World or as the three stretches of the Prophet Elijah or 1 King 17. 21 22. the Widow of Zarephaths dear Son a means to put Life into them who by Nature are as truly dead Spiritually as that Child was Naturally 1. Knowledge of Misery Sense of sin and Misery by i◠alone will do no good nor any thing without it for the foundation of Happiness is laid in it◠The knowledge of a Disease make◠way to a Cure and sense of Misery is the first step to Mercy we usually say it is most miserable to have been happy but in this it is the happiness of sinners to know their misery and their greatest misery if they do not 2. Knowledge of the way or means of recovery out of Misery None but Sinners need Mercy and none but sensible sinners will seek for it but yet they cannot seek it aright unless they know the way to it no more than they can find it unless they seek it the Diseased Woman in the Gospel Mat. 9. 20 21 22. was sensible of her Bloody Issue before she came to Christ and came to him before she was healed by him it was not barely the apprehension of her Disease but the apprehension of her Disease and of Christ her Physician that cured her None so fit to seek for Mercy as humbled sinners and none but such will but yet unless they do they cannot have it 3. Knowledge of Duty when redeemed from Misery Conversion is a change from one contrary to another not from one sin to another that is Hypocrisie but from 〈…〉 contrary one to another from the privation to the habit from Darkness to Light and from Death to Life this new state calls for a new life and all that are brought into such a state must live sutably to it they must not be always 1 Thes 2. 12. Eph. 5. 8. 1. Pet. 2. 9. sinners because they were sometimes so for once is above any Indulgence granted 1. Knowledge of Misery Sense of Misery is necessary not to merit Mercy but to qualifie for it not to fit the God of Mercy to give it but the necessitous sinner to receive it Now the misery of all by Nature is best known as one contrary compar'd with another by considering the happiness of Man in his state of Innocency When God had made the World and richly furnish'd it with all things for Necessity and Delight he then made Man not in the Image of any inferior Creature Gen. 1. 26. but in his own which Image was both outward and inward consisting partly in his Body and partly in his Soul Partly in his Body As it was So admirable a Structure that Galen a Heathen made a Hymn of Praise to God that made it an Instrument of Righteousness and a frame of admirable composure containing so many Miracles as Members so many perfections as parts and in some degree resembling the Majesty of God Partly and chiefly in his Soul by an inward resemblance of it to God not onely in the Spiritual Nature of the Soul but in the Natural Faculties Properties and Endowments of it viz. Knowledge Righteousness and True Holiness 1. Knowledge in his Understanding Of all that was needful for his state of Perfection and Happiness viz. A knowledge of God and his Excellencies of himself as to the Nature of every Faculty of his Soul and both the temper and use of every Member of his Body and of all other Creatures both as to Nature and Kind and how to carry himself uprightly to God and them 2. Righteousness in his Will A Natural Inclination with a power perfectly dispos'd to the whole will of God and to every thing that was just right and good without any reluctancy and of himself to will nothing that was not so 3. Holiness in his Affections Being free from all Disorder Sin and Impurity rejoycing in the love and bounty of God loving him as the chiefest good in himself and as the Author of all his As soon as Adam was made God planted a Garden in Eden in Gen 2. 7. 8. 15 16 17. which was every Tree pleasant to the sight and good for Food the Tree of Life also in the midst of the Garden and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and put him into it to dress and keep it and entred into a Covenant of Life with him called a Covenant of Works upon condition Gal. 3. 12. of perfect Obedience forbidding him to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil upon pain of Death God might have dealt with him in a way of absolute Soveraignty and required Obedience from him without any promise of Reward but he did not for he entred into a Covenant with him containing a Precept Threatning and Promise A Precept requiring perfect and perpetual Obedience A Threatning denouncing death if he did not obey it A Promise assuring Life if he did and though the promise is not so clearly expressed as the threatning yet as strongly and truly imply'd for if Adam must die if he disobeyed he should certainly live if he did not The Death threatned was Temporal Spiritual and Eternal the first in the separation of the Soul Gen. 2. 