the Priest 't is true those Ceremonies are not necessary to Salvation but they may be used to Edification the Martyr replyed again Give me the Salvation and give me the Edification to be sure there is an unprofitableness in all these things But some will say these are Ornaments of the Church of God To that I Answer So is a painted Glass an Ornament to the House yet it shuts out the Light more than a plain Glass the Light doth not shine out so clear through a painted Glass These painted and carnal Ceremonies do shut out the Light of the Gospel for the Light of the Gospel shines out more pure and clear in the plain Administration of the Gospel and therefore all those things that carnal Men so magnifie are unprofitable Now I proceed to the 19. ver For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw nigh to God This is still to demonstrate the point in hand The weakness and unprofitableness of the Law The Law made nothing perfect i. e the Levitical and Ceremonial Law could not Cleanse the Conscience neither Justified the Person it never could reach the main end which is the happiness of Men. But God brings in another thing a higher thing for that see Heb. 10. 1. For the Law having a shadow of things to come and not the very Image of the things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered Year by Year continually make the comers thereto perfect They could never make the comers to them perfect and still they had dark apprehensions of God 'T is true the Elect could see Christ but they that went no further than these Ceremonies and Levitical Worship tho they were very strict in them yet these were very short in cleansing them from sin It made not the comers to them perfect When the People of God of old had offered a Sacrifice and performed all their Sacrifice according to the Law yet they were to look to a higher Priesthood and a higher Sacrifice for the cleansing of their sins Heb. 9. 9. Which was a figure for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the service Perfect as pertaining to the Conscience It could not cleanse him from the guilt of sin which lay upon his Conscience This is done by the bringing in of a better hope by the which we draw nigh to God These are the Words which I shall spend the remaining part of my time in But the bringing in of a better hope by the which we draw nigh to God Here the Question is What is meant by this hope 1. For the word hope here it is to be taken for the thing hoped for That is the hope here the coming of the Messiah the Salvation by Christ the Priesthood of Christ and the blessings that attend it And this is called hope in a twofold respect 1. In respect of the time when David did testifie this of Christs coming So it was a blessing to come and a thing to be hoped for by the Fathers of old For this is to be observed that all the time the Church lived under the Levitical Priest-hood they lived in the hopes of the coming of Christ and of the Messiah which was the great thing hoped for and looked for And therefore when Jesus Christ was born and the Angels came to give intimation of his Birth see how Zechariah who was one of the Levitical Priesthood expresses himself in his Song Luk. 1. 72 73. To perform the mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant the Oath which he sware to our Father Abraham This was the great promise The coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah that should do what the Law could not do The Law made nothing perfect but Jesus Christ the Messiah made all things perfect This was the hope the Father had therefore if you look into Luk. 2. you shall find that good and just man old Simeon who waited for the consolation of Israel which was the Lord Jesus Christ At ver 29. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Oh this was a joyful thing to him When he came into the Temple he took the Child in his arms and said Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation This was the hope of them of old 2. Christ in his Priesthood Death and Suffering is stiled our hope also For saith the Apostle we are saved by hope and where is our hope but in the Death and Intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ all our hope is in him But then he is stiled here a better hope How is it a better hope In two respects than all the Jewish Sacrifices and Levitical Priesthood could give for that Priesthood gave hope only of temporal blessings clearly but very darkly of spiritual blessings We can scarcely read one word of the Kingdom of Heaven under the Mosaical dispensation See I pray Lev. 26. 2. and so on Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord If ye walk in my Statutes and keep my Commandments and do them then will I give you Rain in due season and the Land shall yield her increase and the Trees of the field shall yield their fruit And your threshing shall reach unto the Vintage and the Vintage shall reach unto the sowing-time and ye shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your Land safely These are all promises and blessings and encouragements to serve God according to the command of God But not a word of Heaven here This was the tenour of the first Covenant they had hopes of Legal Priviledges and Temporal Blessings These are the great things the Law of Moses runs upon But now we have a better hope Jesus Christ our High-priest If any man will follow me he shall have the light of life The New Testament runs all upon heavenly things But 2. Better hope in respect of the manner of revealing of it For this must not be denied but that all the true Saints and Believers under the Old Testament had their hope of Heaven as we have but very poorly and darkly They had their hopes of Grace and heavenly things and therefore it is said of Abraham in Heb. 11. 10. He looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God They had all these things in sight but darkly And while Moses was read amongst them they had a Veil upon their face But we with open face behold the glory of God and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. But then the next is By which we draw nigh to God The bringing in of a better hope by which we draw nigh to God How is that You must know that God and sinful man are at a great distance
