N34404:535
Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses. / By Mr. Thomas Boston, late Minister of the Gospel at Etterick.
United States : s.n. Printed for the booksellers., M,DCC,LXXXVII. 1787
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Lastly, They have an unsure hold of Christ, whom he has not apprehended by his Spirit. There are many half-marriages here, where the soul apprehends Christ, but is not apprehended of him. Hence many fall away, and never rise again: they let go their hold of Christ; and when that is gone, all is gone. These are the branches in Christ, that bear not fruit, which the husband-man taketh away, John xv. 2. Quest. How can that be? Ans. These branches are set in the stock, by a profession, or an unsound hypocritical faith; they are bound up with it, in the external use of the sacraments: but the stock and they are never knit; therefore they cannot bear fruit. And they need not be cut off, nor broken off; they are by the husbandman only taken away, or, (as the word primarily signifies) lifted up; and so taken away, because there is nothing to hold them: they are indeed bound up with the stock; but they have never united with it.
Quest, How shall I know if I am apprehended of Christ? Ans. You may be satisfied in this inquiry, if you consider and apply these two things.
First, When Christ apprehends a man by his Spirit, he is so drawn, that he comes away to Christ with his whole heart: for true believing is believing with all the heart, Acts viii. 37. Our Lord's followers are like these who followed Saul at first, men whose hearts God has touched, 1 Sam. x. 26. When the Spirit pours in overcoming grace, they pour out their hearts like water before him, Psal. lxii. 8. They flow unto him, like a river, Isa. ii. 2. All nations shall flow unto it: namely, to the mountain of the Lord's house. It denotes not only the abundance of converts; but the disposition of their souls, in coming to Christ: they come heartily and freely, as drawn with loving kindness, Jer. xxxi. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Psal. cx. 3. i. e. free, ready, open-hearted, giving themselves to thee as free-will off•••ngs. When the bridegroom has the bride's heart, it is a right marriage▪ but some give their hand to Christ, who give him not their heart. They that are only driven to Christ by terror, will surely •eave him again, when that terror is gone. Terror may break a heart of stone; but the pieces into which it is broken, still continue to be stone: the terrors cannot soften it into a heart of flesh. Yet terror may begin the work, which love crowns: The strong wind, the earthquake, and the fire going before: the still small voice, in which the Lord is, may come after them. When the blessed Jesus is seeking sinners to match with him, they are bold and perverse, they will not speak with him, […] he hath wounded them, made them captives, and […] them with the ••rds of death. When this is done, then it is that he makes love t• […], and […] their hearts. The Lord tells ⟨p. 187⟩us, Hos. ii 16—20. That his chosen Israel shall be married unto himself. But, how will the bride's consent be won? Why, in the first place, he will bring her into the wilderness, as he did the people, when he brought them out of Egypt, ver. 14. There the will be hardly dealt with, scorched with thirst, and bitten with serpents: and then he will speak comfortably to her, or, as •he expression is, he will speak upon her heart. The sinner is first driven, and then drawn to Christ. It is with the soul, as with Noah's dove; she was forced back again to the ark, because she could find nothing else to rest upon:
First, When Christ apprehends a man by his Spirit, he is so drawn, that he comes away to Christ with his whole heart: for true believing is believing with all the heart, Acts viii. 37. Our Lord's followers are like these who followed Saul at first, men whose hearts God has touched, 1 Sam. x. 26. When the Spirit pours in overcoming grace, they pour out their hearts like water before him, Psal. lxii. 8. They flow unto him, like a river, Isa. ii. 2. All nations shall flow unto it: namely, to the mountain of the Lord's house. It denotes not only the abundance of converts; but the disposition of their souls, in coming to Christ: they come heartily and freely, as drawn with loving kindness, Jer. xxxi. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Psal. cx. 3. i. e. free, ready, open-hearted, giving themselves to thee as free-will off•••ngs. When the bridegroom has the bride's heart, it is a right marriage▪ but some give their hand to Christ, who give him not their heart. They that are only driven to Christ by terror, will surely •eave him again, when that terror is gone. Terror may break a heart of stone; but the pieces into which it is broken, still continue to be stone: the terrors cannot soften it into a heart of flesh. Yet terror may begin the work, which love crowns: The strong wind, the earthquake, and the fire going before: the still small voice, in which the Lord is, may come after them. When the blessed Jesus is seeking sinners to match with him, they are bold and perverse, they will not speak with him, 〈…〉 he hath wounded them, made them captives, and 〈…〉 them with the ••rds of death. When this is done, then it is that he makes love t• 〈…〉, and 〈…〉 their hearts. The Lord tells ⟨p. 187⟩us, Hos. ii 16—20. That his chosen Israel shall be married unto himself. But, how will the bride's consent be won? Why, in the first place, he will bring her into the wilderness, as he did the people, when he brought them out of Egypt, ver. 14. There the will be hardly dealt with, scorched with thirst, and bitten with serpents: and then he will speak comfortably to her, or, as he expression is, he will speak upon her heart. The sinner is first driven, and then drawn to Christ. It is with the soul, as with Noah's dove; she was forced back again to the ark, because she could find nothing else to rest upon:
