considering its Infinite value may well be represented as a Sea deep enough to drown all our guilt in according to that Promise in the Prophet Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea Micah 7.19 Christ's Blood is to our sins as the Red Sea was to the Egyptians a perpetual Grave from which they can never be raised again Now that Blood which stifles the Guilt even in so doing washes the Person Jer. 33.8 I will cleanse them says God from all their Iniquity and I will pardon all their Iniquities Pardoning and cleansing are the same thing and the Blood of the Cross is the only consideration with God upon which 't is done If that had not been pour'd out Isa 1.18 the Dye of Scarlet and Crimson sins could never have been turn'd into the whiteness of Wool and Snow All things by the Law says the great Apostle are purged with Blood Heb. 9.22 and without shedding of Blood is no remission The same Method holds under the Gospel as before under the Law so that there is neither Real nor Typical neither Ceremonial nor Spiritual remission or purgation but by Blood shed Typical and Ceremonial by the Blood of Calves and Goats c. Real and Spiritual by the Blood of Christ. Secondly By the sprinkling of Christs ' Blood upon the Conscience of every Believer they come to be actually washt For there must be a particular application of the Merit of that Blood to every one by Faith or else no one can have any advantage by it We must through the operations of Gods Grace in and upon us positively concur to the sprinkling of Christs Blood upon our hearts though the shedding of it upon the Tree was wholy without us That great multitude of whom John speaks Rev. 7.14 are said to have washed their own Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. This intimates a Believers betaking of himself and flying for refuge to the satisfaction of Jesus Christ for till then sin is not actually remitted nor the preson justified If this were not a necessary antecedent qualification for Actual forgiveness how is it to be understood that God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood Rom. 3.25 And that we are justified by Faith c. 5.1 We are therefore commanded to draw near to God Heb. 10.22 having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience i.e. not only having a pardon procur'd and prepar'd for us by Christ but brought home to us by believing in him And the Blood of Jesus thus apprehended and laid hold of by Faith is called the Blood of sprinkling c. 12.24 Hence it is that we read of our being Elected through the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 as a means to attain the end of Election It is one of the excellent Characters given to Moses Heb. 11.28 that by faith he kept the Passeover and sprinkling of Bolld For after the Sacrifices were offered he took of the Blood Exod. 24.8 and sprinkled it upon the people David very plainly alludes to this in that famous Penitential Pasalm Isal 31.7 Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean because that was used by Gods appointment in the cleansing of the Leper Levit. 24.47 to sprinkle the Blood upon him All this signifies the particular exercises and actings of Faith upon Christ as the Lamb slain and so our washing of Justification is compleated Secondly There is a washing of Sanctification which is also the work of Christ 1 Joh. 5.6 This is he says the Beloved Bisciple whocame by water as well as by blood A lively Emblem whereof was the water which came out with the Blood Joh. 19.34 when the Souldier pierc'd his side with a Spear Therefore the Prophet describes him by a Fountain opened to the House of David Zech. 13.1 and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness He cleanses us not only from our Guilt but from our Corruption too This he does principally by his Spirit and instrumentally by his Word and Providences First Christs washing of us as it respects Sanctification is principally performed by the Spirit It was promised under the Old Testament Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle water upon you c. This is expresly interpreted in the New Testament Joh. 7.33 39. of the Effusion of the Spirit He is the great Operator employed by our Lord Jesus in the purifying of defiled Souls According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 6. and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Nature in its present depraved state neither can nor will ever purge it self Solomons Challenge is not to be answer'd Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart clean He that first made the heart must now make it clean We are no more able to be our own Cleansers than our own Creators for this is such a kind of work Psal 51.10 Create in me a clean heart oh God was Davids earnest request after his Fall Gen. 1.2 It was the Spirits moving upon the face of the waters which produc'd this beautiful World 'T is the influence of the same Spirit which must produce an holy Comeliness in us Job 26.13 God by his Spirit garnisht the vifible Heavens and Christ by his Spirit must fit us to inhabit the Invisible Nor does the Merit of Christs bloud appear more in our forgiveness than its vertue and efficacy does in our renovation Secondly Christ washes us instrumentally by his Word and Providences 1. By his Word This is a Divine Instrument consecrated by a Divine Authority to this very purpose Psul 12.6 The words of the Lord are not onely pure words in themselves but are often blest and succeeded for the working of purity in us So our Lord tells his Disciples sciples Joh. 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you he does not onely tell them that they were clean but by what means they came to be so Thus the Apostle Paul says that Christ gave himself for the Church Eph. 5.25 26. that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Two great Truths are evidently contained in this Text 1. That our Sanctification is the price of Blood Our Living to God is the effect of Christs dying for us if he had not given himself the Spirit had not been given 2. That the word of Christ is ordinarily made use of by him in the cleansing of those whom he designs to save It hath his special Institution for this end these waters of the Sanctuary are the pool which we must come to and where we must wait to be heal'd of our Impurities This is Gods way for the cleansing of our own way Psal 119.9 Not
