and truth is iniquity purged is onely to be understood as a qualification of the person that is purged not of the meritorious cause of purging away sinne which the Scripture doth ever ascribe to the alsufficient sacrifice of Christ who is the onely propitiation for sinne 1 John 2. 2. 2. From the legal purifications Many washings did God appoint in the Law for the purifying of those that were legally uncleane There were two great wayes of ceremonial purification The blood of the sacrifices which were offered to God this was to be sprinkled by the Priests round about the Altar so we read Lev. 1. 5 11. And the water of separation of which we read Numb 19. init where you may see how it was to be made and how used Now what was typified by both these but this spiritual purgation of Christâ— blood The Apostle doth clearly and expressâ—ly unfold this to us in Heb. 9. 15 14. The Gospel-mystery of all the Levitical washings did amâ—unt to this that the blood of Christ did meritoâ—iously purge away sin 3. From the baptismal washing God hath appointed Baptisme as the seal of his Covenant under the Gospel Water is the outward element to be used in the administration of this Ordinance What is the meaning of this but that by the application of Christs blood sinne is purgâ—e away from the soul Therefore is Baptismâ— called the washing away of sinne Acts 22. 16. because by the outward washing of the body wiâ—h water is the inward washing of the soul from sin shadowed out This is the first particular 2. For the second Why his blood is compared to a fountaine It 's called a fountain in five respects 1. To shew the fulnesse of his merit Fountains are full of water there is an abundance a redundancy of merit in Jesus Christ The Prophet would dâ—stinguish the Gospel washings from the legal Those lavers were not fountains but vessels but Christs blood â—hich is the spiritual laver is an abounding fountain the spiritual washing is a rich and plentâ—â—ul â—ashing The Scripture doth mention â—â—e merit of Christ sometimes by fulness as John 1. 14. sometimes by the terme of abundance as Rom. 5. 17. The grace of Christ is every way proportionable to the necessity of the soul The soul may wash it selfe all over in the blood of Christ 2. To shew the lastingnesse of his grace The blood of Christ doth indure for ever Streams dry up vessels may be emptied but fountains have a spring in themselves and can never be emptied Christs blood hath been running for many ages and yet it runs in as plentiful streams as if it had been but newly opened It 's an ever flowing fountain 3. To shew the purity of it Streames are sometimes muddy and dirty but the fountain is clear There is not the least mixture of any defilement in the blood of Christ It 's compared to chrystal for the clearnesse of it Rev. 22. 1. The blood of Christ washes away defilement but it selfe is not capable of contracting any defilement 4. To shew the freshnesse and lively efficacy of it Streams may lose their vertue and efficacy sometimes water that is sweet in the fountaine is bitter in the streames especially if those streames be any great distance from the fountain The neerer the streames are to the fountain the more vertue they have in them and the fountaine it self hath most vertue of all Christs blood is full of efficacy and spiritual vigour It hath not lost it cannot lose that livelinesse and operativenesse which it once had Thus I have shewed you why it 's called a fountaine Before I leave this let me shew you how this fountaine excels all other fountaines 5. To shew the freenesse of it 1 This fountaine doth heal all manner of distâ—mpers Other fountaines though they may be of great use for some distempers yet they are not useful for all Yea the best of them are destructive in some cases but this fountaine is as good for every spiritual disease as it is for any It 's set down indefinitely in the text for sin and for uncleannesse that is for all sinne and for all uncleannesse The pool of Bethesda of which we read John 5. 4. did shadow out this that cured all diseases after the moving of it Christs blood is the true pool of Bethesda which heals all manner of spiritual sores and diseases 2 One drop of this fountain is as effiâ—acious as the whole fountaine In other fountains though every drop be of the same nature yet it is not of the same vertue but here every drop is of the same vertue with the whole One drop of Christs blood applâ—ed by faith will purge away sinne and uncleannesse as well as the whole fountain The same infinite merit that is in all is in every part 3 This fountain pâ—rgeth the soul in a moment of whatsoeâ—er filthinesse â—â— upon it Things that are very filthy must lye a long time sâ—aking in other fountaines before they can be made cleane They must be washed againe and again before they be made white but this fountaine purgâ—th immâ—dâ—ately One minute is as good as a thousand yeers as to the main principal work Let a leper â—â—ep into this fountain and he doth in one moment become a Nazarite as white as snow Naaman must dip sevâ—n times in â—ordan or ever he could be cured of his Leprosie 2 Kings â— 14. If a soule do but dip once in this fountain he is presently cured 4 That soul that is once made clean in this fountain is never filthy again Other fountaines cannot give any such power to them that wash in them as to be preservd from future defilements but this fountaine doth Not as if a soul should never defile it selfe at all after its cleansing for we do gather new filth every day and have need of new washings but as to the principal cleansing the soul is made cleane for ever It can never again return to that extremity of filthinesse under which it was The old blacknesse of unregeneracy can never return Every elect person shall be once born againe but when he is once regenerated he is regenerated for ever The foreskin can never overgrow 〈◊〉 soul againe as it did before Thus much for the 〈◊〉 pâ—rticular For the third How or in what respects 〈◊〉 â—â—eanseth away the uncleannesse of the 〈◊〉 â—his he doth in two respects 1. His blood cleanseth the soul from the guilt of â—â—nne Sinne doth lay a person under guilt Oâ— this â—â—â—eannesse of guilt the Scripture speaks Lev. 5. 2. From this uncleannesse Christs blood cleanseth as it is our justification for his blood â—â— the meritorious cause of our justification The Prophet speaks of this Esay 53. 4 5. God doth for the obedience and sufferings of Christ acquit the soul from sin and pronounceth it guilâ—â—â—se and innocent Hence it is that Christ is called our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. The Apostle speaks of this fully Rom. 3. 24
25 26. He is the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world 2. His blood cleanseth the soul from the filthinesse of sin Sinne is a filthy thing in it self and it doth bring filthinesse upon the soul This filthinesse is removed by the sprinklings of Christs blood in the work of sanctification He doth by his blood purge the conscience from all dead works that it may serve the living God We are said to be sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1. 2. He is as well the meritorious cause of our Sanctification as of our justification Every drop and dram of grace cost his heart blood Had not God poured forth upon us the blood of his Son our black and polluted souls had never been made white We owe our holinesse to Christ as well as our righteousnesse This is the third 4. For the fourth That onely penitent sinners are purged in this fountaine This is cleare by comparing this Text wiâ—h v. 10. of the former Chapter There the prophet decribes the quality of the persons they are such as look on Christ whom they have pierced and such as mouâ—ne for him The fountaine of Christs blood is a sealed fountâ—ine to all impenitent sinners but to them that mourne and are in bitternesse for sin it 's a fountaine opened Consider 1. Impenitent sinners will not prize it A man must both see and bewaile his uncleannesse before he can value the healing fountain Christ never comes with acceptation till the soul see his need of him When the Apostle saw that the Jews began to be in sadnesse then he shews them the fountaine Acts 2. 37 38. An impenitent sinner will care no more for the grace of Christ in the Gospel then an innocent man will for a pardon When the Scripture holds out Christ it doth usually mention something of this nature Esay 55. 1. and Matth. 11. 28. No man will greatly prize either ease or rest but he that feels his load heavy 2. Impenitent sinners will abuse and sleight it A harned sinner will as much despire a Christ as a full stomack dainty meat This is the fourth 5. For the fifth Why Christ is called a fountaine opened He is called so in three respects 1. To shew how willing he is that sinners should make use of him He is not a sealed fountaine but a fountaine opened Jesus Christ is marvellous ready and desirous that polluted soules would make use of his blood All the invitations which he uses in the Gospel shew his readinesse Rev. 22. 17. He hath for this purpose appointed the Ministery of the Gospel that solemn invitation might therein be made to defiled souls that they would wash and be cleane All the complaints which he makes of sinners remisnesse and backwardnesse in coming to him are a proof of his readinesse Take but two places for this the one is John 5. 40. The other is in Luke 13. 24. With how much sadness of heart doth Jesus Christ utter those words How often would I have gathered thy children as a â—hen gathered her chickens and ye would not He that commands his doors always to be kept open doth declare his minde to be that all that want succour should turne in for relief Christ keeps open house for all penitent sinners 2. To shew the cleernesse of the Gospel revelation above the Legal Non dubito saith Calvin c. I do not doubt but by this word he notes the difference between the Law and the Gospel Christ was a fountain for sinne and for uncleannesse under the Law but he was a sealed fountaine he was a typified fountaine shadowed out under the blood of bulls and goats and other legal purifications but now he is a fountaine opened he is clearly and fully discovered without shadows or types or any such thing The fountaine was then covered over with the leaves of many veiles and shadows but now all those are taken away and the blood of Christ appears plainly the stone that formerly lay upon the mouth of the fountaine is now removed the streams run so clear that all that read the Gospel may perfectly see it And then 3. To shew the readinesse and easinesse of accâ—sse which is afforded to Christ The Apostle in Rom. 5. 2. makes mention of the accesse which the beleever hath to the grace of Christ Men pretend many difficulties and obstructions There is a lion in the â—ay saith the sluggard a lion in the streets Prov. 26 13. Who shall roll us away the stone say the women Mark 16. 3. the same thoughts have men generally in their hearts concerning their coming to Christ When they are invited to wash in this fountaine they presently reply who shall roll away the stone who shall unlock the fountaine for us This objection is fully answered the fountaine is unlockt already the way is plaine all impediments are taken out of the way when the soul is willing to come all the straits and hindrances are in your own hearts do but coâ—quer your own unwillingness and the passage is easie the fountaine is not sealed but open The Uses are for Information Exhortation Consolation 1. For Information This doctrine may teach us these profitable lessons viz. 1. Beâ—old the hainous and abominable filthinesse of sinne The Scripture sets out sinne as a very filthy thing It s compared to such things as are of a polluting nature To the â—kum of a boiling pot Ezek. 24. 6. To the filthinesse of a removed woman Ezek. 36. 17. to mire to the vomit of a dog 2 Pet. 2. 22. To the plague of pestilence and the plague of leprosie 1 Kings 8. 38. Sinne is often called a spot Deut. 32. 5. 'T is a spot exceeding black and exceeding broad and very deep Many things shew the filthinesse of sinne The waters of the deluge in the old world the flames of fire and brimstone sent down upon Sodom and Gomorrah But above all this shews it to be a filthy thing that it could not be washed away without the blood of Christ That 's a foul stain which cannoâ— be taken away without the shedding of mans blood The stain of that sin of covenant-breaking with the Gibeonites was very hainous that could not be done away without the blood of all Sauls house 2 Sam. 21. 1 2 6. Sinne is such a black spot that it could never have been done away without the blood of Christ The Son of God must open a fountaine of blood in his own heart to expiate sinne or it could never have been expiated The blood of bulls and goats could not do it Heb. 9. 12. The garment wâ—s too foule to be cleansed by any such thing Oh that sinners would lay this to heart thy lying thy bloody oathes which thou lookest upon as things so mean thy cheating and defrauding thy over-reaching and false dealing thy covetousnesse the guilt and filthinesse of the least of thy sins could never have been taken away if Jesus Christ had not opened the
