and everlasting Covenant Matt. 26. 28. Heb. 10. 29. 13. 20. 9. 15 16. Those great and precious promises appertaining to Life and godliness yea to this life and that to come are not only assured by the word of God and confirmed by his Oath which yet are two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye and therefore might quicken and encourage lukewarm ones to flee for refuge to lay hold on that hope set before them but actually made firme by the blood of the Testatour who is also in the virtue thereof raised and as the forerunner entred into Heaven and is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first Testament they which are called may receive the promise of the eternal Inheritance He Mediateth and maketh Intercession for the taking away the iniquities of those that come to God by him and that the contents of that Covenant may be dispensed to them according to their needs and capacities God hath promised and Christ hath actually said and is the Amen to them Rev. 1. 18. Heb. 8. 6. and 9. 15. It may seem in that Jesus Christ doth first describe himself by this title of the Amen that these likewarme ones did not keep in believing remembrance the promises and the firmeness and immutability of them and certainty of their performance according to the tenour of them being ratified by such precious blood and ascertained by such a faithful and true witness and therefore they grew sluggish remiss and indifferent and there was a great abatement of their former fervency either fearing they should be left in sufferings or not provided for or dispensed unto according to their wants and therefore to recover them he telleth them his name is the Amen The consideration hereof is powerful to stirr up to diligence and to recover us from our decays to cause us that we shall not be slothful but followers diligent followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 10 20. To strengthen us to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering and to consider one another to provoke to love and good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together Heb. 10. 22 25. To ingage us to come out from amongst men and to be separate and not touch the unclean thing but to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. 7. 1. if these exceeding great and precious promises given to the Apostles to minister and ministred by them in and with the glorious Gospel be in us received and entertained by us and abound if they be suffered to dwell richly in us and to have their perfect work so as we limit them not nor hold them in unrighteousness they make us that we shall not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ They will provoke us to flee from and escape the corruption that is in the world thorow lust and besides giving all diligence thereto they will inable and stir us up to add to our faith virtue courage zeal resolution of spirit magnanimity to be as bold as lions and to virtue knowledg that we may use our fervour and zeal aright and that not about meat and drink and days and places and gestures in which the kingdome of God consisteth not but in contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints and to knowledg temperance to have sober thoughts of our selves of our knowledg vertue parts gifts attainments and to be temperate in our use of and exercise about the things of this world in which there may be excess and in our joys and griefs thereabout and to temperance patience patiently continuing in well doing in faith in virtue in knowledg in temperance c. Patiently induring whatever reproches and persecutions we may meet with in walking in Christ and in the exercise of those efficacies of his grace and resting in the Lord and waiting patiently for him and to patience godliness worshipping him in the spirit and rejoycing in Christ Jesus and having no confidence in the flesh and imitating and following him as dear children according to the light and instructions of his grace and to godliness brotherly kindness loving the brethren with delightful and peculiar manner of love not pretending we are right worshippers of God while we are without brotherly kindness to those borne of him For every one that loveth him that begat loveth them also that are begotten of him For if a man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a liar for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen and to brotherly kindness charity that free manner of love which is exercised towards others not because of somewhat lovely and amiable in them but from an higher reason and motive even from the constraining operation of the love of God in Christ and thence to have fervent charity among our selves and to love all men To these things will these precious promises confirmed by such precious blood enliven and quicken us if they be suffered to dwell richly in us for hereby we shall be made partakers of the Divine nature in union and fellowship with it interest in it usefulness of it and conformity to it 2 Pet. 1. 4 9. Oh exercise we our selves to godliness to Christ who is the root and fundation of godliness for it is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. with chapt 3. 16. Oh! how effectual were the promises with the Patriarchs in former times when they were not so confirmed as now to make them forsake their Countrey Kindred and Fathers house To confess themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth c. These believed caused Abraham the Father of the faithful not to consider his own body now dead neither yet the deadness of Sarah's Womb but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to performe and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him who hath performed the promise made to the fathers in raising Christ from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Gen. 12. 1 3. Heb. 11. 13 16. Rom. 4. 16 25. with Act. 13. 32 33. Heb. 11. 17 19. The Apostle Paul to recover the Galatians from their wandrings setteth before them that Christ is the Amen to him the promises are made and in him confirmed and with him assured to those that receive him so as in being Christ's they are Abraham's seed and Heits according
