The Gospels Glory, Chapter 2
CHAP. II,
Containing the firſt great truth, which is this: that there is no ſalvation for any man by the Law, or by any other means ſave onelyonly by Jeſus Christ.
SECT. 1.
Having drawn up four choice truths of ſaving knowledge abſolutely neceſſary to everlaſting bleſſedneſs and ſound comfort, compactly delivered by the holy Apoſtle in this portion of Scripture; I 1. Doct. No ſalvation but by Chriſt. Gal. 3. 21, 22.come now to handle thoſe four truths at large: the firſt of them is this.
There is no ſalvation for any man by the Law, or by any other meanes whatſoever, but onelyonly by Jeſus Christ.
If there had been a Law given which could have given life, Verily righteouſneſſe ſhould have been by the Law: but the Scripture hath concluded all under ſinne, ſaith this Apoſtle, that the promiſe of faith of Jeſus Chriſt might be given to them that beleeve; Theſe are oppoſite; the Law and the Promiſe; the concluding of all under ſin and the giving of life and righteouſneſs; the faith of Jeſus Chriſt whereby we believe, and the works of the Law; the giving of the promiſe which is a reward reckoned of grace to him that believeth, Rom. 4. 3, 4, 5and the paying of a debt which is a reward to him that worketh. If then the Law could ſave, there had been no need of the Promiſe; the Promiſe were in vain; nevertheleſs the Law is not againſt the Promiſe, but it ſhuts all men up to the Promiſe, where life and righteouſneſs is alone to be had by believing in Ieſus Chriſt. But may there not be found ſome other name beſides, or together with Ieſus Chriſt by which a ſinner may be ſaved? for anſwer, hear the Apoſtle Peter as the mouth all the reſt of the Apoſtles, ſa…ing to all men, and to all the people o… Iſrael: Jeſus Chriſt Acts 4. 10, 11, 12of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raiſed from the dead, is the ſtone which was ſet at n…ught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner: neither is there ſalvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given amon… men, whereby we muſt be ſaved. Let us yet ſee how all things are utterly unable to ſave a ſinner.
SECT. 2.
Firſt, the Law cannot deliver a ſinner; 2. Not by the Law Moral as a Covenant. Rom. 10. 5 Gal. 3. 10.not the Law moral; neither as it a Covenant given to mankind; which ſaith, Do this and thou ſhalt live: for ſo man being found to faile in doing, he falls from the promiſed life; and on the contrary, the Law having this penalty covenanted, curſed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them; every ſinner falleth under the curſe; as many therefore as will ſtand by the Law, muſt of neceſſity fall under the curſe. But may A Commandmentnot the Law as it is a Commandment, deliver us from ſin? no, neither as it is a holy Commandment can it do it; for ſo it manifeſteth ſin; by the holy Commandment, we come to the knowledge of ſin, which is nothing elſe but a ſwerving from that Ceremonial. Heb. 9▪ …, 9 24 Col. 2. 17.perfect rule; nor can the Ceremonial Law deliver the whole excellency of that Law conſiſteth in ſignifying and ſhadowing out …eſus Chriſt. The Sacrifices there commanded did make nothing perfect, they took not away ſin, for then they needed not to have been offered up to God again and again; their waſhings and ſprinklings did not cleanſe the conſcience, that Heb. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4. Heb. 9. 9. Heb. 10. 5. 6. Pſal. 40. 6, 7. Gal. 3. 