How much are Men dismayed and terrified at the Thoughts of Death Therefore they are very unwilling to step beyond Death in their thoughts or to Travel into Eternity in their Meditations They Fear to meet with a terrible Host of Sins an Ocean of Wrath a Lake of Fire and Brimstone They bode no good to themselves at their departure out of this World God the great Creditor Records their debts and Conscience his Officer doth sometimes charge them and arrest their Souls They have no Spiritual Balsom then to heal their wounds No arm to lean on to support their Souls None to roll away the Burden of their Guilt to pacify or quiet their accusing and condemning Conscience To Bail them when they are arrested for a debt of Ten thousand Talents they cannot look inward but they see an Evil Treasure and a Conscience loaded with Dead Works They cannot look upward but they see God's frowning Face and Fiery Throne They cannot look forward but they see a deep pit a dark Prison and Revenging Justice armed for their destruction The Covenant of Works is a continual Root of doubts and feares Legalists are still questioning and asking Who shall descend into the Deep to satisfy them That the Gates of Hell are shut that they shall not enter by and pass through them into the Regions of Darkness and Misery Or they inquire Who shall ascend up to Heaven to assure them that the Doer of Heaven is open to let them into Glory Rom. 10.6 7. They have still perplexed minds and anxious thoughts they cannot see themselves secured from a Miserable or assured of a Blessed Eternity They fear they shall make a ruining and undoing change be totally Shipwrackt and cast away Body and Soul for ever They cannot totally suppress the thoughts of Eternity or Comfortably entertain them They can neither stupify nor pacifie Conscience How often are Sinners terribly awakened and alarm'd when Death looks them in the Face O! what a bitter cry of Destruction do they then lift up Isa 15.5 All their Sins as the adversaries of Zion once did Lam. 1.31 do overtake them between the Straits when they walk through the narrow Valley of the shadow of death as Jesus Christ himself was in an Agony near his end Luke 22.44 When he saw what an Host of Infernal Enemies he must Fight through what an Ocean of Wrath he must Swim through this put him into a Bloody sweat When he beheld the Frowning Face of God the Fiery Throne and the Flaming Sword of Justice this drew strong Cryes and Teares from Christ Heb. 5.7 So if Sinners be not stupified if they see themselves going to an Eternal execution that they will be ever Suffering and never die That there will still be Food for an Everlasting Worm and Fuel for an Eternal Fire This will fill them with Consternation and Horrour Condemned Transgressors must bear their Iniquities yet cannot stand or bear up under this load They cannot stay yet dare not to depart they cannot hide yet are not fit to appear they must stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 yet cannot stand in the Judgement Psal 1.5 They must appear before that Tribunal Cor. 5.10 where yet they cannot Confidently or Comfortably appear 1 Pet. 4.18 They dread the next step they shall take when out of the Body where their Lot will fall and what their Treatment will be to Eternity Beleivers indeed do confidently commit and commend their Soules into the Hands of their Redeemer Psal 31.5 But wicked Men full sorely against their wills must fall into the Hands of an angry Creditor and of an inexorable Judge Heb. 10.31 They must answer for their own Sins there is no other to pay their Debts Satisfie for their Offences Plead for their Reconciliation All their Iniquities will overtake them in another World and meet them at the Tribunal of God None of them are blotted out or passed over God hath Sworn by himself he will never forget any of them Amos 8.7 God will open the Treasury of his Wrath and shut up the Bowels of his Mercy he will remember Iniquity and therefore forget to be Gracious God will enter into Judgement with Sinners and stand up to plead against them Isa 3.13 14. Delinquents must appear Criminals must be brought unto Judgement Eccles 11.9 and all their thoughts words and actions must appear and be brought into Judgement Eccles 12. last God will pass a Just Condemning Sentence and terribly Execute it on them As the Sun was Eclypsed and darkness covered the Earth when Christ Died so the Gracious Countenance of God will be Eternally Eclypsed towards Sinners Christ met with Affronts Indignities Blowes before the Tribunal of Men And what must Sinners look for at the Tribunal of God Jesus Christ was denied any refreshment when he thirsted So Sinners shall not obtain a drop to cool their scorched tongues Luke 16.22 23 24 25. As the Waters did persue all that were out of the Ark till they were drowned So Sin shall hunt persue find out and overtake Sinners for their Eternal Destruction Psal 140.11 Ezek. 35.63 Numb 2.23 All that is grateful and sweet in the being of Sinners shall be consumed yet they themselves shall still exist to suffer more Punishment and Torment God's Controversie with Sinners will never be at an end His Sword will never be sheathed The dreadful storm of Vengeance will never cease God's Eternity will be dreadful for he ever lives to punish and the Soul 's own Immortality will be terrible to it For it shall ever exist to be punished So that Sinners would rather sleep in the dust for ever than to have a Resurection to Condemnation John 5.28 and had rather be annihilated than suffer the Vengeance of Eternal Fire If departing Souls did see whither they were going and know what they must suffer Would not their Chambers sound with these dreadful words We must dwell with Everlasting Fire we must inhabit with Eternal Burnings 8. It is bad not to have Christ to be our Righteousness if we consider how many foolish devices sinners seek out to quiet and ease their Consciences and yet by all these they do but delude and cheat their Souls Some Fast often eat course Food wear Hair-cloth Whip themselves severely lie on the Ground Those that have not rest in Christ they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are still walking about in devices and inventions of their own Heb. 13.9 to pacifie God the Judge and to bribe Conscience his Officer How woful is the Case of some ignorant Protestants of the blind Papists of the deluded Jews the deceived Mahumetans and Heathens Papists think by severity and cruelty to their Bodies to expiate the sins of their Souls Some go in Pilgrimage to the Images of Saints some build Churches and Chappels and appoint Priests to Pray for their Souls while they live in Sensual Pleasures and serve their Lusts Some endow Religious Houses with Lands that
destitute of the Love of God and God that is a consuming Fire to Sinners and therefore this is a fit season for the Singing of Birds Justified Souls will sing Praises to God that heals their Backslidings and to Jesus Christ that is their Righteousness and Ransom The Redeemed of the Lord shall return to Zion with Songs Isa 35. last Though the Ark was heavy laden with Noah his Family all the Birds Beasts living creatures and suitable Food for them that was laid up in the Ark yet it did not sink but was born up by the Waters so what matter of Praise is it that we that are heavy laden with Iniquity are born up by the blood of Christ and do not sink into Predition We are guilty Creatures our mouths are stopt as we are Sinners Rom. 3.19 But O! what a wonderful and amazing change is this that we should be so Justified by the Grace of God and thorugh the Redemption of Christ that the mouths of Spiritual Enemies and accusers are stopt Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that Justifieth Who shall condemn it is Jesus Christ that hath died Our Lips were sealed up with Guilt now the mouths of Accusers are stopt by Christ's Satisfaction And shall not our Lips be opened and our Tongues loosed to Sing aloud of God's Grace and of Christ's Righteousness 8. Are we willing to go out of this World to die and to be with God and Jesus Christ those that are Justified have Peace with God and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5.1 2. Those that are in a Storm do dread the Shore least they should be Shipwrackt but they that have good weather do desire it Tho' Condemned Sinners shall be cast away on the Shores of a miserable Eternity yet Justified Souls shall be landed safe in the Harbour of a blessed Eternity When others pass into the Prison Justified Persons enter into the Palace of God When the Tares are reaped for the Furnace Believers are reaped for and gathered into the Garner Matth. 