Kingdom Christ's Testament doth make both Children and Heires 1. Saints have their new nature from God's Gracious Covenant so they are born of the Covenant that promises a new Heart and Spirit Ezek. 36.26 and on this account are said to be the Children of the promise Rom. 9.8 And they have the Eternal Inheritance from the same gracious Covenant and so are stiled the Heires of promise Heb. 6 17.11 We cannot obtain a blessing by our own Righteousness and Works but by the Sacrifice and Death of Jesus Christ Levit. 9.22 23. This Text of Scripture is observable when Aaron had offered Sacrifice then he was to Bless the people in the Name of the Lord the form of Blessing is expressed Numb 6.24 25 26. The Lord make his Face to shine the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon thee When Christ was Sacrificed God hid his Face from him and did forsake him Psal 22.1 Christ's Sufferings purchased and procured this Blessing for us That God's Face may shine on us and the light of his Countenance may be lifted up upon us Jesus Christ bare the Curse Galat. 3.13 He was made a Curse that the Blessing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles Galat. 3.14 God promised to Abraham That in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be Blessed Gen. 22.18 Christ was the Seed meant and intended Galat. 3.8 There could be no Blessing without Redemption from the Curse and we could not be Redeemed from the Curse if Jesus Christ did not endure it There are blemishes and defects in our best Works and they deserve a Curse and therefore cannot earn and merit a Blessing but we must seek it in Christ they that are of Faith are Blessed with Faithful Abraham Gal. 3.9 It is not said they are Blessed with working Abraham but with Faithful believing Abraham Abraham himself did not get the Blessing by Working but by believing He did not find that in his own Heart or Life that would warrant him to Glory in himself before God The same way that Abraham got the Blessing all his believing seed must attain it Object But here it may be Objected Is it not said Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that Feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments and Psal 119.1 2. Blessed are the undefiled in the way that walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his Testimonies and seek him with their whole heart Answ No man since the Fall did ever earn a Blessing by his obedience to the Works of the Law therefore Calvin excellently observes Rom. 32. ver 1 2. that all such passages are grounded on the Blessing we have by the free and full forgiveness of our Sins Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is the man whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord Imputeth not Iniquity Paul asserts that David describeth the Blessedness of the Man to whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without Works saying Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven Rom. 4.6 7. No man is blessed for any Righteousness or works of his own but as the person is a Believer in Christ and freely Justified by Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.24 Fearing God walking in his Law keeping his Testimonies are sweet Indications and Comfortable Characters who the persons are that are Blessed But it is the Forgiveness of Sin that is the true cause of our Blessedness The Mercies that God bestows are not conferred by our Covenant as if we had earned and merited them but by his Covenant as the Fruits of his meer and pure Grace Observe well this distinction which God makes between our Covenant which is a Covenant of Works and his Covenant that is a Covenant of Grace and that Good things are given by his Covenant but not bestow'd by our Covenant Weigh well the Importance of this Scripture Ezek. 16.61 62. 12. We enter into Rest by Faith in Christ and not by our own Works Heb. 4.3 We that have believed do enter into rest It is not said We that have wrought Righteousness do enter into Rest It was the Speech of Fisher Bishop of Rochester Fides Faeta Justificat sed ante partum * Treat of Justiffcation Faith that is impregnated with Good Works doth Justifie but yet before it brings them forth yet Faith doth not Justifie as it is adapted fitted or disposed to bring forth Good Works but as it respects Christ eyes his Righteousness and Obedience The Faith big with Good Works doth Justifie but not because it is so or as it is such but by virtue of its respect to Christ and the Free Promise Noah by Faith entred into the Ark and rested there it had no Rudder or Helm for him to handle and manage no Sailes for him to trim no Rigging for him to look after he did nothing to Stear or Sail the Ark up and down but he sweetly rested by Faith in the Ark He believed God would Stear and Guide it that it should not be broken dashed to pieces sink or miscarry Noah in this Temporal deliverance from the Flood saw and apprehended an Eternal Salvation from the Flood of Divine Vengeance in and by Christ the true Ark of Salvation and that blessed rest and security that is attained by Faith in him Hence the Apostle saith That Noah became Heir of the Righteousness that is by Faith Heb. 11.7 he did believe that by the Righteousness and Obedience of the Messiah to