so the people of God had need every day morning and evening to flee to Christ and to apply his sacrifice and satisfaction to themselves and through him to seek pardon of God for their dayly sins and infirmities every day sprinkling the blood of Christ the Lamb of God upon their souls 2. This may stir up Christians dayly to offer up a morning evening sacrifice to the Lord in confession of sins prayers praises thanksgivings We read of special blessings which the Lord vouchsafed at those times The King of Iudah Israel and Edom with their Army were in danger to perish for want of water and in this great distress they had recourse to the Prophet Elisha now it is said ver 20 and it came to pass in the morning when the meat-offering was offered that behold there came water by the way of Edom and the country was filled with water So Danâ—ul having prayed with much importunity for the Church which was then in captivity saith the man Gabriel to wit the Angel Gabriel in the likeness of a man being caused to fly swiftly touched him about the time of the evening oblation and so as it followeth there opened the counsels of God unto him according to his request I conceive it is very probable that the people of Israel in their several houses did use to pour out their prayers to God about the time of the morning and evening sacrifices and that Daniel and others of the godly when they were in captivity did observe those times though then the Temple was destroyed and the daily sacrifice interrupted A second sort of Sacrifices were sin offerings this kind of offering is called in the Hebrew expresly Sin because in a typical or figurative way the guilt or sin of him for whom the sacrifice was offered was laid upon the creature sacrificed So the Apostle sheweth that God hath made him scil Christ to be â—in for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him The sin-offering called sin figured the imputation of mens sin to Christ who had no sin of his own bnt voluntarily took upon him the guilt of mens sins as a surety taketh upon him anothers debt 1. See here how exceedingly the Son of God abased himself for sinners as to stand under the guilt of numberless sins If we consider the infinite holiness glory and Majesty of Christ is it not evident that this degree of humiliation and abasement passeth all understanding Admire therefore his infinite love and unconceivable goodness which moved him hereunto Learn highly to exalt and honour him 2. See here the baseness of sin which thâ— abased the Son of God when he took the guilâ— of it upon him out of compassion to sinnerâ— No outward estate condition calling imployment doth so abase any as the least sin doth in the Lord his account and yet hoâ— vain is the corrupt heart of man in being ashamed of many other things more thâ— of sin yea how many are there that arâ— ashamed of holiâ—ess and ready to glory iâ— sin 3. If Christ did thus abase himself for thâ— sins of others as to be made a sin-offering or to be made sin by imputation How shoulâ— we take shame to our selves and be exceedingly humbled and abased for our own sins As David I have sinned greatly in that I haâ— done I have done very foolishly And 〈◊〉 I abhor my self and repent in dust 〈◊〉 ashes 2. The blood of the sin-offering was to sprinkled seven times before the Lord and seâ— is noted for a number of perfection The Souâ— and Consciences of sinners are so deeply slaâ—ned and defiled with sin that they neeâ— much purging How often should we laboâ— by â—aith to sprinkle the blood of Christ upon our souls and to apply it to our selves This blood of the sin-offering was to bâ— sprinkled seven times before the vail of 〈◊〉 holy place so it is the blood of Christ 〈◊〉 maketh way for believers to the mercy-seat which their sins had shut up against theâ— Having therefore Brethren boldness to enteâ— into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh and having an high-priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true â—eart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water with hearts and souls sprinkled with the blood of Christ by faith and so purged from the guilt of sin and bodies washed with pure water being baptized outwardly and inwardly with water and the sanctifying graces of the holy spirit 3. Some of the blood was to be put upon the horns of the sweet incense Altar scil the Golden Altar so Christians are to ground their faith and confidence in offering up the Incense of prayer upon the blood and Mediation of Christ having no hope of acceptance but only through him and his satisfaction and intercession The Golden Altar being a type of Christ as he intercedeth for his people The blood of the sin-offering put upon this Altar may intimate unto us that Christ intercedeth with his Father and pleadeth for his people by presenting to him his blood the merit of his death and fulness of his satisfaction which he underwent not for himself who had no need but for them 4. The fat of the Inwards Kidneys c. were to be burned upon the Altar The fat may signifie carnal security senselessness and sottishness in heavenly and spiritual things Make the heart of this people sat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes and the Kidneys and fat upon them may signifie fleshly lusts and therefore as these things were consumed by fire upon the Altar so let Christians earnestly pray and labour for more and more of the spirit of Christ to consume and burn up their earthly and carnal affections and sinful lusts And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Ierusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Hierusalem when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughters of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Hierusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Iudgement and by the spirit of burning 5. The skin of the Bullock for the sin-offering and all his flesh with his head and with his leggs and his inwards and his dung even the whole Bullock was to be carried without the Camp where the Ashes were poured and there to be burnt and as this was to be done without the Camp while they were in the Wilderness as they were when these things were written so it seemeth after they were settled in Canaan it was done without the City The Apostle giveth us
