of the Gospel is shewed to us that we may take heed and beware of iniquity in General and so of this of covetousness For in what is said we may see and learn 1. That there is forgiveness with him For 1. We are not now necessarily under the guilt and dominion of our sins for as is said he is raised for our justification who dyed for our sins and this so vertuous that as all have sinned and are come short of the glory of God so they are justified freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Jesus and this true before he is set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3. 23-25 He hath so satisfied God's justice fulfilled his truth appeased his wrath answered his law and so paid our debt that now the wrath of God doth not abide on any man simply because our first Father hath sinned and we in him or because we are naturally and unavoidably polluted and defiled in our own persons as we come to have a being from him and so are necessarily inclined to pride covetousness c. This is not the condemnation that we are by nature and first birth darkness but that light is vouchsafed and men love darkness rather than light c. Joh. 3. 19. The judgement of this world was executed upon and suffered by Jesus Christ so that no man is condemned because he hath sinned in the first Adam simply and comes forth from him necessarily polluted but there is a door of repentance opened and all the ends of the Earth called to look to him and be saved Isa 45. 22. Nor shall any man perish for ever in that first death but be all raised again by the man Christ Jesus and shall not then be judged according to that first rule of judgement Joh. 5. 22-27 And this because Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man and is raised again from the dead and indeed otherwise we are yet in our sins and must so abide for ever for no man can redeem his brother Psal 49. 7. and all faith preaching and hope is in vain 1 Cor. 15. 14-17 if there were any one man for whom Christ hath not by the grace of God tasted death it were impossible for such an one to flee from covetousness and in vain to warn him so to do The house of Israel were reasoning rightly if there had been any ground for their so saying If say they our transgressions and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how can we then live how can we turn to God from Idols to serve the living and true God it is impossible Ezek. 33. 10. So may we say if mens sins be upon them which they are naturally and necessarily guilty of and polluted with there is then no hope the case is desperate But what he said to them when they were so reasoning As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Vers 11. is generally true concerning mankind while he is calling to them and of the truth of this he hath given his Son for a witness in that he appointed him and he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin 1. Joh. 3. 5. As the first offence was unto all men to condemnation so the righteousness of the last Adam was to all men to justification of life in an answerable sense Rom. 5. 18 he once in the end of the world appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Heb. 9. 26. and by vertue and as the effect thereof he hath delivered us in himself from the power of our enemies Now saith he is the judgement of this world namely when his soul was troubled now shall the Prince of this world be cast out namely from being the Prince of the world as he was necessarily according to the curse of the law And I if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all men unto me namely from under the judgement of the world and dominion of the Prince of the world Joh. 12. 27 31 32. Joh. 17. 2. Math. 12. 28 29. Now then herein is further evidenced that man may lay a part all filthiness and so this of covetousness in that that snare of Satan is broken and we are in Christ deliver'd without which we had been necessarily bond-slaves to him and led captive by him at his pleasure being shut out and banished from God But he hath delivered us in himself out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him without fear in righteousness and holiness before him c. Luk. 1. 73-75 Psal 98. 1-4 Col. 2. 15. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men For he hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder Psal 107. 15 16. He hath broken down the middle wall of partition between God and us hath taken out of the way all that was in the way contrary to us nailing it to his Cross and having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself Eph. 2. 14 15. Col. 2. 14 15. Psal 47. 1-5 6. and 68. 18. 2. Herein is also shewn that Jesus Christ hath not onely purged away the guilt of that first sin and sinfulness from before the presence of God but also that he hath obtained power into himself to make reconciliation for the sins of the people which they are guilty of upon a new account and which deserve new wrath even the wrath to come he hath not onely received gifts in the man for men as they come to have a being from Adam but for the rebellious also that are disobedient and gainsaying to the Gospel compare Isa 65. 2. with Rom. 10. 21. that the Lord God might dwell among them Psal 68. 18. without which they could not possibly be made an habitation for him He offer'd up sacrifice first for his own sins which were imputed to him and accepted by him as his to answer for and then for the peoples and this he did not often as the former High-priests he needed not to do it daily but once when he offered up himself Heb. 7. 27. and 10 11 12. He hath not onely made peace for us by the blood of his Cross But he is our peace Eph. 2. 14. the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2. 2. and the propitiatory and Mercy-seat and so set forth in the word of faith Rom. 3. 25. and as in our types of old the Mercy-seat was put above and so did cover the ark in which was the two tables of the covenant whereby our sinfulness and vileness is discovered Exod. 25. 21 22. even so Jesus Christ he is the true Mercy-seat the covering for our personal sins in which we also transgress the law
