workings of the Law first Yet notwithstanding if I will lay a necessity upon such a precedency of a legal work before I do come to Christ then I am too legal 7. In the times of the Old Testament men did then upon any great discovery of God flie from God as when God gave out the Law they fled from God And when Christ did a great work before Peter Lord saith he depart from me for I am a sinful man But now in the Gospel the greater the discovery is the more a Gospel Spirit doth draw near to God Oh 't is good for me to be here saith he 8. The time of the Old Testament was a time of the Letter And therefore if a man of a legal spirit can but perform his duty according to the Letter of the Commandment he is satisfied But the times of the New Testament are the times of the Spirit We are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit And therefore a Gospel spirit though he can perform his duty according to the Letter of the Command yet if he don't attain the spirit in it he is unsatisfied 9. To say no more in it but this In the times of the Old Testament God spake by Visions and Dreams and Signs But now in these latter days he hath spoken by his Son and we have a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto we do well that we take heed So that thus you see that there is a difference and what the difference is between the way of the Old and New Testament between an Old Testament and a New Testament spirit Fâ—urthly But then 4ly Suppose now that I have recourse too much to Mâ—ses in these Gospel times and not enough unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Suppose I be legal in these Gospel times is there any great danger in it Much very much And I pray consider it that we may be all found upon Gospel ground in this Gospel day Danger I say much For I. The more legal you are in Gospel times the more sinful you will be and the less able for to live unto God 1. The more sinful you will be For saith the Apostle Let not sin reign in your mortal body for ye are not under the Law but under Grace And the less able you will be to live unto God For saith the Apostle Gal. 2.19 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Till ye be dead unto the Law you will never live unto God and in the Rom. 7. Ye are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit untr God Dead unto the Law That ye may bring forth fruit unto God Never think of bringing forth fruit unto God while you are upon a legal ground and come not off fully to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant 'T is observed that the Law was given out twice in Tables of Stone And the first time that they were given out God did cut out the Tables of Stone and he himself did write the Law with his own Finger in those Tables The second time Moses cut out the Tables of Stone and Moses wrote the words of the Commandment upon those Tables In the 34. of Exod. Hew thee two Tables of Stone like unto the first saith God Well so he did at the 28. v. And he wrote upon the Tables the words of the Covenant the Ten Commandments The first Tables were of Gods own making and the writing was of Gods own Finger The second Tables were of Moses framing and Moses writing and yet the first were broken the second kept What should be the Reason One would think that the first Tables should have been kept as a holy thing rather then the second but the first were broken and the second kept why For a good reason saith Austine because when the Commandment was given in the first Tables then God appeared in a dreadful way with Thundring and Lightning When God gave out the Commandments again the Lord appeared in a way of Grace The Lord proclaimed unto Moses Exod 34. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands Thus God proclaimes himself as a gracious and merciful God and when the Law comes out now 't is kept No such way to keep the Commandments of the Law as from the consideration of the free grace and mercy of God When the Law comes out with a Gospel hand I then it 's kept and the Commandment not broken So that I say the more Legal you are the more sinful you will be and the less able you will be for to live unto God 2. The more Legal you are the more opposite you are to your own assurance to a full setled assurance of your interest in God and Christ We have not received the Spirit of bondage you read it again to fear but the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Assurance is a work of the Comforter but the Spirit of servitude 't is opposite to the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 't is a great Enemy unto true assurance Now is it not a miserable thing for a man or woman to be always fluctuating and never to have assurance setled The more Legal you are the more opposite to your own assurance But 3. Though you do serve and worship the true God yet if you worship him in a Legal way your worship will be Antichristian For what 's Antichrist and who is Antichrist The Apostle John tells you in the 1 Epist 4.3 Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that Spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come But shall Antichrist deny Christ to be come in the flesh in so many terms No He shall not deny the Incarnation of Christ for he shall sit in the Temple of God How then shall Antichrist deny Christ to be come â—n the flesh He shall set up such a Worship as was before Christ came in the flesh As in the time of the Old Testament before Christ came in the flesh there was an outward glorious and a pompous Worship so shall Antichrist have As in the time of the Old Testament before Christ came in the flesh there was a Temple and a great Cathedral so shall Antichrist have As in the time of the Old Testament before Christ came in the flesh there was a High-Priest and Priests and Levites so shall Antichrist have As in the time of the Old Testament before Christ came in the flesh there were Copes and Ephods and Linnen Coats so shall Antichrist have As in the time of the Old Testament before Christ came in the flesh there were Candles and Tapers and Musick in the Temple so shall Antichrâ—st have As in the