which Believers are accepted as righteous with God so saith is that grace whereby it is applied to the soul the Father of the distressed child cryed out and said with tears Lord I believe help mine unbelief and the Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our Faith Pray earnestly for faith and for strength and increase of Faith that ye may be established in the faith and confirmed in the assurance of your interest in Christ and his perfect righteousness this is the Sheild which quenched the fiery darts of the Devil What may Christians expect that the Devil should rather aim at than the destroying or weakning of their faith to divide them from Christ to dissolve the marriage bond between him and them to strip them of their wedding garment the robe of Christ's Righteousness And what should Christians endeavour more than the strengthning of their faith Fifthly Let all that are in Christ justified by the Righteousness of Christ labour to walk as becometh those that are partakers of so rich a blessing This was one great end of Christ his coming into the world and performing this glorious work of Redemption that he would grant unto us That we being delivered out of the hand of our Enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life and therefore the Apostle having spoken at large of this doctrine of justification by faith in Christ his Righteousness exhorteth Believers thus I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies as a Sacrifice living holy acceptable unto God c. of him are ye in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us wisdom righteousness and sanctification and redemption those to whom Christ is made righteousness for their justification to them he is made sanctification conforming them to himself in holiness Justification and Sanctification are 1. Distinct. 2. Unseparable neither to be confounded together nor separated from each other They are distinct Sanctification is no cause nor part of justification No man is justified for his holiness but only for the righteousness of Christ. On the other side sanctification and holiness is unseparably joyned with justification whosoever is justified is also sanctified when sin is forgiven it is also mortified Do not flatter your selves with a perswasion of the pardon of your sins and the justification of your persons while ye want the beginning of sanctification Saith the Apostle Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God All that are washed from the guilt of sin in the name of Christ and by the virtue of his blood being made partakers of righteousness unto justification are also washed by his sanctifying spirit and grace from the filth and pollution of sin and made partakers of his holiness In the next place we have the fourth particular That the Lord Iesus Christ established the Law by making it a rule of obedience to his people 1. Christ made the Law a rule of obedience to his people 2. Hereby he established the Law 1. Concerning the former the Lord Christ saith Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill for verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled the Law is established as a perpetual rule to direct Christians in the ordering of themselves all the powers of their souls affections of their hearts their thoughts words and actions and therefore Christ himself in divers passages following presseth not only the outward but also the inward observation of the Law a certain man asked Christ this question Which is the great Commandment in the Law Iesus said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets I conceive the Lord Christ in this answer doth clearly confirm the Law as a Rule of obedience by his Authority 1. He doth as it were open the bowels of the Law and discover the soul and spirit of it shewing that it consisteth in two things 1. Intire and perfect love to God 2. As subordinate hereunto sincere love to our Neighbour 1. Because all things commanded in the Law are either love to God and man or such things as love supposeth as the knowledge of God or such affections thoughts words actions as accompany or flow from love 2. All sins of omission or commission towards God or man are either want of love or such as proceed from the want of love Now in that Christ doth so highly extol these two Commandments which comprehend the substance of the Law he established the Law as a rule of obedience for his people Secondly In this speech he had respect not only to the ten Commandments delivered Exod. 20. but also to the doctrine of the Prophets throughout the old Testament saying On these two c. The Prophets opening and enlarging in particulars what is generally comprized in the ten Commandments and if we compare this with what we had before where he saith he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets we may gather that he established the Law delivered by Moses and expounded by the Prophets as a Rule of obedience to his people Again how frequently doth the spirit of Christ in his Apostles establish the Law as a rule of obedience for his people What are those things which the Apostles by the Authority of Christ and his Name require of Christians but things commanded in the Law And what are those sins which they call upon Christians to shun but sins forbidden in the Law Let Love be without dissimulation abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good c. What multitudes of instances might be given in this kind and therefore saith the Apostle The end of the Commandments is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of faith unfeigned These are things required in the Law The grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world The Gospel and word of grace which Christ hath revealed to the world and confirmed by his death teacheth those things which are the substance of the Law and therefore Christ hath established the Law for a Rule by which his people are to act and walk As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy The spirit of Christ in the
