eaten by them Christ counts it an Honour to him when we come to feed at his Table and Feast on his Righteousness then his Name is Glorified in us 2 Thes 1.11 12. 6. What Grace is this that Jesus Christ should not only prepare and bring Righteousness but also apply it as Parents provide Clothes for their little Children and also put them on Christ is God's Righteous Servant that Justifieth many Isa 53.11 Christ's Righteousness Merits the very Faith that applyes it that sense seems to be offered by Peter's words as they ly in our Translation We obtain pretious faith through the Righteousness of God even our Saviour Christ 2 Pet. 1.1 this procures the Spirit to plant and work Faith Jesus Christ by his Spirit draws us to himself John 12.32 he not only opens the Fountain but also washes Souls in it Zech. 13.1 Revel 1.5 he not only provided the Medicine but also dresses the Wound and binds up the broken in heart Isa 61. Christ presents his Sacrifice and Sufferings continually before God which is his Burning Incense in the Heavenly Sanctuary Revel 8.3 his Blood speaks in Heaven Heb. 12.24 and by the Spirit as the Finger of our Great High-Priest Levit. 16.14 it is continually without intermission according to the Promises sprinkled on the Consciences of Believers on Earth Ezek. 36.25 7. O Bless God for the admirable effects the excellent fruits that are joyned with or do follow after Christ's being made Righteousness to us 1. That there is not only Peace but Good-will Luke 2.14 not only Enmity is quenched but Love burns Sin 's place and the Believing Sinner's too is changed Sin was before God's Face Hos 7.2 but is now cast behind his back Isa 25.17 and Reconciled persons are set before his Face Psal 41.12 This is matter of Praise that there are such admirable effects or consequences of Christ's being made the Lord our Righteousness 1. That though the Curse do fall on the Creatures for our sakes yet it falls not on those that are Justified When God made a Promise of Christ to Adam he does not say Cursed art thou but Cursed is the Ground for thy sake Gen. 3.15.17 God speaks to Cain a Reprobate in other Language Now thou art Cursed Gen. 4.11 God may Curse the Creatures for our Sin yet the Curse may not light on our persons and Souls 2. That we are not only pardoned for the present but secured for the future God did not only preserve Noah from being drowned by the Flood but doth assure him that his Sins and the World's should not provoke him to send a Second Flood on the World Gen. 8.10.21 Gen. 9.11 So here Christ stands in the breach to keep out an Inundation and Flood of Venegance and appears at the Bar to prevent the going forth of a Condemning Sentence As God doth see his Rainbow in the Clouds and looks on it and remembers his Covenant Gen. 9.13 14 15. So Christ is a Rain-bow round about the Throne to secure us from future storms and Floods of Evils That God doth not only hide his Face from our Sins but also blot out our Iniquities that they may not cannot be seen or read for the time to come Psal 51.9 3. That not only God pronounces a Justifying Sentence in the Court of Heaven but the Spirit also pronounces this Sentence in the Court of Conscience Causing the penitent Believer to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness Psal 51.8 and sheds abroad the Love of God in the Heart Rom. 5.5 and seals him unto the day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 4. As Jesus did Engage his Heart to come nigh to God as a Surety and Priest Jer. 30.21 so he now came and doth bring us near to God as Freinds Supplicants and Worshippers 1 Pet. 3.18.5 That there is not only Peace but also Good-will Luke the 14. There is Grace to Establish our Hearts against the dread of Vengeance and the horrours of Eternal Death Heb. 13.9 It is sweet when no storm of Vengeance hovers and hangs over the Sinners Head no matter of Accusation springs up in his Heart to make him a burden to himself and a terrour to others O what sore Temptations are guilty Creatures in the anguish of their minds exposed to Sometimes they could wish there were no God or desire themselves rather to be annilalated then to see his frowning Face and feel his punishing Hand to Eternity But the Grace of God guards and Establishes the Heart against such dreadful wishes as these 2. That we are precious in God's eyes Isa 48.4 Though we are vile in our selves yet we are presented to God as Pretious Stones on the Shoulders and Brest-plate of our High-Priest Exod. 28.12 21 28 29. 3. Though we are unclean in our selves yet by virtue of Christ's Righteousness we are undefiled The Church confesses her Infirmity and acknowledges her Sin yet Christ calls her Undefiled no spot or blemish did cleave to her because She had put on Christ for Righteousness Cant. 5.2 4. Jesus Christ gives an Inherent Righteousness as well as an Imputed Righteousness as God gives us for our Cloathing both Flax and Wooll to cover our Nakedness Hos 2.9 Flax is for inward and Wool for outward Garments Inherent Righteousness may be compared to Flax this is near to and dwells in the Soul Imputed Righteousness may be compared to Wool as it is a warm upper-Garment We need Christ's Righteousness as a Garment over all our Graces to cover the Imperfection and Defects that are in them Our own Righteousness is compared to a Breast-plate Ephes 6.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet above all over all or upon all we are bid to take the Shield of Faith Ephes 6.16 Faith that takes hold of Christ's Righteousness is compared to a Shield this is a Guard and Defence for all the other Pieces of Armour We are liable to many Accusations because of the weakness of and the defects that are in our Breast-plate of Righteousness This may be pierc't by Satan's Darts and our Souls be wounded with Trouble and Terrour but it is the Shield of Faith taking hold of the Righteousness of Christ that must Ward our Accusations and Guard us from Terrors Surely shall one say in the Lord I have Righteousness Isa 45.24 in the Hebrew it is I have Righteousnesses in the Plural Number We have a Robe of Righteousness Isa 61.10 this is Righteousness Imputed and we have a Breast-plate of Righteousness Ephes 6.14 and this is Righteousness Imparted When we call the Lord our Righteousness then we our selves are called Trees of Righteousness Isa 61.3 as we cannot stand alone but are carried on the Shoulders of Christ our High-Priest Exod. 28.12 and in the Arms of Christ our Shepherd Isa 40.11 so we do not grow alone by our selves but as Branches on Christ our Root and Vine John 15.1.5 5. 'T is a great Mercy that our Sins are blotted out Isa 43.25 and God will not enter into the City Hos 11.9 it is an Allusion to the Angels entring into Sodom to find out matter of Accusation against the Sodomites Gen. 19.3.5.18 But as God blots out Sin for the present so he seeks not out occasions for the future but when God blots out our Transgressions only
