The Souls Exaltation, Part

The Souls Exaltation · Part

p. 971 COR. 1.30.

Who of God is made unto us wiſedome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption.

Doctrine. THere is a conveyance of all ſpirituall graces from God unto all beleevers: for the explication of the point, wee diſcovered the tenure of this conveyance, and that appeared in ſix particulars.

The firſt is this, there is a fulneſſe of all grace in Chriſt, whereby hee is able to ſupply whatſoever is needfull to all thoſe that belong unto him; it is not with Chriſt as it was with Iſaac; when he had bleſſed Iacob, Eſau came and ſaid, haſt thou but one bleſſing my father, bleſſe mee, even mee alſo my father: no, there is enough in Chriſt for all beleevers: that mercy which pardoned Manaſſes, ſtubborne Manaſſes, idolatrous Manaſſes, that mercy is ſtill with Chriſt; that mercy that broke the heart of the bloody Jailor, that ſtood it out to the laſt; the earth ſhooke, and the boults brake in ſunder, and the priſon doores flew open, and yet the p. 98heart of the bloody Jaylour ſtood ſtill, was not moved one jot; at laſt the Lord made him tremble too, and his heart ſhooke as well as the earth ſhooke; why the ſame mercy is ſtill in Chriſt to pardon thy ſinnes, as well as Manaſſes ſinnes, the ſame Spirit can humble thy ſoule, as well as it did breake the heart of the cruell Jaylour.

2Secondly, as there is a fulneſſe of all grace and mercy in Chriſt to fulfill all the wants of his poore Saints, ſo Chriſt doth ſupply unto them whatſoever he ſeeth may be moſt fit and convenient for them, whatſoever is moſt proportionable for a poore ſoule, and for the place which God hath called him, for the condition in which he hath ſet him to carry him through the diſcharge thereof, ſhall bee beſtowed upon him: looke as it is in the body of a man, every member hath ſo much ſpirits and blood in it, as is fit and neceſſary for it, but the finger hath not ſo much as the arme, nor the arme ſo much as the leg; juſt ſo it is here in the body of Chriſt; ſome Chriſtians are legs, ſome are hands, ſome againe are but fingers, in the Body of Chriſt: the Miniſters of God, and the Magiſtrates they have need of a great deale of grace, abundance of mercy, abundance of ſufficiencie to helpe them in the diſcharge of their great and weighty duty, but every one ſhall have what is fit for him.

3Thirdly, as Chriſt hath grace enough for all, beſtowes enough upon all, ſo hee maintaines the grace which he doth beſtow, hee doth not onelyonly give what we want, but maintains what he gives.

p. 994Fourthly, he quickneth what he maintaines.

5Fifthly, he perfects what he quickneth.

6Laſtly, he crownes the grace that he hath perfected, he doth the worke in us, and then rewards us for the worke.

Vſe 1 The firſt uſe is an uſe of mourning and lamentation, it may pierce the hearts and ſinke the ſoules of all unbeleeving creatures under Heaven; Chriſt is wiſedome, but not to thee; Chriſt is juſtification, but not to thee; Chriſt is ſanctification and redemption alſo, but not to thee; thy horrour of heart, and thy guilt of ſinne and pollution of conſcience, remaine ſtill upon thy ſoule to this very day; therefore no comfort to thee.

Vſe 2 Secondly, it is a ground of comfort and conſolation to all the Saints of God, though you are weake and feeble, and have no wiſedome to direct you, no memory, no parts, no ſufficiency, why Chriſt is made wiſedome to you fooles, Chriſt is made righteouſneſſe to you unrighteous: you know your calling; not many wiſe, not many noble, but God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe thereof.

Vſe 3 The third uſe is a ground of humiliation of Spirit: Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord; I laboured, ſaith Saint Paul, not I, it was through the might of Ieſus Chriſt that ſtrengthened me, through the grace of Chriſt that enabled me to it.

Vſe 4 The laſt uſe is an uſe of exhortation or direction, namely we hence ſee whither the Saints of God ſhould goe to fetch ſuccour and ſupply of p. 100what ever grace they want, and perfection and increaſe of what they have already, Chriſt is made all in all to his ſervants; why then away to the Lord Jeſus, if you will have any thing; hee cals and invites, Revelation 3. I counſell thee to buy of mee eye ſalve, if thou bee an accurſed man, buy of Chriſt juſtification; if thou bee a polluted creature, buy of Chriſt ſanctification: I counſell thee to buy of me eye ſalve: there it is onelyonly to bee had in that ſhop, therefore goe thither for it. It was the reſolution of the Prophet David, Pſalme 31. With thee is the well-ſpring of life, and in thy light ſhall wee onelyonly ſee light: it is not here to bee had in your hearts, nor in your heads, nor in your performances, nor in the means themſelves, but with thee is the Well of life: yea, 'tis there, 'tis not here in our ſelves, 'tis onelyonly in a Chriſt to bee found, onelyonly from a Chriſt to bee fetched and received; improve all meanes, wee ſhould doe ſo; uſe all helps, we ought to doe ſo; but ſeeke to a Chriſt in the uſe of all, with him is the Well of life; but you will ſay, if Chriſt bee made unto us wiſedome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption, why have not the Saints of God that grace they ſtand in need of, and thoſe inlargements, in prayer, and holy ſervices, which they crave and deſire? they ſeeke and have not, they pray and obtaine not; why the truth is, wee doe not goe to Chriſt for it, wee ſeeke for the living among the dead, wee never came where it grew, where it was made, your hand is in a wrong box, you are come to a wrong place, grace was p. 101never made here. If a man ſhould come out of France, to buy ſilkes or velvets here in England, every mā would tel him you are come to a wrong place for theſe commodities, they are not made here; if you would have broad cloth, and ſaies, here you may have; but as for ſilkes and velvets, they are not made here: ſo you would have grace out of the means of grace, why grace never grew there. The Sacrament ſaith, grace is not in mee; Prayer ſaith, grace is not in me; hearing ſaith, grace is not in me: we indeed convey grace, but it is not originally in us; Chriſt is the fountaine of grace, Chriſt is made unto us righteouſneſſe, Chriſt is made unto us ſanctification and redemption, theſe tell you wee have heard of the notice of grace, we have heard ſuch a rumour, ſuch a report, that there is wiſedome, and there is grace, and there is mercy, and ſanctification, and redemption; but the truth of it is, it is not in us, it is in Chriſt onelyonly to be had, hee is indeed made unto you righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification; goe then to him for it, and there you may receive it, this is the reaſon why that after the uſe of all meanes, after the improvement of all helps and opportunities, our mindes are ſtill blinde, our hearts ſtill ſtupid, and the means prevaile not with us, worke not upon us for our good; we come to the Word, and returne as bad as ever, proud before, and proud ſtill; covetous before, and we are as covetous ſtill, polluted and dead hearted before, wee remaine ſo ſtill, and continue ſo ſtill: why alas, grace originally was never made here, away to p. 102Chriſt, hee is the ſhop from whence all grace is to bee had, wiſedome, and righteouſneſſe, and all is in him, there you muſt have it: but you will ſay, will Chriſt be made wiſedome to me that am ſo ignorant, to me that am ſo baſe? will Chriſt bee made ſanctification to mee that am ſo vile and ſo filthy? to mee that am ſo defiled and polluted? why, let this incourage you, hee is wiſedome to ſuch as are polluted, hee hath choſen the baſe things of the world, and the things that are not; hee came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance; hee came not to call the wiſe, but the fooliſh to inlighten them; all that thou haſt to doe, is to take it, wiſedome is made for thee, and ſanctification is made for thee, and redemption is made for thee; if thou wilt but receive it, it is thine owne, it was made and ſit of purpoſe for thee: Looke as it is with a father, hee ſends his childe to the taylors ſhop, tels him the cloth is bought, the money paid, the ſuit made for him, onelyonly bids him goe fetch it, and put it on: this is our folly, and it is our miſery alſo, wee either thinke to purchaſe or to coine grace out of our owne abilities; I tell you no, you muſt goe to the ſhop, it is bought and made already, onelyonly put on wiſedome, and put on ſanctification, and it is yours.

