Israel out of his sight and cast Judah and Jerusalem also out of his presence 2 Kings 24.20 And God removed Judah out of his sight 2 Kings 24.3 because the King and the People did evil in his sight 2 Kings 24.9 19. They were not cast out of the sight of God's Omniscient Eye but from the Eye of his gracious and Fatherly Providence 3. God will at last Rain a Hell from his Angry Face 2 Thes 1.9 Those that known not God and obey not the Gospel shall be Punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Face of the Lord the same Face shall shine a Heaven of Happiness into the Souls of the Saints and shall Frown an Hell of Misery into the Souls of the Wicked 2. If God hide his Face from our Sins Love will come up into his Face and look out at his Eyes on Believers and Saints Psal 4.6 Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance on us the Love that was secret and hidden in the Heart comes up into his Face and is manifested to and shed abroad in the Hearts of Believers by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Cant. 8.10 I found Favour in his Eyes Love and Kindness sparkles in and looks out from the Eyes God looks with a pleasing Countenance on his People the Spiritual Day doth break and Dawn and the Sun of Righteousness doth Arise and Shine in the Hearts of Believers Malachy 4.2 Psa 130.5 6. and the Countenance of God is said to behold the upright Psal 41. last that is with complacency and delight he withdraweth not his Eyes from the Righteous Job 36.7 He sets his Eyes on them for good Jer. 24.6 I will set mine Eyes on them for good If Sin be not set before God's Face God may take good out of his Treasury for us and bestow it on us Hos 14.2 yea God will set us before his Face for Ever Psal 41.12 That we may still dwell in his Presence Psal 140. last and behold his Face in Righteousness Psal 17. last Psal 16. last 2. It is most desirable for God to blot out all our Iniquities for 1. It is the most dreadful Evil and Curse that can be wished for Sin not to be bloted out Psal 109.14 Let not the Iniquity of his Mother be blotted out 2. If God do not blot out Iniquitie he may by sudden Judgement and sore Vengeance blot persons out of the Land of the Living Gen. 7.4 Every Living Substance that I have made I will destroy in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will blot out Corrupt Men are Evil lines of being and it is said It repented God that he had made Man on the Earth it greived him at his Heart Gen. 6.5 Man is so cross and contrary to the very end of his Creation that God did blot out the Old World of Men by the Flood if Men are bloted out of the World in their Sins Where must they be lodged but in a miserable Eternity 3. If we consider what Sin is What a valuable Mercy is it for it to be bloted out 1. It is a mist a thinner or a thicker Cloud according to its Nature and aggravations Isa 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy Transgressions and as a Cloud thy Sins Sin is as a hiding Cloud it hinders the light of God's Countenance from shining on us Isa 59.2 Your Sins have hid his Face from you 2. It is as a storming Cloud Psal 11.6 The Lord will rain Fire and Brimstone on the Wicked this shall be the portion of their cup. If Men suffer here They are cast into the hand of their Transgression Job 8.4 In the Hebrew it is That God did cast Job's Children into the hand of their Transgression If their Iniquities are punished hereafter they do for them fall into the hands of God Heb. 10.31 2. Sin is a debt Matth. 6.12 Forgive us our debts These debts are recorded in the Creditor's Book God saith Behold it is written before me Isa 65.6 and it is registred also in the debter's Book Jer. 17.1 It is written it is graven that is the Sin of Judah on the Table of their Heart Sin is called a debt because the Sinner owes God Glory to be raised out of his Sufferings and Eternal Torments And it is desirable this debt should be blotted out to prevent God's arrest and our Eternal Imprisonment 3. Sin is a crime a capital crime and that which is kept safe as matter of accusation against the Sinner It is as it were sowed up in a bag Job 14.17 As the depositions of Witnesses and the confessions of Malefactors are kept safe against the Assizes and day of Trial. Yea Mens Sins are sealed up among God's Treasures Deut. 32.34 God speaks of the Israelites bitter and corrupt Fruit and then puts this question Is not this laid up in store with me Is it not scaled up among my Treasures God hath a Treasury of knowledg of all past things and Sins are sealed up among these Treasures But what a kind of capital crime is Sin I answer 1. It is Rebellion against God I have Nourished and brought up Children and they have Rebelled against me A Rebellious Subject with us a Rebellious Son among the Jews was put to Death What Homage do we owe to God our King What