them as are brought forth into outward act defile the body also some of them more some less according to their natures and degrees Now there is a severe threatning formerly mentioned If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy As ye desire the salvation of your souls and bodies to prevent the destruction of both take heed of defiling these Temples of God make a through search and cast out all the filth which ye find there by sincere repentance and reformation watch against all future defilements and as atonement was made for the Tabernacle by the blood of the sin-offering so seek to clear your selves from the guilt of your sins by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus applied by faith Seventhly Next to the Tabernacle or Temple ye may take notice of the Altar of burnt-offering and as the sacrifices offered up on this Altar and High-priest who was the principal officer were Types of Chirst so it seemeth was the Altar We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat that serve the Tabernacle 1. It was commanded to be made of Shittim Wood which is thought to have been a choice kind of wood that would not rot and so fit to resemble the precious body of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom it is said He whom God raised again saw no corruption The Lord Christ though he freely laid down his life for his people and suffered death yet He rose again in so short a time as to prevent all putrefaction and rottenness He saw no corruption and as he preserved his own natural body from corruption so he shall deliver his mystical body his Church and the members of it out of corruption and raise them incorruptible But 2. The Altar was to be over-laid with Brass for though the wood might be free from rotting and corrupting yet I conceive it could not endure the force of that fire which was to burn upon it and therefore it was to have a brazen covering This seemeth to note unto us the Godhead of Christ united to his manhood or that strength which the Godhead thus united gave to the manhood whereby it was so mightily forâ—ified that the wrath of God due to the Sons of men did not consume it as the wood of the Altaâ— was not consumed by the fire wherewith the Sacrifices were burnt 3. This Altar was placed by the door of the Tabernacle of the Tent of the congregation it seemeth this was set in the open Court that all the people might see it and behold the Sacrifices offered upon it that their hearts might be raised in expectation of that great and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ which alone satisfieth for sins so now Christ in the preaching of the Gospel is set forth as it were crucified before the eyes of believers The Altar upon which the sacrifices were offered was set by the door of the Tabernacle at the entrance into it whosoever will have a place in the Courts of the Lord and abide in his house for ever must get entrance by Christ and his sacrifice sin shutteth the door against all only Christ makes way for those that truly come to him and by him to God Saith the Lord Christ I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved And again I am the way c. No man cometh unto the Father but by me whosoever will come to God enjoy his favour enter into Covenant and have communion with him must come to him by Christ. 4. There was an Altar to burn Incense upon of the same wood with the former but overlaid with pure Gold Christ is the Golden Altar upon whom the prayers and other services of his people are offered up as sweet Incense unto God by whose merit and intercession they find acceptance 2. No strange Incense was to be offered thereon so no strange worship must be offered to God in the Name of Christ of mans deviseing only such services are to be presented to him as the Lord himself hath appointed in his word In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrine the traditions of men The Lord alloweth not any strange Incense to be offered up to him Eighthly There was the Ark overlaid with pure Gold into which was put the Testimony by which I understand the Tables of stone wherein the Law was written by the finger of God This Ark was a special token of God his presence with his people and upon the Ark was placed a mercy-seat of pure Gold and the mercy seat was put above upon the Ark. As the mercy seat was set above upon the Ark wherein the Law was so the Lord in dealing with repenting and believing sinners in Christ exalteth and magnifieth his mercy and covereth their sins whereby they have transgressed his holy Law He sitteth upon a mercy-seat to receive poor sinners that fly from the curse of the Law for refuge to the riches of his grace in Christ. Let all poor souls without strive and hasten to escape from the severity of Gods dreadful justice to his mercy-seat through Christ whose blood hath opened a way unto it They that are sincerely willing to renounce their dearest sins and to yeild subjection unto Christ may have free access to the mercy-seat and receive an answer of peace in Christ. This Ark wherein the Tables of the Law were written and the mercy-seat was of the same measure for breadth and length so they that will have their hearts assured of the saving mercy of God in Christ must have the Law of God written by the finger of God in their hearts they must be regenerate and renewed by the spirit of Christ and conformed to his holy Law Poor souls pursued with the guilt of their Consciences and curse of the Law must flee to the mercy-seat of God in Christ though as yet they do not find any such work in themselves but they cannot have their hearts established in the assurance of this priviledge that their sins are forgiven until they find this gracious work wrought in them and therefore the Lord in dâ—câ—aring his Covenant joyneth these two together This is the Covenant c. I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more The Lord promiseth to the same prâ—sons to pardon their sins and to write his Laws in their hearts As for those that go on securely in sin and yet rely upon the mercy of God in Christ for pardon of sin they deceive themselves The Ark wherein the Law was put and the mercy-seat were just of the same size and repentance which is a change of heart and life is always joyned with forgiveness of sins There were two Cherubims of beaten Gold at the two ends of the mercy-seat with their faces one