Ah, but you will ſay, what is the reaſon if Chriſt have ſo much grace, that his ſervants have ſo little, if this bee ſo, why is it thus? As ſhee ſpake in another caſe, If the Lord be made wiſedome to the ſoules of his ſervants, if the Lord p. 203Ieſus bee made ſanctification to the ſoule of a poore ſinner; why are wee then ſuch fooles notwithſtanding all the wiſedome of Chriſt: why are wee ſuch polluted wretches after all the meanes of ſanctification vouchſafed to us: If Chriſt bee ſo rich, then what is the reaſon we goe ſo tattered, and are ſuch beggerly bancrouts in our Chriſtian courſe; ſuch beggerly prayers, ſuch beggerly duties, ſuch beggerly performances.

I anſwer, it is not becauſe Chriſt will not vouchſafe abundance of grace to us, hee offers it freely: Oh, every man that will, let him come and take freely of the water of the Well of life; not a ſpoonefull, but a whole bucket full, and that freely too, nay God hath bound himſelfe by an immutable oath, Heb. 6. that we might have ſtrong conſolation; nay the Lord commands, in joynes his ſervants, to abound yet more in wiſedome, yet more and more in patience, yet more and more in holyneſſe.

Secondly, againe I ſay, the fault is not in Chriſt, where is the fault then?

I anſwer, it is in thine owne ſelfe-wild pride, and ſturdineſſe of heart, and haughtineſſe of ſpirit; you thinke you are never well, but when you are complaining of your ſinnes, and quarrelling with your owne ſoules, your mindes are blinde, and your hearts are hard, and dead, and untoward, and therefore you fling away the promiſe, and caſt Gods kindneſſe into his face againe. I tell you it is horrible pride, becauſe wee cannot have p. 104what wee would in our owne power, wee will not goe to Chriſt for a ſupply of what wee want; you complaine you want ſuch grace, and you are peſtered with ſuch corruptions, why thanke your proud venomous heart for it; if you have it not, if you want it ſtill, the fault is your owne, you will not repaire thither, whereunto you may have ſuccour and receive ſupply upon all occaſions; Chriſt would give it, but you will not beſtow the fetching of it; no matter therefore if you never obtaine it.

But you will ſay what courſe ſhall we take, what means ſhall we uſe to get theſe things at Chriſts hands?