seek for Israel and Judah's sin I Answer Satan the Babylonians the Enemies of the Church of God The Chaldeans said they did not offend in Killing and Captivating the Jews because they sinned against the Lord Jer. 50.7 And as their sins brought them into Captivity so they thought they would still have held them in Bondage they sought for their sins to hold them in perpetual slavery and to keep the Yoke on them Satan resisted Joshua the High-Priest and seems not only to charge him but also to accuse the Jews and therefore Christ the Angel saith The Lord that chose Jerusalem rebuke thee Zech. 3.1 2. The filthy Garments are taken from Joshua and his Iniquities did pass away Zech. 3.4 And God promiseth to remove the Iniquity of the Land in one day Zech. 3.9 and so though the Babylonians sought the Jews sins yet they were not found 5. God himself will be a hiding-place to those from whose sins he hides his Face Psal 119.114 Thou art my hiding-place and my shield Psal 143.9 I flee unto thee to hide me * The Judge himself is a Hiding-place As the Secret of God is with their Souls to comfort them Psal 25.14 so the Secret of God is on their Tabernacles Job 29.4 to protect them They are the most likely Persons to be hid in the day of Wrath Zeph. 2.3 yea God hides them in the very Grave Job 14.13 O that thou would'st hide me in the Grave until thy wrath be past We must come to God to hide us from his own Wrath. As the Souls of Saints are hid in Heaven from eternal evils so their Bodies are hid in the Grave from Temporal Sufferings The Grave that is a Prison to the Wicked to reserve them in for Eternal Vengeance is to Believers a Hiding-place from Temporal Afflictions 6. If God hide his Face from our sins we shall see his Face in Ordinances here and in Glory hereafter 1. They shall see God's Face in Ordinances here David longed to see God's Power and Glory as he had seen it in the Sanctuary Psal 65.2 They may call on God and he will be gracious to them and they shall see his Face with joy Job 33.26 2. They shall see his Face in Glory Revel 22.4 They shall see his Face and his Name shall be in their Forehead As for me saith David Psal 17. last I will behold thy Face in Righteousness 3. We have in these days of the Gospel great Incouragements strong Inducements to prefer this Petition God did for a time cloud and hide his Face from Christ did cut him off and blot him out of the Land of the Living Psal 22.1 Isa 53.8 Jesus Christ entred into deep waters Psal 69.1 2. the floods of Sorrow Reproach and Sufferings did overflow him and now we may cry to God out of our depths Psal 130.1 Out of the depths have I cried to thee O Lord out of a depth of Guilt Trouble and Anguish Jesus Christ came into the Depths and we may confidently cry to God to raise us out of our Depths The Blood of Christ as to Worth and Merits is a deep Sea and we may trust on God through Christ to drown our sins in the depth of this Red-Sea Micah 7.19 Thou wilt cast-all their Sins into the depths of the Sea Christ hath provided Spiritual Red-ink enough Though Christ shed his Blood but once yet God may 1000 and 10000 times over dip his Pen in the Blood of Christ and blot out all our Sins we Commit It was painful to Christ to shed his Blood but it is pleasant to him to wash Souls in it A dark night came on Christ but we may wait for the dawning of a Comfortable and Joyful Morning Psal 130.5.6 The Righteousness is brought by which we may be Justified the Blood is shed in which we may be washed from all our Sins 1 John 1.7 Men did hide their Faces from Christ under his Sufferings as a ghastly ungrateful object Isa 50.3 Being so Buffeted Spit on Crowned with Thorns but we may lift up our Faces to him being now Justified by the Father Seated in his Throne and Crowned with Glory I shall speak something by way of Direction both how we may obtain the blotting out of our Sins and how we ought to walk sutable and answerable to so great a Mercy 1. We must see and know our Sins be sensible of them afflicted for them burdened under them Psal 51.3 I acknowledge or as others Render the Hebrew word I know my Iniquity Isa 59.12 As for our Iniquities we know them Why did the Psalmist so earnestly beg that God would blot out his Transgressions and wash him from his Iniquities He renders this reason of his petition I know my Transgressions that is how much they offend and provoke thee and how much they defile and deform me He that is not burdened will not cry to be eased he that is not wounded will not sue to be healed he that beholds not his debt will not press for the cancelling of his bond And we must see Sin and abhor and detest it and forsake it Shall we seek to God to put it away as Evil and yet we harbour it in our Hearts and indulge it in our practice as good It must be hid not only from the Eye of God's vindictive Justice but also from the Lustful Adulterous eye of our Souls 2. You must see Christ and Believe on him John 6.40 He that seeth the Son and Believeth on him shall not perish but have Everlasting Life The Curses of the Law are Amen to those that are out of Christ Deut. 27. last But the Promises of the Gospel are Yea and Amen to those that are in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 If Christ had not carried our Sins upon the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 we must have born them and they would have sunk us down into the Bottomless pit Though God doth pardon and put away Sin Judicially as a King 2 Sam. 12.13 yet it is Jesus Christ that puts it away Meritoriously as a Priest Heb. 9.26 As you know your Iniquities so you must know Christ to take them away Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my Righteous servant Justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities He did bear them for a time that they might not be bound on us to Eternity 3. We must earnestly desire God not only to hide his face from our Sins but also to turn our eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119.37 How sweetly do these two petitions harmonize and agree Lord hide thy Face from my Sins and turn away my eyes from beholding vanity Lord sheath thy Sword towards me and lay thy ax to the root of in-dwelling Sin Lord forgive all my wrong steps and wandrings and Lord order my steps in thy word and let no Iniquity have Dominion over me Psal 119.133 Lord blot my Sins out of thy Book mortifie them in and root them out of my Heart I have wandred from thee I have
walked contrary to thee too Long already but now Lord quicken and lead me in the way Everlasting Psal 119.37 Psal 139. last 4. Your Sins must still be before you to humble you Psal 51.3 Though they are not before God's Face to destroy you Psal 109.14 15. Though God will not Remember them to throw you down to Hell for them Jer. 41.14 yet you must Remember them Ezek. 36.31 to cast you down to the dust for them 5. You must set no evil thing before you Psal 101.3 you must not delight in any Sin or practise it Shall God cast Sin behind his back and shall you set it before your Face 6. You must still Set the Statutes and Laws of God before you Psal 119.30 I have chosen the way of truth thy Judgements have I set before me As a Scholar sets his Copy before him orders his pen and shapes his Letters by it so we must eye the Rule and govern our actions by the Law of God 2d Branch of the use of Exortatiom Is the blotting out of Sin so valuable a Mercy Is the hiding of God's Face from your Transgressions so desirable a thing O then be exceeding thankful for it Hos 14.2 Take away Iniquity so will we render the calves of our lips Ascribe Glory to him that hath loved you and washed you from your Sins in his own Blood Revel 1.5 6. This is a Mercy that seems to work things that are contrary it shuts the Mouth Ezek. 16. last and yet it opens the Lips Psal 51.15 it shuts the mouth from boasting or pleading our own works Ezek. 16. last That thou mayest Remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more Because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done But pardon opens the lips to praise God Psal 51.14.15 Deliver me from Blood Guiltiness and my Tongue shall Sing aloud of thy Righteousness open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Guilt seales up the lips and deads the Heart as to praising of God The Gentiles were unthankful for all their common benefits Rom. 1.21 but it was God's great design to bring them to Glorifie him for Reconciling Justfying and pardoning Mercy Rom. 15.9 that the Gentiles may Glorifie God for his Mercy O therefore Glorifie God for pardoning of you 1. That Sin which was before God's Face Hos 1.2 should be cast behind his back Isa 8.17 2. You have hid your Faces from God and his Laws Jer. 2.27 Ezek. 22.26 God charges the Isarelites that they hid their eyes from his Sabbaths turned to him the back and not the Face Ezek. 23.35 that they cast his word behind their back Psal 50.17 and cast himself behind their backs And is not this a strange return a wonderful Retaliation that God should cast the Sins of Transgressours behind his back Isa 38.17 3. If God had not in Mercy hid his Face from your Sins he would in Wrath have hid his Face from your Souls Psal 