Obedience should we render to God our Father 2. Sin is Spiritual Whoredom and Adultery Hos 4.12 They have gone a Whoring from under their God Thou hast destroyed such as go a Whoring from thee Psal 73.27 Adultery was capital it was punished with death by the Law of God Men loath God and love the Creature 3. Sin is Robbery and Stealing Mal. 3.8 Ye have Robbed me God saith My Son give me thy Heart Prov. 23.26 But the Heart of Men goeth after their Coveteousness Ezek. 33.31 Though they are by Baptism and a Solemn Covenant devoted to God yet they Sacrilegiously alienate themselves from God Isa 24.5 They broke the Everlasting Covenant Is it not our benefit to have our Crimes blotted out 4. If Sin be not blotted out God cannot write his Laws in our Hearts Jer. 31.33 34. God promiseth to write his Laws in the Heart And why It is thus answered vers 34. For I will forgive their Iniquity and I will Remember Sin no more Forgiveness of Sin is the root of all the Promises and Covenant-Blessings 5. God cannot record any Good thoughts words or works of ours if Sin be not blotted out Mal. 3.16 A Book of Remembrance was written before him for those that feared the Lord and thought on his Name Sin doth so corrupt and stain our best Works that nothing might be recorded for our honour or advantage Nehemiah prays that God would not wipe out his good deeds Neh. 13.14 6. If Sins be not blotted out the time is coming when God's Book will be opened Revel 20.12 God will review Men's Sins look on them and
God by Isaiah tell us Isa 48.8 Thou wast called a Transgressor from the Womb. God might call us Backsliders Revolters Rebels and Enemies And is not our own Name both reproachful dangerous and pernicious too if we keep and retain it Is it not then absolutely necessary that we should lose our old Name and put on the Honourable and Glorious Name of Christ that we may be Justified in it 1 Cor. 6.11 The Apostle Paul hath this expression Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus The Apostle seems to me plainly to refer to the Name of Christ in the Text and to this Name as communicated to and put on the Church Jer. 33.16 in this Name of our Husband must we be Justified If our old Name stick on us and cleave to us we must surely be Condemned in this Name and the Wrath of God will abide upon us But Christ's Name will draw Salvation on us and procure a Blessing for us As a Husband must Cloath his Wife so Christ spreads the Skirt of the Robe of his Righteousness on and over us to hide our Shame and cover our Nakedness Ezek. 16.8 as a Husband is a cover to the Wife he protects her from Debts Arrests Law-suites so the Spouse of Christ is under Covert he secures her from the wofull effects of Sin and Wrath. 4. It is by Faith that we become interested in and related to Christ as a Surety Heb. 7.22 Christ is the Surety of a better Covenant and Testament If Jesus Christ had not undertaken to stand under feel and endure the curse of the Old violated Covenant of Works Deut. 27. last Gal. 3.10.13 and to Merit for us the Blessings of the New Covenant as a Priest of Good Things Gal. 3.14 Heb. 9.11 God would never have made a New Covenant or Tastament it is built on Christ's Suretyship as a Foundation Christ in this dissers from all other Testators that he Bequeaths nothing in his Testament but what he Merits by his Sufferings and purchases by his Death For whom is Christ a Surety And to whom doth the Benefit of Christ's Suretyship redound but to those that Believe on him their Ransom he paid their Debt he discharged As the Payment of a Surety is imputed to the Principal Debtor so the Payment of Christ is imputed to all Indebted Sinners that come to Christ and receive his Righteousness Rom. 5.17 it availes and advantages no others but God reckons Christ's Obedience and Satisfaction to every Believer Some have conceived * Witsus de Faedere that the word Imputation is borrowed from Arithmetick and keeping of Accounts God doth as it were keep a Book Isa 65.6 Behold it is Written before me Our Sins Transgressions and Provocations are as Debts set down in one Page of this Book and the Obedience Sufferings and Satisfaction of Christ is set down as it were in another Page of God's Book When God accounts the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ to us this Ballances the Account this Crosses the Book and makes all even between God and us God sets Christ's Obedience against our Disobedience his Righteousness against our Unrighteousness because we come into this Righteousness by Faith and trust on his Blood Psal 69.27 Rom. 3.25 God now saith Poor Souls let it be to you according to your Faith you trust in Christ's Righteousness 2. Pet. 1. so let it cloath and cover you and secure you from all your sins and the Curse of my Law As Christ is one with us in Nature as a Man so he is one with us in Law as a Surety