3.12 Will Justified Persons shun the Glorious Presenc of God or slavishly dread his Tribunal Shall Pardoned and Adopted Persons be afraid to go home to their Father and be put into the possession of their Heavenly Inheritance Are you therefore willing to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5 6 8. It is a great thing to be willing to part with the Body that is one half of us to leave it in the dark Chamber of the Grave to feed Worms to crumble to Dust to sleep for a long Night till the Morning of the Resurrection Yet Paul saith We are always confident and willing to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. The sight of Christ's Face the enjoyment of his Glory is more to me then Union with the Body Can you therefore conquer the Fears of Death Are you willing to leave your place on Earth to enjoy the Place prepared for you in Heaven to put off the Rags of Mortality that you may be clothed with the Robes of Glory to quit your Tabernacle for a Heavenly House 4. Vse O! desire earnestly and seek diligently to partake of this Righteousness of Christ 2. If you are interested in it if Jehova be your Righteousness O be thankful for it 1. O seek that Jehovah may be your Righteousness For the prosecuting of this First Branch of the Use of Exhortation I shall do two things 1. I shall lay down some Motives to quicken and urge you to seek an Interest in Christ's Righteousness 2. I shall lay down some Directions how you may partake of and be Invested with the Righteousness of Christ 1. Consider the great want and need you have of this Righteousness 1. In your Natural State you are far from Righteousness Isa 46. Ye stout-hearted that are far from Righteousness and You are free from Righteousness Rom. 6.20 that is a Carnal Man hath nothing to do with it they are not under the Empire Dominion and Command of it Men are dead Trees and therefore can bring forth no good fruit but they are corrupt Trees and are laded with evil Fruit. As they are alienated from the Life of God they cannot act for him or please him Ephes 4.8 Rom. 8.8 but as they have a Carnal Life they cannot act against him and walk contrary to him Mens thoughts are evil from their youth Gen. 8.21 yea they are born flesh John 3.6 yea the Holy Ghost goes one step farther In sin they are conceived in iniquity they are shapen Psal 51.5 they are not only idle and do not work Matth. 20.6 but they are dead and cannot work for God 2 Col. 13. A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit Matth. 7.17 18. The carnal mind is enmity to God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 A Natural Man is so far from being Sanctified by his Religious Services that he pollutes them all Hag. 2.14 15. The Sacrifice of the Wicked that is his best Actions and the way of the Wicked that is his common Actions are both an Abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 9. The Law will not acknowledge in or allow to an Unconverted Man one good Work Rom. 3.20 by the Law comes only the knowledge of sin The Scripture that is the Law hath concluded all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things of an Unregenerate Man under Sin all done by him all that flows from him all the Thoughts Intentions Affections Words and Actions of such The Mind is darkness Ephes 5.8 And can a blind Archer aim right at the Mark The Heart is Whorish Ezek. 6.9 And will a Whorish Heart love God or direct any action to please him Can a corrupt Fountain send forth sweet waters Men till Regenerate do nothing else but sin the Plague of the Heart infects all the Leprosie of the Soul defiles all that a Man doth 1 Kings 8.38 as a Fountain casts forth its water so they cast forth their wickedness Jer. 6.7 The whole Life of Men is cursed barrenness or wicked fruitfulness Christ is said to be the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the World 1 John 29. it is expressed in the singular number the sin of the World to Note and signifie to us that the whole Life of an Unregenerate Man is one continued sin wholly a course of Enmity Provocations and Rebellions against God Zech. 3.3 4 We have that expression Take away the filthy garments This Notes that all the acts of an Unregenerate Man are filthy and only filthy Garments They are all over defiled and therefore wholly to be taken away But the expression is otherwise concerning the Saints that they washed their Garments white in the blood of the Lamb Revel 7.14 the Garments were not wholy cast off or put away but washed There
Thirsty Souls may here drink in the very Fountain of Grace the Spirit and so be enabled to send forth Spiritual Rivers to stretch and solace others Christ can cultivate and manure the Wilderness cause it to be well watered Isa 35.6 7. and so to become a pleasant Eden a delightful and fruitful Paradise to God as God had a River in the Clouds to improve and enrich Canaan Psal 65.6 Thou visitest the Earth and waterest it thou greatly enrichest it with the River of God which is full of Water So Christ hath a better River with him in Heaven and this River he sends down and lets it in and turns it over our dry and barren Land When Hannah was delivered from Barrenness she calls this God's Salvation and rejoyceth in it 1 Sam. 2.1 4. Christ saves and anoints and and perfumes his Redeemed People Ezek. 16.9 I throughly washed away this Blood from thee and I anointed thee with Oyl Here is plain allusion to those precious and sweet-smelling-Oyls that great Persons were anointed and perfumed with Ester 2.12 Psal 23.5 Christ doth not only wash away the guilt of Sin with his Blood but also anoints his People with his Spirit and its sweet smelling Graces Believers are called Christians because they partake of the Ointment of his Spirit 2 Cor. 1.21 And the Church is said to ascend as Pillars of Smoke perfumed with Myrrh and Frankincense and all the powders of the Merchant Cant. 3.6 Christ doth not only take the stink of our Sins from the Nostrils of God by his sweet smelling Sacrifice Eph. 5.2 but also perfumes us with the sweet Odours and Powders of his Graces The Ointments the Garments of Saints cast out a sweet smell Cant. 4.10 5. He saves and cloaths us Rev. 3.18 he puts white Raiment on us that the shame of our Nakedness may not appear He takes from Sinners their sordid Garments and cloaths them with change of Raiment Zech. 3.3 4. We could not provide any Wedding Cloaths for our selves if Jesus did not give them to us and bestow them on us To her was granted to be cloathed in fine Linen white and clean which is the Righteousness of Saints Rev. 19.8 Jesus Christ doth not only cover us with the Robe of his Righteousness but also adorns and beautifies us with his new Nature we are made Partakers of Christ Heb. 3.14 We have a Spiritual Understanding we have the Mind of Christ 1 John 5.20 and the Bowels or Affections of Christ Phil. 1.5 We are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 his Mind must be put upon our Mind his Will on our Will his Affections on our Affections nothing of our own should be seen or appear but all the Faculties of our Souls should be covered with the Livery of Jesus Christ This Apparel wears fresher and will last to Eternity 6. Christ saves and adopts John 4.12 To as many as received him gave he power to become the Sons of God He was so far from envying us or grudging of us this Priviledge of Adoption that he vailed his own Sonship under the form of a Servant he was made under the Law and died that we might receive the Adoption of Children Gal. 4.4 He doth not only save Criminals from Execution but also makes them Heirs of a Kingdom and an eternal Inheritance James 2.15 Heb. 9.5 2dly I shall now shew you the Properties and Adjuncts of this Salvation 1. It is for the present mostly a Spiritual Salvation our Soul 's live Isa 55.3 our Souls find rest Matth. 