Christ but are now again intangled therein and overcome turning with the Dog to his own vomit again and with the Sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire Let such know That their latter end will be worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. 12. The twelfth Pestilential and highly provoking Sin is the sin of Rebellion and Obstinate Disobedience against God and his Commandments Levit. 26.23 24 25. And if ye will not be reformed by these things saith the Lord but will walk contrary unto me then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins And I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant and when ye are gathered together within your Cities I will send the Pestilence among you and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy So Deut. 28.15 16 20 21. If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to observe to do all his Commandments and his Statutes c. These curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the City and cursed shalt thou be in the field c. The Lord shall send upon thee cursing vexation and rebuke in all that thou settest thy hand for to do until thou be destroyed and until thou perish quickly And wherefore Because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken me The Lord shall make the Pestilence cleave unto thee until he hath consumed thee and the Lord shall smite thee with a Consumption and with a Feaver and with an Inflammation and with an extream Burning and with the Sword and with Blasting and with Mildew and they shall pursue thee until thou perish So in the 58 and 59. vers If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book that thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful name The Lord thy God Then the Lord will make thy Plagues wonderful and the Plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance So Deut. 29.22 23 24 25. The Generations to come when they shall see the Plagues of the Land and the sicknesses which the Lord hath laid upon it and that the whole Land is Brimstone and Salt and Burning c. like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah c. with the Lord overthrew in his anger and in his wrath Even all Nations shall say Wherefore hath the Lord done this What meaneth the heat of this great anger Then men shall say Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers c. To this agrees that of the Prophet Jerom. 29.17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord of hosts Behold I will send upon them the Sword the Famine and the Pestilence and will make them like vile figgs that cannot be eaten they are so vile And I will persecute them with the Sword with the Famine and with the Pestilence and will deliver them to be removed to all the Kingdomes of the Earth to be a Curse and an Astonishment and a Hissing and a Reproach among all the Nations whither I have driven them And wherefore will the Lord be so severe against them Because they have not hearkened to my words saith the Lord which I sent unto them by my servants the Prophets rising up early and sending them but ye would not hear saith the Lord. So Ezek. 6.11 Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel for they shall fall by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence He that is far off shall die of the Pestilence and he that is near shall fall by the Sword and he that remaineth and is besieged shall dye by the Famine Thus will I accomplish saith the Lord my fury upon them Ezek. 7 11. The Sword is without and the Pestilence and the Famine within he that is in the Field shall dye with the Sword and he that is in the City Famine and Pestilence shall devour him And why Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness v. 11. The rod hath blossomed pride hath budded So Ezek. 14.19 21. If I send a Pestilence into that Land and pour out my fury upon it in bloud to cut from it Man and Beast though Noah Daniel and Job were in it As I live saith the Lord they shall deliver neither Son nor Daughter they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness For thus saith the Lord God How much more when I sent my four sore Judgements upon Jerusalem the Sword and the Famine and the noysome Beast and the Pestilence to cut off from it Man and Beast And when will the Lord execute this great severity and be so inexorable the 13. vers declares it When the land sinneth against me saith the Lord by trespassing grievously I shall conclude with that in the Prophet Amos Chap. 2. ver 4 5. Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof Because they have despised the law of the Lord and have not kept his Commandements c. And what follows I will send a fire upon Judah and it shall devour the Palaces of Jerusalem So Amos 4.10 c. I have sent among you the Pestilence after the manner of Egypt your young men have I slain with the Sword and have taken away your horses and I have made the stinck of your Camps to come up into your Nostrils yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord. So incorrigible hard-hearted and un-reformed were they under all the sore Judgements that the Lord had inflicted upon them Yet before he will make an utter destruction he invites them once again to repentance Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel Thus you see what a high provoking sin it is to rebel against God and his Commandments As Samuel said to Saul when he disobeyed the Word of the Lord. Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and Stubornness is as Iniquity and Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.23 And if God was so severe to punish the transgressions of the law with what severity will Christ proceed against the willful contemners and disobeyers of his Gospel according to that of the 2d of the Heb. 2 and 3. vers If every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward that is of punishments inflicted on them How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation that is the Gospel which is called a Ministry of the spirit and of life whereas the law is a killing letter or the ministration of death and condemnation 2 Cor. 3.6 7 9. And the wrath of God cometh upon the children of Gospel disobedience Ephes 5.6 13. The thirteenth pestilential and highly provoking sin is the sin of Insurrection and rising up against
habitation 5. A mans house is the chief place of his negotiation and commerce where does a man drive his trade and utter his commodities but at home in his house or in his shop So it is with the soul that makes God his habitation he drives a special trade and commerce with God makes Religion his business Christ invites all to come and buy of his Commodities and he exposes rich commodities to sale and there are souls that do trade and traffick with him Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me and eat that which is good c. Christ excites and stirs up all that do thirst and greatly long after righteousness being sensible of their own sins their nothingness and unworthiness to come unto him as to the fountain of living waters that is by faith to beleive on him and then out of his belly saith he shall flow rivers of living water but this spake he of the spirit Joh. 7.37 He invites all I say that are money-less and poor worthless helpless and meritless creatures to come unto him and buy those heavenly goods which he offers unto us by the Gospel namely wine and milk that is all things requisite and necessary for our spiritual life the graces and fruits of the spirit which are sweet and delightful as wine and which are as necessary to a heavenly life as milk is to this natural life and may take in also forgiveness of sins and the pure and unspotted righteousness of Christ which are given us of God in him and that freely for nought and without any merits and deserts of ours together with life eternal And wherefore saith he do ye spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not or waigh out your money for that which is not bread Wherefore are ye at so great cost and charges in vain and take pains and toil to no purpose for dry empty husky unsatisfying unfruitful and unprofitable things which when you have them and enjoy them will minister no true comfort nor satisfaction unto your soul How vain and profuse was the Prodigal to waste his substance with riotous living to purchase to himself a few husks unsatisfying food which the swine did eat which when he had them was ready to perish with hunger Luk. 15.13 17. Of such the Lord complain'd by the Prophet Haggai Ye have sown much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye cloth you but there is none warm and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag of holes Hag. 1.6 A sore judgment to bestow ones labour and pains for that which satisfieth not Wilt thou set thine eyes saith Solomon upon that which is not Prov. 23.5 what is that which is not the vers before tells us He exhorts that we labour not to be rich and that we cease from our own wisdom What are riches nothing nor a mans own wisdom nothing which the world so highly esteems of and so eagerly pursueth after No they are nothing that is as it were nothing they are not matters or things of any great importance for thee to set thine eyes upon and therefore thou shouldst not so greedily gape after them or set thine eyes or heart upon them because when thou hast attained them thou hast got as much as a thing of nothing And adds another reason taken from the uncertainty of riches For riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away as an Eagle towards heaven that is they fly swiftly away The Eagle flyeth so swiftly on high towards heaven as that he is soon vanished away out of a mans sight so do riches suddenly perish and vanish away being subject to fire and water evil debters and many other casualties And therefore cease from thine own wisdom which may rather be called distrust in God and covetousness then wisdom when it shall violently carry thee away with a desire after riches which are so transitory and vain And therefore it is that Jesus Christ does invite these foolish traders to come and buy of his wares of his commodities that are not fading and perishing Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live As much as if Christ did say if you will come and trade with me you shall be sure to have good substantial commodities no braided wares you shall have that which will stand by you and be of special use and advantage unto you Hear and your souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David 2 Sâ—m 23.5 And these commodities of mine you may have for the fetching I don't expect ready money for them I 'le let you have them upon trust and see how well you will improve