of the Heavenly Paradise but yet Christ suffers and is Persecuted in his Members Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why Persecutest thou me His Gospel his Interest his People are discountenanced and frowned upon by the World they are not entertained but are rejected of the Men of this Earth and in this respect Christ may still be said to stand without the Gate and to be put without the Camp his Truth his Worship his People are disgraced and disdained by the World Luke 19.14 His Citizens hated him after he was gone into a far Country even into Heaven and sent a Message after him to express they held the same fixed resolution that he should not Reign over them Mark this Expression they sent a Message after him they did not only declare their contempt and enmity to his Face when he was yet present as to his Humane Nature in the World but they continue their disloyalty they persist in their Rebellion against him They do not repent of their former rejection of him and Cruelty practised on him they are no better Natured towards him now he is in his Exaltation then they were in his state of Humiliation they are as sierce against and injurious to his People as they were to him in his own Person so many Saints as they slay so many Martyrs as they cut off so many Messengers they send to Heaven to relate to Jesus Christ their obstinate Malice and Rebellion against him As Stephen soon after Christ so many thousands of Saints that have suffered since have been sent on this Message to Heaven to declare that the World will not have Jesus Christ to Reign over them And in this respect we may be said still in our Sufferings to go forth to Jesus without the Gate This I take to be the Sense principal scope and intendment of this Divine Writer in this Verse and therefore I shall suit my subsequent Discourse to this as the main design of the words and shall proceed to give Reasons why Christians must go forth to Jesus enduring contempt and Reproachful Sufferings for his sake 1. Reason Christians must go forth without the Camp to Jesus because they are not of this World Christ twice in that Excellent Prayer in the 17th of John mentions and insists upon this John 17. v. 14.16 they are not of the World as I am not of the World and the same words are repeated in the 16th Verse his People much needing the Care Protection and Comforts of the Father on this account Believers are said to be Redeemed from the Earth from among Men and out of every Kindred Tongue People and Nation Rev. 14.3 4. Rev. 5.9 Christ gave himself for their sins to deliver them from this present Evil World Gal. 1.4 And he hath chosen them out of the World John 15.19 that they may not continue be condemned and perish for ever with the World and shall not Saints by an Overt-act own and avow this Truth that they are not of the World and be ready and willing to go without the Camp and by this declare they are not of the same Piece are not of the same Spirit with the World that though they have lived and conversed among the Men of the World yet they are not of their Body and Fraternity but being Redeemed from their vain Conversation and translated into the Kingdom of Gods Dear Son they are Related to him as Members to a Head as Subjects to a King When Saints leave their Habitations Estates and all converse with the Men of the World for Christs sake they manifest they are not of the World and that their Hearts Hopes and Treasure is not here below 2. Reas All the Happiness of Christians is laid up in Christ He is their life Col. 3.4 The Lord their Righteousness Jer. 23.6 He is their Peace Eph. 2.14 He is their hope 1 Tim. 1.1 He dwells in them as the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 Yea he is said to be all Col 3.11 Christ is all and Christians are said to be compleat in him Col. 2.10 they have all that is necessary excellent and truly desirable in him and therefore well may they be required to forget their People and their Fathers House to leave and forsake all for him Psalm 45.10 O! shall we not go forth to him that is our Life Righteousness Peace and hope of Glory 3. Reas Christ for our sakes was led without the Gate of the Earthly Jerusalem Jesus that he might Sanctisie the People Suffered without the Gate If he had not carried our sins and exposed himself to endure our Curse he could not have faln into the Hands of his Enemies and been Nailed to the Cross it was our Iniquities and his own love that made him so weak otherwise all the Power of the World could not have imposed Sufferings on the Son of God or have bound this Lamb of God to the Horns of the Altar But he put in his own Name into our Bond he became our Surety and thereby cast a