Some conceive that the Apostle alludes to those that are bit wit an Asp if that Serpent doth prick them they doze slumber and die away The Old Serpent did not only Poyson us by his bite but also stupifie us that we might not be sensible of our danger Some are so deep asleep that though they are pricked yet it will not rouse them up even so many are in such a profound sleep that though God pricks them daily with his Threat'nings yet they are not awakened to a serrious Consideration and dread of approaching destruction God threatens it as a sore Judgement to the Jews that the Prophet Ezekiel should be dumb and that he should not be a Reprover to them Ezek. 3.26 And how long was he dumb it was till Jerusalem was taken and smitten Ezek. 33.21 22. It was but the Evening before a Messenger came with these bad tidings that Ezekiel's mouth was opened and he was no more dumb Ezekiel was dumb till the Judgement denounced was executed on the Jews and then it was too late to warn and Reprove them And wilt thou provoke God to lay thee under such a Spiritual Judgment Shall Conscience be dumb and not Reprove thee til Divine Vengeance fall on thee for thy destruction Take heed that thou dost not fortify and intrench thy self in Natural Religion Morality and Formal Duties and so bear the Siege and storm of powerful Preaching God complains of the Jews by Zechary that they made their Hearts as an Adamant Stone least they should hear the Law The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies a Stone that keeps it self from being broken though it have knocks yet it preserves it self Even so the Heart of Sinners keeps it self from being broken under the many Admonitions and Reproofs of the Word Beware that such a Heart be not found in thee Do not make light of or a mock at Sin Do not put the thoughts of thy Iniquity and of God's Wrath far from thee Sin lies at the door if not sooner it will arrest thy Soul when it goes out of the Body Gen. 4.7 Solomon saith That he that rolleth a Stone it shall return upon him Prov. 26.27 So if you Presumptuously roll away your Sins from you God will Righteously return them upon you God's Threat'nings are not an empty sound Sinners shall know to their cost that God hath not said in vain That he would poure out his Fury on them Ezek. 6.10 The day of Vengeance is in God's Heart Isa 63.4 The Cup of Fury is in his Hand Psal 75.8 Though there be a mixture of all fatal and deadly ingredients yet it is without any mixture of Mercy Rev. 14.10 The storm of Vengeance hangs over the Heads of Sinners Though it is said that now God's Judgments are far above out of the sight of Sinners Psal 10.5 yet they shall be so visible that their eyes shall see their Destruction Job 21 20. thy breath is in thy Nostrils Isa 2. last and may soon go forth the Judge stands at the door and may quickly enter in James 5.9 Wilt thou run on the point of God's Sword Wilt thou venture into Eternal Burnings 5. Beware and take heed of Carnal Reason that is enmity to God and to the Righteousness of God As the Israelites slighted the Bread that God gave them from Heaven did account it as no Bread Numb 21.5 There is no Bread and then they call it light Bread as if there were nothing solid in it or as if it did afford no substantial nourishment yea Numb 11.6 they complain that their Souls was dried away as if they did grow lean weak and feeble by reason of this poor and low sort of Food So Carnal Reason misrepresents the Righteousness of Christ as if it were nothing solid or substantial The Blasphemous Papists call Imputed Righteousness Putative Righteousness as if it did only spring up in and were born from the Fantasies of Protestants Proud Nature thinks the Righteousness that is wrought and brought forth by our selves to be the only substantial and valuable Righteousness but the Spiritual-minded as Paul do account the Righteousness of God the Righteousness that is by the Faith of Christ to be the most Rich Possession and valuable Food of the Soul Phil. 3.8 9. My flesh saith Christ is Meat indeed and my Blood is drink indeed John 6.55 This is the true Bread John 6.32 6. Beg the Spirit to convince thee of sin John 16.8 9. to cut thy stock that the Graft of the Free Promise of Righteousness may be let into thy heart to raise a Storm in thy Soul that all thy Carnal Confidence and Fleshly Righteousness may be Ship-wrackt In a great and dangerous Storm Mariners will throw Silks and Satins over-board rather than perish themselves Confidence in thy best Works must be cast out that thy Soul may be preserved and brought to the desirable Haven of Christ's Righteousness As the Angel that was the Son of God Wrestled with Jacob and put his Thigh out of Joynt Gen. 32.25 even so Christ by his Spirit must powerfully Wrestle with us to Mortisie our Carnal Confidence and put our Thigh out of Joynt We are apt to trust in our selves that we are Righteous as those Luke 18.9 While we thus trust in our selves our Bone is in Joynt we are at ease and have a Carnal Feace but our Bones must be put out of Joynt that we may have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 Our Heaven of Religion and our Earth of Morality must be shaken to pieces before we will come to Christ Hag. 2.6 7. we must see our selves cast away or else we will not enter into Christ as an Ark of Salvation 7. We must fly to and trust on Christ for Justification Gal. 2.16 17. as God is said to pardon Iniquity Transgression and Sin Exod. 34.67 so it is said of Christ That he came to finish the Transgression to make an end of Sins and to make Reconciliation for Iniquity God Pardons but it is through Christ He remembers Iniquity no more Jer. 31.34 but it is because the clean Water of Christ's Blood is sprinkled upon us Ezek. 36.25 We must look off from our selves and look only to Christ there is not any thing Inherent in us or performed by us that is our Righteousness we are not Justified by what we find in our selves but by what we know in Christ Is 53.11 not by what we have done but by what the Lord Jesus Christ hath suffered Christ's Obedience and Righteousness is contradistinguished from and opposed to our Inherent Righteousness Phil. 3.8 9. we are not to stay in our selves but to be found in him We are to be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Christ did not Merit or procure that we should have a Righteousness of our own and in our selves to be Justified by We are to renounce our own Righteousness as filthy rags and to trust only on Christ's Righteousness as our next
Captain of our Salvation is the mighty God Isa 9.6 no Enemy can stand before him or prevail against him no Disease is so strong or malignant but the great Physitian can cure it no Dross cleaves so close to us but he can separate it from us Christ is a refining Fire to his People and a consuming Fire to their Enemies As the first Adam corrupts and defiles inevitably so the second Adam can renew cleanse sanctify irresistibly And infallibly he can speak so as to cause the Deaf and Dead to hear Isa 29.18 John 5.25 He can woo so as to cause himself to be loved and chosen he can draw so as to make Sinners to run to him at first Isa 55.5 and to run after him ever after Cant. 1.4 The spirit of Christ is mighty in its Operations it acts as a spirit of Power it causeth Men to pass under Christ's Pastoral Rod and brings them under the Bond of the Covenant Ezek 20.37 It causeth Men to approach to God and dwell in his House Psal 65.4 It causeth Men to walk in God's ways and to keep his Statutes Ezek. 36.27 This word Cause is observable and emphatical and signifies the spirit's mighty and effectual way of working It doth not only propose Arguments and sollicite the Souls of the Elect in a moral way but renews the Will changes the Heart effectually inclines men to yield to and follow after God The event is not pendulous and uncertain and suspended on Man's free-will but Christ undertakes that his Sheep shall hear his Voice and he will bring them to his Fold John 10.16 4. Christ's Salvation is a full and comprehensive Salvation Luke 1.71 That we should be saved from the Hand of our Enemies and from all that hate us Sin the World and Death are our Enemies 1. Sin is our Enemy Our Lusts do Satan's work if he should stand still James 1.14 15. A Man is tempted and drawn away by his own Lust This is a Body of Death Rom. 7.24 it deforms our Souls as much as Death deforms our Bodies it makes them corrupt putrify and stink in the Nostrils of God it renders us as unactive for God as a dead Carcase is unserviceable to Man it defiles and enslaves our Souls lets us only do dead works Heb. 9.14 such works as are the fruits of spiritual death and the seeds of eternal death Where it prevails and reigneth it causeth us continually to go a whoring from God and to rise up in Rebellion against him it causeth us to lead a life of Vanity here and prepares us for a life of Misery hereafter 2. The World is an Enemy We need the Armour of Righteousness on the Right Hand to secure