saith Moses now And therefore saith Christ If thy Brother offend thee tell him of it and if he hear not call two or three and if he mind not then tell it to the Church and if he hear not the Church let him be as a Heathen or Publican to you for when two or three are gathered together in my Name I am in the midst of them Matth. 18. We are to hear what Jesus saith in this matter and not what Moses And as then in the times of the Old Testament they had recourse to Moses under God for their Ministry and Moses did direct them unto Priests and Levites for their Ministers So now in the times of the New Testament we are to have recourse to Jesus for our Ministry and therefore saith the Apostle He hath set in the Church Pastors and Teachers And in Ephes 4. He hath ascended up on high and he hath given gifts unto Men Pastors aâ—d Teachers and the like We are to hear what Jesus saith now and not what Moses for our Ministry And as in the times of the Old Testament they had then recourse unto Moses for the Ordinances for their Sabbaths for their Sacraments and for their Worship So now in the times of the New Testament we are to hear what Jesus saith and to have recourse to him for these things Go saith our Saviour Christ and teach all Nations baptizing them and teaching them to observe and do what I command you Matth. 28. And for the Lords Supper What I received of the Lord that delivered we unto you saith the Apostle And for the Sabbath The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath Go to him for your Sabbath not to Moses but unto him And for Worship saith our Saviour Christ unto the Woman of Samaria John 4.23 The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him You that are Samaritans you have worshipt God but you have not worshipt God according to his own appointment you have not worshipt him in Truth The Jews they have worshipt God according to Gods appointment but not with the Spirit But now the hour cometh when men shall worshâ—p the Father in Spirit and in Truth In Truth in opposition to Samaritans that did not worship according to appointment And in Spirit in opposition to the Jews that worshipt God Legally and without the Spirit Thus we must hear what Jesus saith And as then in the times of the Old Testament they had recourse to Moses still when they wanted Bread he under God gave them Manna and he gave them water out of the Rock So now in the times of the New Testament we are to have recourse to Jesus for our Bread In John 6. saith Christ Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meaâ— that indureth to everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed And as in the times of the Old Testament they had much recourse to Moses for their Faith If they could not believe Moses wrought miracles before them and they believed Insomuch as it s said in the 14. of Exod. last And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his Servant Moses But now what saith Jesus Let not your heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me Not in God and in Moses but ye believe in God believe also in me And to say no more in it but this In the times of the Old Testament they had recourse to Moses for their Rest Mâ—ses was to lead them up to Canaan and the Land of Rest And so now in the times of the New Testament we are to have recourse to Jesus for our Rest for saith he himself Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Thus as in the times of the Old Testament they were upon all occasions to have recourse to Moses So now in the times of the New Testament upon all occasions we are to have recourse to Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament for saith the Lord by Moses in the 18. of Deut. 18. v. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren like unto thee rather as thee that is as I raised up thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him Which the Apostle applies unto Christ Acts 3.22 For Moses truly said unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me rather as me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as me that is as he raised up me not like unto me as the Socinians would argue from hence That Chriâ— must be but Man like to Moses For Moses truly saiâ— unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your Goâ— raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me rather as me That is as he raised up me Him shalâ— ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unâ— you So that thus As they had recourse to Moseâ— upon all occasions in the time of the Old Testament so now we are to have recourse unto Jesus And thuâ— we see what it is to come unto Jesus the Mediator oâ— the New Covenant in opposition unto Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant 2. But then secondly Whether is it possible for a man that doth profess to come unto Jesus the Mediaator of the New Covenant still to have recourse to Moses that is Whether is it possible for a man to be Legal and Mosaical in these Gospel times Without all doubt it is and I wish if it were the will of the Lord that too many were not found upon Legal ground among Prâ—fâ—ssors What think you of the Galatians Did not they live in Gospel Times Did not they profess to come unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant Yet see how the Apostle treats them and reproves them again and again for their being too Legal too Mosaical Ye are fallen from Grace saith he My little children of whom I travâ—â— in birth again till Christ be formed in you Ye are so much for Moses and the Law that I travel in birth again till Christ be formed in you As there was a mixture of the Gospel in the time of the Law so there may be too great a mixture of the Law in the times of the Gospel And I pray what think you Are there not very many that live under the Gospel in whom sin reigns Yes many live under the Gospel in whom sin reigns And saith the Apostle Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies for ye are not under the Law but under Grace If you be under the Law then sin will reign in you And what 's the reason that sin reigns in many that live under the Gospel
Reward Christ himself had All love of reward is not Mercenary But for a man to serve God mostly chiefly onely upon the account of wages and for reward this is plainly Legal A man of a Gospel spirit knows that he lives upon a better Purse than all his own earnings can amount unto But 2. A legal Spirit also is a fearing Spirit put on rather by the Threatning than by the Promise a Gospel spirit rather by the promise than the threatning In the times of the Old Testament the Threatning reigned And if you look into Deuteronomy you shall find that when Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant preached and declared the mind of God unto the people he begins with Curses and Threatnings Deut. 27. They were upon two Hills and v. 14. The Levites shall speak and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice Cursed be the man that maketh any Graven or Molten Image an abomination unto the Lord. Cursed be he that setteth â—eight by his Father or his Mother And Cursed be he that removeth his Neighbours Land-mark and so he goes on with Curses In the 28. Chap. then comes the blessings It shall come to pass if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice â—f the Lord thy God to observe and do to all his Commandments which I command thee this day That the Lord thy God will set thee on High above all Nations of the Earth and all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee Blessed shalt thou be in the City and blessed shalt thou be in the Field blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy Cattel the increase of thy Kine and the flocks of thy Sheep Mark how the Blessing comes after First comes the Curse when Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant preached But now look into the 5th of Matth. and ye find that when Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant comes to preach that he begins with Blessing Blessed are the poor