Walking in the Ways of God's Commandments Jer. 7. 23. Thus when all these parts of the Body were tipt with the Bloud of the Lamb then the Oil was next to be applied to the same Parts Oil you know is of a mollifying and softning Nature Oil is good to fetch off Rust from Clocks and Jacks making them to go the more freely and nimbly which when clogg'd with Rust became unserviceable before comparatively to the nature of Oil in this case is the Usefulness of Grace held forth in Scripture Isa 1. 6. Thy Sores have not been closed neither bound up neither mollified with Ointment The meaning is they had no Grace which here is compared to Oil to Sanctifie their ulcerated corrupt Natures which like so many Plague-sores were continually issuing from them with this Oil of Grace the cleansed Lepers of Christ were to have their Ears Hands and great Toes of their right Feet anointed From all which we may observe this Note Doct. That as the Bloud of Christ hath bought us for his Vse and Service so the Oil of his Grace is that only which can fit us for it and make us willing to set about it Psal 110. 3. In the Day of my Power thy People shall be a willing People By Nature every Man is averse to every part of Christ's Work and Service Rom. 8. 7. The natural-minded Man is Enmity against God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be John 5. 40. Ye will not come to me that you might Live Jer. 44. 16. As for the Word which thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee The Ear will not hear the Voice of Christ Jer. 11. 10. the Hand will not Work for Christ Jer. 11. 7 8. neither will the Feet walk in the Way of Christ Psal 78. 10. But now when our High-Priest Jesus Christ hath tipt the Ear the Thumb and Foot of our Souls with the Oil of his Grace and Sanctification then will they be ready for any Work and Service which he shall employ them in or call them unto the Ear which was bought by Christ is now taught by Christ to hear his Voice even his Voice in his Word Works Ordinances and Providences against all which the Ear was deaf and shut up before Psal 58. 4. The Hand which was bought by Christ is now taught to Work for Christ Heb. 13. 21. Working that which is well-pleasing in his sight Isa 54. 13. All her Chrildren are taught by the Lord. They are taught to work the Works of Repentance Faith Love Self-denial Mortification how to be Praying to God and Praising of God Suffering for God and to Walk with God Grace teacheth all this and makes the Heart willing to all this the Spirit shall teach you all things saith Christ John 14. 26. Lastly The Feet which were bought by Christ by this Oil of Grace are now taught to Walk with Christ as Enoch did And Enoch walked with God Gen. 5. 22. And so we come to the Reason of the Point The Reason of all this is because Grace is of a conquering subduing Nature and of and inabling Quality Grace is sent down into the Heart to subdue the Power and Strength of Sin therein Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have Dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace And as Grace subdues and weakens Corruption in the Heart so it enables strengthens and empowers the Heart to act for Christ it is a holy Oil that dissolves the corrupt Rust which hath been begotten in it by Sin and as it dissolves the Rust so it mollifies and softens the Heart and thereby it makes it able and willing to run the Ways of God's Commandments Psal 119. 32. So Isa 40. 31. They shall renew their Strength they shall mount up as on Eagles wings they shall run and not be weary walk and not be faint Vse This informs us then what matter of Lamentation it is to consider That though there be so many thousand of Ears Hands and Feet in the World yet that there should be so few of them employed in the Service of Christ that as David speaks of the Idols of the Nations They have Ears but hear not Hands but handle not and Feet they have but walk not The Reason lieth here Because they never had their Ears Hands and Feet tipt with the Bloud and Oil of the Justifying and Sanctifying-grace of Jesus Christ They are yet dead in their Sins and Trespasses Ephes 2. 1. and dead things cannot act of themselves yea they are not only unable to act for Christ but through the Enmity of their Natures they are wholly averse to every part of Christ's Will and Work As the Apostle speaks They are reprobate to every good Work and Word it is not only they cannot but the real Truth is that graceless Souls will not act for Christ if they could let not such deceive themselves any longer for if you have no Ears to hear Christ's Voice no Hands to do his Work nor Feet to Walk in his Paths you are yet in an unjustified and unsanctified State and Condition But would you have your Ears opened to the Voice of Christ so that your Souls might live Would you have your Hands at Work for Christ working that which is well-pleasing in his sight Would you have your Feet made able and willing to run in God's Commandments In the keeping of which is great Reward Psal 19. 11. then lay thy Soul in the Ways and Walks of Christ who is the great High-Priest Oh run to him set thy Soul in his presence be in his sight thrust thy self through the Croud and Throng press in upon him and evermore keep up the Canaanitish Woman's Cry in his Ears Matth. 