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Sermons Volume 4 · Thomas Manton

Sermons Volume 4, Sermons on Titus · Sermon 19

SERMON XIX.

TITUS II.14.

Who gave himself for us, &c.

IN this Paragraph I have observed, (1.) The Teacher. (2.) The Lesson. (3.) The Encouragements to Learning. The Teacher is the Grace of God. The Lesson is the whole Duty of our Heavenly Calling. The Encouragements to Learning are twofold; some taken from the Hope of eternal Life, and some from the End and Effect of Christ's Death. I have finished the former, and now come to the latter sort, taken from the End and Effect of Christ's Death. So that whether we look forward or backward, we still meet with Obligations to Obedience: Forward, there is a glorious and blessed Hope; backward, there is a great Obligation established upon the Creature, The Lord Christ gave himself for us, to redeem us from all Iniquity. Certainly there is a lawful use of Hope, that hath a great Influence upon Grace; but the great Principle of the Gospel is Gratitude and Thankfulness to Christ; therefore let us look upon this second Encouragement. We enter upon other Services out of Hopes, but we enter upon Christ's Service out of Thankfulness and Gratitude; it is an ingenuous Service.

In this Verse you have,

1. Christ's Act, He gave himself for us.

2. His Aim, to redeem us, &c. And this is express'd partly by the Privative Part, to redeem us from all Iniquity; and partly by the Positive Part of it, and purify unto himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works: Here is Redemption and Sanctification. I observe it the rather, because both parts are suted to the Exhortation. There was the Privative Part, denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts; and sutably hereunto we are redeemed from all Iniquity; then the Positive Part, living soberly, righteously, godly. So Christ did not only die to free us from Hell, but to make us holy: where we have the inward Constitution, to purify unto himself a peculiar People; and the outward Conversation, or the Sign and Manifestation of it, zealous of good Works. All these things are Arguments to enforce the Matter in hand. There is the Act of Christ; Shall Christ die for us, and we cherish his Enemy? Shall he be our Saviour, and we hug and cherish that which is contrary to him, Worldly Lusts, and Ungodliness in the Heart? Then his Aim, he died to free us from the Bondage of Sin: therefore they that would have their Sins live, are said to put their Redeemer to Shame, and make his Kindness void. Then Christ died to make us a peculiar People, and shall we live as the rest of the Multitude do? We expect great Benefit from him, therefore certainly we must be holy, and not pick and chuse how we would have him a Saviour unto us.

I begin with the first thing, Christ's Act, He gave himself for us; that is, to be an Expiatory Sacrifice: he gave himself to die for us, Iohn 17.19. I sanctify my self for their sakes; that is, set apart my self as a Sacrifice. 1 Tim. 2.6. Who gave himself a Ransom for all.

The Point is, Christ's Willingness to suffer for the fallen and lost Creature.

I. I shall demonstrate it by some Expressions by which it is discovered.

II. Give the Grounds why Christ gave himself by such a willing Resignation to be our Propitiatory Sacrifice, to be a Ransom to God.

