Kingdom Christ's Testament doth make both Children and Heires 1. Saints have their new nature from God's Gracious Covenant so they are born of the Covenant that promises a new Heart and Spirit Ezek. 36.26 and on this account are said to be the Children of the promise Rom. 9.8 And they have the Eternal Inheritance from the same gracious Covenant and so are stiled the Heires of promise Heb. 6 17.11 We cannot obtain a blessing by our own Righteousness and Works but by the Sacrifice and Death of Jesus Christ Levit. 9.22 23. This Text of Scripture is observable when Aaron had offered Sacrifice then he was to Bless the people in the Name of the Lord the form of Blessing is expressed Numb 6.24 25 26. The Lord make his Face to shine the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon thee When Christ was Sacrificed God hid his Face from him and did forsake him Psal 22.1 Christ's Sufferings purchased and procured this Blessing for us That God's Face may shine on us and the light of his Countenance may be lifted up upon us Jesus Christ bare the Curse Galat. 3.13 He was made a Curse that the Blessing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles Galat. 3.14 God promised to Abraham That in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be Blessed Gen. 22.18 Christ was the Seed meant and intended Galat. 3.8 There could be no Blessing without Redemption from the Curse and we could not be Redeemed from the Curse if Jesus Christ did not endure it There are blemishes and defects in our best Works and they deserve a Curse and therefore cannot earn and merit a Blessing but we must seek it in Christ they that are of Faith are Blessed with Faithful Abraham Gal. 3.9 It is not said they are Blessed with working Abraham but with Faithful believing Abraham Abraham himself did not get the Blessing by Working but by believing He did not find that in his own Heart or Life that would warrant him to Glory in himself before God The same way that Abraham got the Blessing all his believing seed must attain it Object But here it may be Objected Is it not said Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that Feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments and Psal 119.1 2. Blessed are the undefiled in the way that walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his Testimonies and seek him with their whole heart Answ No man since the Fall did ever earn a Blessing by his obedience to the Works of the Law therefore Calvin excellently observes Rom. 32. ver 1 2. that all such passages are grounded on the Blessing we have by the free and full forgiveness of our Sins Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is the man whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord Imputeth not Iniquity Paul asserts that David describeth the Blessedness of the Man to whom the Lord imputeth Righteousness without Works saying Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven Rom. 4.6 7. No man is blessed for any Righteousness or works of his own but as the person is a Believer in Christ and freely Justified by Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.24 Fearing God walking in his Law keeping his Testimonies are sweet Indications and Comfortable Characters who the persons are that are Blessed But it is the Forgiveness of Sin that is the true cause of our Blessedness The Mercies that God bestows are not conferred by our Covenant as if we had earned and merited them but by his Covenant as the Fruits of his meer and pure Grace Observe well this distinction which God makes between our Covenant which is a Covenant of Works and his Covenant that is a Covenant of Grace and that Good things are given by his Covenant but not bestow'd by our Covenant Weigh well the Importance of this Scripture Ezek. 16.61 62. 12. We enter into Rest by Faith in Christ and not by our own Works Heb. 4.3 We that have believed do enter into rest It is not said We that have wrought Righteousness do enter into Rest It was the Speech of Fisher Bishop of Rochester Fides Faeta Justificat sed ante partum * Treat of Justiffcation Faith that is impregnated with Good Works doth Justifie but yet before it brings them forth yet Faith doth not Justifie as it is adapted fitted or disposed to bring forth Good Works but as it respects Christ eyes his Righteousness and Obedience The Faith big with Good Works doth Justifie but not because it is so or as it is such but by virtue of its respect to Christ and the Free Promise Noah by Faith entred into the Ark and rested there it had no Rudder or Helm for him to handle and manage no Sailes for him to trim no Rigging for him to look after he did nothing to Stear or Sail the Ark up and down but he sweetly rested by Faith in the Ark He believed God would Stear and Guide it that it should not be broken dashed to pieces sink or miscarry Noah in this Temporal deliverance from the Flood saw and apprehended an Eternal Salvation from the Flood of Divine Vengeance in