, when
they were all (hut up in a Chartberj then hee
appeared in the midft, Lnk. 24. wbyfeekeft thm
the. living among the dead. So wee rub the fore day-
\y> and thinke, can grace come into fuch a heart :
Whilft thou art thus looking on corruption, thou
canft not fee Chrift : why feckefi thou the livinga-
movg the dead, why feekeft thoa a Saviour to com-
fort thee, among corruptions that would con*
demne thee. It was nor the fault in Hagars eyes,
lhat (hee (aw not the fountaine, but fliee attended
not to it 5 fo wee fit difconfolate, and Chrift is in
us, but wee looke noc after htm : A man that
waits for a Noble-man 5 if hee come not at the
houre appointed, hee goes into a corner and
weepes, becaufe hee thinks he hath taken diftafte a
and this, whilft the Noble-man approaches, and
is there a great while, before hee knowes it 5 fo
while wee goe drooping under oar corruptions,
the Lord Chrift comes not, and wee goe to dif-
couragement, and in the mc an time Chrift comes,
and wee fee him nor. Hee that goes in a dungeon
(hall never (ce Sun- (hine, though it mine never fo
cleerely 5 fo when this Sonne of Righteoufnefie
fhines,wee goe into the dungeon of discourage-
ment, and fo perceive him not, though hee mines
mod: cleerely.
Wee alfo are not able aright to know when 3,
Chrift is in us : becaufe wee Judge him by fenie,
and fomc extraordinary f weetriefle, wee imagine
C % mould
1 8 The Ssule fitted
(hould be m us : wee judge upon falfc grounds j
every firmer fets up afancie in his owne Imagi-
nation, that if Chrift comes, ftrange matter*
will be wrought. Now framing this fanciein hts
conceit 5 he will take no other evidence ofChrifts
eommhig.
It was the fault of Gide*n 9 ludges 6. 13. he
judges Gods prefence there, upon falfe grounds $
for hee was with him, as well to helpe him beare
the mifery, as todeliver him from it 5 fo it is with
an humble (inner burthened with the fight of his
abominations ; when the Minifters fay, The
Lord is with you,you broken finners, they reply,
If the Lord be with us, why is all this befaJne us :
what,% fome,diftempers fo violent^corruptions
fo many, and can the Lord be here ? where are
thofe miracles the Saints heretofore have found ?
Behold what God did for David, for Ettas, for
Paul, they led captivity captive, and were more
than Conquerors over their corruptions, and yet
wee are burthened with our fins. I anlwer, the
Lord is as well prefent to helpe thee contend
againft finne^as torrake thee domineereover it.
The fame Apoftle that was more than Conqueror
at one time, was led captive at another, Rom. 7.
23* And hadtheflefh Jufting againft the Spirit,
Horn. 8.I.G*/. 5. 17. This is your conceit^ you
thinkeif the King come, there will benoTrai-
tours 3 but Traitors will follow the Court: you
thinke if the King come to your harts, heemuft
needs promote you to fbme place of honour.
This b ; the appichcufion ofabrokmheart : Were
Chrift
■
* fir the Lord Jes us* l9
Chriltinmee, xhenlfhould havefuch andluch
fufficiency $ thefe are defperate miftakes, /eh*
2 o. 2 5 . It is a patterne of a broken Soule that de-
pends upon. ibme ftirring apprehenfion, if I had
thar ability, if my heart could fo breake, if I had
fuch aflurance, then Chrift were come : You will
pot beleeve theKing is come, unlefle hee hug you
in his bofome. Thus wee judge according to
fenfe, not according to thepromife of Chrift who
is bJefled forever : It befalls the Soule aslacd,
Gen, 45. 24. Hee would not beleeve their word-
but when hee faw their Chariots, then he was per-
fwaded of it : this is the frame of difconfolare
fpirirs. Wee have the word of God, toconflrme
the preface of Chrift, unlefle you be Charioted
with that ability, as to triumph overall finnes,
youripirits are not revived, you beleeve not that
itfepb'is yet alive, your Saviour is with you.
