of Sin and the Spirit that was signified by the Water that flowed out of Christ's side is a sovereign Remedy against the Filth and Reigning power of Sin And Jesus Christ the Tree of Life beares Leaves for the Healing of the Nations Revel 22.2 No other Tree hath Healing Leaves but only Jesus Christ his Word Doctrine Promises are Healing Leaves We do not Work to Cure our selves tho' we are Patients yet we cannot be our own Physitians but we are Justified by Christ's Condemnation and live by his Death 4. We are not Washed in any Water of our own providing or in any Bath of our own making but God the Father hath opened a Fountain for sin and uncleanness Zech. 13.1 and this Fountain is opened where we could never have thought of or imagined any such thing even in the pierced side and wounded heart of the Son of God His Head was Crowned with Thornes his Hands and Feet were nailed to the Cross his Side was pierced and Blood did flow from thence to Purifie our Souls This is noble and precious Blood indeed that affects Conscience and reaches so far as to purifie it The Blood of Sacrifices the Ashes of an Heifer and Clean Water availed only to the Purification of the Flesh to take off Ceremonial Uncleanness but Christ poured out his own Blood and thereby made a Precious Laver a Costly Bath This Blood purgeth Conscience from sins that are dead Works as they are the Fruits of Spiritual Death and the Seeds of Eternal Death Though Conscience be stupid and doth not feel the weight of these dead Works yet if they remain unpurged they will revive and sting the Soul to death they will return upon it and sink it to Hell There is no other means to purifie and pacifie Conscience but this Blood and we exceedingly need it There is a Fountain of Iniquity in us that continually flows to defile us Jer. 6.7 As a Fountain casts out its Waters so Jerusalem casts out her Wickedness It is well for us that there is a Fountain without us in Christ to take off that Guilt that is contracted by the Flowings of that Filthy Fountain that is within us Christ's Blood though it is little in quantity yet it is mighty in Virtue There is a deep Sea of Merit in it Micah 7.18 19. Thoug it was poured out of his Body but a few hours yet it is a Fountain that Flowes in all Ages and Generations to take away Sin And is not this most sweet and comfortable that Jesus Christ did not only shed his Blood but sprinkles it also Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness Clean Water to wash the Body is common but clean Water to purifie the Soul is rare and no where to be found but in Christ This is wonderful Grace that Christ would not only shed his Blood but undertakes also to sprinkle it He shed it with unexpressible Pain and Anguish but he Sprinkles it with much Pleasure and Delight As he pitied Souls and shed his Blood for them so he Loves Soules and Sprinkles it on them and Washes them in this Fountain from their Uncleanness Revel 1.56 We are not clothed by our own Works or Righteousness Our Webs cannot become Garments Isa 59.6 Our best Performances cannot clothe us Our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags they cannot hide our Shame cover our Nakedness they are too narrow and short to do it Isa 64.6 Shall we be proud of or trust upon filthy Rags Our own Righteousness is but a Garment full of Patches So Piscator renders the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vestimentum frustrorum panni veteris attriti A Garment of Pieces of old and worn-out Cloth How long have we been serving in the Oldness of the Letter Rom. 7.6 and so our Garment may be called Old Cloth Sometimes we do good Works and then are apt to turn aside and to commit evil Works There are interruptions in our obedience Sin doth too often intervene so that these patches of the Old Man do much blemish and disfigure the Garment of our Righteousness There are Breaches in our Walls and Spots in our Garments As we need clean Water to Purisie us Ezek. 36.25 so we also want clean Linnen to Clothe and Adorn us Revel 19.8 Jesus Christ invites us to come to him to buy White Rayment that the shame of our Nakedness may not appear Revel 3.18 Christ was the Angel that commanded the Filthy Garments to be taken from Joshuah the High-Priest he caused his Iniquities to pass away and Clothed him with change of Rayment Zech. 3.4 The Garments of our Bodies do put us in mind of our Sins and bring to Remembrance our Transgression therefore they are called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bidge from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagad that signifies to Rebel Because if Man had not Apostatized from and Rebelled against God he had not needed Clothing or Garments But the Righteousness of Christ may well be called the Garment of Praise Isa 61.3 It is a Garment for Beauty and Glory and so to be exceedingly praised when God puts it on us then we begin heartily to praise