many places of Scripture yet none of them kept them out of the Land of Canaan which was a type of heaven but only unbelief And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkenesse rather then light John 3.19 Christ hath obtained of his Father a full pardon for all the sins of the world and a perfect righteousnesse and heaven and spirituall and temporall things and it is kept in store for us in Christ all the spirituall things are till wee doe really believe what Jesus Chriâ—â— hath done for us in particular and he woulâ— have his love made knowne to the world thaâ— they might believe and then hee will makâ— known to them that their sins are pardoned and how great his love is to them and whâ—â— hee hath purchased for them and what theâ— are in him And although there remaines sâ—â— in the conversation yet sin in the conscienâ—â— is done away The blood of Christ which througâ— the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spoâ—â— purge your consciences from dead workes to serâ—â— the living God Heb. 9.14 And he speaking iâ— the 9th verse of this chapter and verse 2. of thâ— 10th chapter of the sacrifices in the time of thâ— Law there was offered gifts and sacrifices thaâ— could not make holy concerning the conscience of him that did the service for if it could would they not then have ceased to have beeâ— offered because that that the offerers oncâ— purged should have had no more sine in theiâ— conscience but those sacrifices could not take away sin in the conscience Heb. 9.24 25 26. For Christ is not entered into the holy places maâ—â— with hands which are the figures of the true buâ— into heaven itselfe now to appeare in the preseâ—â— of God for us Nor yet that he should offer himselfâ— often as the high Priest entereth into the holy plâ—â—â— every yeare with blood of others For then must often have suffered since the foundation of the world but now once in the end of the world hath be appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe And it is he alone that can and will sanctifie us in our conversation Let us draw neer with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Heb. 10.22 Christ shed both water and blood John 19. â—4 His blood for to sprinkle our conscience from evill works that so they shall not damn us and water to purge and sanctifie us in our conversation that sin shall be mortified in us and we shall walke in obedience to God And this Christ hath done for all and would have all know it that they all might come to Christ and be saved For be tasted death for-every man Heb. 2.9 And be dyed for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Gor. 5.15 Christ not only dyed and was buried but hee also rose from the dead which doth declare unto us that hee hath gotten the victory over the spirituall death for us he triumphed over it for us Death is swallowed up in victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Chrisâ— 2 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57. So Christ hath done all things for thee anâ— hath made way for to goe to God by him Jâ—sus said I am the way the truth and the life â—man commeth to the Father but by me John 1â— 6. And now he makes a generall proclamatâ—on for all to come unto him and he will giâ—â— them life for their life is hid in him and they doe not come unto him they shall dyeâ— their sins and the Lord saith As I live I wiâ—â— not the death of a sinner Isa 55.1 2 3. Ho evâ—â—â— one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and 〈◊〉 that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea comâ— buy wine and milke without money and withâ—â—â— price Wherefore doe ye spend money for that whiâ—â— is not bread and your labour for that which satiâ—fieth not hearken diligently unto me and eaâ—â— ye that which is good and let your soule delight selfe in fatnesse Encline your eare and come unâ—me heare and your soule shall live and I wiâ—â— make aneverlasting Covenant with you even tâ—â— sure mercies of David The waters that we are invited to come 〈◊〉 to is Christ he is the water of life John 4 1â— And he calls all to come without any worth nesse of their owne though they are never 〈◊〉 great sinners let them come let them not keâ—â— back because they are great sinners but therâ—fore let them come for he dyed for their sins â—nd if they come unto him he will give them a â—ardon for their sins their sinnes cannot be too great for him to pardon and doe not stay for â—ualification to come to Christ for there is â—o qualification out of Christ but come unto him and he will qualifie thee there is no vessel so unclean but the blood of Christ wil cleanse â—t And saith Christ Those that come to me I will â—â—n no wise cast away and that wine and milk is Christ John 15.1 I am the Vine that brought forth those grapes that this wine came of and he was pressed in the wine-pres of the wrath of God for us to drinke of the fruit of it And as it is the nature of wine to comfort strengthen and refresh those that are ready to faint So it is with this spirituall wine Christ whosoever hath tasted of him it comforts him exceedingly and when they are ready to faint through the sence of their sins this wine refreshes them and strengthens them against the Devils temptations and their owne sins and this milke is to feede those that are babes in Christ I have fed you with milke and not with meate for bitherto ye were not able to beare it 1 Cor. 3.2 For every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse for he is a babe Heb. 5.13 So Christ is this milke that feeds those that are babes in him he is their nourishment and hee revealeth his love to them by degrees and 〈◊〉 are babes at the first and grow by degrees be men in Christ and hee leades them accoâ—ding Wherefore doe ye spend money for that whiâ—â— is not bread you spend a great deale of cost paines to get a righteousnesse of your own aâ—â— so feede upon that but that is not bread thâ—â— is but ashes that will not nourish thee bâ—â— wildo thee more harm than good Christ saitâ— He is the bread of life John 6.48 This is 〈◊〉 bread which came downe from heaven that a mâ—â— may eate of it and not dye I am the living breâ—â— which came downe from heaven if any man