and by Christ the true Ark of Salvation and that blessed rest and security that is attained by Faith in him Hence the Apostle saith That Noah became Heir of the Righteousness that is by Faith Heb. 11.7 he did believe that by the Righteousness and Obedience of the Messiah to come as an Ark he should be saved from the Wrath to come This is much to be observed that the Sabbath Instituted in Paradise was the Seventh in order after Six Working days and was suited to Man's State of Innocency and did most properly belong to the Covenant of Works that Promiseth a Blessed Life and Rest after perfect Works of Righteousness wrought by us Rom. 10.5 The man that doth those things shall live by them But the Christian Sabbath is the First Day of the Week before our Six Working days and therefore is suited and fitted to the New Covenant that Promiseth a Rest to the Consciences of them that believe before uhey do Works of Righteousness Those that are Justified by Faith have peace with God through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 Calvin doth think that God pointed at this in such a severe and rigid injunction of the Sabbath He that would not have us to be weary in well-doing Galat. 6.9 yet commands us to cease from our own works Nonne eo ipso pronuntiat omnia oper a nostra mala esse And Isaiah teaching us that the Sabbath is violated Quando invenitur nostra voluntas Isa 58.13 When we find our own will and pleasure doth shew a necessity of ceasing from our own Wills and Works in our Justification Calvin thus Discourses in the 1st and 6th Book against Pighius concerning Free-will we are Justified not by shewing our Good Works but by our Evil Works being hid and covered
of Sin and the Spirit that was signified by the Water that flowed out of Christ's side is a sovereign Remedy against the Filth and Reigning power of Sin And Jesus Christ the Tree of Life beares Leaves for the Healing of the Nations Revel 22.2 No other Tree hath Healing Leaves but only Jesus Christ his Word Doctrine Promises are Healing Leaves We do not Work to Cure our selves tho' we are Patients yet we cannot be our own Physitians but we are Justified by Christ's Condemnation and live by his Death 4. We are not Washed in any Water of our own providing or in any Bath of our own making but God the Father hath opened a Fountain for sin and uncleanness Zech. 13.1 and this Fountain is opened where we could never have thought of or imagined any such thing even in the pierced side and wounded heart of the Son of God His Head was Crowned with Thornes his Hands and Feet were nailed to the Cross his Side was pierced and Blood did flow from thence to Purifie our Souls This is noble and precious Blood indeed that affects Conscience and reaches so far as to purifie it The Blood of Sacrifices the Ashes of an Heifer and Clean Water availed only to the Purification of the Flesh to take off Ceremonial Uncleanness but Christ poured out his own Blood and thereby made a Precious Laver a Costly Bath This Blood purgeth Conscience from sins that are dead Works as they are the Fruits of Spiritual Death and the Seeds of Eternal Death Though Conscience be stupid and doth not feel the weight of these dead Works yet if they remain unpurged they will revive and sting the Soul to death they will return upon it and sink it to Hell There is no other means to purifie and pacifie Conscience but this Blood and we exceedingly need it There is a Fountain of Iniquity in us that continually flows to defile us Jer. 6.7 As a Fountain casts out its Waters so Jerusalem casts out her Wickedness It is well for us that there is a Fountain without us in Christ to take off that Guilt that is contracted by the Flowings of that Filthy Fountain that is within us Christ's Blood though it is little in quantity yet it is mighty in Virtue There is a deep Sea of Merit in it Micah 7.18 19. Thoug it was poured out of his Body but a few hours yet it is a Fountain that Flowes in all Ages and Generations to take away Sin And is not this most sweet and comfortable that Jesus Christ did not only shed his Blood but sprinkles it also Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness Clean Water to wash the Body is common but clean Water to purifie the Soul is rare and no where to be found but in Christ This is wonderful Grace that Christ would not only shed his Blood but undertakes also to sprinkle it He shed it with unexpressible Pain and Anguish but he Sprinkles it with much Pleasure and Delight As he pitied Souls and shed his Blood for them so he Loves Soules and Sprinkles it on them and Washes them in this Fountain from their Uncleanness Revel 1.56 We are not clothed by our own Works or Righteousness Our Webs cannot become Garments Isa 59.6 Our best Performances cannot clothe us Our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags they cannot hide our Shame cover our Nakedness they are too narrow and short to do it Isa 64.6 Shall we be proud of or trust upon filthy