Christ Alone our Life, Sermon

Christ Alone our Life · Sermon

p. 11 John V.xii.

He that hath the Son, hath Life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not Life.

WE that have this Prize put into our hands, of labouring to ſave your Souls, near the laſt Day and Hour, and the going down of the Sun of your Lives, are conſtrained to make ſhort Work,As bleſſed Mr. Perkins did, in calling down a Malefactor from the very Ladder, ſaying, Man, come down, and thou ſhalt ſee what God's Grace will do to ſtrengthen thee. In the Life of Mr. Perkins. but as true as we can in this little time. If we ſhould hold you under the Conviction Wrath, and Condemnation of the Law of God, for Sin deſerving it, we ſhould keep you in the dark Priſon of Unbelief, and endanger your everlaſting ſtate, by with-holding from you the ſaving Knowledge of Jeſus p. 2Chriſt. We have endeavoured faithfully to ſet before you your Sins, and the Ways of Sin, not to keep you under Terrors, but to draw you to Chriſt; not to bind upon you the heavy Burden of Ten Thouſand Talents, which you owe to the Juſtice of God, and leave you to groan under it without hope of unbinding or releaſing your Souls; but that you may come weary and heavy laden to Chriſt. We have cauſe of great ſadneſs and heavineſs of Spirit, to think how nigh you are to the Judgment-Seat of Jeſus Chriſt, and how long you have been ignorant, careleſs Deſpiſers of him, in whom you muſt believe, or periſh everlaſtingly. Oh! How ſad and grievous would it be, if you ſhould go out of the World without ſaving Knowledge and Faith, without turning to God through Jeſus Chriſt, by whom alone you muſt come to God, and obtain remiſſion of Sin, and everlaſting Life? You have now but a little Time left you to learn Chriſt, and we muſt now open to you the Kingdom of God, and ſet forth Jeſus Chriſt before you evidently, for Grace and Life, or leave you in the Dark as we found you. You muſt take hold of Chriſt, and of Eternal Life, or ſink into p. 3the Gulf of Eternity. You are upon the Brink of that boundleſs Ocean; O now, even now, while there is any part of this Day left, lay hold of eternal Life by Jeſus Chriſt! But how ſhall you believe, except you hear; and how ſhall you hear without a Preacher! O now then hear a Sermon of Jeſus Chriſt, and of eternal Life by him! If I were to Preach for my Life, and but one Sermon, and never to Preach more, it ſhould be of God my Saviour, of the Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. This is certainly like to be the laſt that you, for whoſe ſake principally it is deſigned, ſhall hear before you die. O! therefore now hearken, for it is for your Life; and by how much the more negligent you have been of your great Salvation, be you the more diligent and attentive now. O hearken now, and the Lord open your Hears to attend to what the Lord ſhall ſay unto you, from the Text now read to you.

The Reaſon why I have choſen this Text, is, becauſe I would drive home the Point which you heard already,Preached by Mr. Dudley the Wedneſday before in the Priſon. and to purpoſe handled the other day, That you cannot contend with God, nor ſtand in p. 4his Judgment without Chriſt, from Job 9.3. If he will contend with him, he cannot anſwer him one of a thouſand; you cannot anſwer to your Charge, therefore take Counſel: And this being the laſt Service I ſhall ever do for you in this kind, the beſt Service I can do you, that are ſo near your appointed End, yea, and to all that hear me this day, is to open and apply to you this Text, which I have read unto you.

In the Words we may find full Reſolutions and Anſwers to the greateſt Queſtions of Concernment to all Men living. The great Caſe of every Mans Life and Death is determined in them.

If the Queſtion were asked by any of you, 1. Who is the Man that ſhall eſcape in the day of the Lords Wrath, and live happily with God in Heaven for ever? The Anſwer is, That Man, and that Man only, who hath the Son of God, that is to ſay, He who heartily believes in him, embraces and receives him, as the Son of God the Saviour. The Deciſion is plain in few words, He that hath the Son hath Life. 2. If a contrary Queſtion be asked, Who is that wretched miſerable Man, who ſhall not ſee Life, nor come into the Kingdom of Heaven, but periſh p. 5everlaſtingly in Hell, not in reſpect of his being, but happineſs and well-being? The Anſwer is plain and peremptory, He who hath not the Son of God hath not Life; hath no title nor right to Life, nor any grounds of hope of it.

3. If the Queſtion be, What a Man ſhall do to be ſaved? Or how may a Soul that is convinced of Sin and Death, that is made ſenſible of his Sin and Miſery, that confeſſeth how he hath ſinned, and how he deſerves to die for ever for it? How may a Soul, I ſay, thruſt thorough with the fear of the Curſe of the Law, as with a fiery Dart, that ſigheth and groaneth under the Sentence of Death, and is afraid of dying, and being condemned to Hell when he dieth, come to be cured of his Wounds, and to Hope to ſee Life? This, this is the way, the Only way, the ſure and certain way; let him come to Chriſt, and have him as he is offered, and then he ſhall not die in his ſins, but have eternal Life: For, He that hath the Son hath Life; as ſure as he hath the one, he ſhall have the other. O then, you that pant for Life, embrace the Son.

4. Grant it to be true, that ſuch are the Merits, Grace and Power of Jeſus p. 6Chriſt the Son of God, that whoever hath him, and believeth in him with a right, hearty, uniting, effectual Faith, hath Life. But may not a Man, who hath not the Son, have Life? Is there no other way, or means of Life and Salvation, but Chriſt? Hearken to the Word, and give Credit to it; it ſpeaks fully to the Queſtion, He who hath not the Son of God, hath not Life. This one Scripture carries Evidence and Conviction with it, to ſtop the Mouths of all Gainſayers and Cavillers. But this Text is not alone, there are three Scriptures more that conclude in the ſame Senſe, both in the Affirmative and Negative.

See 1. John 3.36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlaſting Life, (there's the Affirmative, He that hath the Son, hath Life) And he that believeth not the Son, ſhall not ſee Life, (there's the Negative, or Contrary, He who hath not the Son of God, hath not Life) but the wrath of God abideth on him.

2. See another Text, John 14.6. Jeſus ſaith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh to the Father but by me. I am the way, by which you may come to the Father, as to your laſt and higheſt End and Happineſs. I am p. 7the Door, by me if any man enter in he ſhall be ſaved, John 10.9. There's as much as, He that hath the Son hath Life. But then obſerve, No man cometh unto the Father but by me: He who hath not the Son of God, hath not the Way, nor the Truth, nor the Life.

3. Take a third Witneſs to confirm both parts of the Point, Acts 4.12. Neither is there Salvation in any other; for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we muſt be ſaved. The Affirmative, That Salvation and Life is in Chriſt, is included in the excluding word, Neither is there Salvation in any other; Salvation is in and by Jeſus Chriſt, but not in any other; for there is none other name, &c. And therefore if any one hath not the Son of God, he hath not Life.

From what is ſaid, you may come to be paſt fear and doubt of your everlaſting Salvation; if you have the Son of God (as you ſhall hear by and by) you may be ſure your Life, your Treaſure, your Happineſs is ſafely laid up for you. And on the contrary, a Man that reads theſe Words may read his own Doom, He who hath not the Son, hath not Life. Conclude now, as you have, or p. 8or have not the Son of God, Jeſus Chriſt the Saviour, ſo you ſhall live or die eternally. But yet take this for prevention of Trouble or Deſpair: As it is certain, no Man hath any Right or Title to eternal Life, except he believeth, and hath the Son; ſo he who hath not the Son at preſent now, may have him, may believe and be ſaved, if he attend for him in the means of Grace; and have him while he may be had, that is, while he is offer'd to him.

I take the Words as Doctrins, or Divine Propoſitions, without putting them into any other Form:

1 D. He that hath the Son, hath Life.

2 D. He that hath not the Son, hath not Life.

In opening the firſt, obſerve theſe Particulars:

1. Who and what is this Son ſpoken of in the Text.

2. What it is to have the Son.

3. What is that Life which they have who have the Son.

4. The reaſon why he who hath the Son hath Life, or how it will follow p. 9and appear, that he who hath the Son Jeſus, hath, and muſt needs have Life.

1. By the Son is to be underſtood Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, our Mediator and Redeemer, of whom there is frequent mention in this Chapter. The Son is that ſame Holy One, and wonderful, ſpoken of in the firſt Verſe, Whoſoever believeth that Jeſus is the Chriſt, is born of God, v. 5. Who is he that overcometh the World, but he that believeth that Jeſus is the Son of God? He who came by Water and Blood, even Jeſus Chriſt, ver. 6. He to whom the Father, the Word, (or the Second Perſon in the Godhead) and the Holy Ghoſt bear witneſs; the Three in Heaven that bear witneſs, and to whom the Three bear witneſs on Earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood, ver. 7, 8. He who is called Son, his Son, Son of God ten times from ver. 8. to the end of the Chapter. And obſerve ver. 20. And we know the Son of God is come, (He who was given and ſent, is come in our Fleſh, to be a Mediator between God and us) and hath given us an Ʋnderſtanding to know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jeſus Chriſt. This is the true p. 10God and eternal Life. This Son, this Son of God, is the true God, and eternal Life is in him, ver. 11. He is called Life, John 14.6. and the Word of Life, 1 John 1.1. and Eternal Life, v. 2. He is the true God, and hath Life in Himſelf; and he is eternal Life, eſſentially as the Son of God, the only begotten Son, John 3.16. And becauſe the only begotten, (begotten by eternal Generation by the Father) he was Life, and had Life in Himſelf, from Eternity, before the Beginning; therefore he is immutable and immortal; he is Eternal Life originally and in the Fountain: And that eternal Life which the Father, of his meer Grace and Love hath given to us who are born of God, is in his Son, who is entruſted with it for us, and hath power to give it to us, John 17.2. and he who hath him hath eternal Life for that reaſon.

From theſe Scriptures learn four great Points and Matters of Faith:

1. That Jeſus Chriſt is ſo the Son of God, that he is certainly the True God. 2. That the Son of God is come into the World, as ſent of God, as made of a Woman, as manifeſt in the Fleſh, having taken part of the ſame Fleſh and p. 11Blood which his Brethren were partakers of, Gal. 4.4. 1 Tim. 3.16. Heb. 2.14. 3. That the only begotten Son of God hath Life in Himſelf, yea, is the Life, the word of Life, and eternal Life. 4. That Chriſt, his Son Jeſus Chriſt hath that eternal Life in him, as our Mediator, Saviour and Head, which God hath given to them who are born of God, regenerated by the Spirit, and adopted to be the Sons of God and Heirs of Life. Jeſus Chriſt our Mediator and Saviour, is that Son, which whoever hath, hath Life.

Give me the attentive Ear to two Texts more, which being taken together as they ought to be, will prove, That the Son of God is the ſame with Jeſus our Saviour, and that as our Jeſus he is called the Son of God, Luke 1.31, 32, 35. And behold thou ſhalt conceive in the Womb, and bring forth a Son, and ſhalt call his Name Jeſus. He ſhall be great, and ſhall be called the Son of the higheſt, &c. And to her Queſtion, who thought it to her a thing incomprehenſible, but not impoſſible, ver. 34. How can it be, ſeeing I know not a Man? The Angel anſwered and ſaid unto her, The Holy Ghoſt ſhall come upon thee, and the power of the Higheſt ſhall over-ſhadow p. 12thee. Therefore alſo that Holy Thing, which ſhall be born of thee, ſhall be called the Son of God. The Name Jeſus is the Name of the Son of God as Mediator, given him from the End, or Effect of his coming into the World, Mat. 1.21. Thou ſhalt call his Name Jeſus, for he ſhall ſave his people from their Sin. The ſame is called, according to the Propheſie of Iſaiah, Emmanuel, God with us; and the ſame called the Son of God, Mat. 1.23. He ſhall be called,**Dr. Owen of the Perſon of Jeſus Chriſt againſt Biddle, p. 180. &c. Mr. Eſtwick's Articles of Mr. Biddle's Faith confuted, p. 211. A. B. Ʋſher of the Incarnation, Fol. p. 428. Laſt Edit. of the Sum and Subſtance. Cameron Myrothec. Evang. in Luc. & Praeter. in Mat. 16. Johan. Junii. Exam. Socini de Incarnatione fil. Dei. cap. 1. p 92. &c.Matt 16 he ſhall appear to be, ſhall be acknowledged and profeſſed to be the Son of God; for the Son of God hath taken that which is conceived in thee, into Union with himſelf; and ſo, altho he is the Man Chriſt, as made of a Woman, conceived in the Womb of the Virgin by the Holy Ghoſt, he is indeed the Son of God, and ſhall be ſo called; He ſhall be glorified with the Name of the Son of God, with whom p. 13he is made One Perſon by that Power of the Higheſt overſhadowing the Virgin. If he was therefore the Son of God, becauſe he was conceived and formed in the Virgins Womb, then he muſt needs be the Son of the Holieſt, his own Spirit; but the Son is the only begotten of the Father, and called the Holy Thing, which ſignifies and denotes that which is Eſſential to Chriſt, the Divine Nature or Perſon; and the ſame is called the Son of God, to whom the Humane Nature is united, that ſo he might be Jeſus, Our Saviour, and God with us, in our Nature and for us, for our Salvation. Had Chriſt been meer Man, and no more, he might have been called the Son of God, as the firſt Adam is called, Luke 3. v. ult. becauſe of his immediate Creation; but then he had been but a Creature, tho perfectly holy from his Conception, and had not been at all the proper and Natural Son of God, as not being of the Divine Eſſence or Nature; for every Son hath the ſame Nature that his Father hath; but the Humane Nature is not the Divine,Simber, de Filio Dei, l. 1. c. 5. p. 58, 59. the Humane Nature being from the firſt moment p. 14of Conception united to the Second Perſon, the Son of God; that which was conceived in the Womb of the Virgin was the Son of God. Our Mediator muſt needs be God and Man in one Perſon; and becauſe the Holy thing that was born was Emmanuel, God-Man, therefore he was called the Son of God. The Natures are diſtinguiſhed, but the Perſon was but One; and being but One, there is one glorious Name given him, The Son of God. The Son of God and the Son of Mary are one and the ſame, called the Son of God. Chriſt the Son of David according to the Fleſh, Rom. 1.3. had his beginning when he was conceived by the Holy Ghoſt, and that Operation of the Spirit was the Cauſe of his being called the Son of God.Johannes jun. ib. Hooynbeck Socinianiſmi Confutatio, 1 De Chriſt. c. 1. p. 38. The Son of God took our Nature into Union with himſelf, and he was not only to be called the Son of God by Men, but was owned and called ſo by God himſelf, at his Entrance into the Adminiſtration of his Office of Mediator, Mat. 3.17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleaſed: And beſides many other places, (too many, to be opened at this p. 15time) he is called his dear Son, or the Son of his Love, Col. 1.13. and demonſtrated to be the Son of his Being, if I may ſo ſpeak, by the many Arguments in the following Verſes.

