Sermon V (continued, part 3)
him, Matth. xxviii. 18. he comes in his Father's name to you, as well as in his own name.
Thirdly, The wisdom of God is in Christ, 1 Cor. i. 24. " Christ the wisdom of God:" yea, " in him are hid all the " treasures of wisdom and knowledge," Col. ii. 3. Never did the wisdom of God display itself before the eyes of angels and men, as it hath done in Christ. The " angels desire to look in66 to it," 1 Pet. 1. 12. yet yettheyarenotfo much concerned in the project and design of this wisdom in redemption, as you are.
Fourthly,The fulness of the Spirit is in Christ ; yea, it fills him so as it never did, nor will fill any creature, John iii. 34. " God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him : " all others have their limits, stints, and measures; some more, some less ; but the Spirit is in Christ without measure. O how lovely and desirable are those men that have a large measure of the Spirit in them ! but he is anointed with the Spirit of holiness, above all his fellows, Psal. xiv. 2, 7. Whatever grace is found in all the saints, which makes them desirable and lovely, wisdom in one, faith in another, patience in a third ; they all centre in Christ as the rivers do in the sea, que faciunt divifa beatum, in hocmixtafluunt.
Fifthly, The righteousness of God is in Christ, by which only a poor guilty finnercanbejustified before God, 2 Cor. v. 21. we are" madetherighteousnessof God in him:" he is ובקרצ הויח
238 The Method of Grace. SERM. VII. "the Lord our righteousness," Jer. xxiii. 6. i. e. " * the author " of our righteouiness," or the Lord who justifies us ; by that name he will be known, and called by his people, than which nonecanbe sweeter.
Sixthly,The love of God is in Christ ; yea, the very yearning bowels of divine love are in him : What is Christ, but the love of Godwraptup in flesh and blood ? 1John iv. 9, ro. " In this " was manifested the love of God towards us;" and herein is love, that God sent his Son: this is the highest flight that ever divine love made; and higher than this it cannot mount. O love, unparalleled and admirable !
Seventhly , The mercies and compaffions of God are all in Christ, Jude ver. 21. Mercy is the thing that poor finnerswant, it is that they cry for at the last gasp; it is the only thing that can do them good. O what would they give to findmercyin that great day ? Why, if you receive Christ, you shall with him receive mercy; butoutofhim, there is no mercy to be expected from the hands of God ; for God will never exercise mercy to the prejudice of his justice; and it is in Christ that justice and mercy meet and embrace each other.
Eightly, To conclude, The salvations of God are in Christ, Acts iv. 12. " Neither is there salvation in any other." Christ is the door of salvation, and faith is the key that opens that door to men. If you therefore believe not, i. e. if you so receive not Jesus Christ, as God hath offered him, you exclude yourselves from all hopes offalvation. The devils have as much ground to expect salvation as you: you fee what is in Christ to induce you to receive him.
Motive 2 . Next, I beseech you, confider what there is in the offer of Christ to sinners, to induce you to receive him. Confider well to whom, and how Christ is offered in the gospel.
First, To whom he is offered ; not to the fallen angels, but to you; they lie in chains of darkness, Jude 6. as he took not their nature, so he designs not their recovery ; and therefore will have no treaty at all with them: but he is offered to you, creatures of an inferior rank and order by nature; nor is he of fered to the damned, the treaty of peace is ended with them : Chriftwill never make them another tender of salvation ; nor is he offered to millions of millions as good as you, now living in the world. The found of Christ, and salvation is not come to their ears, but he is offered to you by the special favour and * Autorem juftitiæ noftra. Calv. in loc.
SERM. VII. 239 The Method of Grace. bounty of heaven; and will you not receive him ? O! then how will the devils, the damned, and the Heathens, upbraid yourfolly! and say, had we had one such tender of mercy, of which you have had thousands, we would never havebeennow in this place of torments.
Secondly, Confider how Christ is offered to you, and you shall find that he is offered,
1. Freely, as the gift of God, to your souls ; you are not to purchase him, but only to receive him. Ifa Iv. 1. "Ho, every " one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath " no money, let him come," &c.
" 2. Christ is offered importunately, by repeated in treaties. 2 Cor. v. 20 . As though God did beseech you, we pray you " in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." O! what amazing condefcenfion is here in the God of mercy ! God now beseeches you, will you not yield to the in treaties of your God? Othen what wilt thou fay for thyself, when God will not hear thee,when thou shalt in treat and cry for mercy ? Which brings us to Motive 3. Confider the finand danger that there is in refusing, or neglecting the present offers of Christ in the gospel, and surely there is much fin in it; the verymalignity off in, and the sum of all misery, lies here ; for in refusing Christ,
1. You put the greatest contempt and flight upon all the attributes of God that it is possible for a creature to do; God hath made his justice, his mercy, his wisdom, and all his attributes, to thine in their brightest glory in Christ. Never was there such a display of the glory of God made to the world in any other way.
O then, what is it to reject and despise Jesus Christ, but to offer the greatest affront to the glory of God, that it is possible for men to put upon it?
2. You hereby frustrate and evacuate the very design, and importance of the gospel to yourselves ; you " receive the grace " of God in vain," 2 Cor. vi . I. As good, yea, better had it been for you, that Christ had never come into the world, or, if he had, that your lot had fallen in the dark places of the earth, where you had never heard his name; yea, good had it been for that man if he had never been born .
" 3. Hereby a man murthers his own soul. " I faidtherefore unto you, that you shall die in your fins; for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your fins," John viii. 24.. Unbelief is self-murder; you are guilty of the blood of your
240 SERM. VII. The Method of Grace. own souls: life and salvation was offered you, and you rejected it. Yea, 4. The refusing of Christ by unbelief, will aggravate your damnation, above all others that perish in ignorance of Christ. O 'twill be more tolerable for Heathens, than for you ; the greatest measures of wrath are reserved to punish the worst of sinners, and among sinners, none will be found worse than unbelievers.
