is a Garment for beauty and Glory Hence it is said The Lord God hath covered me with a Robe of righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself as a Priest with Ornaments Isa 61. 10. 4. 2. Exod. 18. 2-4 2 King 22. 10-30 Rev. 7. 9-13 14. Christ hath washed them from their sins in his own Blood and hath made them Kings and Priests unto their God and as such he is clothing them and they by faith are putting on this beautiful and glorious Raiment Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 4 5-9 And the fruits of this righteousness render them comely among men so as being clothed and filled therewith they have a good report of all men as it is said of Demetrius 3 John 12. Though yet they hate them and hereby those that speak evil of them as of evil doers shall be occasioned to glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Pet. 2. 9-11 12. And hereafter they shall be gloriously arayed herewith as with a Robe and as Kings shall reign with Christ on earth they shall then inherit the Earth and delight themselves in the abundance of peace then shall God bring forth their Righteousness their white raiment as the light and their judgment as the noon day Rev. 5. 10. 20. 4-6 Psal 37. 6-11-22-29-34 Isa 32. 1. Such like instructions are contained in this end here proposed to move and ingage us to buy this white raiment here commended to us We should now come to speak to the third thing here counselled unto to wit To anoint our eyes with eye-salve but to this in due time God assisting This which hath been said shall suffice for this first instruction And we now come to speak to the second Viz. 2. That Christ Jesus and this preparation in him may be had and partaken of by those that are miserable and wretched and poor and blind and naked and know it not while it is called to day This is imported to us in this counsel in that he saith who is the Amen the faithful and true witness I Counsel thee c. And this will further appear if we diligently mind and consider these things 1. That the ground and cause of all was for every sinful soul of mankind 2. The preparation is made ready in Christ the last Adam for all 3. This is discovered to all and especially where the Scriptures are vouchsafed in due time and they are invited 4. It may be had freely without any worth or worthiness 1. The ground and cause of all this provision in Christ was for all men for every sinful soul of mankind That is to say Christ was made of a Woman made under the Law for the good of all and to the end he might become a fountain for all according to their needs and capacities Gal. 4. 4 5. with Rom. 3. 19. He came into the World and was abased therein and further that he might become the Saviour of the world Joh. 3. 17. 4. 42. 1 Joh. 4. 14. And this was not whispered or spoken in secret or in the ear by our Saviour but publickly spoken and loudly proclaimed by him that we might know he was not ashamed of reporting this good news Jesus cried and said If any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not in this day of grace and patience for I came not to judge the world but to save the world Joh. 12. 44-47 It was in love in infinite pity and compassion to the world of mankind and so to those that are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked that God gave his only begotten Son And therefore it is thus expressed by his Son and that disciple whom Jesus loved God so loved the World so infinitely in expressibly yea inconceivably merciful and kind was he that he gave his only begotten Son Joh. 3. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 8-11-14 As to say 1. Jesus Christ took upon him the nature of all men and was as the Son of Abraham and David and so the witness and evidence of the truth and mercy of God to them in whom God hath shewed himself to be a God keeping covenant and mercy Luk. 1. 54 55-68-75 Acts 13. 32 33. So also the Son of Adam Luk. 3. 23-38 Yea the Second man who was foreordained of God and interposed himself for the good of mankind while there was none in a personal being but one even the First man in whose loyns all were and who was the representative of all mankind and so in his room became the Publick man for the good recovery and bringing back of mankind to God which had departed from him in the First man and so were justly banished from him in the righteous sentence of his Law 1 Cor. 15. 47. Yea He the Second man is the last Adam of whom the first was the figure or type 1 Cor. 15. 45. Rom. 5. 14. And the truth falleth not short of the type in those things most materially intended thereby but rather exceedeth it as the Apostle giveth us to understand Rom. 5. 15 16. Heb. 9. 13 14. And hence when Christ was actually born the Angel saith Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people for to you men as distinguished from and opposed to us Angels Heb. 2. 16. is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And the multitude of the heavenly host confirm and set their seal to the truth hereof praising God and saying glory be to God in the highest on earth peace goodwill not evil will towards men Luk. 2. 10-14 Hence also he is so frequently called the Son of Man yea only so called when one person is spoken of indeed when spoken to Ezekiel and Daniel are so called but he is never so called when spoken to but always when spoken off or speaking of himself I say He is so often called the Son of Man even of that kind or species of creatures because he partook of the nature of man and undertook their cause and was the Heir of man's misery to the end he might become their Saviour And by means of the King 's making a marriage for his only begotten Son in which our nature was married to the Divine nature in the person of the word the Son of God all things are ready and prepared for all mankind Which doth clearly intimate to us that he came into the world in a publick capacity and condition for the good and behoof of all men Matt. 22. 1-4-8 Luk. 14. 16-23 Isa 25. 6. 2. And being made of a woman he was therein and by the will of God made under the Law and had the guilt of our old sins the wages whereof was the first death imputed to him and laid upon him When God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself he did not impute their trespasses to them But he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us who knew it and were guilty of it and
lifting up himself by his Spirit and rendring himself more precious then all the things of this world then all our injoyments relations attainments lives c. that so we might run with the feet of our Souls even with hot and fervent affections unto him from all other things Because of the Lord his God and for the holy one of Israel who hath glorified him Isa 55. 5. And that we might follow him whithersoever he goeth And laying aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us run with patience in induring afflictions and in a patient continuance in well-doing and patiently waiting for the Lord the race set before us looking off from all other things unto Jesus Heb. 12. 1 2 3. This is a needfull and usefull garment to be put on by us in and with Humility in putting on the new man and in being clad wherewith we shall be Instruments of good to others and provoke very many to seek and follow the Lord with us 2 Cor. 9. 2. and especially needfull for the Angels of the Churches that they may be ensamples to the flock and fervently seek their good Colos 4. 12 13. And abundant need and great cause have we now to buy this of Christ in these last and lukewarme times in which iniquity doth abound and the love of many wax Cold As was also soretold by our Saviour Math. 24. 12. And to that end that this Angel and Church might be zealous and repent change and forsake their evil and high thoughts of themselves therefore out of love and faithfulness the faithful and true witness did rebuke and chasten them Rev. 3. 19. Bowels of mercy kindness c. Are also to be put on by his Angels and Churches not only outward acts of mercy but bowels of mercy having an inward affection to men pitying and compassionating the ignorant and those that are out of the way and being kind also in heartily desiring the good of them that they may be saved Col. 3. 12. And these garments aptly follow and are joyned with zeal for when the love and loveliness of Christ is so known believed and considered by us as to inflame our hearts with love to him together herewith also his love is so infused and diffused into the heart by the holy Spirit as to fill us with love to all and so with bowels of mercy pity and compassion and with an hearty kindness to them and earnest desire and indeavour of their good This filleth with bowels towards all yearning toward them and breathing for their good that their eyes might be opened and that they might be turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God the love of Christ known and believed frameth and constraineth hereto And so it frameth us to be like-minded unto Christ and God in him to be merciful as our father which is in Heaven is merciful Luk. 6. 36. And especially his grace teacheth and strengthneth the believers in putting on the new man to put on as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindness c. one to another exercised in a desire and indeavour of their good especially avoiding what is contrary to bowels of mercy and kindness as judging one another condemning one another and in doing what springeth therefrom as forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any have a complaint against any even as Christ freely forgave them that they should do likewise Col. 3. 12 13. with Luk. 6. 36 37. And as we have opportunity doing good to all men especially to those that are of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. 1 Joh. 3. 16 17 18. Meekness is also to be put on by them as a garment Col. 3. 12. To this the believing women are instructed whose adorning saith the Apostle Peter Let it not be that outward But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which though it be despised and laught at by men yea by many that profess godliness yet is in the sight of God of great price for after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves c. 1 Pet. 3. 1-5 And this is joyned with and put as the consequent of lowliness Ephes 4. 2. And of humbleness of mind Col. 3. 12. And meekness and lowliness of heart were conjoyned in our Saviour Matt. 11. 29. And unless we so receive the grace of Christ as to be clothed with humbleness of mind we cannot adorne our selves with this garment of a meek and quiet spirit for pride and high thoughts of our selves will cause us to be soon angry and fill us with contention strife envying confusion and every evil work Prov. 13. 10. Isa 16. 6. And this is to be exercised in subjection unto those that God hath set over us 1 Pet. 3. 3-5 And in quiet bearing injuries afflictions reproches and persecutions for the Gospel's sake and not indeavouring to resist the evil or leave our place of subjection Psal 37 7-11 In seeking the restoring of those that are overtaken with a fault Gal. 6. 1. In instructing those that oppose themselves 2 Tim. 2. 23 24. In giving a reason of the hope to him that asketh us 1 Pet. 3. 15. And in all our receiving the ingrafted word with the instructions thereof and the reproofes of its instruction which are the way of life Jam. 1. 21. And this is also a fruit of the spirit which he is effecting in those that believe in glorifying Christ and discovering his excellency and that excellent example he hath lest us that we should follow his steps It is the fruit of that wisdom that is from above even of Christ and is therefore called meekness of Wisdom Jam. 3. 13-17 Gal. 5. 22. And is with the former to be put on by us especially in those last days in which evil men and seducers are grown worse and worse deceiving and being deceived and especially the Angels are to be clothed herewith The Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves c. 2 Tim. 2. 23 24. Charity also is to be put on Above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness Col. 3. 14. Above all things have fervent charity among your selves 1 Pet. 4. 8. Let all your things be done with charity 1 Cor. 16. 14. Charity is distinguished from brotherly kindness 2 Pet. 1. 7. Brotherly kindness hath for its motive and object somewhat lovely and amiable in the party loved but Charity is a free manner of love fastening on and flowing forth toward the party loved not because of any worth or worthiness in him yea notwithstanding great unworthiness and manisold evils be found in him Thus it is in God God so infinitely loved pityed and compassionated the world that he
gave his onely begotten son There was nothing of worth or worthiness in the world to move him so to do for all the world was become guilty before God and subject to his judgment By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin Rom. 3. 19. 5. 12. All were become ungodly sinners and enemies and so great unworthiness was found with them yet he loved them and so loved them as to give his Son to be the Saviour thereof because he himself is charity the fountain and original of love 1 Joh. 4. 8-10 Thus also it is in a measure with those that have known and believed the love that God hath towards the world and so are born of God The charity they are instructed to put on It is such a manner of love as is towards another without any goodness or worthiness in the party loved yea notwithstanding great unloveliness be found in him and it is begotten and moved and exercised from an higher motive and from a reason without him namely from the love of Christ and God in him 2 Cor. 5. 14. 1 Joh. 4. 7. I say unto you that hear That God is love and how he hath manifested it Love your enemies bless them that curse you c. Luk. 6. 27. This being put on and walked in the exercise of will cover the multitude of sins so as still to be seeking the good of the party loved 1 Pet. 4. 8. And indeed in putting on charity we put on all the other garments before spoken of and therefore above all things this is to be put on by us In putting this on we shall put on humility for Charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up 1 Cor. 13. 4. It taketh no notice of its doing or works so as to be hindred from pursuing the good of another but it leadeth one to humble himself to that end as it was eminently found in Christ such was his Charity as that though he was rich for our sakes he became poor that through his poverty we might be inriched 2 Cor. 8. 9. He humbled himself and became obedient to death c. Charity doth not behave it self unseemly as those that want humility do in proclaiming their own goodness knowledge c. Philip. 2. 3-7 In putting on this we shall put on zeal and fervency in looking upon and indeavouring the good of others that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ and hence this is called fervent Charity 1 Pet. 4. 8. And is so fervent and hot as that many waters cannot quench it neither can the flouds drown it it is even strong as death And casteth out all fear that hath torment in it Cant. 8. 6 7. 1 Joh. 4. 18. In putting on this we put on bowels of mercy kindness c. it filleth with bowels of pity and compassion towards others Charity seeketh not her own but the profit of others that they may be saved Charity is kind 1 Cor. 13. 4 5. Hence our Saviour first instructeth his Disciples to love and then to do good to lend to be merciful not to judge not to condemn to give forgive c. As signifying love includeth and leadeth to all mercy and kindness and acts of it Luke 6. 27-38 Charity openeth the bowels of our compassion on sight of the needs and necessities of others 1 Joh. 3. 