27.9 Hide not thy Face far from me put not away thy servant in anger This we deserved if God not turned himself from his fierce anger Psa 85.3 he might have been angry with us every day Psal 7.11 we might have spent all our days in his Wrath Psal 90.9 yea God might have been angry with us for ever and drawn out his Wrath to all Eternity Psal 85.65 What Grace is this that God will not keep anger for ever Jer. 2.13 but will keep Mercy for ever Psal 89.28 4. If God's anger had not been turned away Hos 4.4 our Sins would have hid God's Face Isa 59.2 and have turned away good things from us Jer. 5.26 5. That God should hide his Face from Christ for a time Psal 22.23 that he might not hide his Face from us for Eternity Christ by his Suretyship made a breach for Sorrow and Suffering to flow in upon himself that he might stop the breach that Wrath and destruction might not break in and overwhelm us 6. Our Lusts would have drowned us in destruction but Christ hath drowned them in the deep Read-sea of his own Blood Tim. 1.6 Micah 7.18.19 7. That God that hides his Face from ous Sins desires to see our Faces as Supplicants and petitioners Cant. 2.14 yea Jesus Christ Interceeds that we may see and partake of his Glory John 17.24 2 Thes 2.14 That Clouds of darkness may be for ever scattered an Inheritance in light and Crowns of Glory be obtained FINIS BOOKS Printed for Tho. Parkhurst THe Great Duty of Christians to go forth without the Camp to Jesus in several Sermons on Heb. 13.13 Supplication to the Soveraign Judge the Duty of the best of Men in several Sermons on Job 9.15 A Discourse in several Sermons on 1 Pet. 3.19 by which also he went and Preached unto the Spirits in Prison A Discourse of Christ's 2d Coming and the purging of his Kingdom in 2 Sermons on Mat. 13.41 ERRATA PAge 8. l. 9. dele or p. 10. l. 25. dele in p. 12. l. 26 for Eccles 2.20 r. Gal. 1.14 p. 14. l. 25. for stretch r. refresh p. 20. l. 6. for dyed r. dipt p. 27. l. 8. dele 3dly p. 28. l. 18. for Psal 92.24 r. Dan. 9.24 p. 29. l. 1. dele Salvation p. ibid. l. 25. for Rom. 8.3 r. Rom. 9.33 p. 31. l. 7. for our r. but p. 33. l. 7. for God r. Goel p. 34. l. 19. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. l. 19. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 36. l. 9. for rising r. risen p. 36. l. 28 29. r. Ludovae de Dieu in locum p. 37. l. 20. r. the Title of the Psalm p. 39. l. 6. for Exod. 20. r. Exod. 29. p. 40. last l. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 47. l. 13. for Hearts r. Breasts p. 49. l. 17. after will r. save p. 60. l. 20. for being r. bring p. 61. l. 27. for share r. snare p. 62. l. 25. for alledgers r. accusers p. 74. l. 21. for vale r. Vail p. 78. l. 1. r. few p. ibid. l. 18. for first r. sins p. 86. l. 12. for Jeopardy r. Leopards p. 109. l. 22. add a Pet. 11. p. 144. l. 16. r. under the Law p. 154. l. 2. r. Bride p. 160. l. 15. add Cant. 3.9 10. p. 164. l. 8. for Cor. r. Collos p. 189. l. 13. for right v. rite p. 208. in the Margin for Bolton r. Rolloc p. 212. last Line for aiding r. hiding p. 214. l. 26. for provided r. proved p. 222. for we r. he p. 249. l. 26. for form r. from p. 250. l. 4. for Justified r. Sanctified p. 270. l. 6. for form r. from p. 296. l. 3 4. for to distill r. God is still and l. 8. for Numb 9. r. Levit. 6.9 p. 314. l. 15. for being r. body p. 327. l. 9. for absolete r. obsolite p. 362. l. 9. r. he procured and we received all good p. 370. l. last for righteous r. unrighteous p. 380. l. 26. for Pardoned r. Rewarded
could not content or satisfy himself with the joy of Riches sensual Delights or Worldly Honour such joy did not go deep would not stay or last long It was nothing but the joy of God's Salvation that could satisfy him Isa 25.9 We will be glad and rejoyce in thy Salvation Hester could take no Pleasure in her Honour in her Palace in all her outward Enjoyments when the Decree was passed to destroy her and her People Esther 7.3 4. If Sin reign in you Eternal Death must reign over you and the wrath of God abide on you What outward thing can comfort relieve or revive you Will it chear a Man condemned to Death to tell him you will give him one sweet Draught of Wine one good Meals Meat before he be Executed 8. You cannot dwell safely if you are not saved In the Text it is promised that those that are saved shall dwell safely and indeed no others can dwell safe from the fear of Evil Prov. 1. last Those that are in their Sins and under Guilt may fear still to be arrested by God their great Creditor and to be arraigned before him as their Sovereign Judge The dread of the First and Second Death may torment them an d hold them continually under grievous Bondage Heb. 2.15 Your Tabernacles Sinners will moulder down your Earthly Comforts will melt away your Stewardships will be taken from you God will change your Countenances and send you away into a miserable Eternity into a dark and doleful Prison You are Tenants at God's Will you are not sure of one Days continuance in the World God may quickly require and take away your Souls If David panted and longed so much for a short Temporal Salvation Psal 119.81 82. how much more should we long for a Spiritual and Eternal Salvation Psal 14. last We so need this Salvation that it is absolutely necessary for us Acts 4.12 We must be saved we can have no Pardon but from the God of Salvation Psal 51.14 and we can receive no Blessing but from the God of Salvation Psal 68.10 We must see God's Salvation Psal 11. last or our own Destruction Job 21.20 If we cannot commit our Spirits into the Hand of God as a Redeemer Psal 31.5 we must fall into his Hand as a Judge Heb. 10.31 No outward Enjoyments here can either be safe for us or sweet to us if they flow not from the God of Salvation God doth afford us a Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 this is caused by the Day Spring from on high Luke 1.78 by the exercise of Christ's Prophetical Office Psal 22.22 John 17.6.20 He declares the Father's Name to us he teaches us that God hath chosen and appointed some to Salvation 1 Thes 5.9 2 Thes 2.13 that he hath prepared Salvation Luke 2.29 30 by anointing and sending his Son to obey suffer and satisfy God hath raised up this Horn of Salvation Luke 1.69 he hath perfected the Captain and Author of Salvation Heb. 2.10 Heb. 5.9 As Christ is saved himself Zech. 9.9 so he is in a fit and full capacity to save others The word of Salvation is sent to us Acts 13.26 The Gospel of Salvation is a Supernatural Doctrine we should have been utterly ignorant of it if God had not sent it to us What Grace is this that the word of Salvation should be sent to us that had destroyed our selves Hos 13.9 that were so blind that we did not seek after God and so vile and filthy that God might for ever have ceased to seek after us that are without strength to help our selves and yet are ungodly and so do provoke God never to help us or favour us Rom. 5.6.8 That it should be sent to us that did not seek after or send for it Light came it was not sent for John 3.19 O that God should send it to us and not to so many other Nations in the World they hear not the Trumpet of the Jubilee the Call of the Shepheard the Voice of the Bridegroom O shall the Spirit strive with us Gen. 6.3 and Christ's Servants endeavour to compel us by Earnest Intreaties and Importunity and yet shall all this be in vain will you not believe their Report or come to Christ for Life Shall a Treaty of Peace end in an Eternal War and a day of Salvation issue in your everlasting Destruction Salvation is brought near to you and placed in Zion and will you put the word of Salvation away from you and thereby judge your selves unworthy of Everlasting Life Acts 13.16 The Cord of a Promise is let down into our Dungeon Christ's Chariot comes among us Cant. 3.9 40. He comes near to us preaching Peace Ephes 2.17 He knocks at our Doors Rev. 3.20 4. You cannot escape if you neglect this Salvation Heb. 2.3 There is no other Physitian to heal you no other Redeemer but Christ to set you free no other Fountain in which you may wash no other Foundation on which you may build no other Wing Shadow or City of Refuge to secure you God will not suffer your contempt of Christ and neglect of Salvation to go unpunished God will wound the Head of such as go on in their Trespasses Psal 68.21 Christ's Hand will find out all his Enemies Psal 21.4 those that turn away from Christ Prov. 1.32 shall certainly be turned into Hell Psal 9.17 God bringeth near his Salvation offers it and promises it to all that will look to Jesus Christ for it Isa 45.22 Those therefore are worthy to perish that turn away from Christ and despise his Salvation 5. Consider there is but a Remnant that shall be saved Rom. 9.27 few that will walk in the narrow way that find the strait Gate Matth. 