iniquities of us all Isa 53. 6. and he confesseth these as his own when he saith Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up Psal 40. 12. and saith to his father my guiltiness is not hid from thee Psal 69. 5. he becoming our surety and undertaking for us all our debts were charged upon him and our trespasses were imputed to him and he bare our sins in his own body and so by the imputation of the father and by his own gracious acceptation our sins became his own sins Heb. 7. 27. he is that Lamb of God that did bear the sin of the world John 1. 29. But he was tried in the fire therein and thereby was he purified from our sins from the guilt of them and so he is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. He was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin 1 Joh. 3. 5. He appeared once in the end of the World to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself and is without sin and shall so appear the second time unto salvation to all them that look for him Heb. 9. 26. 28. To this purpose the Apostle saith Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit to wit He was justified acquitted and discharged from the guilt of our sins in the spirit 's raising him from the dead who died for our sins and was buried 1 Tim. 3. 16. and He through the eternal spirit hath offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9. 14. he having fully paid our debt and compleatly satisfied for our sins in his bearing the judgment of the world and being tormented for our transgressions he is released by the father and taken from Prison and from judgment and hath by himself made purgation of our sins and purged them from before the presence of God made peace and attonement for them and redeemed us in himself from the curse of the law and through that redemption that is in him all that have sinned and come short of the glory of God are justified freely inasmuch as he as our surety and as the publick man and last Adam is justified and is through his personal abasement and sufferings become a lamb without blemish and without spot Heb. 1. 3. 7. 27. Col. 1. 20. Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 3. 23 24. and chap. 5. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Yea and also he partook of our infirmities he partook with us of flesh and blood of weakness and mortality Heb. 2. 14. he himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses Matt. 8. 17. It behoved him in all things to be made like to his brethren the sons of men such an one as they were become as the fruit of sin as distinguished from sin it self Heb. 2. 17. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and was deformed as it were with that reproch shame and dishonour which appertained to us Psal 69. 19 20. and was in that body subject to corruption though he did not abide so long in death as to see it as is implied in that the Apostle saith God raised him from the dead now no more to return to corruption Acts 13. 34. he partook of our infirmities sorrows griefs and had a mortal body in which he was crucified and put to death and died and was buried his visage was marred more then any man's and his form more then the sons of men Isa 52 14. 53. 2. He was covered over with the wrath of God for our sins and by his permission and ordering he was covered over with shame from men so as he had no form nor comeliness no appearing beauty outwardly to make him desirable When his God forsook him then he was a reproch of men and despised of the people all they that saw him laughed him to scorne they did shoot out the lip they did shake the head saying He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he delight in him Psal 22. 6 8. as intimating that though he made his boast of God and said he was his Father yet he would not own him as his Son and therefore said they God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him Psal 71. 10 11. and how he was covered with reproches as if he had been a gluttonous person and a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners as if he had cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils as if he was a deceiver of the people as if he was guilty of blasphemy against God and of stirring up sedition amongst the people the Scriptures of the Evangelists abundantly shew to us But in this respect also he is tried in and came purified out of the fire and hath in himself overcome and abolished that death he died 2 Tim. 1. 10. and put off all mortaliry and weakness in his resurection that mortal body of his hath put on immortality his body that was so marred and without sorme is now become a glorious body and he therein and he only is a spiritual man death in him is swallowed up into victory and he is become the first-fruits of them that sleep and his triumphing Song is Oh death where is thy sting Oh grave or hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sin this he hath purged away and the strength of sin is the law this he hath answered and satisfied and hath gotten himself the victory and thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 42-47-55-57 he hath put off all weakness grief sorrow pain mortality and restored our nature in himself into the image of God in a more glorious manner then ever it was in the first creation even into perfect righteousness integrity immortality and eternal life and he is in our nature glorified with the father 's own self with the glory he had with him before the world was Therein he is become eternal life for us who was delivered for our offences and such glory and lustre is upon that body that it is above the brightness of the sun at mid-day such as we are not capable to behold unless wonderfully and miraculously strengthned It was so glorious as that the sight of it struck Saul blind three days Acts 26. 