say it is such Raiment as is only to be had and bought of this Wonderful Counsellor the Amen the Faithful and True Witness and not such White raiment as is to be bought here below by which some persons distinguish themselves from others and in which they glory as if they were because of this better then others and what this white raiment here commended to us is we may be helped to know and understand by the Holy Spirit in the Scripture of Truth namely that it is righteousness even the righteousnesses of the Saints according to what we find spoken Rev. 19. 8. It was granted unto her the Lambs Wise that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white For the fine linnen is the righteousness of Saints viz. that wherewith they are cloathed and adorned And so frequently in the Holy Scriptures righteousness is compared to a Garment cloathing or covering as where Job saith I put on righteousness and it cloathed me Job 29. 14. And again let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousness Psal 132. 9. So it is said The Lord hath covered me with the robe of righteousness Isa 61. 10. And the joyning here Gold and Raiment together aptly answereth to that motive and inducement given by the Holy Ghost to perswade us to receive Wisdoms instruction viz. That with her are durable riches Gold tried in the fire and righteousness white raiment Prov. 8. 18-20 So that the White raiment here commended to us appeareth to be righteousness But this righteousness which is the White raiment is not as after may be shewn our own righteousness according to the law or any works of righteousness of ours For by the deeds of the Law can no flesh living be justified in the sight of God Rom. 3. 20. But the White raiment here spoken of is 1. The righteousness of God without the Law even that righteousness which Christ hath wrought by and compleated in himself for us and is become there-through for this is his name Jehovah our righteousness Jer 23. 6. And so Jesus Christ himself through and by means of that righteousness he hath wrought and compleated for us in himself is likened and compared to a Garment and believers are instructed to put him on as Rom. 13. 14 Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ And as many as are baptized into Christ are said to have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. And it is both taken for granted they have put on the new man Christ and they are instructed still and further to put him on Col. 3. 10. Ephes 4. 23 24. And they that follow after righteousness are such as seek the Lord for it even the Lord of whom the righteousness of the Servants of the Lord is Isa 54. 17. And in whom it is Isa 45. 24. And who is made of God to them righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. Yea that righteousness which is come by him it is unto all that have sinned and upon all that believe as their Ornament and Raiment Rom. 3. 21-23 And in the Prophet he is oftentimes prophesied of under this Title or expression of righteousness As I bring near my righteousness it shall not be far off Isa 46. 13. And my righteousness is near and near to be revealed Isa 51. 5. 56. 1. with Rom. 3. 21 22. And Christ is and in him appeareth the righteousness of God and he is become righteousness for us 1. In taking our Nature upon him and therein being made sin and a curse for us and so by cying our death even tasting death by the Grace of God for every man and so this righteousness is without the Law without the works or Sacrifices thereof though Christ did no sin in the days of his flesh but always did those things that pleased the father and observed the Law yet that could not be righteousness for us but to the end he might prepare and become righteousness for us he must have our sins laid upon him and therefore God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us by imputing the trespasses of the World to him that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 19-21 As well as also he must dye our death according to that If righteousness come by the Law then Christ died in vain Gal. 2. 21. In which is implied that to the end he might bring in everlasting righteousness he must dye and be cut off from the Land of the living Dan. 9. 24-26 righteousness could not come by the Law namely by our keeping the Law of ten words or by any works of ours according thereto for by the Law is the knowledge of sin in all we do in our best as well as in our worst works nay righteousness could not come by Christ's keeping and observing of it though he did always keep it and never transgress it in thought word or deed for then he died without any just or sufficient cause he died in vain And again righteousness could not come by the Law of the former Priesthood or by any gifts Offerings or Sacrifices appointed by it for then Christ died in vain It was not possible the bâ—ood of Bulls and Goats could take away-sin Where ore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me In burnt-offerings and Sacâ—ifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God namely to do that which the Law could not do to take away sin and bring in righteousness Heb. 10. 4-10 To this end he was the Lamb of God who was slain for us he was delivered for our offences And it was needful that Christ should suffer for our sins being put to death in the flâ—sh that this raiment of righteousness might be prepared for us for we had sinned against God in our fiâ—st father Adam and were thereby become liable unto the judgment of God and had deserved death in an utter separation from the presence of God and God who is a God of truth and without iniquity and to whom it is impossible to lye and therefore he cannot by any means in clearing clear the guilty had said and threatned In the day thou eatest thereof in dying thou shalt dye Gen. 2. 17. And cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them namely as is explicated by the Apostle that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. And therefore man having sinned and thereby fallen under curse and death unless the justice of God be satisfied and his truth fulfilled there can be no righteousness for us no accepting of us no forgiveness of our sins nor mercy to be shewn to us For Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot or tittle of the Law shall pass till all be fulfilled Mat. 5. 17 18. Therefore to the end that Christ might
particularly he is called and compared to gold 1. Because as Gold is taken out of the earth before it becometh so precious and inriching to us Job 28. 5 6. So our Lord Jesus Christ fell into the ground and died and was taken out of the earth the heart of the earth that he might become inriching to us Herein indeed there is a dissimilitude between the natural gold and this spiritual as there are many between the old and new creation and things appertaining to both the earth is the original place of the former but it is not so of the latter Christ came down from Heaven from above he was in the form of God and was glorious with the father 's own self before the world was Job 3. 31. 6. 38 51. 17. 5. he is as to his divine consideration over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. from everlasting to everlasting he is God Psal 90. 1 2. But now that he might become unsearchable riches for us it was absolutely necessary that he should suffer and rise again from the dead Act. 17. 3. Luk. 24. 26. ye know saith the Apostle the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who being rich the proper and onely Lord and Heir of all things by divine and eternal generation for your sakes became poor that ye thorow his poverty might be enriched 2 Cor. 8. 9. So he faith of and concerning himself except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 12. 24. he might have remained alone in the injoyment of his own glory and glorious perfection though he had not fallen into the earth but he could not have brought us back to God but we must have remained in our miserable poverty for ever he could not have been communicable riches to us as we had departed from God and fallen by our iniquities if he had not died for our sins and been buried and if also he who was delivered for our offences had not been raised again and taken out of the earth in that same body in which he was put to death and laid in a Sepulchre he could not have been Gold for us we could not have been partakers of him and of that glory in him If Christ be not raised again we are yet in our sins preaching and hearing faith and hope is vain and they who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished and we must be banished from God for ever necessarily and so continue poor and miserable everlastingly But now Christ is risen from the dead and so truth substance and substantial riches is sprung out of the earth in his resurrection and righteousness looketh down from Heaven and God giveth us that which is good Psal 85. 10 12. and in him bodily even in that body which the father prepared for him and in which he bare our sins on the tree and was taken from Prison and from Judgment dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead and in him we are compleat compleatly provided for and furnished with all that may truly inrich us Colos 2. 9. 10. He is now ascended up on high and hath led captivity captive and received gifts in the man for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them He is ascended and gone up to a glorious place and to a glorious state in him it hath pleased all the fulness to dwell But in that he ascended what is it what is signified hereby and imported to us herein as needful hereto but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth into the womb of the Virgin and into a great abasement into many sorrows and sufferings he humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the cross yea he went down into the heart of the earth his soul was in hell and his flesh in the grave in the belly or womb of the earth He that descended is the same also that ascended farr above all Heavens that he might fill all things with the virtues and influences of his sufferings and sacrifice and fulfill all things Psal 68. 18. with Ephes 4. 9 10. It is through his falling into the earth that he hath exalted and advanced our nature so highly that he is in it become the great God and our Saviour the Lord and Christ the heir of all things and inheritour of God's holy mountain Because he humbled himself therefore God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name And he is gone up into Heaven and and is on the right hand of God Angels Authorities and Powers being made subject to him Heb. 9. 12. Philip. 2. 6 9. 1 Pet. 3. 21 22. The Captain of our salvation is become perfect for us through suffering Heb. 2. 10. The Lord did in a wonderful and supernatural way create a new thing in the earth and it is this fruit of the earth which is excellent and comely for our escape Jer. 31. 22. Isa 4. 2. But this may be further spoken to in what is said and affirmed of this gold to wit that is tried in the fire 2. He is called and compared to gold because as natural Gold is the most excellent metal which God hath created so this faithful and true witness is the most excellent one there is none to be compared to him Gold is more precious then Iron Brass Silver or any other metal Isa 60. 17. Numb 31. 22. So he is precious excellent as the Cedars namely as the Cedars excel other trees so doth he other persons and things Cant. 5. 15. He is the beginning the principal one God's first born the first begotten from the dead that in all things and amongst all persons he might have the preeminence for it hath pleased the father that in him should all fulness dwell Psal 89. 27 Col. 1. 18 19. He is White and Ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. he is fairer then the children of men Psal 45. 2. Whatever beauty or comely proportion they may have their fairness is not to be compared to his he is fair with the beauty of holiness and there is no blemish or spot in him no sin in him or wrinckle of sorrow and infirmity upon him 1 Pet. 1. 19. He is more excellent then the Angels he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they for unto which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son this day have i begotten thee All the Angels of God are required to worship him He who is raised from the dead even the man Christ Jesus is set on the right hand of God in the Heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and God hath put all things under his feet and given him to be head over all things c. And therefore
