Christ Crucified, Sermon 34
SERMON XXXIV.
ISAIAH LIII.IX.
Verſ. 9. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, becauſe he had do…e no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
THis is a moſt wonderful Suj…ct that we have to think and ſ…eak of, which concerns the …uff… rings that our bleſſed Lord was pleaſed to undergo for ſinn…rs; And this makes it to be the more wonderful …hen we conſider what he was made, and what his carriage was; He was numbered with the tranſgreſſours, and gave his grave with the wi…ked; And yet he hath this te…imony that there was no violence in his hands, nor any deceit in his mouth; He was a ſinleſs Mediator not only before men, but before God.
Theſe words conſidered in themſelv…s, hold out a little ſum and ſhort compend of an holy walk, moſt perfectly and exactly fulfilled in the converſation of Jeſus Chriſt; He had done no violence, or, there w…s no violence in his hands, that is, there was no ſinful deed contrary to the Law of God in all his practice and walk, And there was no deceit, or no guile in his mouth▪ that is, no ſinful or decei…ful expreſſion: Io…um, neither in deed nor in word was there ſin in him; He did wrong to none by his deeds, and he deceived no body by his words; This guile or deceit as it looks to the firſt Table of the Law, imports, th t there was no falſhood nor corrupt Doctrine in his Miniſtry; He did not beguile nor ſe…uce the ſouls of any in leading them wrong; And as it looks to the ſecond Table of …he Law more immediatly, it imports that he was ſincere and upright, that there was no deceit, no violence or diſ…embling in his carriage; ſo that whether we look to him …s God's publick Servant in the Miniſtry, or to him in his privat walk, he was compleatly innocent and without all ſin, as the word is, 1 Pet 2 22 Who did no ſin, neither was guile …ound in his mouth; However men accounted of him, he was an innocent and ſinleſs Saviour.
If we look on them as they depend on the former words, they are a reaſon of that diff…rence which in his death and buria… God did put betwixt him and others; Though he was by wicked men put to death as a wicked perſon, yet God in his providence ſo ordered the matter that he was honourably buried with the rich; Why ſo? T…is is the reaſon of it, becauſe though they eſteemed him a falſe Prophet and a Dec…iver, a Wine-bibber, &c. Yet he had done no wrong to any, neither by word nor by deed, and therefore God would have that reſpect pu… on him after his death in his burial, and ſo a remarkable difference to be made betwixt him and others.
Obſerve hence, 1. That our Lord Jeſus, the High Prieſt of our profeſſion that laid down his life for ſinners, is compleatly and perfectly holy; He hath th…t teſtimony from the Prophet here, that He did no violence, neither was there any deceit in his mouth; He hath this teſtimony from the Apoſtles▪ from Peter, 1 …et. 2.22. He did no ſin neither was any guile found in his mouth; From John 1. John 3▪ 5 He was manifested to take away ſin, and in him is no ſin; And from Paul▪ Heb. 7.27. He was holy and harmleſs and undefiled▪ ſeparate f…om ſinners; In this reſpect there is a difference betwixt him and all men in the world: And i… w…s neceſſary and requiſite for Believers conſolation that it ſhould be ſo, It became us, ſaith the Apoſtle, to have ſuch an High Priest, 1. If we conſider the excellency of his perſon, he could not be otherwiſe, being God and Man in one Perſon, and having the fulneſs of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily. 2. It was neceſſary if we conſider the end of his Offices, he being to offer up an acceptable Sacrifice to God, behoved to be holy and harmleſs, otherwiſe neither the Prieſt nor the Sacrifice could have been acceptable. 3. It was neceſſary if we conſider the dignity of his Office; It behoved him to differ from the former Prieſts under the Law; And if he had not been without ſin he ſhould not have ſo differed from them. 4. It was neceſſary for the perſons for whom he undertook theſe Offices; Such a High Prieſt became them, and another could not have done their turn; All theſe we will find to be put together, Heb. 7.26, 27. Where the Apoſtle having ſaid, verſ. 25. That he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt theſe that come unto God through him, ſubjoyns, For ſuch an High Prieſt became us, who is holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, made higher then the heavens, who needeth not daily as theſe high Prieſts to offer up ſacrifices first for his own ſins, and then for the ſin of the people; The moſt holy of all the Prieſts had ſins for which they behoved to offer Sacrifices, and ſo had the holieſt of the pople, but Chriſt was holy and blameleſs and had no ſin, and it behoved him to be ſo; As I ſaid juſt now, his ſacrifice could never have been accepted for others if he had needed to offer up ſacrifices for himſelf.
