The Revival of Grace, Part – Errata

The Revival of Grace · Part – Errata

p. 1Gal. 3. v. 13, 14.

Chriſt hath redeemed us from the Curſe of the Law, being made a Curſe for us, &c.

THeſe two verſes do acquaint us with what Chriſt hath done for us, and how he hath done it; what he was made for us, and what we are made by him. He was made a curſe for us, we are made bleſſed by him. In the words you may obſerve,

1. A grand deſign of Favour propoſed, Parts of the words.i.e. the conferring on us a great Bleſſing, that we Gentiles might receive the bleſſing of Abraham.

2. The accompliſhment of the deſign by Chriſt; he hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, &c.

3. The Manner how he hath effected this being made a curſe for us.

3. The Proof of this, that Chriſt was made a curſe for us, argued from the Manner of his Dying; For it is written, Curſed is every one that hangeth on a Tree.

From which (declining all but what directly tends to my purpoſe) I commend to you this Truth, viz.

That the Bleſſings of Grace are procured for us, imparted to us, and increaſed in us, Doctr. by Chriſt's becoming, and dying a Curſe for us.

p. 2The full bleſſing of Grace deſcends on us through Chriſt made a Curſe for us.

Here I ſhall 1. Clear the Term. 2. Prove the Truth. 3. Eſſay the Improvement of Grace, by ſhewing how this may excite and exerciſe Grace. Now in the explication of the Terms, there are theſe Terms offer themſelves;

11. What is this Bleſſing. 2. What is this Curſe. 3. How Chriſt was made a Curſe. Of each in order.

Sect. 1. This Bleſſing then is made evident in general by the Apoſtle, verſ. 14. who calls it, The Bleſſing of Abraham, and explaineth it farther; it was that we might receive the Promiſe of the Spirit through Faith. That Covenant of Grace with all the immunities of it, whereby the Jews for a long time had been the peculiar people of God, —Benedictionis pars maximè memorabilis in ſpiritûs dono ſita eſt, P.P. Salmur. Theſ. de Baptiſ. Sect. 23.and had been advanced high above other Nations, is now made with the Gentiles, who are now of Aliens, made Heirs to the Covenants of Promiſe, Children of God, and endowed with the Spirit. A most memorable part of the Bleſſing lieth in the Gift of the Holy Ghoſt. So the words of the Apoſtle are a Concluſion from the premiſſes that the Gentiles ſhould be made partakers of the free Bleſſing of Abraham by Chriſt, Concluſio omnium ſuperiorum —gentes fieri in Chriſto gratuitae benedictionis Abrahami participes—& conſequi promiſſam illam Evangelii Gratiam quam vocat Spiritum.and ſhould obtain the promiſed Grace of the Goſpel, which he calleth the Spirit. Or in the words of the learned Critick and Divine, Promiſſionem Spiritus pro Spiritu promiſſo accipio — Et Spiritus nomine benedictionem aeternae ſpiritualis vitae intelligo. Th. Beza in Loc.I take the Promiſe of the Spirit for the p. 3Spirit promiſed, and by the Spirit I underſtand the bleſſing of an eternal ſpiritual life. The bleſſing of Renovation, and Holineſs from the Spirit of Sanctification: The bleſſing of Peace in our Pardon atteſted by the Spirit of Adoption; The bleſſing of inconceivable Glory; reward of all the obedience of our Faith. In brief, That ſpiritual life we extinguiſht by ſin; that favour with God which we loſt by our diſobedience; that glory which we fell ſhort of, when we fell from God; all that happineſs which the Law could not give to ſinful man; accurſed by the Law for his tranſgreſſing of it: But the Goſpel hath given to many, and ſtill offers to all that it is ſent unto: This is the Bleſſing that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of, and which the Doctrine I am ſpeaking of doth intend; and this does come on us by Chriſt made a Curſe, &c.

Sect. 2. Which Term cometh next to be ſomewhat explained. And here I conceive are two things ever found in a Curſe, according to the ſentence of the Law.

1. Firſt, It either implieth an aaGen. 26.28. Ezek. 17.13 Gen. 49.7.Gen 26:28Ezek 17:13Gen 49:7imprecation of evil in caſe of a perſidious violation of our Faith, (as in Covenants between equals) or a bbGen. 24.21. Deut. 29.14 Dan. 9.11Gen 24:21Deut 29:14Dan 9:11donunciation of puniſhment from the Law of our Superiour in caſe of our perſidious refuſal or violation of the Covenant we were under by his juſt ordination; by doing either of which the offender deſerveth and draweth down the Curſe by his falſifying, or breaking with God when he was under a Covenant of obedience, or Law of righteouſneſs, with promiſe of reward and bleſſedneſs.

2. Secondly, A curſe implieth all that evil p. 4of ſorrow and ſuffering which is caſt upon the guilty by the avenging wrath of a contemned and provoked God vindicating the honour of himſelf and his Law, by executing the fierceneſs of his diſpleaſure on the falſifier of his juſt and holy Covenant. So when God threatned to curſe the perfidious people the Jews, Iſa. 24.5. he firſt declares their ſin, They had broken the Everlaſting Covenant; they had dealt perfidiouſly therein, and diſhonoured God, who will therefore avenge the perjury by a Curſe that ſhall devour the earth, and lay deſolate thoſe that dwell in it, Iſa. 24.6. When God puniſht the moſt unhappy and laſt King of Judah, and his Princes with him, for their perfidious breaking oath, he did it by curſing them, Ezek. 57.13. with 15. and 16. v. There is alwaies ſomewhat of Divine vengeance in the execution of a Curſe, and when God pronounceth the ſentence with a Curſe, he executeth it in vindictive diſpleaſure. So Cain was judged. condemned and puniſhed, Gen. 4.11. So are the workers of iniquity, Mat. 25.41. Sentenced to a Curſe, and it is executed on them by an eternal avenging Juſtice; and ſo was the Serpent condemned, Thou art curſed.

In a word, all that puniſhmnnt which the violation of a Righteous Law deſerved, and the violated Law threatneth, and the violater is capable of ſuffering, is compriſed in this one word Curſe; Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10. From theſe things it in part appears what is the import of the third thing to be explained.

Sect. 3. What it is to be made, and how p. 5Chriſt was made a Curſe. Now becauſe there is a vaſt difference between theſe two, viz.

1. The ſinner's being made a Curſe; And

2. The bleſſed Jeſus made a Curſe. I intend to ſpeak ſomewhat of each diſtinctly; ſo firſt ſinners are curſed.

1. Scelus patrando, by breaking the Law of God, which is the Covenant of Obedience, binding every rational creature to voluntary, conſtant and perfect performance of Duty. The Angels who kept not their firſt habitation, made themſelves accurſed thus, ſcelus patrando, falſifying in the Covenant of their Creatour. So did man at firſt unhappily caſt himſelf and his poſterity under a Curſe. The tranſgreſſing creature is, Faber ſuae miſeriae & maledictionis, The framer or Architect of his own miſery. Now while ſinning creatures are, the ſinleſs Redeemer could never be, thus made a Curſe.

2. Secondly, Lex maledicit poenam pecoanti minando, The Law accurſeth the ſinner, threatning juſt puniſhment, determining what degree of puniſhment is juſt and proportioned to the crime.

Thus the Apoſtle, aaGal. 3.10.Gal 3:10As many as are of the works of the Law are under a Curſe, i. e. as many as are found ſeeking to juſtifie themſelves by the works of the Law, are by the Law convicted of tranſgreſſion, and ſo involved in a Curſe which the Law threatens againſt all that are guilty; for by ſentence of this Law every one is curſed who continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them. In this ſenſe ſtrictly and properly Chriſt was not made a Curſe, for in this ſenſe the Curſe preſuppoſeth the perſon to have ſinned.

p. 63. Thirdly, Puniendo maledicit vindex, The Judge maketh the offender accurſed, by inflicting the puniſhment deſerved through ſin, when he adjudgeth the tranſgreſſour to that miſery which the Law threatned, and his miſdeeds have merited. So God the juſt Judge of Heaven and Earth threatned a Curſe againſt the unhappy King of Judah, Ezek. 17.15, 16. So when he brings out the Curſe againſt the falſe ſwearers, Zech. 5.3, 4. God makes him a Curſe by executing the ſentence of the Law upon him. They are curſed whom God puniſheth in Hell, Mat. 24.41. Now as this preſuppoſeth perſonal guilt, or ſin committed by him that is made a Curſe, it is not poſſible it ſhould be applicable to Chriſt, The Holy One of God.

4. Fourthly, The Actores, Teſtes, & poenae miniſtri, The Impleaders, The Witneſſes and Executioners of the penalty may in ſome ſenſe be accounted among thoſe that make the offender accurſed. Of all which I ſhall not ſpeak more at this time.

5. Laſtly, One may be made a Curſe, alterius reatum & poenam ferendo, by bearing another's guilt and puniſhment; by a voluntary taking up anothers guilt, or fault, and undergoing the penalty thereof; ſo that the Law, Judge, and Impleaders in the proſecution lay the puniſhment on the Subſtitute who is receptus inter Reos, or rather receptus pro reis, as the Lawyers, if I miſtake not their language, ſpeak. In the Prophet's words, Numbered with the tranſgreſſours; foreign Iſa. 53. ult.Isa 53ſo Chriſt did bear the ſin of many. Thus he was made a Curſe by his voluntary ſuſception of our guilt, and his p. 7ſubmiſſion to the penalty of our ſins. And in the tranſacting of this Chriſt was contented (which is that I apprehend peculiar to this Caſe) and which I promiſed to unfold.

1. To be accounted, affinis culpae, to be ſent in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh: He had our ſins laid upon him; he did take them upon himſelf; and ſo thoſe ſins which he could not either contrive, commit, or abet, he was willing ſhould be imputed to him. This in the Apoſtle's words is, He was made ſin for us.

2. Secondly, Chriſt charged with our ſins was made a Curſe, by engaging himſelf to abide the ſentence of the Judge and Law menacing the ſins imputed. He that will for the good of another derive guilt on himſelf, muſt reſolve to abide by all the penal conſequences which a ſevere Law and an impartial Judge will inflict on him. Hence it is, I ſuppoſe, that the Prophet Iſa. 53. ult. hath ſo cloſely joined theſe two, He was numbred with tranſgreſſours, and bore the ſins of many. The praecurſory ſufferings from the juſt hand of God, who declareth his reſolution to vindicate his Law and Government; and who doth by Threats, Terrours and Griefs in part poured out on the guilty, partly execute his purpoſes, and give them aſſurances he will farther proceed, (Theſe being but the beginnings of ſorrows) are a part of the Curſe iſſuing from the Law, and inflicted by one who hath power to fence his Law by them. Thus Chriſt expoſed himſelf to the ſad conſequences of our imputed guilt, and being pleaſed to interrpoſe himſelf between us and the p. 8praevious penalties of our ſin, was made a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with griefs; whilſt he did bear our griefs, and carry our ſorrows, Iſa. 53.3, 4. The oppreſſion and injuſtice he did meet with from the world, was a fruit of that Curſe he was made for us. Theſe things did he ſuffer in life, whoſe love to us brought him to bear the Curſe.

3. Thirdly, Chriſt made a Curſe for us compriſeth the exquiſite pains, and open ſhame of his Death for our ſin. It is death which is moſt legibly the execution of the Curſe of the Law on ſinners; and as then they find themſelves accurſed indeed, when their own guilt hath in death overtaken them; ſo he that made himſelf a Curſe for them, found in his death on the Croſs the weight of that Curſe which he did bear for ſinners. Therefore do I ſuppoſe it was by Divine Providence ordered that the kind of death Chriſt did undergo, ſhould be in the ſentence of the Law an accurſed death, that we might more clearly diſcern the import of it, and ſee as our deliverance by it, ſo our danger without this death of Chriſt; He was cut off from the land of the living, Iſa. 53.8. And when this was effected, it appeared that for the tranſgreſſion of his people this ſtroke was upon him, as that verſe hath it. Though the impenitent ſinner be alwaies under the ſmaller meaſures of a Curſe, yet when he dieth, Solomon obſerveth, he dieth accurſed. The ſufferings our Lord Jeſus Chriſt underwent in his life, were likewiſe the ſcattering drops, But the black and violent ſhowre of our deſerved Curſe was poured down on him at his Death.