■: When our eyes are held, namely when the
fting of Conference feazes, or when the fiercenefie
of temptation prefies in,or elfe whenfome world*
ly inconvenience fits clofe , fo that the thoughts
of a.mans heart .are wholly beftowed upon that
-objeft, the Souk -cannot owne, Chrift, though he
were clofe by him. A man that hath his heart
iwayed with hd medications, though heemeet
with aman ofhis .acquaintance, yet hee would
not know him : So it was with the difciples,
Iocke.L^24.«y(?r/: 32. Did mtour hearts bmne
m w 5 as whp fnould fay, there was reftimony
enough, of a divine prefcnce,k was a Chtrjft .rhat
4pak$, but weerwere not able to fee k : So when
C 3 the
4i
20 The Souls fitted
the ioule is taken up with twohurries,partly with
temptation, partly with worldly occafions, it
fees not Chrift, though the heart burnes towards
him : this is the ground, why, when Satan lets
flie, though wee propound never i o many promi-
ses, alwayes thofc perplexed Spirits forget what is
fpoken, and their minde is only upon temptati-
on : They attend not Chrift in theprcmife, be-
caufe their eyes are held, though they be in their
privie Chamber, and may ralke wirh our Savi-
our, Pfdm, 13.23.
The Lord Jcfus, ont of our juft defert, doth
hide himfelfe, EfifS. 17- */*/«*•" 3 *• 22. Now
Chrift hides himielfe in thefe three cafes.
I ; When the Saints fall into feme f oule grofle fin,
or clfe are at truce with feme bofome corrupti-
on,though but an infirmitie, then God doth with-
draw his prefence, for obedience is the tearme of
Gods prefence, 2. Chr$n. 15. 1. Hee is with us,
while we are with him : If then the Saints breake
company, no marvell though Chrift withdraw
his fociety, John 19. 21. This is the tenure of
Chrifts minifeftation, provided wee love him ;
but ifnot, hee is gone, Pfdm. 5 1 . Create a ntw Spu
ritwithmmte, ( as who mould fay ) all is tobegin
a new. This God doth foftiew his indignation
againft finne, hee will notbeare nor bolfter it, no
not in his owne, and this God doth not only
when they fin fouly, but when they are at truce
with adiftemper, though but an Infirmity : as
for example, if a Chriftian be overtaken ordinarily
withachokrick diftemper,if a Chriftian be eager
of
for the Lord Jesus.
21
2.
of the world, or growes dead in fervices, it is juft
wirh God, that thefe men (hould be deftitute of
their comforts.
When the Saints of God grow wanton, abu-
fing thefenfe and fweer»efle ofrhe feeling of his
favour, thereupon growing carelefle, now God
feeing a man abufing his goodnefTe, it is juft with
him to eftrange himfeifc from that Soule, that
hee may labour for his former ftrength againe,
Cant, 5.2.JPfalm. 30. 6.
The Lord hides himfelfe by way of prevenri- £0
on,as thus ^ hee will not make fomeof his to ap-
prehend his favour, left they mould pranckup
themfelves in the privilege, and cenforioully con-
temne their fellow brethren j but holds out the
hear t at the ftaffe end,fb much mercy as may ferve
his turne,,that hee may be a little comforted, and
yet humbled. If the Father fee the child grow
proud, hee keeps him upon dependance, that he
may have better obedience. So God fees wee
have unruly hearts, and therefore keeps us upon
dcpendance, that hee may have more obedience,
tok*i 6. 1 2. If there were high failes upon a lit-
tle Barke, they would drowneitin ftead of car-
rying of it : So men proportion their failes, accor-
ding to their Barke. This isone maine ground
why God takes away the fenfe of his favour 3 The
Sea is the world, the Soule failes abour, and alit-
tlegalecarrieth it on, butifit mould have great
failes, they would drowne it » not that grace doth
this, the fcukisnot inthefai/cs, but in the boat
that will not beare, & c . So the fault is not m
grace.
— »— mtm i i t n r n i i i " ■ — ■ ■ ■ ■ —
tt The Soule fitted
grace, but m the Soule, that cannot beare it *
This is the reafbn why many men have fmoken
out their dayes in fbrro w 3 and at their death have
great aflufance : It was the fpcech of a good
man, that God will not alwayes give his fervants
a cup of Sack 5 his meaning was, hee would not ak
waves comfort them . the comforts of Gods Spi-
rit are better than wine, now much of this com-
fort with a proad heart, would caufehim to tram-
ple upon every man : Therefore God keeps the
cup tothelaft. If while therefore God keeps us
under hatches, if while hee withdrawes his hand,
wee doe contend with the Almighty, and often
fay, why mould I pray, and God anfwers nor,
heareand God accepts not? ifwhenweearekepc
low, and doe thus, if then wee had what wee
would, certainly wee would turne our backs to
the Almighty and fay, as they in Ieremy 2.31. Wee
wiU come no more unto thee : Therefore it is good
for God to doe thus, wee are not able to beare
this faile, elfe God would give it.
