Conviction of sin and self-emptiness.

THe second Consideration we observed from the words, and proposed to be opened, was this;

‘Obs. 2. Such who come to God to have their sins pardoned, they look upon them as great sins.’

Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great, &c. The Ori­ginal word as well signifies Many, as Great, my sins are great and many; many great sins lye upon me, par­don, Oh pardon them, Oh Lord, &c.

Thus you have this blessed man David in several Psalms, aggravating his sin, Psal. 38.4. Mine ini­quities are gone over my head, and are a burden too hea­vy for me to bear; against thee only have I sinned, Psal. 51. So blessed Paul, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, whereof I am the chief; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful, Rom. 7.13. So Peter at the first Glimpse of Christ, and a word from him, falls upon his knees, crys out, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, &c. Luke 5.8. So the Pub­lican, God be merciful to me a sinner, agreat, vile sin­ner, nothing else but a sinner: So the Prodigal, Fa­ther, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, &c. Luke 18.13. & 15.21.

In the opening of this Point, first I would shew, Why, such as come in a right way for pardon, do look upon their sins as great sins.

1. How they come to see them so.

[Page 19]2. When a sinner may be said to have seen his sins so great as a pardoned soul should do.

1. Sinners that come to God for pardon and find it, do look upon their sins as great sins, because against a great God, great in power, great in justice, great in holiness; I am a worm, and yet sin, and that boldly, against a God so great; for a worm to lift up himself against a great and infinite God; Oh this makes every little sin great, and calls for great venge­ance from so great a God.

2. Because they have sinned against great patience, despising the goodness, forbearance, and long-suffe­ring of God, which is call'd treasuring up of wrath, Rom. 2.4, 5. Oh, saith a poor abased sinner at Gods feet, How have I wearied the patience of God! I have not wearied thee, saith God, but thou hast been wea­ry of me, and hast made me to serve with thy sins, and wearied me with thine iniquities, Isa. 43.23, 24. Oh, this is an humbling and heart-breaking word to a poor soul before the Lord; this makes his sin appear great indeed. I have wearied the blessed God with my sin, and yet he calls upon me that he may pardon me, ver. 25. of the same Chapter. This greatens sin to purpose, to a poor soul that hath abused much patience.

3. Sins do appear great, because against great mer­cies. Oh, against how many mercies and kindnesses do sinners sin against, and turn all the mercies of God into sin! Oh, saith a poor soul, drawing near to God, I turned all the mercies of the Lord against him, took his mercies and fought against him with them, and served the Devil and my lusts with them; if God will come and account with me for them, how shall I answer him?

4. That which greatens sin in the eyes of poor [Page 20] sinners that cry for pardon, is, that they have sinned a­gainst great light, light in the Conscience; this heigh­tens sin exceedingly, especially to such as are under Gospel-means, and is indeed the sin of all in this Nation; there's nothing more abaseth a soul than this, nothing makes it more difficult to believe par­don, when humbled for it; therefore 'tis, that ma­ny poor souls fear that they have sinn'd the unpardo­nable sin against the Holy Ghost, because they have sinned against knowledge and light, which though while they are humbled before the Lord, it cannot be that they have so sinned unpardonably; yet in as much as 'tis the sin that borders next upon the sin a­gainst the Holy Ghost, it much greatens sin to a poor soul under the sense of it. Such a sinner is said to reproach the Lord, Numb. 15.30, 31. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin; James 4. last. To him it is sin, that is great sin, of which God will take the severest account: There­fore such as have the Profession of Christianity, and the knowledge of the Word in some measure, and yet go on impenitently in sin, they are the greatest sinners in the world, and will have the greatest dam­nation; and this circumstance in sin makes, or should do so, such souls that never lived in notorious sins, be under deep abasement, because, though their Sins were not so gross as many others, yet they were a­gainst great light and knowledge, which makes eve­ry little sin continued in great in the account of God, and great in the account of the sinner, when he comes before the Lord in the sense of it. Oh, I pleas­ed my self in sins that I knew to be sins, and was convinced by the Word of God of them, yet I went on, and loved them.

5. Continuance in sin, much greatens sin to a poor soul, [Page 21] that is, after pardon; especially such as are not very ear­ly converted. God will wound the hairy scalp of such a one that goeth on still in his trespasses, Psal. 68.21. Oh, I added sin unto sin, saith a poor soul, spending the choice time of my youth in sin, when I might have been getting the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and honouring of God. This lay close upon David's spi­rit, as appears in this 25th. Psal. 7. Oh remember not the sins of youth, &c. Yet we do not find that Da­vid's youth was notoriously sinful; but in as much as he spent not his youth to get knowledge, and to serve the Lord fully, 'twas his burden and complaint before the Lord; much more such whose youth was spent in nothing but vanity, prophaneness, lying, swearing, prophaning of the Sabbath, sports, past-times, excess of riot, and the like, when God lays it in upon their Consciences, must be greivous and abo­minable to their souls.

6. Multitudes of sins do make sin appear great, this made David cry out for multitude of mercies, Psal. 51. and Psal. 40.12. Innumerable evils have com­passed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look; they are more than the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me. One sin, but a sinful thought, is worthy of a thousand Hells, much more, multiplyed, numberless, infinite sins, in thought, words, walkings, calling, worship, in all I have done, I did nothing else but sin: There­fore the least sinner in the world is a great sinner, when God lays his account before him.

7. Another thing that greatens sin is, that it was against purposes and resolutions of forsaking such and such sins; and yet all broken, sometimes against so­lemn vows, against prayers: This consideration up­on many a poor soul sticks hard, and lays low, and [Page 22] makes his sin grievous indeed, that against purpo­ses, vows, prayers, he should return to his sin; this makes him cry out, Oh my sin is great, great indeed; Doth, will the Lord pardon such a Wretch? &c.

8. Sin appears great, when seen by a poor soul, be­cause it was reigning sin, Rom. 5. & 6. Sin reigned to death, &c. Oh, saith a poor humbled sinner, I did not only commit sin, but I was the servant and slave of sin, I obey'd sin as a Lord, and that willingly, I obey'd it in the lusts thereof; where God, Christ, his Spirit, Word, Law, should have dwelt and reigned, there sin and lusts bore sway, and had the command of my soul. A little sin when a reigning sin, is a great sin. All that sin can do, is but to rule the sinner, and so it doth the least sinner that is under it, though it break not forth into gross notorious actings against the Lord, and this doth much greaten it.

9. Sin in the fountain makes it great: As it may be said, there is more water in the fountain, than in the pools and streams it makes; because there is a conti­nual issuing and flowing out of it, which is able to make far greater streams: So in the nature, in the heart, is there as in the fountain, and therefore 'tis more there than in the breakings forth of it in the outward man; so that, though a sinner in his youth hath been restrained from many great sins, yet in as much as sin in the fountain was as full as in any sin­ner in the world, though restrained and pent in (which the sinner was not beholding to his own heart for) it renders him a great sinner before the Lord, when savingly enlightned. The want of this consideration makes outwardly righteous per­sons not look upon themselves as great sinners; they see and feel not sin infinite in the fountain of it, which mostly greatens it, above all the actings of it in this life.

[Page 23]10. A sinner drawing nigh to God for pardon, sees his sin as great, because thereby he was led captive by the Devil at his will: He that committeth sin is of the Devil, 1 John 3.8. committeth sin, so as in a state of sin, under the power of sin, and not born of God, why such a one is of the Devil, under the power of the Devil, of the Devil and not of God; and this because of sin, which gives this dominion to the De­vil. Oh, saith a poor Creature, I that was the crea­ture of God, and should have lived to him, lived to the Devil, and the service of him; and took part with him, against Christ, his Word, his Saints, and was an enemy to them: This greatens my sin before the Lord.

11. Sin appears great, because great is the wrath of God against sin; sinners are said to heap up wrath, Rom. 2. and they are called the Children of wrath. God to manifest his displeasure against sin, pours out ever­lasting wrath upon an unpardoned sinner, to leave the sinner under endless torment of soul and body. God hates nothing but sin, and for sin, and so hates it, that infinite endless wrath must be the vengeance of it. Oh, when God gives a sinner a glimpse of this! Oh the greatness of every little sin to deserve such wrath! How shall I flee from and escape the wrath to come? who can stand before such wrath, who can bear it?

12. The way of any sinner's deliverance from such wrath, shews sin to be exceeding great, in the price and ransom that is paid for the salvation of him from his sins, the price of the blood of the eternal Son of God. How great was sin, how sinful and dam­nable the nature of it in the eye of the righteous God, when justice could not be satisfied but by such a way? Oh, saith a poor soul that comes for pardon, [Page 24] what a damnable thing is sin, which was once no­thing to me, that redemption from it is at such a rate! God had no greater a price to give, than what he laid down to save a wretched sinner from his sin. Oh, 'twas great sin that must crucifie the Lord of life and glory, therefore doth my soul hate it.

13. Lastly, This consideration also greatens sin, in as much as a poor creature hath drawn and tempted others to sin with him, especially such as have lived more vainly and loosly, and it lies hard upon many a poor soul after thorough conviction. Oh, how many have I drawn to sin, not only by my example, but encouragement and perswasion, that may be now in Hell for such sins, or are under a state of impeni­tency, and hardened by me. Oh, this is an abasing consideration to a poor, convinced, humbled sinner, when God smites his heart with it.

Ʋse 1. Before we go further, let us labour to ap­ply this to the consciences of all. I have shewed you, the matter we are upon is the weightiest that ever took up God's heart, the pardoning of a sinner; and therefore, how should it swallow up the hearts of poor undone souls, that are so infinitely concern'd in it. I beseech you therefore, lay to your hearts what hath been spoken as to the greatness of sin; and con­sider, If souls that come to God by Christ for par­don, see their sins as great sins, and 'tis their great trouble they cannot see them greater;

First then, This may serve to take off that woful deceit of heart, and delusion of the Devil, of poor careless souls that dream of pardon, and yet never in any measure thus saw their sins as great; this shews the heart was never touched of God, never smitten for sin as yet; this is the way indeed of unpardon­ed [Page 25] sinners, they are lessening their sins to God and themselves, finding out circumstances to lessen them, of others tempting them, and the Devil, and the like; and many or most of Men or Women allow themselves in the same, or they were overtaken, or the like; they think they can easily pacifie God a­gain, and that God makes not so great a matter of it; thus a deceitful heart and a cheating Devil juggle together, and sooth Conscience in a damnable peace: And such souls call their great reigning sins their infirmity, and God will not be so exact as some of the Preachers make him; here's a sinner rivetted in a cursed estate. But now take a Soul whom God (as I shall shew) hath made sensible of sin, and the weight of pardon, and comes to the feet of the Lord for it, 'tis quite otherwise. Oh, my sins, Wretch that I was and am, were little sins to me before, but now they are great sins; I called it my infirmity to lye, swear, prophane the Sabbath, allow my self in any excess; but now I see 'twas reigning sin, soul-damning sin, great, oh great sin; Oh that I am out of Hell! Oh the patience of God! Is there mercy for such a wretch? What a wonder will it be if I get to Heaven? How great will that mercy be that pardons me?

2. Therefore in the second place, Examine how it is with you? and whether you have had some such workings of heart; Have you been before the Lord in David's posture, Oh, mine iniquity is great! Oh, I I have sinned against a great God, wearied great pati­ence, turned great mercies into sin. Oh I have sin­ned against great light, How shall I be pardoned? Sins continued in, and multiplied from my youth up, and these against serious purposes, under the reign of it; there's an infinite fountain of all evil [Page 26] within me. If I have been any way restrained, no thanks to my own heart for it. Oh, saith a poor soul, I was led by the Devil, befool'd by the Devil, served the Devil against God; and now, what can I challenge at the Hands of God? What belongs to me but wrath, great wrath, everlasting wrath, in­finite Wrath? If one sin deserves a thousand Hells, what do innumerable transgressions do? If Mer­cy be not infinite, How shall I look up to God, or how shall God look down upon me? Oh, I say, let your Conscience answer, hath it been thus, in some good and real measure, though not so deep as your soul desires. I know there are degrees, and I also know till God come to let out himself in such a way as ☞ this, that sin is great, and greater in mine eye then ever, we make but slight work of it in our spi­rits; want of this makes many in these days run a­way with pleasant notions of Grace, Christ, Light, (though blessed be the Lord for ever, for the more glorious Revelation of all these, but I speak of abuses) but sin was never great by the appearance of God, and so they wanton with such Notions which at last wear off, and so they come to nothing but a re­proach to the Gospel.

3. In the third place, therefore, let it serve to ex­hort sinners to look back upon your lives, even from your youth up: You may find one more of the dis­coveries mentioned of the greatness of sin, that you will fall under; especially such as have been given to the prophaness and vanities of the age you live in, lying, swearing, prophaning of the Sabbath, to riot, ungodly pastimes and sports, reviling the Godly, or other more secret wickednesses and pollutions; any of which may bespeak thee in a state of sin and wrath, joyned with thy living in the neglect of [Page 27] known duties, upon which neglect God hath pro­nounced a curse, as the neglect of secret or Family-prayer, Jer. 10. ult.

Or if thou hast not been engaged in gross sins, but hast been sober and well carriaged from thy youth up, yet thou mayst be still in a state of sin, but go a little more soberly to Hell, and in more danger of being damned in thy civil sober carriage than great sinners, with which thou art apt to compare thy self, and seeing thy self not so bad as them, think­est all is well; but remember well what hath been proved, that sin is greater in the Fountain than the streams, though it make a greater noise or shew to others in the stream of ones life; thou hast a Hell in thy nature, an infinite fountain of any wicked­ness, that ever any of the Sons or Daughters of men did commit, an Idolater, an Adulterer, a Murderer, a Sodomite, a Devil in thy Heart and whole frame of thy Nature. In a word, one sin, which thou callest little, reigning but in thy heart, and cherished there, is enough to send thee to Hell, as if thou wert the veriest Reprobate living. Remem­ber, the same Paul that thought himself a blameless man, Philip. 3.6. afterwards cries out of exceeding sinfulness, Rom. 7.13. yea, the greatest, the chief of sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. But I hope to meet with thee, and with thy conscience, as to this conviction, more hereafter.

The next inquiry will be, when a poor soul may be said to be under such a discovery of the greatness of sin, as may lead him to get pardon through Je­sus Christ.

1. One discovery I have named already; which is, such a soul doth not go about to lessen his sin, but greeaten it to his greater abasement; 'tis his fear he doth [Page 28] not see his sins great enough, to lay him low enough before the Lord.

2. When such a sight and discovery of sin, it be­gets trouble upon the spirit: In Psal. 28. you have David under a great discovery of sin, and he cries out, there is no rest in my bones, because of my sin; I am troubled, I am bowed down, I go mourning all the day; such a trouble, that will not admit of peace and healing, but from Jesus Christ, till it can take hold of Jesus Christ in a promise of Grace and Par­don, and come to him, and close with him to be ju­stified and Sanctified by him and in him; as I am at large to shew, if God will. I speak this, be­cause there is a trouble for sin, that often ends in a more dangerous peace: Many poor creatures have for a time been troubled for sin, and they have made one shift or other to quiet themselves, it may be leave their sins, and do a little something more, but never come in a Gospel-way to Christ; which I am also (through grace) to evidence in the discovery of a false Conversion. However, so it is, that e­very soul that is unbottomed from a false peace, a peace in sin, or resting in his duties, he comes un­der trouble, more or less, in and for his sin, as he gets to pardon.

3. God smites a soul for some special particular sin; Jer. 3.13. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways under every green tree, &c. General acknowledgment of Sins comes to nothing, 'tis the note of a Hypocrite; but particular Sins lying upon the soul, speak forth spiritual convictions, when joyned, I mean with other workings of heart we are now setting forth. So Christ dealt with the wo­man of Samaria, Joh. 4.16.29. Found her at, [Page 29] and smote her in her particular Sin.

4. As God smites, so the sinner is in particular con­fession before the Lord, loads his heart with Sin, till it breaks.

Object. But who will not confess himself a Sinner, you will say?

Answ. Truly few, in a Scripture saving sense. A word or two more to this; That confession of sin before the Lord, is a duty, and such as hath the pro­mise of forgiveness of Sin, such places of Scripture will clear, Psal. 32. I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the ini­quity of my sin; Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh them, shall find mercy; If we confess our sins he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, 1 John 1.9. This being a duty to which so blessed promises are annexed, 'tis of much concernment to souls that are very se­rious about forgiveness, to have it stated aright, ac­cording to Scripture and saving Experience.

There is a confession of sin, that doth not entitle to the promise, which a hypocrite may reach to; so Pharaoh, Exod. 9.27. I have sinned this time, the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked; here's confession, but no pardon; so Judas, Matth. 27.3, 4. I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood; so Saul, 1 Sam. 15.29. I have sinned, for I have trans­gressed the Commandment of the Lord; Here are ver­bal inforced confessions, when the hand of God was upon them, and yet did not end in mercy.

The confession of a Hypocrite proceeds only from judgment felt or feared; but that which is sincere and ends in mercy and pardon, goes upon better grounds.

[Page 30]1. As first, Confession that hath the promise of par­don, is accompanied with hatred of sin. So in that bles­sed draught of the New Covenant Ezek. 36. I will save you from your uncleannesses, &c. verse 29. and verse 31. Then shall you remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities, and for you abomi­nations. Then, when God comes in a way of mer­cy and pardon, then God will make them remember their wickednesses, that they had even forgotten, and had thought that God had forgotten them also: They thought they were good ways before, but now the Lord shews them they were not good, and they loath themselves: Sin is not only a terror, but a loathsom thing to them, hateful to the soul that is under this conviction.

2. Whence, secondly, Saving confession respects the pollution of sin. They shall loath themselves, &c. That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee; In that 38th. Psal. David is in self-loathing; this doth arise (as presently I shall shew) from a glimpse of Gods holiness, which I humbly conceive, no reprobate in the World doth reach to, to loath sin, because it makes him an unho­ly Creature.

3. It follows therefore that such confession follows sin to the root, to the fountain, there sees it most abo­minable, odious, infinite. So David Psal. 51.5. I was shapen in iniquity, &c. A Hypocrites confession ends in outward gross sins, from terror only, and reacheth not to heart-sin, pollution of nature; and if he can reach to reform such outward gross sins, he hath done, as he thinks, the utmost, but never comes to loath (and so to mortifie, through the [Page 31] spirit) sin at the root: But sincere souls, touched by the Holy Ghost, with a saving sense of sin, do drive sin home to its original, to its root, in the uni­versal corruption of heart and nature, and there the severest edge and indignation against it is let forth.

4. Brokenness of heart for sin, is an effect of such con­fession, Psal. 51.17. Isa. 61.1. & 57.15. And this ari­seth upon sense of Gods patience, goodness, love; as hatred of the pollution of sin, ariseth from a sight of Gods Holiness; Pharaoh crys out, he had sinned, when he smarted with punishment, but was still under the plague of his hard heart, Ex. 9.27. & 34. There is indeed a kind of brokenness, that the hammerings of terrour, by punishments, or by the Word, may work, which may a little wear and rough-hew the heart, and yet go no further, but yet leave the heart under its natural hardness, but now that which is the Spirits saving work kindly melts the heart, makes it soft, and so it can pour out it self to God in heart-melting confessions; at least, the poor soul mourns over the hardness of its heart, oh that I have thus sinned, and yet my heart will not break? blessed be every stroak, and every word of God, and every Ordinance, that through grace breaks my heart more. A sincere soul sets a high price upon brokenness, and yet rests not in it, &c.

5. Such confession that hath the promise, is accom­panied with soul abasement; He that humbleth him­self, shall be exalted, Luke 18.14. spoken upon the Publicans acceptance with God in his Confession, smiting upon his breast, in a deep abasement, not lifting up his eyes to Heaven: So that great promise, 2 Chron. 7.14. If my people shall humble themselves, and pray, and [Page 32] seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins: This is a work of the narrowest search of any other. I intend, if the Lord will, to speak to this more distinctly and fully, only now a word of Humiliation, as is joyned with such confession, that hath the promise of par­don, which is the scope we drive at.

1. When the Soul is in confession, and under the Lords humblings in order to pardon, The poor Crea­ture acknowledgeth himself infinitely unworthy that ever the Lord should cast a look upon him, or give out mercy and pardon to him: This Conclusion is fixed upon the soul, and the Soul falls down abased in the sense of it, whatever the Lord do with me, I will lay my mouth in the dust, I am worthy of nothing from the Lord, but a thousand Hells; this quiets the heart in some measure, whatever the pleasure of the Lord be towards him.

2. As the poor sinful Creature is worthy of no­thing, so he will give glory to God, if God never pardon; God is never the less righteous or holy, if he never let out one drop of mercy upon so vile a Creature: Thou art holy, saith David, Psal. 22.3. But I am a worm, and no man, verse 6. A worm, fit for God and man to tread upon, and yet must not rise up against God, nor say to him, what doest thou? No Man: I have unman'd my self with sin, I am dust and vani­ty it self, vile dust; that's my make, my frame: Oh, I must give glory to his justice, though I perish for ever.

3. The poor Creature hath no good, no, not the least, to procure pardon, or to move God to pardon, Psal. 14.3. Saith a poor humbled soul, treating for pardon, if mercy and pardon must come forth upon terms of my good, having or doing any thing, but what hath [Page 33] infinitely Sin enough in it to damn me for ever; as­suredly to Hell I must: No, Sin enough to send a world of souls to Hell, but not a drop of good to move the Lord to mercy. If God give out mer­cy upon a Sight of good, I expect not a drop from him.

4. It follows from hence, when a sinner comes humbled, he comes as nothing else but a sinner: Luke 18.13. God be merciful to me a sinner: One, that's nothing else but a wretched Sinner, for so the Publi­can means it, as in a contrary frame to the Pharisee, who thanks God that he was not so bad as many were, though the Pharisee no doubt would acknowledge some Sin, but now the Publican is All a sinner, in as bad a condition as any Sinner in the World: Poor Souls in these days, they hope they have not so much need of Christ as many great sinners, they be not nothing else but Sinners, they have or do some good: The discussion of this will be the next discourse, on­ly now a word more: Know Sinner, that one Sin strikes off all thy pretended good, as shall at large through mercy be proved to thee: Stick to one drop of good in thee or from thee, when thou comest for mercy and pardon, and thou losest all: Oh, to be wholly condemned, wholly unrighteous, wholly a sinner, is a great work; 'tis the most distin­guishing conviction of any other. While a man hath any thing to live upon, he is not fit to beg; so while a soul hath a drop of any thing, that in his own sense, may the more admit him to pardon, he cannot have it. Take it thus, If one come to your doors and beg, and he hath good Cloaths on his Back, and he should say, I have good Cloaths on my back, I have some­thing of my own, therefore I pray give me: Would you not answer, if you have something of your own, [Page 34] and are pretty well cloathed, why should you beg; 'tis not for you come and ask alms? But if a poor naked wretch come, and say, and cry, Oh, I am a poor Creature, a poor naked destitute creature, I have nothing, all's gone, I have lost all, pray cover me, pray feed me; out of great pity you will look upon such a poor Wretch, and do something for him, if you have any bowels: So, if a Sinner (as that Pharisee did) come and say, Lord I have done this and this, I have not been so wicked as many, I do some good, therefore pardon, that therefore will make the Lord send thee away without mercy: No, saith God, live upon what thou hast, if thou hast any thing: Oh Sinner, thou art not fit to beg, (to beg mercy and pardon) till thou hast just nothing of thy own, which the natural pride of thy heart will very hardly come off to.

5. In the way of Mens Tribunals of Justice, and Courts of Life and Death: If a Malefactor be con­demned by the Law, and he yet plead, Though I am proved a Thief or a Murderer, yet I have kept the rest of the Law, I have broken no Law of the Nation that deserves death beside, shall not this rather justi­fie me, than this crime condemn me; No, saith the Judge, That's nothing to us, though thou hast kept the Law in other things, thou must dye by the Law, as a Transgressor of it, for this thou hast done: Why then, saith the condemned person, I must plead all mercy. Just so it is at the Tribunal of God, comes a poor Soul that is convinced he hath sinn'd, Oh, but saith he in his heart, I have kept the Law in many or most things, will not that commend me to God? Will not God look upon my good more than my e­vil? No, saith God in his word, thou hast broken the Law, and thou art cursed, therefore the Law can [Page 35] shew thee no mercy. I can take no notice of any of thy pretended keeping of it in any other thing; Oh, then must a poor Sinner say, then it must be all, all of mercy, if I am ever pardoned; this may be e­nough to discover such a humiliation that follows confession that hath the promise of pardon.

6. One thing more, which I shall but mention; such a confession of sin as hath the promise of mercy, is accompanied with a firm resolution, through grace, to forsake Sin, every Sin, in heart and life; He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall find mercy, Prov. 28. as before. Mark well that famous promise, Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighte­ous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon: Here's forsaking ways and thoughts; Sins of Heart and Life, and not a forsaking or leaving of some great Sins, but forsaking and war­ring against a sinful disposition, sinful thoughts; and not only a meer leaving of sin, but a returning to the Lord, which he cannot do, if held under the love of but one Sin; and a turning to God only upon the account of free mercy, and then God abundantly par­dons: A good word suited to a poor soul, under the sense of sinning abundantly, therefore need of abun­dance of mercy and pardon.

Ʋse 4. Therefore the next Use will be of Exami­nation: Have you been under such a trouble, as before opened, about Sin, and the pardon of it? Such a trou­ble that would not be quietted but by clasping about Jesus Christ; hath the Lord smitten you with the deep sense of a particular Sin, your bosome Sin, and thereby been brought to a deep sense of the evil of all Sin? Have you been upon your knees, your fa­ces [Page 36] in as peculiar a confession as you could, hating, loathing, Sin and your selves in it? Oh, have you driven Sin to the root, the fountain! Oh, there's a Hell of it within? Say, do you know what it is to gave broken hearts under the weight of Sin, and the sense of the Patience, Grace and Love of God, held forth to you in Jesus Christ? Do you know what soul-abasement is, acknowledging in confusion of face, that you are worthy of nothing from the Lord for ever? not so much as a glimpse of mercy, a good look from him, because you have so sinned a­gainst him? Have you glorified God, though he ne­ver pardon you? and is he holy and blessed, though you are banished from him for ever? Have you been so reduced to see that there's not the least attom of good to commend you to the Lord, and so lain down as nothing else but a Sinner before him; thou­sands of Sins to damn thee, but not a drop of righ­teousness to cover thee; and so creep to the seat of mercy, infinite, free mercy? yea, hast thou seen and felt the difficulty of such a self-emptiness, that thou wouldst rather part with all thy Sin than thy self-righteousness: ☞ A poor soul would take up from Sin, upon conviction of the damnableness of it, and be more righteous and holy, but to be reduced first to nothing, nothing else but a poor, vile, unrighteous, weak, empty creature, and so to Christ; here the pride of heart sticks. Now soul, be narrow and close in the search of this; for fail here, and fail in all.

Ʋse 5. Let it exhort you that have never been under any trouble about your Sin, and the pardon of it, that you do not ward off, and get from under such convincing, searching words, that may trouble you: [Page 37] Many poor sinful Creatures resolve they will never hearken to such a word as shall trouble them, and cannot bear such preaching as would trouble their Consciences: One word with you, Why soul, Hast thou been dishonouring God, abusing his patience and mercy, transgressing his Holy Commands, slighting his Grace, and yet thou must not be troubled for it? Wilt thou have thousands of Sins upon thy Soul unpardoned, and tread upon the brink of Hell every step thou goest, and not be troubled about it? It seems then thou resolvest not to trouble thy self much about that petty business (as thou makest it) of being damned for ever, or saved for ever? No, nothing about Sin, Guilt, Pardon, Heaven and Hell, must trouble thee? Alas, poor deluded creature, what care it there to get to Hell peaceably; for ne­ver any one got to Heaven so, that was never troubled about getting his Sins pardoned: Away, away with such a cursed peace, and let it now trouble thee that thou hast put off this work so long, that Sin and thy Soul have been at such a peace so long. Be now at a professed war against it, and take part with the Lord and his word, that it teaching thee how yet to arive at the blessed Haven of Peace, not with Sin, but with the blessed God, against whom thou hast so greatly Sinned; Oh look unto him to smite a hard secure heart, to strike a Bosome Hellish Lust, for whose peace thou hast so long, and so foolishly contended; yea, go in secret, and fall down before the great God, parcitularly confessing and shaming thy self, hating, loathing, humbling, till thou cry out, as Da­vid here, Oh pardon; what a great matter 'tis for any poor soul to be pardoned? Now, great mercy for a great Sinner, or I am lost for ever. Out-sinned pardon thou hast not, if thou comest in this posture to God for it.

[Page 38]But you may further enquire, how doth God bring a poor Soul to this pass, to such a deep sense of Sin, such a fight of himself, so as to be thus before the Lord in self loathing and abasement. Only now a Word; (1.) When a Soul is brought to this pass, God lets out an appearance of himself in mea­sure, upon a poor creature, such a glimpse of light and purity, that makes the creature fall down, and cry out, Oh I am vile, vile as the dust I tread on? (2.) God gives out the Spirit in the word, which convinceth and searchech the soul, shews its conditi­on, state, sin, the damnableness and pollution of it, the greatness of it, as was shewed: The spirit opens the holiness and spirituallity of the Law, Rom. 7.9. and shews the Sinner, as in a glass, what he is: The spirit gives a Sight of Jesus Christ pierced with the Sins of such as come unto him, Zach. 12.10. These do cause loathing and bitterness upon the Soul of a poor Sinner, drawing near to the Lord for par­don.

Therefore 'tis great wisdom to be where God speaks, where God appears, where God gives out his spirit, which is usually in the word preached power­fully, and setting thy self in secret to muse and ponder about an eternal condition; or when the afflicting Hand of God is upon thee, do not say, I am not so great a Sinner as to make so much ado about Pardon or Heaven, if that be thy temper, thou art the most likely to be in the road-way to Hell, in peace that will end in woes and sorrows, of any Soul in the world. Oh, wait for Gods appearance, and every little Sin will be great, a Hell of Sin within thee, though outwardly civil and sober; wait for the Spirit in the Word, and go and pray for it. 'Tis one thing to know Sin by the Letter of the Law, [Page 39] which commands this, and forbids that, and ano­ther thing to know, see, feel Sin, and the infinite evil of it, the exceeding Sinfulness and Pollution of it, by the conviction of the Spirit; so as to see it most in the fountain, in thy nature, and there loath and bewail it, because it makes thee unclean and unholy, and unlike God, and unfit for God, or holy communion with him: Which is the way and most certain evidence of the Spirits saving convicti­on of Sin, (as distinguishing from that which a hy­pocrite may have) and carries a soul to the foun­tain opened, Zach. 13.1. that its iniquity may be throughly cleansed.

Ʋse 6. If Sinners that come to God for mercy and pardon, see their Sin as great, then it will follow, that great Sinners may be pardoned and saved: You that are great Sinners, old Sinners, Oh hearken to this, you that are yet within the reach of Grace, and Mercy, and Pardon, if you will come to Jesus Christ for it, the greatness of your Sin is no bar to you, but, if you fail of pardon, 'tis because you will not come to Christ for it, and accept it upon Gospel-terms; you will not have pardon with a new heart and new life, or you make a slight matter of pardon, or you think 'twill come of course; or you are afraid to enter into a se­rious review and debate with your selves, because your Sins are so great, they will terrifie you, or take you off your pleasure and peace of your minds, and joy in the world: Away, away with any of these pleas; though thou hast sinned much, greatly, long, with all thy might, come to Jesus Christ, and those great Sins are no more before his blood to wash them away than the least Sin (if any be little) that ever was committed and pardoned, Isa. 1.18. [Page 40] Do not hence say securely, Oh 'tis well, that great Sinners may be pardoned, I ever thought so, what need so much ado? Do not thus harden thy self, and make such a cursed use of so Blessed a Truth; but therefore come in, lay down thy weapons, with which thou hast been fighting against God; wilt thou hold up rebellion, and yet cry pardon? Is it equitable thou shouldst expect it? No, fall down at the feet of that God against whom thou hast so greatly sinned, in the posture hath been shewed thee; and then though sin hath abounded, yet grace doth much more abound, Rom. 5. last. Great Sinners have become great Saints, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you? Who were they? Idolaters, Adulterers, Revilers, Sodo­mites, &c. and such like. You that have been such like, God may have as much Glory in your pardon as he hath had dishonour by your Sin: Only be not such a Devil to thy self, as to turn thy back upon it, and when thou hast thus long rebelled, to tell God, he must stay thy leisure for thy acceptance of his pardon, thy Sins are too sweet to leave as yet; I tell thee, Soul, and I have shew'd it, that Gods pardons cost him dear, and are precious; and if thou deal thus, they may be lockt up in Heaven from thy wretched Soul to all Eternity. Who but a despe­rate wretch, but would take mercy and grace from Heaven, that may make him blessed for ever, when God offers it by his dear Son, let thy Sins be never so great? why, wretched Man or Woman, Hast thou not done God wrong enough already! but must thou stay yet longer in thy cursed Sin, and wrong him yet more? Hast not done enough alrea­dy to damn a thousand Souls, but wouldst do more, and make as sure of Hell as thou canst? I beseech thee, Sinner, great Sinner, young or old, do not put [Page 41] me off, nay, do not put the Lord off with a pardon in his hand, a promise of Grace ready to be sealed by the Holy Ghost, if thou wilt now, from thy Soul, readily say, why then be it so, Lord Jesus I come to thee; if the terms be leaving all this deceitful Sin, and to be made like unto thee, be it so, I accept of it, tear my lusts from my heart, I have served them long enough, too long; Oh now, if there be any mercy in Heaven, let me have it, save me, (not in) but from my Sins, Oh Lord, for they are great, great indeed; I will, saith the Lord, and he speaks it in Ezek. 36.29. I will save you from all your uncleannesses; 'tis as much as if the Lord should have now spo­ken it from Heaven, Mark every tittle in such a pro­mise! Now thou cryest, Oh, will, will the Lord save? I will, saith the Lord; Oh but, will he save me from such uncleannesses, yea, from uncleannesses; what from All? yea, from All thy uncleannesses; fall down and Adore, and cry out, Oh grace, free, rich, infinite, glorious grace; admire, Angels, Saints, Sinners, Be­hold one of Gods wonders, A great sinner saved.

Ʋse. 7. And so seventhly, it may serve to exhort blessed souls brought into a state of peace and pardon, still to keep an eye upon the greatness of mercy: If mercy were not great, how could any Sin be forgi­ven? Thus this blessed man David, is breathing forth, Blessed is he whose iniquities are forgiven! Oh bless the Lord, Oh my soul, who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Oh how great is thy mercy towards me, and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell: So should pardoned, called, redeemed souls, see themselves call'd and taken out of Hell it self: Out of a Hell of abominations, pollutions, wrath, under which they were fast held by the power of darkness. Say, did [Page 42] ever such a soul get to Heaven? shall I not be the wonder of Heaven and Hell, how I got to Heaven, and escaped that wrath into which thousands, that were better than I, are now plunged? there's no o­ther reason, but because mercy is great, greater than the greatnesses of Sin, with which I shall conclude the second Point, namely, When Sinners come on to find pardon, they see their Sins great.

Obs. 3. The great reason of Gods pardoning a sinner; and the plea that a poor convinced sinner hath with God, is, that he will pardon for his own Names sake.

For thy Names sake, Oh Lord, pardon, &c.

That is, not for any worth that is in a poor crea­ture, not for my sake, but for thy own glories sake, thy mercy sake; grace and mercy will be hereby glorified. God gets himself a Name by the par­doning of a poor Sinner, that Name which he pro­claims to Moses, Exod. 34.6. The Lord merciful and gracious, &c. Now, God hath given forth the ground of this plea in the New Covenant, where his Name is thus made most glorious. And when he had given forth a brief and blessed draught of the tenor of the New Covenant, Ezek. 36.21. The Lord gives out this as the great reason often mentioned, why he would take such a way of making another Cove­nant, wherein he wills all, undertakes all, does all, works all, as resolved it should be a Covenant, and a way of grace that surely should hold: He gives out this, I say, as the ground of all, I had pitty for my own holy Name, ver. 21. Thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, but for mine holy Names sake, ver. 22. I will sanctifie my great Name, ver. 23. And when the Lord had shewed what he would do for the poor [Page 43] Jews in special, and so for all Sinners taken into Co­venant with him, that he would sprinkle clean water upon them, cleanse them from their Sins, give them a new heart, put his Spirit upon them, write his Laws in their hearts, and so take them to be his people, he again concludes with the same ground as before, that all this was still for his own Name, ver. 32. Not for your sakes I do this, be it known unto you, &c. And yet, that he would as certainly and fully do it, as if all the engagements from man in the world had been upon him, as undoubtedly make good every part and arti­cle of the Covenant, he adds, ver. 36. I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it; you may safely abide by it: Neither should his grace and power come hardly from him (as poor doubting souls sur­mise) as if 'twere as much as ever the Lord could do, to give out mercy and grace to poor Sinners; but, saith the blessed God, in ano­ther place upon the same account, having given out the promises of Grace in the New Covenant, Jer. 32.37. and so on, He subjoyns, — I will do it with my whole heart and my whole soul; mark it, poor souls, with my whole soul, will I pardon you, love you, never turn away from you to do you good, and never suffer you to turn away from me. If poor souls (for whose sake I put it) should here ask, what is this Covenant, what do you mean by it? only a word here. God at first, when he made man, agreed with man to be his God, to give him life for ever, upon these terms that man would keep the Law that God gave him, and 'twas a Law that would have given all glory to the Creator, preserved the creature in a holy and blessed order, and been a blessing to the whole Creation; but man transgres­sing here, the blessed God from his own good plea­sure, [Page 44] for his names sake, gives out another Covenant, provides in it terms of reconciliation, for the first breach of the first Covenant, sends his eternal blessed Son Jesus Christ, to be a mediator of this new Co­venant, gives him commission to offer it to all, and that freely; and to let the World know, that if any Sinner in the World, never so great, come and put up his plea, make his claim, enter his claim, accept of this Covenant and new agreement with God, accept of the terms of it, give up himself mutually to God back again; then will God be his God, and that up­on better terms than before with Adam, pardon, own, love, bless, unite to himself, never suffer him to fall; mercy built upon an unmoveable foundation, The foundation of God standeth sure, 2 Tim. 2.19.

This briefly is the meaning of the New Covenant, upon which all our mercy is built; now from first to last, from the first to the top-stone of it, from Electi­on to Glory, all is done and made good for the Lords own glorious Names sake. Souls elected, the Covenant transacted between God and Christ, Jesus Christ sent, the Sinner called, forgiven, justified, sanctified, adopted, kept, glorified, All for his Names sake; See the promises running thus, in most places, Isa. 43.25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions. Why? for my own sake; Purge away our sins for thy Names sake, Psal. 79.9. This is the bot­tom of all. This name he hath revealed in Je­sus Christ, Exod. 23.21.

Now, because the further clearing of this blessed truth is my design, through Grace in the next dis­course, I shall speak but a word more by the way of use only.

Ʋse 1. If it be thus, that whatever God gives out [Page 45] to poor souls, is for his own Names sake, that this is the plea a poor Sinner hath; let it then be for your information and instruction, that you have no other plea to be heard in Heaven but this, (the plea of Je­sus Christ being upon the same bottom) Don't make a sorry pile of carnal duties and works, and say, for the sake of these, Lord do me good, and pardon where I have failed; the Lord may send fire from Heaven to consume thee and them, because of their pollution, and that 'tis a cursed offering, but never hear thee, and bless thee upon such a plea; No, no, say in thy soul, and that from full conviction, If ever I have any thing from God on this side Hell, it must be for his own Names sake; I expect, I plead, I wait, upon no other ground.