on Earth so that the Pharisees said he was a Wine-bibber and a friend of Publicans and sinners The Answer is thus Our Lord Jesus Christ when he was here on Earth did converse with sinners for the saving of their Souls but never converst with them in their sin And so he is said to be separated from sinners Christ could have no more communion with their sins than Light with Darkness Yet he converst with sinners as he came to save and to seek them that were lost He came to save them not to mingle with them in their sins Therefore you may observe in Luke 19. when he goes to Zacheus his house some of the people murmured and said He is gone to be a Guest to a man that is a sinner in verse 7. But what saith Christ in verse 10. The Son of Man is come to seek and to save those that were lost Therefore he was to go to be a Guest to a sinner to save those that were lost It was easie with Christ to keep and converse with sinners and yet keep himself from the defilement of their sins As it is with a Physician he can go into the house of a sick person and yet keep himself free from the Contagion of the Disease The Adversaries of Christ could never charge him with any defilements of sin and herein the purity of our Lord Jesus Christ is set out to us And it became us to have such an High-priest But then here is the next thing which is his Exaltation Made higher than the Heavens That is an expression that carries much in it Here we have the Exaltation of our great High-priest He is made higher than the Heavens Heavens in the Plural number The Scripture mentions three Heavens First The Lowest Heaven is the Airy Heaven where the Fowls of the Air flie And of this you read in Gen. 1. about the 8th verse God called the Firmament Heaven when he had separated the Earth from the Heaven The second or middlemost Heaven is the Starry Heaven which God shewed to Abraham in Gen. 15. where the Sun Moon and Stars are contained But then There is a Third Heaven which is the place of the blessed where God doth manifest himself in his Glory and that Third Heaven the Apostle speaks of in 2 Cor. 12. 2. he tells us that he was caught up into the Third Heaven that is the place where the blessed are This is that which Solomon calls the Heaven of Heavens in that passage of his in 2 Chron. 2. 6. But who is able to build him an House seeing the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him that is God Now saith the Apostle here in my Text Jesus Christ our High-priest is made higher than the Heavens he is made higher than the Terrestrial Heaven higher than the Starry Heaven and I pray mind what an Emphasis the Scripture puts upon this compare the words of the Text with Ephes 4. 10. the Apostle saith That he Ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things The Apostle in the Text saith that he is made higher than the Heavens and here he saith he is Ascended far above all Heavens Why Because in his exalted state of Glory he is taken up above to Gods right hand which is above all the Created Glory in Heaven For though the great God made a Heaven for the holy Angels and for the glorified Saints and doth there manifest his Glory so far as they are capable of receiving it yet still God is above all the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him saith Solomon How God is a Heaven in himself You know the Prophet tells us that he inhabits in Eternity and liveth in Eternity Now this Eternity was in God himself before the Heavens were made and tho he manifests himself in his Glory among the Saints and Angels yet he is above all and so the Glory of Christ is far above all the Glory of the Saints and Angels for the Glory of Christ is to sit at Gods right hand as the Apostle saith Heb. 1. 13. He gives us Glory in Heaven and his Angels have Glory in Heaven but Jesus Christ hath higher Glory than all these for he is at the Fathers right hand and he dwells in God himself and inheriteth Eternity see Ephes 1. 20 21. when the Apostle who is speaking of raising up Christ from the dead he saith He set him on his own right hand in Heavenly places far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominions Mind how high the Apostle goes with this when he raised up Christ from the dead he set him on his own Right hand far above all Principalities and Powers and Dominions What Principalities and Powers are these Why the holy Angels for Heaven is a Kingdom and there is a Government and an Order in Heaven There is Principalities and Powers there is Angels and Arch angels But when God raised Jesus Christ from the dead he raised him above the Angels he set him far above the Glory of the Saints And tho he prayed that the Saints might be where he is it is not meet that we should be received in that height of Glory where he is but we are to have the Glory of Christ communicated to us so far as we are capable to receive him as he is the second Person of the Trinity The Saints cannot reach to that Glory he is in but they shall have it so far as they are capable to receive him Phil. 2. 