15. 22. Lord thou Son of David have mercy upon me for my Soul is grievously over-run with a Leprosie thus with Jacob be ever Wrestling with him until he hath tipt thy right Ear Hand and Foot with the Bloud and Oil of his Grace Quest. But why was the Priest to tip the Leper's right Ear right Thumb and Toe of the right Foot with the Bloud and Oil Why the right more than the left Ear Thumb and Toe Ans The Reason may be this To signifie the difference betwixt the Services that Hypocrites and sincere Christians do offer to him and do for him all the Service that comes to him from Hypocrites is but left-ear'd left-handed and left-footed Service which is no way pleasing to him Quest. But when may it be said that we give unto God this left-ear'd left-handed and left-footed Service As first When are we said to bring forth left-ear Service to God I answer first When we content our selves with the bear Hearing of his Will preached neglecting the Practice of it this is the Service of the left Ear indeed of such a sort of Hearers we read in Ezekiel Ezek. 33. 31. And they come unto thee
and the precious Effects of it calls for the most preciousest of our Obedience to God again for as God the Father gave us his Son so did God the Son give himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and Purifie us to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Titus 2. 14. 2d Vse This should servâ— to teach us all only to look upon the Bloud of Christ for the Curing of our leprous Souls Oh have a care of mingling Christ's Bloud with the polluting Dross and Dregs of Creature-worth and Worthiness the Bloud of Christ will cleanse the pollutedest Leper in the World if it be applied in its own Purity by Faith but if mixed with the least of Self-merit it spoils the Vertue Power and Efficacy of it and renders it of no use to the Soul 3d Vse Learn hence also to put an inestimable Value upon the Bloud of Christ O remember it is the Bloud of Cleansing and no Bloud but this can cleanse Lepers Thou hast heard that nothing but the Bloud of the slain Sparrow could heal the corporal Leper to shew you that nothing but the pure Bloud of Jesus Christ can cleanse the Soul from his spiritual Leprosie Oh what a high Price should you put upon this Bloud Peter calls it precious Bloud 1 Pet. 1. 19. Hence then How should we say of every thing with the greatest Indignation that would offer itself as a Co-worker with Christ's Bloud in the Cleansing of our Souls as Paul did Phil. 3. 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but Loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the Loss of all things and do count them but Dung that I may win Christ. PART III. WE are next to speak to the earthen Vessel over which the Innocent Bird was to be killed in which Vessel was the running Water Lev. 14. 5. And the Priest shall command that one of the Birds be killed in an earthen Vessel over running Water Mark It must be running Water which signifies the Purity and the Liveliness of it in opposition to standing Water which is usually dead and corrupt therefore this Water in the earthern Vessel must be running Water it must be Water that hath Life and Purity in it But first of all to begin with the earthen Vessel which may signifie the reality of the Humane Nature of Jesus Christ from whence our Healing comes You see that the Leper was cleansed by the Bloud of the Bird and so must we be cleansed from ouâ— Soul-leprosie by the Bloud of Christ if ever we be cleansed indeed 1 John 1. 7. Now this Bloud could not proceed from Christ as he was only God abstracted from his Manhood for as he was God only he was no way capable either to suffer or to shed Bloud therefore the Godhead of Christ assumes an earthen Vessel even our Humane Nature to his Divine answering the earthen Vessel over which the Sparrow was to be killed that so out of that Humane Nature he might issue forth the Bloud of our Cleansing He was born of a Virgin he took her very Nature upon him but not the Sinfulness of it in the least degree no he left all that behind and this Humane Nature was very earthly for from the Earth it came and to the Earth it must return again And inasmuch as the Body of our Saviour was made up of this earthy Nature he as to his Body may well be called an earthen Vessel signified by the Vessel over which the Bird was killed Secondly By the running Water in this earthen Vessel is understood by some the Water of Sanctification which comes from him for saith John He came by Water and Bloud But this cannot be exclusive of the Divine Nature of the Son of God which rendred the whole Sacrifice of Christ only sufficient to Cleanse us from our spiritual Leprosie and Soul-pollution in the sight of God For as the Godhead of Christ could not issue forth Bloud to Cleanse us apart from his Manhood so neither could the Bloud of Christ apart from his Godhead have been any way availing to our Cleansing from the Guilt or Filth of Sin in our Souls so that the Union of the two Natures in the Person of Christ became so wonderfully efficacious to our Justification and Sanctification wherein lieth the Leper's spiritual Cleansing hence Christ's Bloud is called the Bloud of God Acts 20. 