Cartwr in locum So the same Expressions must be understood not only in several other places but in the same Book Mercy and Truth shall be to them that devise good c. 14.22 And therefore it seems to be meant only of Gods Mercy in promising and his Truth in performing his free Grace in Christ and faithfulness to his own word The scope of that whole verse appears in this short Paraphrase upon it God out of his meer benignity agreeable to his standing Revelation does purge the sins of Men that they for the future being restrain'd by an holy fear may not return to them 2. If we should understand it of Mercy and Truth in us the sence of it amounts to no more than this that True Faith working by Love is the means of purifying the heart through the blood of Christ It purges Sin not by it s its own power but the efficacy of its Object our Lord Jesus Our Faith hath an alloy of Unbelief and our Repentings a mixture of Sin which require apurgation for themselves Sixthly Another Inference from the main Doctrine may be that the washing of Water in Baptism is no sufficient security that we shall partake with Christ He shall baptize you says his forerunner with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Mat. 3.11 Multitudes come under that Ordinance who know not what this means and yet without this our participation with Christ is impossible I cannot but conclude that the wide door of Baptismal Regeneration hath let in vast numbers of Souls to Hell Men being taught to elieve that when they are Baptized they are certainly Regenerate and born again they rest contented and look no further The Apostle Peter tells us plainly how Baptism saves 1 Pet. 3.21 not as it is the putting away of the filth of the flesh but as it is attended with an holy restipulation or the answer of a good Conscience towards God It is not the outward administration of the Element of Water but inward operation of the Spirit and application of Jesus Christ which makes a sinner clean What do we think of that woful Impostor Simon Magus After he was baptized he yet remained in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of Iniquity Acts 8.13 with 23. The same may be perceived and pronounc'd of thousands besides upon as notorious grounds as it was of him Why should this Sacrament be more constantly and infallibly accompanied with cleansing Grace than that other Institution of the Supper which Hypocrites many times partake of and the Devil enters into them afterwards with greater force Seventhly It is easie to collect from hence that Jesus Christ is not meerly the Pattern of our Purification but also the Author It is very true that He is the Pattern of it therefore we are called to purifie our selves 1 John 3.3 even as he is pure but this is not the whole truth nor the principal part The entire Mystery is set forth in those words of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.21 He suffered for us leaving us an Example c. Indeed Christ in suffering left us an Example but his great end was to suffer for us i.e. in our room and stead as our Substitute and Surety as one that represented us suffering that which was due to us and which if he had not we must have born our selves I condemn none for magnifying the Example of Christ but I must declare an abhorrence of and enter a caution against that Socinian fallacy and cheat which would subvert the Gospel under this pretence Christ does not does not wash us by being a Pattern of absolute purity in himself but by the applying of his merit to us and the workings of his Grace in us The benefit of his Example would be utterly lost and come to nothing if his doing no sin and dying for sin were not accepted by God as the just and valuable price of our Redemption Eighthly This warrants us to infer that those Churches which come up to the highest degree of Reformation are the most likely to share in the glory of the latter dayes These Days are in a special and peculiar manner called Christ's Times 1 Tim. 6.15 Then his Kingdom will be most eminently set up and he shall take to himself his great Power and Reign subduing all that make opposition to him The question now it who shall partake with him to this kind of Heaven upon Earth Whom will the King of Saints delight to honour in those times which will be so glorious I think I may very safely Answer Those that are counted the filth of the World but in truth are most purged from it Rev. 3.4 Thou hast a few names ever iâ— Sardis says Christ to that Church or the Church in that period which hav not defiled their Garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Walking with Christ in white does note a prosperous and flourishing State as on the contrary a sad and doleful State is often signified by covering with blackness and clothing in Sackcloth and they who have taken care to keep their garments unspotted are the persons whom Christ will reckon worthy of Communion with himself in this State Who are the Hundred and forty four thousand that stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion c 14.1 but such as are not defiled with Women v. 4 i.e. have had nothing to do with the