Gospel Reconciliation, Chapter 20
CHAP. 20.
APPLICATION. Ʋſe. 1. See the woful miſery ſin hath brought us unto; humiliation for ſin us ful.
THis improvment of al by application to our ſelves folows. Indeed a great part of what hath been inſiſted on though it hath been by way of Explication, yet it hath been Applicatory. But there are yet further things by way of Application to be preſented to you, al flowing naturally from what hath been taught neither ſhal I need to be long in it becauſe it is but only a working upon your hearts the ſame things which I have inlarged upon in the opening of the Point.
ƲSE. 1
1. then from this point; that God was in Chriſt Reconciling the world to himſelfe. Hence is preſented before us the woful miſery that ſin hath brought us into. There is nothing that ſets out the Breach between God and man ſo much as this. That the making up of that Breach muſt be in Chriſt. There is a great queſtion now on foot. Whether humiliation be neceſſary or no; whether men muſt be made ſenſſible of their natural condition, and ſo be humbled, and that way be brought unto Jeſus Chriſt. There are a great many that Catch hold upon the abuſe of this Humiliation ſo as wholly to exclude it (but exceeding ignorantly) becauſe that ſome would make humiliation as if it were a Condition of the Covenant, which indeed it is not; and when they heare us ſay, that it is not a Condition; they preſently Conclude that there is no need at al of it; becauſe ſay they, Humiliation doth not at al intereſt us in Jeſus Chriſt. And becauſe ſome perhaps wil truſt two much in their Humiliation, and rely upon it, therefore others wil wholly take it away, and exclude it. But: though humiliation is not the Condition of the Covenant, though it is not that which doth give us an intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt; though it is not that which we are to rely upon; yet there is very much need of humiliation, and that we be made ſenſible of our loſt Condition by ſin; and by that which hath been delivered you may ſee a neceſſity of it: for Conſider; I ſuppoſe if you beleive that God wil pardon your ſins, and that he wil be Reconciled unto you, you beleive it is in Chriſt: Yea, you wil ſay, that is Certaine; and therefore ſeeing Chriſt hath wrought our Reconciliation what need we be humbled for ſin. Certainly my Bretheren in that which you ſay, if you underſtand what you ſay, there is implied the deepeſt work of humiliation, and the ſtrongeſt argument thereunto that it is poſſible for any Creature to be Capable of in this world. How is that, you wil ſay? Thus. I beleeve that God is reconciled to me in Chriſt; what? hath God wrought my reconciliation in his Son? hath he brought it about by Jeſus Chriſt? and choſen that way above all other wayes to do it? Then certainly ſuch was the Breach between God and me through my ſin that al the Angels in Heaven, and al the men in the world could never make it up. Such was the Breach that my ſin had made between God and my ſoul as it is required ſo great a miſtery of Godlineſs to make it up, as the very Angels themſelves are not able to comprehend. And indeed it is the greateſt work that ever God did do, or that …ver God wil do to al Eternity. Conſider what it coſt to make up the Breach that ſin had made between God and thy ſoul.
And againe; If you beleive that you are reconciled to God in Chriſt; you do not only ſee and are Convinced of the greatneſs of that Breach, but you muſt be ſenſible of it too; for can I go out of my ſelf, and exerciſe ſuch a gloriouſe act of Faith upon Chriſt as Mediator, and yet not be ſenſible of what Chriſt hath done? Certainly the work of faith can never be raiſed in the heart, But it is raiſed ſo as the ſinner knows what he doth when he doth beleive, and is ſenſible of what he doth. And if this be ſo; take but theſe two things. That when a man beleeves in Chriſt as Mediator, that he knows what he doth; when he beleeves, and is ſenſible of what he doth; take but theſe two things for granted, and I wil warrant that foul wil be humbled; it follows of it ſelf, and of its own nature; it need not be required as a Condition, it is as neceſſary to the work of faith as light in the Sun when it ſhines, or as heate of the fire, and indeed it is implyed. As for example. When I am to go to ſuch a place, or about ſuch a buſineſs; it is true, going is not the condition required; it is not required that I ſhould travil ſo many ſtepps by way of Condition, but that ſuch an act ſhould be performed; that I ſhould be at ſuch a place at ſuch a day to do ſuch a buſineſs; now though this be not expreſſed in a condition, that I muſt go ſo many miles, and the going of the miles is as neceſſary as the other; and though that be not required yet it is implyed in the act that is required; and it is to be looked upon as neceſſary, as that which is required as a Condition. So, it is true, humiliation is not the Condition of the ſecond Covenant, it is not the thing that interſteth us in Jeſus Chriſt, but it is that which the nature of faith doth neceſſarily imply; for faith is an underſtanding Grace; and indeed it is the moſt gloriouſe worke of the ſoul that ever was: for a ſoul to beleeve in God through Chriſt; to beleeve that God is Reconciled to him in Chriſt it is the moſt glorious work under heaven
Now when I beleeve in Chriſt as a Savior; what is he a Savior from? a Savior from my ſin, a Savior from the wrath of God, and this the Soul muſt neceſarily be ſenſſible of, how elſe can it put forth ſuch an act of Faith; and I know no faithful preacher in the world that ever preſſed humiliation further then this; that when men beleeve in Chriſt, they muſt know, and be ſenſible of what they do; you muſt know Chriſt is a Mediator, and if he be a Mediator, what is he a Mediator for? why, to make up a Breach between God, and you. And then you muſt know what that breach is; that is, the breach that your ſin hath made. And then you muſt know what ſin that is; Namely, that your ſin hath provoked the Juſtice of God, and put you under the Curſe of the Law. So that you ſee the neceſſity of opening the law, though it be not a thing which intereſteth us in Chriſt, yet it follows of it ſelf as a neceſſary Conſequence without which you cannot underſtand Chriſt as a reconciler. This is therefore the firſt uſe If God wil never be reconciled to any Soul but only in Chriſt; then that Soul that comes to be Saved muſt come to ſee it ſelf in a moſt woful Condition; for ſuch a Creature as hath need of ſuch a Mediator muſt needs be in a moſt Wretched, Damnable, Miſſerable, Curſed condition in it ſelf, for elſe it could never requier ſuch a Mediator. And certainly there is no ſuch way to honor Chriſt as this. When men ſpeake of Chriſt, and of free Grace, except rhey inſtruct people in this; Namely the breach that is made between God, and them through ſin; how can any of their Avditory underſtand what Chriſt is. Chriſt is a Mediator; what to do? to ſave from fin, What? from what ſin? from ſin. What is that? ſin muſt be made known if Chriſt be the reconciler between God, and us; becauſe Reconciliation implies a breach, and a breach that is made by ſin, and if you know not what breach is that is made, how can you honor Chriſt as Mediator? So that you muſt know what that breach is: that breach is the enmity that is in your hearts by Nature; you muſt know what that enmity is, and be ſenſible of it, or elſe you can never give glory to God in Chriſt. And though many have ſo much in their mouthes of Chriſt, and of free Grace; yet it is apparent in their Courſe that they do not give glory to Chriſt; Chriſt hath little cauſe to thank them for any glory that he hath from them in their Converſation; they rather blott, and ſtaine the name of Chriſt: and what is the reaſon? The truth is, they never rightly underſtood Chriſt as a Mediator; they never knew what it was to have need of a Mediator between God, and them, and ſo they having but a ſuperficial knowledg of Chriſt; Chriſt hath but a ſuperficial glory from them. That is the firſt Uſe.