The Uſes are theſe; Not to ſpeak how it vindicats our Lord Jeſus Chriſt from all theſe aſperſions caſt upon him by wicked men, who called him a Glutton, a Wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and Sinners, a Deceiver, &c. He was holy and harmleſs, and ere long he will gloriouſly appear to be holy, when theſe who pierced him ſhall ſee him and be confounded; I ſay, the Uſes are theſe, in reference to the Church and People of God; It ſerves 1 To ſhew the condeſcendency of love, and the contrivance of infinite wiſdome for the behove of ſinners, Such a high Prieſt became us; Love condeſcended and wiſdome contrived that he ſhould become man and ſuffer, the juſt for the unjust; Wiſdom ſet on work by grace provided for ſinners ſuch a High Prieſt as they ſtood in need of; And indeed ſinners have no want here, for they have a High Prieſt becoming them, and this is an evidence of it, that he is holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, &c. 2. It ſerves to be a great ground of encouragement to ſinners, to ſtep to, and make uſe of Chriſts Sacrifice, our Lord had no ſin, and needed not to offer a Sacrifice for himſelf; And if he offered Sacrifice for atonement, wherefore did he ſo? It was either for himſelf, and that could not be, for he was holy; or for nothing or for no end, and to ſay ſo were blaſphemy, or it muſt be for a real ſatisfaction for Elect ſinners, or ſuch as ſhould make uſe of him; And thus Faith hath a ſure ground to lay hold on▪ and namely that his ſatisfaction was real; And that it was for this end, to be made forth-coming for the behove of ſuch as ſhould believe on him, And therefore look upon Chriſt's ſuffering, and upon his innocency who ſuffered, and ye will find that ye have a ſuitable High Prieſt and atonement made for you; O but that is a ſweet word, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He hath made him to be ſin for us who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him.
3ly. It's ground of great conſolation to them that betake themſelves to Chriſt, why? our Lords Sacrifice cannot but be accepted, for there was in him no guile, nothing that might make his Sacrifice unſavoury; and as it commends the way of Grace to a ſinner, ſo it is ground of encouragement to a ſinner to look to be accepted through him; for if the temptation ſhould ſay, thou art a ſinner, and ſuch and ſuch a great ſinner; that is nothing to purpoſe, for God hath accepted of Chriſt and of his Sacrifice, and if thou make uſe of his Sacrifice, it cannot but be accepted for thee; here then is the conſolation, that we have ſuch an High-Prieſt▪ as became us, who needed not to offer for himſelf, but only for the ſins of the People and of his own People.
4ly. It ſerves notably for our imitation; He was holy, and in his holy walking hath left us a copy to write a…ter and to walk by; and therefore in your ſpeaking of Chriſts Holineſs, or in your reading of it, conſider that he is thereby caſting a copy to you, and bidding you purifie your ſelves as he is pure, to … holy as he who hath called you is holy; learn of him to be meek and lowly in heart, to be humble and heavenly-minded, and in whateve… reſpect his life and walk is propoſed to us as a patern, ſet your ſelves in his own ſtrength to imitate it, and be ye followers of him as dear children; whenever ye read o… his obedience to the death, of his holineſs in all m…nner of converſation, and of his fulfilli…g all righteouſneſs, let it provoke you ſingly and ſeriouſly to deſign and endeavour conformity to him therein in your practice.