13. 22. 11. 9. 17. and this seen in a vision by John caused him to fall down at his feet as dead Rev. 1. 17. and when Daniel also saw him in vision there remained no strength in him but his comliness was turned into corruption and he retained no strength Dan. 10. 5-8 and he was tried in and came purified out of the fire from all the wrath of God and from all the reproches and shame and dishonour cast upon him by his enemies God hath actually testified of him that he is the Son of his love and that he is well
pleased in him of this he hath given assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead He was declared to be the Son of God with power by the spirit of holiness in the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 4. though they gathered together against him and unjustly condemned him and said and intimated that he was not the Son of God yet God did stand at his right 〈…〉 and to save him from the judges of his soul Psal 109. 30 31. he wiped off as it were all that dirt reproch and ignomy wherewith they covered him and testified he delighted in him in sending from above and taking him out of great waters Psal 18. 16 17. And in setting him on his own right hand and glorifying him in the Gospel He is purified in and through this fire from all the guilt of our sins and from all the weakness and mortality of our Nature and from all the hidings of Gods face and from all the calumnies slanders and dishonours of his enemies yea from all trouble and grievance and is now an inconceivably glorious one full of lustre and splendour And this will be furher shewed in what followeth 4. This Gold is said to be tried to denote and signifie that this work this trying work is over and past though the virtue and glorious fruit of it remaineth and abideth for ever It is not said Gold trying but tried in or out of the fire for as before is said he is acquitted of all our sins that were imputed to him and hath overcome abolished and got rid of all our weakness and mortality and all occasions of grief and trouble and is not as some ungodly and Antichristian Spirits affirm blasphemously dying in some or in any in every Age of the World Those that so say make his sufferings and Sacrifice like those directed to under the Law they even count the blood of the Covenant a common thing like the blood of Bulls and Goats take away sin and therefore was daily offered but herein his Blood and Sacrifice is distinguished from and infinitely preferred before all legal Blood and Offerings in that his is not to be itterated or repeated and so by consequence he can suffer no more as the Apostle intimateth in the dissimilitudes he maketh between the former Priests and their Offerings which they offered according to the Law and our High-Priest and his Offering when he saith Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High-Priest entreth into the Holy place every year with blood of others for then must he often have suffered since the Foundation of the World which to imagine and affirm is the greatest and first-born of absurdities as the Apostle doth intimate but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 9. 25 26. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more Dominion over him For in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Rom. 6. 9 10. And this Christ proposeth unto John to strengthen him against his fears He saith John laid his right hand upon me saying Fear not I am he that liveth and was dead and behold consider and set thine heart unto this give attention hereto I am alive for evermore Amen This is a true and faithful saying Rev. 1. 17 18. Were he always trying always suffering and offering there could be no perfection by his Blood if he were always dying in some in every Age or always to be offered up a propitiatory Sacrifice then would his Blood and Sacrifice be like that Blood and those Sacrifices under the Law which could not make the comers thereunto perfect for the Law made nothing perfect But Christ hath once and but once suffered for sins the just for the unjust 1 Pet 3. 18. And by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption Heb. 9. 12. And offered up one Offering that of his one body once for all and this man when he had offered up one Sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God from ever suffering any more or offering any more Sacrifice or Offering for sins Heb. 7. 27. 10. 10-12 And hath by his one Offering once offered perfected for ever them that are sanctified whereof the Holy-Ghost also is a Witness to us Heb. 10. 14 15. And this Holy-Spirit convinceth the World of righteousness evidenceth that Christ hath compleated righteousness a perfect righteousness in and by himself for us and therein sheweth and demonstrateth the unprofitableness of ours in that he is gone to the father and we see him no more no more coming down to suffer or offer any new Offering or to repeat that Offering of his own body for us nor hath he given or left behind him instruction to any one who may pretend himself to be his Vicar to offer him up a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of quick or dead John 16. 