but when she did return, she would have rested on the out side of it, if Noah had not put forth his hand, and pulled her in, Gen. viii. 9. The Lord sends the avenger of blood in pursuit of the criminal; and he, with a sad heart, leaves his own city; and, with tears in his eyes, parts with his old acquaintance, because he dare not stay with them: and he frees for his life to the city of refuge. This is not at all his choice, it is forced work; necessity has no law. But, when he comes to the gates, and sees the beauty of the place, the excellency and loveliness of it charms him; and then he enters it with heart and goodwill, saying, This is my rest, and here I will stay; and, as one said in another case, I had perished unless I had perished.
but when she did return, she would have rested on the out side of it, if Noah had not put forth his hand, and pulled her in, Gen. viii. 9. The Lord sends the avenger of blood in pursuit of the criminal; and he, with a sad heart, leaves his own city; and, with tears in his eyes, parts with his old acquaintance, because he dare not stay with them: and he frees for his life to the city of refuge. This is not at all his choice, it is forced work; necessity has no law. But, when he comes to the gates, and sees the beauty of the place, the excellency and loveliness of it charms him; and then he enters it with heart and goodwill, saying, This is my rest, and here I will stay; and, as one said in another case, I had perished unless I had p•rished.
Secondly, When Christ apprehends a soul, the heart is disengaged from, and turned against, sin. As in cutting off the branch from the old stock, the great idol self is brought down, the man is powerfully taught to deny himself: so, in the apprehending of the sinner by his Spirit, that union is dissolved, which was betwixt the man and his lusts, while he was in the flesh, as the Apostle expresses it. Rom. viii. 5. his heart is loosed from them, though formerly •s dear to him, as the members of his body; as his eyes, legs, or arms; and, instead of taking pleasure in them as some time he did; he longs to be rid of them. When the Lord Jesus comes to a soul, in the day of converting grace; he finds it like Jerusalem, in the day of her nativity, (Ezek. xvi. 4.) with its navel not cut, drawing its fulsome nourishment and satisfaction from its lusts: but, he cuts off thi• communication, that he may set the soul on the breasts of his own consolations, and give it rest in himself. And thus the Lord wounds the head and heart of sin, and the soul comes to him, saying, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there are no profit, Jer. xvi. 19.
Secondly, When Christ apprehends a soul, the heart is disengaged from, and turned against, sin. As in cutting off the branch from the old stock, the great idol self is brought down, the man is powerfully taught to deny himself: so, in the apprehending of the sinner by his Spirit, that union is dissolved, which was betwixt the man and his lusts, while he was in the flesh, as the Apostle expresses it. Rom. viii. 5. his heart is loosed from them, though formerly •s dear to him, as the members of his body; as his eyes, legs, or arms; and, instead of taking pleasure in them as some time he did; he longs to be rid of them. When the Lord Jesus comes to a soul, in the day of converting grace; he finds it like Jerusalem, in the day of her nativity, (Ezek. xvi. 4.) with its navel not cut, drawing its fulsome nourishment and satisfaction from its lusts: but, he cuts off thi communication, that he may set the soul on the breasts of his own consolations, and give it rest in himself. And thus the Lord wounds the head and heart of sin, and the soul comes to him, saying, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there are no proit,
V. And lastly, I come to speak of the benefits flowing to true believers from their union with Christ. The chief of the particular benefits believers have by it, are justification, peace, adoption, sanctification, growth in grace fruitfulness in good works, acceptance of these good works, establishment in a state of grace, support and a special conduct of providence about them. As for communion with Christ, it is such a benefit, as being the immediate consequent of union with him, ⟨p. 188⟩comprehends all the rest as mediate ones. For look, as the branch, immediately upon its union with the stock, hath communion with the stock, in all that is in it: so the believer uniting with Christ, hath communion with him; in which he launcheth forth into an ocean of happiness, is led into a paradise of pleasures, and has a saving interest in the treasure hid in the field of the gospel, the unsearchable riches of Christ. As soon as the believer is united to Christ, Christ himself, in whom all fullness dwells, is his, Cant ii 16. My beloved is mine, and I am his. And, how shall he n•t with him freely give us ALL things? Rom. vii. 32 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas ▪ or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, ALL are yours, 1 Cor iii 22. Thus communion with Christ is the great comprehensive blessing, necessarily flowing from our union with him. Let us now consider the particular benefits flowing from it, before-mentioned.