2ly. From the connexion of theſe two, That he was accounted a ſinner before and at his death, and that after his death God did put that note of reſpect upon him, that he was buried with the rich becauſe he had done no violence &c. but was holy and harmleſs in his life. Obſerve, That however Holineſs may ſuffer as long as holy perſons live, yet at death and after death, there is ever a teſtimony of the Lords reſpect put on it; or thus holy walkers are always ſeperated and differenced from others as their de…th it's ever otherwiſe with them than it is with others when death comes, however it hath been with them in their life, He made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, becauſe he had done no violence, &c. This hath been confirmed in the experience of all that ever lived; The rich glutton Luke 16. hath the better life as to externals, and Lazarus had a poor …ffl…cted life▪ but when death comes, the rich glutton goes to Hell, and Lazarus goes to the boſom of Abraham: This is laid down as a certain truth. Eccleſ. 8.12, 13. Th…ugh a ſinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet ſurely I know that it ſhall be well with him that fears God, but it ſhall not be well with the wicked, there ſhall be a change at death; and it cannot be otherwiſe, whether we look 1. To the holy Nature of God who hath a complacency in Holineſs, as it's ſaid Pſal. 11. ult. The righteous Lord loveth righteouſneſs, his countenance doth behold the upright: Or whether 2. We look to the Word of God, which Iſa. 3.10, 11. bids ſay to the righteous, It ſhall be well with them, for they ſhall eat of the fruit of their doings, (for bleſſed are the dead which die in the Lord, they rest from their labours and their works do follow them,) but we unto the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands ſhall be given him, the ſame connexion that was betwixt Chriſt's life, though a ſuffering life and his death, ſhall be betwixt the life of all his Members and their death. If we ſuffer with him, we ſhall alſo reign with him.
The Uſes are, 1. To let us ſee what is the true w…y to eternal well-being when this ſhort life ſhall be at an end▪ and it is the way of Holineſs; and ſo it ſerves to anſwer a great queſtion, who ſhall be happy at their death? even they that are holy in their life; whoſe hands have done no violence, and whoſe mouth hath had no guile, to wit, with the full benſil of their will, and without all gracious reluctation, for abſolute freedom from theſe in this life was proper only to our Lord Jeſus ſince Adams fall: Such may expect the Lords countenance when death ſeparats their ſoul and body, therefore take this as a mark for tryal obſerve and ſee what is your carriage, and judge accordingly; and ſeing the Lord hath joyned Holineſs and Happineſs together inſeparably, preſume not to ſeparate them.
2ly. Is it ſo that Holineſs hath a good and comfortable cloſe of a man's life, (which is the ſubſtance of the Doctrine,) it would commend to us the ſtudy of Holineſs as the moſt precious, advantagious, honourable, ſick…r and ſafe courſe that a man can follow; Say to the righteous it ſhall be well with him; it's not▪ ſay to the honourable man▪ n…r ſay to the rich man, nor to the wiſe man, &c. God hath not cho…en many of theſe, as is clear 1 Cor. 1.26. bu… ▪ ſay to the righteous or holy man; it ſhall be we…l with him; and is her… any thing that ſhould have ſo much influence on men, and take them ſo much up, as how to be well in the cloſe? Folk may have a fighting life of it here, and may ſuffer much, and be under reproach for a time, as Chriſt was; but if thou be holy, ere thy Body be laid in the Grave it ſhall be well with thy Soul: And as for all who have choſen the way of Holineſs, we are allowed to ſay this to you, that it ſhall be well with you at death and after death, at Judgment and even for evermore; To them (ſaith the Apoſtle Rom. 2.9.) who by patient continuance in well-doingr ſeek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life; O how many great and good things are abiding all the honeſt-hearted Students of Holineſs? Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived what they are.