them but be assured they are lasting commodities sound wares that will not fail you Riches and honours are with me yea durable riches and righteousness my fruit is better then gold yea then fine gold and my revenue then choise silver I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgment That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures Prov. 8.18 19 20 21. Mark I pray you Riches and honours are with me saith Christ that is true riches and honour such as will not fade and flye away and they are with me in my power to give and bestow them when and upon whom I lift even durable riches such as shall continue when other mens shall melt away as wax before the Sun And those that love me that is those that do unfainedly love me shall inherit substance that which is durable meaning such wealth or substance as is such really and indeed and bringeth to man the greatest happiness and prosperity even eternal life that endureth for ever Thus you see there is a trade that Christ and the beleiving soul does drive together and all Christs commodities they are rich substantial commodities whoever have them shall inherit substance not shadows but substance like unto the Merchandise of Tyre whose Merchandise and hire shall be holiness to the Lord and shall be for them that dwell before the Lord whose habitation the Lord is mark that to eat sufficiently and for durable cloathing Isa 23.18 What can be better then satisfying food and lasting cloathing like the Israelites cloaths in the Wilderness which waxed not old Deut. 29.5 The necessity and excellency of which the Lord Jesus sets forth in that exhortation of his to the Church of
Laodicea Rev. 3.18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayst be rich and white rayment that thou mayst be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and annoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayst see I counsel thee to buy of me saith Christ from whence observe that all true spiritual riches and graces all substantial commodities are to be fetched from Christ alone Christ sends us not to our own works or to his blessed Mother or to any other Saint departed with so many Ave Marias to many Pater Nosters or so many Vows and Pilgrimages to buy them at their hands but he bids us Come buy them of me Christ alone is the great despenser of his Fathers treasure all power is given into his hands and in vain it is to seek the Kingdom of God or the treasures thereof but iâ— by and through the Son and it is most just it should be so it being the purchase of his death and passion he powred out his soul unto death for us that he might have power to heal our souls of all their infirmities therefore he is made unto us both wisdom justification sanctification and all in all And what are those precious commodities that Christ would have this Church of Laodicea and us also if we be found in the same vain-glorious yet beggerly condition as she was in to buy of him Surely even such as might be a remedy proportionable to her disease 1. Here is gold not outward glittering or pretended gold but tryed gold offered to help her of her poverty 2. Here is white rayment a glorious rayment of Christs righteousness offered to cover her shame and nakedness 3. Here is eye-salve offered even true knowledge and wisdom from above the spirits divine illumination to cure her of her blindness that she might see the way to everlasting happiness And the manner of seeking and obtaining these rich commodities is as it were by bargain and sale I counsel thee to buy of me And let us inquire a little how this bargain is made up First Understand in all legal contracts there is an agreement of both parties or else it cannot be a bargain Secondly In some bargains and contracts there is a legal consideration given for the thing bargained for either to the full value or somewhat equitably proportionable thereunto Or Thirdly There are other absolute bargains and sales of Lands and Goods disposed therein freely onely on the consideration of the Donors or Granters love affection and preferment to the parties beloved and so given freely to them and their heirs for ever without so much as paying a Penny by way of legal retribution for it Yea the Donor often is so free in his deed of gift that the Donee is freed of all fear of forfeiture of his estate for there is not reserved so much as a Rose or Pepper-corn by way of Rent that for non-payment thereof the state should become forfeited And that party that would not be thankful to such a free-giver is worse then an Infidel Now to apply this to our heavenly bargain If we will buy of Christ gold and heavenly treasure we must first come unto him and strike up the bargain with him He will not sell unto us against our wills though he himself must make us first willing and therefore he crys as before Isa 55.1 Come unto the waters come ye buy and eat And Revel 22.17 And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that is a thrist Come and whosoever will let him take the water of Life freely And they now that will not be obedient to the commands and laws of this gratious Donor by way of gratitude and thankfulness for so glorious and free an Inheritance bestowed upon them are not worthy of the least mercy in his kingdom If this inheritance were entailed on us on condition of payment or performance of a small