Ʋse 2. If the Lord's Names sake be the only plea for grace, then let poor Sinners drawing near to God by Jesus Christ, be perswaded that 'tis a good plea, and most acceptable before the Lord. Now this is the way of the heart of poor creatures, from rooted self-love and pride, we think, if God could give out good unto us for our sakes, it were something; if there were any thing to be beheld in us that were commendable to the Lord, I could go with some confidence; but seeing 'tis thus, that I am nothing else but vile before him, how can I go to him? with what face? or, how can he give out unto me? Sin­ner; be as low as thou wilt or canst; but reason not so with thy self. If God can as freely, as fully do thee good, all good, for his own Names sake, and hath thereby the more glory by it; why shouldest thou so stand upon thy terms with God, and not be as willing, as contented, to accept of Mercy, all mer­cy, for Gods own Names sake, as well as for thy sake? [Page 46] 'Tis thy pride, be it known unto thee Sinner, as thou thinkest thou art, and not thy lowliness; know, for thy comfort, God can more readily, easily, do thy soul good, upon the terms he now is, for his own sake; and so the thing be done, thy soul pardoned, blessed, saved, and all shall end in everlasting love upon thee, let the Lord have all the Glory, though thou hast nothing to boast of for thy own sake. And yet also know, that when the Lord saith, he doth it for his own sake, he doth not exclude that he hath no respect and love unto thee; but that the great and highest motive with God was, and is, his own Name, his own glorious grace, why he ever had a thought of good to an undone creature; that there was no motive in the creature, unless misery, which is no glory; but all is done, given, estated upon souls, undone, poor Sinners freely, for his own sake.

3. Let it exhort souls to make use of this plea, therefore, and that with great, though humble confi­dence; It never failed poor Souls since the world was, that made use of it when they were low and help­less, and eyed and pleaded mercy for mercies sake, they had it, and never went away but blessed.

HAving spoken, as the Lord hath helped me, as to the weight of the pardon of sin, and the way to it; I now come to open the compleating this mercy in a poor souls compleat justification be­fore God. So it hath pleased the Wisdom of God to order the way of his glorious mercy to poor Sinners that shall be saved, that he doth not only let forth free grace for the remission of their sins, and meerly pardon them, but hath so blessedly ordered the mat­ter, to bring them in a state of Righteousness, a com­pleat and perfect righteousness, as Adam in his per­fect [Page 48] estate was in, not by making the Sinner perso­nally holy and righteous in himself, in his own na­ture, but by giving out his eternal Son Jesus Christ, to fulfill all righteousness in their stead, by satisfying and keeping the perfect Law of righteousness, which is imputed to the Believer as if he had ful­filled it, and were wholly righteous in his own per­son; in which lies the great mystery of the Gospel. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, saith Paul, &c. for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, &c. Rom. 1.16. namely▪ that righteousness of Jesus Christ whereby God will ju­stifie, put in a state of righteousness, made over to them by faith that shall be pardoned and saved.

To endeavour to evince and discover the necessity of such a justification, and the nature of it, and how a poor soul comes to be invested in it, to have a right unto it, is my design, as the Lord shall graciously as­sist in this ensuing discourse. Oh that I might do it in the simplicity of the Gospel, plainly, convincing­ly, spiritually, as I ought to speak.

In the prosecuting hereof, I shall first shew that righteousness is not to be attained any other way, not by the exactest keeping of the Law, so as to com­mend us to God; not by setting our selves to keep the Law of God as well as we can, and so we hope God will accept of it; which being naturally rooted in the hearts of all, I find it the hardest piece of conviction, and most hardly received of any other; souls are a thousand times more easily beaten off gross sins, than beaten off the confidence of the good they think they do, and so come as Nothing else but sinners to Jesus Christ; want of this conviction makes all the Hypocrites in the world. This is that part therefore I shall first begin [Page 49] with, according to the Apostles Method in this Epistle.

The Apostle lays down his Doctrine, which he was to prove in the 17th. verse of the 1st. Chapter, The just shall live by faith; to make way for which, he first proves in the remaining part of the first Chap. that the Gentiles knowledge of God, which they had by the things that are made. The Creation and Pro­vidence of God over the world, left them in unrigh­teousness because they held the truth (of the being of a God) in unrighteousness, even the wisest and learn­edst of them, such as professed themselves to be wise, verse 22. and brake forth into Idolatry and all abo­minations, for which cause God gave them up, &c. verse 26, 28. At the 17th. verse of the 2d. Chap. The Apostle undertakes the Jew, strikes off all his pri­viledges, and at the 9th. verse of the 3d. Chapter, concludes both Jew and Gentile, in the same con­dition, as to the obtaining of such a righteousness by the Law, that might commend either to God; What then are we, (who are Jews) better than they, (who are Gentiles?) No, in no wise, for we have pro­ved that Jews and Gentiles are all under sin; As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one: Which he further proves by several Scriptures to the words of the text.

In which the Apostle prevents an objection, namely, that some might urge, The Scriptures ur­ged may concern some few and grosly wicked per­sons, and not all mankind in general: No such matter; whatever the Law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, which are all the Sons and Daugh­ters of Adam, as in their natural corrupt estate; All under the Law, from whence the Apostle infers, (1.) That therefore every mouth is stopped, (2.) All [Page 50] the world is guilty before God. (3.) That no flesh, within or without the Church, can be justified by the Law. From whence I draw these four plain ob­servations, to prove what is my main design, viz. That no man can attain to such a measure of righ­teousness by all that ever he can do, in his best keeping the Law, as may commend him to God; which four are these.

1. Every Son and Daughter of Adam in their natu­ral estate are under the Law.

2. That a Transgressor of the Law hath nothing to boast in, nor to excuse himself from his sin, or the righte­ous judgment of God due unto him. [That every mouth may be stopped.]

3. Every Soul in the world is under guilt and condem­nation: [That all the world may be guilty before God.]

4. Every soul lies under an impossibility of reaching to such a Justification, by the best keeping of the Law, as for God thereby to accept of him.

I intend briefness in the opening of these, and what plainness also the Lord shall help me with: This is a principle rooted in the hearts of all the Chil­dren of men: That still there is a sufficiency in them to keep the Law of God, in such a measure as God will accept them for it; This being heightened, by the ignorance of times, and darkness of Gospel light, and of the New Covenant of Grace, upon the spirits of this Generation, they are most hardly beaten off it; say poor souls, If I keep Gods law as well as I can, and worship God, and do not harm my Neighbour, God will accept me, and pardon where I fail; but to be convinced that all that keeping of the law is made void by one sin, and so see an abso­lute necessity of righteousness, another way and out [Page 51] of themselves by Jesus Christ, though it be preacht by many good men, yet few, very few, in this Gene­ration live in the practical sense and sight of it; yea, how many professors (not hereby to reproach any) have confessed to the Glory of God, and their own abasement, that since the breaking forth of a fuller light of the nature of the New Covenant, Gospel Grace, the Righteousness of Christ, they have been shaken in their bottoms, being legal, and thought if they took up from their sins, and had a kind of sorrow for them, and then set themselves to obey the law strictly, be close in the Sabbath, and some such duties, that God would accept them, be­ing still ignorant, at least practically, that when they were convinced of sin, they were to see where to have a righteousness, and how to get into Christ, and have life and strength in and from him for their new Obedicence; which is that I drive at in this, and my afterwards discourse in opening the New Crea­ture, as in Christ.

Having premised this, I come to speak to the first particular laid down, namely,

Observ. 1. Every son and daughter of Adam in their natural estate are under the Law.

By the Law, I do not mean the Mosaical or old Testament way of worship: But by the law, I under­stand that which we stile the moral law, the law of the ten Commandments, that was written in A­dams heart, and afterwards given out by God un­to Moses at Mount Sinai; and promised in the New Covenant to be written again in the hearts of all that are really called into the grace of ihe Cove­nant, Ezek. 36.27.

To be under the Law, is an Expression familiar to [Page 52] you, you know what it is to live under a law: To be under this law of God then bespeaks these things.

1. To be under it, is to be bound over to the ex­act fulfilling it: See Rom. 10.15. For Moses descri­beth the righteousness which is of the Law, that the man which doth these things shall live by them; that is it, to be bound over to the fulfilling and doing of the law, which if done exactly, without the least devia­tion, there is life promised to it: But upon the least transgression of it, to be liable to the penalty which God hath pronounced against the transgressors of it.

2. It follows thence, that to be under the Law, is to be bound over to the whole Law, in its full and perfect latitude, as it reacheth the whole Man. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them: Mark well the tenour of these words: Here is re­quired of every one an exact doing (not only pur­posing and thinking to do;) and that not only of some or the most of the Law, but in all things; and that not only for a time, but a Continuance of doing so, or else under the curse: One sinful thought hath a curse belonging to it, as well as the breach of the whole Law, if under the Law. Whoso­ever committeth sin, transgresseth also the Law, 1 John 3.4.

3. To be under the Law, is to be subject to, and to be under all the curses, threatnings, judgments, wrath, that it threateneth to the transgressors of it, here and for ever: Whatsoever the Law saith, in point also of judgment and wrath, it saith to all that are under it.

4. To be under it, is to be bound to make God sa­tisfaction [Page 53] in our own persons for the breach of it; I mean, while under it, every soul is so obliged to make satisfaction, to the justice of God: If a poor soul be in his natural estate, and so under the Law; he must stand or fall to the Law: God expects perso­nal satisfaction from every soul that sinneth against it, that will stand to his keeping the Law, in whole or in part, and God in his justice can bate nothing of what he hath spoken.

Now, That all Men and Women are by nature, as of and in the first Adam, thus under the Law, to wit, to be bound up to it, and to have life only upon the exact and perfect fulfilling of it, to be bound up to the whole Law, subject to the curse of it, upon the transgression of one part, bound to make God satisfaction in his own person for any breach there­of, I briefly prove.

Saith Paul, Rom. 6.14. Ye are not under the Law, but under grace; Implying, till a soul is brought under grace, the Covenant of grace, justifying and sanctifying grace, in and by Jesus Christ, he is under the Law, whosoever he be; so Gal. 4.5. — To redeem them that were under the law, &c. implying also that all mankind are naturally under it, till under the power and efficacy and priviledge of Christ's Re­demption.

The main reasons of it are,

All are under this law, because all Mankind were bound up under the same Covenant with Adam, who was a publick person, representing all mankind, as a man may bind up himself and his posterity to such and such Conditions; and such a Covenant, de­cree, or obligation binds his posterity in Law, so was Adam bound up to God; See Rom. 5.12. the speci­al Scripture that proves this truth; Wherefore as by [Page 54] one man sin entred into the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: So verse 16, 17, 18, 19. by one that sinned, &c. by one mans offence death reigned by one; by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation: By one mans disobedience many were made sinners: Implying clearly, that the guilt of Adam, as representing all his posterity, was and is imputed to all; and therefore all were, and are bound over to the same Law; bottomed upon that word of the Lord to Adam, by which God put the Covenant upon him, Gen. 2.17. For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye▪ Adam had the law of Holiness and Righteousness, the Moral Law, written in his heart before, and his nature perfect, which bound him o­ver to obey every command of his God; now God gave out that external law unto him by way of tri­al, in which the form of the Covenant was implied; but sinning against that, he transgressed the Moral law, written in his heart also, which bound him o­ver to obey God in all things; so that the sin of A­dam was (at least virtually) a transgression of the moral law, now abiding and obliging mankind; which law we all brake in him, as it was given to all in him, and being written in Adam's heart, it was as much as if it had been actually written in the hearts of all mankind; which doth also appear by the remnants of the Law, (as that there is a God, and man should be just,) and remaining in the hearts of all: Therefore by nature we are all bound up to, and are under this law.

2. It doth appear that all do sin and transgress this law of God, therefore they are under the penalty and condemnation of it: This Argument the Apostle brings to prove the same thing, verse 9. of this 3d. [Page 55] of the Rom.— For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin: And verse 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doth good, no not one; Thefore seeing all do sin, they are bound to an­swer the law (as you use to phrase it,) and are sub­ject to whatsoever the Law pronounceth against the transgressors of it.

3. All the partial keeping of the Law, will not de­liver a Soul from that penalty that belongs to the breach of the whole: Keep me all or none, as to your deliverance from the curse, saith the law. But this I am further to prove, when I speak to the next verse, The impossibility of a sinners being accepted by his best keeping of the law.

Ʋse 1. Are all Men and Women in the World, young and old, naturally under the law, bound over to the most exact and rigorous fulfilling it under a curse, and are indeed under all the curses and threatnings it pronounceth, and bound to make God satisfacti­on in your persons, while you are under it? Oh! let every poor Sinner be convinced of it, what a state is this for any poor soul to rest it self satisfied in? who is the man or woman that is not a transgressor of it? and therefore see to it, and that before the exe­cution of judgment come upon thee without reme­dy. Sinner, if thou wast condemned by the Law, and under a sense of death, how wouldst beg for a reprieve? and beg of all thy friends to interpose for thee; what an amazing word would it be to thee? Thou art condemned to dye. Ah sinner, 'tis the case of thy precious soul, Thou art condemn'd to eternal death, by the law of God, the sentence is pronounc'd from the righteous Judge of Heaven; Away Sinner, [Page 56] with all speed to a Mercy seat. Acknowledge thy condemation just by the Law, go to the great and potent Advocate of Heaven, Jesus Christ the righte­ous; put thy case into his hand, tell him thou bast none else to make to, and that thou hast heard he hath helped many a condemned Sinner, in the same case as thou art; and that thou hast heard he hath laid down a price for such as thou art to redeem them from the curse of the Law: Follow him, and if he speak but a word to the just and great God for thee, the sentence of the law is remitted, a pardon of grace comes forth, and at last the Holy Ghost shall be sent from the Father, and the Son to witness it, and seal it in thy own Conscience; and that bles­sed word shall be thine, Therefore there is now no condemnation, &c. who shall condemn me, since Je­sus Christ hath cleared me? and hath made the Court of Heaven for me? Go and ponder in thy soul every day; and say, Is't nothing to be under a Curse? condemned by a Law to be damned for ever? shall I let my poor soul lie in such a case one hour longer, especially when a way I hear is open'd to me to get from under it? Say, what satisfaction can I, wretched creature, make to the righteous God? None, but by suffering what infinite justice will lay upon me, which is no less than infinite punishment. Oh! get in upon thy conscience, what it is to be condemned by the great God, to lye under guilt, to have no plea or excuse by the Law left thee; which I will labour to prove to thy conscience, and then fur­ther urge thee, which is the import of the next point.

Obser. 2. A transgressor of the law, as he hath no­thing to boast in, so he hath nothing to excuse himself for [Page 57] his sin, or from the righteous judgment of God due unto him; which is drawn from these words — That every mouth may be stopped, &c.

This the Apostle intimates, Rom. 2.1. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, &c. speaking to the Jew who went about to free himself. And the judgment of God is according to truth, against them which do such things, verse. 2.

Reason 1. A poor sinner hath nothing to excuse himself for sinning against the law of God, because the law is good and righteous, Rom. 7.12. Therefore the law is holy, and the Commandment holy, just, and good, saith Paul, when he was under such a Convicti­on of sinning against it as we are pressing; So 1 Tim. 1.8. But we know that the law is good, &c. 'Tis a Law that gives glory to the Creator, and all good and blessedness (as in it self) to the Creature▪ A Law that's full of all wisdom and blessedness, takes care for the good, blessing, peace, order of the whole Creation, that man might not sin against his Maker, nor, in the least, harm (nor think to do so) his fellow creature, so that its proper end is good­ness, preservation to all; Now what excuse for a creature, most concern'd in the good of it, for sin­ning against such a Law? what hath a creature to say for himself? how inexcusable is he before God, An­gels, and Men?

2. God writ this holy and blessed Law in the heart of Adam, as he was a publick person, whereby he, and in him all mankind, had power to keep it, there­fore the sinner hath no excuse before God; He gave man a power, though he did not lay a necessity upon his will, but left them to the liberty of it, but man corrupted himself, Gen. 6.12. Whereby he disabled himself from keeping the Law: Now if a man dis­able [Page 58] himself, it can be no rational excuse for neglect­ing the duty, so that his Mouth is stopped as to any plea or excuse before the Lord.

3. Though man had blurred and defaced the fair and original Copy of this holy and good law writ­ten in his heart, yet God gave it forth again by Mo­ses in Legible Characters, one end whereof was to leave all Mankind without excuse; therefore this strikes off all plea for the sinner, especially to such to whom it is revealed.

4. There is a remnant of this Law yet in the heart of Adam, which though not sufficient to enable him to an exact performance of it, yet enough to leave him without excuse; so Paul, Rom. 2.15. to prove this point we are now upon, speaking of the Gentiles, — Which shew the works of the Law written in their hearts, their Conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another. There is enough of the law remaining in every mans heart to accuse him, when he doth evil; and excuse him so far as he doth right, though man by habitual sinning, doth much stifle it; so that this also helps to aggravate his sin, and to leave him without all plea or excuse.

5. There is that to be known of God, in the crea­tures, that may and doth leave a sinner without all excuse for sinning against him; this the Apostle ar­gues as to this very purpose, Rom. 1.20. For the in­visible things of him from the Creation of the World, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and god head, so that they are without excuse, &c. The creatures could not say, we will make our selves thus and thus, and sub­sist in such an order and harmony; therefore there was one first Infinite Being, who made all things, and [Page 59] by the same power doth uphold them, to which first Being, all the creatures must owe their homage and conformity: Now though such a glimmering of light can never suffice to lead a soul to the true worshipping of God, as the Apostle there argues, yet it leaves the creature without excuse, which is that I am proving from it.

6. All the Children of men do sin presumptuously, wilfully, and obstinately, against the Law of God; mans sin being not so much from his weakness to obey the law, (though weak he is) but from the re­bellion of his will against God and his law; as it is in the case of disobeying the call of the Gospel also: Now whatsoever a man doth presumptuously and wilfully, it leaves him without all excuse; and this is it that is charged upon the Children of men, by the holy Ghost in the word, that their sin was obsti­nate rebellion against the great God.

From all these, the truth of the Assertion doth ap­pear, that every Transgressor of the Law is without all excuse before God.

7. As the Creature hath no excuse for his sin, so it follows he hath no pretence against the righteous judgment of God; We are sure the judgment of God is according to truth, Rom. 2.2. and Chap. 3.4. That thou may'st be justified in thy savings, and clear when thou art judged; that is, whatever any sin­ner may dispute to the contrary, God is righteous when he judgeth; if the Law be just, and holy, and good, once written in his his heart, and had a power to have kept it, that God hath given out this law again to him, the remnants of it in his heart, so much to be known of God in the Creatures, and that he sins presumptuously and wilfully against God, and so blessed a law, made for his own good, certain­ly [Page 60] must every sinner conclude, the Lord is righte­ous when he judgeth, and every mouth must be stopped.

Ʋse 1. If it be so, that no sinner in the world hath any justifiable excuse for his sin, then let this truth come in into your consciences, and strike off all vain pretences, and wretched excuses, when you have sinned against the Lord; which usually are such as these, when sinners break forth into this or that rebellious way, they cry, Oh! 'tis my nature, my natural disposition; and then they think that excu­seth or allayeth the matter, whereas it aggravates, for we our selves corrupted our natures. Saith a­nother, I have been so accustomed to such a way, to drink to excess, sometimes to swear, to use the Lords name vainly, and as a by-word; whereas the custom of sinning is the greatest and most grievous aggrava­tion of it. Saith another, 'tis my company that draws me, or the example of others, or 'tis my temp­tation, when they are under the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience: Or, that they do keep the Law as well as they can, and think this will excuse: Whereas nothing, no plea that ever a sinful deceitful heart put up, or that the Devil suggests, can before God excuse any sinner in the world, rich or poor, knowing or ignorant, from the exact and perfect keeeping of the Law, (if they are under the Law) but upon one transgression of it, the law doth most justly condemn and curse them.

Nothing is more natural to fallen man, under sin, than when having sinned, to devise an excuse, and thinks and surmiseth, that because such an excuse will be taken by his own blinded Conscience, there­fore God will also accept of it, and so flatters himself [Page 61] in his own eyes, till his iniquity be found to be hateful, Psal. 36.2. Thus Adam as soon as he had sinn'd, he thought how to excuse the matter, puts it off to the woman, and the woman to the Devil, which trade sinners have well learnt, and have driven it on ever since to their own damnation: Observe this, if every sin­ner, yet under the law, and the power of sin, had not some vain pretence and excuse to ensilence consci­ence, and foolishly thinks to insinuate unto God, he or she, must needs fall down before the Lord, see all their pretences and coverts to be damnable flatte­ries, and soul-cheatings, and so Judge themselves, and pronounce God most righteous, if he damn them for ever.

Oh therefore, Sinners, Away with all your pre­tences, no more excusing, but judging, and go to the great God, and fall down at his feet, crying out, Oh, I am a Transgressor, the Law condemns me, no ex­cuse will be taken, my mouth is now stopped; what­ever God do with me, he is most holy and righteous. If I were going to Hell I must justifie God, and can­not say unto him, why doest thou thus? Thus 'tis with a poor soul, when the Lord by his word and spirit discovers sin, reveals the law, lays it in upon the conscience, discovers the Holiness and Ex­actness of his Justice, that the law shews no mer­cy, but crys out for fulfilling, or pronounceth ab­solute condemnation, then I say, a sinner crys out, Oh I am cast by the Law, I am gone by the Law, All my Pleas are found too light, All my endeavours to keep it is worth nothing, if guilty in the least, while I am under the law. I must find out a righte­ousness elsewhere, another way, or Condemna­tion, just condemnation is my portion for ever; Here's the first stroak of a convinced sinner, when [Page 62] God is outing him from himself, and all his Co­verts or Excuses, and brings him naked to put on the righteousness of his Son Jesus Christ, freely held out in the Gospel; which is the work in hand.

2. If no excuse can be heard or taken, for the the transgression of the Law, for but one breach of it, but every mouth is stopped; how much less will a­ny excuse be taken, for withstanding the Gospel of grace by Jesus Christ. Saith our blessed Lord, If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, (that is not so great sin and comdemnation) but now they have no cloak (nor excuse) for their sin; If a righ­teous law leave all the world without excuse, much more a Gospel that offers free grace, and pardon, and righteousness, by Jesus Christ to any sinner, condem­ned by the Law, that will come in, as so condemn'd, and accept of the free gift of Righteousness by him.

But that I may yet a little further labour to bring in the sense of Guilt upon the soul, I shall prove eve­ry soul guilty before God of the transgression of the Law, and shew what the sense of guilt is, which few there are that have, in a saving way.

Observ. 3. Every soul in the world is guilty before God of the transgression of the Law. — And all the world may become guilty before God.

This hath been proved, where we have shew'd that All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

This guilt is threefold, which is set home upon every sinners heart, when convinc'd of sin by the spirit.

1. The guilt of Adams sin, which stands charg'd upon every sinner in the world, while under the law, Rom. 5.18.

[Page 63]2. The guilt of the corruption of our natures, sin in the fountain, as I have shewed, which is likewise up­on every Son or Daughter of Adam, they are all cor­rupt, Psal. 14.1. wherein lies the exceeding sinfulness of sin.

3. The guilt of actual rebellion against God, sin brought forth, and acted in the outward man against God.

Now under this threefold guilt is every sinner in the world, while under the Law, the effect of which, if not reconciled, is punishment suitable to the guilt; which is — Thou shalt surely dye, And The wages of sin is death, Eternal Death, Rom. 6. last.

Ʋse 1. This may therefore inform and convince, that every sin brings guilt upon the soul, and so deserves death and everlasting wrath from God; you that make light of sin, to lye, to prophane the Name of the Lord, be in worldly discourses on the Lords day, in any way of sin whatsoever, weigh this in thy conscience, there's not the least sin but makes thee guilty before the Tribunal of God; God, the Law, Angels, Conscience, are all witnesses against thee; where's the soul that will think to avoid this charge? shall I prove every soul of you guilty, and that before God? If this were proved by the power of the word in the conscience, I know what (and I shall shew it you) will be the effect of it; lay your Consciences to the Word, and if thou art found guilty before the Lord this day, go home with the sense of it upon thy soul, and do as a guilty sinner should do.

1. Consider first, as to what concerns God, im­mediately; the Law requires, thou shouldst have [Page 48] no other Gods but him, Exod. 20. which Jesus Christ interprets, is, to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, with all thy Soul: Now, hath God had thy whole Heart and Soul, darest thou say so? Hath not the world had more of thy Heart than God? Dost not thou love the World, and the things of it? Do not thy Affections, Thoughts, Desires of thy Heart, even day and night, go after it? Yea, you cannot but grant, that 'tis so? Then God and An­gels are witness, that thou art guilty of the damna­ble sin of Idolatry. And such a one shall not, as such, enter into the Kingdom of God, Eph. 5.5. Know by that Scripture, A covetous heart may send thee to Hell, as well as any sin in the World: — No Covetous man who is an Idolater, shall enter into the kingdom of God. Read over the place every day, and tremble at it: Here's guilt already enough to damn thee.

2. Thou hast worshipped God superstitiously and idolatrously, after the Traditions and Commandments of Men: You that are elderly people, are all guilty here in a grevious manner in the time of your igno­rance and superstition, coming to Sacraments with sins upon your Souls, from which sins your are not converted, and changed to this day, which the Apostle calls eating and drinking damnation, or judg­ment; under which guilt you still lye, and would heap up more of this guilt, were not some more tender of your Souls than your selves? Art thou not now ready to cry out, Oh hold, hold, you need go no further, my Conscience is smitten: Oh! guilt, great guilt lyes upon me! Oh that 'twere the cry of ma­ny Souls before the Lord, how might it end in mer­cy that shall be for ever!

[Page 49]3. But yet further to pursue thy Conscience, (for that's the nature of guilt) doth not the Lord require in his law, that thou shouldst not take his Name in vain, Exod. 20.7. Now sinner, stave off this guilt if thou canst: How oft hast thou abused and profaned this great and dreadful Name, the Lord thy God, by swearing, or in thy by words, crying, Oh Lord, Oh God, for God's sake, for Christ's sake, upon every foolish vain occasion, with no more reverence of His Name, than the most common name in the World? And some of you have, as many days as you have lived since your Child-hood, been frequently guilty of this great evil, which thou hast made a small matter of, which if ever God pardon it, it will appear to be odious guilt, from the height of thy Heart-Atheism. How oft hast thou heard the Word, and thy Heart been after the World, and thine eyes gazing up and down, that 'tis easie to discern thou regardest not what is spoken from God to thee? and the same in Prayer: How oft hast thou babled over the Lords Prayer like a Charm, with no reverence of Gods Majesty upon thy Soul: In thy bed, it may be in a drowsie manner, or if otherwise, not under­standing the Words thou speakest, much less thy Heart affected with them; or, it may be, saying over the Creed, and the Commandments, or some Book of Prayers, as abundance do, grievously prophaning God's Name, and offering Lip-labour, which his soul abhorreth; yea, know, what hath been often proved, that thy prayers, and all thy worship, and good deeds, (as thou callest them) are an abomination to the Lord, while thou art in thy sin, an unconver­ted and unholy person; yea, the way of thy worship, in which thou placest thy greatest confidence, hath been the highest aggravations of thy sin, in offering [Page 66] up to God that which his soul hateth; Isa. 1.11, 12, 13, 14, 15. — When you make many prayers (saith the Lord) I will not hear you, &c.

And as to the sanctifying the Sabbath, which thou shouldst make a holy rest unto God, thou hast made it a meer fleshly rest, consuming the day upon thy lusts, in vanity, idleness, carnal and worldly dis­courses in families, in the streets, to the high dishonour of the Name of God, and hardening of thy heart against the truths of God, rendering thereby the preaching of the Gospel wholly unpro­fitable to thy soul: A carriage far unlike a man that hath the grace of God upon him, and a most invinci­ble argument to thy Conscience, that thou makest not God, his word, ordinances sabbaths, a holy de­light, and knowest not the excellency and sweetness of Communion with him; say, sinner, and lay thy Conscience to this conviction, is hearing and that with love, praying, praising, meditating, conferring of holy things, the very Heaven of thy soul, and so longest for such Exercises, as the joy and strength of thy heart? Nothing less! Thy own Conscience being Judge; but hear drowsily and negligently, it may be despisingly; revile the Preacher, speak evil of the word, out of thy gross ignorance, and ha­tred to be reformed, speak vainly, carnally, worldly, with such as are like thy self. Here's guilt enough to send thee to a thousand Hells, if God smite not thy heart for it, and thou turn not unto him for par­don and a better heart to be given to thee.

Add to all this, an unthankful and unholy use of Gods good Creatures; it may be thou hast been be­tray'd by the devil, and thy own ready heart to some secret sins, which thou thinkest enough if thou canst hide from man, not considering the judgment of [Page 67] God that hangs over thee. But if not so, yet a heart full of uncleanness, envy, wrath, malice; which our Lord Jesus Christ, in his opening the Law in its spirituali­ty, Mat. 5.21, 22, 27, 28. convinceth to be mur­der and adultery, which it may be, thou hast ne­ver considered of, so thou hast not been an actual adulterer, or murderer. In a word, There's not a vain thought in thy heart, the first rising of it, but brings thee under the guilt of condemation of the Law, and as thou art under the Law, as if a trans­gressor in thought, word, and deed of the whole Law; This may seem strange to thee, but see it proved, Jam. 2.10. For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point is guilty of all.

But it hath been proved that thou art guilty of the breach of every Commandment of God, from thy youth up.

But see further, sinner, (that some word of God or other may hit thee) this Law could not condemn thee; wouldst thou have been convinc'd of guilt, and made in to grace by Jesus Christ, but thou art un­der the guilt of Gospel-contempt; Come sinner, saith Jesus Christ, see what I can and will do for thee, I'll save thee from this condemning Law, I'll take away the curse, I'll remove all thy guilt, blot out all the charge that is against thee, I'll put a righteousness upon thee, I'll bestow my spirit upon thee, I'll give thee a heart to love God and his Law, and in the inward man to delight to walk in it, and then take thee to Heaven, and fill thee with glory for ever. All this Heaven of mercy and free grace thou hast sleighted and sinned against, and brought thy self under greater condemnation, than by the law: And yet, by the way, Jesus Christ will do as much for thee still as I have spoken of, and more: [Page 52] Though thou hast thus sinned against Law and Go­spel, if thou wilt come a poor, undone, guilty soul, un­to him, which is that I aim at in thus pressing upon thee; and were the sense of guilt indeed upon thy soul, thou wouldst seriously hearken to me.

Therefore yet further bear with me, Take home this guilt to thy Conscience, and say, Oh guilty, guilty, of all that hath been this day charged from the righteous God upon me! Oh may the Lord find thee out this day, and lay in the fresh sense of the guilt of sins, even of such thou hast long since com­mitted! do not justifie nor excuse thy self any lon­ger; for that's the natural way of thy heart, as thou hast been shewed. Never did guilty prisoner at the bar find more shifts, more subtle pleas, than the proud and shameless heart of a sinner will do, till God himself pronounce guilt in the conscience, and then the guilt of one sin laid in, brings in the guilt of all other, and they sometimes come in like waves and billows upon thy soul; Oh, let the sense of thy lying, swearing, prophaning the Sabbath, slighting the word, refusing Jesus Christ, out of thy secret hatred of holiness, reproaching the people of God, because in their practice they condemn thee, Oh let this, any, all, seize upon thee, go and lye low before the great God, judging, charging, condemning thy self, and say; God and his Word hath found me out this day, and I go home with at arrow of God in my conscience, I am the Man or Woman, that am found the guiltiest soul in the Congregation; how to be delivered and saved from it, that's my business now. Blessed be the advice and counsel now, (which formerly I despised) of any good man that speaks in the Name of the Lord unto me, and will show me there is yet hope for so wretched a creature as I am.

[Page 53]Particularly, these are the effects of the sense of the guilt of sin, wrought by the Holy Ghost upon the conscience of a poor soul, in order to his salvation.

1. Fear of wrath to come, more or less, possesseth the heart; can a man be guilty and not fear, if truly sensible of it? This was upon Adam, after he had sinned, and heard Gods voice, which struck him with sense of guilt, Gen. 3.10. I heard thy voice and was afraid; so when guilt came upon Belshazzar, his thoughts troubled him, Dan. 5.6. Felix trembled, Acts 24.25. The Jaylor came trembling, Acts 16.29. The fear of wrath, the fear of a miscarrying soul, the fear of eternity, seizeth upon the spirit of a poor crea­ture; and then 'tis an infinite weighty matter with a poor soul to be saved.

2. Shame is another effect of guilt brought in up­on the conscience: So Adam likewese was ashamed, and hid himself, because he was naked, Gen. 3. What fruit had you in those things whereof you are now ashamed; Rom. 6.21. So Ezek. 16. last. That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am paci­fied towards thee, for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord; See also Ezek. 43.10, 11. Oh how is a sensible guilty soul ashamed before God, Angels and men, of such ways and carriages, in which he im­pudently before delighted himself? and lies down in his shame and confusion of face, even covering his face before God, and ashamed to look up unto him.

3. The soul walks up and down with a burthened spirit, those creature-comforts, delights, content­ments, which before would still the spirit, now will not; sense of guilt eats out the hearts of them, the soul must now have something else than wind and [Page 70] vanity, (for so are creatures become to such a poor soul:) It may be the deceitful heart carries a poor creature to this thing and that, but finds no satis­faction there, the burden still remains, the arrow that God hath shot sticks fast, till Jesus Christ pluck it forth, and heals all with his Blood and Spi­rit.

4. Guilty souls make out for deliverence, sue to Heaven, are enquiring how the law may be satisfied, how guilt may be removed, how attonement may be had, how bondage taken off; in a word, how he may come to see the face of a blessed God, reconciled in Jesus Christ, and so love him, and bless him to e­ternity.

Why now, careless sinner, Is't not better be thus, than be hardening for Hell? and have the guilt of sin as nothing to thee, till the books shall be opened? all thy sins written in Letters of Blood against thee, Conscience accused, charged, and witnessing against thee, and so away screeking to Hell without all re­medy, and canst not be heard a word for thy self, nor any one, Saint, or Angel for thee? Now thou mayst be heard, if thou wilt speedily acknowledge thy guilt, not cover thy transgression nor hide thy iniqui­ty in thy bosom, Job 31.33. but come with fear, and shame, burthen'd with thy guilt, to him whose arms are yet open to receive thee, and is ready to take a­way iniquity off thee, and take off thy burthens, put his hand under thy soul: And if thou wouldst know who it is, 'tis that blessed Jesus who loves to save such a sinner, as he loves his life; therefore away to him.

But the heart of a guilty sinner will now urge; Well, if it be so, that some guilt is upon me, yet I have done many things well, or as well I could, [Page 71] will not that take off my guilt, and will not God im­pute the good to me, and pass by the evil? Or will not God acept of the will for the deed? Or if I set my self for the time to come, to keep the law as well as I can, will not that make God amends? Alas, poor soul, these refuges will undo thee, if thou get not out of them; No, No; Thy good shall not be im­puted, nor thy will accepted, nor thy obedience for time to come satisfie; I mean, still as thou art under the law, As well as thou canst, will not be heard here; If thou indeed gets justified in Christ, and rooted in him, and so from a new principle of life in thy soul, thou bring forth new and holy obedience, then thy will is accepted, and thy new obedience, but not upon this account, as to justifie thee before God; or as to expiate and take off guilt from the soul.

This therefore is the next thing I am to prove to thy Conscience, if God will, Namely,

Observ. 4. No man or woman under Heaven, can ever arrive at such a keeping of the law, as to be accepted with God, for and by such a keeping of it.

I would press this as plainly as I may, for till this conviction be thoroughly and practically received into the Conscience, a soul cannot make a saving close with Jesus Christ.

What I mean by these deeds of the Law, is, I pre­sume, understood; I mean, The professed owning the true God, and frequenting his ordained worship and ordinances, observing the Sabbath, making good prayers, doing some good, as to helping thy Neigh­bour, and giving of Alms, making conscience of wronging or defrauding any man, and refraining many gross sins; I mention these things, because most [Page 56] men that go thus far, as your more civil sort of people, think that it is impossible, but God must ac­cept them in and for all this; that 'tis for great sin­ners to be damned, they thank God they are not so; by the way, soul, I shall not doubt to prove, that there's more hope of the vilest drunkard in the Country, than of such a one; and that this thy good keeping of the law, and that as well as thou canst, will stand thee in no stead at all; and God looks upon thee no more for it, than if thou wert the greatest sinner in the world; How sayest thou soul to this?

1. From clear Scriptures I shall demonstrate it, and Scriptural reasons, and examples of such kind of persons rejected of God, and so labour to drive this nail home upon thy conscience.

What need we go further than the words of my Text; By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight? The Apostle speaks of such who pro­fessed to own and make conscience of keeping the law, as well as they could, such as were within (as you call it) the pale of the Church, and frequented the worship of God, and were sober people: See Act. 13.39; — From which (meaning their sins) they could not be justified by the Law of Moses: They could not! an utter impossibility of it, though they kept the law of God as well as they were able, and hoped for pardon thereby, yet saith Paul (which exceed­ingly troubled them) they could not be justified thereby; Rom. 9.31. But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness; Though they followed after it, and laboured to keep the Law of God to their utmost yet they fail'd of their purpose, Gal. 3.10, 11. &c, For as ma­ny as are of the works of the Law, are under the curse, that is, such as insist upon works of the Law, they are so far [Page 57] from being the more accepted for all the good they did, and all the evil they refrained, that they were under the curse, as well as any sinners in the world besides.

Briefly, Paul who well knew the experience of this, it having been his own case, as I shall shew, spends two Epistles, of the Romans and Galathians, to con­vince chiefly what I am now upon; therefore peruse them over and over.

Now the Reasons of it are these, namely, why a­ny sinners keeping of the Law to his best power, can not justifie him, or make him the better, or at all accepted with God for it.

‘This doctrine goes to the quick, and I know naturally you do not love it, and 'tis irksom, and disquieting;’ the Lord make it disquieting and unsettling to purpose.

Reason 1. The best keeping of the Law cannot make a soul more accepted with God, (while under the Law, and not in Christ) because of the holiness of Gods Justice, which being violated by sin, (it being also proved that all do sin) cannot again be made up by any act of the Creature, the severity of his justice cannot admit of it, therefore if the Law be trans­gressed, the sinner must dye, as he is under the law, and stands to the law, or God is not righteous, which to assert is execrable blasphemy. And if your thoughts should prevent me, with a general notion of mercy, know, and consider it well, that the law shews no mercy, but calls for justice, and justice it shall have upon every transgressor whosoever, if he stand to his endeavour to keep the Law; The soul that sinneth, it shall dye. From whence, by the law, I say, by the law, there's no appeal: What you may do when you renounce the Law, for righteousnes, and fly [Page 74] wholly to a mercy-seat, is another case. This is the first reason.