Vail on his own Holiness and Righteousness and was not dealt withal by God as he was in himself Holy 2 Cor. 5. last Is 53.6 harmless undefiled but as made sin for us our guilt being transferr'd our Iniquities being laid on him Thus he that knew no sin in himself became a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief Is 53.3 he was as a Worm for the World to tread on Ps 22.6 a mark for Men to shoot at Gen. 7.11 12. the true Ark of Salvation not only assaulted with Waves below but beat on with Storms from above the Windows of Heaven were opened as well as the Fountains of the great Deep below were broken up For it pleased the Lord to bruise him he did put him to grief Is 53.10 he had not only a Baptism in a Sea of Sufferings without but he drank in a Cup of unexpressible Sorrows The Waters came into his Soul Ps 69.1 2. He complained in his Agony in the Garden that his Soul was sorrowful to the Death Mat. 26.38 his Soul was troubled John 12.27 And his Holiness was thus Vailed by our sins that our sins might be Vailed by his Obedience and covered by his Righteousness he was the slain Goat as he was delivered for our sins and he was the scape Goat as he carried them quite away and was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. last The Sacrifices that were slain and burnt on the Day of Atonement Figured Christs as I have already intimated These Sacrifices were so charged and loaded with the sins of the People of Israel in a Type that he that carried them forth and burnt them without the Camp was to wash his Cloaths and bathe his Flesh in Water and then be admitted into the Camp so he that led forth the scape Goat on whom the Iniquities of Israel were laid was to wash his Cloaths and bathe his Flesh in Water before he could be received into the Camp they seemed so to
reproaches when the Son of God submitted and yielded to them when the great Captain of our Salvation passed through them to his Glory O shall not this exceedingly hearten us to bear the Cross to endure reproaches when we imitate and follow Christ in all this when he will account our sufferings and reproaches to be his and will charge and punish wicked men as having hated reviled and persecuted him in all they have done to us The Doctrine that I shall insist on from the words is this That it is the Duty of Christians to go forth to Jesus without the Camp Three things are here to be explained 1. What is meant by the Camp 2. What it is to go forth without the Camp 3. How Christians are said to go forth to Jesus without the Camp 1. What is here meant by the Camp Answ By the Camp I understand Cities Towns and the Society of the men of the world that live in them There is in the word Camp an allusion to the Camp of Israel in the Wilderness And the phrase intimates the temporary short and mutable condition of men in this world Though men have strong Houses stately and beautiful Cities yet all these are to be reputed but as weak Tents as a Camp pitched down for a Night or two and then suddenly removed It 's true the men of this world would stay here and six their abode below on this earth and when the Scripture paints out their inward desires and carnal affections it describes them as dwellers on earth Luke 21.35 when as Saints are set forth but as sojourners 1 Pet. 1.17 and confess themselves Pilgrims and Strangers Heb. 11.13 yet when the truth of their state is represented to us then they are set forth but as Travellers through the world and their Houses are but as Tents their Towns and Cities are but as a Camp that they lodge in in their passage towards Eternity The world passeth away and the lusts thereof 1 Joh. 2.17 The fashion of the world passeth away 1 Cor. 7.31 Look to the Heavens above to the Earth beneath the Heavens shall vanish away like smoke the Earth shall wax old as a Garment the inhabitants of it shall dye in like manner There is nothing visible but what is mutable flitting and fading we have no solid basis no sure foundation to rest on till we come to Gods salvation that shall be for ever and to his righteousness that shall not be abolished Isa 51.6 As Saints are said to have their Camp Rev. 20.9 so we read of the Tents of Wickedness Psal 84.10 None have any sure continuing and abiding state in this world all are travelling from hence and journying towards another world but yet this is intimated in the phrase that wicked men seem in the eye of sense to be in a far better state here than the people of God they are as Souldiers at rest in their Camp well lodged and accommodated in their Tents under covert and shelter in safeguard and security not obnoxious to dangers and Enemies as Gods people seem to be that are turned and shut