amongst the Jews did falsly accuse Christ with being a vicious person the men of that generation those who were the men of the times then they said of the Son of Man Behold a gluttonous person and a wine bibber a friend of Publicanes and sinners But saith he Wisdom is justified of all her Children All the Children of Christ and the Gospel know that this is but a slander Luk. 7. 31-35 Matt. 11. 16-19 There is no other Doctrine besides that so sheweth the vileness of sin and necessity of our being washed therefrom in the blood of Christ as doth this Doctrine of the Gospel For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Titus 2. 11-14 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Rom. 5. 18. with chap. 6. 1-3 But this slander of theirs is the issue of their ignorance and prejudice and what better fruit can be expected from such evil and bitter roots 3. This instruction may also shew unto us the great evil of those that deny that Christ hath died for all and by the grace of God tasted death for every man for these render it impossible for the greatest part of men to be made partakers of that darable riches and righteousness in Christ The Doctrine of the Gospel maketh the gate unto life strait enough and yet no straiter then is needful But these shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men and neither enter in themselves nor suffer them that are entring to enter The little finger of this Doctrine is heavier then the loyns of the Gospel to the greatest part of man kind Nay indeed as with respect to one part of men there is no straitness in the gate at all and with reference to the other and greatest part there is no gate open for them at all were their doctrines as true as they are counted by many But these herein are false witnesses of God and like the evil spies that brought an evil report upon the Land of Canaan and thereby discouraged the hearts of many of their brethren Take we heed and beware of those evil and pernicious doctrines that cause to err from the words of knowledg and way of truth 4. Seeing we cannot have these heavenly commodities without buying in selling all that we have let us so seriously consider the excellency of them that we may be made willing to let go all things as loâ—s and dung 〈◊〉 for the excellency of the knowledg of them that we may be made partakers of them For the great and eternal worth and excellency of these considered will make this yoke easy ano this burden light And this leadeth us to the last instruction propounded to be considered by us viz. 4. That to the end the wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked may buy this gold tried in the fire and this white raiment here commended to us it is good and neeful for them that they anoint their eyes with eye salve that they may see This though the last mentioned and counselled unto is surely needful to the former for without knowledg the soul cannot be good Prov. 19. 2. How should any man so highly prize any commodity as to part with all his substance for it that seeth no worth or excellency in it And how should Christ's Angels and Churches part with all they have for those heavenly treasures if they see no beauty in them why they should desire them There is no earnest desire after or high prizing of that which we are ignorant of and see no worthiness in Now then in this Instruction here propounded we shall speak unto these three things contained therein which may be usefully and profitably considered by us As to say 1. That Christ's Angels and Churches may be blind and ignorant of the excellency of Christ and those treasures in him 2. That there is eye-salve prepared for such blind ones also wherewith anointing their eyes they may see 3. That to the end they buy Christ and that in him it is neeful they anoint their eyes herewith that they may see 1. That Christ's Angels and Churches may so depart from him as to become blind and ignorant of the excellency of Christ and of those treasures hid in him Thus it appeareth here in this place in which our Lord saith to the Angel Thou art blind and counselleth every one that hath an ear to hear what the spirit saith to the Churches as intimating this was spoken to them all for their admonition and that it might so befall them also if they did not look diligently lest they failed of or fell from the grace of God God's people may become foolish and not know him they may be sottish children and have no understanding Jer. 4. 22. Yea the Pastours may become brutish and not seek the Lord. Jer. 10. 19-21 The blindness here spoken of is not the being destitute of natural or artificial wisdom the wisdom of this world for this men may have and yet be sufficiently blind in this consideration we have to speal of for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world 1 Cor. 3. 19. and chap. 1. 18-21 But the blindness here spoken of is a being without the wisdom that is from above a being destitute of spiritual understanding And so this Angel was blind if not wholly yet in a great measure and in so great a measure as that our Saviour the wisdom of God signifieth that he was blind Those that are watchmen amongst God's people and who have high conceits of themselves for knowledg and piety may yet have their eyes blinded with darkness His watchmen saith the Lord are blind they are all ignorant there may be blind guides blind leaders of the blind and how sad is it when it is thus Then surely their leaders cause them to err and they that are led of them are destroyed Isa 56. 10. 3. 12. 9. 16. Matt. 15. 14. 23. 24. Jer. 2. 8. This Angel and Church might be in such a condition as the Apostle Peter speaketh of when he saith He that lacketh these things to wit these great and precious promises ministred in and with the Gospel he in whom these are not and abound not dwell not richly so as he addeth not to his faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly-kindness and to brotherly-kindness charity such an one is blind and cannot see afarr off he is poreblind He may see some things near hand but he is so blind he cannot see these things afarr off he cannot see within the vail he cannot see into Heaven where Christ is nor those things above where he sitteth Deut. 30. 11 12.
