they would be made happy but not holy but this cannot be because this would prove a flat Contradiction to the Design of God in sending of his Son from Heaven Isa 55. 4. Behold I have given him for a Witness to the People a Leader and Commander to the People Acts 5. 31. Him hath God the Father exalted to be Prince and a Saviour Psal 2. 10 11 12. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth Serve the Lord with fear rejoyce before him with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his Wrath is kindled but a little Such as these may well be called Balaam's Disciples whose Desire was more for a happy Death than for a holy Life Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his Numb 23. 10. But alas who can sufficiently lament the fearful Disappointment which such Hypocrites will meet with when all their Hope shall become like the Spider's Web to them whose present Confidence for a happy End at last lieth only in a few faint fruitless Desires that it may and in a few vain Hopes that it will be as well with them at last as it will be with those who make a greater Shew for Religion than they do Their Hope is that that merciful God which made them will not destroy them There is one dreadful Text of Scripture written against all such Soul-deluded Sinners Deut. 29. 19 20. And it shall come to pass when he heareth the Words of this Curse that he bless himself in his Heart saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the Imaginations of my Heart to add Drunkenness to Thirst. The Lord will not spare that Man but then the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousie shall smoke against that Man and all the Curseâ— that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under Heaven 2d Vse Let this serve in the next place to perswade the cleansed People of God to study all they can to be serviceable to Jesus Christ because you are bought by Christ to that end and purpose 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. You are not your own for you are bought with a Price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and Spirits which are his Oh remember you carry the Mark of Christ's Servants upon the Tip or Lap of your Ears you are his Cleansed Lepers and the Leper when Cleansed was to have his right Ear marked with the Bloud of his Cleansing in token that now he is no more his own but wholly his and for his Use and Service from whom he had the Cure so this is the Voice which continually hangs at the Ears of the Cleansed Lepers of Christ Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou Serve So Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that you present your Bodies as living Sacrifices holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable Service and be not conformable to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your Mind And as your Service is Christ's Right so it is your Honour Paul knew that he could not dignifie himself in any thing so much as he did in writing himself the Servant of Jesus Christ Rom. 1. 1. Paul a Servant of Jesus Christ. Object But you may say who are there that are more slighted despised and reproachfully loaded with all manner of Contempt and Scorn than these are whom you count the Servants of Jesus Christ I Answer But who are they and what are they which so evilly treat the Servants of Jesus Christ are they any other than the blind ignorant Rabble of the World such whom the Word of God counts the Dross of the Earth Psal 119. 119 ver What matter is it to hear a Man that was born Blind to speak reproachfully of the Sun or to hear a Man that 's born Deaf to speak contemptibly of Musick or to hear an ignorant Fool speak deridingly of the best of Learning Is the Sun Musick or Learning any thing the worse for this or doth it detract any thing from the Excellency of these things Whose Opinion will you rather cleave unto about this Point either the Opinion of the blind ignorant World which wholly lieth in Wickedness or the Opinion of the Penmen of Scripture The Word saith That the Servants of Christ are the honourablest Men in the World yea that they are to be accounted worthy of double Honour 1 Tim. 5. 17 yea God himself doth Honour them 1 Sam. 2 30. with Psal 91. 15. and because God honours them himself therefore he makes them Honourable in the Eyes of others yea God hath made many of his Servants to be highly honoured in the Eyes of the Heathen and professed Pagans Gen. 23. 4. The Children of Heth how highly were they made to Honour Abraham Hear us my Lord for thou art a mighty Prince amongst us in the choice of our Sepulchers bury thy Dead What a wonderful Honour was there given to Joseph by Pharaoh Gen. 41. 39 42. And Pharaoh said to Joseph Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this there is none so Discreet and Wise as thou art And Pharaoh took off his Ring from his Hand and put it upon Joseph's Hand and arrayed him with Vestures of fine Linnen and put a golden Chain about his Neck So the like we read of Solomon 2 Chron. 9. 23. And all the Kings of the Earth sought the Presence of Solomon to hear his Wisdom that God put into his Heart The like we read of the Honour which Beishazzer a Pagan gave to Daniel Dan. 5. 29. Then commanded Beishazzer and they clothed Daniel with Scarlet and put a Chain of Gold about his Neck and made Proclamation concerning him that he should be the third Ruler in the Kingdom Thus you see though some base-spirited Men may despise the Servants of God yet when God pleaseth he can make the Wicked'st that are to Honour them at the highest rate therefore let the Opinion of the World be what it will about the People of God my Opinion is and I hope ever will be That it 's far better and a thousand times more honourable to be a Servant of Christ in Rags than to be the Devil's Slave in the most glorious Royal Robes and that the meanest Christian if Sincere is far more Est mable with Christ's Cross upon his Back than the highest Monarch if Graceless with his Royal Crown upon his Head Secondly The next thing that the Priest was to do was to dip his Finger in the Oil and to apply it to the same Parts unto which the Bloud was applied before which was first to the Ear binding it to the Duty of hearing Christ's Voice John 10. 27. Then to the Hand binding it to the Duty of working Righteousness Phil. 2. 12. Lastly To the Foot binding of that to the Duty of
or have to boast of yet you may read under all his highest Attainments what a humbling Consideration this was to him that he still had the remainders of his Leprosie upon him Isai 6. 5. Then said I Wo is me for I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips and I dwell in the midst of a People of unclean Lips And as this was Matter of Humiliation to that Prophet so should it be to every one else for if a corporal Leprosie be so debasing a thing much more must a spiritual Leprosie be so because the more spiritual an Evil is the more vile and debasing Oh! how Humble should the Thoughts of this make us under our greatest Enjoyments and Attainments in this Life PART II. Thus having spoken to the Disease we next come to speak of the Remedy against it ABout which we may note these three things First There was something to be done by the Leper himself in order to his Cleansing Secondly You have the Person noted by whom the Cure was to be wrought Thirdly You have the Means noted also which was to be used in order to the Cure of the Leper First of all we are to consider what was to be done by the Leper himself in order to his Cure which hath two things in it First He was to go or be brought to the Priest that his Disease might be discovered and lookt into Secondly And if it proved to be the Leprosie then was he to go out of the Camp and be separated from the People First of all He was to go or be brought to the Priest that his Disease might be discovered and lookt into in order to his Recovery Levit. 13. 2. When a Man which shall have in the Skin of his Flesh a Swelling or a Scab or a white Spot in the Skin of his Flesh if it be like the Plague of Leprosie then shall he be brought to the Priest Now the Levitical Priest who was to be the Instrument of this corporal Cure was a Type of Jesus Christ our Gospel High-Priest who alone can heal the spiritual Leprosie of our polluted and defiled Natures and indeed one great part of the Apostle's Work in his Epistle to the Hebrews is to shew the Levitical Priesthood typical of the Priest-hood of Christ not only in the Work of offering Gifts and Sacrifices for the People but also in that compassionating Care that Christ should exercise over his Members in healing and helping them under their Infirmities Heb. 5. 1 2. From whence we shall raise this Observation Doct. That if any have a desire to be healed of their 〈◊〉 Leprosies and Soul-pollutions they must come on be brought to Jesus Christ. Where could the Isâ—â—â—lites go or unto whom could they repair for healing Help against their corporall Leprosies but unto their Levitical Priests Had they â—ayelled through the whole Would for a Cure they could not imagin to obtain it from the Hands of any whom God had not appointed to administer it but God never appointed any but their Priests to be the Instruments in this Work and none but them therefore to neglect the Use of them was to abide still under the power of their Leprosies So in the case of our spiritual Leprosies it is only Jesus Christ which God hath appointed to administer Health and Healing against it it is he alone that is the anointed High-Priest to deal with our Soul-pollution in order to the removing of it Heb. 2. 