Cartwr in locum So the same Expressions must be understood not only in several other places but in the same Book Mercy and Truth shall be to them that devise good c. 14.22 And therefore it seems to be meant only of Gods Mercy in promising and his Truth in performing his free Grace in Christ and faithfulness to his own word The scope of that whole verse appears in this short Paraphrase upon it God out of his meer benignity agreeable to his standing Revelation does purge the sins of Men that they for the future being restrain'd by an holy fear may not return to them 2. If we should understand it of Mercy and Truth in us the sence of it amounts to no more than this that True Faith working by Love is the means of purifying the heart through the blood of Christ It purges Sin not by it s its own power but the efficacy of its Object our Lord Jesus Our Faith hath an alloy of Unbelief and our Repentings a mixture of Sin which require apurgation for themselves Sixthly Another Inference from the main Doctrine may be that the washing of Water in Baptism is no sufficient security that we shall partake with Christ He shall baptize you says his forerunner with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Mat. 3.11 Multitudes come under that Ordinance who know not what this means and yet without this our participation with Christ is impossible I cannot but conclude that the wide door of Baptismal Regeneration hath let in vast numbers of Souls to Hell Men being taught to elieve that when they are Baptized they are certainly Regenerate and born again they rest contented and look no further The Apostle Peter tells us plainly how Baptism saves 1 Pet. 3.21 not as it is the putting away of the filth of the flesh but as it is attended with an holy restipulation or the answer of a good Conscience towards God It is not the outward administration of the Element of Water but inward operation of the Spirit and application of Jesus Christ which makes a sinner clean What do we think of that woful Impostor Simon Magus After he was baptized he yet remained in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of Iniquity Acts 8.13 with 23. The same may be perceived and pronounc'd of thousands besides upon as notorious grounds as it was of him Why should this Sacrament be more constantly and infallibly accompanied with cleansing Grace than that other Institution of the Supper which Hypocrites many times partake of and the Devil enters into them afterwards with greater force Seventhly It is easie to collect from hence that Jesus Christ is not meerly the Pattern of our Purification but also the Author It is very true that He is the Pattern of it therefore we are called to purifie our selves 1 John 3.3 even as he is pure but this is not the whole truth nor the principal part The entire Mystery is set forth in those words of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.21 He suffered for us leaving us an Example c. Indeed Christ in suffering left us an Example but his great end was to suffer for us i.e. in our room and stead as our Substitute and Surety as one that represented us suffering that which was due to us and which if he had not we must have born our selves I condemn none for magnifying the Example of Christ but I must declare an abhorrence of and enter a caution against that Socinian fallacy and cheat which would subvert the Gospel under this pretence Christ does not does not wash us by being a Pattern of absolute purity in himself but by the applying of his merit to us and the workings of his Grace in us The benefit of his Example would be utterly lost and come to nothing if his doing no sin and dying for sin were not accepted by God as the just and valuable price of our Redemption Eighthly This warrants us to infer that those Churches which come up to the highest degree of Reformation are the most likely to share in the glory of the latter dayes These Days are in a special and peculiar manner called Christ's Times 1 Tim. 6.15 Then his Kingdom will be most eminently set up and he shall take to himself his great Power and Reign subduing all that make opposition to him The question now it who shall partake with him to this kind of Heaven upon Earth Whom will the King of Saints delight to honour in those times which will be so glorious I think I may very safely Answer Those that are counted the filth of the World but in truth are most purged from it Rev. 3.4 Thou hast a few names ever iâ— Sardis says Christ to that Church or the Church in that period which hav not defiled their Garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Walking with Christ in white does note a prosperous and flourishing State as on the contrary a sad and doleful State is often signified by covering with blackness and clothing in Sackcloth and they who have taken care to keep their garments