aforetime they were written for our instruction 1. Then by way of Information it is consequent from hence That as nothing is so offensive and contrary to God and his Divine Nature as sin is so there is no greater bar and obstruction then iniquity and unrighteousness is to keep us from the benefit of all his promises 1 Sam. 2.30 Isa 59.23 2. That in this point some of our Modern writers in Europe are much degenerated from the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles 3. That what Paul speaketh Rom. 7.14,15,16 is to be understood onely of Babes in Christ Secondly this Doctrine serves to confute many common errors and mistakes and first that opinion or assertion That sin cannot be wholly subdued in the Saints by the Grace and Truth of Christ while they live in the Mortal Body for if that cannot be attained the design of the Father who gave his Son that he might destroy the workmanship of the Devil 1 John 3.8 is disappointed and Christs love towards men is made of none effect who loved us and gave himself for us that he might sanctifie and wash us with the washing of water by the Word and present us unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrincle or any such thing Ephes 5.24,25,26,27 Yea the condition of the promises being impossible to be performed should be unjust and the promises made of none effect but whereas many places in the Old Testament are brought to plead for the continuance in sin as 1 King 8.46 Prov. 20.9 Eccle. 7.20 To those we may answer with the words of the Apostle Heb. 7.19 That the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw nigh unto God And for the Scriptures alleadged out of the New Testament that of Rom. 7.24,25 cannot be understood of Pauls present estate for the second Verse of Chapter eight contradicts it as doth also 1 Cor. 4.4 2 Cor. 5.16,17 Phil. 4.13 but must onely be understood as was said before of the Babes and Yonglings in Christ so must that also be understood Gal. 5.17 and that 1 John 1.8 as is evident if it be compared with Verse the thirteenth and fourteenth of the second Chapter or with Verse third of the third Chapter and with Verse the seventeenth of the fourth Chapter lastly That of Jam. 3.2 can in reason be no more understood of him and his Fellow-Apostles where he saith That in many things we offend all then that which he speaks plurally also Verse 9. Therewith bless we God even the Father to wit with the tongue and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God Secondly This giveth a check to their Error who say That in death when we put off the Body of Clay all sin shall be put off and mortified and not before For first it is by the Spirit that the deeds of the body or flesh must be mortified and not the sinful deeds of the spirit by the flesh Rom. 8.13 Secondly If the natural death healed all sins none would die in their sins as our Saviour threatens that the unbelieving Jews should do John 8.21,24 Lastly We are commanded to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit and this is to be done in our life time and not to be done in our days of our death And by this opinion Corporal death should effect more then the Spirit of Grace could do all our life long in the final mortification of our sins Thirdly This may confute them who affirm That Christ came to take away the guilt of our sins by his death and suffering before the act or corruption is taken away for the cause must be taken away before the effect as we said before and proved out of Isai 1.16,17,18 Jere. 33.8 to which you may adde Chap. 31 32 33 34. Acts 26.18 Heb. 10.14 For through the Blood of his Cross in due time he taketh away the guilt of sins repented of left and put away yet the Spirit of Grace which is the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant must first sanctifie us and cleanse us therefrom Heb. 9.14 also Chap. 10.29 13.20,21 Revel 7.14 Fourthly This may stop the mouths of them which say we do not read That ever any man yet was cleansed wholly from sin to which we Reply That if this were not men themselves and not the Grace of God were in default but there is an Israel who are of a clean heart Psal 73.1 Who are crucified to the world and the world to them Gal. 6.14,15,16 In whose Spirit there is no guile and consequently no sin for all sin is deceitful so Psal 32.2 Ephes 4.22 Yea John saw a numberless number of those Rev. 7.9,10,14 So also Revel 14.4 These are the Israel of which we read Num. 23.21 and Zeph. 3.14,15 Lastly It meets with that distinction more common then commendable that though sin must not reign in us yet it must remain in us while we are here For first as long as it remains in us it will oppose the work of God and get the victory at times if not with our will yet against our will Secondly If all filthiness of flesh and spirit must be purged out of us how can it remain do the spots or filth remain in clothes when they are cleansed there from did not Christ come to sanctifie and wash us that he might present us without spot or wrincle or any such thing unto himself Surely this and other distinctions that plead for the necessary continuance of sin in us cannot come from above but since they hinder the work of the Lord must needs originally come from Hell and the Devil though some persons otherwise zealous and vertuously minded have at unawares received and used the same without considering the hurt and mischief that followeth thereupon See Jere. 50.20 In those days and in that time saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found for I will spare them which are left Mic. 7.19 Sheweth how God will deal with the sins and iniquities of his people as he did with the Egyptians he will first subdue and then drown them Also Zeph. 3.13 he promises That the remnant of Israel shall not utter iniquity nor speak lies And Mal. 3.3 That Christ shall sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto him an offering in righteousness But thus much of the Use of Confutation now by way of Correction This Proposition or Doctrine serves to reprove four sorts of men among others First Those who have cleansed themselves from many outward sins of the flesh but are not purified from the sins of the spirit as spiritual pride wrath uncharitable censuring envy and the like Prov. 30.12 There is a generation that is pure in their own