Seeondly, To believers, this point is very useful to persuade them to divers excellent duties; among which, I shall single out two principal ones, viz.
1. To bring up their faith of acceptance, to the faith ofaf furance .
2. To bring up their conversations to the principles and rules of faith. 3.
1. You that have received Jesus Christ truly, giveyourselves no rest till you are fully satisfied that you have done fo ; accep tance brings you to heaven hereafter, but assurance will bring heaven into your foul snow, O what a life of delight and pleasure doth the assured believer live ! What pleasure is it to him to look back and confider where once he was,and where he now is ? To look forward, and confider where he now is, and where shortly he shall be ! I was in my fins, I am now in Christ : I am in Christ now, I shall be with Christ, and that for ever, after a few days. I was upon the brink of hell, I am now upon the very borders of heaven ; I shall be, in a little while, among the innumerable company of angels and glorified saints, bearing part with them inthefong of Moses, and of the Lamb, forevermore.
Andwhymay not you, that have received Christ, receive the comfort of your union with him ? There be all the grounds and helps of assurance furnished to your hand ; there is a real union betwixt Christ and your souls, which is the very ground-work of assurance. + You have the scriptures before you which contain the signs of faith, and the very things within you that answer those signs in the word. So you read, and so, just so, you might feel it in your own hearts, would you attend to your own experience. The Spirit of God is ready to fealyou, it is his office and his delight so to do. O therefore give diligence to this work, attend the study of the scriptures, and of your own hearts more, and grieve not the holy Spirit of God, and you may ar rive to the very desire of your hearts.
The power and constancy ofa firm hope reigns in us. Serm. de patient is.
Cypr
SERM. VII. The Method of Grace. 241
66 2. Bring up your conversations to the excellent principles and rules of faith ; As you have received Christ Jesus the " Lord, so walk in him," Col. ii. 6. Live as you believe ; you received Christ sincerely in your first close with him, Omainin the like seriousness and sincerity in all your ways, to the end of your lives: you received him intirely and undividedly at first, let there be no exceptions against any of his commands afterward. You received him exclusively to all others, see that you watch against all self-righteousness, and self-conceitednefs now, andminglenothing of your own with his blood, whatever giftsorenlargements in duty God shall give you afterwards.
You received him advisedlyat first, weighing and considering the self-denying terms upon which he was offered to you ; O shew that it was real,and that you see no cause to repent the bargain, whatever you shall meet within the ways of Christ, and duty afterwards: convince the world of your constancy and chearfulness in all your sufferings for Christ, that you are still of the fame mind you were, and that Christ, with his cross, Christ, with a prison, Christ, with the greatest afflictions, is worthy of all acceptation : "Asyehavereceivedhim, so walk yë " in him." Let him be as sweet, as lovely, as precious to you now, as he was the first momentyoureceivedhim ; yea, let your - love to him,delights in him, and self-denial for him, increase with your acquaintance with him,day by day. Use of direction. Use. Lastly, I will close all with a few words of directions to all that are made willing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ ; and fore it is but need that help were given to poor Christians ; in this matter, it is a time of trouble, fear, and great temptation; mislakes are easily made, and of dangerous consequence ; attend heedfully, therefore, toa few directions .
Direction 1. First, In your receiving Christ, bewareyoudonot mistake the means, for the end. Many do so,but seeyoudo not. Prayer, sermons, reformations, are means tobringyou to Christ, but they are not Christ; to close with those duties isone thing, and to close with Christ is another thing. If I go intoaboat, my design is not to dwell there, but to be carried to the place whereon I desire to be landed: so it must be in this case, all your duties must land you upon Christ ; they are means to bring you to Christ: Direct. 2. Secondly, See that you receive not ChristforapreJent help, but for your everlasting portion. Manydofo; they will enquire after Christ, pray for Christ, cast themselves (in VOL. II. li
242 The Method of Grace. SERM. VII. their way) upon Christ, and the satisfaction of his blood, when the efficacy and terror of conscience is upon them, and they feel the fling of guilt within them; but as soon as the storm is over, and the rod that conscience shaked over them laid by, there'sno more talk of Christ then : alas ! it was not Christ, but quietness, that they fought; beware of mistaking peace for Christ.
Direct. 3. Thirdly, In receiving Christ come empty handeduntohim : " believing on him who justifies the ungodly," Rom. iv. 5. and know that the deepest sense of your own vileness, emptiness, andunworthiness, is the best frame of heart that can accompany you to Christ. Many persons stand off from Christ for want of fit qualifications; they are not prepared for Christ as they should be, i. e. they would not come naked and empty, but have something to commend them to the Lord Jesus for acceptance. O ! this is the pride of mens hearts, and the snare of the Devil. Let him that hath no money come : You are not to come to Christ because you are qualified, but that you may be qualified with whatever you want; and the best qualification you can bring with you, is a deep sense that you have no worth nor excellency at all in you.
Direct. 4. Fourthly, In receiving Christ, beware of dangerous delays . O follow on that work till it be finished. You read offome that are almost persuaded, and others not far from the kingdom of God ; O take heed of what the prophet says, Hofea xiii. 13. Delays here are full of danger, life is uncertain, fo are means of grace too. The man-flayer needed no motives to quicken his flight to the city of refuge.
Direct. 5. Fifthly, See that you receive all Christ, with all your heart. To receive all Christ, is to receive his person cloathedwith all his offices; and to receive him with all your heart, is to receive him into your understanding, will, and affections, Acts viii . 37. As there is nothing in Christ that maybe refused, so there is nothing in you from which he must be excluded.
Direct. 6. Lastly, Understand that the opening of your hearts to receive the Lord Jesus Christ, is not a work done by any power of your own, but the arm of the Lord is revealed there in, Ifa, liii. 1. It is therefore your duty and interest to be daily at the feet of God, pouring out your souls to him in secret, for abilities to believe. And so much, as to our actual reception of Christ.
Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.
SERM. VIII. 243 The Method of Grace. SERMON VIII.
Setting forth the Believer's Fellowship with CHRIST, the next End of his Application to them.
PSALM XIV. 7. Therefore God thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. THE method of grace in uniting souls with Jesus Christ, hath been opened in the former discourses ; thus doth the Spirit (whose office it is) make application of Christ to God's elect, the result and next fruit whereof is communion with Christ in his graces and benefits. Our mystical union is theverygroundwork, and foundation of our sweet, foul-enriching communion, andparticipationofspiritual privileges ; we are first ingrafted into Christ, and then fuck the sap and fatness of the root : first married to the person of Christ, then endowed and in stated in the privileges and benefits of Christ. This is my properworktoopen at this time, and from this scripture.
" The words read, are a part of that excellentfong of love *, " that heavenly Epithalamium, wherein the spiritual espoufals " of Christ and the church are figuratively, and very elegantly, " celebrated and shadowed. The subject matter of this psalm " is the very fame with the whole book of the Canticles ;" and in this psalm, under the figure of king Solomon, and the daughter of Egypt, whom he espoused, the spiritual espousals of Christ and the church are set forth and represented to us. Among many rapturous and elegant expressions in praise of this glorious bridegroom, Christ, this is one, which you have before you : "God thy fellow hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness a- " bove thy fellows : " (i. e.) enriched and filled thee, inafingular and peculiar manner, with the fulness of the Spirit, whereby thouartconfecrated to thy office : andbyreasonwhereofthou out sminest and excelleft all the saints, who are thy fellows or copartners in these graces. So that in these words you have two parts; viz. First, The saints dignity, and Secondly, Christ's pre-eminency.
First, The saints dignity, which consists in this, that they
Ii 2
Hic Pfalmus prophetic us eft, continetque Epilathamium quo Chrifti cum ecclefia nuptiæ celebrantur, idemque habet argumentum quod canticum canticorum ejusque videtur effe epitome. Cocceius inloc.
244 The Method of Grace. SERM. VIII. are Christ's fellows. The Hebrew word † is very full and copious, and is translated " conforts, companions, copartners, " partakers : or, as ours read it,felows :" (i. e ) such as are partakers with him in the anointing of the Spirit, who do, in theirmeafure, receive the fame Spirit, every Christian being anointed, modo fibi proportion a to, with the same grace, and dignified with the same titles, 1John ii. 27. Rev. i. 6. Christ and the saints are in common one with another : doth the spirit of holiness dwell in him ? So it doth in them too. Is Christ king and priest ? Why, so are they too by the grace of union with him. He hath made us kings and priests to God, and his Father. This is the faintsdignitytobe Christ's fellows, conforts, or copartners ; so that look, whatever spiritual grace or excellency is in Christ, it is not appropriated to himself,but they do
with him: for indeed he was filled with the fulness of the Spirit, for their sakes and use: as the fun is filled with light, not to shine to itself, but to others; so is Christ with grace. And therefore, some translate the text, notprae confortibus, above thy fellows; but propter confortes, for thy fellows ‡. Making Christ the first receptacle of grace, who first and immediately is filled from the fountain, the Godhead: but it is for his people, who receive and derive from him, according to their proportion.
This is a great truth, and the dignity of the saints lies chiefly in their partnership with Christ, though our translation, above thy fellows, suits best, both with the importance of the word, and scope of the place.
Secondly, But then, whatever dignity isascribedhereintothe saints, there is, and still must be, apre-eminency acknowledged, and ascribed to Christ: if they are anointed with the spirit of grace,much more abundantly in Christ: "God thy God hath "anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."
By the oil of gladness, understand the spirit of holiness, compared herewith oil, of which there was a double use under the law, viz. a civil, and afacred use, It had a sacred and a solemn use, in the inauguration and confecration of the Jewish kings and high-priests; it had alsoacivil, andcommonuse, for the anointing their bodies||, to make their limbs more agile, וירבחמ
Confortes,participes,fodales,focios. VoxHebraa quodcunquefocietatisfive communionisgenusfignificat. Muis. ‡ Rivet.
pureandclear ; which supplies and feeds the flame, with
SERM. VIII. 245 The Method of Grace. expedite, and nimble; to make the face shine, for it gave a luftre, freshness, and liveliness to the countenance. It was also used in lamps, to feed and maintain the fire, and give them light. These were the principal uses of oil. Now, upon all these accounts, it excellently expresseth, and, figuratively, representstousthe spirit ofgracepouredforthupon Christ and his people. For, First, By the spirit poured out upon him, he was prepared for, and consecrated to his offices; he was anointed with the Holy Ghost, and with power, Actsx. 38.
Secondly, As this precious oil runs down from Christ, the head, to the borders of his garments, I mean, as it is sheduponbelievers, so itexceedinglybeautifies their faces, and makes them shine with glory.
Thirdly, It renders them apt, expedite, and ready to every good work ; Non tardat uncta rota.
Fourthly, It kindles and maintains the flame of divine love in their souls, and, like a lamp, enlightens their minds in the knowledge of spiritual things; the anointing teaches them. "And this oil is here called the oil of gladness †, because "it is the cause ofalljoyand gladness to them that are anoint- " edwith it: " Oil was used (as you heard before) at the in- stalment of sovereign princes, which was the day of the gladness of their hearts; and, among the common people, it was liberallyufed at all their festivals, but never upon their days of mourning. Whence it becomes excellently expressive of the nature and use of the spirit of grace, who is the cause and author of all joy in believers, John xvii. 13.