2. The best keeping of the Law will not accepted, because of the exactness of the Law; it requires full, en­tire, perfect fulfilling and obedience, or all stands for nothing; If this were throughly weighed and laid to heart, we should come to an issue in the point. Mark that Word, Gal. 3.12. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the law to do them: I think I opened this place lately, but mark it well; the Law requires of every one, and therefore of thee, whoever thou art, a continu­ance (without intermission) of doing (not only pur­posing and endeavouring) All things, not keeping nine, and breaking one Commandment; not keeping it outwardly, and breaking it in thy thoughts of sin, but in All things, or Cursed, without remedy, by the law, the Law can give you no remedy; see Rom. 10.5. For Moses describeth the righteousness of the law; The man that doth these things shall live by them; If he doth all things of the Law, not purposeth them only, but doth them, he shall live by them, but not otherwise, but shall dye, and that for ever, by the law: Now mark you, The same Law can't at once justifie and condemn, bless and curse, quit and judge, save and condemn, if it therefore condemn in the least, it cannot quit by all that ever a soul hath done, or may do, towards fufilling it. I instanced before, if a man that lives under the law of England, all the laws of it, and he be found a transgressor of one law, that is to be punished with death; it will not be a good plea for him that he never brake any other law that deserves death: No, saith the Judge, you must dye for this; so as I have shew'd, the law pronounceth death to the breach of any one Com­mandment, [Page 75] any part of one, as well as to the breach of the whole. Therefore he that pleads, as the Phari­see did, (and was never the more accepted,) that he is no murtherer, no blasphemer, no thief, no adul­terer; 'tis all one, as if thou hast ever had an unholy thought in thy heart, (as thou hast had thousands) as thou art under the Law, thou art condemned; if this indeed had been the tenour of the law, as it was a Covenant between God and the first Adam, that if thou and thy posterity shall endeavour to keep the law as well as you can, though you sail in some part, yet you shall be accepted; then this had been a good plea before God, that you have so endeavour'd to keep it; but 'tis not so, the Covenant doth not run so, but, as hath been shewed, it runs thus; Here's a ho­ly and righteous law, saith God, the matter of the Covenant between us, if you break it in any one least part of it, and but once, you are condemn'd, and all your other righteousness shall not be imputed to you. This hath been proved from several Scriptures; and I think 'tis the hardest thing in the World to be spiritually and practically convinced of it; such is the exactness of the Law, that it admits of no bar­tering, of no terms whatsoever; it still crys, fulfill me to the utmost, or dye.

3. The third Reason, which strikes off all hope of acceptance with God, by keeping the Law as well as you can, is taken from the sinfulness of those very duties and works which you place such acceptance in; There is a sinfulness in every such duty, though the matter of the duty be good, yet the manner of per­forming it by any natural man is wholly sinful; yea, there's a mixture of sin in the most holy performan­ces of any regenerate soul in the world, which he is sensible of; but I am dealing with the natural man, [Page 60] as to his opinion of his good keeping the law; I say there's nothing but sin in their performances, the principle they proceed from is wholly sinful, viz. a corrupted, polluted heart and nature: Can a cor­rupt tree bring forth good fruit? Mat. 7.18. Can a corrupt fountain send forth sweet waters? James 3.11. No more can a corrupt defiled heart bring forth any duty or work, but what is loathsome to God, full of all impurity: This a natural man is not able to see, nor consider of, till convinc'd by the Holy Ghost, and therefore 'tis that he rests only in performing the matters and bulk of duties to God and his Neighbour; but with what heart, and the unholiness of it, he weighs not. Upon this account it is, that the Scriptures speak at such a rate of natural Men, that they are an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 15.8. That his soul hates them, he cannot away with them, they are iniquity, they are a trouble to him, Isa. 1. And that he casts them back, as dung upon their faces, Mal. 2.3. Therefore if there be more than sin enough, in that best keeping of the Law, towards God or Man, to damn a soul for ever; Certainly a soul shall be never the better, nor at all accepted for such a keeping of it. That which in it self hath sin, nothing but sin in the manner of it, cannot be a means to quit a soul from other sin, by which he hath brought guilt upon himself, let this be well considered, and (nothing but a Christ) would be your cry to purpose indeed.

4. The fourth Reason or Convincement of this truth, that the best endeavour to keep the law, will not give you more acceptance with God, nor take away any guilt from off thy soul, is because such du­ties, and keeping the Law, are but of the outward man, which is far from reaching the Compass of the [Page 61] law: The law is spiritual, Rom. 7.14. that is, it reacheth to the inwards parts, to the motions of the heart, as hath been before hinted, and not only to the outward man; therefore our blessed Lord, see­ing the Jews insisting so much that they were out­wardly blameless, spends a large discourse Mat. 5.6, & 7. to beat them off their confidence, in being outwardly righteous, and proves a man a murderer by the Law, for one wrathful thought in his heart, Mat. 5.21, 22. Upon this conviction you have him, as oft as he spake to the Jews, (that we may see the weight of this Doctrine:) See Luke 16.19, 15. And the Pharisees also, who were covetuous, heard all these things, and they derided him, And he said unto them, ye are they which justifie your selves before men, but God knoweth your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God; Jesus Christ was convincing the wickedness of a covet­ous heart, the Jews, who were carnal and formal, made a slight matter of this, seeing they were out­wardly blameless, and wronged no body; Ay, but, saith Christ, God knoweth your hearts, and his eye is most upon them, and though you are outwardly righteous before men, and this is a matter highly esteemed of among men, that you are righteous and blameless, yet 'tis an abomination to God; see how severe the Lord is in pressing of this, (it being the great let of his Ministery, and of the Jews stumbling at the Gospel, as it is with us) Mat. 23. his last Sermon I conceive he preacht to them, verse 25. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye make clean the outside of the cup and platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess; so with the same woe pronounced verse 27. Ye are like unto whited se­pulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but [Page 79] are within full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleanness; verse 28. Even so also ye outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of Hypocrisie, and iniqui­ty: Mark the Lords words, within ye are thus, and thus, as if the Lord should say, God regards not what you are outwardly, and your observing the law with the outward man; seeing you have abundance of all iniquity within, which every unregenerate soul in the world hath; so you may see that an outward keep­ing of the law, stands for nothing in the account of God, whatever it do with men and your selves which you hear Jesus Christ gives forth, as the mark of an Hypocrite. Now you have heard, the law re­quires inward as well as outward perfection, perfect holiness within, as well as righteousness in the outward man; I verily believe, want of this convicti­on upon the soul, sends more souls to Hell than any other thing in the world besides; how confident are poor Creatures if they are a little consciencious in dealing, and sober, and blameless to men? this you may be, and be no better than Devils (as in your selves) in Gods account, and thy best Character from Jesus Christ, Mat. 23.26. is, a Blind Pharisee. Every place, I fear, abounds with them, therefore this inveterate cursed plea of being outwardly blameless in keeping the Law, will not in the least render you more accepted with God, but 'tis at the best but painted Hypocrisie: And yet, wretched souls that you are, none so well perswaded of themselves as these. This is the fourth Reason.

5. All the best keeping of the Law, doth not, can­not, make satisfaction to God for one sin of thy soul, therefore 'tis worth nothing; Gods Justice is wrong­ed, and if the sinner be remitted, God must be sa­tisfied by the sinner himself, or by another; Now all [Page 79] the obedience of a sinner cannot make satisfaction to God in the least; if he had the whole world to offer up to God, it could not satisfie him for the wrong of one Sin; See that known place, Micah 6.6, 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow my self before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with Calves of a year old? will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams, or with ten thou­sands of Rivers of Oyl? shall I give my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Implying that there is nothing that a poor sinner of himself can offer up to God, to make atonement of satisfaction to God, for the least sin of his soul; should he offer up thousands of prayers, rivers of tears, whole ages spent in services to God, take up to a se­vere new obedience, if you should so take to a new course as never to sin more all your days, it would not make God satisfaction or atonement for one evil thought of thy soul: Now observe this, (for if thou art not rightly convinced of this thing, thou art lost for ever) 'Tis naturally upon every man and womans heart, that hath sinned, to imagine that when they have sinned, they can put off God, as to his displeasure, with something or other, they will reckon what good they have done, gone to Church, (as you style it) given Alms, been just to Men, or some such thing; and the poor blind Creature ima­gines and pleaseth himself in it, that this good thus done will well enough pacifie God for his sins, or at least he will go over some prayers, and be strict for a little while, and then they doubt not but God (be­cause also he presently smites not with judgment) is well enough appayed, and he need no more trou­ble himself. Is not this the very way of your hearts, hath not the word found you out?

[Page 80] Object. But you will say; why cannot these duties and this obedience satisfie and pacifie God well enough for sin?

Answ. 1. Because there is sin mixt in them, they come from a prophane heart, as is shew'd in the last reason, (thou thou ignorantly, because thou know­est not thy heart, call'st it a good heart:) Now that which is in it self sinful, cannot sure satisfie for sin.

2. Because of the infiniteness of God's justice, as well as purity of it; a finite creature cannot offer up a pro­portionable attonement to an infinite God. Suppose a poor man were under the guilt of treason, and con­demn'd to dye, and he should go and offer up a little course broken bread to the Prince, would any one think that this would satisfie the Prince for his trea­son? So, poor deceived creature, thou art guilty of treason and rebellion against the great and most high God, and thou comest and offerest up to him thy poor polluted broked obedience and duties, and think­est he will be satisfied with this; whereas God may in the same moment justly send thee to Hell for the iniquity of them. A poor sinful soul thinks, that because such doings and services do satisfie himself, his own conscience, therefore he thinks they will satisfie God also; because they quiet him upon any trouble for guilt, he thinks they will also quiet God, and take off his anger and justice from punishing him: Poor Creature, this thy way is thy folly, and the ready way to come under the severe justice of the Almighty, who will not thus be dealt with, nor be thus bribed with thy cursed sacrifices; this is a further convincement of the point; all the creature can do, cannot pacifie God for one sin, and there­fore all his best keeping of the law cannot justifie a [Page 81] poor sinner before God, nor give him acceptance in the least with him; till he sees pacification another way, and takes up obedience from another principle, and to another end, as we are to shew.

6. All a mans endeavour in setting himself to keep the law to the utmost, cannot give him acceptance with God, because it cannot give life to the soul; Gal. 3.21. For if there had been a law, which would have given life, verily righteousness had come by the law: Man hath procured death and weakness upon his soul, and the law cannot give life, nor strength to o­bey it. All that righteousness which leaves the soul dead, comes to nothing; while a soul is under the law, and upon the fulfilling of it, (as he hopes in a good measure) still the soul is as dead as sin left it, and void of the life of God: True, a poor soul thinks himself alive by his legal performances, as Paul thought, Rom. 7.9. but he is dead in sin, and under the sentence of death by the Law, and all the perfor­mances towards the keeping of it, can never give a drop of life to such a poor soul: They are dead works, and there's no life in them, or from them, therefore they stand no soul instead, while under the law, as under it he is, whiles he goes upon this account.

7. The main reason of all, which is now but to be touched, is this: If a soul endeavouring to keep the law of God as well as he can, may be accepted of God thereby, what need Jesus Christ to have dyed: 'Tis Pauls great argument, Rom. 8.3, 4. For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son, in the likeness of sin­ful flesh, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous­ness of the law might be fulfilled in us, &c. Mark ye, what the law could not do, that it could not give us a righ­teousness [Page 82] whereby God might accept us, therefore God sent his Son in the flesh, and condemned sin upon him, which otherwise had been condemned upon the sinner himself: Another place to this pur­pose is, Gal. 2. last. I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. If there were a possibility of a Crea­tures attaining to such a degree of keeping the law as well as he can, that might render him accepted with God, and procure pardon wherein he failed, then the dying of Jesus Christ was in vain, to no pur­pose at all. Take heed you that are outwardly righte­ous, that you do not frustrate the grace of God, and the death of Jesus Christ for ever, to your own souls, by thinking you endeavour to keep Gods law as well as you can, and make some conscience of it, and there fix your hope wholly or in part, and so be un­done for ever. Another place in the same Epistle, Gal. 4.4, 5. speaks out the same truth. But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his son made of a woman, made under the law; to redeem them that were under the law; that we might receive the Adop­tion of Sons. What need Jesus Christ to have dyed, to redeem the elect from under the law, if they had been able to reach forth to such a keeping of it, that God might be well pleased with, and with them in it?

Now Jesus Christ's being made under the Law, implies these things, which I now but hint forth.

1. His being under the punishment of the Law, which was due to such as were under it; what ever the Law pronounced to the Transgressors of it, Jesus Christ in effect did undergo it, See Gal. 3. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the law, being made [Page 83] a curse for us: If good prayers, making a conscience in dealing, outward sobriety, harming no body, gi­ving of Alms to poor people, could have taken away the curse, did the wise and blessed God do well in giving out his Son to be made a curse? were prayers, righteousness, good deeds made a Curse? They will be indeed, in another sense, if thou thinkest to be ac­cepted by them.

2. Jesus Christ being made under the Law, was to satisfie Gods offended justice for the breach of the Law, for such as shall be saved, to make attonement for God, Rom. 5.11. If now all that thou hast done, or shalt ever do, could make the least satisfaction or at­tonement to God, in thy good keeping the Com­mandments as well as thou canst, (as hath been shew'd) God might have kept his Son in Heaven, and not sent him to make attonement for any sinners.

3. To reconcile sinners unto God, Rom. 5.10. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, &c. If reconciliation to God can be had no other way, but by the death of Jesus Christ, will thy good endeavours for the time to come to keep the Law of God as well as thou canst, and take up from a loose course, will those, I say, reconcile thee to God? See, poor creature, how little need thou thinkest thou hast of Jesus Christ, and what a meer notion a Saviour is to thee, when it comes to the Tryal!

4. Jesus Christ died to work out Righteousness for all that shall be saved: Now if thou could'st come up to such a degree of being righteous, by thy fair and good carriage, as thou thinkest, to God and Man, this righteousness of Jesus Christ was to little pur­pose, Rom. 10.4. Christ is the end of the Law for [Page 84] Righteousness, to every one that believeth.

Now see, mistaken Soul, how they hope to please God well enough, and make him amends for thy sin, by thy good endeavours to serve him in his Law, as well as thou may'st, makes void the whole design of God, in the glorious gift of his eternal Son, (as much as in thee lyeth) and robs him of the Glory of his Grace; and makes thy Salvation (if it might be had in such a way) not of Grace, but of Debt, Rom. 4.4. Now to him that worketh is the reward, not reckoned of debt but of grace; and thus thou in effect becomest thy own Saviour.

Yet bear with me a little further, (because a sin­ner can never be too thoroughly convinced of this matter) let me shew you some examples in the Scriptures, of such that thought as you do, and as all men naturally do, that they by their honest and conscionable endeavour to worship God, and harm no body, they should be saved; and yet were found light in the ballance.

The first is that Pharisee, Luke 18.11. He thanks God, he was not as other men are, Extortioners, Ʋn­just, Adulterers, &c. Here was hope for his ac­ceptance with God, He was not so bad as others, as many riotous prophane persons were, not unjust in his dealings, no Adulterer, and should any one que­stion his Salvation and going to Heaven? Enough for great sinners to miss of Heaven, and not such as he was, reputed a good and honest man in his Coun­try, and amongst his Neighbours well thought of by most. And yet for all this confidence and security, a great sinner was accepted before him, and he not justified in the sight of the God, though he was in his own sight, and the sight of others.

See another, Mat. 19.20. (which place hath [Page 85] been at large opened to you) There came a young man, a man of parts, with the same confidence to reason with Jesus Christ about his condition, the man conceived he wanted nothing that a man should have or do for Heaven; All these things, said he, I have kept from my youth up; meaning especially the se­cond Table of the Law, which Christ gave out, not as thereby to put him upon the Law, but to find him out, and discover him under the Law. When Je­sus Christ searched the mans heart, and finds him under the power of the love of the world, as a reign­ing Soul damning Sin, (for all his outward blameles­ness) and so to discover his heart to himself, puts him upon tryal of Self-denial; away the man packs as mute as a fish, and would hear no more, (as world­lings now) of such Doctrine; unless he could be a Disciple, and part with nothing, lose or venture no­thing, he would rest as he was, and hope his being an honest sober man, and well thought of, would bring him to Heaven; and so, for ought appears, cheated his Soul to Hell.

The case of Paul hath been often shew'd you; he was, as many of you think your selves, blameless, Phil. 3.6. lived in no known sin outwardly against the Law, frequented the publick Worship, made Conscience of his dealings, was zealous of the tradi­tions and customs of his Fathers, and yet do you not hear him crying out of it all as loss, ver. 7. and 8. He thought it was his gain before, that it would have gained him Heaven, but now tis all loss, his keeping the Church, his outward blamelesness stands him not in the least stead, but cryes out, 'tis All, all loss for Jesus Christ; the same Paul that before boasted, and thought very well of himself, and was in much peace, and persecuted all beyond his for­mal [Page 86] Profession, now cryes out, away with this fig­leaf-righteousness of mine own, 'tis as dung, I tread it under my feet for Jesus Christ; he that thought himself so blameless before, now cryes out, I am the Chief of sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. And I am carnal, sold under sin, Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? A marvellous Change indeed, and such that is made upon every Soul, that is really brought off from the righteousness of the Law to that which is of Jesus Christ.

Now to bring what hath been spoken to this point to a more particular Application.

Ʋse 1. If it be so, that the best endeavour of any mortal creature to keep the Law of God as well as they can, will not give them acceptance with God; then you that have so imagined, and thereby spoken peace to your selves, namely, that you hope if you keep the Church (as you use to speak) and harm no body, and do any body any good you can, live not in gross sins, be well thought of by your neighbours, you shall do well enough for Heaven, and you must hope well. Ah poor creature, thou errest, not know­ing the way of the Lord, nor of thy own heart; how art thou befooling thy self, and deceiving thy own soul. No sinner in so ready a way to Hell as thou, if thou continue thus, and let not go thy hold, and get a new bottom for thy naked Soul, which I am to shew thee.

Consider, man or woman, young or old, whoever thou art, thou hast been proved guilty of the breach of the whole Law of God, thou hast been shewed of the exactness of the Justice of God, and the spiritua­lity of the Law, how it reacheth the inmost motions of the heart, thou hast been shewed the Tenour of it, [Page 87] as it was given forth as a Covenant; that the Law will not admit of the least breach, though but in thought, but it condemns as if the whole Law were transgressed, even every soul that is under it; here is the rigor of it; and thou hast been shewed that the Law admits not of endeavours, nor of the Will for the Deed, (if thou wert once in Christ indeed, it would be so, but not as now thou art) thou hast been shew'd that there's sin enough in every one of thy best performances to damn thee for ever; that thy Righteousness reacheth but the outward Man; within (didst thou see it) thou art full of iniquity, that whatever thou hast done, cannot make God the least satisfaction (as thou flatterest thy self) for the least sin: All thy obedience and duties cannot give life to thy soul, but still leave thee as a dead tree, dead in thy sin, that by this vain confidence thou dost utterly make void the death of Jesus Christ, as to any vertue or effect to thy own Soul; here is thy ve­ry case plainly set forth, a thousand thousand sins to damn thee, and that righteousness, obedience, good, thou hopest thou hast done towards God and Man, not in the least able to rescue thee, cover thee, deliver thee from the guilt of one of the least of these sins; nor save thee from wrath to come, but leave thy soul as sinful, guilty, naked, wretched, condem­ned, as if thou hadst been nothing else but sinning all thy days: Oh wretched condition, that the Devil and thy own heart have flattered thee in!

Oh, let this serve to convince, unbottom legal Pro­fessors, who have spoken peace to themselves in be­ing as good as they can, and obeying the Law as well as they can, and so hope God pardons where they fail: Oh, you are ignorant of the righteousness of God, Rom. 10.3. Either what righteousness God requires [Page 88] in the Law, as to be justified by it; or what is the Righteousness of the Gospel, which is of Jesus Christ by Faith.

Oh you, who like that young man, have been righ­teous from your youth up, brought up religiously, look to this, whether you make not this your confidence, but (though under some kind of sorrowings for sin, and walking exactly) yet never emptied of your selves, and renouncing your selves, and all that was of you, and come poor and nothing to Jesus Christ, to be found in him; who have not trembled as much at being found in your own righteousness, which is of the Law, as at living in the greatest sin whatso­ever.

You who have taken up from grosser sins of your life, your youth, and now think you are safe, and bottom your hope upon your new outward obedience, but have not the experience of your closing with Je­sus Christ for righteousness, in which alone you could stand before God, nor rooted into Jesus Christ in the carrying on of your new obedience, (which I am also further to open:) Alas, poor soul, thou art yet to seek for a bottom, for thy peace, and for Hea­ven, as much as the greatest sinner in the world, and if you go no further, you will certainly perish for ever.

I beseech you, Souls, Admit of this Conviction into your Consciences; saith the first Covenant of the law, A whole law kept, or nothing; saith the Go­spel-Covenant, which you are now to look after, A whole Christ closed with, or nothing.

Mind it most seriously, you that stand upon your terms, and will not endure any thing that may shake you, and disturb your peace; there's more danger of your righteousness than your sin; your sin, it may be, [Page 89] you would leave, because it may damn you, if conti­nued in, but your righteousness, your confidence in it, you would not leave, because you hope that shall save you, and pacifie God for you; and this will be your ru­ine, if you stick here.

But first to strike of some Objections, that the heart of such a legal professor doth put forth.

Object. 1. But you will object, ‘Why do I speak thus? would I beat people off a good coversation? Is not a blameless conversation, and honest walk­ing, a good sign, and ground for ones hope for Heaven?’

Answ. I answer, not such a Conversation as you mean; the formal Jews, which Christ preacht to, were outwardly righteous, and yet 'twas not a safe ground of Hope unto them, as you have been shew'd; a good conversation that witnesseth a hope for Hea­ven, must be, first, of a soul that doth utterly renounce it, as to commend him to God, that when he looks up to God for his acceptance, his justification, he looks upon himself as nothing else but a sinner in that respect, which, poor soul, thou doest not. (2.) A good conversation, that witnesseth a hope of Heaven, is also a holy conversation, 1 Pet. 1.15. To be inward­ly holy as well as outwardly righteous. Now thy care lyeth mostly about thy outward blamelesness, and not thy inward holiness, therefore thy conversation, which thou callest good, is not a ground of hope to thee. (3.) Or if thou dost pretend to a little outward holiness, and thinkest thou hast a good heart, yet thou doest not walk in Christ, because thou hast not, as a poor self-emptied sinner, received him, Col. 2.6. Now thou must first be rooted in Christ, verse 7. be­fore thou canst walk in Christ, that is, fetch all thy life [Page 90] and power for any spiritual duty, or thy walking be­fore God, from Jesus Christ, by vertue of union with him, John 15.5. the experience of which thou art ig­norant of; (4.) 'Tis to walk in the spirit, Gal. 5.16. And thou hast not the spirit of God dwelling in thee, quickening, renewing, mortifying, &c. which every gracious pardoned soul hath. In a word, a good conversation is a Gospel-conversation, grounded up­on Gospel-principles, and for Gospel-ends; now thou goest no further, but lookest upon the law, as to be obeyed as well as thou canst, and in thy own endea­vours, and thy own strength, from some conviction of the law, thou set'st about it, and so hopest God and Christ will save thee; Is it not so with thee?

Object. 2. ‘But would you then have me do no­thing, leave off to do well? If you say, my good keeping of the law as well as I can, doth neither justifie me before God, nor is so much as an evi­dence of God's accepting me, to what purpose then is it?’ how ought I then do it? or may I not leave it off?

Answ. I answer, Truly, soul, I must needs deal plainly with thee, 'tis to no purpose as yet, if this be thy condition, that thou hast done any thing, as to the saving of thy own soul; and yet thou must not leave off, as if thou mightest live as thou list: No, Thou must begin anew, (as thou wilt be fur­ther more at large directed;) first, see all thy for­mer doings, either towards God or Man, to be loss, because thou hast done them by meer natural or legal principles, and wrong ends, and so it stands for no­thing; and then fall down before Jesus Christ, Oh 'tis thy righteousness now, Lord, I come for; 'tis thy spirit, I must have to quicken and strengthen me in [Page 91] the way of my obedience; and so pray and hear, upon other grounds, to be taught of God, to receive the Spirit, to have communion with God, but not thereby in the least to be accepted. But this I shall open further, when I shew why and how a Soul must obey God, though he be not thereby justified. So this Objection is removed.

Object. 3. ‘But, you will say, I hope I do not rest upon my own doings, no more than others, I think no body doth so, will you shew me whe­ther the heart is apt to do so?’

Answ. I will, and shall discover to you, that the heart of man is most naturally apt to rest upon an out­ward keeping of the law, and to build a hope and confi­dence for Heaven upon it; this I must a little insist on, as much conducing to help on the conviction I am pressing, if the Lord by his power strike in with it.

If it were not natural, (nothing more) for a soul to bottom upon its keeping the Law, though fallen and unable to it; the Apostle would never have spent time in the Conviction of it, which he so industri­ously doth in this and the former Chap. It hath been the great evil upon the hearts of the Sons of Men, in all ages of the Church: One of the first Sons of Adam was under it; Cain, when he rested upon the bare sacrifice: 'Tis that the Prophets of God are repro­ving, convincing the Church of the Jews of, more than of any one thing whatsoever; See Isa. 1. throughout; Isa. 66. Jer. 7. Ezek. 33.31. The Pro­phecy of Hosea, in the main bent of it, is to convince the formality of the Jews, and their false confidence in resting in their heartless doings and performan­ces.

[Page 92]In this case Jesus Christ finds the Jewish Church in, at his first coming, in resting in some heartless per­formances in God's worship, and outward righteous­ness towards men, which he sharply rebuketh, and convinceth them of the vanity of it, Mat. 5.6, 7, 9, 13, 15, 18, 21, 23, 25. Chapters of Matthew, with which you may compare the other Evangelists, and see how much ado the Lord Jesus had to beat them off from this confidence, and how few of them were beaten off it: And Paul witnesseth, that upon this ve­ry ground they were rejected of Jesus Christ, Rom. 9.32. Not upon the account of gross outward sin, but for their being conceited of their good condition for Heaven, because of their frequenting publick worship, and being blameless in the sight of men; yea, from this natural principle (joyned with the delusion of the Tempter) did the Church of God de­generate into the Synagogue of Satan, as Antichrist rose in the world, first trusting in the performance of their worship and works, which brought in pe­nances, and such kind of Sacriledge against Jesus Christ, and all other Trumperies, to build fallen men upon his own bottom, and to devise a way of sa­tisfaction to God, wherein they failed; to which the hearts of Men are most naturally carried, which made that Doctrine so easily and generally over-run the world. Against which accursed Doctrine, that famous Witness of Jesus Christ, Luther began his main battery; and though the Doctrine of Justifica­tion by Jesus Christ be known to the Protestant World, yet practically to be brought over to it, by an Union with Jesus Christ, is but (we may fear) thin­ly known or understood, yea, not only by the com­mon spirits of England, that rest in a Notion of being Protestants, but even amongst many who have pro­fest [Page 93] something beyond it, as I before have hinted; yea, the Lord Jesus Christ professeth to expect to find multitudes of Professors at his coming under this soul-damning snare, of being found in themselves, and in their own righteousness, and not in Jesus Christ, Mat. 7. & 25, &c. By all which it may am­ply appear how easie, how natural a thing it is for the hearts of the Children of Men, to bottom their confidence in what they do towards God and Man, in their obedience of the Law, as to place their ac­ceptance in it.

Add to this the reasons of it, why the hearts of all the sons and daughters of Adam, are naturally apt to rest upon the law, and their own doings, and to hope for peace by it.

1. Every natural man, hath something of the re­mains of the Law, which God at first wrote in the heart of our common Father Adam, Rom. 2.14, 15. which being a little drawn forth by the Letter of the Law, it makes a poor creature set himself to en­deavour to keep the law, and hopes to attain to such a degree as to be accepted with God for it: Now there is no such thing in the heart to come to Christ, or to have righteousness in another; therefore a soul sets himself to the Law, and endeavours more or less, the keeping of it naturally.

2. Man would fain make up the breach he hath made with God, upon his own account: As a Man had naturally rather do a thing himself, than be behold­ing to another; therefore upon Conviction of guilt he sets himself to make up the breach, to satisfie God by some attonement or other, that his own heart can contrive; his sorrowing and repenting he hopes may pacifie God, or some new sacrifice of more performances, or being better for the time to come: [Page 94] Thus the heart works secretly, and upon his own account; God letting forth some mercy (as he thinks) where he fails, he hopes to make up any breach that sin hath made between God and his soul; and thus he is still upon the Old Covenant, under the law.

3. A Sinner is more apt to keep to the Law, than go to Christ, from a secret pride of heart; he would not be found at a total loss with God, to be wholly undone, and unable to do any thing towards his own peace and salvation: A soul naturally had rather part with all sin, and have his nature made perfectly holy, than be quite undone in himself, and come to have all his righteousness in another, in Jesus Christ. And here it is, that most souls stick in the coming off their own bottoms, to be justified in Jesus Christ. In a word, Man had rather do any thing, than come a poor destitute sinner to Jesus Christ for all.

4. Because 'tis not suitable to the Light of natural reason, that a soul should satisfie God, or become righteous any other way, than by his own endea­vour; to be righteous in another, is of Divine Re­velation, which till a Soul hath, he cannot let go the principle of self-justification.

The next thing to be considered will be this, if all men are under the Law, and the curse of it, under the guilt of the whole law, without all excuse before God, under an impossibility of attaining righteous­ness or acceptance with God, by the best keeping of the Law, and yet a natural and strong aptitude to rest upon the law, and that a soul may reform and take up, be strict in obedience, and yet still be under the law, how then may a soul know whether in the way of his Obedience, he be yet under the Law, and not under Grace? Some Discoveries I shall lay down at [Page 95] present, resolving a fuller discussion of this.

And by the way, know and consider, that though thou art under the the profession of the Name of Jesus Christ, and pretendest Salvation by him, yet practi­cally and really thou may'st be still under the Law.

1. If thou hast never been convinc'd of this close evil in thy heart, of resting on thy praying, and re­penting, and endeavouring to keep the Law as well as thou canst, I say, if the Spirit of the Lord hath not convinced thee of it, and of the great danger of it, and so humbled thee, and brought thee off it, thou art certainly under the Law as yet.

2. If thou dost not watch against this evil, and dost not find a great difficulty, not to rest upon a perform­ance of any duty to God, thou dost then certainly rest upon it.

3. If thou art well satisfied, that thou art kept from outward gross sins; and the sin of thy [...] is not thy greatest burthen, mourning under the weight of it, then thou must know that thou art yet under the law.

4. If thou thinkest God will accept of the will for the deed, if thou dost as well as thou canst in every du­ty, so as to accept thee thereby, as if it had been done perfectly; this also bespeaks thee under the Law.

5. If thou canst not experience, how the Lord by the light and working of his word and spirit hath brought thee off thy legal foundation thou wast building upon, and shew'd thee, that such things as thou didst account gain, became but loss unto thee, for Jesus Christ, Phil. 3.7.

6. If thou art not troubled about the Hypocrisie of thy heart, and not abased for it, even in thy best per­formances; [Page 96] then thou art yet upon the bottom of the Law, and restest in it.

7. If thou art not mostly troubled about believing, and dost not find it the most difficult work of thy soul, if no complaint to God of an unbelieving heart, then thou art indeed a Hypocrite, and under the Law.

8. If thou art not humbled to God for the sinful mixtures of thy duties, the deadness, distraction of them, and so seest thy acceptance cannot be in them, but in Jesus Christ; then thou restest in them.

9. If thou dost not give up thy self to the leadings of the Spirit, and doest not find, that in the main of thy course, thou art led by the Spirit, then thou art under the Law, Gal. 3.18. But if ye are led by the spirit, ye are not under the Law.

10. If thou art not troubled about thy inward growth, in mortification of all sin, and more holy Communion with God, then thou art also un­der the Law: One under the Law, that is some­what strict and conscientious, may grow in the bulk of outward Duties, but not in inward Holi­ness.

11. If thy care be not to live in the sense of thy Justification by grace through Jesus Christ, and to preserve the light and peace of a justified state, which thou hast been called to by grace; then thou livest in self-justification.

12. If thy great care be not, if thou findest it not thy greatest difficulty, to be kept a poor empty creature in thy self, and live in the fulness of Christ, if self-fulness, self-exaltation, be not the great evils thou watchest against, (at least in some measure, thou art sensible of the roots of them) then thou art yet [Page 97] under all I have been proving, the law, guilt, and a curse; and all thy duties and doings, as I have shew'd; abhorred of God.

Examine thy heart by these particulars over and over, and if by these thou canst not make out that thou hast been through rich grace, brought off from thy own foundation upon the law, and so come, with much difficulty, to the Gospel-grace, and righ­teousness by Jesus Christ, and that if thou hadst been let alone in peace in thy former state, thou hadst been certainly damned; sure thou art then as yet void of any interest in the Gospel saving righteousness; thy pretended faith, and hope, and duties, and works, and conscience, all's in vain.

Now the soul that hath the blessed experience of all these, and can say, I have through infinite mercy been brought off my own foundation, and I have found the difficulty of it, I find my heart apt to set­tle upon my own performances, and 'tis that I would watch against; and I can experience the sin of my Nature the greatest burthen, and cry out of it daily before the Lord; the Hypocrisie of my heart is an abhorring to me, I do find believing the hardest work of my soul, I do mourn under the sinful mix­ture of my duties, I do give up my self to the spi­rits leadings, I am troubled about my inward growth, and humbled for the shortness of it, I would learn more and more to live out of my self for my Justification, and to be kept a poor empty nothing for ever before the Lord; if this, I say, be thy experience, then thou shalt have peace and joy in the Holy Ghost; thou may'st rejoyce in a justified estate, Christ, his Righteousness, Grace, Spirit, Hea­ven are thine.

Having now laid open the Sinner, as under the [Page 98] Law, excuseless, guilty and under Condemnation, under an impossibility of obtaining righteousness and acceptance with God, by the best endeavours to keep the Law; I would now set upon the opening the Gospel-Righteousness by Jesus Christ, through which only a poor condemned Sinner can find acceptance; but that I conceive it first needful to speak a word to those words in the close of the 22th. verse, (viz.) For there is no difference; which may further help on the conviction we have been upon.

The Jew might object to the Apostle thus; you by your Doctrine seem to conclude all under the Law equally, and under guilt; you make no difference between us Jews who have the Law, and endeavour to keep it, and the open prophane Gentiles and Sin­ners; in this, you do us wrong; No, saith the A­postle, There's no difference, you who in part keep the Law, are under the same condemnation as others; that which I shall lay down, will be this.

Observ. There is no difference between the most prophane person, and the righteous and sober, as to justification or condemnation by the Law.

I mean this; the just sober man, as to his keep­ing of the Law outwardly or in part, is in as dam­nable estate as the profanest wretch in the world: This will hardly go down, but 'tis most clear from the Apostles words read unto you, and hath been in part proved, by shewing all the Sons and Daugh­ters of Adam, Jews and Gentiles, sober and ungod­ly, all under the Law.

But a little further to prosecute this Doctrine; for, where a man or woman, who hath lived honest­ly or soberly in the eye of the world (but yet out of Christ) convinced that he or she were in as bad and damnable a condition as any great sinner in the [Page 99] world, it might be a startling to them, and a means, through the Spirit's working, to bring them off their vain confidence, and to lead them to Christ.

Now that I may clear this, let us first consider, what it was that might difference the sober Jew from the prophane idolatrous Gentile; it being the same, which, such as conceive themselves sober harmless people in this day, do put confidence in.

1. The Jew was Circumcised, which was the first Ordinance of the Old Testament-Church, as Bap­tism is of the New, and it doth appear this was much insisted on by the Jew, by what the Apostle speaks, Rom. 2. vers. 18, 19. For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one in­wardly, and Circumcision is that of the heart, in the spi­rit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God.

2. They had the Scriptures of God, Rom. 3.2. Ʋnto them were committed the Oracles of God; which indeed the Apostle calls an Advantage, (in the same place) as it might be a means to lead them to the knowledge of God, and to the Promise of Jesus Christ, but no advantage at all, (as to the meer having them read and opened, and in a general Faith, believing them) as the more to justifie them in the sight of God.

3. The Jews were under the publick Service of God, such as was ordained by God himself, Rom. 9.4, 5.

4. They were for the most part righteous to Men, and sober, and blameless in the outward man; Ye indeed are they which are righteous before men; as the Lord often speaks of them: Now 'tis most clear, that these things did not difference the Jew, as to ac­ceptation [Page 100] with God and Jesus Christ, from the most profane sinner; for the Lord Jesus Christ re­jected these, and call'd to himself Publicans and Harlots, and tells the Jews that such should enter into the Kingdom of God before them, Matth. 21.31. As might be further instanc'd in the case of the Pharisee and Publican, Luke 18.9.

Now the Reasons of this point have been before hinted, namely, that a meer sober Man under Chri­stian Priviledges, is no more accepted with Christ, nor in any nearer capacity to come to Christ, than the greatest sinner; because one sin puts a man un­der the condemnation of the Law, as well as a mil­lion of sins against it; one fellony condemns a man as well as a thousand, and the Malefactor must dye by the Law for it. All the good a man doth, will not be imputed to him, if he be found a transgressor in one part of the Law, Ezek. 18.24. All men come short of the glory of God, in the fulfilling of the Law, and he that falls short but in one mile is in as bad a case as he that falls short twenty miles: Jesus Christ accepts of no man for his righteousness, but as a Sinner, nothing else but a Sinner; so that still the case of a just man in reference to the Law, is as dan­gerous as the greatest sinners in the world.

Ʋse. A little further to press this; you who are baptized, have a general belief of the Scriptures, are under part of the publick service of God, are just and harmless as to men; but yet are under the pow­er of Ʋnbelief, and see it not, are not born again of the Spirit, are not in Christ Jesus: You who rest sa­tisfied in such a condition, and think your hope for Heaven well-grounded, and will not be beaten off it, I must tell you, and 'tis proved unto your Conscien­ces from the Word of the Lord, that there's no dif­ference [Page 101] between you and the vilest sinners in the Country, as to your acceptance with God: Though it be thus with you, yet, as you have been shewed, you may be under the Law, condemned for one transgression; and what can you be more, than be condemned? Neither doth all this, as in it self, any more prepare you for Jesus Christ; and therefore let all the Convictions, Arguments, Demonstrations, we have produced from the clear light of the Word of the Lord, at last prevail with you, that you who thus satisfie your selves, because you are baptized, believe the Scriptures, frequent the service of God, are just and sober, therefore it is well with you, and you will trouble your selves no further in the matter of your Salvation, that the estate of your Souls is as unsafe and desperate, how secure soever, as the vilest Drunkard in the Country.

Therefore, let this Conviction have force upon your Conscience, that you must come anew to Jesus Christ, as a meer sinner, having nothing to commend you to him.

Say, from the Light of the Word, though I have thus satisfied my self, pleas'd my self, in these Du­ties and outward Priviledges, yet there's no difference between me and the vilest sinner, in order to my ac­ceptance with Jesus Christ: Nay, if this Conviction take upon thee, thou wilt say to the glory of God, and thy own Confusion; If there be any difference, 'tis that thou art the greatest sinner, having mock'd the Lord, rested in out-side service, dealt hypocriti­cally with the jealous God, offered him abominable sacrifice, and therefore fit to be abhorred of the Lord for ever: Oh! that this might be the posture of thy Soul! and so thou may'st come and lye prostrate at the feet of Jesus Christ, crying, Oh! no more, no [Page 102] more, a righteous person! but a sinner, a guilty sin­ner, a condemned sinner, a poor, blind, naked sinner; nothing else but a sinner! Away with all my former confidences, tear them from my heart, Lord. Now Lord Jesus, I cast my self upon thee! Oh! let me creep unto thy blessed feet! Oh! I come to thee; not because I am righteous, (for I would abhor my self for ever in the thought of it) but as a poor perish­ing sinner, the worst of sinners, an hypocritical sin­ner: Oh! that I could take hold of thy righteous­ness, to cover my naked Soul; I expect it only upon the account of thy Free-Grace; Oh Lord, I come un­to thee, do not, do not reject me.

