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
THE Leper and the Leper's House CLEANSED BEING AN EXPOSITION Upon some part of the XIVth Chapter of LEVITICUS The Mystery of which is Explained and Applied to the State and Condition of a Sinner's becoming a Saint WITH Profitable USES and APPLICATIONS AS ALSO What the Chapter may be applied to as to the Cleansing or Destroying of any particular Church of CHRIST in and under the Time of the Gospel Divided into Ten PARTS Written for the Information of those which seldom concern themselves about the Types and Shadows of the Old Testament Very useful for all People By THOMAS WORDEN Author of The Types Vnvailed LONDON Printed for William Marshal and sold at the Bible in Newgate-street and at the Bible in Gracious-street Where you may be supplied with most of Dr. Owen's Mr. Caryl'â— and Mr. Beverly's Works with all sorts of Stationary Wasâ— and Paper-hangings of the newest India and Japan Figureâ— either by Yard or Sheet c. Likewise Bibles Testameâ—â—â— Psalters and all sorts of School-books At the Bible in Nâ—â—gate-street you may have Matthews's Pill rightly prepâ—â—â—â— and sold at a reasonable Rate AN Epistle to the Reader AS the least of the Works of God are adorable because they are the Works of him who is infinitely Wise Powerful Iust and Good much more are the greater Works of God adorable and admirable There are three great Works of God presented to our Sense and Vnderstanding which invites us all with David to cry aloud Many are thy Works O Lord and in Wisdom hast thou made them all And these are 1st His Works of Creation in making the World 2dly His Works of Providence in providing for the World in sustaining governing and preserving of it 3dly In redeeming and eternally saving of his Elect in the World In his Creating-work there is much of his Wisdom and Power manifested in his Providential-work there is much of his Bounty and Goodness declared and in this Work of Redemption how much of his Love Grace Mercy and Bowels of Pity is there in this to be magnified And unto all this has God added his written Book of Scripture by the Inspiration of his own Spirit in the holy Prophets and Apostles wherein he hath plainly opened to our dark Vnderstandings both the Matter Method and the Means to obtain the End of it which is Everlasting Life and Blessedness And though this be plainly incerted in the Word of God that sanctified Babes do 〈…〉 to the Knowledge of it yet it is a Book sealed up from the 〈…〉 sanctified Wise and Learned in the World that they underst 〈…〉 nothing of the saving Mystery and Meaning of it those whi 〈…〉 have not the Key of Grace to unlock it shall never dis 〈…〉 the Riddles of it as to be able to say by experience 〈…〉 this Eater comes Meat and out of this strong One comes 〈…〉 ness but though there is nothing obscure in the Scrip 〈…〉 what the meanest Child of God may understand as n 〈…〉 his Salvation yet there are many things in it which 〈…〉 〈◊〉 still ignorant of as a hindrance to their growth in Knowledge to the furtherance of their Consolation and these difficult things not easily to be understood consists much if not mostly of the dark Types of the Old Testament The difficulty of them makes many a Christian to throw by the reading of the two Books viz. Exodus and Leviticus as wholly useless in their Esteem which was one considerable Reason which put me upon that Task of bringing forth my Book call'd The Types Unvailed above Thirty Years agon it was to encline the ignoranter sort of Christians to a greater Freedom to make themselves more familiar with these Old Testament-Mysteries in which as so many Pearls hid in a heap of Earth the Substance of the whole Gospel is included and the same Design I have in being willing to let go this Exposition to publick View the Piece having lain by me in secret for some Years not knowing that ever it might be of any farther Vse than to benefit my own Children but God which orders all Events by his Providence it seems was resolved that this Work of mine though but a Mite prepared for his Treasury yet it should not be buried in Oblivion but did order it to be so though unknown to me did cast a Servant of his into a Family unto which I had lent the Manuseript to read for their private Instruction it pleased God to order it so that the People of the House should give their Friend a sight of the Copy and when he had read part of it it begat a thorow Resolution in his Mind not to rest until he had been at the Press with it and though it be void of Letters of Attestation yet it hath past under several good Ministers Approbation So commending the whole Work to the Blessing of God with thy Soul in the reading of it which if it prove a Means of the increase of thy Faith in God thy Knowledge of God and Love to God give the whole Honour to him from whom I received this Light as indeed they must who are mostly acquainted with the Original of my Education and give me thy Prayers not thy Praises that God would make my Preaching-labours as well as my Writing-labours very profitable to the Souls of those I labour in the Ministry amongst And so crave leave to write my self the meanest of Ministers and yet Christ's and the Churches Servant T. W. THE Leper and the Leper's House CLEANSED EXPOSITION I. AN Exposition upon some part of the Fourteenth Chapter of Leviticus entituled The Leper Cleansed The Mystery of which is explained and applied to the