And with this oil of gladness is Christ said to be anointed above his fellows, i. e, to have a far greater share of the fpiritof grace than they: " For to everyone of the saints isgivengrace according to the measure of the gift of Christ," Eph. iv. 7. But to him the Spirit is not given by measure, John iii. 34. fuel; hence the metaphor of anointingwith oilufed in scripture, frequently signifies the internal illumination of the mind by the Holy Spirit, and the communication of the true knowledge of God, and suitable affections of foul to it. Moller. on the place. †Ελαίον αγαλλιασεως dicitur id quod caufam datfummigaudii. Grot. in Heb. i. 9. ᾿Αυτος υμιν αιτίος της δωρεας το πνευματος, και επισπασαμενος καθο εσιν ανθρωπος το πνεύμα και ημιν μεταδες. έ. ε. He is the cause of the gift of the Spirit to you, and being anointed with the Spirit as he is man, he communicates the Spirit to us allo.
Ecum.
246 The Method of Grace. SERM . VIII. " It hath pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell," Col. i . 19. and " of his fulness we all receive grace " for grace," John i. 16. The saints partake with him, and through him, in the same spirit of grace, for which reason they are his fellows; but all the grace poured out upon believers, comes exceeding shortofthatwhich God hath poured out upon Jesus Christ. The words being thus opened, give us this note...
Doct. That all true believers have a real communion, or fellowship, with the Lord Jesus Christ.
From the saints union with Christ, there doth naturally, and immediately, result a most sweet and blessed communion or fellowship with him in graces and spiritual privileges, Eph. i. 3. " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who " hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (or things) in Christ : in giving us his Son,he freely gives us " all things," Rom. viii. 32. So in 1 Cor. i. 30. " Of him are ye " in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righte- " ousness, fanctification and redemption." And once more, I Cor. iii. 22, 23. "All are yours, and ye are Christ's." What Christ is, and hath, is theirs by communication to them, or improvement for them ; and this is very evidently implied in all those excellent scripture metaphors, by which our union with Christ is figured and shadowed out to us : as themarriageunion betwixt a man and his wife, Eph. v. 31, 32. You know that this conjugal union gives the wife interest in the estate and honourofthehusband,be she never so meanlydescended in her- self : The natural union betwixt the head and members of the body, by which also the mystical union of Christ and believers is set forth, 1 Cor. xii. 12. excellently illustrates this fellowship or communion betwixt them : for from Christ " the wholebo61 dy fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every " joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the " measure of every part, maketh increase of the body," as the apostle speaks, Eph. iv. 16. The union betwixt the grass and the stock, which is another emblem of our union with Christ, John xv. 1. imports, in like manner, this communion, or partnership betwixt Christ and the saints; for no sooner doth the grass take hold of the stock, but the vital sap of the stock is communicated to the grass, and both live by one and the same juice.
ego Cajus tu Gaja. Uxor clarefcit in radiis mariti.
SERM. VIII. The Method of Grace. 247 Now, that the scope of this discourse be not mistaken, let the reader know that I am not here treating of the faints communion, or fellowship with God in his duties, as in prayer, hearing, sacraments, &c. but of that interest which believers have in the good things of Christ, by virtue of the mystical union betwixt them through faith: there is atwofoldcommunion of the saints with Christ.
The first is an act. The second is a state. There is an actual fellowship, or communion the saints have with Christ in holy duties, wherein Christians let forth their hearts to God by desires, and God lets forth his comforts and refreshments again into their hearts ; they open their mouths wide, and he fills them: this communion with God is the joy and comfort of a believer's life, but I am not to speak of that here. It is not any act of communion, but the state of communion, from which all acts of communion flow, and upon which they all depend, that I am now to treat of; which is nothing else but the joint interest that Christ and the saints have in the fame things : as when a ship, an house, or estate, is among many partners, or joints heirs, every one ofthemhath aright to it, and interest in it, though some of them have a greater, and others a lesser part. So it is betwixt Christ and his people ; there is a κοινωνία, (i. e.) a fellowship or joint interest betwixt them, upon which ground they are called coheirs with Christ, Rom viii. 17. This communion or participation in Christ's benefits, depends upon the hypoftaticalunionofour nature, and the mystical union of our persons with the Son of God : in the first he partakes with us, in the second we partake with him : the former is the remote, the latter the next cause thereof.
In the explication of this point, I shall speak to these four things :
1. What are those things in which Christ and believers have fellowship. 2. By what means they come to have such a fellowship with Christ. 3. How great a dignity this is to have fellowship with Jesus Christ. 4. And then apply the whole in divers practical inferences. First, What are those things in which Christ and believers have fellowship, to which I must speak both negatively and positively.
1. Negatively, The saints have no fellowship with Jesus Christ in those things that belong to him as God; such as his
248 1 The Method of Grace. SERM. VIII, consubstantiality, coequality, and coeternity with the Father : It is theblafphemy of the wicked Familifts to talkofbeinggodded into God, and christed into Christ. Neither men or angels partake in these things; they are the proper and incommunicableglory of the Lord Jesus.
2. The saints have no communion or fellowship in the họ nour and glory of his mediatory works, viz. his satisfaction ta God, or redemption of the elect. It is true, we have the benefit and fruit of his mediation and satisfaction ; his righteousness also is imputed to us for our personal justification, but we thare not in the least with Christ in the glory of this work : nor have we an inherent righteousness in us as Christ hath ; nor can we justify and save others as Christ doth : we have nothing to do with his peculiar honour,and praise in these things. Tho' we have the benefit of being saved, we may not pretend to the honour of being Saviours, as Christ is to ourselves or others, " || Christ's righteousness is not made ours as to its universal value,but as to our particular necessity; nor is itimputed to " us as to so many causes of salvation to others, but as to so many subjects to be saved by it ourselves." "
Secondly, But then there are many glorious and excellent things, which are in common betwixt Christ and believers, tho' in them all he hath the pre-eminence, he shines in the fulness of them, as the fun, and we with a borrowed and lesser light, but of the fame kind and nature as the stars. Some of these I shall particularly, and briefly, unfold in the following particulars.
First, Believers have communion with Christ in his names and titles; they are called Christians from Christ, Eph. iii. 15. from him the whole family in heaven and earth is named : this is that worthy name the apostle speaks of, James ii. 7. He is the Son of God, and they also, by their union with him, have power or authority to become the SonsofGod,John i. 12. He is the heir of all things, and they are joint-beirs with him, Rom . viii.