17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People For in that himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to Succoâ—â— them that are tempted Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given amongst Men whereby we must be saÌ„ved So that if we seek to this High-Priest for a Cure of our Soul-pollution we need not doubt of healing Grace to our effectual Recovery because he is able to save them to the uttermost which come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. Thus as Jesus Christ is our only High-Priest appointed and anoâ—â—ed of God for Soul-cure so it is our coming to him which gives us the Benefit in order to our Recovery the reason is because our coming to him is made the Condition of it Matt. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and I will give you Rest. Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come to the Waters He that is a Thrist let him come and he that will let him come and take of the Waters of Life freely Rev. 22. 17. Thus you see though Christ our High-Priest be every way qualified and appointed by his Father for our Healing who hath said of Christ I have laid help upon one that is Mighty yet still it is our coming to Christ for help which effects the Cure in us Mark the leprous Person was to be brought to the Priest Leo. 13. 45. and thou must be brought to Christ or thou must endure thy Leprosie for ever and so I come to make some Application upon this particular Point Vse This informs then whence it is and why it is that we have so many spiritual Lepers amongst us so many Men and Women who live in their Sins walk after the Flesh taking pleasure in Iniquity fulfilling the Desire of their fleshly Minds and are still wandring after the Course of this World yielding up of themselves to the Government of the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that works in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience The reason lieth here they come not to the Priest for a Cure they make no use of Jesus Christ for healing Grace there is a deep Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and Vncleanness Zech. 13. 1. but they will make no use of it which Fountain being the free Grace of God running forth through the Merit of Christ's Blood publishing itself to our Souls by the preaching of the Word and Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ this Grace and freely profered Mercy they neglect slight and contemn which is the only ordinary Means of their Cleansing and Healing now of these Christ-slighting and Graceundervaluing Souls there are two sorts First Those who wilfully resufe and slight the Means of their Cleansing which is the Ministry of the Word of such we read in John 5. 40. They would not come to Christ that they might have Life that is as you read in John 6. 66. They went back from Christ that is they turned their Backs upon the Ministry of Christ for 't is said they walked no more with him and Solomon tells you That such as refuse Instruction despise their own Souls Prov. 15. 32. Thus through the pride and haughtiness of their Hearts they ssight
he by his blessed Sacrifice in offering up of himself did thereby purchase our Right to all the Promises relating to Life and God liness so by his Intercession he powerfully prevails with his Father that the Good of them might come down upon us 3dly And whereas you read That the living Bird with the Scarlet the Cedar-wood and the Hyssop all which was to be dipt into the Blood of the slain Bird this being done it made the Scarlet the Cedar-wood and the Hyssop so effectual in the Cleansing of the Leper This great Mystery signifies thus much to us when applied to its Anti-type That what Benefit upon a saving account there is in Christ or of Christ which any do receive in order to their effectual Redemption and Soul-cleansing it doth all originate in or originally proceed from the Vertue Worth and Merit of the Sufferings and Blood of Christ as the procuring cause of all Have we any Benefit by any Office of Christ or Righteousness in Christ Grace from Christ or relation to Christ All this flows from the Spring and Fountain of a Christ crucified and flain for Sin for you plainly see that all the Means which was used in the Cleansing of the corporal Leper took its Efficacy from the Bloud of the slain Bird the Scarlet the Cedar-wood and the Hyssop were all dipt in the Bloud of the slain Bird. From whence we may note this Observation Doct. That the Bloud of Christ shed for Sin is the only Procuring-cause of all the Grace Mercy and Favour which the Elect of God are capable to receive both in the Life that now is and that which is to come This is a Truth which doth abundantly evidence itself from the Scriptures Have we Grace and Sanctification in this Life This the Scripture attributes to the Bloud of Christ as the Procuring-cause of it Heb. 9. 14. The Bloud of Christ purgeth our Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God Have we Peace with God This he hath procured by the Bloud of his Cross Col. 1. 20. Have we Power and Strength to overcome our spiritual Enemies Satan and the Lusts of the Flesh This is done by the Bloud of the Lamb Rev. 12. 11. In a word There is not a good Action done or performed by us but the Grace which enables us thereunto is the Fruit of Christ's Bloud Heb. 13. 20 21. The God that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Bishop of our Souls through the Bloud of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Is it Assurance Joy Peace in believing the Bloud of Jesus Christ have procured this also Col. 1. 11 12 13 14 Verses And so for Heaven and Glory to come this is the Fruit of Christ's Purchasing-bloud which hath accomplished all this Ephes 1. 14. And so we come the Reason of the Point Reason This must be so because what Good the Elect of God partake from him either in this World or in the World to come let it be to their Sanctification here or their Glorification hereafter all this must flow forth to them from the Love of God as the grand Cause of it Ephes 2. 4 5 6 Verses But God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in Sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace are ye saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together with Christ Jesus in heavenly Places So that you plainly see to be quickned from a Death in Sin and to be graciously Saved that is from the Curse and Condemnation of the Law Gal. 3. 13. with Rom. 8. 1. and from the Dominion of Sin Rom. 6. 14. and from the Captivating-power of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. and from the Wrath of God Thess 1. 10. And after all this to be dignified and exalted to that hight of Honour so as to be made to sit with Christ yea together with him in heavenly Places The Apostle tells you in the fourth Verse That the great Love of God is the Foundation of all this to the Elect Now it cannot be that God should deal with his Elect in such a way of Love until he be-first reconciled to them and becomes their Friend now he cannot become their Friend until a Reconciliation be made for them which was done wrought out and brought about by the Blood of Christ Rom. 5. 8. In that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us So Verse 10. When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son So Col. 1. 20. And having made Peace by the Bloud of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself Thus you see how through the Bloud of Christ the innocent Bird and Lamb of God the way is abundantly opened to God the Father's letting forth of his Grace and Love to the Elect whom he had ordained thereunto before the World began Ephes 1. 4. And so we come to make some Application of the whole 1st Vse Is to teach us Thankfulness to the ever-blessed God for this special Benefit which he hath so graciously afforded us in order to our spiritual Cleansing Oh! Brethren this was the highest Act of God's Love and Good-will to the lost Children of Adam that could be manifested from Heaven itself Rom. 5. 8. but God commended his Love towards us in that while we were Sinners Christ died for us The meaning is That there was nothing beyond this that could afford a higher Evidence of the Grace and Good-will of God to the lost World For God to create us Creatures was a wonderful Expression of his Power and Wisdom it being a bringing of something out of nothing a most adorable Act but to save them when lost the Fruit of which is their being made new Creatures 2 Cor. 5. 17. Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God before ordained that we should walk in them Ephes 2. 10. This was the highest Expression of God's Wisdom Power Love and Grace that possibly could be manifested in the Face of Men and Angels What could Abraham give to God of all he did possess beyond the Life of his Son Isaac And What could God give more to Sinners than the Life of his Son John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not Perish buâ— have everlasting Life This was the most costliest Means for a Cure that Heaven and Earth could procure Oh Christians and shall we not be Thankful for this and rejoyce in the Lord for this How unsuitable to a David-like Spirit would this be in us Psal 103. 2 3. O bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thine Iniquities and healeth all thy Diseases Oh Brethren this special Bloud calls for special Thankfulness