And thus I have been endeavouring to lay the sinner before Jesus Christ in such a posture, having proved him under the Law, excuseless in his trans­gressing of it, guilty before God, under an impossibi­lity of reaching to an acceptance with God, by the best keeping of the Law; laboured to beat him off such props and confidences that the Heart naturally cleaves to, and stript him of all, naked as Adam, when he had sinned before the Lord, as nothing else but a Sinner, which is that I have driven at. I now come to speak of the way of a poor Souls justification, and acceptance with God, by Jesus Christ, as the Lord shall assist, to the capacity of the weakest.

I Am now come to open the Gospel-righteous­ness, wherein a poor sinner finds acceptance with God; which in ver. 21. of this third of the Romans, is said to be now manifested; that is, more fully manifested by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Gospel, being witnessed (before) by the Law and the Prophets, Even the righteousness of God, which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe, ver. 22. called the righ­teousness of God; namely, that whereby God doth only justifie and accept of a Sinner, wrought forth by the obedience of Jesus Christ, and made over and imputed to a poor Soul that doth embrace it by Faith, whether Jew or Gentile, outwardly righte­ous or profane: All that ever come to God, must come this way, and stand before him in this Righ­teousness, or perish for ever; which I shall begin to open from ver. 24, 25.

We have endeavoured, in the former Discourse, to go along with the Apostle, in proving, that by all the Deeds of the Law, all the best Obedience that a sinner can reach unto, he cannot be justified before [Page 104] God, neither in part, nor in whole, that your good deeds will not procure pardon, nor poise down your sins, but all, by the Law, equally under condemna­tion.

Of what importance then is it for poor condem­ned souls to be well acquainted with, and really and practically invested in that way of justification, that God in infinite wisdom, mercy and love, hath set forth in the Gospel, which is that I now de­sign.

The Apostles arguing is thus: If all fall short of righteousness, and acceptance with God, by their own obedience; if all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, then are all, and that equally, condemned: If so condemned, then acceptance with God, and justification, and remission of sins, must come in another way: The Rise and Foun­tain of which, must necessarily be Gods free mercy and grace: If made righteous, it must be in the righteousness of another, wrought forth by another: Justice must be satisfied by another, a price paid to God for a sinners redemption by another, which is Jesus Christ, blessed for ever.

From the words then, I shall first lay down this plain Observation, viz.

Observ. Gods free mercy and grace is the first Foun­tain of any sinners salvation; or, 'Tis upon the account of Gods free grace that any sinner is saved.

Thus runs the current of the whole Gospel, the main design of the Gospel being to glorifie the riches of Gods Free-grace by Jesus Christ. Among many other Scriptures the Apostle doth most convincingly discourse in Rom. 5. from the 15th. to the end; set­ting the Free-grace of God unto Justification, in op­position [Page 105] to a sinners condemnation; But not as the offence, so also is the free gift; for if through the of­fence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. To the same import runs the rest of the verses, The free gift of many unto Justi­fication, much more they which receive abundance of grace, and the gift of Righteousness, shall reign in life by one Je­sus Christ: All of Grace, and of Free-gift, abundance of Grace, from first to last; That as sin reigned unto death, so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord, verse last. So the Apostle in that Epistle to the Ephesians, wherein the Doctrine of Grace is blessedly given forth, drives all the spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ, mentioned Chap. 1.3. &c. to this blessed Foun­tain, Chap. 2.4. &c. But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ, (for by Grace ye are saved;) so verse 7. That in the Ages to come, he might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace; and ver. 8. For by grace ye are saved, it is the gift of God.

Therefore the invitation of the Gospel to sinners runs upon this score; Ho, Every one that thirsteth, come to the Waters of Life, Isa. 55.1. And, Whosoever will, let him come to the Water of life freely, Revel. 22.17.

I might illustrate this in all the particulars of a sinners salvation, God's fore-ordaining and choo­sing any to salvation, 'twas to the praise of the glory of his grace, Eph. 1, 5, 6. The gift of his Eternal Son Je­sus Christ, from free love and grace, John 3.16. The New Covenant, and all the Promises of it, freely gi­ven [Page 106] out for his own Names sake, Ezek. 36. Effectual Calling, from free grace, 2 Tim. 1.9. The gift of Faith, actual Justification, Tit. 3.7. Sanctification, Perseverance, Eternal Life and Glory, all flowing from the same fountain of Free-grace: Some Rea­sons of the Design of the Blessed God in this, may be gathered from the Scriptures:

The Free-grace of God is the Fountain of all, in any sinners salvation;

1. Because, There is nothing in the Creature that may move God to save him: Nothing at all, all we know or do, could not move God to mercy, Deut. 7.7, 8. The Lord did not set his love upon you, because you were more in number than any people, but because he freely loved you, &c. Not for your sake do I do this, &c. Ezek. 36.32.

2. As God saw nothing in him, so the sinner is able to bring nothing to God, to draw out mercy of his own, therefore saith the Lord, Isa. 55.1. let him come without his price: As the sinner lost all his good, so he can procure none anew to bring to God, that may in the least move the heart of God to give out more to him.

3. If it were not all of Grace, then the Creature would have occasion of boasting; but the Lord in infi­nite wisdom, so laid the Project of a sinners Salva­tion, that no Creature should have the least ground of boasting: So the Apostle having given out the Doctrine of Grace in this Scripture we are upon, draws this conclusion, ver. 27. Where is boasting then? It is excluded, &c. So in the 1 Cor. 1.29. the Ho­ly Ghost lays down this as the main scope of God in the Gospel: That, No flesh should glory in his presence, Therefore Salvation is all of Grace, of Free-grace.

[Page 107]4. If it were not so, The glory of God would not be so great in the Salvation of a sinner. 'Tis now so laid, that all might be, to the praise of the glory of his Grace, Ephes. 1.6. It being the highest piece of glo­ry, that the Wise and Blessed God did ever design unto himself, that his free, rich, abundant, infinite grace might be made known in the Salvation of a Sinner: That he might make known the riches of his glory on the Vessels of Mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Rom. 9.23.

Ʋse 1. If God's Free-grace be the Fountain of all in a poor Sinners Salvation, then let it establish our judgments in this Doctrine: Therefore God had no respect to any fore-sight of Faith or Works in the Creature; God had no respect to the freeness of his Will, for he knew he had none: God had no respect to any conditions to be wrought in us; but all he did, and doth, was from absolute Independing Grace: Nothing moved him but his own Free-grace. The same Free-grace that pardons, gives and works, all in us; all from the same Fountain.

2. If all be of Free-grace, then there is no meri­torious procuring Cause in us, that moves the Lord to mercy: Now the contrary is naturally rooted in our hearts, poor Souls are most apt to conceive, that if they can grieve for their sins, repent, and re­form, this will sure move God to mercy and pardon. A most dangerous snare, from which a Soul, after much conviction, is hardly wrought off: Now, though God in the way of a sinners Salvation, hath promi­sed to give Repentance, Act. 5.31. and a Spirit of mourning for sin: Yet a poor soul must take heed that he make not this a procuring cause of Pardon: [Page 108] Many a Soul sticks here, before emptied of himself, even of his very repenting, and so come for grace and mercy, upon the account of the Free-promise only: How many a Sinner might have been saved, if he would have been saved freely?

3. If God hath so laid the Design to save a Sinner freely, then how great, how just is the Condemnation of guilty sinners, that will not hasten in unto it; how could the Lord have laid it more freely than he hath? Oh that any sinner, for ever condemned to Hell without it, should withstand it! Why sinner? Shall the blessed God, that might have much glory in condemning thee to all Eternity, be willing to save thee freely; and wilt thou not come and bow unto him, and accept of it? All the contempt of God in all his holy Commands, is not like this, to turn the back upon Free-Mercy, Free-Salvation: This will be the Worm that never dies, to any of your Souls that shall not come into, and rightly accept of Go­spel-Salvation, that you might have been saved free­ly, have had grace, remission of sins, Jesus Christ, the Spirit, Eternal Life freely, and yet turned your backs upon it? But you may demand, How is it that any sinner doth so? What is it that causeth any Soul to forego Free-grace and Mercy, when held out unto him, that we may beware of such hinderances?

I will therefore shew you such Hinderances, that keep Souls from accepting of God's Free-grace in Je­sus Christ, when held out unto them.

1. Wilful Obstinacy, Joh. 5.40. Ye will not come unto me, that you might have life: Ye will not; such is the stubborness and rebellion of the heart of a sin­ner, that he will not, as we speak, because he will not; to such a height hath sin raised the heart of the re­bellious [Page 109] children of men; for every natural man, till made sensible of unbelief, thinks he hath power of himself, (though he hath not) but his Rebellion lies in his Will: I would have gathered you, and you would not, Mat. 33. last.

2. A sinner doth not accept of Free-grace, because he stands upon his self-justification; he will not be per­swaded he hath so much need of all Free-grace, as the Gospel discovers; as hath been shewed at large, though he hath sinned, yet also he hath obeyed, and so he puts one against the other, his obedience against his sin, and so hopes to get that mercy he hath need of. And upon this ground, more sinners, even that profess the Name of God, do miss of Hea­ven, than any other in the World: 'Tis not so easie a matter to submit to God's Free-grace alone, as many do imagine: Upon this Snare, many of the Jewish Professors of Christ fell short, as 'tis clear from the Epistle to the Galathians, and did frustrate the grace of God.

3. A Sinner hath a secret thought of making God satisfaction, by his sorrow and amendment, and so makes void the Free-grace of God: 'Tis the easiest thing in the World to put up legal sorrow, and amendment of life to God, as that which may make God amends; yea, to make an attonement of every Duty, which is the closest and most desperate evil of the heart: So did the Jew by his sacrifices and obedi­ence, which caused the Lord to pronounce them, That his soul loathed them, Isa. 1.

4. A Sinner doth not savingly close with free grace, from secret pride of heart, he would not be [Page 110] found so poor and helpless, so unrighteous and ungra­cious, as to be beholden to free mercy for all; ma­ny persons will rather starve than beg, than live up­on another mans mercy: 'Tis so between a sinner and the Lord, till God humble him, he'd rather venture Hell, than come and acknowledge utter Condemna­tion, nothing but sin upon him, and so stoop to free mercy.

5. The sinner stands off from Free-grace, because he will make his own terms: He will condition for his carnal case, his self-interest, his bosom lust, the love of the World, and hopes God will allow him his terms, which he proposeth to himself; and herein he is ruined. Now God hath drawn up the tenour of his free-grace in the way of a Covenant, and though there are no conditions left to the crea­ture to make good on his part, by his own power, (for that will easily imply a self-sufficiency in him, and is absolutely derogatory from the grace of God in the Gospel-Covenant) yet God hath drawn up (as I may so speak) what other good things he will be­stow on the subjects of his free-grace, Namely, The Law to be new written in their hearts, the gift of the Spirit, Newness of heart, with the making good of all those promises, in a degree, that hold forth Holiness and new Obedience, which must ac­company the free pardon of sins, and make indeed the free grace of God more glorious: Inasmuch as when he pardons them he will save them from the service of sin, work his Image upon them, bring them to a blessed conformity to himself, which consi­der'd aright, sweetens and heightens the free-grace of God, and makes the terms of it more blessed. In a word, Mercy and Holiness must go together, a Savi­our [Page 111] and Sanctifier, which a sinner from the cursed love of ease and satisfaction to his lust sticks at, and so comes not up to Gods terms, (which are blessed and holy) and so misseth of grace and mercy for e­ver, because he chooseth Sin rather than Holi­ness.

6. Yea, a sinner (and I speak all this while of such as pretend to an interest in free mercy) misseth of this grace, because he takes up the terms of God in his Covenant-grace in his own strength, will repent and come up to new obedience before he comes to the promise, to the free grace of God for it; which is also a dangerous snare. A Sinners first work (be­ing convinced as we have opened) is to throw him­self upon the free grace of God for all, to give all, to work all, and to follow God by vertue of Promi­ses, of such good and Grace as the tenour of the Co­venant holds forth: 'Tis an usual thing for poor Souls first to think to convert themselves, make themselves holy, and then come to God, and Jesus Christ, this is an indirect course, Oh! a poor Soul must begin at the Foundation of Gods free Grace, for Christ, for Pardon, for the Spirit, for Conversion, for Holiness, for all, as held out in Promises, and then the work will be sure, and prosper, and nought shall hinder it.

7. Sinners fail of this free Grace of God, from a neglect and a sleighting of it, Heb. 2.3. How shall you escape, if you neglect so great salvation? Sinners do hear that, though they are sinners and condemned, in a damnable estate, yet Jesus Christ will save them; if they will come unto him, sit them for Heaven, and do it himself for them, and in them; yet [Page 112] through a desperate folly, security and careless tem­per, the heart being in a dead sleep, they wretched­ly neglect it.

8. From the power of Unbelief, which they are under, and see it not.

Thus have I shewed those special hindrances that cause poor Souls that hear of Gospel-grace to with­stand it, and for ever to miss of it.

Oh that this word of the Lord might find you out, and might be as a glass to shew you your own hearts; you who by a wilful obstinacy have with­stood the Gospel-calls hitherto, Oh, now fall down before the Lord, and cry, I yield, I yield, thou bles­sed God, thy Patience, thy freest Grace hath over­come me; Lord, take away a rebellious obstinate heart from me! Ah Lord! Thou hast waited to be gracious, and Christ, and Mercy, and Heaven have been offered to so vile a Wretch freely: Now, Lord, I throw my self at thy feet, a thousand Hells are too good for me: But if grace, infinite grace, be free, there's yet hope for me. If there be not grace enough in Heaven for me, let me go to the depth of Hell But Lord, I take hold of thee, I desire to do it Oh, do thou take hold of me, and I shall not perish.

You who have stood upon your terms, and hoped you had righteousness enough to cover you, and God would look upon that, and not upon your sin, you are the most abominable in God's sight: You, who secretly in your hearts think your sorrowing and reforming, makes God amends: You who have wrapt your selves in these Cobwebs, and through pride of heart, will not lay them down; Oh, if thou wilt have mercy, thou must have all in a way of [Page 113] mercy and grace, all freely, or nothing at all; see all thy righteousness made void by one sin against the Law, and therefore cursed and condemned by it; therefore thou hast no Plea but free mercy and grace: Oh lay down all thy other Pleas, they will never be heard in Heaven! and now cry out, Oh 'tis of grace! Proud selfish Wretch that I have been; 'tis all of free grace, if ever I am saved: If God can­not pardon freely, bestow Jesus Christ freely, I am undone for ever: Oh the wicked castings of my heart this way and that way! Oh there's nothing, nothing but infinite misery to move mercy! All my goodness is an accursed thing as from my self: There's an infinite Fountain of sin and self-righteous­ness in men: Oh could I come to an infinite Foun­tain of grace! Thus thou wilt come to God, when he shall smite thy heart, which now look up unto him to do.

You who have been making your own terms of ease, and lusts, and world: Oh render up your hearts to the gracious, blessed, holy terms, that God pro­poseth: Why shouldst thou not be willing to be made holy? Why should not the Lord rather rule thee than sin and the Devil? What more beautiful and glorious than the Image of God? Oh accept of Holiness with Mercy, through the Lord Je­sus Christ! Come unto him for both; be willing to be set apart for God, a Vessel purged and sanctified for his use, and thou shalt behold the face of God shining upon thee; and whatever is laid up in Christ, in Promises, in Heaven and Glory, shall be thine.

You who have thought to make your selves holy, and then come to Christ to be justified; be convin­ced of your great Error, and now come as sinners to [Page 114] Jesus Christ, to be justified and sanctified in him, and see all grace laid up in Jesus Christ for such as come unto him. Say, Oh blessed Lord Jesus, I cannot fit my self for thee! If thou canst not accept me as a poor undone helpless sinner, coming unto thee, I ne­ver expect a blessing from thee.

And you who have sleighted this free, rich and glorious grace, see what you have done, and be aba­sed for it; see how you cast back mercy upon the face of God, who would freely be reconciled with you, pass by all the grievous injuries you have done him, enter into a Covenant with you, bestow his Christ upon you, fit you for communion with him­self here and for ever: And all this you have sleigh­ted, and yet must unavoidably be for ever damned without it. Sinner, who can plead for thee, when thou shalt go on to despise, neglect, slight such grace? To Hell, without pity of God, Angels or Men, when freest mercy and grace shall be slighted.

I do therefore stand this day in the Name of Je­sus Christ, to acquaint you, that he will save you freely, if you will come unto him, be your sins what they will, so you come not as righteous, but as sinners to him; so you take his Righteousness to cover you, and his Spirit of grace to unite you to him, and make you holy, and will give up your selves unto him: All which he will help, if you will come and cry to him, yea, if you cannot come, he will draw you; if you are unwilling, he will make you willing, if you have no heart, he will give you heart: What more? Wretch­ed man or woman, that shall stand off one moment longer! Is not Hell too good for thee, if thou shal [...] now turn thy back upon such grace? Let me have your Answers this day: Let me know that sinner that will go home resolved to be as careless as he for­merly [Page 115] hath been, as well-opinioned of himself, as much resolved against Holiness, as thoughtless of be­ing damned, if he withstand the Lord in his Free-grace one day more? Oh! Will not your hearts stir? dead, stupid Souls! Shall God's Free-grace, his Christ, go a begging this day, and will not a sin­ner come up to his terms? Old sinners, that are go­ing into the grave, and Hell too, will not you accept of Free-grace, of Christ, the Spirit, this day? that are upon the brink of the grave and everlasting burnings, and have many a thousand sins yet unpar­doned? Is all this nothing to you? but rest in a blind hope of mercy, without coming to Jesus Christ, without care of being made holy, and fit for Heaven: Oh, you have been fast asleep in sin, deceived by your own hearts, abused by the Devil, forty, fifty, sixty years, Is't not time for you to bethink your selves, to go and cry to the Blessed God; Oh, Grace, Par­don, Christ, Heaven, upon any Terms! My righte­ousness I have trusted in are poor Cobwebs, my Confidences vain; Oh, for a drop of Free-mercy and grace, from that Ocean that is in God, and 'twere better than all I have done for Heaven yet: Oh Lord! Now, now I come to thee: Is there free-mercy and grace for one that hath slighted it? Yea, though thou hast gone on frowardly in thy own heart, yet he can heal thee, Isa. 57.17, 18.

And you that are younger, 'tis a desperate thing now in times of Gospel-Light, when it glares upon your faces, to shut your eyes, to go on in the way of your own hearts, to slight Gospel-Grace, to harden your selves, and cry, hereafter, hereafter. Alas! thou knowest not what shall be on the morrow; the Thread of thy life is quickly cut with a stroak from God. Beside, to go on long, from year to year, against [Page 116] the loud and frequent Call of Jesus Christ, against Convictions, that thou shouldst do otherwise, is the way to be given up to utter hardness, and the Lord to move upon thy heart no more. There's a day of grace to every Soul, which if he suffer to set and go down upon him, he is irrecoverably lost for ever: Look to it, you younger men and maidens, that have yet no work upon you; that are the same you were, under the means you have lived; that have not the Spirit of grace and mourning upon you, when others are praying and wrestling with the Lord, and taking the Kingdom of Heaven by violence. Oh up, and be stirring, the day of grace hath shined long upon you: Hold out no longer, Come, Come, Come, you careless Sons and Daughters, and the way is open to you: The door of Free-grace is open, Christs Arms are open; you may be saved and blessed for ever, if you come in, now you are invited; I can take no excuse: Come, or say, I am resolved for Hell, and to venture the utmost in the condition I am in: Oh, bold and fearless Atheism! What shall I say to thee, if that be thy Resolution? But I cannot be so answe­red: Say, you Sinners, as if I should name you; are you for Heaven, or Hell; for Free-grace, or your own patch'd-up righteousness; for carnal ease, or any Pains for Heaven; for your Lusts, or for Holiness; for Jesus Christ, or the Devil? let thy heart answer in good earnest this day.

Now shall I at least have this Answer: Hold! I am resolved for the Free-grace of God, for the Lord Jesus Christ; If all the sinners in the Congregation, yea, in the World, should turn their backs upon him; The Word of the Lord hath overcome, Oh Lord Je­sus, may I come? such a Wretch as I come? Yea, saith the Lord Jesus, Rev. 22.17. Whosoever will, let [Page 117] him come. Grace is as free as ever it was: Say then, Oh Lord, I come; draw me, and I will come: Into the Arms of Free-grace I throw my self, my Righ­teousness is an abominable thing: Ah! a Christ upon any terms; Oh let, let me creep unto thy Blessed Feet; let me have the lowest Room in thy Heart: Take what way thou wilt to purge me, so I may but get well unto thee. Now Lord, as much Holiness as thou wilt, let thy precious blood wash me all over. Well, go thus, and acquaint the Lord Jesus with it from day to day; wait, he will speak to thee, love to hear more from him, and of him in his Go­spel, and thou biddest fair for Heaven; yea, there will presently be joy in Heaven for thee.

In a word, I protest against you in the Name and Authority of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who hath sent me, if you shall withstand the grace of God in Jesus Christ, freely, most freely offered you, I shall be a Witness against you: And if any sinners in the World shall be certainly damned, you are they, who neglect this great Salvation: 'Tis come to this, I would, saith Jesus Christ, and ye will not. What ado to have a sinner that's sinking to Hell, to come to the Lord Jesus Christ, to be freely saved? What should a guilty sinner do, but come to a free Saviour to be saved, and accept of his terms (which are so blessed) with a thousand hearts if he had them? Now say, how am I straightned, till I get to him; I would go and weep my heart out to him, had I a heart to do it.

Now I leave what hath been spoken to the good pleasure of God, and the work of his Power, who is able to send away every Soul trembling and resign­ing up themselves to him.

Only a word to any poor humbled doubting [Page 118] soul, that thinks infinitely well of all this, but saith in his heart, all this grace is too good for me, I have sinned against it, and slighted it; I fear, whether ever I may be accepted. Oh remember, and consi­der, that Grace were not Grace, if 'twere not free; God can save a sinner freely; that's enough to stay thee; yea, though thou hast slighted grace, (as where is the Saint but did so, before effectually called?) yea God will save a sinner freely, that will come by Jesus Christ unto him. He will: What would'st have more? Do not stand reasoning thus; but, if thou art a sinner, undone without him, cast off from thy own Confidences, go to him in the Name of God, and believe him upon his own Word: Say, I take thee, Blessed Lord, upon thy own Word; thou say­est, Whosoever will, let him come: And Lord, therefore I come; I durst not come, were I not invited freely; and if I must be saved freely, if ever, then thou art to bestow all, work all, begin and perfect all; Oh blessed Lord, I come unto thee for it; go and do thus, and thou shalt be comforted, and rejoice in his Salva­tion.

I might also here press blessed Souls, who have been drawn to Jesus Christ, and overcome by Free-grace to do it, to live in the Admiration of that grace, and to be low, and poor, and emptied in your selves, in the abundant sense of it all your days. Let your enjoyments and attainments be what they will, be it known unto you, that by grace ye are sa­ved; and you had, and have as much need of it, as any sinner in the World. God's Design in saving you, was to glorifie Grace, and it must be your Design also here, and for ever.

Having thus opened, in some measure, the grace of God, to be the Fountain of a sinner's Salvation, I [Page 119] shall now proceed to discover the way of the con­veyance of this grace, which is by Jesus Christ: (Be­ing justified freely by his grace, through the Redemp­tion that is in Jesus Christ.) Though God resolved to bestow grace upon such as shall be saved freely, yet in a way of his own most wise and blessed De­signing, by his Eternal Son Jesus Christ, to whom this Dispensation of Grace was committed; which I shall further open in this Doctrine: Namely,

Doct. All that Grace and Mercy which GOD gives out freely to sinners, is conveyed to them by his Eternal Son, Jesus Christ.

I might be abundant in the proof of this: See in that 5th. of the Rom. v. 17, 21. — Much more they which receive abundance of Grace, and of the gift of Righteousness, shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. And vers. 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might Grace through Righteousness unto Eter­nal Life, by Jesus Christ our Lord: All the Grace that should reign unto Life is given out by one Jesus Christ. The Law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ, Joh. 1.17. All the Trea­sures of Grace were laid up in him; and therefore he saith of himself, Matth. 11.27. All things are de­livered unto me of my Father, and none can come unto the Father but by me; which he makes as the great Argument why sinners should come unto him, vers. 28. Now, so far as the Lord hath revealed the wise and holy Counsels of his heart in his Word unto us, let us enquire into the Reasons why he took such a way to give all his grace to the children of men.

Reason 1. The first is this, That as Mankind lost all in the Fall of the first Adam, as he was a publick [Page 120] person, representing all that came of him: So it was the Wisdom of God in the recovery of lost-man to bring forth another person, that should be fully stockt with Grace and Righteousness, as a publique per­son to represent all the Elect unto the Father; upon which account Jesus Christ is called the Second A­dam, 1 Cor. 15. And the Apostle sets the first Adam in his offence unto Death, and the Grace and Righteousness of Jesus Christ, as the Second Adam, one against the other, Rom. 5.15, 16, &c. For as by one mans Disobedience many were made sinners; so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous: And so the Apostle sets the Life, Grace, Righteousness of Jesus Christ, as the Second Adam, against the Death, Condemnation, Disobedience of the first man that sinned in the seven last Verses of that Chapter. And herein the Wisdom of the Father is most excellently set forth, and the ground of Consolation to Believers laid upon a most sure Foundation: That whatsoe­ver they lost in the First Adam, they recover with much more abundance in Jesus Christ; for so the Apostle hath [that much more] in the Scrip­ture mentioned, three or four times; that Saints may see how abundantly compleat they are in Christ.

Reason 2. All Grace is conveyed by Jesus Christ, be­cause there needed a person to stand between GOD and Sinners, as a Mediator to work forth Reconcilia­tion between them. Now who was meet but the Lord Jesus Christ to undertake this? He being the Eternal Son of God, equal with God, was near unto God. A meer creature was infinitely unfit for such an undertaking, and he being also the Son of man, cloathed in the nature of man; he thus partaking of the nature of God, who was to be appeased; and of [Page 121] the nature of Man, who was to be reconciled, he be­came a most meet Undertaker of so glorious a Work; Whence he hath that blessed Title given him of Me­diator: Jesus the Mediator of a New Covenant, Heb. 12.24. There is one God, and one Mediator be­tween God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus, 1 Tim. 2.5.

3. God resolved that his blessed Son Jesus Christ should have the Honour in this blessed Transaction, to convey his Grace to lost Sinners, James 5.22, 23. That all men should honour the Son: So the Apostle fully, Col. 1.16, 17, 18, 19, 20. All things were for him: And that in all things he might have the preheminence, &c. For by him, and to him, and for him are all things. This Honour the Father committed to the Son, to bring about this great Contrivance of bringing Man back again unto God.

4. God letting out his Grace by Jesus Christ, ren­ders his love more abundant and acceptable to poor Sinners, John 3.16. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, &c. So loved it, that he could not give forth a greater manifestation of his love. Now the Father purposed to render his love to sinners, by the gift of his Son, most full and glo­rious; and therefore gave him out of his Bosom, and all the Riches of his Love and Grace by him.

5. This way of the Father's Dispensation of Grace by his Son Jesus Christ, hath rendered the Grace of God most sure and unchangeable to his own. The Co­venant of Grace being now established between the Father and Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ being the Un­dertaker in it for all the Father gave him, it is cer­tainly founded upon a sure Bottom: This was the Fathers Promise, Isa. 42.6. — I will give him for a Covenant to the People. Jesus Christ, as a common [Page 122] person, did represent all the Elect in the Covenant, as the first Adam in the first Covenant did represent all his; and Jesus Christ did undertake to bring them to God, to bring them into the Covenant, and so to estate them in all the grace, and Mercy, and Blessing of it; Therefore the Mercies of the Covenant are sti­led, The sure mercies of David, Isa, 55.3. As a Type of Jesus Christ, coming of the Seed of David, where­in is set forth the excellency of the New Covenant, the whole Transaction of it entrusted in the hands of Jesus Christ, and therefore not one drop of the Mercy of it, can ever fail those that are taken in­to it.

6. By the giving forth of Jesus Christ, the whole of Gospel-Salvation is rendered more glorious: The Wisdom, Justice, Holiness of God, as well as Mercy and Love, do shine forth in Jesus Christ: And there­fore the Gospel-Mystery is styled, The manifold Wisdom of God, Ephes. 3.10. Every Attribute of God is glorified in the giving out of Jesus Christ.

7. Yea, had not God taken this way of making out himself by Jesus Christ, the world had dwelt in gross darkness of him; therefore Jesus Christ is sty­led, The Image of the Invisible God, Col. 1.15. The ex­press Image of the Father; The brightness of his glory, Heb. 1. And in 2 Cor. 2.6. The light of the knowledge of the Glory of God, is said, to shine in the face of Jesus Christ. The Creation is but a dark shadow of the glo­ry of God, as to what is revealed of God in the mani­festation of Jesus Christ. There are the Footsteps of God in the Creatures, but his Character and Image in his Blessed Son Jesus Christ.

8. There could not have been access to God, but by Jesus Christ; for through him we both have access by one [Page 123] Spirit unto the Father, Eph. 1.18. How could polluted Dust draw nigh to the absolute Majesty and Glory of God, had not he let forth himself in Jesus Christ, as in our own Nature, and so makes way for a poor sinner to come before him.

9. Had God let forth Mercy to Sinners, and not given out his Son Jesus Christ, his justice must have been violated, which is the main of all. The word of the Lord was absolute; In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye, Gen. 2.17. which was meant of the Eternal Death of the Soul, in its separation from the life of God; as is clear in Rom. 5. last. where grace unto eternal life by Jesus Christ, is put in opposition to that death which was by sin, which must therefore needs be meant of Eternal Death. So Rom. 6. ver. last. Now this Death must be executed upon all the Po­sterity of Adam, or else God must take some other way to satisfie his Justice, he will save the Sinner, which was upon his own Son Jesus Christ; as will further be evidenced in the following Discourse.

10. The blessed God took this way of letting out himself, his Grace, by Jesus Christ, that thereby Saints might have Ʋnion with him, which was a holy Design of the Father in saving them; — That they may be one in us, John 17.21. The deepest and most unconceiv­able Mystery in our Salvation: Now Jesus Christ, as the Eternal Son of God, taking upon him our natures, we became capable of being united to him, through the Spirit, and made one with the humane nature of Christ, whereby we are also united to the God-head, and so become one with the Father and the Son, which is the top of the Saints perfection.

Ʋse 1. Now what hath been said, as to the grounds and reasons of God, in giving out his eternal Son, and letting forth all grace by him, may serve to ac­quaint [Page 124] us with this rich and glorious Mystery, as it is styled, Col. 1.27. Namely, God reconciling the world by Jesus Christ, letting forth the knowledge of himself, glorifying all his Attributes, making such discove­ries of his Glory, providing such a way of Mediati­on, such a glorious Mediator, laying the blessed pro­ject of a sinners glorious Salvation so sure, rendring his love so acceptable and glorious, making way for free access unto himself, and how we might become one with him: Oh! the depths of the Wisdom and Love of God; which of them may we ad­mire most? Well may Angels pry into this Holy Mystery, well may it be the astonishment of Hea­ven and Earth, of the whole Creation: How much more of a sinner, for whose sake it was thus ordered! Oh, that we might fall upon our faces, and adore the Wisdom and Grace of God, in such a contrivance as this, Oh, unmeasurable Goodness! unfathomed Wis­dom! Eternity is but enough to admire it! To be­hold God in Christ, will be the vision which the souls of blessed Saints will be wrapt up into, to all Eter­nity.

2. Oh! therefore what infinite Mercy is it to be brought forth in the New-Testament-times, when the Mystery hid in God, hid from ages, kept secret since the world began, 1 Cor. 16.25. is brought to light, and sparkling upon the darkness of the world; when the glory of God is risen upon the World: Now if this Gospel be hid, 'tis hid to them that are lost, 2 Cor. 4.3. Wo unto them that close their eyes, when the light shines round about them; Oh, you that yet sit in darkness, and the shadow of death, Arise, Awake, look up, that Gospel-light may shine into you; Oh cry, and wait that your eyes may be open­ed to behold God coming forth, in the Revelation of [Page 125] Jesus Christ in the glorious Gospel, wait for the Spirit, and that the Gospel in the preaching of it may become the ministration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.8. Oh guilty world, that so slight the Knowledge of Jesus Christ, and contemn the Ministration of it; wo unto them.

3. If God doth let forth no Grace and Mercy, but by Jesus Christ, it may serve to unbottom poor souls from a general carnal hope of Mercy, not being ac­quainted with the way of Grace by Jesus Christ, nor coming as lost sinners in themselves to be found in Christ, and justified by Jesus Christ; this they ut­terly neglect, having an empty notion of Christ's dy­ing, but know not for what; and upon what grounds and how a sinner gets to God by him; Oh! let this reprove you for this gross and damnable neglect, and convince you that all your pretended hopes of Mercy will vanish, unless you learn the Knowledge of Je­sus Christ.

4. And therefore, If no way to the Father, no In­terest in Mercy, no access to God? but by Jesus Christ, let it serve to teach poor ignorant sinners, yea all of us, how to get to God, to Mercy, into his Covenant; Oh! No way but by Jesus Christ; Oh! I can never come to the presence of God's Majesty, but by Jesus Christ, who is appointed Mediator to bring a poor sinner to himself, to make way for him into the presence of God, to conveigh Mercy and Grace to a poor sinner; Oh, say, that I could ac­quaint my self with Jesus Christ, take hold of his skirts, and he will bring me into the favour, love, co­venant, vision, union of God; this is the way for a sinner to come unto him, John 14.6.

5. Let it call upon Saints that know Jesus Christ in the Spirit, that they do not grow strangers to him, [Page 126] that they neglect not Jesus Christ: Oh! Neglect him not in his blessed Mediation, Grace, Love, Fel­lowship, Appearance, Ordinances: 'Tis a grievous thing, and very apt are Saints to it, to neglect Jesus Christ; Oh! still know and consider, that as your access to God was by him at first, so it is still; His Mediation for you, his love and grace, and fellowship, is as good as ever, as precious as it ever was; there­fore have high and precious thoughts of him, of your blessed access to God by Jesus Christ.

The next thing that I come to open is, how Jesus Christ wrought forth Salvation and Justification for a Sinner, so that the free grace of God might by him be freely let out upon a sinner, namely, the work of his Redemption, [through the Redemption that is in Je­sus Christ,] verse 24.

I shall not insist upon the many difficulties that the wisdom of the flesh hath started about the word or work of our Redemption, but endeavour, as I have promised, to give it out in a plain, Scriptural, practical manner, for the use of poor sinners.

Redemption signifies a deliverance from Captivi­ty, by a price or ransom laid down.

Man had sinn'd himself into captivity, and a just condemnation; God from his own free Mercy, was willing he should be set at Liberty, but this should not be done but by a price or ransom being paid to God, which was the intervening death of Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God, came down from Heaven, took upon him the nature of man, was wil­ling to stand in the room of sinners, bearing their sins, in the undergoing the punishment for them, whereby God laid upon Jesus Christ the Iniquities of all that shall be saved, Isa. 53.6. proceeded against him as if he had been the sinner, in a way of Justice, [Page 127] executed his wrath upon him; Thus he is said to dye for the sins of his own, 2 Cor. 5.15. Heb. 9.15. and to give himself for us, and to give his life a ran­som for many, which death of Jesus Christ is styled an expiatory Sacrifice, an attonement and Propitiation, all which, do imply, that by the death of Jesus Christ satisfaction was made to the infinite Justice of God, as if the sinners that are saved by it, had suffe­red the utmost of Divine Justice in their own persons; Thus much may serve briefly, to open the nature of Christ's Redemption.

The Doctrine I shall lay down from the words will be this.

Doct. To the Salvation and Justification of a sinner, (in order to God's letting out his free grace upon him) there was required the death of Jesus Christ, as a price laid down to the justice of God for his Redemption.

I might urge many more Texts besides what have been named, As 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. — Re­deemed not with silver and gold, &c. but with the pre­cious blood of Jesus Christ, Eph. 1.7. Col. 1.14. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins: This was it which was typi­fied by all the Sacrifices in the Old-Testament-Dis­pensation, as in the Epistle to the Hebrews at large; especially in the 9th. Chapter, vers. 12, 13, 14, 22. — And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remis­sion.

From hence the Reasons of Divine Wisdom, thus proceeding, so far as revealed in the Word, will be clear.

Reason 1. That the Justice of God might be glo­rified [Page 128] in the Salvation of sinners, as well as Mercy. Now there being attonement made to Justice by the death of Jesus Christ, the Righteousness of God hath a share in the glory of mans Salvation, with the Grace and Mercy of God.

2. The Purity and Holiness of God's justice did re­quire it, which being violated by the sin of Man, it was most equal that satisfaction be made, which no meer creature was able to do; and therefore the eternal Son of God, blessed for ever, was appoint­ed of the Father to it: Therefore 'tis said verse 25. of this third of the Romans. — That he might be just, and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus; given as a reason of God's setting forth his Son to be a pro­pitiation.

3. The express word of the Lord did require it, who pronounced to all mankind in Adam, that the transgressor should surely die, Gen. 2.17. Therefore upon his transgression, the sinner must either die in his own person, or another in his stead, which God in his infinite wisdom might order as he pleas'd; Now God being willing to glorifie his mercy, chose to lay this punishment on his own Son Jesus Christ, and not on the condemned Sinner, which Jesus Christ also voluntarily undertaking, the word of the Lord was fully made good, and Jesus Christ dying for the sinner, (being made a curse for him) 'twas all one as if the sinner himself had died.

4. God gave out a holy and righteous Law, written in the heart of Adam; which Law was just, and holy, and good, Rom. 7. Now this Law being broken, God would not dispence with it, in shew­ing mercy to the sinner, unless his Law was satis­fied, which Jesus Christ undertook, Rom. 8.3. For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak [Page 129] through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the like­ness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfill'd in us, &c. Gal. 4.4. But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the Law, &c. So that the Law was fulfilled by Jesus Christ, as if the sinner had kept it fully in his own person, by Christ's becoming obedient to the death of the Cross, and so suffering the punishment of the Law, (still in the stead and name of the sinner) and by his keeping the Law, in the pure original righteousness of his nature, 2 Cor. 5.21. and Heb. 7.26, 27. and by his actual obedience to it, in the perfect observing of it, Rom. 5.19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many were made righteous: Namely, by the obedience of Jesus Christ, which he gave unto the Law: Now all sinners being condemned by the Law, the Law could not remit them, till it was satisfied, it call'd for punishment, and full obedience, which Jesus Christ gave unto it.

5. God could not so freely (to speak after the man­ner of men) let out grace and mercy, unless such sa­tisfaction had been given by Jesus Christ: Now it can come easily, delightfully, chearfully from the righ­teous and gracious God, seeing his justice will not plead against it, but for it, being blessedly satisfied, and Jesus Christ by his death did fully merit it and deserve it at the hands of God, and laid down as much as God in infinite justice would require, there­fore 'tis now as well justice as mercy, for God to re­mit a Sinner that comes to God by Jesus Christ. 1 John 1.7. God is just to forgive us our sins.

