Walking in the Ways of God's Commandments Jer. 7. 23. Thus when all these parts of the Body were tipt with the Bloud of the Lamb then the Oil was next to be applied to the same Parts Oil you know is of a mollifying and softning Nature Oil is good to fetch off Rust from Clocks and Jacks making them to go the more freely and nimbly which when clogg'd with Rust became unserviceable before comparatively to the nature of Oil in this case is the Usefulness of Grace held forth in Scripture Isa 1. 6. Thy Sores have not been closed neither bound up neither mollified with Ointment The meaning is they had no Grace which here is compared to Oil to Sanctifie their ulcerated corrupt Natures which like so many Plague-sores were continually issuing from them with this Oil of Grace the cleansed Lepers of Christ were to have their Ears Hands and great Toes of their right Feet anointed From all which we may observe this Note Doct. That as the Bloud of Christ hath bought us for his Vse and Service so the Oil of his Grace is that only which can fit us for it and make us willing to set about it Psal 110. 3. In the Day of my Power thy People shall be a willing People By Nature every Man is averse to every part of Christ's Work and Service Rom. 8. 7. The natural-minded Man is Enmity against God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be John 5. 40. Ye will not come to me that you might Live Jer. 44. 16. As for the Word which thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee The Ear will not hear the Voice of Christ Jer. 11. 10. the Hand will not Work for Christ Jer. 11. 7 8. neither will the Feet walk in the Way of Christ Psal 78. 10. But now when our High-Priest Jesus Christ hath tipt the Ear the Thumb and Foot of our Souls with the Oil of his Grace and Sanctification then will they be ready for any Work and Service which he shall employ them in or call them unto the Ear which was bought by Christ is now taught by Christ to hear his Voice even his Voice in his Word Works Ordinances and Providences against all which the Ear was deaf and shut up before Psal 58. 4. The Hand which was bought by Christ is now taught to Work for Christ Heb. 13. 21. Working that which is well-pleasing in his sight Isa 54. 13. All her Chrildren are taught by the Lord. They are taught to work the Works of Repentance Faith Love Self-denial Mortification how to be Praying to God and Praising of God Suffering for God and to Walk with God Grace teacheth all this and makes the Heart willing to all this the Spirit shall teach you all things saith Christ John 14. 26. Lastly The Feet which were bought by Christ by this Oil of Grace are now taught to Walk with Christ as Enoch did And Enoch walked with God Gen. 5. 22. And so we come to the Reason of the Point The Reason of all this is because Grace is of a conquering subduing Nature and of and inabling Quality Grace is sent down into the Heart to subdue the Power and Strength of Sin therein Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have Dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace And as Grace subdues and weakens Corruption in the Heart so it enables strengthens and empowers the Heart to act for Christ it is a holy Oil that dissolves the corrupt Rust which hath been begotten in it by Sin and as it dissolves the Rust so it mollifies and softens the Heart and thereby it makes it able and willing to run the Ways of God's Commandments Psal 119. 32. So Isa 40. 31. They shall renew their Strength they shall mount up as on Eagles wings they shall run and not be weary walk and not be faint Vse This informs us then what matter of Lamentation it is to consider That though there be so many thousand of Ears Hands and Feet in the World yet that there should be so few of them employed in the Service of Christ that as David speaks of the Idols of the Nations They have Ears but hear not Hands but handle not and Feet they have but walk not The Reason lieth here Because they never had their Ears Hands and Feet tipt with the Bloud and Oil of the Justifying and Sanctifying-grace of Jesus Christ They are yet dead in their Sins and Trespasses Ephes 2. 1. and dead things cannot act of themselves yea they are not only unable to act for Christ but through the Enmity of their Natures they are wholly averse to every part of Christ's Will and Work As the Apostle speaks They are reprobate to every good Work and Word it is not only they cannot but the real Truth is that graceless Souls will not act for Christ if they could let not such deceive themselves any longer for if you have no Ears to hear Christ's Voice no Hands to do his Work nor Feet to Walk in his Paths you are yet in an unjustified and unsanctified State and Condition But would you have your Ears opened to the Voice of Christ so that your Souls might live Would you have your Hands at Work for Christ working that which is well-pleasing in his sight Would you have your Feet made able and willing to run in God's Commandments In the keeping of which is great Reward Psal 19. 11. then lay thy Soul in the Ways and Walks of Christ who is the great High-Priest Oh run to him set thy Soul in his presence be in his sight thrust thy self through the Croud and Throng press in upon him and evermore keep up the Canaanitish Woman's Cry in his Ears Matth. 15. 22. Lord thou Son of David have mercy upon me for my Soul is grievously over-run with a Leprosie thus with Jacob be ever Wrestling with him until he hath tipt thy right Ear Hand and Foot with the Bloud and Oil of his Grace Quest. But why was the Priest to tip the Leper's right Ear right Thumb and Toe of the right Foot with the Bloud and Oil Why the right more than the left Ear Thumb and Toe Ans The Reason may be this To signifie the difference betwixt the Services that Hypocrites and sincere Christians do offer to him and do for him all the Service that comes to him from Hypocrites is but left-ear'd left-handed and left-footed Service which is no way pleasing to him Quest. But when may it be said that we give unto God this left-ear'd left-handed and left-footed Service As first When are we said to bring forth left-ear Service to God I answer first When we content our selves with the bear Hearing of his Will preached neglecting the Practice of it this is the Service of the left Ear indeed of such a sort of Hearers we read in Ezekiel Ezek. 33. 31. And they come unto thee
as the People cometh and sit before thee as my People and they hear thy Words but they will not do them for with their Mouth they shew much Love but their Hearts goeth after their Covetousness Not to answer the end of Hearing which is Obedience is as bad if not worse than not to hear at all Jam. 1. 22. But be ye Doers of the Word and not Hearers only We use to say when Men give little Attention to our Words of Discourse to them That they turn the deaf Ear to us and when we observe not what God speaks to us then do we give the deaf and left Ear unto him 2. But when may we be said to give left-handed Service to God Ans First When we give him only partial Obedience when we do but a part and not the whole of his revealed Will this kind of Service Saul and Jehu gave to God which was as unacceptable to God as it was unprofitable to themselves as you may read first in King Saul 1 Sam. 15. 11. It reponteth me that I have set up Saul for he is turned back from following me and hath not performed my Commandments and it grieved Samuel and he cried to the Lord all night The Case was this King Saul had a strict Command given to him from the Lord to destroy the Amalekites not to spare Man Woman Child nor Cattle Ver. 3. It 's true that Saul destroyed many Men Women and Children and some of the Cattle but he spared Agag and the best of the Sheep and Oxen with the Farlings and Lambs but every thing that was vile and refuse that he destroyed utterly Ver. 9 Here was Obedience such as it was but it was only left handed Obedience because it was but partial and not universal Obedience and as Saul's Covetousness was the cause of this so it is Men's unmortified Lusts which proves the cause of the like partial Obedience in every Man else 2 Pet. 2. 15. Balaam loved the Wages of Vnrighteousness A second Instance which the Scripture gives us of this left-handed Obedience is that of Johu 2 Kings 9. 6 7 8 9. ver where you find that he was anointed King to destroy the whole House of wicked Ahab and all his wicked Idolatry and in pursuance of his Commission he cuts off Ahab's Famâ—ly roots out his Idolatry overthrows the House of Baal cuâ—s off all his Idolatrous Priests and Worshippers in Baal's House but yet still he must be partial in his Service as Saul was in his being under the power of the like unmortified Lust which held him back from doing the whole Will of God prescribed to him in his Commission 2 Kings 10. 31. But Jehu took no heed to Walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his Heart for he departed not from the Sins of Jeroboam which made Israel to Sin Secondly We may be said to give the Lord left-handed Obedience when we give him only bodily Service without the Heart Will and Affections and saith Paul this-will not profit 1 Tim. 4. 8. This kind of Service the Israelites gave to God in the Wilderness Psal 78. 