God Christ is stiled the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 he hath healing Beames for wounded Consciencies The Church is said to be Clothed with the Sun Revel 12.1 And is not this a Glorious Garment Doth it not deserve praise in it self and call for the highest Praises from us God provided Coats of Skins and Clothed our First Parents with them Gen. 3.21 The matter of those Coats was the Skins of Beasts that probably were slain and offered in Sacrifice to God This might instruct and teach them that the Spiritual Cloathing of their Souls was to be borrowed from the Obedience and Righteousness of the Great Atoning Sacrifice As many as are Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 Our First Parents did sow Fig-leaves together to make Aprons to hide their shame Gen. 3.7 but when God provided Coats of Skin for them then they threw away their Aprons of Fig-leaves as useless So every Man Naturally seeks some Aprons of Works and righteousness of his own to cover his Nakedness when Conscience accuses them for sin and the Law of God Condemns them for Iniquity The Whore in Prov. 7.14 pleads That she had Peace-offerings with her and that day she had paid her Vowes and with this Apron she thought to hide the Filthiness of her Adultery But when Men come acquainted with Jesus Christ and have that Glorious Clothing revealed to them which he hath proved for Souls then they cast away their Aprons of Works and their own Imaginary Righteousness Paul saith That those things that he reputed his Gains that he thought would gain him the Favour of God Acceptance with God a Title to Everlasting Life these he counted loss for Christ Phil. 3.7 8 9. that is he cast them away not only as unprofitable
as an Antecedent not as a Cause or proper condition of Pardon Faith precedes in order of Nature and Repentance infallibly follows when we see the wonderful Grace of God that he stops and heales the Breach our Sins have made with the Dead Body of his Son quenched the Fire of his Anger with the Blood of his Son made War with him to make Peace with us Sheathed his Sword in his own Son that he might Draw it out Sheath it and for ever lay it asleep towards us This Grace of God softens hard Hearts melts the Rebellious and Obstinate Wills of Men. When we believe that God will repent of his Righteous Enmity against us this indures and inclines us to Repent of our unjust and wicked Enmity against him When we are perswaded that God is ready to heal us Matth. 13.15 this swayes us to desist from wounding him in his Authority and Glory when God declares he will turn from his Anger this influences sinners to change their mindes towards God and to turn from their Provocations and Rebellions against him How can Men possibly Love God or subject themselves to him if they Believe he is inexorable inflexible will Retain his anger pursue his Controversy and take Vengeance on Offenders for their former Transgressions If God will never open his Prison if he will shut up his Bowels against and pour out his Fury on Transgressors this will harden them against God But when they see God is not implacable this causes them to relent and induces them to return to God Jer. 3.22 God saith Return ye backsliding Children and I will heal your backslidings They Eccho to God Lo we come unto thee For thou art the Lord our God They believed God would forgive Iniquty and this influenced them to depart from Iniquity As God puts it away he will not impute it 2 Sam. 12.13 So we must put it away and not obey it Isa 2.16 17. As God will not remember Iniquity with anger so we must not remember it with delight when God casts Sin behind his back Isa 38.17 We must set no wicked thing before our eyes Psal 101.3 Repentance in Scripture is said to be to God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 By Faith we first return to our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd 1 Pet. 2. last and then by Repentance we return to God the Father Jer. 3.22 As by Faith we receive the Righteousness of Christ Rom. 5.17 So by Repentance we Recognize the Rights of God the Dominion he hath over us as his Creatures and the advantage he hath against us as Sinners As Faith abases us in that we must fly to Christ for Righteousness so Repentance doth lower stoop and empty us that we must have Recourse to meer pure Mercy for our Pardon Faith humbles as to the matter for which we are Justified and Repentance humbles us as to the manner in which we are Justified as we are Justified by the Obedience and Redemption of Christ so we are also Justified freely by the Grace of God the Father Rom. 3.24 A Sinner then advances and magnifies Grace when he is cast down in himself when a Sinner seeth the Plague of his heart the Spiritual Leprosy of his Soul the Filthy Fountain of Iniquity that is in his Nature he abhors himself for the evil Treasure that is within and loathes himself for all the evil