17. 3. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In dying thou shalt dye and all kinds of Death were threatned from the Body the second in the separation of the Soul from God the third in the separation of the Soul and Body from God for ever one from the presence of his Grace here the other from that of his Glory hereafter The Life promised imply'd a continuance of his present Life and the assurance of one to come a confirmation of his present happiness and a translation at last to a greater and better The present Life enjoy'd was two-fold one as a Man and a Creature the other as a perfect and upright Man The first consisting in the Union of Soul and Body the second in a Union betwixt God and the Soul The Life to come was a perfect immutable and eternal happiness both of Soul and Body with God through a perfect likeness to him and an immediate vision and fruition of him in Heaven to all Eternity Adam being a glorious and excellent Creature by Creation and endow'd with a power and will to obey stood bound to obey both by the Law of Nature and the Rom. 2. 14 15. positive Law and Command from God which obliged him to it But being made with a freedom of will viz. a liberty of its own accord to choose or refuse to do or not to do to stand or fall at his own choice without constraint or force from any and being mutably good his will though naturally dispos'd to good only yet being mutable and changeable it might be altered and become evil as it did for through the Temptation of the Eccles 7. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devil the perswasion of Eve and Pride a desire to be as
not be perswaded nor gathered to him but reject and contemn him and take Counsel against him They bid him stand off and depart they deâ—ire Job 21. 14. not the knowledge of his ways abuse his Ambassadors Acts 26. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Psal 139. 21. Job 8. 44. that are sent to treat of Peace and List themselves under the Command of Gods utter Enemy the Devil and rise up in Arms â—nd open Rebellion against him When God is for Peace they â—re for War 2. On Gods part Who as he is a just Enemy so â—ver an Enemy to all impenitent â—inners He is strange to them â—eeps at a distance and withâ—raws from them knows them afar off and is Angry Isa 57. 17. Ps 138. 6. Psal 7. 11. Ps 18. 26. Isa 1. 11. 59. 2. Psal 5. 5. 11. 5. Psal 146. 9. Psal 1. ult 2 Cor. 5. 19. Prov. 15. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with them Curses their Blessings rejects their Services and counts them an Abomination hates them and walks contrary to them has a Controversie with them Proclaims his Hos 5. 6. Jer. 25. 31. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Displeasure against them and reâ—sts them in open Battel array turns their way upside-down and causes it to perish They are Outlaw'd Enemies God had no Friends among Men untill he made Friends out of Enemies He was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 3. Darkness Adam at first was made a Son of Light the Candle of the Prov. 20. 27. Monstrum ingens cui lumen ademptum Eph. 4. 18. Lord was put into him but affecting the Tree of Knowledge above that of Life he brought Darkness upon himself and all his Posterity All that are brought out of this state are Light in the Lord they Eph. 5. 8. were blind but now they see John 9. 25. but they that are not are Darkness Rev. 16. 10. in the Devil the Prince of Darkness whose Kingdom is full of Darkness they are not onely dim of sight but stark blind Children of Darkness doing the works of Darkness which lead to Eternal Darkness 4. Poverty Adam at first was the Rich Heir Rev. 3. 17. of the World and Lord possessor of all but by sin he became a Bankrupt and then Justice seized on him as the Creditor on his Debtor and turn'd him the unjust Minimè natus at maximè dilectus Possessor out of all he was not the first-born yet had a double Portion but by losing all at one cast he fell into decay and became the first-born of the Poor Isa 14. 30. He was undone and all his Posterity had been ruin'd with him had not Christ the Jewel of the Imperial Crown been parted with to discharge the Debt All that are brought out of this Rev. 3. 18. state are Rich and have all things but they that are not are indigent Beggars without substance Isa 40. 20. or true Riches having no Oblation to offer unto God nor any thing of their own to satisfie that double Debt which they owe viz. of Obedience as Creatures and of Satisfaction as Sinners 5. Nakedness Adam at first was arrayed with Ezek. 16. 7. Rev. 3. 