righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth these things shall live by them according to which rule there shal no man be justified in the sight of God for by the Law is the knowledge of sin yea it concludes under the Curse Every â—â—â— that continueth not in all that is written in the book of the Law to doe it Gal. 3. 10 11 12. so that whoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point Jam. 2. 10. and there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not Eccles 7. 20. yea la many things we offend all Jam. 3. 2. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wife Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead it sets not men a work to enquire how these things she ll bee wrought for them in Christ or to fancy or seek for an accomplishment of them over again in them But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even that preaching of peace by Jesus Christ declaring all this freely done and finished for us by God in the Person of Christ without any thought motion or desire of ours This word of Reconciliation is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart even this word of faith which wee preach declaring the ground of Faith prepared and true in him and thence instructing and perswading to beleeve it This is made nigh in those preachings of it vouchsafed that by its owne light and power it might bee acknowledged and beleeved that if according as in this nigh coming of the Word light and power comes with it instructing moving and strengthening the heart thou shalt confess with thy mouth and beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised Christ from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousness c. Rom. 9. 30-33 10. 1-11 therefore also this Prophet Isaiah interprets the true followers after righteousness to bee they that seek the Lord for righteousness and strength that on the report of his righteousness being near in Christ in whom he hath caused his Judgement to rest for a light to the people doe beleeve that report and entertaine in their heart that his Law or Doctrine Isa 51. 1-7 45. 22-25 53. 1. Those that in the light and power of Gods testimony concerning Christ in the opening of it to them as therein it is made nigh them fall down in the sence and acknowledgement of their owne sinfulness and vileness and the unprofitableness of all their owne works to help them and seek righteousness in Christ even by faith in him in what hee hath done and is become for sinners that through the knowledge and faith of him they may bee found in him clothed with his Righteousness and not that of their own Phil. 3 8 9 10. 1 Job 5. 20. These are the righteous and so of the righteous Nation that learneth and keepeth the truth as it is in Jesus these are the righteous spoken of in this text and therefore truly so called 1 Because herein they doe Righteousness or Justice they are doers or workers of good Rom. 2. 10. Acts 10. 35. 43. 1 Joh. 2. 18 29. 3. 6. 2 Joh. 9. 3. Joh. 11. For 1 In this they doe nothing in any light wisdome or strength of theirs as of them in or by which no man can understand the things of the Spirit or come to Christ or doe good but as knowing their strength is to sit still in this respect letting their imaginations fall and every high thing that exalts it self against the obedience of Christ they by him do beleeve in God they through Grace beleeve and that not of themselves but of the gift of God they come in his drawings see light not in their own but in his light beleeve in the evidence and demonstration of his Spirit and by the power thereof coming along to them in his words and works so that their faith is of the operation of God who of the discovery of his owne good will in Christ through the word of truth begets them they are in this not their owne but his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus who of God is made to them Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and so doe work the work of God not only which hee requires of them but which himself is working in them Joh. 6. 29. for they are born to this beleeving on his name not of bloud nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God Joh. 1. 12 13. 1 Jâ—h 5. 1. Jam. 1. 18 19. 1 Cor. 1. 29 30. Eph. 2. 10. and yet this is graciously imputed or counted to them for righteousness though it is the powerful operation of the grace of God in them through his name As on the other hand that which is in Scripture called Vnbelief that is to reject when men hear is truly charged on men as their owne proper sin disobedience and unrighteousness even wilfully committed against the light and power of Gods grace bringing Salvation for though men have neither light of understanding nor freedome or inclination of will in themselves as of themselves yet while he is calling hee is certainly putting forth his hand drawing with the cords of love and the bands of a man the demonstrations of his love evidenced in the lifting up the Son of Man and lifting up the yoke of thraldome on the Jews setting meat before them so that his goodness not only hath tendency but sutable operation in it It doth lead men to repentance though they draw back and harden their hearts again so that he that despiseth despiseth not man only but God who hath also given them of his holy Spirit to instruct and reprove them they harden their hearts against the word spoken in his Spirit in the light and power of that by his Prophets Isa 65. 1 2. Hâ—s 11. 2-7 Rom. 2. 4 5. Nehem. 9. 20. 26. Zach. 9. 11 12. 1 Thess 4. 8. and so are fighters against God closing their eyes and stopping their ears and hardening their hearts when hee is opening and working upon them lest they should be converted and hee should heal them Mat. 13. 15. 2 They doe in this beleeving on his name doe nothing but what they have good reason and substantial ground for in what he hath done and is become for them as declared in his testi-Mony and what they are thence obliged to as their reasonable service there being a righteous ground and foundation of faith prepared and laid for us in Christ as declared in the Gospel whether men beleeve and so come and be built upon it or no for God hath made him that knew no sin to be sin for us that wee might hee made the righteousness of God in him Whence also the Holy Ghost reproves the world of