fountain of his blood as a laver for sin When thy heart hath any good thoughts of sin remember this way of expiation and it will appear very hainous 2. Behold the dignity and merit of Christs blood The Scripture calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1. 19. precious blood It 's precious blood in regard of the dignity of his person it is the blood of God himself that is of that person who is true and very God Acts 20. 28. And its precious in regard of the vertue and effect of it By this blood God and man are reconciled By this blood the Church of God is Redeemed And by this blood sin is expiated and perfectly done away Consider these three things 1 The multitude of sinners that are cleansed by Christ An innumerable company all the Elect of God in all ages 2 The multitude of sinnes in every person not one but many every sinner is full of sores not one free part either of soul or body 3 The perfection of the cure Every sinner is as perfectly healed as if he had never been wounded He is said to cleanse from all sinne in 1 Joh. 1. 7. He is said to take away the sinnes of the world He is said for ever to perfect them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. All these expressions shew the compleatnesse of the sinners cleansing Were not his blood of infinite value it could never have wrought such an effect The blood of all the men in the world could not expiate one sin â—ut the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth multitudes of sinners from millions of sins and every one of them mortal 3. Behold the exceeding greatnesse of the love both of God the Father and of Christ to man-kind The Evangelist admires it John 3. 16. It is admired by the Saints in heaven Rev. 5. 9 10. and it may well be admired by the Saints on earth That God should let out the blood of his own Son to make a spiritual fountain for us to wash in This argues not onely exâ—ctnesse of justice but abundance of love It will appear to be love indeed if we consider what Christ must endure before he could expiate sinne He must drink up the deep fountaine of his Fathers wrath before he could be a fountaine for us to wash in He shall drink of the brook in the way saith the Prophet of Christ Psal 110. 7. This brook is the wrath of God it was a large brook and a deep brook the streames of it were very fierce and very muddy This brook Christ did not onely saile over or swim thorough but he drank it up even the thickest dregs of it That God should cause his Sonne and that the Son should be willing to drink up such a brook of wrath that he might become a fountain to wash away our sin this argues love unspeakable and stupendious in both towards elect men 4. The Church of God shall never want sufficient means for spiritual purification Here is a fountaine opened and being once opened it shall never be shut again and as it shall never be shut so it can never be drawn dry The streams of it shall perpetually flow out in the Gospel whilest the Church hath need of washing Other fountains may faile through continuance of drought but this fountaine can never faile God promises to his Church perpetual springs Esay 5â— 1â— Thâ—â— shalt be as a watered garden and like aspring of water whose waters faile not This continuance of the fountaine is intimated in the circumstance of time mentioned in the text in that day The whole time of the Churches pilgrimage in this life is comprehended under that expression The fountaine stands open and runnes all the day long in a full and plentiful streame It is the Churches misery that she contracts defilement continually but it is her comfort that the purifying fountaine doth and shall run continually 5. How inexâ—â—sable those are that die in their filthinesse under the Gospel Those who live and die with their filthinesse upon them where the Gospel is not shall be without excuse at the day of judgement because God made them at first cleane and they did wilfully defile themselves Mans first â—â—â—â—ling in the mire of sin was his own voluntary act he can blame none but himself therefore none of mans defiled posterity can be acquitted but of all men those that live under the Gospel shall be without excuse For to them a fountain is set wide open and they are dayly invited to wash themselves therein their sinne iâ— double They do not onely sinne in pollâ—ting themselves but they sin in keeping the pollution upon them They are filthy noâ— because they want water but because they want a heart to make use of water The â—â—reames of Christs blood runne by their doors and therefore if their guilt abide nothing can be pleaded by way of excuse They were told of their 〈◊〉 they were invited to wash they saw others by washing were cleansed therefore their guilt remaineth If Nâ—â—â—â— after the Propheâ— directed him to wash in Jordan had returned without washing who would have pitied him if he had died a leper Those that are brought to this spiritual Jordan if they will not wash 't is pity but their sinful leproâ—ie should remaine upon them They do shut that fountain against themselves that God hath graciously opened Thus much for the first Use of Information 2. For Exhortation It commends several duties which we should carefully practise As 1. Take heed of despising this fountaine The Prophet foretelling of Christ did long since by way of complaint speak of the despising and rejecting of him Isa 53. 3. We have cause to joyne with him in the same complaint the fountaine of Christs blood is exceedingly despised 1. The Iews they keep open the typical fountain 2. The Papists despise this fountaine in that Heb. 10. 14 they make other expiatory fountaines They instead of going to the fountaine of Christs blood 1. They go to the Masse which they call a propitiatory sacrifice And 2. To the merit of their own works thinking thereby to expiate sinne purchase the favour of God Jesus Christ may complaine against the Papists as God doth against his people of old because of their apostasie Jer. 2. 13. My people have commited two evils they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and have hewen them out cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water The Scripture makes not good works but Christs blood our ransome and propitiation Tit. 3. 4 5 6. Our good works are so farre from cleansing us from the guilt of sinne that they themselves have need of cleansing Domine lava lachrymas meas was the prayer of that father and it must be our prayer Doth not the Scripture attribute filthinesse to the best of our works Esay 64. 6. All our righteousnesses are as filthy râ—gs Thy repentance thy prayers thy duties must be sprinkled in this fountain else God will loath
be perswaded to beleeve Use 2. The deare love of Jesus Christ to his people As his departure was a rich testimony of his love 'T is expedient for you that I go away so is his returning I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come unto you Joh. 14. 18. Never think of Christs returning but meditate upon the greatnesse of his love Use 3. That Christ is not now corporally in the world The Scripture speaks of his corporal appearance as of a future thing The Papists they make him corporally present in the Sacrament His body shall descend but once and that shall never be till he come to take his people into glory with himself The doctrine of the real corporal presence of Christ is a doctrine of real falshood Use 4. This is a very sad doctrine to all ungodly sinners Christ shall appear It were well for wicked men if this Doctrine were an untruth The very end of his appearing is to bring you to a publick tryal for all your acts of High-treason against his Crown and dignity He will appeare and then you shall appeare before him to render an account of and to suffer punishment for all your hard words and cruel actings against him and against his in the world when he appeares you shall wish that the mountaines might fall upon you to hide you from his sight The appearance of Christ to you will be as the appearance of a severe Judge to a convicted malefactor Consider of it before-hand that by timely and thorough repentance you may prevent that dreadful sentence which will be denounced and executed upon the wicked in that day Falix trembled when he heard this doctrine Acts 24. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the hearing of it work such fear how great fear will the sight of it work be humbled and converted that ye may stand when the Sonne of Man appears You cannot hide any wickednesse from him You cannot bribe him to excuse your wickednesse Use 5. Let the friends and favourites of Christ draw comfoâ—t from hence Lift up your heads saith our Saviour when he is preaching of this very Doctrine Luke 21. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is a day of lifting up the head to you Think of it and gather comfort from it 1. Against all the shame you meet with here That day shall wipe off all your shame Isa 66. 5. 2. Against all false judgements and accusations In that day all shall be judged over again Christ shall appear and he will judge righteous judgement 3. Against all slanders 4. The appearing of Christ is a general antidote against all evils you suffer 2 Pet. 2. 9. beleeve it meditate much upon it Mar. 13. 35. Luke 12. 42. 5. Prepare for it JOHN 6. 55. My flesh is meat indeed and my VI. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Decem. 14. 1651. blood is drink indeed IN this Chapter we have something Historical and something Doctrinal The Historical part relates two great miracles done by our Saviour his feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes ver 1. to 15. his walking upon the water v. 15. to 22. The Doctrinal part is from v. 22. ad finem The first and principal Doctrine he handles is to prove himself to be the bread of life He is occasioned to preach this Doctrine from the peoples flocking after him to be fed with miraculous bread v. 22 23 24 25. seeing a great multitude resort after to Capernaum he knowing their intentions tells them v. 26. that they followed not because they saw his Divine power in the late miracle but that they might satisfie their natural appetite with bread and thereupon v. 27. adviseth them that they would minde that spiritual bread which did excel the other as far as the soule did the body v. 27. And after some debate with them when he saw their hearts a little raised after it he doth openly declare and professe himselfe to be that spiritual bread And when there was some contention among the Jewes how he could give them himselfe to eate v. 52. he doth v. 53. shew the misery of them that did not eat him and v. 54 the happinesse of those that did feed upon him and thereupon layes down this assertion in the Text For my flesh is meat indeed c. The worâ—s taken absolutely and excluding the causal particle for containe in them a double Proposition 1. That Christs flesh is meat indeed 2. That his blood is drink indeed I begin with the first My flesh c. in which we have 1. The subject My flesh 2. The predicate Meat indeed EXPLICATION My flesh Flesh when it is spoken in relation to Christ as here in the Text signifies two things 1. Sometimes the manhood alone So you have it Joh. 6. 63. It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing In this place the flesh signifies onely the humanity of Christ So Austin expounds it and Calvin after him The humanity is without advantage if it be separated from the spirit that is à spiritus virtute quâ perfusa est caro Calvin 'T is the Divinity that gives efficacy to the humanity It is from the Spirit that the flesh hath any feeding vertue 2. Sometimes the whole person of Christ God-man And so it is to be understood in the Text. My flesh is meat that is I am meat I God and man in one person Now why flesh is mentioned here Cameron gives the reason because our life is in the flesh and blood of Christ Si enim carnem sanguinem Christo tollas non erit amplius cibus noster For that he might be food for our soules it was necessary that he should satisfie the justice of God and so purchase for us remission of sinnes Therefore because by the shedding of his blood and by the sacrificing and offering up of his body upon the crosse he purchased this for us Heb. 9. 22. his flesh is said to be our meat and his blood our drink Is meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is translated sometimes rust Mat. 6. 19 20. Lay not up for your selves treasures on earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies any thing that by rust or fretting doth eat into metal or other creatures and so consumes them It is also translated meat and signifies generally all kinde of food which is for the support of life 2 Cor. 9. 10. he that ministreth seed to the sower both minister bread to your food 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and multiply your seed sowen c. And so 't is used in the Text. Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the flesh of Christ is called meat indeed in a twofold respect 1. In respect of all other food All other food in respect of this is but cibi tantummodo umbra vana imago as Cameron saith As natural life in respect of the spiritual is but a shadow of