and it is the seede of darkenesse for there is no light in it for Christ is the light and out of him there is no light and this is that which opposeth Christ and is nothing but the greatest darkness that is for there is not any light in it and he infusing daily more and more of his darkdesse into us causeth the seede of himselfe to grow more and more by him and this seede cannot be dead long but it will quickly appeare and â—pring forth that it will be seene by others and bring forth fruit sutable to the seede and will grow by degrees to be a high tree in wickednesse and be full of evill fruit and though it be the seede of the Devill in us that causeth us to bring forth fruit to himselfe yet it is wâ— that must suffer for it for hee brings us to be willing to yeeld to him in all things and to be at his command and to do what he would have us to doe so his will becomes our will and wee are obedient to him and delight in his works of darknesse This is the grosse seâ—d of the Devill and we see it grow up in a high degree in some and would in a higher but that the Lord restraines them and it springâ— forth in some measure in all There are seven degrees to grow in perfection in God so there is also to grow in evill to be like the Devill in wickednesse and there is a comming to it by degrees some attaine to the first degree in God by the Spirit of God and some to the second and so goe along by degrees from one degree to another Some attaines to one degree and some to another by the revelation of the Spirit of God in us so the Devill immitates God for the wicked spirit working in us and we yeelding to it and delighting in it he brings us all from one degree to another some attaines to one degreâ— and some to another and so on to perfectioâ— in sin to our owne destruction For sinne whâ—â— it is finished brings forth death Rom. 6.23 But the Lord restraines most people that they doe not grow to that degree of sinne as they would else attaine unto and many attainâ—â— but to the first degree and lives a perfect morall life those that are the children of God he blasts this seed of the Devill in them by the seed of himselfe sowne in them Christ by his death did breake the head of the Serpent the Devill but not kill'd him he paid a full price for all sinnes and obtained things of his Father for all so that sinne cannot doe us any harme if wee have the faith of Jesus Christ in us for this will make us hate sinne it cannot keepe us out of heaven so he brake the Devils bead for the policie lyes in the head and it was the Devils policie to tempt man that hee might fall finally and never rise againe and so to destroy for ever all man-kind For God did say to Adam In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 And the Devill knew that there was no other way to destroy man-kind but that so being fallen the Lord did not restore him to that condition that he was in at the first being man was rebellious to God he must have afflictions he must live in sorrow and trouble here for sinne remaines still in our conversations in â—ll degrees while Christ by his Spirit in us doth sanctifie us and suppresse sinne in us by degrees That sinne shall not reigne in our mortâ—â— bodies because we are not under the Law which threatneth curses because we cannot keepe it but under grace Rom. 6.15 But still there remaines the seed of the Devill in us and is as bad as ever it was in it selfe and it doth appeare so in us so farre as it iâ— not kept under by the seede of God so hiâ— head is broke his policie is brought to nought for it is not that can destroy any of man-kind Numb 21.8 9. And the Lord said unto Moses make thee a fiery Serpent and set it up for a sigâ— that as many as are bitten may looke upon it aâ— live So Moses made a Serpent of brasse and sâ— it up for a signe and when a Serpent had bitten man then he looked to the Serpent of brasse aâ—â— lived This was a figure of Christ for wee wâ—â— stung with the Serpent the Devill and Chriâ—â— was crucified upon a tree for all and we are 〈◊〉 looke up to him with the eye of faith for he is that hath pull'd out this sting and lookâ—â— upon him we see our selves heal'd by him 〈◊〉 hath not destroyed the Serpent but he remaiâ— still but he cannot hurt the children of Goâ— for his sting is pulled out and it is for wanâ— looking on Christ that all are not cured 〈◊〉 this seed of the Serpent in us which the eâ—â—â— sowed in us through our listning to him in Adam is not destroyed wholly but supprest as the Canaanites and Amorites and Moabites and the rest of the Nations that kept possession of the Land of Canaan before the children of Israel went into that Land and God gave them possession of it But when the children of Israel had taken possession of the Land their enemies were not wholly destroyed but were supprest that they could not doe what they would against the children of Israel they were kept there for the humbling of the children of Israel and many times they rose up against the children of Israel to destroy them and by this was made known the love mercy and power of God in delivering the children of Israel from their intention against them and in destroying their enemies though not all of them yet supprest them all so as they could doe the children of Israel no harme and at all timer when they had got strength againe and rose up against them the Lord still kept them under and destroyed them by degrees yet still some did remaine but their power was taken from them that they could doe them no harm So it is with the seed of the Devill in us it rises many times against us to destroy us breaking forth into open sin in words and actions being back'd and moved to it with the Devills temptation but these enemies remaine in â—â—to humble us and to shew us the goodnesse 〈◊〉 God in suppressing them and destroying thâ—â— by degrees and taking that power from thâ—â— that they shall not hurt us but yee they shall not be utterly destroyed for if the Lord withdrawes his Spirit from us this seede will appeare with as vile fruits in us as ever and thâ— fruits that this seede brings forth in us are all manner of sinne and wickednesse and this is called the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5.19 Rom. 1. What fruits had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashames for the end of those things iâ— death Rom. 6.21 This is