Christ did put his Name into our Bond and was as a Surety bound in our Obligation that in a Righteous way he might blot our Sins out of God's Book and Insert our Names into his own Testament Jesus as a Surety vailed his own Innocency covered his own Personal Purity and Righteousness took on him our Sins became Heir of our Punishment and Curse that he might hide and cover our Sins and we become Heirs of his Righteousness and Blessings As the Sentence of Death passed against and was executed on Christ our Surety so we partake of Justification of Life and reign in Life through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.18 21. God punished our sins in Christ and God rewards Christ's Obedience and Sufferings in us Our Sins were punished in Christ's Condemnation his Obedience is rewarded in our Justification There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gift of Righteousness and for this there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free forgiveness of many Offences Rom. 5.16.17 This Glorious Name The Lord our Righteousness being put on us the Reproachful Chains of Guilt do fall off from us 4. Who is it that shall call Christ by this Name Answer 1. Such as know Jesus Christ John 5.20 He hath given us an understanding to know him that is true By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Isa 53.11 that is many by knowing of Jesus Christ shall be Justified Faith is called Knowledge because those that truly know Jesus Christ cannot but trust in him Psal 9.10 This is very observable that Christians are said to be Justified by the Knowledge of Jesus Christ it is not what we know in our selves or by our selves it is not by the knowledge of what we are or have done that we are Justified we must purely look off from our selves and wholly fix the eye of Faith on Christ Such as know the Insufficiency of their own Righteousness and the All-sufficiency of Christ's Righteousness do call him The Lord their Righteousness 2. Such as fly to Christ lay hold of him and do know their own Union with Christ and Relation to him such will say Surely in the Lord we have Righteousness Isa 45.24 A true Believer disclaims disavows and denies Righteousness to be in himself and Glories in this that he hath Righteousness in Christ 3. God may be said to call Jehovah our Righteousness when Jesus Christ is of God made Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 1.30 God the Father that Loaded Christ with our Sins Isa 53.6 he Clothes us with his Righteousness Isa 61.10 I will greatly Rejoyce in the Lord for he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness God gives Jesus Christ and with him gives his Righteousness Rom. 8.32 Quest Is not Repentance requisite in order to Pardon Isa 1.16 17 18. Wash you make you clean put away the euil of your doings cease to do evll and learn to do well Come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll He that confesseth and forsakes his sin shall find mercy Prov. 28.13 Let the sinner forsake sake his ways and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and be will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon Isa 55.7 Answ Repentance is necessary in its place
control vile affections subdue and yield your Spirits to God You also are Priests first offering up your selves and then offering up Prayers and Praises to God Under Christ's Priesthood of Attonement there Springs up another Priesthood of Gratitude and Thanksgiving As on Christ the Altar God presents the Flesh and Blood of Jesus as Sustenance to us So on the same Altar we offer our Souls and Bodies and all Spiritual performances as precious Sacrifices to God Justification is joined with strength to resist and overcome Sin Isa 45.24 Surely shall one say in the Lord I have Righteousness and strength Jesus at once Satisfied for Sin and also curcified our old Man Rom. 6.6 Christ ruined the Natural Life of the First Adam he destroyed that Life and Body that is the Subject of Sin and the Members by which it is executed The animal Life is a great Temptation to Sin we are enticed by the Pleasures Profits and Honours that belong to it Christ therefore abolished it as an imperfect Life in himself that he might destroy it as a Sinful Life in us He pulled away the Earth in which this weed growes and pulled down as Sampson the very house in which our Lusts as Spiritual Philistines dwell as the first Adam's corrupt Nature passes with the guilt of Adam's first Sin so the new Nature of Jesus Christ passeth to Souls together with his Righteousness In the same Testament that Christ doth dispose Remission of Sins he doth also Bequeath a new Heart Ezek. 36.25 26. If God blots Sins out of his Book he will write his Laws also in our Hearts If he Reverse the Sentence of Death passed on us he will breath the Spirit of Life into us Those that are sprinkled with