cannot come in and therefore till then I had as good walk according to the sight of mine eyes and imagination of mine heart I shall have life in conclusion And if not if I be reprobated or past by how then can I live surely this is the evil fruit of that root of rotteness And yet as it was with the Pharisees of old who charged Christ with being a blasphemer and what he said with blasphemy while they themselves were indeed such and guilty thereof so it is now with these new ones they fault the Gospel of Christ as preached by him and the Apostles as that which gives incouragement to walk after the flesh whilst in truth that is the issue of their false doctrines this way of the old Pharisees was their folly and yet their posterity the new ones approve their sayings such are to be pittyed and prayed for that their eyes may be opened for many of them have a zeal of God but not according to knowledg Rom. 10. 1 2 3. But this is their manner when such as are hearers of the Gospel miscarry and woe to the world because of offences it 's a great judgment to them when God permits and orders such stumbling blocks before a people and the Father and the Sons fall together upon them Jer. 6. 21. But though Israel thus play the harlot let not Judah offend let them not have low thoughts of the Testimony of Jesus because there are such spots found on some that joyn with them as are not the spots of his people but rather love his law more abundantly by how much the more others make it void and so receive it to purpose that they may give none occasion of offence but that men seeing their good works may glorisy their Father which is in Heaven 1 Cor. 10. 32. Math. 5. 14. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 11-18 and 3. 16. 4. In that our Savior gives this admonition not to the man onely who made this request but to others also we may learn That when miscarriages are found with one that heares the word there is occasion given to warn others also and that all of us should in stead of judging the law of liberty take warning and beware of that evil root which brought forth such pernicious fruit in one amongst us Thus our Savior by occasion of the young mans departure from him as the issue of his Covetousness admonishes his disciples Mark 10. 17-24 see also Math. 16. 22-27 Oh let us so cousider the transgressions of others as to receive instruction that we may fear and do no more so presumptuously The fall of Gods people in former times are therefore recorded not that we should imitate them or boast against them as if our mountain were so strong setled that we could never be moved but for our admonition least we fall after the same example of unbelief Rom. 11. 18-22 1 Cor. 9. 27. and 10. 1-12 Heb. 4. 1-11 Be we not high-minded but fear For we have sin also dwelling in us and have sinned and if we have been preserved from such gross evils as others have been polluted with 't is by grace we are saved and that excludes boasting and high-mindedness every where And let us be warned on fight of others evils to beware of that which hath occasion'd their wandrings for otherwise our evils will be aggravated if when we see the falls of others and the bitter fruit thereof we consider not our ways so as to turn our feet to his testinonies Jer. 3. 7-11 Zeph. 3. 6-7 5. In that our Savior on this occasion so largly instructs and admonishes this man and his disciples c. it shews that he knows how to bring good out of evil to cause the wrath of man to praise him c. Psal 76. 10. And to make the miscarriage of those that hear him of blessed usefulness to themselves others This is not the fruit of their wandring but of his graciousness to man and more abundant kindness and pity to his little ones who after tastes of his graciousness have back-slidden while he is waiting upon them that he may be gracious to them He needed not this mans venting forth his covetous inclination to the occasioning these Instructions for he knew before what was in his heart but he takes occasion thereby to magnifie the greatness and cordialness of his love even as in our first departure from God in Adam he took occasion to shew forth his grace toward us so as that where sin abounded grace abounded much more so he doth still while called to day he doth permit men sometimes to fall when they have hardned their hearts against the reproofs of Instruction and to reap somewhat of the fruit of their former stiff-neckedness that they may see what an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake him and yet brings light out of darkness and is graciously creating the fruit of his lips Peace Peace to him that is far off and to him that is nigh and will heal them So that such may say Thanks be to God they were the servants of sin but have now from the heart obeyed that form of Doctrine delivered to them Rom. 6. 17. Thus he suffered Peter when he would not be admonished to deny him that he might seeing somewhat of the evil fruit of his confidence be broken off there-from and have pride hidden from him and not trust again in his own strength See also John 6. 30-60 and 20. 25-29 and 3. 4-21 6. In that our Savior doth not simply admonish of this evil desire of the mans as vented forth but of the root of it he doth instruct us not onely to cut off the superfluous branches but even to lay the Axe to the root of the tree James 1. 21. But to this more may be said hereafter In the words themselves we have 1. An Admonition which our Savior gives Take heed and beware of Covetousness 2. A Motive or Argument which he lays down to seal home the Admonition For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth From the whole Verse we shall note 1. That those that hear the Word need to be admonished to take heed and beware of Covetousness 2. That they may take heed and beware of it in the light and strength of Gods grace 3. That the consideration of this that a mans life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth is also proper as viewed in the glorious Gospel to move us to take heed and beware of it 1. That those that hear the word had need to be admonished to take heed and beware of Covetousness That this may be of some usefulness to us consider 1. What this Covetousness here admonished of is 2. What contained in the admoniton Take heed and beware of it 3. We shall demonstrate it that they need and shew wherefore they need to be admonished of it 1. What this Covetousness here admonished of is