1.28 our Souls are saved 1 Pet. 1.9 our Souls do delight themselves in Fatness Isa 55.2 But the Bodies of Saints are often in this World exposed to Poverty Hardships Imprisonments grievous Sufferings and cruel Deaths and these Evils do cloud the Saints Adoption and vail their State of Spiritual Salvation This caused the Heathens as Lactantius tells us to say De Justitia that Virtue was an empty thing If Men had not Riches Honours exemption from Sufferings freedom from outward Evils and Victory over Enemies but Christ hath not made the Earth and Plenty of Worldly Enjoyments as a Jointure to his Spouse the Church but tells his Disciples that in the World they shall have Tribulations John 16. last that those that will live Godly must suffer Persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 there is an irrevocable Sentence passed on the Old Man on the natural Body that it shall return to the Dust and this Sentence must be executed Gen. 3.19 2. This is a Righteous Salvation this is intimated in the last part of the Verse Judah shall be saved and that by him who is the Lord our Righteousness God is just in punishing sin on Christ that he may be just in pardoning it to us Rom. 3.25 26 27. God will not tare Believers in pieces according to his Threatning Psal 50.22 Because the Vail of Christ's Humane Nature his Soul and Body was divided and rent in twain Heb. 10.19 God may in a righteous way build up Sinners out of their Ruins because the Temple of Christ's Body hath been destroyed and pull'd down to the Dust Jesus Christ though a Tree of Righteousness was cut down that many Branches of Righteousness might spring out of this precious Root he was sowed in the Dust that he might be multiplied and many might from this holy Grain spring up to Everlasting Life John 12.24 God cloathed himself with the Garments of Vengeance and loaded Christ with sorrows that he might cloath us with the Garments of Salvation c. Isa 1.10 As the living Sparrow was dipt in the Blood of the slain Sparrow and so let fly Lev. 14.5 6 7. so we have liberty in a righteous way by being dyed in Christ's Blood Jesus Christ can marry us because his Soul and Body were divorced to reconcile us to God And he can repair and restore the beautiful image of God to us because his Visage was marred more than any Man's and his Form more than the Sons of Men Isa 52.14 This is the excellency and glory of the Christian Religion above all the pretended Religions in the World that it sheweth how God may pardon sin in a condecent manner in a way becoming of himself and not reflect on his Holiness reproach his Justice or wrong his Law Heb. 2.10 It became him of whom and for whom are all things in bringing many Sons to Glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings Such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 God is more honoured and his Law exalted by the sufferings of Christ than if we had fell under the Curse and lain in Hell for ever 3. This is a powerful Salvation God laid the help of Sinners on one that is mighty Psal 89.19 God hath raised up for us an Horn of Salvation Luke 1.69 one that is able to pierce through and to push down all the Enemies of our Salvation The
Captain of our Salvation is the mighty God Isa 9.6 no Enemy can stand before him or prevail against him no Disease is so strong or malignant but the great Physitian can cure it no Dross cleaves so close to us but he can separate it from us Christ is a refining Fire to his People and a consuming Fire to their Enemies As the first Adam corrupts and defiles inevitably so the second Adam can renew cleanse sanctify irresistibly And infallibly he can speak so as to cause the Deaf and Dead to hear Isa 29.18 John 5.25 He can woo so as to cause himself to be loved and chosen he can draw so as to make Sinners to run to him at first Isa 55.5 and to run after him ever after Cant. 1.4 The spirit of Christ is mighty in its Operations it acts as a spirit of Power it causeth Men to pass under Christ's Pastoral Rod and brings them under the Bond of the Covenant Ezek 20.37 It causeth Men to approach to God and dwell in his House Psal 65.4 It causeth Men to walk in God's ways and to keep his Statutes Ezek. 36.27 This word Cause is observable and emphatical and signifies the spirit's mighty and effectual way of working It doth not only propose Arguments and sollicite the Souls of the Elect in a moral way but renews the Will changes the Heart effectually inclines men to yield to and follow after God The event is not pendulous and uncertain and suspended on Man's free-will but Christ undertakes that his Sheep shall hear his Voice and he will bring them to his Fold John 10.16 4. Christ's Salvation is a full and comprehensive Salvation Luke 1.71 That we should be saved from the Hand of our Enemies and from all that hate us Sin the World and Death are our Enemies 1. Sin is our Enemy Our Lusts do Satan's work if he should stand still James 1.14 15. A Man is tempted and drawn away by his own Lust This is a Body of Death Rom. 7.24 it deforms our Souls as much as Death deforms our Bodies it makes them corrupt putrify and stink in the Nostrils of God it renders us as unactive for God as a dead Carcase is unserviceable to Man it defiles and enslaves our Souls lets us only do dead works Heb. 9.14 such works as are the fruits of spiritual death and the seeds of eternal death Where it prevails and reigneth it causeth us continually to go a whoring from God and to rise up in Rebellion against him it causeth us to lead a life of Vanity here and prepares us for a life of Misery hereafter 2. The World is an Enemy We need the Armour of Righteousness on the Right Hand to secure us from the danger of Prosperity and the Aamour of Righteousness on our Left Hand to guard us from the evil of Adversity 2 Cor. 6.7 Height of Prosperity and depth of Misery Rom. 8.39 are dangerous snares and may prove mortal Enemies to us if Grace doth not prevent The World's Musick is to draw and its Furnace is to drive us from God Satan takes his Bait and fetches his Weapons from some thing in the World How doth it blow up and inflame our Hearts fire and fuel our Lusts How many are made to forget God and to think they have no want and need of him in their Plenty and Abundance Psal 50.22 Job 1.14.15 Job 22.17 Jer. 3.31 3. Death is an Enemy to God's People 1 Cor. 15.26 it strikes them dumb and deprives them of the use of their Tongues in praising God which is their Glory Saints as well as others when they die go down into silence Psal 115.17 Isa 38.18 Death disables us from working for God in a body of Flesh it gives a Quietus est to one half of us and dischargeth it from the service of God The Temple in which the spirit dwelt is now pulled down and sinks into Dust and Ashes and Death that deprives us of so great and glorious an Inhabitant in our Bodies and takes us off from such noble service with our Tongues and Members must needs be our Enemy But Christ saves from these Enemies Sin shall not Reign Rom. 6.14 and in due time it shall cease to be sin and shall be utterly extirpated out of the People of God As Israel's Freedom was begun in the death of the First-born of the Egyptians and was compleated in the drowning of Pharaob and all his Host in the Red Sea so the liberty of Saints is begun in destroying the reign of beloved sins that are the first-born of the Old Man and shall be compleated by the total extirpation and destruction of all sin We are Baptized into the Death and Burial of Christ Rom. 6.3 and we must be made Partakers of the saving Benefit of both Sin shall not only die but also be buried A Dead Man hath lost his Command in the House yet his Carcase may remain in it but when he is to be buried his Corps is carried out and he ceaseth any longer to be in the House So sin shall not only cease to reign but also to be in the soul we shall be washed and free from every spot and wrinkle Ephes 5.25 26 27. 