out of this Camp that are exposed to the rage of a fierce and pursuing Enemy that are driven to and fro hurried up and down in the world and may easily be gleaned soon pickt up and destroyed as Souldiers that straggle from an Army or are shut out of the Camp The Apostle excellently describes his own and others state that were gone out of the Worlds Camp 1 Cor. 4.11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffetted and have no certain dwelling place Wicked men are often as Souldiers well defended by the walls of their Camp when Gods Saints are exposed to storms of sufferings to the inroads and invasions of Enemies 2. What is it to go without this Camp I Answer Several things are meant by this expression 1. The Hebrews are exhorted to forsake the Temple the Ceremonial Worship and the Mosaical Pedagogy Not to cleave to or build upon those Sacrifices or Ceremonial Worship that was carried on within the walls of the earthly Jerusalem and that the Priests were daily conversant about in the Temple but by Faith to go forth to the Sacrifice of Christ by Faith to cleave to feed upon that as all-sufficient for the purging of their guilt the filling and satisfying of their souls The very offering and burning some Sacrifices for sin on the solemn day of Attonement no part of which did redound to the Levitical Priests and that they had no right to eat of did point at the great and true Sacrifice of the Messiah the benefit of which should not accrue or be imparted to those that did still stick to the Sacrifices of the Law and adhere to the Mosaical Ceremonies and seek their reconciliation and salvation by repeating of them and continuing in the practice of them If men stick to and trust on any thing but Christ and his Sacrifice for righteousness and justification before God they hereby cut themselves off from Christ and have no right to the benefit of his Sacrifice He will not share the glory of our Justification with bruitish Sacrifices or mens own Works O foolish Galatians saith Paul Gal. 3.1 who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth that is that you should not according to the Gospel trust on and cleave to Christ and his righteousness only for your justification and acceptance before God Hath not Christ been evidently set forth as crucified before your eyes Hath not the greatness of the Sorrows and Sufferings of the Son of God have not the ends and design of his Death been in a lively manner painted out before your Eyes And can you think after all this that Christ will admit Mosaical Ceremonies or Man's Works to be Partners with him in the Great Work of Justification Is there any need of Mixtures or Additions of our own to be joined to the Sacrifice of Christ as a supplement to supply any defect that is in the Death of Christ as to the attaining of this great end of our Justification No we must renounce all Ceremonies Sacrifices Works of our own and go out to Jesus and adhere only to his Sacrifice for the purifying of our Consciences and removing of our Guilt 2. When the Apostle saith we should go out from the Camp he means we should Renounce and be ready to Relinquish the Favour the Friendship the Society of the Men of this World and when we cannot possess and enjoy them and yet be Faithful to Jesus Christ to go forth from Towns and Cities and bereave our selves of our Houses Estates and outward Worldly Comforts when we cannot retain them without dishonouring Christ wounding Conscience staining our Garments and hurting our Souls Our Love to Christ must be the Reigning Sovereign and Supreme Love in our Souls and must give Rules and Laws how long we shall retain and when we shall dismiss and
Enemies and the Trophies of his Victory Is he not entred gloriously into his Royal City above Hath not Gods Salvation set him up on high Ps 69.29 And may we not with comfort look up to Jesus Christ Exalted at the Right Hand of God as Joshua and the Israelites fighting in the Valley might with hope look up to the lifted Hands and elevated Rod of Moses in the Mount Exod. 17.8 9 10 11 12. As God did not desert the Head Christ so he will not forsake his Members May we not see the Event of all our troubles in the issue of Christs Sufferings May we not from his Victory gather matter of hope as to our success Those that go forth to Jesus will he not lead them unto Glory Heb. 2.10 Hath he not pray'd that they may be with him John 17.24 and promised that he will come again and receive them to himself that where he is they may be also John 14.23 Suffering Saints shall not always stand without the Gate or be hurried up and down in this Wilderness Jesus Christ will lead them to a blessed City of Habitations Ps 107.7 He will