Rags Our own Righteousness is but a Garment full of Patches So Piscator renders the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vestimentum frustrorum panni veteris attriti A Garment of Pieces of old and worn-out Cloth How long have we been serving in the Oldness of the Letter Rom. 7.6 and so our Garment may be called Old Cloth Sometimes we do good Works and then are apt to turn aside and to commit evil Works There are interruptions in our obedience Sin doth too often intervene so that these patches of the Old Man do much blemish and disfigure the Garment of our Righteousness There are Breaches in our Walls and Spots in our Garments As we need clean Water to Purisie us Ezek. 36.25 so we also want clean Linnen to Clothe and Adorn us Revel 19.8 Jesus Christ invites us to come to him to buy White Rayment that the shame of our Nakedness may not appear Revel 3.18 Christ was the Angel that commanded the Filthy Garments to be taken from Joshuah the High-Priest he caused his Iniquities to pass away and Clothed him with change of Rayment Zech. 3.4 The Garments of our Bodies do put us in mind of our Sins and bring to Remembrance our Transgression therefore they are called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bidge from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagad that signifies to Rebel Because if Man had not Apostatized from and Rebelled against God he had not needed Clothing or Garments But the Righteousness of Christ may well be called the Garment of Praise Isa 61.3 It is a Garment for Beauty and Glory and so to be exceedingly praised when God puts it on us then we begin heartily to praise God Christ is stiled the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 he hath healing Beames for wounded Consciencies The Church is said to be Clothed with the Sun Revel 12.1 And is not this a Glorious Garment Doth it not deserve praise in it self and call for the highest Praises from us God provided Coats of Skins and Clothed our First Parents with them Gen. 3.21 The matter of those Coats was the Skins of Beasts that probably were slain and offered in Sacrifice to God This might instruct and teach them that the Spiritual Cloathing of their Souls was to be borrowed from the Obedience and Righteousness of the Great Atoning Sacrifice As many as are Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 Our First Parents did sow Fig-leaves together to make Aprons to hide their shame Gen. 3.7 but when God provided Coats of Skin for them then they threw away their Aprons of Fig-leaves as useless So every Man Naturally seeks some Aprons of Works and righteousness of his own to cover his Nakedness when Conscience accuses them for sin and the Law of God Condemns them for Iniquity The Whore in Prov. 7.14 pleads That she had Peace-offerings with her and that day she had paid her Vowes and with this Apron she thought to hide the Filthiness of her Adultery But when Men come acquainted with Jesus Christ and have that Glorious Clothing revealed to them which he hath proved for Souls then they cast away their Aprons of Works and their own Imaginary Righteousness Paul saith That those things that he reputed his Gains that he thought would gain him the Favour of God Acceptance with God a Title to Everlasting Life these he counted loss for Christ Phil. 3.7 8 9. that is he cast them away not only as unprofitable
Criminals are sowed up and sealed up in a bag to be produced at the Trial of an Offender so are the Sins of Men Job 14.17 So many Sins as Men have committed and are unpardoned so many witnesses have they provided against the day of their Trial. Jer. 14.7 O Lord our Iniquities testifie against us Read Isa 59.12 Our Sins are not only as dead records but as living witnesses not only as matter of accusation but as accusers they cry to Heaven to kindle wrath against us and pluck down vengeance on us Gen. 18.20 21. Sodom's Sins did cry to Heaven against it Little do Sinners think that they are daily filling Gods Book with complaints and accusations and filling his Treasury with Wrath and piling up Fuel to burn and Torment themselves It is nothing else but the speaking Blood of Christ that can stop the mouths of these witnesses and silence the clamours of their Sins 7. Every Sin deserves Eternal death Rom. 6. last Death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wages of Sin The word signifies Soldiers wages Luke 3.14 They that cleave to Satan as their General that stay in his Tents Fight on his side against God shall have Eternal death as wages paid to them Tribulation is due to the Body Anguish to the Soul and Conscience of every Transgressor Rom. 2.9 God will repay fury Isa 59.18 he will render anger to his adversaries Isa 66.15 8. Consider there is Judgement to come Heb. 6.2 God seeth all Mens Provocations Hos 5.3 Prov. 15.3 Jer. 13. last And he will be a swift witness against them Mal. 3.5 God hath not in vain Registred the Sins of Men the Book of God and the Eye of