10. Heb. 10. 10-14 In this Phrase then or manner of speaking is implied and intimated to us the preciousness of his personal abasement and sufferings and herein is evidenced that his Flesh is meat indeed and his Blood is drink indeed that we might eat his Flesh and drink his Blood and rejoyce and glory in nothing save in the Cross of Christ in that he is tried not trying but come out of and delivered from the fire taken from prison and judgment and is ascended up where he was before John 6. 54-62 And it is also a powerful admonition to us not to count it a common thing not to despise or set light by it for there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins he can dye no more so that If this Blood and Sacrifice be rejected and trodden under foot till the day of Grace and patience be at an end there remaineth nothing but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation Heb. 10. 26-29 It was witnessed of him who was dead that he liveth and he was made a Priest after the power of an endless life and that by his Oath who sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech and so ever liveth to make intercession for them that come to God by him And is therefore able to save them to the uttermost Heb. 7 8. 16-25 Rev. 2. 8. This is Gold not trying but tried in or out of the fire 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. Rom. 6. 3 4. 5. In this Phrase and expression in saying Gold tried in the fire is also signified that he is become Gold for us who was tried even that same person in that same body the same that was tried the same is become Gold for us precious and inriching even as it is with natural and earthly Gold that precious Metal of the Earth The same substance that is cast in the same
to promise Gal. 3. 16 17 29. 4. 28. and 5. 1. And so here Christ declareth himself to be the Amen To cure these of that Lukewarmeness they were polluted with and assureth them that in opening and giving entertainment to him he would come to them and sup with them and they with him And that he that overcometh should sit with him on his Throne Rev. 3. 14 20 21. Oh were this considered by us that God hath not spared his own Son but delivered him up for us all how would this make us confident that with him he will freely give us all things also How would this cause us to mount up with wings as Eagles to run and not be weary to walk and not faint and incourage and ingage us to listen to his counsel whom God hath given for a Covenant to the people For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield and will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Rom. 8. 32. Psal 84. 10 12. The Faithful and True Witness This may be an explication of the Amen and shew us what is further meant by and contained in that expression These two words Faithful and True may mean one and the same thing or we may say He is the faithful Witness in that work whereto the Father appointed him hence the Apostle instructeth the Holy Brethren to consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our profession who was faithful to him that appointed him namely in that hard and difficult work of humbling himself and becoming obedient to death even the death of the Cross Heb. 2. 9 18. 3. 1 2. He is in his Cross a faithful witness of the greatness and sincerity of the fathers affection to us Isa 55. 3 4. Who is meant by the faithful Witness here spoken of may be plainly seen and wherein is he so firstly and fundamentally Rev. 1. 5. Jesus Christ the faithful Witness and the first begotten of the dead And so 1. As he died for our sins by way of propitiation and as the Peace maker so he is a faithful witness of the fathers love and that he is not willing any should perish but that all should come to Repentance He is the great sign and undoubted evidence of the heat and ardency of Gods love towards us poor sinners even towards every poor sinful Creature of Mankind in that he by the Grace of God tasted death for every man in this was manifested the love of God towards us because God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 John 4. 9 10. God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son c. John 3. 16. This is the great sign of Gods love to us and it is an evil and adulterous thing to seek after any other Mat. 12 39. The Jews require a sign but we Preach Christ crucified Christ the power of God the great witness and manifestation of his power and goodness toward us 1 Cor. 1. 22 24. and he is the faithful witness therein of the truth and faithfulness of the father in performing his promises according to the tenour of them for he that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things also Isa 55. 3 4. Rom. 8. 