releeve Yet for our selves we have cause to lament Yea sure the Judgement is of large extent And larger than to them that lay 't to heart Nor is' t the less because few feele the smart Yet still our cause of lamentation's more To ses the Children of the Spiritual Whore Against the Heavens themselves with sport rejoyce Not doubting to prevail with their strange voyce Reproaching now the poor that trusts in God Because afflicted with their Fathers Rod But in due time God will arise and then No place will be for these proud wicked men In the great Judgement then they shall not stand But shall be broken with a mighty hand A little while and then he will not stay But come with all his Saints O come away Is it not yet the time to judge thy Flock When as to outward means their powers do slack Is there yet any left shut up or hid Cause them t' appear thy flock to help and rid Make them more wise and strong to doe exploits Through thy good name to shew the deep deceits So manifold of him whose name is Legion That with us may remaine the pure Religion And haste the coming of that blessed day In which thou wilt wipe all our tears away In mean time teach us to account and mind Thy patience is Salvation to th' unkind A pleasure in their death thou now hast none While yet thy grace brings them Salvation Of thy mind make us more as reading well i th' greatness of thy love thy terror sell Thence instantly with meekness praying them Now to be reconciled unto him That was made Sin and Curse for 's all that we The righteousness of God in him might be T. M. Junior A Lamentation over the dead in Christ with Instruction Admonition and encouragement to the Survivers in some explication of the words of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 57. 1. as compared with other Scriptures Isaiah 57. 1. The Righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come THe words present us with a Two-fold matter of Lamentation or cause of grief doubled in the expression of each part to note the greatness of the Judgement and to awake us to the more diligence to learn righteousness by it 1 That the Righteous perisheth merciful men or men of kindness and godliness are taken away 2 That no man laies it to heart none considers that the righteous is taken away from the evil We read to come but those two words being added by the Translators as appears by their different Character may be left out in our reading and the text without them not only as fully takes in the truth expressed by but is more signified viz. That he is taken away from the evil as well that present as that to come The Instructions fully signified and set before us in the words of this Lamentation are 1 That the perishing of the righteous the taking away of men of kindness and godliness is a sad correction to the survivers which God would have so laid to heart and considered by them 2 That when God so strikes and yet none lay to heart or consider it it is an evidence of wilful blindness and great hardness in such a people and a sign and fore-runner of greater Judgements 3 That even in these sad Judgements there is special mercy and choyse blessedness to those so taken away and that to be considered also they are taken away from the evil Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yèa saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them I That the perishing of the Righteous is a sad correction to the survivers which God would have so laid to heart and considered by them for our understanding and usefulness of this wee shall propound to consideration 1. Who are the Righteous 2. In what sence they may be said to perish and when they so doe and then shall further demonstrate and explicate the Position I Who are the Righteous and merciful men or men of kindness or godliness truly if men be considered as they are by Nature and first birth as descended from Adam or as they are in and of themselves or in what they may attain to by the will of flesh or will-wisdome and strength of man in whatever exercised There is none righteous or doth good no not one of all the naturall Children of Adam they have all sinned and are come short of the glory of God they are become wholly sinful weak and corrupt they are dead in sins and trespasses and children of wrath as so considered one as well as another Psal 14. Rom. 3. 19-23 Ephes 2. 1 2. By the Law is the knowledge of sin in the best as well as in the worst works of men yea it discovers his whole nature over-spread with it and therefore by the deeds of it shall no man be justified in the sight of God Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 3. 11. Psal 143. 2. There is only one man of all the Nature even the man Christ Jesus that is in a proper and strict sence Good or Righteous in and of himself and for us and he is none of the natural Children nor naturally of man but of God Mark 12. 18. who also prepared for him a Body in our Nature and of a Woman by the secret and wonderful efficacy of his holy Spirit and did in that Body deliver him to Death for our Offences and raise him again for our Justification and gave him glory that our faith and hope might be in God And he is expresly called the Righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1. the Just Jam. 5. 6. even the righteous or just one and justly too for 1 He is perfectly so in and of himself being the Natural and only begotten Son of God so that he is of the Father the same that the Father is Righteousness Justice Truth Holiness and Goodness it self yea in that Body prepared for him in mans Nature though he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh subject to all our infirmities that came by sin yet without sin He knew no sin And this rendred him a meet and worthy Person to undertake for Sinners to prepare and give a Ransome to God and bee a Mediator for them for Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one therefore no meer man can redeeme his Brother or give to God a ransome for him for such a High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled c. 2 He is perfectly so in what he hath undertaken and done for men in that Body prepared for him in mans Nature he hath perfectly and voluntarily fulfilled that will of the Father he came to doe as to the works to be finished in his own Body on the earth Psal 40. 6 9. Hebr. 10 5 12. Joh. 17. 4. He humbled himself and became obedient to death