and the precious Effects of it calls for the most preciousest of our Obedience to God again for as God the Father gave us his Son so did God the Son give himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and Purifie us to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Titus 2. 14. 2d Vse This should servâ— to teach us all only to look upon the Bloud of Christ for the Curing of our leprous Souls Oh have a care of mingling Christ's Bloud with the polluting Dross and Dregs of Creature-worth and Worthiness the Bloud of Christ will cleanse the pollutedest Leper in the World if it be applied in its own Purity by Faith but if mixed with the least of Self-merit it spoils the Vertue Power and Efficacy of it and renders it of no use to the Soul 3d Vse Learn hence also to put an inestimable Value upon the Bloud of Christ O remember it is the Bloud of Cleansing and no Bloud but this can cleanse Lepers Thou hast heard that nothing but the Bloud of the slain Sparrow could heal the corporal Leper to shew you that nothing but the pure Bloud of Jesus Christ can cleanse the Soul from his spiritual Leprosie Oh what a high Price should you put upon this Bloud Peter calls it precious Bloud 1 Pet. 1. 19. Hence then How should we say of every thing with the greatest Indignation that would offer itself as a Co-worker with Christ's Bloud in the Cleansing of our Souls as Paul did Phil. 3. 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but Loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the Loss of all things and do count them but Dung that I may win Christ. PART III. WE are next to speak to the earthen Vessel over which the Innocent Bird was to be killed in which Vessel was the running Water Lev. 14. 5. And the Priest shall command that one of the Birds be killed in an earthen Vessel over running Water Mark It must be running Water which signifies the Purity and the Liveliness of it in opposition to standing Water which is usually dead and corrupt therefore this Water in the earthern Vessel must be running Water it must be Water that hath Life and Purity in it But first of all to begin with the earthen Vessel which may signifie the reality of the Humane Nature of Jesus Christ from whence our Healing comes You see that the Leper was cleansed by the Bloud of the Bird and so must we be cleansed from ouâ— Soul-leprosie by the Bloud of Christ if ever we be cleansed indeed 1 John 1. 7. Now this Bloud could not proceed from Christ as he was only God abstracted from his Manhood for as he was God only he was no way capable either to suffer or to shed Bloud therefore the Godhead of Christ assumes an earthen Vessel even our Humane Nature to his Divine answering the earthen Vessel over which the Sparrow was to be killed that so out of that Humane Nature he might issue forth the Bloud of our Cleansing He was born of a Virgin he took her very Nature upon him but not the Sinfulness of it in the least degree no he left all that behind and this Humane Nature was very earthly for from the Earth it came and to the Earth it must return again And inasmuch as the Body of our Saviour was made up of this earthy Nature he as to his Body may well be called an earthen Vessel signified by the Vessel over which the Bird was killed Secondly By the running Water in this earthen Vessel is understood by some the Water of Sanctification which comes from him for saith John He came by Water and Bloud But this cannot be exclusive of the Divine Nature of the Son of God which rendred the whole Sacrifice of Christ only sufficient to Cleanse us from our spiritual Leprosie and Soul-pollution in the sight of God For as the Godhead of Christ could not issue forth Bloud to Cleanse us apart from his Manhood so neither could the Bloud of Christ apart from his Godhead have been any way availing to our Cleansing from the Guilt or Filth of Sin in our Souls so that the Union of the two Natures in the Person of Christ became so wonderfully efficacious to our Justification and Sanctification wherein lieth the Leper's spiritual Cleansing hence Christ's Bloud is called the Bloud of God Acts 20. 28. because of the Union of the two Natures in the Person of Christ Thus you see how the earthen Vessel and the pure Water must go together in our spiritual Cleansing From whence we shall observe this Note Doct. That the Bloud of Jesus Christ who is very God and very Man is the only appointed Means to Cleanse our Souls from our sinful Leprosies and Pollutions in the Sight of God The Truth of this cannot be called in question by any who question not the Truth of Scripture Rev. 1. 5. And from Jesus who is the faithful Witness the first Begotten from the Dead unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Bloud Rev. 5. 9. For thou wast Slain and hast Redeemed us unto God by thy Bloud 1 John 1. 7. And the Bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Heb. 9. 14. The Bloud of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God And so we come to the Reasons of this Truth and the first is this Reason 1. It must be so because the Bloud of Christ is the only Means which God hath appointed to be used for this Purpose in opposition to all other Means whatsoever Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven whereby we must be saved Reason 2. And it must be so because as God hath only appointed this Means for Soul-cleansing so hath he only fitted this Means for Soul-recovery Isa 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good Tidings unto the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the Broken-hearted to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and to open the Prison Doors to them that are bound Therefore whoever they are that shall make use of nay other Means besides this for the Cure of their Souls will find it so far from Cleansing that himself will be found guilty of the highest Presumption because it is a slighting of the Bloud of the Covenant and counting it a common thing as Paul speaks Heb. 10. 29. and then upon so doing the same Apostle tells you that such Men who are found guilty of such a Sin will find it a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Ver. 31. And so we come to the Application of the Point Vse This serves to inform us then of the dangerous Principles of two sorts Persons
First Of the Socinians Secondly Of the Quakers who betwixt them both deny the pure Water in the earthen Vessel and the earthen Vessel in which the pure Water is First of all The Socinians who deny the God head of Christ Secondly The Quakers who deny the Manhood of Christ in Being for if Christ be not God and of the same essential Nature with the Father as the Socinians affirm and on the other hand if Christ retain not his Humane Body now in Heaven as the Quakers affirm then is he neither God nor Man and consequently he is nothing at all who thereby make good what the Apostle said of old speaking of a sort of Men which should spring up in the latter Ages of the World that should deny the Lord that bought them bringing thereby swift Destructioâ—â—pon themselves 2 Pet. 2. 1. with Jude 4 Ver. PART IV. Thus you see the Mistery of the earthen Vessel with the runâ—â—ing pure Water in it opened to you we next come to speak of the rest of the Things which the Priest was to use in the Cleansing of the Leper which was the Scarlet the Câ—daâ—-wood and the Hyssop THe Assemblies Annotations speak to this purpose That the Sâ—arlet Cedar-wood and the Hyssop these three things together made up the Brush wherewith the Loper was to be sprinkled in order to his Cleansing the Cedar-wood made up the Handle of the Brush the Hyssop made up the Brush itself and the Scarlet which was a Scarlet Thread with this Thread the Hyssop was bound fast to the Cedar-handle Now the Mystery of which I conceive to be this The Handle of the Brush which was made of Cedar-wood may signifie the Word of God the instrumental Means of our spiritual Cleansing for as Cedar is sweet and durable so is the Word of God First of all The Word of God is like Cedar for sweetness Psal 19. 10. The Word is more to be desired than Gold yea sweeter than the Hony-comb thus you see how sweet the Word is to the Pallate for Taste and it is no less sweet in the Nostrils for smell Cant. 1. 2. Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth that is the Name of Christ published or poured out in the Preaching of the Gospel 2. The Word of God may be compared to Cedar for the durableness of it 1 Pet. 1. 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached to you 2dly By the Hyssop-brush we may understand the Grace of Faith another instrumental Means of our Cleansing from our spiritual Leprosie For as Hyssop is sweet and not so subject to corrupt and wither so soon as other Herbs are so the Grace of Faith is a most sweet and precious Grace it is called precious Faith for the sweetness and uncorruptibleness of it 2 Pet. 1. 1. Good Education natural Parts and moral Gifts may wither and come to nothing but true Faith is a â—race that never loseth its Life Sap or Savour 3dly And by the Scarlet Thread we may understand the Purchasing-bloud of Christ which is the Procuring-cause of that Vertue and Healing-property which we find and feel in the Word and Faith in order to our spiritual Cleansing Now the Sprinkling-brush being thus finished the Scarlet Thread binding the Hyssop to the Cedar-handle with this Brush the Priest was to sprinkle the Leper seven times the Sum of which holds out to us our Justification and Sanctification which is procured for us by our High-Priest Jesus Christ From all which we may observe this Point of Doctrine Doct. That who-ever intends to be Justified from the Guilt of Sin and Sanctified from the Filth of Sin must get himself sprinkled with the Bloud of Christ through the Word of God by the Hyssop of Faith and Believing Hence the Scripture attributes both our Justification and Sanctification to the Bloud of Christ as the meritorious and Procuring-cause of it First For our Justification Rom. 5. 