Now, hereupon, God having ordained and accep­ted [Page 130] of such a way of attonement, his justice glorified and satisfied, his word (that the sinner should die) made good, his Law to the utmost satisfied; what remains, but that the blessed God can remit the bondage, guilt, condemnation of the sinner, having thus accepted of satisfaction? what remains, but that he should pronounce, as he doth, Job 33.24. Deliver him, for I have found a Ransom; God can now pardon the sinner that comes believingly by Jesus Christ to him for it, without any regret, his justice shall be glorified by it, as well as his mercy; God hath charg'd all upon another, and accepted of full payment, call'd himself to witness of it, and will never repent of it.

Object. If any should Object, Wherein is free-grace glorified, if God hath received full satisfaction to his justice?

Answ. I answer,

1. 'Twas infinite free grace for God, to give out his blessed Son Jesus Christ, when there was no obli­gation upon him; he gave him, and sent him free­ly, John 3.16. from his own free love; there­fore there's infinite of free grace in Man's salvati­on.

2. 'Twas infinite grace towards the sinner, to ac­cept of satisfaction by a surety, Heb. 5. and not on the sinner, the party offending, himself; what abundant grace and love, to lay the sins and guilt upon ano­ther, especially the only Son of his bosom, who was without all sin, 2 Cor. 2.21. and not to con­demn the poor helpless sinner for ever.

3. 'Twas infinite free grace, for God himself to contrive the way of such a Redemption: Had it been left to sinful man to have found out a way, how justice might be satisfied, he could never have done it: It [Page 131] could never have entred into the heart of Man or Angels, to have offered to God a satisfactory way for the making up of his wronged justice, but he must have perished for ever.

4. The Father was at Liberty to impute this Re­demption of Christ to whom he would, to this sin­ner, and not to another, Rom. 9. He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, &c. So that 'tis indeed a debt to Christ; but all of free mercy and grace, to any sinner that is saved.

Ʋse 1. If then Salvation and remission of sins came in this way, by the death and blood of Jesus Christ, then it may discover to us the infinite hatred that God bears to sin, that, to make expiation and attone­ment to his justice, there could no sacrifice be found but the death of his eternal Son Jesus Christ; Oh! that ever a sinner should delight in that, which the holy God so much hates and abhors?

2. Let it be for convincement to poor sinners of the infinite necessity of this way of Redemption by Jesus Christ, in laying down his life to satisfie the justice of God, and of getting their part in it; you have heard the case of a Sinner, condemn'd by the Law, liable to eternal death, subject to the rigour of divine Justice, no way able or in a capacity to make satisfaction to God, mercy as it were bound up by justice; Oh! therefore what necessity of a Medi­ator, of a Redeemer, to work forth deliverance; to lay down a Ransom for sinners, dye and undergo the curse and wrath of the great and dreadful God, ful­fill the Law, make satisfaction to the wronged ju­stice of God to the utmost; this Jesus Christ hath done for miserable sinners that will come unto him. Now the most of poor souls, have but a Notion of [Page 132] Christ's dying, but know not what is meant by Christ dying for me, though sometimes in their Mouths; Oh! sinner for Christ to die for thee, (if thou gettest a part in his Death) is to undergo the punishment, and curse, and death, that thy soul was liable to, which otherwise must have come upon thee to the utmost; it was to be made sin and a curse, for thee, to bear thy Sins, and stand in them; Oh! that thou couldst really be convinc'd of the necessity of this Redemption, that thou couldst never come to God without it, and therefore to get thy poor soul stated in it!

3. If satisfaction to Gods justice can only be by the blood of Jesus Christ, then let me again press you, that you take heed of performing your duties and repentings as if thereby you did satisfie and paci­fie God for the sin of your souls. This is the most dangerous snare upon poor souls, that though they have sinned, yet they hope God will be pacified with some praying, and sorrowing, and amendment: Now, though this shall be in a spiritual manner, upon every pardoned sinner, and 'tis a capacity God puts the sinner into, when he applies the death of his Son, and so gives out mercy and pardon, yet you must most carefully take heed, that you offer not up such duties, as if they did make God amends, and pacifie him for your sins; but look above and be­yond them, as if they were not, and so to cast your eye to the great sacrifice of the blood of Jesus Christ, which Alone makes attonement to God, and makes way for a poor sinner to come to him.

4. That as sinners would learn the blessed Myste­ry of this Redemption, and the necessity of it, and how it makes attonement, merits mercy and par­don, procures peace and reconciliation with God, [Page 133] so they would come and accept of it, and fall down before the righteous God, and plead it to him; Thou hast heard the way of God's letting out mercy to sin­ners, and no mercy but in that way, but by justice being satisfied by the death and blood of Jesus Christ, whereby he becomes the Saviour of sinners; now this blood is offered up to God, the price is paid and accepted with God, and in the Gospel of God 'tis revealed and preach't to the guilty world, and 'tis freely offered to any poor sinner, that will come and accept of it, and make claim to it, and plead for mercy and forgiveness upon the account of it, and will come to the terms of it, which is to be accepted and pardoned alone by vertue of it, to be washed and sanctified, and actually deliver'd, not only from the guilt and condemnation of sin, but the power, and reign, and pollution of it.

Oh Sinner! be awakened and stirred up by the word of the Lord, to get actual deliverance from the guilt, bondage, reign, service, of thy sin; go and cry to God, offer him up the blood of his own eter­nal Son, tell him thou seest he may let out justice upon thee to destroy thee, and damn thee for ever; of thy self thou hast no plea against it: But ask the blessed God, if it may not be more glory to him, and his grace and mercy glorified by it, if he will ac­cept of satisfaction by his own Son Jesus Christ? plead to him, that thou hearest he died in the room of guil­ty, condemned sinnners, such as thou art, ungodly, Rom. 5.6. yea, tell him, with an humble adoration of his mercy and love in it, that thou hearest in his blessed Gospel, that 'tis offered to any sinner that will come and accept it, and that 'tis proclamed from Heaven, and there's satisfaction made by the blood of a Jesus for the greatest Sinner, such as thou art; Oh! cry [Page 134] unto him, that therefore thou comest and begg'st to be heard in thy plea, and that it may be entred in Heaven, that thou comest for all the ends of his death, thou art weary of the service of thy lusts, and the pollution of thy nature, and therefore thou wouldst have thy nature cleansed, thy conscience purged, all which thou findest the blood of Jesus Christ is able to do; yea, tell him, and plead it with some humble boldness, that thou art acquainted that Jesus Christ prays in Heaven, for such sinners that come and plead his blood to thee, and that he is heard in what he prays, and that therefore for­giveness must be had; yea, say, thou wilt hold on thy plea, thou hast no other, and art resolved against any other: If thou shalt to Hell pleading the blood of a Saviour, be it so, but I am resolved to plead it to the utmost; yea, tell him, and cry to him, that it can­not repent him, that he hath ordained the sacrifice of the blood of his own Son, and therefore why should'st thou be rejected? Yea, Come to this Issue, through the Spirit of Faith upon thee, that if it can be, that a Sinner crying out for pardon, upon the account of the death and blood of Jesus Christ, and for sanctifi­cation, may go to Hell, then thou wilt willingly lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and open it no more, but sink under Divine Vengeance to Eterni­ty.

Oh! That every poor sinner might go home with this plea in his heart, written there by the Holy Ghost; and peirce Heaven with his or her crys and groans, and put the blood of Jesus Christ before him, and plead for mercy and holiness, to be par­doned and sanctified, till God say, Go in peace, thou art pardoned, redeemed, and blessed for ever.

[Page 135]Yet a little to excite a poor drowsie sinner to this eternal Concernment.

1. Consider, thou art under the guilt of thousands of Sins, one whereof is enough to sink thee to Hell: Guilt, if continued, is Hell begun, and wants nothing but the execution of Vengeance upon thee. Oh what should a guilty sinner do, but close with a Saviour, and get an interest in Redemption from it!

2. Especially considering that all the Duties and Obedience thou hast performed towards God, or ever shall, have not made (nor ever will) the least payment to God for thy sins, thou art as much in debt to God as ever thou wast, as much behind with him: All the Items for the sin of thy Nature, thy thoughts, words, and actual Wickedness, and thy sinful neg­lects, stand uncancelled, all ready to be charged up­on thee, and nought will be accepted for payment but the Death of Jesus Christ, the only price that God will hearken to: Nothing will cancel the Book where all thy sins are recorded: Nothing will blot out the Hand-writing that is against thee, but the Blood of Jesus Christ, Col. 2.13, 14.

3. God is resolved never to forgive you the Debt, till you have put in this Plea, and it be recorded in Heaven, and you have it in a Gospel-way: No forgiveness of Sins, but by Redemption pleaded, claim­ed, possessed, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, Ephes. 1.7, 14.

4. Thou art yet under the Bondage and Reign of thy sin, and therefore under condemnation; the Law is gone out against thee, thy Sentence pronounced; Cursed is every one that transgresseth, &c. saith the Law; and thou art in bondage yet, and hast not procured actual deliverance from it. If a Prisoner be condemned, and lye in Fetters in a Dungeon, and [Page 136] hears of a Ransom paid for him, what's this to him, till he have Liberty. So for a Sinner to be in the Fetters of his Lusts, held fast by them, a Bond-man to the Devil, and hear of a Christ laying down a Ransom, what is this to him? unless he sue it out, and get actual deliverance and liberty, the liberty of the Sons and Daughters of God, and have a Spi­rit of Adoption, to cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.4, 5. That being made free from sin, (the Reign and Power of it, by the Power of the Lord Jesus revealed in him) you may become servants to God, and have your fruit unto Holiness, and the end everlasting Life, Rom. 6.

5. Consider, as thou standest in thy filth and un­cleanness of thy Sins, thou art unfit for God, either to please him in any thing thou doest, or to be with him in Heaven hereafter; thy person and services are loathsom to the Soul of God; therefore get washed and purified in the blood of Jesus Christ; Go on to cry, and wait, (and beg a heart to do it, and that in Faith) till thou shalt feel Peace coming in, by thy constant Plea of the blood of Christ, till thou shalt feel cleansing vertue of it upon thy Soul, till thou shalt experience the power of his death destroying Sin in thee, and so shalt find, thou hast fellowship with him, and so a part in this blessed Redemption we have been treating of.

6. Now to encourage a poor Sinner to this coming to God, with the Plea of Christ's blood in his heart and mouth, and to draw forth the Faith of a poor humbled doubting Soul.

Consider the All-sufficiency and worth of the price of the Death of Jesus Christ, to satisfie the justice of God, and procure Pardon and Sanctification for a poor Sinner; which may appear from such like Scrip­tures. [Page 137] The Apostle in the 7th. of the Hebrews, having been opening the excellency of Christ's Priesthood, which is chiefly conversant in this Work of Redemp­tion, in the offering up of himself a Sacrifice, con­cludes, ver. 25. of that Chapter. Wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost that come to God by him. To the utmost, that is, with a perfect Salvation, that no­thing more can be desired to it. So in the 9th. Chap. ver. 11, &c. The Apostle reasoning from the Levitical Sacrifices, to this of the blood of Christ, argueth the full perfection of it. — By his own blood he entred in once into the holy place, (namely, into Heaven) ha­ving obtained eternal Redemption for us; and thence concludeth, ver. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ purge the Conscience? &c. A much more upon that, above all the Sacrifices that were offered up to God; which will appear,

1. Because of the eternal Godhead of Christ's Person, by which he offer'd up his blood unto his Fa­ther, Heb. 9.14. — Who through the eternal Spi­rit offered up himself without spot to God. Which put an infinite value and efficacy upon the offering of his blood, inasmuch as Jesus Christ was God as well as Man; though he could only dye in his humane na­ture, yet the efficacy of his Godhead had an influ­ence upon the price of his dying, which put an infi­nite worth upon it, and so renders it full and perfect Redemption.

2. The price of the blood of Jesus Christ, did not only give a bare Satisfaction to the justice of God, but it had an infinite Merit in it, a redundancy of Merit, whereby it deserved at the hands of God, that Sinners that are interessed in it, should have re­mission of Sins, grace, the love of God, and glory to come, spiritual blessings, which the death of Christ [Page 138] purchased for the elect; which being also by the free purpose and compact of God, there must necessarily arise an infinite Merit in it.

3. The All-sufficiency of the price of Christ's blood is evidenced by his Resurrection and Ascension into Glory, implying that he wrought forth full and per­fect Redemption by his Death, therefore he is said to rise again for our Justification, Rom. 4. last. and to be justified in the spirit, 1 Tim. 3. last. that is, God by rai­sing him from the dead, justified him in the attone­ment he had made by his Death, and that he did chearfully accept of satisfaction by it.

4. The Blood of Christ procures boldness of access to God, therefore there is an infinite worth in the price of it; Heb. 10.19. Having therefore, Bre­thren, Boldness to enter into the Holiest, by the blood of Jesus; which boldness doth arise from the full satisfaction that is made to Divine Justice, in as much as God, upon the Acceptance of it, hath nothing to charge upon the Sinner himself, no quar­rel against him, having charged his sins upon Christ, and therefore the poor sinner may come with an humble boldness into the Presence of God; and this is that which puts boldness into the Con­science of a Believer, when he appears before God.

5. From the Experience of it; the soulest Sin­ners that have come unto it, have been washed from their sins by it, as 1 Cor. 6.11. Idolaters, Adul­terers, Sodomites, Drunkards, Revilers, have been washed, and justified, and sanctified by it. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin, 1 John 1.7.

6. It cleanseth and perfects them for ever, there­fore called eternal Redemption; once for all, and for ever, [Page 139] Heb. 10.10, 19. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified; once justified, and for ever.

Now from this Satisfaction, Merit, All-sufficiency of the Sacrifice of the blood of Jesus, to cleanse a sinner, to commend him to God, how safely may a sinner venture his Soul upon it, (which is the first act of Faith?) A poor sinner when under conviction, and the terror of the Lord hath taken hold of him, lies trembling before the Lord, whether God will let out Justice or Mercy upon him; he is ready to give glory to the justice of the Lord, if he reject him for ever. But now if a poor soul get a sight of the blood of Christ, how it deals with the justice of God, what full and all-sufficient Satisfaction it hath made to God, for the sins of such as plead it to him, how God more delights in it, than in the condem­ning of the sinner, what a stay is this to the waver­ing, doubtful spirit of a poor sinner? when he can come to see justice to have its due, and so God can freely let out Remission to a poor Soul, upon the ve­ry first Act of a poor sinners closing with it, though not presently evidenced in his Conscience; Oh, sin­ner, venture the Issue of all upon this price of the Blood of Jesus, thou may'st see thou hast the greatest reason in the world to do so, thou wilt never come to have a safe bottom for thy Soul, till thou comest thus to deal with the justice of God, as fully satis­fied by the blood of Jesus Christ, thou wilt still be off and on about Free-Mercy, till thou come to fix here, and be in some good measure established in it: Be daily in exercising thy Soul in such ventures and castings upon it, and the Spirit will at last witness Peace and Reconciliation to thy Conscience.

In a word, Sinners you that have had no stay to [Page 140] your spirits for the forgiveness of your sins, but a blind hope of Mercy, look up, look up to the justice of God, and see this way of access to God for you, by the blood of Jesus: Oh! let not any prophane sin­ner trample it under foot, cast it back upon the bles­sed face of God; say not in thy heart, Let God take the blood of his Son to himself, I'le not be washed from my Sins, I'le not be sanctified, I'le rest as I am! Desperate Sinner, of how much sorer punishment shalt thou be thought worthy, than any Sinner under Heaven, who rejectest the only worthy price of a Sin­ners Salvation? Know, the great God will let out all his justice upon thee to the utmost, and Oceans of his Wrath shall fall upon thee, if thou thus abuse the blood of his Son; a greater guilt than all thy Ungodliness thou hast hitherto been wallowing in from thy youth up; Oh! come thou despiser, and cast thy soul under the droppings of this blood, and it shall cleanse thee, though thy soul were as black as Hell, Zach. 13.1.

And thou poor formal out-side Professor, who never didst feel the vertue, healing life and warmth of the blood of Christ upon thy heart: Oh, rest not in good thoughts of it only, but come believingly to it, as thou hast been exhorted: Say, and that with thy heart, Now, Lord, I would know the power and efficacy of this Redemption upon my poor soul: Wash me, Lord, wash me; I renounce all but the blood of this Christ, as to making way to God for me: Oh! let it pacifie my Conscience, and purge my Conscience, and I shall be clean.

If the Spirit of the Lord shall work thy heart to come as a guilty, helpless, unholy sinner in thy self, to this blood of Jesus, and make thy approaches to God daily, and argue for Grace and Remission upon [Page 141] it, and purging thy Soul; these inestimable blessings will be the issue of it, which I will but name to thee.

1. Thou shalt certainly find forgiveness of thy sins; In whom we have Redemption through his blood, the for­giveness of our sins, Ephes. 1.7. God will remember them no more against thee; and thou shalt have peace with thy God for ever.

2. God will let forth an infinite unchangeable love upon thee, Rom. 5.5. which love he bore thee from Eternity, but will now manifest it to thee, and estate thee in it for ever.

3. Thou shalt have boldness of access to God, Rom. 5.2. even into his intimate presence, to speak with God face to face, and ask of God what thou wilt, ac­cording to his will, Heb. 10.

4. All the Promises of Mercy, Grace, and all bles­sings here and for ever, shall be thine; made over, sealed in the blood of Christ.

5. Thou shalt rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God, Rom. 5.2. with all Saints, and see thy self an heir of Heaven.

6. Thou shalt be still a washing, and purifying, and fating for Heaven, till thou shalt be taken up unto God, and live in the Ocean of his Love to all Eter­nity.

Now if ease in thy sin and the world can do bet­ter for thee, than this that I have named, then keep in; but if not, (as most certain it cannot) Arise, and come, to this blessed Redemption, and get thy part and portion in it; and thou shalt say, Blessed be thy counsel and advice for evermore.

But now upon this Redemption of Jesus Christ, how is a sinner said to be justified; that is, to be put into an actual Possession, of the Redemption of Jesus [Page 142] Christ, through the Free-Grace of God?

1. When the compact was made between God the Father and Jesus Christ, as to the Salvation of those that the Father gave to Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ undertook the fulfilling of the Condition of the Covenant, God did purpose in himself to justi­fie them from Eternity, and look'd upon them as in Christ, 2 Tim. 1.9. Ephes. 1.4. So they were justified as to the purpose of God from all Eter­nity.

2. When Jesus Christ performed the Condition of Obedience in his dying, and paid unto God what he required at his hands, for the sinners redemption, then did God, as in the Court of Heaven, discharge the sinner, (though not in the Court of Conscience) and when Christ arose and came to Heaven, the Fa­ther gave him in an absolution of them all, from the guilt of sin, and obligation to death; and so at the death of Christ all the Elect were meritoriously justifi­ed, inasmuch as the price was paid and accepted of the Father, Rom. 5.10.

3. When according to the purpose of God, through the purchase of Jesus Christ, a Sinner is called by grace, hath Faith given him, (as purchased also for him) to embrace Jesus Christ in the Promise, to receive him as offer'd in the Gospel, and with him all spiri­tual blessings; then is the Soul put into the actual possession of what God, in his purpose and love, de­termined to give him, and Jesus Christ by the pur­chase of his blood gave him a right to before, and so there is an Act of God's pardoning Mercy passeth upon the sinnner, he hath an actual discharge given in unto his Conscience, hath the Obedience of Jesus Christ imputed to him, and so is look'd upon by God not as a Sinner under guilt, but as righteous [Page 143] in the Righteousness of Christ, which bespeaks him justified, that is, made just and righteous be­fore God, by the imputation and making over Christs Righteousness to him, as if righteous in his own person: Upon which Act of God there is a full Remission of sin, as in the Text, and the believ­er is put into another State, a State of justificati­on unto life through Jesus Christ, Rom. 8.1. who before was in a State of Death and Condemna­tion.

Before I speak of that Faith which, through Grace, puts a Soul in his pardoned and justified State, I will briefly apply this to the capacity of the weak.

1. It may inform and instruct you in this great Mystery, that any sinner that is saved must be thus justified, made righteous by the Obedience of Je­sus Christ; he must come to see the justice of God made up, a price paid unto God, and this to be actu­ally made over to him: As we shall presently shew; most of sinners, 'tis to be feared, do not consider this, that speak of mercy, and pretend they hope in mer­cy, but are never convinc'd of the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, and what it is to pass from a state of guilt to a state of righteousness by Jesus Christ, from a state of condemnation, to a state of justificati­on without which, there can be no Salvation.

Oh be convinced, sinners, of this great matter of the necessity of the righteousness of Christ, his obe­dience in fulfilling the Law to be made over to you, to be brought into a justified state, or you can never have pardon of sin, and be accepted with God; you can never stand before God, but in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Say, If I do not get the righteousness of Christ made mine: If I do not get thus justified, [Page 144] I must never expect pardon of my sin, and accep­tance of my poor soul at the great day of the Lord. This is the Work of the Spirit, to be savingly convin­ced of this, John 16.8. Oh look up to the Father for the Spirit thus to convince you, not only of sin, and the damnableness and sinfulness thereof, but of your infinite need to get, not only some general hope of Mercy and Pardon, but the righteousness of the Son of God, to bring you into a state of Pardon, Reconciliation, Peace with God.

2. It may further clear unto you, that your justi­fication before God is not within you, but without you, wrought forth by Jesus Christ, for such as are, or shall be called by grace, and imputed to them, not in­herent, or wrought in them: 'Tis not grace in you, that doth or can justifie you, though renewing grace shall be wrought in all that are so pardoned and ju­stified. Therefore, though thou must be changed in thy self, pray and be holy, and obey God in all things, yet thou canst not be hereby justified, but still thy ju­stifying righteousness is in Christ, and not in thy self, as the only procuring meritorious cause of Pardon, and Peace with God, Jeremiah 33.16. Isaiah 54. last.

3. The great question therefore that should come upon thy heart, is, Whether thou art in a state of con­demnation or justification? If not justified, thou art still, as I have shewed, under the condemna­tion of the whole Law: Nothing thou hast yet done or shalt ever be able to do, will stand between Wrath, and Hell, and thy poor soul, till thou comest to be justified in the blood and righteousness of Je­sus Christ. Oh sinners! ponder of this great thing that is now laid before you? Can you say from a Testimony within you? Oh! I was thus and thus [Page 145] once under the reign, power, guilt, condemnation of sin; but now, now, (blessed be rich and free grace) I am washed, justified, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ: See that Word, 1 Cor. 6.10, 11. And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are ju­stified in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Or at least, that I may speak to poor, weak, willing, trembling souls: Is this it that your souls are rest­less after? Oh that I were, that I were, in such a blessed state! Oh that I could but believingly say, the righteousness of Jesus Christ were mine, and that now I am, I am justified! Oh what peace, and sweet­ness, and joy, would fill my heart! Why Soul! If this be indeed the breathing of thy Soul, Jesus Christ is thine, and thou art justified and pardoned, and God will at last give in unto thee (if thou continue to fol­low him) the sense and comfort of it in thy poor Soul: Only by the way take a Discovery or two of the reality of thy Heart in this matter.

1. If thou Soul, from a Spiritual Conviction, be un­der a real making out after justification by Jesus Christ, then thou wouldst also be as really sanctified, be made holy. 'Twas as much in the purpose of God to call thee out of a state of sin, and to sancti­fie thee, as to pardon and justifie thee, 1 Ep. John 5.6.

2. If thou art brought into a justified state, thy soul making out after it, thou art made alive in the Spirit, Rom. 8.1. Thou art in Jesus Christ, and wouldst walk no more after the flesh and the lusts thereof, but after the Spirit, Gal. 5.18. If ye are led by the Spi­rit, ye are not under the Law; namely, to condemn you, but are free from the curse of it: And verse 23. Against such there is no Law; that is, such as would [Page 146] walk after the Spirit, be led by the Spirit; and shew forth the fruit of the Spirit: And this is that which the Apostle intimateth, 1 Ep. John 5.10. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the Witness in himself, namely, of the Spirit: So that every justified person hath the Spirit of Christ (according to the measure of the grace of God) dwelling in him, is quickened in the Spirit, being once dead; prays in the Spirit, mortifies sin through the Spirit, is taught by the Spirit, and so in all other saving and sanctifying vertues of it: If it be not thus with thee, thou, as yet, hast no part in this blessedness, but art under condemnation unto death. And therefore, sinner, come before God in the sence of thy condemned e­state, and give up thy self to Jesus Christ to be washed, justified, sanctified; and then blessed for ever.

3. Let called and sanctified Believers labour to live in the sense of a pardoned, justified state, that God is not off and on with them, in the matter of ju­stification, though it may be sometimes darkned and clouded, as to the evidence of it. Oh! do you la­bour to preserve the sense, and sweet and bles­sed peace of it in your souls, and give glory to the riches of grace; for, now there is No, No, condemna­tion to you; you are passed from Death to Life, and the Blessed God imputes no sin unto you: Let this be the highest and strongest Argument to Holiness, and love to the glory that possibly may be; and if indeed you walk in the comfort of it, it will be so un­to you.

Only let me give caution here to young Con­verts, whose hearts, at the first discovery of the free and glorious grace of the Gospel, and of Jesus Christ, are wonderfully taken and affected with it, but af­ter [Page 147] a time, are apt to wanton with it, (unless the first humiliation be the deeper) and to wax sleight in Duties, and so their Lusts recover strength again, and return upon them; and either they fall, or are near unto it, to the fresh wounding of their Souls. This hath been the condition of many; there­fore be well caution'd in it, and walk with fear in the midst of your joyous apprehensions of the sweet­ness of grace, and the endearing love of the Lord Jesus to you.

Having briefly shewed what the nature of justifi­cation is, what it is to be in a justified state before God, I now come to open more particularly how a Soul comes to be partaker of this justification, through the Redemption of Jesus Christ; namely Through Eaith in his blood, ver. 25. of this 3d. of Rom.

Observ. As God, through Free-grace, hath set forth Jesus Christ to work forth Redemption for sinners; so there must be a special believing on, and applying the blood of Jesus Christ, for the forgive­ness of sins, by every one that is saved.

Therefore justification is attributed to Faith, Rom. 5.1. Therefore being justified by Faith, we have peace with God by our Lord Jesus Christ. So Gal. 2.16. and 3.11. In all which places. Faith is put in op­position to the works of the Law. And so the righ­teousness of Christ is called the Righteousness of Faith, Rom. 9.30. and 10.6. in opposition to the righteous­ness by Works: Not as if Faith were the matter of our justification, that it did, as an Act or Work in the Soul, justifie before God; but that God doth thus make over the blood and righteousness of Jesus [Page 148] Christ to a Soul, by enabling the Soul to come unto to take hold of, to apply to it self, to appropriate the merit of the blood of Jesus Christ for its own Re­demption and Salvation, which may afford us a plain Description of justifying Faith, precisely consi­dered; Namely,

Faith is a Work of the Holy Ghost in the Soul, enabling it to appropriate, or apply to it self the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ, for the Remission of sin, and its justification unto eternal Life.

So it is called the work of Faith with power, 2 Thes. 1.11. and 'tis expressed by receiving of Jesus Christ, Joh. 1. and believing on his Name, coming unto him, resting upon him: So that, plainly, Faith is a going out to, believing in, trusting on another; namely, the Lord Jesus Christ: For what it can never be able to find or bring about in or by it self, which may lead us to the more particular way of the Holy Ghost's working this power in the Soul, in the saved ones of God.

1. In the working of Faith in the Soul, it is first brought to see an impossibility of coming to God, as in its self, or by its self, concluded under an utter una­bility to pacifie God, or make up a righteousness in it self, to get access to God. The soul is emptied from vessel to vessel, till all the things that it counted gain before, become loss for Jesus Christ; this is the first work of the Spirit, it empties a poor sinful Creature of all its refuges, all its dependencies, all its sufficiencies, and so becomes naked in its guilt before God, and therefore is brought to this, that its acceptance to God, (if ever it be accepted) must be out of its self; what ever become of him, he must perish as in himself.

[Page 149]2. In the work of Faith, the Soul is brought to see that this was the end of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, of God's setting him forth to be a propitiation, that he might work forth Redemption and Righte­ousness, that this is a way of God's own ordaining, Jesus Christ was set forth for this very end, even by God himself, and therefore the soul is brought to this conclusion, to venture the Issue of its life, and eternal salvation upon it; and so throws it self, as in a sinking condition, upon the grace, blood, righteousness of Je­sus Christ, sink or swim, live or perish, saved or dam­ned; there the soul casts Anchor, there it pitcheth, to this it will stand or fall before the righteous God; if there be not enough in the blood of Jesus, to give it acceptance with God, the Soul resolves, to Hell it must. There saith a poor self-emptied Soul, I cast even away my self (if it might be) upon it, Phil. 3.9.

3. The soul is brought on to believe the report, that God in his word makes concerning his Son Jesus Christ, and of the price, value, merit, and all-sufficiency of his blood to save a poor sinner, even to the ut­most, that comes to God by him, Heb. 7.25. to answer all the wants and distresses of a poor soul, namely, in pacifying the Justice of God, fulfilling the Law, ma­king attonement, removing guilt, procuring remissi­on of sins, reconciling to God, Rom. 5.9, 10. Much more being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him: For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life: In all which things, the soul is enabled to believe the report of the Gospel, that the blood and death of Jesus Christ can do all this for poor sinners that shall pitch upon it.

[Page 150]4. In this working of faith, the soul comes to see and fasten upon an absolue, unlimited Free pro­mise, where any sinner that will, may come to Je­sus Christ, and so have the vertue of his death and blood applied to it; and therefore that he as well as any other sinner in the world may come to him, and make claim to his blood, and plead it before God; whosoever will, let him come! Rev. 22. Now saith a poor self-emptied sinner, I do not find that I am any where excluded, but invited and called upon, to come to the Lord Jesus, and claim an interest in his blood, and that I may plead it even at the throne of his Justice, and that I may warrantably, safely, upon good grounds, given out from the mouth of God himself, take hold of the Lord Jesus in such a Promise, and there is no sin or unworthiness can ex­clude me, unless I will frowardly and wretchedly ex­clude my self: I do not find, saith the poor soul, that any sin is too great for the Sacrifice of that blood of Jesus, so the sinner will come to it, yea, that 'tis the greatest sin, and the top of condemnation, not to come to it; that I more injure God, by stand­ing off from Jesus Christ, than by all the filthiness, blasphemies, ungodlinesses, my Soul ever wallow­ed in, Heb. 10.29. The Blood of Christ is a price sufficient for the sins of the whole World, therefore, saith a poor soul, for mine; He is the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, and therefore he can take away mine; and I am freely called and invited to it, and 'tis my Rebelli­on not to come, what can I have more? And so sense of Peace, and Reconciliation falls in upon the Soul.

5. The Soul by its often renewing of such Acts of Believing, comes at last to see the blood of Jesus [Page 151] Christ appropriated to him; now it can stay it self upon the word of promise; and can sometimes re­joyce in believing. If I roll my self upon the blood of Jesus, I have the Word of God for it, that I shall be saved, we shall be saved from Wrath through him; not, it may be, but, we shall be saved, and all upon the account of being justified by his blood, Rom. 5.9. which justification ariseth upon this believing we have mentioned.

Thus have I opened the nature of Faith, as it is precisely justifying, as it applies and appropriates the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus, for Re­mission of sins, and Justification unto eternal Life; I might insist upon the discovery of the effectual o­perations of Faith in the Soul, as may distinguish it from a meer belief of the History of the death of Jesus Christ; take two or three.

1. When the Soul by Faith doth act upon the blood of Jesus Christ for justification, it doth also bring the power and efficacy of it, for purging of the Soul, Heb. 9.14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offer'd himself without spot to God, purge your Conscience from dead works, to serve the living God; So Acts 15.9. Puri­fying your hearts by faith. There is a purifying vertue in the blood of Jesus Christ upon the souls of Believ­ers; they are for the purging away the filth, as well as the guilt of sin; there's no believing soul but crys out, Purge me, Oh Lord, purge me, and throughly, from my filth.

2. The soul hath a secret, yet real fellowship with the death of Jesus Christ, to crucifie and destroy the body of sin in a justified believer which ariseth from its union with Christ, Rom. 6.5, 6. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be [Page 152] also in the likeness of his Resurrection; knowing that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Eve­ry true believer can really say, I am, or I would be, Crucified with Christ, Gal. 2.20. Which the Apo­stle there brings in as an effect of Justification by Faith.

3. Every justified believer looks upon this as one great end of his Justification, that he might live to God, Gal. 2.19. That I might live unto God. Like­wise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto him, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6.11. Every justified Believer doth thus reckon of him­self, I am to be dead to sin, but alive to God, I am to yield my self to God, verse 13. To have my fruit unto Holiness, verse 22.

4. Faith that justifies, doth through the Spirit work the Soul to Gospel-obedience, to all the Laws and Ordinances of Jesus Christ, which shall be re­vealed to be the Will of Christ, from the Command of Jesus Christ, and from a principle of love to Jesus Christ, John 15.10.

5. A justifi'd believer will deny himself for Christ, take up his cross and follow him; let any sufferings be proposed to a called believer, and let him know it is for Jesus Christ, and that soul (unless under a temporary desertion or temptation) will choose and embrace those sufferings, and undergo them with some chearfulness, Luke 14.26, 27.

7. Every justified believer hath a Marriage Ʋnion with Jesus Christ, Ephes. 5.25, 26, 32. The soul hath chosen Jesus Christ, having broken off from all o­ther lovers, hath betrothed it self unto Christ, in an everlasting Bond and Covenant, hath given it self to Christ; as Jesus Christ bestows himself and all he [Page 153] hath upon the soul, so doth the soul bestow it self, and all it hath, upon Jesus Christ, and having so done, resolves to be contented with him in every conditi­on; whom have I in Heaven but thee? and none on earth in comparison of thee; saith every gracious Be­liever.

7. Every justified Believer lives by his Faith; Gal. 2.20. lives upon Jesus Christ for all, and fetcheth all from him, sees him as a Treasury of all Grace, hath recourse unto him, this being the most pro­per act of Faith, to make the soul live out of it self, upon another, Namely, Jesus Christ for all.

8. Faith that entitles the Soul to Jesus Christ, works by love to all Saints, Gal. 5.6. When the Soul closeth with Jesus Christ, it will also close with his Disciples, as distinguished from carnal, unsavoury, dead Professors. What makes the living among the dead? a living Soul, alive in Christ, highly priseth fellowship with such as are alive.

I might name many more particulars, but these may suffice, as the most distinguishing.

1. Let what hath been spoken serve to discover to you, Whether you have Faith that doth entitle you to the blood of Jesus Christ, and the forgiveness of your sins. Can you say, Your Souls are carried out after more purging, and 'tis your daily cry to Heaven? Can you say, that you are often crucifi­ing with Jesus Christ? And Oh that I were, that I were but crucifi'd with Jesus Christ, that I might rec­kon of my self as dead to sin! and oh that I might live to God, and might walk in Gospel-obedience! That I might throughly deny my self for Jesus Christ, and choose to suffer with him and for him. Oh I would more clearly see the Marriage-union between Christ [Page 154] and my poor Soul! I would, I do, bestow my self upon him, and all that's mine; I do give my self to him! I will be content with him here, and for ever: Whom have I, whom have I, but him? Oh, have you found, in some good degree, such Workings of heart towards Jesus Christ! And do you live by your Faith, upon Christ, upon Promises? and do you maintain your Souls this way: And do you love, and delight in the Fellowship of living Souls, savoury Souls; or do you, at least, long that you may have some opportunity to do so? If you can­not, in some measure, experience these things, your Faith is a dead empty Speculation; such a Faith that is so far from uniting you to Christ, that indeed it keeps you on this side Jesus Christ: And therefore say of it, 'tis a Faith that is in vain, that keeps me dead in my sins: Oh therefore, say in thy heart, I will now wait on the Word, the Ministration of it, that is ordained of God to beget Faith; I will go and pray the Father to draw me to Jesus Christ, and that my Soul may be united to him, that I may have Fellow­ship in his Death and Resurrection; that I may be made alive unto God; that I may feel the pacifying, purging vertue of the blood of the Lord Jesus upon my poor Soul.

By what hath been said, Believers may try their Faith; and if they find their Souls to have experien­ced these things, they may take comfort that they are justified by Faith in the blood of Jesus, and there­fore shall be saved by his Life.

To wind up all in a word of Exhortation.

1. God hath set forth Jesus Christ to be a Propiti­ation, that through Faith in his blood, a sinner may become justified from his sin, then what encourage­ment is there for sinners to come to him, and believe [Page 155] on his Name, to venture the Issue of Eternal Salva­tion upon him, since God himself hath set him forth for that end and purpose, that sinners might come unto him, and be washed, justified, saved from their sins. 'Tis not then to be doubted but that God as he hath therein taken care for the Salvation of the sinner, so for the glory of his own righteousness: So that the sinner hath no reason to doubt, that comes to Jesus in the way proposed but that God can take pleasure to accept of him through the blood of Jesus. 'Twas the most deliberate Act that ever the Wisdom of God was taken up about the setting forth of Jesus Christ, to be the Saviour of Sinners through his Blood: 'Twas the first Foundation that God laid from all Eternity; and after he had promised Jesus Christ, it was some thousands of years before he set him forth to the world: And therefore God cannot repent nor change his mind and purpose as to ac­cepting, pardoning, justifying, sanctifying poor sin­ners, that cast their Souls upon it, by the Blood of his Son Jesus Christ. Upon which it is, that blessed Souls are brought in, in the Scriptures, magnifying the grace of God for their cleansing by the blood of Jesus, 1 John 1.7. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin: So are the Saints brought forth tri­umphing, Revel. 5.9. Thou wast slain, and hath redeemed us to God by thy blood: And Chap. 7.14. These are they who have washed their Robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Therefore, I say, with what boldness may poor sinners come unto it? and how certainly are they in God's way to Salvation? in which way blessed Souls have been ever found, and none did ever miss of this end, the Salvation of their Souls.

I have now dispatcht what I shall speak at this [Page 156] time, as to the Doctrine of Justification, by the Free-grace of God, through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, and of saving Faith therein, and shall com­mit it to the Lord to work it upon the Conscience; I shall a little insist upon the last verse, in the remo­val of that Objection which the heart puts up against this blessed Truth.

THE former Verses intermitted, might have afforded us much choice matter, in the opening the Doctrine of Grace, and the Righteousness of Jesus Christ; Namely, that God is just in the remission of a Believer, upon Faith in the Blood of Jesus, from verse 26. And that the Do­ctrine of Grace excludes all boasting from the Crea­ture, from ver. 27. That Jew and Gentile, all that are saved, must come to God, and be justified in this way, and no other, from ver. 29, 30. But I must contract my self. I come now to the Objection, that the Heart, so far as it is carnal, doth naturally make against this Doctrine: Namely, If a Soul be only ju­stified by Grace, through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, doth not this then make void the Law, and all Obedience to it? What need then of our Obe­dience? God forbid, saith Paul, we establish it, that is, the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, doth rather establish it. The Law doth stand establisht in a three­fold sense.

First, Jesus Christ hath establisht it by fulfilling it, [Page 157] whereby the righteousness of the Law is fufilled upon us, Rom. 8.4. Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled the Law, and kept it, and so makes over the righteous­ness of it to Believers, as hath been shewed; and so the Law stands establisht.