17. He is both king and priest, and he hath made them kings and priests, Kev. i. 6. But they denot only partake in the names and titles, but this communion consists in things as well as titles. And therefore, Secondly, They have communionwithhim in his righteousness, ( i. e.) the righteousness of Christ is made theirs, 2 Cor. v. 21. and he is " the Lord our righteousness," Jer. xxiii. 6. It
Juftitia Chrifti fit nostra, non quoad universalemvaloremfed particularem neceffitatem,et imputatur nobis no nut caufisfalva tionis, fed utfubjectisfalvandis. Bradshaw de juftificatione.
SERM. VIII. The Method of Grace. 249 is true, the righteousness of Christ is not inherent in us, as it is in him ; but it is ours by imputation,Rom. iv. 5, 11. and our union with him is the ground of the imputation of his righteousness to us, 2 Cor. v. 21. " We are made the righteousness " of God in him," Phil. iii. 9. for Christ and believers are considered as one person, in construction of law ; as am an and his wife, a debt or and surety, are one : and so his payment or satisfaction is in our name, or upon our account.
Now, this is a most inestimable privilege, the very ground of all our other blessings and mercies . O what a benefit is this to a poor sinner, that owes to God infinite more than he isever able to pay, by doing or suffering; to have such a rich treasure of merit as lies in the obedience of Christ, to discharge, in one entire payment, all his debts to the last farthing ? " Surely shall one say, " in the Lord I have righteousness," Isa. xlv. 24. even as a poor womanthatowes more than she is worth, in one moment is difchargedof all her obligations, by her marriage toawealthyman.
Thirdly, Believers have communion with Christ in his holiness or sanctification, for of God he is made unto them, not only righteousness, but fanctification also; and as in the former privilege they have a stock of merit in the blood of Christ to justify them, fohere they have the Spirit of Christ to sanctify them, 1Cor. i. 30. and therefore we are said of his fulness to receive " grace for grace,"John i. 16. (i. e.) say some, graceupongrace, manifold graces, or abundance of grace; or grace for grace, that is, grace answerable to grace: as in the feal and wax, there is line for line, and cut for cut, exactly answerable to each other; or grace for grace, that is, say others, the free grace of God in Christ, for the fanctification or filling of our souls with grace; be it in which sense it will, it shews the communion believers have with Jesus Christ in grace and holiness. Now, holiness is the most precious thing in the world, it is the image of God, and chief excellency of man : it is our evidence for glory, yea, and the first-fruits of glory. In Christ dwells the fulness of grace, and from him, our head, it is derived and communicated to us: thus he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one, Heb. ii. 11. You would think it no small privilege to have bags of gold togo to, and enrich your selves with, and yet that were but avery trifle in comparison to have Christ's righteousness and holiness togo to for your justification, and fanctification. More particularly, Fourthly, Believers have communion with Christ in his death: they die with him, Gal. ii. 20. " I am crucified with Christ,"
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250 The Method of Grace. SERM . VIII.
(i. e.) the death of Christ hath a real killing and mortifyinginfluence upon the lusts, and corruptions of my heart and nature : true it is, he died for fin one way, and we die to fin another way: he died to expiate it, we die to it, when we mortify it: the death of Christ is the death of sin in believers : and this isa very glorious privilege ; for the death of sin is the lite of your souls: if fin do not die in you by mortification, you must die for finby eternal damnation : if Christ had not died, the Spirit of God, by whichyounow mortify the deeds of the body, could not have beengivenuntoyou ; then you must have lived vassals to your fins, and died at last in your fins; but the fruit, efficacy, and benefit of Christ's death is your's for the killing those fins in you, which else had been your ruin.
Fifthly, Believers have communion with Christ in his life, and resurrection from the dead: as he rose from the dead, fo do they; and that by the power and influence of his vivification and resurrection: it is the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus that makes us free from the law of sin and death, Rom. viii. 2. our spiritual life is from Christ, Eph . ii. 1. " And you hath he " quicknedwho were dead in trespasses and fins :" and hence Christ is faidto live in the believer, Gal. ii. 20. "Now, I live, 66 yet not I; but Christ liveth in me:" and it is no small privilege to partake of the very life of Christ, which is the most ex. cellent life that ever any creature can live; yet such is the happinessofallthe faints, the life of Christ is manifest in them, and such a life as shall never fee death .
Sixthly, To conclude, believers have fellowship with Jesus Christ in his glory, which they shall enjoy in heaven with him : they " shall be ever with the Lord," I Thef. iv. 17. and that is not all, (though, as one faith, it were a kind of heaven but to look through the key-hole, and have but a glimpse of Christ's blessed face) but they shall partake of the glory which the Father hath given him; for so he speaks, John xvii. 22, 24. and more particularly, they shall fit with him in his throne,Rev.iii. 21. and when he comes to judge the world, he will come to be glorified in the saints, 2Thef. i. 10. So that you fee what gloriousandinestimablethings are, and will be in common betwixt Christ and the faints. His titles, his righteousness, his holiness, his death, his life, his glory. I do not say that Christ will make any faint equal with him in glory; that is impossible, he will be known from all the faints in heaven, as the fun is diftin guished from the stars ; but they shall partake of his glory, and be filledwithhisjoy there; and thus you fee what those things are that the faints have fellowship with Christ in.
SERM. VIII. 251 The Method of Grace.
Secondly, Next I would open the way and means by which we come to have fellowship with Jesus Christ, in these excellent privileges ; and this I shall do, briefly, in the following positions.
