eaten by them Christ counts it an Honour to him when we come to feed at his Table and Feast on his Righteousness then his Name is Glorified in us 2 Thes 1.11 12. 6. What Grace is this that Jesus Christ should not only prepare and bring Righteousness but also apply it as Parents provide Clothes for their little Children and also put them on Christ is God's Righteous Servant that Justifieth many Isa 53.11 Christ's Righteousness Merits the very Faith that applyes it that sense seems to be offered by Peter's words as they ly in our Translation We obtain pretious faith through the Righteousness of God even our Saviour Christ 2 Pet. 1.1 this procures the Spirit to plant and work Faith Jesus Christ by his Spirit draws us to himself John 12.32 he not only opens the Fountain but also washes Souls in it Zech. 13.1 Revel 1.5 he not only provided the Medicine but also dresses the Wound and binds up the broken in heart Isa 61. Christ presents his Sacrifice and Sufferings continually before God which is his Burning Incense in the Heavenly Sanctuary Revel 8.3 his Blood speaks in Heaven Heb. 12.24 and by the Spirit as the Finger of our Great High-Priest Levit. 16.14 it is continually without intermission according to the Promises sprinkled on the Consciences of Believers on Earth Ezek. 36.25 7. O Bless God for the admirable effects the excellent fruits that are joyned with or do follow after Christ's being made Righteousness to us 1. That there is not only Peace but Good-will Luke 2.14 not only Enmity is quenched but Love burns Sin 's place and the Believing Sinner's too is changed Sin was before God's Face Hos 7.2 but is now cast behind his back Isa 25.17 and Reconciled persons are set before his Face Psal 41.12 This is matter of Praise that there are such admirable effects or consequences of Christ's being made the Lord our Righteousness 1. That though the Curse do fall on the Creatures for our sakes yet it falls not on those that are Justified When God made a Promise of Christ to Adam he does not say Cursed art thou but Cursed is the Ground for thy sake Gen. 3.15.17 God speaks to Cain a Reprobate in other Language Now thou art Cursed Gen. 4.11 God may Curse the Creatures for our Sin yet the Curse may not light on our persons and Souls 2. That we are not only pardoned for the present but secured for the future God did not only preserve Noah from being drowned by the Flood but doth assure him that his Sins and the World's should not provoke him to send a Second Flood on the World Gen. 8.10.21 Gen. 9.11 So here Christ stands in the breach to keep out an Inundation and Flood of Venegance and appears at the Bar to prevent the going forth of a Condemning Sentence As God doth see his Rainbow in the Clouds and looks on it and remembers his Covenant Gen. 9.13 14 15. So Christ is a Rain-bow round about the Throne to secure us from future storms and Floods of Evils That God doth not only hide his Face from our Sins but also blot out our Iniquities that they may not cannot be seen or read for the time to come Psal 51.9 3. That not only God pronounces a Justifying Sentence in the Court of Heaven but the Spirit also pronounces this Sentence in the Court of Conscience Causing the penitent Believer to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness Psal 51.8 and sheds abroad the Love of God in the Heart Rom. 5.5 and seals him unto the day of Redemption Ephes 4.30 4. As Jesus did Engage his Heart to come nigh to God as a Surety and Priest Jer. 30.21 so he now came and doth bring us near to God as Freinds Supplicants and Worshippers 1 Pet. 3.18.5 That there is not only Peace but also Good-will Luke the 14. There is Grace to Establish our Hearts against the dread of Vengeance and the horrours of Eternal Death Heb. 13.9 It is sweet when no storm of Vengeance hovers and hangs over the Sinners Head no matter of Accusation springs up in his Heart to make him a burden to himself and a terrour to others O what sore Temptations are guilty Creatures in the anguish of their minds exposed to Sometimes they could wish there were no God or desire themselves rather to be annilalated then to see his frowning Face and feel his punishing Hand to Eternity But the Grace of God guards and Establishes the Heart against such dreadful wishes as these 2. That we are precious in God's eyes Isa 48.4 Though we are vile in our selves yet we are presented to God as Pretious Stones on the Shoulders and Brest-plate of our High-Priest Exod. 28.12 21 28 29. 3. Though we are unclean in our selves yet by virtue of Christ's Righteousness we are undefiled The Church confesses her Infirmity and acknowledges her Sin yet Christ calls her Undefiled no spot or blemish did cleave to her because She had put on Christ for Righteousness Cant. 5.2 4. Jesus Christ gives an Inherent Righteousness as well as an Imputed Righteousness as God gives us for our Cloathing both Flax and Wooll to cover our Nakedness Hos 2.9 Flax is for inward and Wool for outward Garments Inherent Righteousness may be compared to Flax this is near to and dwells in the Soul Imputed Righteousness may be compared to Wool as it is a warm upper-Garment We need Christ's Righteousness as a Garment over all our Graces to cover the Imperfection and Defects that are in them Our own Righteousness is compared to a Breast-plate Ephes 6.