I. For the Expressions of his Willingness. And there I shall begin with his Eternal Longings to be with the Sons of Men, before ever there was Hill or Mountain in the World: Prov. 8.31. Rejoicing in the habitable Parts of the Earth; and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. Mark, long before ever the World was, Jesus Christ was feasting himself with the thoughts of his own Grace, and what he would do for Men. He desired the making the World, and fixing the Bounds of our Habitation that he might be with us; there was his End. Angels were the Workmanship of his Hands as well as Men; nay, in their Frame and Constitution, they were more noble Creatures than Man; yet Christ doth not say, My Delight was to be with Angels, but with the Sons of Men. I was thinking of the Day I should come into the World, and die for Men, and purchase exceeding Grace for them. The next Expression is Psal. 40.7, 8. when God's Decree came to be express'd and made known to the Church; see what Christ saith, Lo, I come; In the Volume of the Book it is written of me. I delight to do thy Will, O my God: yea, thy Law is within my Heart. For the understanding of this place, you must know, the Divine Justice is there introduced as proposing its Demands; God in his Justice, as it were, speaking thus to Christ, Son, I am weary of Sacrifice and Burnt-Offerings: Hitherto I have shewed my self gracious to the World, whilst Burnt-Offerings stood; now I resolve to shew my self Just, as the Apostle explains this, Rom. 3.26. To declare, I say, at this time his Righteousness, that he might be just. As long as God accepted of Burnt-Offerings, he was a God of Patience and Forbearance, and not willing to execute his Wrath upon Creatures, Burnt-Offerings served the turn: But, saith God, the World shall know, though I pardon, yet I will be just; therefore now you must take a Body, Man's Blood is tainted, and you must be formed in fashion like one of them, and stand in the Sinner's stead; I shall expect from you Satisfaction for every Elect Person; you must give your Cheeks to the Nippers, and your Back to the Smiters; you must be tempted by the Devil, hunted and baited by Men, to be responsible to my just Wrath. The Decree is past, a Body is prepared, you must take it, and go down to the Sons of Men: you are the Sinner in the Law, if you take this Body. These were the Demands of God to Christ. Now, saith Christ, Lo, I come to do thy Will. Father, I am willing to stand in their stead, to accept of all, to be responsible to thy Justice. So when Christ was come in the Flesh; Iohn 4.34. My Meat is to do the VVill of him that sent me, and to finish his VVork. What was the Work for which God sent Christ? Sad Work, to make Reconciliation for Sinners, to die in their stead; and yet, saith Christ, this is my Meat. Look, as a hungry Man prizeth his Food, so doth the Lord Christ value and prize his Work, nay, infinitely more. Christ himself was then hungry, and had sent to the Market to buy Provision, but he had now met with other Meat to eat, he was dealing with a poor lost Soul. Nay, we have not yet the Full of the Expression, for Christ seems to speak there by way of Excellency, this was his choice Dish, the Diet that suted with his Appetite. God hath vouchsafed us great store of Creatures, but some Meats we relish better than others; as Isaac loved his Venison, that was Meat for his Tooth. And when we come to a Feast, every one saith of the Dish he most affects, This is my Meat: So Christ seems to speak, my Meat, by way of Eminency, that is the Dish I affect, that my Soul longs to taste of; it is to do my Father's Work, and to be employed for the Salvation of Sinners. Nay, yet further, Christ seems to speak by way of Appropriation, my Meat; that is, mine alone; he alone tasted of this Cup. At this Table none eat but he, none was to taste of his Father's Wrath but he, none was to drink of this bitter Cup but he. Again, Luke 12.50. I have a Baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitned till it be accomplished! The Baptism Christ speaks of there, was the Baptism of Blood, to make a Laver of his own Blood: He was about to make a Bath for Sinners, to wash our Garments white; and he thought he never could soon enough empty his Veins, and go to the last Work wherewith our Redemption was to be accomplished, to close up all with his Death; I am straitned and troubled in Spirit till the time come. Another emphatical Expression we have, Luke 22.15. VVith desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Why was Christ so earnest to eat that Passover? Because it was the last; it was a Passover that was sauced with Gall and Vinegar, much more sharp than that which the Jews offered him upon the Cross; it was the immediate Forerunner of his Agonies and bitter Sorrows in the Garden, yet with desire have I desired it; it is a Hebraism, O my Soul vehemently and earnestly hath longed for this time. Another Expression we have, Mat. 16.22, 23. Peter had disswaded Christ from suffering; Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee. Christ rebuked him, Get thee behind me, Satan; compared with Mark 4.10. with the same Indignation that he rebukes the Devil tempting him to Idolatry, he rebukes Peter disswading him from Suffering. His Heart was set upon the Work of our Redemption, therefore Peter is thus rebuked. Another Expression of his willingness, is his bidding Iudas hasten his Work; Iohn 13.27. VVhat thou dost, do quickly. Certainly it was not out of an Approbation of his Sin, but a Testimony of his Love, the sooner the better. Christ when he considered that poor Creatures had Souls to save, and all was not finished, thought the Traitor was too slow, for he desired to get his Body upon the Cross, and finish all his Work for our Salvation. Again, his Behaviour at his Death shewed his willingness. Christ had the command of Legions of Angels, but would not suffer one Disciple to draw his Sword. He might have prevented all, and have withdrawn himself from their Fury, for he foreknew what would befal him. He had been discoursing with his Disciples, and encouraging them to bear the Trial patiently; yet doth not forsake the place of his usual resort, he goes to the Garden where he knew Iudas would betray him, being willing to dispatch all. One Expression more we have, which gives you an account of his Patience in Suffering: Isa. 53.7. He was oppressed, he was afflicted, yet he opened not his Mouth; he was brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter, and as a Sheep before her Shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his Mouth. The poor Sheep, when under the Shearers hands, is meek and dumb; and the Lamb goes to the Slaughter without howling and crying, so doth the Lord Christ go to the Altar quietly without strugling.