us from the danger of Prosperity and the Aamour of Righteousness on our Left Hand to guard us from the evil of Adversity 2 Cor. 6.7 Height of Prosperity and depth of Misery Rom. 8.39 are dangerous snares and may prove mortal Enemies to us if Grace doth not prevent The World's Musick is to draw and its Furnace is to drive us from God Satan takes his Bait and fetches his Weapons from some thing in the World How doth it blow up and inflame our Hearts fire and fuel our Lusts How many are made to forget God and to think they have no want and need of him in their Plenty and Abundance Psal 50.22 Job 1.14.15 Job 22.17 Jer. 3.31 3. Death is an Enemy to God's People 1 Cor. 15.26 it strikes them dumb and deprives them of the use of their Tongues in praising God which is their Glory Saints as well as others when they die go down into silence Psal 115.17 Isa 38.18 Death disables us from working for God in a body of Flesh it gives a Quietus est to one half of us and dischargeth it from the service of God The Temple in which the spirit dwelt is now pulled down and sinks into Dust and Ashes and Death that deprives us of so great and glorious an Inhabitant in our Bodies and takes us off from such noble service with our Tongues and Members must needs be our Enemy But Christ saves from these Enemies Sin shall not Reign Rom. 6.14 and in due time it shall cease to be sin and shall be utterly extirpated out of the People of God As Israel's Freedom was begun in the death of the First-born of the Egyptians and was compleated in the drowning of Pharaob and all his Host in the Red Sea so the liberty of Saints is begun in destroying the reign of beloved sins that are the first-born of the Old Man and shall be compleated by the total extirpation and destruction of all sin We are Baptized into the Death and Burial of Christ Rom. 6.3 and we must be made Partakers of the saving Benefit of both Sin shall not only die but also be buried A Dead Man hath lost his Command in the House yet his Carcase may remain in it but when he is to be buried his Corps is carried out and he ceaseth any longer to be in the House So sin shall not only cease to reign but also to be in the soul we shall be washed and free from every spot and wrinkle Ephes 5.25 26 27. 2. The World is foiled and overcome by Christ Joh. 16. last It could not divert or draw him from doing his Father's work and will and this conquered Enemy shall not have strength to captivate and destroy Believers they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb Rev. 12.1 Our victorious Saviour hath purchased conquering Strength and merited Victory for us in the midst of all snares and temptations We are more than Conquerors through the Lord Jesus that hath loved us Rom. 8.39 3. Christ will save his People from Death after this Enemy hath not only swallowed them up but digested them Christ hath abolished Death already in himself and will abolish it also in all his People Hos 13.14 he threatens Death that holds the Rod over and threatens the whole World he menaceth Death that he will be the plague of Death a mortal Disease to it He threatens the Grave that he will destroy it and in due time Triumphant Saints shall sing this Song O Death where is thy sting O Death what hast thou gotten by killing our Bodies they are alive again O Grave where is thy Victory what hast thou gotten by taking away all the shape of a Body and crumbling it into Dust 3ly This Body is now restor'd our Particles of Dust are gathered together and formed into a Body like the glorious Body of Christ 1 Cor. 15.55.57 Phil. 3.21 Christ will in Living Saints at the last day swallow up Mortality of Life 2 Cor. 5.4 and in dead Saints he will swallow up Death into Victory Isa 25.8 2dly There are those that hate Saints and so wicked Men and Satan do they hate them because they bare the Image and live the Life and uphold the interest of God but the wicked cannot kill the Souls of the Saints
about their Eternal State Hope is an Anchor cast within the Vale as soon as they set out and begin their Voyage they may cast their Anchor into their Port and Haven and so have their Hearts established Heb. 6.19 2. Those that have hope of this Salvation are supported under Afflictions and Persecutions 2 Tim. 18.9 Partake thou of the Afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God who both saved us and called us As if Paul should say Murmure not at faint not under the Afflictions of the Gospel for God hath saved you from the greatest Enemies and from the worst Evils and all your Afflictions shall turn to your Salvation Phil. 1.19 They shall further advance promote it they shall refine Saints from their Dross wean them from their strange Land and cause them to long more after their Father's House and Heavenly Country Have they any Reason to be discontented whom God loves 1 John 4.59 and that are Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 and of the Kingdom James 2.5 3. These may die with comfort they have hope in Death Prov. 14.32 That which doth shipwrack others shall land them safe on the calm Shores of a Blessed Eternity that which impoverishes others shall enrich them Though Death doth pluck off the Rags of Mortality yet God shall cloath them with Robes of Glory When their Bodies drop down into the Pit their Souls shall be taken up into the Palace when their Flesh feeds Worms their Spirits shall feast with Saints and Angels though God doth kill them yet they may trust he will be their Salvation Joh 13.15 16. When the Eye of Sense shall be shut so that Saints shall no more see Worldly Objects yet then God will shew them his Salvation Psal 91. last They shall see God's Salvation from Sins Temptations Troubles Afflictions they shall see a freedom from Spiritual and Temporal Evils and also be translated into an Eternal Kingdom Christ will receive their departing Souls and be their Guardian and Trustee till the Resurrection O it is sweet when God adds to the Mercies of Sixty Seventy Eighty Years the enjoyment of a blessed Eternity It is Salvation that must crown Old Age with Glory Death is the critical time the Soul must then see Life or Death a Heaven must shine from God's pleasing Countenance or Hell be rained from his angry Face O how sweet is it then to see the truth of God's Promises in the enjoyment of an Eternal Salvation 4. Those interested in this Salvation shall be saved in the Day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5.6 when Sins will find out others and Vengeance will take hold of them then Believers shall be saved O what unexpressible comfort will it be to point out Jesus Christ at the Great Day and to say This is our God we have waited for him and he will save us and we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation Isa 25.9 This is a Salvation that will for ever set Souls beyond Gun-shot out of the reach of all Dangers Evils Enemies They shall then fully receive the end of their Faith even an Eternal Salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 Christ will appear unto Salvation to those that look for him Heb. 9. last Then Saints shall be Heirs in full possession of Salvation Heb. 1.14 They shall be redeemed from all Evils or possessed of all goodness be exalted to the Kingdoms and be placed in the Throne I shall lastly give you some Directions how you may be saved 1. You must be enlightned and convinced of your Danger you must see the Evils you are under and the Danger and Destruction you are exposed to Few do think themselves to be condemned to Death and to be sick unto Death That they are Children of Satan and Enemies to God They will not believe that they are captivated by the Devil enslaved by Sin and chained to the World The Scripture teaches us that Men are held Rom. 7.6 and that they are led 1 Cor. 12.2 they are held in the Snares of Sin and led by Satan Their Lusts are Bonds their depraved Wills and corrupt Affections are the Chains that the Devil leads them by Men discourse see or discern what are the true Evils that they should be saved from they are not sensible of the blindness and vanity of their Minds the deceit and desperate wickedness of their Hearts That their Wills are perverse and rebellious and the greatest Enemies to God and their own Souls They will account that Troubles Afflictions Reproaches Wants and Death are Evils but they do not perceive that their greatest Evils and worst Enemies are within themselves A Root of Bitterness an evil Treasure a Body of Death a Fountain of Iniquity that is in their Souls But Sinners must know what first cleaves to them abide in them do defile and deform their Souls and testify against them before God Isa 59.12 Our Transgressions are with us and as for our Iniquities we know them Yea Men have no liking of that which is the true Salvation Saints are said to love God's Salvation Psal 70.4 but a Carnal Creature doth not love but loath God's Salvation to be delivered from his false Notions his vain Thoughts his corrupt Opinions his inordinate love of himself and of the Creatures to be taken off from his sensual Pleasures carnal Delights to be brought to give his Heart to God set his Love on Christ to delight in Spiritual Future Invisible things this is a Salvation he dreads and hates and if he could go to Heaven with this vain Mind and carnal Heart it would be a place of Exile and of Punishment to him You must see your Danger that you are as Isaac bound laid on the Altar and ready to be sacrificed as a whole Burnt-Offering in the Flames of Wrath. You must hear the just dreadful Sentence Matth. 