come as an Ark he should be saved from the Wrath to come This is much to be observed that the Sabbath Instituted in Paradise was the Seventh in order after Six Working days and was suited to Man's State of Innocency and did most properly belong to the Covenant of Works that Promiseth a Blessed Life and Rest after perfect Works of Righteousness wrought by us Rom. 10.5 The man that doth those things shall live by them But the Christian Sabbath is the First Day of the Week before our Six Working days and therefore is suited and fitted to the New Covenant that Promiseth a Rest to the Consciences of them that believe before uhey do Works of Righteousness Those that are Justified by Faith have peace with God through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 Calvin doth think that God pointed at this in such a severe and rigid injunction of the Sabbath He that would not have us to be weary in well-doing Galat. 6.9 yet commands us to cease from our own works Nonne eo ipso pronuntiat omnia oper a nostra mala esse And Isaiah teaching us that the Sabbath is violated Quando invenitur nostra voluntas Isa 58.13 When we find our own will and pleasure doth shew a necessity of ceasing from our own Wills and Works in our Justification Calvin thus Discourses in the 1st and 6th Book against Pighius concerning Free-will we are Justified not by shewing our Good Works but by our Evil Works being hid and covered
when a Sacrifice was offered he bid him to put up his Sword 1 Chron. 21.27 So in the times of the Law God did but as it were stay his Hand Sins were said to be passed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the forbearance of God that Time is called a Time of Forbearance and God staid his Hand from punishing those that did look to Christ to come But now the great Sacrifice is offered up God's Sword is sheathed and he can magnify Grace through the sacrifice and satisfaction of Christ it may reign through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ Rom. 5.20.21 Jesus Christ being lifted upon the Cross will draw all to him John 12.32 All that is very many compared with the few that were drawn before a Dying Saviour 3dly Christ hath now paid a Ransom Matth. 20.28 and purchased a Church by his own Blood Acts 20.28 And therefore Christ hath now just ground to come to the Prison Door of Sinners and to call them forth Isa 49.9 That thou maist say to the Prisoners go forth and to them that are in darkness shew your selves Come with boldness into the presence of God appear and shew your selves with confidence in the Heavenly Sanctuary He that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Redeemer hath just Ground to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deliverer Rom. 11.26 shall he Ransom and not Rescue shall he buy and not possess hath not Christ a just claim to what he hath purchased to take possession of it 4thly Christ hath now sealed confirmed and established his Testament by means of Death Heb. 9.15 He that might have given a Sanction to to the Threatning by our Blood and have executed the Curse in our Death hath ratified the Promises and confirmed his Testament by his own Death Christ hath given Vigour and Strength to the Promises by his being Crucified through weakness 2 Cor. 13.4 and hath given Life to his Testament by his own Death and he is rising again to be his own Executor Now he can fulfil the Promises of the New Covenant and bestow the Legacies of his new Testament and that especially because Christ is such a Testator as by his death doth purchase of God all the Legacies he bequeaths in his Testament which no other Testator doth All the Mercies of the Everlasting Covenant are the sure Mercies of this Spiritual David Isa 55.3 they are sure because Jesus Christ is risen from the Dead to bestow them Acts 13.34 And certainly Christ may freely and lawfully give forth his own 5hty Now Christ is saved and therefore in a full capacity to save others Zech. 1.9 Thy King cometh to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salvatus ipsemet ut de brevi transitu in locum Saved Christ had many Adversaries and did encounter with mighty Enemies they endeavoured totally to crush Christ and wholly to swallow him up it was of great concernment to the whole Church of God that Christ should be saved The Holy Ghost therefore dictated that Prayer to the Saints to be put up for Christ Psal 118.25 Save now we beseech thee we heseech thee now send Prosperity now was the time of War and utter Destruction there were many associated and united against Jesus Christ Acts 4.25 26 27. He is stiled Child Jesus Enemies thought easily to destroy him Herod Pontius Pilate the Jews and the Gentiles Many Dogs were hunting down this Morning Hart Psal 22. and the Title of Psal 16. And it was that which the Church desired and Christ himself also pray'd for that he might be delivered from their cruel and devouring Mouths Psal 69.29 I am Poor and Needy let thy Salvation set me up on high And Christ was heard in what he pray'd for He was taken from Prison and Judgment Isa 53.8 From Man's Prison Tribunal and Judgment and God did set him up on high even in a glorious Throne far above the reach and rage of all his Enemies that Christ that is so perfectly saved himself