own goodness but that they should make mention of his righteousness and shew forth his praises who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God Cant. 5. 9-16 6. 1. with Chap. 1. 5 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9 10. And his desirableness and loveliness to the eye is signified in several descriptions and declarations given of him in which he is like to though infinitely exceeding Gold even pleasant to behold So he is said to be beautiful beauty and fairness are very delightful and desirable the eye is affected therewith and apt to lust thereafter hence it is said The Sons of God saw the Daughters of men that they were fair and they took them to Wife Gen. 6. 2. Upon this account because beauty is so pleasing to the eye even Holy men for saving themselves have polluted themselves As Abraham and Isaac because their Wives were fair and beautiful Gen. 12. 11-15 26. 27. Esther 1. 11. And the Holy-Ghost warneth us Not to lust after the beauty of the Whorish Woman to intimate to us that beauty is very taking with us Prov. 6. 25. 2 Sam. 11. 2. But oh how great is his beauty He is beautiful even to admiration Zech. 9. 17. Hence the Spouse saith Behold thou art fair my beloved yea pleasant Cant 1. 16. Hence also when the Spouse declareth his amiableness she saith first in general My beloved is white and Ruddy that is to say he is Immanuel God with us in our Nature and for us he was over all God blessed for ever and yet he took part with us of flesh and blood and bare our sins in that his own body which the father prepared for him and died our death and is acquitted from our sins and death for us and is in our Nature become fairer then the Children of Men. Cant. 5. 10. Psal 45. 2. Beautiful and comely with the beauty of holiness Again he is called the Light and compared to the Sun John 1. 9. Mal. 4. 2. Psal 84. 11. Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccles 11. 7. Oh! he inlightneth the eye cheareth the Heart comforteth the Soul reviveth the drooping and broken Spirit and manifesteth all things to us in their right and proper Colours He is the light of the World the great manifestation of God and of all things to us John 8 12. This man is more precious and delightful to behold and look upon then fine refined Gold Isa 13. 12. And who so looketh into the perfect Law of liberty in which his beauty is evidently set forth before our eyes Whoso pryeth into this peepeth wistly and consideringly and stoopeth down here to behold it and continueth it will cause him to desire after and delight in Christ and or ever he is aware it will make his Soul and his soul will make him like the Chariots of Aminadab Jam. 1 25. It will make him sick of love unsatisfied restless and diseased till he more know him yea till he fully and compleatly injoy and he made partaker of him he being the Object in whom is the light and health of his countenance Cant. 2. 3 5. 5. 8. Psal 42. 5 11. 43. 5. Oh that we did more know the loveliness of this pleasant Object this would make us desire this one thing of the Lord and seek after it that we might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire into his holy Temple Psal 27. 4 5. Joh. 4. 10. In such like respects he is compared to Gold 2. We have in the next place to inquire and consider what is meant by this expression tried in the fire therein is signified 1. The wonderful afflictions and sorrows which Christ indured and underwent for us and for our sakes herein he was like gold thrown into the fire as that signifieth great and grievous pains and sufferings He was tormented as in the fire for our transgressions bruised for our iniquity the chastisement of our peace was upon him Isa 53. 5. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief even made up as it were of sorrows and therefore he is eminently and emphatically called the afflicted one Psal 22. 24. There was no sorrow like unto that sorrow done unto him wherewith the Lord afflicted him in the day of his fierce anger Herein he was like gold ried he was cast into the fire indeed and it 's but the shadow of it as it were wo pass through All Gods waves and billows went over him his wrath lay hard upon him and he afflicted him with all his waves Psal 88. 3 16. hence he cried out my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death before men laid hold on him Maâ—t 26. 37. 38. Mark 14. 33 34. Joh. 12. 27. The father left him to feel the weight of our sins and the fierceness of that fire we had kindled against our selves and this made him cry out and roar by reason of that horrour that overwhelmed him So hot and great was the fire of God's wrath into which he was throne that his heart was like wax before the fire it was melted in the midst of his bowels and his strength dried up like a potsherd and God brought him into the dust of death Psal 22. 1 2 -14 15. It plesed the Lord to bruise him he put him to grief he made his soul an offering for our sins he spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all Isa 53. 10. Rom. 8. 32. And he indured great things from the hands of men he was a reproch of men and despised of the people reproch did break his heart and he was full of heaviness wherewith his soul was even melâ—ed Psal 69. 20. with Psal 119. 28. They did despitefully use him mock deride and scourge him and with wicked hands did crucify and slay him The heathen did rage and the people imagined a vain thing the King 's of the earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against him Many Bulls compassed him strong ones of Bashan beset him round they gaped upon him as a roaring and a ravening Lion Yea dogs compassed him the Assembly of the wicked inclosed him and his own people were the betrayers and murderers of him Psal 2. 1. 22. 6 7 12 13-16 Acts 7. 52. And now also was the power of darkness the Prince of this World came with the fiery darts and he who had the power of death did torment him Luk. 22. 53. Joh. 14. 30. with Ephes 6. 16. Christ was in an horrible pit in a pit of noise the noise whereof caused horrour and in the miry clay his soul was in hell and his body or flesh in the grave he tasted death by the grace of God for every man even that very death which every man should have
iniquities of us all Isa 53. 6. and he confesseth these as his own when he saith Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up Psal 40. 12. and saith to his father my guiltiness is not hid from thee Psal 69. 5. he becoming our surety and undertaking for us all our debts were charged upon him and our trespasses were imputed to him and he bare our sins in his own body and so by the imputation of the father and by his own gracious acceptation our sins became his own sins Heb. 7. 27. he is that Lamb of God that did bear the sin of the world John 1. 29. But he was tried in the fire therein and thereby was he purified from our sins from the guilt of them and so he is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. He was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin 1 Joh. 3. 5. He appeared once in the end of the World to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself and is without sin and shall so appear the second time unto salvation to all them that look for him Heb. 9. 26. 28. To this purpose the Apostle saith Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit to wit He was justified acquitted and discharged from the guilt of our sins in the spirit 's raising him from the dead who died for our sins and was buried 1 Tim. 3. 16. and He through the eternal spirit hath offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9. 14. he having fully paid our debt and compleatly satisfied for our sins in his bearing the judgment of the world and being tormented for our transgressions he is released by the father and taken from Prison and from judgment and hath by himself made purgation of our sins and purged them from before the presence of God made peace and attonement for them and redeemed us in himself from the curse of the law and through that redemption that is in him all that have sinned and come short of the glory of God are justified freely inasmuch as he as our surety and as the publick man and last Adam is justified and is through his personal abasement and sufferings become a lamb without blemish and without spot Heb. 1. 3. 7. 27. Col. 1. 20. Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 3. 23 24. and chap. 5. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Yea and also he partook of our infirmities he partook with us of flesh and blood of weakness and mortality Heb. 2. 14. he himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses Matt. 8. 17. It behoved him in all things to be made like to his brethren the sons of men such an one as they were become as the fruit of sin as distinguished from sin it self Heb. 2. 17. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and was deformed as it were with that reproch shame and dishonour which appertained to us Psal 69. 19 20. and was in that body subject to corruption though he did not abide so long in death as to see it as is implied in that the Apostle saith God raised him from the dead now no more to return to corruption Acts 13. 34. he partook of our infirmities sorrows griefs and had a mortal body in which he was crucified and put to death and died and was buried his visage was marred more then any man's and his form more then the sons of men Isa 52 14. 53. 