and the precious Effects of it calls for the most preciousest of our Obedience to God again for as God the Father gave us his Son so did God the Son give himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and Purifie us to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Titus 2. 14. 2d Vse This should servâ— to teach us all only to look upon the Bloud of Christ for the Curing of our leprous Souls Oh have a care of mingling Christ's Bloud with the polluting Dross and Dregs of Creature-worth and Worthiness the Bloud of Christ will cleanse the pollutedest Leper in the World if it be applied in its own Purity by Faith but if mixed with the least of Self-merit it spoils the Vertue Power and Efficacy of it and renders it of no use to the Soul 3d Vse Learn hence also to put an inestimable Value upon the Bloud of Christ O remember it is the Bloud of Cleansing and no Bloud but this can cleanse Lepers Thou hast heard that nothing but the Bloud of the slain Sparrow could heal the corporal Leper to shew you that nothing but the pure Bloud of Jesus Christ can cleanse the Soul from his spiritual Leprosie Oh what a high Price should you put upon this Bloud Peter calls it precious Bloud 1 Pet. 1. 19. Hence then How should we say of every thing with the greatest Indignation that would offer itself as a Co-worker with Christ's Bloud in the Cleansing of our Souls as Paul did Phil. 3. 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but Loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the Loss of all things and do count them but Dung that I may win Christ. PART III. WE are next to speak to the earthen Vessel over which the Innocent Bird was to be killed in which Vessel was the running Water Lev. 14. 5. And the Priest shall command that one of the Birds be killed in an earthen Vessel over running Water Mark It must be running Water which signifies the Purity and the Liveliness of it in opposition to standing Water which is usually dead and corrupt therefore this Water in the earthern Vessel must be running Water it must be Water that hath Life and Purity in it But first of all to begin with the earthen Vessel which may signifie the reality of the Humane Nature of Jesus Christ from whence our Healing comes You see that the Leper was cleansed by the Bloud of the Bird and so must we be cleansed from ouâ— Soul-leprosie by the Bloud of Christ if ever we be cleansed indeed 1 John 1. 7. Now this Bloud could not proceed from Christ as he was only God abstracted from his Manhood for as he was God only he was no way capable either to suffer or to shed Bloud therefore the Godhead of Christ assumes an earthen Vessel even our Humane Nature to his Divine answering the earthen Vessel over which the Sparrow was to be killed that so out of that Humane Nature he might issue forth the Bloud of our Cleansing He was born of a Virgin he took her very Nature upon him but not the Sinfulness of it in the least degree no he left all that behind and this Humane Nature was very earthly for from the Earth it came and to the Earth it must return again And inasmuch as the Body of our Saviour was made up of this earthy Nature he as to his Body may well be called an earthen Vessel signified by the Vessel over which the Bird was killed Secondly By the running Water in this earthen Vessel is understood by some the Water of Sanctification which comes from him for saith John He came by Water and Bloud But this cannot be exclusive of the Divine Nature of the Son of God which rendred the whole Sacrifice of Christ only sufficient to Cleanse us from our spiritual Leprosie and Soul-pollution in the sight of God For as the Godhead of Christ could not issue forth Bloud to Cleanse us apart from his Manhood so neither could the Bloud of Christ apart from his Godhead have been any way availing to our Cleansing from the Guilt or Filth of Sin in our Souls so that the Union of the two Natures in the Person of Christ became so wonderfully efficacious to our Justification and Sanctification wherein lieth the Leper's spiritual Cleansing hence Christ's Bloud is called the Bloud of God Acts 20. 28. because of the Union of the two Natures in the Person of Christ Thus you see how the earthen Vessel and the pure Water must go together in our spiritual Cleansing From whence we shall observe this Note Doct. That the Bloud of Jesus Christ who is very God and very Man is the only appointed Means to Cleanse our Souls from our sinful Leprosies and Pollutions in the Sight of God The Truth of this cannot be called in question by any who question not the Truth of Scripture Rev. 1. 5. And from Jesus who is the faithful Witness the first Begotten from the Dead unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Bloud Rev. 5. 9. For thou wast Slain and hast Redeemed us unto God by thy Bloud 1 John 1. 7. And the Bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Heb. 9. 