7.13 14. And those that are saved will be saved with a great deal of difficulty 1 Pet. 4.18 The Righteous are scarcely saved they must bear the Cross endure many Tribulations have frequent Combats and Conflicts and continual Warfare with Spiritual Enemies They must run with the greatest speed fight with the greatest zeal against Sin 1 Cor. 9.26 They have a Civil War with Lusts within a Foreign War with the World and Satan without 6. Consider what a great Mercy it is to obtain this Salvation it is a most valuable Grace for God to choose and appoint any to Salvation 1 Thes 5.9 2 Thes 2.13 when he might have appointed all to perish and left them to Destruction O what a Mercy is this for God to pluck out of a perishing World Gal. 1.4 to fish out of a dead Sea to cut off from a corrupt Stock to call out of an infected House and a barren Wilderness The Church represents it as a rich Stream of Mercy and spring of Joy to be cloathed with Salvation Isa 61.10 This is a great Mercy for 1. Such are armed against Spiritual Conflicts that have for a Helmet the Hope of Salvation Ephesians 6.17 1 Thes 5.8 This may guard their Heads from all anxious perplexing Thoughts
our Good Deeds are Remembred and shewed Mal. 3.16 17. A Book of Remembrance was Written for Good Thoughts Words Actions when Sins are expunged and forgotten for ever Our sins are removed far from us as far as the East is from the West Psal 103.12 but our Good Works do follow us to testifie our Sincerity and to obtain a Reward Revel 14.13 God will never remember our Iniquities Jer. 31.34 but he will never forget his People Isa 49.14 15. nor forget the least of their Services If it be but a Cup of cold Water given to a Disciple of Christ it shall not be forgotten but Rewarded Matth. 10. last the greatest Sins are forgotten and not Revenged on us the least Service is Remembred and Rewarded in us John 5.29 They that have done good shall come forth to a Resurrection of Life Tho' they did many evil things yet they shall be blotted out and covered and they shall be pardoned as if they had only done good and nothing but good God is Righteous to forgive us our Sins 1 John 1.9 But God is not unrighteous to forget our Labour and Service of Love Heb. 6.10 6. What Praise doth this deserve that our Justification is so inseparably joined with Glorification Rom. 8.30 Whom he hath Justified them also he Glorified Justified persons cannot miscarry or Perish The Righteousness of Christ is called Everlasting Dan. 9.24 and this Everlasting Righteousness is the Foundation of an Everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 Because the Blood of Christ is still fresh therefore the Covenant of Grace and the way to the Heavenly Sanctuary is still new Heb. 6.8 Heb. 10.19 they that do wash their Robes white in the blood of the Lamb do enter into the Heavenly Sanctuary and are before the Throne Rev. 7.14.15 As Jesus Christ being first Justified Isa 50.8 1 Tim. 3.16 was soon after Glorified John 17.5 And now Father glorifie me with thy own self So sin being blotted out what remains to shut out Justified Persons from the Kingdom and Glory of God Not to see God is the greatest loss and penalty Where Sin is Forgiven How can such a Penalty remain 7. Bless God that Jesus Christ is Revealed to thee and bestowed on thee as the Lord thy Righteousness How many Thousands of Persons yea how many Nations do not hear of this Glorious Righteousness of Christ are utter strangers to this pretious Name of his and have no Interest in this Righteousness of Christ The Soldiers took Christ's Coat and four of them did cast Lots for it but only one of the four did obtain it John 19.23 24. So I may truly say that scarce one in four of those that are called Christians do get this Spiritual Garment of Christ's Righteousness to put on and wear It as a sweet Expression of Augustin's on Psal 31. Ego Sorte perveni ad tunicam Christi I by Lot came to the possession of Christ's Coat O happy Souls on whom the Lot of free Grace falls and that get and possess this Coat of Christ's Righteousness Ephes 1.11 in whom that is in Christ we have obtained an Inheritance In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is we obtained an Inheritance in Christ by Lot The Apostle doth humble himself and other Christians and Magnifie God he did not deserve a Portion in Christ but the Lot of Grace fell on him The Ephesians did not earn any thing but the Lot of Grace fell on them O Admire God Glorifie Christ that you should sit under the shadow of his Righteousless when others are exposed to the Schorching heat of the Wrath of God that your Iniquities should be covered when the Sins of others are naked and open before God that your Transgressions should be blotted out when all the Wickedness of others stands upon record against them till the Judgement of the great day That you as Noah and his Family should be born up and carried above the Waters when others like the Men of the Old World do sink into the deep and Bottomless Sea of the Wrath of God O what Mercy is it that God should Cloth thee with the Garment of Salvation and cover thee with the Robe of Righteousness Isa 61.10 when others have no Ragg to hide their Shame but will be abhorred by God be loathed by Angels and Saints to Eternity O what Grace is it that thou like Aaron art hid in a Cloud of Christ's Incense Levit. 16.13 when others Stink in God Nostils and shall be covered with a black storming Cloud of anger for ever O that Jesus Christ should die for you as a Lamb and then seek you out as a Shepherd to Cloath you with the Fleece of his Righteousness and to feed you with the Flesh of his Sacrifice when others Famish their Souls by the Neglect of Christ's Feast and Poyson their Souls by doting on and glutting themselves with Carnal dainties Sensual and Sinful delights O what Grace is this that Jesus Christ should as a Surety undertake for your debts and as a Sacrifice bear and bleed for our Sins That as a Fore-runner should take up possess and prepare a place for you in the highest Heavens that by your Iniquities deserved a place in the lowest Hell Worthy is the Lamb that was Slain to receive Blessing Honour Glory and Praise Revel 5.9 Debters are the Redeemed Reconciled and Justified to Render and ascribe it to his and Time and to Eternity THE Humble Sinners Supplication for Pardon Opened and Applied IN A SERMON PREACHED On the late FAST June 26 1696. By Samuel Comlyns M. A. a Minister of the Gospel in Marleborough London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercer's Chappel 1696. To the Right Honourable the Lord JAMES RVSSEL Son to the Duke of Bedford Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ My Lord EVery awakened humble Soul should with the Publican cry earnestly God be merciful to me a sinner Without a pardon God's Armoury cannot be shut or his Treasury opened God cannot take us for his Inheritance Exod. 34 9. Times of refreshment cannot come to us from the presence of the Lord if our sins are not blotted out Acts 3.19 If our Consciences are not purged from dead works with the clean water of Christ's Blood we cannot now walk in peace go out of the world with comfort enter into the heavenly Sanctuary with confidence How therefore should pardoning mercy endear God to us ond engage us to God We are naturally without strength to help our selves and are also ungodly and so provoke God to withhold and deny his help to us We had robbed God and an Arrest should have