p. 9Fourthly and laſtly, Chriſt made a Curſe, and in death bearing it was to ſuffer under the ſtrokes of vindictive Juſtice pleading the cauſe, and vindicating the honour of the Law and Law-giver, which by the tranſgreſſions of ſinners had been contemned and violated. This, as hath been obſerved already, is one ingredient in the Curſe; and herein do chaſtlſements greatly differ from puniſhments ſtrictly taken; for in chaſtiſements there is no vindictive juſtice avenging the quarrel in order to ſatisfie Divine Juſtice, & to attone the wrath of God; it is all in order to the humbling, melting, purifying us that we may ſeek and obtain mercy. But now when vindictive puniſhments ſtrictly taken are executed, it is in order to the cutting off, and deſtruction of the obdurate ſinners; they, as enemies, lying under the wrath of God and his curſe, which is moſt evident in the execution of the laſt unchangeable ſentence of Condemnation, paſt upon the impenitent, unbelieving, and ſelf-deſtroying world at the day of God's dreadful Judgment. Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matth. 25.41. You do not, I hope, doubt whether it be the ve…geance of an angry God which the damned in Hell ſuffer; and there is as little ground of doubt whether they ſuffer this vengeance in Hell to ſatisfie the Divine Juſtice; neither is it to be doubted but all they ſuffer is compriſed in that Curſe pronounced, Depart from me curſed. Now then, anſwerable to what hath been ſaid, as the condemned under their own deſerved Curſe ſuffer in order to ſatisfie Divine vindictive Juſtice for p. 10their own offences; ſo Chriſt made a Curſe, and bearing the Curſe for us, did bear it in order to make ſatisfaction for us, that we might obtain deliverance, and that avenging wrath might not fall on our heads ſince that we are no more under the Curſe deſerved by us, but under the Bleſſing procured for us by Chriſt. He trod the wine-preſs of his Father's wrath alone; his ſtripes were ſo ſmart and grievous, that by them we might be healed, Iſa. 53.5. God did not ſpare him when he gave him up for us, Rom. 8. Let this then ſuffice for theſe particulars. In ſumme, To be made or bear the Curſe, is to ſtand charged with guilt, to be threatned with puniſhment, to be cut off by the execution of that puniſhment, to the end Juſtice may be ſatisfied on the perſon who is made a Curſe. So that you may now ſee what it was that Chriſt was made for us, and what he underwent for our ſakes. He took upon him our ſins in the guilt of them; expoſed himſelf to the dreadful threats of a ſevere, but moſt righteous Law; and whereas ſin inevitably muſt be puniſhed, he ſubmitted himſelf to that alſo, and in love to us ſaved us from ours, by his own puniſhment, wherein he ſatisfied Divine Juſtice, and averted that Curſe which inevitably would have fallen on us from the wrath of God provoked againſt us by our ſins; by this 'tis clear, Into this capacity he put himſelf, the Law found him, and under this capacity proceſs went out againſt him, and he died for us to redeem us from the Curſe, and to inveſt us with the Bleſſing. I paſs now to the ſecond thing propoſed, viz. To the confirmation p. 11and proof of this, 2d. General propoſed.That Chriſt did die thus for us; a curſe was both threatned and executed upon him, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He made him who knew no ſin to be ſin for us. There is an elegancy in the words (foreign) He made him ſin; The Apoſtle doth not ſay, he made him a ſinner, but he made him ſin, that it might the more evidently appear how he did bear what was threatned againſt ſin, the Curſe coming on us as an effect or conſequent of ſin; He who was made ſin for us, expoſeth himſelf to that ſad effect, and taketh on him the Curſe due to us; and being found ſo charged, muſt die to remove the Curſe from us. This Text of the Apoſtle in effect then ſaith. That Chriſt had our ſins imputed to him, bore the Curſe of them, and that for our good, viz. That we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him; That we might be accounted and treated as righteous ones, which in effect is the ſame with what we have already ſaid, That Chriſt was made a Curſe, and ſo died for us, that we might with righteous ones live, and poſſeſs the bleſſing. It is not to be doubted, that Chriſt made ſin for us, was thereby made a Curſe for us, and therefore died, bearing that effect of our ſin; vindicating the honour of the Law which we had tranſgreſſed, and ſatisfying the Law-giver whom we had provoked. In a word, Chriſt made ſin for us, underwent the Curſe our ſin deſerved, and the Law threatned, that in our ſtead he might ſatisfie Juſtice; and that mercy might give the bleſſing which we needed, and the Goſpel promiſeth; or in the Apoſtle's own words, that the bleſſing of Abraham p. 12might come on us Gentiles. Again, the Apoſtle Rom. 8.3. tells us, God ſent his Son in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin condemned ſin in the fleſh. In which words you read expreſly, that God ſent his Son, and that he ſent him in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, not by inherent vice, but like it, through imputed guilt, and obnoxiouſneſs to the Curſe, both which lay on all fleſh that had ſinned, and both which was laid on him, who thus appear'd in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh; in which capacity he appear'd not only to the world (which judged him whom they knew not) nor only to his enemies (who did maliciouſly ſlander him they hated) but he preſented himſelf to God in our ſtead, bearing our Sin and Curſe; for removal of both which he was made a Sacrifice, an Expiatory Sacrifice, which the Text expreſſeth conciſely (by foreign) and our Interpreters in the Margin have rightly explained, A Sacrifice for ſin; this being the proper import of the phraſe, as is evident to all who are able and willing to compare the Hebrew foreign, with the Greek Tranſlation of it by the Lxxii: In the places cited, as Levit. 4.3, 14.28, 32. & Numb. 6.11; 16. & cap. 7.16, 22, 28, 34, 40.46, &c. Neh. 10.33. & Ezek. 40.40. & 42.13. & Pſal. 40.6. In all which, and many more which might be cited. The Greek Interpreters uſe the ſame phraſe the Apoſtle doth, when he aſſures us God ſent his Son in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh that by him made a Sin-offering, or a ſacrifice for ſin; he might condemn ſin, but ſave the ſinner. In one word, he that was ſent to be a ſacrifice for ſin, muſt p. 13die, and bear the imputed guilt of the ſins of the perſons for whom he is a ſacrifice, and conſequently die under a Curſe. To theſe add we that of the Prophet Iſa. 53.5. where the Prophet doth thrice over in very emphatical words foretell what the Jews would judge of Chriſt under his ſufferings; they would eſteem him aaforeignſtricken, bbforeignſmitten, and ccforeignafflicted of God, as if he had been a notorious ſinner, ſtigmatized by the juſt hand of God inflicting Curſes on him. Thus the blinded malice of the Jews lead them into blaſphemous miſtakes of the perſon and the ſurferings he underwent. ddThe Gattaker on Iſa. 53.4.Isa 53:4They thought him thus handled by God in a way of vengeance … his ſins. The Jew underſtood the import … …heir own language, but they underſtood … …he true cauſe of the dolorous curſes and ſufferings the Meſſiah died under. Whatever wrath, curſe, or vengeance is implied in the phraſe, he did bear it, to remove it all from us; we ſinned and ſhould have died accurſed, but he was made a Curſe to free us.

Again, verſ. 5. the Prophet tells us, he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions; ſo we read it, foreign Tho. Gattaker. Annot. in lo….but ſome obſerve the word denoteth a polluted perſon, or one that is prophaned. Now by the Law every polluted thing or perſon was judged accurſed. When the Rulers of the Sanctuary are prophane, and God puniſheth for it, Jacob is made a Curſe, Iſa. 43.28. And of the polluted, defiled, or prophaned, the Law determineth he ſhall die the death, Exod. 31.14. He ſhall be cut off, Lev. 19.8. & 22.9. Numb. 18.32. So that by the Law a polluted perſon is in danger of that death p. 14which the Law calls a Curſe, and when ſuch are uſed as polluted, they are cut off, and die under a Curſe denounced by the Law. And thus was Chriſt wounded for our tranſgreſſions; foreign, we had really polluted our ſelves, and were prophaned by our ſins which we had committed: But He, the Holy One of God, was firſt burthened with our imputed ſins; lookt on as one ſtanding in the ſtead of polluted ones, and uſed, as they deſerved, that they might be bleſſed, which they deſerved not. Thus alſo verſ. 6. He laid on him the iniquity of us all. Guilt imputed, and puniſhment inflicted, from both which the conſequent is, The perſon ſo uſed, dieth an accurſed death, which is … we are to prove. Since then God laid … iniquity of us all on his Son, who was … tent to bear it, we may very confi… … conclude that our iniquity will be the cauſe of his death, and that this death will have a Curſe intermixed with it, that it may be ſufficient to redeem us from the Curſe due to our iniquities. There is one place more which I might urge, viz. Phil. 3.7. He took upon him the form of a ſervant, and in that capacity did humble himſelf unto death, even the death of the Croſs, ſaith the Apoſtle; which paſſage poſſibly is not enforced to ſpeak other than its own proper ſenſe, if it be thus explained: He took upon him the form of a ſervant, i. e. put himſelf into the ſtate and condition of an accurſed perſon, and ſo died for them he loved and repreſented. The Scripture doth ſometimes uſe this manner of ſpeech to expreſs a Curſe on a man, or on p. 15his poſterity; ſo aaGen. 9.25, 26.Gen 9:25Gen 9:26Cham's Curſe is expreſſed; ſo is the Curſe of bbGen. 25.26Gen 25:26Eſau expreſſed. The elder ſhall ſerve the younger, applied by the Apoſtle, to prove Jacob and his ſeed bleſſed, and to evidence Eſau and his ſeed left out of the bleſſing, and conſequently abandoned under a Curſe. Iſrael's miſery in Aegypt (emblem of a curſed ſtate) was ſervitude, in (foreign the houſe of bondage. Thus foreign, the form of a ſervant in which Chriſt appear'd, beſpeaks his appearance under a Curſe for us. And in this conjecture on this place I am confirm'd by the authority of Eraſmus on this place. Jam quod accepit formam ſervi non proprin referri videtur ad buinanam naturam aſſumptam, ſed ad ſpeciem & ſimilitudinem hominis nocentis, enjus perſonam pro nobis geſſit dum ſlagellatur, damnatur, crucifigitur.Now (ſaith he) that he took the form of a ſervant, ſeems not to be referred properly to the taking of the Humane Nature, but to the taking of the ſpecies and likeneſs of a guilty perſon, whoſe part he bore for us when he was ſcourged, condemned, crucified. Thus far that learned Pen. But let this conjecture be of what weight it will be, there are places enough already urged to make good the Truth.

Chriſt in our ſtead appear'd under a Curſe, and ſo died an accurſed death, that by this means we might live in hope of a bleſſed life; and as the Text hath it, that the bleſſings of Abraham might come on us Gentiles; and that we might receive the Spirit, viz. both of Sanctification to enliven us to our duty, and of Adoption, to enſure us of an hoped reward; and ſo be delivered from ſervitude and miſery of ſin in which lyeth a Curſe indeed.

p. 16Now this duly conſidered will promote the increaſe of our graces. The Communicant who can meditate on Chriſt dying a Curſe for us, may thereby excite his graces, and exerciſe them to an improvement of them; ſuch meditations will be as leſſer ſtreams to a River which they greaten whilſt they run in the ſame chanel.

A brief ſpecimen of this will ſatisfie, I hope, and ſet the ſoul on work, wherein for his help I ſhall ſhew him an Eſſay in a rude draught of this, in eight following particular Graces, which well become a Communicant.

1. Humility and Self-abaſement is unqueſtionably a Sacramental grace; 1. Sacramental grace improved.a grace we ſhould Bring to, exerciſe at, and improve by the Sacrament of our Lord dying for us. And the conſideration of his death repreſented under the circumſtances of a Curſe, is a very ſuitable, and a likely means to effect this: For it doth repreſent to our thoughts not only the ſufferings of our deareſt Lord and friend, but convinceth us that it was our ſin which procur'd this to him; and that we muſt have been miſerable for ever if he had not thus died. Thus our ſin and miſery is ſet before us, and theſe will humble a ſoul; theſe will bow the generous courage and ſtoutneſs of the nobleſt and higheſt mind. Miſery alone cannot break the courage of a virtuous and innocent mind, Nil conſcire ſibi, &c. A ſoul clear and approv'd to its ſelf, is an impregnable fortreſs: And the ſpirit of a man will bear theſe infirmities. Indeed a baſe and degenerous mind breaks into ſhivers under a p. 17load of croſſes. But the ſoul under ſorrows, or in danger of deſerv'd miſery, reflecting on its own guilt, and looking through the vileneſs of ſin, on the greatneſs of its ſorrows, is the more humble, becauſe more refined and excellent in it's temper, principles and aims. True lowlineſs of ſpirit, or humility that is genuine, may poſſibly firſt guſh out in a tear from pain; But it's conſtant running is in tears for ſin. Miſery may broach the veſſel, but it is ſin that keeps it running. Miſery may make the beſt deſpiſed in others eyes; ſin makes him deſpiſed in his own. Men will tread on a diſtreſſed fortune, but the humble ſoul will tread on its ſinful ſelf. And now ſerious Reader, caſt thine eye upon Chriſt made a Curſe, and (ſuppoſe) for thy ſelf, and then tell me, what is firſt reflected on? is not thy miſery the title page of that great Volume of ſorrows, which Chriſt did bear for thee, when he was made a Curſe, and underwent it in thy ſtead? waſt not thou in danger of that Curſe? didſt thou not dwell on the borders of an eternal, infinite miſery? and waſt thou not every moment in danger to be haled, and thruſt headlong into a priſon of wofulleſt darkneſs, and unſpeakable ſorrows? Did not the Curſe laid on Chriſt hang over thy head? It was thy ſin, thy miſery, that Chriſt lay under; and this will humble thee if thou haſt any ſpark of ſpititual ingenuity; if there dwell any generous diſpoſitions within thy breaſt.

1. For what is it to be curſed, but to lye under the tranſgreſſion of a righteous Law? and what will abaſe an ingenuous ſpirit, if the baſeneſs of ſin will not?

p. 18Humility is the judgement or opinion of its little worth ariſing from due ſenſe of ſin. Humility what.Thus did Moſes inſtruct Irſael to be humble, Deut. 9.7, 12, 22. & 23. & 24.Deut 9:7Deut 9:12Deut 9:22Deut 9:23Deut 9:24, ſhews them how great their ſin had been, and leaves then to ſay how little their opinion of themſelves ought to be; tells them how near they were to utter ruine, when nothing but a Moſes and his prayer was between them, and the execution of that word; Deut. 9.6, 14.Deut 9:6Deut 9:14I will blot out their name from under Heaven. Let thy ſoul renew the memory of thy ſin, when thou reneweſt thy thoughts of Chriſt's dying a Curſe; Remember thy ſins, and do as they, Ezek. 20.43. Gen. 41.9.Gen 41:9Loath thy ſelf for all thy ſins. The remembrance of a fault made a Courtier bluſh. In a Sacrament thou ſeeſt Chriſt dying an accurſed death; in his Curſe thou doſt, or ſhouldeſt ſee thy own ſin; and with Ezra in another caſe, Ezra 9.6.Ezra 9:6Thou ſhouldeſt be aſhamed and bluſh to look up to Heaven. For,

2. Thou moſt righteous and juſt haſt condemned me, and judged what my fault is, how great, how vile it is in the Curſe my Saviour did bear for me. It was not a raſh, haſty and inconſiderate paſſion of a man that curſed the ſinner; but it was the juſt, deliberate ſentence of a wiſe and holy God, who never curſeth one that deſerves to be bleſſed; who never curſeth before the creature hath ſinned▪ and deſerved it. How inquiſitive is a good diſpoſition, if he be curſed! as David by a Shimei, 2 Kings 2.23.2 Kgs 2:23or as the Prophet reproached by the Boyes of Bethel, or by a contemptible beggar: How ready are beſt natures to enquire into the cauſe! Have I given an occaſion to this reproach? Have I deſerved it? p. 19And how is he abaſhed and aſhamed that any reaſon is pretended for unreaſonable railing? Now much more abaſhed is the ingenuous ſpirit when a ſober man, when a judicious obſerver of his own words, as well as of other mens carriages ſhall condemn and adjudge him worthy of a Curſe. But here it is the Lord, who adjudged thee to a Curſe, and canſt thou remember this, and not be humble, and not reflect upon thy ſin which provoked ſo juſt a Wiſdom and ſuch deliberate Juſtice to execrate thee? David was humble when Shimei curſed, becauſe it might be God had ſaid to him, Curſe David. When thou receiveſt the Sacrament, thou remembreſt Chriſt, whom God made a Curſe for thee; there God tells thee, Thou hadſt been forever curſed, if Chriſt had non been once curſed. There thou mayeſt ſee a holy, wiſe, juſt and infinitely excellent perſon diſpleaſed with thee, and provoked againſt thee; and ſurely ſuch a ſight will (I am certain it ſhould) make thee abhor thy ſelf and be humble.

3. Farther, thou hadſt a fair and open tryal of thy Cauſe, and it now ſtands in the greateſt Court of Record in the world: It is there regiſtred that thou art the ſon or daughter of a tainted blood, a child of an accurſed ſtock. In the firſt Adam God tryed and caſt thee, and told thee what thou muſt expect; in the ſecond Adam he ſhewed thee this Record ſtood firm, the ſentence unrepealed; and if the blood of Chriſt dying, and bearing the Curſe for thee, had not waſht out the ſtain, thou hadſt remained ſtill under a curſe and ſtain. It is accounted a glory in an Antient p. 20Family, that the blood is not ſtained with any treaſonable practices againſt the Soveriagn; and it is a diſparagement and diminution of their glory and greatneſs, that the blood is embaſed by diſloyal deſigns and attempts. When thou receiveſt the Sacrament, and ſeeſt Chriſt dying an accurſed death, remember this, Thou art minded of thy ſtained blood, and of the recorded atteindure that God brought in againſt thee. Here thou ſeeſt what judicial proceſs ſhould have been made againſt thy ſelf, ſee it and be humble.