9. Much more then being now Justified by his Bloud 2dly Our Sanctification is meritoriously procured by the same Means Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Bloud of Christ purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God 2. As the Scriptures do direct us to the Bloud of Christ alone as the meritorious Cause of our Justification and Sanctification so doth it direct to Faith as the Means which only can make the Application of both to the Soul Rom. 5. 1. Being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not that Faith can Justifie of itself a part from the Object of it which is Jesus Christ but only as Faith apprehends and applies the Bloud and Obedience of Christ to the Soul which is the alone Matter of our Justification and as Faith is the Instrument of our Justification so it is of our Sanctification also Acts 15. 9. And put no difference betweeen them and us purifying their Hearts by Faith Reason Now the Reason why the Soul is to make use of Faith in his Justification from the Guilt of Sin and in his Cleansing from the Filth of Sin is because God hath ordered Faith to be the Grace which must deal with the Bloud of Christ which is the Procuring-cause of both For as nothing can Justifie or Cleanse the Soul if applied but the Bloud of Christ so there is nothing which can apply the Bloud of Christ to the Soul but the Hyssop of Faith and Believing Heb. 11. 6. But without Faith it is impessible to Please him And so we come to the Application of the Point Vse This should teach us all to look after Faith yea above all things to labour for this Grace of Believing if ever we mean to be healed of our sinful Leprosie and Uncleanness Oh Friends this is the Means that can only do your Souls good slight this and you slight your greatest Mercy under Heaven because you thereby slight that very Means which God hath appointed for a Soul-cure Neglect this saith Christ and you die in your Sins John 8. 24. This was Israel's Sin and that which kept them in their Sins as the Apostle speaks Rom. 10. 3. They submitted not themselves to the Righteousness of God which is else-where called the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4. 13. It was not enough for the Jewish Leper only to use the Bloud of the Bird for his Cleansing no but he must dip the Hyssop-brush into the Bloud also he must keep to the Means and the whole Means which God instituted and appointed for his Cleansing Deut. 12. 32. What tâ—â—ng soever I have commanded you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it If the Priest had used the Hyssop-brush without the Bloud of the Bird or if he had dipt the Hyssop-brush in any other Liquor as Water Milk or Wine this would not have been Cleansing to the Leper or if he had made use of the Bloud of the Bird without
there are which walk by the Rule of enthusiastical Inspirations Visions and pretended Revelations casting off the written Word of God which was formerly their Rule and Guide and now account themselves more happy in walking by these Guides though this latter Age have abounded with but too many of these filthy Dreamers as St. Jude stiles them Jude 8. Verse yet it is no new thing but a thing as ancient as the Prophet Jeremiah's Days Jer. 23. 32. I am against them that Prophesie false Dreams saith the Lord and do tell them and cause my People to Err by their Lies and by their Lightness yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this People at all It appears that the Design of these ancient enthusiastical Dreamers and Pretenders to Divine Revelations was on purpose to weaken the Authority of the Word of God in the Mouths of the Prophets of the Lord inasmuch as God doth plead the Efficacy of his Word in opposition to these chaffy Dreams and pretended Revelations so much cried up by these ancient Deluders Jer. 23. 28 29. The Prophet that hath a Dream let him tell a Dream and he that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully What is the Chaff to the Wheat Is not my Word like as Fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock to pieces It is a very dangerous thing when Persons through their slighting of the written Word shall thereby provoke God to give them over to wander after these satanical Delusions because many times what Ways Men do sinfully chuse to walk in and deluded Rules to walk by the same Ways and Rules God will judicially chuse for them 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the Truth in the Love of it that they might be saved for this Cause God shall send them strong Delusions to believe Lies that they might be damned Therefore have we that Rule given us in Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if any Man speak not according to this Rule it 's because there is no Light in him and saith Peter 2 Epist 1. 19. But we have a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well to take heed as a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your Hearts Thus you see what the false Rules are which the most of Men do propound to themselves as their Guides to walk by which will appear at length to be nothing else but left-footed Obedience in the Eyes of God and Jesus Christ 3dly We give unto God left-footed Service when we walk not constantly with him when we are off and on with God when we play fast and loose with God some there are when affrighted by strong Convictions and grieved by and with sore Afflictions will then for a fit be Religious then they will Pray and Read good Books and frequent the Worship of God and set about the Practice of religious Duties in their Families but when the sense of the Conviction is abated and the smart of their Affliction a little worn off then like Ephraim all their Righteousness appears like the morning Cloud and all their Goodness like the early Rain that passeth away This kind of inconstant Obedience the Israelites gave unto God in the Wilderness Psal 78. 36 37. Nevertheless they flattered him with their Mouth and lied unto him with their Tongues for their Hearts were not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant This inconstant Service was never yet acceptable Service with God nor will it ever be esteemed otherwise than left-footed Service offered unto him 4thly When we walk not sincerely with God then we give him left and not right-footed Service this was the Service Amazia gave to the Lord 2 Chron. 25. 2. He did that which was right in the sight of God but not with a perfect Heart All the Ways of God saith David are Mercy and Truth Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners his Ways Psal 25. 8. So that you see there is Truth and Uprightness in the Lord towards us and he expects to find the same in us towards himself again Truth is the Nature of God and he cannot but hate the contrary where-ever he sees it let Men clothe themselves with never so much out-side Holiness yet if Truth and Sincerity be found wanting all is but glittering Hypocrisie in the Eyes of God Rev. 3. 1. Thou hast a Name to live and art dead The Scribes and Pharisees had as much of an outward Holiness upon them as most Men living but their want of Sincerity turned all their painted shew of Holiness into perfect Rottenness in the Eyes of Christ Matt. 23. 27. It 's not the Matter of our Services only which commends us to God but the Manner of our performing of them If our Ends and Aims 〈◊〉 more for our own Praise Honour and Profit than for the Honour and Glory of God we shall never hear more of it unless it be to our Shame and Sorrow David was well instructed in this therefore prays he that God would make his Heart sound in his Statutes Psal 119. 80. Thus you have seen the Reasons why the Priest was to tip not the left but the right Ear right Thumb and the great Toe of the right Foot of the Leper with the Bloud of the Lamb and Log of Oil the Bloud to purchase the Leper for the Work and Service of the Purchaser and the Oil of Grace to make him fit for it and willing to set about it Now Soul if thou wouldst hear the Voice of Christ in a saving manner if thou wouldst hear when he speaks to thy Soul in his Works Word Ordinances and Providences if thou wouldst work the Works of Righteousness as the Work of Repentance before God Faith in God Love to God with the Works of Holiness in his sight together with the Works of Justice and Mercy towards Men and if thou wouldst Walk with God as Enoch did walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God Blameless and without Rebuke as did Zacharias and Elizabeth then be not satisfied until thou hast gotten thy right Ear thy right Thumb and the right Foot of thy Soul tipt with the Bloud and Oil which drops out of the Palm of the Hand of the High-Priest Jesus Christ Who is willing to save to the uttermost them which come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. PART VI. Thus after the Priest had tipt the right Ear the Thumb of the right Hand and the great Toe of the right Foot of the Cleansed Leper with the Bloud of the Lamb and the Log of Oil then as in Levit. 14. 16. the Priest was to dip his right Finger in the Oil that is in his left Hand and sprinkle of the Oil with his Finger seven times before the Lord. THis number Seven was of a sacred Use amongst the Hebrews is was used