the time of fasting and mourning yet God doth feed and preserve her from all those devouring beasts that are in the wildernesse and there are seven degrees of comming out of this wildernesse and the Lord doth first shew us that we are in the wildernesse before hee doth make it known to us that hee hath brought us out of it hee will shew us our barrennesse by stripping us quite naked of all our goodly things that we shall have nothing to trust too then will he reveale himselfe in us and appear to be all in all in us and then he will appeare very glorious Hosea 2.14 I will bring her into the wildernesse and speake comfortably unto her There is first a dying to the flesh before there is appearing to live in the Spirit for while our first husband the law or flesh is alive we live unto him but if he be dead by the life of Christ appearing in us then we are free to marry to another which is to Christ Rom. 7.4 Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 We are dead to the flesh by the power of the death of Christ for Christ dyed for the destruction I doe not meane our bodies but that which is of Anti-christ in us and our life is hid with Christ in God for our life is in the life of Christ I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live in the flesh which is in the body I live by the faith of the Sonne of God Gal. 2.20 But in the beginning of this verse he saith I am crucified with Christ Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto mee and I unto the world So we are crucified to all things that is below Christ 2 Cor. 5.16 17. Wherefore hence-forth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet â—ow hence-forth know we him so no more Therefore if any man bee in Christ hee is a new creature â—lde things are passed away behold all things are become new We must not know Christ any longer after our fleshly apprehension for all our old imaginations of Christ must passe away by the new manifestations of Christ in us Rom. 8.10 11. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Here is a dying to the flesh and then living to thee Spirit It is aPpointed for man once to dye And after death comes the judgement as all things is and shall be fulfilled outwardly in the history so all things shall be fulfilled spiritually in us in the mistery Christ is risen in us and is come to spirituall judgment and doth raise up his Spirit in us that hath lyen as it were dead in us and the flesh which is Antichrist shall stand before God and be judged and condemned by him Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory and we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Revel 20.6 This is the first resurrection and the Lord is set in his judgement-seate to destroy Antichrist And then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comming Even him whose comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders 2 Thes 2.8 9. Satan is said to sit in heavenly places because he transformeth himselfe to the likenesse of God and so deceiveth us making us believe he is God and so we worship him thinking hee is God How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer Son of the Morning how art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the Nations For thou hast said in thy heart I will ascend into heaven I will exalt my Throne above the Stars of God I will sit also upon the mount of the Congregation in the sides of the North. I will ascend above the height of the clouds I will be like the most High Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell so the sides of the pit They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee and consider thee saying Is this the man that made the earth to tremble that did shake Kingdomes That made the world as a wildernesse and destroyed the Cities thereof that opened not the â—house of his prisoners Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy comming thy pomp is brought downe to the grave and the noise of thy viols The wormes are spread under thee and the worms cover thee Isa 14.9 to the 17. And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials and talked with me saying unto me Come hither I will shew thee the judgment of the great Whore that sitâ—eth upon many waters With whom the Kings of the Earth have committed fornication and the Inhabiters of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication So hee carried mee away in the Spirit into the Wildernesse and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast full of names of blasphemy having seven heads and tenne bornes And the woman was arraied in purple â—earlet and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls having a golden cup in her handfull of abhominations and filthinesse of her fornication And I saw the woman drunke with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus Revel 17. All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Rev. 18.3 Here is a discovering of Anti-christ before she is judged condemned and destroyed and when the time is come for the discovering of her to us then hee shewes us her by a high and glorious revelation of himself for there is not any thing that can discover Anti-christ to us but the Spirit of God When the Lord doth come to shew us any thing of himselfe in the mystery he saith come up hither and I will shew you the things that must be hereafter and immediately I was in the Spirit Rev. 4.1 Rev. 1.10 Rev. 17.1 Rev. 21.9 There is no seeing of any thing of God in the truth of it but by the revelation of the Spirit of God and hee carrieth us as wee are Saints up into himselfe and the higher hee carrieth us the more he shews us of the mysterie of himselfe for as hee openeth the seales in making known any thing of himselfe to us hee saith Come up