18.25 The Lord commanded the Debtor to be sold and Payment to be made It is dreadful to be sold into the Prison into a Place of Eternal Bondage Your Heart must be broken your Spirit wounded your Soul burdened under the sense of the guilt and filth of Sin else you will not have a due value of the Doctrine and Promise of Salvation 1 Tim. 1.15 We must account it worthy of all acceptation more valuable than all the Riches Pleasures Honours of the World If a Man were sinking and drowning he would not regard a Bag of Gold or a Box of Diamonds but prefer a Cord cast out to save him a Boat to take him in more than all the things of the World Believe that your Condition is exceeding bad and dangerous Lot's Wife looked back as one that doubted whether Sodom would be destroyed and Lots Sons in Law could not believe that the danger of Sodom was so great and its Destruction so near Gen. 19.14 So Sinners believe not that to be Carnally minded is Death that they that live after the Flesh shall die that they that are far off from God shall perish Psal 73.27
explicit acts of Faith be put forth What is become of a state of Justification Was David under Condemnation and the Curse while he lay long in a stupid state Surely he was a Justified Man or else he was out of Christ and fallen under the Curse It is said that God hath given Believers everlasting life 1 John 5.11 and that he who believeth hath everlasting life John 5.24 Is the Sentence of life Rom. 5.18 revoked by new acts of sin Is this gift of life retracted Is the blood of Christ wiped away from the Conscience by new Transgressions We read that the blood of Christ purgeth away sin 1 John 1.7 but never that sin purgeth away the blood of Christ and wipes it off from the Conscience Let not any here mistake me I am no Patron of Sin I do not plead for careless and loose walking if any indulge the Flesh they shall feel to their smart and cost that God hath Fatherly Anger Justice and Severity and the fruits of it are terrible God hides his Face suspends the comfortable and quickning Influences of his Spirit so that the heart is hardened Isa 63.17 the Church thus complains Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy Fear Jesus Christ withdraws himself and leaves the Soul in a dark doubting and disconsolate state Cant. 5.45.6 There are also sharp Temporal Afflictions laid on believers as that the Sword should not depart from David's House and that his Concubines should be defiled by Absalom 2 Sam. 12.10 11. yea there may be much Trouble and Terror of Conscience because Unbelief is strengthened by this new Guilt contracted and the Spirit of God is grieved and doth not powerfully apply testifie and seal Pardon till explicit acts of Faith and Repentance be put forth Yet I must assert this with the Scripture That Believers do not again a second time or more receive the Spirit of bondage to fear Rom. 8.15 The Spirit in the Word doth not testifie to a Believer that he is a Condemned Man in a state of Hostility with God and that God is his Enemy as it testifies to Unregenerate Men. Besides this is much to be considred that a Believer doth not Sin according to the New Man but according to the remainders of the Old Man It is not the new Graft that bears corrupt fruit but the old Stock Rom. 7.17 Now it is no more I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me The New Man hates Sin consents to and delights in the Law of God as good Rom. 7.15 16.19.22.25 I my self serve the Law of God He that is born of God committeth not Sin He cannot Sin because born of God 1 John 3.9 How then can guilt redound on the whole person when the New Man that is the predominant party doth not Sin If it be said that Sin committed redounds on the person according to the Old Man this will amount to no more than Fatherly anger and Temporary Chastisements that fall on the Old Man that must decay be pulled down to the dust and perish but they shall not hinder the Salvation of the person according to the New Man It is true that Christ doth direct us dayly to pray for Pardon of Sins Matth. 6.12 And David did earnestly and frequently sollicit for Forgiveness Psal 51.1.7.9 But these Scriptures may be thus understood that Believers for it is of them only that I speak do deprecate the Fruits and effects of Gods Fatherly anger both in Temporal and Spiritual Judgments They petition for the turning away of God's Fatherly displeasure the removing of outward Afflictions and Spiritual Punishments the return of the sweet sense of Gods Favour the lifting up of the light of his Countenance on them the shedding abroad of his Love in them The removing of Temporal and Spiritual Judgements is both a proper and excellent Pardon If any be otherwise minded let them Answer a little Piece of Mr. Gilbert's written on this Subject Justified persons have a sure and strong standing in the Grace and Favour of God Rom 5.2 By Faith we have an entrance into this Grace in which we stand and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Justified persons are Established firmly in the favour of God Though Hagar and Ismael were cast out of Abraham's House Gen. 21.10 12 13. yet Isaac the Child of the promise was still retained God loves Believers with the same love that he loves Christ with John 17. last And God's love to Christ is not mutable and changeable but fixed and certain Justified persons may therefore challeng all accusers Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is God that Justifieth Is there any higher Judge Is there any other Superiour Tribunal to which the person may be cited and his cause drawn It is Jesus Christ that Died and Rose again He was arrested and is released and discharged He was Baptized in a deep Sea of Sorrows and Sufferings yet was not drowned but Swam out to the Shores of a Blessed Eternity Yea he is ascended into the Heavenly Sanctuary to plead his blood and Represent his Righteousness And will not this stop the mouths of all gain-sayers and Silence all accusers We may now draw near to God the Judge of all as being assured he will not only Justifie us but also plead our cause against those that wrong us Christ now being ascended he lives to execute his own Testament and bestow his own Legacies Acts 5.31 To give Repentance and Remission of Sins The Mercies of the new Covenant are sure Mercies Isa 55.3 Acts 13.34 35. Because Christ is Dead and Risen again to give them Faith Jesus Christ in Heaven asks for the Travel of his Soul and the Purchase of his Blood and cannot be denied He interceeds with Authority There was a Crown of pure Gold about the Altar of incense Exod. 30.3 to intimate that our High-Priest doth interceed effectually and with Authority John 17.24 Father I will that those thou hast given me may be with me that they may see my Glory The Apostle Paul proposeth a Farther Question Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ and he thus answereth it himself I am perswaded that neither Life nor Death things present or things to come shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Love of God is fixed the Heart of God is centred on Jesus Christ and shall never depart or remove from him Christ is the strong and everlasting bond whereby Gods Love is secured and assured to us What greater security can God give us than his Oath to perswade us of the Immutability of his counsel God hath twice sworn that the Heires of promise might have strong Consolation God saith thus to the Church I have sworn that I will not be Wroth with thee that is to destroy thee nor Rebuke thee so as to disinherit thee Isa 54.9 And as God hath Sworn to secure us from the