unspotted are the persons whom Christ will reckon worthy of Communion with himself in this State Who are the Hundred and forty four thousand that stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion c 14.1 but such as are not defiled with Women v. 4 i.e. have had nothing to do with the Mother of Harlots and such as are without fault i.e. have not partaken of Babylons sins Some of the terms of reproach in this Generation will become Characters of honourable distinction and marks of renown when Christ comes in his expected Kingdom for his Measures and Methods of Advancement will not be as Mens are When the Lord dwells in Sion Joel 3. ult our Reformations must be carried on to an higher pitch and he will cleanse what he hath not yet cleansed Isa 4.3 4. He that remaineth then in Jerusalem shall with more reason be called holy because the remainder of our silth will be washt away The Second Improvement of this Point VSE 2 may be by way of Exhortation to those Duties which should be learnt from it First Labour to be deeply sensible of your defiled Natures and Lives Till we are brought to a serious acknowledgment of this we are not fit to be washt tho' we need it If we confess our sins 1 John 1.9 he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness The faithfulness of God does not bind him to cleanse us from that which we will not confess David bewails his secret faults as well as those that were known and open and prays for cleansing from them Psal 19.12 He who is pure in his own eyes shall continue filthy still Till we come to see our own Leprous Faces and thereupon to loathour selves there is no hope of our being clean Methinks that Challenge which God put to
that there is any cleansing force or power in the meer Letter of the Scriptures or in the sound of Preaching but as it is a proper means to deal with reasonable Creatures by therefore chosen by Christ's Infinite Wisdom and as it is accompanied with the mighty workings of the Eternal Spirit 2. Our washing is perform'd Instrumentally by his Providences especially by Afflictive ones For indeed Prosperity does oftner sully and pollute than help to make us clean It is the Mercy and Goodness of Christ to order our troubles so that they shall not overwhelm and yet that they shall purge us Psal 32.6 Surely in the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto us but so much as will nappily tend to wash away our filth shall not be kept back from us Dan. 11.35 Some of them of understanding says the Prophet shall fall v. 33. viz. by the sword and flame and captivity and spoil as we may gather from what goes before to try them and to purge and to make them white Sufferings will have no such success upon Reprobates indeed the wicked will do wickedly still c. 12.10 and not understand they will continue sinning and perhaps sin more 2 Chro. 28.22 like Ahaz in the time of their distress Swine if plung'd never so oft into the water will retain their filthy Nature and return again after all to wallow in the mire But Afflictions to all the Elect of God are sanctified means for the removal of Sin and increase of Grace though they are not the chastisements of our peace yet they have a tendency to make us partakers of Gods Holiness They do not purchase our Reconciliation but they promote our Sanctification The Third thing is to prove the Necessity of this washing in order to our being Partakers with Christ Now though that washing by Christ which referrs to Justification be absolutely necessary to our Participation with him for every one to whom the satisfaction of Christ is not applied must needs be in an unpardoned state and every one in such a state must needs be separated from Christ both here and for ever He glorifies none Rom. 8.30 but whom he justifies before-hand Yet 't is the washing of Sanctification which I shall chiefly speak to because the Lusts of men too frequently tempt them to believe that they may be in an unholy polluted state and notwithstanding have fellowship with Christ The Scripture sayes as much one would think as can be said for the rooting out of this pernicious mistake if men would but cease hearkening to Satan more than unto God Our Lord deals very Plainly and positively with Nicodemus in this case Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God The New birth here is opposed to the Natural as we are born into the World of Earthly Parents Ezek. 16.6 we are in our blood when we are born again through the power of the Spirit we are born of Water to signifie our cleansing from our former filth and this must be or else the Kingdom of God where Christ is will be shut against us So the Apostle Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his By the same price that Christ purchas'd Heaven for us hereafter he purchas'd the Spirit for us here that by being made like to