Secondly, The Law stands establisht as a means, through the Spirit, to convince of sin, and of our short­ness of the righteousness of it; as ver. 20. And so Christ often made use of it for such ends.

Thirdly, The Law stands establisht as an Everlast­ing Rule of righteousness and holiness, promised in the New Covenant to be written in the Heart, Heb. 8.

So that, through Jesus Christ, in justifying by his blood, hath quit the sinner from all guilt and con­demnation by the Law; yet he hath not given the Believer a discharge from all obedience of it: And therefore to evince this, I shall lay down this Posi­tion, that

Observ. Though all a Believer hath done, or can do, cannot justifie him before God; yet there are other blessed ends, why he should obey God, and de­light in his Law.

1. Obedience to God is placed as the great End of our redemption, Luke 1.74, 75. — That we might serve him without fear, (a sear of bondage) in ho­liness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. God hath not only in his purpose the remissi­on and salvation of the Sinner, but that thereby he would have all that are called into this grace to serve him in Holiness. And this end is to be upon the heart of the Believer, when justified by Faith: The purpose of God in this, is, that I should serve [Page 158] him in holiness, 1 Tim. 1.9. That I should live to God Rom. 6.11. as hath been shewed.

2. From the Sovereign Command of God, who saith, Be ye holy, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. This is enough to a Believer, that God hath commanded it, though there should be no other end in it.

3. Holiness and Righteousness is the Soul's con­formity unto God; it is a Beam of God, an Image of God, which he designs to be renewed upon all that shall be saved; as shall be further shewed.

4. Justified Believers do see an equity, goodness, and blessedness in the Law of God, in all his holy and righteous Precepts, though they were not com­manded. The Law is holy, just and good, Rom. 7. saith Paul, speaking after the regenerate part. So Da­vid, Psal. 119. often, Thy Commandmeats which I have loved. They give God his due, and the Crea­ture his due; and therefore to be walkt in, though not thereby justified.

5. There is a principle of love to God, shed abroad in the heart of every justified Believer, from the sense of his rich, pardoning grace, the freeness of his love which acts and constrains a Soul to take delight so far as it is regenerated, in every Command of God Rom. 5.5. 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. For the Love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live should not live to themselves, but to him that di­ed for them.

6. Called and justified Believers have blessed sights of Jesus Christ, that wonderfully take their hearts: They have glimpses of the Beauty of his Holiness and would therefore be made like unto him, 1 John 3.2, 3. They would obey the Will of the Father, as Jesus Christ did: They would be holy and righteous, and [Page 159] wise, and patient, and Heavenly, as Jesus Christ was.

7. Believers, in the way of their Duty and Obe­dience, have blessed Fellowship and Communion with God: Saith God of his Ordinances, Exod. 25.22. There will I meet thee, and commune with thee: And Exod. 20.24. — In all places where I record my Name, there will I come unto thee, and bless thee. They are everlasting Promises to all the ways of obe­dience, wherein the people of God do walk before him in. They pray, they read, hear, they partake of the Supper in Christs way, and there they have life and blessing to their Souls, and many a sweet inti­mation of love and mercy they have whispered into them; they set themselves to walk with God in his fear and counsel, and God walks with them; and their lives, if they keep close to God, are sweet and comfortable to them. And this is even as much to them, as if they were thereby justified: They would not miss the sweetness they meet with in such ways of Duty for all the World.

8. By their Sanctification and Obedience, their justification is comfortably evidenced to them, Rom. 6.16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto Death, or of obedience unto Righteous­ness: And — Ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of him, 1 John 2.29. We know that we have passed from Death to Life, because we love the Brethren. So that, no doubt, Believers may come to a sweet and blessed Evidence of their good estate, and of their justification by the work of Sancti­fication in them, and their willing obedience to God, though a Believer doth not always, and at all times, fetch in his evidence of Believing, and of comfort, [Page 160] this way; but sometimes from the Promise, and from the more immediate Testimony of the Spirit. But though a Believer doth not, and it may be can­not always fetch in his consolation and peace from Sanctification and Obedience: Yet that soul that wholly neglects it, and slights Evidences from Hu­miliation, Sanctification, and Obedience, had best timely look to it, that the Witness in himself he pre­tends to, be not from imagination of his own heart, from the wicked ones delusion, and from some over­ly notions of grace that may affect his heart, but leave him on this side Regeneration.

9. Believers do perform their Duties, as returns to God: Every called Believer saith in his heart, as David, Psal. 116.12. Oh! What shall I render to thee? How gracious hath God been? and now how holy should I be? Who shall love the Lord, and fear before him, and praise him, If I shall not? To whom shall his Name, Laws, Ordinances, be preci­ous, if not unto me? Who is more bound to love the blessed God than I? and how shall I love him but by obeying him? Thus doth a Believer perform his obedience, as a Testimony of a thankful return to God; though I do not say, that this is all his mo­tive.

10. By the Obedience and Holiness of Believ­ers, God is much glorified in the World; 'tis the greatest glory that God designs to himself in the World, even by the holiness, and willing, gracious obedience of his people to him. When the World lies in wickedness, and makes war against the great and Holy God, this is that which honours God, that he hath a people, called by his grace, that set forth the glory of holiness in the world, that are witnesses to the holiness of God, the holiness of his Worship, [Page 161] and all his ways, and profess and endeavour to walk in them! and by this, others are brought on to glo­rifie God on their behalf, 1 Pet. 2.12.

Ʋse 1. It may serve for instruction and informa­tion of your Judgments and Consciences, that there are other blessed, and necessary, and holy Ends, in the Sanctification and Obedience of a Believer, though they do not pacifie God, nor justifie the Believer, nor procure mercy by way of worthiness, to a poor Soul called thereunto, which may therefore serve to dis­cover the damnableness of such kind of Doctrines, that teach and cry in this day, Grace is free, Christ hath done all; what need you pray, and have Ordi­nances, and be holy? This is of the wicked one, and comes from his Instruments and Factors, who are sent abroad to damn Souls: You may see, that not one of those Ends mentioned, but is of weight enough to convince a Soul of the necessity of Holi­ness, Duties and Obedience; and such mens preten­ [...]es, are not a Scripture-way of Free grace.

2. If there are blessed and holy Ends of a Believ­ers Duties and Obedience, though he is not there­ [...]y justified, it may serve to take off that prejudice of heart, through misunderstanding and Ignorance, that is apt to be upon the hearts of such as are Car­ [...]al, when they hear that all their Duties, Sobriety, and Righteousness, is to be accounted as loss for Christ. You see there are good and necessary Ends of all Duties of Obedience; only still take this with you, and to your Consciences, that till you come as poor and naked to Jesus Christ, for your justifying Righ­ [...]ousness, and so get life in and from him, and so are [...]rried on in a way of Duty; else your Duties serve [...]u for no end and purpose, unless for a lesser degree [Page 162] of Torment in Hell, only be encouraged to wait upon the means for the receiving of the Spirit, for the Knowldge of Jesus Christ: And these things I have spoken may be your Experience.

3. It may further direct Believers, what ends they are to propose to themselves in the way of their Duties and Obedience, to be carried on in them through the Grace of GOD, and the daily supply of the Spirit, as one great end of your Re­demption, that you should serve the Lord in Ho­liness, to eye the Soveraign and Absolute Command of God over you; that thereby you are made con­formable to God, and shew forth his Image, and to the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, that there is an equity and goodness in all the Holy and Righteous Ways of God.

And see that the Love of God be shed abroad in your hearts, to draw out your love to him, and so be acted in your Obedience. Get your hearts taken with the beauty and glory of the Lord Jesus, and so long after likeness to him: See that you look after Communion with God in your Duties, and that you do not neglect your Evidence for the Pardon of your sins, by the sight of your sanctification, and your Universal Obedience: And perform them not as to procure mercy, by any proportion thereunto is your Duties, but as Returns to God, and consider how much God is glorified in the World by the O­bedience of his people.

And thus may you carry on your progress in Holi­ness, and a sweet and coscientious performance of Duties, and walking with God; and yet live by your Faith for your justification, by the rich and Free grace of God, through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, as if you had never obeyed at all.

[Page 163]In a word, If thou hast felt the power and vertue of the blood of Jesus Christ upon thy soul, coming as a poor, naked, polluted, guilty Soul unto it (as thou hast been shewed) and hast received life from Jesus Christ, by a believing closing with him; and art waiting for a sight and sense of thy justification, but doest yet want it; remember still, that in the performance of thy Duties, thy Heart (which it is ve­ry apt to do) lays no stress upon them, as in them to appear before God, and to procure the favour of God, but still go forth to the grace, blood, righte­ousness, promises of Christ, and there fix for thy ac­ceptance with God, and be much in renewing of Acts of Faith; that is, casting thy Soul upon them, and Evidence will come in; yet go on in humbling, praying, waiting, reforming, sanctifying, obeying, as to the ends mentioned; and the peace of God fill thy heart.

2. Believers, that have some sense of your justifi­cation, do you remember that you obey God, not that thereby you were, are, or ever may be justified; but because you are justified: Therefore you obey the Lord, and delight in his ways; keep this in your eye, and 'twill keep the heart from going to bottom upon your selves, as gracious, and partly righteous, which mixtures render Duties uncomfor­table, and keep souls from Assurance: No Believer per­forms his Duties so spiritually, sweetly and com­tably, as that soul that labours to keep the sight of his Justification, still upon the Account of Free-grace, and out of himself, that soul enjoys sweetest Com­munion with God in the way of his Duties, and gets to Heaven with most comfort and assurance, AMEN.

I Have been opening the difference between the Righteousness of the Law and the Gospel, shewing the Necessity, Nature, and Way of ob­taining Gospel-justification by the Blood of Je­sus Christ, and have discovered a Soul estated therein; I shall now endeavour to open the Gospel New Creature, peculiarly, as distinguisht from that which is called (in appearance) a Legal-New-Crea­ture, &c.

Now let a soul fail in either of these, and lost for ever, fail of a saving close with Jesus Christ for righteousness, or being a New Creature in Christ, and you perish in your sins, and the wrath of God will overtake you.

I shall not now take up time in opening the cohe­rence of the words, nor will it much be desired, as to our design: I shall therefore draw this plain con­clusion from them. Namely,

[Page 165]Observ. There's an absolute necessity, in order to the Salvation of every soul, to become a New Crea­ture in Christ.

Having proved it, we shall open the way of being a New Creature, and how in Christ: Then how di­stinguisht from an appearing New Creature, (but not so indeed) and so give forth the Evidences of it. Those Scriptures that speak of the necessity of being born again of the Spirit, John 3.3, 5. And of being converted, Mat. 8.3. do evince the same truth, Gal. 6.15. Neither Circumcision, nor Ʋncircumcision, avail any thing, but a New Creature. For we are his Work­manship created unto Christ Jesus, &c. Ephes. 2.10. He that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God, and hath given us the earnest of his Spirit, 2 Cor. 5.5.

The necessity of this New-Creature doth arise,

1. From the tenour of the New Covenant, in which way God hath obliged himself to give out mercy; and in no other. Now thus runs the New-Cove­nant, this is the great Article of it; Make you a new heart, and a new Spirit, Ezek. 11.31. Which God promiseth to give to all he takes into a Covenant of mercy and peace with himself; I will put a new Spi­rit within you, and a new heart will I give unto you, Ezek. 11.19. And to the same purpose, Ezek. 36.26. Wherein, as we shall shew, lies the special part of the New-Creature.

2. Because the Old man, all that is of the First Adam, the whole frame thereof is corrupted and polluted; therefore it must be repaired, renewed, be made new, if ever it enter into glory, Ephes. 4.22. That ye put off concerning the Former Conversation, the [Page 166] Old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful Lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the New man, that after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness.

3. Whosoever shall be saved, shall be a New-Crea­ture, from the great design of God in giving out his Son Jesus Christ, which was, that all the Elect should be made conformable to the Image of his Son, Rom. 8.29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first born among many Brethren. Je­sus Christ is called the express Image of the Father, Heb. 1. And to that Image all Believers shall be conformed: Jesus Christ, the first-born, and all his Brethren, to be made conformable unto him. God was infinitely pleased with such a Pattern, and resolved all that he gave to him, and designed for glory, should be conformed to his likeness.

4. All the services that a sinner offers to God, are not accepted, till a New Creature; till a Soul shall act from a new, living, holy principle, towards God, Pray, and hear, and give Alms, God regards it not, till a New-Creature: So the Word of the Lord of­ten casts back the services of unregenerate men up­on their faces, as loathsom to the Lord, because they proceed from the old corrupt Adam, from un­changed Natures, Isa. 1.15. When you cry, I will not hear you; Why? You are in your uncleanness, there­fore Wash you, make you clean.

Ʋse. Oh let this make for your Instruction and Conviction, that if ever you come to God in glory, you must first be New-Creatures: If you will have mercy, you must have it in the way of the New-Co­venant, and if so, you must be made new: While you [Page 167] have nothing but the Old Adam, you are corrupt, and polluted, and abominable. If you shall become the Brethren of the first-born, Jesus Christ, you must bear his Image, and have it renewed upon you. Oh, you that are yet in your old sins, and walk after your Old Lusts, you are not New Creatures: You will not think so, thefore sit down with this conviction, That as yet you have no part in this blessedness. Oh! All of you who are the same that ever you were, whether living in gross sins, or sober and civil from your youth up, you are yet of the Old Adam, no­thing but corrupt nature upon you: Your hope is vain, and you are blinded in your sins, and the Grace of God is not in you.

2. Oh! Let me before I go further, put this to tryal, and suffer the word of the Lord which shall one day judge you; can you say in good earnest, Old things are past away, and all things are become new in me? Now I am a Vessel in the hand of God, wrought by his Spirit, and there is through infinite grace a new workmanship upon my Soul? I shall lay down rules for the particular discovery of this, only at present yield up your conscience to the power of the Word, do not slink from under it; if it find you out in your sin, in nature, the same that ever you were, give glory to God, and say, the word of the Lord is quick and powerful, and go off with this conviction in power upon thy soul, I never expect to go to Heaven and glory, if I become not (through Grace) a New Creature.

But before I go further, I would open, that every soul that is a New Creature, must be in Christ; and why.

So saith the Apostle to these Corinths, in this [Page 168] Epistle, 13. Chap. 5. Examine your selves, prove your own selves, know you not that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? ye are created into Christ Jesus, Ephes. 2.10.

If a man abide not in me, he is cast out as a Branch, and is withered, John 15.6.

Now herein lies the great Mystery of Godliness, unto which all our Evidences for Heaven are resolv­ed, and therefore this is a weighty enquiry. I am to speak of it, especially as it relates to the making and forming the New-Creature.

This being in Christ is expressed by being rooted in­to Christ, Col. 2.7. Planted into him, Rom. 6. Built up in him. Col. 2. All which bespeaks a real union with him; that this is not a meer imaginary thing, but as true and real as the union between the root and the branches, John 15. and the foundation, and the building, Ephes. 2. which is wrought by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, drawing and uniting true believ­ers unto him; the same Spirit dwelling in them; Rom. 8.9, 10, 11. — By his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Now to consider, Why all that are New Crea­tures, according to the Gospel, must be so in Christ.

1. Such as are Gospel New Creatures must be in Christ, because if they be New Creatures, they must be Living Creatures. Now God hath laid up all life, that shall be dispenced forth, in his Son Jesus Christ, John 5.21, 26. — The Son quickneth whom he will; for as the Father hath life in himself, So he hath given to the Son to have Life in himself; Because I live, ye shall live also, John 14.19. Now naturally all sinners are dead in the old Adam, and utterly unable to beget life in themselves: Who can make [Page 169] alive his own soul? but when they were New-born, as new Creatures, they are said to be quickned in Christ, Ephes. 2.5. As God breathed life into man at first, and so he became a living soul; so in the new Creation, the soul is said to be created into Christ, Ephes. 2.10. and to be made Alive in him, Rom. 6.11.

2. If there were not a real union of the soul with Christ, life (if it should be given without it) would not be preserved in the soul, Thou holdest our Soul in life, Psal. 66.9. As the branch, though it was once quickned, cannot preserve its life, if cut off from the root; and therefore a continued supply of life from Jesus Christ, to the soul, is necessary, as to all its spi­ritual actings as a new Creature.

3. By being in Christ, the Soul is made partaker of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. by which the rege­nerate part, all gracious habits are infused in the soul, whereby the New Creature is formed up in believers. Hence it is, that all grace and holiness is infused into the Soul, as distinguish'd from Com­mon grace, that at last withereth, John 15.6. If a man abide not in me, he he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, &c. therefore a necessity of being in Christ.

4. Without being in Christ, the power and reign of sin, the body of sin, will not be destroyed; no destroying the body of sin, by any possible endeavours, but by the influence of the death of Jesus Christ, and a real fellowship therewith, which cannot be at­tained but by being planted into Christ, Rom. 6.5, 6. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resur­rection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that hence­forth [Page 170] we might not serve sin: All the proper morti­fying power that Believers have of the body of sin, is drawn from fellowship with the death of Jesus Christ, which fellowship ariseth only from being one with him.

5. The Image of God cannot be renewed upon us, but in Christ: As we have born the images of the Earthly, we shall also bear the Image of the heavenly; 1 Cor. 15.19. So Rom. 8.29. — we are made con­formable to the Image of his Son; by union a Soul is made partaker of the fulness of Jesus Christ, as all grace is laid up in him, and of that fulness partakes by measure of every grace from him, John 1.16. And of his fulness have all we recieved, and grace for grace; that is, Grace according to the pattern of Je­sus Christ, partaking of every grace in him accord­ing to the measure allowed to every Member and Branch in him.

6. Without being in Christ, no duty is accepted with God; by being in Christ, we are accepted in the Righteousness of Christ, whereby all the duties of a child of God are accepted with the Father, 1 Pet. 2.5. as performed by a Principle of life from Jesus Christ, and offered up to God in the name and Righ­teousness of Christ; otherwise let praying and all o­ther duties be never so strictly, frequently, devout­ly performed, they find no accptance with God, and the Soul is not bettered by them: Without me ye can do nothing, John 15. saith Jesus Christ.

7. Without being in Jesus Christ there can be no holy fruit in conversation brought forth to God, John 15.5. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: All the fruit that is of our own stock, comes to nought; but the fruit that is brought forth in Christ, from implantation into [Page 171] him, is precious fruit unto Repentance. Reforma­tion, Holiness and Righteousness, and doing of any good, unless it proceed from the life we have in Christ, is Pharisaical, and comes to nothing, and will be burnt up in the day of the Lord; wherefore san­ctified believers are call'd the trees of Righteousness, Isa. 61. as planted, engrafted into Jesus Christ, where­by they bring forth all their savoury fruit unto God.

Ʋse. See now the great, and weighty, and indispen­sable necessity of getting into Christ, of having union with him, the main pillar, upon which hangs all your comfort; do what ye will, and be out of Je­sus Christ, and 'tis an accursed, loathed sacrifice; do what thou wilt from thy own stock, and 'tis bitter fruit: A dram of what is performed in Christ, is of more worth than a mighty, daily bulk of duties without it; not hereby to lessen a believer, as to muchness of duty, but to shew the unacceptableness of all duties, though never so many, long, devout, till a poor soul performs all from a new principle, and power of life in the soul from Jesus Christ, and so a New-Creature.

Oh! that poor souls were throughly convinc'd of this, who, so they perform duties, never consi­der this. Oh! lay to heart thy dead condition, and the infinite necessity of getting into Christ: No life in thy soul, no preserving of life, till in Jesus Christ; nothing of the divine nature upon thee, no destroy­ing of sin, nothing of the Image of God upon thee that is saving, no duty accepted, no fruit unto God in thy conversation, till thou hast the real experi­ence of this blessed Mystery in thy soul, of being one in Christ, through the spirit, till thy soul know­eth what union and fellowship with the Son of God meaneth: Therefore souls that fall short here, [Page 172] their knowledge, profession, conversation, is lost labor, as to the great matter of eternal life and salvation.

2. If all that are truly and savingly New-Crea­tures are in Christ, then a New Creature any other way, is but a semblance and appearance of it, and not so indeed and reallity; if from our selves, from the power of the Law upon the Conscience, or upon any other account whatsoever.

And therefore, I still say, the more we consider of this matter, of the more narrow enquiry do we find it to be.

There is a semblance and likeness of being New-Creatures, which is not really so, a semblance of Holiness, a holy fruit, which is not truly so, but will at last wither; and hence, all the withered Professors in this day, as we shall presently shew.

I shall not here speak of such, as pretend to no manner of change inward or outward, such as are in all things, the same they ever were, as such as live in known gross sins, they have no appearance or pretence of claim to the Title and Character of the New Creature; by their own concession and acknowledgment they are still the same as ever they were, therefore, not so much as pretend to be made new; to such I shall, if God will, apply a further word before we have done.

Only now of the Semblance of the New Creature (falsly so called) but not really so.

1. A soul being convinc'd of the damnableness of such and such a sin, from the Law, and the power of the Word upon the Conscience, that a soul living, continuing in it, shall never enter into the Kingdom of God: As from such a place, as 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not enter into the [Page 173] Kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither Fornicators, Adulterers, Idolaters, nor Effeminate, nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall in­herit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you, &c. I say, from this or the like Scripture, a soul may be convinced, that if he continued in any of these gross wickednesses, he shall never see the face of God, and so may take up from the gross outward Acts of them, or at least, from a frequent commiting them; now this person may go no fur­ther, and because he hath left some special gross sin, he thinks himself a true Convert, and a New-man, and may flatter himself with the conceit of being the New-Creature we are to set forth; but no New in­ward man, no coming to Christ, not being in Christ; and it may be feared, many Souls are under this dreadful snare.

2. Such a kind of outward Reformation may arise from special Judgment and Affliction upon a sinner, trembling that God bath smitten him for such a sin, and so may take up from it; and this also often pas­seth for conversion; not but that sometimes God be­gins the first stroke by laying his hand upon a sinner, but I speak of a meer taking up from a prophane course, and never getting into Jesus Christ, which many rest themselves in.

3. A sinner may leave some sins of youth, as in­consistent with riper years; and upon that may take himself to be a Convert, or a kind of New-Creature, to be changed and turned from what he was; but no forsaking this sin with loathing of it, as against God, no brokenness of heart for it, and the root of it still unsubdued in his heart.

4. A sinner may take up from some gross sins, as [Page 174] inconsistent with reputation, credit in the World, or his profit and wordly advantage; so many debaucht persons turn to be great worldlings, and yet take themselves to be good Converts, when they have turned from a sin that would waste their Estates, to be wretched worldlings; yet these go away with a good opinion of themselves.

5. Sinners may take up and reform, to get the fa­vour of some Religious Friend or great Person that doth countenance Religion, in hope of some special preferment or honour by them; and so get a form of Profession, an Ability to speak of good things, own the best people, hear good men, and yet all this proceed from a rotten heart, as it was with Simon Magus, Acts 1. Hoping after great gain by the gift of the Holy Ghost, the gift of Miracles, and yet was in the Gall of Bitterness and bond of Ini­quity.

6. Souls may have a kind of Conviction, and ta­king up to some new duties, in the sinful neglect of which they have long lived; as to a kind of se­cret Prayer, in observing the Sabbath more strictly, read more, hear more, (things good in themselves, when used as means to find Jesus Christ in) and yet may continue long in these, and not a Gospel New-Creature in Christ; never humbled so as to be emptied of themselves, and come to Jesus Christ, as for Righteousness, so for life and strength for the performance of all duties, and subduing of all Sin, and therein chiefly the Legal New-Creature (so called) doth consist, in taking up to most known outward duties, something strictly, and make Con­science of them, as of gross outward sins, and yet no Gospel New-Creature. I wish there are not too many such.

[Page 175]7. A Soul may take himself to be a New-Crea­ture, from some good liking that he hath of such as are better than himself, and some purposes and resolu­tions to be better, which purposes for a time carry a man forth, till new Temptations, and then they will not bear a man forth: Thus you shall find ma­ny sinners purposing and strongly resolving to take up, to avoid such courses they have found to end in trouble, and yet fall back again, because purposing in themselves, and not getting into Christ for strength, and these think themselves to be a kind of New-Creatures.

8, Yea further, a Soul may be under some ter­rors of Conscience for a time, and yet heal and re­lieve himself by leaving the sin outwardly that oc­casioned such terror, and taking up to a greater bulk and formal course and round of set duties, under which such Souls ensafe themselves and settle in a kind of peace, and take themselves to be New-Crea­tures, because they were under terrors, and forsake some sins, and perform more duties, and yet never healed by the Blood of Jesus Christ, nor have taken root in him.

Before I go any further, let me bring home, if the Lord will, these things to your Consciences, and let it be a word to find out such whose conditions have been opened.

Such then of you, who haply have left some gross sins, some open prophane courses, because the Word of God hath glared upon your Consciences, and you could not commit such sins in Peace, that upon some special affliction have taken up to a little stricter course, that have left the sins of your youth, only because they were youthful sins, not suitable to riper age, or have ceased from Lewd Courses, be­cause [Page 176] of your credit among men, or your worldly profits, sins in which you could not thrive in your Estates: If this be all, know it, that you are not the New-Creatures we are speaking of, you are far from the Kingdom of God; and if you come no farther, even to see your selves wholly at a loss, and so get to Jesus Christ, you are damned for ever.

Yea, if any for the Favour of Men, or some out­ward advantage, have taken up a seeming professi­on of Religion above the ordinary rate, and this be your main principle; know, thou art seven times the Child of the Devil more than thou wast, to deal thus Atheistically and Hypocritically with the great God, who will one day lay thee open to all the world, and thou shalt be confounded in thy self, be­cause of this thy abominable iniquity.

And such as have come a little further, that from some conviction of your shortness of what you should be, have betaken your selves to a greater bulk of du­ties, make Conscience of many sins and many du­ties, and so you have setled your selves in your course; know you also, this you may do, and be far from Go­spel-New-Creatures.

Such also as rest in purposes and resolutions, wish­ings and some wouldings to be better, this will not do, if it be no more; or such as have heal'd your selves, and have not been healed by coming to the Lord Jesus Christ, by a more exact way of some outward duties; know it, and be convinc'd, that the core will break out again, and you are yet to seek for a well grounded peace, and are none of the Go­spel-New-Creatures.

Now another degree of Mistakes of the New-Crea­ture, doth arise from the taking of Common Grace, [Page 177] (which a Hypocrite may reach to) for truth of renew­ing, sanctifying Grace; and know, that every Hy­pocrite doth not know himself to be such, but a Hy­pocrite is one that appears to himself and others, to be what he is not; he takes himself to be a good Christian, a Believer, a New Creature, and is not so. The ground of some of these great Mistakes I shall mention.

As first, A poor Creature thinks himself safe, be­cause what he doth, he thinks he doth it all with a good heart. No one so confident of the goodness of his heart as a Hypocrite, because he knows not his own heart; in that great Reformation in Josiahs time Jeremiah speaks of, Chap. 3.10. that Judah turned to the Lord but feignedly, not with the whole Heart: Yet the people thought otherwise with themselves, as 'tis likely, when they entred into a Covenant with God, with good Josiah.

This is that most poor sinful Creatures do bolster up themselves with, in their Ignorance and Securi­ty, that they do all to God and Men with good hearts; whereas a renewed Soul doubts of the good­ness of his heart, and hath matter of humbling for it in every duty.

2. Another mistake of poor souls is, (as to the Gospel-New-Creature) from a misprision of sins of in­firmities, for such as are indeed reigning, damning sins; As to instance, to lye for advantage, to swear petty Oaths sometimes, by Faith and Troth, by the Mass, to mention God's Name frequently, as a by-word, crying, Oh Lord, Oh God, slightly, vain­ly, or sometimes to drink to excess, or the like evils: 'Tis common to hear wretched Souls, when convinc'd of them, to excuse the matter: Why, 'tis their infirmity, whereas it proceeds from a heart [Page 178] wholly unregenerate, and under the power and reign of sin.

Infirmities of the Children of God are not allow­ed by them, but humbled, mourned for, every day watch'd against, the root of them they endeavour to mortifie through the Spirit; which the common professor that calls all his sins his infirmities, doth not; Oh! Souls, there's a vast difference between the infirmities of such as are indeed New-Creatures, and between the reigning sins of natural men; sin reigns in its peace, power, habit, in the heart, no subdu­ing, crucifying, purging, which a New-Creature doth and hath.

3. This mistake of the New-Creature doth arise from a misconcieving of the reluctancy of a natural conscience, before or in the committing of sin; ta­king it for the Conflict that is in a truly regenerate Soul, between the Regenerate and Carnal part; which mistake usually is bottomed upon a mis­understanding of that place of Paul, Rom. 7.15. For that which I do, I allow not, &c. Hence, say many un­regenerate, graceless persons, Why though they do break out into such and such things, and omit such and such duties, yet they do not allow themselves in it; that is, their Conscience is not wholly seared, and so make some resistance, and this they take to be saving grace; a gross and most dangerous mistake; now take such a person, and he hath not a delight in the Law of God in the inward man, as Paul had, verse 22. doth not cry out as inwardly burthen'd, wretch­ed man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? No such daily complaints and groan­ings under the weight of it, No eying God through Jesus Christ for deliverance from it, No serving the Law of God with a Renewed inward Man, No [Page 179] walking after the Spirit; so that unless it be so with you, that no allowance in the conscience, and yet do it, it comes to nothing; and an Hypocrite may and doth as much, till given up to a seared conscience, past feeling.

4. From a mistake of Faith, taking that for sound and saving which is common to a Reprobate; such as James describes in his Epistle; speaking of Men who say they have faith, and have not really; a Faith that believes God is; the Scriptures; the dying and rising of Jesus Christ, and all other Gos­pel truths, as it pretends; yea, that he believes on Jesus Christ, and hopes to be saved by him, as well as the holiest; and upon this they have a kind of peace. I have spoken before of justifying Faith, only a word as to the New-Creature, know therefore, that Faith that doth not teach a soul to deny it self, that doth not purifie the heart, that doth not live upon Jesus Christ, and so created into him, is not the faith of the New-Creature, but a common, dead, putrifying faith, that suffers the soul to putrifie in sin, and works not to the cleansing of it.

5. To instance in some other graces; as namely, Repentance, which souls do take to be only a wish­ing the sin had not been committed with a little fear and sorrow after it, and this they think to be true re­pentance; which when true, is accompanied with loathing of the sin, and our selves, and our corrupt natures, brokenness of heart for it, and from it, and turning to God by Jesus Christ, and eyes the honour, patience, holiness, love of God, in its sorrowing, more than his wrath; and hath for its effects, care­fulness, indignation against it self, vehement desire after more holiness by Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 7.11.

[Page 180]6. A false and carnal hope of Heaven, mistaken for a gracious saving hope, deceives the soul in this matter: Many poor souls, yea, it may be feared, the most, think they shall go to Heaven, because they hope so, and think they ought to hope: Now a sa­ving hope of pardon and Heaven is rightly bot­tom'd, namely upon the riches of Gods Grace, Titus 3.7. Upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ, Gal. 5.5. Upon some special promise of God; Upon ex­perience of God, Rom. 5. And purifying the soul, 1 John 3.3. as I may have occasion more at large to speak.

Oh! this false and carnal, cursed hope, that is not thus bottom'd, serves only to shut up the heart a­gainst the power of the Word, and a saving closing with Jesus Christ; till a Soul is dasht in this hope, it will never get a better.

7. A form of knowledge, especially if increas'd un­der the Ministry of the Word, may much deceive a soul in this great and weighty concernment; so Paul speaks of the Jews, Rom. 2.20. having a form of knowledge, and of the truth of the law: Many have a Catechistical form of Knowledge, they can describe what Faith, and Repentance, and Regeneration is, and then think they have it themselves, because they can tell what it is, and do believe it to be such: There may be much knowledge in the head, and yet no renewing grace in the heart: That knowledge that is saving, brings with it a power upon the Soul, to love, delight in, to experience the goodness, ver­tue, sweetness of what it knows: It transforms the soul into the image of what is known, 2 Cor. 3. last. It is spiritual, and it makes the heart, the affe­ctions spiritual.

8. A Misconceit of the grace of love, is also a false [Page 181] ground in this matter: As that a poor soul will think that he loves God, when he hath no knowledge of him, nor delight in him, nor communion with him; nor doth love his Image, which is holiness; and that he loves all, every one, whereas much en­vy and malice reigns in the heart, if but a little provoked; and for the people of God truly so called, they hate them for Hypocrites, Schismaticks, and what not; or if a little better thoughts of them, 'tis not love to Christ, and his Image in them, that acts them, which is the nature of the grace of love. But yet are justified in their conscience to be the people of God.

9. So is patience, humility, meekness, mistaken; some natural dispositions are most patient and meek, and these poor Creatures are apt to mistake for grace, when 'tis nothing but meer nature, and more candid disposition; and such Souls, from na­tural temper can bear much, and it hath an appear­ance of of grace; but yet here may be no work of the Spirit all this while, humbling, meekning the soul in its own vileness, no mortification of contrary lusts, no humbling for pride of heart, without which no true gracious humility; no meekning by the Gos­pel, and the power of Christs love upon their Spi­rits; and yet upon this account, you shall have poor carnal souls pretend much (as I have often heard it urged by them) to the fruits of the Spirit, mention'd Gal. 5.22. of love, joy, peace, goodness, patience, temperance, when tis nothing but disposition, inge­nuity, or from civil education.

10. As great a deceit there is about the fear of God; many poor souls do fear the punishment and wrath of God, which is all they do, and then they think this is the fear of his Servant; the fear of the [Page 182] Lord, which God promiseth to put into the hearts of his own people, Jer. 32.40. is a fear of God, be­cause he is holy, because he is gracious, because he hath pardoned iniquity; They shall fear the Lord and his goodness, Hos. 3. last. which fear is mixt with a sweet and blessed love to God, and consola­tion of the Spirit, at least a waiting for it.

11. A misapprehension of good works, causeth a mistake of the New-Creature; many are convinc'd that works of Mercy, and Charity, and Justice, are to be done, and so from a pittiful nature, or from vain-glory, or from a secret thought to appe [...]se God, or from Legal conviction at least, they will be ready to do Charitable works, (things good in them­selves) and this they think discovers their Faith: And herein lies a common deceit in the vulgar pro­fessors of the people of England: Now all the good works (falsly so called) done out of Christ, are flesh­ly, and not accepted with God: A Papist, and ma­ny a carnal Protestant, (even also for the sin of his soul) doth much this way; but good works, pro­perly so called, do flow from a living Faith, from love to Jesus Christ, and design not a self-justifi­cation, but the glory of God: And gracious Souls do find it very hard to perform them, with holy ends.

12. Mistake of a good conversation; which may only be a moral conversation, civil, sober, righte­ous as to Men, but minds not Holiness to God, which is the special part of a Gospel-Conversation: And yet the most of people go away with this, that they are believers, and in a good state for Heaven, because they have a good conversation, which they greatly mistake. That which the word of God calls [Page 183] a good conversation, as an evidence of Faith, is not only a meer outward blamelesness, (which the Pharisees had), but to walk with God from a Gos­pel-principle, from Gospel Grace, and the love of God in the heart, chiefly respecting holiness to the Lord, and the fear of the Lord upon the heart; now a soul that hath nothing of this may be outwardly blameless, a Jew and Heathen may be so, and nothing of the grace of God upon them.

Ʋse. Now the Lord make this to be a convincing searching Word to you; you that have left some gross sins, from the word upon your consciences, from afflictions, from worldly advantages, from age; be it known unto you, this you may do, and more, and be still the Children of Wrath, in an unpar­doned condition, and not the New-Creatures we are speaking of; yea, though thou hast taken up to New-duties, and makest conscience of many sins and many duties, thou may'st still be out of Jesus Christ.

And you that call your daily sins (which have dominion over you, your infirmities, when not hum­bled, nor mourn for them, nor cry for strength a­gainst them, this your way is your folly, and the Devil and your own hearts greatly deceive you, yea, you call such sins your infirmites, (meaning, as if they were the infirmities of the children of God) that cannot consist with truth of grace, such as com­mon lying, and common prophaning the Lords Name in your mouths, and neglecting to sanctifie his Sab­baths, and living in the neglect of secret spiritual Prayer.

[Page 184]And such of you that have some striving in you consciences, before and after the sin, know it, i [...] may be so, and yet not a drop of saving grace in you, no regenerate part wrought forth in you; and yet how many bear up themselves upon this score, and think thence they allow not themselves in the sins they commit, in Paul's sense, look to this, or you may for ever perish in this snare; I have given some marks how you may know it.

Take you heed also, that you take not that which is called Common-Grace, which is common to Repro­bates, for true grace. There's a false Faith, a false Repentance, a false Hope, and so of the rest, in which you may assuredly go to Hell, you may have a harm­less conversation, and do some good works of Charity, and yet perish for ever, you may have no­thing of the New-Creature in you; and yet give all your goods to the poor.

In a word, you may leave outward gross sins, have convictions of wrath to come, have purposes (such as they are) to be better, take up to New Du­ties, have common grace, think you have Faith, Re­pentance, hope that you are humble, patient, have a good conversation, and do good works, and yet not be New-creatures in Jesus Christ, as we shall further evince.

I have yet one more deceit to discover, and that is the Mistake of a Scripture good conscience: It is true, that the Apostle in 1 Tim. 1.5, 19. puts Faith and a good conscience as the great comprehensive Du­ties, but there is not any one thing more mistaken, than what this good conscience is; too many Preach­ers press this carnally, and carnal people go away with it, that they have Faith, yea, they never doubt it, and for a good conscience they discharge it; I have [Page 185] spoken of Faith already, but now that which such poor seduced souls take to be a good Conscience, is only to wrong no body, to be just to all, not to purloin others goods, to take and keep nothing but their own; they take it to be chiefly conversant about the duties of the second Table, concerning their Neighbour; a little to rectifie this soul-dam­ning mistake.

1. A Scripture Conscience is an Enlightned Con­science, which before was shut up in darkness, Eph. 1.18. The light of the Word of God is set up in the conscience, whereby it discovers those truths in their power and worth which before it was dark unto.

2. A good Conscience is a Conscience searcht by the power of the Word, convinc'd to be under sin, and guilt, and pollution, whereby trouble doth arise in it; God laying in the weight of guilt, the damnableness of sin, the pollution of it, upon the Conscience, so that the soul cries out, what shall I do? How shall God be pacified, and the soul saved?

3. And hence it is an awakened Conscience, which before was asleep; Awake thou that sleepest, Ephes. 5. The voice of the Spirit doth awake that Conscience that before was asleep in sinful security.

4. A good Conscience is convinced that all the keepings of the Law, and keeping a Conscience to men, cannot justifie the soul before God, cannot commend it to God, which a Second Table-Con­science imagines it will, and so in peace: Paul kept a Conscience as to many things, Acts 23.1. I have lived in all good Conscience before God unto this day; meaning, I conceive, from his youth up, when he was a Pharisee; but when his Conscience was con­vinced [Page 186] and awakened, and came to see Jesus Christ, he saw that all his keeping a Conscience, as to many sins and Duties, could not in the least commend him to God.

A good Conscience is sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ, Heb. 10.22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offe­red himself to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God, Heb. 9.14. So that this is the efficacy of the blood of Jesus Christ upon the Con­science of a Believer, it pacifies it in the sense of the forgiveness of sins towards God, so as it can draw near to God; and it purgeth it from dead works, sin, and pollution, to serve God acceptably. This is a good Conscience indeed.