32. Yea in what he hath suffered he is the faithful witness also of the freeness and ardency of his own love toward us his love was so fervent as that many Waters could not quench it nor could the Flouds drown it it was strong as yea stronger then Death such his Grace that he laid down his life for us he died for all and such the preciousness of his Blood that in the virtue thereof he is raised again hath purged away our sins made peace slain the enmity broken down the middle wall of partition between God and Mankind taken out of the way all that was in it contrary to us abolished death and destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil and obtained into himself all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly things and confirmed a new Testament and everlasting Covenant Oh what a faithful witness is he of the greatness and fervency of his own and his fathers love and how powerful therefore is the view of him in his Cross to cure us of our lukewarmness do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise is he not thy father that hath bought thee Oh how doth this love constrain us to love him and to cleave to him with full purpose to give him our hearts and let our Eyes observe his ways and how doth this incourage and imbolden us to follow him fully who hath delivered us from our enemies that we might serve him without fear and who is become the treasury of all Gods fulness that we might come with boldness to the Throne of his Grace and hold fast our profession Yea and to return to him when we have fallen by our iniquities for herein he sheweth us he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth and so not in the death and destruction of poor wretched miserable blind naked luke-warm ones Oh fear not to come unto and walk before him and be perfect let not your hands be slack by this ye are saved if ye keep in memory what at first was declared unto you unless ye believe in vain viz. That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 2. 4. O foolish Galatians saith the Apostle who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the Truth that ye should not continue in tunning well but grow remiss before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Gal. 3. 1. with Chap. 5. 7. 2. The faithful Witness and Martyr as a Peace-preacher who laid down his life in Testimony to the Truth of that Gospel which he received from his father and declared to us on this account he gave his back to the smiters and his Cheeks to them that plucked off the hair he hid not his face from shame and spitting he set his face as a flint to indure whatever afflictions reproches persecutions he might undergo for the truth for which purpose he was born and to which end he came into the world that he might bear witness to the truth John 18. 37. and to this he did bear witness to the death and sealed to the truth of that Gospel with his Blood This the Apostle setteth before Timothy to incourage him to fight the good fight of faith that Jesus Christ witnessed a good confessiom before Pontius Pilate when he knew what things he should suffer on that account 1 Tim. 6. 12 14. Away
say it is such Raiment as is only to be had and bought of this Wonderful Counsellor the Amen the Faithful and True Witness and not such White raiment as is to be bought here below by which some persons distinguish themselves from others and in which they glory as if they were because of this better then others and what this white raiment here commended to us is we may be helped to know and understand by the Holy Spirit in the Scripture of Truth namely that it is righteousness even the righteousnesses of the Saints according to what we find spoken Rev. 19. 8. It was granted unto her the Lambs Wise that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white For the fine linnen is the righteousness of Saints viz. that wherewith they are cloathed and adorned And so frequently in the Holy Scriptures righteousness is compared to a Garment cloathing or covering as where Job saith I put on righteousness and it cloathed me Job 29. 14. And again let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousness Psal 132. 9. So it is said The Lord hath covered me with the robe of righteousness Isa 61. 10. And the joyning here Gold and Raiment together aptly answereth to that motive and inducement given by the Holy Ghost to perswade us to receive Wisdoms instruction viz. That with her are durable riches Gold tried in the fire and righteousness white raiment Prov. 8. 18-20 So that the White raiment here commended to us appeareth to be righteousness But this righteousness which is the White raiment is not as after may be shewn our own righteousness according to the law or any works of righteousness of ours For by the deeds of the Law can no flesh living be justified in the sight of God Rom. 3. 20. But the White raiment here spoken of is 1. The righteousness of God without the Law even that righteousness which Christ hath wrought by and compleated in himself for us and is become there-through for this is his name Jehovah our righteousness Jer 23. 6. And so Jesus Christ himself through and by means of that righteousness he hath wrought and compleated for us in himself is likened and compared to a Garment and believers are instructed to put him on as Rom. 13. 14 Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ And as many as are baptized into Christ are said to have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. And it is both taken for granted they have put on the new man Christ and they are instructed still and further to put him on Col. 3. 10. Ephes 4. 23 24. And they that follow after righteousness are such as seek the Lord for it even the Lord of whom the righteousness of the Servants of the Lord is Isa 54. 17. And in whom it is Isa 45. 24. And who is made of God to them righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. Yea that righteousness which is come by him it is unto all that have sinned and upon all that believe as their Ornament and Raiment Rom. 3. 