4. And thou mayeſt do well to remember what proof and evidences were againſt thee too, ere God adjudged thee to this Curſe which thy Saviour underwent for thee; the notoriouſneſs of the fact; the ſelf-ſilencing conviction of Conſcience; thy Father againſt thy Mother; Adam againſt Eve; thy own family evidence againſt thee in this matter. Thou canſt find no pretence of an exception to the witneſs. Here thou mayeſt reflect upon thy own adjudged baſeneſs, and be proud if thou canſt, when thou haſt reflected on thy ſelf. Whoever thou art who rightly perceiveſt the myſtery of this Ordinance, and doſt rightly receive it, thou art evidence for God againſt thy ſelf, and confeſſeſt the matter, that thou deſervedſt to die for thy ſins in that very capacity and notion that Chriſt died for them. If he died an execrated, curſed death for thee, The Sacrament is a memorial of thankfulneſs to God, and to Chriſt for ſparing thee, and letting thee eſcape, whileſt the bleſſed Son of God died in thy room. Conſider this and be humble.

p. 215. Conſider laſtly, How humble thy heart and hand ought to be when thou receiveſt Chriſt in the Sacrament; ſince from him alone thou receiveſt deliverance from a Curſe. None would, none indeed could deliver thee, but Chriſt: Thou couldſt not ſend for another Phyſician to heal thy diſtemper. Here thou couldeſt not, (as in a Market) ſeek a better bargain; No, He alone who was made a Curſe for thee, was able to deliver thee; he was over all God bleſſed for ever, able to reſtore accurſed creatures to bleſſedneſs, and to inveſt them with happineſs. Be then as ingenuous toward Chriſt thy only hope, as thou wouldeſt be toward a Patron, a Benefactor, a Lord, on whom thou doſt ſolely and intirely depend. Thou wouldeſt humbly obſerve, and with due reverence receive his Commands, and abhor a ſeeming proud, lofty, or inſolent behaviour towards him. I entreat for as much from thee towards Chriſt as thou doſt give to a man without intreaty. At a Sacrament reflect on theſe things; ſay with thy ſelf, here is the renewed memorial of Chriſt dying a Curſe, and this renewed remembrance convinceth me that I was a vile wretch, elſe my God had never curſed me; I had never been attainted, arraigned, condemned and recorded among thoſe that were not worthy to live in a holy and happy Common-wealth and Court. I had never recovered my former ſtate of bliſs, if the Lord had not put himſelf in my ſtead, and bore my puniſhment: My life, hope and glory, are all the fruit of another's death and ſhame; I muſt be lowly who was redeemed from ſo low and curſed ſtate.

p. 22By this thou mayeſt diſcern what influence is in the Death of Chriſt conſidered as a Curſe, and how it may be drawn out to abaſe and humble thy ſoul before thy God. And let this ſuffice for an Eſſay or Pattern. Go thou and meditate on what thou canſt ſee farther in this thing, and be humble all thy days.

In the ſecond place, Take an Eſſay in another Sacramental Grace: Let it be ſuppoſed to be

Strong and ſervent Deſire to be partaker of that deliverance which Chriſt wrought by dying a Curſe for us. A good and hungring appetite is not more neceſſary at thy friend's table when thou art invited to feaſt with him, than this ſtrong Deſire is needful, and required, for the Lord's Table. Our bleſſed Redeemer invites the hungry, and bids the heartieſt welcome to the hungrieſt comers: his language is, My friends, you are welcome, and let me ſee you come as to one that you know does bid you welcome, by your free eating and drinking. I may think you either know not how excellent the proviſion is, or you like it not, or you are full of ſomewhat elſe, or you doubt your welcome, if you ſit as if you came to feed your eye, but not to ſatisfie your ſouls. If the Sacrament of the body and blood of Chriſt be the Supper of the Lord; if it be a feaſt; if it be ſtored with choiceſt variety of ſpiritual and heavenly rarities; if it be the Goſpel Mannah, why are your longing deſires ſo weak, ſo unconſtant, ſo uneaſily taken off? Surely you and I ſhould be better ſtomach'd for this feaſt; Chriſt hath prepared his body to be your p. 23food, and you muſt prepare your deſires, and awaken your hungrings after him. The beſt wine is drawn out for this feaſt, and it's pity it ſhould not have a thirſty ſoul, whoſe thirſt can reliſh its worth. He knows nothing of this Ordinance, who knows not it is a ſpiritual feaſt, to be attended with a ſpiritual appetite, and therefore I proceed to give you a ſpecimen of that which is in this Dying of our Lord, to whet the appetite of the ſoul; and ſo let the firſt Conſideration for example be this; firſt, In this kind of Death the ſoul ſees both that which will awaken and add vigour to its averſation of ſin or evil, and what will awaken and ſtrengthen its inclination and proſecution after deliverance from that evil. In the Curſe thou ſeeſt what an evil ſin is, and thou muſt bear it, or deſire Chriſt that he would; if thou deſireſt not that he may really bear the Curſe for thee, as in the Lord's Supper he Sacramentally doth, it will be interpreted that thou deſireſt all that evil ſhould light on thee which thy ſin deſerveth; and canſt thou deſire to be curſed? canſt thou deſire to de damned? canſt thou ſee miſery like a black ſtorm hang over thy head, and not fly to ſhelter? See then in a Sacrament Chriſt tendered to bear thy Curſe, thy miſery, and ask thy ſelf, whether it be not deſirable? ask thy ſelf, ſhall I deſire this or no? ſhall I wiſh, and intreat, and be willing to be freed from ſo great evil or no? In the Sacrament the Lord tells the diſcerning ſoul, Here, take my Son, and if thou deſireſt it, he ſhall bear thy deſerved Curſe, and thou ſhalt inherit an undeſerved bleſſing; go think on it, and tell me what thou wilt do, whether p. 24thou wilt deſire and be willing or no: And now judge what is like to be the Anſwer of the ſoul; will it not be This? O let the Bleſſing be mine, and let my loving Saviour thus deliver me, thus bleſs me alſo, oh my Father, and it ſhall ſuffice.

2. And as the proper Incentives of deſ… are contained in the things themſelves offered; ſo the very language, notion and frame of words do awaken the ſoul to exert its deſires: A miſery to be avoided by this means, will perſwade the ſoul to a willingneſs to apply the means. But ſurely a miſery expreſſed by a Curſe, by an Execration, will haſten the ſoul's deſire to eſcape it: In ſome caſes a man may commendably deſire, and chuſe affliction, but in no caſe can a man chuſe a Curſe to himſelf. The Jews had a Proverb, that we muſt leap to Mount Gerizzim. When God tells the ſoul, it muſt either dwell on Mount Eball, inherit a Curſe, or be willing to be led by Chriſt unto Mount Gerizzim, it begins to ſay, Let me go, not a ſlow, a loitering pace, but the ſwifteſt, the ſpeedieſt; it is ready to leap to the Bleſſing. Let me be any thing but a Curſe; let me by any means eſcape the Curſe, and if by a willingneſs, if by an hearty deſire to have Chriſt I may eſcape it; oh let this very hour be the happy hour of my ſoul's eſcape. Lord, if it be ſo, I accept thy Son, my bleſſed Saviour offered in the Sacrament to bear my Curſe. There is a ſtrong propenſity in man's nature carrying him wtth great deſire, and with unwearied endeavours to ſhun the hard ſpeeches of all, and to hear a good report if it might be from p. 25all; to be bleſſed by every one, to be curſed by no one. And there is a cheerful forward willingneſs to hearken to that advice and counſel which diſcovers how we may likely gain the good word of good men, and eſcape the hard words of all men. Now God propoſes in Chriſt thus dying, A ſure way of obtaining his bleſſing, which is infinitely better than the bleſſing of any man; and in the Sacrament of his Son's body propoſeth a ſure means for our eſcaping from his Curſe, which is infinitely more to be feared than the curſes of all men. God can load thee with one Curſe more than all the men in the world can do with all theirs.

3. In Chriſt's Death conſidered as a Curſe, there is yet farther ſomewhat to engage the Deſires of the ſoul unto Chriſt, and to draw forth it's willingneſs unto an embracing of Chriſt: And that is the infallibility and certainty of our deliverance from this Curſe upon our receiving Chriſt; thou mayeſt be ſure to eſcape, for thou mayeſt be ſure Chriſt will not loſe his life; if he die, he will accompliſh his own ends, and thy hopes, and the hopes of every believing ſoul, by his death; He hath indeed laid down his life, but he hath not loſt it. He will not leave thee under uncertain and failing likelihoods, if he makes himſelf liable to thy puniſhment; he will be ſure that thy ſoul ſhall eſcape it; And if he bear thy Curſe, he will be enſured thou ſhalt not bear it. Now having ſuch a good, as this deliverance, and ſuch an evil as the Curſe, in thy eye; and ſuch a ſure and infallible means of eſcaping the one, and obtaining the other, Canſt thou, p. 26oh conſiderate! oh diſcerning ſoul! do leſs than deſire this Chriſt, this ſhare and intereſs in his death? If thou hadſt no more than faint probabilities that it might be ſo well with thee, thou wouldſt in other caſes ſtrongly deſire to try: oh why not in this! why not here! other probabilities can awake, perſwade, prevail and carry thee through tedious Journies, and coſtly experiments, and thou juſtifieſt thy hopes and thy deſires with the likelihood of ſucceſs.

And what is the reaſon? whence is it that ſo great certainty can do ſo little with thee in this? oh the deplorable ſtupidity of man! the ſenſleſs backwardneſs of his heart! oh think, I ſay, think on it, Jeſus Chriſt was made, and died a Curſe for thee, and it is certain thou mayeſt eſcape by him; awaken thy deſires, and look after him. But laſtly,

4. If thou yet wilt not deſire Chriſt, notwithſtanding all that hath been ſaid already, yet at leaſt conſider with thy ſelf, and bethink thy ſelf, What doſt thou here if thou deſire not Chriſt? Why art thou among them that apprehend they needed, who do in the Sacrament commemorate, and ſeek to find Chriſt dying and bearing the Curſe for them? If thou need him not, why doſt thou pretend to ſeek him? if thou ſeek him, why doſt thou not really deſire to find and meet him? Conſider this, and argue it with thy ſoul; ſay, I muſt either contradict my ſelf, the ordinance, and the people of God, or I muſt be willing to receive Chriſt the Lord into my ſoul, as well as to receive the ſymbols of Chriſt my Lord into my mouth and hands. I hear, and know, that others do approach p. 27this Table, this memorial of the Dying Jeſus with deſires to meet him, and to exchange with him, to bring their wretchedneſs, and carry with them his bleſſedneſs. I know (if I know the Ordinance) that it was appointed for the hungry, thirſty, deſiring ſoul, which would have freſh remembrances, and vigorous longings for Chriſt; for them who would feel their own curſedneſs, and ſeek bleſſedneſs in Chriſt, and my very preſence, my very approach to the Ordinance with others, will either argue and prove me a Hypocrite, or muſt awaken my deſires after Chriſt; if thou art not willing to find thou art an Hypocrite for ſeeming to ſeek.

And I will tell thee, take it as thou wilt, Thou that art not willing to find a bleſſing in Chriſt whom thou ſhouldſt deſire to meet in the Sacrament, ſhalt find a curſe which thou wouldſt not. Remember Judas and tremble! Who doth cordially and truly ſeek the Lord, ſhall find what he ſeeketh; but he that is careleſs, wants a willingneſs and deſire, ſhall find what he thinks not of; and woe to him that finds, and meets with Judas his gueſt at the Lord's Table! And now give me thy thoughts, Reader, whether this ſhould awaken in quicken thy willingneſs and thy deſires after Chriſt. And yet farther in the next place,

Cloſer application, faſter hold, 3d. Sacramental grace Faith.and ſtrengthened reſolutions to adhere to Chriſt, do very well become this Ordinance of the Lord's Supper; none have doubted or denied this, but thoſe who have denied all its efficacy, and made the Sacrament a weak, and impotent Ceremony; p. 28Every one acknowledgeth this as the undoubted and proper fruit of this Ordinance, who expect any fruit from it. This ſpiritual feaſt was made to unite the ſoul and Chriſt in a more firm and cloſe bond of friendſhip, to incorporate them, and to make them more one. It was inſtituted, that the memory of our great advantage by it, Ʋt ejus ope tanti beneficii memoria magis ac magis in animis nojtris infigatur. Theſ. Salm. Multa ſunt quae nos co ducunt ut exiſtimemus Chriſtum habuiſſe potiſſimum eum ſcopum ante oculos ut fidem noſtram augeret ac confirmaret cum ritum iſtum Eccleſiae tradidit celebrandum. Theſ. de uſu coen. Dom. th. 11.might be more deeply rooted in our hearts. The Learned Profeſſors at Saumur tell us, Many things lead us to this perſwaſion, that Chriſt chiefly eyed the increaſe and confirmation of our Faith, as the end when he appointed this Ordidinance to his Church to be celebrated. A true and lively Faith fits for receiving this Supper of the Lord; and an increaſing confirmed Faith ſhews that this Ordinance is fitly received. We muſt not come to it without true Faith, and we muſt not go from it without an increaſe to our Faith. We muſt lay hold on Chriſt that we may come; and we muſt come that we may lay faſter hold on Chriſt.

Now the conſideration of Chriſt dying as a Curſe for us, will notably confirm us in our reſolutions to adhere and cleave faſt to Chriſt. For now

The conſiderate, ſerious, meditating Communicant, may hence reflect upon the choice which he hath made, the gift he hath received, the condition he is now in by believing, and ſo approve the choice, keep faſt the gift, ſettle himſelf in that condition, and farther p. 29ſecure that ſtate to himſelf by ſtrong reſolutions of Faith, and adhering to Chriſt, who by this death delivers us from that curſed death we deſerved; and ſo you may ſuppoſe the ſoul to argue with it ſelf.

1. I do this day commemorate the death of my Lord, which died under a Curſe for me; and if I do not now believe, or if I ever ſhould by unbelief caſt off my Lord, I muſt bear my own deſerved Curſe: I have then good grounds, I have beſt reaſon to warrant my firſt believing and going to Chriſt: I have as good reaſon to continue my purpoſes, and confirm my reſolution of believing ſtill. It is not poſſible I ſhould have any reaſon to repent my firſt choice of Chriſt, my firſt fiducial adhering to Chriſt by that I was delivered from a Curſe; and this deliverance is freſhly remembred in the Sacrament, and the reaſonable, well adviſed and prudent choice of my ſoul is preſented to me; and now my ſoul, thou mayeſt ſay, this was the wiſeſt, moſt juſtifiable and rational compact thou ever didſt make. And I aſſure thee, until thou ſee a reaſon why thou ſhouldeſt be in love with, and dote upon a Curſe, thou canſt not be out of love with, or weary of thy adhering to Chriſt. The more thou ſeeſt the wiſdom and prudence of this Act, the more thou wilt like it, and the more reſolute and conſtant thou wilt be in it; and now the oftener thou conſidereſt at the Sacrament the lively pourtraiture of thy deliverance from a Curſe by Chriſt received and adhered to by Faith; the oftener wilt thou renew thy purpoſes and reſolutions to adhere to him, the oftener wilt thou look, and take heed of that p. 30which may weaken thy adherence, or withdraw thee from Chriſt; and ſuch renewed carefulneſs and heed will much improve thy Faith; Renewed purpoſes to believe, are renewed ſtrength in believing.

2. Secondly, The conſidering ſoul will ſee in this review of Chriſt dying a Curſe, The benefit, profit and gain of Faith chuſing and adhering unto Chriſt. It will ſee it ſelf repaired and made whole after the greateſt and ſoreſt dammage; ſin which brought the Curſe upon the ſoul, did the ſoul greateſt injury and dammage, it made a ſhipwrack of all its excellencies and treaſure. Sinful and accurſed man is the pooreſt, forlorn and undone wretch in the world, a very bankrupt. But now application unto Chriſt with a purpoſe to adhere unto him, and chuſe him for ever; this ſets the man free from the Curſe; it ſets him up again; it puts a new ſtock into his hand; it enricheth him with the fulneſs of a Bleſſing. For if Chriſt bear thy Curſe, thou ſhalt wear his Crown; if he take upon him thy guilt, and ſin and wretchedneſs, he will take thy believing ſoul into his bleſſedneſs; if he ſuffer thy deſerved puniſhment, thou ſhalt inherit his glorious purchaſe; and what unſpeakable profit is this? how good and enriching a bargain is this? and all this doth the believing ſoul receive and gain by Chriſt dying a Curſe to redeem it from the Curſe, and to purchaſe the bleſſing of Abraham for it; and all this becomes the believing ſouls gain; God gives this to every one who chuſeth his Son. By his Poverty we are made Rich, and by his Curſe we gain the Bleſſing. Now at p. 31every Sacrament this Bargain is confirmed and ratified, and the ſoul ſees the gain of it; and until it can rationally deſire to loſe ſuch a bargain, it cannot but ſtrongly deſire to keep to its contract: Every remembrance of our riches by Jeſus Chriſt, is, or ought to be a confirmation of our choice of him. Renewed views of our gain, will be renewed purpoſes to hold faſt our bargain; and thus may the ſoul grow ſtrong in its adhering and cleaving faſt to Chriſt.