Israel out of his sight and cast Judah and Jerusalem also out of his presence 2 Kings 24.20 And God removed Judah out of his sight 2 Kings 24.3 because the King and the People did evil in his sight 2 Kings 24.9 19. They were not cast out of the sight of God's Omniscient Eye but from the Eye of his gracious and Fatherly Providence 3. God will at last Rain a Hell from his Angry Face 2 Thes 1.9 Those that known not God and obey not the Gospel shall be Punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Face of the Lord the same Face shall shine a Heaven of Happiness into the Souls of the Saints and shall Frown an Hell of Misery into the Souls of the Wicked 2. If God hide his Face from our Sins Love will come up into his Face and look out at his Eyes on Believers and Saints Psal 4.6 Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance on us the Love that was secret and hidden in the Heart comes up into his Face and is manifested to and shed abroad in the Hearts of Believers by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 Cant. 8.10 I found Favour in his Eyes Love and Kindness sparkles in and looks out from the Eyes God looks with a pleasing Countenance on his People the Spiritual Day doth break and Dawn and the Sun of Righteousness doth Arise and Shine in the Hearts of Believers Malachy 4.2 Psa 130.5 6. and the Countenance of God is said to behold the upright Psal 41. last that is with complacency and delight he withdraweth not his Eyes from the Righteous Job 36.7 He sets his Eyes on them for good Jer. 24.6 I will set mine Eyes on them for good If Sin be not set before God's Face God may take good out of his Treasury for us and bestow it on us Hos 14.2 yea God will set us before his Face for Ever Psal 41.12 That we may still dwell in his Presence Psal 140. last and behold his Face in Righteousness Psal 17. last Psal 16. last 2. It is most desirable for God to blot out all our Iniquities for 1. It is the most dreadful Evil and Curse that can be wished for Sin not to be bloted out Psal 109.14 Let not the Iniquity of his Mother be blotted out 2. If God do not blot out Iniquitie he may by sudden Judgement and sore Vengeance blot persons out of the Land of the Living Gen. 7.4 Every Living Substance that I have made I will destroy in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will blot out Corrupt Men are Evil lines of being and it is said It repented God that he had made Man on the Earth it greived him at his Heart Gen. 6.5 Man is so cross and contrary to the very end of his Creation that God did blot out the Old World of Men by the Flood if Men are bloted out of the World in their Sins Where must they be lodged but in a miserable Eternity 3. If we consider what Sin is What a valuable Mercy is it for it to be bloted out 1. It is a mist a thinner or a thicker Cloud according to its Nature and aggravations Isa 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy Transgressions and as a Cloud thy Sins Sin is as a hiding Cloud it hinders the light of God's Countenance from shining on us Isa 59.2 Your Sins have hid his Face from you 2. It is as a storming Cloud Psal 11.6 The Lord will rain Fire and Brimstone on the Wicked this shall be the portion of their cup. If Men suffer here They are cast into the hand of their Transgression Job 8.4 In the Hebrew it is That God did cast Job's Children into the hand of their Transgression If their Iniquities are punished hereafter they do for them fall into the hands of God Heb. 10.31 2. Sin is a debt Matth. 6.12 Forgive us our debts These debts are recorded in the Creditor's Book God saith Behold it is written before me Isa 65.6 and it is registred also in the debter's Book Jer. 17.1 It is written it is graven that is the Sin of Judah on the Table of their Heart Sin is called a debt because the Sinner owes God Glory to be raised out of his Sufferings and Eternal Torments And it is desirable this debt should be blotted out to prevent God's arrest and our Eternal Imprisonment 3. Sin is a crime a capital crime and that which is kept safe as matter of accusation against the Sinner It is as it were sowed up in a bag Job 14.17 As the depositions of Witnesses and the confessions of Malefactors are kept safe against the Assizes and day of Trial. Yea Mens Sins are sealed up among God's Treasures Deut. 32.34 God speaks of the Israelites bitter and corrupt Fruit and then puts this question Is not this laid up in store with me Is it not scaled up among my Treasures God hath a Treasury of knowledg of all past things and Sins are sealed up among these Treasures But what a kind of capital crime is Sin I answer 1. It is Rebellion against God I have Nourished and brought up Children and they have Rebelled against me A Rebellious Subject with us a Rebellious Son among the Jews was put to Death What Homage do we owe to God our King What Obedience should we render to God our Father 2. Sin is Spiritual Whoredom and Adultery Hos 4.12 They have gone a Whoring from under their God Thou hast destroyed such as go a Whoring from thee Psal 73.27 Adultery was capital it was punished with death by the Law of God Men loath God and love the Creature 3. Sin is Robbery and Stealing Mal. 3.8 Ye have Robbed me God saith My Son give me thy Heart Prov. 23.26 But the Heart of Men goeth after their Coveteousness Ezek. 33.31 Though they are by Baptism and a Solemn Covenant devoted to God yet they Sacrilegiously alienate themselves from God Isa 24.5 They broke the Everlasting Covenant Is it not our benefit to have our Crimes blotted out 4. If Sin be not blotted out God cannot write his Laws in our Hearts Jer. 31.33 34. God promiseth to write his Laws in the Heart And why It is thus answered vers 34. For I will forgive their Iniquity and I will Remember Sin no more Forgiveness of Sin is the root of all the Promises and Covenant-Blessings 5. God cannot record any Good thoughts words or works of ours if Sin be not blotted out Mal. 3.16 A Book of Remembrance was written before him for those that feared the Lord and thought on his Name Sin doth so corrupt and stain our best Works that nothing might be recorded for our honour or advantage Nehemiah prays that God would not wipe out his good deeds Neh. 13.14 6. If Sins be not blotted out the time is coming when God's Book will be opened Revel 20.12 God will review Men's Sins look on them and
read them over to Sinners for ever Yea Conscience also will repeat them over upbraid with them Condemn Lash and Scourge for them to Eternity This is the Worm that never dies Mark 49.46 48. Job saith That his Heart should never Reproach him Job 27.6 But the Hearts of Unpardoned Sinners shall ever Reproach them for their folly Ingratitude Perverseness and Obstinacy against God that they had a Heart of Stone that would not relent Ezek. 36.26 An Iron sinew that would not bow and yield Isa 48.4 I come now to the use of the Doctrine 1. Vse This may inform us of the great difference that is between Saints and the Wicked of the World David desires nothing more than that God would hide his Face from his Sins and that both in a way of Mercy and Righteousness they long to have somewhat offered to God's Eye that may indeed pacifie his displeasure and turn his angry Countenance away from their Sins and they know nothing can do this but the Obedience and Sacrifice of Christ Rom. 5.19 But the Wicked do harden themselves in Sin and quiet themselves under guilt quite another way He thus feeds his unbelief Psal 10.11 He hath said in his Heart God hath Forgotten He hideth his Face he will never see it verse 13. The Wicked contemn God he hath said in his Heart thou wilt not Require it They think God lyes on a Couch of ease not that he sits on a Throne of Majesty and a Tribunal of Justice they foolishly imagin that God will not call for an Account from Men or call for a Sword of Justice to awaken against them They think there is no danger from God's Frowning Face that no Storm is to be dreaded