Sermons Volume 4

SERMON XVIII.

I Come to the Description of the Person who shall appear, who is described by a Title of Power, and a Title of Mercy and Love: because in Christ's Person there is Greatness and Goodness mixed; for he is called the great God ; there is his Attribute of Power and Majesty: and then there is a comfortable Name and Title, Our Savior. That both these Titles do belong to the same Person, the Fathers have abundantly proved against the Arians. In the Original there is but one Article, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that grea • God and our Savior. We have just such another Expression, 1 Cor. 15.24. He shall deliver up the Kingdom to that God and Father, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (that is) to God even the Father. So here the great God and Savior (that is) the God that is the Savior. Besides, there is another Argument that the Words must be referred to the same Person, because it is never said anywhere the Father doth appear, but only Jesus Christ, and therefore the Appearance of the great God must needs be applied to Jesus Christ.

I shall handle these Titles conjunctly and severally.

I. Look upon them conjunctly and together, and there you may observe the mingling of Words of Power, and Words of Goodness and Mercy in Christ's Style and Title. I observe it the rather because it is often found in Scripture. But for what Reasons are these Titles of Mercy and Power thus mingled and coupled together?

1. For the Comfort of the Saints, to show that Christ in all his Glory will not forget himself to be a Savior. At the Day of Judgment when he comes forth like the great God with all his Heavenly Train, then he will own us, and will be as tender of us as he was upon the Cross. The Butler in his Advancement when he was at Court and well at Ease, forgot Joseph in Prison: but Christ in his Advancement doth not grow shy and stately. We may have Boldness in the great Day, for he will not only come as the great God, but also as our Savior. We have the like Expression, Heb. 8.1, 2. We have such an high Priest who is set on the right Hand of the Throne of Majesty in the Heavens: And what follows? a Minister of the Sanctuary. Jesus Christ certainly had a gracious Welcome into Heaven, and was exalted by the Father; but even now he is our faithful Agent in Heaven. This is made to be the Excellency and Height of his Condescention, that he came in the Form of a Servant, in the Fashion of an ordinary Man, poor and despicable: then he came to do the Church Service, and now he is gone to Heaven in all his Glory, still he is there as a Servant, as one that is to negotiate with God for holy things, to tender our Prayers to the Lord, and to pass out Blessings to us: this is Christ's Employment in Heaven.

2. To show the Mystery of Christ's Person, in whom the two Natures meet; there is not only the Majesty of the God-head, but also the human Nature by which he claims Kin of us. I observe it, because the Scripture takes notice of it; Isa. 9.6. To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder; and his Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. What a Mixture of Titles is here! He is called a Child, yet the everlasting Father; Wonderful, yet the Counselor, one that is intimate with his People, he gives sweet Counsel to them; He is called the mighty God, and then presently the Prince of Peace. Christ's Person is the greatest Mystery and Riddle in the World, he is God, and yet Man. He is, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 7.3. Without Father and without Mother, as Melchizedek ; yet he had both Father and Mother, a Father in Heaven, and a Mother upon Earth; He was without Mother as to his Divinity, and without Father as to his Manhood. Another Place where the same Method is observed; Zech. 13.7. Awake O Sword against my Shepherd, and against the Man that is my Fellow. He is called the Man, but yet God calls him his Fellow: our Brother, and God's Son. There are so many Mysteries that meet in Christ's Person, that under the Law he could not be figured and represented by one Sacrifice; Levite. 16.15, 21. There were two Sacrifices chosen to represent Christ; there was the Goat to be slain for the Sin-Offering, and then the Scape-Goat: one was not enough, because there are in Christ two Natures, a God that could not die, and a Man that could not overcome Death. The Goat that was slain, shown he was crucified in the Flesh; and the Goat that was let go, shown that he did yet live by the Power of God; 2 Cor. 13.4. For though he was crucified through Weakness, yet he liveth by the Power of God. Or as another Apostle hath it, 1 Pet. 3.18. Being put to Death in the Flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. There was his human Nature as he was Man, that he might die to answer the Goat that was slain; then his Divine Nature, that he might live and overcome Death.

3. To compare his two Comings, and to show that Christ doth not forget his old Work. His first Coming was in Humility, to save, not to judge; John 12.47. I came not to judge the World, but to save the World. So 1 John 4.14. We have seen and do testify, that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the World. But then his second Coming is in more Majesty, then he comes as a God to judge. To consider him as a severe Judge, that would make our Heart tremble; but to consider him as a Savior, that's comfortable; then he remembers his old Relation for the Elect's sake. In short, he is the great God, and our Savior, to show his double Work and Office at the last Day; he is a Savior to his own People when he comes to show himself to be the great God, to punish the Wicked that would not accept of Grace and Salvation.

4. To give us a Taste and Pledg both of his Willingness and Ability to do us good: He is a mighty God, and yet a Savior: Certainly there is a Difference between God and Man. If we pardon and do good, it is out of need, because we dare not do otherwise: but Jesus Christ is the mighty God, strong enough to revenge, yet our Savior, gracious enough to save and pardon. The coupling of these Words show that Christ is not a Savior out of Necessity, but good Will. Men forbear their Enemies out of Policy, not Pity; 2 Sam. 3.19. These Men the Sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. Power makes us cruel: Who finds his Enemy, and slays him not? If a Man find his Enemy, will he let him go well away? 1 Sam. 24.19. Among Men observe it, and you will find the weakest are most pitiful and merciful: Why? because they need Pity and Commiseration themselves from others. But now Jesus Christ that hath the greatest Power, hath also the greatest Mercy, and the greatest Love; he is the mighty God, but yet the Prince of Peace: He will be a mighty God rather in saving than in destroying: though he hath all Power in his Hands, yet he will exercise it in Acts of Mercy. We abuse our Power to Acts of Oppression and Violence. O when shall we learn of Christ to be mighty, and yet saving? There cannot be a happier Conjunction than when Greatness and Goodness, Power and good Will are met together. Remember, Power is only given us to do good with it; and to do good, is some Resemblance of Christ. What a Comfort is this to the Faithful, that Christ is the great God, and also a Savior, both able and willing to do them good, and to bestow abundance of Grace upon them!

5. To show what Christ is to the Saints; wherever he shows himself a Savior, there he doth also show himself to be a mighty God. Together with Acts of Grace and Favor, there are issued out Acts of Power and Strength: there's a concomitant Operation of Power, together with an Act of Pardon and Grace. I find the Scripture speaking of this; he pardoneth as a strong God; Mich. 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee? pardoning Iniquity, &c. In the Original, who is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifies a strong God like unto thee. And so Junius renders it. So Exod. 34.6, 7. — The Lord, the Lord God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the strong God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for thousands, forgiving Iniquity, Transgression and Sin. Moses plainly alludes to it, Numb. 14.17, 18. Now I beseech thee let the Power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is longsuffering, and of great Mercy, forgiving Iniquity and Transgression. Whenever God shows Grace in pardoning Sin, he shows Power also in subduing Sin. So Psal. 62.11. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this, that Power belongs to God. And presently, ver. 12. Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth Mercy. Both these are dispensed together. Those that come to God for Relief, are under a double Trouble, distempered Affections as well as a guilty Conscience: therefore know for your Comfort, Mercy and Power belong to God; and in the Dispensation they usually go together; 2 Pet. 1.3. According as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness. Christians! if you go to God aright, you go to him not only for Life, that you may be respited from Destruction, but for Godliness ; not only for Acts of Grace, but for Acts of Power; as Wrath and Power are suited to the Reprobate, so Mercy and Power to the Godly.

6. To show that Christ is not only a desirable Friend, but a dreadful Adversary. You must close with him as a Savior, or else you shall find him to your cost to be a mighty God ; you must submit to him, or be destroyed; you must accept of Mercy▪ or feel the Power of his Wrath. And thus in Scripture Christ is represented with a golden Scepter, and with an Iron Mace, to dash his Enemies in Pieces like a Pot • e ••• Vessel; you must touch his golden Scepter, or feel the Weight of his Iron Rod: He that saveth can punish, and crush as well as comfort. Again, we read of a Banner of Love, and of a flying Roll of Curses; and therefore as there is Mercy and Sweetness in Christ, so he is represented as a dreadful Adversary. Usually we presume on God's Mercy, and fear Man's Power; but this should not be so. O! observe the Counsel the Lord gives, Isa. 27.5. Let him take hold of my Strength, that he may make Peace with me. Blessed God! who is able to grapple and deal with thee in thy Strength? but we overcome by yielding. Let us humble ourselves betimes, that's taking hold of his Strength, and making Power our Friend: It is an Allusion, not to a Wrestler, for so how can our Hands be strong, and our Heart endure in the Day he shall deal with us? but to a Suppliant, when a Parent or Master is ready to strike, the Child takes hold of his Arm, and seeks terms of Peace, and intreats him to pacify his Wrath: So saith the Lord, make Strength your Friend, then his Power, which otherwise would be your Enemy, is engaged to you.

7. To preserve that mixed Affection which best becomes the present State we are in: Our State is mixed, and we act best under a mixed Affection. God would have us not only love him, but fear him: And therefore he is represented as a mighty God, as well as a gracious Savior ; that we may come to him with Reverence, and yet with Confidence. That's the proper temper of a gracious Spirit in all our Addresses to God; Psal. 2.10. Serve the Lord with Fear, and rejoice with Trembling. Fear mixed and tempered with Love, is most regular, so is Love that is guided with Fear: Therefore when you pray to him, and worship him, and serve him, remember he is the great God ; but lest that should breed Bondage and Dejection in your Spirits, remember he is also our Savior. How sweet would this be, if we could but make use of both these Titles, whenever we have to do with him? Our Affections should be mixed as Christ's Titles are. It is said of the Church, Acts 9.31. They walked in the Fear of the Lord, and in the Comfort of the Holy Ghost. This doth well together, fear God, and rejoice in God. Do not dally with a Savior, and please yourselves in cherishing a loose Comfort, when you neglect Duty, and are touched with no Awe of God: and then do not indulge a legal Dejection, the great God whom you dread and reverence, is your Savior. Therefore are the Titles of Christ mixed, to beget a sweet Temperature of Fear and Love. So much for the conjunct Consideration of the Words.

II. Let us come to handle them apart particularly, but briefly.

First of the Style of his Power, The Great God. Here is a pregnant Testimony of the Deity of Christ.

Doct. That Jesus Christ, together with the Father and the Holy Ghost, is the Great God.

He is called the great God, partly in opposition to those, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that are only called God's, the Vanities of the Gentiles: there are many that are called God's; 1 Cor. 8.5, 6. For though there be that are called God's, whether in Heaven or in Earth, (as there be God's many, and Lord's many) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. And partly in opposition to the God's of Man's making; so the Devil is gotten to be a God; The God of this World hath blinded the Eyes of them which believe not, 2 Cor. 4.4. So we read of those whose God is their Belly, Phil. 3.19. As the Strength of Men's Desires run out, so they set up many God's, either Mammon or Bacchus. And partly in Opposition to those representative God's, Magistrates, who are called God's; Psal. 82.6. I said ye are God's: They resemble God in their Power and Sovereignty, and Administration of Justice, and large Opportunity of doing Good. But the chief Reason why Christ is called the great God, is, to show that he is not inferior to the Father, to remove the Scandal of his Abasement. He is not a God by Courtesy or Grant, but by Nature, equal in Power, and Majesty, and Glory, to God the Father.

To confirm this I shall prove,

First ; That considering his Work, he ought to be God, no inferior Mediator could serve the turn.

Secondly ; That he is God, and able to perform this Work.

First ; Consider his Work, and so he ought to be God: The Work of the Mediator could be dispatched by no inferior Agent. Consider the Mediator in all his Offices, as Prophet, Priest and King.

1. For his Prophetical Office. As a Prophet, he was to be greater than all Prophets and Apostles. It is above Man's Capacity to be the grea • Doctor of the Church. In regard of his outward Work, the Discovery of the Gospel, and of the Riches of God's Grace, it could be made by none but he that was in the Bosom of the Father; John 1.18. No Man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the Bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. None could tell us what Bowels, what Affections, what Purposes of Grace the Father had concerning Sinners, but Christ that was in his Bosom; Mat. 11.27. No Man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. As an external Law-giver in the Gospel, Christ the great Doctor of the Church, ought to be Authentic, a Law-giver, from whose Sentence there is no Appeal, a Lord in his own House; Heb. 3.4, 5, 6. For every House is built by some Man, but he that built all things, is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his House as a Servant, for a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a Son over his own House. Moses was but a Servant, who received the external Law from Christ upon Mount Sinai, it was Christ whose Voice shook the Mount, Heb. 12.26. But chiefly in regard of his inward Work, as he is to be a Fountain of Wisdom to all the Elect; 1 Cor. 1.30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom. Men may teach the Ear, but Christ must teach the Heart. Blind Men cannot see the Sun though it shine never so clearly. Light is come into the World, but Darkness comprehends it not; we must have Eyes as well as Light: now it is only Divine Power can open the Eye of our Understanding, and give us spiritual Illumination.

(2.) As for his Kingly Office: a finite Power would never suffice for that; Christ is to break the Force of Enemies, to raise the Dead, to pour out the Spirit, to bestow Grace and Glory; all these are Christ's Donatives as King of the Church: As a King he is to be an Original Fountain of Life to all the Elect: As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so, he that eateth me, even he shall live by me, John 6.57. All these things are the Glory of God, which he will not give to another, and they cannot be performed by any but God. The Creatures are limited, they have not such a Vastness in them, that out of their Fulness we might receive Grace for Grace, as we do from Christ, John 1.16. Of his Fulness have we all received, and Grace for Grace.

3. For his Priestly Office, this shows he ought to be God. Of this there be two Acts, his Oblation, and Intercession.

(1.) For his Oblation and Sacrifice; he must offer up himself, one for all, and that but once, and that to expiate Sin, and procure the Favor of God forever; now who could do this but God? And he must offer up himself; he must be Priest as well as Sacrifice, therefore must have a Power over his own Life, to lay it down, and take it up; and that no Creature hath: for whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. And thus had Jesus Christ an absolute Power of Life and Death over that Nature he assumed: therefore it is said, Heb. 9.14. Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God. Then one must be offered for all, 2 Cor. 5.14. If one died for all, then were all dead. Therefore that Person which suffered, was to be virtually all those for whom he suffered, that is, infinitely as good and better than all. Look as they said to David, Thou art better than ten thousand of us; so Jesus Christ that was given one for all, must be such a Person as is better than all Men. A General given in Ransom will redeem thousands of private Soldiers; so the Worth of Christ's Person made him equivalent in Dignity to the Wor • h of all those, whose Persons he sustained. In all Ages his Death is a standing Remedy; God had more Satisfaction than if Angels and Men had been made a Sacrifice. And mark, it was done but once. The Wages of Sin was eternal Death; now something there must be to recompense and countervail the Eternity of the Punishment, and nothing could counterpoise this, but the Infiniteness and Excellency of Christ's Person; therefore we are said to be redeemed by the Blood of God: Acts 20.28. Feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own Blood ; that is, with the Blood of that Person that was God. It was necessary he should come out of his Sufferings; for if he were always suffering, we could have no Assurance that God was satisfied. If our Surety were not taken from Prison and Judgment, how should we know the Debt was paid? Isa. 53.8. How shall this be reconciled; that he is to suffer but once, and but a while, and yet to do that which should countervail Eternity? It was because of the Value of his Person, as a Payment in Gold takes up lesser room than if paid in Silver. Then his Aim in all was to expiate Sin, and nothing but an Infinite Good could remedy an Infinite Evil. The Person wronged is Infinite, so is the Person suffering; and then he was not only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Ransom to redeem us from Hell, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Price given to God, to purchase for us Heaven, and eternal Glory. An ordinary Surety, if he pays the Debt, he frees the Debtor from Bonds, and hath done his Work: but Jesus Christ was no ordinary Surety, he was to bring us to Grace and Favor with God, and to merit Heaven for us; now such a Person as could lay an Obligation upon God, must needs be Infinite.

(2.) Then for Intercession, the other Act of his Priesthood. He that intercedes with God, must be God, to know our Wants and Necessities; as the High Priest had the Names of the twelve Tribes upon his Breast and Shoulders, Exod. 20.12, 29. so Jesus Christ hath the Names of all the Elect; he knows their Desires, Wants, Conflicts; he is to negotiate with God in behalf of all Believers, that he may dispatch Blessings suitable to their State. Now who can do this but God, who knows the Heart and tries the Reins? Who could know our Needs, our Wants, our Thoughts, Sins, Prayers, Groans, Desires, Purposes throughout all the World? Who can wait upon our Business day and night, and continually interpose, that Wrath do not break out upon us, but such an All-sufficient Savior as he is?

Secondly, That he is God, and so fitted for this Work. In times of Delusion it is good to settle Foundations, and give you Grounds of Faith. It may be, a Discourse upon the Godhead of Christ Men may think unnecessary; 1 John. 5.20. This is the true God and eternal Life. Isa. 9.6. The mighty God ; and here in the Text he is called the great God. Rom. 9.5. God blessed forever. These Proofs are so pregnant that they need no Illustration. And certainly he is not God by Grant or Courtesy; but it doth unavoidably follow, if he be God, he must be so by Nature, for the Lord will not give his Glory to another. Nay, Col. 2.9. In him dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily, that is, essentially; not only Divine Qualities, such as are infused into us, but the whole Essence of the Godhead was in him as in its proper Residence. Again, Phil. 2.6. Who being in the form of God, thought it not Robbery to be equal with God. It was not a Usurpation of another's Right. And you know this Doctrine Christ himself preached, John 5.18. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he said, that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Certainly when Christ said God was his Father, he did not mean it in an ordinary sense, as he is our God and Father, but as his eternal everlasting Son. Thus Christ is the great God.

Use 1. Let us observe the Love of Christ in becoming Man, and let us improve it.

1. Observe it. Men show Love when they have another's Picture about their Necks. What Love did Christ show, when he took our Natures! To see the great God in the form of a Servant, hanging upon the Cross, this is wonderful Condescension. Christ's Incarnation was a glorious Contrivance; 1 Tim. 3.16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness, God manifest in the Flesh. If God had not revealed it, it would have been Blasphemy for us to think it; Angels stoop to see it, the Prophets studied it again, how should the Saints admire it! Among the Friars they count it a mighty Honor done to their Order, if a great Prince, when he is weary of the World, cometh and taketh their Habit, and dieth in their Habit. Certainly it is a mighty Honor to Mankind, that the Son of God should take upon him the Nature of Man, and die in our Nature; and that the Word should not only be made Flesh, but be made Sin, and made a Curse for us.

2. Improve it.

(1.) Let us be desirous to be made Partakers of his Nature, as he is of our Nature; 2 Pet. 1.4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises, that by these ye may be partakers of the Divine Nature. Christ's partaking of our Nature was his Abasement, the Sun of Righteousness went backward; but our partaking of the Divine Nature is our Preferment.