it for by the manifestation of the appearance of Jesus Christ revealing himselfe in his glory by his Spirit doth destroy Anti-christ for by the preaching of the Gospel this City Babylon doth fall When the Spirit of God doth teach us to know what the Gospel of Christ is to us and in us this doth come with power and doth overthrow Anti-christ in us and the outward preaching of the Word alone will not doe it but the spirit working with it doth doe it and the Lord is well pleased to make use of the outward preaching of the word to work upon us by his Spirit commonly but he is not bound to one way hee workes upon us by his Spirit with meanes or without means or against meanes yet it is one spirit that doth worke upon us sutable to the Word hee would not have us under value the outward preaching of the Gospel nor yet idolize it Revel 8.1 2. And after these things I saw another Angel come downe from heaven having great power the earth was lightned with his glory And he cryed mightily with a strong voyce saying Babylon the great is fallen is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foule spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull bird All manner of unclean things hath lodged in her but we did not see it but now the Lord will shew us it Reward her even as she hath rewarded you double unto her double according to her workes In the cup which shee hath filled fill to her double How much she hath glorified her selfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her For shee saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine And shee shall he utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God that judgeth her Revel 18.6 7 8. He doth double the cup of his wrath and indignation against her and doth destroy her and burne her up with the fire of himselfe we cannot doe it but he is strong and able to doâ— it and doth doe it for us and the fruits that thy soule lusted after are departed from thee and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee and thou shalt findâ— them no more at all Rev. 18.14 And a mighty Angel tooke up a stone like a great mil-stone and cast it into the Sea saying thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be throwne downe and shall be found no more at all And the voyce oâ— harpers and musicians of pipers and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee and nâ— Crafts-man of whatsoever Craft shall be found no more in thee and the found of a mil-stone shall be heard no more at all in thee And the light of 〈◊〉 candle shall shine no more at all in thee and thâ— voyce of the Bride-groome and of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee for thy Merchants were the great men of the Earth for by thy forceries were all Nations deceived And in her to 〈◊〉 found the blood of Prophets and of Saints and of all that were slaine upon the earth Rev. 18.21 22 23 24. Here is an utter destruction of her and this is that vaile that keepeth us from seeing the glory of Christ for he that keepeth from him is a vaile or if wee see him but darkely it is because the vail is not quite done away There was a vail before the Tabernacle which is called the holyest of all In which Tabernacle were all the glorious and excellent things Heb. 〈◊〉 .3 4. And thou shalt make a vaile of blue â—urple and scarlet and fine twined linnen of tunâ—ing worke with Cherubims shall it be made And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of Shiâ—tim â—ood overlaid with gold their bookes shall be of â—old upon the sockets of silver And thou shalt â—ong up the vaile under the tackes that thou maist â—ring in thither within the vaile the Arke of the Testimonie And the vail shall divide unto you betweene the holy places and the most holy Exod. â—6 31 32 33 34. There was three places in this Tabernacle first the Priests went alwayes into the first Taâ—ernacle accomplishing the service of God â—ut into the second went the High Priest alone â—nce every yeare not without blood which â—e offered for himselfe and for the errours of â—he people The holy Ghost thus signifying â—hat the holyest of all was not yet made maniâ—â—st Heb. 9.6 7 8. For that glorious vaile â—oth hide it quite from us Luke 23.45 The Sun was darkened and the vaile of the Temple was â—â—nt in the midst Mat. 27.51 And behold the vaile of the Temple was rent in taine from the top to â—he bottome and the earth did quake and the â—ockes rent Christ by his death did rend the vail that doth keepe us from the seeing of him Moses after he had seen and talked with God he appeared so glorious that the people could not looke upon him and then he put a vail over his face Moses was a type of Christ and hee had a vaile over him that they could not see him which were types and shadowes and through that vaile they saw Christ darkely 2 Cor. 3.11 12 13 14. Seeing we have such hope we use great plainesse of speech And not as Moses which put a vaile over his face that the children of Israel could not stedfastly looke to the end of that which is abolished But their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same vaile untaken away in the reading of the old Testament which vaile is done away in Christ But even unto this day when Moses is read the vaile is upon their hearts Neverthelesse when it shall turne to the Lord the vaile shall be taken away Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty When the Lord doth open the seales to us and comes with power in us by his Spirit then hee turnes us to himselfe and shewes us by degrees that this vaile that hinders us from seeing him is taken away by him and so by degrees we shall see him as he is and then we shall seee what bondage we were in to sin and Satan and our owne selves and how wee are set at liberty by Christ John 8.36 If the Sonne therefore shall make you free yee shall bee free indeed Isa 25.7.8 And destroy in this mountaine in the face of the covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all Nations He will swallow death in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 This death and this vaile is one and the same for both of them keeps us from seeing life which is Christ For while we live to our selves and to our righteteousnesse so far we are dead to Christ Now as he manifests himselfe in us he swallows up this death and