can fully save us He that did wrest himself out of the Hands of his Foes can also rescue us from the Power of all our Enemies the day of Christ's Weakness is past 2 Cor. 13.4 and the day of his Power is now come Psal 110.3 6thly Christ is now Perfected and being made Perfect he is fit to become the Author of Eternal Salvation to those that obey him Heb. 5.9 The Captain of our Salvation is made perfect through Sufferings and can lead to Glory Heb. 2.10 All the Rounds or Rongs of the Spiritual Ladder that reacheth from Earth to Heaven are compleat Gen. 28.12 13 14. with Rom. 5.33 34. Christ hath cloathed himself with our Flesh he hath died is risen again is ascended to Heaven is at the Right Hand of God to make Intercession for us His Priestly Garments are sprinkled with his own Blood and so he is fitted to enter into the Heavenly Sanctuary and to appear in the Presence of God the Sons of Aaron were to have their Priestly Garments sprinkled with the Blood of a Sacrifice before they could officiate in the Sanctuary Exod. 20.21 Christ's own Death did consecrate him as a Priest for ever and perfect him for the great work of Intercession Heb. 7. last 7thly Christ is now Victorious over all his and our Enemies he hath overcome the World John 16. last he hath made Reconciliation for Iniquity yea made an end of sin Dan. 9.24 he hath abolished Death 2 Tim. 1.10 by tasting it for a few Hours he hath swallowed it up for ever By Death he hath destroy'd him that hath the power of Death even the Devil Heb. 2.15 As a Goaler hath the power of the Law to keep a Malefactor in Prison and the Executioner hath the power of the Law to put him to Death so Sinners hath broken the Law and incurred the Penalty Satan hath the power of the Curse to cut off and destroy Sinners But Christ hath spoiled Principalities and Powers turned Satan out of his Office stript him of his Power as to those that believe The Curse is the Armour that this Strong Man trusts in Luke 11.22 And Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by being made a Curse himself Gal. 3.13 And Christ hath now the Key of Hell and Death the Key of Hell to shut it that the Souls of his People may not enter into it and the Key of Death to rescue and bring forth the Bodies of his People out of the Grave He hath led Captivity Captive Psal 68.18 and triumphed over the Enemies of our Salvation the Captain of our Salvation is entred in triumph into his Royal City above as he hath overcome in his own Person so now he can overcome in us His strength is perfected in our weakness It is discovered to be most perfect when we are most weak and low when we seem as Christ's Soldiers to lye in the open Field and to be exposed to manifold Inconveniences and Sufferings from the rage and fury
this Table The Altar Figured Christ and he Offered his Humane Nature as a Sacrifice on the Altar of his Divine Nature and this True Sacrifice was God's Meat Here Divine Justice did Feed and was satisfied What an Honour is this for us to be admitted as Guests yea as Children to God's Table and for our Faith to feed on the same Sacrifice that Justice is satisfied with that may well quiet our Consciences that Pacifies God's Wrath The Sacrifice and Meat on the Altar is called the Fruit of it Mal. 1.12 This Phrase is very observable that the Altar is compared to a Field that did yield and bear Fruit to the Priests they had not Lands and Inheritances as the other Israelites had but the Altar was their Inheritance and their Field the part of the Sacrifice offered on the Altar that was allowed to them for their Services was the Fruit of the Altar that they Fed on and were sustained by So Christ the Altar is our Field on the Fruit of it even his Sacrifice our Souls must Live In Rom. 10.5 it is said That he that doth the Law and the things required in it shall live by them But Christ Teacheth us another way of Subsistence for our Souls John 6.57 He that eateth me shall live by me Our Drink also is not in or from our selves we are in a Pit in which there is no Water Zech. 9.11 Jesus Christ was Figured by the Rock that was smitten by the Rod of Moses even the Curse of the Law Exod. 17.6 7. 1 Cor. 10.3.4 Though Christ was Moses his Minister as a Servant made the Law and perfectly obeyed it was Holy to God Harmless to others and undefiled in himself yet he Felt the Rod of Moses he endured the Curse We were in a Dry and Barren Wilderness where no Water was we must have perished with Thirst had not Christ been Smitten He did cleave his Soul and Body were separated from each other and so Spiritual Waters did gush out for us to Drink God's Sword might have devoured our Flesh and his Arrows have been made drunk with our blood Deut. 32.42 but Jesus Christ gave us his Flesh to be Meat indeed and his Blood to be Drink indeed John 6.53 54 55. We are too prone to dig and seek Spiritual Water in our selves but we must look for it from Christ The Travelling Israelites passing through the Valley of Bacha did make it a Well they digged deep to find Water in the Earth but yet at last they were disappointed and the Rain did fill the Pools Psal 84.6 They sought Water from beneath but They received it from above So we would find Water in our selves but we must perish if Christ doth not Rain