9 10. Wherefore God hath highly Exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven of things in Earth of things under the Earth All the holy Angels and Saints in Heaven do bow unto our Lord Jesus Christ and do homage to him in our Nature Why Because the Father hath made him higher than the Heavens above all the Glory of Heaven He is not only holy harmless separate from sinners but made higher than the Heavens And such an High-priest became us Now for Application This Doctrin is Four ways Useful to us First This shews the Riches of Gods Goodness and Mercy to poor sinful Man that he should appoint such a High-priest to interceed for us such a one as is not to be found among all the Children of Men. God had the whole Creation before him Angels and Men but there was no Person could be found that did become us that was fit to be our High-priest but he that is higher than the Heavens the Son of God Oh the great goodness of God! It will take up an Eternity to adore God for his goodness in our Salvation by Jesus Christ God hath done much for us in our Creation he hath made us rational Creatures out of nothing he hath made a World for us to inhabit and given us Dominion over the works of his hand hath made us but a little lower than the Angels which made
it not Lawful for a man to enrich himself by War as well as by Trade Why did not Abraham take a Reward for his great Adventure The reason is plain for it shall not be said that Abraham is made rich by the spoils of the King of Sodoms Country The King of Sodom was a Heathen and an Enemy to Abrahams Religion and Abraham would not bring a scandal upon his Religion by his gettings in the World A Godly Gracious Man is very tender in his ways and dealings that he may not raise a scandal to Religion in his Worldly gettings Indeed men of the World they care not how they get Riches because the World is their God but Men professing Godliness as Abraham did they ought to be careful that they do not bring a scandal to Religion in their Worldly gettings For thus it was with Abraham he was very tender of the name of God he would not inrich himself in these ways Here we may learn both Justice Piety and Self-denial Here was Piety towards God he gave to God his due And here was Self-denial also he took nothing for himself nor for his Servants who were born in his House and such as he was bound to provide for And this should teach us that in all our actions of a publick nature we must take heed that we do not make private Interest our aim and end And so much for these words of Abrahams giving the Tenth of the spoil to Melchisedeck Now the Apostle comes to bring in the Mystery of these things in the following words being by interpretation King of Righteousness and afterwards King of Salem the Apostle found out the Mystery of the Son of God in Melchisedecks Name and Place by way of Interpretation How Why Melchisedeck is a Hebrew name which signifies a King of Righteousness Some Writers say it was given him upon his Righteous Government King of Righteousness And then the providence of God so ordered it that he was King of a Place that was called Salem which signifies Peace and so the Apostle saith by Interpretation this Melchisedeck was King of Righteousness and afterwards King of Salem Why doth the Apostle bring it in by way of Interpretation Because Melchisedeck and Salem were Hebrew words and the Apostle Writing to the people in Greek which Language they understood better than Hebrew therefore he Interprets the Hebrew words to them And here by the way we may briefly take notice That Learning Study and Reading is a necessary quality in a Minister of the Gospel For though Learning without Grace or the Spirit of God is an empty and insignificant thing yet if men are sanctified it is of great use to the Church of God But where is the Mystery contained in Melchisedecks name and place It lies in this that our Lord Jesus the Son of God is the King of Righteousness and Peace He is our King He is our Melchisedeck He is our King of Righteousness and our Peace The Scripture doth so assert Christ to be See Isa 3. 2. 1 2. 'T is a Prophecy of Christ Behold a King shall Reign in Righteousness and Princes shall Rule in Judgment A man shall be an hiding-place from the Wind and a covert from the Tempest As Rivers of Water in a dry place as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Here is a glorious Promise of Jesus Christ A King shall Reign in Righteousness he shall be a hiding-place from the Wind and a covert from the Tempest when he sets up his Kingdom You commonly say in the Prayer of our Lord Thy Kingdom come but how few do understand it The Prophet tells us that a King shall Reign in Righteousness He shall be a hiding-place from the Wind and from the Tempest When storms and winds shall come upon his Church and People he will be as a hiding-place and will be a comfort and refreshment to them He will be as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land If you look into Psal 45. penned to set forth the Government of Christ of whom Solomon was a type saith he v. 7. Thou lovest Righteousness and hatest wickedness therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows Why because thy Scepter is a Scepter of Righteousness for thou hatest wickedness therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows But then Melchisedeck as a further type of Christ as he was King of Righteousness so also he was King of Salem King of Peace So if you look into Isa 9 6. For to us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace To us that is to the Church a Child is born and what shall his name be called His name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor For Christ is the greatest wonder of any thing in the World For the Son of God to be made flesh Now you see little of Christ he is little set up in the Nation But in time the Zeal of the Lord of Hosts will lift up his Son Jesus Christ as the King of Righteousness and as the King of Peace As soon as Christ came into the World the heavenly Host came down and sang praise to the most High Luk. 2. 14. Glory to God on the highest and on earth peace good will towards men But how is Christ called the Prince of Peace why in two respects 1. As he hath made Peace between God and Man And 2. As he makes Peace among men 1. As he makes Peace between God and Man For upon mans sin there was a dreadful enmity and hatred between the holy God and sinful man man hated God God hated sinful man till Christ this Prince of Peace came Yea the holy Angels that stand close to God they hated man and men hate one another upon that account For there is such a variance in the corrupt Nature of man that men are commonly Tigers Wolves Lions yea Devils one to another But Christ he hath satisfied Divine Justice by the death of the Cross and slain the Enmity between God and Man and so we are at peace with him For Christ hath reconciled us to God Hence you have that in Col. 3. He hath made peace between Jew and Gentile and Eph. 2. 14. saith the Apostle there For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us There was abundance of strife and variance between the Jew and Gentile Before Christ the Gentiles scorned the Jews for their Circumcision and the Jews scorned the Gentiles and called them Dogs But Christ hath taken away all this variance and enmity This Prince of Peace will remove all offences that stand in his way so that upon this account he is called the Prince of Peace Object But some may
say Doth not our Lord Jesus Christ himself tell us that he came not to send peace on the earth but a sword and to set men at variance Mat. 10. 34 35. how then is he the Prince of Peace Ans Know there is a worldly peace which lies in agreement in all that which is evil Christ did not come to send that peace Christ did not come to make peace between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent The Church of God would want her tryals if there were not enmity between the two seeds But why doth he say that he came not to send peace but a sword The meaning is this It is by way of consequence for where the Gospel comes it is a Gospel of peace in it self But when Jesus Christ calls any to his Kingdom by the Gospel the World is then at enmity with them and quarrels with them The Scripture is full of Instances of this But I shall wind up this with a brief Application Is our Lord Jesus Christ King of Righteousness and Prince of Peace then what great reason have all men that hear of Jesus Christ to pay their homage unto him and to submit to his Soveraignty Jesus Christ he did not set up himself in opposition to Magistrates but he is the Head of all Magistracy By me Kings Reign and Princes decree Justice But the meaning is we must make him our Spiritual King and submit to his Rule and Laws Proud men of the World will not submit to the Rule and Laws of Christ therefore if we would be wise to Salvation we should subject our selves to his Word for he is our King and blessed are they that are in Covenant with him and can make Christ their King and obey him in all his commands Though you be despised in the eyes of the World If you look into 1 Tim. 6. 13 14 15. I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ which in time he shall shew who is the blessed and only King of Kings and Lord of Lords It may be while we speak of this Authority of Jesus Christ you see few men regard it But I give thee charge before God and Jesus Christ as thou wilt answer it at the day of Judgment that thou keep the command of Christ which in time shall be the only Potentate And therefore beloved let us subject our selves to Jesus Christ in all his ways in all his commands He is the King of Righteousness He is the Prince of Peace He will keep us in the ways of Righteousness He will keep us in inward peace in the worst of times And therefore if you desire Righteousness and to live in peace subject your selves to the Lord Jesus Christ SERMON III. Hebrews 7. from verse 4. to 8. Now consider how great this man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of his spoils And verily they that are of the Sons of Levi who receive the Office of the Priesthood have a Commandment to receive Tythes of the people according to the Law that is of their Brethren though they come out of the loins of Abraham But he whose Descent is not counted from them received Tythes of Abraham and blessed him that had the Promises And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better GOD the Father having promised to his Son Jesus Christ and confirmed it to him by an Oath that he should