in spirit and blâ—ssed are the meek and blessed are those that hunger and thirst after Righteousness and blessed and blessed First comes the blessing and then afterwards in the following part of the Chapter comes the Law and the curse And if you look into this Scripture you find the difference also for saith the Apostle here We are not come unto the Mount that might be touched that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet and the voice of words which they could not endure so terrible was the sight thereof But ye are come to mount Sion Would you know the difference between the dispensations the one is terrible the other comfortable The one is fearing and the other comforting Look in the 10th of Rom. The Apostle there also makes the difference between the Spirit of the Law and the Gospel Moses saith he v. 5. describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them Do and live but at the 6. verse The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven It don't hold the soul in suspence and anxiety and fear and trouble Christ hath ascended and Christ hath descended Quest But you will say May not a man that is of a Gospel spirit and that is come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant be full of fears May not a good and gratious soul be full of fears about his condition Answ I answer He may but his fears do arise from the weakness of his Adherence and Faith The other's fears do rather arise from the weakness of the ground he stands upon As for example Two men are affraid of drowning one stands upon a Rock and he is affraid of being drown'd the other stands upon a Quick-sand and he 's affraid of being drown'd both are affraid He that stands upon a Rock is affraid of drowning why because he is affraid he shall be washt off His fear arises from the weakness of his Adherence But the other's fear arises from the unsoundness of the ground he stands upon for it is upon a Quick-sand So here are two fears a gracious Gospel-heart fears and a Legalist fears One fears from the weakness of his Adherence I am upon the Rock but I am affraid I shall be washt off But the other's fears arise from the weakness of the ground he stands upon he stands upon the Quick-sand upon his own duties and his own works so that a legal Spirit is a fearing Spirit He is put on rather by the Threatnings than the Promise The other by the Promise rather than the Threatning The one is kept from evil by his delight in good and the other is put on to good by his fear of evil That 's the second 3. In the times of the Old Testament they did very much measure the love of God by outward things For the Promises as you know then were mostly concerning Temporal things and so they measured the love of God much by those outward things But now in the times of the New Testament our Promises are mostly spiritual and therefore a New Testament spirit measures the love of God most by Spiritual things and not by these outward things 4. A legal Old Testament spirit trades much or most or altogether with conditional Promises for the Old Covenant Promises were most conditional and ran conditionally But now when God promises the New Covenant he gives out an absolute Promise and therefore a New Testament spirit trades much with absolute promises For he knows and you may know that though a promise be conditional the Lord hath promised the very condition in another Scripture and that without a condition And he knows and you may know that when God gives a promise with an Oath though the promise do run conditionally it shall be fulfilled absolutely 5. In the time of the Old Testament they came unto Christ by the promise for Christ was not yet come but promised But now in the times of the New Testament we come first to Christ and so unto the Promise for all the Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ 6. In the time of the Old Testament they came unto Christ by the Law and without the Law they might not come to Christ For the Law was a School-master for to bring to Christ But now in the time of the New Testament The Law is not our School-master for to bring to Christ And though seldome any go to Heaven but come by the gates of Hell And seldome men do come to Christ now but they have some
commanded by Moses in the Old-Testament and go unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament for grace to perform them There is nothing commanded in the Old Testament but it 's promised in the New There is nothing commanded by Moses in the Old Testament but Christ the Mediator of the New Testament is ingaged to perform it for you and to give you grace to do it The Law commands and Grace helps The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth comes by Jesus Christ Observe therefore what that is that is commanded by Moses in the Old and go to Jesus the Mediator of the New for Grace and Strength to do the same 3. Then be sure that you stand when the Spirit breathes Now the Spirit breaâ—hes in the pure and clean preaching of the Gospel Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith VVould you be brought off from Moses and stand clear from Moses choose to stand under such a Preaching where the Spirit breathes and that 's a Gospel Preaching 4. Then put your selves upon the stream of the free Grace of God without having any foot on your own bottom Some men will learn to swim and they are loth to lean themselves upon the stream of the water but keep a foot at the bottom and they never learn to swim till they take up the foot Some would fain be Evangelical but they cannot lean themselves upon the stream of Grace but keep a foot at the bottom still upon some thing of their own Some there are that do and work and when they can work no further then they eke it out with Christ's Mediation So indeed they make the Mediation of Christ but an Eekment to their own working But away with these Eekments Oh let Christ be all let Christ be all And therefore 5. Study much the body of Jesus and the allsufficiencie of the Mediation of this Jesus the Mediator of the Covenant The sight of Gods Alsufficiencie will draw one off from the Creature And the sight of the Alsufficiencie of the Mediation of Christ will draw one off from Moses Put thy self often unto this Disjunction Come O my soul either there is enough in the Mediation of Jesus or not If not enough why do I go unto Christ at all if there be enough why should I not stand clear from Moses and upon pure Gospel ground Thus therefore do Quest But Suppose I have come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant what should I do that I may walk up unto this condition What should I do and how should I so walk as one that is indeed come unto Jesus the Mediator of the Covenant that yet I may stand upon Gospel ground and not touch at all upon Moses Answ First If you be indeed come unto Jesus this Mediator of the New Covenant and would walk sutably thereunto VVhy then should you not still throng and press after the Appointments Institutions and Ordinances of Jesus The Law and the Prophets were untill John but from John the