3. The conſidering ſoul doth view its own ſecurity, and ſweeteſt peace in the Death of Chriſt thus dying a Curſe for it. At the remembrance of its Lord's Death in a Sacrament, it calls to mind that peace which is made for it through the blood of the Croſs. The ſoul ſaith, if Chriſt hath born my Curſe, I ſhall not bear it. If I have choſen him, if I keep to this my choice, if I firſt believe and perſevere in believing, I ſhall ſtill have this peace in believing, viz. that I am delivered from the miſery of an accurſed ſtate. Before thou didſt believe, thou didſt or mighteſt have heard the ſad ecchos of a Curſe alarming and frighting thee; if thou hadſt not deſired, choſen and believed in Chriſt dying, thou hadſt never heard one word of peace; and if after thy firſt choice, and faith, thou repent, relapſe and forgo Chriſt through unbelief, thy danger, ſin and trouble will return upon thee; thy laſt ſtate will be thy worſt ſtate; think therefore what is beſt for thee, whether to go on to believe, or to go back through unbelief. Art thou ſurfeited with thy peace? art thou weary of thy reſt? is p. 32trouble under the miſery of a Curſe more deſirable than peace under the felicity of ſuch a bleſſing? I know the meditating ſoul which can diſcern this, will never think of deſerting its choice of Chriſt, until it can think of parting with peace for trouble, with joy for ſorrow, with bleſſedneſs for miſery. I know the more it perceives and finds its peace in believing, the more ſerious and reſolute will it be to believe that it may have and keep its peace. Renewed meditations on this Death of Chriſt will be renewed peace to a believer, and renewed peace will be renewed purpoſes of believing.

Fourthly and laſtly, The conſidering believing ſoul is able to diſcern this ignominious curſed Death of Chriſt to be the fountain of true honour and real excellency. The ſoul is delivered from a ſtate of baſeneſs and diſhonour by this Death of Chriſt. A curſed condition is baſe and diſhonourable, as well as miſerable and unhappy. The dregs of the people were by the Jews called the people that are curſed. Cam curſed by Noah is devoted to ſervitude to a baſe condition. And Eſau's loſs of the Bleſſing was the bringing of ſervitude and baſeneſs on him. But now if Chriſt dying a Curſe were abaſed for me (may the believing ſoul ſay) I ſhall be exalted to honour, and my firſt act of believing was my firſt ſtep to honour, and my continuing to believe will be the continuing of me in my free, noble, and honourable condition. If I depart from Chriſt through unbelief, I ſhall go from honour to diſhonour, from excellency to baſeneſs, from the noble ſtate of a Son, to the ignobleſtate p. 33of a ſervant, of a ſlave: And I know the conſiderate ſoul will not eaſily return to the baſeneſs and ignominy of ſuch a ſtate; No! no! Faith in my dying Lord did ſet me free from ſuch baſeneſs, and advanced me to the dignity I now enjoy; and my perſevering confirmed faith, will, and muſt preſerve and confirm me in that dignity: This prerogative my Dying Lord purchaſed for me whenever I would believe; this prerogative he gave me ſo ſoon as ever I did believe; and there is none can take it from me ſo long as I do believe; oh let me believe for ever, that I may have it for ever! I would never loſe this honour, I will never leave my Lord. Whilſt thou art able to make the beſt of this Death of thy Lord commemorated in the Sacrament, and preſented to thy faith, (which is done on purpoſe, that thou mayeſt make the beſt of it,) thou canſt reſolve, or conclude nothing leſs than that thou wilt adhere now faſter than ever.

In this manner may the Humiliation, the Deſires, the Purpoſes of the Soul be wrought, drawn forth and confirmed upon the conſideration of Chriſt dying a Curſe for us: The ſight of our curſed ſtate will lay us low, and convince us; the ſight of a deliverance by Chriſt, will make us deſire that deliverance may be ours, and then knowledge of its being ours upon firſt believing, and that it ſhall be ours ſo long as we believe, will perſwade us to look that our faith continue, leſt unbelief ſhould reduce us into the miſery of a Curſe, whence we almoſt eſcaped. And let it be next obſerved,

p. 344. That Love to God and unto Chriſt, 4th. Sacramental grace, Love to God and Chriſt.is another Sacramental grace, which I am ſure will be well improved, by a due conſideration of Chriſt dying a Curſe for us. I do verily ſuppoſe it needleſs to attempt the proving of this; every one knows, that Love to Chriſt is a neceſſary and ſuitable grace for a Communicant. God requires that every one of his ſervants ſhould love him, and ſerve him with all the heart in every duty, much more in this which is a more ſolemn, and more than ordinary one. If thou wilt come to the Table of the Lord, thou muſt come with love to the Lord of the Table; thou muſt not come with enmity in thy heart, nor with a ſword in thy hand. They are friends who are invited to eat and drink with Chriſt at his Table, and it is a monſtrous incongruity to ſit down as though you would friendly feaſt, Cant. 5.1.Song 5:1and yet watch a ſeaſon to muther the gueſts, or him that invites you. God will not have an Abſolon's feaſt, in which one of the gueſts was murthered; nor will he have a feaſt like the unhappy Phocus, foreign.whoſe gueſts ſlew him. It is the expreſs will of our Lord, that we come to his Table in love and charity with our Brethren, and in love, and with ſincere affections to our Lord. We muſt here feaſt without the ſowre leven of malice againſt our Brethren, and without the ſwelling leven of hypocriſie toward God. Now let me a little point out what inducements are in this Death of Chriſt to draw forth our love to our Lord; and ſo let it be conſidered.

1. Did my Lord die an accurſed Death for me? do I now celebrate the memorial p. 35hereof? Would he have done this if he had not loved me as his own life? It was a love that is ever to be bleſſed by me, which made my Lord take on him a Curſe for me. Greater love than this could not be ſhewn to me, and leſs than love to him for it cannot not be tendred by me. Is Love the loadſtone of Love, and doth not thy heart ſtir toward Chriſt when he draws it with this attractive? When he calls, Look upon my Living Love in my curſed Death, and give me what you judge a reaſonable acknowledgment for my Love; and when the conſiderate ſoul looks on this, it is ready with David to ſay, What ſhall I render to the Lord for all his goodneſs? What ſhall I render to God the Father who laid my Guilt, Puniſhment and Curſe on my Bleſſed Redeemer? What ſhall I render to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, unto God the Son, who took this heavy load upon him? What ſhall I render to God the Holy Ghoſt, who ſupported the humane nature of my Bleſſed Redeemer, that he ſhould not fail, nor be diſcouraged in this great work, under this weighty burthen? Oh Bleſſed Love of the Glorious Trinity, worthy of an infinite Love, though a finite creature is not able to give it! Lord my Love ſhall be endleſs, though it cannot be boundleſs; though it is narrow, it ſhall not be ſhort; I will make up its defect of intenſeneſs, with an addition of endleſs date; let thy Love to me which cauſed thee to die once for me an accurſed Death, be a ſpring and ſource of Love in my ſoul to thee, of ſuch a Love as ſhall never die. Lord, thou deſerveſt more than I can give, but I would p. 36not be unwilling to give as much as thou deſerveſt. It was matchleſs Love that the Prince of Life would die for condemned ſubjects. But 'tis, methinks more, that the Lord of glory, (over all God Bleſſed for evermore) ſhould take upon him Death with a Curſe!

2. Do I celebrate the Death of my Lord dying a Curſe for me? why then, oh my ſoul! thou doſt this day in this duty call to mind Chriſt's taking on him all faults, and bearing all thy blame, being content that thy faults ſhould be accounted to him; and that if there be (as certainly there wlil be) anger for it, he will bear it. Oh what endeared Love do ſervants in a family bear to that Son who is willing to excuſe the ſervants fauls, and to bear their blame; to make up their peace, and to continue them in, or reſtore them to their offices again! Reader, whoever thou art that readeſt theſe lines, it is thy caſe, Thou o…eſt unto Christ the Eternal Son of God, all thy innocence, all thy ſafety, all thy peace, all thy continuance in the family of God, unto Chriſt I ſay thou oweſt it, for thou hadſt ſinned, and provoked God thy Maſter and Lord; he had curſed thee, and would have damned thee; he had declared thine office in his houſe void, and would have turned thee out; and then thou muſt have ſaid with the unjuſt Steward, what ſhall I do when God thus deals with me? how ſhall I live? Dig I cannot, beg I am aſhamed; I ſhall be accurſed on Earth, and accurſed i… Hell for ever; oh thus had it been with me! if my Lord Jeſus had not ſtept in, and took my faults upon him. Bleſſed be that p. 37Love which hath ſo loved me; Let him carry away all my affection, who thus hath carried all my tranſgreſſions; He ſhall have my love whilſt I live, by whoſe love it is that I live. Oh let my love at the Sacrament revive, where there is the revived memory of my Lord his love to me. None but thoſe fooliſh and mad creatures who are in love with their faults, and with their miſery, will withhold their love from Chriſt, who delivered us from both.

3. Did Chriſt die ſuch a death in thy ſtead, let this then awaken thee to conſider how thou wouldſt reſent another mans ſuffering for thee, and ſpeak what intereſs thy friend ſhould purchaſe in thy affections, by his undergoing afflictions for thee. Wouldſt thou love thy rich friend, that took thy debts on him? wouldſt thou do leſs than dearly love thy skilful friend, that cured thee of thy diſeaſe? thy powerful friend at Court, who reſcued thee from a priſon? thy watchful friend, who kept ſtrict and careful watch leſt thou ſhouldſt be ſurpriſed, and ruin'd, whilſt thou wert ſleeping ſecure in greateſt danger, and in greateſt ignorance and ſecurity? But what wouldſt thou ſay if thy friend ſhould deliver thee from thine, by making it his own diſeaſe? or ſhould go into a priſon, that thou mighteſt go out of it? or expoſe himſelf to ruine, that thou mighteſt be indemnified? Juſt ſo did Chriſt for thee; he did bear thy diſeaſe, and took thy ſickneſs upon him; he became a priſoner firſt to unjuſt hands ſeizing on him, and then to the grave, which could not hold him, yet a while he was a priſoner p. 38there, for thy ſake, in thy ſtead, and what acknowledgment wilt thou make of all this? How wilt thou certifie the Chriſtian world, that thou doſt well reſent what Chriſt hath done, if thou wilt not love him for doing it? Thou loveſt thoſe that ſpeak well of thee, that bleſs thee, that wiſh well to thee, and endeavour to do thee good, and what law, reaſon or equity wilt thou pretend why thou doſt not love Chriſt, who ſpeaks beſt of thee to his Father, and who wiſhed beſt to thee, and hath done moſt for thee, and all this by his dying a Curſe for thee? Let thy own heart ponder this, and draw to a concluſion, what ought to be done in this caſe; ſay, Had any man whom I know, done this for me, which Chriſt hath done, I could not but love him; and why do I not love Chriſt? if I did ſee my friend loaded with curſes, and reproaches, and bearing them patiently for me that I might not be reproached, that I might not be curſed, it would endear ſuch a friend to me: why now in the Sacrament the viſible memorial of Chriſt's dying a Curſe for me, I do ſee ſuch a friend, ſo loaded for my ſake, that I might not be loaded with my deſerved Curſe, I may not, I will not be leſs to him than I would be to another; I will love him more than any elſe, for he hath done more for me than all could; and I ſee it in the Sacrament, the bleſſed memorial of his curſed Death.

Fourthly and laſtly, Is the Sacrament of the bloody Death of Chriſt, a memorial of his dying an accurſed death for me? oh then I ſee the evidence of a love to me which ſurpaſſeth p. 39the love of beſt friends, which indeed exceeds the thoughts and belief of moſt conſiderate men. For who will believe (beſide a Chriſtian, who is taught by the revealed word of the God of truth) that Chriſt would become a Curſe for us? Some men will hardly believe that the Apoſtle ſpake his very thoughts when he wiſhed that he himſelf were accurſed from Chriſt for his brethren, his kinſmen after the fleſh. Some judge it ſo inconſiſtent with reaſon, that they think the Apoſtle could not ſoberly, ſedately and rationally deſire it, but that he did uſe the liberty and freedom of an Orator, to commend his greateſt affection to his kindred by a greater expreſſion. But behold Reader, Paul's wiſh for his kindred, is Chriſt's own act for his; what Paul wiſht but could not do for his brethren, Chriſt hath undertook and undergone for his brethren. What ſome do think was too great for a rational and ſober deſire in the one; hath been found not too great for the choice and performance of the other. Now let Chriſt have but a ſerious view of this he hath done for thee, and anſwer thy ſelf this, or ſuch like queſtions; Is that too little to engage my love which was too great for any to undertake but Chriſt? Do I ſee Chriſt doing that which few men will believe a man could wiſh he mght do, and do I ſtill withhold my heart, my affection from Chriſt? Do I know that his love was ſtronger than death? he was content to be accurſed for the ſake, good, life and ſalvation of Believers; I ſee him for a while ſeparated from God, that he might bring me to God, and now he ſhall p. 40have that love which is too great for any one, ſince he hath done what is ſo great for me.

In the fifth place, 5. Joy in believing a Sacramental grace.The Believer's Joy is, or at leaſt might be conſiderably improved in the commemoration of Chriſt dying as a Curſe for us. It is not to be queſtioned whether joy and rejoycing through faith in the Lord be ſeaſonable in our feaſting with the Lord. Joy is the ſouls reſt with delight in the Lord; and ſuch a diſpoſition of mind doth the Lord require and accept at this ſeaſt. Now let us obſerve how that his dying a Curſe for us, may increaſe our joy; and this may appear

1. From the Nature of Joy, which is the triumph of the mind in its freedom and deliverance from its fears; or in its attaining and poſſeſſing of its hopes. It is a rational ſecurity of our beſt hopes, and a due removal of our worſt fears, ſinging a reſt and happineſs to the ſoul. Joy is the rapture of our ſoul, hearing and obſerving deſired events, ſweetly keeping tune with our deſires and hopes. It is the Tripudium Animae, the ſoul's dance to the Muſick which the God of Heaven makes for it. If there be any exſtaſies of joy, it can be from no other harmony than which is heard not from Pythagoras his melodious ſpheres, but from the Croſs of our Bleſſed Lord ſeting Heaven and Earth in a bleſſed concent by his accurſed Death. The Philoſopher will tell us, Dilatatio cordis ob bonum praeſens.that Joy is the dilatation of the ſoul, the enlarging of the heart to entertain a preſent deſired good. Good wiſhed for is the Sun, the heart is the Heliotrope, the flower of the Sun; Joy is the opening and turning of this flower towards the Sun. This, or ſomewhat p. 41like this is Joy. Now in what can the ſoul triumph if not in its freedom from a dreadful Curſe? What may poſſibly be imagined will ſecure the rational hopes and wiſhes of a Chriſtian better than Chriſt's bearing his ſin, its curſe and puniſhment, that Juſtice may not lay any ſentence of condemnation upon it, but abſolve and acquit, juſtifie and ſave it? Where can the ſoul better reſt, and congratulate its happineſs in its reſt, than in a pacified propitious God? Tell me, who ere thou art, reading or hearing theſe lines, canſt thou deſire more than happineſs? Is any thing greater and better in thy wiſhes? Certainly either thou knoweſt not what thou anſwereſt, or elſe doſt anſwer it is thy greateſt, dailyeſt, hourly deſire; and that the man or woman who would aſſure thee of this, would fill thy heart with raptures of joy. Now behold theſe deſires anſwered in the Lord Jeſus dying to remove that Curſe which kept thee from thy happineſs. If Joy be the enlarging of the heart to entertain a deſired good, lo here a good worth the entertaining, Chriſt bearing thy Curſe: lo here a good ſo great, that no heart but an enlarged heart can rightly entertain it: Oh be perſwaded to receive it, and tell me then what affection it raiſeth in thy ſoul! Certainly he never feared, becauſe he never knew the danger of Hell, who doth not greatly rejoyce in his deliverance, and eſcape from it. Open but thy heart to receive, and thy Joy will as ſurely break out, as the ſtreams do when the ſprings and fountains are opened.