things that have been brought forth out of it The offender is now ashamed to lift up his Eyes to Heaven Luke 18.13 He blushes and is ashamed to look God in the Face Ezra 9.6 Innumerable evils now Compass the Sinner about his Iniquities take hold of him that he cannot look up Psal 40.12 As we are Justified by Faith so we Justifie God by Repentance 1. In his Commands Rom. 7.12.14 The Commandment is Holy Just and Good Holy with respect to God Just with respect to Man Good with respect to our selves 2. We Justifie God in all his threatenings Psal 51.3 4. David did acknowledg his Iniquity that God might be Justified when he did Speak and be clear when he did Judg. Whatever God had spoken against David however he had Judged him and his House by Nathan 2 Sam. 12.10 11 12.14 Whatever Judgments he had denounced as a War to rise out of his own House and the defiling of his Wives the death of his Child yet David doth Justifie God in all this Guilt did seale up his Lips shame did cover his Face he could enter no Action against God complain of no wrong done by him If God should cut down Barren Trees if he should Execute Condemned Creatures if he should Bury those in the Bottemless Pit that have been long Dead in Sin they confess they cannot spot him with Cruelty or blot him with Injustice Repentance is so far form lessening of or detracting from Grace that it commends heightens and exalts it that God should Justifie a Sinner that Arraigns himself and judges himself to be Guilty of Innumerable Transgressions and worthy of Eternal Death that God should cover those Sins in Mercy that were laid open and represented as exceeding Heinous and Sinful by the Transgressor himself the poor Publican could not plead but only petition he could mention no Righteousness of his within or good Works without he had nothing to look or fly to but Mercy only God be Mercyful to me a Sinner It is observable he doth not say My God be merciful to me a Sinner but God be Merciful to me a Sinner Adam accused Eve Eve accused the Serpent and so thought in some measure to excuse themselves but the Publican charged himself only I am the Sinner he accuses no other though Sinning yet presumptous Israel saith My God we know thee Hos 8.2 But this Publican pleads no relation to God claims no Interest in him yet he ventures to cast himself into the Arms of Mercy to lye down prostrate at the feet of Mercy And was not this Free and Rich Grace to cleanse a Spiritual Leper to wash one that accounts himself a Lump of Guilt and Filth To bind up a broken heart to Raise a Spirit bowed down and ready utterly to sink under a weight of Guilt To take away Filthy garments and to bring forth the best Robe to Cloath a naked Soul to kill the fatted Calf to Feast a Famishing Sinner If the very Redemption of Christ if his Attoning Sacrifice doth not detract from God's Free Grace Rom. 3.24 * Vid. Bolton on the place Surely the Sacrifice of a Broken Heart doth not Wrong or Rob Grace of its glory it was the express will and Law of God that on the very day of Attonement when Sacrifices were offered for Typical Expiation of Sin that the Israelites afflict their Souls Levet 16.29 Much more when we Beleive that Jesus Christ hath made a real Attonement for our Sins we must deeply afflict our Souls for our Iniquities that kindled the Wrath of God against us that procured so
bitter a Cup for and pluck so Heavy a Burden on Christ and exposed him to so grievous a storm and Tempest of Divine Vengeance That should not be sweet to us that was so bitter to Christ That should not be Light to us that lay so Heavy on Christ Did God forsake his Son Psal 22.1 And shall not we forsake our sins Isa 55.7 The Blood of Christ purgeth Conscience from dead works Heb. 9.14 yet with our Faith in this Blood we must joyn Repentance from dead works Heb. 6.1 As a Guilty so also a Filthy Conscience must be purged away Heb. 10.22 yet here we must be cautious Repentance doth not interest us in Christ's Righteousness neither doth it earn or deserve Pardon As Moses turned the Waters of Egypt into Blood Exod. 7.19 so the Law would turn our very Tents into Blood if there were not a Mediator and a New Gracious Covenant Repentance is the Gift of God Acts 11.18 2 Tim. 2.25 If this Gift doth oblige us to God Can the exercise of it Indebt God to us We are not Justified by or for our Repentance we shall greatly mistake if we think that Repentance and New Obedience do come in the Room and place of a Perfect Legal Righteousness by Divine Acceptance but only the wise and gracious God hath so ordained it that there shall be an Order in disposing of the Benefits of the New Covenant God gives Faith and Repentance first to prepare Men to receive other Benefits of the Covenant One Grace makes way for another God strikes the Rocky hearts of Sinners and breaks them he turns the Flint into a Fountain of Water Psal 114. last And when God hath broken the