2. The World is foiled and overcome by Christ Joh. 16. last It could not divert or draw him from doing his Father's work and will and this conquered Enemy shall not have strength to captivate and destroy Believers they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb Rev. 12.1 Our victorious Saviour hath purchased conquering Strength and merited Victory for us in the midst of all snares and temptations We are more than Conquerors through the Lord Jesus that hath loved us Rom. 8.39 3. Christ will save his People from Death after this Enemy hath not only swallowed them up but digested them Christ hath abolished Death already in himself and will abolish it also in all his People Hos 13.14 he threatens Death that holds the Rod over and threatens the whole World he menaceth Death that he will be the plague of Death a mortal Disease to it He threatens the Grave that he will destroy it and in due time Triumphant Saints shall sing this Song O Death where is thy sting O Death what hast thou gotten by killing our Bodies they are alive again O Grave where is thy Victory what hast thou gotten by taking away all the shape of a Body and crumbling it into Dust 3ly This Body is now restor'd our Particles of Dust are gathered together and formed into a Body like the glorious Body of Christ 1 Cor. 15.55.57 Phil. 3.21 Christ will in Living Saints at the last day swallow up Mortality of Life 2 Cor. 5.4 and in dead Saints he will swallow up Death into Victory Isa 25.8 2dly There are those that hate Saints and so wicked Men and Satan do they hate them because they bare the Image and live the Life and uphold the interest of God but the wicked cannot kill the Souls of the Saints
all his Glory How was Christ's immensity his omnipotency his eternity his omnisciency vailed by taking a Nature so weak confined to a Place and that did exist but lately and was to grow in Wisdom Luke 2.52 Christ became a Surety a Servant a Sacrifice was made Sin and a Curse to appease God's Wrath and redeem us from Destruction The Son of God was arrested as a Debtor to Divine Justice was arrained as a Criminal sentenced and executed as a Malefactor he hung on an infamous Tree among heinous Sinners he became the Captive of Death and lay in a dark and cold Grave All this Jesus Christ yielded and submitted to for to procure Salvation And shall we despise or neglect a Salvation that was purchased by such an amazing Condescention and such grievous sufferings of the Son of God Shall we undervalue and contemn the Travel of his Soul and the purchase of his Blood If the Ocean had been lessened to a Drop it had not been so much as for the Son of God to be made Man If a Prince should execute Ten Thousand of his Subjects for a Crime it had not been so much as to adjudge his own Son to a cruel death for an Offence so for God's Sword to awake against his only begotten Son was a more strange act of Justice than if he had executed all Mankind And will you not set a Price on that Salvation that is the product of the sorrows and sufferings of the Son of God 2. This Salvation is great considering the greatness of the Evils that we are saved and freed from 1st It is a Salvation from the second Death Rev. 2.11 He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Death This is the hurting and killing Death the first Death only separates Soul and Body but this Death separates God and the Soul for ever The first Death deprives the Body of any sense or feeling of Pain but this second Death is attended with the most acute sense and feeling of Misery and Torments This Death kills all that is sweet and pleasant and leaves only a Carcase of being a bare Stock for God to graft Sufferings and Torments on It is sad for Men to be only to be miserable For to be a Footstool for God to tread on and a Mark for him to shoot at As Grapes when trod in the Wine-press all that is grateful and delightful is squeez'd out of them only a dry and harsh Husk remains and is left Even so shall it be when Sinners shall be trod in the Wine-Press of the Wrath of God Rev. 19.5 2dly Believers are preserved from a dark and dismal Prison Peter speaks of the Spirits in Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 All light of Joy and Comfort is shut out of this Prison all wo evil and misery is shut up in it This Prison is not only a Place of Confinement but also of Execution here is the Furnace of unquenchable Fire Matth. 3.12 Matth. 13.42 Sinners fall now into the Hands of God immediately Heb. 10.31 The Sovereign Judge executes his own Sentence 3dly Christ saves from a bottomless Pit Hell is so called Rev. 20.3 Sinners shall fall lower and lower and sink deeper and deeper into Misery and never know when they are at the bottom of their Misery they shall never say that now they know the utmost that God can inflict or the worst that they can suffer As in Heaven there will still be new Visions of Glory so in Hell there will be new Scenes of Misery for ever 4thly Christ saves and keeps from a Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone for ever Rev. 20.10.14 This Expression a Lake of Fire and Brimstone alludes to Sodom's Punishment God destroy'd it with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven and turn'd the Place on which Sodom and the other Cities stood into a dead-Sea or standing stinking Lake It is dreadful for Sinners to be drowned in this Lake of Fire and yet never to die Lusts are said to drown Men in Destruction and Perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 and yet they exist and continue to feel this tormenting Fire and Brimstone this Lake of Fire will never ebb away or dry up 5thly All Sorrows Pains Crying Death and any Evil whatsoever shall pass away be remembred no more but be forgotten for ever Rev. 21.4 All the Reproaches of God's People shall cease and their Tears shall be wiped away for ever Isa 25.8 3. This Salvation may well be called great Heb. 2.3 if we consider that Believers not only are freed from the greatest Evils but also enjoy the highest and best Good The Apostle Paul joins everlasting Glory with God's Salvation 2 Tim. 2.10 that the Elect may obtain the Salvation that is in Christ together with Everlasting Glory As Danicl's Three Companions were not only call'd out of and saved from the Fiery Furnace but also promoted and advanced to Honour Dan. 3. last so Saints shall not only be delivered from shame and sufferings but shall wear the Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 sit in the Throne of Christ Rev. 3.21 Reign in Life Rom. 5.17 and shine for ever in the Kingdom of their Father Matth. 13.43 They shall have an Eternal Day made by the Light of God's Countenance an everlasting Feast by the manifestation and displaying of his Love as a Banner over them Believers are Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 and Heirs of the Kingdom James 2.5 Motive 2. We do exceedingly need this Salvation 1. We are Children of Wrath by nature Ephes 2.3 and so Hell is our Inheritance The Wrath of God might descend and be poured out on us as soon as we draw our first Breath in the World the Vessels of Wrath are then fitted for Destruction Rom. 9.22 and it is wonderful Patience that God forbears Sinners so long God had ground for a Controversy just cause for Enmity against us as soon as we were born God then saw the Plague of and the evil Treasure in our Hearts such Tares might have been rooted up such Weeds have been rooted out such corrupt Trees have been cut down long ago Do Men suffer Weeds to grow up and seed 2. We are Children of Disobedience by Practice Ephes 2.2 and so Hell is our Purchase We went astray as soon as we were born Psal 58.3 Our Whorish Hearts have continually departed from the Lord our whole unregenerate estate hath been nothing else but Barrenness and Enmity Idleness and Rebellion Jer. 32.23.30 The Children of Israel are said to have done nothing of all that God commanded them but had only done e-evil and provoked God to Anger The Carnal Mind is Enmity to God is not subject to him nor indeed can be They that are in the Flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.7.8 Sinners only sow the Seeds of their own wo being Fuel to the Fire of God's Anger and fit themselves for Destruction As a Fountain casteth out its Water so they cast forth their wickedness An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart
