this mutual bond to precede that he and his creatures might come near to each other with the greatest familiarity and bind themselves to each other by reciprocal ingagements and consents II. That no Covenant can be made with God without the interposing of and respect unto a sacrifice 1. In the old Church when Israel entred into Covenant with God there were solemn sacrifices The manner you have described Exod. 24. from vers 4. to the 10 th And explained by the Apostle Heb. 9.19 20. When Moses had spoken every Precept unto all the People according to the Law he took the blood of Calves and of Goats with Water and scarlet Wool and Hyssop and sprinkled both the Book and all the People saying This is the Blood of the Testament which God hath enjoined unto you In this Action you may observe that after the writing of the Law Moses built an Altar under the Hill and twelve Pillars according to the Twelve Tribes of Israel Exod. 24.4 The Altar represented God the first and chief party in the Covenant And the twelve Pillars of stone represented the other confederate Party the People of Israel who were to come before the Lord as his obedient People Now both the parties were not only thereby dead representation or in Image and Figure but there were also lively Types of the Glory and Presence of the God of Israel for it is said vers 10. They saw the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved Work of a Sapphire Stone and as it were the Body of Heaven for clearness God was there in great Majesty to Solemnize the Covenant You know Heaven is his Throne and the Church his Foot-stool Therefore when the Church was desolate it is said Lam. 2.1 God remembred not his footstool in the day of his Anger On Israels part there were present Moses and Aaron and Nadab and Abihu and Seventy of the Elders of Israel and they were to worship afar off vers 1. To express their reverence to this great God who was to enter into Covenant with them Moses alone was to come up to Iehovah but the Elders went up but half way Moses went up unto the top of the Mount in a Dark Cloud as the Mediator and the People abode beneath at the foot of the Mount and the Elders went up but half way Well then the Covenant is propounded to the People Moses came and told the People all the words of the Lord and all the judgments And they make Answer All the words which the Lord hath said will we do vers 3. But before the full confirmation of his Covenant you read that Moses sent the Young men of the Children of Israel who offered Burnt-offerings and sacrificed Peace-offerings of Oxen unto the Lord v. 5. The Young men that is the first-born who had the right of Priest-hood before the Levites were chosen and taken instead of the first-born of Israel Numb 3.41 And by their Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings it was declared that we cannot enter into Covenant with God without sacrifices These sacrifices did Figure the Death of Christ and the benefits thence accrueing to us There were Burnt-offerings to shew the means of their propitiation with God and Peace-offerings to shew their thankfulness for the peace and Salvation which by it they obtained The next thing in this Action was that Moses took half the blood and put it in basons and half the blood he sprinkled on the Altar vers 6. And then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the Audience of the People and they said All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient vers 7. Then he took the rest of the blood and sprinkled it on the People He sprinkled it on the Altar to shew that God took upon him an obligation to bless And the reading of the Book of the Covenant in the Audience of the People sheweth That those that will enter into Covenant with God should understand their Duty and be ready to fullfil it Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the People and said Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words vers 8. The blood sprinkled on the People may be meant of the twelve Pillars set up to represent the People They take an obligaâ—â—â—n to obey One Party is not bound and the other free but both bound to each other Thus the first Covenant was not dedicated without the blood of a sacrifice Well then God is the principal Party covenanting and binding himself to the People by his Promises And the People binding themselves to his precepts that they might avoid the penalty threatned and obtain the blessings promised And this Covenant was confirmed by blood and this blood sprinkled and so made inviolable There is but one circumstance more and that is Vers. 11. And upon the Nobles of the Children of Israel he laid not his hand also they saw God and did eat and drink That is these select and chosen men the Elders spoken of before were not hurt and affrighted by God and did feast in his presence in token of their reconciliation with him and joy in his grace This was the way of entrance by the Jewish Church all which are Mysterious and Typical God that otherwise driveth a sinner from him is made propitious to us that we need not be afâ—righted at his presence yea may hope for all good things from him yea we mâ—y feast chearfully in his presence 2. The Christian Church doth also make a covenant with him by sacrifice This will appâ—ar in three things 1. thaâ— Christs death hath the true notition and vertue of a sacrifice 2. That this sacrifice hath respect to the covenant of Grace 3. That our manner of entering into Covenant with God is by the same moral acts by which they were to be Conversant about a sacrifice 1. That Christ's Death hath the true Notion and full vertue of a Sacriâ—â—ce 1. The true notion Ephes. â— 2. He hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour His death is a mediatory sacrifice a propitiatory sacrifice for the expiation of the sins of his People In all the sacrifices of the Law there was shedding of blood without which was no remission of sins All were killed â—layed Some were burnt some rosted some fryed on coals some seethed in pots All which were but shadows of the painful sufferings of our Lord Christ which he indured for our sins Christ is the only true and real sacrifice wherein provoked justice doth rest satisfyed Christ in this sacrifice was the Priest who as God did offer up himself Heb. 9.14 Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God As man he was the sacrifice Heb. 10.10 By which will we are Sanctified through the offering of the Body of Iesus Chrâ—st once for all We may add