(2.) Let us use ourselves more honourably for Christ's sake. The Philistines would no more tread on that Threshold on which their Idol Dagon fell, 1 Sam. 5.5. Shall we defile that Nature which the Son of God assumed? Certainly everyone of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honor, 1 Thess. 4.4.

Use 2. Here is an Invitation to press us to come to Christ, or by Christ to God, Christ is worth a thousand of us. We are to seek a Match for our Master's Son. Our way to win you, is to tell you what he is; that those who have given up their Names to him may keep themselves as pure Virgins till his Coming. 2 Cor. 11.2. I am jealous over you with godly Iealousy: for I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste Virgin unto Christ. Now that you may be wrought upon, I will tell you what he is; he is God-Man in one Person: he is Man, that you may not be afraid of him; and God, that he may do you good: He is the Lord of Lord's, the King of Kings, the Heir of all things, the Savior of the World, a proper Object for your Faith; 1 Pet. 1.21. Who by him do believe in God, who raised him up from the dead, and gave him Glory, that your Faith and Hope might be in God. He knows your Wants, and is able to supply them: yea, he is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, Heb. 7.25. Tho we are unworthy, yet he needeth no Portion with us; we can bring nothing to him, but he hath enough in himself, I am God All-sufficient; as Esther had all things for her Purification given her at the King's Cost. Nay, it is danger to neglect him; Heb. 12.25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh: for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven. It is God wooeth you, he will take you with nothing; you bring him nothing but Necessity, but he will pay all your Debts. Nay, nothing can hurt you, as long as he is on your side, Rom. 8.31. If God be for us, who can be against us? Do not leave then, till you can say as Thomas, Joh. 20.28. My Lord, and my God. Take him, but give him the Honor of a God, Adoration, Invocation, Faith and Love.

Use 3. Direction.

1. If we would see God, let us look on Christ, as we look on the Sun in a Bas • n of Water. Christ is the Character of his Father's Person; Heb. 1.3. Who is the Brightness of his Glory, and the express Image of his Person.

2. If we would see Sin without Horror and Despair, let us look on Christ; all the heavenly Powers could not bring us into favor with God again.

Secondly; For the Title of Mercy and Love. Christ is a Savior as well as the great God. How is Christ the Savior? Take it thus, Positively as well as Privatively; he doth not only free us from Misery, but gives us all spiritual Blessings; Ephes. 1.3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ. As he frees us from Misery, so he gives us everlasting Life: John 3.16. That whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting Life. Then he is a Savior, not only by way of Deliverance, but by way of Prevention; he doth not only break the Snare, but keeps our Feet from falling; he not only cures our Diseases, as a Physician, when we are sick, but he leads, guides and keeps us as a Shepherd. We do not take notice of preventive Mercy; How many times might we fall if we had not a Savior? Prevention is better than Escape; better never meet with Danger, than be delivered out of Danger. There is an invisible Guard, we are not sensible of it, but the Devil knows and is sensible of it; Job 1.10. Thou hast made an Hedg about him, and about his House, and about all that he hath on every side. Again, he is a Savior by way of Merit, and by way of Power; not only to rescue us from Satan, but to redeem us to God. If a Man would deliver a condemned Person, it is not enough to take him by force out of the Executioner's hands, but he must satisfy the Judge. Thus hath Christ done, not only delivered us from the Power of Darkness, but God in Christ is well-pleased, he hath satisfied his Father's Wrath. Again, before his Exaltation he redeemed us, then he deserved our Salvation, and afterwards he works our Salvation. When he was upon Earth, he was a Savior by Merit, therefore it is said, we have Salvation by his Death, 1 Thess. 5.9. God hath not appointed us unto Wrath, but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us. And after his Exaltation he works out our Salvation, and so we are saved by his Life; Rom. 5.10. Much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his Life. Living and dying, he is ours, that so living and dying, we might be his. Again, he saves not only for a while, so as we might be lost afterwards, but forever; therefore it is called eternal Salvation, Heb. 5.9. And being made perfect, he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him. He saves us not only from Temporal Misery, but from Hell and Damnation; he saves not only the Body, but the Soul: Nay, he saves not only from Hell, but the very fear of it; Heb. 2.15. And deliver them who through fear of Death, were all their Life-time subject to Bondage. He not only delivers us from the hurt of Death, but the fear of it: He doth not only give us Heaven, but Hope, and frees us from Bondage and Despair. He not only saves us from the Evils after Sin, but from the Evil of Sin: So Mat. 1.21. Thou shalt call his Name Jesus, for he shall save his People from their Sins ; and there is the chief Point of his Salvation. In short, he not only saves us in part, but to the utmost, Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able also to save to the uttermost, all that come unto God through him. He not only gives us Grace at first, but all things that are necessary to Life and Godliness.

Use 1. Bless God for Christ, that he hath taken the care of our Salvation into his own Hands; he would not trust an Angel with it, none was fit for it but him; Isa. 59.16. He saw, and there was no Man, and wondered that there was no Intercessor: therefore his Arm brought Salvation unto him, and his Righteousness it sustained him. Christ did as it were look down from Heaven, and say, Alas! there are poor Creatu • es like to perish for want of a Savior; I will go down and help them myself. Look as when Jonah saw the Storm, he said, Take me up, and cast me into the Sea, and then shall the Sea be calm to you, Jonah 1.12. So when the Lord Christ saw the Tempest raised, he said, Cast me into the Sea. Lo, I come to do thy Will, O God, Heb. 10.9. The Storm was raised for Jonah 's sake; but we raised the Storm, and yet Christ would be cast in to appease it: Therefore bless God for Christ.

Use 2. Get an Interest in him. O be not quiet till you are able to say, Our Savior. You can take no Comfort in the great God until the next Title follows, and you can call Christ your Savior: but that is matter of Joy and Comfort; Luke 1.46, 47. My Soul doth magnify the Lord, and my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.

But what shall we do that we may apply this?

1. Reject all other Savior's. Neither is there Salvation in any other; for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved ; Acts 4.12. Mark, when God threatened a Deluge to sweep away the old World, there was no Safety but in the Ark: if the World had devised other Ships, yet they would not hold out against the Flood. So whatever you do, unless you close with Christ, and are grafted and implanted into Christ, as Members of his Body, (for he is only the Savior of his Body) you are not safe. But especially take heed of making a Savior of Self, that we are wont to set up instead of Christ; of setting up the Merit of thy Works, and the Power of thy Nature, the one renounceth the Humiliation of Christ, the other his Exaltation. Be at a loss till you close with Christ, for Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. The sinking Disciples cried, Lord, save us, we perish, Mat. 8.25. It is long e're God bringeth us to this; we never look after Christ till we are ready to perish and be undone. Why should we make choice of a Savior but in case of Danger? Faith necessarily implies this, a renouncing ourselves, not in Words, but in the Temper and Frame of our Hearts. You cannot practice swimming on shore, or on the firm Land; but then we strive to swim, when we are ready to perish in the Flood; so when you are utterly lost in yourselves, then you will look after Christ.

2. Be earnest with God for an Interest in Christ, and for the Manifestation of it; cry out with David, Psal. 35.3. Say to my Soul, I am thy Salvation. You must choose Christ as a Savior. Faith is a Consent to take Christ as God offers him: you must consent to the Articles of the Covenant of Grace, that you will have no other Savior but Christ, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my Portion, saith my Soul. And go to God that he would ratify your Choice by his Consent; desire God that he would say Amen, that Christ might be thy Savior. You had better be a Beast than a Man, if you have not an Interest in this Salvation. The Death of a Beast is the end of his Woe and Labor, but then yours begins. The greatest part of Salvation is to be delivered from Evil to come; therefore be earnest with God, that your Interest in this Salvation might be cleared up.

SERMON XIX.

IN this Paragraph I have observed, (1.) The Teacher. (2.) The Lesson. (3.) The Encouragements to Learning. The Teacher is the Grace of God. The Lesson is the whole Duty of our Heavenly Calling. The Encouragements to Learning are twofold; some taken from the Hope of eternal Life, and some from the End and Effect of Christ's Death. I have finished the former, and now come to the latter sort, taken from the End and Effect of Christ's Death. So that whether we look forward or backward, we still meet with Obligations to Obedience: Forward, there is a glorious and blessed Hope ; backward, there is a great Obligation established upon the Creature, The Lord Christ gave himself for us, to redeem us from all Iniquity. Certainly there is a lawful use of Hope, that hath a great Influence upon Grace; but the great Principle of the Gospel is Gratitude and Thankfulness to Christ; therefore let us look upon this second Encouragement. We enter upon other Services out of Hopes, but we enter upon Christ's Service out of Thankfulness and Gratitude; it is an ingenuous Service.

In this Verse you have,

1. Christ's Act, He gave himself for us.

2. His Aim, to redeem us, &c. And this is expressed partly by the Privative Part, to redeem us from all Iniquity ; and partly by the Positive Part of it, and purify unto himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works: Here is Redemption and Sanctification. I observe it the rather, because both parts are suited to the Exhortation. There was the Privative Part, denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts ; and suitably hereunto we are redeemed from all Iniquity ; then the Positive Part, living soberly, righteously, godly. So Christ did not only die to free us from Hell, but to make us holy: where we have the inward Constitution, to purify unto himself a peculiar People ; and the outward Conversation, or the Sign and Manifestation of it, zealous of good Works. All these things are Arguments to enforce the Matter in hand. There is the Act of Christ; Shall Christ die for us, and we cherish his Enemy? Shall he be our Savior, and we hug and cherish that which is contrary to him, Worldly Lusts, and Ungodliness in the Heart? Then his Aim, he died to free us from the Bondage of Sin: therefore they that would have their Sins live, are said to put their Redeemer to Shame, and make his Kindness void. Then Christ died to make us a peculiar People, and shall we live as the rest of the Multitude do? We expect great Benefit from him, therefore certainly we must be holy, and not pick and choose how we would have him a Savior unto us.

I begin with the first thing, Christ's Act, He gave himself for us ; that is, to be an Expiatory Sacrifice: he gave himself to die for us, John 17.19. I sanctify myself for their sakes ; that is, set apart myself as a Sacrifice. 1 Tim. 2.6. Who gave himself a Ransom for all.

The Point is, Christ's Willingness to suffer for the fallen and lost Creature.

I. I shall demonstrate it by some Expressions by which it is discovered.

II. Give the Grounds why Christ gave himself by such a willing Resignation to be our Propitiatory Sacrifice, to be a Ransom to God.

I. For the Expressions of his Willingness. And there I shall begin with his Eternal Longings to be with the Sons of Men, before ever there was Hill or Mountain in the World: Prov. 8.31. Rejoicing in the habitable Parts of the Earth; and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. Mark, long before ever the World was, Jesus Christ was feasting himself with the thoughts of his own Grace, and what he would do for Men. He desired the making the World, and fixing the Bounds of our Habitation that he might be with us; there was his End. Angels were the Workmanship of his Hands as well as Men; nay, in their Frame and Constitution, they were more noble Creatures than Man; yet Christ doth not say, My Delight was to be with Angels, but with the Sons of Men. I was thinking of the Day I should come into the World, and die for Men, and purchase exceeding Grace for them. The next Expression is Psal. 40.7, 8. when God's Decree came to be expressed and made known to the Church; see what Christ saith, Lo, I come; In the Volume of the Book it is written of me. I delight to do thy Will, O my God: yea, thy Law is within my Heart. For the understanding of this place, you must know, the Divine Justice is there introduced as proposing its Demands; God in his Justice, as it were, speaking thus to Christ, Son, I am weary of Sacrifice and Burnt-Offerings: Hitherto I have shown myself gracious to the World, whilst Burnt-Offerings stood; now I resolve to show myself Just, as the Apostle explains this, Rom. 3.26. To declare, I say, at this time his Righteousness, that he might be just. As long as God accepted of Burnt-Offerings, he was a God of Patience and Forbearance, and not willing to execute his Wrath upon Creatures, Burnt-Offerings served the turn: But, saith God, the World shall know, though I pardon, yet I will be just; therefore now you must take a Body, Man's Blood is tainted, and you must be formed in fashion like one of them, and stand in the Sinner's stead; I shall expect from you Satisfaction for every Elect Person; you must give your Cheeks to the Nippers, and your Back to the Smiters; you must be tempted by the Devil, hunted and baited by Men, to be responsible to my just Wrath. The Decree is past, a Body is prepared, you must take it, and go down to the Sons of Men: you are the Sinner in the Law, if you take this Body. These were the Demands of God to Christ. Now, saith Christ, Lo, I come to do thy Will. Father, I am willing to stand in their stead, to accept of all, to be responsible to thy Justice. So when Christ was come in the Flesh; John 4.34. My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me, and to finish his Work. What was the Work for which God sent Christ? Sad Work, to make Reconciliation for Sinners, to die in their stead; and yet, saith Christ, this is my Meat. Look, as a hungry Man prizeth his Food, so doth the Lord Christ value and prize his Work, nay, infinitely more. Christ himself was then hungry, and had sent to the Market to buy Provision, but he had now met with other Meat to eat, he was dealing with a poor lost Soul. Nay, we have not yet the Full of the Expression, for Christ seems to speak there by way of Excellency, this was his choice Dish, the Diet that suited with his Appetite. God hath vouchsafed us great store of Creatures, but some Meats we relish better than others; as Isaac loved his Venison, that was Meat for his Tooth. And when we come to a Feast, everyone saith of the Dish he most affects, This is my Meat: So Christ seems to speak, my Meat, by way of Eminency, that is the Dish I affect, that my Soul longs to taste of; it is to do my Father's Work, and to be employed for the Salvation of Sinners. Nay, yet further, Christ seems to speak by way of Appropriation, my Meat ; that is, mine alone; he alone tasted of this Cup. At this Table none eat but he, none was to taste of his Father's Wrath but he, none was to drink of this bitter Cup but he. Again, Luke 12.50. I have a Baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! The Baptism Christ speaks of there, was the Baptism of Blood, to make a Laver of his own Blood: He was about to make a Bath for Sinners, to wash our Garments white; and he thought he never could soon enough empty his Veins, and go to the last Work wherewith our Redemption was to be accomplished, to close up all with his Death; I am straitened and troubled in Spirit till the time come. Another emphatical Expression we have, Luke 22.15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Why was Christ so earnest to eat that Passover? Because it was the last; it was a Passover that was sauced with Gall and Vinegar, much more sharp than that which the Jews offered him upon the Cross; it was the immediate Forerunner of his Agonies and bitter Sorrows in the Garden, yet with desire have I desired it ; it is a Hebraism, O my Soul vehemently and earnestly hath longed for this time. Another Expression we have, Mat. 16.22, 23. Peter had dissuaded Christ from suffering; Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee. Christ rebuked him, Get thee behind me, Satan ; compared with Mark 4.10. with the same Indignation that he rebukes the Devil tempting him to Idolatry, he rebukes Peter dissuading him from Suffering. His Heart was set upon the Work of our Redemption, therefore Peter is thus rebuked. Another Expression of his willingness, is his bidding Judas hasten his Work; John 13.27. What thou dost, do quickly. Certainly it was not out of an Approbation of his Sin, but a Testimony of his Love, the sooner the better. Christ when he considered that poor Creatures had Souls to save, and all was not finished, thought the Traitor was too slow, for he desired to get his Body upon the Cross, and finish all his Work for our Salvation. Again, his Behaviour at his Death shown his willingness. Christ had the command of Legions of Angels, but would not suffer one Disciple to draw his Sword. He might have prevented all, and have withdrawn himself from their Fury, for he foreknew what would befall him. He had been discoursing with his Disciples, and encouraging them to bear the Trial patiently; yet doth not forsake the place of his usual resort, he goes to the Garden where he knew Judas would betray him, being willing to dispatch all. One Expression more we have, which gives you an account of his Patience in Suffering: Isa. 53.7. He was oppressed, he was afflicted, yet he opened not his Mouth; he was brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter, and as a Sheep before her Shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his Mouth. The poor Sheep, when under the Shearers hands, is meek and dumb; and the Lamb goes to the Slaughter without howling and crying, so doth the Lord Christ go to the Altar quietly without struggling.

II. For the Grounds of this Willingness. They are his own Love, and his Obedience to his Father's Will. Sometimes it is said, that Christ gave himself; and sometimes it is said, that God the Father gave Christ. Christ gave himself, Gal. 1.4. Who gave himself for our Sins. God the Father is said to give him, John 3.16. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son. In some places it is made an Act of his own personal Love, Gal. 2.20. Who loved me, and gave himself for me: And, Ephes. 5.25. Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it. At other times it is made to be an Act of Obedience, Phil. 2.8. He became obedient to Death, even the Death of the Cross. And, John 10.18. This Commandment I received of my Father. Indeed there was a concurrence of both, of Love in Christ, and Obedience to his Father.

1. There was a Love to us. Christ was drawn to this Work with no other Cords but his own Bowels. It was Love that brought him out of Heaven, and Love nailed him to the Cross, and Love laid him in the Grave, and made him free among the Dead. If you ask, Upon what Errand came the Son of God out of the Bosom of the Father? I answer, Upon a Design of Love. Of what Sickness he died? I answer, Of Love; not by Constraint certainly; though he died a violent Death, it was merely by Consent; John 10.18. No Man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. Rev. 1.5. To him that loved us, and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood.

2. There was his Obedience to God. As Jesus Christ was God, so by one and the same Will doth the Father give Christ, and the Son give himself; for the Father's Will is his Will: they are one in Essence, therefore one in Will, and one in Operation; and what the Father doth, the Son doth, because of the Unity of Essence: John 5.19. What things soever the Father doth, these also doth the Son likewise. But this is not all, consider Jesus Christ as Mediator; so there is a Consent of Obedience to the Father, and so as the Father appoints, he presents himself as the Price and Sacrifice for Sin; Homines, non propter homines, sed propter Deum dilexit ; He loved Men, not for Men's sake, but God's: The meaning is, the Goodness of the Creature is not the Cause of Christ's Love, but his Love to God; and that gives us sure ground of Hope: Christ loves us not for our own sakes▪ but for his Father's sake.

Now give me leave to show, why it was necessary that Christ should give up himself; partly out of Love, and partly out of Obedience.

1. It was necessary that he should give up himself out of Obedience, partly that his Love might be Rational. The Lord is a God of Judgment, a wise God, and all he doth is with Reason. Now the only supreme Reason why Christ loves us, is the Will of God, and the Command of his Father. Solomon saith, Prov. 17.18. A Man void of Understanding striketh Hands, and becometh Surety in the presence of his Friend. How is that? that is, before his Friend asks or desires it: it is a Fault to be over-forward and prodigal of Favors. It is a Rational Love that is in Christ, and partly he doth it out of Obedience, to preserve a Respect to God the Father. Christ loves us for his sake, and therefore we should love God in Christ the more. And partly it is the Wisdom of God, that the Reasons of Love should lie without Man himself, and be found among the Divine Persons, because of the Father's Good-will and Command.