II. For the Grounds of this Willingness. They are his own Love, and his Obedience to his Father's Will. Sometimes it is said, that Christ gave himself; and sometimes it is said, that God the Father gave Christ. Christ gave himself, Gal. 1.4. Who gave himself for our Sins. God the Father is said to give him, Iohn 3.16. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son. In some places it is made an Act of his own personal Love, Gal. 2.20. Who loved me, and gave himself for me: And, Ephes. 5.25. Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it. At other times it is made to be an Act of Obedience, Phil. 2.8. He became obedient to Death, even the Death of the Cross. And, Iohn 10.18. This Commandment I received of my Father. Indeed there was a concurrence of both, of Love in Christ, and Obedience to his Father.

1. There was a Love to us. Christ was drawn to this Work with no other Cords but his own Bowels. It was Love that brought him out of Heaven, and Love nailed him to the Cross, and Love laid him in the Grave, and made him free among the Dead. If you ask, Upon what Errand came the Son of God out of the Bosom of the Father? I answer, Upon a Design of Love. Of what Sickness he died? I answer, Of Love; not by Constraint certainly; though he died a violent Death, it was meerly by Consent; Iohn 10.18. No Man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my self. Rev. 1.5. To him that loved us, and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood.

2. There was his Obedience to God. As Jesus Christ was God, so by one and the same Will doth the Father give Christ, and the Son give himself; for the Father's Will is his Will: they are one in Essence, therefore one in Will, and one in Operation; and what the Father doth, the Son doth, because of the Unity of Essence: Iohn 5.19. What things soever the Father doth, these also doth the Son likewise. But this is not all, consider Jesus Christ as Mediator; so there is a Consent of Obedience to the Father, and so as the Father appoints, he presents himself as the Price and Sacrifice for Sin; Homines, non propter homines, sed propter Deum dilexit; He loved Men, not for Mens sake, but God's: The meaning is, the Goodness of the Creature is not the Cause of Christ's Love, but his Love to God; and that gives us sure ground of Hope: Christ loves us not for our own sakes▪ but for his Father's sake.

Now give me leave to shew, why it was necessary that Christ should give up himself; partly out of Love, and partly out of Obedience.

1. It was necessary that he should give up himself out of Obedience, partly that his Love might be Rational. The Lord is a God of Judgment, a wise God, and all he doth is with Reason. Now the only supream Reason why Christ loves us, is the Will of God, and the Command of his Father. Solomon saith, Prov. 17.18. A Man void of Vnderstanding striketh Hands, and becometh Surety in the presence of his Friend. How is that? that is, before his Friend asks or desires it: it is a Fault to be over-forward and prodigal of Favours. It is a Rational Love that is in Christ, and partly he doth it out of Obedience, to preserve a Respect to God the Father. Christ loves us for his sake, and therefore we should love God in Christ the more. And partly it is the Wisdom of God, that the Reasons of Love should lie without Man himself, and be found among the Divine Persons, because of the Father's Good-will and Command.