2. He was covered over with the wrath of God for our sins and by his permission and ordering he was covered over with shame from men so as he had no form nor comeliness no appearing beauty outwardly to make him desirable When his God forsook him then he was a reproch of men and despised of the people all they that saw him laughed him to scorne they did shoot out the lip they did shake the head saying He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he delight in him Psal 22. 6 8. as intimating that though he made his boast of God and said he was his Father yet he would not own him as his Son and therefore said they God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver him Psal 71. 10 11. and how he was covered with reproches as if he had been a gluttonous person and a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners as if he had cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils as if he was a deceiver of the people as if he was guilty of blasphemy against God and of stirring up sedition amongst the people the Scriptures of the Evangelists abundantly shew to us But in this respect also he is tried in and came purified out of the fire and hath in himself overcome and abolished that death he died 2 Tim. 1. 10. and put off all mortaliry and weakness in his resurection that mortal body of his hath put on immortality his body that was so marred and without sorme is now become a glorious body and he therein and he only is a spiritual man death in him is swallowed up into victory and he is become the first-fruits of them that sleep and his triumphing Song is Oh death where is thy sting Oh grave or hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sin this he hath purged away and the strength of sin is the law this he hath answered and satisfied and hath gotten himself the victory and thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 42-47-55-57 he hath put off all weakness grief sorrow pain mortality and restored our nature in himself into the image of God in a more glorious manner then ever it was in the first creation even into perfect righteousness integrity immortality and eternal life and he is in our nature glorified with the father 's own self with the glory he had with him before the world was Therein he is become eternal life for us who was delivered for our offences and such glory and lustre is upon that body that it is above the brightness of the sun at mid-day such as we are not capable to behold unless wonderfully and miraculously strengthned It was so glorious as that the sight of it struck Saul blind three days Acts 26. 13. 22. 11. 9. 17. and this seen in a vision by John caused him to fall down at his feet as dead Rev. 1. 17. and when Daniel also saw him in vision there remained no strength in him but his comliness was turned into corruption and he retained no strength Dan. 10. 5-8 and he was tried in and came purified out of the fire from all the wrath of God and from all the reproches and shame and dishonour cast upon him by his enemies God hath actually testified of him that he is the Son of his love and that he is well
also in him we are compleat because he is the head of all principality and power Heb. 1. 4 14. Ephes 1. 20 22. Col. 2. 10. This man was counted worthy of more honour then Moses who was the Mediator of the first Testament inasmuch as he who buildeth the house hath more honour then the house Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a Servant But Christ not as a servant but as a Son not in only but over his own house He is the Lord of it and hath dominion over it and he only Ephes 4. 5 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. Heb. 3. 2 6. 10. 21. And he hath obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is the Mediatour of a better Testament established upon better promises Heb. 8. 6. He is a more excellent High Priest then was Aaron or any of the high Priests under the Law A more excellent person they the Sons of men he is Jesus the Son of God Heb. 4. 14. they had infirmity but he is holy harmless undefiled separate from Sinners and made higher then the Heavens Heb. 7. 26 28. they were made after the law of a carnal commandment but he after the power of an endless life Heb. 7. 16 17. they were made Priests without an oath but he with an oath Heb. 7. 20 21. They were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood which passeth not from him to any other to no Vicar on earth wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him c. Heb. 7. 24 25. They ministred about a worldly sanctuary but he is the Minister of the sanctuary and true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man Heb. 9. 1. 8. 2. They offered up sacrifices which could never take away sin for it was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats could take away sin But this man when he had offered up one sacrifice for sins for ever even himself his own body once for all sate down on the right hand of God from ever offering any more a propitiatory sacrifice he needeth not daily as the former High Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself Heb. 10. 1 12. 7. 27. They entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but he into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us he is set on the right hand of the throne of majesty in the Heavens Heb. 8. 1. 9. 24. He is more excellent then all Kings and Prophets in former times he is anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Heb. 1. 9. God hath set this King upon his holy hill of Zion and raised up him a Prophet whom all are to hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto them and whosoever will not hear this Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people Acts 3. 22 23. He is excellent in wisdom above all men for God hath not given the spirit by measure unto him yea he is greater therein then Solomon who was wiser then all men 1 King 4. 29 31. with Matt. 12. 42. He is more excellent then the mountains of Prey Psal 76. 4. This man is more precious then fine gold even this man then the golden wedge of Ophir Isa 13. 12. Man knoweth not the price of this excellent one this wisdom that is from above neither is it found in the land of the living it cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir with the precious onyx or the Saphire the gold and the crystal cannot equal it no mention shall be made of coral or of pearls for the price of wisdom is above rubies The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it neither shall it be valued with pure Gold Job 28. 13 19. He that came down and cometh down from above is above all above all other persons and things Wisdom is better then rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to him Job 3. 31. Prov. 8. 10 11. He is more excellent then all the priviledges of the flesh and then all our works of righteousness zeal devotions frames and qualifications and therefore the Apostle counted those things that were formerly gain to him and in which was his life confidence and consolation loss for Christ yea he went on to count all things as loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ that he might win him c. Phil. 3. 4. 9. Oh! happy is the man that findeth Wisdom For she is more precious then Rubies yea all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her Prov. 3. 13 15. There is none so excellent none so inriching as is this Spiritual and Heavenly Gold He doth more yea inexpressibly more exceed all other persons and things then natural Gold doth excell all other Metals whatsoever 3. He is called and compared to Gold because as Money answereth all things in having Gold tried Gold a man may have any thing here below Eccles 10. 19. So it is most fully and compleatly true here now by faith and in some spiritual first fruits and shall be hereafter in the Harvest and in a compleatly satisfying and glorious injoyment He that hath Christ hath all things in such a maner as he hath and enjoyeâ— him The father hath so loved the Son because he fell into the ground and died and rose again in that his own personal body that he hath given and delivered all things unto him and filled him with all fulness he is become a Fountain of Grace and Truth a Treasury of all forgiveness Wisdom Spirit and Life and in having and being made partakers of him those Treasures in him are also by faith received In him we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of Gods Grace Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. To him give all the Prophets witness That through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive the forgiveness of sins Acts 10. 43. 13. 39. In this beloved one and in having him they are made accepted Ephes 1. 6. And have righteousness without works imputed to them they are made the righteousness of God in him So the Apostle signifieth that in winning Christ and being found in him He should have the righteousness which is through the saith of Christ Rom. 3. 22. 4 5 6. 10. 9 10. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Phil. 3. 8 9. To as many as receive him to them he giveth power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name John 1. 12. They are the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. 26. And because in having him they are Sons God hath given unto them and sent forth into
pleased in him of this he hath given assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead He was declared to be the Son of God with power by the spirit of holiness in the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 4. though they gathered together against him and unjustly condemned him and said and intimated that he was not the Son of God yet God did stand at his right 〈…〉 and to save him from the judges of his soul Psal 109. 30 31. he wiped off as it were all that dirt reproch and ignomy wherewith they covered him and testified he delighted in him in sending from above and taking him out of great waters Psal 18. 16 17. And in setting him on his own right hand and glorifying him in the Gospel He is purified in and through this fire from all the guilt of our sins and from all the weakness and mortality of our Nature and from all the hidings of Gods face and from all the calumnies slanders and dishonours of his enemies yea from all trouble and grievance and is now an inconceivably glorious one full of lustre and splendour And this will be furher shewed in what followeth 4. This Gold is said to be tried to denote and signifie that this work this trying work is over and past though the virtue and glorious fruit of it remaineth and abideth for ever It is not said Gold trying but tried in or out of the fire for as before is said he is acquitted of all our sins that were imputed to him and hath overcome abolished and got rid of all our weakness and mortality and all occasions of grief and trouble and is not as some ungodly and Antichristian Spirits affirm blasphemously dying in some or in any in every Age of the World Those that so say make his sufferings and Sacrifice like those directed to under the Law they even count the blood of the Covenant a common thing like the blood of Bulls and Goats take away sin and therefore was daily offered but herein his Blood and Sacrifice is distinguished from and infinitely preferred before all legal Blood and Offerings in that his is not to be itterated or repeated and so by consequence he can suffer no more as the Apostle intimateth in the dissimilitudes he maketh between the former Priests and their Offerings which they offered according to the Law and our High-Priest and his Offering when he saith Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High-Priest entreth into the Holy place every year with blood of others for then must he often have suffered since the Foundation of the World which to imagine and affirm is the greatest and first-born of absurdities as the Apostle doth intimate but now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 9. 