Firſt, eye the promiſe dayly, and keepe it within view, within the ken of the ſoule (as we uſe to call it) be ſure the promiſe of grace never goe out of ſight of the ſoule. Looke as it is with a childe that travels to a Faire with his father, or goeth into a crowd, his eye is alwayes upon his father: he bids him doe not gaze about and loſe mee, the childe is carefull to keepe his father within ſight and view, and then if hee bee weake and weary, his father can take him by the hand, and lead him, or take him into his armes and carry him; or if there be any thing hee wants, or would have, his father can buy it for him, beſtow it upon him; but if the childe bee careleſſe and gazeth about this thing and that thing, and never lookes after his father; hee is gone one way, and his father another, he cannot tell where to finde him: whoſe fault is it now? it is not becauſe his father would p. 105not be within his ſight, or becauſe hee could not keepe within the view of him, but becauſe hee out of careleſneſſe loſt the ſight of his father: therefore hee ſure alwayes to eye the promiſe; you know, as long as the game is within ſight, the hounds run amaine; ſo I would have the ſoule make a prey of the promiſe: for ſo the phraſe is in the originall, that wee ſhould ſeeke the Lord, and hunt after Chriſt, and ſeeke the game it ſelfe, the promiſe it ſelfe, from day to day. It is the advice of the Prophet Eſay 50. Looke up unto me, all yee ends of the earth, looke up to mee, and your ſins ſhall be pardoned; looke up to mee, and your ſoules ſhall be ſaved; looke up to me, and you ſhall bee ſanctified: It is not enough for a man to have a conduit full of water, and to have the ſtreames run abundantly, continually, but he muſt put his veſſell under the ſpout, and then he ſhall bee ſure to receive abundance of water: ſo it is with the promiſe, it is not enough to ſay, Chriſt is wiſedome, and Chriſt is righteouſneſſe, but it is not thus with my ſoule: why, put thy veſſell under the ſpout then, and looke up unto Chriſt in the promiſe. This is that the Prophet David reſolves of, I will lift up mine eyes to the mountaines, from whence commeth my helpe: what is meant by mountains there? you know the Temple upon the mount of Moriah; now in the Temple in Gods ordinance is Gods preſence: therefore ſaith the Prophet David, I will lift up mine eyes to thoſe mountains of merciemercy, thoſe everlaſting mercies; I will looke up to God in his Ordinances, from whence commeth all my help; as who p. 106ſhould ſay grace comes not from a mans parts, grace comes not from a mans abilities, but looke up to God from whence it comes, looke to thoſe mountaines of mercy that will ſuccour you, look up to a Lord Jeſus that will ſupply all your wants, that will furniſh you with all grace, looke onelyonly to him for all, for he onelyonly is the Author and giver of all; looke as I have obſerved it, there is a fooliſh conceit that hath beene bred by ſome curious nice brains, that they have perſwaded themſelves they can make the Philoſophers ſtone, the nature of which is to turne all metall into gold, which is utterly impoſſible; for the Mines of gold are in the earth, and God continueth them by an ordinary courſe of his providence; but all the men upon earth can never make gold by any Art or means in the world. To turne the nature of one metall into the nature of another, it is a kinde of creation, therefore beyond the reach of any man to doe it; they may trie and trie, and ſpend their heart blood and all, but it is all but loſt labour: So it is with our fooliſh blinde deluded hearts, and diſtracted ſpirits; we thinke to make gold, and to coine grace out of our owne powers, and parts, and abilities, I tell you, you can never doe it while the world ſtands; no, no, you doe but loſe your labour: goe to the Mine of gold, the Mine of grace, goe to the God of all mercy, away to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, I ſay, he is made unto us wiſedome, and hee will informe us; hee is made unto us righteouſneſſe, and hee will acquit us; p. 107hee is made unto us grace: goe to him therefore, and hee will communicate all grace unto our ſoules. Looke as Iacob ſaid to his ſonnes, when the famine was ſore in the Land of Canaan, hee ſent his ſonnes into Egypt to buy corne, that they and their little ones might not famiſh; and marke how hee calls upon them, Why ſtand you here gazing one upon another? I doubt not but then they were laying their heads together, and plotting and conferring, ſaying, the famine is great, and the times dangerous, and wee are miſerable now; but oh, what will become of us afterwards, if theſe times laſt? now the Lord help us, now the Lord bee mercifull to us and deliver us, what meanes ſhall wee uſe? what courſe were wee beſt to take? In the mean time Iacob calls upon them, Why ſtand you here gazing one upon another? away, get you downe to Egypt preſently, and buy us food; you will never get proviſion to ſuſtaine us, by plotting and talking one with another; you will never get any come to ſuſtaine you, by looking and gazing one upon another; no, no, downe to Egypt with all ſpeed, there corne is to be had, that we and thoſe that belong unto us may live and not die; ſo it is with the ſoules of Gods children, the poore diſtreſſed heart partly through the Devils cunning and ſubtiltie partly alſo through our owne ignorance and folly, wee ſtand gazing at our corruptions, and it begin to thinke and wonder what will become of us; no means prevaile, no mercies melt, no judgements humble, no reproofs awe us, the famine growes ſtrong, p. 108my corruptions fierce, and my caſe heavie, that I know not almoſt what courſe to take; why ſtand you thus gazing after this faſhion? what, doe you thinke to get grace upon theſe termes, by diſcouragements and diſquieting your ſelves, and vexing your owne hearts thus? No, no, away to Egypt, to the promiſe of life, to the Lord Ieſus for help and aſſiſtance, and then you ſhall have mercy and grace abundantly beſtowed upon you, and that freely with your money in the mouth of your ſacks againe, you ſhall have grace that you need, and ſufficiently beſtowed upon you: Looke as it is with Eliah, when he was to depart from Eliſha, and bee taken up into Heaven, Eliſha craves one thing of him, and that was this, 1 Kings 2.9. That the Spirit of Elias might he doubled upon Eliſha; now marke how Eliah anſwered; Thou haſt asked a hard thing, ſaith hee, nevertheleſſe, if thou canſt ſee mee when I am taken from thee, it ſhall bee granted to thee.

Now ſome Interpreters have obſerved, and that very wiſely, that it was not ſo much the ſight of Elias, as the ſight of God taking up of Elias that ſhould doe this; as if hee had ſaid, wouldſt thou have a double portion of Gods Spirit vouchſafed unto thee, becauſe many miſeries are like to come in upon thee; great and heavie troubles, and ſore perſecution is approching; what courſe then is to bee taken why, ſee God taking up of Elias; that God that tooke up Elias, and that God that wrought grace in the heart of Elias, ſee that God, and be within the view of that God, and thy p. 109requeſt ſhall be granted to thee; the collection is faire: ſo I ſay here, if thou wouldſt have a double portion of grace, doe not goe to prayer onelyonly, doe not goe to hearing onelyonly, doe not goe to the Sacraments onelyonly and barely; but oh ſee a Chriſt, and looke upon a promiſe, and then thou ſhalt have a double portion of wiſedome to informe thee, a double portion of ſanctification to cleanſe thee, a double portion of grace, and power, and ſtrength, againſt thy corruptions, from Chriſt conveyed and communicated to thy ſoule: and this is the firſt rule.