14. The Bloud of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God And so we come to the Reasons of this Truth and the first is this Reason 1. It must be so because the Bloud of Christ is the only Means which God hath appointed to be used for this Purpose in opposition to all other Means whatsoever Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven whereby we must be saved Reason 2. And it must be so because as God hath only appointed this Means for Soul-cleansing so hath he only fitted this Means for Soul-recovery Isa 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good Tidings unto the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the Broken-hearted to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and to open the Prison Doors to them that are bound Therefore whoever they are that shall make use of nay other Means besides this for the Cure of their Souls will find it so far from Cleansing that himself will be found guilty of the highest Presumption because it is a slighting of the Bloud of the Covenant and counting it a common thing as Paul speaks Heb. 10. 29. and then upon so doing the same Apostle tells you that such Men who are found guilty of such a Sin will find it a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Ver. 31. And so we come to the Application of the Point Vse This serves to inform us then of the dangerous Principles of two sorts Persons
he by his blessed Sacrifice in offering up of himself did thereby purchase our Right to all the Promises relating to Life and God liness so by his Intercession he powerfully prevails with his Father that the Good of them might come down upon us 3dly And whereas you read That the living Bird with the Scarlet the Cedar-wood and the Hyssop all which was to be dipt into the Blood of the slain Bird this being done it made the Scarlet the Cedar-wood and the Hyssop so effectual in the Cleansing of the Leper This great Mystery signifies thus much to us when applied to its Anti-type That what Benefit upon a saving account there is in Christ or of Christ which any do receive in order to their effectual Redemption and Soul-cleansing it doth all originate in or originally proceed from the Vertue Worth and Merit of the Sufferings and Blood of Christ as the procuring cause of all Have we any Benefit by any Office of Christ or Righteousness in Christ Grace from Christ or relation to Christ All this flows from the Spring and Fountain of a Christ crucified and flain for Sin for you plainly see that all the Means which was used in the Cleansing of the corporal Leper took its Efficacy from the Bloud of the slain Bird the Scarlet the Cedar-wood and the Hyssop were all dipt in the Bloud of the slain Bird. From whence we may note this Observation Doct. That the Bloud of Christ shed for Sin is the only Procuring-cause of all the Grace Mercy and Favour which the Elect of God are capable to receive both in the Life that now is and that which is to come This is a Truth which doth abundantly evidence itself from the Scriptures Have we Grace and Sanctification in this Life This the Scripture attributes to the Bloud of Christ as the Procuring-cause of it Heb. 9. 14. The Bloud of Christ purgeth our Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God Have we Peace with God This he hath procured by the Bloud of his Cross Col. 1. 20. Have we Power and Strength to overcome our spiritual Enemies Satan and the Lusts of the Flesh This is done by the Bloud of the Lamb Rev. 12. 11. In a word There is not a good Action done or performed by us but the Grace which enables us thereunto is the Fruit of Christ's Bloud Heb. 13. 20 21. The God that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Bishop of our Souls through the Bloud of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Is it Assurance Joy Peace in believing the Bloud of Jesus Christ have procured this also Col. 1. 11 12 13 14 Verses And so for Heaven and Glory to come this is the Fruit of Christ's Purchasing-bloud which hath accomplished all this Ephes 1. 14. And so we come the Reason of the Point Reason This must be so because what Good the Elect of God partake from him either in this World or in the World to come let it be to their Sanctification here or their Glorification hereafter all this must flow forth to them from the Love of God as the grand Cause of it Ephes 2. 4 5 6 Verses But God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in Sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace are ye saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together with Christ Jesus in heavenly Places So that you plainly see to be quickned from a Death in Sin and to be graciously Saved that is from the Curse and Condemnation of the Law Gal. 3. 13. with Rom. 8. 1. and from the Dominion of Sin Rom. 6. 14. and from the Captivating-power of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. and from the Wrath of God Thess 1. 10. And after all this to be dignified and exalted to that hight of Honour so as to be made to sit with Christ yea together with him in heavenly Places The Apostle tells you in the fourth Verse That the great Love of God is the Foundation of all this to the Elect Now it cannot be that God should deal with his Elect in such a way of Love until he be-first reconciled to them and becomes their Friend now he cannot become their Friend until a Reconciliation be made for them which was done wrought out and brought about by the Blood of Christ Rom. 5. 