25 26. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death hath no more Dominion over him For in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Rom. 6. 9 10. And this Christ proposeth unto John to strengthen him against his fears He saith John laid his right hand upon me saying Fear not I am he that liveth and was dead and behold consider and set thine heart unto this give attention hereto I am alive for evermore Amen This is a true and faithful saying Rev. 1. 17 18. Were he always trying always suffering and offering there could be no perfection by his Blood if he were always dying in some in every Age or always to be offered up a propitiatory Sacrifice then would his Blood and Sacrifice be like that Blood and those Sacrifices under the Law which could not make the comers thereunto perfect for the Law made nothing perfect But Christ hath once and but once suffered for sins the just for the unjust 1 Pet 3. 18. And by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption Heb. 9. 12. And offered up one Offering that of his one body once for all and this man when he had offered up one Sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God from ever suffering any more or offering any more Sacrifice or Offering for sins Heb. 7. 27. 10. 10-12 And hath by his one Offering once offered perfected for ever them that are sanctified whereof the Holy-Ghost also is a Witness to us Heb. 10. 14 15. And this Holy-Spirit convinceth the World of righteousness evidenceth that Christ hath compleated righteousness a perfect righteousness in and by himself for us and therein sheweth and demonstrateth the unprofitableness of ours in that he is gone to the father and we see him no more no more coming down to suffer or offer any new Offering or to repeat that Offering of his own body for us nor hath he given or left behind him instruction to any one who may pretend himself to be his Vicar to offer him up a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of quick or dead John 16. 10. Heb. 10. 10-14 In this Phrase then or manner of speaking is implied and intimated to us the preciousness of his personal abasement and sufferings and herein is evidenced that his Flesh is meat indeed and his Blood is drink indeed that we might eat his Flesh and drink his Blood and rejoyce and glory in nothing save in the Cross of Christ in that he is tried not trying but come out of and delivered from the fire taken from prison and judgment and is ascended up where he was before John 6. 54-62 And it is also a powerful admonition to us not to count it a common thing not to despise or set light by it for there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins he can dye no more so that If this Blood and Sacrifice be rejected and trodden under foot till the day of Grace and patience be at an end there remaineth nothing but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation Heb. 10. 26-29 It was witnessed of him who was dead that he liveth and he was made a Priest after the power of an endless life and that by his Oath who sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech and so ever liveth to make intercession for them that come to God by him And is therefore able to save them to the uttermost Heb. 7 8. 16-25 Rev. 2. 8. This is Gold not trying but tried in or out of the fire 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. Rom. 6. 3 4. 5. In this Phrase and expression in saying Gold tried in the fire is also signified that he is become Gold for us who was tried even that same person in that same body the same that was tried the same is become Gold for us precious and inriching even as it is with natural and earthly Gold that precious Metal of the Earth The same substance that is cast in the same
cometh out again and is Gold tried only the Dross and mixture is taken out so it is here this Spiritual and Heavenly Gold which was in the fire and was then Gold the most precious one even he the same Jesus who dyed for our sins and was buried he in that very personal body is raised again discharged from the guilt of our sins and free from the fruits thereof God did not leave his Soul which was made an Offering for our sins Isa 53. 10 in Hell nor suffer his Flesh in which he was put to death 1 Pet. 3. 18 to see corruption Acts 2. 27-31 So the Apostle Peter saith Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ Acts 2. 36. He that descended is the same also that assended far above all Heavens even into the presence of God that he might fill all things Ephes 4. 8-10 The Stone which the builders set at nought and disallowed the same is made the head of the Corner 1 Pet. 2. 7. It is even he the same person who was delivered for us that is raised again and taken from prison and judgment And in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily even in the body of his flesh Col. 2. 9 10. And this same Jesus shall so come in like manner As those men of Galilee saw him go into Heaven Acts 1. 9. 11. And herein is he preferred before David He fell on sleep and was laid unto his fathers and saw corruption and his Sepulchre is with us saith Peter unto this day but Christ whom God raised again saw no corruption Acts 13. 36 37. 2. 29-32 And Christ in those fourty days after his resurrection in which he was seen of his Apostles Shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs Acts 1. 2 3. And shewed them his hands and his feet that were nailed to the Tree and his side that was pierced with a Spear of a Souldier and his Disciples did see and look upon and handle his raised body by which it appeared he was not a Spirit simply but hath a body that hath flesh and bones And these infallible proofs are given us that we may know and be assured That Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing in him we may have life through his name Luke 24. 36-40-48 John 20. 19-31 And of this the Apostles are Witnesses and have testified That he is the first born from the dead brought forth out of the heart or Womb of the Earth as Jonas was out of the Belly of the Whale Mat. 12. 40. Col. 1. 18. Rev. 1. 5. And it is he that person that same Jesus that is very Christ Acts 9. 22. Anointed with the Holy-Ghost And in him this first-born from the dead it hath pleased all the fulness to dwell even all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and so he is become Gold for us and hath the pre-eminence in all things Col. 1. 18 19. 2. 9 10. And hath all Dominion given unto him Because he humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Cross therefore hath God highly exalted him and given him who so humbled himself a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bowe c. Philip. 2. 8 9. And it is needful and good for us to be rooted and grounded in the hearty perswasion and belief hereof that we may be saved and preserved from those evil and Antichristian Spirits that say There is no resurrection of the dead and so by consequence that Christ is not raised again and then we are yet in our sins and the Apostles are found false Witnesses of God and faith is vain and those who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished But Christ is risen from the dead and is become Gold for us even the same that was tried in the fire 1 Cor. 15. 3 4-12-20 And herein he answereth to nay infinitely exceedeth and goeth beyond Gold that is the most incorruptible Metal Yet it will perish though tried with fire 1 Pet. 1. 7. It may canker and rust Jam. 5. 3. And is called a corruptible thing 1 Pet. 1. 18. But his Blood is said to be and is precious as opposed to corruptible of infinite value and worth and highly to be esteemed by us because it is incorruptible 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. And he himself in his own body in which he died for us is in the virtue of his precious and incorruptible Blood raised again no more to return to corruption Acts 13. 34. And is become incorruptible Seed even the Word of God which by the Gospel is preached unto us he liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23-25 Isa 40. 8. And whosoever is born of this Seed shall live for ever this man continueth ever and therefore hath an unchangeable Priesthood He was dead and is alive and liveth for evermore and whosoever believeth on him though he were dead yet shall he live and he that liveth and believeth shall never dye 1 John 2. 17. John 11. 25 26. In such like respects he is said to be Gold tried in the fire 3. In the next place let us consider what is imported to us in the end why he counselleth this Angel to buy which is also a powerful Motive and Argument used to move us to have such an high estimate of this Gold as to buy it at any rate That thou mayst be rich To which I shall speak more briefly because what is intimated herein hath been noted formerly In this end then is signified unto us 1. That those that have not this Gold tried in the fire they cannot indeed be rich or inriched with the true riches but are poor miserable Creatures in the eyes of him that judgeth righteously though they have large possessions much Gold and a multitude of Rubies We may apply that saying of the Prophet to them Surely these are poor For they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgment of their God Jer. 5. 4. Alass all the substance here below will not procure the love and favour of God in which is life Cant 8. 7. These riches will not deliver from the stroke of Gods hand or from the Testimonies of his displeasure Will he esteem thy riches No not Gold c. Job 36. 18 19. They profit not in the day of wrath or death Zeph. 1. 18. Prov. 11. 4. They are deceitful riches they promise somewhat or rather we promise to our selves much contentment and blessedness in the enjoyment and possession of them but they are not there is no substantial and durable good in them That rich man in the Parable whose ground brought forth plentifully so as he was careful and thoughtful how to dispose of his fruits not having room where to bestow them and therefore resolved to pull down his Barns and build greater and there to dispose all his fruits