petty grain of Corn or the like as is the mite of our faith and obedience we should be in bondage fear and danger all our lifelong if not at least forfeit all by our non-payment and performance Therefore blessed be God that hath not left our salvation in our own hands but founded it on Christ the rock which cannot be removed Now he that goes about to buy a great Treasure is very careful diligent and his affections intense upon it that none put him by of his bargain So it must be here for this Heavenly Treasure we must be earnest with Christ to strike up this bargain we must not let him alone by our prayers until we have obtained this precious pearl at his hand 'T is true Christ will sell us this pearl freely yet we must agree with him for it though we have nothing to give him in the least by way of legal compensation for it yet me must buy it receive it in his own way and method If you will buy any goods that you want you must repair to the Fair House or Place where it is to be bought So if you want tryed gold to inrich you or garments to cover you or eye-salve to inlighten you you must come to Christ who is the Merchant of these heavenly wares upon his Fair-days or when he opens shop when such precious wares are set to sale To his Ordinances in his Assemblies on the publique days of his heavenly Bartering if you will attain unto this heavenly Treasure And these are Commodities worth the buying the tryed gold that comes from Christ is such that makes the soul truly gratious where it is and it is truly refined gold because it is the wisdome and way of God which is as gold refined Prov. 8.10 and Psal 12.6 It is tryed and therefore will hold water we may become rich in the eyes of the world in parts abilities and humane learning and they may shine like gold in the eyes of the in-judicious simple and ignorant but alas if Christ doth not sanctifie them unto us they may make us the worse not the better for them So for the white garment that must cloath us Christs garment is such a garment that will reach us from top to toe that no part of our shame or nakedness shall appear Sin brings shame and sin brings contempt and nakedness upon us and Christs raiment is a white raiment an innocent raiment a glorious honourable raiment which will not only cover all our shame and nakedness that the pure eyes of God shall not behold it Isa 61.10 but therein also he having granted thee to be arrayed therewith will present thee therein glorious to himself without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 and therefore surely it is worth the buying our own raiments are spotted defiled and will not serve the turn but Christs is white all over If we expect to appear perfectly righteous holy and just before God or otherwise we shall never appear before him to approbation and
hefore us which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast c. Heb. 6.17 18 19. And this was it without all question that made the Apostle break out with that holy boldness and exultation of spirit Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors through him that loved us For I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.35 to the end Now this stability and firmness of Gods love grounded upon the faithfulness of God may be a great support to the poor doubting soul that is apt to question the Love of God and the certainty of its eternal estate in Christ 2ly This Faith in Gods faithfulness is to be acted upon the account of our Vocation or Calling to and confirmation or establishment in the Grace of God God is faithful saith Paul by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord And therefore will he confirm you unto the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.8 9. That God who hath called you unto the communion or fellowship of his Son not externally only in point of Ordinances Church-fellowship and Publique-worship whereby we profess to have communion with Christ and his benefits but internally in a special manner whereby we are really united to him by faith and by the spirit of Christ and so are made partakers indeed of all the glorious benefits priviledges and advantages of his death resurrection ascension intercession Rom. 8.32 Eph. 3.17 1 Joh. 1.3 This God who hath so called you is the faithful God faithful in the performance of all his promises he hath made to confirm you unto the end not to leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13.5 as many freinds do in time of adversity not to cast you off Rom. 11.1 2. as many Parents do their Children not to forget you as many cruel and unnatural Women do their sucking children Isa 49.15 No surely he will not do it his faithfulness is engaged to stand by you fear not he will be with thee be not dismayed he is thy God he will strengthen thee yea he will help thee yea He will uphold thee with the right hand of his righteousness Isa 41.10 And make an everlasting Covenant with thee that he will not turn away from thee to do thee good but will put his fear into thy heart that thou shalt not depart from him Jer. 32.40 So the Apostle Paul praying for the Thessalonians that the very God of peace migh sanctifie them wholly and that their whole spirit and soul and body might be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ He makes this the ground of his confidence Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it 