Vfe 1 , If this be fo, let every Soule take his part and
portion : All you ftout difobedient fpirits, that
will not obey the Gofpell of God, all hearts not
broken, and fpirits not humbled, I have nothing
to fay to you for the while ; But you that have a-
ny obedience of the worke of the fpirit,and grace
in your Soules, you that are now willingly con-
tented, andrefolutely perfwaded to give way to
Chrift, and breakeopen doore to a Saviour : if
there be any Soule that hides himfelfe according
to the former doctrine, you humble, broken
hearted
for the Lord Jesus. 22
hearted tinners, goe >ourwayes with comfort,
and the God of heaven goe with you, nay, hee is
with you, hee will meet with you at home 9 nay,
hee will meet with you in the mid- way 5 what e-
ver thy finnes, or miferies, or wants be, here is
conf Iation, yea abundant confblation, to f up-
port the heart, if thou beeft a poore broken
hearted finr.er, itt< enough, the Lord Chrift will
come into your fouies, and let then what will,
or can come, the Lord Jefus will come, andthac
fuddenly. But you will fay, So many are the
finnes tfiat lye upon mee, my corruptions like
clouds, come in upon mee, all my oathes and
drunkenn* ue,all pride,and Lofeneflfe,and vanirie,
and earthly mindednefle, all my corruptions
come in upon mee, and the guilt remaines, and
they are not pardoned : their horror remaines,
and I cannot get my fbule pacified in the arTu-
rance of the forgiveneffe of them : thatpride,and
adultery, and drunkennefle , army after army. Le-
gion after Legion of finnes, prefle in upon mee.
Are your foules thus perplexed with miferies ?
why, I beleech you, confider what I fay : arr thoa
humbled thou polluted heart ? art thou opprefled *
with thy corruptions > doth thy fbule fay, it is the
greatcft burthen I have,the greateft wound I feele$
if my heart were but rid of my finnes , my fbule
(hould be quiet,and my heart pacified 5 why then,
If the Lord feeth thee humbled, hee will never
fee thee corrupted, hee will come fuddenly : let
all thy corruptions come accufing , let all thy
finnes rife up at armes againft thee ; yet if thy
D heart
24 The S&ule fitted
heart be broken for thefe , and humbled in the
consideration of thefe, and refolved to rbrfake
them, the Lord will come fuddenly, and then
mercy will come to pardon a!l,to kbdue all thefe
curfeddifteiipers that hang upon thee : But you
will fay, Wh3t,will this lore* come into my fbule,,
this wretched foule,thefe mud-walh,this abhomi-
nable heart $ what tomee, will the Lord come to
my temple > fuch hideous finnes have I commit-
ted, and the Lord come into fuch a rotten cot-
tage, and fuch a bafe cuffed heart as mine > Aye,.
marke what the text faith, / fiahi at the dovre
and knock 5 If any man mtt 9pen r lwiU cerne in.
Hee knocks atthe dobre of every proud perfon,
and adulterer, and drunkard : if any adulterous
perfon will open* the Lord will come and fan&ifie
him : If any uncleane wretch will open, che Lord
will come and releafe him from all abhom'nati-
on : what a comfort is this then ? let Satan accufe
us, and finne cond^mneus, if the Lord will com-
fort us, who can difcourage us > if the Lord will
faveus, whocarrcondemneus? Againe, as this is
comfort againft all finnes, fo there is marvellous
comfort againft all extremities and miferies : If
th >u art hummed, let mifevies come, and troubles
and temptarions come, and Chrift will come too,
into anhum^le S wle, in all weakness j Chrift
will come, to ftrengthen in all d ^graces : ; nd wilt
come to honour rhee,here is comforr : The favour
©fmen eoeth away, rhe neerer a man goerh to-
Gpdl rhe farhf r tFey eo^ from him, hee is a
ftfttnger now to hU brother, and an all'nrtohis
* .others
for the Lord Jesus. 25
mothers Sonne : why, let thy wants be what they
Will, and lee troubles come, and weakn effe cone,
though .hey come, the Lord will noc go away 5
though friends be farre off, the Lord will be
neereunrotiee : Be therefore comforted, for e-
ven the wi(e man faith, a man will change ho-
nour to get a commoditic, fometimes hee will
part with honour, for profit, and money will
fupply all 5 whatfoever tie world can doe, money
can doe. Therefore this quiets the rich man 5 I
have it by mee, lhave many wants, that is no
matter, I have it by mee in money : haply hee
wants a houfe, thats no matter, hee hath it by him
in money, and therefore can build him one : he
want • cloathes to cloath him ; but hee bath it
in money , and thst will buy them, ( thus money