saved whether by their own works and performances or by the grace and free favour of God imputing to them the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ and working faith in their hearts by his spirit thereby enabling them to receive Christ and apply his righteousness to themselves 2. For the deciding of this question or the determining this controversie the hearts lives and actions of men were to be tried and examined by a rule of righteousness which the supream Law-giver had given unto men 3. The Apostle in this dispute having to do with two sorts of people 1. The Gentiles or such as were strangers to the commonwealth or Church of Israel who had no written Law of divine Authority among them he dealeth with them another way and goeth about to convince them of their guiltiness and unrighteousness and sinning against the Law of Nature 2. The people of Israel who for many hundred years had been the peculiar Covenant-people or Church of God and who had the moral Law of God written briefly with the finger of God in Tables of stone and more largely opened in other parts of Scripture by holy men inspired and moved by the holy Ghost These he trieth by this more full and perfect Law and proveth them guilty of sin against the Law and so concludes that both Israelites and Gentiles were guilty before God and there was none of them righteous by his own works no not one and therefore all of them were to go out of themselves and to flee to Christ by faith that being found in him they might be freely justified by his righteousness I conceive therefore that the Question or Objection in this Text being occasioned by the Apostles former discourse doth concern all those Laws which he mentioned before by which he proveth that men could not be justified scil the Ceremonial Law the Law of Nature and the moral Law written and accordingly the Answer taketh in all Yea we establish the Law But because these two do concern the same things forbidding the same sins and commanding the same duties and what is more imperfectly contained in the Law of Nature is far more perfectly declared in the Moral Law written I do not hold it so necessary to shew how these two are severally established by the doctrine of the Gospel for if this be made evident concerning the moral Law written which being more large and full comprehendeth the Law of Nature in it it will follow that the Law of Nature is established also Notwithstanding in as much as the Apostle hath shewed that none can be justified by the light and Law of Nature I think fit to speak something briefly of that also as conceiving it to be included in this Objection and the Apostles Answer to it The point then which I observe is this That God hath given to men a light and Law of Nature This I take to be plainly expressed in divers passages of the first and second Chapters of this Epistle and twice implyed in this verse 1. In the Objection Do we then make void the Law through faith Doth the doctrine of justification through the righteousness of Christ applied by faith excluding all other ways of justification make the Law of Ceremonies the Law moral the Light and Law of Nature as formerly mentioned of no effect altogether void of no force or use 2. In the Answer We establish the Law and as the Law of Ceremonies and the Law moral so the Law and light of Nature so that the Apostle sheweth according to the point that God hath given unto men a light and Law of Nature That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them for the invisible things of God are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse◠because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God c. Where it is manifest the Apostle speaks of the Law and light of Nature common to men in general even to those that had no light of Scripture nor written Law of God For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also hearing witness and their thoughts the mean while or between themselves accusing or excusing one another For the underderstanding of this point let us consider 1. What this Light or Law of Nature is It may be described thus It is the knowledge which God hath given unto man in their natural estate since the fall of men whereby he hath in some degree made known unto them himself and the good they ought to do and the evils they ought to shun 1. It is given of God so in both those places of Scripture mentioned before in the one 〈◊〉 is said God hath shewed it unto them in the other they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts Now who can write immediately upon the heart and soul but God who is the Father of spirits who formeth the spirit of man within him and therefore I do not call it the Law of Nature in this sense as if it were propagated from Adam by natural generation but because it is given of God to men as generally as if it were born with them The Prophet sheweth that God giveth to the Husbandman his skill and knowledge for his God doth instruct him unto discretion and doth teach him this also cometh forth from the Lord who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working So the Lord saith of Bezaleel I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship to devise cunning works to work in Gold and in Silver and in Brass c. So that if God be the giver of skill and ability for arts and handy-crafts we need not doubt but he is the Author of the light and Law of Nature given unto man whereby they see a difference between truth and falshood good and evil and the Lord may give excellent gifts of this kind to such men to whom he giveth no sanctifying and saving graces 2. It is a knowledge So it is said they knew God they have a knowledge So it is said of Christ that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world The Son of God giveth this common light generally to men This light differeth much from that light of life which Christ giveth to them that follow him whereof he speaketh Chap. 8. I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life This is meant of a spiritual saving light leading men to everlasting life which is given to none but them that follow Christ
