punishing Christ that he might be just in justifying us in healing our Wounds and purging our Consciences It is this gracious sweet precious Name of God that is the Subject-Matter of Christ's Preaching he declares it that the Love wherewith God loves Christ may be in us and he in us John 17. last O how welcome should this Discovery of the Father be to us O how greatly should it affect and rejoyce our Souls This Declaration of the Name of God is 1. As a retreshing Rain and reviving Dew to the dry and parched World Psal 72.6 He shall come down as Rain on the mown Grass as showers that water the Earth the Church with respect to the Doctrine of the Gospel dispensed by her As a Dew from the Lord as the showers upon the Grass Mâ—cah 5 7. 2. This Declaration of the Name of God is as comfortable chearing directing Light to the dark World Isa 60.1 2 3. Though darkness doth cover the Earth gross ignorance doth over-spread the People yet the Lord doth arise on the Church and his Glory is seen on her The Grace of God to perishing Sinners is his Glory and when his Name is declared as Gracious and Merciful then his Glory is declared to the World Isa 66.18 19. In knowing God's Name Men do see his Glory this makes it Day with the Church when it is Night with the World 3. It is this Name of God that is as a sweet Persume to refresh and revive fainting Sinners 2 Cor. 2.14 Thanks be to God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place The Apostle compares the Gospel the Knowledge of God in Christ to a sweet Smell to a strong Perfume He further tells us that he did overcome Sinners and Triumph in the World by burning this Incense by spreading the smell of this Persume O how strange and wonderful a Victory is this that is got by pouring out the Name of Christ as an Oyntment Cant. 1.3 By declaring the Glorious Grace of God to lost Man Yet this was the way that the World was conquered and the Heathen Gentiles subdued to the Church Psal 48.3 He shall subdue the People under us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word properly signifies to speak from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so to subdue by speaking Thus the Apostle did Conquer and Triumph by speaking forth the Glorious Grace of God by shedding abroad the sweet Savour of his Knowledge by discovering how willing God is to be reconciled to Enemies and receive Prodigals 4. This Discovery of God is the very Bread and Food of our Souls Isa 55.2 Hearken diligently unto me and eat you that which is good and let your Soul delight in fatness The best things of this World without the Favour of God and an Interest in Christ will be rather hurtful than good to us But if we hearken unto Christ we shall eat that which is good indeed The Benefits of Christ are a Spiritual Good a Satisfying Good an Eternal Good and our Souls may here delight themselves in Fatness Here are not only Fat things Isa 25.6 but Fatness it self not only Good things but Goodness it self Psal 65.4 We shall be satisfied with the Goodness of thy House even of thy Holy Temple Your Souls will have nothing to live upon and to sustain themselves with if you listen not to Jesus Christ there is no Bread of Life no Water of Life but in Jesus Christ Famine Reigns abroad in the World and those that are strangers to Jesus Christ will perish with Thirst 2. Jesus Christ Preacheth these Great and Excellent Things very plainly 2 Cor. 3.12 13. We use great plainness of speech and not as Moses that put a Veil over his face There is great Lustre and Light in the Gospel-dispensations So that with open face we may behold the Glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 If the Gospel be hid from us the Veil is not on Christ's Face but on our Hearts 2 Cor. 3.15 The Veil before the most Holy Place is rent Life and Immortality is brought to light We are plainly taught in what Name we must be justified * 1 Cor. 6.11 John 16.23.26 and call upon God * We must be justified and Pray in Christ's Name on what Arm we must trust Isa 51.4 In what Beloved we must be accepted Ephes 1.6 In whose Blood we must wash our Robes white Rev. 7.14 In what Seed we must be blessed Gal. 3.8 If Men are now Ignorant it is because they shut their Eyes love Darkness and hate the * John 3.19 20. Light 3. Jesus Christ Preacheth these Great and Excellent Things as in a great measure come and now actually exhibited to us The Patriarchs saw the Promises afar off but the Watchmen of the Gospel are said to see Eye to Eye Isa 52.8 They behold the things that were future now to be accomplished come and performed The Law and the Prophets Prophesied until John Matth. 11.13 They spake of Christ and his Kingdom as future things but now since that time the Kingdom of God is preached and every Man presseth into it Luke 16.16 Now the Kingdom of God is come is set up the Messiah hath passed through and laid aside the form of a Servant and hath put on the Majesty and Form of a Lord the low state of the Messiah his Humiliation is past he is entred into his Glory these Glad Tydings are now published to us that our God who served below now Reigneth above Isa 52.7 4. The Son of God Preacheth the most Excellent Things as sure Mercies and to be obtained in a Righteous way Isa 55.3 I will give you the sure Mercies of David that is of the Messiah that was not only the Son of David but also Typified and shadowed out by him And these Mercies are said to be sure because Jesus Christ is dead and risen again and can dye no more Acts 13.34 35. Lives to Intercede for his Purchase and to execute his Testament The Son of God hath taken a Sure a Just and Righteous way to impart and communicate Spiritual Benefits to us They come not as Gifts from a Living Person but as Legacies from a Dying yea Dead Person The Son of God dyed in our Nature to Ratifie and Confirm his own Testament and to make it irrevocable If a Man's Testament be established by his Death there is no disannulling of it or adding to it Gal. 3.15 Christ's Testament cannot be frustrated it must be executed This makes the greatest Spiritual Benefits yea the Eternal Inheritance sure to us that they come to us in a Righteous way Jesus Christ bequeaths nothing but what he purchased by his own Blood The Lord Jesus is the Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 9.15 not only as he dyed to Ratifie it but as he lives and continually Intercedes with the Father in Heaven for the fulfilling and executing of his Testament And will you
not to the sinful and inordinate love of themselves It is mens Lust that is active in this Adultery the Creature is only Passive it groans under this Force put on it but cannot decline and avoid it the Creature is innocent but it is a Mans Unchast and Filthy Heart that is guilty For this Spiritual Whoredom men deserve to be cast into Gods Prison if God be broken by their whorish Heart Ezek 6.9 then surely they are worthy to be wounded and broken for it 2. Men are debtors to God every sin is a Debt Matt. 6.12 Forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors we primarily owe to God a Debt of Love and Obedience but for default in the Payment of this Debt there arises another Debut we owe God Glory to be raised out of our Sufferings Eternal Misery and Torments all Creatures must bow to God and some way or other serve him Isa 45.32 Either as Vessels of Honour or as Vessels for Dishonour God must have glory either by his Mercy or our Misery it is but just that God should enter his Action against his Debtors that he should Sue Arrest and Imprison them If those that owe Mony to Men and do not pay it are cast into Prison much more those