24.whole Law was a carnal commandment; God while he required them, rejected them as inſufficient: this was their right uſe, to lead them to Chriſt, and to teach that ſalvation was to be had in him onelyonly, and not in them. Again, as for the moral Law, theſe two things the Scripture affirmes concerning it. 1. The Law cannot ſave. 2. The Law cannot ſave. Irenaeus lib. 3. adverſus Haer. c 20 Veniens lex quae data eſt per Moyſen, & teſtificans de peccato, quoniam peccator eſt (Adam) regnum quidem ejus abſtulit, (Adae ſcilicet) latronem & non regem eum detegens, & homicidam eum oſteodit. Oneravit autem hominem, qui peccatum babebat in ſe, reum mortis oſtendens eum, ſpiritualis enim cùm lex eſſet, manifeſtavit tantummodo peccatum, non autem interemit: dominibatur peccatum, ſed homini. Nor was given of God to ſave.The Law was never given of God to that end that a ſinner might thereby be ſaved. The Law cannot ſave: for, Firſt, the Law commands righteouſneſſe, but giveth no ſtrength to do what it commands, nor reſtoreth any loſt ſtrength. The Law promiſeth life, but it is to him that perfectly keepeth it; It promiſeth no good to a ſinner. Secondly, none can keep the Law, therefore none can by the Law attaine to righteouſneſſe through the weakneſſe of the fleſh, the diſability of fraile man to continue in all to do it, the Law is become impotent for juſtification. And without righteouſneſſe it is impoſſible there ſhould be life; or that there ſhould not be death and the curſe. Thirdly, If a ſinner could keep the Law for time to come, yet by the Law no good to him; becauſe he muſt firſt anſwer for his former tranſgreſſions, and dye the death, accurſed of God his Maker becauſe of them. The Law was not given of God, that righteouſneſſe and life might be Rom. 3. 20 & 7. 7. Ver. 9. 14. & 7. Ver. 13.obtained thereby: but it was given, that by it a ſinner might come to the knowledg of ſinne; that he might know what is ſin; that luſt, or coveting is ſinne; that our natures are wholly polluted, and that we For what ends the Law was given.are carnal, ſold under ſinne, who can hold no proportion to the plat-forme of righteouſneſſe which the Law delivers, and who have on us a very neceſſity of ſinning; and that he might know the ſinfulneſſe of ſinne. It was given, that it might work wrath; that is, the ſenſe and apprehenſions of Gods deſerved wrath. It was Rom. 4. 15.given, that the perfect holineſſe, and exact rigour of the juſtice of it might batter down all confidence in humane goodneſſe, power of free-will, works of our righteouſneſſe; priviledges external, or any of our performances; and pound to pieces all confidence in the fleſh. It was given, to provoke ſinne. It was given, to Rom. 7. 8convince of our utter diſabilities. It was given, to arreſt, attach, impriſon the jolly Gal. 3. 22.ſecure ſinner, and to conclude all under ſinne, that they might be glad to come to Chriſt in the promiſe. It was given, that through the Law, we might for ever Gal. 2. 19.be dead to the Law; therefore the Law is a killing letter, (not a dead letter, no 2 Cor. 3. 6, 7.part of the Word of God is a dead letter; for then it could not be of ſuch power as to be a killing letter) and the Mi…iſtry of it, is the Miniſtry of death and of condemnation. Laſtly, It was given, that unto thoſe that being dead to it, and brought to faith in Jeſus Chriſt for righteouſneſſe and life, it might be a rule of holy life, a light and lamp, and the royal Law to guide into all well-doing; and contains the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. Now for the uſe of this The uſe to be made of this. 1.truth; firſt,
This confutes and condemns the folly of divers ſorts among us.
1. Of thoſe that think to be ſaved by their good meanings, good intentions or purpoſes; their prayers, and the works of righteouſneſſe which they have done, or intend to do.
2. Of thoſe who think to be ſaved, becauſe they hope they do no body any wrong; or becauſe they are, as they call it, of a good nature, and of a gentle, good and loving diſpoſition, and of a ſweet temper: or becauſe they break not out into great and notorious ſinnes, of theft, murther, adultery, profane ſwearing, and curſed ſpeaking, with the like: or, if they have been guilty of ſuch ſtaring abominations, yet they do many good works, which ſet againſt their evil works will anſwer for them, and they are perſwaded will weigh them down: or, they reſt upon their civility and morality with the love and good report of all their Neighbours.
3. Thoſe alſo that think to be ſaved by a devotion taught by the precepts of men, or by obſerving a form of Religion and of Godlineſſe.