V. And lastly, I come to speak of the benefits flowing to true believers from their union with Christ. The chief of the particular benefits believers have by it, are justification, peace, adoption, sanctification, growth in grace fruitfulness in good works, acceptance of these good works, establishment in a state of grace, support and a special conduct of providence about them. As for communion with Christ, it is such a benefit, as being the immediate consequent of union with him, ⟨p. 188⟩comprehends all the rest as mediate ones. For look, as the branch, immediately upon its union with the stock, hath communion with the stock, in all that is in it: so the believer uniting with Christ, hath communion with him; in which he launcheth forth into an ocean of happiness, is led into a paradise of pleasures, and has a saving interest in the treasure hid in the field of the gospel, the unsearchable riches of Christ. As soon as the believer is united to Christ, Christ himself, in whom all fulness dwells, is his, Cant ii 16. My beloved is mine, and I am his. And, how shall he nt with him freely give us ALL things? Rom. vii. 32 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, ALL are yours, 1 Cor iii 22. Thus communion with Christ is the great comprehensive blessing, necessarily flowing from our union with him. Let us now consider the particular benefits flowing from it, before-mentioned.
The First particular benefit that a sinner hath by his union with Christ is Justification; for being united to Christ, he hath communion with him in his right usness, 1 Cor. i. 30. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness" He stands no more condemned; but justified before God, as being in Christ, Rom. viii 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. The branches hereof are pardon o• sin, and personal acceptance.
The First particular benefit that a sinner hath by his union with Christ is Justification; for being united to Christ, he hath communion with him in his righte usness, 1 Cor. i. 30. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness" He stands no more condemned; but justified before God, as being in Christ, Rom. viii 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. The branches hereof are pardon o• sin, and personal acceptance.
1s•, His sins are pardoned, the guilt of them is removed. The bond obliging him to pay his debt, is cancelled God the Father takes the pen, dips it in the blood of his Son, crosseth the sinner's accounts, and blotteth them out of his debt-book. The sinner, out of Christ, is bound over to the wrath of God: he is under an obligation in law, to go to the prison of hell, and there to lie till he has paid the utmost farthing. This ariseth from the terrible sanction with which the law is fenced, which is no less than death, Gen. ii. 17. So that the sinner passing the bounds assigned him, is as Shimei, in another case, a man of death, 1 Kings ii. 42. But now, being united to Christ, God saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom, Job xxxiii 24. The sentence of condemnation is reversed, the believer is absolved, and set beyond the reach of the condemning law. His sins, which sometimes were set before the Lord, Psal xc. 8. so that they could not be hid, God now takes and casts them all behind his back, Isa. xxxvii. 17. Yea, he casts them into the depths of the sea, Mi••h vii. 19. What falls into a brook may be got up again; but what is cast into the sea cannot be recovered. Ay, but there are some shallow places in the sea: true, but their sins are not cast in there, but into the depths of the sea; and the depths of the sea are devouring depths, from whence they shall never come forth again. But, what if they do not sink? He will cast them in with force; so that they shall go to the ground, and sink as lead in the mighty waters of the Reds••er's blood. They are not only forgiven, but forgotten, ⟨p. 189⟩Jer. xxxi. 34. I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more. And tho' their after sins do, in themselves, deserve eternal wrath, and do actually make them liable to temporal strokes, and fatherly chastisements, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace, Psal lxxxix. 30.—33. Yet they can never be actually liable to eternal wrath, or the curse of the law; for they are dead to the law in Christ, Rom. vii 4. And they can never fall from their union with Christ; nor can they be in Christ, and yet under condemnation, Rom viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. This is an inference drawn from that doctrine of the believer's being dead to the law, delivered by the Apostle, chap. vii.