Sometimes a beleever through the neglect of his duty through surfetting upon sinne brings spiritual languishings upon himself his strength is decayed his vigour is abated his pulse beats very weakly he can scarcely creep in the wayes of God In such a case Jesus Christ recovers him repaires his breaches and renues his strength as in former times The Psalmist speaks of this Psal 23. 3. He restoreth my soul He leadeth me in the paths of righteousnesse for his Names sake The Saints have every day experience of this restoring vertue of Christ III. How this meat is eaten and received The Scripture makes mention of three things which concur to this act 1. The Ordinances These are the conduits Jesus Christ hath instituted and appointed his Ordinances to be the meanes of carrying his nourishing vertue to the soul The Ordinances are the dishes of gold upon which this heavenly meat is brought Prayer Reading Preaching Meditation holy conference the Sacrament in these Christ presents himself to the soul He that forsakes these can expect no feeding from Christ In this mountaine will the Lord of Hosts make a feast of fat things c. Esay 25. 6. The feast is made in the mountain of Gods house and the Ordinances are the dishes on which this meat is set and the knives by which it s carved out to the soul 2. Saving lively faith This is the instrument What the hand and mouth and stomack are in the corporal eating that is faith in this spiritual eating Faith is the hand that takes this meat the mouth that eats it and the stomack that digests it Yea faith is as the veines and Arteries that do disperse and carry this nourishment to every power of the soule This is abundantly cleared in this very Chapter v. 35. he that cometh to me shall never hunger he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Cometh is expounded by beleeveth Eating and drinking are here put for believing Crede manducasti He that beleeves eats and he that eats not it is because he beleeves not Hic edâ—re est credere Doct. 2. That the blood of Jesus Christ is drink indeed Blood is here put for the whole person as flesh was And it s rather his blood is drink then that He is drink because the great efficacy of all Christ did lies principally in his blood Heb. 9 22. And in the same respects as his flesh is said to be meat indeed his blood is said to be drink indeed And those three things which concurre to the act of eating his flesh concur also to this act of drinking his blood The mystical union saving faith the Ordinances I shall therefore onely open two things 1. Shew that Christs blood is drink 2. The Analogy between his blood and other drink I. That the blood of Christ is spiritual drink will appear 1. From the drink-offerings under the Law In the Law there were sundry drink-offerings appointed as well as meat-offerings The daily sacrifice which was to be offered continually every morning and evening had both a meat-offering and drink annexed to it Exod. 29. 40 41. The daily sacrifice did signifie three things 1 That Jesus Christ the true Lamb of God was available to the Church of God from the morning of the world to the evening the end of the world 2 To signifie the continual need the Church had of reconciliation by Christs blood which taketh away sinne 3 To sanctifie the morning and evening prayers of the Church by the interceding sacrifices of Christ the Mediator And the meat-offering and drink-offering added thereunto did signifie that Jesus Christ by offering himself to God becomes not onely our redemption but also meat and drink to the soul The sheaf of the first fruits appointed to be offered every year had both the meat-offering and drink-offering added thereunto Lev. 23. 10 11 12 13. The like is to be observed in other sacrifices Now as the meat-offerings Numb 15 init did represent Christ as food so the drink-offerings did set him out as our spiritual drink 2. From the water issuing out of the rock You read the story of that Numb 20. The people in the desart of Zin wanted water In their necessity as their sinful custom was they fall a murmuring v. 3 4 5. God commands Moses v. 8. to speak unto the rock to give them water that they and their cattel might drink Moses smites the rock twice which was his sinne because God only commanded him to speak to the rock and it gave forth its water in abundance v. 11. Now what the meaning of this water was the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10. 4. They drank of the rock that followed them and that rock was Christ The rock typisied Christ and the water of the rock of which they and their cattel drank typed out the blood of Christ our spiritual drink 3. From the cup in the Lords Supper Why is the cup added to the bread Is it not to let us know that Jesus Christ is spiritual drink as well as our spiritual bread 4. From the resemblance of the vine Our Saviour John 15. is compared to a vine Why to a vine 1. To shew the great mystery of the union of all the spiritual branches with him the root 2. To signifie that he is our spiritual drink The vine doth yield wine which is drink for the body the Lord Jesus Christ doth yield spiritual drink for all those that are his members He is the wine of God as well as the bread of God II. Quae Analogia The Analogy stands in foure things There are four properties of drink distinct from meat 1. Drink is for refreshing and cooling When the body is hot by labour or by sicknesse or travel drink doth coole and refresh it The heart panteth after the water-brooks Psalm 42. 1. The chased Hart when he is heated with hunting makes to the river and by drinking is refreshed The sweating Traveller goes to the spring and cooles himselfe by drinking of the streaming waters The blood of Jesus Christ is of a very refreshing and cooling nature When the soul is heated with temptations parched with the fiery wrath of God in the conscience when it lies sweating and sweltring under guilt one draught of Christs blood taken down by faith yea one drop of it sensibly falling upon it doth cool and refresh it again Hence he is also compared to the rivers of water in dry places Is 23. 2. Hence is that invitation Mat. 11. 28 I wilâ— give you rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give you refreshment so 't is translated Phil. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing indeed can coole the parched soule but Christs blood And this will do it abundantly when 't is quite melted with wrath and burnt up with anguish 2. Drink cleanseth the body The inward parts are washed and purified as well as refreshed As the running water cleanseth the channel and carries away rubbish and filth so drink seasonably and
would have made a seeing man blinde if it had been done by a man will mâ—ke a blind man see when it is done by Christ 4. Jesus Christ heales speedily Other Physicians are long in healing We use to say diseases come on horsback but go away on foot No Physician can cure in a moment They must observe method A cure over-hastened may be as prejudicial to the Patient as a disease neglected But Christ can heal in an instant Many a diseased sinner who hath laboured for many yeares under many spiritual distempers have been cured by Jesus Christ in a trice of time We read in the Gospel that Christ did immediately cure some that had laboured a long time under diseases in a moment Take up thy bed and walk Vid. Mat. 8. 3. immediately his leprosie was healed Mat. 20. 34. immediately their eyes received sight Mar. 1. 31. immediately the feaver left her many instances of like nature Immediate cures are not the Acts of creatures though never so learned though never so wise Many a dead lame blinde impenitent sinner hath come sick into the Church and gone out whole When Christ pleases he can heal presently 5. Christ can blesse his Physick He can make it effectual for what he pleaseth No Physician in the world is able to do it He applies Physick but he cannot say this shall cure it He must seek a blessing from Christ The efficacy of that which other Physicians prescribe doth depend upon the sutablenesse of it and principally upon Christs blessing but the efficacy of Christs Physick depends upon his Application Christ can say peremptorily I will remove such a spiritual distemper The Leper acknowledgeth this Math. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane I will saith Christ Be thou clean c. He hath all spiritual diseases at his beck The Centurion acknowledgeth it Do but speak the word and my servant shall be healed c. Mat. 8. 8. If Christ say to impenitency to unbeliefe c. Be healed they will be healed If Christ say I will by such a Sermon heale such a sinner the work will be done His Word is cure enough for any disease 6. Christ heales the poor as well as the rich Many Physicians do not care to take poor patients in hand but Jesus Christ is as willing to visit and heale the poor as well as the rich He is as ready to go to the beggar on the dunghil as to the King on the Throne Jesus Christ in the dayes of his flesh was as ready to heal the servant as the Master Luke â—8 35 36. the noble and ignoble the great and the small are all alike to him Christ looks not at outward qualities but at spiritual distempers Christ heales all freely Other Physicians take rewards 'T is their calling and they ought to live upon their calling Many of them are very exacting If they have not a daily fee they care not for visiting The Gospel speaks of one that had spent all her living on Physicians Luke 8. 43. But now Christ takes nothing from his Patients whether they be rich or poore He gives them their Physick freely Nay he gives rewards to all his Patients Other Physicians receive from their Patients but here the Patient receives from the Physician He provides meat drink attendance for all his Patients Christ is a nurse as well as a Physician You may see this in that Parable Luke 10. 34 35. Physicians are not bound to take care of their Patients in this sence but Christ doth 8. Christ offers himself Other Physicians stay till they be sent for No sick man expects a Physician till he be called he is glad if he can see him then but Christ comes without calling indeed he should never come if he did not come without a call The sick soule would die before he would send for Christ Other Physicians are intreated to come to the sick but here the sick are intreated to come to the Physician Matth. 11. 28. The work of the Ministery is to beseech sinners that they would be healed Vid. 2 Cor. 5. 20. Jesus Christ câ—me to seek and save that which was lost first to seek them then to save them 9. Christ doth not depart though he be reviled c. Other Physicians they absent themselves if they be unkindly used Who would expect a Physician should come daily to one that reproaches and reviles him yea to one that shuts the door on him when he comes much lesse to one that beats him c The sick sinner useth Christ uncivilly discourteously he frownes on him he shuts the door on him he reviles him he beates him and stones him and yet the Physician will not depart though he seem to be angry and to withdraw for a time yet returnes againe Christ will put up a thousand abuses rather then suffer one of his Elect to die in their sinnes Though Christ see that we throw his physick into his face that we teare and burn his bills in his presence that we send for Empyricks and prefer their advice before his yet he waits with patience and will not be driven away by the worst usage 10. Christ himselfe is the sick mans Physick Other Physicians do not heal their patients with their own flesh but Christ doth Other Physicians do sometimes take away the blood of their patients but Christ lets himself blood to heal his patients By his stripes we are healed Esay 53. 5. Christ makes a wound in himself to heale our wounds The Physician dies to save the patients life from the grave To him that loved us and washed away our sinnes with his blood Rev. 1. 5. Neither the guilt nor filth of one sin would have been removed if the Physicians blood had not been shed for it 11. Christ is a Chirurgion as well as a Physician 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehends both The Uses 1. That Christ will kindly accept all endeavours of men for the healing of the spiritual distempers of their brethren He is a Physician for spiritual sores and those are most like him that desire to heale and dresse such sores as these are 2. Let men bring their souls to Christ Desperet nemo Present your selves before Christ he is a Physician yea he indeed is the onely Physician All others are meer Empiricks and Mountebanks they will cheat you they cannot heal you Those that would send you to works to duties to Angels c. they are destroyers of your souls Here is good news for a sick world that Christ is a Physician lay all your diseases before him See how men did for their bodily diseases Matth. 4. 24 do so by your spiritual diseases bring your ignorant hearts your proud hearts your impatient hearts your covetous hearts c. and lay them at Christs feet c. Here is Christs pool where he heales I shall lay down for the encouragement of sinners five Arguments against despaire of being healed viz. 1. How many Christ hath
both thee and them How unable is that to expiate sin which doth it selfe stand in need of expiation 3. The Popish purgatory is also a direct despising of this fountaine it reproaches Christs purgatory as if it were not sufficient contrary to Heb. 1. 3. 3. The Socinians despise this fountaine in that they deny Christ to be a price for sinne They say Christ did not suffer vice nostâ—â in our stead but onely commodo nostro for our profit to be as an example to us We deny not but that Christ by his sufferings hath left us an example of patient sufferings The Apostle is expresse for this 1 Pet. 2. 21. but this was but an inferior and lesse principal end of his sufferings We have benefit by Pauls death and all other Saints but the principal end was to be a propitiation for sinne Therefore he is called a ransome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. 6. A counterprize because the end of his sufferings was to satisfie the justice of God for our sins The Apostle saith That he himself bare our sinnes in his body on the crosse and by his stripes we are healed 1 Pet. 2. 24. If Christ did not suffer in our stead as well as in our nature we must suffer and satisfie for our selves God will have satisfaction but the Scripture saith and let us for our comfort beleeve it That he was wounded for our sinnes he was brâ—â—â—sed for our offences the chastisemenâ— of our peace was on him and that God hath laid on him the iniquity of us â—ll Esay 53. 5 6. 4. All unbleevers that make no use of this fâ—untain are guilty of despising it Though men do not with the Jews wash in the blood of bulls or with Papists make other expiatories either of the Masse or Purgatory nor with Socinians deny the satisfaction of his blood yet if we reject the â—enders of grace in and through his blood made in the Gospel we do despise it as much as they The Prophet makes not beleeving in Christ and despising of Christ equivalent Esay 53. 1 3. There is no medium between not beleeving and despising I have two things to say to all that despise this fountain First It is a great sinne 'T is a despising of the richest love the deepest wisdom the gloriousest grace that ever God did or could manifest to the sâ—nnes of men The washing away of sinne by Christs blood is the deepest plot of infinite wisdome the richest piece of unsearchable grace that ever was manifested to the sons of men 'T is that which the Angels do and shall study for ever Secondly The danger is great He that despiseth Christ despiseth cleansing All that hate me love death Prov. 8. 