2. It was convenient that Christ should give himself out of his own Love, partly that Christ might be a fit Mediator. It cannot stand with God's Justice, to punish an Innocent Person for a Nocent, unless he himself be willing; therefore that Christ might be a Mediator, he had a Will of his own, otherwise God could not in Honour exact the Debt of Christ, but that there was a voluntary Susception, he took it upon himself. The Lord Christ, when he condescended to the Father's Motion, when by his own Will he gave up himself, and set himself wholly apart to be our Redeemer, God might justly require the Debt of him. When Paul would take Onesimus his Debt upon himself, Philemon might justly require it of him; Philem. v. 18, 19. If he have wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine Account. I Paul have written it with mine own Hand, I will repay it. Or I may illustrate it thus; In the Case of Ionah, the Mariners were loth to throw him Over-board; but when he saw the Tempest, and said, Cast me into the Sea, and there shall be a Calm, then they took him up and cast him in. So when the Lord Christ saw the Tempest of his Father's Wrath that was rising against Sinners, he saith, Cast me into the Sea. Indeed there was a difference, the Tempest there was for Ionah's sake, but this was for our sakes; I saw there was no Intercessor, th…refore my own Arm brought Salvation. The Father's Ordination had no place or room without Christ's voluntary Susception and Undertaking. And partly too, to set off the worth of his Love. Willingness and Freeness commends a Kindness, and makes it great. What more free than a Gift? Therefore his Passion was voluntary. Extorted Courtesies lose their Value, therefore Jesus Christ gave up …imsel… to be a Sacrifice for us. But the chiefest Reason is this, Christ willingly offered up himself, that all things might come freely and sweetly from his Father to us; that so God might rejoice over us to do us Good, as the Expression is, Ier. 32.41. All a wicked Man's Blessings seem to be extorted from Providence; they have them not from the Heart of God, but from God's Anger, as the murmuring Israelites had Quails. But now that we might have Mercies from God's Heart, and not from his Hand only, that Mercy might come from Love, and all run in a free Channel to us; and as a Gift therefore did Christ give himself.

Object. But did not Christ pray that the Cup might pass from him? And did not he fear, and his Humane Nature stagger and recoil at the Greatness of his Sufferings? We read of Prayers, Tears, and strong Cries, Heb. 5.7. and therefore how was Christ so willing?

Answ. Christ's Prayers were rather for our Example and Comfort, than to decline the Suffering. Heb. 4.15. He was in all Points tempted like as we are, yet without Sin. He was to shew himself true Man, and therefore was to have humane Love, humane Abhorrencies, and humane Aversations. He was to put on all the innocent Passions of our Nature; it was not convenient Christ should suffer as a Stock, and dead lump of Flesh. In short; in his Sufferings, Christ was to discover a double Relation; he was to act the part of a private Person, and of a publick Person: Of a private Person, to shew the Verity of his humane Nature; and of a publick Person, to discover his Willingness to die for the Elect. Now he doth both these. It is the Nature of Man to shun that which is grievous and painful to him; he was to look upon his Sufferings as contrary to the Perfection and Liberty of his humane Nature, and so he was to pray, Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from me. But now, as a publick Person, and as Mediator, so he was extreamly willing to do this Office of Love for us. The innocent Passions of his humane Nature, discover the Greatness of his Sufferings, they made his Manhood recoil and stagger, as being amazed at the dreadfulness of that he was to suffer. And though his private humane Nature be allowed to speak, Father, let this Cup pass; yet his publick Relation hath a casting Voice, and his submission as a publick Person, sheweth his willingness to endure these Sufferings; therefore, he saith, Not my Will, but thine be done, and freely yields up himself. These Fears of Christ, certainly were no shrinking from the Work, but only a natural Consternation and Retirement from what is dreadful. Christ's Fears were a part of that Fire wherein our Sin-offering was to be burnt and roasted; and therein he shew'd his willingness, that he freely gave up himself to be scorched with those dreadful Apprehensions of God's Wrath. For it is very notable, his Agonies came not upon him before he pleased, for it is said, Matth. 26.38. he went into the Garden, and then began to be sorrowful; Christ could have kept it off longer, and brought it on sooner. And then his Tears were but the overflowing of his Love; he had an Ocean in his Heart, and suffered it to flow out in his Eyes; it was part of the Deluge wherein he would drown the World of Sin: therefore these do not disparage, but increase his Willingness.