1—6. As is clear from the 2d, 3d, and 4th verses of this viii. chap. And in this respect, the justified man is "the blessed man, unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity," Psal. xxxii. 2 As one who has no design to charge a debt on another, sets it not down in his count-book.
2dly, The believer is accepted as righteous in God's sight, 2 Cor. v 21. For he is found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but that which is through the saith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, Phil iii. 9. He could never be accepted of God, as •igh•eou•, upon the account of his own righteousness: because, at best it is but imperfect; and all righteousness, properly so called, which will abide a trial before the throne of God, is perfect. The very name of it implies perfection: for unless a work be perfectly conform to the law it • not right, but wrong: and so cannot make a man righteous before God, whose judgment is •••ding to truth. Yet if justice demand a righteousness of one that is in Christ, upon which he may be accounted righteous before the Lord: Surely shall such an one say, In the LORD have I righteousness, Isa. xiv 24. The law is fulfilled▪ its commands are obeyed, its sanction is satisfied. The believer's Cautioner has paid the debt. It was exacted, and he answered for it.
2dly, The believer is accept•d as righteous in God's sight, 2 Cor. v 21. For he is found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but that which is through the saith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, Phil iii. 9. He could never be accepted of God, as •igh•eou•, upon the account of his own righteousness: because, at best it is but imperfect; and all righteousness, properly so called, which will abide a trial before the throne of God, is perfect. The very name of it implies perfection: for unless a work be perfectly conform to the law it • not right, but wrong: and so cannot make a man righteous before God, whose judgment is •••ding to truth. Yet if justice demand a righteousness of one that is in Christ, upon which he may be accounted righteous before the Lord: Surely shall such an one say, In the LORD have I righteousness, Isa. xiv 24. The law is fulfilled its commands are obeyed, its sanction is satisfied. The believer's Cautioner has paid the debt. It was exacted, and he answered for it.
Thus the person united to Christ, is justified. You may conceive of the whole proceeding herein, in this manner. The avenger of blood pursuing the criminal, Christ, as the Saviour of lost sinners, doth by the Spirit apprehend him, and draw him to himself; and he by Faith lays hold on Christ: so the Lord our righteousness, and the unrighteous creature unite. From this union with Christ, results a communion with him, in his unsearchable riches, and consequently, in his righteousness, that white raiment which he has for clothing of the naked, Rev. iii. 18. Thus the righteousness of Christ becomes his: and because it is his by unquestionable title, it is imputed to him; it is reckoned his, in the judgment of God, which is always according to the truth of the thing. And so the believing sinner having a righteousness which fully answers the demands of the law, he is pardoned, and accepted as righteous. See Isa. xlv. 22, 24, 25. Rom. iii 24. and chap. v. 1. Now he is a free man, Who shall lay any thing to the ⟨p. 190⟩charge of these whom God justifieth? Can justice lay any thing to their charge? No, for it is satisfied. Can the •aw? No, for it has got all its demands of them in Jesus Christ, Gal ii 26. I am crucified with Christ. What can the law require more, after it has wounded their head; poured in wrath, in full measure, into their soul; and cut off their life, and brought it into the dust of death; in so far as it has done all this to Jesus Christ, who is their Head, Eph. i. 22. their Soul, Acts ii 25, 27 and their Life, Col. iii. 4. What is become of the sinner's own hand-writing, which would prove the debt upon him? Christ has blotted it out, Col. ii. 14. But, it may be, justice may get its eye upon it again no, he took it •ut of the way. But, O that it had been torn in pieces, may the sinner say: yea so it is; the nails that pierced Christ's hands and feet, are driven through it, he nailed it. But what if the torn pieces be set together again? That cannot be; for he nailed it to his cross, and his cross was buried with him, but will never rise more, seeing Christ […] no more Where is the face-covering that was upon the condemned man? Christ has destroyed it,
Glory, glory, glory to him that thus loved us, and washed u• from our sins in his own blood!
Glory, glory, glory to him that thus loved us, and washed u• f•om our sins in his own blood!
