him it may be he doth not presently answer all our requests It may be with Paul thou and I have some thorn in the Flesh that we have sought God for the taking of it away and we begin to be impatient and to say we have waited and prayed and looked long and yet 't is not taken away we looked for peace and behold no good we looked for healing and behold trouble and we begin to fret and say as Jehoram King of Israel did when trouble began to arise and the Famine increase 2 Kings 6.33 Behold this evil is of the Lord what should we wait for the Lord any longer Ah poor soul whoever thou art I pitty thee that hast been at any time in this sad temper but stay thy self soul with this that Christ waited tell his head was wet with the Dew c. And to what end did he and doth he wait but to be gracious so he saith Is 30 18 And therefore doth the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you Note the force of that word therefore for that very end that he may be gracious Oh! how long hath he waited for you it may for some ten twenty thirty fourty years and yet he saith he will wait Therefore will the Lord wait not onely hath but will wait Oh why then should not we wait then for him I but dost thou find after all this waiting that Jesus Christ is come in thou wilt say it may be I would have Christ for my Saviour First Hast thou received him for thy Priest the Priest's under the Law were changed by reason of mortallity but this man because he continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood but art thou able to say thou art willing to cast thy self on him to bear away thy iniquities I tell thee he is able to bear them there is help laid on one that is mighty and he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 And he is not one that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was tempted as we are that he might the better succour them that are tempted and because of this Priest-hood We may come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.15 Heb. 2.8 Alas we durst not have looked God in the Face had not Christ been our Priest and undertaken this but now we may come boldly and plead Christ with him Oh who shall condemn 't is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 Yea when he let Angels go those noble Creatures yet he condescended to take on him the Seed of Abra'm he would be a Priest for poor lost man Heb. 2.16 Yea he by this bare our iniquities into the Wilderness of forgetfulness Lev. 16.21 And truly we had need of one to bear away not only the iniquity of our transgression but to bear the iniquities of our services he is the Antitipe of Aaron the Priest to bear away the iniquity of our Holy things Exod. 28.38 When poor Believers are troubled with vain thoughts and their Spirits are wandring in Prayer or Hearing or Meditation or Reading These Worm eaten services the worms of evil thoughts will be creeping in and eating out the heart of our prayers yet Christ will bear away the iniquity of these Holy things yea when not only vain but wicked thoughts come in as in Prov. 5.14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the Congregation Yea thy very secret sins which made David cry out Cleanse me from my secret sins Psal 19.12 Yet he is a Priest to bear away all sorts of sins The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sins Now Soul try thy self art thou willing to have Christ for thy Priest do not deceive thy self 't is not so easie to take Christ for thy Priest 't is no small matter to come of from thy self Secondly Hast thou received Christ for thy Prophet to teach thee All Gods Children shall be taught of the Lord Isa 54.13 And a Prophet shall the Lord thy God raise up unto thee of thy brethren him shall ye hear in all things Acts 3.22 And this was of old Prophesied by Jacob Gen. 49.13 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come and to him shall the gathering of the people be this Shiloh was Christ and this gathering of the people to hear him begun to be fulfilled Luke 19.48 For all the people were very attentive to hear him or as some margins have it they hanged on him Now art thou willing to hear him and to hang on his lip to be taught by him and none other and to hear no other Doctrine then what he Teaches dost thou indeed take him for thy Prophet and with the Apostle Gal. 1.9 Dost account him accursed that brings any other news of Salvation This is a second way we should receive Christ But I proceed to the next Thirdly Dost thou receive Christ for thy King to Rule and give thee Laws as well as teach thee Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King not only King to save us but our Law-giver to rule us He is our King and he will save us we must not think to be Kings our selves Alas what can we do but he will save us save us from sins Matth. 1.21 And he will save us from our enemies too the people of Israel did not save themselves by their own arm but by the Lords arm and by the Lords right hand Psal 44.3 so in Hos 1.7 I will have mercy on the House of Israel and will save them How by themselves by their own arm not so the Text tells you by the Lord their God and 't is Christ that is that horn of Salvation in Luke 1.69 71. That will save us from our enemies and from the hand of them that hate us and it is he in Isa 63.1 That is Mighty to save and as he will rule in the Salvation of his people so he will rule secondly in the destruction of his enemies Jam. 4.12 As he is able to save so likewise to destroy He shall Rule his enemies with a Rod of Iron Psal 2.9 Psal 110.2 God will send the Rod of his strength out of Zion and he shall rule in the midst of his enemies and Vers 6. He shall wound the heads of many Countries Though the proud ones of the World say this man shall not Reign over us yet he will bring them into subjection whether they will or no have but a little patience believer and it will come to pass but besides this Christ will be King in thy Soul to tread down Sin and Satan and art thou willing to have Christ King in thee to this end art thou willing he shall tread on the neck of every lust and corruption then dost thou receive him as King aright art thou willing he shall bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of himself 2 Cor. 10.5 Dost thou receive him