Thirsty Souls may here drink in the very Fountain of Grace the Spirit and so be enabled to send forth Spiritual Rivers to stretch and solace others Christ can cultivate and manure the Wilderness cause it to be well watered Isa 35.6 7. and so to become a pleasant Eden a delightful and fruitful Paradise to God as God had a River in the Clouds to improve and enrich Canaan Psal 65.6 Thou visitest the Earth and waterest it thou greatly enrichest it with the River of God which is full of Water So Christ hath a better River with him in Heaven and this River he sends down and lets it in and turns it over our dry and barren Land When Hannah was delivered from Barrenness she calls this God's Salvation and rejoyceth in it 1 Sam. 2.1 4. Christ saves and anoints and and perfumes his Redeemed People Ezek. 16.9 I throughly washed away this Blood from thee and I anointed thee with Oyl Here is plain allusion to those precious and sweet-smelling-Oyls that great Persons were anointed and perfumed with Ester 2.12 Psal 23.5 Christ doth not only wash away the guilt of Sin with his Blood but also anoints his People with his Spirit and its sweet smelling Graces Believers are called Christians because they partake of the Ointment of his Spirit 2 Cor. 1.21 And the Church is said to ascend as Pillars of Smoke perfumed with Myrrh and Frankincense and all the powders of the Merchant Cant. 3.6 Christ doth not only take the stink of our Sins from the Nostrils of God by his sweet smelling Sacrifice Eph. 5.2 but also perfumes us with the sweet Odours and Powders of his Graces The Ointments the Garments of Saints cast out a sweet smell Cant. 4.10 5. He saves and cloaths us Rev. 3.18 he puts white Raiment on us that the shame of our Nakedness may not appear He takes from Sinners their sordid Garments and cloaths them with change of Raiment Zech. 3.3 4. We could not provide any Wedding Cloaths for our selves if Jesus did not give them to us and bestow them on us To her was granted to be cloathed in fine Linen white and clean which is the Righteousness of Saints Rev. 19.8 Jesus Christ doth not only cover us with the Robe of his Righteousness but also adorns and beautifies us with his new Nature we are made Partakers of Christ Heb. 3.14 We have a Spiritual Understanding we have the Mind of Christ 1 John 5.20 and the Bowels or Affections of Christ Phil. 1.5 We are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 his Mind must be put upon our Mind his Will on our Will his Affections on our Affections nothing of our own should be seen or appear but all the Faculties of our Souls should be covered with the Livery of Jesus Christ This Apparel wears fresher and will last to Eternity 6. Christ saves and adopts John 4.12 To as many as received him gave he power to become the Sons of God He was so far from envying us or grudging of us this Priviledge of Adoption that he vailed his own Sonship under the form of a Servant he was made under the Law and died that we might receive the Adoption of Children Gal. 4.4 He doth not only save Criminals from Execution but also makes them Heirs of a Kingdom and an eternal Inheritance James 2.15 Heb. 9.5 2dly I shall now shew you the Properties and Adjuncts of this Salvation 1. It is for the present mostly a Spiritual Salvation our Soul 's live Isa 55.3 our Souls find rest Matth. 1.28 our Souls are saved 1 Pet. 1.9 our Souls do delight themselves in Fatness Isa 55.2 But the Bodies of Saints are often in this World exposed to Poverty Hardships Imprisonments grievous Sufferings and cruel Deaths and these Evils do cloud the Saints Adoption and vail their State of Spiritual Salvation This caused the Heathens as Lactantius tells us to say De Justitia that Virtue was an empty thing If Men had not Riches Honours exemption from Sufferings freedom from outward Evils and Victory over Enemies but Christ hath not made the Earth and Plenty of Worldly Enjoyments as a Jointure to his Spouse the Church but tells his Disciples that in the World they shall have Tribulations John 16. last that those that will live Godly must suffer Persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 there is an irrevocable Sentence passed on the Old Man on the natural Body that it shall return to the Dust and this Sentence must be executed Gen. 3.19 2. This is a Righteous Salvation this is intimated in the last part of the Verse Judah shall be saved and that by him who is the Lord our Righteousness God is just in punishing sin on Christ that he may be just in pardoning it to us Rom. 3.25 26 27. God will not tare Believers in pieces according to his Threatning Psal 50.22 Because the Vail of Christ's Humane Nature his Soul and Body was divided and rent in twain Heb. 10.19 God may in a righteous way build up Sinners out of their Ruins because the Temple of Christ's Body hath been destroyed and pull'd down to the Dust Jesus Christ though a Tree of Righteousness was cut down that many Branches of Righteousness might spring out of this precious Root he was sowed in the Dust that he might be multiplied and many might from this holy Grain spring up to Everlasting Life John 12.24 God cloathed himself with the Garments of Vengeance and loaded Christ with sorrows that he might cloath us with the Garments of Salvation c. Isa 1.10 As the living Sparrow was dipt in the Blood of the slain Sparrow and so let fly Lev. 14.5 6 7. so we have liberty in a righteous way by being dyed in Christ's Blood Jesus Christ can marry us because his Soul and Body were divorced to reconcile us to God And he can repair and restore the beautiful image of God to us because his Visage was marred more than any Man's and his Form more than the Sons of Men Isa 52.14 This is the excellency and glory of the Christian Religion above all the pretended Religions in the World that it sheweth how God may pardon sin in a condecent manner in a way becoming of himself and not reflect on his Holiness reproach his Justice or wrong his Law Heb. 2.10 It became him of whom and for whom are all things in bringing many Sons to Glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings Such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 God is more honoured and his Law exalted by the sufferings of Christ than if we had fell under the Curse and lain in Hell for ever 3. This is a powerful Salvation God laid the help of Sinners on one that is mighty Psal 89.19 God hath raised up for us an Horn of Salvation Luke 1.69 one that is able to pierce through and to push down all the Enemies of our Salvation The
Christ's 1 Lam. 14. No other Shoulder or Back could stand or bear up under such a load of Sufferings but the Shoulder and Back of Christ If the weak Wood of his Humane Nature had not been overlaid with the Brass and strength of his Divine Nature as the Altar for Burnt-offerings was but of Shittim-wood but was over-laid with Brass Exod. 27.1.2.3 the weak Humane Nature of Christ could not have endured the hot fire of God's Fierce Wrath but it must have been consumed The Mighty God therefore must support the frail Man Christ Jesus For God to hide his Pleasing Countenance from Christ was as it were the loss of a Heaven for a season and for God to turn his Angry Frowning Face against Christ was the Feeling of a Hell for a Time Who could bear this Loss this Punishment but he that had Omnipotency to uphold him There were several things that were extraordinary in the Sufferings of Christ so that none but he could bear and suffer at that rate and in that manner First That Jesus Christ when he was bruised by God yet claimed Interest in him and Trusted on him In the depth of his Sorrows and Sufferings yet he thus calls him My God my God Psal 22.1 and saith in Heb. 2.13 I will put my trust in him Yea when all left him and the Father too is said to forsake him yet he saith I am not alone but the Father is with me John 16.32 when God did press down a weight of Sufferings on him yet he was perswaded that at that very time he put his Allmighty and Everlasting Arms under him to uphold him Isa 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I uphold Isa 50.7 The Lord God will help me When God did lay Sins on him Isa 53.6 yet he believed he would Justifie him from them all Isa 50.8 He is near that justifieth me Though he was now under a dark Night yet he did believe that God would turn his Shadow of Death into a bright and joyful Morning Psal 16 11. Thou wilt shew me the path of Life in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Secondly That Jesus Christ Loved God even when he was wounded by him and suffered such hard things from him The Damned suffer from God and hate him they belch and vomit out Blaspemies against him But Jesus Christ endured the most bitter and grievous things from the Father's Hand yet still loved him This was the Fat of the Inwards of Christ's Sacrifice Levit. 3.14 Levit. 4.8 that his Soul was filled with the Fear of God Isa xi 2. and had such a profound Humility and made such a deep and hearty Submission to the Will of God Matth. 20.42 which did greatly ennoble the Sufferings of Christ This is very observable that Jesus Christ in the Celebration of his Last Supper twice Gave Thanks to God at the Consecration of the Bread and the Blessing of the Cup 1 Cor. 11.24 26. Matth. 27. What can we conceive was the subject matter of his Thanksgiving but that he blessed his Father for setting him forth to be a Propitiation for Sanctifying and Sending him into the World to be an High-Priest John 10.36 and for Ordaining him to be a Sacrifice 1 Pet. 1.18.19 20. For giving him as Bread from Heaven to feed Famishing Creatures and designing his Blood as a generous Cordial to support fainting Souls O what an excellent Spirit did Christ discover in Blessing of God that made a Spiritual Feast on himself as a Paschal-Lamb and Sacrifice 1 Cor. 5.7.8 Thirdly This was wonderful that Christ that was but one Lamb Isa 53.7 1 John 29. did bear so many Sins yea Thousands and Millions of Transgressions and yet did not sink under them He was a Tried Stone Isa 28.16 Never was there such a Weight of Sins and Sufferings laid on any one as on Christ yet he did not break or sink under this Weight As God put Sins on Christ Isa 53.6 so Christ put them away Heb. 9.26 Aaron did confess all the Sins of the People of Israel over the Scape-Goat and lay them on him Levit. 