The second benefit flowing from the same spring of union with Christ, and coming by the way of justification, is Peace; peace with God, and peace of conscience, according to the measure of the sense the justified have of their peace with God, Rom. v. 1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Chap xiv. 27. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Whereas God was their enemy before, now he is reconciled to them in Christ; they are in a covenant of peace with him; and as Abraham was, so they are the friends of God. He is well-pleased with them, in his beloved Son. His word, which spoke terror to them formerly, now speaks peace, if they rightly take up its language. And there is love in all his dispensations toward them, which makes all work together for their good: Their consciences are purged of that guilt and filthiness that sometime lay upon them: his conscience purifying blood streams through their souls, by virtue of their union with him, Heb. ix. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ—purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? The bonds laid on their consciences, by the Spirit of God, acting as the spirit of bondage, are taken off, never more to be laid on by that hand, Rom. vii. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. Hereby the conscience is […] as soon as the soul becomes conscious of the application of that […] which falls out sooner or later, according to the treasure of faith, and • the only wise God sees meet to time it. Unbelievers may have troubled consciences, which they may get •••ted again: but alas! their consciences become peaceable, ere they ⟨p. 191⟩become pure; so their peace is but the seed of a greater horror and confusion. Carelessness may give ease for a while, to a sick conscience; men neglecting its wounds, they close again of their own accord, before the filthy matter is purged out Many bury their guilt in the grave of an ill memory: conscience smarts a little: at length the man forgets his sin, and there is an end of it: but that is only an ease before death. Business, or the affairs of life, often give ease in this case. When Cain is banished from the presence of the Lord, he falls a building of cities.
When the evil spirit came upon Saul, he calls not for his Bible, nor for the priests to converse with him about his case; but for music, to play it away. So many, when their consciences begin to be uneasy, they fill their heads and hands with business, to divert themselves, and to regain ease at any rate. Yea, some will sin over the belly of their convictions, and so some get ease to their consciences, as Hazael gave to his master, by stifling him Again the performing of duties may give some ease to a disquieted conscience; and this is all that legal professors have recourse to, for quieting of their consciences. When conscience is wounded; they will pray, confess, mourn, and resolve to do so no more: and so they become whole again, without any application of the blood of Christ, by faith. But they, whose consciences are rightly quieted: come for peace and purging to the blood of sprinkling. Sin is a sweet morsel, that makes God's elect sick souls, ere they get it vomited up. It leaves a sting behind it, which some one time or other, will create them no little pain.
When the evil spirit came upon Saul, he calls not for his Bible, nor for the priests to converse with him about his case; but for musick, to play it away. So many, when their consciences begin to be uneasy, they fill their heads and hands with business, to divert themselves, and to regain ease at any rate. Yea, some will sin over the belly of their convictions, and so some get ease to their consciences, as Hazael gave to his master, by stiffling him Again the performing of duties may give some ease to a disquieted conscience; and this is all that legal professors have recourse to, for quieting of their consciences. When conscience is wounded; they will pray, confess, mourn, and resolve to do so no more: and so they become whole again, without any application of the blood of Christ, by faith. But they, whose consciences are rightly quieted: come for peace and purging to the blood of sprinkling. Sin is a sweet morsel, that makes God's elect sick souls, ere they get it vomited up. It leaves a sting behind it, which some one time or other, will create them no little pain.
Elihu shows us both the case and cure, Job xxxiii. Behold the case one may be in, whom God has thoughts of love to. He darteth convictions into his conscience; and makes them stick so fast, that he cannot rid himself of them, ver. 16. He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, his very body sickens, ver. 19. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain. He loseth his stomach, ver. 20. His life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. His body pines away, so that there is nothing on him but skin and bone, ver. 21. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen, stick out. Tho' he is not prepared for death, he has no hopes of life, ver. 22. His soul draweth near unto the grave, and (which is the height of his misery) his life to the destroyers: he is looking every moment when devils, these destroyers, Rom. ix. 11. these murderers, or man-slayers, John viii. 44. will come and carry away his soul to hell. O dreadful case! yet there is hope. God designs to k••p back his soul from the pit, ver. 18 a […] he bring him forward to the brink of it. Now, see how the […] is cured. The physician's art cannot prevail here: The disease lies more inward, than that his medicines can reach it. […] soul could that be, brought the body into this disorder, and therefore the •eene, lies must be applied to the sick man's soul and conscience. The physician for this case must be a spiritual physician the remedies […] ⟨p. 192⟩be spiritual, a righteousness, a ransom or atonement. Upon the application of these, the soul is cur•d, the conscience is quieted, and the body recovers, ver. 23, 24, 25. 26 If there be a messenger w•th him, an interpreter, one among a thousand to show unto man his uprightness: then he is gracious unto him, and saith. Deliver him from going down to the pit. I have found a ransom. His flesh shall be fresher than a child•s he shall return to the days of his youth. He shall pray unto God, and he shall be favourable unto him, and he shall see his face with joy. The proper physician for this patient, is a messenger, an interpreter, ver. 23. that is as some expositors, not without ground, understand it, the great Physician Jesus Christ, whom Job had called his Redeemer, chap xix. He is a messenger, the Messenger of the Covenant of Peace, Mal iii.