that owe Service and Obedience to God and not render it are to be thrown into an Eternal Prison 3. Sinners are now already in Prison they are called Prisoners Isa 24.6 Isa 49.9 they are Styled Captives Isa 61.1 they are said to be taken Captive by the Devil at his will and to be held in his Snare they are in the Bond of Iniquity Acts 8.23 The Sins of Men do take them and their iniquities do hold them Prov. 5.22 we read that Paul and Silas were cast into the inner Prison Acts 16.24 This Expression of the Inner Prison implies the Prison was divided into two parts there was an outer and an inner Prison so I may distinguish God hath an outer and inner Prison his outer Prison is in this World his inner Prison is in Hell here sinners are in the outer Prison they are bound Isa 61.1 they are held Rom. 7.6 They are taken captive 2 Tim. 2 last They are shut up under sin Gal. 3.22 Loaden with Dead Works Heb. 9.14 Guilty before God Rom. 3.19 And Condemned John 3.18 He that believes not is Condemned already and if men stay and continue in the outer-Prison and Death finds them here how just is it that God should cast them into his inner Prison and shut them up and hold them there for ever 4. Jesus Christ himself when he was a surety for Sinners and stood in their room and stead was made a Prisoner was under a restraint and confinement Isa 53.8 It is said He was taken from Prison and Judgment Jesus Christ could not have been taken out of Prison if he had not first been in Prison But how was Jesus Christ in Prison I answer 1. The great sorrow that was in the amazing fear that was on Christs Spirit was as a Prison about his Soul Matt. 36.37 38. he was sorrowful and very heavy he said My Soul is sorrowful to the Death He was sore amaz'd Mark 14.33 taking a prospect of the dreadful storm that did hang over him the deep and bitter Cup reach'd out to him the vast Ocean of Sorrows and Sufferings that were before him yet he was heard in that he feared Heb. 5.7 This implies that he was under fear yet he was deliver'd from it that it did not sink him or overwhelm him 2. Jesus fell into the hands of his Enemies they seized on him led him him away to Annas and Caiaphas they held him under their power for several hours till they Condemned and Executed him John 18.12 13. the Captain and band of Soldiers took Christ bound him and led him away as a Prisoner 3. Jesus was buried he was laid in the dust and shut up as a captive of Death in the prison of the grave but such was the dignity of his person the value of his Blood the satisfactory nature of his Suffering that his Captivity was short his Imprisonment lasted but a little while yet this confinement and prison of Christ doth teach us what sinners deserve doth instruct us what they must expect if they are not washed from their Sins in Christs Blood and reconciled to God by his Death his Person being infinite and his Sufferings satisfactory his Prison could only be temporary and short but the nature of Sinners being Finite and their sufferings not able to expiate their sins their Prison must needs be Everlasting 5. God threatens sinners with this Prison and he must needs be just to himself and true to his word the Lightening of Gods Threatning is not without a Thunderbolt of Execution and Vengeance Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God God hath not only said it but also sworn it That he will never forget any of the deeds of impenitent Sinners Amos 8.7 the Lord hath Sworn by the Excellency of Jacob that is by himself that is Jacobs Excellency surely I will never forget any of their Works Tho men forget God and his Laws yet he will not forget their Crimes and Iniquities Gods Threatning must stand therefore sinners must fall into the Bottomless Pit Gods word must take hold of them Zack 1.5 6. therefore they will be cast into the Eternal Prison If we confirm not Gods Command by doing it Deut. 27. last God will confirm his threatning by executing it Dan. 9.12 6. The Spirits of Sinners departed out of the Body must be shut up in Gods Prison for God hath mighty Officers of Justice he hath powerful Bayliffs and Serjeants to Arrest to Seize on to carry away departing Souls Luke 12.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall require and demand thy Soul of thee they that shall require it will not be denied will not be rejected and sent empty away they will take hold of guilty Creatures drag them to the highest Tribunal and present them to the Sovereign Judg of Heaven and Earth good or bad Angels seize on dislodging and removing Souls I have been credible informed concerning a wicked man that I knew my self That when he was on the brink of the Pit and on the Borders of Eternity Something in the likeness of a Crow appeared in his Chamber and sate on the Testar of his Bed and could not be driven away till the sick man gave up the Ghost and then it suddenly Vanished away The Antient Rabbins have talked of the Angel of Death that did appear to Sick and Dying Men and was very Terrible to them by this Angel of Death they seem to mean some good or bad Angel sent to fetch the Soul to God's Tribunal to give its Account and to receive its final Sentence God doth not want Means or Messengers to attach and apprehend guilty Souls and to Conduct them into his Terrible and glorious
Ears stopt even so it hath been since those that have been in the Church and under the sound of the Word have heard tidings that should have affected their Spirits gladded their Hearts yea even ravished their Souls a year of Jubilee hath been proclaimed a day of Salvation hath been afforded sinners have been told that dead Souls may hear the Voice of the Son of God and live that Prisoners in this World may be set free Captives released Wounds may be healed Diseases cured Sinners may be justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus filthy Souls may be cleansed Conscience may be purged from dead works yet men mind not regard not seek not any of these things They make light of all the Travel of Christs Soul of the Purchase of his Blood of the Legacies of his Testament Matt. 22.5 they consider not that their Diseases threaten them with Eternal Death that the weight of their Guilt will sink them down into the Bottomless Pit that the shame of their Nakedness will expose them to everlasting Contempt and Abhorrency all this Stupidity Folly and hardness of Heart shall be renewed and reflected on as a just Cause of Eternal Punishment They shall remember how Jesus Christ called and they did not answer he knocked and they did not open he stretched out his Hands filled with pretious and inestimable Gifts but they did not stretch out the hand of Faith to receive Christ and his Benefits They would not look to Christ that they might be saved Isaiah 45.22 They turned from the Captain of Salvation to a Murtherer from a merciful Shepherd to a cruel and devouring Lion they would not come to Christ that they might have life John 5.40 they would not lean on Christâ— Arm that they might not fall under the wrath of God and the vengeance of eternal Fire This will one day sting them that sin was sweeter to them than salvation that rather than quench the fire of Lust they would run into the flames of Hell that rather than the Old Man should suffer and its Members be mortified or cut off they themselves would perish everlastingly This will to eternity wound them that their vanity of Mind their carelesness of Spirit their unbelief and hardness of Heart hath undone them that they dallied trifled away the time turned away the Physitian refused the Redeemer rejected the Bridegroom and must suffer the deserved