36 37. they flattered God with their Mouths and dealt deceitfully with him in their Hearts neither were they steadfast in his Covenant Yet how do the most of Men take up and rest in a little bare out-side Work in external Performances and quiet themselves with a few Names and empty Titles So they have a Name to live and are called Christians and give unto God a little bodily Exercise they are well contented when all this is but left-handed Service and no more Alas these Christian-names and Titles separated from the power of Godliness they signifie no more than a parcel of fine sweet smelling Flowers deckt about the Body of a dead Corpse which though they help to Garnish the Dead yet cannot they make a dead Body to live O trust not to these things nor rest in them because they are no more in the sight of God than a dead Body without a Soul is in our sight James 2. 26. For as the Body without the Soul is dead so Faith without Works is dead also For Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God 1 Cor. 7. 19. Thridly and lastly When may we be said to give unto God left-foot Obedience I answer first When we walk not steadfastly with him when we are sometimes for him and sometimes for Baal sometimes in his Worship and sometimes in the contrary like those spoken of in Zeph. â— If you read the fifth Verse it 's said There they Worshipped or Swore by the Lord and Worshipped and did Swear by Malcham In the ninth Verse it 's said That they leapt on the Threshold as Men divided in their Thoughts when they come to enter a House â—hey put one Foot over the Threshold with a purpose to go into the House but then they draw it back again not knowing whether it be best to enter in This is the Disease of many Lepers about the Matters of God's Worship especially when Religion is in danger they are usually at such times unresolved what to do or which way to take whether it be best to stick wholy to the Worship of Christ or the Worship of Malcham a worldly Interest calls upon them to leap over Malcham's Threshold and so into her Temple but Conscience from the Light of Scripture calls them back again thus they dance to and fro in their divided Purposes and Resolutions because they are not able to bring Conscience and Interest to run in one Chanel together but at length Carnal-prudence steps in and compounds the Difference by advising Conscience and Interest to divide Cuts betwixt them to Swear sometimes by Malcham and sometimes by Christ but however Prudence may Judge of this kind of Work yet the Word of God doth judge it to be but left-handed Service 1 Kings 18. 21. If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be God follow him How long will ye halt betwixt two Opinions 2dly We give unto God left-foot Obedience when we walk at Random and not by Rule when we cease making the Scriptures our Guide and instead thereof we make the Traditions and Humane Inventions of Men in the Matters of Faith our Rule and Guide to walk by Matt. 15. 9. In vain do they Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. And here I shall acquaint you with five corrupt Rules which the most of Men propose to themselves as their Guides to walk by in the Matters of their Faith and Conversation in opposition to the Word of God which indeed is the only Rule which all Men ought to Walk by according to Isa 8. 20. First of all Some walk by the rule of Custom which in Ephes 2. 2. the Apostle calls a walking after the Course of this World many there are that do think because the most of Men do do so and so therefore
there are which walk by the Rule of enthusiastical Inspirations Visions and pretended Revelations casting off the written Word of God which was formerly their Rule and Guide and now account themselves more happy in walking by these Guides though this latter Age have abounded with but too many of these filthy Dreamers as St. Jude stiles them Jude 8. Verse yet it is no new thing but a thing as ancient as the Prophet Jeremiah's Days Jer. 23. 32. I am against them that Prophesie false Dreams saith the Lord and do tell them and cause my People to Err by their Lies and by their Lightness yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this People at all It appears that the Design of these ancient enthusiastical Dreamers and Pretenders to Divine Revelations was on purpose to weaken the Authority of the Word of God in the Mouths of the Prophets of the Lord inasmuch as God doth plead the Efficacy of his Word in opposition to these chaffy Dreams and pretended Revelations so much cried up by these ancient Deluders Jer. 23. 28 29. The Prophet that hath a Dream let him tell a Dream and he that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully What is the Chaff to the Wheat Is not my Word like as Fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock to pieces It is a very dangerous thing when Persons through their slighting of the written Word shall thereby provoke God to give them over to wander after these satanical Delusions because many times what Ways Men do sinfully chuse to walk in and deluded Rules to walk by the same Ways and Rules God will judicially chuse for them 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the Truth in the Love of it that they might be saved for this Cause God shall send them strong Delusions to believe Lies that they might be damned Therefore have we that Rule given us in Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if any Man speak not according to this Rule it 's because there is no Light in him and saith Peter 2 Epist 1. 19. But we have a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well to take heed as a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your Hearts Thus you see what the false Rules are which the most of Men do propound to themselves as their Guides to walk by which will appear at length to be nothing else but left-footed Obedience in the Eyes of God and Jesus Christ 3dly We give unto God left-footed Service when we walk not constantly with him when we are off and on with God when we play fast and loose with God some there are when affrighted by strong Convictions and grieved by and with sore Afflictions will then for a fit be Religious then they will Pray and Read good Books and frequent the Worship of God and set about the Practice of religious Duties in their Families but when the sense of the Conviction is abated and the smart of their Affliction a little worn off then like Ephraim all their Righteousness appears like the morning Cloud and all their Goodness like the early Rain that passeth away This kind of inconstant Obedience the Israelites gave unto God in the Wilderness Psal 78. 36 37. Nevertheless they flattered him with their Mouth and lied unto him with their Tongues for their Hearts were not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant This inconstant Service was never yet acceptable Service with God nor will it ever be esteemed otherwise than left-footed Service offered unto him 4thly When we walk not sincerely with God then we give him left and not right-footed Service this was the Service Amazia gave to the Lord 2 Chron. 25. 2. He did that which was right in the sight of God but not with a perfect Heart All the Ways of God saith David are Mercy and Truth Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners his Ways Psal 25. 8. So that you see there is Truth and Uprightness in the Lord towards us and he expects to find the same in us towards himself again Truth is the Nature of God and he cannot but hate the contrary where-ever he sees it let Men clothe themselves with never so much out-side Holiness yet if Truth and Sincerity be found wanting all is but glittering Hypocrisie in the Eyes of God Rev. 3. 1. Thou hast a Name to live and art dead The Scribes and Pharisees had as much of an outward Holiness upon them as most Men living but their want of Sincerity turned all their painted shew of Holiness into perfect Rottenness in the Eyes of Christ Matt. 23. 27. It 's not the Matter of our Services only which commends us to God but the Manner of our performing of them If our Ends and Aims 〈◊〉 more for our own Praise Honour and Profit than for the Honour and Glory of God we shall never hear more of it unless it be to our Shame and Sorrow David was well instructed in this therefore prays he that God would make his Heart sound in his Statutes Psal 119. 80. Thus you have seen the Reasons why the Priest was to tip not the left but the right Ear right Thumb and the great Toe of the right Foot of the Leper with the Bloud of the Lamb and Log of Oil the Bloud to purchase the Leper for the Work and Service of the Purchaser and the Oil of Grace to make him fit for it and willing to set about it Now Soul if thou wouldst hear the Voice of Christ in a saving manner if thou wouldst hear when he speaks to thy Soul in his Works Word Ordinances and Providences if thou wouldst work the Works of Righteousness as the Work of Repentance before God Faith in God Love to God with the Works of Holiness in his sight together with the Works of Justice and Mercy towards Men and if thou wouldst Walk with God as Enoch did walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God Blameless and without Rebuke as did Zacharias and Elizabeth then be not satisfied until thou hast gotten thy right Ear thy right Thumb and the right Foot of thy Soul tipt with the Bloud and Oil which drops out of the Palm of the Hand of the High-Priest Jesus Christ Who is willing to save to the uttermost them which come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. PART VI. Thus after the Priest had tipt the right Ear the Thumb of the right Hand and the great Toe of the right Foot of the Cleansed Leper with the Bloud of the Lamb and the Log of Oil then as in Levit. 14. 16. the Priest was to dip his right Finger in the Oil that is in his left Hand and sprinkle of the Oil with his Finger seven times before the Lord. THis number Seven was of a sacred Use amongst the Hebrews is was used