and sorrow they meet withall by reason of their poverty Strairs and necessities in this World blessed are such poor ones for theirs is the Kingdom of God Luk. 6. 0. and to incourage them to rejoyce in their King to whom all things are delivered of the Father though they are as the filth and off-scouring of all things and are like unto him in their outward condition who had not whereon to lay his head yet in being called unto the felloship of Christ and made partakers of him and united unto him all things are theirs and in due time they shall inherit the earth yea they shall inherit all things and reign for ever and ever This consideration the first and the last who was dead and is alive proposeth to and setteth before the Angel of the Church in Smyrna to comfort him I know thy tribulation and thy poverty but thou art rich Rev. 2. 9. And the mindfulness hereof is powerful to preserve us from immoderate sorrow and they who do consider it in the greatest necessity are kept from fainting While they look not at the things that are seen but at the things not seen for the things that are seen both the good and the evil are temporal but the things that are not seen are Eternal 2 Cor. 4. 16-18 3. In that he saith That thou mayst be rich it declareth and sheweth unto us the great Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the father in him it was not nor is his own good and profit this faithful and true witness aimethat but the profit and benefit of others that they may be saved to whom the Apostle also was in some measure like-minded and signifieth that he was herein a follower of Christ 1 Cor. 10. 33. 11. 1. This was his end in all he hath done for us and is become even our advantage and benefit such was his Grace to us that to this end he became poor that through his poverty we mâ—ght be made rich 2 Cor. 8 9. He was made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law even all Mankind for they were under it Gal. 4. 4 5. with Rom. 3. 19. He who knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. He bare our sins in his own body on the Tree that we being dead to sin might live to righteousness 1 Pet. 2. 24. He died for all that they which live might not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 15. He was raised again for our justification even for the justification of all those for whose offences he was delivered viz. of all Mankind Rom. 4. 25. 3. 23 24. And God haâ—h given him Glory that our faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. Christ once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. And that feast he hath prepared in himself 't is for all people Isa 25. 6. And so he is the same in what he is now doing as he was in what he hath done Heb. 13. 8. He seeketh not his own things he proposeth not nor aimeth at any personal advantage to himself but it is our good profit and benefit which is in his eye He is the Mediator between God and Men who appeareth in the presence of God for us making intercession for us even for transgressors and ever liveth to make intercession for them that come unto God by him to take away their fins and procure Grace and Mercy for them John 1. 29. Heb. 9. 15. 24. 7. 25. 1 John 2. 2. He preacheth the Gospel by his Spirit to our Spirits and therein giveth us good counsel as here for our good that we poor and miserable ones might hear his Word and listen to and receive his counsel and so be wise for our selves Prov 9. 12. Hence also he saith Hear Counsel and receive instruction that thou mayst be wise in thy latter end even profitable to thy self that thou mayst be rich Prov. 19. 20. with Job 22. 2. Here he counselleth poor wretched ones to buy Gold that they may be rich and White raiment that they may be cloathed and that the shame of their nakedness appear not and to annoint their eyes with Eye-salve that they may see It is our happiness he aimeth at and not his own for though we receive his counsel it is no profit or advantage to him Can a man be profitable to God as he that is wise may be profitable to himself Is it any gain to him that thou makest thy way perfect Job 22. 2 3. 35. 7 8. Yea and when he rebuketh and chasteneth it is for our profit that we might be zealous and repent and so be partakers of his holiness Rev. 3. 19. Heb. 12. 6-10 And the consideration hereof that he is gracious a free and cordial lover of us that seeketh not his own things nor aimeth at his own commodity but ours as is brightly and abundantly manifested in his great abasement and humbling of himself to death even the death of the Cross may be useful to us to incourage and move us to come with boldness to his Throne for it is a Throne of Grace erected not for his own advantage or advancement but for the good and benefit of poor unworthy undeserving ill-requiting and ill-deserving ones Heb. 4 15 16. And to take and drink of the Water of life of which he is the Fountain for we may take of it freely without money and without price Rev. 22. 17. Isa 55 1 2. And this might also move and strengthen us to be followers of him as dear Children as far as we have ability and opportunity and to that end to put on Charity that we may not seek our own things but the good of others To this the Apostle solemnly exhorteth the believers setting Christ before them as the motive and example Phillip 2. 1-6 7. In lowliness of mind saith he let each esteem other better then himself namely let him think and judge that another is rather to be eased and spared then himself If there be a burden to be born or some reproach or persecution to be indured let him rather bear indure and undergo it then his brother should let him not seek to deliver himself and be content that he is free though it fall upon his Brother but rather choose to bear and indure it himself that his brother may be eased and freed and that this is the meaning of the exhortation appeareth by what followeth Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Let that mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no
that to a gracious end that we sinners might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 14 15-19-21 He is the Lamb of God who had imputed to him and did bear in his own body to and on the tree the sin of the World even the guilt of the disobedience of our first Father in whom we all sinned and of all the necessary branches thereof God caused them all to meet on him that he might put away and abolish them by the sacrifice of himself Joh. 1. 29. with Rom. 5. 12-14 1 Pet. 2. 24. Isa 53. 6. Heb. 9. 26. Dan. 9. 24. 3. And God went to law with him for them and executed the judgment of the world upon him Joh. 12. 31. He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities Isa 53. 5. God spared him not but delivered him and brought him into the dust of death for our offences and he by the grace of God tasted death for every one of that nature in which he was for a little while made inseriour to the Angels even for every man without difference Heb. 2. 9. And gave himself aransom and price of redemption to God for all men 1 Tim. 2. 4-6 We thus judge saith the Apostle That if one died for all then were all dead and be died for all even for all that were dead 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. And such is the excellency and preciousness of his personal abasement and sufferings sustained by him in that body which the father prepared for him wherein he humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the cross that he is in the virtue thereof raised again from the dead and hath given himself an offering and a sacrifice for a sweet smelling savour to God All which doth demonstrate and is a fundamental evidence that this preparation in Christ may be had by such as are wretched and miserable and blind ones For if Christ who was delivered for our offences and died for our sins be not raised again we are yet necessarily in our sins and preaching faith and hope are in vain and to no purpose 2. Through and by means of his death in the virtue whereof he is taken from prison and from judgment there is in Christ a perfect and compleat provision for mankind There is in him and he is become unsearchable riches And he hath compleated and brought in everlasting righteousness according to that motive and argument laid down and set before men and the sons of man to move them to hear and receive wisdom's instruction Prov. 8. 18. with vers 4-10 Rev. 5. 12. Truly there is a rich preparation and treasury of all spiritual blessings prepared and treasured up in Christ for every sinful creature of mankind without difference or respect of persons Isa 25. 6. Luk. 14. 12-21 Col. 1. 28. Matt. 11. 27 28. There is in him unsearchable riches for all and this was preached and proclaimed among the Gentiles Ephes 3. 8. 9. And in him there is forgiveness of sins even of rebellious sins for all that need it while it is called to day And this our Saviour commanded his Apostles to preach in his name unto all nations yea to begin at Jerusalem which was a bloody city even the slaughter house of the Prophets which killed the Prophets and stoned them that were sent unto them according to what the Martyr Stephen saith Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted And they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the just one of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murtherers Ezek. 22. 2-4 24. 6-9 with chap. 7. 23. Act. 7. 52. Yet for such as these there is forgiveness of sins in Christ and through this man to be preached unto them Matt. 23. 37. Act. 1. 8. And God hath caused righteousness to spring up before all nations Isa 61. 11. He hath provided and made ready this White raiment even the wedding garment for all and it is contained in that provision prepared in which all things are ready And therefore when the King demanded of the person who was without it friend how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment The man was speechless he had nothing to say by way of excuse for himself which he might have had and needed not to have been speechless if there had been none prepared for him But the invitation was all things are ready and so righteousness this white raiment which we are counselled to buy Matt. 22. 4-11-14 So it is said the Jews who were zealous of the law and established a righteousness to themselves according thereto attained not righteousness because they submitted not or humbled not themselves to accept of God's righteousness which is now manifested by the saith of Christ to be far and unto all without difference even prepared for them in Christ Jesus Rom. 3. 20-22 and 10. 2 3. with Jam. 4. 6. 7. Yea Christ is become a rich treasury and fountain a blessed object in whom there is prepared forgiveness healing all riches and clothing for those Angels and Churches of his that after tastes of his graciousness have wandred from him and lightly esteemed him and followed after other lovers whose evil and iniquity herein is more highly displeasing and provoking to him then the iniquity of others that have not known God or rather been known and owned of him as they have been And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so must the son of man be listed up saith our Saviour Joh. 3. 14. The Serpent of Brass was commanded to be lifted up and was set up by God's appointment for the healing of such as were stung by the fiery serpents because their soul lothed that Manna which at first they admited at and was so welcome to them and the sweetness and goodness whereof they had ostentimes proved and tasted Numb 21. 5-9 with Exod. 16. 15-31 Even so must the son of man be lifted up in preaching as one in whom there is durable riches and righteousness forgiveness of their sins and healing of their diseases and a covering for their shameful nakedness who have lightly esteemed the rock of their salvation and of the rock that begat them have been unmindful and forgetful after they have met with joy and peace in believing To such may be applied what Eliphaz saith to Job If ye return from your wandrings and revoltings to the Almighty ye shall be built up yea the Almighty shall be your gold and ye shall have silver of strength for then shall ye have your delight in the Almighty Job 22. 23-26 And though such have dealt very treacherously and done very shamefully in forsaking their resting place yet there is forgiveness of their sins and a robe to cover the shame of their nakedness with him Hos 2. 5. 14. 1-4 Isa 1. 10-15-17 And he is therefore exercising longsuffering and rebuking and chastening and hedging up their ways with thorns that they