in the booke of the Law to them Gal. 3.10 Deut. 27.26 Exod. 20. 〈◊〉 the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting tâ—â— niquity of the Fathers upon the children unto third and fourth generation of them that hate And the Lord hath too pure an eye to behâ— iniquity there is not any thing that is anâ— my to God but the Devill and sin 1 Job He that committeth sin is of the Devill for Devill sinneth from the beginning And as lâ—â— as ye commit sinne the Devill is your Fat John 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Deâ—â— and the lusts of your father you will doe and thou art the servant to the Devill Rom. 6. Know ye not to whom ye yeild your selves servâ— to obey his servants ye are to whom you obey 〈◊〉 ther of sin unto death or of obedience unto riâ—â— â—esse And vers 20. When ye were the servants â—â—n ye were free from righteousnesse Vers 23. 〈◊〉 wages of sinne is death And if thou enterâ—e sinne in thy heart the Lord will not hear 〈◊〉 prayer The Lord is the searcher of hearts â—d hee knowes the wickednesse of thy heart â—d thou must give account for every idle â—ught therefore you must search and exaâ—â—e you throughly of all your sinnes and 〈◊〉 truly humbled for every sinne But many â—en God shewes them their sins it is too teâ—us to them they cannot beare it they â—uld fain have comfort administred to them â—t we have no such warrant from God till we 〈◊〉 you throughly humbled for your sins wee â—â—st not daube you up with untemper'd morâ—â— but doe to you as a skilfull Surgeon doth â—a dangerous wound search it to the quick â—â—d you must endanger it if you meane to be â—red For if we tell you of mercy before you â—e throughly humbled this will heale your â—unds without but they will ranckle withâ—â—â— and that is the reason your comforts so be and flow We are Christs Embassadours and we must â—e the message of Christ which is the deliâ—â—ring the Doctrine of Christ and ye shall find at we preached the Law and Judgement to â—ing them in to repent Mat. 11.21 22 23 24. Then hee began to upbraid the Cities wherâ— most of his mighty workes were done because 〈◊〉 repented not Woe unto thee Chorazin 〈◊〉 unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty worâ— which have been done in you had been done in Tâ—â— and Sidon they would have repented long 〈◊〉 in sack-cloath and ashes But I say unto you shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at day of judgement than for you And thou 〈◊〉 pernaum which art exalted unto heaven shâ— be brought downe to hell For if the mighty worâ— which have beene done in thee had beene done Sodome it would have remained untill this dâ—â— But I say unto you that it shall be more toleraâ— for the land of Sodome in the day of judgemâ—â—â— than for thee Luke 13.3 Except yee repent 〈◊〉 shall all likewise perish And when you are thus throughly humble then there is mercie offered you Mat. 11.2 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy 〈◊〉 den and I will give you rest Take my yoke up you and learne of mee for I am meeke and loâ—â— in heart and ye shall find rest for your soules 〈◊〉 my yoke is easie and my burthen is light Jer. 2â— 11 12 13. For I know the thoughts that I thiâ— towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace aâ— not of evill to give you an expected end Thâ— shall ye call upon me and ye shall goe and pray unâ— me and I will hearken unto you And ye shâ—â— â—â—eke me and finde me when ye shall search for â—e with all your heart Jer. 33.8 And I will canse them from all their iniquity whereby they â—â—ve sinned against mee and whereby they have â—ansgressed against me Psalm 103.8 9. 111. 〈◊〉 13. The Lord is mercifull and gracious slow anger and plenteous in mercy He will not â—â—wayes chide neither will he keepe his anger for â—er He hath not dealt with us after our sinnes â—r rewarded us according to our iniquities For 〈◊〉 the heaven is high above the earth so great is â—s mercie to them that feare him As farre as the â—ast is from the West so far hath he removed our â—ansgressions from us Like as a Father pittieth 〈◊〉 children so the Lord pittieth them that feare â—im And vers 3. He forgiveth all thine iniquiâ—â—es hee healeth all thy diseases Amoâ— 5.4 Thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel Seeke 〈◊〉 me and ye shall live And many other plaâ—es of Scripture to this purpose might be cited â—ut these places are sufficient to shew you what sad condition you are in so long as you conâ—â—nue in your sins and how mercifull the Lord 〈◊〉 if you returne unto him with all your heart â—nd be truly humbled and walke in a new ourse of life Exod. 20.6 Shewing mercy unto â—housands of them that love me and keep my Comâ—andements Thus they are able to lay open thy wounds and make them bigger and in stead of pâ—ring in the precious balsome of the Church Christ which will cure thy wounds tâ— powre in brine to terrifie thee and they thee upon duties and tell thee thou must thus and thus qualified before thou commeâ— Christ but they will not nor cannot thee how thou must come to be thus qualifiâ—â— for they will tell thee all thy righteousnesse iâ— filthy rags When thou hearest these things thou aâ—â— great deal more troubled then ever thou waâ— thou art now at thy wits end and even reaâ—â— to despair thou canst see nothing but sin aâ—â— if thou couldst repent and walke in a nâ—â—â— course of life then there was hopes of merâ—â— but thou findest thou canst not doe it theâ—fore thou conciudest there is no mercy 〈◊〉 thee therefore thou art sore troubled aâ—â— knowst not what to doe Thou seest the Loâ—â— angry with thee for thy sins and thinkst thâ—â— all the afflictions that comes upon thee is 〈◊〉 judgement of the Lord for thy sinnes the thinkest thy selfe to be a damned reprobaâ—â—â— quite empty of all goodnesse and expectâ—â— daily some fearefull judgement to fall upâ—â— thee for thy sinnes Oh thinkst thou if 〈◊〉 wrath of God lay so heavy upon Christ thâ— made him to cry out My God my God why bâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 forsaken me and he having no sin Matth. 〈◊〉 46. For if they doe these things in a greene 〈◊〉 what shall be done in a dry tree Luke 23. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where all the sinner and ungodly appeare 1 Pet. 4.18 â—en thou thinkest I shall surely be damned â—â—en the Devill tempts thee to lay violent â—â—nds on thy selfe and many times thou art â—dy to doe it but that the Lord prevents it â—â—d the Ministers sees thee in such a despairing â—â—ndition they tell thee thou must believe â—â—at the Lord hath done these and these things 〈◊〉 thee And if thou wilt lay hold