1. The Son of God's Love, is the great God our Saviour, and ſo great, that he hath a Kingdom, and hath tranſlated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. O moſt bleſſed tranſlation and change! To be delivered from the power of Darkneſs, and tranſlated into the Kingdom of his dear Son! It is a deliverance, and a tranſlation from Darkneſs, and the power of Darkneſs, out of the Devils Power and Tyranny, out of the Dominion of Sin, where every Luſt is a Lord, and we Slaves and Drudges, working our own Deſtruction by our own Thoughts, Tongues and Hands! Great is the Power of Darkneſs, and miſerable are they that are under it! They are under Wrath, and within a ſtep of Hell, as long as they are under his Power! But O how happy are they, who are brought out of it into this Kingdom of the Son of God's Love! Such as the King is, ſuch is his Kingdom; the Son, the King is full of Grace and Truth, his Kingdom is a Kingdom of Grace p. 16and Glory, of Righteouſneſs, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt. The Laws, Ordinances, Priviledges, Subjects, and the whole Government of this Son of God's Love, and King of Saints, are anſwerable or ſuitable to him; and what's wanting here of perfect Happineſs, ſhall be made up in Heaven. Our tranſlation, by effectual Calling and Grace, is a Deliverance from the outward Priſon, and Suburbs of Hell, into the outward Courts of Heaven; and out of them there will be another remove and promotion into the everlaſting Kingdom of Heaven!

2. He is ſuch a Son of God, as paid a Ranſom for all that have him, and that was his own Blood: Was there ever ſuch a Son, ſuch Love, ſuch a Ranſom! All that are in him by Faith, have the Benefit of that Ranſom from the Wrath of God, and the deſerved Puniſhments of Sin. He is the Son that procured our Pardon and Releaſe from the Guilt of Sin, the Curſe of the Law, the Juſtice of God, ver. 14. In whom we have redemption thro' his Blood, the forgiveneſs of ſin. O, how bleſſed is that Man, whoſe Iniquities are forgiven! Pſal. 32.1. Is not this then the Son of God, the true God in our p. 17Natures, purchaſing us with his own Blood, Acts 20.28.

3. This dear Son is ſuch a Son, who is the Image of the inviſible God. God is inviſible in his pure Eſſence and Being: What Image can there be that is lively and perfect, but what muſt needs be inviſible alſo? So Chriſt the dear Son of God muſt needs be inviſible alſo in his Godhead, and Divine Perſon, and therefore truly God the Son; but then God the Son, the eſſential, inviſible, and perfect Image of his inviſible Father, having taken our Nature into Union with his Perſon, is a viſible Image of the living true inviſible God; for he who hath ſeen the Son hath ſeen the Father alſo, John 14.9. He that hath ſeen me hath ſeen the Father. Ver. 10. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? Never did any Image ſo lively expreſs the Original, as the Son of God in our Nature did expreſs the infinite Wiſdom, Power, Grace, and Mercy of God. God was manifeſt in his Fleſh, in his Humane Nature, a pure material Glaſs, ſhewing us Divine Perfections, 1 Tim. 3.16.

p. 184. He is the First Born of every Creature. As Man, it is certain he was not born before every Creature: As God, he is not called the Firſt-Born but the only begotten, John 1.14. He is not called the Firſt-Born, in reſpect of Order of Time, or Participation of the ſame Nature with the Creature created after him. For if the Notion of the Arians were true, That the Firſt-born is of the ſame Nature with the reſt of the Children, thinking thereby to ſtrip him of his Divine Nature and Godhead, and to make him no more than a Man; then he would partake of the Nature of every Creature, as well as Mans; for he is not ſaid to be the Firſt-born of Men only, but of every Creature. This therefore is a Title of Dignity and Honour; as much as to ſay, He is the Firſt-born, Heir and Lord of every Creature. He is not a Creature, nor called firſt,Mr. P. Bayn on the Coloſ. Chriſtianni Schotanni in Collegio Miſcellaneorum Theologicorum. Diſp. 1. de prim. genitura. Sec. 11, 12. Zanch. in Col. as tho firſt made, but firſt and chief in Dignity and Power over all Creatures, Pſal. 89.28. I will make him my firſt-born, higher than the Kings of the Earth. All things are ſubject to him, 1 Pet. 3.22. p. 19and put under his Feet, Epheſ. 1.22. His Dominion is over all. This is the Son of God's Love, manifeſted in the Fleſh, ſuffering in our Nature even unto Blood, to make Attonement, and to procure us the forgiveneſs of Sin. O how happy are they who have him!

5. That he is, not a Creature, not a meer Man, or made God, which implies the greateſt Contradiction: Nor a Divine Man; as if he were more like God than other Men, as the Arians and Socinians dream and feign him to be; but that the Son of God, the Son of God's Love is true God, and hath an undoubted Title to the Dominion of all Creatures, is made evident from ver. 16, 17. in which there are theſe infallible Proofs of his Godhead. 1. All things were created by him that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, &c. 2. As all things were created by him, ſo they were created for him. All things were created by him and for him; therefore he was not an Inſtrument in the Hand of the Creator, but the moſt High God, and one God, with the Father and Holy Ghoſt. To us there is but One God, of whom are all things, &c. 1 Cor. 8.6. All things are by Chriſt, the Son of God; and alſo for p. 20him, as their End, therefore he is the High God. See Rom. 11.36. The Inſtrument is for the principal Cauſe:That which I, as the Principal, do uſe my Servant to do, is not for his ſake, but my own; but the end of all theſe things was no leſs the Honour of Chriſt than the Father. Reverend Holy Bayn on the Coloſſ. If Chriſt were the Inſtrument of God the Creator, in the Creation, then all things would not be for him, for his Service and his Glory, who was the Inſtrument. He was an equal Cauſe with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, becauſe all things are for him, for his Service and Glory; therefore he was not an Inſtrument, nor an inferiour Agent, but one God with the Father: Yet we muſt obſerve an Order in the Government and Adminiſtration of the Mediatory Kingdom of Chriſt. Chriſt as God is one with the Father; but Chriſt God-Man, as Mediator, hath a reſpect to God the Father, John 5.8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much Fruit, ſo ſhall you be my Diſciples. John 11.4. I have glorified thee on the Earth, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do. John 7.18. He that ſeeketh the Glory of him that ſent him, is true, and there is no unrighteouſneſs in him. And p. 21Phil. 2.11. And that every Tongue ſhould confeſs, that Jeſus Chriſt is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father. 3. And he is before all things, ver. 17. before the World, and all things in it. If he were a meer Creature, he could not be before all things, he could be but the firſt of Creatures; but being before all Creatures, he ſhould not be degraded and debaſed to be made but a Creature: But he is before all things that are made, therefore God the Creator of all things; for there can be nothing before All things but God, as before all Time nothing but Eternity. And that Saying of the Reverend Davenant upon theſe Words,Quomodo fuit ante omnia, ſi ante ſuam incarnationem non fuit? Quomodo condidit omnia qui ipſe non extitit? Expoſ. Rep. P. ad Coloſ. might ſtop the Mouths of all the Socinians, who make the Conception of Chriſt to be the Principle and beginning of his Filation, or being the Son of God, grounding their Error upon that Text ſpoken of before, Luke 1.35. How was he before all things, if he was not before his Incarnation? How could he make all things, who was not himſelf in being? Saith that clear and learned Man.

p. 224. By him all things conſiſt: He ſupporteth and beareth up all things, upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power, Heb. 1.3. All things are continued in their Being, Place, Order and Uſefulneſs by him, by whom all things were made. He beareth up the World, and keepeth things together from falling into confuſion and ruin.

I have been the longer in the Deſcription of the Son, that you may know him, and that knowing him you may deſire him, come to him, believe in him, have him, honour him, admire him, and do all that is required of you. Conſider, one thing before I go to the next Head. The Son of God is to be had as he is given, and ſent of the Father, and as he is ſaid to come into the World. All which Expreſſions do ſignifie to us his Office and Undertaking of a Mediator, with the Performance and Benefits thereof. The Knowledge of him as ſuch is neceſſary to, and is the beginning of Eternal Life, John 17.3. This is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent as Mediator, to mediate Peace between the infinite God and ſinful Men. Therefore let me in few Words p. 23open to you the meaning of the Word, and the reaſon and nature of the Office of the Mediator, as he is called, 1 Tim. 2.5. There is one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Chriſt Jeſus, who gave himſelf a Ranſom for all; where obſerve theſe things plainly.

1. The Mediator is a middle Perſon between Parties. 2. The Parties between whom he dealeth as Mediator, are God and Man.Medius Natura Medians Officio, Trelent. & alii. 3. The high Quality of the Mediator is ſet out by his Humane Nature, and by his Names, the Man Chriſt Jeſus. 4. What he did, he gave himſelf a Ranſom for all. And by this laſt Particular we underſtand three things of great Moment. 1. The Condition of all Men; they were guilty of an heinous Tranſgreſſion againſt God, and were fallen under the Curſe and Juſtice of God: A miſerable Condition! 2. What God required and muſt have, or ſinful Men muſt abide and periſh under the Wrath and Curſe of God; there muſt be a Ranſom given and paid for them, and that was the precious Blood of the Son of God, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. and his Life, Matth. 20.28. Oh! what an ineſtimable p. 24Ranſom is that! 3. The Nature of Chriſts Mediation. His Work was not ſo eaſie and cheap as the Socicinians make it. They make our Mediator to be a Meſſenger ſent from God to make known his Will to the World,Catech. Racov. de prophetico Chriſt. munere. or an Interpreter of his Mind. But to what End doth the Apoſtle add this, Who gave himſelf a Ranſom for all, if that was all? But he who is that One, and only Mediator between God and Man, gave himſelf a Ranſom for thoſe who could never have redeemed their own Lives, who lay under the Sentence of Death and Condemnation. Let it not be tedious to you to read and ponder, Heb. 9.14, 15. How much more ſhall the Blood of Chriſt, who through the eternal Spirit offer'd himſelf without ſpot to God, purge your Conſcience from dead works to ſerve the living God? The Offerer or Prieſt was Chriſt, the Offering or Sacrifice was Himſelf, Body and Soul, even unto Death and Blood; that which gave Efficiency and Power to the Offering, was the eternal Spirit, or Divine Nature; he to whom it was offered was God, who in Juſtice required, and in Mercy accepted it, for them who p. 25believe and repent, to purge Conſcience from Guilt and Pollution, verſ. 15. And for this Cauſe he is the Mediator of the New Teſtament, that by means of Death, for the Redemption of the Tranſgreſſions that were under the firſt Teſtament, they which are called may receive the Promiſe of the Eternal Inheritance. Here we have the Reaſon or Cauſe of Chriſt's Mediatory Office. He is a middle Perſon dealing between both Parties, God and Men, and for both. To God he gave himſelf a Ranſom,Nam ad foreign officium non minus pertinent hominum vice apud Deum fungi, quam Dei vice apud homines. Grot. de Satisfactione Chriſti, p. 172. which is a Satisfaction for Sin, and ſinful Men: For them that are called he procured the Promiſe of the Eternal Inheritance; the means by which he obtained Pardon for the ſins of the Hebrews under the Firſt Teſtament, whereof Moſes was a Typical Mediator, and the eternal Inheritance for them who are called and believe, was his Blood, the Blood of Attonement. And this great Work of Chriſt was performed by him as a Prieſt, and ſo he is a Mediator in his Prieſtly Office, and procures p. 26Peace and Reconciliation as a Prieſt, and therefore as a Prieſt he is Mediator. As a Prieſt he offered up himſelf to God, in our ſted, and for our Good; ſo he ſtood between us Sinners and the offended God, and made Attonement; and as Prieſt, he appears for all that believe in him; for he is an Advocate, and makes interceſſion, which he could not do, if he were not the Propitiation for our ſins, 1 John 2.2. And ſo he is a Mediator between both, for both; for he is the Mediator of the New Teſtament, having ſatisfied by his Death and Obedience for the Violation of the firſt Covenant made with Adam, in the Guilt of which all Mankind are involved; and for the ſins of the Hebrews under the firſt Teſtament made with their Fathers, which no Sacrifice could expiate or ſatisfie for. All the Mercy and Goodneſs of God is conferred upon them that are called, and brought to believe and obey him, by a Teſtament or Covenant; and all that Man is obliged to, as Duty and Obedience, is required in that Teſtament, whereof Chriſt is Mediator. And therefore ſome judicious Divines put this into the Deſcription of the Office of Chriſt p. 27Mediator, that Chriſt is the Perſon God-Man, who doth confederate God and Man in the ſame Covenant of Grace,Chriſtianus Schotanus. Diſput. 19. De Mediatore. Theſſ. prima. Le Blanc. Theſſ. 1. An Chriſtus ſit Mediator ſecund. utram que naturam, p. 109. Tileni Syntagma de Incarnatione Fil. Dei. Diſput. 1. Theſſ. 4.1 Thess 4 and make them one again.

The whole Work of Chriſt as Mediator may be reduced to two Heads.