Secondly, Chriſt dying a Curſe for thee, p. 42will heighten thy Joy; For whatever thou canſt approve a ground of Joy in other mens rejoycing without this, thou mayeſt much more approve in thine own rejoycing in this without any other, There is very much Joy in the world which is unſeemly, and there is ſome which is juſtifiable, ſeemly and ſeaſonable; but whatever makes it ſo ſeemly, that and much more is in the Death of Chriſt dying an accurſed Death for us, to juſtifie and warrant the Chriſtian's Joy. I dare ſtand to plead the Chriſtian's Joy, to excel on this account, as much as the Joy for recovery of a Crown and Kingdom doth excel the Joy of a wiſe man for the finding of a Pin. Could a Chriſtian enlarge his Joy to the exceeding greatneſs of his cauſe of Joy, it would incomparably excel all other mens Joy, as much as the recovery from a mortal wound excels the healing of a ſcratcht finger. Indeed all other Joy without this is the unſeemly Joy of fools or madmen; but this (without all other) is Joy of wiſe, conſiderate and knowing men; and might we enter the compariſon, it would appear what trifles men of the world (how great ſoever, and how wiſe ſoever in the account of the world) do rejoice in.

It is reported of Francis the firſt, recovering the French ſhore upon his delivery out of his Captivity, Je ſuis le Roy.That he leapt and rejoyced with this, I am a King. And who that values liberty, or ſafety, or power, or a Kingdom, cenſureth him for it, or doubts whether it were ſeemly? But oh believing ſoul! thou ſeeſt at a Sacrament a worſe priſon, a more p. 43doleful Captivity, crueller enemies, and more deadly dangers left behind thee, and thou ſet at liberty in a more bleſſed ſafety, and entitled to a Crown and Kingdom, as much better as Heaven is better than France was; and this by Chriſt's Death as it was an accurſed Death, to free thee from the Curſe.

The men of the world rejoice in their full harveſts. The victorious Conqueror rejoiceth in the dividing of the ſpoils. The ambitious Courtier rejoiceth in his Court-preferment. But what Joy will the Barns and Stores of the wealthy man be, when he dies the accurſed Death, and with Dives, is tormented in endleſs fires? Will the Joy of the preferred Courtier continue to him under the diſgrace which he ſhall fall into when God ſhall arreſt, impriſon, condemn and execute him as an accurſed wretch? What will become of the Joys of Victories and Triumphs, when the Crowns ſhall wither before the hot diſpleaſure of God; and when the crowned Conqueror ſhall be delivered up an accurſed wretched priſoner and captive in eternal chains?

In few words, there are many daggers lifted up, and ſtriking at the Joy of every man who rejoiceth in any thing but the Croſs of Chriſt, and firſt or laſt ſome one or other of theſe daggers will reach the heart, and let out the life of ſuch Joys. But the Believer's Joy in the Death of Chriſt dying a Curſe for him, is a Joy which is immortal, and cannot be deſtroyed: It is a Joy will moſt gloriouſly crown the Believer, when other mens Joys do moſt ſhamefully forſake, deceive and torture p. 44them. If then any may rejoice, the Believer may much more; and this he may do at every remembrance of his Redeemer's dying a Curſe for him. And ſuch renewed remembrance of our cauſe of Joy, will undoubtedly renew our Joy; he may rejoice ſtill more than yet he hath rejoiced, who ſeeth he hath more to rejoice in than all the jovial merry world ever ſhall have.

Thirdly, Renewed Meditations of Chriſt's dying ſuch a Death for us, will renew our Joy, appeareth from this, That our Joy will be moſt full, ſatisfactory and tranſporting to us when we come to the diſtincteſt, fulleſt and livelieſt knowledge and apprehenſion of this Death of Chriſt. They who moſt fully apprehend, and who moſt particularly apply the Benefits of this Death to themſelves, who live upon it, and know what life it is, how excellent, how happy, &c. Theſe are fulleſt of pureſt Joy; and truly as we abate in our ability and skill to meditate on this Death of Chriſt, or as we abate in the exerciſe and actual meditation and thought of Chriſt's dying for us as a Curſe, the more our Joy will abate alſo. The Saints in glory do now rejoice, and will forever rejoice, for they do ever behold the ſcars which this Curſe hath left in Chriſt; they ever remember that Chriſt dying a Curſe, hath given them that bleſſed Life in which they ever ſhall rejoice. Now what it hath wrought on them, and what it will work one day upon us, proveth to us what it might work in us at the preſent: It hath now all in it which it ever will have, but we have not all in us which we ſhall have, when this p. 45dying of our Lord ſhall fill us with a never-dying, or abating love to him who did it, and with Joy in the thing done for us. The reaſon why the Believer rejoiceth more in the ſight of Chriſt dying a Curſe for him, as his diſtinct knowledge of it groweth, is not that his knowledge addeth any thing to it, but becauſe his knowledge of it now maketh more of that Death, (which appeared not ſo much then to his own eye) ſo his Joy groweth with his knowledge. But now it is not ſo with other Joys, they leſſen as our knowledge of them increaſeth, and thoſe which at diſtance we flattering our ſelves hoped would be pure, and deep, ſweet and laſting as a Cryſtal ſtream, prove to us when we come nearer, and live on them, muddy and ſhallow, ſcarce worth the taſting, and which is worſe, yet they prove bitterer than gall and wormwood, and of ſhorter continuance than a morning dew. But our Joy in bleſſed peace with God, in ſweet hopes of glory, in ſure foundations of faith, in endleſs happineſs to crown our faith, to ſatisfie our hopes, and to be the manner of enjoying our God, (which are the pleaſant fruits of Chriſt thus dying) do increaſe upon us as our inſight into them increaſeth, and are pureſt when neareſt; are deepeſt in the ſpring, or rather ocean of true Delight and Joy; are ſweeteſt when moſt lived upon; and are moſt laſting when we enter at laſt into them. The Joys of others are never ſo great as their hopes, nor ſo laſting as their deſires. But the Joy of a Believer in his Dying Lord, is at laſt greater than his hopes, and as long liv'd as his deſires. And in this he p. 46may exalt his Joy above the greateſt that ever the world boaſted of. If ever mortal man ſatiated and glutted himſelf with worldly Joy, it was with a ſudden guſh, which left him ſo ſoon, that he had the more time to lament himſelf, and wofully wrack himſelf with the loſs of it. I believe Caeſar never met his expected content and joy in obtaining Rome's Empire; I know it laſted not with him ſo long as he deſired; in one or both of theſe it proved leſs to him when he knew moſt of it. This made a good Emperour once ſay, That if men knew what thorns and cares a Crown was lined with, they would not take it up if they found it in the ſtreet.

Now, oh bleſſed ſoul! whoſe Joy lives upon the Death of thy Lord, tell me, did ever any experienced, knowing, and expert Chriſtian abaſe the worth of thoſe Joys with ſuch a report of them? Can thy own jealous fears ſuggeſt a rational, probable, likely ground of ſuſpicion, that theſe Joys are greater in hope than they will be in hand? doſt thou think that there is any diſappointment in Heaven? Are there any complaints that leſs is poſſeſſed than was looked for? Haſt thou ever had any cauſe to wiſh thou hadſt known leſs of Chriſt and his Death? or couldſt thou ever ſay that the Joy had been greater if thy knowledge and experience had been leſs? I know thou dareſt not ſay ſo, nor debaſe the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus thy Lord. Turn therefore thy ſerious thoughts upon this, meditate more that thou mayeſt know more; for the more thou knoweſt of this, the more wilt thou rejoice in Chriſt.

p. 47Thus renew thy Meditations on the Cauſe of thy Joys, and they will renew thy Joys. Others will ſee, and thou wilt find in thy own ſoul, that the more thy Cauſe of Joy aboundeth, the more thy Joy will abound. Now that Chriſt hath thus died, thy ſoul (oh happy Believer!) ſhall not be left in Hell, nor ſhalt thou ſee an eternal corruption: This is enſured to thee by the Lord, whoſe Death thou commemorateſt. Say then and ſpeak it with enlarged heart, foreign, &c. Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoiceth; moreover my fleſh ſhall reſt in hope, for God will not leave my ſoul in hell. And now, oh my ſoul! ſet thy ſelf to hear what may be ſpoken to thee. By theſe who will have to do with thee in thy moſt weighty matters. And ſo

1. Firſt what would a judicious and affectionate Believer ſay? What news would ſuch a one tell thee from Mount Calvary? from the Croſs of Chriſt? Suppoſe thou heardeſt ſuch an one improving this Doctrine, why ſhould I fear when the iniquity of my heels compaſſeth me about? hath not my Lord taken away all the Curſe I feared? Do I not ſee him evidently ſet forth crucified before mine eyes? he drank off the bitter cup of aſtoniſhment, I will therefore take the cup of ſalvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will rejoice in him; yea and I will tell my Brethren the good news, that they may rejoice with me. Come all ye that fear the Lord, hear and rejoice, for I have found at the Croſs of Chriſt, the bleſſing which I loſt in Paradiſe, and which is more, I found yours there too; and if p. 48you will go with me quickly, you ſhall find it too. Come, oh come and ſee Chriſt laying down a Bleſſing for thee, when he took up thy Curſe! would not ſuch a friend's voice ſounding in thine ear raviſh thy heart, or at leſt revive thy drooping ſpirits, and turn thy grief into joy? Could'ſt thou do leſs than ſmile to ſee thy loſt Heaven found? thy dying Soul recovered to life? thy God reconciled and delighting in thee? Hear next

2. What language the Embaſſadour of thy Soveraign and Gracious Lord uſeth to thee, when he offereth a Dying Chriſt unto thee; a Chriſt bearing thy Curſe for thee. Behold thou drooping Believer, That Blood which I offer thee in this Cup, is the purchaſe of that happineſs which thou deſireſt; the atonement of that wrath thou feareſt. Lo here is that Blood which can abate the ſcorching heat of a ſelf-accuſing, condemning, and tormenting ſoul! Oh taſte, drink of it! this never failed of curing, eaſing, comforting ſo many Saints in Heaven. In one word, Chriſt's Miniſter doth in Chriſt's Name offer thee that Blood which was ſhed for the remiſſion of the ſins of many, and in which thou mayeſt find forgiveneſs of thine alſo; and thou findeſt little if thou findeſt not Joy in the forgiveneſs of ſins. Thou art very ſlow of underſtanding, if a Publick Officer proclaiming thee acquitted and cleared, doth not raiſe thy joy. But yet, oh fainting ſoul! hearken

Laſtly, What will be the language of Chriſt himſelf to thee, when he unfolds thy bleſſedneſs, and declareth before Men and Angels that he took upon him thy ſin, thy guilt, thy puniſhment; p. 49was made a Curſe for thee, and ſo preſents thee to God, and makes good all thy claim to Bleſſedneſs. What heart is large enough to conceive the thouſandth par of that Joy! Oh! a ſingle ſight of this, one unrepeated, once pronounced ſentence of Chriſt's own mouth. Soul, thou art bleſſed, for I was made a Curſe for thee, would ſwallow up all other Joys, and would fill the heart of the believing ſoul with Joy unſpeakable.

Now I muſt tell thee, oh thou doubting, ſollicitous and trembling Believer! that Chriſt will ſo beſpeak thee ere long, and ſo give thee an entrance into thy Maſter's Joy, that thou mayeſt rejoice for ever in this Bleſſedneſs, which I tell thee is the fruit of Chriſt's Death, as it was an accurſed Death. And if after all this thou wilt weep, and not be comforted, I muſt alſo tell thee, thy tears are not wiped away, becauſe thou wilt not ſuffer us to do it, & thou art a ſtranger to thy deſired joy, becauſe thou art ſo much a ſtranger to the Death of thy Lord. Oh that our eys were opened to ſee that fountain whence moſt refreſhing ſtreams do flow continually! Lord give me a heart knowing, how to turn this kind of my Lord's Death into what Joy is hidden in it, and I know my heart will need no other, will deſire none but this.

Again in the ſixth place, A peaceable, 6th. Sacramental grace, peaceable diſpoſition to the Brethren.compaſſionate, and tender affection toward our Brethren, our fellow Chriſtians, is a Sacramental Grace, a diſpoſition of mind which is never out of ſeaſon, and is moſt in ſeaſon at a Sacrament. Chriſtians ſhould ever live in charity, but they ſhould feaſt with their Lord, and with their p. 50Brethren in higheſt meaſures of charity. When they thus feaſt, they ſhould embrace each other; when they walk together, it ſhould be hand in hand. This Love-feaſt muſt not be allayed with any mixture of ſowre murmurings, bitter envyings, or unſavoury grudges of diſcontent. The Apoſtle doth give us a moſt excellent Rule for this, 1 Cor. 5.7, 8. Purge out the old leaven, &c. Let us therefore keep the feaſt, not in the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice, &c. In malice we ſhould ever be children, but eſpecially at the Lord's Supper. I will not urge reaſons why we muſt be thus affected each to other, when we come to the Table of the Lord; for it is ſo univerſally known by all, and it is ſo neceſſary among many other graces, that too many think this alone ſufficient to prepare men for the Lord's Supper. It is true, who hath all other, but hath not this preparatory, is unfit; Whoſoever wants this alone is not fit, though this alone will not fit him for the Lord's Table. The want of this muſt keep him back from this Supper, until he hath a mind full of ſincere and true love to all men, eſpecially to all the invited gueſts of the Lord. Suppoſing therefore that it is nothing doubted, peaceable affections, and compaſſionate tender love or charity to the Brethren, is a Sacramental Quality. I ſhal inſiſt a little on the manner, how this may be improved and advanced by the Death of Chriſt dying an accurſed Death for us. And ſo