3ly. It's ground of expoſtulation with them that neglect and ſlight Holineſs; As it will be well with the Righteous or Holy, ſo they ſhall have a miſerable and deſperate lot of it who either deſpiſe or neglect Holineſs, Wo to the wicked (ſaith Iſaiah 3.1….) it ſhall be ill with him; Some of you may think that ye are rich and honourable, are well cloathed, fit in fine Houſes, and have richly covered Tables, when poor Bodies are keeped at the door, and are deſtitute of theſe things; and are ready to bleſs your ſelves as being well, though ye care not for, nor ſeek after Holineſs; but wo unto you, for ye muſt die and go to the bottomle…s Pit, and there ye will not get ſo much as a drop of water to cool your Tongues in theſe tormenting Flames; neither your Riches, nor Honours, nor Pleaſures, will hold off the heat and fury of the vengeance of God, nor in the …e…ſt eaſe you in your ex…ream pain; but as it is Rom. 2.9▪ Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguiſh (four ſore words) wi…l be upon every ſoul of man that doeth evil; O d… ye believe this? …'s the truth of God and a very plain truth, and we are perſwaded none of you will dare downright to deny it; Holineſs will have a ſweet and comfortable cloſe▪ and the neglect of it will have fearful eff…cts following on it; what is the reaſon then that Holineſs is ſo little thought of a…d followed? do ye believe that ye will die? and think ye ever to come to Judgment, or to hear that word, Come ye bleſſed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you, for I was hungry and ye fed me, naked and ye cloathed me, &c. O what will become of many of you; when the Lord Jeſus will be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels i…flaming fire, to render vengeance to all them who know not God, and who obey not the Goſpel? and will ſay to you, Depart ye curſed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for when I was hungry ye fed me not, &c. this is, I grant, a general truth, yet if it be not received, we know not what truth will be received, and if it were received, the practice of Holineſs would be more ſtudied; there would be leſs Sin and more Prayer, Reading, Meditation, more ſeeking after Knowledge, and more watchfulneſs and tenderneſs in Folks Converſation; always, in this the Lord ſhews the connexion that is betwixt Holineſs and H…ppineſs, and h…re ye have the copy and pattern of an examplary walk.
3ly. From this, that the holi…eſs and blam…nle…e…s of Chriſt here ſpoken of▪ is marked in him as peculiar to him, for it fits him to be a High Pri…ſt, and proves that only he could be the Prieſt that …uited and became us an… that no other could do our turn, as the Apoſtle r…aſons Heb 7 26, 27, 28. For the law maketh men priests that have infirmity, but the word of …he oath which was ſince the law maketh the ſon who is conſecrated for evermore; From this I ſay▪ Obſe…ve, That all men, even the moſt holy, except Chriſt (who was both God and Man,) a e ſinful and not one of them ſinleſs while living here on earth, and the re…ſon is, bec…u…e … any were ſinleſs, then this that is ſaid here would not be peculiar to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that He di… no violence▪ neither was there deceit …n his mouth; This being a ſingular character of our High Pri…ſt that none of his Types could cl…m to, it excluſively agreeth to him ſo as it agreeth to none other; The Scripture is full to this purpoſe, in aſſerting, that not only all m…n are ſinn…rs as conſidered in thei… natur…l condition, but that even B…lieve… are ſinful in part; for the ſame Apoſtle John that ſai…h, 1 Epiſt 1.3. Truly, our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt, ſaith alſo verſ. 8. If we ſay we have no ſi…, we deceive our ſelves, and the truth is not in us; and verſ 10. If we ſay that we have not ſinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us; and 1 Kings 8.46. and Eccleſ. 7.20. There is no man that doth good and ſinneth not, plainly inſinuating, that all have need of an Interceſſou…: We ſhall not inſiſt in this, only from theſe words compared with the ſcope, making it peculiar to Chriſt to be without ſin, and implying, that none other are ſo, we would conſider the neceſſity of its being ſo, 1. For differencing and ſeparating of Jeſus Chriſt from all others, by putting this d…gnity on him, of being holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, this is his prerogative and badge of honour above others. 2. It's neceſſary for this end, to demonſtrate the need that there is of his offering himſelf a Sacrifice for ſinners, and that it was not for himſelf, but for ſinners that he offered up himſelf, and that there is a continual neceſſity of making uſe of that Sacrifice, for if there were not a continuance of ſin in part while Believers are out of Heaven, there would be no need of this part of Chriſts office; if we were holy and harmleſs our ſelves we needed not ſuch an High Prieſt.
Uſe 1. To eſtabliſh us in the faith of this Truth, That among all men there is none that were true men, except Chriſt, that is without ſin; ſin is ſtill abiding in them while in this world; of none of them all it can be ſaid, that they have done no violence, neither is there any deceit in their mouth; none of them could ever ſay ſince Adam fell, the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me; yea this is a ſpecial qualification of Chriſt Jeſus for his Prieſt-hood; that he was without ſin, and behoved to be ſo; I am not pleading that ſinners ſhould take a liberty to ſin becauſe there is no perfection to be win at in this life, God forbid; wo unto them that make ſuch an uſe of this truth; nor do I ſpeak of it to allow any to diſpenſe with▪ or to give way to themſelves to ſin; for we ſhew before, that Chriſt is here propoſed as our Patern, and we are bidden purifie our ſelves as he is pure: But this we ſay, that none living here on the earth are without ſin; the moſt perfect men that are on this ſide Eternity, carry about with them a body of death, called five or ſix times ſin, Rom. 7. that hath actual luſtings, and a power as a law of ſin to lead captive, and that makes the man guilty before God.