1. To ſatisfie for the Breach of the firſt Covenant, and redeem ſinful Men from the Curſe of it.

2. To bring God and Man into another Covenant, the Covenant of Grace, and to make them one.

To this end it was neceſſary, 1. That he ſhould be a Mediator of Redemption and Reconciliation. 2. That as God is one, there ſhould be one Mediator; and ſo there is one, and but one, 1 Tim. 2.5. 3. This one Mediator is ſaid to be Man in this Text, but not meer Man, nor Mediator as Man only, excluding the Divine Nature; but the Man Chriſt Jeſus: He addeth to the Nature Man the Names Chriſt Jeſus, which contain p. 28the Nature and Perſon of the Son of God, and ſignifie that wonderful Perſon,Pet. Martyr adminiſtros Regn. Polonici, L. Com. p. 1113. our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The Words do not ſhew according to which Nature Chriſt is Mediator, but that the Mediator is Man, and that Jeſus Chriſt is Man, who bringeth us to God. It is uſual in Scripture to ſpeak of the Perſon of our Mediator Jeſus Chriſt by one of his Natures,Genevenſes Theſ. Theol. de Chriſto. Med. Theſ. 27. p. 49. Centur. 1. not excluding the other from the Unity of the Perſon: So by the Man Chriſt may be underſtood that Perſon who hath that Nature which is truly called Man, and that for divers Reaſons. 1. That the Apoſtle would encourage us to put our Truſt and Confidence in him,Reverend Mr. J. Ball of the Covenant, p. 269. as being our Elder Brother. 2. To encourage us in the Duty of Prayer through the Mediator, to which we are exhorted, as knowing the greatneſs of that Power and Authority which Chriſt hath with his Father reſiding in our Nature. 3. That it might appear that our Mediator was the ſame Chriſt, p. 29or Meſſiah, which was promiſed from the Beginning, as the only Reſtorer of miſerable Sinners, the Seed of the Woman, Gen. 3.14. 4. That no man to whom the Goſpel is preached,Nequis igitur ſe torqueat ubinam ille quaerendus Mediator, aut qua via ad ipſum perveniendum, hominem nominans, propinquum imo contiguum nobis eſſe admonet, quandoquidem caro noſtra eſt. Calvin. Inſtit. l. 2. c. 12. S. 1. & 2. of any Condition or Quality, whether in Authority or under Authority, high or low, rich or poor, ſhould be diſcouraged or terrified from ſeeking and accepting that Salvation, which by the Goſpel is propoſed and offered to all Conditions of men, ſeeing there is one Mediator for all, as there is one God over all, and good to all; and that one Mediator is the man Chriſt Jeſus, who is near to us, and bound not only by the bond of Nature as Man, but by Office and Undertaking, as Mediator, Redeemer and Reconciler, to ſave all that come unto him. Now if you have cauſe to fear everlaſting Deſtruction for want of a Mediator and Redeemer, nor for want of Tenderneſs of Compaſſion, or largeneſs of Heart towards you, as well as Power to ſave you: p. 30Your Deſtruction is of your ſelves, your Ignorance of him, your Unbelief, and neglect of great Salvation: None of you doubt of the All-ſufficiency of Jeſus Chriſt to ſave you becauſe he is but one, one Mediator and one Man: And how can one ſave miriads of men; ſo many as are paſt number, from their ſins which are numberleſs and infinite, in reſpect of the Object againſt whom they are committed? If that Antichriſtian Cavil of Socinus ſhould come by the Suggeſtion of Satan,Johan. Maccovii Anti-Socinus, c. 2. to be a doubt in the Heart of any; To help you againſt that Temptation, and to anſwer the Cavil of that Man that hath mudded and and diſquieted the pure Water of Life, flowing from Jeſus Chriſt, take theſe Conſiderations: 1. It muſt be acknowledged, that all the men in the World cannot ſatisfie for the Sins of any one man, or redeem any one Soul; much leſs can any one meer man give a Ranſom for all. But the man Chriſt Jeſus our Lord is ſuch a man as gave himſelf a Ranſom, and it was accepted for all; therefore it was all-ſufficient. It deſerved not to be called a Ranſom, if it p. 31were not ſufficient, nor accepted: But it is called a Ranſom for all in common; (all that ſhall be ſaved are ſaved by vertue of the ſame Mediator, and the ſame Ranſom) therefore it was ſufficient. If the Ranſom had not been ſufficient, Chriſt could not have been Mediator and Saviour; but he is Mediator and Saviour; therefore his Ranſom was ſufficient for all. 2. The man Chriſt is not a particular Perſon, an Individual, as humane Perſons are; but the Son of God took the Humane Nature exiſting in that one Soul and Body unto Union with his own Divine Perſon; and taking the entire humane Nature, he is not a particular man ſubſiſting himſelf, but truly the Seed of the Woman, Gen. 3.15. and ſo an Head of all that ſhall be ſaved; as Adam was the Head of all that died in him. 3. The ſingular Humane Nature of Jeſus Chriſt was never alone, and ſeparated from the Infinite Perſon of the Son of God, but was aſſumed into Perſonal Union with him, in the inſtant of his Conception and Creation; and ſo he was always the Son of God, and the Son of God paid the Ranſom, and it was of infinite Value, equal to the Offence of p. 22man, and the Juſtice that required it. 4. Mark, that the Apoſtle ſaith, there is one God and one Mediator; as certain as there is one God, ſo certain there is one Mediator between God and man, and this ſaid long after the Mediator had paid the Ranſom, and offered himſelf without Spot to God, and had obtained the Promiſe of the Eternal Inheritance. If he had failed in his Undertaking, and not performed all things required for our Redemption, he had been no Mediator, and by conſequence there had been no Covenant of Grace between God and man, nor had there been any Advocate with the Father, nor any Promiſe of the eternal Inheritance; and it muſt have been as the Apoſtle argues, If Chriſt be not riſen, our preaching is vain, and our Faith vain, and we had been ſtill in our ſins. But there is a Mediator, a Covenant of Grace, an Advocate with the Father, even Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous, who is the Propitiation for our ſins; therefore the ranſom which he paid was ſatisfactory for all that are ſaved; and by conſequence, tho Chriſt be but one Mediator, he is ſufficient for all.

p. 33Theſe things being thus explained, I ſhall draw up the reſt into a little room.

I. The Son of God, whom you muſt have, that you may live, is by Nature God and man, two diſtinct Natures, infinitely diſtant one from another in themſelves, are united in one Perſon, to perform the Office of a Mediator and Redeemer, that by his Mediation and Redemption he may be a Saviour. As the Son of God he is a middle Perſon in the Trinity, being the Second. As the Son of God in the Fleſh, he is a middle Perſon appointed by God, and by his own voluntary Conſent, tranſacting between God and ſinful man, for the Glory of God, and Salvation of them that believe. Thus he is wonderfully ſitted for that wonderful work: In him the Godhead and Manhood are one by perſonal Union. As God, he is concerned to repair the Honour of God; as Man, he is concerned for men, for all that are given him by the Father to be ſaved. He is diſtant from both; from man, as he is God; from God, as he is man;Reverend and judicious Ball of the Covenant. and yet with both by the Perſonal Union of the Divine, p. 34and Humane Nature. He is Emmanuel, God with us, God-man. There is no other Mediator but him, for there is none fit for the Work but him. What was inconſiſtent with the infinite Perfection of God, he did, and ſuffered for God's Glory, and in man's ſtead, and for his good, in the Humane Nature; what was above the ability of the Humane Nature to perform and obtain, he was enabled to do as God, The Son of God carried him as man, and as Son of man through all the Difficulties of his Work. 2. The Son of God performed his Office of Mediator or Redeemer in a threefold Capacity; or, he executed his great and general Office in a three-fold Office, of Prophet, Prieſt, and King; and in each of theſe he acted, and acteth as Mediator between God and man, and for both. And from theſe particular Offices he is called Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. Jeſus is his Name is as a Saviour, Mat. 1.21. Chriſt as the Meſſiah, anoynted by the Holy Ghoſt, fitting ting him for his Offices, that he might ſave his People; and Lord, as he is our ſupream King, Ruler and Defender; as Prophet, he reveals to us the Will of p. 35God by his Word and Spirit, and ſo he ſaves us from our Ignorance and Folly: As Prieſt, he made Attonement, ſatisfied the Juſtice of God, and delivered all that believe, from the Curſe, and makes continual Interceſſion, and ſo we are ſaved from the guilt of Sin and Condemnation, and obtain the remiſſion of Sin by him: As King, we are ſubdued and converted to the Obedience of God, governed and preſerved to his everlaſting Kingdom; and ſo we are ſaved from the power of Sin, and the hand of all Enemies. In ſhort, we are taught and perſwaded effectually to come to God; we are reconciled, juſtified and accepted; we are converted and ſubdued, preſerved, governed and kept by him, through Faith to Salvation. The neceſſity of knowing him, the Excellency of this Knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, and the Honour due to his Name, who hath a Name above every Name, hath kept me thus long upon this Branch of this Excellent Subject, and yet I leave out many things.

This is the Son. Now followeth the next Particular, What it is to have the Son.

p. 36This Word to have is often uſed to expreſs Marriage, Union and Relation, John 3.29. 1 Cor. 7.2. Mark 12.22, 23. Luke 20.33. Of which afterwards.

II. To have the Son, is ſo to have him, as to have him for Eternal Life, and ſo to have him as to have Life by him and from him. To have him is unſpeakably more, than to have him as ſome think they have him. To have the Son you ſhall hear, is more than, 1. To have him in your Eye by reading, in your Ears by hearing, in your Mouths by ſpeaking; you come to have him by means, but many have means who have not him; many have him in the Word and Miniſtry, in the Church, in the Creed, who have him not in their Minds by ſpiritual and ſaving Knowledge, nor in their Hearts by Love. 2. To have him, is much more than to have him in their Mouths and Profeſſion. Oh! how many hear him, and have him ſtanding at the Door, knocking without; and let him ſtand till he is weary of ſtanding and knocking, and they have no mind nor heart to liſten, riſe and open, having other Gueſts, Friends, Companions, and things which they naturally and dearly p. 37love, which they love better than him, or that Life, that true happy eternal Life, which he comes to give to them that will have it. Oh! How many have him, as they who cried Lord, Lord, but did not the Will of God: Or not as Thomas had him, with Intereſt in, and Affection to him, My Lord and my God. Oh! how many have him coming and going in the Word and Miniſtry, that let him go as he came, in at one Ear and out at another! The Doors of the Heart are as open for him to go out, as they were to let him in. Oh! how many have him in their mouths, as he is in their Belief, in the Congregation, as Jeſus Chriſt his only Son our Lord, who ſtudy not the meaning of what they ſay, who ſhew nothing of him in their Converſation: The Devil, and rotten Communication may be oftner in their mouths than he, except it be to tear his Wounds, and prophane his Blood, and to cauſe many to blaſpheme that worthy Name by which they are called! Oh! how many have him no further into their Souls than their minds and memories, as a Stranger or Paſſenger; that have him not in their Hearts as a Ruler p. 38or Dweller! They have him as the Papiſts have the Crucifix, hanging at their Necks, and in their Boſoms, that have him not within them by his Spirit for Life and Salvation. And are they few, who have him but as Judas had him, and carnal and worldly Politicians have him for their private Ends, to make merchandize of him? And to ſay no more, how many delay to have him till a convenient Seaſon? They ſay they intend to have him, but they cannot yet determin when, for he is held at too high a rate, they cannot yet come up to the terms of Repentance and Self-denial: When they cannot ſin as they were wont, they will repent; and when they are upon a forced remove out of the World, and muſt leave all, then they will deny themſelves. This is plainly the Senſe of them, who do not flatly refuſe to have him, but are not reſolved to have him as they muſt, or not at all. And that is as followeth.

Mark the Word it ſelf, He that hath the Son hath Life. Firſt the Son, and then Life by him. Firſt, Chriſt himſelf, his Glorious Perſon full of Grace and Truth, and then Life; both or neither, p. 39and both in this order and connexion; of which a little more afterwards. And then obſerve, that to have the Son is all one as to believe in him, John 3.15, 16. And to believe on the Son with Truſt and Reliance, John 3.36. Or to receive him; but to as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe in his Name, John 1.12. They who received firſt the Son, had the Prerogative and Priviledge to become the Sons of God. Upon our having the Son, as inveſted in the Office of Mediator, for which he put on our Nature, we have Life, the Benefit of his Redemption and Mediation. To have him, is to have him by the Application and Union of Faith. There is a mutual Act between Chriſt and the Believer; Chriſt exhibiteth himſelf unto us, and we adhere and dwell in him,B. Reynolds Life of Chriſt, 4 to. p. 461. ſaith one of our beſt Divines upon the Text. To have him, is to believe and receive him, as to have a Propriety in him, and and after a ſort, a Poſſeſſion of him, as another of our p. 40Worthies doth expreſs himſelf,Mr. Ball of the Covenant, p. 287. not by way of Dominion, for ſo we are his (1 Cor. 6.19.) but by way of Communion and Propriety. To have him, is to believe and receive him as he is made of God to us Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30. which are the Benefits of Chriſt as Mediator,Worthy Mr. Firmin. Real Chriſtian. Synopſis pur. Theologiae de Officio Chriſti, S. 38. and the gracious effects of his Offices, as Prophet, Prieſt and King. For theſe things we need him, and theſe things we have by him. To have Chriſt, is to act anſwerably to the Propoſal & offer of Chriſt, and everlaſting Life through him. The matter will be more clear in Particulars.

I. To believe, and to have the Son, is to have him in our Underſtanding and Minds, by a clear and unfeigned Aſſent to the Revelation and Propoſal of Jeſus Chriſt as Mediator and Redeemer. The Underſtanding, upon the convincing Evidence of what is reported concerning Chriſt, and Life by him, doth aſſent unto it, and doth acknowledge the Wiſdom and Grace of God in the way to p. 41Life Eternal. That God was in Chriſt reconciling the World to himſelf, 2 Cor. 5.19. That God ſet him forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood, Rom. 3.25. is wonderfully approved of. This is a faithful Saying, that Jeſus Chriſt came into the World to ſave Sinners, and it is received and own'd as true and worthy to be believed, When a Sinner is convinced of Sin and Death, and that Life is out of his own reach and power, and that he muſt receive it as a gift of Grace and Mercy, and that the Author and Giver of Life hath ſet down this for a Law & Rule, That whoever would have Life must have Chriſt; The Soul lays aſide all Thoughts of coming to Life and Happineſs any other way, and ſubſcribes to, and approves of this wonderful Contrivance of giving eternal Life by Jeſus Chriſt, and of making it neceſſary to have Chriſt. Much of the Nature and Work of Faith is ſeen in this Aſſent to, and Approbation of this way of attaining Eternal Life. And thus Faith may be underſtood to be an Approbation of the way to Life, by its contrary unbelief, expreſs'd by a diſallowance of God's preſcribed way and means, 1 Pet. 2.4. unto whom coming as p. 42unto a Living Stone, diſallowed indeed of Men, but choſen of God as precious. They diſallowed the living ſtone, choſen of God and precious, upon whom, as upon a Corner-ſtone, the Church is built; and that was their Unbelief; they would not have him, but laid him aſide and threw him by: He was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks fooliſhneſs; but to them that believe Christ the wiſdom and power of God. The Believer approves what the Unbeliever diſalloweth; the one admireth what the other deſpiſeth.

II. To have the Son, is to have him highly in our Eſtimation; it is to have him by a new, ſpiritual, convincing Evidence in our Minds, and to think highly of him; to eſteem ſo highly of him, as to honour the Son as we honour the Father, John 5.23. Mark the place before quoted, 1 Pet. 2.4. Certainly, ſaith the Soul, God cannot be miſtaken in the choice of a Saviour, a Rock of Salvation for one to build upon for eternal Life. Chriſt is a Stone perfectly fitted for his Place; he is a Living Stone, that will put Life into all the Stones, the Spiritual Building, as the Church is called, 1 Cor. 3.9. He is choſen of God and precious; p. 43therefore the rightly informed and illuminated Soul, eſteems him highly, as a living ſtone as choſen of God, (who perfectly knew his Excellency) and precious. But to you that believe he is precious, 1 Pet. 2.7. Life is precious to him that hath been convicted, and found himſelf condemned and loſt, and the Son that hath Life for him is moſt precious to him: He can't prize him according to his Worth. The greateſt Honour he can do him, is to believe what is teſtified of him. O how baſe is every thing in compariſon of his Saviour! They that are called (out of Darkneſs to Light) do ſee the Wiſdom and Power of God in him, 1 Cor. 2.24. They admire him in all his Characters and Properties. They glorifie him as the Son of the higheſt, as the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth, as the only Name under Heaven given among men whereby they ſhall be ſaved. They fall down and worſhip him, they cannot reach him with their higheſt Thoughts. As his Name is wonderful, ſo is he; wonderful in his Perſon; Emmanuel, God-man; the Holy one of God, the faireſt among ten thouſand, p. 44yea, altogether lovely. They eſteem him for himſelf, for his All-ſufficiency, for the greateſt and hardeſt of all Works, that of a Saviour: They eſteem him for his Singularity: He is One, and but one, like the Sun in the Firmament, one Sun for the whole World; ſo he is one Sun of Righteouſneſs, with healing in his Wings, for all that are wounded, and fear the ſcorching, burning Wrath of the juſt and holy God. They eſteem him as a Pearl of great Price; all the goodly Pearls, ſought for by the Merchants, will be given for him at any time by every wiſe underſtanding Heart. They who have him count all things but Dung and Loſs, that they may win him. There is nothing in him but unſearchable Riches! They who have him have nothing but gains and winnings by him; yea, tho they ſhould loſe their Lives for him, they can't loſe them, but ſhall have eternal Life, Mat. 16.25. That I may win Chriſt, ſaid Paul. O that the World could believe it! Believers are made Partners with him in the Benefits of his Sufferings, Victories, Exaltation and Glory. What things are theſe? O think of him as he is, that you may p. 45have him! O labour to be acquainted with him, that you may ſet up a Throne for him in your Hearts, as for a Prince and Saviour, that you may prize him! 1. As he who is all, and in all! 2. That you may prize him, according to your need of him, and his fulneſs and freeneſs to ſupply. Mean things are valued when we need them. But Chriſt is one of incomprehenſible Worth; he hath in him the deſirableneſs of all things neceſſary, and of all things that are called incomparable. 3. Eſteem him as your Souls, (Alas! who eſteems them, tho not to be exchanged for a World?) eſteem him as your Life, yea, infinitely better than the longeſt and happieſt Life upon Earth. The higheſt and deareſt thing you can reckon of, is Life, is eternal Life; eſteem Chriſt as that Life; He gave his Life for it, he hath it in his Gift and Power; he brought Life to the Dead, and Life from Death.