38. 'T is a question disputed by Divines whether God could have forgiven sinne without satisfaction Most conclude God by his absolute power might but now he hath declared himself that he will not expiate sinne any other way nor by any other meanes but by Christ whom he hath set forth to be a propitiation for sinne Rom. 3. 25. Therefore he that refuseth to wash in this fountain must of necessiâ—y perish in his own filthinesse Behold ye despisers saith the Apostle and wonder and perish Acts 13. 41. God himself cannot now save him that rejects Christs blood 2. Let the opening of this fountaine occasion the opening of other fountainâ— in all our hearts Deep calleth unto deep Psal 42. 7. There are five fountains which the consideration of the opening of this fountaine should open in the heart of every beleever 1 A fountain of love We should set this fountaine wide open both to God and Christ It was love that set open this fountain Rev. 1. 7. and it should work love in us towards him again we are commanded to love Christ We are threatned with a curse if we love him not in 1 Cor. 16. 22. The streams of this fountaine if any thing will cause the springs of love to overflow in our hearts 2. A fountain of thankfulnesse The Apostle speaking of the redemption we have by Christs blood begins with Benedictus Deus Ephes 1. 3. We are unworthy to wash in this fountaine if we do not daily render praises to God and Christ for it Ordinary thankfulnesse will not serve for such an extraordinary fountain We owe much thankfulnesse to God for the fountains of common water and much more for this fountain of Grace in the blood of Christ Sing Davids song of praise Psal 103. init Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Our hearts if it were possible and our lips too should be as full of praises as this fountain is of grace 3. A fountaine of sorrow This fountain shews our guilt We should not have wanted a fountain for sin if we had not fallen into sin We should never think on this fountaine for sinne but we should break forth into sorrow because of sin 4. A fountain of faith We can neither wash in this fountain nor go to it without faith Christ will be to us still as a fountaine sealed if we do not beleeve in him In his Name through faith in his Name whosoever beleeveth in him shall have remission of sins Acts 10. 43. This is the testimony both of Prophets and Apostles And then 5. A fountain of humility and self denyal By nature we have proud thoughts of our selves All the good which is wrought in us we arrogate to our selves This should teach us to ascribe all our purification to Christ 'T is this fountaine that hath cleansed us if we be cleansed The fountain is opened to our hands We could neither open the fountain nor come to the fountain God hath done both This is the second branch of Exhortation 3. Make daily use of this fountain Bathe your selves in it continually Though once washing be enough to purge away sin as to the maine work yet there will be need of daily purging Though we need no new sacrifice for sinne yet we need daily applications of the merit of that one sacrifice upon every miscarriage 4. When ever you see a fountaine of water think on Jesus Christ Had we spiritual hearts we might think on Christ all the day long few creatures but have some memorial of him He bears the names of his people upon his breast Should not we bear him in our heart by holy thoughts and mediations on him The more we think on him the more shall we love him and the more will he communicate his love to us This is the second Use 3. For Consolation This Doctrine is the foundation of all comfort to beleevers 1. Against that bitter fountaine which is in our hearts We have a bloody fountain in our nature which is alwayes running The droppings of this fountain defâ—le us defile our services Well oppose this fountain to that fountain Gods fountain is more able to cleanse then this fountain is to defile This fountain can drown thy fountain Christ is a greater cleanser then sin is a defiler Micah 7. 19. The sea of Christs blood is deep enough to drown all thy sins Though thy fountain defile thee daily yet Christs fountain can cleanse thee daily 2. Against their inability to make use of this fountain They are discouraged because of the obstructions which lie in their way This text tells you they are all done away the fountain is not â—ealed it stands wide open day and night FINIS
fitly taken carries away the defilements that are contracted within the body The blood of Christ is of a cleansing nature 'T is indeed the only cleanser It doth being taken by faith carry away all the filthinesse of the inward Man All the Ceremonial purifications were types of the purifying blood of Christ Heb. 9. 13 14. There ye have the typical cleansings expounded The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sinne 1 John 1. 7 Christ takes away the guilt of sinne by justification and he cleanseth us from the filthinesse of sinne by sanctification You reade in Zech. 13. 1. of a fountaine opened for sinne and for uncleannesse This fountaine is nothing else but the fountain of Christs blood He that drinks daily of this blood shall be cleansed daily 3. Drink is of a reviving nature It recovers from faintings it opens the eyes helps feeblenesse of Spirit vid. Judg. 15. 18 19. Sampsâ—n being tired by that great slaughter of the Philistines found his spirits sink he prayes for drink and when he had refreshed himself with water his spirit came again and he revived Solomon Prov. 31. 6 7. prescribes strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine to the heavy hearted that they may forget their poverty and remember their misery no more Some drink is called Aqua-vitae because of its usefulnesse and efficacy this way The blood of Jesus Christ is a reviving blood When the soul is in deliquio spirituali when it faints and dies and sinks the sprinklings of this blood will fetch it again a drop or two of this true Aqua-vitae taken down by faith will open the eyes and restore it again This effect it had on Asaph Ps 73. 26. My heart and my flesh faileth c. but thou art the stay of my heart and my portion for ever This was foretold of Christ long before his birth by that Evangelical Prophet Esay 61. 1. and chap. 57. 15. To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones It is his blood and that alone that healeth the broken in heart 4. Drink is of a cheering nature It doth beget and continue cheerfulnesse The Psalmist tells us that wine maketh glad the heart of man Psalme 104. 15. The blood of Christ is a heart-chearing thing It 's the only foundation and the only preserver of true joy It will make the heart merry in adversity it will create laughter in heavinesse Psal 4. 6 7. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance c. Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart c. The light of Gods countenance is lifted up onely in and through Jesus Christ Christs blood is the onely medicine for spiritual Melancholy When the Church was drinking in Christs wine-cellar taking down this blood how was her heart cheared Cant. 2. 3 4. I sate down under his shadow c. The Uses of this are 1. For Information in these particulars 1. Take notice of the great mystery of a beleevers union and onenesse with Jesus Christ The Scripture sets this out as by expresse testimonies â—o by natural resemblances as of vine and branches John 15. init of head and members Eph. 1. ult Eph. 6. 30. of husband and wife Eph. 6. 32. of the foundation and superstructory stones Eph. 3. 20 21. and of meat and eaters as in the Text. As there is a union between the meat and the body of him that eats it so there is an intimate union between a beleever and Christ his spiritual meat And indeed ouâ— union with him is the foundation of our feeding on him He could not be our meat if he were not our Head by mystical uâ—im This is the foundation of this eating this makes Christ ours gives us right to eat The Apostle Col. 2. 19. makes our union with him the foundation of our receiving nourishment from him And the souls feeding on him proves the soules union with him So it follows ver 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and â— in him As the meat which we eate is turned into the substance of our body so are we turned into Christ made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone 2. Behold here the fulnesse of Christ Whence shall we have bread in the Wildernesse to satisfie so many say the Disciples to Christ Mar. 8. 4 5. The fulnesse of Christ appears in this that he hath enough in him to feed so many and to feed every one so plentifully He hath sed his people ever since that promise Gen. 3. 15. and he will feed all his Elect to the end of the world and he will feed them all abundantly every kind of way he feeds them with grace feeds them with knowledge feeds them in respect of justification and he feeds them in respect of sanctification c. and yet is there no abatement of his fulnesse Did not the fulnesse of the Godhead dwell bodily in him Col. 2. 9. he could not feed so many so long every way without any diminution of his fulnesse the children have been eating above five thousand years and the loaf is still whole III. Behold the great love of Christ and of the Father in giving us this meat and drink Remember 't is his flesh that is our meat his blood that is our drink He could not have been our meat and drink if he had not been sacrificed the Priests were not to eat of the offerings allowed them till they were sacrificed had not Christ been sacrificed he could have been no food for us The love of Christ and of the Father appear the more in it that he should sacrifice his Sonne to be a meat offering for us and let out his blood to be a drink offering for us wonder to eternity at this love John 3. 16. the Scripture expresses the great love of God to the Israelites that he gave them Manna from heaven Psal 75. 23 24 25. How much greater love doth he expresse in giving his Sonne to the Elect to feed them That Gods onely Sonne should be torn in pieces to be meat and drink for us Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us as to feed us with the body and blood of his own Son IV. Behold here the compleatnesse of Christ The Scripture speaks much of his compleatness and perfection Look upon him in what respect under what notion you please and you will see his compleatnesse Behold him as a Saviour and so he is a compleat he saves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7 25. he saves the soul the body from all evil unto all good and that for ever Consider him as a Physician and his compleatnesse will appeare He heales the soule the body heales in an instant heales to the bottom c. whatsoever he is compared to he is compleatly and perfectly so Behold him as a Feeder and he is compleat in that notion He is not onely meat nor onely drink but he
Alms shall famish for want of it Vse 2. For Exhortation I. To such as want Christ My counsel to them is that they would labour for an interest in him you cannot be well without him you will famish your soul if you have not Christ for your meat and drink Quest How may we come to have an interest in him 1. Be thorowly perswaded of your need of him This is the first step to the attainment of him Look upon your natural guilt upon all your sinnes upon the severity of the curse of the Law against disobedience upon the exact justice of God in punishing sinne and upon your own helpless nesse either to satisfie justice or to stand out under the deserved wrath of God and you will be convinced of your need of him 2. Wait upon Jesus Christ in that way in which he gives himself to sinners The publick Ordinances chiefly the preaching of the Word In that Christ makes the tender of himself and by that ordinarily faith is wrought in the heart to embrace that tender Rom. 10. 17. Zacheus obtained Christ by being in the way of Christ Luke 19. 4. the Ordinances are the Sycamore-tree Câ—â—mb up into them and stay and wait till Christ come He is to passe by that way 3. Observe his call and embrace it Prov. 9. init Luke 14. 16 17 18. Mark the impressions of the Spirit the knocking 's of Christ Thus did Zacheus Luke 19. 5 6. Zacheus Come down c. And he made haste and came down c. Beg of Christ that he would give a heart to come down when he sayes come down He is the meat and drink of God He that refuseth him sinneth against his own soule Consider seriously of it When you finde your stomack crave meat and drink think O what shall I do for spiritual meat and drink II. To such as have an interest in Christ who is meat and drink let me commend a few things to you 1. Feed on him Eat and drink of this flesh and blood every day Christians grow weak because they let their meat and drink stand by them 'T is not the flesh in the pot but the flesh in the stomack that gives nourishment 'T is not the drink in the vessel but the drink taken down that revives Stir up spiritual hunger and that will make you feed heartily on Christ Eat and drink Christ by Meditation eat and drink him by Application Let your faith draw in Christ in every Ordinance Keep your Spiritual meals as constantly as you do your other meales Your eating will help you to a stomack Satisfaction and hunger are mutual helps one to another Eating and drinking other meat takes away the appetite but it increaseth the spiritual appetite Fixed times of spiritual feeding every day are marvellous profitable When you have prayed call your heart to account what it hath taken in of Christ When you have been reading ask it what nourishment it hath received from the Word When the Lords Supper is over enquire what refreshment is received Put your selves forward to frequent constant actual feeding It 's pitty such precious meat and drink should stand in corners when the soule hath so much need of it 2. Be thankful for this meat and drink That it is provided for any that it is actually dealt out to you That you have that meat and drink which others want There are many that have no other meat but sinne They drink iniquity like water Job 15. 