28. because of the Union of the two Natures in the Person of Christ Thus you see how the earthen Vessel and the pure Water must go together in our spiritual Cleansing From whence we shall observe this Note Doct. That the Bloud of Jesus Christ who is very God and very Man is the only appointed Means to Cleanse our Souls from our sinful Leprosies and Pollutions in the Sight of God The Truth of this cannot be called in question by any who question not the Truth of Scripture Rev. 1. 5. And from Jesus who is the faithful Witness the first Begotten from the Dead unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Bloud Rev. 5. 9. For thou wast Slain and hast Redeemed us unto God by thy Bloud 1 John 1. 7. And the Bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Heb. 9. 14. The Bloud of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God And so we come to the Reasons of this Truth and the first is this Reason 1. It must be so because the Bloud of Christ is the only Means which God hath appointed to be used for this Purpose in opposition to all other Means whatsoever Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven whereby we must be saved Reason 2. And it must be so because as God hath only appointed this Means for Soul-cleansing so hath he only fitted this Means for Soul-recovery Isa 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good Tidings unto the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the Broken-hearted to proclaim Liberty to the Captives and to open the Prison Doors to them that are bound Therefore whoever they are that shall make use of nay other Means besides this for the Cure of their Souls will find it so far from Cleansing that himself will be found guilty of the highest Presumption because it is a slighting of the Bloud of the Covenant and counting it a common thing as Paul speaks Heb. 10. 29. and then upon so doing the same Apostle tells you that such Men who are found guilty of such a Sin will find it a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Ver. 31. And so we come to the Application of the Point Vse This serves to inform us then of the dangerous Principles of two sorts Persons
the old Man into a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. Grace purifieth the Heart Acts 15. 9. And purgeth the Heart from dead Works Heb. 9. 14. Grace works Desires after Christ Psal 42. 1 2. Grace imbitters Sin to the Soul Jen 2. 91. Grace crucifies the World with the Affections and Lusts thereof Gal. 5. 24. Gal. 6. 24. Grace puts the highest Value upon Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 8. Grace makes the Word sweeter than the Honey-comb Psal 19. In a word The gracious Soul can better live without its appointed Food than it can without Prayer Psal 55. 17. Psal 109. 4. Grace is a living Principle which never will lie still but will be working stirring acting and moving in the Soul Grace cannot be idle it will still be bringing forth things new and old here you have a Looking-glass before you present your Hearts before this Glass and see what you can espy of these Signs of Grace within your Souls in order to the finding out of your Justification by the Bloud of Christ the Lamb slain for the Cleansing of your spiritual Leprosie 2. Thus after the Priest had poured out the Oil into the Palm of his Hand we next come to take notice of the Parts of the Leper's Body which the Priest was to apply the Oil unto and that was to the Tip or Lap of the right Ear the Thumb of the right Hand and the great Toe of the right Foot which Parts viz. The Ear Thumb or Hand and Foot are the three principal Members of Service to the whole Body and you find that the Bloud of Christ which was typed out by the Bloud of the Lamb and the Bird the Apostle calls it the Price which Bought us Now the Purchase which Christ made for us is twofold 1st From the Curse and Condemnation of the Law Rom. 8. 1. with Gal. 3. 13. 2dly He by the same Price bought us for his Use and Service 1 Cor. 6. 20. For ye are Bought with a Price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and Souls which are the Lord 's So that the Priest's putting of the Bloud and Oil upon the right Ear Hand and Foot of the Leper that was to be Cleansed shadowed out these Mysteries to us First of all as to Priest's applying of the Bloud of the slain Lamb to the right Ear Hand and Foot which are the three principal Members of Service to the whole Body it notes to us this Truth for our Observation That the same Bloud of Christ which redeemed us from Wrath to come did also purchase us for that Work and Service which he commands us to do for him for so much as this I gather from the Priest's tipping of the right Ear Thumb and Toe of the right Foot of the Leper with the Bloud of the slain Lamb which Lamb was a Type of Christ which Action held a Congruity to the levitical Manner of making Men perpetual Servants to the Jewish Masters Exod. 21. 