Mother of Harlots and such as are without fault i.e. have not partaken of Babylons sins Some of the terms of reproach in this Generation will become Characters of honourable distinction and marks of renown when Christ comes in his expected Kingdom for his Measures and Methods of Advancement will not be as Mens are When the Lord dwells in Sion Joel 3. ult our Reformations must be carried on to an higher pitch and he will cleanse what he hath not yet cleansed Isa 4.3 4. He that remaineth then in Jerusalem shall with more reason be called holy because the remainder of our silth will be washt away The Second Improvement of this Point VSE 2 may be by way of Exhortation to those Duties which should be learnt from it First Labour to be deeply sensible of your defiled Natures and Lives Till we are brought to a serious acknowledgment of this we are not fit to be washt tho' we need it If we confess our sins 1 John 1.9 he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness The faithfulness of God does not bind him to cleanse us from that which we will not confess David bewails his secret faults as well as those that were known and open and prays for cleansing from them Psal 19.12 He who is pure in his own eyes shall continue filthy still Till we come to see our own Leprous Faces and thereupon to loathour selves there is no hope of our being clean Methinks that Challenge which God put to
blessed in the end The Fourth and last thing proposed was the Application of the whole A double Use may be made of this point by infering such Truths and perswading to such Duties as naturally flow from it The first improvement we may make of this Doctrine VSE 1 is by way of lnformation as to several Truths resulting thence First From hence we may learn wherein the great evil and mischief of sin lyes It hath many bad effects even in this Life and with respect to the concerns of this Life but the worst of all is that it defiles the Soul This is that which fools make a mock at and which common sinners think most slightly of but this is that which is of the most fatal ruining consequence This is that which calls for such a valuable and effectual expiation this is that which calls for the pouring out of the soul of Christ in our stead and the pouring out of the spirit of Christ upon us The necessity of Christs washing every one that hath part with him is an undeniable convincing proof of the loathsome filthiness which is in sin Otherwise we might cry as the Disciples did when the Ointment was pour'd on their Masters head Mat. 26.8 To what purpose is this wast Why might not our Lord Jesus have spared this pains and cost and left us in the same condition wherein he found us Certainly he was at a vast expence and trouble to wash us in vain if fin had not greatly polluted and deprav'd us It would do well therefore if we remember'd this and laid it to heart that in every act of wickedness we make work for the fire of Hell or the bloud of God Consuming by the one or purging by the other must be the issue of it Secondly This plainly shews that the defiling effects of sin have extended to all mankind The Doctrine of Souls being washt by Christ does suppose that we are universally in a corrupt state If any man were born clean that man might have part with Christ though he were never washt We may easily infer from this necessary act of the second Adam what misery was brought upon us by the first The very Heathens were sensible and sometimes complain'd of the Souls being out of frame but they knew not distinctly what this disorder was nor how it must be remedyed If we had not lost the amiable purity which we were once becautified with and if there did not an heap of dirt appear in the place of that dissolved snew why should even the Saints of God who are brought out of a state of sin though afflicted with the remnants of sin cry out so often of their wretchedness And indeed if the same Scripture which gives us an account of our primitive Creation did not also report the means and manner of our fall it would not be credible that mankind could have so degenerated As there are the seeds of all distempers in our Bodies at the time of our birth so the principles of all manner of corruption in our hearts by nature No part is free from the infection but the Leprosie covers our whole skin Levit. 13.12 from the head to the foot wheresoever we look What Jesus Christ hath done for our Healing and Cleansing does lead us to the humble consideration of this General Plague Thirdly This teaches us the Insufficiency of the Legal Sacrifices and the reason of their Cessation He i.e. the Messiah shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease Christ by his Death took them away Dan. 9.27 because they could not take away sin They were weak and unprofitable insignificant and worthless in themselves only as they typified and represented the Blood of the Lamb which was to be actually slain in the fullness of time Heb. 9.13 What could the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean do more than purifie the flesh How could such carnal Ordinances have any vertue for the removing of Spiritual defilements God therefore impos'd them only for a time and when his Son had fulfilled the end of them he put an end to them Nay even while they were enjoyn'd and us'd the Imperfection of them was plainly intimated by their frequent repetition if they could have purg'd the Conscience from sin c. 10.2 they needed only to have been offered once Christ dyed but once and that once dying was enough he hath thereby perfected for ever them that are sanctified v. 4 And we read of this act of washing his Disciples feet but once once for all to shew that what the yearly and dayly Offerings under the Law could not do his one offering did The reason of their prescription and Observation in the Jewish Church so long was their being sigures of the Sacrifice of Christ the reason of their abrogation at last was their real invalidity and his full performance Fourthly This Discovers to us the falshood of the Doctrine of Penance in the Romish Church This Text is evidence enough that the Refuge of Humane Satisfactions which Sinners in their Communion fly to is indeed a Pefuge of Lyes If I wash thee not c. 