this was one of the last acts of Moses his life for the Lord said unto him avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites afterwards shalt thou be gathered unto thy people it was a work fit for him to do when he was ready to leave the world How odious were those Prophets of Baal to that zealous Prophet Elijah Saith he take the Prophets of Baal let not one of them escape and they took them and Elijah brought them down to the brook Chishon and slew them there Micaiah shewed his detestation of those lyes spoken by the false prophets when he told the King now therefore behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets The like may be shewed of the Prophet Ieremiah how he abhorred the lyes of those false Prophets Hananiah Ahab Zedekiah and Shemajah but I come to the Examples of the New Testament And first to begin with Iohn Baptist who came to prepare the way of the Lord with what zeal did he detest the corruption of doctrine brought in by the Pharises and Sadduces When he saw many of them come to his Baptisme he said unto them O generation of Vipers Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come But above all take the blessed Example of the Lord Jesus Christ with what heavenly zeal did he manifest his detestation of the false doctrine taught by the Scribes and Pharises Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none effect by your tradition And he gave his Disciples this Caveat Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharises and of the Sadduces which is meant of their corrupt doctrine How sharply doth he reprove them and how many woes doth he denounce against them He calleth such Wolves Theeves and Robbers And the Apostles and servants of the Lord Jesus Christ being led by the spirit of Christ did abundantly discover how exceedingly they detested and abhorred Heresies and falsâ— doctrines The Apostle Peter inveigheth with much vehemency against false Teachers calleth their corrupt doctrines damnable heresies whereby they denyed the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction He terms their ways pernicious and shews how they make merchandise of souls He calleth them pernicious self-wilâ—ed and such as are not afraid to speak evil of dignities wells without water speaking greaâ— swelling words of vanity with divers other expressions St. Iude agreeth with St. Peter and among other passages compareth false Teachers to Cain Balaam Core The Apostle Iohn calleth them Antichrists adversaries to Christ and false Prophets They are called deceivers yea it is said ver 10 11. If there come any unto you and bring not thiâ— doctrine receive him not into your house neitheâ— bid him God speed for he that biddeth him Goâ— speed is partaker of his evil deeds In the Revelations written by St. Iohn the Angel oâ— Minister of the Church at Ephesus is commended for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans Pergamus is threatned because in that Church was found those that held the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans and therefore t is added Repent or else I will comâ— unto thee quickly and will fight against theâ— with the sword of my mouth Thiatira is blamed for suffering the woman Iezabel which called her self a Prophetess to teach and seduce A great part of this book declareth the wickedness of the Whore of Babylon the Antichristian popish faction the mischief they do the Judgements of God hanging over them and how odious their false doctâ—ines and false worship is to God and his people The Apostle St. Paul as he laboured and wrote more than the rest so he is very plentiful in declaring his detestation of false doctrines and false teachers In his Epistle to the Romans â—he earnestly exhorteth the Saints I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple He speaketh of those that cause divisions contrary to â—ound doctrine not of those that oppose false doctrine and corrupt customes whereupon sometimes divisions may follow through obâ—tinacy of those that resist the truth How largely doth he declare against that fundamental errour of them that denyed the resurrection He calleth them corrupt teachers false apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ Ministers of Satan and imitating their Master transforming themselves into the Ministers of righteousness as he being the Prince of darkness transformeth himself into an Angel of light How sharp and severe is he this way in the Epistle to the Galatians Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gosâ—el unto you than that which ye have received let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed Yea he spared not that great Apostle Peter but withstood him to the face and gave him a publick reproofe because he did but warpe a little and by withdrawing from the believing Gentils for fear of offending the Iews gave occasion to men to question the doctrine of free justificâ—tâ—on through the righteousness of Christ alone and to think that circumcision and the ceremonies of the Law were necessâ—ry to justification Again saith he O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that yâ— should not obey the truth shewing that tâ— be led by â—alse teachers is to be befooled and bewitched Corrupts teachers bewitch and make fools of their followers Again saith he I would they were even cut off that troublâ— you He calleth false teachers dogs evil workers the Concision and sheweth that such are apt to beguile others with enticing words and to spoil them through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ intruding into those things which they have not seen vainly puffed up by their fleshly minds How notably doth he set forth Antichrist and his followers speaking of a grand apostacy and general falâ—ing away and calleth the head of it the man of sin the Son of perâ—ition who opposeth and exalteth himself c. He calleth the mystery of Antichrist the mystery of Iniquity He calleth him that wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the lawless one a term exactly agreeing to the Pope who trampleth upon the laws of Christ at his pleasure and exalteth his own Laws He sheweth that his coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish c. He sheweth that to fall into Heresie is to make shipwrack of faith
l. 16. r. Consequents p. 44. l. penult r. exhort p. 53. l. 12. r. tolerable for Chap. IV r. V. p. 125. in the margin for Officers r. Offerer p. 130. l. 33. dele him p. 153. l. 22. r. persons p. 160. l. 1. for An r. any p. 212. l. 2. for no r not p. 239. l. 21. r. woman p. 240. l. 17. for state r. stead p. 243. l. 6. r. enduring p. 263. l. 25. r. For. Rom. 3. 31. Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law CHAP. I. THe holy Apostle in this divine Epistle according to the wisdom given unto him as his fellow Apostle saith of him having laid down that great fundamental truth of the Gospel that righteousness and everlasting life is to be obtained by faith that is by the perfect Righteousness of Christ imputed to Believers by God the Father and applied by Faith proveth it by shewing that none are justified any other way and this he cleareth by making it evident that all sorts of men Israelites and Gentiles are sinful and guilty before the Lord and therefore none of them justified by any works of their own in the fight of God He proveth the Gentiles to have sinned against the law and light of Nature and Reason the Israelites to have sinned against that Law not only so but against the written Law and that both Ceremonial and Moral against thâ— Ceremonial Law in that they rested in the outward observation of it not looking to the substance and end of it and so their Circumcision was made uncircumcision The moral Law condemned them because their corrupt natures were enmity against it contrary unto it they sinned against it in omissions commissions their best performances fell far short of the full perfection of it and therefore they all stood condemned before the Lord whose exact justice alloweth of no righteousness but that which is every way perfect These things being cleared from the 17th verse of the first Chapter to the 20th verse of this third Chapter Then he declareth another way of justification revealed in the Gospel even by the full satisfaction and perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed by God the righteous Judge of all the world to Believers and applied by faith And having proved this in the latter part of this and in the two next Chapters he inâ—â—rtâ—th thâ—se words in the end of the third Chapter Do we then c. although he had not finished his discourse of free justification by faith through the righteousness of Christ yet he wouâ—d put in a caveat against the licentious â—buse of this excelâ—ent Doctrine though it seemeth a little out of order not tying himself so precisely to method as to neglâ—ct the vindicating the honour of Christ and the preventing or removing of such a mistake upon which poor souls are apt to make Shipwrack So that in these words we may note first a Question or Objection Do we make void the Law through faith secondly an Answer 1. By way of detestation or abhorrence God forbid or let it not be far be it from us 2. By way of denial implied in a contrary Assertion and that with advantage We are so far from making void the Law through faith that by this doctrine we establish the Law Do we make void the Law Do we make the Law a vain empty useless thing of no force Do we take away all authority and binding power from the Law through faith through the Doctrine of the Gospel teaching men another way of obtaining justification and righteousness by the perfect righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith without any respect unto or consideration of the works of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it not be far be it from us Yea we establish the Law we give more honour to the Law we acknowledge more fully and truly the perfection purity authority of the Law than they do which teach and seek righteousness by the works of the Law From this objection may be noted this point That Ignorance and malice is apt to mistake slander or pervert the most precious Truths of the Gospel or thus The corrupt Nature of man is apt to corrupt the most precious Truths of the Gospel So in this present Chapter For the Apostle having before proved the people of Israel had as much need of the Righteousness of Christ to save them from condemnation and to justifie them and present them as righteous before God as the Heathen their sins and guilt being as great as that of the Heathens or rather greater It seems hereupon some were ready to argue What advantage then hath the Iew and what profit is there of Circumcision As if they had said this doctrine taketh away all difference betwixt Iew and Gentile it giveth unto Israel the peculiar people of God no more priviledge or dignity in things pertaining to God than to the worst of Heathen Idolaters it was to no purpose that God distinguished them from other Nations by the ordinance of Circumcision Thus is corrupt Nature apt to corrupt the precious Truths of the Gospel But the Apostle shews that the Iews had much advantage over the Gentiles chiefly because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God They had the word of God the writings of Moses and the Prophets given by the inspiration of the holy Ghost directing them to the Messias to whom they were to seek for Righteousness and in whom they were to believe that they might be justified They had Sacrifices prescribed them by the wisdom of God as special helps to strengthen their faith in the perfect Sacrifice of Christ the Redeemer and therefore they had much advantage above the Heathens if they improved it for their eternal good and yet notwithstanding all this it was as impossible for them to be justified by their own works and righteousness as for the Heathens and they had as much need of Christ and his righteousness for justification as aâ—ese In this the Iews had the advantage above the Heathens that they had far better means to lead them unto Christ than the Heathens Herein they were both alike that neither the one nor the other could be justified and saved by their own works but only by Christ and his righteousness Again in this regard the condition of the obstinate and unbelieving Iews was worse than that of the profane Gentiles that they sinned against greater light and means not improving their priviledges and advantages but receiving the grace of God in vain Then followeth another objection If mans unrighteousness commendeth the Righteousness of God if Gods Righteousness in justifying sinners be the more gloriously manifested by reason of mens wickedness how then can it stand with the righteousness of God to punish men for sin and again if the glory of God his rich Grace do appear and shine forth so much the more admirably by the heinousness of peoples sins why should