6. A good Conscience respects all the Precepts of God, as well of Holiness to God as Goodness to Men; which the Conscience we have been speaking of, doth not. Such a one makes not conscience of this great and absolute Precept, Be ye holy, 1 Pet. 1. It makes not conscience of purging the heart of secret mourn­ing to God, of the purity of God's Worship: It makes no Conscience of lesser sins, as we have shew­ed, not of all sin, as Herod heard the Word gladly, but made no conscience of persecuting John to death, when he stood in the way of his Lusts: Now, I say, a good Conscience respects Precepts of Ho­liness, secret as well as publick Duties, inward as well as outward Sins, lesser sins as well as great­er.

7. A Scripture good Conscience is much taken up about godly sincerity. So Paul, 2 Cor. 1.12. For our rejoycing is this, the Testimony of our Conscience, that with [Page 187] simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but with the grace of God, we have had our Conversation in the world, &c.

Thus a soul that walks with a good Conscience towards God, labours to approve it self in all things, with a godly sincerity, to do all as unto God.

Lastly, a good Conscience labours to keep it self pure and undefiled, it is accompanied with a pure heart, 1 Tim. 1.5. Now the end of the Commandment is love, out of a pure heart, and of a good Conscience, and of Faith unfeigned. A Soul that would keep the Con­science good, would keep it pure, and the whole in­ward man pure, as a Temple unto God.

Ʋse. Now see how many ingredients go to make up a good Conscience in a Scripttre-sense, and what a great mistake is in this weighty matter, and how far abundance of people that make conscience of their dealings with men, conclude thence they have a Scripture-good-Conscience to God, when they are not savingly enlightned, their Conscience never search'd by the power of the Word, and throughly awakened out of a natural condition, never hum­bled for resting in themselves and their Duties, not having their Conscience sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ, and purged thereby, not having a tender respect to all the Precepts of God, not to walk before him in godly sincerity, nor with a pure heart: You then that are short of these things, you are wholly to seek in that which you so much pre­tend to, and speak peace to your selves in, the ha­ving or keeping a good Conscience; you have as yet no part in this matter.

2. What hath been spoken of a good Cnnscience, may be for instruction and direction to the Called [Page 188] Ones of Christ; how to preserve the Conscience good and peaceable, and so to live and dye in the peace and comfort of it, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Get it sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus Christ every day, and under the searching of the Word, and awake unto God, and pure and undefiled, respe­cting all the Holy Precepts of God, as binding to your conscience, so will the conscience be tender, and peaceable, and God will witness in your con­ences your acceptance with him in his Son Jesus Christ.

I would give out further some Notes of Tryal, Whether you rest in false common grace or not, as to what we have already spoken in so weighty a matter.

1. By your never suspecting the truth of your grace, but taking all upon trust, never doubting but you have Faith, and do repent, and so of all the rest; that soul that never suspected his grace, may well fear that his pretended grace, is no more than what a Hypocrite may reach unto: The poor called chil­dren of God, are exceedingly jealous their Faith is not sound; that they are short in every grace, be­cause of the woful mixtures that they find; more Unbelief than Faith, more hardness of heart than softness, more Pride than Humiliation; and so of all. Now that soul that goes away with an un­suspected confidence of every Grace, sure flat­ters himself, and his way will be found to be de­ceitful.

2. That Soul that draws back his conscience from the searching power of the Word, when it gives out ways of trial of Sincerity and truth of grace, and puts it off, as if not concerned in it; this may well be speak a false heart. A gracious heart would [Page 189] bring the Work over and over to the Touch-stone of the Word, delivers up it self unto it; yea, is much with God to search him, in point of a firm Work upon his Spirit, as to any prevailing Iniquity in his heart; as David, Psal. 139. When he was be­fore the Lord, appealing to him, and opening his heart to him, speaks thus, ver. 1. Oh Lord thou hast searched me, &c. thou hast: And yet, ver. 23.24. begs of God yet further to search him: Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me into the way everlasting.

3. False Grace is discovered by its easie acting, When you can easily believe, easily repent, easily be humble, and so of all others. Certainly, 'tis all naught. There is great contradiction within, and from the Tempter, as to act Grace begun in a soul; yea, a daily supply from Jesus Christ must be, to act any Grace livelily; which the common, pretending, easie Believers are not sensible of. It cannot be but every act of Grace must find more or less resistance from flesh and blood, which is so vigorously op­posite to the nature and acting of real grace in the Soul.

4. Such as are never humbled for the spiritual wickednesses of their hearts; (I call them so in op­position to the more gross and fleshly wickednesses) now these are Hypocrisie, selfishness, spiritual pride, vain-glory, unbelief; many that have had trouble for some gross sins, and will withstand some gross corrupt­tions, through common grace, never come to be abased for these depths of the heart, which are more hardly discerned; I may well enough call that soul as yet a Hypocrite, that is never humbled for the Hypocrisie of his heart, for selfishness, and the rest.

[Page 190]5. Common-grace measures the soul chiefly by Negatives, what it is not, rather than what really it is, as the Pharisee, Luke 18. — I am not as other men are; pleaseth himself rather in what he is not than what he is: I am not thus and thus, as abun­dance of debaucht persons are; but whether he be called of God, emptied of his own righteousness, sanctified in Christ Jesus, a New Creature in him, he puts off the Examination.

6. Common grace doth at best respect a mans self in all it does, and not the glory of God, which it sees not; let others be as wicked as they will, it is not much to such a soul, let every one look to himself, such a soul doth not avoid sin as sin, but only for fear it should damn him; whereas the proper na­ture of Grace is to respect God, his Holiness, Name, and Glory.

Thus have I laid down some plain Discoveries of the pretended New-Creature, that which I have stiled a Legal New-Creature. I shall now proceed a little further to make discovery of a more seeming Gospel New-Creature, yet but seeming.

That which hath the nearest resemblance of the New-Creature, is, when from some common enlight­nings of the Gospel of Grace, and some overly tastings of the good Word, the affections being something stirred therewith, there is some affection expressed to the Gospel, and some outward Reformation upon it, and a Profession above the common formal rate taken up, joyned also with common gifts of Praying, or Prophesying, knowledge, &c. Now all this may make so great a blaze and flourish, that it shall be hardly discerned by such a Professor himself, or others that are spiritual; that all this may be, 'tis clear from several Scriptures, Heb. 6.4, 5. where [Page 191] mention is made of enlightning, tasting, gifts of the Holy Ghost, and yet such to fall away, and never to re­new themselves again; and to be nigh unto cursing, verse 8. and verse 9. Beloved we are perswaded bet­ter things of you, and things that accompany Salvati­on, &c. Implying, that these things may be, but do not always accompany Salvation: So the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 2.20. speaks of such who had escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and yet again entangled therein, and overcome, and their latter end worse than the begin­ning.

They shall escape many gross pollutions, and that through a kind of knowledge of Jesus Christ, and yet be again overcome, and return wholly to them. So Matth. 12.45. Our Lord Jesus speaks of the house swept, and garnished, the unclean spirit cast out for a time; some outward reformation, a damp upon the lusts of the heart, and knowledge, and common gifts, and yet the unclean spirit returning again.

Examples might be produced of such Professors in the Gospel, as that of Judas, an eminent Profes­sor, a forward follower of Christ, suffered some per­secution, and gifted, and yet proves a Reprobate. Si­mon Magus, baptized by Philip, renounced his Sor­ceries, took upon him a forward Profession of Christ, accompanied Philip, and yet his heart not right in the sight of God, Acts 8.13, 21.

It may be more than feared, this age (to the high scandal of Sinners and Saints) hath produced many such, that have been much taken with the glorious grace of the Gospel, their Consciences something a­wakened for Heaven, the affections stirr'd, have at­tained to flourishing gifts, and yet returned to their [Page 192] first nothing, turn'd blasphemers, and professed Atheists.

And no doubt there is such a Majesty, Excellency, Sweetness in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that may for a time much affect a carnal heart, and may be re­cieved with joy, Matth. 13.20. The very History of Jesus Christ dying for sinners may much affect; that he will freely save Sinners, the glory he hath provided for his own, these and the like things may much take the affections for a time, make a soul a­shamed of gross pollutions, and yet no New-Crea­ture all this while: And of such as these it is that Christ doth prophesie of, Mat. 25. who shall have Lamps, Light and Profession, go along with the wise Virgins, wise and truly gracious Professors, not be discovered (many of them) till the Lords appear­ing, and yet kept out of the Kingdom of Hea­ven.

Now of all others, these have the most resemblance of a real New-Creature, and yet fall short, and perish for ever.

I should prevent my self, should I at large discover wherein such Professors are short, only a word or two.

1. Such Souls are never emptied of themselves, and humbled, and so come poor and nothing to Jesus Christ, though happily they may be able to speak of it, as many Souls have a form of Gospel-Know­ledge, and can say, We are nothing, and yet never had the saving experience of it upon their own hearts.

2. Such Souls have no true brokenness of heart for sin, they much slight it; yea, say many, 'tis Legal; brokenness for sin is a low dispensation, as they will stile it; without which (in some measure) no saving [Page 193] repentance, which is as necessary to Salvation, as be­lieving on Jesus Christ, and Free-Grace.

3. Though such souls may reform many things, yet there is some unsubdued lust in the heart, that at last breaks out, and carries an end the heart, as with Simon Magus and Demas.

4. Under all such enlightnings and tastings which may for a time affect the heart, the heart still re­mains unchanged, and so no New-Creature.

5. They are not rooted into Jesus Christ, which we have shewed is the root of the New-creature; not rooted and built up in him, Col. 2.7. Therefore 'tis said of the Hearers with joy for a time, that they had no root, Mat. 13.

What hath been spoken as to this, may put the more forward Professors upon a close and diligent search, and to see if their Attainments in enlightning, tasting, knowledge, gifts, reformation, be no more than what a Reprobate may attain to, and to lay their hearts under the searching Power of the Word, and to open their hearts to God, and cry unto him, and keep a godly jealousie over their spirits: And rest not till you get poor and emptied, and humble your selves, your hearts broken for sin, every lust subdued and crucified, the heart changed, and your Souls rooted into Jesus Christ, by a saving union with him; yea, to give up your hearts to what we shall further say, through grace, as to the plain opening the real Gospel-New-Creature.

The Gospel New-Creature positively opened.

I Might here shew you how every faculty of the Soul is renewed, as the understanding, by the infu­sion of new and divine light into it, which is stiled the Enlightning the eyes of the understanding, Ephes. 1.18. and to be renewed in the Spirit of the Mind, Eph. 4.23. How the will is altered and changed, the affections made new, the conscience purged and sanctified, with all the powers of the Soul, but I shall not take this Method, but rather pursue a more familiar way, more particularly shewing the make of the New-Creature, in reference still to its being so in Christ, which is our principal scope. First, then:

1. To the making and framing the New-Creature there must be a New-Nature; if there be a New-Crea­ture formed, there must be a New-Nature to make it so; hence believers that are in Christ, are said to be partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Which is wrought by the incorruptible seed of the word, 1 Pet. 1.22. Whereby we are said to be born again: And Jam. 1.18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, &c. Which seed is the seed of God in be­lievers, the seed of every grace in the soul, which is something of the likeness of God wrought in the soul, and so acts the soul towards God, which is stiled the infused habits of every grace in the soul; this New-Nature works contrary to the old cor­rupt nature, and it is stiled the regenerate part, the [Page 195] new inward man, Ephes. 4.24. and as soon as it is wrought and formed in the soul, it works against the sinful dispositions of the old Adam in us, and there is a new war or conflict begun within us, (which is something more than the resistance of a natural conscience, as we have shewed) I see ano­ther Law in my members, warring against the Law of my mind, Rom. 7.23. &c. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and these two are contrary to each other, Gal. 5.17. And under this daily conflict and war within is every New-Crea­ture, while we abide in the fleshly Tabernacle. This is the first peculiar distinguishing Workmanship of the New-Creatures, there's a new seed, a new di­vine nature infused into the soul.

2. As there is a New-Nature, so it follows that this New-Creature hath a new life, it is a Living New-Creature; so regenerate persons are said to be quickned in Christ, who were before dead in sins and trespasses, Eph. 2.1, 5. And The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and live, John 5. And they are said to be alive unto God, Rom. 6.11. Christ liveth in me, Gal. 20. Which new life must neces­sarily be, because,

1. Every natural man, (as hath been already hin­ted) is dead in sin, and is said to be without this life of God, Eph. 4.18. The life of God departed from the soul, whereby it had Communion with God, upon our fall in the first Adam; therefore, if we are recovered, we must have a new Life from God in­fused into us.

2. If there be not a new life breathed in us, we can put forth no spiritual vigour in any duty towards God, and so all our duties, services, worship would he dead fleshly duties; this I have also hinted in [Page 196] shewing the necessity of being in Christ, if a New-Creature.

3. As there is a new nature, and a new life, to begin the New-Creature; so, thence there's a new breathing: The Soul falls a breathing after God, and after Jesus Christ: As the Life which God breath­ed into Man at his first Creation, is call'd the breath of life, Gen. 2.7. And as soon as ever there is life, this new life breath'd by the Holy Ghost in the New-Creature, there's presently a breathing of this life, as indeed one of the first discoveries of it, (as breath is the most immediate acting of Life) the Soul breaths, and pants, and crys after God himself, Psal. 42.1. As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks, so pant­eth my soul after thee, Oh God: I opened my mouth and panted, Psal. 119.131. So that Prayer that is spiritu­al, it is the breath of a living soul; Paul that breath'd out cruelties against the Saints, when converted, and made alive, he falls a breathing after God; Acts 9. — Behold he prayeth. And this doth indeed arise from the very nature of saving grace, which is to carry a soul to God through Jesus Christ, to set it a longing not only after mercy, and pardon, and peace, but after God himself, Psal. 63.1. My soul is athirst for God, the living God, &c. As also from the dissatis­faction and emptiness the soul begins to find in all Creature-enjoyments, which now it cannot (having had a view of Christ) be satisfied and contented with, but the soul must have God, must have Jesus Christ, must have the likeness of Jesus Christ, and so it breaths, crys, pants after God, and the possession of him, and communion with him, as the Souls highest perfection.

1. Now, therefore, before I go any further, let this be well weighed: Have you this breathing in you, [Page 197] which when you were dead in sin you had not? This is the least degree of Grace, if the Soul be not thus breathing, panting, thirsting, longing after Jesus Christ, so that you cannot, must not be satisfied, but in the enjoyment of him; verily you are dead, and the grace of God is not in you; so that it may be for a true discovery of your states, Consider what your hearts do most breath after, what they most ear­nestly Pant for: Oh! Is it for Jesus Christ himself? The hearts of Carnal Worldlings are said to pant af­ter the dust of the Earth, Amos 2.7. That is it the carnal mans heart thirsts after, but a soul in Christ breaths upward, the Treasures of Heaven it pants after, and will never be at rest, till satisfied with them.

2. This may serve to distinguish formal praying from that which is of the Spirit, in the Children of God. There's no such thing as the breathing, pant­ing, crying, longing of the Soul after God, and Ho­liness, and Communion with him, in formal saying of prayers, the thing done quiets the Conscience; but for God himself the Soul thirsts not for. There­fore you that pray in forms in secret, and content your selves in saying and repeating such a form of words, sure you have little or no breathing for Jesus Christ in such Duties, the Heart is not exercised in longings and pantings for God; ye Souls that pray out of forms, upon terrours, and no more upon the Conscience, but you thirst not, breath not after God himself, you may be short of the life of God in you.

3. This may also encourage weak Souls, that have but broken words to express themselves to God, yet your very Souls do breath and pant after the Lord, verily the life of Christ is in you, if it be [Page 198] indeed so with you, and God will hear those breath­ings in you, Lam. 3.56. Hide not thine ear at my breathings. The blessed God will not hide his Ear from the breathings of his poor Children.

Only let crying, panting Souls, take heed, that this breath be not stopt nor intermitted; 'tis a most dangerous thing to intermit the breath of Prayer, that it grows weaker and fainter; it will be a sign un­to you, and a sad one too, that the New-Creature is rather decaying, than encreasing in you.

Be not contented with no more praying than will just, as we say, hold Life and Soul togerher; that is to live at a very low rate, but just to live, if that. As breathing takes in the Air, revives, enlar­geth the Natural Spirits, renders the whole man lively and lightsom, and vigorous, so doth this con­stant Spiritual breathing with God, and after God; it enlargeth the Heart, revives the Soul, keeps fresh­ness and vigour of Spirit in the way of God; when God comes in with a full gale upon the soul, how sweetly is it refreshed, how doth faintness, weari­ness, indisposition, go off, and the Spirit of a poor Creature is chearful with God, and blessedly de­lights it self in him. Oh, delight to be every where, in every way, where God breaths upon the hearts of his people, and where they breath after him.

And let new living Souls take heed by the way, how their hearts do pant after the Earth and World, and the contentments of it: This will as much damp Spiritual Life, and breath in the Soul, as any evil whatsoever: Lay your hearts to the fulness and sweetness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and breath strongly for them, and those things will be but wind and vanity.

[Page 199]1. But I must proceed: I come now to speak of the next discovery of the New-Creature, and that is, it hath new senses; That you may see how fully it answers the frame of man, as a Living Creature, and what a New-Creation this is: As the New-Crea­ture hath a New-Nature, a new inward life, and hath a new breathing, so it hath new Spiritual Senses: So the Apostle, Heb. 5.14. speaks of the Exercise of Spi­ritual Senses. And as the Natural Life is exercised and preserved by Senses, so is also this new Spiritual Life of the New Creature, which I shall mention par­ticularly.

First, There is a New Ear given to this New-Creature: This Jesus Christ hath frequently promi­sed, that he would open the deaf Ear: So Job 36.10. He openeth also their Ear to Discipline, and command­eth that they return from iniquity. The hearing Ear, and the seeing Eye, the Lord hath made even both of them, Prov. 20.12. By this opening the Ear, is meant the opening of the Heart; as 'tis said of Lydia, Act. 16. Whose heart the Lord opened: The heart is shut up naturally, and naturally cannot hear the voice of the Spirit, till the Lord himself open it. A natural man hears no more than the voice of a man, and the Let­ter of the Word, but when this New-Creature is formed, he is ennabled to hear the voice of Jesus Christ himself, the voice of the Spirit, Joh. 10.27. My sheep hear my voiee. A Soul can then say, This the Lord speaks to me in special; This is the voice of Christ that calls me, to come to him, and that Soul comes; Jesus Christ speaks with a convincing, par­ticular, powerful Word, and the Heart being opened to receive it, obeys it as his voice: And so in every Ordinance, 'tis the voice of the Spirit of Christ the New-Creature waits for; He that hath an ear to [Page 200] hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Church­es, Rev. 3. last.

Secondly, The New-Creature hath a new seeing eye: The eyes of the Understanding opened, to see into the blessed and hidden mysteries of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; saith the Apostle of the Natural man, Eye hath not seen, 1 Cor. 2.9. And, seeing, they see not, Matth. 13. But Christ speaking of called Disci­ples, saith, Blessed are your eyes, for they see, &c. They have a new sight of God in Jesus Christ, which sight doth abase them, and also draw them to Jesus Christ. The Vail being in part taken away, they can look into the things of God which they saw not before, the Scriptures begin to be unveiled, and they see be­yond the Letter of them, into the Life and Spiritua­lity of them. And thus the Lord Jesus promised of old, especially as to New-Testament-days, I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight, &c. Isa. 42.16.

Thirdly, There is a new power of tasting given to the Soul, as another Spiritual Sense, which before the Soul had to no purpose. A new and blessed tasting of the good Word of Life, Thy word is sweeter than the Honey-Comb, Psal. 19. How sweet are thy words unto my mouth, Psal. 119.103. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious, 1 Pet. 2.2. there is a new tast of the bitterness of sin: The heart knows its own bitterness, saith the Wise-man: A Tasting of the special, free, and precious love of Christ: A tasting of the goodness of God in mercies. And thus there is a savoury spirit given to the New-Creature, where­by he doth delightfully savour the things of Je­sus Christ, and can speak savourly of them to others.

[Page 201] Fourthly, Add to this a new smelling, to which the Spouse of Christ often alludes in Solomon's Songs, Because of the savour of thy good Ointments, Chap. 1.3. speaking of Jesus Christ, who is a new and preci­ous Perfume to the Soul: Who is this that cometh out of the Wilderness, perfumed with Myrrh and Frankin­cense? Chap. 3.6. so saith the word of the promise, Chap. 4.6. — His smell shall be as Lebanon: And when Jesus Christ breaths in his Ordinances upon blessed Souls, it is as sweet and delightsom Perfume to them.

Fifthly, There is a new feeling wrought as an effect of this new life, which the Soul hath in Christ, when a new Creature is in him. The natural man is with­out feeling, as a dead man is; let never so great a weight lie on a dead man, and he feels not, but now take a Soul created into Christ, and he feels a new weight within him, Heb. 12.1. Sin is not only a burden, as to the weight of Guilt, but every corrup­tion (even when the sense of guilt is removed by Je­sus Christ) is a Weight to the Soul, under which the Soul crys out, mourns, groans to be delivered, Rom. 7.24. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Sin hangs like a dead body about him.

Ʋse. If the Gospel-New-Creature is a living new-Creature, and doth exercise Spiritual Life, and hath new spiritual senses, Let this then be a word of Try­al, to discover the state of your Souls. Can you say, I that was dead, am alive? I was once spiritually dead, without feeling, did neither see nor hear nor tast in a spiritual way; but now the Lord, in rich grace, hath opened my deaf ear, and my blind eyes, now I have heard the Lord himself speak to my soul; now I have seen the Lord, and my heart is taken [Page 202] with him: Now I savour▪ the Word of Grace, and the Ministration of the Gospel is a sweet savour in Christ to me, the Name of Jesus Christ is as good Ointment to me: Now I feel a body of sin, and groan under it, and press after the destroying and crucify­ing of it. Souls, If this be not your Experience, you are dead; your are without the Life of God, and Christ in you.

Oh! Go to God, Sinner, as you have been exhort­ed, and cry to him to open your ear to hear, and your eye to see: Be convinced, that as yet your Ear hath been stopt, as to hearing the Lord himself speak to you. Oh say, Wo is me, that I am where the Lord useth to speak, under the Ministration of his Gospel, and yet he never spake to my Soul. Doth the Lord love me, and never speak to me?

Pity, Lord, Pity a poor, deaf, blind, stupid, unsa­voury Wretch, and breath life into me; and then wait for the Lords Voice in his Word. Now let the Spirit himself speak unto me, and unveil my heart, that I may see into the Mysteries of Jesus Christ, and may savour them upon my poor Soul.

2. Let living Souls in Christ exercise their Spiri­tual Senses, keep the Ear open to, and waiting for the Spirits Voice, be prying into the Mystery of God in Christ, and all Gospel-Truth, get a clearer sight of Jesus Christ, till you shall be infinitely taken with him, and love him for himself: And keep the heart savoury, and the precious scent of Gospel-grace up­on your Spirits, and labour so to feel the weight of the body of sin, how it poiseth, polluteth, cloudeth the Soul, that you may come to that frame, to cry out to be delivered from it. And let it be abundant matter of Praise to the Riches of Grace, that God hath given life and senses to your Souls, which he [Page 203] might have left under the death of sin, to all Eter­nity.

5. The next Discovery of our Gospel-New-Crea­ture is this, namely, He hath a new heart. So E­zek. Chap. 18.31. — Make you a new heart, and a new spirit, which the Lord hath in Free-grace pro­mised in the New-Covenant, Chap. 36.26. A new heart will I give you: Which I shall precisely consi­der, and shew particularly wherein the heart is made new.

1. The heart naturally in its old, corrupt frame, is a Rebellious heart; Jer. 5.23. This people have a re­bellious heart: The usual complaint of the Prophets. Now when the Lord makes the heart new, he be­gins to take away the Rebellion of heart, as it natural­ly opposeth the Word, Power, and Spirit of God, and the heart is made obedient and pliable to the Power of the Word, the Spirit's Teachings, Isa. 1.19. If ye be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the Land; but if you refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured, &c. My people shall be willing in the day of my power, Psal. 110. The heart of it self is stubborn, obstinate, unwilling to stoop to the power of Truth, to yield to Jesus Christ, but when it is made new, it becomes of a yieldable frame, to the practical Obedience of Gospel-Truths.

2. The heart, as an effect of the former, is natural­ly hard and impenitent, Rom. 2.5. cannot mourn for sin: But when 'tis made new, God makes it soft, Ezek. 36.27. I will take away the stoney heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh; which is a soft and tender heart, whereby a Soul can pour out its complaints to God: Yea, the heart will pour out it self like water to the Lord, Lam. 2.19. The heart re­ceives impressions of truth, as by its softness 'tis more [Page 204] and more wrought to a new frame, as in the hand of the Lord.

3. The Heart is naturally proud, and makes the sinner self-conceited, and well opinioned of his own condition, and will not suffer the sinner to abase himself to God, and to take shame to himself: But, when a new work of God is upon it, the sinner hum­bles himself under the mighty hand of God, bears his reproach before him, and crys out, Oh! What shall I do for an humble heart? Lord, take away, subdue pride in a wretched Creature, James 4.10. Now he becomes a poor self-emptied Creature, undone, helpless, and to a full Christ he at last goes.

4. The Heart is naturally Hypocritical: The Hy­pocrite in heart heaps up wrath, Job 36.13. Now when God makes the Heart new, then it begins to be sin­cere, in some good measure, for God; before the poor deceived sinner thought he did all with a good heart, that he did bear much upon, that he did all with a good heart; but when God shews him his heart by the Candle of his Word and Spirit, then the poor Creature sees what a Hell of Hypocrisie was, and is within him; that he acted in all his Duties, as from himself, so to himself, and not uprightly unto God: But when the Lord new frames the heart, then the Soul is after new, sincere, holy aims for God in all it does, is most abased for selfish and hypocritical mixtures, and would account nothing well done, but as God is designed in it, and labours to walk in simplicity of heart, and godly sincerity, as of God, and in the sight of God, &c. 2 Cor. 1.12.

5. The old heart is full of all uncleanness and im­purity, and cares not to be cleansed: So saith Christ to the Jews, Matth. 23.27. Within you are full of dead [Page 205] mens bones, (rottenness) and of all uncleanness. But now when the New-Creature is forming up, then the heart is after purifying; Purifie your hearts, ye double minded, James 4.8. Then what a blessedness would a pure heart be, saith a poor creature? Oh! that my heart were cleansed! Wash thine heart, saith God, Jer. 4.14. Oh! that it were washed, saith the New-Creature! And this is one of the most special works a New-Creature will be after, as he is more formed up in Holiness, to keep the heart pure, as a Temple for God.

6. The Heart naturally is dead, as already hinted, and feels not its own deadness; but when renewed, then the heart doth live that seeks God, Psalm 22.26. It feels, and mourns over its own deadness, and crys out, Quicken, Oh quicken me, Oh God! No Duty is well performed then, but as the Heart lives, in some measure in that Duty. Now it feels its own burdens, pollutions, lusts, corruptions, carnality, earthiness, and bewails it before the Lord.

7. The Heart is naturally divided between Christ and the World, Christ and Lusts, Hosea 10.2. Their heart is divided: But under its renewings, the heart, as to the main bent of it, makes a whole close with Christ; the great business of a Soul then is, to give the whole heart up to Christ, and fears he can never do it fully and singly enough; and when the heart lust­eth after other things, so far as it is renewed, it is fetcht in again to Jesus Christ.

8. The heart of it self is unbelieving: Take heed lest there be in you an heart of unbelief, Hebr. 3. Now when the heart is made New, there is a Work of Faith with power, 2 Thess. 1.11. And then the soul is made sensible of that bitter root of Unbelief, that is natu­rally in their hearts, and they find it the hardest work [Page 206] in the world, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, to fix on Promises, and that a believing heart is a special gift of God, and a work of the Spirit; which while a poor sinner was shut up under Unbelief, he felt not.

Ʋse 1. To unchanged persons, who are the same in heart as ever they were; Oh, learn by what hath been opened, what is the natural make and frame of them: There is in you a Rebellious heart against the Lord, and wilful obstidacy against his Word and Spi­rit, and therefore 'tis that you cast the Word of the Lord from you, and in your hearts despise it, and say, This is not the Word of the Lord, and we will not obey it: You have hard and impenitent hearts, and therefore you do not mourn for sin; you have proud hearts, and are well-conceited of your condition, though damnable, and therefore you do not humble your selves to God; you have Hypocritical Hearts, and see it not full of Hell, of Uncleanness, dead in sin, and without feeling, a heart divided between Christ and the World, unbelieving, and yet say, you have Faith: If thou canst not make out a Newness upon thy heart, as we have shewed, thou hast still thine old heart, with its lusts, and thy estate is as yet dam­nable, let thy Knowledge, Profession, Outward-blamelessness, be what it will.

2. Oh, therefore, let this Word be yet for further Tryal of your Estate. Can you say to the praise of free and rich Grace, that God hath in some measure taken away your Rebellious Heart from you, and you can stoop and yield to the power of Truth, and re­joyce in it, that God hath made your heart soft in some measure, and the Pride of your hearts, in the false conceit you had of your selves, hath a stroak [Page 207] from God upon it, that God hath shewed you your deep and cursed Hypocrisie, and how your heart was divided, and was wholly unbelieving; and that the Remnants of these wickednesses in you, of heart re­bellion, hardness, pride, hypocrisie, pollution, un­belief, are your greatest burden, and you mourn over them daily.

If this be not your Experience, let that man or woman know, he or she is a Hypocrite and Unbeliev­er, and sees it not, &c.

3. Therefore, let it convince you, and exhort you to go and fall down before the Lord, and beg him to open your hearts (which naturally are shut up in Darkness) and to abase you in the sense of your Re­bellion, and that he would even do this for you in much Mercy, to take away a rebellious, hard, proud heart from you, and would make your hearts plia­ble to the Word, and make them soft and humble before him, and to close with the whole heart with Jesus Christ, through a work of Faith upon you. Do this in the fear of the Lord, and through his Grace coming upon you, and see what God will do for you; and you will be your own wonders, that ever such abominations should lye hid in your hearts, and yet you not be confounded in your selves in the sense of them.

4. Let Souls that are through infinite grace, un­der some heart-renewings, know that they have ne­ver done with this Work, till they come to Glory: Yea, Soul, thou hast depths of rebellion, pride, hypocri­sie, pollution, unbelief, which yet thou hast not reach'd to; and therefore as thou must ascribe all to Grace, for what the Lord hath done upon thee, and remem­ber, to thy greater humbling, how much adoe the Lord had with thee, to bring thy heart under so [Page 208] much as it is; so to consider, that the Candle of the Lord must more and more search thy dark and deep heart, and 'tis to be thy daily work, or else all these evils will again much prevail upon thee.

Love therefore a searching Word from the Ser­vants of Christ that are over you.

6. The next Discovery of the Gospel New-Crea­ture is this; namely, The Gospel New-Creature hath New Affections.

Briefly to instance in some of the chief.

1. The New-Creature hath new fear: The fear of an eternal Condition, that first usually seizeth upon a convinced sinner; the fear of a just and angry God against sin; and, at last, upon its renewing, a holy, awful fear of God, as great, and holy, and good; a fear of sinning against him, and that because he is gracious. Naturally this affection of fear in a carnal heart is conversant about the loss of outward things, about shame in the World, and the like; and so far as it respects God, his Soul, 'tis a slavish fear of break­ing out of some grosser sins only, lest God should damn him; but not fearing the Lord with a graci­ous Son-like fear, a fear that purifies the Heart, a fear that is mixt with a blessed love of God, and delight in his ways.

2. The Heart is exercised with new Sorrow: A godly sorrowing for sin, such sins which were once the delight of the Heart; such a sorrowing that works an Indignation against the Darling sins, a ta­king of a kind of Revenge of our selves for it, a vehe­ment desire after pleasing of God and Holiness, 2 Cor. 7.11. There is a sorrowing over a crucified Christ, and a sorrowing after him; and well is a poor soul, when it can go in secret, and have this affection most exer­cised [Page 209] with sighs, and groans, and tears, and sad com­plaints against it self.

3. There is a new joy by degrees instilled in the Soul, of which though there are various measures; to the Children of God, yet every New-Creature can go thus far, though not in that vigour of Spirit he would do, that (when the Spirit is free from great distempers) it can say, he hath some joy that he is deliver'd from the dominion and thraldom of lusts, that 'tis its joy to go before God; I will go unto God my exceeding joy, Psal. 43.4. Even when under some disquietness of Spirit; as verse 2. Why dost thou cast me off?

Yea, will a poor soul say, God and Communion with him, (could I see his face) would be my great­est joy. And the carnal joy of the heart, when it breaks forth, leaves the soul but more in heaviness, and the New-Creature would have his joy run spi­ritual.

4. Upon this the New-Creature hath New de­lights: The Word of God becomes his delight, seek­ing the face of God and the People of God; Delight thy self in God, Psal. 37. And his chief delight is in the Saints, Psal. 16.3. The heart cannot, as it could formerly, delight it self in folly, and in vanity, and in vain carnal ways and people, but is rather bur­thened with them.

5. The Soul is raised and engaged in a new Love: The Heart is taken with Jesus Christ above all things, and loves him most; and loves God because he is Holy, loves his Word, and loves those that love him most: Every New-Creature can say, as David, I love the Lord, Psalm 18.1. and 116.1. Yea, the soul is brought to love Jesus Christ for him­self; He is the beloved of the Soul, and not only [Page 210] the grace, and peace, and blessing, and Heaven that he gives. And to Love Jesus Christ, and to express it to the utmost, is the frame of soul that a Convert presseth most after, and he would get the heart more purged, mortified, spirituallized, that it might go forth in Love to Christ more strongly and sweet­ly, and enjoy the precious perfumes of his Love more constantly.

6. The Soul is raised to a New hope; a new hope of Heaven and Glory, which before was feigned and deceitful: Now the Soul is after a well-bottom'd, real, lively hope of Heaven: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope, &c. Oh! the new and blessed hopes that a soul doth more and more reach to (when distempers and darkness is not upon it) of seeing Jesus Christ as he is, living with him for ever, of being perfect­ly sinless and holy, of Joys that shall be endless, of being swallowed up with divine Glory, when the Spirit of the Father doth breath most sweet­ly, and mostly raises the heart to glimpses of Heaven.

Ʋse. As we go along, we would put things to try­al; therefore say in good earnest, Soul, Hast thou had new fears upon thy Soul, as to an eternal con­dition? and is the fear of sin, and of the living God, upon thy heart? and doth this fear keep thy Heart awful and watchful? say, hast thou had new sorrows for sin, and 'tis thy Trouble they are no more abundant? Can'st thou joy in going to God, and in the Word of his grace, and are spiritual things thy delight? Doest thou find a heart-closing Love to Jesus Christ above all, and canst thou love God, [Page 211] because he is Holy, and thou wouldst be like un­to him; and hast thou new experienc'd hopes of Heaven?

Say, soul, Do all thy affections run in a new Chan­nel, and the stream of them, in the main, turned from world and vanity, to the Ocean of God in Christ, his fulness, goodness, love, grace and glory? and that when thy affections, or any one of them are diverted and turned aside, thou canst and doest go to God to have them fetcht in again, and thou wouldst have all the affections of thy Soul run freely, clearly, spiritually, fully, strongly upon Jesus Christ? and thou art humbled, that they are carnal and worldly in any measure?

If this be not thy case, but the affections of thy heart are wholly fleshly and worldly; thy fears, thy sorrows are about worldly things, thy joys, thy de­lights about carnal pleasures, and worldly increase, thy love goeth after the world in an uninterrupted, unmortified course, thy hopes going forth about great things for thy self, and thy hopes for Heaven lye at all uncertainty, and thou dost suffer it to be so; verily thou art unchanged, and hast no part as yet in New-Creature-blessedness.

Only let me add this Caution, that in this matter of the New creature, you take the whole frame to­gether; and therefore do not rest only in this, that you have had your affections something stirred in hearing the Gospel, some fears, and sometimes the heart a little melted, and some joy for a time in the Word; which affections may sometime stir in a soul, whose heart is not subdued and changed, and so it wears off again, but carry your selves back to what I have said, that you mainly look to the Rebellion, Pollution, Hypocrisie, Unbelief of the [Page 212] heart; that these be in good earnest, still a subdu­ing you.

3. And so also for real Converts, though you should labour to preserve your affections, lively, sa­voury, yet look mostly to the sincerity and spiritua­lity of them, or else when they wax faint again (as that may be) you be at a great loss of your Con­solation; neither do you always measure your selves by the stirring and overflowing of affections, but ra­ther by the abasement of your spirits, hearts, purity, and sincerity, and the holiness of your affections, and your acting faith in all your duties, which will pro­cure a more lasting way of peace and comfort; though when thus rectified, the going out of strong and tender affections is exceeding sweet and precious, and most desirable by all Saints.

(7.) The next discovery of the New-Creature is this, (which I may consider with some distinction from the former) The Gospel New-Creature hath new thoughts.

By the Thoughts I understand the pondering, mu­sing part of the Mind, (that I may speak plainly to all) the imaginations, fancies, purposes, medita­tings, musings of the Mind of man, which are very much altered, where there is a new and divine work and power in the Soul.

To this the Prophet speaks, as to saving conver­sion, Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, &c. So that a Soul returning to the Lord, forsakes his vile thoughts, and doth not give way to them, and feed them as before. So Jer. 4.14. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? And Psalm 119.113. I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love.

[Page 213]To shew a little, why the thoughts of the heart shall be changed, and then more particularly, how.

In a natural heart, All the imaginations of it are evil continually, Gen. 5.6. They became vain in their ima­ginations, and their foolish heart was darkned, Rom. 1.21. Where the thoughts, as issues of the lusts, do rove to and fro at full liberty, without any effe­ctual controul.

1. As first, Atheistical thoughts; secretly deny­ing God, his Justice, Holiness, Word, or that God will not judge sinners according to the rigour of his Word; Thou thoughtest (saith God) I was al­together such a one as thy self; and Psalm 50.21. The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God, Psalm 14.1. For when he sins against him presumptu­ously, he doth strike at his very Being, Justice, and Holiness, and either saith in his heart, There is no God to judge him, or secretly wisheth there were none.

2. Prophane thoughts, according to the most pre­dominant lustings of the heart, do act a natural heart; as vain, unclean, proud, worldly thoughts, which are in contrivance to make provision for the lusts of it, the heart even continually exercis'd with unclean, proud, wrathful, revengful, or cove­tous practices; therefore saith the Wisdom of God, Prov. 15.26. The thoughts of the wicked are an abo­mination to the Lord: Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, Adulteries, Murders, Thefts, &c. Matth. 15.19. The evil thoughts get up and act over wickedness, and then they purpose and contrive for the acting of it, and set the whole man on work to make provision, and to effect it; which though s being drawn forth by sinful objects, or the working [Page 214] of the fancy, and the Devil working by both, do break forth into abominable practices, unless restrain­ed by the Lord; for indeed the Fancy, the imagi­native Faculty is the very Forge of the Devil, where he frames all the wickedness that is brought forth.

Now these being the natural actings of the thoughts of the heart as unchanged, there must ne­cessarily ensue a new working of thoughts upon the change [...]

O [...]y observe by the way, by this any sinner may know how it stands with his Soul: If Atheistical, prophane, unclean, worldly thoughts, carry the heart an end, and rove up and down at liberty, and the heart even delightfully feeds on them, without going to God, and mourning over them, for their purging and mortifying, or no; or but an unwil­ling resistance of them, how dwelleth then the grace of God in thee? verily not at all, and therefore re­flect upon thy self, for by this thou mayst know the state of thy heart, and thy lusts are yet in their strength, and rule in thee, and will post thee to Hell, if the Lord meet not with thee.