1s•, His sins are pardoned, the guilt of them is removed. The bond obliging him to pay his debt, is cancelled God the Father takes the pen, dips it in the blood of his Son, crosseth the sinner's accounts, and blotteth them out of his debt-book. The sinner, out of Christ, is bound over to the wrath of God: he is under an obligation in law, to go to the prison of hell, and there to ly till he has paid the utmost farthing. This ariseth from the terrible sanction with which the law is fenced, which is no less than death, Gen. ii. 17. So that the sinner passing the bounds assigned him, is as Shemei, in another case, a man of death, 1 Kings ii. 42. But now, being united to Christ, God saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom, Job xxxiii 24. The sentence of condemnation is reversed, the believer is absolved, and set beyond the reach of the condemning law. His sins, which sometimes were set before the Lord, Psal xc. 8. so that they could not be hid, God now takes and casts them all behind his back, Isa. xxxvii. 17. Yea, he casts them into the depths of the sea, Mi••h vii. 19. What falls into a brook may be got up again; but what is cast into the sea cannot be recovered. Ay, but there are some shallow places in the sea: true, but their sins are not cast in there, but into the depths of the sea; and the depths of the sea are devouring depths, from whence they shall never come forth again. But, what if they do not sink? He will cast them in with force; so that they shall go to the ground, and sink as lead in the mighty waters of the Reds••er's blood. They are not only forgiven, but forgotten, ⟨p. 189⟩Jer. xxxi. 34. I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more. And tho' their after sins do, in themselves, deserve eternal wrath, and do actually make them liable to temporal strokes, and fatherly chastisements, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace, Psal lxxxix. 30.—33. Yet they can never be actually liable to eternal wrath, or the curse of the law; for they are dead to the law in Christ, Rom. vii 4. And they can never fall from their union with Christ; nor can they be in Christ, and yet under condemnati•n, Rom viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. This is an inference drawn from that doctrine of the believer's being dead to the law, delivered by the Apostle, chap. vii.
Thus the person united to Christ, is justified. You may conceive of the whole proceeding herein, in this manner. The avenger of blood pursuing the criminal, Christ, as the Saviour of lost sinners, doth by the Spirit apprehend him, and draw him to himself; and he by Faith lays hold on Christ: so the Lord our righteousness, and the unrighteous creature unite. From this union with Christ, results a communion with him, in his unsearchable riches, and consequently, in his righteousness, that white raiment which he has for clothing of the naked, Rev. iii. 18. Thus the righteousness of Christ becomes his: and because it is his by unquestionable title, it is imputed to him; it is reckoned his, in the judgment of God, which is always according to the truth of the thing. And so the believing sinner having a righteousness which fully answers the demands of the law, he is pardoned, and accepted as righteous. See Isa. xlv. 22, 24, 25. Rom. iii 24. and chap. v. 1. Now he is a free man, Who shall lay any thing to the ⟨p. 190⟩charge of these whom God justifieth? Can justice lay any thing to their charge? No, for it is satisfied. Can the •aw? No, for it has got all its demands of them in Jesus Christ, Gal ii 26. I am cruc•fied with Christ. What can the law require more, after it has wounded their head; poured in wrath, in full measure, into their soul; and cut off their life, and brought it into the dust of death; in so far as it has done all this to Jesus Christ, who is their Head, Eph. i. 22. their Soul, Acts ii 25, 27 and their Life, Col. iii. 4. What is become of the sinner's own hand-writing, which would prove the debt upon him? Christ has blotted it out, Col. ii. 14. But, it may be, justice may get its eye upon it again• no, he took it •ut of the way. But, O that it had been torn in pieces, may the sinner say: yea so it is; the nails that pierced Christ's hands and feet, are driven through it, he nailed it. But what if the torn pieces be set together again? That cannot be; for he nailed it to his cross, and his cross was buried with him, but will never rise more, seeing Christ 〈…〉 no more Where is the face-covering that was upon the condemned man? Christ has destroyed it, Isa. xxv. 7. Where is death, that stood before the sinner with a grim face, and an open mouth, ready to devour him? Christ has swallowed it up in victory, ver 8.
