Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 38
CHAP. XXXVIII.
Sheweth how our ſanctification commeth from Chriſt in ſix particulars. 1. It was the end of his coming. to deſtroy the works of the Divel. 2. He is the great Ordinance appointed by God to ſanctifie his people. 3. His death is appointed to mortifie ſin. 4. By him the curſe upon the heart is taken away. 5. By his union with beleevers, being the head of the ſecond Covenant. 6. In Chriſt are the ſtrongeſt arguments for holineſs that can be.
THirdly, And eſpecially, we are to enquire, how Chriſt is the reſt of ſanctification, come to me and I wil give you reſt; I will give you power againſt your corruptions, and you ſhall have ſanctification in and by me, For that.
1. We are to know, That a ſpecial end why Jeſus Chriſt came into the World, it was to diſſolve the works of the Devil, that was a ſpecial End of Chriſts coming into the World. In 1 John 3.8. He that committeth ſin is of the Devil, for the Devil ſinneth from the begining, for this purpoſe the ſon of God was manifeſted, that he might deſtroy the works of the Devil whoſoever is borne of God doth not commit ſin for his ſeed remaineth in him, and he cannot ſin, &c. It is a ſtrange ſcripture whoſoever committeth ſin is of the devil; you ſay you defie the Devil, but the holy Ghoſt ſaith, if you commit ſin that is walk in any way of ſin. For you wil ſay, who is there that commits not ſin? Well, but the words are thus: He that committeth ſin is of the Devil. Therefore it is apparent, there is a kind of commiſſion of ſin, that is an argument they are of the Devil, for they are the words of the Holy Ghoſt? And for this purpoſe the Son of God was manifeſted, that he might deſtroy the works of the Devil. It was the end why he came into the World, yea, it is a ſpecial thing that Chriſt is anointed to by God the Father, to deliver Souls from the bondage of their corruption, and to work Holineſs in them: That you have in Iſa. 61. and the beginning, that notable propheſie concerning Chriſt, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, (that is upon Chriſt, for it is a propheſie of him) becauſe the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath ſent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to Spiritual Captives that are under Spiritual bondage. And then in verſe 3. That they might be called Trees of Righteouſneſs, the planting of the Lord: So that that is the firſt conſideration of Chriſts giving the reſt of ſanctification, that it is the end for which Chriſt was born, and it is the end for which he was anointed by God the Father, to Sanctifie the hearts of thoſe that he ſhall redeem. So that Chriſt is our Sanctification, by attaining the end of his own coming into the World, by fulfilling of that that God the Father hath anointed him for.
Secondly, Chriſt is our Sanctification, as the great ordinance that God hath ſet up for the Sanctifying of the hearts of his people. I ſay, Chriſt is ſet up as the great ordinance oppainted by God for this end, the Lord hath ſet him up and filled him ful of holyneſs, that holyneſs might be conveyed through him unto the ſouls that do belong unto him. And therefore it is ſaid, in that known place, As in John, 1.16. Of his fullneſs we receive Grace for Grace. Of his fulneſs Jeſus Chriſt is filled ful of holineſs, as a ciſtern fild ful of precious liquor, and grace muſt come through him unto the ſouls of all thoſe that are Godly, that are beleevers. Faith draws grace from him, grace for grace, that is, grace anſwerable to grace, as print for print in a ſeal, there is print for print in the wax, look what print there is in the ſeal, the ſame print is in the wax, So look what grace is in Chriſt, there is anſwerably in ſome meaſure the ſame grace in the Saints. Of his fulneſs we receive, and al the beleevers that ever were in the world have received al the grace that ever they have had from him, out of his fulneſs, and from him as the great ordinance that God hath ſet up, for the diſpenſation of the graces of his ſpirit, for the working of Sanctification in al thoſe that ſhal be ſaved. Yea Chriſt, is ſuch an ordinance appointed by God the father for holyneſs, and ſanctification, as indeed, there is ſo much virtue in him, that the very looking upon Chriſt, hath a power to ſanctify the heart, the very looking upon him. As the brazen ſerpent in the wilderneſs, you know, was the great ordinance of God appointed