washed Sin yea Sins Who loved us and washed us from our Sins That by which they are washed Blood not water but Bood yea his Blood yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own Blood or the Blood of himself in his own Blood or the Blood of himself Who loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood The words thus divided from them these Meditations may be deduced That Christ hath a peculiar People Meditations and a peculiar love for his peculiar People Us Not All but Us not Most but Us not every Individual but Us and these loved who loved Us. That Christ washeth whom he loveth and that from their Sins in his own Blood And washed us from our Sins in his own Blood That Christ hath a peculiar People Meditat. 1. and a peculiar Love for this peculiar People I begin with this and shall engage it as I am more or less under a divine Gale and Gust Now if the most excellent Glory please to smile a Methodical Discourse unto spiritual Advantage I shall digest my Discourse into this Method Inquiring Whether Christ hath a peculiar People Whether Christ hath a peculiar Love for this peculiar People What use may be made of this That Christ hath a peculiar People and a peculiar Love for his peculiar People Whether Christ hath a peculiar People That God and Christ have a People a peculiar People a People above any other People a People above all other People is evident Thus God and Christ had under the Old Testament witness these places Thou art a holy People unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar People unto himself abâ—ve all the Nations that are upon the Earth Deut. 14.2 The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandements Deut. 26.18 Thus God and Christ also had under the New Testament wisness these places Who gave himself for us that he might reaeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 But ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood a peculiar People that ye should shew forth the praises or vertues of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 But take one place more which comprehend the peculiar People of God and Christ both under the Old and New Testament For Jah hath chosen to himself Jacob and Israel for his inheritance Psalm 135.4 So that what was promised under the Old Testament is performed by Christ in redeeming and purifying his peculiar People under the New Whether Christ hath a peculiar Love But 2. for this peculiar People Beloved I shall endeavour an evincement of this Truth in giving you a Tast of what manner of Love Christ hath to his People As Christ hath a peculiar People which I have already proved so he hath a peculiar Love to this peculiar People now this will appear by the Quantity or Measure of it and by the Quality or Manner of it In reference to the Measure of it There 's the Affection of Love which is natural and the Grace of Love which is supernatural There 's the Affection of Love and that 's natural This is or ought to be in all Men or Women Hath not the Husband a natural Affection to the Wise and Children Hath not the Wife a natural Affection to the Husband and Children The Apostle Rom. 1.31 reckons and ranks those among capital and cardinal Sinners that are without natural Affection There 's the Grace of Love and that 's supernatural Now the Grace of Love is in Christ formally and causally Formally Love is in Christ as the subject of it 1 Jo. 4.8 he is the God of it God is Love Not onely lovely and loving but Love in the Abstract God is Love Jo. 1.1 Christ is God In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God As is the Height of the Lover so is the Height of the Love The Moralists judge of the Magnitude of Crimes by the Persons against whom they are committed And as it was said of Gideon as the Man is so is his Strength Thus it may be said of Christ as He is Isa 9.6 so is his Love but he is wonderfull his name shall be called wonderfull so is his Love as his name is wonderful so is his Love Christ is a Bundle of Love all the dispersed Excellencies and Loves that are in the World meet in him as all the Lines meet in the Center Causally Love is in Christ as the Fountain of it Beloved As Christ is the God of Love so he is the Giver of Love to this my Text speaks who loved us In reference to the Manner of it But 2. As this appears by the Quantity or Measure of it so it appears by the Quality or Manner of it Now in a Discussion of the Manner of Christs Love to his peculiar People there will be a Discourry of it to be a peculiar Love But what Manner of Love Question is Christs Love What manner of Love Solution is Christs Love is that the Question What manner of Love Give me leave then to say 't is much more easie to say what it is not then what it is My Line is too short to sound this Bottom what 's a Muscle-shel to empty an Ocean In Christ there are deep Riches that cannot be sounded and rich Deeps that cannot be exhausted I shall therefore promise but a Tast of this Love Christs Love is attracting