punishment for all this to eternity they will see their opportunity is lost and never to be regained that the Door of Gods House is shut never to be opened again that the Treaty of Peace is broken off never to be revived any more that the Ladder that joined Earth and Heaven together is taken away is drawn up and will never be let down to sinners any more 2. This will aggravate the Misery of those that are in this Infernal Prison that they shall see what others enjoy but they are bereaved of and shut out from Luk. 13.28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth when ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out The Time was when Sinners were earnestly called upon were pressed with importunity to enter into the Kingdom of God but they neglected they contemned it but now this is their Punishment to be thrust out into Eternal Darkness and Torment and their loss will be embittered when they behold what others are arrived at and in Possession of O how will it pierce the Hearts of the degenerate Seed of Godly Men to see their Fathers possess a rich Inheritance and they themselves to be Poor for ever How will this vex incense and inrage them to see others at a plentiful Royal Feast and themselves to lie under an Eternal Famine That Saints Triumph in Glorious Triumph and they are held in Eternal Bondage That others wear Robes and Crowns of Glory but they themselves are clothed with sordid Garments and Rags of Infamy it might be a trouble to Lazarus to see Dives his Plenty and his own Penury To behold his Delicates and costly Fare and then reflect on his own hunger and wants but in the other World things are quite turned Now Dives is troubled to see Lazarus at Rest and he himself in Torments to behold Lazarus Feasted and himself Famished Luk. 16.19 20 21 22 24. O how will this Disquiet and Torment Sinners to see Saints bathing themselves in the Fountain of Life and that they cannot get a drop of Water to cool their Tongues and allay their Torments 1. Vse Of the Doctrine Is it so that the Spirits of Wicked men gone out of the Body are in Gods Prison then this Truth should awaken secure and strike a Terrour into hard Hearted Sinners O do not imagine that if you are afflicted that you receive all your evil things here Gods anger is not turned away his Sword is not sheathed his Controversie is not at an end with you there is a vast Arrear of Debt a dreadful remainder of Wrath yet behind You drink but the Top of the Cup of Gods Fury the dregs of it yet remain to be sucked into your Souls in another World Psal 75.8 God le ts fall but some drops of his Displeasure here the most dreadful storm is yet behind Psal 11.6 God now doth but Skirmish with Sinners in this World he will join Battel and come to a close fight with them in another World O Sinners will you choose the way to Gods Prison will you take the Road that leads to the Lake of Fire and Brimstone you foolishly run into the Devils snares and rush upon Hell and Destruction will you bring forth Fruit to Death Rom. 7.5 Will you bear such Fruit as will make you more worthy of Death and more fit for Destruction Will you provide evidences and prepare witnesses for your Condemnation Jer. 14.7 Mens Iniquities testifie against them The more Sins they commit the more Witnesses they raise up against themselves Will you heap up fuel for your Eternal burning Will you daily purchase for your selves a place in this Eternal Prison Will you yield your depraved Wills your vile Affections as so many Chains given into the Devils hand to lead you by unto this dreadful Prison Will you Barter and Trade away your Souls for so contemptible a price as the Wages of Unrighteousness and the Pleasures of Sin that are but for a season Will you be ignorant of Satan Devices Will you not discern his designs he seeks for he hunts after your Souls His aim is to gain and seize them that he may carry them away into this dark Prison O Sinners will you not consider will you not rouse up your selves and start out of your deep Sleep there may be but a step between you and this Eternal Prison Will you delay at the brink of the Pit will you sleep at the Door of the Prison Will you not stop your selves before it be too late Will you stay in the Devils
Soul of Jesus Christ being separated from the Body did go and Preach to some of the Fathers of the Old Testament that were not as they say yet admitted into Heaven but were reserved in some out-rooms of Hell where they felt no pain but did not yet see the Glorious Face of God nor enjoy his Blessed Presence But this cannot be the true genuine sense of the words For 1. If Spirit signifies here the Soul of Christ and quickned imports his Resurrection then Jesus Christ must Preach to these Spirits not while his Body was dead but after his Resurrection which the Papists themselves will not own or admit 2. Spirit in the 18th Verse signifies Christ's Divine Nature and it was not in this or by this that he preached to the Spirits of the Old Testament after their Souls were separated from their Bodies 3. Those that Christ preached to lived and were disobedient in the days of Noah it is not said they did Repent of or break off from their sins but were hardned in their Unbelief and dyed in their Iniquities they went down uncircumcised in Heart into the Pit and so Eternal Death was their Wages and Hell was their own Place Now even Papists dare not say that Christ preached to the Damned their state is remediless the Sentence irrevocable their Loss irrecoverable there is no Year of Jubilee no Goal-delivery for imprisoned Spirits confined to and shut up in Hell Jesus Christ would not Preach to those that God had cast off for ever and doomed to Eternal Misery for their continued and obstinate Disobedience they whose Nature was not changed on Earth their Condition could not be altered in Hell 4. If the Soul of Christ had preached to Souls in the Prison of Hell what Reason can be assigned why he should Preach rather to those that were disobedient in the days of Noah than to those that were disobedient in the days of Abraham Moses or in the after-times of the Prophets This one Argument may shame this Notion and confute this ungrounded Exposition of the words that the Soul of Christ went down to Hell to Preach to Spirits there Before I come to the main Doctrines that the words afford I shall observe several other great Truths that the words do offer to us 1. That the Scripture is a most Excellent and Divine Book in that it gives us such a true Account and such sure Notions about a future and eternal state after Death As it tells us what is the Condition of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Holy Prophets that they are in the Palaces and Kingdom of God Luke 13.28 so it informs us what is become of the Sinners of the Old World that these are cast into the Prison of God He that appoints Portion in the Paradice above and assigns places in the Prison below and adjudges to each of these by an irrevocable Sentence can best tell what is become of Saints and Sinners now they are departed out of the World 2. This Evidences the Immortality of the Soul that the Spirits of wicked Men are said to subsist after Death and to abide in God's Prison though their Garments of Flesh were pluckt off their Houses of Clay thrown down to the Dust yet their Souls did not expire or sleep as a Man can live though his Garments are put off or his House be demolished or drop down So the Soul hath no such necessary dependance on the Body but can exist though this Garment be put off this House be pulled down This Candle will burn though taken out of the Lanthorn of