CHARACTERS IN BLOOD OR A Bleeding Saviour Held out to a BLEEDING SINNER WHEREIN He may know whether he hath been called by and followed after the Leadings of the Spirit Being a draught of the Spare hours of a Lover of the Faithful By R. Dyer LONDON Printed for W. Redmayne at the sign of the Crown on Addle-Hill near Carter Lane 1676. To all those into whose hands this may fall whether Teachers or Learners MY earnest Request to all is that you would take every one his Portion as you find it according to Truth what 's not Truth let that be returned to me or blotted out but if thou find'st it truth when brought to the test of Holy Write then I advise thee to receive and embrace and put it in practice and if thou dost not resolve so to do lay it down and go no further whether it be reproof to any or consolation to any be sure not to reject it it may be it may meet with some that will cry tear it cut it burn it to the Law and to the Testimony Man if it agree not with that I say so too but if it agree with that take heed as for thy life thy Soul Man or Woman what thou dost whatever Men say Man that 's insignificant thy great concern is to bearken what God the Lord speaks if he speaks Peace man say not thou there is no peace and if he say return no more to folly take heed and venture not for Gods speaking Peace to any admits of no liberty of Sin though this be the very guise of Professors at this very day I shall say no more to thee now only begg thee to be serious and not dally with the things of thy soul R. O. 1 Cor. 5.7 For even Christ our Pass-over is Sacrificed for us THere is not a necessity of opening the design of the Apostle in this Chapter therefore I shall not take up time nor room in it but in the Words you may please to take notice of five things First Of a Pass-over Secondly Who the Pass-over is and that is Thirdly The Service to which he is appointed and that is to be slain or sacrificed this may be proved else where as 2 Acts 23. Fourthly The end for which he is slain that is 1. To declare the glory of Gods grace 2. To work our Salvation Fifthly Here are the persons for which all this is done and that is for Believers and that is gathered from those little words us and our for even Christ our Pass-over is Sacrificed for us what us Paul and the believing Corinthians time is precious with me or else I might a little shew you the import of a Sacrifice and what it doth denote and also shew the necessity of poor Believers Offering a Sacrifice But I intreat to be excused here and that I may discourse a little Methodically let me gather up my design in a plain conclusion from the Words though many may be drawn clearly out of them and 't is this that the sins of Believers are passed over or acquitted by vertue of the Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus I shall First Prove this to be truth from the Word of Truth Secondly Shew a little why it is so Thirdly Improve this point for Soul advantage First Prove that Christ is a Sacrifice for believers sins 3 Rom. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation By vertue of what or through what why his blood through Faith in his blood Pray you mark he doth say through Faith in him no then he might have done away sins and not have dyed and bled I but 't is through Faith in his Blood not through the Vertue of his Life but through his Death and if you read on you shall see that this was for the remission of sins or the passing over of sins for it will bear that sence so in Rom. 5.6 In due time Christ dyed what for not to be an example only not for the testimony of his Doctrine but for the Ungodly he dyed and he dyed for the Ungodly yea saith Paul and the believing Romans Vers 8. When we were Sinners Christ dyed for us Mark this for sinners not for the righteous and them that be perfit but for sinners and while they were sinners us that are now Believers were Sinners when Christ dyed for us us believers that are now justified by Faith Vers 1. so Heb. 9.12 Not by the Blood of Bulls and Goats not by the tears of our repentance and sorrow no nor by our blood but by his own Blood not our own but by his own Blood whose blood Christ the High-Priest who hath obtained eternal Redemption for us and Vers 15. For this cause he is the Mediator what cause that by means of death he might redeem the Transgressors that were under the first Testament and Ver. 26. But now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself not to bring the news of sinners putting away sins by the sacrifice of themselves but by the sacrifice of himself and he was offered to bear the sins of many Vers 28. where are they then that take upon them to assert he did not bear believers sins are not these plain words need they any interpretation and here is not one single Text only but 't is the whole scope of the Apostle many more might be produced but I 'le only mention one more and then I hope their Sandy Foundation will be shaken that build on their own faith and repentance as if that bear the burden of sin from us 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the Tree here 't is plain as words can make it certainly thou must renounce thy reason to deny so many plain sillables this the Prophet David prayed for and dost thou think the Spirit of God doth things in vain in the 2 Sam. 24.10 O Lord take away the iniquity of thy Servant so Job 7.21 And why dost not thou take away my iniquity Dost thou think sin and the burden of it can be taken away and not be born on no back shoulders or arms how then should it be taken away and if it must be taken and born away dost thou think the Holy God the infinite first being absolutely considered in his own essence and nature in an abstractive sence disunited to the Humane nature dost thou think the Godhead purely considered will come under sin to bear it away no purity it self is to pure to look on sin much less to touch sin as it were no no poor deluded Creature God in his simple essence and being cannot bear sin but clothing himself with our nature he can bear sin away for which cause he is called the Lamb of God that taketh away Sin John 1.29 A Lamb is queit and dumb before the Shearer which place will well serve to expound that place Isa 53.7 Which thou wilt not have understood