for the healing of thoſe that were ſtung with ſerpents, and being the ordinance appointed for their healing, thoſe that did but look up to the brazen Serpent received virtue preſently, and were healed of their ſting, of the deadly diſeaſe that was upon them by the ſtinging of Serpents, now this was by virtue of that ordinance. Now then I reaſon thus, if when God makes but a piece of braſs an ordinance, there ſhal be ſuch a virtue in it, that the very looking upon it ſhal have power to heal the body, then if God ſhal make his own ſon Jeſus Chriſt, God bleſſed for ever, God and man, to be an ordinance to heal the ſouls of his people, ſurely then thoſe that look up to him by the eye of faith, wil receive healing of their ſouls, as they did receive by looking upon the brazen ſerpent. The very beholding of Chriſt hath a power to ſanctify the heart. And therefore if you would have holyneſs, you muſt often look upon Chriſt, ſet Chriſt in your eye, be not only poring upon your Corruptions, and looking downward into the blackneſs that there is in your ſpirits. Many Chriſtians are laboring under the burden of their corruptions, a long time, why? becauſe they ſpend their time and ſtrength meerly in poring upon their corruptions, and looking down to their corruptions. But Oh Chriſtian, thou muſt look up, ſet thy eye upon Chriſt the great ordinance, and behold him as the great ordinance ſet up by God the Father, for the conveyance of grace to the ſouls of beleevers, and for the healing of al their ſouls and wounds, and then there wil come healing virtue from him. We read of the poor woman that had the bloody iſſue, that ſpent al upon the Phyſitian, ſhee did but come to Chriſt, and touch the hem of his garment, and then ſhe was healed. Surely Chriſt hath a great deal of virtue in him, that the very touch did heal her, and therefore he ſaith, who hath touched me? virtue went from him at the very touch of the hem of his garment, Chriſt is the great ordinance and he is ful of virtue and excellency, the looking upon him, and touching of him, brings virtue to the ſoul, to heal the ſoul of its corruption.
Thirdly, more particularly Chriſt brings ſanctification unto the heart, becauſe the death of Chriſt is appointed by God, to have an efficacy to mortify ſin and corruption, it is from application of the death of Chriſt, filled with virtue, and appointed by God for that end, that it ſhould have efficacy upon the heart, to mortify corruption in the heart. A man may reſolve againſt his corruption, he may vow and covenant againſt a ſin, he may ſtrive and ſtruggle againſt a ſin, he may pray againſt a ſin, he may faſt to overcome his ſin, he may uſe all meanes that he thinks he can poſſibly uſe to overcome his ſin, and yet ſtil his ſin not dead in him, perhaps the meanes that he may uſe to reſtrain ſin, may keep down his ſin, but it wil never mortify his ſin. The application of the death of Chriſt, that is appointed by God, for Chriſt is appointed himſelf as the great ordinance. But now more particularly I ſay, that the way that is appointed by God for the mortifying of corruption, it is the application of the death of Chriſt to the ſoul, the virtue that comes from Chriſt as a dying Chriſt, from Chriſt as a crucified Chriſt, from Chriſt as a dead Chriſt to mortify corruption in the heart. That is cleer from that place in Rom. 6. the begining. What ſhal we ſay then? ſhal we continue in ſin that grace may abound? God forbid, how ſhal we that are dead to ſin live any longer therein (dead a part of his coming) know you not that ſo many of us as were baptized into Chriſt, were baptized into his death? therefore we are buried into Baptiſm by his death. And in verſ. 5. For if we have been planted together, in the likeneſs of his death. Again in verſ. