the world though the number be great which have eaten of Christ yet there is enough in Christ to satisfie all that are to come therefore is Christ called a fountain set open for sinne and for uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1 2. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David c. 2. It shews the benefit we have by eating the Lamb Christ for we are by it made partaker of families right and order every soul by Christ may say now I am through grace of the Family of Heaven and I shall have a childes portion with the rest of the true Israelites though it goes hard with me in this life though I am poor and low in the world yet it s enough that I am of the houshold of Faith my name is listed in heaven for my daily allowance both for me and mine in this life and I shall have my full portion of glory with the rest of my Brethren hereafter I shall have that inheritance that fadeth not away O to be an adopted Son of God what a priviledge is this O how should this bear up the heart under all discouragements to have a right to all the excellency of glory and glorious attendance that there is laid up for the heirs of it as Paul saith That which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for those which love him Thus much is to be observed by the Jews eating the roasted Lamb apart by particular families One thing more is worth our noting which is that the Lamb was to be eaten that night nothing of the Lamb was to be left until the morning Exodus 12. 10. Which shews us thus much that delayes are dangerous in this case for a soul to put off any thing of Christ after he is convinced of the need of him though it be but for the morrow the soul may never have the proffer more read that place in Hebrews 3. 7 8. In which place a soul is called upon to take Christ to day meaning at the first offer or else you may never see a Christ more in mercy for ever read Isaiah 55. 6. Therefore the exhortation is for men to seek the Lord while he may be found and to call upon him while he is near men will know that God will not alwayes be found and if any are like to finde it so they are such souls as put by Christ until to morrow they have not time to minde the thing there is yet something of more weight to be minded some worldly interest which must be set on wards farther first before they can attend this matter Read the danger of setting Christ aside until to morrow or of setting something more necessary as such think before Jesus Christ read Luke 14. 16 17 18. 19 20. with 24. Therefore take this along with thee soul remember the Jews were to eat the Lamb at the first offer that which they set aside until the morrow they were not to eat but to burn with fire not to eat it again read Exod. 12. 10. O Christian have a care thou doest not undo thy soul this way by setting aside some of Christ in a dish until to morrow crying out you are too young yet or you would sport your selves a little longer with your corruptions or your merry companions I say take heed of that CHAP. 5. The occasion of eating the Lamb. I Now come to speak something about the occasion of the Lamb which was this because of the destroying Angel which was to pass over Egypt on purpose to destroy their first-born for the safety of the Israelites God in mercy to them ordered them to take a Lamb and kill him the blood of which they were to take and strike the door posts of their houses which was for a sign to the destroying Angel that in his passing through the land where ever he should see that blood on the door of the house he might pass over that without doing the least injury to it and so from thence to the next house where the blood was not on the doors there the Angel was to do his work of execution Exod. 12. 7. with 12 13 and 22. verses This thing shews us the great reason why God the Father sent Christ into the world it was that sinful mankinde might not perish by the destroying Angel of his Justice which will certainly pass through the Egppt of this world and eternally slay all those that shall be found in their sins Christ shall come in flames of fire rendring vengeance on those that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1. 8. 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Now to prevent this mischief and the execution of this plague upon miserable men and women the Lord sent in a Lamb into the world which was his Son Jesus Christ that so men might be delivered from wrath through him John 3. 16. Acts 4. 12. But this must be done the Blood of this Lamb Christ must be taken and by the hysop of Faith dipped in the Bason of Gospel Ordinances striking the door posts of the heart therewith this done the destroying Angel of Gods Justice looking upon it cometh to be satisfied and hurteth not that soul and becomes that souls friend Therefore saith John Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world John 1. 29. But not a bare looking upon the Lamb will content the Justice of God but the taking of his Blood out of the bason of the Gospel or dipping therein the hysop of believing and applying of it to the heart and conscience so to do contents the Justice of God therefore saith the same Apostle The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1. 7. Meaning the guilt of our sins To this agreeth the words of the Apostle Heb 9. 13 14. For if the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Jesus Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Thus have I shewed you the mystery of Egppt and of the Lamb eaten by the Jews there likewise you have seen the manner of eating the Lamb together with the bread and sauce with which the Jews were to eat the Lamb also you have seen the mystery of their striking the door posts of their houses with the blood of the Lamb as also the mystery of the destroying Angel you have seen opened together with the sweet harmony it makes to the work of God upon the hearts of his people which when well considered will make a soul cry out with the Psalmist Psal 77. 19 20. Thy