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet above all over all or upon all we are bid to take the Shield of Faith Ephes 6.16 Faith that takes hold of Christ's Righteousness is compared to a Shield this is a Guard and Defence for all the other Pieces of Armour We are liable to many Accusations because of the weakness of and the defects that are in our Breast-plate of Righteousness This may be pierc't by Satan's Darts and our Souls be wounded with Trouble and Terrour but it is the Shield of Faith taking hold of the Righteousness of Christ that must Ward our Accusations and Guard us from Terrors Surely shall one say in the Lord I have Righteousness Isa 45.24 in the Hebrew it is I have Righteousnesses in the Plural Number We have a Robe of Righteousness Isa 61.10 this is Righteousness Imputed and we have a Breast-plate of Righteousness Ephes 6.14 and this is Righteousness Imparted When we call the Lord our Righteousness then we our selves are called Trees of Righteousness Isa 61.3 as we cannot stand alone but are carried on the Shoulders of Christ our High-Priest Exod. 28.12 and in the Arms of Christ our Shepherd Isa 40.11 so we do not grow alone by our selves but as Branches on Christ our Root and Vine John 15.1.5 5. 'T is a great Mercy that our Sins are blotted out Isa 43.25 and God will not enter into the City
Captain of our Salvation is the mighty God Isa 9.6 no Enemy can stand before him or prevail against him no Disease is so strong or malignant but the great Physitian can cure it no Dross cleaves so close to us but he can separate it from us Christ is a refining Fire to his People and a consuming Fire to their Enemies As the first Adam corrupts and defiles inevitably so the second Adam can renew cleanse sanctify irresistibly And infallibly he can speak so as to cause the Deaf and Dead to hear Isa 29.18 John 5.25 He can woo so as to cause himself to be loved and chosen he can draw so as to make Sinners to run to him at first Isa 55.5 and to run after him ever after Cant. 1.4 The spirit of Christ is mighty in its Operations it acts as a spirit of Power it causeth Men to pass under Christ's Pastoral Rod and brings them under the Bond of the Covenant Ezek 20.37 It causeth Men to approach to God and dwell in his House Psal 65.4 It causeth Men to walk in God's ways and to keep his Statutes Ezek. 36.27 This word Cause is observable and emphatical and signifies the spirit's mighty and effectual way of working It doth not only propose Arguments and sollicite the Souls of the Elect in a moral way but renews the Will changes the Heart effectually inclines men to yield to and follow after God The event is not pendulous and uncertain and suspended on Man's free-will but Christ undertakes that his Sheep shall hear his Voice and he will bring them to his Fold John 10.16 4. Christ's Salvation is a full and comprehensive Salvation Luke 1.71 That we should be saved from the Hand of our Enemies and from all that hate us Sin the World and Death are our Enemies 1. Sin is our Enemy Our Lusts do Satan's work if he should stand still James 1.14 15. A Man is tempted and drawn away by his own Lust This is a Body of Death Rom. 7.24 it deforms our Souls as much as Death deforms our Bodies it makes them corrupt putrify and stink in the Nostrils of God it renders us as unactive for God as a dead Carcase is unserviceable to Man it defiles and enslaves our Souls lets us only do dead works Heb. 9.14 such works as are the fruits of spiritual death and the seeds of eternal death Where it prevails and reigneth it causeth us continually to go a whoring from God and to rise up in Rebellion against him it causeth us to lead a life of Vanity here and prepares us for a life of Misery hereafter 2. The World is an Enemy We need the Armour of Righteousness on the Right Hand to secure us from the danger of Prosperity and the Aamour of Righteousness on our Left Hand to guard us from the evil of Adversity 2 Cor. 6.7 Height of Prosperity and depth of Misery Rom. 8.39 are dangerous snares and may prove mortal Enemies to us if Grace doth not prevent The World's Musick is to draw and its Furnace is to drive us from God Satan takes his Bait and fetches his Weapons from some thing in the World How doth it blow up and inflame our Hearts fire and fuel our Lusts How many are made to forget God and to think they have no want and need of him in their Plenty and Abundance Psal 50.22 Job 1.14.15 Job 22.17 Jer. 3.31 3. Death is an Enemy to God's People 1 Cor. 15.26 it strikes them dumb and deprives them of the use of their Tongues in praising God which is their Glory Saints as well as others when they die go down into silence Psal 115.17 Isa 38.18 Death disables us from working for God in a body of Flesh it gives a Quietus est to one half of us and dischargeth it from the service of God The Temple in which the spirit dwelt is now pulled down and sinks into Dust and Ashes and Death that deprives us of so great and glorious an Inhabitant in our Bodies and takes us off from such noble service with our Tongues and Members must needs be our Enemy But Christ saves from these Enemies Sin shall not Reign Rom. 6.14 and in due time it shall cease to be sin