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed, that henceforth we ſhould not ſerve ſin. The old man is crucified with him, in his being crucified, there is a virtue in Chriſts death for the crucifying of corruption, that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed that henceforth we ſhould not ſerve ſin. He doth not ſay, that we might have ſome power againſt ſin, that ſin might be reſtrained, or that ſuch a particular ſin may be kept down, but that the body of ſin might be deſtroyed. So that in the application of the death of Chriſt, there is not only the overcoming of this particular ſin, but the Body of ſin comes to be deſtroyed: all thoſe principles of ſin in the ſoul, with the connexion of them, and joyning one to another, as the Members are joyned in the Body, they come to be deſtroyed, that is, though not wholly caſt out and radicated, yet the ruling power of them is taken away; as ſoon as ever the ſoul is come to Chriſt, the Body of ſin hath a deadly ſtroke given to it. There are many of you ſtriving againſt this particular corruption, ſomtimes one, and ſomtimes another, for thoſe that are Gods Children, their hearts are more inclined unto ſome ſins than others, and at ſomtime to ſome particular ſin more than other. It may be one labors under the burden of paſſion, and another of unbelief, and another of Pride, and another of wantonneſs, and divers particular corruptions they are laboring under. It may be at ſome times you find one corruption ſtir, and you ſtrive againſt that; and another time another corruption ſtirs, and you ſpend your ſtrength againſt that, but now here's the way to ſtrike at the whol Body of Corruption at once. If one ſhal go to cut down a Tree, and ſtand chopping at one ſprig, and one branch, and another branch, the Tree may ſtand long enough for al that: But now, if he would get the Tree down, he goes to the root, and a few blows gets down all there. So this is the wiſdom of a Chriſtian, That when he comes to labor againſt any corruption, he doth not ſpend his time ſo much againſt this or that particular corruption, but ſtrikes at the body of corruption: and how gets he ſtrength againſt that? By applying the blood of Chriſt, the death of Chriſt by faith againſt that, and by this means the body of death comes to be deſtroyed. And here is the reaſon, that Chriſtians in a little time grow ſo much, and get ſo much power againſt their corruptions, whereas others are a long time before they get any power at all. Thoſe that are not acquainted with the way of Chriſt, you ſhall have one that hath been a notorious wretch, a wicked perſon, a ſwearer, a Sabbath-breaker, if it pleaſe God to bring him to the Word, and reveal Chriſt to the ſoul, you ſhall have a mighty change in this man in a week, a great change, that he doth not only leave off now drunkenneſs, and then lying, and then ſwearing, and then Sabbath-breaking, but all goes down together; Why? Becauſe at one application of the death of Chriſt, al the body of ſin comes to be deſtroyed, though not quite dead and withered. As a Tree though it may be dead, yet the Leaves may be green ſtill: So though there be not at firſt the withering of them, yet there is the deadly ſtroke given, and therefore the way to kill them is to renew the application of the death of Chriſt. And indeed this ſhould be the care of a Chriſtian, not to keep from the acting of ſin ſo much, as to find that the death of Chriſt is applied to him. And hence you never read of any ſuch thing as mortification in any Heathen Author in the World, the mortification of corruption is a Riddle to all Heathen Writers in the World. The mortifying of corruption, and the mortifying of their own hearts, this is a peculiar expreſſion of the Goſpel, and indeed it is peculiar to Beleevers. Many men, through good Education are ſo reſtrained, that they are very fair in their courſe; others as they come to more underſtanding, the vanity of their youth being overcome, there is not that prophaneneſs committed by them as heretofore; I but, what is this to mortification of the body of death that is in their hearts, this is only peculiar to a Chriſtian, and it is from the application of the death of Chriſt, the application of a Chriſt dying, of a Chriſt crucifying, of a Chriſt ſhedding his blood for ſin; this hath a virtue to mortifie ſin. There is a great deal of difference between a mortified luſt, and a reſtrained luſt, a mortified ſin, and a reſtrained ſin. The difference lies in this one thing, for I muſt not go out to handle the Point, but only this one thing take it by the way: When a luſt is mortified, there is not only a ceaſing from the act of it, but there is now an unſuitableneſs between the heart and the ſin, whereas there may be much reſtraint of ſin, and yet ſtil there may remain a ſuitableneſs between the diſpoſition of the heart and the ſin, only they dare not commit it, but when ſin is mortified, the heart is ſo changed, that there is an unſuitableneſs wrought between the heart and corruption now, and this mortification of the body of ſin is by the death of Chriſt.