Position 1 . First, Noman hath fellowship with Christ in anyspecialfavingprivilege by nature, howsoever it be cultivated or improved; but only by faith uniting him to the Lord Jesus Christ : It is not the privilege of our first, butfecondbirth, * This is plain from John i. 12, 13. " But to as many as received him, tothemgave " he power to become the sons of God, even to as many as be- " lievedon his name, who are born not of flesh, nor of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God." We are by nature children of wrath, Eph. ii. 3. we have fellowship with Satan in fin and misery : the wild branch hath no communication of the sweetness and fatness of a more noble and excellent root, until it be ingrafted upon it, and have immediate union and coalition with it, John xv. 1 , 2 .
Position 2 . Believers themselves have not an equal share, one with another, in all the benefits and privileges of their union with Christ, but infomethere is an equality, and in others an inequality ; according to the measure and gift of Christ, to every one.
In justification they are all equal: the weak and the strong believer are alike justified, because it isone and the fame per-. sect righteousness of Christ, which is applied to the one and to the other, so that there are no different degrees ofjuftification, but all that believe are justified from all things, Acts xiii. 39. and " there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Je- " fus," Rom. viii. 1. be they never so weak in faith, or defective in degrees of grace. But there is apparent difference in the measures of their sanctification, some are strong men, and others are babes in Christ, 1 Cor. iii. 1. The faith offome flourishes and grows exceedingly, 2 Thes. i. 3. the things that are in others are ready to die, Rev. iii. 2. It is a plain case, that there is great variety found in the degrees of grace, and comfort among them that are jointly interested in Christ, and equally justified by him . Kk 2
The truly faithful only are members of Christ, not as they are men,but as they are Christians ; not by their first,but fecondbirth. Polan. Syntag, book 6. chap. 35 .
232 SERM. VIII. The Method of Grace.
Position 3 . The faints have not fellowship and communion with Christ, in thefore mentioned benefits and privileges by one and the same medium, but by various mediums and ways, according to the nature of the benefits, in which they participate.
For instance, they have partnership and communion with Christ, as hath been said, in his righteousness, holiness, and glory, but they receive these distinct blessings by divers mediums of communion : we have communion with Christ in his righteousness, by the way of imputation; we partake of his holiness, by the way of infusion ; and of his glory in heaven, by thebeatifical vision. Our justification is a relative change, our sanctification a real change, our glorification a perfect change, by redemption, from all the remains both of sin and misery.
Thus hath the Lord appointed several blessings for believers in Christ, and several channels of conveying them from him to us; by imputed righteousness, we are freed from the guilt of sin; by imparted holiness, we are freed from the dominion of fin, and by our glorification with Christ, we are freed from all the relics and remains both of sin and misery, let in by sin upon our natures.
Position 4. That Jesus Christ imparts to all believers, all the spiritual blessings that he is filled with,and with holds none from any that have union with him; be thesebleffings neversogreat, ortheythatre ceive them never so weak, mean, and contemptible in outward respects, Gal. iii. 27. " Ye are all the children of God by faith " in Jesus Christ" The salvation that comes by Christ is stiled thecommonfalvation, Jude 3.and heaven the inheritance of the saints in light, Col. i. 12. " There is neither Greek nor Jew, (faith the apostle) circumcision nor uncircumsion, Barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, but Christ is all and in all," Col. iii. 11. He means, there is no privilege in the one to commend them to God, and no want of any thing in the other to debar them from God; let men have or want outward excellencies, as beauty, honour, riches, nobility, gifts of the mind, sweetness of nature, and all such like ornaments, what is that to God ? He looks not at these things, but respects them, and communicates his favour to them as they are in Christ : He is all, and in all. The gifts and blessings of the Spirit are given to men as they are in Christ, and without respect to any exter nal differences made in this world amongmen: hence we find excellent treasures of grace in meanandcontemptible persons in
SERM. VIII. 253 The Method of Grace. the world; poor in the world, and rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom; and as all believers, without difference, receive from Christ, so they are not debarred from any blessing that is in Christ: " All is yours, for ye are Christ's," 1 Cor. iii . ult.; with Christ, God " freely gives us all things," Rom. viii. 32.
Position 5. The communion believers have with Christ, in spiritual benefits, isaverygreat mystery, far above the understanding of natural men. There are no footsteps of this thing in all the works of creation, therefore the apostle calls it " The unsearchable riches " of Christ," Eph. iii. 8. ανεξιχνιασον πλετον τεΧρι58: The word signifies, that which hath no footsteps to trace it by: yea, it is -so deep a mystery, that the angels themselves stoopdown to look into it, I Pet. i. 12. " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, " neither have it entered into theheartofman the things which "God hath prepared for them that love him: but God hath "revealed them unto us by his Spirit," I Cor. ii. 9, 10. Thirdly, and lastly, I shall, in a few particulars, open the dignity and excellency of this fruit of our union with Christ, and shew you, that a greater glory and honour cannot be put upon man, than to be thus in fellowship with Jesus Christ, John xvii . 22. " The glory which thou gavest me, I havegiv- " en them, that they maybe one, as we are one:" And therefore, more particularly, let it be considered, First, With whom we are associated; even the Son of God; with him that is over all, God blessed for ever. Our afssociation with angels is an high advancement, for angels and saints are fellow-servants in the same family, Rev. xix. 10. and through Christ we are come to an innumerable company of angels, Heb . xii . 22. But what is all this to our fellewship with Jesus Christ himself, and that in another manner than angels have ? For though Christ be to them an head of dominion, yet not an head of vital influences, as he is to his mystical body the church : this therefore is to them a great mystery, which they greatly affect to study and pry into.
Secondly, What we are that are dignified with this title, the fellows or co-partners with Jesus Christ : Not only dust by nature, (Dust thou art), but sinful dust; such wretched sinners, as, by nature, and the sentence of the law, ought to be associated with devils, and partakers with them of the wrath of the almighty God to all eternity.
Thirdly, The benefits we are partakers of, in and with the Lord Jesus Christ; and, indeed, they are wonderful and aftonishingthings, fo far as they do already appear, but yet we fee
254 The Method of Grace. SERM . VIII. but littleofthem, comparatively, to what we shall fee, 1 John Hì. 1, 2. " Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet 64 appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall " appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Owhatwill that be! to see him as he is, and to be transformed into his likenels.