be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck Upon this Promise and Oath much of the Faith and Comfort of the Church of God springs Therefore the Apostle is so large here in this chapter to set forth the Priviledges Prerogatives and Dignities of Melchisedeck of whose order Christ is a Priest for ever Last day the three verses were opened where Melchisedeck is said to be without Father without Mother without Descent having neither beginning of days nor end of life made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually I have not time now to repeat what was said then We shewed in what sense Melchisedeck is said to be without Father without Mother without Descent without beginning of days or end of life And how in all these things he was made like unto the Son of God I proceed now to the words I have read and the scope of the Apostle in them is still to amplifie and set out to us the greatness of this Melchisedeck who was the fore-runner of the Son of God and in his days did represent to the Church the Son of God Now the greatness of this Melchisedeck the Apostle proves three ways in the words which I have read 1. In that this great man Abraham the Patriarch gave him the Tenths of all the spoils verse 4. 2. He proves Melchisedecks greatness by this that he blessed him that had received the Promise And The third proof of his greatness is this that while Levi dies Melchisedeck liveth These are the three main points the Apostle insists upon in these words I have read The first proof that the Apostle brings of Melchisedeck's greatness is v. 4. Consider how great this man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the Tenths of the spoil He calls Abraham the Patriarch for this reason because he was the first Father of all the Jewish people they all proceeded out of his Loins in that promised seed Isaac Now consider saith the Apostle how great this Melchisedeck was in that the Patriarch the first Father of the Church of God gave to him the tenth of the spoil when Abraham returned from the slaughter that was spoken of before And here the Apostle brings it over again for a great proof of Melchisedecks greatness But now here the Question will be How this can be a proof of his greatness while he received from Abraham the tenths of the spoil for according to the account that men have of things the Receiver is inferiour to the Giver He that gives seems to be greater than he that receives And our Saviour saith It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive How is this then a proof of Melchisedecks greatness I Answer to that The Giver is greater than the Receiver where the giving and receiving is in a way of Alms that is our Saviours meaning It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive in a way of Alms but this was not the case between Abraham and Melchisedeck For mind it Melchisedeck did not receive of the Patriarch Abraham the Tenths of the Spoils as an act of Abrahams kindness but as Tribute that Abraham paid to God and to Melchisedeck who was the Priest of the most high God Abraham gave to Melchisedeck the Tenths of the Spoil as due to God It is a very false and fantastical notion of
Lordship of Christ we are to take up three practical Duties which I shall but name and so go on 1. If our Jesus Christ be our great Lord our King Then it is our Duty to study Obedience to his Laws and Commands not to take him only for a Saviour but our Lord For mind it Earthly Lords require Honour and Obedience and shall we call Christ our Lord and Master and not do the thing that he Commands or have no regard to his Word or to his Commands See I pray John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me You pretend love to Christ shew it then in keeping his Commands and in the 23. ver If any man love me he will keep my word so the 15. ver If ye love me keep my Commandments and you shall abide in my love Christ puts all upon love Though he be a great Lord and might exact all service in a way of fear and dread yet he will have all in Love When you are tempted to any sin say My Lord forbids me and I must obey his Commands He hath told us if we love him we shall keep his Words 2. If Jesus Christ be our great Lord then we ought with confidence to rest upon him for protection for preservation for he is a great Lord For pray mind it Though Jesus Christ makes but little noise in the World and other Lords seem to carry a great name yet Jesus Christ is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings and as he is the Fathers Vicegerent he over-rules all the Kings and Kingdoms in the World and therefore you may rest in him as the great Lord and as the Apostle writes to Timothy the 1. and the 6. and 15. which in time he shall shew who is the blessed and only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords then let us rest upon him for Protection 3. If Jesus Christ be our Lord then are we not only to walk according to his Commands but after his Example in Meekness and Humility see John 13. 13. saith Christ to his Disciples Ye call me Lord and Master and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet you ought also to wash one anothers Be not proud then but say hath my Lord and Master condescended so to his Disciples And shall I slight them and cast them off I have given you an example saith Christ labour then to honour Jesus Christ Now in the next place Here you find that the Apostle useth one word in the Text mind that it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah and in the 15. ver it is far more evident Why doth the Apostle so insist upon it I Answer It is to teach us Ministers that Preach the Gospel to make things evident to the Peoples understandings Plain and evident to their understanding It is a great part of their Ministerial work to inform their Judgments and therefore pray that you may have a plain Gospel-Minister 1 Cor. 2. 