Love Attracting 'T is no more connatural to the Loadstone to draw Iron to it then for the Love of Christ to draw Love out of the Christian 'T is said of Mary Magdalene Luk. 7.4.7 that much was forgiven her for she loved much Not that her much Loving was the cause of her much Forgiving but Christ forgiving her much she loved much Hos 11.4 I drew them with Cords of a man with bands of Love As the Banner Christ display so the Cord by which he draw is Love His Love hath a Magnetick vertue Christs Love is abounding Love Abounding Had David a Cup running over Oh what hath Christ then the Lord of David But David saith Psal 23.5 Thou preparest a Table before me in the presence of mine Enemies thou anointest mine head with Oyl my Cup runneth over Beloved The Cup of Christs Love is not only full but it runs over This Nilus overflows her Banks in Winter as well as Summer Christ loveth his as he loveth himself Yea he seemeth to love his above himself for he loveth them and out of Love dyeth for them I lay down my life for the Sheep Je. 10.15 Now hath not Christ a peculiar People and is not this a peculiar Love that he hath for this peculiar
greater then the Love of the Husband to the Wife Conjugâ—l Love is at least ought to be great Love The Love of Abraham to Sarah was great of Isaac to Rebecca was great of Jacob to Rackel was great of Elkanah to Hannah was great of Augustus to his Livia was great who dyed in the Embraceme is of her with these words Livia nostri Conjugii memoresto vive vale which may thus be Englished Livia remember we were one live and farewell Man and Wife are one flesh and if both be living one Spirit so that this Love must needs be great but Christs is greater Husbands Eph. 5.25 love your Wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Where is there a Husband that gives himself for his Wife that gives himself to death for his Wife Or if he should what would it signifie She could never say with the Text who loved me and washed me from my Sins in his Blood This must not be said of any blood but Christs is not this then a peculiar Love Spiritual Christs Love is greater then the Spiritual Love of Christians Jonathans love to David was great and Davids love to Jonathan was great but Christs is greater what 's a spark to the Furnace a drop to the Ocean Such is the Love of Man to the Love of Christ God manifest in the flesh 'T is true David speaks very honourably of Jonathans Love 2 Sam. 1.26 Thy Love to me have been wonderfull passing the Love of Women But Christs Love is greater Christs Love is greatest Jo. 14.13 Greater Love hath no Man then this that a Man lay down his life for his Friend Christ laid down his life for Enemies as Enemies when and while Enemies Is not this now a peculiar Love What use may be made of this Lastly that Christ hath a peculiar Love for his peculiar People Hath Christ a peculiar Love for his peculiar People USE This then may be useful by way of Caution by way of Comfort by way of Councel Is Christs Love a peculiar Love By way of Caution take heed then of turning Love into Lust and loving kindness into lasciviousness To do evil that good may come and to be sinful because God is merciful and to be lustful because Christ is Love-ful is the Sophistry of the Prince of Darkness Dost argue from Grace to Sin from Love to Lust from Mercy to Iniquity from Immunity unto Impiety this is the Dialect of Hell and the Sophistry of the Prince of Darkness Rom. 3.8 Oh how do the Apostle thunder against such we are slanderously reported and some affirm that we say Let us do evil that good may come whose damnation is just Art loved be joyous Soul thou art more then a Conquerour through him that loveth By way of Comfort Oh you that have the Love of Christ shed abroad in your hearts by the Spirit of Christ this Text as a Cordial under your fainting Fits Who loved us Art tempted or troubled pained or panged distressed or disserted yet loved Me Duce vinces Rom. 8.37 who loved us Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors but how through him that loved us Not only Conquerors but more then Conquerors It is a compound word and signifies more then simply to overcome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we greatly overcome we over and above overcome we overcome above measure or exceeding gloriously we do more then overcome we do Over-overcome as the Greek seem to read it It may well be read thus But in all these things we Over-overcome through him that loved us In all these things but what things were these These things ye may run and read Rom. 8.35 What shall separate us from the Love of God shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword Here are seven bitter Dishes and shall these No In all these things we do Over-overcome Is not any one of these Dishes enough for any pallate in the World yet not one of these not any of these yea not all these shall separate from the Love of God But in all these things we do Over-overcome but how through him that loved us Now