in holy Ministrations as also in miraculous Operations 2 Kings 5. 10 14. and also it had a sound of Perfection in it as witnessing the Perfection of the Creatures made in six Days before so that there was no need of any more to be done See the Assemblies Annotations upon the place So then by the Priest's sprinkling of the Oil seven times before the Lord denoted that the Work was perfectly done which Action of the Priest teacheth us thus much if we consider him as a Type of Christ in the Cleansing of his spiritual Lepers That as Jesus Christ hath undertook to go thorow with the Work of the Elects Justification and Sanctification so by his sprinkling of the Oil seven times before the Lord which he did in the Person of the Levitical Priest it was to assure his Father for his Satisfaction and to assure his People for their Consolation that the Work of their Justification and Sanctification is compleat and perfectly done according to his last Words when he suffered upon the Cross John 19. 30. then he said It is finished From whence we may observe this Note of Observation Doct. That Jesus Christ a Believer's High-Priest hath perfectly finished and compleated the Work of their Justification and Sanctification before the Lord. The Truth of this Observation is attested both by himself and his Father also First By Christ himself John 17. 4. I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do Now the great Work which the Father gave his Son to do and finish was the Work of the Justification and Sanctification of the Elect Isa 42. 1 2 3. Behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him and he shâ—â—â— bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles 2dly This Truth is also witnessed unto by the Father as well as by the Son Isa 53. 10 11. He shall prolong his Days and the Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hands he shall see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied That is the Father shall see his Son's Work finished to his full Contentment Reason Now the Reason of the Point is this Because Christ was God as well as Man and because he is so therefore he wanteth no Sufficiency to accomplish whatever he takes in hand nor never yet did he begin any Work but he always finish'd it before he left it He made the Heavens and the Earth and he did it compleatly he made Man upon the Earth and made a perfect Piece of him and when he had finished his whole Work he beheld it and it was very good good for Matter and good for the Form of it and the ending of it was a glorious Work Psal 19. 1. hence saith Moses Deut. 32. 4. His Work is perfect So that this is the Reason that a Believer's Justification and Sanctification is so compleat and perfect it is because it was carried on by Jesus Christ who is very God as well as very Man and there is nothing too hard for the Lord. And so we come to Application Vse Let this serve for Comfort to the doubting People of God who are very apt to be dejected and cast down in their Spirits their Doubt is not so much whether Christ were able to finish the Work of Justification and Sanctification for them that 's put beyond Question with them but their Trouble ariseth from their Darkness as to their Interest in this Justification and the Littleness if they have any at all of the Grace of Sanctification First As to their Darkness about their Interest in this Justification many there are because they cannot read the Lines of their Justification upon the Book of their own Consciences are apt to fear whether it were ever written for them upon the Book of Christ's Records in Heaven There be three things which makes some Christians to doubt about their Interest in their Justification 1st A sight of old Sins upon the Book of their Consciences 2dly A natural Proneness to commit new Sins 3dly A want of Skill to distinguish between the old Reckoning as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Memory and Conscience of the Soul First of all The sight of old Sins as they stand upon the Book of their Consciences They think because the sense of Sin remains upon their Consciences uncancelled therefore the guilt of Sin must needs remain upon the Book of God above unpardoned Ans But this doth not always follow but rather the contrary For where Sin is unpardoned there the Heart as to the sense of it is mostly hardned Look over all the Justified Men which you can find in Scripture and you will find none more under the Conscience of Sin than those who were truly Pardoned and Justified from their Sins as David though Nathan told him that his Sin was pardoned yet how did the sense of it bleed in his Conscience Psal 51. 2 3. Wash me throughly from my Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin for I acknowledge my Transgressions and my Sin is ever before me The like we find in Job though God himself testified of him that he was a pardoned Man one that feared God and eschewed Evil yet how did Job charge home the Guilt of Sin upon his own Conscience Job 13. 23. How many are my Iniquities and Sins make me to know my Transgression and my Sin So good Heman Psal 88. 15. I am afflicted and ready to Die while I suffer thy Terrours I am Distracted So that this should rather be thy Cordial than a Corrosive to thee that with those good Men the sense of Sin is made to visit thy Conscience A sense of Sin is necessary to help on Repentance Repentance is the Fruit of a justified State Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also Called that is by Repentance and whom he Called them he also Justified Secondly A second Ground of doubting in Christians about their Justification ariseth from their Proneness in Nature to commit new Sins Certainly saith a doubting Soul if I were ever Justified from the Guilt of my Sins I should never be so apt to commit Sin as I do Ans It is one thing to have the guilt of Sin acquitted to the Soul and another thing to have the filth of Sin removed out of the Soul the one belongs to Christ's Justifying and the latter to Christ's Sanctifying Grace the Act of Christ's Justifying of the Soul is done at once upon the very Act of the Soul 's believing Acts 13. 39. By him all that do Believe are Justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses But the Act of Christ's Sanctifying a Soul is done by degrees and is a Work of Time so that a Soul may be fully Justified from all his Sins and yet the Nature very prone to commit it Paul had no cause to doubt of
or have to boast of yet you may read under all his highest Attainments what a humbling Consideration this was to him that he still had the remainders of his Leprosie upon him Isai 6. 5. Then said I Wo is me for I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips and I dwell in the midst of a People of unclean Lips And as this was Matter of Humiliation to that Prophet so should it be to every one else for if a corporal Leprosie be so debasing a thing much more must a spiritual Leprosie be so because the more spiritual an Evil is the more vile and debasing Oh! how Humble should the Thoughts of this make us under our greatest Enjoyments and Attainments in this Life PART II. Thus having spoken to the Disease we next come to speak of the Remedy against it ABout which we may note these three things First There was something to be done by the Leper himself in order to his Cleansing Secondly You have the Person noted by whom the Cure was to be wrought Thirdly You have the Means noted also which was to be used in order to the Cure of the Leper First of all we are to consider what was to be done by the Leper himself in order to his Cure which hath two things in it First He was to go or be brought to the Priest that his Disease might be discovered and lookt into Secondly And if it proved to be the Leprosie then was he to go out of the Camp and be separated from the People First of all He was to go or be brought to the Priest that his Disease might be discovered and lookt into in order to his Recovery Levit. 13. 2. When a Man which shall have in the Skin of his Flesh a Swelling or a Scab or a white Spot in the Skin of his Flesh if it be like the Plague of Leprosie then shall he be brought to the Priest Now the Levitical Priest who was to be the Instrument of this corporal Cure was a Type of Jesus Christ our Gospel High-Priest who alone can heal the spiritual Leprosie of our polluted and defiled Natures and indeed one great part of the Apostle's Work in his Epistle to the Hebrews is to shew the Levitical Priesthood typical of the Priest-hood of Christ not only in the Work of offering Gifts and Sacrifices for the People but also in that compassionating Care that Christ should exercise over his Members in healing and helping them under their Infirmities Heb. 5. 1 2. From whence we shall raise this Observation Doct. That if any have a desire to be healed of their 〈◊〉 Leprosies and Soul-pollutions they must come on be brought to Jesus Christ. Where could the Isâ—â—â—lites go or unto whom could they repair for healing Help against their corporall Leprosies but unto their Levitical Priests Had they â—ayelled through the whole Would for a Cure they could not imagin to obtain it from the Hands of any whom God had not appointed to administer it but God never appointed any but their Priests to be the Instruments in this Work and none but them therefore to neglect the Use of them was to abide still under the power of their Leprosies So in the case of our spiritual Leprosies it is only Jesus Christ which God hath appointed to administer Health and Healing against it it is he alone that is the anointed High-Priest to deal with our Soul-pollution in order to the removing of it Heb. 2. 