saith David They shall hear that voice Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee To speak the least all the godly shall before they taste of death see this Promise fulfilled and see the Kingdom of God come into them with power or when they have tasted of death they shall enter with power into the Kingdom of God Mark 9. 1. where our Saviour implies 1 That the godly do but taste or sip of deaths cup. It is a bitter potion to the wicked who drink the dregs Christ tasted of death himself Heb. 2. 9. Wicked ones are said to dy the death the godly to taste onely and Christ is their Taster therefore they need not fear it 2. Nor shall they so much as taste neither till they have had a taste of Heaven the Kingdome of God coming with power Saint John had honey in his mouth before the gall in his belly God will Antidote his servants against the bitterness of death by his cordial Promise and then death tastes sweet when heaven is tasted before This Promise doth imply 1. That such as belong to God and have true grace fear his name may have small store of Peace and Comfort no present sense and taste of the love of God but walk long in darkness seeing no light at all 2 That as their condition is sad their apprehension may be sadder having nothing but fears dreadfull fears of the Name of God 3 Or that they may after a short winter day have a long night without Sun and Stars a long time as Pauls company in their tedious Sea Voyage They may cry out with many a longing wish for day and say with Job Oh that it were with me as in times past when the candle of God shined upon my head when by his light I walked through darknesse The Lord is to some of his people as a wayfaring man that turnes aside to tarry but one night The Lord comes guest-wise as the Angel to Manoahs wife who after the first apparition waited long for a second visite and having that never had a third her busband never had but one 4. They may be long under sad desertions even to forget prosperity and complaine pro tempore as if God dealt with them as with Saul I am sore distressed and the Lord hath forsaken me and answereth me no more 5. They may be also sick withall which makes long nights seeme much longer soule-sick their hearts fainting for the salvation of God as David complained saying when wilt thou comfort me What need of this sun-rising with healing else 6. They may be also ready to sink under the weight of their own guilt and Gods displeasure What need of a Sunne of Righteousnesse else 7. Yet suppose all this and what more you can Christ shall arise to purpose on these poore soules as the Sun in his strength dispelling darknesse as a cloud dispersing righteousnesse as beames of light curing all the soule distempers with his healing vertue 1. The reason hereof is partly from somewhat in God 2. Partly from somewhat in themselves 1. On Gods part 1. His Power gives the first hope of it He can say Let he re be light and there shall be light Hee who at first commanded light to shine out of darknesse can cause his marvellous light to shine on those who sit in darknesse 2. His power gives hope but his promise this promise here and many others makes it certain When God created the first light there was onely power and will set a work there had been no Promise here is a promise Gods power makes things possible his promise things certain It was onely possible there should bee these heavens and this earth before Creation there was no promise But it is certain there shall be a new heaven and new earth because wee according to his promise expect it It was possible that Christ might come to dissolve the works of Satan when Adam fell But is certain Christ shall come to them that fear him Here is his promise 3. His Love backs his promise as that his power He that is for Power a Gyant and for his promise and engagement Sponsor is for his love as a Bridegroome and Spouse to his Church whom he hath betrothed to himselfe in loving kindnesse righteousnesse mercies and faithfulnesse 4. His glory engageth all the former There is never more glory given to God then when he maketh good this promise Great rejoycing there is when shee who hath been long barren hath conceived as Sarah Hannah When he who hath been long in captivity is inlarged as Joseph when the exile is returned when the blind come to see The privation or want of the mercy sets the higher price upon it when it comes The desire attained is a tree of life Here the greatest joy Sing Oh barren thou that didst not bear break forth into singing and cry aloud thou that didst not travel with child Sharon breaketh forth into singing and Lebanon claps his