16-18 In putting on Charity we put on also meekness and gentleness in bearing injuries unkindnesses and ill requitals from others and in being long-suffering toward them and not presently turning away from them though they be dull of hearing unteachable untractable yea though they are froward evil and incensed against us and are enemies to us because we tell them the truth and indeavour their good and profit Charity suffereth long and is kind all the while it is not easily provoked thinketh projecteth surmiseth no evil it is even blind and leadeth those that are filled with it to demean themselves as blind ones Who so full of Charity as Christ And who saith God is blind as my servant or deaf as my messenger that I sent who is blind as he that is perfect and blind as the Lords servant seeing many things but thou observest them not c. Isa 42. 19 20. So also Charity beareth all things indureth all things all burdens cast upon it and yet Charity never faileth 1 Cor. 13. 5-7 8. All is included in one word Thou shalt love c. Gal. 5. 13 14. Rom. 13. 8-10 2 And by the fruits of righteousness and so by those White garments are meant those more outward the works and acts of love and mercy exercised unto others so receiving and holding fast the Grace of God as that in its efficacies and outward works it may be seen and beheld of all men Acts 11. 23. Holding forth the word of life in word and conversation as our Saviour instructeth his Disciples Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. This is an Ornament which becometh such as profess godliness even good works 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. And to that end the Grace of God moveth and instructeth us to cast off the works of darkness such as rioting and drunkenness chambring and wantonness strife and envying which are the garments of darkness proceeding from our ignorance and blindness these are to be cast off as an unclean filthy and dishonourable garment and to put on the Lord Jesus Christ in the efficacies of his righteousness believed Rom. 13. 12-14 And so we are instructed to put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts viz. to put off and put away lying anger wrath malice blasphemy filthy communication stealing c. and to beclothed outwardly with love peace humility mercy temperance sobriety and to have our speech always with Grace seasoned with Salt both which namely good words and works tend to adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Ephes 4. 22 31. Col. 3. 5-8 9. 15. 4. 5 6. Tit. 2. 10-12 And so by this White raiment is meant the righteousness which Christ hath wrought and compleated for all without them and which he is become through and by means of his personal abasement and sufferings and the fruits thereof both those more inward and outward 2. Why this raiment is said to be White and what is imported therein 1. In general we may say in this expression there is allusion and reference unto the Garments that the Priests and Levites did wear and were clothed with and in which they did then minister which Moses the Mediator of that old Testament or Covenant was appointed to make or cause to be made Exod. 28. 39-43 Levit. 16. 4-23-32 So it is said the Levites when they ministred were arayed in white linen 2 Chron. 5. 12. And now the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also
and everlasting Covenant Matt. 26. 28. Heb. 10. 29. 13. 20. 9. 15 16. Those great and precious promises appertaining to Life and godliness yea to this life and that to come are not only assured by the word of God and confirmed by his Oath which yet are two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye and therefore might quicken and encourage lukewarm ones to flee for refuge to lay hold on that hope set before them but actually made firme by the blood of the Testatour who is also in the virtue thereof raised and as the forerunner entred into Heaven and is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first Testament they which are called may receive the promise of the eternal Inheritance He Mediateth and maketh Intercession for the taking away the iniquities of those that come to God by him and that the contents of that Covenant may be dispensed to them according to their needs and capacities God hath promised and Christ hath actually said and is the Amen to them Rev. 1. 18. Heb. 8. 6. and 9. 15. It may seem in that Jesus Christ doth first describe himself by this title of the Amen that these likewarme ones did not keep in believing remembrance the promises and the firmeness and immutability of them and certainty of their performance according to the tenour of them being ratified by such precious blood and ascertained by such a faithful and true witness and therefore they grew sluggish remiss and indifferent and there was a great abatement of their former fervency either fearing they should be left in sufferings or not provided for or dispensed unto according to their wants and therefore to recover them he telleth them his name is the Amen The consideration hereof is powerful to stirr up to diligence and to recover us from our decays to cause us that we shall not be slothful but followers diligent followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 10 20. To strengthen us to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering and to consider one another to provoke to love and good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together Heb. 10. 22 25. To ingage us to come out from amongst men and to be separate and not touch the unclean thing but to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. 7. 1. if these exceeding great and precious promises given to the Apostles to minister and ministred by them in and with the glorious Gospel be in us received and entertained by us and abound if they be suffered to dwell richly in us and to have their perfect work so as we limit them not nor hold them in unrighteousness they make us that we shall not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ They will provoke us to flee from and escape the corruption that is in the world thorow lust and besides giving all diligence thereto they will inable and stir us up to add to our faith virtue courage zeal resolution of spirit magnanimity to be as bold as lions and to virtue knowledg that we may use our fervour and zeal aright and that not about meat and drink and days and places and gestures in which the kingdome of God consisteth not but in contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints and to knowledg temperance to have sober thoughts of our selves of our knowledg vertue parts gifts attainments and to be temperate in our use of and exercise about the things of this world in which there may be excess and in our joys and griefs thereabout and to temperance patience patiently continuing in well doing in faith in virtue in knowledg in temperance c. Patiently induring whatever reproches and persecutions we may meet with in walking in Christ and in the exercise of those efficacies of his grace and resting in the Lord and waiting patiently for him and to patience godliness worshipping him in the spirit and rejoycing in Christ Jesus and having no confidence in the flesh and imitating and following him as dear children according to the light and instructions of his grace and to godliness brotherly kindness loving the brethren with delightful and peculiar manner of love not pretending we are right worshippers of God while we are without brotherly kindness to those borne of him For every one that loveth him that begat loveth them also that are begotten of him For if a man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a liar for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen and to brotherly kindness charity that free manner of love which is exercised towards others not because of somewhat lovely and amiable in them but from an higher reason and motive even from the constraining operation of the love of God in Christ and thence to have fervent charity among our selves and to love all men To these things will these precious promises confirmed by such precious blood enliven and quicken us if they be suffered to dwell richly in us for hereby we shall be made partakers of the Divine nature in union and fellowship with it interest in it usefulness of it and conformity to it 2 Pet. 1. 4 9. Oh exercise we our selves to godliness to Christ who is the root and fundation of godliness for it is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. with chapt 3. 16. Oh! how effectual were the promises with the Patriarchs in former times when they were not so confirmed as now to make them forsake their Countrey Kindred and Fathers house To confess themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth c. These believed caused Abraham the Father of the faithful not to consider his own body now dead neither yet the deadness of Sarah's Womb but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to performe and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him who hath performed the promise made to the fathers in raising Christ from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Gen. 12. 1 3. Heb. 11. 13 16. Rom. 4. 16 25. with Act. 13. 32 33. Heb. 11. 17 19. The Apostle Paul to recover the Galatians from their wandrings setteth before them that Christ is the Amen to him the promises are made and in him confirmed and with him assured to those that receive him so as in being Christ's they are Abraham's seed and Heits according
to promise Gal. 3. 16 17 29. 4. 28. and 5. 1. And so here Christ declareth himself to be the Amen To cure these of that Lukewarmeness they were polluted with and assureth them that in opening and giving entertainment to him he would come to them and sup with them and they with him And that he that overcometh should sit with him on his Throne Rev. 3. 14 20 21. Oh were this considered by us that God hath not spared his own Son but delivered him up for us all how would this make us confident that with him he will freely give us all things also How would this cause us to mount up with wings as Eagles to run and not be weary to walk and not faint and incourage and ingage us to listen to his counsel whom God hath given for a Covenant to the people For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield and will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Rom. 8. 32. Psal 84. 10 12. The Faithful and True Witness This may be an explication of the Amen and shew us what is further meant by and contained in that expression These two words Faithful and True may mean one and the same thing or we may say He is the faithful Witness in that work whereto the Father appointed him hence the Apostle instructeth the Holy Brethren to consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our profession who was faithful to him that appointed him namely in that hard and difficult work of humbling himself and becoming obedient to death even the death of the Cross Heb. 2. 9 18. 3. 1 2. He is in his Cross a faithful witness of the greatness and sincerity of the fathers affection to us Isa 55. 3 4. Who is meant by the faithful Witness here spoken of may be plainly seen and wherein is he so firstly and fundamentally Rev. 1. 5. Jesus Christ the faithful Witness and the first begotten of the dead And so 1. As he died for our sins by way of propitiation and as the Peace maker so he is a faithful witness of the fathers love and that he is not willing any should perish but that all should come to Repentance He is the great sign and undoubted evidence of the heat and ardency of Gods love towards us poor sinners even towards every poor sinful Creature of Mankind in that he by the Grace of God tasted death for every man in this was manifested the love of God towards us because God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 John 4. 9 10. God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son c. John 3. 16. This is the great sign of Gods love to us and it is an evil and adulterous thing to seek after any other Mat. 12 39. The Jews require a sign but we Preach Christ crucified Christ the power of God the great witness and manifestation of his power and goodness toward us 1 Cor. 1. 22 24. and he is the faithful witness therein of the truth and faithfulness of the father in performing his promises according to the tenour of them for he that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things also Isa 55. 3 4. Rom. 8. 32. Yea in what he hath suffered he is the faithful witness also of the freeness and ardency of his own love toward us his love was so fervent as that many Waters could not quench it nor could the Flouds drown it it was strong as yea stronger then Death such his Grace that he laid down his life for us he died for all and such the preciousness of his Blood that in the virtue thereof he is raised again hath purged away our sins made peace slain the enmity broken down the middle wall of partition between God and Mankind taken out of the way all that was in it contrary to us abolished death and destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil and obtained into himself all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things and confirmed a new Testament and everlasting Covenant Oh what a faithful witness is he of the greatness and fervency of his own and his fathers love and how powerful therefore is the view of him in his Cross to cure us of our lukewarmness do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise is he not thy father that hath bought thee Oh how doth this love constrain us to love him and to cleave to him with full purpose to give him our hearts and let our Eyes observe his ways and how doth this incourage and imbolden us to follow him fully who hath delivered us from our enemies that we might serve him without fear and who is become the treasury of all Gods fulness that we might come with boldness to the Throne of his Grace and hold fast our profession Yea and to return to him when we have fallen by our iniquities for herein he sheweth us he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth and so not in the death and destruction of poor wretched miserable blind naked luke-warm ones Oh fear not to come unto and walk before him and be perfect let not your hands be slack by this ye are saved if ye keep in memory what at first was declared unto you unless ye believe in vain viz. That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 2. 4. O foolish Galatians saith the Apostle who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the Truth that ye should not continue in tunning well but grow remiss before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Gal. 3. 1. with Chap. 5. 7. 2. The faithful Witness and Martyr as a Peace-preacher who laid down his life in Testimony to the Truth of that Gospel which he received from his father and declared to us on this account he gave his back to the smiters and his Cheeks to them that plucked off the hair he hid not his face from shame and spitting he set his face as a flint to indure whatever afflictions reproches persecutions he might undergo for the truth for which purpose he was born and to which end he came into the world that he might bear witness to the truth John 18. 37. and to this he did bear witness to the death and sealed to the truth of that Gospel with his Blood This the Apostle setteth before Timothy to incourage him to fight the good fight of faith that Jesus Christ witnessed a good confessiom before Pontius Pilate when he knew what things he should suffer on that account 1 Tim. 6. 12 14. Away