saved Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved How then shall they call on him on whom they have not believed It must be a prayer of faith and where sound faith is there are other saving graces And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher so that the light of Nature was not sufficient unto salvation 2. In special I conceive the Law and light of Nature was defective and imperfect 1. In it self I suppose it did not make known unto men the great Mystery of Trinity in unity three persons in one God nor the state of perfection wherein man was created nor his woful fall and revolt from God Their own experience taught them that the Nature of man was inclined to evil the powers of the soul disordered the senses misleading the affections the affections leading reason captive but they had no light to discover to them the first cause of all this mischief they were as far to seek concerning the Remedy That great depth of the Incarnation of the Son of God of God manifest in the flesh for mans Redemption was hidden from them their own Consciences accused them and condemned them as guilty but they had no light to shew them how divine justice might be satisfied they knew not of the blood righteousness sacrifice satisfaction of Jesus Christ God and man that is sufficient to take away sin and to make peace between God and sinners The light of Nature could not enable them to see into the mystical union between Christ and believers by his spirit and their faith The doctrines of free justification by the righteousness of Christ imputed of Regeneration Adoption Sanctification Communion with God Resnrrection unto glory are not revealed by the light of Nature This light did nor shew them how to walk before God unto all pleasing it did not teach them the right way of mortifying their lusts of walking in the spirit it did not discover to them the special institutions of God and ordinances of his worship Secondly It was defective and imperfect by reason of the subject the soul of man in which it was This light and Law of Nature being given to men in their corrupt natural estate is much darkned by the Natural blindness errours vanities lusts that are in the minds and hearts of men as if a man write upon fowl and blurred Paper how much is lost of that which is written and how hardly is it read sometimes a sentence broken off in the midst here and there half words one letter mistaken for another so the light and Law of Nature being put into the defiled hearts and souls of men hath many defects in it Thirdly It may be considered of what use this light and Law of Nature was sith it was defective and not sufficient to lead men to salvation It might be useful 1. For the glory of God who by this means had a witness in the hearts and Consciences of men of natural men yea of Heathens that he loved righteousness and hated wickedness their own Consciences pleading for God against them 2. It was of use for the preservation of humane societies in families â—nd Common-wealths keeping men within some limits of common honesty and preventing those outrages which the violence of mens lusts and the power of Satan might hurry them into 3. I conceive it might be useful as a remote preparative for the receiving of the Gospel in some to whom the word of salvation was tendred for though the pride and prejudice of mens natural spirits might cause them to resist the holy Ghost speaking in the Gospel preached yet the light of nature well improved finding nothing in the doctrine of the Gospel contrary to it but far above it might incline the minds of many to attend to a far higher and more glorious light shining in the doctrine of salvation I speak of this but as a remote preparative whereby ingenuous spirits might be moved to give heed to the Gospel but it must be a far higher cause even the mighty power of Christ his spirit that can bring them to receive the Gospel in an effectual and saving way Fourthly How doth this light and Law of Nature leave men without excuse I conceive First Because they did in many things shut their eyes against the light not seeking to increase that light received by improving their reason and understandings as one Candle lighteth another so one degree of light improved begetteth another and so there is lumen de lumine light as it were springing from light whereas light smothered endeth in darkness 2. Because they did not act according to that light received nor walk according to those natural abilities which they had The Heathens lived in gross Idolatry against the light of Nature whereby they might have learned that dead Images were utterly unfit to represent the living God Carnal Christians sin against the light of Nature as in many other things so I conceive in not submitting to that higher light of spiritual Mysteries so as to receive the love of the Truth that they may be saved The use of this may be 1. To inform us that Acts againt the Law of Nature are sings against God not only as they are against his written Law but also as they are against the Law of Nature because as the point sheweth God hath given unto men this light and Law of Nature the impression of this Law of Nature upon the hearts and souls of men is one of the acts of his legislative power I conceive when the Prophet saith The Lord is our Iudge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us he speaketh of God in reference to his Church to whom he hath a more peculiar Relation of this kind He gave them his Law written in the Scripture and he raigneth over them as a King in a special maner Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord and the people whom he hath chosen for his own Inheritance the Church is the Lords Inheritance A King may have an hereditary Kingdom which he maketh greatest account of and he may have other tributary Kingdoms subject to him to which he giveth Law also So David was King of Israel in a peculiar manner but he had also the Kingdoms of Edom Moaâ— Ammon Syria c. under him The Lord looketh upon the Church as his peculiar Kingdom and to them he hath given a perfect Law in writing in the holy Scirptures but besides that he hath a universal soveraignty and Dominion the Authority of a Law-giver over all the Nations of the world Iews Turks Indians c. The Lord most high is terrible he is a great King over all the Earth And again God is King of all the Earth And so he is a Law-giver to all the Nations of the Earth If he giveth