1 Thess 5.23 24. So 2 Thess 3.3 But the Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from evil Why shouldst thou then fear of falling away or of thy persevering in the grace of God when Gods faithfulness is engaged forthy establishment 3ly This faith in Gods faithfulness is to be acted upon the accompt of a Christians temptations and conflictings with sin and Satan 1 Cor. 10 13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful observe that I pray you who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Thou poor tempted soul thou thinkest perhaps that no temptations are like unto thine but thou art mistaken thy temptations are not singular but in common with others other men have been exercised with the like And thou art apt to think thou shalt sink under thy temptations thou findest so little strength to undergo them but what saith the Apostle God is faithful and will not suffer you to be tempted above your strength but will proportion suitable strength according to your trials Gods Faithfulness is engaged to help you and to support you under all your temptations and trials Would Satan then make thee beleive that thy sins are of that nature and magnitude that they shall not be forgiven think upon Gods faithfulness then who is engaged to pardon thee So saith John 1 Joh. 1.9 If we confest our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness It would be an act of unfaithfulness and injustice in God if he should not pardon and forgive poor penitent sinners who confess and forsake their sins But God is faithful and just and cannot falsifie his word If we beleive not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 4. This acting of faith in Gods faithfulness is of excellent use in order to our standing fast in the faith and continuing in our publique faithful testimony for the Lord Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering and why for he is faithful that hath promised faithful in performing what he hath promised Josh 23.14 And what hath he promised Surely as hath been declared before to establish and keep us from evil and confirm us unto the end 1 Cor. 1.8 According to that also in 2 Thess 3.3 But the Lord is faithful who shall establish you and keep you from evil Stablish you in the faith lest you fall from it and keep you from evil to wit the Devil lest he subvert your faith by evil men as the instruments of his art or it may be taken more generally for any evil as the Apostle declares in the 2 Tim. 4.18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom And therefore we may upon this consideration be much encouraged to hold fast our profession and not to be staggaring or wavering in our honourable and faithful testimony for the Lord. 5. This acting of faith in Gods faithfulness is of excellent use to encourage us as to a suffering state for Christ and to Christian contentation under the Cross It is a faithful saying saith the Apostle that if we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we suffer we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Rule or reign as Kings so the word it seems imports if we endure all manner of tribulations with patience and stedfastness in the faith And it is a faithful saying saith he a certain sure firm credible irrevocable word not to be questioned or doubted Or we shall be glorified together with him as the Apostle expresseth it Rom. 8.17 and
unmortified corruptions Ephes 6.18 By it Crosses are prevented removed or sanctified yea all things are sanctified unto us and we are so kept and preserved that we fall not into temptation 1 Tim. 4.5 Mat. 26.41 Yea often times we obtain much more good then we desire or expect Solomon begged onely of the Lord an understanding heart and God gave him both riches and honour which he asked not 1 King 3.13 So able is the Lord to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3.20 So that of Prayer we may say it is a Key to open the door of Gods treasure house a present remedy for an oppressed mind a giver of strengh to the weak and an especial means to make a man fit to live knowingly fruitfully and serviceably to God in every state and condition Col. 1.9 10. What shall I say of it but as one saith well and truly It is Consolatio flentium cura dolentium sanitas aegrotoraem A Comfort for them that mourn the joy of the sorrowful and health for those that 〈…〉 force and efficacy what will 〈…〉 hath it not done It goes through the 〈◊〉 and ceaseth not until it come unto the Lord and if entreaties will not do it will with reverence be it spoken lay commands upon him Isa 45.11 Yea it doth as it were bind up the hands of the Lord and hinder him from executing his judgements overcoming him that overcometh all things Let me alone saith the Lord to Moses or suffer me that my wrath may wax hot against them to wit the Israelites that I may consume them Exod. 32.10 Abrahams prayer had saved Sodom from being destroyed had there been found ten righteous persons therein Gen. 18. Yea it is very observable that the Lord did not leave granting till Abraham left off petitioning By prayer Jacob was delivered from the wrath and fury of his Brother Esau Gen. 32.11 Jonah out of the Fishes belly Jonah 2.10 The three Children from the fiery Furnace Daniel from the Lions Den Dan. 3.6 Jonahs and Pauls Mariners from the danger of the Seas and Joseph and Paul