is a full fountain sufficient to send forth a multitude of these poysoned streams It is a fruitful wombe to conceive and bring forth abundantly ignorance mistaking the sense of Scripture drawing false conclusions from the word filling the mind with mists and clouds of prejudice against the Truth Love of sin Pride Corrupt and inordinate self-love excessive love of the world and outward things These and the like distempers of corrupt Nature What truths may they not corrupt or deny What errours and false opinions may they not breed and cherish Now when Satan the Father of Lyes either more immediately by himself or mediately by his instruments worketh upon corrupt nature then followes strong delusion or efficacy of error whereby people are brought to believe lyes tending to damnation Yea such is the power of Satan joyning with corrupt nature in the producing of false doctrines that one error begetteth many and one Seducer deceiveth many one blind guide draweth a multitude into the ditch with himself yea one Heresie may soon over-run a whole Country and spread suddenly from one Nation to another How soon did the Heresies of Arius overcome the world and how were the Kings and Kingdoms of the earth made drunk with the cup of the Whore of Babylon lying drenched and drowned in Popish errours Superstitions and Idolatries and like horns fastned to the head of the beast imploying their power to maintain the tyranny of Antichrist and to suppress and persecute the truth and them that were sincere and zealous in professing and promoting it And Thirdly upon the same ground we may see the cause of such wicked practices as are used to advance and establish errours Satan and mans corrupt nature joyn together in the breeding of them False doctrines have an hellish original and so are carried on by hellish means What juglings were used by the Arians to delude the Emperor Constantine to bring the Champions of the Truth especially Athanasius into disgrace and suspicion with him how importunate were they to obtain a toleration and to be received into Communion with the Church covering their wolvish natures under sheeps cloathing while they were weak and kept under but casting off the sheeps skin when once they grew numerous and strong and had Emperours for their turn and appearing in their own colours devouring the sheep of Christ making havock of the Church and exercising outragious persecution against them Much is related also of the fury and cruelty of the Circumcellions As for the Papists what Country in Europe almost hath not had experience more or less of their bloody butcheries how many thousands of Saints and Martyrs have they murdered with fire and sword and put to cruel torments in Italy Germany Spain France Netherlands England and Scotland Among the rest the barbarous Massacres acted upon the Protestants at Paris in France under pretence of friendship and a royal wedding and the like cruelty executed in other Cities of that Kingdome and the hellish Powder plot here in England are sufficient evidences by what spirit they are led and this latter is on the one side I conceive matter of perpetual infamy and reproach to the Whore of Babylon and on the other side an everlasting monument of the goodness of God and his watchful eye over his Church in discovering this work of darkness laughing to scorn the counsels of his Enemies and commanding deliverance for his people in this Land by which means the Gospel and ordinances of God are continued among us to this day But by these and the like examples it may appear that Satan and the corrupt nature of man closing together do both bring forth dangerous errours and contrive wicked means to maintain them Hence it is that they have dealt perfidiously with men to work their own ends having first dealt falsly with God in denying his Truth and as much as lyeth in them falsifying his word putting false constructions upon it and drawing false conclusions from it And therefore none ought to stumble at the multitude of errors and false opinions so as to question the Truth and certainty of Religion but rather so much the more to use means to be established in the Truth by searching the Scriptures with diligence earnestly praying to the Lord to open their understandings to lead them into all Truth and confirm them in it to frame their hearts to receive the love of the Truth and to keep them from being led away with the error of the wicked But some may question If Satan and corrupt nature are the cause of errours what is the reason then 1. That some of the godly are drawn into Error 2. What is the cause that many carnal persons and many notoriously wicked are free from Errours yea at such times and in such places where errours and sects abound For answer to the former I conceive First that many who have been of note for godliness were never sound they were but chaffe in the Lords floore aud so easily blown away with every wind of false Doctrine Saith the Apostle Iohn Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time These lesser Antâ—â—â—ists were forerunners of the great Antiâ—hrist but whence came these petty Antichrists even out of the bosome of the primitive apostolical Church for saith this Apostle They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us If these that were in communion with the Church of Christ in those purest times were unsound at the best and afterwards discovered their unsoundness by departing from the faith and Church of Christ and becoming open enemies to the Truth have we not cause to think that many who in these days imbrace false opinions were never upright when they seemed most zealous for the Truth and wayes of God And therefore what need have all to search their hearts and while they seem to stand take heed least they fall by lâ—bouring to ground themselves upon the Lord Jesus Christ by faith unfeigned Secondly I doubt not but sincere Christians may fall into some lesser errors because they do but know in part There are degrees of ignorance in them and the remainders of corrupt nature which may darken their minds and expose them to the danger of erring partly through the weakness of their own judgements partly through the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive partly through the high esteem which they have of some men So it is thought that multitudes were carried away with Luthers Name and the eminency of his gifts and the great service done by him to the Church of Christ. Lastly I conceive that the Lord may in his wisdom suffer some
eminent Saints of his to err in some things that men may learn not to think of men above that which is meet but to give that great prerogative of infallibility to the God of truth alone who hath revealed his Truth in the holy Scriptures and therefore Christians should try all spirits and doctrines by this Rule bring them all to the Law and to the Testimony concluding that if they speak not according to this Rule it is because there is no light in them no light in their doctrine so far as it will not endure the trial of Scripture light yea the Apostle speaks very high in this case Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached let him be accursed If it were possible for a blessed Angel to preach false doctrine we must reject and cleave to the Scripture against all contradiction For answer to the Second Question In as much as Satan and the corrupt nature of man are the cause of Errours and Heresies What is the reason that many carnal persons both such as are of civil conversation and fair moral principles and also such as are loose and licentious yea openly profane are free from errours in such places and ages where when false doctrines abound whereas they are such in whom the corruption of nature raigneth and such as are held captive by Satan according to his will For answer to this I conceive First that some such persons being naturally quick of apprehension and judicious may be so clearly convinced of some truths that though many deny them and oppose them yet they will stand to them especially when there is liberty for all sides to hold and profess what they list and a man may stick to the Truth without loss and danger in such cases natural Conscience is a strong tye upon mens spirits to cause them not willfully to deny a known Truth Secondly Some may affect the reputation of constancy being loth to be noted for light vain and fickle persons and therefore in as much as it was their lot to be trained up from their childhood in the truth they will cleave to it howsoever others cast it off so long as they see they may do it with safety They account it a childish thing to hearken to every novelty and vain fancy as indeed it is and therefore not becoming their gravity It may be they would have been as obstinate in error had they happened to have been taught it in their youth as now they seem to be constant in the Truth Is not this apparent in divers at this day who stand firm in doctrinal truths and remain perversely stiffe in old Ceremonyes and superstitious observances which have no footing in the holy Scriptures because they have been trained up in both On the one side they were trained up under sound doctrine concerning the main points of faith On the other side they received some superstitious observances by tradition and therefore they will part with neither Thirdly I suppose Satan having possession of carnal persons another way doth not much tempâ— some of them to renounce the Truth and entertain errours because they are not such as are likely to do him any special service in promoting false doctrines Fourthly many carnal persons may be engaged to stand for the Truth against errors because some whom they respect or upon whom they depend or of whom they look for some advantage go that way Fifthly many carnal persons seem to be indifferent in matter of Religion They are serious and hearty about things that bring in profit in following their business or in pursuing their pleasures in satisfying their lusts they think it no great matter what men hold or profess in matter of doctrine When the Iews accused the Apostle Paul for teaching false doctrine saith Gallio the Roman deputy If it be a question of words and names and of your law look ye to it for I will be no judge of such matters See how slightly he speaks of matters of Religion as if they were but empty words whereas the Question between Paul and the Iews was one of the weigtiest that ever was in controversie scil Whether the Lord Jesus were the Christ And so Festus another Roman Governour relating Pauls Case to King Agrippa accused by the Iews said When the Accusers stood up they brought none accusation of such things as I supsed but had certain questions against him of their own superstition and of one Iesus which was dead whom Paul affirmed to be alive It seemeth he thought these things to be frivolous queries not worthy of the cognizance of so great a Magistrate as himself whereas the Râ—surrection of Christ from the dead which was in question between Paul and his adversaries was such a fundamental point as that mans salvation depended upon it Thus it seemeth many are kept from embracing errours because they hold it a matter of no great weight what men profess in point of Religion But let all that mind their salvation receive the love of the Truth and walk in it hating and shunning every false opinion and every false way out of sincere love to the Lord Jesus Christ and true zeal for his Glory So much of the Question or Objection CHAP. II. THe Answer is first by way of abhorrence or detestation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it not be or far be it from â—s which our translaturs render God Forbid I suppose because this English phrase is used in cases of like nature howsoever the Apostle by these words signified that he abhorred and detested such a consequence as to make void the Law by the doctrine of free justification through the righteousness of Christ applied by Faith Hence may be noted this point That gracious hearts do exceedingly abhor those opinions which corrupt or oppose the truth of God Heresies and false doctrines are odious to the godly 1. This may appear in many examples and first in the old Testament Moses did exceedingly abhorre the wicked counsel of Balaam whereby he taught the Midianites to deceivâ— the people of Israel so as to draw many of them from the worship of God to Idolatry and therefore saith he to the people arm some of your selves to the war and let them go against the Midianites and avenge the Lord of Midian which they did and slew the Males and five Kings of Midian and Balaam himself who gave this wicked counsel But Moses was not satisfied with this execution but was wroth with the officers of the Host and said unto them have ye saved all the women alive Behold these caused the Children of Israel through the counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord and then he commanded them to kill all except the women children which were Virgins And it seemeth that
Lord Christ gave her Jesus saith unto her Woman beleeve me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Hierusalem worship the Father Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Iews But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and Truth for the Father seeketh such to wrship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in Truth The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things Iesus saith unto her I that speak unto thee am he I conceive in this Answer the Lord Christ sheweth 1. That both the Iews and Samaritans were in an errour for it seemeth both of them thought that the Lord had confined his most solemn worship to one certain place throughout all ages as one party said at Mount Gerizim the other at Hierusalem and that the Ceremonies and Sacrifices there used should be alwaies continued Bus the Lord Christ told the woman that God had not limited himself to either of these places and that the time was now at hand when it should be as free to worship God in any other place as in either of these 2. He passeth sentence for the Iews against the Samaritans in this Controversie So far as concerned the present state of things saith he ye scil ye Samaritans worship ye know not what We scil we Iews know what we worship for salvation is of the Iews Ye Samaritans do ye know not what in your worshipping ye know not God aright ye have no warrant from his word either for your Temple once standing on this Mount or for limiting the worship of God to this place or for the way of worship Ye blindly follow the groundless Traditions of your Fathers But we know what we worship we follow the directions of God himself delivered by Moses and the Prophets both for the place and manner of Gods worship for salvation is of the Iews They are the Church of God to whom God hath committed his oracles teaching the way of Salvation and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ the Saviour of the world was to come 3. He confirmeth and amplifieth the first part of his Answer shewing that the Lord in a short time would set up a more spiritual way of worship in his Church more sutable to his spiritual Nature to which these carnal ordinances and Ceremonial ordinances should give place Secondly I Answer affirmatively that the doctrine of the Gospel and in particular this Gospel-doctrine of free justification through the righteousness of Christ doth establish the Ceremonial Law For 1. Then is a thing established when it attaineth its proper end Now by the Gospel the Law of Ceremonies attained its proper end For 1. The end of it was to be a School-master to bring men to Christ. Circumcision sealed the righteousness of faith which Circumcision it self could not give but was to be found in Christ it taught men to look after the Circumcision of the heart which was to be had in Christ alone by union with him by faith and partaking of his spirit The Passeover pointed out unto them Christ the Lamb of God without spot which taketh away the sins of the world The Sacrifices directed them to Christ the perfect Sacrifice The blood of the Sacrifices led them to the sprinkling of the blood of Christ which alone was sufficient to take away sin Now these and other Ceremonies attained their end in Christ and in the justification of sinners through the blood death satisfaction righteousness of Christ apprehended and applied by faith according to the doctrine of the Gospel and so this Law of Ceremonies was established and the validity of it declared But on the other side they that pretend so much zeal for Circumcision and other Ceremonies of the Law making it a part of the matter of their justification and resting in the bare outward observance as pleasing to the Lord in it self did cross the main end of the Ceremonial Law and propose such false ends as were impossible to be attained Secondly The doctrine of the Gospel making Christ the end of the Law for righteousness in whom wisdom righteousness sanctification redemption and salvation alone is to be had sheweth that the Ceremonial Ordinances were no empty shadowes and vain appearances like those of the Heathen but significant signs and Types full of deep Mysteries of exceeding great weight and importance pointing at the person of the Lord Jesus his office his actings his sufferings and the fruits and benefits of these whereas they that so stiffely opposed the strict observation of the Ceremonies of the Law against the doctrine of Christ delivered in the Gospel what did they make of them but begerly elements empty appearances without fruit use or profit So that the Preachers of the Gospel did honour the Ceremonial Law though they took away the observation of them by declaring the substance whereof they were shadowes and the observers of the Ceremonies in the times of the Gospel did greatly disparage them Thirdly The doctrine of the Gospel doth still establish the Ceremonial Law as an illustration of the mystery of Christ in the Gospel and sheweth that great use may still be made of them that way for the Ceremonies were as it were visible Prophesies of Christ and the things of Christ. And as Prophesies are dark before they are fulfilled but clear after they are accomplished and do much illustrate the events so these Ceremonies were obscure resemblances of Christ but now since what they signified is fulfilled the comparing the Types with the Antitypes giveth much light The Use which I intend to make of this point is to compare some of the principal Ceremonies of the old Testament with the Mysteries of the Gospel that so we may more clearly see how they are established by Christ and that we may improve them for our edification And first to begin with the Sacraments of the Ceremonial Law and there in 1. Circumcision The institution of this Sacrament is laid down Genesis the sevententh saith the Lord to Abraham This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man child among you shall be Circumcised and ye shall Circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you And elsewhere Moses saith to the people of Israel Circumcise the foreskin of your heart and be no more stiffe-necked This sheweth that the Circumcision of the flesh directed them to the inward Circumcision of the heart the mortification of sinful lusts inordinate affections and all sorts of corruptions To which agreeth that of the Apostle Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not