to the Altar of attonement and satisfaction There be three seasons when a Christian should have special regard to the Altar of satisfaction First In guilt seasons Secondly In doubting seasons Thirdly In corruption-prevailing seasons First In guilty seasons when the heart and conscience comes to be stained with the guilt of sin then is it the souls time to run to the Altar of satisfaction when ever the Jews had any guilt broke out upon them they were to take some offering or other in their hands and a way to the Priest with it that he might hasten to the altar of satisfaction and there make an attonement for them by offering up their offering before the Lord. O so should believers do when guilt breaks forth upon them they should flie by faith to their Gospel Altar of satisfaction and attonement saith John 1. 2. 1. 2. My little children if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous for he is a propitiation in his blood for our sins and not onely for ours but for the sins of the whole world Certainly many a poor soul many times lies longer under trouble of spirit then they need to do were they but well acquainted with this truth that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1. 7. A through acquaintance with and a close application made of this Scripture in doubting times it would wonderfully ease the heart in trouble therefore O troubled soul wouldst thou have thy guilts removed from thy conscience and wouldst thou get thy self into the favour of God again wouldst thou have within in thy soul wouldst thou have the anger of God pacified again whom thou hast offended O then run to the altar of satisfaction take an offering in thy hand go and call upon the Priest and pray him to go into the Tabernacle for thee and there offer upon the Altar of satisfaction thy offering before the Lord I mean take with thee in thy hand of faith the blood merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ and beg him to lay up this upon the Altar of his satisfaction for thee O stand at the Tabernacle door of the throne of grace there call upon thy high Priest Jesus give him no rest day or night until he hath gone in to the Father and made an attonement for thee which done thon mayest assure thy self of that peace of God which passeth all understanding as the Jews in offering what they had to present their High Priest withal might expect a full peace between God and their souls which was obtained by the high Priest for them And you know the obtaining of their peace at Gods hands upon their observing of this rule was very unquestionable so soul in the observation of this rule between thy soul and Christ thou needest doubt of the love and favour of God to thy soul no more then the Jews Secondly A second season when a Christian should have regard to the Altar of satisfaction is in doubting seasons when the Devil shall so far prevail as to discourage the soul from coming to partake of his right to the altar of satisfaction and this the Devil doth oftentimes by telling the soul that the Altar was never set up or prepared for such a vile rebellious wretch as the sinning soul hath been And thus the soul being filled with discouragements is oftentimes almost swallowed up with exceeding grief and despair But let me answer the devil in that soul O Satan thou hast by thy cunning subtle crafty devices deceived many poor souls this way already by which hellish craft thou hast held back many a thousand poor souls from partaking of the priviledges of their Altar Christ bearing them in hand that the Father looks for greater preparations of soul and higher qualifications of heart and life to fit the soul for such a mercy as the Altar Christ is then the soul is yet able to bring with him which design is but to put the soul upon delayes on purpose for his everlasting undoing for he well knows if the soul should stay from Christ until he be fit for Christ the soul never gets Christ to eternity But Satan that thou mayest prevail no more this way upon poor souls I tell thee by the word of the Lord and in the name of my God first of all that the Altar of satisfaction is erected and set up for every comer to it as that let the soul be never so vile unworthy unclean or impure in himself yet he shall be accepted as heartily as ever was Saint in the world if he will but come to the Altar for Satan thou knowest very well though thou thus blindest the eyes of poor souls that the Commission which Christ hath given to all his Ministers is to preach another doctrine in the world then what thoa preachest to men and women which is as follows Isaiah 55. 1 2. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that have no money come ye buy wine and milk without money and without price wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight its self in fatness Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live come unto me and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even ths sure mercies of David so John 7. 37. And Jesus stood and cried it any man thirst let him come to me and drink Matthew 11. 28 29. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and ye shall finde rest to your souls take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easie and my burden is light So Revelations 22. 17. The Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely so that the souls coming in a way of believing gives him a real right to the Altar of satisfaction for the altar of satisfaction or attonement was erected for the guilty not for the righteous saith Christ I come not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Therefore the Apostle tells you that the Altar was set up to make reconciliation for sinnes Hebrews 9. 13. But to perswade a soul that he must not come to the Altar until he is so and so qualified and humbled and mortified to sinne is to make void the great excellency of the Altar and to render it of no effect Thus Satan thou labourest by thy subtleties not onely to destroy the soul for ever by keeping it from Christ but also thy next design is wholly to overthrow the glory of Christs sufferings in the whole world Secondly This Altar is so far from expecting such qualifications in the comers to it as that it stands there on purpose to give out these