the Flesh Death doth not blow out only it removes this Light into another World 3. We may observe the Mercy and Goodness of God that though he had threatned a Flood and adjudged all the World besides eight Persons to be drowned by it yet the Son of God Preaches to this degenerate and wicked World before he destroys them though God designed Severity against their Bodies yet he offers Mercy to their Souls that though they could not avoid the first yet that they might decline the second Death and though their baser part were cast away yet that their Souls might swim to and Land safely on the Shoars of a blessed Eternity and God's means do not use to be totally ineffectual and in vain The Word is seldom if ever preached but that some are to be drawn out of the dead Sea and called out of their Graves by it Peter seems to tell us that the Word was not wholly lost on the Old World but that some received saving Benefit by it 1 Pet. 4.6 For this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that were dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit This may be Vid. Piscal in locum and is expounded to relate to and point at the state of the Old World the Gospel was preached to them that though they were judged were drowned and perished in the Eye of Men as to their Flesh yet they might live to and with God in their Spirits Though God proclaimed War against their Bodies yet he tendred Peace to their Souls 4. We may further Observe that even those that the Son of God Preaches to may stop their Ears close their Eyes harden their Hearts and for their Unbelief and Impenitency may be cast into God's Prison and perish everlastingly The Gospel is to some the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 They did shut Christ out of their Souls and for this are shut up under the wrath of God and are the Subjects of Eternal Vengeance 5. We may Observe what a hainous Evil Sin is and what a terrible Adversary God is He did not only sweep away the sinners of the World and drown their Bodies in a Flood of Waters but he imprisoned and punished their Souls God drowned their Spirits in Destruction and Perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 Sin is committed against an Infinite Majesty and cannot be sufficiently punished or satisfied for in a Finite Time by a Finite Creature It is an Axiom in the Civil Law Accusatio rei morte finitat An Accusation is finished by the death of the guilty Person all Process and Proceedings then cease against the Delinquent But it is otherwise here God's Accusation is not let fall his Actions are not withdrawn his Controversie doth not cease when sinners dye he pursues and overtakes them in another World there he meets them as one bereaved of his Authority Honour and Glory by them he resents the wrongs done to him he pours out the full Vials of his Wrath on them and fights against them for ever They are that they may be Miserables a bare Stock of Being is continued that God may graft Misery and Eternal Torments on it The words afford us two Doctrines First That the Son of God did Preach before he was Incarnate and doth as truly Preach by Instruments as he doth immediately in his
Heart of Stone to a fleshy Table he can soften and melt the Heart and make it pliable and flexible Isa 51.4 Hearken unto me my People and give ear unto me O my Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and I will make my Judgment to rest for a light of the People When may the Son of God be said to make his Judgment to rest I Answer when he engrafts his Word and causes it to joyn unite and close with the Stock of the Heart James 1.21 When the Seed is turned into a new and Divine Nature when in this Noble Effect of it it dwelleth and abideth in the Soul for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 When it is mixed with Faith Heb. 4.3 when it molds and fashions the Soul into a Conformity to God and a compliance with his Will then it may be said truly to rest and abide A Graft that is not implanted into the Stock a Stone that is not joyned to the Foundation may be spurned to and fro but when the Graft is united with the Stock and the Stone is laid into the Building then it hath rest None can give a Rest in this sense to to the Doctrine of the Gospel but the Son of God and how weak soever Instruments are yet he can produce mighty Effects when he speaks in them and by them * 2 Cor. 13.3 Out of the mouths of babes and sucklicks he ordains strength Psal 8.2 The Disciples of Christ were but as Babes and Sucklings they were not trained up in the Schools of Philosophers or Rhetoricians but were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 4.13 Men unlearned and ignorant in the Eyes of their Adversaries the word translated Ignorant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ideots and those by the Graecians are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ideots that have a very low Talent of Reason a scanty measure of Understanding at utmost fitting them to manage their own Private Affairs and small Concerns but disabling them from being employed in any Great High and Publick Affairs How Observable is it then that the Son of God should choose and employ Men of such mean Parts in the most high weighty and important Matters of his Kingdom and accomplish such great and Noble things by them The Son of God did speak in them 2 Cor. 13.3 and work with them Mark 16.20 so that they proselyted a world of Enemies and discipled Barbarous Nations to the Faith of Christ They famished the Heathen Gods of the Earth Zeph. 2.11 They drew away their Worshippers and deprived them of their Sacrifices The Hands of these Husbandmen cultivated and manured a barren and horrid Wilderness and reduced it to be a Spiritual Paradise and Garden of God The word of the Cross signified by the Living Water that came out from the side of the Altar Ezek. 47.1 2. flowing out into the salt and dead Sea of the World did heal these brackish unpleasant and unwholsom Waters O how wonderful was the Son of God in this that a little stream of Doctrine concerning Christ crucified should heal and make fresh the Waters of the great Sea of this corrupt and degenerate World How strange and surprizing is this that such few and weak Hands should pull down Satan's Kingdom should build the Ruines of many Generations and wrest the Captives from the Srong and the Prey from the Mighty The Arrows that the Son of God did shoot by his Ministers did hit right pierce deep and cause sinners to fall under them 2. If we consider the Office the Son of God doth sustain and is invested with this fits him to Preach to a sinful and lost World He is styled a Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 If he had not undertaken to satisfie Justice and make Peace God would have kept silence as to any gracious or comfortable speaking to the World Had not he interposed between guilty Creatures and an angry God we could have heard nothing else from Heaven but denunciations of Vengeance threatnings of Punishment and messages of Death But now lively Oracles come from the Mercy-seat sprinkled with the Blood of the Mediator He that hath made a Testament and sealed it with his own Blood is fittest to open publish and declare it He that was intimate with God and acquainted with all his deep Designs and Bosom-Secrets was fittest to bring them forth and make them known to the World He that was to execute God's Purposes was meetest to reveal them God had Designs of Grace Counsels of Peace Purposes of Redemption and Salvation that were conceived in his Mind and formed in his Heart from Eternity But these could not step forth into execution but by the Interposition and Sufferings of Jesus Christ The pleasure of the Lord was to prosper in his hand Isa 53.10 And what his Hand was to accomplish his Mouth was to reveal He that satisfied Justice was fittest to discover Grace and Mercy The Lord Jesus is styled the High-Priest and Apostle of our Profession Heb. 3.1 What he merited as an High-Priest that he is meetest to reveal and declare as an Apostle We may see infinite Wisdom in this He that makes Peace by the Blood of his Cross Col. 1.20 He speaks Peace Zech. 9.10 He preaches Peace Ephes 2.17 He that paid the Ransom Matth. 