and shall be utterly extirpated out of the People of God As Israel's Freedom was begun in the death of the First-born of the Egyptians and was compleated in the drowning of Pharaob and all his Host in the Red Sea so the liberty of Saints is begun in destroying the reign of beloved sins that are the first-born of the Old Man and shall be compleated by the total extirpation and destruction of all sin We are Baptized into the Death and Burial of Christ Rom. 6.3 and we must be made Partakers of the saving Benefit of both Sin shall not only die but also be buried A Dead Man hath lost his Command in the House yet his Carcase may remain in it but when he is to be buried his Corps is carried out and he ceaseth any longer to be in the House So sin shall not only cease to reign but also to be in the soul we shall be washed and free from every spot and wrinkle Ephes 5.25 26 27. 2. The World is foiled and overcome by Christ Joh. 16. last It could not divert or draw him from doing his Father's work and will and this conquered Enemy shall not have strength to captivate and destroy Believers they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb Rev. 12.1 Our victorious Saviour hath purchased conquering Strength and merited Victory for us in the midst of all snares and temptations We are more than Conquerors through the Lord Jesus that hath loved us Rom. 8.39 3. Christ will save his People from Death after this Enemy hath not only swallowed them up but digested them Christ hath abolished Death already in himself and will abolish it also in all his People Hos 13.14 he threatens Death that holds the Rod over and threatens the whole World he menaceth Death that he will be the plague of Death a mortal Disease to it He threatens the Grave that he will destroy it and in due time Triumphant Saints shall sing this Song O Death where is thy sting O Death what hast thou gotten by killing our Bodies they are alive again O Grave where is thy Victory what hast thou gotten by taking away all the shape of a Body and crumbling it into Dust 3ly This Body is now restor'd our Particles of Dust are gathered together and formed into a Body like the glorious Body of Christ 1 Cor. 15.55.57 Phil. 3.21 Christ will in Living Saints at the last day swallow up Mortality of Life 2 Cor. 5.4 and in dead Saints he will swallow up Death into Victory Isa 25.8 2dly There are those that hate Saints and so wicked Men and Satan do they hate them because they bare the Image and live the Life and uphold the interest of God but the wicked cannot kill the Souls of the Saints
God's Throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fire God's Throne hath wheels to pursue Guilty Creatures a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him This is a dreadful description of God's Throne as a Tribunal of Justice But now as it is sprinkled with the Blood of Christ we have a most sweet discovery of it Revel 22.1 There is a pure River of Water of Life clear as Chrystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lamb and there is a Rain-bow round about the Throne Revel 4.3 signifying the flood of God's Wrath is abated and that Christ is near the Throne to prevent a condemning Sentence issuing out of it and a storm of Vengance falling from it 5. Jesus Christ's Blood is still speaking in Heaven and never silent Heb. 12.24 And this speaking Blood drowns the voice of the accuser and the cry of our Iniquities Christ's representing and pleading his Sacrifice in Heaven is his burning Incense before the throne Revel 8.3 to take away the stink of our Sins from the Nostrils of God 6. Christ by his death hath dedicated consecrated and confirmed a new Testament Heb. 9.15 16. The threatnings were in force before for our destruction but the promises could not be in force for our Salvation but by the death of Christ God might have confirmed his threatnings by our death but he hath confirmed his promises by the death of Christ How different is the Language of the Law and of the Gospel The Law saith where there is an Offence there must be of Necessity the death of the Offender But the Gospel speakes thus where there is a Testament there must of Necessity be the death of the Testator Though Christ seemed to die as a Malefactor in the eye of the World yet he died as a Testator in the eye of God and Believers Though he was emptied and impoverished stript of all of his Liberty Garments good Name and Life by his Enemies yet even then he did Bequeath all good things and died as a Testator to enrich others O! that Jesus Christ should as it were put himself out of Possession of all to put us into Possession of all good things Heb. 9.11 A Covenant could not be made between God and Sinners but by Blood Heb. 13.20 Those words may be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Shepherd of the Sheep great through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant That Shepherd was indeed great that by his blood could Establish an Everlasting Covenant Covenants used to be made by killing Sacrifices and cutting them in twain and the Covenanting persons passed between the pieces of the Sacrifices Gen. 15.9 10.17 18. Jer. 34.14 Now Christ the great Sacrifice was cut in twain his Soul and Body were Separated from each other