precious than Souls, it let be Gold and Silver. Is not this then a great Privilege, that if all the Kingdoms of the World were fold at the deareft, yet they could not buy it? What a Jewel is this? What a Pearl? Who ever of you have escaped this Wrath, confider what is your Advan-, tage, O confider your Dignity ye are advanced unto, that ye may engage your Hearts to him, to become his, and his wholly For you are bought with a Price, and are no more your own, hẹ gave himself, for you, and was made a Curfe to redeem you from the Curfe. O how should ye walk as privileged Men, as redeemed ones. give to redeem your Souls from that Pit? How few know the Worth of their Souls? And fo they offer unto God fome of their Riches for them. Doth not many of you think ye have satisfied for Sms, if ye pay a civil Penalty to the Judges many think their own Tears and Sorrow for Sin may be a Price to Juftice, at leaft if it be joined with Amendment in Time coming. And fo Men conceive their Sins are pardoned, and their Souls redeemed. But alas! the Redemption of the Soul is precious, yea, it ceafeth for ever; all your Substance will be utterly contemned, though ye offered it. How few of you would give fo much for your Souls? And yet though ye give it, it will not do it, ye must pay the uttermoft Farthing, or nothing. Your Sorrow and Reformations will not compleat the Sum, no nor begin it, though thou wafb thee with Nitre, and take much Sope, yet is thine Iniquity marked with me, yet there is ftill Condemnation for thee: Though all the World should conveen about this Matter, to find a Ranfom for Man; fuppofe all the Treasures of Monarchs, the Mines and Bowels of the Earth, the Coffers of rich Men were fearched; nay that the Earth, the Sea, the Heavens, and Sun and Moon be prized at the high-confider how quickly your Pleafures and eft: Join all the Merits of Angels above, and Men below, all their good Actions and Sufferings, yet the Sum that amounts of all that Addition, would not pay the leaft Farthing of this Debt. The Earth would fay, it is not in me, the Heaven behoved to answer fo, Angels and Men might fay, we have heard of it, but 'tis hid from all living. Where then is this Redemption from the Curfe? Where fhall a Ranfom be found? Indeed God hath found it: It is with him, he hath given his Son a Ranfon for many, and his Blood is more I beseech you all to call home your Thoughts, to confider and ponder on this Sentence that is paft against us; there is now Hope of Delivery from it, if ye will take it home unto you; but if ye will still continue in the Ways of Sin, without returning, know this that ye are but multiplying thofe Curfes, platting many Cords of your Iniquities, to bind you in everlafting Chains; ye are but digging a Pit for your Souls, ye that fweat in your Sins, and travel in them, and will not embrace, this Ranfom offered: The Key and Lock of that Pit is eternal Defpair. O Gains will end, and spare fome of your Thoughts from prefent Things, to give them to Eternity, that Threed fpun out for ever and ever; the very length of the Days of the Ancient of Days, who hath no beginning of Days, nor end of Time. Remember now of it, leaft ye become as long miferable as God is bleffed, and that is for ever. All Men would defire to have Privileges beyond others, but there is one that carries it away from all the World, and that is the Believer in Jefus Chrift, who fuge, a ftrong Tower, and a pleasant Ri ver to refresh us. We again are his Habitation where he dwelleth by his Spirit, we are his Work-house, where he works all his curious Pieces of the new Creature, forming it unto the Day of Efpoufals, the great Day of Redemption. who is faid to be in Chrift, im planted in him by Faith, as a lively Member of that Body whereof Chrift is the Head; Chrift Jefus is the Head of that Body, the Church; and this Head communicates Life unto all the Members, for be fills all in all; there is a mighty working Power in the Head, which diffufeth it felf throughout the Members, Eph. i. 19, 22, 23. There are many Expreffions of Union between Chrift and Believers, there is no near Conjunction among Men, but this fpiritual Union of Chrift with Believers is reprefented to us under it: The Foundation and the Building have a near Dependance, the Cornerftone and the Wall thefe knit together; and Chrift Jefus is the Foundation and the chief Corner-ftone, in whom all the Building fitly joyned together, groweth up into an boly Temple, Eph. ii. 20, 21. The Head and Members are near united, fo is Chrift and Believers, they grow up into him, Eph. iv. 15. Parents and Children are almoft one, fo is Chrift Jefus the everlasting Father, and he fhews to the Father the Children which he hath given him: We are his Brethren, and he is not ashamed to call us fo. But which is more, we are one Flesh with him There is a Marriage between Chrift and the Church, and this is the great Meditation of the Song