2The ſecond rule is this, as we muſt have an eye dayly upon the promiſe, ſo wee muſt labour to yeeld the ſoule to the power of that Spirit, and to the vertue of that Grace which is in Chriſt, and would worke upon thee; doe not onelyonly eye a Saviour, and behold grace in the promiſe, but yeeld thy ſelfe and give way to the ſtroke of the promiſe, and to the power of the ſpirit; that by the power thereof, thou maiſt bee inabled to doe what God requires. 2 Cor. 3.18. The holy Apoſtle, diſputing there how men ſhould bee tranſformed into the glorious Image of God; or as the word is, metamorphoſed from one degree of glorious grace unto another; more holy, and more meeke, and more patient, and more heavenly minded: Hee that was cold before, ſhould now become more zealous; he that was faint hearted before, ſhould now become more couragious how is this done? even as by the Spirit of the Lord, ſaith the Text, as if he had ſaid, it is not by your ſpirits p. 110that this muſt or can be done, doe not thinke that you can maſter your owne corruptions, or that you can pull downe the diſtempers of your owne hearts, and get what grace you liſt; no, no, it is not your ſpirits can doe this, it muſt bee the Spirit of Chriſt, as by the Spirit of the Lord, ſo the Apoſtle. The phraſe of the Prophet David is ſweet in his kinde, Teach me the way unto thee; thy Spirit is good; as who ſhould ſay, O Lord, my ſpirit is a naughtie ſpirit; my ſpirit is a proud ſpirit; my ſpirit is a prophane ſpirit; my ſpirit is a weake ſpirit; my ſpirit is an ignorant and a blind ſpirit; but oh, thy Spirit is a good Spirit, thy Spirit is a bleſſed Spirit: by the vertue of that Spirit, Lord, teach me the way to thee, and let it lead me into the land of uprightneſſe. We know, a child that hath his hand to write, if he will not be ruled by him that teacheth him, but will take the pen into his owne hand and write after his owne ſcauching faſhion, he will never write well, nor make a letter handſomly as he ſhould do; but let his hand write by the mans hand, and that will guide him, and that will teach him quickly to write well in a ſhort time: ſo, wouldſt thou have thy heart framed aright? why then keep thy ſoule under the hand of the Spirit, and thou ſhalt bee guided by the vertue of that Spirit of God, and moved and inabled to accompliſh the good pleaſure of the Lord, and receive what ever grace thou ſtandeſt in need of. I have obſerved it ſometimes upon the Sea; looke as it is with the mariner that is going downe the ſtreame, if the winde bee faire, will any p. 111man pull downe his ſaile and ſet it up againe? why no, for he doth but trouble himſelfe, and turmoyle and wearieth himſelfe, and troubleth the boat too with keeping ſuch a pudder, and miſſeth the gale of winde and all; therefore a wiſe mariner, he will ſet up his ſaile, and hold out his ſail, that it may take the gale of winde fully, and ſo goe on ſpeedily; all that he hath to doe is to keep his ſail ſpred, and to catch the winde: your only courſe is to ſet up the ſaile, and attend the gale of the Spirit to comfort you, attend the gale of the Spirit to aſſiſt you; hold thy heart, and ſpread to the Spirit, that it may catch the gale of grace, that it may blow upon thy ſoule, and by the vertue and power thereof thou ſhalt bee tranſported comfortably, and carried on cheerfully to walke in that way which God chalks out before thee: as for examples ſake; Imagine thy heart begins to be peſtered with vaine thoughts, or with a proud haughtie ſpirit, or ſome baſe luſts and privy haunts of heart, how would you bee rid of theſe? why you muſt not ſet up and pull downe, and ſet up and pull downe, quarrell and contend, and bee diſcouraged: no, but eye the promiſe, and hold faſt thereupon and ſay, Lord, thou haſt promiſed all grace unto thy ſervants; why therefore take this heart, and take this minde, and take theſe affections, and let thy Spirit frame them aright according to thine owne good will; by that Spirit of wiſedome, Lord informe mee; by that Spirit of ſanctification, Lord cleanſe mee from all my corruptions; by that Spirit of grace, Lord quicken p. 112and enable me to the diſcharge of every holy ſervice, thus carry thy ſelfe and convey thy ſoule by the power of the Spirit of the Lord, and thou ſhalt finde thy heart ſtrengthned and ſuccoured by the vertue thereof upon all occaſions: Rom. 8.26. the Text ſaith, The Law of the Spirit of life hath freed mee from the law of ſinne and death: the meaning is this, you muſt know that ſinne is a tyrant; now a tyrant when he wins a citie, hee ſwears all to his lawes: ſo ſinne will ſwear thy ſoule to his lawes; pride ſaith, I will have thee proud; I will have thy heart unchaſte, ſaith uncleanneſſe; I will have thee intemperate, ſaith drunkenneſſe: now by the Law of the Spirit of life God will free us from the law of ſinne: the Spirit of Chriſt in the promiſe, it takes away the power of the law of ſinne; the Law of the Spirit of meekneſſe, takes away the law of the ſpirit of pride; the Law of the Spirit of puritie, takes away the law of the ſpirit of uncleanneſſe; the Law of the Spirit of holineſſe, takes away the law of the ſpirit of prophaneneſſe; and ſo in all other diſtempers of this nature, this onelyonly ſhewes us how to run over all. Gather up now, and ſo conclude this paſſage: Eye the promiſe daily, yeeld thy ſoule to the Spirit of the Lord in the promiſe, let that have his full ſway, reſiſt not thoſe good motions the holy Spirit puts into thee, and that is the way to have all grace, and help and aſſiſtance communicated unto thee: and thus much may ſuffice to have beene ſpoken in the generall touching this conveiance of grace into the heart: we come now to the ſcanning of the particulars.