't is proper to Christ and not possible to any Creature to wash a Soul from the smallest sin Men may inflict what they please upon themselves and use the utmost severities to their flesh but it will be no advantage to them in this case the greatest of voluntary sufferings avails nothing as to the purging of the least transgression the tormenting of our bodies can never put away the sin of our souls It must be puret blood than ours that makes us clean Poor deluded Creatures commonly increase their guilt by such practises but they cannot lessen it they whip and lance themselves it may be and think by that means to be rid of some of their pollution but this makes them rather greater sinners than they were before It is therefore a piece of folly and madness like his in the Gospel who being possest with an Vnclean spirit Mark 5.5 ran among the Mountains and Tombs crying and cutting himself with stones Fisthly We may gather from hence that the most sincere Evangelical Repentance makes no compensation to God for Sin The best Penitent in the World if his head were Waters and his eyes a fountain of tears would not be able to wash himself How can the largest floods of godly sorrow blot out iniquity from Gods book or remove the stain which is so deep in our own Consciences Suppose that we do bring forth fruits meet for Repentanee in a Life of new Obedience for the time to come what is this as to the expiating of sins that are past Obj. Yes perhaps some may say the Holy Ghost assures us Prov. 16.6 that By Mercy and Truth Iniqity quity is purged To this I anser 1. Ans We may very well understand those words to hold forth the Mercy and Truthof God
the Church of the Jews should affect every one and strike us with confusion How canst thou say I am not polluted Jer. 2.23 Unless this self-justifying Mouth be stopt the Fountain which God hath opened will be sealed up against us Secondly Address your selves to Christ with sincertity and fervency that he may wash you both within and without He offers this priviledge to you in the Word go you and urge it to him in Prayer Jer. 13. ult He says Wilt thou not be made clean Plead and expostulate with him in his own Language Lord wilt thou not make me clean When shall it onâ—â— be When shall I list up my fact to thee without spot and by that means without shame He is able both to convince you of your uncleanness and cure you too hâ—â— he hath Authority and Power to say Luk. 5.13 I will be thou clean and hâ—â— many promises upon record speak his readiness and inclination You may feel a little smart and pain while he is about thiâ— work Mal. 3.2 for the Prophet compare him to Fullers Soap which will search in order to cleansing But remember how much more tolerable this is Mark 9.49 than to be salted with fire One of these two must be if your filthiness be not purged Ezek. 24.13 fury will unavoidably rest upon you And therefore do not act the Hypocrites part in getting the outside only clean Mat. 23.25 like those Scribes and Pharisees to whom the greater damnation is threatned v. 14 Be heartily willing to lay aside all filthiness Jam. 1.21 if you do not so you do not so you do nothing If every performance do not proceed out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 the end of the Commandment is not answer'd You only mock God and deceive your selves Thirdly Live to Christ in the Exercise of pure and undefiled Religion and take heed of falling into the dirt again 2 Pet. 2.20 It is sad to be entangled in the pollutions of the World after we have escapt them through the knowledge of Christ Walk with all possible exactness and circumspection and say as the Spouse did to a worse purpose whenever the Tempter assaults you I have washed my feet Song 5.3 how shall I defile them My Saviour hath cleansed me from my sins by his own Blood I will therefore fore go and sin no more Upon this account stoop not too much to the filthy puddles of Creature-enjoyments Converse more with things above where Christ himself is Remember that he byed to purifie you to himself Tit. 2.14 Your purgation by so dear a remedy was to make you meet for the Masters use 2 Tim. 2.21 and not to leave you at Satans disposal by a sinful gratification of the flesh Fourthly Improve the continuance of Life for your increase in Holiness The best ground requires frequent culture and they that are in Christ want more purging still Therefore it is Joh. 15.2 that God does not immediately upon our Conversion take us out of the World and snatch us into Heaven but orders us to abide here for a while that we may be yet better prepar'd for his everlasting Presence God does not use to perfect so great a change in a moment or in the twinckling of an Eye though perhaps he may do it sometimes for the Exaltation of his Soveraignty Lusts are gradually mortified before they are totally extingnish't For this reason we are yet sojourning upon Farth because we are to atain further before we come to our Journey 's End Death is delay'd because the work of life is not done nor the design of it sufficiently accomplisht These are the days of our Purification when they are over our Glorification will commence Be diligent then in this your day like those under the Law that were to wash their clothes Num. 19.19 and bathe themselves in water