so the people of God had need every day morning and evening to flee to Christ and to apply his sacrifice and satisfaction to themselves and through him to seek pardon of God for their dayly sins and infirmities every day sprinkling the blood of Christ the Lamb of God upon their souls 2. This may stir up Christians dayly to offer up a morning evening sacrifice to the Lord in confession of sins prayers praises thanksgivings We read of special blessings which the Lord vouchsafed at those times The King of Iudah Israel and Edom with their Army were in danger to perish for want of water and in this great distress they had recourse to the Prophet Elisha now it is said ver 20 and it came to pass in the morning when the meat-offering was offered that behold there came water by the way of Edom and the country was filled with water So Danâ—ul having prayed with much importunity for the Church which was then in captivity saith the man Gabriel to wit the Angel Gabriel in the likeness of a man being caused to fly swiftly touched him about the time of the evening oblation and so as it followeth there opened the counsels of God unto him according to his request I conceive it is very probable that the people of Israel in their several houses did use to pour out their prayers to God about the time of the morning and evening sacrifices and that Daniel and others of the godly when they were in captivity did observe those times though then the Temple was destroyed and the daily sacrifice interrupted A second sort of Sacrifices were sin offerings this kind of offering is called in the Hebrew expresly Sin because in a typical or figurative way the guilt or sin of him for whom the sacrifice was offered was laid upon the creature sacrificed So the Apostle sheweth that God hath made him scil Christ to be â—in for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him The sin-offering called sin figured the imputation of mens sin to Christ who had no sin of his own bnt voluntarily took upon him the guilt of mens sins as a surety taketh upon him anothers debt 1. See here how exceedingly the Son of God abased himself for sinners as to stand under the guilt of numberless sins If we consider the infinite holiness glory and Majesty of Christ is it not evident that this degree of humiliation and abasement passeth all understanding Admire therefore his infinite love and unconceivable goodness which moved him hereunto Learn highly to exalt and honour him 2. See here the baseness of sin which thâ— abased the Son of God when he took the guilâ— of it upon him out of compassion to sinnerâ— No outward estate condition calling imployment doth so abase any as the least sin doth in the Lord his account and yet hoâ— vain is the corrupt heart of man in being ashamed of many other things more thâ— of sin yea how many are there that arâ— ashamed of holiâ—ess and ready to glory iâ— sin 3. If Christ did thus abase himself for thâ— sins of others as to be made a sin-offering or to be made sin by imputation How shoulâ— we take shame to our selves and be exceedingly humbled and abased for our own sins As David I have sinned greatly in that I haâ— done I have done very foolishly And 〈◊〉 I abhor my self and repent in dust 〈◊〉 ashes 2. The blood of the sin-offering was to sprinkled seven times before the Lord and seâ— is noted for a number of perfection The Souâ— and Consciences of sinners are so deeply slaâ—ned and defiled with sin that they neeâ— much purging How often should we laboâ— by â—aith to sprinkle the blood of Christ upon our souls and to apply it to our selves This blood of the sin-offering was to bâ— sprinkled seven times before the vail of 〈◊〉 holy place so it is the blood of Christ 〈◊〉 maketh way for believers to the mercy-seat which their sins had shut up against theâ— Having therefore Brethren boldness to enteâ— into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh and having an high-priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true â—eart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water with hearts and souls sprinkled with the blood of Christ by faith and so purged from the guilt of sin and bodies washed with pure water being baptized outwardly and inwardly with water and the sanctifying graces of the holy spirit 3. Some of the blood was to be put upon the horns of the sweet incense Altar scil the Golden Altar so Christians are to ground their faith and confidence in offering up the Incense of prayer upon the blood and Mediation of Christ having no hope of acceptance but only through him and his satisfaction and intercession The Golden Altar being a type of Christ as he intercedeth for his people The blood of the sin-offering put upon this Altar may intimate unto us that Christ intercedeth with his Father and pleadeth for his people by presenting to him his blood the merit of his death and fulness of his satisfaction which he underwent not for himself who had no need but for them 4. The fat of the Inwards Kidneys c. were to be burned upon the Altar The fat may signifie carnal security senselessness and sottishness in heavenly and spiritual things Make the heart of this people sat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes and the Kidneys and fat upon them may signifie fleshly lusts and therefore as these things were consumed by fire upon the Altar so let Christians earnestly pray and labour for more and more of the spirit of Christ to consume and burn up their earthly and carnal affections and sinful lusts And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Ierusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Hierusalem when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughters of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Hierusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Iudgement and by the spirit of burning 5. The skin of the Bullock for the sin-offering and all his flesh with his head and with his leggs and his inwards and his dung even the whole Bullock was to be carried without the Camp where the Ashes were poured and there to be burnt and as this was to be done without the Camp while they were in the Wilderness as they were when these things were written so it seemeth after they were settled in Canaan it was done without the City The Apostle giveth us
for the Success of the Gospel in all places particularly in the place where they live that those that are unclean may become an acceptable offering unto the Lord being sanctified by the holy Ghost Is it not much to be lamented that where there are many people living under the Gospel the Lord should have so few offerings that so few shloud give clear evidence that they are as fine flower sifted from the bran of their natural corruption and so fit to be presented as meat-offerings to the Lord and how restless should each particular soul be until 't is thus sifted and sanctified by the holy spirit that it may be a holy offering unto the Lord. 2. Oyl was to be poured upon the fine flower This may signifie the annointing of Christ concerning whom it is said God even thy God hath annointed thee with the Oyle of gladness above thy fellows Those pretious graces of the spirit poured forth abundantly upon Christ were resembled by oyle and therefore it is said of him He is full of grace and Truth and of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace He hath an overflowing fulness of this heavenly oyl of these spiritual graces enough for all that are united to him for God giveth not the fpirit by measure unto him Let all be stirred up to come to Christ and turn unto him that they may receive of his fulness grace for grace They that are wholly empty of saving grace may receive from him they that have some beginnings may receive increase from him Is it not want of exercising faith upon Christ and keeping close to him that maketh Christians so defective in grace It is said the pretious ointment upon the head of Aaron the High-priest went down to the skirts of his garment The unconceivable fullness of grace poured upon Christ the eternal High-priest is ready to distill upon his members if they be not wanting to themselves 3. There was also frankincense put upon this meat-offering so the Lord Christ gave himself for his people an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling favour and God the Father proclaimed from heaven concerning him This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased The sweet odour and savour of Christs sacrifice is so pleasing unto the Father that he is appealed toward all that are truly united to Christ and reconciled to him by Christ and this also maketh the services of such well-pleasing to the Lord the sweet savour of Christ his Sacrifice perfumeth their offerings 4. An handful of this meat-offering was to be burnt upon the Altar as a memorial and the rest belonged to the Priests the Sons of Aaron 1. The memorial may signifie that the Lord is moved to remember his Covenant of grace by the merit of Christ his sacrifice Not that the Lord is subject to forgetfulness or needeth to be put in remembrance but it is spoken after the manner of men and to help the weak faith of his people and therefore they may assure themselves that the Lord will ever be mindful of his Covenant and shew himself faithful in his promises Again in a Secondary way it may be a ground of much comfort to the people of God in respect of their duties and services which they offer up to God by Christ in sincerity The Lord will have them in remembrance the Lord hear thee in the day of trouble remember all thine offerings So the Angel told Cornelius Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a memorial before the Lord. 5. The remnant of the meat offering was to be Aarons and his Sons who were Priests of the Lord. The Apostle inspired and directed by the holy Spirit argueth thus from hence Do ye not know that those which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait on the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel They that did service at the Altar under the old Testament did partake with the Altar as here in the meat offerings the Altar had part and they that waited on the Altar had part So the Apostle shews that it is the Lords own ordinance that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel They therefore that oppose the maâ—ntenance of the preachers of the Gospel do resist the ordinance of God and presumptuously oppose his supream authority 6 The meat offering was to be seasoned with salt Yea it seemeth this was to be used not only in this case but also generally in all Sacrifices for so it is said Every oblation of this meat offering shalt thou season with salt neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the Covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering With all thy offerings thou shalt offer salt 1. Salt consumeth crude and raw humours and preserveth from putrefaction and rottenness so Christ by his spirit seasoneth the souls of true believers and worketh out the natural corrupt distempers of their hearts and where the spirit of Christ is wanting men are left to the bent of their own spirits How wofully are they filled with corruption and rottenness and therefore it is said Have salt in your selves get the graces of the spirit to season your hearts 2. Salt maketh things savory and of good relish How unsavory and loathsome is a carnal unregenerate soul in Gods account that savoureth not the things of Christ his spirit for they that are after the flesh do mind or savour the things of the flesh They are loathsome and unsavory unto the Lord they have not salt in themselves But they that are after the spirit do mind or savour the things of the spirit they have salt in themselves though not of themselves they have it of Christ yet they have it in themselves 3. Salt when it meeteth with sores causeth smart The grace of the spirit and the word of grace in which the spirit worketh seemeth smarting to corrupt hearts yea to gracious hearts so far as they have corruptions remaining in them but they that will present themselves living holy acceptable sacrifices to God through Christ must be willing to be salted with the grace of Christ his spirit and with the word of grace though the flesh smart For every one shall be salted with fire and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt Every one that will be acceptable to God must be salted with fire the power of Christs spirit as a fire from heaven to consume the dross of their lusts and to refine their souls And every sacrifice c. Every one that will be a pleasing sacrifice to God must be salted with this salt of the sanctuary He must have the graces of Christ to mortifie his corruptions and to cause him to savour the things that be