Vse 1. To press us to Thankfulness. Here are many Circumstances; the Giver, the Gift, the Manner of Giving, the End of Giving, and the Persons to whom.

1. The Giver, and that is Jesus Christ, who is God over all, blessed for ever. Usually Men make a Market of their Courtesies, they give to them that can give again, and make them Recompence; but he is that blessed Lord, to whom nothing could accrue from us. In short; the Father gave him, and he gave himself. There is infinite Love, in that God the Father gave him; Iohn 3.16. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son. It tells you not how, but leaves you to wonder and admire at it. I would represent it a little to you, and therefore let us measure it by created Affections. The Affections of the Virgin Mary to Christ, is the fittest Glass I can represent it by. From her he took his Substance, that had the Interest of an earthly Mother. Now, how was she troubled? What Commotion was in her Bowels? The Holy Ghost expresseth it, Luke 2.35. Yea, a Sword shall pierce thrô thy own Soul also, that the Thoughts of many Hearts may be revealed. She was like one wounded to the Heart, when she saw Christ hung upon the Cross; yet he took but his humane Body from her. If there was such a Commotion in the Bowels of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Lord, what then was it for God the Father to give up his only Son? His Love was Infinite, yet he gave up Christ. We read of some Fathers who have much denied themselves; Abraham offereth Isaac; Ieptha offereth his Daughter; Lot would have given his Daughters to save his Guests. These are but obscure Shadows of the Father's giving up of Christ, in whom he took infinite Complacency and Contentment. And then bless God for this willing Condescension of the Lord Christ, that his Heart was so taken with the Motion the Father makes to him, Son, you must be responsible to my Justice, and take a Body; Christ replied, Lo, I come. And, Isa. 53.11. He shall see of the Travel of his Soul, and be satisfied. To bring Sons to Glory, cost the Lord Christ much travel of Soul; but, he saith, all this is well enough, if he shall see the Fruit of it, it is enough, I am satisfied; this is enough for all the Temptations in the Wilderness, enough for all the Agonies in the Garden, enough for all the Sorrows on the Cross, if a few Creatures might be saved and brought to God. And consider, the Father's Giving, and the Son's Giving, they are not contrary, and do not destroy one another. The Father's Love doth not lessen Christ's, but commend it, that he hath the same good-will to us as the Father had. Jesus Christ as Mediator, is the Servant of God's Decrees. Many times the Servant hath not the same Affection to the Work as the Master hath. But it is otherwise here, God's Heart and Christ's Heart, is set upon the Work; God sets him a-part to be a Mediator, and Christ sets himself a-part to see what he can do to save Creatures. O bless the Lord. Thus for the Giver.