Fourthly, Chriſt is our ſanctification, and he only, becauſe it is by him that the ſpiritual curſe that is upon every mans heart naturally is taken away, it is Chriſt only that doth deliver the ſoul from the ſpiritual curſe that is upon every mans heart naturally. You know this is the condition of man by nature, he is under the curſe of the Law. Curſed is the man that abideth not in al things that is written in the Law to do it. But now, we apprehend ordinarily this curſe to be, either in outward miſery or elſe in hel fire curſed eternally, but we are to know, that one branch of this curſe is that that is upon the ſouls of men here, There is a ſpiritual curſe that is upon the ſouls of men by the fal of Adam, and that is, God giving them up unto themſelves, unto the luſts of their own heart, unto their own counſel and wayes. Now I confeſs, as it is in the curſe of outward afflictions in this world, it is in ſome degree upon ſome, and in a further degree upon others, but al are under it naturally, ſo this ſpiritual death is executed in ſome degrees upon ſome, and in more degrees, upon others, but every ſoule is in ſome meaſure, in ſome degree or other given up to the luſt of its owne heart, there is a final degree of giving the ſoul up to the luſts of its own heart ſomtime, but there is in every one a meaſure a degree of this, and the reaſon of the prevailing of the corruption of mens hearts may appear in ſome meaſure by this. It is ſtrange to ſee, that notwithſtanding al the convictions of conſcience, & telling men of the dangerouſneſs of their wayes, that it wil never be peace in the end, that they wil rue it at the laſt, and their conſciences give them many a ſecret nip, yet they goe on ſtil, notwithſtanding the terror in the Law many times, nay, notwithſtanding the hand of God hath bin ſtrong upon them, and they have cryed out againſt their ſins, and promiſed againſt them, and notwithſtanding that they find that their ſins do deſtroy the very health of their bodies, waſte their Eſtates, take away their good names, and thereby looſe al their friends, yet they are not able to overcome it, As the Scripture ſpeakes of ſome that have eyes ful of adultery, they cannot ceaſe to ſin. Now ſometimes they plead this as an excuſe for their ſin, and ſay, they would fain leave it but they cannot, and they think this is a ſufficient excuſe for their ſin, an excuſe, no, this their cannot may be from the ſpiritual curſe that is upon their ſouls, becauſe the curſe of God is in a high degre upon their hearts, giving them up in juſt judgment unto the luſts of their own hearts. And this I take in ſome part to be the meaning of that place, in 1. Cor. 15.56. verſe. The ſtrength of ſin is the Law. Now ſpiritually the meaning of it is this, that al the ſtrength that ſin hath to condemn one, to kil one, to bring death, it is by the Law, that I take to be the ſpecial ſcope of thoſe words. But there is included likewiſe in that expreſſion thus much, that the law of God giues a ſtrength to ſin. How, you wil ſay, doth the Law of God give a ſtrength to ſin? Thus, there is the juſtice of God in his Law, by virtue of the Law of God, and the juſtice of God in it, man is given up unto his ſin, and ſo his ſin comes to have a power and ſtrength over him, the ſtrength of ſin it is the Law, the Law requires this, the juſtice of God in the Law requires this. That thoſe that do forſake God ſhould be forſaken of him, that thoſe that give their hearts up to ſatiſfie themſelves in any way of ſin, that they ſhould be given up to that ſin, So the ſtrength of ſin is the Law, the Law makes ſin to be ſo much the ſtronger that way. Now therefore, how ſhould the ſoul come to be deliuered from the ſtrength of ſin? the Law muſt be ſatisfied, the Law muſt be taken off, the ſtrength of the Law muſt be taken away, and none can take that away but Chriſt, Chriſt takes away the ſtrength of the Law, but the Law is not executed upon Chriſt, ſo as he was to be given up, but the text ſaith, he was made ſin, he came to take our ſin upon him, it was as neere as might be, though he was not capable of having the execution of the Law upon him but the ſcripture ſaith, he was …ade ſin for us, that indeed is a very great meaning of this place, though acknowledging of ſin, and ſuffering for ſin be the cheif meaning of the place, yet it hath beſides very much of this in it.