2. It was convenient that Christ should give himself out of his own Love, partly that Christ might be a fit Mediator. It cannot stand with God's Justice, to punish an Innocent Person for a Nocent, unless he himself be willing; therefore that Christ might be a Mediator, he had a Will of his own, otherwise God could not in Honor exact the Debt of Christ, but that there was a voluntary Susception, he took it upon himself. The Lord Christ, when he condescended to the Father's Motion, when by his own Will he gave up himself, and set himself wholly apart to be our Redeemer, God might justly require the Debt of him. When Paul would take Onesimus his Debt upon himself, Philemon might justly require it of him; Philem. v. 18, 19. If he have wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine Account. I Paul have written it with mine own Hand, I will repay it. Or I may illustrate it thus; In the Case of Jonah, the Mariners were loath to throw him Over-board; but when he saw the Tempest, and said, Cast me into the Sea, and there shall be a Calm, then they took him up and cast him in. So when the Lord Christ saw the Tempest of his Father's Wrath that was rising against Sinners, he saith, Cast me into the Sea. Indeed there was a difference, the Tempest there was for Jonah 's sake, but this was for our sakes; I saw there was no Intercessor, th • refore my own Arm brought Salvation. The Father's Ordination had no place or room without Christ's voluntary Susception and Undertaking. And partly too, to set off the worth of his Love. Willingness and Freeness commends a Kindness, and makes it great. What more free than a Gift? Therefore his Passion was voluntary. Extorted Courtesies lose their Value, therefore Jesus Christ gave up • imsel • to be a Sacrifice for us. But the chiefest Reason is this, Christ willingly offered up himself, that all things might come freely and sweetly from his Father to us; that so God might rejoice over us to do us Good, as the Expression is, Ier. 32.41. All a wicked Man's Blessings seem to be extorted from Providence; they have them not from the Heart of God, but from God's Anger, as the murmuring Israelites had Quails. But now that we might have Mercies from God's Heart, and not from his Hand only, that Mercy might come from Love, and all run in a free Channel to us; and as a Gift therefore did Christ give himself.

Object. But did not Christ pray that the Cup might pass from him? And did not he fear, and his Human Nature stagger and recoil at the Greatness of his Sufferings? We read of Prayers, Tears, and strong Cries, Heb. 5.7. and therefore how was Christ so willing?

Answ. Christ's Prayers were rather for our Example and Comfort, than to decline the Suffering. Heb. 4.15. He was in all Points tempted like as we are, yet without Sin. He was to show himself true Man, and therefore was to have human Love, human Abhorrencies, and human Aversations. He was to put on all the innocent Passions of our Nature; it was not convenient Christ should suffer as a Stock, and dead lump of Flesh. In short; in his Sufferings, Christ was to discover a double Relation; he was to act the part of a private Person, and of a public Person: Of a private Person, to show the Verity of his human Nature; and of a public Person, to discover his Willingness to die for the Elect. Now he doth both these. It is the Nature of Man to shun that which is grievous and painful to him; he was to look upon his Sufferings as contrary to the Perfection and Liberty of his human Nature, and so he was to pray, Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from me. But now, as a public Person, and as Mediator, so he was extremely willing to do this Office of Love for us. The innocent Passions of his human Nature, discover the Greatness of his Sufferings, they made his Manhood recoil and stagger, as being amazed at the dreadfulness of that he was to suffer. And though his private human Nature be allowed to speak, Father, let this Cup pass ; yet his public Relation hath a casting Voice, and his submission as a public Person, showeth his willingness to endure these Sufferings; therefore, he saith, Not my Will, but thine be done, and freely yields up himself. These Fears of Christ, certainly were no shrinking from the Work, but only a natural Consternation and Retirement from what is dreadful. Christ's Fears were a part of that Fire wherein our Sin-offering was to be burnt and roasted; and therein he showed his willingness, that he freely gave up himself to be scorched with those dreadful Apprehensions of God's Wrath. For it is very notable, his Agonies came not upon him before he pleased, for it is said, Matth. 26.38. he went into the Garden, and then began to be sorrowful; Christ could have kept it off longer, and brought it on sooner. And then his Tears were but the overflowing of his Love; he had an Ocean in his Heart, and suffered it to flow out in his Eyes; it was part of the Deluge wherein he would drown the World of Sin: therefore these do not disparage, but increase his Willingness.

Use 1. To press us to Thankfulness. Here are many Circumstances; the Giver, the Gift, the Manner of Giving, the End of Giving, and the Persons to whom.

1. The Giver, and that is Jesus Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Usually Men make a Market of their Courtesies, they give to them that can give again, and make them Recompence; but he is that blessed Lord, to whom nothing could accrue from us. In short; the Father gave him, and he gave himself. There is infinite Love, in that God the Father gave him; John 3.16. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son. It tells you not how, but leaves you to wonder and admire at it. I would represent it a little to you, and therefore let us measure it by created Affections. The Affections of the Virgin Mary to Christ, is the fittest Glass I can represent it by. From her he took his Substance, that had the Interest of an earthly Mother. Now, how was she troubled? What Commotion was in her Bowels? The Holy Ghost expresseth it, Luke 2.35. Yea, a Sword shall pierce through thy own Soul also, that the Thoughts of many Hearts may be revealed. She was like one wounded to the Heart, when she saw Christ hung upon the Cross; yet he took but his human Body from her. If there was such a Commotion in the Bowels of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Lord, what then was it for God the Father to give up his only Son? His Love was Infinite, yet he gave up Christ. We read of some Fathers who have much denied themselves; Abraham offereth Isaac; Ieptha offereth his Daughter; Lot would have given his Daughters to save his Guests. These are but obscure Shadows of the Father's giving up of Christ, in whom he took infinite Complacency and Contentment. And then bless God for this willing Condescension of the Lord Christ, that his Heart was so taken with the Motion the Father makes to him, Son, you must be responsible to my Justice, and take a Body; Christ replied, Lo, I come. And, Isa. 53.11. He shall see of the Travel of his Soul, and be satisfied. To bring Sons to Glory, cost the Lord Christ much travel of Soul; but, he saith, all this is well enough, if he shall see the Fruit of it, it is enough, I am satisfied; this is enough for all the Temptations in the Wilderness, enough for all the Agonies in the Garden, enough for all the Sorrows on the Cross, if a few Creatures might be saved and brought to God. And consider, the Father's Giving, and the Son's Giving, they are not contrary, and do not destroy one another. The Father's Love doth not lessen Christ's, but commend it, that he hath the same good-will to us as the Father had. Jesus Christ as Mediator, is the Servant of God's Decrees. Many times the Servant hath not the same Affection to the Work as the Master hath. But it is otherwise here, God's Heart and Christ's Heart, is set upon the Work; God sets him a-part to be a Mediator, and Christ sets himself a-part to see what he can do to save Creatures. O bless the Lord. Thus for the Giver.

2. The Gift, He gave himself, not an Angel. Among all the Treasures of Heaven and Earth, there was nothing more excellent and precious than the Lord Christ: He doth not give Gold and Silver, but himself to die for us; 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, &c. but with the precious Blood of Christ. And how doth he give himself? Certainly his whole Self, Body and Soul; his Godhead was engaged in this Work, though that could not suffer: He shall make his Soul an Offering for Sin, Isa. 53.10. Christ's Soul was to stand in our Souls stead. His Soul was heavy to the Death, as well as his Body abused, mangled with Whips, and exposed to Sufferings. And the Godhead itself assisted, all was interested in it: So that look as when the Sun shines upon a Tree, though you cut the Tree, you do not cut the Sun; so the Godhead stood by, but suffered nothing. Christ suffered not only Death, but Desertion. The Soul's forsaking of the Body at Death, was nothing so heavy as God's forsaking of the Soul, when he cries out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mat. 27.46. Many forsook him, his Disciples left him; they all fled, but Christ complains not of this: but there was the suspension of the wonted Joys of the Godhead, and that troubled him: This was the Passion of his Passion. The Moon loseth no Brightness when it suffereth an Eclipse by the Interposition of the Earth, but shines as bright as ever: so the Lord Christ lost nothing, but only there was an Eclipse of God's Countenance, and this was the Terror and Anguish of his Soul.

3. Consider the Manner of giving, it was free and voluntary, without reluctancy, which was the great Argument of his Love; freely and willingly he gave up himself. Gal. 2.20. The Life that I live in the Flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Faith pitcheth upon this Circumstance, Who loved me, and gave himself for me, to urge us to the spiritual Life.

4. Consider for what End it was. Ephes. 5.2. He gave himself for us an Offering, and a Sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling Savour. The Sacrifice that was offered for the whole Congregation, was to be killed without the Camp, and the Blood to be brought with sweet Perfume to the Mercy-Seat. So the Lord Christ comes out of Heaven to be killed on Earth, and then is gone to Heaven to represent his Sacrifice to God as a sweet Perfume. He gave himself to be a Ransom for us, to die a shameful and accursed Death on the Cross: he gave himself to be substituted in our room and stead. The sadness of every Loss is according to the measure of Enjoyment. Life died, Righteousness was made Sin; O blessed Exchange!

5. Consider for whom he doth it. The Apostle saith, it was for us, not for Angels: Tho they did far exceed Man in Excellency of Nature, yet God would not treat with the lost Angels, they were never recovered; but he gave himself for us Men. Nay, not only for us that were his Creatures, but that were his Enemies, vile and unworthy Sinners; Rom. 5.8. God commendeth his Love towards us, in that while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us. A Man would even die for a good Man, though there be but a few such Persons in the World: but here the Just dies for the Unjust; 1 Pet. 3.18. For Christ also hath once suffered for Sins, the Just for the Unjust, that he might bring us to God. Now this commends his Love indeed, in that it was for us vile Miscreants, Dust and Ashes. Adam sold us for a thing of naught, an Apple, and so the Lord might have condemned us, cast us off, and created another World of nobler Creatures than the present Race of Men, or might have redeemed us at a cheaper rate. Let all this quicken us to Thanksgiving.

Use 2. Exhortation. If Christ hath given himself, it presseth us,

1. To accept Christ, and entertain him in our Hearts. Shall Christ give himself, and will not we accept the Gift? It is true, when he gave himself for us, he gave himself to God the Father: as you know the Price must be paid to the Creditor. Satisfaction is made to the Judge. But as he gave himself for us, so he gives himself to us; and thus he is offered in the Gospel: Therefore it is said, Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation for our Sins. In the Gospel God holds out Christ, and makes an Offer; Sinners, will you take him? Shall Christ offer himself thus, and shall not we esteem and value this Gift, and entertain it in our Hearts with all Thankfulness? Certainly we do not know what a Gift Christ is, and therefore we do not prize it: John 4.10. If thou knewest the Gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked, and he would have given thee living Water. Here is the best Gift ever God can give. If we knew Christ, our Affections would not be so cold. God is represented in Scripture with two Hands, and he hath Gifts in his Right Hand, and Gifts in his Left Hand. There is Jesus Christ, Grace, Pardon and Salvation, and all that is dear and precious; these are the Blessings of his Right Hand. In his Left Hand there are Riches and Honor, Estate, Lands, Houses, Supplies of the present Life. Now art thou a Goat or Sheep? one that shall stand at God's Left or Right Hand? Thou art known by thy Choice. All that are for the World, run for a worldly Portion, and neglect Christ. We count those Children foolish, who prefer an Apple before a Jewel: So here the Lord sets out to us Christ, and the Things of this Life, and Men prefer the base Contentments of the World before Christ. Therefore let us accept of Christ, if he hath given himself for us.

2. It exhorteth and presseth us to a spiritual Consecration, to give up ourselves to Christ. Rom. 12.1. I beseech you, Brethren, by the Mercies of God, that you present your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable Service. Jesus Christ gave himself as a Sin-offering, and we must give up ourselves as a Thank-offering unto God. Now let me tell you, your giving up yourselves is a far other manner of giving up, than Christ gave up himself. You never keep yourselves so much as when you give up yourselves to God: All the receiving is on our part. God would have us give up our Hearts to him; How? that we might be made better. Better be given up to God, than left to ourselves. Christ gave up himself to be crucified, but we give up ourselves to be glorified. And Jesus Christ gave up himself voluntarily, there was no necessity lay upon him: but woe unto us if we give not up ourselves to God, there is a necessity laid upon us; we do but give God his due and his own, but Jesus Christ had power over his Life, to lay it down, and take it up; for he was an absolute Master of his Life: but we are dependant, under an Obligation; therefore our giving is but to make our Relation to God more explicit. And again, Jesus Christ could sanctify himself; he was Priest; Altar and Sacrifice, and brings all out of his own Store; but all we have is from God: it goeth under the name of our Deed; but the Sacrifice, Fire and Altar, all come down from Heaven; yet the Act must be done by us.

And here take these two Cautions.

1. You must do as Christ did, give up your All, Body, Soul, Estate, Goods, good Name, Life, Parts, Interest, Relations; write upon all, Holiness to the Lord; there must not be a Hoof reserved: for these things are but Trifles in comparison of what Christ parted withal for us. Some stick at one thing, some at another: some divide the Body and the Soul. In times of Safety, when the public Profession of Religion is honorable, then Men will give up their Bodies to Christ; their Eyes shall be lifted up in Prayer, and their Tongues shall speak well of Christ, but their Heart is not given him. In times of Trouble, then they could give God their Souls, but Profession is suspended, the Body must be spared and excused. And then in the Soul, some make an untoward Division between Conscience and Affections; fain they would have Christ to pacify and satisfy their Conscience, but they give their Hearts and Affections to the World. Some could give up their Parts for Christ, O they could plead for him, and do some good Act of Kindness, but not a Penny of their Estates. Christians, you must not thus stand hucking with God, and play Pharaoh 's Trick, but all must be given up. The Devil knows, when we divide, the Whole will fall to his share. It would be sad if God should deal with you as you deal with him, and glorify no more than you give him, take the Body into Heaven, and leave the Soul in Hell.

2. You must not retract your Vows. It is dangerous to alienate things once consecrated, to say with him, I go, Sir, and went not, Mat. 21.30. or as Ananias, to keep back part of the Money for which he sold his Possession, and yet the thing was in his own power. But you are not in your own power, it is not indifferent whether you will give up yourselves to Christ or no, but it is a Duty; and therefore live as if thou wert not thine own Master, but act for Christ, think for Christ, and do for Christ; it is not an hard Law. Consider what Christ did, Christ pleased not himself, Rom. 15.3. He had a private Will as well as you, but he denied it, and yielded to the public Will: Christ did not obey his private Will to the prejudice of his public; therefore let it not be grievous to renounce your Will: 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. For the Love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if Christ died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

3. It presseth you again to a like Readiness in Christ's Service, as the Lord Christ shown in the service of our Souls. Why should we be so backward to come to the Throne of Grace, when Jesus Christ was not backward to go to the Cross? We go grudgingly, when he went so willingly to suffer for us. When the Business was propounded to him, he said, Psal. 40.7, 8. Lo I come: in the Volume of the Book it is written of me, I delight to do thy Will, O my God. So when there's a warm Suggestion upon your Hearts; Psal. 27.8. Thou saidst, Seek my Face; my Heart said unto thee, Thy Face, Lord, will I seek. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? said Paul when he surrendered himself up to God, Acts 9.6. If Christ was longing, when will the World be made, and the Bounds of their Habitation fixed, that I might dwell with them? O we do not long for Heaven as Christ longed for Earth: He could expect nothing but hard Usage, Grief and Death; he came to taste the Vinegar and Gall, and we do not long to taste of the Feast of Love. If Love brought down Christ to us, why cannot it carry us up to God? When you are backward to believe and pray, let it shame you that Christ was so willing. And in the Lord's Supper, let it shame us, that we have less Appetite to feast our Souls with the Benefits of the Cross, than Christ had to endure the Death of the Cross. Can we say with Christ, With desire have I desired to eat this Passover? Here is a Cup of Consolation tempered with Christ's Hand, and we have no earnest Groans after it. Christ could say, It is my Meat to do the Will of God ; and certainly it should be so to us. In the Lord's Prayer, Thy Will be done, immediately goes before a Petition for daily Bread ; to show it should be more desirous for us to do God's Will, than to eat our daily Bread. Christians, when will you learn of Christ? We plead and stand disputing every Inch with God. When you feel any Reluctancy and Regret of Spirit, remember, Christ offered up himself willingly. Christ's Work was sad Work; but he did not say it is a hard Work, and is like to cost me dear, and I shall meet with an unthankful World, and my Doctrine is like to be despised among the Nations; he pleaded none of these Discouragements. O when shall we learn to do as Christ, not to reason, but run the Ways of God's Commandments? Psal. 119.10. With my whole Heart have I sought thee. It is not Obedience, if it be not willing; Psal. 110.3. Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power. When Difficulties arise, consider Christ's Torment and Suffering abated nothing of his Love; John 13.1. — Having loved his own that were in the World, he loved them unto the end. In the midst of his Agonies he still said, Luke 22.42. Not my Will, but thine be done. Let us be content not only to do, but to suffer; 2 Sam. 15.26. Behold, here I am, let him do to me what seemeth good unto him.

Use 3. Here is Encouragement in Believing.

1. In Troubles of Conscience. Christ willingly offered up himself; he went as a Lamb to the Slaughter, therefore he is the Lamb of God, that taketh away the Sins of the World, John 1.29. Willing Sacrifices are acceptable to the Lord, he loveth a cheerful Giver. God had no respect to Cain, because he offered with a grudging Mind. The Sacrifice that came to the Altar struggling, was counted unlucky; if the Beast did roar, or bleat much, or shown much reluctance, it was an ominous sign. More particularly, the great Aggravation of Sin is the willingness of it; not the grosness of the Act, so much as the propension and bent of the Will. If thou hast been a willing Sinner, and art now troubled about it, here is a willing Savior; he suffered as earnestly, and with as much strength of Desire, as ever you committed Sin; Luke 22.15. With Desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Stop the Mouth of Conscience, by considering the burning Desires of his hearty good Will, with what desire, haste and speed, with what vehemency he did long to suffer.

2. In your Prayers and Addresses for Mercy. He that gave himself for us, will he not give us anything? He that was ready to die, will be ready to help; Lo, I come, Psal. 40.7. So when we call upon him; Isa. 58.9. Thou shalt call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. Rev. 22.12. Behold, I come quickly. He giveth the same Answer to our Requests, as to the Father's Commands. Wait with Hope; Christ that gave himself for us, will give himself to us.

SERMON XX.

I Come to handle the second Encouragement, namely, that which is taken from the Merit of Christ's Death: And therein,

• (1.) Here is Christ's Act, he gave himself for us, to be an Expiatory Sacrifice and Ransom for Souls.
• (2.) I come to the second Branch, and that is Christ's Aim, He gave himself: but why? To redeem us from all Iniquity, &c. Here is the Privative and Positive Part of this Deliverance; first Redemption, then Sanctification.

The Privative Part we must first take notice of, and that is Redemption, a Phrase which the Apostle useth here to enforce us to a Denial of Ungodliness and worldly Lusts.

Here I shall first handle the Nature of Redemption in General; and then particularly show how we are redeemed from Iniquity.