Uſe 2. For reproof to two ſorts of enemies to this Truth, 1. Theſe inveterate enemies of the Sacrifice of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to wit the Papiſts, that black train that follows Antichriſt, who plead for a perfection according to the law as attainable in this life, ſaying down two grounds to prove this perfection. 1. That the inward luſtings, or firſt riſings and mo…ions at leaſt of the body of Death, are no ſins: And 2. Their exponing of the law, ſo as it may ſuit to their own apprehenſion and opinion, yet ſo as they ſay, that every Believer or godly Perſon wins not to this perfection to keep the law wholly, but only ſome of their Grandees: This the Lord hath mercifully baniſhed out of the Reformed Churches, as Inconſiſtent with the experience of the Saints, who find a law in their members warring againſt the law of their mind, and leading them captive to the law of ſin that is in their members; inconſiſtent with the Scriptures which clear, that none have attained nor do att…in perfection in this life, but the contrary, that in many things we offend all; and inconſiſtent with Grace, that leaves ſinners ſtill in Ch…iſts common and debt as ſtanding in need of his imputed Righteouſneſs; This perfection they place in inherent Holineſs and habitual Grace, but we inſiſt not on it. 2ly. Another ſort of enemies reproved here, are the old Familiſts, who are owned by theſe who are called Antinomians, ſeveral of which miſerable perſons are now going up and down amongſt us, who ſay that the People of God have no ſin in them, wherein they are worſe then Papiſts, for Papiſts make it peculiar to ſome only, but they make it common to all Believers; And Papists make their perfection to conſiſt in inherent holineſs, but they make the nature of ſin to be changed, and ſay, that ſin is no more ſo in a Believer, even though it be contrary to the Law of God; We grant indeed that the people of God are free of ſin in theſe reſpects, 1. In this reſpect, that no ſin can condemn them, they are not under the Law but under Grace in that reſp…ct, Rom. 8.1. It's ſaid that There is no condemnation to them who are in Chriſt. 2. In his reſpect that they cannot fall into that ſin which as unto death, as is clear 1 John 5.17, 18 And 3. in this reſpect, that they canno… …o ſin …s to ly or be under th… …gn and …omi…ion of ſin, as is evident▪ Rom. 6 14. The Believer delights in th… L…w …f God according to the inner man R…m. 7.22. And is not in ſin, neither doth c…mmit ſin as the unbeliever doth, for the ſeed of God abideth in him, and is kept from being involved in that which hi… corrupt nature inclines the Believer to; So then, what the Scriptu…e ſpeaks of the Believers being free of ſin, is to be underſtood in one of theſe reſpects: But to …ay 1. That a Believer cannot ſin at all, ſad exp…rience and the practice of the Saints is a proof of the contrary; Or 2. To ſay that ſin in a Believer is no ſin becauſe of his faith in Chriſt is as contr…y to Scripture; For the Law of God is the ſame to the Believer and the unbeliever, and ſin is the ſame in both, Adultery is Adultery, and Mur…her is Murther in David, as well as in …ny other man; Sure when Chriſt bade his Diſciples pray for forgivenneſs of ſin daily, he taught them no ſuch Doctrine as to account their ſins to be no ſins; For if ſo, they ſhould neither repent of ſin, nor ſeek the pardon of it, as ſome are not a ſhamed to ſay they ſhould not. That which we aim at, is to …lear it to be Chriſts prerogative only to be free of ſin, none o…her in this life can claim it; And to teach B… lievers to carry about with them daily all along their mortal life that which is for their good, even the ſenſe …f ſin: I know it is now an up caſt …rom ſome pretended perfectioniſts, to the people of God▪ that they think and ſay that they have ſin, and a…e not perfect; And we are by theſe men called Antichristian Prieſts and Jeſuits, becauſe we Preach that Doctrine; Bu… let it be ſoberly conſidered, whether it doth better agree with Papists and Jeſuits to ſay that Believers are without ſin, or to ſay that they have ſin? They who ſay that Believers or the Saints have no ſin, do agree in this with the Papiſts, who maintain a perfection of holineſs, or a conformity to the Law in ſome in this life, and who deny the luſtings of the body of death to be ſin; without