2. 11 12. and otherwise we cannot flee from what is reproved for we have no sufficiency of our selves as of our selves to think any thing that is good We shall therefore together shew that those that hear the word may take heed of this iniquity and by what means in general we say the Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1. 16. the law opens no door of repentance but saith cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the book of the law to do them Gal. 3. 10. But now Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3. 13. and the declaration hereof is the great instrument God makes use of for delivering us from every path of the destroyer Psal 17. 4. and 119. 9. The Law of the Lord of or concerning him who is Lord of all is perfect compleat entire converting the soul both at first and so continually it is converting the soul whether men are converted by it or no Psal 19. 7. with this the Apostle was sent to open mens eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Act. 26. 17. 18-22 23. There are in this Gospel contained great and glorious arguments that we may be delivered from this present evil world and these are powerful to this end because Christ by his spirit is present therewith even to the end of the world and so with his servants in their faithful declaring it without hidden things of dishonesty so that while Paul plants and Apollo waters God sails not to give increase whether mâ—n receive it or no 1 Cor. 3. 5-7 and they that receive this testimony of Jesus with the heart and keep it in believing remembrance shall prove it to be the power of God hence the Apostle saith to the Corinthians who were some of them covetous ye are washed c. in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. 2 Pet. 2. 20. and 1. 1. 18 19. Now then to this end that we may take heed and beware of covetousness and to shew we may do so we shall a little particularly consider what is contained in this testimony of Jesus in each of the three branches for our helpfulness viz. in what he hath done and is become in what he is now doing and in what he will do hereafter 1. In this Testimony of Jesus in what he hath done and is become is shewed to us that Jesus Christ the Word who was with God and was God was made flesh for sinful mankind and laid hold of the seed of Abraham and Adam in that body which the Father prepared for him whereby his ear was opened and he fitted to do the will of God in being further abased for us and doing what was needful to our being brought back to God in order whereto he had the trespasses of the world even the guilt of all those trespasses which occasioned the first breath and enmity between God and mankind imputed to him For God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us 2. Cor. 5. 19-21 He bare our sins in his own body to and on the tree and God therefore went to law with him He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquites he by the grace of God tasted death for every man Heb. 2. 9. He was delivered for our offences and is raised again for our justification and such the vertuousness and preciousness of his personal abasement and sufferings in the vertues whereof he is taken from prison and judgement that he hath redeemed us in himself from the curse of the law purged away our sins from before the presence of God slain the enmity that was between God and us taken out of the way all that was contrary to us abolished our death and spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself and so hath made peace for us by the blood of his Cross Gal. 3. 13. Isa 53. 5 6. Eph. 2. 14-16 Col. 2. 14 15. 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. And hath recovered restored and brought back our loss into himself so that there is compleatness for us in him he hath not onely taken away and removed the guilt of our first sin and sinfulness from before the presence of God but having offered himself a spotless sacrifice to the Father throug the eternal Spirit hath obtained power to make reconciliation for the sins of the people which are condemnable according to the rule of the glorious Gospel Heb. 7. 27. and 2. 17. through this man is preached to us the forgiveness of sins Act. 13. 37 38. and he hath restored our nature in himself to perfect innocency integrity and righteousness and is filled with all the fulness of grace and truth Joh. 1. 14-17 and hath obtain'd eternal redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. and confirmed a new Testament of great and precious promises of all things that pertain to life and godliness and an everlasting covenant 2 Cor. 1. 20. Heb. 13. 20. So that he is become a rich and full fountain in which there is pardon peace righteousness spirit promises eternal life 1 Joh. 5. 10 11. Yea all things are delivered to him of the Father Math. 11. 27. all things are here ready a feast of fat things prepared for all people Isa 25. 6. All things that the Father hath is his Joh. 16. 15. and he in our nature and for us is glorifyed with the Fathers own self with the glory he had with him before the world was Joh. 17. 5. The Father hath so loved the Son because he laid down his life that he might take it up again that he hath given all things into his hand Joh. 3. 35 with chap. 10. 17 18. made him both Lord and Christ the last Adam the quickning spirit the Lord the fountaine of living waters wisedome righteousness sanctification and redemption he is beautiful and glorious excellent and comely for our escaping he is the foundation God hath laid in Zion the fountaine of forgiveness grace and spirit God hath given him glory that our faith and hope might be in God and this perfection is in him for every man and it was the work of the Apostles and is of those that so walk as they have them for an ensample to warn every man and teach every man in all wisdom that they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus that they may shew all men where compleatness is prepared for them even durable riches and righteousness that they may not be at a loss or put upon it to seek bread rest peace and feeding in desolate places but may know assuredly by the light of this Testimony that he is the rest for the weary and he the refreshing 1 Cor. 15. 45. Isa 4. 2. Col. 1. 28 29. Isa 28. 12-16 Now then in this first great and fundamental branch