5. that in every thing you are inriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge men may make a great noise in Preaching but little to Edification But then here is the Question What is it that the Apostle will make evident That is the main Point in the Text. Why he makes evident that Jesus Christ our great High-priest was not a Priest after the Law of a carnal Commandment but by the power of an endless Life And these are the words I shall briefly open and apply That Jesus Christ our great High-priest was not made a Priest after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless Life Here are two things to be observed First The Apostles removing the Priest-hood of Christ from the Levitical Priest-hood that it was not made after the Law of a carnal Commandment Secondly He gives a description of the true Nature of the Priest-hood of Christ That it is a Priest-hood of power and of an endless Life First of all saith the Apostle He was not made a Priest after the Law of a carnal Commandment What is that Why it is a carnal Commandment that made all subject to the Ceremonial Law You will say Was the Ceremonial Law Carnal Did not God Command it how was it then Carnal Why it was a Command that respected Carnal things Carnal in Scripture is taken two ways First Carnal is taken for that which is sinful and in this sence the Law of Moses was not made by a Carnal Commandment Sometimes Carnal is set in opposition to Spiritual things and so it is put for things concerning the Body and not for the Soul If we have sown unto you Spiritual things Is it a great thing if we shall reap your Carnal things And in this sence the Ceremonies of the Law were called Carnal things because they did only reach to the Body they were but shadows of Heavenly things and therefore the Apostle in his Epistle to the Colossians called them Worldly rudiments Col. 2. 20. Why so Because all those Ceremonial Laws were not of an heavenly nature as the things of the Spirit are but they only concerned outward things Mind this The Jews they doted much upon their Ceremonial Rites before Christ came and after Christ came they did stick much to their carnal and worldly Ceremonies And therefore the Apostle Paul in a holy anger speaks to the Galatians O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth to turn aside from Christ the substance to carnal things to worldly things which are but shadows And this is to be observed and oh that we could observe it more that in the corrupt nature of man there is a carnal disposition that leads him out to worship God in a carnal way And that is the scope of the Apostle here Look upon the Worship and Religion of the Papists and you will see 't is but a carnal Religion They have their curious Images and Pictures What doth this avail a Soul to have a rich pompous Altar a rich Garment for the Priest to have pompous Processions and curious Musick What are these to the Soul And as for us that have the Reformed Religion how many amongst us delight to worship God after the Law of a carnal Commandment Are there not too many amongst us which are more for old Abrogated Ceremonies than they are for a Gospel Worship Bewail and lament the Apostacy of this Generation These Ceremonies of the Old Testament tho' they were carnal and low things in themselves yet they had a spiritual signification put upon them by God and so had a great excellency in them whilst God was pleased to continue them But now that God hath abolished them Paul calls them carnal things And so we may call all Mediums of Worship that are not of Gods appointment Now for the second which is the description of the Priesthood of
brings us to This is the Hope and Faith of the Gospel But I do but touch upon these things by the by Now saith the Apostle he is able to save to the uttermost He carries it through Now to do a thing to the uttermost is to do all that can or ought to be added to that thing For there is nothing to be added to that work which is wrought to the uttermost So our Lord Jesus Christ in this Salvation work he carries it thorow to the uttermost to the uttermost There is nothing to be added to our Salvation And therefore our Protestant Divines stand much upon this Scripture against all Popish Adorations If Jesus Christ be able to save to the uttermost then there is no need of Merit Meritorious works no need of Priests Oblations Popish Pardons and Indulgences And if our Lord Jesus Christ is able to save to the uttermost then away with all Merits and all Priests for Oblations and all things that the ignorant Souls of men rest in He is able saith the Apostle to save to the uttermost Able to save that is a word of great emphasis Christ is able to carry through the great work of Salvation That is the point we are to insist upon The work of Salvation is a great work 'T is a greater work than the work of Creation For mind it the works of the great God some are greater than others and this work of Salvation is the greatest of all his works The work of Creation is a great work and Gods Wisdom his Omnipotence and his Goodness is much to be adored in the works of Creation For the work in two respects 1. As it is a work that all the three persons in the Sacred Trinity in the Godhead did co-operate and work together in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost created the World For though we say God the Father is Maker God the Father hath that work Attributed to him not that he did it without his Son and without the Holy Ghost Heb. 1. 