III. He that hath Chriſt for Life, hath him in his Will and Heart. He doth underſtandingly, judiciouſly and heartily receive him. He hath him ſo as to cloſe with him with a voluntary, intire, gladſom Conſent. He hath him with the p. 46Approbation of his Mind and Judgment; he hath overcome his Doubts and his Cavils, if he had any; he hath not a Word nor a Thought againſt him; he is fully ſatisfied with him, and therefore doth receive him into his Heart, and with it. No man hath the Son for Life, except the Son hath his Heart, that is, the Houſe in which Chriſt will dwell; That Chriſt may dwell in your Hearts by Faith, The Heart of Faith is wanting till Faith hath the poſſeſſion of the Heart. Holy Mr. Baxter in that Excellent Treatiſe Dir. and Perſwaſions to a ſound Converſion, p. 283.Epheſ. 3.17. That is the place of his Reſt which he deſires to dwell in, who dwells not in Temples that are made with Hands. Such was his Grace and Love, that he came down from Heaven to caſt out Devils, fleſhly and worldly Luſts out of thy Heart, to make thee free, to recover the poſſeſſion of thy Heart for himſelf. O give him thy Heart, he beſt deſerves it! This is the Word of Faith which we Preach, If thou ſhalt confeſs with thy mouth the Lord Jeſus, and believe with thy Heart that God hath raiſed him from the dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved: For with the Heart man believeth unto Righteouſneſs, and p. 47with the mouth confeſſion is made unto Salvation, Rom. 10.8, 9, 10. He that believeth with his Heart, that God raiſed Chriſt from the Dead for our Juſtification, Rom. 5.24: is righteous and juſtified before God. He, and he alone who believeth with his Heart, will have Courage and Boldneſs in dangerous Times to confeſs him before men, and call upon him, and he alone ſhall be ſaved, and have Life through him. Then Lidia had Chriſt and Salvation, when the Lord opened her Heart, Acts 16.14. Judas had Chriſt in his Head, and upon his Tongue as a Preacher, but he had not the Son for Life, becauſe he had him not in his Heart. In the Goſpel the Son is ſet forth in his Names and Properties, which are admirable, commending and inviting all that know him, and believe the Teſtimonies concerning him: And not only ſo, but he is propounded and offered by his Embaſſadors; yea, he makes gracious Offers, ſtanding at the Door; If any man hear my voice, and open unto me, I will come in to him, &c. The Covenant of Grace is a Marriage-Covenant between Chriſt and his Church, Rev. 3.20. The only Son of the higheſt, the Lord p. 48of Glory, that one Mediator, is tendred to you: Will you have the Son of God? If you will, you ſhall live: A Bleſſing which comprehends all manner of Bleſſings in it, even the everlaſting Inheritance. You hear what is ſaid, your Anſwer is, will, or will not; if you will not, then that's entred as in a Book of Remembrance. And you will not come to me that you may have Life, John 5.40. But if you will, and conſent and ſay, you will have him for your Husband, your Head, and your Lord; then there is a Covenant between you, and you have Life ſetled upon you, and you enter upon the Firſt Fruits of it, and have Communion with the Father and the Son, which is Life indeed. O what a Life is this beginning of Life! Till the Soul ſay, I will, there is no full Anſwer given; and while you ſuſpend Conſent, your Life is in Suſpenſe.

IV. He who hath the Son, hath him in his Affection. And except you have him by Faith in your Heart, how can you affect him? But if you have him in your Hearts, the whole Houſhold of the Affections entertain and come about him. Love, the firſt-born and ſtrength of the Heart, p. 49receives, and hath him. Deſires run and go, clogged as they are now with Infirmities towards him; their Delights and Joys, when they are themſelves, and free from the clutter of Strangers and worldly Luſts which quarter upon them, are in him, above all Perſons and Things they ever ſaw or knew. My Beloved is unto me a Bundle of Camphire, of a refreſhing vertue. He is a Bundle, and breaths out Grace and Life; he ſhall lie all Night between my Breaſts, he ſhall be next my Heart; moſt intimate with me; I will make him a Bed in my very Heart; I will not diſturb him, nor offend him, nor make him weary of his Lodging, and ſo offend him as to make him go away. O happy I when I have him with me! Cant. 1.13. He is altogether lovely, or all deſirous: And this is my Beloved, and this is my Friend, O ye Daughters of Jeruſalem, Cant. 5. from ver. 10. to 16. They who have him in their Hearts, truſt him with the deareſt thing they have, with the beſt of all; yea, their All, that is, their Life in whom ye truſted, Epheſ. 1.13. And rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God; and Chriſt in them is that hope of Glory, Col. 1.27. You cannot have Chriſt without ſpiritual p. 50ſtrong affections towards him, no more than a faithful chaſte Wife can have an Husband. God works upon theſe Powers of the Soul, when you come firſt unto Chriſt to have him, and by lively Affections you hold him, and keep to him.

5. To have the Son, is by Faith to have him in our Aims. We have him to live by him, to live in Communion with him, not as with an equal, or ordinary Companion, but to live to him, and to make him the ſcope of our Lives, as well as the lively Rule and Example, That we ſhould not live unto our ſelves, but to him who died and roſe again, 2 Cor. 5.15. And ſo the Holy Apoſtle profeſs'd, that to him to live is Christ, Phil. 1.21. That Chriſt may be enjoy'd, obey'd, pleas'd and glorified in me and by me.

6. They who have him thus, have him as in their Eye, to love him and to aim at him, ſo they have him in their remembrance. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments, or a Bride her Attire? Jer. 2.32. Can that Soul who hath the Son of God, who hath taken him, and given her ſelf to him, forget her Ornaments, the Garments of Salvation, wherewith he hath p. 51clothed her, the Wedding Garment and beſt Robe? Can a Bride forget her Attire? If not her Attire, can ſhe forget her Bridegroom? There is a particular great Ordinance appointed to this End, that he ſhould be remembred; and the Church his Spouſe muſt do as he hath commanded in remembrance of him, 1 Cor. 11.25.

7. They who have him in their Minds, Hearts and Affections, will have him in their Mouths with Honour. Whom do Men ſay that I the Son of Man am? Some ſay thou art John the Baptiſt. But whom do ye ſay that I am? And Simon Peter anſwered, Thou art the Chriſt the Son of the living God, Mat. 16.16. They that have the Son know what to call him, and who he is: Faith muſt know him diſtinctly and ſeparately from all other Names and Perſons, and eminently above all. I believe that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, Acts 8.37. If thou ſhalt confeſs with thy mouth the Lord Jeſus, and ſhalt believe in thine heart that God raiſed him from the Dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved, Rom. 10.9. What! A Wife and not ſpeak of her abſent Husband! While we are preſent in the Body we are abſent from the Lord. p. 52But, not have him in our Mouths to remember and honour him! How many Wonders have you to ſpeak of concerning Chriſt? How many great Actions, wiſe Sayings, Heavenly Doctrins, holy Precepts and precious Promiſes, and rich Tokens have you to ſpeak of? Have him, have him more in your Hearts, and more in your Mouths, with pure Affection and great Praiſe, as the Church had him, Cant. 5. from the 10th verſe. Have him in your daily Prayers and Praiſes; have him in your Cloſets, in your. Houſes; have him in your Communication, as the Diſciples had him as they walked by the way, Luke 24.

8. They who have him, have him in their Lives: They cannot live but by having him; I live, yet not I; but 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, Gal. 2.20. You muſt have the Son, or you cannot have Life: He is our Life, Col. 3.3, 4. Have him in your Lives as the perfect Copy, Exemplar and Pattern of Holy and Heavenly Living; have him in your Lives as the Manna, as the Meat you eat, as the Garments you wear, as p. 53the Air you breath in; yea, as the Life you live.

III. What is that Life which they have who have the Son? By Life all manner of good things, all manner of Bleſſings are underſtood; and by Death all manner of Evil. Life and Good are ſet out together, in oppoſition to Death and Evil, Deut. 30.15. See, I have ſet before thee this day Life and Good, Death and Evil. There is ſome ſhadow of Death in all manner of Afflictions, Miſeries and Sufferings, and all the leſſer Streams of Evil run at laſt into the endleſs Gulf of Death, whoſe Spring-head is the Curſe and Threatning of Death, In the day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die, Gen. 3.36. That is the Wrath which abideth upon them who believe not: And when we believe, and are juſtified and pardoned, we are ſaid to paſs from Death to Life, John 3.36. John 5.24.

I have ſhewed you before, that the Son is here conſidered as Mediator; the Life which they who have him, have with him, is that which he hath as Mediator, which the Father hath given to all that believe, and is put into the hands of the Son, to give unto them. To open this great p. 54Myſtery the more, you will find, that the Son as God hath Life himſelf as in a Fountain, yea, he is Life. And as he is Mediator and Redeemer, the Father hath given to the Son to have Life in himſelf, John 5.26. And gave him power to give eternal Life to as many as he hath given him, John 17.2. And again, John. 6.57. As the living Father hath ſent me, and I live by the Father, ſo he that eateth me ſhall live by me. Mark the place; Chriſt was ſpeaking of eating his Fleſh; and comparing himſelf to Bread more excellent than Manna, and of the ſingular Benefit which they who made uſe of him by Faith, as Men do eat Bread, they ſhould have Life by him. But how could he give Life to them that believe? He opens that in this, verſ. 57. where note, 1. The gracious Act of the Father in ſending his Son in our Natures, to be a Mediator and Saviour, with Commiſſion and Power. 2. He who as God the Son had Life in himſelf, receiv'd Life from the Father, by whom he lived; and this Life he did communicate to all that believed. 3. So he that eateth me ſhall live by me. The Benefit and Bleſſing derived to them that eat him, that p. 55by Faith apply him, is Life; and as eating of Bread is the means of living by Bread, ſo believing or ſpiritual eating is the means of living; ſo he that eateth me, ſhall live by me. O! How marvellous is the manifold Wiſdom of God in the way of Life, as his Grace and Mercy is in bringing forth Life to the Dead in Sin, and in bringing Life and Immortality to light by the Goſpel! Our miſerable and helpleſs condition required no ſmall help, but a great and all-ſufficient Saviour. And ſo the Life of our Mediator ſhews the Death of every Sinner; and our Deliverance from Death muſt in order go before, though not in time, the free Gift of Life. It was by an eaſie paſſage, which ſeemed wonderful delightful to the deluded minds of our firſt Parents, that we fell under Condemnation and Death; but the recovery was hard, and two things were to be done for us, to the praiſe of the Glory of Grace. 1. The Evils under which we lay were to be removed. 2. Our Life and Happineſs procured and communicated, and both theſe are done by our Mediator and Saviour.

p. 56I. The Evils under which we lay are contained under that bitter and terrible Word, Death, which is four-fold:

1. We were dead in reſpect of the Guilt of Sin. We were all Filii Mortis. As in Adam all die. That Threatning, In the day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die, hangs over our Heads, Gen. 2.17. The Death contained in the Threatning and Curſe of the Law,Grot. de Satisfac. p. 71. the eternal Death eſpecially. We are dead and our ſed by the Law, and we are all guilty before God, Rom. 3.19.

2. We are all ſpiritually dead, dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins, under the power of our Corruptions and ſinful Luſts, Eph. 2.1. and 5. And you hath he quickened who were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, dead to God and all ſpiritual Good. Even when we were dead in ſins hath he quickned us together with Chriſt, making us alive to God and Holineſs.

3. We were dead as to all real and ſpiritual Comforts, born to miſery as the Sparks fly upward. Comfortleſs without p. 57Hope, Eph. 2.12. As Adam was naked and aſhamed, thruſt thorough with Fears and Perplexities, driven to invent helpleſs Shifts for felt neceſſities. Paul did ſadly miſtake his condition, when he thought himſelf alive, and was brisk and well, Rom. 7.9. I was alive without the Law once, I thought my ſelf well and ſafe, but it was my Ignorance and Senſeleſneſs; for when the Commandment came by which I was convinced of Sin, then ſin revived, then the Snake appear'd to be alive by that Fire, and I died; I was a loſt man; I died, and had no hope nor comfort that way.

4. We are dead, as Death is oppoſed to Eternal Life in Heaven; dead under God's everlaſting Wrath, which is an everlaſting Separation from the Preſence of God, and the Puniſhment of the Eternal Fire. This is the wages of ſin, Rom. 6.

II. The good which we need, and which is procured for us, is Life and Happineſs: All Bleſſings are comprehended in, and preſented to us, under the ſweet and comfortable Word, Life; p. 58and this Life is in the Son Chriſt, and they who have him have it, and every Branch and Diſtinction of Life, and that in Perfection.

1. He hath in him the Life of Righteouſneſs, and through his Righteouſneſs they who believe in him are juſtified, and pardoned; and have their precious Life given unto them, who were under Condemnation. Righteouſneſs and Life are equivalent, to have the one is to be ſecure of the other, Rom. 5.17 18. Therefore as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all to condemnation; ſo by the Righteouſneſs of one, the free gift came upon all men to the juſtification of Life. How came this to paſs? See 2 Cor. 5.21. For he hath made him to be ſin for us who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him: He paid the Ranſom, and endured the Curſe of the Law, and as a Sin-offering, bare the puniſhment of our Sin, that we migh be made the Righteouſneſs (the Abſtract put for the Concrete) that is, that we might be made fully righteous in his ſight, with that righteouſneſs which is of God, compleat and acceptable. He was made of God to be righteouſneſs for us, that we might be p. 59juſtified, and not come into Condemnation, 1. Cor. 1.30.

2. He hath in him the Life of Grace, Sanctification and Holineſs. He hath a quickning Power in effectual Calling, raiſing out of the Death and Grave. of ſin, and rolling away the ſtony Heart, that the dead in ſin may riſe to a ſpiritual Life, John 5.25. Verily, verily I ſay unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live. They ſhall hear his Voice, and they that hear ſhall live. O then moſt mighty Lord, put forth thy Voice and ſay, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and riſe from the Dead, and Chriſt ſhall give thee Life, Epheſ. 5.14. And that our Lamps ſhould never want Oyl, our Hearts never want Supplies, there is a fulneſs in Jeſus Chriſt, and that to be communicated to all that receive him. And of this fulneſs have all we received Grace for Grace, John 1.16. The Life of Holineſs conceived and brought forth in Regeneration, is encreaſed and continued by the Mortification and Death of Sin, and living to God, and both theſe Powers we receive from Chriſt, Rom. 6.11. Likewiſe reckon you your ſelves to be p. 60dead unto ſin, but alive unto God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, John 15.4. Abide in me and I in you. As the Branch cannot bear Fruit of it ſelf, except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me, verſ. 5. I am the Vine, ye are the Branches; he that abideth in me and I in him, the ſame bringeth forth much fruit. For without me ye can do nothing, Phil. 1.11. Being filled with the fruit of righteouſneſs, which are by Jeſus Chriſt (mark that) unto the glory and praiſe of God. All Sanctifying Grace comes from Jeſus Chriſt; and power to bring forth Fruit, See Rom. 8.10, 11, 12, 13. And if Chriſt be in you the Body is dead becauſe of ſin, but the Spirit is Life becauſe of righteouſneſs. But if the Spirit of him that raiſed up Jeſus from the dead dwell in you, &c.