Baptist the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence that was sutable to the Gospel And what was the suffering violence but peoples pressing after the Gospel So now to press after the Kingdom of Heaven suites with a Gospel state to press after the Ordinances and Appointments of Jesus suites with a Gospel staâ—e But secondly Labour more and more for to know your Christian â—iberty in Conjunction with strictness of life Some there are that are very strict in their lives but they don't know their Christian lâ—berty some again know their Christian liberty yet abate in their strictness of life But blessed is that knowledge of our Christian liberty that is in conjunction with more strictness of life Oh blessed blessed is that knowledge of our Christian liberty where strictness of life and holiness grow up together with it Therefore I say labour more and more to know your Christian liberty in conjunction with strictness and holiness of life this suites a Gospel state then shall you do as those that are come unto Jesus But then Thirdly In regard of your Faith Be sure that you close with Christ himself the absolute Promise and live in continual dependence upon Christ this Jesus this Mediator For as living upon an old Stock and a Stock received suited with a covenant of works So living in continual dependence upon Jesus for fresh Grace suites with this covenant of Grace whereof he is Mediator Fourthly In regard of your repentance and sorrow for sin the more your hearts do melt and thaw under sense of love that you have sin'd against God For the Law rends and tears but the Gospel melts and thaws The more that you grieve for sin and rejoyce in God together The more you grieve for sin that is pardoned and because 't is pardoned For a legal Spirit grieves for sin onely that it may be pardoned but a Gospel spirit because it is pardoned And the more you grieve for sins that are secret the sins of your spirits especially unbelief For saith Christ I say unto you he that locketh upon a woman c. The more I say you are found doing these things in reference to your Repentance the more your Repentance suits with the Gospel and with a Gospel state And then Fifthly As to the matter of your Obedience 1. The more gracious you are upon the account of Grace the more Evangelical And 2. The more free you are in your actings towards God the more Evagelical those that Jesus makes free are free indeed Free Not from duty but free in duty free from sin but not free to sin A legal Spirit is restrained from evil and constrained to good Labour to be free in all your actings towards God And 3. Then again The more you are conformed unto God the Father who hath given you this Mediator and to Jesus this Mediator the more Evangelical you are and the more you suite with this Gospel state unto which you are come Now a man is conformed unto God the Father when he doth good to men for evil Bless them that curse you so shall ye be the children of your Father Then a man is conformed to Jesus this Mediator when his life is inammeled with Meekness and Humility Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and lowly Friends the Law frets and the Gospel sweetens 4. And then In case that you have to deal with the things of the wâ—rld The more you are estranged from the world by Faith and can forsake the things thereof for Christ and his Wayes and Truth bearing witness to his Truth and wayes the more you comply and comport with a Gospel state If thou wilt be perfect saith Christ to that Legalist go and sell all that thou hast and come and follow me and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven And In case that you meet with sufferings look upon all your sufferings as part of Christs purchase for you Your
his own Blood But Jesus did he offered up himself by the Eternal Spirit as in the 9th of the Heb. 3. And though Abel and the Fathers of the Old Testament offered excellent sacrifices yet they offered often and so those sacrifices could not make the Commers thereunto perfect saith the Apostle But Christ offered himself once for all And so he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 4. Though Abel and the Fathers in the Old Testament did offer excellent sacrifices yet their sacrifice was after their sin committed when they had commited a sin then they were to get a sacrifice and possibly they might have died before the sacrifice was offered but the sacrifice of Christ is before our sin is committed we cannot die between the sin and the sacrifice 5. And though Abel and the Fathers of the Old Testament offered excellent sacrifices the blood whereof was sprinkled on the people yet that was but to the purifying of the flesh for saith the Apostle at the 13th v. of the 9th Chap. If the Blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh c. But the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus purgeth our Consciences from dead works How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Upon which words saith Capellus you have here the excellencie of this offering above all other offerings in the World above the offerings of the Heathen above the offerings of the Jews above the offerings of the Christians Above the offerings of the Heathens for they sacrificed to Devills but he offered himself without spot to God Above the sacrifice of the Jews for their blood of sprinkling sanctifyed to the purifying of the Flesh but this to the purging of your Conscience from dead works Above the offering of the Christians for though Christians offer up spiritual sacrifices to God as prayers and thanksgivings yet not without spot but he offered himself through the Eternal spirit without spot to God 6. And then Though Aâ—el offered an excellent sacrifice and so the Fathers of the Old Testament yet notwithstanding those were for themselves and for those times Abel offered for himself and the Jews for themselves for that time onely but Christ offered a sacrifice for all the World He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the World and a Lamb slain from the beginning of the Wâ—rld 7. Again though Abel offered an excellent sacrifice and the Fathers of the Old Testament offeâ—ed excellent sacrifices and the blood thereof was sprinkled yet it was not sprinkled upon all things but in the 9th Heb 't is said Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of the Ministry and almost all things are by the Law purged with blood It was but almost but now by the blood of Jesus all things are purged and cleansed not almost but all things are purged and cleansed Thus now you see what this blood of sprinkling speaketh and how it speaketh better things then the blood of Abel better than his Personal blood and better than his sacrificed blood and that 's the second General 3. Now 3 unto this blood of sprinkling are we come in these Gospel-tâ—mes We are not come unto the blood of Bulls and Goats and heifers but we are come unto the blood of Jesus the blood of sprinkling For what is the dispensation that we are now under but the dispensation of a crucâ—fied Christ There are two