16.21 but his Memory might fail us to a perfect Enumeration of the kinds and sorts of their sins But God laid the Iniquities of all his People on Christ Isa 53.6.8 and surely God that knew them all remembred and recorded them all did not omit over-slip or forget to lay any of them on Christ therefore the number of Iniquities laid on Christ was not to be recounted conceived comprehended These many sins brought such great Sufferings on Christ that when he took a view of the Sea of Sorrows he was to pass through he began to be sore amaz'd Mark 14.33 and wen he came into the Garden he was in an Agony Luke 22.44 Hesychius a Learned Greek Author sayes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies that vehement fear of Death that falls on Soldiers when they are about to join Battel with an Enemy Jesus Christ was to encounter the Prince of Darkness the Legions of Hell and his Bands and Troops on Earth and the sight of the Multitude of Christ's Enemies and the Greatness of his dangers and sufferings from above and from beneath did put Christ into Agony The Lamb of God was to Combate with a Roaring Lion the Unicorns of Apostate Spirits were to set on him the Jews as Bulls of Bashan and the Romans as Dogs were to assault Jesus Christ Psal 22.12 13 16 21. The True Israel was now to Wrestle with the Wrath of God the Curse of the Law the Rage of Hell yet he prevailed to satisfie Justice quench the Fire of the Wrath of God defeat the Policy and disarm the Power of Hell while Satan the Old Serpent nibled at Christ's Heels he Trod upon and bruised his Head Fourthly That Jesus suffered so that he made an end of Sin finished the Transgression he did so take sin on him that he took it away John 1.29 so bare it that he did bare it away for ever The words used in Dan. 9.24 are very emphatical Jesus Christ Died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lecalleh to make an end of Sin that there should never need or be any more Offerings for Sin Some render the word restrain or to Imprison this is our safety that sin is so Confined and Imprisoned for ever that it shall never more be at liberty to come forth to give Evidence or Testifie against us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lecathem signifies to Seale up This is intimated that Transgressions as Rolls should be sealed up they should be kept private and secret the Long Rolls of our Transgressions should be so sealed up as never more to be opened and Read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lecappher signifies to Reconcile Expiate Iniquity so as to cover it and that not slightly as by spreading a Cloath over it that may be easily taken away but to cover by Plaistering over a
of Sin and the Spirit that was signified by the Water that flowed out of Christ's side is a sovereign Remedy against the Filth and Reigning power of Sin And Jesus Christ the Tree of Life beares Leaves for the Healing of the Nations Revel 22.2 No other Tree hath Healing Leaves but only Jesus Christ his Word Doctrine Promises are Healing Leaves We do not Work to Cure our selves tho' we are Patients yet we cannot be our own Physitians but we are Justified by Christ's Condemnation and live by his Death 4. We are not Washed in any Water of our own providing or in any Bath of our own making but God the Father hath opened a Fountain for sin and uncleanness Zech. 13.1 and this Fountain is opened where we could never have thought of or imagined any such thing even in the pierced side and wounded heart of the Son of God His Head was Crowned with Thornes his Hands and Feet were nailed to the Cross his Side was pierced and Blood did flow from thence to Purifie our Souls This is noble and precious Blood indeed that affects Conscience and reaches so far as to purifie it The Blood of Sacrifices the Ashes of an Heifer and Clean Water availed only to the Purification of the Flesh to take off Ceremonial Uncleanness but Christ poured out his own Blood and thereby made a Precious Laver a Costly Bath This Blood purgeth Conscience from sins that are dead Works as they are the Fruits of Spiritual Death and the Seeds of Eternal Death Though Conscience be stupid and doth not feel the weight of these dead Works yet if they remain unpurged they will revive and sting the Soul to death they will return upon it and sink it to Hell There is no other means to purifie and pacifie Conscience but this Blood and we exceedingly need it There is a Fountain of Iniquity in us that continually flows to defile us Jer. 6.7 As a Fountain casts out its Waters so Jerusalem casts out her Wickedness It is well for us that there is a Fountain without us in Christ to take off that Guilt that is contracted by the Flowings of that Filthy Fountain that is within us Christ's Blood though it is little in quantity yet it is mighty in Virtue There is a deep Sea of Merit in it Micah 7.18 19. Thoug it was poured out of his Body but a few hours yet it is a Fountain that Flowes in all Ages and Generations to take away Sin And is not this most sweet and comfortable that Jesus Christ did not only shed his Blood but sprinkles it also Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness Clean Water to wash the Body is common but clean Water to purifie the Soul is rare and no where to be found but in Christ This is wonderful Grace that Christ would not only shed his Blood but undertakes also to sprinkle it He shed it with unexpressible Pain and Anguish but he Sprinkles it with much Pleasure and Delight As he pitied Souls and shed his Blood for them so he Loves Soules and Sprinkles it on them and Washes them in this Fountain from their Uncleanness Revel 1.56 We are not clothed by our own Works or Righteousness Our Webs cannot become Garments Isa 59.6 Our best Performances cannot clothe us Our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags they cannot hide our Shame cover our Nakedness they are too narrow and short to do it Isa 64.6 Shall we be proud of or trust upon filthy Rags Our own Righteousness is but a Garment full of Patches So Piscator renders the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vestimentum frustrorum panni veteris attriti A Garment of Pieces of old and worn-out Cloth How long have we been serving in the Oldness of the Letter Rom. 7.6 and so our Garment may be called Old Cloth Sometimes we do good Works and then are apt to turn aside and to commit evil Works There are interruptions in our obedience Sin doth too often intervene so that these patches of the Old Man do much blemish and disfigure the Garment of our Righteousness There are Breaches in our Walls and Spots in our Garments As we need clean Water to Purisie us Ezek. 36.25 so we also want clean Linnen to Clothe and Adorn us Revel 19.8 Jesus Christ invites us to come to him to buy White Rayment that the shame of our Nakedness may not appear Revel 3.18 Christ was the Angel that commanded the Filthy Garments to be taken from Joshuah the High-Priest he caused his Iniquities to pass away and Clothed him with change of Rayment Zech. 3.4 The Garments of our Bodies do put us in mind of our Sins and bring to Remembrance our Transgression therefore they are called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bidge from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagad that signifies to Rebel Because if Man had not Apostatized from and Rebelled against God he had not needed Clothing or Garments But the Righteousness of Christ may well be called the Garment of Praise Isa 61.3 It is a Garment for Beauty and Glory and so to be exceedingly praised when God puts it on us then we begin heartily to praise God Christ is stiled the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 he hath healing Beames for wounded Consciencies The Church is said to be Clothed with the Sun Revel 12.1 And is not this a Glorious Garment Doth it not deserve praise in it self and call for the highest Praises from us God provided Coats of Skins and Clothed our First Parents with them Gen. 3.21 The matter of those Coats was the Skins of Beasts that probably were slain and offered in Sacrifice to God This might instruct and teach them that the Spiritual Cloathing of their Souls was to be borrowed from the Obedience and Righteousness of the Great Atoning Sacrifice As many as are Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 Our First Parents did sow Fig-leaves together to make Aprons to hide their shame Gen. 3.7 but when God provided Coats of Skin for them then they threw away their Aprons of Fig-leaves as useless So every Man Naturally seeks some Aprons of Works and righteousness of his own to cover his Nakedness when Conscience accuses them for sin and the Law of God Condemns them for Iniquity The Whore in Prov. 7.14 pleads That she had Peace-offerings with her and that day she had paid her Vowes and with this Apron she thought to hide the Filthiness of her Adultery But when Men come acquainted with Jesus Christ and have that Glorious Clothing revealed to them which he hath proved for Souls then they cast away their Aprons of Works and their own Imaginary Righteousness Paul saith That those things that he reputed his Gains that he thought would gain him the Favour of God Acceptance with God a Title to Everlasting Life these he counted loss for Christ Phil. 3.7 8 9. that is he cast them away not only as unprofitable