repentance Rom. 2. 4. So it is used in this sense in the beginning of every of the messages to the Churches And in that he saith I know I take notice of thy works he signifieth 1. That he doth not pass sentence upon men or their works he doth not approve or reprove till first he considereth their works he taketh notice of them and pondereth all their goings before he justifieth or condemneth Prov. 5. 21. Hence in every of the Epistles to the Seven Churches after he directeth them and giveth a description of himself he first saith I know thy works Rev. 2. 2 9 13 19. chap. 3. 1 8 15. The Lord is a God of judgment and by him Actions are weighed 1 Sam. 2. 3. So when the cry of Sodom was great and their sin grievous he saith I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know Gen. 18. 21. He is excellent in power and in judgment and in plenty of justice he will not afflict men do therefore fear him Job 37. 23 24. And this is for instruction to us that we should not reprove or fault another till we consider what his works are and know and take notice that they are such as are condemnable by the light of the glorious Gospel but to be imitatours of Christ Jesus according to the instructions of his Grace 2. In that he saith I know thy works he signifieth his love to us and care of us such is his love and kindness towards us that he considereth our works that if they be not perfect before him and in his sight he may rebuke us and not suffer sin upon us Levit. 19. 17. So great is his charity towards us that he covereth our sins so as to seek and pursue our good and such is his charity that it leadeth him to take notice of our works that when need is he may reprove us and sanctify and cleanse us with the washing of water by the word So when he declareth his love and faithfulness towards Israel he saith I have been a rebuker of them all and addeth I know I take notice of Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me They will not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord. Hos 5. 2 4. 3. He herein gives us to understand whose works he knoweth especially and taketh notice of I know thy works their works that have had means and advantages He knoweth not in this sense mens works till he preventeth them with his goodness he looketh not to gather Grapes of Thornes nor Figs of Thistles he knoweth that in us as of us dwelleth no good thing and that our works must needs be evil and unprofitable before his Grace bringeth salvation to men as it doth to all men in due time Titus 2. 11. But when he hath vouchsafed some means and afforded some light to men then he looketh down from Heaven to see if there be any that understand and seek after God Psal 14. 2. He fashioneth mens hearts alike and then he considereth all their works Psal 33. 15. But especially when men are brought unto and planted in his Vineyard then he pondereth what their doings are He expecteth that there should be some return from them suitable to the means used pains taken and care exercised towards and about them So he saith for instruction to us also Behold mind this well and give attention to it these three years I come seeking Fruit of this Fig-tree Luk. 13. 7. So when he telleth us what he had done to his Vineyard that he fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof and planted it with the choicest Vine and built a Towre in the midst of it and also made a Wine-press therein he addeth and he looked that it should bring forth Grapes Isa 5. 1. 2. Matt. 21. 33 37. He taketh notice of them especially whether there be with them the work of faith and labour of love he expecteth that that earth which is so inclosed and ordered and which drinketh in the rain that oft cometh upon it should bring forth herbs meet for him by whom it is dressed even the work and labour of love that it may receive further blessing from God Heb. 6. 7 10. His eye is continually upon his Church and Churches as to preserve and deliver them from evil and to dispence to them whatever may fit them for fruitfulness before him that they may shew forth his praises who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light So to observe what impression his Grace hath upon them how it is received by them and what it produceth in them or whether it be received in vain That so he may rebuke and chasten them as he doth as many as he loveth Rev. 3. 19. You only saith he have I known of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your transgressions Amos. 3. 2. Hence when John in vision saw Christ in the midst of the Seven Candlesticks he saith his eyes were as a flame of fire Rev. 1. 14. To denote unto us the piercingness of them and that he is very exact and observant in his inspections amongst the Churches to see and take notice what their works are and to manifest the evil of what he doth reprove amongst them for answerable to the greater priviledges and advantages they have above others accordingly he doth expect more from them unto whom much is given of them shall much be required and to whom men have committed much of them they will ask the more Luk. 12. 48. 4. And here he signifieth what he knoweth and taketh notice of thy Works not their profession only Men may profess to know God trust in him love him cleave to him and yet in works deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate and void of judgment Titus 1. 16. Men may say they believe the Testimony of God concerning Christ yea they may be perswaded of the goodness and truth of it and have some love to it and hold it forth as their opinion and plead for it against opposers and yet not so receive the love of the truth as to be saved thereby or to suffer it to work effectually in them and to bring forth the work of faith and labour of love as it doth in those that heartily receive it and suffer it to dwell richly in them 1 Thes 1. 3. 2. 13. But what doth is profit my Brethren saith the Apostle though a man say he hath faith and have not works Faith if it have not works its proper works is dead being alone Jam 2. 14 26. They are not mens pretences and professions simply he taketh notice of but whether the word of God be received by them as it is in truth the word of God so as to work effectually in them to redeem them from their iniquities and turn them to God from
Idols and to fulfill in them the whole good pleasure of God's goodness and the work of faith with power And were the faith the word of faith believed with the heart it would work by love as from God's love as the motive of it so in the exercise of love toward Christ and God in him so as to part with all as loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ that they might win him and be found in him and towards men and brethren Galat. 5. 6. And truly he is one who knoweth mens works and without respect of persons judgeth according thereto 1 Pet. 1. 17. Men may appear to be somewhat when they are nothing and profess themselves to believe on the name of the onely begotten Son of God whise notwithstanding they love darkness their sins and vanities rather then light Joh. 3. 18 19. They may have a great many leaves upon them and make a fair face in the flesh while yet thier works may not be upright before him But these he taketh notice off as here he saith I know thy works But what did he observe in his taking notice of their works and pondering them Surely he saw that their works were not perfect before him and thence saith and observeth That thou art neither cold nor hot Not cold there was still some profession of the faith with them some seeking God waiting upon him and approching to him they had not wholly lest off all professed worshipping shipping of him and calling upon his name but still reckoned themselves Christians they might still read and hear and pray and speak one to another and have some use of the ordinances of Christ among them and have a form of godliness they had not wholly and professedly left off the thing that was good but there was some warmth with them still and they might and did surely assemble themselves together for they were yet reckoned by Christ a Church of his a Golden-candlestick that did in some measure receive and bear forth the light yea there might appear with them a great deal of fervency in their outward professions and behaviours of themselves They were not cold Nor hot Not zealous vers 19. Not fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Rom. 12. 11. Their hearts did not burn within them Luk. 24. 32. They were not inflamed with love to him and the things of his kingdome Or as considering the scope of the place they were not hot that is they did not so value Christ and the things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God the things most excellent that durable riches and righteousness in Christ as to buy them with a relinquishing and selling all that they had they did not so highly value Jesus Christ that pearl of great price as to part with their sins and idols and to go on to count all but loss and dung that they might be made partakers of him to hate Father and Mother Wife and Children Brethren and Sisters yea and their own lives also for the sake of Christ Jesus and to take up their cross and follow him That this is here meant by hot appeareth by the counsel he giveth them I counsel thee to buy of me Gold c. And by the reason and end of his rebuking and chastening them that they might be zealous and that their zeal might be exercised and evidenced in receiving and obeying that counsel and so in buying vers 19. And by his call to them and desire of their attention behold I stand at the door and knock vers 20. He was not readily received it seemeth but the door was shut against him and somewhat else entertained in his room and stead and he was fain to knock for admission and entrance and to stand there till his head was filled with dew and his locks with the drops of the night as Cant. 5. 2. While they gave their love to others and took in others instead of their husband and imbraced the bosome of a Stranger This was the heat they were destitute of and in this sense they were not hot they did not forsake all things for Christ Jesus they were as silly doves without heart professedly waiting upon God but yet retaining sin in their hands or double mindedness in their hearts Hos 7. 11. Or they were seeking their own things their praise honour glory name or to establish a righteousness to themselves and though they might appear to be and might be zealous yet not in a good matter Gal. 4. 18. They were like to a man that hearing of an excellent commodity at such a Mart or Market goeth thereto he is not so cold as to stay at home but taketh so much pains as to go to the place where it may be had and looketh upon it and liketh it and heareth delightfully what is spoken in commendation of it and taketh delight in approching to it but yet he is not so hot as to come up to the price of it though he may bid somewhat and be willing to part with something yet he hath not such an high estimate of and affection to it as to preferr it before all other things and to purchase it how dear soever it be Truly such an one though he be not cold yet he is not hot such a man is hot that is resolved to have such a commodity whatever it cost him that spareth no pains or cost In such a sense they were not hot they were not so cold as wholly to desist from a professed waiting at Wisdom's postes but they might come and sit before God as his people and hear his words and it might be as a lovely and pleasant song to hear what was spoken in the praise and commendation of that Gold tried in the fire c. But still their hearts went after their covetousness or their pride and high thoughts of themselves they conceited themselves to be rich and encreased with goods and therefore did not forsake all that they had for Christ they did not so highly prize him nor so ardently affect him as to count and go on to count all other things as dung and dogs meat in comparison of him Ezek. 33. 31 32. Oh let us search and try our hearts in the light of God's testimony and see if we also be not such manner of persons such Lukewarm ones as these were to whom this counsel was given the testimony of Christ the perfect law of liberty is a faithful glass that giveth a true and impartial discovery of all things and persons it pierceth even to the dividing asunder of Soâ—l and Spirit and Joints and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. Therein let us examine our selves and not trust to our own hearts or lean to our own understandings for the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things and he that trusteth therein is a fool Our wisdom and understanding will pervert us and make
because he is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe Mat. 18. 11. 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is acquainted with and is the faithful and true witness of the sincerity and ardency of the fathers love and compassion to all while it is called to day that he would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth for God sent him not into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved 1 Tim. 2. 4 6. with John 3. 17. God hath no pleasure none at all neither secret nor revealed in the death of the wicked but rather that they should turn and live Ezek. 11. 23 32. and he and Christ Jesus are one and therefore the Amen the faithful and true Witness is not indifferent whether his Churches and those in them be Cold or Hot but he is one that hath pleasure in uprightness and loveth that those in his Church should cleave to him with full purpose and give him their hearts and would that they should be wholly and altogether his to whose mind also the Apostle Paul was framed when Agrippa said almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian I would to God saith he that not only thou but all that hear me were both almost and altogether such as I am and not so indifferent as he was Acts 26. 29. And this the Apostle also desired with understanding as knowing Gods good will towards all men was that they should heartily receive the love of the truth had he been of the mind of some men that God hath a secret Will concurring with the destruction of the greatest part of Mankind in a personal consideration he could never in faith have poured out such a wish to God for all them that heard him but knowing God is love and that he hath manifested himself so to be in giving his Son by his Grace to taste death for every man from hence his hearts desire and prayer to God for them was That they might be saved from their iniquities and vanities as Rom. 10. 1. 3. And therefore thus Christ Jesus speaketh to shew 〈◊〉 how abominable their present temper was to him Question 2. Whether it be better for the Churches or those therein to be Cold then Lukewarm it is better without Controversy to be Hot and fervent in Spirit in seeking and serving the Lord and diligently pursuing the things of his Kingdom but whether it be better for Lukewarm ones to be Cold Answer Truly properly and fully it is not better to be Cold then Lukewarm for neither is good but it is worse to be Lukewarm in Gods Vineyard and more abominable to him and in his account who judgeth righteously then to be Cold and so to be Cold is not so bad in some respects as to be Lukewarm For 1. The iniquity of Lukewarmness in his Churches is more provoking in his sight because the Clouds do more abundantly Rain Rain upon them that come into and frequent the Assemblies of Gods people then upon those who are Cold and come not amongst them and they oft drink in the Rain that cometh upon them they have more advantages given to them then others and more opportunities to hear and be acquainted with the excellency of Christ and the inriching nature of that Gold tried in the fire and therein and therewith to see the vileness of their sins and vanity of their Idols wisdom works of Righteousness high thoughts and conceits of themselves that they might turn to God from all their Idols and have their Hearts drawn off from all other Objects and united to Christ Jesus hence those that are among his people do in their evils overpass the deeds of the wicked Jer. 5. 