2. The Gift, He gave himself, not an Angel. Among all the Treasures of Heaven and Earth, there was nothing more excellent and precious than the Lord Christ: He doth not give Gold and Silver, but himself to die for us; 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, &c. but with the precious Blood of Christ. And how doth he give himself? Certainly his whole Self, Body and Soul; his Godhead was engaged in this Work, tho that could not suffer: He shall make his Soul an Offering for Sin, Isa. 53.10. Christ's Soul was to stand in our Souls stead. His Soul was heavy to the Death, as well as his Body abused, mangled with Whips, and exposed to Sufferings. And the Godhead it self assisted, all was interested in it: So that look as when the Sun shines upon a Tree, tho you cut the Tree, you do not cut the Sun; so the Godhead stood by, but suffered nothing. Christ suffered not only Death, but Desertion. The Soul's forsaking of the Body at Death, was nothing so heavy as God's forsaking of the Soul, when he cries out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mat. 27.46. Many forsook him, his Disciples left him; they all fled, but Christ complains not of this: but there was the suspension of the wonted Joys of the Godhead, and that troubled him: This was the Passion of his Passion. The Moon loseth no Brightness when it suffereth an Eclipse by the Interposition of the Earth, but shines as bright as ever: so the Lord Christ lost nothing, but only there was an Eclipse of God's Countenance, and this was the Terror and Anguish of his Soul.

3. Consider the Manner of giving, it was free and voluntary, without reluctancy, which was the great Argument of his Love; freely and willingly he gave up himself. Gal. 2.20. The Life that I live in the Flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Faith pitcheth upon this Circumstance, Who loved me, and gave himself for me, to urge us to the spiritual Life.

4. Consider for what End it was. Ephes. 5.2. He gave himself for us an Offering, and a Sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling Savour. The Sacrifice that was offered for the whole Congregation, was to be killed without the Camp, and the Blood to be brought with sweet Perfume to the Mercy-Seat. So the Lord Christ comes out of Heaven to be killed on Earth, and then is gone to Heaven to represent his Sacrifice to God as a sweet Perfume. He gave himself to be a Ransom for us, to die a shameful and accursed Death on the Cross: he gave himself to be substituted in our room and stead. The sadness of every Loss is according to the measure of Enjoyment. Life died, Righteousness was made Sin; O blessed Exchange!

5. Consider for whom he doth it. The Apostle saith, it was for us, not for Angels: Tho they did far exceed Man in Excellency of Nature, yet God would not treat with the lost Angels, they were never recovered; but he gave himself for us Men. Nay, not only for us that were his Creatures, but that were his Enemies, vile and unworthy Sinners; Rom. 5.8. God commendeth his Love towards us, in that while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us. A Man would even die for a good Man, tho there be but a few such Persons in the World: but here the Just dies for the Unjust; 1 Pet. 3.18. For Christ also hath once suffered for Sins, the Iust for the Vnjust, that he might bring us to God. Now this commends his Love indeed, in that it was for us vile Miscreants, Dust and Ashes. Adam sold us for a thing of nought, an Apple, and so the Lord might have condemned us, cast us off, and created another World of nobler Creatures than the present Race of Men, or might have redeemed us at a cheaper rate. Let all this quicken us to Thanksgiving.

Vse 2. Exhortation. If Christ hath given himself, it presseth us,

1. To accept Christ, and entertain him in our Hearts. Shall Christ give himself, and will not we accept the Gift? It is true, when he gave himself for us, he gave himself to God the Father: as you know the Price must be paid to the Creditor. Satisfaction is made to the Judg. But as he gave himself for us, so he gives himself to us; and thus he is offered in the Gospel: Therefore it is said, Rom. 3.25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation for our Sins. In the Gospel God holds out Christ, and makes an Offer; Sinners, will you take him? Shall Christ offer himself thus, and shall not we esteem and value this Gift, and entertain it in our Hearts with all Thankfulness? Certainly we do not know what a Gift Christ is, and therefore we do not prize it: John 4.10. If thou knewest the Gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked, and he would have given thee living Water. Here is the best Gift ever God can give. If we knew Christ, our Affections would not be so cold. God is represented in Scripture with two Hands, and he hath Gifts in his Right Hand, and Gifts in his Left Hand. There is Jesus Christ, Grace, Pardon and Salvation, and all that is dear and precious; these are the Blessings of his Right Hand. In his Left Hand there are Riches and Honour, Estate, Lands, Houses, Supplies of the present Life. Now art thou a Goat or Sheep? one that shall stand at God's Left or Right Hand? Thou art known by thy Choice. All that are for the World, run for a worldly Portion, and neglect Christ. We count those Children foolish, who prefer an Apple before a Jewel: So here the Lord sets out to us Christ, and the Things of this Life, and Men prefer the base Contentments of the World before Christ. Therefore let us accept of Christ, if he hath given himself for us.