4. Thoſe likewiſe are condemned here, who hold and teach, and ſeek juſtification by works; theſe ſo remaining can never Rom. 9. 32. & 10. 3, 5, 6.attain to the righteouſneſſe of God, which is not a righteouſneſſe of works, but of faith.
Secondly, This alſo teacheth the true Ʋſe 2 and right uſe of the Law, as to the point of life and righteouſneſſe, of juſtification and ſalvation; which is briefly delivered by Paul, who in his own perſon gives us one that is taught of God thereby, when he ſaith, I through the Law, am dead to the Law, (never more looking for righteouſneſſe and juſtification of life that way) that I might live unto God, Gal. 2. 19. No life but through this death; never thus dead but through the Law when it comes; the Law comes, ſinne revives, and we dye; and this dying is the way to life, even to a living unto God.
SECT. 3.
Secondly, No ſinner can work his own 2. A ſinner cannot ſave himſelf, for ſix reaſons.deliverance; for,
1. We are weak and without ſtrength, Rom. 5. 6. There is no ſtrength in us to fulfill the Law: no ſtrength to ſatisfie the juſtice, and ſo turn away the wrath of God: much leſſe is there ſtrength in us to recover our loſt integrity, nor to keep it, if we had it again reſtored to us: no ſtrength to help our ſelves, to meet the Lord in the wayes of his ſaving grace, or to chooſe and walk in the way that is call'd holy; no ſtrength for any ſervice unto God.
2. We are fleſh, and in the fleſh; that is, wholly corrupted with ſin, under the power and reign of ſin; the poyſon of the Old Serpent hath run like water into our bowels, and like oyle into our bones; from the ſpirit of our mindes to all our outward members we are leprous, all unclean, and ſoaked in iniquity, conceived in ſinne, and ſhapen in wickedneſſe: we Rom. 5. 6, 8.are ſinners and ungodly, when God in Chriſt by his death comes in love and …ity to redeem us; we lie in our bloo… untill he ſaith to us Live; we are dead in ſin and treſpaſſes, till he q…icken us; and how can ſuch pleaſe God? they cannot do Rom. 8. 8.it.
3. We are enemies unto God; our Rom. 5. 10. & 8. 7. Col. 1. 21. 2 Cor. 10: 3, 4, 5.wiſdome, our ſavour and ſmatch is enmity unto God. We are enemies in our mindes, becauſe they are on evil works; our principles, our thoughts, our reaſonings, our imaginations are high things lifted up in rebellion againſt the knowledg of God, and the obedience of Chriſt: and as ſtrong holds fortified and kept in a deſperate Warre againſt the Spirit of the Lord, which in the Miniſtry even of the Goſpel comes forth to bring us into a bleſſed captivity, and ſubdue us and our very hearts (the worſt part of man) unto himſelf, and to his obedience; the carnal minde of man is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither can be; there is no good to be done with it; put it off, Rom. 8. 7.mortifie it, crucifie it, crucifie the fleſh with the affections and luſts thereof; for that is all the good that can be done with it; good it will never be: but we muſt be in the Spirit, and the Spirit of Chriſt dwell in us to enable us to ſuch work, or elſe we have no will, no heart to it. Rom. 8. 13.Oh then how farre are all men from any ability to work their own deliverance!
4. We ſee not our ſinfulneſſe, nor our miſery: nor can, nor will be brought to ſee it by any other means than by the Scripture, the written Law of God, which is the only glaſſe in which we can truly ſee our ſelves, James 1. 23.Rom. 7. 7.
5. Though the Law hath not loſt it's rectitude, yet our weakneſſe to keep it maketh the Law (by accident) to be the more againſt us. And
6. Notwithſtanding all this that hath been ſpoken, we yet are full of high thoughts of our ſelves, we are proud and ſecure ſinners; and are naturally bent to ſeek to eſtabliſh our own righteouſneſſe. For the uſe of this, The conſideration The uſe of this.hereof ſhould take us wholly off our own legs, and bring us to ſelf-denial. It ſhould cauſe us to deliver up our ſelves to the Law, that we might be throughly convinced of theſe things, and that the Spirit might be in and through the Law, a Spirit of bondage in us, and we might be glad at heart of a Saviour that can deliver us.