p. 113This conveyance it is of two kindes, both in the Text: Chriſt conveyes his grace two wayes; partly by imputing, partly by imparting: they are the termes of Divines, and I know not how to expreſſe my ſelfe better; but thus if you will, partly by imputation, partly by communication: This is that I would have you to take notice of in the generall; they are both reall, but one is habituall; both theſe, both imputation and communication expreſſe a reall worke of God upon the ſoule, but the laſt onelyonly leaves a frame and a ſpirituall abilitie and qualitie in the ſoule; the conveyance by imputation doth not, it leaves a thing morall (as we uſe to terme it.) Theſe two, imputation, communication, are both in the Text; Chriſt is made righteouſneſſe, or juſtice, that is, hee doth juſtifie a ſinner by imputation, and hee doth ſanctifie and redeeme a ſinner by communication; hee conveyes and workes ſome Spirituall abilitie, and leaves a Phyſicall change; when the Apoſtle ſaith, Chriſt is made Iustice, that is, hee doth juſtifie a ſinner by imputation, when hee ſaith, Chriſt is made Sanctification, and Redemption, that is, by way of communication; hee delivers the ſoule from the pollution of ſinne, that is, ſanctification; hee delivers the ſoule from the power and dominion of ſinne, that is, redemption; This communication it is a Spirituall habit, or a ſpirituall power, or a ſpirituall qualitie or abilitie; (take which you will) left upon the p. 114ſoule. We will begin with the former, touching the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe to a ſoule, whereby the ſinner comes to bee juſtified: this is a point then, which I take it, none more neceſſary, and yet none leſſe underſtood, none leſſe ſtudied, none more miſtaken than theſe two great workes of juſtification, and ſanctification. I ſpeake it by experience, Chriſtians aged and experienced, yet here they faile in the very catecheticall points, and it drives many of our beſt Divines to a ſtand; we will open it a little: this juſtification wee terme a conveyance of the merits of Chriſt, by way of imputation: but what is the meaning of this word, by way of imputation? Thus you muſt conceive it, this is the main thing I would have you looke unto; Imputation is this, when that which another hath, that which another doth, is accounted mine, is ſet upon my ſcore as though I had it, as though I had done it, this is Imputation. I have it not, I doe it not, another hath it, another doth it, and it is accounted mine, and reckoned mine in courſe of juſtice. Now in the point of communication it is otherwiſe: becauſe I have ſomething, ſomething is wrought in mee, ſome qualities and habits; for it is not a morall thing, but a phyſicall alteration by the power of grace implanted in me, which I have, ſo that imputation diſcovers two things. Firſt, that I have no help in my ſelfe in what I have, or what I doe. Secondly, it implieth that ſomething which another hath and doth, it is in concluſion made mine, and I have p. 115the benefit thereof, as well as if I had it, as well as if I had done it. It is an old compariſon that Divines uſe, and there cannot bee a better to expreſſe the full nature and the meaning of the point now in hand. Take a debtor now arreſted, impriſoned, and he cannot pay the debt; another man comes, and will be his ſuretie: now marke this, another man payeth the money, another man ſatisfieth the creditor in the behalfe of the debtor; the creditor acquits this man, cancels all his bonds, lets him out of priſon, confeſſeth he hath nothing to ſay to him, nothing to charge him withall, he is fully ſatisfied, he hath given him full content: why the debtor paid no money to the creditor himſelfe, but becauſe the ſuretie paid it, therefore the payment is counted his, as if the debtor had paid it: this is the very nature of imputation. This I take to be the meaning of the firſt part of the Text, in which now a little I meane to trade: the Text ſaith, He is made unto is righteouſneſſe; that is, God in Chriſt doth juſtifie a beleeleever by way of imputation, though hee hath nothing in himſelfe, though he doth nothing of himſelfe whereby to be juſtified in Gods account, yet God will juſtifie him through the Iuſtice of Chriſt imputed to him, and counted upon his ſcore: ſo that imputation implieth two things. Firſt, that a man hath nothing, can doe nothing. Secondly, that he is juſtified by ſomething, Chriſt hath, and hath done for him, the point then is cleare, and that is this.

Doctrine. God doth juſtifie a beleeving ſoule, not for what p. 116he hath, not for what hee doth but onelyonly for what Chriſt hath, and hath done for him: I ſay Chriſt is made unto us Iuſtice, God the Father doth juſtifie a beleever, onelyonly in and through the merits of Chriſt.

For the opening of the point, wee muſt firſt enquire what it is to juſtifie. Secondly, what doe we meane when as we ſay hee is made juſtice for nothing a man hath or doth. To juſtifie, in the phraſe of Scripture, it doth imply two things: Firſt to juſtifie, is to make a man juſt, and this is very ſeldome uſed in Scripture: I meane thus to put ſome holineſſe, or ſome gracious diſpoſition, and ſome ſpirituall facultie and abilitie into the ſoule, and to make a man juſt: as when an ignorant man, is made a wiſe man; when a prophane man, is made a pure man; when an uncleane man, is made a righteous man, and ſo really changed: this I take to be the meaning of that place; Revelation 22.11. Hee that is just, let him be juſt ſtill; and hee that is unjuſt, let him bee unjuſt ſtill: as who ſhould ſay, when God hath beſtowed all meanes upon him, and vouchſafed all mercies and encouragements to him, if yet for all this hee will be unjuſt, let him be unjuſt ſtill, let him bee for ever unjuſt: There is no hope of him, but hee that is holy, let him bee more holy, let him increaſe in grace, but wee doe not take it ſo now in this Doctrine.

Secondly, to juſtifie, it is a word of judiciall proceeding, when in a legall manner the Iudge doth pronounce a man free, and acquit him, and proclaime it as if he were, and ſaith the law hath p. 117nothing to doe with him, he doth pronounce hee hath not offended the Law: now this is oppoſite and contrary to condemnation, and this I take to be the meaning of that place, and it is a pregnant one; but this gives us great light and inſight into the place: he that juſtifieth the wicked and condemns the juſt, they are both an abomination to the Lord: to juſtifie in the former ſence, is to make a wicked man a good man; and is hee an abomination to the Lord? this were a groſſe folly: no, but the meaning is this: he that acquits any man as guiltleſſe that is guilty, this is an abomination to the Lord. Thus wee ſee the firſt word opened, ſo that when we ſay God doth juſtifie you, our meaning is not this, that God ſends grace or holineſſe into you, for this is the worke of ſanctification; but God doth juſtifie you, that is, hee doth pronounce before his Tribunall, that his Iuſtice and Law is fully ſatisfied, that hee will lay nothing upon your ſcore, require no ſatisfaction at your hands, but he will fully and freely diſcharge you of all your ſins which you have committed.

Secondly, againe, God doth juſtifie a poor ſinner not for any thing he hath not for any thing he doth: marke that, the meaning is this; no privilege that a man doth enjoy, no part of wit, underſtanding or memory, or any thing that way: nay, I ſay more, there is no grace that a man hath, no dutie that he can performe, for which as the materiall and formall cauſe of our juſtification, God doth pronounce any man to bee righteous. If a man could weep out his eyes in ſorrow, if a man p. 118could hunger and thirſt for Chriſt, more than for his daily bread, God would not juſtifie a ſinner for all theſe things; how doth God then juſtifie a man? why he juſtifieth a ſinner, for what Chriſt hath done for him, the ſurety hath paid it, and he accounts it ours: a man is juſtified by imputation onelyonly, not by any action: thoſe are neceſſary concomitants, not reall cauſes of our juſtification.