17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People For in that himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to Succoâ—â— them that are tempted Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given amongst Men whereby we must be saÌ„ved So that if we seek to this High-Priest for a Cure of our Soul-pollution we need not doubt of healing Grace to our effectual Recovery because he is able to save them to the uttermost which come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. Thus as Jesus Christ is our only High-Priest appointed and anoâ—â—ed of God for Soul-cure so it is our coming to him which gives us the Benefit in order to our Recovery the reason is because our coming to him is made the Condition of it Matt. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy Laden and I will give you Rest. Isai 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come to the Waters He that is a Thrist let him come and he that will let him come and take of the Waters of Life freely Rev. 22. 17. Thus you see though Christ our High-Priest be every way qualified and appointed by his Father for our Healing who hath said of Christ I have laid help upon one that is Mighty yet still it is our coming to Christ for help which effects the Cure in us Mark the leprous Person was to be brought to the Priest Leo. 13. 45. and thou must be brought to Christ or thou must endure thy Leprosie for ever and so I come to make some Application upon this particular Point Vse This informs then whence it is and why it is that we have so many spiritual Lepers amongst us so many Men and Women who live in their Sins walk after the Flesh taking pleasure in Iniquity fulfilling the Desire of their fleshly Minds and are still wandring after the Course of this World yielding up of themselves to the Government of the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that works in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience The reason lieth here they come not to the Priest for a Cure they make no use of Jesus Christ for healing Grace there is a deep Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and Vncleanness Zech. 13. 1. but they will make no use of it which Fountain being the free Grace of God running forth through the Merit of Christ's Blood publishing itself to our Souls by the preaching of the Word and Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ this Grace and freely profered Mercy they neglect slight and contemn which is the only ordinary Means of their Cleansing and Healing now of these Christ-slighting and Graceundervaluing Souls there are two sorts First Those who wilfully resufe and slight the Means of their Cleansing which is the Ministry of the Word of such we read in John 5. 40. They would not come to Christ that they might have Life that is as you read in John 6. 66. They went back from Christ that is they turned their Backs upon the Ministry of Christ for 't is said they walked no more with him and Solomon tells you That such as refuse Instruction despise their own Souls Prov. 15. 32. Thus through the pride and haughtiness of their Hearts they ssight
he by his blessed Sacrifice in offering up of himself did thereby purchase our Right to all the Promises relating to Life and God liness so by his Intercession he powerfully prevails with his Father that the Good of them might come down upon us 3dly And whereas you read That the living Bird with the Scarlet the Cedar-wood and the Hyssop all which was to be dipt into the Blood of the slain Bird this being done it made the Scarlet the Cedar-wood and the Hyssop so effectual in the Cleansing of the Leper This great Mystery signifies thus much to us when applied to its Anti-type That what Benefit upon a saving account there is in Christ or of Christ which any do receive in order to their effectual Redemption and Soul-cleansing it doth all originate in or originally proceed from the Vertue Worth and Merit of the Sufferings and Blood of Christ as the procuring cause of all Have we any Benefit by any Office of Christ or Righteousness in Christ Grace from Christ or relation to Christ All this flows from the Spring and Fountain of a Christ crucified and flain for Sin for you plainly see that all the Means which was used in the Cleansing of the corporal Leper took its Efficacy from the Bloud of the slain Bird the Scarlet the Cedar-wood and the Hyssop were all dipt in the Bloud of the slain Bird. From whence we may note this Observation Doct. That the Bloud of Christ shed for Sin is the only Procuring-cause of all the Grace Mercy and Favour which the Elect of God are capable to receive both in the Life that now is and that which is to come This is a Truth which doth abundantly evidence itself from the Scriptures Have we Grace and Sanctification in this Life This the Scripture attributes to the Bloud of Christ as the Procuring-cause of it Heb. 9. 14. The Bloud of Christ purgeth our Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God Have we Peace with God This he hath procured by the Bloud of his Cross Col. 1. 20. Have we Power and Strength to overcome our spiritual Enemies Satan and the Lusts of the Flesh This is done by the Bloud of the Lamb Rev. 12. 11. In a word There is not a good Action done or performed by us but the Grace which enables us thereunto is the Fruit of Christ's Bloud Heb. 13. 20 21. The God that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Bishop of our Souls through the Bloud of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Is it Assurance Joy Peace in believing the Bloud of Jesus Christ have procured this also Col. 1. 11 12 13 14 Verses And so for Heaven and Glory to come this is the Fruit of Christ's Purchasing-bloud which hath accomplished all this Ephes 1. 14. And so we come the Reason of the Point Reason This must be so because what Good the Elect of God partake from him either in this World or in the World to come let it be to their Sanctification here or their Glorification hereafter all this must flow forth to them from the Love of God as the grand Cause of it Ephes 2. 4 5 6 Verses But God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in Sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace are ye saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together with Christ Jesus in heavenly Places So that you plainly see to be quickned from a Death in Sin and to be graciously Saved that is from the Curse and Condemnation of the Law Gal. 3. 13. with Rom. 8. 1. and from the Dominion of Sin Rom. 6. 14. and from the Captivating-power of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. and from the Wrath of God Thess 1. 10. And after all this to be dignified and exalted to that hight of Honour so as to be made to sit with Christ yea together with him in heavenly Places The Apostle tells you in the fourth Verse That the great Love of God is the Foundation of all this to the Elect Now it cannot be that God should deal with his Elect in such a way of Love until he be-first reconciled to them and becomes their Friend now he cannot become their Friend until a Reconciliation be made for them which was done wrought out and brought about by the Blood of Christ Rom. 5. 8. In that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us So Verse 10. When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son So Col. 1. 20. And having made Peace by the Bloud of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself Thus you see how through the Bloud of Christ the innocent Bird and Lamb of God the way is abundantly opened to God the Father's letting forth of his Grace and Love to the Elect whom he had ordained thereunto before the World began Ephes 1. 4. And so we come to make some Application of the whole 1st Vse Is to teach us Thankfulness to the ever-blessed God for this special Benefit which he hath so graciously afforded us in order to our spiritual Cleansing Oh! Brethren this was the highest Act of God's Love and Good-will to the lost Children of Adam that could be manifested from Heaven itself Rom. 5. 8. but God commended his Love towards us in that while we were Sinners Christ died for us The meaning is That there was nothing beyond this that could afford a higher Evidence of the Grace and Good-will of God to the lost World For God to create us Creatures was a wonderful Expression of his Power and Wisdom it being a bringing of something out of nothing a most adorable Act but to save them when lost the Fruit of which is their being made new Creatures 2 Cor. 5. 17. Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God before ordained that we should walk in them Ephes 2. 10. This was the highest Expression of God's Wisdom Power Love and Grace that possibly could be manifested in the Face of Men and Angels What could Abraham give to God of all he did possess beyond the Life of his Son Isaac And What could God give more to Sinners than the Life of his Son John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not Perish buâ— have everlasting Life This was the most costliest Means for a Cure that Heaven and Earth could procure Oh Christians and shall we not be Thankful for this and rejoyce in the Lord for this How unsuitable to a David-like Spirit would this be in us Psal 103. 2 3. O bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thine Iniquities and healeth all thy Diseases Oh Brethren this special Bloud calls for special Thankfulness