The second benefit flowing from the same spring of union with Christ, and coming by the way of justification, is Peace; peace with God, and peace of conscience, according to the measure of the sense the justified have of their peace with God, Rom. v. 1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Chap xiv. 27. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Whereas God was their enemy before, now he is reconciled to them in Christ; they are in a covenant of peace with him; and as Abraham was, so they are the friends of God. He is well-pleased with them, in his beloved Son. His word, which spoke terror to them formerly, now speaks peace, if they rightly take up its language. And there is love in all his dispensations toward them, which makes all work together for their good: Their consciences are purg•d of that guilt and filthiness that sometime lay upon them: his conscience purifying blood streams through their souls, by virtue of their union with him, Heb. ix. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ—purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? The bonds laid on their consciences, by the Spirit of God, acting as the spirit of bondage, are taken off, never more to be laid on by that hand, Rom. vii. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. Hereby the conscience is 〈…〉 as soon as the soul becomes conscious of the application of that 〈…〉 which falls out sooner or later, according to the treasure of faith, and • the only wise God sees meet to time it. Unbelievers may have troubled consciences, which they may get •••ted again: but alas! their consciences become peaceable, ere they ⟨p. 191⟩become pure; so their peace is but the seed of a greater horror and confusion. Carelesness may give ease for a while, to a sick conscience; men neglecting its wounds, they close again of their own accord, before the filthy matter is purged out Many bury their guilt in the grave of an ill memory: conscience smarts a little: at length the man forgets his sin, and there is an end of it: but that is only an ease before death. Business, or the affairs of life, often give ease in this case. When Cain is banished from the presence of the Lord, he falls a building of cities.
Elihu shews us both the case and cure, Job xxxiii. Behold the case one may be in, whom God has thoughts of love to. He darteth convictions into his conscience; and makes them stick so fast, that he cannot rid himself of them, ver. 16. He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, his very body sickens, ver. 19. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain. He loseth his stomach, ver. 20. His life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. His body pines away, so that there is nothing on him but skin and bone, ver. 21. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen, stick out. Tho' he is not prepared for death, he has no hopes of life, ver. 22. His soul draweth near unto the grave, and (which is the height of his misery) his life to the destroyers: he is looking every moment when devils, these destroyers, Rom. ix. 11. these murderers, or man-slayers, John viii. 44. will come and carry away his soul to hell. O dreadful case! yet there is hope. God designs to k••p back his soul from the pit, ver. 18 a 〈…〉 he bring him forward to the brink of it. Now, see how the 〈…〉 is cured. The physician's art cannot prevail here: The disease lies more inward, than that his medicines can reach it. 〈…〉 soul coulde that be, brought the body into this disorder, and therefore the •eene, lies must be applied to the sick man's soul and conscience. The physician for this case must be a spiritual physician the remedies 〈…〉 ⟨p. 192⟩be spiritual, a righteousness, a ransom or atonement. Upon the application of these, the soul is cur•d, the conscience is quieted, and the body recovers, ver. 23, 24, 25. 26 If there be a messenger w•th him, an interpreter, one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness: then he is gracious unto him, and saith. Deliver him from going down to the pit. I have found a ransom. His flesh shall be fresher than a child•s he shall return to the days of his youth. He shall pray unto God, and he shall be favourable unto him, and he shall see his face with joy. The proper physician for this patient, is a messenger, an interpreter, ver. 23. that is as some expositors, not without ground, understand it, the great Physician Jesus Christ, whom Job had called his Redeemer, chap xix. •• He is a messenger, the Messenger of the Covenant of Peace, Mal iii.