Fourthly, The way and manner in which we are brought into this fellowship with Christ : which is yet more admirable. The apostle gives us a strange account of it in 2 Cor. viii. 9. " For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ** though he was rich, yet for your fake she became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich;" he empties himself of his glory, that we might be filled; he is made a curse, that we might enjoy the blessing; he submits to be crowned with thorns, that we might be crowned with glory and honour; he puts himselfintothenumber of worms, Plal. xxii. 6., that we might be made equal to the angels. O the unconceivablegrace of Christ!
Fifthly, The reciprocal nature of that communion which is betwixt Christ and believers : We do not only partake of what is his, but he partakes of what is ours : he hath fellowship with us in all our wants, sorrows, miseries, and afflictions ; and we have communion with him in his righteousness, grace, fonship and glory : he takes part of our misery, and we take part of his blessedness; our sufferings are his sufferings, Col. i. 24. O what anhonour is it to thee, poor wretch, to whom a great many would not turn aside to ask how thou dost ; to have a King, yea, the Prince of all the kings of the earth, to pity, relieve, sympathize, groan and bleed with thee, to fit by thee in all thy troubles, and give thee his cordials, to say thy troubles are my troubles, and thy afflictions are my afflictions : whatever toucheth thee, toucheth me also. O what name shall we give unto such grace as this is?
Sixthly, and lastly, Confider the perpetuity of this privilege: Your fellowship with Christ is interminable, and abides for ever. Christ and the saints shall be glorified together, Rom. viii. 17. while he hath any glory they shall partake with him. It is said indeed, 1 Cor. xv. 24. that there shall be a time when Christ will deliver up the kingdom to his Father; but the meaning is not that ever he will cease to be an Head to his saints, or they from being his members: No, no, the relation never ceases; justification, sanctification, and adoption, are everlasting things, and we can never be divested of them .
Infer. 1. Are the faint's Christ's fellows ? What honourable
SERM. VIII. 255 The Method of Grace. persons thenarethey ! andhowshould they be esteemedandvalued in the world ! If a king, who is the fountain ofhonour, do but raise am an by his favour, and dignify him by bestowing some honourable titleuponhim,what respect and observance is pre sently paid him by all persons ? But what are all the vain and empty titles ofhonour, to the glorious and substantial privileges with which believers are dignified, and raised above all other men by Jesus Christ ? He is the Son of God, and they are the son's of God also : he is the heir of all things, and they are joint-heirs with Christ: he reigns in glory, and they shall reign with him : he fits uponthethrone, and they shall fit with him in his throne. Othat this vile world did but know the dignity of believers, they would never flight, hate, abuse, and persecute them as they do. An dO that believers did but understand their own happiness, and privileges by Christ, they would neverdroop, and fink under every small trouble at that ratetheydo.
Infer. 2. How abundantly hath Godprovidedfor all the ne ceffities and wants of believers ! Christ isa storehouse filled with blessings and mercies, and it is all for them from him they " receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness," Rom. v. 17. " of his fulness they all receive grace for grace,"
John i. 16. All the fulness of Christ is made over to them for the supply of their wants: " My God shall supply all your need " (faith the apostle), according to his riches in glory by Jesus " Christ," Phil. iv. 19. I fall the riches of God can fupplyyour needs, then they shall be supplied. Say not, Christ is in the possession of consummate glory, and I am a poor creature, struggling with many difficulties, and toiling in the midst of many cares and fears in the world ; for care is taken for all thy wants, and orders given from heaven for their supply : My God Shallfupply all your need. O say with a melting heart, I have a full Christ, and he is filled for me: I have his pure and perfect righteousness to justify me, his holiness to sanctify me, his wisdom to guide me, his comforts to refresh me,his power to protect me, and his all-fufficiency to supply me. Obechearful, be thankful, you have all your hearts can with; andyetbehumble; itisallfromfree-grace to empty and unworthy creatures.
Infer. 3. How absurd, disingenuous, and unworthy of a ChriStian, is it to deny, or withhold from Christ any thinghehath, or by which he may beferved, or honoured? Doth Christ commu, nicateall he hath to you, and can you withhold any thing from Christ ? On Christ's part it is not mine, and thine, but ours, or mine and yours ; John xx. 17. " I ascend to my Father, and " your Father; to my God, and your God." But this cur
256 The Method of Grace. SERM.VIII. fed idolfelf! which appropriates all to its own designs and uses How liberal is Christ ! and how penurious are we to him ! Some will not part with their credit for Christ, when yet Christ abafed himself unspeakably for them. Some will not part with a drop of blood for Christ, when Christ spent the whole treasure of his blood freely for us; yea, how loth are we to part with a shilling for Christ, to relieve him in his distressed members, when as yet we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, " that though he was rich, yet for our fakes he became poor, " that we through his poverty might be rich !" O ungrateful return ! O base and disingenuous spirits ! The things Christ gives us are great, and the things we denytohim are small : he parts with the greatest, and yet is denied the least. The things he communicates to us, are none of ours, we have no right nor title by nature, or any desert of ours to them ; the thingswedeny or grudge to Christ, are by all titles his own, and he hath the fullest and most unquestionable title to them all: what he gives to us, he gives to them that never deserved it; what we withhold from him, we withhold from one that hath deserved that, and infinitely more from us, than we have, or are.
He interested you freely in all his riches when you were ene mies ; you stand upon trifles with him, and yet call him your best and dearest friend: he gave himself, and alt he hath to you, when you could claim nothing from him; you deny to part with these things to Christ, who may not only claim them upon the highest title, his own sovereignty,and absolute property, but by your own act, who profess to have given all in covenant to him : what he gives you, returns no profit to him ; but what you give or part with for him, is your greatest advantage. O that the consideration of these things might shame and humble yourfouls.