Brother he is not ashamed to call them Brethren 3. Let all be stirred up to turn to the Lord and lay hold of Christ that they may be united to him as he is united to their Nature though not by the same kind of union but as he is personally joyned to the nature of man so they may be spiritually united to him receiving his spirit embracing him by faith that through union with him they may be united to God for the Father is in the Son In as much as Christ hath made so near an approach to us as to become one person with our Nature let us take heed lest we become guilty of despising his love in suffering sin or the world to keep us at a distance from him to withhold us from closing with him for he partaking of our Nature hath made way for us to partake of his divine Nature by participation of his spirit and graces for by the exceeding great and pretious promises of the Gospel men may be partakers of the divine Nature that is by Christ partaking of the humane Nature who is the substance of the Promises and in whom they are all Yea and Amen 4. How should Christians abhor to defile themselves by sin to pollute that Nature of man in their own persons which Christ in his person hath exalted to the right hand of God far above Angels Principalities and Powers When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him all the holy Angels worship man in the person of Christ. Take heed then of abaseing the Nature of man in your own persons to the service of sin and abase your selves exceedingly before the Lord for abaseing your Nature in this kind Again in a secondary consideration I take the Tabernacle and Temple for a representation of the Church of Christ the multitude of Believers Iohn saw the new Hierusalem and heard a voice saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them So the Church of God is called the house of God for saith the Apostle Ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them 1. How should all that live within the Church professing themselves Christians take heed of defileing the Lords Tabernacle and polluting his Temple by sin How highly is God dishonoured when his Temple is polluted when any live in a course of sin or commit gross acts of sin where his Gospel is preached or professed The Priest was commanded to bring the blood of the Goat of the sin-offering within the Vail and there to sprinkle it then it followeth he shall make an attonement for the holy place because of the uncleanness of the Children of Israel and because of their transgressions in all their sins and so shall he do for the Tabernacle of the congregation that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness See the cursed â— nature of sin it defileth the Tabernacle and Temple of the Lord it polluteth his Sanctuary his Church when it is committed within his Church that is among those that profess themselves Christians attend upon his Ordinances believe his Gospel Ye that harden your hearts in any evil ways and make light of continuing in sin though ye live in the visible Church humble and judge your selves before the Lord depart from iniquity otherwise assure your selves your sin will find you out Secondly It is a great height of wickedness when any rejoyce in scandalous sins committed within the Church and make a sport of them Do not these shew themselves prophane graceless wretches If thou hadst any sincere love and respect to his glory thou wouldst not take pleasure in such things as tend highly to his dishonour but rather bewail and lament them I conceive the Apostle in the 2. of Corinth mentioneth his former Epistle written to the same Church and there he saith Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears for in that Epistle he had reproved divers disorders and scandalous sins committed in that Primitive Church which was of his planting and it was such a matter of grief unto him that he wrote about these things out of much affliction and anguish of heart with many tears With what a spirit are they led who make a sport of such things Scandalous sins iâ— the Church are to be reproved and lamented as things that defile the Sanctuary of Christ and dishonour him but who can find in their hearts to rejoyce in them but they that are Enemies to Christ Again The Tabernacle and Temple represented particular Christians each true believer being a spiritual Temple to the Lord. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy Flee fornication Every sin that a man doth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body What! know ye not that the body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you Both body and soul is to be consecrated and dedicated to God as his Temple for him to dwell in by his spirit The body is as it were the outward Court The inferiour faculties of the soul may be compared to the inner Court within the first Vail The superiour faculties the Understanding Judgement Conscience Will may be likened to the inmost Court within the second Vail the principal and most holy place of the Temple Now as all the Courts of the Temple and Tabernacle were holy being consecrated and dedicated to the most holy God and sanctified to his holy services and ordinances and were to be kept holy free from profanations and defilements so the souls and bodies of Christians are to be consecrated and sanctified as holy Temples to the Lord and to be kept from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and to be cleansed dayly and when they are defiled by sin the Lord is dishonoured and his wrath is provoked he accounteth it a defiling of his Temple whereas the Apostle sâ—emeth to say that every sin except fornication is without the body c. I conceive it is to be understood comparatively that Fornication Adultery Whoredom and sins of that kind do in more special manner defile the body than other sins other sins defile the body also scil outward acts of sin wherein the body or any of the members of the body act sinfully And when the body is defiled with sin the heart and soul is first defiled for sin beginneth there For out of the heart proceed evil 〈…〉 murders adulteries fornications thefts 〈◊〉 witness blasphemies these are the things which defile a man these and all other sins are the things which first defile the heart and soul where they are conceived and bred and then so many of
them as are brought forth into outward act defile the body also some of them more some less according to their natures and degrees Now there is a severe threatning formerly mentioned If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy As ye desire the salvation of your souls and bodies to prevent the destruction of both take heed of defiling these Temples of God make a through search and cast out all the filth which ye find there by sincere repentance and reformation watch against all future defilements and as atonement was made for the Tabernacle by the blood of the sin-offering so seek to clear your selves from the guilt of your sins by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus applied by faith Seventhly Next to the Tabernacle or Temple ye may take notice of the Altar of burnt-offering and as the sacrifices offered up on this Altar and High-priest who was the principal officer were Types of Chirst so it seemeth was the Altar We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat that serve the Tabernacle 1. It was commanded to be made of Shittim Wood which is thought to have been a choice kind of wood that would not rot and so fit to resemble the precious body of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom it is said He whom God raised again saw no corruption The Lord Christ though he freely laid down his life for his people and suffered death yet He rose again in so short a time as to prevent all putrefaction and rottenness He saw no corruption and as he preserved his own natural body from corruption so he shall deliver his mystical body his Church and the members of it out of corruption and raise them incorruptible But 2. The Altar was to be over-laid with Brass for though the wood might be free from rotting and corrupting yet I conceive it could not endure the force of that fire which was to burn upon it and therefore it was to have a brazen covering This seemeth to note unto us the Godhead of Christ united to his manhood or that strength which the Godhead thus united gave to the manhood whereby it was so mightily forâ—ified that the wrath of God due to the Sons of men did not consume it as the wood of the Altaâ— was not consumed by the fire wherewith the Sacrifices were burnt 3. This Altar was placed by the door of the Tabernacle of the Tent of the congregation it seemeth this was set in the open Court that all the people might see it and behold the Sacrifices offered upon it that their hearts might be raised in expectation of that great and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ which alone satisfieth for sins so now Christ in the preaching of the Gospel is set forth as it were crucified before the eyes of believers The Altar upon which the sacrifices were offered was set by the door of the Tabernacle at the entrance into it whosoever will have a place in the Courts of the Lord and abide in his house for ever must get entrance by Christ and his sacrifice sin shutteth the door against all only Christ makes way for those that truly come to him and by him to God Saith the Lord Christ I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved And again I am the way c. No man cometh unto the Father but by me whosoever will come to God enjoy his favour enter into Covenant and have communion with him must come to him by Christ. 4. There was an Altar to burn Incense upon of the same wood with the former but overlaid with pure Gold Christ is the Golden Altar upon whom the prayers and other services of his people are offered up as sweet Incense unto God by whose merit and intercession they find acceptance 2. No strange Incense was to be offered thereon so no strange worship must be offered to God in the Name of Christ of mans deviseing only such services are to be presented to him as the Lord himself hath appointed in his word In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrine the traditions of men The Lord alloweth not any strange Incense to be offered up to him Eighthly There was the Ark overlaid with pure Gold into which was put the Testimony by which I understand the Tables of stone wherein the Law was written by the finger of God This Ark was a special token of God his presence with his people and upon the Ark was placed a mercy-seat of pure Gold and the mercy seat was put above upon the Ark. As the mercy seat was set above upon the Ark wherein the Law was so the Lord in dealing with repenting and believing sinners in Christ exalteth and magnifieth his mercy and covereth their sins whereby they have transgressed his holy Law He sitteth upon a mercy-seat to receive poor sinners that fly from the curse of the Law for refuge to the riches of his grace in Christ. Let all poor souls without strive and hasten to escape from the severity of Gods dreadful justice to his mercy-seat through Christ whose blood hath opened a way unto it They that are sincerely willing to renounce their dearest sins and to yeild subjection unto Christ may have free access to the mercy-seat and receive an answer of peace in Christ. This Ark wherein the Tables of the Law were written and the mercy-seat was of the same measure for breadth and length so they that will have their hearts assured of the saving mercy of God in Christ must have the Law of God written by the finger of God in their hearts they must be regenerate and renewed by the spirit of Christ and conformed to his holy Law Poor souls pursued with the guilt of their Consciences and curse of the Law must flee to the mercy-seat of God in Christ though as yet they do not find any such work in themselves but they cannot have their hearts established in the assurance of this priviledge that their sins are forgiven until they find this gracious work wrought in them and therefore the Lord in dâ—câ—aring his Covenant joyneth these two together This is the Covenant c. I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more The Lord promiseth to the same prâ—sons to pardon their sins and to write his Laws in their hearts As for those that go on securely in sin and yet rely upon the mercy of God in Christ for pardon of sin they deceive themselves The Ark wherein the Law was put and the mercy-seat were just of the same size and repentance which is a change of heart and life is always joyned with forgiveness of sins There were two Cherubims of beaten Gold at the two ends of the mercy-seat with their faces one
the way of the Lord make his paths strait Yea the Lord Christ himself in his own person sounded this Silver Trumpet From that time Iesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand He who gave himself for a sacrifice and poured forth his blood to make atonement and reconciliation between God and sinners did preach repentance to them to prepare them for atonement and reconciliation It is very lamentable to consider how many live under the sound of the Silver Trumpet many years and yet are not prepared for atonement and reconciliation to God through Christ nor brought to the beginnings of sound and saving repentance but either are secure careless dead-hearted minding earthly things or resting in outward performances or openly profane and wicked Oh how dreadful will the sound of that Trumpet be at the last day for the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trumpet of God I say how dreadful shall the sound of that Trumpet be to such who go on hardning their hearts in security and impenitency against the sound of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel 2. The day of atonement and humiliation was about four or five days before the feast of Tabernacles wherein they were to rejoyce before the Lord so sincere humiliation and repentance make way for sound spiritual joy Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted godly sorrow maketh way for heavenly rejoycing But when a man goeth on to glut himself with the pleasures of sins or earthly contents not afflicting his soul for sin he hath no part in this spiritual feast to such belongs that sad threatning Wo unto you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep Fifthly Consider their manifold washings with water in divers Cases to purifie themselves from legal uncleannesses Ceremonial pollutions as when any was cleansed from the Leprosie he was to be sprinkled with water mingled with blood seven times and afterwards to wash both his cloaths and his body in water so they that had running issues when they were cleansed from them were commanded to wash their cloaths and their bodies in water and so in divers other Cases Now the Apostle Iohn proves that the Lord Jesus is The Christ thus This is he that came by water and blood even Iesus Christ nâ—â— by water only but by water and blood and iâ— is the spirit that beareth witness because the spirit is Truth whereas there was great use of water and blood in the Law of Ceremonies the blood of the 〈◊〉 and the water many wayes used for cleansing and purifying it sheweth