out of Prison Isa 49.9 that he should be wounded to heal us and be bruised to bind us up Isa 53.9 10. Isa 61.1 that a Vail should be cast over Christ's Innocency by our Iniquity taken on him that a Vail might be cast over our sins by his Righteousness imputed to us There was an Offence committed that might have remained on us and have destroyed us But O what kindness is this that there should be a Free Gift of Righteousness to relieve and justifie us Rom. 5.15 Christ Redeemed us from Destruction by devoting himself to Death for us in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to Redeem in the Arabick Fada fignifies to Devote ones self to Death This Fada is the same word with the Hebrew Phada and by comparing the two significations of the word in the two Languages we learn this excellent Truth †Vid. Oriental Lexicon That we are Redeemed by Christ's devoting himself to Death for us What we our selves should have fully wrought out that Christ hath bought and freely gives us Dan. 9.24 Rom. 5.19 O how should we admire God Who is a God like to him glorious in Holiness Exod. 15.11 Yet who is a God like to him pardoning iniquity and passing by Transgression and Sin Mic. 7.18 19. As he is Holy he hates sin yet as he is Gracious he pities Sinners His Holiness doth not hinder or obstruct his Mercy 3d. Vse Examine your selves whether you can truly call Jehovah by this sweet and comfortable Name Is he your Righteousness Are you invested with this Righteousness and discharged from your Sins Put these following Questions to your selves for Trial. 1. Did you ever come to your selves Luke 15.17 Did you ever feel your selves to be bound with Cords of Guilt laden with Iniquity ready to sink into the Bottomless Pit Men must be Condemned before they are Justified be cast down before they are lifted up apply the Curse to themselves before they apply the Blessing hear the Sentence of Death denounced against them by the Law before they partake of Justification of Life by the Gospel as the World was first without the Law and then the Israelites were under the Law and then Christ came with Righteousness and Peace So every Justified Sinner is first without the Law he is alive and full of hopes because he is without the Law Rom. 7.9 he knows not the Spirituality of the Commands of the Law nor the Severity of its Threatnings he hath a Calm and Peace because he never imputed his Numerous sins to himself or bound his Heinous Iniquities on himself The Soul is a dead Sea without motion towards God and yet is a calm and quiet Sea without dread and fear of God But when God intends good to the Soul first the Commandment comes Rom. 7.9 and then Sin Revives and a Storm is raised in the Soul but in due time Faith comes Gal. 3.25 and then the Soul is calmed and quieted being Justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 If you were nevere burdened you cannot be eased if you were never broken you cannot be bound up if you were never mourners you cannot be Comforted if you never tasted the bitterness of Sin you cannot tast the sweetness of the Grace of Christ and experience his purifying Blood and his reviving Righteousness If you are Justified How did you come by Pardon and Peace Can you call them Naphtali that you got them by wrestling It is said Israel shall be Justified and saved Isa 45.17 last Jacob wrestled with the Angel for a Blessing his Conscience might accuse him for Fraud and Lying in procuring the Blessing from blind Isaac yet he held the Angel fast said he and would not let him go except he did Bless him Gen. 32.26 And for this his Name was changed and he was called Israel Gen. 32.28 When we find Sin stirring in us when Conscience accuses the Law curses God according to the first Covenant condemns To Believe on Christ for Righteousness is as Peter's walking on the Sea in a storm If we have ever felt the smart of our wounds the Schorching heat of God's Wrath the Burning Poyson of the old Serpent in our Consciences If 〈◊〉 were ever arrested arraigned condemned shut up surely in the anguish of your Souls you have cryed out We are destitute of Righteousness and where shall we find it we have contracted guilt and provoked Wrath And where shall we be Found 2. Were you ever divorced from and dead to the Law and Covenant of Works as your First Husband and then Married to Christ we are first joined to the Law and the Covenant of Works as our First Husband and it makes us a jointure of Life upon condition of perfect Obedience The Apostle compares the Law to a Husband but the froward Heart of Man is not subject to this Husband The more the Commands of the Law are urged on it the more it contradicts and Rebels The motions of Sin are said to be by the Law Rom. 7.5 but the Fruits of Righteousness are by Jesus Christ Phil. 1.11 The Law cannot Sanctifie or Justifie us this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.3 the thing that is impossible to the Law Have you therefore been divorced from and become dead to the Law Rom. 7.4 as it is a Covenant of Works Have you despaired of finding righteousness in your selves and of obtaining a Blessing from the Law and so have looked and fled to Jesus Christ †Heb. 12.24 as those that have been pursued by sin and the wrath of Ged Paul saith Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a Man is not Justified by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Christ Even we have Believed in Jesus Christ that we might be Justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the Works of the Law For by the Works of the Law shall no Flesh be Justified 3. Are you Sanctified Justification and Sanctification always go together as in the Natural Body the Blood and Spirits do flow out together so the Blood and Spirit of Christ are always joined John 19.34 Blood and Water Signifiing the Spirit came together out of Christ's Side He comes by Water and Blood 1 John 5.6 else he would be but half and imperfect Saviour As the same day that the Waters went off form the Earth and were gathered into the Sea the Earth was adorned with Grass Herbs Flowers Trees Gen. 9.11 So when a deluge of Wrath goeth off from the Soul it is presented adorned with the grace of the Spirit and called a Tree of Righteousness Isa 61.2 Those that are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus are also Justified by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 If God Loves the Soul he makes it Lovely If Christ washes you he also makes you Kings and Priests Revel 1.5 6. You are no longer Vassals to your Lusts but as Kings rule in your own Hearts You check vain thoughts
greatest Evils so he Swears again to assure us of the greatest good By my self have I Sworn saith God to Abraham that in Blessing I will Bless thee Heb. 6.13 14. Those to whom Christ is made Righteousness do also receive the Holy Spirit The clean Water of Christ's Blood and the Spirit do go together Ezek. 36.25.27 Tit. 3.5 1 Cor. 6.11 Psal 51.12 Some call the gift of the Spirit Executive Justification they mean that God executes the Sentence of Justification by bestowing the Spirit to break off our Chaines burn up our Dross purge away our Filth and make us free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 Though the Law of Sin be a strong and powerful Law to inslave us yet the Law of the Spirit of Life is more mighty to set us free as Jesus Christ by his Blood redeems us to be the Temple of God so by his Spirit he comes into his Temple takes Possession of it and fills it with his Glory As we live by the Sentence of Justification so Christ lives in us by the Spirit of Sanctification Gal. 2.20 The Spirit is given as a Tree of Life and all Graces are the Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 The Holy Ghost is given as the well of all Living Waters and Spritual streames John 4.14 John 7.37 38 39. By Faith we drink in the very Well it self and therefore Believers can never be totally dry He that Believeth on me shall never thirst John 6.35 Observe and compare the words of God the Father Zech. 13.7 with the words of the Church Cant. 4. last As God said once Awake O Sword against my Shepherd against the Man that is my Fellow smite the Shepherd