5 6. If the Servant shall plainly say I love my Master my Wife and my Children I will not go out free then his Master shall bring him unto the. Judges he shall also bring him unto the Door or to the Door-post and his Master shall bore his Ear through with an Awl and he shall serve him for ever So in like manner the Leper that was to be Cleansed was to have the Bloud of the Lamb tipt upon his Ear to be a professed Servant of the levitical Administration by which he was Cleansed for ever Now inasmuch as the Bloud of the Lamb by which the corporal Leper was Cleansed was a Type of the Bloud of Christ and the corporal Leper a Figure of a spiritual Leper and his corporal Cleansing binding him to perpetual Service typocal of that perpetual Obligation which every spiritual-cleansed Leper lies under to Christ altogether affords us this Note Doct. That he which intends to be redeemed from Sin the Curse and Condemnation of the Law and Wrath to come must become willing to give up himself to the Service of Christ for ever For the proof of this Truth read 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. You are not your own you are bought with a Price therefore glorifie God in your Bodies and Spirits which are God's As if the Apostle had said O ye Corinthians remember that the Bloud of your Redemption hath been put upon the tip of your right Ears your Hands and Feet in token of your perpetual Service to Christ as the Levitical-servant had his Ear bored through with an Awl to be his Master's Servant for ever Oh so hath the Bloud of Christ been upon your Ears also to make you his perpetual Servants for ever you are bought with a Price you are not your own therefore glorifie him in your Bodies and Spirits which are his Have a care that you rob him not of his Right in you in giving that Service to the Devil World and the Flesh which is only due to him And so we come to the Reason of the Point Reason Why that Soul who would have Redemption by Christ must be willing to become a perpetual Servant to Christ is because Christ redeems none but upon that Condition Isa 1. 19. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good things of the Land Heb. 5. 9. He is the Author of eternal Salvation to as many as obey him Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall live So Ver. 6. For to be carnally minded is Death but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace Thus you see how Conditional the Promises are which speak out a Soul's Benefit by the Redeeming-bloud of Christ which do all call upon us for a willing chearful and sincerc Obedience to Christ though we grant That it is not an old but a New Covenant-condition even such a Condition that the Grace and gracious Aid which only can enable us to perform the Condition is graciously given into the Soul by Jesus Christ and who will as graciously accept our Endeavours though clothed with many Weaknesses and Infirmities so that our Obedience to him be but sincere 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing Mind it is accepted according to what a Man hath and not according to that he hath not And so we come to make some Application of this Matter 1st Vse This informs us then why the Number is so small which comes under the Yoke of Jesus Christ the Reason is because there are so few that are willing to come up to the Terms he propounds which is a willing Subjection to the Government of his Word and Spirit which is the Condition he propounds to all that would have an Interest in his Salvation They would willingly accept of his Bloud to wash away the Guilt of Sin from their Souls but they like not to have it tipt or applied to their Ears to engage them to his Work and Service
in holy Ministrations as also in miraculous Operations 2 Kings 5. 10 14. and also it had a sound of Perfection in it as witnessing the Perfection of the Creatures made in six Days before so that there was no need of any more to be done See the Assemblies Annotations upon the place So then by the Priest's sprinkling of the Oil seven times before the Lord denoted that the Work was perfectly done which Action of the Priest teacheth us thus much if we consider him as a Type of Christ in the Cleansing of his spiritual Lepers That as Jesus Christ hath undertook to go thorow with the Work of the Elects Justification and Sanctification so by his sprinkling of the Oil seven times before the Lord which he did in the Person of the Levitical Priest it was to assure his Father for his Satisfaction and to assure his People for their Consolation that the Work of their Justification and Sanctification is compleat and perfectly done according to his last Words when he suffered upon the Cross John 19. 30. then he said It is finished From whence we may observe this Note of Observation Doct. That Jesus Christ a Believer's High-Priest hath perfectly finished and compleated the Work of their Justification and Sanctification before the Lord. The Truth of this Observation is attested both by himself and his Father also First By Christ himself John 17. 4. I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do Now the great Work which the Father gave his Son to do and finish was the Work of the Justification and Sanctification of the Elect Isa 42. 1 2 3. Behold my Servant whom I uphold my Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him and he shâ—â—â— bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles 2dly This Truth is also witnessed unto by the Father as well as by the Son Isa 53. 