Christ's Blood are Redeemed from all Iniquity and consecrated to God As a Redeemed People they are obliged to be first Fruits to God Revel 14.4 and as a Regenrated People they are enabled to be First-fruits to God Jam. 1.18 Where Christ washes with his Blood he doth also anoint with his Spirit Are we adopted John 1.12 Have we power and right to be called the Sons of the living God Hos 1.10 Are we the Children of the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. last Justification is alwayes attended with Adoption Those that receive a white stone that is are absolved acquitted Justified from all their Sins they have also in this white Stone a new Name Revel 2.17 What is this new Name but the Name of a Child of God Adoption is an Amplification of our Justification We are not only pronounced as Righteous and owned as Friends but reputed and accepted as Sons and Daughters are nearly Related and greatly endeared to God Are you the Children of God not by Hagar the Bond Woman but by Sarah the Free Woman Do you serve with a free Spirit and not as slaves that have no delight in God and could wish his Law were totally abrogated 5. Do you love God and Christ Luk. 7.47 She loved much because much was Forgiven her When great debts are Remitted Heinous crimes are Pardoned deep Spots and Stains are fetched out this calls for highest and hottest Love He that covereth Transgessions seeketh Love Prov. 17.9 Then surely God and Christ have sought our Love by covering our Sins Psal 32.1 2. Our Iniquities are many ways aggravated and so are of a Scarlet and Crimson Dye Isa 1.18 And for this deep dye to be washed and fetched out and for them to become as white as Snow and Wool this is wonderful Mercy For a Sinner to be as much accepted with God as if he had never Offended and Transgressed Our Sins as Commited against God are Talents and as they have been multiplied 't is a debt of Ten Thousand Talents and for this whole debt to be freely Forgiven 2 Col. 13. And for the Blood of Christ to be the clean Water to purge away Sin Ezek. 36.25 Revel 1.5 this must needs warm and inlarge the Heart heighten and inflame the affections towards God If you do not give your Hearts to God if you do not set your Love on Christ it is a plain Sign that you have not Tasted of the Grace of God or experienced the Kindness of Christ in Forgiving your Sins 6. What free access have you to God and what joy and Delight have you in him Are your Consciences so perfected that is so perfectly purged that you dare to draw nigh to God and that with confidence Heb. 7.19 Heb. 10.19 It is a great thing to have boldness to enter into the Holiest Place and to approach to the Highest Majesty Heb. 12.23 Jisus Christ died to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 Dare we to come to God the Judge of all as being assured he will not Condemn us Heb. 12.23 Do we rejoyce in God through our Lord Jesus Christ having now received the Atonement Rom. 5.11 Do we rejoyce in what God is to us in what he hath done for us and in what he farther designs towards us Can we Feast on Mount Ebal Deut. 27.7.13 14 15. where the Curses were Proclaimed Can we there Triumph because Christ Jesus hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Are we so Justified in the Lord as to glory Isa 45. last In the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be Justified and Glory Can you Glory over all Accusers and Accusations Do you glory in the Person in whom and in the Righteousness by which you are Justified there is no exception against the Person that Justifieth and there is no flaw or defect in the Righteousness that is imputed Surely shall one say in the Lord I have Righteousness so it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a full and compleat Righteousness in Christ as Christ Rising from the dead did carry away our Sins so he propagates a new Nature to the Redeemed Is our Justification matter of greatest joy to us Isa 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord and joy in my God for he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness 7. Do you much Praise and Bless God for Reconciling and Pardoning of you Psal 103.12.3 Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Bless his Holy Name who forgiveth all thine iniqutites O Lord I will Praise thee For thou wast angry with me but thine anger is turned away and thou dost comfort me Isa 12.1 In the times of the Gospel it is said Men shall shew forth the Praises of the Lord Isa 60.6 The time of the Gospel is as a Pleasant and Delightful Spring The Winter is past the Rain is over and gone the time of the Singing of Birds is now come Cant. 2.11 12. The Spring is as it were a mediator between the extreme cold of Winter and the excessive heat of Summer and so is a fit Emblem of the times of the Gospel in which Christ is Revealed as a Mediator between us that are so cold as