carry his Flock into delicions Pastures in the Paradise of God he will lodge his Bretheren in his Fathers House he will conduct his Spouse into that Royal Bride-Chamber that is furnished and gloriously adorned above Saints shall come out of their great Tribulations and be before the Throne for ever Rev. 7.14 15. Crying Pain and Sorrow and all Afflictions will pass away Death shall be swallowed up into Victory All Tears shall be wiped from their Eyes and their reproach and rebuke shall be taken away and cease from all the Earth Is 25.8 The next words to the Text do mention an abiding City that Believers do look for Heb. 13.14 Jesus was reproachfully led without the Gate of the earthly Jerusalem that he might with Honour and Glory lead his Saints within the Gates of the heavenly Jerusalem O! will you not prize this goodly and glorious City whose Walls are Salvation and whose Gates are Praise Is 60.19 Will you prefer a being in an uncertain and momentary Camp before a place in an Eternal City Do you dread the loss of your Camp And will you not much more fear exclusion out of this Blessed City John 12.42 They feared to confess Christ lest they should be put out of the Synagogue But should we not much more dread to deny Christ lest we should be shut out of the City of God Would you have a place of Rest of Honour of Eternal Pleasures after your Days of Vanity and Sorrow O! then go out to Jesus and this Captain of Salvation will convey you safe to this desirable and glorious City where your Heads shall be Crowned with Honour and your Hearts be filled with Triumphant joy for ever The Vse of the Doctrine Vse 1. This may reprove those that are unwilling to own and confess Christ to go forth to him or to appear for him How many Formal Christians think they may tarry in the Camp they may retain the friendship of the world they may preserve their Honour Profits and Civil-Interests and yet keep in with Jesus Christ too As Nazianzen speaks of some that judged they might as in a Dance go in the middle leading Christ in one and the World in the other hand And God complains of the Idolatrous Jews that they enlarged their Bed Isa 57.8 as if they would make room for a lawful Husband and an Adulterer too Are not too many thus affected that as double-minded men waver fluctuate and stagger between God and the World Christ and their own Carnal Interests These account it harsh Doctrine to be told they must go without the Camp to Jesus that they must lose their Friends cast off and detest their nearest Relations and turn their backs on all that is sweet and dear to them in the World O how do they find fault with and cry out against these things as very unmeet and unreasonable to be imposed on them What shall they be ruined and undone in the World for an Opinion or Practice of Religion This is very hard and bitter to flesh and blood they would have Christ to come within the Camp to them they would not go without the Camp to him They would have the Son of God to indulge them and dispense with them so far as may save their stake and comply with their carnal interest They would reconcile God and the World and so serve two Masters reap two Crops and enjoy two Portions have the beams of the Worlds favour and the Light of Gods Countenance too But how grievous and unpleasant is it to hear that they must strip themselves of all seen things for love to an invisible Lord and in expectation of a future and Spiritual Happiness How doth the Flesh murmur and repine at the leaving and loss of all its present Possessions and Enjoyments When men have laboured and toiled in the World to get an Estate what shall they cast all away in a moment and not enjoy the Fruits of their labours Yet thus Christs Disciples did they had toiled all Night at last by Christs direction casting of their Nets they had inclosed a great number of Fishes yet they were not so pleased and delighted with this large and rich draught but that when they came to the Shoar they forsook all to follow Christ Luke 5.6 7.11 How contrary are those then to this Doctrine and Duty that would indent and compound with Christ that he should bring them a smoother and easier way to Heaven than those have gone who through many Tribulations have entred into the Kingdom of God and who will vary their Course as the Winds do shift and change and follow Christ but as the Young-man did who left his Garment and fled away naked when Christs Enemies endeavoured to take hold of him by it Mark 13.51 52. So when the world takes hold of them by the Garment of their Profession they leave it and fly away shamefully naked as to their Souls Vse 2. This Doctrine should put us on the Tryal and Examination of our selves are we willing and ready to go forth to Jesus without the Camp bearing of his Reproach In order to the discovering of the frame of your Hearts and the truth of your Spiritual State let me propound a few serious Questions to you Quest 1. Have you set down and counted the cost what it will stand you in to be Christians indeed Are you furnished with Spiritual Money in your Hearts to go through with this Building and to bring it to perfection Luke 14.28 29. Have you well considered and weighed all the hazards losses and sufferings that do attend the Profession of Christianity that the Fine may rise very high the Furnace may be heated very hot Phil. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For whom I have been Fine at all or as our Translation I have suffered the loss of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
dark hours of Temptation that have passed through Fiery Tryals and have endured great Fights of Affliction have taken joyfully the Spoiling of their Goods that have rejoyced they were accounted worthy to suffer for my Namessake that have not loved their Lives to the Death How will such a Confession of their Names by Christ put Eternal Honour on the Saints O! look beyond this gloomy Valley of the Shadow of Death to an Inheritance in Light Col. 1.12 Look beyond this short Night of Sorrows and Sufferings to the bright and glorious Morning of the Resurrection Ps 49.14 Though Saints now bow down and are laid as the Mire of the Streets Is 51. last Yet the upright shall have Dominion in the Morning they shall tread down the Wicked they shall be as Ashes under the soles of their Feet Ps 45.14 Mal. 2.3 Abigal went forth to David in his Afflicted State 1 Sam. 25.4 14 40 42. Married and followed him in a Wilderness and afterwards did partake of his Honour and Prosperity We read that after Sauls Death he led her out of this Wilderness-state into the Royal City of Hebron 2 Sam. 2.2 Even so if you now go out to Christ while his People are in a Wilderness Afflicted and Persecuted in the world Jesus Christ will make you partakers of his Honour Felicity and Glory The time will come when this Spiritual King David will lead his Afflicted Spouse to his Royal City above will place her at his Right Hand and delight in her as his Hephzibah for ever 8. Direct We must be filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18 As there is such a strong and swift Current that always runs in at the Straits Mouth into the Mediterranean Sea that a Ship cannot come out at the Straits Mouth if it hath not a good stiff Gale of Wind So truly there is such a strong Torrent of Self-love and Carnal Affections that runs into the Camp of this World that a Soul can never come out to Jesus through the Streights of Afflictions and Sufferings and cross this violent Stream of sinful self-love and worldly lusts if the Sails of our Souls be not mightily filled with the Gales of the Spirit The Hebrews after they were enlightned endured a great fight of Afflictions Heb. 10.32 And who is it that doth enlighten but the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17.18 Our sight is cleared and recovered by the Spirits Eye-Salve Rev. 3.18 so that we can see more and further than the rest of the World Hence Saints are called Children of Light Luke 16.8 because they look into and take hold of another world As Stephens Eye was extraordinarily fortified and improved that he could see up into Heaven and behold Jesus at the Right Hand of God Acts 7.55 56. So the Spirit doth so renew and enlighten the Eyes of Saints Minds that they can see Invisible Heavenly and Eternal things And it is this sight that establishes the Heart against the threatnings and terrors of the World That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit John 3.6 that is Such are Spiritual Creatures and are also called Heavenly 1 Cor. 15.48 If you are Spirit you will not lust after and be captivated by Carnal things If you are heavenly Creatures you will not stoop and bow down to this Earth for your Happiness It is by the Spirit that we must mortifie the Deeds of the Body and Members upon Earth Rom. 8.13 Col. 3.5 These lusts that are fixed on fed and filled by Objects on Earth are tempting and drawing down Souls to a Center and Portion here below and it is by the Power of the Spirit only that we can repress and subdue them The Apostle bids Timothy to partake of the Afflictions of the Gospel according to the Power of God 2. Tim. 1.8 If we are to bear them our selves and were left to the frailty of Nature how soon should we be foiled and overcome But Saints by the Spirit and its power are enabled to deny themselves to conquer the Flesh and tread the world under their