hands and all the birds of the wood and beasts of the field sing and leap for joy The earth puts on her new clothes to entertain the welcome sun 2. Partly from somewhat in them 1. Their prayers raise this sun as the Prince of darknesse is raised by magick spels and cursed imprecations Christ is raised by invocation Thus the Disciples made the Sunrise before day to still the tempest What the Poets fained of the Moons coming downe to Endymion may bee spiritually verified of Christ. This Sun of righteousnesse often comes downe to imbrace such as fear him and call him downe by prayer 2. Because of their miseries In all their spiritual affliction he is afflicted and because of the sighing of the afflicted he saith I will up I will rise and shine upon him I have looked upon him and see him in his bloud I will heale him and say unto him live 3. Their prayers move him much their miseries more But their grace make his bowels to role and his repentings kindled within him I have heard him bemoaning himselfe I will surely have mercy on him I have spoken against but I will now remember him Repentance is such a grace as overcomes Gods displeasure holy fear gaines his favour faith gets his heart humility gets what grace it would have he that resists the proud and departs from the ungodly He looketh upon man and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which is right and it profited me not He will deliver his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light So that we may say Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart sowen in these two fields 1. Of Gods eternall decree in his power promise grace and love These are the upper springs 2. In the field of their graces and holy duties these are the
which is a continual dropping and causeth continual disquiet and wrangling To the other sin is in the Throne or in quiet possession as Master in the house The Amalakites and Israelites are together in the Valley fighting sometime the one somtimes the other prevailing God left the Canaanites to try his people and to learne them War He would not destroy them totally that the wild Beasts should not rise up against his people Better a thorn in the flesh and a Messenger of Satan buffetting thee to keep thee humble then a revelation and a rapture into heaven to puff thee up 6 Sin mourned under never damnes but gloried in ever damnes Oh wretched man that I am saith the godly soul. Pain could never make Paul cry Oh nor miserable that I am who shall deliver this body from death But Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver this soul from this body of death He that could glory in all infirmities and distresses could not glory but mourne under sin 7. Sin resisted though it over-power the soul and prevail at present leading into captivity damns not I find a Law in my members warring against the law of my mind and leading me into captivity into the law of sin Samson was a Captive to the Philistims but his heart was the same he hated them as much waited and prayed for new strength to be revenged and dyed in the quarrel The Christian Combat is like that of Joab a hard charge the battle before and behind and we herein in the same distress that the old Britaines when the Romans had drawen oway their Forces to protect them against the Picts they sent to Aetius the Prefect crying out The barbarous enemy beats us to the Sea and the Sea beats us back to the enemy between these two kinds of deaths we are either murthered or drowned The Christian is often in like extremities the fear pit and snare are before him the Lion Bear and Serpent He no sooner escapes the fear of the worlds pollution but he falls into the snare of Satans Temptation and if he escape that he fals into the pit of bosome corruption Between these two he is like to be either murdered or drowned Or as Amos hath it He that flyeth from the devouring Lion the worlds raging persecution meets with a more savage Bear Satans devouring Temptation and flying both is in his own house bitten by the Serpent in the wall Between Corruption and Temptation he is hard put to it oft foiled and captived yet fetcht off safe at last Here is nothing but death before him yet death without damnation One while he saith sin betrayed and deceived me and thereby slew me another time saith sin revived temptation revived and I dyed Yet all this dying is but the dying to sin and the death of sin not that death in sin 8 Where sin is as death it brings not death It is mortuum not mortiferum Where sin lives the soul must dye If Agag be spared Saul shall not be spared Who shall deliver mee from the body of this death I may