I. For the Nature of Redemption: It is the great Gospel-Privilege, and therefore needs to be explained.

To redeem another, it signifies to free them from any Distress, especially from Captivity and Bondage. The Word will be best explained with respect to the Customs and the Figures of the Law of Moses, for certainly from thence it was taken. Now under the Law there was a twofold Redemption; such as was immediately made to God, or else to Man.

1. To God. I observe that there was a kind of Ransom that every Man was to give for his Soul; Exod. 30.12, 13, 14, 15. When thou takest the Sum of the Children of Israel after their Number, then they shall give every Man a Ransom for his Soul unto the Lord, when thou numbrest them; that there be no Plague amongst them, when thou numbrest them. This they shall give, everyone that passeth among them that are numbered, half a Shekel after the Shekel of the Sanctuary; an half Shekel shall be the Offering of the Lord. Everyone that passeth among them that are numbered from twenty Years old and upward, shall give an Offering to the Lord. The Rich shall not give more, and the Poor shall not give less than half a Shekel, when they give an Offering unto the Lord, to make an Atonement for your Souls. Whenever they were numbered by Head and by Pole, that the Plague might not break out among them, they were to give a Ransom for their Souls; which shown that all our Souls were forfeited by Sin to God, and it was in God's Power to take them when he pleased; therefore every Man was to give this Acknowledgment. And some conceive the Plague which fell out in David 's time for numbering the People, was for want of giving this Ransom to God. Now the Poor and Rich were both to give equally the same Ransom, the Poor to give no less, and the Rich no more, viz. half a Shekel, to show that all Souls before God are equal, the Debt was equal, and that the Price of Christ's Blood was equal. We were all forfeited to God, but all the Elect have an Interest in the same Redeemer: This will somewhat explain the Mystery.

2. In that Law there was another Redemption that was to be made to Man; and so there was a twofold Redemption figured in the Legal Dispensation.

(1.) There was a Redemption of the Inheritance, or of the Person of the Brother that was waxen poor, and so through Poverty had sold himself, or sold his Land; Levite. 25.25. If thy Brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his Possession; and if any of his Kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his Brother sold. And ver. 47, 48. And if a Sojourner or Stranger wax rich by thee, and thy Brother that dwelleth by thee wax poor, and sell himself unto the Stranger or Sojourner by thee, or to the Stock of the Strangers Family. After that he is sold, he may be redeemed again, one of his Brethren may redeem him. The Goel, or the next of Kin was to redeem both the Land and Person so sold. All this noteth our State by Nature, we forfeited our Inheritance, and sold ourselves to work Iniquity; there was a voluntary Forfeiture on our Part; and we could not redeem ourselves, for we were waxen poor: And when we had sold ourselves, all of the Kindred were altogether waxen poor, and could not redeem us; Psal. 49.7, 8. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother, nor give to God a Ransom for him: For the Redemption of their Soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever. Therefore Jesus Christ comes from Heaven, and takes Flesh, that he might be of our Blood and Kin, and so jure Propinguitatis ; as being next of Blood, he had a Right to redeem and help us, when we had forfeited ourselves, and were become Slaves and Vassals of Sin and Satan.

(2.) There was the Redemption of Captives. I confess I do not find express mention in the Law of this kind of Redemption, though some Types of this Captivity there were, and therefore here we must allude to the Customs of all Nations: Therefore I shall show;

First ; To whom we were Captives.

Secondly ; The manner of redeeming Captives both among the Jews and all Nations.

First ; To whom we were Captives: to God, to Satan, to Sin.

1. To God. We were the Prisoners of his Justice and Wrath, and therefore called Prisoners in the Pit, in which there is no Water, Zech. 9.11. It is a Description of our natural Bondage. In our Original State we were God's Creatures, but in our degenerate and fallen Estate we are God's Prisoners.

2. We were Captives to Satan, as God's Executioner, given up to his Power, that he might blind, harden and lead us to all manner of Sin by a just Tradition; 2 Tim. 2.26. That they may recover themselves out of the Snare of the Devil, who are taken captive by him at his Will. Natural Men are at the Will of another; as Christ told Peter, John 21.18. Another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldst not. So Satan leads and carries us up and down, but it is there where we would ourselves be; we consent to this Bondage, and are acted by the Spirit of the Devil, and are at his beck. Nay, that is not all, but we are also given up Captives to Satan, that we might be tormented by him; therefore he is said to have the Power of Death, Heb. 2.14. The Devil, as God's Executioner, hath a great Power over carnal Men, to stir up Bondage and Fear, and Horrors of Wrath, and to take them away to Torment, though not as he will, but as God willeth. Satan is our Keeper, as God is our Judge; and Conscience which was made to be God's Deputy, is as it were Satan's Under-keeper, stirs up Fear, and holds us in Chains of Darkness.

3. We are Captives to Sin. Every natural Man is a Slave to his own Lusts; Tit. 3.3. Serving divers Lusts and Pleasures. Man in his natural State is a Slave to his own Affections. For the explaining of which let me tell you, while Man was in his Original State and Condition, his Actions were to be thus governed, the Understanding and Conscience were to prescribe to the Will, and the Will according to right Reason and Conscience was to stir up the Affections; and the Affections according to the Counsel and Command of the Will were to move the Spirits and the Members of the Body: This was the Order settled in Man's Nature before the Fall. But now by Corruption there is a woeful Change and Disorder, and the Head is where the Feet should be; the bodily Spirits move the Affections, the Law in the Members prescribes many times to the Law of the Mind; carnal Pleasures move the Affections, and the Affections carry away the Will by Violence; and the corrupt Bent of the Will blinds the Understanding, and so Man is led headlong to his own Destruction; and therefore the Apostle saith, that carnal Men are sold under Sin; Rom. 7.14. I am carnal, sold under Sin. As Captives in War were sold to be Drudges to those that bought them; so Man by Nature is sold to be a Drudg to his own Lusts, and to be at the Beck of every carnal and unclean Suggestion. Here is the Captivity of Man by Nature, there is the Judge, and that is God, to whose Wrath we are subject; there is the Prison, that is Hell; there is the Keeper of the Prison, that's Satan; and there are the Ropes and Chains by which we are bound, and they are partly our Sins; Prov. 5.22. His own Iniquities shall take the Wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the Cords of his Sins: And partly the Terrors of Conscience, for the Devils are said to be reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness, unto the Judgment of the great Day, Jude 6. which signifies the Horror that is upon the damned Spirits, expecting more Judgment from the Wrath of the Lord, and at the Judgment of the Great Day. The Devils that are most sensible of their Estate, as being actually in Torment, are said to be held in those Chains of Darkness; and we as their Fellow-Prisoners are held in the same Chains, though in the time of God's Patience we do not feel it.

Secondly ; Let us come to the way of redeeming these Captives. Among the Nations there's a four-fold way of redeeming Captives; either gratuitâ manumission, by free Deliverance; or else Permutatione, by way of Exchange; or else violentâ ablation, by way of Force and Arms; or else soluto lutro, by paying the Price or Ransom. The two last are most proper to this Case, taking away by Force, or paying a Ransom; though to me the former also have their Place.

1. By free Dismission on God's Part, that holdeth in the present Case; we are freely dismissed, namely, as there is nothing done on the Captive's Part to free himself. It is said, Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Mark, there is a Redemption in Christ, a Price paid, but no human Satisfaction made; Free-Grace found out the Remedy, not excited by any Works of ours.

2. For Deliverance by way of Exchange, that seems to have some Place here; for Christ was substituted into our Room and Place, so far as would stand with the Dignity of his Person; and he was made a Captive, that we might go free from the Wrath of God, though he was never in Bondage to Sin; so it is said, 2 Cor. 5.21. He was made Sin for us ; that is, a Sin-Offering: and he was made a Curse for us, Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. He was substituted into our Room and Place: saith Austin, Suscepit sin • malis meritis poenam, ut nos sine bonis consequeremur gratiam: He did not deserve the Punishment, as we do not deserve the Glory; only he took our Chains and our Bonds upon himself. In Ecclesiastical Story mention is made of one Pambo, a Monk, a charitable Man, after he had given all his Goods for the Redemption of Captives, and had nothing left but his Bible; Nay (says he) I will give this away also that hath taught me to give other things: and when that was gone, Socrates reports of him, that he gave himself, he went in their stead to stay as a Pledg for them. This I have brought as a Shadow, and some kind of weak Adumbration of Christ's Love to Men, he himself would become the Ransom, and be put in our Place and Room, that we might go free.

3. Another way of Deliverance is by Force and powerful Rescue: and thus Christ hath redeemed us, as we were under Satan's Power, and held under Sin. As Abraham rescued Lot when he was taken captive, Gen. 14. So did Christ make a Rescue of us when we were led captive by our own Lusts; or rather (for this was the Type of it) as God by a mighty Hand recovered Israel out of Egypt. Egypt signified the Kingdom and Power of Darkness; so we are said to be snatched and recovered out of the Kingdom of Darkness; Col. 1.13. Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness. By a powerful Rescue hath God snatched and taken us out of our spiritual Egypt, out of our natural Bondage. The Blood of the Passover was sprinkled on the Door-Posts, as the Blood of Christ on our Hearts, which is a Mark of Preservation. On the Devil's Part our Captivity was a mere Tyranny and Oppression: for when God was once satisfied, Satan had no more Power by Right over us; and therefore Christ redeems us from the Devil by Force and Violence, he needs not make Satisfaction to him. Therefore it is notable, that in the Sufferings of Christ there was not only the Lord's own Hand and Counsel, but also the Powers of Darkness had a hand in them; therefore it is said, Luke 22.53. This is your Hour, and the Power of Darkness. Though the Devil did not immediately afflict Christ, as some Divines hold, though I dare not positively assert it; yet by his Instruments, the Jews, he crucified him; and therefore justly for this Injury done to Christ, was his Power made void. When Christ did something to God, he was doing something to the Devil; he triumphed over Principalities and Powers by his Cross; Col. 2.15. Having spoiled Principalities and Powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Thus the Elect, the Prisoners of Hope, are called out and set free.

4. Another way is by paying a Price and Ransom, 1 Tim. 2.6. Who gave himself a Ransom for us. Eph. 1.7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood. His Blood was the Price paid to God. Tho Satan held us Captive, yet the Satisfaction must be made to God, because Man had not sinned against the Devil, but against God; and therefore to him it belonged either to condemn, or absolve us, and let us go free; therefore Christ gives Satisfaction to God, and by that means he dissolves the Power of Satan; for God being satisfied, Satan hath no Power over us. Thus you see we are several ways redeemed, freely as to ourselves, by way of Price and Satisfaction as to God, Christ being substituted in our room and place; but by way of Power and Force as to Satan. Thus I have discovered our Redemption by Christ with Allusion to the Figures of the Law, and Custom of Nations.

II. I shall more particularly show you, how we are redeemed from Iniquity. We were under a double Bondage of Sin, the Guilt of Sin, and the Power of Sin, both which made our Condition slavish. The latter is chiefly understood, yet I shall speak a little of both; we are redeemed from the Guilt of Sin by Christ's Satisfaction, from the Power of Sin by his Spirit.

First ; From the Guilt of Sin. Redemption is made mainly to consist in Remission of Sins; Col. 1.14. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood, even the Forgiveness of Sin. So Eph. 1.7. The Apostle in both places explaineth wherein it mainly consists. Now concerning this part I note,

1. That it is the Ground and Pledg of all the rest. Sin being pardoned, the Power of the Devil is abolished, the Wrath of God removed, the Guilt of eternal Death is taken away. Acts 5.31. Him hath God exalted with his Right-hand, to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give Repentance to Israel, and Forgiveness of Sin. So Luke 24.47. And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name. Repentance is the beginning of all new Obedience, and Remission of Sins is the Seed of eternal Life; all Duties are included in Repentance, and all Blessings in Pardon. The Gospel is nothing else but a Doctrine of Repentance and Remission, so that the Devil cannot hold us as his Captives, nor Sin rule in us as in Slaves. This is the Ground and Pledg of the rest.

2. Sin being pardoned, we are freed from the Penalties of Sin, viz. the Evils after Sin. Sin hath a long train of Judgments, all which are done away when Sin is pardoned. It will not stand with the Honor of his Mercy to forgive the Debt, and yet to require Payment; it is a mocking to say, I forgive the whole Debt, and yet to expect part of Payment. Certainly God forgiveth us our Debts, as we are bound to forgive others; so we are bid to pray, Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our Debts, as we forgive our Debtors. Now we are bound to forgive them wholly, and not in part: It would not stand with God's Justice to exact the Debt twice, of Us, and of our Surety. Isa. 53.4. Surely he hath born our Griefs, and carried our Sorrows.

Obj. But we are still subject to Corruption and Misery, the Miseries of the present Life, and Death hereafter.

Answ. (1.) As to Miseries. The Afflictions of God's People seem to be Punishments, but are not, and differ as much as a Punishment and a Medicine. God acts the part of Physician, not of a Judge; he burneth us, cutteth us, puts us to pain, but not to do us hurt; not to satisfy Vengeance, but to better our Hearts. Hic ure, hic seca, Domine! modo parcas in aeternum. Our Afflictions are troublesome to the Flesh, as Punishments are, we cannot expect full Security, or total Exemption from them. Again, they come not by chance; Affliction doth not spring out of the Dust, but they come by special Dispensation; as Punishments also they do not come by chance, Sin is for the most part the occasion of them. God chasteneth them because they have sinned, as we quench a Brand plucked out of the Burning; or, he warneth them that they may not sin again. The Chastisements of the Godly serve for Examples, as well as the Punishments of the Wicked. But they are not properly Judicial Acts to satisfy the Law; as a Judge taketh no notice of the Repentance of the Delinquent, but of his Fault. They are Acts of Love, and a part of God's Family-Discipline. Brambles are not pruned, but Vines; Heb. 12.6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. Bastards are leftto live more at large. Again, they are for the exercise of Grace, not for the destruction of our Persons. A Judge doth not punish Offenders because he loveth them, but because the Law requireth it. If Corrections were Punishments, wicked Men should have the greatest share. Heb. 12.10. He chasteneth us for our Profit, that we might be Partakers of his Holiness. A Judge looketh to the Good of the Common-wealth, to keep Authority, and the Majesty of Government, not the Benefit of the Malefactor. 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the World. The Godly are punished here, that they may not be condemned hereafter. The Scripture every-where maketh it a part of our Blessedness; James 1.12. Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation. Phil. 1.29. Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . They are Dispensations of Love.

Answ. (2.) For Death. This was the primary Effect of Sin, yet it remaineth; Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. But the Curse of the Law is become a Blessing of the Gospel; Death is ours, 1 Cor. 3.22. Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or Death, &c. all are yours. Adam might have lived here happily forever, but Christ hath provided a better place for us; there is a deep Gulf, which cannot be passed but by Death; our present Earthly Nature is not fit for that happy State, 1 Cor. 15.50. Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption. If Christ could have contented himself with giving us an Earthly Paradise, Death had not been necessary. That State in the Garden was an innocent and happy, but an Earthly State: These Bodies of ours that need Meat and Sleep, would have sufficed for the Earthly Garden; but we expect a greater Benefit, and therefore we must be contented with the Way and Passage. Sense and Reason telleth us, that these Bodies which we now carry up and down, are not fit for that State; we must lay what we received from Adam in the Grave, that when it is purged and renewed, we may be like to Christ. The Grain liveth not, except it die; the Shed and old House is pulled down, that God may raise a more glorious Structure. If all Believers should be wrapped up into Heaven, and changed, Miracles would be multiplied without need. It is no Punishment to lose our Corruption and Mortality.

3. The next Proposition is this, That the fairest part of this Redemption is hereafter, then our Happiness in Christ is perfect. Luke 21.28. When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your Heads, for your Redemption draweth nigh. Ephes. 4.30. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption. Then we are past Gun-shot, and out of Harm's way. We are fully redeemed from the Guilt of Sin, when there is no Monument of God's Displeasure left. We must be like our Head in all Conditions. We are not fully freed from the Relicks of Sin till the Resurrection, that we may have new Matter to glorify God when we come to Heaven. Old Adam is not quite abolished, till God be all in all.

Secondly ; He hath delivered us from the Power of Sin. He paid the Price on the Cross; therefore it is said, Rom. 6.6. Our Old Man is crucified with him, that the Body of Sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve Sin. When Christ lay a dying, Sin lay a dying, and bled with him on the Cross; then was Grace purchased: and therefore Faith should look upon Sin as dead and actually crucified, it is done in the Mystery. And then he ascended, and poured out the Spirit now to accomplish this Work. God is satisfied, and Christ's Work lieth now with Satan, and our own Hearts.

1. For Satan. He is dispossessed and cast out at Conversion. Luk. 11.21, 22. When a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace, his Goods are in Safety. But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his Armor, wherein he trusted, and divideth his Spoils. Then Christ taketh away the Prey. The Devil may trouble us, but he is but a Tyrant cast out, he can no more reign. And by preserving Grace, he keepeth possession; Christ will not lose Ground, when once he hath got Footing. Rom. 16.20. The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. As Joshua called unto his Companions, chap. 10.24. Come near, put your Feet upon the Necks of these Kings.

2. As for our own Hearts. He breaketh the Yoke, and sets the Will at Liberty, and maketh us free for God. Rom. 6.17. But God be thanked, ye were the Servants of Sin, but ye have obeyed from the Heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered to you. It was a willing Bondage, but now we are made a willing People; then our Consent was voluntary, now our Resignation is so too. There are indeed some Relicks of Corruption and Opposition left; there are inward Monuments of the Fall as well as outward, as there are some grudgings of a Disease after a Cure; but in Heaven all is perfect, and even now there is not a willing Subjection, but a Resistance made to Sin.

Use 1. To exhort us to Thankfulness to our Redeemer. Remember your former Bondage; it is a woeful Captivity to be under Sin. Those that are under Sin, are under the Curse of the Law, and the Tyranny of the Devil; we could have no boldness with God as a Father, nor look him in the Face; the Law is against us, God is the Judge, Satan the Jailor, our own Consciences an under-Keeper. Our Fears of Death, Judgment and Hell, are a part of our Bondage: But now what cause have we to bless God? Rom. 8.1. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Then to be under the Power of Sin, is a woeful Bondage, to be at the beck of every Lust and carnal Suggestion. Men rejoice in their Bondage, they think there is no such Life as to live at large, and to do as we list; but the more liberty we take in Sin, the greater Slavery; the Work is Drudgery, and the Reward is Death. Sin hath reigned unto Death, Rom. 5.21. 2 Pet. 2.19. While they promise them Liberty, they themselves are the Servants of Corruption: for of whom a Man is overcome, of the same is he brought into Bondage. It is the saddest Judgment to be given up to our own Will, to be given up to Satan, to be given up to Self. What a Slavery is this, when we see Mischief, and know not how to avoid it? Conscience is held a Prisoner; we cannot see a Vanity, but the Heart lingereth after it, and groweth sick, as Ahab for Naboth 's Vineyard. Duties of Godliness are esteemed an heavy Task; the Law of God is impelling to Duty, and the Law of Sin impelling to Evil. What Thanks is due to God for delivering us from so great a Bondage?