8. In that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us So Verse 10. When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son So Col. 1. 20. And having made Peace by the Bloud of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself Thus you see how through the Bloud of Christ the innocent Bird and Lamb of God the way is abundantly opened to God the Father's letting forth of his Grace and Love to the Elect whom he had ordained thereunto before the World began Ephes 1. 4. And so we come to make some Application of the whole 1st Vse Is to teach us Thankfulness to the ever-blessed God for this special Benefit which he hath so graciously afforded us in order to our spiritual Cleansing Oh! Brethren this was the highest Act of God's Love and Good-will to the lost Children of Adam that could be manifested from Heaven itself Rom. 5. 8. but God commended his Love towards us in that while we were Sinners Christ died for us The meaning is That there was nothing beyond this that could afford a higher Evidence of the Grace and Good-will of God to the lost World For God to create us Creatures was a wonderful Expression of his Power and Wisdom it being a bringing of something out of nothing a most adorable Act but to save them when lost the Fruit of which is their being made new Creatures 2 Cor. 5. 17. Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God before ordained that we should walk in them Ephes 2. 10. This was the highest Expression of God's Wisdom Power Love and Grace that possibly could be manifested in the Face of Men and Angels What could Abraham give to God of all he did possess beyond the Life of his Son Isaac And What could God give more to Sinners than the Life of his Son John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not Perish buâ— have everlasting Life This was the most costliest Means for a Cure that Heaven and Earth could procure Oh Christians and shall we not be Thankful for this and rejoyce in the Lord for this How unsuitable to a David-like Spirit would this be in us Psal 103. 2 3. O bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thine Iniquities and healeth all thy Diseases Oh Brethren this special Bloud calls for special Thankfulness
First Of the Socinians Secondly Of the Quakers who betwixt them both deny the pure Water in the earthen Vessel and the earthen Vessel in which the pure Water is First of all The Socinians who deny the God head of Christ Secondly The Quakers who deny the Manhood of Christ in Being for if Christ be not God and of the same essential Nature with the Father as the Socinians affirm and on the other hand if Christ retain not his Humane Body now in Heaven as the Quakers affirm then is he neither God nor Man and consequently he is nothing at all who thereby make good what the Apostle said of old speaking of a sort of Men which should spring up in the latter Ages of the World that should deny the Lord that bought them bringing thereby swift Destructioâ—â—pon themselves 2 Pet. 2. 1. with Jude 4 Ver. PART IV. Thus you see the Mistery of the earthen Vessel with the runâ—â—ing pure Water in it opened to you we next come to speak of the rest of the Things which the Priest was to use in the Cleansing of the Leper which was the Scarlet the Câ—daâ—-wood and the Hyssop THe Assemblies Annotations speak to this purpose That the Sâ—arlet Cedar-wood and the Hyssop these three things together made up the Brush wherewith the Loper was to be sprinkled in order to his Cleansing the Cedar-wood made up the Handle of the Brush the Hyssop made up the Brush itself and the Scarlet which was a Scarlet Thread with this Thread the Hyssop was bound fast to the Cedar-handle Now the Mystery of which I conceive to be this The Handle of the Brush which was made of Cedar-wood may signifie the Word of God the instrumental Means of our spiritual Cleansing for as Cedar is sweet and durable so is the Word of God First of all The Word of God is like Cedar for sweetness Psal 19. 10. The Word is more to be desired than Gold yea sweeter than the Hony-comb thus you see how sweet the Word is to the Pallate for Taste and it is no less sweet in the Nostrils for smell Cant. 1. 2. Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth that is the Name of Christ published or poured out in the Preaching of the Gospel 2. The Word of God may be compared to Cedar for the durableness of it 1 Pet. 1. 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached to you 2dly By the Hyssop-brush we may understand the Grace of Faith another instrumental Means of our Cleansing from our spiritual Leprosie For as Hyssop is sweet and not so subject to corrupt and wither so soon as other Herbs are so the Grace of Faith is a most sweet and precious Grace it is called precious Faith for the sweetness and uncorruptibleness of it 2 Pet. 1. 