him now we might be fitted to enjoy him at last As Christ is our way to the Father so the work of the Spirit must warrant and Evidence our Title to Christ we have manifestly no Interest in him till the Spirit hath wrought Holiness in us Once more the same Apostle says Cor. 5.17 If a man be in Christ he is a new Creature We must be the workmanship to God in Christ or 't is impossible that we should have any Right or Relation to him If the Old man be still alive in us whereby Heart and Life are both corrupted we have nothing to do with the second Adam Union to the person of the Redeemer does necessarily suppose the work of a New Creation We can never have any inheritance with Christ as brethren unless our Fathers Image be restor'd upon us Many other Testimonies might be produced to the same purpose But the particular Reasons of the Indispensible necessity of such washing by Christ in order to partaking with him are these which follow First As Jesus Christ is a spotless Head he cannot be link't with any other than Holy Members That Body of which he is the Head must be conformable to him An Head of such fine Gold will not be joyn'd as the Head in Nebuchadnezzar's Image was to miry feet of Clay 1 Cor. 6.15 The Members of an Harlot cannot be the Members of Christ Dead and fruitless Branches which are in Christ by visible profession are taken away Joh. 15.2 because Christ is a living and fruitful Vine To say that we have fellowship with him 1 Joh. 1.6 7. when we walk in darkness must needs be a lye because he is in the light Our blessed Lord will never consent to be matcht with any that are unsuitable to himself though he must with those that are inferiour or else with none If the ' Bridegroom be fairer than the children of men the Spouse is to be beautified through his comliness also Incongruous mixtures and un-natural conjunctions were forbidden under the Law Deut. 22.9 10 11. Thou shalt not sow thy Vineyard with divers seeds c. Nor plow with an Oxe and an Ass together Nor wear a garment of divers sorts c. The things forbidden here were not evil in themselves and therefore the meaning and design of God in giving such Laws to the People of the Jews was to shew how hateful the mingling of those things in Religion would be which had no similitude or agreement in their nature Believers also in the New Testament are charg'd though it be not so carefully attended to as it ought that they should not unequally yoke themselves with unbelievers 2 Cor. 6.14 Do we think then that Christ will be yoked with Belial v. 15. If the sons of God should not unite themselves with the Daughters of Men can we suppose that Jesus Christ the Righteous will incorporate with those which are unsanctified Secondly As Christ is an holy Lord and Lawgiver he must maintain and keep up the honour of an holy Government He must not lose the Glory of being a Prince Act. 5.31 while we enjoy the benefit of his being a Saviour He is appointed to rule every one whom he redeems and to exercise his Governing power at the same time with his saving mercy He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it perfectly himself and to see it sincerely fulfill'd by us He must disinherit the rejecters of hsi commands from receiving of the Promises and if he invests us with
the righteousness of Faith 't is necessary that he should expect from us the Duties of Obedience David an holy Prince Ps 101.4 resolv'd that he would not know i.e. not tolerate or countenance a wicked person and can we imagine that our Lord Jesus will fall short of his Type and shelter the workers of iniquity under his wing or give protection to those that renounce his Dominion It becomes a good Magistrate to make his best Subjects his onely Favorites and shall the Kingdom of Christ be worse order'd than the Kingdoms of Men Is not the Scepter of his Kingdom Heb. 1.8 a Scepter of Righteousness and must he turn it into a Rod of Wickedness by gratifying the Lusts of those that would be a blemish and reproach to him Surely Christ will not prostitute his own Name and dignity as he is exalted to be a King nor so far give up that Office as to lay them in his bosom who trample his Laws under foot He cannot suffer a contempt of his Authority in those that are partakers of his Grace Thirdly As Christ is the Mediator of an Holy Covenant he must look after and require a performance of the necessary terms God and Man are the two Parties in the Covenant he medeates between both and engages as a Surety for both He undertakes not onely for God's Reconciliation to us but for our return to God if there be a failure on one part there can be no accomplishment of the other if we remain impenitent God must remain implacable and Christ's Suretiship will be of no use or advantage to us His great business in the World was to confirm the Covenant with many i.e. Dan. 