Hard heart then Christ binds up the Broken heart and drops in the precious Balsom of his Blood by wounding Sinners with his Arrows and the Sword of his Word he prepares them to be his Patients and doth a Cure on them Men must be Mourners first before Christ can comfort them Isa 61.1 2. they must become Guilty in their own eyes Hos 5.15 and confess God's Actions to be Just and his Indictments to be True before Christ doth purge their Consciences and roll away their Guilt When the Sinner is Plowed with the Spirit of Contrition then Christ Sows it with the Seed of his Righteousness and the Promise of Pardon Object A great Objection is raised from James his Doctrine and words against all that I have asserted concerning Jehovah his being our Righteousness and our being Justified by his Righteousness Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works when he offered up Isaac James 2.21 Was not Rahab the Harlot justified by works when she received the Messengers and sent them out another way James 2.25 Again in the 24th v. it is said Ye see then how that by works a Man is justified and not by Faith only Doth not James seem to contradict Paul Rom. 4.9 We say that Faith was reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God that is Abraham hath not Righteousness of his own or Works done by himself to glory in before God therefore he cannot be Justified by Works To him that worketh not but Believeth on him that Justifieth the Ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness God imputeth Righteousness without Works Rom. 4.5 6. To this Objection I shall Answer many things 1. We must distinguish between the several sorts of Persons that Paul and James had to do with Paul's Discourse is bent against proud Justiciaries that thought to build up a Righteousness of their own by which they designed both to adorn themselves in the eye of God's Holiness and to secure themselves from the Sword of his Justice And therefore Paul Teacheth that no Righteousness of Man can weigh in God's Balance or is pleadable at the Bar of Justice We are all as an unclean thing and our Righteousnesses are but as filthy rags By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh living be Justified Rom. 3.20.21 Our Works before Regeneration are all as Brass Money our Works after Regeneration are as Mixt Mettal therefore neither of them both will pay our Rent of Obedience or satisfie our Great Landlord But James hath to do with Boasting and self-deceiving Hypocrites that pretend to Faith but it is a barren idle dead Faith They did say they had Faith but they had no Works James 2.14 they could not shew or evidence their Faith because they had no Works As the Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without breathing is dead James 2.18 so is Faith if it doth not breath in Works James his design was to shame confound and silence these Hypocrites and to demonstrate that they had no true Faith at all but did grasp a Lie and hug an Idol of their own instead of True Faith Strong Faith in Abraham did shew it self in Offering up Isaac James 2.21 and weak Faith in Rahab did discover it self in aiding the Israelitish Spies and sending them safe away though this might have proved dangerous to her own Life James 2.25 2. Paul speaketh of Faith as it respects Christ's Righteousness and builds and is acted only on this before God James speaks of Faith as it is to come forth and to be demonstrated before Men. Luther compares Faith to a Queen that is in the Bride-chamber alone with Christ the Bridegroom But as this Queen comes forth and walks abroad before Men so it is attended with many Good Works that are its Handmaids that wait on it it is Faith alone that Justifieth but yet that Faith that Justifieth is not solitary or alone but always is fruitful in Good Works and hath influence on the whole Life to guide and direct it by the Light of God's Word The life that I live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Galat. 2.20 Faith animates the very Natural Life and runs through all the acts and parts of it and so subordinates them to God's Will and refers them all to his Glory Luther says Faith sweeps the House and Milks the Goats 3. The Justification that James speaks of is not a Justification of the Person but of the Faith of Abraham of his sincerity and integrity Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thy onely Son from me Not that God acquired any new knowledge that he had not before concerning Abraham but it is an expression in which God condescends to our weakness and intimates that if God had not known Abraham's Faith and Sincerity before this Illustrious Fact this Eminent Self-denying Obedience of Abraham would evidently and notoriously prove the Truth of Abraham's Faith and the sincerity of his heart towards God When Abraham did shew such readiness to offer up his Son the Scripture was then fulfilled That Abraham believed God and that it was counted to him for Righteousness This demonstrated that the