First Of the Socinians Secondly Of the Quakers who betwixt them both deny the pure Water in the earthen Vessel and the earthen Vessel in which the pure Water is First of all The Socinians who deny the God head of Christ Secondly The Quakers who deny the Manhood of Christ in Being for if Christ be not God and of the same essential Nature with the Father as the Socinians affirm and on the other hand if Christ retain not his Humane Body now in Heaven as the Quakers affirm then is he neither God nor Man and consequently he is nothing at all who thereby make good what the Apostle said of old speaking of a sort of Men which should spring up in the latter Ages of the World that should deny the Lord that bought them bringing thereby swift Destructioâ—â—pon themselves 2 Pet. 2. 1. with Jude 4 Ver. PART IV. Thus you see the Mistery of the earthen Vessel with the runâ—â—ing pure Water in it opened to you we next come to speak of the rest of the Things which the Priest was to use in the Cleansing of the Leper which was the Scarlet the Câ—daâ—-wood and the Hyssop THe Assemblies Annotations speak to this purpose That the Sâ—arlet Cedar-wood and the Hyssop these three things together made up the Brush wherewith the Loper was to be sprinkled in order to his Cleansing the Cedar-wood made up the Handle of the Brush the Hyssop made up the Brush itself and the Scarlet which was a Scarlet Thread with this Thread the Hyssop was bound fast to the Cedar-handle Now the Mystery of which I conceive to be this The Handle of the Brush which was made of Cedar-wood may signifie the Word of God the instrumental Means of our spiritual Cleansing for as Cedar is sweet and durable so is the Word of God First of all The Word of God is like Cedar for sweetness Psal 19. 10. The Word is more to be desired than Gold yea sweeter than the Hony-comb thus you see how sweet the Word is to the Pallate for Taste and it is no less sweet in the Nostrils for smell Cant. 1. 2. Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth that is the Name of Christ published or poured out in the Preaching of the Gospel 2. The Word of God may be compared to Cedar for the durableness of it 1 Pet. 1. 25. But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached to you 2dly By the Hyssop-brush we may understand the Grace of Faith another instrumental Means of our Cleansing from our spiritual Leprosie For as Hyssop is sweet and not so subject to corrupt and wither so soon as other Herbs are so the Grace of Faith is a most sweet and precious Grace it is called precious Faith for the sweetness and uncorruptibleness of it 2 Pet. 1. 1. Good Education natural Parts and moral Gifts may wither and come to nothing but true Faith is a â—race that never loseth its Life Sap or Savour 3dly And by the Scarlet Thread we may understand the Purchasing-bloud of Christ which is the Procuring-cause of that Vertue and Healing-property which we find and feel in the Word and Faith in order to our spiritual Cleansing Now the Sprinkling-brush being thus finished the Scarlet Thread binding the Hyssop to the Cedar-handle with this Brush the Priest was to sprinkle the Leper seven times the Sum of which holds out to us our Justification and Sanctification which is procured for us by our High-Priest Jesus Christ From all which we may observe this Point of Doctrine Doct. That who-ever intends to be Justified from the Guilt of Sin and Sanctified from the Filth of Sin must get himself sprinkled with the Bloud of Christ through the Word of God by the Hyssop of Faith and Believing Hence the Scripture attributes both our Justification and Sanctification to the Bloud of Christ as the meritorious and Procuring-cause of it First For our Justification Rom. 5. 9. Much more then being now Justified by his Bloud 2dly Our Sanctification is meritoriously procured by the same Means Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Bloud of Christ purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God 2. As the Scriptures do direct us to the Bloud of Christ alone as the meritorious Cause of our Justification and Sanctification so doth it direct to Faith as the Means which only can make the Application of both to the Soul Rom. 5. 1. Being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not that Faith can Justifie of itself a part from the Object of it which is Jesus Christ but only as Faith apprehends and applies the Bloud and Obedience of Christ to the Soul which is the alone Matter of our Justification and as Faith is the Instrument of our Justification so it is of our Sanctification also Acts 15. 9. And put no difference betweeen them and us purifying their Hearts by Faith Reason Now the Reason why the Soul is to make use of Faith in his Justification from the Guilt of Sin and in his Cleansing from the Filth of Sin is because God hath ordered Faith to be the Grace which must deal with the Bloud of Christ which is the Procuring-cause of both For as nothing can Justifie or Cleanse the Soul if applied but the Bloud of Christ so there is nothing which can apply the Bloud of Christ to the Soul but the Hyssop of Faith and Believing Heb. 11. 6. But without Faith it is impessible to Please him And so we come to the Application of the Point Vse This should teach us all to look after Faith yea above all things to labour for this Grace of Believing if ever we mean to be healed of our sinful Leprosie and Uncleanness Oh Friends this is the Means that can only do your Souls good slight this and you slight your greatest Mercy under Heaven because you thereby slight that very Means which God hath appointed for a Soul-cure Neglect this saith Christ and you die in your Sins John 8. 24. This was Israel's Sin and that which kept them in their Sins as the Apostle speaks Rom. 10. 3. They submitted not themselves to the Righteousness of God which is else-where called the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4. 13. It was not enough for the Jewish Leper only to use the Bloud of the Bird for his Cleansing no but he must dip the Hyssop-brush into the Bloud also he must keep to the Means and the whole Means which God instituted and appointed for his Cleansing Deut. 12. 32. What tâ—â—ng soever I have commanded you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it If the Priest had used the Hyssop-brush without the Bloud of the Bird or if he had dipt the Hyssop-brush in any other Liquor as Water Milk or Wine this would not have been Cleansing to the Leper or if he had made use of the Bloud of the Bird without
they would be made happy but not holy but this cannot be because this would prove a flat Contradiction to the Design of God in sending of his Son from Heaven Isa 55. 4. Behold I have given him for a Witness to the People a Leader and Commander to the People Acts 5. 31. Him hath God the Father exalted to be Prince and a Saviour Psal 2. 10 11 12. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth Serve the Lord with fear rejoyce before him with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his Wrath is kindled but a little Such as these may well be called Balaam's Disciples whose Desire was more for a happy Death than for a holy Life Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his Numb 23. 10. But alas who can sufficiently lament the fearful Disappointment which such Hypocrites will meet with when all their Hope shall become like the Spider's Web to them whose present Confidence for a happy End at last lieth only in a few faint fruitless Desires that it may and in a few vain Hopes that it will be as well with them at last as it will be with those who make a greater Shew for Religion than they do Their Hope is that that merciful God which made them will not destroy them There is one dreadful Text of Scripture written against all such Soul-deluded Sinners Deut. 29. 19 20. And it shall come to pass when he heareth the Words of this Curse that he bless himself in his Heart saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the Imaginations of my Heart to add Drunkenness to Thirst. The Lord will not spare that Man but then the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousie shall smoke against that Man and all the Curseâ— that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under Heaven 2d Vse Let this serve in the next place to perswade the cleansed People of God to study all they can to be serviceable to Jesus Christ because you are bought by Christ to that end and purpose 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. You are not your own for you are bought with a Price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and Spirits which are his Oh remember you carry the Mark of Christ's Servants upon the Tip or Lap of your Ears you are his Cleansed Lepers and the Leper when Cleansed was to have his right Ear marked with the Bloud of his Cleansing in token that now he is no more his own but wholly his and for his Use and Service from whom he had the Cure so this is the Voice which continually hangs at the Ears of the Cleansed Lepers of Christ Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou Serve So Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that you present your Bodies as living Sacrifices holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable Service and be not conformable to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your Mind And as your Service is Christ's Right so it is your Honour Paul knew that he could not dignifie himself in any thing so much as he did in writing himself the Servant of Jesus Christ Rom. 1. 1. Paul a Servant of Jesus Christ. Object But you may say who are there that are more slighted despised and reproachfully loaded with all manner of Contempt and Scorn than these are whom you count the Servants of Jesus Christ I Answer But who are they and what are they which so evilly treat the Servants of Jesus Christ are they any other than the blind ignorant Rabble of the World such whom the Word of God counts the Dross of the Earth Psal 119. 