16. Some eat the bread of violence and drink the wine of deceit Some there are that drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their God Amos 2. 8. They eat the flesh of men and drink their blood like new wine Micah 3. 3. The greatest part of men have no other meat then the pulse of worldly comforts no other drink then the puddle water of created things and thou hast the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ to eat and drink prize and value at an high rate the exceeding riches of this grace We are to blesse God for our corporal meat and drink Jesus Christ gave thanks when he ate and drank John 6. 11 And so did the Apostles Acts 27. 35. and so should all men do It is brutish to eat and drink without Thanksgiving How much more cause have we to blesse God for our spiritual meat and drink The corporall is common to us with others This is peculiar onely to the Elect no other shall taste of this provision 3. Let your growth be answerable to such excellent feeding God expects that our spirituall growth should be proportionable to our spiritual feeding Bos Macer pingui in arvo is prodigious Husbandmen expect that when they put their cattel into pastures that are rich where there is plenty of grasse and abundance of water they expect that their growth should be answerable The Saints of God are highly fed They have Angels meat should they not then do Angels work If you do not grow very fast you will bring up an evil report of Christ as if his flesh were not nourishing meat as if his blood were not nourishing drink as if it were meat in shew and not meat indeed as if it were drink in shew not drink indeed Jesus Christ may repent that his body was broken his blood poured out to be meat and drink for you that are still leane and ill-favoured even dwarfs in grace It 's the Saints priviledge that they shall grow because Christ is their feeder and it is their duty because they have such food to be carefully mindful of growing Every limb of the new man should thrive We should grow lower in humility higher in heavenly-mindednesse broader and thicker in spiritual affections c. you cannot expresse your thankfulnesse for this royal meat and drink any other way so much to the contentment of Christ as by growing abundantly It is that which our Saviour requires as a testimony of our union with him and of thankfulnesse for that feeding vertue we receive from him John 15. 5 8. As he is unworthy of meat that doth not labour so is he more unworthy that doth not grow 4. Shew pitty to others that feed on other meat and drink Endeavour to communicate Christ to those that want him We naturally pity famished men lean cheeks and pale faces work some bowels in a miser in an enemy Commend Christ to others perswade them to embrace him You shall feel no want of meat and drink for your selves by communicating Christ to others Though a thousand eat and drink of him no one shall have the lesse 5. Do not despair of spiritual growth and strength 'T is a dishonour to Christ to think that he should starve you His flesh is strengthning flesh his blood is strengthening blood quickening blood 'T is full of spirits 't is full of life Though thy graces be weak thy spiritual diseases violent yet despair not Thou receivest more from Christ then thou canst lose or spend
that long sickness how unlike himself was he he had no actual repentance till Nathan came to him with a message from God and quickned him Sinne quencheth the Spirit in Godly men as the water quencheth the fire Sinne takes off the edge of the soul deads the appetite and affection to the things of God It locks up the heart that it cannot act as it was wont to do 2 Sicknesse begets torment and anguish in the body When sicknesse is in extremity in the body how doth a man cry out of paine head and heart and every part is under torment What restlesse tossings are men under when diseases are violent heare how Job complaines Chap. 30. 16 17 18 Sinne is a Creator of torment and painfulnesse in the soule Felix his sinne made him tremble Acts 24. 25. Cains sinne put his spirit into such anguish that he cries out My punishment is greater then I can beare Gen. 4. 13 14. Judas his sinne did bring such despairing torment upon his soule that he takes away his life to end his misery Matth. 27. init And even Gods own people when they fall into this spiritual disease they are pained at the very heart till by pardon and remission they have obtained a healing from God How full of paine was Davids spirit by reason of his sinne He was as a man upon the rack for a long time if he did ever recover his former serenity Vid. Psalme 6. per totum Psalme 38. per tot Many of the deare children of God do by sinne fill their hearts with such anguish that they are never without much smart to the day of their death 3 Sicknesse doth bring uncomelinesse The most beautiful body in the world if pining sicknesses continue long upon it becomes like a garment that is moth-eaten the eyes sink the colour is lost the skin is shriveld the bones stick out c. Job observes this Chap. 16. 8. Thou hast filled me with wrinkles which is a witnesse against me and my leaâ—nesse rising up in me beareth witnesse to my face Sicknesse makes streight bodies how down beautiful faces look ghastly well-coloured cheeks look pale and oftentimes the more beautiful sicknesse findes us the more uncomely doth it leave us Sicknesse turnes youth into old age vid. Lam. 3. 4. My flesh and my skin hath he made old Sickness dries up the spirits Prov. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine a broken spirit dries up the bones Sin takes away the comelinesse of the soule The first sinful sicknesse that ever entered into the world hath turned the soules and bodies of all mankinde into deformity and uglinesse Could we see the picture of Adams soule in the state of innocency and compare it with the soules that are diseased with sinne we would wonder at the sad change Sinne is a very deformed thing it turned Angels of light into ugly devils Those who were never healed by regeneration and remission of the disease of sin what deformed souls have they they have not one spot of beauty upon them Psal 14. 3. They are altogether become stinking A dead carrion a putrefied carcasse is as beautiful and as sweet an objâ—ct as a sinfully-diseased soul Yea even Gods own children by falling into sinne though but in one or two particular acts do lose much of their beauty They do not look with that grace they did before Every act of sin casts a dark thick shadow upon the soul As deep wounds leave skars upon the body so sinful acts leave some skarres of infamy upon the soul A Saint doth not look like the same man he was before he fell into sin 4 Sicknesse brings death Dorcas was sick and died Act. 9. 37. Long sicknesses if they be not removed will bring the strongest body to the dust of death Sicknesse is indeed Anteambulo mortis the forerunner of death The sick-bed is the direct way to the dark bed the grave Sinne doth bring death to the soule One disease of sinne if it be not healed by Christs bloud will certainly bring the soule to eternal death Rom. 6. 23. it hath brought many to hell and it will certainly bring all others to the same condition that live and die in it unhealed He that dies in his sinne shall die for ever II. For the nature of this sicknesse 'T is a more dreadfull sicknesse then any other sicknesse I shall set it out in a few particulars 1. It seizeth upon the most noble part of man All other sicknesses do infest the body onely but sinne is a disease in the soul Those sicknesses are most painful and most mortal which seize upon the vitals and inward parts A disease that feeds upon the spirits doth soone drink up the natural moisture and is not so easily cured Sinne is a disease that doth immediately reach the spirits 'T is the sicknesse of the heart O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved Jer. 4. 14. The Apostle it 's true speaks of the filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. Some sins are onely acted by the brutish fleshly and sensitive part others rest in the spirit as pride vain-glory envy c. yet notwithstanding even those filthinesses of the flesh have their chief seat and residence in the heart according to that of our Saviour Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts c. All sinne is spiritual wickednesse in regard of the fountaine and root of it As grace is seated in the heart so also is sin Ier. 4. 18. This is thy wickednesse because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart 2. Sinne is a sicknesse which God never made All bodily diseases are the handy work of God He created Plagues Feavers Consumptions c. Amos 3. 6. But sinne is a sicknesse of which God never was the Author 'T is true God sometimes punisheth sinne by sinne not by creating sinne but by suffering a sinful creature to fill up his sinne by withdrawing denying his grace which onely can preserve from sin 3. Sinne is a sicknesse which separates between God and men No other disease can divide between God and the soule Hezekiahs plague Asa's gout Iobs sores none of all these did make any division between God and them Some sicknesses do separate between the husband and the wife the father and the childe at least in regard of actual communion though not in regard of affection but no bodily sicknesse divides between God and men But sinne doth separate between God and the soule Esay 59. 2. It makes God stand at a distance from his own children to hide his face from them and to deale with them as with enemies 4. Sinne is the cause of all other sicknesses All bodily diseases come from this disease Hast thou not procured this thy unto self Thine own doings shall correct thee c. Jer. 2. 19. A distempered soul is the true cause of a distempered body Sinne was the first
disease that ever was in the world and the cause of all that ever followed 5. Sinne is a disease that cannot be cured by any natural medicine in the world No drug in the Apothecaries shop is able to heal this disease Jer. 2. 22. Though thou wash thee with nitre and make thy self never so cleane c. There is no bodily disease but there is something in nature if it could be found out able by Gods ordinary blessing to cure it But there is nothing in nature can heal sinne There is but one medicine in all the world able to cure a diseased soul and that 's the blood of Jesus Christ 6. Sin is the most loathsom diseâ—se iâ— all the world and the most infectious The small pox the pestilence the leprosie these are delightful pleasant diseases in respect of sinne Sinne doth pollute every thing it comes neer it pollutes the conscience it pollutes the Ordinances it pollutes relations it pollutes persons it pollutes Nations If it were possible that one drop of sinne could come into heaven it would turn heaven into hell It 's compared in Scripture to all loathsome things 'T is compared to the plague of pestilence of leprosie 1 King 8. 38. The leprosie in the Law was a type of it It 's compared to poyson Psal 140. 3. To the vomit of a dog Vid. 2 Pet. 2. 22. It s called filthinesse Abomination Lewdnesse All the things that are loathsome in the world are used in Scripture to shadow out the loathsomnesse of sin There is a disease called the foul disease Sin is a fouler disease then that 7. Sinne is a propagating disease Not onely because it spreads over the whole man but because it spreads it self to posterity it descends from parents to children Some bodily diseases they say are hereditary yet not so hereditary but some children scape them But this is a sicknesse that conveys it selfe to all a mans posterity This sicknesse is interwoven in the very essence of a person which he doth together with his being communicate to all his seed As a man begets a man so doth he get a diseased man Enosh The Uses of this 1. Oh the multitude of sick persons that are in the world There is not one person living but is lesse or more troubled with this sicknesse The world is nothing but a Hospital of sick persons There is not a family in which this plague of sinne is not In many things we offend all The root of the matter is in the best of us Esay 64 6. 2. What 's the reason that there are no more cryings out of this sicknesse Sinne is a sicknesse and yet few bewaile it Other sicknesses are lamented You cannot meet in any company but you shall heare men cry out of their sicknesses One man of his Gout another of his Stone another of his Consumption c. but little spoken of sinne The reason is because sinne is a spiritual disease and so not discerned but by grace And this is indeed the dreadfulnesse of this sicknesse that it kills many before they feel it it sends men to hell before they know themselves to be sick 'T is with sinners as with the drunkard in the Proverbs Chapter 23. 35. They have stricken me and I was not sick 3. They are not your enemies that are solicitous to keep you from sinne Naturally we account them our friends which would prevent us from painful diseases and yet we naturally account them our enemies who would prevent us from falling into sin I hate him saith Ahab of Michajah 1 Kings 22. 