Use 2. To press us to avoid Sin. Mortify the Lust, and prevent the Action; let it not reign in the Heart, nor be discovered in the Life and Conversation. Christ died, that the Body of Sin might be destroyed, Rom. 6.6. And he died, to redeem us from our vain Conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. Consider, when Sin remains in its Power, and while you serve Sin, what Dishonor you do to God, and what Disadvantage it is to yourselves.

1. The Dishonor you do to God, to all the Persons in the Godhead. To the Father, by making void the whole Plot of Redemption. This was the eternal Project and Design, as it were, of God the Father, the wise Counsel his Wisdom found out to remedy the Fall of Man. Jesus Christ was ordained before all Worlds, to redeem us from our vain Conversation; 1 Pet. 1.20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World. The Lord projected this way of Restitution from all Eternity, that this Course should be taken to destroy Sin: Now will you go about to make all this void? Then you wrong God the Son, and that many ways: You disparage the worth of his Price, as if it was not sufficient to purchase Grace, and so seek to put your Redeemer to shame: Nay, you disparage the Purity of his Person, for you were redeemed with the Blood of Christ, as a Lamb without spot and blemish. Nay, you disparage the Greatness and Extremity of his Sufferings: It cost him dear to purchase Grace and Deliverance from Sin, and you slight it, and make nothing of it. Then you rob him of the Greatness of his Purchase, he bought us with this great Price, that we might not be our own, and live to our Lusts. Such as are bought with Money, are theirs who bought them: 1 Cor. 6.20. For ye are bought with a Price, therefore glorify God in your Body, and in your Spirit, which are his. Did Christ pay our Debts, and shall we, like desperate Prodigals, do nothing but increase them by our Sin? Then you disparage the Holy Ghost, the Spirit whom Christ doth shed abroad to accomplish his Work: 2 Cor. 3.17. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. The great Work of the Holy Ghost is, to free us from the Bondage of Sin. Have you the Assistance of such a Spirit, and can you not resist carnal Motions? And are you taken with every vain Delight, a Fashion, a sensual Bait? Thus consider what a dishonor it is to God to let Sin live, if Christ died to redeem us. You do as much as in you lieth to defeat the Project of God the Father, the Purchase of the Son, and the Work of the Spirit.

2. It is a Disadvantage to yourselves. You cut off your own Claim, and declare you have no Interest and Share in Christ if Sin live, for he came to redeem us from Iniquity. We cannot have an Interest in any part of Christ's Redemption till this be, for all these go together: God's Anger is not appeased, the Devil's Power is not restrained; the Law's Curse is still in force as long as Sin lives. You can have no Comfort, if you be not freed from Sin; the Wrath of God is against you; and Hell is your Portion; nay, if you are not redeemed from all Sin, for he redeems us from all Iniquity. A Bird that is tied by the Leg, may make a show of escape, but it is fast enough: So though many may abstain from gross Sins, (for they that commit such, show plainly they are acted by the Spirit of the Devil) yet if one Sin remains unmortified, it enthralleth as well as many; but if it reigns in the Soul, you have no Interest in Christ.

Object. You will say, Why should we mortify? what should we trouble ourselves about this? Christ hath done all this.

Answ. No; Christ hath redeemed us from all Iniquity; but his Redemption doth not make void, but oblige our Endeavors: for he undertook as God's Surety that Sin should be destroyed; and as our Surety, that we should not serve Sin; Rom. 6.6. Our Old Man is crucified with him, that the Body of Sin might be destroyed; that henceforth we should not serve Sin. There's a Work on God's part, he undertook for the pouring out of Grace; and on our part, that we should be watchful, and strive against Sin, and watch against all Occasions of it: And he hath given us encouragement so to do; Non pugna sublata est, sed Victoria ; It is not the Conflict against Sin that is taken away by Christ, but the Victory of Sin. Look, as when the Israelites had a Promise, that God would give their Enemies into their Hands; the meaning was not, that they should not strike a Stroke, but they were to fight the Battels of the Lord: So when Christ hath redeemed us from Iniquity, yet we are to use all spiritual means of Mortification, to subdue the Lusts, and to prevent the Act of Sin. It will be our great Condemnation, when we have so much help, that still Sin should remain. Certainly, he is very lazy that will not ply the Oar, that hath both Wind and Tide on his side: And when the Lord Christ hath purchased Grace and the Spirit, yet we will not endeavor against Sin. Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again in the Yoke of Bondage, Gal. 5.1.

Use 3. Direction. When-ever you are troubled with your Sins, and Lusts are too hard for you, go to Christ. It is his Office to redeem you from your Iniquity, and the Tyranny of Sin: Therefore when you feel any Corruption stir, go and complain to him, as Paul did, I cannot do the things I would, Gal. 5.17. Go to Christ for help; he was sent for this purpose to redeem you from Iniquity, and dissolve the Devil's Work. 1 John 3.8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the Works of the Devil. It is his Office to purge the Church, to set us at Liberty, to destroy Satan's Power, to free us from our Passions and Corruptions; therefore go, complain to him of the strength of your Sins, for he will help you.

Use 4. Comfort in our Conflicts. You are sure of a final Victory, before you enter into the Combat; e're long we shall be out of the reach of Temptation, and the Spirit shall be all in all.

Use 5. Examination.

1. Art thou sensible of thy natural Bondage, so as to grieve under it? As the Apostle, Rom. 7.23, 24. I see another Law in my Members, warring against the Law of my Mind, and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin, which is in my Members. O wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death▪ If it be not thus with thee, Redemption by Christ will never be precious; there is sighing and weariness, they lay their sad Estate to Heart, as the Church hung their Harps upon the Willows; it is the Grief of their Souls, that their Lusts held them in Captivity. The Children of God complain more of the Relicks of Sin, than wicked Men do of the full Power of it.

2. Hast thou any Freedom? Sense of Bondage is a good Preparative, but it is not enough. All Christ's Subjects are Kings, they rule over their own Lusts, though not freed from them altogether, they strive against them, and keep them under. And there is not only a freedom from Ill, but a freedom to Good: Psal. 110.3. Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power. They do not serve God by Constraint, but are free to Good, and serve God with a great cheerfulness, as before they served their Lusts. Rom. 7.22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man. They consult with the Word of God, which was before their Bondage and Terror, they have an Ability and Strength to do that which is Good; there is a new Life in them, yet so as they are still excited by the Spirit.

Use 6. It informeth us what is true Liberty, not to live at large. John 8.36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. Not to have Power and Sovereignty over others; not to exercise Command and Authority over others, but to subdue our Lusts; not to be left to ourselves, to do what we please, that is the greatest Bondage. Rom. 6.20. When ye were the Servants of Sin, ye were free from Righteousness ; but to do the Will of God, 1 John 3.5. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our Sins, and in him is no Sin. He died to take away Sin, and to make us like himself, that the World might know, that he was a pure and holy Savior.

SERMON XXI.

IN this latter Branch I observed, Christ's Act, and then his Aim: His Act, he gave himself: His Aim and Intention; And here is the privative part of Deliverance, To redeem us from all Iniquity. This I have finished.

I come to the Positive part, And purify to himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works. He never communicates his Blessings, where he doth not bestow his Grace: He did not only free us from Hell, but from Sin. It is well for the Godly, that Christ came to take away the proud and carnal Heart, to take away Corruption and Iniquity, which is their greatest Eye-sore. But this is not all, there is a positive Blessing; Christ did not only come to deliver us from Sin, but communicate Grace, That he might purify to himself a peculiar People.

Two Points I shall open to you.

• I. That whomsoever Christ maketh his People, he first purifieth them; or, by purifying them, maketh them his People.
• II. Those that are purified, are reckoned his Treasure, or peculiar People.

Doct. I. That whomsoever Christ maketh his People, he first purifieth them; or by purifying, maketh them his People.

Here I shall show you, 1 st. The Necessity. 2 dly. The Manner of it.

First ; The Necessity of this Purification.

1. In regard of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Every Person in the God-head, in the dispensation of Grace, hath a distinct personal Operation; Election is ascribed to the Father, Redemption to the Son, and effectual Application to the Holy Ghost. Now everyone of these Operations respects Holiness: Election, Ephes. 1.4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World, that we might be holy, and without blame before him in Love. Redemption, Ephes. 5.25, 26. Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word. Sanctification, 2 Thess. 2.13. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation, through Sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth. It is for the Honor of every Person, that their Intention may not be frustrate, and chiefly upon this ground, because by this means they would justify and honor their personal Operation to the World. Those that are chosen by the Father, must be of a choice Spirit: Christ will not be the Head of an ulcerous Body; he will not be like Nebuchadnezzar 's Image, whose Head was of fine Gold, his Breast and his Arms of Silver, his Belly and his Thighs of Brass, his Legs of Iron, his Feet part of Iron, and part of Clay, Dan. 2.32, 33. A beautiful Head upon a Negro's Body, is monstrous. We are Vessels formed and set apart for the Master's use: Those that are under his forming, come new out of the Forge. Unclean Vessels can never be used to any good purpose, unless they be washed and sweetened. They are to be looked upon as God's Choice, Christ's Purchase, and the Spirit's Charge. Or if you will have it in other Relations, they are God's Children, Christ's Members, and the Spirit's Temples: God's Children must resemble their Father; Christ's Members must be like their Head; and the Holy Ghost will not dwell in a defiled Temple.

2. With respect to themselves, and their relation to one another, they must be purified. 1 Pet. 1.22. Seeing that ye have purified yourselves in obeying the Truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned Love of the Brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure Heart fervently. The Purification of our own Souls maketh us to love Purity in others; for Similitude is the ground of Delight and Complacency. No Man can delight in the Purity of others, unless he be in some measure purified himself. Holy Men are only fit for this Communion and Society, others go in the way of Cain, Jude, v. 11. — Who was of that wicked one, and slew his Brother: And wherefore slew he him? because his own Works were evil, and his Brother's righteous, 1 Joh. 3.12. Carnal Professors that creep into the Church unawares, are full of Envy, Strife and Wrath. How can we edify one another in the holy Faith, unless we be first holy? A Man would think they should be purified to the Love of God; nay, but they must be purified to the Love of the Brethren.

3. With respect to the World. A distinct Body should have a distinct Excellency. They are a People distinct from the World, they are set apart for God: Psal. 4.3. Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself. They are a chosen Generation. Many other Societies excel the Church for Strength, Policy and worldly Pomp; but Holiness and Purity is the Church's Badge; Psal. 93.5. Holiness becometh thy House, O Lord, forever. God's peculiar People must have a peculiar Excellency upon a double ground.

(1.) Because of Likeness to God: Exod. 15.11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the God's? who is like thee? glorious in Holiness. It is God's Glory, and therefore the Churches. God is rich in Mercy, but glorious in Holiness: his Treasure is his Goodness, but his Honor is his Holiness and immaculate Purity: as among Men, their Wealth is distinguished from their Honor.

(2.) Because all the Ordinances hold it forth, especially the Ordinance of Initiation. So that it is the greatest Hypocrisy in the World to pretend to be God's People, and not to be holy, because they wear the Badges of Holiness; they all come in by the washing of Water. Men forget their Baptism; 2 Pet. 1.9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old Sins. Men that are only whited over with the Name of Christians, and Sin is still new and fresh, as an old thing, they forget the Effect of their Baptism: That a washed Man should be so foul and noisome still, sure they forget, or do not know what it is to be baptized into Christ.

Secondly ; The Manner how he purifieth them. There is on Christ's part the Spirit, and Ordinances, and his Merit reacheth to both; and on our part Faith.

1. On Christ's part.

(1.) The Spirit is necessary. Titus 3.5. He saved us by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost applieth all the Grace which the Father intendeth, and Christ hath purchased. We are usually said to be saved by the Blood of Christ, that was the Merit and Price. There was a Grant on God the Father's part: Rev. 19.8. To her it was granted to be arrayed in fine Linen clean and white. An Authentic Act passeth in the Court of Heaven, that we shall have fine Linen; as Esther had Garments out of the King's Wardrobe. But this is founded on Christ's Merits; the Stream in which we are washed, flowed out of Christ's Heart; 1 John 1.7. The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin. But then the Holy Ghost, as the Executor of Christ's Will and Testament, worketh and applieth all. The Merit of the Creature is excluded by Christ's Merit, and the Father's Grant; the Power of the Creature is excluded by the Work of the Spirit; he worketh with a respect to Christ's Blood. As in the cleansing of the Leper, the Bird was to be killed over running Water, Levite. 14.5. So in the cleansing of the Sinner, there is the Merit of Christ, and the Work of the Spirit; 1 Cor. 6.11. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. If we come to the Father, the Father sends us to the Son, otherwise he could not look upon us; the Son sends us to the Spirit; the Spirit sends us to Moses and the Prophets.

(2.) The Ordinances. Ephes. 5.26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water, by the Word. These are the Ordinances that are specially consecrated, and to which Christ's Merit reacheth; he hath not only procured the Gift of the Spirit, but a Blessing on the Means, that we may use them with Confidence. The Word helpeth us by way of Declaration and Offer; and Baptism concurreth sacramentally, by way of signing and sealing, and so it is a Means to confirm and provoke the Faith of a Receiver to lay hold on this Grace. The Ordinances are an help to call to mind Baptism. It is not good to balk the known and ordinary Means of Grace. Christ hath purchased a Treasure that cannot be wasted; John 17.19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through the Truth. When you come to hear, you come to receive the Fruits of Christ's Purchase.

2. On our part there is required Faith, which also purifieth; Acts 15.9. Purifying their Hearts by Faith. Christ's Blood cleanseth, the Gospel cleanseth, Baptism cleanseth, the Spirit cleanseth, Faith cleanseth; all these are not contrary, but subordinate: neither Christ, nor the Word, nor the Spirit worketh without an Act on our parts: As under the Law, the Priest was not only to wash and cleanse the Leper, who herein represented God, but also after the sprinkling of the Priest he was to wash himself; Lev. 14.8. And he that is to be cleansed, shall wash his Clothes, and shave off all his Hair, and wash himself in Water, that he may be clean: to show that some Work is required on our part. The Work of Faith is to apply, to wait, to work by Reflection, and to stir up Love.

(1.) To apply the Promises of God, the Offers of Grace in the Word, and the Blood of Christ, and all these to purge out Corruption. It applieth the Blood of Christ, urgeth the Soul with it; he died to purchase that Grace which thou wantest. The Water and Soap cleanseth, but the Hand of the Landress must apply it, and rub the Clothes that are washed. This is called sprinkling the Conscience with the Blood of Christ; Heb. 10.22. Let us draw near with a true Heart, in full assurance of Faith, having our Heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience, and our Bodies washed with pure Water. We should thus argue with ourselves; Surely Christ died to sanctify Sinners, his Death cannot be in vain. Grace is bought at a dear rate: in the offers of the Word, God maketh a tender; why should I not accept of it? Heb. 4.2. For unto us was the Word preached as well as unto them, but the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it. But we do not say, What shall we say to these things? By Faith the Plaister is laid on the Sore.

(2.) In the Use of Means it waiteth for the sanctifying Virtue of the Blood of Christ, and looketh upon them as Ordinances under a Blessing; Isa. 45.24. Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength. It casts out the Net at Christ's Commandment; Micah 7.19. He will turn again, he will have Compassion on us, he will subdue our Iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their Sins into the Depth of the Sea. They see an All-sufficient Mercy and Power, and they wait till God manifests himself.

(3.) It worketh by Reflection, and so stirs up Love; Gal. 5.6. Faith worketh by Love. It sets Love on work, and by little and little drieth up the Fountain of Sin. Shall I love that which God hateth? Ier. 44.4. Howbeit I sent unto you all my Servants the Prophets, rising early, and sending them, saying, O do not this abominable thing that I hate. Faith representeth God pleading with us, and beseeching us by all his Bowels in Christ. Is this thy Kindness to thy Friend? Do I thus requite the Lord for all his Kindness to me? There is an Exasperation against Lusts; the Soul saith, Get ye hence. Hosea 14.8. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do anymore with Idols? The Soul hath its expulsive Faculty, it is at the beck of Love, and Love is stirred up by Faith; and when it cannot expel Sin, it mourneth and groaneth under it as its Burden.

Use 1. Are you thus purified? Have you passed this Laver? The Priests under the Law, before they went to the Altar, they first washed in the great Laver. You are not his People till you are sanctified. Esther was purified before she was brought to Ahasuerus, Esther 2. Christ telleth Peter, John 13.8. If I wash thee not, thou hast no Part in me. Though he took human Nature, yet he owneth no Relation to any but the Sanctified; Heb. 2.11. For both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one; for which Cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren. The Devils cannot say, He is Bone of our Bone. But what though he took your Natures? this is not enough, he will disclaim you if you be not sanctified; I took Flesh, but not for you; I died, but not for you. There is a double Notion of Purification in this Place, it noteth Cleansing and Dedication; there is a Difference between them and others, and between them and themselves; Whereas I was blind, now I see. I could before discourse and hear Sermons for Notions, but now my Conscience is more serious, I am more freed from Bondage, I have a more distinct Hope towards God in Christ; my Will is not obstinate and unpliable to the Counsels and Motions of the Holy Ghost; my Affections are reduced to a better temper as to earthly things. Thus examine yourselves; Is anything washed off?

Use 2. Information. It informeth us that we are all polluted by Nature, for we need to be purified e're we are Christ's People: Nay, it sticketh to us; we change our Skin, our outward Conversation, but no other Laver will wash our Hearts but Christ's Blood. If we had Eyes to see our natural Filth, we should loath ourselves more than we do. We are all infected with Self-love and fleshly Natures; Tit. 3.3. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers Lusts and Pleasures, living in Malice and Envy, hateful, and hating one another. But we are partial to ourselves, we have no spiritual Eye-sight. Sin is of a defiling Nature. You abhor dirty nasty Creatures, all of us are polluted with Sin. God that is a Spirit hath other Affections, he doth not abhor a Creature because of his Sores, but because of his Sins. We judge by the Senses; Psal. 14.3. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good, no not one: So we are in the Eyes of God, who is a pure Spirit. Sin maketh us odious and loathsome to him: but we that have Bodies abominate things that are sensibly unclean.

Use 3. Let it stir us up to purify ourselves yet more and more.

1. See yourselves in the Glass of the Word. They that have most Light, do most complain of the Filthiness and Impurity of their Hearts; not because there is more Defilement, but more Light. Sluttish Corners are not seen in the dark. Carnal Men are loath to see their own Faces, they will not come to the Light. We love a flattering Glass, but a searching Ministry is hated. You have not looked in the Glass enough, till it hath stirred up Shame, Sorrow, and Self-abhorrence. Raging against Conviction, argueth the Heart is bad. When Men cannot endure to see themselves, but think all is clean and well, it is a Sign of a secure careless Spirit. If we keep ourselves from foul Sins, we do not think of our odious Natures.