State and Condition of a Sinner's becoming a Saint which is seconded with some profitable Vses and Application As also what the Chapter may be applied to the Cleansing or Destroying of any particular Church of Christ in and under the time of the Gospel Written for the Information of those which seldom concern themselves about the Types and Shadows of the Old Testament IN which Chapter you have these two Generals insisted upon First The Subject 1st What is spoken of the Subject First You have the Subject itself and that is twofold First The Man Secondly His House Secondly You have what is spoken of the Subject namely The Man and his House and that is twofold First The Disease which hapend to either Secondly The Remedy prescribed to both I shall first speak of the Man beginning with him and in the second place speak of his House which is the other part of the Subject to be treated of And here First with respect to the Man we may observe these two things First His Disease and that was a Leprosie Ver. 2. This shall be the Law of the Leper in the Day of his Cleansing The Mystery of which is to lead us into the Knowledge of that spiritual Leprosie which by original Sin is begotten in our whole Man a Disease derived
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
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
People The same Counsel was given to the New Testament churches in order to their healing when the Plague of Leprosie at any time broke out upon them Rev. 2. 4 5. Nevertheless I have some what against thee because thou hast left thy first Love remember from whence thou art fallen and repent But alas how far are the Guides and Ministers of most Christ's Churches from acquainting our great High Priest by Fasting Prayer and Humiliation with the great Pollution which hath lately broken forth in many of their Congregations Where can we find one Minister amongst them that goeth to Christ and says It seems to me that there is as is were a Plague begun in my Congregation yea so far are some from making an open Discovery of it that they labour to hide and cover it what they can like Persons whose Houses are insected with the Plague endeavour to hide it from the Searchers to avoid the Affliction of being shut up How common is it to hear how some Men will palliate and lessen the Corruption of their Churches by making great Corruptions to appear to be little and those that are of the lesser sort to be nothing at all but this is not the way to a Cure no more than the hiding and keeping secret an Ulcer in the Bowels is the way to save a Man's Life Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his Sin shall find Mercy but he that hideth his Iniquity shall not proâ—per Secondly We maâ— learn hence what the Duty of the Hearers and Members of Churches is as well as what we heard is the Duty of Ministers and Pastors First of all Their Duty is this viz. To be earnest with God by Prayer that he would continue his special Presence of Grace with their Ministers and give them a double Portion of his Spirit that the Uâ—m and Thumâ—â—n might never depart from their Heads and Hearts so long 〈◊〉 live with you â— Your Ministers are your â—eedsmen and if they through their Unfaithfulness or Uâ—skilfulness should â—ow Hemlock instead of Wheat what a sad disappointment would this be to your Souls Your Ministers are your Watchmen and if they should fall under the Power of a sleepy Lethargy how speedily will the Devil sow his Tares amongst you Your Ministers are your Angels and if they through a Spirit of Debauchery turn Devils how soon may your Churches be turned from so many Beâ—hels into so many Bethavens Your Ministers have large Opportunities to do you a great deal of Good or a great deal of hurt they may be great Blessings or great Curses to you and you may expect them to be to you as you make them either with or without your Prayers Col. 4. 3 4. Withal praying for us that God would open unto us a door of Vtterance to speak the Mystery of Christ that I might make it manifest as I ought to speak And so we come to the second Observation 2d Doct. That the Defilements and Pollutions which the Churches of Christ are subject unto while in this Life are many times very open and visible In the prosecution of this Note I shall first prove it 2dly Give you the Reasons of it And 3ily apply it But First for the Proof of it if you look back to the Old Testament-church how open and visible were the Pollutions and Desilements of it Ezek. 24. 7. For her Bloud is in the midst of her she set it upon the top of a Rock she poured it out upon the Ground to cover it with the Dust. Hos 4. 13. They Sacrifice upon the tops of the Mountains and burn Incense upon the Hills Zeph. 1. 5. And them that Worship the Host of Heaven upon the House tops Now what could be more open and visible than to commit their Iniquity upon high Hills high Mountains and House-tops So the Church of Rome who was once stiled the Beloved of God and called to be Saints Rom. 1. 7. yet at last how open and publick was the Pollution of that Church Rev. 17. 