and Silas and Peter and others out of Prison Act. 5.16 By Prayer Eliah stayed the Rain three years and six months and again obtained Rain so that the earth yeilded her fruit James 5.17 By Prayer Elisha had the spirit of Eliah doubled upon him and procured Bears to destroy the mocking Children 2 King 2. raised from death to life the Shunamites Son So Chap. 4. Had the eyes of his Servant opened so that he saw Mountains full of Horses and Chariots of fire round about him and smote the Syrians with blindness which came to take him Chap. 6. By Prayer Joshua commanded the Sun to stand still in the midst of Heaven until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies Josh 10.12 13. By Prayer Isaiah brought back the Sun ten degrees in the Dial of Ahaz 2 King 20 11. By Prayer David frustrated the wicked counsel of Achitophel and often put his enemies to flight 2 Sam. 15.31 and 16.23 and Psa 56.9 by Prayer Hezekiah was delivered from the King of Assyria and his health restored unto him again Isa 37. and 2 King 18. The Ninevites were delivered from the judgements threatned against them Jonah 2. Peter raised Tabitha and Paul Eutichus that had fallen down by sleeping Act. 9.40 and 20.10 The Centâ—rians Servant the Cananites Daughter and Lunatick persons were healed men blind received their sight the stammering and deaf were made to hear and speak Lepers were clensed and certain persons being dead were restored to life again So much availeth Prayer with the Lord if it be servent But to bring it a little more close as to the present visitation of the Lord See of what force and efficacy it hath been with the Lord to appease his wrath and stay the execution of his judgments When the Children of Israel fell a murmuring and had greatly provoked the Lord by their unbelief insomuch that the Lord threatned to smite them with Pestilence and disinherit them Moses falls a pleading and interceeding with the Lord for them Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word Numb 14.12 19 20. So that only those men who brought up the evil report upon the land dyed by the Plague before the Lord vers 37. So in the case of Korah Dathan and Abiram when the Congregation of the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron saying they killed the people of the Lord This so greatly incensed the Lord that he bad them go up from the congregation that he might consume them in a moment Hereupon the Text saies they fell upon their faces and Aaron according to the command of Moses takes his Censer and puts fire therein from off the Alter and put on Incense and made an attonement for the people for there was wrath gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron stood between the dead and the living and the Plague was staid Numb 16 45 46 47. This sheweth how greatly the Prayers and actions of Gods Servants do prevail with him when they are faithful fervent and according to his will Jam. 5.16 1 John 5.14 and foreshewed also the power and efficacy of Christs meditation for poor sinners who is represented by the Angels standing at the Altar having a golden Censer and much Incense given unto him to offer it with the prayers of all Saints Rev. 8.3 For God heareth him always John 11.40 And he it is that makes intercession for the transgressors Isa 53.12 and is the attonement or propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.1 and for his sake God before whom the Pestilence goeth in wrath remembreth mercy Hab. 3.2 5. And as the blood of the Paschal Lamb figuring the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 5.7 stayed the Angel which destroyed the Egyptians from touching the Israelites Exod. 12.23 Heb. 11.28 So the smoke of Aarons incense figuring the meditation of Christ Psa 141.2 Rev. 8.4 Stayed the Plague here from the Israelites which survived That as it is written of the Pestilence in Davids time The Lord repented him of the evil and said to the Angel that destroyed the people It is enough stay now thy hand 2 Sam. 24.16 So in this verse the further efficacy and effect of faithful fervent prayer for the removal of this sore visitation of the Lord is clearly held forth in that Prayer of Solomon at the Temples dedication If there be in the Land Famine if there be Pestilence whatsoever Plague whatsoever Sickness there be what Prayer and Supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his own heart and spread forth his hands towards this house Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place and
Spouse enjoyeth by Christ To wit that she is not only freed and delivered from evil but made partaker of his goodness in that all the works of his Prophesie Preisthood and Kingdom his Death Resurrection Ascention and all the fruits of them are communicated unto her by the Gospel which she feedeth upon by faith to the abundant refreshing and satisfaction of her soul Fruits signifying good works and the Graces of Gods Spirit which are to the benefit of our selves and others Mat. 3.8 10. Gal. 5.22 which is also applied to the Doctrine of the Gospel Joh. 15.16 and signifieth a comfortable reward Psal 58.11 and Prov. 27.18 So David he expresseth his delight in God by the Delight he took in his words or promises rather How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then honey to my mouth Psal 119.103 How sweet I am not not able to express the sweetness of them How sweet unto my taste unto my mouth that is unto the mouth of my heart and soul for otherwise the spiritual promises yeild but little sweetness unto the bodily mouth They are more sweet and pleasant unto my mind then honey is to my mouth He meaneth that he never tasted any meat with his mouth how good or pleasant soever it were as he felt Gods word sweet and comfortable to his soul To which agrees that in Psal 19 8 10. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart More to be desired are they then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the honey and the honey-comb And in Psal 119.11 Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever for they are the rejoycing of my heart Yea so delighted was he in the Lord that he would never think of him but his meditation of him should be sweet Psal 104.34 His soul should be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and his mouth should praise him with joyful lips when he remembred God upon his bed and meditated on him in the night watches Psal 63.5 6. What more pleasant and delectable to the palate then marrow and fatness and such was the meditation of God to his soul even in the night watches in the darkest and most dismal season of Gods dispensations To this agrees that in Psal 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures There 's a river of pleasures and delights that flow from God which as a well of living waters and an ever-springing in-exhaustible fountain of life and all divine graces can never be drawn dry but the streams thereof are always running To make glad the City of God Psal 46.4 Hence it is that the souls Communion with Christ and its spiritual participating of Christ in his Ordinances is held forth under the term of Supping with Christ If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Revel 3.20 I will communicate my self unto him have mutual fellowship with him I will dwell in him spiritually really operatively by my grace and he shall dwell in me by faith feed upon me receive strength and nourishment from me and so come to participate of my divine nature Hereby then mayst thou come to know whether thou makest God thy Habitation or not Men take delight in their habitations there they solace and recreat themselves and Husband and Wife take mutual comfort and contentation in each other Consider then what delight thou hast in God in Christs in his way and worship his ordinances and holy appointments Job 27.10 Dost thou take delight in approaching to God Is thy delight in the Law of the Lord and in that Law dost thou meditate day and night Psal 1.2 Rom. 7.22 Are his testimonies thy delight and thy counsellours Psal 119.24 Is his word unto thee the joy and rejoycing of thine heart as it was to that good Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 15.16 And dost thou delight to do the will of God as Christ did his Fathers Psal 40.8 What fellowship and society is there betwixt Christ and thy Soul Our fellowship saith John is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 The baptized and new added members to the Church continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Act. 2.41 42. They held communion with Christ and each with other in breaking of bread 1 Cor. 10.16 They assembled together prayed together praised God together sung together suffered and rejoyced together Act. 4.31 and 2.47 and 16.25 and 5.41 Consider then what entertainment thou hast with Christ does he invite thee to come unto him and does he bid thee welcome when thou comest does he bid thee eat that which is good and that thy soul should delight it self in fatness Isa 55.1 2. Wast thou never at dinner or supper with him when he killed his beasts mingled his wine and furnished his table and hath he not bade thee to eat of his bread and drink of the wine which he hath mingled Prov. 9.1 2 5. Christ keeps a plentiful table you 'l hardly find such another noble and generous house-keeper When he prepares a dinner he kills his oxen and his fatlings Mat. 22.4 and will entertain thee with a second course also He has his fruit that 's very sweet to the taste his flagons and his apples the one to stay thee the other to comfort thee And as Princes and great Persons have he has a noble Banquetting house too or house of wine for to welcome thee and if then he finds thee but a little sick of love he will not shun to put his left-hand under thy head and with his right-hand to embrace thee yea his Banner over thee shall be love Cant. 2.3 4 5 6. But now if their be no such intercourses of love and mutual delight betwixt Christ and thy soul If thou art still a stranger unto him and knowst not what it is to have communion with him or to be supping with him If when he has bidden thee to the wedding and hath made all things ready and sent out his servants to call thee and thou shalt make light of it and refuse to come and chuse rather to go to thy Farm or Merchandise and be feeding still upon thy husks or be making excuses and telling him thou hast bought five yoke of oxen and thou must go to prove them or hast married a Wife and therefore thou canst not come Or if thou shouldst do worse then this take his servants and entreat them spightfully and slay them Mat. 22.5 6. comp with Luk. 14.16 Let me tell thee thou wilt incense him greatly even to send forth his Armies to destroy thee I say if thy heart is dead and drowsie and estranged to God and void of love and dutiful affections to Christ thou art far from dwelling in the secret place of the most high and making him thy