I shall tell you what Application there must be if we cannot attain to Assurance There are three degrees of Application beneath Assurance 1. Acceptation of God's Offer that is one degree of Application Iob 5.27 Hear it and know thou it for thy good Put in for these Hopes and take God on his Word stipulate with him and undertake thy part of the Covenant upon a confidence God will not fail thee As Moses when the Book of the Law was read Exod. 24.6 took half the Blood and sprinkled it on the Altar to shew that God undertook to bless them and ver 8. the other half he sprinkled on the People by which they were engaged to obey There must be in all Christians the Answer of a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 2. Adherence Stick close to this Hope in a course of Obedience If we do God's Work we shall not fail of Wages 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the Air. 3. Affiance noting waiting upon God tho with some Doubts and Fears for the Revelation of this Glory Tho you cannot say It is yours yet wait with hope till your Change come looking for the Mercy of Christ so that you durst venture your Soul in that Bottom This is committing our Souls to him in well-doing as to a merciful and faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 You put your Souls into God's Hands that made them 3. Expect it This is the formal Act of Hope which is pressed in the Text. This Hope and Expectation of Blessedness is the Strength of the inward Man The Devils have a Faith but because it is without Hope it yieldeth no Refreshment James 2.19 Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble The word signifies such a trembling as the raging of the Sea it is a Light that does not refresh but scorch There would be Comfort in Hell if there could be Hope there It is the Duty now in season here we must expect Rom. 8.24 We are saved by Hope In Innocency there was little or no use of Hope and in Heaven there will be none at all the Object of Man's Happiness will be present and enjoyed but now all is to come we have only a Taste and Pledg to make us long for more and expect more Faith by Hope maketh them present Substance Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Substance of Things hoped for Things of Eternal Life seem as a Shadow and Fiction to a carnal Heart This Hope is an earnest Elevation of the Mind to look for what Faith counteth real Vse 3. To direct us how to look for this blessed Hope 1. Consider it Hope is a temperate Extasy a Survey of the Land of Promise As God said to Abraham Gen. 13.14 15. Lift up now thine Eyes and look from the Place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward For all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy Seed for ever So Psal. 48.12 Walk about Zion and go round about her tell the Towers thereof It is a great Advantage to think often of Heaven it maketh it present to us Heaven deserveth our best Thoughts We should always do it in the Morning it were a good Preservative to keep us from being under the power of present things Psal. 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness In some special Seasons doth Hope set the Mind a-work in times of Trouble and present Sufferings we enjoy a happy Dedolency the Mind is untouched whatever the Body suffereth When we are summoned to the Grave and bodily Sicknesses put you in mind of Death when Sense and Speech fail the Love of God never fails this pale Horse is sent from Christ to carry us to Glory and though we go down to the Grave to converse with Worms and Skulls this Hope may comfort us Iob 19.26 27. And thoug◠after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold and not another tho my Reins be consumed within me 2. Long for it Hope cannot be without Groans Every day wind up your Affections for here is nothing but Conflicts and Sorrows Love to Christ cannot be without him it will never be content Nature desires Perfection Col. 3.1 2. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right Hand of God Set your Affections on Things above not on Things on the Earth There is our God our Christ our Rest Where your Treasure is there will your Heart be also Mat. 6.22 not only the Mind but the Heart what we are much thinking of the Desires will be working that way The new Nature cannot be without these Desires every thing tendeth thither whence it came Eph. 1.3 Who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heavenly Places God sits in Heaven that dispenseth Grace Christ that conveyeth it thence come our Mercies Comforts and Joys therefore it is against the tendency of the new Nature not to be tending thither where Christ is who is our greatest Happiness There is your Father your elder Brother the best of the Family and your spiritual Relations whom you most valued the best Company is in the other World Here you have Maintenance as in a foreign Land but there is your Interest and Estate How unworthy soever we are there is infinite Mercy to give it there it acts like it self infinite Merit to purchase it there we receive the full Fruits of our Redemption and the present Fruits of the Spirit are the Earnest of it as an Earnest is something in part of a greater Sum. 3. Wait for it There are Groans of Expectation as well as of Desire You have a fair Charter granted by God the Father written with the Blood of Christ sealed by the Spirit To make your Expectation more firm consider 1. Christ's Goodness and Mercy Looking for the Mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternal Life Jude v. 21. He never discovered any backwardness to thy Good or inclination to thy Ruin 2. God's Faithfulness Heb. 9.18 19. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong Consolation God stands more on his Word than on Heaven and Earth If an honest Man has made a promise of any thing he will make it good much more may we depend on the faithful God 3. God's Power If our Souls were in our own keeping we might fear but we are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Abraham being perswaded of God's Power against Hope believed in Hope Rom. 4.18 4. Christ's Merit and Intercession Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right Hand of God who also maketh