was some good in them and yet they had Spots and Stains to be washed out This is the difference between an Unregenerate and a Regenerate Man that an Unregenerate Man needs to be dipt wholy into the Red-Sea of the Blood of Christ All is corrupt and defiled he needs a general Pardon for his whole Life for all his Thoughts Words and Actions But as Christ saith to Peter A Believer that is washed needeth not to save to wash his Feet but is clean every whit as one that hath been in a Bath and there washed his whole Body yet as he comes out and walks to his Lodging he may defile his Feet and need to wash them Believers need not Pardons for their whole State as the Unregenerate have but for their particular Failings and Defects in their Actions 2. All your Sins are Recorded till you are Justified They are Written in God's Book Behold it is written before me Isa 65.6 The Great King Writes the Chronicle of all his Subjects and of all their Thoughts Words and Actions throughout the World and all Ages That must needs be an Infinite Mind that can Know and Remember so many things Mens Iniquity is said to be Written so to be marked before God Jer. 2.22 and there is a Counter-part of this Record kept in the Sinner's own Conscience Jer. 17.1 The sin of Judah is graven with a Pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond But where It is answered In the Table of their heart From hence the sin did flow and hither did the guilt of it return When a sin is committed and when a Debt is contracted Conscience keeps the Bond and in due time will bring it forth and joyn with the Judge in his Charge and Accusation Conscience is now loaded with dead Works yet stupid Sinners do not feel it a Mountain of Guilt is upon them yet they are not sensible of it Sinners cannot cross God's Book or Cancel their own Bond but the time is at hand when the Guilt of Sin will revive when Men shall taste the bitterness and feel the burthen of their Iniquities 3. Till Christ becomes your Righteousness your Souls are shamefully naked Revel 3.17 As Men are poor they are void of an Inherent Righteousness and as they are naked they are destitute of an imputed Righteousness they have nothing to Cloath the Soul or hide its Sins God's eye is a pure eye Habb 1.13 and a glorious eye Isa 3.8 But how do Mens sins offend this pure and affront this glorious eye of God What a Loathsome Hateful and Abominable Creature is a Soul deprived of the Image of God and depraved after the Image of Satan Thy bodily nakedness would be abhorred by Men And will not thy Soul-nakedness be more detested by God How naked is the Mind without the Knowledge of God And how naked is the Will without the Love of God the Image of God is the Glorious Cloathing of the Soul the want of this Image is the shameful nakedness of the Soul Till the Righteousness of Christ is spread over the Soul the Glorious Image of God is not put on it 4. Till we are Justified there is a Breach between God and us and this Breach stands open and we need a Mediator to stand in this Breach Psal 106.23 When the Wall of our Innocency is broken we are exposed to the Inrodes and Invasions of Revenging Justice Sin makes a large and wide breach between God and us God as an Enemy may enter at this Breach to destroy us a deluge of Wrath and Misery may pour in at it to overwhelm us None can stand in this Breach but Jesus Christ as a living Advocate and nothing can stop this Breach but the Dead Body of the Son of God If the Sea makes a Breach in the Banks of Holland the Law of the Countrey encourages them to throw Beds or any other of their valuable Goods into the Breach to stop it and they shall be recompensed for them Sin hath made a Breach and nothing but the Precious Life of the Son of God could stop this Breach The awakened Sinner considers how he shall appear before God he inquires whether he must not bring and offer the Fruit of his Body for the Sin of his Soul Mic. 6.6 7. this is indeed chargeable to offer to stop the Breach with the Sacrifice of a Child But this is but vain For it is not our First-born but God's only Begotten Son that must stop and fill up this Breach John 3.17 18. 