2. It exhorteth and presseth us to a spiritual Consecration, to give up our selves to Christ. Rom. 12.1. I beseech you, Brethren, by the Mercies of God, that you present your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable Service. Jesus Christ gave himself as a Sin-offering, and we must give up our selves as a Thank-offering unto God. Now let me tell you, your giving up your selves is a far other manner of giving up, than Christ gave up himself. You never keep your selves so much as when you give up your selves to God: All the receiving is on our part. God would have us give up our Hearts to him; How? that we might be made better. Better be given up to God, than left to our selves. Christ gave up himself to be crucified, but we give up our selves to be glorified. And Jesus Christ gave up himself voluntarily, there was no necessity lay upon him: but wo unto us if we give not up our selves to God, there is a necessity laid upon us; we do but give God his due and his own, but Jesus Christ had power over his Life, to lay it down, and take it up; for he was an absolute Master of his Life: but we are dependant, under an Obligation; therefore our giving is but to make our Relation to God more explicite. And again, Jesus Christ could sanctify himself; he was Priest; Altar and Sacrifice, and brings all out of his own Store; but all we have is from God: it goeth under the name of our Deed; but the Sacrifice, Fire and Altar, all come down from Heaven; yet the Act must be done by us.

And here take these two Cautions.

1. You must do as Christ did, give up your All, Body, Soul, Estate, Goods, good Name, Life, Parts, Interest, Relations; write upon all, Holiness to the Lord; there must not be a Hoof reserved: for these things are but Trifles in comparison of what Christ parted withal for us. Some stick at one thing, some at another: some divide the Body and the Soul. In times of Safety, when the publick Profession of Religion is honourable, then Men will give up their Bodies to Christ; their Eyes shall be lifted up in Prayer, and their Tongues shall speak well of Christ, but their Heart is not given him. In times of Trouble, then they could give God their Souls, but Profession is suspended, the Body must be spared and excused. And then in the Soul, some make an untoward Division between Conscience and Affections; fain they would have Christ to pacify and satisfy their Conscience, but they give their Hearts and Affections to the World. Some could give up their Parts for Christ, O they could plead for him, and do some good Act of Kindness, but not a Penny of their Estates. Christians, you must not thus stand hucking with God, and play Pharaoh's Trick, but all must be given up. The Devil knows, when we divide, the Whole will fall to his share. It would be sad if God should deal with you as you deal with him, and glorify no more than you give him, take the Body into Heaven, and leave the Soul in Hell.

2. You must not retract your Vows. It is dangerous to alienate things once consecrated, to say with him, I go, Sir, and went not, Mat. 21.30. or as Ananias, to keep back part of the Mony for which he sold his Possession, and yet the thing was in his own power. But you are not in your own power, it is not indifferent whether you will give up your selves to Christ or no, but it is a Duty; and therefore live as if thou wert not thine own Master, but act for Christ, think for Christ, and do for Christ; it is not an hard Law. Consider what Christ did, Christ pleased not himself, Rom. 15.3. He had a private Will as well as you, but he denied it, and yielded to the publick Will: Christ did not obey his private Will to the prejudice of his publick; therefore let it not be grievous to renounce your Will: 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. For the Love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judg, that if Christ died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