manifested in Christ and yet perceives no such preciousnesse in Christ and his testimony as to move him according to his measure to count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ but easily listens to and admires the pretended excellencies of other spirits that lift not up the Son of Man according to the Apostles Doctrine but privily some other thing or work in his stead or embraces and cleaves to the things of this present world nor is moved with like love and compassion towards men from the grace in Christ beleeved nor united in heart with them that fear his Name and call upon him in truth to know and own them as brethren and strive together with them for the faith of the Gospel but hath left his first Love or else hath not yet so received the love of the truth as to save him let us not acknowledge his sayings to bee true that he doth so unfeignedly beleeve the truth as it is in Jesus for so we shall render God a Lyar and his Word without effect but let God be true and every man a Lyar for that grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men teacheth us That denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live righteously soberly and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mighty God and our Saviour Let none of us therefore be moved to mean thoughts of the efficacy of the word of faith because we or others prove it not while we think and say we beleeve that thence we should slight that as vain and run to some other way to wait for the Spirit or for perfecting what was begun by the Spirit in the hearing of faith but let us judge our selves of wavering unconstancy or double mindednesse and of neglect of that so great Salvation and having itching ears after something sutable to our divers lusts and let us suffer our hearts by the grace of God while yet admonishing and striving with us to be more fixed trusting in the Lord without guile or waveringnesse seeking righteousnesse in Jesus through the knowledge and faith of him through which he gives all things pertaining to life and godlinesse Let us give more earnest heed to the things we have heard in the word of the truth of the Gospel least at any time we let them slip Consider that love of God to manward appearing in and through Christ saved the Apostles and so and therein they had the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost shed on them abundantly through Jesus Christ and that Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth for therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith And to this answers the other descriptions of the righteous ones in this text They are merciful men or men of kindnesse or godlinesse Men filled and seasoned with the apprehension and perswasion of the mercies compassions and kindnesse of God to sinners to the unkind and evil and of that as discovered in the face of Christ where he is to be truly known and worshipped And so of his good will in Christ begotten through the word of truth to their faith and hope in him and joy in hope of the glory to bee revealed and patience in tribulations and thence moved and filled with bowels and mercies compassions and kindnesse answerable to that they beleeve and perceive to be in God towards others even towards all in blindnesse and distresse yea to the unkind and evil the love of Christ constraining them to perswade them to be reconciled to God in Christ and to seek â—heir good by all means within their capacity and with all earnestnesse knowing also the â—errour of the Lord because they thus judge That if one dyed for all then were all dead and that be dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him this dyed for them and rose again yea hence also they are filled with delightful love of and desire of fellowship with those that call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart and with bowels of mercies humblenesse of mind meeknesse and goodnesseone towards another and towards all men answerable to the kindnesse and mercies of God in Christ And so if we read it men of godlinesse it will come to the same for they are the right and true worshippers of God who worship the Father in spirit and truth and such the Father seeks to worship him they worship adore honour magnifie beleeve and trust in him in the Spirit that is in the light and power of and according to the testimony of Jesus and of Gods glory as shined in his face which testimony the Holy Ghost hath given and in it his evidence and demonstration of Christ and of the Father is And therefore when we are called upon to godlinesse or to worship God that testimony of Jesus is said to be the spirit of Prophecy in and according to which we are to worship Rev. 19. 10. and so they in that light and strength of the Spirit have their rejoycing in Christ Jesus The truth And have no confidence in the flesh Joh. 4. 23 24. 5. 23 24. Phil. 3. 3. and in this true worship and fear of the Lord they are made partakers of the Divine Nature in interest in it union or fellowship with it conforming to it so as by Christ through faith so as thereby they goe on purging themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of the Lord 2 Corinth 6. 16-18 7. 1. purifying their hearts through beleef of the truth and retaining the hope of it in them to unfeigned love of the brethren and to more freedome from the intanglements and cares of this world as those that are pressing after the mark of the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus which pure religion and undefiled brings forth its fruit in their visiting the Sick the Widdows and fatherlesse in their affliction and keeping themselves unspotted in the world so as they walking in the Spirit though they have flesh warring in them are by the light and power of the Spirit in the testimony of Jesus kept from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and so preserved blamelesse unto the day of Christ Rom. â— 8. 1-13 Gal. 5. And to this agrees that two-fold description of the Persons that shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and stand in his holy place Psal 24. 3 4 6. The first is He that hath clean hands and a pure hears that hath not lift up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully for though there is none righteous no not one but all have sinned and are wholly polluted and unclean yet this truth remains for ever Without holiness no man shall see the Lord so that if there be