2. Desire Cleansing; as Peter, John 13.9. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord! not my Feet only, but also my Hands and my Head. Or David, Psal. 51.2. Wash me thoroughly from my Iniquity, and cleanse me from my Sin. Sin is a deep Stain, hardly got out; let it keep us humble. God carrieth on his Work by Degrees.

3. Use God's Means; Zech. 13.1. In that Day there shall be a Fountain opened to the House of David, and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Uncleanness. Rev. 7.14. These are they which come out of great Tribulation, which have washed their Robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. The Church knoweth no other Laver, and the Effect of it you receive in the Ordinances.

4. Keep yourselves clean by a constant Watchfulness. James 1.27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction, and to keep yourselves unspotted from the World. The World is a dirty Place, you will soil your Garments, therefore you must avoid all Appearance of Evil; hate the Garment spotted with the Flesh. We cannot keep at too great a Distance from Sin; a bold Use of our Liberty showeth the Heart hankereth after Sin, as a Raven hovereth within the Sent of the Carrion.

Doct. II. Those that are purified, are reckoned to be God's Treasure and peculiar People.

The Word in the Original which we translate Peculiar People, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Vulgar renders it Populus acceptabilis, an acceptable People, but not emphatical enough. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies Wealth, Plenty, Treasure, that which we have above our necessary Substance: Yea, not only Treasure, but the principal Part of it, that which is locked up in the Cabinet, and takes up but a little Room, as Jewels. The Expression is taken out of the Septuagint, and alludes to those Places in the Old Testament, where God calls his People his Jewels or special Treasure; Exod. 19.5. Ye shall be a peculiar Treasure to me above all People ; which is rendered by the Septuagint, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And you have another Expression, 1 Pet. 2.9. Ye are a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar (or purchased) People: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; Populus Acquisitionis, or Possessionis ; a People of Possession, such as God counts his Heritage, his Jewels; Mal. 3.17. They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that Day when I make up my Jewels. The Word imports any choice and precious thing; that God loves those that are purified, as a covetous Man loves his Treasure, or a proud Man his Jewels and Honors.

Give me leave to illustrate it by a few Scriptures, where the World and the Saints are compared. The World are said to be not a People, 1 Pet. 2.10. How so? not for want of Prowess, or Policy, or Pomp, or worldly Splendor, or civil Arts or Crafts; many times in these things they excel the Church: but they are said to be not a People, that is, in God's Account and Esteem they are but a confused Heap of Nations spilled upon the Earth by a general and looser Providence. In Isa. 55.5. There is another Emphatical Expression; Behold, thou shalt call Nations that thou knowest not; and Nations that know not thee, shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God. It is spoken to Christ: It is a strange Expression. Is there any Terra incognita, any Land that is unknown to him? The meaning is, which thou hast no more taken notice of, nor taken Care of, than a Man doth of those whom he never knew; a People of no Esteem and Respect with God, as if he had taken no notice that there were any such in the World. So Acts 17.30. The times of this Ignorance God winked at. In the Original it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he overlooked them. The Vulgar read it, despiciens, he did despise them: and our old Translation is better than the new, God regarded them not. It is usually taken to signify God's Indulgence, that he did not deal so strictly with the World, because they had so little means to keep them from Sin; whereas the Scope carrieth it quite otherwise in another Sense, God overlook'd, or lightly passed over those times, not caring what became of them that then lived before they were his peculiar People; he overlooked and regarded them not, but let them go on in their Sins, though not unpunished. Thus you see Foreigners to the Church are Strangers to God, and wicked Men are as if they were not; not in regard of God's general Providence, so they are sustained and regarded: he preserves Man and Beast; not in regard of calling them to an account for their Sins; they that are sometimes called no People, are at other times called the People of his Curse ▪ But in regard of Value and Esteem, as to special Communion with him, they are not at all.

But now look upon the Terms that are bestowed upon the Church and Godly▪ those that are purified, James 1.18. they are called the first Fruits of his Creatures. Under the Law the first Fruits were the Lord's Portion: so all that are regenerated and called to Grace, are the Lord's Portion. O • cumenius gloss • th upon the Place: the World is but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his Creature; but the Church is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his Possession: the World are his Goods, and they are his Treasure. The vast Territories of the blind World are but as a Common and Heath, which God doth not look after, but the Church is as a Garden enclosed, in regard of his Love and special Dispensation. Heretofore this was the Privilege of Israel, to be God's Portion; it was confined to them; and that's the Reason of that Expression, Isa. 19.25. Assyria the Work of my Hands, and Israel mine Inheritance, or Portion. God made all People, but he chose these for his Delight and Habitation. It was confined to them heretofore, but it is not confined now, the People of any Nation may be preferred to this Estate: Those that are purified, where-ever they are, they are the Lord's Treasure and People.

But why doth the Lord esteem them as his peculiar People? I shall give Reasons with respect to every Person of the Godhead.

1. Because of God the Father's Choice, he hath picked and culled them out of the World, and therefore he esteemeth them above all others. See what the Apostle saith, 1 Pet. 2.9. Ye are a chosen Generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People: Therefore a peculiar People, because a chosen Generation: they are set apart, singled out of the World for himself. So Psal. 135.4. The Lord hath chosen Jacob for himself, and Israel to be his peculiar Treasure. He hath called them out, and left all the World besides: God's Choice puts a Value upon things. Common Gold and Silver is not of such Value, as that which was consecrated and dedicated to God: Nay, Gold and Silver was not so good as Goats Hair that was consecrated to the Uses of the Tabernacle. The Dedication of a thing to an holy Use, inhanceth the Price of it. Now those that are chosen are consecrated and set apart by God for himself; The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself, Psal. 4.3. And therefore of greater Value than all the World, because designed by God to be his Portion.

2. Because of Christ's Purchase, they are bought at a dear Price; 1 Pet. 2.9. A purchased People, that is the marginal Reading. The Saints are valued, not from themselves so much as in Christ; he hath put Honor upon us, as Adam put a Disgrace upon us: Adam sold us for a Trifle, but Christ did not redeem us at so cheap a Rate; Ye are redeemed not with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, &c. but with the precious Blood of Christ, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. We prize that which cost dear; Christ was given in Ransom for us, therefore doth God prize us.

3. Because they are Vessels of the Spirit's forming. God delighted in all his Creatures, they were all good, the Product of the Spirit's Incubation; Gen. 1.2. The Spirit of God moved upon the Face of the Water. But much more doth he delight in the new Creature, his Workmanship in Christ, Eph. 2.10. Partly because there is more goes to form the new Creature than the old; and partly because their Being is more noble than the Beings of all other Creatures in this lower World.

(1.) There is more goes to form them; there is discovered more Wisdom, more Power, more Goodness: The new Creature discovers more of his Power than the old. It was a wonderful thing the making of the World, and disposing of the Creatures into so many several Forms and Ranks, a mighty Effect of God's Power: but as there was no Help, so there was no Lett or Hindrance; nothing to oppose God's Work, as nothing to facilitate it. But when God comes to frame a new Creature, there's a Spirit of Rebellion and Opposition. Then more of his Wisdom: The Gospel is a better Theatre whereupon to see God than the World. In the World there is much of his Wisdom, but much more in the Mystery of Grace, and in all his Transactions to bring Man to a purified State; therefore here's his special Delight. Then for his Mercy, Goodness and Love. A great deal of Love God shown in making Angels out of nothing, but in some Sense there is more Love shown in sanctifying Man; for in the former there was no Hindrance to his Goodness, but here wronged Justice interposed, and put in something by way of Bar against us; yet notwithstanding the Demerit of our Sins, he would take us into his Favor. In the Creation God shown himself to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Lover of Angels; but in Redemption 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Lover of Man; Tit. 3.4. After that the Kindness and Love of God our Savior towards Man appeared.

(2.) Chiefly, because of the Life they live; the new Creature hath a more noble Being than all the Creatures in the World, and lives a more noble Life. Put the whole World in the Ballance, and it is not worthy to be compared with the new Creature; those that are purified and sanctified, the World is not worthy of them; Heb. 11.38. Of whom the World was not worthy. Look as the Life of Reason excels that of Sense, and the Life of Sense that of Vegitation; the Life of Beasts is better than the Life of Plants; and the Life of Man better than the Life of Beasts: so doth Grace excel Reason, and the Life of Saints is a more noble Being than that of Men. I confess if you go upward, we cannot say the Life of Glory as much excels the Life of Grace, as the Life of Grace excels the Life of Reason; there is a greater Difference between the Life of Reason, and the Life of Grace, than between the Life of Grace and the Life of Glory; or between a carnal Man and a Child of God, than between the most glorified Saint in Heaven, and the weakest Believer on Earth. The Difference between Glory and Grace is gradual; but the Difference between the carnal Life and the spiritual Life is essential. Glorified Saints, and Saints here living the Life of Grace, differ only in Degrees; but the Life of Grace and the Life of Nature differ in kind. There is more Difference between a Toad or Beast and a Man, than between a Child and a Man: Grace and Glory differ but as a Child and a Man, only in Degree; but Grace and Sense, and Grace and Reason, differ as the Life of a Toad, and the Life of a Beast, from the Life of a Man.

Use 1. Information.

1. That we should not value Men by their secular Interests, but by their Relation to God. The Lord doth not call the Potentates of the Earth his Treasure, as he doth his Holy Ones; Prov. 12.26. The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbor. Men may be mighty in the World, yet base and vile in God's Esteem; Dan. 4.17. He gives Kingdoms to the basest of Men. It is notable, in the prophetical Visions of the great Monarchs of the World, they are compared to wild Beasts. Alexander the Mighty, yet is called the Goat of Greece. Paul calls Nero a Lion. They that brave it in the World, as if they were God's upon Earth, yet in the Lord's Account they are but Beasts. But now the Saints are the precious excellent ones of the Earth, Psal. 16.3. Therefore we should not value Men by their outward Greatness: James 2.1. — Have not the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, with respect of Persons. If you have Relation to Christ, he puts a Glory and Excellency upon you, you are his Treasure. Saith Tertullian, Non ex personis fidem, sed ex fide personas ; We must not measure the Faith by the Person, but the Person by his Faith. They are Fools that despise and vilify those upon whom God sets the greatest Price; and admire those that are of lowest Esteem with God.

2. It informeth us, that the Judgment of God, and the Judgment of the World are very contrary. The World counts the Saints the Filth, the Scurf and Off-scouring of all things; and God calls them Jewels and Treasure. Alas! with God carnal Men are nothing, worse than nothing. It had been better for them, saith the Spirit of God, that they had never been born; and they are viler than the Earth. The blind World knows not how to value the Stamp and Seal of the Spirit. When God hath impressed his own Image, the World knows not how to value them; but God values them: These are Coins and Medals God will keep in his own Treasure. Certainly they are worthless Souls that despise them, that count Purity a Disgrace. It hath always been the World's Fashion to crucify God in Effigie, in his Picture; to despise, oppress and scoff at them that bear his Image, and resemble him, and malign and scorn the Luster of Holiness.

3. It informs us how much it concerns us to be holy and purified, for those he counts to be his Treasure: God's Church is his Heritage, but everyone that lives in the Church God doth not count them to be his Jewels. Many claim Acquaintance of him by virtue of Offices and Ministration in the Church, yet they are disclaimed and disowned by God; Mat. 7.22, 23. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Name? and in thy Name have cast out Devils? and in thy Name done many wonderful Works? And then will I profess u ••• them, I never knew you; depart from me ye that work Iniquity. The Holy Ghost brings in some that had great Gifts and Employments in the Church. And as when a Man entertaineth another with Strangeness, we use to put him in mind by some Tokens; so carnal Professors put Christ in Mind as it were by some kind of Tokens; Do you not remember that we prophesied in your Name? &c. and we were employed in special Offices in the Church. No, verily, I know you not; he disclaims and disowns them.

4. It informs us, that it is dangerous to molest, oppress and prosecute the Godly, those that are purified, because they are God's peculiar ones; you meddle with the Apple of his Eye, and to destroy them is Sacrilege. Israel is a holy thing, Ier. 2.3. Israel is Holiness unto the Lord, and the first-fruits of his Increase: all that devour him shall offend; Evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord. Sacrilege hath been always deadly; robbing of Temples among the Heathen hath been always observed to be fatal to those that attempted it: the Lord by his wise Providence was pleased to suffer the Devil to follow them with Tempests and Punishments, to keep up the Notion of a Divine Power, which is the Fundamental Principle and Ground of all Religion. So when you oppress and destroy the People of God, and malign them, you devour that which is holy, which will prove fatal and deadly. Look as he told the Governor, Acts 22.26. Take heed what thou doest, for this Man is a Roman. So God is very tender of these kind of Men, they are his Jewels, his Treasure, take heed how you use them.

Use 2. Exhortation; and that both to carnal Men, and to God's People, who are his peculiar ones.

First; It exhorts carnal Men to put in for a share in this great Privilege, to be one of God's peculiar ones, those that he counts his Treasures and his Jewels. Let me first exhort, then direct.

1 st. I shall exhort you by these Considerations, how God will own his peculiar People above all the World besides, and how he doth value them above all the World.

1. How he owns them; privately in their own Consciences, he owns them in his Ordinances, he owns them publicly in his Providence, and most publicly he will own them in the Day of Judgment.

(1.) He owns them privately in their own Consciences. God's holy ones are said to be sealed by the Spirit, Ephes. 4.30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption. God sets his own Seal upon them, to signify his Right and Property in them; As a Man marks his Sheep, or a Merchant seals his Wares to declare his Right and Property: so all that are God's, they are sealed by his Spirit, and they bear his Mark. As the Worshippers of the Beast have the Mark of the Beast; so the People of God have the Lord's Seal, he owns them. There is the Spirit's Witness to tell them God is theirs, and there is the Spirit's Work to cause them to become God's; the Spirit witnesses to them by Impressions, and tells them, God is your Salvation, and seals them by Expressions, and makes them choose God. There is a mutual Appropriation, Cant. 6.3. I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine. He chooseth them for his peculiar People, and they choose him for the peculiar Treasure of their Souls. Whom have they in Heaven but God? and who doth God regard in the World but they? they have his Privy-Seal in their own Consciences.

(2.) He owns them in his Ordinances, so as to maintain Communion with them, as he doth not with others. When others pray, God takes no notice that such a Prayer is made; they hear, but cannot say God owns them. But now he owns his People in their Approaches; Isa. 58.9. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. God doth as it were say, It is the Voice of my People, What would you have? here I am, ready to help you, and to give you Grace. No King will do so much for his Favorites; as God will do for his People; Zeph. 3.10. he calls them his Suppliants. This is not a peculiar Privilege for some peculiar Saints, that they are thus honored of God, and answered by him in Prayer, but all are a peculiar People, and God hath Affections and Blessings enough for them all. When the Wicked come and pray, God takes no notice of them, as if no such Men were in the Congregation; Isa. 1.15. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine Eyes from you; yea, when you make many Prayers, I will not hear. They have no Visits from the Spirit, nor sensible Returns of Prayer. It is sad to come to Ordinances, and God to take no notice of us; when the Spirit of God comes into the Congregation to bless the Worshippers by Head and Pole, and you are left out of the Account, and past over. You know what is said in the Law, Exod. 29.42, 43. — At the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, before the Lord; where I will meet you, to speak there unto you: And there I will meet with the Children of Israel. God did not only promise to meet with Moses, but with all the Congregation: and certainly the Services of the Church now are not less fruitful than the Services of the Tabernacle. When God's People come together, God meets with them, and talks with them, and sends them away with Gifts of Grace, and spiritual Encrease; for they are his Suppliants, and his peculiar People.

(3.) God owns them in the course of his Providence sometimes with outward Blessings. Thus God set up Abraham as a Mark of Envy to the Nations about him. As Benjamin 's Mess was five times as much as the rest, so many times in outward Blessings God owns his People. But I cannot much press this; but the aim of Providence principally concerns them, Rom. 8.28. All things work together for good to them that love God. All things may seem to work against them, but they work for them. It is a Mercy that God takes notice of them, and visits them day by day, Job 7.18. That thou shoulst visit him every Morning, and try him every Moment. Brambles are not pruned and pair'd as Vines are. Wicked Men they are as Sheep whom no Man taketh up, God doth not look after them. But God's Children may take notice how the special Care of Providence serves their special Necessities; and particularly as to their Afflictions, they do not spring out of the Dust, but every day God is mindful of them, and ordereth such Dispensations to keep them in order; whereas wicked Men are only under the general Care of Providence, they cannot discern such particular Love and Aim at their Good and spiritual Welfare.

(4.) He will own them before all the World at the last Day; I will confess them (saith Christ) before my Father which is in Heaven, Luke 12.8. These are the Fruits of my Purchase, he will present them to God, Heb. 2.13. Behold, I, and the Children which God hath given me. But wicked Men are disclaimed, Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, Mat. 7.23. O, how will their Faces gather Blackness when Christ shall disclaim all Acquaintance with them; I never had any real and familiar Converse with you in public or private Worship.

2. How he values them. He doth not stand upon other Nations for their Safety, either to preserve them, or to divert the Destroyer from them. As for Instance, when God raiseth up some furious Instrument, that is Flagellus Dei, the Scourge of God, to pull down and waste, God finds Work for them abroad to save his People; and therefore he saith, Isa. 43.3, 4. I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of Israel, thy Savior: I gave Egypt for thy Ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my Sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give Men for thee, and People for thy Life. He let the Sword go into other Countries to save Judah, that was his Heritage; if the Sword must drink Blood, and eat Flesh, let it go to Egypt, Ethiopia, Seba, into Idolatrous Countries: He puts other Nations in their stead, and counts them as a little Chaff, to save the Jews. And then the highest among the Nations (which is another Argument) are rebuked for their sakes. God plucked the Scepter out of the Hands of Kings, and the Diadems off from their Heads, Psal. 105.14, 15. He suffered no Man to do them Wrong; yea, he reproved Kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not my Anointed ; meaning those that are anointed with his Grace: God will rebuke the mightiest Potentates. Again, though they are never so despicable, yet Countries, whom God hath deemed to Destruction, hath he saved for their sakes. It is a notable Expression of God to Lot, Gen. 19.22. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. These are the Blessings in the Cluster that keeps the Vine alive, which otherwise would be destroyed; the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel: nay, they are the Pillars of the whole World, the Creation would not continue a jot longer if God had not a peculiar People. As the Ship tarries till all the Passengers be entered, then they hoist up Sails; God's Providence only tarries till all the Elect be gathered, and his Jewels shall be made up, then the World shall be no more. There are some few hidden ones that keep up the World, and preserve the course and frame of Nature. Now will you not put in for this Privilege to be of that number? You must pass the great River and be washed, before you can come to serve and minister in holy Things to God.

2 dly. For Direction.