3. He that hath the Son hath a Life of Joy and Gladneſs. He was a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with Griefs for our ſakes; his Griefs and Sorrows were a ſtrong Compoſition of Sorrows, prepared for a Man of Sorrows: He was ſorrowful unto Death, Mark 14.33. As a man caſt out from among men, that hath none to comfort him, nor as much as to ſpeak kindly to him, or to make his Complaint p. 61to. But his Sorrows were turned into Joy. He told his Diſciples, that they ſhould have Sorrow, but I will ſee you again, and your Heart ſhall reioyce, (and the ſight of Chriſt riſen from the Dead ſhould be as joyful to them as the Birth of a Son to a Woman after Travel) and your Joy no man taketh from you, John 16.21, 22. He is the Author and Fountain of a Chriſtian's Joy; he is the matter and object of our Joy; his Birth was a time of Joy in Heaven and Earth; his firſt Preaching was with Joy, Luke 4.18. out of Iſaiah 61. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, he hath anoynted me to preach the Goſpel to the poor; glad Tidings to the poor, to the broken-hearted, to the captive, to the blind, to the bruiſed, and the acceptable year of the Lord, the year of Jubilee or Releaſe. The foreſight of his Reſurrection was joyful to him going to his Death; and to ſee him riſen from the Dead, made his Diſciples glad, John 20.20. He hath provided for them plentifully that their Joy might be full, John 15.11. And all that believe have (the matter and cauſe, tho not always the ſenſe) joy and peace in believing, Rom. 15.13. 1 Pet. 1.8. And he is ſtill a p. 62flowing Spring of Joy. Rejoyce in the Lord, Phil. 3.1. Verſe 3. Rejoyce in the Lord, and again I ſay, rejoyce. Phil. 4.4. Rejoyce ever more, 1 Theſſ. 5.12.

4. He that hath the Son hath Life, hath everlaſting Life, that endleſs Life of perfect Happineſs in Heaven. It is an everlaſting Life, pure Life, next for excellency to the Life of God himſelf, who liveth for ever and ever! A Life of likeneſs to God; We ſhall be like him, 1 John 3.2. We ſhall be ſatisfied with his likeneſs, Pſal. 17. ver. ult. A Life of the neareſt Union with our glorified Head; and therefore a Life of Gladneſs, and fitting Communion, and therefore moſt bleſſed. This Life is the Gift of God, Rom. 6.23. truſted in the hands of the only begotten Son, the Son of God's Love, to be kept for, and to be given to all that ſincerely believe and love him. It is in a faithful, powerful hand, and he hath promiſed to give it over and over. The Heavens and Earth ſhall paſs away, but his Promiſe ſhall be like the Waters of Noah, as they ſhall never drown the World again, ſo this Life ſhall certainly come. Look for it, it is better, tho yet to come, than that Life which you now live: This p. 63Life is in his, 1 John 5.11. O how rare and tranſcendent a Life is this! And what a way is this of giving it, of laying it up for us, and deriving it unto us!

IV. And ſo I come to the Fourth Particular, Why, or how it comes to paſs, that he that hath the Son hath Life. This follows neceſſarily upon the former Words laſt repeated. And this is the Record, that God hath given to us Eternal Life, and this Life is in his Son; He that hath the Son hath Life. Theſe Words have the Force of an Inference or Concluſion from the other. This Life is 1. Given to us who are called of God, who believe, who turn to him, love and obey him: The Donor is God the Father, who is the Fountain of Life. It is the Fathers Gift of Free-grace and Love. 2. He appointed his Son (O raiſe up your Thoughts into an holy admiration of this effect of infinite Wiſdom and Grace for the Salvation of undone Sinners!) to be Mediator, to do what was for the Glory of God, and then to be the Truſtee and Conſervator of this Life, the greateſt Truſt that could be put into his Hands; wherein the p. 64Glory of God is more concerned than in all his Works; and all that is moſt precious, the Treaſure of eternal Life, the All of the Choſen Ones of God. Our happineſs was once put into the hands of Adam, he fail'd and broke, and we were all ruin'd in him: But now it is put into the keeping of Jeſus Chriſt our Lord the Son of God, and there it is ſafe. 3. The Son of God undertook the Charge and Truſt. His Father ſhall not loſe the Glory intended, nor his choſen and called ones the Bleſſing and Benefit of this Grant, intended by his Father for them. 4. It was concluded and decreed in the Eternal Counſel of the Father, the Word and Spirit, thoſe in Heaven which declare and teſtifie theſe things, that all and every one that is to have this Life eternal, muſt have the Son: For this is the Decree or Order conſented to, and declared to us; He that hath the Son hath Life. The Son as Mediator received Life for all that have him; they therefore who have him have Life.

But if you deſire to be yet informed, How we come to have Life; then know.

1. We have the Son by a Spiritual Union with him, as a Bride hath a Bridegroom, p. 65a Similitude often attended to: Or as a Wife hath an Husband: As all the Bleſſings and Benefits of a Matrimonial State, do by agreement follow upon the Marriage-Union with the Perſon; ſo by the Covenant of Grace, that vaſt Bleſſing of Eternal Life, which comprehends all in it, doth become the Inheritance and Eſtate of every one that by Faith joyns himſelf to the Lord, the Son of the moſt High God. Union is the appointed means of Communication of Life. 2.Ʋnitio communis eſt Patri, Fil. & Sp. Sacto; unio propria eſt Filio. Camer. de Eccleſia. p. 223. This Union is the wonderful Work of the holy Trinity; obſerving the order of Operation, every perſon is the cauſe of it. All that come to Chriſt are taught of God, they have not the Knowledge of it, and Wiſdom in themſelves to come to Chriſt. And the Father draweth; No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath ſent me, draw him, John 6.44.

2. The Son calls and puts out a mighty quickning Voice, and raiſeth the dead ſenſeleſs Sinner to come to him for Life; and he outwardly inviteth and draweth alſo, Mat. 11.28. Come to me all ye that p. 66labour and are heavy laden, &c. He draweth objectively all Men to come unto him, and all that come are drawn by him effectually, John 12.32. And as all that the Father giveth him come unto him, ſo he receiveth them, and will in no wiſe caſt off any that come unto him. And then the Holy Ghoſt convincing the ignorant, ſenſeleſs, loſt, miſerable Sinner of Sin and Damnation, and of Chriſt, Righteouſneſs and Salvation by him, worketh Faith, and the Heart to conſent, and receive, and take Chriſt, and ſo we come to have him. The Holy Ghoſt is the Spirit of Faith, 2 Cor. 4.13. and the Cauſe of our Union; For by one Spirit we are baptized into one Body, and into Christ the Head of that one Body, who puts Life and Spirit into every living member of it, 1 Cor. 12.12; 13.

3. The outward means of this Union are, The Word of God, and the Miniſtry of it. I have eſpouſed you unto one Husband, that I may preſent you as a chaſte Virgin to Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11.2. If you deſire to know yet further, how you have Life? The Anſwer is ready, In, or by having the Son Chriſt, you have Life: You have it, in having him who hath p. 67received it, and hath it for you: You have it in him who is the Author, Purchaſer and Giver of Eternal Salvation. He is our Life, as the meritorious Cauſe, as the Conſervator and Fountain of it, as the efficient Cauſe and Giver of it: You have Life, and Deliverance from Death Eternal, by the Grant of Pardon and Righteouſneſs: You have the Life of Grace and Holineſs by Union and Influence from him, and there is a fulneſs of habitual Grace to ſupply you, John 1.16. You have the Spirit in you, Rom. 8.9, 10. and you have the Life of Glory in the Bud, Principle, Firſt-Fruits, Promiſe and Hopes of it. What ſhall I ſay? You have Life in having Chriſt, as a Branch in a Vine hath Sap and Vertue by being in the Vine; as a Member of the Body from the Head, as a Spouſe hath all that ſhe is endowed with, by being eſpouſed and married to the Husband. All the incomparable Benefits of Chriſt come from Union with him. As we have Chriſt now, ſo we have Life now, that is, ſuch Communications of Grace and Bleſſings as are convenient for our preſent ſtate, and in the Life to come a Crown p. 68of Life; All! All! an incomprehenſible All!

This Union doth not ſtand only in relation to Chriſt, (tho in every relalation there is ſome kind of Union) but it is ſuch an Union, (tho ſpiritual and myſtical, as theſe Terms are contradiſtinct to Corporal and Natural) as a third one doth reſult from it. But he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6.17. That one Spirit which our Lord received not by meaſure, that he might be the Head of his Body the Church,The Myſtery of our Union with Chriſt conſiſteth mainly in this; That the ſelf-ſame Spirit which is in him, as in the Head, is ſo derived from him into every one of his true Members, that thereby they are animated and quickned to a ſpiritual Life. The moſt reverend Uſhers Sermon before the Houſe of Commons, 1620. p. 20. Lyford's Senſes exerciſed, 127. The ſame Spirit which was the immediate Conveyor of Grace to the Humane Nature of Chriſt, is ſo to us. Mr. Charnock, 2 Vol. p. 134. is that one and ſame Spirit which teacheth, guideth, ruleth in, and ſanctifieth all and every one that by Faith are joyned to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God. To be one Spirit, is to be united in the higheſt degree of Union. The Union of one p. 69Believer to another is very near and cloſe, as of one Member of the ſame Body to another. And this Union of every ſingle Believer to the Body of the Catholick or Univerſal Church, is by the Grace and Operation of the holy Spirit, quickning and regenerating; and all theſe living Members make one Body in Chriſt. Chriſt the Head of the whole Body, and the Head of Influence, from whom they all receive ſpiritual life and growth, and they who are joyned to him are one Spirit, and from that one Spirit we have Grace to conſent with Chriſt, to will the ſame, and to love and hate the ſame things; to aim at the ſame End, the Glory of the Father, and to be govern'd by him, againſt all Diſtractions and Oppoſitions that hinder us. It was an entire and comfortable happy Union of the Primitive Church, an Example to all ſucceeding Churches, Acts 4.32. And the multitude of them that believed were of one Heart, and one Soul; neither ſaid any of them, that ought of the things he poſſeſſed was his own, but they had all things common. They were all of one Heart, aimed all at one common Good, in one common Action, without any private p. 70Ends. This was a cloſe Union of Hearts, but the Expreſſion of this Conjunction comes far ſhort of that Spiritual, real (tho not eſſential) Union between Chriſt and his gracious, regenerate, ſanctified Members made One Spirit. It was much to be of one Heart and Soul, but it is more to be one Spirit. This is the cloſeſt Union of all, except the Eſſential Union of the Perſons in the Godhead, or the Hypoſtatical or Perſonal of the Second Perſon with the Humane Nature: For one Believer doth not derive his Spiritual Life and Being from another, nor depend upon one another for it, but all receive it from their Head Chriſt, and depend upon him for it; although their being knit together is a means of their Growth, Col. 2.19. And not holding the Head, from which all the Body by joynts and bands having nouriſhment miniſtred, and knit together, increaſeth with the increaſe of God. Our Union with Chriſt the Head is the cloſeſt, becauſe from him we all receive our Life, and have nouriſhment miniſtred, that we may increaſe with the increaſe of God. And becauſe our Union with Chriſt is moſt inward and ſtrict, therefore it is ſhadowed p. 71out under the Similitude of the ſtreighteſt natural Union,Cum itaque noſtra cum Chriſto unio ſit arctiſſima, ea propter in Scriptura ſub figura utriuſ que illius unionis nobis quaſi adumbratur, &c. Cameronis Myrothec. in Evang. Jo. 6.56. p. 149. of both. See the excellent B. Reynolds Life of Chriſt, and Mr. Polhil's Anſwer to Dr. S. of the Knowledg of Chriſt, c. 4. ſ. 1. p. 162. &c. and his Treatiſe of Spiritual Union. There is no ſtricter Union in the World than that of Chriſt to Believers, 'tis therefore compared to all kind of Unions, &c. The Apoſtle doth mix both theſe Unions, of Husband and Wife, Head and Members, Epheſ. 5.28, 29, 30. The Elaborate and Judicious Mr. Charnock's Diſc. Weak Grace victorious, p. 1339.John 6:56Eph 5:28Eph 5:29Eph 5:30 as between Head and Members, and the cloſeſt political Union, as between Husband and Wife: Not that our Union with Chriſt is wrought after a natural manner, but is like unto it in reſpect of the cloſeneſs and effect of it; the Bonds of our Union with Chriſt is of all the ſtreighteſt and indiſſoluble. Death will ſeparate, and untie all our Joynts and Bands of Nature and Marriage-ties; but he who hath the Son, hath Life, and that eternal; and Death is ſo far from keeping us from it, that it is made an open Door and Paſſage into it. The Bands of our Spiritual p. 72Union with Chriſt, are ſuch as convey unto us Life and Nouriſhment from him; and without ſuch an Union as this, by vertue of which we receive Spiritual Life and Power to obey his Commandments, and live under his Government, he might in vain call for Service and Obedience (which is due to him, whether we can pay it or not) or we ever expect the Reward of our Obedience. Chriſt is an Head for Government; but if our Union with him were only as to a King, Political Head and Governor, we ſhould be related to him only in reſpect of his Kingly Office, and that only as to the outward adminiſtration of that his Kingly Office and Policy. But the Nature of our Union with him is beſt underſtood by the effect of it: If we have Life by having him, we ſo have him, as to have Life in him, and with him and by him; and without the Spirit of Life and Faith, we can never obey him as he requires. Chriſt infinitely excels all thoſe things to which he is compared; and our Union with him by the Spirit and Faith hath thoſe things ſingular in it, which cannot be comprehended in any one of thoſe Unions, to which it is compared; it excels p. 73the natural Union of Head and Members,A. B. Ʋſher's Sermon before quoted, p. 19. &c. Immuel added to his Sum. p 438. Sum. and Subſt. p. 154. Lyford, 118. Mr. T. Hooker, Serm. Soul's Exaltation, p. 25. &c. Cameron. Praelect. de Eccleſia. for it is ſpiritual and everlaſting; it excels the political Union between a King and his Subjects, by Compacts and Laws; for Subjects pay Obedience and Tribute of their own, but we are made a willing People by the Power of Grace; and having nothing of our own, we have all in having Chriſt. The Political Union by Marriage doth more fully expreſs it, but not fully. Hold to this then, that to have Chriſt is ſo to have him, as to have Life given us, and maintained by our Union with him. The Wife hath the Benefit of Counſel, Direction,Haec Ʋnionis exempla adumbrant tantum, non ſatis exprimunt Ʋnionem noſtri cum Chriſto &c. Cameron. Praelec. de Eccleſia, 225. p. Government, Protection, Maintenance from her Husband, but not Life; and ſhe doth not live becauſe her Husband lives. But a Believer hath Life as well as Counſel, Protection and Maintenance from Chriſt; and he is our Life, the Cauſe of p. 74our Life; It is hid or laid up for us in him, Col. 3.3, 4. And becauſe I live, ſaid Chriſt, ye ſhall live alſo, John 14.19. There is a diſtinction between Chriſt and his Members, they are not what he is, nor he what they are, notwithſtanding this Spiritual Union; but he is ſaid rather to live in Believers, than they to live, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheleſs I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the Life which I now live in the Fleſh I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who gave himſelf for me.