from his Angry Countenance they account that God is not concerned about their Transgressions that he dislikes them as little as they or forgets them as much as they Faith Cures the Wound in Saints but Unbelief Skins it over in the Wicked 2d Vse 1. I would Exhort you to make the same Petition to pursue the same Request with David That God would hide his face from your sins and blot out your Iniquities 2dly If God hath blotted out your Iniquities O! be Thankful for so great a Mercy 1. Consider the Evil that will follow if God hide not his Face from our Sins 1. Our Sins must and will be set in order before our Faces Psal 50.21 I will reprove thee and set the things thou hast done in order before thee As a skilfulful Lawyer that is to prosecute a Traytor he draws up the Charge opens the Evidence aggravates the Crime of him that is Impeached and Arraigned branches out all the particulars that may Black and Burden the Malefactor so God himself will be Plaintiff the Accuser the Witness and the Judge too Isa 3.13 14. Micah 1.2 3. Isa 3.22 God will search out the Iniquities of those he doth not pardon Psal 10.5 God will not omit or forget any of them Amos 8.7 The Lord hath Sworn Surely I will never forget any of their works Sinners must see their folly their deformity their ingratitude all their horrid Crimes committed against God and their eyes shall be fixed on this dismaying and terrible Object as they shall never look off from it or see any thing else to comfort them 2. Thou must be cast out of God's gratious presence The Jews that submitted not to the Righteousness of God Rom. 10.3 and so lay under Guilt are said to be cast away Rom. 2.15 God threatned Israel to drive them out of his House Hos 9.15 and to cast them away Hos 9. last The dreadful casting away is at last Matth. 13.48 the bad Fish to their eternal Infamy and Reproach are cast away This is an evil that David did most dread and deprecate Cast me not away from thy presence Psal 51.11 This was that which even Cain a Reprobate had some sence of as a bitter evil From thy Face shall I be hid Gen. 4.14 if our sins are and remain before God's Face we shall be banished out of his gracious Presence for ever 3. These must behold God's Angry Frowning Face It was terrible to Zedekiah to see the Face of the King of Babylon that he had highly provoked this Jeremiah threatens Jer. 32.4 Thy eyes shall see his eyes But how much more dreadful is it to see the Face of an Angry God David was not able to brook and bear this therefore he cries out Hide thy Face from my sins Every Frown of God was as an Arrow piercing his Heart as a Sword wounding his Soul If the displeased countenance of a Father be so terrible What will the Ireful Look of an Incensed and Inexorable Judge be Job 34.29 When he hideth his Face who can then behold him If God hide his Pleasing Countenance who can behold his Angry Face Psal 76.7 Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art Angry 4. If God hide not his Face from thy Sins thy eyes must see thy Destruction Job 21.20 Thou that wouldest not believe the Threatnings of Vengeance must see the Fury of God poured out on thee thou shalt see thy Judge come in the Clouds Revel 1.7 thou shalt be brought forth to Judgment Job 21.30 and then soon be hurried away and led forth to Execution Psal 125. last thou shalt be presented before the Face of God and then fall into his Punishing hand 2. Consider what Mercy will follow if God hides his Face from thy Sins 1. If God doth hide his Face from your sins he will no more hide his Face as an Enemy from your Soules Ezek. 39. last I will no more hide my Face from them For I have poured out my Spirit on the House of Israel God can never totally withdraw from those on whom he poures out his Spirit yea the Spirit holds and establishes their hearts that they can never finally depart from God Where the Blood of Christ is sprinkled on his Spirit is also put into the Soul Ezek. 36.25.27 if God hides his Angry Face he sheweth his Pleasing Countenance when he doth abscond helâ— from us then he manifests Heaven to us The Angry look of God on the Sins and Soules of Sinners is a Hell but the lifting up of the Light of his Countenance makes a Heaven 2. If God hide his Face from our sins he will not hide his Commandments from us Psal 119.19 but will teach us his Statutes Psal 119.102 Thou wilt guide me by thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory Psal 73.24 3. This will be the end of God's afflicting of us to hide Pride from us Job 33.17 to hide that from us which we are so prone to seek after he will hide the filthy Matter of and Temptations to Pride from us 4. Adversaries shall be defeated in their hopes and designs Jer. 50.20 The Iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found Who should
us that he who hath imposed righteous Commands on us and hath denounced for our disobedience righteous Threatnings against us should to secure and preserve us or be made Righteousness to us This is admirable and wonderful that Jehovah should provide a Laver to wash us and work out a Righteousness to cloath and adorn us This is such a rare and stupendious thing that the Son of God by this gracious Condescention to us by this merciful Provision for us hath acquired a new honourable and everlasting Name The Words afford us two Points of Doctrine 1. That in Christ's Days Judah and Israel Jew and Gentile shall be most eminently and signally saved 2. That Jesus Christ is and shall be called the Lord our Righteousness Doct. 1. That in Christ's Days Judah and Israel Jew and Gentile shall be most eminently saved For the prosecuting of this Doctrine 1. I shall shew you what Days are meant and intended by the Days of Christ 2. What this Salvation is that shall be given forth in his Days 3. Why Salvation is by way of Excellency said to be bestowed in his days and then more eminently communicate 1. What days are meant by the Days of Christ Ans The Days that begin from the incarnation of the Son of God and continue and run on to his second coming these in Scripture are called his Days Psal 72.7 In his Days shall the Righteous flourish and these days are Long days for it followeth and an abundance of Peace there shall be as long as the Moon endureth So that the days of the Messiah do run parralel with the Moon as to their duration God had promised to him that he should prolong his Days and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his Hand Isa 53.10 It is a wonderful Condescention that he whose goings forth were from everlasting and was ancienter than days should take an Humane Nature and live a life in it that should be measured by days The Time since Jesus Christ was exhibited and manifested to the World is called his days 2. What is this Salvation that Jesus Christ bestoweth I shall shew you 1. The Nature 2ly The Properties and Adjuncts of this Salvation I shall first explain the Nature of it This Salvation hath two parts 1. A Privative 2. A Positive part 1. A Privative part It is Salvation from the most dreadful Evils 1. It is Salvation from Sin Matth. 