Feet Christ hath promised not to leave his People comfortless John 14.16 18. but that he would send them the Comforter What the Spirit shews John 16.13.8 Rom. 16.17 Eph. 1.13 testifies seals to the Souls of Believers is sufficient to buoy up the Hearts of Christians against all Temporal Evils If the Spirit could make supply instead of Christs Bodily Presence with his people if it could chear them in the absence and withdrawing of Christs Humane Nature can it not much more comfort us in the absence or loss of outward Enjoyments As a Tree that hath a River at its Root can retain its Verdure and Flourishing Sate though there be a great Drought and no Showers come upon it Jer. 17.8 Ps 5.2 So if we have the Comforter within if we are watered by the Rivers of its Consolations may we not be satisfied from our selves Prov. 14.14 though we have no Showers of worldly comforts or enjoyments If men would stir and labour and thereby excite their Natural Heat they would not absolutely need Fire in the coldest Weather to warm them So if Christians did more stir up Faith and walk in the Comfort of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 they would little need or regard the worlds consolations If you be led by the Spirit of Christ it will in some measure work in you as in him it will raise in you such apprehensions and kindle in you such Affections as were found in Jesus He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 That is He is of the same Spirit of the same Temper of the same Disposition and Inclinations with Jesus Christ As if the same Soul did animate many Bodies these several Persons would be of the same Will and have the same Affections So the Spirit of Christ dwelling in his People the same will be in them as was found in Jesus Rom. 8.9 Phil. 2.5 O! how freely did Jesus Christ yield himself to sufferings and death Ps 40.7 8. Lo I come I delight to do thy will O God yea thy Law is within my Heart And what was the Will of God that Jesus Christ did delight to do We are told what this Will was in Heb. 10.10 viz. that Jesus Christ should offer his Body once for all How difficult and hard was this Service yet such a Law of Love to the Father and perishing sinners was written in the Heart of Christ that he was straitned till this Bloody Baptism was fulfilled Luke 12.50 Though his Cup of Sufferings was so deep so large tempered with so many bitter Ingredients yet he resigned himself and said Father if this Cup may not pass except I drink of it thy Will be done Matt. 26.42 When Peter tempted him to favour spare and indulge himself he sharply rebuked him and said Get thou behind me Satan thou art an offence to me Matt. 16.22 23. How did Christ deny himself and subject his Will to the Will of God And when Christ was raised from the Dead how did he despise and disdain to be tempted to stay here below by the best things of this World Would the Riches Honours Pleasures of this world then have allured the Eye captivated or chained the Heart of Christ here below Could such things stay or stop detain or six him here below Was he not exceedingly raised in his Mind and Affections above the best things of this world This was his Request and Prayer to the Father Now glorifie me with thy own self with the glory that I had with thee before the Foundations of the World John 17.5 His Mind did soar upwards his Heart did aspire to a heavenly Kingdom and Glory Now if this Spirit of the Lord Jesus do dwell in our Hearts will it not fix our hearts and fortifie our resolutions to go through Fire and Water Floods and Storms for the Honour of God and for the Glory of Christ Shall we be of timerous base dastardly Spirits if the blessed Spirit of Jesus do dwell in us And shall we not slight also and contemn turn our Eyes from and our Backs upon all the Beauty and Excellency of this world if the Spirit hath given us a sight of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Shall we not cry out to God as the Psalmist Ps 73.25 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee How will such a Soul rate away and rebuke tempting Objects and say Get you gone I have fatness and sweetness I have fulness and satisfaction in my Lord Jesus my Eyes are closed against your Beauty my Ears are stopt against your Charms Christ I have chosen and I see no cause to repent of my choice to him therefore will I cleave and stick for ever And that you may obtain this blessed Spirit and all Spiritual good things as flowing from him Bow your Knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ And if Parents that are evil do yet know how to give good gifts to their Children much more shall our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 FINIS