and by our passing through the parts of his Sacrifice by Faith we pass as the Hebrew phrase is into Covenant with God Deut. 29.12 God might have torn us in pieces for our Covenant breaking Psal 50.22 But O! what Grace is this that Jesus Christ should be cut in twain for the Renewing of the Covenant between God and us Christ's Blood is of such efficacy that it makes the Covenant Everlasting always new It is styled a New Covenant Heb. 8.8 that which will never be Antiquated or Abrogated God hath now put his Covenant into the best and most Excellent form It was first a promise then a Covenant but now it is stiled a Testament God hath finished his Covenant-Dispensations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will finish or perfect a New Covenant It is so finished that there is never to be any other Edition of the Covenant Heb. 8.8 it hath its last and final Sanction it hath the strongest Confirmation by the Blood and Death of Jesus Christ God hath spoken in these last days by his Son Heb. 1.12 and there is nothing beyond this but seeing Face to Face Jesus Christ by his Righteousness hath Merited the application of his Blood and the bestowing of all good things on us this seems the fairest sence of those words in 2 Pet. 17. as they ly in our Translation Simon Peter to those that have obtained like precious Faith with us through the Righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ that is through the Mighty Merit of Christ's Righteousness the Elect obtain Faith it self the Spirit or Sanctification the New Heart these are the good things that our High-Priest brings Heb. 9.11 Christ having fulfilled to the Father his Promise in the Covenant of Suretyship and Redemption he gives to the Elect a right to all the Promises of the Covenant of Grace 8. This Righteousness of Christ gives us a Title and Right to the Heavenly Inheritance it is called Justification of Life Rom. 5.18 The Righteousness of God and his Kingdom are joyned together Matth. 6.33 God's Righteousness gives us a title to and a fitness for God's Kingdom Glory it self seems to be styled The Hope of Righteousness Galat. 5.5 This Righteousness of God gives us ground to hope for Heaven and the possession of it is Executive Justification in the fullness of it Ainsworth understands those words of the Psalmist as meant of imputed Righteousness Psal 17. last In Righteousness I will behold thy face This Righteousness of Christ assures us we shall see God's Face we must first come to the Fountain set open for sin and uncleaness that we may arrive at the Fountain of Life We must touch at the Purifying Fountain that we may have access to the quickening Fountain Psal 36.9 We must first draw Waters at the Wells of Salvation Isa 12.3 and then the Lamb will lead us to Living Fountains of Water and God will wipe all Tears from our eyes Rev. 7. last 4. Consider the great benefits that they obtain who have the Lord to be their Righteousness 1. They are not only Pardoned but Justified Pardon may be given by a Prince's Prerogative where there is no Compensation made for a wrong but Justification is properly by an Obedience given and satisfaction made to the Law Our Pardon is not only a Fruit of Mercy but an Act of Justice God is Just in Justifying Rom. 3.25 26. Blood is sprinkled on the Mercy-Seat Levit. 16.14 to intimate that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 God did not in a way of Sovereign Prerogative reconcile the World to himself He did it not alone by himself or by a meer act of his own Will but he was in Christ reconciling the World to himself Grace reigns but it is through Righteousness Rom. 5. last God is highly pleased by Christ he honoured God's Holiness by Obedience to the Commands of the Law and Glorified God's Justice by his enduring the Curse Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to them that believe Rom. 10.4 All that the Law could aim at or require is fulfilled in Christ he obeyed the Precept and felt the edge of the Threatning because Believers are
followed and an Execution have taken hold of us It is God's Right and Royal Prerogative That his Will should be our Supream Law and his Glory our last End but how have we debased God to exalt our selves how have we as it were spoiled him of his Soveraignity and justled him out of his Throne to establish our wicked wills and obtain an absolute unlimited and an independent liberty But Jesus Christ died to make satisfaction for the wrong Man had done God Psal 69.4 Then restored I that which I took not away The first Adam affected to be as God in Knowledge and Independency the second Adam was condemned for saying he was the Son of God Mat. 27.64 65 66. and making himself equal with God John 5.18 John 10.36 So Christ paid the Debt he did not contract and pacified the Wrath be did not provoke And how much should pardoning mercy engage our hearts to God The best of men are but reconciled Enemies released Prisoners pardoned Malefactors What mercy is it that he who seeth our sins with indignation should yet himself cover them in mercy Jer. 13. last Psal 85.2 That the God that wrote down sin Isa 65.6 should himself blot it out Isa 43.25 Sin is a terrible writing it self and it draws after it another more dreadful writing Job 13.25 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the sins of my Youth The Sentence of Death did use to be written and then read to Criminals Sin recorded will procure a written Sentence of Condemnation Punishment is the Eccho of sin In this sense Sanctius takes the Hebrew word Isa 59.12 Our sins answer to us How bad will it be to possess the sins of Youth The word rendred Youth Job 29.