So much of the firſt Doctrin; attend to the Application of it. I muſt be ſhort upon many Heads, or elſe too long for a ſhort Diſcourſe.

I. Uſe of Information in many Particulars.

1. Hence you may learn the true way and method of having eternal Life. Obſerve the Words, He that hath the Son, hath Life. The Son firſt, and then Life, and all thoſe Benefits and Bleſſings which are comprehended in that ſweet and precious Word Life. We cannot have any Promiſes nor Priviledges without Chriſt, p. 75nor before we have him by Faith;For as none can be made Partakers of the Vertue of the Bread and Wine to his bodily ſuſtenance, unleſs he do firſt receive the ſubſtance of thoſe Creatures; ſo neither can any participate in the benefits ariſing from Chriſt to his ſpiritual relief, except he firſt have Communion with Chriſt himſelf. We muſt have the Son before we have Life. Moſt Reverend Uſher's Serm. before H. of C. p. 17. His 18 Sermons, p. 421. not the pardon of Sin, nor Peace, nor Hope, nor any acceſs to God, but by having Chriſt, and him firſt in order, though at the ſame inſtant and time of having Chriſt, we have ſome Benefits for the preſent, and a Right and Title to all the reſt in due time. Whoever ſhall eat of the Marriage-Feaſt muſt have a Wedding-garment, and be married to the Son by Faith firſt. In vain do all thoſe hope for great things, that care not for the Knowledg of Chriſt, or having of him. The having of the Son makes Faith effectual, lively and working, becauſe it hath Life; and Faith without Life from Chriſt can never be but a dead Faith: And this is alſo the trial of our ſincere Love to Chriſt, when we receive him, and cloſe with him, as he is propoſed to us, as p. 76altogether lovely: Then do we, like thoſe who marry for Love to the Perſon, and not for Wealth, as too many do,See the clearly judicious and holy Dr. Preſton's Treatiſe of Faith, p. 11 And of Effectual Faith, p. 12, 13. And Mr. Baxter's Dir. and Perſwaſ. to a ſound Converſion, p. 286. who care not for the Perſon, ſo they have the Wealth. Hypocrites would have Mercy to pardon them, yea Heaven, that Kingdom, who care not for having Chriſt as a Saviour, to ſave them from their Sins: Theſe can forſake him, deny him, be Traitors to him in a time of Danger and Temptation.

2. Hence learn, That if every one that hath the Son hath Life, then our Faith and our Love are ſet upon the moſt holy and glorious Perſon of the Son of God, but then as inveſted in the Office of Mediator, for as ſuch he hath received Life from his Father for us. Doth the Word Son here in this Text denote and ſignifie the Perſon of our Redeemer? Was it the Perſon of our Saviour that was given us, when it was ſaid, To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, Iſa. 9.6. If it was the Perſon that was born and given to us; then it is the Perſon that they p. 77have, who have Life, as able to give them Life.It is a ſpiritual and real Union, whereby Chriſt and a Chriſtian are knit together; our very Perſons Soul and Body are coupled to the Perſon of Chriſt by the ſame Holy Ghoſt, which dwelleth in him, and in us, 1 Joh. 4.13. Worthy Lyford, p. 116. Hoornb. Theol. practic. l. 7. de Spirituali noſtri cum Chriſto unione. Zanch. in Ep. ad Epheſ. c. 3. De Spirituali Connubio, A. B. Arm. Serm. before cited, p. 19, 20, 21. And by him the Proteſtant Schoolman, (as a learned Perſon calls him) Zanc. in c. 5. Ep. ad Epheſ. Q. 3. Theſſ. 4. l. 3. Spiritualis connubii.1 John 4:13Eph 3 It was an high Diſhonour that ſome did to Chriſt, and injury to Souls, that expoſed the having acquaintance with the Perſon of Chriſt to the pleaſure of vain ignorant Men, or diſguſted Palates at the Doctrin of God our Saviour. We muſt not only know, but have the Perſon of the Son, as ſent into the World to ſave Sinners, as Mediator in the Execution of that Office, as Prophet, Prieſt and King, as was ſaid before. But if any will ask, How is it poſſible for us upon Earth to have the Son, who is now aſcended above all Heavens? This Queſtion or Objection was anſwered long ago by the renowned Ʋſher: The Conjunction is Spiritual and Supernatural, p. 78no Local Preſence, no Phyſical or Mathematical Continuity or Contiguity is requiſite thereunto. It is ſufficient for the making of a real Union in this kind, that Chriſt and we, (tho never ſo far diſtant in place each from other) be knit together by thoſe Spiritual Ligatures, the quickning Spirit, and a lively Faith wrought by the ſame Spirit. A Wife is a Wife joyned in Marriage to her Husbands Perſon, tho ſeparate in divers Countries. Subjects are related to the Perſon of their King, and Politically united, and enjoy the Benefit of his Government, and pay Duty to him, tho they never ſaw him. But tho the Body of our glorious Redeemer be in Heaven, his Perſon and his Spirit are in all that believe, and with them, whom having not ſeen, yet believing ye live, 1 Pet. 1.8.

3. Every particular Believer, who hath the Son, hath Life, and hath the Son for himſelf, and by his own particular Faith, as really and truly as the Catholick Church hath, which is made up of all Believers. What is the Univerſal Church, but the Whole exiſting in Particulars? The Text ſpeaks in particular, and not p. 79in general, He that hath the Son hath Life, Camero, de Eccleſ. p. 226. Itaque nullum eſt membrum corporis Chriſti, ne viliſſimo quidem judicio humamano, quod non aeque Chriſtum contingat; at que illa quae ſunt nobiliſſima, &c. quia Chriſtus totius Eccleſiae, & ſingulorum Eccleſia… membrorum Sponſus eſt.and this having is an immediate having of him, by every particular Believer for himſelf. He that believeth ſhall be ſaved, and he that believeth not, ſhall be damned, Mark 16.16. By this therefore let this Truth enter into your Hearts, That every one of you, not one excepted, muſt have Chriſt for your own particular Life and Salvation: Except we are living Stones, living Members, we are not Members of the Catholick Church. The wiſe Virgins might as well have given of their Oyl to the fooliſh Virgins,All Believers are immediately joyn'd to Chriſt, one is not more united than another; in the Body every Member is not proximly joyn'd to the Head, but in Chriſt the meaneſt and weakeſt Believer is immediately joyned to him. Rev. Mr. Burgeſs on 17 of John, p. 589. as the Catholick Church give Life to any particular Member of it. Chriſt is the Fountain of Life, and except we have Life from him, we p. 80are not Members of his Body the Catholick Church, nor have Spiritual Communion with it. Do not think of entring into Life by any new-invented Door, or round about, by which you ſhall not ſpeed; but come to him that hath Life, and calleth you to come to him himſelf: Make haſte then, for it is for Life.

4. If he who hath the Son hath Life, O what a Prize have they who have him! They have him who is all Worth and Excellency! A Pearl, and nothing but Pearl! There is no droſs at all cleaving to him, whoſe Head is of the moſt fine Gold, Cant. 5.11. Yea, he is altogether lovely! all Deſires! Moſt deſirable, and moſt deſirable for this, that he is good to make a Man that is dead, to live. O what a Prize have all that have him! They have Life! What an Immenſe Loſs was that of Adam's loſing Life and Goods, God and Creatures, Soul and Body! But now behold all that was loſt is recovered: All was ſunk in the Sea of Perdition; Man and his whole Eſtate of Happineſs; but now all regained and brought to Light; he hath brought Life and Immortality to light by the Goſpel. Is p. 81there any thing to be given in exchange for a Soul? Here is now a Jewel, more valuable than a World. Here's Life with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt! Such a Life as none ſhould live without, but thoſe miſerable condemned ones, who cannot have it! The loſs of it will be lamented for ever! How joyful ſhould the Souls be that have it! Let us make merry, ſaith the Prodigal's Father, for this my Son was loſt, but is found; was dead, but is now alive. O, how glad ſhould we be of having this Life! For it was loſt, and is now found, and ſhall never more be loſt. O value, value Chriſt, and what is to be had with him! He is infinitely better than your ſelves, and by him you have the beſt of the beſt of things: Life is more precious than all things, but this Life is the Crown of Life.

4. You who have Chriſt, owe more to him than to all the World. Parents have done nothing for you in compariſon of Chriſt; they were Inſtruments of giving Life to you, but they were alſo unhappy Inſtruments of Sin, and of bringing Death upon you; and when they had made you miſerable, and brought you into a World of Miſery, and Danger p. 82of Sin, of every Sin, and of Temptation: They never ſweat drops of Blood, nor ſhed their Blood to ſave you! They reckon they have done much in nurſing and bringing you up, and giving you a Portion of ſuch periſhing things (poor ſtuff!) as they have. But the Son of God, who never did you harm, and whom you never obliged to do you good, ſorrowed, pray'd, wept, ſweat drops of Blood, yea, died a curſed Death to ſave you from everlaſting Death, and to procure everlaſting Life. What have Phyſicians done for you, or can they do, but give ſome eaſe and ſome relief, and for a few days prolong your natural Life? Did they ever bear your Sorrows, or raiſe your Dead, or make your recovered Lives the happier? But the Son hath born our Griefs, and by his Stripes we are healed: (There's a way of healing!) and all the happineſs of life he provided for you. What can Kings and Princes do for you? VVe acknowledge the Bleſſing of Peace and Protection under them. Thouſands, yea, Millions of Lives are loſt in their Quarrels and Wars: But here is the Son, who ſaves his Subjects Lives, raiſeth their p. 83dead Bodies to Life; he is the Prince of Peace and Life, and he that believeth in him ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting Life. O, what love and thanks ſhall be render'd to the Father of Mercy for his Son, and to the Son for Life!

5. Then here is good News to Sinners that are ſenſible of ſin, that know ſomewhat of the Death which they deſerved, and that fear it; that deſire Life, and long for it, but fear and doubt, if not deſpair of Life. O Souls, here's good News for you, for Chriſt and Life are both to be had. If you would have Life, you muſt have Chriſt; and if you have Chriſt, you have Life; both Chriſt and Life are to be had: Life may be had. O! if the Soul cry out and ſay, How, how is Life, the Life of my Soul to be had? The Spirit of God hath told you, and his Servant John, He that hath the Son, hath Life; the way to have Life is to have Chriſt: Have him, and you have Life, that is moſt certain. If the Soul pant, and faint, and pine for Life, and cry out, O when ſhall I be ſo happy as to live? The Anſwer is ready, As ſoon as you p. 84have Chriſt, ſo ſoon you ſhall have Life. Long, long for Chriſt then, make haſte and come; he will receive the Soul whom neceſſity drives.

6. The way of having life is very wonderful and high, yet attainable. It is by Chriſt, and by having Chriſt. God gives life, eternal life to his beloved ones, but not one of them is fit to keep it for himſelf, much leſs for others; it is in his Son. The Son comes down from Heaven in our Natures, and he muſt die, or we cannot have it. We are dead, and love Death in loving the way of Death, and we are under the power of Murderers and Deſtroyers; nay more, we are under a Law of Sin and Death, under the Curſe of God. Chriſt could caſt out Devils with a Word, and deſtroy the Deſtroyers without pain, or ſhedding one drop of Blood; but he could not deliver us from Death under the Sentence and Curſe of the Law, but by Blood. The life of pardon by forgiving Sin, was by precious Blood; for without the ſhedding of Blood there is no remiſſion of Sin, Heb. 9.22. Behold! how coſtly a life is our life? Whence comes it? From p. 85Heaven! By whom? by the Son.By the imputation of his merit, infuſion and communion of his Spirit. Per imputationem, ſc. quae faciunt ad juſtificationem, partim per participationem, quae pro noſtra ſanctificatione & gloria. So thoſe great Divines agree, Bp. Reynold's Life of Chr. and Hoornbeck, as before, p. 801. How by the Son? By his Death and Life, Paſſion and Reſurrection. From what? O wonder at it, it is life fetcht out of the Fire, out of Death and Hell! pluckt out of the Jaws of Devils! and ſecured from all Dangers and Hazards; but then he who hath it hath the Son.

7. Then he who hath Chriſt, is happier in having Chriſt than all other Perſons in the World; for he, and he alone hath life, when and while all other Perſons are dead; dead in Law, dead in Sin, dead to God, and dead to their own Souls Good.

8. Then the only ſure and ready way to eſcape Death, and to be ſure of Life, is to have Chriſt, to come to him, to believe in him, and make him your own. You know the ordinary way is that of the rich Man, Good Maſter, what good thing ſhall I do that I may inherit life? Mat. p. 8619.16.Memorable is the Relation of bleſſed Bilney's Converſion. As the Woman in the Goſpel had conſumed all ſhe had upon Phyſicians, and yet was ſtill worſe and worſe, till ſhe came to Chriſt, &c. Before I came to Chriſt I had likewiſe ſpent all I had upon ignorant Phyſicians; they appointed me Faſtings, Watchings, buying of Pardons, and Maſſes, &c. But at laſt I heard ſpeak of Jeſus, even then when the N. Teſtament was put forth by Eraſmus. At firſt I was allured to read rather for the Latin, than for the Word of God. At the firſt reading I hit upon the Sentence of St. Paul, (O moſt comfortable Sentence to my Soul!) It is a faithful Saying, &c. 1 Tim. 1.15. This did ſo exhilerate my Heart, wounded with the guilt of my Sins, inſomuch that my bruiſed Bones leapt for joy: And then I learnt that all my Travels, all my Faſting and Watches, all the Redemption by Maſſes and Pardons, without Faith in Chriſt, were but an haſty and ſwift running out of the way, or like ſowing Fig-leaves, &c. Neither could I be relieved or eaſed of the ſharp ſtingings of my ſins, before I was taught of God, that as Moſes lift up the Serpent in the Wilderneſs, &c. That whoſoever believeth in him ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting Life, &c. B. of Martyrs, 2 Vol. Letter to Tonſtale.1 Tim 1:15 The way he approved of, was hard, and he went a great way in it; but there was a harder way, and he could not find in his Heart to take it. Souls! Souls! the way is but one, and it is very fair; ſave your pains of Pilgrimages and Cords, and all the deviſed ways of human p. 87Reaſon and Superſtition. The way you know, and me you know, ſaid our Saviour: So ſay I, becauſe his Word ſaith ſo. Have Chriſt, and you ſhall live.

2. Uſe of Exhortation to you all to have the Son. O that I could perſwade you to have Chriſt, and to have him for Life, and ſo to have him, as to have Life by him. Oh! how many have but Notions of him? Some know not as much as the meaning of his Names and Office; and ſuch as their Faith is, ſuch their Life is: A Notional Faith can have but a conceited Life; an imaginary Life, ſuch as will laſt no longer, but while they neglect their Salvation, and receive the Grace of God in vain. O have him, as you have been taught what it is to have him.