answer me speedily We must have a present Answer and shall God stand waiting when there 's danger of his dishonour Therefore now while it is to day turn unto God To Morrow is a very uncertain thing Besides if you were certain of to Morrow it is folly to lye under the Wrath of God any longer If really you are convinced of a Sinful State why do you not repent and return to God now In every Sinful Action thou art laying thy Soul at pawne and one Sin more may fill up the Measure of your Iniquity Besides every day will make you more unfit to turn to God and it is base self-love to think of indulging the Flesh longer provided at length you can be saved 3. The Scripture sheweth the profit of it 1. What a Remedy it is against Sin Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Every Man is a Sinner but every Man shall not dy by Sin There is in Sin reatus culpa poena macula 1. Reatus the Guilt that is blotted out Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Sin is written in two Books one in Gods keeping the other in our own He doth not say that we may blot out our Sins out of Gods Book that is not the Debtors but the Creditors work to cross the Book Isa. 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins There is an hand-writing against us but it is blotted out when we repent Our own Book is the Book of Conscience Heb. 10.22 Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience The Worm of Conscience gnaws us till we repent then the Spirit blotteth it out of our hearts 2. Macula the stain the more a Man sinneth the more he is inclined to Sin as a brand that hath been once in the fire is apt to take fire again We lose tenderness by every act of Sin and the smart of Repentance is a means to kill the Sin as breaking up the fallow Ground doth destroy the Weeds Ier. 4.3 Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thorns 3. Culpa the Blame God will not upbraid us with former Sins Mark 16.7 Go tell my disciples and Peter It is judged in one Court already not a word of Peters miscarriage tell him I am risen 4. Poena the Punishment that is done away by Repentance we may look for days of Refreshment 2. The Comfort it will bring God hath Comforts for his Mourners Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Never such sweet revivings as after Godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation never to be repented of Many have repented of their Carnal Mirth but never any of their Godly sorrow you will never curse the day of your new birth 4. The Scripture offereth Grace and help of God to work this in us Ezek. 11.19 20. I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirits within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh That they may walk in my statutes and keep mine ordinances and do them and they shall be my people and I will be their God Men will say they cannot repent come and wait upon God and he will give you to repent Acts 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life God doth not only give occasions of Repentance time of Repentance means of Repentance but power to repent yea repentance it self Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins So that if we would turn wrangling into Prayer and bemoan our selves and say Ier. 31.18 Turn us O Lord and we shall be turned If we would follow him close we need not be discouraged 5. The Scripture layeth down powerful Arguments to quicken us to Repentance which have a marvelous tendency and influence that way I shall single out three The Death of Christ The Day of Judgment and the Torments of Hell 1. The Death of Christ. A serious Consideration of the Death of Christ will further Humiliation and Reformation 1. Humiliation 1. Here is the highest instance of the Love of God and the purest Fountain of Tears is Gods Love Mary wept much because much was forgiven her Nothing thaweth the Heart more than the warm beams of Mercy Wrath causeth Sorrow to flow like Water out of a Still by the force of Fire but Love gently melteth the Heart and causeth it to run out at the Eyes in a Flood and Stream of Tears Here is the highest instance of Gods Love Christ is the greatest gift that ever he gave the World when he gave us Life and Breath and all things though he gave them to us yet he gave us nothing from himself But now out of his bosome he gave us Christ that is Love Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son It cannot be told it can only be wondred at Rom. 5.8 But God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us So great a Person for such vile Creatures How can an ingenuous heart think of this I have sinned against God that gave his Christ I have grieved his Spirit that loved me and dyed for me Saul had an hard Heart and yet he wept when David told him how he had spared him when it was in his power to kill him 1 Sam. 24.16 Had God done no more for us but spared us that should melt us but he commended his Love that Christ dyed for us 2. Here is the truest spectacle of Sin for all that was done to Christ Sin did it What could Men or Devils do Men could do nothing Iohn 18.6 Assoon as he said unto them I am he they went backward and fell to the ground Poor Dust and Ashes swooned at the breath of his Mouth Not Devils he could cast them out with a Word Not Gods Justice that hath no place against Innocency No it was we not Iudas nor Pilate nor the Romans nor the Iews but we that have pierced him Zechar. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced This will give us the truest spectacle of Sin The old World was a sad spectacle but that is no wonder a filthy World to be washed with a Deluge Sodom was another sad spectacle Hell was rained out of Heaven but it is no wonder to see combustible matter burn But Christ was a green Tree the Son of God Holy and Undefiled who was made Sin only by a voluntary susception but when he was made Sin God spared him not Now the hainousness of Sin appeareth 1. In the value of the Sacrifice 2. The Extremity of