1. Good Education natural Parts and moral Gifts may wither and come to nothing but true Faith is a â—race that never loseth its Life Sap or Savour 3dly And by the Scarlet Thread we may understand the Purchasing-bloud of Christ which is the Procuring-cause of that Vertue and Healing-property which we find and feel in the Word and Faith in order to our spiritual Cleansing Now the Sprinkling-brush being thus finished the Scarlet Thread binding the Hyssop to the Cedar-handle with this Brush the Priest was to sprinkle the Leper seven times the Sum of which holds out to us our Justification and Sanctification which is procured for us by our High-Priest Jesus Christ From all which we may observe this Point of Doctrine Doct. That who-ever intends to be Justified from the Guilt of Sin and Sanctified from the Filth of Sin must get himself sprinkled with the Bloud of Christ through the Word of God by the Hyssop of Faith and Believing Hence the Scripture attributes both our Justification and Sanctification to the Bloud of Christ as the meritorious and Procuring-cause of it First For our Justification Rom. 5. 9. Much more then being now Justified by his Bloud 2dly Our Sanctification is meritoriously procured by the same Means Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Bloud of Christ purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God 2. As the Scriptures do direct us to the Bloud of Christ alone as the meritorious Cause of our Justification and Sanctification so doth it direct to Faith as the Means which only can make the Application of both to the Soul Rom. 5. 1. Being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not that Faith can Justifie of itself a part from the Object of it which is Jesus Christ but only as Faith apprehends and applies the Bloud and Obedience of Christ to the Soul which is the alone Matter of our Justification and as Faith is the Instrument of our Justification so it is of our Sanctification also Acts 15. 9. And put no difference betweeen them and us purifying their Hearts by Faith Reason Now the Reason why the Soul is to make use of Faith in his Justification from the Guilt of Sin and in his Cleansing from the Filth of Sin is because God hath ordered Faith to be the Grace which must deal with the Bloud of Christ which is the Procuring-cause of both For as nothing can Justifie or Cleanse the Soul if applied but the Bloud of Christ so there is nothing which can apply the Bloud of Christ to the Soul but the Hyssop of Faith and Believing Heb. 11. 6. But without Faith it is impessible to Please him And so we come to the Application of the Point Vse This should teach us all to look after Faith yea above all things to labour for this Grace of Believing if ever we mean to be healed of our sinful Leprosie and Uncleanness Oh Friends this is the Means that can only do your Souls good slight this and you slight your greatest Mercy under Heaven because you thereby slight that very Means which God hath appointed for a Soul-cure Neglect this saith Christ and you die in your Sins John 8. 24. This was Israel's Sin and that which kept them in their Sins as the Apostle speaks Rom. 10. 3. They submitted not themselves to the Righteousness of God which is else-where called the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4. 13. It was not enough for the Jewish Leper only to use the Bloud of the Bird for his Cleansing no but he must dip the Hyssop-brush into the Bloud also he must keep to the Means and the whole Means which God instituted and appointed for his Cleansing Deut. 12. 32. What tâ—â—ng soever I have commanded you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it If the Priest had used the Hyssop-brush without the Bloud of the Bird or if he had dipt the Hyssop-brush in any other Liquor as Water Milk or Wine this would not have been Cleansing to the Leper or if he had made use of the Bloud of the Bird without
his Justification yet he deeply complains of his readiness and proneness Rom. 7. 21. I find a Law in my Members that when I would do Good Evil is present with me There is this difference bewixt a Justified and an Unjustified Man's Inclination to Sin a Justified Man always Sins with Reluctancy but the other with Allowance the Justified Man is ever renewing his State by Repentance Psal 51. 1 2 3 4. And the other is adding of Sin to Sin without Repentance Jer. 8. 6. I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no Man repented him of his Wickedness saying What have I done Every one turned to his Course as the Horse rusheth into the Battle Sin is squeezed forth from a Justified Man but it comes freely without let or hindrance from the other Now look into thy Heart though thy sinful Nature works in thee yet is it with Regret Is it with due Repentance Doth it not come freely from thee Is it the Evil thou wouldst not do as Paul speaks and doth it oftentimes make thee to cry out as he did in Rom. 7. 