that they were righteous and despised others Luk. 18. 9. And even so it is now Those who are seeking righteousness as it were by the works of the Law and according thereto have indeavoured to avoid the evils thereby forbidden and to do and perform the things thereby required and injoyned such as have a zeal of God but not according to knowledg and who are establishing a righteousness to themselves they have high and goodly esteems and conceits of of their own works zeal appearing righteousness and holiness this is money and price in their eye naturally though it be filthy and unprofitable in the pure eyes of God So the riches of this world which are the object of covetousness are highly accounted of amongst men though they are uncertain riches the Mammon of unrighteousness and not the true riches Luk. 16. 9-12 But such as perish and which while injoyed render not a man any whit the more truly happy in the account of God yet how do men bless themselves hereby and think highly of themselves and how do they trust herein as if they were therefore in the favour of God! This Mammon is one of the Gods of the World also which men while they are judging and acting as men do give their loves unto and place their affections upon and delight in and in time of trouble cry thereto saying Arise and save us And so we might say of all the rest but shall not inlarge hereto any further particularly in this place But in general we may say the body of sin is called flesh and the affections and lusts thereof our members such as fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupisence and covetousness c. Because they are naturally so near and dear to us so greatly valued and highly prized by us as our self our life riches goods right eye hand foot c. Rom. 6. 6. with Gal. 5. 17. Col. 3. 5. Matt. 18. 8 9. Mark 9. 43 45 47. Therefore the parting with these that we may obtain that durable riches and righteousness in Christ is well called and compared to Buying because though they are really and in truth nothing worth yet we have such an over-high account of them and such an indeared affection to them naturally 3. This winning Christ and that provision in him is called and compared to buying because as in buying earnestness and diligence is to be used and exercised and to that end there must be some high account of the commodity to be bought for it 's worth necessity or usefulness without which men will not ordinarily be diligent Thus it was with Jacob's Sons when they went down into Egypt to buy Bread what diligence and earnestness was found with them in going such a long journey to get provision for themselves because they knew they could not in an ordinary way subsist without it Gen. 42. 2-10 And thus also that we may partake of this gold and white raiment needful it is that we so highly value them as to be servent and zealous in seeking them Indifferency of Spirit was that which hindered this Angel and Church from buying they were lukewarm and neither cold not hot and unless this temper were removed they could not be made partakers of this heavenly commodity as is before said So elsewhere the holy Ghost signifieth that diligence and importunity is to be used that we may get the wisdom that is from above If saith he thou cryest after wisdom and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God c. Prov. 2. 1-6 On such like accounts and for such like reasons this gaining Christ and that most excellent provision in him is called and compared to buying And we shall add no more to this second particular but come to the next formerly proposed Viz. 3. To shew that these heavenly commodities must be bought and that in the present time and opportunity and this may appear in that this gracious counsellour who is the Son of the Father in truth and love and who hath given such an unquestionable evidence of his grace towards us in laying down his life for us giveth this counsel to this Angel and Church and giveth it to the end they might receive it and in receiving it miâ—hr not be spued out of his mouth without which they should We may be confident he would not so seriously give such counsel to such persons were it not needful to be received and obeyed by them But we may a little further demonstrate it in some particulars As to say 1. This Gold tried in the fire and White raiment must be bought that is as before is said we must part with all we have for it though never so delightful to us and desirable of us our sins and idols or else they will hinder us from servently and diligently seeking after Christ and that salvation and provision in him as is also before often intimated For these are contrary the one to the other Gal. 5. 16 17. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness And what communion hath light with darkness And what concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6. 14 15. When a man 's right hand is already filled with a lye he must put that away and let it go or otherwise how shall he receive and entertain the truth of God Isa 44. 20. If any man seem to be wise in this world it is needful for him to become a fool that he may be made wise to cease from his own wisdom and plack out this right eye otherwise it will pervert him and keep him out of the way of understanding 1 Cor 3. 18-20 Prov. 3. 5-7 23. 4. Isa 47. 10. A man must hate his own thoughts that he may love God's Law Psal 119. 113. For all our thoughts imaginations wisdom and knowledg is evil and brutish Yea our wisdom is earthly sensual and devilish Gen. 6. 5. Jam. 3. 15 16. Our high conceits of our selves and of the goodness of our condition without Christ must be abstained from or else how shall we highly value him and those treasures in him and earnestly seek to be made partakers thereof When we think we are in a safe and happy condition already and are rich and full it will hinder us from seeking those spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus Isa 28. 12-15 Mark 2. 17. Prov. 27. 7. While a man trusteth and confideth in his own righteousness and believeth and is confident that will be profitable unto him and render him accepted with God this will keep him from submitting unto or accepting of the righteousness of God which is through the faith of Christ and cause him to take offence at Christ and stumble at that stumbling stone Rom. 9. 31-33 10. 1-3 Matt. 21. 31 32. In like manner if the friendship of this world be sought after and
delighted in by us it will be an hindrance to us from closing with and cleaving unto Jesus Christ The friendship of this world is enmity with God he therefore that will be a friend of this world is the enemy of God Jam. 4. 4. The love of the world and of the Father cannot consist and stand together 1 Joh. 2. 15. Also that a man may serve Christ Jesus it is needful that he take heed and beware of covetousness for the love of money is the root of all evil No Servant can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or hold to the one and despise the other he cannot serve God and Mammon Luk. 16. 13. It is impossible for one that trusteth in his riches and setteth his heart thereon to enter into the kingdom of God Mark 10. 22-25 Drunkenness also and uncleanness must be mortified and abstained from or else they will hinder from receiving and walking in Christ Jesus Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart Hos 4. 14. Yea any sin or idol loved retained and cherished after light vouchsafed will lead a man to undervalue Christ and his things and hinder from an hearty embracement of him and earnest pursuit after him Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh he to the light lest his deeds should be discovered and reproved Joh. 3. 19 20. Job 24. 13. It is therefore absolutely needful to our being made partakers of Christ and those treasures in him to flee from what is reproved and discovered to be evil by the sight of the Gospel because the carnal mind the body of sin and it's members is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can it be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 7. 8. Hence the requirings and instructions of the grace of God are usually thus given to us To hate the evil and love the good to abhor what is evil and cleave to that which is good Amos 5. 15. Rom. 12. 9. To turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Acts 26. 18-20 1 Thes 1. 9. To repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1. 15. Matt. 21. 32. To cease to do evil and learn to do well Isa 1. 16 17. To forsake all that we have that we may be Christs Disciples Luk. 14 26-33 To put off the old man and put on the new Ephes 4. 22-24 Col. 3. 8-10 To deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly Titus 2. 11 12. and many more such like expressions All which shew unto us that it is needful for us to part with all our own things as reproved and discovered to be evil and vain that we may embrace and give entertainment unto that which will render us truly happy in the injoyment for our sins and idols are directly contrary unto and fill us with hatred and enmity against Christ Jesus and those spiritual and eternal blessings in him Hence the Apostle saith that Christ Jesus the living stone though 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 itely precious in himself and in the eyes of the Father and precious to him that believeth 〈…〉 et 〈◊〉 disallowed indeed oâ— men yea and of the builders also Of all that are no more tâ—en men or judge and act no otherwise then men who favour the things of men He is of them disallowed as opposed to chosen and precious that is he is refused and â—â—probated of them and looked upon as a vile one Or as the Prophet rendereth it to which it may seem the Apostle reserâ—eth he is despised and rejected of men he hath no form or comeliness in their eyes 1 Pet. 2. 