But you will ſay, is not a man juſtified by faith, and is not faith a grace, and hath not a man that ability wrought in him by God.

I anſwer, true the Lord doth juſtifie a man by his faith, but hee doth not juſtifie him for his faith; that is, faith is the hand that layes hold upon the obedience and merits of Chriſt, and it is for his merits, not for our faith, though by our faith wee are juſtified: a man lives by faith, not that faith nouriſheth him.

As we uſe to ſay, a man lives by his hands, not that his hands nouriſh him, but his hands labour, and his labour procures money, and his money provides meat, and by his meat he lives: but becauſe his hands are the means to get it, his hands are the means to obtaine it, therefore we ſay hee lives by his hands: Iuſt ſo it is here, a man is juſtified by faith in Chriſt, not that faith will acquit any man under Heaven, but becauſe Chriſts merits are through faith received and applied to us, and ſo through Chriſt we are juſtified: ſo then wee heare the meaning of the point: Phil. 3.9. marke the Apoſtles two phraſes, That I may bee p. 119found in him not having mine owne righteouſnes which is of the Law, but that which is of the righteouſneſſe of faith in Chriſt, which is of God by faith: there is but theſe two righteouſneſſes in the world. Firſt, a mans owne righteouſneſſe which hee hath wrought, and God hath given him, and the duties which he performes and this is the righteouſneſſe of the Law; now Paul doth profeſſe that he is not juſtified by this, but onelyonly by the righteouſneſſe of God, that righteouſneſſe which is in Chriſt, that righteouſneſſe which is imputed to him from Chriſt, he labours to bee found in that righteouſneſſe, for by that he ſhall be juſtified.

The ground and reaſon of the point is this, that which in no meaſure is anſwerable to Gods Iuſtice, and agreeable to the exactneſſe of the Law and for which a man may be condemned, that cannot juſtifie a man; but what ever a man hath or doth, all the graces of God wrought in him, and all the performances done by him, there is that imperfection or blemiſh even in them, for which God may juſtly condemne him: therefore a man cannot bee juſtified thereby: this is an undenied rule of the Apoſtle, what ever condemnes a man, cannot justifie a man, but the Law condemnes a man for what he hath or can doe: therefore it cannot juſtifie a man. There is no grace in a man, no dutie to be performed by a man, but if God will looke into it according to the ſtrictneſſe and exactneſſe of the Law, he may juſtly condemne him for it: that I prove, Gal. 5.17. every Saint of God hath theſe two things, the Spirit luſting againſt the fleſh, and p. 120the fleſh luſting againſt the Spirit; and theſe two are contrary: In the beſt of Gods ſervants there is fleſh, and a luſt of the fleſh to hinder them from holy duties: ſo there are two lawes, the law of the minde, and the law of the members; the Law of God requires that a man ſhould bee perfectly holy without any ſtaine of ſinne, perfect in the performance of dutie without any blemiſh or ſtaine therein, but every gracious man hath a ſtaine of pollution in his ſoule, that is one thing; and a ſtaine in his performances, that is another thing; therefore no mans dutie, no mans abilitie, or ſufficiency cannot juſtifie him before God. It is that the Apoſtle Paul crieth out of, Rom. 7.13. A law in his members rebelling againſt the law of his minde; ſo that the caſe is cleare, if it were thus with holy Paul, as hee profeſſeth of himſelfe, then much more of the beſt Saints now, for that they have not more grace than Paul had: therefore they cannot bee juſtified for what they have or doe. Take a lame limme, as the lameneſſe of the legge will make every motion of the leg lame, a man cannot but goe lamely: ſo it is with the ſoule of a poore ſinner, when a man hath a lame heart, a corrupt ſinfull heart, all his actions will bee lame, his thoughts lame, and his ſervices lame; ſo that neither heart, nor life, nor actions, are in a right frame, all are impure and weake: I appeale to your owne conſciences in this caſe, would you be willing to appeare before Gods Tribunall with thoſe prayers, and thoſe performances of thine, and juſtifie thy ſelfe by them, and ſay, Lord thou canſt not p. 121lay any thing to my charge, the Law of God can bring inditements enough againſt thee, to confound thee; nay, we condemne our ſelves in this caſe: theſe dead hearts, and theſe blinde minds, and this want of faith, ſhall the Lord then acquit any man for that which he condemnes himſelfe? If then the beſt and moſt gracious Saint hath ſin in the frame of his heart, and ſinne in the beſt of his ſervices, then neither ſoule nor ſervice can bee anſwerable to the Law of God, and he cannot bee juſtified thereby: but the beſt of Gods ſervants not only before grace, but after grace, in the beſt heart a man hath, the beſt action hee doth, there is weakneſſe in the action: therefore they cannot juſtifie a man, therefore we muſt be juſtified onelyonly through the merits and obedience of Chriſt: thou canſt not doe, Chriſt hath done for thee; thou canſt not ſuffer, Chriſt hath ſuffered for thee; in him thou art juſtified, through him thou ſhalt be ſaved. So that when the ſoule of a poore ſinner, ſhall appeare before the Tribunall of the Lord, and juſtice comes to put in a plea againſt him, Chriſt ſhall ſtep in and ſay, Lord, for this poore ſoule that beleeves in me I have died: for this poore ſoule I tooke the nature of man upon me; therefore let thy juſtice bee fully ſatisfied with what I have done for him: well then ſaith juſtice, goe thy way, I have nothing to ſay to thee: the Lord makes a proclamation, Be it knowne to all men and angels, I acquit this ſoule; there is no imputation of ſin he hath committed, no failing in any dutie ſhall condemne him, this is the way of juſtification.