Fifthly, Chriſt is our ſanctification, by being the head of the ſecond Covenant, and ſo through our miſtical union with him, there is a virtue of holineſs conveyed from him by being the head of the ſecond Covenant, and we being members of him as the head, we come to have the virtue of holineſs to be drawn from him. As it was in Adam, how come we to have ſo much ſin conveyed to us by Adam by propagation, but thus? As we may read in Rom. 5. By one man ſin came into the world. Now Adam, he was the head of the firſt Covenant, and by being the head of that, al mankind are looked upon as members of the firſt Adam, he being the head in that notion of the Covenant, in that conſideration. Adam was not looked upon as a parent only, as the firſt father, but as the head, and we are not looked upon only as the children of Adam, but as members, ſo that al men were looked upon as one in Adam, and therefore the Scripture ſpeakes but of two men, the firſt Adam and the ſecond Adam, that look as ſin is conveyed to us, being members of the Firſt Adam, and he being the head of the Firſt Covenant, ſo grace comes to be conveyed unto the ſoul by our being members of the ſecond Adam, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt being the head of the ſecond Covenant, here is the way of conveyance of holineſs, our union with Chriſt, So that now the holineſs that is in Chriſt, comes to us by virtue of the miſtical union. As by virtue of the natural union of the members of the body with the head, there comes animal ſpirits to the members of the body; ſo by virtue of our miſtical union with Chriſt our head, there is conveyed holineſs and grace to ſtrengthen us againſt our corruptions. As the oyntment did run from Aarons head … …to the reſt of his members, ſo Chriſt that is anoyt… …at hath the oyl, not only of gladneſs but holineſs too, doth deſcend down to al his members by virtue of the union they have with him. And for that end you have a moſt famous ſcripture in Rom. 8.2. For the Law of the ſpirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus, hath made me free from the Law of ſin and death. It is a ſcripture that hath very much in it. What doth he mean by the Law of ſin and death? The Law, that is the mighty power that there is in ſin, and ſo in death that comes by ſin in the hearts of unbeleevers. There is a Law of ſin, the ſtrength of ſin I ſpeak of, ſin hath ſtrength going along with it, hath power with it. So a Law of ſin there is in the hearts of men, they are compelled to ſin, as, I may ſo ſpeake, as a man is compelled to a thing by a law, a law of ſin, though this be no excuſe to them. And let them know, that ſo far as they are compelled to ſin, they are compelled to death to. But how ſhal this Law of ſin and death be overcome? Marke the words, The Law of the ſpirit of life in Chriſt, hath made me free from the Law of ſin and death. The Law of the ſpirit of Life, here is two gradations, that is, the holineſs that is in Chriſt, that is likewiſe a Law as wel as the corruption that is in the heart. The corruption in the heart hath a ſtrength in it, and the holineſs of Chriſt hath a ſtrength in it too, So that when grace comes into the heart, the heart goes on in a way of holineſs, in a holy kind of neceſſity, We can do nothing againſt the truth, ſaith the Apoſtle. But yet there is a neceſſity of willingneſs goes along with it too, there is a Law of Love and kindneſs, but by this word of Law is meant, a ſtrong impetuouſneſs, a migh…y power that carries the ſoul on to holineſs. Again, ſecondly it is the Law of the ſpirit, and of the ſpirit of life, the holineſs of Chriſt it is a holineſs that is ful of life. Firſt it is Life. And ſecondly it is the ſpirit of Life. Now the ſpiri… of life is a higher degree then life, as the ſpirit of a thing hath the quickning of the thing in it, beyond what the whol bulke of the thing is. When the ſpirit of herbs or any ſuch thing is extracted you know thoſe ſpirits have much quickning in them, beyond the things themſelves, ſo the ſpirit would expreſs the mighty activity in the holyneſs that comes from Chriſt, it is life, it is the ſpirit of life, and then it is the Law of the ſpirit of life Oh my brethren, you ſee then here, that Godlineſs is no dul thing, it is no heavy thing, no poor, weake, contemptible thing, but it is the life, & it is the life of Chriſt, & it is the ſpirit of life, and it is the Law of the Spirit of life, he ſpeakes of grace when it comes to that, as the Law of the ſpirit of life.