17. the resplendent Robe of Righteousness he wanted neither external nor internal Ornaments but sin the Mother of shame defiled them both and the Devil as a Conquerour with his Captive in War stript him of all those Ornaments and left him naked All that are brought out of this state are clothed with the Robes of Christs Righteousness Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed Mat. 6. 29. like one of these but they that are not are in the Raggs of Nature filthy Raggs which as filthy defile and as Raggs cannot hide nor cover the shame of Rev. 3. 18. their Nakedness Sin left us and Christ found us as the Man in the Gospel Naked and out of our Wits 6. Bondage Adam at first had perfect freedom Acts 8. 23. and was in bondage to none but Sin brought him and all his Gal. 4. 4. Posterity into it a Yoak that neither he their Father was nor they his Children are able to bear All that are brought out of this state are made Free by Christ John 12. 31. the Devil is cast out and Rules not as a King though sometimes he may as a Tyrant but they that are not are Slaves not onely near to Slavery but actually in it they may say with the Jews that they were never in Bondage to any but they are and that in Soul and Body too The Moralist says if the great ones of the World were divested of their Robes it would plainly appear what Slaves they were but all both great and small high and low with all their outward Ornaments are Slaves they were so before they came out of the Prison of the Womb and greater when out of it than when there to Sin and the Devil 1. To Sin Not onely Pride but every sin else as a Chain compasses them Psal 73. 6. about for they are in the Bond of Iniquity sold under it and Bond-servants to it So many Lusts so many Masters and every one give contrary Commands 2. To the Devil John 14. 30. Acts 26. 18. Eph. 2. 2. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Tim 2. ult He is the strong Man and Prince of this World that has Snares by which he takes them Captive and a Power by which he Rules over them as a Tyrant over his Vassals from whom he exacts Tribute as a Master over his Servants who are under his Command as a Conquerour over his Captives who are led by him at his will and as a Father over his Children from whom he expects Obedience they are not onely Children of the Devil but 1 John 3. 10. Slaves to him They are his by possession though Gods by right 7. Death Adam at first was alive but when the Devil the first-born of Death as Prince of Death and first Condemn'd to it devour'd Job 18. 13. 38. 17. his strength the Gates of Death viz. present and certain Death Temporal on his Body and Spiritual on his Soul were opened to him and but a step there was Rom. 5. 12. betwixt him and Eternal Death All that are brought out of this Gal. 2. 20. Eph. 2. 1. Rom. 6. 11. Ma. 8. 22. Rom. 7. 9. Rev. 3. 1. state are alive in Christ alive by him and alive to him but they that are not are dead not onely sick weak or diseased but dead They may be indeed alive as to their own Opinion so Paul for a time was and in the Opinion of others so the Church of Sardis was and may be alive as to sinful works living in them and to them but this their Life is their Death for it is not a Physical Death which is a loss of the Faculties but a Moral one which is a loss of the goodness of them Sin cast Adam and
all his Posterity not into a swoon onely but a Death and they are all ever since by Nature not as Christ said of Lazarus asleep but dead John 11. 11. Luke 10. 30. in sin not as the Wounded Man in the way to Jericho half dead but altogether so under the sentence of a Natural Death under the power of a Spiritual Death and under the guilt of an Eternal Death Sons of Death for they are all Sententiâ legis Psal 102. 20. Condemned 8. Wrath. God is Love and Adam innocency 1 John 4. 8. Quoad effectum non quoad affectum found favour in his sight and was greatly beloved by him but by sin his Anger was kindled and his wrath waxed hot against him All that are brought out of this 1 Thes 1. 10. state are delivered from wrath wrath present and to come but they that are not are under wrath wrath is their Fee-simple and proper Inheritance to them it is due and to them it belongs for as Children of wrath they are Eph. 2. 3. born to it The Scripture concludes all under Rom 3. 23. Eph. 5. 6. Rom. 6. 23. sin and sin concludes all under wrath it is sins wages and God will see Justice done 2. Of Recovery out of Misery God left not miserable Man thus Luke 10. 30 31 32 33. fallen as the Priest and Levite the wounded man in his way to Jericho but with the good Samaritan had Compassion upon him and sent his Son to heal those wounds sin had made and to recover him from that state of Mal. 4. 