Comings of Christ mention'd in the Scripture A coming in a way of meanness riding upon an Ass his first coming is in a way of humiliatâ—on riding upon an Ass and accordingly his Kingdom is a Kingdom of Patience And there is a coming second Coming of Christ when he comes riding upon the Clouds in power and Great Glory and accordingly his Kingdom then shall be a Kingdom of power and Glory When Christ comes the second time we shall be under Glorious dispensations but now we are under the first Coming of Christ and therefore what is the Dispensation that now we are under but the dispensation of a crucified Christ What doth a Preaching signifie and hold forth but Christ crucified We Preach Christ crucified saith the Apostle What do the Sacraments hold forth why This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood saith he So that now we are under the Dispensation of a crucified Christ In the times of the Old Covenant they did believe in God and God himself was the first object of their Faith and so they came to Christ now in these times of the New Testament the first and immediat object of our Faith is the blood of Christ Faith in the Blood of Christ Rom 3. So that I say It is the blood of Jesus that now we are come unto Well but though in these Gospel-times we are now come to the blood of Jesus the blood of sprinkling yet it may be this blood of sprinkling may not be sprinkled upon my soul When may the blood of sprinkling be said to be sprinkled upon a mans soul How shall I know whether this blood of sprinkling be sprinkled upon my soul in particular that 's a Question of great Concernment Thus therefore 1. If it be your great work in all your Temptations and upon all Occasions to apply your selves unto the blood of Jesus then is the blood of Jesus applyed to you and so sprinkled on you The blood of Jesus is sprinkled on us by the Spirit of God and when it 's sprinkled by the Spirit of God it is applyed If you do make applications of your selves to Christ certainly Christ hath made applications of Himself to you for all our grace is but a reflexion of his Grace we love him because he loved us first and we choose him because he chose us first and we apply our selves to him because he hath applyed himself unto us first If therefore in all Temptations and upon all occasions it be your great work to make an application of your selves unto the blood of Jesus then hath the blood of Jesus been applyed to you and sprinkled upon you 2. If you ever have had such a sight of the blood of Christ as that thereby you are purged from an evil Conscience Then hath this blood been applyed to and sprinkled on you They go together In the 10th Heb. 22 it s said Let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience or purged the 9th of the Hebrews calls it purged having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience What is that why an evil Conscience is an evil Conscience two wayes either because it is a sluggish Conscience and don 't stirr us up unto our duty and accuse for sin or else because it is a clamorous
Blood of the Lamb. They have washed their Robes how what with their great Tribulations No They came out of great Tribulations but their Tribulations dont wash them these are they that came out of great Tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Nothing on this side Christ and this blood of sprinkling can cleanse your souls But 4. Though there be nothing on this side Christ that can cleanse your souls but the blood of Jesus yet it is the Spirit of Christ that must sprinkle it The blood of Jesus is then sprinkled when it is applied now this is the work of the Holy Ghost I will sprinkle you with clean water I le wash you with water As it is a derogation to the blood of Christ to go to any else for cleansing So 't is a derogation to the Spirit of Christ to go to any else for sprinkling or to go to any else for that application of the Blood of Christ 'T is onely the Spirit of Christ that must sprinkle this blood upon your and my soul 5. Though this sprinkling must be done only by the Spirit Yet notwithstanding this blood of Jesus is sprinkled by the ordinance in the hand of the Spirit by the preaching of the Gospel He preaches not that sprinkles not the blood of Christ in preaching and especially by that great ordinance of the Lords Supper You may observe therefore that the same words that were used in the Old Testament when they sprinkled the blood This is the blood of the Covenant as in the 9th of the Hebrews are used by our Saviour Christ at the Lords Supper This Cup is the New Testament in my blood c. Why so but to shew thus much that this ordinance of the Lords Supper is the Hysop in the hand of the Spirit whereby the souls of believers are sprinkled with a fresh sprinkling Oh therefore who would not come to this ordinance of the Lords supper in a right way and manner 6. But then again you must knâ—w â—lso that you must come for sprinkling with the great'st sense of unworthines that may be Iâ— you look into the 19th of Numb you shall find that he that sprinkâ—â—d the blood was to be unclean until the evening v. 7. Then the Priest shall wash his cloaths and he shâ—l bâ— tâ—e his flesh in Wâ—ter and afterward he shall come into the Camp And the Priest shall be unclean until the evening At v. 6. The Priest shall take Cedar-wood and Hysop and Scarlet and cast it into the midst of the burning or the Heifer and then the Priest shall wash his cloaths and come into the Camp and shall be unclean until the evening And at the 8th v. He that burneth her shâ—ll wash his cloathes in Water and bathe his flesh in Water and shall be unclean until the evening And a man that is clean shall gather up the Ashes of the Heifer and lay them up without the Camp in a clean place and it shall be kept for the Congregation of the children of Israel for a Water of separation It is a purification for sin and he that gathereth the Ashes of the Heifer shall wash his cloaths and be unclean until the evening What 's all this but to shew thus much That they might not come to this sacred Expiation but with the greatest sense of their unworthiness Plainly shewing thus much That there is no medling with this blood of sprinkling but with the greatest sense of our unworthiness of the blood of Jesus Now therefore do you desire that you may be sprinkled with this blood of sprinkling then whensoever you go to the blood of Jesus and look upon it go with the greatest sense of your unworthiness of this blood then go to the Spirit of God whose work alone it is to apply and sprinkle and then stand and wait where the Spirit stands with his Hysop to sprinkle the souls of men and so shall you be made partakers of this great priviledge But suppose that I be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus and that this blood of sprinkling hath indeed fallen upon my soul what is my duty then 1. Then Go away and doubt no more When the sinning Jew was sprinkled do you think he doubted whether he were pardoned or no No surely he did believe that he was pardoned and that he was in Covenant