explicit acts of Faith be put forth What is become of a state of Justification Was David under Condemnation and the Curse while he lay long in a stupid state Surely he was a Justified Man or else he was out of Christ and fallen under the Curse It is said that God hath given Believers everlasting life 1 John 5.11 and that he who believeth hath everlasting life John 5.24 Is the Sentence of life Rom. 5.18 revoked by new acts of sin Is this gift of life retracted Is the blood of Christ wiped away from the Conscience by new Transgressions We read that the blood of Christ purgeth away sin 1 John 1.7 but never that sin purgeth away the blood of Christ and wipes it off from the Conscience Let not any here mistake me I am no Patron of Sin I do not plead for careless and loose walking if any indulge the Flesh they shall feel to their smart and cost that God hath Fatherly Anger Justice and Severity and the fruits of it are terrible God hides his Face suspends the comfortable and quickning Influences of his Spirit so that the heart is hardened Isa 63.17 the Church thus complains Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy Fear Jesus Christ withdraws himself and leaves the Soul in a dark doubting and disconsolate state Cant. 5.45.6 There are also sharp Temporal Afflictions laid on believers as that the Sword should not depart from David's House and that his Concubines should be defiled by Absalom 2 Sam. 12.10 11. yea there may be much Trouble and Terror of Conscience because Unbelief is strengthened by this new Guilt contracted and the Spirit of God is grieved and doth not powerfully apply testifie and seal Pardon till explicit acts of Faith and Repentance be put forth Yet I must assert this with the Scripture That Believers do not again a second time or more receive the Spirit of bondage to fear Rom. 8.15 The Spirit in the Word doth not testifie to a Believer that he is a Condemned Man in a state of Hostility with God and that God is his Enemy as it testifies to Unregenerate Men. Besides this is much to be considred that a Believer doth not Sin according to the New Man but according to the remainders of the Old Man It is not the new Graft that bears corrupt fruit but the old Stock Rom. 7.17 Now it is no more I that do it but Sin that dwelleth in me The New Man hates Sin consents to and delights in the Law of God as good Rom. 7.15 16.19.22.25 I my self serve the Law of God He that is born of God committeth not Sin He cannot Sin because born of God 1 John 3.9 How then can guilt redound on the whole person when the New Man that is the predominant party doth not Sin If it be said that Sin committed redounds on the person according to the Old Man this will amount to no more than Fatherly anger and Temporary Chastisements that fall on the Old Man that must decay be pulled down to the dust and perish but they shall not hinder the Salvation of the person according to the New Man It is true that Christ doth direct us dayly to pray for Pardon of Sins Matth. 6.12 And David did earnestly and frequently sollicit for Forgiveness Psal 51.1.7.9 But these Scriptures may be thus understood that Believers for it is of them only that I speak do deprecate the Fruits and effects of Gods Fatherly anger both in Temporal and Spiritual Judgments They petition for the turning away of God's Fatherly displeasure the removing of outward Afflictions and Spiritual Punishments the return of the sweet sense of Gods Favour the lifting up of the light of his Countenance on them the shedding abroad of his Love in them The removing of Temporal and Spiritual Judgements is both a proper and excellent Pardon If any be otherwise minded let them Answer a little Piece of Mr. Gilbert's written on this Subject Justified persons have a sure and strong standing in the Grace and Favour of God Rom 5.2 By Faith we have an entrance into this Grace in which we stand and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Justified persons are Established firmly in the favour of God Though Hagar and Ismael were cast out of Abraham's House Gen. 21.10 12 13. yet Isaac the Child of the promise was still retained God loves Believers with the same love that he loves Christ with John 17. last And God's love to Christ is not mutable and changeable but fixed and certain Justified persons may therefore challeng all accusers Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is God that Justifieth Is there any higher Judge Is there any other Superiour Tribunal to which the person may be cited and his cause drawn It is Jesus Christ that Died and Rose again He was arrested and is released and discharged He was Baptized in a deep Sea of Sorrows and Sufferings yet was not drowned but Swam out to the Shores of a Blessed Eternity Yea he is ascended into the Heavenly Sanctuary to plead his blood and Represent his Righteousness