5. There is a dreadful storm that in the Cloud of the Threatning hangs over the heads of Sinners Psal 11 6. God will Rain Snares Fire Brimstone and a horrible Tempest on the wicked this shall be the portion of their Cup. This Cup shall come to their lips this storm shall fall on their Souls If God Rains the storm must needs be Terrible Gen. 7.4 I will Rain so it is in the Hebrew This intimates this Rain should be extraordinary it should fall with great voilence it should not be as an ordinary Rain that is as a gentle sweat through the pores of the Clouds but now the Windows of Heaven should be opened Gen. 7.11 The Sinners of the old World did not believe that God had such vast Treasures of Waters in the Clouds so secure Transgressours do not now Credit that there are such Treasures of Wrath laid up to punish them and as the Fountains of the great deep were then broken up Gen. 7.11 So these depths of Guilt and Terrour that are in Conscience will one day be broken up If God Rains the storm is inevitable He Rains Snares that as Sinners cannot hinder this storm form above so they cannot fly from it below If God Rains Fire and Brimston the storm will be Eternal the Cloud of God's anger will never be wearied or wasted If Christ be not Mens Passover 1 Cor. 5.7 They or their Sins connot be passed by or passed over Micah 7.18.19 If their Sins did not fall on Christ they must come down on their own heads Psal 68.21 Though by reason of unbelief God's Judgements are now far above out of the sight of Sinners Psal 10.5 yet their Eyes shall see their destruction and they shall drink of the Wrath of the Almighty Job 21.20 The long and large Roll of the Curse will in due time fly to them Ezek 52.2 3 4 and then will stay and lie upon them for ever Deut. 29.20 All the Curses in this Book shall lye upon him 6. All the Sins of Men are as so many Evidences and Witnesses against Transgressors these Evidences are preserved and kept safe their Sins are hid that they may not be lost Hos 13.12 The Iniquity of Ephraim is bound up his Sin is hid Their Iniquity is bound up that in due time it may be bound on them their Sin is so hid that it shall be found brought forth and charged on them As the Depositions of Witnesses and the Confessions of
Hos 11.9 it is an Allusion to the Angels entring into Sodom to find out matter of Accusation against the Sodomites Gen. 19.3.5.18 But as God blots out Sin for the present so he seeks not out occasions for the future but when God blots out our Transgressions only our Good Deeds are Remembred and shewed Mal. 3.16 17. A Book of Remembrance was Written for Good Thoughts Words Actions when Sins are expunged and forgotten for ever Our sins are removed far from us as far as the East is from the West Psal 103.12 but our Good Works do follow us to testifie our Sincerity and to obtain a Reward Revel 14.13 God will never remember our Iniquities Jer. 31.34 but he will never forget his People Isa 49.14 15. nor forget the least of their Services If it be but a Cup of cold Water given to a Disciple of Christ it shall not be forgotten but Rewarded Matth. 10. last the greatest Sins are forgotten and not Revenged on us the least Service is Remembred and Rewarded in us John 5.29 They that have done good shall come forth to a Resurrection of Life Tho' they did many evil things yet they shall be blotted out and covered and they shall be pardoned as if they had only done good and nothing but good God is Righteous to forgive us our Sins 1 John 1.9 But God is not unrighteous to forget our Labour and Service of Love Heb. 6.10 6. What Praise doth this deserve that our Justification is so inseparably joined with Glorification Rom. 8.30 Whom he hath Justified them also he Glorified Justified persons cannot miscarry or Perish The Righteousness of Christ is called Everlasting Dan. 9.24 and this Everlasting Righteousness is the Foundation of an Everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 Because the Blood of Christ is still fresh therefore the Covenant of Grace and the way to the Heavenly Sanctuary is still new Heb. 6.8 Heb. 10.19 they that do wash their Robes white in the blood of the Lamb do enter into the Heavenly Sanctuary and are before the Throne Rev. 7.14.15 As Jesus Christ being first Justified Isa 50.8 1 Tim. 3.16 was soon after Glorified John 17.5 And now Father glorifie me with thy own self So sin being blotted out what remains to shut out Justified Persons from the Kingdom and Glory of God Not to see God is the greatest loss and penalty Where Sin is Forgiven How can such a Penalty remain 7. Bless God that Jesus Christ is Revealed to thee and bestowed on thee as the Lord thy Righteousness How many Thousands of Persons yea how many Nations do not hear of this Glorious Righteousness of Christ are utter strangers to this pretious Name of his and have no Interest in this Righteousness of Christ The Soldiers took Christ's Coat and four of them did cast Lots for it but only one of the four did obtain it John 19.23 24. So I may truly say that scarce one in four of those that are called Christians do get this Spiritual Garment of Christ's Righteousness to put on and wear It as a sweet Expression of Augustin's on Psal 31. Ego Sorte perveni ad tunicam Christi I by Lot came to the possession of Christ's Coat O happy Souls on whom the Lot of free Grace falls and that get and possess this Coat of Christ's Righteousness Ephes 1.11 in whom that is in Christ we have obtained an Inheritance In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is we obtained an