20.28 He preaches Deliverance to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound Isa 61.1 He that was taken from Prison and Judgment himself Isa 53.8 He calls Prisoners to come forth Isa 49.9 He bids those that are in Darkness to shew themselves in the Heavenly Sanctuary and the Glorious Presence of God He that was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief he is the Consolation of Israel and comforts those that mourn Isa 53.3 with Isa 61.2 He that became the Father's Servant himself Isa 42.1 Proclaims the Acceptable Year of the Lord publishes a Spiritual Jubilee to us for the release of our Souls from the Servitude of Sin from the Bondage of Satan Man being fallen under the Wrath of God the Curse of the Law the Sentence of Death none but a Mediator that was made Sin and a Curse for us could bring us any good News could publish any glad Tidings that might be a Foundation for our Faith and Hope relieve and revive our fainting and sinking Souls He that is the Wisdom of God and knows all was fittest to be the Word of the Father to reveal all 2dly I shall now consider what it is that the Son of God Preaches 1. Jesus Christ Preaches the Doctrine of Faith and calls Men to believe it He Preaches good Tidings and that to the Poor Luke 4.18 The Law promises Life and publishes good Tidings only to those that are Rich in Habitual Righteousness and perfect Active Obedience But Jesus Christ Preaches good Tidings to those that are exceeding Poor to such as have no good dwelling in them Rom. 7.18 or good done by them Rom. 3.12 Compare those two Expressions Paul saith In me even in
heavier Yoke on himself for us He puts his Name into our Bond and became a Surety for us the Debt was great he was to discharge it was not to be paid off with Gold and Silver but with Blood the Debt was not only possible or probable or likely only to fall on him but certainly to take hold of him and to be required of him He was to be wounded with the Sword of his own Father to bear the heaviest Burden to drink the most bitter Cup this Lamb of God was to be roasted by the hottest Fire he was to sweat Blood and to pour out his Soul to the Death and is it not reasonable now that the Son of God should require us to renounce our depraved Wills base Lusts and vile Affections and put our Necks under his easie Yoke bound on us by Cords of Love Did our Lord submit and obey and shall we be proud disobedient and rebellious 3. The Son of God preached Peace Ephes 2.17 His Gospel is a Gospel of Peace Ephes 6.15 His Covenant a Covenant of Peace Isa 54.10 In the days of his Flesh he preached Peace Acts 10.36 And now he still publisheth Peace to humbled Sinners This Peace the Son of God Preaches is a costly and righteous Peace His own Father did wage War with him that he might make Peace with us Zech. 13.7 He called the Sword of his Justice to awake smite and wound his own Son The Sufferings the Wounds of Christ were great and deep they came from they were made by the awakened Sword of Justice Our Sins had made a wide Breach between God and us and this Breach was filled by the dead Body of Jesus Christ Our Iniquities had kindled the Fire of God's Wrath and this Fire was quenched by the Blood of the Son of God He made Peace for our Souls because he made Atonement for our Sins 4. Jesus Christ preached Salvation That we should be saved from the hands of our Enemies and from all that hated us Luke 1.71 Sin and Death are our Enemies wicked Men and Satan hate us here is a Salvation from Enemies and all that hate us And this is a full and perfect Salvation Christ saves from sin Matth. 1.21 And he saves from wrath Rom. 5.9 And by his own Sufferings he was delivered up to Death Rom. 8.32 that he might deliver us from the Wrath to come 1 Thess 1. last He fell into the hands of God as an angry Judge that we might not fall into the Bottomless-pit He went out into the most dreadful Storm that he might allay it and free us from it The Cup of Wrath came to him that the Cup of Salvation might come to us Jesus Christ could not have been a Shield to us if he had not been pierced by the Arrows of Divine Vengeance himself He could not have been a shadow to us from the burning scorching Wrath of God if he had not been himself exposed to it That Cloud that skreened Israel from the hottest Beams of the Sun was exposed to them that Cloud did not feel the burning Beams of the Sun but Jesus Christ had a tender sense and feeling of the Wrath of God that for our sakes he was liable to 5. Jesus Christ preached the Kingdom of God Matth. 4.23 He went about Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and declaring the glad Tidings of the Kingdom of God Luke 8.1 Jesus Christ doth not only Preach to us Salvation from the greatest Evil but also the Enjoyment of the highest Good The Apostle 2 Tim. 2.10 saith The Elect shall obtain the Salvation that is in Christ together with everlasting Glory As Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were not only called out of and saved from the Fiery Furnace but also promoted and exalted to Honour and Rule in the Province of Babylon Dan. 3. last So Believers are not only preserved from a Furnace of Fire but also called into a Glorious Kingdom they do not only escape Ruin but are advanced to Reign And this Kingdom is bequeathed by Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word as Budaeus * In Comment Graecae Linguae observes is Verbum Testamentale a word used by the Graecians in making their Wills Though in the account of wicked Men Jesus Christ died as a Malefactor yet in the Eye of God he died as a Testator when he was robbed of his Liberty Garments and Life then he bequeathed a Kingdom to enrich us for ever The Eternal Inheritance is a Legacy of Christ's Testament Heb. 9.15 Christ that is Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 takes us to be Coheirs with himself Rom. 8.17 Those that serve God shall Reign Rev. 22.3.5 And those that are Subjects to Christ shall wear a Glorious and Everlasting Crown Rev. 2.10 As the Blood of Christ keeps destroying Justice out so it gives us boldness to enter into the Heavenly Sanctuary Heb. 10.19 6. The Cross of Christ is preached 1 Cor. 1.19.23 as the Meritorious cause of all Good Christ's Poverty enriches us his Abasement Exalts us his Infamy is our Glory He is a Priest of good things Heb. 9.11 he merits and procures them by his Sacrifice The Death and Testament of Jesus Christ is the very Foundation of our hopes of and of our call to the Everlasting Inheritance Heb. 9.15 In the Civil Law * Institut lib. 2. Tit. 19. Sect. 6. he that is an Heir is said to be Vocatus ad haereditatem and that by the Testament of the Deceased This much illustrates Spiritual things Christ makes a Testament designs Heirs and calls them in due time to what he hath designed for them The Cross of Christ should be preached and the Death of the Son of God should be most valuable in our Eye because this is the Foundation and Confirmation of Christ's Testament If he had not made a Will and died to confirm it there had been no Heirs appointed there had been no Inheritance bequeathed and there had been no ground to call any to the Kingdom and Glory of God 3. To whom did the Son of God Preach I Answer sometimes to more sometimes to fewer before Abraham was called and his Seed chosen and separated to be God's Peculiar and only People he preached more or less to all Mankind if they did not cut off and cast themselves out by their Negligence and Profaneness as Cain's Posterity seemed to do Afterward God made an Inclosure of a Common when he took Abraham redeemed him from his Idolatry and called him from his Ignorance and Blindness Since that God hath made a Common instead of an Inclosure We read of the Common Faith Titus 1.4 And of the Common Salvation Jude's Epistle Verse 3. After Christ's death the Hedges were pulled * Luke 14 23. up the Inclosure thrown open Christ was to be a Light to the Gentiles and to be Gods Salvation to the ends of the Earth Isa 49.6 The Son of God is the true Universal Bishop 1 Pet. 2. last The