about their Eternal State Hope is an Anchor cast within the Vale as soon as they set out and begin their Voyage they may cast their Anchor into their Port and Haven and so have their Hearts established Heb. 6.19 2. Those that have hope of this Salvation are supported under Afflictions and Persecutions 2 Tim. 18.9 Partake thou of the Afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God who both saved us and called us As if Paul should say Murmure not at faint not under the Afflictions of the Gospel for God hath saved you from the greatest Enemies and from the worst Evils and all your Afflictions shall turn to your Salvation Phil. 1.19 They shall further advance promote it they shall refine Saints from their Dross wean them from their strange Land and cause them to long more after their Father's House and Heavenly Country Have they any Reason to be discontented whom God loves 1 John 4.59 and that are Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 and of the Kingdom James 2.5 3. These may die with comfort they have hope in Death Prov. 14.32 That which doth shipwrack others shall land them safe on the calm Shores of a Blessed Eternity that which impoverishes others shall enrich them Though Death doth pluck off the Rags of Mortality yet God shall cloath them with Robes of Glory When their Bodies drop down into the Pit their Souls shall be taken up into the Palace when their Flesh feeds Worms their Spirits shall feast with Saints and Angels though God doth kill them yet they may trust he will be their Salvation Joh 13.15 16. When the Eye of Sense shall be shut so that Saints shall no more see Worldly Objects yet then God will shew them his Salvation Psal 91. last They shall see God's Salvation from Sins Temptations Troubles Afflictions they shall see a freedom from Spiritual and Temporal Evils and also be translated into an Eternal Kingdom Christ will receive their departing Souls and be their Guardian and Trustee till the Resurrection O it is sweet when God adds to the Mercies of Sixty Seventy Eighty Years the enjoyment of a blessed Eternity It is Salvation that must crown Old Age with Glory Death is the critical time the Soul must then see Life or Death a Heaven must shine from God's pleasing Countenance or Hell be rained from his angry Face O how sweet is it then to see the truth of God's Promises in the enjoyment of an Eternal Salvation 4. Those interested in this Salvation shall be saved in the Day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5.6 when Sins will find out others and Vengeance will take hold of them then Believers shall be saved O what unexpressible comfort will it be to point out Jesus Christ at the Great Day and to say This is our God we have waited for him and he will save us and we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation Isa 25.9 This is a Salvation that will for ever set Souls beyond Gun-shot out of the reach of all Dangers Evils Enemies They shall then fully receive the end of their Faith even an Eternal Salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 Christ will appear unto Salvation to those that look for him Heb. 9. last Then Saints shall be Heirs in full possession of Salvation Heb. 1.14 They shall be redeemed from all Evils or possessed of all goodness be exalted to the Kingdoms and be placed in the Throne I shall lastly give you some Directions how you may be saved 1. You must be enlightned and convinced of your Danger you must see the Evils you are under and the Danger and Destruction you are exposed to Few do think themselves to be condemned to Death and to be sick unto Death That they are Children of Satan and Enemies to God They will not believe that they are captivated by the Devil enslaved by Sin and chained to the World The Scripture teaches us that Men are held Rom. 7.6 and that they are led 1 Cor. 12.2 they are held in the Snares of Sin and led by Satan Their Lusts are Bonds their depraved Wills and corrupt Affections are the Chains that the Devil leads them by Men discourse see or discern what are the true Evils that they should be saved from they are not sensible of the blindness and vanity of their Minds the deceit and desperate wickedness of their Hearts That their Wills are perverse and rebellious and the greatest Enemies to God and their own Souls They will account that Troubles Afflictions Reproaches Wants and Death are Evils but they do not perceive that their greatest Evils and worst Enemies are within themselves A Root of Bitterness an evil Treasure a Body of Death a Fountain of Iniquity that is in their Souls But Sinners must know what first cleaves to them abide in them do defile and deform their Souls and testify against them before God Isa 59.12 Our Transgressions are with us and as for our Iniquities we know them Yea Men have no liking of that which is the true Salvation Saints are said to love God's Salvation Psal 70.4 but a Carnal Creature doth not love but loath God's Salvation to be delivered from his false Notions his vain Thoughts his corrupt Opinions his inordinate love of himself and of the Creatures to be taken off from his sensual Pleasures carnal Delights to be brought to give his Heart to God set his Love on Christ to delight in Spiritual Future Invisible things this is a Salvation he dreads and hates and if he could go to Heaven with this vain Mind and carnal Heart it would be a place of Exile and of Punishment to him You must see your Danger that you are as Isaac bound laid on the Altar and ready to be sacrificed as a whole Burnt-Offering in the Flames of Wrath. You must hear the just dreadful Sentence Matth. 18.25 The Lord commanded the Debtor to be sold and Payment to be made It is dreadful to be sold into the Prison into a Place of Eternal Bondage Your Heart must be broken your Spirit wounded your Soul burdened under the sense of the guilt and filth of Sin else you will not have a due value of the Doctrine and Promise of Salvation 1 Tim. 1.15 We must account it worthy of all acceptation more valuable than all the Riches Pleasures Honours of the World If a Man were sinking and drowning he would not regard a Bag of Gold or a Box of Diamonds but prefer a Cord cast out to save him a Boat to take him in more than all the things of the World Believe that your Condition is exceeding bad and dangerous Lot's Wife looked back as one that doubted whether Sodom would be destroyed and Lots Sons in Law could not believe that the danger of Sodom was so great and its Destruction so near Gen. 19.14 So Sinners believe not that to be Carnally minded is Death that they that live after the Flesh shall die that they that are far off from God shall perish Psal 73.27
thing The word intimates that Christ so Covers Sin that it is never more to be seen It is so Blotted out by his Blood that it is never more to be Read so Drowned that it is never more to appear Christ by his once Offering hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified and put an end to all Sacrifices for Sin Heb. 10.14 17 18. Fifthly That Christ so suffered for Sin that in a short time he removed the Guilt of it Zech. 3.9 God saith he would remove the Iniquity of that Land in one day O! How wonderful is this that Guilt which had been contracting Sins that had been committing many Hundreds yea some Thousands of years that these should be satisfied for in one day and should be so soon purged away Heb. 1.3 That what Sinners had been Writing Hundreds of years that Christ should blot it out in one day When Sins had long cried loud and clamoured in the Ears of God that all these should be stilled and silenced in one day Sixthly For Christ by Tasting death but part of three days to abolish it for ever 2 Tim. 1.10 by a short course of Obedience to bring in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 and by Temporary Sufferings to obtain an Eternal Redemption Heb. 9.12 this none could do but Jehovah Incarnate In the Sacrifices of the Law there was a Remembrance again of Sins every year Heb. 10.3 though there were Sacrifices offered daily to make Atonement for Sin and a Multitude of these were slain in a Year yet on the Day of Atonement that came the Tenth Day of the Seventh Moneth every Year there was a Solemn Confession and Remembrance of Sins again Levit. 