Inheritance in Christ by Lot The Apostle doth humble himself and other Christians and Magnifie God he did not deserve a Portion in Christ but the Lot of Grace fell on him The Ephesians did not earn any thing but the Lot of Grace fell on them O Admire God Glorifie Christ that you should sit under the shadow of his Righteousless when others are exposed to the Schorching heat of the Wrath of God that your Iniquities should be covered when the Sins of others are naked and open before God that your Transgressions should be blotted out when all the Wickedness of others stands upon record against them till the Judgement of the great day That you as Noah and his Family should be born up and carried above the Waters when others like the Men of the Old World do sink into the deep and Bottomless Sea of the Wrath of God O what Mercy is it that God should Cloth thee with the Garment of Salvation and cover thee with the Robe of Righteousness Isa 61.10 when others have no Ragg to hide their Shame but will be abhorred by God be loathed by Angels and Saints to Eternity O what Grace is it that thou like Aaron art hid in a Cloud of Christ's Incense Levit. 16.13 when others Stink in God Nostils and shall be covered with a black storming Cloud of anger for ever O that Jesus Christ should die for you as a Lamb and then seek you out as a Shepherd to Cloath you with the Fleece of his Righteousness and to feed you with the Flesh of his Sacrifice when others Famish their Souls by the Neglect of Christ's Feast and Poyson their Souls by doting on and glutting themselves with Carnal dainties Sensual and Sinful delights O what Grace is this that Jesus Christ should as a Surety undertake for your debts and as a Sacrifice bear and bleed for our Sins That as a Fore-runner should take up possess and prepare a place for you in the highest Heavens that by your Iniquities deserved a place in the lowest Hell Worthy is the Lamb that was Slain to receive Blessing Honour Glory and Praise Revel 5.9 Debters are the Redeemed Reconciled and Justified to Render and ascribe it to his and Time and to Eternity THE Humble Sinners Supplication for Pardon Opened and Applied IN A SERMON PREACHED On the late FAST June 26 1696. By Samuel Comlyns M. A. a Minister of the Gospel in Marleborough London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercer's Chappel 1696. To the Right Honourable the Lord JAMES RVSSEL Son to the Duke of Bedford Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ My Lord EVery awakened humble Soul should with the Publican cry earnestly God be merciful to me a sinner Without a pardon God's Armoury cannot be shut or his Treasury opened God cannot take us for his Inheritance Exod. 34 9. Times of refreshment cannot come to us from the presence of the Lord if our sins are not blotted out Acts 3.19 If our Consciences are not purged from dead works with the clean water of Christ's Blood we cannot now walk in peace go out of the world with comfort enter into the heavenly Sanctuary with confidence How therefore should pardoning mercy endear God to us ond engage us to God We are naturally without strength to help our selves and are also ungodly and so provoke God to withhold and deny his help to us We had robbed God and an Arrest should have
seek for Israel and Judah's sin I Answer Satan the Babylonians the Enemies of the Church of God The Chaldeans said they did not offend in Killing and Captivating the Jews because they sinned against the Lord Jer. 50.7 And as their sins brought them into Captivity so they thought they would still have held them in Bondage they sought for their sins to hold them in perpetual slavery and to keep the Yoke on them Satan resisted Joshua the High-Priest and seems not only to charge him but also to accuse the Jews and therefore Christ the Angel saith The Lord that chose Jerusalem rebuke thee Zech. 3.1 2. The filthy Garments are taken from Joshua and his Iniquities did pass away Zech. 3.4 And God promiseth to remove the Iniquity of the Land in one day Zech. 3.9 and so though the Babylonians sought the Jews sins yet they were not found 5. God himself will be a hiding-place to those from whose sins he hides his Face Psal 119.114 Thou art my hiding-place and my shield Psal 143.9 I flee unto thee to hide me * The Judge himself is a Hiding-place As the Secret of God is with their Souls to comfort them Psal 25.14 so the Secret of God is on their Tabernacles Job 29.4 to protect them They are the most likely Persons to be hid in the day of Wrath Zeph. 2.3 yea God hides them in the very Grave Job 14.13 O that thou would'st hide me in the Grave until thy wrath be past We must come to God to hide us from his own Wrath. As the Souls of Saints are hid in Heaven from eternal evils so their Bodies are hid in the Grave from Temporal Sufferings The Grave that is a Prison to the Wicked to reserve