10 11. He shall prolong his Days and the Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hands he shall see of the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied That is the Father shall see his Son's Work finished to his full Contentment Reason Now the Reason of the Point is this Because Christ was God as well as Man and because he is so therefore he wanteth no Sufficiency to accomplish whatever he takes in hand nor never yet did he begin any Work but he always finish'd it before he left it He made the Heavens and the Earth and he did it compleatly he made Man upon the Earth and made a perfect Piece of him and when he had finished his whole Work he beheld it and it was very good good for Matter and good for the Form of it and the ending of it was a glorious Work Psal 19. 1. hence saith Moses Deut. 32. 4. His Work is perfect So that this is the Reason that a Believer's Justification and Sanctification is so compleat and perfect it is because it was carried on by Jesus Christ who is very God as well as very Man and there is nothing too hard for the Lord. And so we come to Application Vse Let this serve for Comfort to the doubting People of God who are very apt to be dejected and cast down in their Spirits their Doubt is not so much whether Christ were able to finish the Work of Justification and Sanctification for them that 's put beyond Question with them but their Trouble ariseth from their Darkness as to their Interest in this Justification and the Littleness if they have any at all of the Grace of Sanctification First As to their Darkness about their Interest in this Justification many there are because they cannot read the Lines of their Justification upon the Book of their own Consciences are apt to fear whether it were ever written for them upon the Book of Christ's Records in Heaven There be three things which makes some Christians to doubt about their Interest in their Justification 1st A sight of old Sins upon the Book of their Consciences 2dly A natural Proneness to commit new Sins 3dly A want of Skill to distinguish between the old Reckoning as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Memory and Conscience of the Soul First of all The sight of old Sins as they stand upon the Book of their Consciences They think because the sense of Sin remains upon their Consciences uncancelled therefore the guilt of Sin must needs remain upon the Book of God above unpardoned Ans But this doth not always follow but rather the contrary For where Sin is unpardoned there the Heart as to the sense of it is mostly hardned Look over all the Justified Men which you can find in Scripture and you will find none more under the Conscience of Sin than those who were truly Pardoned and Justified from their Sins as David though Nathan told him that his Sin was pardoned yet how did the sense of it bleed in his Conscience Psal 51. 2 3. Wash me throughly from my Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin for I acknowledge my Transgressions and my Sin is ever before me The like we find in Job though God himself testified of him that he was a pardoned Man one that feared God and eschewed Evil yet how did Job charge home the Guilt of Sin upon his own Conscience Job 13. 23. How many are my Iniquities and Sins make me to know my Transgression and my Sin So good Heman Psal 88. 15. I am afflicted and ready to Die while I suffer thy Terrours I am Distracted So that this should rather be thy Cordial than a Corrosive to thee that with those good Men the sense of Sin is made to visit thy Conscience A sense of Sin is necessary to help on Repentance Repentance is the Fruit of a justified State Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he did Predestinate them he also Called that is by Repentance and whom he Called them he also Justified Secondly A second Ground of doubting in Christians about their Justification ariseth from their Proneness in Nature to commit new Sins Certainly saith a doubting Soul if I were ever Justified from the Guilt of my Sins I should never be so apt to commit Sin as I do Ans It is one thing to have the guilt of Sin acquitted to the Soul and another thing to have the filth of Sin removed out of the Soul the one belongs to Christ's Justifying and the latter to Christ's Sanctifying Grace the Act of Christ's Justifying of the Soul is done at once upon the very Act of the Soul 's believing Acts 13. 39. By him all that do Believe are Justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses But the Act of Christ's Sanctifying a Soul is done by degrees and is a Work of Time so that a Soul may be fully Justified from all his Sins and yet the Nature very prone to commit it Paul had no cause to doubt of