16.21 27 29. which evidences the weakness and imperfection of all the Legal Sacrifices that they could never take away Sin or make the comers to those Sacrifices perfect Heb. 10.11 but Christ by one Offering perfects us for ever Heb. 10.14 Christ's one Sacrifice was the Truth and Substance of all the Sacrifices of the Law of the Burnt-offering 1 John 29. of the Sin-offering 2 Cor. 5.21 of the Trespass-offering Isa 53.10 Christ made his Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Trespass-offering Therefore on the account of this one perfect Sacrifice God saith he will remember Sins and Iniquities no more Heb. 10.17 Hence it is very rightly inferred very justly concluded where Remission of Sins is there is no more Offering for Sin 3. The Benefits that we receive by Christ's doing and suffering the will of God do Evidence that Christ is our Righteousness and our only Righteousness 1. It was Jesus Christ that gave his Life a Ransome for many Matth. 20.28 we did not contribute towards it or make up any part of it We cannot give to God a Ransom for our Bodies to prevent Temporal Death Psal 49.78.9 How then could we provide a Ransome for our Souls to prevent Eternal Death we could not satisfie Justice that our Bonds might be loosed our Prison door opened as God the Father found out the way of Redemption Job 33.24 I have found a Ransome So God the Son paid the Ransome and found Eternal Redemption Heb. 9.12 He gave his Flesh for the Life of the World John 6.51 he was slain and Redeemed us to God by his Blood Revel 5.9 As the Ram was the Ransom of Isaac Gen. 22.12 13. Abraham's hand was staid the Life of Isaac was spared and the Ram was offered up in stead of him So we were bound with Chains of Guilt the Justice of God was ready to give us the Fatal Stroke the Mortal Wound we were under the Sentence of death and knew not how we should be preserved but then Jesus Christ was substituted in our Room and this Lamb of God was offered as a Ransome for us therefore our Righteousness is wholly of him 2. We do not feed on or live by Food of our own providing but Christ is Living Bread and Bread of Life to us John 6.48.50 51. He came down from Heaven that we might eat and not die Christ speaks of a double giving John 6.51 First He gave his Flesh upwards in Sacrifice to God his Father so he gave his flesh for the Life of the World Secondly he gives it downwards as Food and Sustenance to us There is neither Sacrifice for God or Bread for us to be found in this lower World but both must come down from Heaven By our Fall and Apostacy from God we have brought our selves into a Barren Spiritual Wilderness as the Israelites when they came out of Egypt into the Wilderness they could not subsist there but by an extraordinary and Miraculous Provision that God made for them God Rained down Manna from the Clouds and fed the Israelites with the Corn of Heaven Psal 78.24 But Christ may more truly and properly be called the Corn of Heaven This very Bread did first spring up in the Mind and grow in the Heart of God he laid the great Design of a Spiritual Feast for fainting and famishing Souls He Predestinated Jesus Christ to be a Sacrifice to himself and Food to us This is a great and wonderful Mystery of Grace that Bread should come down from Heaven to Nourish us Bread should naturally Grow out of the Earth for our Souls as well as for our Bodies Our Righteousness should spring and grow out of our selves and be wrought by our selves but none of us have any thing of our own to relieve our selves with to subsist upon or to keep our selves alive by Psal 22.29 none could keep alive his own Soul we were ready to perish with Famine as the Prodigal Luke 15.17 Now what astonishing Kindness is this that Jesus Christ should be a Sacrifice that Sinners might have a Feast on him 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Believers are made Spiritual Priests Revel 1.6 and this is their Priviledge Honour and Happiness that they have an Altar to eat off Heb. 13.10 In the Times of the Law none might eat of a Sacrifice that was offered for their Sins if the Priest offered Sacrifice for his own Sins he might not eat of any part of it Levit. 8.10 11. those Sacrifices offered for Sin did not yield any Food or Sustenance to the Worshippers that brought them This did evidence and argue their weakness and imperfection that they could not feed or nourish those that brought them Levit. 6.30 it is ordained that no Offering whereof any of the blood is brought into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to reconcile withall in the Holy Place shall be eaten it shall be burnt in the fire But this is the Excellency of Christ's Sacrifice that though he was made Sin and a Trespass-offering yet we are called to Feed on and Eat his Body that was broken and Sacrificed for us Matth. 26.26 1 Cor. 11.24 25. There is still Food on Christ our Altar it is never empty The Altar was called God's Table Mal. 1.12 Ezek. 41.22 and the Sacrifice is called his Meat God did as it were Feed at
Faith seizes on Christ as an Inheritance Ephes 1.11 In whom that is in Christ we have obtained an Inheritance as of old in the Division of the Earth Men got Propriety in land and obtained an Inheritance in Countries by first seizing on them and taking Possession of them Thence it was that when Men sold land and parted with their Inheritances they drew off their shoe and gave it to him to whom the Right of the land was Resigned Ruth 4.7 By this Right this seems very properly to be signified that the Right that was first gotten by setting the Foot on land and first occupying of it was disclaimed disavowed passed over unto another So Men get a Right in Christ by laying hand on him by apprehending of him as offered by God in the Gospel by taking possession of him as given by God John 6.32 My Father giveth you the true Bread from Heaven As God gave the Earth to the Children of Men Psal 115.16 so those that first took Possession of a Countrey thereby received God's gift and got a Right to it and after Men became Interested in Land there came a Law of God and Confirmed this Property and Possession God hath forbidden one Man to steal from another to dis-seize or divest him of his Goods House Lands Even so when the Soul seizes upon Christ as offered and given by God the Father Rom. 9.32 The Gospel or Law of Grace Confirms to a Believer an Interest and Inheritance in Christ That he that comes to Christ shall not be cast out shall not come into Condemnation shall not Perish but have Everlasting Life John 6.37 John 5.24 John 3.16 Such shall never be plucked from Christ John 10.28 29. or rejected by him 2. Faith joynes a Man to Christ as a Member to be Related to him as a Head Ephes 5.30 We are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bone and Jesus Christ is the Head and Saviour of his Body Ephes 5.23 When persons are joined to Christ here is a solid Foundation laid for their Justification Isa 45.24 25. Surely shall one say In the Lord I have Righteousness Though we have no Righteousness in our selves yet in the Lord we have it And in the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be Justified and Glory None out of Christ can be exempted from Condemnation and the Curse but we are made the Righteousness of God in him Here is Righteousness in the Abstract as Abraham the great pattern of Justification is called Righteousness Isa 41.2 who hath Raised Righteousness from the East so it is in the Hebrew and in the Margin it is not said that we our selves have wrought the Righteousness of God but we are made the Righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 And how can that be but by imputation if the Sin of the First Adam be imputed to his Children though they did not then Exist If they were made Sinners by his actual disobedience Rom. 5 19. Why may not the obedience of Christ the Second Adam be imputed to those that are called his Seed Isa 53.10 Why should not the Righteousness of the Second Adam affect his Children as well as the Disobedence of the First Adam damnifie and hurt his Children Especially considering the advantage lies so much on Christ's Side He is a greater