add a few other Notes from other Scriptures 1 Sin whereby the heart is broken hinders not Salvation but sin whereby the heart is hardned Pharaoh and Magus had hearts hardned by sin Peters was broken with his 2 Sin fallen into when one is overtaken damns not sin continued in is that which damns David fel Saul and Jeroboam lay in their sin 3 Sins of infirmity and inadvertency damne not such was Noahs Sins of deliberation destroy Salvation There was a City of Refuge for him that slew a man unwittingly and a pardon of course but wilful Murder had no benefit of Sanctuary Christ will be no City of Refuge to him whose presumption of pardon is his provocation to sin 4 Sin against resolution destroyes not Salvation Such was Peters denyal of his Master into which he fell through too much fear sin resolved upon damnes Such was Judas his betraying his Master which he had long plotted and had watched for an opportunity to effect 5 Sin confessed and discovered is ever covered and remitted sin covered and concealed shall be proclaimed on the house top He that hideth his sin shall not prosper Hee that confesseth and forsaketh findeth mercy 6 Sin repented of never damns sin not repented of ever damns Take the two thieves for an example the one dyed in the presence of a Saviour his impenitency made him uncapable of Salvation the other though in the same condemnation saved by meanes of his true though late repentance But upon this occasion of this rare indeed sole example of the Thief on the Crosse we may use that Proverb Many talk of Robin Hood who never shot in his bow so many speak of the Thief on the Crosse who do nothing like him He confessed Christ among enemies these deny revile him among his friends He believed in him prayed to him relyed on him these do none of these How much grace did appear in that man in so little a time 1. Zeal for God he rebuked the profane Thief 2. Charity to man whom he would reclaime Dost not thou yet fear God being in this condemnation as if he should say Cast not away thy soul there is yet hope or possibility of Salvation 3. His repentanee manifested in that self-condemning and God justifying expression We suffer justly 4. His Faith in Christ whom he justified when the world condemned him He hath done nothing amiss 5. His Prayer of faith Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kigdom Verily there was not found so much faith in all Israel no not among all the Apostles who forsook him and fled I may call his faith a faith of Miracles as well as his Conversion a miraculous Conversion 7 Sin forsaken never sin not forsaken ever damns When Manasseh and the Prodigal returned they found the gate of Mercy open to entertain them Cast away your Transgressions and you shall not be cast away Electio aut dilectio peccati reprobatio peccatoris It is that Reprobate sin that reprobates soules But sin reprobated and rejected the soul is elected and beloved But to return from this Digression we shal proceed to a fourth Point CHAP. XXI That Christ shall certainly and timely arise upon all such as fear his Name TO you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise Having spoken of Christ apart that he is the Sun of Righteousness and of the godly apart that they are such as fear his Name We will now bring them together and they are best when together Christ and they that fear his Name Doct. What ever the present condition and apprehension of such as fear Gods Name may be there shall be a day when Christ shall rise upon them They shall come out of the cold shade into the warm Sun and out of all their darkness into his marvellous light To the upright ariseth light in darkness
into water melting heavenly hearts into tears of love The Sun hath a productive influence which animates all seeds and Christ all graces And a Restrictive influence sometimes binding the earth with a bar of Iron that no seed breaks forth such Christ his restraining hand upon corruption that though all seeds of it in our nature it breaks not forth Again his mollifying influence dissolveth congealed mountains of snow and rocks of ice into fluid water and Christ at work upon the heart dissolveth Petram in fontem Petrum in Lachrymas turneth impenitents into Penitents unbelief into faith obstinacy into obedience Lastly The Suns admirable alterative influence causeth mines and springs of Gold and Silver to grow in the bowels and kidneyes of the earth the proper seat of clods and stones Christ hath an higher operation in the soul in that strange alteration made there in the midst of a vile earthly heart where nothing grew but stone nothing lay but mire and clods of dust there he seateâ—h mines of heavenly Treasure Faith more precious then gold and Holiness more precious then Rubies Instead of the thorn shall come up the Fir tree in stead of the bryar the Myrtle Tree And it shall be accounted to the Lord for a Name and for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off And in another place For Brass will I bring Gold and for Iron Silver for wood brass and for stone iron Here is a great alteration indeed 1. This shewes what reason the Apostle had to use those two great expressions of Christ. 