I beſeech you go along with me, and ſet Conſideration on work while I perſwade you, and then I will anſwer what you deſire to know. Arguments drawn from neceſſity, and that extream, and from advantage and gain, and loſs, and both the greateſt, are very prevailing. Let the greateſt Wit in the World think if he can, what is more neceſſary, p. 88or equally neceſſary. What Gain comparable to the gain of Life eternal! Or what loſs can come into a compariſon with a loſs of Life! Who can number the Reaſons to perſwade you to have the Son for your Saviour? and if you weigh them, all other things are lighter than Vanity, being put in the Ballance with them. This one Reaſon ſhould perſwade us to have Chriſt, becauſe our life, and all thoſe good, great and glorious things, contained in life, is firſt in Chriſt, and from him in all that have him. Life is firſt in God,So often the great Evangelical Dr. Sibs Expoſ. on the 4 c. 2 Ep. to the Corinth. So in the Excellency of the Goſpel above the Law, p. 418. &c. then in Chriſt Mediator, and then in us who believe. All our Mercies, Bleſſings, Comforts of all kinds and degrees, from Election to Glorification, are firſt in Chriſt, and from him to us. Therefore in having him you have all, as in a Fountain as large as an Ocean, running in a full ſtream to Eternity. O what a thing is this life! It is everlaſting life, begun in Faith in Chriſt and Regeneration, running up hill (a marvellous croſs and hard paſſage) againſt mighty p. 89and unwearied oppoſition of Satan and the VVorld, and our indwelling Corruption, labouring to choak it at the very mouth of it, in our Sanctification, till it run into the vaſtneſs of immeaſurable Eternity. Mark what it is called, It is Life; it is a life of Sentence, (as the Reverend Dr. Sibs often calls it) or Abſolution from the Sentence of the Law and Death. It is a life of Grace, from Chriſt by his Spirit, kindled in a dead Nature; and this is the Spring of Heavenly Glory. The leaſt Beam of the light and life of Grace has more Glory in it, than all the VVorld on this ſide Heaven can ſhew: It is for the Excellency of it called, The life of God, Epheſ. 4.18. And the life of Jeſus, 2 Cor. 4.10, 11. For we which live are alway delivered unto unto Death for Jeſus ſake, that the life alſo of Jeſus might be made manifest in our mortal Fleſh. Nature teacheth Men to prize life above all things; therefore life, whether of Senſe or Reaſon, is the beſt thing in Nature's Orb: But for the life of Grace and Glory, Grace teacheth; Faith which is called a wiſe Grace (by that named Divine) teacheth a gracious Man, who is the beſt of Men, to loſe his life for p. 90Grace, and eternal life! For we which live are always delevered unto Death for Jeſus ſake, &c. And will not this move you to have Chriſt the Son, and life with him! VVhat do you ſtick at? Do you know, that if you have the Son he muſt have you? and that you muſt forſake your Sins, and all the World at his Call? And will you ſtick at theſe things? O what an Act of Grace, Mercy, Pity and love, is it in Chriſt to receive and have you! If Chriſt have you not, the Devil will, and your Enemies ſhall and will have you. What ſhould I ſpeak of Sin, and the pleaſures of Sin, and all the Vanities under the Sun? Will you ſtick at theſe? And not part with them at the firſt word, that you may have Chriſt and Life? I will only ſay to you, if every Hair of your Head were a life of Pleaſure, Wit, Mirth, Diverſion, Riches and Honour, you ſhould part with them all for this life of Grace and Glory. Chriſt paid more for your Redemption for life, than all the lives in the whole World are worth. If you will not forſake Sin, your loathſom Diſeaſe, for life and ſpiritual Health; If you will not deny your ſelves in your Vanities for p. 91Chriſt and the hopes of Glory, how many drops of Blood would you have ſhed for your own Redemption, if ſuch a price had been ſet upon your own Souls? Now Chriſt and Life are offered you for having; how cruel and mercileſs are you to your precious Souls, that will not have them? And O! how happy for ever ſhall you be, if you have life, and that more abundant; more abundant in duration, and confluence of all things to make you fully and for ever happy. Hearken again; That which is to be had is life eternal; it is the life of life; who can deſcribe it? This life is but a Vapour, which appeareth for a little time, and then vaniſheth away, James 4.14. It fleeth as it were a ſhadow, Job 14.2. The natural life is ſuſtained by corruptible earthly matter. The ſpiritual life is a noble Heaven-born life, but encumbred with a mixture of much evil while upon Earth. A life rooted in Chriſt, or it could not continue; a life of continual Contention and Warfare, much clouded and diſtracted with vain Thoughts, Doubts, Fears, Unbelief, Cares for the body, for the Morrow, and things of this life. It hath its good p. 92days and times, foreſights and foretaſtes of Heaven in Communion with God and Chriſt by the Spirit in Ordinances; it hath its Victories, Peace, Increaſe, Comforts and Supports by the way: But when Time is run out into Eternity, and the new Man grown into a perfect Man, then life will appear to be life indeed! That life is a life all of Grace and Holineſs, without one dark or vain thought or indwelling Sin. A life like God's in conformity to him; a life of Viſion, perfect Union and Communion. A life free from any thing that ſhall cauſe Trouble and Repentance. A life without Care for what we ſhall eat, or wherewith we ſhall be clothed: Immortality and Glory ſhall be our Clothing, and the living God, that is a full infinite Fountain, ſhall be our life. A life full of God, Goodneſs, Holineſs, Light, Peace, Joy and ſatisfaction for ever. It is happy now to walk with God, and to be under Grace. O what will it be to be for ever with the Lord? When Adam took his Death by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, he would have made his way to the Tree of Life, but that he was kept off by a Flaming p. 93Sword. But all that have Chriſt ſhall live upon him, as upon a Tree of life, which will yield all manner of Fruit, and ſatisfie every bleſſed one with bleſſedneſs. Have Chriſt, and you ſhall have eternal life immediately upon your believing in Chriſt your Head: Your Soul ſhall enter into eternal life upon your Diſſolution; and Body as well as Soul ſhall have eternal life at the Reſurrection.

Q. But ſome may deſire to know, How they may come at this Eternal Life?

A. The Text is your Direction for that, Have the Son, and you have Life.

Q. But how ſhall I come to have the Son?

1. A. The original and firſt Cauſe of our having the Son, and ſo the firſt way by which we have him, is by God's gracious Act of giving us his Son. As he gave him for us to be a Saviour, ſo he gives him to every Soul prepared by Grace, and that is the Work of the Holy Ghoſt, and ſo we have him. The Spirit of Grace gives to every one that hath Chriſt, underſtanding to know him, and a heart to p. 94receive him; and when we receive him,Whatſoever is wrought in Man, it is by the Spirit; all comes from the Father as the Fountain, and through the Son as Mediator; but whatſoever is wrought it is by the Holy Ghoſt in us. Excel. Dr. Sibs as before, p. 579. Grace is in the Father as a Fountain, in Chriſt as Treaſurer, in the Spirit as Diſpenſer. Excellent Charn. made known and offered to us, then we have him. God ſhines in our hearts, 2 Cor. 4.6. The God of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of Glory giveth the Spirit of wiſdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, Epheſ. 1.17. Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh to me, John 6.45. This is the way by which we come to the Son and have him.

2. But the meaning of the Queſtion may be, What muſt I do? What means may I uſe? Or what manner of Man muſt I be, that I may have the Son? And then I anſwer in this general Sentence or Rule, Then a man may have the Son, when he is made heartily glad to have him, on any Terms, that is, according to the Son's own Propoſals. Here mark. We do not mean by the Word, Terms, Condition, Propoſitions, any Bargain or Exchange, p. 95Price or Commodity of our own,We receive all from Chriſt, being nothing to him. in conſideration whereof we have Chriſt. We find in him all fulneſs, riches and honours: But what have we of our own but Baſeneſs, Poverty and Miſery? This Miſery contracted by ſin, is the Dowry, Cameron. as above-cited in Myrothecio. The Son, as the Son of God, gets nothing by us, nor doth our Union which he affecteth, bring any gain or happineſs to him, but by much loſs and many Sufferings he obtained it. But reſpectu noſtri omnia candida, we receive from him nothing but good and magnificent, and only ſuch things, Hoornb. ubi ſupra, p. 797.which we bring to our Husband Chriſt. I ſay again, then are you prepared to have Chriſt, when you would gladly have him with all your Soul, with all that he requireth of you. He hath ſet down the Terms, your Hearts conſent, you ſubſcribe to them all; as the VVritings are drawn by the Spirit in the Goſpel, you deſire no new Articles, nor abatement of any, but ſtand to his Mercy and Grace: And well you may, for he is VViſdom and Love, Goodneſs, Mercy and Compaſſion, and will enable you to p. 96do and ſuffer all that you bind your ſelf unto.

Q. But when is the Sinner made glad to have him?

A. Then, when he ſeeth, there is but one way for him, if he have him not; that is, when he is under actual ſtrong Apprehenſions and Convictions, that he muſt periſh and die for ever, a Death of Privation of the enjoyment of God in Heaven, yea, and in Earth alſo; when he is humbled, and poor in his own Senſe; when he feels himſelf ſinking into the bottomleſs Pit, under the Burden of his Sin and Guilt.

2. VVhen he finds all Creatures, Helps and Confidences in the Fleſh fail him; Phil. 3.4. When he looks upon his right hand, and upon his left hand, and there is no Helper nor Interceſſor that can ſave him, when he believes for certain, there is Salvation in any other, Acts 4.12. Oh how formidable and terrible doth Hell look with its Flames and utter Darkneſs! How wonderful doth Salvation appear to ſuch a Soul!

p. 973. When he cannot think of being damned without Horror; and not of being ſaved without Wonder and Aſtoniſhment: And then when he hears of the Grace of God in Chriſt, and of the graciouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, his Fulneſs, his Fitneſs, his Compaſſions, his Kindneſs, his willingneſs to ſave every one that comes unto him; O how glad is the miſerable humbled Soul to hear of his Offers, his Invitations to come to him, and his Promiſes to them that come and have him! Thoſe Jews who were pricked in their Hearts, gladly or willingly received the Word (of Advice and Grace in their extremity, and ſoreneſs of heart:) And they who gladly received the Word (of Salvation) were baptized: They by Baptiſm, a ſign of their having him, put on Chriſt and had him. They who are ſick will gladly have the Phyſician; and the Soul that is poor, deſolate, loſt, a Syrian ready to periſh, will moſt gladly have Chriſt for a Covering of their Eyes, for their Head and Husband, when they hear the Record and Teſtimonies, thoſe high Characters and Reports that are given of him. p. 98Mark, a condemned Priſoner,When we behold our ſelves in our Blood, O how comfortable is that word of Grace and Mercy, Live! that fears the Execution, and lies under the terror of Death, will moſt gladly receive his Life at the hands of his Gracious Prince, and ſerve him as his Prince, with the hazard of Life. What will not a Man do for Life! How much for eternal Life!

Q. But how may I be brought to this, to be made glad and willing to have the Son for my Saviour?

1. You muſt awake out of your Sleep and Dreams. And will not the Alarum of Death and Wrath haſtning towards you, awake you? Will not a Cry at Midnight rouze you? The laſt Enemy and the laſt Trump ſtir you? The Drowſineſs of this Generation is a fearful Sign and Forerunner of a Spirit of Slumber, and a dead Sleep. You then that have Ears to hear, hear, and then we ſhall ſhew you how you may have Life Eternal.

p. 992. Hear, read, and ponder upon the Word of God: The more you know and ſeriouſly conſider of theſe things, the better it will be. I ſay, ponder the things, and the drift of them, and do not lay them up as Notions and Hiſtorical Paſſages in a careleſs Head. 1. Underſtand how the caſe of Mankind ſtood before the Fall. 2. How it is with all Mankind under the ruins of that Fall; how we are under Guilt, Sin, Satan and the Curſe; how great our Darkneſs is; how we are all out of the way; what our Enmity is againſt God and true Holineſs; what our Impotency is to turn to God, as without Strength to help or recover our ſelves. 3. How we muſt be reſtored by Jeſus Chriſt alone, Rom. 5.8, 9, 10, 12. &c. 4. What the Goſpel declares to be our Duty, Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, Love, Obedience, Active and Paſſive Obedience and Self-denial, when our Lord calls for us to forſake all, and ſuffer for him. 5. None of theſe things are called for as a price, or Mony, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Iſa. 55.1, 2. The great main thing that is required of you, is your rational, deliberate, free Conſent. Will you have me? p. 100That's the great Queſtion; ſay underſtandingly and ſincerely you will, and you have him who is infinitely worth your having. 6. Study the invaluable worth of your precious Souls, and of your great Saviour, the Son of God, and the Life of your Souls. Know that one thing needful, Luke 10.42. and the firſt thing to be ſought, Mat. 6.33. And tho the Gate be ſtrait, you will enter, becauſe it is unto Life. 7. Think not much of the way of Salvation, but ſubmit to be led into every ſtep of it. It is the Invention of infinite Wiſdom, out of Grace and Mercy. 8. No Man is excluded from Eternal Life, but he that will not believe and have the Son, John 6.37.9. Underſtand what it is to have the Son, and what follows upon our having of him.

Q. How may I know that? O that I knew it better what it is to have him!

A. Beſide what I ſaid before in explaining that Head, I pray take notice, that nothing leſs than having him can ſave you, and give you Life. It muſt therefore be your own Perſonal Act. 1. Whatever p. 101Benefit you received as Priviledge by Parents, and was granted you by the Miniſters of Chriſt, muſt become yours by your own Perſonal Act and Engagement. Faith is a Perſonal Act of Application and Spiritual Union; every Man that hath him hath him for himſelf. This having cannot be done by any other for you. The Friends of the Bridegroom and Proxies may treat and propoſe, but Perſonal Conſent, taking and receiving conſummateth this Spiritual Marriage. He that hath him hath him upon his own knowledge, John 4.42. Now we believe not becauſe of thy Saying, for we have heard him our ſelves, and know that this is indeed the Chriſt, the Saviour of the World.

2. You muſt have the Son, whole Chriſt altogether. Is Chriſt divided? No, you muſt not ſeparate, and take him in one Office, or in one part of his Office, for one Benefit and not for all. You muſt have him for Life, and if you have him not all, he will not be for Life. They who have him not, would have him for forgiveneſs of Sin, and Salvation from Hell, but not for Sanctification; they would have him for their Conveniency and Profit, but would part p. 102with nothing, and do but what they have a mind to; they would have him for their own Ends, but God who ſent and gave him, muſt have his Ends; he muſt be glorified in you, as well as you glorified in Chriſt: Chriſt will never have you, to his Fathers Diſgrace, and his own; he is and will be faithful to his Fathers Intereſt, as well as merciful to you. You muſt have him to ſave you from your Sin, or elſe how can he ſave you from God's Wrath? And if you have him not for Holineſs, how can you love him, if you do not love his Image? And how can you love him, that do not love his Image in your ſelves? If you love him not all, you have him not at all for Life.