that thy Cup may be filled with Joy and Peace like the water pots of Galilee up to the very Brim suffer me to tell thee that Christs Love is the most sutable and soveraign Cordial Christs Love is the most sutable Cordial Those Cordials are most efficacious that are most natural and most suiting the Spirits Gal. 2.20 Christs Love is the Christians Life I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Christs Love falls in with the Life of a Christian and therefore most sutable Christs Love is the most soveraign Cordial As Gods Love when he gave Christ is put for all Causes Jo. 3.16 So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son So Christs Love when Christians get comfort is put for all Cordials Is not that a lofty as well as a lovely Expression of the great Doctor of the Gentiles Rom. 8.38 39. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers Nor things present nor things to come Nor Height nor Depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Soul Christs Love contain in it the sum of the Gospel Christ being the sum of the Gospel and Love the sum of Christ God so loved the World that he gave Christ and Christ so loved the World that he gave himself contain in it the Pith and Marrow of all the Gospel This little word Love written in the golden letters of free-Grace in the blood of Jesus Christ is an Epitomy of the Gospel The Life of Christ was a perfect Mirror of his Love every action of it was full of Love and if we put all the Actions of his life together we may conclude that he was not born so much to Live as to Love Was there a word that dropped from his Lips but was sull of Love And as for his works they all speak Love so loud that the deafest ear may hear it Should we begin at the Temple where Christ disputed with the Doctors and â—low him to the Mount where 〈◊〉 was crucified by the Soulâ—ers we should see all the way â—ewed with Love-Reses Now 〈◊〉 loved then this Christ is â—hy Christ and this Love â—hy Love and is not this â—â—tter of Joy Go away then â—â—d be filled with Joy and â—ace through Believing Oh but there are Achans withâ—â— Object 1 Sauls within the Sons of â—erviab within Oh there are â—any Blots in my Scutcheon â—any Weeds in my Garden â—uch Rubbish in my House â—any Holes in my Coat much â—eâ—ven in my Heart Oh no â—eart like unto Mine Soul Solut. Christs Loâ—â— is greater â—en thy Lust and his Mercy â—en thine Iniquity If the Sun â—e
to God for Man so theâ— is a sanctification wrought by God in Man If the Blood oâ— Bulls and of Goats and thâ— ashes of an Heffer sprincklinâ— the unclean sanctified to thâ— purifying of the flesh Heb. 9.13 14. Hoâ— much more shall the blood 〈◊〉 Christ who through the eternâ— Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Here 's purging and purifying here 's sanctifying and spiriting unto Service but how through blood That is through an Application of Christs blood and this application is through Faith For the Apostle wordeth it Rom. 3.25 Whom speaking of Christ God hath set forth or so ordained to be a propitiation or mercy-seat but how through Faith in the Blood So that all arrive at a Satisfaction with respect to Justification and Sanctification concerning this Blood Christ was satisfied in shedding his Blood God was satisfied in Christs shedding his Blood And Man is satisfied because interessed in this Blood that was shed being delivered not from a Conscience of Sin only but from a Conversation of Sin also And washed us from our Sins in his own Blood Why Christ washeth from Sin in his own Blood Christ washeth from Sin in a two fold Respect in respect of the Necessity of it anâ— in respect of the commodity by it Reasons In respect of the Necessity of it It is expedient that one should dye for the People and that the whole Nation perish not There 's a Necessity of Christs Blood and that for these two Reasons among others Because Man had sinned Man is defiled and therefore Man must be washed Every man in a state of Nature is a Bartimeus the Son of the unclean as the word signifieth Oh Soul here 's thy pedigree though an Emperor was thy Father yet Adam was thy Grand-Father To this purpose the Apostle speaks Wherefore Rom 5.12 as by one Man sin entred into the World and Death by Sin and so death passed upon all Men for that all have sinned Or in whom all have sinned so the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Man and Woman living in the Region of depraved Nature is a Nero a Sinner as the word signifie Man is defiled and that from Head A Capitead Calcew to Foot that as the Philosopher saith concerning the Soul it is in every part where there is Life there is the Soul Tota in toto â—ota in qualibet parte for the Soul is the Life so what ever is in us and commeth from us and is acted by us receive a defilement from us Sin is like a Leprosie over the whole man like a Gangrene spreading over the whole Soul There is therefore a necessity of Christs Blood in order to Pardon and in order to Purity Because God would be