2. Misery into which by sin he was fallen by his wounds he healed him and by dying restored him to Life Adam was the first man the Primus foederatus Natural Head of all men Christ the second man the Mystical Head of all Believers He was the Earthly man this the 1 Cor. 15. 47. Lord from Heaven The Titles given to him show as Remedies do the Disease the misery of all by sin on our part and the happiness of all Believers on his He is a Mediator and the onely Mediator an Advocate a Heb. 9. 15. 12. 24. 1 Tim. 2. 5. 1 Joh. 2. 1. Joh. 4. 42. Rom. 11. 26. Heb. 1. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 19. John 1. 12. Deliverer Healer and Purger of Sins a Reconciler Saviour and Redeemer he is all these in himself and whatever the necessities of lost and undone sinners can need or require but none of them to any unless by Faith they receive him and therefore if you expect any help from him you must by Faith go unto him and you need not fear going if you Mark 10. 49. see a present and absolute need of him for behold he calls you and this need you will find if you consider that your condition by Nature is no less than a state of Filthiness Enmity Nakedness Darkness Poverty Bondage Death and Wrath. 1. Filthiness 1. A Filthiness so deep that it is not onely extensive but intensive Jer. 2. 22. 17. 1. Isa 1. 18. Jer. 13. 23. compared to marks and brands in the Flesh which are not easily got out to colours of the deepest dye double dipt in the wool and web to the spots of a Leopard which are not by way of accidental or external but innate coherence and to the blackness of an Ethiopian which cannot be washt off the Colliers blackness may be washt off but not the Ethiopians and the Lepers spots may be taken out but not the Leopards A Filthiness so great that neither the Tears of Repentance nor the Flames of Hell-fire nor any thing but the Blood of Christ can wash or purge it away the sacred Laver cleansing Jordan and healing Bethesda set open for all that will to wash in for sin and uncleanness The Priests Zech. 13. 1. Rev. 1. 5. under the Law cleansed by the Blood of Beasts but Christ by 1 John 1. 7. his own Blood his will is that you should be clean and therefore you must by Faith apply his Blood that you may be so Christ washt his Disciples Feet with Water but their Hearts with his Blood and unless he thus wash you you can have no part in him and unless by Faith you go unto him you cannot be thus John 13. 8. washed by him 2. Enmity A degeneracy beneath the brute Beasts for none of them are at enmity with God with us they are and we may blame our selves for it for they never Rebell'd untill we Rebell'd But yet God is willing Isa 27. 5. By doubling of the Phrase Make Peace Make Peace as by doubling of the Dream to Pharaoh it appears a thing certain and establisht by him Cen 41. 32. to be at peace for he commands it prescribes a way to it and assures it to all that like the terms of it he offers it freely and sues for it earnestly and therefore it highly concerns you to make peace with him it is not convenient onely and fit to be done but necessary and that which must be and if ever it must be in his way and at his time 1. In his way viz. by Faith in Christ for the blessing of peace is the blessing of Faith in him who as Priest purchased it as Prophet preached it and as King works it in all that believe in him 2. At his time and that is the present time viz. of Life and therefore let not the Sun of your Luke 12. 58 59. Life go down upon your Enmity to God for if you do terms of peace shall neither be offered to you nor accepted from you There is no Quarter given in Hell to Enemies 3. Darkness A Darkness that implies a state of evil both sinful and penal not of the Body but Mind a Eph. 4. 18. Corruption of the most excellent Faculty yet not incurable for Christ the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4. 2. Isa 42. 6. Luke 1. 78. 79. Luke 2. 32. the day-spring from on High was sent into the World as a Light not onely to all the Types Prophesies and dark shadows but to them that sate in the darkness Joh. 8. 12. 12. 46. Acts 26. 18. of sin and misery that from him they might receive the light of Spiritual knowledge and comfort and therefore if you are brought out of this state of darkness it concerns you as the blind Man in the Gospel did when healed by John 9. 25 27 30. Christ to appear for him against all that oppose him to cast off the works of darkness and walk Eph. 5. 8. as a Child of light but if you are not it concerns you as much Mark 10. 46. to go unto him as blind Bartimeus did for the Eyes of his Body Omnia extra Christum tenebricosa Marlorat Luke 4. 18. Rev. 3. 18. that you may receive your sight Christ is the great Oculist sent from Heaven and none but he has the Eye-salve