24. O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Then doubt not because thou hast no more reason to question thy Justification than David Heman Paul or Peter had The third Ground of a Christian's doubting about his Justified Condition ariseth from his want of Skill to distinguish betwixt the old Reckoning as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Book of his own Conscience It is just with such Christians as it is with some ignorant Servant who is sent to a Shop-keeper to buy such and such Commodities the Shop-keeper sets it all down in his Shop-book the next Week the Servant comes and dischargeth the Debt the Week following the same Servant comes again for new Commodities the Shop-keeper books down all again as before but as the Shop-keeper is writing down of the new Debt the Servant looking over his shoulder espies the Items of the old Reckoning upon the Book which was discharged before this sends the Servant away with a Heart loaded with Grief and Trouble fearing that the Debt which he had discharged will be demanded again It 's true he saw some strokes crost over the Particulars upon the Book but being wholly ignorant that the crossing of the Book was a full Discharge of the Debt in Law this keeps the poor Servant under his Fear and Trouble still Thus stands the Matter with many a doubting Christian about their Justification though the Book of Accounts in Heaven be discharged and crost above with the red strokes of the Bloud of Christ the Vertue of which dischargeth the whole in Law 1 John 1. 7. The Bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Yet the Soul being unaquainted with this Mystery he beholding the Items standing yet upon his own Conscience thinks that the whole Debt is still to be exacted from him as if there had never been any Satisfaction made for his Debt at all But O doubting Soul if thou wouldst have Peace in thy Soul thy Work must be to acquaint thy self with the nature of a Believer's Discharge as to his Debt in the Court of Heaven above Labour by an Eye of Faith to see the red Strokes of Christ's Bloud with which the grand Book above is crost for thee for ever and then whatever the Items are which stands upon the Book of thy Conscience yet they can do thee no hurt because now they signifie nothing against thee in Law Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall condemn It is God that Justifies Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is Christ that Died. So that you plainly see that God justifieth a Believer upon the account of Christ's Death the Bloud of whose Death dischargeth his Debt and gives such a Satisfaction to the Law of God that nothing can condemn the Soul for ever thus you see what these Doubts are which do darken a Christian's Interest in his Justification and also the Grounds and Reasons from whence these Doubts and Fears do arise But here lieth thy Comfort Christ thy High-Priest hath compleated this Work for thee though thou canst not apprehend thy Interest in it by a clear sight of Faith yet he by one Offering hath perfected this Work for thee and that for ever if thou be truly Sanctified Heb. 10. 14. 2dly This affords â—â—mfort to Believers against their Doubts arising from the littleness of their Sanctification Oh saith a doubting Soul who is sensible of the weakness and littleness of his Grace Oh! if I have any Grace at all yet it is so little I fear it will never last long and so I shall never be able to hold out Oh! my Faith in God my Love to God my Zeal for God my Sincerity before God my Patience under Trials my Self-denial and Holiness is so little that I fear all my Religion will end in meer Formality and my Profession conclude in Hypocrisie when all is done Ans Oh! Soul against all these Fears thy Duty is to look up to Jesus Christ who is thy mystical Head and in him thou shalt see thy Soul compleatly Sanctified as well as compleatly Justified I do not say that Christ hath compleated the Work of Sanctification in a Believer's own Person while in this Life No no while a Believer is in the Body the Flesh will be lusting against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. and Believers again through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body Rom. 8. 13. which is one special part of Sanctification And further I do not say that the Spirit in his working of Mortification doth so kill and subdue Sin in Believers as that it shall never trouble grieve or defile them more No that Freedom belongs to the perfect State in Heaven but though Christ hath not perfected this Work in a Believer yet Christ hath perfected Sanctification in himself for the Believer Doth not the Apostle say 1 Cor. 1. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption First It must be acknowledged that by Nature thou art in thy self a Fool Luke 24. 25. O Fools and slow of heart to believe Secondly It is as true that thou hast no Righteousness of thy own Isa 64. 6. We are all as an unclean Thing our Righteousness is as filthy Rags Thirdly Thou art by Nature a perfect Slave and Vassel to Sin and the Devil therefore is Christ said to proclaim Liberty to the Captives even to such as thou art Isa 61. 1. Fourthly And it is as true that thou art as void of Sanctification Ezek. 16. 6. When I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thy own Bloud But now thou seest that Christ is made over to thee by God the Father to be Wisdom for thy Foolishness Righteousness for thy