if through the Spirit ye mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall Live Ephes 4. 22. That ye put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is Corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members which are upon the Earth Fornication Vncleanness inordinate Affection evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry Tit. 2. 11 12. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching them to deny Vngodliness and wordly Lusts to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World 1st Reason The Reason of the Point lieth here because this was one special Purpose of Christ in satisfying the Law for us and thereby in reconciling of his Father to us it was that Sin might be destroyed in us Rom. 5. 10. with Rom 6. 6. For when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Knowing that our Old Man is Crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin 2d Reason It must be so because our Lord Jesus Christ designed and intended that every one of his Redeemed and Cleansed Lepers should hold a holy Communion with himself both in the Life that now is and in the Life which is to come John 14. 20 21. At that Day ye shall know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and I will manifest my self to him Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and Purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Christ is the Prince of Purity his Eyes are Eyes of Purity that cannot look upon Iniquity his Nature is a Nature of Purity he is called the Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts whose Glory filleth the whole Earth Isa 6. 3. therefore he cannot live in an impure Heart nor have communion with impure Souls that are no way washed from their Iniquities Surely then this makes it highly the Duty of every Christian to be Cleansing of himself from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and to be perfecting of Holinâ—ss in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Thus having given you the Reasons of the Point we next come to the Application of what hath been said upon it Vse If this be so let it serve then for Matter of Examination to every Christian whether we are of the number of Christ's Cleansed and Healed Lepers Oh! what a blessed thing would it be if upon trial and search we might appear to be such not in shew but in substance not in appearance only but in reality also an Israelite in deed and in truth as Nathanael was in whom was no Guile There be not a few but would fain perswade themselves that they are the Men in whom the Leprosie is cured they hope that the Bloud of the Lamb Christ hath been applied to the Ear Thumb and Toe of their Souls but let me ask such Men whether the Priâ—st's Razor have yet been upon them Oh! bethink your selves and remember that those which were healed Lepers were shaved Lepers the Hair of their Heads Beards and Eye-brows is all shaved off which were the parts and places in which the Scurf and Filth of the Disease lay and hid it self before The same is spiritually true of thee if thou art a healed Leper indeed the Scurf of thy Corruption which hath lain hid in thy Heart as to the Dominion of it is shaved off and â—emoved out of thy Soul Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have Dominion over you Christ will have clean Work made in the Heart wherein he begins to Work Rev. 21. 5. Behold I make all things new saith Christ and so saith Paul 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any Man he in Christ he is a new Creature all old things are dâ—ne away and all things become new So that there is a univeâ—sal Change made in the whole Man of every one that are the cleansed Leâ—ers of Jesus Christ the Judgment Will and Affections are all new and renewed by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. â— 5. Now Soul what Shaving-work hath there been upon thy Heart and Life Reflect upon thy former Conversation Hast thou not been a loose Liver a Swearer a Blasphemer an unclean Person a Sabbath-breaker a Harer of Godliness a wicked Scoffer and cruel Persecutor of those which have truly feared God But is this shaved off from thee Is this filthy Scurf gone and removed from thy Heart within and thy Life without Thou knowest that thou hast been a common Drunkard an unjust Dealer a known Lyer a wretched Worldling a greedy covetous Oppressor thy whole Life hath been a prayerless Life an irreligious Life casting the Word Worship and Ordinances of God behind thy Back spending of thy precious Time which should have been spent in the Service of thy God Oh! this precious Time which thou canst never recal more hast thou laid out in the satisfying of thy Lusts and sensual Appetite Oh! but hath the Razor oâ— thy High-Priest shaved all this away and canst thou now say in the Words of Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Be not deceived there was never a healed Leper came out of Christ's Hands but he was a shaved mortified and sanctified Leper the Bloud the Oil and the shaving Razor always went together the Bloud to justice the Oil to sanctifie and the Razor to mortifie the Affections and Lusts Redemption from the Guilt of Sin is only proved by our Mortification to the love and power of Sin in our Natures Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Mark There is therefore no Condemnation there is Guilt removed who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit there is the Truth of it proved the shaving of the Head Beard and Eye-brows were evident Signs what the Man had been and with whom he had been they were Signs that the Man had been a Leper and secondly That he had been with the Priest for a Cure and is now come off healed and cleansed of his Distemper So likewise if thou hast been with Jesus Christ indeed he hath fixed these visible Signs upon thy Soul 2 Cor. 5. 17. Thou art come of a new Creature all old things are done away and all things are become new in thee but if the Signs of thy Cleansing be not upon thee thou hast still cause with the Leper Lev. 13. 45. to rent thy Clothes and to go with thy Head bare and to put a Covering upon thy Upper-lip crying out to every one which thou meetest Vnclean unclean PART VIII
Thus having dispatcht the first part of our Discourse about the Subject contained in this 14 Chap. of Levit. which is the Leprous Person wherein you have seen the manner of his Cleansing with the Particulars which results from it concluding each particular Part with suitable Application Secondly We next proceed to the Leprous House about which you have these things observeable FIrst The Malady 2dly The Remedy 3dly If that failed then Lastly You have the total Ruine and Destruction of the leprous House laid before you But First As to the Malady you may observe these things First The Disease it self 2dly The Signs of the Disease 3dly What the Inhabitant was to do upon the breaking forth of the Disease And 4thly The Reasons of his so doing And Lastly The Application upon the Point But First Here you have the Disease of the House spoken of in the first place and that is a Leprosie which was a contagious Pollution an unclean Infection dangerous to the Inhabitants dwelling in it Levit. 14. 34. And when ye be come into the Land of Canaan which I give to you for a Possession and I put the Plague of Leprosie in a House of the Land of your Possession Secondly You have the SIgns of the House-leprosie described by these Notes as When it appeared in deep Spots reddish or greenish in the Walls of the House and if they were lower than the Wall that is if the Spots were fretted deeper than the Wall then was it to be counted a real Leprosie as Ver. 37 sheweth which litteral or material House with this Pollution cleaving to it may fairly figure out those spiritual Houses or Gospel-churches which our Lord Jesus Christ hath ever had in this World which while they are in this Life they are likewise subject to their spiritual Leprosies Defilement and Pollution by reason of Sin and that this may the better appear it will be necessary to consider the Resemblance which the Scripture gives betwixt a material House and a well-constituted Gospel-Church of Jesus Christ As First In a material House there are the Foundation-stones so there is the same belonging to the Churches of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 6. Secondly To a material House there belongs the chief Corner-stone which upholds all the rest of the Building so there is in the Churches of Christ Ephes 2. 20. Thirdly In a material House there are rows of Stones laid up upon the Foundation-stones so it is in the Churches of Christ Ephes 2. 20. Fourthly In a material House all the Timber-work which hath been fitted and framed for the Building is all laid up and coupled together so it is with the Churches of Christ Ephes 2. 21. Fifthly They agree also for Design and Purpose because the Design of Building a material House is for a Habitation to live in so are the Churches of Christ appointed for the like purpose even to the Habitations for Christ to dwell in Ephes 2. 22. with 2 Cor. 6. 16. Thus as the Scripture gives you the Resemblance betwixt a temporal House and the Churches of Christ so also doth it give the same Denomination to Christ's Churches calling them Houses and Habitations Heb. 3. 