1. That he filleth all in all 2. which is more That he is all in all 1. That he fils all herein he is as the Sun for his influence All that is 1. All Persons Men Angels men of meaner or more excellent encowments he fils All Ministers Magistrates c. 2. All Places heaven with glory earth with grace heâ— with terrour whole world with wisdome Power Providence omnipresence omni-influence prisons with liberty dungeons with light crosses with triumph 3 He filleth all Ordinances preaching with efficacie Prayer with prevalencie Sacraments with nourishment the Sabbath with blessings 4. Relations Magistracie withhonour fear obedience from their inferiors with love justice courage watchfulness care fidelity circumspection towards their inferiors with zeal authority boldnesse diligence towards God Ministry with ability assistance Paternal affections maternal bowels Nurses care towards their flocks and with successe in their labours Conjngall relations with love sweetnesse condescention compliance and mutuall delight in each other 5. All his peoples hearts the ignorant with knowledge the dead with life unbelieving with faith secure with fear impenitent with repentance stony with softnesse sad with comfort troubled with peace unsatisfied with certainty weak with strength wavering with stability 6. All Conditions riches with thankfulnesse poverty with contentednesse mercies with sweetness afflictions with tolerableness prisons with comforts sicknesse with patience persecutions with joyfulnesse death with peace 7. All things when he saith all you may imagine more I cannot name every one reproof with terrour conviction with fear promises with hope consolations with assurance Sacraments with comfort desires with faithfulnesse labours with fruitfulnesse 8. All in All. In all thy needs in all thy straits and in all thy fulnesse in all cases encouragements dispensations he fills thy prosperity thy adversity thy society thy solitude c. 2. The other expression is far higher He is All in all The Sun for light is all in all to make day all the world over staâ—s cannot do it his heat all in all to make summer his influence all in all to make spring and harvest So Christ is all in all Had we the united merits of all the Angels and Saints in heaven they could not help us being lapsed and fallen one poore man would begger them all to set him up had we the sufferings of all the Martyrs since the beginning of the world for the benefit and relief of one man it were too low a price for him It cost so much Christ only could bear the charges of it Christ is all in all who can cast up the summa Totalis of this reckoning To be somewhat in some case is as far as any creature can goe an Angel is somewhat in some case not all in any thing not somewhat in all somewhat in excellency of grace glory and many perfections somewhat to benefit man nothing to satisfie Gods Justice nothing to Redeem man but Christ is all and in all They are good Ministers to the Saints bad Mediators for the Saints The best creatures and graces have but one and that a finite use Christ hath many and infinite Bread is somewhat to a hungry person nothing to a sick Physick somewhat to a sick not to a person in health sight to a blind a pardon to a condemned person mony to a poor man Of Graces repentance is somewhat to a guilâ—y soul knowledge to an ignorant soul certainty to a doubting faith to a distrusting righteousnesse to a soul conflicting with strong corruptions but it is only Christ who is all in all to a poor man rich man sick found bond free living dying condemned pardoned man he is all in all to an ignorant knowing repenting believing righteous man he is all in all He is bread clothing gold eye-salve liberty pardon physician way truth light wisdome righteousnesse sanctification Redemption all in all Especialiy Christ may be said to be all in all in ten respects 1. His Teaching is All in All in the matter of our Illumination mans teaching nothing were it by Paul or Apollo Who teacheth like him 2. His Drawing is all in all in the matter of our conversion not others perswasion not our own preparation Draw me we wil run after thee 3. His Bloud all in all in the matter of our Reconciliation Col. 1. 