and for a reward to such diligence you shall be clean at even Fifthly Get your holy Performances and earthly Comforts washt by Christ also There is a dung in our Duties Mal. 2.3 which he must separate them from or else they will not be acceptable to God When there were some that mentioned to an Eminent person on his Death-bed Mr. G. H. a piece of Service which he had done he answerd piously It is a good work if it be sprinkled with the bloud of Christ Even the Sacrifice of the Righteous as well as of the wicked would be an abomination to the Lord if it were not for the more grateful and unblemish'd Sacrifice of his Son Bring all your offerings therefore to this High-Priest that God may receive them from his hands perfum'd with his Incense All that we would have the Father to approve we must have him to recommend And there is likewise a ploouting vanity in Worldly things which will be mischievous to us if Christ do not remove it by his Spirit how miserable are they to whom nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 and how happy they on the other side Luk. 11.41 to whom all things are clean Let it then be your uneigned desire that you may not possess any thing in this Life which will tend to unqualify or indispose you for the next Sanctified wants and straits are ten thousand times better than the most plentiful corrupted Enjoyments Lastly You who have had Experience of this washing by Christ fear not the Devil 's foulest Accusations He may bespatter you but he cannot hurt you he hath nothing to do with you whatever he says against you Why then should you slavishly dread such a disarmed Adversary Why should you stand in tormenting awe of him who must necessarily fall before you His Weapons his chiefest Arguments the very sinews and strength of his cause wherein he trusted are now gone and he shall never be permitted to recover them While you were in an unpurified state he could alledge a great deal of truth for your Condemnation but now he must be forc'd to make use of Calumny and that cannot be to your prejudice You have the favourable word of Christ to relieve and vindicate you however he may dare to asperse you He that is washed says our Lord to his Disciples in this Chapter is clean every whit ver 10 All comfort is wrapt up in the assurance of this notwithstanding your daily slips and Satan's malicious devices Be encouraged as David was in that prayer to God Psal 65.3 Iniquities prevail against me yet as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away Despise the Enemy that reproaches you and consider what a powerful Friend you have to confront and rebuke him It is the happiness and ought to be the support of Believers that though they may be blackned by their Hellish Accuser they shall be clear'd by their Heavenly Advocate The END Books Printed for and Sold by John Salusbury at the Rising Sun in Cornhil Written by the same Author 1. THE Duty and Support of Believers in Life and Death 2. The Period of Humane Life determined by the Divine Will 3. The Usefulness of Spiritual Wisdom with a Temporal Inheritance 4. The mighty Wonders of a Merciful Providence in a Sermon preach'd on the Thanksgiving-Day Jan. 31. 1688 89. 5. The Churches Plea for the Divine Presence to prosper Humane Force in a Sermon preacht on the Fast-Day Jun. 5 1689. 6. The Excellency of the Protestant Faith as to its Objects and Supports in a Sermon preach'd Nov. 5. 1689. A Rational Defence of Non-conformity wherein the Practice os Non-conformists is vincated from promoting Popery and ruining the Church imputed to them by Dr. Stillingfleet in his Vnreasonableness of Separation Also his Arguments from the Principles and way of the Reformers and first Dissenters are answered and the Case of the present Separation truly stated and the blame of it laid where it ought to be and the way to Union among Protestants is pointed at By Gilbert Rule Minister of the Gospel A Guide to the practical Physician shewing from the most Authors both Ancient and Modern the truest and safest way of curing all Diseases Published in Latin by the Learned Dr. Theoph. Bonet Physitian at Geneva and now rendered into English with an Addition of many considerable Cases and Excellent Medicines for every Disease Collected from Dr. Waltherus his Sylva Medica by one of the Colledge of Physicians London To which is added the Office of a Physician and perfect Tables of every distemper and of any thing else considerable The true Prophesies or Prognostications of Michael Nostradamus Physician to Henry the 2d Frances 2d and Charles the 9th Kings of France and one of the best Astronomers that ever were A Work full of Curiosity and Learning The Conformists Charity to Dissenters and Concurrence with the Favour granted them in the Act for Toleration proved from the Works of the most Eminent Divines of the Church of England Several Arguments humbly proposed for Concessions and Alterations in the Common-Prayer and in the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England in order to a comprehension by a Minister of the Church of England The Pattern of the Divine Temple Sanctuary and City of the new Jerusalem measured according to Ezekiels last and greatest Vision Chap. 49. to the end Designed as a Preface to two late Treatises viz. the Prophetick History of the Reformation till the great Re-reformation and the grand Apocaliptical Vision of the Witnesses Rising and Ascending which shall contemperate with this Temple opened in Heaven at the same 1697. By Tho. Beverly D. D. A new Examination of Lilly's Grammar in English and Latin in Twelves A Discourse of Marriage Together with some remarks on the Marriage of Isaac and Rebecca In Twelves The Portraicture of a Suffering Christian with an Introduction of Mans Creation