with God For those words were used This is the Blood of the Covenant And shall you be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus and will you doubt whether you be in Covenant with the Lord by Grace or no c. This blood of sprinkling speaketh and you have heard what it speaks now then I pray take heed that you don't refuse him that speaketh from Heaven mark how it follows in the very next words to the Text We are come to the Blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven Why man or woman 't is Jesus that speaketh to thee Jesus the Mediator of the Covenant that speakes unâ—o you to believe What are you sprinkled go away then and doubt no more but take heed that ye refuse not him that speaketh from Heaven And secondly Then also conclude and say Now know I that I shall be preserved from the destroyer When the Isralites posts were sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb They could say Now know I that I shall not be destroyed by this destroying Angel Art thou sprinkled with the blood of Jesus say then Now know I that I shall not be destroyed but that the Angel shall pass over me in the destroying day 3. Then also go away and be Contented with your Condition what ever it be And well you may if you be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus you are made partakers of the greatest priveledg that can be and will you not then be contented with your Condition Go away and be contented with your Conditions saying I have now received the greatest privelege for I am sprinkled with the blood of Jesus therefore will I be contented with my Condition What ever it be 4. And then go away and praise God and be very thankful Be very thankful to God the Father and to the Lamb with whose blood you are sprinkled Look into the 5th Rev. and you shall find there are 3 quires of Praisers and all praising upon the account of this blood And when he had opened the book v. 9. the 24. Elders fell down before the Lamb and they sung a new song The four and twenty Elders these are men saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood By thy bloud here 's the foot of the Song Then comes in the
And the more sensible we are of the loss of our thought-pâ—ssessions and of our Meditations the more fit we shall be for this work of Meditation First therefore be very sensible of your want and neglect of this work of Meditation thus long 2. If you would meditate indeed on God and the things of God labour more and more for a Serious Spirit A frothy leight and giggling disposition is never fit for Meditation Labour therefore to be serious And there are three or four things that will poise and make your hearts serious The sight of the glorious Majesty of God The sense of your Eternal Condition Eternity Eternity Humiliation for Sin And converse with those that are serious Be serious and you will be more fit for Meditation That 's the Second 3. If you would indeed meditate on God and the things of God labour more and more for a Fixed Spirit Fixation of Spirit is a great friend to meditation An unsettled an unfixed soul cannot meditate Fix therefore first And there are many things that may fix your Spirits The great and weighty Judgments of God that are upon us may help to fix us and hang lead upon our heels In case you are to come to Meditation or any other Work come free and don 't leave any businesse standing at the Door for a hundred to one but your hearts will step out unto it at the time of your Work whether Meditation or Prayer or any thing else Therefore come free unto every Duty if you would be fixed And labour for Intention of Affection In Meditation Prayer or any other Work be Intense We use to say when the Candle burns the Mouse doth not nibble but when the Candle is out then the Mouse nibbles when our hearts are warm and lively in Prayer and Meditation we are free from distractions the Mouse nibbles not And in case you meet with any distraction in Meditation or other duty don't stand to Correct your heart in the time of the duty but go on with your work If a woman carries a Child abroad among friends and the Child cries and makes a disturbance the mother don't then correct the Child there but calls the Child to an account when she comes at home for saith she Else would my correction be a further disturbance to the company So here when you meet with distractions in duty if you call your hearts to an account then it will be a further disturbance but on with your present duty correct afterward and thus shall your hearts be the more fixed and fixation of heart is a great help to Meditation 4. If you would indeed meditate on God and the things of God be sure that you lay out such objects as may give entertainment to your thoughts For if there be no Corn in the Quern what grinding will there be Have therefore objects laid out to exercise your thoughts withal upon all occasions And so when you have any spare time your Objects lying by you will be presently upon the work of Meditation only let those Objects be such as are drawing alluring thought-begetting Objects and Thought-entertaining Objects But then 5. If you would meditate on God and the things of God strengthen your Love and Delight for Meditation grows upon the stalk of Love and Delight And the more a man doth love God and the things of God the more he meditates thereon Psal 119. O how I love thy Law what then It is my Meditation all the day this was much his meditation all the day What 's the reason Why his Love was beyond expression O how I love thy Law It is my meditation all the day Love loves to be thinking on the person loved It carries the Picture of the Person or thing loved up and down in its bosome the more you love the more you meditate and the more you delight the more you meditate Can a Woman forget her Child no why because she loves it Can a Worldly man forget the World his Money and his House or Land can he forget this no why because he loves them What 's the reason we meditate no more but because we love God no more Do but strengthen your love to God and the things of God and your delight in God and the things of God and you will meditate more This is the fifth means unto the work of Meditation Strengthen your love to and your delight in the Lord And then 6. If you would meditate on God and the things of God Then labour to get a deep Impression of the things of God upon your heart and soul 'T is deep impressions that calls for meditation A man reads the word of God and it may be understands it but he don't meditate Why because the word made no impression upon his heart as he went along But if he read it and understand it and hath an impression made upon his soul as he reads it then he thinks on 't afterwards As in hearing the Word of God a man hears the Word of God in Publick or in Private and he meditates not thereupon Why Why because it has no impression upon him Possibly a man may think of the free grace of God yet if it make no impression upon his soul he don't go away and meditate on it If a man think on the Wrath of God and it make an impression upon him he