anfwers to all. ) You that are brok.n hearted
finnersgoehomechearfully, eat your bread with
glad hearts : the Lord accepts you, and how ever
men will not looke after you, but looke aloofe :
- goe home, and die Lord comfort you more and
more, know the Lord "Chrift comes faddtnly
and anfwer* to all $ it was thefpeech of Chnfl to
his D^fcip'es : Feate not little flack, it u your
Fathers will to give y$u .a Kirgdome : You are
u trouble d> you fhall have a Kingdom?, <h,t will
qniet you : vou are dilgraeed, you fhall have a
Kwdome, that will honour you : you pre in per-
fection, you (hall have a Kingdome; rliac i&>U
comfort you. Let an humble Soulr «*o<- ^owne
into the S^a, and fly into the tittemiol o t 't.of
theeaith, yet it will comfort thee, the Lord *>ill
•D 2 come
25 The Souk fitted
come fuddenly,and bring his provifion with him ^
vvherefoever thou art, hee will be with thee, to
comfort thee and cheare thee. You little ones
that are humbled* it is not your Fathers pleafurc
only to give you a Kingdome, but his Sonne and
hee answers all .-what though thou haft many
miferies >thouhaftaChrift that is the God of all
mercies : rhou haft many finnes,what of thathhou
haft a Chrift, that is the God of all grace $ where
ever thou art,hee will bee with thee 5 though thou
wert baniQied, yet be will wander up and downe
all the wildernefie,but he will find thee and bring
thee upon his moulders, to cheare thee, and com-
fort thee here, and give theend ofthy hopes here-
after : If wee be not comforted hereby, it is a
ihame 3 therefore letevery lad Soule take hispart:
if you have Chrift, you haveenough,though you
never fee good day after.
Now wee come to the fecond do&rine.
BoB, 2; When the Lord ]efus comes to the humbled
Soule, hee takes pofleffion of it as his owne : now
when the foule is ac Gods difpofe, that mercy may
doe what it will with him : and then the Lord
r takes pofleffion, Ezek. 1 6. 8.
gZueft. Wherein lies the Sov,eraigne pofleffion?
dnfw. Ir appeares in two particulars.
I. The Lord Jefus undertakes for the Soule.
2» Hee di fpofeth of it to his beft advantage.
Hee undertakes for it, (namely) hee takes
upon him, to fhtlrer it from all the evill which ir
could not avoid : I told you before the (inner fees
has vilendTe of finne, and defires now to be freed*
but
for the L o R d J E s u s . 27
but cannot deliver himfelfe, and therefore Cues to
Chrift. Now our Saviour fteps in, and fiies , hee
will undertake to pay all : If men be opprefTed
with fome outragious enemy, they feeke to feme
forraigne Prince, and fubmit to him, if hee will
take the protection of them. So wh^n the Soulc
is oppre&d with too many fins, witli too heavy
pangs, it falls downe and defires Chrift to be Lord
prote&our of it - and then pref.ntfy Ch-ift
comes and frees it from theevUl. 35. N»mk 25.
it was an Injun&ion, that the man-flayer Ihould
fly to the Cities of refuge, 2nd they (hould o; >en
the gate to him : the man flayer is the poo* e (in-
ner that is pursued, now hee flies to the Lord Je-
fus, his refuge (as David often fpeakes. ) Now
Chrift receives and delivers him from the hand
of the avenger. The dangers of an humble heart
are three, for which Chrift undertakes 5 fir ft, the
juftice oftheFa:her not fatisfictf . fecondly, the
temptation of Satan not conquered • thirdly, *
Sinne, not yet ftbdued : All thefe the Soule
finkes under, and cries, who will deliver mee :
when the heart is thus, Chnft is come torefcue it,
and faith, be comforted : the j-aftice or my Facber
I will fatisfie, hem^ice of Sum I will crofle,
the power of corruption I will cafhiere.
Thefinner feesajuftGod, that wi if have fits
glory :whpn thus juftice makes out, Chrift pi-ts
in Bale. When a man is areftcd, if fome gr^t
man give his word, hee is acquitted : Co when the
venome of Gods vengeance purfa.s thee, Chrift
paffeth his word a hee will fee all fatisnVd, bee
D 1 » * tnerefok
«. .<#
%
The Seule fitted
therefore comfoited, Cbrifts word will goe. lice
dedres no other pacifier.
j Temptation is fubdued, finne and Satan moil:
Kg've way: That iupreme authority makes finne
n-^R|x£* Saanvanifh. Rev. i. 18, A key is anen-
* 5 0§ i gne ° f aurhor ' ,t y 5 he that hath the Key, may
AJ> f c ,n rnd fljut-oat whom bee will. So Chrift can
^^bnng out whom he will, £/>**/: 4 . 8 . Lookehow
£V : Vl»f§! rp^I ours lead captived flaves, fo Chnft
1 I* r'Ni^^o finne and deach > H h l0 - l8 - wh en the
*W* 4^ 2 r. C f pter of Chrift Was dii P%^d, Satan kll like
lightning.