p. 122The firſt uſe of the point is this, we have here a ground of confutation of the Church of Rome: I will not accuſe them wrongfully, but lay the charge upon them according to their own words, and it ſhall appeare how they have wholly perverted the wiſedome of the Lord, in this great point of juſtification, look into the 6. Seſſion, and the 7. Chapter of the Councell of Trent; you that are wiſe and have read it, obſerve it; you that never did read it, I will read it to you: the words of the Councell are theſe, which is a confirmed doctrine, and unto which they are all bound generally to ſubſcribe, & is taken for the doctrine of the church of Rome: the words run thus, That the alone formall cauſe for which a ſinner is juſtified in the ſight of God, it is juſtice implanted, … a new quality of grace and holines wrought in the ſoule, and not the merits and obedience of Chriſt imputed to the ſoule. Imputation argueth that I have and doe nothing, but another hath, and another doth for mee, and imputes it to me… the Church of Rome profeſly holds the contrary, and punctually point blanke in the force of contradiction: they are the very words of the Councell, the alone formall cauſe, and that which gives life and being to the juſtification of a ſinner; it is the change and frame of holineſſe wrought in him, not impured to him, this is profeſ…y contrary.

Vſe 1 It is a word of conſolation, and it is a cordiall to cheare up a mans heart, and carry him through all troubles whatſoever can be…ide him, or ſhall befall him. This doctrine of Iuſtification it p. 123ſeems to me to be like Noahs Arke, when all the world was to bee drowned: God taught Noah to make an arke, and to pitch it about, that no water, nor winds, nor ſtormes could breake through, and ſo it bore up Noah above the waters, and kept him ſafe againſt wind and weather▪ when one was on the top of a mountain crying; Oh ſave me, another clambring upon the trees, all floting, and crying, and dying there; there was no ſaving, but for thoſe only that were gotten into the arke: Oh ſo it will be, you poore fooliſh beleevers, the world is like this ſea, wherein are many floods of water, many troubles, much perſecution: Oh get you into the arke the Lord Ieſus, and when one is roring and yelling, Oh the devill, the devill; another is ready to hang himſelfe, or to cut his owne throat; another ſends for a Miniſter, and hee crieth, Oh there is no mercy for me, I have oppoſed it; get you into Chriſt, I ſay, and you ſhall bee ſafe enough, I will warrant you, your ſoules ſhall bee tranſported with conſolation to the end of your hopes.

This was that which comforted Saint Paul, and made him bid defiance to all the world: Rom. 8. 33. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? as who ſhould ſay, ſhall all the angels in Heaven, ſhall all the devils in Hell, ſhall all the men upon the earth, ſhall ſinne within, ſhall actions without? it is God onelyonly that juſtifieth, not for anything we have or doe, but for Chriſts ſake: This is that I conclude withall, this one doctrine affords ſupply in all wants, and courage in all trials: p. 124I know what troubleth you, will this blinde minde never bee inlightned? I thinke I ſhall never be able to conceive of the truths of God aright, how can the Lord accept of mee, when I condemne my ſelfe? how can the Lord ſhew any favour to mee, when I fall out with my ſelfe, and wonder that I am not in the bottomleſſe pit? ſuch a baſe heart I carry about with me, and ſuch a polluted converſation, and yet live, and not in hell: I have thought ſometimes God cannot be Iuſt, if he doe not condemne me; why I ſay art thou burthened with thy ſinnes, and doſt thou goe out of thy ſelfe for the pardon of them? why goe away comforted, the Lord will juſtifie thee, not for thy workes, but for Chriſts merits: thou haſt committed all iniquitie, Chriſt hath performed all righteouſneſſe; thou haſt nothing of thy ſelfe, Chriſt hath enough for thee; and thou art not juſtified for what thou haſt or doſt, but for the Lord Ieſus ſake: looke up to him therefore, and bring him to Gods tribunall to anſwer for thee, that when Satan ſhall bring in his bils of inditement againſt thee, and ſay, what doe you hope to goe to Heaven? doe you not conſider the ſinnes which you have committed? doe you not remember the baſe courſes which heretofore you have taken up and practized? doe you not know that every ſinner muſt die? why anſwer Satan again, all this is true: Ay, but remember the Lord Ieſus, it is true I can doe nothing, but Chriſt hath done all for me; what canſt thou ſay to the Lord Ieſus? though I have offended, hee hath p. 125never offended; though I have ſinned, yet Chriſt hath fully ſatisfied; I have deſerved the wrath of God, why Chriſt hath bore the wrath of God: My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee? He was once forſaken of God, that I might bee for ever accepted of God: goe thy wayes therefore comforted and refreſhed: the place is admirable, Iſaiah 43.25. Thou haſt made mee ſerve with thy ſinnes, and wearied mee with thy rebellions, but I, even I, am hee that blotteth out all thine iniquities, and will remember thy tranſgreſſions no more: The Lord takes notice of this; are there any wicked? they are as bad; are there any vile? they are as ſinnefull; they tired God with their wickedneſſe: All you poore drunkards, you trie God with your drunkenneſſe; you prophaners of the Lords day, you tire God with your prophanations; and you ſwearers, you trie Chriſt Ieſus with your oaths and hidious blaſphemies that you belch forth againſt him upon all occaſions: you would wonder that God ſhould ſave ſuch as you, and truly ſo you may well enough; for it is a wonder, it is a miracle indeed; but if you can goe out of your ſelves, and ſinnes, and goe unto Chriſt and reſt upon him, the Lord ſaith, I will blot out all thoſe abominations of yours: and Ezekiel 33.32. compare both thoſe places together, I will forget all your ſinnes, even for mine owne names ſake: as who ſhould ſay, it is not for your ſakes; no, no, bee it knowne to thoſe ſtout hearts of yours, it is not for your parts, or gifts, or graces, no nor it is not for all the ſervices p. 126wee can diſcharge, but it is onelyonly for mine owne Names ſake that I will pardon you, and remember your ſinnes no more, remember thy pride and ſtubbornneſſe no more, remember thy prophaneneſſe no more, remember thy vanitie and looſeneſſe no more; remember thou to bee humbled, and the Lord will never remember thy ſinnes any more: Satan it may bee will come in and accuſe thee, here is a Sabbath-breaker, Lord condemne him: no more of that, Satan, ſaith God, Chriſt hath ſuffered and ſatisfied for him; no more therefore of that, let mee heare no more of thoſe things, I have forgotten them, ſaith God, this will cheere a mans heart at that great day.