his Justification yet he deeply complains of his readiness and proneness Rom. 7. 21. I find a Law in my Members that when I would do Good Evil is present with me There is this difference bewixt a Justified and an Unjustified Man's Inclination to Sin a Justified Man always Sins with Reluctancy but the other with Allowance the Justified Man is ever renewing his State by Repentance Psal 51. 1 2 3 4. And the other is adding of Sin to Sin without Repentance Jer. 8. 6. I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no Man repented him of his Wickedness saying What have I done Every one turned to his Course as the Horse rusheth into the Battle Sin is squeezed forth from a Justified Man but it comes freely without let or hindrance from the other Now look into thy Heart though thy sinful Nature works in thee yet is it with Regret Is it with due Repentance Doth it not come freely from thee Is it the Evil thou wouldst not do as Paul speaks and doth it oftentimes make thee to cry out as he did in Rom. 7. 24. O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Then doubt not because thou hast no more reason to question thy Justification than David Heman Paul or Peter had The third Ground of a Christian's doubting about his Justified Condition ariseth from his want of Skill to distinguish betwixt the old Reckoning as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Book of God's Accounts and as it stands upon the Book of his own Conscience It is just with such Christians as it is with some ignorant Servant who is sent to a Shop-keeper to buy such and such Commodities the Shop-keeper sets it all down in his Shop-book the next Week the Servant comes and dischargeth the Debt the Week following the same Servant comes again for new Commodities the Shop-keeper books down all again as before but as the Shop-keeper is writing down of the new Debt the Servant looking over his shoulder espies the Items of the old Reckoning upon the Book which was discharged before this sends the Servant away with a Heart loaded with Grief and Trouble fearing that the Debt which he had discharged will be demanded again It 's true he saw some strokes crost over the Particulars upon the Book but being wholly ignorant that the crossing of the Book was a full Discharge of the Debt in Law this keeps the poor Servant under his Fear and Trouble still Thus stands the Matter with many a doubting Christian about their Justification though the Book of Accounts in Heaven be discharged and crost above with the red strokes of the Bloud of Christ the Vertue of which dischargeth the whole in Law 1 John 1. 7. The Bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Yet the Soul being unaquainted with this Mystery he beholding the Items standing yet upon his own Conscience thinks that the whole Debt is still to be exacted from him as if there had never been any Satisfaction made for his Debt at all But O doubting Soul if thou wouldst have Peace in thy Soul thy Work must be to acquaint thy self with the nature of a Believer's Discharge as to his Debt in the Court of Heaven above Labour by an Eye of Faith to see the red Strokes of Christ's Bloud with which the grand Book above is crost for thee for ever and then whatever the Items are which stands upon the Book of thy Conscience yet they can do thee no hurt because now they signifie nothing against thee in Law Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall condemn It is God that Justifies Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is Christ that Died. So that you plainly see that God justifieth a Believer upon the account of Christ's Death the Bloud of whose Death dischargeth his Debt and gives such a Satisfaction to the Law of God that nothing can condemn the Soul for ever thus you see what these Doubts are which do darken a Christian's Interest in his Justification and also the Grounds and Reasons from whence these Doubts and Fears do arise But here lieth thy Comfort Christ thy High-Priest hath compleated this Work for thee though thou canst not apprehend thy Interest in it by a clear sight of Faith yet he by one Offering hath perfected this Work for thee and that for ever if thou be truly Sanctified Heb. 10. 14. 2dly This affords â—â—mfort to Believers against their Doubts arising from the littleness of their Sanctification Oh saith a doubting Soul who is sensible of the weakness and littleness of his Grace Oh! if I have any Grace at all yet it is so little I fear it will never last long and so I shall never be able to hold out Oh! my Faith in God my Love to God my Zeal for God my Sincerity before God my Patience under Trials my Self-denial and Holiness is so little that I fear all my Religion will end in meer Formality and my Profession conclude in Hypocrisie when all is done Ans Oh! Soul against all these Fears thy Duty is to look up to Jesus Christ who is thy mystical Head and in him thou shalt see thy Soul compleatly Sanctified as well as compleatly Justified I do not say that Christ hath compleated the Work of Sanctification in a Believer's own Person while in this Life No no while a Believer is in the Body the Flesh will be lusting against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. and Believers again through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body Rom. 8. 13. which is one special part of Sanctification And further I do not say that the Spirit in his working of Mortification doth so kill and subdue Sin in Believers as that it shall never trouble grieve or defile them more No that Freedom belongs to the perfect State in Heaven but though Christ hath not perfected this Work in a Believer yet Christ hath perfected Sanctification in himself for the Believer Doth not the Apostle say 1 Cor. 1. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption First It must be acknowledged that by Nature thou art in thy self a Fool Luke 24. 25. O Fools and slow of heart to believe Secondly It is as true that thou hast no Righteousness of thy own Isa 64. 6. We are all as an unclean Thing our Righteousness is as filthy Rags Thirdly Thou art by Nature a perfect Slave and Vassel to Sin and the Devil therefore is Christ said to proclaim Liberty to the Captives even to such as thou art Isa 61. 1. Fourthly And it is as true that thou art as void of Sanctification Ezek. 16. 6. When I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thy own Bloud But now thou seest that Christ is made over to thee by God the Father to be Wisdom for thy Foolishness Righteousness for thy
know that I am â—e which searcheth the Reins and Hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works Christ's Severity upon some Offenders will make others the more affraid to offend when the angry Father takes up the offending Child to correct it this makes the rest of the Children to quake and tremble The second Reason It is so because Christ will perform the Trust which is reposed in him by his Father with relation to the Churches and that with the greatest circumspection all the Churches of Christ in the World were originally the Fathers John 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them to me That is the Father gave them to Christ to be kept watch'd over governed and ruled in his Father's Name as Vers 12. sheweth and one special purpose why the Father hath â—ntrusted Christ with the care of his Churches is that God might have fruitful service from them John 15. 8. In this is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit The Church is God's Vineyard and Christ is made the Vine-dresser of it with this Commission That if any of the Vines proves so rotten that instead of bringing forth of good Fruit they bring forth nothing but wild Grapes then must he cut down such unfruitful Vines Isa 5. 1 2. with Vers 5. My Beloved hath a Vineyard in a very fruitful Hill and he looked that it should bring Grapes and it brought forth wild Grapes now I will tell you what I will do to my Vineyard I will take away the Hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and I will break down the Wall thereof and it shall be trodden down And this Trust our Lord Jesus dischargeth with a world of Justice on each hand first of all he dischargeth this Trust in order to the making of his Vineyard fruitful Isa 27. 2 3. In that day sing ye to her a Vineyard of red Wine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Secondly And he is as righteous to fulfil his Commission upon them if they prove unfruitful Vers 5. of the 26th Chapter For he bringeth down them that dwell on high the lofty City he layeth low he layeth it low even to the Ground he bringeth it even to the Dust So that if Churches will not be Trees of Righteousness Christ will fell them to the Ground for Trees of Rottenness if they will not yield him Fruit for his Father's Table they must be Fuel for his Father's Fire Luke 3. 9. Now the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree every Tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the Fire Christ is his Fathers Servant in this great Work and the Will of his Father he must and will do both in the preservation of some or destruction of other of his Churches in this Life according as they prove either fruitful or unfruitful in his sight for he came not to do his own Will but the Will of him that sent him John 6. 38. The third Reason It must be so because Christ will manifest to all the World the Righteousness of his Government over his Churches whilst here on Earth In Isa 9. 6. it 's said that the Government shall be upon his Shoulder and his Name shall be called the wonderful Counsellor and as it shall not be said that so wonderful a Counsellor Rules indiscreetly so neither shall it be said that he rules his Churches unrighteously It is said that Christ our Lord will order his Kingdom and establish it with Judgment and Justice for ever therefore let those Churches which will not be subject to the Government and Discipline of this high Governour know their doom Deut. 32. 20 21 22 23 24 25. And when the Lord saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his Sons and of his Dvughters and he said I will hide my Face from them I will see what their end shall be for they are a very froward Generation Children in whom is no Faith they have moved me to jealousie with that which is no God they have provoked me to anger with their vanities and I will move them to jealousie with those which are not a People I will provoke them to anger by a foolish Nation for a fire is kindled in my anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell and shall consume the earth with her increase and shall set on fire the foundation of the Mountains I will heap mischief upon them I will spend my Arrows upon them they shall be burnt with hunger and devoured with a burning heat and with bitter destruction I will send the teeth of wild Beast upon them with the poyson of Serpents of the dust the sword without and terror