3. It presseth you again to a like Readiness in Christ's Service, as the Lord Christ shewed in the service of our Souls. Why should we be so backward to come to the Throne of Grace, when Jesus Christ was not backward to go to the Cross? We go grudgingly, when he went so willingly to suffer for us. When the Business was propounded to him, he said, Psal. 40.7, 8. Lo I come: in the Volume of the Book it is written of me, I delight to do thy Will, O my God. So when there's a warm Suggestion upon your Hearts; Psal. 27.8. Thou saidst, Seek my Face; my Heart said unto thee, Thy Face, Lord, will I seek. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? said Paul when he surrendred himself up to God, Acts 9.6. If Christ was longing, when will the World be made, and the Bounds of their Habitation fixed, that I might dwell with them? O we do not long for Heaven as Christ longed for Earth: He could expect nothing but hard Usage, Grief and Death; he came to taste the Vinegar and Gall, and we do not long to taste of the Feast of Love. If Love brought down Christ to us, why cannot it carry us up to God? When you are backward to believe and pray, let it shame you that Christ was so willing. And in the Lord's Supper, let it shame us, that we have less Appetite to feast our Souls with the Benefits of the Cross, than Christ had to endure the Death of the Cross. Can we say with Christ, With desire have I desired to eat this Passover? Here is a Cup of Consolation tempered with Christ's Hand, and we have no earnest Groans after it. Christ could say, It is my Meat to do the Will of God; and certainly it should be so to us. In the Lord's Prayer, Thy Will be done, immediately goes before a Petition for daily Bread; to shew it should be more desirous for us to do God's Will, than to eat our daily Bread. Christians, when will you learn of Christ? We plead and stand disputing every Inch with God. When you feel any Reluctancy and Regret of Spirit, remember, Christ offered up himself willingly. Christ's Work was sad Work; but he did not say it is a hard Work, and is like to cost me dear, and I shall meet with an unthankful World, and my Doctrine is like to be despised among the Nations; he pleaded none of these Discouragements. O when shall we learn to do as Christ, not to reason, but run the Ways of God's Commandments? Psal. 119.10. With my whole Heart have I sought thee. It is not Obedience, if it be not willing; Psal. 110.3. Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power. When Difficulties arise, consider Christ's Torment and Suffering abated nothing of his Love; Iohn 13.1. —Having loved his own that were in the World, he loved them unto the end. In the midst of his Agonies he still said, Luke 22.42. Not my Will, but thine be done. Let us be content not only to do, but to suffer; 2 Sam. 15.26. Behold, here I am, let him do to me what seemeth good unto him.

Vse 3. Here is Encouragement in Believing.

1. In Troubles of Conscience. Christ willingly offered up himself; he went as a Lamb to the Slaughter, therefore he is the Lamb of God, that taketh away the Sins of the World, John 1.29. Willing Sacrifices are acceptable to the Lord, he loveth a chearful Giver. God had no respect to Cain, because he offered with a grudging Mind. The Sacrifice that came to the Altar struggling, was counted unlucky; if the Beast did roar, or bleat much, or shewed much reluctation, it was an ominous sign. More particularly, the great Aggravation of Sin is the willingness of it; not the grosness of the Act, so much as the propension and bent of the Will. If thou hast been a willing Sinner, and art now troubled about it, here is a willing Saviour; he suffered as earnestly, and with as much strength of Desire, as ever you committed Sin; Luke 22.15. With Desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. Stop the Mouth of Conscience, by considering the burning Desires of his hearty good Will, with what desire, haste and speed, with what vehemency he did long to suffer.

2. In your Prayers and Addresses for Mercy. He that gave himself for us, will he not give us any thing? He that was ready to die, will be ready to help; Lo, I come, Psal. 40.7. So when we call upon him; Isa. 58.9. Thou shalt call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. Rev. 22.12. Behold, I come quickly. He giveth the same Answer to our Requests, as to the Father's Commands. Wait with Hope; Christ that gave himself for us, will give himself to us.