And will not this stop the mouths of all gain-sayers and Silence all accusers We may now draw near to God the Judge of all as being assured he will not only Justifie us but also plead our cause against those that wrong us Christ now being ascended he lives to execute his own Testament and bestow his own Legacies Acts 5.31 To give Repentance and Remission of Sins The Mercies of the new Covenant are sure Mercies Isa 55.3 Acts 13.34 35. Because Christ is Dead and Risen again to give them Faith Jesus Christ in Heaven asks for the Travel of his Soul and the Purchase of his Blood and cannot be denied He interceeds with Authority There was a Crown of pure Gold about the Altar of incense Exod. 30.3 to intimate that our High-Priest doth interceed effectually and with Authority John 17.24 Father I will that those thou hast given me may be with me that they may see my Glory The Apostle Paul proposeth a Farther Question Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ and he thus answereth it himself I am perswaded that neither Life nor Death things present or things to come shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Love of God is fixed the Heart of God is centred on Jesus Christ and shall never depart or remove from him Christ is the strong and everlasting bond whereby Gods Love is secured and assured to us What greater security can God give us than his Oath to perswade us of the Immutability of his counsel God hath twice sworn that the Heires of promise might have strong Consolation God saith thus to the Church I have sworn that I will not be Wroth with thee that is to destroy thee nor Rebuke thee so as to disinherit thee Isa 54.9 And as God hath Sworn to secure us from the
to resist and contradict the Law of God This was very strange and surprizing to Paul he was decived in this he thought the Law would have repressed beaten down and mortified Sin but it rather fortified it As a Man that doth not know the Nature of Burning Lime thinks by pouring a little water on it to quench it but when he seeth that this water makes it to burn more vehemently and fiercely How would he as amazed cry out How am I deceived that the water should increase the Fire that I thought would extinguish it So the Law doth not weaken Sin but rather strengthen it and render it more violent 4. The Law punishes every Sin with Death Every Lust is mortal every wrong step is fatal and corrupt Fruit is pernitious and destructive Though Ismael might be guilty of many other offences yet for a weighty reason Moses mentions but one and that was his mocking at Isaac and for this he was cast out and cast off Gen. 21.8 9 10 11. Ismael was Hagar's Child and so a Type of them that cleave to the Covenant of Works The Law Curses for every act of Disobedience Deut. 27. last One offence according to the Covenant of Works is enough to undo and Ruin a Man to Eternity 5. There is no access to God by the Covenant of Works When the Law was given Bounds were set about Mount Sinai to keep off the people of Israel they were charged not to break through Death was denounced as the Punishment of those that touched the Mountain Exod. 19.12.13.21 The people therefore removed and stood a-far off Exod. 20.18 None of the other Priests or Worshiping Israelites might enter into the Tabernacle till Atonement was made for their Sins by Aaron the High-Priest Levit. 16 17. But after that Sacrifices were Slain Offered and their Blood Sprinkled on the Altar and the People then Moses Aaron and Seventy of the Elders of Israel ascended Mount Sinai and saw the Glory of the God of Israel Exod. 24.4 5 6 7 8 9 10. These Sacrifices were but Types of Christ's Death he died the Just for the Unjust to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 else we are shut out of the Glorious Presence of God and cut off from all Gracious and Blessed Communion with him God is not accessible by the Covenant of Works guilty Creatures are kept off from him 6. The Law genders to Bondage Galat. 4.22 a Spirit of Bondage to Fear attends it Rom. 8.15 as Hagar and Ismael had a slavish Fear of Abraham as a Master rather than a Conjugal Love to him as a Husband or a Filial Love to him as a Father Those under the Covenant of Works are still doubting of God's Favour questioning his Love dreading of his Wrath They do not know whither Death will carry them and where Judgment will fix them and therefore through the Fear of Death they are all their Life-time subject to Bondage Heb. 2.15 the fear of the evil that is future doth embitter to them all present Good The Law was given in such a Manner that it was designed to strike Fear and Terror into Sinners The Israelites were then alone with God in the Wilderness separated from all other Nations This might intimate that God and the Sinner shall be alone together and all pleasing Company and delightful Enjoyments shall be shut out The Thunder did roar in their Ears and the