21 28. So it is said That Manasseh made Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to do worse then the Heathen not simply as to matter of fact but worse because the Lord spake to them and his people by his Prophets but they would not hear 2 Chron. 33. 9 10. Hence oftentimes this is declared as an aggravation of the iniquity of God people that they sin under such advantages and in the enjoyment of such nighness means and opportunities therefore the Lord saith concerning the Priests and Prophets Yea in mine house have I found their wickedness c. Jer. 23. 11. and 11. 14 15. Isa 66. 4. and answerable to the greatness of their iniquity as being thus aggravated answerable will be their judgment so persisting yea and more swiftly will God proceed against them especially now when more clear light then formerly is vouchsafed he that was grieved fourty years with his people in former times was provoked after three years in latter because of the unfruitfulness of those in his Vineyard to say Cut it down why cumbreth it the ground So he here threatneth he will spue them out of his mouth and accordingly he may have so done with this Church long since Thou Capernaum saith our Saviour that aâ—t exalted to Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell for if the might Works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this day but I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for the Land of Sodom at the day of Judgment then for you Mat. 11. 20 24. That Earth which drinketh in the Rain that oâ—t cometh upon it and yet beareth Briars and Thorns is rejected and nigh unto Cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6. 8. 2. It is worse to be Lukewarm in Gods Vineyard then Cold because those that are Cold may sooner be made sensible of their Condition and fall down under reproofs and be made to perceive the sadness of the state they abide in or have brought themselves into by their departure then Lukewarm ones When persons are Lukewarm they are ready to say Aha we are warm we have seen the fire blessed be the Lord for we are rich and increased with Goods and have need of nothing they are highly conceited of their good Condition and think and say they are hot enough already they are in a good temperate Condition and need not to come nearer the fire Seest thou a man wise in his own Eyes there is more hope of a fool of a bruitish person that hath no understanding then of him Prov. 26. 12. Their good cannot so easily be sought and effected as the good of those may that are Cold and who have outwardly left off their former profession for the Lukewarm ones are ready to fill their mouths with Arguments and to plead their own Innocency and to stop their ears from hearing faithful reproof they have excuses at hand they can presently say Wherefore are ye jealous of us Or why find ye fault with us What would you have us to do We are not Cold we read hear pray in our families frequent Assemblies use the Ordinances of Christ and are called by his Name they are ready to thank God they are
ye will not hearken to me to obey my voice and give glory to my name but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts and with your sacrifices Ezek. 10. 39. As if he should say you had better be quite cold then thus lukewarm did you wholly follow after your idols and make no profession of serving me my name would not be so greatly polluted as now it is while you call upon me and yet serve your own idols Oh! this tendeth very much to the blemishing of God's worthy name called upon us and to the defiling God's sanctuary when persons are serving their idols and sowing to the flesh and yet come the same day into his Sanctuary and appear to take delight in approching to him as if they were delivered to do those abominations or as if the grace of God heard and in some sort received by them gave them incouragement to serve sin or follow their vanities from which indeed it cometh to redeem them and to that purpose bringeth salvation to all men Ezek. 23. 38 39. Jer. 7. 9 11. Titus 2. 11 12. Oh how loathsome displeasing and provoking is this to him who hath deserved so well at our hands that we should be for him onely and give him and none other our loves and who loveth truth in the inward parts he well knoweth not how to bear with or indure such evil and unkind requitals or to away with such a loathsom temper or frame as is that of Lukewarmness to him and so much he giveth us to understand in what followeth Vers 16. So then because thou art Lukewarm and neither Cold nor Hot I will Spue thee out of my Mouth In this sharp rebuke and threatning the faithful and true Witness signifieth to us the loathsomness and unbearableness of this temper or distemper of theirs unto himself it was such and so grievous to him that he could not away with it though they were not Cold but there was still some form of Godliness and profession of Religion upon them they seemed to be Religious and made mention of the God of Israel and called themselves of the Holy City and stayed themselves upon the God of Israel yet this was not in truth nor in righteousness as Isa 48. 1 2. Their Religion was vain and they more odious in this Condition to him then if they had been quite Cold like to that Isa 1. 11 16. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt Offerings of Rams When ye come to appear before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my Courts bring no more vain Oblations Inâ—ense is an abominaâ—ion to me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquiâ—y or grief even the solemne meeting Your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my Soul haâ—eth they are a trouble to me I am weary o bear them and when you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many Prayers I will noâ— hear you your hands are full of Blood like whereto also is that Amos 5. 12 21 27. I know your manifold Transgressions and your mighty sins c. I hate I despise yâ—ur Feast-days and I will not smell in your solemne Assemblies thou bye offer me Burnt offerings and your Meat â—ffeâ—ings I will not accept them neither will I regard â—he Feace-offering of your fat Beasts Take thou away from me the noise of thy Songs for I will not hear the melody of â—â—y Viols For ye have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiu your Images Therefore I will cause you to go into Captivity This was greatly provoking to him that they were so Lukewarm and did not buy the truth with a parting with their abominanations and Idols So here he threatneth he wil spue them out of his mouth because they were Lukewarm A Metaphor taken from Lukewarm meat that is displeasing and buâ—den some to the Stomach or rather from Lukewarm water that is loathsom and offensive and causeth vomiting and it is as if he should say I will abhor you and cast you out and you shall be cut off from my Congregation I will not keep you in my mouth to plead for you or to speak a good word for you but you shall be cut off from among my people and Churches your temper is so loathsom and grievous to me that it were more bearable to me if you did not tread my Courts at all you had better never profess to wait upon me then under that profession to hide and keep close and make provision for your sins and Idols He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slew a man he that Sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck he that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines Blood he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idol while men chase their own ways and their Soul delighteth in their abominations Isa 66 3. Ezek. 14. 3 11. and therefore he threatneth to abhor them and vomit them out of his mouth unless they did receive timely admonition and repent Vers 19. Lev. 18. 25 28. In which he signifieth 1. That his Churches and people are especially in his mouth as they are in his heart to love them and to delight in them and in his hand to hide protect and defend them from their enemies and from all evil so also in his mouth he taketh up their names into his lips and maketh intercession for them especially Psal 16. 4 Heb. 7. 25. Yea though they are Lukewarm and are thereby become offensive and loathsom in their temper yet he doth not presently reject them but pleadeth for them as his Church and that they may be so continued He hateth putting away from this nighness Mal. 2. 16. He is slow to anger and it is his work his strange work his Act his strange Act to cast such forth out of his house and vomit them up and therefore he saith not I have spued thee out of my mouth but I will do it namely if they did still so persist and abide He remembreth for such the kindness of their youth the love of their espousals when they have forsaken him the Fountain of living Waters and hewed to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water and when they have forgotten him days without number Jer. 2. 2 13 32. This Church of Laodicea was not always in this sad and abominable Condition but it was sometime hot and fervent and was so taken with Christ and his love and loveliness that the Apostle Paul did joyfully behold their order in seeking first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and the stedfastness of their faith and therefore instructed them As they had received Christ Jesus the Lord so they should walk in him rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as they had been taught c. Col. 2. 6 7.
agreeth that in the Prophet Zephany Where after God had pronounced great evil on them that swear by the Lord and that swear by Malcham that halted between two Opinions and were lukewarm ones not singly sincerely and fervently serving and glorifying the Lord that their goods should become a booty and their houses a desolation that he would send a day of wrath trouble and distress and their Silver and Gold should not be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath yet before he dealeth with them according to his threatnings and their deservings he saith Gather your selves together yea gather together O nation not desired before the decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you Seek the Lord all ye meek of the earth which have wrought his judgments seek righteousness seek meekness it may be you may be hid in the day of the Lord's anger Zephan 1. 4 18. 2. 1 3. See also Jer. 36. 3. Hos 9. 14 17. 11. 7 8. with chap. 14. 1. 2. Joel 2. 1 3. So in the Epistles to other of these Churches when he threatneth to remove their Candlestick out of its place and to fight against them yet he expresly or intimately counselleth them to remember from whence they were fallen to repent to do their first works that there might be a turning away of the evil pronounced Rev. 2. 5 16. his end while it is called to day in threatning and lifting up his hand is not firstly to execute the judgment threatned for that is his work his strange work but to awaken us out of our sleep to make us afraid that we might run together unto him prepare to meet him and turn to him that smiteth and seek the Lord of hosts and therefore he giveth good counsel to such as have greatly provoked him and incensed him against them and deserve to be abhorred by him and it is out of his pity and compassion that he thus threatneth before he punisheth and lifteth up his hand before he striketh this is out of faithfulness and not out of hatred to us that we might consider our selves and ways and fall down before him and turn from our iniquities that we may understand his truth and it is good and profitable for us to take notice of this and set our hearts to it for many times when God reproveth us in his word when he heweth us by his Prophets and slayeth us by the words of his lips in setting our sins in order before us or when he layeth his hand upon us and his judgments are as the light that goeth forth we have such evil thoughts of him and are so jealous and distrustful of his love to us that we are ready to think and say there is no hope the case is desperate we have loved strangers and after them we will go he hath forgotten to be gracious he hath shut up his tender mercies in displeasure and will be no more fayourable to us But now his gracious end in threatning and childing of us being known and considered by us would be powerful to incourage us to look toward his holy Temple and come into his house in the multitude of his mercies when we say we are cast out of his sight and are in deepest affliction and he threatneth to cut us off as Jonah 2. 2 4 7. It was not out of ill will or hatred to this Church that he threatneth to spue them out of his mouth but out of love and compassion to them and therefore vers 19. he saith As many as I love I rebuke viz. sharply reprove when and as they need it and chasten be zealous therefore and repent Oh that we may so set our hearts to and diligently consider this that at such a time as this when he is pronouncing evil and threatning to break us in pieces and destroy his places of the assembly we may return to him from whom we have wandred with the whole heart and not feignedly and lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens who is gracious and merciful and ready to repent of the evil pronounced Oh that we may yet turn unto him from all our iniquities and idols that he might turn again and have compassion upon us and delight to do us good and make us glad according to the days where in he hath afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evil 2. In that he saith Thou art poor and miserable and wretched and blind and naked I counsel thee to buy c. He giveth us to understand that thosE persons are truly and verily poor that are with out and distitute of this Gold that is to be bought of the faithful and true Witness they are naked indeed and in the account of God that have not this White raiment whatever they may have of this worlds goods treasure cloathing or accomodations these do not truly and indeed inrich and cloath a man Though a man had an house full of that Gold and Silver that cometh out of the Earth yet alas he may be miserable enough for all this it is Christ and those treasures in him that are the true riches the true Mammon which is substantial and durable Luke 16. 9 11. It is the Mammon of unrighteousness uncertain riches that which perisheth and deceiveth which our wisdom so highly esteemeth and leadeth us to set our hearts and affections on and covet after greedily all the day long these riches below are not real substance hence the Proverb saith Labour not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom wilt thou setthine eyes upon that which is not which hath no real being or sure continuance for richeâ— certainly make themselves wings they flee away as an Eagle towards Heaven Proy 23. 4 5. It is that wisdom only that is from above that causeth those that love her to inherit substance and she will fill their Treasures Prov. 8. 10 21. And so persons here may be blind and naked indeed that are without Christ though they have never so much of Philosophy of that Science which is falsely so called and though they are cloathed with never so costly Apparel and glorious array the wisdom which is from beneath which is natural and earthly will not open the eyes of our understandings to know Gods name or his Sons name this will not render us wise in the account of Christ for the Wisdom of this World is foolishness with God nor can we cover the shame of our nakedness in his sight Let us then not lift up our selves by these things Jer. 9. 23. 1 Cor. 1. 29 31. But this more properly appertaineth to what followeth 3. In that he councelleth these miserable ones to buy he intimateth to us that not only such as are sensible of their condition are counselled invited and called upon to come to Christ the fountain of