satisfied God is infinite in his Attributes as well as in his Essence Justice is one of Gods Attributes and God will not loose one of his Attributes If Man sin God will avenge this sin upon the Person or upon the Passover As Man had sinned so God would be satisfied yea satisfied the same way he was offended 1 Cor. 15.21 By Man came Death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead In respect of the Commodity by it The Blood of Christ is advantagious in a manisold respect At this Door of Christs Blood enters Redemption Is not Redemption a great thing to be rescued out of the hands of the roaring Lyon is not this a great Mercy This is through Christs Blood Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption but how through his Blood At this Door of Christs Blood enters Remission Is not Remission a great thing Pardon of Sin is not only a singular but also a plural Mercy Heb. 9.22 this Remission is through Christs blood Without shedding of blood no Remission At this Door of Christs Blood enters Access to God Is not Access to God a great thing Access to a mortal Monarch is eyed as a great thing but what is Access to an immortal God then Sin had set God and Man at an infinite distance Christs Blood bring these together The Apostle speaking of Christs preaching Peace to them which were asar off and to them which were nigh subjoins joins this Eph. 2.17 18. For through him we both have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father At this Door of Christs Blood enters Acceptance with God There 's an Acceptation through Christ and his Blood as to Person and as to Performance There is through Christs Blood an Acceptation as to Person Man was indebted and the Blood of Christ went to pay the Reckoning Eph. 1.6 Ye are bought with a price Christs Blood went for pay To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved There is through Christs Blood an Acceptation as to Performance As God hath respect to the Person of an Abel so to the Oblation of an Abel but respect to both through Christ Christ is a merciful and faithful high Priest Heb. 2.17 in things partaining to God to make riconciliation for the Sin of the People At this Door of Christs Blood enters Salvation Is not Salvation a great thing Is not this worth the hearing worth the having Is not Damnation a bitter Pil a bitter Potion This Salvation is through Christs 〈◊〉 from Wrath and from 〈◊〉 〈…〉 If the wrath of a King be as the Messenger of death 〈◊〉 what 's the wrath of a God then the wrath of the God of Gods then Christ by his blood saveth from wrath Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our Justification From Sin As the Blood of Christ saveth from the Guilt of Sin so from the Filth of Sin He shall save the People from their Sins Mat. 1.21 As Christ is a Saviour for Sin so from Sin What Vse may be made of this Lastly that Christ washâ—th from Sin in his own Blood Here are three uses USE Caution Comfort Counsel Now this Use hath a double Aspect By way of Caution and looks unto the washed and unwashed Now if so there must be a distinct discussion in a way of Caution Art loved To the washed and washed be cautioned then against sinning for Christs Blood must go for washing Beloved what all the water in the Sea cannot do the Blood of Christ can do If thou beest washed from Sin 't is by Christs Blood What Man in his wits will be lavish of his blood Oh what Soul in love with Christ being loved of Christ will be lavish of Christs Blood Soul if there be sinning by Thee and Mee his Blood must go for washing Hath not Christ bled enough already when he hath bled to death to an accursed death but must he bleed again That as he was pierced again must he bleed again Jo. 20.27 Come Thomas reach hither thy hand and thrust it into
out-vies all other Loves and that in a manifold Respect Suffer me to give you who have tasted that the Lord is gracious a Tast of the Incomparableness of Christs Love In respect of the freeness of it Wine and Milk yea Grace and Glory may be had Psa 84 11. with out Money and without price He giveth Grace and Glory Beloved You have and that to the Life the Portraiture of a person in his Naturals Ezeck 16 6 When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own Blood or according to the Margent troden under Foot in thine own Blood is not this a sad state for a man to be troden under Foot for a man to be tumbling and wallowing in his own Blood But what then Did Christ leave the Man as he found him No I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live Yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live There was no Merit here nor Motive here there was nothing but free-grace here meer Mercy here Now was the time of the Creatures greatest defilement Ezeck 16.8 and deformity and yet this was the time of Christs Love Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of Love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness Yea I swear unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee saith Jehovah God and thou becammest Mine Is not this a peculiar Love In respect of the firstness of it Christ is first in Love Christ loves before he is loved 1 Jo. 4.19 We love him why because he first loved us Christs Love is primary Ours secundary His the cause Ours but the effect Had not Christ fired our hearts with Love we had never bestowed a spark of spiritual Affection upon him Had not Christ first loved us we lived and dyed without loving him Christ loveth before loved is not this then peculiar Love In respect of the Sameness of it Christ and those that are Christs have the same Love Jo. 17.26 I have declared unto them thy name and I will declare it that the love where with thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them Is not this now peculiar Love In respect of the Sureness of it As it is the same Love so it is a sure Love Isa 55.3 Incline your ears and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live but what then and I will make an even lasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Thou mayst loose thy Wifeloose thy Child loose thy Estate yea loose thy Life but thou canst not loose this Love Is it not then a peculiar Love In respect of the Goodness of it Psal 30.5 This Love is Life In thy Favour is Life Yea Sirs this Love is better then Life better then Lifes Psa 63.3 so the Hebrew Because thy loving kindness is better then Lifes Mechajim my lips shall praise Thee Christs Love is better then Life then Lives that is 't is better then Life it self and all sorts of Life whatsoever 'T is better then Life and all the concerns of Life 't is better then many better then all Lives bundled together bound up together Is natural Life nothing Is not life the best Monosyllabe in the World but this is a spiritual Life yea this is an eternal Life And is not this then a peculiar Love In respect of the Greatness of it All Love may be reduced to three Heads Carnal Moral Spiritual And yet Christs Love out-bids any of these out-vies all these But to these distinctly Carnal Now this Carnal Love may fall under three heads the World Self and Sin The World Souls Christs Love to Thee if thou beest Christs is greater then thy Love to the World have been The love of the World is a great Sin and looks like a Sin inconsistent with the truth of Grace 1 Jo 2.15 If any Man any one so the Greek Man or Woman love the World the Love of the Father is not in him or her Tim. 6.10 The love of Money is called the root of all evil But now Christs love to Thee is greater then thy love have been to the world so say my Text Who loved us and washed us Here 's washing as well as loving yea washing the Effect and Consequent of loving Is not this then a peculiar Love Self Christs love to Thee if thou beest Christs is greater then thy love have been to thy Self Self-Love is a great Sin for a Man is to deny himself not to love himself Mat. 16.24 If any Man will come after Me let him deny himself But now Christs Love to Thee is greater then thy Love hath been to thy Self witness my Text Who loved us and washed us Here is loving and washing out of Love 't is now a peculiar Love Sin Christs love to Thee if thou beest Christs is greater then thy love have been to Sin Thy love and my love to sin have been great greatly great Lovers of pleasure 2 Tim. 3.4 more then Lovers of God Thou hast served diverse lusts and pleasures thy Soul have been a Vessel of Sin and a Vassal unto Satan but now Christs love to Thee is greater then thy love have been to Sin witness the Text Who loved us and washed us but from what From our Sins in his own Blood Is not this then a peculiar Love Moral As Christs Love is greater then carnal so then Moral Christs Love is greater then the Love of the Master to the Servant For 1. The Centurions Love was great to his Servant 't is expresly said that he had a Servant who was dear unto him but he was sick and ready to dye Now hearing of Jesus Luke 7.2 3. he sent unto him the Elders of the Jews beseeching him that he would come and heal his Servant The Masters Love was great desiring his Servant might be healed but Christs was greater Luke 7.10 for he healed the Servant They found the Servant whole Christs Love is greater then the Love of the Father to the Child Jacob Love to Benjamin was great the Fathers life was bound up in the Lads life Davids love to Absalom was great 2 Sam. 18.33 if not too great That I had ayed for thee oh Absalom my Son my Son But Christs is greater When my Father and my Mother forsake me then Jehovah will gather me Psa 27.10 When my Father cast me out of his Arms and my Mother cast me off her knees then Jehovah will gather me into the Arms of beginningless and endless Mercy Christs Love is greater then the Love of the Mother to the Child The Mothers Love is a great Love if not the greatest Love Isa 49.15 Can a Woman forget her sucking child from having compassion on the child of her womb Is there such a Women among Women Yea they may forget yet will I not forget Thee Christs Love is