eate of it yeâ— shall not surely dye God did not love youâ— and therefore he would not have you eate oâ— it and faith ye shall dye if ye eate of it But believe me I doe tell ye the truth and I speakâ— in love you shall not dye but you shall be as God knowing good and evill And who is it thaâ— would not be in that condition if they could and this is the way to bring them to it and iâ— is an easie way and pleasant to eate of the fruiâ— â—f a tree that is a small matter thou needst â—ot feare that will doe thee no harme Thus â—he Devill first accuseth God to the woman â—o make way for the tempting of her that so â—e might the better prevaile with her with his â—emptations So shee listned to him and beâ—eved him what hee said and did eate of the â—â—uit and did give to her husband and be eate â—â—so Thus they believed the Devill in all things â—nd thought God to be their Enemie and â—o be a lyer in all things Thus they forsook God and made the Devill their God in obeyâ—â—g him and in doing this thing they commit â—â—l manner of sinne and we were in their loins â—nd sinned with them and of all sinnes God â—ost complaines of Idolatry and here was â—is sin in a high degree to forsake God and â—ould not believe him nor obey him but beâ—eved the Devill and obeyed him who was â—ods enemie and the eyes of them both were opeâ—â—d they knew that they were noked And vers Their eies were opened to see their miseraâ—â—e condition that they had brought themâ—â—lves into Before they eate of it they knew â—othing but good and they were not contenâ—d with this but they would know evill too â—â—d the eating of this forbidden fruit brought â—â—em to know nothing else but evill so now they know good and evill And this aggravated their misery to know what a good condâ—tion then they were in and now what a feaâ—full condition they had brought themselves in to And when the Lord came into the gardeâ— and called to Adam then they ran away anâ— hid themselves after they had sinned thâ— were affraid of God that kept them from thâ— sweete communion of God which beforâ— they eate of that fruit they did enjoy and hâ— was their full happinesse but now they weâ— affraid he should see them and they did whaâ— they could to hide themselves from him bâ— yet he found them out And hee said unto tâ— man hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I coâ—manded thee that thou shouldst not eate And tâ— man said the woman whom thou gavest to 〈◊〉 with me she gave me of the tree and I did eaâ— Gen. 3.11 12. Here the man doth what he can to excuâ—â— himselfe and laid the fault on the woman 〈◊〉 was shee that gave it me and he blames Goâ— for giving the woman to him It was the woâ— man that thou gavest me it was she that gave 〈◊〉 me If thou hadst not given me the womaâ— I had not eaten it for it was through hâ— meanes that I did it if thou hadst not give me her I had not eaten it And the Lord Gâ—â— said unto the woman what is this that thou hâ— done thou dost not know what a miserable condition thou hast brought upon your selves and your posterity for ever For by this thing doing you have lost all your happinesse both spirituall and temporall and procured all manner of spirituall and temporall judgments both here and hereafter For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And the Woman said the Serpent beguiled me he told me that I should not die but wee should be as God knowing good and evill or else I had not eate it So she excused her selfe and laid the fault on the Serpent And the Lord God said unto the Serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed and I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Gen. 3.13 14 15. The Devill hath got an interest in all mankind by their listning to him and believing of him and obeying him they made him their God And man being in this fearefull condition by the Devils getting an interest in him is led by him to doe what hee would have him to doe and there is no remedie to be found by man For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou must dye eternally For the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 The soule that sinnes it shall dye Ezek. 18.4 There could be no way found out by maâ— nor any thing in man that could make satisfâ—ction for those sins that they had committed but God hath found out a way he hath fouâ— out a sufficient ransome to redeeme thee froâ— the wrath of God and the cruelty of the Dâ—vill and sinne and heil which is the Sonneâ— God which was to take flesh upon him anâ— he was to be born of a woman and he was 〈◊〉 make full satisfaction to his Father for all oâ— sins And this is the feede of the woman thâ— would breake the Serpents head Which seedâ— Christ Gal. 3.16 And God was well pleasâ— with man-kind looking upon them in Chriâ—â— what he had undertaken for them and in thâ— fulness of time he was to come and perform iâ— and it was already done in his account Anâ— this the Lord made known to Adam but hâ— had not a cleere knowledge of this but it wâ— typified to him in sacrifices Gen. 4.4 And 〈◊〉 made knowne these things to them in a darâ— way by degrees as was to his glory and theâ— good and so all along the olde Testament 〈◊〉 was typified to them in sacrifices and ordinaâ—ces and ceremonies still in a darke way yâ—â— a more clearer manifestation of him then bâ—fore but all along it speaks of sacrifices anâ— without there wâ—â— nothing to be done Thâ— were to offeâ— Peace-offerings Levit. 3. 〈◊〉 And if his Oblation be a sacrifice of Peace-offering if he offer it of the herd whether it be a male or female he shal offer it without blemish before the Lord And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and kill it at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Aarons sons the Priests shal sprinkle the blood upon the Altar round about This was their Peace-offering it was to make their peace with God which sacrifice was a type of Christ for he was the true sacrifice that then was to make peace for man-kinde to his Father and his blood was shed to sprinkle our hearts or wash our hands from dead workes to serve the living God Therefore was the sacrifices commanded to put them in remembrance of Christ which was the substance and he which they typified and for every sin almost there was to be sacrifices as in Lev. 4. al along the Chap. there it speaks what must be offered and