goes away and is still in the thoughts thereof What 's the reason that many poor souls troubled in Conscience are alwayes thinking of Hell and Judgement and Wrath but because the Wrath of God hath made a deep impression upon their souls and the more deep the impression is upon your soul the more full will your meditation be You see how it was in former times when they went in procession at the end of the Parish they would take up a Boy and whip him Why that he might remember the bounds of the Parish for Passion is the best Door-keeper of Memory And as passion is the Door-keeper of Memory so Impression is the Door-keeper of Meditation 7. If you would meditate on God and the things of God Take heed that your hearts and your hands be not too full of the world and the employments thereof The more full your hand is of worldly imployments the more you will think thereon and the more you think thereon the less you will think of Gâ—d and the things of God And what is the reason that many meditate and think so little of God and the things of God but because their hearts are so full of the World Where their treasure is there will their hearts bâ— O saith one I would think on God and I would meditate on God with all my heart but meditation-work is a work of time it will cost time and I have no time my hands are so full of business and so full of imployment I have no time for this work Meditation is not a transient Thought but it is a work of
time and will ask time and I have no time Mark therefore what David saith in the 119. Psalm Lord incline my heart unto thy testimonies how so Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity The way to have ones heart enclined to the Testimonies of God is to turn away ones eyes from these outward vanities Would you therefore meditate on God and the things of God then take heed that your hearts and your hands be not too full of the world and the imployments thereof 8. Lastly If you would meditate on God and the things of God go then to God for this skill of meditation Friends There is an Art and divine Skill of meditation which none can teach but God alone Would you have it go then to God and begg of God these things First Begg of God that he would change your nature For if your soyl be not changed nothing but weeds will grow still not the Flowers of meditation but the weeds of vain thoughts go first to God to change your Nature to change your Soyl. 2. Go to God and beg of him that he would sanctifie and sequester your mind unto himself that your whole mind may be under God's sequestration Every man is as his mind is A mans mind is a profusâ— thing and it is as full of thoughts as the Sun is full oâ— Beams If God don't take it in and bring it undeâ— his sequestration it will be full of evil go then tâ— God and desire him to sanctifie your devising youâ— thinking and your projecting Faculty 3. Go to God and beg of him that he would laâ— out drawing objects before you that may draw oâ— your thoughts and your meditations 'T is God thâ— must present such objects 4. Go and beg of God your Thoughts also anâ— beg of God these thought-possessions that Goâ— would give you thoughts And then 5. Beg of God a fixed heart for fixation of heaâ— is a great friend to meditation And then 6. Beg of God the Spirit for the Spirit is our Remembrancer to bring all things to our remembrance Thus do and you shall in some measure be able to carry on this work of Meditation in a right way with comfort and sweetness These things by way of means By way of means be sensible of your former work of meditation labour to be more serious get a fixed heart and spirit lay out objects that may entertain your thoughts upon all occasions strengthen your love to and delight in God labour to get Impressions deep impressions made upon your souls to the things of God and take heed that your hearts and hands be not too full of the world And then go to God for this skill of Meditation 4. But then fourthly What are those rules and directions that will help therein How and in what way and manner should this work of Meditation be carried on with sweetness and success First of all In all your Retirements for the work of Meditation is a work of Retirement in all your meditations be sure that you retire in to God himself Don't retire into your retirements as the Monks and those do retire into a monkish devotion But in all your Retirements be sure that you retire in to God himself 2. Take heed that you be not Legal in this work of Meditation Legal work is sowre work Meditation work is sweet work A man is legal in this work of Meditation when he doth make it a mere task when he doth in his meditation think on God out of Christ I thought upon God and was troubled to think upon God out of Christ is sowre work I thought upon God and was not comforted but was troubled saith the Psalmist So that to make our meditation work a meer task is a legal work to think upon God out of Christ is a Legal work and to pass through God unto Christ also is Legal For In the times of the Old Testament they câ—me to Christ through God but in the time of the New Testament we go to God through Christ An Old Testament way is a Legal way would you therefore have this work of Meditation carried on with sweetness Take heed of a Legal spirit in this work of Meditation which will sowre all 3. Be sure of this That nothing fall within the compass of your meditation but what falls within the compass of the Scripture It may be you may think of God and you may think what God was doing before the world was made this you have no Scripture for therefore is no work for your meditation It may be you think you are a Reprobate for say you I have the marks of a Reprobate upon me But where doth the Scripture give any marks of a Reprobate The Scripture gives marks of a wickâ—d man that possibly may be converted But now If you would carry on the work of meditation in such a way as it may be done with sweetness be sure that it be bounded with the Scripture and let nothing fall within the compass of your meditation but what falls within the compass of the Scripture 4. In all your settled meditation Begin with Reading or Hearing Go on with meditation End in prayer For as Mr. Greenham saith well Reading without Meditation is unfruitful Medition without Reading is hurtful To meditate and to read without prayer upon both is without blessing If you do read and not meditate then you wilâ— want good affections If you do meditate and not read or hear you will want good Judgment and be apt to fall into some ill Opinions If you do read or hear or meditate and not pray you will want the blessing of the Lord upon both Read or hear first then meditate and then pray upon both I speak of settled meditation and let one be proportioned unto another There must be a proportion between the one and the other in a settled meditation and therefore if that you would meditate rightly I say in all your meditations begin with reading go on with meditation and end with prayer 5. If you would have this work of Meditation carried on with profit and sweetness joyne with your Meditation the examination of your own souls in case you meditate on God and Christ think with your selves by way of examination But have I an Interest in this I have been now thinking and meditating on the excellencies of Christ but have I an Interest in him Come Oh my soul thou hast been meditating on God and on the excellencies of Christ but hast thou any share hast thou any Interest therein Joyne examination with your Meditation then it will be profitable then it will be sweet otherwise it is but Contemplation or but a study but joyne examination with your Meditation so 't is sweet and so 't is profitable Sixthly Observe what those times and seasons are that are most fit for Meditation and be sure you lay hold thereon Though Meditation-work is every dayes work yet there are some times and seasons that are