the people of God O Sirs study the girdle of your High Priest Jesus Christ do you doubt of Justification do you doubt of Sanctification do you doubt of deliverance from Sin Satan the wrath of God the malice of Devils and wicked men O look up to the girdle of resolution about the High Priests loins and wait patiently upon him for he is resolved to get all this for you in a time of need Secondly As the girding of the loins do imply the strength which God doth afford his servants in the work he imploys them in or about so is this abundantly made good in Christ our great High Priest our Saviour had a very great work to do and a weighty burthen to bear therefore it was necessary he should be filled with infinite strength First The work he was to do would have discouraged all the men in the world and Angels in heaven had they been put together to have engaged in it for he was to conflict with four enemies the least of which hath driven the whole world before it These are Satan Sin the World with all its temptations and the justice of God for the breach of his royal Law what power force or strength was there ever in the world that could bear up against one of these enemies besides Christ was to deal with death it self what strong Samson or valiant Alexander in the world could grable with this one enemy yet did our Saviour bring this enemy at his feet with case therefore saith the Apostle speaking of Christ Acts 2. 24. He hath loosed the bands of death because it was not possible he should be holden by it Secondly There must needs be infinite strength in Christ if we consider the weight of that burthen he was to bear upon his shoulders And that was all the sins of all the Elect in the world a weight which makes the whole earth to groan under the burthen of it as the Apostle speaks in Rom 8. 22. For all our sins were laid upon and charged on Jesus Christ Isa 53. 6. The Lord hath laid the iniquities of us all upon him so St. Peter speaking of Christ saith 1 Pet. 2 24. Who his owâ— self bear our sins in his own body on the tree Samson did never carry away the gates of the City with more ease then Christ did our sins upon his shoulders Therefore is Christ called a Rock Deut. 32. 31. And the Rock of strength and refuge Psal 62 7. Now all this was Christ as he was and is our High Priest for this lieth in the girdle of Christ which girdle he weared as our High Priest therefore you are to look upon all this as yours upon believing Christ needed not this himself but this strength was put into him for believers 1. To do the great work of saving of them out of the hands of their enemies 2. That as their Head he might give it down to them to help them out in all their duties whether they be Active or Passive Use 6. This should inform us then where our strength lieth it s not in our selves but in our High Priest he is our Treasury and Store-house of it and to him we must come for it and in coming we shall have it saith David Psal 18. 2. The Lord is my Rock and my Fortness and my Deliverer my God my Sâ—rength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high tower In this Use I would commend two things to thee for thy peace and comfort wouldst thou see all thy spiritual enemies conquered and brought down at thy feet then look to Christ and he hath done it for thee and in thy room and the glory of the conquest he imputes to thee as Ioshua in the wilderness did who was a Type of Christ in this thing he fought Israels battels for them and conquered all their enemies for them and when done gives the glory of the conquest to the Israelites for he causeth the chief of the enemies to be brought before him and makes them lie down and bids the Jews to set their feet upon their necks Ioshua 10. 24. So hath Christ done for believers 2. If thou wouldst get the mastery over the remainders of corruption within thee and the Devil and World without thee then look up to Christ thy High Priest and draw out strength from him for he is girded about with strength on purpose to give it out to thee saith S. Paul I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me Phil. 4. 13. 3. Lastly the girdle in the High Priest denotes his faithfulness and sincerity in the work he undertakes to do for so we shewed you did the girding of the loins implyed so much as this is applied to Jesus Christ who is our Gospel High Priest Isa 11. 5. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins so saith the Apostle speaking of the faithfulness of Christ saith Heb. 3. 5 6. And Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken afterward but Christ as a Son in his own house whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm to the end Observe these two things in the words First Moses his faithfulness was a testimony of those things which should be spoken hereafter Now what were these things which should be spoken after Moses his time it is what all the Prophets and Apostles have written about the faithfulness of Christ to his Church and people as he is their High Priest 1. That he would certainly become bond to the justice of God as their surety to give full satisfaction for all the wrong they have done the justice of God so saith David Psal 40 6 7 8. 2. That he would stand in the room of his people and take upon him every part and parcel of their guilt this wrote Isa of him Isa 53. 6. 3. That he would as certainly bear every part of that punishment which justice would have else poured forth upon the Elect I say he would bear this himself as really as he did their guilts so writes Isa also ver 5. 4. That he would certainly call home to himself by the means of the Ministry of the word and spirit every elected soul to the embracement of him this writes Luke of him Luke 14. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 So Iohn writes Iohn 10. 16. 5. And that there shall never be wanting to the ages of man a sufficiency of means in order to the bringing in the Elect of God in every age Mat. 28. 19 20. 6. That as by his bloud and righteousness he hath taken care to get them justified before God so as certainly will he give out with his sanctifying grace the testimony of this in his time into their consciences so writes St. Paul of him Rom. 5. 1. Isa 26. 3.