21-23 And in the Prophet he is oftentimes prophesied of under this Title or expression of righteousness As I bring near my righteousness it shall not be far off Isa 46. 13. And my righteousness is near and near to be revealed Isa 51. 5. 56. 1. with Rom. 3. 21 22. And Christ is and in him appeareth the righteousness of God and he is become righteousness for us 1. In taking our Nature upon him and therein being made sin and a curse for us and so by cying our death even tasting death by the Grace of God for every man and so this righteousness is without the Law without the works or Sacrifices thereof though Christ did no sin in the days of his flesh but always did those things that pleased the father and observed the Law yet that could not be righteousness for us but to the end he might prepare and become righteousness for us he must have our sins laid upon him and therefore God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us by imputing the trespasses of the World to him that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 19-21 As well as also he must dye our death according to that If righteousness come by the Law then Christ died in vain Gal. 2. 21. In which is implied that to the end he might bring in everlasting righteousness he must dye and be cut off from the Land of the living Dan. 9. 24-26 righteousness could not come by the Law namely by our keeping the Law of ten words or by any works of ours according thereto for by the Law is the knowledge of sin in all we do in our best as well as in our worst works nay righteousness could not come by Christ's keeping and observing of it though he did always keep it and never transgress it in thought word or deed for then he died without any just or sufficient cause he died in vain And again righteousness could not come by the Law of the former Priesthood or by any gifts Offerings or Sacrifices appointed by it for then Christ died in vain It was not possible the bâ—ood of Bulls and Goats could take away-sin Where ore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt-offerings and Sacâ—ifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God namely to do that which the Law could not do to take away sin and bring in righteousness Heb. 10. 4-10 To this end he was the Lamb of God who was slain for us he was delivered for our offences And it was needful that Christ should suffer for our sins being put to death in the flâ—sh that this raiment of righteousness might be prepared for us for we had sinned against God in our fiâ—st father Adam and were thereby become liable unto the judgment of God and had deserved death in an utter separation from the presence of God and God who is a God of truth and without iniquity and to whom it is impossible to lye and therefore he cannot by any means in clearing clear the guilty had said and threatned In the day thou eatest thereof in dying thou shalt dye Gen. 2. 17. And cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them namely as is explicated by the Apostle that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. And therefore man having sinned and thereby fallen under curse and death unless the justice of God be satisfied and his truth fulfilled there can be no righteousness for us no accepting of us no forgiveness of our sins nor mercy to be shewn to us For Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot or tittle of the Law shall pass till all be fulfilled Mat. 5. 17 18. Therefore to the end that Christ might
bring in and become righteousness for us God laid on him the iniqâ—ities of us all and he was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him he was made under the Law for us that were under it and God went to Law with him and executed the judgement of the World upon him Joh. 12. 31. And put him to death in the flesh for us and he by the Grace of God tasted death for every man that is to say he died the death of all and tasted death for every man in the room and stead of every man he died that death which was the due desert of every man which they should have died and which was the Wages of their sinning against God and this he did for every man even for the good and behoof of every man So that we thus judge saith the Apostle that if one died for all then were all dead all have died that first death not in their own persons but in the last Adam who undertook for and was the representative of all Mankind 2. Cor. 5. 14. And his death is as acceptable with the father and as virtuous and satisfactory as if all had died in their own persons and infinitely more comfortable to us for had that death been died by us we had perished in it for ever But now by his stripes we are healed in whom mercy and truth are met together righteousness and peace have kissed each other Isa 53. 5. Psal 85. 10. He hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree that the blessing of Abraham viz. righteousness and life might be in Christ Jesus for the Nations Gal. 3. 13 14. And there was a necessity for Christ's so humbling himself and becoming obedient to death even the death of the Cross that righteousness might come by him both because God is a God of truth and his word cannot be broken and he is infinite in holiness and purity a God of such pure eyes that he cannot behold iniquity nor clear the guilty unless he take vengeance on our sins and until his justice be satisfied and truth fulfilled which is all now done in Christ in whose flesh God condemned our sin Rom. 8. 