Jesus in that his most holy Body being made perfect through sufferings is the anoynted Prince and Saviour for to give us repentance and forgiveness of sins and he hath confirmed the Promises to the Fathers and given forth the testimony and revelation of himself and the Fathers glory in him in full and as it must stand till his Second appearing At which Great Day all the things behind shall even so bee fulfilled as declared in this dispensation of the fulness of times in the meane time God hath spoken to us in these last dayes by his Son and in and with and according to this word is the influence of the light and power of his Spirit poured out on all Flesh on all the Nations reproving the World and leading Beleevers into all truth the Father having glorified him for the calling the Nations in the preaching peace to them by vertue of the peace made for them by his bloud Isa 55. 4 5. Matthew 28. 18 19. 1 Tim. 2. 5 6 7. 2 In and with this consideration of the great things he hath done Rich provision of all things pertaining to life and godliness in him for us behold him also in his faithfulness in all his Work and Office appointed him it is according as it hath been manifested in that which he hath already done therefore that to be remembred as a standing witness of it as Isaiah 50. 4 5 to the end so Hebrews 12. 2. he that failed not in that will not fail in any thing that he is appointed and impowred to for us in the vertues of that either in his appearing in the presence of God for us or in the Name of the Father giving good things to us that through him we might be saved See also the Fathers face in his Good and upright is the Lord therefore will be teach sinners in the way and then it follows The meek that is those sinners that in his first and preventing teachings are melted and turne in the light and power of his reproofs those will he guide in judgement and further teach his way Psalme 25. 8 9. like that John 16. 8 9 10 13. he fails not Isa 4â— but makes his Judgements as the Light that goeth forth he is all the day long while by any means he is calling to behold him stretching out his hand Isaiah 65. 1 2. Hosea 6. 5 6 7. his goodness is leading to Repentance even those that are not led by it Romans 2. 4 5. Isaiah 48. 17 18. Psalm 81. He is drawing with the cords of a man the demonstrations of a Saviour in a body prepared for him through sufferings made perfect and glorified with the Fathers owne self and with he bands of love the displayings of his love and glory in that face of Christ and therein lifting up the yoke of thraldome naturally on the Jewes while he sets meat before them and this even to such as break his bands and cast away his cords from them Hosea 11. John 3 14 15 16. Psalm 2. Jeremy 5. 5. Zach. 7. 11 12. Ezek. 24. 11. 13. Psalm 81. and in turning at his reproof he will pour out his Spirit further and make known his words Proverbs 1. 23. hee hath now no pleasure in the death of any Sinner yea behold he stands ready to accept of all commers And in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted with him to him give give the Prophets Witnesse that through his Name whoseever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins and the end of that man is peace Consider also as further Motives to press us to haste and diligence in Learning Righteousnesse the present opportunity only is ours wherefore the Holy Ghost saith To day if yee will hear his voyce harden not your hearts If once the good man of the House that by such Providences as is the subject of this Discourse appears as rising up if once he bee risen up and have shut the door against any of us it will then be too late And this also wee know wee must all dye and doe see that the natural life is a very Bubble presently broken by the least blast of God and the gathering time terminates with that at farthest After death the Judgement shall bee according to the things now done in the Body good or evil according to the rule of the Gospel Let all move us to consider and receive instruction while it is to day learn Righteousnesse by his Judgements and for our direction herein Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly in receiving his Testimony concerning Christ and as that gives ground perswades and strengthens in the supernatural Light and Power with which it is evidenced and made nigh thee so through it beleeving on him that justifieth the ungodly as Romans 4. 10. to love mercy accept receive and drink downe the mercy and pitty of God to man-ward as manifested in and through Christ bringing Salvation as Hosea 6. 6. with Matth. â— 13. reject not the grace of God in Christ the love of the Truth that comes to save your souls and walk humbly with thy God acknowledging our owne vilenesse wretchednesse and deadnesse in sins and trespasses ascribing Righteousnesse to our Maker receive the Sentence of Death in our selves that wee may learn to trust in him that raiseth the Dead lift not up our imaginations high thoughts or purposes against the evidence and demonstration of Christ the instructions reproofs and requirings of that Murmur not among your selves but with meeknesse receive the ingrafted word that is able to save your souls and in the light and strength of it be yee doers of it in all the fruites of Righteousnesse Justice Mercy and humility in your whole demeanour towards God and mâ—◠〈◊〉 that Grace of God that brings Salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blesseâ— hope c. The Lords voyce crieth unto the City the man of wisdome shall see â—â—â— name hear yee the Rod and who hath appointed it Mich. 6. 8 9. FINIS ERRATA PAge 2 l. 1. r. significant p. 6. l. 26. adde he is guilty of all p. 8. ◠〈◊〉 jawer p. 19. l. 3 â— for in r. from p. 17. l. 1. r. beleeve p. â—7 l. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 23. adde the p. 48. l. 29. r. jawes