1. You must earnestly desire this Privilege, Psal. 106.4, 5. Remember me, O Lord, with the Favor that thou bearest to thy People: O visit me with thy Salvation: That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy Nation; that I may glory with thine Inheritance. This should be the greatest Ambition of your Souls, that you might be one of God's peculiar ones. As Theodosius counted it a greater Honor to be a Member of the Church, than to be Emperor of the World. And Moses, Heb. 11.24, 25. when he came to Years, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , when he was grown great, that is, when he had Ability to judge, he refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh 's Daughter: Choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season. The Honor of Pharaoh 's Court was nothing so lovely to him, as to be a Member of God's People, and to enjoy Communion with the Saints, though with great Affliction and Reproach.

2. Whenever you are brought in to be one of that number, you must take an Oath of Allegiance to God, for so do all his People, they take hold of the Covenant of God: See Deut. 26.17, 18. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his Ways, and to keep his Statutes, and his Commandments, and his Iudgments, and to hearken unto his Voice. And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandments. God will bind you fast when you come to partake of this Privilege, it must be by solemn Consecration, and by Covenant to walk in all his Ways, and in all his Statutes. So Deut. 29.12, 13. That thou shouldest enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his Oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day. That he may establish thee today for a People unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy Fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. There is a Covenant by which God and the Church do own one another. If you expect Protection and Provision for this Life, and for a better, give God the Hand, and take hold of his Covenant: Jesus Christ hath all manner of Relations to the Church. All Titles you know to a Crown are either by Purchase, Conquest, or by Covenant, or Consent of Nations. Thus Christ will be King of the Church by Covenant, and by Consent; you must take an Oath to him of Allegiance to him, to be faithful to him, to observe all his Ways and Statutes, that so you may become his People.

Secondly; The other Branch of Exhortation is to God's People, to walk as his peculiar Ones, and to carry yourselves as becometh the People of God.

1. Praise him for enrolling you in this Company, Psal. 135.3, 4. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing Praises unto his Name, for it is pleasant. For he hath chosen Jacob to himself, and Israel to be his peculiar Treasure. To quicken you, consider what you were; you were not a People, God raised you up from the very Dunghil to this Preferment; remember your past Estate. Look as old Jacob considered what he had been when God preferred him, Gen. 32.10. — With my Staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two Bands. So do you say, I am a worthless Creature, it is God that hath taken me into Grace, praised be the Lord that hath chosen me. Then consider how many are left to perish in the wide World. Some live out of the Church's Pale, that never heard of Christ; and many others have only a loose General from Christianity; O blessed be God that hath chosen me to be of the number of his peculiar People. It is said, Zech. 13.8. And it shall come to pass in all the Land, saith the Lord, that two parts shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left therein. We pass through many Bolters before we come to be God's peculiar People; as the Corn is ground, bolted, searced before it comes to be fine Flower. There are many Nations have not the knowledge of God, and others live in the Church, but are carnal; and I to be one of his peculiar People, an invisible Member of Christ's Mystical Body, O what a Privilege is this! And then what moved him to all this? nothing but his own free Grace. Thus Moses debates the Case with Israel, Deut. 7.6, 7, 8. For thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special People unto himself, above all People that are upon the face of the Earth. The Lord hath not set his Love upon you, or chose you, because ye were more in number than any People (for ye were the fewest of all People): But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the Oath which he had sworn unto your Fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty Hand, and redeemed you out of the House of Bond-men, from the Hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt. Therefore praise the Lord.

2. Improve it for Confidence. Zech. 13.9. And I will bring a third part of them through the Fire, and will refine them as Silver is refined, and will try them as Gold is tried: They shall call on my Name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my People; and they shall say, The Lord is my God. In time of great Affliction, then it is time to plead our peculiar Interest in God, as the Church doth, Isa. 64.9. Behold, see we beseech thee, we are all thy People. It is a ground of Audience and Confidence. Interest is the sweetest Argument that we can use in Prayer; Psal. 119.94. I am thine, save me. He is worse than an Infidel that doth not provide for his own Family. Now what ground of Confidence is this, Lord, we are thine! therefore cast yourselves upon God.

3. Carry yourselves as a peculiar People to him. Wherein?

(1.) You must not be contented with common Mercies. Every distinct Society have distinct Privileges: Now the Elect are a peculiar People, and therefore should look after peculiar Privileges. A Man may have outward things; and here is nothing peculiar, no Argument of God's special Love. Cast-aways may have these things: Psal. 119.132. Look then upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto them that love thy Name. Look not upon me as thou usest to do on the World in general, but as thou dost on thy own People. You must have renewing Mercies, and sanctifying Mercies, a holy Heart, be kept from Sin, and conformed to God. Other Mercies a Man may have, and go to Hell; therefore be not satisfied with them. Luther protested to God, he would not be put off with Estate, and the Favor of the World, and with increase of Honor and Esteem. Alas, the multitude may have these things, it is their Happiness. Psal. 4.6. There be many that say, Who will show us any Good? Lord, lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us.

(2.) Be not contented with common Graces: Thus far a Man may go, and not be saved. As for instance, There are moral Inclinations in Heathens, and they make Conscience of gross Sins. It is not enough to keep from Theft, Drunkenness, Adultery; a Heathen would discover those Sins by the Light of Nature, and by such Arguments and Reasons as Nature suggests would avoid them. And then Hypocrites may have flashes of Comfort, Glances, Wishes and good Moods; though they have no constant Delight in Communion with God, yet they have superficial Hopes, and are much taken with Evangelical Strains and Tenders of the Gospel, they have a desire to keep their Consciences quiet and peaceable; but you should labor for Uprightness, and special Graces. Carnal Men desire to be secure, rather than sincere, that they may have some Delectations, and superficial Tastes; but you are to look after things that accompany Salvation, Heb. 6.9. In the Original it is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , things that have Salvation in them; you should be contented with no Grace, but that which is an undoubted Pledg and Evidence of Heaven, not a loose Hope of the Gospel.

(3.) Be not satisfied with a common Conversation. How is that? Partly thus. You must not live according to ordinary Privileges, and ordinary Hopes: You must discover Self-denial, as one trained up in the School of Christ. It is an Accusation the Apostle brings against the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 3.3. Are ye not Carnal, and walk as Men? When Men pretend to be God's peculiar People, and have nothing singular, but are given to worldly Cares, vile Passions, and corrupt Affections, as other Men are, this hardens carnal Men. A Christian should live like a Wonder in his place, by discovering much Self-denial and Mortification in his Conversation: Mat. 5.4. For if ye love them which love you, what Reward have you? do not the Publicans the same? It is the greatest Hypocrisy that can be in the World, to profess to be a peculiar People, and to deny yourselves in nothing, but do as others do; we should live at another rate, and be more Holy, more Charitable, more Heavenly.

(4.) Do not live according to ordinary Examples. We may not frame and fashion ourselves to the Guise of the World, because we are the Lord's peculiar People. Deut. 14.1, 2. Ye are the Children of the Lord your God; ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your Eyes for the Dead. For thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God; and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar People unto himself, above all the Nations that are upon the Earth. Dead Fishes swim with the Stream. A Christian should live in a Counter-motion to the World. You cannot do as others do, for you profess yourselves to be distinct. Especially we should consider this, in times of general Defection, not to run away from God; Mich. 4.5. For all People will walk, everyone in the Name of his God, and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God forever and ever. When every Man sets up a distinct Religion, (that is the meaning of it) then the peculiar People of God should hold together, and show forth special Zeal, and special Strictness in the Ways of God, in times of Coldness, Indifferency, and Neutrality in Religion. Josh. 24.15. And if it seem Evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this Day whom you will serve, whether the God's which your Fathers served, that were on the other side of the Flood, or the God's of the Amorites, in whose Land ye dwell; but as for me and my House, we will serve the Lord.

SERMON XXII.

I Come to the last Circumstance, the outward Manifestation of Christ's Puririfying, that he might make us zealous of good Works.

I shall consider it, partly as the Note of Evidence of God's peculiar People; and partly as it falls under the Aim of Christ's Death.

Doct. Zeal for, or in good Works, is a Note of God's People, and a Fruit of Christ's Purchase.

Here I shall inquire;

• I. What good Works are.
• II. What it is to be zealous of good Works.
• III. In what Respect and Place we are to put this Zeal, or how it stands in order to the Death of Christ.

1. What good Works are. I shall show the Kinds of them, and the Requisites to them.

First ; The Kinds of good Works. Good Works, for the Matter of them, may be distributed into four Sorts or Ranks; Opera Cultûs, Acts of Worship; Opera Vocationis, Works of our own particular Function and Calling; Opera Iustitiae, Works of Righteousness; Opera Charitatis, Works of Mercy.

1. Opera Cultûs, Acts of Worship, both Internal and External; External, to Pray, Hear, Read, Meditate; to be much in Communion with God. So for Internal Acts, as Faith, and Repentance, and Love. All these are good Works, and fitly placed in the first Rank; of these we must be chiefly zealous, because our Happiness lies in Communion with God. It is notable, Daniel would not omit Prayer for one Day, though he was forbidden by the King, and in danger of Death; Dan. 6.11. Now when Daniel knew that the Writing was signed, he went to his House; and his Windows being open in his Chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his Knees three times a Day, and prayed, and gave Thanks before his God, as he did afore-time. Certainly they have little Zeal in them, that care not to be frequent in Communion with God, and call not upon his Name. These are the chiefest parts of those good Works we must press and exhort you to, where we are to be the more punctual, because the Offence is immediately done to God. If we do not Works of Mercy and Justice, there the Offence is done to Men; but neglecting the Works of Piety and Godliness, the Offence is done immediately to God, who is very jealous of being defrauded of his Worship: and a failing in the least Circumstance, is a Sin of a high Nature; witness Uzzah slain for touching of the Ark, and the fifty thousand slain at Bethshemesh, for looking into the Ark. And there is a notable Instance of Daniel, as he would not omit Prayer, so neither the opening of his Casement. A Man would have thought, being in imminent danger of his Life, he might have dispensed with that Circumstance. Why would he open his Casement? I answer, Because Solomon, at the Dedication of the Temple, required this Ceremony as an Act of Faith, they were to pray towards the place where the House of God was, which was a Type of Christ; to show their Eye and Heart should be to Christ whenever they call on God: therefore would he not dispense with opening his Casement. Danger of Life should not diminish our Zeal here. These good Works must be done with all exactness and care, God very precisely requires them. It is notable, that Will-worship is only in the Duties of the First Table; in love to our Neighbors, there is no place for Superstition and Will-worship. That may be done at one time, that is not to be done at another. But in the Expressions of our Love to God, there Precepts are immutable, we are to be exact. God here would not leave us at liberty, and be at the Creatures finding; he knows his own Institutions are the best Means to keep up and preserve a Respect and Honor to himself, therefore here we must be punctual.

2. There are Opera Vocationis, the Works of our Calling: Every Man should labor in that Work to which he is called. Though such Works be for our own support, yet God is pleased to interpret it as an Act of Obedience, by which he is glorified. Thus Christians may honor God in the meanest Calling. Servants in their Relation are said to make the Doctrine of God comely, Titus 2.10. That they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Though they be in the Condition of Slaves, (as then they were) bought and sold like Beasts in the Market, yet the Apostle speaks to them, you may adorn the Gospel of God. It is good to be profitable to human Society in your way and place; for that is the Account Paul gives of Onesimus, speaking of his former and present Estate; Philem. v. 11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and me. It is a great Honor to God, when we are faithful in the Work of our Relations. God tries us by the Duties of our personal Calling, what Honor we will bring to him there. Public Acts of Worship may be counterfeit, as Prayer, Hearing, Receiving; but here is a constant and daily Trial, whether we have Grace or no; whether we have only our good Moods, or a constant Spring of Grace in our Hearts; and therefore he that is not good in his Relation and Calling, is nowhere good, for that is the Sphere of his Activity; there he is to glorify God, and to discover the Power of Godliness. It is notable, when John had preached a Sermon of Repentance, his Hearers came to him, and said, What shall we do? Luke 3.10. As possibly you may say, What are these good Works? And he presseth them to Duties proper to their Relations: To the Publicans, Exact no more than that which is appointed you, verse. 14. To the Soldiers, Do violence to no Man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your Wages, verse. 15.

3. There are Opera Iustitiae, Works of Righteousness; as to give every Man his due, to hurt none, to live without wrong to any, or wrack of, or breach upon our own Consciences. Acts 24.16. Herein do I exercise myself to have always a Conscience void of Offence towards God, and towards Man. These are good and profitable to human Society; and the Credit of Religion is much concerned in them. Hypocrites that abound in Worship, and are zealous for the Institutions of Christ, most commonly are here defective, they are not Just, Righteous and Conscionable in their Dealing; therefore they are strictly required, Mich. 6.8. He hath shown thee, O Man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love Mercy? God requires it of all, but especially of Men professing Piety; because making Conscience of Justice and Equity in their Dealing, is both an Argument of their Sincerity, and an Ornament of their Profession. God will have the World know, that Religion is a Friend to human Society. Indeed there are some that would be accounted Religious Persons, yet live as if the whole Second Table were to be blotted out, and so they prove a Stain and Blot to their Religion. Men judge by what is visible, and therefore when you break all Restraints of Honesty and Conscience, you disparage your Profession. Nehem. 5.9. Ought ye not to walk in the Fear of our God, because of the Reproach of the Heathen our Enemies? Our Adversaries are watchful, therefore keep up the Credit and Renown of Religion; do Justice, deal Righteously, for that is the Case in hand. Austin asserts, (and so do the Fathers generally) the Primitive Glory of the Christian Religion; that none were so just, so good in their Relations, so true and faithful to their Trust as the Christians were: Dent exercitum talem, tales Imperatores, &c. Let them show such Magistrates, such People, such Merchants, such Soldiers, as the Christian Religion affords.

4. There are Opera Charitatis & Misericordia, Works of Charity and Mercy; as to relieve the Poor, to do good to all, to help others by their Purse, Estate, Counsel, Admonition; but especially, to do good to them that are good. Gal. 6.10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all Men, especially unto them who are of the Household of Faith. These are usually, and by a proper term, called Good Works: Therefore Dorcas is said to be full of good Works, and Alms-deeds, Acts 9.36. And, 1 Tim. 6.18. Charge them, that they do good, that they be rich in good Works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. It is not a thing left Arbitrary to you, but laid upon you as a part of your Charge and Duty. It is a due Debt you owe to God, if not to the Poor; and we are Thieves, not only in robbing and taking from others, but in not giving to others: And therefore the Holy Ghost useth that Expression, Prov. 3.27. Withhold not Good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. It is due by the Law of God to those that are in distress. When God casts us upon Objects of Pity and Christian Commiseration, there is something due. By virtue of God's Command, the Poor are a kind of Owners; and Charity is a part of Righteousness. Christians, you are Stewards, and to dispense the Estate you have according to the Master's Command. An unfaithful Steward, that keeps all to himself, is a Thief. A Noble Man hath need of Money, and sendeth to his Steward; Go to my Steward, and demand such a Sum: Will he deny him his own when his Lord hath need of it? God hath commanded to give when he sendeth to you. How doth God send to us, but in the course of his Providence? We are one day to give an Account; And what a sorry Account shall we make? So much for Pomp, so much for Pleasure, so much for gorgeous Apparel, so much for Riot and Luxury, and so little for the Master's Use. If a Man to whom the Care of Children is committed, should feed Dogs and Whelps, and neglect the Children, what a sorry Account would he give of his Trust? God hath demanded his Right by our poor Brethren, he hath made them his Proxies: Our Bounty reacheth not to God himself, therefore he offereth them to our Pity; what we do for them, he accounteth as done to himself. Acts of Mercy are required, that we may acknowledge God's Property; it is our Rent to the great Landlord of the World. It is an Honor put upon you, you are as God's to them, to relieve them and comfort them: He could give without thee, but he trieth thee, and will have them interested in the Act. It is a great Honor to Religion, the World is taken with Bounty. Rom. 5.7. Peradventure for a good Man, some would even dare to die. Titus 3.14. And let ours also learn to maintain good Works for necessary Uses, that they be not unfruitful. Let not others that have not such high Motives, or such glorious Advantages, be more forward than ours.

Secondly ; There are the Requisites to a good Work; there is the State of the Person, and the Uprightness of our Principle, and the End and Rule of our Actions.

1. The State of the Person; the Person must be in Christ. Do we gather Grapes of Thorns, and Figs of Thistles? We expect good Fruit from a good Tree. The Person must first be in Christ, as the Apostle saith, Titus 3.8▪ These things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good Works. When the Foundation of Faith is first laid, and that is the Root, then good Works flow kindly, as the Fruit that grows upon this Tree. So in the Text, first a peculiar People, and then zealous of good Works. The Leper under the Law, till he was cleansed, all that he touched, and all he went about was unclean: so till you are purified and cleansed by the Work of Grace passing upon your Hearts, all that you do is abominable and filthy in God's Eye. A natural Man cannot be acceptable to God, nor perform an Act of pure Obedience, for he is an Enemy; and therefore his Gifts are giftless Gifts, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . This Method the Apostle lays down, Ephes. 2.10. For we are his Workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good Works. First his Workmanship created in Christ, there is the fitness and preparation for good Works. Works materially good may be done by God's Enemies out of the strength of an unrenewed Will, for carnal Ends, without any Respect and Love to God; therefore first we must be reconciled to God: first we stir up Men to love God, and then serve him. Will you have the Graft or Cyon bear Fruit till it be set in the Stock? So, can we bear Fruit to God, until we be planted in Christ? All the Issue that is born before Marriage is illegitimate, the Acts are but Bastard-Acts; and our Graces are but Bastard-Graces, till we are contracted to Christ.

2. The Principles of Operation must be right for the constitution of good Works. These Principles are Faith, Love and Obedience: Faith receives Help from Christ; Love inclines the Heart; and Obedience sways the Conscience. In every good Work these are the true Gospel-Principles: Obedience sways the Conscience by virtue of God's Law; Love inclines the Heart out of Gratitude and Thankfulness to God; and Faith expects Help and Supply from Christ. In short, every good Work is an Action commanded by the Law, but arising from Faith in the Gospel: it is done out of Conscience, and because of God's Command, but yet willingly, because God is so good in Christ, and Faith gives both help and encouragement. Without Faith whatever is done is but Sin; without Obedience it is but customary; and without Love it is but Legal, and no Evangelical Work.

3. As the Principle and Operation, so the End must be right, to glorify God in whatever we do; not to gratify Interest, that is carnal; not barely to promote the welfare of Nature, that is but an Act of natural Self-love, aiming at his own preservation; not to pacify God, that is legal, and so a renouncing of the Merit of Christ. So that every Act of Duty must be made a Branch of Gospel-Obedience arising from Gratitude, that God may be glorified.

4. Those are good Works which are commanded by God, and conformable to the Rule laid down in Scripture. As Sin is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Transgression of the Law of God; so a good Work is a Conformity to the Law of God. That is a good Work which is agreeable to that Rule that is the proper measure of Good and Evil: Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy Commandments. A Strictness beyond the Word, or besides the Word, is a Bastard and an Apocryphal Holiness, and but counterfeit Coin, which is not currant in the Kingdom of Grace.