3. As well as also Christ must needs have suffered because there is no other person or thing that could redeem us No man could redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransom for his Soul the redemption of the Soul is so precious No Offering appointed by the Law could purge away our sin God took no pleasure in them to any such end thousands of Rammes and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl would not have made our peace Lebanon was not sufficient to burn nor the Beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt Offering All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him less then nothing and vanity Yea the Heavens were not clean in his sight to this purpose nor any of the Heavenly Spirits but Christ must be abased and dye or us or else there could be no righteousness for us Acts. 17. 3. Heb. 10. 4-12 Psal 40. 6. 8. Isa 40. 15-17 And that it was needful Christ should suffer is signified to us in that when he was in his great agony and distress and cried out Father if it be possible let this Cup pass c. Yet still it was continued to him and not removed from him doubtless to instruct us that it was impossible the Cup should pass from him and yet righteousness be prepared for us and mercy shewn to us Mat. 26. 39. This way then he hath prepared righteousness for us and herein God appeareth to be just and his righteousness is herein declared and shewn forth Rom. 3. 25. Aswell as also we may hereinsee the vanity and unprofitableness of all our works of righteousness and of all we could do to prepare a clothing and covering for our selves and the solly and ignorance of those that think to make a garment for the clothing themselves or to make their peace with God by any of their works sacrifices gifts sufferings Alass they are insufficient to this purpose In the cross o Christ pride is hidden from us and from all that no flesh might glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 29 â—0 31. And yet here also is a lifting up for all in that in which they are cast down and good cause and reason though not to glory in our selves yet to rejoyce and glory in the Lord who died for us that righteousness might come by him and in the Father who raised up righteousness from the east Isa 41. 2. And herein we may see the infinite grace of God in the abasing his Son and of Christ in so greatly humoling himself for us and be moved with thankfulnesS to lay aside our pride and stouâ—-heartedness and submit and humble our selves to receive and accept of this righteousness of God without the law prepared and compleated by Jesus who died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was buried and who also rose again the third day according to the Scriptures And this leadeth us to a further consideration 2. He who died for our sins is also raised again as the publick man and is in our nature and for us justified in the Spirit even in the Spirits raising him from the dead acquitted from all our sins imputed to him and so he is raised for our justification acquittance and discharge Rom. 4. 25. 1 Tim 3. 16. And in this God hath evidenced and declared his righteousness in releasing him and taking him from prison and judgment who had died our death and paid our debt it was not possible he should be holden of death because he had fully satisfied his justice and fulfilled his truth and God hath therefore in raising him evidenced and manifested his righteousness and testified to all men that he is welpleased in and satisfied with his personal abasement and sufferings in that he hath raised him from the dead He hath declared him to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1 4. And Christ not by the blood of bulls and goats but by his own blood in the virtue whereof he is raised and hath offered himself his raised body a spotless sacrifice through the eternal spirit unto God which is an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto him entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption Heb. 9. 12-14 Ephes 1. 2. That is to say He hath finished the transgression to wit the transgression of the first publick man in which we all sinned and from whence we are necessarily polluted and made an end of sins of the necessary branches thereof he hath purged away the guilt of this sin and sinfulness from before the presence of God so as now the wrath
of God from him abideth not on any man on that account nor is any man held out from God because of his natural and necessary pollution simply The father henceforth judgeth no man otherwise then by Christ but hath committed all judgement to his Son Heb. 1. 3. Dan. 9. 24. Joh. 5. 22. And all that have sinned are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 23 24. He once appeared in the end of the World to put away and abolish sin by the sacrifice of himself He was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin he hath not failed therein Heb. 9. 26. 1 Joh. 3. 5. Ezek. 18 2 3 4. He hath obtain'd also the forgiveness of our personal sins in which we sin after the similitude of Adam's transgression he hath obtained power to make reconciliation for the people Heb. 2. 17. Dan. 9. 24. he hath received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also Psal 68. 18. in him there is forgiveness and in his name it is preached unto all nations beginning at Jerusalem which was even the slaughter house of the Prophets and where our Lord was Crucified Luk. 24. 