Stnne comes to be cafliiered, finne pleads pre-
JS'Wte
^ ^ £ 1 3 icnption in the Soule, and challenges a title . yet
y^'PI\ > 9 1 "** h a^ng«kenpofleffion 5 hee will have all
'8 &/ V^ charges 5 when firae faith, I have pofTefied the
^ S Soule from my youdvherefore why mould four,
^ vi thrift replies, it is ufurped, all this title is but
^ forged, it is mine 3 and Icome for my owne,there-
P ^•fore finne depart, Rom. 8. 3. Chrift condemnes
: . finne in the flefh: rocondemnefinne,isasmuch
"3^ as > when a man hath call: in his caufe, heelayes
^Vvdaime to a thing, and is cart by law! So finne
Wq- laves claime to rheSoule : and Chrift comes and
^^Scondemnes finne in thereto : Hee makes the
$ - ^5 ^^-^ g^ agafnft finne : for finneclaimes right on
N<1 v « N l }'" 3 r ° und 5 every fonne of Adam is the childe of
^ i^S r< g\ <!' [obedience, he is under my power . and death
So* ' k : ; 7 J? h,sdue from mee. Now Chrift anfwers, Thofe
4 7 tor whom the finne of Mamhaxh beene fatisfitd,
H P? vcr 4o(e finhathnopolleffion : buttheSoule
^f is foch 3 doth ^wfin^xemaine ? I have facisn>d
fo, the Lord J e s u &.
for it. 1$ finne ftrong > I have Jed captivity cap-
tive : thus finne lofeth hiscaufe, this h to con-
demne finne in theflcfti, ABsi6. iS. Firft rkf
were turned from the power orSathan, and .hen
followed remiflion of finnes, and fandVific icic >n.
Hee difpofes of the Soule for his heft a Van-
tage ^ w.: en Satan the ftrong man kept thehoufe,
and the (bule was at his manage^ and tillage, ic
either tay fallow ground, as Ier. 4. $. overhead
with thornes. When. finne and Satan rule the
heart, they blinde it, and the whole ensjffttityjfo l%
mentonour part, as God calls % fo (ne'Souieenv. ^f>?
«a
V t
mercy, being empty : The Lor*d fcnay powrc m
what he will, there is roome ifr he Soule to enter-
v taine i ny ching^njl diis is calledoafJive receiving,
namely h^4w Cfc^t^thfeSWefofecji^era^. £"
cy,ind prepares it^^t-it mrfv. come and'the^oufe ^
bciny; emptie I, enrerraines the worke of mercy. • ^£
The foale being emptied, and having received^
vertue from God, rerurnesan anlwer to this call ^fc"
and this wf call active calling. The fjule having \3
received power, by vertue or that power returncs:.!
ananiwer ro rhe caU or God, as it is with an ec- ^ vTd
cho $ firft the ayre is moved by the voice, £ cond- 5ft
ly, being moved itreturnes the fame voice: Soic-^ ^
is wich theanfw.r ofthe Soule, Pfal. 27. 8. Like £
th it of rhe men or 8 Ha 1 itf«^f 20 32.3 3. Whenv~ C^k
jihab faid, my brother B-tbidid, fa the firmer £» ,jjg
waits and lookes, when will God ha vemercv, a$W*& v
MGod faith, my foane, and the Soule anfwe- J; <b®
* retrki 0& -
^5
3<>
The some j ^
-yt*
■
I
3
reth,thy Sonne Lord, ier. j.22.markehow they
anfwer : Behold wee come,for thou art the Lord
our God : The Lord faith, come away, and the
Soule faith, behold I come, i. Cor. 6. 17. lathe
fame voyce thatecchos, the fame beame that re-
fleds from the wall: So it is the fame /pirit that
returnes the voyce : and this anfwer of the Soule
wee tearme faith. Now wee have cut out !
pftf~om worke, and for the further handling,
<W tis/J&ehavechofen this text, which is,
+40 mf ^to difcover this worke of
J&+ + r * — - ,.. vocation.
S
fc$
^mmik^^^M
ES3
«K
SfcssaJSBSm
^*
*
tt
^1
sfi^/s63?A«^eiis
\