20. Rom. 3. 23. 4. His Death all in all in matter of Divine satisfaction 1 Cor. 15. 3. 5. His Righteousnesse all in all in the matter of our Justification Rom. 3. 22. 6. His Spirit all in all in the matter of Sanctification 1 Cor. 6. 12. 7. His Intercession all in all in the matter of our Acceptation Heb. 7. 25. 8. His Grace all in all in the matter of our Supportation against sin and Satan 2 Cor. 12 9. 9. His Peace all in all in the matter of our compleat satisfaction and consolation â—ere Ioh. 16. 33 and 14. 27. 10. And his Presence all in all to our Glorification and compleat Beautitudâ— hereafter Phil. â— 23. Use 2. This informs us what singular benefit we have by the influence of Christ upon us more then if we had his corporal presence it was expedient that he should goe away both for his own glory and our advantage the spirit had not descended nor his Intercession been so prevalent if he had not departed The Suns body if it were possible to be with us
apprehension appointed as sheep for slaughter yet Goâ— promiseth to feed them Those who fe 〈…〉 God most may have most fear of Hell aâ—â— though they fear and fly sin they fear theâ— shall never fly damnation They have sometimes failing of eye and faintings of hearâ— rottenness in their bones yet is God thâ— God of their Salvation When the wickeâ— who make a mock at sin and sing Peace Pea 〈…〉 to themselves in life shall at death cry out Despair despair The trembling Believe who cryes Fear fear in his life shall sin 〈…〉 Hope hope in his death There is alw 〈…〉 least fear of their damnation who feaâ— damnation most and sin more the cause oâ— it A thousand times better fear withouâ— danger then security without safety 2 This secures the state of such pooâ— Believers who have only this grace of fe 〈…〉 in them without the perception of any other at present I may say to all those 〈…〉 after another as Absolom to every Israelite that came neer him yet without falsehood and flattery See thy matter is good To thee this Promise belongs believe urge pray wait for it it wil not ly the vision of it is for an appointed time if it tarry do thou also tarry The Sun shall rise upon thee one day and thou shalt see the desire of thy heart Yea the day-break is past already where this holy fear is wrought it is the gray and dark morning foregoing a fair day The Lord delighteth that is is more then ordinary pleased in such as fear him saith the Psalmist And next to the holy Angel in Heaven the humble Saint on earth is the fittest Mansion for the High and Lofty one who will dwel with him that is of a contrite heart and trembleth at his word Object But I have so many fears Answ. The more is thy security Vis in timore securus esse securit atem time Fear nothing but security and thou hast best security against fear 2 Thy fears are Religious fears thou fearest evil with fear of abhorrence God with fear of Reverence dreadst his displeasure art tender of his dishonour obeyest his Word â—uest for his favour fear not only thus fear still and thou art safe 3 Christ his method is to kill and make alive wound and heal as Joseph he speaks roughly at the first he cut down Saul at one blow to make him a chosen Vessel hee darts hell into the conscience He comes with fire and soap into his Temple and who may abide the day of his coming His eyes are as a flame of fire in his hand a fan in his mouth a two edged sword There are two notable dayes of the Lords coming the two saddest dayes of all others 1. To the godly here who in the first appearing of Christ in their Conversion are in bitternesse when they see him whom they have pierced and they mourne because of him as with the mourning for an only Son a sad unforced unfained renewed long lasting and heart breaking mourning 2. The other day is more sad when Christ shall come in the clouds then shall all Tribes wail because of him The wicked that never mourned here penitentially shall mourn despairingly But where the first mourning is past the first woe is past and the last mourning is prevented The way to Heaven lyes by Hells Suburbs and to Salvation by Shenâ—h and Bozez nothing but steep and sharp Rocks on the one side and the other The whirlewind earthquake fire then the still voice to Elias The horror of great darknesse the smoaking furnace the Lamp of fire then the Covenant to Abraham The Fullers soap Refiners fire the burning Oven then the Sun of Righteousnesse The Lord hath no readier way then to expel fear by fear hellish by heavenly therefore he takes so much paines with his people by Mount Sinai terors to drive this nayle of holy fear deep into their hearts The Lord is come to prove you that his fear may be in you fear not Therefore is the true fear of God oft prescribed as the onely remedy against all hurtful feares Fear not but fear 1 Sam 12. 