upon us Psal 72.6 He shall come down like the Rain on the Mown Grass as Showers that water the Earth When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their Tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them I will make the Wilderness a Pool of Water and the dry Land Springs of Water Isa 41.17 18. If any Man thirst saith Christ let him come to me and drink John 7.37 we cannot live by a fullness and sufficiency in our selves but we must live by Bread from without by eating of the Flesh and drinking of the Blood of Christ And this also is given us freely We reap that we sowed not and eat that we did not labour for as the Israelites lived in the Wilderness without Plowing and Sowing 3. We are Healed not by any Remedy we have invented or by any Medicine that we have prepared but by a wonderful Remedy that Jesus Christ hath provided The Israelites Murmured in the Wilderness and were for it bitten by Fiery Serpents and their burning poyson did kill many of them those that were hurt were utterly at a loss They knew no Physical Herbs no Soveraign Drugs no proper Remedies to apply They knew not how to draw out the Mortal Poyson but were destroyed by it Numb 21.6 7 8. The Wilderness they were in afforded no Medicines but God devised prepared revealed a Remedy he directed Moses to make a Brazen Serpent and to hang it on high upon a Pole and promised to bless this Remedy and render it effectual that whosoever looked to it should be healed and live So Mankind was bitten by Satan that Old Serpent in Paradise He drew them to Discredit God's Threatning he Leavened them with hard and base Thoughts of God that he envied their higher Knowledge and greater Happiness and so put a restraint on them Forbidding them to eate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and so drew them to Disobedience and to cast off the Authority and Yoke of God Hereby Humane Nature was corrupted and poysoned in our First Parents and by them this Vermin did spread and diffuse it self into all their Posterity and infected the whole World This Bite of the Old Serpent was deadly Tribulation and Anguish belongs to every Soul that Sins Rom. 2.9 The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. last Sin hath reigned unto Death Rom. 5. last but God hath provided a Remedy that we could never have imagined or thought of and was most remote from the Sentiments and Apprehension of the Natural Man The Son of God came down from Heaven took our Flesh and Suffered in our Nature was lifted up to the Cross and died on it that whosoever looks to him and believes to him and believes on him may not perish but have Everlasting Life John 3.14 15. Jesus Christ was lifted up before the eyes of God when he was Crucified and he is lifted up before our eyes when his Death is Preached and he is evidently set forth as Crucified before us Gal. 3.1 We are not to compose Medicines or to provide Plaisters of our own to heal our selves but we are to look to and make use of God's Remedy continually Ainsworth on Numb 21. doth probably assert That the Israelites as they Journied and did remove from one Station to another carried the Brazen Serpent along with them and set it up again in their Camp and as often as any one was bitten he looked to it for Healing So we must receive Christ to dwell in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3.17 and still carry him about with us that as often as we contract New Guilt we may look to him with a Spiritual eye and be Healed The Life that we live in the flesh we must live continually by the Faith of the Son of God Galat. 2.20 All the Healing Remedies are out of our selves and are in Christ His Stripes are Healing Isa 53.5 he hath healing beames Mal. 4.2 out of the side of the Altar there came forth Living Waters that healed the corrupt and dead Sea Ezek. 41.1 2 8. so out of Christ's side there came forth Water and Blood John 19.34 The Blood of Christ is a Soveraign Remedy against the Guilt
to resist and contradict the Law of God This was very strange and surprizing to Paul he was decived in this he thought the Law would have repressed beaten down and mortified Sin but it rather fortified it As a Man that doth not know the Nature of Burning Lime thinks by pouring a little water on it to quench it but when he seeth that this water makes it to burn more vehemently and fiercely How would he as amazed cry out How am I deceived that the water should increase the Fire that I thought would extinguish it So the Law doth not weaken Sin but rather strengthen it and render it more violent 4. The Law punishes every Sin with Death Every Lust is mortal every wrong step is fatal and corrupt Fruit is pernitious and destructive Though Ismael might be guilty of many other offences yet for a weighty reason Moses mentions but one and that was his mocking at Isaac and for this he was cast out and cast off Gen. 21.8 9 10 11. Ismael was Hagar's Child and so a Type of them that cleave to the Covenant of Works The Law Curses for every act of Disobedience Deut. 27. last One offence according to the Covenant of Works is enough to undo and Ruin a Man to Eternity 5. There is no access to God by the Covenant of Works When the Law was given Bounds were set about Mount Sinai to keep off the people of Israel they were charged not to break through Death was denounced as the Punishment of those that touched the Mountain Exod. 19.12.13.21 The people therefore removed and stood a-far off Exod. 20.18 None of the other Priests or Worshiping Israelites might enter into the Tabernacle till Atonement was made for their Sins by Aaron the High-Priest Levit. 