the Soul shall be opened no Sin shall be forgotten Amos 8.7 all shall be brought to light Eccles 11.9 1 Cor. 4.5 and be brought into Judgment Eccles 12.14 There will not only be a Resurection of Bodies but a Reviving and Remembrance of Sins If your Sins are not pardoned but remain before God's Face Psal 90.8 They will shortly be reviewed by God and set in order before your face Psal 50.21 If you inherit the Sins of your whole life Job 13.26 you will be Heires of Shame Misery and Eternal Torments 2. Motive Consider what great advantages we have in these times of the Gospel as to a participation of this Righteousness of God 1. It is now wrought out and perfected Jesus Christ hath been a Faithful High-Priest Heb. 2.17 And a Righteous servant Isa 53.11 God devolved the greatest trust on Christ and he undertook took the hardest and most noble work even to make Restitution to God for the wrong we had done him and to make Reconciliation for us to appease the Wrath we had provoked and to divert form us the Punishment we had deserved The Jews thought of old that their High-Priest was trusted with their greatest concerns and for fear he should be a Sadducee or out of heedlessness neglect any part of his Office on the day of Atonement they used Solemnly to swear him to a full and faithful discharge of his Office in the great Work of that day But our Lord Jesus Christ was by fervent love to his Father and his People Heartily and throughly engaged in this great Work he undertook and hath fully discharged it He glorified God on Earth he finished the Work he gave him to do John 17.4 He would not dye till he could say all was finished John 19.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How honourable a word is this to Christ And how Comfortable a word is this to us Jesus Christ as the slain Goat did bear our Sins and as the Scape-Goat he did bear them away As God did lay Sins on Christ Isa 53.6 so he purged them Heb. 1.3 and put them away He hath been a most Righteous servant to God his very Sufferings that in a Moral sence were Punishments yet in a Legal sence were Righteousness Jesus Christ is perfected himself Heb. 5.9 And he hath by one Offering for ever perfected us Heb. 10.14 There is signal evidence and demonstration that Jesus Christ hath finished his Work for he could not else have confidently commended and committed his Soul to his Father Luke 23.46 He would not else have been welcome to him and Received by him John 16.10 The World was to be convinced of Christ's Righteousness by this argument that he did go to the Father and they did see him no more on Earth How could he have ventured into the glorious Presence of God if he had not Righteously performed what he undertook Would not the Father have sent him back again into the World if he had omitted or left any thing undone But Christ saith he should be seen on Earth no more in the form of a Servant to do any Work in a state of Humiliation 2. The Father Raised him up from the Dead 1. Pet. 1.21 He Released our Surety out of the Prison of the Grave which he would not have done if the debt had not been fully paid Therefore an Angel came down from Heaven to roll away the Stone from Christ's Grave Matth. 28.2 This was an Officer from the great Judge of Heaven and Earth to free our surety and to evidence that God was satisfied and did allow Christ's Resurrection 3. The Father exalted Jesus Christ by his own right Hand Acts 5.31 And gave him Glory that we might be encouraged and emboldened from thence to act our Faith and hope in God 1 Pet. 1.21 4. Jesus Christ is sat down at the Right Hand of God in the Heavenly Sanctuary Heb. 1.3 Heb. 12.2 What an honour was this to our High-Priest to sit down in the true Holy of Holies When the High-Priest under the Law might not sit down in the Typical Holy of Holies And Christ's siting down did shew he had done his Work and might now take his rest This the Apostle makes the great difference between Christ and the Priests of the Law If they stood dayly Ministring and Offering Sacrifices that could never take away Sin But Christ When he had Offered one Sacrifice for ever be sat down on the Right Hand of God Heb. 10.11 12. The Priests of the Law did go on in their Ministry they stood Offering Sacrifices their Work was never at an end they could never sit down But Christ hath Finished his Work and therefore is sat down and expects that all his Enemies shall be made his Footstool Heb. 10.13 5. Jesus Christ as he is released so he Preaches the opening of the Prison to us Isa 61.1 God's Prison is not Forced or Broken but opened in a Righteous way our Ransom being paid Matth. 20.28 Christ therefore now comes to the Prison-door and saith to the Prisoners Come forth you that were hid in Prisondarkness now shew your selves and appear with boldness and confidence in the Heavenly Sanctuary Isa 49.9 2. The Righteousness of Christ is now brought Dan. 9.24 To bring Everlasting Righteousness Eternal Redemption is now