5. And upon her Forehead was written Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abomination of the Earth And so we come to the Reasons of the Point Reasons The first is drawn from Satan The second from God and The third from the Churches themselves The first Reason is drawn from the Devil who out of a perfect Enmity to God and Hatred to his Honour and Glory labours to drive on the Corruption by the corrupt Inclinations of the People of God to the highest pitch what he can He knows that the Honour of God never suffers so much by the Sin of a profane World as it doth by the Sin of one of God's Churches in the World and this is that which makes God so severe with his People in punishing of them when they offend him with their Transgressions Amâ—s 3. 2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I punish you for your Iniquities Secondly The Devil doth it in Policy that he might thereby so much the more stablish the Hearts of his own Children in their Wickedness besides he knoweth that it will abundantly stumble weak Christians in their way to Sion hoping thereby to bring them back again into their old Snareâ— The second Reason is taken from God himself who in a way of Judgment to a People that shall take a liberty to Sin in any one degree and refusing to be reclaimed then God gives them up to a greater freedom to Sin Hos 8. 11. Because Epâ—raim hath made many Altars to Sin therefore Altars shall be unto Ephraim to sin So that what Choice Mâ—n will make for themselves sinfully God sometimes will make the same Choice for them judicially The third Reason is drawn from the Churches themselves with respect to the unmoâ—tifiedness of their Luits â—ome there are which have such great swelling Lusts that if God should suffer them to break out they would make open as well as woful Work upon the best of Men You may read how viâ—lently the Corruption of David run forth when a little let slip by the Lord and how visibly and open it shewed it self to the World So Peter What could be more visible and open than to Curse and Swear that he knew not his Master So good Aaron How open was his Sin in making the golden Calf And so we come to the Application 1st Vse Is this so that many times the Defilement and Pollution of the Churches of Christ are so open and visible while in this Life Let it serve then to stir up the Churches and People of God to labour after a spotless holy Conversation that they may regain the Honour which God hath so often lost through the careless walking of the rest of God's professing People You hear how industrious the Devil is to endeavour the polluting the spiritual Houses of Christ whilest they are in this World which ariseth from his Malice and Hatred to his Creator
and that he may harden his Children in their Sins and damp the Resolutions of weak Christians in Godliness Oh! how should this stir up the Hearts and Hands of all that have any Love to Christ to be pressing on so much the more in the Practice of true Godliness redeeming the Time because the Days are evil that the World may see that Christ hath yet a few Names in Sardis that do walk with him in white and have not defiled their Garments as the most have done Have other Churches their Spots upon them How should you get your Garments washed in the Bloud of the Lamb Are other Churches publickly Scandalous Earthly-minded walking with a proud and haughty Spirit Oh! how should you labour to regain the lost Honour of Christ again in labouring after a more heavenly frame of Spirit in being meek holy and humble in the sight of all Men Oh! that you would consider this that Jesus Christ was never more wounded in the House of his Friends than at this Day Oh! if you have any Love for Christ labour to heal these Wounds again by adorning the Doctrine of God and your Saviour with your holy Conversations Oh! forget not what a large Portion he hath given you in his Bloud and what a good Inheritance he hath purchased for you by his Bloud let him have the Fruit of it which is a holy Conversation John 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much Fruit. 2d Vse Have the Houses of Christ been hitherto subject to their Defilements and Pollutions Learn hence then by Faith and Prayer to hasten on those happy Times which the Word of Prophesie faith are yet to come upon the Churches of Christ in this Life when these spiritual Habitations of his shall no more be troubled with these leprous Defilements and Pollutions in this World There is one Prophesie which I shall mention for all the rest Psal 102. 13. with 16 Ver. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set-time is come When the Lord shall build up Zion he will appear in his Glory I grant that this Prophesie partly had its fulfilling in the Jews Redemption out of their seventy Years Captivity by Cyrus and in the building of the second Temple by Nehemiah but this was not the utmost extent of the Prophesie which clearly points to the latter times of the Gospel-churches even when as in Ver. 22 of this Psal The People are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Which time John the Divine placeth after the great Rent that shall be made in Antichrist's Kingdom Rev. 11. 13. and then he tells you in Ver. 15. that the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever so that then and not till then may we expect the full Accomplishment of this Prophesie in this 102 Psal Ver. 13 with 16. Certainly this must needs be a glorious Work and a very glorious Day when the Lord shall arise to build Zion himself but although it be said that God will build Zion himself we are not to understand it in opposition to the use of outward Means or humane Instruments which God hath formerly used in this Work no but comparatively such will the marvelous Presence of his Glory be which he will then attend those withal which he will employ in this Work of building his Zion as if God had never had a Hand in the Work before which will make the Work exceeding excellent and glorious in four Respects beyond whatever the Churches were adorned with before First For Beauty and Glory in the Eyes of the World Isa 54. 