1. Firſt, When thou art at the Lord's Supper, and ſeeſt a few of thy Chriſtian Brethren p. 51there to celebrate the Death of thine and their Lord dying a Curſe; this in all likelihood will be thy firſt reaſoning upon it. If Chriſt died a Curſe for us, then were we all under a Curſe; then were we all plunged in miſery; all were under the guilt of ſin, and under the wrath of God; and what tongue can tell what this is, or what heart can think of it, and not be compaſſionately tender over ſuch poor creatures! Can your obdured, hardened hearts, hear the groans of men tormented with the Strangury, or Gout, or Stone? Can you look upon the miſeries of an Hoſpital without yearning bowels? or can you look upon the tortures of one wracked and torn upon a wheel, or between wild horſes, without a wiſh, oh that I might deliver them! what kind of hearts do you bear toward perſecuted, murthered and tormented Chriſtians, when you ſee the pictures of them, or read the hiſtory of them? do not your hearts drop into tender compaſſions toward them? Why now look on Chriſt dying a Curſe, he is the lively picture of thine and their woful ſtate, it is to be ſeen in his Death; read over the ſtory of Chriſt accurſed, it is the ſtory of thy moſt woful ſtate, and of the miſerable ſtate of them who are now communicating with thee; they were with thee ſinful, guilty, dying creatures, which ere long muſt have been groaning, ſighing, howling under the avenging wrath of the Almighty, if Chriſt had not thus died for thee and them. Look upon them, ſay (as indeed they were) behold what was ſaved of my ſhipwrack! Theſe were toſſed in the ſame veſſel, p. 52daſhed on the ſame rock, taken up helpleſs and lifeleſs, &c. with me. Oh I never ſee them, but it comes into my thoughts, and my heart; my heart weeps over our common danger: We do ſo often renew our compaſſionate affections toward our companions in dangers, as the ſight of them renews the thoughts of our danger. That which in a different caſe David ſaid, When I remember theſe things, I pour out my ſoul within me. The ſoul redeemed from the Curſe, will be able to ſay, when I remember theſe things, compaſſion and tenderneſs are poured out. The remembrance of a common danger, Nihil ad miſericordiam ſic inclinat atque proprii periculi cogitatio. Auguſt. Miſericordia eſt vicina miſeriae. Seneca de Clem.is a moſt prevailing enducement to compaſſion. The Philoſopher could tell us, That this Pity is a neighbour to miſery. Whence likely it was that the Lord did enjoyn the Iſraelites to ſhew a hearty compaſſion unto afflicted ſtrangers; for They know the heart of a ſtranger, for they were ſtrangers in Aegypt. We muſt compaſſionately and tenderly love, wiſh well, and affect thoſe whoſe hearts we know, for ſo much as we were in like caſe. Now this is one part of our brotherly love or charity; here it begins, though it doth not end here. This tenderneſs of heart is like the pith or tender pulp which runneth through the whole body of the tree. This indeed is the Root on which the delightful Tree grows, and from which the beautiful fruits of love do bloſſome, bud, increaſe and ripen. And ſo often you water the root of Love as you do ſoften and mollify the temper of your heart, p. 53which is done when ſoakt in the thoughts of our common danger.

I ſhall cloſe this particular with that piercing Queſtion, Matth. 18.33. Shouldeſt thou not have had compaſſion on thy fellow-ſervant, even as I had pity on thee? How ſhall we anſwer this Queſtion, if the conſideration of our common danger do not ſtir up in us a love of compaſſion to others? what bowels haſt thou if they do not now yearn and move towards them? We are apt to pity thoſe whoſe tormenting diſeaſes and ſharp pains we have felt; and if ever we felt the inward ſorrow and trouble of an accurſed ſtate, we ſhall pity ſuch who are under it, and with tender affection demean our ſelves towards thoſe who were under it; it will renew our ſympathy, and this will renew our love to them. But

Secondly, In the remembrance of Chriſt's dying a Curſe for us, there is the renewing of a moſt ſelf-abaſing and humbling conſideration. Now the renewal of this will be a very likely means to improve our love, which is a humble, ſelf abaſing grace. So that what increaſeth our humility, will increaſe our charity. Solomon tells us, that onelyonly by pride cometh contention; and our own experience proveth the proud man neither ſit to be choſen for a loving friend, nor to be truſted as one that will be conſtant in his friendſhip and love: ſuch an one will be ever breaking the laws of friendſhip, of which the Apoſtle diſcourſing, 1 Cor. 13.4, 5, 6. tells us, that it neither vaunteth it ſelf, nor is puffed up. Indeed he can ſee no cauſe of vaunting himſelf, who p. 54views himſelf in this curſed condition repreſented, and confirmed to us by Chriſt's undergoing it for us. Something or other there muſt be indeed, or muſt be thought to be, which ſhall exalt a man above his neighbour and brother. Now when it appeareth that it was equal guilt and miſery under which thou and I, and every one did lye, until Chriſt redeemed us, this cuts off all vaunts, and proud boaſting of our ſelves above others; and where pride is laid thus low, and taken out of the way, there meek and peaceable deportment outwardly, and meek and peaceable temper inwardly do ſpring up and flouriſh. This will prevent all increaſe and growth of malice, and diſlike for whatever thou canſt find in thy Brother to diſlike, the ſame, or as bad is found in thee; for before grace appeared to you, you were both accurſed, both rebels againſt God, both condemned by the Law of God, both alike miſcreants and vile; nor may diſlike feſter and ranckle into malice againſt thy Brother: For if the Grace of God hath taken occaſion from his vile miſerable condition, to be and appear grace indeed to him, who art thou dareſt make it an occaſion of wrath or malice? I know the reaſonings of a believer toward believers are of another nature and tendency, they all ſavour of humility and peaceable diſpoſitions, and forbidding all proud quarrels, and huſhing them with ſome ſuch reflection upon our ſelves, and our condition; ſuch was I but I obtained mercy. Alas! how are we miſtaken if we think we may boaſt our ſelves in the difference between us and others; for p. 55who made us to differ? There was much of reaſon in the penitent Thief, when he took up and reproved the railings, reproaches and blaſphemies of the other; Luk. 23.20.Luke 23:20Doeſt thou not fear God ſeeing thou art in the ſame condemnation? This ought to have humbled him, and kept him in a peaceable behaviour and mind towards thoſe who were dying with him. Oh let us manifeſt a humbled ſoul, a mind abaſed and laid low with our guilt and vileneſs! let us manifeſt ſuch a mind by meek, peaceable, loving diſpoſition towards our Brethren, who were firſt our Brethren in a Curſe, but now are our Brethren in Chriſt. Certainly nothing doth more become pardoned ſinners, than ſuch a peaceable behaviour and diſpoſition. Nor do I know a more natural genuine fruit of our peace with God through Chriſt, than this our peaceable mind and behaviour towards men, when Angels ſhewed the glad tydings, viz. Salvation through Chriſt, they did alſo proclaim peace on earth; ſo muſt we when God makes us glad with this ſalvation.

3. Again thirdly, In the remembrance of Chriſt dying a Curſe for us, there is renewed the remembrance of forgiveneſs and pardon granted of God to us. The Believer communicating at the Lord's Table, doth there ſee himſelf pardoned, and the like pardon offered unto others alſo through Chriſt dying a Curſe for them. Now this doth mightily perſwade with the Believer to lay aſide all occaſions and ground of quarrel, and ſo doth much more promote this brotherly love, increaſing it both in the habit of charity, diſpoſing the mind to it, p. 56and in the exerciſe and acts of it in our behaviour and converſe among Chriſtians. That which God hath done for us teacheth us what we are to do for others, when God might juſtly and righteouſly have curſed us, and refuſed us peace; he did for Chriſt's ſake free us from the Curſe, and entred, confirmed, and ſtill keeps peace with us. Now ſaith the conſiderate Believer, I muſt be like my Heavenly Father, he hath accurſed but one thing for which he hath not yet, for which he never will have, thoughts of peace, and I muſt never make, or keep a peace with that accurſed thing, with ſin. But ſince it hath been the good pleaſure of my Heavenly Father to make peace for ſuch who were curſed; and ſeeing he hath made them bleſſed by this peace, I muſt with better mind, though I cannot in better words, ſay with Balaam, Num. 23.20. Behold I have received Commandment to bleſs, and he hath bleſſed, and I cannot reverſe it. When any grudge, envy or diſlike, would ſolicit thee to break the law of Brotherly Love, ask but this queſtion, Is God at peace with this man with whom I am ready to break? If God be his friend, and at peace with him, it is my beſt courſe, and moſt adviſed, to be at peace with him alſo, and keep and make him my friend. It is reported in the Life of Marius (that cruel man) that if he ſaluted not the man he met, Plutarch. in vit. C. Marii.his ſouldiers took it for the token that ſuch a one muſt not live: But if he ſaluted any one, no hurt was done to him. At this preſent I tell you, no hurt muſt be done by you or me to ſuch whom the Great God ſaluteth as he did p. 57Abraham, and as he doth ſtill ſalute Abraham's ſeed, calling them friends. As then the renewed uſe of the Lord's Supper is a renewed teſtimony of God reconciled unto us, and a renewed profeſſion of our friendſhip unto God; ſo it will be a renewing of our friendſhip with thoſe who are ſo bleſſed and happy in their alliance unto the Lord, who is alſo our God. Moreover, ſuppoſe fleſh and blood could pretend an occaſion of contention and quarrel with thy Chriſtian Brethren, ſummon them to put in their Bill, and make their plea before Chriſt, who once died a Curſe for thee, and them; let the grievances be rightly ſtated, and hearken what Chriſt would ſay to thee that contendeſt; He would ſurely tell thee that he did not ſtand upon greater injuries done to him, but did bear them, and forbear thee in them; witneſs thine own appearance at the Sacrament, where thou profeſſeſt to believe that Chriſt died an accurſed death for thee, and doſt thou dare to retain the thoughts, the remembrance, of farthing dammages done to thee, in that very place, and at that time where thou reneweſt the remembrance of many talent-dammages by thee done to God, all forgiven to thee by thy God, who thereupon requireth thee to forgive others? How ſilent and ſpeechleſs will the mercileſs unpeaceable man be when God ſhall make him read over ſuch places as theſe; Shouldeſt thou not have had compaſſion on thy fellow-ſervant, even as I had pity on thee? And if ye from your heart forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your treſpaſſes. And p. 58he ſhall have judgment without mercy, who ſhowed no mercy. Come then thou froward, peeviſh, unpeaceable ſoul, look what Chriſt hath purchaſed and prepared for every Believer; he hath purchaſed a peace for them; he hath for them prepared a bleſſed peace through his bearing a Curſe for them; and he hath ſealed and confirmed this peace, taking away every thing that might break it; and this peace made thus, thou art now again confirming with God among thoſe which have equal ſhare and intereſs with thy ſelf in this peace; and wilt thou not judge it comely, convenient, neceſſary, (and what muſt be done by thee, viz.) to embrace them with hearty, peaceable affections, who are embraced by thy God, with as hearty affections as thou art, or canſt be? Oh come then! make peace with all thy Brethren, and forgive them as God for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven thee. And thus I have very briefly drawn out three particular inducements (among many other) which from Chriſt dying a Curſe for us, and all Believers ſhould perſwade us, and them to live in a Chriſtian brotherly peace, which becomes a Sacrament, and which ſhould be improved by each Sacrament. I now proceed to

A ſeventh Sacramental Grace, 7th. Sacramental grace, a Thankful heart.which ought to be exerciſed at each Sacrament, and which may receive ſome addition from the conſideration of Chriſt's Death as a Curſe in our ſtead. Now this grace is a Thankfull acknowledgment of the great mercy we have by Chriſt's dying a Curſe for us. It doth exceeding well become us to be thankful, and praiſe the p. 59Lord for his mercy to us in Chriſt dying for us: And though praiſe be ever ſeaſonable, yet a Sacrament is the ſeaſon of ſeaſons for praiſe; then it is moſt in ſeaſon, though it be never out of ſeaſon. The commonneſs and univerſal praenotion of this truth among all Chriſtians, ſaveth me the labour of proving it. I need not prove that to any one which is denied by no one; let then praiſe and thanks attend our communion at the Lord's Supper. And among other motives unto praiſe, let us view ſome few ariſing from the Death of Chriſt, as it was an accurſed death for us. And ſo

1. Firſt, To this kind of Death of thy Lord thou muſt be beholden for all the ſweetneſs which thou taſteſt in thy mercies. Thy ſin which brought thee under the Curſe, imbittered every thing to thee alſo; nay that ſin which curſed thee, forfeited all thy mercies; thou hadſt no right to them when once thou hadſt ſinned, and thou couldſt taſte no ſweetneſs in them if thou hadſt ſtill lain under the Curſe; thou hadſt no more right to thy eſtate, and life, than a condemned man hath to his; thou couldeſt have no more enjoyed them, than a penſive condemned perſon who is kept in priſon with a daily allowance to keep them alive unto the day of his near approaching execution, every morſel is bitter to him, ſo would it have been to thee. Thou mayeſt read this in the emblem of the ſinner's ſtate; a naked man caſt out of a fruitful garden, and left in a place of thorns and briars: Such was the conſequence of thy ſin, caſt naked out of what thou hadſt, and p. 60turned out among grieving thorns and briars. Now, would he not deſerve thanks who reſtoreth thee to a title? gives thee a new right unto all deſirable bleſſings? who ſhall root up thoſe curſed thorns, and plant the Vine and the Olive to yield thee fruit? Look then, this, and more than this done for thee by the Death of thy Lord made a Curſe for thee. Lo thy title renewed to neceſſary mercies, and mercies renewed unto their ſweetneſs and delightfulneſs; thou a Prodigal received as a Son, and the husks thou didſt feed on turned into bread in thy Father's houſe. Chriſt was accurſed for thee, that every bleſſing might be ſweetened to thee. Ever praiſed be our Phyſician who hath taken out the moſt of the poiſon, and hath turned the reſt into neceſſary and ſeaſonable Phyſick. God hath bleſt thee with every thing in Chriſt, that thou mighteſt bleſs and praiſe, that thou mighteſt be thankful for every thing, and aſcribe it all to the goodneſs of God in Chriſt. We owe all to this Death of Chriſt, and how little do we pay when we are thankful! Let us not then with-hold this little too. In one word, read over the latter part of Deut. 28. from v. 15. to the end of the chapter, and conſider how well he deſerves bleſſing and thanks from thee, who hath delivered thee from the bitterneſs of ſo many Curſes, imbittering all thou enjoy'dſt.