how for sins of ignorance And ch 6. there is a sacrifice to be offered for sins willingly And c. 16. there is what is to be offered for the sins of the Priest and how and so along that booke it speaks much of sacrifices for the sins of the people Heb. 9.22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission So Christe blood was the Red Sea that they did passe through to come out of their spirituall bondage which they had brought themselves in by obeying the Devill And they saw him darkly through sacrifices and ordinances and ceremonies which were but shadowes of things to come but the substance is Christ and they were not to depend upon their sacrifices but upon Christ It pleased the Lord to lead them in this dark way shewing himselfe to them by degrees as was most to his glory yet there was more light shewed to them then was revealed before them in the Prophets There he shewes himselfe clearly to them what he would doe for them and what he was to them and his exceeding great love to them which in the fulnesse of time he did come and performe it Thus they waited a long time having but a little hope of him still looking for his comming in the flesh and desiring his comming and yet willing to wait his time And at the the last he did come and finish all things for the salvation of their soules and made full satisfaction to his Father for all sins and not for theirs only but for the sins of the whole world for all that was from Adam to the end of the world Man had sinned therefore man must suffer and it must be one that was without sin for one that had sinne could not make satisfaction neither could man as man but it must be God in man or else he could not make satisfaction to God and it must be man too or else he could not suffer so he must be a middle person betwixt God and man that must make satisfaction to God for man So God sent his only Sonne out of his bosome to take our nature upon him and he was able to make full satisfaction to his Father for all man-kind at once So the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all Isa 53.6 God hath laid our sins upon Christ and he was willing to take them so our sinnes being laid upon Christ he is become the debter and we are set at liberty our sins are all laid upon Christ so God requires the full debt to be paid alone by him He hath nothing to say or doe against us because Christ hath undertaken to make full satisfaction to God for us and he cannot nor will not require it of Christ and us too 2 Cor. 5.18 19 21. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himselfe by Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconcising the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Isa 53.4 5. Surely hee hath born our griefes and carried our sorrows yet we did esteeme him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with hiâ— stripes we are healed so all along that chapteâ— it speaks what Christ suffered for us Hos 13 14. I will ransome them from the power of thâ— grave I will redeeme them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction repentance shall bee hid from mine eyeâ— 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57. Death is swalloweâ— up in victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin anâ— the strength of sinne is the Law But thanks 〈◊〉 to God which giveth us the victory through oâ—â— Lord Jesus Christ In Hosea he saith I wil 〈◊〉 it it is he alone that will doe it but now heâ— tel you 't is already done Death is swallowâ— up in victory and this is the death that is spoken of in Gen. 2.17 And Christ hath gotteâ— victory over it for us Hee is made perfect 〈◊〉 us through suffering he was perfect in himselfe before but not for us but now he 〈◊〉 perfect for us I shall shew you how Chriâ—â— was made perfect for us through suffering 〈◊〉 was made perfect for us 3. wayes First By the fulfilling of the whole Laâ— for us Secondly By making full satisfaction fâ—â— the sins of the world Thirdly He hath purchased of his Fathâ—â— all things both spirituall and temporall for us I shall shew you of the two first and let the other alone till afterwards For the first Christ hath fulfilled the whole Law for us Man was commanded to doe it and there was a great curse lay upon him if he did not doe it Cursed is every one that doth not all things that are written in the book of the Law Gal. 3.10 For whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 And man he could not doe it so Christ he comes and performes the whole law perfectly for us Mat. 5.17 Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth passe one jot or tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled And Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth and he hath fulfilled every jot and tittle of the Law for us for he did undertake to fulfill the whole Law for us to purchase a perfect righteousnesse for us by his fulfilling the Law for us It behoves us saith Christ to fulfill all righteousnesse And which of you can taxe me of sin so his righteousnesse is a perfect righteousnesse there is not any imperfection in it the Lord hath not any thing to say against it and this is for us Christ our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 Ye are in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Thus Christ hath fulfilled the whole Law for us Now I shall shew you how Christ hath made full satisfaction to his Father for our sins and that he did by suffering the whole wrath of God for the sins of the whole world I have a baptisme to be baptized withall and how am I streightned till it be accomplished which was his suffering He was to drinke off that bitter cup of the whole wrath of God wrung out by the hand of Gods vengeance to drink the dregs of it for our sinnes that was laid upon him And now you shall see how Christ complaines of this wrath of God that lay so heavy upon him John 12.27 Now is my soule
troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this houre but for this cause came I unto this houre Matth. 26.38 Then said Jesus unto them my soule is very heavy even unto the death So hee went and fell on his face and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And thus he prayed 3. times Luke 22.44 And being in an agony hee prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling downe to the ground How unwilling was the humanity of Christ to suffer â—hat bitter death and passion that hee was to â—ndergoe for hee put up strong groanes and â—ries to him that was above to save him and 〈◊〉 that hee prayed for he was heard yet hee â—ust suffer there was no remedie Yet saith Christ neverthelesse not my will but thy will be â—one Father glorifie thy Name John 12.28 He â—as willing to doe or suffer any thing that his â—ather might be glorified and his Father â—ould not be glorified without he did suffer â—or it was hee alone that could glorifie the Faâ—her and he did doe it by making full satisâ—action to his Father for all the sins of manâ—inde to redeeme them from sinne and wrath â—f God and the condemning power of the â—aw and Hell and damnation So Christ â—as willing to suffer any thing that his Father â—id lay upon him for to glorifie his Father â—nd for the love that he had to man-kinde â—or his love was so great to them that he was willing to suffer any thing for their sake that â—hey might be redeemed from that miserable condition that they had brought themselves â—nto So although the humanity of Christ was â—nwilling to suffer that which he was to suffer â—et the glory of his Father and his love to the world so prevailed with him that hee was willing to suffer and said If this cup may not depart except I drinke it thy will be done And his prayer was heard of his Father and 〈◊〉 request granted though hee must suffer fâ—â— his desire was that his Father would glorifie 〈◊〉 Name John 12.28 Then came a voyce from heâ—ven saying I have both glorified it and 〈◊〉 glorifie it againe Here was his request grantâ—â— him and he enabled him to beare that whiâ—â— he laid upon him Luke 22.43 And there 〈◊〉 peared an Angel from heaven unto him strengâ—â—ning him Christ did not suffer as he was God but 〈◊〉 he was man for the God-head could not sâ—â—fer And as he was man he was weake aâ—â— had need to be strengthened comforted aâ—â— up-held and it was his Divinity that up-heâ—â— his humanity So he being thus strengthenâ—â— hee was put upon the suffering so hee was bâ—traid to be put to death by his Disciple 〈◊〉 that was neare to him and pretended muâ—â— love to Christ He was taught by Christ 〈◊〉 wayes of God and he taught others yet 〈◊〉 betrayed Christ for him to be put to deatâ— hee betrayed him into the hands of wicâ—â— men and ye shall see how they mis-used hâ—â— And the men that held Jesus mocked him 〈◊〉 smote him And when they had blind-folded hâ—â— they strooke him on the face and asked him sayâ—â—â— who was it that smote thee And many otâ—â—â— things blasphemously spake they against hiâ— â—uke 22.63 64 65. And Herod with his men â—f Warre set him at nought and mocked him and â—raied him in a gorgeous robe Luke 23.11 Then â—ilate therefore tooke Jesus and scourged him and â—he Souldiers platted a crown of thorns and put it â—n his head and they put on him a purple robe â—aid haile King of the Jewes They smote him with their hands John 19.1 2 3. Matth. 27. â—6 Thus they mocked him and despitefully used him which came to save them and it was because he said he was the Sonne of God and was their King to reigne spiritually over them therefore in contempt they put a crown of thorns upon his head They did looke for Christ to come to redeeme them and to reign over them but they did not looke for him to come in that manner to them as he did come in the shape of a servant but in great pompe like an earthly King and so to reigne over them temporally So when Christ did come because he did not come according as they expected him to come they hated him and despised him and said we wil not have this man to reigne over us he hath no form nor comelinesse and when ye shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefes and we hid as it were our from him He was despised and we esteemâ— him not Isa 53.3 His comelinesse and beauty did not consiâ—â— in temporall things If it had then they wouâ—â— have loved him but Christ said his Kingdoâ— was not of this world The foxes have holes aâ—â— the birds have nests but the Son of man hath nâ—â— wherewithall to lay his head But his Kingdom is a spirituall Kingdome and they did noâ— know this Kingdome which he was King oveâ— but they looked with the eye of flesh and thaâ— could not see Christs Kingdome so with 〈◊〉 fleshly eye they looked for a fleshly King tâ— reigne over them in a fleshly way And wheâ—â— he was come they saw him so meane in outward things over they expected then theâ— said this is not he John 7.27 We know thâ—â— man whence he is But when Christ commeth no man knoweth whence he is Is not this thâ— Carpenters sonne Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph whose father and mother we know John 6.42 They slighted him because they did not see him in that outward pompe as they expected so they hated him and persecuted him and spit on him and tooke the reed and smote him Mat. 27.30 And when the chiefe Priests therefore and Officers saw him they cryed out saying crucifie him crucifie him Pilate said unto them take ye him and crucifie him for I finde no fault in him John 19.6 They confessed there was no fault in him yet they would put him to death but all this was done upon Christ for our sins they being laid upon him and â—hey were the instruments that God had appointed to bring Christ to the Crosse It is neâ—essary that offences come but woe be to them by whom they doe come And till the time was come that was appointed of the Father they could doe nothing to him and when the time did come that he should suffer they brought him to the Crosse and nail'd him to it but Christ laid downe his life freely of himselfe John 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I â—ay downe my life that I might take it up again No man taketh it from mee but I lay it downe of my selfe I have power to lay it downe and I have â—ower to take