3. It is a mutual having: And as we muſt have Chriſt intirely,Ergo in hoc Spirituali conjugio, tota cujuſ que fidelis perſona, anima, ſc. & caro, cum tota Chriſti perſona conjungitur, & fit unum cum illo, una caro, unus homo. Zanch. de Spirituali Connubio, c. 3. Explic. c. 5. ad Epheſ. Toti jungimur cum toto, uti in matrimonio &c. Hoorn. bek. Theol. Practicae, l. 7. c. 3. p. 796. Norton's Orthodox Evangeliſt, p. 285. &c. ſo he will have us intire to himſelf. As in Marriage, the p. 103Parties have one another, Cant. 2.16. My Beloved is mine, and I am is his, my Beloved altogether; and well we may ſo have him, for he is altogether lovely: With him we have the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt; with him we have unſearchable Riches, and of that Fulneſs which dwelleth in him; with him we have Life, and Promiſes, and Priviledges, and hopes of a Crown of Life. The Wonder is, that he would have us; Us, that have nothing that is good in us; not one Grace, or attracting lovely Quality; we are made up of all the baſe and hateful ill Qualities of Sinners. We are vile and poor, till we have him with his Riches; we are blind, and deaf, and dead, till till we have him for Light and Attention, till he open the Heart to attend to the things that are ſpoken by him, Acts 16.14. We are dead till we have him for Life. And after we are recovered and made alive, we are weak, and faint, and diſeaſed; we are in wants and ſtreights, ſubject to great Diſcontents and Complaints. But O! what a Husband is he! He covereth and cureth Infirmities and Defects; he healeth Diſeaſes, ſupplieth Wants, maketh rich; and what doth he p. 104not do, to give full Proofs of his admirable Love, Kindneſs, Patience, Power, and incomparable Goodneſs every way, to make us think our ſelves happy in him! He hath us not for the Good that is in us, but to make us better: But ſuch as we are he muſt have us; our Souls, our Bodies, and all our Faculties and Abilities. Believers are a redemed purchaſed Wife, therefore altogether his, Epheſ. 5.25. He muſt have that little Wit, Reaſon, Wiſdom; he muſt have our Memories to be a Cabinet, a Cloſet, a Store-chamber to lay up, and keep what Goods and Treaſure he brings with him: He muſt have our Wills, our Affections, our Bodies and all our Strength for his Service; and all we have in the World to be at his Command and Diſpoſe, 1 Cor. 6.19, 20. And this the Nature of Faith, as it is ſometimes expreſs'd, to give up our ſelves to the Lord, 2 Cor. 8.5.

4. He who hath the Son, as he ought, muſt have him underſtandingly and cordially, hath, and muſt have him for perpetuity and conſtancy, yea, for Eternity: He hath him not for a time, and then either change him, or caſt him off; but we have him conſiderately, heartily, and p. 105therefore reſolutely. We are fixed in our purpoſes of forſaking all we have left; yea, doubtleſs, and I count all things but Dung; and to have what we account excellent and gainful, that I may win Chriſt, Phil. 3.8. Chriſt comes to us not as a Sojourner, but a Dweller, Epheſ. 3.17. He muſt abide in us, and we in him. Read John 15.5.7.9, 10. In a word, you have Chriſt for everlaſting Life, therefore you have him for everlaſting. Nothing can tempt you to Reſervations, Irreſolutions, and Apoſtacy, but Sufferings; but our Saviour hath armed us againſt all Encounters and Hazards, Mat. 16.24, 25, 26, 27. and in multitudes of other Scriptures. If you can ſay, I will have Chriſt however, for I ſhall be a Saver by him, I'll take him with all that follows, and I know I ſhall make a good bargain, therefore I will have him on any terms, come what will: When a Man can have his Will ſo perpendicularly bent upon Christ, that he will have him tho he leave his Skin behind him; there's a true acceptation of him, Redemption by Chriſt, p. 427.ſaid that zealous Preacher as well as great Scholar, A. B. Ʋſher in one of his Sermons at Oxford, 1640.

p. 106That I may not be too long for my purpoſe, I return to my Exhortation to beſeech you all, as you fear eternal Death, and as you deſire eternal Life, that you would, 1. Make haſte to, and humbly and readily accept of Chriſt, for it is for your Life. 2. That nothing hinder you, or come between you and having Chriſt, as you have been taught; ſtick at nothing, for it is for Life. 3. That you would ſo have him, as to know that you have him: You would not be fully ſatisfied with ſome hopes of a Pardon and Life till you were ſure of it. 4. As you have him for life, ſo make uſe of him for life; not for Notions, for Talk, for Shews, for worldly Advantages, Intereſt in Parties, and Hypocritical Ends; but for Life, to live to God, and to live with God for ever.

Conſider, I beſeech you, what encouragements you have to have Life, that great thing, that one thing needful, Life, Life, Life Eternal: For 1. As Great, as Glorious, as Holy as the Son is, yet you who are poor and humble may have him; you that are ſo poor that you know not how to live, except he will relieve you, and keep you alive, may have him. p. 107I counſel thee to buy of me, (that is, to have of me, at the loweſt rate, yea, nothing of worth) Gold tried in the Fire, that thou mayeſt be rich, &c. Rev. 3.18.

2. And this you will believe, if you believe, as you may and ought, what his gracious and merciful Deſign and End was in becoming our Mediator and Redeemer, and what the Fathers gracious End and Purpoſe was in giving and ſending him, John 3.16. God ſo loved the World, (with a love of Benevolence and Compaſſion) that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting Life. 1 John 4.9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, becauſe he ſent his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him.

3. If you conſider his nearneſs to us in Nature and Blood, tho he be the Son of God, God over all bleſſed for evermore, yet he is the Son in our Nature; and he loveth our Nature, tho he hate our Sin; and the hatefulneſs of our Sins and Corruption doth not hinder his Love nor his Compaſſions, Heb. 2.14, 15, 16, 17.

p. 1084. If you conſider the nearneſs of his Relation: Mediator and Redeemer include and comprehend all Relations, and thoſe Relations are for Union, and that Union is for Life and Communion. He is as near as a Brother, Heb. 2.11. For which cauſe he is not aſham'd to call them Brethren, &c. yea, as a Father. Verſ. 13. And again, Behold I, and the Children which God hath given me. Yea, he is a Beloved, and a Husband, a Bridegroom always in the Fervors of his wonderful pure Love. Chriſt ſo loved his Church, as to give himſelf for it, Epheſ. 5.25.32. 2 Cor. 11.2. O! then take encouragement, and come directly to him! O, have him before you go to Bed this Night!

And now let me direct my Speech to you, who are the occaſion of this Aſſembly in this place. I have opened the Caſe plainly to you, that you may know where to find Life and Salvation, before you die. I am under ſome Diſcouragement and Temptation, becauſe you have lived ſo long without Chriſt, and know ſo little of him, and have no time to live to expreſs your Thankfulneſs, by holy walking for that unſpeakable Gift, p. 109Chriſt, and Life by him: But as late as it is, I know what God can do, and what you muſt have before the End, or Noon of another Day, or you muſt die in your Sins; in thoſe for which you are condemned to die, and more than the Hairs of your Head beſide, even your Thoughts, Words, Deeds, your Omiſſions and Commiſſions; beſides thoſe, you know how earneſtly you beg'd for life, and that for God's ſake, for Chiſts ſake, and that but for an uncertain, ſhort, beggarly kind of Life with Shame, and many other Evils. How welcom would the hopes of Life be if I had any to give you? Would you not receive the King's Pardon if I brought it to you? Would you not have it, and never ask one hour to deliberate or demur upon it? O that you would have what I have to offer to you, upon this one condition of having it, and that if you had a longer Life to ſhew it, you would manifeſt that you have it. I come to you in the Name of God, and his Son Jeſus the Prince of Life, and make you a free Offer of everlaſting life, the life of Juſtification and Pardon, a diſcharge from Condemnation. O! the Patience of God, that hath p. 110let you live ſo long! O! the Mercy of God, that hath let you live to this hour, to hear of life, of this life; and that upon this condition of having his Son Jeſus Chriſt. Had you now had him, you had never have come to that place in that Condition. VVill you have him before you die, that you may not die ternally? There is but this one way left; you need not make Friends and Intereſts, nor make Sums of Mony for this Pardon and Life: Have the Son, and have life this hour, and life for ever: O what an Act of Grace is Juſtification and the pardon of Sin! Rom. 3.24. Being juſtified freely by his Grace, through the redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt. That which coſt Chriſt his Blood, is free to all that are juſtified. Here, a free Offer upon acceptance; and methinks one of you ſhould acknowledge the difference between this free Offer which will be made good,Three were impriſoned for Murder, and 200 l. was promiſed to one to procure a Pardon; 100 l. was paid, and the other was to be paid whenever the Pardon ſhould come. The two Men were executed, this Woman's Husband, and his Brother-in-law, who both agreed, that the whole Sum ſhould be paid if her Pardon could be obtained. if you have Chriſt, and that coſtly Pardon, which was mightily p. 111laboured for, and could not be obtained. Have you not told us, that, to uſe your own words, Tenſcore Pound was promiſed to obtain your Pardon, and two died without it, and you alone was to have the benefit of it, and miſſed of it? Now here is Life offered again, and that Life indeed more worth than the World, yea, than a World of Worlds! O do not refuſe, but have it. And what I ſay to you, I ſay to all preſent before God, for you muſt all die, tho not as theſe Perſons are condemned to die, and die eternally if you have not Chriſt; but if you have him, your Souls ſhall live for ever; and though after your Skin Worms deſtroy theſe Bodies, yet in your Fleſh ſhall you ſee God. O have the Son, and you ſhall have Life; but if not, you ſhall not have Life.

And ſo I come to the Second Doctrin or Propoſition, He that hath not the Son of God, hath not Life.

Theſe Words carry in them a clear and full Determination of the final Caſe of all, And every man that hath not the Son of God. As the Word declares, ſo it p. 112ſhall be with every one that hath not the Son. Unbelief makes Sinners unfit for, and uncapable of everlaſting Life. The words are clear and deciſive, there is no darkneſs nor ambiguity in them. Men may think they have many things, which make them preſume and hope that they ſhall not die, but live. But had they all that ever Pretenders had, and have not Chriſt, this is a ruled caſe in the Book of God, They are all loſt and dead Men, they ſhall never ſee Life.

Not to have the Son of God is a Negative of having him; and not to have Life, is a Privative of having Life. The Reaſons and Truth of this Sentence doth ſpring from the former, He that hath the Son, hath Life; which implies theſe Propoſitions or Doctrins. 1. The Son of God hath Life in him, and is the Saviour of all them that believe; and he alone, excluding all other ways or means, or perſons; neither is there Salvation in any other. 2. He, whoever he be, that would have Life, muſt have the Son. 3. He that hath the Son of God hath Life, and none but he: Therefore he who hath not the Son, hath not Life, becauſe p. 113he alone hath Life who hath the Son of God: And as God did for his great Love give his Son, made this Law abſtract in the firſt Sentence, ſo in Juſtice he hath added this other.

The words are ſo plain and certain, that they need no Proof, but only a laying open of the caſe, that all Men may ſee into themſelves. And the deſire of my Soul is, that by ſeeing how it is, as long as you have not Chriſt, and how it ſhall be for ever, if you will not have him, you may be prevailed upon to believe in Chriſt, to cloſe with him, and cleave to him for Life.

Beſide what was proved in the former Doctrin, from John 3.36. Acts 4.12. Open your Eyes and ſee, open your Ears and hear, and conclude with the Text upon full Proof and Evidence, both in Jews and Gentiles.

1. The Jews had Moſes and the Prophets, Priviledges, Ordinances, Types and Shadows, and Promiſes of Chriſt; but if they had not Chriſt they were loſt and undone, for they had not Life: For God declared and enacted this Law or Rule to be followed in giving Life, John 5.24. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, p. 114he that heareth my Word, and believeth on him (or him) that ſent me, hath everlaſting Life, and ſhall not come into Condemnation, but is paſſed from Death to Life. And again, John 6.40. And this is the Will of him that ſent me, that every one who ſeeeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlaſting Life, and I will raiſe him up at the last day, verſ. 36. But I ſay unto you, ye have ſeen me and believe not. How could they then have everlaſting Life? or eſcape that Sentence, v. 53. Except ye eat the Fleſh, and drink the Blood of the Son of Man, ye have no Life in ye? It is not your eating Bread; and following me for Loaves that can give you Life, but you muſt by Faith eat of Chriſt, and live.

2. All they who believed not are ſeverely threatned with dying in their ſins. I ſaid therefore unto you, that ye that die in your Sins; for if ye believe not that I am he, ye ſhall die in your Sins.

3. All that were ſenſible of Sin and Death, that were ſtung in Conſcience, were to look to him for Cure, John 3.14, 15. and were invited to come to him; Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, &c. Mat. 11.28. But they p. 115who would not come unto him, would not come that they might have Life, John 5.40.

4. They who put away the Word of God from them, judged themſelves unworthy of Eternal Life, Acts 13.46. and were cut off for their Unbelief, Rom. 11.20, 23.

2. Thus God determined concerning the Jews: Let us paſs from them to the Gentiles: Could they have Life who had not Chriſt? If Life and Immortality were brought to Light by the Goſpel, as they were, 2 Tim. 1.10. then they were in Darkneſs before that was brought to Light; and their ſtate before the Goſpel-light did ſhine, and the Goſpel-call did ſound in their Ears, is every where deſcribed to be miſerable and doleful; as, Dead in Sin, as Children of Wrath, Slaves of the Devil, Epheſ. 2.1, 3. Out of the way, Rom. 3.10, 11, 12. And without hope. Epheſ. 2.12.

2. After the Goſpel was preached, it was ſtill certain, He that believed not, and had not the Son, had not Life. To open this, obſerve there was and is but one way, one ſtreight Gate for all Fleſh to enter into Life. For obſerve, 1. When p. 116the Apoſtles were to go into all the World, and to preach the Goſpel to every Creature capable (as the Jews called the Gentiles by way of Contempt) they were to keep to this Rule, He that believeth and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved; he that believeth not ſhall be damned, Mark 16.16. And Paul was ſent to the Gentiles, to open blind Eyes, to turn them from darkneſs to light, that they might receive an Inheritance among them that are ſanctified by Faith that is in me, Acts 26.18.2. When the Goſpel brought forth Fruit, this was the Fruit, they were tranſlated into the Kingdom of his dear Son, Col. 1.13. And as many as were ordained to eternal Life, believed, Acts 13.48. See 1 Theſſ. 1.9, 10. and 1 Cor. 15.11. So we preach, verſ. 3. &c. and ſo ye believed.

3. Conſider what was the principal Subject-matter of the preaching and writing. Was it not Chriſt, and him crucified? 1 Cor. 2.2, 5. Was it not Chriſt Jeſus the Lord? 2 Cor. 4.5. Was it not Faith in Chriſt, the Benefits and Fruits of Faith? Yes certainly. 1. They ſhewed the neceſſity of Faith, and the Righteouſneſs of God by Faith, Rom. 3.22, 28. p. 1172. The great Bleſſing, the Juſtification of Life by Faith, Rom. 3.25, 26, 30. Chap. 5.1. Being therefore juſtified by Faith, we have Peace with God, &c. and Salvation, which is the Conſummation of all Bleſſedneſs and Life in Perfection, Epheſ. 2.8. By Grace ye are ſaved, and that through Faith. Receiving the End of your Faith, the Salvation of your Souls, 1 Pet. 1.9. 3. They forewarned all of the danger of Unbelief, Heb. 3.18, 19. c. 4.2, 3. See the Heads of Doctrin preached by Paul to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 15.3, 4, 5. 4. How many Arguments are ſpent in perſwading to Perſeverance, and how many flaming Threatnings are drawn to deter from everlaſting Deaths, from the 23d Verſe of the 10th to the Hebrews, to the end of the 12th Chapter? All this ſerves to convince every conſidering Perſon, that as Life and Power to ſave all Men is in Chriſt, and that they who would live muſt have him; ſo they who have him not, ſhall certainly periſh.