that all these things were accomplished in Christ and attained their end in him he performed and fulfilled what was signified and typified both by water and blood His blood was shed as the blood of the most perfect sacrifice to take away the guilt of sin and to justifie sinners and save them from condemnation and the sanctifying spirit and grace of Christ cleansing his people from the filth of sin washing their hearts from wickedness and making them holy as he is holy and therefore he addeth ver 8 there are three that bear witness in earth the spirit the water and the blood And ver 10 He that believeth hath the witness in himself He that savingly believeth in Christ being united to him by faith hath this threefold witness in himself the spirit of Christ witnessing with his spirit that he is in Christ reconciled to God by Christ an adopted child and Heir of God through Christ the only begotten Son of God and Heir of all things the blood of Christ cleansing his Conscience from the guilt of sin the grace of Christ resembled by water sanctifying him and conforming him to Christ in holiness so that such an one hath an evidence in his own soul both that Jesus is the very Christ and that he is his Christ for he findeth that Christ hath fulfilled that in and upon his soul which was figured by the blood and water under the Law of Ceremonies This is a blessed and most precious priviledge which all that are under the Gospel should labour with all diligence to make their own Oh what an happiness is it for Christians to have this threefold witness in themselves In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established Here are three witnesses beyond exception A Christian having this threesold witness in himself in the poorest outward estate is richer and happier then all the treasures of the earth and all the Kingdoms of the world can make him but how few are they that have any other witness of their interest in Christ but their own fancy how few do seriously and diligently seek for any other In that great and last day how will ye stand in the presence of God when numberless sins are charged upon you Will ye say Christ hath satisfied for your sins what shall this profit you unless ye be united unto Christ Will ye plead that ye believe in Christ and so are made one with him where is your witness Oh take heed of appearing before the all-seeing God without a witness And therefore I beseech you consider seriously of your condition and rest not till ye are in Christ and until he come into your souls both by water and blood and give you the witness of his spirit 2. Those frequent washings under the Law of Ceremonies may stir up Christians to frequent endeavours dayly to purifie themselves as Christ is pure to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God to draw cleansing and sanctifying virtue from Christ more and more by faith They were to wash their bodies and cloaths to be sprinkled with water seven times There is a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness a fountain of most precious blood and water of most Soveraign virtue the sufferings of Christ and the grace of God are to wash away the guilt of sin and the uncleanness and pollution of sin Do not forsake your own mercies and neglect so great salvation It is sad that when such a precious fountain is opened so few are washed and cleansed Thus much concerning the Ceremonial Law to shew how and in what respects it is established by the doctrine of the Gospel CHAP. VII THere are two other Laws mentioned by the Apostle in the former part of this Epistle by neither of which men can be justified in the sight of God One is the Law of Nature the other is the Moral Law written and delivered in the Scriptures It was needful for the Apostle to speak distinctly of both these For 1. His great design was to make known the only way whereby men might be justified and accepted as righteous in the sight of God the righteous judge of all the world that so they might be everlastingly blessed and
and Light of Nature which Heathens did and beside against a far clearer Light and more perfect Law delivered to them in the holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament for the Light and Law of Nature though it was given to the Heathen yet it was not peculiar to them it was not limited to them alone but was common to them with others it is given also to Iews who have the old Testament also it is given to Christians who have both old and new Testament and therefore their sins are highly aggravated So the the Lord by the Prophet Amos having threatned heavy Judgements against those Heathen Nations mentioned before then turneth his speech to the people of Iudah Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Iudah and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they have defiled the Law of the Lord and have not kept his Commandment and their lies caused them to err after the which their Fathers have walked but I will send a fire upon Iudah and it shall devour the Palaces of Ierusalem they had the written Law and Commandments of God which the other had not and therefore they despised and kept not they had the Truth of God revealed from Heaven and delivered to them by Moses and the Prophets immediately inspired by the holy spirit of God but they rather chose to walk in lyes after the example of their Fathers and therefore their sins were much more sinful than those of the Heathens Then he threatneth Israel scil the rest of Israel the Kingdom of the ten Tribes who followed the sin of Ieroboam charging them first with barbarous cruelty and oppression contrary to common humanity because they sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes I conceive he speaketh especially against that great sin of Judges and Magistrates in perverting justice for Bribes and withal against them which hired such corrupt officers to act unjustly by giving them rewards They sold the righteous for Silver they exposed the innocent to the lust and will of their Adversaries for mony and the poor for a pair of shooes either because being once corrupted with some considerable gains they afterward were so hardened in their sins that they would pervert justice for a pair of shooes for a triflle or else because they could not get much for giving sentence against a poor man in his Cause because their Adversaries would not offer much to have their will of them who had little to loose these corrupt judges would transgress for a petty-bribe where no more was to be had That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor or as one readeth it that pant or breath after the head of the poor that they may cast it down to the dust of the earth If we take it the former way the sense may seem to be this when they have overthrown the poor and laid him in the dust such is there inhumane cruelty that they are not satisfied with his misery but desire his utter ruine and destruction 2. An other sin was abominable uncleannness that Father and Son would lye with the same woman which is set forth and heightned with this aggravation they prophaned the holy Name of God pretending to be the people of God and yet committing such lewdness this highly redounded to the Lords dishonour above the sins of meer Heathens 3. Their wicked glorying and triumphing in their oppression and prophaning that worship which themselves had embraced as religious laying themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every Altar keeping the garments of the poor which they had taken to pledge and being so far from restoring them according to the Law that they durst lye upon them by the very Altars and drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their God feasting themselves in the Temple of their God with the very spoils taken from those whom they had unjustly condemned these sins of Israel are aggravated divers ways in the words following There Israel and Iudah are both joyned together Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O Children of Israel against the whole family which I brought up from the Land of Egypt saying You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities The Lord had owned them above others and made himself known to them above all other people and therefore their sin was greater than others and they might expect more gievous punishments How much more are sins of professed Christians more heinous than those of the Heathens who have greater light then the people of Israel had having the new Testament added to the old who have the Lord Jesus Christ set forth before them in the Gospel not under Types and shadowes but clearly not as to come but as already come actually crucified for sin buried risen again ascended into Heaven The Lord Christ sheweth that the sins of Corazin and Bethsaida were more heinous than those of Tyre and Sidon and their condemnation would be more intolerable in the day of Judgement because they sinned against greater light The like comparison he maketh between Capernaum and Sodom And the very Name of Christian is an aggravation of the sins of those who profess themselves Christians This Name was first given to them that professed the faith of Christ at Antioch because of the great success of the Gospel there Barnabas and Saul or Paul a whole year assembled themselves with the Church and taught much people and the Disciples were called Christians first at Antioch The denomination of a Christian is derived from the blessed and glorious Name of Christ himself as he is annointed of God the Father with the spirit above measure What signifieth a Christian then but 1. A member of Christ united to him as the head of the whole mystical body of the Church How great is the sin of those that can themselves Christians and suffer themselves to be led by Satan the enemy of 〈◊〉 readily entertaining his suggestions and temptations serving this Prince of darkness in the work of darkness Saith the Apostle Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid or let it not be What know ye not that he which is joyned to an Harlot is one body for two saith he shall be one flesh It is a fearful thing for a man professing himself a Christian that is a member of Christ to make himself a member of an Harlot or for a woman making the same profession to make her self the member of a fornicatour or Adulterer 2. The name of a Christian signifieth one that partaketh of the annointing of Christ of the same spirit and the same graces in some measure wherewith Christ was annointed above his fellows yea above measure He which stablisheth us with you and anointeth us is God The
own bottoms Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Those Israelites that were zealous of the Law and sought to be justified by it while they were not in Christ their zeal was not according to knowledge and they might take a great deal of pains and use earnest endeavours to attain Righteousness to approve themselves just in the sight of God but all was in vain they attained not to such a Righteousness as could bear them out in the sight of God the righteous Judge of all the world They were like men that run very swiftly but run quite out of the way and never come near the mark But some may say Our case is not like that of the unbelieving Israelites for we look for justification forgiveness of sin and salvation by Jesus Christ. I Answer It is not the hearing of Christ preached nor an historical faith believing that none can be justified but by the righteousness of Christ no nor a conceipt that we are justified by him that makes your case differ in the main from that of unbelieving Israelites ye have some Notions which they had not but ye are in the same state wherein they were i. e. ye are out of Christ and therefore while ye content your selves with this condition your endeavours after righteousness are like those that run out of the way And therefore in the second place See your extream need of the Lord Iesus and go out of your selves flee to him and give your souls no rest untill ye are found in him Consider as ye cannot be justified by your own righteousness or works done in obedience to the Law whether ye look upon your selves as ye are in your selves or upon the purity perfection and severity of the Law or upon the infinite justice holiness or majesty of God so on the contrary Christ and none but Christ is able to justifie you by his righteousness in all these respects 1. He is a Lamb without spot and blemish and that from the first moment of his conception So the Angel said to Ioseph Thou Son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost the blessed Spirit framing a body for Christ in the womb of a Virgin free from all stain of sin There was never any thing in him contrary to the perfect purity of the Law no inclination to evil Saith he The Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Satan could find nothing of his in Christ to fasten upon no sinful infirmities or Corruption in the least degree and therefore in respect of Christ himself he could have no power by his instruments to take away his life but in regard of the sins of others which he took upon himself and for which he voluntarily gave himself an offering and a sacrifice 2. If we look to the Law Christ hath that in him which is wanting in us he answereth the exactest Purity and highest perfection of the Law He was perfect in Love That which we have Psal. 40. is applied to Christ by the Apostle Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened burnt offering and sin-offering hast thou not required then said I Lo I come in the volumn of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart his heart was filled with the love of God and full of the Law of God he was freely ready to do or suffer any thing for his Fathers glory As the Law is holy so he is the holy and the just one As the Law is spiritual so he was annointed with the holy Ghost He received the spirit not by measure He is a quickning spirit As the Law is a perfect rule of Righteousness so Christ fulfilled all Righteousness 3. He endured the uttermost rigour and severity of the Law He bare the penalty of it Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Then it followeth Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree The Curse of the Law is enough to swallow up all the guilty souls in the world and to keep them under for ever but Christ bare this Curse and overcame it he payed the uttermost farthing that was due to the justice of God for the sins of his people he fully discharged all those vast summs wherein they were indebted Saith the Apostle Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor Christ through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God What tongues of men or Angels are able to declare the weight and worth of that which is noted in this expression That Christ gave himself an offering and sacrifice for sins What could the extreamest severity of the Law require more than this when the Son of God gave himself to satisfie it 4. He is every way able and fit to stand before the infinite justice purity holiness Majesty of God he is the express Image of his Fathers person and the brightness of his glory and he is able to bear the brightness of his glory Of him the Father witnessed This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God He being God and man as he was man did undergo the penalty and Curse of the Law and by the power of his Godhead overcame it and being God and man he is able to bear the brightness of his Fathers glorious Majesty and to stand before his perfect justice saith the Scripture When he had by himself purged our sin he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Now then in as much as the Lord Christ is every way a compleat and most perfect Saviour Labour out of a deep sense of your lost condition in your selves and your extream need of him his satisfaction and righteousness to go out of your selves to break off your sins by repentance to flee to Christ to close with him by faith unfeigned that being found in him his righteousness may be imputed to you of God and accounted yours and ye may be accepted through him Be exceedingly earnest with the Lord to work in you that pretious faith of his elect Cry unto him to stretch out his hand to put forth the divine power of his spirit and grace to draw you effectually that you may come to Christ and being cloathed with his righteousness ye may not be found naked but the shame of your sins may be