be Visited when others are passed by and neglected Why should the Son of God come to and knock at our Doors when he is far off from others and makes no Address to them And will you slight and abuse Christs Kindness Will you break off the Treaty of Peace and reject the offers of Mercy If you delay Jesus Christ may withdraw he may utterly depart from you the Bridegroom may no more woo you the Physitian may no more offer his Help to you but suffer you to die of your Diseases the great Shepherd may break his Staff of Beauty take no more care of you but leave you to be a prey to Satan that roaring Lion O! consider if you delay and put Christ off Sickness may suddenly seize you Death may in a moment snatch you away your Flower may soon Fade your Lamp of Life be quickly blown out an Apoplexy may surprize you your Reason may be Clouded your Understanding darkned your Speech may fail you some sudden accident that you never thought of may cut off your Life in an instant will not your delays then be pernitious and fatal to you What then will become of all your Promises and all your purposes to Believe Repent and turn to God Will not Satan then catch away the Soul to Hell Will you not then fall into the Hands of the Living God Will you not be the objects of his Eternal Frowns and Fury Will you not then too late understand your Folly and Madness in puting off Jesus Christ O! will not Conscience then twit upbraid reproach you what did you think it was too soon to be Cured of your Diseases Was it too soon to have your Bonds and Satans snares broken Was it too soon to be made wise Too soon to be set at liberty Too soon to be Pardoned Too soon to return from your wanderings and get into the way of Salvation and Eternal Life How did Satan blind your Eyes How did Sin charm and bewitch your Souls You that once thought it too soon do now understand and feel that it is too late It is a very observable Sentence in Cyprian Sero credunt in aeternam paenam Contra Demetr qui noluerunt credere ad aeternam vitam Those too late will believe the truth of Gods word to their Eternal Punishment who would not timely believe to their Eternal Life they that would not see their Danger shall see their Destruction They that would not fear the Threatnings of Gods Mouth shall feel the Blows of his Hand Is it not better to hear now the sweet noise of the Bridegroom than hereafter to hear the terrible Voice of an Angry and Condemning Judg. Take heed that you be not Cheated and Beguiled by Satan he tells thee thou maist listen to Christ and Repent hereafter but his design is to harden thy Heart and that thou shalt never listen or turn to Christ As the Levite rose early to go his Journey Judges 19.5 but his Father in Law incouraged him to stay and comfort his Heart with a morsel of Bread and afterward he should go his way so Satan and sin are first modest in their Temptations and Suggestions They tell sinners they need not rise early and soon set out in the way to Heaven That it is best first to Comfort their Hearts with the Pleasures and Enjoyments of the World after they have Eaten a Morsel and Drunk a Draught of Stolen Waters they may go on in their way to another World and as the Levites Father in Law that first asked but for the Morning afterward desires the whole day and would have the Levite tarry all Night and so he did even thus Sin and Satan deal with wicked men after they have prevailed with them to mis-spend and vainly Consume the Morning of their Lives they afterwards insinnate desire and demand the whole Day of Life to be spent in Estrangement from God in the service of vile Affections and base Lusts so that the Night of Death comes on them and they drop down into the bottomless Pit The Levite tho he did not depart and journey one day yet he might Travel away the next but when our one day of Life is past and spent in sin there is no day of Life or Grace that will succeed to amend our Folly or repair our loss Psal 49.19 careless and negligent sinners go to the Generation of their ungodly Fathers they that never see the Light there will be a morning for Judgement and Condemnation but none for Repentance Delays are exceeding dangerous the Heart it more hardened Heb. 3.13 the old Man is more corrupted Ephes 4.22 As a Dead Body doth every day grow worse more corrupt and putrified even so the old Man in us doth more corrupt in its desires and affections it is great Policy in a Captain to hold an Enemy in a Treaty about a Surrender while he doth Portify his Garrison so it is a deep Policy of Satan to put thee on Fair Promises and faint purposes of yeilding to Jesus Christ while thy Heart is more Fortified with prejudice and enmity against God and Christ O! therefore soon stretch out thy Hands to Christ Psal 68.31 Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God in the Hebrew it is shall make her Hands run to God O! that thy Hands may run to Christ to receive precious Gifts from him and to offer up a Living Sacrifice to him The Second Part of a Discourse on 1 Pet. 3.19 The Second Doctrine that the last words of the Text afford us is this 2. Doct. The spirits of Wicked Men when they go out of the Body are confin'd to and shut up in Gods Prison THree things here are to be spoken to and insisted on 1. That God hath 2 Prison 2. That the Souls of wicked Men when they go out of the Body shall be cast into this Prison 3. I shall shew how Dreadful and Terrible this Prison is 1. That God hath a Prison Earthly Princes have places of Durance and Restraint for such as offend them and Transgress their Laws Gen. 1.2 3. two of the Officers of Pharaoh offended the King of Egypt their Lord was wroth with them and expresses his Displeasure by puting them in Prison And is it not highly reasonable and just that the King of Heaven and Earth should have his Prison to confine Transgressors to and to punish delinquents in Should Sinners that do their own wills fulfil the Devils Lusts Rebel against Gods Laws still be at liberty to Contract more Guilt and provoke more wrath if Iniquity were for ever joyn'd with Impuâ—ity would not the Majesty of God be still affronted his Laws trod under foot his threatnings derided and scorn'd Tho sinners own God in word and cannot utterly race and extirpate the Notion of a Divine Being out of their Souls yet they hold it in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 They are as Dark Lanterns to shut in and hide the Light of this great Truth they