2. It is said by Jesus Christ God made the World The Son wrought with the Father And you read in Genesis That the Holy Ghost also moved upon the face of the Deep So that the work of Creation is the work of the Godhead Father Son and Holy Spirit A great work Then again 2. If you consider the work it self The work of Creation is a great and wonderful work For mind it The Great God to make all things out of nothing This is a work that none but God could do For God to make Heaven and Earth Angels and Men and all living Creatures and all out of nothing it is a work of an Infinite God For mind it The wisest and the strongest man in the World cannot make a House or a poor Cottage out of nothing He must have matter to work upon Man can make nothing out of nothing And therefore the Philosopher took up this Maxim Nothing produceth nothing You cannot make a thing out of nothing Man cannot make one drop of Water to drink out of nothing he must go somewhere for that Water But for the Great God to raise Heaven and Earth out of nothing is to be adored And therefore saith the Psalmist When I consider the Heavens the work of thy hands the Sun Moon and Stars I said What is man Lord that thou shouldst be so mindful of him The work of Creation is a great and glorious work beyond all the power of Men and Angels But still the work of Salvation is greater than that For God is pleased to magnifie that work and to be at more cost about that work than he was about the work of Creation And in two respects the work of Salvation is greater than the work of Creation First Because in the work of Creation there was nothing to resist God in that work there were no Devils then in Being to Rebel against that work of God There was no wicked reprobate Person to resist God in the work of Creation But in the work of Salvation Men and Devils oppose the Wisdom of God and the Power of God and the Grace of God But he carries it through all opposition Secondly Though the work of Creation was a great work of God Yet there was no need that the Son of God should be made manifest in the Flesh for that work The work of Creation could be carried on without the Incarnation of the Son of God God did but say Let there be Light and there was Light Gods word did all there By Faith we understand the World was made by the Word of God Heb. 11. 3. But when God comes to work Salvation for mankind there is a great train of Work The Son of God must be made Man and suffer Death for poor Man and he must rise again So that the work of Salvation is greater than the work of Creation But how is Christ said to be able to save and to carry on this work First As he is God the Almighty God so nothing can stand before him to hinder the accomplishment of that which he hath undertaken to save a Soul from Death Where Christ undertakes for that all the powers of Hell cannot hinder it If he had been but a meer Man he had been stopped in this work Men and Devils would have hindred him in this work I say Reprobate Men and Devils would have hindred him in this work But being God he Triumphs over Principalities and Powers as you have it in Col. 2. 15. He spoiled Principalities and Powers These Principalities and Powers are the Devils which Reign in their Kingdom as Princes and Potentates do here on Earth But the Devils themselves dread our Lord Jesus Christ as you may see Mat. 8. 29. they cryed out What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God Art thou come to Torment us before the time They knew him to be the Son of God and they begg'd leave of him to go into the Herd of Swine Thus you see our Lord Jesus Christ as he is God hath power to overcome all the Devils in Hell Therefore he is able to save them for the Devils dreaded Christ and said Art thou come to torment us before the time They knew Christ would come to Judge them one day and they were unwilling to come to Judgment before their time Now as he is the mighty God and as all the Powers of Hell are under him so he is able to save to the uttermost none can stand before him to hinder his accomplishing the work of Salvation Secondly He is able to save as he is our great High-priest over the house of God That the Apostle would have us to keep our eye upon as he is the Priest of God All the Priests before him were not able to save them that came to God by them tho' they did good service and were useful in offering Gifts and Sacrifices for the People yet they could not save them