Secondly, The renewed thoughts of Chriſt bearing thy Curſe, will be renewed Thankfulneſs in renewed ſecurity and aſſurance againſt the fears and terrours of a ſelf-accuſing and condemning p. 61heart. Thou ſhalt never bear that Curſe which the righteous Law threatned; thou needſt not fear it, if Chriſt died for thee; for he did die a Curſe for every one in whoſe ſtead he did die; and that God who accepted his Death, will never go from his word, or diſown the virtue of his Son's Death, nor caſt the Curſe upon thy ſoul. Oh thou trembling Believer! thy fears are the weakneſs of thy graces, or the want of exerciſing them; either thou knoweſt not what it is to have a Chriſt, a Jeſus dying a Curſe for thee, or elſe thou doſt not enough conſider it, nor obſerve how little ground of fear is left. Oh! It would be a bleſſed tranquility of mind to us to feel as little fear within our ſouls, as Chriſt hath left of Curſe behind him in the Law againſt us. Happy ſoul, who believeth that Chriſt died for him. He may look upon the Law, and find that there is not in it any Curſe againſt him; for Chriſt made a Curſe, died to redeem them who were under it. There is no doubt to be made of this Truth; there cannot be juſt cauſe of fear where Chriſt hath taken away the Curſe Which the Law threatned: Now there is no condemnation to ſuch, nor may any one lay any thing to the charge of theſe redeemed ones. And when this is duly weighed, how thankful will it make us! How much would a feeble ſwouning perſon thank you for a ſweet reviving cordial! what life would there be in his expreſſions of kindneſs for ſuch a courteſie! what loving embraces would ſuch a one court his friend with! eſpecially if his life had certainly miſcarried without this! p. 62Oh unkindneſs! unthankfulneſs of us Chriſtians! who lay in a ſwound of death, ſtrucken with the thunder-bolt of the Law, periſhing without recovery, hopeleſs without a Chriſt, accurſed for ever unleſs Chriſt become a Curſe for us; and we profeſs to know all this, and to believe it, and yet are ſtraitned in our thankfulneſs to him. The aaPlutarch. in vit. Artaxerxes.Hiſtorian reports that Artaxerxes King of Perſia, gave one a thouſand bbThe Darick was a coin bearing the image of Darius, and the value of each piece was two ſhillings four pence; ſo the whole ſum amounted to one hundred and ſixteen pounds ſix ſhillings and eight pence, beſide the Cup of Gold.Daricks in a Cup of Gold for a recompence of a little fair water offered him in the palms of the man's hand. But what have we given unto Jeſus Chriſt, who hath brought us not a little water in his hands, but his heart and hands full of love, and blood ſhed for us! Oh come magnifie the Love of Chriſt, and be thankful to him for us! Remember the daies of thy fears, when thou wouldſt have welcomed the news of thy pardon, and received it on thy knees, with ten thouſand praiſes to thy God. Remember the anguiſh of thy ſoul, when the Arrows of the Almighty ſtuck faſt, and the poiſon thereof drunk up thy ſpirits, what pains wouldſt thou have taken then? what coſt wouldſt thou gladly have been at, to procure thy ſoul's peace and eaſe? When thou thoughteſt Hell would be thy tormenting priſon for ever, and thou lookedſt on it as the greateſt evil, becauſe thou ſhouldſt bear thy ſins there for ever, and never have one ſmile from God, what thankfulneſs didſt thou p. 63then think was meet for thee to pay, and for Chriſt to receive! Oh let not this be forgotten when thou comeſt to commemorate the Death of thy Lord; ſay then, and think ſo, Here is the blood of my loving, gracious Redeemer, who was content to be made a Curſe for me, that I might not ſlaviſhly fear my guilt, nor be in Hell aaSo Francis Spira thought & ſpake of his fears and tears.before I came to Hell; that I might not go mourning under the heavy burthen of my own eaſeleſs pains, which were worſe than death it ſelf; thoſe fears, terrours and pains which no tongue can deſcribe, my bleſſed Redeemer delivered me from them, and duly confirms it to me in minding me that he died, and that he died being made a Curſe for me; I muſt therefore mind my debt of thankfulneſs, I vowed, at leaſt promiſed and purpoſed never to forget, that more thankfulneſs was due to Chriſt then I could ever pay; Let my renewed view of this blood ſo affect me, oh my deareſt Lord! at every Sacrament, that it may ever renew my thankfulneſs, until thankfulneſs be ſo perfected, that I may never more need a Sacrament to put me in mind of this my duty.

Thirdly, The renewed thoughts of Chriſt dying thus accurſed for us, will add to our thankfulneſs, In that the heart of a Believer meditating on this, may conclude, he is judicially acquitted from the charge laid in againſt him by the Law. This charge is ſin, deſerving death, to which charge every one muſt make his plea, and bring it to an iſſue; in which proceſs there will be no denying of the charge, it is ſo undeniably true, that all have p. 64ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God, only the believing ſoul hath a gracious Redeemer who ſtept in between the paſſing of the righteous ſentence, and the execution of it, and offered Bail, body for body, life for life; took upon himſelf the Curſe, which was all the Law threatned, and died thus a Curſe for the Believer, ſo that now he may ſue for his diſcharge, and plead for his releaſe: Nay, he hath the diſcharge and releaſe offered to him as it were ſealed, ſigned and delivered to him at the Sacrament, whilſt God by his Miniſter doth put the New Covenant into his hand, and ſhews him that blood which was ſhed for confirmation of the Covenant, and for remiſſion of the ſins of as many as do believe. And that we may know how all this can be, how ſinners can be acquitted, and the Curſe threatned can be avoided, we are at every Sacrament minded of this, that Chriſt died for us, being made a Curſe for us; that is, undertaking and performing what he undertook on our behalf, he preſented himſelf to the Juſtice of God, abode the Trial, was found in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, humbled himſelf to the death, even the death of the Croſs, and ſo ſuffered; all which is exemplified to us in the remembrance of his death, conſidered as the death of one who lay under a Curſe for us. It is not only entred in the Court Rolls in Heaven, but it is entred in the Regiſter-books of the Church by Chriſt's own order; and every believing ſoul at the Sacrament may ſee and read it, and conclude it for himſelf, and make improvement of it to his comfort. Now what p. 65heart can look on all this, and not look on this duty of thankfulneſs? what ſoul can receive a pardon under the broad Seal of Heaven, and not bow the knee, and kiſs the Seal! When an offender upon indictment and trial is acquitted, it is a cuſtom (and ſeemly enough) to teſtifie his thankfulneſs by praying for the King: How much more doth it become us to give thanks at the remembrance of our acquittance, abſolution, and being declared acquitted, as we are ſo often as we duly partake & communicate in the blood which was ſhed for the remiſſion of the ſins of many. In a word, a bare promiſe of pardon deſerveth a grateful acknowledgment, but the paſſing of it under ſeal doth much more deſerve it: Had God paſſed his word onelyonly, and required us to believe it, and praiſe him for it, we muſt have done it. Now he hath given us greateſt aſſurance, he hath proceeded judicially againſt Chriſt, the common and adequate repreſentative, bail and undertaker for us; and hath appointed the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as an Authentick and Publick Record or Teſtimony hereof; we ought the rather to be thankful. Renewed thoughts of this will renew our judicious and rational praiſe, if we have either judgments or reaſon exerciſed in things that excel.

Fourthly and laſtly, A fourth particular which will increaſe our thankfulneſs to Chriſt for our deliverance ſo often as we remember it at a Sacrament, under the notion of a deliverance by his dying a Curſe for us, is this, That it mindeth us we were delivered not ſimply from ſorrow, trouble and affliction, but we were p. 66ſaved from an accurſed ſorrow, from an accurſed trouble; we are freed from miſery, but that is not all, we are freed from an accurſed miſery; and this ſhould enhance our thankfulneſs.

There is an affliction that hath the promiſe of Comfort, Rev. 21.4. Jer. 31.9. Pſal. 126.5, 6.Rev 21:4Jer 31:9Ps 126:5Ps 126:6tears that ſhall be wiped away, ſorrow and ſighing that ſhall flee away; there is a weeping which God will accompany and lead; this is a bleſſed weeping, for ſuch carry forth ſeed which is precious, and they ſhall teturn rejoycing. Matth. 5.4.Matt 5:4There are mourners whom Chriſt hath pronounced bleſſed; ſo that trouble and ſorrow are not ſuch evils when they are conſidered without the imbittering thoughts of a Curſe in them; it is the Curſe which maketh the Cup ſo full of aſtoniſhment. It is the Curſe which goeth with the condemned into Hell, that maketh it Hell indeed unto them. Affliction with the favour of God is a bleſſed ſtate; but affliction with the hatred and diſpleaſure of God, is a miſerable ſtate, and unſpeakably ſad, forlorn and woful. Now Chriſt dying a Curſe for us, hath ſaved us from ſorrows, and the Curſe, from miſery aggravated with the hatred of God toward the miſerable, ſo that he deſerveth much more thanks from us; it had been worth our thanks if we had been by him delivered from a bloody iſſue, or a deformed crookedneſs, or a burning fever, or a loathſom leproſy, or a ſad and ſolitary blindneſs: But more than this, more than all I can ſpeak did Chriſt deliver us from, when he did die a Curſe for us. Oh unparallel'd love of Chriſt! and oh the unparallel'd ingratitude of Chriſtians! Sirs, though you and I muſt leave the p. 67greateſt, the beſt part of this work of praiſe to another world, yet let us not leave it all; let us do ſomewhat whilſt we live, and are among men on earth. Heaven is full of thoſe praiſes, which, did we hear, would raviſh us: Let Earth be witneſs that we do not quite forget our Lord. Whereas you could have born all the envy, anger and malice of creatures, and it may be have contemned the weakneſs of it, you could never have ſtood under, nor have made head againſt the anger and indignation of the Lord, nor have fortified your ſelves with reſolutions to leſſen the fury by leſſening your apprehenſions of it. The dear children of God in their bitter complaints, cry out, if an enemy, if any but God himſelf had done it, I could have born it. And the hopeleſs unbelievers cry out the ſame in effect; let any thing come, let all come upon us, rather than the wrath of the Almighty; let rocks grind us to powder, or mountains bury us for ever under their weight: Oh the heavieſt of all theſe are lighter than one ſtroak of an angry avenging God! All theſe may be more eaſily endured than one Curſe of the Law: See then and conſider what thou oweſt, oh my ſoul! to Chriſt made a Curſe for thee! remember and be thankful; let thy heart, oh thou who feaſteſt with thy Lord! weigh firſt the burthenſomneſs of that Curſe which juſtice caſteth upon every ſin, and then weigh the exceeding great love of Chriſt who did take this Burthen, and bear it for thee; and I do nothing doubt, but as often as thou layeſt theſe in the ballance, thou wilt ſtill find thy praiſe, thy thankfulneſs p. 68too light; thou wilt be ſtill with the Apoſtle adding Glory and Power to him who loved thee, Rev. 1.5, 6.Rev 1:5Rev 1:6and waſhed thee in his blood: And with the great Apoſtle of the Gentiles, Thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory. Could you and I entertain theſe things within our breaſts, and renew our thoughts and meditatations, we ſhould more clearly diſcern, that if there be ſweetneſs in our mercies, or reſpite from our fears, or abſolution and diſcharge from our guilt, or deliverance from accurſed ſorrows, miſeries and death, we owe it all unto this kind of Death of our Lord; beſide all the poſitive bleſſings of grace and glory, of which I may not now ſpeak: if the bleſſing of Abraham on the Gentiles be worth our thanks, then our thanks is due to Chriſt dying thus; for he was made a Curſe for us, that we might be redeemed from under the Curſe of the Law, and that we might be reſtored to a bleſſed ſtate. In one word, whoſoever ſeeth his own bleſſedneſs procured by Chriſt dying a Curſe for him, cannot but ſee ſo much thanks as bleſſedneſs is worth due to Chriſt; and ſo the reviving of the memory of Chriſt's Death conſidered as a Curſe, will be the reviving of our thankfulneſs; and reviving of thankfulneſs will be an increaſing and improving of thankfulneſs. So much to the ſeventh Sacramental Grace. The eighth and laſt I ſhall now mention, followeth, viz.

A diſpoſition and purpoſe of mind to walk in new Obedience towards God in all manner of converſation; 8th. Sacramental grace, New Obedience.ſuch a mind muſt every welcome gueſt bring to the Lord's Table. No man may come thither who intends to go thence to his p. 69old courſe of ſinning. We muſt not, as Naturaliſts report of ſome venemous creatures, which lay down their poiſon when they go to drink, and having drunk, ſuck it up again; we muſt not ſo lay aſide our old ſins while we go to the Lord's Supper, as to renew our old acquaintance with them, nor tender our ſervice to them, ſo ſoon as we depart from the Table of the Lord, Men will not endure ſuch ſycophants and paraſites, who come to their table for a meals meat, and to fill their bellies, but then ſort themſelves for months together with the veryeſt enemies they have in the world: No more will God endure him for a gueſt at his Table, who comes for a meal out of a cuſtomary formality, and then ſorts himſelf with thoſe ſins which God hateth, and commandeth ſhould be ſlain. This above many others aggravated Judas's treaſon, that he came and ate with his Lord, when he had reſolved to betray him; this is to kiſs him with, All hail Maſter; when the kiſs is the very token by which his enemies ſhould know and apprehend him. The Lord Jeſus, who knoweth what is in man, and needeth not that any ſhould teſtify of man, will never let a man who lives and dieth of this temper, eſcape deſerved puniſhment. He knows they flattered him with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. Thou that comeſt to make a Covenant with thy God at a Sacrament, muſt come with a firm purpoſe to keep thy Covenant, for God will not be mocked. Better never come at all, than come with a mind hating to be reformed. God will ere long ask ſuch hateful hypocrites what they had p. 70to do to declare this Statute of his, or that they ſhould take his Covenant into their mouths, Pſal. 50.16, &c. It is confeſſed of all ſides, and would to God it were as well practiſed on all ſides, that every Sacrament ſhould engage us to better lives, to holier converſations, that we ſhould ſin the ſeldomer, becauſe we have been ſo often at the Lord's Table. Now I ſay, that the remembrance of the Death of Chriſt dying for us a Curſe, hath in it good and ſtrong reaſons to move us to renew our obedience; and if theſe reaſons be well conſidered, I do not doubt but they may prevail with ſome to renew their purpoſes and endeavours of living leſs to ſin, becauſe Chriſt died a Curſe for us ſinners. For,

1. Firſt, In this manner of his dying (beſide the powerful influence of his Death conſidered in the general, of which I ſpeak not now) I ſay, In his dying thus as a Curſe for us, we have a clear diſcovery of the vileneſs of ſin, how much it abaſeth and depreſſeth us. We look upon curſed things as the vileſt and baſeſt of things. A curſe and a reproach go together, Jer. 42.18. This was the thing which brought our Lord into ſo low eſtate, that he was deſpiſed of men; this made him of no reputation, becauſe of our ſin imputed to him, and the Curſe due to us for our ſin laid upon him; he became like a ſervant, and ſo died. Now then let a ſober judgment be made of this, and ſee how forcibly it diſſwadeth from continuing in ſin. Do I renew the remembrance of my Lord dying as a Curſe? Could ſin which he never committed, which he never loved, which he hated infinitely, p. 71which was no otherwiſe his, than by imputation; could this bring him to ſuch ſhame? What ſhame and confuſion of face will cover and overwhelm me, when after my ſerving my ſins, both the guilt imputed, and the baſeneſs, vileneſs and reproach of the fact committed, ſhall meet in one, and be charged upon me! Is it not high time to forſake this ſervice which will end in the ſhame and reproach of a Curſe? Doth the Sacrament mind me of the Death, the accurſed Death of Chriſt the Lord of Glory? I ſee then ſuch a worm, ſuch a lump of worthleſs fleſh as I am cannot expect any other event of ſin, than to lye down in ſhame for it; and if after (I do know this) I ſhould ſtill love ſin, and delight in it, how brutiſh and unreaſonable ſhould I appear to be, how unlike a man! I muſt either renounce my reaſon, or renounce my ſin. It is no dallying in a matter of this nature; I ſee the juſt and righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth would not ſpare his own Son, when he found him under my ſins, but laid upon him the puniſhment of them, the Croſs and the ſhame; and I deceive my ſelf if I think he will ſpare me, and not caſt the ſhame of my ſin upon me the ſinner; if I live and die in this ſervice, I ſhall riſe with thoſe who riſe unto everlaſting ſhame and contempt. I will therefore reſolve, and keep my reſolutions, of departing from ſin, becauſe I would not depart from my God with the ſhame and reproach of a Curſe for my ſin. Thus the renewed thoughts of Chriſt dying a Curſe for us, will renew the apprehenſions of that ſhame which attends the ſinner, and ſo renew p. 72our purpoſes againſt ſin, as the only thing which can clothe us with ſhame, and we ſhall be as unwilling to live in ſin, as we are to bear the ſhame of ſin.