11 12. Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy Stones with fair Colours and lay thy Foundations with Saphires I will make thy Windows of Agates and thy Gates â—f Carbuncles and all thy Borders of pleasant Stones Secondly This Work of building Zion will be marvelous for Light and Knowledge in Mysteries of Faith about our Redemption and Justification by Jesus Christ together with those lesser Points about which the Churches heretofore have been so apt to disagree Isa 60. 19. The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day neither for Brightness shall the Moon give Light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light So Isa 29. 18. And in that Day shall the Deaf hear the Words of the Book and the Blind shall see out of Obscurity and out of Darkness Thirdly This Work will be as marvelous for Peace and Quietness to the Churches who have enjoyed very little of this in the Ages of the World heretofore indeed for a spurt or a short space of time we have found that the Churches of Christ have had sâ—me silence in their heavenly Places for the space of half an Hour Rev. 8. 1. some short breathing some little freedom from Persecution but their Clouds have soon returned upon them again after the Rain Oh! but when the Lord shall arise to build Zion himself then Violence shall no more be heard in their Land nor Wasting and Destruction within their Borders but they shall call their Walls Salvation and the Gates Praise Isa 60. 18. Fourthly When the Lord shall arise to build Zion the Work will be firmly and lastingly done tho' the former Builders were gracious and godly Men yet how quickly have their Work tumbled down again David and Solomon which builded the Temple and City of Zion at first and though they were holy and wise Men yet their Building stood not long after them And the like we read of Nehemiah Ezra and Zerubbabel Men of great Wisdom and Integrity who were Builders of the City and Temple of Zion a second time but alas how soon did the Romans demolish their Work again But when God shall arise to build Zion himself the Work shall surely stand for ever as that no Sanballet or Tobiah shall be able to obstruct it nor no Nebuchadnezzar or Roman Titus shall ever be able to pull down this Work to the World's end Isa 4. 5. And the Lord will create upon every Dwelling-place of Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a Cloud and a Smoak by Day and the Shining of a flaming Fire by Night for upon all the Glory shall be a Defence Oh that we could get such a sight of this glorious Work by Faith as might put us upon the hastning of it into the World by Prayer Last Vse In the mean time until this glorious Work comes into the World let what hath been said about iâ— serve to make us who may never live to see this glorious Day but must yet remain amongst the Churches of Christ so subject yet to their Defilements and Pollutions let the Thoughts of it make Heaven the more desirable to us Oh! think often upon the Purity of that new Jerusalem which is above and comfort your selves
which shall smart their Backs to recover their Hearts Isa 27. 9. By this therefore the Iniquity of Jacob shall he purged this shall be the Fruit thereof I will take away their Sin Oh! therefore all ye that are the Seeds of Jacob be you thankful to God that he hath given you his Word and will not suffer you to want his Rod they being both appointed in his divine Wisdom as a healing Means against your spiritual Leprosies whenever they shall break out upon you How should the thoughts of this abundant Care of God over you make you to cry out with David Psal 103. 2 3. O bless the Lord O my Soul and all within me forget not his holy Benefits who forgiveth all thy Iniquities and healeth all thy Diseases 2d Vse Let this Truth serve to perswade all the cleansed Lepers of Christ to carry the Matter as they ought to do towards the means of their Cleansing which as you have heard consists of these two things First The Word of Instruction Secondly Of the Rod of Correction First of all See to it that you carry the Matter well towards the Word of Instruction so as not to imprison it in your Heads make not your Heads as too many do a Jayl to the Word there be but too many that will hold the Truth in Unrighteousness who are unwilling that the Light of the Word which is got into their Heads should come down into their Hearts for fear lest its shining Light should become a perplexing Heat within them to prevent that they strive to hold fast the Doors against the Truth as a Man who fears an Arrest bolts fast the Doors of his House against the Bailiffs but if ever you mean co have benefit by the Word so as to be cleansed from your sinful Leprosies you must let the Truth out of Prison and give it a free Passage that it may be glorified in you Let it run from Room to Room from the Head to the Heart and from the Heart to the Will and from the Will to the Conscience and from thence to the Affections that so it might have an uninterrupted Out-let into the Conversation so to do is co carry the Matter as you ought towards the Word of Instruction Secondly Be sure you carry the Matter well towards the Rod of God's Correction when Afflictions do light upon you do not fret repine nor murmur at them as if some sore Evil had hapned to you for your Hurt but rather rejoyce under them that God by them is about to scrape and cleanse you from that Heart-naughtiness which cleaveth to you and if the Rod seems to smart do not say to God as Jonah did Jonah 4. 