for which otherwise we should speedily be cut off without this also we could not lay apart any thing that is evil For there is no man that sinneth not who can say he hath made his heart clean or that he is pure from his iniquity and so particularly from this iniquity of covetousness now were there not this provision made for us in and thorow the blood of Jesus were there not forgiveness of those sins in which we sin against the grace of God bringing salvation there could be no opportunity for us to come to be washed or to seek deliverance therefrom and so God could not be worshipped by us If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou maiest be feared Psal 130. 3 4. Herein the grace of God gift by grace doth exceed the first offence For the judgment was by one offence to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification Rom. 5. 16. not only to justification and discharge from that first offence but from many offences in which men sin after the similitude of Adams transgression and in Christ God is become a God gracious and merciful to sinners a God of pardon Neh. 9. 17. forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin who can righteously heal men and forgive their iniquity of covetousness whose name and power is great for pardoning great iniquities Numb 14. 17-19 Psal 25. 11. with whom there is plenteous redemption in Christ Jesus through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace for thieves covetous ones rebellious transgressours backsliders while the day of grace and patience is continued to them Psal 130. 7. Eph. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. And also through this man who is raised from the dead and saw not corruption is preached to us the forgiveness of our sins without some discovery whereof no man could be incouraged in believing to confess his sins Act. 13. 37 38. Psal 130. 3 4. Jer. 3. 12 13. 22. and 31. 19. Joel 2. 13. Rom. 2. 4. Isa 55. 1-6 7. Act. 5. 30 31. 2. In this first and fundamental branch of the Testimony is declared to us the vileness of our sins which needed such a mighty one to be abased for us as was the Son of God and the vanity of our idols for none of these could be a meet sacrifice to be offered up to God We were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of oyl would not have satisfied for the sin of the World or have made peace they profited not in this day of wrath for if they could Christ hath dyed in vain 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Gal. 2. 21. it was necessary that he that was in the form of God should take on him our nature and become obedient to death or otherwise we must have pined away in our iniquities and have been for ever expelled from the presence of God hence it was the Apostles maner and custom to open and alleadge that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again Act. 17. 3. this then shews that we are debters but not to the World that we should love it or the things thereof Was it crucified for us Or were we baptized into the name of it that we should set our hearts and affections on it What ingagement hath it laid upon us that we should forsake the Lord the fountain of living waters and lust after and hew to our selves broken cisterns that can hold no water hath this redeemed us from the curse of the law or did it contribute any thing thereto Was this the means by which Christ made peace for us or needed he or possessed he a great share of this that he might do the will of God in order to our recovery look we into and continue looking into the perfect law of liberty and this wil be powerful to strengthen us to mortifie our members which are on the earth Thus the Apostle sound it God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the world is crucified to me Gal. 6. 14. it was herein rendred as a dead vile unprofitable thing to him as that in which he could take no delight in the preaching of this Cross it appeares that without bloodshedding there was no remission to be obtained no peace to be made but by the blood of his Cross no victory to be gotten over our enemies but thorow death how then shall we give our loves unto or set our hearts upon such vain things that have not profited us And especially how shall they that have been baptized into Christ and thereto were baptized into his death instructed and washed into the knowledge thereof in which they see the emptiness of all idols and that these things are not of the Father but are of the world how shall they set their affections on things on the earth or mind earthly things 3. In this also is shewed unto us a rich and compleat provision of all things treasured up in the person of our Jesus obtained by his blood which are infinitely better than what naturally we are desiring and that which in the injoyment will give rest to us in which also he is shewing the emptiness of all other things For the holy Spirit in glorifying Christ therein shewes to us that all flesh is grass and the goodliness thereof the glory of man to be as the flower of grass the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away riches are not for ever but the word of the Lord endureth for ever Isa 40. 6. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 18-24 25. Here are exceeding better treasures provided for us and laid up in a sure hand and in seeking them with the whole heart we shall bemade partakers of them In him are unsearchable riches Eph. 3. 9. All treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. riches and honor are with him yea dureable riches and righteousness Pro. 8. 18. in seeking after him the almighty shall be our gold and we shall have silver of strength Job 22. 25. God hath given us mankind eternal life and this life is in his Son 1 Joh. 5. 10 11. This is that treasure to be desired which is in the dwelling of the wise in the secret place of the most high Pro. 21. 20. The Merchandise whereof is better than the Merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold c. Pro. 3. 13. 15. and 8. 19. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold c. Pro. 16. 16. Man knoweth not the price thereof Job 28. 12-20 What would it profit a man if he had the whole world in a day of wrath would this save him would this procure the forgiveness of his sins will this give peace or make a man partaker of the favour of God and fellowship with him will it