Lightning did flash and flame in their Eyes and the Earth did tremble under their Feet Exod. 19.16 18. Whither shall a Guilty Sinner betake himself when the Heavens do threaten Vengeance over his head and the Earth seems sinking under his feet The Mountain did burn with fire Exod. 19.16 18. with Deut. 5.23 this did represent the fiery Throne of God and his burning Wrath wherewith as a Judge he is Armed to punish and destroy those that trust in their Works and will have to do with God according to the Covenant of Works But though the Mountain did burn yet it was not consumed So guilty Creatures shall burn in the fire of God's Wrath yet never be consumed or cease to be There was Blackness Darkness and Tempest Heb. 12.18 These pointed at the perplexed state of a Sinner the horrour and consternation of the Soul when God the Judge doth shew his Justice and Wrath for the Violation of the Condition of the Covenant of Works O what black darkness will cover Sinners O what a Terrible Storm and Tempest will one day be raised in and fall upon their Souls The sound of the Trumpet that was exceeding loud Exod. 19.19 Heb. 12.19 did signifie that Sinners must be cited to and presented before the Tribunal of God neither can any decline or avoid appearing before God's Justice-Seat Yet the Apostle calls this Mount Sinai a Mountain that was in it self Tangible or might be touched that so it was an Earthly and Material Mountain because the Dispensation of the Law and Covenant of Works is but a low Dispensation A Natural Man may Touch and Reach this that God will inflict evil on those that rebel and do evil When as the Covenant of Grace is a Spiritual and Invisible Mountain far above the reach and comprehension above the sight and ken of a Natural Man And what did all this Terror in giving the Law tend to but to raise a Spirit of Bondage in sinners and by Fear to drive and force sinners to some External Obedience to the Letter of the Law which yet they perform with Regret and Reluctancy and not with Love and delight 7. There is no enjoyment of the Eternal Inheritance by the Law the Bond-woman and her Son were to be cast out Galat. 4.20 21. Gen. 21.8.10 Ismael was not admitted or allowed to be an Heir with Isaac He did not Inherit Abraham's Rich Estate Moses could not bring the Israelites into or give them possession of the Land of Canaan this Joshua the Type of Christ did Hagar and Ismael were turned out with a small pittance they had but a few Loaves and a Bottle of Water It may seem strange that Rich Abraham should provide no better for his Wife and Child but there was a Mystery in it it served to instruct us that those that are of the works of the Law cannot be Heirs of Heaven cannot possess any Spiritual Riches or an Eternal portion in Glory but are put off with Temporary Momentary Comforts and Enjoyments What are the best things that this World affords What are Earthly Riches Honours or Pleasures compared with an Eternal Happiness they are but as a few Loaves of Bread and a Bottle of Water When Hagar and Ismael were turned out they wandered in a Wilderness Gen. 21.14 O what a difference was there between the plenty and abundance of Abraham's Family and the wants of a Barren Wilderness The World it self is but a Wilderness compared with the Paradise of God Revel 2.7 A Legal state under the Covenant of Works What is it but a wretched
this Table The Altar Figured Christ and he Offered his Humane Nature as a Sacrifice on the Altar of his Divine Nature and this True Sacrifice was God's Meat Here Divine Justice did Feed and was satisfied What an Honour is this for us to be admitted as Guests yea as Children to God's Table and for our Faith to feed on the same Sacrifice that Justice is satisfied with that may well quiet our Consciences that Pacifies God's Wrath The Sacrifice and Meat on the Altar is called the Fruit of it Mal. 1.12 This Phrase is very observable that the Altar is compared to a Field that did yield and bear Fruit to the Priests they had not Lands and Inheritances as the other Israelites had but the Altar was their Inheritance and their Field the part of the Sacrifice offered on the Altar that was allowed to them for their Services was the Fruit of the Altar that they Fed on and were sustained by So Christ the Altar is our Field on the Fruit of it even his Sacrifice our Souls must Live In Rom. 10.5 it is said That he that doth the Law and the things required in it shall live by them But Christ Teacheth us another way of Subsistence for our Souls John 6.57 He that eateth me shall live by me Our Drink also is not in or from our selves we are in a Pit in which there is no Water Zech. 9.11 Jesus Christ was Figured by the Rock that was smitten by the Rod of Moses even the Curse of the Law Exod. 17.6 7. 