SECT. 4.
Thirdly, No meer creature can poſſibly 3. No meer creature can ſave a ſinner, for ſix reaſons. Matth. 16. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 18▪deliver us; for
1. No creature is above the Law. If the Law of God cannot give life, it is not in the power of the creature to do it. The Creator alone is above the Law.
2. No creature, nor the whole Creation hath in it a worth to be a price of value for a ſoul. All the treaſures of both the Indies, all things in this world, becauſe corruptible things, are not ſo excellent as a ſoul: and the price of the Redemption thereof at the hands of God is too high for men and Angels: it ceaſeth for ever in reſpect of the creature, Pſal. 49▪ 6, 8.
3. Whatever any creature can do, he owes it for himſelf, and does but his duty.
4. Grant yet, that ſome creature could give help, could there be any ſalvation? for then, for this very cauſe we ſhould be ſervants unto the creature; and this were to bring us into bondage, and not into liberty: they are not their own who are bought with a price; if the creature did lay down the price, we were the creatures ſervants, which to be, is abſolute ſlavery.
5. Our evils are greater than can be removed by creatures; yet removed they muſt be, if any of us be ſaved; and our good, that we may be happy, is greater than can be by them communicated. The evil is, the infinite wrath of God, the guilt and damning nature of ſinne ſtanding in force, and confirmed by the ſtrength of an eternal perfect Law, the Empire of ſin and death, the power of the Divel that ſtrong armed man of whom we read, Luk. 11. 21, 22. The good we ſtand in need of, is a righteouſneſſe above the righteouſneſſe of the Law; a Reſurrection as well ſpiritual as corporal; the communication of the divine nature, eternal life, and a bleſſedneſſe excelling the bleſſedneſſe of Adam in Paradiſe, and a Kingdom which cannot be ſhaken. All and every of theſe are beyond any created power to give or take away.
6. No creature could ever think of the way, manner or means whereby we might be delivered. The world, in the wiſdome of God, upheld for ſome thouſands of years in its wiſdome and abilities, by its wiſdome knew not God, much leſſe could finde out the way of peace and …reconciliation for ſinners with the God that made them, 1 Cor. 1. 21. Markinde was continued, and their rational power ſuſtained, and the work of the Law written in their hearts was apparent in them, and yet, with all the glory of God in his works of Creation and general providence preaching to them, they periſhed in their vain imaginations; and profeſſing themſelves wiſe in ſearching to finde out God, they became fools, corrupted Gods glory, and turned his truth into a lye unto themſelves, Rom. 1. 21. & 2. 14. And as for the holy Angels, they could not finde out the way of mans reconciliation; for they come to know it by the Church, Epheſ. 3. 10.
SECT. 5.
And fourthly, as for any other means; what can enter into mans heart, but the 4. Nor any other means.offering of Sacrifices, even to thouſands of Rams, or ten thouſands of Rivers of oyle, a thing impoſſible to be had: or the giving of the ſonnes of our bodies, for the ſinnes of our ſouls, a bloody and as fond as deſperate a courſe, or the building of Temples to God? but all theſe, with ſuch like, God rejects, Micah 6. 6, 7. Iſa. 66. 1, 2, 3.
Now theſe are the uſes unto which we ſhould put this Doctrine.The uſe of this.
Firſt, to ſhew our loſt eſtate by nature, to put us all among the loſt. All men are helpleſſe and hopeleſſe in reſpect of themſelves or any other creature.
Secondly, To ſtrip us of all fig-leaves; lay us naked, and to ſhut us up to Chriſt.
Thirdly, To endear Jeſus Chriſt unto us, that we may ſay, Give me Chriſt, or elſe I dye.
And fourthly, to form us to a readineſs to be any thing that God would have us to be, that Chriſt may be ours.