them in for Eternal Vengeance is to Believers a Hiding-place from Temporal Afflictions 6. If God hide his Face from our sins we shall see his Face in Ordinances here and in Glory hereafter 1. They shall see God's Face in Ordinances here David longed to see God's Power and Glory as he had seen it in the Sanctuary Psal 65.2 They may call on God and he will be gracious to them and they shall see his Face with joy Job 33.26 2. They shall see his Face in Glory Revel 22.4 They shall see his Face and his Name shall be in their Forehead As for me saith David Psal 17. last I will behold thy Face in Righteousness 3. We have in these days of the Gospel great Incouragements strong Inducements to prefer this Petition God did for a time cloud and hide his Face from Christ did cut him off and blot him out of the Land of the Living Psal 22.1 Isa 53.8 Jesus Christ entred into deep waters Psal 69.1 2. the floods of Sorrow Reproach and Sufferings did overflow him and now we may cry to God out of our depths Psal 130.1 Out of the depths have I cried to thee O Lord out of a depth of Guilt Trouble and Anguish Jesus Christ came into the Depths and we may confidently cry to God to raise us out of our Depths The Blood of Christ as to Worth and Merits is a deep Sea and we may trust on God through Christ to drown our sins in the depth of this Red-Sea Micah 7.19 Thou wilt cast-all their Sins into the depths of the Sea Christ hath provided Spiritual Red-ink enough Though Christ shed his Blood but once yet God may 1000 and 10000 times over dip his Pen in the Blood of Christ and blot out all our Sins we Commit It was painful to Christ to shed his Blood but it is pleasant to him to wash Souls in it A dark night came on Christ but we may wait for the dawning of a Comfortable and Joyful Morning Psal 130.5.6 The Righteousness is brought by which we may be Justified the Blood is shed in which we may be washed from all our Sins 1 John 1.7 Men did hide their Faces from Christ under his Sufferings as a ghastly ungrateful object Isa 50.3 Being so Buffeted Spit on Crowned with Thorns but we may lift up our Faces to him being now Justified by the Father Seated in his Throne and Crowned with Glory I shall speak something by way of Direction both how we may obtain the blotting out of our Sins and how we ought to walk sutable and answerable to so great a Mercy 1. We must see and know our Sins be sensible of them afflicted for them burdened under them Psal 51.3 I acknowledge or as others Render the Hebrew word I know my Iniquity Isa 59.12 As for our Iniquities we know them Why did the Psalmist so earnestly beg that God would blot out his Transgressions and wash him from his Iniquities He renders this reason of his petition I know my Transgressions that is how much they offend and provoke thee and how much they defile and deform me He that is not burdened will not cry to be eased he that is not wounded will not sue to be healed he that beholds not his debt will not press for the cancelling of his bond And we must see Sin and abhor and detest it and forsake it Shall we seek to God to put it away as Evil and yet we harbour it in our Hearts and indulge it in our practice as good It must be hid not only from the Eye of God's vindictive Justice but also from the Lustful Adulterous eye of our Souls 2. You must see Christ and Believe on him John 6.40 He that seeth the Son and Believeth on him shall not perish but have Everlasting Life The Curses of the Law are Amen to those that are out of Christ Deut. 27. last But the Promises of the Gospel are Yea and Amen to those that are in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 If Christ had not carried our Sins upon the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 we must have born them and they would have sunk us down into the Bottomless pit Though God doth pardon and put away Sin Judicially as a King 2 Sam. 12.13 yet it is Jesus Christ that puts it away Meritoriously as a Priest Heb. 9.26 As you know your Iniquities so you must know Christ to take them away Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my Righteous servant Justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities He did bear them for a time that they might not be bound on us to Eternity 3. We must earnestly desire God not only to hide his face from our Sins but also to turn our eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119.37 How sweetly do these two petitions harmonize and agree Lord hide thy Face from my Sins and turn away my eyes from beholding vanity Lord sheath thy Sword towards me and lay thy ax to the root of in-dwelling Sin Lord forgive all my wrong steps and wandrings and Lord order my steps in thy word and let no Iniquity have Dominion over me Psal 119.133 Lord blot my Sins out of thy Book mortifie them in and root them out of my Heart I have wandred from thee I have