1 Cor. 10.3.4 Though Christ was Moses his Minister as a Servant made the Law and perfectly obeyed it was Holy to God Harmless to others and undefiled in himself yet he Felt the Rod of Moses he endured the Curse We were in a Dry and Barren Wilderness where no Water was we must have perished with Thirst had not Christ been Smitten He did cleave his Soul and Body were separated from each other and so Spiritual Waters did gush out for us to Drink God's Sword might have devoured our Flesh and his Arrows have been made drunk with our blood Deut. 32.42 but Jesus Christ gave us his Flesh to be Meat indeed and his Blood to be Drink indeed John 6.53 54 55. We are too prone to dig and seek Spiritual Water in our selves but we must look for it from Christ The Travelling Israelites passing through the Valley of Bacha did make it a Well they digged deep to find Water in the Earth but yet at last they were disappointed and the Rain did fill the Pools Psal 84.6 They sought Water from beneath but They received it from above So we would find Water in our selves but we must perish if Christ doth not Rain upon us Psal 72.6 He shall come down like the Rain on the Mown Grass as Showers that water the Earth When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their Tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them I will make the Wilderness a Pool of Water and the dry Land Springs of Water Isa 41.17 18. If any Man thirst saith Christ let him come to me and drink John 7.37 we cannot live by a fullness and sufficiency in our selves but we must live by Bread from without by eating of the Flesh and drinking of the Blood of Christ And this also is given us freely We reap that we sowed not and eat that we did not labour for as the Israelites lived in the Wilderness without Plowing and Sowing 3. We are Healed not by any Remedy we have invented or by any Medicine that we have prepared but by a wonderful Remedy that Jesus Christ hath provided The Israelites Murmured in the Wilderness and were for it bitten by Fiery Serpents and their burning poyson did kill many of them those that were hurt were utterly at a loss They knew no Physical Herbs no Soveraign Drugs no proper Remedies to apply They knew not how to draw out the Mortal Poyson but were destroyed by it Numb 21.6 7 8. The Wilderness they were in afforded no Medicines but God devised prepared revealed a Remedy he directed Moses to make a Brazen Serpent and to hang it on high upon a Pole and promised to bless this Remedy and render it effectual that whosoever looked to it should be healed and live So Mankind was bitten by Satan that Old Serpent in Paradise He drew them to Discredit God's Threatning he Leavened them with hard and base Thoughts of God that he envied their higher Knowledge and greater Happiness and so put a restraint on them Forbidding them to eate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and so drew them to Disobedience and to cast off the Authority and Yoke of God Hereby Humane Nature was corrupted and poysoned in our First Parents and by them this Vermin did spread and diffuse it self into all their Posterity and infected the whole World This Bite of the Old Serpent was deadly Tribulation and Anguish belongs to every Soul that Sins Rom. 2.9 The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. last Sin hath reigned unto Death Rom. 5. last but God hath provided a Remedy that we could never have imagined or thought of and was most remote from the Sentiments and Apprehension of the Natural Man The Son of God came down from Heaven took our Flesh and Suffered in our Nature was lifted up to the Cross and died on it that whosoever looks to him and believes to him and believes on him may not perish but have Everlasting Life John 3.14 15. Jesus Christ was lifted up before the eyes of God when he was Crucified and he is lifted up before our eyes when his Death is Preached and he is evidently set forth as Crucified before us Gal. 3.1 We are not to compose Medicines or to provide Plaisters of our own to heal our selves but we are to look to and make use of God's Remedy continually Ainsworth on Numb 21. doth probably assert That the Israelites as they Journied and did remove from one Station to another carried the Brazen Serpent along with them and set it up again in their Camp and as often as any one was bitten he looked to it for Healing So we must receive Christ to dwell in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3.17 and still carry him about with us that as often as we contract New Guilt we may look to him with a Spiritual eye and be Healed The Life that we live in the flesh we must live continually by the Faith of the Son of God Galat. 2.20 All the Healing Remedies are out of our selves and are in Christ His Stripes are Healing Isa 53.5 he hath healing beames Mal. 4.2 out of the side of the Altar there came forth Living Waters that healed the corrupt and dead Sea Ezek. 41.1 2 8. so out of Christ's side there came forth Water and Blood John 19.34 The Blood of Christ is a Soveraign Remedy against the Guilt