8. A wicked man hates none so much as those that would preserve him from sinne Well whatever you think they are your best friends and that you will acknowledge another day If you should be at the door of an infected house ready to go in and one should whiâ—per you in the ear Sir the plague is in that houâ—e have a care of your self would you reproach him nay would you not thank him Why will you think them your enemies that would preserve you from sinne They know the dreadfulnesse of this sicknesse and they would preserve others from falling into it David blesses God for Abigail and gives her many thanks for her great care of him 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. God sets it down for friendship and whether you be saved or damned you will clearly see it another day 4. Watch against sinne as you watch against sicknesse How cautious are many men of their bodily health They will eat and drink nothing that may prejudice their health If they know any thing that will disturb the quiet of their bodies they will not meddle with it though their affection be never so much inclined to it And why will you not be as cautious of sinne Take heed to your selves remember swearing is a sicknesse lying is a disease pride is a sicknesse c Avoid all occasions of sinne all temptations to it Pray against it watch against it Sinne is a sicknesse will keep you out of heaven sinne is a sicknesse which will provoke God to hate you Keep sinne out of your family Let not liars swearers drunkards c. lodge a night under your roof Psal 101. 7. No sicknesse is so catching as sinne is All men have the root of it an inclination to it in their hearts Preserve your children from this sicknesse 'T is worse then the small-pox worse then the plague Other diseases will kill the bodies of your children sinne will kill both body and soule Keep watch and ward over your hearts over your families that sinne may not enter thither nor that any of yours may go where this catching sicknesse is 5. What cause have they to blesse God that are cured of this disease We are never perfectly cured of it till we come to heaven we shall have some grudgings of it while we live here But when sinne is pardoned then 't is healed Psalme 10â— 3. When grace is thoroughly wrought then is sinne healed 'T is healed as to the guilt of it that is done away 'T is healed as to the damnation of it 'T is the reigning sinne that is the damning sinne And 't is healed in part as to the pollution and filthinesse of it 'T is in a sure speedy way of healing How glad are men when they are healed of old diseases A man that hath been troubled with the Stone Gout Head-ach for many yeares how glad how thankful is he when he is recovered he will be telling every one of the man of the medicine that cured him Let them whose spiritual sicknesse God hath healed be very thankful and blesse his name David calls upon his soule to praise God for this kindnesse Psalm 103. init Though you be full of other infirmities yet be of good cheer the damning sicknesse is healed 'T is better to have a healthy soule in a crazy body then to have a found body and a diseased soule And shew your thankfulnesse for your
's very like the Pharisee spake no more then what was true for they were generally men very inoffensive as to all such things For the discovering of this false foundation I shall lay down foure things viz. 1. 'T is a very great mercy to be freed from these scandalous sinnes If God have preserved you from these visible diseases that you have none of these botches of Egypt upon you it is to be acknowledged as a very great blessing The Pharisee did not amisse in blessing God that he was no Extortioner if he had done it upon a right ground if he had not gone on to censure the Publican he had not been blamed but commended for it David blesses God for preserving him from the sinne of murther upon Abigails perswasion Vid. 1 Samuel 25. 32 33. And there is very great reason for it For 1 Hereby we are delivered from much anguish and torment of conscience These scandalous sinnes as they do in an extraordinary manner waste the conscience so they do lay a foundation of much horrour and trouble in the soul every sinne creates much torment but these great abominations create exceeding much What horrour did Davids Adultery and Murther cast into his spirit Though God pardoned them both to him yet he was filled with anguish a long time after vid. Ps 6. Ps 38. Ps 50. 1. Now t is a great mercy when God prevents any anguish 2. Hereby we are delivered from being hurtful examples to other men Grosse scandalous offences are very prejudicial to others The hearts of those that are good are grieved and such as are wicked are caused to stumble oftentimes to their eternal ruine Davids sin gave great occasion of sin to others Now it 's a great mercy when God keeps a person from being an instrument of hurt to others especially of hurt to their soules 2. Such as expect salvation must keep themselves from such wickednesses Vid. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Heaven is not a place of common receipt for good and bad 'T is not like your ordinary Innes which lodge all kinde of passengers without difference such Lepers so living and dying must expect to go to another place Rev. 22. 15. Without shall be dogs c. 3. 'T is possible for a person to be free from these abominations and yet to be mortally sick of spiritual diseases Every sick man hath not the plague A man may die of a consumption as well as of a Fever A person may be in a damnable state that never committed murther or uncleannesse 1. The Pharisee was free from all these impieties and yet deadly sick in his soule Luke 18. 11. Paul when he was a Pharisee saith that he was blamelesse concerning all such enormities Phil. 3. 6. and yet at that time sick even unto death so he in Mat. 32. 11. so the five Virgins Mat. 25. 1. Those in 2 Pet. 2. 18 20. A natural conscience may keep men from such enormities The penalty of humane Lawes may preserâ—◠〈…〉 these great wickednesses Civil education may preserve a man from falling into these wickednesses A desire to keep our reputation in the world with men with whom we converse may keep us from these high impieties Meer restraint may do this 2. If freedome from these offences were enough to proclaime men to be spiritually whole then no hypocrite should be sick A man must be free from all these sinnes before he be advanced into the hypocrites forme Now we know that every hypocrite is spiritually and mortally sick Yea the Scripture tells us that hell is prepared for the hypocrites other sinners are said to have their portion with the hypocrites Mat. 2â— 51. The hypocrite is of all sinners the special proprietor of Hell and yet he is free from all these offences 3. It 's possible for one that hath no saving grace in his heart to be free from these offences Though every one that hath grace will abandon these sins yet every one that is free from these sins hath not grace The instances mentioned before will prove this But every one that wants saving grace is under the rage of spiritual sicknesses Yea he that is without true grace is not onely sick in sinne but dead in sin Eph. 2. 1. and yet those that are dead in sin may be free from these wickednesses 4. Although many be free from the actual commission of these sinnes yet they have the roots of these sinnes in their hearts Every sinne is in that bundle of sinne which we call original There is pride and murther and theft c Now the pollution of nature if it be not healed by justifying grace and pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace is enough to make the soule sick and that unto death Yea indeed the great sicknesse of the soul lies there There lies the strength of sinne and the heat of sinne David when he bewailes his murther goes to that as the root of it Psalme 51. 5. All a mans actual sinnes be they never so grosse might soone be healed if that were but healed This is the fountaine of blood This is the law of sin here is the devils magazine 5. Though thou art free from thâ—se foule sins yet thou mayest have some secret idol or other set up in thy heart Now the least sin a vaine thought is a mortal sicknesse in it selfe and if it be not healed will prove a soul-destroying sicknesse The Papists have devised a distinction of sinnes venial and sinnes mortal That there are some sinnes that in their own nature do not make a man liable to eternal death but onely to temporal chastisement so Bellarmine teaches The Scripture knows no such distinction nor can we allow it All sinnes are venial to true repentance except that one sinne against the holy Ghost He that commits that shall never be forgiven But there is no sin venial in its own nature the least is a mortal sicknesse and deserves eternal death So saith the Scripture Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 6. ult the Apostle speaks of all sinne that is opposed to legal righteousnesse and there is no sinne so small but it is a breach of the Law of God For of every idle word that a man shall speak he shall give an account at the day of judgement Mat. 12. 36. What is lesse then an idle word and yet that doth in its own nature deserve wrath By all these things it appeares that a man may be spiritually 〈…〉 thief nor drunkard c. 4. Yet may a person gather evideners of grace from his acting against sinne in some cases David argues so Ps 18. 23. And therefore for the winding up of this point I shall lay down some Rules whereby a person may know whether his acting against sinne be from a principle of saving grace or meerly from common restraint 1. He that forbears sinne from a principle of true grace doth act from the Authority and declaration of anaked truth When the immediate declaration of Gods Will in his Word
the light Jesus Christ hath a penetrating and searching power No heart so close but his eye is in it no conscience so dark but he sees to the bottome of it See what the Apostle saith of him Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and open to his eyes and every creature is manifest in his sight 4. Light hath a chearing and 〈…〉 The light contributes much 〈…〉 and growth and life of 〈…〉 creatures Light and motion are the câ—me of that heat which the heavenly bodies send down upon the earth Light is that instrument whereby all the influences of heaven are communicated and dispensed to the world The motions of nature are both quickned and comforted by the light and by it all the births of nature are cheared and comforted Jesus Christ hath a chearing comforting and quickning vertue 'T is by influences from Christ spiritual life and comfort are obtained and preserved The Prophet speaks of this vertue of Christ under this very Metaphor of light Mal. 4. 2. All that spiritual livelinesse and brisknesse that beleevers have at any time in their hearts is from the beaming wings of Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse He is a heart-chearing a heart-warming a heart-quickening Saviour 5. Light hath a Purifying vertue Fogs and Mists that are gathered in darknesse are dispersed and scattered when the light comes When a candle is lighted and set up in a room if there be any damps they gather about it Light is the fining pot of Nature The world would be an unwholsom Pest-house if it had not light Jesus Christ hath a purifying and cleansing vertue By vertue from him it is that those nasty filthinesses of sinne which are in the soul are purged away Heb. 8. 14. All the Levitical Ceremonial purifications used in the Law were types of him The Prophet compares him to a refiner and purifier of silver Mal. 3. 3. By his blood he purifies the soul from the guilt of sin By his grace he cleanseth the soul from the filth of sinne The Prophet compares him to a fountaine set open for purification Ezek. 13. 1. All that ever were all that ever shall be cleansed from the filthinesse of sin are cleansed by Jesus Christ 6. Light is of an undefilable nature Though it passe through sinks and the most polluted places yet it contracts no defilement It cleanseth all things but is defiled by nothing It is a quality so spiritual that nothing can fasten upon it to pollute it Jesus Christ is fitly resembled to light in this respect He is not capable of any defilement He assumed sinful nature without the least sinne He had the likenesse of sinful flesh Rom 8. 3. but not the least sinne in his flesh In the dayes of his flesh he did as a spiritual Physician repaire to all sorts of sinners but he carried away from them no pollution at all He conversed with Mary Magdalen with Zacheus the Publican and other Publicans and sinners without the least taint of corruption He was born he lived and died in a corrupt generation in a very Pest-house of sinne without the least tincture of sinne He lived and died holy harmlesse undefiled and separated from sinners as the Apostle saith Heb. 7. 26. 7. The nature of the light is hard to be known The Philosophers are much troubled about the defining and describing of it 'T is not a substantial forme because it is perceived by the sight which no substantial forme is 'T is not a body because then when the light passeth through a perspicuous body two bodies would be in one place which is against 〈…〉 and reason Nor is it an 〈◊〉 from a luminous body for then the Sonne by his continual shining would be deprived of â—igâ—t but it is an accidental forme or a patibâ—e quality and so very hard to be described The Scripture speaks of the difficulty of searching out the nature of the light perfectly by any mortal man Job 38. 19 20 21 24. Onely he who is the Father of lights doth perfectly understand it Jesus Christ is not perfectly to be understood by any living man Who can declare his generation as he is the Sonne of God Esay 53. 8. Who can declare his conception exactly as he is the Sonne of man the Holy Ghost hath overshadowed it Luke 1. 35. He that created the flesh of Christ is onely able perfectly to understand the manner of it Who is able to declare the mystery of the hypostatical union of the two natures in one person exactly We beleeve these things comprehend them perfectly we are not able His Name is wonderful Esay 9. 6. there are such wonderful mysteries in the nature of this light as no man no creature can fully and perfectly comprehend Secondly Christ dispenses this light these two wayes 1. By the preaching of his Gospel in the publick Ministery thereof The Ministers are called Stars and the Ministery or preaching of the Gospel is that Orb in which this light shines and by which it is communicated and dispensed to the world We preach Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1. 23. Where the Gospel hath never been preached this light hath never yet shined This is the chariot in which this glorious light is carried about ordinarily in the world 2 Cor. 4. 3 4 5 6. 2. By the vertuous efficacy of his Spirit in the Ministery The most powerful preaching of Christ that can be will be to no purpose without these inward workings of the Spirit By the Spirit of Christ three things are done 1 The blindnesse of the minde is removed The holy Ghost causes the skales to fall off the eyes 2 A visive faculty is bestowed This is that which the Apostle calls the enlightening of the eyes of the understanding Ephes 1. 18. 3 Power is given actually to close with the light The soule is enabled to follow the light or to walk in the light as our Saviours phrase is John 12. 35. So that by these two meanes this light is communicated By the preaching of the Gospel the object is made present and by the Spirit of Christ the object is made visible the faculty of sight is bestowed and a power of following the light is created Thirdly Christ is differenced from all other lights viz. Prophets Apostles who are called lights Mat. 5. 14. He is differenced from all them five ways 1. They are lights onely Ministerially They are lights onely as they do by their office hold out this light They are lights as the candlestick may be called a light because it carries the candle where the light is But Christ is a light of and in himselfe He is a light not Ministerially but Originally The fountaine of light 2. They are small lights Christ i◠〈…〉 light They were but like little â—â—thing 〈◊〉 Christ is as a great Torch which teacheth from heaven to earth They are light as the Stars are light a little glimmering borrowed light Christ is light as the Sunne and therefore he is called The