3 4 5. Who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in all his House but this Man was counted worthy of more Honour than Moses inasmuch as he who hath builded the House hath more Honour than the House So Ver. 6. But Christ as a Son over his own House whose House are we if we hold fast our Confidence and the rejoycing of the Hope firm unto the end Thus you see how the Scripture makes a temporal House and the Churches of Christ to agree both for Name and Substance From all which we shall note these two Observations 1st Doct. That the spiritual Houses or Churches of Jesus Christ are subject to great Defilement and Pollution while in this Life 2d Doct That the Defilement and Pollution which the Churches of Christ are subject unto in this Life is many times very open and visible 1st Doct. That the spiritual Houses and Churches of Jesus Christ are subject to great Defilement and Pollution while in this Life In the prosecution of this first Observation I shall First prove the Point Secondly Give the Reasons of it And Thirdly Apply the same by waâ— of Use First For the Proof of it you will find that this was the Case of Christ's old Testament-church Isa 1. 4 5 6. Ah! sinful Nation a People laden with Iniquity a Seed of evil Doers Children that are Corrupters they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the holy One of Israel to Anger they are gone away backward Whâ— should ye be striken any more Ye will revolt more and more the whole Head is sick and the whole Heart is faint From the Sole of the Foot even unto the Head there is no Soundness in it but Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores they have not been closed neither bound up nor modified with Ointment The like we read hath hapned to Christ's Gospel-churches we read of an incestuous Defilement and sacramental Pollution which broke out in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 5. 1. with 1 Cor. 11. 20 21 22. We read of the Defilement of Fornication which broke forth in the Church of Pergamos yea and the Pollution of Idolatry too Rev. 2. 14. We read of the Pollution of false Doctrine which broke forth in the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 20. And also we read of the Defilement of carnal Security which hapned to the Church of Sardis Rev. 3. 1. and of the Pollution of a luke-warm Spirit which cleaved to the Church of the Laodiceans Rev. 3. 16. Lastly Do not we likewise read how the Gallatian Church was corrupted and defiled in the Doctrine of it confounding the Righteousness of Christ by Faith with their own personal Obedience Gal. 3. 1 2 3 4. with Chap. 4. 21. Thus you see the Point proved by clear Scripture-evidence and so we come to the Reasons of it The first Reason may be taken from the Ministers of the Churches and Secondly From the Churches themselves But first of all The Pollution and Defilement of the Churches of Christ many times do arise from the sleepy Drowsiness of the Ministers and Guides of the same We read that a Minister's sleepy Season is the Devil 's seeding Season whiles the Minister snores in his Sleep then is the Devil's Season to sow his Seed Matt. 13. 25. But while Men slept his Enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat and went his way This was the Unhappiness of the Church of God in the Prophet's Days to be given over to the Conduct of an ignorant lazy sleepy Ministry Isa 56. 10. His Watchmen are Blind they are all Ignorant they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to Slumber yea they are greedy Dogs which can never have enough and they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their
and that he may harden his Children in their Sins and damp the Resolutions of weak Christians in Godliness Oh! how should this stir up the Hearts and Hands of all that have any Love to Christ to be pressing on so much the more in the Practice of true Godliness redeeming the Time because the Days are evil that the World may see that Christ hath yet a few Names in Sardis that do walk with him in white and have not defiled their Garments as the most have done Have other Churches their Spots upon them How should you get your Garments washed in the Bloud of the Lamb Are other Churches publickly Scandalous Earthly-minded walking with a proud and haughty Spirit Oh! how should you labour to regain the lost Honour of Christ again in labouring after a more heavenly frame of Spirit in being meek holy and humble in the sight of all Men Oh! that you would consider this that Jesus Christ was never more wounded in the House of his Friends than at this Day Oh! if you have any Love for Christ labour to heal these Wounds again by adorning the Doctrine of God and your Saviour with your holy Conversations Oh! forget not what a large Portion he hath given you in his Bloud and what a good Inheritance he hath purchased for you by his Bloud let him have the Fruit of it which is a holy Conversation John 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much Fruit. 2d Vse Have the Houses of Christ been hitherto subject to their Defilements and Pollutions Learn hence then by Faith and Prayer to hasten on those happy Times which the Word of Prophesie faith are yet to come upon the Churches of Christ in this Life when these spiritual Habitations of his shall no more be troubled with these leprous Defilements and Pollutions in this World There is one Prophesie which I shall mention for all the rest Psal 102. 13. with 16 Ver. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set-time is come When the Lord shall build up Zion he will appear in his Glory I grant that this Prophesie partly had its fulfilling in the Jews Redemption out of their seventy Years Captivity by Cyrus and in the building of the second Temple by Nehemiah but this was not the utmost extent of the Prophesie which clearly points to the latter times of the Gospel-churches even when as in Ver. 22 of this Psal The People are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Which time John the Divine placeth after the great Rent that shall be made in Antichrist's Kingdom Rev. 11. 13. and then he tells you in Ver. 15. that the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever so that then and not till then may we expect the full Accomplishment of this Prophesie in this 102 Psal Ver. 13 with 16. Certainly this must needs be a glorious Work and a very glorious Day when the Lord shall arise to build Zion himself but although it be said that God will build Zion himself we are not to understand it in opposition to the use of outward Means or humane Instruments which God hath formerly used in this Work no but comparatively such will the marvelous Presence of his Glory be which he will then attend those withal which he will employ in this Work of building his Zion as if God had never had a Hand in the Work before which will make the Work exceeding excellent and glorious in four Respects beyond whatever the Churches were adorned with before First For Beauty and Glory in the Eyes of the World Isa 54. 11 12. Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy Stones with fair Colours and lay thy Foundations with Saphires I will make thy Windows of Agates and thy Gates â—f Carbuncles and all thy Borders of pleasant Stones Secondly This Work of building Zion will be marvelous for Light and Knowledge in Mysteries of Faith about our Redemption and Justification by Jesus Christ together with those lesser Points about which the Churches heretofore have been so apt to disagree Isa 60. 19. The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day neither for Brightness shall the Moon give Light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light So Isa 29. 18. And in that Day shall the Deaf hear the Words of the Book and the Blind shall see out of Obscurity and out of Darkness Thirdly This Work will be as marvelous for Peace and Quietness to the Churches who have enjoyed very little of this in the Ages of the World heretofore indeed for a spurt or a short space of time we have found that the Churches of Christ have had sâ—me silence in their heavenly Places for the space of half an Hour Rev. 8. 1. some short breathing some little freedom from Persecution but their Clouds have soon returned upon them again after the Rain Oh! but when the Lord shall arise to build Zion himself then Violence shall no more be heard in their Land nor Wasting and Destruction within their Borders but they shall call their Walls Salvation and the Gates Praise Isa 60. 18. Fourthly When the Lord shall arise to build Zion the Work will be firmly and lastingly done tho' the former Builders were gracious and godly Men yet how quickly have their Work tumbled down again David and Solomon which builded the Temple and City of Zion at first and though they were holy and wise Men yet their Building stood not long after them And the like we read of Nehemiah Ezra and Zerubbabel Men of great Wisdom and Integrity who were Builders of the City and Temple of Zion a second time but alas how soon did the Romans demolish their Work again But when God shall arise to build Zion himself the Work shall surely stand for ever as that no Sanballet or Tobiah shall be able to obstruct it nor no Nebuchadnezzar or Roman Titus shall ever be able to pull down this Work to the World's end Isa 4. 5. And the Lord will create upon every Dwelling-place of Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a Cloud and a Smoak by Day and the Shining of a flaming Fire by Night for upon all the Glory shall be a Defence Oh that we could get such a sight of this glorious Work by Faith as might put us upon the hastning of it into the World by Prayer Last Vse In the mean time until this glorious Work comes into the World let what hath been said about iâ— serve to make us who may never live to see this glorious Day but must yet remain amongst the Churches of Christ so subject yet to their Defilements and Pollutions let the Thoughts of it make Heaven the more desirable to us Oh! think often upon the Purity of that new Jerusalem which is above and comfort your selves