within shall destroy thy young Men and the Virgin the Suckling also with the Man of gray Hairs This will our Lord do to his polluted Churches to vindicate his righteousness in the Government which he exerciseth over them So that I shall conclude with this hearty Prayer That God would give you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of these things that so you might have a clear discerning of the fatal Ruine which is like to light upon our Luke-warm Congregations who have the Leprosie of so much Formality upon them who with Sardis have a Name to live but are dead and that you may be of the few Names in Sardis which have not defiled your Garments and having your Lamps trimmed your Lights burning and Garments shining and so accounted worthy to walk in white with your dear Lord Jesus both now and for evermore Amen FINIS A Catalogue of BOOKS lately printed for Will. Marshal and sold at the Bible in Newgate-street and at the Bible in Gracious-street 1. A Discourse of Christian Religion in sundry Points Preached at the Merchants Lecture in Broad-street by the late Reverend Mr. Tho. Cole Master of Arts and Student of Christ ' s Colledge in Oxford Price bound 2 s. 6 d. 2. God all in all or The Kingdom of the Son delivered up to God even the Father by the Son himself by T. B. Price 6 d. 3. A true second Spira or A Soul plunged in his Case but is recovered being Comfort for Back-sliders Price 6 d. 4. An Answer to six Arguments produc'd by Du-pin Likewise a Refutation of some of the false Conceits in Mr. Lock 's Essay of Human Vnderstanding Price 6 d. 5. A wakening Call or An Alarum from Heaven to wise and foolish Virgins wherein the Vice of the Age is laid open and bewailed Price 6 d. 6. A Review of what God hath been pleased to do this last Year according to Prophesie by T. B. Price 6 d. 7. God's Exaltation in the glorious Work of Man's Salvation through Christ by Samuel Blower Price 6 d. 8. Stated Christian Conference asserted to be a Christian's Duty Price 6 d. 9. The heavenly Foot-man by J. Bunyan Lately printed Price 6 d. 10. Separation from the Church of England Price 3 d. 11. A new methodised Concordance Price 6 d. 12. The everlasting Covenant or The Nature of the Covenant of Grace opened being a sweet Cordial for a drooping Soul by B. K. Price 6 d. 13. The true Spring of Gospel-light and Sense of Sin Jesus Christ and him Crucified evidently set forth by his Spirit in his Word Delivered in a Sermon preached at London and since enlarged by Richard Davis Price 6 d. 14. An Examination of the Pacifick Paper chiefly consisting of absolute Election of particular Persons with the universality of Redemption and the Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace Price 4 d. 15. A Compendium of the Covenant of Grace as the most solid Support under the most terrible Conflicts of Death though armed with Desertion decay of Grace and sense of Guilt by Walter Cross M. A. Price 6 d. 16. An Account of some doing Sayings of Susannah Yeats with her Funeral Sermon by Tho. Wording Minister Price 6 d. 17. 〈…〉 Divine Questions and Answers 〈…〉 Price 2 d. 18. Bunyan of Election and Reprobation unfolded and explained in eleven Chapters Price 6 d. 19. Christianity the great Mystery in answer to a â—ate Treatise Christianity not Mysterious together with a Post-script Letter to the Author Price 1 s. 20. The young Man's Guide for Drawing Limning and Etching with printed Directions Price 1 s. 21. A Discourse of the Powers of the World to come or The miraculous Powers of the Gospel and Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Price 1 s. 22. Dr. Owen of the Spirit and his Works and of spiritual Gifts being an Addition to his Folio bound 2 s. 23. Evidences of the Faith of God's Elect left by Dr. Owen for his Wife 's private Meditations bound 1 s. 24. Principles of the Doctrine of Christ useful for all Families by Dr. Owen Price bound 6 d. 25. A Guide to Church-Fellowship and Order according to the Gospel Institution by Dr. Owen Price bound 6 s. 26. A Plea for ancient Gospel 1. Of Christ and the Elect. 2. Of the Covenant of Grace 3. The Natures of Saving-Faith 4. Of the free Offer of Christ to Believers 5. Of Vnion to Christ before Faith 6. Of Justification only by Faith 7. Of the way to attain Assurance by D. C. Price bound 3 s. 27. Ashood ' s heavenly Trade Price bound 2 s. 6 d. 28. The best Treasure or The unsearchable Riches of Christ by Mr. Ashood Price bound 2 s. 6 d. 29. Observations of English Bodies with physical Receits for most Distempers Price bound 2 s. 6 d. 30. The fulfilling of Scripture Last Edition Price 2 s. 6 d. 31. Eyres of free Justification of a Sinner Price 2 s. 32. A View of the State of Mankind in the first and second Adam Price 4 d. 33. A Map of Salvation and Damnation by John Bunyan Price 6 d. 34. Faith and Order of Congregational-Churches in England agreed upon Price bound 6 d. 35. The Child's Delight fitted for the Education of Children and Youth as Spelling Reading casting Account with Letters to Parents Price bound 6 d. 36. Doctrine according to Godliness being a Body of Divinity by D. Chaunsey Price bound 2 s. 37. Terms of Toleration or An Abstract of the Act of Parliament for the Liberty of Dissenters Price 2 d.