person than Adam he is God-Man If the Sin of a meer Man did redound to so many Millions to render them guilty Shall not the obedience and Righteousness of Jehovah manifested in our flesh redound to many for their Justification Adam's Sin was but one short Transient act of disobedience but Christ's Righteousness is made up of many acts of Self-Denial Holiness Love to God and Man and these he continued in for his whole life that was about Thirty three years Those that are in Christ there is ground for imputing his Righteousness to them what the Head in the Natural body contrives and designes is imputed to the whole body If the head doth plot Treason this affects the whole body redounds to its hurt and prejudice the whole body suffers and is put to death for it because this body is joined to and united with this head so Christ the Head did Design the glorifying of God by his active obedience and the Satisfaction of his Justice by his 〈…〉 and Christ did not only contrive but execute and perform both Now those that Believe are in Christ who is the true God and Eternal Life 1 John 5.20 Being in Christ they are accepted in the well-beloved Ephes 1.6 They are Blessed in the Holy Seed Gal. 3.8 In him they have Redemption even the forgiveness of Sins Ephes 1.7 There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 5.1 Christ can have no Condemned or Cursed Members As it was requisite that Jesus Christ should come into our Nature that he might work Righteousness and make Satisfaction for us so it is necessary that we should come into Christ and be joined to his Body that we may receive and partake of his Righteousness Of him are you in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made Righteousness to those that are in him These two things may be distinguished Christ's being made Righteousness to us and God's Justifying us for it Christ's being made Righteousness to us is the Foundation of God's Justifying or pronouncing us Righteous God's Judgment is according to truth God pronounces those Righteous to whom Christ is made Righteousness or that are made Righteousness by his obedience Rom. 5.19 God doth assign allow impute that which Faith hath laid hold of as Noah entred into the Ark according to God's Command Gen. 7.1.13 And when he was gone in God shut him in Gen. 7.16 so that no Water could flow or get into the Ark to hurt him Even so a Beleiver runs and enters into Christ the Ark of Salvation that God himself hath Built and prepared Luke 2.29 30. And the Soul that betakes himself to Christ for Righteousness God allows and gives him this Righteousness and by imputing of it God shuts in the Believer into Christ and shuts out the guilt of Sin and the Curse for ever that it shall never flow into the Soul more to destroy it 3. Faith joyns the Soul to Christ as a Husband I have espoused you to one Husband even to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom John 3.29 The Church is the Bride the Lamb's Wife Revel 19.7 Revel 21.9 and Christ is the Bridegroom Is not the Name of a Woman changed when she is Marryed Is not the Husband's Name put upon her And will not Christ Communicate his Name to his Wife In the Text it is said This is the Name whereby he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness The Maiden-Name of a Woman is swallowed up and abolished for ever extinguished and forgotten for ever What is our Name as we are Adam's Children Doth not
Bashan were given to Israel that they might have a passage to Canaan their Inheritance Deut. 2.30 Deut. 3.1 So God gives the Earth to his People that they may have a passage through it to their Heavenly Country 8. All the Afflictions of Justified persons 1. Are allayed and mitigated Saints do acknowledge that God punishes them less than their Iniquities do deserve Ezra 9.13 the Wind is not so high the Furnace is not so hot the Burden is not so heavy as their sins do Merit yet God as a Father accounts the Sufferings of his People to be too much Isa 40.1 Thou hast received double at the hand of the Lord for thy sins These Sufferings that are not enough to Rigorous Justice are too many to Fatherly Mercy He stops his Hand sheathes his Sword throws away his Rod when yet our Sins call for more Strokes and Stripes He refines us but not with Silver Isa 48.10 he doth not so long keep us in the Furnace of Affliction till our Dross is quite separated and consumed for then our whole life would be nothing else but a Series of Misery and Sufferings 2. Our Afflictions have a new face they are not the fruits of pure Vindictive Justice or Wounds from an Incensed Implacable Judge but Chastisements from a Father who tho' he Corrects in time yet is pacified and reconciled for Eternity Yea Afflictions spring from God's Care of us and Love to us Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth If you endure chastening God dealeth with you as sons Heb. 12.6 7. Those that are without Chastisement are Bastards and not Sons those that are an Illegitimate spurious seed the Father is ashamed to own and acknowledge them or to take any care about their breeding and education and regards not to correct them when they do amiss but a Lawful Posterity are better bred duely taught and timely corrected and God Chastens them with Judgment not in Anger Jer. 10.24 God may be said to Correct with Judgment when he considers their Relation and the Nearness of his People to him Lam. 2.20 Behold O Lord and consider to whom hast thou done this and when God considers rather how little his People can bear than how much they deserve and God hath gracious ends in Afflicting his People 1. That they may not be Condemned and perish with the wicked World 1 Cor. 11.32 We are judged and chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World 2. God Afflicts to purge away sin to separate us from our dross of Iniquity and sin of Hypocrisie Isa 1.25 this is the fruit and end of Corrections to take away sin Isa 27.9 to drive away that Spiritual folly that is in our hearts God is a Refining Fire that he may not be a consuming fire as a Physitian takes away Blood to allay a Feaver and cure a Disease 3. God designs by Afflictions to make us partakers of his Holiness Heb. 12.10 11. that we might learn more to live to him and be brought more to live on him that we might less solace our selves in the Creature and more delight in himself that we might be more conformed to him and be better fitted to converse with him Though Afflictions are Punishments to the Old Man to pull it down yet they are Mercies to the New Man to build it up A poor Man would quietly suffer his Lord to pull down an old decaying sinking Cottage if he did believe that he designed to raise and build up a strong and better House all Afflictions tend but to wast and extinguish the life of the First Adam in the Body to make room for and to let in the glorious life of Christ into it at the Resurrection 4. This is a weighty and powerful consideration to lessen and lighten the anguish and bitterness of our Afflictions that Justification gives a Fatal and Mortal Blow at the root of them The time is coming when the Inhabitants of Zion shall not any more say that they are sick for their Iniquities shall be forgiven them Isa 33. last God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of Saints there shall be no more pain sorrow or crying no more Death Revel 21.4 No more Curse Revel 22.3 The days of Saints mourning shall be at an end Isa 60.20 All Afflictions are but short and momentary and therefore but light 2 Cor. 4.17 9. Death is an Advantage to Justified Persons Death is theirs 1 Cor. 3.22 To die is gain Phil. 1.21 In Death the Wicked Fear the greatest evil but the Righteous hope for the greatest good Prov. 14.32 When the Body falls under the Bondage of Corruption the Souls of Believers are perfectly freed from the Bondage of Sin Though it be a Mournful Seed-time to our Flesh it is sown in corruption 1 Cor. 15.42 yet it is a Joyful Harvest to the Spirit for it reaps Everlasting Life Gal. 6.8 Death that is in it self the most terrible thing hath Colour put into its pale Cheeks and it is changed into a comfortable thing Death in Christ is the purchase of all our happiness and Death to Believers is the way to possess it by Christ's Death they are Heirs in Reversion by their own Death they are Heirs in Possession that which utterly impoverishes others greatly enriches them that which kills the Body perfectly cures the Soul When our baser part shall return to the Dust feed Worms dwell in the darkness of the Grave our better part shall be called up to the Marriage Feast to see the Face of God and dwell in glorious Light and Reign in a Blessed Life Christ hath made Death Mortal and threatens to be a Plague a Deadly disease to it and to be Destruction to the Grave Hos 13 14. 