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also Reproach It is too often that Youth is perverted so that it is a Reproach to God and to us too How necessary therefore is a Pardon to cross God's Book cancel our Bond and reverse the Sentence of Death God that wounds us with the threatnings of his Law heals us by the stripes of Christ He received Wounds that God might be Just in justifying them that believe in Jesus Rom. 3.25 26. How gracious is God that at once removes from us the Incentives of Wrath and presents to us the Fuel of Love Luke 7.47 48. How precious should Justification be to us that hath a sweet retrospect to Election and as accompanied with a comfortable prospect of Glory Whom God predestinated and called them he justified Thus we may with admiration look back And whom God justifies them he glorifies Rom. 8.30 And so we may with Joy look forward Pardon springs from everlasting Love flows to and issues in eternal Life What Thankfulness therefore doth it call for If he justifies we are no more to fear Crimes past so they are no more to go on in sin for time to come Hath not Christ born sufferings enough on the Cross that men will load him with new Affrints and Provocations Those do not think Christ's Sufferings to be bitter and heavy that can make light of and take delight in sin The Heart is to be Christ's habitation Eph. 3.17 and not the receptacle of any sweet and secret Lust We that daily need mercy should not daily provoke anger As the work of Creation is attended with providence which is a continual Creation so the new pardon we need and God bestows is a continual Justification as the Creation would sink without a day by providence to uphold it so Justification would cease without a daily pardon to continue it There may be a Pardon before a Trial to prevent Condemnation as well as a pardon after Sentence to hinder Execution That the Blood of Christ which meritoriously purged sin on the Cross Heb. 1.3 may be applied to you and sprinkled on you to purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God is the unfeigned and servent desire of Your Lordship 's most Humble and Obliged Servant SAMVEL TOMLYNS Hilcot July 1. 1696. A SERMON PREACHED On the late Fast on the 26th Day of June 1696. PSAL. LI. 9. Hide thy Face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities IN the Text we have the Psalmist's Petition for Pardon but it may be objected 1. What need had David to beg Pardon had not God given it already Nathan told David the Lord had put away his iniquity 2 Sam. 12.13 I answer Though God had pronounced the Sentence of Justification by his Prophets yet it seems not to be pronounced in and sealed to David's Conscrence by the Spirits Peace is the Fruit of the Lips as spoken by God's Ministers yet it is the Effect of the Spirit as created in the Soul by it Isaiah 57.19 The Priest did use to sprinkle the Leper Lev. 14.7 But though David looked on himself as a Spiritual Leper yet he was not satisfied with the Priest's sprikling him with the Blood of the Sacrifice but he sues to God himself to sprinkle him with the Blood of his Son the thing signified so it is not enough for Ministers in God's Name to pronounce Pardon but the Spirit must Ratify it and Establish Peace in the Soul else the storm will not cease the wound be healed the burden be removed and the Soul land at the Port of Assurance The Psaimist in the Text doth in an humble way Address to God That he would hide his Face from his Sins and blot out his Iniquities he doth imply that if God's Eye was fixed on his Sins his Anger might be fired by them there was Fuel for God's wrath if God would but behold it there was matter enough for Accusation cause enough for Condemnation if God would but read it but he begs God would turn away his Face and shut his Eyes not observing or imputing what would be destructive to him the latter expression in the Text enlarges and encreases the Sense and heightens the Mercy he doth not only Pray that God would hide his Face from his Sins but that he would blot out all his iniquities A Man may turn away his Face from an Object and yet the thing still remain as it was and be as visible as legible as before but David sues to God not only to hide his Face from seeing sin but that he would so blot it out that it may not any more be visible legible or remain to be imputed Doctrine Awakened humbled Souls do cry for this as the most valuable Mercy that God would hide his Face from their Sins and blot out all their iniquities But what is it for God to hide his Face from Sin Answer It is not to see and observe it with the Eye of Vindictive Justice So it is said God doth not behold Iniquity in Jacob nor see Perverseness in Israel Numb 23.21 God passes by Sin as if he did not see it Mic. 7.18 and he passes over the sinner as if he did not observe his iniquity God covers