their Hearts the Spirit of his Son Gal 4. 6. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said saith Christ out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living Waters But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive Hence Christ's being in the believers and the Spirit 's being in them are used indifferently to signifie in having him we may and shall have the Spirit also for it is given to him without measure and put upon him and resteth on him to fit and furnish him for the work the father hath appointed him to do and to dispense to us according to our needs conditions and capacities John 7. 37 39. Rom. 8. 9 11. John 3. 34. Isa 42. 1. 61. 1. 11 1 3. And in being made Sons they have by virtue of their union with and relation to Christ right and title to and interest in that inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away If Sons then Heirs Heirs of God and Co heirs with Christ and if Christ's then are they Abraham's seed and Heirs according to Promise Rom. 8. 17. Gal. 3. 17. He that hath the Son hath life hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation 1 John 5. 11. John 3. 36. He that hath him is a Subject of God's peculiar Love and Grace loved with other manner of love then any of those without him are loved withall God will love him and Christ will love him and manifest himself unto him He that findeth him findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Prov. 8. 35. In having him we have the promises to Abraham and his Seed they were made not to seeds as of many but to one even Christ they were originally made to him and confirmed in him and established by his Blood for he is the Amen and secondarily in coming unto and believing in him to all believers In being Christ's they are Abraham's seed and so the Promises are theirs Gal. 3. 16 17 26 29 Those that are born of him are the Children of the Promise .. Rom 9. 7 8. Yea in receiving him in the Testimony they receive him also who sent him Mat. 10. 40. They have fellowship with Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1. 9. And so his father is their father his Spirit is their Spirit his Gospel their Gospel his promises their promises his inheritance their inheritance his servants their servants his Glory their Glory his Brethren and Companions their Brethren and Companions his receivers their receivers and his Enemies their Enemies Yea as all things are delivered to him of the father so by faith all things are theirs whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas whether those that had the Gospel of the Circumcision committed to them or the Gospel of the Uncircumcision or whether such who as wise Master-builders laid the foundation or such as built thereupon or the world the men and things of the world or life to be maintained and continued as and while it may be good for them or death all afflictions trials temptations necessities straits poverty persecutions yea death it self is gain to them or things present those things now acted done and enjoyed or things to come at the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ all is theirs and they are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. 21 23. Even as in Earthly and natural Gold all the things of this world are summarily included and infolded as it were and are had in having it a man may have such Food Raiment Physick Habitation Honour Friendship as he desireth so and much more truly and compleatly may it be said of and applied to Jesus Christ as with respect to durable and Heavenly things In him God hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in Heavenly things yea he himself is said to be the things themselves which are in him because they are infolded in him and may be and shall be certainly had and partaken of in receiving and enjoying him As to instance a little particularly as in him is redemption so he is made of God to the believer redemption Eph. 1. 7. with 1 Cor 1. 30. As in him is life God hath given us Eternal life and this life is in his Son So he is our life he is the true God and Eternal life 1 John 5. 11. with Col. 3. 3 4. 1 John 5. 20. As in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom so he is made of God to them that are in him Wisdom Christ is the Wisdom of God Col. 2. 3. with 1 Cor. 1. 24. 30. As in him is righteousness so he is the righteousness of God And his name is Jehovah our righteousness Isa 45. 24. with Rom. 3. 21. Jer. 23. 6. As in him is Salvation Neither is there Salvation in any other so he is the Salvation of God which he hath prepared before the face of all people Acts 4. 12. with Luke 2. 30 31. As in him is Peace so he is our Peace This man shall be the Peace c. John 26. 33. with Ephes 2 14. Mica 5. 5. As in him there is Consolation so he is Consolation fit and proper to comfort any one in any tribulations and the Consolation of Israel Phil. 2. 1. with Luke 2. 25. Yea as in him is all fulness so he is all Col. 1. 19. with Chap. 3. 11. And hence the Spouse rejoyceth in this and declareth this to be the sum and compleatment of her blessedness and happiness My beloved is mine I am his Cant. 2. 16. 6. 3. And the Psalmist crieth out Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73 25. And the Prophet The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore I will hope in him Lam. 3. 24. Yea this word of the Lord who in the last Ages was made flesh setteth this as compleat and satisfying consolation and incouragement before Abraham Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 1. And indeed this is the sum of all blessedness now and hereafter to have him to be ours Oh Blessed is every such an one who hath the Lord for his God For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield he will give Grace and Glory c. Psal 33. 12. 146. 5. 84. 10 11. Gen. 17. 7. 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. Rev. 21. 3 7. Yea in having him we shall not only have in and with him all things that are Spiritual and Heavenly but in seeking first his Kingdom and the righteousness thereof all other things shall be added to us which are good and needful thereto such meat drink and apparel such food and raiment and all accomodations as may conduce unto our seeking more to know him win him and be found in him Mat. 6. 33. Godliness even God who was manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit who is the root and foundation of Godliness and
receiving and having him is profitable unto all things having the promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. with Chap. 3. 16. And this is great incouragement to seek him that we may be partakers of him For they that seek him shall not want any good thing Psal 84. 8 10. And this affordeth good cause to have our conversation without covetousness in him and in having him we have all things may do all things bear suffer indure part with all things as the Apostle saith I can do all things in Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4. 13. Oh! he is Gold indeed that answereth all things and therefore he may be first commended and commend himself to us under this expression of Gold in this place and elsewhere to instruct us that in having and buying this Gold we shall together herewith have all other things White raiment Eye-salve c. Job 28. 12-20 Prov. 3. 31-15 8. 10 11. 16. 16. Col. 2. 3. Mat. 13. 44-46 Length of days is in Wisdoms right hand which is so inriching and in her left hand riches and honour her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace she is a Tree of Life to all that lay hold on her and happy is every one that retaineth her Prov. 3. 15 18. She leadeth in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgment that she may cause those that love her to inherit substance and she will fill all their Treasures Prov. 8. 18-19 21. 4. He is called and compared to Gold because as Gold especially when tried is very delightful and desirable to the natural eye the eye of the body and that with which the heart is affected even so Jesus Christ is amiable to the inlightned eye of the understanding as he is displayed before us in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit the riches of this world and so Gold which is the most excellent part of it taketh the eye and delighteth the heart hence it is called The lust of the eye 1 John 2. 16. And the eye is said to flee upon this even as the Eagle or Hawk fleeth upon the prey as if the life did consist in the having and enjoying it though indeed it doth not Luke 12. 15. Prov. 23. 4 5. Thus Achan confesseth That when he saw two hundred shekels of Silver and a Wedge of Gold then be coveted them Josh 7. 21. It drew his affection to and desire after them Gold and the riches of this world are pleasing to the eye and affect hearts of men and cause them to love them trust in and glory in the enjoyment of them hence because of the vanity emptiness and uncertainty of them the Holy Ghost giveth such frequent admonitions Not to set the Eye upon them not to set the Heart upon them not to trust or glory in them c. Prov. 23 5. Psal 62. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Jet 9. 23. And Holy men of God have prayed him to turn away their eyes from beholding this Object of covetousness Psal 119. 36 37. Which intimateth to us how desirable this is in itself and to us all naturally but behold a more excellent and pleasant Object We may say in this respect Jesus Christ may be called Gold because he is eminently and most fully desirable and taking to the Soul as he hath been tried in the first he is compleatly delightful and there is in him that which is powerful to draw the eye and attract the heart unto him and cause men to lust after him hence he is called The desire of all Nations because he is wholy and altogether desirable and is and hath in him eminently that which all Nations do desire and cover after viz. That which may give rest and satisfying to them though through their foolishness they are seeking it in wrong Objects even in that which is not Hag. 2. 7. Thus when the Spouse is describing the amiableness of her beloved the first account she giveth of him particularly is That his head is as the most sine Gold Cant. 5. 11. To intimate that in this respect he is very taking with and delightful to the Heart He is a wonderful enamouring Object as he is lifted up by the Spirit in the Testimony and which is very powerful to cause men to run unto him because of the Lord his God and for the Holy one of Israel for he hath glorified him hence we are so oftentimes called upon to be hold him So the father saith Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth Isa 42. 1-7 And Christ himself saith Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth Isa 45. 22. And again he saith Behold me behold me to a Nation that was not called by his name Isa 65. 1. And the Work of the Spirit is to glorifie Christ and to lift him up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness that men might look to him And that whosoever looketh to him and believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 16. 14. 3. 14. 15 And the work of the Spouse of all chaste ones is to discover his love and loveliness that men might come to Christ Thus when the Daughters of Jerusalem inquire of her What is thy beloved more then beloved O thou fairest among Women What is thy beloved more then beloved that thou dost so charge us She with much pleasure and contentment answereth My beloved is White and Ruddy the chiefest often thousands He is excellent as the Ceders his mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely this is my beloved and this is my friend O ye daughters of Jerusalem And this discovery of him was so taking with them that they also inquire whither he was gone that they might seek him with her her work and business is not to direct to her self and mainly to insist upon the commendation of her self as doth Mystery Babylon both Mother and Daughters who spend a great deal of time and use many Arguments to commend themselves and to prove themselves to be the true Catholick Church and that there is none like to them Oh what contentions are there amongst them on this account How greatly do they strive which shall be accounted the truest and chiefest Yea she is so far from this that she saith to the Daughters of Jerusalem Look not upon me but as she delighteth to behold and look upon her beloved so also to praise and commend him and make mention of his desirableness and praise-worthiness to others that they may enquire after and direct their Eyes unto this alluring Object and she is greatly pleased and in her Element as it were when she is speaking of and shewing forth his praises to others yea this is the end why they that believe are brought into and made of his Church and so greatly piviledged not that they might proclaim their
died he tasted the whole of it and indured the bitterness of it and of all appertaining to the first death and hell Psal 40. 2. with Acts 2. 27 31. Heb. 2. 9. And so exquisite were the torments he indured that he offered up supplications and prayers with strong crying and tears and cryed so long that he was weary of his crying and prayed his Father to deliver him out of the mire that he might not sink and that the deep might not swallow him up nor the pit shut her mouth upon him Psal 69. 2-4-14 15. The torment he indured made him fore amazed it even astonished him and made him afraid the sorrows of death compassed him and the pains of hell got hold on him he found trouble and sorrow Mark 14. 33. Heb. 5. 7. Psal 116. 3. 18. 4. 5. Oh he was like gold indeed cast into and tried in the fire and herethrough was he made perfect for us 2. Tried in the fire signifieth that this gold was proved herein and appeared to be so right and excellent as that he could and did indure and abide the fire and therefore also is he called and compared to gold because it was one of those things and the first named that would abide the fire Numb 31. 22 23. He was proved to purpose herein the Word of the Lord was tried Psal 18. 30. He is a tried stone Isa 28. 16. And he did not shrink from or perish in this fire but indured to the end his love and graciousness was tried and evidenced to be strong as death yea stronger then the fire it self which had a most vehement flame He in what he suffered and indured is the Amen the Faithful and true witness and testifier of his sincere and ardent affection to us Though the fire he was thrown into was exceeding hot yet his love and charity towards us was so servent as that it did exceed and was hotter than the fire it self He for the joy set before him indured the cross despising the shame he gave His back to the smiters and his cheeks to them that plucked off the Hair He hid not his face from shame and spitting He set his face like a flint as one that hardened himself against sorrow as Job 6. 10. and even challenged his adversary that contended with him to come near and try his strength against him his love was so perfect that there was no fear in it no fear that hath torment 1 Joh. 4. 18. Isa 50. 6-10 though he knew the bitterness of the wrath and fierceness of the fire he was to tast of and pass through yet he was not discouraged He did not fear in the days of evil when our iniquities that were imputed to and were to be taken away by him did compass him about Psal 49. 5. but he stedfastly set his face and established it to bear all things and endure all things that were needful to be born and endured that we might not be expelled from God Luke 9. 51. with Ruth 1. 17 18. 1 Cor. 13. 7. thus it appeared in his great agony and day of his distress that he was proved indeed and yet did and was resolved to abide the fire Now saith he is my soul troubled exceedingly sorrowful even unto death invironed and incompassed about with sorrows and pangs and what shall I say Father save me from this hour shall I desire this absolutely as if he should say Shall I pray that the Cup might be removed that I may not taste it No but for this cause came I unto this hour Father glorifie thy name This he resolved to pray for and desire whatever he suffered and indured that his father would glorifie his goodness love power wisdom and faithfulness for the good of Mankind John 12 27 28. Yea this Sun of righteousness came into the World as a Bridegroom cometh out of his Chamber and rejoyced as a strong man to run a race Psal 19. 5. Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Lo I come to do thy Will I delight to do thy Will though he must in doing it indure and undergo such great torments sorrows and sufferings Well might he say Lo behold it for his love was herein proved and appeared to be great even to admiration such as may make us even astonied at it Psal 40. 6-8 Heb. 10. 5-9 It appeareth he was tried in the fire and did abide it he was Gold tried indeed and this will still appear if we consider a little particularly His love and faithfulness was tried in leaving such Glory and so greatly emptying himself and making himself of no reputation He the Word was with God yea was God the proper Lord and Heir of all things by Divine and Eternal Generation by whom and for whom all things were Created visible and invisible who was over all God blessed for ever he was glorious with the fathers own self enjoying the Glory of God in Heaven The Lord possessed him in the beginning of his way before his works of old he was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was then was he by him one brought up with him and he was daily his delight rejoycing always before him Prov. 8 22-30 Now for such an one to make himself of no reputation for such an one to come down from Heaven and to abase and humble himself to the induring such sufferings and undergoing such shame and sorrows Oh! here he was Gold tried in the fire indeed He being in the form of God in the essential form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet made himself of no reputation Phil. 2. 6-8 Without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness God became man the Word was made flesh the Lord became a Servant he that was rich became poor he that was in Heaven descended and came into the Earth and tabernacled among men Oh! here was the trial of his love and faithfulness here he was proved to purpose and yet did abide it and was faithful to him that appointed him and loving and gracious to us it is a great trial amongst men when one that is lifted up and advanced above his brethren is put upon it to part with and lay aside that Glory but his Glory was infinitely more excellent and his person inconceivably more worthy then that of any Earthly King or Emperour and yet he so humbled himself and came down and emptied himself for us His love and faithfulness was tried and he was Gold tried in that he indured all this from the hand of his father as inflicted or permitted and ordered by him it is a great probation and toucheth the quick when a most intimate lover woundeth with the wound of an enemy with the chastisement of a cruel one as Jer. 30. 14. what he indured was from the hands of his father who infinitely loved him in whose bosom he was and with whom he was well pleased and yet by him he was
smiters for the smiters and gave himself to prayer for his persecuters though he was oppressed unjustly proceeded against and unworthily and despightfully intreated and used by them whose good he aimed at and pursued and afflicted Yet he opened not his mouth but was led as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep dumb before the Shearers so he opened not his moâ—th against them Isa 53. 7. Yea he prayed and dyed for them who with wicked hands did crucify and slay him And being raised again was sent and did come to bless them in turning every one of them from their iniquities Isa 53. 12. Acts 3. 13 14 15-26 Yea at that time when he was numbered with transgressors and hanged between two Thieves and most unmercifully and inhumanely intreated mocked at and reproached then said Jesus Father forgive them Luk 23. 34. Oh wonderful trial Oh matchless love He was greatly tried also in the greatness and depth of the abasement whereto he was abased for us a small condiscension in such an excellent and glorious person for such unworthy ones would have been admirable But as that would not have sufficed for our recovery so such was the cordialness of his love and servency of his affection to us that he did not avoid or shrink from that great abasement whereto it was absolutely necessary he should humble himself that we might be redeemed from the curse of the Law and our loss might be again recovered for us he laid not hold on the Nature of Angels when many of them had sinned to keep them from falling or to recover them though that had been wonderfully beneath him but he was made a little lower then the Angels his own Creatures in a Nature inferiour to theirs yea he did not partake of our Nature as it was when first Created by God but as it was become through our seeking out foolish inventions and was in all things like unto us sin only excepted he partook with us of flesh and blood of weakness and mortality and was subject to all our infirmities to hunger thirst weariness painfulness and was poor and needy and took upon him the form of a Servant who was Lord of all and was made in the likeness of men yea of sinful flesh and being found in fashion as a man he still and further humbled himself and became obedidient to death even the death of the Cross that cruel shameful and accursed death Phil. 2. 6-8 He came down from Heaven and descended into the lower parts of the Earth not only into the Womb of the Virgin but into greatest and deepest afflictions Sorrows and troubles yea his Soul was in Hell and his Flesh in the Grave Acts 2. 27-31 He was tried and found faithful in that such was his power in himself and with the father that he could have acquitted himself from those sufferings which he indured from his enemies He was not at first necessitated to undertake for us but his Grace and free love moved him thereto and he could afterwards have confounded his foes and that way or otherwise have delivered himself out of their hands as he did do many times in the days of his personal ministration and some proof and demonstration he gave of his power to have destroyed them had he pleased when they came to apprehend him for when he told the band of Men and Officers who were sent to take him that he was the person they sought for as soon as he had said unto them I am he they went backward and fell to the ground John 18. 3-6 So when Peter drew out his Sword out of its place and smote off the ear of the High-Priest's Servant after our Saviour had bid him put it up again c. He addeth Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give me more then twelve Legions of Angles as intimating that such was his interest with his father that had he prayed he might have been rescued from their destruction with a great and Heavenly Host of those Glorious Angels and needed not Peter's Sword to avenge his quarrel but how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled in his breaking the head of the Serpent and healing that first breach between God and Manking and doing and becoming that whereby we might be brought back to God Mat. 26. 52-54 He was not forced to suffer what he did but he might have avoided all had he so pleased and this is a great trial of love and patience We may pretend to patience in sufferings when we cannot help our selves but if the power were in our hands we should be apt presently to get rid of the trouble but though Christ was such a mighty one yet he readily and chearfully undertook for us at first and patiently indured to the last such an hot fire He was not a Passive simply but Active and forward also in all his abasement not only was he sent into the World but he came and came rejoycingly Lo I come I delight to do thy Will Psal 40. 6-8 Not only was he made flesh but he laid hold on the Seed of Abraham in that body the father prepared for him Heb. 2. 16. Not only was he put to death but he died yea to shew his forwardness he breathed forth and commended his Spirit into the hand of his father before they died who were crucified with him and he so soon died that the Governour admired at it Mark 15. 44. He emptied himself and made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and he further humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Cross Phil. 1. 7 8. Oh that that mind that was in Christ Jesus where more in us Ver. 6. Here was a trial indeed and herein was love inexpressible love incomparable He was tried in his obedience to his father and in his love to us and in his power in grapling with such and so many and great enemies in his so great abasement and in the day of his calamity when the fathers wrath lay heavy upon him They prevented him in the day of his fog when his God forsook him and hid his face from him Psal 18. 18. They persecuted him whom God had smitâ—en Psal 69. 26. When he was weakest and his Soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death then was their hour and the power of darkness then his and our enemies appeared in their strength against him He had all our sins even all the trespass 〈…〉 f the World upon him He bare our sins in his own body to the Tree and this was so great a burden that his heart even failed and these were such a multitude that they were more then the hairs of his head Psal 40. 12. 1 Pet 2. 24. And these must be born and taken away there must be an abolishing of them or else there could have been no deliverance for us Heb. 9. 26. He had our death to die and
overcome and this was so great a death as that we had perished in it for ever had we died it according to the first Sentence 2 Cor. 1. 10. He had the Devil who had the power of death and his Instruments to grapple with and overcome Satan thrust sore at him that he might fall Psal 118. 13. He had the Law as it was against us to satisfie and indure the curse of and so to blot out that hand-writing that was contrary to us And Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot or title of the Law till all be fulfilled Mat. 5. 18. Here he was proved to purpose in his love power and patience and herein he did abide the fire and made it evident and apparent that God laid help upon one that was mighty and he gave a wonderful proof of his patience and submission For in â—aiting he waited for the Lord until he inclined his ear and heard him and brought him out of the horrible pit and miry clay Psal 89. 19. 40. 1 2. Here was a trial of his strength and here it appeared to be very strong for though all these compassed him about like Bees yet they were extinct as the fire of Thornes for in the name of his God he hath destroyed them He hath made purgation of our sin Heb. 1. 3. He hath abolished our death 2 Tim. 1. 10. He hath 〈◊〉 death destroyed him that had the power of death that in the Devil Heb. 2. 14. He hath led Captivity Captive spoiled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself Psal 68. â—3 Col. 2. 15. He hath overcome the World John 16. 33. He hath broken down the middle wall of partition that was between God and Mankind having abolished in his flesh the enemity the Law of Commandments in Ordinances Ephes 2. 14 15. Col. 2. 14. His own right hand and his Holy Arm hath gotten him the Victory Psal 98. 1. He hath delivered us in himself from the hand of all our Enemies that we might serve God without fear of them Luke 1. 74. And he is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet Sing Praises to our God sing Praises Sing Praises to our King sing Praises Psal 47. 5 6. and 68. 18. Yea to add no more to this he was tried and proved in the fire in that all he indured was of no real personal advantage to himself He could not be added to by it but it was wholly for the sakes and good of others This excellent one who is charity did not seek his own things 1 Cor. 13. 5. Oh! this was Grace indeed free love no fore-worthiness of ours did move him to undertake this difficult work no future advantage to himself did strengthen and incourage him to enter into and abide in this fire to the last but it was the good and commodity of others of us unworthy ones of us unable ones to make any retribution for such an admirable kindness He that was rich for our sakes became poor that through his poverty not he but we might be inriched 2 Cor. 8 9. The chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 3-6 The Messiah was cut off but not for himself Dan. 9. 26. He was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. Christ once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. He did not look on his own things but the things of others Philip. 2. 5-8 He got no real addition of Glory or happiness to himself by all his indurings and therefore when he had finished the work which the father gave him to do induring the Cross and suffering the curse he then prayeth and now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory I had with thee before the World was John 17. 4 5. He did through sufferings enter into his own Glory which was his before but now he entred into it in our Nature and for us That the World through him might be saved Luke 24. 25 26. And God raised him from the dead and gave him Glory that our Faith and Hope might be in God and that so we might not perish but might have everlasting life 1 Pet. 1. 20 21. John 3. 14-17 Oh! in all this was love love without comparison love beyond comprehension Let us look upon it that we may be ashamed of our love or rather bewail our want of love and not proclaim our goodness and say We are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing Is this the manner of man thus to express love Surely we have let slip the view of and departed from the consideration of his love while we are doting upon and boasting of and lifting up our selves by and glor 〈…〉 ing in our love Oh! consider also how he hath been tried that we may not complain of or faint under our trials But that we may run with patience the race set before us look we unto Jesus who for the joy set before him indured the Cross despising the shame c. And consider diligently the excellency of this Gold and how it hath been tried that we may be zealous and buy it whatever it cost us 3. His being tried in the fire doth signifie that he was herein and herethrough purifi'd and refin'd and came forth as Gold out of the fire full of lustre splendor and glory Job 23. 10. Indeed he never had any pollution of his own or any mixture of sin cleaving to him he was the Holy one of God he knew no sin in partaking of our Nature for he was made partaker of it by a wonderful work of new Creation so as that he and he only partook not of the filth or pollution of our sin he did indeed partake of our sorrows sufferings afflictions He was in all points tempted like unto us yet without sin Heb. 4. 15. He had no sin of his own to answer for he did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2. 22. But yet he had our sins laid upon him and was by imputation spotted as it were with our spots and deformed with our afflictions and wrinkles Though he knew no sin yet God made him to be sin for us and imputed the trespasses of the world unto him the guilt of our natural and necessary sin and sinfulness even the guilt of the disobedience of the first man Adam in which we all sinned and from whence we are necessarily polluted and defiled and of all the unavoidable branches thereof this was imputed to and laid upon and accepted by him as his to answer for and he his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord laid on him the