faithful and true Witness This also is to be understood in a spiritual consideration and hereby is not meant the Wisdom of this world or of the Princes of this world for this will not open the eyes of the blind into the knowledge of the Cross of Christ and the ends and virtues thereof nor into the preaching thereof But these things are foolishness to them that seek after this wisdom 1 Cor. 1. 18-23 The natural and animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. And hence the Holy Ghost hath instructed those that are wise with this seeming wisdom to become fools that they might be wise as before 1 Cor. 3. 18-20 and admonished the believers to beware of Philsophy Col. 2. 8 9. And the Apostle avoided 〈◊〉 use of it in declaring the testimony of God 1 Cor. 1. 17. and Chapter 2. 1-5 But by this Eye-salve is meant the Word of Truth the Gospel of our Salvation especially the first branch of it in which is declared to us the sufferings of Christ and what he hath thereby effected for us in himself and obtained into himself and is become And that this is meant by the Eye-salve here commended to us may appear 1. By the name put upon it and that by this same Apostle to whom this book of the Revelation was sent and signified it is by him called an action and the anointing So the Apostle saith to the believers Ye have received an unction from the Holy one and ye know all things That is they had received the truth the word of truth which appeareth to be the thing meant by that expression That which they had heard from the beginning to wit that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 John 2. 20-24 with 1 Cor. 15. 1 4. And so it is called the anointing which is the very same thing when he saith The anointing ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye c. 1 John 2. 27. And in this testimony of Jesus the Holy Spirit which is the Oyl wherewith Christ was anointed above his fellows is always present in the faithful declaration of it Isa 61. 1. Heb. 1. 9. Acts 10. 38. Yea because this Gospel was given forth by the Spirit and because the Spirit is always present with it therefore it is especially as now revealed both called the ministration of the Spirit and the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6 8. John 6. 63. Ephes 6. 17. John 7. 38 39. 3. 6. Acts 7. 11. 2. It appeareth also that by this Eye-salve is meant the Gospel of Christ or testimony of the Lord because this is that which openeth the eyes of the understanding that men may see for which purpose and to which end this Angel and Church is counselled to use this Eye-salve So it is said The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple to wit opening their eyes and revealing to them that object in knowing which they may be made wise And the commandment of the Lord the old and new Commandment the Gospel of Christ is pure enlightening the eyes Psal 19. 7 8. So much the Prophet elsewhere also signifieth when he saith The entrance of thy words namely the word of the beginning of Christ giveth light to discover all things and it giveth understanding to wit capacity for seeing unto the simple It giveth both light and sight without both which a man cannot see though a mans eyes be never so good yet he cannot see in the dark But this testimony of the Lord is the medium for discovering all things and this giveth capacity for discerning the things discovered also So wonderful are the testimonies of the Lord especially in the first and fundamental things of them Psal 119. 129 130. So also the Apostle signifieth that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation is given in the knowledge or doctrine of Christ both for opening the eyes of the understanding and for discovering and revealing Christ and all things in him Ephes 1. 17 18. Certainly as the power of the Lord was present with Christ to heal bodily diseases and infirmities to cure the deaf and blind while he was here in his personal Ministration Luke 5. 17. So also the hand and power of the Lord yea his arm is put forth in and with this word so as the preaching of the Cross is the power of God for healing the diseases of the Soul for giving sight to the blind minds of men Psal 107. 20. 1 Cor. 1. 17 18 23 24. Hence it is said That the Spirit of the Lord was upon Christ because the Lord anointed him to preach the Gospel to the poor and therewith to preach recovering of sight to the blind Luke 4. 18. He is become a good Physician and he giveth sight to the blind by anointing them with that oyl that is in the name of the Lord. And the Apostle when he was sent to the people and to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light c. was sent with this Eye-salve to preach the first and great things of Gods Law to them and so much he giveth us to understand I continue saith he to this day witnessing both to small and great saying none other thing then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come to pass That Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should shew light unto the people and to the Gentiles Acts 26 17 18-23 To the same purpose also he speaketh to the Ephesians Chapter 3. 8 9. Unto me is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make all men see to wit in thus preaching Thereby he made them see that they might see This was the Eye-salve which is here commended unto us Ignorant are they of the wonderfulness of the testimony of the Lord and of its excellent usefulness for converting and restoring the Soul That call it the letter and a dead letter as if it were meet for nothing When as indeed it is the power of God for saving men from their blindness and ignorance and from all their iniquities and idols and they prove and experiment it so to be that with the heart believe it Hence it is called not onely the Gospel of our salvation but the salvation of God also Ephes 1. 13. Acts 28. 28. And as Christ is called the Light both because he discovereth all things to us faithfully and openeth the eyes of the blind So also the commandment is said to be a lamp and the law light because hereby all things are manifested and