1.21 thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins 2 Tit. 14. he gave himself to redeem us from all Iniquity His Blood is the precious Red Ink to blot out our Transgressions and the most wonderful Red Seas to drown the Spiritual Egyptians the Host of our Iniquities in Christ was but baptized in the deep Waters of sorrow and sufferings but he drowned for ever all our sins God made war with Christ to make peace with us Zech. 13.7 God saves by Remission of Sins Luke 77. and by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.4 5. God made him an instance of Severity that we might be eternal Monuments of Mercy 2. Christ saves from wrath Jesus delivers from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1. last Being justified by his Blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Rom. 5.9 The Apostle doth not mention whose wrath but means the wrath of God This wrath is so formidable and terrible that all other wrath is as nothing doth not deserve the Name of wrath it is but a false or painted Fire a Bubble an empty Name and sound God can array all the Creatures as his Hosts in Heaven and Earth to fight against Sinners He can awaken and stir up Conscience to accuse and condemn the Sinner and so make him both a Burden and a Terrour to himself God can remember and set all our Trangressions before our Sight and fix our Eyes on this dreadful and dismaying Object that they shall never divert or look off from it God can pursue Sinners with punishment in this world and meet them with more dreadful vengeance in another World he can strike and support the Criminal at once he can blow up the Fire of his Anger and preserve the Souls and Bodies of Sinners to be eternal Fuel to it he can make extremity and eternity of Misery to meet in the same Person It is amazing wrath to make a bundle of Tares to subsist and continue in the Furnace for ever to be immortal Fuel to an eternal Fire It is from this dreadful wrath that Jesus Christ saves his People 2. There is a positive part of this Salvation 1. Jesus Christ saves and quickens us The Dead hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear it shall live John 5.25 As God breathed the Breath of Life into Adam's formed Body and he became a living Soul Gen. 2.7 so Christ breathed on his Apostles and said Receive you the Holy Ghost John 20.22 the Life of Saints is a Beam of and a stream from the Life of Christ Eccl. 2.20 How noble is their Life They live by Christ's living in them through the Spirit they are ingrafted into Christ are Branches of the true Tree of Life they are in him who is the true God and Eternal Life 1 John 5.20 2ly Christ saves them and builds them Zech. 6.12 13. The Branches should grow up out of his Place and he should build the Temple of the Lord we fell and were ruined in and by Adam and we lay in Ruines and Rubbish till Christ doth lift up his Feet to our Desolations doth with Pity behold and in Mercy raise up our Ruins Satan dwells in and rejoices over these Ruins Those that are pulled down with respect to God may be said to be built up with respect to Satan as Ruins of a House are of no use to us so ruined Creatures are altogether unprofitable to God Rom. 12. O this is great Mercy for Satan to be dispossed and ejected and for Souls to be framed as a holy House and to be built up as a Spiritual Temple for God to inhabit and be worshipped in Those that are God's Temples are animated by his Spirit and are filled with his Glory at once they are framed to be a Habitation for God and fitted to be Inhabitants with him in the Heavenly Jerusalem 3. Christ saves waters and improves our dry Ground our Barren Land Isa 44.3 God saith he will pour water on him that is thirsty and Floods on the dry Ground And God thus explains the meaning of this Metaphor I will pour my Spirit on thy Seed and my Blessing on thy Off-spring We are by Nature a wretched dry and barren piece of Ground we did ly upon improvement to none but to the Heavenly Husbandman it was the second Adam only that could enrich such a hungry and dry Ground he that can give the Spirit as Rivers of Living Water John 7.37 38 39. He invites Sinners to come and drink
but as likely to be pernicious and fatal to him as they would be to him instead of Christ and so rob him of an Interest in him which would be a Ruining and utterly undoing loss to him Paul saith farther Yea doubtless I account all things but dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Phil. 3.8 The Apostle seems to me to refer to that Scripture Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justifie many When Paul knew that excellent Righteousness that Christ had provided for the Justification of the Ungodly this made him to Contemn Loath and Cast away his own Rigteousness as a Man that flotes on a broken Plank or a piece of a Shipwreck will cast it away when he meets with a whole Ship that will take him in and carry him safe to the Shore 6. We are shadowed from the Scorching Wrath of God and secured from the Storm of Divine Vengeance not by our own Righteousness but by the Obedience and Righteousness of Christ The Church saith she sate down under the Shadow of Christ with Great Delight Cant. 2.3 Mr. Terry in the History of his Travels in the East Indies observes That where the Heat is exceeding great as it is in the East Indies there the Trees do bear far larger and longer Leaves than in these parts of the World and that thereby they afford a stronger shadow against the vehement heat of the Sun Since the Fall we need a strong shadow against the Scorching Wrath of God and it is our Lord Jesus Christ the Tree of Life that hath such broad and long Leaves as to afford a most sweet Cooling and Reviving Shadow When the Israeites Travelled through the Black Burning Sands of Arabia where in some places there grew no Trees to shadow them God did by a continual Miracle of his Grace for Forty years spread a continual Cloud over them Psal 105.39 and this was designe for a Covering to secure them from the fiery burning heat of the Sun that they might not Faint under it and be killed by it Lithgow that did Travel through Arabia doth inform us that the Heat is so great by the Reflexion of the Sun-beams on those Sands that he saw two Germans that were of their Company and in their Caravan to drop down dead being overcome by the Heat of the Sun This History instructs us how absolutely necessary God's Cloud was which he spread over them It was not the Tents of the Israelites that were sufficient to keep off the Burning Heat else God would not have provided this Miraculous Cloud so it is not the Tents of our Works or Righteousness that can keep off the Scorching Wrath of God but it must be the Righteousness that the Clouded Son of God wrought out in the state of his Humiliation and Abasement As those that went from under the Shadow of this Cloud were presently Scorched by the Sun so those that wave and decline Christ's Righteousness must needs sooner or later feel the Burning Wrath of God That Cloud that Skreen'd the Israelites from the Beames of the Sun was it self still exposed to the burning Heat but the Cloud did not feel it But our Lord Jesus Christ that is our Shadowing Cloud had a tender Sense a sharp feeling of the Wrath of God for a time that he might be a lasting and perpetual Cloud to protect and secure us from it As the Israelites continually for near Forty years Travelled under the Shadow of this Cloud so we must all our days Journey under the Shadow of Christ and his Righteousness I have Read in Varenius his Geography of this Great Wonder of Providence and Mercy of God to the People in the East Indies that they have their Winter when the Sun is over their heads and their Summer when the Sun is most remote from them Then the Sky is continually clear and the Sun shines so hot that in some places they keep their Fairs and Markets and do their Business in the Night and sleep in the Day But when the Sun is in the Zenith and just over their heads then they have perpetual Clouds and much Rain and that if it were not for this the Country could not be tolerably inhabited by reason of the Great Excessive Heat So were not the Lord Jesus the Mediator as a perpetual Cloud over us to shadow us by his Righteousness the most Holy Souls could not possess and inhabit a cool and comfortable place in the Church It is Christ and his Satisfactory Sufferings that is the Tilt and Covering of the Chariot in which we Ride with Christ to Heaven King Solomon that is Christ made himself a Chariot and the Covering of it was Purple A Chariot must have something over it to keep off the Wind Rain and Scorching Sun The Covering of this Chariot was Purple that is Cloth of a Purple Colour and this signified the Obedience of Christ which was signally expressed in the shedding of his Blood His Righteousness was as Cloth died in Purple Blood as Christ paved his Chariot with Love a soft Seat for Doubting Trembling Souls to sit on so he Tilted it over with Righteousness Died in Blood that Believers might be safe and have a sure Covering