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all If the whole Congregation sinned they were to bring a young Bullock to be offered for their sin and before it was killed the Elders of the Congregation representing all the people under the Government were to lay their hands on the head of the Bullock before the Lord It seemeth bâ— this Ceremony they did as it were put off the sins of all the people from the guilty sinners upon the Sacrifice So the Lord Christ before he suffered for the sins of his people first took upon himself the guilt of all their sins for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him the guilt of mens sins was imputed unto him and put upon his account as his righteousness is imputed to Believers and accounted theirs 4. He subjected himself to the Curse of the Law due to men for their sins against the Law for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them then it followeth ver 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every on that hangeth on a tree Thus he exposed himself to the flames of divine wrath which would have been a consuming fire to a meer Creature but as the wood of the Altar for burnt offering was overlaid with Brass that it might not be devoured by the fire so his humane nature being united to the God-head was so fortified to endure the burning heat of the wrath and Curse of God that it was not consumed by it but although the God-head was inseparably united to the manhood and did not leave it for a moment yet it did so withhold its divine influence from the Manhood for a time that it suffered extream and unconceivable torments in body but especially in soul as appeareth in the holy story for though God the Father loved him infinitely as his Son and as one that was perfectly holy and righteous in his own person yet he executed his justice upon him to the full as he presented himself before him burdened with the guilt of mans sins against the Law It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief Saith the Apostle He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us He spared not his own Son He found him engaged to satisfie the Law for the sins of men and therefore he executed the severity of the Law upon him and spared him not but delivered him up for us all saith the Text. He did as it were deliver him up with his own hand for sinners delivering him up by the hand of his love towards sinners to the hand of his justice to be punished for their sins so that I conceive it may be said that Christ had judgement without mercy that through him mercy might glory over judgment toward repenting and believing sinners Fifthly He actually suffered death He did shed his most precious blood He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. He poured out his soul unto death Iesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yeilded up the Ghost When they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his leggs but one of the Souldiers with his Spear pierced his side and forthwith came thereout blood and water Lastly That it might be manifest that the Prince of life was really dead for the satisfaction of the Law He suffered his body to be caried to Prison to be shut up in the grave and held under the power of death untill the third day Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden and in the Garden a new Sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid there laid they Iesus Thus ye see the Lord Jesus Christ satisfied the Law to the full endured the rigour and bare the penalty of it Secondly by satisfying the Law and endruing the severity of it he established the Law I suppose it is not necessary to speak much of this particular because the opening of the former giveth light unto it breifly thus 1. The Law required perfect obedience as ye heard the full performance of every branch and tittle of it 2. In case of disobedience transgression defect and failing in obedience the Law denounced a grievous penalty a Curse death and destruction as was noted also yea the Law given to mankind in Adam had the sentence of death annexed In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die 3. Hence it followeth that if neither the Law be fulfilled in a way of obedience nor satisfied by the inflicting of the punishment then it is made void and declared to be of no force to have lost its authority its vigour and to be frustrated of its end 4. Thereupon we may infer by the rule of contraries that the Lord Jesus Christ having in the nature of man born the full penalty severity and Curse of the Law due to the sins of men against the Law and by his God-head to which his humane nature wherein he suffered is personally united gave sufficient value and worth to his sufferings to make full satisfaction to the Law to the uttermost that the Law in its greatest rigour could require hence it clearly followeth that Christ established the Law This was a reall and full acknowledgement of the Authority of the Law the wonderful abasement the grievous sufferings of the Son of God were signal evidences infallible demonstrations of the force and authority of the Law the Lord of glory appearing in the form of a Servant to make way for satisfying the Law he that is the brightness of the Fathers glory enduring the shame of the Cross did abundantly witness to the world the Authority of the Law The Lord Jesus Christ spared not his most precious blood but freely poured it forth to satisfie the Law for the sins of his people and thereby ratified and sealed the Authority of the Law How should this be improved to stir up poor souls without delay to turn to the Lord and flee to Christ For in as much as the Lord Jesus did both perform perfect obedience to the Law and bear the full penalty and curse of the Law and by both these establish the Law it sheweth clearly that the Law standeth in full force against all that are out of Christ they being guilty of sin against the Law are subject to the Curse of the Law for being not found in Christ they have no part in his perfect righteousness and full satisfaction and therefore are every moment in danger of the sentence of condemnation denounced by the the Law It is true that Christ hath fully satisfied the Law But what doth this help them that remain in their natural estate
Apostle alledgeth the very word of the Law as ratified by the Authority of Christ as a rule of holiness to which his people must conform their hearts and lives But it may be Objected that divers passages of the new Testament make against this such as these The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient And the Apostle saith to them that are in Christ Ye are not under the Law but under grace God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that are under the Law Fo Answer to thesâ— things consider That the Law may be considered two wayes 1. As a Covenant of works severely requiring full and exact obedience and perfect righteousness upon pain of the Curse and so Believers being in Christ are not under the Law but under grace The Lord hath reconciled them to himself in Christ received them into a Covenant of grace discharged them of the curse of the Law and sentence of condemnation justified and accepted them as righteous through the righteousness of Christ given them access to his mercy seat so that the Law is not made for a righteous man as a covenant of works Believers are not to be judged according to the rigour and severity of the Law nor subject to the curse or condemnation of the Law and therefore the Apostle saith Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us but the lawless and disobedient natural persons being out of Christ and standing upon their own bottom and so being to answer the justice of God upon their own account are under the Law as a Covenant of works and subject to the malediction Curse and condemnation of the Law Secondly The Law may be considered as a Rule of life as a direction to true Believers guiding them in the wayes of God teaching them how they ought to walk and to please God how to walk answerably to his saving mercies and spiritual blessings communicated to them in Christ and in this regard the Law is established by Christ for the use of his people and so I conceive in this sense the Law is so far from being a Covenant of works that it becometh a part of the Covenant of grace or a Rule subservient to the Gospel So the Apostle telleth the believing Thessalonians Ye know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Iesus the Commandments which he delivered to them were given by the Lord Jesus in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ by vertue of his Authority and Commission received from him Now what Commandments were these Even the same that are delivered in the Law in some of which the Apostle giveth instance First in general This is the will of God even your sanctification that ye should be sanctified and so conformed to the Law of God in all things Then in special That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour not in the lusts of Concupiscence c. In a word the Law is of use both unto them that are out of Christ and to them that are in Christ To the former it discovereth the contrariety of their Natures hearts and lives to the mind and will of God their utter disability to fulfill the Law and thereupon makes known unto them their woful estate that they lye open to the wrath and Curse of God and the danger of everlasting condemnation and so the Law may be of use 1. To take down the natural pride that is in men and women to cause them to see their own vileness and lost condition to renounce all confidence in their own imaginary righteousness to abase themselves to the dust before the Lord For by the Law is the knowledge of sin Secondly The Law may be of use to such to drive them out of themselves to seek after the remedy to cause them to flee to Christ that they may be washed in his blood from all their sins justified by his perfect righteousness and so redeemed from the Curse of the Law and delivered from the wrath to come 2. To true Believers the Law may be useful 1. To humble them and make them poor in spirit and low in their own eyes And that 1. In respect of their state by Nature 2. In respect of their present condition now that they are renewed by grace In the former respect they may see in the glass of the pure and holy Law of God the woful deformities and blemishes of their souls as they were of themselves their numberless omissions and commissions and being inlightned by the spirit of Christ these things are the more manifest to them Secondly In respect of their present condition as they are renewed by grace though they have the spirit of Christ conforming them in some degree to the Law yet by comparing both the frame of their souls and their thoughts words actings conversations with the pure and spiritual Law of God they find themselves far short of the mark and that they need daily renewed acts of grace and free pardon from the mercy seat Secondly The Law is of use to direct them to shew them what frame of spirit what wayes are pleasing to the Lord who is the Law-giver and Author of the Law 3. The Law is useful to Believers to quicken them and stir them up more and more to purge themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit to cleanse their hearts from those corruptions which are contrary to the Law and to labour after an increase and growth in all holy and sanctifying graces and to strive after farther perfection saith the Apostle Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus It seemeth the Apostle notwithstanding that great measure of the spirit of Christ which he had received and the great improvement made of his Talents the eminent services done to the Church yet looked upon the mark as being far before him a great way beyond him that is that he was far short of the perfection of holiness and righteousness which the Law required and therefore he did reach forth and press forward with all his might When the best Christians find how far they fall short of that height of perfection which the Law calleth for scil to love the Lord their God with all the heart and all the mind and all the soul and all the might c. May not this be a powerful motive to quicken them to use all holy endeavours for the perfecting of holiness in the fear of God Secondly The Lord Christ by making the Law a rule of life and holy obedience for his people hath established the Law It is true he hath redeemed sincere Believers from