2. Secondly, In the renewed thoughts of our Lord's dying a Curſe, there lieth a motive to New Obedience, drawn from the congruity and ſuitableneſs of the thing it ſelf: Nothing more unſeemly than to continue in ſin after our profeſſing our ſelves to be his ſervants, friends and followers, who died for ſin. Nothing more juſtifiable than their leaving of ſin, whoſe Lord died for ſin; eſpecially ſeeing ſin brought upon him an accurſed Death. What wilt thou anſwer for thy ſelf in the day when this abſurd, unreaſonable and monſtrous deportment of thine ſhall be laid open before Men and Angels? when Chriſt ſhall ask thee whether thou hadſt not heard and ſeen that he was made a Curſe for thy ſins? whether thou hadſt not often been minded of this at the Sacrament? and when he ſhall farther demand of thee what thou couldeſt ſee in ſin, or hope to find in ſin, or expect from ſin, when as thy Lord could ſee, did find, and expected to find nothing elſe but a Curſe in it? waſt thou ſo ſottiſh to think of finding any thing in ſin better than what thy Lord found in it? or waſt thou ſo unthankful, that thou wert reſolved to offer deſpite to thy Lord, and ſerve that which brought an accurſed Death upon him? Whatever ſinners now judge, I know that a day will come when they ſhall judge nothing ſo unreaſonable and unſeemly as living in continued ſin, and profeſſing a crucified Jeſus. It is ſuch a ſelf-contradicting courſe, p. 73that none ever would continue it if ever they underſtood it: Nor is he, what he profeſſeth to be, who profeſſeth our crucified Jeſus to be his Lord, yet ſerveth his own curſed luſts: Chriſt doth not own him; he will declare to all the world that he knows not, that he never knew ſuch workers of iniquity. But ſuppoſe it poſſibly might be (which yet never ſhall be) that ſuch a one reſolvedly continuing in ſin, ſhould be owned by Chriſt at laſt, and received into a bleſſed ſtate of glory, what kind of anſwer could ſuch one make to his Lord when queſtioned? what was it not enough that I was once made a Curſe for thee? or did I not bear ſins enough for thee at firſt? or wouldſt thou indeed be crueller to me than Jews and Roman ſouldiers? or hadſt thou a deſign to wound my heart after I was gotten out of the reach of all others? after wicked men and Devils had done their worſt, and I had triumpht over them, and none but my friends could wound me, wouldſt thou be my friend that thou mighteſt do it more deeply? was this thy friendſhip to me? are not they the ſoreſt and cruelleſt enemies, who cover their hearty enmity with pretences of friendſhip? either then be my cordial friend (ſaith Chriſt) and renounce thy ſins, ſerve them no more, or elſe come no more pretending to commemorate my friendſhip to the dying a Curſe for thee; nor ever let me be provoked with ſuch counterfeit alliance and friendſhip. Chriſt cannot endure ſuch ſeeming to be what we are not, ſuch contradictions to his Death. In truth it is moſt unſeemly to live in the curſed ſervice of ſin after p. 74we are redeemed from the Curſe of ſin. And therefore the believing and conſiderate ſoul caſts off the thoughts of continuing in ſin, with a God forbid, foreign.how ſhall I live any longer in ſin, ſince I am dead to it?

3. Thirdly, The renewed conſideration of Chriſt dying a Curſe for ſin, doth renew our thoughts of the odiouſneſs and hateful nature of ſin, which carryeth a Curſe into every place and perſon where it cometh. Chriſt's dying a Curſe for us, ſheweth us how hateful ſin is to the eyes of our God, Reverâ eſt odium quo Deus peccatum proſequitur, ab eâ perfectione quae Numinis naturam decet. Th. Salmur. de trib. Foed. Div. th. 18.who doth (and cannot but ſo do) loath, deteſt, threaten and curſe it where-ever he findeth it; of which truth the conſiderate believing ſoul hath ſo clear proof in the Curſe which Chriſt did bear for ſin; that he ſtands convinced beyond poſſible doubt of it, and cannot but conclude, that whoever reſolves to continue in ſin, muſt alſo reſolve to abide the hatred of God againſt ſin. He that will keep and maintain a communion with ſin, muſt expect that God will keep and maintain wrath and hatred againſt him; and this the Communicant is at every Sacrament minded of whilſt he ſeeth his Lord evidently ſet forth, crucified before his eyes, ſo that he is put to ſuch a kind of deliberation with himſelf: What! could not Chriſt take upon him my ſin, but he muſt alſo take upon him the burthen of divine diſpleaſure and hatred due to my ſin? what! is God ſo irreconcilable an enemy unto ſin, that he would not, or could not, reſtrain his juſt wrath againſt the guilt where it lay, without the foulneſs of committing the fact? was the diſpleaſure of my God ſo hot againſt his bleſſed Son, who p. 75was never tainted with any one ſin, only bare the guilt of many? I ſee then it is ſelf-deceiving flattery to hope for the love and favour of God, whilſt I love my ſin, and continue in it; if I will have his love, and eſcape his hatred, I muſt leave off ſin; for he hateth all the workers of iniquity, Pſal. 5.6. He hateth the evil way, Prov. 8.3. I muſt either leave the evil way, or periſh in his hatred: For none ever eſcaped periſhing, who by continuing to ſin provoked his diſpleaſure and wrath againſt them. Reſolve therefore as becomes a man, (O my ſoul!) fly, and haſten thy flight from wrath to come; prevent the miſery of being hated and accurſed of thy God; caſt off thy ſin; ceaſe to do evil, and then God will ceaſe to be angry. There cannot be any thing in ſin to compenſate thee, to reward thee for the loſs of the favour of God. Sin can never heal the wounds which the hatred of God will make in thy ſoul. Poor creature! thou wert better have all the men on Earth, and all the finite inviſible powers of light and darkneſs to hate thee (thou mighteſt bear this) than have one God to hate thee; thou canſt never bear this. In fine, therefore ſaith the believing, ſerious and conſiderate ſoul, I will not hazard, I will not run the venture and danger of divine diſpleaſure of the hatred of an Almighty God, for I ſee in the Curſe which my Lord lay under, what I muſt lie under for ever, if I will by continuing longer in ſin own my former ſins, pull the puniſhment of them upon my ſelf, and love that which my God ſo perfectly hateth: I will every day labour to hate that with perfect p. 76hatred which my God hateth; I will ſeek his love by a preſent ſeparation and divorce from ſin: I will this day renew my purpoſe and attempts to leave my curſed ſins, for God hath renewed my thoughts of his hatred againſt ſin by the renewed remembrance of Chriſt dying a Curſe for my ſin.

Fourthly, In the renewed thoughts of this kind of death, The Believer hath the renewed ſight and evidence of a death hanging over the head of every ſinner, which of all deaths is the moſt dreadful, which is fulleſt of horrours and ſoul-tormenting fears. Death is the King of terrours, though repreſented and cloathed in the leſt dreadful manner it can be. foreign. Ariſtotel.No kind of death but is terrible enough, but of all, this is the moſt terrible, and only to be feared; it is this at the heels of the other that makes it dreadful. It is a moſt undoubted truth, that every one continuing to ſin, and ſo dying, ſhall die under a Curſe for his own ſin, though the ſinner ſhould live to an hundred; nay to many hundred years, yet if he live and die a ſervant to his ſin, he ſhall die accurſed; and this we may be ſufficiently aſſured of by the accurſed Death of our Lord; for he died ſo, for as much as the ſins of God's Elect and choſen ones were laid to him; he was loaded with them, and all the guilt of them was charged on him, and therefore was he puniſhed, therefore he died in ſuch a manner. He was made a Curſe, becauſe the guilt of our ſins was laid on him, and puniſhment due to that guilt inflicted on him. Nothing more certain, He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, Iſa. 53.5. He bare the p. 77ſin of many, ver. 12. He his own ſelf bare our ſins in his own body on the tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. And all this evidently ſet forth before our eyes, ſo that the ſerious and conſidering ſoul ſoon comes to this concluſion, that whoever doth bear the guilt of ſin, he muſt die a Curſe for it, and he needs no other proof of it but this; Chriſt did bear guilt, and this brought him to a curſed Death. Now then he begins to argue the caſe with himſelf; Can I continue in ſin, and not bear the guilt of ſin? Can I yield my ſelf a ſervant to ſin, and yet not be accounted a ſervant of ſin? Can I do the works of iniquity, and not be thought by judicious and wiſe men, a worker of iniquity? How much more will the juſt and righteous God occount me ſo? When I do any fact for which the Law of man will call me to account, can I do the fact and the Law not impute it to me? It is moſt ſottiſh folly to continue in the ſervice of ſin, and to flatter my ſelf that I ſhall not be accounted a ſervant of ſin, or to hope I ſhall not be loaded with the guilt of my ſin. And it is no leſs folly to think that we may lye under the guilt of ſin, and yet not ſink under the importable burthen of a Curſe. No, no, either I muſt leave my ſinning, or I muſt die that Death, which of all is the moſt terrible. I muſt be a Curſe under the wrath of God. Now therefore reſolve what thou and I ſhalt do; God propoſeth a Chriſt dying a Curſe for thee, to encourage thee to leave ſin, or to ſhew thee what thou muſt truſt to if thou live in ſin.

He preacheth to thee this Doctrine, Life through Grace, if thou wilt obey, if thou wilt p. 78renounce thy evil way, for then thy Saviour ſhall be thy Peace, bear thy Guilt, and endure thy Curſe; or elſe Death if thou wilt ſtill refuſe to convert and leave thy ſin. And let me tell thee, it is Death with a Curſe; and conſider thou whether thou canſt endure it, and let me ask thee theſe few queſtions.

1. Doſt thou not believe that there is ſomewhat more in Death, when it is ſharpened with this ſharp and piercing ſting? Doſt thou not think that the Curſe doth add unto the dread and fear of Death? When God proclaimeth any one bleſſed in death, doſt thou not perſwade thy ſelf that God taketh away much of the terrour of death? if ſo, then certainly when God addeth a Curſe with death, he addeth terrour to it; and thou muſt confeſs it alſo, if thou wilt conſider it. Now then ſay, Canſt thou contentedly think of dying for thy ſin? Canſt thou think of doing more than dying for thy ſins? Ʋntil that time be come wherein thou canſt ſay, thou wouldeſt be willing to ſuffer more than death for ſin, thou ſhould'ſt not be willing to ſerve ſin any more in thy life. I know when we come to die, we ſhall judge ſin unworthy of ſuch a pledge of love or ſervice as one pang, or one fear, or one ſigh for its ſake; oh then we ſhall ſay, He loved ſin too much who for ſin's ſake added the leſt pang to death. Whatever thou doſt therefore, leave to ſin, leſt tlou add the miſery of a Curſe to thy death.

2. Let me ask thee, Is there no manner of dying which is a terrour to thee more than ordinary? If thou wert now to die, and mighteſt chuſe thy death, wouldſt thou chuſe any that p. 79were full of pains, or loathſomneſs, or both theſe continuing long? Are there not ſome kinds of death from which thou prayeſt to be delivered? and what kinds of death are theſe? are they not thoſe wherein God's hand would moſt immediately, and moſt publickly, and with moſt diſpleaſure appear againſt thee? wouldſt thou not account it worſe than death to be long dying with ſuch a tormenting, lingring, and loathſom diſeaſe as Sylla the Roman? or as Maximinus the bloody perſecutor? or as Herod the great? (whoſe ſtory is better known to thee) eaten up of worms? Would not others be ready to ſay of thee, That God had indeed ſet his hand againſt thee, that God judged thee unfit to live among common men, and unworthy ſo good a death as the death of common men? how would this trouble thee? This was the thing wherewith Job's friends did moſt aggrieve him, that they would conclude God's hand againſt him as againſt an enemy. But now let me tell thee, The afflictions of Job, nor the woful death of a Sylla, or a Herod, have no ſuch evidences of God his diſpleaſure and wrath in them, as the eaſieſt death of an accurſed ſinner hath in it. For other deaths may, and uſually are inflicted by other means; this is inflicted by the immediate hand of God alone, and can thy heart endure, or thy hands be ſtrong when God ſhall do this? is not his wrath as he is? He alone can bleſs, and he alone can curſe; and this ſhall be known to the ſinner in the day wherein God will appear againſt him; think then whether ſin deſerve ſo well, that thou ſhouldſt not only die, p. 80but die a Curſe for it? whether there be any thing in ſin to fortifie thy ſpirit againſt the terrours of God's immediate furious rebukes, and ſlaying of thee? Who dieth a Curſe, dieth under the revenging ſtrokes of an infinite God. Look then how much there is in infinite Power and Juſtice more than can be in finite; ſo much indeed is there in dying a Curſe for ſin, more than in naked, ſingle dying. For,

3. Thirdly, Let me ask thee one queſtion more, Doth not Death, a curſed Death reach the ſoul, and kill this? no other diſeaſe but is in the body, and is the diſeaſe of the body, and kills the body, and ſo vaniſheth: But who dieth a Curſe dieth in his ſoul, that is, his ſoul is ſeparated and disjoyned from that ſweet communion and fellowſhip with God which is the true life of ſouls and Angels. When God ſlayeth theſe wretches, and makes them ſacrifices to his offended Juſtice, he ſlays them with this, Depart from me ye curſed, Matth. 25.41.

Now, is it not more dreadful to die thus a Curſe, than barely to die? or if thou couldſt die, and be willing to loſe the life of thy body for ſin ſake, canſt thou alſo be willing to loſe the life of thy ſoul for ſin's ſake? This is another arrow in this quiver, and which woundeth deeper than any other. The ſoul dieth when the man dieth a Curſe for ſin; and let me tell thee, albeit fooliſh and inconſiderate ſlaves of ſin will caſt away their ſouls for ſin, the wiſe and conſiderate Believer judgeth his ſoul, and the life of it, infinitely too good to be ſo ſpent and waſted. The death of the ſoul is ſo much more dreadful p. 81than the death of the body, as the ſoul is more worth than the body; thou mayeſt not then continue in curſed ſins, for they will bring down upon thy ſoul a death of all moſt dreadful; ceaſe therefore to ſin, that thou be not a curſe for thy ſin.

Fourthly, Let it be conſidered, after all this, (if this do not convince enough) whether thou couldſt be willing to die more than once for thy ſin? Would not a thouſand deaths one after another be too much to undergo for ſin? He that dieth a Curſe for his ſins, ſhall die more than ten thouſand times for them; he ſhall be ever, ever dying as many daies, nay hours, nay moments, as are in eternity; ſo many times ſhall the miſerable, deplorable, curſed ſinner die in the acute, freſh and renewed pangs of ſoul, every laſh of conſcience, every dolorous remembrance of what he ſuffereth for, ſhall be a death unto him. This makes it death indeed, and if thou canſt not love thy ſelf ſo little, as to chuſe to be ever dying, thou muſt not love thy ſins ſo much as to be ever ſerving them. Say then, if thou canſt not but fear endleſs dying, I muſt fear and fly endleſs ſining; who dieth a Curſe for his ſin, is as long dying, as his ſoul is living, and that is for ever and ever.

Fifthly and laſtly, Can any thing ſweeten the thoughts, or allay the bitterneſs of ſuch a Death? Can there be any thing wherewith others may, or thou mayeſt bleſs thy ſelf after God ſhall have ſo curſed thee? Conſider what a loſs it is which is ſo great, that nothing can leſſen it; ſay then, though poſſibly thou couldſt endure ſomewhat for ſin's ſake, yet I p. 82can never endure a Curſe for it, which is more than to die; it is to die under the immediate avenging hand of God; it is to kill my ſoul; That is to be as often dying as are moments in eternity; and all this without any recompence and ſweetning allay, I cannot chuſe ſo to die; therefore ſaith the conſiderate Believer, the renewed thoughts of my Lord's dying a Curſe, renew my apprehenſions of the danger of ſinning any longer; this renews my diſlike of ſin, and I muſt needs reolve to leave it.

FINIS.

ERRATA'S.

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