119 ver What matter is it to hear a Man that was born Blind to speak reproachfully of the Sun or to hear a Man that 's born Deaf to speak contemptibly of Musick or to hear an ignorant Fool speak deridingly of the best of Learning Is the Sun Musick or Learning any thing the worse for this or doth it detract any thing from the Excellency of these things Whose Opinion will you rather cleave unto about this Point either the Opinion of the blind ignorant World which wholly lieth in Wickedness or the Opinion of the Penmen of Scripture The Word saith That the Servants of Christ are the honourablest Men in the World yea that they are to be accounted worthy of double Honour 1 Tim. 5. 17 yea God himself doth Honour them 1 Sam. 2 30. with Psal 91. 15. and because God honours them himself therefore he makes them Honourable in the Eyes of others yea God hath made many of his Servants to be highly honoured in the Eyes of the Heathen and professed Pagans Gen. 23. 4. The Children of Heth how highly were they made to Honour Abraham Hear us my Lord for thou art a mighty Prince amongst us in the choice of our Sepulchers bury thy Dead What a wonderful Honour was there given to Joseph by Pharaoh Gen. 41. 39 42. And Pharaoh said to Joseph Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this there is none so Discreet and Wise as thou art And Pharaoh took off his Ring from his Hand and put it upon Joseph's Hand and arrayed him with Vestures of fine Linnen and put a golden Chain about his Neck So the like we read of Solomon 2 Chron. 9. 23. And all the Kings of the Earth sought the Presence of Solomon to hear his Wisdom that God put into his Heart The like we read of the Honour which Beishazzer a Pagan gave to Daniel Dan. 5. 29. Then commanded Beishazzer and they clothed Daniel with Scarlet and put a Chain of Gold about his Neck and made Proclamation concerning him that he should be the third Ruler in the Kingdom Thus you see though some base-spirited Men may despise the Servants of God yet when God pleaseth he can make the Wicked'st that are to Honour them at the highest rate therefore let the Opinion of the World be what it will about the People of God my Opinion is and I hope ever will be That it 's far better and a thousand times more honourable to be a Servant of Christ in Rags than to be the Devil's Slave in the most glorious Royal Robes and that the meanest Christian if Sincere is far more Est mable with Christ's Cross upon his Back than the highest Monarch if Graceless with his Royal Crown upon his Head Secondly The next thing that the Priest was to do was to dip his Finger in the Oil and to apply it to the same Parts unto which the Bloud was applied before which was first to the Ear binding it to the Duty of hearing Christ's Voice John 10. 27. Then to the Hand binding it to the Duty of working Righteousness Phil. 2. 12. Lastly To the Foot binding of that to the Duty of
they may do so and walk so too without the least scruple How common is this amongst Men to make this the Rule of their Lives concluding that they are in a very safe condition if they go that Way wherein the most do walk This was the Way which the Jews chose as their Rule to walk by Jer. 44. 16 17. As for the Word which thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth of our own Mouth to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven as we have done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and in the Streets of Jerusalem But for Men to make the Ways and Walks of the Multitude their Rule and Guide to Walk by must needs be a very unsafe and dangerous Rule it is to walk after a wicked World as John speaks 1 John 5. 19. The whole World lieth in Wickedness Chap. 2. Ver. 16. All that is in the World the Lusts of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life is not of the Father but is of the World Hence is that Exhortation Exod. 23. 2. Follow not the Multitude to do evil and the reason of that Exhortation is given you in Jer. 10. 3. For the Customs of the People are vain Now that you may see â—herein the Danger lieth of making the Customs of our Fathers before us or the Customs of the Places wherein we live a Rule to Walk by it will appear by these Scriptures Jer. 11. 10 11. They are turned back to the Iniquity of their Fore-fathers which refused to hear my Words and they went after other Gods to serve them theÌ„ House of Israel and the House of Judah have broken my Covenant which I made with their Fathers Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring Evil upon them which they shall not be able to escape though they shall cry unto me I will not hearken unto them 2dly A second unsound Rule which Men chuse to Walk by is Antiquity to do as their Fore-fathers have done before them this is and hath been a wonderful prevailing Argument with many of the ignorant Sort in the World What shall we think our selves wiser than our Fore-fathers Did not they know how to chuse the best of Ways to walk in themselves and to leave behind them their own as the best Examples for us their Children to imitate in their Absence Shall we think that our Fathers are all lost if they are not then are we safe enough So that let the Way be never so wicked and sinfully Provoking to God and Destructive to their own Souls yet will they not be brought off from their Resolution of keeping in their good old Way by all the Arguments that the wisest of Men shall use with them So powerfully captivating was this Disease upon the Hearts of the Jews in Jeremiah's Days that it bore down the strength of the clearest Convictions that the Prophet could bring to the contrary â—er 44. 17. But we will certainâ—y â—â— whatsoever thing goeth forth of our Mouth to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out our Drink-offerings to her as we have done we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes Here you see where an ignorant Wilfulness carries the sway how desperate it makes Men in their Resolutions to adhere to the sinful Customs of their Ancestors that they will rather adventure to damn their Souls to Eternity than they will be turned out of the common Road which their Fore-fathers walked in before them 3dly Others chuse to Walk by the Rule of Mens Traditions though it be never so contrary to the Rule of the Scriptures though it be about the weightiest Matters of God's Wâ—â—ship though the Rules which Men appoint them to Worship God by are meerly of Human Invention and without the least Warrant from Sâ—â—â—pture yet how conformable are the most of Men to such Rules and Orders Why say they can we do amiss to follow the Wise and Learned of the Land Do not learned Men know best how to make such Formâ— of Worship as may be most acceptable to God and which may be mostly profitable to our selves But how rotten a Rule this is to Walk by and how unapproveable in Christ's sight you may read again in Matt. 15. 9. But in vain do you Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. Where a People shall make the Prccepts of Men their Rule to wâ—lk by rather than the Word of God especially in the Matters of divine Worship this is to set up Men in the room of Christ which is no better than Idolatry it self It is a great Derogation to the Honour of Jesus Christ as if he wanted Wisdom to know what Rules and Laws to make for the Government of his Churches but vain Man must supply the Defect with his Human Wisdom which is a dangerous thing both to the Law-makers and Law-observers as our Saviour told the superstitious Pharisees Matt. 15. 14. If the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the Ditch 4thly Others there are which make their own perverse stubborn Wills their Rule to walk by they will do what they will do they will have their Lusts they will have their Pleasures they will fulfil the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind let God his Word and Ministers say what they will against it This was the Rule which Ephraim made choice of to Walk by in despight of all the Convictions which the Prophet brought to the contrary Hos 2. 5. For she said I will go after my Lovers that gave me my Bread my Water my Wool my Flax my Oil and my Drink The like Wilfulness was found in the Hearts of the Jews against the Will of God Jer. 44. 25. Thus saith the Lord of Host the God of Israel saying ye and your Wives have both spoken with your Mouths and have fulfilled it with your Hands saying We will surely perform our Vows that we have made to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out our Drink-offerings to her ye will surely accomplish your Vows Mark how the Lord takes notice of their Wilfulness no less than twice in this Verse you will fulfil your Vows and you will accomplish the Promises which you have made to your Idols you will do it you are wilfully bent upon it and inasmuch as you are so wilful in your Resolutions I am resolved to be as wilful on my part in your Destruction and then it shall be known whose Word shall stand either mine or yours ver 27 28. Thus you see what a dangerous thing it is for Men to make their Wills their Rule to walk by especially when we consider how opposite the Will of Man is by Nature to the Will and Word of God John 5. 40. Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life 5thly Others again