so the Church now saith daily Awake O North wind and blow O South wind upon my Garden that the Spices of it may flow forth Because the Sword of Justice hath awaked terribly against Christ the Spirit may sweetly awake and blow on our Soules excite quicken and draw forth Grace into act and exercise Christ gives his people the Glory that the Father gave him John 17.22 Musculus understands this Glory to be the gift of the Holy Ghost The Spirit was on Christ Isa 61.1 and given to him John 3.34 And Christ communicates this glorious Spirit to his Members as the soul of the whole mystical body and this makes them one with the Father and the Son and perfects them in one because they participate of the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son and have by it a new divine Nature and do aim at design and seek the Glory of the Father and the Son as they do design their own Glory 6. The Prayers of Justified persons are acceptable to and powerful with God for the Spirit that testifies God's Grace to Believers doth make Intercessions in them As a Spirit of Grace it gives Encouragement to Prayer as a Spirit of Supplication it gives assistance in Prayer Zeck 12.10 Rom. 8.26 This is the Fire from Heaven that warms our cold hearts and kindles all our Sacrifices that they may flame upwards The Prayer of a Believer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 5.16 A deep in-wrought Prayer it is not born in the lips but springs from the Soul Luther on Genesis well expresses it it is not Spuma oris sed singulus cordis The Foam of the Mouth but the Throbbing and Sighing of the Heart The Holy Ghost breaths in Holy Affections and the Soul then breaths out holy desires and expressions Saints pray as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those that are possessed and acted mightily by the Spirit of God hence it is that they so strive and wrestle with God and their prayers are so much valued and desired by Christ Those are wonderful words Cant. 2.14 Christ saith to the Church Let me see thy face let me hear thy voice He that seeth his Father's Face above desires to see Petitioners Faces below He that hears the Songs the Hallelujahs of Angels of Saints in Heaven desires to hear the Voice the Suits of Believers on Earth And as their Prayers are desired so they are accepted The Prayer of the upright is God's delight Prov. 15.8 They Pray in Christ's powerful Name John 16.23 26. and he adds the Incense of his Merits to the Prayers of all Saints Rev. 8.3 and so takes away the Iniquity of their Holy Things The Altar had a Grate of Brass Exod. 27.4 the use of it was to separate the Earthy and Grosser part of the Sacrifice and to let the Ashes through So Christ is an Altar that hath a Grate he separates our sins our defects our weaknesses from our services yea he is the Altar on which our Offerings must be laid and that renders our Sacrifices acceptable to God Isa 60.7 It is said that the Offerings of Believers shall ascend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Good-Will my Altar God speaks and puts this glorious Name on Christ Good-Will my Altar What an encouragement is this to Saints that are Spiritual Priests to offer Holy Sacrifices seeing they have Good-Will for their Altar God is so pleased with and delights in Christ that he calls him Good-Will my Altar 7. All the outward and Temporal Mercies of Justified Persons are heightened and sweetened to them by the Spring from whence they flow and they have a new tast He delivered me saith David because he delighted in me Psal 18.19 In love to my Soul saith Hezekiah he hath delivered me from the pit of corruption having cast all my sins behind his back Isa 38.17 Even Temporal Mercies are Glasses in which they see their Father's Face and are Stairs or Ladders by which their Hearts are raised to God Jehoshaphat had an Established Kingdom Riches and Honour in abundance And what was the fruit and effect of this his heart was lifted up in the ways of God 2 Chron. 17.5 6. Earthly Enjoyments do usually fuel Men's Lusts but they fed and inflamed Hezekiah's Love to God they are to Carnal Men Weights that press them down the Prosperity of Fools doth destroy them Prov. 1.32 but through Grace they are Wings to raise Saints Souls to God Believers enjoy their outward Mercies by a Spiritual Right they have them by Promise Heb. 11.9 Canaan was the Land of Promise and Abraham was Heir to it by the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.13 Sacrifices were slain that Typified Christ and then God entred into a Covenant with Abraham gave and assured Canaan to him Gen. 15.8 9 10 17 18. Believers have a Right to Earthly things by God's Promise and Christ's Death who is the Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 Earthly things are but as Cyphers but God adds a great Figure to them to make them signifie something Gen. 17.8 I will give thee the Land of Canaan and I will be thy God they are to Believers but additional things as an over-plus cast into the Kingdom of God as the Principal Matth. 6.33 So the Country of Sihon and Og the King of
Bashan were given to Israel that they might have a passage to Canaan their Inheritance Deut. 2.30 Deut. 3.1 So God gives the Earth to his People that they may have a passage through it to their Heavenly Country 8. All the Afflictions of Justified persons 1. Are allayed and mitigated Saints do acknowledge that God punishes them less than their Iniquities do deserve Ezra 9.13 the Wind is not so high the Furnace is not so hot the Burden is not so heavy as their sins do Merit yet God as a Father accounts the Sufferings of his People to be too much Isa 40.1 Thou hast received double at the hand of the Lord for thy sins These Sufferings that are not enough to Rigorous Justice are too many to Fatherly Mercy He stops his Hand sheathes his Sword throws away his Rod when yet our Sins call for more Strokes and Stripes He refines us but not with Silver Isa 48.10 he doth not so long keep us in the Furnace of Affliction till our Dross is quite separated and consumed for then our whole life would be nothing else but a Series of Misery and Sufferings 2. Our Afflictions have a new face they are not the fruits of pure Vindictive Justice or Wounds from an Incensed Implacable Judge but Chastisements from a Father who tho' he Corrects in time yet is pacified and reconciled for Eternity Yea Afflictions spring from God's Care of us and Love to us Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth If you endure chastening God dealeth with you as sons Heb. 12.6 7. Those that are without Chastisement are Bastards and not Sons those that are an Illegitimate spurious seed the Father is ashamed to own and acknowledge them or to take any care about their breeding and education and regards not to correct them when they do amiss but a Lawful Posterity are better bred duely taught and timely corrected and God Chastens them with Judgment not in Anger Jer. 10.24 God may be said to Correct with Judgment when he considers their Relation and the Nearness of his People to him Lam. 2.20 Behold O Lord and consider to whom hast thou done this and when God considers rather how little his People can bear than how much they deserve and God hath gracious ends in Afflicting his People 1. That they may not be Condemned and perish with the wicked World 1 Cor. 11.32 We are judged and chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World 2. God Afflicts to purge away sin to separate us from our dross of Iniquity and sin of Hypocrisie Isa 1.25 this is the fruit and end of Corrections to take away sin Isa 27.9 to drive away that Spiritual folly that is in our hearts God is a Refining Fire that he may not be a consuming fire as a Physitian takes away Blood to allay a Feaver and cure a Disease 3. God designs by Afflictions to make us partakers of his Holiness Heb. 12.10 11. that we might learn more to live to him and be brought more to live on him that we might less solace our selves in the Creature and more delight in himself that we might be more conformed to him and be better fitted to converse with him Though Afflictions are Punishments to the Old Man to pull it down yet they are Mercies to the New Man to build it up A poor Man would quietly suffer his Lord to pull down an old decaying sinking Cottage if he did believe that he designed to raise and build up a strong and better House all Afflictions tend but to wast and extinguish the life of the First Adam in the Body to make room for and to let in the glorious life of Christ into it at the Resurrection 4. This is a weighty and powerful consideration to lessen and lighten the anguish and bitterness of our Afflictions that Justification gives a Fatal and Mortal Blow at the root of them The time is coming when the Inhabitants of Zion shall not any more say that they are sick for their Iniquities shall be forgiven them Isa 33. last God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of Saints there shall be no more pain sorrow or crying no more