20. 24. Exod 20. 20. Isai. 8. 12 13. Mat. 10. 28. Notes of this holy fear are 1. It must be a fear of Devotion Act. 2. 5. This makes truly devout puts upon the exercise of all duties of Holinesse Cornelius his fear A devout man one that feared God with all his house gave much Almes and prayed alway 2 Of diligence Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Not fear of negligence as the evil servant feared and hid the Talent Lots fear who feared and fled to the Mountains that he might escape Moses fear who was afraid fell downe fasted prayed besought God would not be put off with any denyal 3 Of dependance on God in the use of Meanes Noahs fear He by faith was moved to fear and thereupon prepared his Ark. True faith increaseth lesseneth not religious fear fear confirmes not infirmes faith Such as fear God and hope in his mercy are joyned 4. Of obedience That fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servant This is the feare of the servant not a servile fear The good servant must obey his Master with fear and trembling 5 Or Love the fiâ—â—al fear who feare the Lord and his goodnesse Hoseâ— 3. 5. 6. A sin-resisting fear Jobs fear Ioh 1 1. 7 A heart-sanctifying fear Isa. 8. 12. 3 This informs us that God is pleased to take notice of every grace even the least and lowest and every gracious inclination in any of his Servants To fear his Name is no great matter yet these have a promise To think on his Name lesse yet set down in a Book of remembrance God seâ—s down how many good thoughts a poore soul hath had As Evil thoughts in wicked men are taken notice of they are the first fruits of the evil heart Mat. 15. 19. So good thoughtâ—â—â—e they which ly uppermost and best discover a good heart A desire is a small matter especially of the poor man yet God regards the desire of the poor And calls a good desire the greatest kindnesse The desire of a man is his kindnesse A Tear makes no great noise yet hath a voice God hath heard the voice of my weeping It is no pleasant water yet God bottles it up A groan is a poor thing yet is the best part of a Prayer sometimes Rom. 8 26. A sigh is less yet Psalm 12. 5. God is awakened and raised up by it A look is less then all these yet this regarded Jonah 2. 4 Breathing yet less yet Lam. 3. 56 the Church could speak of no more Panting is less then breathing when one is spent foâ— lack of breath yet this is all the godly can sometimes boast of Psal. 42. 1. The description of a godly man is oft-times made from his least quod
balm and wine Parchment perfume apparel cord and line His wood for fire his harder leaves are fit For thousand uses of invencive wit Sometimes thereon they grave their holy things Laws Lauds of Idols and the gifts of Kings Sometimes conjoyned by a cunning hand Upon their roofs for rowes of tiles they stand Sometimes they twine them into equal threds Smal ends makes needles greater arrow heads His upper sap the sting of serpents cures His new sprung bud a rare Conserve endures And they extract from liquor of his feet Sharp vinegar pure hony sugar sweet 2 No mans sin or misery can make his case desperate where Christ is Physician The Leprosie dead Palsie Stone in the heart Bloudy Issue heart Ruptures Plague in the heart the stinging of Serpents strokes of divine vengeance or whatsoever else is incurable by men or Angels Christ doth perfectly cure without difficulty or danger 3 Oh how then are we bound to God for sending such a Doctor from heaven when mans case was desperate How much to Christ Jesus who voluntarily undertook such a low Imployment to be master of the society of Crâ—pples lame blind impotent persons When Charles the Great had perswaded Aygâ—â—andus an Affrican King â— Mahometan upon his voluntary promise to become a Chri stian to receive Baptism he entertained him at his Court placed there a company of poor and lame people at whom the barbarous King wondring the Emperor told him they were the servants of our Master Jesus Christ at which he grew offended and refused to be a Christian because he saw Christs servants to be in so mean condition But it is the glory of Christ to have the greatest respect to such What a speech is that Heaven is my throne and earth my footstool but to this man will I look who is of a contrite spirit and poor God will leave heaven and earth to look after a poor distressed soul. As