But our Lord Jesus Christ as he is the Priest of God as he is the Surety of a better Covenant as he offered himself a Sacrifice for sin he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him And so we come to this Where we have a Limitation in respect of the blessings of Christs Death It is for all that come unto God by him Not but that Christ is able to save all Mankind The dignity of his person God-Man The Merit of his Suffering sufficient to save all Mankind But this Limitation shews That none had benefit by Christ but those that come unto God by him It is one thing to be able to save and another thing for people to have the benefit of that Salvation Suppose a man be able to save all the poor in the Town yet none have the benefit of it but those that come to him for their relief There is a great deal of difference between Ability and Benefit So our Lord Jesus Christ is able to save to the uttermost but it is them that come unto God by him that are saved Not that there is any Merit in our coming to God For what Merit is there in Beggars coming for an Alms We come to God by Christ as Beggars for an Alms. But still we must come and we must come by Jesus Christ if we will have any benefit by his Salvation There are multitudes of people in the World whose case is very deplorable Jews Turks and Heathens they all have their Devotions grounded upon something The Jews come to God according to the Jewish way The Turks have their coming to God for the great Article of their Faith We believe there is is one only true God And the Heathens have their way of coming to God But because none of these have their coming to God by Jesus Christ therefore they have no benefit by Jesus Christ The Papists who prove the Christian Faith do run a great hazard of their Salvation by coming to God by other Mediators than by Jesus Christ For the blessed Saints and the Virgin Mary are not able to save and be a Mediator for them 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is but one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus So that here you have the Limitation of that Salvation which is by Christ He is able to save all to the uttermost that come unto God by him But then you will say What are we to understand by the phrase of coming to God by Jesus Christ What is meant by coming I answer Coming is a metaphorical word translated from the Body to the Soul As thus the Body hath its motion you know it goes and comes this or that way So the Soul of Man hath its motion it goes or comes it goes to God or comes from God Now coming in Scripture when it is applied to God and Christ it always imports a believing a trusting in a resting upon God in Jesus Christ For Faith is the foot of a Soul by which the Soul is coming unto God It brings the Soul to Christ to take up with him It is the same with coming unto the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need i. e. Let our Souls go out to Gods Grace in Christ and there Rest As Unbelief is called a departing from the Living God Heb. 3. and the latter end Now you know what it is to depart from God It is when you cast off all hope and trusting in him When your hearts run out to sin and grow dead towards God when you have no delight in keeping up Communion with him this is a departing from him So coming to him is an act of the Soul whereby the Soul goes out to him in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Sacrifice for sin The Soul goes out to him by Faith and rests upon him by such a Faith as doth purifie the heart and reform the life Many that are called Christians they have a notion by which they greatly deceive themselves And that is this They think and say that God is merciful that Jesus Christ died for sinners and therefore tho' they be strangers to the life of Faith and have lived in much Ignorance yet they say they doubt not of their Salvation for God is merciful and Christ died for sinners As it is true that God is merciful beyond all our apprehensions And it is also true that Jesus Christ died for sinners Yet the Scripture must be believed It is only for such sinners as have a Coming-faith to him such a Faith as may unite their Souls to him For mind it You read in Luke 14. where our Saviour compares the Grace of God in the Salvation of poor sinners to a man that made a great Supper for his Guests and invited them but when they all refused to come read v. 24. I say unto you None of them that were bidden shall taste of my Supper Why shall they not taste of it Why because they refused to come upon his Invitation and therefore none of them which were bidden shall taste of my Supper This is to shadow out Gods way with poor slighty sinners That Soul that is taken up with his Farm and Oxen the Lord saith he shall not taste of his Supper You must not therefore rest in general notions For as it is one of the greatest miseries in the World to want a coming-heart to Christ so on the other hand it is one of the greatest mercies that we can enjoy in this life to have a coming-heart to Jesus Christ to have a heart going out to Jesus Christ It is very observable what our Lord Jesus Christ spake in Matth. 7. He tells us In the last days there will be many come to seek admittance into his Kingdom for what they had done In v. 22. Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils in thy Name have done many wonderful works Then will I profess to them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Christ will say I never knew them How is this to be understood Pray consider Christ knew all men He did know the persons of these men that did come and plead thus with him But when he said he never knew them his meaning is he never had any Communion with him and they did never come to him and act Faith in him Our Lord will say at the great day You talk of Gifts and Parts and Service but I never had your hearts And therefore it is a great mercy to have a heart to come to Jesus Christ to live that life we live in the flesh in the Faith of the Son of God Come we now to some Application and that is of Direction to poor sinners that are strangers to