if through the Spirit ye mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall Live Ephes 4. 22. That ye put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is Corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members which are upon the Earth Fornication Vncleanness inordinate Affection evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry Tit. 2. 11 12. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching them to deny Vngodliness and wordly Lusts to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World 1st Reason The Reason of the Point lieth here because this was one special Purpose of Christ in satisfying the Law for us and thereby in reconciling of his Father to us it was that Sin might be destroyed in us Rom. 5. 10. with Rom 6. 6. For when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Knowing that our Old Man is Crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin 2d Reason It must be so because our Lord Jesus Christ designed and intended that every one of his Redeemed and Cleansed Lepers should hold a holy Communion with himself both in the Life that now is and in the Life which is to come John 14. 20 21. At that Day ye shall know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and I will manifest my self to him Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and Purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Christ is the Prince of Purity his Eyes are Eyes of Purity that cannot look upon Iniquity his Nature is a Nature of Purity he is called the Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts whose Glory filleth the whole Earth Isa 6. 3. therefore he cannot live in an impure Heart nor have communion with impure Souls that are no way washed from their Iniquities Surely then this makes it highly the Duty of every Christian to be Cleansing of himself from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and to be perfecting of Holinâ—ss in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Thus having given you the Reasons of the Point we next come to the Application of what hath been said upon it Vse If this be so let it serve then for Matter of Examination to every Christian whether we are of the number of Christ's Cleansed and Healed Lepers Oh! what a blessed thing would it be if upon trial and search we might appear to be such not in shew but in substance not in appearance only but in reality also an Israelite in deed and in truth as Nathanael was in whom was no Guile There be not a few but would fain perswade themselves that they are the Men in whom the Leprosie is cured they hope that the Bloud of the Lamb Christ hath been applied to the Ear Thumb and Toe of their Souls but let me ask such Men whether the Priâ—st's Razor have yet been upon them Oh! bethink your selves and remember that those which were healed Lepers were shaved Lepers the Hair of their Heads Beards and Eye-brows is all shaved off which were the parts and places in which the Scurf and Filth of the Disease lay and hid it self before The same is spiritually true of thee if thou art a healed Leper indeed the Scurf of thy Corruption which hath lain hid in thy Heart as to the Dominion of it is shaved off and â—emoved out of thy Soul Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have Dominion over you Christ will have clean Work made in the Heart wherein he begins to Work Rev. 21. 5. Behold I make all things new saith Christ and so saith Paul 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any Man he in Christ he is a new Creature all old things are dâ—ne away and all things become new So that there is a univeâ—sal Change made in the whole Man of every one that are the cleansed Leâ—ers of Jesus Christ the Judgment Will and Affections are all new and renewed by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. â— 5. Now Soul what Shaving-work hath there been upon thy Heart and Life Reflect upon thy former Conversation Hast thou not been a loose Liver a Swearer a Blasphemer an unclean Person a Sabbath-breaker a Harer of Godliness a wicked Scoffer and cruel Persecutor of those which have truly feared God But is this shaved off from thee Is this filthy Scurf gone and removed from thy Heart within and thy Life without Thou knowest that thou hast been a common Drunkard an unjust Dealer a known Lyer a wretched Worldling a greedy covetous Oppressor thy whole Life hath been a prayerless Life an irreligious Life casting the Word Worship and Ordinances of God behind thy Back spending of thy precious Time which should have been spent in the Service of thy God Oh! this precious Time which thou canst never recal more hast thou laid out in the satisfying of thy Lusts and sensual Appetite Oh! but hath the Razor oâ— thy High-Priest shaved all this away and canst thou now say in the Words of Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Be not deceived there was never a healed Leper came out of Christ's Hands but he was a shaved mortified and sanctified Leper the Bloud the Oil and the shaving Razor always went together the Bloud to justice the Oil to sanctifie and the Razor to mortifie the Affections and Lusts Redemption from the Guilt of Sin is only proved by our Mortification to the love and power of Sin in our Natures Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Mark There is therefore no Condemnation there is Guilt removed who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit there is the Truth of it proved the shaving of the Head Beard and Eye-brows were evident Signs what the Man had been and with whom he had been they were Signs that the Man had been a Leper and secondly That he had been with the Priest for a Cure and is now come off healed and cleansed of his Distemper So likewise if thou hast been with Jesus Christ indeed he hath fixed these visible Signs upon thy Soul 2 Cor. 5. 17. Thou art come of a new Creature all old things are done away and all things are become new in thee but if the Signs of thy Cleansing be not upon thee thou hast still cause with the Leper Lev. 13. 45. to rent thy Clothes and to go with thy Head bare and to put a Covering upon thy Upper-lip crying out to every one which thou meetest Vnclean unclean PART VIII
Churches of Christ in general and every Christian in particular to give the whole Honour of their spiritual Cure to Christ alone have a care of thrusting him out of his Work by thrusting in of any thing into it or by employing of any one else about this Work which is only proper to him there is no Man ought to take this Honour upon him but he that is called of God as Aaron was Aaron was â—ut a Typical Healer to the Church of the Jews it 's true he was a visible Healer of their Plagues Pestilence Sins and Sufferings which they were subject unto but still the principal Healer was Christ in the Person of Aaron Oh! take not away this Honour from Jesus Christ either by not making use of him or by making use of others for help in opposition to him which is worst of all For he will not give his Glory to another nor his Praise to Graven Images Isa 42. 8. Christ is the Head of his Church and who should the Members make use of for Healing if not him as 〈◊〉 once said John 6. 68. Lord to whom shall we go for thou hast the Words of eternal Life Christ is the good Shepherd John 10. 11. and unto whom should the Sheep repair for Help but to theâ—r Sâ—epherd Christ is the good Physician and unto whom should his â—â—ick Paâ—ients have recourse unto for Health and Healing if not to him In a word He is that Sun of Righteousness which carrieth that Healing in his Wings which makes the feeblest of his People to grow up as Fat as the Calves of the Stall Mal. 4. 2. Thus having viewed the Healer of the leprous House which was the Priest we next come to consider what was to be done by the Priest in order to the Healing of the House First He was to scrape off that part of the Wall in the House which was infected with the Leprosie Ver. 41. He shall cause the House to be scraped within round about This Action of the Levitical Priest doth livelily Type out the Work of Christ who is our Gospel High-Priest in the cleansing of his Gospel Spiritual-houses we need not doubt but the levitical Priest had his Instruments and other Means to use in the cleansing of the leprous House So Jesus Christ he hath also his Instruments and Means to use in the cleansing of his leprous Churches no doubt but the Levitical Priest had his Levites to assist him in scraping off the infected Plaister of the House so hath Jesus Christ his Ministers to work by in the scraping off the Pollution of his Churches Hence they are called Work-men 2 Tim. 2. 15. and Labourers such as labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5. 1â— even such by whose Labours they present Men perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 2. 28. Secondly The Means which Christ useth in cleansing of his Churches is the Preaching of the Word with the Power of the Holy Ghost working with it John 15. 3. Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you By this it is that Christ scrapes his Churches clean from that leprous Filth which is apt to cleave unto them by this it was which hâ— healed his diseased Church in the Wilderness from those frequent Rebellions which so often broke out amongst them Psal 107. 20. He sent his Word and healed them and delivered them from their Destruction By this it was which he healed by scraping his People in Babylon from that Uncleanness which they went away Foul and Filthy withal from their own Land He sent his Word and Prophets to them to scrape them clean of that Defilement Ezek. 3. 11. â—o get thee to them of the Captivity unto the Children of thy People and speak unto them and tell them thus saith the Lord God Whether they will hear or whether they will forbear So Ezek. 36. 