glory of Christ. 2. Charity and mercy is to be shewed to souls especially that they may not be poysoned with damnable heresies Is it not gross hypocrisie to pretend much tenderness towards deceivers and to have no bowels of compassion towards poor weak creatures whose simplicity is abused and whose souls are daily insnared by their mischievous subtilties Is this become a point of charity to desire that ravening wolves may have free liberty without check or controul to make havock of the flock of Christ 3. I say that charity is to be shewed to Hereticks not by suffering them to add sin to sin and to give them protection and encouragement in acting mischief but by restraining them from their sin Ministers and private Christians doing their parts in discouraging their errrours praying for them c. Magistrates using their power to curb them 4. I grant a difference is to be made as the Apostle Iude having spoken very sharply against Hereticks towards the end of the Epistle saith Of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire Some may err in less matters and out of simplicity and carry themselves humbly and modestly not troubling the peace of the Church such are to be tenderly dealt with as Brethren while they shew themselves willing to be informed Some may agree with the Church in all main and most substantial points and differ in things that seem not clearly laid down in Scripture these if they do not proudly and obstinately reject the truth I suppose ought to have much moderation shewed towards them Again there is a great difference between the simple and weak that are misled and those that are cunning seducers and deceivers of others More severity is to be used towards seducers than those that are misled by them Yet even these are to be heard and means used to convince them out of the Scriptures to be admonished exhorted patience and long suffering to be exercised toward them If after all such means used they remain obstinate neither forsaking their errours nor ceasing to draw others from the truth How can it suit either with zeal for Christ or love to souls to suffer them to go on It may be Objected that the weapons of this warfare are spiritual and therefore no other are to be used I answer that Ministers weapons are spiritual but they according to their calling may call upon the Magistrate to use other weapons against those that despise spiritual weapons as against drunkenâ—â—â—â— Adultery Murder c. Some it may be will say that many Magiâ—â—â—â—es are not able to judge of the truth or falshood of Doctrines I answer it is the duty of Christians in general to labour that the word of God may dwell in them richly in all wisdom and spiritual understanding This is required of Christians whether private persons or Magistrates 2. If some false doctrines be so artificially painted over and have such fair colours put upon them that it 's hard to discover their falshood a godly Magistrate may have the assistance of such as are more exercised in this kind than himself Fourtbly it may be said that conscience ought not to be compelled I answer I am fully of that judgement and therefore I conceive none ought by any violent courses to be enforced to profess any doctrine contrary to their own consciences though their judgements be never so erroneous But when any cannot be content to err alone but are restless and active in corrupting others and will not forbear though often admonished in such a case to remedy so great a mischief either by banishment or imprisonment of the offenders is no violence to their Consciences but a just punishment upon the outward man It may be they will say They are bound in conscience to teach others the same things which they believe themselves I answer Then I conceive the Magistrate should think himself bound in conscience to stop them in their course and if nothing else will do it to shut them up as he would do one who having the Pestilence offereth to thrust himself into throngs of people to infect them Fifthly Some it seemeth have found out a strange conceit that the examples of those godly Kings of Iudah in punishing Idolaters is no rule for Christian Magistrates now because they were tyes of Christ who is called the Son of David according to the flesh and of whom it is said the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and he shall raign over the house of Iacob for ever I answer 1. If this reason were of any force it would as well take away from the Magistrate all power of punishing other offences as well as this or at least take away this proof 2. As the reason is frivolous so we find that others are commended in Scripture that were not of the family of David nor types of Christ. To pass by that execution of Moses and the Israelites upon Balaam and the Midianites for seducing the people Observe the act of Elijah in slaying the Prophets of Baal Some may say Elijah was a Prophet I answer This execution was no Prophetical act but an act of Magistracy for which in this extraordinary case Elijah was Authorized immediately by the Lord himself to whom all power and authority belongs But how clear is thâ—â— in the case of Iehu King of the ten Tribeâ— who though he was not upright yet because he destroyed Baal out of Israel brake down his Image and house and made it a draughâ—-house slew the Worshippers of Baal and the Idolatrous family of Ahab he was both commended and rewarded by the Lord in so much that the Kingdom was settled upon him and his to the fourth Generation Sixthly Some may say Christians should be very tender of shedding of blood I answer 1. I am clearly of the same mind and I wish some of our Laws were mittigated and some other punishment were laid upon some offences which among us are made Capital But what shall we say to such that can be content to see men loose their lives for sheep-stealing and horse-stealing and yet cry out upon it as an high degree of cruelty if Blasphemers and those that draw others from the Ordinances of God into damnable Heresies should be put to death Have we not had such among us who have been very tender hearted Patrons of Hereticks not only sparing their lives but countenancing and preferring them and yet when any out of principles of Conscience have opposed their usurped power their feet have been swift to shed blood 2. I conceive Magistrates in restraining Heresies ought to be very wary in taking away life I wish 1. They would take them from all publick Offices of trust and power 2. Discountenance them 3. Suppress their Meetings And if any be obstinate and refractory there be other wayes to curb them besides
Capital punishments as Fines Banishment Imprisonment But for Blasphemers I know not what authority under Heaven hath power to dispense with that Law so expressely delivered by the God of Heaven He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord he shall surely be put to death Seventhly Some I believe think they have a Protection for Hereticks to preserve them from the hand of justice in that Parable of the Tares where the Housholder would not have the Tares rooted up lest the Wheat should be plucked up with them but would have both grow together until the Harvest I answer 1. I see not how this can exempt Hereticks from punishment more than perjured persons Theeves Traitours Rebels Adulterers Murderers or other Malefactours For what are Tares but all sorts of persons that are not Wheat to be gathered into the Barn And therefore in the exposition of the Parable the Tares are declared to signifie all things that offend and them that do Iniquity And therefore I conceive these Servants are not the Magistrates who are not forbidden but commanded to use their power for a Terrour to evil works but the Angels whom the Lord will not have to pluck up all the Tares before the Harvest day scil the end of the world And in the exposition of the Parable I find nothing either restraining civil Magistrates or Church Officers in proceeding against notorious and scandalous offenders 2. Parables are not to be pressed and urged in every particular circumstance but the Scope is to be considered And I conceive the Scope and design of this Parable is to shew that there shall be a mixture of good and bad in the world until the last day when the separation shall be made And therefore in the third place How earnest should we be in praying to the Lord to preserve our selves and others from being led away with the errour of the wicked to reduce those that are led aside to open their eyes and humble their hearts that they may acknowledge their failings and return to the Truth to frustrate the subtil devices and mischievous attempts of deceivers to fill the Magistrates with a spirit of wisdom zeal and courage to improve their authority for the Lord Jesus Christ in putting a restraint upon the enemies of his Name and Truth to stir up in them bowels of compassion towards poor souls who are dayly in danger to be insnared and bewitched by them Besides all the other mischiefs done by false Teachers I conceive this one were enough to stir up all that truly fear God to desire their restraint that they draw many poor creatures from publick ordinances from the ordinary means of knowledge grace and salvation And how can they do the Divel a more acceptable service or open a readier way for Popery Profaneness Atheisme and all manner of wickedness to break in upon us So much of the Apostles Answer by way of abhorrence or detestation CHAP. III. NOw followeth the other part of his Answer by way of Negation oâ— Denyal Concerning which I grant it to be an Affirmation in respect of the form of the words if they be considered as a sentence by themselves but consider this clause as an Answer to the former Question or Objection and so it is a Denial and more than a Denial in regard of the matter of it it is a Denial with advantage The Question or Objection is Do we make void the Law throâ—gh Faith implying that the doctrine delivered by the Apostle concerning justification by faith doth make void the Law that is that by maintaining this doctrine that they who receive Christ by a lively faith applying his righteousness obedience and satisfaction to themselves and relying wholly upon him for justification and salvation are accepted of God as truly righteous without any consideration at all of any works of theirs done in obedience to the Law that they hereby do make void the Law or take away the use and authority of it This the Apostle doth most strongly deny by affirming the contrary yea we establish the Law If he had said no more but this we do not make void the Law through Faith it had been a denial of that which was objected But to add strength to his denyal he affirms the contrary that the doctrine of justification by faith is so far from making void the Law that it confirmeth and establisheth the Law So that the Apostle shews that there was a double falshood in this Objection For if the doctrine objected against had neither made void the Law nor established it it had been false to say it did make void the the Law but to say it made void the Law when it was so far from making it void that it did establish it was a double falshood Again it seemeth the objection was made both against the doctrine and them that taught it Do we make void the Law through Faith scil the Apostle and other Gospel-preachers And the Answer cleareth both Yea we establish the Law The doctrine which we preach and we in preaching this doctrine are so far from making void the Law that both our doctrine and we in teaching it do establish the Law Hence may be noted this Point That such things have been Objected against the Truth and them that stand for the truth as are doubly false I conceive there is an Objection implied in the speech of our Lord Christ Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill It seemeth some either did Object or were inclined to object against the Son of God that he came to destroy the Law and the Prophets Now he shews that there was a double falshood in this surmize for 1. He did not come to destroy them 2. He came to fulfill them in such an exact and perfect manner and measure as the best of men that ever came before him were never able to do So when he had cast the Divel out of a dumb man that was possessed so that the dumb spake and the multitude marveiled saying it was never so seen in Israel the Pharisees said he casteth out Devils through the Prince of Devils There was a double falshood in this envious and Blasphemous cavil They accused him as a confederate of the Devil who both by his doctrine and works made it appear that he came to destroy the works of the Devil The Lord Christ having said I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life The Pharisees said unto him Thou bearest record of thy self thy record is not true This was doubly false for he is the truth it self and neither did nor could speak any untruth So when the Lord Jesus had opened the eyes of one that was born blind on the Sabbath day Some of the Pharisees said This man is not of God because he keepeth not the
but there is a common light and knowledge which Christ giveth to them that are strangers to him yea to such as are his enemies 3. This Light and Law of Nature is given unto men in their natural estate since the fall since their nature was corrupted by sin Before the fall while man was in the state of primitive integrity as God had created him in his own likeness after his Image that is in wisdom righteousness and true holiness the light and Law which God implanted in man was clear and perfect man had an exact Rule imprinted upon his soul to walk by But this Rule being defaced by the sin of man the Lord gave men some degree of light and knowledge in this state of corrupt Nature which in many things might restrain their corruptions from breaking out into such extremities as Satan and their own lusts might stir them up to and whereby they might be reduced into a more orderly course of life and manifest effects of this have been found not only in natural persons living under the Gospel which were strangers to the life of grace but also in many Heathens who never heard the doctrine of salvation yea in some heathen Persecutors of the Church as Trajan Antoninus Philosophus and Iulian the Apostate 4. It was said in the description that by this light of Nature God hath in some degree made known himself unto them So the Apostle saith that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them I conceive by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God the Apostle meaneth that which may be known of God without special Revelation such as is declared in Scripture this was manifest in them by that common general light of Nature which God had given them For 1. They had inward principles of Natural light And 2. They had the works of God 1. His works of Creation For the invisible things of him from the beginning of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work their line is gone out into all the earth and their words unto the end of the world The creatures do as it were speak out the excellency and glory of their Creator to all the Nations of the world 2. His works of Providence God hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation that they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us for in him we live move and have our being So the same Apostle told the Heathens that God in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own waies not giving them the light of his word to guide them in the way of salvation nevertheless saith he He left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness by his works of Providence he made some discovery of himself unto them I conceive by this light of Nature within them and the light which was held forth unto them by the works of God from without they might know that there was a God and that this God was of infinite perfection eternal almighty most wise good righteous that he was to be served and worshipped iu such a way as was pleasing to him that as the world was made by him so both it and all the creatures in it were under his government that as a righteous judge he would punish evil doers and reward the righteous They might by the light of reason conclude that none of the creatures could make themselves