4. with Isa 52 2 3. It is therefore of necessity to the end we receive him and those inriching excellencies in him that we bay them in selling all that we have our sins and vanities 2. That we may injoy this gold and white raiment needful it is that we sell all that we have and so buy them because our sins and vanities not only indispose and hinder us from receiving Christ and his riches and durable clothing and fill us with enmity there-against and alienation there-from but also our affectionate retaining and cleaving with purpose to our sins and idols after the grace of God bringeth salvation to us rendereth us unworthy of himâ— and we thereby provoke him to withhold himself and what is spiritually good from us Jer. 5. 25. He is not worthy of him who preserreth any thing before him so much our Saviour saith concerning those who when they were bidden refused to come The King of glory when the feast was actually prepared in Christ sent forth his Servants saying tell them which are bidden Behold I have prepared my dinner my Oxen and Fatlings are killed and all things are ready come unto the feast But they made light of it and went their ways one to his Farm another to his Merchandise and another had married a wife and therefore his plea is he cannot come of these he saith they which were bidden were not worthy They acted most unseemly and foolishly in refusing such a blessed and rich feast for such vain and unprofitable things their refusal was unsuitable to and unworthy of such grace testified and manifested to them and thereby they deprived themselves of good and so provoked the King to anger that he professeth none of those unworthy refusers shall taste of his provision Matt. 22. 1-8 Luk. 14. 16-24 He that loveth Father or Mother more then Christ is not worthy of him and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then him is not worthy of him And be that taketh not his Cross and followeth after him is not worthy of him Matt. 10. 37 38. God hath crowned his Son who by his grace tasted death for every man with glory and honour and hath given unto him the preeminence in all things and amongst all persons For it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1. 18 19. He is the chiefest of ten thousands one whom God hath preferred before all persons in Heaven and Earth and whom he hath glorified with his own self with the glory which he had with him before the world was He is more precious then Rubies and all the things we can desire are not to be compared unto him He is more excellent and glorious then the mountains of Prey In him he hath prepared for us all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg Sound wisdom is his and in him He hath brought in everlasting righteousness and this is prepared of God for us in him He hath obtained for us durable riches unsearchable riches of grace and glory God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son Yea in him are prepared all spiritual blessings in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily And he as become such an excellent
with and relinquish them and with this eye-salve in the testimony of Christ we may see Therein all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light the light doth faithfully discover them in their right and proper colours to the end we might stand up from them and might flee from our iniquities and idols Ephes 5. 11-14 And indeed the holy Spirit that breatheth in this testimony doth in and with glorifying Christ and discovering the transcendent excellency of him shew unto us also the sinfulness of sin and the emptiness of all those objects in which naturally we are seeking rest and on which we are placing our affections that we might turn from our vanities unto him who is worthy to be cleaved unto by us So when the Lord by the Prophet saith Behold they are all vanity their works are nothing their molten images are wind and confusion He then addeth Behold my Servant whom I uphold c. Isa 41. 27-29 42. 1. The holy Spirit in glorifying Christ and taking of his things and shewing unto us doth therein and therewith convince the world of sin of righteousness and of judgment and teacheth the believers all things and leadeth them into all truth Joh. 16. 8-14 In bearing witness of Christ and in his testimony the holy Spirit sheweth unto us the odiousness of our sins that we might see and behold it that we might abhort and abominate them in that God hath taken such vengeance on them in the person of his son who knew no sin Though God testified of him that he was his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased yet when but the guilt of our sin was imputed to him he spared him not but condemned our sin in his flesh It pleased the Lord to bruife him He did put him to grief Isa 61. 2. Rom. 8. 3-32 Isa 53. 10. This seen and beheld by us would help us to abhorr it and say How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Rom. 6. 1-3 And here may we also see the necessity of our being washed here-from in that he is become such a fountain through his blood for cleansing us Zech. 3. 1. And it was his very end in being manifest that he might take away our sins 1 Joh. 3. 5. He bare our sins in his own body on the tree not that we might live any longer thereto but that we being dead to sin might live to righteousness 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. and chap. 2. 24. And in his cross and testimony we may also see the vanity of our idols and our vileness in serving them that we might turn there-from to God to serve the living and true God 1 Thes 1. 9 10. Here we may see the brutishness of our wisdome Now is the Judgment of this world saith our Saviour Here you may take a view and have a discovery of it in that those that were Princes of the World for wisdom crucified the Lord of glory and were also before his hour was come the greatest enemies to him and thought that their taking him out of the way and killing him would much have tended to their security when as on the contrary it brought and hastened destruction upon them Joh. 12. 31. 1 Cor. 2. 8. Joh. 11. 47 48. With Matt. 21. 39-41 Joh. 7. 45-49 Here may we see the unprofitableness of our works of righteousness in that he only could and hath brought in by his death and resurrection everlasting righteousness and there was no other way for the compleating it for us for if righteousness could have come by the law or by any other way whatsoever then Christ hath died in vain Gal. 2. 21. The Holy Ghost saith our Saviour shall convince the world of righteousness namely he shall shew and evidence the unprofitableness of all our works of righteousness and of all righteousness according to the law and that righteousness could not come by the works or sacrifices thereof in that he is gone to the Father and we see him no more He cometh no more down to suffer or offer sacrifice but his sacrifice is accepted of God so as he hath set him down on his own right hand Iohn 16. 10. with Hebr. 10. 1. 2. 11. 12. and he hath prepared righteousness for all men without the law as hath been said Rom. 3. 20-22 here we may also see the vanity and helplesness of the riches of this world in that we were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold They that trust in their riches and boast themselves in the multitude of their wealth none of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransome for his own soul 1 Pet. 1. 19. Psal 49. 6 7. Here also we may see the emptiness and worthlesness of all the glory and honour of this world in that our Lord Jesus neither had nor would accept of it But he was rejected and despised of men a worm and no man a reproch of men and despised of the people All they that saw him laught him to scorn they did shoot out the lip they did shake the head Joh. 6. 15. Isa 53. 2-4 Psal 22. 6 7 8. Nor had he nor did he seek for the favour and friendship of this world but the world hated him because he testified of it that the works thereof were evil Joh. 7. 7. 15. 18-20 Yea in and by this one thing by this unction we may know all things that are needful to be known by us and see them in their right colours Hence the Apostle determined to know nothing in and unto all things but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. And it is needful we should know the vileness of our sins and the vanity and unprofitableness of all those objects on which naturally we are placeing our affections and in which we have been seeking rest and satisfaction to our spirits 3. It was needful for them to see themselves and to see what manner of condition they were in and what manner of persons they were And to this end that they might see this needful it was they should anoint their eyes with this Eye-salve that they might behold themselves and know what state they were in They were at present very much mistaken they thought their condition was very good and that they were so happy that they needed nothing but this was the fruit of their blindness and ignorance for had they viewed themselves in the Testimony of Jesus they might have perceived it was far otherwise with them And indeed this is generally the fruit of mens blindness they are many times pure in their own eyes who are not washed from their filthiness Prov. 30. 12 13. Such fools are men that all their own ways are clean in their own eyes Prov. 16. 2. And they who have not the love of God in them yet think that eternal life appertaineth to them Joh. 5. 39-42 It is therefore a very ignorant and false saying