a promise was here also upon the account of their obedience their peace or prosperity rather should have been as a River that is abounding and always lasting as a River floweth continually and stoppeth not And their righteousness as the waves of the Sea that is the blessed and happy estate of their Government as the fruit of their righteousness should as the Waves of the Sea been exceeding abundant flowing and flourishing and their seed should have been as the Sand of the Sea for multitude So Isa 1.12 If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land But if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the sword If ye obey my commandements ye shall eat the best things of the Land Job 21.25 So Elihu in his speech to Job If they obey and serve him they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures But if they obey not they shall perish by the sword and they shall dye without knowledge Job 36.11 12. See also Lev. 26.13 Deut. 6.3 and 11.22 and 26.27 and 28.15 What promises the Lord made upon the account of their obedience More particularly to the thing in hand that in Deut. 7.12 13 14 15. Is worthy of our best observation where among many other things which the Lord promised as great and singular blessings upon that score this is not the least nor meanest The Lord will take away from thee all sickness and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt upon thee but will lay them upon all them that hate thee What the evil diseases of Egypt were is well known to most This of the noysom destroying Pestilence being one Amos 4.10 Let me add two or three places more in the New Testament and then I shall draw to a Conciusion John 8.12 I am the light of the World saith Christ he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life He that embraceth my Doctrine with a true faith and obeyeth the same shall not walk in the darkness of error and sin but shall have the light of life to bring him to everlasting life So John 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honour Can that man be in a miserable or uncomfortable condition to be where Christ shall be and what honour can be comparable to that which God the Father shall confer upon those who serve the Lord Christ I shall only add Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the City to wit of the new and Heavenly Jerusalem which descendeth out of Heaven from God and commeth down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Rev. 21.2 Whereof see the description vers 10. And what this Tree of life is See Rev. 22.2 By this Tree of life is meant the Lord Jesus Christ Fitly called the Tree of life in respect of his vivifying conferring and preserving life unto them that eat thereof which is but one though he is said to stand in the midst of the street and of either side of the River that is his leaves and roots is on both sides of the River so that there is no want on either side Hence Christ said to him that overcometh I will give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God This I say is Christ himself the Fountain and Author of our life The Bread of Life Joh. 6.51 The Water of Life Joh. 4.7 The Resurrection and Life it self Joh. 11.25 And he stands by the River because he never withereth or is fruitless A Tree planted by the Rivers of waters is always green and fruitful Christ alone is sufficient for life unto all and to quicken all his elect for ever and ever This Tree hath twelve manner of fruits and yeildeth her fruit every moneth and the leaves of the Tree are for the healing of the Nations What does this hold forth but the quickening vertue of Christs merits and spirit which is vigorous and efficatious throughout the whole year that is for ever and ever to preserve always this spiritual life and this blessed refreshing for the Israel of God without any weakening or enseebling Joh. 15.16 And mark in the close of this discourse that the leaves of this Tree have a medicinal use for to preserve the health of the Nations Not that there shall be any infirmities any more in the New Jerusalem but that the healing of all infirmities which was wrought here by the merits and spirit of Christ shall be thereby the same power for ever kept and preserved inviolate for all beleivers See Ezek. 47.12 Now blessed are they that do his commandements as touching the not worshipping of the Beast and his Image the forsaking of Babylon and the faithful following of the Lamb subjecting and submitting to all his holy heavenly pure evangelical institutions appointments and commands patiently and chearfully suffering for his sake in bearing witness unto the truth if called thereunto persevering in the grace of Christ doing justly loving mercy and walking humbly with God such shall have right to this Tree of Life and enter in through the gates into the City They shall have a right of enjoying Christ and his unspeakable benefits and be perpetual and most happy Inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of water and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7.15 16 17. I shall add no more but that of Paul to Timothy Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 FINIS