of Solomon. He is the Vine-tree, and we are Branches planted in him. Nay this Union is fo ftrict, that it is mutual, I in them and they in me. Chrift dwelleth in us by Faith, by making us to believe in him, and love him; we dwell in Chrift by that fame Faith and Love, by believing in him, and loving him. Chrift Jefus is our House where we get all our Furniture; he is Our Store-house and Treafure, our Place of Strength and Pleasure, a City of Re This gives us to underftand what we once were; we may ftand here and look back upon our former Condition, and find Matter both of Delight and Sorrow. We were once without Chrift in the World, and if without Chrift, then without God and Hope in the World, Eph. ii. 12. I with this were engraven on the Hearts of Men, that they are born out of Chrift Jefus ; wild Olives, growing up in the Stock of degenerated Adam: He was once planted a noble Vine, but how quickly turned he into a degenerate Plant, and inftead of Grapes, brought forth wild Grapes, and fowre. We all grow upon an Olive-tree that is wild by Nature, Rom. xi. 24. It grows out of the Garden of God, in the barren Wilderness, and is meet for nothing but to bring forth Fruit unto Death, to be cut down and caft into the Fire. 'Tis a Tree which the Lord hath curfed, never more Fruit grow upon thee benceforth This was the fatal Sentence pronounced on Adam. O that you would know your Condition by Nature! how all your good Inclinations, Difpofitions, and Educations, cannot make your Stock good, and your Fruit good. Ephraim is an empty Vine, this is our Name: Nay, but many think they bring forth Fruit. Hath not Heathens fpread forth their Branches, and brought forth many pleafant Fruits of temporal Patience, Sobriety, Magnanimity, Prudence, and fuch like? Doth not fome civil Men many Acts of Civility profitable to Men? Do not many a Man pray, and read the X Scrip Scriptures from his Youth up? Yes indeed, thefe are Fruits, but for all that he is an empty Vine, for be brings forth Fruit to bimfelf; and fo, as in the Original, he is a Vine emptying the Fruit which it gives, Hof. x. 1. All these Fruits are but to himself, and from himself; he knows not to direct those to God's Glory, but to his own Praise or Advantage, to make them his Ornament: And he knows not his own Emptiness, to feek all his Furniture and Sap from another. What were all these fair Bloffoms and Fruits of Heathens? Indeed they were more and better than any now upon the Multitude of profeffed Christians: And yet these were but splendida peccata, fhinning Sins. What is all your praying and fafting? but to your felves, as the Lord charges the Peɔ ple, Zech. vii. Do you faft at all to me? No, ye do it to your felves. Her is the Wildness and Degneratenefs of your Natures, either you bring forth very bitter Fruits, fuch as Intemperance, Avarice, Contention, Swearing, &c. or elfe Fruits that have nothing but a fair Skin, like Ap ples of Sodom, that are beautiful on the Tree, but being handled turn to Afhes; fo there is nothing of them from God, or to God. I think every Man almost entertains this fecret Perfwafion in his Breaft, that his Nature it may be weak, yet it is not wicked; it may be helped with Education, and Care and Diligence, and dreffed till it please God, and profit others. Who is perfwaded in Heart that he is an Enemy to God, and cannot be fubject to God's Law? Who believes that their Heart is defperately wicked Ob 'tis indeed deceitful above all Ye Things, and in this moft deceitful, that it perfwades you ye have a good Heart to God. Will not profane Men, whofe Hands are defiled, maintain the Uprightnefs of their Hearts? Nemo nafcitur bo nus fed fit. I beseech you once confider that ye are born out of Chrift Jefus; ye conceive ye are born and educated Chriftians, ye have that Name indeed from Infancy, and are baptized. But I ask about the Thing, Baptifin of Water doth not implant you into Jefus Chrift; nay, it declares this much unto you, that by Na ture ye are far off from Jefus and wholly defiled, all your Imaginations only Evil. Now I befeech you, how came the Change? or is there a Change? Are not the moft Part of Men the old Men? No new Creatures; be that is in Chrift is a new Creature, 2 Cor. v. 16. have now Adam's Nature, which ye had firft: Ye have born the Image of the earth. ly, and are ye not fuch yet, who are still earthly? Think ye that ye can inherit the Kingdom of God thus? Can ye pass over from a State of Condemnation, to a Sate of Life and no Condemnation,, with out a Change? No, believe it, ye cannot inherit Incorruption with Flesh and Blood which ye were born with: Ye must be implanted in the second Adam, and bear his Image, ere ya can fay that yeare Partakers of his Bleffings, 1. Cor. xv,. 47, 48, 49, &c. Now I may pose your Confciences, how many of you are changed? Are not the moft Part of you: even fuch as ye were from your Childhood? Be not deceived, ye are yet Stran-gers from the Promifes of God, and with out this Hope in the World. SER ** SERMO M II. Verse 1. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Chrift, who walk, &c. ALL CL the Promifes are yea, and Amen, in Chrif Jefus, they meet all in him, and from him are derived unto us. When Man was in Integrity, he was with God, and in God, and that immediately, without the Intervention of a Mediator; but our falling from God, hath made us without God: and the Distance is fo great, as Abraham fpeaks to the rich Man, that neither can thefe above go down to him, nor be come up to them: There is a Gulf of Separation between God and us, that there can be no Meeting. And fo we who are without God, are without Hope in the World, Eph. ii. 12. no Hope of any more Access to God as before. The Tree of Life is compaft about with a Blaming Fire and a Sword; God is become a confuming Fire unto us, that none can come near these ever lafting Burnings, much lefs dwell with them. Since there can be no meeting fo, God hath found out the Way how Sinners may come to him, and not be confumed: He will meet with us in Jefus Chrift, that living Temple, and this is the trysting Place. There was a Neceffity of this Mediator, to take up the Difference, and make a Bridge over that Gulf of Separation, for us to come to God; and this is his Humane Nature, the new and living Way, the Vail of bis Flefb. God is in Chrift therefore, reconciling the World to himself: All the Light of Confolation and Salvation that is of of the City of Refuge, and will not enter in. O the Avenger of Blood fhall be upon thee ere thou know; And if it find thee out of the City, woe unto thee, all thy Prayers and Intreaties will not prevail; Juftice is blind and deaf, cannot deal partially, or refpect Perfons, cannot hear thy Supplications. It is ftrange, that Men are taken up with other petty inconfiderable, Things, and yet neglect to know what this is, to be in Jefus Chrift, upon which their Salvation depends. him? He looks within himself, and be holds nothing within, but the accufing witneffing Confcience becomes a Tormenter: The Fire is kindled within, which feeds upon the Fewel of innumerable Sins: now the Soul is almoft overwhelmed, and fpies if there be any Place to flie from it felf, and from that Wrath, and behold the Lord discovers a City of Refuge near Hand, where no Condemnation is, even Chrift Jefus, who hath sustained the Curfe, that he might redeem us from it. The Vifion of Peace is here, and thither: Faith in Jefus Chrift is the Soul's Flight the Soul flies out of it felf, and from. into the City of Refuge ; now none flieth Juftice, into that discovered Righteousness but when they apprehend Danger, or are of Chrift's, and fo the more that the Ofpurfued. This Danger that a Soul ap-fence abounded; now, the more bath prehends, is Perishing and Condemnation Grace fuperabounded: fo that there is: for ever: The Purfuer is the Law of now no more Condemnation to him. God, and his Juftice; these have a Sword I beseech you consider this, and let it in their Hand, the Curfe of God, and the be written on the Table of your Hearts : Sentence of Condemnation. God erects There are two Tribunals that God fits a Tribunal in his Word, wherein he upon, one out of Chrift Jefus, another in judgeth Men; whofever he hath a Pur-Chrift Jefus, there is a Throne of Justice, pofe of Good will unto, he makes the Law to enter into their Confciences, that the Offence might abound: He fends out fome Meffenger of Afflicton, or Conviction, to bring them before the Judgment Seat, and hear their Accufation read unto them. There the Soul ftands trembling, and the Confcience witneffeth and approveth all that the Word challengeth of; fo that the Sinners Mouth is ftopped, and can have no Excufe to this Accufation Then the Judge pronounces the Sentence upon the guilty Perfon, Curfed is every one that abideth not in all Things, &c. The Soul cries, Guilty, O Lord, Guilty, I deferve the Curfe indeed: Oh! What fball I do to be faved? Then the Soul looks about on the right Hand, and on the left Hand, to feek fome Refuge, but there is none. Whither fhall he go from where no Sentence paffes but pure unmixed Juftice,, without any Temperament of Mercy; and this all Men must once compear before. You know what a Covenant of Works God once made with us, If thou do thefe Things thou fbalt live if not, thou fbalt die the Death. According to this we must once be judged,. that Juftice fuffer no Prejudice. There fore God fpeaks out of his Law, upon this. Throne, the Language of Mount Sinai, he reads our Charge unto us, and because all the World is guilty, therefore the Sentence of Death is once paft upon all. Now whoever of you come before this Tribunal to be judged, know that it is a fubordinate Court, there is a higher Court of Mercy and Judgment, both Juftice and Mercy mixed together; though Mercy be the Predominant, Juftice and Judgment |