which opin…on, though moſt groſs, they would not, nor could with the leaſt ſhadow of reaſon, main…ain their Doctrine of Ju…tification by Works: And yet ſome now among us will needs call us Popiſh, becauſe we ſay that we have ſin and that none of God's people are …ithout ſin in this life; T…is ſeems to be very ſtr…ge; But that w…ich hath been the thought of ſome ſharp-ſighted and ſagacious men ſince the b…ginning of our confuſions, to wit, that Popery is a working as an under-hand deſign, is by this and other things m…de to be more and more apparent: Is there any thing more like Popery working in a myſtery, yea more Popiſh then to ſay that the motions of corruption in Believers are no ſins, tha… a man or woman may attain to perfection in holineſs here, and yet to carry on this with that ſubtilty, as confidently to averr that it's Popery to ſay the contrary? Nay, if the Sc…iptures they make uſe of in their Papers or Pamphlets be well conſidered, we will find that not only a perfection in Holin…s and Good works is pleaded for, but a poſſibility of fulfilling the Law and Covenant o… Works, as namely, 1 Pet. 1.15. 1 John 3.3. and 5.5. and Matth. 5. ult. Will ye (ſay they) call your ſelves Saints that are not purified even as he is pure? And will ye c…ll your ſelves Believers that hav… not overcome the world, &c? As if all that is commanded duty might be or were perfectly reached in this life, and as if no di…tinction betwixt begun, yea conſiderably advanced holineſs and intire perfection, were to be ad…itted: That for which I mark this, is to ſhew that the deſign of Popery ſeems to be on foot, the Devil in ſome inconſiderable perſons venting theſe things, when the great Patrons and Authors of them lye derned and hid; And it is obſervable which we have heard of late, that ſome Ring-leaders in this time have declared themſelves expreſly for Popery: Though we have reaſon to bleſs God, that the people in this place are kept free of theſe things; yet this truth is worthy the vindicating, and the hazard and danger is to be guarded againſt by all of us, when this foul Spirit is driving ſo hard, and prevailing with ſome to publiſh abroad this errour in Papers; And ſo ſeeking to draw people into the ſnare, Lay down but theſe two Principles both now maintained, that they that have Faith have no ſin, and that they that want Grace ſhould not pray, what would they turn to and reſolve in? Satan's deſign in this is doubtleſs to make all untender, and it is both ſad and ſtrange that it is not ſeen and obſerved; What a terrour and torrure would it be to an exerciſed and tender Chriſtian, and how would it put his Conſcience on the wrack, to ſay to him, What a Faith is this of yours that cannot keep you altogether from ſin, and that cannot quite overcome the world? God be bleſſed that hath given poor Believers other and better grounds in the Goſpel by which to judge of their Faith, ſo that they may own their Faith as found, though they have a mixture of unbelief with it, and yet unbelief is alwayes a ſin, and may ſay with that poor man, Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.
4ly. Obſerve, That to the making up of a perfect holy walk there is a neceſſity both of holineſs in practice, and of foundneſs in judgement, that no deceit or guilt be in the mouth, and that no violence be in the bands; And this is needful to be taken notice of, becauſe many have an aptitude to think, that folks may be truly holy, be of what opinion, judgement and perſwaſion they will; As if God had left the mind of man to be a bare empty Table or Board that he might Write on it what-ever he liked or pleaſed; But our Lord is vindicated here from the ſcandal of corrupt Doctrine, as well as from ſcandals in his practice; And therefore as we would ſay on the one hand to you who are ſound in your judgement, and hate errour, that if ye be groſs and untender in your practice, the ſoundneſs of your judgement will not prove you to be holy; So upon the other ſide, we would ſay, that though it were poſſible ye could be ſinleſs in your practice, if ye take a latitude and liberty as to your judgement to be corrupt, and to vent what ye pleaſe, ye will never get Gods approbation as being holy perſons, therefore let both be joyned together, ſoundneſs in Judgement, and tenderneſs in Practice; God give the right uſe of theſe things.