33. Thus saith the Lord In the Day that I shall have cleansed you from all your Iniquities I will cause you to dwell in the Cities And by the same Means it was which our Lord endeavoured to cleanse the seven Churches of Asia as Ephesus from their coldness of Love to him Pergaâ—os of its unsound Doctrine Thyatra of its Neglect in Discipline Sardis of its spiritual Deadness and Laodicea of its Lukewarmness he sent his Word to them all by his Servant John to cleanse them from their spiritual Leprosies and Pollution Rev. 1. 4 5 Verses Secondly But if the use of this means will not do Christ will use other means that shall and that is Affliction If the Word will not scrape the â—â—od shall rake until Christ hath fetch'd off the Rust from his People the Rod sometimes effâ—cts and brings to pass what the Word doth not the Word may and doth shew Men their Duty but it 's the Rod which drives Men to it many a Man which hath leapt over the Word yet at last hath been fetcht back again by the Rod Afflictions if sanctifyed are as necessary for the People of God as Physick is for a diseased Body they are purging Means in order to a healthful Constitution David found much good by his Afflictions Psal 119. 71. Afflictions makes way for the entrance of the Word into the Affections which have lain for some Years as lifeless upon the Heart as Seed upon the Ground that wants Rain Joseph's Brethren who sinfully sold him into Egypt lay under the unrepented Gilt of that Sin for twenty Years together until the Rod of Affliction awakened it in their Consciences Gen. 42. 21. So we come to the Application 1st Vse This then should teach the Churches of God great Thankfulness to him who hath made such gracious Provision against their spiritual Maladies he might have suffered you all to have perished in your Pollutions and Defilements and have took as great Satisfaction in the glorifying of his Justice in your final Destruction as in magnifying of the Riches of his Grace and Mercy in your Recovery Oh! but on the other Hand what cause have we all to adore the Riches of boundless Grace with a thankful Admiration that a Fountain of Mercy is sound out and set wide open for the worst of Lepers and leprous Churches to Wash in and be Clean Are you liable to the Leprosie of Pride Passion Lukewarmness Errours Earthly-mindedness Doth a Spirit of Discord Backbiting and Envy break forth amongst you Lo here is the Word and Ordinances of the Gospel in Place to scrape and cleanse off all this from you which if attended with a divine Blessing it is a quick and powerful Means sharper than a two-edged Sword to divide asunder the Joynts and Marrow the Soul and Spirit and is a Discerner of the Thoughts of the Heart Heb. 4. 12. And you have heard if this Means will not do rather than God will suffer his People to Perish and Rot in their Corruption he will use his Rod of Correction to set home his Word of Instruction upon their Souls
meaning is let him be cast out of the Church no more to be communed with than a profest Pagan or the worst of Men unless he Repents which act of Excommunication past upon incurable Offenders you may read at large in the Corinthian-Church 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 Verses And as an Addition to this severe Corinthian Excommunication which was executed upon the Incestuous Person you may read what a strict Charge the Apostle gives to the Members of this Church that if a Brother be known amongst them to be a Fornicator or Covetous or a Railer or an Idolater or a Drunkard or an Extortioner not to keep Company with such a Man Thus you see the Point proved by the Word of God And so we come to the Reason of it The first Reason is drawn from the Will of God God will have it to be so So that a Neglect in the doing of this Work by the Churches it will be grosly inexcusable on their Part The Will of God in this Matter hath been sufficiently revealed to you already both in the Tipe of the Levitical House under the Old Testament and by our Saviour's Words under the New Matt. 18. 15 16 17 18. with 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 Verses And it will be esteemed as our Righteousness I mean a Righteousness of Sincerity if we fulfil the Will of God Matt. 3. 15. Second Reason why the Churches of Christ should cast out incurable leprous Persons from amongst them is Because as by their Sin they have forsaken their God they thereby have given God cause to forsake them therefore ought the Churches to forsake the Company of such too The ground of the Churches Union one with another is that visible Union which they all prosessedly hold to Jesus Christ but when in outward Appearance the Bond of that sacred Relation which any prosess they hold to Christ ceaseth then is their visible Union to Christ dissolved by it Because it was founded and built upon visible Holiness and when visible Holiness ceaseth the Union ceaseth also Therefore whoever they are that oppose the Father and Son as to their Laws and Government ought to be opposed by all the Lord's People Psal 139. 21 22. Do not I hate them that hate thee am not I grieved at them that rise up against thee Yea I hate them with a perfect Hatred I count them my Enemies Third Reason It 's so because God hath promised his peculiar Presence amongst his Churches Matt. 18 20. But he will not be in any such Sence with any Church but upon Terms of their Purity and that they keep themselves clean Houses to him and for his Company Psal 93. 5. Holiness becometh thine House O Lord. Men that return after a religious Profession made to their old sinful Course again are compared to the Sow that was once Washed to Wallow in their old Mire again and as a Dog that licks in his old Vomit And be sure of this that God will not make his abode with dirty Swine and filthy Dogs Therefore if the Churches do not proceed to the Casting out of such Swine and Dogs from amongst them they may expect that God will not continue long amongst them Fourth Reason why Churches ought to Cast out their irrecoverable infected Members is Because otherwise they may be infected with the same Infection themselves according to the old Proverb One scabbed Sheep may spoil a whole Flock And doth not the Apostle say as much 1 Cor. 5. 6. Know ye not that a little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump Psal 106. 35. They were mingled â—â—nong the Heathen and learnt their Works As one rotten Apple may corrupt a whole Heap so may one rotten Member corrupt a whole Church nothing more daâ—gerous than to be Familiar with Men of corrupt Lives and corrupt Principles for their Words will Eat as doth a Canker saith Paul of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2. 17. If Corab be of a terbulent Spirit himself and over-run with Pride and Envy he quickly draweth no less than two hundred and fifty Princes of the Congregation into his Conspiracy to their utter Ruine Numb 16. 1 2. with the 35 Verse Fifthly and Lastly The Reason why the Churches are to cast out their polluted Members is That those of them who belong to the Election of Grace may thereby be recovered again and made the fitter for the Bulding at last It is a common Saying That a Bone once broken if well set again is stronger in that part than ever it was before This is that merciful End which God aims at towards some who are habitually living Stones in and by their Excommunication To this Purpose it will not be amiss to read the Institution 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. In the Name of our Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my Spirit with the Power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan for the Destruction of the Flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus Mark the word That the Spirit might be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus that is at the great and last Day when he shall come in flaming Fire to Judge both Quick and Dead So that you see that God cuts off some of his here in this Life that they may not be out off from the Life which is to come he will cast some out of the Church milirant that they may not be cast off from the Church triumphant God delivers the Soul by this Ordinance into the hands of Satan for a time that thereby he might deliver him from the Power of Satan for ever though the Means applied be sharp yet it being blest of God to that end the Effect you see will be good gracious and profitable Oh the depths both of the Riches of the Grace Wisdom and Counsel of God which appears in this thing How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways post finding out Thus having given you the Reasons of the Point we next come to Apply it Vse Let what hath been said upon this Head lead us to a Use of Lamentation How may we take up the Apostle's Complaint of old and apply it to our selves Phil. 2. 21. For all seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ. So how few are there which do truly value the Honour of Jesus Christ in this Matter namely in labouring to keep the spiritual Houses of our Lord clean and pure How have we lost that ancient primitive Spirit in casting out the incestuous Person Where is that scâ—aping of the Walls and Pulling out the infected Stones of God's Houses which have their Leprosies visibly upon them How are our faithful Jeremiah's ceased that would put a difference between the Precious and the Vile Jer. 15. 19. Where â—â—e our reforming Nehemiah's who so stoutly refused the Sanballars and Tobiah's Men of unsound Principles to build the House of God with them Neh. 2. 19 20. Where are our zealous Pauls who are