see it 't is a sign thy grace is true XVIII Canst thou in any measure commit thy concernments to God Psal 37.5 Commit thy way to the Lord dost thou throw thy concerns on him or roll thy self on him so the word signifies Ah poor soul hast thou a burden of care and trouble on thy back cast it on him for he hath bid thee do so and such a place you shall find 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care on him for he careth for you Put thy trouble off to him for he will bear it soul dost thou find thy heart taken off from a carking distrustful care 't is well for thee but I hasten to the next XIX Dost thou long for the accomplishing the glorious promises of God to the World the world is now much out of order so much that the whole Creation groaneth but dost thou long to have it set to rites there are promises of Christ's Kingdom set up not in word only but in power my friends whoever you are I must tell you there is a King to Reign in Righteousness Isa 32.1 Yea his dominion shall be from Sea to Sea all Kings shall fall down before him and all Nations shall serve him Psal 72.8.11 Let them be never so Potent Princes and never so stout and populous Nations yet they shall all fall down before him and in that day there shall be a root of Jesse which shall be for an Ensign of the people Isa 11.10 In that day what day why this doth refer to Gospel-times the latter days And my Servant David shall be their Prince for ever As you may read at large Ezek. from Verse 22. to the end of that Chapter who that David is I shall not now stand to discourse onely I would desire you to compare Jeremiah from Verse 15. to 22. together with first of Luke 32.33 Vers and besides this promise he hath promised great things to his Church and People Psal 72.7 In his days shall the righteous flourish They shall not be under the hatches then Then she shall have Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning Isa 1.26 Then the Mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountain and many things more Isa 2.4 first Verses then there shall be that that good Hezekiah longed for in his days Truth and Peace 2 Kings 20.19 Yea and then shall the great light break forth that they shall not need to teach every man his Neighbour this will be a day that they shall know from the greatest to the least that their sins are forgiven them Jer. 31.34 What will those do then that say that Teaching is a Trade when all shall know they shall not need too Teach every man his Neighbour there be many in our day would hide all the knowledge in their own Studies and would not have the ordinary people to know so much certainly these do not long for this promise to be made good let them take heed least they be found none of the number that Christ was slain for for Light is promised the light of Christ shall shine The Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea That is an universal light shall break forth Hab. 2.14 And there is Holiness to the Lord promised to be written on every Pot and Cup in the Lords House and on the Bells or Bridles of the Horses Holiness not only in Worship but in Mens civil imployments the very Carmen and Drawmen as a Holy Man saith shall speak of his Kingdom and talk of his Power there shall be a Spirit of Holiness poured out universally Zach. 14.20 Then shall iniquity be put too an end and then transgression shall be finished that 's the day the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and shall not be found Jer. 50.20 And there is promised an Union among the Saints they shall serve the Lord with one consent Eph. 32.9 There shall be no more heart burnings and divisions among them but the children of Israel and Judah shall go together weeping and seeking the Lord Jer. 50.4 5. Are not these glorious promises soul these and many more are made which I shall not stand to multiply here are glorious and precious promises that the Saints shall enjoy in this world and if not we a succeeding Generation may we will not limit the Holy one of Israel but live in the Faith of it that he will make good every word in his time Ah that it may be said of us in an after age if we see it not as of them Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in the Faith Now if thou longest for this glorious day and promises 't is a great sign thou art one of his 't is a good sign he was slain for thee in his humiliation if thou dost long for his exaltation it is not likely his enemies should desire his coming and his glory therefore comfort thy self if thou art one of them that pray and believe and hope and long for this glorious day but I proceed to the next which will require great grace strong Faith XX. Art thou willing to suffer for Christ nay joy in tribulations I put them together though they might have been divided for 't is a higher degree required to joy in suffering then barely to suffer Paul when the Holy Ghost restified in every City saying bonds and affliction wait for me yet saith Paul none of these things move me they do not trouble me I do not lay them to heart So that I may finish my course with Joy Acts 20.24 And saith he in Acts 21.13 I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of our Lord Jesus When his friends came and hang'd about him and cryed pray you Paul pray you Paul go not in danger Oh saith Paul what mean you to weep and to break my heart I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Jerusalem And so Phil. 1.29 It is given to believers not only to believe but also to suffer Matth. 5.12 Blessed are they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake and 1 Pet. 3.14 If ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye nay if ye be but reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye Pet. 4.14 And if you hold fast till the Death I 'le give you a Crown of Life Revel 2.10 And in Revel 12.11 They loved not their lives to the Death no they did not value their lives for Christ so in Acts 5.41 42. They went from the presence of the Counsel how rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name Oh soul art thou willing to suffer shame for the name of Christ not that it is shame indeed to suffer for Christ but it is an honour and so it may be understood art thou willing to suffer for Christ then happy art thou For the Spirit of God and of Glory resteth upon