others but an unmeasurable fulnesse of all grace A fulnesse of redundancy which from him might flow out to all the Elect for the filling of them with a fulness of sufficiency Of this the Scripture speaks John 3. 34. and Iohn 1. 16. In all these respects God hath raised him up to be a Horne of salvation Thus much for the opening of the Doctrine The Uses of this Doctrine Vse 1. For Information in two things First The miserable condition of those that are without Iesus Christ Who are without Christ Not onely Jewes and Turks and Pagans but all unbeleevers in the Church Whosoever is without true saving faith is without Christ 'T is faith that makes Christ Actually ours Faith unites us to Christ and Christ to us Their misery is very great Christ is a horn of salvation the onely Horn of salvation he that is without Christ is without salvation God hath put the salvation of men into Christs hands 1 Iohn 5. 11. He hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne And he that hath the Sonne hath life but he that hath not the Son hath not life ver 12. God himself cannot save him that is without an interest in Christ He hath set down this way of salvation and he cannot deny himself It is a question amongst the Schoolmen whether God could have saved sinners without Christs satisfaction They generally conclude upon good grounds that he might but now 't is not so much as a question God hath resolved that whosoever is saved shall be saved by Christ and without mutability he cannot save men another way Better never to have seen the light then to die without an interest in Christ And he that doth not beleeve truely in him hath no saving interest in him Iohn 3. 18. How shall I know whether I do truly beleeve or no I shall here to help you lay down a twofold note of true faith 1. It is a heart-purifying grace This effect of faith the Apostle mentions in Acts 15. 9. Whosoever hath true faith in Christ will find his heart purified and cleansed thereby The efficient cause of the purification of the heart is the Spirit of God who is called the Spirit of Sanctification 2 Thes 2. â—3 The 〈◊〉 cause is Christs blood 1 Iohn â— 7. The instrumental cause is faith This grace purifies the hearâ—â— as it is an instrument whereby the blood of Christ which purifies is conveyed to the soul and as it doth take hold upon the promise of cleansing the promise is I will sprinkle clean water Ezek. 36. 25. Faith applies this promise and improves and so purifies the heart If you have not purification of heart you have not faith and if you have not faith you have not Christ as a Horne of salvation Now that heart may be said to be purified that hath these three properties 1. If it bewaile impurity Impurity that is truly lamented is in Gods account as if it were removed Rom. 7. 23 24. If thy pollution be thy greatest burden thy heart is purified in Gods sight 2. If it be cautious of every thing that may defile A heart that is purified dares not willingly come neere any defiling puddle it will avoid occasions temptations of defilement Iob 31. 1. Carefulnesse of shunning defilement is an infallible note of purification 3. If it be through inadvertency defiled it will not be quiet till it be made clean A purified heart cannot lie in any uncleannesse when God hath once discovered it to him Thus David when he saw his pollution with what earnestnesse doth he run to the Laver that he may be washed Ps 51. 2 7. 2. Saving faith hath very high and precious thoughts of Christ This character is laid down by the Apostle in 1 Pet. 2. 7. No unbeleever can truly have precious thoughts of Christ nay they have low thoughts of him as 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. and Cant. â— 9. Try your faith by this note Now if Christ be truly precious 1 He shall reigâ—â— and rule over thee His precepts will be as precious as his promises His Sovereignty will be as precious as his sacrifice his yoke will be as desirable as his merits the Apostle opposeth saith and disobedience 1 Pet. 2. 7. Where Christ is disobeyed he is not beleeved in 2 If Christ be truly precious to thee his dishonours will pierce thy soul The dishonours done to him in his truths worship government will be a greater grief to thy heart then all the dishonours that are done unto thy selfe 3 If Christ be truly precious to thee it will be thy meat and drink to do him any service Thou wilt make it thy study to set him up and to make him great where ever thou comest 4 If Christ be precious to thee all his Ordinances will be precious Thou wilt have a high esteeme of his Word of his Sacraments of his Sabbaths and that for his sake who hath instituted these things If it be not thus with thee thou art an unbeleever and if an unbeleever thou hast for present no saving interest in him that is the horne of salvation Secondly The impossibility of the perishing of any of the Elect. Their eternal salvation is a thing of absolute certainty They can never perish They may seem to be lost sometimes in their own apprehension I said saith Jonah I am cast out of thy sight Jonah 2. 4. He was in his own eyes as if he had been a cast-aâ—ay 〈…〉 impossible it should be so as in other 〈…〉 so in this because Christ is the horne of their salvation He that hath wrought their salvation is able to preserve salvation for them and them for salvation If Christ be able to save you ye shall be saved When you look upon that in your selves that may seem to hinder your salvation look upon that that is in Christ to maintain your salvation You shall be as certainly saved as Christ himself is saved Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory c. John 17. 24. Your salvation is now fully accomplished he that was able to accomplish your salvation is able much more to apply it now it is accomplished Consider these seven Notions to make this out 1 Christ will not lose the merit of his blood nor be deprived of the end of his death and he must do both these if one of his Elect should miss of salvation 2 Christ did not conquer for the Devil but from the Devil Christ will not be at the charge and cost of redemption and when he hath done suffer the devil to go away with the spoile 3 Christ will not impoverish himself to enrich the Devil and impoverished he should be if one of the Elect should perish for every Saint helps to make up his mystical fulnesse So the Apostle tells us Eph. 1. ult 4 Iesus Christ will not rob his Father to enrich the Devil Now if
Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1. 19. 'T is precious not onely because of the dignity of the person who shed it called therefore the blood of God Acts 20. 28. but because of the great value and merit of it and because of the precious effects of it By the vertue of this blood which Christ shed remission of sin is purchased the redemption of the Elect is perfected Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 12. By his own blood he entred once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us By the preciousnesse of this blood is God and man reconciled Col. 1. 20 21 32. By this blood is the conscience sanctified Heb. 9. 14. By this blood is the way to heaven opened for all the Elect Heb. 10. 19. The sufferings of Christ are so precious that if ten thousand worlds were there would be redundancy of merit in Christ to save them all This is the third 2. For the second Christ is so meanly esteemed of by men of the greatest part of men because of three things viz. Ignorance Pride Prejudice 1. They are ignorant of him The greatest part of the world is quite blinde in spiritual things 1 Cor. 2. 14. As in other spiritual things so in this of the worth of Christ A blinde man can see no more excellency in a precious stone then in a common stone A blinde Christian can see no more worth in Christ then in another person This you may see from that question which is propounded by the daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 5. 9. What is thy beloved more then another beloved O thou fairest among women c. Their very question bewrays their ignorance had they known any thing of him they would not have said What is thy beloved The wisdome of the Gospel whereby Jesus Christ is made known is hidden wisdom 'T is wisdom in a mystery 1 Cor. 2. 7 8. which none can understand but those that are savingly enlightened This ignorance of Christ under which the greatest part of men are held ariseth 1 Partly from the negligence and slothfulnesse that is in men They are idle and will not take paines to study the Word of God which sets out Christ They cast the Scriptures from them Our Saviour saith John 5. 39. That the Scriptures testifie of him men do not search this blessed book as they should either they read not at all or else they reade superficially they do not pray that God would discover Christ to them in and by the Word Hence they are ignorant of him 2 Partly from their Atheistical unbelief of what they heare reported by others Though they cannot but hear sometimes the reports of Christ in the publick Ministry yet they will give no assâ—nt of faith to them but oppose and reject them as the fancies of men This is that which the Prophet alledgeth Esay 53. 1. Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Ex iis qui Evangelicum audiunt vix centesimum quemque fidelem fore saith Calvin upon the place Scarce the hundreth part of those that heare the Gospel do yeild a cordial assent to the Gosspel 3 Partly from a judiciary hand of God upon them God usually punisheth voluntary blindnesse with a penal and judiciary blindnesse This is that which the Prophet is taught of God Esay 6. ult Go and preach to this people saying Seeing ye shall see and not perceive and hearing ye shall heare and not understand c. The Apostle makes application of this Text to the unbeleeving Jewes who would not receive what he had with so much clearnesse proved concerning Jesus Christ both out of Moses and out of the Prophets Acts 28. 23 24 25 26. When men that live under the Gospel shut their own eyes God doth ratifie it by an act of his justice and saith Be thou blinded for ever When a man hardens his own heart God is pleased to ratifie it in heaven and saith Let that heart never be softned See that of our Saviour to this purpose John 12. 37 c. Now because men neglect the study of the Gospel which shewes what Christ is because they refuse to assent to and close with what the Ministers of God report out of the Gospel concerning Christ because God punisheth the voluntary blinding their eyes with a judicial blinding therefore do they remaine ignorant of the preciousnesse of Christ And because they are ignorant of him therefore they disesteeme him 2. Their pride The greatest part of men even of those that live under the Gospel are puft up with arrogancy and self-conceit They dreame that they are in so good a condition already that Christ cannot make them better They are ful of vaine confidences some fleshly boasting or other they have in their hearts some carnal City of refuge they erect for themselves besides Christ and this makes Christ lesse precious to them then he would otherwise he We are the circumcision saith the Apostle which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3. 3. He that creates any fleshly ground of confidence to himself and all confidences are fleshly which are not bottom'd on Christ such a man will not much rejoyce in Christ Jesus Now there are in the mindes of men abundance of false confidences and carnal imaginations the Apostle hints at them though he do not expresly name them 2 Corinth 10. 4 5. There are many significant words used by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munitions fortifications strongs holds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonings Abundance of fond reasonings are in the mindes of men they reason themselves into heaven upon very poor and slender premisses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strange heightnings of themselves have men in which they rejoyce which will be found groundlesse another day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Swarmes of foolish thoughts have men by nature which they bandy up and down in their soules One man makes wealth his strong hold Another reasons himselfe into heaven because of some Church Priviledge A third is mightily heightned upon his civil righteousnesse A fourth thinks all is well with him because others have a good opinion of him Every man by nature abounds with some or all of these Therefore is Christ so mean and inconsiderable in their esteeme 3. They are prejudiced against Christ Though no man hath any reason or good Argument against Christ yet have they many prejudices which they take up against him And these prejudices lay him low in their hearts What those prejudices are I shall name when I come to handle that in the eighth Verse where Christ is said to be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence I shall shew what prejudices men have against his Doctrine worship followers c. And while prejudices lie against Christ he will never finde that esteeme which is meet A man can never think highly of any person or thing against which he