reputation and became obedient to death the death of the Cross not for himself but for us and for our sakes surely he hath born our griefs and carryed our sorrows the chastisement of our peace was upon him it was our good he designed and not his own and rather then we should suffer the curse we had deserved he indured the Cross and suffered the curse he bare our sins in his own body on the Tree How might this move and prevail with us to bear one anothers burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. Herein perceive we the love of God that he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren even in the room and stead of them and for their good But who so hath the worlds good and seeth his brother have need and shutteth his bowels from him how dwelleth the love of God in him My Brethren let us not love in word neither in Tongue but in deed and in truth 1 John 3. 16 17 18. 4. In that he here commendeth himself to us under the name of Gold and proposeth such an end to us to move and perswade us to buy it that we may be rich herein is intimated and signified to us his willingness and cordial desire that we should listen to him receive and obey his gracious counsel imbrace and close with him and part with and suffer the loss of all things for the excellency of him therefore doth he so aptly and enamouringly present himself to us and make use of such ingaging alluring Arguments and Motives he knoweth we all naturally love riches our hearts are taken with Gold and our eyes set upon that as a most desirable and delightful and desirable thing and which is very pleasant to behold he knoweth we would fain be rich and our wisdom moveth and leadeth us to desire so to be and to labour to that end Prov. 23. 4 Now then he thus in the first place describeth himself and calleth himself and commendeth himself to us under the name of Gold tried in the fire and counselleth us to buy it that we may be truly and indeed inriched that we might be assured of his good will to us and earnest desire that we should listen to him and that he may out-bid all other persons and things that we might be taken with and enamoured on and give our hearts and affections unto him he thus representeth himself to us as such a delightful and desirable Object that we might receive his heavenly and advantagious counsel and open unto and give entertainment unto him so when the Spirit of errour and delusion useth many alluring Arguments to perswade men to listen unto and imbrace her that she may seduce and destroy them that she hath deckt her bed with coverings of Tapistry with carved works with fine linnen of Egypt that she hath perfumed her self with Myrrhe Aloes and Cynamon and thence inviteth Come let us take our fill of love until the morning let us solace our selves with loves To the end none might listen thereto and be inticed and deceived by her the Wisdom of God calleth also and glorifieth her self by her Spirit unto the Sons of men Doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice she standeth in the top of high places that her voice may be heard far and near by the way in the places of the paths unto you O men I call and my voice is to the Sons of man hear for I will speak of excellent things such things as excel what the whorish woman proposeth and presenteth and the opening of my lips shall be right things receive my instruction and not Silver and Knowledge rather then choise Gold though those seducers and deceivers should set before you and promise to you Gold and Silver to corrupt you yet my instruction is better for Wisdom is better then Rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it yea and also Riches and honour are with me yea durable riches My fruit is better then Gold yea then fine Gold and those that love me shall inherit substance c. Prov. 7. 10-27 8 1-21 So when sinners such as miss their way and mark are inticeing and saying Come with us let us lay Wait for Blood We shall find all precious substance we shall fill our houses with spoil cast in thy lot amongst us that we might not consent or imbrace their evil counsel though they set motives of profit before us Wisdom cryeth without she uttereth her voice in the Streets she cryeth in the chief places of concourse in the openings of the Gates in the City she uttereth her words in which she sheweth how precious and inriching she is and how happy they are that listen to her that whoso findeth her findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord and saith Turn at my reproofs Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you which are pure words as Gold tried in a Furnace of Earth purified seven times To the end we might hear and receive his counsel that we might be wise for our selves and inriched by him Prov. 1. 10-22 Psal 12. 6. His willingness that we should be made partakers of himself and his readiness to communicate and impart this Gold is signified to us in his thus commending it and using such Motives and Arguments as are most taking with and pleasing to and desirable of us all which might provoke and perswade us to buy this Gold But we shall adde no more to this first branch of the counsel In the the next place we come to the second branch viz. And White raiment that thou mayst be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear This is a further branch of the good and wholsom counsel given by the Amen the Faithful and true Witness the beginning of the Creation of God who is the Counsellor of Peace that giveth this good counsel In which consider we 1. The thing further counselled unto by this excellent one and that is White raiment 2. The end why this Angel and Church is counselled to buy this White raiment That thou mayst be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear 1. The thing which this Counsellor further counselleth this Angel and Church to buy and that is White raiment or Whâ—te Garments They were not only wretched miserable poor but naked also and there is that provided which answereth to that part of their need namely a cloathing for their nakedness a covering for their shame that it might not appear That we may have some understanding and usefulness of this branch of the counsel let us God assisting inquire into and consider 1. What is this White raiment here counselled unto 2. Why this Raiment is said to be White and what is imported therein 1. What is this White raiment here counselled unto In general we may
of God from him abideth not on any man on that account nor is any man held out from God because of his natural and necessary pollution simply The father henceforth judgeth no man otherwise then by Christ but hath committed all judgement to his Son Heb. 1. 3. Dan. 9. 24. Joh. 5. 22. And all that have sinned are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 23 24. He once appeared in the end of the World to put away and abolish sin by the sacrifice of himself He was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin he hath not failed therein Heb. 9. 26. 1 Joh. 3. 5. Ezek. 18 2 3 4. He hath obtain'd also the forgiveness of our personal sins in which we sin after the similitude of Adam's transgression he hath obtained power to make reconciliation for the people Heb. 2. 17. Dan. 9. 24. he hath received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also Psal 68. 18. in him there is forgiveness and in his name it is preached unto all nations beginning at Jerusalem which was even the slaughter house of the Prophets and where our Lord was Crucified Luk. 24. 47. with chap. 13. 34. in him the Apostles had in their ministration to declare redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of God's grace Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. This man when he had offered up one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God from ever offering up any new sacrifice or repeating or reiterating the former Heb. 10 10-12 7. 27. He hath also obtained a recovery of our loss all have sinned and come short of the glory of God in which and unto which they were created God made man in his image in a righteous and happy condition but man in seeking out many inventions thereby lost that image of God and Adam begat children in his own image Gen. 1. 26 27. Eccles 7. 29. Gen. 5. 3. But now Jesus Christ the second man hath restored that which he took not away he is the last Adam in whom mankind is again created in the image of God after a more glorious manner then in the first Adam He hath restored our nature in his person into the image of God into perfect innocency 1 Joh. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 1. 19. integrity righteousness immortality and eternal life Jam. 3. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 10. 1 Job 5. 10 11. Isa 45. 24. in him it hath pleased the father that all fulness should dwell and there is in him perfection for every man Col. 1. 18 19-28 2. 9 10. And he is become a quickening spirit and herein preferred before the first man Adam who was made a living Soul and abiding in that condition in which he was created might have conveighed life to his posterity but being fallen could not quicken dead ones neither himself nor any of his posterity But Christ is a quickening Spirit to quicken those that are dead in sins and trespasses 1 Cor. 15. 45. The living quickening bread that giveth life unto the dead world and they that eat him even they shall live by him John 6. 33-35-51-57 All things are here ready and prepared for all men in him he is made of God wisdom and righteousness c. And this righteousness he hath now openly shewed in the sight of the Heathen and hence all the Earth is called upon and exhorted to make a joyful noise unto the Lord to make a loud noise and rejoyce and sing Praise Psal 98. 1-5 Jesus Christ hath recovered all our loss into himself and is glorified in our nature with the Glory he had with the father before the World was John 17. 5. And he hath obtained the Inheritance of new Heavens and a new Earth of a better and more glorious Inheritance then the first man had in the first Creation and an excellent Dominion over the works of God's hand and so as with respect to these two last branches the Apostle sheweth to us that Christ who by the Grace of God tasted death for every man hath obtained that which the first Adam had and lost Compare Psal 8. 4-8 with Heb. 2. 6-9 And there shall be in due time a restitution of all things when God shall send us Jesus who now is preached to us Acts 3. 20 21. The whole Creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption iâ—to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom 8. 19-21 And all this is that righteousness which Christ hath prepared for us and which they shall partake of that believe on him as the Scripture hath said In him there is the forgiveness of all our sins yea he is made of God to the believer redemption which non imputation or forgiveness of sins is righteousness without works whereby our sins are covered Rom. 4. 5 6 7. with Psal 32. 1 2. And a robe of righteousness in being cloathed upon wherewith they are made accepted in the beloâ—ed Ephes 1. 6. Those that buy this are righteous even as he is righteous 1 John 3. 7. And Christ doth present them in the body of his flesh in which he was raised again from the dead Holy and unblameable and unrebukeable in his sight Col. 1. 22. And as found in him they are all faiâ— and there is no spot in them Cant. 4. 7. Christ is become theirs and they are cloathed upon with him and reckoned after him being buried with him in baptism wherein also thâ—y are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Christ from the dead Col 2. 12. Ephess 2. 5 6. And they are begotten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undesiled and that fadeth not aâ—ay reserved in the Heavens 1 Pet. 1. 3. Christ is made of God to them righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. And this the righteousness they have to appear before God in the best and first robe even Christ himself and the righteousness he hath wrought and obtained this the VVedding Garment Luke 15. 22. Mat. 22. 11. 2. By this VVhite raiment or those VVhite Garments are meant the fruits of this righteousness believed and believed in Jam. 3. 18. For this the Apostle prayeth for the Phllippians That their love might abound yet more and more in all knowledg That they might be sincere and without offence being filled with the fruits of righteousness which fruits are by Jesus Christ received and believed in unto the Glory and praise of God Philip. 1. 9-11 And of these fruits there are some more inward and some more outward 1. Those more inward and wrought in the Spirit of the mind by the Spirit in the Testimony in glorifying Christ and taking of his things and shewing unto us are Humility This is compared to a Garment Be ye all clothed with Humility 1 Pet. 5. 4. And this Garment these needed to buy of
delighted in by us it will be an hindrance to us from closing with and cleaving unto Jesus Christ The friendship of this world is enmity with God he therefore that will be a friend of this world is the enemy of God Jam. 4. 4. The love of the world and of the Father cannot consist and stand together 1 Joh. 2. 15. Also that a man may serve Christ Jesus it is needful that he take heed and beware of covetousness for the love of money is the root of all evil No Servant can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or hold to the one and despise the other he cannot serve God and Mammon Luk. 16. 13. It is impossible for one that trusteth in his riches and setteth his heart thereon to enter into the kingdom of God Mark 10. 22-25 Drunkenness also and uncleanness must be mortified and abstained from or else they will hinder from receiving and walking in Christ Jesus Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart Hos 4. 14. Yea any sin or idol loved retained and cherished after light vouchsafed will lead a man to undervalue Christ and his things and hinder from an hearty embracement of him and earnest pursuit after him Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh he to the light lest his deeds should be discovered and reproved Joh. 3. 19 20. Job 24. 13. It is therefore absolutely needful to our being made partakers of Christ and those treasures in him to flee from what is reproved and discovered to be evil by the sight of the Gospel because the carnal mind the body of sin and it's members is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can it be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 7. 8. Hence the requirings and instructions of the grace of God are usually thus given to us To hate the evil and love the good to abhor what is evil and cleave to that which is good Amos 5. 15. Rom. 12. 9. To turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Acts 26. 18-20 1 Thes 1. 9. To repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1. 15. Matt. 21. 32. To cease to do evil and learn to do well Isa 1. 16 17. To forsake all that we have that we may be Christs Disciples Luk. 14 26-33 To put off the old man and put on the new Ephes 4. 22-24 Col. 3. 8-10 To deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly Titus 2. 11 12. and many more such like expressions All which shew unto us that it is needful for us to part with all our own things as reproved and discovered to be evil and vain that we may embrace and give entertainment unto that which will render us truly happy in the injoyment for our sins and idols are directly contrary unto and fill us with hatred and enmity against Christ Jesus and those spiritual and eternal blessings in him Hence the Apostle saith that Christ Jesus the living stone though 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 itely precious in himself and in the eyes of the Father and precious to him that believeth 〈…〉 et 〈◊〉 disallowed indeed oâ— men yea and of the builders also Of all that are no more tâ—en men or judge and act no otherwise then men who favour the things of men He is of them disallowed as opposed to chosen and precious that is he is refused and â—â—probated of them and looked upon as a vile one Or as the Prophet rendereth it to which it may seem the Apostle reserâ—eth he is despised and rejected of men he hath no form or comeliness in their eyes 1 Pet. 2. 