9. I do well to be angry to Death But rather to say with David Psal 119. 75. In faithfulness hast thou afflicted me And instead of muttering at the length or strength of your Affliction you should reason thus It seems that our Lusts are strong and our Corruptions are rooted fast in us which makes our dear Redeemer to put the greater strength into our Afflictions for where the Disease in a Body is more malignant than ordinary there the Ingredients must be the stronger in the Medicine to work it forth again Christ had rather his People should be preserved in Brine than rot in Honey and you may be sure of this that when Christ by his Rod hath done his Work upon you then may you expect the removal of it from you Isa 4. 4 5. When the Lord shall have washed away the Filth of the Daughter of Zion then will be create upon the Dwelling-places thereof a Cloud and a Smoke by Day and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night and a Glory with a Defence upon it Thus you have seen what the Priest was to do in order to the Cleansing of the Levitical leprous House and how well it shadowed out the Way Instruments and Means which our great Gospel High Priest useth in Cleansing of his Churches from their spiritual Leprosies and Defilements We now come to a second Work which the Priest was to do in order to the preserving of the Levitical House that was infected his Work was to pull out the infected Stones thereof and to put other Stones in the room of them Lev. 14. 40 with 42 Ver. Then the Priest shall command that they take away the Stones in which the Plague is and be shall take other Stones and put them in the place of those Stones and he shall take other Mortar and plaister the House Thus you see if scraping of the Walls wherein the Infection lay would not serve the turn then the infected Stones must be pulled out and cast away into an unclean Place which Action in a most lively manner leads us to behold the sacred Order which our Lord Jesus Christ observes in the Cleansing and keeping Clean of his Gospel-churches who in like manner if the Means he hath already used will not do as his scraping of them by his Word of Instruction and the smarting of them with his Rod of Correction if nothing of this Means will heal then out must the Stones be pluckt in which the Infection lay Quest. But some may ask What or who may we understand by the Stones of Christ's spiritual Houses Ans They are the visible Members of Christ's Churches 1 Yet 2. 5. Ye also as lively Stones are built up a spiritual House an holy Priest-hood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. So that the Meaning will amount to this That if any of these Stones shall be so leprous as that neither the Word nor Rod will procure their Amendment wherein they walk contrary to sound Doctrine either in Judgment or Practice then ought they to be separated from the rest of their Brethren by a Church-excommunication You see how clear this appears in the Tipe the infected Stones were to be pulled out of the House to shew us that the incurable infected Members of Christ's House which Peter calls the Stones thereof must be pulled out from thence also From whence we may observe this Note Doct. That when ordinary Means have been used to reclaim offending Church-members but all to no purpose then is the Church to cast out such corrupt Members by an Act of Excommunication This is such a necessary Rule to the keeping of the Churches clean that it is an established Rule by our Saviour himself Matt. 18. 15 16 17 18. If thy Brother shall trespass against thee go to him and tell him his Fault between thee and him alone and if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother but if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church but if he shall neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen Man and Publican The
ready to deliver over to Satan the Hymeneuser and Alexanders that shall dare to Blaspheme 1 Tim. 1. 20. How in the Glory of Reformation gone to the Grave with these famous Worthies For want of whose Zeal for the Truth how are the Vines of God degenerated into wild Fig-trees and his Trees of Righteonsness in many places turned into Trees of Rottenness Have we not cause to run to the Graves and Tombs of those deceased Worthies Moses Samuel David Nehemiah Jeremiah and Paul with the rest of our Church-reformers beseeching them all to arise from their Graves again to put their helpful Hands to the reforming of our disordered Churches in the pulling out of the leprous Stones which have infected the Walls of so many of the Houses of God in our Land which hath made the Sanctuaries of the Lord both unsafe and unpleasant for the sounder sort of Christians to abide in them Oh! if the Graves of the Dead will not hear our bitter Complaints where shall we go to find out any Healers that will close up our Wounds repair our Breaches and make clean our leprous Houses that we may with more pleasure and safety inhabit in them But alas