This alſo is a ground of incouragement to us, againſt all the trials that can befall us in the courſe of the world: we ſee that innocencie goeth to the wals, no man can ſtand againſt envie, and hatred, and backbiting: why though you finde hard dealing here at the hands of wicked men, though you be accuſed here with falſe ſurmiſes, and falſe accuſations, and ſlanderous ſpeeches, yet ſet one againſt the other, you ſhall never bee condemned hereafter: There is no condemnation to thoſe that are in Chriſt; there may bee perſecutions, there may bee accuſations, there may be oppoſitions here upon earth raiſed againſt thee; why yet goe on cheerily, there is no condemnation in Heaven: if God acquit, let men condemne; if God approve, let men diſallow: nay laſtly, here is conſolation even in death alſo; p. 127what though your bodies bee deprived of your ſoules, and you leave all, when you returne again it is but onelyonly thus, Come yee bleſſed of my Father, you that are beleevers, you ſhall bee for ever bleſſed.

Vſe 3 The third uſe is of exhortation: will nothing doe the deed, but a Chriſt? why, Oh then above all labour for a Chriſt, more than all labour to prize a Chriſt, never let thy heart bee quieted, never let thy ſoule bee contented, untill thou haſt obtained Chriſt. Take now a malefactor, ſentence is paſſed, execution to bee adminiſtered upon him, ſuggeſt any thing to him, how to be rich, or how to bee pardoned; how to bee honoured, or how to be pardoned: Ay, ſaith hee, riches are good, and honours are good, but oh a pardon or nothing: ay but then you muſt leave all for a pardon; why take all, ſaith he, and give me a pardon that I may live, thought in povertie; that I may live, though in miſery, though in beggary; this is the nature of ſuch a poore creature: So it is with a poore beleeving ſoule, there is but one way, every man hath committed ſinne, muſt ſuffer for his ſinne: the ſentence is paſſed, every man that beleeves not, is condemned already: what would you have now? thou faint thorow couldeſt have a pardon, but wouldeſt thou not have riches, or friends? the ſoule ſaith, Alas, what is that to me to bee rich, and a reprobate; honoured, and damned: let me bee pardoned, though impoveriſhed; let mee bee juſtified, though debaſed, though I never ſee good day beſide: why then p. 128labour for a Chriſt, for there is no other way under heaven: get a broken heart, get a beleeving heart, but oh above all, get a Chriſt to juſtifie thee, get a Chriſt in all to ſave thee. If I could pray like an angell, could I heare and remember all the Sermon; could I conferre as yet never man ſpake, what is that to mee if I have not a Chriſt? I may goe downe to hell for all that I have or doe, looke into your ſoules, and obſerve your lives and converſations: when a man hath prayed, and hee findes his minde dull, his heart awke and untoward, his thoughts wandring and roving; why, thinke with your ſelves, doe wee condemne our ſelves for the duties wee doe performe, and judge our ſelves for the ſervices we have diſcharged, and yet doe wee thinke to be acquitted by the Law of God: Oh, therefore above all intreat the Lord to give thee a Chriſt, that hee may juſtifie thee here, and ſave thee everlaſtingly hereafter: Phil. 3.8. I count all things droſſe and dung in compariſon of a Chriſt: Paul was a proud Phariſee, learned Paul, reverend Paul, a man of admirable parts; yet ſaith the Apoſtle, That I thought to bee gaine, was loſſe to mee, yea dung and dog ſmeat in compariſon of a Chriſt; yea doubtleſſe, and I doe count all things loſſe, that is, not onelyonly my parts, and credit, and privileges when I was a Phariſee, but the beſt dutie that ever I did, the beſt ſervice that ever I performed, I account all as dung and dogſmeat in the point of juſtification, in reſpect of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: grace therefore is good, and duties are good, ſeeke for all, we ſhould doe ſo; performe p. 129all, we ought to doe ſo; but oh, a Chriſt, a Chriſt, a Chriſt in all, above all, more than all. Thus now I have ſhewed you the way to the Lord Ieſus, I have ſhewed you alſo how you may come to be implanted into the Lord Ieſus; and now I leave you in the hands of a Saviour, in the bowels of a Redeemer, and I think I cannot leave you better; the worſt is paſt, now you are come hither: Rom. 5.9. If you be justified by his death, then much more ſhall you be ſaved through his righteouſnes, and merits.

You whoſe eyes God hath opened, whoſe hearts God hath humbled, and whoſe ſoules God hath called home to himſelfe, you are now in the hands of the Lord; goe your way, and when you ſee hell flaming, and the devils roaring, and the damned yelling and crying out, looke backe I ſay and ſee this ditch out of which you are eſcaped; looke upon the pit which you were going over: you may bleſſe God, and ſay, wee are paſt that, thoſe dayes are gone, wee are paſt from death to life: Acts 20.32. when Saint Paul was to goe away from them, and for ought hee knew ſhould never ſee their faces more, why yet marke what hee ſaith to them: Brethren, I commend you to God, and the Word of his grace, that is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among thoſe that are ſanctified: as who ſhould ſay, God and his Word was the beſt Commandment he could put them over to: as who ſhould ſay, Paul muſt depart, and Paul muſt be impriſoned, and Paul muſt die; ſo that now he ſhall bee with you no longer to teach, to informe, to direct p. 130you, but the good Word of the Lord endures to comfort for ever, to cheere for ever, to aſſiſt, refreſh for ever thoſe that are weake and diſcouraged. I put you over therefore to a good Word, to an everlaſting Word, I commend you to a bleſſed and a living Saviour, who will bee with you for ever, by the immutable aſſiſtance of his bleſſed Spirit: I leave you in the hands of your Saviour, that when the head of your Miniſter haply ſhall lie full low, or death overtake him, why yet remember I have put you over to a Saviour. Oh love this Word, and love this Chriſt more than all, prize this Chriſt above all, and he will preſerve you: and this I will wiſh you, that you would keep yourſelves cloſe to this good Word, that will informe you, and to this bleſſed Saviour that will ſupport you from day to day.