snare till he takes up his snare Amos 3.5 seizes on the prey he hath caught and carries it away to Hell As the Lord liveth there is a place of Misery there is a dreadful Prison and place of Torments Do not banish it out of your Thoughts do not ridicule it as a meer Invention of Men or as vain ungrounded Fancy entertained in weak and timerous Minds Do not go on to despise or question it till God confutes your unbelief and punishes your Atheism by the woful painful feeling of that which you would not believe or fear 2. Vse Do not envy Sinners do not grudge them their full Cup of sensual Delights their calm and smoath Streams of Prosperity God hath a reckoning with them Judgments are travelling towards them Hos 5.1 Vengeance is ready to take hold of them those that now will bear no Yoak will be restrained by no bounds must shortly be laid fast in the Eternal Prison They that now swim in Rivers of Pleasures must soon be drowned in Perdition and Destruction They that suck in large draughts of sensual Delights must within a little time drink the Wine of the Wrath of the Almighty Would you envy a Malefactor a large Meal or a full Glass of Wine that next day is to be executed Would you grudge a Man Fine Cloaths or delicate Fare that next hour is to be cast into devouring Fire their Comforts are measured by Time but their Misery and Torment is to be measured by Eternity 3. Vse O examine your selves what grounded Hope you have that you shall be secured from Eternal Bondage and delivered from the wrath to come are you in the Road to the Prison or in the way to the Palace there are but these two Receptacles and places of Entertainment for departed Souls Consider well of it are you in a perishing way Psal 1. last or in the way Everlasting Psal 139. last Put these following Questions to your Souls 1. Are your Eyes opened Isa 42.7 This is the means to bring us out of our spiritual Prison and the first step towards our Liberty Why are Men so quiet so contented so satisfied to stay in Gods outer Prison Surely it is because their Eyes are shut they discern not where they are and how great their danger is Jesus Christ first opens the blind eyes and then he brings the Prisoners out of the Prison-House Inquire therefore did you ever come to your selves take up true Notions or form a right Judgment concerning your lost deplorable and miserable Estate Luk. 15.17 The Prodigal came to himself he conversed with reflected on himself dwelt on the sad Thoughts of what his Folly and Lusts had reduced him to and then he took up this fixed Resolution I will arise and go to my Father Luk. 15.18 19 20 21. If Men did come to themselves they would leave Sin as a bad and hard Master and would return to God their Heavenly Father The Apostle Paul speaks of Sinners recovering themselves out of the snare of the Devil 2 Tim. 2. last The Word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies to recover out of Drunknness and to become sober and those that thus become sober do escape out of the snare of the Devil Sinners are drunken with false Notions with wrong Conceptions and ungrounded Imaginations concerning themselves the goodness of their own Estate the sweetness of the Pleasures of Sin the worth of the Riches of the World Men must return to sobriety of Mind to a right Judgment of their State and Ways that they may recover out of the snare of the Devil Are the Scales of Ignorance fallen off from your Eyes is the Veil drawn off from your Hearts Act. 12.7 9. A Light shined into Peters Prison and then he was raised and called out of it so here 2. Are you come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament and to the Blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than the Blood of Abel Heb. 12.24 Are you come into his Righteousness Psal 69.27 That is an observable Phrase to come into the Righteousness of the Messiah Believers come into it as their Garment that must cloath and cover them their Fortress and City of Refuge that must secure them from the Curse of the Law and Revenging Justice Those that lay hold of and come into the Righteousness of Christ are passed from Death to Life and shall never come into Condemnation John 5.20 These things are linked with and depend on each other coming into Christs Righteousness secures us from coming into Condemnation have you fled by Faith to the Mediator and his Blood so that you have received the Atonement that he made Rom. 5.11 Do you apply the Reconciliation that Christ hath made to your selves 2 Cor. 5.18 All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ 3. Are you made Free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death The Law of the Spirit is the mighty powerful effectual working of the Spirit of Life Though the Law of Sin be strong yet the Law of the Spirit of Life is stronger This Law of the Spirit can prevail and carry it against the Law of Sin have we ever experienced this mighty Law of the Spirit hath it broke our Fetters and Chains mortified our Lusts enlarged our Hearts Psal 119.32 Then will I run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my Heart It is the work of the Spirit to enlarge the understanding by beaming in new Light and to enlarge the Will by kindling new spiritual Love when Christ by his Spirit doth cirtumcise the Heart then the Chains of Lust do fall off Is the Law of God written in you Jer. 31.33 Is this a prevailing reigning Principle in your Hearts and as a powerful Byass on your Wills Do you choose the way of Truth and choose Gods Precepts Psal 119.30 173. 4. Have you New Honourable and Ornamental Chains cast about your Souls Isa 45.14 It is promised the Church that the Egyptians and the Ethiopians and other Gentile Nations should come over to her and be hers they should come over to her and after her in Chains We are not to understand the Words as if Christ should force Proselites into his Church or Subjects into his Kingdom Jesus Christ never did violence to the Bodies of Men or by an outward force hale Men to him but the Phrase signifies the powerful work of Christ by his Spirit on the Minds and Consciences of Men he casts Chains of Light and Love about the Souls of Men He mightily convinces and perswades them of the Truth of his Doctrine of the Excellency of his Promises He plants strong Inclinations in them he makes powerful Impressions on them that they cannot but subject themselves to him and yield and submit to his Church Those that are bound with Chains
it must not be a doubtful Opinion but a rooted Perswasion God is wronged by wicked Men and he must right himself they have pressed him with their Iniquities as a Cart is pressld under the sheaves and he must ease himself Isa 1.24 Ah I will ease me of my Enemies and avenge me of my Adversaries Sinners rise up proudly against God Psal 138.21 Am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee and God must humble and abase them Psal 73.29 Thou settest them in slippery places thou castest them down into destruction Ungodly men break God's Yoak Jer. 5.5 and therefore must be broken with that Rod of Iron that is in Christ's hand Psal 2.9 God will draw near to them in Justice Mal. 3.5 I will come near to you to Judgment that are gone far from God as to Obedience Psal 73.27 Lo those that are far from thee shall perish 2. Acknowledge that you have deserved to be thrown into this Prison Have you not lived without God in the World Eph. 2.12 and and so have you not begun your Hell on Earth have you not executed a great and grievous part of the Eternal Punishment on your selves by neglecting Converse with God and cutting your selves off from Communion with him Have you not contentedly been without God in Time and is it not righteous that you should be without him to Eternity 3. Submit to the