3.3 The fourth and last thing to be opened is the persons who are here to be engaged and vigorously set on work to wit all that have any remainders of inward or outward filthiness left in them even they that in a good measure are purified already such as these Saints of Corinth were Thus far by way of Exposition now the Proposition and Doctrine upon the whole is this That all they that would have an interest and share in the precious promises aforesaid must Cleanse themselves of all filthiness both of the flesh and of the spirit This Doctrine is not mine but the Apostle Pauls expresly here and elswhere as you will see anone and not his onely but the Doctrine of the Prophets of the Apostles and of Christ himself witness these ensuing Scriptures Isai 1.16 Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil Isa 57 11. Depart ye depart ye go ye from thence touch no unclean thing go ye out of the midst of her be ye clean ye that bear the Vessels of the Lord. Jere 4.14 Wash thine heart O Jerusalem that thou maist be saved How long shall thy wicked thoughts lodg in thee Jere. 13.27 Wo unto thee O Jerusalem wilt not thou be made clean O when shall it once be Ezek. 18.31 Cast away all your transgressions whereby you have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel 1 Pet. 2.1 Wherefore lay aside all malice or naughtiness and all guile and hypocrisies and evil surmisings and all evil speakings Jam. 1.21 Wherefore laying aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Jam. 3.6 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Matth. 5.6 Blessed are the pure in heart for they and they onely shall see God Nor is there less ground both of Reason Equity then Evidence of Scripture for this duty First in regard of the mischievousness of that which is to be removed Secondly in regard of him that requireth it and thirdly in respect of the sufficiency of help afforded unto us by the Lord for that purpose and lastly that we of right should have a concurrent hand therein For the first of these first consider what all sin and unrighteousness is in Gods sight it is pollution and filthiness it self Ezek 24.13 Hence it is compared to every filthy and abominable thing as to the gorge and vomit of drunkards Isai 28.8 To the scum of a Pot. Ezek. 24.6,12 To the mire wherein the Sow walloweth 2 Pet. 2.22 To the vomit of a dog there To the whoredoms of a Strumpet Jere. 13.27 Ezek. 22. To the abomination of Idols Ezek 36.25 Secondly It is a superfluous thing that men may well spare Jam. 1.21 Wherefore put away all filthiness and superfluity of vaughtiness Thirdly It is of an infectious contagious and spreading nature 1 Cor. 5.6,7 Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Fourthly It excludes us from entring into the heavenly Jerusalem Rev. 21.27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination Fifthly There is no forgiveness of sin until they be left and put away from us whatsoever men may dream to the contrary Isai 1.16,17,18 Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judg the Fatherless plead for the Widow Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as Snow though they be red as crimson they shall be white as wool Jere. 33.8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me And I will pardon all their iniquity whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me for the cause must be taken away ere the effect can cease See Prov. 26.13 Sixthly That even the Law as well as the Gospel declares the wrath of God against all sin whatsoever Rom. 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungadliness and unrighteousness of men who withhold the truth in unrighteousness Now in the second place he that requireth this total removal of sin is of a contrary nature unto it and cannot possibly have any communion with it Psal 94.20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee 2 Cor. 6.14,15 For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness and what concord hath Christ with Belial Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity In the third place the Lord doth not onely afford us space and time to get this work done Rev. 2.21 And I gave her space to repent and she repented not but sufficient means also for our thorough cleansing so Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you Which promised water is not onely the pure water and doctrine of his Word John 15.3 Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you Ephes 5.26 That he might sanctifie and wash it with water through the Word but the promised Spirit of Christ also which sometimes is called the Blood of the Covenant because it was figured forth by Blood in the Old Testament Exod. 24.6,7,8 29.20 Levit. 8.23,24 14.14 Sometimes it is compared to fire Isai 4.4 When the Lord shall have washed the filth of the Daughter of Sion and purged away the blood of Jerusalem by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning And sometimes to water as Isai 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and a flood upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my blessing upon thine Off-spring And sometimes to Fullers Sope. Mal. 3.2 For he is like the Refiners fire and Fullers sope This is expresly spoken of Christ so that we neither want water nor sope to make a thorow cleansing or purgation of our selves from sins For this is the Fountain which the Lord hath opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 13.1 In the fourth place it is but meet that we which had a hand in polluting and defiling our selves should be imployed and engaged in the purging our selves and so much the rather because it is for our own good and everlasting welfare Thus of the words by way of Proposition Now by way of Transposition and Use the Truth and Equity of this Doctrine being thus cleared up what remains but that we should make our best advantage of it For whatsoever things were written