There is but two things in ſin, the Law of ſin and death, and in grace there is life, and the ſpirit of life, and the law of the ſpirit of life, and al this in Jeſus Chriſt. It is not in our owne reſolutions, purpoſes, endeavours, but in our union with Jeſus Chriſt, and this it is that brings grace unto the heart, though there be much corruption before, yet the ſoul being thus one with Chriſt, and looking upon Chriſt as the head of the ſecond Covenant, and doth draw virtue from Jeſus Chriſt, a mighty ſtrong virtue to help the ſoul againſt corruption, and quicken it in the wayes of God, and thus comes the reſt to the ſoul by Chriſt in ſanctification,
Carnal hearts, they know no way in the world how to get grace, they heare talking of grace, and leaving of ſin, but they know not how to get it, and they wil go and pray, read, heare, and the like, I but you muſt know, that grace lies in another way then you think of, for you think it muſt come from God, I but it muſt come from God in a miſtical way through Chriſt. Perhaps ſome of you hearing the myſteries of the Goſpel underſtand this, that as God is the fountain of al grace, ſo it muſt be conveyed by Chriſt as through the ciſterne, I but you muſt underſtand alſo, that you muſt have it from God through Chriſt, as he is a head unto you, and you are the members, through a miſtical union that your ſouls muſt have with Chriſt, ſo as you be made one with Chriſt, you muſt be made one with Chriſt. As the member can never receive any ſpirit from the head, except it be united to the body, it is not by being tied to the body. If you take an arme of fleſh and tie it to a mans ſhoulder it wil never receive life that way, but it muſt have a natural union. Juſt thus your common Profeſſors, that meerly have the name of Chriſtians, and are not ſpiritually united to Chriſt, they are like to Armes ti…d on to the ſhoulder, or to wooden legs that are faſtened upon mens thighes that want legs, they have ſome uſe of thoſe legs to help thē a little to go, I but thoſe legs have not virtue and life conveyed from the head. So your common Chriſtians, they have ſome knowledg of Chriſt, they are only faſtened to Chriſt, as a wooden leg is faſtened to a mans body, they make ſome uſe of Chriſt, ſome profeſſion of Chriſt & can ſpeake of Chriſt, & what they heare ſpoken of Chriſt, is ſomewhat ſerviceable and uſeful to them, I but they have not life from Chriſt, and hence they have not holineſs from Chriſt, they have not the true holineſs that comes from the Law of the ſpirit of life that is in Chriſt.
Sixthly, Another thing that is to be conſidered of in Chriſt, how the reſt of ſanctification comes to the ſoul through him, is this, In Chriſt there are the greateſt arguments for holineſs that poſſibly can be imagined, and Chriſt comes to be a reſt of ſanctification that way: when the ſoul comes unto Chriſt, and knowes Chriſt in the right way, the ſoul ſees in Chriſt enough againſt ſin, and for holineſs, if it never ſaw any thing elſe there is enough in Chriſt to help againſt ſin, and for the furtherance of of holineſs, that that is diſcovered in Chriſt hath a mighty power to help the ſoul againſt ſin, and to further it in the way of holineſs, as now to inſtance the mighty arguments that there are in Chriſt, againſt ſin and for holineſs, as.