though they wash them with Nitre and take to them much Sope yet their iniquity is marked before the Lord. Jer. 2. 20-22 Isa 66. 17. Though they should wash themselves with Snow water and make themselves never so clean yet God will plunge them into the ditch again their own clothes will make them to be abhorred Their coverings will but make them more shameful Job 9. 30 31. He hath declared that our works and our righteousness shall not profit us our Webs shall not become Garments nor shall we be able to cover our selves with our own works Isa 57. 12. 59. 6. By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God Rom. 3. 19 20. This covering will appear too narrow to wrap our selves in when the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim Isa 28. 13-15 20 21. We cannot make our Peace with God by any Sacrifices or works of our own nor establish to our selves such a righteousness as will render us acceptable before God but those that sought after righteousness as it were by the works of the Law they attained not righteousness they obtained not what they sought after Rom. 9. 31-33 10. 2 3. 11. 7. Hence saith the Apostle We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles not so notoriously wicked as they knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ the word of faith heartily believed even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and noâ— by the works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2. 15 16. If righteousness could have come by the Law then Christ died in vain Gal. 2. 21. Nor can any hide their sin and shame by any outward professions and practices by their being hearers only of the word of truth and making a trade of hearing by their prophecyings in Christs name oâ— casting out Devils or doing many wonderful works in his name or by their eating and drinking in his presence and using and observing his ordinances Those that would cover themselves with those things will appear to be workers of iniquity notwithstanding such like clothings of themselves for they cover themselves with a covering but not of Gods Spirit and so even add sin to sin Mat. 7. 22-24 Luke 13. 24-27 Isa 30. 1. Oh! that we may all so consider the unprofitableness and insufficiency of all our own works of righteousness and of our coverings of our selves that we may cease from confiding and trusting in them and may seek the Lord and in him seek righteousness in whom God hath prepared it for us and for all And this leadeth us to the next thing viz. 3. This white raiment that is to be bought of this gracious and faithful Counsellor is that wherewith we may be clothed so as the shame of our nakedness may not appear We cannot cloth our selves nor cover the shame of our own nakedness as is before said But there is excellent raiment prepared for all men by him who gave himself an Offering and a Sacrifice for a sweet smelling Savour to God And so much might be typically signified by Gods covering and clothing our first parents when they had sinned and thought to have hid their shame with fig-leaves like whereto are all our coverings and hidings of our shameful nakedness Gen. 3. 7. The Lord God after he in denouncing the curse on the Serpent had promised That the seed of the woman should break the head of the Serpent And after Adam in closing therewith and belief thereof called his wives name Evah clothed the man and the woman with Coats of Skins probably with the Skins of the beasts that were offered by faith in Sacrifice to type out and point forth that our clothing and covering must be prepared and made by the Lamb of God which he prepared himself for a Burnt-Offering and by his Sacrifice who is sacrificed for us and thereby indeed is white raiment prepared for us and for all as is before shewn Gen. 3. 15-21 22. Now then in this instruction contained in the end proposed to move us to buy this White raiment viz. that thou mayst be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear is further signified unto us 1. That this raiment is proper and sufficient to cover the shame of our nakedness so as it appear not namely the righteousness which Christ hath brought in and compleated through his personal abasement and sufferings who in the virtue thereof is raised again and which he himself is become and it doth cover their shame that have it and put it on even from the face of the Lord viz. there is contained herein the forgiveness of our sins and blotting them out so as they shall no longer be remembred or retained in Heaven and giving unto and making them partakers of forgiveness by faith that believe on Christ for this is the blessedness the believers on his name do receive To Christ give all the Prophets witness as the sum and end of their Testimony that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive the forgiveness of their sins Acts. 10. 43. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13. 39. If we in belief of his goodness and of the truth of his Testimony in reproving and discovering our vileness and sinfulness confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all unrighteousness 1 Joh. 1. 7-9 And this forgiveness of sins as it is an imputing righteousness without works so it is expressed by covering sin even as David describeth the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Rom. 4. 6 7 8. with Psal 32. 1 2-5 To the same purpose also the Psalmist speaketh when he acknowledgeth to the praise of Gods Grace and as a ground of incouragement to desire his further mercy Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sins Psal 25. 2. And indeed the righteousness of Christ which he hath brought in and is become is to this end a compleat clothing and covering for all our shame inasmuch as there is contained therein both an acquittance and justification from the guilt of our first sin and sinfulness aswell as also plenteous redemption even the forgiveness of mens following and personal sins in which they sin after the likeness and similitude of Adams transgression yea and in him there is perfect innocency integrity immortality and eternal life which the believer is now receiving by faith and in some first-fruits of the Spirit but the adoption the redemption of the body and the Harvest of the Spirit is to
be waited for till the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven but even now those that with the heart believe in him They are made by faith the righteousness of God in Christ Christ is made of God to them righteousness their sins are forgiven them for his name sake he loveth them and washeth them therefrom in his own Blood and they are made accepted in the beloved And he in the body of his flesh through death doth and will present them holy unblameable and unrebukeable in his sight they continuing in the faith grounded and setled and not being moved from the hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 22 23. Oh infinite Grace of God in Christ to sinners Oh blessed and everlasting righteousness How might this move his Angels and Churches to buy this White raiment this blessed covering here commended to us and set before us Isa 61. 10. And the fruits of this righteousness believed do cover the shame of our nakedness from men Hence that Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16. 15. 2. This White raiment is that also wherewith we may be clothed that is to say covered from the Rain and Storm of Gods wrath and from the evil of all adversities and afflictions This is one use of raiment as to cover our nakedness so also to be a covering from the Storms and Cold that otherwise would annoy and hurt us so it is here Jesus Christ who of God is made to the believers righteousness and who is become White raiment doth hide and secure them from the evil of all judgments wrath and afflictions c. So when the Psalmist had been saying Thou hast covered all the sins of thy people he addeth Thou hast taken away all thy wrath Psal 85. 2 3. Riches profit not in a day of wrath but righteousness delivereth from death The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness Prov. 10. 2. 11. 4-6-8 The Branch of the Lord and the fruit of the Earth is a place of refuge and a Covert from Storm and from Rain Isa 4. 2-5 This man is an hiding place from the wind and a Covert from the Storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a Storm against the Wall and shall appear gloriously so to be when he shall reign in righteousness Isa 25. 1-4 32. 1 2. Being justified by Faith we have by faith Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ even deliverance from his wrath and from the fears and terrours thereof Rom. 5. 2. 15. 13. Oh blessed priviledge the wrath of God abideth not on him who with the heart believeth unto righteousness so as to harm or hurt him but this White raiment covereth and clotheth him so that when Gods judgments are poured forth and they occasion trembling to the outward man Yet he can by Faith and in Spirit rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his Salvation Habak 3. 16-18 And whatever fatherly chastisements God be ordering to such an one yet it is in love and faithfulness and to a gracious end even for his profit that he may be made more a partaker of his holiness Heb. 12. 6-11 And such also shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of all evil Prov. 1. 33. Psal 91. So as when in the World they have tribulation yet in Christ who hath overcome the World they shall have peace Joh. 16. 33. Philip. 4. 7. On this account Salvation and Righteousness may be so often put together as Psal 98. 2. Isa 45. 8. 46. 13. 51. 5-8 56. 1. 62. 1 c. Yea and Salvation and righteousness are put one for another as whereas in 2 Chron. 6. 41. It is thus voted and desired Let thy Priests be clothed with Salvation it is thus rendred Psal 132. 8 9. Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousness And again in answer to that Prayer and desire it is said I will cloth her Priests with Salvation Ver. 16. I say on this account Righteousness and Salvation may be so oft put together and one put for another to signifie that this Raiment will save and secure us as from our sins so from all storms tempests rain judgments afflictions c. I mean from the evil of them now and hereafter fully and gloriously from them all Upon the wicked God shall rain snares fire and brimstane and an horrible tempest this the portion of their Cup but it shall not be the portion of them that are clothed with this Raiment of righteousness For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness Psal 11. 6 7. This is armour on the right hand and on the left to defend them from evil that put it on 2 Cor. 6. 7. And such are instructed and strengthened not to fear the reproch of men nor be afraid of their revilings because they shall perish But this righteousness shall be for ever and this Salvation from generation to generation And the work of this righteousess â—â—all be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Isa â—1 6 7 8. 32 17. Yea and this White raiment is not only proper and effectual to save and secure from Storms and Cold but also to warm and make not lukewarm ones to make them fervent in Spirit in seeking and serving the Lord and to cause them forgetting the things that are behind and reaching forth to the things that are before to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ Philip. 3. 6-9 14 15. 3. With this White raiment also his Angels and Churches may be clothed that is to say Adorned So Garments are used amongst men for Ornament and it is fully true of this White raiment it is an excellent Ornament and it doth greatly adorn and beautify those that put it on those Garments are wonderfully beautiful in themselves and give an Ornament of Grace to the head of those that buy them Prov. 1. 9. 4. 9. Isa 52. 1. This is that which doth beautify them in the eyes of God so as they are accepted of him and delighted in by him So the Church acknowledgeth That the Lord God had covered her with righteousness as a Bridegroom deâ—â—â—eth himself with Ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her Jewels Isa 61. 10. As intimating this is an excellent Ornament and Jewel So the Prophet saith The Lord himself shall be to them that come to Christ as the rest and foundation a Diadem of beauty and as a comely Ornament and adorning attire Isa 28. 5-12-16 Jer. 2. 31 32. This is that which maketh his Church all glorious within Psal 45. 13. This inward adorning is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3. 3. Yea this is a Kingly and Priestly Ornament and therefore it is called a Robe 't