hoâ— is the Gold of our Zion's become dim How is the most find Gold changed and the Stones of the Sanctuary poured out in the top of every Street Oh! how lamentable is it that some Churches that were the perfection of Beauty and the joy of our Land are now in many places so polluted and defiled that they are become the Objects of Grief and Sorrow to many thousands of sound-hearted Christians and that which adds to their Grief is that there is not one Nehemiah to be found in a Country that zealously concerns himself about these things either to remedy it or labour to be helpful in it but instead thereof the most of Men fall upon the Work of building up the Honour Dignity and Wealth of their own Houses Is this Mens Love to Jesus Christ Is this their Faithfulness to their Lord and Master And had they the Houses of God committed to their Care for no other end and purpose but to let them lye in their leprous Uncleanness whilest themselves are building their own ceiled Houses at the costliest and cleanest Rate they can invent and imagine Will this Work endure the fiery Trial at the great Day of Account 2d Vse Is for caution to those who yet have not ioyned themselves to any particular Church Beware then amongst whom you list your selves for Church-communion especially where Discipline is openly neglected be sure of this that the Leaven of Sin and Wickedness remains a Leaven to be avoided to this day and the danger of leaping into leaprous Houses is as great as ever and the more refined a Church out wardly seems to be yet if Wickedness do allowedly lodge in it the more dangerous will such a Society be to you The Church of Rome hath a Golden Cup but the Poyson of Asps was in it you would account it a high piece of presumption against God should you adventure to lodge in a House infected with the Plague or Leprosie when you may be entertained in other Houses which are free from such Diseases and are willing to receive you and will you be less careful where to house and harbour your Souls Therefore make your Choice of holy Societies and well-governed Congregations then may you expect the Blessing of God upon you and his Presence with you PART X. Now we come to the last Particular about the Leprous House namely That if nothing of the forementioned Means used by the Priest for the Cure of the House would avail then was the House to be demolished and levelled with the Ground LEvit 14. 43 with 45 Verse And if the Plague come again and break ouâ— in the House after that he hath taken away the Stones after that he hath scraped the House and after it is plaistered then shall be break down the House the Stones thereof and the Timber thereof and all the Mortar of the House and he shall carry them forth out of the City into an unclean place This leads us to behold the end of all polluted and impenitent Churches who wilfully persist in their Impenitency when they hold fast their Iniquities and refuse to return as the Prophet speaks Jer. 8. 5. Then the next thing to be done is they must be pulled in pieces and cast down to the Ground they shall stand no longer the great High Priest will root them up even to the last Foundation Stone what he commanded the Levitical Priest to do to the Levitical Leprous House when no means would heal it pull it down to the Ground the same will he cause to be done to his Gospel poluted Church which refuseth to be healed Rev. 18. 21. Thus with violence shall Babylon that great City be thrown down From whence we may observe this Note for our Information Doct. That when no Means used will heal and help the Leprous Churches of Christ then will Christ unchurch such Churches again In the handling of this Point I shall first prove it 2ly Shew you what that Infection is which will endanger the unchurching of Christ's Churches 3ly Give you the Reasons of it And 4ly apply the whole First For the Proof of this Point you see how evident this appears from the Type it self where command was given for the pulling down the Levitical House when scraping of the Walls nor pulling out of the Stones would avail to the cleansing of it And this holds as true in the Anti-Type How severely did God make this good upon his Old Testament House Behold saith Christ I sent unto you wise Men and Prophets and Scribes some of them ye scourged some ye have persecuted and killed others of them Matth. 23. 34. The sending of these Prophets wise Men and Scribes to them was in order to their Healing but they would not be healed then mark what followed hereupon Verse 38. Behold your Houses is left unto you desolate So if you consider the seven Asian Churches after they began to be Leprous Ephesus Rev. 2. 4. Pergamos verses 14 15. Thyatira verse 20. Sardis Chap 3. 2 3. and Laodicea verse 15 16 17. Unto all these Churches was John the Divine sent as a means to heal them by bringing them to Repentance but because they received no benefit by it at length how hath the great High Priest of Heaven and Earth pulled them all to pieces and thrown them flat to the Ground And what hath he done less to the Church of Corinth Galatia Philippi Thessalonica and the Church of Rome but broke them all down to the Dust with the Stones thereof and the Timber thereof and the Mortar thereof and hath caused it to be carried out of the City into an unclean place for what uncleaner place can there be than to lye in the Dregs of Mahometisin which is the condition of most of the Eastern Churches