for nothing can act before it hath a being and therefore all the creatures must receive their beings from a cause that was before them hereupon they might assuredly gather that there is a first universal cause of all things who is eternal without beginning of infinite perfection The orderly and perpetual motion of the Heavens Sun Moon and Stars the continual succession of day and night the Spring Summer Harvest Winter the correspondency and Harmony that is between the Creatures being fitted and suited to each other the sun drawing of vapours from the earth and waters into the air there to be botled up in the Clouds the Clouds sending down showers upon the earth the earth bringing forth grass herbs corn and other fruits for the use of men beasts and fowls and the beasts and fowls themselves fitted for the use of men the senses of the body and their objects fitted and suited to each other there are sounds and voices and an ear to receive them there are colours and there is the eye fitted to behold them so of the rest yea how exactly are the several parts of the same body fitted and suited to each other These and many other things discernable by the light of Nature might clearly convince men that there is a God of infinite power and wisdom who is the cause and Author of all Fifthly It was said that by this light and Law of Nature God hath given unto men in some degree to discern the good which they ought to do and the evil which they ought to shun So ye heard before the Apostle saith The Gentiles having not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law they do some things contained in the written Law of God though they have not this Law How by Nature by the Light and Law of Nature and in so doing they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts The Heathen Philosophers have written much in commendation of moral virtues and set forth the odiousness of many vices and dishonest practices Abimelech King of Gerar blamed Abraham when out of weakness calling his Wife his Sister he seemed to lay a snare before him and give him occasion to commit adultery unawares What hast thou done unto us and what have I offended thee that thou hast brought on me and on my Kingdom a great sin Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done So he said to Sarah concerning her Husband Abraham Behold he is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all that are with thee and with all other thus she was reproved Thus much of the description Secondly We may consider the imperfection of this Law and Light of Nature 1. In general It is not sufficient to bring men to blessedness and salvation The Lord Christ saith I am the way the truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be
saved Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved How then shall they call on him on whom they have not believed It must be a prayer of faith and where sound faith is there are other saving graces And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher so that the light of Nature was not sufficient unto salvation 2. In special I conceive the Law and light of Nature was defective and imperfect 1. In it self I suppose it did not make known unto men the great Mystery of Trinity in unity three persons in one God nor the state of perfection wherein man was created nor his woful fall and revolt from God Their own experience taught them that the Nature of man was inclined to evil the powers of the soul disordered the senses misleading the affections the affections leading reason captive but they had no light to discover to them the first cause of all this mischief they were as far to seek concerning the Remedy That great depth of the Incarnation of the Son of God of God manifest in the flesh for mans Redemption was hidden from them their own Consciences accused them and condemned them as guilty but they had no light to shew them how divine justice might be satisfied they knew not of the blood righteousness sacrifice satisfaction of Jesus Christ God and man that is sufficient to take away sin and to make peace between God and sinners The light of Nature could not enable them to see into the mystical union between Christ and believers by his spirit and their faith The doctrines of free justification by the righteousness of Christ imputed of Regeneration Adoption Sanctification Communion with God Resnrrection unto glory are not revealed by the light of Nature This light did nor shew them how to walk before God unto all pleasing it did not teach them the right way of mortifying their lusts of walking in the spirit it did not discover to them the special institutions of God and ordinances of his worship Secondly It was defective and imperfect by reason of the subject the soul of man in which it was This light and Law of Nature being given to men in their corrupt natural estate is much darkned by the Natural blindness errours vanities lusts that are in the minds and hearts of men as if a man write upon fowl and blurred Paper how much is lost of that which is written and how hardly is it read sometimes a sentence broken off in the midst here and there half words one letter mistaken for another so the light and Law of Nature being put into the defiled hearts and souls of men hath many defects in it Thirdly It may be considered of what use this light and Law of Nature was sith it was defective and not sufficient to lead men to salvation It might be useful 1. For the glory of God who by this means had a witness in the hearts and Consciences of men of natural men yea of Heathens that he loved righteousness and hated wickedness their own Consciences pleading for God against them 2. It was of use for the preservation of humane societies in families â—nd Common-wealths keeping men within some limits of common honesty and preventing those outrages which the violence of mens lusts and the power of Satan might hurry them into 3. I conceive it might be useful as a remote preparative for the receiving of the Gospel in some to whom the word of salvation was tendred for though the pride and prejudice of mens natural spirits might cause them to resist the holy Ghost speaking in the Gospel preached yet the light of nature well improved finding nothing in the doctrine of the Gospel contrary to it but far above it might incline the minds of many to attend to a far higher and more glorious light shining in the doctrine of salvation I speak of this but as a remote preparative whereby ingenuous spirits might be moved to give heed to the Gospel but it must be a far higher cause even the mighty power of Christ his spirit that can bring them to receive the Gospel in an effectual and saving way Fourthly How doth this light and Law of Nature leave men without excuse I conceive First Because they did in many things shut their eyes against the light not seeking to increase that light received by improving their reason and understandings as one Candle lighteth another so one degree of light improved begetteth another and so there is lumen de lumine light as it were springing from light whereas light smothered endeth in darkness 2. Because they did not act according to that light received nor walk according to those natural abilities which they had The Heathens lived in gross Idolatry against the light of Nature whereby they might have learned that dead Images were utterly unfit to represent the living God Carnal Christians sin against the light of Nature as in many other things so I conceive in not submitting to that higher light of spiritual Mysteries so as to receive the love of the Truth that they may be saved The use of this may be 1. To inform us that Acts againt the Law of Nature are sings against God not only as they are against his written Law but also as they are against the Law of Nature because as the point sheweth God hath given unto men this light and Law of Nature the impression of this Law of Nature upon the hearts and souls of men is one of the acts of his legislative power I conceive when the Prophet saith The Lord is our Iudge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us he speaketh of God in reference to his Church to whom he hath a more peculiar Relation of this kind He gave them his Law written in the Scripture and he raigneth over them as a King in a special maner Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord and the people whom he hath chosen for his own Inheritance the Church is the Lords Inheritance A King may have an hereditary Kingdom which he maketh greatest account of and he may have other tributary Kingdoms subject to him to which he giveth Law also So David was King of Israel in a peculiar manner but he had also the Kingdoms of Edom Moaâ— Ammon Syria c. under him The Lord looketh upon the Church as his peculiar Kingdom and to them he hath given a perfect Law in writing in the holy Scirptures but besides that he hath a universal soveraignty and Dominion the Authority of a Law-giver over all the Nations of the world Iews Turks Indians c. The Lord most high is terrible he is a great King over all the Earth And again God is King of all the Earth And so he is a Law-giver to all the Nations of the Earth If he giveth
Son who are one God and two distinct persons then his God-head is expresly asserted And the word was God the same God with the Father all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made all the Creatures were made by Christ of nothing and therefore he is very God for by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were Created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist not only all visible Creatures on Earth but also all the glorious Angels of Heaven were created by him and his eternity is declared He is before all things his Almighty power is asserted by him all things consist The frame of the world would fall in peices the Beings of the Creatures would be disjoynted dissolved did not his Almighty Arm hold all together He upholdeth all things by the word of power and least any blasphemous adversary of Christ his God-head should object that Christ might create the world as aâ— instrument and inferiour Agent under the Father The Apostle telleth us All things were created not only by him but also for him He is the principal Agent and he is the cheif end of the Creation They were made for his glory a clear evidence to prove him to be very God the same God with the Father for it is the peculiar Prerogative of God to be the highest of the whole Creation for whom all things were made for of him and through him and to him are all things to him in this place and for him in the other have the same sense and the original is the same in both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle shews That Christ being in the form of God thought or judged it to be no Robbery to be equal with God in all eternity he was in the form of God he was really properly essentially God and therefore judged it to be no robbery to be equal with God This cutteth off all cavils for how could it have been less then an high degree of robbery or Sacriledge for any one that was not as truly and properly God as the Father even the same God with the Father to judge himself equal with God in as much as God the Creator is infinitely above the most excellent of the Creatures Secondly He took upon him the Nature of man the word was made flesh The eternal word or Son of God who was before all time without beginning of dayes was pleased in the fulness of time to be made flesh not by transmutation but by assumption not by turning his unchangeable God-head into flesh but by taking flesh that is a true humane Nature soul and body into the unity of his person so uniting the nature of man to his God-head as to make it properly his own to become one person with himself the God-head being never separated again from the manhood nor confounded with it both natures remaining distinct but never divided from each other the same Christ remaining perfect God and perfect man so where it is shewed that being in the form of God c. it followeth But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man c. And without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh This is indeed a great mystery of such an height and depth and far exceedeth the reach of mens understandings yet a most certain and infallible truth to be received by faith and it was necessary the Redeemer of manking should be both God and man that he might satisfie the justice of God and bear the penalty of the Law due to the sins of the world First It was necessary that he should be God 1. That he might inable the humane nature to bear the weight of Gods wrath and revenging justice to support the manhood from sinking under it and being swallowed up of it whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it death had taken a prisoner whom it was no way able to hold Jesus Christ as he was man suffered death and lay dead in the grave but as he was God he raised his humane nature from the dead Secondly That the infinite worth and excellency of his God-head might make his sufferings of sufficient value to satisfie the justice of God and the severity of the Law for the numberless sins of the world the same man that suffered being one person with God and so his sufferings being though not the sufferings of the God-head yet the sufferings of God that is the sufferings of him who is God and therefore it is said that God hath purchased a Church with his own blood And what is there which the blood of God was not sufficient to purchase Secondly It was necessary Christ should be man that he might satisfie the Law and bear the penalty 1. That he might be subject to the Law for it was impossible that the God-head should be made under the Law because the Law received its Authority from God and therefore could have no Authority over him therefore he was made of a womnn and so made under the Law 2. That he might be in a capacity to suffer the full penalty of the Law for it is impossible for the God-head which is the fountain of life to dye or to bear the Curse being the fulness of blessedness and therefore saith the Apostle We see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death He that being very God was infinitely higher then the Angels took into the unity of his person a nature a little lower then the Angels scil the nature of man and that for the suffering of death and so for the satisfying of the Law 3. That He might make Satisfaction to the Law and bear the punishment of it in the sâ—me nature of man in which the Law was transgressed and broken for verily He took not on him the nature of Angels but He took on him the seed of Abraham 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 to make satisfaction for the transgressions of the people against the Law and to reconcile them to God the Law-giver 3. He took upon him the guilt of mens sins putting himself into the state and standing in the state of guilty sinners as it were putting his Name into their Bond and voluntarily taking their debts upon himself all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the