4. with Isa 52 2 3. It is therefore of necessity to the end we receive him and those inriching excellencies in him that we bay them in selling all that we have our sins and vanities 2. That we may injoy this gold and white raiment needful it is that we sell all that we have and so buy them because our sins and vanities not only indispose and hinder us from receiving Christ and his riches and durable clothing and fill us with enmity there-against and alienation there-from but also our affectionate retaining and cleaving with purpose to our sins and idols after the grace of God bringeth salvation to us rendereth us unworthy of himâ— and we thereby provoke him to withhold himself and what is spiritually good from us Jer. 5. 25. He is not worthy of him who preserreth any thing before him so much our Saviour saith concerning those who when they were bidden refused to come The King of glory when the feast was actually prepared in Christ sent forth his Servants saying tell them which are bidden Behold I have prepared my dinner my Oxen and Fatlings are killed and all things are ready come unto the feast But they made light of it and went their ways one to his Farm another to his Merchandise and another had married a wife and therefore his plea is he cannot come of these he saith they which were bidden were not worthy They acted most unseemly and foolishly in refusing such a blessed and rich feast for such vain and unprofitable things their refusal was unsuitable to and unworthy of such grace testified and manifested to them and thereby they deprived themselves of good and so provoked the King to anger that he professeth none of those unworthy refusers shall taste of his provision Matt. 22. 1-8 Luk. 14. 16-24 He that loveth Father or Mother more then Christ is not worthy of him and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then him is not worthy of him And be that taketh not his Cross and followeth after him is not worthy of him Matt. 10. 37 38. God hath crowned his Son who by his grace tasted death for every man with glory and honour and hath given unto him the preeminence in all things and amongst all persons For it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1. 18 19. He is the chiefest of ten thousands one whom God hath preferred before all persons in Heaven and Earth and whom he hath glorified with his own self with the glory which he had with him before the world was He is more precious then Rubies and all the things we can desire are not to be compared unto him He is more excellent and glorious then the mountains of Prey In him he hath prepared for us all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg Sound wisdom is his and in him He hath brought in everlasting righteousness and this is prepared of God for us in him He hath obtained for us durable riches unsearchable riches of grace and glory God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son Yea in him are prepared all spiritual blessings in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily And he as become such an excellent
Col. 3. 1. Nor that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And the reason of that blindness the Apostle speaketh of and of this our Saviour chargeth this Angel and Church with and reproveth them for may be one to wit the forgetting that they were purged from their old sins letting slip what they heard from the beginning to wit that Christ died for the sins of Jews and Gentiles and so of all men according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Whereby Christ purged our old sins our first sin and sinfulness and through the knowledge whereof he washed our hearts from an evil conscience and spake peace to us and made us free Had they kept this in an hearty believing remembrance they had been saved and preserved from this blindness and they should have continued in the Son and in the Father But receiving and entertaining a forgetfulness of this purgation and of the means whereby it was effected this contracted blindness to them 2 Pet. 1. 3 4-8 9. 1 Cor. 1â— 1-4 1 Joh. 2. 24-27 2 Joh. 6. And this blindness of theirs appeared and was evident in two things and wherever these things are found doubtless they are in some measure blind and so in the condition of this Angel and Church That is to say 1. They were grown lukewarm as hath been said and did not so perceive the preciousness of Christ as to be zealous and servent in seeking after him that they might win him and be found in him In letting slip the word of the beginning of Christ the vision of all the God of this world had blinded their minds that they did not so discern the beauty and comeliness of Christ as to cry after the knowledge and injoyment of him and those spiritual and eternal blessing in him but they were grown remiss and indifferent Those that in seeing see and keep in their view the excellency of Christ are far from this distemper To them that believe he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 6. As new born babes desire the breast so they earnestly desire after more acquaintance with injoyment of and conformity unto him 1 Pet 2. 2-4 And they are even sick of love and restless in their spirits after him As the hart panteth after the water brooks so their souls pant after him they are even consumed with desire and nothing will satisfy them but him Whom have they in Heaven but he and there is none on earth they desire besides him Psal 42. 1 2. 84. 1 2. 63. 1 2. 73. 25. Cant. 2. 3-5 Their soul followeth hard after him and their zeal even consumeth them and leadeth them to long and inwardly breath after and earnestly lust for him who is the chiefest among Ten thousands Psal 63. 3-8 With their soul they desire him in the night yea with their spirits within them they seek him early Isa 26. 7-9 But contrarily it is a certain evidence of blindness when persons are grown so heartless and indifferent that they content themselves without him and deny or delay to give entertainment to him when he standeth at the door and knocketh for admission as it was with these Rev. 3. 20. When men by observing lying vanities forsake him and will none of him when they prefer their works riches righteousness lusts and vanities before him and those excellent treasures in him which only will truly inrich clothe satisfy and adorn them it appeareth evidently to him who knoweth all things and to those who have their understandings opened that ignorance and darkness hath blinded their eyes Isa 52. 13 14 15. So much the Apostle saith concerning the Galatians O foolish Galations saith he who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth c. Gal. 3. 1. It was evident that they were become foolish and blind and that some person or persons had cast a mist before their eyes in that they were removed from Christ and that grace in him and did seek righteousness and sanctification elsewhere and indeavoured to perfect by the flesh that which was begun by the spirit When Christ was first displayed before them he was then so excellent in their eyes that they turned unto him from their sins and idols they did run well for they did run unto him for all wisdom righteousness and strength because of the Lord his God and for the Holy one of Israel who had glorified him Oh then what blessedness did they meet with and speak of in Christ But afterwards letting slip the preaching of the Cross they turned again to weak and beggerly elements And on this account the Apostle calleth them foolish ones blind ones and bewitched persons it appeared evidently their eyes were blinded or otherwise they would have kept their first esteem and high prizing of Christ Gal. 3. 1-5 4. 8 9 13-15 5. 7. with Isa 55. 1-5 So also it was too much with this Angel and Church they were blind and it appeared that they were so in that they shut out Christ when he knocked for entrance and undervalued him And we may safely conclude as with respect to our selves and others that blindness hath happened to us in a great measure when our love to and zeal for Christ is gone and we are grown luke-warm 2. It appeared also and was evident that they were blind because together with their low esteem of Christ they had high thoughts and conceits of themselves and of the goodness of their condition without him and of their knowledge parts gifts righteousness and integrity They said they were rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing when as in truth it was far otherwise with them for they were wretched and miserable c. They conceited they knew and were ready to say they were wise and the Law of the Lord was with them when as indeed they were brutish and foolish Jer. 8. 7 8. This was an undoubted evidence of their blindness and is so of any man's when he beginneth to be so well thoughted and highly conceited of himself Truly those that walk in the light as God is in the light they are helped to see and bewail their shortness in every thing and while they hear songs even glory to the righteous they are ready to cry out our leanness our leanness woe unto us the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously with us yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously Isa 24. 16. They are ready with shame to complain that they are more brutish then man and that they have not the understanding of a man that they have neither learned wisdome nor have the knowledge of the holy Prov. 32 2 3. Job 26. 14. 1 Cor. 13. 19-12 They are ready to consess and acknowledge that they have not yet attained neither are already perfect as to attainment but they
to see and behold as declared to us in his testimonies and especially in the testimony of his mouth The Father calleth upon us to behold his Servant and Son Behold saith he my Servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul is well pleased I have put my spirit upon him Isa 42. 1. Matt. 12. 18. And Behold the man whose name is the Branch Zech. 6. 12. Behold I have given him for a witness to the people c. Isa 55. 1-4 5. Jesus Christ calleth upon us also to behold himself Look unto me saith he all the ends of the Earth and be ye saved Isa 45. 22 23. with Rom. 14. 9-11 12. And saith Behold me Behold me unto a nation that was not called by his name Isa 65. 1. 55. 5. It is also the work of the holy Spirit to lift up the Son of Man as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness as a compleat object in whom is prepared all helpfulness and healing for every stung creature that men might look unto and believe in him Joh. 3. 5 9-9-14-16 It is his work and office to bear witness of his blood and the love of God as therein commended everlastingly and to glorify Christ and take of his things and shew unto us of his sufferings and the glory which there-through he hath received 1 Joh. 5. 6. Joh. 16. 13 14. 1 Pet. 1. 11. Yea as the father word and holy Ghost are one one in essence and being so one also in their testimony and this is the record that God hath given unto us mankind eternal life and this life is in his Son 1 Joh. 5. 7 11. Yea he is the sum and subject matter of the testimony of all those holy men by whom God hath spoken unto us from the beginning of the world to the end we might see and behold him To him give all the Prophets witness Act. 10. 43. Of this horn of salvation God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets that have been since the world began Luk. 1. 69 70. 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. Acts 3. 22-25 26. 23. Joh. 5. 39. The Baptist was a man sent from God to bear witness of him as the light the fountain in whom is all the fulness of grace and truth and he saith Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World Joh. 1. 6 7-15 16. 29 33-36 The Apostles also were witnesses of him Joh. 15. 27. Yea the fullest and clearest witnesses of him they saw and did testify that the Father sent the Son the Saviour of the World 1 Joh. 4. 14. They preached not themselves but Jesus Christ and him crucified and therewith Jesus the Lord. 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. 2 Cor. 4. 5. To them was this grace given and Apostleship fo obedience to the faith among all nations Rom. 1. 5. 16. 25 26. To them was this grace given to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make all men see c. Ephes 3. 8 9. It evidently appeareth therefore that it was needful they should anoint their eyes with this eye-salve that they might see this blessed object that hath been and is so constantly and unanimonsly witnessed of and directed unto by God and all those that have been taught and led of him All agree in one concerning him to the end we might see and believe in him who hath so testified his love towards us as to lay down his life for us that he might become our Saviour and who is through and by means of his blood exalted and glorified and become the habitation of all the fulness of the God head the fountain of life the fountain of living waters the Sun of righteousness the treasury of wisdom and knowledge Yea all that the Father hath is his Col. 2. 3. 9. Psal 36. 8 9. Mal 4. 2. Joh. 16. 14 15. And that this is the object which they are called upon and counselled to see and behold and to that end to anoint their eyes with this eye-salve appeareth from the scope of the place we are speaking unto For here the faithful counsellor had been commending unto them and counselling them to buy gold tried in the fire that they might be rich and white raiment that they might be clothed and that the shame of their nakedness might not appear And now he addeth anoint that thou maist see to wit this gold and how it hath been tried and the excellency of it and this white raiment c. And this is a glass which discovereth all things to us Here we may look upon those things which cannot be seen with the bodily eye 2 Cor. 4. 18. As Moses by faith saw him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. And in some sense as Abraham saw the day of Christ and was glad Joh. 8. 56. So may we behold and see in this word of faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. the preciousness of the blood of Jesus Christ and his excellency and fitness for us and for our helpfulness by means thereof 2. To the end we may buy this gold and white raiment and thereto sell all that we have needful it is to anoint our eyes with this eye-salve that we may see namely that we may see the vileness and odiousness of our sins which are to be abhorred by us And the emptiness and unprofitableness of our idols which we are to abstain from that we may have these excellent and durable commodities here commended to us for while we are ignorant hereof we shall be ready to think that we part with is better then that which is commended to and set before us While we remain in our blindness we are ready and apt to mistake and to call evil good and good evil and to set our hearts upon that which will not profit yea to cleave unto that which will destroy us in conclusion if it be not parted with and fled from While persons are in darkness they are under the power of Satan and led captive by him at his pleasure Acts 26. 18. Ephes 5. 5-8 So much the Apostle signifieth concerning the Gentiles that remained in darkness when he saith they have their understandings darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness as if nothing were pleasurable unto them but what is abominable Ephes 4. 17-19 So the Apostle speaking of the believing Gentiles saith that in times past namely when they were darkness they walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the Air the spirit that now worketh rulingly and prevailingly in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 1 2. with chap. 5. 8. But to this we may add more afterwards Now therefore it is needful that we see our sins and vanities that we may be willing to part