10. Justified Persons shall Rise by the Power of Christ their Head and Second Adam 1 Cor. 15.22 His Spirit will find out the Ruines and Rubbish of its old Temple and build it up again as a Glorious and Everlasting habitation for it self Rom. 8.11 in Saints that shall be found alive at the last day mortality shall be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.4 Dead Saints shall be raised and in them Death shall be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 a Body shall be formed up again so the Grave shall lose its Victory this Body shall be animated and alive so Death shall lose its sting 1 Cor. 15.55 when the Soul bears the Image of Christ in Holiness 2 Cor. 3. last and the being in a Glorious Immortality 1 Cor. 15.49 then we shall be satisfied with his likeness Psal 17. last then Christ will give his Members clear and full Evidences of their Adoption Rom. 9.23 when their Bodies shall be redeemed from the Bondage of Corruption and Soul and Body both shall possess a lot in the Heavenly Canaan Dan. 12. last As Saints die to the Lord Rom. 14.8 sleep in him 1 Thes 4.14 so they shall be made alive in Christ 1
no hurt but good for their Bonds were broken or consumed Dan. 3.23.25 And is it not as great a Miracle of Grace that Believers walk with God that is a consuming Fire Heb. 12. last and yet have no hurt but good God is for them Rom. 8.31 How low did Jesus Christ stoop that he might be the Lord our Righteousness He thus represents his own Sufferings Psal 22.14 I am poured out like water this seems to point at his Bloody Sweat on the ground All my bones are out of Joint This did intimate that Christ's Body was so stretched out and extended on the Cross that all his bones were put out of Joint He further complains that his Heart was melted as wax within him and this was by the sence he had of the Heat and Fire of Gods Wrath. The Manna which came down from Heaven was ground in a Mill or beaten in a Mortar and then baked in a pan to be Food for the Israelites Numb 11.8 So Jesus Christ was Bruised Isa 53.10 as Manna in the Mill or Mortar yea this Lamb of God was rosted in the Fire of his Father's Wrath Exod. 12.8 9. The Sacrifices of the Law were not only killed but burnt afterwards which was a kind of second death to them Levit. 1.13 yea there were whole burnt Offerings Psal 51.19 and this whole Burnt-Offering did signifie not only that Christ's Body was wounded but his Soul did suffer and was made an Offering for Sin Isa 53.10 The sense that Jesus had of his Fathers displeasure and forsaking of him was a kind of second death to Christ As Adam was a Criminal cast out of paradice so Christ was as a prisoner led out of the Garden to suffer Death He became a Servant that he might Justifie us Isa 53.11 O how would this affect our Souls that where we deserved all the Creatures should be withdrawn and should serve us no more as God threatens Hos 2.8 9 10. That when the Lord of Glory should take on him the form of a servant 2 Phil. 6.7 8. we deserved that the Flower and the Wine-press would feed us no more Hos 8.2 yet that then the Son of God should come down from Heaven to feed us with his Flesh and chear us with his Blood John 6.53 54 55.57 Flesh is weak and because of this Christ is said to be Crucified through weakness 2 Cor. 13.4 yet this Flesh of Christ is set forth by bread that strengthens Man's Heart Psal 104.15 Christ's Blood is figured by Wine in his last Supper Though the Blood of Christ was shed with unexpressible Anguish and Pain yet this is set forth by Wine that chears Man's Heart Psal 104.15 Our strength comes out of the weakness our comfort comes out of the Sorrow of Christ Christ was the true Rock smitten by the Rod of Moses the Curse of the Law As that Rock being smitten did cleave so Christ being smitten with the Curse his Soul and Body did part that water of Life might flow forth to us and that we might enter in and dwell safely in him Cant. 2.14 O my Dove that art in the clefts of the Rock We had vastly run in debt with God and that God should pay himself out of the Sufferings and Blood of his Son We had proudly exalted our selves against God and that Christ should debase himself so low to satisfie for our pride and that his Self-denial should make a Recompence to God for our Self-seeking We dishonoured God Reproached Blasphemed him as a poor portion as a hard Master as a Righteous Law-giver And how wonderful is that the Reproaches wherewith we Reproached God should fall on Christ Rom. 15.3 4. Though we are Justified so Freely yet so Righteously The Mercy-seat that covers the Curse of the Law is sprinkled with Christ's Blood Levit. 16.13 14. We are Justified through the Redemption that is in Christ Rom. 3.24 The prison is opened to them that were bound because the Life of Christ is given as a Ransom Matth. 20.28 Christ died as a Testator that we might not be executed as Criminals and Malefactors When Christ became a Testator he stript himself as it were of all good Peace Liberty and exposed himself to all Evil to Sufferings Pain Reproaches and Death it self and all this was to enrich us 2 Cor. 8.9 and that all good things might come to us in a Righteous way that all Blessings might Swim to us in the Blood of our Testator Christ would have had nothing to give to us if he had not bought off our Transgressions from us and purchased all good for us As Moses lifted up his Rod over it and the Red Sea was divided Exod. 14.16.21 So we may by Faith lift up the Cross of Christ over the deep Sea of the Wrath of God and it will divide and give us passage to the Heavenly Canaan Grace shall Reign through Christ's Righteousness to Eternal Life Rom. 5. last 5. What Praise doth this call for that God and Christ do so often call us and so earnestly invite us to come into this Righteousness of the Son of God Come to me all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and I will give you rest Matth. 11.28 Look unto me all the ends of the Earth and be saved Isa 45.22 Christ tells us that This is the Work of God that you Believe on him whom he hath sent John 6.29 This is the great Work that God requires and is best pleased with It is a pleasure to Christ to see his Seed and to behold the Travel of his Soul Isa 35.11 This satisfies Christ when he seeth Souls Feed on the Bread that he gives to wash in the Fountain he hath opened and to use Remedies he hath provided and to put on the garment of Righteousness he hath prepared He hungers after the Justification and Salvation of Men and he is satisfied when Sinners trust on him for Justification and look to him for Salvation That Christ doth thrust forth Labourers into his Harvest to reap perishing Sinners though they are under many fears difficulties dangers discouragments yet Christ thrusts them out into his Harvest Matth. 9. last And then doth charge his servants by their earnest importunity to compel guests to come in Luke 14.23 God's pleasure hath been fulfilled in Bruising of Christ and now it is God's pleasure that Men should listen to and obey his call and run to Christ O that it should be the pleasure of God to Bruise Christ and to Heal us to Condemn Christ and to Justifie us O that it should be the pleasure of the Lord to exercise Severity on Christ and extend Mercy to us Christ charges his Servants by their earnest importunity to compel Guests to come into his Feast Luke 14.23 Famishing Sinners do not feel their wants and they do not press into Christ's House but the Servants are commanded by urgent and continual Solicitations to compel them Christ would have his House filled with Guests and his Provisions