47. with chap. 13. 34. in him the Apostles had in their ministration to declare redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of God's grace Ephes 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. This man when he had offered up one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God from ever offering up any new sacrifice or repeating or reiterating the former Heb. 10 10-12 7. 27. He hath also obtained a recovery of our loss all have sinned and come short of the glory of God in which and unto which they were created God made man in his image in a righteous and happy condition but man in seeking out many inventions thereby lost that image of God and Adam begat children in his own image Gen. 1. 26 27. Eccles 7. 29. Gen. 5. 3. But now Jesus Christ the second man hath restored that which he took not away he is the last Adam in whom mankind is again created in the image of God after a more glorious manner then in the first Adam He hath restored our nature in his person into the image of God into perfect innocency 1 Joh. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 1. 19. integrity righteousness immortality and eternal life Jam. 3. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 10. 1 Job 5. 10 11. Isa 45. 24. in him it hath pleased the father that all fulness should dwell and there is in him perfection for every man Col. 1. 18 19-28 2. 9 10. And he is become a quickening spirit and herein preferred before the first man Adam who was made a living Soul and abiding in that condition in which he was created might have conveighed life to his posterity but being fallen could not quicken dead ones neither himself nor any of his posterity But Christ is a quickening Spirit to quicken those that are dead in sins and trespasses 1 Cor. 15. 45. The living quickening bread that giveth life unto the dead world and they that eat him even they shall live by him John 6. 33-35-51-57 All things are here ready and prepared for all men in him he is made of God wisdom and righteousness c. And this righteousness he hath now openly shewed in the sight of the Heathen and hence all the Earth is called upon and exhorted to make a joyful noise unto the Lord to make a loud noise and rejoyce and sing Praise Psal 98. 1-5 Jesus Christ hath recovered all our loss into himself and is glorified in our nature with the Glory he had with the father before the World was John 17. 5. And he hath obtained the Inheritance of new Heavens and a new Earth of a better and more glorious Inheritance then the first man had in the first Creation and an excellent Dominion over the works of God's hand and so as with respect to these two last branches the Apostle sheweth to us that Christ who by the Grace of God tasted death for every man hath obtained that which the first Adam had and lost Compare Psal 8. 4-8 with Heb. 2. 6-9 And there shall be in due time a restitution of all things when God shall send us Jesus who now is preached to us Acts 3. 20 21. The whole Creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption iâ—to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom 8. 19-21 And all this is that righteousness which Christ hath prepared for us and which they shall partake of that believe on him as the Scripture hath said In him there is the forgiveness of all our sins yea he is made of God to the believer redemption which non imputation or forgiveness of sins is righteousness without works whereby our sins are covered Rom. 4. 5 6 7. with Psal 32. 1 2. And a robe of righteousness in being cloathed upon wherewith they are made accepted in the beloâ—ed Ephes 1. 6. Those that buy this are righteous even as he is righteous 1 John 3. 7. And Christ doth present them in the body of his flesh in which he was raised again from the dead Holy and unblameable and unrebukeable in his sight Col. 1. 22. And as found in him they are all faiâ— and there is no spot in them Cant. 4. 7. Christ is become theirs and they are cloathed upon with him and reckoned after him being buried with him in baptism wherein also thâ—y are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Christ from the dead Col 2. 12. Ephess 2. 5 6. And they are begotten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undesiled and that fadeth not aâ—ay reserved in the Heavens 1 Pet. 1. 3. Christ is made of God to them righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. And this the righteousness they have to appear before God in the best and first robe even Christ himself and the righteousness he hath wrought and obtained this the VVedding Garment Luke 15. 22. Mat. 22. 11. 2. By this VVhite raiment or those VVhite Garments are meant the fruits of this righteousness believed and believed in Jam. 3. 18. For this the Apostle prayeth for the Phllippians That their love might abound yet more and more in all knowledg That they might be sincere and without offence being filled with the fruits of righteousness which fruits are by Jesus Christ received and believed in unto the Glory and praise of God Philip. 1. 9-11 And of these fruits there are some more inward and some more outward 1. Those more inward and wrought in the Spirit of the mind by the Spirit in the Testimony in glorifying Christ and taking of his things and shewing unto us are Humility This is compared to a Garment Be ye all clothed with Humility 1 Pet. 5. 4. And this Garment these needed to buy of