which shall smart their Backs to recover their Hearts Isa 27. 9. By this therefore the Iniquity of Jacob shall he purged this shall be the Fruit thereof I will take away their Sin Oh! therefore all ye that are the Seeds of Jacob be you thankful to God that he hath given you his Word and will not suffer you to want his Rod they being both appointed in his divine Wisdom as a healing Means against your spiritual Leprosies whenever they shall break out upon you How should the thoughts of this abundant Care of God over you make you to cry out with David Psal 103. 2 3. O bless the Lord O my Soul and all within me forget not his holy Benefits who forgiveth all thy Iniquities and healeth all thy Diseases 2d Vse Let this Truth serve to perswade all the cleansed Lepers of Christ to carry the Matter as they ought to do towards the means of their Cleansing which as you have heard consists of these two things First The Word of Instruction Secondly Of the Rod of Correction First of all See to it that you carry the Matter well towards the Word of Instruction so as not to imprison it in your Heads make not your Heads as too many do a Jayl to the Word there be but too many that will hold the Truth in Unrighteousness who are unwilling that the Light of the Word which is got into their Heads should come down into their Hearts for fear lest its shining Light should become a perplexing Heat within them to prevent that they strive to hold fast the Doors against the Truth as a Man who fears an Arrest bolts fast the Doors of his House against the Bailiffs but if ever you mean co have benefit by the Word so as to be cleansed from your sinful Leprosies you must let the Truth out of Prison and give it a free Passage that it may be glorified in you Let it run from Room to Room from the Head to the Heart and from the Heart to the Will and from the Will to the Conscience and from thence to the Affections that so it might have an uninterrupted Out-let into the Conversation so to do is co carry the Matter as you ought towards the Word of Instruction Secondly Be sure you carry the Matter well towards the Rod of God's Correction when Afflictions do light upon you do not fret repine nor murmur at them as if some sore Evil had hapned to you for your Hurt but rather rejoyce under them that God by them is about to scrape and cleanse you from that Heart-naughtiness which cleaveth to you and if the Rod seems to smart do not say to God as Jonah did Jonah 4. 9. I do well to be angry to Death But rather to say with David Psal 119. 75. In faithfulness hast thou afflicted me And instead of muttering at the length or strength of your Affliction you should reason thus It seems that our Lusts are strong and our Corruptions are rooted fast in us which makes our dear Redeemer to put the greater strength into our Afflictions for where the Disease in a Body is more malignant than ordinary there the Ingredients must be the stronger in the Medicine to work it forth again Christ had rather his People should be preserved in Brine than rot in Honey and you may be sure of this that when Christ by his Rod hath done his Work upon you then may you expect the removal of it from you Isa 4. 4 5. When the Lord shall have washed away the Filth of the Daughter of Zion then will be create upon the Dwelling-places thereof a Cloud and a Smoke by Day and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night and a Glory with a Defence upon it Thus you have seen what the Priest was to do in order to the Cleansing of the Levitical leprous House and how well it shadowed out the Way Instruments and Means which our great Gospel High Priest useth in Cleansing of his Churches from their spiritual Leprosies and Defilements We now come to a second Work which the Priest was to do in order to the preserving of the Levitical House that was infected his Work was to pull out the infected Stones thereof and to put other Stones in the room of them Lev. 14. 40 with 42 Ver. Then the Priest shall command that they take away the Stones in which the Plague is and be shall take other Stones and put them in the place of those Stones and he shall take other Mortar and plaister the House Thus you see if scraping of the Walls wherein the Infection lay would not serve the turn then the infected Stones must be pulled out and cast away into an unclean Place which Action in a most lively manner leads us to behold the sacred Order which our Lord Jesus Christ observes in the Cleansing and keeping Clean of his Gospel-churches who in like manner if the Means he hath already used will not do as his scraping of them by his Word of Instruction and the smarting of them with his Rod of Correction if nothing of this Means will heal then out must the Stones be pluckt in which the Infection lay Quest. But some may ask What or who may we understand by the Stones of Christ's spiritual Houses Ans They are the visible Members of Christ's Churches 1 Yet 2. 5. Ye also as lively Stones are built up a spiritual House an holy Priest-hood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. So that the Meaning will amount to this That if any of these Stones shall be so leprous as that neither the Word nor Rod will procure their Amendment wherein they walk contrary to sound Doctrine either in Judgment or Practice then ought they to be separated from the rest of their Brethren by a Church-excommunication You see how clear this appears in the Tipe the infected Stones were to be pulled out of the House to shew us that the incurable infected Members of Christ's House which Peter calls the Stones thereof must be pulled out from thence also From whence we may observe this Note Doct. That when ordinary Means have been used to reclaim offending Church-members but all to no purpose then is the Church to cast out such corrupt Members by an Act of Excommunication This is such a necessary Rule to the keeping of the Churches clean that it is an established Rule by our Saviour himself Matt. 18. 15 16 17 18. If thy Brother shall trespass against thee go to him and tell him his Fault between thee and him alone and if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother but if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church but if he shall neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen Man and Publican The
to this day Here is one thing more to be observed That this Levitical Rubbish must be carried without the City which City was a Type of Christ's reformed Churches on Earth in Gospel-times for so are the Churches of Christ compar'd Psal 122. 3. Jerusalem is builded as a City compact together which sheweth us thus much That such Churches as are left and forsaken by Jesus Christ ought to be abandoned by the whole City of God What though such Churches with Sardis may have a Name to live and may vainly glory in their ancient Title of being once named a Church of Christ yet in as much as they have lost the vital Spirit of a Church in ceasing to hold Union with Christ the true Head they thereby forfeit their right of Fellowship to the true Churches of Christ also Hosea 4. 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Thus you see the Point proved and so we come to shew you what kind of Polution it is which if Churches persist in will endanger their being unchurched again First of all a universal decay in their Love to Christ and one another so saith Diodate in his Annotations upon Rev. 2. 4. Indeed there may be an abatement of Love to Christ in some particular Persons in a Church and yet no danger of the whole Churches be in unchurched God is so just and righteous that he will not lay the Stroke upon the whole Church when the Guilt is only chargable upon the lesser number Ezek. 18. 20. The Soul that sinneth it shall die But if it be the Sin of the Church in general to fall back in their Love to Christ and one another this is a dangerous step to the unchurching of such a Church Read the threatning of Christ in this case Rev. 2. 4 5. Because thou hast left thy first Love remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first Works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent 2. An allowed Spirit of Formality and Lukewarmness is another Sin which may endanger the unchurching of a Church of Christ this frame of Spirit is very dangerous if it be found in a particular Soul a formal indifferent frame of Heart in a Christian is not only a bad sign but a bad distemper it 's like the Plague-spots appearing before death and the distemper is like an Ague in the Body which proves the foundation sometimes of many other mortal Diseases which succeed afterwards The like is as true of a prevailing formal lukewarm Spirit in a Christian it ushers into the Soul several other spiritual Maladies when Ephraim became like a Cake not turned Hosea 7. 8. that is as we use to say halfbaked viz. formal and luke-warm then suddenly it became proud idolatrous treacherous and rebellious against God Hosea 8. 11. with chap. 9 10. So that if this evil frame of Heart in a particular Christian be so detestable to God how much more disrelishing to God must a whole Society of Christians be where this evil spirit reigns in the power of it especially when this Disease in a whole Church is become so malignant that it expels the Virtue of all good Means that shall be applied for the recovery of it This greatly endangers the pulling down of such a Church Rev. 3. 