A gracious heart hath bubling up of such thoughts, and the Devil casts in suggestions to set them a work, but they lodge not there long, but they are resisted and purged.

Take therefore these Notes of a carnal unchanged heart.

(1.) Such a soul makes little or no conscience of thoughts: Thoughts are free, say wretched souls, but that's a Proverb suggested by the Devil. (2.) Such a soul is not humbled, doth not mourn for wicked thoughts, but only looks to the outward man a little. (3.) Such a soul doth not bring them to [Page 215] the blood of Jesus Christ to be purged. (4.) He doth not conflict with them, resist, check, hate them. (5.) He doth not watch the thoughts of the heart, nor labour to set them upon holy Objects: If it be thus with thee sinner, thy heart works wickedness, and thou art loathsom in the sight of the holy God, who knoweth and observeth all thy thoughts afar off, Psal. 139. and will one day reckon with thee for them: What dost thou but even deny God to be the great searcher of hearts, the All-seeing God, who carest not how vain, vile, wicked, unclean, pro­phane, loathsom, devilish, the thoughts of thy heart are?

But wherein doth this newness of thoughts shew it self.

1. The New-Creatures Thoughts are changed, as to himself; who thought well of himself, as to Heaven and Happiness before, but now seeth him­self vile, and hath worse thoughts of himself than any one in the world can have of him.

2. He hath new thoughts of God: New thoughts of his Holiness, and Justice, and Greatness, and Glory; Oh! how great is God, how holy, how just; and so is greatly abased before him. He hath new thoughts of his goodness, grace, and love to poor sinners, upon which the thoughts do much work, thoughts of admiration and praise, and the soul delights in holy and gracious musings of it.

He hath New Thoughts of Jesus Christ, of his Person, Grace, Blood, Righteousness, Spirit, Word, People. Before he had poor, low, empty, carnal, unsa­voury thoughts of Christ, but the heart being chang­ed, and the Mind enlightned by the Holy Ghost, the Thoughts work towards Jesus Christ, the Soul [Page 216] hath deep and serious thoughts of his grace and love, precious thoughts of him.

4. He hath new thoughts of Eternity, of an Eter­nal condition, which much possess the Heart what may become of his Soul: What will it profit to gain the World, and lose his soul? How he may treasure up for Heaven, make sure work for Heaven, what­ever be his condition in this world; and the serious and frequent thoughts of this, do much poize the Spi­rit of a Believer.

5. He hath new thoughts of the ways of God, and Holiness; before he thought basely, or notionally of them, now he hath real thoughts of Holiness, and of the ways of Jesus Christ, he doth believe, and finds a reallity in them, and hath good thoughts of them, as to engage his soul to them.

6. He hath New Thoughts of Holy People, whom before he esteemed Hypocrites, and Pharisees, Facti­ous, and the like; that their strictness was their Pride and Hypocrisie; but now he honoureth them most, is humbled greatly for such thoughts of them, and prizeth them as the Excellent of the Earth, and their company will be most desirable, and most de­lightful to him, Psal. 16.

Ʋse 1. To sinners, that you do go to God, and get your hearts possessed with such thoughts of God as these are, how great, how just, how holy he is; and this will make you tremble at going on in your pol­lutions any more. Bethink your selves of the state of your souls, and of an eternal condition: Saith Da­vid, I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies, Psal. 119.59. Bethink your selves how short a time it is e're an eternal condition shall pass upon you, and how long the blessed God hath wait­ed [Page 217] to be gracious to you; and get new thoughts of Jesus Christ, and get to his feet, and make a resign­ment of your selves to him; and then your thoughts will go after more excellent, and soul-quieting, and soul-delighting Objects, than hitherto you have been exercised with.

2. To such as are New-Creatures in Christ, and have New Thoughts of themselves, of God, his Ju­stice, Holiness, Greatness, Graciousness of Christ, of Eternity, of the ways and people of the Lord, let this be a word of Exhortarion to you, to look to your Thoughts; saith the Wisdom of God, Prov. 23.7. As he thinketh in his heart, so is he. A Soul is before the Lord, according to the thoughts of his heart. Oh take heed of giving way to, and feeding vain, unclean, unholy thoughts of any kind, and let me press it upon you with these Motives.

1. Consider, that such thoughts are your sins, lay that to heart. God may justly damn a soul for unho­ly Thoughts: Know, thou may'st commit Adultery, or Murder, in thy Heart, though it break not forth actually. If thou hast done foolishly, in lifting up thy self, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, Prov. 30.32. This will help to keep thy heart in awe.

2. That God's Eye is strictly and continually up­on the Thoughts of thine Heart, Psal. 139.2. and therefore David cries out to God, to search his heart for them. Oh, did a gracious Soul still consider this, that the jealous Eye of God is upon every thought and motion of his heart to sin, it would make him look closely to the Thoughts of his Heart.

3. Consider, that evil thoughts and musings of sin, are the beginning of all open wickedness, Jam. 1. [Page 218] 15. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and such thoughts are usually set on fire by the Devil.

4. They do defile the soul, Mat. 15.20. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, &c. These are the things which defile a man: Which defilements unfits the soul for communion with God; they make a filthy pud­dle in the Soul and what a case is a poor Creature in to come to God, in Duty, in such a pickle.

5. Evil Thoughts do pervert the Heart from God, which should be fixed upon him; they draw away the strength of the heart from God; they suck up the juice and marrow of the heart, which should be spent in spiritual things in Jesus Christ.

6. Such Thoughts do grieve the Spirit: Nothing more; the Spirit cannot delight to teach and com­fort, when the heart is mostly acted by foolish and unholy Thoughts.

7. When such Thoughts are acted in the Soul, God may leave you to the power of them, to break out to some grievous fall, and so may ship-wrack your peace and comforts for a great while, and go with broken bones, and it may cost you much bitterness, before you are healed.

8. If vain, carnal Thoughts, are not resisted at first, but given way to, they are hardly check't and subdued, and turned upon other Objects, and there­fore to watch the first Risings of them.

Now, not one of these Considerations, but may make a Child of God to tremble, how he lets forth his heart into vain, carnal, idle, defiling thoughts and musings, which do so much wast a gracious Spirit, and lay him open to such woful dangers as these are.

To help a Child of God in this spiritual Work of looking to, and a holy ordering the Thoughts of his Heart.

[Page 219]1. Be deeply humbled to God, with abhorring and loathing for Atheistical, unclean, proud, vain, foo­lish, worldly thoughts, that croud in upon you; when you make them your Burden, you will be the sooner eased.

2. Delight thy self much in the Word of God, not only in Publick Hearing, but Daily Reading; and not only Reading, but getting some good word upon thy heart, that may season thy thoughts and affe­ctions: Saith David, I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love, Psal. 119.113. The love of the Word of God made him be so far from cherishing vain Thoughts, that he did hate them. It doth appear this was a special part of David's exercise of Spirit, to get some blessed Word upon his heart, and he thinking of it, and so it did turn into the sweet and wholesom nourishment of the New-creature: Oh how I love thy Law, it is my meditation all the day: Blessed and holy practice, worthy a gracious Saint indeed; you have one word especially that David had much on his heart, out of the Books of Moses; (for we know not whether any other Scripture were then exant) 'tis that of Exod. 34.6. where the Lord saith, he will proclaim his Name and Glory: The Lord God merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abun­dant in goodness and truth, which you have in Psalm 103.8. Psal. 86.15. and 145.8. Happily one of those sweet words which he often magnifies: How hath a single word dwelt upon the heart of a Child of God, and hath kept the heart savoury for Christ.

3. The next Remedy against such Thoughts, is, Much Prayer, diligence, fervency, pouring out the heart to God, till the heart melts, and runs forth sweetly, spiritually, and is engaged with God, and [Page 220] hath a sight of him, and a divine impression of God's Majesty left upon the soul.

4. Get more and more brokenness of heart for sin; when the Heart hath been broken, 'twill not so ea­sily get into Vanity again: At least, a Child of God should take care that it should not; when the heart is broken and mourning, the Spirit doth wonderful­ly in that work refine the heart: All the sleight­ness, vanity, defilement, distraction, that comes upon the New-Creature, is mostly for want of this.

5. Mortification of that Corruption that is most apt to stir, doth much cure our thoughts: Inor­dinate Affections are the Saints greatest Evils, and do bespeak an unmortified heart, as to what a Child of God should still be pressing after, even to be dead, and crucified with Christ. Those that are Christs, have crucified their Affections and Lusts, Gal. 5.22.

6. Contending for a Spiritual Heart: So far as the Heart is spiritual, it acts spiritually: 'Tis the carnality of Heart that works up all those frothy di­stempers that defile us. Paul's corruption was much let out upon him, when he cries out of the carnali­ty of his Heart, Rom. 7. which should be the daily complaint of God's poor Children.

7. A great help to the preserving the Thoughts of the Heart, according to the New-Creature, will be to consider, How precious the thoughts of God are to his people, Psal. 139.17. How precious also are thy thoughts, O God, unto me? How great is the sum of them? If I should count them, they are more in num­ber than the sands, &c. David in v. 2. was considering how God's Eye was upon his Thoughts, and 'twas a means to rectifie them, and then David's Thoughts [Page 221] run forth in the sweet and blessed apprehension of the preciousness of Gods thoughts in him, from all Eternity, and in the ways of his Covenant towards him: If Gods thoughts to us be holy, and preci­ous, and ever towards us, the thoughts of his Ser­vants should be so also, and as little common and unsavoury as may be.

More particularly, let us yet consider what bles­sed, and excellent, and glorious things, such as are New-Creatures in Christ have, to exercise their thoughts about.

1. Gracious Souls have the Attributes of God to exercise the thoughts of their Hearts in; the In­finiteness of God, his Greatness, Holiness, Glory, &c. A blessed Exercise for Saints indeed! So we find the Scripture-Saints sweetly taken up with contem­plation and admiration of the Excellencies of God himself; Thou art glorious in Holiness, Exod. 15.11. saith Moses. But Thou art holy, saith David, Psal. 22. Oh how great is thy Goodness! Psalm 8.31. as might be abundantly shewed; and the exercise of the thoughts this way, hath a powerful influence up­on the Heart, as to its abasement, purity, sinceri­ty.

2. Saints have the riches and freeness of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, towards poor sinners, to be taken up withal: Oh, the free, rich, distinguishing Grace of God to a poor Creature, that was posting to Hell, that was a Rebellious Wretch, a vile Hypocrite, the worst of sinners, the most unlikely to be converted of any sinner in the world. We have David and Paul's hearts swallowed up in this above any other; as David in many Psalms is in the admiration of grace, and Paul in most of his Epistles makes it his great scope, as the great Argument, to be not on­ly [Page 222] believing, but humble and holy, and heavenly, all their days, especially Col. 1. and Ephes. 1st. 2d. and 3d. Chapters.

3. Saints have the unsearchable Riches of Jesus Christ to take up their thoughts with, the Excellen­cies and Dignities of his Person, the Beauty and Glo­ry that is in him, the depths of his love, the match­less price of his blood, his bowels to sinners, his care of his Churches: Oh these are things worthy the thoughts of Saints indeed!

4. They have to take up their thoughts, the glo­rious blessedness of the forgiveness of their sins: What a blessed state, a state of forgiveness in the blood of Jesus Christ is! Blessed, Oh blessed for ever, are they whose iniquities are forgiven! Bless the Lord, O my soul, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, &c. Psal. 103. God hath not appointed me to wrath, but to obtain salvation through my Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thes. 5. Oh blessed extasie, for a poor, called, pardoned Be­liever to be in!

5. Such as are New-Creatures in Christ, they have the Mystery of the New-Covenant, the everlastingness of it to bring their hearts to, and to work the Promi­ses thereof upon their hearts, to muse on the returns of their Prayers, to behold the continual Providen­ces of God towards them, and his ways of mercy and kindness to them.

6. They have the shortness of their time, the va­nity of their lives, the certainty of Death to muse on; Lord, make me to know the number of my days, that I may know how frail I am: Yea, they have a future and eternal state of Blessedness and Glory to have their thoughts swallowed up into: That they shall one day see Jesus Christ, as he is in all his glo­ry, and never look off him any more: They shall do [Page 223] nothing else but love him, enjoy perpetual commu­nion of Saints, be praising, admiring, adoring the blessed Majesty of God for ever and ever.

Oh! If there are such excellent and blessed things, for the thoughts of the holy-ones of God to be ex­ercised in; Oh! what base Dunghil hearts have such that pore upon nothing but earth and filth. Let it not be so with such that have tasted the good and sweetness of those things, that have real substan­tial soul-filling goodness in them: What matter of Complaint to God's poor Children, whose hearts are too too apt to sink earthwards, pois'd with weights that they cannot keep them up in the vi­sion of God, his Christ, and what ever is blessed in him; Oh! when the thoughts of your hearts must be taken up with your Callings, which cannot be done without it, keep a Watch over them, let them not run forth to sinful distempers, but that you may be fit to go to God, and converse with him, and get the blessed savour of these things upon your hearts, and do not let out your thoughts to idleness, and soul-defiling vanity, and feed upon vanity, when there are such solid glorious things to feed upon, which you expect to be taken up with, in an infinite unwearied delight to all eternity.

And do not suffer the Devil to take up his abode, by his subtle and sudden suggestions, or more close insinuations upon you. If he make his Inroads, re­sist, check, defie with abhorrency his first At­tempts, before he work up corruption in you: And remember still, your spirits and bodies are the Tem­ples of God, and the Temple of God must be holy, 1 Cor. 6.19, 20. What, know ye not, that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost that is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own, for ye are bought [Page 224] with a price, therefore glorifie God with your spirits and bodies, which are Gods: And thus much of this special evidence of the New-Creature, in the new­ness of his thoughts, and the acting of them.

8. The Eighth Discovery of the New-Creature is this,

The New-Creature hath a new Lip, a new Tongue, let loose to speak of God, and for God: And this al­so I shall a little insist upon: Saith our blessed Lord, A good man out of the good Treasure of his heart bring­eth forth good things, Matthew 12.35. Good, and wholsom, and savoury Words: To this we find the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures often pressing; saith the wise man, Prov. 20.15. The Lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel; The mouth of a righteous man is a well of Life; The lips of the righteous feed ma­ny, Prov. 10.11, 12. So the Apostle; Let no cor­rupt communication proceed out of your Mouth, but that which is good, to the use of Edifying, that it may mi­nister grace to the hearers, Ephes. 4.29. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, &c. Col. 4.6. By which places 'tis evident that a spe­cial discovery of the New-Creature is herein mani­fested.

1. The New-Creature hath a New Tongue to speak Savourly and Experimentally of the things of Christ, and the work of the Spirit, Because that which the heart is exercised with, it will be bring­ing forth. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh; an evil man out of the abundance of evil in his heart bringeth forth evil things, as a good man doth good things, Matth. 12.25, 28. If the heart and affections be spiritually exercised, the Tongue will be speaking forth.

[Page 225]2. Because thereby a New-Created Soul doth give glory to God; they speak of the Testimonies, works, goodness, grace, and the wonders of the Love of God to poor sinful Creatures: And hereby God is much glorified; Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell what he hath done for my Soul, Psal. 66.16.

3. Gracious hearts do hereby stir up the Grace of Christ in them; 'tis like the blowing of a spark, and makes the heart to glow e're it is aware; gracious Conference is the very breath of the Spirit, which kindles all our Graces afresh; as it was with the Disciples going to Emaus, Luke 24.32. Did not our hearts burn within, while he talked with us by the way.

4. Good Souls do not only profit themselves, in receiving good, but they profit others; one of the best ways that we do good, is in profiting weak Saints or Sinners; how hath a word spoken from a savoury person, humbly and wisely, dropt in upon the Soul of a sinner, which hath been its first awakening. And so upon a poor weak tempted Child of God, how seasonably hath God ordered a word for a poor soul from conference with another!

Ʋse. If a New-Creature in Christ hath a New Tongue as well as a new heart, then let it be for Conviction of sinners, whose Tongues as well as hearts are exercised in vanity, altogether in pro­phane, or vain, or carnal, or worldly Discourses; this shews there is no good treasure in the heart: The Apostle James follows this Conviction very closely, and makes it the Character of a carnal pretending [Page 226] Believer, or false and dead Faith, James 1.26. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans reli­gion is vain. 'Tis but a seeming to be religious, a vain Religion, where the tongue hath a carnal Liberty; and he calleth the Tongue a world of iniquity, set on fire of Hell, Jam. 3.6. an unruly evil, full of deadly poi­son, ver. 8. The evils of the Tongue that bespeak a sinner unregenerate, are these; and they are fre­quent among this generation.

1. Speaking evil of the Spirit of God, and ways of God, and People of God: Oh, such, say they, have the Spirit, that they be Holy, and they are so strict that they will not do such and such things as others do: This is a degree of Blasphemy, and borders up­on the brink of the unpardonable Sin. These are sti­led by the Apostle Revilers, 1 Cor. 5.11. & 6.11. and they, as such, shall not enter into the Kingdom of Hea­ven. The giving out of the Spirit upon plain mean­ing people, in the measure it now is, is a new thing, but not therefore to be despised and reviled.

Every Town and Family almost doth abound with this wickedness and dreadful provocation, and 'tis the saddest sign upon the generality of people what­soever; only, 'tis to be hoped, they do it through Ignorance, as Paul did, 1 Tim. 1.13. and God, as he hath done, may humble and convert many of them, to the praise of his Grace; only let sinners that have been frequently shewed the desperate wickedness of such speeches, of scoffing at the Spirit and Holiness, and call it Hypocrisie, tremble lest God give them up, when they sin against Conviction, and the clear light of the word in this matter.

Had I time to reason a little in the power of the [Page 227] Lord, with such souls; why, Consider seriously and in good earnest, Can you be so sottish, and so wilfully blinded, that have heard or read the Scrip­tures, to imagine that you are God's and Christ's, and have not the Spirit, and are not made Holy, nor crying to God that you may be holy? He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his; And, without Holiness you shall not see the Lord; How dare you then, in the A­theism and devilish wickedness of your hearts, scoff at the very Name of the Spirit and Holiness! The lowest place in Hell will be yours, that have been so often admonished of this, unless God smite you to the Earth for it: True Converts have the saddest Humiliation for this sin, as they have been more or less guilty of it.

2. Or you that are not so desperately carried forth in this open ungodliness, of speaking evil of what you know not, but yet make little Conscience of lying for your profit, or in excusing a matter, so you may do it covertly, and count, it a venial small sin; or you, that when provoked, swear prophanely, and desperately, tearing the Name of the great and dreadful God, wreaking your anger and wrath upon the Name of God, and the blood of Christ; your Tongues are set on fire on Hell, and the Spirit of Dis­obedience, the Devil worketh in you; not a drop of the Grace of God in you.

3. Or you who have your petty Oaths, by your Faith, by your Lady, and by Creatures, or make mention of the Name of God, and Lord, in your ordinary Discourse, vainly, and as a by-word, cry­ing, Oh Lord, upon every slight occasion, and for God's sake, and Christ's sake do this, and this, in poor trivial matters; verily there is nothing of the New-Creature in you: And yet these great Pro­phanesses [Page 228] you call your infirmities, and 'tis your infirmity to swear, when angry and provoked, and you say you forget your selves, when you menti­on the Name of the Lord God sleightly, or through Ignorance plead for it, that you may do so; I tell you, Souls, they are your reigning, damning sins, who are frequent in them: And in carnal prayer­less families, as most are, how oft in a day may these ungodly speeches be heard, by men, women and children? If the fear of God were upon you, or any work of Grace, you durst not do it, nor indeed could do: Therefore do but observe your selves a day, and see how often you are here guilty, and tremble before God, and go and humble your selves at his feet, that you may find mercy, and have ano­ther heart and mouth given unto you: Pray, and cry, and wait for the good treasure of the Word of Grace in your hearts, and 'twill be otherwise with you.

4. Yea, you who are engaged in worldly Discour­ses on the Sabbath-day, in your families, at your doors, in the streets, in idle and vain jesting; you are not of God, born again by his Spirit, you take no delight in the Word of God, the meditation of your heart is not in it, you speak little of it, be­cause you savour it not. Tremble you Worldlings, who shew it this way, at that Word, 1 John 5.5. They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them: If ye are of the world, you are not, as yet, of Jesus Christ, the power, love, of this present World ruleth in you, and that may damn you for ever.

Know, sinners, you that make little Conscience of vain, prophane words, (though you pretend to make some conscience of your word of promise to Men, for [Page 229] your credits sake, and so think you have grace, (all which a Turk will do) that by your words you shall be judged; and of idle words you shalt give an account at the day of Judgment; and by thy words thou shall be condemned, Mat. 12.36, 37. Such words as we have opened, to be damning sins. And therefore, do not put off this guilt from you, in saying, 'tis your in­firmity, and so make light of it; but know, 'tis guilt which will send you to Hell, if the Lord humble you not, and change you.

'Tis a certain Rule, a prophane heart, and a pro­phane mouth, a carnal heart, a carnal tongue, a world­ly heart, a worldly (yea Sabbath-days) tongue: Therefore, you are not New-Creatures in the least; and therefore begin with the heart, that the heart may be smitten of God for this sin, and changed, and sea­soned with the word and grace of Christ upon you; and it will be better with you, and you will have a tongue to speak well of the Spirit, and the things of God, and his People; and to speak for God, and re­verently of his Name, and delight your selves in it.

2. Let this be a word to such, as through grace are become New-Creatures in Christ, that you would shew it in this discovery, in a new Tongue, that you give not your selves that liberty of vain, carnal, much less prophane Discourses, as formerly; as in­deed you will not, if you be new Creatures. Men's Converse do either lye among such as are wholly carnal and worldly, or such as savour that which is good.

As to the former; as in all our carriage, so especi­ally in our Words, there is great caution to be had.

[Page 230]1. Not to mix our selves with them unnecessari­ly, unless we find we have strength enough, through a dependency on the Lord, to avoid their snares, and do it with a purpose of heart to do them good, by reproving or counselling them. Many a good soul hath been sadly worsted by mixing unnecessarily with vain, prophane or frothy company.

2. If Providence cast thee amongst them, some­times it may be the Wisdom of a Child of God to keep silence; as David, Psal. 39.1. I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle, when the wicked is before me: I say, it may be sometimes best for a Child of God to do so; there's a secret conviction goes forth, by the silence of a servant of God oftentimes, and to have them as soon as we can, so it be not done scornfully, but humbly and civilly: I do not mean a total silence, but a weariness.

When you are cast among carnal persons, as to your Callings, necessarily, Take heed of giving your selves a full liberty, multiplying of words unneces­sarily, but be reserved and watchful; that by any thing you say, or indeed any other carriage, the per­son you converse with, be more hardned in his car­nal course, or be offended more against the ways of Godliness; which, indeed, a Child of God should most heedfully consider in all his ways: Oh, 'tis a blessed and gracious design, rather to better than worst all we converse with.

3. If you have a heart (as you are to look up to God for a heart) to reprove what may be reprovable, (as often it may be your duty) or to commend the ways of God unto them, to render them acceptable and precious, and comfortable, or any good word of [Page 231] the Lord to mention to them, or of an etetnal con­dition; let this be done,

1. Seasonably: 'Tis a great matter for a servant of God to speak fitly, to wind off another from a carnal Discourse into good things; to insinuate them dis­creetly; here is much Wisdom, and 'tis to be ask'd of God.

2. With meekness: Not sharply, nor rashly, nor proudly, nor censoriously, but with a meek and gen­tle spirit, — shewing all meekness to all men, 2 Tit. 2. That they may perceive you do it, not to censure them, nor with vain ostentation, but that it proceeds from an honest heart, and unfeigned love to them: This is to be done, when we find mens spirits in the most serious capacity; and we having endeavoured to sweeten them, and to get some room and respect in their Affections.

3. That it be done savourly, and feelingly, not slightly, that it may appear what we give out to them is upon our own hearts, and what we do really feel and enjoy, which carries much convincement with it.

2. If Providence cast you among God's People, (as this indeed should be our choice) 'tis not well to part from each other without something of God, his Word, Grace, Goodness, Providence, People, their own Hearts, Temptations, Comforts, according to what is upon their Hearts, or what they conceive may be of best use to those we speak to, considering their condition, or temptations, or falling short, or in what, if stronger Christians, we may our selves be helped and encouraged; and not to give way to in­disposition or temptation, or fear we shall speak as Hypocrites, (which is sometimes a snare) but to have a ready mind and chearful delight to do it: Not but [Page 232] the people of God may in due season speak of their Callings, and of Affairs and Occurences in the World; yea, and sometimes that which may beget chearfulness, so we watch our hearts in it, and take heed of an uncomely inordinateness in it.

But do you tremble at obscene Words, wrathful words, to be suddainly provok'd to speak passionate­ly, at taunting, jeering words, reproaching others, or censorious of others, vain-glorious words; of which much might be spoken to every particular.

3. As this may humble the people of God for the sins of the Tongue, their vanity and unprofitable­ness, so let it stir them up to look for grace, suita­ble in this so weighty a matter: That our Lips may be as a Well of Life, and may savour of what is holy and good in God's sight: Some Directions yet as to this Duty.

1. Get in much good Treasure in the Heart: As our Saviour speaks, Mat. 12. The more good Treasure of the Word, of Grace, of Experiences, of sweetness, of comfort, the more ready we shall be to give forth and also receive in from others.

2. Do not follow your fancy, in speaking what it still dictates, but your judgment: Many good men too too much follow a working fancy, though there may be a sober chearful Exercise of it in season; but we are too apt to run forth to excess: The Devil will kindle Squibs upon the Fancy, which we must rather quench than feed and bring forth.

3. Keep some good thing upon the Heart; some good Word you daily take in, as was directed as to your Thoughts, some comfortable Experience of God, the sense of what you received in an Ordinance, [Page 233] that you may discourse of the Word last heard, Psal. 45.1. My heart is enditing of a good matter, my Tongue is the Pen of a ready Writer: Oh blessed, when 'tis so with gracious Souls: I muse on the works of thy hands, Psal. 143. My meditation of God shall be sweet, Psal. 104.

4. Pray for a good frame of heart, and keep it so: Pray till the heart be made tender, savoury, quickned, en­larged with the sense of God's Majesty, Holiness and Goodness upon your Spirits, and then watch to keep them so; a savoury Heart, and a savoury Mouth.

5. Be not provoked by the vain and frothy Lan­guage of others, though they may be good men, to comply with it: We are too apt to take encourage­ment to that which may be evil, because 'tis the li­berty another good man takes, which is often a snare.

6. Keep the fear of the Lord upon thy Heart, a holy awe of God and his Presence, one of the choi­cest Duties of a Saint, especially in this matter. The fear of God makes the Spirit serious, and yet mixt with comfort and a comely chearfulness, Psal. 4.4. Stand in awe of God, and sin not.

I might also lay down Motives to this choice Du­ty: It doth much please and delight the Spirit of God; it brings in much good to the soul: Gracious conference is an Ordinance of God, and blest to the quickning, establishing, succouring, and refreshing the hearts of Saints. Accustom your selves to it, and you will find indispositions wear off, and you will do it out of a ready mind, and gracious delight: Only, be not only a talker, from Notions in the Head, nor affect a disputing, wrangling Knowledge, [Page 234] (usually the effect of Pride) but do it from Heart-experience in some measure; or what you would fain get more upon your hearts: And let it not be only a talking-knowledge, but an humble walking-knowledge.

Remember, to thy continual abasement, how ma­ny sinners thou hast helped Hell-ward, by thy lewd, vain, prophane speeches, by thy reviling at the Lords ways and people, and how thou hast encouraged and hardened them this way in sin. Oh, now let thy work be, through infinite grace, to tell sinners, that there is more good infinitely in Jesus Christ than in the way of folly. Now draw as many as thou may'st, according to thy measure of grace, to Jesus Christ, and Heaven-ward.

And thus much be spoken of this Discovery of the New-Creature, in its shewing it self in a new Lip.

9. The 9th. Discovery of the New-Creature.

Such as are New-Creatures in Christ, they will have New-Company. As soon as a soul is new forming up in Christ, he saith, as David, Depart from me ye evil doers, for I will keep the Commandments of my God, Psal. 119.115. Depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity, for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping, Psal. 6.8. I am a Companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy Precepts, Psal. 119.63. So the primi­tive Saints, as soon as converted, they become Com­panions of the reproached Ones of the Lord, and took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods with them, Heb. 10.34. And so Moses chose affliction with the people of God, before Riches and Honour with the Prophane, Heb. 11.26.

Now this real Converts do:

[Page 235]1. Because wicked and carnal men will act and speak wickedly against God, and his ways and people; which a heart broken, and made tender, cannot en­dure to hear and observe: David said, it was like a sword in his bones, Psal. 42.10. when wicked men re­proached the Lord and his servants.

2. Converts are in great danger to be tempted to sin, as Joseph in Pharaoh's house, by the company of wic­ked and carnal persons; the Devil will lay snares, especially for weak Souls: It will be hard for weak souls to pass without guilt, by mixing with them.

3. Saints will contract deadness and indisposition by their company; it causeth old Lusts to stir, and other sins of heart to be working. The carnal part will be too ready for complyance with them; how hard to come off from them, not worsted.

4. Such as are New-Creatures in Christ, have quite different Spirits from wicked and carnal men, different principles, different ends, and therefore they must needs avoid them, and cannot take satisfacti­on and contentment with them, unless under great temptation.

Ʋse 1. To sinners unconverted, who take plea­sure in your carnal, merry company, but are burthen­ed with the company of godly, and you secretly dis­dain them, and the Devil suggests to you, that they are Hypocrites; know this, and be assured of it, and your Consciences must acknowledge it, that ye are yet in your sins, and haters of Holiness, and you love not the appearance of it: Certainly, you are none of these New-Creatures, and you cannot know your selves by a better Character, than by the company you most delight in. You do not make choice of your most intimate company by their Godliness, but [Page 236] from wordly ends, or mirth, or good fellowship, as you stile it, or generosity, or some such carnal end; verily, the grace of God is not in you, and your con­dition is damnable.

2. As ever you would find mercy, look up to the Lord to turn your hearts to himself, and then to those that fear him: Break off from your vain com­pany, who engage your hearts to vanity: What saith the Wisdom of God, A Companion of fools shall be destroyed, Prov. 13. No such fools (how witty, or prudent, or civil soever otherwise) as carnal souls, that delight in vanity; Oh hearken to the instru­ction of the wise, and your soul shall live. I con­fess this is the hardest pluck in conversion, but yet it must be done, with a vigorous resolution, through grace; when once the bands are broken, and you come to find, as you will, abundant more sweetness in the Lords ways, verily you shall never repent your so doing.

And such as have some desires towards goodness, and have some better thoughts than you have had formerly of good people, you will make little pro­gress in grace, and peace, and comfort to your own souls, till you do this; till you can abhor your selves for your vanity and prophaness among carnal men, and can with full purpose of heart cleave to the Lord, and overcome fear or shame, or whatever such cursed evils that are in your way, and all your rocks of offence, you will make little of it as to evidence any sound work in your hearts, and peace with God by Jesus Christ; one days accompanying with car­nal men, will set you more backward in the matter of godliness, than many days after will help on.

3. Let such as would evidence the New-Creature, be very watchful in this matter, and not to touch [Page 237] pitch, lest they be defiled; mix not your selves un­necessarily, as hath been exhorted in the last head, among carnal men, unless you have a good and holy end in it; so as Jesus Christ did, going among great sinners to do them good, which indeed be­speaks a great strength of grace, and a Christ-like spirit, and Saints should be much with God for it.

And among your selves, that Saints do still better and not worst one anothers Spirits, when they come together; the more you are with Saints, the more you love them, and delight in them: Have a com­passionate healing spirit to one anothers infirmities, and be not offended, but look upon, and love the appearance of God in each other: And remember, that receiving and doing of good is your great busi­ness till you come to Heaven.

Yea, let all that have a new work upon them, di­ligently find out the Company of Saints, such as are visibly joined to the Lord, and to each other, to en­joy Ordinances holily, and to help one another Hea­ven-ward; Woe to him that is alone, saith the wis­dom of God: Let not gracious Souls content themselves in pollutions of worship, and without the company of the godly; such do decay, wither, make a poor shift to hold out in their profession, grow worldly, or are overtaken with the Errours of the times; as for the most part, they are the solitary professors who are drawn aside from Gospel-truth, and not such (as it hath been unduly charg'd) who are in the fellowship of the Gospel, for that end and pur­pose, to help, strengthen, pray for, watch over each other.

10. Such as are New-Creatures in Christ, they have (if I may so speak) new feet, namely, to walk with [Page 238] God in a new conversation: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way, Psal. 37.23. I have (saith David) refrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep thy word.

This New-walk of a Saint, of a New-Creature, is a large field; that I may hint the most material things of it,

1. A New-Creature doth more and more set him­self to walk with God; (1.) As under the eye of God, considering that the jealous eye of the Lord is still upon him: Thou compassest my path, and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways, Psal. 133.3. (2.) To keep Communion with God; to be con­versing with God, speaking with God, and unto God, and waiting to hear God speak unto him. (3.) To walk in Jesus Christ. As ye have received Christ Je­sus the Lord, so walk ye in him, Col. 2.6. which is, to walk in the Life of Christ, in the Light of Christ, in the Love of Christ, in the Strength of Christ, in the wisdom and patience of Christ, and so in all: This 'tis to have fellowship with Jesus Christ, and to walk in him; to do all in Christ, and through Christ, is the main work of the New-Crea­ture, as 'twas hinted in discovering the necessity of the New-Creature's being in Christ. (4.) The Walk of the New-Creature is to walk in the Spirit, Gal. 5.25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. There's no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but af­ter the Spirit, Rom. 8.1. To walk in the Spirit, is, (1.) Not to fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh, Gal. 5.16. Not to be under the power of them, or to make provision for them; not to feed them, but to crucifie them; They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the Affections and Lusts, Gal. 5.14. which is put [Page 239] as an evidence of walking after the Spirit. (2.) 'Tis to be led by the Spirit, Gal. 5.18. to give up our selves to the leadings and teachings of the Spirit, Psal. 143.10. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God, thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of upright­ness; is the cry of every true Convert in Christ; who would not be led by his own Spirit in any thing, nor by any other mens spirits, but waits for the Leading of the spirit in every work and way, wherein he would walk before God.

5. The New-Creature walks after the revealed will of God: And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, Gal. 5.16. speaking of the New-Creature, who walks after a rule: Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the Law of the Lord, Psal. 119.1. He sets himself to walk in all the precepts of God, and esteemed them all holy and righteous.

6. The New-Creature walks in his integrity: Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, Psal. 25.21. As for me, I will walk in mine integrity, Psal. 26.11. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever, Psal. 41.12. This is the gracious resolution of every Convert, to walk in his integrity, through which God will preserve and uphold him in all his ways, and when the World reproacheth him, God will set him before his face, and that for ever.

7. The New-Creature, so far as he is a New-Creature, walks humbly: This is that the Lord doth re­quire of thee, walk humbly with thy God, Micah 6.8. To walk humbly before the Lord, toward sinners, and towards Saints: The soul that walks most with God, walks most humbly towards men.

8. The New-Creature walks in love; And walk in [Page 240] love, as Christ also hath loved us, Ephes. 5.2. In love to all Saints, as Saints, a special part of the Gospel-walk: Not in love to such or such a party of Saints, which is but self-love, but in love to all that walk with God.

9. More Particulars might I mention, as walk­ing honestly towards all men, not oppressing, defraud­ing, but righteously, charitably, compassionately: So far, I say, as he is a New-Creature, he walks thus: Only let me add this, that the New-Creature walks by Faith, 2 Cor. 5.7. and not by sight: He is ever learn­ing a life of dependency, lives upon the All-suffici­ency of God, the Righteousness of Christ, the ful­ness of his Grace, the word of his Promise, and so lives out of himself, upon the fulness of God in Christ, and his truth in his Promise, even when he feels not his presence. And herein briefly consists the Life of Faith, to live out of our selves, upon an­other, even the fulness of an infinite God, manifest­ed in Jesus Christ.

In a word, The New-Creature in Christ, as he is called of God, through infinite Free-Grace: So is he to walk in all things, Worthy of his vocation, E­phes. 4.1. To walk worthy of the Lord, even to walk as Jesus Christ himself walked, 1 John 2.6. To walk in this present world, how he might express the vertues of Christ, the Grace and Love of Jesus Christ so freely revealed to him, to walk self-deny­ingly, holily, patiently, harmlesly, profitably, heaven­ly, as one that is called from Darkness to Light, from the power of Satan to God, called out of the world, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 2.14.

Ʋse 1. If this be the Walk of the New-Creature, [Page 241] then such who walk not as in the Eye of God, but after the Atheism of their Hearts, consider not, that God sees them in their most hidden ways, that walk after their lusts to fulfil them; that walk not in the Spirit, that mind not Holiness, so they keep a kind of Conscience to men: Verily, the Spirit of God dwelleth not in you, you have no Evidence for Heaven as yet; you are of the World, and you walk after the course of the World, Eph. 2.2. You walk Hell-ward, and are held by the Cords of your Lusts, and your Paths lead unto destruction. And there­fore turn in to Jesus Christ, whose Paths are Wis­dom and Safety, and lead in the way of Life, and Peace, and Blessedness, even all that choose them, and delight in them.

2. Let such as have the New-Creature formed in them, approve themselves to God, to Saints, and to the World, in this their New-Walk: Oh see! you are called to walk with God; and therefore be as in his Eye continually; make Communion with him your chiefest joy. Walk in Jesus Christ, in his Life, Light, Power, Love, Wisdom, and fetch your daily supplies from him: Walk in the Spirit, after the Spirit, as much as may be; and see that you keep close to Rule, to the revealed Will of God, and not to Delusions; be able to appeal to God, Judge me, Oh God, according to mine integrity, Psal. 26.1. that you may have this Peace and Comfort in all your ways; Thou upholdest me, Oh Lord, in mine Integrity. And see you walk humbly before God and Men, and in love to all that profess love to Christ; and they do, in some measure really express it, and carry it justly and compassionately towards all men.

Learn above all, the Experience of the Life of [Page 242] Faith; live not in, or upon what you have received, but live out of it, upon the Fulness of the Lord, as if you had received nothing. Oh ply the Throne of Grace, that you may be filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and to walk in this present World, as near as may be, after the Holiness, Patience, Meek­ness, Wisdom, and Love of Jesus Christ, which he shewed towards all men, having your hearts and Conversations in Heaven, where your treasure is.

11. The New-Creature doth in all things labour its own perfection, and is therefore still in conflict­ing with, destroying, crucifying, purging out the old Creature, the old man, all of the old Adam, till it sits down in Victory, in a full perfection of Holiness and Glory, which it shall have (and not till then) at the appearing of Jesus Christ, Ephes. 4.22. — That ye put off concerning the former Conversation, the Old Man, which is corrupt, accord­ing to the deceitful Lusts, and be renewed, &c. Knowing this, that our Old Man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, Rom. 6.6.

This is the main Work of the New-Creature, where it is really formed in Christ, to destroy and purge out the Defilements and Dregs of the Old Man, of Sin, Self, Corruption, that it may be as a new Lump, as a Vessel made meet for the Lord's use, as formed up, set apart, anointed, sanctified for God, and his use, here and for ever, AMEN.

To the Blessed God Alone be all the Glory.