Infer. 4. Then certainly noman is, orcanbefupposed to be a loferby conversion, feeingfrom that day, whatever Christ is, or hath, becomes his.
Owhat an inheritance are men possessed of by their new birth ! Some men cry out, Religion will undo you; but with what eyes do these men fee ? Surely, you could never fo reckon, except your souls were fo incarnated, as to reckon pardon, peace, adoption, holiness, and heaven, for nothing ; that invisibles are non-entities, andtemporals the only realities. It is true, the converted foul may lose his estate, his liberty, yea, his life for Christ; but what then ? Are they losers that exchange brass for gold? or part with their prefentcomforts for
SERM. VIII. The Method of Grace. 257 an hundred-fold advantage ? Markx. 29. So that none need be frightned at religion, for the losses that attend it, whilst Christ and heaven are gained by it : they that count religion their loss, have their portion in this life.
Infer. 5. How securely is the saints inheritance settled upon them, seeing they are in common with Jesus Christ ? Christ and his saints are joint-heirs, and the inheritance cannot be alienated,but by his consent; he must lose his interest, if you lose yours. Indeed, Adam's inheritance was by a single title, and moreover, it was in his own hand, and so he might, (as indeed he soon did) divest himself and his posterity of it; but it is not fo betwixt Christ and believers, we are secured in our inheritance by Christ our co-heir, who will never alienate it: and therefore it was truly observed by the father, Foelicior Job insterquilinio, quam A dam us in paradiso : Job was happier upon the dunghill, than A dam was in paradise. The covenant of grace is certainly the best tenure ; as it hath the best mercies, so it gives the fullest security to enjoy them.
Infer. 6. How rich and full is Jesus Christ, who communicates abundantly to all the faints, and yet hath infinitely still more in himself, than hath ever been received by them all.
Take all the faith of Abraham, all the meekness of Moses, all the patience of Job, all the wisdom of Solomon, all the zeal of David, all the industry of Paul, and all the tender-heartedness of Josiah; add to this, all the grace that is poured, (tho' in lesser measure), into all the elect vessels in the world, yet still it is far
remains in Christ ; " He is anointed with the " oil of gladness above his fellows :" And in all things he hath, and must ever have the pre-eminence. There are many thousand stars glittering above your heads, and one star differs from another star in glory, yet there is more light and glory in one fun, than in the many thousand stars. Grace beautifies the children of men exceedingly, but still that is true of Christ, Psal. xlv. 2. " Thou art fairer than the childrenofmen, grace is poured into " thy lips." For all grace is secondarily, and derivatively in the saints, but it is primitively and originally in Christ, Johnv. 16. Grace is imperfect and defective in them, but in him it is in its most absolute perfection and fulness, Col. i. 19. In the saints it is mixed with abundance of corruption,but in Christ it is altogether unmixed, and exclusive of its opposite, Heb. vii. 26. So that as the Heathen said of moral virtue, I may much more
of Christ, That were he to be seen with mortal eyes, he would compel love and admiration from all men, for " he is altogether " lovely," Cant. v. 16.
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Infer. 7. What delight, andfingularadvantage must needs be in the communion of the faints,who have communion with Jesus Christ in all his graces and benefits.
" That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, *" that ye also may have fellowship with us: And truly our fel- " lowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ,"
1 John i. 3. O it is sweet to have fellowship with those that have tellowship with God in Jesus Christ. Christ hath communicated to the saints, varieties of graces, in different measures and degrees ; and as they all receive from Christ the fountain, Yo it is sweet and most delightful to be improving themselves by spiritual communion one with another : Yea, for that end one is furnished with one grace more eminently than another, that the weak may be affitted by the strong, as a modern divine * well observes. Athanafius was prudent, and active, Basil of an heavenly, sweet temper, Chryfoftome laborious, without affectation, Ambrose resolved, and grave, Luther couragious, and Calvin acute, and judicious. Thus every one hath his proper gift from Christ, the fountain of gifts and graces, 1 Cor. vii. 7. One hath quickness of parts, another folidity of judg. ment, but not ready and presential ; one is zealous, but ungrounded; another well principled, buttimerous ; one iswary, and prudent ; another open and plain; one is trembling, and melting; another chearful and joyous ; one must impart his light, another his heat: The eye, the knowing man, cannot Tay to the hand, the active man, I have no need of thee. And Ohow sweet would it be, if gifts, graces, and experiences were frequently, and humbly imparted ! But idle notions, earth-
Iv-mindedness, self-interests, and want of more communion with Christ, have, almost, destroyed the comfort of Christian fel. Jowship every where in the world.
Infer. 8. In a word, those only have ground to claim interest in Christ, who do really participate of his graces, and in whom are found the effects and fruits of their union and communion with him.
If you have interest in Christ, you have communion in his graces and benefits ; and if you have such communion, it will appear in your maintaining daily actual communion with God in duties; whereby will be produced, First, The increase of your fanctification, by fresh participa. tions from the fountain ; as cloth which is oftendipt into the fat receives thedeeperdye, and livelier tincture; fo will your * Mr. Torsnel.
SERM . IX. The Method of Grace. 259 fouls-by affiduous communion with God. It will also be dis cerned, Secondly, In your deeper humiliation, and spiritual sense of your own vileness : The more anyman partakes of God, and is acquainted with him, and assimilated to him, the more base and vile in his own fight he still grows, Job xlii. 5, 6. Hạ. vi. 5.
Thirdly, It will appear in your more vehement longings after the full enjoyment of God in heaven, 1 Pet. i. 8. and Rom. viii. 23. You that have the first fruits, will groan within yourselves after the full harvest, and satisfying fruition ; you will not be so taken with things below, as to be content with the best lot on earth for your everlasting portion. O ! if these communi cateddrops be so sweet, what is there in Christ the fountain ?
And thus I have opened the method of grace in bringing home Christ and his benefits to God's elect by union, in order to communion with him.
Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.