Spirit of God when it becomes a Spirit of Bondage to your Souls Rom. 5.15 It is then a Spirit of Bondage when it arrests the Conscience with a deep heavy sense of Sin when it sets home the Threatnings and Curse of the Law when it seals to a Sinner a Sentence of Condemnation and fills the Soul with the Terrors of God Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under Sin the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might as well be rendred shut up The Scripture hath shut up all men and all the Acts of the Natural man under sin it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things that appertain and belong to the Natural man and flow from him For they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 The Sacrifice of the Wicked that is his best Religious Service is an Abomination to the Lord And the Prayer of the Wicked that is all his common Actions are also an Abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 9. If the Sacrifice and the Way of the Wicked be an Abomination then the Scripture may well conclude his All under Sin Ungodly men seem to walk at Liberty to be secure merry and unconcerned at Sin the Wrath of God and an Eternal State but the Spirit of God comes and arrests secure Sinners and shuts them up under the bitterness of Sin and the dreadful sense of the Wrath of God in this Case it is dangerous for Persons to shake off the Terrors of God to despsse his Threatnnings and to break God's Prison Those that quench Convictions and return to a loose and licentious Life are in great danger of undoing themselves to Eternity Be therefore perswaded that the Spirit and the Scripture do mercifully shut up Unregenerate Men and all their Actions under sin it is not that they may sink under their Guilt languish under their Disease and perish everlastingly but all this is to humble their proud Minds and break their hard Hearts that they may sue to Free Grace to remit their Debt break their Chains heal their Disease and save their Souls The Scripture shuts up all under sin that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe The Spirit of Bondage prepares Persons for the Spirit of Adoption that Men may act Faith on Jesus Christ lay hold of the free Promise and so have Justification and Salvation as an Alms of Mercy 4. Listen to Christs Voice that calls you out of the spiritual Prison Isa 49.9 That thou mayst say to the Prisoners Go forth and to them that are in darkness Shew your selves O desire and cry to Jesus Christ to speak this effectually to your Soul You need he should speak with a strong hand Isa 8.11 Look to Jesus Christ to open the door of Gods Prison Isa 61.1 and also to open the door of your hard heart Acts 16.14 God opened the Heart of Lydia O desire Jesus Christ to speak so that your Chains may fall off your Doors fly open and you be brought out of darkness and the Prison-house Isa 42.7 You need to be sprinkled with the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ to keep destroying Justice out The Blood of the Paschal Lamb sprinkled on the Door-posts of the Israelites was a Sign to the destroying Angel that he was not to break into that House or kill any there Exod. 12.22.23 It is the Blood of Jesus Christ the True Paschal Lamb 1 Cor. 5.7.8 that must be our Guard Security Protection and where this is sprinkled God sets a Sign on those Souls that they shall not perish but escape that they are not appointed to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by Jesus Christ God saith in Isa 66.19 that he would set a Sign among the Jews Calvin on the Place thinks that there is an allusion to the Blood of the Paschal Lamb sprinkled on the Israelities Doors that was a Sign they should be safe So Christs Blood applyed to us and sprinkled on us is a sure Sign and Token of our Salvation that we shall not come into Condemnation but find Mercy with the Lord O therefore apply your selves by Faith to Jesus Christ as a Redeemer Isa 59.20 that you may be Ransomed by the Blood he hath shed by the Price he hath paid address your selves to Jesus Christ as a Deliverer Rom. 11.26 that you may be Rescued by that Power he can put forth Jesus Christ is a Redeemer by Price and a Deliverer by Power these two conjoyned do render him a Compleat and perfect Saviour If Jesus Christ be a refining Fire to you in this World Mal. 3.2 3 4. God will not be a Consuming Fire to you in the world to come Heb. 12. last 5. Repent unfeignedly of and truly break off from your Sins Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospel O wash your Hearts from Wickedness put away the evil of your doings escape that Corruption that is in the World through Lust Jer. 4.14 Isa 1.16 17. 2 Pet. 1.4 Break and shake off the bond of Iniquity Acts 8.23 Get out of the Snare of the Devil 2 Tim. 2. last and you need not dread the Eternal Prison God will not condemn those that bear his Image live his Life wage War with his Enemies As you seek to Jesus Christ to quench the Fire of God's Wrath by putting his Blood on it so do you pluck away the Fuel of this Fire by Repentance and continual Mortification suffer in your Flesh in your corrupt Nature here 1 Pet. 4.1 that you may not suffer in your Soul for ever hereafter dye to sin that you may not dye for sin If your Lusts do still find Favour with you how can you hope to find Mercy with God Curb your Flesh restrain your selves from Carnal Liberty and you shall be safe and secured from eternal Bondage Make a Covenant with your Eyes Job 31.1 restrain them from wandring and gazing on tempting and enticing Objects Cry to God Lord turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity Psal 119.37 Keep your Hearts with all diligence Prov. 4.23 suppress vain thoughts that spring up quash sensual desires that are ready to sprout forth The old man is a stock still budding In-dwelling sin is still tempting this Womb would still conceive and bring forth Fruit to death there is a Law in us Rom. 7.21 that Satan hath enacted Members that he hath made Col. 3.5 Lusts that he hath kindled 1 Joh. 2.15 16. Our daily Work therefore must be to contend with our corrupt Wills and vile Affections to fight against sin to conflict with and overcome our selves He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Death Rev. 2.11 You must restrain your Tongues and set a Watch before the door of your Lips the Psalmist said he would take heed to his ways that he did not sin with his Tongue he would keep his Mouth with a Bridle Psal 39.1 Much sin would be prevented if we did watch over our Words Christs great silence when he was falsly accused points at Sinners great sin in abusing their Tongues in rash and evil speaking We must also refrain our Feet from the ways of Sin and Death Psal 119.101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I might keep thy Word By the Word of thy Lips I have kept my self from the Path of the destroyer Psal 17.4 Wicked men take Liberty to themselves to say or do what they please Jer. 14.10 They love to wander they have not refrained their Feet It is dangerous for you to affect a Liberty for your corrupt Hearts roving Senses and wandring Feet If you give Liberty to your Lusts God will proclaim Liberty to the Sword Jer. 34.17 Would you have Gods punishing hand at Liberty to destroy you would you have his Glistering Sword at Liberty to cut you off shall all banks be cut and the Flood of the Wrath of God be at Liberty to overwhelm and swallow you up for ever Abridge your selves deny carnal Liberty to your Flesh and it's Lusts If you walk in the Narrow Way of the Law-giver you shall not fall into the strait Prison of the Judge FINIS