that would keep off the Scorching Heat of God's Wrath. We cannot move towards Heaven till we get up into Christ's Chariot so we cannot Travel safely but under its Purple Covering this must be our Protection all our days Though the Church be a Garden open towards Heaven to receive Influences of Grace from thence yet it Rides in a Chariot that is Covered and guarded from scorching Beams and dreadful storms from Heaven 7. We are not secured from Revenging and Destroying Justice by any Good or Righteousness that dwells in us but by the Blood of Christ Sprinkled from without and applied to our Consciences Exod. 12.22 23. The Destroying Angel did not pass over the Houses of the Israelites and spare their First-born because of the Righteousness of the Persons within but because of the Blood sprinkled from without The Israelites were Idolaters in Egypt Ezek. 23.2 and therefore were not worthy to be delivered from thence but fitted to be destroyed there It was therefore the Blood of the Paschal Lamb an eminent Type of Christ that was their Security from Destruction Judicious Calvin thinks that God alludes to this in Isa 66.19 God saith I will set a Sign among them that is on those Jews that should escape the Wrath of God and Destruction by it And what is this Sign but the Blood of Christ applied to the Soul for we are said to be Justified by his Blood and so to be saved from the Wrath to come Rom. 5.9 it is not our Inherent Righteousness that will protect us from Revenging Justice The Spirit that dwelleth in us even in us Saints James saith lusteth unto Envy James 4.5 In me even in this flesh of mine dwelleth nothing at all that is good saith Paul
found Heb. 9.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ hath found that and brought that which is the great Foundation of our Faith and Hope 1. Jesus Christ hath brought this Righteousness near to us Isa 46.13 I bring near my Righteousness it shall not be far off The Saints of the Old Testament saw the Promises a-far off Heb. 11.13 But we see Eye to Eye Isa 52.8 The Manna came down from Heaven and lay about the Camp of Israel Ezod 16.14 It was near to them and prepared Food for them and easy to be gathered by them So Christ Typified by it saith I am the Bread that came down from Heaven that a Man may eat and not dye As this Bread was in Heaven it was high above-us and far off from us but now it is come down from Heaven it is near to us it is easie to come at So the Rock is smitten and the Spiritual Water flows out follows us is near to us 1 Cor. 10.3 4. As God clave the Rocks and gave Israel drink as out of the Great Depths Psal 78.15 The Water was deep in the Earth but it bubbl'd up and gushed out of the Rock plentifully as if a great deep Sea or the deep Waters that did lye low in the Earth did now rise and spring up and break out at the clefts of this Rock The Israelites could not come at those deep Waters that lay in the Bowels of the Earth till God did cause them to ascend and made a vent for them So the saving Mercies of God were a great Deep we had neither Bucket nor Rope to reach them or to come at them they were far off from us But Christ now being smitten this Rock now being cleft deep Mercies ascend flow forth follow us come near to us Christ's Righteousness is brought so near to us that we may easily come at it and enjoy it as the Manna was prepared Bread some derive the Word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manah he hath prepared this was Bread that God provided without their labour they did not Plow or Sow for it So Christ is God's Salvation that he hath prepared Luk. 2.29 30 31. As the Manna was Rained down near to the Israelites Camp so Christ's Righteousness is brought near to us we may gather receive it take it to our selves by Faith It is not difficult to obtain Look unto me all ye ends of the earth and be saved Isa 45.22 Is not that easie to be had that may be obtained by a look the word of Faith is nigh to us Rom. 10.8 Christ's Righteousness is not remote or a-far off but brought very near to us and easie to come at And is not our Spiritual Drink near and easie to be had The Rock in Exod. 17.6 was to be smitten but the Rock mentioned Numb 20.8 was only to be spoken to and it should give out Water Jesus Christ Typified by these Rocks was to be Smitten but once to Die but once That which now remains to be done is not to Smite but to speak to the Rock by the Prayer of Faith and it will give forth Spiritual Drink to us Rom. 10.12 The Lord is rich to all that call upon him that is he is not only rich in the Possession but also rich in the Distribution and Communication of Grace he is not only Rich for himself but for us and those that call on him that speak to this Rock do receive abundance of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness Rom. 5.17 They that call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Joel 2. last 2. This Righteousness is brought near to God The Blood of the Typical Sacrifices was not carried into Heaven it was too mean and vile to be brought thither But the Blood of Jesus Christ is carried into Heaven it self Heb. 9.23 24. Our High-Priest is entred thither and hath carried his Blood into Heaven to present it to and plead it before God The very Throne of God as the Mercy-seat of old the Type of it was sprinkled with the Blood of the Typical Sacrifice Levit. 16.14 is sprinkled with the Blood of Christ As Christ brought his Righteousness into the Church as a Cordial to Revive us so he brought it into Heaven as a Plea before God As it is said The Burnt-offerings should be continually before God Psal 50.8 and did burn day and night on the Altar it was never without a Fire and a Sacrifice burning on it So Christ's Sacrifice is now always before the Lord Jesus Christ still represents it to and pleads it before God It is dreadful for our Sins to be continually before the Lord Psal 109.14 15. but it is sweet for Christ's Sacrifice to be always before the Lord by virtue of this our Prayers may be nigh to God day and night 1 Kings 8.59 till he Answer and Fulfil them 3. This Righteousness of Christ is established to continue for ever Heb. 10.9 God takes away the first even the Sacrifices of the Law to establish the second even the Sacrifice of Christ This Sacrifice is fixed as the one and only atoning Sacrifice it is never to be removed or to give place to any other God hath Sworn Christ to be a Priest Psal 110.4 God will never repent or change He will never put Christ out of Office or substitute any other in his place It is the higest pride to clash with God and for any to go about to establish their own Righteousness as the Jews did Rom. 10.3 and so to oppose God's Establishment And as this is Pride so it is pernicious Folly because nothing can establish the Heart or Conscience but the Grace of God through the Atoneing Sacrifice of Jesus Christ Heb. 13.9 It is good for the heart to be established by Grace 4. This Righteousness is now openly revealed to us Jesus Christ is evidently set forth as Crucified before our eyes Gal. 3.1 God's Salvation is prepared before the Face of all People Luke 2.31 This is the Glory of the Gospel that the Righteousness of God is revealed in it Rom. 1.17 And the Righteousness of God is now manifested without the Law Rom. 3.21 We have now received the Atonement Rom. 5.11 God hath now reconciled us Col. 3.2 there is a great Emphasis in the word now The Righteousness of God is now manifested we have now received the Atonement God hath now reconciled us It intimates that this Righteousness is now wrought out manifested and exhibited that God should be Righteous in Justifying us without the Works of the Law performed by us and without the Curse of the Law executed on us is a deep Mystery and a great Secret But Christ hath not hid this Righteousness of God in his heart but he hath declared and preached it Psal 40.9 10. This is such a Mystery that we should never have known if Christ had not declared it Surely it is most wonderful that God in the nature of a creature should be subject and obey that