a mother that hath other children whom she leaveth her maâ—ds to look after but one is sickly whom she saith I le look to this my self I 'l trust none of you'all I 'l sit up with it stay by it I 'l not stir from it So Christ chargeth the Angels to look after other of his Servants but him that is poor and contrite in heart saith Christ I 'l look to that poor soul all you Angels have not skil nor care nor compassion enough I 'l not from him but look to him and he is wel looked to whom Christ looks to 4. Here is then a singular encouragement for all distressed souls to go to Christ. To whom did he ever say Thy case is past cure Whom did he ever cast out and reject with repulses and denyals And now he is not absent though invisibly present His passion he hath put off but not his compassion Therefore wouldst thou bee made whole observe these five Directions 1 Before all other means used come to Christ Aâ—a was never cured because he only used meanes The Haemorrâ—oesse never mended while she used means and came not to Christ. But it must be 1. A coming with Faith The Centurions and the Lepers coming Lord if thou wilt thou canst make mee clean 2 With Prayer importunate Prayer as that father who besought Christ for his son and put Omnipotency upon it If thou canst do any such thing as ever thou didst help poor Creature as ever thou wilt have compassion on us and help us This was the coming of the Canaanitesse who when she had begg'd and waited for an answer and at length was called dog or little better shee retorts the terme Lord I am a dog But as ever kind Master threw crumb to dog or as ever thou scatteredst the least crumb of mercy to poor unworthy creature think upon mee Her faith and importunity prevailed 3 With Repentance This Mary Magdalens coming and thus came the penitent Thief at the last hour and was saved but the impenitent Thief dyed at the foot of Christ. Impenitency damnes while Christ looks on and is trodden downe while it looks on the plenty that it self never tastes of Were Christ to dye a thousand times he would not save one Impenitent person 2. Direction After coming to Christ then use of means not before Then must we go and wash in five waters 1. In the water of Repentance This was Magdalens wash and wash seven times in this Jordan with Naaman David washt seven times making so many Penitentiall Psalmes upon his Penitential washings and was cleansed In this sense we must be all Anabaptists yea Hemerobaptists God commanded divers Baptisms or washings Heb. 9. 10. So oft as any touched a dead body or any thing unclean he was to wash againe so we so oft as we are defiled by any dead works as they are called In which respect we may say with Tertullian I am born to dayly repentance 2. In the water of Baptisme a more sacred laver which we may not despise or neglect it is a Gospel fountaine of Christs own opening This our Poole of Siloam to which all Christs are sent Arise why tarâ—yest thou and be baptized and wash away thy sins This washing is but once there is one Lord and one Baptism 3. In the water of the Word This is the Churches wash wherewith Christ hath after Baptism further cleansed his Church That he may sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water with the word The Word is as the water of the Sanctuary Healing water Wherewith shal the young man cleanse his way By thy Word This is the Churches Holy water 4. In the Bloud of Christ. This the most precious Bath above all the rest the Kings Bath Herein those sealed Saints had washed their long robes and made them so white in the Bloud of the Lamb. 5. After all these the last washing is in the Sanctifying water of the Spirit Christs Bloud fetcheth out the guilt the Spirit the staine This the Apostle calls the Laver of Regeneration and Renovation of the Holy Ghost Christ Jesus comes with water and bloud This was shadowed ouâ— in the Ceremonious cleansing of the Leper where there was the bloud of a slain bird applyed with another living bird and running water and the person was pronounced clean Besides the blood of a dead Saviour there must be the application of running water and a living spirit Therefore beg after all the former washings another dipping of the spirit Lord wash me throughly from mine Iniquities and cleanse me from my sin If we be not thus Anabaptized our first baptisme is null as to salvation Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter the Kingdome of God 3. Direction Then to Duties here is their proper place not before take up thy bed and walk expect not Christ to say thy sins are forgiven goe in peace be whole And that he should carry thy bed after