II. What is it to be zealous of good Works?

1. We should be forward and cheerful in well-doing. Zeal is ferventior Amoris gradus, a higher degree of Love: the more Love, the more forward in acting. Certainly Zeal will readily set us a-work to do all we do willingly, freely and cheerfully, as the Apostle intimates, 2 Cor. 9.2. For I know the Forwardness of your Mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a Year ago: and your Zeal hath provoked very many. It is not Zeal to stand hucking and disputing every Inch with the Spirit of God. You are not only called to the bare practice of good Works, but you must be first and most forward, and Leaders of others: Watch opportunities to do good, and take hold of them when they are offered. We should be glad of an opportunity offered, wherein to discover our Affection to God, and our Hatred to Sin. This is Zeal to be willing and forward.

2. To be zealous, is to be self-denying and resolute notwithstanding Discouragements. Zeal is a mixed Affection, it consists partly of Love, and partly of Indignation; and so when I am zealous of a thing, I love that thing, and shake off and hate all that lets and hinders it. Zeal sets us a-work, and holds us to it, notwithstanding Discouragements. Zeal will not stick at a little Labor and Charge; the more Resistance, the more Glory. God's Children are glad that they may not serve God with that which cost them nothing; as David professeth, 2 Sam. 24.24. I will not offer a Burnt-offering unto the Lord my God of that which did cost me nothing. Certainly Men are not zealous, and their Hearts are not set upon the Ways of God, when every slight Excuse will serve the turn, and every little Profit draws them away, and every petty Business doth hinder them, and break off Communion with God; and every slender Temptation doth interrupt and break off all their Purposes and Resolutions to Duty and Obedience, be it Prayer, Charity, or Acts of Righteousness. We must be resolute; for, Gal. 4.18. It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing.

3. To be zealous of good Works, imports Diligence and Earnestness to advance Piety to the highest pitch; when we are not contented with any low degrees of Obedience, but would fain carry out a godly Conversation to the uttermost, to do it with all our Heart. Is he zealous that is contented with a little Charity, with a little Worship only? Sloth and Idleness will not stand with Zeal: Rom. 12.11. Not slothful in Business, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord. Thus it will be when we are seething hot in Spirit, as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies. A large Affection cannot be contented with mean things, and low degrees of Holiness: nor lay a dead Child in the room of a living one. This the Apostle calls being rich in good Works, 1 Tim. 6.18. One or two Acts will not serve the turn. Thus Dorcas is said to be full of good Works, Acts 9.36. How full? It is not an Allusion to the fullness of a Vessel that is full of Water, or a Chest full of Clothes, but to the fullness of a Tree loaden with Fruit: James 3.17. — Full of Mercy, and good Works. Those that are planted into this noble Vine, Jesus Christ, are full of good Works.

4. To be zealous of good Works, is to be constant to the End. The Fire on the Altar never went out, but it was always maintained and kept in: so we must never let the Fire of Zeal go out. Zeal is not like Fire in Straw. Alas! sudden Fervours are soon spent, they are but Freewill-Pangs, the Birth of an unrenewed Will; but it is like Fire in Wood, that casts a lasting Heat. Gal. 4.18. It is good to be zealously affected always: Not at first only for a Fit or Pang, that doth not come from Sanctification; therefore you should keep up your Fervour. Watch against all Decays, especially in Age. The Motions of Youth are very vehement, for Youth is full of eager Spirits, and seems to be all on fire: but many times these Motions are not so sincere; but the Actions of Age are more solid, though many times they want Vigour and Heat. Therefore strive to keep up your Zeal. Gal. 5.7. Ye did run well, who did hinder you? Carnal Men, when their first Heats are spent, give over, they grow cold, careless, and indifferent in Matters of Religion. But shall all these Heats and Desires of Reformation be in vain, and shall we give over at length? In worldly things we will not give over, when we have been at great cost: but shall all that is past in Religion be in vain? Gal. 3.4. Have you suffered so many things in vain, if it be yet in vain? His meaning is, It is not like to be in vain, it will but tend to your greater Condemnation. An Adulteress is punished more than an Harlot. It is more Dishonor and Ingratitude to God to tire at length.

III. The Respect and Place of Zeal in good Works, it is a Note of God's People, and a Fruit of Christ's Death.

1. It is a Note of God's People. Vnumquodque operatur secundum suam formam. There is in the New Creature a Propensity and Inclination to good Works. As all Creatures are created with an inclination to their proper Operations, such a willing tendency is there in the New Creature to those Actions which are Heavenly. As Sparks fly upwards, and a Stone moves downward; so the New Creature is carried to Obedience and Holiness from a free Principle within. The Nature of everything is the Principle of its Motion. Faith will discover itself; therefore we read of God's fulfilling the Work of Faith with Power, 2 Thess. 1.11. Hope is called lively, from the Effect, 1 Pet. 1.3. He hath begotten us to a lively Hope, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead. Love constraineth; 2 Cor. 5.14. The Love of Christ constraineth us. Good Works are a Note of the New Creature. We are the Workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good Works, Ephes. 2.10. As an Artificer sets a Mark upon his Workmanship that he might know it; so God sets a visible Mark upon his Servants: he doth not make a new Creature for old Works. Good Works are Christianae Fidei quasi testes, Witnesses that you can bring to evidence the Truth and Power of Grace. Luther saith, Good Works are Faith incarnate ; that is, Faith is manifested by them, as the Son of God was manifested in the Flesh. They are Witnesses to the World, to yourselves, and unto God that you are his. They are Signs and Witnesses to the World. This is the Badge by which God would have his peculiar Children known; not by Pomp and worldly Splendor, not by any outward Excellency, Riches, Greatness and Estate, but by Zeal to good Works. There are no barren Trees in Christ's Garden, it is not for the Honor of God; for our heavenly Father would be glorified in his Servants bringing forth much Fruit; John 15.8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much Fruit; so shall ye be my Disciples. God standeth much upon his Honor. Now it is for the Honor of God, that all which are planted and grafted into Christ, should be full of good Works. And they are Testimonies to ourselves: 2 Pet. 1.10. Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure. Some Copies add 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , make your Calling and Election sure by good Works : certainly it may be collected from the Context; he bids them, ver. 5. add to their Faith, Virtue; to Virtue, Knowledge, &c. and so they might come to make their Calling and Election sure. Graces are not discerned by their Habits, but by their Acts and Exercise. Look as in a Tree, the Sap and Life is hid, but the Fruit and Apples do appear; so Zeal of good Works is that which appears, and so it manifests, and clears up your Condition. This is the great Note of Difference between us and the Profane; they are zealous for the Devil's Kingdom, Factors for Hell; John 8.44. Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the Lusts of your Father you will do. They are known by their Works; they are earnest for Satan, zealous for the Devil, follow Sin with earnestness, and do Evil with both hands earnestly, Micah 7.3. It is the difference between us and civil Men, but unregenerate; they are like Cypress Trees, fair and tall, but fruitless; of a comely Life, but none of these good Works are to be found in them. It is the difference between us and Hypocrites: A Hypocrite, like a Carbuncle, seems to be all on a fire; but when you touch it, it is quite cold: so they pretend to Religion, talk much, but have no true regular Zeal, no spiritual Warmth. It is notable, our Lord himself proves his Divine Original by his Works; John 10.38. Tho ye believe not me, believe the Works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him. So is this the sensible Evidence you are in Christ, and Christ in you. Graces are not always evident in feeling, but in Fruit; the Effects cannot be hid. Then they are Signs and Evidences to God himself, the Lord will look upon them as Marks and Evidences of his People. Look as the destroying Angel was to be guided by a Sign, Exod. 12.12, 13. by the sprinkling of the Door-posts; not that he needed it, but because God would have it to be so: So the Lord suits his Dispensations, and guides them by a Sign. It is true, God in his Gifts is arbitrary, but in his Judgments he proceeds by Rule, according to our Works. At the last Day God will judge you not by your Profession, but by your Practice, what you have done: he will not say, You have prophesied in my Name, you have eaten and drunk in my Presence; but you have fed me, clothed me, visited me. That the Faith of the Elect might be found to Praise and Honor, he will have Works produced. Not that God wants Evidences of our Sincerity, but he will have all the World know we have not been unfruitful. A Man that expecteth to be posed, is preparing to answer, and would give somethink to know the Questions aforehand. Christ hath told us what are the Questions upon which we shall be examined and taxed at the Day of Judgment; he will say, Have you fed and clothed my People? have you ministered to their Necessities? have you relieved them with spiritual Counsel and Admonition? have you been good, holy and just? Therefore let us provide to give an Answer, that we might not be ashamed at the last Day. Thus this Zeal for good Works hath the place and room of a Witness; to God, as the Rule and Measure of his Process; to ourselves, as the ground of our Assurance; and to the World, as the great vindication of the Honor of our Profession.

2. It is a Fruit of Christ's Death; partly by way of Obligation, for certainly God hath not been at all this cost and labor for nothing; he did not project the sending of Christ, and Jesus Christ did not so give up himself in the Work of Redemption for nothing, but to inflame us to a great height of Piety. They that live at a low rate of Holiness, cross and disgrace the whole Design of the Gospel; they are not apprehensive of the Love of God in giving Christ, nor the Love of Christ in giving himself. Our Redemption was carried on in such a way, not only that the Comfort, but also the Duty of the Creature might be raised to the highest. Partly again, as Christ hath purchased the Gift of the Spirit to fit us for good Works, yea to make us zealous in them; Titus 3.5, 6. According to his Mercy he saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Now the Spirit dwelleth in our Hearts, to set our Graces a working; John 4.14. The Water that I shall give him, shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into everlasting Life. So John 7.38, 39. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture saith, out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water: This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him shall receive. The Spirit is not a Fountain sealed up, but flowing forth. The Spirit of God is a mighty Spirit, and comes in upon the Soul not only as a gentle Blast, but as a mighty rushing Wind; he comes not only in the appearance of a Dove, but of cloven Tongues of Fire, Acts 2. He comes as a Spirit of Power to quicken and awaken the Soul to great heights and fervours in Obedience. Look as Men acted by Satan, the unclean Spirit, are restless in Evil, and carried headlong as the Herd of Swine into the Sea; so those that are acted by the Spirit of God, are much more carried on with great Earnestness in the Ways of God. The Devil hath not such Advantages to work upon his Instruments, as the Spirit of God hath upon us. The Devil works and operates in all the Children of Disobedience; Ephes. 2.3. The Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience. But the Devil cannot work but by Man's Consent, neither can he work immediately upon the Soul, but only by the Senses, and by the Fancy; but the Spirit of God can work immediately upon them in whom he acts. Therefore being acted by him, they must needs be zealous and earnest; for the Spirit of God nescit tarda molimina, knows no slow Motions. The Soul in itself is dead and slothful, and apt to yield to Laziness and Delays; but when we are acted and quickened by the mighty Spirit, then draw us, and we will run after thee, Cant. 1.4. When the Spirit puts forth its Force upon the Soul, such as are drawn by the Holy Ghost, they are not in jest, as carnal Men are, but in earnest; they do not dally with Religion, but make it their great business to surprise Heaven, and carry on constant Communion with God: Matth. 11.12. The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence, and the Violent take it by force.

Use 1. Information.

1. That Grace is no Enemy to good Works. Libertinism is ancient and natural. Christ died to improve Piety, not to lessen it, but to raise it to the highest, to make us zealous of good Works, that we might be carried on to Heaven with full Sails. Therefore he that grows looser, less watchful against Sin, less diligent in the exercise of Holiness, less frequent in Communion with God, less humble and penitent after committing of Sin, offers the greatest Abuse to Grace that may be, and perverts its natural Use. There is no freezing by the Fire; we may freeze indeed by painted Fire, that may make us contract Chilliness and Drowsiness; but true Grace is a Fire that warms and inflames our Affections. Christ came to make us more cheerful and lively, but not slack, careless and cold.

2. It informs us, what little Reason the World hath to cry out upon Zealots, for Christ died to make us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , zealous of good Works. Men that are only contented with a brain Religion, speculative Notions, they cannot endure Heats and Fervors; they would have a Religion to talk of, but not to live by; therefore they are cold and indifferent; and when the Children of God offer a holy Violence to the Kingdom of Heaven, they become a Matter of Scorn and Opposition to them. And besides, formal Men cannot endure to be outstripp'd, and therefore malign what they will not imitate; as those that are at the Bottom of the Hill fret at those that are at the Top: and Men of a lazy and slow Pace envy them that are more zealous, strict and holy: but they have little Cause to envy them, for Christ died to make us zealous of good Works.

3. It informs us, if we would expect any Benefit by Christ's Death, we must be zealous of good Works, and more warm in the Service of God. A cold Christian will have but cold Comfort: For whom did Christ die? for those that are zealous of good Works; Matth. 11.12. The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence, and the Violent take it by Force. It is an Allusion to Exod. 19.23, 24. where there was a Rail about the Mount of God, that the People might not break through: but when John the Baptist began to discover the Grace of God, and pointed to the Lamb of God, then the Kingdom of God suffered Violence, Men began to break through and press upon God; there is a free Access to God, and Men are earnest and will not be denied Entrance. Matth. 5.20. Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no Case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It is not cold Prayers, and yawning Devotions, and drowsy Wishes, when Men are half asleep, that will serve in this Case; Heaven is gotten by Force, and surprised by On-set and Storm; it signifies breaking through the Rail, and all Restraints that are set to keep us off from God.

Use 2. To stir us up to this Zeal of good Works: In a dead and drowsy Age we need an Alarum. Knowledge hath now devoured Practice in these decaying times. Seneca complains Men are altogether studious for filling their Brains, not warming their Hearts: And when once Men became more learned, they were less good. The World is altogether for storing the Head with Notions, empty and airy Strains, so that if Christ should come amongst us, he would find few zealous, but a Company of lazy Christians that live at a low cheap Rate of Christianity. High-flown we are indeed in our Fancies, in Notions and Pretences, but low and flat in Practice and Conversation. Usually thus it is in the time of the Church's Prosperity, like a River it loseth in Depth what it gains in Breadth; then it hath many Friends, but their Love is not so strong, nor so hot as at other times. Salvian complains, Multiplicatis fidei populis, fides diminuta est; & crescentibus filiis, mater aegrotat, &c.

1. Consider how violent and earnest carnal Men are in the Ways of Sin, and shall they serve Satan better than you serve God? O consider, you have a better Master, better Work, and better Wages; their Master is the Devil, their Work is the basest Drudgery, being Slaves to their own Lusts; and their Wages are suitable, their Reward is everlasting Damnation, and a Separation from the Presence of the Lord. How active are wicked Men for the Kingdom of Darkness? How zealous and earnest to ruin themselves, as if they could not be damned soon enough? Isa. 5.19. They draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity, and sin as it were with a Cart-rope: The meaning is, they would sin, though it cost them a great deal of Pains and Sorrow, and though they could not sin at a cheap rate. The Prophet doth not say, they were drawn into Sin, as into a Gin and Snare, but they themselves did draw on Sin; it is horrid Work, yet they delight in it, toiling and tiring themselves as Beasts at a Plough; they were sinful, though it cost them Sorrow and Pain. There is no Corruption but it puts you to some Self-denial. Luxury is costly, and he that loves Wine and Oil, saith Solomon, will be poor. Pride, we say, will endure the cold; and Vain-glory will expose a Man to Danger and Ruin. Worldliness encroacheth upon Pleasantness and the Comforts of Life; a Worldling will rise early, sit up late, and eat the Bread of Sorrows, Psal. 127.2. With what Earnestness and unwearied Diligence do carnal Men pursue after a few Trifles? How do they lay out all their Wisdom and all their Sagacity about worldly things; Luke 16.8. The Children of this World are wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light. As Children are busy about Toys and Puppets, so they cumber themselves about much Serving; and all their Life is but Care and Disquiet, and a constant Self-denial; Psal. 39.6. Surely every Man walketh in a vain Shew, surely they disquiet themselves in vain. They make a great deal of Stir and Bustle, and many times when all is got, what is it? A sorry Comfort, and that which must be left on this side the Grave. Thus wicked Men are active and restless in their way. So for Idolatry: with what Cost and Diligence do Men promote false Worship, and compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte; they will give Rivers of Oil, and thousands of Rams; they do not stand at Pains and Cost. God bids the Prophet look upon this Sight (as indeed it is worthy of a Christian Consideration) Ier. 7.17, 18. Seest thou what they do in the Cities of Judah, and in the Streets of Jerusalem? The Children gather Wood, and the Fathers kindle the Fire, and the Women kneed the Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out Drink-Offerings unto other God's. What a busy Diligence is here to promote their false Worship? Fathers, Children, Husbands, Wives, they all put their helping Hands to the Work, and find some Employment or other. Where will you have a Family so earnest and zealous to set up the Work of God? O how can you look upon such a Spectacle as this without Shame, that a Lust should have more power with them, than the Love of God with you? Is it not a shame that Amnon can be sick for Tamar, and yet you cannot be sick for Christ, as the Spouse was for her Beloved? You have high Motives, nobler Employment; your Work is the Perfection of the Creature; the noblest Faculties are exercised in the noblest way of Operation: your Rewards are more excellent, and you have greater Advantages and Helps. Shall they take more pains to undo their Souls, than you do to save your Souls? We read in Ecclesiastical Story, when Pambus saw a Harlot curiously dressed, he wept; partly to see one take so much Pains for her own eternal Ruin; and partly because he had not been so careful to please Christ, and to dress up his Soul for Christ, as she was to please her wanton Lover. Christians! whenever you are cast upon such a Sight or Spectacle; when you come by a Shop, and see Men labor and toiling out their Hearts, and all this for temporal Gain; doth it not make you blush and be ashamed, that you are so negligent and careless in the Work of God?

2. Consider, you yourselves have been violent and earnest in the ways of Sin, and will you not do as much for God? How may everyone say, when I was a wicked and carnal Man, I followed it with all my Heart, and shall I do less now in a State of Grace? The Apostle hath a notable Expression, Rom. 6.19. I speak after the manner of Men, because of the Infirmity of your Flesh: for as ye have yielded your Members Servants to Uncleanness and to Iniquity, unto Iniquity; even so now yield your Members Servants to Righteousness, unto Holiness. Mark how the Apostle brings it in with a Preface, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I speak after the manner of Men : that is, Men in common Sense and Reason judge it equal that they should be as diligent to come up to the Height of Sanctification, and as zealous of good Works, as ever you were to come up to the Height of Sin, and were zealous for Hell: Should you not have as much Care to save yourselves, as to ruin and damn yourselves? You made haste to do Evil, as if you could not be damned soon enough: Now in Reason you should be as zealous for God as for Satan. Heretofore we could riot away the Day, and card away the Night; and shall not some Days be spent in Fasting and Prayer? Shall every Hour be begrudged that is bestowed upon God? You will say, it is good Reason God should be served as well as the Devil; but the Flesh is weak, and how shall we be able to serve God? But says the Apostle,