Death Revel 21.4 No more Curse Revel 22.3 The days of Saints mourning shall be at an end Isa 60.20 All Afflictions are but short and momentary and therefore but light 2 Cor. 4.17 9. Death is an Advantage to Justified Persons Death is theirs 1 Cor. 3.22 To die is gain Phil. 1.21 In Death the Wicked Fear the greatest evil but the Righteous hope for the greatest good Prov. 14.32 When the Body falls under the Bondage of Corruption the Souls of Believers are perfectly freed from the Bondage of Sin Though it be a Mournful Seed-time to our Flesh it is sown in corruption 1 Cor. 15.42 yet it is a Joyful Harvest to the Spirit for it reaps Everlasting Life Gal. 6.8 Death that is in it self the most terrible thing hath Colour put into its pale Cheeks and it is changed into a comfortable thing Death in Christ is the purchase of all our happiness and Death to Believers is the way to possess it by Christ's Death they are Heirs in Reversion by their own Death they are Heirs in Possession that which utterly impoverishes others greatly enriches them that which kills the Body perfectly cures the Soul When our baser part shall return to the Dust feed Worms dwell in the darkness of the Grave our better part shall be called up to the Marriage Feast to see the Face of God and dwell in glorious Light and Reign in a Blessed Life Christ hath made Death Mortal and threatens to be a Plague a Deadly disease to it and to be Destruction to the Grave Hos 13 14. 10. Justified Persons shall Rise by the Power of Christ their Head and Second Adam 1 Cor. 15.22 His Spirit will find out the Ruines and Rubbish of its old Temple and build it up again as a Glorious and Everlasting habitation for it self Rom. 8.11 in Saints that shall be found alive at the last day mortality shall be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.4 Dead Saints shall be raised and in them Death shall be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 a Body shall be formed up again so the Grave shall lose its Victory this Body shall be animated and alive so Death shall lose its sting 1 Cor. 15.55 when the Soul bears the Image of Christ in Holiness 2 Cor. 3. last and the being in a Glorious Immortality 1 Cor. 15.49 then we shall be satisfied with his likeness Psal 17. last then Christ will give his Members clear and full Evidences of their Adoption Rom. 9.23 when their Bodies shall be redeemed from the Bondage of Corruption and Soul and Body both shall possess a lot in the Heavenly Canaan Dan. 12. last As Saints die to the Lord Rom. 14.8 sleep in him 1 Thes 4.14 so they shall be made alive in Christ 1
read them over to Sinners for ever Yea Conscience also will repeat them over upbraid with them Condemn Lash and Scourge for them to Eternity This is the Worm that never dies Mark 49.46 48. Job saith That his Heart should never Reproach him Job 27.6 But the Hearts of Unpardoned Sinners shall ever Reproach them for their folly Ingratitude Perverseness and Obstinacy against God that they had a Heart of Stone that would not relent Ezek. 36.26 An Iron sinew that would not bow and yield Isa 48.4 I come now to the use of the Doctrine 1. Vse This may inform us of the great difference that is between Saints and the Wicked of the World David desires nothing more than that God would hide his Face from his Sins and that both in a way of Mercy and Righteousness they long to have somewhat offered to God's Eye that may indeed pacifie his displeasure and turn his angry Countenance away from their Sins and they know nothing can do this but the Obedience and Sacrifice of Christ Rom. 5.19 But the Wicked do harden themselves in Sin and quiet themselves under guilt quite another way He thus feeds his unbelief Psal 10.11 He hath said in his Heart God hath Forgotten He hideth his Face he will never see it verse 13. The Wicked contemn God he hath said in his Heart thou wilt not Require it They think God lyes on a Couch of ease not that he sits on a Throne of Majesty and a Tribunal of Justice they foolishly imagin that God will not call for an Account from Men or call for a Sword of Justice to awaken against them They think there is no danger from God's Frowning Face that no Storm is to be dreaded from his Angry Countenance they account that God is not concerned about their Transgressions that he dislikes them as little as they or forgets them as much as they Faith Cures the Wound in Saints but Unbelief Skins it over in the Wicked 2d Vse 1. I would Exhort you to make the same Petition to pursue the same Request with David That God would hide his face from your sins and blot out your Iniquities 2dly If God hath blotted out your Iniquities O! be Thankful for so great a Mercy 1. Consider the Evil that will follow if God hide not his Face from our Sins 1. Our Sins must and will be set in order before our Faces Psal 50.21 I will reprove thee and set the things thou hast done in order before thee As a skilfulful Lawyer that is to prosecute a Traytor he draws up the Charge opens the Evidence aggravates the Crime of him that is Impeached and Arraigned branches out all the particulars that may Black and Burden the Malefactor so God himself will be Plaintiff the Accuser the Witness and the Judge too Isa 3.13 14. Micah 1.2 3. Isa 3.22 God will search out the Iniquities of those he doth not pardon Psal 10.5 God will not omit or forget any of them Amos 8.7 The Lord hath Sworn Surely I will never forget any of their works Sinners must see their folly their deformity their ingratitude all their horrid Crimes committed against God and their eyes shall be fixed on this dismaying and terrible Object as they shall never look off from it or see any thing else to comfort them 2. Thou must be cast out of God's gratious presence The Jews that submitted not to the Righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 and so lay under Guilt are said to be cast away Rom. 2.15 God threatned Israel to drive them out of his House Hos 9.15 and to cast them away Hos 9. last The dreadful casting away is at last Matth. 13.48 the bad Fish to their eternal Infamy and Reproach are cast away This is an evil that David did most dread and deprecate Cast me not away from thy presence Psal 51.11 This was that which even Cain a Reprobate had some sence of as a bitter evil From thy Face shall I be hid Gen. 4.14 if our sins are and remain before God's Face we shall be banished out of his gracious Presence for ever 3. These must behold God's Angry Frowning Face It was terrible to Zedekiah to see the Face of the King of Babylon that he had highly provoked this Jeremiah threatens Jer. 32.4 Thy eyes shall see his eyes But how much more dreadful is it to see the Face of an Angry God David was not able to brook and bear this therefore he cries out Hide thy Face from my sins Every Frown of God was as an Arrow piercing his Heart as a Sword wounding his Soul If the displeased countenance of a Father be so terrible What will the Ireful Look of an Incensed and Inexorable Judge be Job 34.29 When he hideth his Face who can then behold him If God hide his Pleasing Countenance who can behold his Angry Face Psal 76.7 Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art Angry 4. If God hide not his Face from thy Sins thy eyes must see thy Destruction Job 21.20 Thou that wouldest not believe the Threatnings of Vengeance must see the Fury of God poured out on thee thou shalt see thy Judge come in the Clouds Revel 1.7 thou shalt be brought forth to Judgment Job 21.30 and then soon be hurried away and led forth to Execution Psal 125. last thou shalt be presented before the Face of God and then fall into his Punishing hand 2. Consider what Mercy will follow if God hides his Face from thy Sins 1. If God doth hide his Face from your sins he will no more hide his Face as an Enemy from your Soules Ezek. 39. last I will no more hide my Face from them For I have poured out my Spirit on the House of Israel God can never totally withdraw from those on whom he poures out his Spirit yea the Spirit holds and establishes their hearts that they can never finally depart from God Where the Blood of Christ is sprinkled on his Spirit is also put into the Soul Ezek. 36.25.27 if God hides his Angry Face he sheweth his Pleasing Countenance when he doth abscond helâ— from us then he manifests Heaven to us The Angry look of God on the Sins and Soules of Sinners is a Hell but the lifting up of the Light of his Countenance makes a Heaven 2. If God hide his Face from our sins he will not hide his Commandments from us Psal 119.19 but will teach us his Statutes Psal 119.102 Thou wilt guide me by thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory Psal 73.24 3. This will be the end of God's afflicting of us to hide Pride from us Job 33.17 to hide that from us which we are so prone to seek after he will hide the filthy Matter of and Temptations to Pride from us 4. Adversaries shall be defeated in their hopes and designs Jer. 50.20 The Iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found Who should