IV. Now Fourthly Why will God carry on the work of his Mercy in a way of Preventing Love 1. First Because the heart of God is full of love to the children of men Ordinary love will shew kindness upon kindness but where the heart is full of love it delights to prevent the person loved with kindness Now the heart of God is full of love for the children of men That 's one thing 2. God will so carry on the work of his Grace and mercy that all his mercies and blessings now may be conformed to the womb that bare them The Child follows the womb that bare it The first in every Kind is the Rule of the rest Now Election is the womb of all our mercies and doth not preventing Love sway there I have loved Jacob and hated Esau before they had done either good or evil there 's preventing love Now I say God will so carry on the work of his mercy that all his mercies and blessings may be conformed to their first original Election and there preventing mercy is very sweet 3. But thirdly God will so carry on the work of his mercy as it may be most taking and effective upon the souls of the children of men and what is more taking then preventing love What more Operative what more Powerfull what more taking I say You know the Parable some were invited to the Supper and some not invited some came and some came not who were those that came who were those that came not those that came not were such as were invited those that came were such as were in the Lanes High-wayes and Hedges compelled to come in Ay preventing love is the most taking now God will so carry on the work of his mercy as it may be most taking and most effective upon the souls of the children of men 4. Again God will so carry on his mercy as that it may be holding and sure The more any mercy is laid upon that which is in God himself and the less laid upon that which is in us the more holding and sure it is Now Mercy laid upon Grace is sure and therefore God will carry on the work of his Mercy in a way of preventing love that his mercy may be sure that it may be holding 5. Again God will so carry on the work of his mercy as that it may be most ingaging and most obliging with the hearts of men What is there in all the world that is more ingaging to an ingenious spirit then Grace And what is there more gracious then preventing love Thereby a soul is engaged to God Ah sayes a poor soul I was going on in the way of my sin lay snorting in my sin and never thought on the good wayes of God unless it were to oppose them and speak against them but then before I was aware I know not how God did reveal himself and his wayes to me Oh now what shall I do for God! I will spend and be spent for God any thing for Christ who hath thus overcome me with his preventing love Of all those that are called the Ancients Austin did most magnifie the Grace of God Bradwardin called him the Son of Grace and of all in those dayes none that we read of tasted so much of the preventing mercy of God as he When he was young he prayed for the mortification of his sin and yet he confesses that he secretly desired that God would not grant his prayer yet God prevented his prayer Another time being alone he heard a voice saying tolle lege tolle lege take and read take and read and he opened the Bible and pitched upon some words in the first of John that proved the beginning of his Conversion Another time going a Journey he misses his way and missing his way he escaped his Enemies that lay in the way for him several times God prevented him insomuch that he brake out into this expression Lord I did not first come to thee but thou didst first come and stir me up to come unto thee And who ever magnified the freeness of the riches of the Grace of God like Paul and why Of all the men in the world he lay under the greatest preventions of Divine Love no wonder therefore Paul of all men magnified the free Grace of God for he of all other lay under the preventions of Divine Love 6. Again further God will so carry on the work of his Grace and Mercy that no flesh may glory in it self that we may not rest upon any thing that we do or have or suffer When we are to come to duty we are unwilling to it after we have performed it we are as apt to rest upon it as before we were unwilling to come unto it what is the reason but because men think that they do come to God before God comes to them but let a man be once fully convinced of Gods preventing Love and he rests no more upon what he doth but sayes he then if God hath prevented me in reference to my prayer why should I rest on my prayer if God hath prevented me in reference to my duty why should I rest on my duty sayes Paul to the Corinthians He calleth things that are not that no flesh may glory in his sight And in Job 33 sayes Elihu there In deep sleep in a dream in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumbrings upon the bed then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction Why That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man There is no such way in the World to take down the pride of man to keep him from resting upon duty as to be well seen well experienced in the preventing love of God And therefore God carries on the work of his Grace and Mercy in a way of preventing love that no flesh may glory in it self 7. God will so carry on the work of his mercy and goodnesse and of his grace that men may be made most gracious and in case they sin against him they may be reduced to true repentance What is there in all the World will make one so gracious as a sight of Grace and what gives one a greater sight of Grace then preventing love And what is there in all the world that will reduce a soul to true repentance having sinned like preventing love It is said of Peter he went out and wept bitterly all his tears came out of the eyes of preventing Grace Christ looked upon him first it was preventing love that brought forth that repentance I say no such way to reduce a poor soul that hath sinned to true Repentance as the consideration of Gods preventing love Do you therefore ask why God is pleased to carry on his mercy thus in a way of preventing love for these six or seven reasons And so you have the fourth thing V. Well but then in the fifth place What is there in