16 17. But after that Sacrifices were Slain Offered and their Blood Sprinkled on the Altar and the People then Moses Aaron and Seventy of the Elders of Israel ascended Mount Sinai and saw the Glory of the God of Israel Exod. 24.4 5 6 7 8 9 10. These Sacrifices were but Types of Christ's Death he died the Just for the Unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 else we are shut out of the Glorious Presence of God and cut off from all Gracious and Blessed Communion with him God is not accessible by the Covenant of Works guilty Creatures are kept off from him 6. The Law genders to Bondage Galat. 4.22 a Spirit of Bondage to Fear attends it Rom. 8.15 as Hagar and Ismael had a slavish Fear of Abraham as a Master rather than a Conjugal Love to him as a Husband or a Filial Love to him as a Father Those under the Covenant of Works are still doubting of God's Favour questioning his Love dreading of his Wrath They do not know whither Death will carry them and where Judgment will fix them and therefore through the Fear of Death they are all their Life-time subject to Bondage Heb. 2.15 the fear of the evil that is future doth embitter to them all present Good The Law was given in such a Manner that it was designed to strike Fear and Terror into Sinners The Israelites were then alone with God in the Wilderness separated from all other Nations This might intimate that God and the Sinner shall be alone together and all pleasing Company and delightful Enjoyments shall be shut out The Thunder did roar in their Ears and the Lightning did flash and flame in their Eyes and the Earth did tremble under their Feet Exod. 19.16 18. Whither shall a Guilty Sinner betake himself when the Heavens do threaten Vengeance over his head and the Earth seems sinking under his feet The Mountain did burn with fire Exod. 19.16 18. with Deut. 5.23 this did represent the fiery Throne of God and his burning Wrath wherewith as a Judge he is Armed to punish and destroy those that trust in their Works and will have to do with God according to the Covenant of Works But though the Mountain did burn yet it was not consumed So guilty Creatures shall burn in the fire of God's Wrath yet never be consumed or cease to be There was Blackness Darkness and Tempest Heb. 12.18 These pointed at the perplexed state of a Sinner the horrour and consternation of the Soul when God the Judge doth shew his Justice and Wrath for the Violation of the Condition of the Covenant of Works O what black darkness will cover Sinners O what a Terrible Storm and Tempest will one day be raised in and fall upon their Souls The sound of the Trumpet that was exceeding loud Exod. 19.19 Heb. 12.19 did signifie that Sinners must be cited to and presented before the Tribunal of God neither can any decline or avoid appearing before God's Justice-Seat Yet the Apostle calls this Mount Sinai a Mountain that was in it self Tangible or might be touched that so it was an Earthly and Material Mountain because the Dispensation of the Law and Covenant of Works is but a low Dispensation A Natural Man may Touch and Reach this that God will inflict evil on those that rebel and do evil When as the Covenant of Grace is a Spiritual and Invisible Mountain far above the reach and comprehension above the sight and ken of a Natural Man And what did all this Terror in giving the Law tend to but to raise a Spirit of Bondage in sinners and by Fear to drive and force sinners to some External Obedience to the Letter of the Law which yet they perform with Regret and Reluctancy and not with Love and delight 7. There is no enjoyment of the Eternal Inheritance by the Law the Bond-woman and her Son were to be cast out Galat. 4.20 21. Gen. 21.8.10 Ismael was not admitted or allowed to be an Heir with Isaac He did not Inherit Abraham's Rich Estate Moses could not bring the Israelites into or give them possession of the Land of Canaan this Joshua the Type of Christ did Hagar and Ismael were turned out with a small pittance they had but a few Loaves and a Bottle of Water It may seem strange that Rich Abraham should provide no better for his Wife and Child but there was a Mystery in it it served to instruct us that those that are of the works of the Law cannot be Heirs of Heaven cannot possess any Spiritual Riches or an Eternal portion in Glory but are put off with Temporary Momentary Comforts and Enjoyments What are the best things that this World affords What are Earthly Riches Honours or Pleasures compared with an Eternal Happiness they are but as a few Loaves of Bread and a Bottle of Water When Hagar and Ismael were turned out they wandered in a Wilderness Gen. 21.14 O what a difference was there between the plenty and abundance of Abraham's Family and the wants of a Barren Wilderness The World it self is but a Wilderness compared with the Paradise of God Revel 2.7 A Legal state under the Covenant of Works What is it but a wretched