16. So then because thou art luke-warm neither hot nor cold I will spue thee out of my Mouth 3. The third Sin which endangers the unchurching of a Church of Christ is the sin of professed Idolatry Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Idolatry is a violating of the Marriage-Covenant betwixt a Church and Christ and a defiling of the Marriage-Bed which sin in a Wife called for a Bill of Divorce to divorce the Wife from her Husband Matth. 5. 32. So that in Scripture Idolatry also is called Whoredom Ezek. 16. 20. And it is called playing the Harlot Jer. 2. 20. Now as the Law allowed a Man to put away his Wife for the sin of Whoredom so for the sin of Idolatry which is a spiritual Whoredom will Jesus Christ put away a whole Church from him unless it repents Hosea 1. 6. with 8 and 9th verses 4. A fourth Sin which helps forward the unchurching of a Church of Christ is the Loosness and Profaneness of it this kind of sinning was charged upon the ten Tribes as the ground of Christ's unchurching of them and casting them out of his sight though once a People in Covenant with him Hos 7. 3 4 5. They make the King glad with their wickedness and the Princes with their lies they are all adulterers as an Oven heated by the Baker who ceaseth from rising after he hath kneaded the Dough until it be leavened So Vers 2. They consider not in their Hearts that I remember all their wickedness now their doings have beset them about they are before my face but because of the unreclaimable looseness and profaneness of this Church Christ at last utterly renounceth them Hos 1. 9. Then said God call his name Loamini for ye are not my People and I will not be your God The great reason why Christ takes a People into a Covenant-relation with himself is upon Terms of their Holiness Levit 19. 1 2. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto all the Congregation of the Children of Israel and say unto them ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy If ever Christ chuseth any to be his peculiar People it shall be upon the same Terms which he redeemed them by his Bloud and that was to be a peculiar People to him zealous of good Works Tit. 2. 14. But then when that visible Holiness ceaseth to be in a Church which was the ground of that visible Union which was betwixt Christ and them at first the Union betwixt them is dissolved Jer. 7. 9. with the 15th Verse Will you steal murder and commit adultery and swear falsly and burn incense unto Baal and walk after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my Name and say We are delivered to do all these abominations So 15 vers I will cast you out of my sight as I cast out all your Brethren even the whole Seed of Ephraim Thus you see what the Sins are which do so pollute and defile the Churches of Christ as do greatly endanger their being unchurched again therefore where we find such Pollution reigning in Churches it 's good to avoid them and so we come to the Reasons of the Point The first Reason why Christ will unchurch Leprous Churches which will not be healed is because he will thereby admonish all other Churches that they may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly Rev. 2. 21 with 23. I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not I will kill her Children 〈◊〉 death and all the Churches shall
in holy Ministrations as also in miraculous Operations 2 Kings 5. 10 14. and also it had a sound of Perfection in it as witnessing the Perfection of the Creatures made in six Days before so that there was no need of any more to be done See the Assemblies Annotations upon the place So then by the Priest's sprinkling of the Oil seven times before the Lord denoted that the Work was perfectly done which Action of the Priest teacheth us thus much if we consider him as a Type of Christ in the Cleansing of his spiritual Lepers That as Jesus Christ hath undertook to go thorow with the Work of the Elects Justification and Sanctification so by his sprinkling of the Oil seven times before the Lord which he did in the Person of the Levitical Priest it was to assure his Father for his Satisfaction and to assure his People for their Consolation that the Work of their Justification and Sanctification is compleat and perfectly done according to his last Words when he suffered upon the Cross John 19. 30. then he said It is finished From whence we may observe this Note of Observation Doct. That Jesus Christ a Believer's High-Priest hath perfectly finished and compleated the Work of their Justification and Sanctification before the Lord. The Truth of this Observation is attested both by himself and his Father also First By Christ himself John 17. 4. I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do Now the great Work which the Father gave his Son to do and finish was the Work of the Justification and Sanctification of the Elect Isa 42. 1 2 3. Behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him and he shâ—â—â— bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles 2dly This Truth is also witnessed unto by the Father as well as by the Son Isa 53. 10 11. He shall prolong his Days and the Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hands he shall see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied That is the Father shall see his Son's Work finished to his full Contentment Reason Now the Reason of the Point is this Because Christ was God as well as Man and because he is so therefore he wanteth no Sufficiency to accomplish whatever he takes in hand nor never yet did he begin any Work but he always finish'd it before he left it He made the Heavens and the Earth and he did it compleatly he made Man upon the Earth and made a perfect Piece of him and when he had finished his whole Work he beheld it and it was very good good for Matter and good for the Form of it and the ending of it was a glorious Work Psal 19. 1. hence saith Moses Deut. 32. 4. His Work is perfect So that this is the Reason that a Believer's Justification and Sanctification is so compleat and perfect it is because it was carried on by Jesus Christ who is very God as well as very Man and there is nothing too hard for the Lord. And so we come to Application Vse Let this serve for Comfort to the doubting People of God who are very apt to be dejected and cast down in their Spirits their Doubt is not so much whether Christ were able to finish the Work of Justification and Sanctification for them that 's put beyond Question with them but their Trouble ariseth from their Darkness as to their Interest in this Justification and the Littleness if they have any at all of the Grace of Sanctification First As to their Darkness about their Interest in this Justification many there are because they cannot read the Lines of their Justification upon the Book of their own Consciences are apt to fear whether it were ever written for them upon the Book of Christ's Records in Heaven There be three things which makes some Christians to doubt about their Interest in their Justification 1st A sight of old Sins upon the Book of their Consciences 2dly A natural Proneness to commit new Sins 3dly A want of Skill to distinguish between the old Reckoning as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Memory and Conscience of the Soul First of all The sight of old Sins as they stand upon the Book of their Consciences They think because the sense of Sin remains upon their Consciences uncancelled therefore the guilt of Sin must needs remain upon the Book of God above unpardoned Ans But this doth not always follow but rather the contrary For where Sin is unpardoned there the Heart as to the sense of it is mostly hardned Look over all the Justified Men which you can find in Scripture and you will find none more under the Conscience of Sin than those who were truly Pardoned and Justified from their Sins as David though Nathan told him that his Sin was pardoned yet how did the sense of it bleed in his Conscience Psal 51. 2 3. Wash me throughly from my Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin for I acknowledge my Transgressions and my Sin is ever before me The like we find in Job though God himself testified of him that he was a pardoned Man one that feared God and eschewed Evil yet how did Job charge home the Guilt of Sin upon his own Conscience Job 13. 23. How many are my Iniquities and Sins make me to know my Transgression and my Sin So good Heman Psal 88. 15. I am afflicted and ready to Die while I suffer thy Terrours I am Distracted So that this should rather be thy Cordial than a Corrosive to thee that with those good Men the sense of Sin is made to visit thy Conscience A sense of Sin is necessary to help on Repentance Repentance is the Fruit of a justified State Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also Called that is by Repentance and whom he Called them he also Justified Secondly A second Ground of doubting in Christians about their Justification ariseth from their Proneness in Nature to commit new Sins Certainly saith a doubting Soul if I were ever Justified from the Guilt of my Sins I should never be so apt to commit Sin as I do Ans It is one thing to have the guilt of Sin acquitted to the Soul and another thing to have the filth of Sin removed out of the Soul the one belongs to Christ's Justifying and the latter to Christ's Sanctifying Grace the Act of Christ's Justifying of the Soul is done at once upon the very Act of the Soul 's believing Acts 13. 39. By him all that do Believe are Justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses But the Act of Christ's Sanctifying a Soul is done by degrees and is a Work of Time so that a Soul may be fully Justified from all his Sins and yet the Nature very prone to commit it Paul had no cause to doubt of