9.27 the New Covenant which though it be not strictly a Covenant of Works yet works are not altogether excluded by it Works are thrust out from being the meritorious condition of our blessedness but they are taken in as a needful qualification for it The Covenant of Grace does oblige us to all holy services as well as assure us of a glorious Salvation it tends to deliver us from being slaves to sin as well as from being Prisoners in Hell It is manifest therefore that we continue under the Old Covenant while we are unpurged from our old sins when we are brought into the bond of the New Covenant God does infuse new frames and dispositions itno us A sinner in his filth is evidently a stranger to this Covenant we may gather thus much from what God says by the Prophet Ezek. 16.8 9. I sware unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee a Covenant different from that at first c. Then washed I thee with water yea I throughtly washt away thy bloud from thee Rom. 6.14 Sin hath dominion over those that are under the Law but not over such as are under Grace So that Christs ratifying of the second Covenant makes Sanctification necessary to our partaking with him Fourthly As Christ must present us to an holy God it is requisite that he should first make us an holy people The Church must be sanctified and cleans'd by Grace Eph. 5.27 that it may be presented a Glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but holy and without blemish Concerning this act of Christ the Presentation of Souls to God the Scripture speaks in several places To present you holy and unblameable Col. 1.22 and unreprovable in his i.e. in the Fathers sight Jude 24. To him that is able to present you faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy This is done more privately and particularly at our Death Eccl. 12.7 for then the spirit returns unto God that gave it and Jesus Christ sends his Angels to convey the Soul from Earth to Heaven where at its arrival he immediately presents it unto God 'T is done more publickly and solemnly at the End of the World when there shall be a General Assembly of Christssanctified ones then Christ will stand at the head of his whole flock Heb. 2.13 and say to God Here am I and the children which thou hast given me Christs Kingdom as Redeemer which is subordinate unto Gods and consequently distinct from it was appointed to continue no longer than this world when the world to come takes place His Kingdom is to be delivered up and his fidelity to his trust must be accounted for and therefore all the Souls wherewith he was entrusted by the Father are to be presented to him the Father gave them to him and when he hath finished his work upon them he must give them back to the Father Now can we think that a God who is glorious in Holiness will receive us if we are defiled by Sin Will he that loves Righteousness accept of those that are far from Righteousness Will he acquit his Son in the execution of his Office if so great a branch of it is the washing us from our filthiness be neglected and undone Fifthly As Christ is no lodge us in an holy place he must fit us by Holiness to be the Inhabitants One of the ends of his Ascension was thus express't by himself I go to prepare a place for you John 14.2 but the work of Christ would be no more than half done if he did not send his Spirit in his stead to prepare us for that place Our Lord purchast an Inheritance for us by his Death he went to take possession of it for us when he ascended upon high And is it not after all as necessary now that we should be made meet for his Inheritance Colos 1.12 Vessels of Wrath are fitted for destruction before they are punish with it and must not the Vessel of Mercy be prepared unto Glory before they are advanc't to it Rom. 9.22 23. What an Hell would Heaven be to those that rejoyce in Iniquity and have pleasure in unrighteousness What a Prison would Paradise be to those that love to wander What delight could the Old man take in the New Jernsalem The Souls of the Unsanctified are now the Habitation of unclean spirits what agreement therefore can be hereafter between them and the habitation of Gods Holiness How unfit must we be to dwell in the presence of God at last unless we are made living and sacred Temples for God to dwell in here The Holy Ghost hath put this bar upon the Gate of the City Revel 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth Angels were expelled out of it assoon as they sinned can we then suppose that God will take up sinners from hence and admit them into it It is styled Gods holy Heaven Ps 20.6 't is his peculiar Palace and Throne which he will not have stain'd by the approach of any uncleansed Soul The purity of that State does call for answerable purity in us There is a necessity of being undefiled in the way Ps 119.1 if we would be