every 〈◊〉 beleever doth very much resemble Jacob 〈◊〉 that 1. In regard of their godly simplicity It was the commendation of Jacob that he was a plain man Gen. 25. 27. It relates not so much to his outward condition as to the inward frame of his heart Beleevers are a single hearted generation That which our Saviour saith of Nathaniel is true of them at least in desire and affection they are not only without gall but even without guile John 1. 47. they study plainnesse rather then greatnesse they put away deceit far from their Tabernacles 2. In regard of their holy zeal Jacob was a man full of the fire of heavenly zeal How earnest was he in reforming his family Gen 35. 2 3. Here is true zeal it begins reformation at home all true beleevers have sparks of this coelestial fire in their bosomes Tit. 2. 14. They desire that they and theirs may be reformed who ever walk disorderly They resolve as Joshuah I and my house will serve the Lord Joshuah 24. 15. 3. In regard of their wrestlings with God Jacob had the Name of Israel given him because of his violent wrestlings with God by prayer Gen. 32. 28. The Prophet doth fully interpret what this wrestling was Hosea 12. 3 4. His prayers and teares were the two armes by which he wrestled with God Every true beleever is frequent in this exercise I give my self to prayer saith David Psal 109. 4. he that hath true grace loves no exercise better then this of holy wrestling with God Epaphias is described by his frequency in these holy wrastlings with God both for himself and others Col. 4 12. In all holy vertues true beleevers are like Israel and therefore may well be called by his name 2. For the second Christ is the consolation of Israel in two respects By way of purchase By way of conveyance First By way of purchâ—se and merit Whatsoever is an ingredient or cause of true consolation is by the purchase and procurement of Jesus Christ The Scripture makes mention of many grounds of spiritual consolation To instance some particulars 1. Reconciliation with God There can be no true comfort till God and the sinner be made one Reconciliation is the first bottom of Consolation Rom. 5. 2. The begining of his Prodigals joy was the reconciliation of his father to him Luke 15. latter end Now the Scripture tells us that reconciliation is the purchase of Christs blood he is the only atonement of the soule Col. 1. 21 22. There had never been any pacification between heaven and earth if Jesus Christ had not interposed himself He was contented that the Father should make war with him that his fury towards us might cease He is our peace-offering by whom we have peace with God and with our selves 2. The work of grace in the heart Sanctification is one ground of consolation The Kingdom of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. That comfort which is true is builded upon righteousnesse The effect of righteousnesse shall be peace and the fruit of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for 〈◊〉 Esay 32. 17. Now all our holinesse and grace is the purchase of Jesus Christ The shedding of his blood doth not onely procure for us glory hereafter but grace here The conscience is purified by the streames of his blood Heb. 9. 14. He is as properly our sanctification as our salvation 3. The pardon of sinne Remission is an inlet of Consolation Esay 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people tell them that their iniquity is forgiven Sence of pardon is the true ground of spiritual laughter Our Saviours usual receipt for the working of comfort is this Be of good cheer thy sinnes are forgiven So he saith to the paraâ—ytick Mat. 9. 2. the heart may be light in heavinesse when sinne is once remitted Now we know Christs blood is the meritorious cause of the remission of sinne 'T is he that hath expiated our sinnes Col. 2. 13 14. He that will be forgiven any other way shall never be forgiven His blood is the onely bath for the washing away of sin Eph. 1. 7. 4. Right to the promises The promises of the Gospel are the wells of true Comfort The Apostle makes mention of the comfort of the Scriptures Rom. 15. 4. If there be any comfort in the Scriptures it is in the promises Precepts are written for direction threatnings for terror promises chiefly for consolation The Prophet mentions the breasts of the Churches consolation Esay 66. 11. The promises of the Gospel are the breasts of the Churches consolation by sucking at these breasts the heart is made glad Now who but Christ purchased the promises The Apostle saith that all the promises of God are in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. They are in him as the procuring and meritorious cause of them all The Covenant of grace which is nothing else but a bundle of rich promises is the purchase of Christs blood The world had never heard of a promise of any good if it had not been for Jesus Christ 5. Hope of salvation Hope is the door of consolation We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God saith the Apostle Rom. 5. 2. There 's more cause of rejoycing in this then in being able to cast out devils Luke 10. 20 Now we know that it was none but Jesus Christ that did or could unlock the way to heaven He is the way to heaven He is the purchaser â—f heaven God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne 1 John 5. 11. He is called the salvation of God in this song v. â—0 There would have been no entrance for any of Adams lost seed into glory if Christ had not set the door open it is be that opened the Kingdome of heaven to all beleevers 6. The gift of the Spirit The holy Ghost is called the Comforter John 14. 26. His office is to work consolation â—â—â—he hearts of Gods people Spiritual comfort is therefore called joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. because the holy Ghost doth create it in the soul Now we know the in-dwelling of the holy Ghost in us is the purchase of Christ John 15. 26. When the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father The third person had never been our comforter if the second person had not been our Redeemer There is nothing can be thought on which hath any causality or efficiency in our consolation but it is of Christs procurement This is the first Secondly By way of conveyance As all our grace is communicated and conveyed unto us from Christ so is also our consolation Jesus Christ doth by his Spirit in the Ordinances of grace actually convey comfort unto his people as he sees them stand in need of it The Apostle speaks of the beleevers consolation abounding by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. All comfort is in Christ as a fountaine in him God hath put it
making a promise This is the second 3. 'T is an undecent thing 'T is a very uncomely thing that God should be hurryed by his creatures to make good his promises before his own time The undecency of it will appear these wayes As. 1. God is our Superiour He is our King he is our Master he is our Father he is the supreme Lord as far above the bighest of us as the Creator is above the creature 'T is not good manners to be too hasty with a Superiour Woman saith our Saviour to the Virgin What have I to do with thee my houre is not yet come Joh. 2. 3. It is unsutable to the highnesse of the God of glory to stoop so low as to observe the time of the best of creatures Great men will not be hastened by their servants its incongruous that the great and mighty God should have his time appointed him by the works of his own hands The great God is willing to be petitioned by the meanest but he will not be determined by the greatest of his creatures Greatnesse will not be uncivilly hurryed by meannesse Luther having once been too bold with God bout a businesse which he thought necessary telling God it must be dâ—â—ne thought he heard this answer Martine admodum sapis sed ego non sum Deus sequax It is not meet that God should either take counsel or be importunately hurried by his servants 2. God is a free agent in whatever he doth or promises All his promises are gracious and all his gracious promises are free Nothing bâ—t his meer will caused him to make any promise They are called promises of grace not only because they conteine gracious things but because they are the effects of free-grace Now it is not meet that a free agent should be determined either for matter or time When we do with impatience over-eagerly put God on to fulfil what he hath promised we do forger that he doth all things according to the counsel of his own Will which is affirmed by the Apostle Ephes 1. 11. It 's not equal to determine a free agent 3. God hath waited patiently and doth still wait patiently on us Before our conversion he waited long stretching out his hands with unwearied patience while we did oppose him Since our conversion he waits still Cant. 5. 2. Rev. 3. 20. He waits for our rising after falls for our obedience to duties commanded 'T is the most incongruous thing in the world that a patient waiting God should be impatiently hastened This is the first 2. For those who never look after the promises of God Many men are so negligent and careless that they never take any thought about the promises of God they neither pray for them nor wait for them Iâ— God will give them a â—eing they can be contented if he never fulfil them they can bear it I would have such Christians consider these four things 1. This is a great sleighting of the promises and of the good which is centained in them The Apostle Rom. 2. 4. speaks of some who despise the riches of Gods goodnesse He that never looks after the promise is guilty of this sinne He scornes the love of God the Father the maker of the promise the blood of God the Sonne the purchaser of the promise the grace of God the holy Ghost the applyer of the promise God complaines of his people that they accounted the great things of his Law as strange things Hos 8. 12. He that never looks after the fulfilling of the promises of God accounts the Gospel and the great things thereof mean things 2. It renders the promise lesse comfortable when it is fulfilled The souls consolation in receiving the good of the promise is according to the souls expectation in waiting for the promise The Prophet mentions this Esay 25. 9. He that exerciseth most saith and hope in waiting for a promise shall finde most joy in gathering the promise We know how it befel that incredulous Lord who would not beleeve the promise of plenty which God made by his Prophet 2 Kings 7. 1â— He saw iâ— with his eyes but did not eat of it He that mindes not the good which God hath promised robs his soul of half of that joy which he might have from the promise The promise will neither be so fat nor so sweet as it would have been if the heart can be more confident in expecting it 3. This makes the promise wholly uncomfortable till the accompâ—â—shment of it The very blossâ—ms of Gods promises yield some comfort to the soul God hath for this end revealed his promises that the souls of his people might have some refâ—eshment by them before they be brought forth The thoughts that such a good shall certainly be ours beare halfe as â—uch comfort as if it were already ours We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God saith the Apostle Rom. 5. 2. The present hope of future glorification is not without some joy Good in reversion yields much joy in possession The promise made to Christ that his body should not see corruption was a foundation of present comfort Psalme 16. 9 10. the hope of the bodies resurrection makes a childe of God die with comfort All Gods promises lay a foundation of present comfort But he that never looks after the promise what joy can he have from the promise 'T is the souls beleeving and studying of the promise that draws comfort out of the promise He that mindes not what God hath promised hath as little present joy from the promise as if it were not at all 4. The neglecting of the promises is a real slighting of the Precepts The same God which hath made the promise hath commanded the soul to wait for the promise and no man can dis-regard the promise but he doth thereby make himself guilty of disobeying the Precept This is the second use of the point 3. For Exhortation Let all that professe themselves to be of Simeons religion waite as he did for the accomplishment of the promises of God God hath made many promises which are of general concernment to the Church of God the promise of calling the Jews of ruining Antichrist of Establishing the mountaine of the Lords house upon the top of the mountaines of settling unity and uniformity of worship in his Church God hath made many promises of particular good things to beleevers the takâ—ng away the stony heart the giving of them victory over their spiritual enemies c. be intreated to expect the fulfilling of all these I shall in this Use 1. Urge the duty by some Motives 2. Propound some rules to direct us in the manner of our waiting 3. Answer some objections which the soule makes against waiting 1. For Motives Consider 1. That all the promises which God hath made shall have their certaine accomplishment in their time The Apostle saith in 2 Cor. 1. 20. That all the promises of God in Christ Jesus are Yea